# Back to Godhead Magazine #47 *2013 (02)* Back to Godhead Magazine #47-02, 2013 PDF-View ## Welcome This issue corresponds with the anniversary of the appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa who appeared in West Bengal in 1486 CE. As Satyaraja Dāsa writes in "Kṛṣṇa Consciousness: The Golden Opportunity," Lord Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa in the mood of Rādhā, Kṛṣṇa’s most intimate devotee. She is full of love for Kṛṣṇa, and Lord Caitanya delivered the process by which we can come to taste that love. While chanting is the essence of Lord Caitanya's mission, His biographies written by His contemporaries reveal related spiritual practices. *Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta,* for example, tells of Caitanya's devotees offering **dandavat*—*lying prostrate before God or His representatives. In "Offering *dandavat*: A Nurturing Display of Surrender," Urmila Devī Dāsī writes of the spiritual importance of this practice. Chanting Kṛṣṇa’s names is called *kirtana,* but the word can mean any type of devotional expression, including writing. Śrīla Prabhupāda would sometimes refer to his books as recorded *kirtanas.* In "The W.R.I.T.E. Service," Caitanya Carana Dāsa encourages us, as Śrīla Prabhupāda did, to write as devotional service to the Lord. My thanks to devotees who produce articles for this magazine and thus heed Prabhupāda's call to write. 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 *Lonely People* Why do people feel lonely despite being Kṛṣṇa conscious? Parthsarathy Via the Internet *Our reply:* "Being Kṛṣṇa conscious" and taking up the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness are two different things. Your question is like asking why someone doesn't practice medicine even though he is in medical school. Fully Kṛṣṇa conscious persons see Kṛṣṇa in everything, are fully aware of their own spiritual nature, and are attached to rendering loving service to Kṛṣṇa at every moment. Such persons have no separate material concerns for happiness or satisfaction. Rather, they feel that if Kṛṣṇa and their *guru* are satisfied, then they are also happy. Taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the beginning of a process. One starts to read about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, discusses it, and practices it with the hope of developing a taste for spiritual activities and realizing his or her relationship with Kṛṣṇa. During the initial stages, we may slip occasionally, may have doubts and weaknesses, and may lack clarity. All these things may make us feel separate from Kṛṣṇa and even from Kṛṣṇa’s devotees. Thus loneliness settles in. When one is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, one realizes that Kṛṣṇa is in the heart and can be accessed anytime. The Lord and the *guru* are always there, and so one never feels alone. Even in adversity one sees the hand of the Lord and understands deeply that the Lord is always present. *Increasing Determination and Tolerance* Please tell me how to increase my determination to follow the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Also, I want to know how to increase tolerance. Rohit Via the Internet *Our reply:* There are several things you can do to increase your determination on the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Number one is association. By taking regular association from those who are strong, determined, and dedicated to the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you will find that your determination increases. And if by chance you become weak, then there will always be others to assist you by offering strong support. The second thing is to read Śrīla Prabhupāda's books daily. In his purports Śrīla Prabhupāda always took the time to offer detailed instructions applicable to us. He taught us how to overcome the obstacles we face, and by reading his books we will become stronger and more determined. Studying Śrīla Prabhupāda's life and seeing his determination will also help. Read *Śrīla Prabhupāda Lilamrta* or other books written about him by his close disciples. You will be amazed and strengthened by hearing of his determination. Eat only *prasādam.* We become weak by eating food not prepared for and offered to Kṛṣṇa. If we eat only *prasādam,* we become inspired and stronger in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As for increasing our tolerance, the most important thing is to remember that everything happens with Kṛṣṇa’s sanction. We are coming in contact with the results of our past activities. We have no choice in that, but how we react to what happens creates our future situation. So to lessen your future difficulties, be tolerant in your present situation, and you will find that the *karmic* chain will be broken. Remember, Kṛṣṇa is in control. Be grateful for the lessons He is teaching you. Even if you find those lessons difficult to take, develop an attitude of gratitude, and you will find yourself much more peaceful and appreciative of His intervention in your life. *The Spiritual World* Will things that one loves to do in earthly life, like art or a particular discipline, exist in Kṛṣṇa’s world, or is all lost? Is there activity, or total absorption? What about child-rearing? Tabitha Via the Internet *Our reply:* There is a story in the ancient Vedic texts about two frogs. One was a worldly-wise frog, having traveled far and wide, and the other lived in a village well. The worldly frog went to visit his friend in the well one day and tried to describe the ocean to him. But the frog in the well could only ask, "Is it twice the size of my well? Three times the size of my well?" Each time, he would puff himself up a bit trying to compare the ocean to his well. Finally he exploded. It was not possible for the frog to understand the grandeur of the ocean by looking through the lens of his experience in his small well. To some extent, trying to understand the spiritual word is like that. Here we are in this material well. People are getting old, dying, and fighting over nothing. Material things deteriorate; cars and houses have to be replaced or repaired regularly. Prices go up, and so we work harder and harder. But we are still unable to get anything that will make us permanently happy, eternally happy. So we find a few things on earth, like art or children, and we wonder if these little bits of joy will be present in the spiritual realm, or do we just sit and stare at God in awe all day. Actually the spiritual world is full of variety. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has friends, wives, and children, and even lovers. He is busy in loving exchanges with His parents and friends all day. He plays games and tends cows. He runs in the pasture. After playing with His friends in the forest, He shares His lunch with them, His lunch having been prepared with great love by His girlfriends and parents. Everyone is happily engaged. Kṛṣṇa is the center of everything, but there is individuality, and there are personal loving exchanges of all varieties. Everything in the material world is a perverted reflection of the spiritual world, and there is far more in the spiritual world. So there is no need to worry that "all is lost." Actually, all is found, and everything is eternal. There is no death or old age, and Lord Kṛṣṇa has a personal, loving relationship with every soul. *Offering Everything to Kṛṣṇa* How can I offer everything to Kṛṣṇa? For example, when I am at work, how can I make everything an offering? Do I stop and mentally say, "Kṛṣṇa, I do this for you"? Also, what about the things in life we have difficulties with? How best can we ask for Kṛṣṇa’s help with our challenges and obstacles? David Via the Internet *Our reply:* As we open up to Kṛṣṇa—with our chanting and asking him to accept some service from us, and with our attempt to remember Him as the Supreme—our consciousness gets woken up, purified. This is a gradual process. We will see that we start including Kṛṣṇa, in different ways, in our life. We may begin to listen for some direction from Him in the heart, remember some instructions of His, and as you say, mentally offer the results to Him. This is progress. Instead of always thinking of ourselves, we think of Him. It takes practice and purification. It may seem artificial in the beginning, but it will become more natural as we contact Him through *bhakti.* We try to accept all those things that may help us remember Him, like putting a picture of Him on our screen saver or on our work desk, in our car, and so on. A strong *sadhana,* or regular spiritual practice, in the morning hours helps us carry the proper consciousness all day without separate endeavor. We are praying with our *japa* for Him to accept us and everything we do. We are begging to render some service and to connect with Him again. That is why it is so important to get that head start on the material energy with our daily spiritual program. ## Fonunder's Lecture - Protected by Kṛṣṇa Founder-*Ācārya* of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness London, July 12, 1973 *As the Battle of Kurukshetra is about to begin, Duryodhana is confident of victory, but Kṛṣṇa has a plan of His own.* > aparyaptam tad asmakam > balam bhismabhiraksitam > paryaptam tv idam etesam > balam bhimabhiraksitam “Our strength is immeasurable, and we are perfectly protected by Grandfather Bhisma, whereas the strength of the Pandavas, carefully protected by Bhima, is limited.” —*Bhagavad-gītā* 1.10 Duryodhana, who speaks this verse, is very proud of his military strength. Because he was empowered, he could gather a large force. And over and above that, Bhisma, the commander-in-chief, is giving protection. On the other side, the Pāṇḍavas are not empowered. Somehow or other they gathered some soldiers from relatives, but their strength is limited in comparison to the other party and is protected by Bhima, whom Duryodhana always considered a fool. Therefore Duryodhana is very confident. "Our side is protected by Bhisma. And the other side is protected by Bhima. Although Bhima is very strong, he doesn't have much of a brain." So Duryodhana was very hopeful of victory. In the previous verse Duryodhana said, *anye ca bahavah sūra mad-arthe tyakta-jivitah. Tyakta-jivitah* means "They have come to lay down their life for me." This is a foretelling, because none of the soldiers on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra would return home. It is already concluded that although Duryodhana is very proud of his military strength because his soldiers are protected by Bhisma, they would surely die. This is the conclusion. *Nana-sastra-praharanah sarve yuddha-visaradah* (*Gita* 1.9). Not a single inexperienced person was there. *Yuddha-visaradaḷ* means very expert in fighting. Still, they would have to lay down their lives. That was Kṛṣṇa’s plan, because these fighting men were not ruling properly according to the tenets of Vedic injunctions. Therefore they were demons. Military strength for self-aggrandizement is demoniac. Military strength is required to rule the kingdom but not to misuse for aggression against others' country or kingdom. That was not allowed. When Kṛṣṇa appeared on earth there were many kings. Although they were under the rule of the Pandavas, still they were fighting. That is natural. If one has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then his strength and opulence will be misused. And if one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he will use his strength and opulence properly. These kings were meant to give protection to the citizens, to train them to the Vedic conception of life. But they were not doing that. Therefore they were demons. They were **ksatriyas*,* and *ksatriyas* are meant to represent the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor. **Sarva-loka*-*mahesvaram** (*Gita* 5.29). *Sarva-loka* means all the planets, all the universes, and *mahesvaram* means the supreme controller. The universes are created by Kṛṣṇa from His bodily effulgence, **brahma-jyoti*.* Just as the sunshine creates these planets, the *brahma-jyoti* creates innumerable universes. > yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anta-koti- > kotisv asesa-vasudhadi-vibhūti-bhinnam > tad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhūtam > govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami Lord Brahma says in the *Brahma-saṁhitā* (5.40), "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose effulgence is the source of the nondifferentiated Brahman mentioned in the *Upanisads.* Being differentiated from the infinity of glories of the mundane universe, He appears as the indivisible, infinite, limitless truth." *The Creator and Proprietor* It is all the creation of Kṛṣṇa. *Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattaḷ sarvam pravartate* (*Gita* 10.8). Everything has come from Kṛṣṇa’s body; therefore He is the proprietor. If I have created something, then I am the proprietor. It is very easy to understand. In the *Vedas* it is said *eko narayana asit:* "Before the creation there was only Narayana." And in the *Bhagavatam* (2.9.33) it is said, *aham evasam evagre:* "Only I existed before the creation." That does not mean Kṛṣṇa was alone. Kṛṣṇa includes His form, His pastimes, His paraphernalia, His entourage, everything. When we speak of a king, we do not mean the king alone. As soon as we speak of a king, we must understand that it includes the king, the king's kingdom, the king's secretaries, the king's ministers, the king's queen, the king's palace, and so many things. Similarly, when the *Vedas* say, "Before creation there was only Narayana," that means Narayana with His paraphernalia, His expansions, and so on. Narayana also has expansions in the spiritual world, *Vaikuntha jagat—*the innumerable Vaikuntha planets. You have seen the picture on our *Bhagavatam* cover. Innumerable planets. We have given only twenty-four names, but there are innumerable spiritual planets. Either in this material world or in the spiritual world, all planets—Vai*kuntha* planets or *kuntha* planets—come from Kṛṣṇa. Here in the material world there are *kuntha* planets. *Kuntha* means anxiety. Here, any planet you go to, anxiety will be there. That is the nature of the material world. *Sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat* (*Bhagavatam* 7.5.5). Why anxiety? Because we have accepted something that is *asat,* or temporary; it will not stay. But we are eternal; we want to stay. Our natural position is eternity, so we don't want this temporary body. We try to save the body as much as possible, but it will not be saved. We have accepted something nonsense that is not compatible with our existence. People in modern civilization do not know this. They think that death is a natural sequence, that it cannot be avoided. No, it can be avoided. But these rascals do not know how to avoid death, although the *Bhagavad-gītā* mentions how you can avoid death. Birth, death, old age, and disease are the problems, but people do not know how to solve these problems. They are simply engaged in some temporary business. And they are fighting. They are making plans. They are making diplomacy. But they do not touch the real problem, nor do they know how to solve it. But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can solve it. These rascals may understand this fact—that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a sentimental so-called religious movement. It is a scientific movement to solve all the problems of life. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. After giving up this body, we have to accept another body. These rascals do not understand this. There are so many defects in the modern civilization. People are full of ignorance, and still they are passing as great scientists, great philosophers, great politicians. Real knowledge they haven't got. So try to give them real knowledge. *Tatha dehantara-praptih* (*Gita* 2.13). This is the crucial point. *Dehantara-praptih:* one has to accept another body. If you can find a means so that you do not accept another body, then you are safe. Otherwise, as soon as you take another birth, then you must die also. And between birth and death are disease and old age. *Avoiding Another Body* Kṛṣṇa says *tyaktva deham punar janma naiti* (*Gita* 4.9): One can avoid accepting another material body. How? *Janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah:* Simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa—who Kṛṣṇa is, why Kṛṣṇa appears, why Kṛṣṇa takes part in politics, why Kṛṣṇa engages in so many activities, and so on. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Simply try to understand; you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa fully. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is unlimited. But the *Bhagavad-gītā* presents whatever is possible for us to understand. If, as far as we can, we simply understand Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental nature, transcendental activities—and we understand them *tattvatah:* "in fact"—then we become free from birth, death, old age, and disease. Very easy thing. Therefore try to understand Kṛṣṇa. How will you understand Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is so great. > ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi > na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ > sevonmukhe hi jihvādau > svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ > [Cc Madhya 17.136] "Material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṇa’s holy name, form, qualities, and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord’s holy name and taste the remnants of the Lord’s food, the tongue is purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Kṛṣṇa really is." (*Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu* 1.2.234) You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa with your blunt material senses. That is not possible. You have to purify them. Simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, all your senses will be purified. That is the process. *Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau:* And you can begin service with your tongue. *Service with the Tongue* Now, this is very surprising. By utilizing our tongue we can become perfect. This is unknown to modern science, but this is the process. If with your tongue you chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra*, and with your tongue you taste *prasada,* you will be perfect, simply by executing these two things. Do not allow the tongue to touch anything not offered to Kṛṣṇa. This is one item. And another item—engage the tongue always in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. You will become perfect. Is it a very difficult task? Anyone can do it. Anyone can chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa maha-*mantra*. Anyone can take nice *prasada.