Planet ISKCON

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Toronto, Ontario

 

Krsnanandini

 

Some of my dear friends hail from Cleveland. One outstanding person was American born; a monk of amiable character. His name was Bhakti Tirtha Swami. Another person from the same town was a saintly lady, Krsnanandini. She passed away this morning after a bout with cancer. I wrote a poem in her honour.

 

Krsnanandini

 

A motherly type of moral strength

A person whose devotion was of great length

It was hard for her to see others suffer

Her words and actions were always a buffer

Always there to encourage the other

She was the soul sister; Tariq, the soul brother

Believing in the family as the human backbone

Was a solution to those prone to be alone

Interfaith work was to bring the holy together

It is love that is the thing that acts as a tether

A speaker, a teacher and everyone’s friend

A devotee whose love for humanity comes to no end

An inspiration, and surely Prabhupada’s daughter

He gave such mercy in all he taught her

She will leave sublime memories behind

We’ll oblige to please her by being very kind

 

May the Source be with you!

 

Yorkville, Toronto

 

Moosey Lights

 

I was walking and taking photos of a moose family, no the actual animals, which are the largest of the deer family, but effigies of the clan made entirely of white lights. I was in the middle of snapping shots from my phone when Godbrother, Krishna das, from Lindsay, called to talk about Diwali, the festival of lights.

 

Apparently he and I, as well as other God-siblings, will be conducting a Zoom presentation on the 18^th. It is according to the Vedic calendar, the time of viewing lights and lamps and flaunting flames to commemorate what, to many folks in India, is the New Year. There is, including south-east Asia and those around the globe, more than a billion people who will honour Diwali, a celebration in remembrance of Rama, the avatar hero, who destroyed Ravana, virus personified. Upon Rama’s heroic return to his homeland, Ayodhya, he was greeted by so many lamps made of ghee wicks.

 

Diwali is a time of brightness and a time to get lit, for sure.

 

The location of the brilliant moose adorned the entrance of a huge condo building on Yorkville Avenue, and right next to it was the rustic looking fire station, also lit up, but only at the top of its tower.

 

Somehow or other, in a synchronized fashion, Christmas, which is traditionally decorated with lights in the night and with trees (a pagan custom), and our precious Diwali, from Vedic/Hindu practices, are both plugged in at the same time.

 

In any event I’m enjoying the festive spirit of the atmosphere, and it lit up my short but eventful walk.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km

 

In 2019, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to the Sri Sri Radha Madana-Mohana Mandir in Vrndavana in anticipation of the trip to Jaipur during that year’s parikrama. It is here where a shipwrecked captain constructed a temple for the Madana-Mohana Deity in accordance with the advice he received from Sanatana Gosvami. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtan, lecture and tour below, along with a few photos, at the iconic Sri Sri Radha Madana-Mohana Mandir during Parikrama 2019. If you watch the whole video, you will see that an unexpected visitor decides to join the lecture at around 1:23:50!

Advaita Acarya first found the Madana-Mohana Deity in Vrndavana and placed the Deity in the care of a brahmana in Mathura. However, Sanatana Gosvami was not happy with the brahmana’s standard of worship. One night, the Deity appeared in both their dreams instructing them that He wished to go with Sanatana Gosvami. Sanatana Gosvami, being a renunciate, hung the Deity from a tree and fed Him wood-fired capatis but the Deity requested a little salt. Madana-Mohana wanted salt because there is not a moment when Krsna is not enjoying.

Krsna is the Supreme enjoyer. There is never a moment when He is not enjoying. He is never suffering – that is His eternal activity. This is also the activity of His eternal associates. Now, at this time, this seems completely inconceivable – to constantly be enjoying. It is an impossible thought – how can you be enjoying all the time?! Maybe we think that there would be some breaks in the middle, but not for Krsna. Krsna is enjoying during the breaks too! That is the nature of the spiritual world – everything is enjoyable. Everything is ecstatic, beyond our imagination! Every time we experience something, it continues to expand the experience more and more. So in this way, the living entity becomes very overwhelmed, overwhelmed by transcendental love and overwhelmed by attachment to Krsna. Just like Prabhupada said that his role was to increase the attachment for the devotees, Krsna is increasing our attachment to Him.

Madana-Mohana is the Deity that represents the first connection – He is the attractor of cupid. He is so attractive that He can even attract cupid! Cupid strikes everywhere, all across the universe. But Madana-Mohana is so attractive that He can take away the attraction to material love, material enjoyment, material pleasures. That is Madana-Mohana! We must see and pray to Him because we need that assistance. We need Him to take away our attraction to material desires because that poses as a problem to our spiritual life. Material desires, we think of all day. Material desires, they never go away! So we can appreciate Madana-Mohana very much here.

The article " eParikrama 2020 Day 14 – Sri Sri Radha Madana-Mohana Mandir " was published on KKSBlog.

We wish you all a happy Diwali. Diwali, or Dipavali, marks the end of the year, and by the year’s end we want to pay our debts, rectify our relationships—and then try to do better the next year.

The Vedic literatures inform us that in the present age, Kali-yuga, the recommended process for self-realization, or God realization, is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. Lord Krishna appeared about five thousand years ago and spoke the Bhagavad-gita, and at the end of the Gita (18.66) He instructed:

sarva-dharman parityajya
  mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
  moksayisyami ma sucah

“Give up all varieties of religiousness and just surrender unto Me. I will deliver you from all sins. Do not fear.”

But how do we surrender to Krishna, practically? It is a big question. Therefore Krishna Himself came again about five hundred years ago as Sri Krishna Chaitanya and showed us how to serve Krishna and develop love for Krishna, especially in the present age of Kali. He quoted one verse from the Brhan-naradiya Purana (3.8.126):

harer nama harer nama
  harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
  nasty eva gatir anyatha

“One should chant the holy names, chant the holy names, chant the holy names of Lord Hari. There is no other way, no other way, no other way for success in the present age of Kali.”

Lord Chaitanya Himself demonstrated how to chant the holy names. Actually, there are two methods: In japa, one chants softly but loud enough that at least he himself, or she herself, can hear. Our acharyas have recommended that we chant on beads, japa-mala. I suggest that as a New Year’s resolution you all begin to chant at least one mala (round) every day, and that those who are chanting already try to increase. Suppose someone is chanting two malas every day. In the New Year that person can decide to do four malas, or whatever he or she can manage. One mala will take five to ten minutes. So, that is japa.

