Govardhan Eco Village near Mumbai demonstrates sustainable living through organic farming, rural development, women empowerment, and community collaboration. It revitalizes the concept of ancient temple towns, integrating spiritual, social, and sustainable impacts (S3). Recognized globally, it fosters harmony and ecological balance.
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Shri Jayadeva Goswami appeared in either the eleventh or twelfth century of the Shaka era. There is a difference of opinion about his place of birth. The majority opinion holds that he was from the village of Kendubilva, presently in the district of Birbhum. Others claim that he was born in either Orissa or South India.

Kendubilva is situated about twenty miles south of Siuri on the banks of the Ajaya River. In the Gaudiya Vaishnava Abhidhana, it is stated that Jayadeva found his Radha Madhava Deities in this river’s waters. It is also stated there that he used to rest and worship at the temple of Shiva known as Kusheshwar, which is also on the banks of the Ajaya River. Jayadeva’s father was named Bhojadeva and his mother, Vama Devi.

Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakur writes in his Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya that Lakshman Sen was delighted when he heard Jayadeva’s hymn to the ten incarnations, the Dasavatara-stotra. When Govardhan Acharya notified the king that it was Jayadeva who had composed the hymn, he became desirous to meet the poet. 

He went incognito to Jayadeva’s house and when he saw him, he noticed that Jayadeva possessed all the characteristics of a great and powerful spiritual personality. Deeply impressed and attracted to Jayadeva, the king revealed his identity to him and invited him to come and live in the royal palace. Jayadeva was leading a very renounced life and was therefore unwilling to live in the opulent environment of the palace. He told the king that he preferred to live in Jagannath Puri.

Lakshman Sen was disappointed by Jayadeva’s intentions. He quickly suggested that he take up residence in the village of Champa Hati, saying that it was a place suitable for a person who wished to lead a meditative life. He also promised him that he would never come to disturb him again. 

When Jayadeva agreed, Lakshman Sen had a cottage built for him in the village that was formerly known as Champaka-hatta, named after the beautiful garden of champa trees and the village market where Mahaprabhu’s associate Dvija Baninath received a vision of Him in the Satya Yuga, seeing Him in the form of a Brahmin whose skin was the color of champa flower. 

Similarly, Jayadeva had a vision here, first of Radha-Madhava, then of Their combined form as the golden champa-colored Gauranga Mahaprabhu. 

After the Lord gave Jayadeva this vision, He told him to go to Jagannath Puri. Although Jayadeva was sad to leave the future abode of his Lord, he obeyed the Lord’s command and made his way to Puri, where it is said that he was engaged as the king of Orissa’s court poet. 

He spent the remainder of his life in the abode of Lord Jagannath, where he wrote the transcendental poem based on the sentiment of love in separation known as Gita-govinda or Astapadi. Indeed, Mahaprabhu told Jayadeva while giving him the vision of Navadwip that after appearing there, He would take sannyas and go to Jagannath Puri where He would relish the Gita-Govinda.

According to legend, Jagannath Himself ordered Jayadeva to marry his wife, Padmavati. The story is told in the Visvakosa as follows: there once was a Brahmin who was without offspring despite having worshiped Jagannath for many years in the hope of having a son. Finally, he and his wife had a daughter and they named her Padmavati. 

When she came of marriageable age, the Brahmin brought her to Lord Jagannath to offer her to his lotus feet. When He saw them, Jagannath said to the Brahmin, “I have a servant whose name is Jayadeva. He has given up family life and has dedicated himself to chanting My names. Give your daughter to him in marriage.”

The Brahmin took his daughter to Jayadeva and asked him to marry his daughter. However, since Jayadeva had no desire to get married, he refused to agree to any such arrangement. The Brahmin then told him that it was Jagannath Himself who had arranged this marriage; and without another word, he left, leaving his daughter behind. Jayadeva found himself totally unprepared for this situation and told the girl, “Tell me where you want to go and I will take you and leave you there. You cannot stay here.”

Padmavati started to cry and said, “My father brought me here to marry you on Jagannath Deva’s order. You are my husband, my all in all. If you do not accept me, then I will fall down at your feet and die right here. You are my only hope, my Lord.” The poet and scholar Jayadev could not abandon her after such a heartfelt plea. So he became a householder.

[Later], Jayadeva took his Deities Radha and Madhava with him, and set off on a long journey. Once in Vrindavan, he began to serve his Deities in an area near Keshi Ghat. When the residents of the Dham heard Jayadeva sing the Gita-Govinda in his sweet voice, they were entranced. One merchant built a large temple for the Deities on that site.

It is said that Jayadeva returned to his birthplace in Kendubilva after living in Vrindavan for many years. He spent the rest of his life there, worshipping his Deities and performing his bhajan. He would make the long walk to the Ganges every day to take his bath there. One day, for some reason or another, he was unable to make it. Ganga Devi was so kind to him that she came personally to the village of Kendubilva so that he would bathe in her holy waters. It is said that Jayadeva died in Kendubilva and every year on the first day of the month a Magh, a large festival, is held there in his memory.

There is, however, a difference of opinion about where Jayadeva finished his life. Though some say he returned to Kendubilva, others claim it was Puri, and still others say that he went to Vrindavan. Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur has stated his opinion that Jayadeva left this world from Jagannath Puri. 

Though some people say that Jayadeva returned to Kendubilva to spend his last days, there is no indication anywhere that he brought his Radha-Madhava Deities with him. In fact, these Deities were taken by the king of Jaipur to a place named Ghati sometime after Jayadeva’s passing away and they are still being served in the Jaipur area.

By Dandavats Staff Writer

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Firefighters and police officers in Los Angeles work together to manage the Palisades wildfire. The fire, which started on January 7, quickly spread due to severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds. Firefighters pre-deployed resources, including fire engines, command teams, brush patrols, water tenders, and air operations personnel. Evacuation warnings and orders were issued
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A growing number of Israelis are turning to Krishna consciousness and embracing the teachings of Bhakti Yoga. In this video, we explore why more and more people in Israel are finding spiritual fulfillment and connection with Krishna. Discover the transformative power of chanting, devotion, and spiritual service that is spreading in this vibrant country. 🌿
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The Bhagavatam in French is quickly becoming a spiritual sensation in France! With its deep wisdom and divine teachings, it’s capturing the hearts and minds of countless readers. Watch as we dive into the growing popularity of this sacred text and how it’s making an impact across the French-speaking world. 🌟 **In This Video**: How
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HH Romapada Maharaj discusses Vaishnava etiquette, focusing on respecting others despite conditioning, trauma, or misfortune. He emphasizes tolerance, intelligence in applying principles, and seeking guidance from mentors. The session explores topics like cultural conduct, inner cultivation, and balancing respect with discernment, alongside Q&A on challenges, gratitude, and respectful exchanges in devotion.
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Here are some glimpses from the ongoing “Temple Worship” unit at Mayapur Academy! This unit offers a comprehensive journey into the heart of deity worship. Students are learning various aspects of temple services, including Acaman, Aarti, Bhoga offerings, Deity Shyana, Uthan rituals, Shodash Upacara, and Mantras. With a strong emphasis on philosophical foundations, the unit
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By Dandavats Staff Writer

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The video showcases the Bhumi Puja ceremony for the Krishna Balaram Cultural Centre at ISKCON Vrindavan. The speakers express gratitude to attendees and outline the project’s significance. Key highlights include: Project Overview: The center will include guest rooms and facilities to inspire devotees and promote Krishna Consciousness globally. High-Quality Construction: Use of top-grade materials, such
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Dear Devotees, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. During the Governing Body Commission’s (GBC) meeting on Monday, December 30th, the GBC formally accepted Giriraja Swami’s letter addressed to them, in which he announced that he would no longer be offering initiations. As stated in his letter, dated October 27, 2024: “It
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It was a pleasure hosting English singer, songwriter, musician and producer Mr. Chris Martin of Coldplay @coldplay and American actress Ms. Dakota Johnson @dakotajohnson, along with their friends, at ISKCON Chowpatty. Thank you for visiting us. We wish you the very best for your concerts in India, your world tour, and all your future endeavors.
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By Dandavats Staff Writer

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Sri Gopal Bhatta Goswami, one of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, was a prominent Vaishnava saint and a direct disciple of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He is known for his humility, devotion, and scholarly contributions to the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition.

Gopal Bhatta Goswami was born in 1503 and is renowned for his role in preserving and propagating the teachings of Lord Chaitanya. He was known for his exceptional cooking, sweet singing of the Bhagavatam, and his strict adherence to devotional practices.

Despite his significant contributions, Gopal Bhatta Goswami remained humble and requested not to be prominently mentioned in the Chaitanya-charitamrita, showcasing his self-effacing nature. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Bhakti cult in Vrindavan and left behind a rich legacy of spiritual literature.

Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami contributed to Gaudiya Vaishnavism through his service and writings. He was responsible for writing treatises that exposed aberrant philosophies and practices adulterating the teachings of pure srngara-rasa, while also emphasizing the importance of vaidhi-bhakti. Additionally, he installed one of the seven principal Deities of Vrndavana, the Radharamana Deity, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Radharamana temple. His contributions are significant in the development and preservation of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

The deity of Radha Ramana appeared when the Damodara Shila manifested Himself as the beautiful Radha Ramana Deity. This manifestation occurred in 1542, and since then, Radha Ramana has been worshiped with pure devotion following precise sastric rituals. Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami played a significant role in the worship and installation of the Radha Ramana Deity. The deity is worshipped with great reverence and devotion in Vrndavana.

Gopal Bhatta Goswami’s life exemplifies the essence of devotion and surrender to the Supreme Lord. His dedication to spreading the message of love and devotion continues to inspire generations of spiritual seekers.

For Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s appearance day, I thought to read a verse and purport about him from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter Ten, “The Branches of the Caitanya Tree”:

TEXT 105

sri gopala bhatta eka sakha sarvottama
rupa-sanatana-sange yanra prema-alapana

TRANSLATION

Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, the forty-seventh branch, was one of the great and exalted branches of the tree. He always engaged in discourses about love of Godhead in the company of Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was the son of Venkata Bhatta, a resident of Sri Rangam. Gopala Bhatta formerly belonged to the disciplic succession of the Ramanuja-sampradaya but later became part of the Gaudiya-sampradaya. In the year 1433 Sakabda (A.D. 1511), when Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was touring South India, He stayed for four months during the period of Caturmasya at the house of Venkata Bhatta, who then got the opportunity to serve the Lord to his heart’s content. Gopala Bhatta also got the opportunity to serve the Lord at this time. Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was later initiated by his uncle, the great sannyasi Prabodhananda Sarasvati. Both the father and the mother of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami were extremely fortunate, for they dedicated their entire lives to the serviceof Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They allowed Gopala Bhatta Gosvami to go to Vrndavana, and they gave up their lives thinking of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Lord Caitanya was later informed that Gopala Bhatta Gosvami had gone to Vrndavana and met Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami, He was very pleased, and He advised Sri Rupa and Sanatana to accept Gopala Bhatta Gosvami as their younger brother and take care of him. Sri Sanatana Gosvami, out of his great affection for Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, compiled the Vaisnava smrti named Hari-bhakti-vilasa and published it under his name. Under the instruction of Srila Rupa and Sanatana, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami installed one of the seven principal Deities of Vrndavana, the Radharamana Deity. The sevaits (priests) of the Radharamana temple belong to the Gaudiya-sampradaya.

COMMENT

Actually, one of the families entrusted with the Deity service at the Radha-ramana Mandir has a history of relations with the line of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Vishwambhar Goswami’s father or grandfather had relations with Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the family maintained relations with Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and then Vishwambhar Goswami had very friendly relations with Srila Prabhupada. And he spoke very nicely about Srila Prabhupada. Now Vishwambhar Goswami’s son Padma Nabh Goswami is also very favorable to ISKCON. In fact, ISKCON devotees often honor prasada at his home at the Radha-ramana Mandir. When I took prasada there with His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami, Padma Nabh Goswami showed us a letter that Srila Prabhupada had written to his father, Vishwambhar Goswami, about how all Vaishnavas should cooperate. So, not only does the Radha-ramana temple belong to the Gaudiya-sampradaya, but at least some of the sevaits have had close relations with the line of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

PURPORT (concluded)

When Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami took permission from all the Vaisnavas before writing Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami also gave him his blessings, but he requested him not to mention his name in the book. Therefore Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has mentioned Gopala Bhatta Gosvami only very cautiously in one or two passages of the Caitanya-caritamrta. Srila Jiva Gosvami has written in the beginning of his Tattva-sandarbha, “A devotee from southern India who was born of a brahmana family and was a very intimate friend of Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami has written a book that he has not compiled chronologically. Therefore I, a tiny living entity known as jiva, am trying to assort the events of the book chronologically, consulting the direction of great personalities like Madhvacarya, Sridhara Svami, Ramanujacarya,and other senior Vaisnavas in the disciplic succession.” In the beginning of the Bhagavat-sandarbha there are similar statements by Srila Jiva Gosvami. Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami compiled a book called Sat-kriya-sara-dipika, edited the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, wrote a foreword to the Sat-sandarbha and a commentary on the Krsna-karnamrta, and installed the Radharamana Deity in Vrndavana. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (184) it is mentioned that his previous name in the pastimes of Lord Krsna was Ananga-manjari. Sometimes he is also said to have been an incarnation of Guna-manjari. Srinivasa Acarya and Gopinatha Pujari were two of his disciples.

COMMENT

Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami ki jaya!

One story about Gopala Bhatta Gosvami is that on the eve of Nrsimha-caturdasi all the other Gosvamis and Vaishnavas in Vrindavan were preparing to worship their Deities and hold festivals. Gopala Bhatta Gosvami had only a salagrama-sila; he didn’t have a Deity with arms and legs and a body that he could dress and decorate. So he was feeling deprived of the opportunity to serve like the other devotees who had Deities they could serve in these ways. And out of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s strong desire, a salagrama-sila became manifest in the form of Radha-ramana. Radha-ramana is considered the most beautiful Deity of Krishna. He is the one original Deity of the Gosvamis that has remained in Vrindavan, while the others had to be taken elsewhere for fear of the Muslim invaders. And near the temple of Radha-ramana in Vrindavan is the samadhi of Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami.

Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s uncle and siksa-guru was Prabodhananda Sarasvati. His samadhi is also located in Vrindavan, just off the parikrama path near Kaliya-ghata, quite near our Krishna-Balaram Mandir. So, often when we go on parikrama down the path near the Yamuna, we visit Prabodhananda Sarasvati’s samadhi and bhajana-kutira. And then we proceed to Srila Sanatana Gosvami’s samadhi. Srila Sanatana Gosvami was the most senior of the Gosvamis and was also a close associate and instructor of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. In fact, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami worked with Sanatana Gosvami to produce the great treatise Hari-bhakti-vilasa.

I feel that Gopala Bhatta Gosvami has been especially merciful to me on two occasions. On one, I visited his bhajana-kutira at Sanketa, a place between Nandagrama and Varsana where Radha and Krishna used to meet and sometimes perform rasa-lila. Gopala Bhatta would sit and chant underground in a deep cavern accessible only through a long, narrow passage. At the end of the passage was a somewhat roomier place where Gopala Bhatta used to chant, now marked as his bhajana-sthala. I remember going there with Tamal Krishna Goswami and others on a very hot day and struggling to crawl through the passage to the bhajana-sthala. It was difficult, but when I finally reached there, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was very merciful: he allowed me to chant with a glimpse of taste. And after all the devotees emerged from the cavern, I stole back in. I crawled back to Gopala Bhatta’s lotus feet, and I sat there chanting. I will never forget his mercy to me there, and I pray that he will enable me to chant with relish and love.

On the other occasion, during Kartik of 1999, shortly before my surgery, I visited Gopala Bhatta’s samadhi near the Radha-ramana Mandir. We arrived just after raja-bhoga-arati, and the pujari was closing the doors to the samadhi-mandira. But he was kind enough to open them for us and allow us darshan of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. He gave us some flowers and caranamrta and invited us to stay for prasada. Thus our small party, along with some local sadhus, honored Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s maha-maha-prasadam with great relish, and we even stayed to take a little rest before we continued on our way, filled with bliss. So, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami is very kind.

Years later, when some of my disciples from Bombay went to Vrindavan on pilgrimage, they visited the samadhi. They told the pujaris about me, how my health no longer allowed me to visit Vraja, and asked for some prasada for me. And one of the pujaris kindly gave them a piece of cloth from the samadhi. It is very special. Now, twice a year, once on Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s appearance day and once on his disappearance day, we bring it out and touch it. So now we shall pass it around and touch it to our heads and to our hearts—and pray to Gopala Bhatta Gosvami for his sublime mercy.

Thank you.

Hare Krishna.

By Dandavats Staff Writer

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By Dandavats Staff Writer

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 Ramachandra Kaviraja, the son of Shri Chiranjiva Sena (eternal associate of Lord Chaitanya), appeared in Shri Khanda. “Ramachandara Kaviraja was especially earnest, beautiful, intelligent, energetic, and enthusiastic,” said one biographer.

Although married, Ramachandra and his wife, Ratanala, had no material attachments. They stayed fully engaged in the loving service of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. They had no children. With steadfast devotion he served his spiritual master, Shrinivasa Acharya. In Vrindavana, Shri Jiva Goswami gave him the title, kaviraja, “king of poets.”

Ramachandra Kaviraja was one of the eight kavirajas, famous poet disciples of Shrinivasa Acharya. Ramachandra wrote Smarana Darpana, Smarana Chamatkara, Siddhanta Chandrika. He preached widely and initiated many disciples. Narottama Dasa Thakura and Ramachandra lived together as best friends.

Narottama Dasa wrote, doya kore shri acharya prabhu shrinivasa; ramachandra sanga mage Narottama Dasa, “0 Shrinivasa Acharya Prabhu, please give me your mercy. Narottama Dasa always prays for the association of Ramachandra Kaviraja.”

In the form of Karna manjari, he serves Shrimati Radharani in Vraja lila. His samadhi is in Dhira Samira Kunja next to Shrinivasa Acharya. 

By Dandavats Staff Writer

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by ISKCON News (@iskcon.news) Here is the text transcription: Hare Krishna, this is Anuttama Dasa reporting for ISKCON News. Today is Wednesday the 15th of January. I’m here at the Kharghar ISKCON temple, Radha Madan Mohan Mandir. You can see the beautiful temple behind me. Today, there’s
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The video titled “When Good Fortune Arises” by Svayam Bhagavan Keshava Maharaja features a spiritually enriching discussion emphasizing service, devotion, and spreading love through Krishna Consciousness. Speaking in Cambridge, UK, Maharaja reflects on his experiences and the progress of the movement over the past 20 years. Key points include: The Power of Devotion: Every devotee,
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By Dandavats Staff Writer

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Prabhuji’s Talk Summary

Prabhuji also highlighted from the seventh chapter that although different kinds of people approach Krishna, and even though Nali (the best devotee) is the most exalted, Krishna appreciates everyone who seeks him.

Then, Prabhuji discussed the difference between devotional service and pure devotional service. Devotional service is when we go to Krishna for our own interests. However, pure devotional service is when we go to Krishna even when we have other options; at this point, Krishna becomes our primary interest.

He also spoke about the three main elements in devotional service: Jiva (the soul), the Lord, and the world. In pure devotional service, Krishna becomes a greater reality than the world. As we grow in devotion, we begin to realize that Krishna is our anchor and the most important person in our lives.

Prabhuji also mentioned that in the beginning, Krishna is the means, and the world is the end. But as we progress, the world becomes the means, and Krishna becomes the ultimate goal. Therefore, everything else in life is seen as a means to serve Krishna.

To summarize the three key aspects of pure devotional service:

1. The relationship with Krishna is not transactional but transformational.
2. Krishna becomes a greater reality than the world.
3. The world becomes the means, and Krishna becomes the end goal.

Next, Prabhuji discussed the difference between “inspired” and “aspired” devotional service, which he would elaborate on further.

He then introduced the six characteristics of pure devotional service. The first two characteristics are related to the effects on the devotee. The second pair refers to the nature of the devotees themselves, and the final one refers to the relationship between the soul and God.

Finally, Prabhuji emphasized that the relationship with Krishna has intrinsic characteristics, which he would further elaborate on in the upcoming discussion.

He concluded by thanking everyone for their attention and encouraged the audience to continue reflecting on these aspects of devotional service.

How Can We Better Manage Our Mind?

To manage our minds effectively, we must first understand the interests of our audience. Once we identify the interests of the audience, we then find the corresponding sections of scripture that address those interests. In other words, the speaker must be aware of both the scripture and the audience to communicate effectively.

Speaking with realization makes the message more relevant, relatable, and applicable. Let’s apply this idea to the six characteristics of devotional service.

In this context, the audience’s interest represents the timely aspect, while the scriptural message itself represents the timeless aspect. Shri Rupa Goswami wrote the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (Nectar of Devotion), where he outlines the six characteristics of bhakti. However, we must remember that the interests of the audience may vary depending on the circumstances of the time.

For example, Rupa Goswami wrote his book in the 16th century, and it was originally intended for an audience familiar with Vedic wisdom in Vrindavan. The scripture covers many topics—karma, jnana, tantra, yoga, and more—but Rupa Goswami focused on bhakti. He explained these principles with scriptural references, such as how bhakti is auspicious (sukhata) and how it removes distress (klesha).

However, in today’s context, while scriptural references are still important, we also need to understand what these characteristics mean for us personally. If bhakti is supposed to bring auspiciousness and remove distress, we may wonder: does practicing bhakti mean all our distress will disappear? And if it doesn’t, does that mean bhakti isn’t working or that we are not practicing it properly?