* Actually, it is happening so. How are these European and American boys and girls advancing, realizing? Simply by using the tongue to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take *prasada.* You can introduce this process all over the world. Give people a chance to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra*. But it is difficult also. There was a cartoon. One old lady is requesting her husband, "Chant chant, chant," and the husband is replying, "Can't, can't, can't." [*Laughter*] We are requesting everyone, "Please chant," and they are replying, "Can't." They will not chant. That is the difficulty. Otherwise, we can deliver all the people on this earth back home, back to Godhead, simply by this process: chanting and taking *prasada.* The other day we held a festival, Rathayatra. Chanting and taking *prasada*—that's all. Organize this all over the world. People will be saved. People will understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will appear. You cannot see Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. You cannot order Kṛṣṇa, "Please come; I will see You." No. When He is pleased with your service, He will come. "Yes, I am here. See Me." History has shown this. For example, Dhruva Mahārāja was meditating, and within six months he saw Kṛṣṇa face to face. So everyone can see Kṛṣṇa. Everyone can, provided they utilize the tongue. *Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. Jihvadau* means "beginning with the tongue." We have eyes, ears, touch, and other senses, but begin with the tongue. Try to control the tongue and engage in it Kṛṣṇa’s service. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, *Sarira abidya-jal, jotendriya tahe kal . . . ta’ra madhye jihwa ati lobhamoy *sudurmati:** "The material body and senses are our greatest enemies, and out of all the senses, the tongue is the most formidable." The tongue is *sudurmati:* It has no limit to what it wants to taste. I have seen in Japan. From twenty miles away people are coming to taste some fried birds in the hotel. The hotel has its own bus to bring customers from the city, and they are coming after office hours just to taste some fried jungle birds. The tongue is such a formidable enemy that simply for taste people will commit so many sinful activities. They will commit so many abominable actions simply for the tongue. And there is a straight line from the tongue to the belly to the genitals. So if you can control the tongue, the other things will be controlled. Therefore, *ta’ra madhye jihwa ati lobhamoy sudurmati. Lobhamoy:* The tongue is very greedy. And *sudurmati:* It is very difficult to control. Just see. Simply for the tongue so many slaughterhouses are being maintained. I have seen in the airplane that people are eating a small piece of meat, not very much. But for these small pieces, so many huge slaughterhouses are being maintained. They cannot give up that small piece of meat. The same thing can be made from milk. Prepare cheese and fry it, and you'll get the same taste. Let the animal live, take its milk, and prepare so many milk preparations. But these rascals will not do that. They will kill simply for the tongue. It is so strong, this tongue. They cannot give up this formidable tongue. The tongue demands, "You must give me meat." So they are obliged. And for this obligation, they are committing so many sinful activities, abominable activities, and becoming bound up by the laws of nature to accept a body within the 8,400,000 species of life, perhaps becoming a worm in stool. People do not know how the material law is working. *Prakrti,* nature, is so strong. It is acting very nicely. We have to become very careful. And in this age especially, there is only one way to be careful: If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa will take care of you, and you will be saved. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. ## Śrīla Prabhupāda Speaks Out *Impersonalism: The Supreme Illusion* *The following conversation between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and some of his disciples took place in September 1975 on an early-morning walk in Vrindavan, India.* Śrīla Prabhupāda: Both the living entity and Lord Kṛṣṇa are full of consciousness. The living entity's consciousness is within himself, and Kṛṣṇa’s consciousness pervades everywhere. That's the distinction. Disciple: The Mayavadis [impersonalists] say that when we become liberated, we will also pervade everywhere. We will merge into Brahman and lose our individual identity. Śrīla Prabhupāda: That means you will forget everything. Whatever little consciousness you had will be finished. Disciple: But what we will be forgetting is just illusion anyway. Śrīla Prabhupāda: If that is liberation, then let me kill you now. You will forget everything—liberation. [*Laughter.*] [*A passerby is singing in Hindi.*] This is liberation—he is singing, "O my Lord Kṛṣṇa, when will I surrender unto Your lotus feet?" That is liberation. Just like a child fully surrendered to his parents—he is liberated. He has no anxiety. He is confident: "Oh, my parents are here. Whatever they do is all right for me. No one can harm me." Disciple: The impersonalists say that liberation is getting rid of all misery. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, if you are full of anxieties, where is your liberation? Disciple: They say this can be accomplished if we become one with the Supreme. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is the supreme consciousness. If you lose your consciousness, how do you become one with Him? Disciple: Well, it's not exactly that we lose our consciousness but that we merge into the supreme consciousness. Śrīla Prabhupāda: That means you want to become God. But why are you different from God now? Disciple: It's my *līlā* [pastime]. Śrīla Prabhupāda: But if it's your *līlā,* then why are you undergoing so much austerity to gain liberation? Disciple: The point is that the supreme consciousness is unembodied, but we are embodied right now. So, when we attain supreme consciousness, we will also become unembodied. Śrīla Prabhupāda: But how have you become embodied if you are the Supreme? What made you embodied? You don't like to be embodied—the body is bringing so much suffering—so you want liberation. But whoever made you embodied—He is the Supreme. You are not the Supreme. Disciple: I put myself in illusion so that I can enjoy becoming liberated. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Why would any sane man put himself in a position of being repeatedly kicked by the material nature in the form of birth, old age, disease, and death? What is the enjoyment? Disciple: Without pain, how can you experience pleasure? Śrīla Prabhupāda: Then let me kick you, and you can enjoy pleasure when I stop. Disciple: The idea is that after experiencing the suffering of this world, liberation will be very sweet. Śrīla Prabhupāda: But why is there suffering? If you are supreme, why is there any suffering for you? What is this nonsense—“Suffering is my *līlā*”? Disciple: It's suffering only for those who don't understand that they are supreme. They are the ones who suffer, but I don't. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Then you are just like the hogs and dogs. They do not understand that this is suffering. But we can understand. Therefore the Mayavadis are *mūdhas,* fools and rascals, who don't know what suffering is or what enjoyment is. *Mudho ’yam nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam.* Kṛṣṇa says, "The fools and rascals don't know that I am Supreme." Therefore, after many lifetimes of suffering and talking all kinds of nonsense, one who has real knowledge surrenders to Kṛṣṇa (*bahūnam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate*). That is knowledge. When one comes to this awareness—“I have simply suffered, and I have tried to delude myself by a jugglery of words”—then he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Disciple: So the Mayavada philosophy is actually the supreme illusion? Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. *Mayavadi bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa:* "One who follows the Mayavada philosophy is finished." He's doomed; he will become absorbed in that false philosophy and never be able to accept real philosophy. Mayavadis are offenders. Therefore they shall remain perpetually in ignorance and think themselves God. They openly preach, "Why are you thinking that you are sinful? You are God." Disciple: The Christians have a concept of sin. When the Mayavadis went to America, they told the Christians, "Forget this idea of sin. Whatever you do, it is all right, because you are God." Śrīla Prabhupāda: The Christian priests did not like the Mayavada philosophy. The Mayavadis are atheists, more than the Buddhists. The Buddhists do not accept Vedic authority. Therefore they are considered atheists. But the Mayavadi rascals accept the *Vedas* and preach atheism. So they are more dangerous than the Buddhists. The Buddhists, although they are supposed to be atheists, worship Lord Buddha. He is an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, so one day they will be delivered. But Mayavadis will never be delivered. Kṛṣṇa assures us in the *Bhagavad-gītā* [18.66]: "Just surrender to Me and I will free you from all dangers." And we accept Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Our method is very easy. The child is trying to walk, but he is unable and he's falling down. The father says, "My dear child, just catch my hand." Then the child is safe. These Mayavadis go against the verdict of God. God says, "The living entities are part and parcel of Me," and the Mayavadis say, "I am God." That is their foolishness. If they were equal to God, why does God say, "Surrender to Me"? They are not God. They are simply rascals who are claiming to be equal to God because they do not want to surrender to Him. So this knowledge—that “I must surrender to God”—comes only after many, many births. Then one gives up this foolish word jugglery and attains real liberation in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. ## Vedic Observer Delhi Gang-Rape and the Modern Sūrpanakha *by Caitanya Carana Dāsa* “The sexual exposure we face is unparalleled in the history of mankind. . . . Because pornography and sex have such a forceful pull on us, if left unchecked our society will erode before our very eyes. We will have millions of people who have sexual addictions.”—Dr. Kevin B. Skinner in Treating Pornography Addiction Last December, the horrifying gang-rape of a young physiotherapy student in a private bus in Delhi sparked outrage across India. The innocuous-seeming circumstances in which the rape occurred, the bloodcurdling brutality of the perpetrators, the ineptitude of the police, and the seeming insensitivity of the Prime Minister all added fuel to the fire. Before addressing this issue, I offer my sincere prayers for the departed soul of the victim and my heartfelt condolences to her bereaved and traumatized family. *Gita* wisdom teaches us that all of us are relatives, connected in God’s all-encompassing family. So we are all together in getting over this tragedy. The Delhi horror underscores undeniably that India's female citizens absolutely require much better security. We need a more vigilant police force, prompter help-lines, and stronger and swifter punishments for sexual assaulters. Yet will better security be enough? Might our society be suffering from a more deep-rooted malaise of which this gruesome rape is an intolerably stinking symptom? After all, the news periodically reports incidents of scary sexual violence. School-teacher extracting sexual favors from a female student in the classroom; father having incest with his daughter in the presence of his son; mother and daughter hacking to death a man with whom both had an affair—these are the headlines from just a week’s news. Surely something is terribly wrong in our society, but what is it? The topic of sexual assault is complex; sociologists include anger, power, and sadism among its causes. Here, I will focus on one important aspect largely overlooked by the media but illumined by Vedic wisdom. *The Little-Discussed Sūrpanakha Factor* In the Vedic tradition, the demon Ravana, the villain of the *Ramayana,* is the emblem of lust. Lust so dominated Ravana that he abducted beautiful women wherever he found them and force them to join his harem. He even raped a relative, the celestial nymph Rambha, who was married to his nephew. Thereafter he was cursed to die if he ever raped any woman. So, when he abducted Sita to enjoy her sexually, he threatened to kill and eat her if she didn’t voluntarily comply. Thus, for the sake of gratifying his sexual appetite, he had a proclivity to rape and commit other types of horrible violence against women. He finally met his just end when Lord Rama administered capital punishment. We all know of Ravana's perversity, but a crucial detail underlying his perversity is less known. The *Ramayana* describes that though thoughts of possessing Sita initially allured Ravana, he gave up his evil intentions when he heard of Rama's unmatchable power. However, when his malicious sister Sūrpanakha incited him by describing Sita’s beauty explicitly and provocatively, he lost all sense and courted self-destruction. Sūrpanakha had her own scores to settle, and she used Ravana as her pawn by inciting him. The *Ramayana,* in addition to being an ancient history, features characters who are prototypes for perennial themes. In our current context, Ravana obviously symbolizes sexual perverts like the Delhi rapists. What does Sūrpanakha symbolize? She symbolizes the forces that incite people sexually and make them behave in Ravana-like ways. *The Modern Sūrpanakha* Today’s primary sexual inciter, the modern Sūrpanakha, is the commercial world that uses sex to sell its products. The commercial world knows that sex is the best sales tool because nothing catches people’s attention and triggers their imagination as much as sex. So it exploits sex as its ubiquitous marketer and fills our culture with sexually provocative images. This commercial exploitation of sex is all the more flagrant in the entertainment industry, especially Hollywood and Bollywood, where sex is arguably the most glamorized product on sale. And the modern Sūrpanakha is at its blatant worst as the pornography industry, where sex, even brutal sex, is the only product on sale. Commercial porn websites, magazines, books, videos, DVDs, cable television, and so on, comprise one of the most lucrative global industries. In the United States alone, porn revenue is larger than the combined revenues of all professional football, baseball, and basketball franchises. Due to this massive commercial exploitation, sex is thrust upon us from all directions—TV, theaters, Internet, magazines, and billboards. Practically wherever we look, sexually provocative images are pushed into our eyes. The way human culture has become sexualized in the last several decades has no precedent in world history. *The Deadly Consequence of Liberalization* The modern Sūrpanakha incites in a much more insidious way than the *Ramayana* Sūrpanakha. It fools us into believing that becoming its pawn—that is, becoming sexually incited—is a sign of sexual liberalization. To understand how such liberalization can entrap us, let’s first look at the rationale for sexual restraint. The *Bhagavad-gītā* (7.11) offers us insight into the sanctity of sex: When performed within the precincts of *dharma*, it offers us an opportunity to experience the divine. Sex enables us to become co-creators with God in bringing new life into the world. At the same time, *Gita* wisdom cautions us that sex divorced from this divine perspective and purpose becomes motivated by a deadly force that impels people into perversity. In the *Bhagavad-gītā* (3.36), Arjuna asks Kṛṣṇa, "What makes people act sinfully, even against their will?" This eternally relevant question resonates at the moment. Kṛṣṇa answers (*Gita* 3.37) that the evil inner impeller is lust, which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of the world. Then He outlines how a philosophically informed and devotionally centered culture empowers us to keep lust under control. Traditionally, the sacred inviolable covenant of marriage regulated the sexual force. The modern Sūrpanakha has persuaded us that this covenant is too regressive and repressive, and so we need to liberate ourselves from it. Being thus taken in, we approve the release of this force from within the fence of covenant each time we delight in sexually explicit imagery, language, and music. However, lust once released can rapidly veer out of control. The *Bhagavad-gītā* (3.39) states that lust is like an insatiable fire. Indulgence acts as the fuel that aggravates the fire. So, when we release the force of lust a bit through indulgence, it becomes that much stronger and demands more release through greater indulgence. When we accede, it becomes stronger still and demands still greater release, thereby trapping us. What we might have thought of as unconscionable before we released lust may over time become acceptable, then enjoyable, and finally irresistible. This is how the modern Sūrpanakha turns many people into sexual perverts. The English satirist Alexander Pope in *An Essay on Man* echoes how vice—the modern Sūrpanakha in our context—inverts our sensibilities: Vice is a monster of so frightful mien As to be hated needs but to be seen Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace. Understanding this