The other method is kirtan. Kirtan means loud chanting, all together, usually with musical instruments such as mridanga, kartals, and sometimes harmonium. That collective chanting of the holy names of God is very effective in the present age of Kali.

What does chanting do? As Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explains, ceto-darpana-marjanam: chanting cleanses the dirt from the mirror of the mind. If you want to know what you look like, you have to look in a mirror. But if the mirror is covered with dust, you cannot see. So we have to cleanse the dust from the mirror of the mind; then we can know who we are. In ignorance, we may think we’re the body. We may think that we’re black or white or red or yellow; man or woman; American, Russian, Chinese, or African. We have so many designations based on our falsely identifying with the body. But ceto-darpana-marjanam—when we clear the dust from the mirror of the mind by chanting, we can actually see who we are: not the body but the soul within the body. The soul is not black or white or male or female or Russian or Chinese. The soul is pure spirit, part and parcel of God, the Supreme Spirit, Krishna.

So chanting will cleanse all the dirt from the mind, or the heart. But how does chanting work? A verse from the Padma Purana (quoted as Cc Madhya 17.133) explains:

nama cintamanih krsnas
  caitanya-rasa-vigrahah
purnah suddho nitya-mukto
  ’bhinnatvan nama-naminoh

“The holy name of Krsna is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Krsna Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Krsna’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Krsna Himself. Since Krsna’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with maya. Krsna’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Krsna and Krsna Himself are identical.”

The holy name of Krishna is Krishna Himself. Abhinnatvat nama naminoh: there is no difference between the name and the person who has the name. In the material world, or the relative world, there is a difference between the name, or word, and the object. For example, if I am in the desert dying of thirst and I chant “water, water, water, water,” just chanting “water, water” will not quench my thirst, because the word water and the substance water are different. But in the spiritual world, the absolute world, the name of the thing and the thing are the same. So when we chant the holy name of Krishna, Krishna is actually present, dancing on our tongue. Thus, because Krishna is all pure, when we associate with Him by chanting His holy name, we become purified (ceto-darpana-marjanam). And when we become purified—when we become Krishna conscious—we automatically develop all good qualities.

At present we have qualities that are good, and we have other qualities that are not so good. Usually at the end of the year people make resolutions for the new year—how they will improve. It may be that one will try to not lose one’s temper anymore, or try to not overeat. We make so many resolutions, but after some time we fail in our determination because of weakness in the heart. The one resolution that will eventually help us develop all good qualities and keep our other, secondary resolutions is the resolution to chant the holy names of God.

Diwali also commemorates the return of Lord Ramachandra to Ayodhya. You all know the history of how Rama was banished from His kingdom into the forest. In the forest Ravana kidnapped Sita and took her to Lanka. Then Rama and Laksmana searched for Sita. They made alliances with many monkey warriors, and eventually They came to the southern tip of India. They built a bridge across to Lanka, and eventually Rama killed Ravana, which is commemorated by Dasara, or Rama-vijaya-dasami. Then Mother Sita was tested in fire, and she emerged pure. Rama, Laksmana, and Sita, accompanied by other associates, returned to Ayodhya. So the residents of Ayodhya, to prepare for the Lord’s arrival, placed lamps on the rooftops and balconies—and celebrated His return. Then Lord Ramachandra was installed on the throne.

So, we also want to welcome Lord Rama (Lord Krishna) into our hearts. Just as we clean the temple before we install the Deity so that the temple is a fit place for the Lord to reside, similarly we each want to welcome Lord Ramachandra into our heart, to install Him on the throne in our heart. But to make our heart a proper place, a fit place, for Him, we have to cleanse it. Therefore, on the auspicious occasion of Diwali, we chant the holy names of Rama and Krishna—Hare Krishna, Hare Rama—so ceto-darpana-marjanam: the heart is cleansed. Then we can welcome Lord Rama into our hearts and install Him on the throne of our hearts and celebrate His presence.

So this should be our resolution: to purify our hearts so that the Lord will have a proper place to sit there. And who could be more fortunate a person than he who has Lord Rama, or Krishna, with him?

There are many Ramayanas, or histories of Ramachandra, but the most authorized in Sanskrit is the Valmiki Ramayana. Consistent with that version, the Ninth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam also contains a short Ramayana. And at the end of the Bhagavatam’s Ramayana, there is a statement that during the reign of Lord Ramachandra all of the citizens were peaceful and happy, just like in Satya-yuga. There are four ages that repeat in cycles, like the seasons. Satya-yuga is the best of the ages, the golden age. Then come Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. The Bhagavatam describes that during the rule of Lord Ramachandra all the citizens were religious and completely happy, healthy, and peaceful, just like during Satya-yuga, although it was actually Treta-yuga. Srila Prabhupada comments that by God consciousness, Krishna consciousness, one can invoke Satya-yuga, or Rama-rajya, even in Kali-yuga. Therefore the same Krishna who appeared in Treta-yuga as Lord Ramachandra appeared in Kali-yuga as Lord Chaitanya to introduce the chanting of the holy names—Hare Krishna and Hare Rama.

So, if we take up the chanting of the holy names, we can not only invoke the presence of Lord Rama within our hearts, or welcome Lord Rama into our hearts; we can also recreate the situation of Satya-yuga, the situation of Rama-rajya. Sometimes Srila Prabhupada remarked, “People want the kingdom of God without God.” But we cannot have the kingdom of God without God. We cannot have Rama-rajya without Rama. But if we invoke the presence of God, of Krishna, by chanting His holy names, we can have the same experience of Satya-yuga in Kali-yuga. We can have the same experience of Rama-rajya, when, as described in the Bhagavatam, Rama loved all of the citizens just like a father loves his children, and all of the citizens loved Lord Rama and obeyed Him just like children love and obey their father. By Krishna consciousness, we can have the same situation even today. And if on this Diwali you can take a vow, make a resolution, to chant every day in the next year—and in all the years to come—that will bring you all auspiciousness.

We pray that the Lord will bless all of you in the year to come, and that you will also take the blessing of chanting into the New Year.

Hare Krishna.