The difference here is that, while scriptural references remain important, it is crucial for us to relate these teachings to our own lives and see how these characteristics manifest.

Shri Prabhupada, in his writings, didn’t always provide a plethora of scriptural references. Instead, he focused on what was most relevant and relatable for the audience. This is why in his summaries, Prabhupada would often simplify the message and make it accessible, rather than citing an overwhelming number of references. This approach made the teachings more understandable and persuasive, especially for modern audiences.

For instance, if a speaker addresses a scientific audience and discusses the benefits of meditation for mental and physical health, citing research published in well-known journals like Science or Nature would be persuasive. Similarly, when discussing devotional service, it’s essential to relate the concepts to the audience’s personal experience.

Now, let’s focus on the first two characteristics of devotional service: it removes distress and brings auspiciousness. These two qualities are often described in Sanskrit as something that “announces” or “heralds” auspiciousness. Bhakti is not a digital, one-or-zero experience. It’s not an all-or-nothing scenario. Devotional service is more like a relationship that gradually develops over time. It’s like an analog scale—our relationship with Krishna deepens incrementally.

When we talk about pure devotional service, it’s not just an unattainable ideal. There’s a spectrum, and people can be on various stages of this spectrum. Some may practice devotional service more purely, while others may practice it less so. It’s not a rigid distinction; it’s more about the depth of the relationship.

Think of devotional service like a medical treatment. When someone undergoes treatment, they experience two things: the pain decreases, and the health improves. Initially, the pain might decrease without significantly improving health, especially if only symptomatic treatment is given. But if the treatment is thorough and effective, the underlying problem is healed, and health improves over time.

In devotional service, we may not experience immediate relief from all distress, but as we practice bhakti more consistently and deeply, the benefits will start to manifest. These benefits will not necessarily be immediate or fully realized at once, but with sustained practice, we will see gradual improvement.

Similarly, as someone receives treatment for an illness, they may begin by feeling better and experiencing less pain, but full recovery takes time. The same applies to devotional service: gradual growth and progress lead to greater auspiciousness in life, even if the journey starts slowly.

So, devotional service can manifest partially even for those who are still on the path, and the benefits gradually increase as one moves toward more sincere and pure devotion. This understanding helps us appreciate the incremental progress in our devotional practice, rather than expecting an immediate or complete transformation.

In summary, devotional service is not just about reaching an ideal state of purity instantly. It’s a continuous journey where distress is gradually alleviated, and auspiciousness is cultivated over time.

After that, I asked the doctor about the diagnosis. The technician got the report, and I carried it with me. I noticed that there was no clear diagnosis, and they mentioned it wasn’t important. However, I saw that the report had PUO written on it. At that time, I had no idea what PUO meant, so I asked the doctor, “What is this PUO?” He explained that it stands for “Pyrexia of Unknown Origin.” “Pyrexia” means fever, and when the cause of the fever is unknown, it is classified as PUO.

It’s somewhat embarrassing for doctors to admit that they don’t have a diagnosis, so they use the term PUO. In this case, the patient is undiagnosed, and without a diagnosis, they can’t be treated. On the other hand, another patient who is diagnosed can begin treatment.

Though both patients may experience pain in the present, their futures will be very different. The undiagnosed patient’s condition may worsen over time, while the diagnosed patient’s condition will improve with treatment.

Similarly, when we start practicing Bhakti, we may still be in the material world, facing challenges like anyone else. If the temperature rises, or if there is economic or political instability, we too feel the heat and stress. But by practicing Bhakti, we begin the process of diagnosis and treatment for our deeper suffering.

Just as medical treatment gradually reduces pain and improves health, Bhakti practice leads to a gradual decrease in distress (Klesh-agni) and an increase in spiritual well-being (Sukhad-agni). So, practicing Bhakti doesn’t immediately eliminate all the pain, but it starts the process of healing.

Now, with this understanding, we can see Bhakti as a medicine for material existence. By practicing Bhakti, we experience a gradual decrease in distress and an increase in spiritual auspiciousness, much like a patient being treated with the right medication.

In conclusion, Bhakti provides us with the tools to deal with suffering. Although practicing Bhakti doesn’t eliminate all the worldly difficulties we face, it offers a diagnosis for the root causes of our distress and provides a treatment path to spiritual healing.

It’s almost ironic or strange that the message, “this world is a place of distress,” actually decreases Arjuna’s distress. Arjuna is in distress, and when Krishna speaks, his words help alleviate that distress. So, Krishna’s purpose is not to emphasize that the world is filled with suffering, but rather to guide Arjuna out of that distress.

Jeeva Goswami, in the Sandarbhas, explains that to understand the core message of a book, we should examine what is said at the beginning and the end. For example, if a speaker is organized, they might introduce the topic at the beginning and summarize it at the end. By listening to the start and the conclusion, we can grasp the essence of the message. In the same way, if we look at what Krishna speaks at the beginning and the end of the Bhagavad Gita, we can understand its core purpose.

The first instructive word Krishna speaks is in 2.11: “A-shocchan.” This means “not worth lamenting,” or “do not lament.” The last instructive word Krishna speaks is in 18.66: “Maa shujahav,” meaning “do not fear, do not lament.” Essentially, the purpose of the Gita is to free people from distress, and it begins with the message that suffering is not worth lamenting and ends with the assurance to not fear or be distressed. The Gita’s message is not pessimistic; rather, it is positive and affirmative—it is meant to uplift us from distress, not keep us in it.

Now, let’s look at the context of the Gita to understand why it is not a message of pessimism. The Gita begins with distress but ends with guidance that leads to liberation from that distress. It is giving hope and a path to overcome suffering, not merely describing the world as a place of suffering.

When we talk about distress, there are some forms of distress that are avoidable and some that are unavoidable. For example, in 2014, I visited Washington, D.C., for the first time. It was winter, and I went out for chanting early in the morning. I thought it was 11°C, but it turned out to be -11°C. I couldn’t even move my fingers, and my lips turned purple. I rushed back, put on warmer clothes, and went out again. The cold weather caused distress, but it was unavoidable given the freezing temperature. However, there are ways to mitigate such distress, like wearing warm clothes. Even then, some discomfort may remain, but we can reduce its impact.

Distress can be categorized as either avoidable or unavoidable. The unavoidable distress is like the cold weather, where external conditions affect us. However, there are ways to manage it, just as we can mitigate physical distress with warm clothes. Similarly, there are mental and spiritual strategies to manage distress in life.

When Krishna speaks about this world being “Dukkhalayam” (a place of distress), it doesn’t mean we should resign ourselves to a life of suffering. Krishna’s message is to acknowledge the reality of distress but also to show that it doesn’t need to be overwhelming or all-consuming. He encourages us to rise above it through spiritual practice.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna’s lamentation in the beginning is not about his own death; he is not afraid of dying. Rather, his fear stems from a moral dilemma—he does not want to harm his loved ones or act against dharma. This fear of causing harm is what leads to his distress, not a fear of his own death.

So, when Krishna tells Arjuna that the world is a place of distress, it’s not a call to accept distress passively. It’s a reality check that, despite the inherent challenges of life, there is a way to transcend that distress through understanding and spiritual practice.

Arjuna is unsure whether winning the kingdom is worth killing his relatives, worth shooting his teachers like Dronacharya and Bhishma. His fear is not about his own death, but about the moral dilemma of whether this is the right thing to do. Sometimes, the level of fear a person experiences reflects their level of consciousness.

I recently had a conversation with someone who was seriously ill, a well-respected preacher. Despite his own grave condition, which had low chances of recovery, his main concern wasn’t for his health but for the future of others. He said, “Many people are supporting me financially for my treatment, but what about devotees who are not as well-known as me? If they fall ill, who will offer them support? We need to create a system to help them.”

It struck me that, even in such a challenging time, his concern was not for himself, but for the well-being of others. This shows how a person’s fear or concern can reflect their consciousness. For example, if a company is facing bankruptcy, the owners may worry about how they will pay for their mansions or deal with their personal debts. But in other cases, a company might worry about its employees, clients, and business partners. In the second situation, the fear is more selfless than the first, where the concern is centered around personal loss.

Arjuna’s fear is also selfless. He fears that by doing the wrong thing, even if he gains the kingdom, it could lead to the destruction of future generations of his dynasty. This moral hesitation causes Arjuna’s anxiety and indecision.

Now, when Arjuna surrenders to Krishna, does his distress magically disappear? No, Arjuna still has to fight. His inner conflict doesn’t just vanish after he surrenders. Krishna doesn’t solve the problem by revealing some past life scenario, like explaining that Bhishma and Arjuna had interactions in past lives. Krishna doesn’t teach that way. Instead, Krishna focuses on the present situation and guides Arjuna on what he should do right now. He doesn’t promise a mystical solution but teaches how to deal with the challenge in front of him.

Arjuna practices bhakti and surrenders to Krishna, saying, “I will do what you say.” But Krishna doesn’t remove all the external troubles. Some things, like the threat from Duryodhana, are unavoidable. Duryodhana is not going to stop fighting, so Arjuna must face the challenges ahead.

In life, we often face unavoidable troubles. For example, if someone is seriously sick, even with the best doctors and treatments, it doesn’t mean the disease will magically disappear. The person will still experience some pain and suffering, though the treatment may alleviate some of it. Similarly, Krishna’s teachings in the Bhagavad Gita focus on how to navigate these unavoidable challenges, helping us to manage distress with wisdom, devotion, and perseverance.

So, basically, there is both avoidable and unavoidable suffering. What is avoidable, we should avoid. It’s not that if it’s cold and the world is Dukkha Leham (a place of suffering), we deliberately go into the cold without wearing warm clothes. That is not necessary. What is avoidable should be avoided.

For example, the Shastras say that if we indulge in our senses too much, like drinking excessively, and then become sick, is that because the world is Dukkha Leham? No, it is because we are engaging in activities that are bringing suffering upon ourselves. So, avoidable suffering should be avoided, and that requires conscious effort.

At the same time, there is unavoidable suffering, and that should be accepted. Accepting means it has to be tolerated and eventually transcended. How to tolerate and transcend it will be discussed in the evening session.

For example, if someone has a disease and is in pain, they may take pain medication, which alleviates the pain. Is this a good thing? Yes, because it helps reduce the suffering. However, if they only take the pain medication and do not address the root cause of the illness, they might not improve. They are only masking the problem, and in the long run, it could worsen.

So, some amount of pain is unavoidable, and we need to accept it. There is some distress that is unavoidable, and it is often linked to karma, which we will talk more about in the evening session. As Krishna said this morning, Gokhar, when we try to avoid unavoidable suffering, we might end up creating even more suffering in the process.

This principle is not just about diseases. The same idea applies in other areas of life. Avoiding unavoidable suffering might lead to even greater distress. However, the point we are making here is that when we start practicing bhakti, it’s not a magic switch that makes all distress disappear. We will still experience challenges, but bhakti offers something significant.

There is some unavoidable suffering that is actually required for growth. Growth means, for example, a student who just wants to play, but the mother encourages them to study. The child starts learning to speak, write, and recognize words. This is not easy, but once they learn, the whole world opens up to them. If they don’t learn, they will miss out on that entire world for the rest of their life. So, some suffering is necessary for progress.

Now, I will make two more points before we conclude the class. First, there is perceivable suffering and suffering at a more fundamental, non-perceivable level. For example, you might feel swelling in your gums, but the root cause could be something deeper, like cancer. Similarly, many of our problems, like not having enough money, job insecurity, or conflicts at home, are perceivable problems. These problems are real, and we cannot ignore them.

But these perceivable problems are just symptoms of a more fundamental issue: the soul’s misidentification with the material world. The soul’s attachment to the material world leads to more fundamental problems like birth, old age, disease, and death (Janmabandhu Jarayana). These are the core problems we face in life.

When we practice bhakti, it does not immediately solve the problems of Janmabandhu Jarayana. If there is a disease, there will still be suffering. However, two important things happen when we practice bhakti: First, the world becomes smaller, and Krishna becomes bigger in our life. When Krishna is bigger and the world becomes smaller, we start to see the world differently.

For most people, when the world is big and Krishna is small, the world is filled with dualities—ups and downs. Sometimes people honor us, sometimes they dishonor us; sometimes it’s hot, sometimes it’s cold. To the extent we are attached to the material world, these dualities affect us more. But as we progress spiritually, we learn to transcend these dualities and realize that Krishna’s presence is what matters most.

So, consider someone who is very attached to something. For example, I met someone from Sri Lanka in Canada. He came to teach me opera classes, and I initially thought he was Indian, but he told me he was from Sri Lanka. He shared that he had been introduced to cricket around 9–10 years ago, sometime between 2010 and 2015–16. During this period, Sri Lanka made it to the finals of about 3 or 4 World Cup tournaments but lost each time, including matches against India and other countries. He said, “I was a very avid cricket fan. I had two friends, both of whom were also great fans. The third time Sri Lanka lost, we were all completely depressed. Then, my friend committed suicide because of that.”

I was completely shocked. It’s hard to fathom. None of the players committed suicide, even though they took the game seriously. But for them, it’s still just a game. What happens in this world is that when we become too attached to something, the dualities—wins and losses, highs and lows—become much bigger.

This is what happens when we work in an office. One day, we feel like we love the job because the boss gives us positive feedback. The next day, the boss gives us some constructive criticism, and we might think, “Why did I even take this job? I hate it!” So, we tend to go up and down. This can even happen in relationships. These days, relationships are largely based on emotions. One day, someone might say, “You’re so wonderful, I love you, I can’t live without you,” and the next day, they might say, “How could you do that? You’re such a terrible person, I hate you, I can’t live with you.”

So, when we experience these dualities, they are real. But our overreaction to them can make life’s problems far bigger than they need to be. Yes, if your favorite team loses, it’s disappointing. If your boss gives you negative feedback, or a family member is not there when you need them, it’s a problem. But it’s our reaction to these dualities that amplifies the problems.

This is how we become materially unstable. It leads to avoidable distress. As I mentioned earlier, there is both avoidable and unavoidable distress. So, we go to work, the boss gives us some negative feedback, and that’s painful. But if we get upset and shout at the boss, and the boss fires us, then that leads to a much bigger problem. Many times, we make our problems worse because of our reactions.

When we are materially unstable, it’s mainly because our mind is unstable. We overthink dualities and make them seem too serious. But when we become spiritually connected, the world becomes smaller, and the impact of dualities also lessens. We start becoming more stable in facing them.

The practice of bhakti helps us become mentally more peaceful. It’s not that the dualities will go away, but our ability to face them with steadiness improves. When the world becomes smaller, we become more stable. If someone speaks rudely to us, it’s never pleasant, but it no longer has the same emotional power over us. It’s not such a big deal anymore.

Much of the distress in our lives comes from our overreactions to situations. These overreactions increase the instability we experience. Now, for many people, the idea of steadiness amidst dualities sounds very appealing. We want to remain composed and peaceful. But it can also seem very difficult because we are conditioned to seek happiness in material things.

For example, we think, “If India wins, I’ll be extremely happy,” or “If India loses, I’ll be very peaceful and detached.” But that’s not how it works. If we invest our emotions in something, the more we delight in its positive side, the more we’ll suffer when the negative side comes up. For instance, if we become very happy when someone praises us, we’ll find it hard to stay steady when that same person criticizes us.

Dualities are like a coin: one side is pleasure (honor, success) and the other side is pain (dishonor, failure). We can’t enjoy one side and stay steady when the other side appears. This is why many people find it difficult to be steady amidst dualities. If we become detached or steady, it seems like life will lose its emotional highs, and that doesn’t seem appealing to many.

However, as we deepen our connection with Krishna, Krishna becomes the source of our spiritual happiness. So, even though the material world’s dualities don’t disappear, our source of happiness shifts. The steadiness that comes from bhakti is not about detaching from everything, but about finding stability in our relationship with Krishna.

And this experience of spiritual happiness is shubhada. As we start practicing bhakti, our connection with Krishna grows stronger. For example, if we are doing sadhana properly, the first time we attend a kirtan, it may feel nice—just a nice ritual, and we may feel good doing it. But as we continue practicing bhakti, we attend the kirtan again, and what we experience becomes much deeper, much richer.

Similarly, many of us are born into pious families, and we may have celebrated Janmashtami in the past, perhaps just as a tradition. But when we practice bhakti, and then come to the Janmashtami festival, we hear about Krishna, chant His name, and take darshan of Krishna, the joy is much deeper. A new dimension of happiness opens for us.

Shubhada means that a whole new universe, a whole dimension of happiness that was previously inaccessible, starts becoming available to us. In this sense, bhakti helps us move toward a higher happiness and away from the distress of the material world. This is how the two characteristics—klesha agni (the fire that burns suffering) and moksha shada (the path to liberation)—become manifest.

Now, regarding the sufferings in our life, how do our present and past karma relate to them? How does karma work, and how does it relate to bhakti? I will discuss that in today’s conversation. Let me summarize what I have discussed so far.

Today, I covered four main points. We are talking about the first two characteristics of pure emotional service. The first thing I mentioned is that when we talk about pure emotional service, it’s a spectrum, not binary logic. It’s not like a 0 or 1 situation. It’s like considering health and sickness. There are extremes, but it is a range of shades in between. So when we talk about bhakti, it doesn’t mean that until we reach pure emotional service, we won’t experience any of the aspects of bhakti. We experience them in our present state, but they become more pronounced as we practice.

Why am I explaining these characteristics? Because I mentioned that in scriptures, there are timeless aspects and timely aspects. When we talk about pure emotional service, realization means explaining things in a way that suits the audience’s context. In the 16th century, scripture references were given by figures like Rupa Goswami to explain these characteristics. But today, to understand these characteristics, we will focus on practical experiences or practical analysis.

Then, I discussed the idea that when suffering goes away and auspiciousness comes, what does this mean? We talked about the Gokhale layer and how the Gita is not pessimistic. It actually relieves Arjuna’s distress and reassures him not to grieve.

Regarding suffering, we discussed two categories: avoidable and unavoidable. When we start practicing the Gita, we first learn to avoid the avoidable suffering, and eventually, the unavoidable suffering becomes something we learn to tolerate and transcend. We’ll explore how we do that later.

Next, we discussed the concept of perceivable and non-perceivable causes of suffering. For example, someone may have symptoms of a disease, but the actual cause of the disease may not be immediately perceivable. Similarly, in bhakti, we may be experiencing suffering or challenges, but by practicing bhakti, we are being diagnosed and treated, and the root cause starts to get addressed.

For us, when we practice bhakti, we become materially peaceful—this is klesha agni—and we also experience spiritual joy, which is shubhada. So, the practice of bhakti brings us a brighter future, both in terms of overcoming material distress and experiencing spiritual bliss.

Now, the specific problems we face and to what extent bhakti addresses them will be discussed in the next session. Are there any questions or comments?

Sure. Arjuna, can we say that the problem you are seeing is from a humanitarian perspective? Like the questions he was putting to Krishna, it seems to be growing in that way. So, can we see it that way?

Yes, definitely. Having said that, it’s not that the human side of our existence is to be rejected. See, spirituality is not meant to extinguish our humanity. It’s meant to expand our identity beyond our humanity. We are still human beings, but we are also more than human beings.

That’s why, later on, when Arjuna is about to give up, Krishna chastises him. The Bhagavad Gita does not ignore the human experience; it provides a higher perspective. Our spirituality doesn’t negate the human experience—it just adds a greater dimension to it.

Krishna doesn’t rigidly separate the two. At the end of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, “Yatra Yogeshwara Krishna,” where the human and divine come together, there will be no defeat. Now, of course, in the material world, everything is temporary. The Pandavas’ kingdom was temporary, but during their rule, they arranged things in such a way that the eternal truths could be pursued.

My point is that improving things at the material level is not wrong. The problem arises when we focus only on material improvement without considering the spiritual aspect. This is like taking pain medication without addressing the root cause of the illness. Material improvement is not a bad thing, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of neglecting spirituality.

In the Bhagavad Gita, specifically in the 4th Canto, there is a story of Maharaj Prithu. His kingdom faces a famine, and there is a shortage of food and water, especially food. The citizens of his kingdom look to him for a solution. I’m not saying we shouldn’t change our perspective or look for material solutions, but we must also remember to maintain the spiritual perspective.

Let me elaborate on this diagram. There is material improvement and spiritual improvement. If only material improvement exists and there is no spiritual progress, that’s not ideal. If there is spiritual improvement without material improvement, that’s good, but it can still be difficult. The best scenario is when both spiritual and material improvement occur together. For example, in the reign of Ram Rajya, it wasn’t just spiritually auspicious—it was also materially prosperous.

So, it’s not that material improvement should be condemned. The problem with much of modern technological advancement is that it often comes at the expense of spiritual well-being. It may reject the idea of God or spirituality, and focus only on technological or economic development, which can create smaller but significant problems in the long run.

So, this is not a method. We will talk more about this in the next session. Hare Krishna, Ramji, very nicely explained. I have one doubt. When you talk about avoidable suffering and unavoidable suffering, you said the unavoidable sufferings must be tolerated and gradually transcended. So, how can we practically identify the unavoidable suffering for people with multilayered experiences? Let’s discuss the understanding of karma.

Thank you. My question is, you said the “wicked white and black” is a sense of fear, which we attach to material life. You partly answered this earlier. But what if someone feels they are caught in attachment to material growth and development, and they feel their growth is not on the spiritual side because they are so attached to material life and can’t avoid it? How do we overcome this situation?