insidious nature of lust can help us see the link between the generic commercial exploitation of sex and this specific ghastly sexual assault: The force that we release in the name of liberalization is the same force that in a later stage impels such fiendish crimes. By no means is this metaphorical analysis of lust as a monster meant to shift the blame away from the rapists; they are responsible for letting the monster pervert them. The purpose of this analysis is to point out that their barbarism is not an anomaly that can be rectified just by stronger legal measures; it is a detestable but natural consequence of the feverish sexualization that has permeated our culture. *How the Unconscionable Can Become the Real* We may doubt: “Most commercial depictions of sex in the media portray romantic and consensual sex. How can that lead to such perversity?” Not all commercial sexual depictions are consensual; the reprehensible glamorizing of violent sex in extreme forms of pornography is a significant exception. But even if we set aside this exception, the fact remains that the commercial depiction of sex is designed to trigger lust. And once aroused, this hideous monster can become blind to the difference between sanctified sex and profane sex. It can become blinder still so as to see no difference between consensual sex and forcible sex. And at its blindest, it can no longer distinguish between sex alone and sex mixed with violence, torture, maiming, and murder. Due to this blinding nature of lust, the *Bhagavad-gītā* cautions us that it is “the destroyer of knowledge and self-realization” (3.41) and “our eternal enemy” (3.39). Those who give a free rein to this monster become modern Ravanas. In fact, they end up becoming worse than the *Ramayana* Ravana; the barbarous violence of the Delhi rapists exceeded what Ravana did to anyone. These perverts need to be swiftly and visibly meted out the necessary severe punishment, as was done by Lord Rama to Ravana. But we also need to remember that the Sūrpanakha that incited them is inciting everyone, including us. Of course, the savagery of the Delhi rapists is unthinkable for any civilized person. Yet, appalling as all incidents of sexual violence are, they happen frequently not just in India but all over the world. So, it would surely be naive and simplistic to demonize these perpetrators alone and give a clean chit to everyone else, including ourselves. Perhaps this revolting gang-rape is the jolt necessary to drive home the reality that self-serving interests are manipulating us, exploiting our sexuality to fill their bank accounts while propelling us on a self-destructive track of increasingly aggressive lust. Liberalization is the ploy that is deceiving us to willingly, even eagerly, play into the hands of the modern Sūrpanakha. If we don’t curb the modern Sūrpanakha, then just as the knowledge of Rama’s power couldn’t deter the lust-maddened Ravana, the knowledge of severe legal punishments won’t deter the modern lust-maddened Ravanas. *The Fetish for Political Correctness* Today speaking against sexual liberalization is widely considered politically incorrect. Severe political backlash silences anyone with the audacity to suggest that anything might be wrong with liberalization. Pertinently, the *Ramayana* depicts the results of a fetish for political correctness. Soon after Ravana played into the hands of Sūrpanakha and abducted Sita, he started witnessing the consequences of his suicidal folly: Hanuman with his tail-blazing exploits reduced nearly half of Lanka to ashes. The distraught Ravana called an emergency meeting of his ministers. In that council, saying that the demon-king had erred in abducting Sita was politically incorrect. So his bootlicking ministers just recommended better security measures for Lanka as the solution. Hardly anyone dared to go against the canon of political correctness. The only vocal politically incorrect dissident was Vibhīṣaṇa; he boldly and firmly urged Ravana to give up his lust for Sita and return her to Rama. Unfortunately, Ravana was too possessed by the monster of lust to even consider this sound advice. He curtly silenced Vibhīṣaṇa’s dissenting voice and thereby sealed his own pact with death. Despite the differences between this *Ramayana* situation and the gang-rape aftermath, the central point of the parallel is valid and vital: Will we choose political correctness or corrective reform? *Towards a Liberalizing Respiritualization* If we choose reform, then each one of us can make a tangible contribution. All of us have the power to stop being puppets of the modern Sūrpanakha; we can individually rebel against the rabid sexualization of our culture. Each time we dress, each time we look at others, each time we respond to sexually overt or covert language, we have the power to make a statement: “I will no longer be a pawn in the hands of those who exploit my sexuality.” Every such statement is not just a statement; it is also a contribution to the progressive curing of the sexual fever that is pandemic in our culture. To accelerate this healing, *Gita* wisdom offers us an intellectual foundation and a practical pathway. It helps us understand that we are not our bodies, but are eternal souls. We are beloved parts of Kṛṣṇa, who is our all-attractive all-loving Lord. Our infatuation with sex is a distorted reflection of our original love for Him. By redirecting our love towards Him, we can relish a deep inner happiness that helps us regulate and transcend sexual craving. And the process of devotional service offers us a practical means to redirect our love towards Kṛṣṇa. Devotional culture naturally focuses on Kṛṣṇa and minimizes all distractions. That’s why in such a culture neither men nor women highlight or aggravate their sexuality. Instead, both focus on developing their latent spirituality. We see each other not as potential sex objects but as spiritual beings, as fellow travelers on an epic devotional voyage back to Kṛṣṇa. Such a vision helps us strive undistractedly for inner fulfillment. The more we become spiritually fulfilled, the more we become liberated from the constant craving for sex. When sexual fantasies no longer dissipate our mental energy, we become free to fully use our abilities and resources for our own and others’ holistic well-being. That is real liberalization indeed. Decreasing the sexualization of our culture and participating in its re-spiritualization—that is the twofold solution to the grave problem of sexual violence. *Caitanya Carana Dāsa is a disciple of His Holiness Rādhānatha Swami. To read his other articles or to receive his daily reflection on the* Bhagavad-gītā, *"*Gita-daily,*"* visit thespiritualscientist.com. ## The W.R.I.T.E. Service *by Caitanya Carana Dāsa* Five reasons to write as devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. "Realization means you should write. Every one of you. What is your realization? What is this *Back to Godhead* for? You write your realization—what you have realized about Kṛṣṇa. That is required.”—Śrīla Prabhupāda, Lecture, August 14, 1972 For more than a decade my most important service to Kṛṣṇa has been writing. Over these years, by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy I have written eight books, some five hundred articles, and over a hundred thousand words in my personal diary. Since last year, when I started writing a daily three-hundred-word meditation on the *Bhagavad-gītā,* I have been repeatedly asked, “What inspires you to write?” I have no single steady answer. Over the years, as my writing has evolved so has my understanding of what writing does for me and what I can do with it—in particular, how I can use it to serve Kṛṣṇa and go closer to Him. I can summarize what I presently understand about why I write through an acronym: WRITE. Worship, Realization, Introspection, Therapy, and Explanation. Let me elaborate these five reasons one by one. *Worship* *Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya:* “By your prescribed work, worship Him.” (*Gita* 18.46) For me, writing is first and foremost a way to worship Kṛṣṇa. We may normally associate worship with service to the Deity form of Kṛṣṇa, but the *Bhagavad-gītā* broadens our understanding of worship, showing how a spectrum of activities can become forms of worship. Writers live in words. So naturally words are the means by which devotee writers strive to worship Kṛṣṇa. Just as *pūjaris* worship Kṛṣṇa in Deity form, devotee writers try to worship Kṛṣṇa in the form of His message. Just as *pūjaris* beautify the Deity with choice arrangements of flowers and other decorations, devotee writers try to beautify Kṛṣṇa’s message with choice arrangements of words and figures of speech. Of course, both *pūjaris* and devotee writers know they cannot beautify Kṛṣṇa; He is already perfectly and supremely beautiful. But by endeavoring diligently to beautify Him nevertheless, we render service to Him and thereby become purified. Additionally, when we try to skillfully beautify Kṛṣṇa, His true beauty becomes manifest even to material vision, at least partially. Most people find it easier to appreciate Kṛṣṇa when His beauty is made evident through a gorgeously dressed Deity or when His wisdom is made evident through an exquisitely written text. That’s one reason why *pūjaris* who wish to dress the Deity in temples and devotee writers who wish to be published need to have some basic level of training and proficiency. Of course, the other reason to strive for a higher aesthetic standard is that Kṛṣṇa deserves to be offered the best. *Pūjaris* experience an intimate connection with Kṛṣṇa not just in seeing or having others see the adorned Deity but in the very act of dressing Him. Similarly, writers experience an intimate connection with Kṛṣṇa not just in reading or having others read what they’ve put on the page but in the very act of writing. Those who rush through the beautification, with flowers or words, miss the emotional richness of the process, a richness that can be relished only by a devoted heart and a concentrated head that come together to offer the very best to Kṛṣṇa. Of course, just as *pūjaris* have to finish dressing the Deity within a limited time, devotee writers too need to set some time limit for their service to be productive. Like conscientious *pūjaris*, conscientious devotee writers keep refining their work till the last moment possible. Moreover, like devout *pūjaris*, devout writers constantly meditate on how they can improve the quality of their service. Both work painstakingly to improve the small details that contribute to the overall beauty and potency of the effect. These painstakingly crafted details may elude the eye of most observers, but one eye doesn’t miss even the smallest of details. Knowing that Kṛṣṇa is watching and appreciating the meticulousness of the worship is the private ecstasy of the worshiper. *Realization* “Never mind—two lines, four lines, but you write your realization.” (Śrīla Prabhupāda, Lecture, August 14, 1972) Practically realizing the knowledge given in the scriptures is a challenge for all aspiring devotees. Realization essentially means accepting in one’s heart the reality of what the scriptures declare to be true. All realizations come by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, and many come as epiphanies, so their arrival may not seem to be in our hands. But we can certainly prepare our inner ground for their arrival by thinking deeply about the scriptural truths we wish to realize. And writing is one of the most compelling ways to force ourselves to think seriously. For example, let’s consider how writing may help us realize the scriptural precept that the material world is a place of misery. If we resolve to write on this precept, we will be able to write clearly, cogently, coherently only after serious, sustained, systematic thinking. This disciplined contemplation will enable us to probe unsentimentally beyond the ubiquitous promises of pleasure that our culture parades before us. We will remember the many incidents from our own life and the lives of those around us that demonstrate how misery can overcome anyone at any time—even the most powerful and well-to-do people, and even in the most successful and joyful moments of their lives. When we thus consciously correlate the scriptural precept with our own experience, this inner correlation will definitely help us in grasping the reality of that precept, that is, in realizing it. If we believe that we are not skilled writers and that whatever we write is unlikely to become a literary masterpiece, or even a published piece, we may avoid writing. But this belief is not necessarily true; if we try diligently to write for Kṛṣṇa, He can empower us far beyond our capacity. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, “As stated in *Bhagavad-gītā* (10.10), *dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te.* Since a devotee writes in service to the Lord, the Lord from within gives him so much intelligence that he sits down near the Lord and goes on writing books.” (*Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Adi-līlā* 8.39, Purport) Even if our writing doesn’t get published, the very act of writing involves gathering, processing, organizing, clarifying, and verbalizing our thoughts. All this intellectual focus on a scriptural precept helps us understand it better and thereby takes us closer to realizing it. The most powerful realization writing has given me is that remembrance of Kṛṣṇa enables one to transcend worldly irritations. Once, I had to finish writing my weekly article while traveling to Māyāpur for a series of seminars. During the car journey from Kolkata to Māyāpur, I was hungry, the road was bumpy, the weather sultry, and the driver sulky. But once I put my laptop in front of me and got into writing, I scarcely realized how the five hours of the journey passed away. Though different people may be able to forget worldly miseries by absorption in various activities, devotees know that the transcendence attained by absorption in Kṛṣṇa is unique because it comprises a this-worldly glimpse of the eternal, ecstatic absorption that awaits them in the next world. The two reasons to write discussed till now can help us both externally and internally: externally in sharing our faith with others, and internally in deepening our own faith. The next two reasons—writing for introspection and therapy—focus on helping us internally to enrich our devotion. This enhanced devotion helps us in our outreach too, but I'll now discuss writing a personal journal or diary as a tool to map and aid our spiritual growth. A significant feature of this genre of writing is that it doesn’t have to be shared with the world, so it is ideal for those of us who feel that our writing is not worthy of publication. Here, we can cast afar the worries that may otherwise hinder us. All we need to do is express ourselves for ourselves—and, of course, for Kṛṣṇa. *Introspection* “Unwanted creepers look exactly like the *bhakti* creeper. They appear to be of the same size and the same species when they are packed together with the *bhakti* creeper, but in spite of this, the creepers are called *upasakha.* A pure devotee can distinguish between the *bhakti* creeper and a mundane creeper, and he is very alert to distinguish them and keep them separate.” (*Cc. Madhya* 19.159, Purport) In this section of the *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* Caitanya Mahāprabhu equates the growth of devotion in the heart with the growth of a creeper in a garden. Just as weeds may grow in the garden and choke the growth of a creeper, nondevotional desires may grow in the heart and choke the growth of devotional desires. We need to watchfully nourish our devotional desires and uproot nondevotional ones. In trying to be “very alert to distinguish them,” as Śrīla Prabhupāda instructs, I have found writing a personal diary an invaluable, even indispensable, tool. It has helped me repeatedly in locating, isolating, and extirpating unwanted desires. Soberingly enough, it has also helped me discover how many more nondevotional desires I still have to get rid of. How should one write a personal diary? There is no standard format for everyone, or for even one person at all times. I write my diary differently at different times. In deciding what format to use, the main guideline is to always keep in mind the prime reason why personal diaries help: because the relationship between thoughts and words is not one-way, but two-way. We don’t just reach for words to express our thoughts; we also reach for our thoughts with words. That is to say, words are not just tools to get our thoughts out; they are also tools to get into our thoughts. Due to this capacity of words, we can use them in spiritual life to probe inwards—to assess our state of consciousness, purity of purpose, and sincerity of execution. Let me share an example of words as tools for inner exploration. Sometimes in our spiritual life we may feel a vague sense of unease or doubt but may not be able to pinpoint the problem. If we start writing our feelings and their stimuli—just as we would pour them out to a close devotee friend—we will gradually find their root cause: the tension between the creeper and the weeds, between the congenial and the inimical desires. This kind of writing may become a form of self-indulgence if we spend too much time wallowing in thoughts about ourselves and our own feelings without seeking devotional insight though our writing. But then, we might become self-indulgent while confiding to a friend too. And writing has an inbuilt safeguard against self-indulgent rambling: It is quite a bit of work to write anything using a pen and paper or even a computer keyboard. Consequently, we are less likely to ramble while writing in a diary. Nonetheless, it is important to evaluate periodically whether our writing a personal diary is helping us in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The deciding principle should be *anukūlyasya sankalpah pratikūlyasya varjanam:* Accept whatever is favorable for our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and reject whatever is unfavorable. (*Hari-bhakti-vilasa* 11.676) Introverted devotees who find it difficult