[A Talk by Giriraj Swami, October 25, 2003, Houston]

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, quoting from the Vaisnava-tosani of Srila Sanatana Gosvami, says that the incident of Krsna’s breaking the pot of yogurt and being bound by mother Yasoda took place on the Dipavali Day, or Dipa-malika. Even today in India, this festival is generally celebrated very gorgeously in the month of Kartika by fireworks and lights, especially in Bombay. It is to be understood that among all the cows of Nanda Maharaja, several of mother Yasoda’s cows ate only grasses so flavorful that the grasses would automatically flavor the milk. Mother Yasoda wanted to collect the milk from these cows, make it into yogurt and churn it into butter personally since she thought that this child Krsna was going to the houses of neighborhood gopas and gopis to steal butter because He did not like the milk and yogurt ordinarily prepared. SB 10.9.1 purport

The Significance of Dipavali (Right click to download)

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BG 7.12 says that modes of nature comes from Lord, but 13.20 says that modes comes from Prakriti, how to reconcile such contradiction?
Answer Podcast:

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Transcription :

Transcribed by: Suresh Gupta

Edited by: Raji Nachiappan

Question: Do the modes come from Krishna or from prakriti?
Bhagavad Gita 7.12 says that modes of nature comes from Lord, but 13.20 says that modes comes from prakriti, how do we reconcile this contradiction?

Answer: Both statements are true. The different levels of causation are being described here. For example, we can say that a child comes from its parents and that is true. At the same time, we can also say that the child comes from Krishna. That is also true because Krishna is the ultimate cause. Therefore, the ultimate cause and immediate cause are not contradictory, rather they are complementary.

Similarly, if we look at the context in the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, which Prabhupada titles as Knowledge of the Absolute, Krishna focuses on showing the connection of everything with him. Hence, he says that material nature and the modes of material nature, come from him.

If we look at the thirteenth chapter, Krishna says prakritim purusham chaiva viddhy anadi ubhav api vikaramsh ca gunamsh chaiva viddhi prakriti-sambhavan (13.20) – (Material nature and the living entities should be understood to be beginningless. Their transformations and the modes of matter are products of material nature). Earlier also in thirteenth chapter verse 6 and 7, Krishna talks about various material elements coming from material nature. Here, Krishna is discussing in terms of the sankhya frame of analysis, wherein everything is being analysed in terms of purusha and prakriti. Therefore, the material gunas which comprise material nature, are said to come from prakriti. For that purpose, Krishna states that the gunas, come from prakriti.

The conventional sankhya focuses primarily on the analysis in terms of purusha and prakriti. The Bhagavad-gita presents the analysis in a devotional perspective by describing the presence of prakriti, purusha and the Purshottama and establishing that the Purushottama is the source of both purusha and prakriti. Krishna has mentioned earlier in seventh chapter that he possesses two prakritis – para and apara prakriti.

Hence, the point here is that there is no contradiction between the two because they are talking about different levels of origin. At the ultimate level, the modes come from Krishna and at the level of sankhya analysis, the modes come from prakriti.

End of transcription.

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Casa Loma, Toronto

 

No Wasting Time

 

Christopher, Nick and I took a memorial walk to honour those who sacrificed their lives, their youth and their dreams in the wars of the more recent past. When a walk is in dedication to someone I feel it offers greater dimension to our steps. Walking is never a waste of time and especially when done so for someone in mind.

 

The other day, while walking on Bloor Street, a street musician was strumming the strings of his guitar while singing that sweet old classic from Otis Redding, “Sittin’ on the Dock at the Bay” and the next lyrical line goes, “wasting time.” So, I got to thinking about how time is very precious and that we shouldn’t squander a minute of it.

 

Prabhupada, our guru, encouraged us to utilize every second for Krishna. In modern or more contemporary phrase, “no zoning out” is the order of the day. The clock ticks. The rooster cries. The sun rises. The sun sets. The moon moves. All are indicators that time marches on and we need not waste at the dock or in an easy chair. Also, we are getting older.

 

Our group of three made it to Casa Loma. It’s relatively close to where I live, just one and a half kilometers away. I believe my two walking amigos relished the trek for the company and also the intent. It was not a walk in vain.

 

I would recommend that all people take that break for a walk and do so with a dedication in mind. Someone or some issue is deserving our attention.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km 

 

Queen’s Park, Toronto

 

Those Who Gave and Those Who Gave Up

 

On this eve of Remembrance Day we give homage to those who sacrificed their lives in defence of innocent citizens. I saw that pedestrians passing by the park bench where I relaxed were bearing the symbolic poppy.

 

Saurav, 19, a student at U of T, whom I sat with, is from a Punjabi descent and I assume he knows not a lot about the gruesome world war of the 20^th century. However, his ancestors may well know of the years of British occupancy and of the Partisan riots. These events are just ugly all the same.

 

Saurav told of how, recently, an Indian student had committed suicide on the campus by hanging in one of the university’s buildings. Students were having protests and carrying the sentiments that the institution isn’t doing enough for students under pressure. I certainly believe that these young persons should have every chance for a good life of balance.

 

Saurav is himself a kind and helpful person. He considers himself a counsellor. I encouraged him that, in general, these types of services require training.

 

As we were talking I bent over behind the bench to grab a golden maple leaf that lay there. It was pretty, except for a dark blotch, a kind of blight I believe, indicating the leaf was diseased. I held it up to my young friend, letting him know that we are all like this leaf, beautiful and golden. However, there’s something in everyone that is dark, which we have to tackle. I strongly recommended that he invite personal training and discipline into his life in order to be most effective.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km

 

In this gloomy time, there can never be too many sources of light. So it’s apt that on Diwali day (November 14th) this year, there are at least two new devotional songs set to be released. As well as Govinda Priya’s first single “Achyutam: Your Names,” another UK-based artist, Radhika Ranjana Das (affectionately known as […]

The post Radhika Das Spreads Joy and Devotion with Diwali Single Ram Sita Ram appeared first on ISKCON News.

In this gloomy time, there can never be too many sources of light. So it’s apt that on Diwali day (November 14^th) this year, there are at least two new devotional songs set to be released.

Mediation is a process conflict resolution, in which a trained intermediary assists disputants to arrive at a mutually agreeable settlement. In this intriguing interview by Integral Yoga Magazine, Joshua Greene (Yogeshvara Dasa), a seasoned mediator and instructor of the Gita, evaluates the Bhagavad Gita through the lens of mediation. Integral Yoga Magazine: Would you consider […]

The post Conflict-Resolution and the Gita appeared first on ISKCON News.

Mature spiritual understanding is not relinquishing responsibility, but assuming responsibility with wisdom. 

