# Back to Godhead Magazine #47 *2013 (04)* Back to Godhead Magazine #47-04, 2013 PDF-View ## Welcome Understanding that God is the oldest person of all, artists in the West have traditionally depicted Him as an old man. But as Śrīla Prabhupāda explains in his lecture opening this issue, God is not like us: He never grows old; His spiritual body is eternally youthful. He is Lord Kṛṣṇa, the transcendental cowherd boy, as confirmed by scriptures honored by saints and sages for thousands of years. We devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa look for opportunities to introduce Him to others. One devotee in the Indian state of Maharashtra found an innovative way to do that, as you'll see in his article "The Launch of the Hare Kṛṣṇa Express." A large-scale effort to connect people with Kṛṣṇa took place in another part of India this year. Read about it in "The Hare Kṛṣṇa Experience at the Kumbha Mela." The ISKCON camp at the great festival hosted thousands of pilgrims daily. Big things are also happening in Chennai, where devotees have built a gorgeous temple in the beach-resort area of South India's most modern city. In "A Colorful Spectacle Showcased in White Splendor," Tarini Rādhā Devī Dāsī gives us a tour and tells us how the temple came to be. Hare Kṛṣṇa. —*Nagaraja Dāsa, Editor* ## Letters *Greetings from Alaska* I look forward to each issue of BTG magazine. I'm especially interested in articles on how cities/towns started centers. I live in Wasilla, Alaska, and down the road I hope there will be a center or a group here, and I want to be involved and supportive. I'm a "one-year-old devotee," and I have so much to learn. I'm grateful for the magazine and for your store website, from which I've bought books, posters, and CDs. Maybe in a future issue you could have an article about appropriate ways to do things, like taking one's shoes off (which is obvious if one goes to a temple, but not obvious if one is in a town far from a temple). Also, maybe articles about how individuals live their beliefs if they are far from a center or temple. Keep up the good work! Rosemary Vavrin Wasilla, Alaska *Liberation and Devotion* I would like to hear your opinion on the following, which was given by someone in response to the question "What is the method to liberate oneself from life and death?" "Due to the actions performed, the body has to undergo transmigration and a vale of sufferings. Humans can liberate themselves only when they realize the eternal truth and the Supreme God in their heart. The Supreme God is formless, but He can be attained by devotion, faith, and pure love. A person who realizes Him becomes immortal and is freed from the vicious cycle of life and death." Jayatkumar Dhruv Via the Internet *Our reply:* The quote is exactly right except for one very important point: The Supreme God is not formless. How can one have devotion and love for something formless? The Supreme Personality of Godhead has a beautiful form of *sat, cit,* and *ananda* (eternity, knowledge, and bliss), and every living entity has an innate loving relationship with Him that can be awakened by devotion, faith, and pure love. We demonstrate that devotion—and develop faith and pure love—by rendering service to the Lord and His devotees without personal attachment or desire and with surrender to the guidance of the scripture and the *guru*. In this way one can be freed from the vicious cycle of birth and death. We are stuck in the material world because we are held tightly by the glue of our desire to enjoy separately from the Lord. We don't understand that our real happiness can come only from pleasing Him with our loving devotional service. When we please Him, we automatically become happy without separate endeavor. When we have no desire to enjoy the material body in the material world, then we are fit to return to the spiritual world, and we become free from *saMsara,* the wheel of birth and death. *Finding Eternal Peace* I just have one question: Do you believe that if a person is humble, thankful, good to their fellow human beings, does not lie, does not steal, and fights their inner demons every day to try and lead a good life—will they be worthy in the eyes of God to find eternal peace? Ciara Audrey Via the Internet *Our reply:* The person you describe will be worthy to find eternal peace in the eyes of God only if he or she specifically seeks to develop a relationship with God. The Lord, seeing the divine qualities mentioned above, will certainly guide and assist such a person in developing that relationship; however, love is voluntary and requires the conscious and willing participation of both parties. Therefore this humble, thankful, and good person will have to actively seek out a loving relationship with the Lord in order to achieve the eternal peace that comes only from deep reciprocation with the Lord in a loving exchange. *Overcoming Spiritual Boredom* How can constant, moment-to-moment Kṛṣṇa consciousness be made not boring or bitter? V.I. Shah Via the Internet *Our reply:* One does not remember and serve Kṛṣṇa in a vacuum. Devotional service to Kṛṣṇa has unlimited varieties and opportunities, and there are networks of devotees all over the world with whom you can connect both by computer and in person. The basic idea is to think of Kṛṣṇa and offer the fruits of one's work to Him. You can offer Him the fruits of whatever you are doing daily, and that is being Kṛṣṇa conscious. Of course, for a devotee there are certain regulations to follow to stay pure and sinless. However, besides these few restrictions there are many wonderful and exciting things to do for Kṛṣṇa. There are festivals and feasts almost daily at Kṛṣṇa’s temples, many enlightening books to read, melodic and soothing *kirtanas,* and services galore. So if you are finding Kṛṣṇa consciousness boring or bitter, please connect with other devotees and find new and different ways to bring Kṛṣṇa into your life and to engage in His service. *Junk Food Blues* Does the food we eat have any effect on our thoughts? When I eat junk food, I feel that it affects my chanting. If that is so, then what should I eat? Ankur Wahi Via the Internet *Our reply:* Your realizations are proof of the ill effects of eating food not prepared in devotion. Grains cooked by nondevotees have very harmful effects on the consciousness. Best to prepare your own meals and offer them in devotion. You are what you eat, as they say. Śrīla Prabhupāda didn't want us eating anything prepared by nondevotees. How can we offer junk foods to Kṛṣṇa and think that He is really accepting them? The whole idea is to change our consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that starts with the tongue—eating only Kṛṣṇa *prasada* and chanting His holy name. Take the time to prepare nice food, fresh and filled with devotion. Kṛṣṇa will surely accept your offering of that food and enter into it. Then it will be purifying, and not contaminating. *Replies were written by Krishna.com Live Help volunteers. Please write to us at: BTG, P.O. Box 430, Alachua, Florida 32616, USA. Email: [email protected].* Founder's Lecture: Kṛṣṇa, the Ever Youthful Cowherd Boy New York City, December 5, 1966 Founder-*Ācārya* of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness *Rejecting speculative conceptions of God, Caitanya Mahāprabhu cites authoritative scriptural descriptions of God's personal characteristics.* > kṛṣṇera svarūpa-vicāra śuna, sanātana > advaya-jñāna-tattva, vraje vrajendra-nandana > sarva-ādi, sarva-aṁśī, kiśora-śekhara > cid-ānanda-deha, sarvāśraya, sarveśvara > īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ > sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ > anādir ādir govindaḥ > sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam “O Sanatana, please hear about the eternal form of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He is the Absolute Truth, devoid of duality but present in Vṛndāvana as the son of Nanda Mahārāja. Kṛṣṇa is the original source of everything and the sum total of everything. He appears as the supreme youth, and His whole body is composed of spiritual bliss. He is the shelter of everything and master of everyone. 'Kṛṣṇa, who is known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes.'" —*Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya* 20.152–154 Lord Caitanya is describing the personal feature of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The impersonal feature of Lord Kṛṣṇa, as described in the *Bhagavad-gītā,* is the manifestation of His material energy. The personal feature, now being described by Lord Caitanya in the *Caitanya-caritāmṛta,* is His spiritual feature. We have already studied in the *Bhagavad-gītā* that the Lord has two distinct features: material and spiritual, or inferior and superior. Of course, for Him there is no superior or inferior. But for us there is superior or inferior. We cannot say that because everything is an emanation from the Supreme there is no superior or inferior. No. There is superior energy and inferior energy. For example, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, *isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati:* "Isvara, the Supreme Lord, is situated in everyone's heart." (*Gita* 18.61) He is in the heart of a hog, of a dog, and of the learned *brahmana* as well. For Him there is no discrimination—what is a hog, what is a dog, what is a *brahmana*, what is good, what is bad—because He is absolute. But we have to distinguish between the hog and the dog, at least as far as the material body is concerned. Lord Caitanya is addressing Sanatana Gosvami. You'll remember that this chapter, "Instructions to Sanatana Gosvami," was begun when Sanatana Gosvami, after his retirement, approached the Lord at Benares, surrendered himself, and asked Him, "What am I?" In reply to that question, Lord Caitanya is describing the living entity's relationship with Kṛṣṇa. The *jivatma,* the living entity, is eternally the servitor of Kṛṣṇa. One should understand the nature of one's master so that one's service attitude and affection may be more intimate. Suppose I am serving at a place. I am engaged in a service to a master but do not know how great my master is. But when I understand the influence and opulence and greatness of my master, I become more devoted: "Oh, my master is so great." Simply knowing "God is great and I have some relationship with God" is not sufficient. You must know how great He is. Of course, you cannot calculate fully, but as far as possible you should know how great He is. Lord Kṛṣṇa’s greatness is being described here by Lord Caitanya to His disciple Sanatana Gosvami. *Advaya-jnana-tattva, vraje vrajendra-nandana. Advaya-jnana-tattva* means that Kṛṣṇa is absolute. He is not relative. Here everything is relative, but God means the Absolute. He has nothing to be dependent upon. Here we are all dependent. To understand light we have to understand darkness. To understand good we have to understand bad. Here everything is duality. But Kṛṣṇa is absolute. That is the first understanding—that there is no duality in Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, His name, His fame, His pastimes, His qualities, His associates—everything is one. Always remember, in Kṛṣṇa one plus one equals one. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s name. That is the nature of the Absolute. We have experience here that the thing and the name of the thing are different, dual. Here is a glass of water. Suppose I am thirsty. I want a glass of water. But if I say "water, water, water, water," that will not quench my thirst. I must have the thing, water, and then it will act. But Kṛṣṇa is *advaya-jnana.* So when we hear Kṛṣṇa’s name, then we should understand that "Kṛṣṇa is before me in His sound vibration. He is present before me in sound because He is everything." Why would sound not be Kṛṣṇa? If He is everything, sound is also Kṛṣṇa. That characteristic is called *advaya-jnana.* Similarly, *Bhagavad-gītā* is also Kṛṣṇa. We should respect everything, seeing its relationship to Kṛṣṇa. When we enter the temple of Kṛṣṇa, we should understand that we are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. Everything in relationship to Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa. Devotees in the higher conception of Kṛṣṇa consciousness see nothing except Kṛṣṇa. That is not to be imitated. Matter is the energy of Kṛṣṇa. Since energy and the energetic are not different, the higher devotee sees Kṛṣṇa even in the material world. For such a devotee, there is no matter; everything is spiritual. For Kṛṣṇa there is no distinction between matter and spirit, but in our conditioned stage we have the conception of superior and inferior. But when we are in the higher stage of the Absolute Truth, when we are actually in pure devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, then we will see that everything is Kṛṣṇa. For example, we respect *kṛṣṇa-*prasada*,* food prepared for and offered to Kṛṣṇa. We offer obeisances before taking **prasada*.* Why? Because the *prasada* is Kṛṣṇa. By taking *prasada* I am contacting Kṛṣṇa. By hearing Kṛṣṇa I am contacting Kṛṣṇa. By working for Kṛṣṇa I am contacting Kṛṣṇa. He is the Absolute. *An Eternal, Blissful Body* Lord Caitanya says, *Kṛṣṇa advaya-jnana-tattva:* "Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth." *Vraje vrajendra-nandana.