Hare, Krishna. So thank you for coming today for this last session in our series. And, today we will talk about the 4 remaining characteristics of bhakti. In the first session, we talked about how these characteristics if we consider like a flower stalk, these are like petals are they are conjoined petals. So they are on two sides.

The first are more related with first two are more related with us. That what Bhakti will do to us, kleshaagni and shubhada. So we discussed for this for one session and then after that we elaborated on this. So next are more characteristics of bhakti itself. It is what are the next two characteristics?

Moksha. Moksha laguta. So moksha is liberation. Moksha laghu. Laghu is small.

So laguta kruta. It makes moksha seem small and then there is sudurlabha. So these 2 are more related with bhakti itself, the nature of bhakti. And then then there is. So this is more in terms of both of these are more is the soul’s experience.

What are the soul’s experience? And last is Krishna. So Krishna Akarshani. It attracts even Krishna. So this is more in terms of you can say Krishna’s experience.

This is experience at the spiritual level. Whether it’s our experience or Krishna’s experience. So we discussed about how relationships themselves have some characteristics. So now, here, in one sense, there is a common denominator to all the various vedic traditions that were there in India. There are 6 systems of philosophy.

There are different schools of thought. So we could say the first two characteristics are almost common to any spiritual path. Every spiritual path will say that it will free you from distress. And it will give you happiness. That’s what everyone is looking for.

So even the path of impersonal liberation, that will also say that, okay. Claysh agni will happen. The claysh is because of material existence. And when you become free from material existence, you’ll become free from claysh. And within their understanding, okay, the auspiciousness is when we become one with the unending ocean of white light that is Brahman.

So these, you can say, are common to all spiritual paths. They’re common in the sense that the specifics of how bhakti provides them are different. But it is like, if you go back to the medicine metaphor, whether somebody takes Ayurveda or allopathy or naturopathy, the result that is promised is the same. That your disease will go away and your health will come back. So in that sense, there bhakti, these two characteristics are not unique.

These two characteristics or these two results are promised even by those who seek Guyana, the path of Guyana to achieve Moksha. So that’s why the next characteristic becomes important. That moksha also gives this, but no. What bhakti offers, it makes moksha seem insignificant. Now this itself is an extraordinary claim because moksha is what, the great sages who renounce the world pursue, And it is not, any ordinary attainment.

It’s very, very difficult to attain. So then why would somebody say that, okay. You know, this is it makes moksha seem insignificant. That is there there’s a reason. Now we can go into Shastric references how Rupakha Swami says that if there is the happiness moksha, there is Brahmananda.

That like a drop and if you multiply a drop thousands of times, it will become like an ocean. And the ocean of bhakti is like that. So Bhakti Ananda is so great. Like, if we get an ocean, then we’ll feel what is the point of a drop. It has no value.

So the same theme comes in the last verse of the 8th chapter, 8.32. So whatever will come by any other path, all that will come and more will come for the person who takes to Bhakti and comes to Krishna. So these are scriptural statements. So we can have this characteristic. We can understand it through a metaphor.

The metaphor is of a drop and ocean. We can also under understand it through scriptural reference. There are many references which are given. Let’s try to understand this primarily now through logic. So is it just because we are bhaktas, we claim that the happiness of Bhakti is greater?

And those who are pursuing Moksha, they will say that the happiness of Moksha is greater. No. There is a particular underlying theme over here. So the theme is that in the impersonal path and the personal path, In both, there is an acknowledgment of suffering. No.

See suffering is universal. If we tell people this whole many people may say you are being so pessimistic. But, okay. So yours was given to me, is it? Okay.

Thank you. So in one sense, suffering is universal. Like, we may say that if we say this only Dukkaleya, people may say you’re being so pessimistic. But I have traveled across the world spoken to different audiences. And sometimes I start by saying, no.

We all may have different upbringings. We may have different, religious world views. We may have different philosophical conceptions. But we all can agree on one thing. What is that one thing?

It can be summarized in 3 words. Life is tough. Isn’t it? Isn’t it? We may be very wealthy.

We may be very famous. We may be very popular. We may be very talented but life is not easy for anyone. Now the level of difficulty for different people may be different. There may be some subjectivity in what is considered difficult.

For somebody who doesn’t have any food to eat at all, that is a different kind of difficulty. And somebody who doesn’t come first in the class, you may say, what is the difficulty for them? Because they may experience emotional pain that can be very large. Somebody comes to the World Cup finals and loses in the World Cup finals. You see, your pain is nothing as compared to somebody who’s starving.

But still for them, it’s a very intense pain. So the point is life is tough. So actually, life is tough is just a restatement of when the Gita says the world is. But what happens is, when we say the world is, people feel it is pessimistic. Why?

Because it becomes a statement of the nature of the world. And people feel if you say this world is then there is no hope for me. But, whereas, when you say life is tough, it is a statement of empathy. It is a statement of shared human experience. So life is tough.

And everybody wants relief from the toughness of life. So now, why is life so difficult? What can we do to get relief from the toughness and the difficulties of life? So, this is where personalism and impersonalism have a different diagnosis. Like, sometimes we may have some fever and we may go to different doctors.

And one doctor may say this is, you know, this is just seasonal flu. Another doctor may say this is malaria. So spiritual doctor may say there’s malle in the area of your heart. Isn’t it? But whatever it is, there can be different diagnosis.

So, suppose there is a patient and they they have got some disease like arthritis. And when they got arthritis, even a small movement, they move their hand, ah, there’s pain. They move their leg, there’s pain. If the arthritis are all over the body. Even if they hear a joke and they laugh.

They laugh a little bit and they feel pain. So any movement of the body causes pain. So then what happens is, the impersonal, there’s pain and pain comes from movement. So the solution that is thought is, if there is no movement, then there will be no pain. So this is one way a patient may diagnose.

Okay. I want to be free from pain, therefore I should just be able to stop moving. I can just stop moving, then I’ll be free from pain. So like this, what the impersonal thing is? Desires.

They cause bondage. And what is it? It is qualities in this world that lead to desires. You know, something is attractive, hey, I want this. Something smells bad, I want to go away from this.

So qualities lead to desires and desires lead to entanglement. They lead to bondage. So the impersonalist solution is, if there are no qualities, then there’ll be no desires. And if there are no desires, then there’ll be the bondage. You can say bondage and suffering go together.

When we are bound to something like alcohol, like is bound to alcohol, they suffer. So then there is no bondage and no suffering. So this is the diagnosis of the impersonalists. And that’s why the Okay. That’s why the impersonalist diagnosis is that actually all qualities in this world are false.

Even the qualities we attribute to God, they are also false. They’re also Maya. Becoming attracted to the qualities of God, maybe, not maybe, is better than being attracted to the qualities of people in this world. But ultimately, even that is Maya. So, we need to go beyond it all.

And then what happens is, then there will be just the state of existence. Just just just pure consciousness. See, sometimes we say impersonalism means what? You say some people, there’s a famous impersonalist who went to America and he said, there are many gurus in the past who came and said that I am God. So he said, I’m not such a guru.

I’m not a guru who has come to tell you I am God. I’m the guru who has come to tell you, you are God. In one college in America, I saw a t shirt on one boy I was wearing. I was an atheist till I discovered I was God. So, now this is a common understanding of impersonalism.

That we will merge and you will become God. However, this is not the actual understanding of impersonalism. See, there is maya wad and there is what you can call as neo maya wad. Means So this is a distortion from what taught. So hold that we are all gods.

I’m going a little bit into impersonalism over here because it’s important to understand what means. So they say we are all gods. But actual holds that that even God is an illusion. So their idea is that there is only Brahman that exists. Brahman is the only reality.

When Brahman comes in contact with it becomes When Brahman comes in contact with rajas, it becomes When Brahman comes in contact with tamas, it becomes Prakriti. It becomes material nature. Now this is not the correct philosophy. Don’t note it down as the correct philosophy. This is their idea.

And they say, what happens first? The g y is attached to prakrti. The g y is attached to prakrti and this causes bondage. So first, we need to understand that prakrti is Maya. And many impersonalists will also practice bhakti.

Because they say, actually, for the jiva Is this color visible? Okay. For the jiva to become attached to is good because the jiva can become detached from prakrti. So, so this is, this is the lowest. This is the lowest level and this is an intermediate level.

But afterwards, when you truly advance, you will understand that actually the jiva is Maya and ishwar is also Maya. So the only thing that exists is Brahman. So, Brahma satya, Jagannmithya. So it’s not just Jagannmithya, jivamithya, and Ishwar alsomithya. So so the imperialist idea is that, there is only existence.

There’s no activity, there are no desires, there is no reciprocation. So it is very similar to what? Oh, all activity causes pain, therefore, give up all activity. All relationships, all desires cause pain, therefore give up all desires. And how can we give up all desires?

By believing that everything desirable itself is Maya. But this is not the Bhakti understanding. See, the the if you consider, go back over here, the same patient can understand that, okay, actually, I’m experiencing pain. And pain occurs whenever there is movement. However, the cause of the pain is a disease.

That, when there is a disease, because there is arthritis, at that time when I move my hand, there is pain. So, if there is no disease, then there can be movement and there will be no pain. In fact, there can be pleasure. Now, when we move, we can run, we can dance, we can see various places. And movement, action is the basis of joy.

So similarly, in the bhakti understanding, the problem is not that qualities lead to desires and desires lead to bondage and suffering. The problem is that these are temporary qualities. So it’s like temporary quality. When we are attracted to things with temporary qualities, then we have material desires. And material desires lead us to bondage and suffering.

Why? Because what the things that we are attached to, they go away. Or we go away from the things that we are attached. Now, we may earn a lot of wealth, but somehow the stock market crash and the wealth goes away. Or we may earn a lot of wealth, but then we grow old and we die and then we go away from the wealth.

So either way. So, however, if there are eternal qualities and eternal qualities are present in Krishna. So when there are eternal qualities, toward those eternal qualities, there are desires, there are spiritual desires. And these desires, they actually lead to liberty, freedom and even ecstasy. That these desires, the desire to serve Krishna, that brings joy.

What happens is the more our consciousness is filled with the desire to serve Krishna, the more we’ll become free from other desires. And the more we become free from other desires, the more we become absorbed in Krishna. The more we can remember Krishna. The more we can become happy. So suppose there is some small child and when the child is sick, the mother has to give medicine to the child and the child doesn’t like to take medicine.

So the mother has to hold the mouth of the child. Open the mouth. And the child is given the medicine. Now, one day, the mother wants to give the child delicious kheer. And the mother says, take this.

The child says, no. And the mother says, take it. No. And the mother holds that and gives it. And the child just doesn’t want to take it.

The child starts shaking the head violently. And the child shakes the head violently and what happens? All the curious falls in the mouth and spills away. But even through that, if the mother keeps pawing, then what happens? Slowly a few drops start going in.

And then as the drops start going in, the child is shaking the head. So similarly for us, right now, we have so many other desires that even when Krishna comes into our consciousness, the remembrance of Krishna is like drinking kheer. But we think, oh, watching TV is better. You know, political use is better. Credit sports is better.

Stock market prices is better. So even when the opportunity to focus on Krishna is there, we don’t focus on Krishna. That it’s extremely joyful. But we don’t feel it because we are distracted. Pogaishva prasakthana pagaishva prasakthana pagaishthaam.

Krishna says, when we are caught with desires of sense enjoyment and worldly profit and wealth, then those desires drag our consciousness. And thus, That steadiness to focus on Krishna and experience samadha. That doesn’t happen. But somehow, we, like the mother holds the child firmly like that. We, without buddhi, hold our mind firmly.

So our intelligence is like the mother and our mind is like the child. So if we just hold our mind steadily, then gradually we’ll start experiencing that this is something extraordinary. That, you know, okay, I like music. There are there there are there is movie songs and there are these other songs. I like all of them.

But then if we keep hearing Krishna Kirtan, we’ll find that initially this is also just another music. Sometimes nice, sometimes not nice. But as we keep hearing it, we will start realizing there is something extraordinary in this. It just transports me to another level of reality. So, just as a person who was sick and couldn’t move at all, if they stop moving, they do get relief from pain.

But if they get healed, and they can travel and they can trek and they can dance, then the joy of dancing is 100 and 1000 of times greater than the relief of feeling no pain because of being motionless, isn’t it? So similarly, just having no desire at all. It’s very difficult to be in that state but if somehow, just as it’s very difficult to just be completely motionless. But even if somebody came to that state of having no desire at all, that state will not last for long. And even if we could stay in that state, there is there is only relief.

There is not really joy over there. On the other hand, when we find something truly desirable and we pursue that and we get joy in that. And when we pursue Krishna, the soul is eternal. Krishna is eternal. The bond between the 2 of them is eternal.

That’s why it is It’s an ocean of happiness and that too vardhanam. It’s an ocean of happiness that keeps expanding. So this is how moksha laghuta krta. What bhakti does is, it makes the happiness of moksha seem like insignificant. So moksha is like relief from pain.

But Bhakti or Bhaktyananda is like the joy of dancing. Joy of trekking. The joy of moving about freely. So this is far, far greater. Now, this is moksha lagutta kruta.

Now, the other characteristic correspondingly is su durlabha. Su durlabha means extremely rare. Now, why is Bhakti so rare? It is not that Krishna does not want to give Bhakti. Rather, Krishna wants to know whether we want Bhakti.

He wants to see our desires. The Bhagavadam says, Krishna Krishna says, I’ll give mukti easily, but I will not give bhakti. I’ll not give Prema. Why? That is related with the last point.

What happens is when there is love, love actually conquers Krishna. So Ajithopya Sita Strelokyam, the Bhagavatam says. That Lord who is unconquerable becomes conquered by Lao, by Bhakti. So the example could be, if there is a King. The King can, if there is a prisoner, There’s a prisoner.

Now there’s one thing is to release the prisoner. That also is a big thing for the prisoner. That is a big thing. And from the prisoner’s perspective, being released can be a great source of relief. But on the 8th, the king adopts as a prince.

That’s a very big thing, isn’t it? So if the king is going to adopt as a prince, that means this person becomes a member of their family. So you could say every citizen also has a responsibility of the king. But that is very different from a member of the direct direct member of the family, the prince. So a king giving release is like Krishna giving Moksha.

But Krishna giving Bhakti is like Krishna adopting. Now Krishna doesn’t have to adopt us because we are already his children. But when we are to go back to Krishna’s abode, at that time, Bhagopal says in my lecture, that you know Krishna, Krishna is reciprocating pure love with His devotees, His pure devotees. And He doesn’t want those who are not pure devotees to disturb Him. It’s like, suppose we have not yet become purified.

And Krishna takes us to the spiritual world. And there everybody is talking about Krishna. Everybody is delighting in talking about Krishna. And we ask, okay, when is the when is the next cricket world cup? Who won the cricket match?

You know, we go to the spiritual world. Going there is not just simply a matter of physical relocation. There has to be the redirection of our heart toward Krishna. So we enter into Krishna’s intimate family. So when it is dulabha, at one level we can say it is so dulabha, there are 2 ways of understanding it.

One is, Krishna does not give easily. And it’s true. It’s like, King will not adopt a prisoner and a Prince very easily. But there’s but the other thing is, because we do not desire strongly. In the same Bhakti r Samrath Sindhu, later on it is said, what is the price of Krishna consciousness?

Intense greed, yes. Krishna bhava or that that the tatra laulayam api maulayamikalam. Just I have to have intense desire for it. So that level of desire is actually difficult to develop. It is the problem for us, sadhakas, is that say right now we are in what in our methodology called no man’s land.

See there is the world of Maya and there is the world of Krishna. And now we are somewhere in between. We are not fully in Maya, but we are not fully in Krishna also. So for us, how it is? And, yeah, Krishna is nice, but, you know, Maya is also not that bad, isn’t it?

So that’s why our desire is not very strong. And the problem is often, like, Krishna is invisible to us. And Maya is ultra visible to us. So, because Maya is ultra visible, the desire for Maya tends to become very strong. So this desire is generally developed through the eyes.

Whereas this desire is developed through the ears. We need to hear about Krishna. The more we hear about Krishna, the more we understand His glory. And the more we understand His glory, the more the desires develop. So it is rare.

The Bhakti is rare because the level of, that level of desire for Krishna is extremely rare. That even among many people who may become devotees, even those who become extraordinarily great devotees, for them to have the level of desire, I desire Krishna and nothing but Krishna. That is not easy. Because in this world, there are so many things which come up. And sometimes in Bhakti, there are good things also which we may need to give up for Krishna’s sake.

See, there is this remarkable thing about Srila Prabhupada. The previous point we said about how, you know, bhakti is about desiring Krishna. Isn’t it? Krishna we understand Krishna is eternal and we desire Krishna. So Prabhupada for most of his life was a grahastha.

And he tried very hard through his grahastha ashram to assist his guru’s mission by expanding his business and trying to offer financial support. Krishna had some other plans. But the point is that there were other disciples of Bhakti Salaam Suttaqur who were also great souls in their own way. But some of them were sannyasis throughout their life. Some of them were they didn’t have grasp the responsibility.

They could study shastra throughout their life. They could, learn Sanskrit very deeply. Prabhupada, he read most of the Shastra that he read while he was traveling. In his business, he would travel all over India. While in his travels, he read books.

So there could have been other godbrothers of Prabhupada who might have been more renounced than him or more scholarly than him. There may have been. What differentiated Prabhupada from them was the strength of his desire. That he had the strongest desire to fulfill his spiritual master’s mission. It was not that, Bhakti Sajan Thakur gave that instruction to preach in the west just to 1 or 2 disciples.

Like a standing instruction to all his disciples. But Prabhupada took it up. So Prabhupada had such a strong desire and because of that desire, he was at the age of 70. You know, love is seen generally by 2 things. What we give to our beloved and what we give up for our beloved.

Like, what we if parents love their children, the parents may want to offer the best education to their children. You know, you can get the best books, the best tuition classes, the best facilities. What we give to our beloved. But, say, you know, we want our child to be child in a hostel. We want the child to be in an AC room, so we have limited money.

We say, okay. I’ll remove the AC from my house and I’ll have AC for you. So what we give to our beloved and what we give up for our beloved. So love is seen by both these things. So at one level if we see, Srila Prabhupada, what did he give?

He gave his entire life. His entire life means even at the age of 70, he went all alone and he his last years were years of total dedication. He traveled tirelessly. No. You know, I am not even half as half as old as Prabhupada.

But when we travel, we often get jet lag. Prabhupada had no jet lag at all. It’s amazing how much energy Prabhupada had. So he was tireless. So Prabhupada has strong desire to serve Krishna.

But along with that, you know, so generally when we desire something very strongly so Prabhupada built 108 temples for Krishna. Prabhupada wrote 70 books. Now among all the temples that Prabhupada built, there was one temple for which Prabhupada endeavored the most. Which was that temple? Juhu temple.

Yes. And no. Srila Prabhupada departed in November 77. And the Juhu temple was inaugurated in January 78. Sankranti time, more or less.

They are just 2 months away. And Prabhupada could have said to Krishna, Krishna, I worked so hard for this temple. Just let me see the inauguration of this temple. Let me see that and then I will live peacefully. But when Prabhupada asked towards the last days, do you have any last desires?

And Prabhupada said, kuch ichanahi. Kuch ichanahi. So Prabhupada did not see that, oh, if I am not there, how will this temple be inaugurated? He saw himself as an instrument. He saw that Krishna has a role for me.

And it’s like on a play, in a drama, the director has a role for a player. And the director says, no. Come back from the stage. He says, no. I want to play more.

No. Come back. Prabhupada’s attachment to Krishna was more than even his attachment to build a temple for Krishna. And that’s how he was ready to give up his desire to see the Juhu temple. He did everything for Krishna.

He fought like a warrior to build a temple. But when Krishna’s call came, Prabhupada gracefully accepted that. So leave alone material attachment that can distract us from Krishna, Prabhupada demonstrated how even spiritual attachments did not distract him from Krishna. So that is the glory of Srila Prabhupada. So bhakti is rare not because Krishna withholds it, but it’s because that level of desire for Krishna is rare.

And it is by associating with devotees who have such desire that we get the desire. When we hear from devotees who are filled with love for Krishna, who are filled with the dreams of serving Krishna, then we also get surcharged by that desire. Bhakti sanjayate bhakti. That’s why association of devotees is so important. And it’s not that in association we just discuss Prajalva.

In association, we discuss about Krishna, then our heart becomes energized with desires for Krishna. So this is how Then we go to the last two characteristics. We have discussed both of them partly. But the first is Now the word this is a little complicated. Now in that there’s means bliss, ecstasy, joy.

