# Back to Godhead Magazine #41 *2007 (05)* Back to Godhead Magazine #41-05, 2007 PDF-View ## Welcome WHEN Śrīla Prabhupāda opened temples around the world, the Kṛṣṇa Deities he installed were almost always accompanied by Śrīmati Rādhārāṇī, Kṛṣṇa's eternal consort who resides with Him in a rural village. In Los Angeles, however, Prabhupāda named the Deities Rukmini-Dvarakadhisa: Kṛṣṇa "the Lord of Dvaraka," along with His queen Rukmini (a form of Rādhā). In this issue, Karuna Dharini Devī Dāsī, a resident of New Dwaraka, the Los Angeles Hare Kṛṣṇa community, writes about Kṛṣṇa's endearing reign in His transcendental city. Dvaraka (Dwaraka) sits on the west coast of India. Another article in this issue takes us to the east-coast town of Jagannātha Purī, where Lord Kṛṣṇa in His form as Jagannatha has been worshiped for centuries. Narada Rsi Dāsa, born and raised near Puri, explains why Lord Jagannatha is Kṛṣṇa absorbed in His most intimate exchanges with His devotees. The topic of tattoos may seem far removed from the culture of Dvaraka or Puri, but is it? BTG staff writer Madhava Smullen discusses Kṛṣṇa-related tattooing and its historical precedents. And, speaking of history, wouldn't it be nice to go back in time and see how things were done in a more cultured age? As Sadaputa Dāsa explains in "Time Travel and Consciousness," it might just be possible to do so. Hare Kṛṣṇa—*Nagaraja Dāsa, Editor* Our Purposes • To help all people discern reality from illusion, spirit from matter, the eternal from the temporary. • To expose the faults of materialism. • To offer guidance in the Vedic techniques of spiritual life. • To preserve and spread the Vedic culture. • To celebrate the chanting of the holy names of God as taught by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. • To help every living being remember and serve Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. ## Letters *Spiritual Support From Science* What a great article by Caitanya Carana Dāsa ("When Science Points to Spirituality," May/June). I especially appreciated his very powerful point that humans are the only rogue species to negatively affect the symbiotic balance of life. His effective analogy of the misused Mercedes car also drove home the point that the higher human potential is optimally fulfilled only by spiritual education, fostering self-restraint. And he further strengthens this essential message with solid corroboration from many relevant scientific findings, to further illustrate the rampant ill effects of our spiritual ignorance. Thank you for a job well-done in so skillfully reminding us all of our irrevocable dependence on our benevolent Lord's natural technology, and His higher plan for our possible entrance into His eternal service. Gokulananda Dāsa Vancouver, B.C., Canada *Religions and Relationships with God* I remember Śrīla Prabhupāda discussing one of the questions you addressed in the Letters section of the July/August 2007 issue—"The Only Way?" The writer asks, "Why are there so many religions?" While I definitely agree with the answer given by Kṛṣṇa-krpa Dāsa, I remember Śrīla Prabhupāda explaining that the many religions are created around peoples' relationships to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These many relationships also explain why these different religions call the Supreme Personality by different names. For example, when I was a public school teacher in a position of authority I was addressed as Mr. Brugalette. My nondevotee friends, who knew me on a more personal level, addressed me as Phillip, and my devotee friends, who were even closer, call me by my initiated name, Padmanabha Dāsa. Of course, my immediate family, who has the most intimate relationship with me, calls me by names that no one else uses, the nicknames Padma or Pad. This example explains why most people know Kṛṣṇa as "God"—the giant, bearded authority figure who hands down rewards and punishments like a teacher or a company boss. That's the relationship they have with Him. If you look at the different names the various religions have for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is easy to compare these names with very specific relationships. Of course, by Śrīla Prabhupāda's mercy, we have been introduced to Kṛṣṇa, the cowherd boy—the most intimate relationship. Padmanabha Dāsa Lake Forest Park, Washington *Who Caused The "First Cause"?* My friend is an atheist and a strong believer in science. Arguing in favor of God's existence, I pointed him to the various marvels, intricacies, and complexities of earth and even the universe and questioned what their cause could have been. While he had no answer, he did build on my own. He said that if God was the cause of everything, who is God's cause? "Why can't there be a cyclical chain of causes or an infinite number of causes? To apply a universal theory of causation and then suddenly stop it at the 'First Cause' is inconsistent." How can we use the argument that everything should have a cause, and then say that these causes should just stop at one point (i.e., Kṛṣṇa)? How does that make sense? *Our reply:* Consciousness is an eternal reality. Everything is produced from the supreme consciousness. The supreme consciousness has no cause. Where does your friend say consciousness comes from? If the brain produces it, what is it about the brain that does so? Under what conditions is consciousness produced? Can you make a conscious machine? Scientists have not explained consciousness, but the Vedic literature offers a whole science of consciousness. The phenomenal world emanates from the supreme consciousness, Kṛṣṇa. Both Kṛṣṇa and we souls, who are part of Kṛṣṇa, are eternal. We are not material products caused by other material products. It is not unreasonable to say that there is a first cause. With our imperfect senses, we can trace causes back only so far, and thus we cannot tell whether there is or is not a first cause. So a first cause is possible. The important point is that the *Vedas* teach that consciousness is the source of matter, not that matter is the source of consciousness. It is difficult to explain how matter could produce consciousness, so it is possible that consciousness is an irreducible principle, as the *Vedas* say it is. On the other hand, how can your friend prove that there is an infinite number of causes or a cycle of causes? Proposing a theory and offering no evidence to support it is completely unscientific. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is scientific because by performing devotional service you can realize Kṛṣṇa, but your friend's speculation cannot be demonstrated. It is merely a guess and should not be presumed to be accurate. *Gurukulis and Initiation* Regarding the article "Kuli Mela: The Turning Point" (May/June), I am very happy to realize there is a big ground swell of enthusiasm amongst the children and grandchildren of Śrīla Prabhupāda's original devotees. For me, taking initiation from Śrīla Prabhupāda (in the early seventies) was the most important turning point in my life and has shaped and given meaning to everything I have done since then. I just hope these **guru*kulis* realize what formal initiation has to offer. This is how one links with the disciplic succession and, ultimately, Kṛṣṇa. There is also the sweet relationship with one's *guru* to consider. If anyone is looking for direction, or meaning, or whatever, this is what the *guru* has to offer. Vaninatha Dāsa Brahmacari Goodyear, Arizona *Thanks to a BTG Sponsor* We'd like to thank Mukesh Khatri, his wife Kṛṣṇa Bhavana Devī Dāsī, and their daughters Kruti and Jinnie for their generosity in providing our small devotee community with a BTG for every family and many visitors—every issue for many years now. It means a lot to us because BTG is always an invaluable source of inspiration and helps to keep us in touch with the ISKCON world at our somewhat isolated island in the Pacific. Our heartfelt gratitude for their services. Devotees at ISKCON Taipei, Taiwan *Reply was written by Kṛṣṇa-krpa Dāsa.* *Please write to us at:* BTG, P.O. Box 430, Alachua, FL 32616, USA. E-mail: [email protected]. ## ounder’s Lecture *London—July 19, 1973* *We've already determined our happiness and distress in this life by our actions in previous lives and should now pursue only spiritual goals.* By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Founder-*Ācārya* of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness > yotsyamanan avekse 'ham > ya ete 'tra samagatah > dhartarastrasya durbuddher > yuddhe priya-cikirsavah "Let me see those who have come here to fight, wishing to please the evil-minded son of Dhrtarastra." —*Bhagavad-gītā* 1.23 TO USURP others' property is to be *durbuddhi*, mischievous. Why should one encroach upon others' property? That is not good. *Tena tyaktena bhunjitha ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam [Īśopaniṣad,* Mantra 1]. This is the Vedic instruction: "Accept only what is given to you. Don't encroach upon others' property." That is the key to peace. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. So whatever Kṛṣṇa gives you as *prasādam*, as His favor, accept it and be satisfied. This is the basic principle of peace in the world. But because people are not educated in that way, everyone wants more and more and more and more. There is no satisfaction. That is *durbuddhi*. The Vedic culture says, "Be satisfied with your position." There is no question of starving in any position of life. People are pursuing economic development, but according to *sastra*, scripture, it is not possible to develop your economic position simply by endeavor. You are destined to have a mixture of happiness and distress. That is the nature of things. There are four principles of human activity. The first is dharma. Dharma means to abide by the orders of the Supreme. But people do not know who the Supreme is and what His order is, so what kind of religion are they following? They accept dharma as a superfluous faith only. But that is not dharma, religion. Dharma means to abide by the orders of the Supreme. That is the meaning of dharma: obedience to God. People have no conception of God, and what to speak of obedience. But this is the simple meaning of religion: obedience to God. That's all, three words. God is the supreme proprietor and maintainer. Therefore we are maintained, we are predominated, we are the servants, and we should remain obedient to God. That is religion. Where is the difficulty? Unfortunately, people do not know what God is, what His command is, what religion is. They manufacture ideas. And because they do not know the simple process, they are called *durbuddhi*, not very intelligent, or rascals. In the *Bhagavad-gītā* Kṛṣṇa plainly calls such persons **mudha*s*. *Mudha* means ass, rascal. One who does not know his own interest is called *mudha*, ass. In India the ass carries tons of cloth on his back all day. Not a piece of the cloth belongs to him. And he is working so hard only for a morsel of grass, which is available everywhere. But he is thinking, "This gentleman, the washerman, is giving me food." Food is available anywhere and everywhere, but he is thinking like that and working so hard. *Karmis*, nondevotees, are like that. A man will eat two *chapatis* or four *chapatis*, but he is working day and night. If you want to see him, he will say, "Oh, I have no time." He never thinks, "I am interested in eating four *chapatis*, which are very easily available. So why I am working so hard?" That sense does not come to him. He is working, working, working. "More money, more money, more money, more money, more money." *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* says, "No, that is not your business. The four *chapatis* are already destined to you; you will get them in any circumstances. Don't waste your time under some false impression of economic development. You cannot get more; you cannot get less. Your quota is already there. So use your time to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is your business." *Our Real Business* But people will not accept this. "Oh, this is a waste of time. Attending the class on *Bhagavad-gītā* is a waste of time. During that time I could earn hundreds of dollars." That is their business. That is called *durbuddhi*, not very intelligent. All *mudhas*, asses. The real intelligent person is he who is satisfied with what Kṛṣṇa has given him: "If Kṛṣṇa wants, He will give me more. Let me become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Let me study about Kṛṣṇa. Let me chant about Kṛṣṇa. Let me hear about Kṛṣṇa. Let me see the Deity of Kṛṣṇa. Let me engage my hands in worshiping Kṛṣṇa and cleansing the temple. Let my legs be engaged in going to the temple." In this way all our senses should be engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa. That is our real business. > tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido > na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah > tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham > kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa "Persons who are actually intelligent and philosophically inclined should endeavor only for that purposeful end which is not obtainable even by wandering from the topmost planet [Brahmaloka] down to the lowest planet [Patala]. As far as happiness derived from sense enjoyment is concerned, it can be obtained automatically in course of time, just as in course of time we obtain miseries even though we do not desire them." [*Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 1.5.18] *Tasyaiva hetoh:* "For that purpose only." Which purpose? That purpose which we could not achieve after wandering up and down the universe. The living entity is wandering by transmigration from one body to another up and down the universe. Sometimes, by pious activities, we become a *deva*, such as Brahma, Indra, or Candra. And by impious activities, we can go down to become a worm in stool. This is going on. Who goes to the upper planetary systems? Qualified *brahmanas* who strictly follow religious principles. Lord Kṛṣṇa says, > samo damas tapah saucam > ksantir arjavam eva ca > jnanam vijnanam astikyam > brahma-karma svabhava-jam "Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom, and religiousness—these are the natural qualities by which the *brahmanas* work." [*Bhagavad-gītā* 18.42] *Vijnanam* means practical application of knowledge in life. Knowledge alone is useless. You must practically apply the knowledge in your life. Science students are tested in theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge. "So much hydrogen and oxygen makes water." That is theoretical. But when you mix hydrogen and oxygen gas and actually prepare water, that is practical. Science means that theoretical knowledge is not sufficient. Science means observation and experiment, or experimental knowledge. That is called *vijnanam*. By practical knowledge you should be well acquainted with God. That is the *brahmana's* business. Kṛṣṇa says *urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah:* those who strictly follow the brahminical principles will be situated in the upper planetary system. [Bg 14.18] But a Vaisnava is above such persons. *Yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam.* [Bg 9.25] Those who follow these principles with an aim for higher planetary systems can be elevated. Similarly, those who try to go back home, back to Kṛṣṇa, can go there. *Know Kṛṣṇa "in Truth"* The purpose of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to help people to go back home, back to Kṛṣṇa. That is not very difficult. Kṛṣṇa says, > janma karma ca me divyam > evam yo vetti tattvatah > tyaktva deham punar janma > naiti mam eti so 'rjuna "One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities, does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." [Bg 4.9] Try to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not vaguely. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You think of God, so why don't you accept Kṛṣṇa? He says that He is God, and the *sastras*, the *acaryas*, Vyasadeva, Narada, your *guru*—all say that He is God. Why not accept? Why search after some other God? Here is God. His name, address, activities—everything is there in the authorized statements of the *Vedas*. Is there any difficulty in understanding Kṛṣṇa? But a rascal will not accept Him. "Why should I accept Kṛṣṇa? I have manufactured my own God." That is his misfortune, *durbhaga*. Or *durbuddhi*: he is a miscreant rascal. That is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (7.15): > na mam duskrtino mudhah > prapadyante naradhamah > mayayapahrta-jnana > asuram bhavam asritah "Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me." These are the persons who do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa: miscreants, the mischievous, the sinful, rascals, asses, the lowest of mankind. They are all *durbuddhi*. Human life is an opportunity to understand Kṛṣṇa*. Hari hari biphale janama gonainu, manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya, janiya suniya bisa khainu.* This is a song by Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura. "O Lord Hari, I have spent my life uselessly. Having obtained a human birth and having not worshiped Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, I have knowingly drunk poison." Anyone who is not trying to understand Kṛṣṇa—what to speak of worshiping Him, giving Him service—is wasting his life. Kṛṣṇa says that simply by trying to know Him one becomes liberated. Even if one doesn't know Him perfectly but is simply trying to know Him, that very activity will make him liberated. It is not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa. He is so great, unlimited. How we can understand Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa cannot understand Himself. Or Ananta, His direct servant, cannot understand Him. That is a fact. We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. But still, if we accept whatever Kṛṣṇa says about Himself in the *Bhagavad-gītā,* then we immediately become fit to go back to Godhead, back home. *Janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah* [Bg 4.9]. *Tattvatah* means "in truth." *Levels of Perfection* Even *siddhas*, those who are perfect, cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. > manusyanam sahasresu > kascid yatati siddhaye > yatatam api siddhanam > kascin mam vetti tattvatah "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who achieve perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth." [Bg 7.3] "Perfect" here means not spiritually perfect but materially perfect or partially spiritually perfect. **Brahma-jnanis*,* those who have realized the impersonal Brahman, are partially perfect. *Paramatma-jnanis,* yogis who have realized the Super-soul, are also partially perfect. Only devotees are completely perfect. *Brahma-jnanis* are partially perfect because they can understand the eternity portion of the Supreme Lord. That knowledge is called *brahma-jnana*. And *paramatma-jnana* is knowledge of—or personally seeing—God as the four-handed Visnu. That is also imperfect knowledge. When one comes to know Bhagavan, the Personality of Godhead, that is perfect knowledge. Because when one comes to the understanding of personal God, there is *ananda*, bliss. In other features there is no *ananda*. There is eternity, there is knowledge, but there is no *ananda*. The *Vedanta-sutra* (1.1.12) says, **ananda*mayo 'bhyasat:* We are by nature *ananda*, bliss. Therefore we search after *ananda*, but we do not know where to get it. We try to get bliss in the material world by eating meat, drinking wine, sex. But that is not *ananda*. *Ananda* is saty*ananda*, real bliss. Material pleasures are flickering, lasting for a few minutes or a few hours. That is not *ananda*. *Ananda* means saty*ananda*, real *ananda*. What is that real *ananda*? *Brahma-sukha*. That *ananda* is in exchange with the Supreme Brahman. It is unlimited *ananda*. In the *Sata-nama-stotra* of Lord Rama it is said, *ramante yoginah anante:* "Yogis enjoy unlimited-pleasure." Kṛṣṇa is unlimited. When you join with Kṛṣṇa in His *rasa* dance as a *gopi*, or play with Him as a cowherd boy, or become like His father Nanda or mother Yasoda, or become His servant, or become water like the Yamuna, or the land of Vṛndāvana, or trees or fruits or flowers or cows or calves in Vṛndāvana—then you get real *ananda*. The *Bhagavatam* describes how Kṛṣṇa's associates enjoy life. Sukadeva Gosvami said, "These boys who are playing with Kṛṣṇa, oh, they are not ordinary boys." *Krta-punya-punjah:* "They have amassed the effects of pious activities for millions and trillions of births. Now they have come to play with Kṛṣṇa." *The Perfect Opportunity* That opportunity is there in *bhakti-yoga*. Kṛṣṇa is anxious to take you back. Why are you wasting time? Why are you preoccupied with economic development? What economic development can you do? You cannot get more than what is destined to you. That is not possible. If it were possible, everyone would be prominent, educated, beautiful. But opulence comes from pious activities. Birth in a very high family, wealth, education, beauty—these are the effects of pious activities. And the effects of impious activities are the opposite. In either case the effects are material and destined. You cannot change what you have gotten by pious or impious activities. That is not possible. But you can change your position by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Other things you cannot change. If you are white, you cannot become black, or if you are black, you cannot become white. That is not possible. But you can become a first-class Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Whether you are black or white, it doesn't matter. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore our endeavor should be to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Other things we cannot change. That is not possible. Whatever you are destined to get you will get. Don't bother with so-called economic development. As for food, Kṛṣṇa is supplying even to cats and dogs and ants. Why not you? There is no need of bothering Kṛṣṇa: "God, give us our daily bread." He will give you. Don't bother. Try to become a very faithful servant of God. "Oh, God has given me so many things. So let me give my energy to serve Kṛṣṇa." That is required. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "I have taken so much, life after life, from Kṛṣṇa. Now let me dedicate this life to Kṛṣṇa. I will not let this life pass uselessly like cats and dogs. Let me use it for Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Thank you very much. ## Kṛṣṇa as King *When Kṛṣṇa leaves Vṛndāvana to become the ruler of a great kingdom, He remains the same Kṛṣṇa, the treasure of His devotees' hearts.* ### By Karuna Dharini Devī Dāsī THE KRSNA DEITY worshiped at the Hare Kṛṣṇa temple in Los Angeles, where I live, is named Dvarakadhisa, "the Lord of Dvaraka." Dvaraka is the pristine island Lord Kṛṣṇa rules in His adult years.* Generally devotees of Kṛṣṇa think of Him primarily as the Supreme Personality of Godhead who performs wonderful spiritual pastimes in the cowherd village of Vṛndāvana and speaks the *Bhagavad-gītā*. In that rural setting, He plays and enjoys life among many relatives and friends. Gaudiya Vaisnavas, or followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, know that Kṛṣṇa as a cowherd boy exchanges the most intimate feelings with His devotees. Still, Kṛṣṇa is always Kṛṣṇa, and devotees love Him when He displays Himself in other ways as well. For example, He is also endearing in His role as Dvarakadhisa. Kṛṣṇa is no ordinary ruler. Kings or presidents represent what is grand and powerful in this world. Yet even the finest and most awesome personality is only a small indication of the opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His very body is constituted of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. Though Kṛṣṇa as Dvarakadhisa enjoys many sporting battles, He has no one to conquer and nothing to achieve, being always complete in Himself. He always knows exactly what to do in His regal duties in relationship to His citizens, ministers, and soldiers. His brows are never furrowed with the anxiety of diplomatic responsibilities. Though Kṛṣṇa rules as an adult, He is in fact *nava yauvanam,* eternally youthful. According to *Brhad-bhagavatamrta,* by Sanatana Gosvami, the king of Dvaraka has "all of the beauty of youth made even sweeter by traces of childlike innocence." As a ruler, Dvarakadhisa has only the best of motives. His only objective is to defeat demoniac influences and protect His surrendered, pure devotees. His authority is original and inexhaustible. To obey His authority is the primary nature of every living being. *An Extraordinary Kingdom* Śrīla Prabhupāda's book Kṛṣṇa: *The Supreme Personality of Godhead* describes Dvaraka as the most superb and beautiful city in the history of the world. The island of Dvaraka is decorated with 900,000 extraordinary mansions built of first-class marble, with gates and doors made of silver and jewels. The clear blue-green ocean lies on all sides. The residents of the mansions, all pure devotees of Kṛṣṇa, are of very fine beauty. Dvaraka's innumerable gardens and parks are full of a variety of sweet, colorful flowers, and orchards abound with an array of fruit. Beautiful chirping birds, intoxicated peacocks, and ponds filled with lilies and lotuses delight the senses. The residents decorate every lane and walkway with water pots, festoons, banana trees, and fragrant flowers, just in anticipation of Lord Kṛṣṇa's strolling there. Śrīla Rupa Gosvami's *Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu* describes, "The servitors in the abode of Dvaraka always worship Kṛṣṇa as the most respectable and revered Personality of Godhead. They are captivated by Kṛṣṇa because of His superexcellent opulences." From *Brhad-bhagavatamrta* we learn that although Dvarakadhisa is truly the absolutely powerful king of kings, enjoying in all opulence, He is also humble, friendly, and full of unlimited love. His devotees, in a mood of ecstatic servitude, awe, and reverence, are absorbed in loving sentiments for their Lord. One such devotee is Śrī Rukmini, the most exalted feminine personality, the Lord's principal queen. She is an expansion of God's pleasure potency, so she is God incarnate in female form, full of every feminine grace and virtue possible. She exhibits exquisite beauty specially designed to please the Lord of Dvaraka. Śrī Rukmini is always fully satisfied with Her Lord and submissive to Him. She understands His every mood and keeps within her heart the details of His childhood and youth. Although hundreds of qualified maidservants attend to His every need, She fans Him Herself, holding the snow-white *camara* in her young bejeweled hand. Jealousy and anger never beset her. *An Extraordinary King* In His youth, Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana and traveled to the city of Mathura, where He assumed His leadership role in the Yadava dynasty. He fought with and killed the most feared despot of His time, Kamsa, and released His parents from Kamsa's prison. He then built a fort on the island of Dvaraka and transferred all of the citizens of Mathura there to protect them from the attacks of Kamsa's ruthless relatives who sought revenge. Shortly thereafter Lord Kṛṣṇa kidnapped His queen, the young princess Rukmini. Her brother had arranged a marriage for her as part of a political alliance. But she only wanted Kṛṣṇa as her husband, so she requested Him, through a messenger, to come to her aid. Kidnapping a princess was common for kings in those days, but Kṛṣṇa did this single-handedly against an army of angry, heroic princes. Kṛṣṇa took the hand of many other superbly beautiful, opulent princesses in various daring ways. He rescued 16,000 princesses being held captive by the cruel king Bhaumasura. He married every one of them and provided each a royal palace on the island of Dvaraka. For many hopeful lifetimes of penance and austerity they had prayed for Kṛṣṇa's favor upon them. *The Nectar of Devotion* states, "While Kṛṣṇa was living in Dvaraka, He expanded Himself into 16,108 forms, and each and every expansion resided in a palace with a queen. Not only was Kṛṣṇa happily living with His queens in those palaces, but He gave in charity from each palace an aggregate number of 13,054 cows completely decorated with nice clothing and ornaments daily. This means that 13,054 multiplied by 16,108 cows were being given in charity by Kṛṣṇa every day. That was the system of Kṛṣṇa's daily affairs while He was living in Dvaraka." Many amazing battles took place between Kṛṣṇa and a variety of rival demoniac kings. King