# Back to Godhead Magazine #44 *2010 (01)* Back to Godhead Magazine #44-01, 2010 PDF-View ## Welcome Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees are known around the world for the public singing of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra*. Singing is one form of chanting, as devotees usually refer to the utterance of God's names. The other is the more private, meditative chanting on beads, used to keep track of the number of *mantra*s chanted and as an aid to concentration. Chanting on beads, called *japa,* is essential to the practice of *bhakti-yoga.* Understanding that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, is fully present in the sound of His name, sincere chanters constantly strive to improve the purity of their *japa.* In "Creating a Culture of Pure Chanting," Arcana Siddhi Devī Dāsī tells of her experiences while attending a retreat dedicated to improving *japa.* Another highlight of this issue is our story on Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai. Named for the founder of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, the hospital is staffed by medical professionals who adhere to his teachings and offer patients the best in both physical and spiritual care. "From Village to Village," another article set in India, tells of the efforts of Rupa Raghunatha Dāsa to carry the teachings of Kṛṣṇa consciousness to his country's villagers, who welcome him and his party with great respect and enthusiasm. Hare Kṛṣṇa.—*Nagaraja Dāsa, Editor* ## Letters *Debunking Darwin* Wow! Congrats to all contributors for a knockout job on your rock-solid, take-no-prisoners debunking of the whole Darwinistic pseudo-science hoax [Nov/Dec]. Every article was right on, with slam-bang counterarguments of impeccable logic to so powerfully defeat their massive fraudulent propaganda. Śrīla Prabhupāda led the way by vehemently challenging their materialistic pseudo-scientific bias as simply "cheaters and rascals." And you have made us all proud by thus thoroughly validating his uncompromising stance. So please keep up the good work and continue to fight for the truth. Gratefully, Gokulananda Dāsa Montreal, Canada *Mature Understanding of Love* BTG of July/August 2009 carried one of the best articles I have read for a long time, titled "Exploring Love," by Visakha Devī Dāsī. It is an extremely well-researched and well-written article with lots of realization, told in a very mature and highly spiritualized manner. The author should be congratulated and requested to write more as a regular contributor to BTG as we would like to hear more from her. I have had the great privilege and pleasure of meeting her and her most talented husband, Yaduvara Dāsa, and their family at Chowpatty, Mumbai. They are a very special couple who have shown tremendous patience and courage during the difficult period of ISKCON growth in the last four decades and have given their entire working life in the service of Śrīla Prabhupāda and Lord Caitanya. Śrī Nathji Dāsa Mumbai, India *Beautiful Buffet* I read your article on Warren Buffet in the Vedic Observer [Jul/Aug]. It was marvelous! My son, Bhakta Mike O'Shea, showed me the magazine. Beautifully written piece by Vraja Vihari Dāsa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Noni O'Shea Brockton, Massachusetts *Children and Kṛṣṇa* I always felt that loving and nurturing my children could be a way of service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Your article "Parenting as Service to God" [May/June] confirmed it. I was deeply touched by the article. The writer is so blessed, as are her children. My eyes filled with tears while thinking about her and her children. I have two wonderful children, but I felt that I did not instill in them the knowledge that Lord Kṛṣṇa is all and everything is His will. My prayer is that one day Lord Kṛṣṇa will show them His mercy and lead them to Him. Thank you for the magazine and the insightful articles. I feel blessed to receive this magazine. Karuna Singh Via the Internet *Readers' Realizations* BTG is an amazing magazine and has been for so many years. Among other features, I like the one where people write their realizations. Akrura Dāsa Via the Internet *Karma and Disease* I read in the scriptures that in the material world everyone is subject to old age, diseases, and death. When one has an incurable sickness such as migraine headaches, cancer, or arthritis, is this sickness a result of past *karma*? Khemraj Sewdass Via the Internet Our reply: Diseases are the result of our *karma*, but so are things like beauty, wealth, and education. How we react to these karmic reactions in this life will determine our *karma* in the next life. A devotee's *karma* is often adjusted by Kṛṣṇa Himself to help the devotee advance in his or her spiritual practice. This may mean that it is made less severe, so that, for example, the devotee may do more service. Or the karmic reaction may be more severe, so that the devotee will quickly see that there is no satisfaction on the material plane and will aspire more seriously to go back to the spiritual world. Generally we are happy with "good" *karma* like wealth or beauty, but very often those "good" things keep us entangled in material life and help us to forget that we are souls seeking to leave the