Now Sandra means intense or concentrated. Means, this is a very special experience at the level of the soul. It is concentrated, intense, spiritual experience. What do we mean here by concentrated? See, it is there are many different kinds of pleasures.

Say, like, people watch movies. Now I was in America. I was invited at one time to my first in 2014, I started going to America. You know, the first year I was invited to many college programs. So I lost track of which all programs I was going to.

So when I was going to one program, I asked the devotees, which is this university? And they said, this is the American Institute of illusion. Now what does that mean? At that time, I wiped away the America itself was an institute of illusion. It’s spreading materialism all over the world.

But my point but it is actually the college where how movies are made. You know, how to do cinematography, how to do choreography, how to direction, how to do video editing, all that is taught. It’s one such college. So now there are 100 even thousands of movies that are made every year. But some movies become flops.

You know? What is the opposite of a flop? Hit. Okay. So some movies few movies are hits.

Many are flops. Now, why do many movies flop? Audience doesn’t like. Why does the audience not like? Because the illusion is not good enough.

Isn’t it? See, people want to forget the boredom and the minority of their life. And when they are watching a movie, you know, if the acting is not good, if the plot is unrealistic, whatever it is. If the illusion is not good enough, then the spell breaks and then you don’t enjoy it. So what happens is that in all material enjoyment, It is always interrupted or it is dissipated enjoyment.

What do you mean interrupted? Like in a movie, I might enjoy one dialogue. But after all other dialogues are so boring. You might enjoy one fight scene, you know, one dance sequence, but others are boring. So in real life, whatever enjoyment we get, you know, it is not like complete immersive enjoyment where everything is enjoyable and there is nothing to complain about.

There’s always something that is disappointing. Okay. You know, in this part of the world, okay, you know, the culture is good, but the work work is too much. Or, you know, this is not right. That is not right.

Like, many people from who come to here, may want to go to America. Now America, maybe the glamour is more. But then you don’t get get any maids or any staff for I’ll help you get work at home. So everything you have to do on your own. There are challenges.

So that every that every happy experience in this world is diluted and contaminated by something unsatisfactory. So now we may say, okay. You know, I had a I had a meal. This was a delightful meal. Everything was wonderful.

Okay. It may happen one time but it doesn’t happen each time. So that so it’s like when you say there is no happiness in this world which is fully satisfying. The one one thing is satisfying but the other thing is not so satisfactory. So nothing is fully satisfying.

We can all think of whatever dreams we may have had. Some of the dreams are fulfilled. But then, what happens? Okay. One part of this is wonderful, but another part is not.

They say love is blind, but marriage is an eye opener. Isn’t it? So when people say they’re in love, that is completely mad and thinking that the other person is is a fulfillment of all my dreams. Now even if the other person is wonderful, still everybody is human. So everybody has their limitations.

So what happens is that there is no undiluted, uncontaminated happiness in this world. Every happy experience is contaminated. But the experience of Krishna is satisfying at every level. In the Chaitanyaartha Amruta, the example is given that Krishna, enters into and enchants every one of our senses. The sight, the form of Krishna is extraordinary.

The fragrance of Krishna is extraordinary. The music of Krishna is extraordinary. The sound that comes through the ears. Everything about Krishna is enriching, is enchanting. And in that sense, the happiness that we get by immersion in Krishna, there is no interruption in that.

There’s no dilution in that. No contamination in that. So, why? Because Krishna is Krishna is not just Akarsha but Sarva Akarsha. He is all attractive.

Now, getting this experience takes time. Right now, for us, maybe one aspect of Krishna is attractive. Maybe we like kirtans. But, you know, we don’t like japa so much. We don’t like, maybe everybody likes prasad.

We all like feasting. Most of us don’t like fasting. So there’s some things about Krishna consciousness we like right now, some things we don’t like. But when we come to the level of pure universal service, everything about Krishna becomes joyful. In the spiritual world, there is separation from Krishna also.

But even in separation, there is actually a greater immersion in Krishna. There is a greater remembrance of Krishna. And that is why, actually, the devotee becomes even more joyful. Yes. The devotee wants union with Krishna, But it’s like, at the material level there is enjoyment and there is suffering.

At the spiritual level there is union and there is separation. Now, the basic experience of material level is an illusion. So it is like poison. Now material enjoyment is like sweet poison. Material suffering is like bitter poison.

But it’s still poison. At the spiritual level, remembrance of Krishna is like nectar. Union with Krishna is like sweet nectar. Separation from Krishna is like bitter nectar. It is bitter but it’s still nectar.

It is bitter but it’s still better than even the sweet sweet poison of metal existence. The Chetan Chetan would use the example that this is like hot sugarcane juice. It’s it’s sugarcane juice. It’s delicious. We can’t stop drinking it.

But it’s hot, we feel I can’t drink it. So but the point is everything about Krishna is joyful. And Bhakti helps us connect with Krishna, become absorbed with Krishna. And that’s why it’s intense concentrated bliss. And then the last aspect of this Bhakti is is Krishna Akarshini.

That bhakti attracts even Krishna. So the idea here is that Krishna is all attractive. And yet, Krish while Krishna at one level is complete, he doesn’t need anything. He’s called Atmarama. Ultimately, those who become devoted to Krishna also become Atmarama.

They become self satisfied. And yet, when a devotee’s heart is filled with love for Krishna, Krishna is amazed that what is it in me that attracts these devotees so much to me? Like, say, Krishna is here, and say, we are here. So, now, this is the bond of Bhakti. So what bhakti does is that bhakti, with bhakti we become attracted to Krishna.

So when we become attracted to Krishna, we experience joy. But the joy we experience is so great that Krishna start thinking, what is this joy that they are experiencing? So even Krishna becomes attracted. And Krishna also wants to experience it. So Krishna, He is so joyful.

He is so He is so charmed by the devotee’s heart. You know, Krishna becomes Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to experience bhakti. See, Krishna can experience everything, but Krishna can’t experience bhakti because He is the object of bhakti. His object means He’s the receiver of devotion. He wants to be the he wants to be the offeror or the giver of devotion.

So Krishna comes over here and he becomes this bhakti is so sweet, so intoxicating, so enriching that it attracts even Krishna. So in every religious tradition it is said that God is supreme. There is true through that, but in the Bhakti tradition, there is and there is In yes, Krishna is supreme. But in lila, actually it is bhakti that is supreme. It is, in the spiritual world, it is not that God is supreme.

It is love that is supreme. And that is why Krishna hides his Godhood. Krishna in the spiritual world is not acting as if he is God. He is acting as a sweet lovable child. Why?

Because he he wants he is attracted to Bhakti. He wants that sweet reciprocation of love. And that’s why he conceals his godhood so that his devotees can love him uninhibited. The devotees all if Yashoda may always remember, Krishna is God. And she can’t chastise him.

She can’t discipline him. Her love would become interrupted. So what happens is that Krishna through yoga Maya conceals his godhood. So Krishna does not delight so much in exhibiting his godhood as in experiencing the reciprocation of love. So in the spiritual world, it is bhakti that reigns supreme.

In Barsana, there is a place called Maan Mandir where Radharani becomes upset with Krishna. And then Krishna goes there, and Krishna, while seeking forgiveness from Radharani, bows down and touches his head to Radharani’s foot. Now everybody touches their head to Krishna’s foot, but Krishna, he subordinates himself to Radharani. So that is how Bhakti attracts even Krishna. And there is this is the supreme glory of Bhakti.

Krishna attracts everyone, but Bhakti attracts even Krishna. The world is attracted by Madan. Madan is attracted by Madan Mohan. And Madan Mohan is attracted by Madan Mohan Mohini. And that Madan Mohan Mohini is actually the embodiment of bhakti.

So the glories of bhakti are ultimately the glories of shrimati Radharani. Because Radharani is the embodiment of bhakti. And it is that Radharani’s mercy that we seek when we try to practice bhakti. These are her glories and by understanding her glories, by appreciating her glories, by getting her blessings, we will ultimately be united with Krishna. So I’ll summarize what we discussed today.

We discussed 4 color characters of Bhakti, the last 4. The first was how becomes insignificant. This was where I spent a lot of time. I explained how suffering is universal, but the impersonal diagnosis of suffering is, it is incomplete. The incomplete diagnosis is that pain is caused by is movement and should stop movement.

So the incomplete diagnosis is that, actually bondage is suffering is what we want to avoid. So suffering comes because of desires. Desires come because of qualities. So they say that give up qualities and we’ll give you desires, we’ll give up suffering. But actually, what the personal understanding is that there are there are eternal qualities and Krishna has eternal qualities.

And when we dwell on Krishna, we get spiritual desires. And through the spiritual desires, we don’t get suffering, we get ecstasy. We get the supreme happiness. So it’s like the relief, no pain versus dancing. No pain through no motion.

The joy of dancing is far far greater. So the joy of Bhakti is far greater. And the second was we discussed two reasons for it. 1st is, like the king may release a prisoner, but the other is to adopt as a prince. So this itself is rare.

But more it is Krishna gives this rarely, but more that, the desire for Krishna to be greater than the desire for anything else. Anything material or spiritual. This is what is rare. And we discussed how had a great desire to offer the best of this world to Krishna, to spread Krishna portions all over the world. But then Prabhupada was ready to his desire to please Krishna was more than his desire to see the temple that he had made to please Krishna.

So we saw about how love is seen by what we give and what we give up. So Prabhupada was ready to even give up his own plan his plans for serving Krishna. And then we discussed about So here the idea is material pleasure is is always interrupted. It is diluted because it is not everything is enjoyable. But with Krishna, He’s all attractive.

So, therefore, the experiences of concentrated bliss with no interruption. Every aspect of Krishna is attracted. Krishna is the complete sense object for the purified soul. And the last is Krishna. So we discussed how Krishna attracts everything in this world.

But that Krishna so in the spiritual world, what is supreme at one level is Krishna. But another level it is? It is bhakti. It is love that is supreme. And in terms of, but in terms of lila, what actually happens in the spiritual world?

So because love reigns supreme, Krishna himself subordinates his godhood. So Krishna is attracted by love and so Krishna, he does not show his godhood. He actually subordinates his godhood for the purpose of love, for uninhibited love. That is how great love is and it is that love. So ultimately, this love, this bhakti that attracts Krishna is non different from Radharani.

So by understanding the glories of bhakti, we understand the glories of Radharani. And by getting her mercy, we also become attracted to Krishna and enriched with Krishna consciousness. Thank you very much. Hooray, Krishna. So I think we don’t have any time for questions today.

So I’m very grateful to the opportunity to be here with all of you and to see your enthusiasm and your capacity you know, there is intense bliss. So my classes are intense intellectual exercise. So thank you for being ready for 5 days of workout. My best wishes and prayers that in this month of Kartik, all of you become enriched with Radharani’s blessings and get profuse devotion so that in this Mathuradesh, more and more people can be attracted to Krishna, and all of you can also be attracted more and more to Krishna. Of course, Prabhu in one sense, Prabhu in one sense, is playing the role of a Shiksha guru for all of us because practically every preacher refers to Prabhuji’s talks, analysis, presentation, and this has, empowered our preaching in so many ways.

So, Prabhuji, you are nurturing us in more ways than that you are aware of, you know, and we are very, very fortunate that, we could host, Prabhuji during this visit. Prabhuji’s unique presentation of drawing on the on the screen. So I was also just thinking towards the conclusion that, of course, I don’t have a pen and a tablet. So there is lord Krishna. There are there are his instructions, and following his instructions leads to happiness.

And jiva is here, but the jiva is covered in confusion, you know. Then comes Chaitanya Charan Prabhu, removes the confusion, and we experience we’re able to understand Krishna’s instructions for happiness. We will draw this and send it to you, Prabhu. So, once again And it’s your humility, Prabhuji. So with Prabhu’s permission, we will chant 3 times that may, Krishna, Prabhuji more and more and more so that he is able to keep good health and travel all over the world, to present the philosophy of, Krishna consciousness in a manner that is timeless as well as timely, that it touches the hearts of so many, educated, intelligent people, and inspires all of us to practice and in our own limited way present a, philosophy of Krishna consciousness nicely.

So we’ll chant 3 times. So, Prajna, kindly keep us in your prayers and bless us that we are able to apply, the teachings that you presented to all of us, in our own lives and also be able to serve Srila Prabhupada’s movement as some insignificant instrument, taking inspiration, from you. Hare Krishna. So we wish Prabhuji a safe journey back. Prabhu travels 9 to 10 months every year.

So that’s also a nice example of desire, what Prabhu explained in his talk. Thank you very much, Prabhu ji, for for your inspirational visit and benefiting us in so many ways. Hare Krishna.

The post 5 Six characteristics of bhakti – Last four characteristics appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Hare Krishna. Thank you for coming today. And we continue our discussion on the topic of the interaction between karma and bhakti. So we’ll take some questions today, and then after that, we’ll move towards the discussion on the remaining characteristics depending on how the questions go. So at the first two set of questions were about Vaishnavaparad and Vaishnav blessings.

How do they affect our karma? Say, if we commit some offence, even if it is unintentional, see. Then, is it that that adds to our karma? Does that cause suffering? So, first thing to understand, like I said, is that Krishna is on our side.

Krishna is a loving God. Now Krishna as God is merciful. He is not vengeful. Vengeful means it’s like a revengeful. He’s not a person you did this so you had to punish you for this.

And you did this and I’m going to punish you for this. So Krishna is a merciful God. He’s not a vengeful God. And that includes, even when we are dealing with devotees, Krishna cares for everyone. And we could say that if, say, Krishna is at the center, then there are different circles of love around him.

Say, for example, in innermost circle of love, maybe the gopis of Vrindavan. They are the topmost devotees. But then every single soul is loved by Krishna. These circles can keep extending extending till it includes not just all of us, but even people who are in health. In some traditions, the idea is that if you don’t believe in God, God will punish you and send you to health forever.

In the Vedic tradition, the idea is not that God sends us to hell. Actually, God goes with us to hell. That even when somebody goes to hell, Krishna is the Paramatma is there in the heart. Wherever we go. So of so what sends somebody to hell is their own karma.

So the point is Krishna’s love is unfailing. And when we start practicing bhakti it shouldn’t lead to us living in constant fear oh what if I offend this devotee what if I offend that devotee The important thing is that, normally, when there is love See, where there is love, is there fear? No. Actually, there is fear. But the fear is not so much of being punished as it is of displeasing the other person.

You know? So, in the case of law, if I break the law, then the police may if I go above the speed limit, then the police may catch me, the police may fine me, the police may arrest me, police may take away my license. So that fear is there. So, there is a fear of being punished. And especially if we think that person doesn’t care for us, then there may be great fear of punishment.

Now, when there is love, when we love and respect someone and when that person loves and respects us, that loves and cares for us, then there is fear. But the fear is of a different dynamic. It is, I don’t want to hurt this person. I don’t want to displease this person. I don’t want to disappoint this person.

It is not so much what this person will do to me if I do something wrong. As it is what this person will feel if I do something wrong. Now, yes, they may punish us. They may do some disciplinary action. But when there is love, there is careful consideration of actions.

Not so much because of the fear of the punishment. It is more because of the fear of displeasing the other ones. So, the impetus is very different. When there are 2 people, say, there is authority figure. So one fear is, what will they do to me?

If I do this, what will they do to Me? On the other hand, the other fear so here there is, when there is no love. But when there is love, it is how this will affect them. They will feel hurt, they will feel disappointed and this is a very different dynamic. So for us, the fear is also meant to be healthy.

In this case, not wanting to hurt someone whom we care for and who cares for us is meant to inspire us to not do the hurtful activity. So for us, we need to see the whole point of Vaishnavaprad as something wherein out of love for Krishna and out of love for those who love Krishna and those whom Krishna loves, we become more careful about our actions. So there are some extreme situations. So wherein somebody commits some severe offense and then that person may get some disease or that person may get some severe karmic reaction. Those are described in the Vedic tradition.

In the not the Vedic tradition, but in the Bhakti tradition. But those are generally meant to illustrate a particular point. They are not the normal way Krishna operates. Generally, whenever scripture scripture, when it teaches, it teaches quite often through extremes. What do I mean by extremes?

That one of my friends is a novel writer. He’s a published novel writer, and he says that he often takes, inspiration by observing the lives of people around him. And they can get some ideas for the characters that he wants to write about. But, generally, no one person’s life is usually interesting enough to make an interesting character. So most interesting characters are a composite of 3, 4 different people, and the most interesting parts of their lives are taken.

So similarly, so why is that? Normal life is not very interesting. So if we decided to do a 24 hour recording of everything that we did during the day, And the next day we sit down and watch that for for 24 hours that recording. Within 10 minutes we’ll get bored. We want to watch some some part, but 24 hours we’ll want to watch that.

Even if it’s our own life and our own activity. So the thing is that, generally, whenever something is to be made memorable, ordinary events are not memorable. It’s extraordinary. It is the extreme that is memorable. So that’s why if you scripture teaches, we can see negative extremes, positive extremes.

So a negative extreme could be, say, Bharat Maharaj. One small mistake, wherein what happens? He gets attached to a deer, and then he has to take an entire next life from that. But on the other hand, if you look at Ajahn, just one chanting of the holy name of the Lord, and that too incidentally, indirectly he was chanting, addressing his son. Still he’s doing good.

So the point is, scriptures give extreme examples, and the purpose of extreme examples is not to standardize the extreme. It is not to say that this is what is what always happens. It is to emphasize the standard. Now what do I mean by this difference? Emphasize so consider this.

When we need to push you, creating creating itself, it’s what activities are common in karma of losing the mind. Anybody from anywhere can take a bhakti. Not just take a bhakti. They can attain the supreme destination. So in that sense, our past karma does not, interfere with our present capacity to practice mukti.

So, in this sense, you can say, they are completely unrelated. But another way of looking at it is that somebody who has passed positive karma, they are more likely to be exposed to bhakti. That means somebody who has, say, been born in a if not a Brahminical family, but a pious family. They’re more likely to go to a temple. They’re more likely to respect sadhus.

They’re more likely to hear Shastra. And in that sense, past karma can make one more favorable to the practice only. Favorable in the sense of they’re more likely to get the opportunity. But it doesn’t always work like that. Sometimes, some people who have passed positive karma may become proud of that.

And because of that, they may think, you know, I already know these things. Like many people say, Bhagwan kana chawvis gante rudhame chalte ruddhame chalte ruddhame. I am chanting 24 hours the name of Krishna. Chawvis gante ruddhame chalte ruddhame. Is it?

It’s while if something is constantly in the heart, how will it not manifest externally? So it’s that can make one proud. And if it makes one proud, then that can be unfavorable also. Vipra vishadamuriyatadarvindanama padarvindvibukhat shwapajammarishtam. Prahlad in his prayers says that Brahmana might have all the wonderful qualities.

Vishuddha Purna Yudha. There are 12 traditional qualities which are said to glorify a Brahmana. They may have that but if that person is adverse to the Lord, thinks that I don’t need the Lord. I’m so pure already. And contrasted with that, even a no born person, Ashwapacha, will be considered exalted.

So so in that sense so this is with respect to taking of bhakti. Now, when we are practicing Bhakti, can our past karma affect our faith? Well, it depends. Say, if we are going through our life and this is the time when we start Bhakti. So, during our life journey so, now we can say that we have certain karma which we are going to get.

Some positive karma, some negative karma. So now, after we start bhakti also, we might get some positive karma. We might get some negative karma. So, when this comes, how does it affect our devotion? So this is where the primacy of free will comes in.

Normally, we might think that if somebody starts Bhakti, and then after starting bhakti, they, say, at that time, get a positive karma. That means, say, if they have some family issue, it gets resolved. They have some health issue, it gets resolved. Their faith in Krishna may increase. That is possible.

But it’s also possible that they may think, Oh, you know, because I had this problem, so I was practicing Bhakti. Now, the problem is gone and we don’t need to practice Bhakti. Isn’t it? So, it’s like distraction from Bhakti can come because of adversity. Adversity is some problems come in your mind.

It can also come because of prosperity. Both can be distractions. And that’s why, say, for us for some people it may happen that they start practicing bhakti and they face some problems and then that can make them go away from Krishna but that can also make them think that, you know, this problem is so difficult. If I had not been practicing bhakti, I would have been completely crushed by this. Thank God I have this practice of bhakti.

But at least I have some shelter, some strength. Tohuasakshatkar binamakthike kaysa karta inipar. That when we get dangers, we realize that without bhakti, I would have been crushed. So bhakti is bliss. So similarly, for somebody when prosperity comes in their life, now they may think that, oh, you know, now Krishna is because I’m making good choices in my life, Krishna is making my life more comfortable so that I can make good choices more easily.