to open their hearts to others are likely to find diary writing enlivening and even empowering. But one important caution is that diary writing should not become a substitute for real friendships with living, loving devotees; those friendships are irreplaceable. Still, given the demanding schedules of modern life, our friends may not always be available when we need them. At those times our diary can act as a friend to whom we can unburden our heart. In my spiritual life I have found that diary writing not only supplements but also complements my real-life friendships. When I have introspected through diary writing, my subsequent exchanges with friends have been more substantial, meaningful, and fulfilling. *Therapy* “Constant thought of the Lord is the antiseptic method for keeping oneself free from the infectious contamination of the material qualities.” (*Bhagavatam* 3.1.32, Purport) In writing for introspection, the focus is on identifying the problem. But in writing for therapy, the focus is on finding and applying the solution. The internal problems we face include becoming lusty or greedy or angry or haughty or touchy or weary or gloomy or lazy. At such times, we have to struggle to come out of the emotional quicksand that threatens to swallow us. We somehow fight our way out by chanting or praying or seeking counsel or studying scripture or by some other form of devotional service. After intense endeavor, we get ideas, insights, and inspirations that enable us to emerge, safe once again. Yet the next time similar negative feelings start devouring us, we often find ourselves flailing blindly; all that helped us during our previous fight seems to have disappeared from our memory. This is where writing can play a crucial role. If we note down the ideas, insights, and inspirations that worked in the past, and the emotions we went through while deploying them, then those notes become our readymade weapons for future inner battles. Of course, when I mention things that have worked I refer not to things we have concocted through writing but to things we have taken from the scriptural tradition, the potency of which we have discovered and preserved through our writing. This kind of writing is therapeutic in the sense that it helps us standardize, at least partially, the therapies we can use when the maladies of nondevotional emotions afflict us. All these therapies gravitate towards helping us find a practically and potently transformational way to remember Kṛṣṇa. By helping to thus transform our consciousness, this form of writing assists our inner healing. *Explanation* “They [the students of Kṛṣṇa consciousness] must present their assimilation in their own words.” (Śrīla Prabhupāda, Letter, July 1, 1969) We now move to another external reason to write that for many is the only reason: sharing our faith. The written word has no equal as a tool for structured, reasoned, and refined communication of thoughts. The message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness encompasses the richest revelations of the highest manifestation of God and the sweetest ruminations of His greatest devotees. Writing is a precious and pivotal way to make this divine legacy available to the whole world. No wonder then that the *acaryas* of our tradition toiled tirelessly to make that legacy accessible through their profound and profuse writings. At the same time, every generation has its own ethos (way of thinking or valuing things), paradigm (way of looking at the world), and idiom (way of speaking). For a tradition to stay alive and vibrant in any generation, it needs to re-present itself in ways that are sensitive, relevant, and appealing to that generation. Making that re-presentation through the written word is the responsibility of devotee writers of each generation. Śrīla Prabhupāda points to this need in the quote that began this section. Writing for their generation, devotee writers strive to explain the eternal message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in contextual terms and to address the prevalent preconceptions that impede their audience from understanding it. Thus they try to remove the obstacles that block their generation’s vision of the beauty of Kṛṣṇa. Nothing gives such writers greater fulfillment than the knowledge that their intellectual sweat has softened the way for even one soul to return to Kṛṣṇa. To conclude, Kṛṣṇa deserves the best of everything at all times, so He deserves the best writers in our generation too. The opportunity to take part in my generation’s literary offering to Kṛṣṇa has been my life’s greatest privilege. I pray, dream, and strive to cherish and relish this honor till the last day of my life. *Caitanya Carana Dāsa is a disciple of His Holiness Rādhānatha Swami. He holds a degree in electronic and telecommunications engineering and serves full time at ISKCON Pune. To read his other articles or to receive his daily reflection on the* Bhagavad-gītā, "Gita*-daily," visit thespiritualscientist.com.* ## e-Krishna *By Antony Brennan* http://bhaktiwriters.com/ is the website of the Bhakti Writers Community, a project of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT). An online network for devotee writers across the globe, the Bhakti Writers Community brings together experienced writers and those who want to improve their skills and associate with others interested in writing for Vaisnava and secular audiences. The Bhakti Writers Community hopes to increase the writing and publication of Vaisnava literature by providing incentives such as publishing opportunities and competitions. The community also provides educational resources, including online seminars, discussion forums, and links to useful websites. The goal of the site is “to create an atmosphere that fosters creativity and encourages writing in the hope that each member will grow as a writer, learn and contribute to the learning of others, and openly and effectively express thoughts, ideas, and information.” If you are looking for a place to discuss devotional writing, then this is the ideal website for you. The Bhakti Writers Community functions like a social network, where you create an account and join groups based on various subjects. To make the best use of the Bhakti Writers Community you should create an account and log in. This gives you full access to the groups and forums so you can meet other writers and join discussions. To create an account you will need to use the credentials of your existing Facebook, Google, or Yahoo account. The toolbar across the top of the site gives you access to the various areas within. Clicking on the NEWS button allows you to read about the activities of the other community members who have been successful in publishing a story or an article. Here you will also find news about upcoming contests and updates on what is happening around the community. Clicking on the ACTIVITY button brings you to your personal Bhakti Writers home page, or Activity Stream. This page automatically updates itself with links to the writers' groups you have joined and the discussion forums you are participating in. You can also see messages you have received from other group users as well as links to the pages of the other writers you have made friends with on the site. On this page you can also see who has been active on the site recently and post messages, links, or photos. Clicking on the CONNECT button gives you access to four areas: Forums, Groups, Members, and Sites. In Forums you will find the Reading, Writing, Publishing, Contests, and Technical Support forums. Within these forums you can start discussions and share ideas about these subjects. In the Technical Support forum you can get help with questions you have about how to best use the site. You can also share your suggestions for additions or improvements. Under the Groups link are subject areas you can participate in, and you can start your own group and invite your friends to join. Under the Members link you can see who else participates in the Writers Community and which ones you have become friends with. You can see who has been active recently and what forums they have been participating in. When you click on the Sites link you can see a list of websites where other community members share their writing. The CONTESTS button on the toolbar takes you to information about the latest writing competitions. Some competitions have prizes and some offer publishing opportunities. The LOGOUT button is especially useful if you use public access points like libraries or Internet cafes. When you are logged in, the HOME button will always bring you back to your personal Bhakti Writers home page, known as the Activity Stream. When you are not logged in, the HOME button takes you to the website log-in page. —Antony Brennan ## Relationships Matter *by Kṛṣṇa Prestha Devī Dāsī* *Have you ever wondered how you can make a difference in the world?* Śrīla Prabhupāda created an international spiritual society as a means to counteract the discord on the planet and give everyone the opportunity to experience true peace and happiness by reawakening their eternal relationship with God. As someone born in ISKCON and now a counselor specializing in relationships, I invite you to explore my perspective on contributing to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission and promoting harmony and spirituality. The setting: Wal-Mart. The time: 5:25 P.M. I'm waiting in line at the checkout and can’t help but notice the woman sitting on the motorized shopping cart in front of me, blocking my view of the aisle ahead. Suddenly, she screams at a ten-year-old boy immersed in his video game nearby. “Cody! Cody! You blockhead, do you hear me?” she roars. “Get over here this minute!” The boy's face turns red as he scampers over and stands by the metal spoke wheels. That’s when I notice her shirt. In large letters scrawled across her chest is the name of her Christian ministry. She squints and her lips scowl. She looks absolutely miserable, and so does her son, as well as the tall, gaunt man, who I assume is her husband, standing quietly next to her. I feel sad for them all, but one thing is sure: They are a poor advertisement for her spirituality. Do I sound judgmental? Perhaps it seems that way. But from my perspective, I’m just using discrimination. Because the nature of the soul is to be joyful, we are pleasure seekers, and accepting and rejecting are functions of the mind that we apply to our search. “No happiness there!” I quickly conclude. “They are not my beacons of light to follow.” Two days later I'm taking my young son to our temple's school. As we walk down the grassy lane leading to the front entrance, I observe the family in front of me. The mother is smiling brightly, warmly, her big heart shining through her eyes. The father's demeanor appears loving and gentle as he holds the hand of one of his daughters and carries his smallest girl in his spare arm. The third child runs slightly ahead, apparently lost in happy thoughts. The cooperation of the couple is obvious: They are a team caring for their children. After dropping the girls off at the school, they walk side-by-side back to the temple. Their strong, loving connection is noticeable. They radiate love, cooperation, and harmony. I smile, my heart filled with authentic joy as I recognize their harmony and love, which I, the soul, inherently seek to experience. This couple is a beacon of light, and as a therapist I feel proud of these devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa, representing Śrīla Prabhupāda’s movement in such a beautiful way. To me they serve as an authentic inspiration. Who would not want to experience their spirituality? The scene took me back to the time my seven-year-old son asked me, “Mommy, are Kṛṣṇa and Prabhupāda real?” “Of course they are, my dear," I replied in surprise. "Why do you ask?’ “Because it seems like barely anybody knows about Kṛṣṇa and Prabhupāda.” He stopped and looked me in the eyes. “Mommy, so many people are suffering; why don’t you tell more people to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa?” He was clearly very concerned. In that moment I realized that the problems in the world are just as much my responsibility as anyone else’s. As a mother, wife, and member of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement with an M.A. in psychology, I began to seriously consider: How can I take responsibility and be more active and instrumental in spreading spiritual awareness? How can I help Kṛṣṇa consciousness be the solution to people’s sufferings? *Caitanya's Example of Love* I began my considerations by stepping back in time five hundred years. Lord Caitanya appeared in West Bengal and flooded the world with the holy names, answering Advaita Ācārya’s prayers for the Lord to descend and remove the suffering of the conditioned souls. Upon His descent, the Lord used His beauty and His love for all as "weapons" to destroy our suffering by drawing us toward His message. Humans all want to feel love and are attracted by it. When they don’t have it in their life, they suffer deeply from the terrible disease called loneliness. I mentioned the Wal-Mart mother only to point out that her suffering and her unhealthy way of relating to her child were both sad and repelling. In contrast, the beautiful loving family at the temple was uplifting and attractive to the soul seeking joy and love. These two examples may lie at opposite ends of the spectrum of human relationships, so to clearly understand my perspective on how Kṛṣṇa consciousness can address people's suffering, let's look at people in the middle of the spectrum. *Two Struggling Couples* Imagine this scene: The room is thick with tension. Not a word has been spoken over the last twenty-four hours. He intently stares out the window. She glares at him from across the table, eyes anointed with disdain. *He’s always shut down and avoiding me,* she thinks bitterly. *It’s obvious he doesn't value me.* He glances over at her as he thoughtfully chews a bite of warm, fragrant basmati rice. *This woman doesn’t get me at all. I'm so sick of her expectations and feeling constantly judged.* Suddenly, their one-year-old starts to cry. The woman quickly jumps up from the table. “It’s okay, sweet boy; mommy’s here.” As she soothes the little one, her eyes shoot over to her husband, who sits quietly, chewing slowly, staring out the window, apparently oblivious of anything else. *Why doesn’t he get up once in a while and take care of his son, and just let me eat in peace?* Her thoughts steeped in anger, she files away more evidence that he doesn't value her. Highly sensitive to his parents' deep internal frustrations, the little devotee boy cries louder. The parents dress their child in a yellow jumper suit, and the family drives off to the temple for the evening *arati.* Swaying gently to the sweet, melodic *kirtana,* bright, clean *japa* bags hanging from their necks, they look like a nice little family. Perhaps for some the scene plays out a little differently. For example, another couple may never have had children, or the children are all grown up. They're stoically sticking it out until death separates them. They live like roommates in a stalemate, without hope of their needs ever being understood or met. Their hearts are closed from years of built-up resentment and disconnection. Meanwhile, they fully embrace the philosophy that relationships are difficult and love cannot exist in the material world. Yes, it’s true, some steadfast couples can successfully, yet somewhat miserably, eke out a low-quality, closed-hearted marriage. Others simply cannot. Their unmet needs, weak connection, and the behaviors that result eventually land them in affairs, divorce, or other extremely painful outcomes. Regardless of whether they stick together or break up, neither the couple with the child nor the childless couple will be able to help other suffering souls find refuge from their interpersonal conflicts. We all have an impact on the harmony in this world, positive or negative. In psychology it is understood that as adults we tend to unconsciously create the same emotional environment we experienced as a child, be it of loneliness, anger, and conflict, or of joyful harmony. *Prabhupāda's Welcoming House* Śrīla Prabhupāda was deeply concerned about people's happiness and saw Kṛṣṇa consciousness as the means to attain it: We are preaching Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Our mission is to spread the instructions of Krishna so that people may become happy, hopeful, and peaceful. The central point is to understand Krishna as the supreme proprietor, the supreme enjoyer and the best friend of all living beings. . . . When we accept Krishna's instructions perfectly we become automatically a perfectly religious person. Therefore the Krishna consciousness movement is not a sentimental fanaticism of so-called religion. But it is the perfect culture for peace and happiness of the whole human society. (Letter, September 15, 1975) Prabhupāda wanted a high-quality spiritual society to attract and retain conditioned souls, providing a house the whole world could live in. His incredible vision was of a huge family coexisting in harmony, with Kṛṣṇa in the center. If we accept Śrīla Prabhupāda's vision, we need to carefully think about how we can best create harmony, as a house filled with discord is not at all appealing. People may enter but then quickly leave. Although we may be successful in many ways, if we radiate discord within our self, with God, or with others, then we contribute to the conflict in the world. We should consider what we wish to leave as our legacy, our contribution to happiness on earth. Human interactions make up a large percentage of what contributes to people’s happiness or suffering. Over the last ten years of my profession, I have witnessed the deep sadness, loneliness, and suffering people experience in unhappy unions, as well as how they feel their life has been saved when they achieve sustainable levels of harmony and openhearted connection by truly putting God consciousness in the center of their marriage. People want harmonious relationships and are starving for guidance. Just imagine the effect an amazing spiritual movement