# Back to Godhead Magazine #54 *2020 (04)* Back to Godhead Magazine #54-04, 2020 PDF-View Welcome The photos illustrating the cover story for this issue were taken at the 2020 Radhadesh Mellows Kirtan Festival in Belgium. Over the last dozen or so years, kīrtana festivals have become an important part of the culture of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. As evidence of the spiritual power of the Lord’s names, devotees who attend these festivals, which usually last from one to three days, spend many hours each day joyfully singing the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. “Chanting,” whether by singing or by uttering the holy name while counting on japa beads, is at the heart of the practice of bhakti-yoga, whose goal is to awaken of our love for Kṛṣṇa. In this issue, Gaura Śaraṇa Dāsa’s “Steer Your Life Guided by Wisdom” and Tirumala Devī Dāsī’s “The Spiritual Highway” both stress the importance of understanding life’s goal and striving to attain it. The title of the book excerpt in this issue says what we can expect as we pursue that goal: “Māyā Is Going to Test You.” In his opening lecture, Śrīla Prabhupāda tells us to “Prepare to Go to Kṛṣṇa,” and Ūrmilā Devī Dāsī, in “Devotional Surrender: An Embracing of Truth,” writes that Kṛṣṇa mercifully responds to our earnest attempts to take refuge in Him. Hare Kṛṣṇa. —*Nāgarāja Dāsa, Editor* Founder's Lecture: Prepare to Go to Kṛṣṇa *Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that only the foolish person doesn’t know that we are all on the threshold of death.* Los Angeles, May 19, 1972 *Intelligent human beings focus their efforts on attaining the best possible destination after death.* > śrī-śuka uvāca > evam etan nigaditaṁ > pṛṣṭavān yad bhavān mama > nṛṇāṁ yan mriyamāṇānāṁ > manuṣyeṣu manīṣiṇām “Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Parīkṣit, as you have inquired from me as to the duty of the intelligent man who is on the threshold of death, so I have answered you.”—*Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 2.3.1 Now, this is the important part of the verse: a “man who is on the threshold of death.” Who can say, “I am not on the threshold of death”? Is there anyone in the universe who can say, “I am not on the threshold of death”? Can anyone say that? Everyone is on the threshold of death. That’s a fact. Everyone is subject to death. Nobody can say, “I shall live for so many years.” No guarantee. Everyone is on the threshold of death. Any moment we can die. Therefore it is said, “As sure as death.” All other things may be not sure, but death is sure. Therefore it is said here *manuṣyeṣu* *manīṣiṇām*. Not ordinary men. *Manīṣī*. *Manīṣī* means thoughtful. They ask, “What is to be done now, before death comes? Shall I die like cats and dogs, or shall I die like a human being?” This is the question. When cats and dogs die, nobody cares. But when a human being dies, there are so many ceremonies, there is mourning, because human life is important. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was cursed to die, but he was given seven days’ time: “You, King, shall die after seven days, being bitten by a serpent.” This was the curse given to him. He accepted it. He could have counteracted it. He was a Vaiṣṇava. He was very powerful. But he thought, “Yes, I am an offender. The *brāhmaṇa* boy has cursed me; I shall accept it.” He prepared himself for death. For seven days he placed himself on the bank of the Ganges without drinking a drop of water, and for seven days he continuously heard *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* from Śukadeva Gosvāmī. That was decided. In any circumstances of life, hearing and chanting is prescribed. Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, “My dear King, I have explained to you what is to be done now, at the time of death.” We should take instruction from the behavior of Parīkṣit Mahārāja about how to act when one is on the threshold of death. Everyone is on the threshold of death, but the foolish person does not know that. The foolish person thinks, “I shall live forever.” That is foolishness. > ahany ahani bhūtāni > gacchantīha yamālayam > śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti > kim āścaryam ataḥ param “Day after day countless living entities in this world go to the kingdom of death. Still, those who remain aspire for a permanent situation here. What could be more amazing than this?” (*Mahābhārata, Vana-parva* 313.116) Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was asked by Dharmarāja, “What is the most wonderful thing within this world?” He answered this way: *ahany ahani bhūtānī gacchantīha yamālayam*. “Everyone, at every moment, is going to the place of Yamarāja, the superintendent of death, where a man’s life, what he has done, is scrutinizingly studied.” I say “a man’s life.” Not an animal’s life. Animals have no such thing as “wrong” or “right.” But a human being must have this conscience, “right” or “wrong.” *Duty and Not Duty* In the *Bhagavad-gītā* (16.7) it is said, **pravṛtti*ṁ ca *nivṛtti*ṁ ca janā na vidur āsurāḥ. Asura janā*, those who are demons, do not know these two things, *pravṛtti* and *nivṛtti*, what is our duty and what is not our duty. That is the position of the modern civilization. They do not know these things. What is our duty to do and what is our duty not to do, they do not know. Nor do they have any education in this life about what we should do and what we should not do. Therefore this particular word is mentioned here, manīṣiṇām. In human society those who are specifically intelligent, it is for them. The author of *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* writes, *kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura.* Catura means very intelligent. Without being intelligent, nobody can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our mission is to educate people to become intelligent. They are foolish. They do not know the value of life. They do not know what is going to happen after death. No. Just like cats and dogs. Therefore the *Gargopaniṣad* says, *etad viditvā yaḥ prayāti sa brāhmaṇaḥ*: “One who leaves this body after knowing everything is a brāhmaṇa.” And *etad aviditvā yaḥ prayāti sa *kṛpaṇa*ḥ*: “Anyone who dies without knowing the value of life is a *kṛpaṇa*, a miser, cripple-minded,” because he could not utilize the opportunity given to him by nature. You American boys and girls—nice country, good facilities, no poverty—everything is very nicely given to you. But if in spite of all these facilities you don’t take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you are *kṛpaṇa*s, misers. “Miser” means one who has got money but cannot utilize it. He is a miser. There are many merchants who get a few thousand dollars from their father, but due to intelligence they increase it to millions of dollars. That is intelligence. And miserliness, or foolishness, is that I get some money from my father, but I spend it for nothing. This human form of life is specially meant for becoming a *brāhmaṇa*. We are therefore creating *brāhmaṇa*s. We are not creating **śūdra*s*. *Śūdras* are already there. *Janmanā jāyate *śūdra*ḥ*. Anyone born is a *śūdra*. Śūdra means one who has no knowledge, who is ignorant. He is called a *śūdra*. *Śūdras* are not intelligent. They cannot do anything thoughtfully. Get some work, get some few dollars daily, eat and sleep. That is the way of the śūdras. They cannot do anything independently. A *brāhmaṇa* will not engage in anyone’s service. That is specially forbidden. Even if he is in difficulty, a *brāhmaṇa* should not accept anyone’s service like a dog. This word is especially used. A dog cannot live without a master. A dog, if he hasn’t got a good master, is a street dog. He may be killed at any time. He has no protection. Therefore this very word is used. Śūdra means like a dog. He must have a master; otherwise he cannot live. There are different classes of men. Śūdras must have protection. Woman must have protection because they cannot do anything independently. To give them independence means to create some trouble. In the *Manu-saṁhitā* it is clearly said, *na strī svātantryam arhati.* Women cannot be given independence. No. They must be protected. When a girl is a child, up to twelve years, thirteen years, say fifteen, sixteen years, not more than that, she must be protected by her father. And at the age of thirteen to sixteen years, she must be married. The father must find out some boy who can take charge of her, the second charge. And when she’s old, the charge is given to the elder sons. A woman is protected like that. Śūdras also should not be given independence. They should be given protection, but no independence. In the *Bhagavad-gītā* it is said, *striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās.* *Striyaḥ* means woman. Women, *śūdras*, and *vaiśyas* are put into the same category. One has to be enlightened. As the *śūdra* can be enlightened under good protection, similarly a woman can also be enlightened. There is no barricade to enlighten woman. Everyone can be enlightened. Everyone has got the light. But ordinarily the *śūdra*s and the vaiśyas are not to be considered very intelligent. *Janmanā jāyate *śūdra*ḥ*. Everyone is born a *śūdra*. *Saṁskārād bhaved *dvija*ḥ*. By *saṁskāra*, reformation, one becomes a *dvija*, “twice-born.” We follow this principle in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Not that all of a sudden we accept anyone as a *brāhmaṇa*. We give *saṁskāra* in the form of chanting and other things. First of all comes association. By good association, by the association of devotees, one can understand automatically what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa. Traditionally the *śūdras* were not given any *saṁskāra*, because it is very difficult for those in the very lowest stage of life to accept *saṁskāra*, the reformatory method. But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, under the direction of the Six Gosvāmīs and the *pañcarātra* system, is giving everyone the opportunity to become a *brāhmaṇa* because without becoming a *brāhmaṇa* nobody can understand what is Kṛṣṇa or what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. *Coming to Goodness* One must be on the platform of goodness. When one is fixed up on the platform of goodness, the other two qualities—ignorance and passion—cannot disturb him. > śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ > puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ > hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi > vidhunoti suhṛt satām “Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.” (*Bhāgavatam* 1.2.17) Hṛdy antaḥ-sthaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. If you kindly continue to hear about Him, as you are doing, then Kṛṣṇa will be very much pleased. “Oh, this person is now interested in Me.” Because nobody’s interested in Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is also silent to them. But as soon as you become interested, oh, Kṛṣṇa becomes very active. “Oh, he’s trying to do something. I shall help him.” In the *Bhagavad-gītā* (10.10) it is said, > teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ > bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam > dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ > yena mām upayānti te “To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” Kṛṣṇa is silent for the nondevotees, but He speaks to the devotees. That is very natural. A big man talks with men who are intelligent, who are businesslike. Why should he waste his time talking with some rascals and fools? So Kṛṣṇa talks, but He talks to the devotees. Who are devotees? *Satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam*. Those who are twenty-four hours engaged in rendering loving devotional service to the Lord. To such persons Kṛṣṇa gives intelligence, not others. This process of hearing from *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, *Bhagavad-gītā*, must be continued. That is our life. *Śravaṇaṁ* *kīrtanaṁ* *viṣṇoḥ*. *Śravaṇam* means hearing. *Kīrtanam* means chanting about Lord Viṣṇu, not others. “Now I am hearing and chanting about Nixon.” [Chuckles.] That will not help. Everyone is busy with the newspaper. “What has Nixon said, what is he doing . . .” Everywhere. The politicians have made the minds of the general public very much interested in what the politician says. Every day people see that the politicians are simply speaking all nonsense; still they’re interested. *Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām* (*Bhāgavatam* 7.5.30). This is called “chewing the chewed again and again.” By the laws of material nature, we are all bound up tight, hands and legs. We cannot neglect the laws of nature. If you eat a little more than you should, then you have to fast for three days. That we actually know. If you expose yourself a little too much to cold, then you have to pay ten dollars to the doctor—a fine. People are so much bound up by the laws of nature; still they are thinking, “I am free. I am independent. Where is God? I am God.” Just see. Such foolish persons. Every moment they are being kicked on the face by the boot of material nature, and still they’re saying, “I am God. I am independent.” You see? It is just like one blind man telling other blind men, “Please follow me. I shall lead you to the right path.” “But you are blind yourself, and we are also blind. What will be the help?” But no, they will follow. In our country Gandhi promised, “I shall give you independence in one year if you follow me—nonviolence, noncooperation.” People followed, but it took thirty years. But actually, that is not independence. So these politicians, especially, mislead us. Not only politicians—the so-called yogis as well. *Kṛṣṇa and Caitanya: The Same Message* The real leader is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, > sarva-dharmān parityajya > mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja > ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo > mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” (*Gītā* 18.66) Kṛṣṇa is saying, “Give up all other occupations, other duties. Simply surrender unto Me. Don’t hesitate. Do it.” Kṛṣṇa is personally canvassing. He’s so kind that He comes personally. He speaks the whole truth in the *Bhagavad-gītā*. He’s canvassing, “Please do it.” He again comes as a devotee, Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya is teaching how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. There is no difference between Lord Caitanya’s teachings and Kṛṣṇa’s teaching. They are the same thing. In one form Kṛṣṇa is saying, “You surrender unto Me,” and Lord Caitanya says, “Surrender to Kṛṣṇa.” The fact is the same. We are following Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We are canvassing, “Please surrender to Kṛṣṇa.” Our business is not very difficult if we follow, if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa fully and teach others the same thing. No adulteration. No. Exactly what Kṛṣṇa says. Then you become a spiritual master, a guru. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, > yāre dekha, tāre kaha ’kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa > āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa “Under My order, become a spiritual master and deliver the people of your country.” (*Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya* 7.128) And what is that order? *Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa*: “Whomever you meet, simply speak to them what Kṛṣṇa has said, or what is spoken about Kṛṣṇa.” That means *Bhagavad-gītā* and *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*. Every one of you, follow the instruction as you have received it. Chant sixteen rounds regularly, without fail, follow the regulative principles, hear about Kṛṣṇa, and preach about Kṛṣṇa—every one of you become a spiritual master. It is a simple thing. No education is required. We are hearing about Kṛṣṇa, so we can speak the same thing. What is the difficulty? I hear from my spiritual master or from any learned man, “Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead,” so after hearing I say, “Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Personality of Godhead.” I haven’t got to search out whether or not Kṛṣṇa is the Personality of Godhead. If I accept the authority, then I speak the real truth. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Therefore sometimes people say in India, “Swamiji, you have done a wonderful thing.” I do not know. I’m not a magician. But I am confident that I did not adulterate the words of Kṛṣṇa. That’s all. That’s my credit. I did not like to take the position of Kṛṣṇa. I remained the servant of Kṛṣṇa, and I spoke what Kṛṣṇa said. That’s all. This is my secret. Everyone can do that. There is no magic. The magic will act as soon as you become a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The magic will be done by Kṛṣṇa, not by me or you. He will do it. It is just like a small child: Nobody can hurt him; the father will take care of him. He does not know anything. He’s simply depending on his father: “My father, mother,” that’s all. Kṛṣṇa says, “Surrender unto Me; I’ll give you protection.” He’s not a liar. He’s not inefficient. He’s strong. He’s sufficiently opulent. He can do that. Believe in Kṛṣṇa’s word and surrender unto Him. Don’t spoil this human form of life. Death is sure. Before death, we must prepare to go back to home, back to Godhead. Thank you. Absurdity, Abdication, and Abuse: Lessons from the Mahābhārata *Like Dhṛtarāṣṭra, all who are blinded by their attachments invite misfortune upon themselves.