See, the growth from mental attachment to spiritual attachment will take time. Everyone has different attachments, and the strength of those attachments varies from person to person. So, we all will grow at our own pace. We shouldn’t worry too much if some attachments don’t go away immediately. Just keep practicing bhakti.

Think of it like this: If two people have the same disease and both are taking the treatment, can we assume they will both be cured at the same pace? No. We need to consider the duration of the disease, the overall immunity, and their health levels. So, as long as we keep practicing bhakti, we are on the path to recovery and health.

Just keep practicing bhakti. This is the work of Krishna’s mercy, and Krishna will guide us. Focus on fixing your mind on Krishna. Rather than focusing on material attachment and trying to force detachment, we can focus on staying connected with Krishna. As we become more connected with Krishna, individual attachments will gradually fade.

For example, if I have this glass, and I try to empty it—not just of water, but also of air—I will find it very difficult to create a vacuum. Emptying our consciousness of all attachment is like this. It’s very difficult. But instead of trying to forcefully empty the glass, if I focus on filling it with water, the air will automatically be pushed out.

Similarly, if we focus on cultivating a connection with Krishna, by doing more sadhana, meditating on Krishna, or becoming more aware of Krishna, our spiritual attachment will grow, and material attachment will naturally diminish.

The metaphor of the world becoming smaller and Krishna becoming bigger is helpful. It’s very hard for us to artificially make the world smaller. But if we focus on remembering Krishna, then Krishna will grow bigger in our lives, and the world will naturally seem smaller.

So, yes, we depend on mercy, but we also have to do our part as much as we can.

Prabhu, when you talked about the spiritual world, I had a doubt. If there is no birth in the spiritual world, how would we react to that?

Ah, that’s a very profound question. In the spiritual world, there is no birth, but it’s like an eternal Leela (divine play). Leela can be understood like a drama. Sometimes we associate drama with something false, but this Leela is the supreme reality.

In a drama, there are many characters, but not all characters are on stage at the same time. In some parts of the drama, some characters appear, while in other parts, different characters take the stage. Similarly, we are currently not in the spiritual world. It’s like the drama is going on, but our part in the drama has not yet been enacted.

So, it’s not that when someone enters the drama stage, they necessarily have to be born and grow up. Sometimes, as part of the drama, we may show that a character is born and grows up. But in other cases, there might be a king and queen, and they have a commander. The commander, whenever needed, is simply called upon, and the character doesn’t need to be born, grow up, and become a commander.

Similarly, we all have roles in the spiritual world. Our roles are presently inactive. But when we become purified and go to the spiritual world, our roles will become activated again. Thank you for the good question.

Thank you very much. So, by the practice of bhakti, we become mentally purified. Some examples you mentioned, are they compared to mental hallucination? Like sometimes people are in various realities and physically suffering, but by practicing pure devotional service, will they experience peace—both mental and physical? What does this mean?

That’s a good question, and a good example to bring up. Let me explain. There is physical reality and spiritual reality. Now, we could also mention virtual reality. Whether it’s real or not is not the main concern, but let’s try to understand this concept.

In general, physical reality can sometimes be very painful or distressing. But most of the time, it’s just boring. For example, if someone’s goal in life is to enjoy their senses, how long can they do that in a day? They eat food for maybe an hour, or enjoy sexual pleasure for a few minutes, but the rest of the time, life can feel dull and uninteresting.

At this point, people often look for something else. This is when they start daydreaming or entering into mental constructs. Entertainment and intoxication are ways people try to escape reality. Some people become disconnected from the physical world altogether and lose themselves in their minds, which leads to mental escapism.

This is similar to what happens in spirituality: as someone becomes more connected to spiritual reality, they may seem disconnected from the material world. However, the key difference is that spiritual reality is real, unlike the imagined world of daydreams, movies, or fantasy.

For example, someone who loves Harry Potter might immerse themselves in that fictional world. But we all know that Hogwarts is not a real place. It exists in the mind of the reader and in the books, but it doesn’t exist outside of that.

On the other hand, in spiritual practices, the spiritual world is not an imaginary place. It is a real, tangible reality that is described by saints and philosophers. These great souls don’t just tell stories; they also explain the nature of this world and the spiritual world, offering practical guidance on how to reach it.

How do we know that the spiritual reality is real? We know because of the teachings from those who have experienced it—great saints, sages, and philosophers—who have provided not just entertaining stories, but deep philosophical insights that explain the nature of the universe and how we can transcend it.

And then we can look at their lives. Many of the saints are not just impractical; they are also very compassionate in this world. Would the world necessarily be a better place with Harry Potter fans? Well, maybe, maybe not. They might just get lost in their own world. But if more people were devoted, kind, compassionate, and helpful, even this world would become a better place.

We can evaluate the teachers in terms of their examples, the teachings in terms of logic, wisdom, and depth of philosophy, and we can look at the transformation that happens in our own lives.

So, based on these three—teachers, teachings, and transformation—we can gradually develop an understanding and conviction that Krishna consciousness is not just a form of entertainment. Those who experience Krishna and have a higher awareness of Krishna are actually experiencing a higher reality. And often, experiencing that higher reality enables them to deal with this material reality better.

In that sense, it is indeed a higher reality.

Thank you very much. Hare Krishna. We are so grateful to Guruji for so wonderfully giving all of us a deeper understanding of the dynamics between Klesha and Sattva. This understanding helps us realize why, even after coming to Krishna consciousness, we continue to suffer. And that is because, as Prabhu says, we are all still in the “middle of the muddle.”

We also understood that the degree of our attachment is proportional to the degree of suffering we experience. So, we all want to make the world smaller and Krishna bigger, and we seek your blessings to apply all these deeper understandings when situations arise. Of course, they arise all the time.

We look forward to Prabhu’s continuation of this beautiful presentation on the six characteristics of devotional service, which will take place this evening at 6:30 at the Sting Hall, as mentioned at the beginning. The session starts at 6:30, so please try to be on time. Encourage everyone who wants to attend to be punctual.

Hare Krishna….

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So That’s the idea. I’ll repeat this in another way. You can see that if this is a person so most of the time, our consciousness is centered on ourselves. So this is self centered consciousness. So most people nowadays have followed So if we care for Krishna, then actually we connect with others at a deeper level.

So when our consciousness doesn’t just arise, So So He’s happy. He’s happy that they’re down to him. In fact, he says that because this was 718 and explained the person in the second. It’s placing. Her love for him, not his love for her.

That she wants to be with him. That’s why she’s accepting his purpose. Later on, even if this boy’s situation improves, he has other options, And that time, he still stays with that girl. That will show his love further. Yeah.

So similarly, when we come to Krishna, many times he do, Pranjali say, you But, in But later on, when other things start seem to work for us, that, okay, our maybe our health is not already recovered, our health we lost our wealth, our relationships are not working, job is an issue. Those problems get solved. So, in that sense and now, I’m talking about the difference between say devotional service and pure emotional service. So, devotional service means that we come to Krishna, but we may come to Krishna for our interests. And, if those interests are fulfilled fine, then we may not there are 3 broad factors in existence.

There are b, the soul, then there is the world, and then there is Krishna. So for us in the we could say when we are largely materialistic we will practicing bhakti, but we are materialistic at that time the world is very big for us and Krishna is small. That means, oh I want fame, I want wealth, I want power. That’s what is more important and if God can help me to get that, that’s what that’s good and good for us. So, God is not very important for us.

But, when we become devoted to Krishna, then the dynamic change. The world becomes small and Krishna becomes big for us. So this is the stage of where you’re going towards your habitual service. This that Krishna becomes the bigger reality. We see this in the songs of the Vaishnavacharya’s where they so they say that some where there’s prosperity or adversity.

So that is the level of realization where we can practice pure root resistance. Now what does it mean when you say Krishna becomes the bigger reality? It is it it does our priority. How important do we consider Krishna? Krishna is always the biggest reality, and Krishna even showed Duryodhan.

His wish group how he is the biggest reality. And what happened to the then? Nothing. It’s amazing how the mind can come up with the reasons to continue to believe what we want to do. So when later on, Buddha was reminded Krishna is God.

Krishna showed the Vishwa. Did you see that? I did not have so much responsibility as a prince while growing up, I could also have done the first human, I could have shown a mom bigger than Krishna’s. So, he did even after seeing that form Krishna did not become the bigger reality. So, it is in terms of our triadicalization.

So, we want Krishna to become the bigger reality for us. And, it’s not just that, there’s one more difference. It is that initially for us, Krishna is the means and the world is the ends. That means, I worship Krishna so that I can get good marks in the exam, so that I can, get a better a better good life partner, so that I help them all those things. Now, again this is not a bad thing.

It is good that we are worshiping Krishna for whatever it is, but it is not the best. If a devotee has some ability the devotee will try to find how can I use this ability to serve Krishna? So, in this way the dynamic changes. So, when we are talking about pure devotional service, what does it mean? It means from what we discussed?

Three things that pure devotional service means our relationship with Krishna is it is not transactional, it is transformational. And, the third is that Krishna becomes the ends for us. And, the world is not just a means, but it is a means, okay, whatever we get from the world that is okay. So, Sudhama, even when we had had very little, he brought some just broken rights to what to offer the Lord. So, whatever means he to offer the Lord.

So whatever means he had, he said, let me make some offer to him. So this is the idea of pure emotional service. Now, why should we actually at all practice pure consciousness? So, when we talk about any relationship, so, did you not talk about what does this relationship mean? Now we may we all may have different reasons.

Say, if you want to build a relationship with someone, you want to build a good relationship with our boss. Is it okay then your boss, my job will be secured, maybe I need promoted. So when we say that we’re talking about pure devotion service. So understanding the glory of pure devotion service can inspire us to practice pure truths. So when we start about pure devotion service, there are two ways of understanding this that are other characteristics.

What does it mean that these are these are what can inspire us? These can inspire us to practice pure devotion service. But secondly it can it be aspire toward those things. That means if your motion service means that, oh, this actually attracts Krishna also. Therefore, I aspire to come to the level of unity by which Krishna becomes a character.

It’s almost like inspiration is something that comes to us. Aspiration is something that we cultivate. Like, I aspire for something. I am inspired by something. So, there is a slight difference between them, but it is not a major difference.

So, at this point are there any questions? Because I would like to clarify the concept of pure emotion surface before we go into its characteristics. Are there any questions at this point? Okay. I just like to know how many questions are there.

Then I decide how many moments. 1, 2. Okay. Okay. So I’ll just introduce the practice of your database.

We’ll take 1 or 2, and then we’ll have a system. So should we go to 10:30 or 10:5? So I was I’ll talk about the details more details more. So now the characteristics of your emotions are less are often described. If we have like a flower, they are described in terms of sets of patterns.

So these coming sets of 2 to each. So the first two, does anyone remember this? Do you know the 6 characteristics? Yeah. So claysh vin.

Claysh vin means remover removes stress, Then Shubhada. Shubhada is it brings auspiciousness. So, I will explain why these come in this kind of sets, they are considered like a couplet. So, it removes the stress, it brings auspiciousness in other. This is more in terms of this this set is it it it is more in terms of effect on us.

How it affects us? So, that that is it will remove stress from our life, it will bring auspiciousness. Now, there is slight difference between auspiciousness and happiness we will talk about the difference it is similar but not exactly the same. Then what are the next two characteristics? So means it makes liberation seem insignificant.

Generally, in the for those who are who know something about spirituality for them moksha is considered to be life’s highest goal. So bad, a t especially pure total service is so glorious So it makes it itself small. So here, it is more in terms of the this is the, it is more like the nature of bhakt itself. 1 is its effect on us but these 2 is more of that a is such that it makes something else which is glorious seem not so glorious. So, that is motion is 2 and what are they last 2?

Akashree. So I’ll explain this. These are concentrated bliss. So, we’ll focus more on these last two characteristics. We’ll talk briefly, but we’ll focus primarily on the first two characteristics because those are what are related with us.

So these 6 characteristics, it’s it’s the way this is described, it’s very interesting description that it’s like, it’s not just the characteristic of Krishna, it’s not the characteristic of the soul, it is the characteristic of the relationship itself. Normally, we don’t think of a relationship as something different from the people in the relationship. It’s like, you say I have a good relationship with that person. If you think I have a good relationship with him, that means you are in a good illusion. So the idea is we think we don’t think of relationship itself having any characteristics.

It’s like when I say I have a good relationship, what it means is that that person’s disposition towards me is good, my disposition toward that person is good. We don’t think of relationship itself generally speaking as having some characteristics to itself. We think of the people in the relationship and what kind of disposition they have. So if there are 2 people in any kind of relationship, so then what does it mean to say the characteristics of the relationship itself? So, here the idea is that it certainly depends on the cookie cutter in any relationship, Now, there are many different relationship in the world, but one characteristic of the parent child relationship is that it brings a sense of responsibility.

You can say responsibility in every relationship, but in the So for example, there is in the western world, nowadays, there is a lot of, intermixing among the genders. Every culture has had some gender boundaries, but what exactly the gender boundaries will be that g has changed with the passing of culture. So, now, often people ask this question, can a man and a woman be friends? So, what is the difference between say a friendly relationship and a romantic relationship? Now, there is in the male female dynamic, there is something intrinsic to the relationship.

Now, we can say yes, a man and woman can be friends. They don’t have to be friends. In that, in friendship it is more like the 2 people share an interest. It is like generally the vision of friendship is 2 people are together looking at something whereas, in a romance they are each other’s interest. So, like, the romance means 2 people are looking at each other.

So, what happened now in friendship it doesn’t mean that we are not interested in other person, but generally friendship okay, you know, we like sports, we are interested in politics, we would like to lose this service. So we have some shared interests and from that, we also become interested in, but the primary thing is in friendship is that there’s something to talk about, something some shared interest. So, but whereas, so that’s why a romantic relationship friendly relationship differences and we can have many friends, but a romantic relationship becomes more exclusive. The idea is that again, what my what I’m talking about over here is that relationships themselves have certain intrinsic characteristics. So, so similarly, the relationship with Krishna also has certain intrinsic characteristics and those characteristics, the more we understand and appreciate them, the more we can become inspired and transformed with it.

So, now what those characteristics are and how we can better understand them that I will discuss in tomorrow’s session. We will be having this 4 part series tomorrow morning and then Monday Tuesday evenings. So is that Sunday, Monday evening? Yeah. Sorry.

Morning. Sunday, Monday morning. So tomorrow all for morning to you? Tomorrow morning. Today, I’m talking in a topic of the characteristics of your mobile service.

I I talked about first what is pure mobile service, the concept of your mobile service. So first, we discussed about how that the relationship itself, it can be the transaction of transformation. So we discussed how for most people, say, the relationship initially might be self centered. And from being self centered, it grows towards we start caring for someone else. That’s like the more like a horizontal expansion of consciousness.

But as we grow, we don’t just care for others. We also start caring for Krishna. And then, when that happens, it like a holistic expansion of consciousness. So, it is horizontal and vertical both. So, this is where we start connecting with Krishna.

So, we talked about the sequence from 12.8 to 12.11, the arcs we discuss what is this arcs? Do you remember this? Aspenish did not aspenish what is it? Absorbs. Absorbs Shiva that the highest level is absorbed Krishna Otherwise, we try to remember Krishna.

So recollection and repetition of the recollection. And otherwise at least cultivate some selflessness that means, at some level something for something beyond our we do something for someone beyond ourselves. See nowadays there is lot of environment like there is a is there or there is concern for social justice people want to be a part of something bigger. So, this is a sequence from 12.8 to 11 krishna dot sum. So we talked about the characteristic of how relationship with such a dynamic.

And then we talked about the Krishna soul relationship. We we talked about metaphors over there. How that the parent child relationship, now Krishna, he’s happy that we come to him for any reason. He’s in 718, he says that he causes Uddhara and that shows Krishna’s love for us. That what whatever reason we come to him, he is happy.

But then the, say, the boy girl relationship or the young that relationship metaphor, that shows that do we want to be with Krishna even when things are working for us? That shows our love for Krishna. So we discussed how initially the world is big and Krishna is small, but eventually for us, the world becomes big and Krishna becomes the world becomes small and Krishna becomes big. And, and through this, we discussed how not just that Krishna becomes initially is the means, but eventually, it becomes the enemies for us. And then lastly, we discussed the idea of the characteristic of relationship itself.

It’s not just character to Not just character to the relationship, but just like a parenting relationship brings responsibility. So a romantic relationship brings a certain level of exclusivity. A friendly relationship has some kind of shared interests. So like that relationship itself can have characteristics, and the 6 characteristics that are intrinsic to the relationship with Krishna itself, we will be discussing over the next sessions. Thank you very much.

He doesn’t need us, but he wants us. You know, we need Krishna, but we don’t want Krishna. That is the situation. See, need means that actually, that person can’t survive. It’s not like that, but They don’t need anyone over there because they have enough food for themselves, but they want to share that food.

So that is Krishna is so complete in himself that he wants to actually share with us. Is when it doesn’t work. But actually, Krishna gives and forgives. We get and forget it. And specifically, in this country, we are trying to practice Krishna consciousness by spreading the message of Krishna.

But somehow the other, he gets stuck into the infinite position where we try to incline towards Krishna, Yes. It was to her life. So the question is that sometimes when we want to connect with Krishna, but when things become very difficult in our situation in life, then then the just her cloth seem to be mystically expanded. And how it happened nobody could understand that. So when she didn’t see Krishna, because her eyes are closed, she called out to Krishna all those emotions will also come.

But there’s a difference between it’s like it is a serious relationship. Sometimes, But both of them we have a very heated discussion about what to do, but underlying that anger is actually a deep connection. They care for each other, they care for their child and that’s when they’re concerned. So, you know, there’s a serious relationship. A serious relationship means that relationship is big enough to improve with negative emotions.

To absorb our anger, to absorb our fear, to absorb our doubts. So it shouldn’t be that because of our fear, our doubts, our anger, our insecurity, it shouldn’t be that we don’t go toward Krishna So as long as what happens is those emotions, they will come and they will go. But underlying that is the steady relation. So sometimes when practicing Bhakti, we feel very happy, sometimes we feel a little unhappy. But that underlying relationship stays steady.

So how do we maintain that faith? I’ll talk about one principle over here. So first first point I have is that emotion going up and down is as natural. But at that time when we talk about faith, faith is ultimately a matter of choice. In our life, there are things that can strengthen our faith, and there are things that can weaken our faith.

So, we can think of time is when by our practice of bhakti, things have worked out positive universe. We have to say bhakti things have worked out positive and we can think of time when things have not worked out positive. So the nature of this world is that it is a place where sometimes the evidence of the world will support our way, sometimes the evidence of the world will not support. So ultimately, it becomes a choice of the evidence. Which evidence will I focus on?

Now you see and then how do I make sense of the times when, say, my faith was not supported? And required some philosophy to understand. But if we shift our focus, it’s a matter of choice. What do I dwell on? Then it is up to us to that’s how we can maintain our feet.

And those who can help us make their choice when we have our association and the association also some new notice if some new notice feeling I’m feeling very Yes. Regarding this, aspiration. So that aspiration comes from the faith and love for the practice. Where does the aspiration come from? That is very difficult.

So where does Brahma Jigyasa come from? It’s it’s a difficult question. So in this taking that point further from generic spiritual inquiring to a specific devotional aspiration. So we the same principle applies. So there is, there’s a lot of analysis, but broadly you can say there are human factors and there are divine factors.

So the human fact the divine factors, of course, gurukrupa, grace of mercy. Among the human factors are our past karma. Some people may have practiced some of the outcomes which are in the previous life and that’s why It can be a a lot of breaking. Say, the way our parent is raised us. Of course, can be extended forward, it can also be our association.

So we come in the association of devotees, and then we see the practice in Bhakti that inspires us. And, ultimately, it is our joys. So our upbringing or our past lives karma, even Krishna’s mercy, they can prompt us in particular directions. But it is ultimately our choice. So now if you consider the Kripa, we don’t know when Krishna will be the Kripa.

We can’t conclude that. Our past karma, whatever it is, it is what it is. We can’t do it. Our upbringing also it is what it is. But we can say if you make this as 2 separate factors, our association our association is what we can change, and that can inspire us to change our choices.

So where does the aspiration come from? It depends. So it’s like sometimes it can be an outside in process. Sometimes it can be the inside out. What does it mean outside?

Sometimes it means we act our way to emotions. That means I just come in the association of devotees and they are praying they are doing kirtan. So, I also start doing kirtan then they are offering me I also start offering me And then by that action, the devotions has come. That’s more like outside. Now sometimes it can be inside out.

That means we feel our way to actions. So whichever way that’s why the operational principle at our level is, somehow there. It can be outside in, it can be inside out, whatever way it works. And the aspiration should be only, done for the pleasure of the Lord. So I’m doing it.

So can I understand it, this way? Inspiration and aspiration. Okay. Yeah. That is definitely one way to understand it.

In one sense, you could say that it’s the same principle of desire that inspiration is when the desire comes to us. Aspiration is when we bring the desire from within. So in that sense, there is a slight difference. Now we could go further and when you talk about aspiration, the aspiration can get various levels. The inspiration can also be at various levels.

You say, those who guide people who are the you don’t need much guiding, but people it’s not that for many people who come more than parikarma is like a weight loss exercise. It is, you know, it’s something biased also, but, you know, it’s not very far from Vrindavan. But far from Delhi, so you come to Vrindavan, it’s natural, it’s scenic. And it is some level of exercise. Now, of course, they don’t have, like, a golden, like, from a marathon or something like that.