Jarasandha, Kamsa's father-in-law, attacked Dvaraka with numerous military phalanxes consisting of tens of thousands of chariots, horses, elephants, and soldiers. Kṛṣṇa observed the immense strength of Jarasandha, which looked like an ocean about to cover a beach at any moment. He thought about the situation and His mission to rid the world of demoniac influences, so He took this opportunity to face and destroy the military phalanxes. Subsequently Lord Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa's brother, arrested Jarasandha. Kṛṣṇa feigned compassion for Jarasandha and had him released, but He had a plan: Jarasandha would in the future besiege the city of Mathura seventeen times, and each time Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would be able to destroy hundreds of thousands of demoniac soldiers. Jarasandha himself was eventually defeated in a fight with Kṛṣṇa's cousin Bhimasena. *The Syamantaka Jewel And Other Episodes* Because of intrigue involving a jewel known as Syamantaka, Kṛṣṇa was once wrongly defamed. The Syamantaka could produce gold by its mystic power. Many people coveted the jewel, and when it was missing, some people accused Kṛṣṇa of stealing it. The jewel was actually in the hands of persons who could not properly take care of it and were almost driven mad by its potency. One citizen finally surrendered both the jewel and his daughter to Kṛṣṇa, having come to realize that all valuable things are the measure of Kṛṣṇa's benevolence and should be offered in His service. One crazy rival named Paundraka was so jealous of the superexcellent qualities of Kṛṣṇa that he became convinced that he himself was Kṛṣṇa. He set out to defeat Dvarakadhisa by donning an extra set of arms and carrying imitation weapons only wielded by Visnu Himself. Declaring himself to be God, he set out to kill the Lord. Eventually Kṛṣṇa beheaded Paundraka, who achieved liberation for having meditated so intensely on the Personality of Godhead in his meager attempt to be Him. Lord Dvarakadhisa's fellow king and cousin Mahārāja Yudhisthira once held a great sacrifice, which included a ceremony to honor the best person in attendance. Although Kṛṣṇa was posing as an ordinary king, Yudhisthira adored Him as none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and so he selected Him to be honored and worshiped in the ceremony. But Kṛṣṇa's envious cousin Sisupala disagreed with Yudhisthira's decision and berated Kṛṣṇa, who eventually cut off Sisupala's head with His disc and allowed Sisupala's soul to merge into His own body. During Dvarakadhisa's reign, part of His mission was to enthrone His great devotee Yudhisthira, religion incarnate, as emperor of the world. The Lord of Dvaraka acted as a peace messenger on Yudhisthira's behalf to try to prevent the war with the ill-motivated Kurus. When negotiations failed, Yudhisthira's brother Arjuna employed the Lord as his chariot driver in the battle. At that time, Lord Kṛṣṇa, His head adorned with a golden helmet, spoke the *Bhagavad-gītā* to Arjuna to enlighten him (and us) and encourage him in the fight. The Lord was fully capable of fighting the battle and winning it at once for Arjuna. But He wanted to serve and glorify His devotee Arjuna by engaging him to fight as a matter of Kṛṣṇa conscious duty. *Most Amazing Events* If Kṛṣṇa's reign as a king seems full of amazing events, just consider how amazing He seems to His reverent, respectful servants at Dvaraka. They are often surprised by His unpredictability. They remember when Sudama, Kṛṣṇa's friend from His school days, came to visit. Kṛṣṇa's guards and wives witnessed what looked like a homeless person going into the Lord's rooms unchecked. To their wonder they saw how Kṛṣṇa reacted with spontaneous love at the sight of His dear old friend. Though Sudama was very thin and dressed in shabby cloth, Dvarakadhisa embraced him, sat him down on His own bed, and bathed his feet while Rukmini fanned him. When Sudama shyly offered Kṛṣṇa his only possession, a bag of plain dried rice, Dvaraka's queens observed with amazement the way the Lord took the rice as though it was the most irresistible gift. More cause for surprise is found in *Uddhava-sandesa,* where Rupa Gosvami says that Dvarakadhisa becomes emotional by remembering His family and friends in His old cowherd village home. He misses them too much. He asks Uddhava, His cousin and closest friend, to deliver a message to them from Him. Though a king with many wives and a great kingdom to govern, to Uddhava's amazement the Lord remembers every person and detail that Uddhava will encounter when he tours the cowherd village. Perhaps the most surprising event occurred at a great festival held at Kuruksetra during a solar eclipse, when the residents of Dvaraka met the residents of Vṛndāvana. The simple Vṛndāvana cowherds felt extremely fortunate to see *Kṛṣṇa* again. From within their hearts they spontaneously recalled all of *Kṛṣṇa*'s childhood pastimes. Though unhappy seeing Him dressed as a king, they could not think of going back to Vṛndāvana without Him, so *Kṛṣṇa* stayed in Kuruksetra longer than He had planned. Upon seeing the simple villagers' love for *Kṛṣṇa*, the residents of Dvaraka felt great ecstasy. The Jagannatha Rathayatra festival commemorates this pastime. In *Kṛṣṇa*, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "The Rathayatra festival observed by Lord Caitanya is the emotional process of taking *Kṛṣṇa* back to Vṛndāvana." *The king of Kings* Kṛṣṇa is not a material person, and His actions are not the activities of this world. His unique, unrestricted pastime of rejoicing in the association of His simple cowherd family and friends is at the heart of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Lord Caitanya teaches that above reverential worship of God is pure love in the most intimate relationships, such as friend, son, or lover. If the Lord sets aside His kingly worship in awe and reverence for the sake of Vṛndāvana's sweet, familiar, and spontaneous love, it is only another example of His transcendent love as the God who is the loyal devotee of His devotees. Kṛṣṇa is the original supreme enjoyer. To meditate on Him as the king of kings is solid spiritual nourishment. It helps us understand the unlimited dimensions of pure power and pure love in their original spiritual forms. Dvarakadhisa's pastimes give us transcendental insight into the love, potency, and compassion of the greatest spiritual hero and leader of all eternity. *New Dwaraka* ONE OF THE first Hare Kṛṣṇa centers in the Los Angeles area was a large apartment in Hollywood. Complaints from neighbors about the loud *kirtanas* and the smell of spicy cooking, however, forced the devotees to vacate. They scattered throughout Los Angeles but continued to hold meetings in garages. Because many guests were attending, Śrīla Prabhupāda asked his disciples to find a suitable temple. Eventually ISKCON bought a large church with adjacent service buildings on Watseka Avenue. After nearby apartment buildings were bought, Śrīla Prabhupāda named the community "New Dwaraka." At the installation ceremony of the temple Deities, Śrīla Prabhupāda gave an inspiring lecture: "The real thing is *bhakti*. What can you offer to Kṛṣṇa? Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. What have you got? What is your value? And what is the value of your things? It is nothing. The real thing is your feeling. 'Kṛṣṇa, kindly take it. I have no qualification. I am most rotten, fallen, but I have brought this thing for you, please take it'" As he spoke, Śrīla Prabhupāda's voice broke like a wave of strong love on the shore of his deep humility. Prabhupāda's disciples asked if they could call the Deities Rukmini-Dvarakadhisa, and he consented. Of the ten years Prabhupāda spent traveling, preaching, and opening temples throughout the world, he spent two in New Dwaraka. There he wrote his summary study of Śrīla Rupa Gosvami's *Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu* (*The Nectar of Devotion*) and developed and wrote much of *Kṛṣṇa: The Supreme Personality of Godhead,* both of which feature elaborate descriptions of the Lord's pastimes as king of Dvaraka. Nearly forty years later, New Dwaraka still functions in much the same way that Prabhupāda set for it, with a full program of Deity worship, book and *prasādam* distribution, and public *kirtanas*. *Karuna Dharini Devī Dāsī, a disciple of His Grace Virabahu Dāsa, serves the Deities in New Dwaraka, where she joined ISKCON in 1979. She lives with her husband and daughter.* ## Śrīla Prabhupāda Speaks Out *The Right Prayer For Failing Schools* *This exchange between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and a divinity student took place in Los Angeles, in January 1974.* Student: Many people are frightened about the way the schools are falling apart—students not even learning how to read and write, many turning to drugs and robbing and raping their teachers. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. What is the value of this kind of schooling? Student: Not an awful lot. Śrīla Prabhupāda: It is all cheating. You have left God out. That is the height of cheating. So naturally the rest of your so-called schooling must also be cheating. Suppose you are doing a mathematical calculation and you start by figuring, "2 + 2 = 3." After that you may use the most sophisticated techniques and formulas, but your whole calculation will be wrong. Student: Now things have gotten to the point that we can't even have prayer in the public schools. We used to have a prayer at the beginning of each school day. But then one atheist lady (and no doubt other people behind the scenes) pushed and pushed until the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional. Now prayer in the schools is banned. Śrīla Prabhupāda: But even if prayer were allowed, that would not help. Prayer is still going on in the churches, and what is the benefit? People are losing interest, because it has all become simply a ritualistic show—"Churchianity." The thing is, you have to become educated in the science of God. You must have direct, scientific experience of God. People aren't interested in dry words. They have become scientific-minded; they want results. Student: Well, most people still have a sentimental attachment to God, so most likely they would like to see at least a semblance of prayer in the schools. Śrīla Prabhupāda: No. Do something practical! "Prayer" means chanting the holy name of the Lord. If you don't know the holy name of the Lord, we are giving it. You'll have no expenditure, and no loss. So why don't you try this? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. And if you actually chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you will get scientific, realized knowledge of God—direct, personal experience of God. Then everything beneficial will follow for society. Student: Yes. But, you see, right now you can't chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in the schools. That law is still there on the books. You can't chant until somebody changes the law. Śrīla Prabhupāda: So my disciples can do that. Student: They should try to fight the law? Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. Just recently I heard that the senators and congressmen have set aside one special day each year for public prayer. Just one day—but they still want prayer. So if they actually want prayer, why are they prohibiting it all the rest of the year? Just see the contradiction! They have banned prayer because of their inexperience. And now they are experiencing, "This does not help us." Otherwise, what is the use of introducing prayer again? They have experienced that without prayer things have failed. That is a fact. Student: You were saying earlier that fifty to sixty percent of the senators and congressmen are lawyers . Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, and nowadays "lawyer" means cheater. One who can tactfully break the law—he is a good lawyer. They will find some flaw in the letter of the law so that they can avoid the spirit of the law. Student: Actually, to ban prayer in the schools they had to avoid the whole point of the First Amendment—that "Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion." They said a prayer might trample an atheist's right not to pray. Śrīla Prabhupāda: So now the children cannot have a prayer in their schools. These government men are mostly lawyers, cheaters. People have become cheaters, and that is why they elect such cheaters as their representatives. You Americans can make all the propaganda you want, but you will not be happy without offering prayer to God. Student: That's right. Śrīla Prabhupāda: But be scientific. To begin with, follow God's laws and lead a pure life: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. If you reinstate prayer in the schools, that is not bad; but unless you first become pure, your prayer will have no practical effect. You yourselves must be free from all these impure activities. Then from among yourselves you can elect a good leader. If you really want a good leader, then you yourselves must become good. And you can become good by offering prayer to God. Student: Forgive me, but this sounds like we're getting into some sort of vicious circle. A moment ago you said we have to become pure or good first or our prayer will have no effect. So now how can you say we can become good by offering prayer? Śrīla Prabhupāda: Not just any kind of prayer. "Prayer" means that you chant the name of God. If you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you will be in touch with God—the all-good. And then naturally you will become good. Why don't you try it? Student: We have little more to lose. Śrīla Prabhupāda: But if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you will be the gainer. Just chant and see the result. ## What Is Life Worth? ### By Kṛṣṇa Dharma Dāsa FEW THINGS FIRE the public imagination more than the disappearance of a child. When little Madeleine McCann vanished from her Portuguese holiday home recently it was headline news for weeks. Pictures of her pretty face, along with others of her poor distraught parents, were seen across the world. A campaign fund to find her quickly rose into the millions, and police forces everywhere were alerted to join in the search. It's a heartbreaking story, and we can only pray that it has a happy ending, but it made me think about the value of life. To find