  I heard them first before they rose above the tree tops Black against the evening sky with warm westing sun Their guide to the great south and their home away from home Their formation of open diamond shape is art at work Their calling and rhythm of wings is a performance As they carry […]

The post Poetry: Fall Birds appeared first on ISKCON News.

"Calling Krishna together as we head home / Making others stop in wonder at our joy"

Achyutam: Your Names, the soulful, joyous debut single from Govinda Priya, is set to be released at 8am UK time on Diwali day, Saturday November 14th. Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights, and the song promises to shed some light during a dark time.  “At the moment everything is so dull and difficult, […]

The post Govinda Priya Releases Uplifting Debut Single “Achyutam: Your Names” appeared first on ISKCON News.

“At the moment everything is so dull and difficult, and everyone is really struggling,” Govinda Priya says. “So we wanted to offer something uplifting.”

Christians and Hindus:Rekindling Positivity and Hope during the Covid-19 Pandemic and Beyond.

  Her Grace Krsnanandini Devi Dasi, a beloved and inspirational pioneer for Vaishnava families, passed away today (November 13th 2020) after a long struggle with cancer. She was in the company of her children and her husband Tariq Saleem Ziyad, at their home in North Carolina. Krsnanandini Devi Dasi was a Srila Prabhupada disciple, Certified […]

The post Krsnanandini Devi Dasi, Pioneer for Vaishnava Families, Passes Away appeared first on ISKCON News.

Krsnanandini Devi Dasi was a Srila Prabhupada disciple, Certified Family Life Educator, a member of the ISKCON Grihastha Vision Team, and the co-director of the Dasi-Ziyad Family Institute with her husband Tariq.

Video by GBC Executive Secretariat.

In their new book, “An Endangered Species: ISKCON Ashramites in the West,” Kalakantha Das and Jitamitra Dasi posit that ashrams are still an important part of today’s ISKCON. They explain how to create an ashram program that attracts devotees from all backgrounds in the West, especially in North America. “Some say that the idea of […]

The post New Book Discusses An “Endangered Species: ISKCON Ashramites” appeared first on ISKCON News.

In their new book, Kalakantha Das and Jitamitra Dasi posit that ashrams are still an important part of today’s ISKCON. They explain how to create an ashram program that attracts devotees from all backgrounds in the West, especially in North America.

Animation.

Video by Sadhvi Sanga.

A video by https://www.tulsigabbard.com.

"The WCC recalls with gratitude the partnership we have enjoyed with our Hindu partners in the pursuit of justice and peace."

In 2017 and 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Surabhi-kunda, where Indra met Krsna after the Govardhana lila to ask for forgiveness for acting out of anger. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtans and lectures below, along with a few photos, at Surabhi-kunda during Parikrama 2017 and Parikrama 2018.

Indra allowed himself to fall prey to anger by being proud. When one is proud, one gives undue importance to oneself and everything that one experiences is extremely important. When we are humble, then whatever happens to us is secondary. As soon as we are proud, then everything in relation ‘I’, ‘me’ and ‘mine’ is very important. ‘All my attributes are sacred’, we think. So due to his pride, Indra was in an attached position. Indra forgot that he was a representative of Krsna; this was his first and foremost offence. He forgot because he was carried away by his own position.

We will find something to take pride in when we take proprietorship, but when we give everything to Krsna, we realise that whatever recognition we receive is simply Krsna’s mercy. It is only because we did something for Him. Service is a gift. Service is given by the Vaisnavas, not taken. So when we remember that service is given by Vaisnavas, then we can avoid pride.

Indra knew that he needed forgiveness, so he ordered his elephant, Airavata, to also offer abhiseka to Krsna at the same time. Airavata had water from the heavenly Ganga, Akasa-ganga, kept in his trunk. In this way, Krsna got a full abhiseka with milk and Ganga jala and was crowned as the original Indra. Meanwhile, Indra had to stand there quietly and Krsna forgave him. So the significance of this place is forgiveness – forgiveness for all our mistakes. In Deity worship, we use this mantra: hinam kriya-hinam bhakti-hinam janardhana: Please forgive me for anything offered without mantra, anything offered without a proper arrangement and without any devotion. We can apply this to our daily lives also, regarding everything that we do without the mantra and without proper devotion. This mindset creeps into our daily activities so we need a lot of mercy. We make many mistakes and we ask for forgiveness for our mistakes, but then we should not commit them again. Prabhupada also said, “Oh, you commit a mistake? First time – yes, I will forgive you. Second time – yes, I will forgive you. Third time – get out of here, you rascal!” So we cannot forever keep making the same mistakes!

The article " eParikrama 2020 Day 13 – Surabhi-kunda " was published on KKSBlog.

Answer Podcast:

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Transcription :

Transcribed by: Suresh Gupta

Edited by: Raji Nachiappan

Question: Why does God not answer our prayers?

Answer: Prayers always work. God always answers our prayers, but we do not understand his answers because those do not always come in terms that we expect. If we truly understand God, then we should understand both his omnipotence and his omniscience. He is both supremely strong and supremely wise. We often go to God when we have a problem we cannot solve. We pray to him, that since you are much stronger, please utilize your strength to solve our problem. However, this is trusting only half of God. We are trusting only his strength, but not his intelligence. We are trusting only his omnipotence but not his omniscience. God knows what is best for us and because he knows, he will do what is best for us.

Sometimes, only by facing the problems, we will grow. If we are prematurely relieved of the problem, the opportunity for growth will be missed. Nature also tells that growth happens through struggle. Once a city-dweller was going through the forest and saw a bird’s egg that had fallen. Inside the egg was a birdlet who was struggling to come out. The wings were coming out partially through the cracked shell while the birdlet kept pushing and pushing. The tiny creature was applying all the force it could but was not able to crack the shell. The birdlet was in distress. The city-dweller out of compassion cracked open the shell and let the birdlet come out. When the birdlet started moving, suddenly a cat appeared and charged towards him. The birdlet tried to fly, but since its wings were not fully developed, it could not. It was then caught and devoured by the cat. The city-dweller realised that he had actually done a disservice to the birdlet. Nature had arranged in such a way that by struggling to push against the shell of the egg, the birdlet’s strength would grow. When the birdlet’s strength grows adequately enough to break the shell on its own, birdlet’s wings will also grow. Those developed wings will strengthen him to fly. Hence by pre-mature breaking of the shell, the birdlet was not helped, rather he was harmed.