* In the abode called Vraja or Kṛṣṇa loka or Vṛndāvana, He has His devotees as His father and mother. He is just like a sixteen-year-old boy, Vrajendra-nandana. That is the real feature of Kṛṣṇa. You will never find Kṛṣṇa as a very old man. No. Kṛṣṇa’s body is *sac-cid-ananda*—eternal and full of knowledge and bliss. He holds a flute in His hand and always looks just like a fresh sixteen-year-old boy—**kaisora*. Kaisora* means from ten to sixteen years of age. And after the sixteenth year, youth, or *yauvana,* begins. Kṛṣṇa is always in His *kaisora* *avastha,* which means that He appears just like a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy, Vrajendra-nandana. But at the same time, as Lord Caitanya says in the next verse, He is *sarva-adi*: the origin of everything, whatever you see either in the material world or in spiritual world. He is the oldest, but you will see Him as young. In the *Brahma-saṁhitā* (5.33) you will find Kṛṣṇa described as *advaita* and **acyuta*.* *Advaita* means absolute, and *acyuta* means infallible, or Brahman. He is Parambrahman. We are also Brahman, spirit, but we have fallen down into this material condition. But Kṛṣṇa never falls down into the material condition. When He appears before us, don't think, "He is also a fallen soul like me." The fools consider like that. *Avajananti mam mudha* (*Gita* 9.11). *Mudha* means fools. The fools consider Kṛṣṇa an ordinary man. *Param bhavam ajanantah.* The fools do not know of the immense potency of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they think of Kṛṣṇa as one of us. Kṛṣṇa is *sarva-adi,* the primal. And *sarva-amsi* means He is the original of whom everything else is part. We are also part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, just as the hand is part of the body. We can understand the concept of part and whole. He is the whole, and everything else is His part. Kṛṣṇa is *kisora-sekhara,* "the supreme boy." He is just like a fresh boy, but He is the Supreme. *Cid-ananda-deha:* He has a spiritual body. Just mark this description of Kṛṣṇa: *cid-ananda-deha. Cid-ananda-deha* means a transcendental, spiritual body, not this material body. Less intelligent persons cannot think of a personal God. They think that personality can refer only to a material body. They cannot find out the shape of the spirit soul. It is so small that with material eyes and material instruments you cannot find out the shape of the soul. Therefore they conclude that it has no shape. For example, in geometry the point is defined as having no length and no breadth, because a point cannot be measured by any human instrument. But nothing can be without shape. Even the atom has its measurement. But because we have no power to measure something, we set its measurement aside, dismiss it: "Oh, there is nothing." And we foolishly conclude, "Because we do not know what is spirit and we think spirit is something that is just the opposite of matter, which has form, therefore spirit should be formless." But actually it is not so. We therefore require to learn from the authority. Lord Caitanya says, *cid-ananda-deha:* Kṛṣṇa has a transcendental, eternal body. And *sarvasraya:* He is the resting place of everything. You see before you that so many big planets and the sun are floating in the air. The sun is such a big body, some millions of times greater than the earth, and it is floating in the sky. How? Here it is explained. *Sarvasraya*: It is floating on Kṛṣṇa’s energy. *Sarvesvara,* the next word in this verse, means the Supreme Lord. Lord Caitanya is explaining everything very nicely. *Sarva-adi:* Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything. *Sarva-amsi:* He is the whole of all the parts. *Kisora-sekhara cid-ananda-deha:* He is just like a fresh boy, and His body is transcendental, spiritual, full of bliss. *Sarvasraya:* He is the resting place of everything. He is the Supreme Lord. This is the description of Kṛṣṇa. *The Authority of Scripture* As we have seen, when Lord Caitanya instructs He at once gives evidence from authoritative scripture. That is the way of presenting information about God. You should always remember that we cannot imagine things about God: "I think God is like this." This is nonsense. You have no thinking power. You are under the grip of material nature, which is pulling you by the ear. You are being influenced. It is like you've been thrown into the Atlantic Ocean. You have no power. The waves are tossing you this way and that way. You are simply struggling. That's all. How can we think we are acting independently when we are tossing in the Atlantic Ocean? Such thinking is all nonsense. We cannot imagine, we cannot concoct, ideas about God. We have to hear from authoritative scripture. Then we will understand. Here is authoritative information from the *Brahma-saṁhitā* (5.1): > isvarah paramah krsna h > sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah > anadir adir govindah > sarva-karana-karanam "Kṛṣṇa, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, and He is the prime cause of all causes." There are many lords. We have got experience. In England you will find many lords. In our youth we had some dealings with Lord Zetland, the Marquis of Zetland. In your country also there are many lords. Any rich man is a lord. In our country also there are many lords. But Kṛṣṇa is not a lord like them. These lords are under the grip of material nature. They are lord by name. But as soon as the material nature gives a slap on the lord, at once he has passed, and everything "lordship" is finished. Kṛṣṇa is not a lord like that. *Isvarah paramah.* He is a lord, but the Supreme Lord. He is not under anyone's control. Here the rubber-stamped lords are under full control. They may say, "I am the lord of all I survey," but that is foolishness. Nobody is a lord. The real Lord is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, *isvarah paramah. paramah* means Supreme. And who is that Supreme Lord? Kṛṣṇa. *Isvarah paramah krsnah.* Why is Kṛṣṇa the Supreme? Because His body is spiritual, full of bliss, and eternal—*sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah.* And He is *anadi,* without beginning. We have experience that everything has its cause. Suppose I am a lord. Then I had some cause to become a lord. Either my father was a lord, or I have accumulated some wealth, or the government has recognized me as a lord. I have become a lord under certain conditions. But Kṛṣṇa is *adi. Ādi* means He is the origin. There is nothing beyond Him. *Anadir adih.* Everything has a cause, but He has no cause. He is the Lord, but there is no cause by which He has become the Lord. When I am a lord, there is a cause. Perhaps you know that in England, if somebody becomes very rich he has to deposit some amount of money to the government, and then the government will award him the title "lord." With that huge amount of money his family will be maintained after he dies, and then the first son of the lord's family will be declared a lord. This is what I have heard. I do not know exactly. But this lord is made, recognized, by the government on deposition of some certain amount of money. The government agrees, "Yes, this family may be recognized as a lord family." In England they create aristocracy. Similarly, when the British were in India, they created many aristocrats. Kṛṣṇa is not a created, aristocratic lord. That we should know. *The Pleasure of the Senses, the Cow, and the Land* *Anadir adir govindah.* *Go*vinda is a name for Kṛṣṇa. *Go* means three things: the senses, the cow, and the land. Kṛṣṇa gives pleasure to these three things. Wherever He is present, that place becomes blissful, **ananda.* Anandamayo ’bhyasat*. The *Vedanta-sutra* (1.1.12) says that the Absolute Truth is *anandamaya,* always full of pleasure. Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of pleasure. So whenever He is present—in whichever land, in whichever country, in whichever planet He is present—that place becomes full of bliss, *ananda.* He is *Go*vinda. He is playing just like a cowherd boy, just like a sixteen-year-old boy playing with cows. His father has many cows, and He takes the cows and goes on a pleasure trip with friends. That is Kṛṣṇa’s business. He is not going to any office or any factory. You see? He goes out, and His mother gives Him sufficient to eat. After eating breakfast, He goes outside for a pleasure trip with His friends and His flute and cows. That is Kṛṣṇa’s business. Therefore He is *Go*vinda. The cows—oh!—as soon as they see Kṛṣṇa they lick His face and body. Each cow has a different name. As soon as He calls, the cow will come and drop her milk. Those cows are spiritual. That is described in the *Brahma-samhitā* (5.29): **surabhi*r abhipalayantam.* Kṛṣṇa tends *surabhi* cows. *Surabhi* cows are inexhaustible. You can milk them as much as you want. In the material world the cow is limited. There is a time when you can milk, morning and evening, and you get a certain quantity, not more than that. But you can milk *surabhi* cows anytime you like, and you can draw as much milk as you like. Kṛṣṇa is *Go*vinda. He is giving pleasure to everyone. *Go* means senses. We are seeking sense pleasure. Sense pleasure means reciprocation between two people. I want to see a beautiful girl. That means two. Or I want to see a beautiful boy. So that means two. Without two there cannot be sense pleasure. I want to eat something palatable. There must be two. At least the dish must be full of varieties. There is no actual pleasure in the impersonal. Our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, our service to Kṛṣṇa—that is pleasure. Govinda. That is real sense pleasure. Seeing Kṛṣṇa, tasting Kṛṣṇa, smelling Kṛṣṇa, touching Kṛṣṇa—that is sense pleasure. That is our real sense pleasure. Kṛṣṇa is Govinda and the cause of all causes: *sarva-karana-karanam.* Beyond Him there is no other cause. This is the description Lord Caitanya gives, and we shall gradually discuss other points. Thank you very much. Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out *Simply Bluffing in the Name of Science* *The following conversation between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and some of his disciples took place in October 1975 during an early-morning walk in Durban, South Africa.* Prabhupāda: Man came from the ape. So why is man not coming from the ape now? Disciple: It only happened once, and that was enough to start the whole thing. Prabhupāda: Only once? Another rascaldom! We see the flowers and fruits are coming every season. Why once? This is dogmatic. Do we have to accept it? Our experience is that, by nature's way, the same flower is coming again in the same field. Disciple: Well, actually Darwin said that there is a missing link. Prabhupāda: What is that missing link? Simply bluffing, and it is going on in the name of science. Just see the fun. Simply misleading, and people are such rascals—civilized man, so-called—they are accepting it as a great theory: "Darwin's theory is a very big discovery." Simply childish rascaldom. There is no reasoning. There is no sense. Man came from the monkey, they say. So why is he not coming now? Disciple: Well, sometimes there's a freak of nature. Prabhupāda: "Sometimes"—it is simply for Darwin. To support his rascaldom, nature has to serve him: "sometimes." Just see. Why should we believe all this? "Sometimes" is not nature's law. Nature's law is the same, symmetrical. Nature is not obliged to serve Mr. Darwin. "Sometimes," he said, and only he knew. The rest of us are simply supposed to believe him. "Sometimes" it was done, and it was revealed to Darwin. How did he come to know? How is it that no one but Darwin could understand? Disciple: They use the same argument against us: that so few people can understand God. Prabhupāda: No. We don't say that. We say that God first spoke to the sun-god, and the sun-god spoke to his son, Manu, and Manu spoke to Iksvaku, who spoke to his son, and in this way, the knowledge came down. *Evam parampara-praptam.* That is quite reasonable. We don't say, "God spoke to me." God spoke to Brahma, and Brahma spoke to Narada. Narada spoke to Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva spoke to others. If my forefather said to my grandfather, and my grandfather said to my father, and the same information is passed down through my family, then what is wrong? *Evam parampara-praptam.* Kṛṣṇa spoke to Arjuna, and what Arjuna understood, we are understanding in the same way. How Arjuna understood it, is written in the *Bhagavad-gītā.* We don't accept knowledge like that: "Darwin simply knew it." No. They are number-one rascals, all these so-called scientists. "There is a missing link. Only once from a monkey, man came." What is this nonsense? Do we have to believe this? Does it make any sense? But because Mr. Darwin is speaking we are expected to accept it. Disciple: Certain changes take place. Just like if you're in a hot climate all the time, your blood thins. If you take that further, all of these changes can mount up to some big physical change. Prabhupāda: No change is taking place. Nature is working symmetrically, always. The sun is rising in the morning. That has been going on for millions, millions, millions, millions of years. Disciple: Gradually the change is taking place. Prabhupāda: No. What change is taking place? In the morning the sun rises on the eastern side. That is going on. The seasonal flower changes according to the season—winter, spring, summer. Everything is going on symmetrically. Because it is going on symmetrically, we can say that next February it will be a nice season here. Why? Because you have your own experience of last February. We are certain that the same thing will happen next February. Therefore we can say, "There is no such change." This is nature's way: *prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah.* It is very symmetrical. Everything is going on nicely. Nature's way. Disciple: One of the strong points of Darwin's theory . . . Prabhupāda: I don't find any. Simply foolishness. [*Laughter.