* by Caitanya Caraṇa Dāsa Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s actions demonstrate how if we don’t use our power when we should, we end up using it when we shouldn’t. When the Pāṇḍavas completed their forest exile, they were joined in the kingdom of Virāṭa by their influential father-in-law, Drupada. After consulting with him, they sent Drupada’s priest as a messenger to Hastinapura. In essence, the priest told the Kurus, “The Pāṇḍavas have completed their prescribed exile of thirteen years. They have honored their part in the terms of the gambling match; the onus is now on you to honor your part and return their kingdom to them.” Dhṛtarāṣṭra replied that he would send his answer soon through his own messenger, Sañjaya. For thirteen years, Dhṛtarāṣṭra had been living his dream—he and his son Duryodhana were enjoying the royal throne with unchallenged power. But that dream had always existed on the verge of a nightmare: the return of the Pāṇḍavas. He would have to hand over their kingdom to them. If he didn’t, war would result. Seeing his dream slipping from his hands, he wondered if he could somehow keep both the kingdom and the peace. *The Preposterous Peace Proposal* To this end, Dhṛtarāṣṭra came up with a sophistry that he conveyed through Sañjaya. The essence of his message to the Pāṇḍavas was “Householders are expected to eventually leave their homes to go to the forest and lead a retired life. You, O Pāṇḍavas, have already achieved the status of living in a forest. Why turn back towards household life now by seeking a kingdom? And why fight a war to gain a kingdom you will eventually renounce? And why, for a temporary kingdom, fight against your own family members? Live in peace where you are and continue to progress spiritually.” On hearing the message, Yudhiṣṭhira replied in an aggrieved tone, “When, O Sañjaya, did we state that we wanted to fight? We wish to live peacefully with the Kurus while pursuing our *dharma*. There is a time for engaging with the world and a time for renouncing the world. We still have our duties to our ancestors and our citizens. To serve our ancestors, we need to continue our lineage by begetting progeny. To serve our citizens, we need to help them practice *dharma*. For doing these duties, we need a kingdom. Without doing our *dharma* as engaged householders, we can’t abruptly jump to the retired stage. It is only for doing our *dharma* that we seek our rightful kingdom. We aren’t causing war; only those who are stopping us from doing our *dharma* are causing it. Please tell our uncle that we are ready to serve him respectfully and to live peacefully.” When Sañjaya returned to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and conveyed Yudhiṣṭhira’s incisive reply, the fallacy of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s reasoning became undeniably obvious. *Don’t Just Speak Philosophy—Pursue the Purpose of Philosophy* Consider the implications if Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s argument were accepted and became a precedent. Any greedy person could steal others’ property, force the victims into poverty and forest life, and then claim the moral high ground by saying that the victims should stay in the forest for their own spiritual growth. To know philosophy is important; to know the purpose of philosophy is even more important; and to know our own heart to ensure that we pursue the purpose of the philosophy we cite is most important. Otherwise, we may end up abusing philosophy not just to deceive others, but also to deceive ourselves. Nowadays, some unscrupulous people abuse ideologies to rationalize violence in the name of religion. They often live in an echo chamber surrounded only by yes-men who applaud whatever twisted arguments they come up with. They end up deceiving others, deceiving themselves, and ultimately defeating their own higher interests. We all need the association of those who are wiser than us, who know the purpose of philosophy, and who help us stay on track in pursuing that purpose. *When Those with Eyes Couldn’t See, But the Blind Could* Before the Kurukshetra war, Kṛṣṇa went to the Kuru kingdom with a peace proposal on the most accommodating terms. Duryodhana not only rejected the proposal but also tried to arrest Kṛṣṇa. This attempt was reprehensible because it violated all diplomatic conventions that guaranteed the safety of a peace envoy. Kṛṣṇa foiled Duryodhana by expanding Himself to gigantic proportions and displaying His universal form. The form emanated such fire and anger that everyone was blinded. Overcome by fear, the soldiers who had charged forward to arrest Kṛṣṇa fell on their backs, rose falteringly, and fled. Hearing the chaos, the blind Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Sañjaya, “What is happening?” Sañjaya replied in an awestruck tone, “Kṛṣṇa is showing His universal form.” On hearing this, Dhṛtarāṣṭra said to Kṛṣṇa, “O Keśava, I have never seen anything throughout my life. You are revealing a form that few can see. Please bless me with the vision to see this form.” Kṛṣṇa replied, “So be it.” Soon Dhṛtarāṣṭra could see for the first and only time in his life. And what a majestic sight he saw: the blazing form pervading all directions, containing luminaries from all over the universe, reducing everything around it to insignificance. Thus Dhṛtarāṣṭra experienced Kṛṣṇa’s unparalleled power through two benedictions. First, he got the power to see. Second, he got to see the awe-inspiring universal form. Yet, despite getting this double demonstration of divinity, Dhṛtarāṣṭra remained attached to his son. His abdication of responsibility in the face of Duryodhana’s obstinacy made the war inevitable. *Eyesight Can Be Given, But I-Sight Has to Be Chosen* Seeing Kṛṣṇa’s universal form could have prompted Dhṛtarāṣṭra to think about Kṛṣṇa’s position. He had heard from the sages that Kṛṣṇa was God descended to this world, and that He was everyone’s greatest well-wisher, as would be later reiterated in *Bhagavad-gītā* (5.29). Unfortunately, Dhṛtarāṣṭra was so attached to his son that he remained spiritually blinded. He couldn’t understand that he was a soul who was only temporarily, circumstantially in a relationship with another soul who had taken on the role of his son. Instead of giving due importance to his eternal relationship with the Supreme Soul, Kṛṣṇa, he got carried away by his temporary relationship with his son. And even when Kṛṣṇa mercifully gave him the eyesight to see the universal form, still he held on to his worldly attachment. He never could muster the will to choose I-sight—the inner focus by which he could understand who he really was and where his best interests lay. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s not having eyesight was lamentable. His not having I-sight was even more lamentable. And his reluctance to receive I-sight when it was offered by Kṛṣṇa Himself was most lamentable. *Ambivalence and Turbulence* Dhṛtarāṣṭra sat in his palace, awaiting news of the war at Kurukshetra from Sañjaya. As he sat in the darkness of his blindness, he found himself gripped by ambivalence. The time for war was finally upon him. His sons had wronged the Pāṇḍavas repeatedly. The Pāṇḍavas’ cause was just, and they were virtuous. The chances of his vicious sons winning against them were low indeed. Vidura had warned him that antagonizing the Pāṇḍavas meant courting war. Alas, why had he neglected his wise brother’s words? But, then, was his cause so unjustified? He was the elder brother; the kingdom should have been rightfully his. Even if he couldn’t get it because of his blindness, his sons could. And should. Maybe there was still a chance. In their army, his sons had veterans such as Bhīṣma and Droṇa whose experience and expertise had few parallels. Who could possibly defeat them? But a voice stabbed him from within. During the Virāṭa battle, Arjuna had single-handedly defeated all the Kuru warriors, including the veterans. His ambivalence continued. Duryodhana had formed many alliances by which he had eleven divisions of soldiers. The Pāṇḍavas had just seven. The Kauravas outnumbered their opponents by more than one and a half times. Surely that would be a decisive advantage. The stabbing inner voice countered. What was the value of this numerical superiority? The Pāṇḍavas had Kṛṣṇa on their side. Dhṛtarāṣṭra thought of the time he had beheld Kṛṣṇa’s universal form. Who could counter such power? The fear that his son’s cause was doomed haunted him. It was this awareness that had prompted him to decline when Vyāsadeva had offered him the vision to see the Kurukshetra war from his palace. But he hadn’t been able to see his sons throughout their life; how could he bear to see their death? Dreading that possibility, he had requested Vyāsa to grant the power of remote vision to Sañjaya. And yet he continued hoping that maybe—just maybe—his sons could win. With a combination of weariness and eagerness, he awaited the news of the Kurukshetra war as Sañjaya began his live commentary. *Desiring the Impossible, Dreading the Inevitable* Those who are blinded by their attachments are unfortunate. Those who are illumined by knowledge but still choose to stay attached and blinded are even more unfortunate. Those who are provided illumination by God Himself, but choose instead to pursue their doomed desires are most unfortunate. Such was Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s tragic fate. He knew about Kṛṣṇa’s position and power, yet he kept longing for his sons’ victory. With knowledge, we are meant to transform our desires. Even if our desires don’t naturally go in the direction our knowledge points to, we still need to push them in that direction. If instead we let them pull us in the opposite direction, we sentence ourselves to frustration and destruction. Dhṛtarāṣṭra didn’t align his desires with his knowledge. Consequently he remained in the exhausting grip of ambivalence. He desired the impossible: victory for his sons. And he dreaded the inevitable: victory for those on Kṛṣṇa’s side. *The Murderous Embrace* After the Kurukshetra war ended, the Pāṇḍavas came to meet Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Yudhiṣṭhira was apprehensive, knowing that the blind king would hold them responsible for the death of his sons. He requested Kṛṣṇa to accompany them, confident that Kṛṣṇa would expertly defuse any volatile situations. Accordingly, the six of them approached Dhṛtarāṣṭra. When they were ushered into Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s presence, he looked shattered. Speaking in a subdued voice, he opened his arms to hug them, one by one. Yudhiṣṭhira went forward first. When Bhīma stepped forward next, Kṛṣṇa stopped him. Using His mystic power, He summoned an iron effigy of Bhīma that Duryodhana had used for honing his mace-fighting skills while also venting his envy. Kṛṣṇa arranged for that effigy to step into Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s embrace. As soon as Dhṛtarāṣṭra felt Bhīma within his arms, he crushed him tightly. All his anger at Bhīma for having killed his hundred sons came out in the force of that crushing hug. Within moments, the effigy crumbled to pieces and then to powder. The effort exerted Dhṛtarāṣṭra so much that he fell back vomiting blood. As soon as he regained his composure, he spoke loud words of lamentation. “Alas! What have I done! In a fit of rage, I have killed Bhīma.” Consoling him, Kṛṣṇa said, “O king, do not lament. Bhīma still lives.” When the startled Dhṛtarāṣṭra turned his head in the direction of Kṛṣṇa’s voice, Kṛṣṇa continued, “Anticipating your anger, I arranged for an effigy of Bhīma to step into your embrace. What you crushed was that effigy.” Continuing gently, Kṛṣṇa said, “O king, do not be angry with Bhīma. He is not responsible for the death of your sons; their own misdeeds are. They were advised repeatedly by their well-wishers to desist from treating the Pāṇḍavas unfairly, but they never listened. You know this well. They have now met the end they deserved. Live in peace, O king, with the Pāṇḍavas, who have always been respectful to you.” *Disuse and Abuse of Power* This is the only instance in the Mahābhārata when Dhṛtarāṣṭra exhibited his physical power. His power was astonishing—he crushed with mere arms an effigy that had withstood numerous blows from Duryodhana’s mace. And yet Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s expression of power was tragically misdirected. If he had used even a fraction of that power to rein in his wicked son Duryodhana, he could have not only saved the lives of all his sons but also prevented a catastrophic war that killed millions. Of course, to control Duryodhana, Dhṛtarāṣṭra needed not just physical power, but inner power, the power to fight against his attachments and to stick to the impartiality expected of an elder, let alone a king. Unfortunately, Dhṛtarāṣṭra was too weak to muster that power. Crushing external adversaries is far easier than crushing internal attachments. If we don’t use our power when we should, we will end up using it when we shouldn’t. And that inappropriate use can compound the problems caused by the preceding failure to use it properly. The biggest disasters in world history have been caused not by powerless people, but by powerful people. These powerful people may fall in two categories: those who abuse their power, and those who don’t use their power to stop those who abuse power. Depraved dictators often abuse their power and leave a trail of slaughter and mayhem wherever they go. And rulers who could and should counter the dictators’ abuse of power remain passive. They may be Pollyannaish pacifists who try to appease the dictators while the dictators just continue and increase their atrocities. Dhṛtarāṣṭra embodied both the abuse and the disuse of power. He abused it by trying to kill Bhīma, and he had misused it by continually trying to appease Duryodhana. To not have power makes us weak; to have power and fail to use it appropriately makes us weaker still; to have power, to fail to use it appropriately, and then to use it inappropriately makes us weakest. Why weakest? Because such disuse and abuse signify that we don’t have control over whatever power we have—we are simply driven by our impulse and our attachments. By pursuing our spiritual growth, we all gain the inner power to use properly whatever outer power we have. *Caitanya Caraṇa Dāsa, a disciple of His Holiness Rādhānāth Swami, serves full time at ISKCON Chowpatty, Mumbai. He is a BTG associate editor and the author of twenty-five books. To read his other articles or to receive his daily reflection on the Bhagavad-gītā, "Gita-Daily," visit gitadaily.com.* Steer Your Life Guided by Wisdom *The benefit of having a human body over an animal body is the ability to direct our life toward a higher destination.* By Gaura Śaraṇa Dāsa The Vedic scriptures point us to the highest destination and tell us how to get there. Life is a journey, and on this journey the soul is seated in the vehicle of a body given by the material nature (*bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā, Gītā* 18.61). Material nature supplies various types of vehicles to the souls wandering in material existence, depending on their past desires and *karma*. Out of various types of vehicles, the human body is considered the best vehicle for the journey towards a spiritual destination. And Prahlāda Mahārāja says in *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (7.6.1), *durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma*: “A human birth is rarely achieved.” We are all extremely fortunate to have this human vehicle, which is better equipped for the journey of life than animal forms. According to *Hitopadeśa* (25), > āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca > sāmānyam etat paśubhiḥ narāṇām > dharmo hi teṣām adhiko viśeṣo > dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ “Both animals and men share the activities of eating, sleeping, mating and defending. But the special property of the humans is that they are able to engage in spiritual life. Therefore without spiritual life, humans are on the level of animals.” This verse suggests that the privilege of having a human body over an animal body is the ability to steer our life towards a destination higher than just eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, which even animals can sometimes do even better than human beings. The greatest privilege of being in a human vehicle is the opportunity to learn about the highest destination and how to get there. Whether we know it or not, our journey began the moment we were born by the force of time. So it’s time to understand the wisdom given in the Vedic scriptures, especially *Bhagavad-gītā*, to make this journey successful. Kṛṣṇa, while seated in a vehicle, a chariot, speaks to Arjuna about the existential journey of the soul, about the vehicle the soul acquires, and about how to drive the vehicle to its ultimate destination. *Know Your Destination* Consider that you set out on a journey and don’t know where to go. It might sound adventurous initially, but sooner or later you will get tired of just traveling and will want to be back home. Like any other journey, our life journey needs a destination to be meaningful. Any number of temporary stops will not satisfy the soul, however attractive they may be to its conditioned mind and senses. To be satisfied, the soul aspires for an eternal destination, its home. Scriptures are like maps to guide us to our ultimate destination. Kṛṣṇa explains that the eternal destination for the eternal soul is His eternal abode and not this temporary material existence: > avyakto ’kṣara ity uktas > tam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim > yaṁ prāpya na nivartante > tad dhāma paramaṁ mama “That which the Vedāntists describe as unmanifest and infallible, that which is known as the supreme destination, that place from which, having attained it, one never returns—that is My supreme abode.” (*Gītā* 8.21) Now that we know the spiritual world is our destination, the next question is how to get there. *Understanding the Body, the Chariot* As a driver needs to understand the vehicle to successfully reach the destination, we as spirit souls traveling in this human vehicle need to understand it to drive to our ultimate destination safely. In the *Kaṭha Upaniṣad* (1.3.3–4), the human body is explained as follows: > ātmānaṁ rathinaṁ viddhi > śarīraṁ ratham eva ca > buddhiṁ tu sārathiṁ viddhi > manaḥ pragraham eva ca > indriyāṇi hayān āhur > viṣayāṁs teṣu gocarān > ātmendriya-mano-yuktaṁ > bhoktety āhur manīṣiṇaḥ “The individual is the passenger in the car of the material body, and intelligence is the driver. Mind is the driving instrument, and the senses are the horses. The self is thus the enjoyer or sufferer in the association of the mind and senses. So it is understood by great thinkers.” *The Hierarchy of Our body* In the *Bhagavad-gītā* (3.42) Kṛṣṇa gives the hierarchy of the body and mentions that the soul is higher than all these bodily functions: > indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur > indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ > manasas tu parā buddhir > yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ “The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.” *Intelligence, the Driver* In the chariot analogy, intelligence is the driver. The driver needs to be strong to make sure he can guide the mind and senses. > yastu avijñānavān bhavaty > ayuktena manasā sadā > tasyendriyāṇy avaśyāni > duṣṭāśvā iva sāratheḥ “The senses of a person who is without discrimination and whose mind is always uncontrolled are unmanageable, like the vicious horses of a driver.” (*Kaṭha Upaniṣad* 1.3.5) One whose intelligence is not strong cannot control the mind and senses. If the horses driving a chariot are uncontrolled, then there are all the chances for an accident and little or no chance to reach the destination safely. The driver must hold the reins tightly to control the horses effectively and travel in the right direction. In reality, however, for most of us our intelligence is not strong enough to control our mind and senses. So naturally the question arises, What will become of me if my intelligence is not strong enough to control the mind? This is explained as follows in the *Kaṭha Upaniṣad* (1.3.7): > yas tv avijñānavān bhavaty > amanaskas sadā ’śuciḥ > na sa tat padam āpnoti > saṁsāraṁ cādhigacchati “One whose intelligence is not strong and hence has an uncontrolled mind and senses doesn’t reach the supreme destination, but rather revolves in the cycle of birth and death.” The tone of this verse needn’t dispirit us; rather, the verse can act as a reminder for us to steer our life in the right direction by controlling our mind and senses through our intelligence. *Mind and Senses, Reins and Horses* In the chariot analogy, the mind is compared to reins, and the senses are compared to the horses that drive the chariot. Have you ever seen or been in a vehicle where the brakes suddenly stopped working? It’s dreadful to even imagine, and at worst it can be fatal. Hence in this journey of life, mind and sense control is crucial for us to make it to the destination. Since the senses are inferior to the mind, by controlling the mind we can easily control the senses. Hence sense control follows mind control and not necessarily vice versa. Śrīla Prabhupāda gives an example in his purport to *Bhagavad-gītā* 2.60: “Even Viśvāmitra, a great sage and perfect *yogī*, was misled by Menakā into sex enjoyment, although the *yogī* was endeavoring for sense control with severe types of penance and *yoga* practice.” Since Viśvāmitra’s mind was diverted to meditate on sense objects, eventually his sense control failed to help him. Kṛṣṇa says, dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ (*Gītā* 2.62): if the mind is engaged in sense objects, the senses cannot be controlled. Therefore to control the senses one needs to control the mind from wandering. For the mind to be controlled, however, one needs a strong intelligence, as stated in *Bhagavad-gītā* (3.43), *evaṁ buddheḥ paraṁ buddhvā saṁstabhyātmānam ātmanā*: “One should steady the mind by deliberate spiritual intelligence.” *How to Make the Intelligence Strong* In *Bhagavad-gītā* 2.66 Kṛṣṇa says that one who is not connected with the Supreme in Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot have transcendental intelligence (*nāsti buddhir ayuktasya*). Kṛṣṇa also says, > teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ > bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam > dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ > yena mām upayānti te “To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the intelligence by which they can come to Me.” (*Gītā* 10.10) And in *Bhagavad-gītā* 2.61 Kṛṣṇa says, > tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya > yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ > vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi > tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā “One who restrains his senses, keeping them under full control, and fixes his consciousness upon Me, is known as a man of steady intelligence.” So only when the soul is connected with Kṛṣṇa can intelligence be strong to control the mind and senses naturally. Though fixing the consciousness on Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate goal, regulating the interaction of the mind and senses with their sense objects is implicit and necessary. Only then will the spiritual practices be beneficial in strengthening the intelligence through God realization. *The Soul in Connection with the Supreme Self* Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in the purport to *Bhagavad-gītā* 3.42, “If, therefore, the soul is directly engaged with the Supreme, naturally all other subordinates, namely, intelligence, mind and senses, will be automatically engaged.” When the self is connected to the Supreme Self through the processes of *bhakti-yoga*, then the self will naturally be satisfied (*yato bhaktir adhokṣaje . . . yayātmā suprasīdati*, *Bhāgavatam* 1.2.6). Therefore by engaging ourselves in the devotional activities of chanting and hearing about the Supreme Lord and remembering Him, we can develop knowledge that strengthens our intelligence, and detachment that makes our mind and senses lose their taste for objects of enjoyment. > vāsudeve bhagavati > bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ > janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ > jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam “By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.” (*Bhāgavatam* 1.2.7) When we steer our vehicle in the right direction with such transcendental intelligence, eventually we will reach the ultimate destination of the supreme abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa. *Gaura Śaraṇa Dāsa Brahmacārī, a disciple of His Holiness Rādhānāth Swami, has served in various projects, including ISKCON Chowpatty and Govardhan Ecovillage. He currently serves at the Bhakti Center in New York City.