material world and reunite with Kṛṣṇa. We should understand that whatever happens in the material world is designed to get us out of here and back to Kṛṣṇa. Just as punishment is meant to teach a child to behave, disease and other "bad" things often help us realize the emptiness of the search for material happiness. On the other hand, we can get great pleasure from chanting Kṛṣṇa’s name and engaging in His service. *Becoming Pure* Please tell me, how do I make myself pure to serve Śrī Hari, mentally as well as physically? What is the right process to remember the name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa ? Sushmita Via the Internet Our reply: Kṛṣṇa knows our disqualifications, our impurities, and problems in this age. Therefore, He comes as His holy name to give us His association and purification at the same time. We just have to take up the simple process, and it will work on us. We are His eternal servants and have to recognize that and do something about it. The Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* means, "O Lord, O energy of the Lord, please engage me in your service." So by the grace of *guru* and Kṛṣṇa’s holy names we can be reestablished in our proper position as Kṛṣṇa’s servants. When we chant, we please Kṛṣṇa with our attitude, and He gradually reveals Himself to us. We just have to keep to the process with faith and conviction. Lord Caitanya's *sankirtana* process makes us eligible for Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. We need to avoid offenses to the holy name and to the devotees, and the process will take us to Kṛṣṇa’s feet, where we can serve Him eternally. Founders Lecture: Increase Your Love for Kṛṣṇa *Increase Your Love for Kṛṣṇa* *Vrindavan, India—October 28, 1976* Human civilization should help us love God, and not pull us down into ignorance. Founder-*Acarya* of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness > evam manah karma-vasam prayunkte > avidyayatmany upadhiyamane > pritir na yavan mayi vasudeve > na mucyate deha-yogena tavat "When the living entity is covered by the mode of ignorance, he does not understand the individual living being and the supreme living being, and his mind is subjugated to fruitive activity. Therefore, until one has love for Lord Vasudeva, who is none other than Myself, he is certainly not delivered from having to accept a material body again and again."*—Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 5.5.6 This is an important verse. It presents the problem of our contact with the material body: *deha-yogena.* This is the real problem of life, but nobody knows it. Especially these days, people cannot understand that "This material body is a foreign element, and somehow or other I am victimized by it, entrapped within it." This is the real problem, but people do not know it. That is called *avidya,* ignorance. There are two kinds of strong *avidya.* One is the result of **rajo-guna*,* the mode or quality of passion, and the other is the result of *tamo-guna,* ignorance. *Tamo-guna* is a very dense covering, and *rajo-guna* is a little more open. *Sattva-guna,* the mode or quality of goodness, brings illumination. It involves the brahminical qualifications. When one is in the *sattva-guna,* he can understand, "I am not this body. I am different from this body." For persons in the *sattva-guna,* life is easier. Human civilization means not to drag somebody who is already in the *sattva-guna,* or in a family of people in the *sattva-guna,* down to the **tamo-guna*.* But modern civilization does that. The allurement of material civilization is so strong and so bad that those who, because of previous pious activities, were born in a *brahmana* family are being dragged to the *tamo-guna* behavior of those not trained in spiritual culture. They are learning how to drink, how to eat meat, how to have illicit sex. These are the symptoms of the lowest level of **tamo-guna*.* There are different degrees of *guna,* and the three *gunas* are manifested into 8,400,000 forms of life. You can calculate it. Three multiplied by three equals nine. Nine multiplied by nine, eighty-one. So therefore there are so many varieties. But human civilization should be so arranged that everyone, despite the mixture of modes influencing him, is gradually drawn again to the *sattva-guna.* That is human civilization. People in the *sattva-guna* should not be dragged again to the *tamo-guna.* Somebody, by pious activities, by good work, is already in the *sattva-guna*, but the social, political, and economic arrangement is so bad that he is dragged to the *tamo-guna.