GBC Tirupati Meeting
→ Ramai Swami

Every year the GBC and other leaders meet in Mayapur and in October at another location in India or sometimes overseas. This year the meeting was held at ISKCON Tirupati.

Generally, at the midterm, the focus is on strategic planning and organisational development. There are a few days set aside for specific topics that need in depth discussion, such as, second generation gurus and vaisnavi diksa gurus.

Char Dham Parikrama Visit to Yamunotri with Indradyumna Swami
→ ISKCON News

This video is the first in a series of four entitled, “Char Dham Parikrama”. In this segment, “Yamunotri”, we visit close to the source of the holy Yamuna river. With our eyes we see her sacred waters and with our ears we hear how she descended from the spiritual world. A special feature is beautiful footage the Himalayan mountains. A video by Ananta Vrindavan.

Notes and Directives from the 2019 annual meeting of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (Global)
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By Shyama Mohini devi Dasi

The annual meeting of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (Global) took place from 18–21 June 2019 in Sardinia, Italy. BBT members agreed to work cooperatively toward recruiting and training new, young devotees in publishing and other BBT-related skills through internships, professional seminars, and by offering service engagements. BBT division heads will report their efforts and progress in this initiative to the BBT Executive Manager’s office every December. Continue reading "Notes and Directives from the 2019 annual meeting of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (Global)
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How the infinite manifests in the finite – Various religious conceptions
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Bhagavatam class on 4.19.37 at ISKCON, San Diego, USA]

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Comparing Ramayana and Mahabharata 1 – What caused the exiles
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[Seminar at ISKCON, Seattle, USA]

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What can we do to protect ourselves from ever sinking to the level of being strengthless and faithless?
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Answer Podcast

The post What can we do to protect ourselves from ever sinking to the level of being strengthless and faithless? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Rise above the ego’s need to be right by focusing on devotional purpose
→ The Spiritual Scientist

[Bhagavatam class on 4.19.38 at ISKCON, San Diego, USA]

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Srila Narottam Das Thakur – A Miracle born of Compassion
→ Mayapur.com

Srila Narottama Das Thakur, who is fortunate to receive the property of Krishna Prema, directly from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu , is a great Acharya in the line of Gaudiya Vaisnava discplic succession. His songs are bhakti treatise and therefore Srila Prabhupada has introduced “Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu doya koro more” and Guru Vandana to be […]

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RADHA KUND APPEARANCE DAY – OCTOBER 20th, 2018
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Temple!

There are many places of pilgrimage for Krishna devotees, especially in India. Devotees visit them to become inspired in their spiritual lives. Devotees of Krishna observe the appearance of Radha Kunda, also known as Bahulashtami. This Sunday, October 29th the Hare Krishna Centre will be celebrating this auspicious occasion beginning at 4:30pm and will include kirtan and a wonderful discourse (please note the actual date of Bahulashtami is Monday October 21st).

Radha Kunda is a reservoir of water located in Vrindavan, India, where Krishna and Srimati Radharani had Their pastimes. It is mentioned in The Nectar of Instruction (Sri Upadesamrta) and other Vedic texts as one of the most sacred places in the universe. Be sure to come out and be transported to this amazing place!


Did Krishna protect Draupadi only after she stopped trying to protect herself – does surrender mean we stop trying to do anything?
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Answer Podcast

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If a tragedy makes us forget everything good and makes us do bad things, what can we do?
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Answer Podcast

The post If a tragedy makes us forget everything good and makes us do bad things, what can we do? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Sharad Purnima Significance
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[Sunday feast class at Portland, USA]

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Immediate Relief, All Auspiciousness
Giriraj Swami

The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 1, “Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service,” states, “Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress.” And Srila Prabhupada, in a talk in Vrindavan on November 3, 1972, explained, “ ‘Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress.’ There is a song of Bhaktivinoda Thakura: manasa deha geha yo kichu mora, arpilun tuya pade nanda-kisora [Saranagati]. The purport of this song is that when we surrender to Krishna, pranair arthair dhiya vaca [SB 10.22.35], we get relief from all kinds of anxieties.