It’s not that uncommon. But the idea is now people are coming for that reason. So is that a bad thing? Is it a good thing? It’s a good thing.

So the aspiration, maybe they could just go to a gym and they could just, walk on a treadmill, But they can also be at various levels and similar the inspiration can also be at various levels. So, so the inspiration okay my friend he went and did golden barikama or she went and did golden barikama. So, let me also go into it. Now, some of them may have done it out of a more devotional purpose. Some of them may have done it for a more health purpose.

That’s okay. So generally speaking, in spirit that dynamic of inspiration aspiration is independent of the level. So we do want to aspire for pure motor service, and then we seek the inspiration that will give us pure motor service. What happens even in Devotee Association? There are different kinds of devotees.

Some devotees are very interested in gossip. Is it today? There is, you know, when does gossip happen? Gossip in our treasury call it majamba. It’s generally what happens 2 things have come together for gossip to happen.

First is we hear something we like about someone we don’t like. So if we like that person, then we won’t gossip about that. You know, if something bad has happened or So it’s not that devote all devotees come to Krishna consciousness for Krishna consciousness only. It is like the nature of the mind is such that it is always looking for alternatives to Krishna. So even in Krishna consciousness, we start looking for alternatives to Krishna.

So one alternative is a little more tamas it is become in the association and then we start looking for faults, looking for negating those of those that are in association. So, our aspiration and especially we would like them to be more elevated, but it’s a dynamic both. Both are related with the desire how it rises. So thank you so much. Do you have a question?

Yes. Last question. Okay. So when I see the okay. Let’s see if I can explain this in a way you can understand.

First, I’ll confuse you. Okay? See, words have many different meanings. So that’s called the multivalence of what like, in English, the word run has 650 plus meanings. No.

I’m going for a run. I’m running because my car has stopped running. Because this person is running for president, I’m running away from this country. So the word run has different needs. So like that, the word karma also has different needs.

So you are using the word karma in terms of reactions. So reactions to past actions. So, yes, the reactions to past actions can be changed by the way that is that angkams and babi and vouchisham experiences. But karma can also refer to So karma refers to action. So it is a past actions.

So whatever actions we have done in the past, say, if you plan to wake up at 4 o’clock, but we go about 6 o’clock. Now, no matter how seriously we challenge Krishna, we can’t wake up at 4 o’clock today. Even that past action cannot be changed. So in that sense I use the word karma about whatever actions we have done in the past they cannot be changed. Like Krishna’s word see the reactions to them can be changed.

Now, karma can also refer to the like we have karma, akarma, vikarma. So like it it refers to good action. Now karma can actually also refer to duty. This actions means any actions. Meanings.

I was you referring to it in this sense, you are referring to it in this sense. Does it make any sense? So, see suppose we make a mistake, say you’re giving an example and you give a wrong answer next. Then the teacher will say that okay, you know you can use the same thing for again next time and you can do better. So now that exam, the wrong answer we have given, we can’t change that.

But we can have a second chance in which you can do better. So, but sometimes if the teacher is not very helpful or whatever you say you get a wrong answer you have lost the chance you cannot do it differently. So, that is if so Krishna is merciful in the sense that if you have done some bad actions and we are going to get some bad reactions, so we are going to lose the chance, but Krishna will use a chance again. So in that sense the reactions to our past karma can be changed, but the action itself once we have done an action nobody can change that action that Krishna has arranged the world in such a way that time flows forward time doesn’t flow backwards. So, once an action is done we can’t undo the action.

So, so we’re going to go through this, flow, with this lecture and the coming few lectures with, Brody. And, thank you very much, Prabhuchi, for, how should I say? Generally, for people who are practicing Krishna consciousness, it’s mostly to do with, with reading on the surface of what the scriptures say and then somehow making some connections here and there. And then somehow making some connections here and there. But, the way Prabhu presents the Krishna conscious philosophy is that he he makes the connection to what Krishna speaks in the deepest so deeply that, there’s very little room for us to miss the point.

So thank you, Prabhu, for bringing us closer to the teachings of Krishna, which which actually means bringing us closer to Krishna. And So we will, so we will have the next session in the series, tomorrow at 10 o’clock. What have we announced? 10 o’clock, same venue. We request all of you to She’s a new navigator.

So Thankyou very much…

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That it is when we are trying to, say, direct ourselves towards Krishna, then it is through both these channels. There is a manner in associated emotions, So while there are many past times which can increase our attraction towards the attraction is one aspect, and that’s wonderful. That’s what we want. But we also need conviction. So conviction is what leads our good team.

Attraction is what leads our emotional side. Now for the emotional side, generally speaking, there is not such a categorical differentiation that where do emotions reside or come from. It is the word, the heart that is used. Now our heart is used in literal sense. It is often that comes blood.

But when in the early violence, nobody says you broke my heart. And therefore, even the capacity for desire comes from the soul. Capacity to experience emotions comes from the soul. Those that consciousness is manifesting through the mind, and therefore, it gets filtered. It gets distorted.

It gets basically affected. So that’s why right now, we can say most of our emotions so we could say that the difference between emotion in principle and emotions what are emotional there in practice. So emotion itself, it comes to the soul. In that sense, you can say it’s spiritual. A specific emotions, it depends.

Are the emotions material? Are the emotions spiritual? So then generally speaking, the difference between spiritual versus material, it is done in 2 broad ways. One is through pandemic, and the other is through other pandemic. That is intent plus consequence.

So what does that mean? That, say, we could say the volume is not it. It is made of form. And this is what chapter 2 of the yoga focuses on. And this is broadly the approach of the data.

But beyond that, as we move forward, especially into up to yoga, the idea is that even matter can be used for spiritual purpose. So, Shubhrant, I would say that this mic, it is now okay. You should speak over Krishna, so it’s very true. So now know what robot doing? Program will get an intake.

Why are we using it? Now to external objects also applies to internal. So we could categorize our emotions in terms of content as well as intent and consequence. Generally speaking, this is where emotion intent is going to focus on So now what this means is that there is there doesn’t have to be such a radical differentiation. Say, if you want one, we continue to do a dual all the time.

Say, for example, if you consider a digital blog project. Now we can say it is nothing like a mother’s block project. Well, if we say that, then you can wonder how do we live with it, isn’t it? Now, the point is that we have is so so if by comparing, say, a parent’s relationship with the child or with Krishna’s parent’s relationship with, say, the relationship with parents with the child, and the result will go 2 weeks It can happen. So for later, the change.

Now things are gonna change when we consider the monomers. We get our past tense because the because lust is such a, you will say, triggerable emotion that that’s why we have an advice to caution. And that’s why they have the emphasis on the pain aspect of your movement. That relationship is completely spiritual. That relationship is based on selflessness.

Now what are spiritual spiritual will mean that that forms are completely transcendental. Model says through giving that that actually, our last will decrease. Way decreased. So what I’m saying is here, material spiritual relationships. When you talk about it, our material relationship or the spiritual relationship.

Now we could focus on the. This is expected to be with the. Now the result of that likely is that our attraction to. Now when we will also the paid aspect so that the in the man who you’re especially so that our attraction to lust doesn’t increase. So this pay of pay is something that goes on constantly.

And now why are we talking about all this right now? The point is that when we hear Krishna’s positives, we need to find out what is connecting me to Krishna and what is disconnecting me or diverting me. And generally speaking, when we hear Krishna data, at that time, finally, it’s a matter of the heart. We invest our heart’s emotions and try to we can be more and we do use reason. We use logic.

But most of the time, say, Krishna’s childhood prospect, especially the past tense that we relish. But analysis that is so so for example, the now the last sentence is. The 2 figures, what are the 2 figures symbolize? That is, like, additional insert. It’s valuable, but it’s additional.

So we could say broadly, we talk about additionally that. Let’s say most of it is for. And when it is for, then we approach it and relate to our heart. I talk about heart and mind as related in the sense that that and we go back over here. See, emotions can come from the mind.

Emotions can come from the soul. Ultimately, all emotions come from the soul. All of the specific emotions may be arising. The power of the capacity for experiencing emotions comes from the soul. All the specific emotion may be arising from the mind.

So it is and sometimes that emotions can disconnect us. And if the emotions are disconnecting us, then then we may have to regulate the emotion and then not let our emotions get engaged too much. So sometimes you just choose not to hear certain past times. So specifically, we do the past times. We may choose a, especially for that type of coming to hear those past times.

So now the this is the the background for all this is that some Krishna needs to be approached through emotion. So that’s what we connect. But some may need analyzing, and there, we need to connect primarily with the head with reason. So why am I discussing this? Because by the way, you could be discussing various past times in continuation of history’s theme of, now processing events that the challenge are paid, we’ll be focusing on the recruiting past and opportunities that we’re not discussed.

And those can be very, under the list question reducing, If not quite, these just like me for one’s playthrough. So I go back to the framework that I introduced in the first session of various ways in which we like to be approached or a lot of. Did you remember the? Yes. And what’s later?

So we look at how and then the stories, and he give us what he thinks. The result of this is generally entertaining. He was ethical. So I think the at the ethical level, we approach ABC titles for this journey. Then there is allegorical.

Allegorical is and what is this? What are these? Now this can this is primarily a user of intellectual illumination. So guidance when I say guidance, guidance for decision making in our life, for acting in our life. And here, we can say we it brings absorption.

It brings ecstasy. So each of these levels has its own result. And at one level, the literal and the, this an emotion can seem similar. Seems similar to the other. They can see nonintellectual.

Why nonintellectual? Because the focus is not so much analyzing. The focus is on the mission. If a movie is going on and the point of the movie, then suddenly the director of your will start explaining, you know, this represent this. This represent this.

You do not act like this. You do not act like this. You do not act like this. You do not act like this. You do not act like this.

You do not act like this. You do not act like this. You do not act like this. You do not act like this. You do not act like this.

You do not act like this. You do not act like this. You do not act like this. You do not act like this. You do not act but they have to be much more sublural.

They have to be much more subtle. So the idea is that, literal and devotional, they can see noninteraction. And many past as I’ve said, we approach at this level, and it’s not difficult. But there are some past times, even with respect to Krishna, when they’re approaching him, we have to evaluate what is and what is. So for some past times, we may need to approach them more through our through our easily than through our emotion.

So with this background, let’s move towards the VARTA prospects. I’ll do a quick overview before we come to the key password that we discussed. When Krishna relocated to VARTA, they came to know how prosperous was or how near the were to push, then they might discover. Generally, civilians would not get that, but it is not absolute nonnegotiables. So then pull over the main and implement.

So Krishna said it to protect your losses also by moving far away from there. So while he was in, he was also traveling constantly going through these places, and he led the mind levels with the. And overall, if we look at it from a objective perspective, not just the motion perspective, so we see that there are certain crowning moves in this translation. If you look at how, like Krishna’s life trajectory? Life story.

So Krishna’s killing comes up. Was like his coming emerging on the big scene. Is, coming out the big picture. Then Krishna is establishing Dwarka. That was also a remarkable move.

And that’s a little bit more the moment was because even a strategy perspective. Was, like, an island within the ocean. As long as you say it was underwater, but the map of the business seems to support that idea. It was an island and was well protected. So he could say that, you know, Raul had captured Nanka from Kubernetes so that he could stay protected.

The water is so they have an equal enclosure to protect oneself. So all headquarters there, and I had a lot of discussion now in one sense took that strategy. In fact, that’s one of the reasons why America is really we consider to be it’s, like, historic. It was a geopolitical expert saying that there’s no country in the world that is as geopolitically blessed as America because surrounded the ocean from both sides and relatively non powerful, neighbors are all everywhere. But the ocean is not very far away from land masses.

So attacks the ground of ocean and above all the China is long land or not entirely. Land or to a large extent. Russia is also land off, to a large extent. Yes. They are also vulnerable.

But to some extent, the weather over there makes things almost unbelievable. Not unlivable. Almost, it’s very difficult to function. One of the reasons to say, Hitler’s he would win long before Victor came up, and he was not completely unprepared. So I don’t want to jeopardize.

But the point I’m making is that while we may take specific incidents today and take out terrible business, So the resilience is from a historical perspective remarkable. Now for Krishna, I need to have protection of work. But, the nature of the world so we could look at it. And I talked to a little cosmetic, establishing what was a significant decision. Then the whole group shaped the wall.

That’s before that. It was in the Rajesh who we elected why he was attracted to his wife. And because his consciousness is a particular way, that’s why he didn’t go to heaven. So then now then this is what can I do to ensure that that is to have? Then he said Google Ads BA.

So that is one purpose for improving the last year. Okay? From an ethical perspective, it’s due to its power. For a neutral perspective, it has to modify. Then the group shape reward in which when Krishna himself does not fight, Krishna establishes his strategic expertise, and he helps the pandas win.

And, yes, there’s truth to that. But the point is that it is not unprecedented. So if you consider 11 Akshay Mohi people supported the cover of us. And then was, to use a contemporary word, was creating his own narrative. That he was doing his own propaganda, and he’s very people over.

Don’t let me think and incident as blatant as attempting the result of growth. How do you spell that? Yeah. It’s it’s just indefensible incident, but it seems good And after the exile is over, the the Virat Kingdom, the actually, the and that and everybody comes over there. So the most of them fought on everything.

They were on the. So it is I think the power of the native building that why the find out isolated the forest, do we even know not just building his military mind? Also creating an entity. And that is where we often lack. That is where the our side of the story is something that you didn’t have to tell.

And you have to tell it why emotion that they all these people are political. So this is a bad thing. They are. Every tradition is is is not true. Every religion is known to play the victim.

In fact, it is just Google and search in Google and Christianity in India. From our perspective, I’m concerned with this most important event. That they need to use the. And we need to be aware of it, and we need to be. So, unfortunately, we don’t do that.

Then it is our risk that this happens. So the pandemic is disconnected from the world. And while we do not have any insight, sometimes when we become devotees, we sort of put ourselves in a self imposed exert. That means we don’t care for the order. In fact, many devotees exhibit their material exhibit their material ignorance as a proof of their translators.

So I I don’t know. I’m sort of handling I don’t even know who’s the primary school. No. That’s not a that’s not a that’s not a healthy that’s not a healthy issue because we have the. So for also, for the alliances, creating diversity groups, so I think our side of the story So it’s very convenient when logic is used, but this has to be challenged and exposed rationally, not emotionally.

So emotions are good for connecting with Krishna. Although sometimes our emotions may also disconnect us from Krishna. And now, let’s say, before this, of course, Krishna’s marriage was a significant incident. The marriage is and that’s how how would we manage so many queens and especially how we save those women who have become more and more powerful. Johan tells us to become more and more powerful.

Johan tells us to And then also, you will then repeat it. But otherwise, to add those input. Now then so so now I I thought about the key background, the tool, ethical, and I’ll let I’ll let you go and devotion. So so many times, we may not realize that there are these different levels. And then we may suddenly jump from one level.

Say, we may and apply. But there’s some we’re not committed. That is true. However, since even though the broadcaster has not been repeated, we need to be able to understand and explain that from a rational perspective, especially if they see a technical question, a logical question, a logical question, a logical question that it needs to be explained wrong. And is also was very pragmatic when he was in Hawaii.

Once of the movie that, when we talk with the scholars, this is not a logical answer. And now the question is, what is robots that go to you over here? So they always have to do this with the scholars. Scholars are not to get. This is where do all of them live?

Where will they call it? Where’s their homes? How are they function? It means that it means, but one thing it means is that we should not speak those things which the audience cannot be reasonably expected to have it. So it is our responsibility, not just the the problem with people and their meetings.

We need to present things in such a way that people can have a reasonable faith improvements. Experience to people. People enjoying the voice over difference provide to the voice over difference, which people don’t understand. In a way that will make sense to you. So in fact, this is what robot call us the realization.

So realization means that this is the message of scripture, and this other audience’s interests. So realization is to present scripture in a way as interesting for all this. So what would be interesting? It’ll depend on IP circumstances. Now it the interest is just one word which is, presented to you.

Generally, we’re gonna connect the audience. We say we should be nice to them. Then you are nice. Niceness, basically, both needs, interests, concerns, and expectations. So nice as I’m just speaking sweet and Sweet and sugar.

It just means that we need to be able to connect with the audience. You do what are the you are the interest. What are the what are the expectations? So with this background, now let’s look at the particular cost time for the consideration. So when an incident happens, like I mentioned earlier, an incident can have multiple causes.

So the the the vendor was living in Interpersonal now, and the are living in work. Now before that, it is said that, to some extent, some of the children of Krishna, they become a little spoiled. They become a little powerful. Now power is perfectly fine. They are powerful.

They are. But they become a little arrogant because of that. It’s possible. But it’s not that they are not virtuous. It’s just that they exhibit their power sometimes, and they mistreat a sage.

Most of you know the story that, they take one of the one of the boys, This guy is, like, a woman who is pregnant and says he’ll say, yes. If he’s tell us, this is gonna be viable. And they just we want to just say, whatever this is, this will be the call of your instruction. Now, generally, when the incident happens, there could be multiple causes recorded. So there’s a proximate cause, proximate, and then there’s a distant cause.

So there is also that after all of the sons are killed, not very close to this. And he says just as I have to live with the destruction of my whole my entire dynasty. You will have to live with the personal destruction. Now Krishna says that I tried my best. You are very poor.

You know yourself how good you was, and he brings the syndrome and he’s proposing. Although, even you try to make him, but still, I accept your first. So we’ll talk about accepting our first. So, basically, these 2 incidents that we have that are the both of the month process at a particular level. So when Krishna realized happening?

When Krishna realized happening, Krishna has multiple purposes to Jamont. So at one level 2, what else Krishna? One is Dharma. The other is. These 2, when they say are similar, but they are not.

And then it goes on to how the emotion, how we have to refer to the nature, the the mind, that will become true. So now it’s interesting the way Krishna explains it that, actually, it’s something like a. See, dharma is universal. In the sense that it is mandatory for everyone. Krishna says, I come to establish dharma.

So dharma, in that sense, is like a law order that has to be established. It’s not a matter of personal choice. Somebody says, I will follow speed to this. I will write the right thing. If you don’t write the right thing, then we will get you out of the road.

We take away license. We put you in jail. So Dharma is not mandatory. That’s why we are the biggest time in Dharmavoy has nothing to do with. Where Dharma can be in this context.

The war was not a war for dharma in the sense of religion. Why is that? Because you see the war, the Kauravas, and the Pandavas. Guru was God Shiva, and that’s why we had Drupadhyay and worship God Shiva and 85 husbands. On the mantel side, then Vish on the caller side, Vishma was a question of her.

Similarly, Oshisha was a question of her. So it was not a battle between, say, remote and non remote. It was not that, oh, it a, the power just became remote. It is not a But in the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic religion, health is for non believers. In the Vedic tradition, health is for wrong doers.

It is not for long videos. Somebody may disagree with Nishtha, but if they are living in the. If they are living a life of. They are doing pooja. They do good work.

So somebody could be a taste. Well, in terms of blue system, it needs to be a lot of stuff to resist. But in terms of lifestyle, people. But so in that sense, we could say hell is like a person. It’s for solving a lower order model.

So what is the point I’m making over here? And when you go back over here, and Krishna is talking about his purpose. The bigger purpose is to establish dialogue. Now people bigger verticals are dynamically to its background. Then that is true.

So it’s like Krishna is in the spiritual world, and this is the material world. So Krishna only descends as avatar of the spiritual world and the material world. So we would say one purpose is to establish dharma. And then within that, a smaller purpose is to inspire a deep by which a person goes back. Sometimes, Bhakti requires the delete of all that.

That’s what Krishna says. And the movies are examples of that, So sometimes there will be tension with the. Sometimes Krishna, Krishna emphasize that. Sometimes he emphasizes that. So, in the problem, the go b is called go b is first time also.

So the Dharma and Bhakti, they sometimes are attention. And this tension between Dharma and Bhakti comes to its height in the in the past time of the departure of the ghettos from the world. So what happens is that the ghettos, they go to. They do their various activities, but it is see, many times, the the religious activities in the past, you know, like, the religious plus, you could say entity, They will combine together. So for example, when the when the there’s a religious plus social, religious plus entity, all of us together.

It does it has a So the and performed the, release activity that was supposed to perform the the for us. But then there was a social occasion. They started to think. Now the more analytical supers are understood different ways. So the so if you look at the to install the record, the ground because a section of the who follow the.

There are also and those of you who cannot live without me, then please go to, you know, He will take care of me. I won’t be able to take care of it. So give us. So that means how can Rama take me? Or you lose drinking.

This was not an extraordinary exceptional activity. If gambling was a part of. Drinking was a part of. Although, he never and after drinking, dedicate the proxy. So again, I look at this first time from 3 different levels.

From the we look at the immediate, the it was the parasite. The parasite was the fight among brothers or fight among the panel. So now in which she what triggered, They all got drunk, and one of the problems with the drinking among the main problems is that drinking lowers inhibitions, that there are normal inhibitions between strain our behavior. And inhibitions when they are lower, now some people have spend their positive view. And they say, like, in the west, they have the idea that a bar is a very good place to have a heart to heart discussions.

But that’s not only the change that gets lower. What happens is that people can also become violent. People can become regression. And, the many times domestic violence is it’s a very volatile event happens. And it’s it’s much more of a issue than, a So what happens after the so when you say alcohol is good.

Alcohol, what it does is lowers inhibitions. So inhibitions in terms of movements, speech and action. So right now, I’m analyzing the credit incident in the perspective of digit cost. So what happens is that during the crucial reward, the the Duarte Rasis have significant. The Narayan Zena is on the Colorado side.