* That is not civilization. That is degradation. Civilization means elevation. The aim of life is to become disconnected from this material body. That is civilization. Otherwise, it is not civilization; it is animal life. *The Platform of Loving Kṛṣṇa* The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an attempt to bring human society to the proper platform of civilization. It is a very scientific movement. By a gradual process, it brings one to the platform of *vasudeva pritih,* love of Vasudeva, or Kṛṣṇa. That love is *bhakti. Pritih* means love of Kṛṣṇa. "Civilization" means to bring one to the platform of loving Kṛṣṇa. If you love somebody intensely, your lover or beloved is everything to you. That is love, as in the mother's love for her child. She is always anxious to take care of the child. Her whole attention is on the child. These are examples. They are not actually love, but a perverted reflection of love. This love does not stand forever, but nature dictates that you love your child like this, you love your husband like this, your wife like this, your country like this, your society like this. There are different grades of demonstration of love. When the demonstration of love is concentrated on Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, that is the highest perfection of life. > We have a natural tendency to love, but because we do not know Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, we do not know where to place our love. If we place our loving tendency in Kṛṣṇa, Vasudeva, then that tendency becomes fruitful and perfect. That is desired. Therefore it is said, > svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ > viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ > notpādayed ratiṁ yadi > śrama eva hi kevalam > [SB 1.2.8] > vāsudeve bhagavati > bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ > janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ > jñānam ca yad ahaitukam > [SB 1.2.7] If you place your loving tendency to Vāsudeva, then *vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-*yoga*ḥ*.** This can be done perfectly by *bhakti-*yoga*,* not by any other*.* There are different *yoga* system*.* Everything is mixed up with little *bhakti,* but*.**.**.* Just like karma-*yoga*, jñāna-*yoga*, dhyāna-*yoga*, there are different*.* But the real *yoga* means loving Vāsudeva, Bhagavān*.* Therefore Bhagavān says in the *Bhagavad-gītā, yogināṁ api sarveṣāṁ* [Bg 6*.*47]*.* All other *yoga* system, there is little tinge of *vāsudeva-bhakti,* but not cent per cent pure*.* It is mixed*.* *Miśrā-bhakti*.* Miśrā-bhakti* will not be immediately fruitful*.* It will take long, long time*.* *Bahūnāṁ *janma*nām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate* [Bg 7*.*19]*.* Everything, there is some bhakti-*yoga*, but if it is not pure, then it will take very, very, very, very long time, bahūnāṁ *janma*nām*.* One *janma* means hundreds of years*.* We are not talking of any other *janma**.* Even human form of life*.* Because those who are advanced in spiritual life, there is every possibility for getting next life a human being*.* Otherwise nobody knows*.* Those who are ignorant, they do not know*.* There will be change of body—*tathā dehāntara prāptir*—that is a fact*.* But those who are in the *sattva-guṇa,* they are sure to get next life in the human society*.* Śucīnāṁ śrī*mat*āṁ gehe *yoga*-bhraṣṭo sanjāyate [Bg 6*.*41]*.* This *śucīnāṁ,* pure *brāhmaṇa,* and *śrī*mat*āṁ,* very rich *vaiśya,* or kṣatriya*.**.**.* Kings and mercantile community, they are rich, śrī*mat**.* Śrī means opulence, and *mat* means one who has*.* Śrī*mat*ām*.* So this is a chance that even if you are failure in this life, somehow or other you get chance next life again human form of life, either in a very nice pure *brāhmaṇa* family or Vaiṣṇava family. Vaiṣṇava family is better than *brāhmaṇa* family. [break] ...ringing the *karatālas,* chanting, dancing, offering obeisances to the Lord, temple atmosphere. Don't think it is ordinary opportunity. It is very great opportunity. From the very beginning of life they are getting impression, *bhakti-yoga. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yoga.* These are not going in vain. Even a child is playing *karatāla,* imitation. Not imitation; he's given the chance. He was previously Vaiṣṇava. Somehow or other, he could not make his life perfect. Therefore he is given again chance. So naturally he has got tendency to play the *karatāla,* to offer flower here, to offer obeisances. They take pleasure. It is due to previous life, *yogas*. But it was not perfectly done, so somehow or other they are getting chance from the very beginning of life. It does not mean that if somebody did not get the chance from the very beginning of life he cannot. He can be also. So..., but the ultimate aim is *vāsudeve. Prītir na yāvan mayi vāsudeve.* This is the ultimate goal. You have to come to this stage, *vāsudevah sarvam iti,* fully, firmly convinced that "Vāsudeva is my life. Vāsudeva is everything. Kṛṣṇa is my life." And the highest perfection is visible in the Vṛndāvana atmosphere, especially by the *gopīs.* Everyone in Vṛndāvana, even the trees and plants, even the grains of sand, everyone is attached to Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana. So not all of a sudden we can get that highest stage of life, of Vṛndāvana attachment. But still, wherever we stay, if we practice this *bhakti-yoga,* as we are preaching... And it is becoming successful. People are taking. Those who were so-called *mlecchas* and *yavanas,* they are also taking to Vāsudeva. Their love for Kṛṣṇa is increasing. That is natural. It is said in the *Caitanya-caritāmṛta, nitya siddha kṛṣṇa bhakti* [*Cc Madhya* 22.107]. *Nitya siddha*.** Just like I am, or you are, we are eternal*.* *Nityo śāśvato 'yam na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre* [*Bg* 2*.*20]*.* We are not destroyed by the destruction of the body*.* We remain, continue to remain*.* Similarly, our devotion to Kṛṣṇa continues*.