Say, if somebody has a lot of financial anxiety and they’re still they’re practicing bhavni, the financial anxiety goes away. Then that person will think, okay. Now that anxiety won’t distract me so much, so I can practice Bhakti more. So that can happen. And if it happens, it’s very good.

But it can happen the other way also. Now I don’t have anxiety. Why should I practice Bhakti? So, it’s not that our past karma ever forces a present choice. Our past karma does not determine our present karma.

Our past karma may create certain situations where we may make some choices or where the opportunity to make some choices comes, the tendency to have that choice will be greater. But that does not mean that the past karma so, past karma. Karma in the sense of reaction. Now, how much does the past karma determine our present karma? Present karma in terms of action.

So now, if it were fully determined, so we could look at if we consider, if you say fully, it fully determines. Then basically, what it means is we have no free will at all. Isn’t it? So we have done some things bad in the past and that’s what we are going to keep doing throughout our life. Because that past karma is controlling us completely.

Now, that is wrong. We all have free will. See, if if we were just like some people say we’ll talk about astrology a little later. Some people say that’s, sab kuch Bhagwan ka keel hai. Yeah.

You’ve seen this, you’ve seen this Gita saar? Johua This is a nice thought. You know, I have read the Gita many, many times. I have had friends who have written the Gita. I have read the Gita several hundred times.

But, you know, none of us have ever been able to find any words which says this. So, because the focus of the Gita is not on kya orahay. The focus of the Gita is on kya kar rahe ho. Kya karhe ho. It is not on what is happening, but on what we are doing.

See, Arjuna’s starting question itself is, pruchhamitwam dharmasamudajitaha. Dharma is the right thing to do. Because I am confused about what is the right thing to do and you please guide me about what is the right thing to do. There’s nowhere in the Gita which Krishna says that oh, that you are having to fight against Bhishma Yachaya Yohra. You know, actually, in this world, bad things do happen and to say that everything that happens is good is actually very it can be very dehumanizing for people.

When Sita is being abducted, jata urzan tell her johoraya chaworaya. That would be horrendous. Isn’t it? So, actually, there’s a difference between everything that happens is good and everything that happens is for good. Is good means, intrinsically, automatically it is good.

But is for good. So, is good may not be true because there are bad people and bad people do bad things. Sometimes, even good people can do bad things. So, bad things happen in this life. But is for good means what?

Even when somebody does something bad, Krishna is expert enough to bring something good out of it. So, the point I’m making over here is that for Krishna to bring out something good, we also have to make good choices. Isn’t it? So, it’s not that our past determines our present completely. So one extreme is to say that our past karma fully determines our present karma.

The other is to say, not at all. Now, this is unrealistic because, say, if somebody is extremely poor and they have so no money at all and then the only way they get some food is by robbing. Now, is robbing wrong? Yes, it is wrong. But at the same time, when they do that, it is understandable that can our past situation, our past karma, put us in situations when we do something wrong.

Well, it can. But here, there is a significant difference. I’ll come to that. So, the balance is partly. So, what our past karma does is, it pushes, but it does not it does not forces.

What is the difference between pushing us to do certain actions and forcing us to do certain actions? Pushing means that certain actions may become easy. Say, for example, somebody is very hungry and they they rob some food. That may be necessary. But after that, they become a regular robber and they rob not just food, they start robbing many other things and they start killing people for robbing things.

But that is not something Japa’s Karma made them. That is what they chose. This is a later question about Ajamil. So, you know, how if Ajamil was also a devotee, how did He fall? Most of you know the story of Ajamil?

So Ajamil was a brahmana who had gone out to collect firewood for his, father and while he had gone out he saw, a woman, a prostitute, and a man hugging each other and, doing other things. So he got agitated by that. So now, if we consider the situation carefully, Ajamil had not deliberately gone to some place where such things happen. So, we could say, his seeing that was unfortunate. And you can say, maybe his seeing that sight was a result of some past negative karma.

So, by past karma, he chanced upon that sight. And that was telling me that, whatever he saw that triggered such desires in his mind that he just he tried to control himself, he could not. Now see, when somebody does something wrong so what we are exploring over here is there is wrongdoing. That means the question I’m exploring is whether past karma leads to present karma. That is the question we are discussing.

So whenever some wrongdoing happens see, initially, the wrongdoing can be circumstantial. That means somebody is put in a circumstance and in that circumstance, they do that thing. So maybe he saw that and that created such a desire within him that he he just couldn’t control the desire. Okay. It’s it’s possible.

Maybe he felt it or I have to be with her. Then he went went with her and he fulfilled his desire. Now, we could say, okay, the mind getting agitated is one thing, but indulging in it is quite another thing. Okay. We can say the mind was so agitated that He did that.

But it’s one thing to go and do something one time. But eventually, what He decided was that I want to be with Her constantly. So, he abandoned his parents. He drew away his chaste wife. He gave up his Brahminical duties because if somebody is living like this, who would want that person to be a Brahman who performs priestly duties for them?

So, what happened was, then he had to start robbing and, attacking people, stealing from them. So, we could say, the first sight or even the first fall, that was circumstantial. But rejecting parents, rejecting wife, rejecting job, rejecting society. You know, these cannot be said to be circumstantial. Even by circumstance, some desire comes.

The desire stays for some time. It may be very, very strong and we may succumb at that time. But afterwards, our desire goes down, the intelligence comes back. So by this time, it is an intentional action. It is not a circumstantial action.

So, yes, circumstantially, it can happen for a devotee that sometimes such difficulties come that a devotee is just not able to practice bhakti. A devotee loses faith or gives a practice of bhakti. But once that situation subsides, the devotee will come back to Krishna. And, if the devotee continues on, then that cannot be blamed on past karma. That is the present karma.

That is the present choice. And that is why so, I’ll conclude this particular answer with 2 points. First point is that if somebody who is a respectable person, somebody is a senior devotee and they do something terrible That shouldn’t lead us to immediately condemning them. Oh, you are a hypocrite. You talk and show such big things and now let’s see what you have done.

No. Everybody goes through difficulties in life. And sometimes, even the best of us can be tested and when those tests come, even the worst can come even out of the best. Ideally, it should not but it can happen. And for all of us, we may have experienced that some person is very polite and nice and sweet and sometimes they just snap and they hear.

Now, that’s very different from the way they behave. But, we don’t say, Oh, all the sweetness and niceness are not just a shoe. Rather, what we will consider is, was something going on in their life? Because of which they snapped like that? We will try.

We will give them the benefit of the doubt. The benefit of the doubt. So, if there is if there’s, like, a occasional wrong, then what we need to do is there’s a benefit of the doubt that, okay. I don’t know what is going on. Maybe this person is going through some difficult situations, so let them go.

And similarly for ourselves also, we don’t have to be too hard on ourselves. But then, the question comes as how far? If somebody is repeatedly doing something wrong, so, Ajam is first mistake can be overlooked. But, we all have certain boundaries in our life. No.

And for all of us, say, you know, if we have anger, now maybe our boundary is that okay, I don’t yell at anyone. But maybe we get a little angry, we yell. But then we use swear words. We start speaking foul words, start using dalia. Then, somebody raises their fists.

Then, somebody takes a knife. Then, somebody takes a gun. Now, see, all of us, there are certain things which we will never do no matter how angry we become. Isn’t it? We all have certain boundaries in our life and every society, every culture brings certain boundaries.

And if some boundaries are crossed, then that can be understandable. But, like I said, here, a person rejecting their parents, rejecting their wife, rejecting their society, rejecting their job, this is something which is being knowingly done. It is these boundaries are meant to protect us. So the difference so what when can we know that what is due to past karma and what is due to present karma? See, there are this is a whole big subject, but if something is being repeatedly done, and not only repeatedly done, it is increasingly done.

And the person is doing the same thing and the person is becoming worse and worse at doing it. Then it is present karma. We cannot say it is because of past karma. So now what about so Ajamal’s actions, they were we always have free will. Just because somebody is a devotee does not mean Krishna takes away their free will.

Krishna will give them facility to use the free will nicely, but they have to use that free will eventually. So it is described that Krishna did not forget Ajamal just because he had done so many wrong things. And that’s how eventually a saint came to his house and the saint suggested that you should name your child Narayan. And name the child Narayan. And then, when at his time of his death, he called out that child.

So there was a plan even for him to be delivered. But it took a long, long time, caused a lot of trouble. So past karma does not it can temporarily divert us from bhakti, but it will not permanently drive away. Drive away from permanently drive us away from bhakti. So we can differentiate between fall down and fall away.

The 2 are not the same thing. Fall down means, we are following a particular standard and we are unable to follow the standard. But fall away means, we give up the practice itself. So, fall down may happen because of past karma, But falling away is due to present karma. The 2 are not the same.

So fall down means, okay, you do that. Now, we go to a particular place where no food is available and we have to eat some kind of food which normally we don’t take when we are practicing bhakti. Now, what kind of food that is also important? That, that may be a fall down. But falling away means, even when they have food that is devotionally compatible available, still they keep eating other kinds of food.

So, that is something which is a conscious choice. Somebody might get a job in a particular place where they just don’t have any vegetarian food available. What do you do at that time? When then when Prabhupada wanted devotees to go and preach in Soviet Russia, behind what they call as the iron curtain. So the devotees said, Prabhupada, there.

There is practically no vegetarian food available. So Prabhupada said, Eat meat but preach. Now, the point of that is not that Prabhupada is recommending eat meat. Prabhupada is saying that if that is what is required, you know, we want everybody to be delivered. That a devotee going there A devotee may eat meat occasionally.

But there, there are people who are eating meat regularly and their future is very dark. If a devotee goes with a mood of compassion and helps those people over there, that is a glorious service. But that does not mean that devotees would regularly start eating meat. Obviously not. And that never happened.

So, again, the point is that past karma can temporarily divert us. But not permanently. Now, this related with past karma, the question comes up is about astrology. So, through astrology or through Vastu, it is said that if some difficulties are there in our life, we can do certain practices by which those difficulties will go away. So, yes.

So, generally, whenever like, whenever there is some material problem, now if there is a material problem, we need a material solution to that problem. Say, for example, earlier, right, when the sound system was not working. Now, when the sound system was not working, I said, let’s chant Hare Krishna. We also had to chant Hare Krishna. That is a spiritual activity.

But is that the solution? You can say, it is the ultimate solution, but it is not the immediate solution. Isn’t it? B, if the sound system is not working, the sound system needs to be fixed. So, there is spiritual consciousness that can help us to get the ultimate solution.

And spiritual consciousness can also help us calm down, so that we can find the immediate solution. But, there, if there is a material problem, there’s a material solution required. So, yes, there are spiritual solutions in the sense that spiritual solution uses the calmness and the clarity to find the right material solution. So if I am feeling very if I’m feeling a lot of pain and if I chant Hare Krishna. It is not if there is some disease inside the body, chanting Hare Krishna will not remove the disease.

But, if I have got pain and I start thinking, you know, I should feel a lot of pain, so I take a lot of pain killers. And somebody takes such a heavy dose of pain killer, then that becomes fatal for them. Now, that’s a terrible thing to do. So, okay. I’m having pain.

I mean, it’s a pain killer. But let me go to doctor to find out what is causing so much pain. So, material problems do require material solutions. And, like, when I say material solution, there are multiple level. Yesterday, like, was also revising.

At first, we start from the drushta and then we move toward the drushta. So, if we are facing problems in our life and we have tried the normal reasonable ways for solving the problem and it is not getting solved. They suppose somebody has a disease and they’re taking a medicine and they’ve tried taking various medicines and they’re not working. Then some people may explore. Maybe, is there something astrologically I can find out what I need to do?

Somebody may do this, do that. See, there is, if you see, where should you put it? There is a spiritual level of reality, then there is our present physical level of reality. But apart from that, there is also a subtle level of reality. Now, physical is material, subtle is also material.

So most of modern science focuses on the physical level of reality to find solutions. Oh, okay. You know, if your blood pressure is very high, if your heartbeat is very high. Okay. Take some medication.

Put some chemicals in the body by which the heart will stop beating so fast. Now, that is one way of solving the problem. But, if that person has a lot of stress in their life, then just taking medication to slow the heartbeat is not going to help. Isn’t it? It is okay.

How do you deal with the stress? Maybe if you have too much work to do, share the workload with someone else. Try to manage your lifestyle. That’s also required. So that then subtle domain is something which we understand from our common sense also.

So within the subtle domain, there are many things. Now, when we talk about astrology, it is not that, sometimes it’s like, your Mangal is bad or Shani is bad and that’s why you’re facing problems. So now, it is not that Mangal or Shani is causing those problems. It is that Mangal or Shani being bad means that, those astrological arrangements are indications that because of our past karma, right now, we are going through a negative phase. So the planets the planets are not causes.

The planets are like signs. So, for example, if you are going on a road, and on the road it said, bumpy road ahead. Now, that sign is not making the road bumpy. Isn’t it? That sign is telling us that the road is bumpy.

So, like that, astrology can sometimes give us some indications of what may be wrong. And then, we might want to take the appropriate measures to fix it. But, the problem with that is 3 fold. First is, you know, astrology itself is complex. It is it is not a very precise way of looking at things.

It’s more interpretive than predictive. Like, if we consider weather forecast, see, as to a horoscope is basically meant to be like a weather forecast. But the factors are actually far more complicated and far more subtle. Like the weather forecast may say, today morning it is going to rain. And, we go, there is no rain at all.

So even with the most sophisticated devices, weather forecast may not be always accurate. So like that, it is complex and it is primarily meant to be interpretive. It is it is interpretive. Interpretation that you made is not predictive. Although, most people use it for prediction, the predictive aspect is very is only one part of astrology.

So first of all, it is complex. Secondly, it depends on the competence of the astrologer. That, how competitive is astrologer to read and understand the parameters. And, like, if you go to 10 different astrologers, 10 different then, 10 people may send 10 different things. And, like, how many astrologers are there in this world?

Well, there are as many astrologers as there are options for people. The whatever you want to do, if some 2 people want to get married. 1 astrologer will say, no. No. Yours is not compatible.

2nd astrologer will say, you’re not compatible. You can keep going to astrologer till they find when astrologer will say, you can get married. 2 people want to get separated. Most astrologers said, no, no, you should not separate. But they can keep finding an astrologer till one astrologer says, hey, you should get separated immediately.

So, what happens is, the biggest danger in astrology is the outsourcing of decision making. That should never happen. See, astrology, if it should be a resource, not something which we outsource. What do I mean by resource and outsource? Outsource means, you know, you take the decision for me.

Whatever you tell, I will do. No. Astrology, we can use it as one resource for decision making. Ultimately, it is our responsibility. It is our decision to make.

Like, say, the weather forecast may say, there is a big storm out there. But, say, if our child is in school and child is alone. So, no matter how storm is there, I want to go out there. This is important for me. Now, if we’re just going for some casual shopping which cannot be done later, we say, I don’t want to go now.

So, the weather forecast does not take our decisions. It is one input that we take based on which we make a decision. For us, when we decide whether to go out or not, there are other parameters in our life. So, the big danger in astrology is that people who start consulting astrology, they outsource the decisions to astrology. And then, that actually paralyzes their capacity to make decisions.

See, even when Krishna is with Arjuna look. Krishna does not expect Arjuna to outsource his decision making capacity. See, what happens is, that if you consider, Arjuna says karishya vachnam tawa. But it is not that in the subsequent Kurukshetra war, Arjuna is constantly turning to Krishna. Should I do this?

Should I shoot this arrow? Should I shoot this arrow? Should I shoot this arrow? No. Arjuna is his own person making his decisions.

Major decisions he consults Krishna. And later on, if we see when Ashwatthama does something terrible and Ashwatthama is to be punished. So, Bhima has the opinion, we should kill him. Yudhishma has the opinion, we should not kill him. And, Arjuna has to make a decision.

Krishna is right next to Arjuna, but Krishna does not give the decision to Arjuna. It is Arjuna who uses his buddhi and he makes a decision that Krishna is pleased with. So, actually, the whole purpose of the Bhagavad Gita is to make us better at making decisions. It is not we shouldn’t outsource our decision making even to God than what to speak of to an astrologer. So that is the big danger in astrology.

So, in the chain of causes, to conclude this answer, the same principle applies to astrologer and also to Vastu. And there could be many other things. There are some siddhava and this and that and people pray to that and so there is much in the universe that we can’t understand. And it is possible that for some people doing something may solve their problems. But the thing is that it is when we are facing a problem.

So there is a cause. There is an cause. There’s something we can understand, something which you can’t understand. So it is for us to use our intelligence to evaluate. Okay?

What is causing this and what can I do about this? So, based on that, if we want to consider astrology as one resource, then that is up to us. It is. I know many devotees, especially with astrology in marrying. So, I know one devotee, A very, very sincere, dedicated devotee.

His daughter got married and his dad astrologer said 2, 3 astrologers said that this is such a compatible match. He says like, it’s like once in a 100 years that a astrologer gets to see so much compatibility. And what happened is after 6 months, they just couldn’t live together. They tried everything and they just couldn’t. The marriage just broke down.

Now, I am not saying that astrologers are bad. But the fact is, life is complicated. And we can’t outsource the human beings into astrologers. And there are other cases where astrologers said that, you know, if these 2 get married, the husband will die. They still got married and both of them are alive and healthy.

So, I am not saying reject astrology. All that I am saying is, don’t outsource decision making to astrology. Now, this for example, getting married is a complex. It’s a it’s a one of the biggest decision we make in our lives. So, we could if some people want, they can take that as one input, But don’t let that become the sole basis of the decision making.

Don’t outsource the decision making there. So if we have children, if we want to know, okay, what is the broad nature of my child? That, okay. Now, what are the what are the characteristics? What are the likely interests?

You know, if this child has this particular planet higher, then more likely to be artistic, more likely to be linguistic, more likely to be mathematically interested or whatever. So, that some understanding we can get. But that does not mean if astrologist says, okay. Your child will be artistic. Or a child has no interest in art before the child to practice art.

No. Take that as one resource. Don’t make it the sole source of artistry in making. Okay? So, I think we already gone over time.

Shruti? There’s one last question. Should we take that off? Okay. So there’s a question about when we practice bhakti, what happens to the subtle body?

How can we dissolve the subtle body? So basically, the soul is there. Around the soul is a subtle body. Around that is the gross body. So, for us, when we die, the subtle body goes with the soul.

Here, in the question it is said, the subtle body carries the soul. I don’t think subtle body carries the soul. It is like, the subtle body is basically our mind. Mind endless ego. So, imagine, somebody is watching TV and they are so caught in watching some program on TV that a thief comes in their home.

They don’t even notice the thief. And a thief comes and picks up the TV. And the thief is taking away the TV and the person follows and keeps watching the TV. So, for the Yamadutas, they cannot actually touch the soul. The soul is.

So the when the yam the yam that it actually catches the subtle body. And the subtle body is pulled. And the soul is so attached to subtle body, subtle body is like the TV. And the soul is like the person watching the TV. So there, Yamaduttas catch the subtle body, they take the subtle body and the soul goes with it.

So our attachment to our subtle body is far greater than our attachment to our gross body also. But, the subtle body, let’s subtle body has many things, but for simplicity, let’s consider it’s the mind. So the mind is a programmed machine. But thankfully for it is programmed, it is also programmable. Programmable means that we can change the samskaras in the mind.

So, when we practice bhakti repeatedly, what happens by that? 2 things. First is that so, bhakti, it changes our mind. What does that mean? The conditioning, the programming changes.

Say, for example, for somebody, initially, whenever I am stressed, I want to watch TV. Okay. That’s my go to way of coping with stress. But, if we come to kirtan, we participate in kirtan regularly, then, slowly, that samskar is created. So, whenever I feel stressed, let me hear some kirtan.

Let me sing some kirtan. So, what has happened is, the mind has changed. Initially, as soon as stress is there, something from within the mind says, come on. Watch something. We go on social media.

Do this. Do that. But then, with habit, abhyasa and vairagya. So the urge to watch TV comes. Vairagya.

Abhyasa. Keep keep doing. Keep hearing kirtan. Gradually, the mind will change. So, that is change our mind is one thing.

The second is it changes our relationship with our mind. That means, initially when we are very attached, we identify very strongly with the mind. But then, changes our relationship with our mind means, we start understanding, I am not my mind. My mind is a part of me and it is different from me. So what happens?

When we change our mind by that, we start making better choices. But, as we change our relationship with our mind, we become more ready to let go of the mind itself. So, going back to the TV example, say, initially, somebody is very attached to the TV. But then, you know, maybe, somebody can change the programming in the TV so that, you know, we don’t get all kind of nasty obscene channels. We get only good channels.

So, that is the first change. So, although I am still watching the TV, but my TV itself is giving me good options. But after that, so we change our TV and then we change our relationship with our TV. Okay. Every time when I am bored, I don’t have to watch TV.