And along with Narayan Zena, there is Kruthva Varnum. Kruthva Varnum then, and. And says to. And because the the state of grounds was too bad, they just immediately got this voice. And they start fighting together.

And in the Friday, get the other hand just lobs out there or something. And those engines also will happen. And what started out this is a period that people get done, they may just beat something. That generates a lot of disaster. Then eventually, part of the world.

Krishna Krishna So when Krishna passed to the void, then they enter exactly with him. Now the remaining queens, they wanna come with they come with Arjuna, but then Arjuna is attacked. Arjuna is attacked by some. Sky works. So overall, it seems, you know, you know, tragic end to a divide date.

It’s a it’s a terribly tragic input. Not just tragic. It’s a terribly tragic. So at a immediate level, we really see that this is a result of alcohol. That alcohol is so dangerous that especially if there are tensions that are not in result.

Now this there’s several years go on. It’s RTP and that is talking to each other before. I’ll try to make understand what happened. Why didn’t they do something else? Then they could have made sense of it.

But those tensions were unresolved. I’ve got all the it acted like a and then the fuel is already there, and then there you wave our magic and then you wave our magic falling into the fuel and just pause explodes. So alcoholism plus. So we say that this was at one level of cost. At another level, the cause are the causes.

The 2 verses, the curse of the stages that led the specific inter hiding among the another. Now what it’s tried is that they had put the they had put something like a robot in their body, And they took the rod and they broke it into I got smaller particles and then blew it. But then that came back with the ocean, into the post of the tiger. And that that that came apart of the tall or blue, like weeds. This the word is then use grass, but they’re more like weeds like bars.

And then your tools, because they want to be displayed, they’re not really gone with many weapons. Some of them had this wall. They’re not bigger events. So then they just pick up these these bar like wheels and they give it to the wheel. So the curves was the cause at one end.

The last time this curves was also there. Krishna is gone. No. Why would Krishna not intervene? Why would Krishna let this go on?

So see, as I mentioned earlier, Krishna uses long importance at times, and Krishna does not use long words. By not by stopping to but by and this is the incident. Krishna showed Nomimoto at that time, so it’s the next day our feet look. We can head. We turn to Krishna for answers, and that’s important.

You know? Krishna is going on in my life. Please help me. And that’s what prayers. Prayers could be they’re they’re gonna be practical.

We can look for practical answers. We can look for philosophical answers. As important as Krishna answers. That is true. But eventually, he will turn to Krishna as the answer.

Not for answer, but as the answer. It’s just that Krishna can give us desirable things, There’s right and wrong from a moral perspective, but there is right and wrong even from a rational perspective. And that kind of dialogue we need to create is low production. So now when Krishna does this particular task, so like I said, there’s a tension between dharma and company. So the purpose of dharma So these are 2 distinct protocols.

And many times, these 2 can go together or sometimes they do all opposite things. So when this happens, Krishna will discord in the past time in the in the instruction. Actually, Krishna emphasizes that Krishna wants to show that although he is god, now he voluntarily accepts the first. So Krishna is god. So now that eventually through everything that happens, Krishna’s demonstrating of how he protects his devotions, how he protects the off the cross.

And that’s wonderful. Now does that mean that what this Exactly the opposite. That that even a personal that you just of you just discover when he can’t go recording the so much stuff. But then they get drunk. This is what the result.

Then they often say, dear, this is what the result. And how much more careful should we be able to solve this? So in some past times, Krishna focuses on giving lessons about dharma then about not. He emphasizes her ethical principles. And so when dharma and Bhakti have a, then we need to understand what is to be learned from.

So this particular past time is not for devotional inspiration. It is for ethical instruction. So these 2 are very different things, and the purpose of this past time is ethical instruction. Ethical instruction is many things. As I first is don’t get drunk.

Second is that don’t let others all intentions just fester. They’re gonna explore it back time and don’t update the cities. Serve different purposes. I think we’ll ask some point in this point that, the Bhagavath says that if somebody will conclude from this pastime So is that person who went to the award of and came back? That person who survived the many arrows that were hit active when he was Ajna’s charity.

Normally speaking, the charity will protect the the warriors will protect the warriors. But the charity will also fail me. So if you want to use it from a rational perspective, how can I add all the link, cause a fatal injury? Now the thing is that and then I will also not hit by a trained warrior. So now it’s very easy and getting humiliated to focus on our humiliation.

It focuses on that this is a this is a this is a you are working with the most. So Modi will see the response of their emails and the response of Shiva’s. Shiva said, okay. That yeah. You’re glorious.

I know you’re glorious. Why do you have to do this to me? Why do you have to do this? So similarly, when we approach the Azure mobile data Azure mobile data, so it is the ROI takes a moment. Sometimes, the ROI performs certain past times, which are also meant to separate the faithful of the pages, the divine from the demoniac.

So the demoniac will focus on the past time, which seems to challenge Krishna’s omnivores. Krishna’s would be. And then use that and say Krishna cannot. Krishna cannot. So there’ll be demons and there’ll be devotes.

Now demons will stay deluded. And the robot said about the. Sometimes devotees may also get perplexed. But if devotees, they don’t get perplexed, but not discourage or discourage. I devote it.

I’m going to. He’s in the This is for establishing the. It is for each one of us to choose what we focus on. Sometimes, I’m going to respond that. That this choice of evidence, it is something which I do think each one of us has to do.

That if we consider say, let me say how there’s a mechanism by every discount. You know? What happens That’s amazing technology. But then it is will argue if cloud are arranged by God to give it, then why do cloud view rain or oceans? There’s always no water work.

But our principle is that the activity, what we should need to change, what evidence do we focus on. In our own lives, there will be times when we will be built. Everything seems to be going wrong The first thing he said is we tried. We are possible to send work in the rest. That was a good plan.

That is a good very good. It’s a good and we got that. What we did was in the mission. My thoughts shifted from my situation to your situation, bro. I said, Rohit, I am just hearing about these problems.

You were dealing with all these problems. And you never became discouraged. K, is that you were like a commander who was leading an army, and all around you, your soldiers are getting wounded. The generals are getting wounded, and you never stop fighting the war. He said because your vision was fixed on Krishna.

Not on what is happening in the world. You were aware of it, but your your fate was coming from Krishna. And because of that, rather than seeing all so many people have fallen in this war are falling in this war, you will see that you it is Krishna who will send you so many, and you will on Philip, the one day more very close to. He had some problems, and he left the room. So He had some problems and he left the room.

So, and he says, I’ve burned up this news and I’m I think he’s so distressed. And after coming to me, you’re gone away. And I think so. Share the technology on the west. That is just.

That people are taking it up. That is miraculous. That there are some people who are succeeding. That itself is. So we have to choose the evidence, which is evidence that enhances faith and which is the evidence that challenges our extinguishes our data.

So depending on which evidence we focus on, we will be able to grow in monthly or not. So the the the the every the channels are paid, we try to make some sense of it, but we don’t dwell on it too much. We accept it. Let’s see what will happen. Try to come to some sensible explanation, something that makes some sense, and then get more.

So I’ll summarize what we discussed today. So we were discussing primarily about the top we’ve been doing past intervention. We’ve been doing the the faith we’re doing past things. Not just intellectual, not just modeling. So I started by talking about how when Krishna descends to this world.

Krishna’s descent is having dual purposes. It is to establish and it is to inspire. And, Amisha, So they can go together in, say, you wish to the next point. But they can go opposite, which is what happens in the. So then we discussed about the various incidents in Krishna’s past.

The nice story of Krishna with the key incidents. So Krishna’s moving to VARTA was a way of protecting his of using a water as a way to protect the citizens protect the. So now we discussed the that could be understood in terms of immediate cause. The immediate cause was drinking. We discussed the drinking, global in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our in our So Krishna is god, but sometimes Krishna wants to establish the principle of harmony.

He lets himself or his loved ones be affected by. So sometimes, when we propose any idea on that, Krishna focuses on manual for a particular level and his teacher at a particular level. So the ultimate cause is that Krishna provides evidence for everyone. Whatever Krishna, Krishna provide evidence for everyone depending on what they want to do so that the as soon as the moment we are. So Krishna comes in a way that if somebody wants to be deleted, they can also be deleted.

So ultimately, we discussed that faith is a matter of our choices of evidence. So I started by talking about how we talk about Krishna. We have to see somewhere we approach with the head, and they are for analyzing. There’s nothing to release in those past tense, But analyzing so that we make some sense of some approach to the heart, where they are for. And we need to know which is.

So approaching the past tense, they see, the past tense of Krishna protecting the the working is protecting the and ensuring that, that is the past time. That is the past time that That is the first time which you can put it at half. Rather, the first time you need to approach it ahead, and then we find out ultimately which is the you will look for a. So we try to make sense. So we try to make some sense of past times, but I will focus focus on our devotion enhancing past times.

So emotion enhancing means how many of you felt that was opening door and windows and, I don’t know, whatnot in our brains? But it’s taking us through the You find it. Wait. Go there. It’s okay, sir.

Then one more. It’s taking this one case. But what? I mean, one way you can see do I need to get this? They give us a smooth landing.

Right? And, actually, maybe probably, he was actually not gonna discuss this as part of our career. But it was me who are told you that told you, please, can you cover this, you know, this Prabhavak ship, the real line, the whole thing because, well, trying to become a devotee, but then, there is always this gray area. It’s so difficult to explain anybody when they challenge us. Already, I’m studying with my faith, and somebody puts a brahmastra on that faith, you know, and, like, correct.

So now I know how to answer Luis. It’s probably just answered now or later. Why did he even give Narayan Senna? You know, like, when he when he goes that Riodar is gonna use it for a dharma and Narayan Senna belongs to him, I would even do that. You know?

Like, it’s so difficult to and what did he please that now I just said, before he set them for the work? That I’m standing on opposite side. Don’t mind including me. And, similarly, many more questions. They they keep popping up, but your conclusion there too was so important that what is the evidence that we’re looking at ultimately.

Will that question lead us to devotion, or will that question lead us to more doubts? Or there is no end to understanding what Krishna did, what he did. But one thing is mister Copeland told us many times that Krishna is waiting to see him back home back to Garett. So that that that is the primary thing, you know, that drives when we go through difficulties also that Krishna will take us back into the machine. You know?

So Krishna is waiting. So, do anything. So then I think, I did try to make. It is an obligate past time. I can analyze and.

So regarding this specific question, see, what would she have to use? Fighting is they said to to. Fighting was very difficult. Fighting what champions do. So now ideally, we should also have that.

They’re gonna So they were quite. Thank you for the wonderful value. Two levels of then when it comes to figures, there’s big numbers. There are 2 ways of looking at it. One is that it is void.

And in that in the also it is correct that, that said that the okay poets have glorified And it is quite possible that such quality can be used. And we see that it’s often there. So when you said that, We can perceive his presence when the movies come to their employ. So non literal usage is very common in scripture because much of scripture is. Literal.

So there’s lots of. So is that we had 100 of 1,000 of us. So we are getting 100 and 1,000 of us. So which are we do, both are considered to be true. And in both, we cannot figure out a way in which both ends have been.

That is when we say the change. It’s not just that, okay. So So so the thing is that it could be that it could be that it could have had some stick powers and you could expand it. So so you would see one is poetic, the other is. That’s one speech.

If you had the stick powers, you can just use the stick powers, we get a check. So he didn’t do that. So the point of the story is what? That he he was so well, this thing he could try to check. So the the the point of the story is not affected by the specific number of bytes in that.

Isn’t it? So if somebody could take it as, he had some mystical power, somebody could say it any other point at the at the point. And both are. This could be poetic through mystical. So how hell leads to purification?

Because and then it’s a purification. So hell and the punishment that we go through in hell, that creates some conscious impressions, which which deter us from. One more thing. Like, when we talk about taking shelter of Krishna, so it it is said that Krishna guarantees to protect it spiritually, but not materially. So when we read this Shirdasamy past time, so it may also happen in some other case that that for that child, some parents would not have come.

So how we conclude from that past time that Krishna always protects his daughter, you know, like this? So the past time that a child was protected by the Lord, the child denounced the modem or whatever. So now our strengths are demonstrative issues. They are specific demonstrative. That doesn’t mean those are patterns that will be universal.

It it certainly does not mean that all manage you know, just abandon their children and. No. So I have a one friend. He said, like, I’m never. Yeah.

It’s awesome. Some he said, maybe how we want maybe how much trouble you have to take care of the databases. There are there is a non particular gene, and there should be non particular gene. But there are times when the normal particulars may not be there. So at that, at that time, Krishna then.

Like, we should our faith in Krishna will increase so that there is very important. Why there are extraordinary incidences? Generally speaking, extraordinary incidents of any kind. But, anyway, he says, generally speaking, no one person’s life is interesting enough to make that in one character. So one character is a composite of many people.

So the point I think is that, generally speaking, just a a booking incident is not stable. You know, if we record everything that we did one day, and then the next day, I just sit and watch everything today. So the extraordinary results. Now the purpose of this is not to normalize the extraordinary. So as as it is not that after hearing the past time of, Ajani can deliver, then regular devotion service.

How surely they’re already delivered, isn’t it? So it is not to normalize the extraordinary. It is to emphasize the ordinary. That so what is the order you’re gonna hear? That the order I’m not in the order.

It’s the standard. We don’t have our standard expectations. That’s why the inputs on the past time, which should have removed around us. We’ll go on and take a long time. So we do not take one past time and make a absolute lesson in that past time.

So generally, whenever we are getting scripture, so there are we can absoluteize every past time, and that’s not healthy. We get relativeize every past time. And that is all of us do at that time is not true now. But what we both of them are, what we use context utilize. Context.

So contextualize means what? We look at the point, and we look at the point of the point. What is it that’s in the loop view that? So that is about. He is not studying to get a PhD in.

His interest is Krishna. Now there are 2 ways of becoming Krishna. 1 is to bring Krishna into our consciousness. And this is what normally we hear about Krishna channel. But other is bring what is in our consciousness to Krishna.

Bring what is called in our consciousness to Krishna. So for example, we may have learned some stories, the moral story in my childhood. So questions are used very well. Questions have a whole genre of creatures whose main pitching is through movies. So movies are already in people’s minds.

So what are the, you know, actually, that can be drawn from movies? This. So the idea is that particular section of the is in the second world. Cosmograph, and he wants to connect that cosmography with Krishna. How do I see this devotion?

So that is the purpose. What is this? Not just to know. But no, actually, So now in today’s world, for us, that cosmology is itself very. I guess in general.

The focus is more on the spiritual principles of the rather than the specific dimensions that we don’t talk about in this dimension, but it is not as focus. So we have to be clear that that was one way. That was a relevant tech actor. But it may not be relevant now. Say, for example, somebody is a video in.

And So in that sense, that’s where your cosmology is not. It is. It is something important. It’s already been that will enhance that. Now beyond that, still, you can say, I wanna make some sense of what it is.

So there are multiple ways in which, the movies are trying to make sense of it. See, we cannot really take much help from these large ideas. Because these are changes who commented on this, they are not they were not interacting with. So there are not, communities. But they were the word science and not really the scientific and the world and not at that time so much.

So the 3 ways that I’ve seen, one is these are higher. That is. So that means that this is something happening at another level of here. That’s what we’re talking about. Now the third is second is that is a conceptual journey.

Conceptual journey means that when our conscious was the words, like, a other countries. So the point is not exactly what is there to get. The point is that we don’t need to follow our conceptions till we reach Krishna. So it’s a conceptual So it’s a conceptual. Now when probably not talk about this so much.

He has talked about this project. And, there is some reason to do that in, tradition also So, it is set up. Now 7 days are almost over. How much time was there? The third way of looking at it is that it is a historical condition.

That means now this is not something which I have seen, our tradition talk about, but there are other rational relations and their teachers will see that. This was how how people thought that. So it is possible that now also says that specific scan is this time. That, for example, in the first kind of our code, Krishna is a journey from, and try to put the response, that’s very possible. But that is the type that I’m really focused on.

So how to understand these things that is some intellectual. So I would be very hesitant to do that in historical conception, but the other 2 is a conceptual journey and that it is a higher dimensions. So higher dimensions are really possible. I have not seen that being used for the earth. I’ve seen it being used for the company, talked about it in for the channel because, see, the one is described is for I do have to hit the the moment just like a bandwidth, and that is true to some extent.

That’s what I experience is. But our experience is limited. So existence is material. Right? We have a computer.

Then So And making cosmography is a book written by. It’s doctor Charles Thompson that I found in the best book as well as for giving Is it necessary to make sense of everything? Well, what is this concerning depends on what is a priority for us. Okay. It’s fine.

So now with respect to there is postmodern destinations. And there are higher domains. Heaven is the higher domain, and the spiritual void is the highest domain. So basically, takes us to the spiritual domain. Takes us to the.

So now the focus is on So from perspective, they were describing that the market was reduced. And then they saw it, those are also in heaven. So the idea is, first of all, heaven is non permanent. So heaven is a reward for certain actions, but it’s a non permanent reward. So through your head, hide, fought in the war, and died a honorable.

And all of it, although he tried to hide eventually fought. So it is that time when the warrior, the soldier without lynching or running away, fights to. So how are the APIs looking? So we may have to identify the idea of APIs who are who are this thing. And you all have to.

And then I feel like. So I actually see the rest of what I see that They have so much bought into their faith that they’re using the. Most of the types, ATS, either they have psychological. There we know in some way, I’ll just speak to somebody, So the true sense means that there are places in the in the structure of the universe. We have the earth is in the middle, and above us is heaven, and below us is hell.

So they are places where we go, but they are not just physical places. These are also states of mind. So states of mind means that someone who is whose whose mind is filled with that and everyone’s desire, something, or rendered by their own addictive So this was a unbelievable feeling, bro. First time, the tower, first time, you know, Marika, Matura, Prutjita. And, we only felt that as he was speaking and stopping, there’s so much more, so much more, so much more.

 Thankyou…

The post Krishna Charitra Series by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhuji – Part 4 – Lord Krishna in Dwarka appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

And then it shifts all the way from 1 from the one side of the bank to the other side of the bank. Now exactly what are the reasons he does that. We do that when we focus on. However, there is always in life, like, this tension between safety and activity. Isn’t it?

The shifts are safest in the rock, but ships are not going to be in the rock. So like that, we could have say, you did it right. I go on my mobile. So I’ll not go on my mobile. Let me try to edit the who is not much in their own country because they have so many things to do in other countries.

So now what is the optimal optimal balance with safety and activity? This same principle we applied to us have 9 sales. There use our strength. That’s one thing. And then what requires strength.

What requires strength, but it and enable service. So this balance is always dynamic. So all that Krishna is doing outside, It culminates in the. So we will talk about 3 broad things. And as god is omnipotent.

As god is omnipotent, we can do everything. Now that is not very helpful for us to learn anything practical in our lives because we are omnivoted. So we can also look at it how Krishna is strategic in what he does, how Krishna is very intelligent in him letting him has very different meanings, but broadly, there are 2 meanings. One meeting is social and the other is individual. So when Arjuna starts the discussion, he’s asking the individual.

Uh-huh. I want to know what the right people. So each one of us needs to do the right thing. Say, if you’re a company, Just to set an example for individuals because all the individuals don’t have omni moments at their home. They have to navigate their challenges in a practical way.

And how do we intellectually fix whatever power we have? So that means what I’m saying is, but here, pause on the importance is shown. Here, there is shown. Krishna has to establish the market of love, but there’s a lot of other action happening. So if they’re at home and you can just be the somebody love with the allowance.

But if somebody know you, I’ll be fighting. So then you will show that I care for you, I love you, I’m fighting for the influence. Or that will be embracing and tagging and all those kind of things. Yeah. So I’m is in a disempowered condition.

They are princess, but they are few months in this, heading. This is after the 1 hour, fire. And then that relationship is moving forward. There are many key elements in that. So Krishna is helping the founder of us in various ways.

To eliminate poverty or be persecuted. So then, the Russia has an apparent fairness when he used to find out how to And then that is the time where Krishna and all the allies will post. And then she respond, but alliance is a little more for a boost group. So Krishna becomes for Arjuna and then they fight. And then the is.

And then after this whole thing happens, Indra is. Now Indra says that the guy is good. I literally got to share the word also, but he’s playing in Google. So at that time, Indra says that, principle in politics in all of it. What is that?

Try for the best. Prepare for the worst. So because the principle for life, we try to bring the best out there, but we prepare for the worst. So the the try for the best means they seek peace. And there are multiple rounds of negotiation that happen, but preparing for the worst wins, seek allies.

At the final one, I’m forming alliances where for war happens, we are ready for the war. So much of what has happened in Indian history, we’ll talk about why that has happened, is that Indians have chosen only one side sequence. For example, the person is say, right now, any anything that happens to that person that could be explained within one causal framework, time and the time is too fast. It could be because I need some code yesterday. It could be because I have a respiratory tract issue.

It could be because there is some general environment. There could be many different causes. So now the focus when we are missing a problem is what is the most actionable cost. I will say if I am getting bored because there is a climate change. Okay.

That may be a pause, but what can I do? Let me think right now. Plan in advance. So Krishna has multiple plans to do. So this is this is important to understand that sometimes when he has to go with us early, Krishna, How is it?

Why the beginning only? You know, these things are not going to work. Then why come there? So the nature of the word is sometimes through one action. Just like I was telling earlier that, a situation can have any causes.

Right? There is an effect. What makes karma complicated? Many things. But one of the things is that an effect can come from multiple causes.