* It is simply covered*.* Avidyayātmāny upādhiyamāne*.* Avidya*.* This is *av*idya*.* We forget Kṛṣṇa, that is *av*idya*.* And as soon as we take Kṛṣṇa as our life and soul, that is vidya*.* You can do*.* Anyone can do very easily*.* Kṛṣṇa says, therefore, *sarva dharmān parityajya mam ekam śaraṇaṁ* [*Bg* 18*.*66]*.* Why? Any other so-called religious system, that is *av*idya—will keep you in ignorance*.* There is no light*.* And the Vedic injunction is that "Don't keep yourself in the darkness of ignorance*.*" Tamasi mā jyoti gamaḥ*.* That *jyotiḥ* means to love Kṛṣṇa*.* And loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa is in the spiritual world*.* That is *jyotiḥ*, jyotirmāyā dhāma, self-effulgent*.* *Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koti* [Bs 5*.*40]*.* There is no darkness*.* Just like in the sun there is no question of darkness*.* The examples are here*.* We can understand what is *jyotiḥ**.* We can see that there is no darkness in the sun planet*.* It is all glowing effulgence*.* Similarly, in the spiritual world there is no ignorance*.* Everyone is śuddha-sattva*.* Not only *sattva-guṇa,* but śuddha-sattva*.* Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vāsudeva-śabditaḥ*.* [SB 4*.*3*.*23] Here, in this material world, there are three qualities: *sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa*.** So none of these *guṇas* are pure*.* There is a mixture*.* And because there is mixture, therefore we see so many varieties*.* But we have to come to the platform of *sattva-guṇa*.** And that process is hearing*.* This is the best process*.* *Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ* [SB 1*.*2*.*17]*.* If you hear regularly Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*.**.**.* We are therefore stressing: "Always hear, always read, always hear*.*" *Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā* [SB 1*.*2*.*18]*.* Nitya*.* If you can constantly, twenty-four hours, if you hear and chant*.**.**.* Hear means somebody chants or you chant yourself or hear, or some of your colleague may chant, you hear*.* Or he may hear, you may chant*.* This process must go on*.* This is *śrāvaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ* [SB 7*.*5*.*23]*.* *Viṣṇoḥ.* That is Bhāgavata. Not any other nonsense talks, gossiping. Simply hear and chant. Then *śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇa.* If you seriously hear and chant, seriously—"Yes, this life I shall engage only for increasing my love of Vāsudeva"—if you are determined, it can be done. There is no difficulty. And as soon as you do this, you increase fully your love for Vasudeva, then there is no more chance of contacting material body. > janma karma ca divyam > me yo janati tattvataḥ > tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma > naiti... > [Bg 4.9] That is the same thing. And if you do not understand Kṛṣṇa, if you do not increase your natural love for Kṛṣṇa, then *na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat.* There is no chance. They have no chance. You may take birth next life in a very rich family, in a *brāhmaṇa* family, *yogo-bhraṣṭaḥ,* but that is also not release. Again you may fall down. Just like we see there are so many... Just like you Americans, you are born in rich family, rich nation, but falling down, becoming hippies. Falling down. So there is chance. Not that it is guaranteed, "Because I am born in a rich family or *brāhmaṇa* family, that is guarantee." No guarantee. This *māyā* is so strong that it is only trying to drag you—drag you down, drag you down. So many influences. So therefore we sometimes see that these Americans, they are so fortunate they are born in a country where there is no poverty, there is no scarcity. But still, because the leaders are rascals, they have arranged for meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling. Advertise. Advertise naked woman and, what is called, beef-eaters, and liquor. This is going on. Advertise cigarettes, just to pull them down again, go to hell. *Punar mūṣiko bhava.* They do not know what dangerous civilization this is dragging them. Therefore sometimes some saner section of the old men, they come to me, they offer their thanks: "Swāmījī, it is a great fortune that you have come to our country." They acknowledge. Yes, that's a fact. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a great fortunate movement. And especially in the Western countries, that's a fact. So those who have taken, take it very seriously*.* Increase your love for Kṛṣṇa*.* *Prītir na yāvan mayi vāsudeve na mucyate deha yogena*.**.**.** They do not know what is the actual problem of life*.* The actual problem of life is *deha-yoga,* this foreign body*.* We are accepting one type—*bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate* [Bg 8*.*19]—accepting one type of body*.* Therefore they have, these rascals, leaders in Europe and America, they have concluded there is no birth*.* That's all*.* Because if they accept there is life after death, then it is horrible for them*.* So they have dismissed: "No, there is no birth*.*" Big, big so-called professors, learned scholars, they talk foolishly: "Swāmījī, after this body is finished, everything is finished*.*" That is their conclusion*.* And the body comes by accident, *kim anyat kāma-haitukam*.