just one person no expense is spared. The same applies when it comes to saving lives. Surgeons, nurses, doctors, hospitals, and expensive equipment will all be brought to bear to save someone threatened by a critical illness. If a man is stranded in the wilderness, we will bring helicopters, airplanes, and whatever it takes to get him out. Life is important. It must be preserved at any cost. This is especially true when it comes to our own lives. We will do anything to save our own skins, spending our entire life savings if necessary to get medical treatment. We will not go gentle into that good night, as Dylan Thomas put it, neither ourselves nor anyone else if we can help it. We want to fend off the Grim Reaper as long as we can. That's obvious, one might say. But as the contradictions in modern ethics reveal, it is remarkably difficult to construct a consistent moral framework that supports our high regard for life's value. For example, it might be argued that life should be preserved so we can carry on enjoying. In which case what is really being said is that the truly valuable thing is the ability to enjoy. But our society slaughters animals without compunction. They too enjoy as we do. They also value their lives and do not want to die. So if this is our argument, we should at once stop killing them for our enjoyment. If we counter by saying human life has more value because of our higher intelligence—our art, science, philosophy, and so on—then is it acceptable to kill less intelligent humans? Of course not. No matter how mentally or physically challenged someone may be, they are still considered equally deserving of life. What exactly is it that we are struggling to safeguard anyway? Life is precious, but what is that life? If we start by qualifying the preciousness as pertaining only to humans, then is it the human body we value? If so, why do we discard dead bodies—bury or burn them? Plainly a dead body has little intrinsic value, so what does? When a person dies, what has gone missing from the body—that most precious thing that made us employ the best of our technology and skills to protect it? Such an important question, which underpins our greatest endeavors, but are we even trying to find the answer? Are our schools and colleges tackling it? Education aims at improving our bodily and mental situation, but what about the principle of life itself, upon which everything else depends? Śrīla Prabhupāda would often challenge us that we have no educational departments dedicated to discovering the "difference between a live and a dead body." In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, human life is also considered most valuable, but there are good reasons. All life is seen as a part of God, dear to Him, and in that sense all equally valuable. We cannot whimsically kill any living creature. "Thou shalt not kill." But human life is considered especially valuable as it affords us the chance to make spiritual enquiry, to find the answer to the question "What is life worth?" This is seen as the very purpose of life. Who am I? Why am I here? Where will I go when I die? Can I influence that destination so it is somewhere desirable? Vedic wisdom exhorts us to focus on these all-important questions and not just let our life slip by in ignorance, with little more than hope that we will end up in some pleasant place. And the Vedic literature gives the answers. We are eternal souls, different from the bodies we inhabit, meant to enjoy unending happiness in the Lord's association. I saw a film about a man who suddenly woke up in a strange place with amnesia. He had forgotten who he was, and he had no idea how he had gotten there. The whole film was about his great efforts to discover his identity and what had happened, which of course is what anybody would have done in his situation. But this really is our position, and the value of human life is that we can discover the truth. Let's not waste that opportunity. *Kṛṣṇa Dharma Dāsa lives in Manchester, Engl*and**.* He has written retellings of the* Mahābhārata, Ramayana, *and* Panca Tantra*.* ## Soulful Science ### By Satyaraja Dāsa "SCIENCE AND THE SOUL," a recent *U.S. News and World Report* cover story, caught my eye. It documents a new trend in which a contingent of modern scientists is reconsidering longstanding assumptions about the mind, consciousness, and, yes, even the soul. "There is something troubling, if not downright offensive," writes author Jay Tolson, "about the effort to reduce human consciousness to the operations of a 3-pound chunk of wrinkled brain tissue." His point is clear: There's more to human existence than the world we see around us. And an increasing number of scientists of various disciplines are now agreeing with him. "Not only has advanced neuroscientific research revealed an obdurate mystery at the core of consciousness," he muses, "but theoretical advances in the natural and physical sciences have greatly complicated the effort to reduce all human phenomena—the mind notably included—to the effects of material causes." This is a far cry from the claims of scientists like Francis Crick, among others, who slightly more than a decade ago wrote in his acclaimed book, *The Astonishing Hypothesis: The Scientific Search for the Soul,* "The Astonishing Hypothesis is that 'You,' your joys and your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of personal identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules." Crick really believes that hypothesis. Scientists have traditionally held one of two positions on the soul. The first argues that souls clearly exist but science can't prove or disprove this fact, because the soul is spiritual and science uses tools made of matter. According to the other well-worn perspective, souls do not exist and it would be a waste of time for science to try to prove that they do. Besides these two views, some say that there has long been objective evidence for the existence of souls but the scientific establishment fails to accept the evidence because it contradicts conventional materialistic thinking. It is also true that some scientists would like to believe in the existence of the soul, but they fear being rejected by their more closed-minded coworkers. Could science ever really determine whether or not the soul exists? It's unlikely. Still, Śrīla Prabhupāda believed that making the attempt is a step in the right direction. As early as the mid-70s, the Montreal *Gazette* ran an article by world-famous cardiologist Wilfred G. Bigelow, urging systematic research to determine what the soul is and where it comes from. Śrīla Prabhupāda responded to Dr. Bigelow as follows: The undertaking of "soul research" would certainly mark the advancement of science. But no matter how much science advances, they will not be able to find the soul. The soul's presence can simply be accepted on circumstantial understanding, for you will find in the Vedic literature that the dimension of the soul is one ten-thousandth the size of a point. Therefore, it is not possible for the material scientists to capture the soul. You can simply accept the soul's existence by taking it from higher authorities. What the greatest scientists are now finding to be true, we've explained long ago. What would be the advantage of such research? Śrīla Prabhupāda answers: As soon as one understands the existence of the soul, he can immediately understand the existence of God. The difference between God and the soul is that God is a very great soul, and the living entity is a very small soul; but qualitatively they are equal. God is all-pervading, and the living entity is localized. But the nature and quality are the same. In the *Bhagavad-gītā,* Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa explains the eternal nature of the soul. He specifically says that there was never a time when He did not exist, and He says this is true of all living beings, including you and me. He further informs us that we will not cease to be in the future. This obviously refers to the soul, for the body will surely perish. The embodied soul, Kṛṣṇa informs us, continually passes from boyhood to youth to old age, which are like several different bodies in this one lifetime. In the same way, the soul enters another body at the time of death. Kṛṣṇa says, "That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul. ... For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.... As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones." (*Bhagavad-gītā* 2.17, 2.20, 2.22) So, the body dwindles and dies but the soul does not: our actual self simply changes forms, giving up prior bodies as snakes shed their skin. Of course, realizing this truth takes more than scientific know-how. It takes spiritual practice: If you want to realize that you're a soul, you have to act like a soul. The natural state of the soul is to be eternally glorifying God. By engaging in such glorification now under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master—who has realized his spiritual identity—the soul gradually removes the covering of illusion and becomes "reacquainted" with the actual self, the person beyond the body. This is the science of the soul. But conventional science knows nothing of these matters. In fact, the scientific community is often antagonistic to spiritual views, and "the new atheism"—a movement that arrogantly calls itself "the Brights" (as opposed to those dimwitted theists)—is becoming more prominent as the years wear on. Recent bestselling books, such as Richard Dawkins's *The God Delusion* and Christopher Hitchens's *God Is Not Great*, are taking the literary world by storm. Atheism sells books. Still, as I have shown, a parallel universe of scientists and scholars supporting a theistic worldview now exists alongside the literature of disbelief. For every Dawkins or Hitchens, there is a Patrick Glynn (*God: The Evidence*), affiliated with Harvard, or a Peter Forest (*God Without the Supernatural: A Defense of Scientific Theism*), from Cornell. While the Brights seem to think they can disprove all religious contentions with science and reason, these latter authors stand up to them every bit of the way and offer convincing counterevidence. The recent spate of books and conferences, as highlighted in that issue of *U.S. News and World Report,* shows hope. Indeed, in recent years, the scientific community has taken bold steps toward understanding the person as a whole, not just as the material body. To cite yet another prominent example, Andrew Newberg, a professor of nuclear medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, directs his university's recently founded Center for Spirituality and the Mind, an interdisciplinary program exploring "neuro-theology," lauded by scientists around the world. His work tells us that if religion can learn something valuable about the body and mind from science, then science should be able to re-learn something from religion about the deepest levels of who we really are. That's something Prabhupāda would deeply appreciate, and something that benefits us all. *Satyaraja Dāsa, a disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda, is a BTG associate editor. He has written over twenty books on Kṛṣṇa consciousness and lives near New York City.* ## Why Kṛṣṇa Appears As Jagannatha *In a unique form, Lord Kṛṣṇa is worshiped in a famous temple in Puri, India, and at Rathayatras (chariot festivals) there and around the world.* ### By Narada Rsi Dāsa I WAS BORN in a conservative Orissan Vaisnava family in Puri, on the east coast of India. The Supreme Lord Jagannatha and His devotees were at the center of my life. As a child, I played with dolls of Jagannatha, Baladeva (Balarāma), and Subhadra, the Deities in the famous Puri temple. I still remember how my mother gave me enormous plates of Jagannatha *prasādam* and told me to always remember the Lord. I saw how the simple and devoted Orissan people—even doctors, engineers, and scientists—never neglect to honor Lord Jagannatha. I watched how the king of Puri becomes a humble servant and sweeps the street before Jagannatha's cart during the yearly Rathayatra, or festival of the chariots. Lord Jagannatha may look peculiar and strange to the Western world, but He is the life and soul of the Orissans. Even though I attended the Rathayatra festival for many years in my youth, it was not until I met the devotees of ISKCON that my devotion for Jagannatha deepened. Now Jagannatha is worshiped in many ISKCON temples around the world, and I have grown to see Him as the most merciful and charming person who excuses His devotees' offenses and attracts them further along the path of devotional service. *Jagannatha* means "Lord of the universe." Many Vedic books mention that *Jagannatha* is Kṛṣṇa. Baladeva is His brother, and Subhadra is His sister. Although Kṛṣṇa is absolute and transcendental to material nature, to accept the loving service of His devotees He appears before us as the Deity in the temple, in the form of stone, metal, wood, or paint. Jagannatha is a wooden form of Kṛṣṇa. Because Jagannatha does not look like Kṛṣṇa, people may wonder how He can be Kṛṣṇa. Scriptures tell the story behind Jagannatha's peculiar form. *Jagannatha's Transcendental Advent* The *Skanda Purana* relates King Indradyumna's quest to find a Deity form of Kṛṣṇa after dreaming of a beautiful blue Deity named *Nila* Madhava. The name describes the sapphire color of the Deity: *Nila* means blue, and Madhava is one of Kṛṣṇa's names. King Indradyumna sent messengers in all directions to find *Nila* Madhava, and a *brahmana* named Vidyapati returned successful. He discovered that Visvavasu, a pig farmer (*savara*) in a remote tribal village, was secretly worshiping *Nila* Madhava. When Vidyapati later returned to that place with Indradyumna, however, *Nila* Madhava was gone. King Indradyumna surrounded the village with his soldiers and arrested Visvavasu. Then a voice from the sky proclaimed, "Release the *savara* and build a big temple for Me on top of Nila Hill. There you will see Me, not as Nila Madhava, but in a form made of neem wood." Nila Madhava promised to appear as wood (*daru*), and thus He is called *daru*-brahma ("wood-spirit"). Indradyumna waited by the ocean, where the Lord arrived as a giant log floating toward the beach. Disguised an old man, Visvakarma, the architect of the demigods, arrived to carve the Deities under the condition that he