“This is very simple to understand. Everyone here, in the material world, is full of anxiety. That is the nature of material existence. One after another, problems. So if somebody assures you that ‘You just depend on me; I will take charge of all your problems,’ how much relief you will feel—just imagine. If some ordinary human being says to a friend, ‘Don’t worry. I shall take charge of all your affairs. Don’t worry,’ we may doubt an ordinary man, because we know the capacity of an ordinary man. But when Krishna says, ‘I will take charge of you,’ then how much relief you should feel. Krishna is not an ordinary man. He is all-powerful, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is Yogesvara. He is the Absolute Truth. So when He assures, “I will take charge of you—aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami [Gita 18.66], assurance that ‘I shall get you liberated, delivered, from the reactions of all sinful activities . . .’ ”

Srila Prabhupada, coming to the second characteristic—“Pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness”—continued, “Actually, as long as there is material existence, the so-called suffering and enjoying are on the same level. There is no difference. But if we take to Krishna consciousness, as Krishna assures, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami, ‘I shall get you relieved, released from all kinds of sinful activities,’ that is real auspiciousness. When Krishna takes charge, He gradually educates the devotee in devotion service, buddhi-yogam, so that he may go back home, back to Godhead, Krishna. That is real auspiciousness. . . .

“So, pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness. All-auspiciousness means go back to home, back to Godhead. If we stick to pure devotional service, follow the rules and regulations, chant sixteen rounds, engage always in the service of the Lord, then the ultimate gain is tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna [Gita 4.9]”—“Upon leaving the body, he does not take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”

By giving us the scientific process of pure devotional service, Srila Prabhupada has brought us complete relief and auspiciousness.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service to Srila Prabhupada,
Giriraj Swami

Change your picture of the world and of God from low resolution to high resolution
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[Talk at ISKCON, San Diego, USA]

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How devotion transcends the caste system and other institutional hierarchies
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[Bhagavatam class on 1.18.19 at ISKCON, Los Angeles, USA]

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Damodarashtam 1 – The vision of the divine from the generic to the stunningly specific
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[Talk at Portland, USA]

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Sunday, October 13th, 2019
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Tirupati, India

Austere

This is about the most austere practice that I have to go through.  Perhaps I can speak for some of my peers as well.  It is not the 33 degrees Celsius heat, which feels like 40, that has become the challenge.  The snacks  and juices at meeting sessions are satisfactory.  The company itself is beyond any heavenly requests and  I’m in the midst of the best saints.  What really poses a difficulty are the long sit-down sessions. 

The topics of the meetings are important, for sure.  I just crave formal stretch breaks.  Maybe some aerobics would do?  Why not some ‘Krishna Zumba’!?

At the end of today’s session, very unconsciously, I displayed a grin, and Niranjan Swami asked for a kind explanation. 

“I wasn’t aware, “ I said.  “I just feel relieved.”

He laughed.

Don’t get me wrong.  The men and women who sit in the room are precious.  Just a little ‘Zumba for seniors’ could make all the difference.  I think I’ll suggest it to one of the facilitators, even if it’s just in jest.  Let’s see what will happen.

Yamala Arjuna came from Delhi to join us.  My room is not totally private.  It was like this sometimes in Mayapur, when my room was also crammed with young actors.  For some reason,  I like the company.  In fact, outside my door, I place a strip of sticky pad over the ‘NOT’ on the sign DO NOT DISTURB.  I do, however, sometimes desire my private moments, and then I tell the gang to abandon ship.