of *bhakti,* loaded with radiant loving families, could have on the world. How attractive and powerful it would be—letting Kṛṣṇa consciousness truly shine as the spiritual solution to material problems. *Evolving Through Love* Marriage is an opportunity to evolve through love, stimulating spiritual growth. Relationships are like magnifying glasses that show us exactly how we need to refine ourselves spiritually. In fact, we can often find parallels between our relationships in this world and our relationship with God. With spiritually focused consciousness and intentions, we can simultaneously clean up our personal connections and improve our connection with Kṛṣṇa. So how do we begin transforming our relationships? Relationships become rich and sacred when we infuse them with spiritual consciousness and gratitude. When we understand that the soul we are relating with is part of God, is a divine gift, and can be seen as God loving, maintaining, and protecting us on a deep heart and soul level—in that moment the union becomes a means to love Kṛṣṇa and receive His love in return. Maintaining this vision daily is one of the great spiritual practices that helps purify us of the false ego and false sense of proprietorship. Giving up the sense of proprietorship means seeing ourselves as the servant of the servant of God and seeing the people in our life as God’s gift to assist and serve with us. In the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement our practice when something falls onto the floor is to pick it up and touch it to our head, treating it as sacred, because we know it belongs to Kṛṣṇa and is being used in His service. We can apply the same consciousness to our family members. Treat them as sacred and notice how Kṛṣṇa reciprocates with our sincere demonstration of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Remember, thoughts are seeds that grow a specific fruit. Ask yourself, “What thoughts do I cultivate about my family members? Are they thoughts of gratitude and of seeing them as an essential part of my loving service to Kṛṣṇa?" Kṛṣṇa asks us to do everything as an offering of love to Him: "Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform—do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me." (*Bhagavad-gītā* 9.26) As an offering of love to Kṛṣṇa, lovingly serving the souls He places in our life is a way to cultivate a beautiful consciousness. Each morning as you awaken, try to hold on to the peaceful vision that the companions surrounding you—your spouse, children, friends, and community—are Kṛṣṇa’s direct love in your life. In line with this goal, Śrīla Prabhupāda carefully taught his disciples to create harmony. If we follow Śrīla Prabhupāda’s guidance and cultivate daily thoughts, consciousness, and aligned behaviors such as he taught, we will undoubtedly experience a powerful change in the quality of our relationships and our spiritual life. [See the "Marriage Guidance."] Many people succeed in various frontiers in their life, but human interactions tend to be difficult territory to face and master because of the nature of the false ego. When Arjuna wanted to run from his life challenge, Kṛṣṇa said, “No, stay on the battlefield, change your consciousness, and perform your activities as an offering of love to Me.” That is exactly what Arjuna did, and in doing so perfected his life. *My Own Motivating Thoughts* To conclude on a personal note, I will share three reasons why I feel deeply inspired to create the highest quality connections possible. 1. In my joyful yet grave service as a mother, Kṛṣṇa has entrusted me with the care of two souls. These boys will most likely become husbands and fathers. I know how important it is to provide an environment in which my children can thrive materially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, so they in turn will hand this environment down to their children, creating generations of health. 2. I know it is an environment where I can flourish in my spiritual life, and it is a wonderful platform for me to be more powerfully of service. 3. In my heart of hearts I know that doing so pleases Kṛṣṇa and Śrīla Prabhupāda and becomes an attractive example to conditioned souls who are also seeking peace, harmony, and happiness in their lives. My hope is that you too will feel inspired to refine your relationships by seeing them as connected to your devotional service and spiritual evolution, thereby benefiting the world. *Marriage Guidance* Here, in letters to disciples, are some of Śrīla Prabhupāda's instructions on how to cultivate a quality consciousness and harmony in marriage and other relationships. You are fortunate to obtain such a nice husband and he is also fortunate to obtain a nice wife. So all in all it is a very nice arrangement and certainly it is Krishna's special mercy upon you both. (December 17, 1968) The marriage tie should be taken as very sacred. (October 7, 1968) So my dear children, boys and girls, I request that you live happily. There is no restriction. We don't restrict eating, sleeping, mating, or defending. But do it in relationship with Krishna, pure life, and be happy in this life and next life. (July 22, 1968, Wedding Lecture) So be happy with your nice wife and take care of her properly. (September 20, 1968) So there must be mutual responsibility by both parties and you must both strive very hard to serve Krishna together in harmony. (September 15, 1972) I am very glad that you two are a very good combination & your devotion for your husband & your husband's love for you are considered great achievements. I feel very happy when I see my spiritual boys and girls, especially those who have been married by my personal presence, are very happy in their conjugal relationship. Even if there is some misunderstanding between husband & wife, that should be completely neglected & you should always remain rigid in service of Krishna. As you have written to say, it is pleasing to be in the service of Krishna. (October 8, 1967) Yes, to call one another prabhu [master] is all right, but not to become prabhu. To accept others as prabhu and remain as servant is the idea. But because somebody is calling you prabhu, one should not become a prabhu and treat others as servants. In other words, everyone should feel himself as servant, and not to think himself prabhu because he is being called prabhu. This will make the relationship congenial. (June 14, 1968) Regarding your proposed marriage . . ., she appears to be a very nice intelligent devotee, so if she is agreeable to your proposal I have all blessings for your marriage. Now please work combinedly in Krishna's service with your new wife when you are married and make your lives perfect in Krishna consciousness. That is my desire. You should be very careful to always set the highest example of householder life in Krishna consciousness and that will automatically benefit all persons with whom you come in contact. So live and work together in Krishna consciousness and be happy chanting the Hare Krishna *mantra*. (August 1, 1970) *Kṛṣṇa Prestha Devī Dāsī, relationship specialist, works with an international clientele creating sustainable, high-quality relationships via private retreats and phone sessions. She was initiated by Hridayananda Goswami in 1997 and lives in Alachua, Florida. She has been an advice columnist in a Florida publication for more than four years. Inquiries about relationships may be submitted to [email protected].* ## How I Came to Kṛṣṇa Consciousness *Wrestling for Kṛṣṇa: A Meditation Teacher's Journey* *by Sarvabhauma Dāsa* How inspiration to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa came from two unlikely sources: an interest in wrestling, and words from the founder of Transcendental Meditation. As a student, I competed in the sport of wrestling for eight years, from 1963 to 1971, but happiness eluded me. In high school, even when I won the California Interscholastic Federation championship at 123 pounds, I felt strangely empty inside. At the University of California at Berkeley, wrestling was a diversion, but I couldn't forget the Vietnam War and the countless problems that hung over my generation. Seeking inner peace and satisfaction, I learned meditation while in college. After graduation I trained to be a teacher of Transcendental Meditation (TM) and taught it for a few years. One day at a meditation retreat in Murren, Switzerland, five thousand feet high in the Alps, I saw a two-volume, cloth-bound translation of the *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* published by the Gita Press, Gorakhpur, India. Curious, I opened one of the books somewhere in the middle and read. A wrestler named Canūra was addressing Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. O son of Nanda, O Rama, You two are well respected by courageous men and are both skillful at wrestling. Having heard of Your prowess, the King [Kamsa] has called You here, wanting to see for himself. . . . It is well known that cowherd boys are always joyful as they tend their calves, and that the boys playfully wrestle with each other while grazing their animals in the various forests. —*Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 10.43.32, 34 (BBT translation) Since I identified myself as a wrestler, chancing upon this particular passage about Lord Kṛṣṇa’s affection for wrestling—my first experience of the *Bhagavatam—*was a real coincidence*.* Previously God had seemed distant or unreachable, but now at the retreat visions of wrestling with Kṛṣṇa sometimes appeared in my meditations*.* Imaginary or real, these encounters were ecstatic, altogether different from grappling with ordinary human beings*.* At the retreat's conclusion I passed through the Swiss resort town of Interlaken, where Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, TM's founder, was giving a lecture. When I entered the hall, the bearded Indian teacher declared, “The *Bhagavata Purana* [*Śrīmad-Bhagavatam*] is the topmost Vedic literature.” I left Switzerland and moved into a meditation center in Marin County, northern California, but my enthusiasm to teach meditation was waning. Then I thought, *Why not read the book Maharishi had praised?* It was late summer, and I camped out on a friend's wooded land in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains. After about a month, when I completed the *Bhagavatam* I began to understand that real perfection lies in devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, not *siddhis (*mystic powers), fame, materialistic religiosity, sense enjoyment, or even liberation. *Connecting with Kṛṣṇa in L.A.* A dental problem sent me to Los Angeles to earn money to fix my teeth. Jack Fernandez, my high school wrestling coach and an important mentor in my life, gifted me a copy of Śrīla Prabhupāda's *Bhagavad-gītā As It Is,* which he had bought from a devotee at the L.A. airport. At the same airport, I saw devotees selling *Bhagavatam* volumes published by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Attracted by the spiritual artwork, I bought several books, and a devotee invited me to the temple. When the TM movement started a TV station not far from the Hare Kṛṣṇa temple on Watseka Avenue, I served as a cameraman and delivery driver. Whenever an errand took me near the temple, I would try to see the beautiful Deities, Śrī Śrī Rukmini-Dvarakadhi*S*a, and often received *maha-prasada* sweets. One day, shortly after the dentist treating me had given me a temporary filling, I got a severe toothache. I tried to meditate, but the pain was too intense. I was miserable. I decided to go to the temple. When I arrived, a devotee was singing *kṛṣṇa-kirtana*. Somehow, in the middle of the chanting, the pain in my jaw faded. I experienced both relief and bliss. Whatever the truth might be, at that moment it seemed that Kṛṣṇa was giving me a sign that He would protect me if I surrendered to Him. Later I read in the *Bhagavatam* (2.1.5): “O descendant of King Bharata, one who desires to be free from all miseries must hear about, glorify. and also remember the Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul, the controller and the savior from all miseries.” But, ironically, this positive experience made me fearful of visiting the temple again. If I didn't stop visiting the temple and repeatedly experiencing the ever-increasing charm of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I feared I would surely become a devotee. I didn't feel ready for that. In retrospect, I see that I was in the throes of the ultimate wrestling match, the one at the threshold of devotional life. Pitted against the invincible reality of Kṛṣṇa’s all-attractive personality was my false ego's illusory notion of autonomy. Inwardly, I wrestled. Outwardly, I fled. Then the TM movement announced a special World Peace Project from October to December 1978. Meditation teams would be sent free-of-charge to international hot spots undergoing civil wars or unrest, such as Lebanon, Iran, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), El Salvador, and Nicaragua. We were to check into a hotel and do long meditation sessions to try to reduce the tension and violence in the atmosphere. Wanting to get out of Los Angeles (to avoid the devotees and the temple), I immediately volunteered, surprising my friends at the station. My volunteer group, consisting of fifty male meditation teachers, assembled in Miami to board a flight for El Salvador. At the airport a young woman was distributing Śrīla Prabhupāda's books. Unable to resist, I bought a small book, while several of the TM teachers, dressed smartly in shirts and ties, looked on disapprovingly. At that moment I suspected I might have more in common with that humble devotee than with the fifty men, but I pushed the thought away. In San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, we were advised to stay inside our hotel rooms because it wasn't safe outside. After two months, however, just before we were to leave the country, I heard a distant “*ching-ching-ching*.” Following the faint sound to a park, I saw hundreds of people standing transfixed as a small group of Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees chanted with fearless devotion. Here I was, trying to avoid Kṛṣṇa, but His devotees seemed to be everywhere. *Kunti's Prayer* When I returned to America in December, in the middle of winter, I helped out at a TM printing press in upstate New York. I had read a noble prayer by Queen Kunti: “Let there be calamities, O Lord, because they force me to seek your shelter.” (*Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 1.8.25, paraphrased) Unlike Kunti, I didn't have the courage to welcome trouble, but for some reason I memorized the Sanskrit prayer. One day, singing the prayer while carrying photographic materials over some ice, I fell hard and developed internal bleeding. The press director said, “You have to leave; we can't provide medical care for you here.” Soon I was soaring above the clouds on a plane bound for Los Angeles, wondering if Lord Kṛṣṇa had allowed this “calamity” to somehow bring me closer to Him. I visited the L.A. temple, but had a difference of opinion and had to leave. I was discouraged, but by Kṛṣṇa’s grace the devotee I'd met in Miami began to mail me a new issue of *Back to Godhead* magazine each month. It was a wonderful connection to Kṛṣṇa. Knowing that I was into meditation, one month, along with the magazine, she included an audiotape from the Dallas tape ministry of a senior devotee, Tamala Kṛṣṇa Goswami. He was speaking to two TM teachers in Texas. (She didn't know I was into TM specifically, so her sending me this tape was another “coincidence.”) I was attracted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness but continued to serve in the TM movement. When I taught meditation, a student would sometimes ask about God. We were instructed to say, “TM is not a religion; it's just a mental technique,” but my own lack of realization of God made me uncomfortable. I heard that when Maharishi first came to America, he spoke about God, but he was advised that more people would accept meditation if it was not presented in religious terms. By the time I got involved in TM, he spoke mainly in secular, scientific language, often referring to physics and quantum mechanics, and his *Gita* translation was limited to just one third of the book—six chapters of Vyasa's work, not all eighteen. It ended with verse 6.47, where Lord Kṛṣṇa states that the highest *yogi* “renders transcendental loving service to Me.” Although Maharishi praised the *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam*, I never heard him discuss it in detail. His mission seemed to be mainly a secular one. When I read Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation of the First Canto of the *Bhagavatam*, I was amazed to find that Vyasadeva, the illustrious compiler of the *Vedas,* the *Mahābhārata,* and the *Vedanta-sūtra*, told the sage Narada, “I am feeling incomplete, though I myself am fully equipped with everything required by the *Vedas.