I can do other things also. So, initially, we let go of the mind’s wrong options, mind’s wrong suggestions, mind’s bad suggestions. But eventually, we let go of the mind itself. So first, when the TV gives us unhealthy options, we say no, I look only at healthy options. Good thing only.

But eventually, there’s no need for the TV only. So, when these two things happen, 1st and second, this is the stage where we become ready for the spiritual world. When we are ready to get to let go of the mind itself. So, when the soul no longer desires to enjoy even the good things in this world, that’s when we become ready to go to the spiritual world. And then, as long as we are in the world, we will lead the mind.

Even a pure devotee has the mind. Just as a pure devotee has a physical body, they also have a subtle mind. But just as the physical body is being used for Krishna’s service, the subtle mind is being used for Krishna’s service. And the physical body is left at the time of death, but the subtle body is left when the soul goes through the material existence and it goes through the various layers in material existence. So when the soul goes through the Brahmana, in the Brahmana, there is the Earth layer.

There is the water layer. Like that, the mind layer is there. So our mind our individual mind gets merged with the subtle mind. Our individual intelligence gets merged with the individual ego. Our individual our individual intelligence gets merged with the individual intelligence, with the universal intelligence.

So, it’s like, the soul is here and in the universe there are many different layers. The Brahmananda has many different layers. So if this is the layer of the mind, you can say this is the universal layer of the mind. And as we are going through here, so here we may have the layer of the mind, but when we come here, this layer of the mind gets merged. And the soul goes free to the spiritual world.

That’s how we dissolve the subtle body. So thank you very much for your very thoughtful questions. Hooray, Krishna. So tomorrow, I’ll cover the last four characteristics of Bhakti, and then we’ll conclude this series.

The post 4 Six characteristics of bhakti – Bhakti-karma relationship QA appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Okay. Hare Krishna. Will continue our discussion, on the characteristics of pure devotional service. But within this, we’ll be focusing more on the principle of karma. And in that sense, this will be, you could say almost like a stand alone class.

So those of you not attended the previous class can also understand this. Although we’ll draw some points from the previous classes. So, I’ll talk about 3 broad things today. First is, what is karma? Then second is, the relationship between karma and suffering and distress, the problems that we face in our life.

And the third will be the relationship of bhakti with karma and suffering. So this is, subject, this topic is, in one sense, both abstract. Abstract in the sense it’s a conceptual subject. Karma, it’s a concept. Krishna says it’s It’s not so easy to understand.

At the same time, it is a very immediate subject for us. In the sense that it is something which affects us. We all face different challenges in our life, and we all need resources for dealing with those challenges. And how much will our bhakti help us in that? How much should we even expect our bhakti to help us in this?

These are questions that naturally come up within us. So, let’s start with first, understanding the principle of karma. Now, at a basic level, karma means that whenever there is an action, there will be a result of that action. That’s the basic principle of karma, and this does not require any complex philosophy to understand. It is both natural occurrence in the sense that this is how we see things happen.

That if I put my hand close to fire, I feel heat. If I eat cold food, then I get some cold. So the idea that actions produce results, this is just a constant natural occurrence. If, say, a child comes back from school and the child has got a black eye and a broken nose. You say, what happened?

The child says nothing happened. No. Not nothing happened. You just if the effect is there, some cause must be there. So it’s a natural occurrence.

Not only is it a natural occurrence, it is also the basis of science. There will be no science possible if there would not be some connection. Now, science does not use the word and result, it uses the word cause and effect. So the idea is that when Newton saw an apple falling, what made this apple fall? So there would be no science possible if there would not be any correlation between cause and effect.

And it is also an aspect of human training. As parents, when we train our children or in a office when there’s a new employee, if you do something proper, you get more results. Say, if a player is selected for a sports team. If they perform well, then their place becomes more secure. They are maybe promoted to a higher round, maybe higher level team.

So we train people also that way. That if you do the right thing, you will get better results. If you do wrong things, then even the present resources that you have may be taken away from you. So in this sense, this this basic aspect of karma does not require any philosophy to understand. It is just universal.

However, the problem comes because of exceptions or seeming exceptions. Exceptions means there are times when there are actions, but there are no results. Or there are times when there are certain situations that come in our lives when we don’t seem to deserve them. And we don’t seem to have done anything to get those kind of situations. So this is where things become complicated.

So to so so if we are thinking of karma simply as action leads to reaction, then there is no need for Krishna to say The way karma works is very complicated. It is It’s not so easy to understand. The problem comes because it is not just a one to 1 correlation all the time. What do you mean by that? See, we all may remember times when we worked a lot, but we did not get a commensurate result.

Proportionate result. You know, maybe we we studied a lot for an exam, and the marks that we got were very poor. Or maybe we worked very hard for a project, and somebody else gets the recognition. Somebody else gets the reward. And our role is downplayed.

So it happens that, say, we may put in an input of 100 and we may get an output of 10. And this feels extremely unfair. There are some people, now we do so much for them. We do one thing, second thing, third thing, we try to please them. And at the end of it, they don’t they barely acknowledge what we have done for them.

Sometimes, it may not even be 10. It may be minus 10. Like, we do a 100 things for them and they only criticize us for the 101st thing that we did not do. So, such things can seem very unfair for us. And yes, at one level, it is unfair.

However, if we are honest with ourselves, we can also think of times when we did something worth 10, but we got result worth 100. Maybe sometimes we prepare very little for an exam, but what we studied comes in the exam and we do well. Or sometimes we just join a team and we do a little work in the team, but the team does some very impressive project and we also get the credit for that. Like, say, I think in the 2011 World Cup, which we had, there were India won the World Cup. There was one player, he didn’t play a single match.

All the time, he was in the reserve, but still his picture comes in the World Cup winning team. So what happens is, sometimes we may not do anything, but still we may get the credit. So you could say, life is unfair, but you could almost say it is fairly unfair. That means that sometimes it is unfair in a negative sense, but sometimes it is disproportionate where we get more than what we deserve. Like even our relationships, you know, some people, they are just so kind and helpful to us.

Although we don’t pay much attention to them, we all can think of people who, at least some people in our lives, who went out of their way to be kind and helpful to us. So, in that sense, life works both ways. So why does this happen? Because when we talk about action and result, it is not necessary that the result will come only from the present action. Sometimes it may happen that there may be a minus 90 coming from the past.

Something negative comes from the past because of which, we have put in a lot of effort but the result that we get is very less. In contrast, sometimes it may happen that we may have a plus 90 from the past. And that’s why the result we get may be much more than what we deserve based on what we have done immediately. Now this idea of past actions contributing to present results is not, very unfamiliar or unreasonable idea. So if 2 players or 2 people pick up a instrument, maybe a drum or a buddanga, and they start playing, One of them is playing for the first time.

Another has put a 100 hours of practice in it. Now both of them start playing, and when the so the present action is same. Both of them may be trying to put in the same effort, same concentration. They’re putting in effort attentively. But for the first person, for the second person, when they play mardanga, will say more.

Or the first person will say no more. The first person may say, you know, yeah, it is difficult. And, people may say, yeah, it is difficult to hear. So what has happened is why the present action is the same, but the result is different because there have been past actions. So the idea of past actions contributing to the present results that we get, it is not so unfamiliar.

Even in relationships. If I am polite and friendly with someone, I would expect that person to be polite and friendly with me. But if I am polite right now, but if I have been rude a 100 times in the past, then although I am polite right now, that person may still be cold with me. So it is that our past actions that also contribute to the present results. So if I have been, say, cold 10 times in the past with that person, then I may have to work that much more.

So there is a negative of 90 coming from the past, and I will have to clear the negative. Only then I will start getting something positive here. So the idea of past actions determining present results is not something entirely unfamiliar. So the the only key philosophical point that comes over here is how much past the actions can go. So this is where the concept of soul and reincarnation helps us understand that there are actions that may come from the past also.

And they may contribute to what we get in our present situations. So, if we consider the start if we consider this is our life lifetime, Then, add the starting point in our life, we get, so we can say that we carry some past karma reservoir, which is there for us over this life. And we get a big installment of that at our birth? Say, the kind of family we are born in, the country we are born in, maybe the kind of economic situation that is there in the family or the country where we are born in, The kind of genetics we have, which may determine our IQ and our at least a significant level of our abilities, even our complexion. So that is something which we get at the time of our birth.

Or somewhere around that. So, again, this initial installment of karma can also be both a combination of positive and negative. And often, we may focus on the negative. Oh, you know, I did not get this, or this happened to me, or things went around like this. I was born in a place which was poor or I was born in a place where there are not so many opportunities for this or that.

Somehow, our mind tends to remember the way life has treated us worse than what we deserve. But there are times when life has treated us better than what we deserve also. And we don’t tend to remember that unless we make a conscious effort to do that. So you may notice that I need crutches for walking. So when I was 1, I had polio.

Basically, my parents, my mother, my father is in a traveling job. My mother took me to the local doctor to give some polio vaccine. So we were living in a small town in Maharashtra, and she was told that we should get this vaccine. And polio has more or less been eliminated now. The polio vaccine is fairly, fairly effective.

But somehow, because it was a fairly small town, so there, the clinic was not very competent. And the fridge in which they had kept the vaccine, the power supply from that had got somehow cut off. So the germs reproduced much more. And in the vaccine sorry. So the vaccine, when it was given to me, instead of preventing polio, the dosage was so high that it ended up causing polio.

So I was just walking normally, and one day I fell down, and I could no longer walk after that. So now, of course, I don’t remember all this. Later my my parents told me about it. But my one of my first memories of this is when I was probably around 2a half, 3 or something like that. So some distant relative had come to our home and, she was consoling my mother saying that it’s so sad that your son got polio.

And I remember my mother speaking in a very clear, confident voice. He says, whatever he lacks physically, God will provide him intellectually. Now I don’t know at the age of 2a half, 3 what my mother saw in me and why she spoke that. And she passed away soon, so I didn’t get to ask her about it. But the thing was that somehow it stayed in me.

And then as I grew up, I couldn’t play outdoor sport like other kids could play. But when we started studying, I started noticing that, you know, I could understand things much faster. I could remember things better. I could speak things more clearly. And then somehow it struck me, okay, that, you know, I didn’t, I don’t know whether it’s now I’m speaking it consciously.

And I don’t know when that became, like, crystallized as a thought in my consciousness. But somehow it came in the background that, oh, yeah. I I didn’t do anything by which I deserve to need support for walking. But at the same time, I haven’t done anything to have a better memory and a better intelligence than others. So from the starting point, yes, life may treat us negatively in some way, but life also treats us positively in some ways.

So the point here is that karma can work in both ways. And the the key principle in understanding karma is it is a very positive emphasis. The emphasis in understanding karma, like when Krishna tells Arjuna that you should do your karma. Many places he talks about this. His emphasis is Arjuna has to face a terrible situation.

He trained so that he could fight against enemies. He trained in archery, but now he has to fight against Bhishma and Drona. Say, what did I do to deserve this? No. I don’t want to fight against them.

It’s like, say, somebody trains in the Indian army and then there is some conflict and you have to fight against your own commander or your own boss. It’s a terrible thing. So basically, the emphasis in karma is that our actions always matter. At what we do, it always matters. Even when they don’t seem to matter.

Sometimes, you know, we may be very being very kind and polite with someone and still that person continues to be rude and unreasonable with us. See, then what is the views of being kind and polite with this person? And let me also become rude. Now how exactly to deal with the unreasonable or rude people, that’s a different issue. But the point is our kindness is not going waste.

What we do matters. But sometimes if we are going through some phase of negative karma, then the results may not manifest immediately. So I am doing something positive but because of the negative phase of that karma, from the past negative karma, I may not get the results. But we should not become discouraged and think, what is the use of doing anything? Our actions always matter.

And the whole purpose of the Bhagavad Gita is, therefore, choose your actions wisely. That if my actions matter, then let me choose the actions that will matter the most. Somebody may say, I study and I still don’t get good marks in my exams. So better let me not study. I just spend all my time watching TV.

Well, maybe that is the way in which we are wasting our time now. So okay. I may decide, okay, if I can’t study in this particular area, maybe I should study in that area. That we can choose and decide. So our actions always matter.

Now to take this forward, many times when we get some let’s focus on that positive and we’ll talk about the negative also. Negative means see when we positive means when we get some success in our life. So that success is not just the result of our present income. So we may say, you know, I got this job. And so now all of you are here where, you know, you probably have more financial security than people who work in India.

And you come here in that if you say, okay. I worked hard. I was I’m competent in my job. I’m hardworking. That may all be true.

But There were many other people who are just as competent and hardworking. But you see, I got a lucky break. Or I got this thing, this thing clicked, or that thing clicked. So what is that? That what we call as a lucky break is actually some past karma working positively for us.

So basically, whenever there is success, most often, success is a result of present karma plus past karma. Now the exact role, that may vary. For some people, say somebody is extraordinarily talented in particular field. Now some students may just have, like, an extraordinary memory. Sometimes some, you know, on YouTube, we have this India’s Got Talent or Britain has Got Talent.

There are kids, 3, 4, 5 year old. They’re just so phenomenal at music. Or they’re so phenomenal at some field. For some people, the past karma may contribute 90%, and the present karma may only contribute 10%. For some people, it may be the present maybe 90% and the past maybe 10%.

But the point is, past and present both contribute to the results. So now, what applies to the positive also applies to the negative. When we face problems in life. So sometimes the problems may be because of our present actions. And sometimes the problems may be because of past actions.

Say suppose somebody doesn’t very carefully think before investing money somewhere, and there it’s a it’s a bad investment, they lose money. Then you could say that is another bad decision by me right now. So that’s largely because of present actions. But I know one devoted friend in America. You know, he was working in a software company, and he decided to become entrepreneur.

He started his own small business, and he started it just before COVID. And because of the COVID lockdown, he lost all the money. He had invested in buying property. He had to pay taxes. He had got commodities.

So now, you could say, was that a bad decision? Well, how much can you say it’s a bad decision? Who could have foreseen a pandemic which would cause a global lockdown? So here, in this case, that particular financial difficulty that he faced it was largely a result of past karma. So basically, the situations that we face at present, they are in general due to an unpredictable combination of present and past karma.

So how much the present karma might be contributing? How much the past karma might be contributing? It’s difficult for us to understand. So let’s consider four possibilities. You know, that there is present karma and there is past karma.

Now, the present karma can be positive in the sense of being good. And it can be negative in the sense of being bad. And similarly, the past karma can be positive or the past karma can be negative. Now what does this mean? Say, for example, suppose there is a particular bank in a city, and a huge amount of cash has come in that bank.

And say somehow that news doesn’t remain secret but goes out. And now 10 thieves decide to rob that bank. Now 10 of them may plan to rob the bank, but only one of them is successful. So why is one of them successful and others are not successful? So their success, that one person’s success is because of some past good karma.

So, you know, you need good karma to even do bad karma successfully. So now Hitler is considered to be one of the best orators of the last century. He’s a terrible person. By his past karma, he had, by his past good karma, he had great oratory capacity. He had some past positive karma by which he was meant to become a leader.

But then, by his present negative karma, he ended up becoming a terrible misleader. There have been many, many, terrible people in the world, and there have been many people who slaughtered people. Genghis Khan, when he conquered Europe, and he’s supposed to have annihilated almost 1 fourth of the population of Europe. So there but he was traveling across many countries, and he killed people. But Hitler and the Holocaust, which happened, at the first time in the history of the world, that industrial efficiency was brought to mass slaughter.

Killing people, you know, if you kill people, you have to bury people or you have to burn people. You have to do something. At here, just put them in gas chambers. It’s a very efficient way of killing people. It’s brutal.

But the point is that even for somebody to get success in doing bad karma, they may need some positive karma from the past. So if you consider among these 4 situations or 4 quadrants, now the best is where a person’s past karma is positive and the present karma is positive. That means they work they work for some good cause. And when they work for some good cause, they get not just some good result, but some great results by that. So somebody may be a researcher, and they develop some medicine which cures some terrible disease.

Or somebody makes some song which is, you know, maybe their musical ability, which inspires a lot of people with some patriotic sentiments or devotional sentiments or whatever. So there are great poets who have composed some great compositions. So the best is where we have positive karma from the past and negative karma. A positive past karma and positive present karma. Now the worst situation Is this the worst?

Not really. See if the person has negative karma from the present, then they’re going to do bad things. But if they have negative karma from the past, their bad things will not lead to much bad results. Because, say, like, somebody may want to become a terrorist and blow up, blow up a big building. But something goes wrong and the bomb blows up before they reach the building, and they only blow up.

Nothing else happens. So what happens is it is less harmful. They may try to do some bad actions, but the bad actions may not have much results. So many people many bad people try to do bad things. It’s not that every bad thing that they do succeeds.

So actually, where the past karma is positive and the present karma is negative, this is the most dangerous thing. That means the person is doing bad things now, but that person has a stockpile of past positive karma. So they may be able to do bad things. Now their actions will lead to results, but they may not lead to results right now. So somebody might be, like, a terrible ruler or dictator.

And they have 1,000 units of positive past karma. So then they will use all that to hold on to their power and to keep doing bad things. They will get the results, but they may not get much results in this lifetime at all. So, actually, this is the deadliest combination. Now if the present karma is positive and the past karma is negative.

Now this is difficult, but it is not necessarily bad. That I’m doing some good things right now, but I don’t get the results. I don’t get the recognition. I don’t get the rewards. So this is this is where actually we need to understand what is happening and to pass through this phase.

Okay. So if you consider the Pandavas, the Pandavas were virtues for a long time. And yet, one after another, their father passed away. And then they were they were persecuted by the Kauravas in so many different ways. Now, of course, we can say they are pure devotees and karma doesn’t apply to them.

But we can use this as an ethical framework for understanding. So we understand that they had to go through a lot of negative phases. And then finally, when the negative phase ended, then they got the positive phase. So here, when we are going through a phase of difficulties. So is the child crying because of present karma or past karma?

So it is the child’s present karma, the speaker’s past karma. But but suppose, you know, say suppose some child is crying, and then at that time, the speaker starts yelling or screaming at that person. Now what is going to happen now is the child crying is a disturbance. But if the speaker yells and screams, then at the end of the class, the audience is going to remember how the speaker behaved. Isn’t it?

The child cry will be forgotten. So what happens is our present karma can sometimes make the problem far worse. Isn’t it? So the idea is that even when certain situations come in our life, our present karma does make a difference even when it doesn’t seem to make a difference. So now this what I mentioned the past karma stockpile that we have, If we consider our lifetime, then we all said we said destiny is fixed.

So this is we all have a certain stockpile of karma from the past that is going to come to us. And because that stockpile is fixed. But while that stockpile may be fixed, how it is going to come in our life is not necessarily fixed. Say, what do I mean by that? Say, to some extent, at the start of our life, we get some major installment of that karma.

And then, say maybe during the course of a lifetime, somebody lose 60, 70, 80 years, maybe they are meant to face 4 big problems. Maybe they get at one they get some terrible disease. Maybe some loud one passes away. Maybe in their business, somebody betrays them. Somebody cheats them.

And maybe they meet with some accident. So, of course, each of these can be a very difficult situation to pass through. But imagine if all 4 of these happen simultaneously. You know? That would be almost unbearable, isn’t it?

So our past karma might be fixed, and that may come upon us. But that does not mean that our present karma does not matter. So I’ll explain in 2 different ways how our present karma matters. Say, suppose somebody is going to be cheated in the business, and because of that cheating, they’re going to lose a lot of money. It’s a terrible thing to happen.

But suppose that person during the course of their life, you could be cheated in the business, you could be cheated in the family relationship, cheated whatever way. But before that, during the course of that life, if that person has been polite, kind, helpful, now maybe the cheater will will use that to exploit them even more. But if they have been polite, kind, helpful with people in general, then when they are cheated, others will be ready to help them. No. You’re a good person.

This bad thing happened to you. But on the other hand, if, say by karma, by past karma, they are meant to be cheated. But if in this life, they are rude, they are cunning, you know, they are they just use and throw people, then when one person cheats them, the way they have acted in this life will mean that nobody else will come to help them. So we may not be able to change the fact that we might get cheated. But how we are able to deal with that cheating?

Now that will be determined by our present actions. So sometimes when you say that destiny is fixed. No. Yes. What happens sometimes when we take from shastra one statement and we absolutize that statement without considering other statements.

So for example, it is said that in our destiny, our happiness and distress are fixed. Yeah. So I just said in the scripture, So a statement like that in 7th canto, the first canto. Now what does this mean practically? Does it mean that, say, we if by destiny, when we say by destiny is fixed, and by that, by destiny, our happiness and our distress are fixed.