May the Source be with you!
5 km






Saturday, October 12th, 2019
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Tirupati, India

Great Article on Walking Research

Pragosh, from Ireland, forwarded the following article: “Slow Walking at 45, a Sign of Faster Aging” by Philippa Roxby-Health Reporter, BBC News

“How fast people walk in their 40s is a sign of how much their brains, as well as their bodies, are ageing, scientists have suggested. Using a simple test of gait speed, researchers were able to measure the ageing process. Not only were slower walkers' bodies ageing more quickly - their faces looked older and they had smaller brains. The international team said the findings were an "amazing surprise".
Doctors often measure gait speed to gauge overall health, particularly in the over-65s, because it is a good indicator of muscle strength, lung function, balance, spine strength and eyesight.Slower walking speeds in old age have also been linked to a higher risk of dementia and decline.
'Problem sign'
In this study, of 1,000 people in New Zealand - born in the 1970s and followed to the age of 45 - the walking speed test was used much earlier, on adults in mid-life. The study participants also had physical tests, brain function tests and brain scans, and during their childhood they had had cognitive tests every couple of years.
"This study found that a slow walk is a problem sign decades before old age," said Prof. Terrie E Moffitt, lead author from King's College London and Duke University in the US.
Even at the age of 45, there was a wide variation in walking speeds with the fastest moving at 2m/s at top speed (without running).In general, the slower walkers tended to show signs of "accelerated ageing" with their lungs, teeth and immune systems in worse shape than those who walked faster.
The more unexpected finding was that brain scans showed the slower walkers were more likely to have older-looking brains too.And the researchers found they were able to predict the walking speed of 45-year-olds using the results of intelligence, language and motor skills tests from when they were three.
The children who grew up to be the slowest walkers (with a mean gait of 1.2m/s) had, on average, an IQ 12 points lower than those who were the fastest walkers (1.75m/s) 40 years later.
Lifestyle link
The international team of researchers, writing in JAMA Network Open, said the differences in health and IQ could be due to lifestyle choices or a reflection of some people having better health at the start of life.But they suggest there are already signs in early life of who is going to fare better in health terms in later life. The researchers said measuring walking speed at a younger age could be a way of testing treatments to slow human ageing. A number of treatments, from low-calorie diets to taking the drug metformin, are currently being investigated. It would also be an early indicator of brain and body health so people can make changes to their lifestyle while still young and healthy, the researchers said.”

May the Source be with you!
4 km



Friday, October 11th, 2019
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Tirupati, India

Bats All About

Bats were all about on the veranda I was pacing on while doing my japa, at 2:30 a.m.  Then a power-outage occurred in the whole neighbourhood.  The lights failed us for a minute or so.  Imagine what life was like before electricity.  Night was night.  Day was day.  Fire was an important commodity then.

Two hours later, mangala aroti began: the first ritual, prayer, mantra, and movement of the body. 

Anuttama gave the Bhagavatam class.  Before he began, he insisted the room be divided, one section for men, one for the women.  I assisted in this.  Let’s go for fairness.

I’m meeting old friends—Niranjan Swami, Radhanath Swami, Pragosh, and Kalakantha from Gainesville.  Kalakantha is one of those activists promoting women to be gurus.  I’m with him for that approval.

I managed to give one of those talks, “Tales From Trails,” to a number of local, white-clad monks.  It certainly is another world for them hearing about bears, cougars, antelope and the wildlife of Canada in their regimented monastic setting.  They were in a wonderland.

At the end of today’s second session of discussion, four mahants (priests) from the Balaji temple, came dressed in their traditional unsewn cloth, with boldly marked tilak on their foreheads, and chanted ancient mantras in unison.  We were transported to another world. 

May the Source be with you!
5 km






Thursday, October 10th, 2019
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Tirupati, India

We Arrived

We arrived at this magnificent temple. It is my third visit here.  Pulling up at 4:11 in the morning, is rather auspicious.  Our three hour drive from Chennai was long and drawn-out.  Speed bumps are found on major roads.  But we are here, at last—Victor and I.  Yes, here we are in the land of sweet sweat.  Security guards who are up all night don’t feel the heat.  They are enveloped in winter wear to address the night chill.  I don’t feel it, but they do.

Victor is a newbie here in devotional India.  Here in our accommodations, we crash—sleep.  After rising, we have darshan (deity viewing), and something to eat.  Then Victor tries his newly acquired bhakti attire, a dhoti (lower garment), and kurta (upper garment).  He looked downright spiffy, with a tilak marking on his brow. 