Multiple causes can combine to give it. So we have pause 1 and then that’s cause. So it cause n. But conversely, what it means is that one cause one action can have multiple events. So our calls can have effect 1, effect 2, like, effect 10.

So we can see seek one effect and that effect may not come. And this is a video. But some other effort may come by. And and that effect comes back to the success. So at one level, Krishna has come out of these messages.

And Krishna has to say, it’s not going to work. Krishna says, I want to make sure that the work knows that this work will not always be a part of us. The call of this work work with the cover of us. So the plan is avoid your work. Plan b is make sure to demonstrate who is the call workers.

So now if you consider plan a is completely frustrated by the little than the. But that very obviously actually fully plays into Krishna’s plan. Each of them leaves their space, and that’s why I do this. There is nothing for the can you go to the pandas person? Everybody gives their space.

So And what is the amount of bones? Actually, the demons have devours within the forest. And after 18 years, they have bind up And Krishna himself doesn’t rely on it constant. Constant. You figures?

Krishna use occasionally can actually make his goals. If Alina starts playing his brothers and he starts despise his brothers, he starts criticizing his brothers. All that’s going to do is to focus on? There could be many causes. We could 0 it on.

Which cause to focus on? We need to focus on the cause that is actionable. Actionable means that will lead to constructive change. Because that that we will also take calls and focus on a particular cause at that particular time. That is important.

Now does there that the cause and not respond for it? And, yes, they would be important. But at that point, it’s not the most important to those. So when we say our response to the state, if the legal state was or so that our response to the state is a legal state. So what does that mean?

That means we start focusing on the pause that is not really we would place it in multiple causal frameworks. And it will the other element causal framework is that is void. It doesn’t have the void. But we don’t have to place everything immediately in that causal field. So depending on which causal framework causal framework is okay.

This was caused by this. So so which pause do we focus on? So, you know, there are different pauses that are responsible. So we need to focus on the pause that makes things better. Suppose that the increment is.

Now we could say that, okay. What is the that I’ve been on this side. That I’ve been on the wall and this is good enough. And while the founders outside and other than the job inside, that was because of JED. Now JED knew whether what he was doing.

See, even in the war time, there was some sense of equality. Even Ashwat, for example, wanted to touch. Ashwatama said, you know, you are my son. You are like my son. Don’t make me angry.

I don’t want to kill me. Came in between at that time, he knew what he was doing. He was basically not just showing his power, not just using the the blessing that she had given him and showing how you can stop the pandas. You know, stop the pandas or you and you did. But he used that time, and he he is going to use.

That’s why Anjuna directed his anger at. So I I thought we were gonna use that and. And the next day, the was killed. It was the most morale shattering day for the. Because their entire army was deployed.

Just stop. I do I’m not from the detail, and yet I do not reach it. So they come but entire army can’t stop 1 more of the opposite. And how can you stop the entire army? So it just became completely what I’ll check with it.

And he doesn’t get up. Entirely can’t get this one So the thing is that bad things happen in the sport all the time. That’s just the nature of the world watching. Now that doesn’t mean that they all have a deep happening. That doesn’t mean that it is passively accepted.

So when Arjuna had done everything he could, then Krishna did what Arjuna did. So when we do everything that we can, then god will do what we can’t. But that’s also. That’s why we didn’t take this now. We’re done something in the moment.

And what can we do about it. So devotees as a matter of functioning in the world, it’s not that devotees rely on Krishna’s own default and follow that. So which cause will be focusing? So take it, let’s say that, at one level, people say, hey. This is just user analysis, And this is the type of exclusion and that is the part of all problems in the world and this business is we will graduate on that one call.

And then there is knowledge So we could say that this is not the cause at all. So people say, okay. You know, there are people who are poor and people that were yeah. They get radicalized because they have most of chances of prospects in their life. They get radicalized.

They become terrorists. And they look at is that you have to explore the investment to take one cause and make it be the only cause. To take it as to take one thing, push the other, take us to take one call and make it into the only cause. This is knowledge in our. So we will say that knowledge in the model influence is where whatever it may be.

In whatever area, you can just find one cause and in that, the only cause. This is the cause of all the problems. How does that happen? That means that the we seek more and more knowledge about only that particular loss, And then the ignorance is expanded for the knowledge. The knowledge simply expands the growth.

We will also take notes. This is the cause of all the problems in the world. There are 2 things that I would talk about is that I can do this, that we cannot with the we take one cause and the strong cause. And the other extreme is no reference to that cause at all. So in this particular, the particular cause is not at all, and the other is that cause is free and the only cause.

So actually, extruders are kinder than exclusives. Extruded say, you’re going to go to hell anyway. Why are you late? So now again, what is happening is? One thing is and one thing is very well.

That’s. So the. Islam. And in writing on them. So the problem is not Islam person.

It is So was not a. That that we are the best in the world. And then that. So now can exclusion come to the ideology is possible. Now is it that some ideologies are more likely to cause extrusion than others?

That’s also possible. I think though I will be there, we have to get to our. But we need to recognize that it is extrusion which arises from. That is the cause. Now if that comes from particular pathways, those pathways need to be addressed.

But if it fixate too much of those pathways, then that is not the case. In the Abhavad Gita, the cause that we that we can the cause by focusing on which we can do something about it. So what can we do about it in this? Like, I started Dharma at a societal level at a societal level, we need to increase our influence. What we call as, is it word word?

Not long. Logging is a negative word. But I notice that each region or each group has its own interests, and those groups, they advocate their interests. So if you see our group, like, 5 or 10 years ago, and we may say we are we get a but the world is gonna see the. So that so we need to work with other groups as have more advocacy.

I I have remote friends. There are many Jews working on remotes, and the one junior is actually working with many Indian leaders. Not just. So what, what some people have done is that that these devotees, they they are not. They are Indians are not.

But the religion that leads to. It’s a very exclusive mix. So the devotees on there, right now, not all of them are. That is the only one to stay. We have a large.

So for them, it is important that people can’t accuse them of just being Indians in Bangladesh. That’s why Indian devotees of India or Indian government acting too aggressively support it. It is also action right now, but it will form into the feeling. See, now when somebody is being targeted, are they targeted? We go to that region.

And there’s a lot of not just targeting right where we have to target it right. But it was just indiscriminate. So for us at this level, you didn’t fix it on one cause, and that may actually be counterproductive at the ground level. So at an individual level, what can we do? So in those who are.

So But So they’re voice in the keyboard wires. People speak a lot of lot of inflammatory things. And how exactly those things will be utilized, that depends on time case that is not easy in this particular case as a skin there, including the field of, quality of materials. But those who are not. What do we do at that point?

So we understand that that we all are parts of a computer reality, and we have our part to do. And then we discuss about the Hana Karma working there. One action can have multiple results. And conversely, one result may be coming from multiple causes. So we need to look at which is the most constructive analysis.

Krishna does that, you know, that don’t the wise, they act in such a way to make things better. So which cause to focus on? Which action for the state, which action to take, which action to pursue? So we see that Krishna’s plan itself. Krishna’s So how does trying to lead men?

In the scripture itself, there’s there’s multiple ways in which discussed about what And then lastly, and it’s just about what can we do at a moment from the. The enemy the enemy is not a political ideology of the enemies. A more one. A more one means to extremes. This is the only part of the problem.

This is the only action that is followed up. Either of this. Let’s say, if I did apologize, In fact, the SSR session that we do here, you know, 12 sessions of the staff without any appreciation could take less or even 60% content is from your points that we have wrapped and we took it in different insights and all those questions. And I think this, explanation that you’re told about cause and effects is very important because often, you know, emotionally, we react on it. My humble request would be, you know, if you can go one more step in this saying how to identify the actionable path, and how to control the emotions or rather understand the emotions, then we make the decision.

You know, we experience it many times. You know? It’s it’s we understood that there are many causes. We are to act on the actionable cause. This is my personal effort.

Many times, I struggle with the future. You know? What when whatever little bit we’re doing, so many, challenges come, and and immediately impulse impulse will be react and we pay the price for it. And then we start thinking and in the product spectrum, we try c, we try c, we try c, we try c, then it is okay. Maybe Krishna doesn’t want it to happen.

To him? Or maybe he’s already doing, but we’re not seeing how he is. So how do I identify what an actionable cost and how do we control our emotions or manage our emotions when we have to when we have to make a decision? You know, there’s, practically, you know, in day to day life. Not only as a teacher, in fact, you know, today, I’m going to address a very big form of, industries in the office.

And, I was thinking what to speak with this. So I already got some content on what to speak with. I’m not gonna work exactly, but, So I my little knowledge, I read a very little also. I’ve got very little. I couldn’t find anywhere.

1. Balancing Safety and Activity:

The discussion begins with a metaphor about ships navigating from one side of a bank to the other, which represents the balance between safety and action. Just as a ship is safest when docked but cannot achieve its purpose unless it sails, individuals must balance staying in a safe zone with taking necessary actions in life. This balance is dynamic, meaning it needs constant adjustment depending on the situation.

2. Action Based on Strength:

The speaker explains that we need to identify our strengths and use them in actions that benefit us and others. This is where Krishna’s strategic actions come into play—Krishna’s intelligence and strategy are highlighted, showing that his actions are not impulsive but well thought out, addressing both individual needs and broader social contexts. This speaks to the importance of intellectual growth and choosing the right actions based on the situation.

3. The Role of Krishna:

Krishna’s omnipotence is acknowledged, but it’s pointed out that his actions in the Bhagavad Gita are not arbitrary. Krishna’s approach is to guide Arjuna (and through him, all individuals) in making decisions that balance personal and social responsibilities. Krishna’s teachings emphasize the importance of doing what’s right, not merely for individual salvation but for the greater good of society.

4. Navigating Challenges with Strategic Planning:

The example of Arjuna’s dilemmas is used to explain that life’s challenges often have multiple causes and effects. The speaker suggests that understanding the causes of our problems is key, but the focus should always be on the most actionable cause—the one that can lead to constructive change. This requires us to think ahead and make plans, similar to how Krishna plans his interventions strategically.

5. The Complex Nature of Karma:

The concept of karma is explored, showing that one action can have multiple results, and conversely, one result can come from multiple causes. This reinforces the idea that life is not simple, and the cause-and-effect relationship is not always linear. Therefore, individuals must be discerning in identifying the most relevant causes that they can address.

6. Dealing with Emotional Reactions:

One of the key struggles mentioned is emotional reactions. The speaker acknowledges that it’s easy to be impulsive and react emotionally to situations. However, the more constructive approach is to identify the actionable cause that can lead to positive change and act on that. Managing emotions in decision-making is crucial for this—when emotions cloud judgment, it’s important to pause, assess the situation, and choose the best course of action, rather than reacting impulsively.

7. Exclusion vs. Inclusion in Societal Contexts:

There’s a segment where the conversation turns to societal issues, discussing how some ideologies or belief systems can be exclusionary, while others seek broader inclusion. It highlights that focusing too much on one cause or ideology can be counterproductive, leading to division rather than progress. The example of religious and political dynamics in India is used to emphasize the importance of recognizing multiple perspectives and working with other groups to advocate for shared interests, rather than clinging to narrow viewpoints.

8. Strategic Leadership and Influence:

The speaker suggests that in both personal and professional settings, especially in leadership roles, one must act strategically to manage crises, build alliances, and influence others. This is reflected in how Krishna interacts with the Pandavas, helping them navigate the challenges they face. Leaders need to make decisions that benefit the larger community, recognizing that actions often have ripple effects.

9. Practical Takeaways:

The speaker reflects on personal struggles, particularly the challenge of making decisions under emotional pressure. The advice given is to focus on what’s actionable, not on the noise of extraneous causes, and to manage emotions by recognizing them but not allowing them to control decisions. Understanding that God or a higher power may already be working in ways that are unseen is also a key takeaway: when we do our part, we trust that the larger plan will unfold.

The overarching message is about strategic decision-making, recognizing the interconnectedness of causes and effects, and managing emotions for better outcomes. It encourages individuals to focus on practical solutions and to understand the complex, dynamic nature of life’s challenges. The conversation ties back to Krishna’s wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita, suggesting that we too can learn to act wisely and strategically by reflecting on our strengths, managing our emotions, and focusing on what’s most constructive in any given moment.

If you’re dealing with complex decisions or emotional reactions, it’s helpful to apply the principle of identifying the “actionable cause” and focusing your energy on solutions that can lead to real, positive change.

Thankyou very much…

The post Krishna Charitra Series by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhuji – Part 3 – Lord Krishna in Kurukshetra appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Spiritual Discourse: Krishna’s Journey to Mathura and Lessons in Devotion

Thank you all for coming today. It seems there are always challenges that arise during our gatherings, but your patience and determination are truly appreciated. As Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, “Yatantash cha dridhavratah”—those who strive with determination will achieve their goals.

Today, we will discuss Lord Krishna’s entry into Mathura, focusing on the 31st verse of the text. Before we begin, let us recite:

Chant:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Krishna’s Arrival in Mathura
When Krishna entered Mathura on Akrura’s chariot, the entire city was filled with excitement. The residents, known as Pauris (those residing in the city), welcomed Krishna with great enthusiasm, chanting “Jai Jai!” despite the presence of Kamsa, the tyrant ruler.

This moment demonstrates how even in the face of fear and oppression, devotion and reverence can triumph. The people of Mathura recognized Krishna’s divinity, celebrating his arrival as a blessing, even under Kamsa’s shadow.

Faith and Devotion vs. Ritual and Manipulation
The qualities of a Brahmin are described in the Bhagavad Gita. These include faith in scripture (Shraddha), belief in higher powers (Astikya), and adherence to the Vedic tradition. However, there is a distinction between religion as a system of rituals and true devotion (bhakti).

Religion, in many cases, is about manipulating nature through rituals to fulfill desires. For example:

• Performing sacrifices for rain or prosperity.
• Following precise rituals to achieve specific outcomes.

While such practices can be seen as a form of technology, devotion is fundamentally different. In devotion, the mood is one of surrender:
“Aham tu akhantah tava bhaktah”—”I am your eternal servant, and you are my eternal Lord.”

In contrast, figures like Hiranyakashipu and Kamsa exemplify the manipulative approach. Hiranyakashipu sought immortality through clever loopholes in Brahma’s boon, but Krishna, being the master of all, found ways to outmaneuver his manipulations. Similarly, Kamsa worshipped the goddess (Devi) devoutly, yet his motives were self-serving.

Lessons from Kamsa’s Encounter with Devi
When the goddess emerged from Devaki’s womb, Kamsa was stunned. He had expected to kill the Ashtam Garbha (eighth child) but found himself face-to-face with a divine manifestation. This moment of unexpected divinity confused and unsettled him.

Kamsa’s inability to process this event shows the limitations of material intelligence and the futility of opposing divine will. His confusion also highlights how even the most calculated plans can be undone by the divine.

Devotion as the Path to Liberation
True devotion arises when one surrenders unconditionally, acknowledging the supremacy of the divine. While rituals and practices have their place, they must lead to a deeper understanding and connection with God. As Krishna demonstrates through his lilas (divine pastimes), it is love, faith, and surrender that ultimately bring liberation (moksha).

Let us end with the following verse, which encapsulates the mood of surrender and devotion:

Tathāso e jayasītabhāshī, Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti.

May we all strive to cultivate true devotion in our hearts, aligning ourselves with the eternal truth that Krishna represents.

Hare Krishna!

Kamsa’s Ego, Actions, and Downfall: A Spiritual Discourse

Kamsa is portrayed as a tyrannical and ego-driven ruler whose actions were dictated by fear and a desire to prove his superiority, even over the devatas (demigods). This discourse explores the interplay of his insecurities, manipulative actions, and eventual downfall.

The Nature of Apologies and Kamsa’s Justifications

When people apologize, the sincerity of the apology often determines its impact. However, if an apology is followed by excuses—“I’m sorry, but…”—it loses its genuineness. This is akin to offering an apology with one hand and taking it back with the other. Kamsa, too, uses justifications to rationalize his heinous actions, such as killing innocent babies and his own nephews.

Kamsa believed everything was controlled by fate (Ashtam or destiny). When confronted, he looked at Vasudeva and repeated the argument: “Everything is controlled by Ashtam, so if your children are killed, it is inevitable. Forgive me—it was destined.”

Kamsa’s Reaction to the Goddess

When the goddess appeared after the birth of the eighth child, Kamsa was stunned. She mocked him, saying, “You fool, the one who will kill you has already been born elsewhere.” This shook Kamsa, as he realized the prophecy was still valid. Initially, he sought to make amends by releasing Vasudeva and Devaki, but his paranoia returned. Fearing for his life, he ordered the mass killing of children across the land.

Kamsa sent demons like Putana and others to Vrindavan to eliminate Krishna. However, each attempt failed, and the demons met their demise at Krishna’s hands. Reports of Krishna’s extraordinary feats, such as slaying demons, reached Mathura. Despite his confidence, Kamsa began to sense that something was amiss in Vrindavan.

Lessons from Ravana and Kamsa’s Mistakes

Both Ravana and Kamsa, despite their power and cunning, made critical errors due to their ego. Ravana, in Lanka, had the advantage of home territory and a powerful army, yet he sent his generals and brothers one by one to fight. Similarly, Kamsa placed overconfidence in his demons, believing each could defeat Krishna individually. This piecemeal strategy led to their systematic failure.

Kamsa’s ego further clouded his judgment. Some devotees wonder why he kept Vasudeva and Devaki together instead of separating them to prevent the birth of the eighth child. The answer lies in Kamsa’s pride. Having already defeated the devatas, Kamsa wanted to falsify their prophecy by killing the child himself. He believed this would undermine people’s faith in the devatas and elevate his power as supreme.

Kamsa’s Desperation and Krishna’s Arrival in Mathura

As more of his demons fell to Krishna, Kamsa realized he could no longer rely on others. He decided to summon Krishna to Mathura, believing he could eliminate the boy himself. To achieve this, he used cunning tactics. Like Duryodhana sending Vidura to invite Yudhishthira to the infamous dice game, Kamsa sent Akrura, a respected figure, to bring Krishna to Mathura. Krishna, out of respect for Akrura, agreed to come.

From Vrindavan’s perspective, Krishna was leaving for the first time. However, texts by acharyas (spiritual teachers) like Jiva Goswami explain that Krishna has dual manifestations—Vasudeva Krishna in Mathura and Vrindavan Krishna. This duality emphasizes that Krishna exists simultaneously in different forms and places.

Mathura’s Reaction and Kamsa’s Envy

In Mathura, the people’s reaction to Krishna’s arrival was overwhelming. Despite Kamsa’s oppressive rule, many Mathuravasis celebrated Krishna’s entry with joy and chants of “Jai Jai!” However, not everyone openly showed their devotion out of fear of Kamsa. Tyrants like Kamsa may command people’s actions but rarely win their hearts.

When the wrestling match began, the crowd’s cheers for Krishna far surpassed those for Kamsa’s wrestlers. This enraged Kamsa, further fueling his hatred and insecurity. His inability to win the hearts of his subjects mirrored his ultimate failure as a ruler and as a person.

Kamsa’s Ego vs. Krishna’s Divinity

Kamsa’s downfall was rooted in his ego and his futile attempts to control the inevitable. His belief that he could outwit destiny led him to underestimate Krishna. Despite his intelligence and cunning, Kamsa’s decisions were driven by fear and pride, which blinded him to the divine nature of Krishna.

In contrast, Krishna’s actions embody humility, love, and divine purpose. Through his lilas (pastimes), Krishna shows that no amount of manipulation, cunning, or force can prevail over devotion and truth.

Conclusion
The story of Kamsa serves as a timeless lesson on the dangers of ego, the futility of opposing divine will, and the power of devotion. As Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, “Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja”—surrender unto me alone, and I shall deliver you from all sin. Kamsa’s refusal to surrender led to his destruction, while Krishna’s devotees found liberation and joy.

Let us take inspiration from these teachings and strive to cultivate humility and devotion in our lives.

Hare Krishna!

Now Kamsa had made multiple arrangements to ensure Krishna’s defeat. His first plan involved the deadly elephant, Kuvalayapida, positioned strategically at the entrance to prevent Krishna’s advance. However, Krishna effortlessly outmaneuvered the elephant. Displaying remarkable skill, he dodged Kuvalayapida’s charges, broke off its tusks, and used them as weapons to defeat the beast—humiliating Kamsa even further. It was as if Krishna was demonstrating his dominance by defeating the enemy using its own strength.

With the elephant slain, Krishna moved on to the wrestling arena, where Kamsa had arranged a match with professional wrestlers. Initially, Krishna and Balarama appeared reluctant, pointing out that they were mere boys, untrained in wrestling, while the opponents were experienced professionals. However, Kamsa insisted on the match proceeding. What ensued was nothing short of spectacular.

The crowd initially perceived the contest as unfair, as Krishna and Balarama faced off against opponents much larger and more skilled. But as the battle progressed, Krishna and Balarama defeated the wrestlers one by one. Despite the strategic advantage wrestlers usually have in exhausting their opponent through successive matches, Krishna showed no signs of fatigue, defeating each rival effortlessly. The spectators were awestruck, and their cheers grew louder with each victory, defying Kamsa’s oppressive rule.

For a tyrant like Kamsa, the growing cheers for Krishna were intolerable. Fear and respect are the pillars of a tyrant’s power, and seeing his people lose their fear enraged him. Unable to tolerate this public humiliation, Kamsa snapped. He ordered his soldiers to arrest Nanda, Vasudeva, and all those cheering for Krishna. He even commanded the destruction of Gokul. This reckless abuse of power marked Kamsa’s descent into panic and desperation.