would remain undisturbed for twenty-one days. King Indradyumna consented, and the artist worked behind locked doors. Before the time period was up, however, the noise stopped, and King Indradyumna's intense curiosity prompted him to open the doors. Visvakarma had disappeared. In the room, the three Deities of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra looked as if unfinished—without hands or feet—and Indradyumna became greatly perturbed, thinking he had offended the Lord. That night, Jagannatha spoke to the king in a dream and reassured him, explaining that He was revealing Himself in that form out of His own inconceivable desire, to show the world that He can accept offerings without hands, and move around without feet. Lord Jagannatha told the king, "Know for sure that My hands and feet are the ornament of all ornaments, but for your satisfaction, you may give Me gold and silver hands and feet from time to time." Devotees now worship the same "unfinished" forms of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra in Puri and in temples around the world. These forms are part of their eternal pastimes. *Transformed By Rohini's Talks* The *Utkala-khanda* of the *Skanda* *Purana* gives another account related to Kṛṣṇa's appearance as Jagannatha. (Utkala is the traditional name for Orissa.) Once, during a solar eclipse, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Subhadra, and other residents of Dwaraka went to bathe in a holy pond at Kurukshetra. Knowing that Kṛṣṇa would be there, Śrīmati Rādhārāṇī, Kṛṣṇa's parents Nanda and Yasoda, and other residents of Vṛndāvana, who were burning in the fire of separation from the Lord, went to meet Him. Inside one of the many tents the pilgrims had set up at Kurukshetra, Rohini, Lord Balarāma's mother, narrated Kṛṣṇa's Vṛndāvana pastimes to the queens of Dwaraka and others. The residents of Dwaraka are said to be in the mood of opulence (*aisvarya*), and they worship Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord. But the residents of Vṛndāvana are in the mood of sweetness (*madhurya*), and they have a confidential relationship with Kṛṣṇa that surpasses awe and reverence because it is based on friendship and love. Rohini's narration was thus extremely confidential, so she posted Subhadra at the door to prevent anyone from entering. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma came to the door and stood on either side of Subhadra. While listening to Rohini's narration of Kṛṣṇa's intimate Vṛndāvana pastimes, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma became ecstatic, and Their internal feelings were exhibited externally. Their eyes became dilated, Their heads compressed into Their bodies, and Their limbs retracted. Seeing these transformations in Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, Subhadra also became ecstatic and assumed a similar form. Thus, by hearing about Kṛṣṇa's pastimes in Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, with Subhadra in between, displayed their ecstatic forms of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra. *The Lord's Highest Ecstasy* According to the *Skanda Purana,* the Jyestha-purnima, the full-moon day of the month of May-June, is the birthday of Jagannatha. Jagannatha is Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa's birthday is Janmastami, in the month of Bhadra (August-September). This apparent contradiction is resolved if we understand that the Jyestha-purnima is the time when Kṛṣṇa appeared in the form of Jagannatha with big, dilated eyes and shrunken limbs. This is known as *mahabhava-*prakasa*,* the ecstatic form of Kṛṣṇa. *Mahabhava* means "the highest ecstasy," and *prakasa* means "manifestation," so Jagannatha is literally the ecstatic form of Kṛṣṇa. The poem *Mahabhava Prakasa* by the Oriyan poet Kanai Khuntia describes the confidential meaning behind the form of Jagannatha: He is the embodiment of Kṛṣṇa's pangs of separation from the residents of Vṛndāvana, particularly Rādhā and the *gopis*. Scriptures explain that intense feelings of spiritual ecstasy, especially in this mood of separation from a loved one, produce transformations in the body. Since Kṛṣṇa is not different from His body, His internal feeling showed externally, and He assumed the form of Jagannatha. The ecstasy of *mahabhava* is compared to an ocean. In the pastime with King Indradyumna, a giant log floated on the ocean. Similarly, the forms of Jagannatha, Balarāma, and Subhadra float on the ocean of *mahabhava*. When the sage Narada saw Kṛṣṇa transformed as Jagannatha, he prayed to the Lord to appear like this again. Although the Lord is not obliged to anyone, He reciprocates with His devotees to fulfill their desires. In *Garga Samhita* Kṛṣṇa states (1.27.4): "I am full—all the epics in one. Yet I surrender to the wish of My devotee and come in whatever form he wants." Thus, just as Kṛṣṇa appeared as Nila Madhava to satisfy Visvavasu, He appeared in the Deity form as Jagannatha and resides in Jagannātha Purī to satisfy the desire of Narada Muni. This special form of Kṛṣṇa is also known as Patita Pavana, the savior of the fallen, and anyone who takes His audience with proper consciousness is awarded spiritual liberation. *Jagannatha as Kṛṣṇa of Vṛndāvana* Although Jagannatha is often identified with Kṛṣṇa of Dwaraka, in the mood of opulence, His actual but confidential identity is as Kṛṣṇa of Vṛndāvana, the lover of Rādhārāṇī. The *Jagannatha Caritamrtam* says, "Rādhā stays in the heart of Jagannatha, and so does Śrī Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is known by His relationships, especially with the residents of Vṛndāvana, and devotees sometimes refer to Jagannatha in this way. Jagannatha is considered the consort of Rādhārāṇī, who associates with Kṛṣṇa only in His mood of Vṛndāvana. The ecstasy that resulted from Kṛṣṇa's love for Rādhārāṇī caused Kṛṣṇa's transformation into the form of Jagannatha. The Oriyan poet Banamali sings, "O Jagannatha, Yasoda's dear foster son, Your Rādhā is like the *chataka* bird, drinking only the pure raindrops You shower as Your grace." In Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa assumes the graceful three-fold bending form (*tribanga-lalita*), and He wears a peacock feather and plays His flute. The *Jagannathastakam* (verse 2) identifies Jagannatha with this mood: "In His left hand Lord Jagannatha holds a flute, on His head He wears peacock feathers, and on His hips He wears fine yellow silken cloth. From the corners of His eyes He bestows sidelong glances upon His loving devotees, and He always reveals Himself through His pastimes in His divine abode of Vṛndāvana. May that Jagannatha Svami be the object of my vision." The poetess Madhavi-devi, the sister of Ramananda Raya, writes in one of her songs: "The tender, sweet verses of *Śrī Gita-govinda* bearing the name of Rādhā are woven into the *khandua* [pieces of cloth worn by Jagannatha each evening], which Lord Jagannatha holds close to His limbs." The *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* explains that Kṛṣṇa came as Caitanya to understand Rādhārāṇī's mood. During Rathayatra He danced in ecstasy in front of Lord Jagannatha (Kṛṣṇa) to get His attention. In reply, Jagannatha consoled Him: "I never forgot any *gopis* or *gopas*, and especially You, Śrīmati Radhika. How can I forget You?" Narada Muni revealed to Gopa-kumara in *Brhad-bhagavatamrta* (2.5.212-214): "Eternally as dear to Śrī Kṛṣṇadeva as His beautiful Mathura-dhama is that Purusottama-ksetra. There the Lord displays His supreme opulence and yet charms His devotees by acting like an ordinary person of the world. And if you are still not fully satisfied after going there and seeing Him, then at least stay there for some time as the means to achieve your desired goal. Of course, your ultimate goal is pure love for the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, the divine *gopis'* life and soul—love that follows the mood of the Lord's own Vrajabhumi. You seek no other goal than that." Love for Jagannatha is *kṛṣṇa-prema,* love of Kṛṣṇa, which is our ultimate goal. Kṛṣṇa has become available to everyone in the form of Jagannatha. Since Lord Jagannatha is none other than Kṛṣṇa, His abode is equal to Vṛndāvana, where Kṛṣṇa performs His childhood pastimes. Jagannātha Purī—also called Purusottama-ksetra, Śrī Ksetra, and Nilacala ("the place of the blue mountain")—contains all of Kṛṣṇa's Vṛndāvana pastimes (*līlās*), although they may be hidden from material eyes. The *Vaisnava-tantra* states, "Whatever *līlās* of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are manifest in Gokula, Mathura, and Dwaraka are all found in Nilacala, Śrī Ksetra." By having the proper spiritual vision—eyes anointed by pure love of Godhead, *kṛṣṇa-prema*—one can see all the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa there. Jagannatha is no one else but the ecstatic manifestation of Kṛṣṇa, who appears in His most merciful form to help us go home, back to Godhead. Therefore, Prabhupāda has introduced the Jagannatha Rathayatra in many cities around the world to uplift the conditioned souls from the spell of *maya* (illusion). Let us take advantage of the occasion. *Other Evidence That Jagannatha 1s Kṛṣṇa* EVEN IN INDIA, where Lord Jagannatha has been worshiped for centuries, there is sometimes confusion over His identity. Here is more evidence that He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Jayadeva Gosvami's *Gita-govinda* identifies Kṛṣṇa as Jagannatha with the refrain *jaya jagadisa hare* in the *dasavatara* portion of the poem (describing ten principal incarnations). Jagannatha and Kṛṣṇa are identified as the source of all incarnations, the *avatari*. This poem is sung daily to Jagannatha in His temple in Puri. The *Skanda Purana* glorifies Jagannatha as the support of the universe, reflecting Kṛṣṇa's statement in *Bhagavad-gītā* (7.7): "Everything rests upon Me, as pearls strung on a thread." The *Niladrimahodaya* (IV), which builds upon the earlier *Skanda Purana,* directly refers to Jagannatha as Kṛṣṇa and describes His color and form as identical to Kṛṣṇa's: "The color of the body of Śrī Jagannatha was cloud blue, and He was on a lotus seat." Although the Deity looks different, the description of His complexion implies that Jagannatha is Kṛṣṇa. The poem also uses Kṛṣṇa's names Gopijanavallabha, Acyuta, Narayana, and Krpasindhu to refer to Jagannatha. In the *Padma Purana,* Jagannatha is called Purusottama (the Supreme Person), as well as Kṛṣṇa and other names of Kṛṣṇa: Mad-hava, Hari, Madhusudana, Murari, Narayana, and Kamala-pati (husband of the goddess of fortune). He is described as the protector of religion and as Paramatma, the Supersoul in the heart of every living entity. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's disciple Vasudeva Ghosa has sung, *je krsna, se gaura, se jagannatha:* there is no difference between Gaura (Caitanya Mahāprabhu), Kṛṣṇa, and Jagannatha. A Bengali prayer to Jagannatha states, *jaya jaya jagannatha megha-syama-varna / gopi-jana-vallabha madhava-abhinna:* "All glories to Lord Jagannatha, whose complexion is that of a dark rain cloud and who is Gopijanavallabha, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself." Hinting at the internal meaning of His form, the prayer also mentions that Jagannatha is *vipralambha-bhava,* absorbed in His own ecstasy. *Narada Rsi Dāsa holds a Master's degree in philosophy and religion and lives in New York City. His wife, Mohini Rādhā Devī Dāsī, graduated from Columbia University and co-authored this article.* ## Are devotional tattoos taboo or a genuine Vaisnava practice? *Inking with the Supreme* ### By Madhava Smullen TATTOOS HAVE BEEN inked permanently into modern culture. Walk down any busy city street and you'll spot a vast number of tattooees, ranging all the way from the young female professional with a butterfly on her shoulder blade to the wild punk rocker with hardly any space left for his white skin to shine. For some reason, having an unremovable image of a two-headed dragon eating its own face sprawled across their chest until their dying breath is an idea that appeals to a lot of people. National Geographic News reported in April 2000 that fifteen percent of Americans were tattooed. That's around forty million people. Now, surely a Hare Kṛṣṇa devotee would be the last person you'd expect to see among those forty million, right? Wrong. The fact is that many devotees sport tattoos, and their number is increasing. Is this a purely whimsical fad, or do our ancient traditions and scriptures hold any support for devotional tattooing? Take a magnifying glass to Indian tribal traditions, and you uncover the first clues. For instance, certain tribes believe that Lord Rama's greatest devotee, Hanuman, can be tattooed on a recurring dislocating shoulder to relieve the pain. The women of the nomadic Ribari tribe of Kutch in northwest India, one of the places the Pāṇḍavas visited during their exile, have many extremely elaborate tattoos. And the Ramnami community, scattered across the Indian states of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, began a painful custom in the nineteenth century: they had the name of Rama in Sanskrit tattooed on practically every inch of skin, even on their tongues and inside their lips. This practice was meant to protect them from bigoted caste-conscious *brahmanas* they had angered by adopting brahminical customs, and is still carried on today. So far, so tribal. But serious Vaisnava practitioners will need more tangible scriptural endorsement before they start injecting ink into their skin. *A Burning Impression* Caturatma Dāsa knows where to find this endorsement. A *pujari* at ISKCON's Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Syamasundara temple in Alachua, Florida, he doesn't have tattoos on every inch of his skin. But he does have a healthy collection. "I have three Sanskrit mantras, two on one arm and one on the other," he tells me with his trademark enthusiasm. "Two are in praise of Govardhana, my worshipable Deity. The other one, for my protection, is Nrsimha [Kṛṣṇa's half-man, half-lion incarnation]. Then on each arm I also have Śrī Kumbha, the sacred pots used in fire sacrifices." He has to pause for breath. "On my back, I've got two of the greatest warriors in Vedic history—Arjuna on one side and Parasurama on the other. They're complemented by a fire sacrifice pit in between them, and they