# Back to Godhead Magazine #43 *2009 (01)* Back to Godhead Magazine #43-01, 2009 PDF-View ## Welcome IN THIS ISSUE we read a report on last year's cow-protection conference held in the Czech Republic and attended by Hare Kṛṣṇa farmers from around Europe. Cow protection is fundamental to the spiritual culture promoted by India's ancient scriptures, and His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda wanted his disciples to protect cows and bulls by engaging them in their natural work on farms. Several Hare Kṛṣṇa farms in Europe are making steady progress toward self-sufficiency based on ox power and cows. In "Power Struggles," Kapila Monet writes about another kind of power—the power to control, which drives the materialist. He describes how the thirst for power can never be quenched until one surrenders to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the source of all power. We're dependent on Kṛṣṇa for the power to accomplish anything, material or spiritual. When a small group of devotees in Panama desired to honor Him by holding a grand Rathayatra festival, He empowered them with success. From the other side of the world, Lokanath Swami tells us about the seventeenth-century saint Tukarama, empowered by the Lord to spread the chanting of the holy names in western India. 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 *Two Types of Guru* I was pleased to read Nagaraja Dāsa's article "Finding a *Guru*" [From the Editor," Nov/Dec]. It was well presented. The question "How do I find a *guru*?" really needs a full article, and as such there is an important aspect of this topic that wasn't addressed. Nagaraja Dāsa stated, "All devotees in ISKCON are potential **guru*s*." It appears that he meant potential initiating **guru*s*, because all who strictly follow their *guru* are also **guru*s* (teachers), although they might not initiate disciples. Many qualified *gurus* in ISKCON do not formally initiate disciples. Many of these *gurus* are willing to establish ongoing relationships with devotees who seek their guidance, support, and inspiration. This relationship can exist for both those who have initiating *gurus* and those who don't. More **guru*s* are required to minister to the needs of devotees. One's own *guru* may be far away or too busy to give the time and attention one sometimes need. Also, one may not be ready to take formal initiation but may still want to take shelter of and receive ongoing guidance from senior devotees. So it is important for people to understand that they can also have a deep ongoing relationship with a *guru* who doesn't initiate them. Mahatma Dāsa Alachua, Florida *Thanks to Krishna.com* My wife and I live outside a small Texas town. We both worship Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and thank Him for leading us to His truth through the outreach of Krishna.com. Krishna.com has allowed us to learn and practice the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda. Being "alone" in our worship of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa in this part of Texas, we are really never alone thanks to Krishna.com. *Back to Godhead* allows us to receive new and refreshing information regularly, and the products you sell help us to learn the ways of our Lord. We love giving to Krishna.com because we know Kṛṣṇa blesses us for it. Our hearts are full with His love and presence. Krishna.com is our road to travel for self-realization. Jnana Bhakti Dāsa Stanton, Texas *Why Chant?* Why should we chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *maha-mantra* when we can simply work and live in a good way? Deepak Kumar Via the Internet *Our reply:* Honest work and living in a good way are certainly commendable, but such a way of life will not liberate one from the endless cycle of birth and death in the material world. We are all pure spirit souls, part of the Supreme Lord, and will find complete fulfillment and enjoyment only on the spiritual platform of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. To purify our existence and attain our true spiritual identity, the great *acaryas* (spiritual masters) recommend that one take to the simple process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Chanting is the best means of complete self-realization in this age. By taking up the simple process of chanting the holy names of the Lord, we will be able to fulfill the mission of human life and ultimately return to our spiritual identity in the personal loving association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. *Maya Won't Let Go* Someone from ISKCON told me that if you wish for something, Kṛṣṇa will make an arrangement for it. For example, if you want to forget Kṛṣṇa, then He will make such an arrangement. Then why is Maya still catching me when my heart needs liberation and I'm truly trying to change? Mukul Baweja Via the Internet *Our reply:* The desire for pure service to Kṛṣṇa is not just a statement or a thought; it must be demonstrated as a way of life, that of acting in pure devotion. Maya Devi is a great devotee of the Lord. She is like the security guard for the spiritual world. She will not let anyone in without the proper credentials, which are a pure heart free from material desires and filled only with the desire to serve the Lord. If there is any tinge of material desire, her job is to find it and then not let you in. Your job is to continue to purify your heart, as Maya Devi does her job of checking again and again and asking you to prove that you are pure. If we break a regulation but our desire is sincere, Kṛṣṇa will see that and He will help. But we cannot fool Kṛṣṇa with artificial sincerity. He will look to see if indeed our desire is to purify our heart. Sometimes He will help by testing us, taking things away—whatever He feels is necessary—but He will watch to see how we take shelter of Him, serve Him despite difficulty, associate with devotees, follow the regulations, and remain determined even in the face of struggles. *Knowledge & Renunciation* While trying to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, how can one dovetail the desire for knowledge and renunciation? Vikas Shah Via the Internet *Our reply:* Kṛṣṇa consciousness is based on the *Vedas,* and *veda* literally means "knowledge," so there should be no problem in dovetailing one's desire for knowledge. There are two types of knowledge: that which deals exclusively with mundane things, and that which deals with the relationship between the material word, the spiritual energy, and the spirit soul (you and I). One can dovetail mundane knowledge by using its results in Kṛṣṇa's service. And one can use spiritual knowledge to extricate oneself from the cycle of birth and death. As for renunciation, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, "One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life, and he is the true mystic, not he who lights no fire and performs no duty." (*Bhagavad-gītā* 6.1) Since nothing is ours in the first place—it all belongs to Kṛṣṇa—what can we renounce? Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa describes renunciation as doing one's duty without being attached to the results, offering them to Him. Both rejection and attachment are signs of personal desire. We want to avoid things that give us pain or discomfort and get things we perceive as giving us happiness. Or perhaps we want to look renounced or wealthy so that we can gain fame or adoration. All these are selfish motives. True renunciants see pebbles and gold, friends and enemies, as the same, neither hating nor desiring anything. They simply do their duty to the best of their ability and understand that the Lord will choose to award or withhold the result. *Replies to letters were written by Krishna.com Live Help volunteers.* *Please write to us at:* BTG, P.O. Box 430, Alachua, FL 32616, USA. E-mail: [email protected]. Founder’s Lecture: Reducing the Burden Of the World *Los Angeles—December 4, 1973* Lord Kṛṣṇa withdrew His dynasty from the earth by orchestrating a devastating battle. ### By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Founder-*Ācārya* of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness > jalaukasam jale yadvan > mahanto 'danty aniyasah > durbalan balino rajan > mahanto balino mithah > evam balisthair yadubhir > mahadbhir itaran vibhu > hyadun yadubhir anyonyam > bhu-bharnn sanjahara ha "O King, as in the ocean the bigger and stronger aquatics swallow up the smaller and weaker ones, so also the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to lighten the burden of the earth, has engaged the stronger Yadu to kill the weaker, and the bigger Yadu to kill the smaller."—*Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 1.15.25–26 THIS IS THE THEORY of struggle for existence and survival of the fittest. The law of nature is that the stronger overpowers the weaker. In *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* (1.13.47) it is stated: > ahastani sahastanam > apadani catus-padam > phalguni tatra mahatma > jivo jivasya jivanam "Those who are devoid of hands are prey for those who have hands; those devoid of legs are prey for the four-legged. The weak are the subsistence of the strong, and the general rule holds that one living being is food for another." A living entity lives by eating another living entity. Those who have no hands are food for the animal with hands. Those who are eating animals are animals; they are not human beings. Although they have the form of a human being, they are not considered human beings. When a person is civilized, cultured, then he's a human being. If he's not civilized, if he's not cultured, if he simply has two hands—he's an animal. Civilized culture begins in the Aryan families. Therefore they are called Aryans, which means "advanced." People want to group themselves in the Aryan family. Hitler declared, "The Germans are Aryans and the Jews are not Aryans." You can manufacture ideas like that, but the real Aryan is one who is advanced in spiritual consciousness. In the Aryan civilization there was Vedic culture. Without culture, life is simply a struggle for existence. The primitive so-called human being, naked in the jungle, eats animals. Darwin's theory is that originally there was no civilized man, but gradually civilized man developed. It is not very clearly explained; Darwin does not know what evolution really is. Evolution means to become civilized, or to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The law of nature is that the stronger section devours the weaker section. Here it is said, *jalaukasam jale yadvat:* "like the aquatics in the water." In the water there are so many aquatic animals, and their struggle is going on. The stronger fish is eating the weaker fish. That is the law of nature. Therefore meat-eaters, as long as they are like animals, can go on under nature's law. You are man, stronger; therefore you slaughter the weaker animals, like cows and goats. They are stronger bodily, but they have no intelligence. You have intelligence and can misuse it in that way. You can do that. That is nature's law. But to be a real human being you must have culture and advancement in spiritual consciousness. *Developing Spiritual Consciousness* That is human life, and that consciousness develops gradually. To come to that platform, society must be divided. Kṛṣṇa says in *Bhagavad-gītā* (4.13), *catur-varnyam *maya srstam* guna-karma-vibhagasah:* "According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me." Amongst the animals there is no division. Everyone is in the same status. But because the aim of human life is to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there must be some system. One must come to the platform of *varnasrama-dharma:* four social divisions and four spiritual divisions. Those divisions are made by Kṛṣṇa Himself—*maya srstam*. And by that institution we can gradually understand the aim of life. > varnasramacaravata > purusena parah puman > visnur aradhyate pantha > nanyat tat-tosa-karanam "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of *varna* and *asrama*. There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One must be situated in the institution of the four *varna*s and *asrama*s." (*Visnu Purana* 3.8.9) What is the aim of life? We are now detached from God. That is our position. Material life means to be detached from God, detached from Kṛṣṇa. That detachment is the cause of our suffering. > mukha-bahuru-padebhyah > purusasyasramaih saha > catvaro