So if we say this is one statement, and there is truth to the statement. But along with that, scripture itself tells us So when we indulge in sensual pleasures indiscriminately, excessively, we suffer. So can if say by our destiny, our happiness and distress are fixed. Can we increase our distress in this life? What do you think?

Can we increase our distress? No. Of course, we can. Isn’t it? See, if somebody starts taking alcohol and they become alcoholic.

Then that is in in the morning, I talk about suffering that is avoidable and suffering that is unavoidable. So that if somebody is drinking, and then they get some disease. No. That is not due to the past karma, isn’t it? So, say, if on a cold night, somebody takes a dozen ice creams, and they enjoy the taste at that time.

But the next morning, their throat is terrible. In the previous night, they were saying, I scream. And now they say, I scream. Now they scream in pain. Now if they have a terrible throat, is it because of past karma?

Yes. But it is past night’s karma, not past life’s karma. So the thing is that our present actions do matter. So our present actions, they do matter in the sense that just as we can increase the distress that will come because of our present actions, similarly, from our present actions, we can also increase to some degree the happiness. So our present actions also matter.

Gita says for them, if you live in we’ll experience greater happiness. So let’s consider an example of let’s suppose because of the past karma, somebody is meant to get some terrible disease. Now they’re they’re meant to get some cancer. Cancer is probably an example of a disease for which we don’t know the cause practically. Like, iatrogenic diseases.

We don’t know what exactly is the cause. So suppose somebody is meant to get cancer. Now, if in this life, they have generally tried to live healthy, eat good food, do some regular exercise, have regulated habits, then one way of looking at it is, what is the use of living healthy? Still got cancer. Life is so unfair.

But another way of looking at it could be that because this person lived healthy, their chances of recovering are greater because of that. On the other hand, if somebody has always been eating a lot of unhealthy food, somebody has always been very unregulated in their whole life, and they get cancer, then their chances of recovering might be very less. So the point I’m making is our present actions do matter. So in general, when we are going through difficulties, can we know whether that difficulty has come because of present karma or past karma? What do you think?

Well, I mean, I’m I’m amazed by your confidence. So we can say we can know to some extent, isn’t it? See. Yeah. Exactly.

So we can analyze. We can observe that, okay, if this person is very upset with me, you know, have I done something to upset that person? Maybe I am not aware of it. I was in UK. I was staying at 1 devotee’s home.

And he told me that tomorrow is my wife’s wedding anniversary. I said, what do you mean your wife’s? They’re not your wedding anniversary. So he said, I don’t believe in all these things. I said, that was like a red signal for me.

And then after that, now so now he had been a devotee who started practicing bhakti. And his wife had been introduced to bhakti through him. So then he was telling me that, actually, you know, my wife doesn’t support me in my bhakti. She doesn’t understand what I’m doing. And he said, you know, I think, it is because of some past bad karma that I’ve got such a disagreeable wife.

I said wait a minute. Wait a minute. Then I was staying at their home so I was taking lunch and I started talking with Mataji also. She is very intelligent and very reasonable. And she started telling that many things which, you know, it is it is natural to for a husband to take certain responsibility to do certain things.

And this devotee, he was being a bit too transcendental. And his wife was upset because of that. So now I told him, Prabhu, it’s best when we face problems never to jump to past karma right in the beginning. So if we are having problems, first look at, is there something I might be doing because of which this is happening? Now, it’s very rare, it’s possible, but it’s very rare that a problem comes because of 100% past karma only.

That I have done absolutely nothing and still this person is against me. It is possible. You know, there is sometimes racial prejudice, religious prejudice, regional biases. So, you know, you just belong to this community. This community is a community of cheaters or selfish people or that people.

And just because we belong to that community, we are labeled in that way. So that can happen. But generally speaking, it is best when some we are having facing some problems to think how I may have contributed to this problem. And is there something I can do to deal with it? To fix it?

To improve the situations? So so basically, when we face difficulties, it is best to start with, like, minimal assumptions. Minimal assumption means that, say, whenever we face problems, start with the most logical explanation first. Say if I’m speaking right now, and suddenly you’re not able to hear what I speak. The first explanation could be that, okay, that maybe this mic is not working.

Yeah. Other explanation could be maybe the sound system itself has collapsed. Other explanation could be that that, you know, the whole audience, at one moment, everybody has become deaf. Oh, so some mysterious virus has come here and made everybody deaf. Another explanation could be that I have got some attack of some disease by which I’m moving my mouth, but my nose, the sound is coming.

Now if somebody starts now are these possible? Maybe, you know, hey, this the mic work not working. The sound system collapsing. They’re possible. But generally, what happens is a sign of intelligence.

Intelligence means in in sankhya, sorry in in Nyaya, Nyaya is Vedic logic. So in Nyaya it is said, whenever we are looking for an explanation, when we are looking for explanations, it is best to start with what is drushta, and then go towards what is drushta. Drushta means what? Visible. So start with more visible or immediate causes.

So an action can have a range when particular situation comes in our life, it can have a range of causes. But best to start with the immediate cause. And when the immediate cause doesn’t work, then move towards a more remote cause. So my most immediate cause could be, did I accidentally turn off the power switch of this? Our next immediate cause could be, has the battery got become discharged on this?

A third could be, maybe this mic has become spoiled. If right in the beginning I say, oh, it’s not able to speak to you? Some terrorists have attacked and the power supply has been destroyed because of that. They say, why are you panicking? Why are you going towards such such explanations?

So karma, the philosophy of karma is not meant to reject the immediate explanation. It is meant to explain situations when the immediate explanations don’t work. So immediate explanations are also valid, but they may not always be valid. So that’s why I start from the and move towards the. Sorry.

Start from the and move toward the. So till now I have spoken about karma. Now let’s move towards bhakti. So so the basic point here is that our actions do matter. There is past karma, but how much the past karma matters in a particular situation?

It’s difficult to know. It is possible that a particular problem has come because of past karma. But let’s not assume that right in the beginning. So now, when we practice bhakti, so there is our, when we talk about karma, how is karma affected by bhakti? So that is the question that we’ll discuss.

And this is a big question, but again, as I it’s not that we have, an answer that is because these concepts themselves are complex and subtle, the answers are also subtle. But we can try to understand broad principles. Now as I said, karma itself can be past and present. So quite often, we tend to focus on the past karma. And how much of my past karma will Krishna remove?

But, you know, first of all the problem with this is, the past karma is itself unknown to us. So we may have a 1000 units of past karma, and Krishna may remove 900 and only a 100 may remain. But 100 will still remain. Now for us, a hundred still may seem very bad. And we say, why this happening?

This shouldn’t have happened to me. It may be that just before we came to bhakti, we were going through a phase of good karma. And then when we start practicing bhakti, we start going through a phase of bad karma. And they said, okay. I started chanting.

Hare Krishna, my problem my life started increasing. So is Krishna causing these problems to me? No. Not at all. So it’s like, when we go to the whole dimension of past karma, first of all, we don’t know how much is the past karma.

And we don’t know or we can’t know how much that is going to be removed. Mhmm. So Krishna does say, I’ll remove. But it is said, He says, but the is This is the second sarva. There is the first sarva also.

So in one sense, Krishna is reciprocal. To the extent we become pure devotees, to that extent, the karma influence may go away. But this, because the past karma is unknown, it’s best to tolerate it. Whatever it comes, So it’s not that Krishna is not helping us, But it’s just that, how Krishna is helping us, we don’t know. Suppose, you know, we inherited some debt because suddenly, say, our parents or somebody in their family passed away.

Now that if we don’t know how much debt is there, and because that person is a relative or somebody, they even they say, okay, you know, you don’t have to pay all the debt. There’s a 25 lakhs, you just give 5 lakhs. If 5 lakhs is also such a big amount, but is it 25 lakhs or is it a far bigger amount? In this case, what happens is because we don’t know how much is the past negative karma, so for us, it’s difficult to know what Krishna has done. And if we start expecting that, okay, in my life, because I’m practicing bhakti, there’ll be no problems.

Then that is an unrealistic expectation. There’s some karma which is not very likely to change. Now if somebody is, say, 4 and a half feet, and that is because of past karma. It’s not that they chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant chant. Chant Is it?

That is not going to happen. So certain kind of karma is not going to change. But when it comes to our present karma, now our present karma is affected by 2 things. It is affected by our knowledge. The kind of knowledge or I can say more specifically, it’s not just knowledge.

It’s not it’s so much. It’s. It’s intelligence. And not just our intelligence. It is affected by our, and it is affected by our vrutti.

Our tendencies. So by our past karma, we all have certain tendencies. Say, for example, somebody may be short-tempered. Now, all babies, when they’re small, they cry. But some babies cry as if they will bring the whole house down.

They say that their crying is screaming at the top of their lungs. It’s like, you know, we can say it’s good karma. They have powerful lungs, but they cry so much is not so, so good karma. Isn’t it? So, now sometimes some babies may also have more anger than others.

And as they grow up, their anger comes up a little bit more. So we all have certain karmic tendencies. So some people may see, we all sometimes know that something is good for us. Our intelligence tells us this is good and this is bad. But still, something from inside prevents us from doing that thing.

We’re just not able to do it. So what Bhakti will do for us is Krishna will handle the past karma. But how exactly he’ll handle and how much is our surrender because of which he’s reciprocating, all these are very difficult to know. So rather than worrying so much about the past karma, we focus on the present karma. And the more we start practicing bhakti, our buddhi becomes strengthened.

Bhakti strengthens our intelligence. We start getting a clearer and clearer understanding. Now this action will be beneficial. This action will be harmful. And that clarity itself is helpful.

You know, remember that morning I talked about, if somebody is sick. 2 people may be sick, but one is undiagnosed and is not is being untreated. Is untreated. The other is diagnosed and being treated. So when our intelligence becomes strong, that basically makes us like a patient who is being diagnosed.

And as the patient is being diagnosed, that means we at least understand. Okay. This is the disease, and this is going to worsen my situation. This is going to improve my situation. Now we may not know a 100%, but we do know to a significant extent.

And that itself gives a significant amount of help. Now without, like we say, See, without that without that our situation is like, you know, somebody has put a cloth on our body and we can’t see at the end, we are being punched. No. One punch comes from the front, one comes from the back. We can’t even see, so we can’t even deal with can’t even protect ourselves.

We can’t fight back. We can’t do anything. So that state of suffering is far greater. So when we get the gyana, that itself leads to a lot of decrease in suffering. But bhakti doesn’t just provide us the jnana.

Bhakti, the the vrtti, it becomes purified. So we all have desires. If we’re not practicing bhakti, our desires tend to be very self centered, very selfish. But the more we start practicing bhakti, our desires start becoming more selfless, more service oriented. So what happens by this?

The lust, anger, greed, they start decreasing. First of all, we understand more clearly that anger is bad. Say, lust is bad. See, the propaganda in today’s world is such that many people think that discover your passion. And they’re not talking about some finding your job.

They think, you know, okay. Get People think that increasing their sensual desires, that’ll lead to more happiness. People watch so many things which titillate them, stimulate them, agitate them. But then that causes more suffering. That causes so much more craving.

Because they just don’t know. Like say, suppose somebody has never drunk and has no interest in drinking. They pass by a bar, they don’t feel any agitation. But somebody who has drunk repeatedly, each time they pass by a bar, they have to fight against me. I will go and drink.

No. I’ll not go and drink. I’ll go and drink. I’ll not go and drink. That causes so much trouble, so much distress.

So just knowing what is the right thing to do and being freed from the unhealthy desires, that itself decreases suffering substantially. So when Krishna says, so that is a very important thing. And this if if we focus just on this blessing I’ll conclude with one last incident to illustrate this point. That if we just focus on this point, that right now by Krishna’s mercy, I know what is the healthy choice and what is unhealthy choice. That does not necessarily mean that in every situation we know exactly what is the right thing to do.

But we have a broad compass. We may not have an exact path. Okay. In this situation, what should I do? But we have a broad compass.

And that itself is a big relief. So after Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita, after Krishna assured Arjuna, after Arjuna said, yes, I surrender to you. After that, when the Kurukshetra war happened, Arjuna faced a devastating loss on the 13th day. What happened? Abhimanyu was killed.

Now Abhimanyu dying itself is terrible for Arjuna. But what made that even more terrible was his own personal sense of failure. See, what the Kauravas did was on 13th day, they did not form the Chakravyu right in the beginning. They had some other military formation. And then they arranged that.

There was a king Susharaman. He challenged Arjuna. And in that challenge, he diverted Arjuna away. So they went to a different part of the battlefield and they started fighting over there. And then once Arjuna was diverted, and quickly the Karkar was reorganized and they revealed the chakravi formation.

And then there was no way for the pandavas to penetrate it. So then Yudhishthir asked Abhimanyu to go inside. Abhimanyu went inside and unfortunately, he was trapped. And he fought heroically. But then the Kauras unfairly ganged up on him.

And 6 of them together attacked him and eventually killed him. That evening, when Arjuna came back, normally, when the warriors would come back, there would be celebratory music welcoming them back. That day when Arjuna was coming back, he had fought heroically against the, army of Sucharman. He destroyed many, many soldiers. And it was a long day.

He was tired. He was very successful. Still, you know, he felt an uneasy sensation within him. And as he came close to their tents, their camp, he noticed there was absolutely no music. There’s a somber silence over there.

And normally when we meet people, people greet, nod nod their head, smile. On this day, no one was ready to even meet Arjuna’s eye. And then a pit started forming in Arjuna’s stomach. And then Arjuna started wondering what has happened? What has gone wrong?

And then he remembered that in the heat of the battle, he had heard someone scream far away. The Kauravas have formed a chakravyu. He had been so busy fighting against the army of Susharaman, he had it had not registered him in at that time. He had not paid much attention. If something had been an emergency, he would have been called.

He thought like that. He started thinking, was a Chakravyu formed? If Chakravyu has been formed, then what happened? And has Yudhishthir been abducted? If Yudhishthir had been abducted, surely I would have known.

I would have been informed. So, what happened? So, the only person who knew that the chakra view can be broken, that is a woman knew. But he doesn’t know how to come out. Has something happened to him?

So, he just charged with his horse racing towards the central bandhal. And as soon as he entered, in the bandhal, there was an arrangement and each warrior had their particular throne. As soon as he entered, first his eyes went to Yudhishthir. So Yudhishthir was there. Then his eyes went to Abhimanyu’s throne and that was empty.

His eyes just didn’t want to believe his what they were seeing. Just desperate, hoping against hope that what he was seeing was not the reality. He again looked back more carefully at Yudhisthira and he saw that there were tears streaming down Yudhishthir’s eyes. Arjuna just collapsed and he started crying. Abhimanyu.

Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu. And he started thinking, you know, fire on me. He said, I went in the pursuit of glory and because of that I was not there to protect my son. Surely, when Abhivani was in the last moments, he must have called out to me.

He must have called out to his father. Why was I not there at that time? Yudhish still got up from his throne. Heavy steps, slowly he walked up to Arjuna. And he slowly told Arjuna what had happened.

So as Arjuna heard his grief started changing to anger. And then he lashed out at Yudhishthira. And Dima said, are all your weapons just ornaments? Could not one of you protect my son? Shame on you.

So when he spoke this sorry. So this is some past karma. Coming in the middle of some present karma. No? So anyway.

So at that time, Krishna for Yudhishthir. He was already in distress, and Arjuna’s words were like whiplashes. Both Arjuna Ayudhishthir and Bhima. So Krishna came up to Arjuna and pulled him into a sidewalk. He said, oh, Arjuna Partha, in this world, adversities come upon everyone, the wise and the unwise.

The difference between them is that when the adversities come, the unwise act in ways that make things worse. Whereas the wise act in ways that make things better. Oh Arjuna, look at the faces of your brothers. Due to the death of Abhimanyu, they are in agony. They are in pain just as you are.

Please don’t speak words that increase their pain. This jolted Arjuna out of his stupor. He was just in so much pain, just lashing out. Trying to do something about it. And that’s when as Arjuna heard the story again he recollected it.

He started thinking that actually his brothers had made a reasonable plan. That Abhimanyu would go inside and they would follow him. But Jayedra had come in the way. Therefore, Arjuna decided that Jayadr needs to be punished. And then, the next day, while the Pandavas Kauravas celebrated on 13th day, the 14th day was their worst defeat.

It was not just a jayrat who was killed, but the fact that the entire army of the Kauravas could not protect 1 warrior from 1 opposing warrior. That was morale shattering. It’s like, there’s 1 football player. The whole team is designed to stop that football player from getting to the goal. And if that football player effortlessly gets to the goal.

See, if our whole team can’t stop, then what is the use of even playing? So it became like that. So the point is that even Arjuna faced distress. And Krishna did not go into any particular past life philosophy explaining why this happened, past life karma, what this happened, that happened. Okay.

This has happened now. Let us see what we can do about it. So basically, when we talk about if we are practicing bhakti. Now bhakti, yes, it means remembering Krishna. It means loving Krishna.

But bhakti essentially means service attitude. And bhakti means seva vow. Now what does the service attitude mean? That we understand that Krishna is our well wisher, that Krishna wants the best for us. Krishna wants things to be better for us.

So if we are servants of Krishna, then that means we also act in a mood of service to Krishna to make things better. So what this means is that Krishna is our well wisher. So Krishna wants the best for us. So then our service attitude mean would mean, okay, now the situation has come, what is the best I can do in this situation? Now we may say, I don’t know what is the best.

Okay. We may not know what is the best, but can we know what is the worst? Like, say if there is some relationship, and we had tried everything and still that relationship is not improving. I don’t know what I can do about this. But maybe we can know what I can should not do, isn’t it?

If we just, for 10 minutes, remove our word, word, restrict, and just speak whatever is there in our mind and heart, Relationship cultivated over 10 years can be destroyed in 10 minutes. Isn’t it? That doesn’t mean we suppress our emotions. But we all know that certain things will make the situation worse. So with whatever buddhi we have, you say, okay.

Now the situation is there. Krishna, what can I do that will make things better? If we have that service attitude, Krishna will guide us. And the conviction that comes from practicing bhakti is that see that there are many many aspects of bhakti and shraddha and all those things But the most important aspect of practicing bhakti is that basically Krishna is on my side. This is the faith that we need to get.

See, basically, when we are functioning in the world, there is, I am here and there is some force beyond me. We may believe in God, we may not believe in God. We may believe in nature, whatever we believe in. Now with respect to this, there are only three factors. That this is for me, this is against me, or this is apathetic to me.

Doesn’t care for me. So ultimately, this is all we whatever exists beyond us, either it doesn’t care for us so to a large extent, the scientific world view is largely materialistic. Everything happens just according to physical laws. There is no God, you see. So it is we call it atheistic but the idea is there is no God that cares for us.

It’s apathetic. Now, some people may think that God is my enemy. That’s a very dark way to live in. But basically, if we are practicing bhakti, we will see so many stories of so many devotees who face such difficulties. Prahlad did nothing wrong and yet he suffered so much at least at an external level.

But what happened is, through it all, by remembering Krishna, he did not suffer so much. And eventually, Krishna protected him. So basically, what happens is if we can get this faith that Krishna is on my side, Therefore, I will be on Krishna’s side. So Krishna is on my side. Therefore, I will choose to be on Krishna’s side.

I don’t know exactly what is Krishna’s plan. But Krishna, I want to serve you. When Prabhupada asked what is the best prayer we can offer? He said, pray to Krishna, please give me the strength to serve you. Whatever be the situation I face, please give me the strength to serve you.

So if we have that attitude, then we will get the buddhi. And with small steps we take, by which gradually we will be able to improve things. Now some amount of improvement may happen in this life for us. Some amount of improvement may not be seen in this life. We’ll be purified and we’ll go beyond this world to Krishna.

But when we function in this way, basically, the past karma reservoir may not change. But the present karma, we can change. And we can ensure that no matter how dark our present may be, by trying to serve Krishna, we can make our future brighter. And that that is a power that every one of us has. So that is the faith.

Krishna says, if you become conscious of me, you will pass over all obstacles by my grace. Going back to that medicine metaphor, the world can hurt us in many ways. But when we practice bhakti, I mentioned what happens is for us, Krishna becomes bigger than the world. So what this means is that the world has much power to hurt us. World people can hurt us.

The environment, the weather can hurt us. Our own body can hurt us. But what happens is we understand that greater than the world’s power to hurt is Krishna’s power to heal. And it is this faith that the practice of bhakti increases more more and more for us. And that’s how the problems of our life, even if they come, they do not disturb us so much.

Greater than the world’s power to hurt is Krishna’s power to heal. That is how bhakti decreases our klesha agni and it helps us. It helps us create a brighter future for us. So the klesha agni happens because yeah, although these problems are there, Krishna is with me. I am not alone in this big bad world trying to struggle against it.