protect my back from any misfortune. Next, on my chest are two aspects of Kṛṣṇa's beauty—Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself and His dwarf incarnation, Vamana." As if this wasn't enough, his arms are also graced with tattoos of the four sacred symbols of Visnu: club, disc, lotus, and conchshell. "Not one of them was done on a whim. I spent four or five years charting them all out and doing careful research." He grins. "I'm a *pujari* and often walk around with my tattoos on full display. I'd better be able to explain them!" Caturatma concedes that the modern incarnation of tattooing wasn't around during or before the birth of Gaudiya Vaisnavism, but there are close parallels. In *Prameya Ratnavali,* the eighteenth-century Vaisnava commentator Baladeva Vidyabhusana cites five purificatory processes (*panca-samskara*) that, along with spiritual initiation, bring one direct perception of Lord Kṛṣṇa: austerity, wearing *tilaka,* performing sacrifices, accepting a new name at initiation, and chanting mantras glorifying the Lord. Baladeva's elaboration is surprising: "In this verse, the word *austerity* means to accept the branded marks of Lord Visnu: the disc, lotus, conch, and mace"—the very images Caturatma has tattooed on his arms. Like tattooing, branding is permanent, and yes, very painful. A tradition that goes back to at least A.D. 1017, it's still practiced today by followers of both Madhvacarya and Ramanujacarya, mainly in the South Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. What's more, for Śrī Vaisnavas, Ramanuja's followers, it's an essential part of the initiation process. Picture this: It's morning, and the air is cool. As the sun rises behind you and the birds start to twitter, your heart beats fast but you sit quietly, staring at the blazing sacrificial pit in front of you. A married priest performs the fire ceremony. Offering oblations, he invokes the *ayudha-devatas,* personified forms of Lord Visnu's sacred weapons. Metal stamps in the traditional shape of each weapon are then attached to metal poles and held within the dancing flames. After some time, your *guru* takes them and taps them on a plate. You watch, knowing that this is to make sure no loose pieces of hot charcoal come off on your skin. Finally, he begins to chant the mantra for Sudarsana, Lord Visnu's discus. It's time. You tense. You feel the red hot brand press against your right shoulder, burning, stinging. Then the Pancajanya mantra is chanted, and the symbol of Visnu's conchshell is branded on your left shoulder. You sigh. It's over. You are now ready for the rest of your initiation ceremony. Fortunately for us, Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the *acaryas* in His line have recommended that one use *tilaka* clay instead of branding to draw Visnu's symbols on the body. So if you're on the list for spiritual initiation, no need to scream and run—no Gaudiya Vaisnava *guru* will try to press a red-hot iron pole against your arm during the ceremony. *The Sacred Clay Connection* Branding gets its fair amount of exposure in our traditions and scriptures. But it's *tilaka*—Caitanya Mahāprabhu's recommended alternative—that presents our closest parallel to tattooing. Every Gaudiya Vaisnava is aware of the virtues of wearing *tilaka,* or sacred clay. The u-shaped mark and oval worn on the forehead is one of our most instantly recognizable symbols. But what you may be surprised to learn is that Vaisnava scriptures also contain instructions to write the holy names with *tilaka*—and even to draw pictures on the body with it. In *Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,* which contains the complete science of *bhakti-yoga,* Rupa Gosvami tells us, "In marking such *tilaka*, sometimes one may write Hare Kṛṣṇa on the body." And elsewhere in the same book, he quotes the *Skanda Purana* on a benefit of wearing *tilaka*: "Persons whose bodies are marked with *tilaka*, symbolizing the conchshell, wheel, club, and lotus ... even seen once can help the seer be relieved from all sinful activities." In *Hari-bhakti-vilasa,* compiled by Rupa's brother Sanatana, Lord Visnu states: "I enter within the hearts of those devotees who, in the Age of Kali, decorate their bodies with drawings of My incarnations, such as Matsya and Kurma ... Those who wear the drawings of My incarnations on their bodies are not ordinary human beings—they exist on the same platform as My incarnations." Discussing the subject in great detail, *Hari-bhakti-vilasa* continues to enforce its point for over fifty verses, even going so far as to suggest, "If a fallen *brahmana* does not decorate his body with *tilaka,* as well as drawings of a conch shell and disc, then the king should put him on the back of a donkey and drive him out of his kingdom." Fair enough. But as you're spurring your donkey on into the sunset, you may want to ask, "Is all this really that important?" *Internal Matters* Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura certainly had an opinion. In his 1885 essay *Pancha Samskara: The Process of Initiation,* he discusses the five purificatory processes from *Prameya Ratnavali* mentioned earlier in this article, two of which are *tapa* (defined by Baladeva Vidyabhusana as branding) and wearing *tilaka* markings. Yes, he acknowledges them as prescribed ways to sanctify oneself so that one's true spiritual nature can develop. But far more forcefully, he condemns being concerned only with the external: "*Tapa* applies not only to the body, but also to the mind and the soul. If it is only physical, in the form of branding or stamping, then *tapa* has not actually taken place and religious practice becomes hypocritical." He continues emphasizing the hollowness of such an approach: "Externally the student looks good, but internally there is nothing. The symbols of divine conch, disc, and the name of Hari [Kṛṣṇa] mark the body. The tongue utters the name of Hari, and worship of *salagrama-sila* or the Deity with mantra is performed, but the student is addicted to endless sinful practices." Real devotion in the heart overrides just looking like a devotee and apparently acting like one. Wear *tilaka* just for show and it'll do little for your progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The same goes for devotional tattoos. They can become an obsession, a dangerous distraction. Wear them, however, with the right mood, meditation, and intentions, and they become powerful tools in Kṛṣṇa's service. Laksmimani Dasi, recently retired headmistress of the Vaisnava Academy for Girls in Alachua, agrees. "We're supposed to do everything to remind us of Kṛṣṇa. So if we're getting a tattoo for another reason, then we have to examine our motives." Her single tattoo, the words *Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa* in Sanskrit Devanagari script beneath a lotus flower, reflects her "less is more" outlook. "Samosas are delicious, but if you eat four hundred of them, you get sick. So if something material like a tattoo helps you to remember Kṛṣṇa, it can be used in Kṛṣṇa's service, but if it's used in excess, then it becomes an end in itself." Laksmimani says her tattoo, a birthday present from her daughter, does its job. "I wanted something that had Kṛṣṇa on it so that I would never be able to forget Him, so that He'd be with me all the time. And that's what happened. I guess it's just part of me now." What's more, her tattoo doesn't benefit her alone. "People approach me constantly to ask me what it is and what it says, because it's in Sanskrit. It's a great excuse to tell them about Kṛṣṇa." Caturatma Dāsa has had the same experience. "Once I was doing some yard-work at a devotee friend's house. Since it was a hot summer's day, I wasn't wearing a shirt, and all my tattoos were on full display. Suddenly, a delivery van pulled up, and as it came closer, I saw the wording on its side: 'Bill's Home Delivery Shrimp and Fresh-Cut Meats. Wholesale to your door.' " 'Uh, oh,' I thought, 'He doesn't realize where he's just pulled into.' So I walked over to the car, and the passenger window came down. It was an old guy who had obviously lived in the area for years. 'How you doin' there, sir,' he says. 'I'm just going around door to door selling these shr—" Caturatma freezes dramatically. "Suddenly the guy stops in mid-sentence. 'Oh,' he says, 'I can see by your tattoos you're not gonna be interested in what I'm selling. I might as well just take my truck on down the road to the next house. You're one of those Hare Kṛṣṇa people, and I know you guys are vegetarian and don't eat meat.'" As Caitanya Mahāprabhu once said, "A Vaisnava is he who, when seen, reminds one of Kṛṣṇa." So. Let's say you've thought about it. Let's say you've decided that getting a Kṛṣṇa conscious tattoo is a bona fide way to express your devotion, to remind yourself and others of Kṛṣṇa. What next? *Come into My Tattoo Parlor* Kalpavrksa Dāsa works at Ron's Tattoos in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He got his first tattoo at fifteen, inspired by the Cro Mags, a Hare Kṛṣṇa straightedge band and tattoo afficio-nados. A professional tattoo artist for over fifteen years, he's tattooed close to one hundred devotees. His first piece of advice is to-the-point straight talk. "Whatever tattoo you're getting, just make sure it's something you'll be happy living with. Because it's gonna stay with your body longer than you will." When it comes to artwork, he is partial to that of Gujarati artist B. G. Sharma. "His style practically already looks like tattoos. Everything has an outline, and his shading is similar to the way I'd shade or color a tattoo. It's really easy to replicate." Besides Sharma's devotional depictions of Kṛṣṇa, Kalpavrksa has tattoed devotees with a variety of images, the most popular being the *maha-mantra* and Lord Nrsimhadeva. Then there are the more unusual ones, of course. "One *sannyasi,* Bhakti Visrambha Madhava Mahārāja, got tattoos of all thirteen *tilaka* marks, including one on the back of his head, along with the corresponding mantras in Sanskrit. And I can't forget my friend Jack, who's been a devotee for a few years now. He has a huge Garuda covering his entire back, from his waist up to his neck." But like Laksmimani, Kalpavrksa thinks that the best kind of tattoo a devotee can get is one with a built-in conversation starter. "I have the *maha-mantra* tattooed in Bengali all over both of my arms, which is unique and completely unfamiliar to the average person. When people see it, they never fail to ask what it is." This happens so often that Kalpa keeps a stack of Śrīla Prabhupāda's small books handy at all times. "I'll tell clients what my tattoo is and what it means. Then if they seem interested, I'll explain the *maha-mantra* and a little about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And eventually, if their interest deepens, I'll hand them a book. I try to build a rapport with people. You can't just hit them with everything all at once." Recent times, however, have brought on a new experience: Sometimes Kalpavrksa finds himself asking people about their Vedic tattoos. "Modern Western tattooing has a heavy Asian influence, mainly from the two-hundred-year-old Japanese tradition. But in the past ten to twelve years, there's been a huge rush of interest in Indian imagery. Yoga is really big these days, and students are often influenced to get tattoos of mantras and various symbols like the om sign. One girl walked into my tattoo shop sporting tattoos of different yogic *asanas*." There are more signs of this Vedic tattoo invasion everywhere. Pick up any modern tattoo magazine released within the past five to ten years, and you'll find either an image directly related to *Kṛṣṇa*, or something from the Vedic paradigm. The goddesses Kali, Durga, and Laksmi flood tattoo parlors, as does Lord Siva. Lord Nrsimhadeva rears His fearsome head from the pages of tattoo magazines, and the friendly, easily identifiable face of Lord Jagannatha becomes more and more popular. Tattoo stores across the United States keep their own copy of the *Kṛṣṇa* Art book. *Kṛṣṇa*, in the form of art, is gradually infiltrating the tattoo-wearing public. But for now, He still remains most popular with those who hold Him deep within their hearts. *Madhava Smullen grew up in the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement in Ireland. He now serves on the editorial staff of Back to Godhead. He does not have any tattoos.* ## Time Travel and Consciousness *Is time travel possible? Both Einstein and the Vedic literature have an answer.