We should not, therefore, think that God’s purpose is only to solve our problems. God’s purpose is primarily to help us grow. Problems are sometimes like the shell that are covering us. God allows us to go through those problems and that is why sometimes our problems may not be solved. It may appear to us that our prayers are not answered. However, if we pray to God, not with a demanding mood, but by saying that since he knows what is best for us, please guide us. By approaching him with such attitude, we will find ourselves internally strengthened. By such prayers, we will get the strength to face the problem.

Rather than telling God how big our problem is, we have to tell our problem how big God is. When we have this attitude, we will go to God not so much for solutions, but for guidance and strength. We trust not only God’s strength, but also his wisdom to do what is best for us. That he not only provides us the strength to face the problem but also the intelligence to find the right way to go through the problem. Then whatever problem we face, we will be able to go through and grow through the problem by his grace.

End of transcription.

Transcription in Hindi

प्रश्न: भगवान हमारी प्रार्थनाओं का उत्तर क्यों नहीं देते?

उत्तर: प्रार्थनाऐं सदैव भगवान तक पहुँचती हैं और वे सदैव हमारी प्रार्थनाओं का उत्तर भी देते हैं। किन्तु उनके उत्तरों को हम इसलिए नहीं समझ पाते क्योंकि वे प्रायः हमारी आशा के अनुरूप नहीं होते। वास्तव में यदि हम भगवान को भली-भाँति समझते हैं तो हमें यह समझ होनी चाहिए कि वे सर्वशक्तिमान भी हैं और सर्वज्ञ भी। वे परम शक्तिमान और परम बुद्धिमान दोनों है। प्रायः हम भगवान के पास तब जाते हैं जब हमारे पास कोई ऐसी समस्या होती है जिसको हम हल नहीं कर सकते। हम उनसे प्रार्थना करते हैं, कि चूँकि आप हमसे अधिक शक्तिशाली हैं, तो कृपया अपनी शक्ति का प्रयोग करके हमारी समस्या को हल करें। किन्तु यह तो भगवान पर मात्र आधा ही विश्वास करना हुआ। हम केवल उनकी शक्ति पर विश्वास कर रहे हैं, किन्तु उनकी बुद्धि पर नहीं। हम केवल उनके सर्वशक्तिमान होने पर भरोसा कर रहे हैं लेकिन उनके सर्वज्ञ होने पर नहीं। भगवान भलीभाँति जानते हैं कि हमारा भला किसमें है अतः वे वही करते हैं जिसमें हमारा हित हो।

कभी-कभी समस्याओं का सामना करने से ही हमारा विकास होता है। यदि हम समय से पहले ही समस्या से मुक्त हो जाऐं, तो भीतरी विकास का अवसर चला जाता है। प्रकृति भी यही शिक्षा देती है कि संघर्ष करने से ही विकास होता है। एक बार एक नगरवासी जंगल से गुजर रहा था। उसने देखा कि एक पक्षी का अण्डा गिरा हुआ है। अण्डे के भीतर एक चिड़िया का बच्चा था, जो अण्डे के बाहर आने के लिए संघर्ष कर रहा था। अण्डे के टूटे हुए खोल से उस बच्चे के पंख आंशिक रूप से बाहर आ रहे थे। वह बच्चा निरंतर अपने खोल को तोड़ने का प्रयास कर रहा था। वह नन्हा जीव पूरी शक्ति लगा रहा था, किन्तु आवरण को तोड़ नहीं पा रहा था। बच्चा बड़ा व्याकुल था। उस नगरवासी ने करुणावश अण्डे का खोल तोड़ दिया और उस बच्चे को बाहर आने दिया। जब बच्चा हिलने-डुलने लगा तब अचानक एक बिल्ली आई और उस बच्चे पर झपटी। बच्चे ने उड़ने का प्रयास किया, पर चूँकि उसके पंख पूरी तरह से विकसित नहीं हुए थे, इसलिए वह उड़ नहीं सका और बिल्ली ने उसे खा लिया। नगरवासी को एहसास हुआ कि वास्तव में उसने बच्चे का अहित किया है। प्रकृति की व्यवस्था के अनुसार यदि बच्चा अण्डे के खोल को धक्का देने के लिए संघर्ष करता तो इससे उसकी शक्ति में वृद्धि होती। जब उस बच्चे की शक्ति इतनी हो जाती कि वह स्वयं अपने बल पर खोल को तोड़ने में सक्षम हो जाता, तो उसके पंख भी शक्तिशाली हो जाते। उन विकसित पंखों से वह उड़ पाता। अतः खोल को समय से पहले तोड़ने से उस चिड़िया के बच्चे को सहायता नहीं मिली, बल्कि उसका नुकसान हुआ।

अतः हमें यह नहीं सोचना चाहिए कि भगवान का उद्देश्य केवल हमारी समस्याओं का समाधान करना है। भगवान का मुख्य उद्देश्य हमारे विकास में हमारी सहायता करना है। समस्याऐं कभी-कभी उस आवरण की तरह होती हैं जो हमें ढक देती हैं। भगवान हमें उन समस्याओं से जूझने देते हैं, अतः कभी-कभी हमारी समस्याओं का समाधान नहीं हो पाता। तब हमें ऐसा प्रतीत हो सकता है कि हमारी प्रार्थनाओं का उत्तर नहीं दिया जा रहा है। यदि हम भगवान से इच्छापूर्ति के लिए नहीं, बल्कि यह प्रार्थना करें कि आप जानते हैं कि मेरे लिए सर्वश्रेष्ठ क्या है, कृपया मेरा मार्गदर्शन करें। इस मनोवृत्ति के साथ उनके पास जाने से हम आंतरिक रूप से सशक्त होंगे। ऐसी प्रार्थनाओं से हमें समस्या का सामना करने की शक्ति मिलेगी।

भगवान को यह बताने की बजाय कि हमारी समस्या कितनी बड़ी है, हमें अपनी समस्यायों को यह बताना चाहिए कि भगवान कितने बड़े हैं। जब हमारे पास ऐसा दृष्टिकोण होगा, तो हम समाधान के लिए नहीं, बल्कि मार्गदर्शन और आत्मबल के लिए भगवान के पास जाऐंगे। हम न केवल भगवान की शक्ति पर विश्वास करें अपितु उनकी बुद्धि पर भी विश्वास रखें। वे हमें न केवल समस्या का सामना करने की शक्ति प्रदान करें अपितु समस्या से जूझने का सही मार्ग खोजने की बुद्धि भी प्रदान करें। इस प्रकार हम जिस भी समस्या का सामना करेंगे, हम भगवान की कृपा से न केवल समस्या से जूझ पाऐंगे बल्कि उस समस्या के माध्यम से अपना

End of transcription.