jajnire varna > gunair vipradayah prthak "Each of the four social orders, headed by the **brahmana*s,* was born through different combinations of the modes of nature, from the face, arms, thighs, and feet of the Supreme Lord in His universal form. Thus the four spiritual orders were also generated." (*Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 11.5.2) We are parts of Kṛṣṇa, God, so we must act accordingly. For example, if the hand is in its proper place, then it can act nicely. But if I cut the leg and make it a hand, then it is lost. One must act according to his qualifications. The qualifications of the *brahmana* (intellectual), *ksatriya* (ruler or soldier), *vaisya* (farmer or merchant), and *sudra* (laborer or artisan) are described in the *Bhagavad-gītā*. People must be trained according to their qualities, just as a patient is treated according to the symptom of the disease. Then it is cured. Not that any patient is given any medicine. In the drug house there are so many medicines. You cannot say, "Any medicine will do." No. It is the physician who will pick the right medicine and administer it to the patient. Then the patient will be cured. *Varnasrama-dharma* is meant to take us from the animal position to the human position, just as graduation from school or college distinguishes a person from the uneducated. Human life does not mean the struggle for existence, in which the big fish eats the small fish. That is not human life. That is natural, but you have to rectify the natural position for realization of the utmost aim of life. That is human life. Spiritual consciousness begins when one understands that he is soul—he is not this body, he is spirit soul, *aham brahmasmi*. *Brahman* means the spirit soul. Human civilization begins with the understanding that we are spirit souls. Otherwise, *anarya-justam*. When Arjuna was declining to fight, Kṛṣṇa chastised him: "This denial is *anarya-justam*. It befits the *anarya,* those who are not advanced. One must do his duty. You are a *ksatriya,* and your duty is to fight to give protection to the citizens. So why are you denying this?" Here the example is given: *jalaukasam jale yadvan mahantah adanti*. *Adanti* means "swallows." The Yadus are Kṛṣṇa's descendants, so they must be powerful. But they were fighting anywhere, conquering anywhere, and everywhere they were victorious. So that was *bhu-bharan*: "burden of the world." When one becomes extravagant and misuses his power, he creates a burden on the world. You cannot misuse your power. You get power by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa. If you misuse it, then you become a burden. As soon as there is burden, then it is *dharmasya glanih*. Kṛṣṇa says, *yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati* [Bg 4.7]. As soon as there is a misuse of power, *tadatmanam srjamy aham*—He comes. When Kṛṣṇa saw that His dynasty was becoming so powerful that they were fighting unnecessarily, to kill them He engaged their fighting spirit for fighting amongst themselves. And they were all killed. *Misuse of the Fighting Spirit* Fighting is authorized if there is a need for it. But you must not misuse the fighting spirit. At the present moment, as soon as the politicians see that they cannot manage things and there is confusion in the country, they declare war so that all the attention may be turned in that direction and the agitation will end. That kind of war is not required. But war is there already: the struggle for existence. Kṛṣṇa saw that the Yadu dynasty, powerful because of His power, was fighting unnecessarily. To prevent their further degradation, He wanted to kill them. No outsider can kill them, because they are Kṛṣṇa's descendants. Therefore He arranged that they would fight among themselves, thereby reducing the burden of the world. Kṛṣṇa is exhibiting how things are going on. You don't need to reduce the population through contraception. By nature's way, population can be reduced wholesale through war, famine, pestilence. Why should you commit sinful activities to reduce the population? Don't beget children unnecessarily, and don't kill them. That is religion. That is civilization. Why should you unnecessarily produce children like cats and dogs? The *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* (5.5.18) says, "Don't become a father or mother if you cannot save your children from repeated birth and death. That is the parents' responsibility. This understanding is part of Vedic civilization. My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "I am a *sannyasi*. I am not married, nor I am meant for marrying. But if I can produce Kṛṣṇa conscious children, I can marry a hundred times." That is the responsibility. Don't produce cats and dogs; produce Kṛṣṇa devotees. Then you can marry. Otherwise don't marry. That is the Vedic injunction. Marriage is not meant for sense gratification. Marriage is meant for producing nice children, Kṛṣṇa devotees. That is our aim. Our aim is not to produce cats and dogs. There are so many cats and dogs, and the world is not happy. Now there is the need to produce nice children—sober, gentle devotees of Kṛṣṇa, with good brains and good character. These things are required. *All for Show* The Yadus were not unwanted children. The incident being described in these verses is a kind of show. The Yadus were all demigods who descended just to fulfill Kṛṣṇa's mission. When Kṛṣṇa came to earth, His confidential servants also appeared to help Him in different roles. So when Kṛṣṇa wanted to go, He wanted to go with His descendants, the devotees who had come to help Him. So the Yadus' fight with one another was a show. The real purpose was that Kṛṣṇa wanted to take them away. Ordinarily, when one becomes unnecessarily powerful and disturbs the world situation, he's a burden. And that kind of burden is vanquished by Kṛṣṇa's will. There must be some catastrophe, like war, pestilence, or famine, and then everything will be finished. In the human form of life, our duty is to know that we are eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa and that, having forgotten our relationship with Him, we have come to the material world, where there is a struggle for existence. The struggle for existence begins with the aquatics. There are 900,000 species of aquatics. Who is that scientist who can know 900,000 species of aquatics? But in the *sastra,* or scripture, you will find that exact number given. It doesn't say 901,000 or 899,000. No: 900,000. There are 900,000 species of aquatics. We are in contact with the material energy, and according to our desire, we are getting different types of body—aquatics, trees, birds, and so on. That is our problem. Therefore human civilization occurs when people are interested in solving that problem. Otherwise, it is animal life, simply the struggle for existence. Human life is not meant for struggle. It is meant for becoming sober, not like animals. The animals are engaged day and night searching for food and sense gratification, especially sex. That is not human civilization. *Human Life Requires Austerity* Human civilization is meant for **tapasya*,* austerity. You should know your responsibility and learn how to practice *tapasya*. This is a little *tapasya*: no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, and no intoxication. Who is dying without meat-eating? We have so many students—and there are so many other Vaisnavas—and they do not eat meat. Are they dying? Meat-eating is a bad habit only. So you must practice. In the beginning giving up meat-eating may seem a little troublesome. But it is not troublesome. One gentleman told me, "I cannot give up meat-eating. I want to, but I cannot." Practice. Anything you practice becomes a habit, and habit is second nature. So in association with devotees, try to practice *tapasya*. The *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* (6.1.13) says, *tapasa brahmacaryena:* the first principle of *tapasya* is *brahmacarya*. A *brahmacari* is not necessarily a celibate, but someone who does not have sex without any purpose other than begetting nice children. Everything should be systematic; otherwise there will be chaos, and no one will be happy. That is described in the *Bhagavad-gītā:* The whole world will be hell. That has become the situation now. The whole world has become hell. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important. It is overhauling the whole human society—socially, politically, religiously. Those who are engaged in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be very, very responsible and sober. Try to understand the situation and take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Then everything will be very successful. Thank you very much. ## Power Struggles *The quest for power is a constant theme of human experience, but no matter how much power a person or group accumulates, it is never enough.* ### By Kapila Monet IN THE CURRENT AGE, Kali-yuga, humankind has never had more power than it has today. Our powers, to name just a few, include nuclear weapons, global trade, mega computers, genetic modification, satellite tracking, medical miracles, instant communication, and unimaginable amounts of knowledge at our googling fingertips. Indeed many of these are beyond the realms of magic envisaged by man. Power includes both ability and authority. The dictionary defines power with words like "capacity," "strength," "control," and "influence." Throughout history, humans have sought greater power and admired or feared the powerful. Alexander, Caesar, Nero, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Hitler—the list is as endless as history. In the modern day, the presidents of Russia, China, and the U.S., along with the super billionaires of the world, have incredible power to wage war, buy influence, affect the course of history, and enjoy the pleasures of the world. Meanwhile, business and political elites concentrate power for their personal benefit in a constant cycle of increasing control and ability. But the experience of power in the material world also reveals certain realities. Power is temporary: The greatest emperors die, and even the greatest civilizations fade into history. Power is dependent: No one has independent power. In fact, the more power accumulated, the greater the dependency. The President of the United States depends on his business donors, his political connections, his foreign allies, and of course his domestic voters. Power is limited: However great our power, someone is always greater. People know this, so they're never really sure who's in control, and they search for greater and greater conspiracies. Power is often destructive: Used properly, power is a creative force. But the expression of power often takes the form of destruction and killing. For example, as we human beings expand our power, we're exhausting and destroying the earth. *The Nature of Power* The quest, abuse, and rules of power are not new. The Vedic scriptures show examples of the nature of power, such as the story of the great Hiranyakasipu. After a 10,000-year penance, Hiranyakasipu could ask a boon of Lord Brahma, the demigod master of creation. He first asked for immortality, but Lord Brahma was unable to grant such power because it is beyond his own. Lord Brahma could only grant Hiranyakasipu the boons that he would not die during the day or at night, by hand or weapon, inside or outside, by man or beast. Having accumulated this great power, Hiranyakasipu conquered the known universe and cultivated the enmity of Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But Hiranyakasipu's own son, pure in knowledge, disregarded his father's accumulated power and worshiped Śrī Visnu. Thus, despite all his great power, Hiranyakasipu couldn't convince his own son to give up devotion to Visnu, even through bribery, terror, torture, and attempted murder. In effect, as Hiranyakasipu's power was shown to be limited, he was forced to become more and more violent and destructive, hastening the end of his temporary power. Kṛṣṇa took the form of Lord Nrsimha—half man, half lion. At dusk, the Lord took the life of Hiranyakasipu with His fingernails as they fought in the doorway of Hiranyakasipu's palace. Lord Nrsimha thus perfectly exploited Hiranyakasipu's power, proving it to be fatally flawed: It was dependent, limited, destructive, and temporary. *Superpowers* The great power of our current civilization also reveals these flaws. That power is dependent because it relies on the resources of the earth, in particular oil. It is limited, as shown by its inability to purge the world of terror or even consolidate a hold on Middle East oil. It is destructive because it harms the environment and uses weapons of greater and greater destruction and killing power. And finally it is temporary, as time will show, just as time has shown repeatedly in the annals of history through the fall of all great mighty empires—from the Mongol empire of Kublai Khan, to the Persian empire of the Safavids, the Greek empire of Alexander, the Roman empire of Augustus, the French empire of Louis the Sun King, the British empire of Victoria, and the current American empire. *Ultimate Power* One person, however, holds independent, unlimited, loving, and infinite power: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. God's power is a mystery and secret only when we disguise the truth in our own minds so that we can continue to fruitlessly seek our own personal power in fearful and flawed freedom. Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (5.29): > bhoktaram yajna-tapasam > sarva-loka-mahesvaram > suhrdam sarva-bhutanam > jnatva mam santim rcchati "A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries." Śrīla Prabhupāda explains: The conditioned souls within the clutches of the illusory energy are all anxious to attain peace in the material world. But they do not know the formula for peace, which is explained in this part of the *Bhagavad-gītā*. The greatest peace formula is simply this: Acknowledging that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the beneficiary in all human activities. Men should offer everything to the transcendental service of the Lord because He is the proprietor of all planets and the demigods thereon. No one is greater than He. He is greater than the greatest of the demigods, Lord Siva and Lord Brahma. In the *Vedas* (*Svetasvatara Upanisad* 6.7) the Supreme Lord is described as *tam* *isvaranam paramam mahesvaram*. Under the spell of illusion, living entities are trying to be lords of all they survey, but actually they are dominated by the material energy of the Lord. The Lord is the master of material nature, and the conditioned souls are under the stringent rules of material nature. Unless one understands these bare facts, it is not possible to achieve peace in the world either individually or collectively. This is the sense of Kṛṣṇa consciousness: Lord Kṛṣṇa is the supreme predominator, and all living entities, including the great demigods, are His subordinates. One can attain perfect peace only in complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When we accept the limited, dependent, temporary, and destructive nature of our own power, we can find peace within ourselves, among each other, and as nations. This is not to say that we can no longer exercise power. The greatest devotees of the Lord are more powerful than we can imagine. But their power begins from within. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains in his purport to the song *Bhajahu Re Mana,* composed by the pure devotee and poet Govinda Dāsa, "Without controlling the mind, without the mind being not disturbed, nobody can make any spiritual progress.... If we concentrate our mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then automatically the mind becomes controlled.... The system of controlling the mind means you give the mind better engagement, then the mind will not be attracted by inferior energy. This is the science or secret of success." Kṛṣṇa explains in the *Bhagavad-gītā* that a devotee completely surrenders the results of the exercise of power and thus finds success. > yuktah karma-phalam tyaktva > santim apnoti naisthikim > ayuktah kama-karena > phale sakto nibadhyate "The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled." (*Bhagavad-gītā* 5.12) Śrīla Prabhupāda explains: The difference between a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and a person in bodily consciousness is that the former is attached to Kṛṣṇa whereas the latter is attached to the results of his activities. The person who is attached to Kṛṣṇa and works for Him only is certainly a liberated person, and he has no anxiety over the results of his work. In the *Bhagavatam,* the cause of anxiety over the result of an activity is explained as being one's functioning in the conception of duality, that is, without knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no duality. All that exists is a product of Kṛṣṇa's energy, and Kṛṣṇa is all good. Therefore, activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are on the absolute plane; they are transcendental and have no material effect. One is therefore filled with peace in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But one who is entangled in profit calculation for sense gratification cannot have that peace. This is the secret of Kṛṣṇa consciousness—realization that there is no existence besides Kṛṣṇa is the platform of peace and fearlessness. Today, despite our great power and achievements, humankind is still unsatisfied and must remain so as long as we hold on to our material desires. Throughout the world, despite our great success—in fact because of our great success—we're frustrated by our limitations. There is even a hugely successful false secret, promoted as "The Secret," whose advocates encourage us to worship the material energy. Such worship may succeed, but only at great cost, as explained in the verse above (5.12). We get results, but material desires trap us in ever-greater desires. And so the millionaire is dissatisfied at not being a billionaire, and yet at death all the money in the world is powerless. The real secret is to surrender to the ultimate power and fully depend on the Lord. It is the secret beyond the material secret. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness the mind is controlled, the exercise of power is fearless, and the expression of power is loving, positive, and liberating. One attains real success—escape from the duality of the material world—not by material power but by surrender to the absolute and loving Lord. *Kapila Monet was born to two Prabhupāda disciples, Harilīlā Devī Dāsī and Nitaipada Dāsa, in Vancouver in 1976. He attended Vancouver* gurukula *until the age of ten, lived for a number of years at Saranagati Village, and then attended Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. He has lived in London for ten years, where he works for a financial information company.* Bhajahu Re Mana Śrī Nanda-nandana ### By Govinda Dāsa Kaviraja > bhajahu re mana sri-nanda-nandana > abhaya-caranaravinda re > durlabha manava-janama sat-sange > taroho e bhava-sindhu re O mind, just worship the lotus feet of the son of Nanda, which make one fearless. Having obtained this rare human birth, cross over this ocean of worldly existence through the association of saintly persons. > sita atapa bata barisana > e dina jamini jagi re > biphale sevinu krpana durajana > capala sukha-laba lagi' re Day and night I remain sleepless, suffering heat and cold, wind, and rain. For a bit of flickering happiness, I have vainly served wicked and miserly men. > e dhana, yaubana, putra, parijana > ithe ki ache paratiti re > kamala-dala-jala, jivana talamala > bhajahu hari-pada niti re What assurance of real happiness is there in all of one's wealth, youthfulness, sons, and family members? This life is tottering like a drop of water on a lotus petal; therefore you should always serve and worship the divine feet of Lord Hari. > sravana, kirtana, smarana, vandana, > pada-sevana, dasya re > pujana, sakhi-jana, atma-nivedana > govinda-dasa-abhilasa re It is the desire and great longing of Govinda Dāsa to engage himself in the nine processes of *bhakti,* namely hearing the glories of Lord Hari and chanting those glories, constantly remembering Him and offering prayers to Him, serving the Lord's lotus feet, serving the Supreme Lord as a servant, worshiping Him with flowers and incense and so forth, serving Him as a friend, and completely offering the Lord one's very self. ## A Chariot Rolls in Panama *Five inspired couples work together to bring Lord Jagannatha's Rathayatra to the streets of Panama City.* ### By Arcana Siddhi Devī Dāsī I'M ALWAYS intrigued at how things manifest from a seed of desire into 3D. ISKCON s history includes many amazing stories of how Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples responded when he asked them to do things they'd never done before: By his desire—and their desire to please him—they built temples, published books, and put on huge outdoor festivals. Since Prabhupāda's departure, devotees all over the world have continued to conceive and execute devotional projects to serve his mission. The saying "Man proposes, God disposes" is as true today as when Prabhupāda was physically present with us. Recently our neighbor and friend Vatsala Dāsa went to Panama to help a small group of dedicated devotees put on a Rathayatra festival. Prabhupāda wanted Jagannātha Purī's ancient chariot festival reenacted in cities all over the world. During the Puri festival, the Deities (Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra) are brought out from the temple into the public, where everyone can see them. Unlike the Puri temple, ISKCON temples bar no one from entering. Yet owing to a lack of interest in spiritual life, many people never go to a temple. So the Lord, being infinitely merciful, goes out to capture people's unsuspecting hearts. He leaves His pristine temple to ascend a chariot and ride through crowded and dirty city streets to benefit all who see Him. By seeing the Deity form of the Lord, even an atheist can become a devotee. Such is the materialist's unimaginable good fortune in seeing the Deity. So if the foolish materialist won't come to see the Lord in the temple, the Lord will appear before them outside. In Panama, five young couples raised well over $20,000, built a Rathayatra chariot, got the permits, and organized a large festival for the past three years. How did they do it? On Vatsala's visit to Panama City last summer for the third annual Rathayatra, he interviewed the families who made it all happen. What follows here has been drawn from those interviews. *A Song of Inspiration* In the year 2000, the Panama City devotees brought the itinerant preacher Nirantara Dāsa from Los Angeles to Panama. Nirantara writes catchy Kṛṣṇa conscious lyrics for melodies from popular songs. While entertaining the devotees in Panama, he sang one of his songs—"Festival of the Chariots"—and added a few words about Lord Jagannatha rolling through the streets of Panama in the future. This word picture struck deep into the hearts of devotees like Syama Candra Dāsa and his wife, Rādhā Govinda Dasi. "Yes, why not?" was their internal response to those prophetic words. Two years later a group of devotees in Panama met to discuss plans to go to the Los Angeles Rathayatra. After considering the cost, one of them suggested they use the money to have their own Rathayatra. The idea caught hold, and Syama Candra began spearheading elaborate plans for Panama City's first Rathayatra. While visiting Jagannātha Purī, Syama Candra placed an order for Deities of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra. They were to be carved and sent to Panama. But as the date for the festival neared, the Deities had not arrived. Praying to the Lord for direction, the devotees hired a local artisan to carve the Deities. Other devotees caught the wave of enthusiasm and joined to help bring Lord Jagannatha to the streets of Panama City. Caturmurti Dāsa and his wife, Sarvamangala Dasi, had come to Panama from India for jobs. Caturmurti was fascinated with gadgetry and found his propensity could be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa's service by taking charge of the lighting and sound for the festival. He is also responsible for getting all the necessary permits. His sincere devotion has had a contagious effect on others, especially his older brother, who at first vehemently opposed his involvement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now his brother gives generous donations toward the festival and helps him obtain the permits. Manish Manik and his wife, Ritika, having moved from Bombay, were attracted to the devotees in Panama. Despite being raised in a family that worshiped Lord Siva and Durga, Manish had a natural attraction for serving Lord Kṛṣṇa. He helped the devotees organize the Rathayatra festival by doing