“The two stripes joined at the base and at the bridge of your nose, represent the liberating divine footprint of Krishna,” I explained.  But more.  “The leaf-like shape of this same earth (mud from Vrindavan) represents the sacred tulasi leaf.”  I added, “You look good.”

For some reason or other, I seem to resonate with the young monks in India.  They are looking forward to the kirtans I lead, and maybe some simple dance steps.  Seven of them just showed up for my much needed massage.  They divided responsibilities, each taking a limb.  Really, it was a laugh.  Victor was humoured, also.

These benevolent massage therapists and I chanted all the way through the session.  I don’t get this in the West.

May the Source be with you!
6 km




Wednesday, October 9th, 2019
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Frankfurt/Chennai

What Does a Monk Do…?

What does a Hare Krishna monk do on a plane?

Well, this one (me), isn’t walking, for sure. I covered a short distance, with Victor, at the Frankfurt airport.   https://www.instagram.com/p/B3bNzpdBmhS/?igshid=1ryg158k6onza

“We’re boarding,” he said, while in the queue, “and we’ll probably be flying over my homeland, Romania.” 

“You might be able to look down and see the house where you grew up,” I said. (Laughter)

So, what do I do while in flight?  My first order of business is to chant my prescribed or final amount of rounds on my meditation beads.  Secondly, today, I read a section of the Bhagavatam, the portion about the cosmic form of Vishnu. I also completed, from scratch, the writing of two entries for my daily blog.  (That took fifteen minutes each.) And since I just cannot get any sleep on the plane, I have some time to kill. Okay, so let’s have a look at “Hostile Planet,” a series of documentaries.  Good stuff! I captured a segment, on my phone, of penguins trying to feed their young.   https://www.instagram.com/p/B3bLQPmA7SQ/?igshid=1d564mukjl2oj

Not only do they struggle on land and in water, but it becomes inevitable that all wildlife in grasslands, oceans, mountains and jungles, go through amazing trials in life. 

Check out Chapter Eight, Text 16, of the Gita:

A brahma bhuvanal lokah
punar avartino ‘rjuna
mam upetya tu kaunteya
punar janma na vidyate

“From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place.  But one who attains to my abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again.”   From Bhagavad-Gita As It Is by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

We all struggle but certainly we can reduce pain, perhaps even attain a body of non-material qualities by altering our habits.  Let’s get clean, then no worries!

May the Source be with you!
1 km


Tuesday, October 8th, 2019
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Toronto, Ontario

From a Cold Bum to High Altitude

Our group of one dozen monks sat down at our regular class time, 7:30 a.m., this morning, to hear about Krishna’s daily activities from Canto Ten.  In some respects, they are much like our own.  The difference being, however, that we are recipients of positive and negative karma, while we Learn that Krishna’s transcendental nature finds no room for karma.  It is indeed interesting to compare tiny souls to the magnet we know as Krishna.

Before my flight to Frankfort, and then on to Chennai, India, I organized a kirtan at Bellevue Square Park.  I was eager for some blessing in the form of chanting and interacting with people.  It is a piece of our tradition, as well as in our blood, that chanting pleases Krishna.

Initially, a faithful five of us sat on the grass but in the shade.  The earth on the buttocks sent some cold waves up the legs and thighs.  We moved to the square’s highest elevation, more warmth by the sun, and with fewer trees.  That was better.

Okay, so I had made my way to the counter for Lufthansa Airlines.  I was asked for my passport.  I was so proud to present my spanking new passport.  But there was a problem, however. There was no visa for India stamped in there.  The airlines asked if I had my old passport.  No, I didn’t.  There, a visa is stamped with an expiry date of 2020.  Victor, my companion for this trip, was as surprised as I was.  I needed that visa.  I called the temple, my residence, to fetch my old passport.  Jay delivered it. Time was tight.   So much sweat!  I was the last passenger on board.