*] A foolish rascal like you will believe it. Disciple: They argue that five thousand years ago they had no history. So they think that before that time, there was no civilization. Therefore man was like the monkey. Prabhupāda: We don't speculate. We have got millions of years of history. A child may think something, but an elderly man will not think like that. Because the rascals are thinking in some way, do we have to believe it? Why should I take their word? We are taking the word of Lord Kṛṣṇa. We accept Him as Supreme. All the great sages accept Him. Why should I accept this rascal Darwin? We are not so foolish. We cannot accept. Disciple: The scientists always say, "Last year we made a mistake, and now it's all right." Prabhupāda: Hmm. "Now we are advanced." And what is the guarantee that your present theories are correct? You will advance again. That means you are always incorrect. You say that by chance man came from nature. But you don't find nature working by chance. Therefore your theory is disproved. If your calculations have even one error, then your whole statement must be accepted as nonsense. Disciple: People think that life is always getting better. Prabhupāda: Therefore, they are rascals. This is called *maya* [illusion]. They remain rascals, and still they think they are advanced. ## The God Particle: Is There Anything Godly About It? *by Caitanya Carana Dāsa* *There's a particle more important than the Higgs boson, and we should be investigating it.* “Does 'the God particle' disprove the existence of God?” a young man asked me after a recent talk, referring to the discovery of the Higgs boson. “The so-called God particle," I answered, "has zero charge, zero spin, and a near-zero lifespan; it exists for less than a trillionth of a second. Does that sound like God to you?” “No, not really,” replied the questioner, taken aback. “Exactly,” I said. “Its discovery has little bearing on the existence of God; it is just one step forward in the Standard Model, which is just one theory that deals with quantum physics, which is just one branch of physics, which is just one branch of science, which is just one area of human knowledge that deals with material nature, which is just one slice of reality.” I had anticipated questions on this topic and so was prepared. “Let me quote theoretical physicist Michio Kaku, who writes in the *Wall Street Journal,* in an article entitled *The 'God Particle' and the Origins of the Universe:* The Standard Model only gives us a crude approximation of the rich diversity found in the universe. One embarrassing omission is that the Standard Model makes no mention of gravity, even though gravity holds the Earth and the sun together. In fact, the Standard Model only describes 4% of the matter and energy of the universe (the rest being mysterious dark matter and dark energy). From a strictly aesthetic point of view, the Standard Model is also rather ugly. The various subatomic particles look like they have been slapped together haphazardly. It is a theory that only a mother could love, and even its creators have admitted that it is only a piece of the true, final theory. “So the theory is neither complete nor elegant,” I added. “And if even the full theory doesn’t have any of the attributes of God, what then to speak of one particle within the theory?” Looking a bit unsure, he asked, “Then why is the particle called 'the God particle'?” “Good question. Actually, there is nothing godly about the particle. The name is a deliberately chosen misnomer. The particle is technically known as Higgs boson and derives its name from two scientists: England’s Peter Higgs and India’s Satyendra Nath Bose. Peter Higgs is one of six physicists who, in 1964, proposed the mechanism that suggested the existence of the particle, and boson is a class of particles named after Satyendra Nath Bose because of his work with the particles in the 1920s. When physicist Leon Lederman wrote a book about the particle, his publisher told him the subject was too esoteric to have much appeal. So, like expert spin doctors, they came up with a name that would catch the public imagination: 'the God particle.' Most scientists dislike the name, knowing that it overemphasizes the particle’s importance. Science writer John Horgan highlights the inappropriateness of the name on a *Scientific American* blog: 'This is scientific hype at its most outrageous. If the Higgs is the "God Particle," what should we call an even more fundamental particle, like a string? The Godhead Particle? The Mother of God Particle?' “Although the name is inapt, it has stuck in the media. And the name is one important reason why the discovery has attracted so much attention. Not to discredit the hard work of the scientists who have done the research, but do we have to be misled by the hype?" “No,” replied my questioner, satisfied. *The Godly Particle* Later, as I pondered the issue, it struck me that something godly could indeed be derived from "the God particle"; it could be used to draw attention to the actual godly particle, the soul, which the *Bhagavad-gītā* (15.7) says is an eternal fragmental part of God. Research into the infinitesimal quantum particle has rich parallels with research into the infinitesimal spiritual particle, the soul. In fact, I noticed that the whole field of modern science has broad similarities with the field of Vedic spirituality. Here are four of those similarities: (1) Things are not as they appear; (2) The unapparent is stunningly greater than the apparent; (3) The unapparent can be known not by ordinary ways, but only by ways appropriate to it; (4) The appropriate ways require instruments and qualifications. *(1) Things are not as they appear:* Scientists today dismiss derisively as naive realism the idea that the world is as it appears. The scientific eye sees things far differently from the normal eye. For example, consider the desk in front of me. It seems solid, but science says it’s mostly empty space. It seems static, but science says it’s filled with electrons whirling around their nuclei a million billion times a second. Like modern scientists, Vedic spiritualists also assert that all is not as it seems. For example, let’s consider the physical body. It seems to be the source of life, but Vedic savants say it isn’t. The *Bhagavad-gītā* (2.17) states that life originates in the soul, which sends a current of consciousness streaming through the body and thereby animates the body’s biochemical machinery. *(2) The unapparent is stunningly greater than the apparent:* Science holds that the layers of existence inaccessible to our senses are far greater than those that are accessible. For example, the visible frequencies comprise only a tiny, narrow band within the greater spectrum of electromagnetic waves. For that matter, half an ounce of water spilled on a table seems insignificant to our eyes, but beyond what our eyes can see, that drop contains 6.023 x 1023—roughly 600,000 billion billion—molecules. Like modern science, Vedic spirituality states that what eludes the eye is far greater than what meets it. The spiritual level of existence is much greater and grander than the material. And the happiness available at that spiritual level likewise exceeds the material by millions of times. In fact, the *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* proclaims that spiritual happiness is so oceanically great that in contrast the most intense material enjoyment seems as insignificant as a puddle. *(3) The unapparent can be known not by ordinary ways, but only by ways appropriate to it:* The adage “Seeing is believing” has historically been popular as a polemical tool among religion-bashers: “Show me God and the soul, and then I will believe you.” But today’s scientists find themselves at the receiving end of this same old anti-religious jab: “Show me the Higgs boson, and then I will believe you.” And scientists have to respond by using the same argument religionists have always used: “It cannot be seen with the eyes, but can be perceived only by ways suitable to it.” *(4) The appropriate ways require instruments and qualifications:* In modern science, perceiving the Higgs boson requires ultra-sophisticated instruments. In fact, it requires the world’s most expensive and elaborate instrument: the $10.5 billion Large Hadron Collider, housed in an eighteen-mile tunnel buried deep underground near the French-Swiss border. In addition to the instrument, ten thousand scientists engaged in years of study, training, and laboratory experience are also required to comprehend the workings and the readings of the instrument. To anyone without these qualifications, the patterns on the sensors that detected the Higgs boson will make little, if any, sense. Similarly, in Vedic spirituality, perceiving the soul requires a sophisticated instrument, albeit an internal one: a finely tuned consciousness situated in an evolved state called *samadhi*. Also, to discern the evidences as they appear on the sensor of the consciousness requires a systematic study of spiritual philosophy and a diligent practice of meditation techniques. To anyone without these qualifications, the changes in consciousness will make little, if any, sense. *More Incentives* Given these substantial parallels, there’s a strong case to be made that intelligent, enterprising people are needed to embark on research into the godly particle. In fact, there are additional incentives for soul research that are absent in particle physics research: *1. No expense:* The Higgs boson research is stupendously expensive (or scandalously so, depending on one’s perspective), requiring as it does billions of dollars. John Horgan, in the above-mentioned article, states that the U.S. government closed down a similar instrument in America (the Superconducting Supercollider) because it “was sucking up tax dollars faster than a black hole.” But in comforting contrast, soul research doesn’t require any significant expense. One’s consciousness just needs to be refined using time-honored meditation techniques centered on the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra*, available for free. *2. Individual verification:* Most of us are not specialists in particle physics, and so we do not have the expensive and complex scientific education necessary to personally verify the existence of the Higgs boson. We have to accept its existence as an article of faith. But all of us can individually practice the simple meditation practices and experientially verify the existence of the soul. This is the bold invitational approach of the *Bhagavad-gītā* (9.2): Though the existence of the soul may seem initially like an article of faith, it soon becomes a living reality. In fact, over time we realize that the soul is the foremost of all realities, the ground reality that enables us to perceive and experience the world we are accustomed to honoring with the word “real.” *3. Meaning-enriching:* Most scientists are unclear about how the discovery of the Higgs boson is going to practically benefit humanity. They suggest that it may possibly lead to the development of better technologies. Even if it does, it still won’t add anything to our understanding of the meaning, value, or purpose of life. In fact, the whole arena of particle physics is radically disconnected from the world we live in. David Berlinski, in his book *The Devil’s Delusion,* points this out poignantly: Over *t*here,** fields are pregnant with latent energy, particles flicker into existence and disappear . . . time and space contract into some sort of agitated quantum foam. Nothing is continuous. Nothing stays the same for long, except the electrons, and they are identical, like porcelain Chinese soldiers. A pointless frenzy prevails throughout. Over *here,* space and time are stable and continuous. Matter is what it is, and energy is what it does. There are solid and enduring shapes and forms. . . . Changes appear slowly, but even when rapid, they appear in stable patterns. There is dazzling variety throughout. He concludes the contrast by underscoring that scientists have “no idea whatsoever how the ordered physical, moral, mental, aesthetic, and social world . . . could have ever arisen from the seething anarchy of the elementary particles. It is like imagining sea foam resolving itself into the Parthenon.” The discovery of the soul, however, can bring immense meaning and immediate purpose into our lives. Nobel Laureate brain scientist Roger Sperry pointed out, “Beliefs concerning the ultimate purposes and meaning of life and the accompanying world view perspectives that mold beliefs of right and wrong are critically dependent . . . on concepts regarding the conscious self.” The discovery of the soul will help us understand that we are not fragile bags of matter doomed to destruction after some feverish flapping in the tiny span of allotted time that is our present life. We will understand that we are indestructible souls destined for eternal happiness. All of us can reclaim that glorious destiny by wisely using our present lifetime for doing soul research and thereby transforming our lifespan into a launching pad for takeoff into immortality. This realization of our spiritual identity can also help us in this world: It can restore a sustainable balance between material and spiritual values in our lives, and thereby free us from the excessive materialism jeopardizing our economy and ecology today. Can any discovery be as significant as that? *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. He is the author of ten books. To read his other articles or to receive his daily reflection on the* Bhagavad-gītā, *"*Gita-daily,*"* visit thespiritualscientist.com. ## The Hare Kṛṣṇa Experience at the Kumbha Mela *by Krsangi Radhe Devī Dāsī* *A pilgrimage to the world's greatest festival is becoming a tradition for one family from South Africa.