whatever was needed and taking charge of lifting and lowering the chariot's canopy numerous times on the parade route. He humbly submitted that by this service he was falling in love with Lord Jagannatha. That is the goal of everything the devotee does. It is the perfection of our lives—to feel love in our heart for the supreme lovable object. Śrīlesh Śrīdharam and his wife, Petrina, also came to Panama from India for jobs. Śrīlesh lived most of his life in Calcutta. He met his wife in the fourth grade, and by grade six the two knew they wanted to be married someday. Although this was not the usual arranged marriage, the parents on both sides were supportive of the union. Śrīlesh was one of the only devotees in the organizational group who had ever seen a Rathayatra. The procession had passed by his house in Calcutta, making him a recipient of the Lord's causeless mercy. He accepted the role of construction foreman for building the chariot. Constructing the chariot proved to be particularly challenging, especially the first year. Having never built a chariot, Caturmurti hired local craftsmen. But the recruited workers often failed to show, and when they did it was much later than the time agreed upon. A developing country with limited resources and a siesta work ethic made progress slow. Jeetendra Sippy and his wife, Vinita, are the final couple making up the organizational team. When Jeetu, as his friends affectiontely call him, met the devotees, he was inspired by their service. He prayed to the Lord, "Please accept my service." Shortly thereafter the Rathayatra crew invited him to join their committee. He agreed at once, confident that the invitation was the answer to his prayer. Jeetu has become a vital part of the team, doing what's needed, including acting as the treasurer and keeping track of the thousands of dollars required to put on the festival. *The Chariot Sits* When the chariot finally made its debut for the first Rathayatra, it didn't work. Thinking that Lord Jagannatha hadn't accepted his service, Śrīlesh started to cry, as did the engineer he'd hired. But the Lord seemed to hear their heartfelt lamentations, and the devotees were able to get the chariot to move. Despite having no brakes and no steering, the chariot carrying the Lord of the universe, along with His sister and brother, made it safely to its destination. The second year, the police escort and the canopy arrived two hours late. And again the chariot wouldn't budge. Everyone was trying to analyze and fix the problem. This time Vatsala was there, and his experience with Rathayatra chariots enabled him to diagnose the problem. Detecting a bent front axle, he made the necessary adjustments to set the cart on its journey—four hours behind schedule. Nevertheless, about nine hundred participants joined the joyful festival. Besides the mechanical difficulties, the five couples organizing the festival were faced with the challenges of working together as a cohesive unit. Differing personality styles, life experiences, and opinions about how things should be done created tense interactions within the team. But they all agreed on one thing—that working together to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness would purify their hearts and please their *guru* (Guru Prasada Swami), Śrīla Prabhupāda, and Kṛṣṇa. From the Vedic literature we hear of the great cosmic event in which the demigods and demons churned the ocean of milk to produce immortal nectar. Before the nectar appeared, however, the great effort of churning yielded only poison. In a similar way, our service endeavors often bring our impurities to the surface. We can also compare this to making ghee from butter. When butter is heated, all the "impurities" rise to the top and can be scraped off, leaving clarified butter, or pure ghee. Because of the sincerity of the group, they continued to work out their differences, and things began to go much smoother. *Women at Work* The services of the women in the organizational group are also integral to the festival's success. Rādhā Govinda Dasi organizes the chariot's decorations and the dressing of the Deities. The women also make *prasādam* to distribute at the festival. All the women enjoy hosting guests who come from all over the world to help with the event. Vatsala attests to the unparalleled hospitality they provide to all the guests by creating a welcoming and nurturing environment. They eagerly look forward to this highlight of the year, and their enthusiasm inspires others to take part in the adventure of organizing and putting on the Lord's festival. As a bonus for the devotees' hard labors, Kṛṣṇa increased their service opportunities when the Rathayatra cart carrying Lord Jagannatha became part of a large Christmas parade in Panama City. Thousands of spectators lined the streets. The devotees distributed large quantities of cookies and flowers to the eager crowd. Lord Jagannatha and the devotees received favorable television coverage as well. Vatsala Dāsa has now taken part in three of Panama City's Rathayatras. He wanted to share this story with the international community of devotees, hoping others around the world would be inspired by the example of these five couples—all working full time and raising families. Sometimes we don't believe it is possible to do any significant service while in the throes of family life. But with a vision and strong desire—and the mercy of the Lord—a blind man can see the stars, a dumb man can recite poetry, and a lame man can cross mountains. *Arcana Siddhi Devī Dāsī was initiated by Śrīla Prabhupāda in 1976. She lives with her husband and son in Sandy Ridge, North Carolina, where she works as a psychotherapist in private practice.* Devotees who feel inspired to take part in festivals in Panama can contact Vatsala Dāsa at [email protected]. ## How I Came to Kṛṣṇa Consciousness *Moving Forward* *Adversities and a natural attraction to spiritual things prepared her to receive the* Gita *with eagerness and hope*. ### By BrendaLee Riley I WAS BORN AND raised in Butler County, Ohio, not far from the river city of Cincinnati. I loved reading and read nearly everything I could get my hands on. I borrowed and bought all genres of books, read more than just the comics section of the newspaper, and somewhere along the line became interested in spiritual things. I had a wonderful grandfather who read the Book of Romans from his King James Bible nearly every day, and I became intrigued by how one book could hold his attention so. One day I found myself reading that same book, and I couldn't put it down. I loved the stories about Jesus, and he quickly became my hero. After reading the Old Testament, though, I decided I wasn't much of a fan of Jesus' father. In my eyes, this God was as dysfunctional as my family. I recall being warned, "If you act bad again, God could squash you like a bug!" In 1976, at the age of seventeen, I married Dennis, a boy I'd met in high school. I soon gave birth to two beautiful daughters, Angel and Sara. After my husband's failed stint in the United States Marine Corps, my older sister and her husband adopted our girls, and Dennis and I hitchhiked to California in search of a fresh start. We arrived in Glendora at his uncle's doorstep in December 1979. Shortly thereafter we got our California drivers licenses, jobs, and our own apartment in Azusa. We worked and partied, partied and worked, but the day came when the party was finally over. *Blasted from My Home* On February 3, 1981, Dennis blew out the pilot lights and turned the gas on in our apartment in an unsuccessful suicide attempt. The next evening, unaware that the gas had accumulated near the ceiling, he lit a cigarette—and our world literally exploded. It was the loudest sound I've ever heard, and the hottest fire this side of hell. I jumped out our second-story window and landed on my head. After the front door burned down, my poor Dennis crawled outside. We were horribly burned. He died sixteen days later, and I barely survived. I was hospitalized for most of that year, and had frequent surgeries thereafter for several years. *A Gift of the Gita* In 1983, I was sitting on the passenger side in a green station wagon in the parking lot of a local supermarket, waiting for a friend. A young man walked over to me and asked if I'd like a free book. The reader that I am, I said yes. He handed me a copy of *Bhagavad-gītā As It Is*. I thumbed through it, and the first thing I discovered was the pictures. Beautiful pictures! I think I fell in love with Kṛṣṇa consciousness at that moment. I knew I had to read that book. And read it I did, over and over, not totally comprehending what I was reading, but feeling comfort anyway. The book kept mentioning a spiritual master and the importance of having one. I thought that if I had one of these spiritual masters, then I would better understand spiritual things and the book. I wound up at a local ashram and took discipleship from their supposed spiritual master, who claimed she could teach me the *Gita*. I followed her for nearly two years. But I made a hasty exit one morning after things got really crazy and, in my eyes, highly unspiritual. She said that leaving her would be spiritual suicide, but I ran away anyway. Though I believed her, and considered myself a goner, I continued to read the Bible and my *Gita*. *Making Steady Progress* In the summer of 2005, I started taking classes at Long Beach City College as an English major. Soon I was introduced to a young man named Jun, who noticed my old *Gita* sticking out of my pocket. Jun asked me about my involvement with the *Gita* and Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and then invited me to go to the ISKCON temple he attended in Los Angeles. He picked me up one Sunday around three in the afternoon, and we drove to the temple on Watseka Avenue. It was wonderful. Everyone was so happy, joyous, and kind. I was taught the *maha-mantra,* and for my birthday that year I got *japa* beads and a bead bag. I started chanting regularly. I also gave up meat, fish, and eggs and began offering my food to Kṛṣṇa. A devotee named Govinda was great at helping me pick out which books to buy. I started going to school early so I could do Internet searches about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One day I came across "The Spiritual Revolutionary," the website of the ISKCON devotee Sankarsana Dāsa Adhikari. He had an e-mail course on the *Gita,* so I enrolled. I started sending him my questions, and he always kindly answered them. Over time, I began depending on him more and more. I already knew the rule against meat-eating, and he taught me the other three "regulative principles" that ISKCON devotees follow. Whenever I've had trouble, he has given me helpful suggestions. I look forward to meeting him soon, and I hope to take initiation someday. Coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a continuous progression for me, and as I learn new things, I put them into practice the best I can. Since that first encounter with Jun at school, my progress has been steady. And I love every minute of it. I've learned to get up early in the morning to practice my spiritual disciplines and to chant and pray. I watch the morning lecture at the Los Angeles temple live on the Internet. I can even use the chat box to ask questions about the topic of the lecture. I'm learning so much and will be forever grateful to the young man who handed me that *Bhagavad-gītā* in the supermarket parking lot so many years ago. ## Śrīla Prabhupāda Speaks Out *Philosophy Means Awareness of Death* *The following conversation between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and some of his disciples took place on an early morning walk in Berkeley, California.* First disciple: Śrīla Prabhupāda, recently a student committed suicide here. It's happening all over the country. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Some are publicly committing suicide, and others are silently committing suicide. If the human life is wasted for sense gratification, that is suicide. People have the opportunity for enlightenment, yet they live like dogs and cats. This is suicide. Second disciple: One month ago there was a big story in the papers about how a student went through the archives in the Library of Congress and compiled enough information to construct an atom bomb. They concluded that, theoretically, anyone who wanted to could gather enough information from public sources and build an atom bomb. Śrīla Prabhupāda: This is also suicide. The atom bomb manufacturer is thinking he is successful in his life by building an atom bomb, but he does not know how to save himself from death. Nothing he has done can save him from death. So what is the use of his scientific knowledge? The dog is going to die, and he is also going to die, so where is the difference? First disciple: Incidentally, the scientists' original purpose in building the atom bomb was to prevent death—to end the Second World War as soon as possible. Śrīla Prabhupāda: How can they prevent death? That they do not know—how to prevent death. They can accelerate it, that's all. Here are the real problems: *janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi*—birth, death, old age, and disease. What scientist can solve these problems? These are the really fearful problems, but where is the chemist or psychologist who can solve them? First disciple: The theory nowadays is that since Russia has so many nuclear weapons and the United States has so many, they are both afraid to use them. Śrīla Prabhupāda: No. They must use them. That is nature's arrangement. This is not astrology; it is a natural conclusion. There is no doubt about it. First disciple: The only difficulty is that if they use the nuclear weapons there'll be total destruction. So everyone is afraid of using them. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Well, total or partial, that we shall see. But the weapons must be used. If the leaders want to avoid war, they must understand three items: God is the proprietor of everything, He is the enjoyer of all work, and He is the friend of everyone. But the leaders act in just the opposite way, thinking, "I am the proprietor, I am the enjoyer, and I am the friend of everyone, because I am God." This is demonic. Nixon was elected President by pretending to be a friend of everyone, but later on he proved to be an enemy. Nobody can be the friend of everyone except Kṛṣṇa. Third disciple: But isn't a pure devotee of God a friend to all? Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, because he carries the message of Kṛṣṇa. If there is a universal friend, and if somebody gives information of that universal friend, then he is also a universal friend. Kṛṣṇa is the friend of all (*suhrdam sarva-bhutanam*), and the pure devotee tells everyone that Kṛṣṇa is his friend. Therefore, nobody can be your friend except Kṛṣṇa's representative. In the material world, "I am your enemy, and you are my enemy." This is the whole basis of the material world. But the spiritual world is just the opposite: "I am your friend, and you are my friend, because Kṛṣṇa is the dearmost friend of us both." Third disciple: When we distribute your books, Śrīla Prabhupāda, are we trying to show people we are their friends, also? Śrīla Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. That is being a real friend. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, *kota nidra jao *maya*-pisacira kole... enechi ausadhi *maya* nasibaro lagi' / hari-nama *maha-mantra* lao tumi magi':* "O people, you are sleeping under the spell of *maya* [illusion]. How long will you sleep and suffer in this material world? I have the medicine—the Hare Kṛṣṇa *maha-mantra*—so take it and sleep no more." First disciple: Wouldn't the threat of nuclear warfare make Kṛṣṇa consciousness easier to spread? Śrīla Prabhupāda: The threat is already here, but people are so foolish that they are not afraid of the threat. Certainly the threat of death is already here: Everyone will die. That is the real problem, but who cares for it? People are avoiding this problem because they cannot make any countermeasure. Fourth disciple: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we constantly hear from you and your books that we will die and that we must learn how to face this. But still, even as your disciples, we're not so convinced. We've been brought up in a culture that hides death. Particularly here in America, we rarely see death. Śrīla Prabhupāda: You think you'll not die? Fourth disciple: I know I will, but how can we come to the platform of realizing that? Śrīla Prabhupāda: Everyone is dying. Your mother is dying, your father is dying, your friends are dying—and still you cannot understand? Then how will it be possible to make you understand? Every day, every moment, so many men and animals die. Death is inevitable, but still you are thinking, "I'll not die." And this is our real problem. Nobody wants to die, but everyone is dying. This problem the rascal scientists cannot solve. Sometimes we see a dog swimming in the Pacific Ocean and think, "Oh, let me grab hold of the dog's tail, and I shall cross the ocean." Similarly, those who are thinking the so-called scientists and philosophers will solve the problems of birth, death, old age, and disease are exactly like those who are trying to cross the Pacific Ocean by holding on to the tail of a dog. The scientists are like dogs, and to catch hold of their tails is hopeless. First disciple: So one must become convinced of the reality of death through philosophy? Śrīla Prabhupāda: At the present moment philosophy means "mental concoction." But real philosophy means to find out reality. That is philosophy. Not "I think like this, he thinks like this, he thinks like that." This is mental concoction. Real philosophy is what Kṛṣṇa says in *Bhagavad-gītā: janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam,* "Always remember that there is death, that there is birth, that there is old age and disease, and try to save yourself from these by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious." This is philosophy. ## Brahmana by Qualifications *According to Lord Kṛṣṇa, no one is born a brahmana; the title must be earned.* ### By Narasimha Swami Dāsa (S.G.N. Swamy, Ph.D.) > 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 *brahmanas* work."—*Bhagavad-gītā* 18.42 PEOPLE WHO study the history of India, its culture and traditions, know of its caste system. In the last chapter of the *Bhagavad-gītā*, Lord Kṛṣṇa distinguishes occupations as those of the intellectual, the administrator, the farmer or merchant, and the laborer (*brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya,* and *sudra* respectively). This classification enables people to work according to their natures. Unfortunately, it is misunderstood and misapplied in India in the so-called caste system. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa introduces the priestly or intellectual class of people as **brahmana*s,* characterized by the inherent qualities given in the text quoted above. Just as a judge's son is not a judge unless he qualifies himself as a judge, a **brahmana*'s* son is not a *brahmana* unless he possesses the brahminical qualities. The same principle applies to *ksatriyas, vaisyas,* and *sudras,* unlike in the hereditary caste system. Natural occupational divisions exist in every country. For example, every religion has a priestly class akin to the *brahmanas*. To highlight their importance in society, in this article we shall consider the members of the priestly class in any religion to be *brahmanas*. From that point of view, the instructions of the *Bhagavad-gītā* are universal, even though they originated in India. To lead people to the correct path, where they will live a pious life that gradually leads them towards God, the priestly class is required. Every society, all over the world, has the intelligent or priestly class, the administrative class, the mercantile class, and the worker class. One can easily classify people in every country into such four classifications based on their inherent nature (*svabhava*) or occupation. The members of the intelligent group of human beings need not be hereditary *brahmanas*. To honestly determine who is a real *brahmana,* it is best to understand clearly the brahminical qualities. The Vedic literature tells us that there are three modes of material nature: goodness, passion, and ignorance. These modes influence all aspects of the material energy, including people's natures, and are the basis of the four classifications of society. As Lord Kṛṣṇa states in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (4.13): *catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah:* "According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions are created by Me." Śrīla Prabhupāda in his purport to *Bhagavad-gītā* 14.6 describes the *brahmana* as a person in the mode of goodness, wiser than others, not affected by material miseries, having a sense of advancement in material knowledge, and therefore having a greater sense of happiness. All other members of society should treat a qualified *brahmana* as a spiritual guide. The *brahmana*'s qualities and instruction lead people to a pious life and God consciousness. Let us discuss the qualities listed by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. *Peacefulness (Samah)* A real *brahmana* is peaceful in all circumstances, calm even when provoked. Convinced that the Lord is always protecting him, he is fearless. In executing his duties, he is not impulsive in reacting to criticism. *Bhagavad-gītā* (2.71) states, "A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and is devoid of false ego—he alone can attain real peace." Śrīla Prabhupāda comments that "desire for becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious is actually desirelessness" and that "a materially desireless person knows that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa (*isavasyam idam sarvam*), and therefore he does not falsely claim proprietorship over anything." A real *brahmana* is peaceful in all circumstances because, having surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, He is assured of Kṛṣṇa's protection. In *Bhagavad-gītā,* Chapter Five (*Karma-yoga*—Action in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness) Kṛṣṇa gives the formula for peace: > bhoktaram yajna-tapasam > sarva-loka-mahesvaram > suhrdam sarva-bhutanam > jnatva mam santim rcchati "A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries." A *brahmana* who understands the purpose of this text is not only peaceful himself but also spreads peace all around him. He teaches the essence of peacefulness from *Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhagavatam,* and other bona fide scriptures. *Self-control (Damah)* A *brahmana* exhibits self-control in his attitude, behavior, and talks with others. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "Self-control means that one should not accept anything which is detrimental to the path of spiritual progress. One should get accustomed to this and reject anything which is against the path of spiritual progress." (*Bhagavad-gītā* 13.8, Purport) Self-control as applied to a married *brahmana* also refers to his following the scriptural restrictions on sex. *Austerity (Tapah)* A *brahmana* is recognized by his austerities in attending to bodily needs, such as eating, sleeping, and family life. He has to perform austerities in bathing, fasting, speaking, and rising early in the morning. *Bhagavad-gītā* (17.15) explains the austerity of speech: "Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature." Also, the *brahmana's* sacrifices must be performed according to the instructions in the scriptures and should always be in the mode of goodness. *Purity (Saucam)* When we take birth in the material world, the three modes of material nature instantly contaminate us. That is, we are "conditioned." We falsely believe we are a product of material nature and assume we are our body. A *brahmana* has to practice overcoming the bodily concept of life. To become pure is to remove the contamination of false ego. Śrīla Prabhupāda in his Introduction to *Bhagavad-gītā As It Is* writes, "Purified consciousness means acting in accordance with the instructions of the Lord." *Tolerance (Ksantih)* Caitanya Mahāprabhu has defined tolerance in His *Śrī Śikṣāṣṭaka* (3): > trnad api sunicena > taror api sahisnuna > amanina manadena > kirtaniyah sada harih "One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." A tree tolerates silently even when cut or mishandled. With various instructions from the scriptures, a *brahmana* has to constantly practice tolerance when faced with the inevitable criticism, insults, and dishonor experienced in material life. *Honesty (Arjavam)* A *brahmana* must be honest. To speak the truth always and to uphold the facts as they are form his honest character. A *brahmana* must also avoid giving in to the human propensity to cheat. *Knowledge (Jnanam)* A *brahmana* should be a repository of spiritual knowledge so that he can guide others in spiritual matters. This knowledge should be from authentic scriptures like *Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhagavatam,* and others. He should be able to quote from scriptures to present the essence of knowledge. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes that by scriptural knowledge one can remain steady in his convictions but by mere academic knowledge one can be easily deluded and confused by apparent contradictions. Spiritual knowledge is one of the most essential qualifications of a *brahmana*. It not only removes illusion from his mind but also enables him to show others how to escape illusion. Such knowledge, called *vidya,* makes him peaceful, pure, and self-satisfied. Knowledge of the self makes him self-realized. *Wisdom (Vijnanam)* In the spiritual sense, wisdom is the ability to discriminate between matter and spirit. A *brahmana* has to guide others in brahminical culture and the quest for self-realization. *Religiousness (Astikyam)* A *brahmana* must be religious in following the instructions of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda in his Introduction to *Bhagavad-gītā As It Is* writes: "The English word *religion* is a little different from *sanatana dharma*. Religion conveys the idea of faith, and faith may change. One may have faith in a particular process, and he may change this faith and adopt another, but *sanatana dharma* refers to the activity which cannot be changed." A *brahmana* has to be aware of the Vedic injunctions and be able to guide others in matters of religion. Simply following the rituals without understanding the significance of religion is of little use. *Brāhmaṇism and Vaisnavism* Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that Brāhmaṇism is a step towards Vaisnavism because Brāhmaṇism is a stage of qualification of a Vaisnava and because Vaisnavism is the fruit of Brāhmaṇism. Vaisnavas are of a higher class than **brahmanas*,* as they have surpassed *brahmanas* in brahminical qualities. Vaisnavas are of the highest standard of devotional practice and instruction. The brahminical requirements specified by Lord Kṛṣṇa seem most difficult to obtain for someone aspiring to be a *brahmana* today. In spiritual circles it is generally said that in Kali-yuga, our present fallen age, to find a qualified *brahmana* is very rare. But becoming a *brahmana* and then a Vaisnava is possible with conscious and constant practice and the Lord's mercy. *Narasimha Swami Dāsa (Dr. S.G.N. Swamy), a disciple of His Holiness Jayapataka Swami, holds a Ph.D. in engineering management. He served at ISKCON Jakarta, Indonesia, for about sixteen years and has served at ISKCON Śrī Jagannath Mandir in Bangalore for the past nine years. He lives with his wife, Vatsala Rādhā Devī Dāsī.* ## Cow Protection in Europe *Representatives from Hare Kṛṣṇa farms meet to discuss their progress in fulfilling Śrīla Prabhupāda's vision of self-sufficiency.* ### By Chaya Devī Dāsī "*Jiva, dijo! Jiva, chehi*!" JIVA THE OX hears the commands of Balabhadra Dāsa, moves forward, and then turns to the left. After several repetitions of these commands, Balabhadra takes Jiva to his stall, where he gently brushes and gently talks to him. Jiva's partner, Dharma, is standing in the adjoining stall, waiting for his turn to show what he remembers from his previous lesson. Jiva and Dharma are a pair of three-year-old Jersey oxen at Krisnuv Dvur, the Hare Kṛṣṇa farm in the Czech Republic. Balabhadra Dāsa is ISKCON's global minister for cow protection and agriculture. Premadhatta Dāsa, Jiva and Dharma's teamster, was learning by watching Balabhadra train Jiva and Dharma to basic voice commands. Sweet, handsome, and gentle, Jiva and Dharma are to be the farm's next working ox team. They are part of a herd of fourteen protected cows living at Krisnuv Dvur. Varnasrama Dāsa, president of Krisnuv Dvur, and his wife Padmamukhi Dasi introduced us to Rasa-līlā and Tungi—cows that give milk but have never given birth to a calf, seemingly defying the laws of nature. Because of her hip problems, the devotees never bred Rasalīlā, but she has been giving milk for ten years. Tungi just started giving milk before our visit. Premadhatta heard her mooing loudly in the pasture and rushed to her. Her milk bag was full, and she obviously wanted someone to milk her to relieve the pressure. Lifetime cow protection creates such peace and contentment in a cow that she can give milk without birthing. It's inspiring to see cows protected in a country like the Czech Republic, so far from India, where cow protection originated. The credit goes to Śrīla Prabhupāda, who imparted Kṛṣṇa consciousness everywhere during his extensive travels. ISKCON has several farms in Europe. At the first annual ISKCON EU Farm Conference, held last May, Hare Kṛṣṇa farmers attended from England, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Sweden, and Hungary. Even then, not all the cow protection farms in Europe were represented. Many of these devotee cowherds and farmers serve their farms in rural settings far from a bustling city temple. They perform their service with little recognition and applause, but their reward is in their service to the cows and the land and in living in a spiritual atmosphere, enjoying a peaceful, healthy life close to the land and the cows. The conference, organized by Syamasundara Dāsa, ISKCON's European minister for cow protection and agriculture, was a first step toward increasing enthusiasm and support for cow-protection farms in Europe. In that attempt, it was a success, with the devotees leaving inspired and hopeful for the future. *Cows at the Manor* Syamasundara is the manager of the *goshalla* (cow sanctuary) at Bhaktivedanta Manor in England. Before we arrived in the Czech Republic at the Krisnuv Dvur farm, which hosted the conference, we stopped at Bhaktivedanta Manor. "Bhima, get up! Bala, get up!" Syamasundara Dāsa was taking us on a tour of the Manor grounds when down the lane came an oxcart full of happy guests enjoying their open-air sightseeing tour. The rural charm of the bullock carts attracts guests to the Manor. The oxen not only pull guest carts, but they also pull farm machinery in the Manor's fields. In December 2007, the Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), without permission from the devotees and against their expressed wishes, euthanized Gangotri, an ailing cow living at the Manor. The heart-wrenching event motivated the devotees of the Manor to approach the English government to recognize the practice of cow protection. The devotees are arguing the importance of the cow in India's culture and faith. England's and India's views of the cow differ greatly. To the Western mind, the cow's importance is in supplying meat and milk. The cow is a commercial commodity. To the Eastern mind, the cow is our mother, the bull our father. The cow gives milk—known as "the miracle food" when free of growth hormones and antibiotics. To produce this miracle food, the cow eats only grass. She takes so little from us and gives us so much, a true example of motherhood. The bull pulls the plow in the fields, preparing the soil for seeds that produce delicious vegetables and grains. Like a father, the bull is providing for us. Both the cow and bull produce manure, which has been scientifically proven to contain numerous nutrients, good not only for the soil but for our health as well. Cow urine, often combined with herbs, cures many human ills and serves as a pesticide and herbicide. Cow dung is also used as fuel, by either burning it directly or processing it in biogas systems to make methane. The bull not only plows the fields, but he can power generators, sawmills, and other machines. Protecting cows makes sense, since the cow and bull provide our essential foods, as well as medicines, fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, and ox-power. The Western mind, however, has not yet opened to the many practical and spiritual benefits of the cow to human society. *The Moral Imperative Of Cow Protection* *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* (1.16.18) describes the following incident: "The personality of religious principles, *Dharma*, was wandering about in the form of a bull. And he met the personality of earth in the form of a cow who appeared to grieve like a mother who had lost her child. She had tears in her eyes, and the beauty of her body was lost...." Śrīla Prabhupāda comments: The bull is the emblem of the moral principle, and the cow is the representative of the earth. When the bull and the cow are in a joyful mood, it is to be understood that the people of the world are also in a joyful mood. The reason is that the bull helps production of grains in the agricultural field, and the cow delivers milk, the miracle of aggregate food values. The human society, therefore, maintains these two important animals very carefully so that they can wander everywhere in cheerfulness. But at the present moment in this Age of Kali both the bull and the cow are now being slaughtered and eaten up as foodstuff by a class of men who do not know the brahminical culture. The bull and the cow can be protected for the good of all human society simply by the spreading of brahminical culture as the topmost perfection of all cultural affairs. By advancement of such culture, the morale of society is properly maintained, and so peace and prosperity are also attained without extraneous effort. When brahminical culture deteriorates, the cow and bull are mistreated.... *Aiming at Self-Sufficiency* Six of us arrived from England at the New Vraja-dhama community. Besides me, in our group were Balabhadra Dāsa, Syamasundara Dāsa, Gaura Purusa Dāsa (Bhaktivedanta Manor farm supervisor), Katarina (cow milker, nurse for Gangotri), and Wenda Sehata (runs the Hugletts Wood Ahimsa Farm, a cow sanctuary in East Sussex, England). The New Vraja-dhama temple sits on a rise, with the devotees' homes leading to the temple. Hosted at various devotees' homes, we lived without electricity, except for some of us who had solar power. Balabhadra Dāsa gave the opening address at the conference. He spoke of ISKCON's need for a social structure to provide a haven from the outside world, a setting where devotees can live and raise their children peacefully so they too can be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Śrīla Prabhupāda envisioned such a social structure within farm life, or village life, with the cows and land providing all necessities. Our farm communities are therefore required, as they are the starting point for developing self-sufficiency. In a 1974 letter, Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote: Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry. Industry has simply created godlessness, because they think they can manufacture everything that they need. Our *Bhagavad-gītā* philosophy explains that men and animals must have food in order to maintain their bodies. And the production of food is dependent on the rain, and the rain of course is dependent on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Therefore let everyone chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, eat nicely, and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal lifestyle. As gas prices drive up the cost of food, and living in general, more people will see farms as the answer to an ever more difficult life. Instead of stretching the budget to buy the simplest foods, people can grow their own food, assured of fresh quality. Instead of traveling many gasoline-burning miles to work, they can work on the farm to provide their necessities. Instead of driving to the supermarket to buy milk full of growth hormones and antibiotics, they can milk their own naturally raised cow. Instead of breathing contaminated city air, they can breathe fresh air for a healthier life. On farms, material life is simplified, leaving time to contemplate the spiritual meaning of life. In Mauritius, 1975, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, "Otherwise the idea which I am giving, you can start anywhere, anywhere, any part of the world. It doesn't matter. Locally you produce your own food. You get your own cloth. Have sufficient milk, vegetables. Then what more do you want? And chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is Vedic civilization: plain living, high