Krishna is with me, and I will choose to be with Krishna. So understanding this Krishna is on my side, this will lead to the klesha Agni. The suffering. Suffering doesn’t just come because, there is problems. When we feel I’m in these problems and I’m alone and nobody cares for me, nobody won’t nobody even bought this bothered whether I exist, whether I live or die.

That’s when the suffering becomes far more. And when you understand Krishna is on our side, that glacier decreases. And, once we choose to be on Krishna’s side, then yes, the present may be dark. But by Krishna’s mercy, the future will be brighter. So I’ll summarize what I discussed.

I discussed 4 main points. 1st, we talked about the principle of karma. How karma is not just a philosophical concept, it is like a universal observation. It is the basis of science. It is also the basis of human training.

The only difficulty that happens is, that it is not always just action and result. It is often, there is the present action and there is the present result, but there is also the past action that is playing a role. And sometimes the past action might be negative, and that’s why the present result might not be positive. Enough as much as we expect. So basically, karma works in a complex way.

But still, the important thing is our actions matter. That is the key take home from the principle of karma. That what I am doing right now, it matters. If I’m doing good, the good will result in the future. If somebody is doing bad, that will lead to bad, even if that is not manifested now.

Then we discuss the concept of destiny. Is karma fixed? Yes. Destiny is fixed. But how destiny unfolds, how it manifests in our life, that is not fixed.

I discussed how somebody may be betrayed and cheated in this life. But how they live in this life may decide how much support they get when they are cheated. So that’s why we discussed this pendulum, that present karma and past karma. So, it is best if the present and past are both good, then we have bright decision. The most dangerous is, when the past karma is positive and present karma is negative.

Because they will they will create suffering for themselves. This is bad when the person is not so harmful. Now this is something which we learn to we need to learn to tolerate. So I’m going through some difficult situations, but they will end. And for that purpose, then we discuss about how does bhakti affect our karma?

Bhakti and karma, we discuss that. So basically, there is past karma, and this is unknown. So it is best not to worry too much about this. So accept that Krishna is doing something for my benefit with that karma. But the present karma, that is the most important thing.

So our present action is shaped by our intelligence and by our tendencies. And Krishna strengthens our intelligence through bhakti, and then he purifies our tendencies. And by this, what happens is we can start creating a brighter future. And that means, I took the story of Arjuna and Abhimanyu to illustrate that essentially, when we talk about bhakti, bhakti means And means that if Krishna is my well wisher, then let me see how I can If Krishna wants the best for me, how can I do my best? How can I play my part in Krishna’s plan?

So, basically, Krishna is with me. And therefore, I will be with Krishna. So to the extent we understand Krishna is with me, our klesha will decrease. And to the extent we choose to be with Krishna, the shubha in our life will increase. The world can hurt us in many ways, but rather than worrying about how and why the world is hurting us, we turn toward Krishna.

And Krishna’s power to heal is always greater. Whatever karma may get us to, whatever karma may get us to, Krishna will get us through. Thank you very much. Hooray. So do we have time for questions?

Should we take tomorrow? Yeah. So so what we can do is this was because there are multiple concepts to discuss over here. So the class went a little over time. But if you have questions, you can note down the questions.

And maybe tomorrow, instead of going to the future characters of the, first we will tackle we’ll address the questions, and then we’ll move forward. There can be many different questions, and I I’ll try to address them as much as I can. But, it’s, it’s a very important and practical topic. So I would like to devote some time. So if you have questions, please note them down, and, we’ll continue tomorrow.

Thank you very much.

The post 3 Six characteristics of bhakti – How bhakti removes distress & brings auspiciousness appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

In the video, HG Hansarupa Prabhu recounts a poignant anecdote about a man who appeared to be a homeless individual (“a bum”) and his encounter with Śrīla Prabhupāda. This story unfolded during the time when the devotees were at the 55th Street Temple in New York City. One evening after the Sunday feast, as the
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HH Krishna Kshetra Swami delivers an engaging discourse at ISKCON Radhadesh, blending song, humor, and deep spiritual insights. He reflects on Lord Chaitanya’s love, the significance of chanting Krishna’s names, and the boundless devotion of Radha and Krishna. Interweaving scripture, stories, and affirmations, he inspires gratitude, unity, and a heartfelt longing for spiritual growth and
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Please find below photos from last Saturday night’s Harinama Sankirtan in London. Slideshow (sound on supported systems): https://davidc.zenfolio.com/saturday_night_harinama_sankirtan_25012025/slideshow Gallery: https://davidc.zenfolio.com/saturday_night_harinama_sankirtan_25012025 The slideshow soundtrack is from Melbourne, but the same melody was use for the middle part of the evening here. Original is at: https://youtu.be/Db0HpevRRXg?t=495 Your servant, David
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Translation Here the use of the verb “bhavet,” which is in the imperative mood, tells us that this certainly must be done. Noncompliance would be abandonment of duty. Purport This imperative is applicable to pure devotees. Neophytes will be able to understand these affairs only after being elevated by regulated devotional service under the expert
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“I hate you people and all you stand for!” shouted the school’s headmaster. “There’s no way I will ever, and I repeat, EVER, rent this school to you during Woodstock.” With that he slammed the door, leaving Nandini dasi standing dumbstruck with no alternate accommodations for most of the 700 devotees coming for the event.

Fifteen minutes later her 4 year-old son, Alex, who was playing with his friends nearby wandered over and casually walked into the headmaster’s office. “I want to tell you something….” he began. The headmaster, startled by the youngster’s bravery, decided to listen to what he had to say.

Years later the headmaster told Nandini, “I never heard a 4 year-old speak so articulately in my life, what to speak of his convincing arguments why you people should have the school!” Back then he had granted permission for us to use the school after Alex convinced him it was the right thing to do.

That was in 2013. Since then the headmaster has welcomed us back every year during Woodstock and has become a great admirer of our movement. As always, he was even there to greet us last week when two of our buses from Ukraine and Moldova arrived at his school two days before for the twenty-third Woodstock festival.

“Trouble’s brewing,” he said warily, as he greeted Nandini.

He didn’t have to explain. Most everyone in the country was aware that the conservative government was not happy with the Woodstock festival and was doing everything it could to try and stop it from taking place.

“Yes, I know,” said Nandini. “Their latest attempt to shut the festival down is to impose so many security restrictions that it will be too expensive to proceed. I heard that the organizers made a desperate public appeal for financial help today.”

“Even if they get the funds,” said the headmaster, “the restrictions are so imposing that it will be impossible for the event to function properly. They plan to do an extensive search of each and every vehicle coming to the event. They say they’re afraid of terrorists. Rumor has it that snipers will cover the event from the nearby hills.”

The next morning I told my driver Guru Kripa das to get our van ready to go down to the Woodstock field where a number of our men had been busy setting up our Krishna’s Village of Peace for two weeks.

“Give me half an hour,” he said. “I have to run to get the special pass and ID papers that the government issued for our van.”

“Wow” it’s really true,” I thought. “This year’s Woodstock festival might be pretty intense.”

One hour later we approached an ominous looking checkpoint on the only road leading into the festival sight. Suddenly six policemen in riot gear appeared from behind a barricade and approached our van—their hands on their guns.

“Driver, stop the van!” shouted one through a megaphone. “Take the keys out of the ignition and step out of the car slowly, with your hands above your head. Everyone else in the van do the same. Now!”

As we stood in the road they patted us down and searched the van.

“Now get back in,” the same officer said.

A little confused by what was going on, we moved slowly back toward the van.

“Move it!” the officer barked. As we drove away, I made eye contact with him and tried to smile. He just glared back. I noted that his badge was number 44. I would warn other devotees who would be coming through to be cautious.

As we drove into the festival site I said to the other men in the car, “They’re definitely going to have to change the motto of this festival from ‘Peace, Love and Rock and Roll.’”

Once we arrived at our village, set upon one-half hector of land, all tension diminished. The men had done a great job in setting up all the colorful tents, including the big one of over 50 meters long.

“We’ve been lucky,” said a new devotee who was helping. “The weatherman has been predicting rain every day, but it hasn’t rained once!”

“It’s not luck” I corrected him, “It’s Krishna’s mercy. In Krsna Book, Queen Kunti says to the Lord, ‘So, my dear Krishna, there is no question of bad luck; we are always in an auspicious position because of Your grace.’ What was true then is also true now if we’re serving Krishna’s mission. Our lives are always auspicious.”

As I walked around the large area set aside for our village I marveled at the fact that we’d set up our village thirteen times on the same field. “It’s become sacred ground,” I mused. “One can feel the atmosphere has changed because of the many hours and days we’ve chanted the holy names at this exact location. Not only us, but the thousands of people who come to Woodstock and chant Hare Krishna with us.”

“Sacred Ground!” I called out enthusiastically, “It’s true!” causing all the devotees working at the site to look up at me curiously.

“Incessantly they discuss the narrations of Sri Krishna’s pastimes with one another and chant the names of Krsna which bestow pure devotion. Overwhelmed with ecstasy they preach the Hare Krishna Mantra throughout the earth to destroy the sins of the age of Kali.”

[ Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Susloka-Satakam, text 76 ]

The next morning we held a meeting with all 700 devotees present. I stressed the historic nature of our presence at Woodstock and how we had to take advantage of the opportunity to reach these young people with the holy names.

“Carpe diem” I began. “That’s a Latin aphorism which means ‘seize the moment.’ Seventy-five years ago this very place where we are sitting was a war zone with mass killings committed by both the allied and axis armies. No one was safe—no man, woman or child. But now Russian, German, and American devotees can come together as brothers and sisters, in a time of peace—free to spread our message. We must do so with a sense of urgency because we all know that history often repeats itself. Let’s chant and dance with a common purpose—giving the one million young people coming to Woodstock a simple and joyful solution to all the upheaval in this world!”

As I closed, the devotees let out a huge roar. Then and there I knew that somehow Krishna would arrange for Woodstock to go on.

The day before the actual Woodstock festival begins, is traditionally “Hare Krishna Day.” Most of the people have arrived at Woodstock by that time and we open our village at 11:00 a.m. Much to the delight of the people, we started early with full prasadam distribution at our Food for Peace tent—despite the complications of getting our prasadam vans through the congested traffic caused by the police security checks. I was amazed to see people literally running toward the massive tent as the news spread that we were selling prasadam for a nominal fee. Moments later we rolled our massive Ratha Yatra cart onto the one and only street running through the grounds, accompanied by a rousing kirtan with 100 devotees. The sacred grounds were becoming even more sanctified!

As the rumbling chariot made it’s way through the throngs of people, I gave a flower garland I was wearing to a girl who was pulling on one of the ropes. She had a can of beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. She looked at the garland, and quickly threw away both the beer and the cigarette.

“Doesn’t match,” she said. “Two different worlds.”

“One down, 999,000 to go” I chuckled to myself.

Many of the youth came forward to either pull the chariot, or sing and dance with us. I was initially surprised that so many seemed to know the Hare Krishna Mantra. So I pulled one disheveled boy with a wild mohawk haircut aside and asked him, “How do you know the song?”

“It’s Kali Yuga, man,” he shouted above the roar of the kirtan, “there’s no other way!” With that he jumped back into the kirtan chanting with abandon.

We had printed a special invitation beckoning people to come to our village and everyone seemed to be accepting them. Within two hours all 10,000 we brought with us for that day were distributed. As I was expressing my displeasure to the kirtan leader that we hadn’t brought enough invitations, a young woman overheard us.

“Don’t worry, everyone here knows about Krishna’s Village of Peace” she said. “There was an online survey done last week on the official Woodstock website. One question was: ‘where do you spend most of your money at Woodstock?’

Ninety percent of the people replied, ‘At the Hare Krishna’s, Food for Peace tent!’”

That evening our Mantra Yoga tent swelled with people as Mahatma dasa, Sivarama Swami, BB Govinda Maharaja, Bada Haridas and Madhava prabhu led kirtan, one after another. As we ended the kirtan at 1:00 a.m. and I went outside, I was surprised to see the Questions and Answers tent still full of around 100 people. I expressed my surprise to one of our security men who said, “Yep, I stand here and watch ’em go from the kirtan tent to the Question and Answers tent, and then on to the book tent where most of the time they walk out with either a Bhagavad-Gita, a cookbook, or the Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita.

Before going back to our base, I walked over to our Food for Peace tent.

“How’s it going?” I asked Rasikendra dasa.

“30,000 plates of prasadam today,” he said with a big smile. “And we’ve started cooking for the morning now.”

“What about getting some rest?” I said astonished.

“Too much nectar flowing,” he said as he walked off. Then he turned and added, “Oh yeah, we’re giving maha prasadam to the police at the roadblocks and they’re starting to ease up on us. Now we’re getting all the prasadam vans through pretty quickly. From the four school kitchens to the festival site it takes only thirty minutes. ”

The next day Woodstock’s organizer, Jurek Owsiak, called and asked us to come for the grand opening on the main stage. “Could you bring some of your theater performers in their colorful outfits?” he asked. At 3:00 p.m. we went to the back of the main stage and were met by security men who immediately took us up the stairs to the stage. The main security man said, “After Jurek and a few musicians come on, you’ll be next in line. You can go straight to the front. You’ll be in full view of the crowd of 300,000 people.”

Within moments Jurek went onstage and thanked all the people present for assisting in his charity work to help children’s hospitals. He told them the Woodstock festival was his reciprocation for all their hard work. Then he said loudly that no politics could stop the event and that they were all victorious in face of huge opposition that year. Relaxing his tone, he turned to the devotees and myself and said, “Let us thank Krishna’s Village of Peace for being with us again with their good food and all their entertainment!” As 300,000 people applauded I waved and said softly, “Srila Prabhupada I pray you are watching and that you are pleased.”

With that little mention from Jurek, our village was soon filled to capacity. At any one time there were between 5,000 – 10,000 people in our main tent, in line for prasadam, henna drawings, taking yoga classes, attending seminars, or just walking around our spotlessly clean area.

That night Acyuta Gopi dasi arrived from New York and brought the house down with her late night kirtan in the Mantra Yoga tent.

The next morning, Nandini came running toward me waving a newspaper in the air as I was getting in the van to go down to the festival site.

“Gurudeva! Gurudeva! Look! Gazeta Wyborcza, one of the biggest newspapers in the country has a positive front page article on Woodstock and the cover photo is our Ratha Yatra parade.”

We both stared at awe at the newspaper. “I never imagined we’d get such recognition, especially in the present political climate,” I said.

“It’s due to the service of so many wonderful devotees this year,” she said. “And maybe a little luck.”

“Not luck,” I said with a smile, repeating my words from the day before. “Our lives are auspicious because of Krishna’s grace.”

As our van approached the security check at the Woodstock field thirty minutes later, I could see policemen were checking cars with less scrutiny. When we approached, a policeman just glanced at us and waved us on.

“They must have retired the snipers by now.” I joked to the devotees in the car.

By the time we arrived, prasadam distribution was in full swing.

“I’m going to distribute prasadam for a few minutes before the Ratha Yatra parade begins,” I told the devotees in the van.

As I stepped into the Food for Peace tent and looked out at the eight lines stretching back 80 yards each, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Joining one of the serving teams, I chose to serve the last preparation in line, halavah. It has always been one of the festival-goers favorites. With a serving spoon, I dipped into the pot and took a generous dose, carefully placing it on a young man’s empty plate in from of me.

“You’re not taking rice or vegetables?” I asked curiously.

“No” he said, standing there staring at the plate.

“Please move along!” urged one of the servers as the boy continued staring at the halavah. “There are people waiting.”

“Just one second.” he said with a smile. Then he dipped his finger into the halvah and then into his mouth.

“Ahhhh!” he said pausing for a few more moments. “I’ve been waiting twelve months to relish that taste!”

“A worthy veteran of our festival” I said to him as I eased him forward.

After twenty minutes, I relinquished my spot in the server’s line, thinking, “I should get a picture of the long line.”

Taking out my camera I took a few shots of people nearby and then with a long lens focused further down the line. To my surprise I saw 3 policemen in line.

Pushing my lens as far as it would go, I saw their insignias, ranks and, then to my surprise, badge number 44! It was the policeman who had been so rough with us the first day we entered Woodstock.

I said softly, “Just see how people’s hearts are changed by the association of devotees of the Lord!”

Ten minutes later I was in front of the Ratha Yatra cart as it once again slowly made it’s way down the crowded avenue, pulled by more festival-goers than devotees. After forty-five minutes, the kirtan was again roaring when suddenly a young man, dressed only in dirty jeans and literally covered from head to toe in all kinds of strange tattoos, came running forward, falling right in front of me in prone position, as if offering dandavats. As the Ratha Cart quickly moved forward I asked a few of the men to remove him.

“Gently” I said.

As soon as he was raised off the ground, he came forward and tightly embraced me. From the combination of dirt, grime, and the odor of his body, it was obvious he had not bathed in weeks.

“Take him off!” commanded one of the men to a devotee close to us.

“No,” I said. “It’s OK.”

I continued to lead the kirtan for a minute or two more with him hanging on me until he finally broke free and started walking alongside me, swerving from side to side, obviously under the influence of alcohol, or some drug.

Then twenty minutes later when I stopped to sing in one place he fell prone on the ground again in front of me. This time I could hear him say something. I thought I even heard the words, “Krishna prestaya butale.”

“No, that couldn’t be,” I concluded.

Back on his feet, he once again embraced me tightly, and to the horror of all the devotees, kissed me on the cheek.

Again, security rushed forward.

“It’s OK.” I said. “He’s not dangerous.”

An hour later he was still by my side as I was finishing up and ready to hand the microphone over to another chanter. Suddenly he grabbed the microphone from my hand and started singing the maha mantra intensely with his eyes closed.

“How’s this possible?” I said to myself.

After a few stanzas I took the microphone back. It just looked so strange, even at Woodstock, a man like this with every inch of his visible body covered in ghostly-looking tattoos.

As I passed the microphone over to another devotee I walked a little distance away to catch my breath. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the drunken boy follow me.

“Sorry” he said in English as he embraced me one more time again.

For a moment I was speechless.

“Sorry?” I said almost a question.

“Yes,” he replied with his head down. “I’m your fallen disciple, Bhakta Rafal. Many years ago I lived at the New Santipur Farm in southern Poland. I used to serve you when you visited. In my heart, I chose you as my spiritual master. You don’t recognize me now with all my tattoos,” he said. “Please save me Guru Maharaja!”

“It’s alright Rafal,” I said. “Don’t worry. Join us in all the kirtans today and tomorrow and take lots of prasadam. Try to get your taste back for Krishna consciousness. We’ll speak more later in the day. But right now, let’s get back to the parade.”
,As we walked back he clung tightly to me. In my mind I prayed, “Srila Prabhupada, please save this man.”

Everything went smoothly throughout the day at our village. As evening approached, Rasikendra dasa approached me.

“Srila Gurudeva,” he said, “We’ve cooked almost twenty-six tons of food. I think we’ll do more than 150,000 plates of prasadam before Woodstock is over. We ran out of rice this morning. I went store to store and bought every grain of rice in the town! The store owners are very happy with us!”

“Yes, everything is auspicious by Krishna’s grace, “ I said.

As I hurriedly walked towards the Mantra Yoga tent eager to join in BB Govinda Maharaja’s kirtan, a young man approached me.

“Please sir, can I have five minutes of your time?” he pleaded.

“Well, I’m trying to get to the kirtan tent …” I said impatiently.

“Please,” he said, grabbing my arm.

Sensing his sincerity, I stopped and said calmly, “Sure, what is it?”

“Last year at Woodstock my friend approached you with several questions. You spoke together in English. Not speaking English, I couldn’t understand. But after the Woodstock festival I saw many wonderful changes in my friend, which he attributed to his conversation with you.

“Personally, I went through a very challenging year. At wits end, I turned toward spirituality to deal with the crisis in my life. One day I remembered how you had helped my friend. So you know what I did?”

“No what did you do?” I asked.

I enrolled in a course to learn English so I could talk freely with you at this year’s Woodstock festival. I went to 3 classes a week for most of the year. I even went to London for two weeks to practice my English.”

“Well then,” I said taking his hand, “let’s sit down over there on the grass have a long conversation…”

By the last day of Woodstock all the devotees were exhausted. But that didn’t stop them from doing their services. Each one of them was enlivened to see how much people loved Krishna’s Village of Peace.

As the kirtans started for the final evening in the Mantra Yoga tent, one devotee from Croatia approached me.

“Maharaja can I ask you a question?” he said.

“Sure” I replied.