* Asatyam apratiṣṭhaṁ te jagad āhur anīśvaram* [Bg 16*.*8]*.* So this kind of civilization is very dangerous. Very, very dangerous. So at least those who have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should be very, very cautious about this dangerous type of civilization. People are suffering. Take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and be happy and perfect. Thank you very much. Devotees: *Jaya* Prabhupāda. [end] ## Vedic Observer *Believing vs. Knowing* *by Thomas T. Klugh* In an online poll of around two thousand American adults conducted a few years ago, ninety percent said they believe in God. Another poll revealed that more Protestants believe in God than do Catholics, followed by Jews. While I don't dispute the results of these polls, I suggest that the question “Do you believe in God?” is itself problematic. In other words, it's not the issue that is in question, but it's the question that's at issue. Pollsters should be asking, “Do you *know* God?” *Belief* implies something one can’t be sure of. We think or hope it exists. *Knowing,* on the other hand, implies a meeting of two entities. We don’t believe in the existence of our family members; we *know* they exist. They’re right there in front of us. There’s no question of belief when it comes to those in our midst. Can we really know God as opposed to merely believing in Him? There are those who say we can. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda is one such saintly person. Prabhupāda arrived in the U.S.A. in 1965 after traveling alone, at the age of sixty-nine, aboard a freighter from India. A couple of trunks with clothes, books, a typewriter, a few utensils, a few dollars, and a small bag of dry cereal were his sole possessions. The message he brought with him was that God doesn’t have to be some ambiguous entity totally removed from us—as if He were somewhere “out there”—but is in fact a very real eternal person whom we can know right here where we are now. You may ask why we can’t see God if it’s true He’s right here right now. Prabhupāda's answer was that it’s a matter of qualification, and qualification is a matter of desire. Prabhupāda referred to the process of coming to know God as a science. Just as any scientific endeavor requires that a process be followed, so too with knowing God. It’s like this: When we’re very young we learned simple numbers and then arithmetic. Later we learned addition and subtraction, then multiplication and division. Later still we learned basic algebra, then intermediate algebra, then geometry and trigonometry. Only then are we able to learn calculus and other higher mathematics. When it comes to being qualified to know God, we begin like little children. At first, our realizations are like those of a simple-minded child. But as we mature, we learn and realize higher spiritual truths; our knowledge of God progresses. Consider this analogy: Knowledge of God is like electrical energy, and we're like a light bulb. A twenty-five watt bulb can carry twenty-five watts of energy, and a hundred-watt bulb can carry a hundred watts. Just as each bulb is qualified to receive only a certain amount of energy, we are qualified to understand a certain amount of knowledge about God. The most important qualification is the desire to know God. As that desire grows, so will our knowledge. Prabhupāda taught that knowledge of God includes knowledge of His personal form and of His energies. The personal form is an eternally youthful blue boy: Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa displays His energies in three primary forms: the internal, the external, and the marginal. The pure spiritual nature is the internal energy, the material world is the external energy, and we spirit souls—the life within all living beings—are the marginal energy. We are referred to as marginal energy because we can exist within either the spiritual or the material world. Impersonal conceptions of God keep us within the material realm, whereas knowledge of God as a person qualifies us to return to the spiritual world. We can know Kṛṣṇa through His energies, including the material world. One who is qualified can see the personal form of God behind the impersonal material nature. Kṛṣṇa will allow us to know Him as much as we desire. We can know Him in His personal form, we can know Him as the incredibly bright effulgence emanating from His body, or we can know Him through the dull material energy that’s all around us in the form of sky, clouds, mountains, cities, and sidewalks. We can progress to higher levels of perception. We’re on the lower rungs of a ladder. We look up and see more rungs to climb. The rungs seem to go on forever. But all we have to do is take the next step. Step up on the next rung, and then the next, and then the next. We can be elevated to a higher spiritual level by following the process given in Prabhupāda’s teachings. We’ll then become qualified to know Kṛṣṇa personally. If we’re satisfied with knowing only impersonal aspects of Kṛṣṇa, then that’s fine too, but then we shouldn’t complain. After all, it’s what we asked for. *Thomas Klugh has been studying Kṛṣṇa consciousness for twenty-six years. He has a master's degree from New York University in philosophy of education. He and his wife live in New York City.*