* Twelve years ago (2001), I was presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the Maha Kumbha Mela in Allahabad, India. I recall boarding a flight from Durban, South Africa, to New Delhi, not knowing what to expect. I grew up hearing many stories of the festivities from my dad, Śrī Nathji Dāsa, who had been to the Mela in 1989 with His Holiness Indradyumna Swami. Fortunately, I was accompanying my dad, who was experienced in the expedition. Being a third-year university student at the time, I had an enquiring mind and feelings of expectation—along with some trepidation as well. Nonetheless, I embraced the opportunity to delve into the sights, sounds, and holy waters. Maha Kumbha Mela—"the great festival of the urn"—occurs every twelve years, the exact date determined by astrological calculations. The history of the festival dates back to the beginning of creation. The *Puranas* state that during a scuffle between the *devas* (demigods) and the *asuras* (demons) over a pot of immortal nectar, four drops of the nectar spilled in different parts of northern India. Since that time pilgrims have gathered to bathe in the holy waters at these places, including the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna, and subterranean Saraswati at Allahabad. In preparation for the festival the banks of the rivers spring up with tents, creating a temporary 6,000-acre town known as Kumbhnagar. Without knowing that police restrict vehicle access to campsites in the town, I had packed a trolley bag with essentials for my three-night stay in 2001. As we got off the overnight train from New Delhi, we were grateful to find a bicycle rickshaw, and the driver earnestly peddled his way through to the Kumbhnagar boom-gate, the farthest point reached by any mode of transport. I tugged on my trolley bag, wheeling it with great difficulty as people pushed their way around me on the sand banks of the holy rivers. We walked alongside *sadhus* (holy men), *naga babas* (naked men smeared with ash), politicians and their supporters, *yogis* from the Himalaya mountains, and millions of ordinary pilgrims. None seemed intimidated by strange looks from foreigners; nor did they shy away from happy snappers. Everyone continued their journey with a purpose, searching for a place for meditation or rest. I took in the sights and sounds all around me—loudspeakers blaring lectures or music at every camp, government hailers shouting announcements, tribes of holy men and women chanting as they walked through the pathways, children clinging to their parents, *yogis* holding tridents or standing on their head. As we did not speak Hindi, our search for the ISKCON camp on Sankaracharya Marg proved difficult. After walking for approximately an hour (which felt like eternity at the time), we were met by the sight of a Deity of Śrīla Prabhupāda and the Deities of Gaura-Nitai—small forms of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, beautifully residing on the wood-carved ox-cart of the ISKCON Padayatra, a group of devotees who tour India on foot, spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. *My Parents' 2013 Visit* My dad was fortunate enough to attend the Mela again this year, making this his third pilgrimage to Allahabad. Together with my mother, Pancali Devī Dāsī, they ventured off to this exciting yet austere pilgrimage. They were residents at the ISKCON camp, which was abuzz with color, flavor, song, dance, and discussions. My mother described her stay at the camp with enthusiasm. “I could not believe how the devotees managed to distribute such a variety of **prasada*.* Cooking at the camp with gas burners and coal fires, devotees managed to prepare sumptuous meals for all. The very same *prasada* was distributed to both devotees staying at the camp and pilgrims walking by. There was no restriction to quantity, and nobody was turned away. It was amazing that the devotees had a gas-powered roti-maker that rolled out hot rotis for distribution. As we sat in rows at makeshift tables of bricks two tiers high, we enjoyed our meal served to us on stitched banana-leaf plates. A dedicated team of devotees, clad in warm attire, prepared the most aromatic and tasty meals." For Śrī Nathji, attending his third Maha Kumbha Mela was a lifetime achievement. “When Indradyumna Swami asked me to join the group from Durban going to the Mela in 1989, I did not know what to expect. But I took the plunge and never looked back—it was a life-changing experience. Daily I reflect on being with my spiritual master as we walked across the riverbank, singing and dancing in *kirtana.* This inspired me to return in 2001. Once again, I experienced waking up in a sleeping bag on cold mornings under an army-like tent, being huddled with millions of people, and getting blisters on my feet from walking on cobblestones. Through the austerity, I once again desired to return for the third time, to be a part of the Hare Kṛṣṇa experience at the Mela. Over a thirty-six-year period, I've watched how the ISKCON campsite has grown to become the most attractive and eventful of all.” *Camp ISKCON* Being a professional photographer, Śrī Nathji was enthusiastic to capture the moments, faces, and moods of the millions at the Mela. Standing on a pontoon bridge to view the massive crowds, he noticed how the ISKCON camp stood out from the rest of the tent city. Adorned with color and vibrancy, the entrance of the ISKCON camp was eye-catching. An illuminated bamboo structure more than thirty meters high lit the night sky. Unlike the other holy men and women, the Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees were clad in Vaisnava attire of saris or dhotis. They distributed books, chanted, talked to other pilgrims about Kṛṣṇa, cooked and served *prasada.* [See the *"*Following Prabhupāda's Program at the Mela.*"*] The cultural program onstage was filled with enlightening talks from *sannyasis* and other senior devotees. Song, dance, and drama attracted thousands to the camp every day. His Holiness Lokanath Swami led the devotees in chanting and dancing through the pathways that sprawled over the riverbanks. The ocean of mercy was freely flowing as the Deities of Gaura-Nitai glided through the festival. Dina Bandhu Dāsa, a senior devotee of the Krishna-Balarāma Temple in Vrndavan, spoke eloquently on the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. On the main stage devotees delivered discourses on the *Vedas* and answered thought-provoking questions from listeners. The chilly morning weather did not deter the devotees at the camp from performing *mangala-arati* (early-morning worship) and the rest of the day's spiritual observances. Although the altar was a medium-sized carved wooden structure that rested on an ox-cart, the standard of worship was meticulous and detailed. Throughout the day devotees chanted and interacted with others. The thirty-plus lifesize motor-controlled dioramas depicting the pastimes of the Lord were a unique feature at the camp. *A Crowded Dip in the Holy Waters* As dawn broke on Mauni Amavasya (the most auspicious bathing day of the 55-day festival), the earliest pilgrims were making their way to the bathing ghats next to Allahabad’s medieval fort. Boatmen rowed the devotees upstream to avoid the mudflats. Śrī Nathji and Pancali headed to the confluence of the three rivers to take the auspicious bath. Within the festivities and packed crowds, a group of ISKCON devotees chanted and played musical instruments as they forged through to the confluence of the three rivers. An estimated thirty million pilgrims would bathe that day. The *Guinness Book of World Records* has billed the Mela as the largest human gathering for a common purpose. *Prabhupāda's Merciful Perspective* When Śrīla Prabhupāda took part in the Maha Kumbha Mela in 1977, he commented that although many attend the Mela for spiritual liberation, devotees engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service are already liberated. It is the duty of the devotees attending the Mela to use this platform to spread the names of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Following Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions devotees raised the standard of creativity, organization, and devotion by providing a true Hare Kṛṣṇa experience to all who visited the camp. One of the most remarkable moments was the arrival of the Deity of Lord Balaji, the form of Lord Kṛṣṇa from the famous Tirumala temple in South India. Senior devotees welcomed the entourage to the ISKCON camp, where South Indian priests performed the traditional marriage ceremony of Lord Balaji. The ISKCON stage was turned into a South Indian reservoir of chanting the different names of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Attracted onlookers clapped and chanted to the tunes of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *maha-mantra.* Every piligrim passing through the ISKCON camp received spiritual benefit by either chanting, receiving a spiritual book, partaking in a wholesome *prasada* meal, or seeing the beautiful Deities of Gaura-Nitai. Śrīla Prabhupāda must have been truly pleased by the efforts of the devotees. We can all aspire to be a part of the diverse gathering known as the Maha Kumbha Mela and the Hare Kṛṣṇa experience there in 2025. Krsangi Radhe Devi Dasi, a disciple of Indradyumna Swami, lives in Durban, South Africa, with her husband, Muralidhara Dasa, and their daughters Vraja-Sundari (five years old) and Varsana-Rani (one year old). She is an English-language lecturer at the tertiary level. Among other services, her main focus is to develop children in Krsna consciousness. She founded and currently hosts the "Krishna's Kids" program at the Durban temple. Sri Nathji Dasa, a disciple of Indradyumna Swami, lives in Durban with his wife, Pancali Devi Dasi. He joined ISKCON in 1978. Being a professional photographer, Sri Nathji uses his expertise to capture ISKCON Durban's major events and programs, which included "Feeding the Children of the Rainbow Nation" with former President Nelson Mandela. ## Following Prabhupāda's Program at the Mela *by Dina Bandhu Dāsa* Kumbha Mela 2013 was so ecstatic! For more than a month devotees were completely absorbed in Śrīla Prabhupāda's program of *harinama,* book distribution, and *prasada* distribution. Every day we would go with the Padayatra cart throughout the Mela and bathe the pilgrims with the real nectar, the nectar of the holy names. We had sponsored **Gitas*,* so we sold two small books for Rs. 30, along with a free *Gita.* In this way the devotees distributed 150,000 *Gitas* and 300,000 small books. Every day we served full meals of *prasada* (cooked in pure cow ghee from a dairy in Rajasthan) to thousands of pilgrims. On the main bathing day, February 10, we broke our camp record and distributed 10,000 plates of *prasada*. Krsangi Radhe Devī Dāsī, a disciple of Indradyumna Swami, lives in Durban, South Africa, with her husband, Muralidhara Dāsa, and their daughters Vraja-Sundari (five years old) and Varsana-Rani (one year old). She is an English-language lecturer at the tertiary level. Among other services, her main focus is to develop children in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. She founded and currently hosts the “Krishna’s Kids” program at the Durban temple. Śrī Nathji Dāsa, a disciple of Indradyumna Swami, lives in Durban with his wife, Pancali Devī Dāsī. He joined ISKCON in 1978. Being a professional photographer, Śrī Nathji uses his expertise to capture ISKCON Durban’s major events and programs, which included “Feeding the Children of the Rainbow Nation” with former President Nelson Mandela. ## Sherlock Holmes and the Limits of Modern Knowing *by Navina Syama Dāsa* *Might the methods we employ to learn about day-to-day things fall short when we pursue transcendent truths?