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Transcription :

Transcribed by: Suresh Gupta

Edited by: Raji Nachiappan

Question: Why does God not answer our prayers?

Answer: Prayers always work. God always answers our prayers, but we do not understand his answers because those do not always come in terms that we expect. If we truly understand God, then we should understand both his omnipotence and his omniscience. He is both supremely strong and supremely wise. We often go to God when we have a problem we cannot solve. We pray to him, that since you are much stronger, please utilize your strength to solve our problem. However, this is trusting only half of God. We are trusting only his strength, but not his intelligence. We are trusting only his omnipotence but not his omniscience. God knows what is best for us and because he knows, he will do what is best for us.

Sometimes, only by facing the problems, we will grow. If we are prematurely relieved of the problem, the opportunity for growth will be missed. Nature also tells that growth happens through struggle. Once a city-dweller was going through the forest and saw a bird’s egg that had fallen. Inside the egg was a birdlet who was struggling to come out. The wings were coming out partially through the cracked shell while the birdlet kept pushing and pushing. The tiny creature was applying all the force it could but was not able to crack the shell. The birdlet was in distress. The city-dweller out of compassion cracked open the shell and let the birdlet come out. When the birdlet started moving, suddenly a cat appeared and charged towards him. The birdlet tried to fly, but since its wings were not fully developed, it could not. It was then caught and devoured by the cat. The city-dweller realised that he had actually done a disservice to the birdlet. Nature had arranged in such a way that by struggling to push against the shell of the egg, the birdlet’s strength would grow. When the birdlet’s strength grows adequately enough to break the shell on its own, birdlet’s wings will also grow. Those developed wings will strengthen him to fly. Hence by pre-mature breaking of the shell, the birdlet was not helped, rather he was harmed.

We should not, therefore, think that God’s purpose is only to solve our problems. God’s purpose is primarily to help us grow. Problems are sometimes like the shell that are covering us. God allows us to go through those problems and that is why sometimes our problems may not be solved. It may appear to us that our prayers are not answered. However, if we pray to God, not with a demanding mood, but by saying that since he knows what is best for us, please guide us. By approaching him with such attitude, we will find ourselves internally strengthened. By such prayers, we will get the strength to face the problem.

Rather than telling God how big our problem is, we have to tell our problem how big God is. When we have this attitude, we will go to God not so much for solutions, but for guidance and strength. We trust not only God’s strength, but also his wisdom to do what is best for us. That he not only provides us the strength to face the problem but also the intelligence to find the right way to go through the problem. Then whatever problem we face, we will be able to go through and grow through the problem by his grace.

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GODS, DEMONS AND HEROES.

The condensed version of Mahabharata, the world’s greatest epic.

CHAPTER ONE Five Godly Boys

Spring had arrived in the mountains. The atmosphere was delightfully fresh. Pandu strolled through a field of fragrant flowers, admiring the celestial scenery. Cuckoos sang in the nearby champaka trees, and black bees hummed as they swarmed around the bright yellow blossoms. Pandu’s young wife Madri walked ahead of him, her long silk robe flowing in the gentle breeze. She sang softly to herself as she stooped to gather flowers. As Pandu approached, she turned and smiled at him. The warm sun shone from behind her. Pandu could see the silhouette of her graceful form through her billowing dress. She was indeed beautiful. The bright sunlight shone through her golden hair, framing her perfect features. Pandu felt his heart stirring. It had been more than seven years since he had embraced her. An irresistible urge overpowered him. Placing on the ground the sack of wild vegetables he had gathered, he took a step towards his wife.
Madri could immediately understand his feelings. Seeing him seized by desire, the princess was fearful. “O king, remember the sage’s words!” She spoke urgently, but Pandu seemed not to hear. She put up her hands to stop him, shaking her head. “My lord! Stop! O great hero, control your mind. A deadly danger now threatens you.”
But Pandu was oblivious to her warnings. Her attempts to make him desist only fuelled his desire. Taking hold of her outsretched arms he pulled them around his body and took her in a firm embrace. Madri struggled desperately, trying to free herself. Entirely overcome by lust Pandu laughed. He dropped to the soft grass, dragging Madri down with him. With the princess clasped in his powerful arms he rolled over. Pinning her to the ground he sought her lips with his own.
Suddenly Pandu felt a terrible pain gripping his chest. He gasped and his limbs froze. As his horrifed wife looked on he fell from her body. With a stifled cry he breathed a final choking breath and his lifeless body went limp.
Madri cried out and scrambled toward him, great sobs wracking her frame. It was too late. The rishi’s curse had come to pass. Pandu was gone. The queen fell on his body and wept uncontrollably. She lamented piteously, addressing her dead husband. “O unconquerable one, how were you conquered by lust? Alas, I blame myself. Why did I go alone with you to these woods? How was I so foolish? O lord, I cannot live without you. I shall surely follow the path you have taken.”
Her cries rose up and were carried on the breeze. They echoed through the woods. Not far away, in Pandu’s forest ashram, his other wife Kunti was preparing a fire to cook their evening meal. Madri’s wails reached her and she stood still, trying to ascertain where they were coming from. Madri’s two young sons, Nakula and Sahadeva, were with her and they too heard the cries. “What is it, mother Kunti?” they asked. “Who is that?”
“I am not sure, but I will go and see. Where are your brothers?”
“They are just coming from the river,” Nakula replied.
“Then you two boys should stay here and wait for them. Tell them to follow me when they get here.”
Kunti made her way into the woods, quickly going toward the direction of the cries. She was sure it was Madri. What could have happened? Was it Kindama’s curse?
As she came out of the woods into the field her fears were confirmed. To her horror she saw the fallen Pandu, his head cradled in Madri’s lap. For some moments—moments that felt like hours—she stood staring in shock. Then, her legs feeling leaden, she ran toward them. She dropped to the ground by Pandu’s side. When she realized he was dead Kunti wailed in uncontrolled sorrow. She looked with streaming eyes at the anguished Madri. “O sister! What happened?”
Kunti’s voice was accusatory. How had Madri allowed the king to become allured? She knew well about the curse. “O Madri, I was ever careful in our lord’s presence. I would hardly even smile at him. He was always grave and self-controlled, remembering Kindama’s words. How did he lose his composure in your presence?”
Kunti’s words came between sobs. Her head fell on Pandu’s chest. Where had he gone? How could she live without him?
Madri buried her face in her hands, weeping silently. She already felt guilty for having caused Pandu’s death. Kunti’s words only exacerbated her pain. She took a deep breath. “O noble Kunti, dear sister, with tears in my eyes I tried to stop the king. But I was helpless.”
Seeing Madri’s piteous expression, Kunti felt compassion. She spoke more softly. “You are surely more fortunate than me, for you saw our lord’s face light up with joy as he approached you.”
That thought deeply pained Kunti. She fought back her envy as Madri shook her head and replied, “I am utterly undone. It seemed the king was intent on making the rishi’s curse come true. There was nothing I could do.”
Kunti felt her anger subside. Madri was surely being truthful. Somehow this terrible tragedy must be the Lord’s will. What now was her duty? She looked at the face of her husband, serene in death. The virtuous monarch had certainly gone to the higher worlds. Could she follow and serve him there? Doubtlessly Madri would also wish for that. But someone would have look to after the boys. Kunti took hold of Madri’s hand. “O sister, I am the senior wife. It is therefore my right to go with our husband to the region of the dead. Do not prevent me. Rise up and rear our children. I shall enter the fire with our husband.”
Madri looked up pleadingly. “See how I am still clasping our lord and have not allowed him to go. Let me follow him. He came to me with the desire for intercourse. That desire is not yet satiated. Should I not therefore go to Yamaraja’s kingdom in order to gratify him?”
Madri saw that Kunti had stiffened slightly. Sensing that her natural womanly jealousy was being aroused, she changed tack. She reached out to hold Kunti’s hand and said, “O revered sister, how could I raise the children as well as you? Unlike you, I will not be able to see them all with an equal eye. Please stay and serve our lord by looking after his sons. Grant me leave to enter the fire and go where he has gone.”
Kunti looked at Madri, fallen again onto Pandu’s body. It would be hard for her to carry on living with the memory of this moment. Guilt would consume her. And she was right about the boys. One of Pandu’s wives had to remain in order to take care of his sons, and Kunti, with the greater number of sons herself, knew that it was more her duty than Madri’s. It would be better to let Madri go.
Kunti rose to her feet and said softly, “Let it be as you wish, dear sister.”
Getting up slowly, she walked back toward her cottage. The boys would have to be told.