“This is my first time at Krishna’s Village of Peace at Woodstock,” he began. “I’ve noticed some things here that I haven’t seen in other devotee festivals.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“Well, for one thing, in your big tent you have non-devotee bands playing in the evening. Thousands of people come. But I’m wondering how Krishna conscious it is having karmi music playing in the village?”

“It’s not for devotees of course, “ I said. “And we don’t allow any immoral songs or the use of bad words.”

“But …” the boy interjected.

“Let me ask you a question.” I continued. “Where do all the thousands of kids go after the concerts?”

He thought for a moment and replied, “Most of them walk over to the Food for Peace tent to eat prasadam.”

“And then?” I said.

“Well after that a lot end up in the Mantra Yoga tent.”

“And what do they do there?” I asked.

“They chant Hare Krishna and dance wildly for hours.” he said with a smile.

“Yes,” I said. “This is all in line with a verse by Rupa Goswami that Srila Prabhupada used to quote a lot:

yena tena prakarena manah krsna nivesayet
sarve vidhi-nisedha syur etayor eva kinkarah

“A spiritual master should devise means by which people may somehow or other come to Krishna consciousness. All rules and regulations are subordinate to this principle.”

( Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 1.2.4 )

“A preacher has to be innovative in spreading the message of Krishna consciousness according to time, place and circumstance without compromising the tradition.” I concluded.

“Well, what about the devotee ladies leading the dance steps down in front of the stage?” he asked. “The whole crowd follows them. I haven’t seen that anywhere.”

“Again, it is something we only do at Woodstock and our festivals along the coast,” I replied. “It helps people to focus, the result being they chant and dance with us for hours on end.

“Srila Prabhupada wanted us to come up with novel ways to spread Krishna consciousness. He once famously said, ‘Tax your brains how to spread this movement.

“His spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati went to great extremes and was very innovative in getting people involved in Krsna consciousness.”

Pulling out my phone, I searched my notes and read to him one of my favorite passages from a book by Bhakti Vikas Swami on the life and teachings of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati:

“His [Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati’s] exposition was divided into two sections, spiritual and secular, with items collected from every part of India, and the whole extravaganza covering more than one square mile. The secular division demonstrated miscellaneous departments of human endeavour, medical, educational, agricultural, arts and crafts, cattle and livestock, child welfare, athletics, and amusements. Several provincial governments sent materials to be displayed. Other attractions were performances of athletic feats such as gymnastics, wrestling, boxing, sword and stick play, and jujitsu. There were musical competitions, dramas, film shows, a circus, and in the words of the Harmonist, ‘other varieties of innocent amusements.’ Prizes, medals, and certificates were awarded to deserving exhibitors and performers.

“The spiritual section was even more elaborate. A museum contained figures of Visnu and Krsna, and other religious objects such as memorabilia formerly used by reputed sadhus. A book display featured volumes produced by different religious sects in diverse languages and manuscripts of rare unpublished religious works. There were photos and paintings of eminent sadhus and sundry sacred places. A major draw was a huge relief map of India-occupying over a third of an acre-constructed on the ground with stone, cement, and brick and showing prominent holy places, the locations of all Gaudiya Matha branches, and the routes of Sri Caitanya and Lord Nityananda’s tours. Dioramas in over fifty stalls depicted manifold religious praxes of India, with emphasis on Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings. The practices of pure Vaisnavas, pseudo-Vaisnavas, and other religious sects were illustrated by life-size dolls set against backgrounds of appropriate painted scenes, many representing incidents in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. Another novelty for numerous visitors was the brilliant illumination of the entire grounds by recently installed electricity.”

[Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava, ‘Theistic Exhibitions’ pgs. 355 – 356 ]

Madhava prabhu’s kirtan that night ushered in the next morning’s sunrise. It was the cherry on top of the cake of the best Woodstock festival in twenty-three years.

I awoke bleary-eyed and exhausted.

“I have to get up!” I coaxed myself. “We have to clean up and break down our whole village today and get back on the Baltic Sea coast in two days for three more weeks of our usual festivals.”

When I arrived around 9:00 a.m. there were already thirty devotees busy taking our village apart. Outside our village, people were streaming out of the festival to catch buses and trains home.

“How do these devotees do it!” I said to myself. “It can only be Gaura shakti, the internal energy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”

As I walked by the Food for Peace tent, which had mostly been disassembled, a few devotees came up to me.

“Srila Gurudeva,” one of them said, “we found a pot of rice and a pot of halavah that somehow didn’t get distributed. What shall we do with it?”

I thought for a moment and said, “Lets set up a small table on the sidewalk out there and distribute to people who are leaving. Find a nice tablecloth, clean yourselves up, find some plates and spoons, put up a little sign….”

The exhausted devotees looked at me incredulously, bags under their dreary eyes.

“There’s only enough for thirty or forty plates, Srila Gurudeva,” one devotee said. “We distributed 150,000 plates over the last five days. What difference will it make if just a few more people get prasadam?”

“Come a little closer and sit down.” I said, “I’ll tell you a short story.”

“Once there were two men walking on a beach after a huge storm. Thousands upon thousands of small fish had been washed up onto the beach and were flapping helplessly on the sand. As the men walked along one of them reached down and picked up three fish. With a swift motion of his arm he threw them back into the water.

Surprised, his friend stopped and asked, “Why did you do that? There are thousands of fish on the beach. What difference does it make if you throw three of them back into the sea?”

The first man smiled and replied, “It makes a difference to them!”

Hearing the story the devotees jumped up and with renewed enthusiasm gathered the materials to distribute the last drops of mercy to the people of Woodstock.

**********************

“ I bow down to Gaura, the beautiful son of Mother Saci, who is worshipped by the chanting of the holy names in the age of Kali, who is the son of Nanda Maharaja come again, who is the extraordinary brilliant ornament of the earth, whose various preaching methods are suitable for people in this world of birth and death, whose consciousness is fixed in meditation on His form of Vrajendra-nandana Krishna and who is worshipped together with His abode of Sri Navadvipa Dhama.”

[Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Sri Saci-sutastakam – 8 Prayers Glorifying the Son of Sri Saci devi, text 7]

By Dandavats Staff Writer

Live to Give 2024 Celebration. Free Write Journal. Srila Prabhupada's Murti Installed at ISKCON Valsad. Iskcon Connection Newsletter. Appreciating Devotees: Path to Divine Connection. The Lord can perfectly play the part of any living entity. The beauty of Krishna consciousness. Sacrifice, Service, and Surrender in Krishna Consciousness. Mayapur Mellows - 2025. Recharge Festival. ISKCON Parsippany - Walkthrough Video Continue reading "Iskcon Spiritual Milestones and Events Across the World, January 26
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This video explores Krishna’s transcendental nature, his pastimes, and the essence of Bhakti (devotion). It emphasizes deepening attraction to Krishna through chanting and understanding his opulences, beyond ritualistic practice. The lecture discusses Krishna’s manifestations, eternal love for devotees, and how his pastimes inspire connection, mercy, and devotion in all circumstances.
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In this lecture on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.22.3, HG Narayani Mataji discusses Bali Mahārāja’s surrender, highlighting his fearless sacrifice of possessions and self to the Lord, except for his concern about defamation. The importance of gratitude, devotion, and sacrifice in Krishna consciousness is emphasized, along with chanting and service as pathways to spiritual growth and universal harmony.
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Translation Lord Kṛṣṇa bowed down to His aunt and the wives of His elders, O King, and then Draupadī and the Lord’s sister bowed down to Him. Purport Śrīla Prabhupāda writes: “Lord Kṛṣṇa delightfully offered His respects and obeisances to Kuntī and other elderly ladies of the palace. His younger sister, Subhadrā, was also standing
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Translation He was personally the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu and was therefore transcendental, yet because He had the body of a hog, He searched after the earth by smell. His tusks were fearful, and He glanced over the devotee-brāhmaṇas engaged in offering prayers. Thus He entered the water. Purport We should always remember that although the
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The video features a Bhagavatam class by H.G. Vraja Bihari Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty, discussing SB 3.3.22. Key themes include understanding Krishna through devotional service, the importance of appreciating devotees, and humility in spiritual relationships. Anecdotes and teachings emphasize cooperation, mercy, and spiritual progress in community dynamics, enriched with kirtan and storytelling.
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The post If I have lost taste in bhakti is it because of offences committed due to getting involved in a managerial conflict? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

By Dandavats Staff Writer

Surveying the Arcana Field From All Angles of Vision. Why Jovanotti Loves Hare Krishna Chants. Unhappy to see the distress of other living beings. SIDC Meeting hosted by ISKCON Visakhapatnam. When the Lord Cheats: Bali's Divine Test. Travel Journal of Krishna Kripa. Gautam Adani's Seva At Kumbh Mela. "Autocracy vs. Democracy". Bhaktivedanta Players Celebrate 40 Years of Dramatic Devotion, Sat-tila Ekadasi. Being a Fool. Arjuna set out to follow Asvatthama. Bond of Love Interview Series. Principles of Freedom Continue reading "Faith in Action: Chronicles of Vaishnava Life, January 25
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HG Sukhada Dasi, Sandra Elsey, attended Oakland University (a branch of Michigan State) receiving her Bachelor’s degree with honors in education. She taught in Michigan for three years, but always felt much was missing in the educational system. In 1974 HG Sukhada Dasi joined ISKCON Detroit, eventually accepting first and second initiation from His Divine
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In this lecture, HH Bhakti Marg Swami discusses themes from Srimad Bhagavatam (SB 1.10.1-6), contrasting autocracy with democracy through Maharaj Yudhishthira’s reign. He highlights Yudhishthira’s dharmic leadership, Krishna’s divine guidance, and the societal harmony achieved under a trained, righteous king. Swami emphasizes gratitude, simple living, moral leadership, and Krishna consciousness.
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HG Aniruddha Prabhu discusses Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.22.1-2, focusing on Bali Mahārāja’s unwavering devotion despite being “cheated” by Lord Vāmanadeva. Bali’s humility, surrender, and trust in the Lord’s divine plan are highlighted. The talk explores themes of pretense, divine reciprocation, and the devotee’s ability to see Krishna’s hand even in challenges, emphasizing truthfulness and introspection.
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Translation If one is unhappy to see the distress of other living beings and happy to see their happiness, his religious principles are appreciated as imperishable by exalted persons who are considered pious and benevolent. Purport One generally follows different types of religious principles or performs various occupational duties according to the body given to
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In the video, famous Italian singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and DJ, Jovanotti reveals that his most-listened-to song of 2024, according to his music wrap, is a Hare Krishna chant. He explains that he used the chant in the mornings for balance and regularly returned to it, unlike most other music he listens to only
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Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 21, No. 3
By Krishna Kripa Das
(Week 3: January 15–21, 2025)
Tallahassee, Gainesville, Alachua
(Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on January 25, 2025)

Where I Went and What I Did

I spent the first two days of the third week of 2025 in Tallahassee, chanting Hare Krishna and promoting Krishna Lunch at Florida State University. The next four days I was in Gainesville attending a Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies conference called Evolution 2025: Philosophy, Facts, and Fiction. The first and fourth days in Gainesville I was also able to do some harinama there.

The last day of the week, I was based in Alachua because I learned that Florida State University was closed for two days because of bad weather, and I chanted Hare Krishna during Krishna Lunch in Gainesville.

I share lots of quotes from the books, lectures, conversations, and letters of Srila Prabhupada, many I read in Bhakti Vikasa Swami’s soon-to-be-published book on the mood and mission of Srila Prabhupada. I also share quotes from the Caitanya-bhagavata by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura and its commentary by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I share notes on the latest journal of Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami called The Mystical Firehouse. I also share notes on classes in Alachua by Bhaktimarga Swami and Nagaraja Prabhu and in Gainesville by Sukhavaha Devi Dasi. I share some notes on a conversation with Janaki Rama Prabhu, who attended the BIHS conference.

Thanks to Prishni Devi Dasi for getting me at the bus in Gainesville. Thanks to Madhvacarya Prabhu for driving me to Alachua. Thanks to Mrkanda Prabhu for driving me to Gainesville. Thanks to Lila Devi Dasi for driving me to Krishna House. Thanks to Nate for driving me to the home program with Bhaktimarga Swami. Thanks to Alain for driving me back to the Alachua temple ashram. Thanks to Saksi Gopal for driving me to Krishna House. Thanks to Alain for driving me back to the Alachua temple ashram again.

Itinerary

January 6–April 10: Tallahassee harinama and FSU college outreach
– January 25: Gasparilla harinama and Ratha-yatra in Tampa
– January 26–29: Tampa harinama and USF college outreach 
– March 9–16: Krishna House Gainesville harinama and UF college outreach
April 11: Gainesville harinamas
April 12: St. Augustine Ratha-yatra

Chanting Hare Krishna in Tallahassee

During the two days I was in Tallahassee I chanted an average of 3½ hours of Hare Krishna to make up for some of the previous days when I wasn’t able to do the full 3 hours that I like to do. I got one name for our temple WhatsApp group each day and averaged 9 promotional samples of halava.

Chanting Hare Krishna in Gainesville

I took an early bus to Gainesville so I could chant Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch before the BIHS Evolution 2025 conference.

Here Purusartha Prabhu chants Hare Krishna at Krishna Lunch at UF, and I dance (https://youtu.be/T79guQE6HEI):

Then Sruti Sagara Prabhu chanted Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/oaOa_5s1XTM):

I also chanted with the Alachua devotees in the afternoon for an hour or so by the northeast corner of the University of Florida.

Here Nagaraja Prabhu chants Hare Krishna with Alachua devotees across from the University of Florida (https://youtu.be/Kaa9CGnk5H0):

Toward the end the youthful Kayadhu chanted Hare Krishna there (https://youtu.be/sy8GCijt5hE):

During the weekend I had hoped to do some public chanting of Hare Krishna in the evenings after the BIHS Evolution Conference lectures and meals were over, but it was rainy Saturday night and I got back late from the temple on Sunday night. Monday I had hoped to chant in the Martin Luther King Day March, but no one at Krishna House was enthusiastic enough to make it happen.

I decided to chant in Gainesville by myself after the conference was over on Monday, but when I went to Krishna House to pick up my harmonium, I found to my great surprise that Nate was eager to join me for harinama for about 45 minutes before going to Alachua for a home program with Bhaktimarga Swami. While we were chanting we met Santanu, a devotee student, who often visits Krishna House and was happy to join us for the rest of the time. I was surprised by the number of students walking around and by the high percentage who smiled, cheered, and moved with the music. When I had barely finished the pranama mantras, a black youth coming out of a fast food place danced and played the shakers that I had brought. He even accepted an “On Chanting Hare Krishna” pamphlet. One girl said appreciatively, “sounds great,” as her party passed us. Another played the shakers and danced. It seemed like the students were out with their friends to have a good time, and they appreciated we were out with our friends to have a good time too, just in a different way!

Because I learned Florida State University was closed for two days due to bad weather, I stayed in the Gainesville/Alachua area so I could chant at Krishna Lunch.

Here Presence chants Hare Krishna at UF Krishna Lunch in Gainesville (https://youtube.com/shorts/9IovM-TmF6s?feature=share):

Karenna chants Hare Krishna at UF Krishna Lunch in Gainesville (https://youtube.com/shorts/YBDPtkoKU3M?feature=share):

Amazingly both Karenna and Vasily, the drummer in the video above, are regulars on NYC Harinam, and it was a surprise to be chanting with them in Gainesville.

Nate chants Hare Krishna at the Krishna House Tuesday evening program (https://youtu.be/tZ9ZaEuijP0):

Chanting Hare Krishna in Alachua

After the third day of activities at the evolution conference, I went to the Alachua temple for the Sunday feast program.

Here Mitra Prabhu and his wife chant Hare Krishna in Alachua before Gaura Arati on Sunday (https://youtu.be/2tM4KJtEcyg):

Later Amala Harinam and Thakura Prabhus chanted Hare Krishna after Gaura Arati on Sunday (https://youtu.be/17PEm9w2AN4):

Thakura Prabhu chants Hare Krishna (https://youtu.be/DF4SnRDOFCM):

Tuesday morning Bhaktimarga Swami chanted Hare Krishna at ISKCON Alachua in the Guru Puja kirtan (https://youtube.com/shorts/meVpqPeJcZE):

Photos

A rāsa is a dance, and a rasa is a relishable relationship. Thus, the gopīs’ rāsa with Kṛṣṇa is part of the gopīs’ rasa with Kṛṣṇa.

Insights

Srila Prabhupada:

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.36, purport:

“There is no need to seek properly qualified candidates for discharging devotional service to the Lord. Let them be either well behaved or ill trained, let them be either learned or fools, let them be either grossly attached or in the renounced order of life, let them be liberated souls or desirous of salvation, let them be inexpert in the discharge of devotional service or expert in the same—all of them can be elevated to the supreme position by discharging devotional service under the proper guidance.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.13.42, purport:

“Conditioned souls are devoted to the motherland in which they take their birth, but they do not know their father. The mother is not independent in producing children. Similarly, material nature cannot produce living creatures unless in contact with the supreme father, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srimad-Bhagavatam teaches us to offer obeisances unto the father, the Supreme Lord, along with the mother, because it is the supreme father only who impregnates the mother with all energies for the sustenance and maintenance of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving.”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.9, purport:

“The material world is full of envious persons, but if one frees himself of envy, he becomes liberal in his social dealings and can think of others’ welfare. Anyone who takes up Krishna consciousness and engages himself completely in the service of the Lord cleanses his mind of all envy.”

“Even pure (niskama) devotees pray for some benediction, as instructed by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His Siksastaka:

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram patitam
mam visame bhavambudhau
kripaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya

‘O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krishna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick Me up from the ocean of death and place Me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.’”

From Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.10.51, purport:

“If people take to this sankirtana movement of chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, they will certainly be freed from the contamination of Kali-yuga, and the people of this age will be happy, as people were in Satya-yuga, the golden age. Anyone, anywhere, can easily take to this Hare Krishna movement; one need only chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, observe the rules and regulations, and stay free from the contamination of sinful life. Even if one is sinful and cannot give up sinful life immediately, if he chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra with devotion and faith he will certainly be freed from all sinful activities, and his life will be successful. Param vijayate sri-krishna-sankirtanam.”

From Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 2:

“It is not necessary to become a great philosopher, scientist, or whatever. We need only chant the holy name of the Lord, understanding that His personality, His name, and His qualities are all absolute.”

From a room conversation in Hamburg on September 8, 1969:

“Then next question is, ‘Then what is the price? What shall I have to pay for it?’ And Rupa Gosvami says, ‘Oh, the price is simply eagerness.’ Tatra laulyam. ‘Yes, I must have Krishna consciousness.’ That is the price, that’s all.

“But that laulyam, that eagerness, is not achieved even after many, many births. That is the price. Therefore it requires a little intelligence. ‘Oh, such a valuable thing? I can purchase only by eagerness? Why not become eager immediately?’ That is intelligence.”

From a room conversation with Dr. Sharma from Russia on April 17, 1977:

“You don’t require to read book. We simply say that ‘You come here, chant Hare Krishna and take prasadam.’ This is the treatment. These boys, foreigners, they have come to me not by reading my book. First of all I invited him, ‘Sit down, chant Hare Krishna and take prasadam.’ And then gradually. This is the general treatment.”

From a letter to Gargamuni on November 28, 1970:

“It requires a little intelligence how to keep pace with Krishna and the world simultaneously.”

From a letter to Trai on May 27, 1974:

“You must be very careful before you award the brahminical thread by recommending a man to me. Now that we are dividing our society into the four orders as much as possible, it is not that every man has to be made a brahmana after a year. Especially if one cannot even get up early and go to mangala-arati he cannot become a brahmana.”

From a letter to Dhananjaya on December 31, 1972:

“If new students are coming and they want to live with us in the temple, they must agree before living with us to follow these principles without any exception. Otherwise, it is better for them to live outside and attend the class, aratrika, prasadam, like that, and gradually as they become convinced by their intelligence, they will voluntarily agree to perform the austerity or tapasya of living in the temple. But anyone who lives in the temple must follow all these principles without exception, otherwise they may be asked to live outside.”

From a morning walk in Rome on May 27, 1974:

“We live like this. You see. If you like, you live like us. . . . We are not going to force anyone. ‘Our mode of living is like this. If you like you can adopt.’”

From a letter to Kirtanananda on December 12, 1971:

“You mention that you will open centers, many centers. I don’t think there is a need to open many more centers in your country. . . . To manage centers requires many men, so unless we have got many men this idea will not be very fruitful. Better if there are a few important centers and traveling parties for the smaller towns and villages, going and coming back, going and coming back, like this.”