* “Elementary, my dear Watson, elementary.” Fans of the world’s most famous fictional detective will recognize these words as the prelude to an incisive display of reasoning sure to astonish even the most clever. (The phrase never appeared in exactly that form in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original stories, but that hasn’t hampered its notoriety.) And fans there are aplenty. In fact, when Doyle tried to kill off the sleuth in 1893 to move on to other projects, public outcry forced him to revive the character. Since then, avid followers have reenacted and re-imagined Holmes in a multiplicity of media, including movies, television programs, radio dramas, stage plays, animated features, pastiches, and parodies. A current British television-series adaptation modernizes many of the original storylines. What is the source of this enduring fascination? Perhaps it is because Holmes’s approach to problem-solving epitomizes the modern approach to acquiring knowledge. That is to say, he does what most of us (including scientists) do when we want to figure something out—look, listen, think, conclude—only better and faster. No wonder he is the intellectual hero of multitudes. But what about those of us seeking to understand religion? Can Holmes serve as our model here as well? Or does the spiritual quest require something more than scientific inquiry—and its paragon Sherlock Holmes—can provide? To answer these questions, we must first understand more thoroughly the methods Holmes (and his contemporary scientific counterparts) uses to comprehend material phenomena. He exemplifies an approach to knowledge that applies logic to observations. In the first episode of the latest British series, Holmes starts off using one of his sharp senses—his acute eyesight—to notice scratches around the charging port of Dr. Watson’s cell phone. To interpret the scratches, he then makes some logical inferences. In particular, he uses the techniques known as induction and abduction. (Although he is described in the stories as using deduction, this is probably not the most accurate characterization.) Induction is a form of reasoning in which if the premises are true the conclusion is probably true. The most well-known type of induction is the generalization, in which one infers a general rule from specific examples. Here, having observed scratches on the phones of *some* alcoholics, Holmes uses induction to conclude that the phones of *all* alcoholics have scratches (he explains that these individuals have trouble plugging in their phones because their hands are always shaking). Abduction is a form of reasoning in which one observes a result and then guesses at the cause. When he comes upon Watson’s scratched phone, Holmes takes the rule he has already derived from induction, applies it using the process of abduction, and ventures that the best explanation for the scratches is that the phone once belonged to an alcoholic. (Dr. Watson later confirms that his sister gave him the phone and that she is indeed an alcoholic.) Modern science similarly manufactures knowledge by combining sense perception with these two forms of logical inference. First, scientists make observations, usually using some extension of their senses, such as a microscope or telescope. Then, they apply induction to these observations to derive theories and principles. Finally, they make scientific hypotheses, applying these theories using abduction to explain new observations. *Limitations* So how well does this process serve the spiritual seeker? Two limitations seem especially problematic: First, both induction and abduction are inherently uncertain. As for induction, Holmes may have observed that the cell phones of *many* alcoholics are scratched, but this does not necessarily mean that the cell phone of *every* alcoholic on the planet is scratched (e.g., we can imagine a woman who is an alcoholic but whose cell phone is unmarked because she bought it yesterday, or an alcoholic man who always asks his spouse to plug his phone in). Śrīla Prabhupāda several times made an analogous point: A man may conclude that all human beings are mortal because *every*one he has ever met has eventually died, but this leaves open the possibility that he has just never happened to meet an immortal. As for abduction, even if it were true that the cell phones of all alcoholics are indeed scratched, the damage to Watson’s phone may be due to some other reason (e.g., maybe the previous owner was farsighted and never had on her glasses when plugging in the phone). For one exploring religion and seeking absolute knowledge, this uncertainty is unacceptable. If it turns out that my theory about the migration pattern of humpback whales is wrong, I might be a little embarrassed, but life will go on. If my understanding of God is off, on the other hand, the fate of my eternal soul hangs in the balance. A second limitation is that the modern approach to acquiring knowledge seldom goes beyond what the senses can perceive. A near-ubiquitous requirement of valid science is the production of tangible proof. To the extent that induction and abduction are grounded in sense perception, however, the theories and explanations they generate will be confined to the physical realm. While this restriction on potential explanations is likely irrelevant to Holmes’s conclusion about the cell phone, it is problematic for metaphysical conclusions concerning the nature of God. After all, one of Holmes’s maxims is that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. Thus, what he accepts as a possibility in the first place is pivotal. On a similar note, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that one seeking to understand the fundamental nature of reality can use his or her intelligence to eliminate mundane explanations through the process of negation but that one cannot thus affirmatively access transcendent truths. *Intelligence in the Spiritual Arena* If Holmesian observation and reasoning are of limited value to inquiries into the divine, does that mean religion entails shunning your intelligence? Quite the contrary. The Vedic literature expounds a sophisticated philosophy of knowing that fully employs the modern approach, but only as a subordinate and auxiliary part of a more comprehensive traditional approach especially suited to spiritual investigation. To be sure, observation and logic have their place. Indeed, the first type of evidence, or *pramana,* described in the Vedic literature is sense perception. The term used is *pratyaksa,* literally “that which is before the eyes.” And the second type of evidence is logical inference, known as *anumana,* literally “that which comes from the mind.” Working in tandem, they are referred to in the Vedic literature as *aroha-pantha,* or the ascending process of knowledge; that is, knowledge derived from the ground up. For many day-to-day purposes, the *Vedas* deem it sufficient to derive knowledge from a combination of these two sources, in a manner closely akin to Holmes’s method. Indeed, even some basic spiritual truths—that my true identity is something beyond my physical body, that I am under the control of a higher authority—can be ascertained through the use of reason and perception, as Śrīla Prabhupāda explains in *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 2.2.35. But the ascending process does not function independently in the Vedic paradigm. Rather, it is secondary to an opposing—and more important—descending process, known as *avaroha-pantha.* For answering profound questions about the material world (e.g., the origins of life, the origins of the universe) this descending process is critical; for answering profound questions about God it is indispensable. Just as the ascending process involves starting with some foundational knowledge and then applying logic to it, so too does the descending process. However, both the source of the basic knowledge and the type of logic applied are different. Whereas Holmes starts with sense perception, the *Vedas* recommend starting with the third type of evidence, *sabda,* literally “that which is heard.” In other words, the voice of revealed scripture serves as the primary guide for a spiritual seeker.* The type of inference also changes. Whereas Holmes reasons through uncertain and limited induction and abduction, the *Vedas* prescribe the infallible process of deduction. Deduction is a form of reasoning in which if the premises are true the conclusion is definitely true; in this way, it is essentially the opposite of abduction. Instead of observing all manner of results and attempting to guess their cause, as the secular scientist does, a spiritual inquirer accepts causal principles revealed by scripture and predicts with certainty various results. Thus, the ongoing task of the spiritualist is to apply scripturally revealed principles to the multitude of specific circumstances he or she encounters. Because the source of these principles is divine, their reliability is guaranteed and their scope is unlimited. In this way, *Sabda* and deductive *anumana* together constitute a way of knowing that surmounts the two shortcomings of the ascending process. *An Illustration* To illustrate the descending process, let’s see what we can deduce from the Vedic literature about the proper diet for a serious spiritualist. In one verse of the *Bhagavad-gītā,* Lord Kṛṣṇa explains that one who eats the remnants of sacrifice is purified whereas one who prepares food solely for personal enjoyment incurs grievous sin. In another, He instructs that everything one eats should be offered to Him. In yet another, He enumerates the types of items He accepts: leaves, fruits, flowers, and water. Accepting these verses as infallible scriptural truths, we can deduce that devotees of Kṛṣṇa should eat only vegetarian food first offered to Kṛṣṇa as a sacrifice, lest we take on the *karma* of killing even the simplest of living beings. Furthermore, in the *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* Kṛṣṇa is described as a cowherd boy, living in the dairy village of Vrindavan. From the descriptions of His lifestyle, we can deduce that the consumption of milk by adult human beings is appropriate and even recommended, as long as the cows providing such precious food are maintained handsomely throughout their lives. We would not likely have derived either of these conclusions following a Holmesian approach, taking in what we observed and hazarding an explanation; but both easily follow when we apply our acumen to make inferences from broad scriptural principles. Admiration for the astounding abilities of Sherlock Holmes is certainly not misplaced. The methods he and his contemporary scientific counterparts use for acquiring knowledge—observation and reasoning—are universal and necessary, and even the Vedic literature of ancient India recognizes them as valid for certain purposes. Nevertheless, they are not sufficient. Because they are imperfect processes, subject to limited certainty and scope, they should not be independently relied upon. Instead, they should be used as supplementary to scriptural revelation, particularly when it comes to questions of religion. The ascending process of knowledge that combines sense perception with induction and abduction simply cannot unlock transcendental truths. As an alternative, the Vedic canon prescribes a descending process of knowledge that combines authoritative revelation with deduction. Thus, Dr. Watson is wise to take counsel from his detective friend on many matters, but when he (or any other fan of Sherlock Holmes) is ready to search out God, he’ll need to find a different *guru*. * It is interesting to note that reliance on knowledge from authority is commonplace in modern society (e.g., students listening to teachers at school, viewers listening to news reporters on television), but that the approach is generally abandoned in spiritual matters. *Navina Syama Dāsa is a disciple of His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami. He lives with his wife, Kṛṣṇa Priya Dasi, and their two-year-old daughter, Varada Lila, in Philadelphia, where he is a law clerk to a federal judge. He can be contacted through his website, VastuShyam.com.* ## Vedic Observer *Labeling Body Parts: Animals, Consciousness, and the Problem of Meat-Eating* *By Satyaraja Dāsa* In an article entitled “Born to Bun: Labels to Tell Meat’s Life Story” (*New York Daily News,* April 4, 2013), journalist James Warren informs us about the Obama administration’s recent move to get new information on food labels in the supermarket, specifically on meat products. They now want to let consumers know where the animal was born, raised, and slaughtered. Might this be too much information? The USDA argues that such labeling is a step toward transparency, benefiting consumers on many levels. It carries on in the tradition of “people want to know,” the same tradition that gave us the now common product-information labels with nutrition facts, calories in food, fat content, and so on. But not everyone agrees that this is desirable, at least not in all cases. At least not in this case. Concerned parties in Mexico and Canada, for example, who are primary beef exporters to the U.S., say that the labels would cause more harm than good. Bill Watson of the Cato Institute, a public policy research organization, says, “Do consumers really want the word ‘slaughtered’ on their meat? No. The consumer information argument is pure baloney. . . .” But the question should be Why? Why wouldn’t consumers want as much detail as possible on meat labels? “If feds have their way,” writes Warren, “meats on supermarket shelves will include some unappetizing details, such as where the animal was slaughtered. . . . Labels on meat products sold in the U.S. could soon read like a sad mini-biography of the ranch-raised beasts.” Many people prefer to think of their meat as attractively wrapped food, pretending it was never alive, never breathing, never responsive to tenderness. If this new law is put into effect, the world will be one step closer to having these illusions dispelled. After all, if something is born, raised, and slaughtered, it lived a life. And if it lived, and now sits on our plates, it was murdered. The plain truth is this: Many people don’t want to know what they’re eating. Look at how we refer to a variety of flesh foods. We tend to use euphemisms. We call cow, beef; pig, pork; calf, veal; and so on. These terms serve as convenient distractors; they allow us to disguise what flesh-foods really are. Again, we’re talking about once living, breathing creatures who felt pain and pleasure. *Animals in Pain* Perhaps this is the point. Maybe people who eat meat prefer minimal information on their food labels not only because they fool themselves into thinking animals are just food, but because they don’t believe that these creatures could feel pleasure and pain. Bernard Rollin of Colorado State University, an author of several books on animal rights and one of the people responsible for two U.S. federal laws regulating pain relief for animals, writes that “researchers remained unsure into the 1980s as to whether animals experience pain, and veterinarians trained in the U.S. before 1989 were simply taught to ignore animal pain.” Rollin worked diligently to prove that animals are conscious beings, offering scientifically verifiable grounds for claiming that they feel pain. He has proven that pain in animals can be demonstrated by adverse reactions to negative stimuli, just as