May the Source be with you!
0 km

Monday, October 7th, 2019
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Wasaga Beach/Toronto

Meaningful Talks

Radhika is one of the young girls from our Brampton ISKCON Centre, who has a knack for doing artistic things.  She is quiet, and not yet a teen (my guess), but she really excels in sketching and working with different mediums.  Attached is a rendering of youthful Krishna by Radhika.  It’s beautiful.  It was a birthday gift.  Thank you.

What was also beautiful was the sangha, or community gathering, that a few of us older guys indulged in.  Keshava, Vaisnava, Krishnadasa and I are in our early to late sixties.  Jiva Mukta will be sixty shortly.  We talked about Krishna who’s always youthful.  We talked about aging and the practical reality of needing facility for our members in their maturing years.  That spun off into other lively topics.  Of course, Donald Trump’s name came up.  I think his name comes up into regular conversations globally.

Ultimately, what we concluded in our word-tossing was how important our spiritual life is to all of us.  A return to transcendence is what is of paramount importance.  As our guru, Prabhupada, pointed out so often, each and every one of us are part and parcel of the Supreme.  Somehow or other, we came in contact with matter and thus ran into multiple complications.  Life needs to be simple.

Our time in talk near the beach in Wasaga was so well worth it.  My evening hours were also cherished over dinner (healthy it was) with Kevala and Taravali.  More discussions. 

End conclusions: surrender

May the Source be with you!
5 km






The reality of cultural imbalance
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 31 March 2018, Durban, South Africa, Ratha Yatra Human Relationships Lecture)

Human relationships in this modern world are scary. There is so much fear whether a relationship will last. For instance, will a marriage work out or not?  Why have we changed? 

This is because of the culture that we live in and the changes in the Western world and in the modern world that we witness around us. Previously, holding marriage as sacred was a very serious social thing. And if one wanted to break a marriage, it was considered as a disgrace, to the extent that the entire society and community would practically just turn those people into outcasts. I am speaking of the older days of the West, what to speak of India?

Before WWII in Europe, the idea of divorce was quite alien. After WWII, everything got destroyed. Faith got destroyed. Culture got destroyed and after that, the modernity in which we live now, where all these ancient cultural values existed, all broke down. This new attitude has gradually conquered the world. So these days, marriages are no longer being held together strongly by social structure. Now, marriages have to be held together on the strength of the relationship itself, otherwise they break. And in Indian society today, the funny thing is that most Indian fathers educate their daughters. A PhD is no longer good enough (laughter). I mean, a few PhDs would be better. Somehow or other, educating your daughters is the new culture. But so many Indian men refuse to marry such a lady because they feel intimidated by them. They want their regular house-wife who is submissive. And somehow or other, the Indian culture is a funny mix in this way. Because you can see the dichotomy, fathers that over-educate their daughters to the point that they do not want to, but they are driven and so they have to, and then potential husbands who do not want this anymore.

So there is a cultural imbalance that exists and it is a problem, because as soon as ladies become educated (which in the modern world is going to be a fact), marriage becomes a partnership. It cannot be a vertical relationship. The old fashioned men have to get off their high horse and that is a bit difficult because they have been in this position for a long time and have sort of become got glued to the saddle, making it hard to get them off.  I am sorry to say it so bluntly but the reality of this is something that we have to understand. We are living in a modern age, and ultimately partnership is where it will have to go in this modern society. A mutual respect and a genuine appreciation for mutual contributions will be crucial. So, I think that this would help in the modern world.

But human relationships are still scary in the modern world because that social support is no longer there. However, as devotees, we should become more generous. Relationships are all about generosity. One does not have to prove themselves as correct all the time. It is not a question of acceptance or rejection. It is not about having to prove yourself at each moment, or otherwise the relationship breaks down. No, marriage means that two people are together as devotees, and that they will put in the work to make that relationship work. Once this is understood, there will be a commitment to mutually work things out when there are obstacles, and such relationships will never become a serious problem.

The article " The reality of cultural imbalance " was published on KKSBlog.