At this point, Krishna decided enough was enough. He leaped onto the raised platform where Kamsa sat. Kamsa, armed with a sword, was prepared to defend himself, but Krishna’s speed was blinding. Before Kamsa could react, Krishna overpowered him, dragged him down into the wrestling arena, and dealt the final blow. The once-feared tyrant was defeated in mere moments, with no chance to retaliate. The ease with which Krishna vanquished Kamsa was almost anticlimactic, showcasing Krishna’s unmatched power.

This victory wasn’t just a personal triumph for Krishna but a dramatic statement to the people of Mathura. Krishna, previously an unknown element from a small village, had come to the city and effortlessly defeated its most powerful and feared ruler. The Mathura-vāsīs were filled with pride and relief, celebrating Krishna as their savior.

Krishna, however, displayed remarkable humility even in victory. Instead of claiming the crown for himself, he took it from Kamsa’s lifeless body and placed it on the head of Ugrasena, Kamsa’s father, who was the rightful king. This act of respect and humility won over the hearts of everyone present. True greatness, Krishna demonstrated, lies in using power for good while remaining humble.

The Yadavas, overjoyed by Kamsa’s defeat, urged Krishna to accept his place as Vasudeva’s son and stay in Mathura. However, Krishna firmly identified himself as a Vrajavāsi, the son of Nanda and Yashoda. He insisted that his place was with the people of Gokul, rejecting the notion of royal lineage.

This episode not only solidified Krishna’s reputation as a protector and hero but also served as a profound lesson in leadership. Krishna’s actions underscored the importance of humility, the power of justice, and the courage to stand against tyranny. The celebrations that followed were not just for the defeat of Kamsa but for the dawn of a new era of hope and righteousness in Mathura.

In some ways, the Yadavas have been portrayed as the ones who keep Krishna from returning to Vrindavana. When it comes to convincing Krishna to stay, it isn’t Vasudeva alone who takes the lead; rather, the collective Yadavas express their concerns. They approach Krishna with a pragmatic argument:

They say, “Krishna, you have saved us from Kamsa, but if you leave now, we will be in even greater danger. Kamsa’s allies will seek revenge, and at the same time, other ambitious kings may see an opportunity to seize power in the absence of Kamsa. Without you, we will face attacks from both Kamsa’s supporters and his enemies. You must stay here to protect us.”

Krishna cannot deny the gravity of their concerns. He recognizes the risks they face and feels responsible for ensuring their safety. This puts Krishna in a difficult position—his heart yearns to return to Vrindavana and reunite with the Vrajavasis, yet his duty compels him to stay in Mathura.

The burden of explaining this to the Vrajavasis falls upon Krishna himself. This is no easy task, as the Vrajavasis are deeply attached to Krishna, and the fear of separation weighs heavily on them. The younger Gopis, in particular, express their emotions with a striking urgency. Despite the conservative culture of their time, which would typically demand modesty, they cast aside all shyness and rush out to stop Krishna from leaving. Their fear of losing Krishna is so overpowering that they abandon societal norms entirely.

In contrast, Yashoda’s emotions are expressed more subtly, but they run just as deep. Her concern is not just the fear of separation from Krishna but also anxiety for his safety. She knows Kamsa’s reputation as a cruel and dangerous ruler—one who has even imprisoned his own father. The Rajavasis are aware of Kamsa’s ruthlessness, and this makes Yashoda worry endlessly about the dangers Krishna might face in Mathura.

However, the Rajavasis seem largely unaware that Kamsa has been sending demons to Gokul with the sole purpose of killing Krishna. If they had known this, they would never have agreed to let Krishna go. To them, Krishna’s departure to Mathura was framed as an innocent invitation. Akurura had conveyed Kamsa’s message as an official royal request for Krishna to participate in a wrestling match. He had said, “Your son is renowned for his strength and skills. This is an invitation from the king—how can it be declined?” It was presented as a matter of duty and honor, leaving Nanda and the others little choice but to allow Krishna to go.

For the Vrajavasis, however, the pain of separation from Krishna outweighs any sense of obligation or duty. Their hearts are consumed by the fear that Krishna may never return. While the younger Gopis are overt in their distress, Yashoda’s grief is quieter but no less intense. She worries not only about the separation but also about the perils Krishna might face in Kamsa’s court.

Krishna, too, is torn between his love for the Vrajavasis and his sense of responsibility toward the Yadavas. As much as his heart longs to return to Vrindavana, he knows that for now, he must remain in Mathura. Yet, even as he stays, Krishna’s thoughts remain with the Vrajavasis, and he resolves to fulfill his duty while finding a way to bring solace to the hearts of those who love him so dearly.

Let’s recite this. You know that such a thing will never happen again. She is in her inner chamber, crying. She is inside her chamber, tears streaming down her face. She is crying endlessly, overwhelmed by emotion.

Krishna, too, is experiencing a deep inner turmoil. He is in tears, singing a song to express his sorrow. Krishna is crying, filled with a mix of divine power and human vulnerability.

In a way, Krishna is caught in the middle of a custody battle. When a wife is separated from her child, both sides fight for possession, but here, the conflict is not solely over the child. The child must communicate to both parties. Krishna is omnipotent, but in this situation, he must also navigate his role as the beloved child of the Vrajavasis. He must speak to them both, but also maintain his own dignity.

At that moment, when Krishna finally speaks, Lata Maharaj sees him. Just by looking at Krishna’s expression, he can tell that Krishna has been struggling to contain his emotions. “What happened?” Lata Maharaj asks. “Why are you so upset? You should be celebrating. What’s wrong with you?”

Krishna, sensing the underlying tension, responds. He shares his fear, acknowledging that something bad might happen. Lata Maharaj, with a sarcastic laugh, replies, “It’s our fortune that the great ones claim what is ours, not theirs. Fine, if they want you to stay here, then we will all stay with you.”

Krishna responds with a firm refusal. “You cannot stay here. We are humans, and we must tend to our cows. Our herds have grown so large that there is no grazing land left for them.”

Lata Maharaj, trying to make light of the situation, says, “Then I will come to stay with you.”

But Krishna, with a sorrowful tone, says, “No, you cannot come. I have made many enemies, and if they find out how dear you are to me, they will attack you to hurt me. I cannot protect both you and my people. Let the world think that I have no attachment to you anymore. Let them believe I stayed only because my father was in prison. Once he regained power and came back, I returned to my duties. Let them think I have no further connection to you.”

Those words strike Nandamaraj deeply. His heart trembles at the thought that Krishna might truly feel detached from him. “How long will this last?” he asks.

Krishna reassures him, “Just wait until I finish dealing with the demons. Then I will return.”

“Okay,” Nandamaraj replies, though his heart is heavy with grief. “Send the sentient beings as your messengers. They should not appear as messengers from Krishna.”

Krishna returns to Mathura, and Nandamaraj, with a heart full of sorrow, goes back, feeling the weight of this painful separation.

When we live in a community, we interact with different people, each with their own expectations. We must act with the right emotion in each situation. For example, when a mother is with her young child and there is a moment of fear, the child might say, “Mom, I’m scared,” but if the mother responds with fear, too, it will not help the child. The mother must show strength and calm to comfort the child.

In the same way, Krishna, though divine, must navigate his human relationships with care, balancing his divine duties and his love for those in Vrindavana.

Even though the mother might have her own emotions, she must suppress them in order to comfort and pacify the child. In a similar way, Krishna is overwhelmed with grief, but now he must act with responsibility.

What does Krishna do at this moment? He draws closer to those around him and begins to speak. He demonstrates something extraordinary in his actions. As I mentioned earlier, in the Bhan Leela (the Vrindavan Leela), the focus is mostly on relationships. Most of Krishna’s actions there are not necessarily inevitable, and there are not many clear life lessons we can draw from them. It’s possible to do so, but it is a bit more challenging. However, when Krishna is in Mathura, he shows a different attitude and begins to demonstrate profound wisdom.

When Krishna is with his parents, they are likely filled with mixed emotions. After being separated for so long, they might feel a sense of sorrow that Krishna, who couldn’t protect them, is now returning. Sometimes, when a child is given away for some reason, and grows attached to other people or places, they may return to their biological parents and feel distant, even resentful. They might question why they were abandoned, just as Karna does when he speaks of Kunti. He argues that she abandoned him, so why should he go back to her? This is a reasonable argument. But in Karna’s case, his return isn’t just about reuniting with his mother—it’s about understanding the larger context of his abandonment.

In Krishna’s case, when his parents see him, they may feel guilt or regret. Krishna speaks to them, acknowledging the hardships they have endured because of him. He explains that, because of his birth, they have witnessed the death of many of their children. A child is meant to serve and protect the parents, but even before he was born, he had already caused them grief. After his birth, he went away, and their suffering continued. Yet, now that Kamsa is dead, Krishna can finally fulfill his duty to them.

Whatever feelings of guilt or remorse Krishna may have had are completely removed by his sweet words and his actions. This is similar to the way Bhishma responds when Arjuna expresses guilt over the destruction caused by the war. Bhishma, seeing Arjuna’s sorrow, reassures him by saying, “You are Dharma’s son. You are the son of righteousness. Yet you have had to suffer so much.” This completely changes the dynamic of their conversation and dispels the feeling of guilt.

Krishna does the same with his life—by his actions, he helps those who have suffered. For instance, Krishna arranges for Bhishma’s sons to return to their rightful place, fulfilling his mother’s desire to offer her best to her children. She, like many mothers, wishes the best for her children, and Krishna fulfills that wish.

By this time, Krishna has long passed the age of breastfeeding—he’s now almost 10 years old. But through mystical means, Krishna fulfills the desires of his mother, Devaki, by providing the care and affection she missed when he was younger. He offers her the fulfillment of raising him, even though he has grown beyond infancy.

This is also when Krishna arranges for Subhadra to return, although the details of her whereabouts are not elaborated here. The key point is that Krishna gives back to his parents everything they had lost. He not only returns to them, but also provides more than they ever expected.

Despite these acts of kindness, Krishna himself is in great pain. He longs for the love and affection he left behind in Vrindavana. He is like a child whose family was taken away and given heavy responsibilities to bear. While he strives to fulfill his duties, he still feels the ache of separation.

Devaki, on one side, is overjoyed to have Krishna back. But what she doesn’t fully notice is that while she showers Krishna with affection, he, in turn, doesn’t seem entirely comfortable with her. This is important. Sometimes, adults act like children—moody, emotionally unbalanced, throwing tantrums, which can be unappealing. On the other hand, when children take on the qualities of adults and assume responsibility, it is admirable.

But as parents, you don’t want your children to miss out on the experience of childhood. Sometimes, life can be difficult, and children are forced to grow up very quickly because they have to shoulder a lot of responsibility.

Krishna is putting on a brave face, but it’s clear that he’s not completely comfortable. He isn’t behaving like a child with Devaki, which is understandable. That’s when he calls Rohini back. He thinks that Rohini can be a source of constancy in his life. Children need some stability, especially if their parents’ circumstances keep changing. If children have to move from one school to another, or from one home to another, it can be very difficult for them. Krishna’s environment has changed completely, with a shift in the people around him. It’s not just Vasudev and Devaki anymore, but the other Yadus who surround him.

The Yadus don’t hate Vrindavan or want Krishna to forget it. However, they fear that Krishna might leave them and return to Vrindavan, and they want Krishna to stay with them for their protection. Whenever Krishna mentions Vrindavan, they disapprove, not wanting to lose him. Krishna, not wanting to displease them, avoids discussing Vrindavan.

At this point, Vasudev thinks that at least Rohini will be a constant presence for Krishna. Of course, there is one more constant for Krishna—who is that? Balaram. Balaram is still a child, but the Yadus and the Vrindavasis know that Balaram is Vasudev’s son. They don’t fear that Balaram will go back to Vrindavan or leave them. Since Balaram is still a child, his words don’t carry as much weight in these matters.

When Rohini arrives, Krishna and Balaram run to embrace her and pour out their hearts to her. Rohini, in turn, expresses her love for them. She talks to them about how much the Vrindavasis love Krishna and how much Krishna loves them. The Yadus, however, respond, “You are meant to be on our side, not theirs! What do the Vrindavasis do for you? Do they feed you sweets to make you forget where you belong?” Rohini is caught in the middle, unable to speak further on the matter.

During this time, Krishna and Balaram are always very close to each other, but with so many gopas around, they remain close companions. It is also at this time that Krishna makes one more friend. Can we discuss Uddhava and leave it for tomorrow, or should we address it now?

How many of you have questions at this point? Okay, one, two, three, four. We can try to discuss Uddhava as well, since he is in Varka. We’ll cover this more when we talk about Varka.

To summarize what we discussed: We talked about two main relationships. One was Krishna’s relationship with Kamsa, where Kamsa’s ego drove him to want to kill Krishna. Kamsa’s pride and fear of losing power were at the core of his actions, and he couldn’t accept the possibility of his downfall. We also touched on Krishna’s relationship with others and the emotional challenges he faces as he grows older and navigates the complexities of being both a child and a protector.

We discussed how religion and science were very similar at that time, didn’t we? Both involve tapping into a higher power and the purposeful manipulation of forces.

Now, what Krishna does is not just defeat Kamsa; he demolishes his ego as well. Krishna kills effortlessly, destroying all the demons he encounters and removing every obstacle in his path. The anti-climax comes when Kamsa is killed. But this anti-climax is actually fitting, as it culminates in Krishna’s dramatic entry, showing how someone who was meant to instill terror in the whole universe is no match for him. Krishna doesn’t just kill Kamsa—he destroys the ego that was building Kamsa’s power.

Then, we move on to Krishna’s relationship with Vasudev and Devaki. We also discuss the Yadus, who act as unnamed villains in an emotional sense. They don’t understand Krishna’s actions or his pattern. Krishna, like a child who is not acting like an adult, pacifies the situation, sending the Maharajani back to her story. He has to be the adult now.

Krishna respects his parents in such a way that instead of making them feel guilty for abandoning him, he takes on that guilt himself. He wins their hearts and fulfills their desires. All the pain that Devaki has gone through is healed when Krishna brings her sons back, fulfilling her heart’s desire. Vasudev sees what is happening, and Devaki joins him in this moment of reconciliation.

This is also the time when Krishna and Balaram grow closer. They are the only two who are regularly present, and this gives Krishna the opportunity to talk openly.

Finally, we will discuss how Krishna deals with the world and what happens in Dwarka in our next session.

Are there any questions? Please raise your hand.

Audience Question: D. Krishnamurthy: In the Bhagavata, sometimes we read that when Krishna kills a demon, they go to the spiritual world, and sometimes we read that they go to Brahma Jyoti. Could you clarify this?

Answer: It depends on the context. Generally, the Bhagavad Gita focuses on Krishna’s special merciful potency. As a devotee of Krishna, regardless of your past actions, contact with Krishna purifies you. Even demons, when they come into Krishna’s presence, are purified. Some demons might be punished for their sins, but Krishna’s mercy transforms them. The Bhagavad Gita emphasizes that connection with Krishna, no matter the individual’s background or motive, brings purification.

For example, not all the gopis were pure devotees—some were divine beings (Deva Kanyas, Apsaras) who were attracted to Krishna’s beauty. Through this attraction, they became purified. The point is, Krishna’s presence is so powerful that it purifies anyone, regardless of their initial state.

The focus of the Bhagavad Gita is not just about the destination of the demons but about Krishna’s mercy. The demon’s destination may vary, but Krishna’s mercy purifies them. We should focus more on the mercy of Krishna rather than the specifics of where the demons end up.

In the tradition of Rupa Goswami, the focus is on serving Krishna and pleasing him. For instance, the calculation of liberation, like in the case of Ramanicharya, might be seen as selfish knowledge. The real goal is to serve Krishna, not just to seek liberation through him. While the demons might go to the spiritual world or Brahma Jyoti after coming into Krishna’s presence, the point is the purification that occurs through Krishna’s contact.

Ultimately, whether the demons go to the spiritual world or Brahma Jyoti depends on their background, but the point of the Bhagavad Gita is to emphasize the incredible mercy of Krishna. When a person connects with Krishna, they are purified, no matter their history.

Say, if someone goes to the spiritual world but doesn’t have love for Krishna, then they enter the spiritual world where everyone is constantly talking about Krishna. They might wonder, “What’s the latest cricket match?” The desire for Krishna cannot be forced upon anyone. What Krishna can do, however, is magnify a small desire. If someone has a tiny attraction to Krishna, Krishna can reveal his attractiveness in such a splendid way that their small desire can grow. But that small desire must come from us, or at least some expression of it.

For example, Uttara, when she first saw Krishna, may have thought, “This is a sweet baby; I want to feed him.” That thought was fleeting, but at least it was there for a moment. It was a minor desire, even though it was overshadowed by other, more prominent thoughts. Still, because there was even a small desire, she eventually became a nurse in the spiritual world.

Similarly, demons who have some attraction, appreciation, or service attitude towards Krishna can go to Krishna’s abode and become his associates. However, those who have no such desire will be cleansed and go to Brahmajyoti, which is a state of neutrality, for further purification.

Krishna is merciful, but He is not forceful. He does not override the soul’s freedom. If a soul does not have a desire to be with Krishna, Krishna won’t force that person. When Krishna was in Vrindavan, Yashoda and Nanda had no idea that Krishna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They were full of love and affection for Him, thinking of Him simply as their child. Even though Krishna performed many miracles, they were oblivious to His divine identity.

When Krishna entered Mathura, Yashoda and Nanda did not instantly recognize that He was the Supreme Lord. However, when they eventually understood Krishna’s true nature, it was not necessary for them to stop treating Him as their child. Their parental love was so deep that it transcended the understanding of Krishna as the Supreme Being.

Even when someone knows Krishna is God, it’s not always at the forefront of their consciousness. For example, Arjuna, even though he knows Krishna is God, primarily relates to Him in a friendly manner. The same applies to the residents of Vrindavan. While they may be aware of Krishna’s divinity, their primary relationship with Him is based on parental love or friendship, not as the Supreme Lord.

This is also seen in the case of Devaki. When she first saw Krishna in His four-armed form, she offered prayers to Him. But towards the end, she prayed, “Please take your ordinary form, my child.” This maternal mood is dominant, even when Krishna reveals His divine form. The mood of service and parental affection takes precedence over the awareness of Krishna’s supreme status. Devaki felt it was her duty to protect Krishna, not the other way around.

Similarly, when Prabhupada came to build the Juhu temple, his prayer was not for Krishna to help him build the temple for his own sake. Instead, his prayer was, “Please tolerate staying in this simple place until the temple is built.” Prabhupada’s attitude was that he wanted to serve Krishna, not ask Krishna to serve him. Even though Prabhupada may have sought Krishna’s help at times, his overall mood was to serve Krishna.

Audience Question: “Prabhu ji, you have mentioned that there are two Krishnas born—one is in Mathura (Vasudev Krishna) and the other is in Vrindavan (Yashoda Krishna). Could you clarify this further?”

I also heard this in some other lectures from our own parampara, but what I want to check with you is, as far as my understanding goes, this is not mentioned anywhere in the Bhagavata. Please correct me if I am wrong. Is there any reference to this particular episode where two Krishnas are born, and it is said that Vasudeva Krishna is attracted to Yashoda Krishna and merges with him? Can you please enlighten us on this?

To some extent, the bhakti tradition is an honorable one. Krishna is mentioned in the Bhagavata literature, but He is described in much greater detail in the Puranas. Krishna’s activities are detailed even more in the writings of various Acharyas. In that sense, this is an honorable tradition. Krishna is not static; He is ecstatic.

Jiva Goswami, for instance, refers to more sources than others. He talks about different episodes, including one where Krishna is born in Mathura. But there’s also a reference to Krishna being born in Gokula and Vrindavan. Some argue that the Gopis might be ignorant of Krishna’s divinity, which is why they see Krishna as an ordinary person, but later, the Gopis acknowledge that Krishna is not just the son of Devaki, but the Supreme Lord Himself.

In the Gopi Gita, the Gopis don’t just pray as Gopis, but as souls who are deeply aware of Krishna’s true nature. They express their love in the mood of Madhuri Mahabhava, which indicates that they are aware of Krishna’s divinity and are still deeply attracted to Him.

Now, regarding the question of whether Vasudeva Krishna is attracted to Vrindavan Krishna, it’s true that Vrindavan Krishna has a unique and intimate connection with the Gopis. However, this particular pastime may not be explicitly mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita. But the Bhagavad Gita does discuss how Mahavishnu is attracted to Krishna. So, in that sense, this reference might not be unreasonable.

The understanding that I find most reasonable, though there might be other interpretations, is as follows: When Vasudeva Krishna is carried across the Yamuna by Vasudeva, the baby Krishna falls into the river. Vasudeva is frantic, wondering what has happened. Then, it’s said that Vasudeva Krishna enters the Yamuna and merges with the river. After this, Krishna is taken back to the maternity ward.

There are various ways to understand how this happened. One possibility is that two children were born, and one child was taken by Vasudeva, while the other remained with Yashoda. In another explanation, Vasudeva Krishna merges with Vrindavan Krishna as he enters the Yamuna and then returns to Vrindavan.

Some commentators suggest that when Krishna returns to Vrindavan, He does so in an unmanifested form. His divine presence becomes apparent later when He appears with Akrura. It’s also mentioned that Krishna and Balarama are Vishnu and Ananda Shesha in the water, and Vrindavan Krishna merges with the river before returning.