* *

Not long after Kunti had left the cottage, her three sons returned. They saw the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, sitting alone. The eldest of the brothers, Yudhisthira, asked them, “Where is mother Kunti? We heard cries. Was it her?”
The twins shook their heads. Nakula replied, “No. Mother Kunti also heard the cries and has gone into the woods. She said you should follow her.”
Yudhisthira looked at his two brothers, Bhima and Arjuna. “Come on! Let’s go quickly. Mother may need us.”
He raced off into the woods, followed by all four of his brothers. The cries had stopped and he was not sure which way to go, but he chose the path leading to the fields. That was the way father usually went to collect vegetables for their meals. Yudhisthira had a feeling that the cries were something to do with him. As he ran he saw his mother ahead, stumbling toward them, her head in her hands. Obviously something terrible had happened.
As Kunti approached the brothers they could see the tearstreaks on her face. Seeing her sons, she tried to smile. With the five boys gathered round her, she said, “Dear sons, our only shelter now is the Lord. Father is no more. He has gone to the abode of your ancestors.”
The boys looked at her in shock. None of them could speak. Kunti wept softly. Finally Yudhisthira said, “How did it happen? Surely no one could have killed Father. Was it an accident?”
Yudhisthira knew his father to be a powerful warrior. He also knew that they were living in a place where practically everyone was an ascetic, devoted to meditation and the practice of religion. Who could have harmed his father?
Struggling to contain her grief, Kunti replied, “Your father has fallen victim to a rishi’s curse. He is lying on the other side of this wood. Madri is with him.”
The boys ran past their mother and burst out of the woods. Seeing their father lying dead and Madri next to him they cried out. They dropped to the ground, wailing and rolling about in grief. Madri, feeling more peaceful knowing that she would soon follow her husband, spoke gently to the twins, who had run to her side. “My dear sons, the ways of the Lord are mysterious. You must now serve your mother Kunti with love. She will take care of you. I must follow your father into the next world.”
The twins stared at their mother. They did not know what to say. This was only their eighth summer and they could hardly comprehend what was happening. The situation was completely overwhelming. They ran to Kunti and she held them to her bosom, her tears falling on their heads. Their three brothers continued to vent their grief with loud wails. Hearing the cries, a number of rishis came into the field. Seeing the dead king they went over to him and immediately began performing his last rites. As they rythmically chanted the holy mantras the boys felt soothed and they stood up with folded palms. The distraught Kunti stood by their side, watching as the rishis led Madri away from Pandu. They lifted his body onto a bier and began carrying it out of the woods toward the river, followed by the weeping Madri.
Supported by her two eldest sons, Kunti walked behind Madri. Some of the rishis led the younger boys back to the ashram as Pandu’s body was taken to the riverbank. It was garlanded with forest flowers and daubed with the sacred Ganges clay. A large pyre was built by the water’s edge and the body was placed upon it. With the rishis constantly reciting Vedic mantras, Yudhisthira set fire to the sandalwood pyre. As the flames rose up Madri suddenly threw herself onto the body, crying out, “My lord!” Within moments both she and Pandu’s body had been reduced to ashes.
Kunti cried terribly. Her sons stood by with tears streaming down their faces. As the flames subsided the rishis spoke wisdom from the Vedas, describing the eternality of the soul. Pacified by the sages’ words, Kunti and the boys slowly returned to their ashram. It seemed empty and lonely. They looked at each other in silence, realising that they could not stay there any longer without Pandu.
As they sat in sorrow a leader of the rishis came into the cottage and spoke to Kunti. “Now that your protector has gone you must return to your family in Hastinapura. In due time Yudhisthira must assume the throne, assisted by his mighty brothers.”
The boys knew their father had been the king in Hastinapura, the great capital of the world and seat of the powerful Kuru dynasty. He had told them he came to the forest as a result of a rishi’s curse, but they did not know the full details. It must have been a truly terrible imprecation. What had he done to deserve it? They looked querulously at their mother.
Devastated by the sudden loss of her husband and co-wife, Kunti found it difficult to speak. “I will try to explain as we travel to the city,” she said, wiping her face with the end of her sari. “Your father and I had been meaning to tell you.”
The sage said they should leave at once. He and the other rishis would accompany them to the city. Kunti agreed and she began gathering her few belongings together, telling the boys to do the same. Within a short time they were ready to go.
A long line of rishis set out for Hastinapura, with Kunti and her sons in their midst. They were accompanied by a number of Siddhas and Charanas, celestial beings who also dwelt on the mountain where they lived.
As they walked Kunti tried to gather her senses. She had to tell her sons about the curse—and especially about their births. Bringing the boys around her, she said, “Once when your father was hunting in the forest he accidently slew a rishi called Kindama who had assumed the form of a deer. To free him from the reaction of that sin the rishi uttered a curse. Your father had shot Kindama when he was just about to beget a child on his wife. The sage therefore told the king that if he ever tried to beget children he would immediately die. Your father then decided to live a life of asceticism.”
Kunti explained that Pandu, unable to beget children, had sought some other way of continuing his line. “I told him of a boon I had received from another rishi when I was a girl. That sage, named Durvasa, had been pleased by my service. He blessed me that I would be able to summon any god I desired. Thus your father had me call various great deities. First of all, Dharma, the god of religion.”