in humans, and that positive feelings, or pleasure, can be determined in a similar way. John Webster, a professor of animal husbandry at Bristol University in the U.K., agrees, and with great sensitivity states the following: “People have assumed that intelligence is linked to the ability to suffer and that because animals have smaller brains they suffer less than humans. That is a pathetic piece of logic; sentient animals have the capacity to experience pleasure and are motivated to seek it, you only have to watch how cows and lambs both seek and enjoy pleasure when they lie with their heads raised to the sun on a perfect English summer’s day. Just like humans.” They are like humans in more ways than some people would like to admit. When Śrīla Prabhupāda met with Mike Robinson of the London Broadcasting Company in 1976, they spoke about whether or not animals have souls. Mike Robinson: How do you know that the animal has a soul? Srila Prabhupāda: You can know, also. Here is the scientific proof: The animal eats, you eat; the animal sleeps, you sleep; the animal has sex, you have sex; the animal also defends, you also defend. Then what is the difference between you and the animal? How can you say that you have a soul but the animal doesn't? Mike Robinson: I can see that completely. But the Christian scriptures say... Srila Prabhupāda: Don't bring in any scriptures; this is a commonsense topic. Try to understand. The animal is eating, you are eating; the animal is sleeping, you are sleeping; the animal is defending, you are defending; the animal is having sex, you are having sex; the animals have children, you have children; they have a living place, you have a living place. If the animal's body is cut, there is blood; if your body is cut, there is blood. So, all these similarities are there. Now, why do you deny this one similarity, the presence of the soul? This is not logical. You have studied logic? In logic there is something called analogy. Analogy means drawing a conclusion by finding many points of similarity. If there are so many points of similarity between human beings and animals, why deny one similarity? That is not logic. That is not science. *Bad Karma* Many people don’t know this, but Pope John Paul II confirmed that according to the teachings of Christianity animals do, indeed, have souls. In 1990 he said that all creatures were given the “breath of life” by God, just like humans were. (See http://www.dreamshore.net/rococo/pope.html.) But many Christians still question it. Śrīla Prabhupāda felt that the connection between humans and animals was a given, and that those who supported the killing of creatures in any way were virtually committing suicide. Accordingly, he espoused the doctrine of *karma*, which states that every action has a commensurate reaction, and explained the severe reactions awaiting animal killers: Those who kill animals and give them unnecessary pain—as people do in slaughterhouses—will be killed in a similar way in the next life and in many lives to come. One can never be excused from such an offense. If one kills many thousands of animals in a professional way so that other people can purchase the meat to eat, one must be ready to be killed in a similar way in his next life and in life after life. There are many rascals who violate their own religious principles. According to Judeo-Christian scriptures, it is clearly said, "Thou shalt not kill." Nonetheless, giving all kinds of excuses, even the heads of religions indulge in killing animals while trying to pass as saintly persons. This mockery and hypocrisy in human society bring about unlimited calamities; therefore occasionally there are great wars. . . . The International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness recommends that everyone abandon meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication, and gambling. When one gives up these sinful activities, he can understand Kṛṣṇa and take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We therefore request everyone to abandon sinful activity and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra*. In this way people can save themselves from repeated birth and death. (*Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā* 24.251, Purport) But there is an ongoing battle against putting a mini-bio on meat labels. Warren reports that “there is no evidence consumers want such details or that any supposed benefits wouldn’t be offset by what industry groups say will be a resulting increase in the cost of meats.” The Food Marketing Institute, which represents major retail chains as well as small, local grocery stores, concurs, reporting that the mini-bio on food labels would cost millions of dollars to put into effect and would raise meat prices. Industry moguls are worried that increased cost would prompt reduced meat-eating in the common household, that consumers would give up meat or at least de-emphasize it in their diet. Given the terrible *karmic* consequences of chewing on once living beings, that would be a good thing. If higher prices dissuade people from buying the flesh of creatures, a price hike would be a blessing in disguise. *© Steven J. Rosen. Anyone wishing to reproduce this article must get express permission from the author.* ## A Colorful Spectacle Showcased in White Splendor *Śrīla Prabhupāda's vision becomes reality in South India's largest and most developed city.* *by Tarini Rādhā Devī Dāsī* “The Taj Mahal of the ECR,” exclaimed a German gentleman on beholding the splendor of ISKCON’s Chennai temple, even as the magnificent white shrine, still receiving finishing touches, was partially hidden behind scaffolding. ECR, the popular name for the East Coast Road, is every Chennaite’s cherished pleasure drive, especially on weekends. The ECR connects Chennai with the ancient heritage spot of Mahabalipuram, and the beaches, resorts, and restaurants along the ECR are favorites of the affluent. Walk a few meters off the ECR to Hare Krishna Land on Bhaktivedanta Swami Road and you come face to face with the stunning temple. Its architecture combines the South Indian Pallava style of Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram (the domes) with the style of Kalinga, or Odisha (the spires). The temple architecture represents principles of the *Sthapatya Veda*. [See the "A Representation of the Vedic Concept of the Universe."] Roughly fifty feet high, the building features a banquet hall in the basement, an auditorium on the ground floor, a balcony on the mezzanine, and above that the main temple hall. *The History* Disciples of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda have been active in Chennai since 1971. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the city was a “good field” for sowing the seeds of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Indeed, in a 1972 tent program conducted by Śrīla Prabhupāda and his disciples, many prominent men of the city, including the chief justice, took an active part. A center was formally established in 1975. Noting the people’s positive response to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote in a letter to disciples, “In Madras [Chennai] we have to construct a very gorgeous temple. Now immediately find out some land and begin the construction. Never mind what the cost will be. We are not concerned with the amount of money, but we want a very attractive temple. The money should come from the gentlemen of Madras.” For many years ISKCON’s leaders in Chennai have been working hard, with this vision of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s firmly in mind. The temple shifted from Adyar to Kilpauk in 1982, and then to T. Nagar in 1988. In 1992 His Holiness Bhanu Swami took over as the temple president and began a dedicated hunt for suitable land. Almost every week he would drive forty-five minutes to the ECR, then a narrow, lonely stretch of road, in the quest for ISKCON Chennai’s permanent home. Although the devotees could not understand his interest in the ECR, he held on to his belief that it would soon develop into something special. At that time devotees were encouraged by the knowledge that other ISKCON centers, such as those in Mumbai, Bhubaneshwar, Vrindavan, and Māyāpur, had also begun in remote areas that eventually became the buzz of their respective cities. Finally, in 2002, six acres of land were purchased. The spot seemed ideal—just a few meters from sparkling Buckingham Canal and a few kilometers from the Bay of Bengal. It is also minutes away from VGP Golden Beach, Chennai’s first theme park and a popular holiday spot. Working hard to collect donations in a city dominated by Saivites (most people in Chennai are devotees of Lord Siva or believers in impersonalism), the handful of devotees under Bhanu Swami and, from 2004, temple president Sumitra Kṛṣṇa Dāsa steadily worked on constructing the temple, holding grand festivals, and simultaneously expanding the congregation. And they watched with delight as the ECR developed into a scenic beachway. The once narrow road now stretches forty feet across, and the parallel old Mahabalipuram Road has been transformed into an IT corridor, where numerous major corporations have their offices. *The Opening Festival* Billboards, posters, TV spots, newspaper articles, and advertisements on trucks and buses invited the people of Chennai to join in the inaugural events on April 26 last year. Thanks to the publicity, an estimated 35,000 people visited on that day alone. Several TV channels covered the event. Sankara TV presented a live three-hour telecast. Various media outlets interviewed Bhanu Swami and several other devotees. At 8:00 A.M., the **utsava*,* or “festival,” Deities moved in a grand procession from the old temple to the new temple. In front of them were musicians playing the *nadasvaram* (a regional instrument similar to the *shenai*), devotees chanting the Lord’s names in *nama-san*kirtana*,* and priests reciting Vedic *mantras*. At 9:00 A.M., the *utsava* Deities and the new Deities were ceremoniously presented in simple attire. The Deities are Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, with Lalita and Visakha; Nitai-Gauranga (Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu); Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra; and Laksmi-Nrsimha. The *abhiseka,* or consecration bath, soon started, accompanied by a *kirtana* of the holy names that stretched to nearly four hours. As the *abhiseka* came to an end and the altar doors closed for the dressing of the Deities, devotees moved to the temple rooftop for the installation of the SudarSana *cakra* (the disc weapon of Lord Visnu, which sits atop all Visnu temples) and the *abhiseka* of the *kalasas* (literally, "pitchers" or "pots") on the spires of the temple. As the devotees poured sacred water on the *kalasas*, suddenly a low drone was heard, and soon petals of roses, jasmines, and marigolds dropped from a helicopter, property of Indra Air. All became still when the conch blew to herald the first *darsana* (viewing) of the Deities on Their teakwood altars. Everyone in the temple hall, as well as in the auditorium, the three banquet halls, and the other areas where screens simulcast the events, stood up, their eyes fixed on the altar doors. As the doors opened, devotees fell flat to offer obeisance, expressing gratitude to Their Lordships. The Deities smiled benevolently in Their brilliantly sparkling red and yellow outfits and white and red stone jewelry. Bollywood actress Hema Malini, who had flown from Mumbai to her hometown Chennai for the event, joined other charitable donors in offering the first *arati.* *Chennai Charmed* The rest of the day remained busy. People dropped in nonstop and stood in queues to get a glimpse of the Deities. Comments from the guestbook reflect their appreciation: “At last a magnificent Kṛṣṇa temple in the city.” “An excellent place to bring relatives and friends.” “Magnificent.” “Wonderful.” “Serene.” “Clean and peaceful.” “I can feel the Lord’s presence.” “An unforgettable day. I never thought I would meet God so soon." As the sun withdrew its powerful brilliance, the temple’s special lighting effects, designed by international lighting expert Babu Shankar, a native of Chennai, illuminated the inside of the temple, transforming it into a giant rainbow. On both sides of the temple hall, whose border of yellow onyx was lit from below, each pillar was flooded with colors. Shining in the center of the floor was the onyx *sahasrara-cakra.* Above, reflecting all the lights, was the seven-layer, 500-piece, Himalayan-crystal chandelier. The construction took ten years, and some people eager for the temple to be completed said it was late. But, referring to the lighting, sound, and ventilation inside the temple, a member of the congregation, Ramachandradev, remarked that although it was late, it had the latest features. Another devotee, who worked closely on the project, said, “This is too amazing*.* I cannot believe I had anything to do with the construction of this temple*.* Like children playing, all we did was put some bricks and sand together*.* But what has manifested here is the *dhama* [God's abode]*.