While the specifics of this event are difficult to piece together precisely, it’s important to note that each Acharya offers a unique perspective. The comments from different Acharyas should be harmonized, and we have to piece together the puzzle from various sources.

Thank you.

If there are any other questions, we can continue tomorrow. We’ll discuss this further then.

Thank you very much.

Shri Krishna Bhagwan Ki Jai!

The post Krishna Charitra Series by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhuji – Part 2 – Lord Krishna in Mathura appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Everybody, in their own way, recognizes the unique bond a parent has with their child at any given moment. Yet, at times, no one truly understands the depth of what is unfolding. In the story of Krishna, Yashoda’s journey as a mother begins with an extraordinary event—Krishna being placed in her care. From the first moment she sees him, his divine qualities are evident. Descriptions of Krishna often highlight his large, expressive eyes and his radiant presence, traits that made him both enchanting and unique.

As a mother, Yashoda’s primary focus is to protect and nurture Krishna. However, Krishna’s mischievous nature and the constant dangers surrounding him amplify her maternal anxiety. It seems as though Krishna attracts danger, and danger, in turn, seeks him out. This duality becomes a source of perpetual worry for Yashoda, whose primary emotion is maternal love, interwoven with anxiety—an inevitable part of being a mother.

From Krishna’s early years, Yashoda struggles to ensure his safety. Even when she leaves him in the perceived safety of their home, unexpected events occur. For example, someone might appear to be a kind and gentle woman, but her intentions could bring harm. Such instances make Yashoda hyper-vigilant, constantly on edge and protective of Krishna. She begins to realize that Krishna’s extraordinary nature brings both wonder and peril.

Yashoda’s anxiety peaks in moments when Krishna faces direct danger. One such event involves a storm that separates Krishna from her. In the chaos, she frantically searches for him, only to be told by other gopis that Krishna is in the sky—being carried by a demon. For Krishna, it might be a joyful adventure, but for Yashoda, it’s a moment of utter devastation and fear.

The villagers of Vrindavan, or the Vrajvasis, also share Yashoda’s confusion and concern. They live simple lives, abiding by their duties and causing no trouble. Yet, they find themselves facing inexplicable threats. From the Vrajvasis’ perspective, these dangers are incomprehensible, adding to their collective anxiety.

Krishna’s life is often divided into three phases, each marked by unique relationships and experiences. The first five years, known as the “Kaumara” stage, are particularly significant for parental bonding. During this phase, Krishna is the center of his parents’ universe, and vice versa. The next phase, from six to ten years, is the “Pauganda” stage, where Krishna begins forming friendships and exploring the world outside. This period brings new adventures and challenges, as the demons that once entered the village now wait outside, creating constant unease for Yashoda.

Yashoda’s love for Krishna is so profound that even small incidents become sources of immense worry. For instance, she might place Krishna under a cart for safety, only to find danger lurking even there. Krishna’s mischievous nature often leads to unexpected situations, such as dragging a mortar and causing a giant tree to fall. For any mother, such incidents would be terrifying. Yet, Yashoda’s love remains unwavering, and her devotion only deepens with each challenge.

One of the most tumultuous moments for Yashoda is the Damodara Leela, where she ties Krishna to a mortar to discipline him. Despite her efforts to keep him safe, Krishna uses the situation to demonstrate his divine power, uprooting trees and creating a scene that leaves everyone in awe and bewilderment. For Yashoda, this incident is not just a display of Krishna’s divinity but also a reminder of her constant struggle to balance her love, worry, and the extraordinary nature of her child.

Through all these challenges, Yashoda’s immersion in Krishna’s life becomes complete. Her thoughts, actions, and emotions revolve entirely around him. This maternal devotion, filled with love and anxiety, illustrates the depth of her bond with Krishna. Even in moments of mischief, such as Krishna denying he stole butter while his face is covered in it, Yashoda sees the sweetness and innocence that define her child.

No, sometimes someone is a liar, but they are such a poor liar that their lying becomes sweet. When we love someone, we tend to love everything about them—even their flaws. So, when Krishna lies, it endears him to Mother Yashoda. Yet, at the same time, she feels concerned.

Acharyas like Ananda describe why Mother Yashoda decides to tie Krishna up at a particular time. Krishna’s butter-stealing can be seen in two distinct phases. Initially, Krishna steals butter at home. While this mischief is manageable and even amusing to Yashoda, it doesn’t cause her much anxiety. However, Krishna soon begins venturing outside the home, stealing butter from the homes of others in Vrindavan. This shift makes Yashoda increasingly worried.

Her concern is both practical and emotional. Vrindavan is a small place, and Yashoda imagines Krishna’s future. He will grow up, and one day he will need to get married. She worries, If Krishna gets a reputation as a thief, who will agree to marry their daughter to him? Yashoda often wonders, If Krishna wants butter, why does he have to steal it? I can give him all the butter he desires!

This anxiety stems from her motherly love, while Krishna’s actions remain incomprehensible to her. Krishna’s butter-stealing seems playful to him, but to Yashoda, it’s both baffling and worrisome. There is an interesting parallel between ignorance and transcendence: Bharata describes that people completely absorbed in Krishna are blissful, just as those completely absorbed in Maya are blissful. It’s those in between who struggle. For example, a person deeply intoxicated might be unaware of their drunkenness and feel happy—until the hangover comes. Similarly, Krishna’s butter-stealing may seem incomprehensible to those who know only a little about him.

When European colonialists first came to India and saw murals and paintings of a small child stealing butter, they were confused. Who is this? they asked. This is God, came the response. The Europeans, accustomed to envisioning God as a wise old man with a long beard—an all-powerful figure casting judgment—found the idea of God as a mischievous, crawling child theologically incomprehensible and even blasphemous. How can God crawl on the ground? How can God steal? And why would God steal butter?

But Krishna’s butter-stealing is deeply symbolic. The butter represents the labor of love of the gopis. They churn milk with care and dedication, pouring their hearts into the process. When Krishna steals butter, he isn’t just taking food—he is taking the love they have poured into it. By doing so, Krishna draws closer to their hearts, deepening his sweet, loving relationship with them.

While Krishna’s playful mischief brings joy, Mother Yashoda knows that even love has its limits. As a parent, she must draw a line. She tells Krishna, You cannot steal—especially not from others’ homes! Her motherly discipline reflects her deep care for Krishna. In one of the most tender moments of their relationship, she ties Krishna to a mortar to teach him a lesson.

In ordinary circumstances, when we approach a court or a higher authority, we vow to tell the truth: I swear to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. However, in this case, Mother Yashoda is the only person who can boldly say to God himself, Speak the truth!

This is the exalted nature of Mother Yashoda’s love for Krishna. Because of her vatsalya rasa (maternal affection), her relationship with Krishna is filled with dual anxieties: first, the anxiety to protect Krishna from external dangers, and second, the anxiety to protect Krishna from himself.

When the sages tell her that Krishna is God, she dismisses it, saying, How can he be God? He can’t even control his senses! When he’s hungry, he steals butter. He’s not God; he’s just a sweet, mischievous child. Even when Krishna reveals his universal form to her, she momentarily sees it but immediately returns to seeing Krishna as her little child. For her, Krishna is not the Supreme Lord—he is simply her beloved son. And Krishna, too, hides his divine nature, allowing her to remain absorbed in her maternal love.

Mother Yashoda’s love is unique because it is rooted in complete absorption in Krishna as her child. Her vatsalya bhava is her service to Krishna, expressed through her constant concern for his well-being. She is anxious to protect him, whether it is from external dangers or from his own mischievous tendencies.

Srila Prabhupada once illustrated this with the example of his efforts to protect Krishna’s temples, especially during the struggles of the Juhu project. Just as Mother Yashoda protects Krishna in her home, devotees protect Krishna through their service. Prabhupada taught that this anxiety for Krishna’s service—whether it is in protecting his temple, his cows, or his devotees—is a central part of devotional life. He often said that when we serve Krishna with deep love, we may also feel anxiety, but this anxiety is transcendental because it keeps us absorbed in Krishna.

Mother Yashoda’s vatsalya rasa is characterized by her constant care and her worry for Krishna. She is always trying to shield him from harm while also correcting his mischievous actions. This flavor of maternal love is at the heart of her relationship with Krishna.

In the verse:

Uvāca Satyam Padahe Murāre
Govinda Nāmo Dharamādhavetī
Yadho Tadakto Navanītapindu
Niheya Shodhā Vijitip Sayanti

This describes Yashoda’s concern for Krishna and her deep immersion in caring for him.

Every morning, the gopas (cowherd boys) gather to call Krishna to join them in taking the cows to the forest for grazing. Despite being simple cowherds, they show immense responsibility in protecting the cows, embodying go raksha dharma (the duty of cow protection). The gopas may not be soldiers or warriors with weapons, but they carry their sticks and a strong sense of duty as they head to Krishna’s home, calling out:

Ānandamāritya!
(O Krishna, the embodiment of endless bliss!)

They lovingly urge him, Wake up, Krishna! It’s time to go! This sense of urgency and care reflects their affection and their unique bond with Krishna.

The verse’s repetition of “Ākāre” emphasizes immediacy. Here, Ākāre āsura doesn’t refer to demons but to the call of the gopas for Krishna to join them quickly. This playful interaction between Krishna and the gopas, along with the underlying responsibility for go raksha (cow protection), highlights the idyllic, loving, and devotional life of the Vrajavasis.

Mother Yashoda’s love, coupled with her anxiety for Krishna’s safety and her unwavering absorption in him, defines her exalted position in vatsalya rasa. Her concern for Krishna’s well-being, whether it is protecting him from danger or guiding him through his mischievous antics, is a testament to the deep love that transcends ordinary relationships and reflects the purest form of devotion.

So Krishna comes immediately, eager to join the gopas. It’s time to go out, to play, to protect, and to carry out their responsibilities. For the gopas, work is play, and play is work. This is the ultimate example of how deeply intertwined their daily duties and joy are in Krishna’s service. They are filled with eagerness and devotion as they stand outside Krishna’s home, calling to him:

Govinda! Ānandamāritya! (O Krishna, the embodiment of bliss!)
Ākāre āsura! (Come quickly!)

The gopas joyfully chant together, invoking Krishna with affection and excitement. They call him Govinda-Dāmodara-Mādhava, repeating his divine names with love. These names not only reflect Krishna’s pastimes but also their deep bond with him.

The chanting continues:
Govinda-Dāmodara-Mādhava!
Govinda-Dāmodara-Mādhava!

This repetition mirrors their devotion and enthusiasm as they invite Krishna to join them in their day’s adventure—taking the cows to graze and protecting them as part of their go-raksha dharma. Even though the gopas are simple cowherds without weapons, their sticks and sense of duty symbolize their readiness to serve and protect Krishna and the cows.

Their affection for Krishna, expressed through these sweet calls, reflects the loving life of Vrindavan, where every action is centered on Krishna and filled with devotion.

Everybody, in their own way, recognizes the unique bond a parent has with their child at any given moment. Yet, at times, no one truly understands the profound depth of what is unfolding in that relationship. This bond is especially poignant in the story of Krishna, where Yashoda’s journey as a mother begins with an extraordinary event—Krishna being placed in her care under miraculous circumstances. From the very first moment she sets her eyes on him, his divine qualities are evident and unmistakable. Descriptions of Krishna often highlight his large, expressive eyes, his radiant presence, and his enchanting demeanor, traits that set him apart and make him irresistibly unique.

Yashoda’s Maternal Journey

As a mother, Yashoda’s life revolves around protecting and nurturing Krishna. However, Krishna’s mischievous nature, coupled with the constant dangers that seem to follow him, amplifies her maternal anxiety. It feels as though Krishna’s divinity attracts peril as much as it does admiration. This duality becomes a continuous source of both joy and worry for Yashoda, whose maternal love is interwoven with anxiety—an inevitable aspect of her journey as Krishna’s mother.

From the earliest years of Krishna’s life, Yashoda struggles to ensure his safety. Even when she believes she has left him in the secure environment of their home, unexpected and mysterious events unfold. For example, a stranger might appear as a kind and gentle woman, but her intentions could be harmful. These incidents sharpen Yashoda’s maternal instincts, making her hyper-vigilant and deeply protective of Krishna. She begins to understand that Krishna’s extraordinary nature, while awe-inspiring, brings both wonder and peril in equal measure.

The Challenges of Protecting Krishna

Yashoda’s maternal anxiety reaches its peak during moments of direct danger to Krishna. One such event involves a violent storm that separates Krishna from her, plunging her into a state of frantic despair. Amid the chaos, she searches for him with unyielding determination, only to hear from the other gopis that Krishna is in the sky—being carried away by a demon. For Krishna, this may feel like an exhilarating adventure, but for Yashoda, it is a moment of sheer terror, a mother’s worst nightmare realized.

The villagers of Vrindavan, or the Vrajvasis, share in Yashoda’s confusion and concern. They live simple, peaceful lives, devoted to their daily duties and causing no harm to others. Yet, they find themselves inexplicably caught in the crossfire of divine events. For the Vrajvasis, the frequent threats that arise in their village are bewildering and add to their collective anxiety, deepening their admiration for Yashoda’s resilience and devotion.

Krishna’s Early Phases of Life

Krishna’s life is traditionally divided into three distinct phases, each characterized by unique relationships and milestones. The first five years, known as the “Kaumara” stage, are particularly significant for the bond between Krishna and his parents. During this phase, Krishna is the absolute center of Yashoda and Nanda Maharaja’s universe, and vice versa. The next phase, spanning six to ten years, is the “Pauganda” stage. In this period, Krishna begins to explore the world beyond his immediate family, forming deep friendships and engaging in adventures that bring both joy and new challenges. The demons that once infiltrated the village now lurk outside, waiting for opportunities, leaving Yashoda in a constant state of vigilance.

The Depth of Yashoda’s Love

Yashoda’s love for Krishna is so profound that even the smallest incidents become sources of immense worry for her. For example, she might place Krishna under a cart for what seems like added safety, only to find that danger lurks even there. Krishna’s mischievous and adventurous nature often leads to unforeseen events, such as when he drags a heavy mortar and causes a giant tree to fall. For any mother, such moments would be heart-stopping. Yet, for Yashoda, her love and devotion only deepen with each challenge, further solidifying her unshakable bond with her divine child.

One of the most iconic and tumultuous moments in their relationship is the Damodara Leela, where Yashoda ties Krishna to a mortar in an attempt to discipline him. Despite her efforts to safeguard him, Krishna uses the opportunity to demonstrate his divine power, uprooting trees and creating a scene that leaves everyone in awe and disbelief. For Yashoda, this event is not merely a display of Krishna’s divinity but a poignant reminder of the constant struggle to reconcile her deep love, overwhelming worry, and the extraordinary nature of her child.

Maternal Devotion and Misunderstandings

Through all these trials, Yashoda’s immersion in Krishna’s life becomes all-encompassing. Her thoughts, actions, and emotions revolve entirely around him, illustrating the unparalleled depth of her bond with her son. Even in moments of mischief, such as Krishna denying he stole butter while his face is covered in it, Yashoda sees the innocence and sweetness that define his character.

Sometimes, even a liar’s lies appear endearing when love is involved. When Krishna lies, it only makes him more endearing to Yashoda. Yet, it also heightens her concern. Acharyas like Ananda describe the reasons behind Yashoda’s decision to discipline Krishna at certain times. For instance, Krishna’s butter-stealing can be categorized into two phases. Initially, he steals butter within the confines of their home. While this behavior is mischievous, it remains manageable and even amusing for Yashoda. However, as Krishna begins venturing into other homes in Vrindavan to steal butter, Yashoda’s worry intensifies.

Symbolism Behind Krishna’s Actions

Her concerns are rooted in both practicality and profound love. Vrindavan is a close-knit community, and Yashoda worries about Krishna’s future reputation. She imagines the day he will need to marry and frets, If Krishna earns a reputation as a thief, who will agree to marry their daughter to him? Yashoda often wonders, If Krishna wants butter, why does he need to steal it? I can give him all the butter he could ever want!

This anxiety, stemming from her motherly love, contrasts sharply with Krishna’s perspective. For Krishna, stealing butter is an act of playful affection, a way to connect deeply with the gopis who pour their love into churning the butter. The butter becomes symbolic of their devotion, and Krishna’s actions deepen his relationship with them by accepting their love in this unique form.

When European colonialists first encountered depictions of Krishna as a mischievous child stealing butter, they were perplexed. Accustomed to envisioning God as an omnipotent, judgmental figure, they found the idea of a playful, crawling deity incomprehensible. How can God crawl on the ground? How can God steal? And why would God steal butter? they asked. But Krishna’s butter-stealing holds profound symbolism—it represents his acceptance of pure, selfless love and his ability to connect with his devotees in the most endearing ways.

Balancing Love and Discipline

While Krishna’s antics bring joy, Yashoda understands that even love must have boundaries. As a parent, she feels the responsibility to guide and discipline Krishna. She tells him firmly, You must not steal—especially not from others! Her discipline is an extension of her love, a reflection of her desire to protect Krishna from the consequences of his actions.

In one of the most tender moments of their relationship, Yashoda ties Krishna to a mortar to teach him a lesson. This act symbolizes not only her maternal authority but also her unwavering devotion. She is perhaps the only person who can demand accountability from Krishna, the Supreme Lord, with the simple authority of a mother’s love.

This unique dynamic underscores the exalted nature of Yashoda’s love for Krishna. Her maternal affection, or vatsalya rasa, is characterized by dual anxieties: the constant fear of external threats and the worry of guiding Krishna’s mischievous nature. When sages tell her that Krishna is God, she dismisses the idea, saying, How can he be God? He can’t even control his hunger! When he’s hungry, he steals butter. He’s not God; he’s just my sweet, mischievous child. Even when Krishna reveals his universal form to her, Yashoda momentarily acknowledges it but quickly returns to seeing him as her little boy. For Yashoda, Krishna is not the Supreme Lord—he is simply her beloved son.

Devotion in Maternal Love

Mother Yashoda’s love for Krishna is unparalleled because it is rooted in complete absorption in him as her child. Her vatsalya bhava is her highest form of devotion, expressed through her relentless concern for his well-being and her tireless efforts to nurture and protect him. Her journey as Krishna’s mother is a testament to the profound depth of maternal love, a love that transcends divinity and rests in the simple, unshakeable bond between a mother and her child.

A Note of Gratitude:
Thank you all for listening. When I think of Krishna, I often feel drawn to his pastimes at Kurukshetra. I don’t fully know why Kurukshetra captivates me so deeply, but perhaps one day I will find the reason. I am sure all of you also have a unique aspect of Krishna that resonates with your heart.

Let us pray for our spiritual progress and offer our gratitude to Krishna:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

I would also like to thank all those who have contributed in various ways to this gathering. From preparing prasadam to organizing satsangs, your efforts are deeply appreciated. Perhaps some of you have tasted the offerings lovingly prepared for these occasions.

Lastly, as we enter the divine atmosphere of Vrindavan through these discussions, let us remember that devotion is about participation. If anyone would like to contribute to the prasadam or the arrangements for our satsangs, you can reach out to our team here. It is a beautiful way to reciprocate with the blessings we are receiving.

Hare Krishna.
Tomorrow, we will begin promptly at 8 a.m. Please do join us for the next session. Thank you.

The post Krishna Charitra Series by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhuji – Part 1 – Lord Krishna in Vrindavan appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

I have an incredible story to tell you… last night I was still working in the restaurant it was very late, when a boy saw the book stand, he looked at them and asked me: “Who is Krishna”? I have a friend with the same name, his name is also Krishna. And this evening I
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According to Vedic scriptures, in the past age, in Satya Yuga lived a king named Sagara, King of Oudh, the 13th ancestor of Lord Ramachandra. He performed a holy yajna, the Ashwamedha yajna or horse-sacrifice 99 times.

This ceremony consisted of sending a horse (the symbol of his power) around the world challenging all to arrest its progress. If the horse returned unopposed, it was understood to be an acceptance of the supremacy of the king.

When King Sagara made preparations for the 100th sacrifice, Indra, the King of heaven, who had himself performed the ceremony a 100 times, jealous of being displaced by this new rival, stole the horse and concealed it in a subterranean cell, where the sage Kapila (incarnation of Lord Vishnu) or Kapila Muni, was absorbed in meditation, oblivious to all happenings of the external world. 

Sagara’s 60,000 sons traveled far and wide to find the stolen horse. At last, they found it near the ashram of the great sage. Believing the sage to be the thief, they assaulted him. The muni, upon being aroused, opened his eyes, understood the situation and cursed his assailants, who were immediately burnt to ashes and sentenced to hell.

On hearing this, King Sagara went to the sage and begged for his mercy. The sage, at first turned a deaf ear to his plea, but later told that the princes would gain enlightenment if their ashes were washed by the holy waters of the heavenly river Ganges. 

For two generations, attempts were made to bring the Ganges down to the earth from the celestial regions but all efforts proved futile. A prince of this dynasty, Bhagiratha, pleased the gods, and with the help of Lord Shiva, brought Ganga down to earth. His forefathers’ sins were washed away and the people had the opportunity to wash away their sins as well.
 

From then on, Gangasagar, near the ashram of the sage Kapila, has been a holy place of pilgrimage at the junction of the river and sea. It is auspicious, especially during Maker Sankranti, to come here and free the soul from earthly sins.
 
As per Vedic scriptures, Lord Balarama the eternal brother of Lord Krishna, also visited Ganga Sagar. In Gaura Lila, Lord Nityananda also visited this place. As per the Srimad Bhagavatam, Lord Kapila is still residing here.