A very special darshan of merciful Balaji!
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A very special darshan of merciful Balaji! How it happened.
Bhakti Chaitanya Swami: Two days ago we visited the main temple of Balaji on top of the Tirumala Hill at Tirupati. The local devotees arranged very special darsana for us, so we were able to come right before Balaji, about 3 meters from Him, and stay there for about a minute, and in that way savor the amazing experience of being in His presence.

KARTIK INSPIRATIONS 2019 – DAY 4. 16 OCTOBER, 2019. By HH…
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KARTIK INSPIRATIONS 2019 - DAY 4. 16 OCTOBER, 2019.
By HH Sacinandana Swami.
When you give your full attention to your spiritual practices, a profound shift in consciousness takes place!

To help you establish a divine connection I will recite an ancient verse now:

“My dear Lord Krishna. Although I have forgotten You for so many long years in the material world, today I’m surrendering unto You. I’m Your sincere and serious servant. Please, engage me in Your service.”

Take a few deep breaths. You might like to end this meditation with words of your own spoken in the mind.

Thank you, you are done. This simple meditation can be done at any time, in any circumstances. It can be done before you offer your light, or before you read or chant. It will help you enter into the presence of the Lord.

The Helpful Meditation

We are now into our fourth day of the Kartik month. Have you noticed that when you give your full attention to your spiritual practices, a profound shift in consciousness takes place? I would like to speak about this.

When I went out yesterday, I came to my favorite holy place and somehow there was not a single disturbance. No dog, no raging bull, not any of the unpredictable things that happen in India. It was calm and peaceful and I could enter the atmosphere.

Entering. That is what you need when you do your spiritual activity. Fully entering the activity with your consciousness. To help you do this I would like to offer you something practical today - a simple meditation. You can either do it now, or if you are not in a situation suited for meditation, you can replay it in the evening before your Kartik ritual.

Sit down in a peaceful place where you will not be disturbed. Sit upright and imagine you are completely on your own. Let everything around you slowly and gently disappear. If you have any thoughts or concerns, put them on a parking place. Take a few deep breaths, in and out, to relax yourself even further. Tell yourself: “I’m calm now. I’m ready to enter.”

Bhakti is not about a distant god, it is about the close god.

Krishna’s Message to You

In an interesting episode from the Damodara pastimes the demigods observed how Krishna was tied up and controlled by His mother. They wondered, ‘What is Krishna doing being bound by a rope?’ Krishna looked at them and explained, “Listen, I like it when my devotees bind Me out of love. Mother Yashoda thought, 'If I don’t control my boy, He will become restless and too cheeky. Now He only steals butter, but what will He do in the future?’ It’s love which motivates Yashoda. I don’t like ceremonial puja with golden and jeweled articles. I don’t appreciate the hymns which are spoken to Me in Vaikuntha. I do not really like the sacrifices which people do on altars made of gold. I want the love of my devotees.” This was Krishna’s message.

The Lord is hidden within our hearts as the greatest secret. But when He sees that the devotee approaches Him with a genuine attitude, genuine bhakti, He can no longer stay in the heart. He comes out, ready to interact with His devotees.

Yesterday I rode my red bicycle to a holy place where I could chant a bit in seclusion. On the way, I saw a devotee I knew and he stopped me and asked, “Maharaja, just a minute. How much time do you think will pass before I reach spiritual perfection? Will it be in the next life or the life after that?”

I reflected and then answered, “See, I don’t think your approach is proper. So many spiritualists are occupied with the afterlife. When will I go back to Godhead? When will I take up my eternal form and go into the direct service of the Divine Couple? Or in other religions: What does paradise look like? Will there really be milk flowing in rivers?”

These spiritualists are so concerned with their afterlife that they forget the now. Bhakti has to happen in the now, in the present moment. Bhakti is not about a distant God, attained somewhere at some distant time, in the future. No, it’s about the close God.

Krishna makes it very clear in the Gita that He is situated in everyone’s heart and that by bhakti alone one can come to know Him. And bhakti has to happen now. I have to act for Krishna now. I have to use my body, mind and heart now and I have to have the desire to please Him now.