* By Sadaputa Dāsa IN 1898 H.G. WELLS published his famous story of the time machine—a machine that would enable a human time traveler to visit any desired time in the past or future. We have no idea how this fictional machine might have worked, but people have spent a great deal of time and effort to see if traveling through time might actually be possible. It turns out that some forms of time travel were contemplated in the Puranic traditions of India, and that empirical evidence pointing to possible time travel can be found both in modern physics and in the study of paranormal phenomena. What is time? Generally we think of time as passing or flowing from past to future. We think that the future has not yet come to be and the past has ceased to exist. Only the present is real, and that reality shifts from moment to fleeting moment. So where can a time traveler go if only the present exists? Einstein's special theory of relativity provides an answer to this question. To see how, consider a diagram in which space is represented by the x-axis and time is plotted on the vertical axis. A horizontal line at a certain level represents a given moment of time, with the future above the line and the past below it. In Newtonian physics, if an observer moves uniformly relative to us, a moment of time for that observer is still represented by a horizontal line. But in the theory of relativity, a moment for a moving observer is represented by a tilted line that partly lies in our future and partly lies in our past. This implies that our past and future must be real since they lie in the present of various moving observers. As Einstein put it when consoling the widow of a deceased friend, "For us who are convinced physicists, the distinction between past, present, and future is only an illusion, however persistent." Thus the special theory of relativity implies that all moments of material time are, so to speak, frozen in timeless existence. This may make it hard to understand the apparent passage of time, but it does provide places for time travelers to visit. Einstein's special theory of relativity was followed by his general theory of relativity. The general theory not only allows destinations for time travelers, but in principle it allows for pathways they might follow to reach these destinations. For example, the famous mathematician Kurt Godel once used Einstein's theory to formulate a mathematical model of a rotating universe that allowed closed timelike loops. These are paths through space and time in which the direction to the future curves around so that the future merges with the past. If one could follow such a path in a spaceship, one would eventually loop back into one's own past. *Paradoxes of Time Travel* When we contemplate travel from the present to the past, we immediately run into paradoxes or contradictions. For example, there is the famous grandfather paradox. If a traveler goes back in time and kills his grandfather before his grandfather meets his grandmother, then the time traveler will never be born and therefore cannot kill his grandfather. One way to deal with such paradoxes is to introduce multiple universes into the picture. Suppose that when you go back to kill your grandfather, you kill him in a parallel universe that is nearly the same as this one but contains a deceased grandfather rather than a living one. We can eliminate contradictions by allowing events altered by time travel to work themselves out in various parallel universes. This can be done in the context of the "multiple worlds" (or Everett-Wheeler-Graham) interpretation of quantum mechanics, in which the universe continually splits into multiple copies corresponding to the different possible outcomes of random quantum events. The quantum physicist David Deutsch developed a theory of time travel along these lines. All of these ideas about time travel are set in the context of the theory of relativity, which posits a static space-time world in which there is no passage of time. If the passage of time is truly an illusion, then the question arises of who or what is deluded. This leads to two questions: What is consciousness, and How does consciousness fit into the space-time picture? Many scientific discussions of consciousness assume that consciousness is "nothing but" patterns of matter in the brain, involving neurons, synaptic connections, and various kinds of molecules. However, philosophers such as David Chalmers of the University of Arizona have argued that such ideas avoid the "hard problem of consciousness," which is to explain how it is that we have experience at all. Consider a person looking at an apple and experiencing the redness of its surface. What is this experience of redness? Complex patterns of electro-chemical reactions may be manifest within the brain, but this tells us nothing about experience. After all, most brain activity occurs on a completely unconscious level. Why does any of it give rise to experience? Chalmers proposes that in addition to material interactions there is an element of conscious experience that cannot be understood in material terms. He argues that even though conscious experience is not reducible to matter, such experience is linked in a one-to-one fashion with high-order cognitive processing in the brain. Let us pursue Chalmers's idea. Although conscious contents may correspond to abstract patterns in the physical body, they clearly correspond only to a small and varying subset of these patterns. There must therefore be some agency that chooses this subset and keeps consciousness linked to it during the period of conscious bodily activity. This agency cannot be strictly material, since it links something non-material with something material. Thus we can formulate the connection between consciousness and matter as: Consciousness (agency) Material patterns Many spiritual traditions have taught that consciousness (the cit potency in Vedic teaching) is beyond time. According to the theory of relativity, matter exists as a time-less pattern in space-time. Thus the agency in the above formula links two timeless entities, consciousness and matter, and causes conscious entities to experience events in time. We can see how this might work by studying a well-known example of time travel. Imagine two twins. One twin stays on the earth, while the other travels into space on a rocket at nearly the speed of light and then returns. We observe that the twin on the rocket has experienced less time than the one who stayed home. Thus the traveling twin could experience a trip of, say, one hour and return to earth after a period of millions of years of earth time. The difference between the two twins is that one of them accelerated in the rocket, whereas the other did not experience this acceleration. The physical interactions in the traveling twin's body follow the same pattern as those in the body of the stay-at-home twin, but the motion of the rocket causes them to be stretched in space and time. If the hypothetical linking agency is concerned with the patterns of events while ignoring the stretching, then we would expect the traveler's consciousness to be similar to that of his sedentary twin but stretched over a long time span. In the twin paradox, time travel into the future was achieved through the motion of the rocket. A similar time distortion occurs in a gravitational field. Imagine that one twin stays far away from a very massive planet, while the other twin travels close to it and comes back. Here the traveling twin will experience a shorter time interval than the twin who stayed away from the planet. *King Kakudmi's Journey* An interesting story in the *Bhagavata Purana* (*Śrīmad-Bhagavatam*) parallels this form of the twin paradox. In this story, a king named Kakudmi visited the planet of Brahma and waited for a musical performance to finish before having an audience with him. Brahma told him that while he was waiting, 27 x 4,320,000 years had elapsed on earth and the king's civilization had completely passed away. In another story, Brahma visited the earth to steal Kṛṣṇa's cowherd friends, went home for a moment of his time, and then returned. One year had elapsed on earth. A "moment," or *truti,* is 1/33,750 of a second, according to the *Surya-siddhanta*. On this basis, an earth year is 1/33,750 of a second of Brahma. The number of Brahma's seconds in 27 x 4,320,000 earth years should come to 27 x 4,320,000 133,750 = 3,456 seconds, or nearly one hour. Thus the two stories are consistent, since a musical performance could easily be about this long. If consciousness is "glued" to patterns of events in fixed space-time, then it would appear that all events are determined and there is no possibility of free will. It turns out, however, that if purely random events can be reconciled with fixed space-time, then so can free will. We have seen that a random event can be represented as a splitting of the universe into two or more parallel universes in which the various random alternatives are manifest. According to quantum theory, vast numbers of random events are always taking place, and thus the universe must be continuously splitting into vast numbers of divergent copies. This scenario also allows for free will. At a fork in the universe, the conscious entity has the opportunity to make a choice between alternative courses of events. If we posit that conscious entities have the innate power to make such choices, then they will be able to act according to their will within the framework of physical circumstances determined by the laws of physics and their previous choices. Life histories develop as tracks through branching patterns of space-time. If a given timeless conscious entity is connected to a particular path through the fixed space-time tree, then the entity will experience events consistent with the passage of time at each moment along its path. This will create the persistent illusion of time's passage mentioned by Einstein. *Going Back in Time* Travel into the future is possible according to modern physics, but travel into the past is more problematic. Godel's rotating model universe is quite different from our own, and closed timelike loops are difficult to bring about in any universe obeying known physical laws. One possibility is to send messages into the past instead of actually traveling there physically. Scientists have examined various ways of sending a signal into the past, but unfortunately none of them seem feasible. Ironically, however, there is a kind of signaling into the past that has been observed empirically but is not accepted by mainstream science. This takes place in what is known as precognitive remote viewing. In a remote-viewing experiment, one person (the percipient) stays in a room and tries to describe what is being seen by another person (the agent), who has traveled to a remote site. Thousands of experiments of this kind have been performed. For example, at Princeton University an extensive series of successful remote-viewing experiments was carried out under the direction of Robert Jahn, one-time head of the Princeton School of Engineering. The surprising feature of these results is that percipients were able to obtain information equally well from the past, present, or future—an ability known in Sanskrit literature as *tri-kala-jna* ("three times knowing"). In summary, the idea of time travel can be consistently developed in the context of the theory of relativity and the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. At the same time, the theory of relativity provides a framework for understanding how timeless consciousness and the timeless physical continuum could be linked to allow for the experience of time. The many-worlds theory, in turn, reconciles Einstein's timeless space-time with random events, and a similar reconciliation (in which free choice selects branches) provides a way in which free will can operate in a world obedient to physical laws. So by exploring the idea of time travel, we are led to an understanding of more fundamental issues involving consciousness and matter. As a final note, the phenomenon of remote viewing suggests that time travel may be more than just an idea. *Sadaputa Dāsa (Richard L. Thompson) earned his Ph.D. in mathematics from Cornell University. He is the author of several books dealing with the relationship between modern science and Vedic knowledge.* ## Science *“Two” Short to Rope the Universe* *Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Damodara pastime teaches us that our great intellects will take us only so far.* ### By Caitanya Carana Dāsa THIS ISSUE of *Back to Godhead* comes out during the month of Damodara (October 27-November 24), associated with the Damodara-līlā, the pastime in which Kṛṣṇa's mother, Yasoda, tried to tie Him up with a rope. The rope turned out to be two fingers short. She added rope, but no matter how many ropes she tied together, the combined rope remained two fingers short. This pastime signifies that no matter how much we try, we will always fall short in our attempts to understand God with our intelligence alone. Science is finding the same about the universe, which the Vedic literature says is a product of God's super intelligence. Centuries of cosmological research have increased scientific information but not scientific understanding, because of "two" unexpected shortcomings: *1. The more scientists know, the more they realize how little they know.* Scientists "conquered" space—and realized how little they actually knew about it. To the uninformed, space missions proved human greatness. To the well informed, they showed human smallness. Space research reveals that the universe contains more celestial bodies than all the grains of sand on all the beaches of the world and our earth is just one of these cosmic grains. No wonder Kenneth R. Boulding, former president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, admitted, "Cosmology ... is likely to be very insecure because it studies a very large universe with a small and biased sample." *2. The more scientists know, the more they realize that what they previously "knew" was wrong.* Newton's laws were considered bedrock truths of physics till they were found inapplicable in the microscopic and the macroscopic realms. Quantum physics was developed to explain the atomic world, and relativistic physics for the cosmic. But they turned out to be violently contradictory. As both have to coexist at the origin of the universe—when the microscopic and the macroscopic were one—scientists had the formidable challenge of devising a Theory of Everything (ToE) to unify these irreconcilable pillars of science. Let's review the history of the development of the ToE: 1. Initial vain roar. Physicist Leon Lederman: "We hope to explain the entire universe in a single, simple formula that you can wear on your T-shirt." 2. Subsequent exasperated grunt. Astrophysicist Steven Weinberg: "As we make progress understanding the expanding universe, the problem itself expands, so that the solution always seems to recede from us." 3. Final concealed whimper. Theoretical physicist John Wheeler: "Never run after a bus or woman or cosmological theory, because there'll always be another one in a few minutes." *Science Needs Grace* Going back to the pastime, the rope mother Yasoda was trying to tie around Kṛṣṇa was only two fingers short. But the rope of ToE that science has been trying to tie around the universe is not only short but also broken, as Stephen Hawking confessed: "The theories [in physics] we have so far are both inconsistent and incomplete." Mother Yaśodā did eventually succeed in tying Kṛṣṇa, but only when Kṛṣṇa, by His own grace, let Himself be bound. Similarly, science can understand the universe, especially our place and purpose within it, but only when it harmonizes with super intelligence by researching and applying the verifiable spiritual science delineated in the *Bhagavad-gītā,* thus paving the way for spiritual revelation. That's not as unscientific as it may sound. A scientist no lesser than the founder of quantum physics, Noble Laureate Max Planck, stated, "For religion, God is at the beginning; for science, God is at the end." And science has started reaching that end by its discovery of "fine tuning" of the universe: micro-precise adjustment of the values and interrelationships of at least eighty parameters essential for life. Obviously fine-tuning needs a fine-tuner. Of course, diehard devotees of atheism have proposed chance and multiple-universes, but these theories are all intrinsically unproven and unprovable. They fit better the realm of science fiction than science. When scientists accept the verdict of their own evidence, they will remove the obstacle in a long-overdue spiritual leap of science. Lest they hesitate or falter in this bold step, renowned physicist Michael Faraday's reminder can urge them on: "We ought to value the privilege of knowing God's truth far beyond anything we can have in this world." *Caitanya Carana Dāsa is a disciple of His Holiness Rādhānatha Swami. He holds a degree in electronics and telecommunications engineering and serves full-time at ISKCON Pune. His free cyber magazine,* The Spiritual Scientist, *gives a scientific presentation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To subscribe, write to [email protected].