* The Lord has brought Vaikuntha!” Devotees at ISKCON Chennai continue to be amazed by the sudden appearance of the spiritual world. Whereas before only a few hundred guests turned up on Sundays, now thousands of devotees throng to the temple daily, and on holidays and weekends the temple hall is constantly full. People have to stand in queues for *sadari,* in which one symbolically accepts the Lord’s lotus feet on one's head. The car park, though spread over five acres, is insufficient, and vehicles often spill into the adjoining roads. Vanloads of people from nearby towns and cities also pour in regularly. They can now appreciate the truth in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words when he said, speaking to his disciples in Māyāpur, “Unless we have got a temple like this, nobody would come.” ISKCON Chennai temple president Sumitra Kṛṣṇa Dāsa remarks, “The temple stands as a magnificent result of the cooperation between the temple residents and the congregation. People are in complete awe and admiration. The Supreme Lord has captivated them by His beauty.” *Tarini Rādhā Devī Dāsī is a disciple of Jayapataka Swami. She is the mother of four children, and she coordinates children's programs in Chennai. Her husband, Sumitra Kṛṣṇa Dāsa, is the temple president. Contact her at [email protected].* ## A Representation of the Vedic Concept of the Universe *In the* Sthapatya Veda *a temple is said to mirror the universe. The structure of the temple thus embodies the surface of the earth (Bhu-mandala) with its directions and central axis (Mount Meru), the various higher dimensions within the universe (upper planetary systems up to Brahmaloka), and the movement of planets as viewed in astronomy.* *Temple Entrance: Bhu-mandala* In the *Puranas,* and in Jain and Buddhist cosmology, the universe is described as a series of circular islands and oceans surrounding a central pillar called Mount Meru. In the center of this planetary system, called Bhu-mandala, is the island of Jambudvipa, surrounded by a salt-water ocean. This cosmography is depicted on the floor of the main entrance to the Chennai temple. *Portico: Cow and Calf* Bhu, or Earth, provides a place for human beings to develop their consciousness by providing sustenance for the body. The cow feeding her calf near the entrance to the Chennai temple represents Earth nourishing the living beings. Since the cow provides nourishment only if *dharma* and *bhakti* are maintained, we must worship the Lord to continue to exist in this world. *Cakras: The Energy Centers* The temple also represents a **visva-rupa*,* the universe in the form of a man. The feet are the main gate, and the head is the *garbha-grha,* the Deities' private chamber. The Deities are the soul of that universal form. On the body of this *visva-rupa* are six **cakra*s,* or energy centers, represented on the stairs leading to the temple hall. The seventh **cakra*,* *sahasrara,* represents spiritual realization. This *cakra* is in the floor at the center of the temple hall, where one can have *darSana* of the Deities. It is made of translucent onyx. Lighting from underneath provides a special effect. The design of the seventh *cakra* is modeled on the Mrtyunjaya Yantra (the Conquest-Over-Death Symbol). *Brahma-sthanam:* Top Center of the Temple Hall In *Vastu-sastra* the elements are represented in the directions. In the center is ether (**akasa*,* or “sky”). Therefore the central area of a building is left open. It is called *brahma-sthanam,* or the place of the creator. It is ideal for meditation—or for *kirtana,* since *akasa* is the medium of sound. This area is located in the center of the temple hall, marked by a transparent dome in the ceiling above it. In the floor below this dome is the seventh *cakra,* mentioned previously, which yields spiritual vision. Here light converges upon the worshiper from below and above. *Windows Presided Over by Incarnations* The eight directions (N, E, S, W, NE, SE, NW, SW) govern the five elements and define any space, whether a house, a temple, or the universe itself. Planets rule these directions, and eight avatars of the Lord rule the planets and the directions. For instance, the sun and Lord Rama rule the east. Large windows in the temple hall display these eight avatars and their respective *yantras.* *Temple Chandelier* Crystals, occurring naturally in the world, express the inherent geometrical symmetry of the basic elements, which is reflected in the symmetry of the universal structure. Crystals also absorb and amplify energy. Thus they serve to intensify spiritual energy in the temple as well as radiate beauty and light. The main chandelier in the temple is composed of about five hundred Himalayan-quartz crystals. Sikhara*: The Temple Spires* The main s*ikhara* over the Deities symbolizes Mount Meru, representing the Lord. The s*ikhara* also indicates the upward flow of energy from material to spiritual. The golden *kalasa* on top of the S*ikhara* channels the spiritual energy. ## The Swirling Smoke of Fragrant Love *By Urmila Devī Dāsī* *How incense fits into the practice of the yoga of devotion.* The desire for a pleasant fragrance fuels the world's perfume industry at twenty-seven billion dollars a year;1 soaps, laundry detergents, and the various household cleaners generally have scent added; and it is fragrance that gives flavor to food beyond what the tongue alone can taste: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Although we might think of our olfactory ability as the least among our senses, smells give us useful information about purity and health and greatly add to the scope and variety of life’s pleasures. It should not surprise us, therefore, that Kṛṣṇa, the reservoir of all pleasure, identifies Himself in the *Gita* as the “fragrance of the earth.” Indeed, it is from the earth that the sources of fragrance in food, flowers, leaves, and sap grow. Kṛṣṇa’s own spiritual fragrance is described thus: “The eight lotuslike parts of His body distribute the fragrance of lotuses mixed with that of camphor. His body is anointed with aromatic substances like musk, camphor, sandalwood, and *aguru.*” (*Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya* 19.91) As chemists can extract the fragrant essence from a flower, so we can extract the essence of spiritual development from life. We do that by finding our happiness in pleasing our source, Kṛṣṇa, through loving service. Part of our service to Kṛṣṇa is to offer Him whatever we can. Since everything is a product of His energy, we are offering Him, with affection, His own energy. Kṛṣṇa is pleased by this, just as parents feel joy when their children buy them a gift with money received from the parents. So, although from a logical point of view offering fragrance to the source of all fragrance seems pointless and redundant, Kṛṣṇa relishes the loving mood of such an offering, and the devotee who offers the fragrance relishes Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure. Indeed, Kṛṣṇa Himself states, “I am certainly most pleased when nice presentations of fragrant oil, incense, flowers, and palatable foods are offered with love.” (*Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 11.27.18) *Billowing from Kṛṣṇa’s Homes* When Lord Kṛṣṇa was on earth about five thousand years ago, incense was used as a standard part of receiving a guest or someone returning home.2 Incense smoke perfumes the entire area at Kṛṣṇa’s pastoral residence in Vrindavan and His city residence in Dwarka. The sacred literature says that incense smoke poured out from the lattice designs of the windows of Kṛṣṇa’s residences. Love means offering the beloved the finest quality we can arrange, and the best incense is made from high-quality natural resins, woods, seeds, flowers, and oils. High-quality natural incense produces abundant smoke that fills a room with its scent for many hours. Much of the incense available today is mass-produced and not of good quality, but with care we can ensure that what we offer is natural and healthy and includes a variety of pleasant aromas. Aromas specifically mentioned in the sacred literature include sandalwood, **aguru*,* camphor, musk, lotus, and rose. Lord Caitanya refers to a pleasing combination of fragrances called *catuhsama:* two parts of musk, four parts of sandalwood, three parts of *aguru* or saffron, and one part of camphor (*Cc. Antya* 4.197). It’s deeply spiritually satisfying to be able to offer Kṛṣṇa traditional scents we know He enjoys. *Incense in Worship* Offering Kṛṣṇa incense is part of **arcana*,* or worship, one of the nine divisions of *bhakti-yoga.* In delineating systems of **arcana*,* the scriptures and saintly teachers prescribe *mantras* to be used, items to be offered, and so forth. The most opulent *arcana* consists of sixty-four items; the most simple, five items.3 In every list, offering incense to Kṛṣṇa is included. Incense is part of worship of the Lord and His representatives in the scriptures of many of the world’s traditions. For example, when Jesus was born, the wise men brought the child gifts of frankincense and myrrh. The *arcana* system prescribes offering incense to a picture or three-dimensional form of the Lord, generally placed on furniture set aside as an altar to create a sacred space. The Deity's form may be made of sand, clay, wood, or stone, may be contemplated within the mind, or may be made of jewels, metal, or painted colors. All the forms are of the same spiritual value. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that such forms, although apparently made of matter, are fully Kṛṣṇa when prepared and installed according to scripture: These forms are called **arca*-murtis*, or forms of the Lord which can be easily appreciated by the common man. The Lord is transcendental to our mundane senses. He cannot be seen with our present eyes, nor can He be heard with our present ears. To the degree that we have entered into the service of the Lord or to the proportion to which our lives are freed from sins, we can perceive the Lord. But even though we are not free from sins, the Lord is kind enough to allow us the facility of seeing Him in His **arca*-murtis* in the temple. The Lord is all-powerful, and therefore He is able to accept our service by presentation of His *arca* form. No one, therefore, should foolishly think the *arca* in the temple to be an idol. Such an *arca*-murti is not an idol but the Lord Himself, and to the proportion to which one is free from sins, he is able to know the significance of the *arca*-murti. (*Bhag.* 3.1.17, Purport) Following traditional Vaisnava practice, Śrīla Prabhupāda set the standard for ISKCON that only devotees who have received brahminical initiation ("second initiation") can directly worship the Deity on the temple altar. But anyone can perform simple worship at home. To offer incense to Kṛṣṇa, hold the incense with the right hand and circle it clockwise while ringing a bell with the left hand and saying once, “Here is incense offered to You, Kṛṣṇa.” (The Sanskrit is *esa dhupah,* followed by the *mantra* for the form of Kṛṣṇa one is worshiping, such as *klim kṛṣṇa ya namah.*) According to the *Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,* one should also offer a flower after offering incense. We can also note that just as the form of Kṛṣṇa can be within the mind, so incense can also be offered mentally. Even when offering incense physically, one’s mind should be absorbed in the activity—the offering should be done with body, mind, and words. The *bhakti-yogi* focuses on the happiness of Kṛṣṇa, taking pleasure in Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure. After the incense is offered, we then enjoy—as *prasādam,* or Kṛṣṇa’s mercy—the wonderful smell that fills our home or temple. In *The Nectar of Devotion,* Śrīla Prabhupāda's summary study of the *Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,* Prabhupāda writes in this connection: In the *Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya* there is a statement about the incense which is offered in the temple: "When the devotees smell the good flavor of the incense which is offered to the Deity, they thus become cured of the poisonous effects of material contamination, as much as one becomes cured of a snakebite by smelling the prescribed medicinal herbs." The explanation of this verse is that there is an herb found in the jungles which expert persons know how to use to revive the consciousness of one who is bitten by a snake. Simply by smelling that herb one becomes immediately relieved of the poisonous effects of the snakebite. The same example is applicable: when a person comes to visit the temple and smells the incense offered to the Deity, he is cured at that time from all his material contamination. Any devotee coming into the temple should always offer something to the Deity—fruit, flowers, incense, etc. If one cannot offer anything in cash, something else must be offered. In India the system is that all the ladies and gentlemen who come in the morning to visit the temple bring so many things. Even one morsel of rice or one morsel of flour can be offered. It is a regulative principle that one should not go to see a saintly person or the Deity in the temple without any offering. The offering may be very humble, or it may be priceless. Even a flower, a little fruit, a little water—whatever is possible—must be offered. So when a devotee comes to offer something to the Deity in the morning, he is sure to smell the good flavor of the incense, and then at once he will become cleansed of the poisonous effect of material existence. (*The Nectar of Devotion,* Chapter 9) Incense is intimately associated with the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Perhaps that is because in ISKCON’s early history, devotees of Kṛṣṇa maintained temples through a business called Spiritual Sky, which manufactured incense and scented oils. Or perhaps it is because today in every ISKCON center visitors often describe how the smell of incense, often mixed with the fragrance of pure ghee (clarified butter) used in cooking, creates an immediate sense of a spiritual atmosphere. One of my favorite times of the day is when I sit at my altar to give Kṛṣṇa some simple articles like incense, flowers, and fruits. When I can put the best quality incense in front of Him, I feel both the room and my heart becoming purified and filled with satisfaction. *NOTES* 1. http://www.statisticbrain.com/perfume-industry-statistics/ 2. *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 1.11.15: "In each and every door of the residential houses, auspicious things like yogurt, unbroken fruits, sugarcane, and full waterpots with articles for worship, incense, and candles were all displayed. "PURPORT: The process of reception according to Vedic rites is not at all dry. The reception was made not simply by decorating the roads and streets as above mentioned, but by worshiping the Lord with requisite ingredients like incense, lamps, flowers, sweets, fruits, and other palatable eatables, according to one's capacity." 