She looked across at her eldest son, who was listening intently. “Dear Yudhisthira, that powerful god is your seminal father.”
Kunti said that Bhima was the son of Vayu, god of the winds. Arjuna was the son of Indra, the king of the gods, and the twins were born of the twin Ashvini gods, the celestial physicians. “Thus were you three eldest boys born of myself, and the twins of Madri, who had begged me that she be allowed to use the mantra. A heavenly voice was heard at each of your births, prophesying great things for all of you. Yudhisthira will be the lord of the earth, Bhima the most powerful man, Arjuna the greatest among archers, and the twins possessed of celestial beauty and energy.”
The boys looked at each other. They had never guessed the truth. Sons of the gods. Their father had often told them that a great destiny awaited them—that one day they would return to Hastinapura to become rulers. But he had never explained how they had been born.
Kunti smiled a little through her grief. “Your ancestors have long ruled the earth, keeping it firmly on the path of religion. That duty will surely fall to you boys in due course.”
In what seemed only a short while, they saw the city ahead of them. They were walking on a broad paved road that had great archways over it, carved with numerous representations of the gods. Cultivated fields lay on either side of the road, filled with neat rows of vegetables and patches of golden wheat. Everywhere farmers worked the land, tilling the ground with teams of black oxen. They looked in wonder at the procession of celestials and rishis, saluting them as they walked by, and the sages offered them blessings.
By late afternoon the procession reached the city gates, which were set in the huge granite wall that surrounded the entire city. Messengers went quickly to inform the king, and soon a large crowd of citizens came out of the city. They were astonished to see the many rishis and other celestial beings, which resembled an assembly of the gods.
When the greetings were complete, a leading rishi told the king what had happened. “Steadily adhering to the path of virtue, Pandu has ascended to heaven along with his chaste wife Madri. Here are his five sons, born of the gods.”
The rishi named each of the deities who had fathered the five boys. After instructing the king to take care of their welfare and studies, he rejoined the other rishis. Then, before the eyes of the amazed citizens, all the sages and celestials disappeared from the spot.
One of the leading Kurus came up to Kunti and greeted her with folded palms. She introduced him to her sons. “This is your grandfather Bhishma.” The boys all bowed low in respect. Bhishma then led Kunti and the five boys into the city, arranging their accomodation in the royal palace.
The last rites ceremony was performed for Pandu and Madri. All the leading Kurus along with thousands of citizens entered the Ganges and made offerings for the departed souls. A twelve day period of mourning then followed for the whole city, concluding with a great feast. Large amounts of wealth were given in charity to the brahmins and everyone in the city was fed sumptuously by the king. Life then returned to normal and Pandu’s sons took their place in the royal family.

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami took us to Prema-sarovara, where Radha and Krsna once met, and in a moment of separation, They shed so many tears that it formed the waters of this sarovara. Check out Maharaja’s full kirtans and lectures below, along with a few photos, at Prema-sarovara during Parikrama 2017 and Parikrama 2018.

In the Prema-sarovara, all the holy rivers manifest. There is a story explaining how all the holy rivers came here on a pilgrimage. This place came about because of viraha – separation. In the philosophy presented by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, viraha-bhava (mood of separation) is listed as the topmost state of love of God. It is a bit of a mystery and it is difficult to understand because in our world, separation is no fun. Some people are homesick here, wondering, “Oh Vrndavana, so austere!” Some people feel separation from someone, something or some place. How is separation the highest state in relation to Krsna? Feeling separation from Krsna is supposed to be the highest experience. How? Is separation fun? Is it ecstasy? It is difficult to understand this from an ordinary point of view. The only reason these feelings are the highest is because as soon as one is separated from Krsna, one begins to remember Him.

When we remember Krsna, it is special; it is not the same as remembering an ordinary, mundane thing. When we remember mundane things, then we are separated. When we chant the holy name of Krsna, He is actually there, but by chanting the name ‘water’, water never manifests. There is a clear distinction. By remembering Krsna, He immediately manifests Himself through that remembrance and the result is that one becomes ecstatic. Separation on the spiritual platform therefore immediately leads to remembrance, which leads to ecstasy. As such, separation is actually a cause of great ecstasy. We may understand this intellectually, but do we emotionally understand it? When Radharani and Krsna meet, this seems to be the highest experience.

Krsna is suhrt. He is our dear-most friend. Prabhupāda said that Krsna is our best friend and the devotees responded, “No, Prabhupada, you are our best friend! We do not know Krsna; we only know you!” Prabhupada explained, “No, Krsna is your best friend because He is omniscient and knows everything, whereas I do not and may disappoint you.” This quality of omniscience means that Krsna knows the deepest desires within our hearts. He knows everything and as a result, He will never disappoint us. Not that He gives us everything we want, but if we stick with Krsna we will surely become completely fulfilled. So we should have this meditation with us as well. We must remember that Krsna is not far away from us. Even here, in this material world, Krsna is actually present with us.

The article " eParikrama 2020 Day 12 – Prema-sarovara " was published on KKSBlog.