* This may be because I did not specifically point out the devotional service of the Lord, which is dear both to perfect beings and to the infallible Lord.” (1.4.30–31) I was also feeling incomplete. At a gathering of thousands of TM teachers at Amherst, Massachusetts in 1979, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, speaking on an amplified telephone call from Switzerland, requested that as many volunteers as possible to go to Fairfield, Iowa, to help establish a meditation-based university. “After this," he added, "you can go back to college or *do whatever you want*.” Maybe I misconstrued his meaning, but as I headed for Iowa, I decided that after helping in Fairfield I would study Kṛṣṇa consciousness at the Dallas Hare Kṛṣṇa temple. My service in Iowa was to help build a large meditation dome before the frigid Iowa winter hit. One day I had to go high up on a scaffold. Heights scare me, and looking down I realized that a fall could be fatal. Meditation was said to reduce accidents, but the incredible news came that someone working on a similar but smaller meditation dome near Dallas had fallen to his death. That intensified my desire; I prayed to Kṛṣṇa that I would live long enough to serve Him directly in this lifetime. From Fairfield I wrote a letter to Maharishi in Switzerland: When the dome was finished, I wrote, I wanted to study Kṛṣṇa consciousness, unless he objected. Maharishi did not reply, but soon he made a surprise visit to Iowa. When he drove up to the dome construction site where we were working, he beamed a broad smile. During his visit, I sent a note through his personal attendant restating my plan to perform devotional service and thanking him for his inspiration in my spiritual life. Although Maharishi did not bless my plan officially, he did not object. Perhaps one reason he let me go was that although I taught TM to several hundred people and meditated for twelve years, it was a big movement and I was not a very important person in it. However, there may have been another factor: Maharishi's *guru* was in the line of Sankaracarya, and he must have been aware that although externally Sankara was an impersonalist, or a Mayavadi, the great teacher also composed *Bhaja Govindam*, with its famous opening refrain: “You intellectual fools! Just worship Govinda [Lord Kṛṣṇa ], just worship Govinda, just worship Govinda. All your grammatical knowledge and word jugglery will not save you at the time of death.” Years later I found something interesting in a book of conversations with Śrīla Prabhupāda. Here's an excerpt (March 2, 1975, Atlanta): Satsvarūpa Goswami: This boy is Bhakta Doug, and he was a personal secretary of Maharishi for two years. One day Maharishi said, "If you really want to know the highest truth, it's Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Prabhupāda: Maharishi said like that? Doug: We'd ask him, "Who is Kṛṣṇa?" and "What about this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement?" . . . He'd kind of evade our questions. . . . He was doing some transcriptions on the *Brahma-sūtras,* and he came out, and he was in a very solemn mood, . . . and he said, "Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest state of consciousness." *A Chance to Wrestle* I joined the Hare Kṛṣṇa temple in Dallas in 1980. Later I served at the Houston temple, and just before Śrī Kṛṣṇa Janmastami, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s divine appearance day, the temple president, Pantava Vijaya Dāsa, asked if I would act in a drama. I'd never acted in my life, but agreed. But what would be my role? He said I would play one of King Kamsa's wrestlers who challenged Kṛṣṇa. Another coincidence! It was a minor role, but I got to act for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure, and it was fun. A little after that, a fellow named Tony, formerly a U.S. Marine, started visiting the Houston temple and asked if he could move in to experience the life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Pantava Vijaya agreed, but on the condition that Tony commit to stay at least one month and follow the rules and regulations. He concurred, but after about a week he got restless and started to pack his bags. Although Pandava Vijaya reminded Tony about his promise, he was intent on leaving. Tony was muscular and proud of his military service, and Pantava got an idea. “Tony, do you see that devotee over there? How about this: If you beat him in wrestling, you can leave now. But if he beats you, you have to stay for at least three more weeks, as you promised. What do you say?” Unaware of my wrestling background, Tony agreed. With devotees looking on, we wrestled on the grass beside the temple. Fortunately, Tony didn't know wrestling, and I was able to prevail. It was wonderful to use wrestling, normally a mundane activity, for the pleasure of Lord Kṛṣṇa and the devotees. Although Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not always easy and there are many internal and external challenges, I feel blessed to have gotten the chance to attempt to render devotional service. Since becoming a devotee, I've distributed Śrīla Prabhupāda's books, written on Kṛṣṇa conscious topics, and helped arrange booths at outdoor festivals where the devotees distribute *kṛṣṇa-prasada* and do *harinama sankirtana.* I believe my experiences with meditation helped me come closer to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but the Vedic scriptures state that silent meditation was easier to practice in earlier ages. For our current age, Sukadeva Gosvami recommended to Mahārāja Pariksit: “My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *maha-mantra,* one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (*Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 12.3.51) George Harrison of the Beatles, whose song “My Sweet Lord” came out in 1970 and included the *maha-mantra,* was a great inspiration to me, because he also began with meditation, then met Śrīla Prabhupāda and became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. George donated Bhaktivedanta Manor in England to ISKCON, and when he was dying he arranged for Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees—his dear friends over many years—to chant near him so he could remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death. A few years ago I had hip-replacement surgery and don't wrestle anymore. But my competition is not over: I have to wrestle with my materialistic mind all the time. Even though I don't deserve it, I hope against hope and pray that one day I may be blessed to wrestle with Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. ## Kṛṣṇa Consciousness: The Golden Opportunity *By Satyaraja Dāsa* *The Golden Avatar delivered the gold standard of spiritual practices for this age.* In general, people like gold. It represents wealth and success. A golden age refers to an era of goodness and plenty, acknowledged in Greek, Roman, and Indian cultures. If you have everything, you were born with a golden spoon in your mouth. The Golden Rule is the epitome of cosmic justice or fairness: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. As the saying goes, "As good as gold." In Kṛṣṇa consciousness we have the Golden Avatar, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the best of divine incarnations. He is Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa combined, and it doesn't get any better than that. To be more specific, He is of golden hue because, though Kṛṣṇa, He has taken on Śrī Rādhā's mood and complexion (*rādhā-bhava-dyuti suvalitam*). Thus, He is female and male, a particularly profound manifestation of the supreme. His golden complexion is emblematic of His intense beauty. What's more, Caitanya Mahāprabhu brings with Him a snippet of the Golden Age. That is to say, within the darkness of Kali, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy in which we now find ourselves, we can access an age of love. It is a facsimile of Satya-yuga, a time, millions of years ago, when all beings lived happy and prosperous lives. Mahāprabhu Himself initiated this modern reflection of the Satya age when He appeared in India some five hundred years ago, and all who partake of His process—the chanting of God's holy names—can avoid being victimized by the horrors of Kali. Instead, they can bask in the glories of *prema,* or love of God. *Lust vs. Love* *Prema* is itself compared to gold. The *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* (*Adi-līlā* 4.164) tells us, "Lust and love have different characteristics, just as iron and gold have different natures." The next text elaborates (4.165): "The desire to gratify one's own senses is *kama* [lust], but the desire to please the senses of Lord Kṛṣṇa is *prema* [love]." One might compare lust to the misuse of gold or think of it as gold's bad side. In the *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* (1.17.39) we learn that gold can encourage falsity, intoxication, prostitution, envy, and enmity. Similarly, countless books and songs have been written about the pains associated with "love" in the material world, about the horrors of being betrayed or deceived, as when one's beloved goes off with another. How can something so pure lead to something so bad? The answer is that in this world when love leads to hardship and pain it is usually not love at all. It is, rather, lust, or love's grossly materialistic counterpart. As in the *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* verse already mentioned, we can understand the distinction between the two quite simply: When our love is egocentric, focused on our own gratification, it is merely lust—iron, not gold. And when it is theocentric, focused on God and in a spirit of selflessness, it is true love. Indeed, it is gold. Even in the material sphere we can see that when we are selfless and giving in our relationships, they bear sweeter fruit. But still we can be exploited. The highest kind of love, then, is love of God. This is the true gold standard, for it takes us out of the world of exploitation and into the realm of dedication, where true love becomes the very fabric of our being: It is expressed towards God directly, and through Him to all living entities, who are brothers and sisters under God's fatherhood. *Distinguishing Iron from Gold* The Golden Avatar brings with Him a golden process meant to help us distinguish between lust and love, between cheap iron and valuable gold. Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *maha-mantra*—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—one can partake of this golden opportunity. In fact, it is this chanting process that makes this age truly golden. As Sukadeva Gosvami says in the *Bhagavatam* (12.3.51), "My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *maha-mantra,* one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom." But chanting, like all other forms of meditation, must be executed in the proper way. The seed of the sacred sound comes through a bona fide preceptor. Śrīla Prabhupāda traveled to the United States in 1965 and shared the goldmine of the holy name by initiating people into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, thereby making them shine like molten gold. *Hari-bhakti-vilasa* (2.12) tells us, "As bell metal can be transformed into gold when treated with mercury, a disciple initiated by a bona fide *guru* immediately attains the position of a *brahmana.*" A Vedic text defines *brahmana* as "one who knows Brahman." Knowledge of Brahman, spiritual truth, descends into the heart of a sincere disciple through hearing from a self-realized spiritual master and committing to the process he or she offers. This knowledge and commitment blossoms into divine love, making the disciple golden in every way. It is this blessing that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement seeks to share with the world. *Satyaraja Dāsa, a disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda, is a BTG associate editor and founding editor of the Journal of Vaishnava Studies. He has written over thirty books on Kṛṣṇa consciousness and lives near New York City.* A simple yet elegant way for each of us to yield to the loving desire of the Supreme Whole. *Offering Daṇḍavat: A Nurturing Display of Surrender* *By Urmila Devī Dāsī* *Surrender*.* Submission*.** Such words may conjure up images of war and aggression*,* where the weaker party regretfully yields to the stronger*,* possibly with thoughts of future victory or vengeance*.* With such images in mind*,* we may cringe when we read in the *Bhagavad-gītā* that we must surrender to Kṛṣṇa*.* And our qualms about surrender may increase when we see devotees exemplifying surrender by offering daṇḍavat*,* or lying prostrate in submission before the Lord*.* But when watered with examples from the sacred literature*,* the hard green bud of our reservations about submission can open to reveal a soft*,* fragrant*,* enchanting rose of exaltation in the deeply satisfying spiritual practice of offering daṇḍavat*.* One Sanskrit word Śrīla Prabhupāda translates as "surrender" is prapadyate*,* which literally means "to throw oneself down at someone's feet*.*" Ultimate spiritual realization entails a loving and willing yielding of our self to the Supreme Whole, of whom we are an eternal part. This giving of one's self, or surrender, is something like a child's devotion for its mother. In healthy mother-child relationships, children naturally trust that their mother has their best interest in mind. Surrender to the Supreme Whole is not an abnegation of will but a willful decision to “respond rightly to the dancing of Kṛṣṇa” rather than dance independently, as Prabhupāda writes in *Kṛṣṇa,* Chapter 33. He also says that the whole world is full of Kṛṣṇa’s singing. Those souls whose every thought, word, and action is like a song and dance in harmony with Kṛṣṇa achieve ultimate surrender and unlimited spiritual bliss. Even materially, harmonious dance performances please the dancers and the audience, each dancer offering individual talent and grace as part of a whole. Surrender to Kṛṣṇa in response to His singing is the pinnacle of *bhakti-yoga,* linking with the Supreme in loving devotion. There are many ways to demonstrate harmony with *Kṛṣṇa,* whether as processes to achieve full surrender to Him or as expressions of surrender already achieved. *Hari-bhakti-vilasa* (11.676) lists six divisions of surrender: "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." Surrender can also be characterized as involving body, mind, and words, as Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in *Kṛṣṇa,* Chapter 14: "The best course is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead with body, mind, and words and always be engaged in His service." The activities of the surrendered mind can be further categorized: "In order to achieve pure devotional service, [Bhisma] wanted to invest all powers of thinking, feeling, and willing entirely in the Supreme Being, Lord Kṛṣṇa." (*Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 1.9.32, Purport) *A Demonstration of Surrender* All aspects of surrender can be nourished and demonstrated by the simple yet profound bodily act of offering daṇḍavat*:* lying prone before Kṛṣṇa or His devotees*.* Prabhupāda explains*:* “The word *danta* means rod or pole*.* A rod or pole falls straight; similarly, when one offers obeisances to his superior with all eight *angas* (parts) of the body, he performs what is called daṇḍavat*.*” (*Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā* 1*.*67, Purport) The eight bodily parts are described as follows: > dorbhyāṁ padābhyāṁ jānubhyām > urasā śirasā dṛśā > manasā vacasā ceti > praṇāmo 'ṣṭāṅga īritaḥ "One should bow down with both arms, both feet, both knees, the chest, head, eyes, heart, and words. This is called bowing down with eight parts of the body." (*Hari-bhakti-vilasa* 8.360) Daṇḍavat is within the category of *vandanam,* one of the nine processes of devotional service. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "*Vandanam* means *namaskuru—*offering obeisances or offering prayers." *(Bhag.* 7.5.23–24, Purport) Another way to offer respects with one's body involves five parts: knees, arms, head, intellect, and words. (*Hari-bhakti-vilasa* 8.361) The simplest form of *vandanam* is the *aṣjali mudra* or *pranam mudra,* where the devotee folds the hands and slightly bows the head. When *vandanam* refers to the offering of prayers, the prayers can be said with or without specific bodily postures. On the other hand, when offering respect with one's body, one should recite a prayer or *mantra* aloud. (*The Nectar of Devotion,* Chapter 8; *Bhag.* 11.27.45) *Categories of Vocal Vandanam* There are categories of vocal *vandanam* as there are categories of bodily *vandanam*. The first category of vocal prayer is an expression of feeling, as in the following: > yuvatīnāṁ yathā yūni > yūnāṁ ca yuvatau yathā > mano 'bhiramate tadvan > mano me ramatāṁ tvayi "Just as the minds of young women take pleasure in thinking of young men and the minds of young men take pleasure in thinking of young women, kindly let my mind take pleasure in You [Kṛṣṇa] alone." (*Visnu Purana* 1.20.19*)* The second type of vocal prayer is a declaration of humility: > mat-tulyo nāsti pāpātmā > nāparādhī ca kaścana > parihāre ’pi lajjā me > kiṁ bruve puruṣottama “Dear Lord, let us inform You that no one is more sinful than us, nor is there any offender like us. Even if we wanted to mention our sinful activities, we would immediately become ashamed. And what to speak of giving them up!” (*Padma Purana,* quoted in *Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu* 1.2.154) The third are prayers suitable for those in advanced consciousness, where submission is combined with a specific request for perfected service, such as fanning the transcendental body of the Lord. Prayers with or without bodily postures of respect can be simple yet elegant, such as the greatest *mantra*: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. By calling the names of the Lord and His pleasure energy, the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* is a request for loving service. In addition to, or instead of, the types of prayers mentioned above, devotees often say prayers glorifying their spiritual master when they offer bodily respect. Another simple prayer to say while offering daṇḍavat is *prasida bhagavan:* “O Lord, please be merciful to me!” (*Bhag.* 11.27.45) The devotee should then stand with folded hands before the Lord and pray, "O my Lord, please protect me, who am surrendered unto You. I am most fearful of this ocean of material existence, standing as I am in the mouth of death." (*Bhag.* 11.27.46) Daṇḍavat*,* the bodily expression of full submissive prayer*,* is a graphic and tangible reminder to the *bhakti*-*yogi* of his or her trusting love for the Lord and gives much satisfaction to the devotee’s heart. When Kṛṣṇa sees the devotee offering daṇḍavat*,* His own naturally soft heart melts with satisfaction and He offers all protection and peaceful freedom from fear*,* as He promises in the **Bhag*avad-gītā* (18.66). Devotees offering daṇḍavat feel peace and arise ready to dedicate themselves in loving service. Therefore*,* in his instructions to his wife Diti on the process of *bhakti*-yoga*,* the sage Kasyapa said*,* “One should . . . with great delight and satisfaction*,* offer obeisances*,* falling straight like a rod [daṇḍavat]." (**Bhag*.