thinking." Of the ISKCON farms in Europe, New Vraja-dhama is the most advanced in self-sufficiency. The conference included a tour of the New Vraja-dhama operation, given by Gaura Sakti Dāsa, president of the farm community. From June through October, the community of 120 consumes only fresh produce from the farm, and during the winter months they are self-sufficient in grains and potatoes. The devotees recently built a winter storage unit with three chambers, each 150 feet by 20 feet. Two thousand fruit trees produce a variety of fruits, and eight devotees care for the five acres of vegetables. Five trained teams of oxen are active and perform most of the farm work. "Haladhara, Thakur, *gaccha*! Haladhara, Thakur, *vama*!" Ox handlers at New Vraja-dhama use Sanskrit words for voice commands. Antardhi Dāsa, a New Vraja-dhama teamster, demonstrated his control over the young ox team with the help of voice commands. During our first-day tour, he showed a young team training, but the next day, we watched a fully trained mature ox team mow a field. The young team does light work. We saw them proudly pull a cartload of garbage. The guided tours were an inspiration because they showed the possibilities for every ISKCON farm. Other farms also gave presentations. Varnasrama Dāsa talked about the successful flourmill business that helps support the Czech farm, where the devotees produce all their own flour from the grain they grow. They also sell some flour, and they make cookie *prasādam,* which they sell and distribute. Haladhara Dāsa, from the Cornwall farm project in England, gave a presentation on the Govardhan Whole Food business that helps support their project. Salad boxes, which cost little to produce, are profitable. Besides food production, conference attendees discussed building methods and housing. *Spiritual Importance* Balabhadra Dāsa and Sivarama Swami, an ISKCON *guru*, governing body commissioner, and the spiritual leader of New Vraja-dhama, spoke about the spiritual importance of farm projects. Sivarama Swami said that to have cow protection one must have cow protectors and the cow protectors must be protected so they can protect the cows. To provide this protection and allow it to thrive, there is need for the social system of *varnasrama,* in which cow protection is an integral part. As explained by Balabhadra Dāsa, the entire cycle of preparing the land with the oxen, planting the seed, nurturing the plant, harvesting it, and then offering it to Rādhā-Syamasundara, the presiding Deities at New Vraja-dhama, is the perfection of devotional life. As we left Europe for our farm in the USA, we carried with us gifts of food for our trip. Cookies and baked goods from grains grown on the Krisnuv Dvur farm in Czech Republic, as well as preserved fruits and honey grown and produced at the New Vraja-dhama farm in Hungary, were reminders of how healthy and delicious homegrown foods can be, especially in comparison to airplane dining. We have some cookies left, and we're carefully rationing them. They're reminders of the European devotees who have seriously taken to heart Śrīla Prabhupāda's vision of Kṛṣṇa conscious simple living and high thinking—centered on the land, the cows, and Kṛṣṇa. To learn more about ISCOWP, visit www.iscowp.org. Tukarama—Saint of Pandharpur Tukarama—Saint of Pandharpur *A seventeenth-century Kṛṣṇa devotee spread the chanting of the holy names in western India.* ### By Lokanath Swami > Words are the only jewels I possess > Words are the only clothes I wear > Words are the only food that sustains my life > Words are the only wealth I distribute among people > Says Tuka, witness the Word, He is God > I worship Him with my words > —Śrī Tukarama SRI TUKARAMA (CE 1609–1650) was a saint-poet of towering stature, and his pervasive influence in Marathi language, culture, literature, and spirituality is celebrated in thousands of *abhangas* (devotional poems) throughout the west Indian state of Maharashtra. His followers say that his devotional accomplishments are so colossal that to describe them, many future generations of translators and commentators will have their pens occupied for centuries to come. In a sense, Tukarama is a saint-poet who belongs more to the future than to a specific historically bound past. *Birth and Ancestry* Śrī Tukarama was a distinguished devotee of Lord Vitthala (or Vithoba), the Kṛṣṇa Deity worshiped in Pandharpur, Maharashtra. Born in Dehu, a lively village on the banks of the holy river Indrayani, Saint Tukarama was the son of two devotees of Lord Vitthala: Bolhoba and his wife, Kanakai. Dehu, near Pune, is referred to as *jagrut sthan,* "an abode of live divinity." For centuries the devoted residents of Maharashtra have sung, "Praise be to the village of Dehu, and praise be to Pandharpur, for Lord Vithoba Himself dwells there." Nearly five thousand years before Saint Tukarama was born, when Kṛṣṇa was the ruler of Dwarka, a pure devotee named Śrī Pundalika lived in Pandharpur. During that time, Lord Kṛṣṇa's queen Rukminidevi left her palace in Dwarka, as she was upset with Lord Dvarakadhisa (Kṛṣṇa). She traveled to Pandharpur Forest, and Lord Dvarakadhisa followed her there, both to find her and to see His devotee Pundalika. On the scenic banks of the Chandrabhaga River, near ISKCON Pandharpur, Pundalika, who was serving his Vaisnava parents, saw the charming Lord Dvarakadhisa resting His lotus hands on His slender waist. Śrī Pundalika asked the Lord to wait while he finished his duties. He then offered the Lord a brick to stand on. Thus, Lord Dvarakadhisa became known in Pandharpur as Lord Vitthala, "the Lord who stands on a brick." The Lord waited by the door for His devotee, with His lotus hands on His eternally curvy hips. Still today, Lord Vitthala stands like this in the Pandharpur temple, waiting for us to come back to Him. For centuries, millions of devotees have worshiped Lord Vitthala within the ancient Vitthala Mandir in Pandharpur. Rakhumai, as Śrīmati Rukminidevi is known here, stands faithfully beside Him on her own altar. Garuda, the Lord's dedicated bird-carrier, stands peacefully with folded hands in front of Lord Vitthala. At the entrance of the temple sits Śrī Vighnaraja, or Ganesa. During the time of Saint Tukarama, Muslims reigned in southern India and were constantly at war with each other. The rulers enjoyed the privileges of stolen royalty while their warriors plundered villages. In spite of the difficult political situation, Śrī Tukarama's childhood was spent in comfort and luxury. Later his life changed from material prosperity to abject poverty. With great courage, resilience, and unshakable faith in Lord Vitthala, Śrī Tukarama faced the death of his parents, wife, and son. After the devastating sorrow of losing his family, he had to endure even further gruelling pangs of material miseries. Still, he remained fixed at the lotus feet of his best friend and almighty protector, Lord Vitthala. Soon after Śrī Tukarama's parents died, severe drought and famine struck his village. He had to struggle to make ends meet. It was during this calamity that his wife and son died from starvation. These relentless hardships convinced Tukarama of the temporary nature of earthly pursuits. In a mood of quiet prayer, he climbed Bhamgiri Mountain to seek solace from the Lord. Although attacked by snakes and wild animals, he was determined to stay there until he had found the eternal truth. After fifteen days of seclusion, fervent prayer, and calls for his Lord's attention, Śrī Tukarama received Lord Vitthala's audience. Pleased by Tukarama's *bhakti,* Lord Vitthala bestowed upon him the eternal truth and love of Godhead. Saint Tukarama has written, "I lived on Bhamgiri Mountain and concentrated all my faculties on Him. Snakes, scorpions, and tigers attacked me; there was trouble everywhere. It was on the fifteenth day that revelation came: I met Vithoba. I was then inspired to versify, and in my mind I put my hands around Lord Vithoba's feet." *Initiation* Śrī Tukarama states in his *abhangas* that he received the *guru-mantra* containing the holy names of Kṛṣṇa, Rama, and Hari—names of God in the *maha-mantra*: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. (Hare is the vocative form of both *Hara* and *Hari.*) Tukarama has revealed through his renowned devotional writings that he received his *mantra* through the medium of a dream from a divine personality he called "Raghava Caitanya, Keshava Caitanya." Scholars and historians cite evidence that Saint Tukarama had some mystical connection with Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Gaudiya Vaisnavas (followers of Lord Caitanya) believe that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu initiated Śrī Tukarama by way of this transcendental dream. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in his introduction to *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam:* "Saint Tukarama, after initiation by the Lord, overflooded the whole of the Maharashtra province with the *sankirtana* movement, and the transcendental flow is still rolling on in the southwestern part of the great Indian peninsula." As Śrī Tukarama's meditation on Lord Vitthala became increasingly more profound, he began writing and reciting verses called *abhangas,* which encapsulated the essence of ancient *srutis* and *sastras*. As Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in the foreword to *Songs of the Vaisnava Ācāryas,* "Songs composed by the *acaryas* are not ordinary songs. When chanted by pure Vaisnavas, who follow the rules and regulations of Vaisnava character, they are actually effective in awakening the Kṛṣṇa consciousness dormant in every living entity." Saint Tukarama continuously sang the Lord's praises in his mother tongue of Marathi, composing over 4,500 *abhangas*. Many of these are reflections of events in his life, which make them somewhat autobiographical. However, there is an unmistakable clear focus on Lord Panduranga (Vitthala), Lord of Pandharpur. Śrī Tukarama regularly went on *sankirtana* pilgrimage from Dehu to Pandharpur, along with thousands of his followers. Along the way he would stop and enlighten the crowds, which would increase from village to village. Always crying out to the Lord with his loving *abhangas,* Tukarama used his *bhakti* poetry to encourage everyone to take up a God-centered life. Śrī Tukarama's public discourses focused on offering one's daily life as service to the Lord. Tukarama worked for the enlightenment of society and emphasized *sankirtana,* chanting the Lord's holy names, rather than ritualistic observances or the mechanical study of the *Vedas*. Singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments, Saint Tukarama and the crowds he drew would happily walk over two hundred kilometers to Pandharpur. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "Tukarama Ācārya became very famous in the Maharashtra province, and he spread the *sankirtana* movement all over the province. The *sankirtana* party belonging to Tukarama is still very popular in Bombay and throughout the province of Maharashtra, resembling the Gaudiya-Vaisnava *sankirtana* parties in the chanting of the holy names of the Lord, accompanied by *mrdangas* and *karatalas*." (*Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā,* 9.282, Purport) I once wrote to Śrīla Prabhupāda to report on the progress our traveling *sankirtana* party was making in Maharashtra. Śrīla Prabhupāda was extremely pleased with the village-to-village tour, which is now an annual festival. In his reply to my letter, His Divine Grace wrote, "The whole of India and specifically your Maharashtra are enthused with Kṛṣṇa. Now you have to revive their Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is Tukarama's country, but they are all becoming bad politicians. So, revive them by the process of the *sankirtana* movement. I am very glad that you are preaching village to village and will cover all of Maharashtra." When I was just a small boy, the villagers in Aravede, Maharashtra, where I was born and raised, would hold *kirtana* all night long on Ekadasis. All the farmers and cowherds would gather together in various homes and sing Tukarama's *abhangas* accompanied by *karatalas* and *mrdangas*. I used to sit with them, late into the night, and listen to the melodious *bhajanas*. Families singing the praises of God together and taking care of the land was an effective formula for simple living, high thinking. (God created the country; man made the mess.) Although I had not read *Bhagavad-gītā* or *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam,* I received the knowledge of the elders through the *abhangas*. Still today, many villagers, even illiterate ones, memorize and recite Śrī Tukarama's devotional poetry. These verses keep them in Kṛṣṇa conscious spirits. Saint Tukarama knew and taught that a human being can never attain happiness if there is no place for God. He wrote, "Look at my experience. I made God my own, and He gave me the answers to my questions whenever and wherever I put them to Him." Saint Tukarama was several centuries ahead of his time. With utmost compassion, he anticipated the spiritual anguish of modern man. He would invoke divine love within his audiences, immersing them in deep emotions for God. Śrī Tukarama would sweetly sing, > The devotee's love is like the leash > Hari goes wherever He is led > We should recite Your name > You should give us Your love His foremost sources of scriptural references were *Bhagavad-gītā* and *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam: gita bhagavat kariti sravana akhanda cintan vithoba ce,* "For those who hear and study *Bhagavad-gītā* and *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam,* constant remembrance of Vitthala becomes possible." *Critical Moments In Tukarama's Life* Several events in Saint Tukarama's life deeply affected his spiritual writings and teachings. One incident involved a scholar named Ramesvara Bhatta, who was surprised to find the essence of the *Bhagavad-gītā* being presented in the Marathi language with such eloquence. The envious scholar believed that Tukarama's birth as a non-*brahmana* disqualified him from elucidating the essence of the *Vedas*. Tukarama responded: "You might think these are my verses, but no, this is not my own language. Nor is it my own skill; it is God who makes me talk. It was Lord Vithoba Himself who ordered me to versify." But Ramesvara Bhatta was not convinced of Śrī Tukarama's purity of heart. Backed by a local militia, he ordered Tukarama to sink his verses in the sacred river Indrayani. Laughing and humiliating Śrī Tukarama in public, Ramesvara announced to the crowd that if these devotional works were the outcome of divine order, then Lord Vitthala Himself would save the books from being destroyed. Tukarama collected all his *abhanga* books, tied a heavy stone to the bundle, and with full faith tossed his entire collection of *bhakti* writings into the Indrayani River. One night, thirteen days later, Lord Vitthala, dressed as a child, visited Saint Tukarama. The Lord told him that He had been safeguarding the books underwater and that they would resurface the next day. Some followers of Śrī Tukarama received similar divine messages. Word spread, and the next day a large crowd gathered on the banks of the Indrayani. To the crowd's astonishment and Ramesvara Bhatta's dismay, the books were floating on the surface. With exuberant excitement and enthusiasm, people retrieved the sacred books—which were completely dry—and respectfully returned them to Śrī Tukarama. His *abhangas* protected by Lord Vitthala Himself, Tukarama was free to preach, and so he continued with his devotional discourses and *kirtana*. *Encounter with King Shivajee* Śrī Tukarama's reputation eventually reached King Shivajee, who sent a messenger bearing valuable gifts, such as lamps, horses, and gems. Tukarama politely refused the gifts and responded to the king with four of his *abhangas*. In one of the verses, Śrī Tukarama complained to King Shivajee: "You seem to provide me exactly the things that do not interest me." King Shivajee was astounded by Saint Tukarama's attitude of renunciation. So later, the king decided to travel to Lohgaon, near Dehu, to see Śrī Tukarama and seek his saintly association and advice. When the king presented more gifts, Tukarama said, "What use is this treasure to me? I want only Lord Vithoba. Your gesture shows your generosity, but to me these gifts are like pebbles." Śrī Tukarama politely asked King Shiva to recite the names of God and become a servant of Lord Vithoba. *Departure of Tukarama* Saint Tukarama's passing was remarkable. During the night before he left this world, the saintly devotee prepared for his departure by chanting the holy names without stop. He extended an invitation to his family, friends, and followers who had gathered there: "I am going to Vaikuntha. Come along with me." It is said that after Tukarama announced his imminent departure, Śrī Garuda landed on the bank of the Indrayani to carry him to the spiritual world. No one understood Tukarama's invitation. He affectionately embraced his fourteen intimate followers and his surviving son, named Mahadeva Vithoba. They all came forward and paid their final respects to Śrī Tukarama, who then cast a look at his second wife, Jijabai, and said to all, "Bid farewell to me now and return home. It's high time I responded to Vithoba's call in Vaikuntha. Vithoba has been waiting for quite some time now. It's time for me to leave, and I beseech all for their blessings. Vithoba has come through for me at the end, and Tuka will now disappear." Śrī Tukarama peacefully proceeded to board Garuda. The huge celestial bird flew to the spiritual sky, leaving behind a scene of hundreds of weeping and grieving devotees. He left this material world in his self-same body, singing the holy names of the Lord, just as Dhruva Mahārāja had done in a previous age. *His Holiness Lokanath Swami is ISKCON's minister for Padayatra and an initiating* guru*.* *ISKCON Pandharpur* ISKCON Pandharpur invites everyone to come and receive the audience of the ever-merciful Lord Vitthala. Śrīla Prabhupāda and the most beautiful Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Pandhrinatha are meticulously cared for in the ISKCON temple on the banks of the Chandrabhaga River. The devotees of ISKCON Pandharpur are eager to receive guests in their new guesthouse and to arrange boat rides across the sacred Chandrabhaga River to see Lord Vitthala. *Celebrating Saint Tukarama's 400th Birth Anniversary* • Celebrations of Tukarama's 400th birth anniversary began in January 2008 and will culminate in February 2009. • Celebrations were conducted throughout the world, including conferences and festivals in Boston (USA), Mauritius, and India, especially in Maharashtra. The festivals included plays, discourses on Tukarama's *abhangas,* and publications on Saint Tukarama's life and teachings. • The 2008 eighteen-day procession from Tukarama's birthplace to Pandharpur was a historic event, with more than 200,000 participants. As usual during the annual walk, priests carried a pair of Tukarama's wooden shoes. • An internationally–award-winning film about Saint Tukarama, produced by ITV, was previewed all over the world and is available for purchase. ## From the Editor *The Is-Ought Problem* SOME PEOPLE ARGUE that the best way to achieve harmony with creation is to surrender fully to our animal nature. But it seems that something in the human animal doesn't allow us to do that. Our higher consciousness revolts at the body's smells, wastes, secretions, and especially, mortality. So with our developed minds, we move beyond these meaty machines into the realm of ideas. While our bodies succumb to nature's forces, we nonetheless try to achieve perfection in ways that seem attainable—through art, music, literature, and so on. Being fully animal isn't enough to satisfy us. So how should we live? The eighteenth-century Scottish philosopher David Hume raised what is called the "is-ought" problem. His contention, simply stated, is that understanding the nature of reality does not tell us how to live. Debate about this theory of splitting "ought" from "is"—called Hume's Guillotine—survives in philosophical circles. Let's look at is-ought (or reality and morality) from the viewpoint of Lord Caitanya's teachings. Drawing on the authority of the Vedic scriptures, especially the *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam,* Caitanya Mahāprabhu divides reality into three parts—God, the living entities (souls), and the material world. That's the "is," and it seems clear that from it we can at least infer the "ought," especially when we understand the relationships between the three parts. Lord Caitanya explained that God (Kṛṣṇa) is the source of both the living entities and the material world, and so both are subordinate to Him. As spirit, we are categorically superior to matter, or the material world, but God's control of nature subordinates us to it. Try as we might, we'll never overcome natural hardships like disease, aging, and death. We're forced to serve the material energy, thereby indirectly serving God, who's behind nature. But why serve the impersonal machine when we can directly serve the person behind it? It makes sense to be on His good side. (Of course, for devotees, there are many other reasons to serve Kṛṣṇa besides the cold logic of this calculation.) So now we have the "ought." We ought to serve Kṛṣṇa because we can't separate service from our nature and serving Him will give us the best result. In other words, the Gaudiya Vaisnava understanding of reality (the "is") does in fact tell us, at least in general, how we should live (the "ought"): We should harmonize our lives with reality by serving God. Not only are we materially subordinate (to nature), but we're spiritually subordinate too. That's our relationship with God, the all-pervasive spiritual entity. Our quest to live a fully meaningful life—the life we ought to live—can find success only when we align ourselves with the reality that we are the eternal servants of God. With exquisite clarity, Lord Caitanya and His followers guide us in how to do that. The more we live as we ought to, the more meaningful and fulfilling life becomes. And by accepting the ought, we'll ultimately attain perfection—an eternal life with Kṛṣṇa that allows for the complete expression of our real self.—Nagaraja Dāsa ## Vedic Thoughts The holy names of Kṛṣṇa are the bestowers of all spiritual benedictions and are nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa, the embodiment of all transcendental mellows. Simply by chanting the holy names of Kṛṣṇa, one relishes the transcendental mellows related with Kṛṣṇa. There is no possibility of relishing the transcendental mellows related with Kṛṣṇa by any other process. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Ṭhākura *Śrī Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi-khanda* 16.21, Commentary The truth can never be lost; it can only be forgotten. The soul's eternality and the existence of the Absolute Truth cannot be established by argument, because argument has no entrance into the realm beyond the material world. Self-realization is the only way to establish these truths. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura *Śrī Kṛṣṇa-samhita* 9.4, Commentary The practical injection to stop all the fructifications of the seeds of our sinful activities is simply engagement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda *The Nectar of Devotion,* Chapter One A transcendentalist who does not completely control his words and mind by superior intelligence will find that his spiritual vows, austerities, and charity flow away just as water flows out of an unbaked clay pot. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 11.16.43 If one is infected with the desire for material enjoyment or material liberation, he cannot rise to the platform of pure loving service unto the Lord, even though he may superficially render devotional service according to the routine regulative principles. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu *Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā* 19.175 As a web is expanded and withdrawn by a spider, as plants grow from the earth, and as hair grows from a living person's head and body, so this universe is generated from the inexhaustible Supreme. *Mundaka Upanisad* 1.1.7 At the end of the millennium the great Mount Meru may shake. At the time of partial devastation, the seven oceans may be disturbed. But the saintly persons, being resolute in purpose, are never disturbed. Canakya Pandita The six divisions of surrender are the acceptance of those things favorable to devotional service, the rejection of unfavorable things, the conviction that Kṛṣṇa will give protection, the acceptance of the Lord as one's guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility. Śrīla Sanatana Gosvami *Hari-bhakti-vilasa*