* ## In your own words... *What keeps you committed to Kṛṣṇa consciousness?* *I am one of those kids whose parents* hate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, think the devotees are freaks, and do not bother to understand the philosophy. My dad is a butcher, which doesn't help. My best friend and fellow aspiring devotee is in the same situation: Our parents forbid us from doing anything religious, let alone Kṛṣṇa-related, so every time we go to temple it is very difficult. Yet once we are there, we could be sweeping the floor or cleaning the windows or peeling potatoes; it no longer matters. The material woes and pointless arguments dissolve away in Kṛṣṇa's causeless mercy. Ever since our first visit over a year ago, our desire to return (and, I like to hope, our love for Kṛṣṇa) grows exponentially. No matter how much our parents mock us while at our respective houses, our home is always at the temple, doing service. Dani C. Chicago, Illinois *With so many distractions in my life,* I am trying my best to fully commit to Lord Kṛṣṇa. My husband is really not interested in religion, so to keep peace within the family, I visit Krishna.com at work and say my chant early in the morning and before I go to bed. I feel that because of my situation I am not making the spiritual progress that I would like to make. In particular, I feel the lack of not being around devotees to receive the encouragement and support that is necessary for spiritual growth. But there are many things that keep me on the path to Kṛṣṇa. Topmost is the *maha-mantra;* once you've heard it, the song stays with you forever. And it helps just to know how merciful Kṛṣṇa is, how He is the source of all things, and how with His and Śrīla Prabhupāda's guidance, I will certainly progress. Carol Tomlinson Atlanta, Georgia *I often face challenges in my personal life**,* such as family arguments and hindrances to my spiritual endeavors. I've also faced various health problems during the last five years*,* including malignant cancer*,* burnout*,* and depression. Whenever I need encouragement to go on, face these challenges, and keep my faith in Kṛṣṇa, I just remember Draupadi, and how her ultimate faith and devotion in Kṛṣṇa saved her from being disrobed in an open court. Draupadi's story always reminds me that in life we are ultimately alone with our challenges and suffering. It is only Kṛṣṇa who can come to our rescue, if we just turn to Him with complete faith. When no one else understands my problems or appreciates my feelings, I am always assured that there is one person, Kṛṣṇa in my heart, who knows me through and through, better than I do myself. Whenever I feel discouraged, the thought of Kṛṣṇa's constant companionship gives me strength to stay committed to His service. Sulochana Meyer-Rochow Oulu, Finland *After interacting* with the ISKCON temple in Soho, London, last month and reading about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I have a clear goal set in my mind. I am a business student in my first year at the University of Bath. I face many challenges in my daily life. Firstly, all the other students drink and go clubbing. To be part of the group, you have to go clubbing too. My friends and I are among the rare few who do not go clubbing. We are not forced to do so, but socializing and making friends has become difficult. I have also lost almost all interest in rock music and other things. All I think about, listen to, and talk about is Kṛṣṇa. If I had the choice, I would do that 24/7. But I have to do it in private, in the confines of my room. Still, Kṛṣṇa's wise words in the *Bhagavad-gītā* keep me on track. By His grace, I have understood the main goal of my life, and that I should concentrate on doing my work and continue to love Kṛṣṇa. No matter what obstacles come my way, Kṛṣṇa is always there to guide me. Shweta Ramani Bath, United Kingdom *As a teenager, I have an impressive list* of things that draw me away from Kṛṣṇa consciousness.... But why do I keep going on? The best and only answer I can give is Kṛṣṇa Himself. It's not that I'm not tempted; I've spent many dark hours torn between knowledge and desire. But in the end, it all comes down to Kṛṣṇa. The distractions of this world are powerful, there's no denying that. But they're so uninteresting compared to Kṛṣṇa. And besides, I couldn't escape Kṛṣṇa if I tried—He's everywhere! I see His grace in all the people I meet, all the songs I hear seem to sing His praises, all the movies I watch have phrases that seem to refer to something He said or did. Let the world throw all its charms at me, because Kṛṣṇa always shows me that He is the true origin of them, and He keeps me committed to Him no matter what experience I go through. Yash Eruan Paris, France *Although involved for most of my life* in serving our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, I had also allowed myself to be overly distracted by the superficial material necessities of family life. Now that my sons have become adults, I've been again able to live within our temple community and have seen my spiritual life become totally renovated. I've come to realize that my commitment to Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sustained mostly through this devotee association. Only by that special privilege can I keep nourishing my service connection to Śrīla Prabhupāda. Our deep conditioning to this material world, of busily forgetting who we really are as Kṛṣṇa's servants, can only be vanquished by the spiritual strength and fulfillment accessed through Vaisnava association. Beyond the utter futility of material life, the association of devotees offers me the sheltering environment to more readily deepen my faith and attraction to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Gokulananda Dāsa Vancouver, Canada *Above all*,* it's the Deities**,* and being able to serve Them*,* that keeps me here. I couldn't imagine Kṛṣṇa consciousness without the Deity worship. For me*,* nothing compares to being able to dress Kṛṣṇa personally. And my attachment to this makes it easier to stay committed to other aspects of Kṛṣṇa consciousness*,* such as chanting my rounds—I know that if I don't chant my rounds properly*,* I won't be able to concentrate on dressing Kṛṣṇa. I am also glad to have technology, and Krishna.com, as it lets me have *darsana* with all the other Deities around the world, as well as serving the Deities in my local temple. Manjumedha Devī Dāsī Byron Bay, Australia *I've been a devotee since 1972**,* and am now a science teacher at an inner-city school in Nottingham. There is much deprivation in the area*,* and the children can sometimes have serious behavior problems. These job pressures can play havoc with my devotional schedule. However, all the children know that I am a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and this presents many opportunities to talk about my lifestyle. Amazingly, these normally rude and uncaring youths listen silently as I talk about vegetarianism, praying in the morning, my pilgrimages to India, and even my thoughts on creation. They eat *prasādam,* take *darsana* of the Deities on my laptop screen, and are very protective of me. One day while teaching sound, I played my *mrdanga*. The pupils asked me to sing one of my songs, and clapped while I sang the *maha-mantra*. To me, this is proof that Kṛṣṇa consciousness works, and it keeps me going even through the tough times. Sailendriya Devī Dāsī Nottingham, United Kingdom ## From the Editor *Giving Humans Their Due* IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIAL about human beings? Some people don't think so, and that makes other people nervous. The idea that human beings are unique and intrinsically more valuable than other species is called exceptionalism. Western religious traditions generally consider that only human beings have souls and any real connection with God. Critics of this view argue that it has led to the exploitation of the natural world and to the environmental crises we now face. Those who want to wipe out what they see as the anachronism of exceptionalism come from disparate worldviews. Bioethecists discount the granting of unique status to human beings as speciesism. To them, species bias is as bad as racial bias. Animal rights activists judge a living thing's worth by its ability to feel pain. To them, those who kill animals are baser than their victims. Deep ecologists see humans as inferior to other members of the natural world because only humans are killing the planet. To philosophical materialists, all species—humans, dogs, trees—are products of the same primordial soup, none with a justifiable claim to superiority. Some theologians see in these views the seeds of the destruction of human morality. How can we expect people to behave if we propose that Jack is no different from jackrabbit? If there's nothing morally unique about human life, where do we draw the line on moral questions? Is a mentally challenged child equal to an animal and thus dispensable? Any Kṛṣṇa devotee can contribute valuable insights to this discussion. As students of the *Bhagavad-gītā* and other Vaisnava scriptures, we can see at once that both sides of the debate miss important points. To me, the most obvious problem here is that each side is extreme. Just because human beings are exceptional doesn't mean that all other creatures are expendable. And just because the nonhuman species of the natural world are valuable and sentient and deserve some respect doesn't mean they're fully as valuable as human beings. The *Bhagavad-gītā* teaches us that wherever there is life—plant, animal, or human—a soul is present. So, yes, in one sense you and your dog are equals. But not entirely. Your Rottweiler can wrestle with you but not with the meaning of life. Philosophical inquiry is what sets human beings apart from the rest of nature. And that ability makes human life more valuable, and makes killing a human being the most morally reprehensible act. But why should that imply that killing, torturing, or otherwise mistreating animals is justified? If you don't need to kill animals to live, why do it? The soul peering out at you from behind a cow's eyes is a soul just like you. Western theologians argue that human exceptionalism is the only way to ensure the unique protection of human life. They fear that its demise will damage philanthropy and lead to morally offensive acts like euthanasia and eugenics (weeding out "misfits"). We disagree. All life is sacred. There's no reason to think that by affording protection and kindness to cows I'll withdraw it from humans. For us human beings to be truly exceptional, we must see things with the broad vision available to us in Lord Kṛṣṇa's teachings. —*Nagaraja Dāsa* ## Vedic Thoughts Because of so-called scientific improvements in material opulence, people have entirely given up the path of self-realization. Practically no one is interested in God, one's relationship with God, or how one should act. Modern men have altogether forgotten such questions because they are mad for material possessions. If this kind of civilization continues, the time will soon come when the Supreme Personality of Godhead will take away all the material opulences. Then people will come to their senses. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 8.22.17, Purport By the nectar of His personal glance, the cloud known as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu poured water upon the garden of Gauda-desa [Bengal] and revived the people, who were like creepers and plants burning in the forest fire of material existence. Śrīla Kṛṣṇadasa Kaviraja Gosvami *Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā* 16.1 It is useless to argue over whether the Supreme Lord has no form or has a form. The Supreme Lord does not have a material form; He possesses a form that is transcendental, spiritual, full of knowledge and bliss, and beyond material perception. Only His devotees can approach His form. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura *Tattva-sutra* 4 Only the purified soul can attain the perfection of associating with the Personality of Godhead in complete bliss and satisfaction in his constitutional state. Whoever is able to renovate such devotional perfection is never again attracted by this material world, and he never returns. Śrīla Sukadeva Gosvami *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 2.2.31 A pure devotee who is fully accomplished in the science of devotional service will never instruct a foolish person to engage in fruitive activities for material enjoyment, not to speak of helping him in such activities. Such a devotee is like an experienced physician, who never encourages a patient to eat food injurious to his health, even if the patient desires it. Lord Visnu *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 6.9.50 There is one goal of all disciplines, one highest attainment of all, the one potent means to bring the Supreme Lord under one's control. Only by the mercy of the Lord can it be gained. It is the rare, exclusive treasure of His devotees, a treasure rich with every sort of transcendental ecstasy and sweetness. Its wonderful glories are beyond the power to describe. That attainment is called *prema* [pure love for God]. It arises from special transformations of the functions of the mind. Pippalayana Rsi *Śrī Brhad-bhagavatamrta* 2.2.103-105