* 8.16.42) And Sukadeva Gosvami*,* while explaining how a woman should perform the Pumsavana ceremony*,* says*,* "One should offer obeisances unto the Lord with a mind humbled through devotion. While offering daṇḍavat by falling on the ground like a rod*,* one should chant the above *mantra* ten times. . . .” (**Bhag*.* 6.19.10) *Scriptural Examples* Many scriptural examples of offering daṇḍavat can inspire us in our own practice*,* whether we are trying daṇḍavat for the first time*,* perhaps with some trepidation*,* or whether daṇḍavat is part of our regular *bhakti-yoga* practice. The first example is Kasyapa’s wife Diti*,* as just mentioned. Fear of her enemies and envy of their position of power had engulfed her. Through daṇḍavat*,* prayers*,* and worship of the Lord*,* Diti became purified and filled with peace. Other ancient examples include Prince Dhruva, who, desiring to see the Lord, performed austere *yoga* in the forest when he was a mere child. When Lord Visnu appeared before him, Dhruva offered daṇḍavat in great love. When he arose he “looked upon the Lord as if he were drinking the Lord with his eyes, kissing the lotus feet of the Lord with his mouth, and embracing the Lord with his arms.” (*Bhag.* 4.9.3) The goddess Aditi, when seeing the Lord after her worship, had a response similar to Dhruva's: When the Supreme Personality of Godhead became visible to Aditi's eyes, Aditi was so overwhelmed by transcendental bliss that she at once stood up and then fell to the ground like a rod [daṇḍavat] to offer the Lord her respectful obeisances. Aditi stood silently with folded hands, unable to offer prayers to the Lord. Because of transcendental bliss, tears filled her eyes, and the hairs on her body stood on end. Because she could see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, she felt ecstasy, and her body trembled. (*Bhag.* 8.17.5–6) There are many examples of devotees offering daṇḍavat during the time of Kṛṣṇa’s appearance at the beginning of the current world age*.* When the demigod Brahma, the chief universal engineer, saw the sweetness and opulence of Kṛṣṇa, he offered daṇḍavat and his glowing golden form appeared like a falling gold rod, with the helmets of his four heads touching Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet*.* The many celestial beings who saw Kṛṣṇa in His city of Dwarka offered Him daṇḍavat*.* Offering daṇḍavat was the first act of the wives of Kaliya when they begged Kṛṣṇa to forgive their husband for poisoning the Yamuna River in Kṛṣṇa’s rural home*.* In more contemporary examples, the great saint and teacher Sanatana Gosvami regularly offered daṇḍavat to Lord Caitanya, at one time keeping his distance because of an oozing skin disease. In that incident, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so pleased with Sanatana’s humble surrender that He embraced Sanatana and declared that he smelled like a combination of heavenly fragrances. After the embrace, Sanatana found himself cured. Sanatana’s brother Rūpa Gosvami also regularly offered daṇḍavat to the Lord. A prostitute who had tried to seduce the saint Haridāsa Ṭhākura ended up becoming his disciple. She then offered daṇḍavat to Haridāsa in apology. Although an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya showed respect to His mother by offering daṇḍavat to her. Evidence that offering daṇḍavat has been part of temple worship for millennia is found in ancient stone carvings throughout the huge complex of the Śrī Rangam temple of South India. Etched into the floor in various places are images of a man and a woman offering daṇḍavat side by side. As stated in the *Caitanya-caritāmṛta*,** local villagers all offered daṇḍavat to the Deity Gopala daily. Śrīla Prabhupāda also taught his followers to demonstrate surrender through the bodily act of offering daṇḍavat*,* which brings as much satisfaction today as it has for hundreds or thousands of years*,* whether one is a resident of earth or the higher planets*,* whether one is old or young*,* male or female*,* rich or poor. We might note that in some areas of India*,* modern local customs dictate that women offer only five-part obeisances or some modified form of daṇḍavat*,* rather than the full daṇḍavat described in Vedic scriptures. Such local customs have also become the norm in ISKCON*,* although evidence suggests that Prabhupāda approved of women offering daṇḍavat*,* even in later years of his time with us. For example*,* my godsister Ramaniya Devī Dāsī described for me her initiation in New Māyāpur*,* France*,* in 1976: When the first devotees were called to come up to receive their beads from Prabhupāda and recite the four regulative principles, they were bowing down in front of Prabhupāda but not full-out *Dandavats.* So Prabhupāda said that everyone should give full Dandavats when they come in front of him to receive their beads. I was the next one called to come, and I asked a godsister what I should do. Should I give *Dandavats* or not? She said, "Why not!" So I went in front of Prabhupāda and gave full *Dandavats*. A photo shows a *sari* on the floor in front of Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda had a big smile. He was very pleased with me for following his instruction. Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote to a disciple (November 15*,* 1974)*,* "You have also mentioned to repeatedly offer obeisances to your spiritual master. This is very important. A disciple should offer daṇḍavats*,* not *namaskara.* The more one becomes fixed up in *guru* obeisances*,* the more he advances in spiritual progress." I would like to see a return to the original tradition, because regardless of one’s material position, when offering daṇḍavat one truly feels the sentiment expressed by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his *Bhajana Rahasya:* > yo ’ham mamasti yat kiṣcid > iha loke paratra ca > tat sarvam bhavato ’dyaiva > caranesu samarpitam “Myself and whatever little I possess in this world and in the next—all this I now offer unto Your [Kṛṣṇa’s] lotus feet.” The *Skanda Purana* states: “A person who bows down before Lord Visnu is glorified on Visnuloka for a period of time equal to a thousand years multiplied by the number of particles of dust that decorated his body as he bowed down.” (Quoted in *Hari-bhakti-vilasa* 8.371) And Rūpa Gosvami tells us that such a practice gives this result: “The person who has once offered respects, bowing down before the Deity, will not come back to this world, because he will go directly to the abode of Kṛṣṇa.” (*The Nectar of Devotion,* Chapter 9) *Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya* states: “A devotee who falls down to the ground to offer daṇḍavat obeisances to Lord Visnu drops all his sins at that spot. They will never rise from there again.” What is perhaps astonishing is this statement: “A hypocrite who makes a show of bowing down before Lord Kṛṣṇa, who holds the Sarnga bow, becomes purified of hundreds of sins. His sins are destroyed in a moment.” (*Hari-bhakti-vilasa* 8.370) We should not be surprised at such wonderful results*,* for Kṛṣṇa Himself has said in the *Gita* (9.34)*,* “Engage your mind always in thinking of Me*,* become My devotee*,* offer obeisances to Me*,* and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me*,* surely you will come to Me.” Externally*,* the act of offering daṇḍavat may seem simple and even ritualistic. But performed with attention and care*,* it binds the loving soul and the beloved Lord in an eternal union of loving surrender. *Urmila Devī Dāsī, a BTG associate editor, has a Ph.D. in educational leadership from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.* Dr. Best Learn to Read*, her three-part series to teach reading to children, is available at the Krishna.com Store.* ## Sickness: A Friend and Teacher *By Vamsi Vihari Dāsa* *Though illness may restrict or halt our normal spiritual activities, it can provide spiritual benefits we might not otherwise gain.* After seven days of sickness, malarial fever had broken me down to the bones, and loss of appetite and hallucinations added miseries. I struggled to practice my daily chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. But in those seven days I gained in ways that would not have been possible had I not been sick. We have to accept the truth that we will inevitably fall sick. Lord Kṛṣṇa explains in *Bhagavad-gītā* (8.15) that suffering is in the nature of this world. So whoever we may be, we can't be too optimistic about living a disease-free life. But the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness can help us avoid emotional breakdown while we are sick, provided we keep our attitude right. Besides the physical distress, we dislike sickness because it puts us off our routine life. Our lives tend to center on a particular activity, like a business or a service, and any hindrance to that is perceived as a threat to our sustenance. My illness threatened my spiritual life, so when I fell sick I asked myself, “Why do we assume that only good health is favorable to serving Kṛṣṇa? Can we not serve when sickness forces us to be less active?” Sickness need not be nondevotional; it can be highly spiritual. Devotional service is described as *apratihata*, or uninterrupted in any circumstance. In other words, no material situation is powerful enough to obstruct devotional service. Though our bodies and their sicknesses are material, devotional service is transcendental to them. Sickness might inactivate our body, but by choosing the proper attitude we can act on the platform of soul. We have examples. The Gautiya Vaisnava saint Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanted many holy names of Kṛṣṇa daily even as old age was stealing his strength. And even on his deathbed, Śrīla Prabhupāda continued his devotional service of translating *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam*. [See the "Śrīla Prabhupāda's Example."] *Seeing Kṛṣṇa’s Purpose* If we can understand why Kṛṣṇa is putting us in this predicament, the bitterness of sickness can reduce or even turn into sweetness. We have to be convinced that Kṛṣṇa is our best friend (*Gita* 5.29) and does not send us unnecessary suffering. Since time immemorial we have loaded our existence with a boundless burden of sinful activities. That burden is a barrier in our journey toward Kṛṣṇa (*Gita* 7.28). To bring us back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa needs to purify our existence—sometimes by giving good health and allowing us to perform various devotional services, and sometimes by giving us sickness and suffering. Just as fire purifies gold, the fire of suffering purifies us of sinful reactions. Sickness also teaches us important lessons not only critical for our internal growth but difficult to learn otherwise. One of my devotee friends shared his realization that Kṛṣṇa takes the risk of being blamed: "Oh! I am trying to serve You, Kṛṣṇa, and You are giving me problems. What kind of God are You?" But as a true well-wisher, Kṛṣṇa is concerned not about being blamed but about ending our material existence as soon as possible. Of course, during difficulties He also provides the strength we need to endure. Like a doctor intent on healing a patient, Kṛṣṇa works hard to purify us. Accepting His ways without complaint and blame encourages Him to continue His treatment, whereas an uncooperative attitude may encourage Him to stop. Therefore, we should be grateful that Kṛṣṇa is spending so much of His energy for our benefit. *Learning Humility* Sickness humbles us. We may normally be very active, but sickness puts a break on our activity. We may be proud of our abilities and strengths, but sickness reveals our total dependence on Kṛṣṇa for these. Sickness can reveal the true level of our spiritual connection by showing whether our foundation is shallow or deep—that is, based on a genuine desire to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness in any circumstance. If we are open, we may find the revelation humbling, which in spiritual life is helpful. So, illness can be a turning point in our life. We may understand that we have forced Kṛṣṇa to put us into this predicament to take us out of the illusion that life in the material world is "the good life." During sickness, our reduced activity and daily spiritual practices and our increased dependence on others may humble us in front of friends and peers, hurting our false ego. But, for Kṛṣṇa, our purification and reconnection with Him take priority over protecting our false ego. Years ago I read the poem "Reduced," by Satsvarūpa Dāsa Goswami: My list of Things to Do falls to the side. All I do is rest. Yet one cry to Kṛṣṇa is worth a hundred days of marching in pride. Sickness can become a golden opportunity for us to realize our smallness and helplessness and take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. *Developing Relationships* Good health may give us a feeling that we are independent and don't need others' help. That attitude is unhealthy for spiritual life. To cure it, Kṛṣṇa mercifully takes away our health, and we are forced to accept our dependency on others for such basic activities as eating, cleaning our body, taking medicine, and moving around. I used to have the attitude that if I am not taking service from others, then others should not expect service from me. Sickness breaks this solid rock of impersonalism and selfishness. Taking care of others is an essential element of Vaisnava behavior. It leads to gratitude and helps us develop good relationships. Taking service from others humbles us and inspires us to serve them in return. We realize the futility of our own strengths, and we realize our need for others in maintaining even our material life, what to speak of our spiritual life. Sometimes our hectic daily routine doesn't allow us to come close to people at work or in our personal life. But sickness provides an opportunity to understand our need for people and their prayers. When we are sick, devotees, especially, open their hearts and pray for our welfare. Sickness can bring devotees closer to each other. When someone is sick and most in need of our service, that is a good time to show him or her our love. For five years I was fortunate to serve sick devotees in our temple. I witnessed many friendships beginning and flourishing during that time. When we please others, especially devotees of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa bestows His unlimited mercy. He always wants to serve His devotees, and when He sees that we are helping Him do so, He becomes obliged to us. Sickness can also contribute to relationships by helping us develop empathy. As the saying goes, "A barren woman can't understand the pain of childbirth." Our own sickness can help us feel the suffering of others when they are sick and can inspire us to offer them service in friendship. *Turning Knowledge into Realization* In an incident from the *Mahābhārata,* someone asked Yudhisthira, the king of Hastinapur, to tell the most amazing thing in this world. "Every moment we see that others are dying," he replied, "but we think we will never die." We are no exception to the inevitability of death, though we may tend to forget it time and again. When things are going well, old age and death seem irrelevant or far away from us. Sickness, especially chronic, bursts the illusory bubble that things will go smoothly forever. Pariksit Mahārāja, the last heir of the Pandu dynasty, learned that he would die in seven days. Someday we may be informed, "You have only four months left" or "Now you have to live with this disease." Di*s*ea*s*e reveal*s* our attachment*s*. Are we happy that Kṛṣṇa i*s* purifying u*s*? Or we are di*s*turbed that we will lo*s*e our body and thing*s* related to it? One day we'll have to leave everything behind. Sickne*s**s* give*s* a glimp*s*e of the inevitable and provide*s* an opportunity to prepare. The Śrī Vai*s*nava king Kula*s*ekhara wrote, "My Lord Kṛṣṇa, I pray that the *s*wan of my mind may immediately *s*ink down to the *s*tem*s* of the lotu*s* feet of Your Lord*s*hip and be locked in their network; otherwi*s*e at the time of my final breath, when my throat i*s* choked up with cough, how will it be po*s**s*ible to think of You?" Each one of us should aspire for such Kṛṣṇa consciousness and liberation from bodily consciousness. *Feel Kṛṣṇa’s Love* Lord Kṛṣṇa explains in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (7.16) that distress helps one take shelter of Him. A devotee of Kṛṣṇa doesn't wait to become sick to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, but when he becomes sick he tries to see Kṛṣṇa’s mercy in the whole affair. Rather than focusing on our dwindling body, if we somehow become spiritually aware we may feel Kṛṣṇa’s presence and love in difficult times. Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees do that by chanting a fixed number of Kṛṣṇa’s names every day, even in illness if possible. By practicing such spiritual activities, we realize that Kṛṣṇa is our mother, father, and best friend. We have to remember that if Kṛṣṇa is allowing something to happen to us, it must be good. I have met devotees who feel that the best time of their Kṛṣṇa conscious lives was when they were going through some difficulty. Not finding any other shelter, they intensely took Kṛṣṇa’s shelter and felt His presence more evidently than at any other time. That’s why Kunti Devi, the glorious mother of the Pandavas, prayed to Kṛṣṇa for more and more calamities. "Because," she reasoned, "calamities inspire me to see Your lotus face, which means I'll no longer see the face of repeated birth and death." We need not imitate Kunti Devi by asking for more hardship, however; our destined calamities should be enough for us to turn to Kṛṣṇa. *Taking Care of the Body* Because our body is an instrument with which to perform devotional service, taking care of it is not a material activity. Anything used in the service of the Lord is spiritualized. Besides, our body is God's property, and that's another reason we should take care of it. The *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* relates an instructive incident in this regard. Sanatana Gosvami once had pus-oozing boils all over his body. Ignoring them, Lord Caitanya embraced Sanatana. Disgusted, Sanatana decided to commit suicide by throwing himself under the wheels of Lord Jagannatha's chariot during the Rathayatra festival. When Lord Caitanya came to know of Sanatana's intentions, He rebuked Sanatana: "Your body belongs to Me. And one who destroys someone else's property is considered a thief." Therefore, we should not think that unless we do something physically we cannot contribute to the society of devotees. Sickness is inevitable for everyone, sooner or later. During sickness we can keep our spirits high and be grateful. By doing this we can set an example for others by turning our sickness into a sweet blessing. What could be a better service than inspiring others in spiritual life? If we regain our health, we need not imitate Kunti Devi and invite sickness again, but neither should we regret our period of sickness, complain about it, or blame Kṛṣṇa. We can start appreciating spiritual things we might otherwise have taken cheaply. That attitude will open for us the doors of the spiritual world, where there is no birth, death, old age, or disease. *Vamsi Vihari Dāsa is the assistant editor of* Bhagavad-darshan, *the Hindi edition of BTG.