* An Eventful Tour: Lessons from Kṛṣṇa’s Entrance into Mathurā *When the young village cowherd enters the big city, He flouts the law and order of its evil king.* By Gaurāṅga Darśana Dāsa The self-satisfied Lord eagerly reciprocates the earnest offerings of fortunate people who get the rare privilege of serving Him. It was almost evening when Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, and the cowherd boys went to tour the splendorous city of Mathurā. Kṛṣṇa was born in Mathurā, but His father, Vasudeva, had quickly taken Him to Gokula to protect Him from wicked King Kaṁsa, His maternal uncle. Since then, Kṛṣṇa had lived in Vraja with Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja, the cows, the cowherd boys and girls, and all the other residents. Now Kṛṣṇa had come to Mathurā on Kaṁsa’s invitation. Upon arriving at the outskirts of Mathurā, He had taken permission from Nanda Mahārāja to enter the city with Balarāma and other cowherd boys. *Intense Eagerness Satisfied: Kṛṣṇa Gives His Darśana to the Residents of Mathurā* More than Kṛṣṇa’s wanting to see the city, the city longed to see Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Vallabhācārya writes in his *Madhurāṣṭakam*, *madhurādhi-pater akhilaṁ madhuram*: “Everything is sweet about Kṛṣṇa, the emperor of sweetness.” Kṛṣṇa is the real Lord of Mathurā. The people of Mathurā had often heard about Kṛṣṇa’s sweet and valorous deeds in Vṛndāvana and had developed a deep attraction for Him. Now the eagerness of the residents of Mathurā was fulfilled as they got to see Kṛṣṇa’s charming form. They were overwhelmed with happiness. With their lotuslike faces blooming with affection, they showered Kṛṣṇa with the flowers of their loving glances and smiles. Many people offered Kṛṣṇa various presentations. They appreciated the great fortune of the residents of Vṛndāvana, who would daily see Kṛṣṇa to their heart’s content. *Great Arrogance Punished: Kṛṣṇa Delivers the Wicked Washerman* On entering the city, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma came upon a washerman carrying colorful clothes for King Kaṁsa. Kṛṣṇa, who is complete in all respects, politely asked the washerman for some garments, promising him a great benefit in return. What fortune! While millions of devotees eagerly wait for an opportunity to render some service to the Supreme Lord even indirectly, that same Lord voluntarily came to this washerman to ask for some cloth. Glorious are those devotees who eagerly look forward to serving the Lord. Unfortunate people, however, miss such chances, which come on their own accord. Instead of recognizing his fortune in receiving the opportunity to offer clothes to Kṛṣṇa, the wicked washerman rejected Kṛṣṇa’s request and publicly ridiculed Him with loud, angry, harsh, insulting words. There were many washermen in Mathurā, but this person happened to be the king’s washerman, and thus he was very arrogant. Our connection with superior or influential people can make us so proud that we deride others and look down upon those who don’t have such privilege. The washerman said that Kṛṣṇa and His associates, being uncivilized cowherds, forest dwellers, and mountain wanderers, did not deserve the fine cloth meant for the royal order. He cautioned Kṛṣṇa that the king’s soldiers would beat, loot, and kill Them if They asked for the clothes. In his previous birth this person had been a washerman in Ayodhyā, the kingdom of Lord Rāmacandra (Śrī Garga-saṁhitā 5.10.4–8). He had criticized Rāma for accepting Sītā Devī, who, kidnapped by Rāvaṇa, had stayed in his place for a year. Rāma considered that just as this washerman had criticized Him now, lusty kings in the future might cite His accepting Sītā as an excuse to have illicit connections with women. To avoid any such misunderstanding, Rāma banished Sītā, although He and His dear devotees knew beyond doubt the chastity and purity of glorious Sītā Devī. Hearing the sinful washerman’s malicious words, Kṛṣṇa effortlessly beheaded him merely with His fingertips. The Lord doesn’t have to exert Himself to punish the wicked. For instance, Lord Narasiṁha killed Hiraṇyakaśipu merely with His nails, and Lord Varāha killed Hiraṇyākṣa with just a slap. The washerman’s assistants, seeing his untimely end, dropped their bundles of clothes on the spot and ran in different directions. An effulgence (the spirit soul) came from the washerman’s body and entered Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thus the Lord delivered him. Then Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, and the cowherd boys took the garments that suited them. No mortal being can stop things from reaching the Lord and His devotees. For instance, Lord Rāma took the kingdom of Rāvaṇa and gave it to Vibhīṣaṇa, Mohinī Mūrtī took nectar from the demons and gave it to the demigods, Lord Narasiṁha took the throne of Hiraṇyakaśipu and gave it to Prahlāda, and Lord Kṛṣṇa took kingdoms from Duryodhana and Kaṁsa and gave them Yudhiṣṭira Mahārāja and Ugrasena. *Cherished Desire Fulfilled: Kṛṣṇa Blesses the Weaver* Thereupon a weaver came before Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. Out of fear of Kaṁsa, this weaver had never gone to Vṛndāvana, but he had heard of its great happiness from his companions who had gone there. Thus he was anxious to see Kṛṣṇa. The Lord will surely fulfill the heart’s longing of a sincere devotee. Feeling great affection for Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, the weaver dressed Them in soft gold-colored silk cloth embedded with jewels, and he offered Them cloth armlets, bracelets, and earrings that looked just like jewels, just suitable to Their bodily complexions. The ornaments were suitable to the occasion too, because Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would soon fight with Kaṁsa’s wrestlers, and these soft ornaments wouldn’t hurt Their bodies. The brothers looked resplendent. Pleased with the weaver’s selfless service, Kṛṣṇa blessed him that he would attain a cowherd-boy form like the Lord’s (sārūpya mukti) and would enjoy opulence, influence, sensory vigor, and physical and mental strength. In his past life the weaver had lived in Mithilā. He was a great devotee and an expert weaver. He made very fine garments for Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to wear on Their wedding day. Seeing Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, more handsome than millions of cupids, the noble-hearted weaver desired to place the garments on the two Lords with his own hands. All-knowing Lord Rāma in His heart blessed the desire of the weaver, who thus took birth in Mathurā. Now he made garments for Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and dressed Them himself, and he attained a transcendental form like Theirs. (Śrī Garga-saṁhitā 5.10.10–16) *Sincere Service Attitude Rewarded: Kṛṣṇa Blesses Sudāmā the Florist* While many Mathurā residents eagerly came out to see Kṛṣṇa on the street, a florist named Sudāmā stayed in his house. Sudāmā used to go to Vṛndāvana regularly to get rare flowers and would see Kṛṣṇa wearing rustic dress. On the pretext of collecting flowers, he would go to where Kṛṣṇa played and offer Him flowers as a gift. Now, while all his assistants went out, he was at home, engrossed in making garlands for the Lord with beautiful, fragrant, soft, colorful flowers. Just as a devotee is eager to serve the Lord, the Lord is eager to receive the devotee’s service and bless the devotee. Thus Kṛṣna and Balarāma asked people the whereabouts of Sudāmā’s house and went there. Seeing Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma suddenly, Sudāmā was overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude and considered himself blessed to receive Them at his home. He offered Them obeisances, bathed Their feet and worshiped Them with pure paraphernalia. Being a lover of the Lord, he was aware of scriptural conclusions and thus praised the Lord eloquently in various ways. He said, > tāv ajñāpayataṁ bhṛtyaṁ > kim ahaṁ karavāṇi vām > puṁso ’ty-anugraho hy eṣa > bhavadbhir yan niyujyate “Please order me, Your servant, to do whatever You wish. To be engaged by You in some service is certainly a great blessing for anyone.” (*Bhāgavatam* 10.41.48) Love for the Lord is visible in one’s eagerness to serve Him. And the opportunity to serve Him is the highest attainable benediction. Being a first-class servant, Sudāmā understood what Kṛṣṇa wanted and immediately offered fresh garlands to the Lords and Their associates. Kṛṣṇa expects us to offer the best we have. Our ability to serve Him comes from Him; thus He empowers different servants to render different types of service. What we offer may not be the greatest or the most expensive thing in a material sense, but if offered with pure love and devotion, the Lord prizes it. For instance, Lord Rāma was immensely pleased with the simple service of a squirrel in the making of the stone bridge across the ocean. Kṛṣṇa is more attracted to our service attitude and mood of gratitude than to the magnitude of our service. Thus there is no scope for scarcity, insecurity, and unhealthy competition or comparison in the Lord’s service, as Kṛṣṇa wants every devotee to render the best service he or she can. Kṛṣṇa was already dressed and ornamented splendidly, enchanting onlookers, and now, with Sudāmā’s garlands, His body emanated a most pleasant fragrance. Kṛṣṇa then told Sudāmā to ask for a benediction. Intelligent Sudāmā prayed as follows: > so ’pi vavre ’calāṁ bhaktiṁ > tasminn evākhilātmani > tad-bhakteṣu ca sauhārdaṁ > bhūteṣu ca dayāṁ parām Sudāmā chose unshakable devotion for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul of all existence, friendship with His devotees, and transcendental compassion for all living beings. (*Bhāgavatam* 10.41.51) Kṛṣṇa bestowed what Sudāmā prayed for and also gave him strength, fame, beauty, long life, and ever-increasing prosperity for his family and departed ancestors. *Śrī Garga-saṁhitā* (5.10.17–26) explains that in his previous life Sudāmā had been a florist named Hemamālī in the Caitraratha gardens of Kuvera, the treasurer of the demigods. He was peaceful, generous, respectful to saints, and devoted to the Supreme Lord. For five thousand years he worshiped Lord Śiva daily with three hundred lotuses. Lord Śiva was pleased to offer him a boon. Hemamālī asked Śiva to bless him with the opportunity to see Lord Kṛṣṇa enter his home. Lord Śiva said that his desire would be fulfilled in Mathurā at the end of Dvāpara-yuga. To keep Lord Śiva’s promise, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma now entered Sudāmā’s home and blessed him. *Heart’s Longing Reciprocated: Kṛṣṇa Transforms Kubjā and Grants Her Pure Love for Him* As Kṛṣṇa walked further, He saw a young hunchback woman carrying fragrant ointments, and He asked her for some. She was Trivakrā, also known as Kubjā. She introduced herself as a maidservant of Kaṁsa, who she said liked her ointments very much. Her mind overwhelmed by Kṛṣṇa’s beauty, charm, sweetness, smiles, words, and glances, Trivakrā gave Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma generous amounts of ointment that contrasted with Their complexions. She ignored her position as a servant of Kaṁsa and publicly decorated Kṛṣṇa with various patterns on His cheeks, chest, and arms, without disturbing the ornaments and garlands. Pleased with Trivakrā, Kṛṣṇa wanted to straighten her back. He stepped on her toes with His lotus feet, took hold of her chin with the index and middle fingers of His right hand, supported her back with his left hand, and pulled up her body, thus straightening her spine. By Kṛṣṇa’s touch, Trivakrā was suddenly transformed into an exquisitely beautiful woman with straight, evenly proportioned limbs. If one has *bhakti* for Kṛṣṇa, one’s heart will shine with straightness (honesty). If there is no *bhakti*, straightness is only an external show. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments that Kubjā represents the earth, which was bent down by the great burden of countless wicked rulers. Kṛṣṇa’s straightening Kubjā’s back represents His rectifying the burdened condition of the earth by punishing the demoniac people. (*Bhāgavatam* 10.42.1, Purport) According to *Śrī Garga-saṁhitā* (5.11.1–11), in her past life Kubjā was Śūrpaṇakhā, the sister of the demoniac king Rāvaṇa. When Lord Rāma was in Pañcavatī forest during His exile, she fell in love with Him. Rāma had vowed to accept only one wife, however, and didn’t accept Śūrpaṇakhā. So Śūrpaṇakhā tried to devour Sītā Devī. But Lakṣmaṇa quickly cut off her ears and nose with His sword. Her love refused, disappointed Sūrpaṇakhā went to Puṣkara-tīrtha. Wishing to get Lord Rāma as her husband, she stayed underwater and meditated on Lord Śiva for ten thousand years. When Śiva appeared before her, she asked him to grant her the blessing of getting Śrī Rāma as her husband. Lord Śiva said that her desire would be fulfilled in Mathurā City at the end of Dvāpara-yuga. By Lord Śiva’s blessing she now became Lord Kṛṣṇa’s beloved. Thus Kṛṣṇa awarded Trivakrā a conjugal relationship with Him. Grabbing His upper cloth, the now beautiful and charming Trivakrā asked Kṛṣṇa to come to her house. Kṛṣṇa promised her a visit after He had finished certain duties, and He continued His tour. Kṛṣṇa then went to Kaṁsa’s sacrificial bow and broke it, causing terror in Kaṁsa’s heart. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma killed the wicked soldiers who tried to attack Them. Then the Lords concluded Their eventful tour and returned to Their residence to rest. The Lord is the ultimate proprietor of everything, as this entire universe manifested from Him. Even if we arrogantly hold back things for our own selfish interests without offering them to Him, those things will leave us anyway and return to Him. But anyone who voluntarily offers things to the Lord with love, like the ascetic Śabari and the aborigine woman who offered fruits to Lord Rāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa respectively, receives all blessings from Him. Whether noble or wicked, anyone who offers something to the Lord will be rewarded with great material and spiritual benefit. *Gaurāṅga Darśana Dāsa, a disciple of His Holiness Rādhānāth Swami, is dean of the Bhaktivedānta Vidyāpīṭha (www.vidyapitha.in) at ISKCON Govardhan Ecovillage (GEV). He has written study guides, including Gītā Subodhinī, Bhāgavata Subodhinī, and Caitanya Subodhinī, and teaches śāstric courses at several places in India. He also oversees the deity worship at GEV.* The Science of Chanting: Going Beyond Mere Syllables *If anyone eager for devotional service utters the holy name even partially or improperly, the holy name exhibits its spiritual potency.* By Satyarāja Dāsa Kṛṣṇa’s holy names are so powerful that even inverted *mantras* containing His names deliver immense spiritual benefit. Prayers, *mantras*, and hymns composed of sacred syllables abound in religious traditions, and they are highly developed in the Vaiṣṇava tradition of ancient India. Some prayers and *mantras* stand supreme, largely because they express a selfless intention and purity of purpose. A prayer that asks for some selfish end or reflects conditioned responses to the material world is not as pure as one that asks for nothing in return. Self-centered prayers may be a preliminary step on the spiritual path, and to call on God in any situation is praiseworthy, but some prayers are clearly more selfless than others, reflecting a sincere focus on a singular goal: to get close to God in a spirit of love and devotion. Supreme among all *mantras* and prayers is the *mahā-mantra*—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—which is a calling out to God and His spiritual energy in the mood “O Lord! O energy of the Lord! Please engage me in Your service.” By chanting the *mahā-mantra* we are asking for only one thing—to be engaged in the Lord’s devotional service. The *mahā-mantra*’s purity is profound: It not only offers spiritual protection from the present evil age, but it is also the best possible resource for those who seek genuine spiritual enrichment and the ultimate goal of love of God. Being absolute, the Lord and His name are identical. Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas trace this teaching to the *Padma Purāṇa*: > nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś > caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ > pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto > ’bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ “The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is spiritual substance, identical to Kṛṣṇa Himself. It is spiritually absolute, an embodied form of transcendental consciousness (caitanya) and relationship (*rasa*). It is fully pure, eternal, complete, and never material under any circumstances. It is the essence of Kṛṣṇa’s own potency. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and His name.” Here in the relative world a person and that person’s name are two different things. Someone is not present before us merely by our calling out his or her name. A thirsty man’s cry of “Water! Water! Water!” will never satisfy his thirst, because the name water and the substance water are completely different. In the spiritual, absolute world, however, there is no such difference. There, an object and its name, or a person and his name, are one. Therefore simply by vibrating the holy name of God, one associates with God directly. This allows one to attain the spiritual platform. As Śrīla Prabhupāda says: This chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration surpasses all lower strata of consciousness—namely sensual, mental, and intellectual. . . . Anyone can take part in the chanting without any previous qualification. *Proper Chanting* Vedic scriptures (*śāstras*) are sacred sound (*śabda brahma*). Every word of the Vedas is deemed eternal by the Vedas and their followers. Different schools accept different *mantras* or sacred sounds as most important. For the present age of Kali-yuga, however, *śāstras* unequivocally declare congregational chanting of the holy names of Kṛṣṇa as supreme: “Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṇu, in *Tretā-yuga* by performing sacrifices, and in Dvāpara-yuga by serving the deity of the Lord in the temple can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the name of Lord Hari [Kṛṣṇa].” (*Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 12.3.52) Two prerequisites are fundamental to effective chanting: Sincerity, and receiving the name from a legitimate source. Anyone can chant the name, and even a child will benefit from chanting. In the beginning stages of spiritual life, the Lord gives Himself freely through the holy name to anyone inclined to chant it. Purification will ensue regardless of qualification or disqualification. But as we advance in practice, we must take the process more seriously, avoiding clearly defined offenses and learning how to chant with attention.1 In regard to receiving the holy name from a legitimate source, the scriptures are clear: “If one does not affiliate with an established lineage, the *mantra* one chants will not bear the expected fruit [love of God]. Therefore in Kali-yuga there will be four *sampradāyas* [lineages] with which one must align. They may be enumerated as follows: Śrī Sampradāya, Brahmā Sampradāya, Rudra Sampradāya, and Kumāra Sampradāya. All will preach from the city of Jagannatha Puri in Orissa.”2 In the preliminary stage, chanting is encouraged without any injunctions, and one can easily make genuine spiritual advancement. Yet one is expected to gradually engage in serious recitation of the holy name. If one nonchalantly persists in unconscious or distracted chanting, paying no heed to the offenses listed in scripture, one is engaging in *nāmāparādha*, or offending the name. “O brother!” Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s direct associate Jagadānanda Paṇḍita warns, “You cannot chant the holy name in the association of nondevotees. Something resembling the sounds of the name may come out of your mouth, but it will not really be the name. It will sometimes be the name’s reflection (*nāmābhāsa*) and sometimes offensive chanting (*nāmāparādha*), but brother, you should know that in either case this kind of chanting interferes with the attainment of pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa. If you want to chant the holy names properly, then associate with devotees and keep desires for sense enjoyment, liberation, and yogic powers at a distance. Give up the ten offenses, give up honor and dishonor, tolerate the world with detachment, and thus chant the name of Kṛṣṇa.” (*Prema-vivarta* 7.1–8) *Three Levels of Chanting* If we make a serious endeavor as practitioners, we can rise beyond the unconscious or even offensive level of chanting and into the realm of nām*ābhāsa*, which is a “shadow” of the holy name. Rūpa Gosvāmī (*Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu* 2.1.103) tells us about such *ābhāsa*—shadow, semblance, or, more literally, “a dawning twilight”—in relation to the name: “Even a shadow (*ābhāsa*) of the sun of the name that arises in the cave of one’s mind disabuses one of the darkness of sin.” Thus when one chants as sādhana, or spiritual practice, one actually chants the holy name, at least in shadow form, and by this becomes free of sinful reactions. By persistently engaging in this way and cultivating a sincere heart, one can gradually know śuddha-nāma, the “pure name,” wherein one tastes the holy name proper, with God dancing on one’s tongue. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes about these three levels of chanting in *Jaiva Dharma* (Chapter 25): When the name is chanted impurely with a desire for sense enjoyment (*bhoga*) or liberation (mokṣa), and based on a Māyāvāda [impersonalistic] conception, that is known as *nāma-aparādha*. If the other kinds of *aparādhas* . . . are present because of simple ignorance, the *a*śuddha-nāma** (impure name) taken in that situation is not *nāma-aparādha*, but *nāmābhāsa*. You should remember that as long as one does not commit *nāma-aparādha* when one is chanting *nāmābhāsa*, there is hope that the *nāmābhāsa* will go away and *śuddha-nāma* will arise. The word *ābhāsa* means luster, shadow or reflection. As the radiance that emanates from a naturally lustrous object has *kānti* (effulgence) or *chāyā* (shadow), so the sunlike Name has two kinds of *ābhāsa*: one is the shadow (nāma-*chāyā*), and the other is the reflection (*nāma-pratibimbā*). . . . *Śuddha-*nāma** means taking *nāma* with a favorable attitude, while remaining free from all material desire (*anyābhilāṣā*), and from coverings of *jñāna*, *karma* and so on. To desire the supreme bliss that comes when the transcendental nature of *nāma* manifests clearly is not *anyābhilāṣā*. All kinds of desires apart from that—such as the desire to be free from sins and to gain liberation—are certainly *anyābhilāṣā*. There will be no śuddha-*nāma* so long as *anyābhilāṣā* remains; one will not receive śuddha-*nāma* as long as he still desires the fruits of performing *jñāna*, *karma*, *yoga* and so on. If one keeps these characteristics of *bhakti* in mind and deliberates carefully, it becomes clear that *śuddha-*nāma** is certainly that *nāma* which is free from *nāma*-aparādha and *nāmābhāsa*. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura also mentions various kinds of *nāmābhāsa* in the following way, which will lead us to a discussion of inverted *mantras*: There are four kinds of *nāmābhāsa*: One may utter *śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma* to indicate something else (*saṅketa*), jokingly (*parihāsa*), antagonistically (*stobha*), or even disrespectfully (*hela*). Learned people know that these four types of shadow *nāmābhāsa* destroy unlimited sins. Those who are ignorant of *nāma-tattva* and *sambandha-tattva* perform these four kinds of *nāmābhāsa*. Vijaya: What is *sāṅketya-nāmābhāsa*? Bābājī: *Sāṅketya-nāmābhāsa* is uttering B*ha*gavān’s name when alluding to something else. For instance, Ajāmila called his son Nārāyaṇa at the time of his death, but B*ha*gavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name is also Nārāyaṇa, so Ajāmila’s uttering “Nārāyaṇa” was an instance of *sāṅketya-nāmābhāsa*. When Muslims see a pig, they show *ha*tred and exclaim, “Harāma! Harāma!” The exclamation “**ha*rāma*” contains the two words “*ha*” and “rāma,” so the person uttering the word “**ha*rāma*” also obtains deliverance from the cycle of birth and death as a result of taking t*ha*t *sāṅketya-nāma*. All the śāstras accept that *nāmābhāsa* gives *mukti*. Through *śrīnāma*, relationship is strongly established with Mukunda (the giver of liberation). Therefore, by uttering *śrīnāma* one is in touch with Bhagavān Mukunda, and by that contact *mukti* (liberation) is easily obtained. The same liberation that is obtained with great difficulty through *brahma-jñāna* is easily available to everybody without hard labor through *nāmābhāsa*. *Inverted Mantras* When the syllables of a *mantra* are inverted, or disrupted in some other way, the resultant sounds are sometimes “alluding to something else” and may thus be deemed a form of *sāṅketya-nāmābhāsa*. In most cases, even in Sanskrit literature, such inappropriate chanting is fraught with potential difficulty. Most Vedic *mantra*s need to be pronounced correctly to be effective. But transcendental sounds, such as the mahā-*mantra*, do not come under Vedic rules. Nor are they subject to the grammatical laws of ordinary language. As Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Śrī Caitanya’s close associate, tells us: “The letters of the holy name have so much spiritual potency that they act even when uttered improperly [*vyavahita haile*].” (*Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya* 3.59) Haridāsa Ṭhākura then quotes a verse from the *Padma Purāṇa*: If a devotee once utters the holy name of the Lord, or if it penetrates his mind or enters his ear, which is the channel of aural reception, that holy name will certainly deliver him from material bondage, whether vibrated properly or improperly, with correct or incorrect grammar, or properly joined or vibrated in separate parts. O brāhmaṇa, the potency of the holy name is therefore certainly great. However, if one uses the vibration of the holy name for the benefit of the material body, for material wealth and followers, or under the influence of greed or atheism—in other words, if one utters the name with offenses—such chanting will not produce the desired result very soon. Therefore one should diligently avoid offenses in chanting the holy name of the Lord. (*Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya* 3.60) Haridāsa Ṭhākura continues, “If one offenselessly utters the holy name even imperfectly, one can be freed from all the results of sinful life. (*Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya* 3.61) Commenting on *Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, *Antya* 3.59, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura states that the word vyavahita (“improperly uttered”) is not used here to refer to the mundane vibration of the letters of the alphabet. Such negligent utterance for the sense gratification of materialistic persons is not a vibration of transcendental sound. Utterance of the holy name while one engages in sense gratification is an impediment on the path toward achieving ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. On the other hand, if one who is eager for devotional service utters the holy name even partially or improperly, the holy name, which is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exhibits its spiritual potency because of that person’s offenseless utterance. Thus one is relieved from all unwanted practices, and one gradually awakens his dormant love for Kṛṣṇa. According to Sonic Theology: Hinduism and Sacred Sound, by Dr. Guy L. Beck (Santoṣa Dāsa), a musicologist who teaches philosophy and Asian studies at Tulane University and is an initiated disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda, two conceptions of sound gradually arose in Sanskrit linguistics: Varṇavāda and Sphoṭavāda. Varṇavāda, which derives from Mīmāṁsā philosophy, argues that the divine potency of Vedic **mantra*s* lies solely within the individual syllables (*varṇa*) themselves, and that that potency is activated regardless of whether the chanter or listener understands its linguistic meaning. In Sphoṭavāda, established by grammarian Bhartṛhari, the meaning of a *mantra* is independent of the individual syllables and is activated only by virtue of a completed thought in sentence form. Thus, according to Sphoṭavāda, the potency of a *mantra* depends on overall word or sentence meaning and is not inherent in the individual syllables. According to *Sphoṭavāda* theory, then, sound utterance has to be semantically coherent to have potency of spiritual effect. Therefore, while Śaṅkara and other proponents of Advaita Vedānta adopted *Sphoṭavāda*, Vaiṣṇava *ācāryas* generally emphasized *Varṇavāda*. “Rāmānuja, Madhva, Śrīdhara Svāmī, and Jīva Gosvāmī,” says Beck, “all accept *Varṇavāda*.” This is because the *Varṇavāda* theory fits more neatly with the idea that the divine (Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa) has bestowed special transcendental potencies in the *mantra* that can be accessed by anyone regardless of Sanskrit competency.3 Here are two examples of inverted **mantra*s* from Vaiṣṇava literature, one involving the name of Rāma and the other the name of Śrī Rādhā. In both examples, rapid repetition turns an inverted *mantra* into a proper one. Regarding the first one, Śrīla Prabhupāda told the story on several occasions: Nārada Muni elevated so many fallen souls. This Vālmīki Muni was also. So he was given this *mantra*, “Rāma.” He could not chant it. Then he was advised to do just the opposite, *marā*. *Marā* means “dead body.” So *marā* *mārā* *marā*. Three *marā* means one “Rāma” is there. So in this way he was initiated and he became a great sage. For sixty thousand years he meditated simply on “Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Rāma.” And when he was liberated, he wrote this *Rāmāyaṇa*.4 The second example is found in Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s *Śrī Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta*: One day when Śrī Rādhikā came to Nandagrāma to cook for Kṛṣṇa, He peeked into the kitchen and, upon seeing Her, had an irresistible urge to lovingly recite Her holy name. Aware that such blatant recitation in His paternal home would look strange and improper, He devised a covert method to accomplish His goal: He took one of His pet parrots on His arm, and, while caressing it and feeding it pomegranate seeds, taught it one particular verse—**dhārādhara*-vapu-nārāyaṇo* *’smān sa prasīdatu* (“May Lord Nārāyaṇa, with dark complexion [*dhārādhara*], be pleased with us”). The young parrot could not memorize such a long verse, so Kṛṣṇa told it to just practice repeating the first word. The parrot then started repeating “*dhārā dhārā dhārā*” over and over. Kṛṣṇa joined him in this repetition as well, and before long they were chanting “*rādhā rādhā rādhā*.” Thus, without evoking the suspicion of His elders, the Lord was able to relish the chanting of Śrī Rādhā’s holy name.5 Both the above forms of inverted *mantra* were articulated in a group discussion between Śrīla Prabhupāda, some of his disciples, and Beatle George Harrison: George Harrison: He had a baby girl and was trying to think of a name, so I told him to call it *Dhārā*, you know? ’Cause from Rādhā—*rā*dhārā**dhārā*dhā*—it becomes *dhārā*. So he called his girl that name. Jayatīrtha Dāsa: There’s a story of Vālmīki. You know that story? Gurudāsa: *Marāmarāmarāmarāmarāmarā*. Jayatīrtha: Vālmīki was a murderer, or a dacoit, thief. So he was met by Nārada Muni, I think. Prabhupāda: Yes, Vālmīki. Jayatīrtha: And he was advised by Nārada Muni to please chant the holy name of the Lord and give up this thievery. So he wouldn’t. So instead Nārada Muni said, “You chant *marā*.” *Marā* means death. So he agreed. Prabhupāda: *Marāmarā*—rāma. Jayatīrtha: Later on, Vālmīki wrote the Rāmāyaṇa after having chanted *rāma*. He became purified.6 *The Mahā-mantra: The Name Remains the Same* According to a popular narrative in Bengal, inversion is no stranger to the *mahā-*mantra**. Some say that the *mantra* may have originally been recited with the “Hare Rāma” part first. The background of this story runs as follows: The *mahā-*mantra** can be found in the *Kali-santaraṇa* *Upaniṣad*, a part of the original Vedas, or *śruti*, whose verses are properly chanted only by qualified *brāhmaṇas*. In our current age, normal processes of purification are ineffective, and thus *brāhmaṇas* are unqualified, few being able to properly chant *śruti* *mantra*s. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the story goes, reversed the order of the chant. He thus showed respect for the rules of eligibility given in *śruti* texts but allowed everyone to chant this most potent of all sound vibrations. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s godbrother Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdharadeva Goswami Mahārāja (1895–1988) expressed the above narrative as follows: It is said that because it comes from the *Upaniṣads*, the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* is a Vedic *mantra*, and, therefore, because the ordinary people may not have any entrance into Vedic *mantra*s, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu readjusted this *mantra* by reversing the order of the words. In that way, it is said, the concern that it is a Vedic *mantra* is thereby canceled, and so Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave it to all without breaching the injunctions of the Vedas. Some devotees in Uttar Pradesh who have great affection for Śrī Caitanyadeva like to give this opinion.7 It is unlikely that Śrīdhara Mahārāja subscribed to this view himself, but as he says, “Some devotees . . . like to give this opinion.” No authoritative source substantiates the Śrī Caitanya component of this story, and the tale has traditionally been relegated to the realm of apocrypha. Nonetheless, when the notion of inversion—specifically in relation to the *mahā-mantra*—was brought to the attention of modern Gauḍīya *ācāryas*, they took the time to address it. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, for example, said: *Kali-santaraṇa *Upaniṣad** has been published in Mumbai and Madras, but because [the manuscripts of] the *Upaniṣad* were collected from the adulterated members of the Rāmāyet-sampradāya, the order of the *mahā-mantra* in these particular editions was reversed. But even despite being so, its meaning and position cannot be reversed. Any wise person will not accept any order or reading different from the *mahā-mantra* and its order given by the person denoted by the holy name (*nāmi*), Śrī Gaurasundara, who himself descended in Kali-yuga to distribute the easy process for crossing over the age of Kali (*kali-santaraṇa*) and attaining love of God.”8 *Śrī*la Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī here suggests that Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s own recitation of the *mahā-*mantra** gave pride of place to “Hare Kṛṣṇa.” But how would we know Mahāprabhu’s preferred version of the *mantra*? His first Bengali biography, *Śrī* *Caitanya-bhāgavata*, mentions the *mahā-*mantra** five or six times. In that book the full *mantra*—with the Hare Kṛṣṇa part first—emanates from Mahāprabhu’s lips twice. The first instance occurs early in His pastimes when He answers Tapana Miśra’s question about the ultimate goal of life. The Lord answers: By congregationally chanting the holy names you achieve everything, including the goal of life and the means for attaining it. “For spiritual progress in this Age of Kali, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.” Just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This verse consists of the holy names and is called the *mahā-mantra*. It contains sixteen names composed of thirty-two syllables. If you continue chanting this *mahā-mantra*, the seed of love of God will sprout in your heart. Then you will understand the goal of life and the process for achieving it.”9 In the second instance, Mahāprabhu tells the people of Navadvīpa: “‘Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.’ I have told you the *mahā-*mantra**. All of you chant this *mantra* according to a prescribed number. Everyone will attain all perfection by it. At every moment chant it; there is no other rule.”10 These instructions to the residents of Navadvīpa are also related in Narahari Cakravartī’s *Bhakti-ratnākara* (12.2047–2054), where the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-*mantra** is also recorded in its entirety (12.2049). Fortunately, the original order of the *mantra* is also preserved in the *Purāṇas*, *tantras*, and *āgamas*, which refer to the mahā-*mantra* as starting with the Hare Kṛṣṇa part first. For instance, in the *Brahma-yāmala*, Lord Śiva describes the mahā-*mantra* as follows: Without Hari there is no other way to eradicate the sins in the age of Kali. Therefore *hari-nāma* should be revealed in order to save the world. The people in Kali-yuga everywhere can be liberated from the greatest sins by chanting the following *mantra*. First one should chant the two words “Hare Kṛṣṇa” twice and then two words more—“Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa.” Then one should chant the two words “Hare Hare” and then twice “Hare Rāma.” In the end, Mahādevī, one should chant “Rāma Rāma” and then “Hare Hare.” In this way one should pronounce the mahā-*mantra* of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which destroys all sins. Similarly, Dhyānacandra Gosvāmī in his *Gaura-govindārcana-smaraṇa-paddhati* (132–133) describes three powerful Kṛṣṇa *mantras* famous for bestowing love of God on their chanters. The first of them, he writes, is the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra*, explained in *Sanat-kumāra-saṁhitā* as follows: “The words ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa’ are repeated twice, and then ‘Kṛṣṇa’ and ‘Hare’ are both separately twice repeated. Then ‘Hare Rāma’ is repeated twice, then ‘Rāma’ and ‘Hare’ are both separately twice repeated.” In the end, however, the question of order is simply inconsequential, since as soon as one starts repeating the *mantra* over and over again, such considerations disappear through the incessant flow of names, as Śrīla Prabhupāda confirms: Either you chant Hare Rāma or you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, it is the same. There is no difference. Sometimes they first of all place “Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.” And sometimes they place “Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa . . .” There is no difference. Sometimes they say, “No, it should be Hare Rāma first.” Sometimes they say, “No, Hare Kṛṣṇa.” But that is not very important, childish. Either you say Hare Rāma or Hare Kṛṣṇa, the same.”11 *Uninterrupted Concentration* The holy name of the Lord is so powerful that even if its recitation is interrupted by inverted words, innovative sequence, or intervening syllables, it can still have the desired effect. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s conclusive purport to *Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya* 3.60, leaves little to the imagination: If one somehow or other hears, utters or remembers the holy name, or if it catches his mind while coming near his ears, that holy name, even if vibrated in separate words, will act. An example of such separation is given as follows: Suppose one is using the two words *halaṁ *ri*ktam*. Now the syllable ha in the word *halam* and the syllable *ri* in *ri*ktam are separately pronounced, but nevertheless the holy name will act because one somehow or other utters the word ha*ri*. Similarly, in the word **rā*ja-*ma*hiṣī*, the syllables *rā* and *ma* appear in two separate words, but because they somehow or other appear together, the holy name *rā**ma* will act, provided there are no offenses. Still, it is obviously better to chant with uninterrupted syllables. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura offers a nuanced perspective in which he notes that while one can still benefit from separated syllables, that is not as effective as when the syllables are in an uninterrupted flow. In his *Harināma-cintamāṇi* (2.50–53) he writes that “disruption” causes offense and thus minimizes benefit. This type of offense is known as varṇa-vyavadhāna, or a disruption in the syllables, and should be avoided.12 The tradition never teaches that one should chant in a circuitous way. Instead, the message is that the holy name, being merciful and supremely potent, can offer its fruits not only to those who chant scrupulously and with loving attention but also to those who chant inadvertently or improperly. This, then, is the implication of inverted *mantras*—it highlights the supremely munificent nature of the holy name. Let it be clear: The tradition recommends that in chanting one follow in the footsteps of the great souls throughout history who as perfect exemplars have chanted with full concentration and without interruption, in terms of both syllabic sequence and determined constancy. *Notes* 1. *Padma* *Purāṇa* (*Brahma-khaṇḍa* 25.15–18, 22–23) offers a cautionary list of pitfalls to avoid in chanting the holy name. (See the sidebar “The Ten Offenses Against the Holy Name.”) These are called *nāma-aparādha*, “offenses against the name.” In the Gauḍīya tradition the list can initially be found in the *Hari-bhakti-vilāsa*, Eleventh *Vilāsa*, texts 521–524. The notion was then carried into Jīva Gosvāmī’s work, both in his commentary on Rūpa Gosvāmī’s *Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu* (1.2.120) and in his own *Bhakti-sandarbha* (Anuccheda 265). Viśvanātha Cakravartī then highlights the importance of this list again by citing it in his *Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu*-bindu (*Pūrva-vibhāga*, First Wave 7). 2. Though this verse cannot be found in current editions of the *Padma* *Purāṇa*, it was cited (as a verse in that *Purāṇa*) in Kavi Karṇapūra’s *Śrī* *Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā* (21), an early Gauḍīya text. We can therefore assume that it was in earlier editions of the *Purāṇa*. The verse can also be found in the eighteenth-century *Bhakti-ratnākara*, Fifth Wave. A similar verse, almost identical, appears in the *Garga-saṁhitā*, a traditional saṁhitā in the Vaiṣṇava tradition. (*Garga-saṁhitā*, Aśvamedha-khaṇḍa, 61.24–26) For more on this reference, see Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s *Gaura-gaṇa-svarūpa-tattva-candrikā*, trans., Demian Martins (Vrindavan, U.P.: Jiva Institute, 2015), Introduction, xiii. 3. See Guy L. Beck, Sonic Theology: Hinduism and Sacred Sound (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1995), 52–57. 4. Śrīla Prabhupāda lecture on *Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, *Madhya* 20.330–335, New York, December 23, 1966. The “**marā*, *marā*,* *marā*” story does not appear in the critical edition of Vālmīki’s *Rāmāyaṇa*, though it exists in several manuscripts of that text, as confirmed by *Rāmāyaṇa* scholars Robert Goldman and Philip Lutgendorf in personal correspondence with me. That being said, it is a well-established part of the *Rāmāyaṇa* tradition. The narrative can be found in the fourteenth-century *Adhyātma* *Rāmāyaṇa* (2.6.80), an appendix to the *Brahmāṇḍa* *Purāṇa*. It also appears in the anonymous fifteenth-century *Ānanda* *Rāmāyaṇa*, written in Sanskrit, and in Krittivas Ojha’s Bengali *Rāmāyaṇa*. Tulsīdāsa alludes to the story in his *Rāmcaritmānas* (1.19.3) but offers no details. 5. *Śrī Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta* (6.1–2), in Bhānu Swami’s translation: “Kṛṣṇa taught a baby parrot to say, ‘May the Lord with dark complexion (*dhārādhara*) be pleased with us.’” (And on that pretext chanted Rādhā’s name (*dhā-rādhā-rā*). “Petting and feeding the bird pomegranate seeds intermittently, Kṛṣṇa made the small bird continuously repeat the word *dhārādhara*.” 6. Conversation with George Harrison on July 26, 1976. 7. Accessed at http://gosai.com/writings/the-*maha-mantra*. 8. From a conversation with a guest at the Gauḍīya Maṭh, September 4, 1932. Printed in the Gauḍīya magazine, Vol. 11, No. 11, October 22, 1932, p. 101. 9. See *Caitanya-bhāgavata*, *Ādi-khaṇḍa* 14.143–147. 10. Ibid. *Madhya* 23.76–78. 11. Śrīla Prabhupāda lecture on *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 3.25.44, Bombay, December 12, 1974. 12. See Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, *Śrī* *Harināma-cintāmaṇi*: The Beautiful Wish-Fulfilling Gem of the Holy Name, Sarvabhāvana dāsa, trans. (Bombay: Bhaktivedanta Books, 1990). The original Bengali contains verses and several endnotes concluding each chapter. The passage in question is Chapter 2, Endnote 9. The endnote offers this information: In the word *hathikari*, the first and last syllables produce the word hari. Because the syllables *thi-ka* intervene, the full benefit of the name is not attained. Book Excerpt: Living the Wisdom of Bhakti - Life As a Spiritual Practice, Volume One *Māyā Is Going to Test You* What seem like obstacles on our spiritual path are all part of Kṛṣṇa’s merciful plan for our progress. by Mahatma Das *Māyā’s tests are a blessing to bring us closer to Kṛṣṇa.* *Section One: Obstacles to Cultivating Bhakti* Chapter 1 Whenever we try to achieve something great, there will be obstacles and tests on our path. Devotional service is no exception. No matter who we are, we all get tested. And Māyā will hit us where we are the weakest. So what do we do, lie down and roll over? We might feel like it sometimes, especially when overcoming obstacles on the path of *bhakti* feels like a never-ending battle. The previous faith that “Kṛṣṇa consciousness works—I’m going to get purified in this lifetime” can turn into “I hope I become purified in this life.” And for some, it even becomes “Maybe in another life I’ll become Kṛṣṇa conscious.” In this chapter, we discuss how to deal with our obstacles in a way that moves us closer to Kṛṣṇa. *Declaring War on Māyā* We should expect that overcoming anarthas (unwanted material desires and conditioning) will be difficult. This is because becoming a devotee means we have declared war on Māyā, the presiding deity of the material world. When we tell Māyā, “I have decided to give my life to Kṛṣṇa and leave your clutches,” we have to be ready for a fight. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in The Real Peace Formula: “Māyā will try to defeat us as soon as she sees that a living soul is leaving her grip.” How? She does so by crowding our road to Goloka Vrindavan with obstacles. What are obstacles? Obstacles are those things we focus on when we lose sight of our goals. Māyā hits the hardest where we are the weakest, where she finds our strongest material tendencies; we are only as strong as our weakest link—and she knows exactly where that is. So what’s the best way to fight Māyā? Actually, there’s no way we can directly win a fight with Māyā. Kṛṣṇa says in *Bhagavad-gītā* 7.14, *mama māyā duratyayā*: “My material energy is insurmountable.” She has a million tricks up her sleeve to illusion us and keep us away from Kṛṣṇa. She can even convince us that we are conquering her while we are fully in her clutches. *Kṛṣṇa Tests Us* But don’t get discouraged; Māyā’s simply doing her job. This is all part of Kṛṣṇa’s plan. The battles we have with Māyā are for our own spiritual benefit. If taken in this way, Māyā shows us where we are weak and where we need to work, and thus she can act as a force for our becoming more serious and determined in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It also is important to realize that Māyā is just responding to our material tendencies. After all, she is not tempting us with anything that we don’t have an attraction to. We are the ones who give her space to come into our lives. But by frustrating our attempts at enjoyment, she can teach us great lessons—if we care to learn. We all need struggles to keep us on our toes and strengthen us. If Māyā doesn’t kick us from time to time, the process of surrender can be slow. We need to be pushed by obstacles. It is Kṛṣṇa’s kindness that He tests us in this way. And it is also Kṛṣṇa’s kindness that He helps us get through the tests. Śrīla Prabhupāda sheds light on this: “The Lord is so kind to His devotee that when severely testing him, the Lord gives him the necessary strength to be tolerant and to continue to remain a glorious devotee.” (*Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 8.22.29–30, Purport) Look at it this way: if anyone forces us to take more shelter of Kṛṣṇa, that person is our best friend. So it is important to understand that Māyā is not actually our enemy. She is on our heels to challenge our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and if Māyā kicks us in a way that pushes us towards Kṛṣṇa, she is doing us a great service. When we pass her test, she herself will help us go to Kṛṣṇa. *Do I Really Want Kṛṣṇa?* Developing transcendental laulyam, or an intense longing for Kṛṣṇa, despite whatever obstacles or personal shortcomings on our spiritual path, is how, ultimately, we will pass Māyā’s test. Although it sounds contradictory to develop a strong desire to be Kṛṣṇa conscious while being challenged by many anarthas, it is actually possible. Rūpa Gosvāmī shows us how we should be thinking in *The Nectar of Devotion*, Chapter 18: “I have no love for Kṛṣṇa, nor for the causes of developing love of Kṛṣṇa—namely, hearing and chanting. And the process of *bhakti* yoga, by which one is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa and fixing His lotus feet in the heart, is also lacking in me. As far as philosophical knowledge or pious works are concerned, I don’t see any opportunity for me to execute such activities. But above all, I am not even born of a nice family. Therefore I must simply pray to You, Gopījana-vallabha [Kṛṣṇa, maintainer and beloved of the gopīs]. I simply wish and hope that some way or other I may be able to approach Your lotus feet, and this hope is giving me pain, because I think myself quite incompetent to approach that transcendental goal of life.” In his prayer, Rūpa Gosvāmī, playing the part of a conditioned soul, focuses on his unrelenting desire and hope to be Kṛṣṇa conscious although he lists many reasons why he feels unqualified to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. What you focus on is more important than where you are at. Echoing Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya in the *Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, *Madhya* 8.70, Rūpa Gosvāmī further explains in his *Padyāvalī*, 13–14, this time more directly: “Pure devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be had even by pious activity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only by paying one price—that is, intense longing to obtain it. If it is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay.” There are many stories in which people with handicaps, either physical or circumstantial, achieved great things despite the odds against them. What happens when a child really wants something and the parents refuse to give it? The child wants it even more. And the same process works for us: the more difficult it is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the more we should want it. Thus obstacles can inspire us. This is the essence of how one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious. *Stairway to Vaikuṇṭha* Kṛṣṇa wants to help us increase that intense greed, so He tests us to see, as Śrīla Prabhupāda once said, “if we have come to serve Him or disturb Him” (Lecture on *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, New York, April 12, 1973). These tests are opportunities meant to increase our determination in spiritual life and to help us take another step towards Kṛṣṇa: “Although there may be many obstacles on the path of the sincere devotee who is preaching the glories of the Lord, such obstacles increase the determination of the devotee. Therefore, according to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the continuous obstacles presented by the demigods form a kind of ladder or stairway upon which the devotee steadily progresses back to the kingdom of God.” (*Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 11.4.10, Purport) So as you confront difficult challenges, challenges in which you may be faltering, try seeing Kṛṣṇa standing behind these obstacles asking you, “What’s important to you? Do you want Me, or do you want something else?” *But I’m Not Pure* You might think, “OK, this all sounds good, but I’ve been working on overcoming the same *anarthas* for years. Although I’ve made progress, some *anarthas* seem strongly glued to my heart. It’s discouraging that they have remained with me despite my attempts to overcome them.” To justify our discouragement, we could quote the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 1.2.18 and *The Nectar of Devotion* (Chapter 16), which state that we will only become steady (the stage of *niṣṭhā*) after most *anarthas* are removed (*anartha-nivṛtti*). We could think that having these *anarthas* actually gives us a right to be unsteady—and thus a right to also be discouraged. In the long run, if it gets very difficult to cope with our desires and struggles, our thought processes might even develop into: “My *anarthas* are there, they will have their effect on me, and I just have to accept this fact. “So why should I continually struggle to get rid of them? I’m so fallen that I have ‘good’ reason to not strictly follow.” This kind of mentality can lead us to relax our spiritual practices or engage in activities which, instead of rooting out our *anarthas*, make them more prominent in our lives. *Enthusiasm Despite Anarthas* Anarthas exist on lower stages of bhakti. It is a fact we must accept. The question is can we really remain enthusiastic and determined in devotional service while these persistent anarthas remain in our hearts? Although it seems like a contradiction, the answer is yes. If you asked Kṛṣṇa what He had to say on this subject, He would repeat what He says in the *Gītā* (2.70): “Be like an ocean. The river of desires will enter, but the ocean is still.” The point is that devotees who really want to be Kṛṣṇa conscious can tolerate the obstacles and anarthas in their lives, not give in to them, and thus remain enthusiastically determined in their service. The goal of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is what makes us enthusiastic. Anarthas are just bumps in the road that we must deal with. “But I have a heavy mind. You don’t know how fallen I am, how conditioned I am. I have so many bad habits.” The following prayer, composed by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī as part of his commentary to the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (11.20.27–28), expresses a similar mood, yet deals with it in a wonderful and positive way: “By my previous shameful life, my heart is polluted with many illusory attachments. Personally, I have no power to stop them. Only Lord Kṛṣṇa within my heart can remove such inauspicious contamination. Whether the Lord removes such attachments immediately or lets me go on being afflicted by them, I will never give up my devotional service to Him. Even if the Lord places millions of obstacles in my path, and even if because of my offenses I go to hell, I will never for a moment stop serving Lord Kṛṣṇa. I am not interested in mental speculation and fruitive activities; even if Lord Brahmā personally comes before me offering such engagements, I will not be even slightly interested. Although I am attached to material things, I can see very clearly that they lead to no good because they simply give me trouble and disturb my devotional service to the Lord. Therefore, I sincerely repent my foolish attachments to so many material things, and I am patiently awaiting Lord Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.” This prayer tells us that despite having material desires, a devotee is not interested in pursuing them or even enjoying them if they come to him automatically, but that he is only interested in serving Kṛṣṇa. It is a prayer that offers us a reassuring and liberating attitude: we can be enthusiastic despite our *anarthas*. We can be hopeful of being Kṛṣṇa conscious despite our shortcomings. We can remain determined even in the face of many obstacles. We can—unless we listen to those little voices in our head telling us, “No you can’t.” Have those little voices ever made excuses for you not being Kṛṣṇa conscious, and then blamed them on your anarthas? If so, and if you’ve ever lost your enthusiasm for devotional service because of unwanted desires that repeatedly surface in your heart, I suggest you copy the above prayer, keep it where you can regularly see it, and study it over and over again. The power of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī’s prayer will silence those little voices. *How Do We See It?* Śrīla Prabhupāda also taught that we can act in a Kṛṣṇa conscious way despite our heart’s contrary desires. Māyā tells us the exact opposite: She wants us to believe that we have to give in to our conditioning—that we are so fallen that even Kṛṣṇa can’t help us overcome our strong conditioning. I suggest that we look at steadiness, enthusiasm, and determination to be Kṛṣṇa conscious as an indication of a pure desire to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. We might have to carry many anarthas throughout our life, but if we want to be Kṛṣṇa conscious more than anything else, these anarthas cannot and will not deter us. Let our difficult challenges just make us more determined to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. *Exercise* Make a list of some of the things that are detrimental to your spiritual life that you nevertheless give in to. Now ask yourself: why do you do so? What is giving in to these things costing you, materially and spiritually? What is/are the belief(s) behind giving in? To uncover those beliefs, look at the activities in your life that are detrimental to your *bhakti* and ask, “What would one have to believe in to do these things?” And now, flip the question around: what would you have to believe in to not give in? If you find that your desire to be Kṛṣṇa conscious is not strong enough to enable you to not give in, then what could you do to make your spiritual desires stronger? *Mahatma Das, a disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda, designs and conducts professionally organized workshops and retreats, both live and online, to assist devotees and nondevotees in their spiritual growth (mahatmadas.com).