From a letter to Prabhavishnu on January 3, 1973:

“I can understand that it is not an easy matter to travel extensively over long periods of time without proper food, rest, and sometimes it must be very cold there also, and still, because you are getting so much enjoyment, spiritual enjoyment, from it, it seems like play to you. That is advanced stage of spiritual life, never attained by even the greatest yogis and so-called jyanis. But let any man see our devotees working so hard for Krishna, then let anyone say that they are not better than any millions of so-called yogis and transcendentalists, that is my challenge! Because you are rightly understanding through your personal realization this philosophy of Krishna Consciousness, therefore in such a short time you have surpassed all the stages of yoga processes to come to the highest point of surrendering to Krishna. That I can very much appreciate, thank you very much for helping me in this way.”

From a letter to Mahamsa on December 17, 1975:

“Naturally the sankirtana men traveling with the bullock carts are blissful. It is Lord Caitanya’s engagement. Lord Caitanya personally traveled all over India for 6 years. His program was simply kirtana and prasadam distribution. Lord Caitanya never spoke philosophy in public. When he met big scholars like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya he spoke philosophy, otherwise for the mass of people, kirtana and prasadam distribution. So continue this program, it is very pleasing to Lord Caitanya.”

From a Ratha-yatra address on July, 5, 1970:

“This Ratha-yatra Festival is a mass movement for enlightening people to this Krishna consciousness movement. We have got many other festivities in Krishna consciousness movement. We have got Janmastami, Sri Rama-navami, Dola-yatra, Jhulana-yatra. So there are twelve months, but we have got twenty-four festivals big as..., as big as this Ratha-yatra Festival. So if you kindly take to them, then as advised by Lord Caitanya, kirtaniyah sada harih. You will always be in Krishna consciousness, and there will be no scope of your frustration and confusion.”

From a letter to Aniruddha on July 7, 1968:

“To implement this transcendental bliss to the people of your country there is immense work to be done ahead and this Ratha-yatra festival is only a sample. If we get opportunity we shall be able to overflood your country with waves of transcendental bliss, by the grace of Krishna. We can introduce various other ceremonials in connection with Krishna and His different expansions or incarnations in such a nice way that people are sure to be attracted and become immersed in Krishna consciousness.”

From a letter to Sri Galim on November 20, 1971:

“Public festivals have proven very effective in spreading knowledge about Krishna consciousness to all the citizens. In fact, I have directed the GBC to organize such festivals and traveling sankirtana throughout their zones. The festival we are holding at present in Delhi has been extremely successful, and by Krishna’s grace everyone is appreciating this movement by seeing the beautiful deity worship, by hearing the melodious kirtana, and by seeing the bright faces of my students.”

From a letter to Ram Prashad on January 29, 1973:

“Our Bombay Hare Krishna Festival has been a grand success. More than 15,000 people attended each night and joined in the kirtana and arati, and listened very attentively to my discourses. At the end of the last day seven young men, two from Europe and 5 from India, shaved their heads as brahmacaris and have joined us full time. People are eager for Krishna consciousness, when it is given in its pure form.”

Vrindavan Dasa Thakura:

From Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 10.236:

“On the strength of devotional service Narada became the greatest among sages.”

From Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 10.237–239:

“After compiling many scriptures dealing with Vedic religious principles and yoga, Vyasadeva did not feel any satisfaction at heart. The cause of his dissatisfaction was due to the fault of describing devotional service too briefly in the course of his elaborate presentation of the most confidential knowledge. On the instructions of Narada, he elaborately described devotional service. Then his distress was vanquished and he delivered the entire world.”

From Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 10.245:

[Lord Visvambhara continued speaking to Mukunda:] “Whatever you have said is indeed true, for one cannot achieve perfection without devotional service, even if he sees Me face to face.”

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura:

From Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 10.245, commentary:

“As stated in the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda, Chapter Fifty: . . . ‘As a blind person cannot see anything, even with the help of a lamp or a mirror, persons who are averse to Lord Vishnu cannot see Him even if He stands before them.’”

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:

From The Mystical Firehouse:

“Now I’ll try to talk some more about Srila Prabhupada. I hear him singing on a recording, and I enjoy it very much. He’s singing bhajanas and songs. He has an exquisite voice and plays melodies that are wonderful. We should share these and hear these as much as possible. They contain beautiful melodies of Prabhupada’s original voice.

“It’s a joy to hear him singing. He has a unique, original voice, which is a great pleasure to hear, unique melodies, Sanskrit joy. Prabhupada is spreading the chanting, although it is not comprehensible to me in my one language confinement of English. But I enjoy it very much. Prabhupada is our mentor in melodies. I cannot understand what he is singing because he sings Sanskrit, and I know only English. His melodies are joyful for me, however. Thank you, Srila Prabhupada, for singing those joyful melodies in your unique language of Sanskrit or Bengali.”

“I pray to Krishna to relieve me from small pains and to allow me to give all pleasures for Krishna and guru. I want the best things, the surrender to Krishna.”

“We’ll never feel unhappy again. We’ve got Krishna to protect us, even up to our death. Krishna, the all-kind, almighty, will see us to the end of our lives. It is up to us to love Him. Loving Krishna is the highest duty. Loving Krishna is the greatest happiness, loving Krishna is the summum bonum.”

“When the devotees go on harinama, it is like they are firefighters taking a fire hose and spraying the water of the holy name on the people burning in the blazing fire of material existence.”

Bhaktimarga Swami:

If you hesitate to do what needs to be done, you will receive a reaction that is no fun.

Do your dharma, avoid your karma.

When you are in lust, you are lost, at least for a while.

Ultimately we are to get close to Krishna. But in our conditioned state we seek other kinds of closeness, and we are very eager to connect our senses with their objects.

We are all like Arjuna in that he was a little bit lost. He was having a nervous breakdown.

The romance period has a short shelf life.

Srila Prabhupada drew lines between lust and love.

Bhakti is a bridge.

Krishna is not against sense gratification. Krishna is not against lasagna.

What is the enemy of everyone? And it is bad news for many people . . . lust.

Krishna tells where the enemy lies. In the senses, mind, and intelligence. We are at an advantage if we know where the enemy is.

Anyone like to be a fighter? We have to be ready – 24/7. At least internally, we have to have to be ready to fight.

Arjuna forgot that people were expecting things from him.

Even if you are in an awake condition, you can still be asleep.

If you think life is a party, you have part with that idea.

Q: We are exposed to internet and are encountering things that stimulate lust. What to do?
A: Remain a fighter. Do not succumb. Spend more time with people and not your phone.

Q: What if our minds are disturbed by bad association.
A: Contact devotees. Contact nature.

Q: What if you are agitated by lust?
A: Take a deep breath. Chant. Go outside. Look at the sky. Go for walk. Hug a tree. Pick up a drum and chant Hare Krishna.

Q (By Ananga Mohan Prabhu): If I see a beautiful woman is that lust?
A: Do not worry about it unless you look again and you look longer the second time or you start whistling.

Q: How to control eating sweets?
A: White sugar is more additive than cocaine. It is the worst thing for you. Read about how bad sugar is.

If people push me to eat more sweets too many times I say, “My mother was a diabetic. She ate too many sweets and she died from it, and diabetes is heredity.”

Be with smart people, those who are devotionally inclined.

We take things too seriously that we should just ignore.

We have to learn how to flow through this world without being a menace.

Q: What about admiration?
A: If we are doing wholesome things, do not worry too much about it. If we present something, it should be for the upliftment of humankind.

Try to do something to please the Supreme Lord, and because we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, we will be happy.

If someone says, “You are nothing!” as they sometimes do, we have to say, “You are right.” And we may add, “So are you!” As souls we are all one ten-thousandth the tip of a hair in size.

Krishna says, “I am the father and the mother.”

There is a devotee in Canada whose father tried to kill him 34 times. His mother did not do anything about it. His name is Tota Gopinatha, and an uncle taught him English by reading The Nectar of Devotion. He ultimately became an outstanding citizen. He helps people who come from neglected backgrounds.

People swing politically from the left to the right, and vice versa, but actually the best place is in the middle.

In Canada, before you do a program, you have to honor the native people of the area, who previously maintained the place, by mentioning them by name.

The divine incarnation Varaha became a hero for the planet earth.

Of all the battles in the Vedic literature the description of the battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksa is most compelling.

All over the world people are attracted to “the game” and seeing the moves of the participants. They play them back in slow motion so you can get a good view. The Lord knows this and performs pastimes to attract the attention of the people in general.

Praying for the Lord’s appearance is always good, but we do not have to wait for the Lord to appear because he is already here in the form of His holy name.

There are people who jump into devotional service, and then jump out of devotional service. It is better to advance steadily by baby steps.

To help an atheistic lawyer appreciate, I explained that theists try to have reverence for that which is greater and beyond us.

Although there are many Vaishnavas around us, we have to be picky and choosy. It is best to spend time with those who are encouraging.

Vanaprasthas are encouraged to go out.

Nagaraja Prabhu:

When I was in my first year in college, I got a Back to Godhead magazine. I wasn’t ready. I couldn’t make sense of it.

Later I got a Reservoir of Pleasure, and I read the whole thing. I decided to go from my residence in Sacramento two hours to the San Francisco Sunday feast. I arrived at noon and learned the program started at 5 p.m. Devotees took me to Keshava Bharati Prabhu’s apartment, and I stayed with him until the feast.

It was Srila Prabhupada’s charisma and teachings that sustained all the devotees in the beginning.

Unless you have a model of the theory, it is hard to accept it. Thus Srila Prabhupada’s example was so inspirational.

We should not think it will not work for me, although our goal is very high.

I just read Srila Prabhupada-lila and Srila Prabhupada Lila with my wife over the last few months, and it was amazing to see he was always glorifying Krishna, and that was very powerful.

We have so many saints in our tradition. Not one week goes by without the appearance or disappearance days of amazing saints.

Lord Caitanya and His associates show the ecstasies of Krishna consciousness.

Sometimes it is described that Mother Saci laughed in ecstasy for six hours.

I like to read, and I read a lot. And I am always discovering new things. You see in the Vaishnava commentaries so many new lights, new revelations.

At Kumbha-mela, Srila Prabhupada took a bath early in the morning, although he was sick, to set an example for his disciples who were sleeping in.

Once Srila Prabhupada said, “You know Krishna is God because when you chant Hare Krishna and when you serve, you feel the ecstasy.”

Srila Prabhupada gave us this society to give us what we need to make advancement.

There is first appreciation and then gratitude.

You have to cry for the mercy.

Vamsidasa Babaji was asked questions, and he often didn’t answer them very much or give long answers. Once when many people were asking him how to advance, he simply answered, “Cry!”

Sukhavaha Devi Dasi:

From a class in Krishna House on vulnerability:

If we were vulnerable in the past and our vulnerability was taken advantage of, we are not inclined to be vulnerable again.

Integrity for me means honoring our words, honoring others, and honoring their space.

Richard Rohr, a Christian mystic, said the opposite of faith is certainty.

Understanding more about ourselves helps us to be more understanding with others and helps us to better interact with them.

Vulnerability is a foundation of curiosity and creativity.

Boundaries allow us to love others and ourselves simultaneously.

Q (by Advaita): What is the best way to recover from shame?
A: The Lord gave us the ability to heal ourselves from the past now. We can give ourselves positive care now and that will help to heal the past hurts.

[She asked attendees to give examples of the pros and cons of vulnerability, and at the end of the class she thanked attendees, “Thank you for giving such a good class. I had no idea of what I was going to say.”]

The high point of my interaction with Sukhavaha came after the class. I had never met her before, but when I heard her name I felt positive about it. I figured I must have liked one of her Vyasa-puja offerings, and so I searched the documents on my computer for her name, and I found this wonderful poem she wrote in 2020 in glorification of Srila Prabhupada. I read it to her, and she appreciated the ecstatic way I read it. I told her I was transparent. It was an ecstatic poem, and so when I read it, the ecstasy came through:

“Dearest father, master, and guide,
Bowing to you, in prayer I confide,
Though I, most certainly, unqualified,
Even still, your mercy was not denied.

“How gracious are you!

“Though outwardly you were tested and tried.
Your guru’s order in your heart fortified.
With faith, you accepted Krishna’s free ride,
Though in the belly of that ship, you almost died.

“How committed are you!

“With no viable, visible support from outside,
Your compassionate love spread far and wide
Whatever you needed, Krishna supplied.
Showing the power of prayer from inside.

“How devotional are you!

“Though I, a fool, so full of pride.
You open my eyes, exposing I have lied,
To myself mostly, though I cannot hide
Your clear words at my closed heart pried.

“How transparent are you!

“Never giving up, though you openly cried,
You persevered, your faith did abide.
Spreading the holy name world wide
With Guru and Krishna ever by your side.

“How resolute are you!

“Your life epitomized what your words implied.
Pure and simple, by your message I was tied.
You showed us how Krishna would always provide.
By your inspiration, we gratefully complied.

“How supportive are you! 

“You asked us to cooperate instead of collide;
To curb our tongue, our senses subside;
To diligently chant, devotion applied;
Bringing back the mind whenever it would slide.

“How attentive are you!

“Smiling and nodding as we meagerly tried
Encouraging us when we got fried
Without you, dear father, to hell I would glide
Your life is a tribute, love exemplified.

“How caring are you!

“You showed us that maya never gratified
Instead ever binds us, our soul defied.
Through service we learn to be satisfied
As our connection to you becomes solidified.

“How available are you!

“Not looking for quick fixes from the outside,
I pray that I find my soul buried inside;
That my tiny love becomes intensified
As you actively continue to be my guide.

“How grateful am I!”

Janaki Rama Prabhu:

According to Sankaracarya, brahman does not have knowledge because to have knowledge you need three things, the knower, the object of knowledge, and the knowledge, and that is not possible in absolute oneness.

Jiva Goswami makes the point in the Paramatma-sandarbha that the only way we can have a false ego is if we have a real ego.

-----

King Yudhisthira, the elder brother of Arjuna, was so pious, so in tune with the will of God, that there was good fortune through his kingdom. That is described in this verse revealing the standard of good government according to the Vedic knowledge.

nadhayo vyadhayah klesa

daiva-bhutatma-hetavah
ajata-satrav abhavan
jantunam rajñi karhicit

“Because of the King’s having no enemy, the living beings were not at any time disturbed by mental agonies, diseases, or excessive heat or cold.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.6)

When I was reminded of this verse, we were in the middle of the worst cold snap I remember since moving to the State of Florida in 1994. For three days FSU in Tallahassee was closed, and it snowed there as well. Those three days happened to be the days immediately following the inauguration of President Trump, who therefore appears not to be a leader on the level of King Yudhisthira, but rather, just the opposite.

Shri Lochana Dasa Thakura was a disciple of Shri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, a dearest associate of Lord Gaura Raya. He appeared in this world in 1520 A.D., thirty-four years after the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Lochana Dasa Thakura wrote Chaitanya Mangala which tells many pastimes of Lord Chaitanya not revealed by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura or Krishna Dasa Kaviraja. He mentions an especially touching conversation Shri Gaurasundara had with Vishnupriya Devi the night before He took sannyasa. Being a talented musician, Lochana Dasa told Mahaprabhu’s pastimes in beautiful poetry filled with fire and rhythm. 

Lochana Dasa Thakura also wrote many songs praising Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shri Nityananda Prabhu, and Gauridasa Pandit. Lochana Dasa stresses that raganuga bhaktas must take shelter of Gadadhara Vrindavanishvari to attain Radha-Govinda prema bhakti.

Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura used to print and distribute Lochana Dasa Thakura’s Shri Chaitanya Mangala. Shrila Prabhupada was very fond of his bhajans.

Locana Das ended his pastimes in this world in 1589 AD. His samadhi is in 64 Samadhis Area. 

By Dandavats Staff Writer

Servant Of Your Words. Bridging Faiths in Minnesota. The Issue of the Proto-Indo-European Language. Vaisnava Compassion in Global Crisis. Exploring Your Word of Honor. The Big Bang theory! Pure Devotion: Lessons from Kurukshetra's Sages. Krishna Consciousness Ends Material Bondage. ISKCON devotees gather at Maha Kumbh 2025. Vaishnava Etiquette Begins With Respect. Mega Gita-Based Value Education Contest. The sanctuary of Your lotus feet. Continue reading "Uniting Faiths, Spreading Love: ISKCON’s Global Impact, January 24
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Dear Devotees, Please accept our obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. After nearly a year of careful deliberation, the GBC has approved the Enhanced Child Protection Approach (the “Enhanced Approach”) and is confident that its implementation will best serve ISKCON’s children. This institutional redesign focuses on establishing an Oversight Committee, independent external investigations and expansion
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The Gita-Based Value Education Contest was successfully organized as part of the International Gita Festival during Gita Jayanti 2024, under the joint auspices of the Government of Madhya Pradesh and ISKCON Ujjain. This initiative aimed to inculcate Gita-based values among students across the state. The contest was conceptualized following a proposal presented to Honorable Chief
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At Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, ISKCON devotees, including many from abroad, chant the Mahamantra “Hare Krishna Hare Rama,” celebrating unity and spirituality. Highlighting the event’s significance, they immerse in the holy atmosphere, emphasizing peace and urging others to join in chanting for a powerful and uplifting experience.
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The video discusses Kṛṣṇa consciousness, highlighting devotional practices, historical context, and teachings of prominent figures like Śrī Narahari Sarkar and Locan Dās Ṭhākur. It emphasizes surrender to Kṛṣṇa, the path of bhakti, and the importance of chanting, service, and spiritual association to transcend material bondage and realize one’s spiritual identity.
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H.H. Bhakti Ratnakar Ambrish Swami Maharaj discusses Srimad Bhagavatam 10.84.1, emphasizing devotees’ pure love for Krishna and the importance of hearing his pastimes for spiritual growth. He highlights Srila Prabhupada’s efforts in distributing spiritual knowledge through books and urges devotees to continue spreading Krishna consciousness worldwide.
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The video features Bhakti Vasudev Swami discussing Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) 3.8.30-33. It explores Lord Brahma’s perception of Lord Vishnu during creation, highlighting meditation, austerity, and dependence on the Lord for innovation. The speaker contrasts scriptural accounts of creation with scientific theories, emphasizing devotion, guidance, and the role of Krishna as the ultimate support in life.
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In the video, Francois Gautier, a journalist and writer living in India married to an Indian and a lover of Indian culture and the defender of Hindus today, shares his perspective on the 2025 Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. As a Westerner, he marvels at the enduring ancient Indian traditions, the astounding number of sages attending,
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By HH Badrinarayan Swami

This is the official GBC policy paper: "Gaudiya Vaisnava Siddhanta for ISKCON-according to the teachings of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada". After several years in development and multiple review cycles, it was approved in December of 2025 by a unanimous vote of the international GBC. You will find the history of the development of this paper and the case for its importance, in the beginning of the paper. The author is His Holiness Bhakti-Vijnana Maharaja, with input from many senior devotees. Continue reading "A Concise Statement of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Siddhānta for the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
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By Dandavats Staff Writer

Pastoral Counseling. Thinking of Krishna at Death. New Goloka Community Report for 2024. Partnership to Feed Firefighters. The Universe Chandelier at TOVP. Kardama Muni's Spiritual Triumph. The Lord is the object of the Vedic prayers. The nectar Kirtan at ISKCON London! ISKCON's state of the art mega kitchen in Kumbh. Srila Prabhupada's Example. Hare Krishna in popular culture .Prahlada Maharaja. Moving Forward in 2025 Continue reading "Spiritual Horizons: Wisdom, Service, and Transcendence Unveiled Today, January 23
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The video, led by Mahatma Das, explores lessons from Srila Prabhupada’s example, focusing on his purposeful use of anger in devotion. Prabhupada’s anger was seen as a manifestation of his devotion, directed against misconceptions like Mayavada philosophy, atheism, offenses to Krishna, and failures in deity worship. His approach emphasized using emotions constructively in service and
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Imagine a universe captured within a magnificent temple, its celestial mechanics brought to life not on a dusty textbook page, but as a breathtaking, moving 3D model. This is the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP), a visionary project by ISKCON Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Rising in West Bengal, India, the
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New Goloka Community Report for 2024 – Presented by HH Bir Krishna Goswami Today, we have a special presentation by various devotees who are contributing to the New Goloka community. I’ll begin with some philosophy before introducing the presentations. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness was founded by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
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This video features HG Akandadhi Prabhu discussing Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (SB 1.9.40) and Bhīṣmadeva’s final moments, focusing on meditation on Krishna at death. It highlights Bhīṣma’s detachment, devotion, and the importance of remembering Krishna. Akandadhi explains devotional practices, the eternal nature of consciousness, and falling in love with Krishna through sincere devotion and persistent practice.
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