* ## Śrīla Prabhupāda's Example July 1977: Working on *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam,* he was completely transcendental to his physical condition, despite the accompanying heart palpitations and despite his faint voice and general weakness. Even to sit was difficult, and yet once he began working, nothing could stop him. Speaking into the hand microphone of his dictating machine, oblivious to his bodily condition, Prabhupāda described patiently and methodically how Nanda Mahārāja's family priest, Gargamuni, performed the name-giving ceremony for baby Kṛṣṇa. In his purports, Śrīla Prabhupāda often spoke from his personal experiences and realizations. —*Śrīla Prabhupāda Lilamrta* (Vol. 6, Chapter 8) ## Book Excerpt *Karma-yoga in the Bhagavad-gītā* *By Viśākhā devī dāsī* After hearing what seem to be contradictory instructions, Arjuna asks Lord Kṛṣṇa for clarification. This article was adapted from *Bhagavad-gītā: A Photographic Essay,* which won a bronze medal in the inspirational/spiritual category at the 2011 Independent Publisher Book Awards (USA). The book is a summary study of Śrīla Prabhupāda's *Bhagavad-gītā As It Is,* from which the verse translations and the commentary were drawn, either verbatim or paraphrased, with permission from the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. *In Chapter Three of the* Bhagavad-gītā, *the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, explains karma-yoga to Arjuna.* Karma-yoga *is work (*karma*) that's done with God consciousness (*yoga*). When we work with this attitude—that is, when we're dutiful and unattached to the results of our work and dedicate our work to Kṛṣṇa—we become free from the good and bad results our acts. In this way (as explained later in the* Gita*) we gradually come to the point of acting only for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure, which is known as* bhakti-yoga, *or pure devotional service on the spiritual platform.* In chapter three Kṛṣṇa also discusses our desire for sense gratification and how it's the greatest obstacle to our spiritual progress. Arjuna is confused. Kṛṣṇa has told him to control his senses and become detached, perhaps indicating that Kṛṣṇa consciousness means inaction. Yet the Lord also said that Arjuna should fight. As a sincere student, Arjuna asks for clarification: “O Kṛṣṇa, why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work?” One cannot even maintain one's physical body without work. But work done for sense gratification has a reaction, either good or bad, and any reaction binds the performer. “Therefore, O Arjuna,” Kṛṣṇa says, “perform your prescribed duties for My satisfaction, and in that way always remain free from bondage.” To attain this exalted stage, Arjuna should act as a matter of duty, without being attached to the fruits of his activities; he should fight in the battle for the interest of Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa wants him to fight. Arjuna's idea to be a good or nonviolent man is a personal attachment, but for him to act on behalf of the Supreme is to act without attachment to the result. That is perfect action, recommended by the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, and it is transcendental to all reactions. “Whatever action a great person performs, common people follow. And whatever standards that person sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues. “As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, the learned person may similarly act, but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path. “Therefore, O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me, without desires for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free from lethargy, fight.” Kṛṣṇa has several times asked Arjuna to be dutiful and detached, but here for the first time He asks Arjuna to fight with devotion. He then describes the result of acting in this way. “Persons who execute their duties according to My injunctions and who follow this teaching faithfully, without envy, become free from the bondage of fruitive actions. But those who, out of envy, disregard these teachings and do not follow them are bereft of all knowledge, befooled, and ruined in their endeavors for perfection.” The simple qualification of firm faith in the eternal injunctions of the Lord, even by a beginner who's unable to execute such injunctions, qualifies one to become liberated from *karma*. In the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one may not fully discharge the injunctions of the Lord, but because one is not resentful of this principle and works sincerely, without consideration of defeat and hopelessness, one will surely be promoted to the stage of pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa doesn't want Arjuna to give up his duties abruptly, but to remain in his position and try to become God conscious. In this way he will gradually become detached from all kinds of sensual activities. Arjuna: “O Kṛṣṇa, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force?” The Supreme Lord: “It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world. The wise living entity's pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.” When living entities come in contact with the material creation, their eternal love for Kṛṣṇa is transformed into lust. When lust is unsatisfied, it turns into wrath; wrath is transformed into illusion, and illusion continues the material existence. Therefore, lust is the greatest enemy of the living entity, and it is lust only that induces the pure living entity to remain entangled in this material world. “The senses, mind, and intelligence are the sitting places of this lust. Through these, lust covers the real knowledge of the living entities and bewilders them. Therefore, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin, lust, by regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization.” When love of God deteriorates into lust, it's very difficult to return to the normal, God conscious condition; but it is possible by devotional service to the Supreme Lord, in which the soul is directly engaged with the Supreme. Then the soul's subordinates—the intelligence, mind, and senses—will be similarly engaged. “Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to the material senses, mind, and intelligence, O mighty-armed Arjuna, one should steady the mind by deliberate spiritual intelligence and thus—by spiritual strength—conquer this insatiable enemy known as lust.” If lust is transformed into love for the Supreme, or transformed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness—in other words, desiring everything for Kṛṣṇa—then lust can be spiritualized and thus conquered. In summary, Arjuna's desire for sense gratification is his greatest enemy, but by dedicating his work to Kṛṣṇa (*karma-yoga*), he could control his senses, mind, and intelligence and thus gradually become transcendentally situated. *Visakha Devī Dāsī has been contributing articles and photographs to BTG for almost forty years. She and her husband, Yaduvara Dāsa, have lived at Saranagati Village, a Hare Kṛṣṇa community in British Columbia, Canada, since 1999. For more information, visit her website: http://our-spiritual-journey.com.* ## From the Editor *By the Light of the Full Moon* One of the most important principles underpinning the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is reliance on spiritual authority. Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently pointed out that whatever he taught came from previous spiritual masters in his line and from the Vedic scriptures, especially quintessential Vaisnava scriptures like the *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam.* He insisted he was not presenting any new ideas but was passing on Lord Kṛṣṇa’s teachings as they had been delivered down through the centuries by His representatives. We recently received a set of questions from a student preparing a paper for a course called World Religions in America. The first question was "Who is the founder of this religion?" For us, the answer is not so simple. Four possible answers quickly come to mind: The founder of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is (1) Kṛṣṇa or (2) Caitanya Mahāprabhu or (3) Śrīla Prabhupāda. Or (4) there is no founder, because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the eternal religion of all souls. To avoid confusion, we sometimes refer to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness as "the modern-day Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement." In a sense, Prabhupāda started a religion when he incorporated ISKCON. But to assume that he invented new religious ideas is mistaken. He created a home in America for the eternal religion. We sometimes apply the term "the founder of the modern-day Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement" to someone else: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This too makes sense, since the flavor of devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa that Śrīla Prabhupāda delivered is distinctively that revealed by Lord Caitanya. Devotees in ISKCON are Gaudiya ("Bengali") Vaisnavas or, more accurately, Caitanya Vaisnavas. According to the *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* and other scriptures, Lord Kṛṣṇa descended as Caitanya Mahāprabhu about five hundred years ago to show us how to follow the eternal religion of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa in the current age, Kali-yuga. Lord Caitanya taught that the chief practice of the religion of devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in Kali-yuga is the congregational chanting of the names of God (*sankirtana*), especially the *maha-mantra:* Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the founder of the *sankirtana* movement, another name for the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This issue of *Back to Godhead* corresponds with the anniversary of the day on which Lord Caitanya arrived on earth. Members of ISKCON, along with millions of other Caitanya Vaisnavas, celebrate that day as Śrī Gaura Pūrnima. "Gaura," meaning "golden," is a name for Caitanya because of His glowing golden complexion. And Pūrnima means "the full moon," as He appeared on a full-moon day. The full moon is a fitting metaphor for the religion Lord Caitanya "founded." Whenever I drive to the temple before dawn under a full moon, I'm always amazed by how much I can see under the moonlight alone. While Lord Kṛṣṇa revealed much about Himself when He was present on earth five thousand years ago, when He came as Caitanya Mahāprabhu He shined a brilliant light that revealed intimate aspects of Himself never seen before. He didn't invent anything new; He just showed us more of the eternally existing spiritual reality. —Nagaraja Dāsa ## Vedic Thoughts The Absolute Truth is there, just as the sun is there for everyone to see. The sun does not hide, but a person can try to hide from the sun by closing his door. One must open the door in order to see the sun. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is there, God is there, and we have to come to Kṛṣṇa and take the lessons of *Bhagavad-gītā* to learn who and what God is. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda *Teachings of Lord Kapila,* Chapter 13 When someone engages in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service for the satisfaction of the senses and instead acquires a taste for serving Kṛṣṇa, he gives up his material desires and willingly offers himself as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu *Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā* 22.41 Since the primeval Personality of Godhead is easily attained by offering Him such things as leaves, flowers, fruits, and water, which are all found without difficulty, why does one need to endeavor for liberation separately? *Nrsimha Purana* (Quoted in *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 10.14.4, Purport) It is firmly declared that the steady adherence of transcendentalists to their respective spiritual positions constitutes real piety and that sin occurs when a transcendentalist neglects his prescribed duty. One who adopts this standard of piety and sin, sincerely desiring to give up all past association with sense gratification, is able to subdue materialistic activities, which are by nature impure. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 11.20.26 My dear Vaisnava, seeing a person like you is the perfection of one’s eyesight, touching your lotus feet is the perfection of the sense of touch, and glorifying your good qualities is the tongue’s real activity, for in the material world it is very difficult to find a pure devotee of the Lord. *Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya* 13.2 The Lord is the eye of the eye and the ear of the ear. *Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad* 4.4.18 Just as the fire of digestion, from the moment food is eaten, begins digesting it but completes the process after nine or twelve hours, so from the beginning of devotional practice, *bhakti* begins to destroy material life in the form of lamentation and illusion but completes the process of destruction only after some time. Thus even at the stage of practice, when lamentation and illusion have not been destroyed, one should not consider the devotee to be in *samsara,* the cycle of birth and death. Śrīla Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhākura Commentary on *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 3.25.33 ## In Honor of Śrī Gaura Pūrnima *The Appearance Anniversary of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu* In the month of January in the year 1406 of the Saka Era (A.D. 1485), Lord Kṛṣṇa entered the bodie*s* of both Jagannatha Mi*s*ra and Saci. Jagannatha Mi*s*ra *s*aid to Sacimata, “I *s*ee wonderful thing*s*! Your body i*s* effulgent, and it appear*s* a*s* if the godde*s**s* of fortune were now *s*taying per*s*onally in my home. Anywhere and everywhere I go, all people offer me re*s*pect. Even without my a*s*king, they voluntarily give me riche*s*, clothing, and paddy.” Sacimata told her husband, “I see wonderfully brilliant human beings appearing in outer space, as if offering prayers.” Jagannatha Mi*s*ra then replied, “In a dream I *s*aw the effulgent abode of the Lord enter my heart. From my heart it entered your heart. I therefore under*s*tand that a great per*s*onality will *s*oon take birth.” After thi*s* conver*s*ation, both hu*s*band and wife were very jubilant, and together they rendered *s*ervice to the hou*s*ehold **s*alagrama-*s*ila.* In thi*s* way the pregnancy approached it*s* thirteenth month, but *s*till there wa*s* no *s*ign of the delivery of the child. Thu*s* Jagannatha Mi*s*ra became greatly apprehen*s*ive. Nilambara Cakravarti [the grandfather of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu] then did an a*s*trological calculation and *s*aid that in that very month, taking advantage of an au*s*piciou*s* moment, the child would take birth. Thu*s* in the year 1407 of the Saka Era [A.D. 1486], in the month of Phalguna [February-March], in the evening of the full-moon day, the de*s*ired au*s*piciou*s* moment arrived. [According to the *Jyotir-veda*, or Vedic a*s*trology, the au*s*piciou*s* birth moment i*s* de*s*cribed a*s* follow*s*:] The moon wa*s* in Leo [the figure of the lion in the zodiac], Leo wa*s* the a*s*cendant, *s*everal planet*s* were *s*trongly po*s*itioned, and the *s*at-varga and a*s*ta-varga *s*howed all-au*s*piciou*s* influence*s*. When the *s*potle*s**s* moon of Caitanya Mahāprabhu became vi*s*ible, what would be the need for a moon full of black mark*s* on it*s* body? Con*s*idering thi*s*, Rahu, the black planet, covered the full moon, and immediately vibration*s* of “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Hari!” inundated the three world*s*. All people thus chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa *maha-mantra* during the lunar eclipse, and their minds were struck with wonder. When the whole world was thus chanting the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa in the form of Gaurahari advented Himself on the earth. The whole world was pleased. While the Hindus chanted the holy name of the Lord, the non-Hindus, especially the Muslims, jokingly imitated the words. While all the ladies vibrated the holy name of Hari on earth, in the heavenly planets dancing and music were going on, for the demigods were very curious. In this atmosphere, all the ten directions became jubilant, as did the waves of the rivers. Moreover, all beings, moving and nonmoving, were overwhelmed with transcendental bliss. Thus by His causeless mercy the full moon, Gaurahari, rose in the district of Nadia, which is compared to Udayagiri, where the sun first becomes visible. His rising in the sky dissipated the darkness of sinful life, and thus the three worlds became joyful and chanted the holy name of the Lord. —*Śrī Caitanya-caritrmrta, Adi-līlā* 13.80–98