3. The five most basic ingredients for Deity worship are (1) very good scents, (2) very good flowers, (3) incense, (4) a lamp, and (5) something edible. (*Cc. Madhya* 24.334, Purport) *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.* ## The Launch of the Hare Kṛṣṇa Express *A devotee from a remote village in India finds an innovative way to share Śrīla Prabhupāda’s message with everyone.* *By Vikram Patil* It’s widely known that Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books have the potency to transform people’s hearts. Their message is so pure that they can elevate anyone to the highest platform of spiritual perfection. Having witnessed the transformational power of these books in my own life, I was eager to share these amazing pieces of literature with the people of my city. By the Lord’s grace, I came up with an innovative idea to do just that. I own a cell phone shop in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. While commuting between my village, Kotoli, and downtown Kolhapur, I used to observe how most passengers spent their travel time sleeping. *What a waste!* I thought. *Somehow I must give them transcendental knowledge of the divine pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.* I used to take a great deal of interest in marketing, so I decided to use my marketing skills in Kṛṣṇa’s service. At first I hesitated to distribute Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books; since I would have to receive some payment for them, I feared regular passengers would think I was earning a sales commission rather than simply doing religious work. Soon I thought of another way. Since I am handicapped in one hand, I was being charged only a quarter of the bus fare. This meant that the state government was contributing Rs. 1,200 for me every month. As a gesture of gratitude, I decided to use that money to give out copies of *Jau Devachiya Gava,* the Marathi edition of *Back to Godhead.* Because it is a monthly magazine, I knew it would create interest among the passengers. The bus drivers and conductors encouraged me, and thus the magazine distribution received a kick-start. Bus passengers started reading the copies. Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings were finally reaching the people of Kolhapur. One day a passenger took a copy of BTG from the bus and showed it to his family members waiting to meet him at the bus stand. They appreciated the pictures and the articles, but they thought he had stolen the attractive religious magazine and admonished him to return it. But he wouldn’t let it go—he had gotten attached to it. When I later heard the story from him, I exclaimed, “*Jaya* Prabhupāda!” rejoicing at his good fortune. Another idea struck me. I noticed that some passengers spent their time listening to music on their cell phones. I realized that literate people can get Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy by reading *Back to Godhead,* but how can the illiterate ones get that mercy? So I bought an MP3 music player and loaded it with Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lectures and Hare Kṛṣṇa *kirtanas.* If I could play this inside the bus, I thought, everyone would receive the mercy of the holy name. The drivers, the conductors, and my regular co-passengers were all happy with this idea. Throughout the day, Śrīla Prabhupāda’s voice was amplified on the bus’s internal speakers. Every passenger came in touch with the pure devotee’s divine voice. Sometime later, our bus, No. 7810, received the nickname “The Hare Kṛṣṇa Express,” and whenever it entered the Kolhapur bus station, the entire transport staff welcomed us enthusiastically. Now, even in my absence, they listen to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lectures and *kirtanas.* Soon another bus will become a “Hare Kṛṣṇa Express.” Passengers now regularly ask me about the magazine, and many have become paid subscribers. *Preaching Through Action* Once I found a bag on the bus containing Rs. 40,000 in cash. There was a business card inside the bag, so I called the owner to tell him I’d found it. He was speechless, unable to express his gratitude. When he insisted I accept something as a reward, I explained how I was trying to share Śrīla Prabhupāda's message with everyone. I confessed that it was Prabhupāda’s preaching that had influenced me to return the money, without keeping any for myself. He immediately signed up for three BTG subscriptions. Somehow this story spread, and the local newspaper ran a short article about me. Another time, I found an expensive cell phone in the bus. When I called the owner, he was greatly relieved. He came to my home and showered me with praise. I asked him to subscribe to the magazine, and he did. Then he told me his name: Shri Rasid Gulab Sayyed. A Muslim! I couldn’t believe my ears. But then I realized that the mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is all-inclusive. Even those outside the scope of Vedic religion are eligible for devotional service. I am determined to make as many *Back to Godhead* subscribers as possible. To this date, after about a year, 145 people have enrolled. When I hand someone a magazine, I usually say, “Spirituality is like Mother Ganga, but you cannot take the whole Ganga home. This magazine is like the *kamandalu,* which can carry Ganga to your home and sanctify your whole family.” I firmly believe that by serving Śrīla Prabhupāda and his mission by distributing his *Back to Godhead* magazine, Hare Kṛṣṇa Express in the form of ISKCON will take me back home, back to Godhead. Let me pray to His Divine Grace for his blessings and causeless mercy. ## From the Editor *Śrīla Prabhupāda Pranati* At the end of August, disciples, followers, and admirers of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda celebrate the anniversary of his appearance in this world. As part of our spiritual practice, we routinely offer Prabhupāda the following salutation (*pranati*): > nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale > srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine > namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine > nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine "I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism." The first two lines are identical to those of the *pranati* of Śrīla Prabhupāda's spiritual master, except for the change of name from "Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati" to "Bhaktivedanta Swami." The *mantra* begins in the standard way for *mantra*s in the Vedic tradition—with *namah* ("I offer my respectful obeisances") and *oM,* which invokes the Supreme Lord. The term *visnu-padaya* means "unto one who is at the feet of Lord Visnu." Because Visnu is a form of Kṛṣṇa, every devotee of Kṛṣṇa is naturally a devotee of Visnu as well. To be "at the feet of Visnu" means that Śrīla Prabhupāda is situated in full submission to God and is therefore under His sure protection. *Kṛṣṇa-presthaya* means "unto one who is very dear to Kṛṣṇa," and *bhu-tale* means "on the earth." I've sometimes wondered about the appropriateness of continuing to use the phrase "on the earth" now that Śrīla Prabhupāda is no longer physically present here. Among the billions of human beings on earth during Prabhupāda's time, he certainly was uniquely dear to Kṛṣṇa. As many readers may have guessed, I answer my own doubt about continuing to say "on the earth" by reminding myself that Prabhupāda is still present in many ways—for example, in his immortal books and in the hearts of all who love him. The *pranati* identifies Prabhupāda by name: Bhaktivedanta Swami. Śrīla Prabhupāda's spiritual master gave him the name Abhaya Caranaravinda Dāsa, which was changed to A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami when he accepted *sannyasa.* He used the name A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami after that, signing his letters with it. It also appears on the covers of his books. I've noticed a tendency among devotees to use variations such as Bhaktivedanta Goswami and Abhaya Caranaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami, but I prefer to use the name he himself used. For those who think that "Goswami" is somehow more glorious than "Swami," I suggest "Tridandi Goswami A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami," which appeared on his letterhead. (Although it may be obvious, I'm stating my own opinion on this point. I hope that the unique name A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami will be widely recognized for thousands of years.) In th*e* *s**e*cond p*a*rt of th*e* *pr*a*n*a*ti,* w*e* *a*ddr*e**s**s* Pr*a*bhupād*a* dir*e*ctly: *n*a*m*a**s* t*e** ("ob*e*i*s**a*nc*e**s* unto you"). And th*e*n Śrīl*a* Pr*a*bhupād*a* i*s* id*e*ntifi*e*d *a**s* "S*a*r*a**s*v*a*ti" ("*s**e*rv*a*nt of Bh*a*kti*s*iddhānt*a* S*a*r*a**s*v*a*ti"). Th*e* gr*a*mm*a*r of th*e* v*e*r*s**e* c*a*ll*s* for th*e* *e* *a*t th*e* *e*nd, *s*o w*e* h*a*v*e* *s**a*r*a**s*v*a*t*e* (th*e* l*a**s*t *s*yll*a*bl*e* i*s* pronounc*e*d "t*a*y" not "t*e**e*"). And not*e* th*e* long *a* *a*ft*e*r th*e* initi*a*l *s*. A*s* *a* di*s*cipl*e* of Bh*a*kti*s*iddhānt*a* S*a*r*a**s*v*a*ti (*s*hort fir*s*t *a*), Pr*a*bhupād*a* i*s* S*a*r*a**s*v*a*ti (long fir*s*t *a*). The word *deve,* translated as "O spiritual master" in the full translation above, is the required grammatical form for *deva* and can also be translated as "O my lord" or "O godly one." Then the *pranati* praises Śrīla Prabhupāda for His service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. First of all, **gaura*-*vani*-*pracarine*:* Śrīla Prabhupāda is a *guru* in the line of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (*gaura*), and his general mission was to spread (*pracarine*) Lord Caitanya's teachings (*vani*). By the blessings of his predecessors, he did so like no one else before him. More specifically, Prabhupāda's *guru* asked him to carry Caitanya's message to the West (*pascatya-desa*), beyond the borders of India, especially to the English-speaking world. Bereft of knowledge of Kṛṣṇa and of devotion to Him, the people of the West were caught in the grip of the debilitating philosophies of *nirvisesa* (impersonalism, or Mayavada) and *sunyavadi* (voidism, or Buddhism). Prabhupāda introduced Kṛṣṇa to the West with vigorous faith and determination. He met with astounding success in saving countless souls yearning for a tangible relationship with God. We fortunate beneficiaries of Prabhupāda's dedicated service to his *guru* and Kṛṣṇa should acknowledge our appreciation by bowing to his feet and reciting his *pranati* often, with full concentration and humility. —Nagaraja Dāsa ## Vedic Thoughts A living entity becomes established in spiritual, blissful life when he fully understands that his happiness depends on spiritual self-realization, which is the basic principle of *ananda* (bliss), and when he is eternally situated in the service of the Lord, who has no other lord above Him. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 5.19.20, Purport We should show compassion toward all living entities, develop a taste for chanting the Lord’s names, and serve Vaisnavas. These are Mahāprabhu’s three principal instructions. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Ṭhākura *Amrta Van*i Mother Earth is immediately purified by the touch of the dust from the feet of the Vaisnavas who dance to the sound of *sankirtana.* *Śrī Narada-pancaratra* The Supreme Personality of Godhead fulfills the material desires of a devotee who approaches Him with such motives, but He does not bestow benedictions upon the devotee that will cause him to demand more benedictions again. However, the Lord willingly gives the devotee shelter at His own lotus feet, even though such a person does not aspire for it, and that shelter satisfies all his desires. That is the Supreme Personality's special mercy. The Demigods in Heaven *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 5.19.27 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. In this way you will be freed from bondage to work and its auspicious and inauspicious results. With your mind fixed on Me in this principle of renunciation, you will be liberated and come to Me. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa *Bhagavad-gītā* 9.27–28 The fire of digestion digests food, and the person eating does not know how the food gets digested. Similarly, *bhakti* liberates the devotee who daily performs hearing and chanting and experiences a sweet taste, without striving for liberation at all. The devotee does not even ask how or when he will get liberation. Śrīla Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhākura *Śrīmad-Bhagavatam* 3.25.33, Commentary By serving You [Kṛṣṇa] constantly, one is freed from all material desires and is completely pacified. When shall I engage as Your permanent eternal servant and always feel joyful to have such a fitting master? Yamunacarya *Stotra-ratna* 43