* The Spiritual Highway *We aspiring devotees may experience traffic congestion of a different kind —traffic congestion within the heart.* by Tirumala Devī Dāsī Something to think about the next time you’re stuck in traffic. Slow-moving traffic—any motorist’s nightmare. Johannesburg, where I live, is notorious for being one of the most traffic-congested cities in Africa. And slow-moving automobile traffic isn’t the only kind of traffic congestion we face in life. There’s traffic to get to the cashier at the grocery store, traffic to get prasādam at the Sunday Feast, and at festival times, traffic to get a clear view of the deities in the temple. On a more subtle level, we aspiring devotees may experience traffic congestion of a different kind—traffic congestion within the heart. The dynamics of day-to-day traffic can reveal much about the highway of spiritual life. When we’re sitting in traffic, it’s easy to look in the rear-view mirror at all the cars lined up behind and appreciate the progress we’ve made. Similarly, a devotee may introspect to review his or her progress or look into the “rearview mirror” to the material world and wonder how to change things to make the stay here more comfortable. Don’t we all sometimes do this, whether in a small situation or in a more serious life-changing one? Perhaps our looking backwards is not always just about material desires. Sometimes we’re faced with a difficult situation, a challenging set of *karma*, and we think a change would be good, so we look at the “cars” around us. Sometimes the people in other “lanes” seem to be moving much faster than we are, and we may think that other people are better off and that a change in circumstances sounds rather appealing. Then somehow our situation may change. We “change lanes,” and then see that the lane we were just in has started moving faster and the lane we just got into has slowed to the pace of our previous lane. How many times has that happened to you? In these times we may sometimes question what really is in our best interest. We may wonder how to identify what really is best for us and what to do to be in that ideal situation. But the bad news is that there isn’t an angelic harp that mysteriously plays when we make a life-changing decision that’s the right choice. The good news, however, is that the *Bhagavad-gītā* teaches us that Kṛṣṇa already knows what is in our best interest and affectionately places us in the right situation whether we realize it or not. A story highlights this point well. The residents of a small town constantly complained to the mayor about their problems. Eventually the mayor said, “I have a brilliant idea. We’re going to have an exhibition of problems. Everyone can bring their problems, we’ll put them on display in the townhall, and everyone can come and see them.” So everyone playfully had a look at everyone else’s problems. Eventually it was time to leave, but then the mayor said that no one could leave without taking a problem with them. So when they had to choose a problem, they thought very seriously about which problem to take. Guess what problems everyone ended up taking? Their own! It was easier to take back their own problems than anyone else’s. *Fallible Soldiers* We often cling to things to give us some sense of security and comfort. This is explained very nicely in the purport (by Śrīla Prabhupāda disciples) to *Mukunda-mālā-stotra,* verse 13: It is not an easy thing to wake up from the complacency of ordinary life. Everyone knows that life is full of difficulties, but we tend to think that our family members and friends are our only solace. . . . Several times in the *Mukunda-mālā-stotra*, the poet compares the material world to the sea, and the Lord (or His lotus feet) to a boat that can rescue us. The metaphor is excellent, for no matter how expert a swimmer a person may be, he cannot survive on his own in the rough and vast expanses of the ocean. So our attempt to swim the ocean of material life on our own strength, encouraged by our family and friends, is as futile as the attempt of the lone swimmer at sea. We should gradually give up our false sense of security, which we look for in “fallible soldiers” (the term that *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* uses to refer to our family and friends in this world). Sometimes we want to change our situation, thinking that by doing so we will be better off. We are like a chess player who can see one or two moves ahead, but Kṛṣṇa can see all the moves across the whole chessboard. Kṛṣṇa knows what situation is best for our purification. *Appreciating the Mercy* We all have challenges, and we may think that our difficulties are worse than the next person’s. But we should not use our challenges to rationalize why it is difficult for us to be devotees. We have been given great mercy and must take full advantage of it. The mercy we have received is no small thing at all. You might think there is a “broken vehicle” in your path, stopping you from progressing any further. If so, then you need to rely on the mercy of those in the next lane to allow you space to get into the free-flowing lane. We became frustrated in material life and searched for something greater, and then by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy we came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness somehow or other. *The Nectar of Devotion* explains that one comes to devotional service if one has some attraction to it or has executed it previously. But for one to have executed devotional service previously means that one must have had some attraction to it previously. So, then, how does one come to devotional service? Only by the mercy of a pure devotee. Śrīla Prabhupāda was so kind that he gave us his mercy freely. When someone gives you a gift, a good feeling comes to you. But an even more wonderful feeling comes when you share that gift with others. In traffic, when we finally get into the free-flowing lane and are grateful to the driver who let us through, then don’t we want to let the person we see stuck behind the broken-down vehicle through as well? Similarly, we should share this priceless mercy we have been given. We should not be distracted by temporary, material problems, looking back at what we should have done differently to change our material position. We should not place too much emphasis on how we should change our material situation. There is a place for material changes, but our consciousness must be trained to be on Kṛṣṇa and His pure devotees and serving their lotus feet. We should focus on our real mission—to surrender as instruments in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission to spread the glories of the holy name. While the highway of the material world may sometimes be frustrating, when we look at the bigger network of the spiritual highway, we can realize that there is no bad traffic, just traffic to purify our hearts on the journey back home, back to Godhead. *Tirumala Devī Dāsī, a disciple of His Holiness Kadamba Kānana Swami, is a member of the BBT Africa team. She is also an author and illustrator for Kadamba Kids Books, a series of Kṛṣṇa conscious books for children.* Devotional Surrender: An Embracing of Truth *If we examine the real meaning of “surrender” to Kṛṣṇa, we will find the concept to be dynamic and reciprocal.* by Ūrmilā Devī Dāsī Accepting Kṛṣṇa’s invitation to come under His shelter doesn’t end our social engagement; it uplifts it. The concept of surrendering ourselves to Kṛṣṇa is at the heart of what it means to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Yet the word surrender may conjure conceptions of painful subjugation, perhaps as the regretful end to a war for the losing side. Conversely, if we do indeed feel the joy of Kṛṣṇa’s call for our surrender in terms of accepting His love, we may define such surrender as a withdrawal from social engagement. Surrender may seem to imply a cloistered or monastic life. As we examine the real meaning of surrender, we will find the concept to be dynamic and reciprocal, rather than anything narrow or stereotyped. The *Bhagavad-gītā* (18.66) ends with a call to surrender to the Lord without fear and to engage with the world in that mood of surrender. > sarva-dharmān parityajya > mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja > ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo > mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” In fact, proper social engagement can occur only with surrender, as explained in *Bhagavad-gītā* (7.14), because only through surrender is the veil of ignorance and illusion lifted. > daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī > mama māyā duratyayā > mām eva ye prapadyante > māyām etāṁ taranti te “This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.” Our illusion is an egoistic covering of the self, such as thinking oneself to be the center of reality. Social engagement without surrender and without the Lord’s consequent lifting of illusion is based on false premises of the identity of the self and others. Basing engagement with others on a false platform likely renders all interaction problematic, possibly ineffective, and perhaps even harmful. Therefore the message of the *Bhagavad-gītā* is to engage in the world with a mood of surrender. Interaction in the light of truth allows us to have real meaning and value in our actions. According to scripture, surrender to Kṛṣṇa has six aspects. Two of the sixty-four limbs of *bhakti* epitomize some of these aspects. These limbs are called *ātma-nivedanam* and *śaraṇāpatti*. Let us first look at the six aspects of surrender to the Lord and then those two limbs. *Six Aspects of Surrender* > ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ > prātikūlyasya varjanam > rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso > goptṛtve varaṇaṁ tathā > ātma-nikṣepa-kārpaṇye > ṣaḍ-vidhā śaraṇāgatiḥ (*Ahirbudhnya-saṁhitā* 37.2 and *Lakṣmī-tantra* 17.60 [quoted in *Hari-bhakti-vilāsa* 11.676]) There are a number of ways in which Śrīla Prabhupāda translates the above verse. First, we can look at his translation of each word: *ānukūlyasya—*of anything that assists devotional service to the Lord; *saṅkalpaḥ*—acceptance; *prātikūlyasya*—of anything that hinders devotional service; *varjanam*—complete rejection; *rakṣiṣyati*—He will protect; *iti*—thus; *viśvāsaḥ*—strong conviction; *goptṛtve*—in being the guardian, like the father or husband, master or maintainer; *varaṇam*—acceptance; *tathā*—as well as; *ātma-nikṣepa*—full self-surrender; *kārpaṇye*—and humility; *ṣaṭ-vidhā*—sixfold; *śaraṇa-āgatiḥ*—process of surrender. With this as a reference, we will use this translation: 1. Accept everything favorable to serving the Lord. 2. Give up everything unfavorable for serving the Lord. 3. Have a firm conviction that only Kṛṣṇa can protect oneself. 4. Always accept Kṛṣṇa as one’s maintainer. 5. Always be conscious that one is not independent in fulfilling desires. 6. Always humbly think of oneself as most fallen so that Kṛṣṇa will take care. Alternatively, Śrīla Prabhupāda sometimes translates aspect four, *goptṛtve*, as “to become a member of a spiritual family” or “to introduce oneself with the associates of the Lord.” He said, for example, “When you are advanced, you’ll understand what is your relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Then if you introduce yourself with that association . . .” Prabhupāda gives an alternative explanation for aspect five, *ātma-nikṣepa*, as “dedicate one’s life for His service.” We will look at each of the six in terms of both surrender and social engagement. *Accept Everything Favorable to Serving the Lord* In a narrow sense, this aspect of surrender would mean taking up the sixty-four various limbs, or *aṅgas*, of *bhakti*. Rūpa Gosvāmī describes that the three most important *aṅgas* all relate to a spiritual master. These are “accepting the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, taking initiation from him and serving him with respect and reverence.” (*The Nectar of Devotion*, chapter 6) This concept is certainly not unique to Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas. Surrender to the Lord in most religious traditions involves accepting a preceptor, prophet, guide, mentor, or leader, that acceptance often including some sort of ceremony of dedication to the specific path of that person or tradition. Among Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas this ceremony of dedication is called *dīkṣā*, where one receives *mantras* for meditation and is connected with both a specific *guru* and that *guru*’s lineage. Kṛṣṇa states in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (4.34): > tad viddhi praṇipātena > paripraśnena sevayā > upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ > jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.” In addition to those three most important favorable activities, a surrendered person follows as many of the limbs of *bhakti* as he or she is able to do, in line with individual circumstances. Rūpa Gosvāmī especially recommends “five kinds of devotional activities—namely residing in Mathurā, worshiping the Deity of the Lord, reciting *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, serving a devotee and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra—[that] are so potent a small attachment for any one of these five items can arouse devotional ecstasy even in a neophyte.” (*The Nectar of Devotion*, chapter 13) Some degree of social engagement is inherent, or at least implied, in many of the positive aṅgas of bhakti. For example, living in a holy place includes assisting the residents there and serving the place by, for example, cleaning and maintaining the shrines and features such as rivers and mountains. Generally, or at least ideally, recitation of scriptures such as *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* involves engagement with others, as Kṛṣṇa explains in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (10.9): > mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā > bodhayantaḥ parasparam > kathayantaś ca māṁ nityaṁ > tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca “The thoughts of my pure devotees dwell in me, their lives are fully devoted to my service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about me.” Chanting the *mahā-mantra*—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—is done both as individual meditation and musically in groups, both among practitioners of *bhakti* and involving the public. In a broad sense, accepting what is favorable for serving the Lord brings the possibility of a wide range of social engagement. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in his purport to *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 1.5.22: All the sages and devotees of the Lord have recommended that the subject matter of art, science, philosophy, physics, chemistry, psychology and all other branches of knowledge should be wholly and solely applied in the service of the Lord. Art, literature, poetry, painting, etc., may be used in glorifying the Lord. The fiction writers, poets and celebrated litterateurs are generally engaged in writing of sensuous subjects, but if they turn towards the service of the Lord they can describe the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. Vālmīki is a great poet, and similarly Vyāsadeva is a great writer, and both of them have absolutely engaged themselves in delineating the transcendental activities of the Lord and by doing so have become immortal. Similarly, science and philosophy also should be applied in the service of the Lord. There is no use presenting dry speculative theories for sense gratification. Philosophy and science should be engaged to establish the glory of the Lord. Advanced people are eager to understand the Absolute Truth through the medium of science, and therefore a great scientist should endeavor to prove the existence of the Lord on a scientific basis. Similarly, philosophical speculations should be utilized to establish the Supreme Truth as sentient and all-powerful. Similarly, all other branches of knowledge should always be engaged in the service of the Lord. In the *Bhagavad-gītā* also the same is affirmed. All “knowledge” not engaged in the service of the Lord is but nescience. Real utilization of advanced knowledge is to establish the glories of the Lord, and that is the real import. Scientific knowledge engaged in the service of the Lord and all similar activities are all factually hari-kīrtana, or glorification of the Lord. And he writes in his purport to *Śrī Īśopaniṣad, Mantra* 2: “There is no harm in becoming a family man, or an altruist, a socialist, a communist, a nationalist or a humanitarian, provided that one executes his activities in relation with *īśāvāsya*, the God-centered conception.” *Give Up Everything Unfavorable for Serving the Lord* The main things a surrendered person gives up are explained in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (16.21): > tri-vidhaṁ narakasyedaṁ > dvāraṁ nāśanam ātmanaḥ > kāmaḥ krodhas tathā lobhas > tasmād etat trayaṁ tyajet “There are three gates leading to this hell—lust, anger and greed. Every sane man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul.” These three mentalities and desires are directly opposed to surrender as well as to beneficial social engagement. It is not that a surrendered person represses these inclinations, but rather neither indulges them nor represses them. Surrender means a position of neutral observer towards lust, anger, and greed. Letting go of lust, anger, and greed naturally involves uninterest in activities rooted in those psychological states. In this regard, Śrīla Prabhupāda specifically had initiates vow to give up intoxication, illicit sex, gambling, and eating of meat, fish, or eggs. All those activities are both the products of those negative psychological states and the cause of an increase in them. A surrendered person would also give up all forms of deceit, lying, and cheating. Clearly, a person free from vice in both behavior and motivation can engage socially in the world truly to help others in an atmosphere of affection and trust. *Have a Firm Conviction That Only Kṛṣṇa Can Protect Oneself* This aspect of surrender brings on a state of fearlessness and acceptance of everything in life as part of the Lord’s plan for our protection. It is this mood that enables persons advanced in spiritual consciousness to take up service in dangerous or difficult situations. Worldly life is filled with various causes for fear at every moment. But one who feels the Lord as protector can minister to others in the most difficult situations without being personally affected. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, a great teacher in the Gauḍīya line, demonstrates this aspect of surrender with a song about the cows that Lord Kṛṣṇa herds. He writes in his book *Śaraṇāgati* (translation by Daśaratha-suta Dāsa): Surrendering my soul unto You has lifted from me the burden of false pride. No longer will I try to provide for my own safety. I know that You will give protection to Your treasured possessions, O Lord. I now understand the mentality of Your treasured cows safely maintained by Your side. When You lead Your herds to pasture, O Mādhava, on the banks of the Yamunā River, You will call to them by softly playing on Your flute. By slaying great demons such as Aghāsura and Bakāsura, You will always provide full protection, O Kāna of the cowherd settlement! Fearless and confident of Your protection, I will drink the water of the Yamunā. The Kāliya serpent’s venom poisoned the Yamunā’s waters, yet that poison will be vanquished. You will purify the Yamunā, and by such heroic deeds enhance our faith. You will surely protect me by swallowing the forest fire. Thus You are called Gopāla (protector of the cows) and Govinda (pleaser of the cows). In order to curb the malice of Indra, king of the demigods, You will protect me from his torrents of rain, O lifter of the mighty Govardhana Hill! When the four-headed Brahmā abducts me along with Your cowherd boyfriends and calves, then also You will surely protect me, O Gokula Hari! Bhaktivinoda is now the property of Gokula, Your holy abode. O Keśava! Kindly protect him with gentle loving care. *Always Accept Kṛṣṇa as One’s Maintainer* We often think that we are maintaining ourselves and our loved ones with our occupation, but even a brief time of careful thought will reveal that everyone is fully dependent on God for life. Regardless of how hard we work, how skilled, knowledgeable, or clever we are, no matter who our friends and family are, circumstances in nature and in human society in general can bring us prosperity or ruin independent of our endeavors. This aspect of surrender, therefore, is both a simple and an ongoing deepening acceptance of fact. Such an acknowledgement allows us to work for livelihood in the mood of service to the Lord rather than independently. This mood promotes social engagement based not on a desire to get aid or maintenance from anyone, but only to do good for them. It thus removes all exploitation and selfishness from our interpersonal dealings. Seeing Kṛṣṇa as our maintainer can also be understood as deeply meaningful for those who have realized their eternal spiritual nature. Such persons no longer identify with the temporary body and mind as the “self” that needs to be maintained. Rather, their identity is firmly rooted in the awareness that they are fully part of Kṛṣṇa as a spiritual entity whose very self He constantly supplies with abundance. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes in his book *Śaraṇāgati*: Within my mind I have always been anxious for the maintenance of my wife and children, my own body and relatives. How will I earn money? How will I acquire fame? How will I arrange the marriages of my sons and daughters? Now, through self-surrender, I have been relieved of all anxiety. O Lord, surely you will provide for the maintenance of Your own household. Recognizing me as Your own servant, You will certainly maintain me. While rendering devotional service unto You, I feel the greatest happiness. Always Be Conscious That One Is Not Independent in Fulfilling Desires Śrīla Prabhupāda comments on the *Nārada-bhakti-sūtra*, verse 12, with the following explanation of this aspect of surrender: “One should always remember that one’s activities and desires are not independent. In other words, the devotee should feel completely dependent on Kṛṣṇa, and thus he should act and think as Kṛṣṇa desires.” In his *Teachings of Lord Caitanya* (chapter 12), Prabhupāda explains this part of surrender as follows: “A devotee is always conscious that he is not independent in fulfilling his desires; unless Kṛṣṇa fulfills them, they cannot be fulfilled.” Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes in *Śaraṇāgati*: The soul inhabiting this mortal body has given up the false ego attached to the word “I,” for today the spiritual sense of being Yours has entered his heart. All my possessions—body, home, servants, brothers, friends, wife, sons, personal belongings, fencing, and gateways—all of these things are now Yours, for I have become Your servant. I am but a mere occupant in Your house. You are the owner of the house, and I am Your most obedient servant. My only activity now is endeavoring for Your happiness. My will has become merged with Your will. From this day forward Bhaktivinoda has completely forgotten himself. I have become supremely happy by surrendering myself at Your lotus feet. Sorrow has gone far away, and there are no more cares. All I see is joy in the four directions. In this aspect of surrender, social engagement involves acting as the Lord’s instrument rather than on one’s own volition. As is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (11.33): > tasmāt tvam uttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva > jitvā śatrūn bhuṅkṣva rājyaṁ samṛddham > mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva > nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin “Therefore, get up. Prepare to fight and win glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you, O Savyasācī, can be but an instrument in the fight.” *Always Humbly Think of Oneself as Most Fallen So That Kṛṣṇa Will Take Care* Śrīla Prabhupāda defines humility as follows: “Humility means that one should not be anxious to have the satisfaction of being honored by others. The material conception of life makes us very eager to receive honor from others, but from the point of view of a man in perfect knowledge—who knows that he is not this body—anything, honor or dishonor, pertaining to this body is useless.” (*Bhagavad-gītā* 13.8–12, Purport) Humility is a sense of the truth of our insignificance, our fallen state, our need of unconditional mercy and grace, and our awareness of total dependence on Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes in *Śaraṇāgati*: Now please hear me, O Lord! I am utterly helpless. Without Your mercy, everything is lost. Please give me the shelter of Your lotus feet. I drank the deadly poison of worldliness, pretending it was nectar, and now the sun is setting on the horizon of my life. Were You to judge me now, You would find no good qualities. Have mercy and judge me not. Cause me to drink the honey of Your lotus feet. The humility of surrender is part of a devotee’s willingness to do the most menial service in the world, and to engage socially in the total mood of a giver, without expectation of return on any level. The six aspects of surrender are evident in two limbs, or *aṅgas*, of *bhakti* that Rūpa Gosvāmī describes, namely *ātma-nivedanam* and *śaraṇāpatti*. We will look at each of them. *Ātma-nivedanam* This limb of *bhakti* means to make oneself the possession of the Lord for Him to do with as He pleases. The word *ātmā* can refer to our body, our mind, and the soul, our eternal self. This *aṅga* of *bhakti* involves the surrender of each for the Lord to do with as He pleases. Body: Commenting on *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 11.29.34, Jīva Gosvāmī writes: Because he has offered his body to the Lord, he gives up all activities for pleasure in this life and the next, which nourish his body and things related to that body. The Lord then thinks, “I desire to make him special. He then attains freedom from death (*amṛtatvam*) and attains similarity to Me (*ātmabhūyāya*).” This means that he attains liberation in the form of attaining his *svarūpa* (eternal spiritual form) and *sārṣṭi* (powers) like those of the Lord’s. In *Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu* 1.2.197 Rūpa Gosvāmī writes: > deho, yathā bhakti-viveke— > cintāṁ kuryān na rakṣāyai vikrītasya yathā paśoḥ > tathārpayan harau dehaṁ viramed asya rakṣanāt “Offering the body as *ātmā* is illustrated in *Bhakti-viveka*: Just as one does not worry about an animal that has been sold, one should offer this body to the Lord and be uninterested in its maintenance.” As is stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (2.45): **niryoga-kṣema* ātmavān* (*niryoga-kṣema*ḥ—free from ideas of gain and protection; *ātma-vān*—established in the self). “Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the self.” For, as further stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (9.22): *yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy *aham** (*yoga—*requirements; *kṣemam*—protection; *vahāmi*—carry; *aham*—I). “I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.” Mind: Kṛṣṇa takes charge of our life, providing not only the bodily necessities, but also whatever guidance we require for our spiritual progress. As stated in *Bhagavad-gītā* (10.10–11): > teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ > bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam > dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ > yena mām upayānti te “To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” > teṣām evānukampārtham > aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ > nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho > jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā “To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.” Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes: My mind, my household affairs, my body, whatever is in my possession, my dear Lord, I offer to You for Your service. Now You can do with them as You like. You are the supreme possessor of everything, so if You like You can kill me, or if You like You can give me protection. All authority belongs to You. I have nothing to claim as my own. Soul: Rūpa Gosvāmī explains the surrender of the soul, in *Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu* (1.2.196): > tatra dehī, yathā yāmunācārya-stotre — > vapur-ādiṣu yo ’pi ko ’pi vā > guṇato ’sāni yathā tathā-vidhaḥ | > tad-ayaṁ tava pāda-padmayor > aham adyaiva mayā samarpitaḥ “Offering the soul is illustrated in a stotra of Yāmunācārya: My dear Lord, I may be living within some body as a human being or as a demigod, but whatever mode of life, I do not mind, because these bodies are simply by-products of the three modes of material nature, and I, who am in possession of these bodies, am surrendering myself unto You.” In other words, surrender of the soul means the devotee of Kṛṣṇa is willing to reincarnate in any species or type of body—to be put anywhere for whatever purpose of service the Lord desires. In summary, *ātma-nivedanam* relates to social engagement in that the devotee who practices this aṅga allows and accepts that the Lord will use his body, mind, and very self to interact with others and the world as the Lord desires. This practice is rare because it is difficult. One lets go of even the slightest sense of being an independent doer. Yet this type of surrender is available to both the practicing and the perfected devotees. Of the six aspects of surrender, *ātma-nivedanam* most directly involves accepting what is favorable, rejecting what is unfavorable, acting only as the Lord desires, and deep humility. *Śaraṇāpatti* *Śaraṇāpatti* as an aṅga of bhakti encompasses the aspects of surrender where the devotee sees the Lord as protector and maintainer. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains it as follows (*Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya* 22.39, Purport): Surrender means not that we demand something from the Lord but that we completely depend on His mercy. If Kṛṣṇa likes, He may keep His devotee in a poverty-stricken condition, or if He likes He may keep him in an opulent position. The devotee should not be concerned in either case; he should simply be very serious about trying to satisfy the Lord by rendering Him service. Rūpa Gosvāmī explains in *Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu* (1.2.201): > atha śaraṇāpattiḥ, yathā hari-bhakti-vilāse— > tavāsmīti vadan vācā tathaiva manasā vidan > tat-sthānam āśritas tanvā modate śaraṇāgataḥ “Accepting the Lord’s protection (*śaraṇāpatti*), illustrated from *Hari-bhakti-vilāsa* 11.677: He who, while saying “I am Yours,” accepts the protection of the Lord feels bliss.” Śrīla Prabhupāda indicates that this sense of protection is shown by the devotee’s activities of body, mind, and words. The practice of *śaraṇāpatti* is demonstrated in a kind of freedom in social engagements, as explained in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (3.18): > naiva tasya kṛtenārtho > nākṛteneha kaścana > na cāsya sarva-bhūteṣu > kaścid artha-vyapāśrayaḥ “A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being.” *Relationship Between Ātma-nivedanam and Śaraṇāpatti* What is the relationship between *ātma-nivedanam* and *śaraṇāpatti*? While a surrendered devotee may engage in both of these limbs of *bhakti*, which encompass all six aspects of surrender, some devotees take up only one. For example, while Rūpa Gosvāmī describes *ātma-nivedanam* as very rare because of its difficulty, many people will find *śaraṇāpatti* a comforting and desired way to live. Conversely, at advanced levels of spiritual realization, some devotees have a mood that they are caring for the Lord. Such devotees include those who act as his parents and teachers in his various incarnations. Thus *śaraṇāpatti* would be at odds with their ecstatic loving mood. Yet such persons could fully take up the practice of *ātma-nivedanam*. Of course, from an ontological perspective, even those in an ecstasy of feeling they are the ones who care for Kṛṣṇa are really under His care and protection. *Happiness Through Truh* While words such as surrender and submission seem to imply a kind of military or forced conquest with concomitant painful suppression of one’s own interests, the spiritual reality is entirely opposite. Any thoughtful person can quickly ascertain that all creation is fully dependent on the Lord in all respects and at all times. Surrender is, therefore, an embracing of truth. And when we understand ourselves and others in truth, our actions bring us the happiness, meaning, and satisfaction we all desire. *Ūrmilā Devī Dāsī (Dr. Edith Best) has served ISKCON since her initiation by Śrīla Prabhupāda in 1973. She and her husband are in the vānaprastha order and have three children, fourteen grandchildren*, and* a great-grandson. She has a PhD in education, is an associate editor of Back to Godhead*, and* is the chairperson of the Śāstric Advisory Council to ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission. She travels worldwide teaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. She is the author of* Dr. Best Learn to Read*, an eighty-three-book literacy program for children. Her books for adults are* The Great Mantra for Mystic Meditation, Essence Seekers*, and* Śrī Manaḥ Śikṣā, all available on Amazon. Her official website: http://urmiladevidasi.org/; personal website: http://urmiladasi.com/. This article was originally presented as a talk at an interfaith conference in Chennai, India, in December 2019. Royal Duty, Divine Duty *A newcomer to the UK finds inspiration in the Queen’s example.* by Viśākhā Devī Dāsī Queen Elizabeth’s devotion to duty can inspire us in fulfilling our duties, both temporary and eternal. In preparing to move from the USA to the UK to start a new service at Bhaktivedanta Manor near London, I started brushing up on English history. Over the last century, the person who stood out most for me was Queen Elizabeth II, the current queen and the longest-reigning monarch in British history. It seems that Queen Elizabeth has brought an unwavering sense of duty to her post. Unlike her uncle, who abdicated the throne to marry a divorcee, and unlike her children and grandchildren, who have often been distracted from their monarchical duties, Queen Elizabeth has consistently put God and her country before personal considerations. Although many in the UK complain about the cost and antiquated pomp of the now powerless monarchy, Queen Elizabeth is still widely appreciated for her steady and dutiful service. This led me to think about duty and how it’s a central theme in the talks between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna in the *Bhagavad-gītā*. Although Arjuna’s duty was to fight, he found many good reasons not to: For one, his teachers, relatives, friends, and elders were on the opposing side; for another, he felt society would become chaotic due to many war deaths. When, like Arjuna, we forget that our duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa, we become bewildered, fall into material consciousness, and become implicated in personal sense gratification. In Arjuna’s case, overwhelmed with confusion, he turned to Kṛṣṇa for relief, and Kṛṣṇa systematically dismantled Arjuna’s “good reasons” for not fighting, relieved him of confusion, and unequivocally established the priority of divine duty. *What is Duty?* The word “duty” comes from Old French deu, past participle of devoir, “to owe,” from Latin debere, “to owe.” Duty is something required of us as a legal or moral obligation. If we’re not clear about what our legal or moral obligations are, or, as in Arjuna’s case, if those obligations appear to conflict, we can become distressed and demoralized. Like Arjuna, each one of us, at some point, has duties to our family, teachers, seniors, and society. Negligence in any of these areas will eventually lead to self-berating anxiety, yet at the same time there’s another, overriding consideration. For duty to be fulfilling, it requires something more than an immediate purpose. It requires an ultimate purpose, a purpose that’s bigger than ourselves and rooted in the reality of who we are. Kṛṣṇa explained to Arjuna that although He Himself has no need to perform duties while in this world, He does so because if He didn’t, His bad example would be followed by others. The result would be societal havoc. Therefore Kṛṣṇa does His duty, and He wants all leaders and learned members of society to do theirs so that those who are not learned will in turn do their duty. In this way society will function well and all will benefit. In Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words, “A realized soul in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should not disturb others in their activities or understanding, but he should act by showing how the results of all work can be dedicated to the service of Kṛṣṇa.” (*Gītā* 3.26, Purport) For better or worse our behavior affects others. *The Queen’s Example* Thus, a preliminary aspect of the refined art of duty is to be a good example to others. “Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.” (*Gītā* 3.21) Or, put in other words: “Just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work.” (*Gītā* 3.20) How do those who are devoted to God exhibit a good example? One way is by controlling their mind and senses, for unless the mind and senses are controlled, one cannot make any advancement in spiritual life. In 1947, when Elizabeth was a princess touring South Africa with her family, she addressed her people: On my twenty-first birthday, I welcome the opportunity to speak to all the people of the British commonwealth and empire wherever they live, whatever race they come from, and whatever language they speak. I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do. I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it. She became queen a few years later. After vowing to maintain the laws of God and to execute all her judgments with justice and mercy, she then solemnly declared, “The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God.” In the Gītā Kṛṣṇa says that among people He is the monarch, which is called naradeva in Sanskrit. Naradeva means “God in human form,” for the monarch is the supreme citizen in the state and is responsible for the welfare of all others, just as God is the supreme living being in the creation and is the maintainer of all other living beings. By his or her example, the monarch is supposed to represent the Supreme Lord and help the citizens become God conscious, for this is the ultimate duty of every citizen. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains: The part and parcel of this body—hand—what is it meant for? It is meant for serving the whole body. Similarly, if I am part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, then what is my duty? My duty is to abide by the orders of the Lord. That is the version of all Vedic scriptures. And *Bhagavad-gītā* [18.66] is the essence of all Vedic scripture. It says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* [“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me”]. (Lecture, Jan. 22, 1967, San Francisco) Given that we are an integral part of God, each one of us is morally obliged to be accountable to Him. We owe it to ourselves to become aware of Him by following His directives and the directives of His devotees, for that awareness will bring us the fulfillment we seek. This is not to say that we neglect our many unavoidable duties to our family, teachers, friends, seniors, and society, but rather that through this vision we can see those duties in the light of accountability to God. Our multifarious duties need not obstruct our spiritual life but can be dovetailed to our spiritual life. Queen Elizabeth expressed this thought in her annual Christmas message broadcast to the Commonwealth in 2000: “To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life.” Everyone has some particular type of duty or occupation. If we perform our duties in the worship and service of God, our life will be perfect. In addition to accountability to God, Kṛṣṇa instructs us in the *Gītā* to become equipoised regarding the results of our activities. He says, “You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action.” (*Gītā* 2.47) Śrīla Prabhupāda explains: Everyone has his proprietary right in regard to prescribed duties, but should act without attachment to the result; such disinterested obligatory duties doubtlessly lead one to the path of liberation. Arjuna was therefore advised by the Lord to fight as a matter of duty without attachment to the result. His nonparticipation in the battle is another side of attachment. Such attachment never leads one to the path of salvation. Any attachment, positive or negative, is cause for bondage. Inaction is sinful. Therefore, fighting as a matter of duty was the only auspicious path of salvation for Arjuna. (*Gītā* 2.47, Purport) Further emphasizing this point, Kṛṣṇa says, “Without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme.” (*Gītā* 3.19) Śrīla Prabhupāda comments, “To act on behalf of the Supreme is to act without attachment for the result. That is perfect action of the highest degree, recommended by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” So another aspect of the art of duty is to do the best we can, knowing that ultimately the result of our effort is not in our control, and remain detached from that result. Queen Elizabeth voiced a thought similar to this in her 2002 Christmas address: “I know just how much I rely on my own faith to guide me through the good times and the bad. Each day is a new beginning, I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God.” A still more impelling reason to do our duty is to please God, Kṛṣṇa: “Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage.” (*Gītā* 3.9) Everything we do can be done for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction. In fact, we should have no goal in life except acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness just to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains: While working in that way, one should think of Kṛṣṇa only: “I have been appointed to discharge this particular duty by Kṛṣṇa.” While acting in such a way, one naturally has to think of Kṛṣṇa. This is perfect Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should, however, note that after doing something whimsically he should not offer the result to the Supreme Lord. That sort of duty is not in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (*Gītā* 18.57, Purport) *Monarchs of Yore* While Queen Elizabeth is exemplary in many ways, she doesn’t compare to the monarchs of previous ages, monarchs such as Yudhiṣṭhira, Ṛṣabha, Bharata, Pṛthu, and Gaya. Of Gaya, *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (5.15.7) says, King Gaya gave full protection and security to the citizens so that their personal property would not be disturbed by undesirable elements. He also saw that there was sufficient food to feed all the citizens. [This is called *poṣaṇa*.] He would sometimes distribute gifts to the citizens to satisfy them. [This is called *prīṇana*.] He would sometimes call meetings and satisfy the citizens with sweet words. [This is called *upalālana*.] He would also give them good instructions on how to become first-class citizens. [This is called *anuśāsana*.] Such were the characteristics of King Gaya’s royal order. Besides all this, King Gaya was a householder who strictly observed the rules and regulations of household life. He performed sacrifices and was an unalloyed pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was called Mahāpuruṣa because as a king he gave the citizens all facilities, and as a householder he executed all his duties so that at the end he became a strict devotee of the Supreme Lord. As a devotee, he was always ready to give respect to other devotees and to engage in the devotional service of the Lord. This is the *bhakti-yoga* process. Due to all these transcendental activities, King Gaya was always free from the bodily conception. He was full in Brahman realization, and consequently he was always jubilant. He did not experience material lamentation. Although he was perfect in all respects, he was not proud, nor was he anxious to rule the kingdom. Though Elizabeth is not of the spiritual stature of King Gaya, it is heartening to see that a pious, God-centered Queen can stir the sincere affection and appreciation of her people despite the rampant atheism, depression, skepticism, cynicism, pessimism, fatalism, and consumerism in these dire and distracted times. As said in the UK, “God save the Queen.” Or in the Queen’s words during her Christmas message of 2013: “For Christians, as for all people of faith, reflection, meditation and prayer help us to renew ourselves in God’s love, as we strive daily to become better people. The Christmas message shows us that this love is for everyone. There is no one beyond its reach.” *Viśākhā Devī Dāsī has been writing for BTG since 1973. She is the author of six books. Visit her website at OurSpiritualJourney.com.* Cover: Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura, a close associate of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, chants Hare Kṛṣṇa on japa beads. The painting was the backdrop behind the kīrtana leaders at the 2020 Rādhādesh Mellows Kirtan Festival in Belgium. Please see the article “The Science of Chanting.” Letters *Still Exciting* I would like to offer my heartfelt gratitude for the ever-enlivening content of this precious publication, Back to Godhead. This magazine was the first piece of Prabhupāda’s magnificent publications that I picked up as a child, and it hasn’t left my heart since. That childlike excitement still bursts out every time I see this blessing come through the post. All glories to the wonderful devotees who are so merciful to continue this project with such quality and detail. Krupa Maisuria Leicester, UK *To Enjoy or Not to Enjoy* Some people say we should enjoy this world, and Kṛṣṇa says this world is *māyā*. So should we enjoy this material world? Satwik Sharma Via the Internet *Reply*: The material energy is trying to convince us to try to enjoy here. But can one really enjoy in a prison? No, this is not a place of enjoyment. It is a place for purifying ourselves of our selfish desire to enjoy without God, Kṛṣṇa. If we become purified, then we can experience the highest enjoyment, much higher than what the material energy promises. We are entitled to a spiritual pleasure coming from the reservoir of all pleasure, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whom we are part of. If we link to Him with love and devotion, through service, then we can experience pleasure eternally. The practice of connecting to Kṛṣṇa has been made easy and joyful by the Lord Himself for us inmates in Kali-yuga. It begins with glorifying, hearing, and chanting His holy names. So yes, we can enjoy even here in the material world—if we are in His transcendental company. Kṛṣṇa is present in His names and in His service. Taking advantage of these moves us off the bodily platform of hankering and lamenting, anxiety, and all our material problems. The proof is shown in the lives of those who have taken up this reformatory process of bhakti. The results are amazing. In every country there are congregations of devotees joyfully engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service. *How and How Much to Chant* Is there any particular way in which we should chant the *Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra*, or is there a rule that one needs to chant it a particular number of times? Aryan Via the Internet *Reply*: Lord Caitanya, the most recent incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, recommends the constant chanting of the glories of the Lord, especially by chanting the *mahā-mantra*. He says that there is no hard and fast rule for chanting. He did, however, show the example of keeping track of a regular number of mantras chanted daily. Śrīla Prabhupāda asked us to chant a minimum of 16 rounds of the *mahā-mantra* on our *mālā* of 108 beads. This is the standard for initiated devotees. Prabhupāda encouraged one who is beginning the process to set some amount, even just a few rounds a day, and do it every day. One can increase gradually up to sixteen, which takes a couple of hours or so. So just set yourself something that you can do. The process of chanting is to hear the words of the mantra and try to take them to your heart. The website ISKCONdesiretree.com has classes and seminars on chanting japa, such as those of Būrijana Dāsa. You can of course sing the mantra at any time, and you can find many tunes on the same website. You can join in the chanting at our temples. And if you’re not near a temple, you can take part online, as some temples have live webcams. If there is a temple near you, the devotees there can help you set up an altar in your home, and you can have a sacred place for chanting. *Material Desires* How can we overcome material desires? Siddesh Kumar Via the Internet *Reply*: The recommended process in this age for controlling the mind and its hankering and lamenting is to chant the holy names of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa. The Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra* puts us in direct contact with the Lord and helps to purify our consciousness from the dirty things we have been accumulating for lifetimes. By the power of transcendental sound, we can awaken the lost consciousness of our real relationship with God, a relationship of eternal love. Kṛṣṇa’s name and He Himself are the same. Our mind and senses need engagement in something spiritual. Chanting is the easiest and most joyful process, and it works for everyone. As we take up devotional service and keep busy in Kṛṣṇa’s service, we change our material desires into the desire to satisfy Him. Our desires become spiritual, and we become satisfied internally. By offering everything to Kṛṣṇa, we think more about Him and less about ourselves, our problems, and our anxieties. Kṛṣṇa takes over our life and sees to it that His devotee is happy. It is a reciprocal exchange, eternally fresh and sweet. This is *bhakti*, the art of loving devotion to the Lord of our heart, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. *Offering Food to the Lord* I work in a bank, and it is always tough to manage time for my spiritual practices. However, by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy I do get some time to offer Him food, and then only do I take my food (as *prasādam*). But I lack proper knowledge of how and what to offer Him. Also, I want to know about the time—when I don’t feel like eating or I want to skip my meals, should I offer Him food even then? Parul Makwana Via the Internet *Reply*: If you are not doing deity worship of a high standard, then you are not obligated to offer and eat at certain times. As long as you are not offering meat, fish, and egg preparations, then you are doing all right. Try not to offer grains cooked by nondevotees. Present your food items on a special plate on a clean surface in front of pictures of Prabhupāda and your guru and Lord Caitanya and Lord Kṛṣṇa if you can. Bow down and say the offering prayers to them. They can be found here: Repeat each prayer three times. If that is not possible, then call the Lords to come and accept your offering to them. If you can, wait a little bit for them to accept the preparations, then clap your hands to let them know you are going to take the plate away. Bow down and thank them. Then clean the area. It is the sincerity that the Lord is accepting, so put your heart into it. A Pause for Prayer [Nārada Muni said:] O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, unlimited Lord, source of all mystic power, Lord of the universe! O Vāsudeva, shelter of all beings and best of the Yadus! O master, You are the Supreme Soul of all created beings, sitting unseen within the cave of the heart like the fire dormant within kindling wood. You are the witness within everyone, the Supreme Personality and the ultimate controlling Deity. You are the shelter of all souls, and being the supreme controller, You fulfill Your desires simply by Your will. By Your personal creative potency You manifested in the beginning the primal modes of material nature, and through their agency You create, maintain and then destroy this universe. —*Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 10.37.10–12 Śrīla Prabhupāda Speaks Out: Soul-Killing Rascals This conversation between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and some of his disciples took place in New Vrindaban, West Virginia, on June 26, 1976. Disciple: Śrīla Prabhupāda, some people will agree that a real civilization trains its citizens to find happiness in spiritual principles and godly living. Some may also agree that in a real civilization, one part of the populace learns the role of material providers. Yet these same people may disagree that still another part of the populace should learn the role of protectors and find happiness in fighting. “What is so godly about fighting?” they may ask. “Why train the so-called militarily inclined to find happiness in fighting? This is a selfish type of happiness. You’re not considering that their fighting will cause misery. What about all the maimed and the killed and their families? You ought to consider all this misery caused by your so-called protectors.” Śrīla Prabhupāda: Some people may think in this way. But such people are rascals; they cannot think at all. We haven’t got to reply to any of them, because they are rascals. They can talk all nonsense. We don’t have to care about their nonsense. Take a child—he’s talking so many foolish things. Sometimes we reply, “Yes, yes, we know.” But we don’t take seriously anything—anything—spoken by a child. So these rascals may go on talking so many things, but we don’t care about any of them. We have to do our own business. Let the dog bark; the caravan will pass. So it is not that we have to care about the barking of the dogs. Let them bark. [To disciple:] Continue reading. Disciple [reading from Bhagavad-gītā 16.6, 8]: “O son of Pṛthā, in this world there are two kinds of created beings. One is called divine and the other the demoniac. I have already explained to you at length the divine qualities. Now hear from Me of the demoniac. “They say that this world is unreal, with no foundation, no God in control. They say it is produced of sex desire and has no cause other than lust.” Purport, by Śrīla Prabhupāda: “The demoniac conclude that the world is phantasmagoria. There is no cause and effect, no controller, no purpose: everything is unreal. They say that this cosmic manifestation arises due to chance material actions and reactions. They do not think that the world was created by God for a certain purpose. They have their own theory: that the world has come about in its own way and that there is no reason to believe that there is a God behind it. For them there is no difference between spirit and matter, and they do not accept the Supreme Spirit. Everything is matter only, and the whole cosmos is supposed to be a mass of ignorance. According to them, everything is void, and whatever manifestation exists is due to our ignorance in perception. They take it for granted that all manifestation of diversity is a display of ignorance. Just as in a dream we may create so many things which actually have no existence, so when we are awake we shall see that everything is simply a dream. But factually, although the demons say that life is a dream, they are very expert in enjoying this dream. And so, instead of acquiring knowledge, they become more and more implicated in their dreamland. They conclude that as a child is simply the result of sexual intercourse between a man and woman, this world is born without any soul. For them it is only a combination of matter that has produced the living entities, and there is no question of the existence of the soul. As many living creatures come out from perspiration and from a dead body without any cause, the whole living world has come out of the material combinations of the cosmic manifestation. Therefore material nature is the cause of this manifestation, and there is no other cause. They do not believe in the words of Kṛṣṇa in *Bhagavad-gītā*: *mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram*. ‘Under My direction the whole material world is moving.’ In other words, among the demons there is no perfect knowledge of the creation of the world; every one of them has some particular theory of his own. According to them, one interpretation of the scriptures is as good as another, for they do not believe in a standard understanding of the scriptural injunctions.” Text 9: *etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmāno ’lpa-buddhayaḥ prabhavanty ugra-karmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagato ’hitāḥ*: “Following such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world.” Śrīla Prabhupāda: This is the right description of the modern age. Exact—hm? *Etāṁ* *dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya*. And what is that next word? Disciple: *Naṣṭātmānaḥ*. Śrīla Prabhupāda: *Naṣṭātmānaḥ*: “They have lost their soul.” *Naṣṭātmānaḥ*: “They have no information of the soul. *Naṣṭātmānaḥ*: “God and the soul are forgotten.” “There is no God,” these modern rascals say. “There is no cause of this creation; there is simply a big chunk.” Like that. *Naṣṭātmānaḥ*—they have lost their very self. *Naṣṭātmānaḥ *alpa-buddhayaḥ**: these soul-killing rascals have no intelligence. Just like cats and dogs. “If these four principles are available—eating, sleeping, mating, and defending—then everything’s complete. Our human life is a perfect success.” But no. If you are interested only in eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, then *alpa-buddhayaḥ*—you are a stupid animal Hare Kṛṣṇa *Mahā-Mantra* > hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare > hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare *The Ten Offenses Against the Holy Name* 1. To blaspheme or criticize the devotees of the Lord. 2. To consider the names of Siva or other devas to be equal to Visnu's. 3. To disobey the order of the guru or to consider him an ordinary person. 4. To disrespect scriptural authority. 5. To interpret the meaning of the name. 6. To consider the name's glories imaginary. 7. To sin with the idea that the name will relieve one of reaction. 8. To consider the chanting of the name mere pious activity. 9. To express the glories of the name to the unfaithful. 10. To not have complete faith in the name after being given due instruction. It is also considered an offense to be inattentive while chanting. In Memoriam: Śrutidharma Dāsa *“This Life Is for Serving Others”* by Kripamoya Dāsa Śrutidharma Dāsa, the beloved son of Raojibhai and Dhanlaxmi Patel, and younger brother to Mukesh, was born in Jinja, Uganda, in 1958. As a twelve-year-old boy he made the journey to London with his family and grew up in Wembley. Around the same time, the early devotees of Kṛṣṇa came from America and eventually started a temple at 7, Bury Place near the British Museum. It was there, at age 19, that the young Shailesh Patel met Śrīla Prabhupāda and became very impressed with his words and mission. After graduating in biochemistry, Śrutidharma was engaged in heart research. Some months later, he took part in the Mahabharata Youth Club, an initiative for the young people of Harrow, Wembley, and Southall started by Akhaṇḍadhī Dāsa of Bhaktivedanta Manor. Along with two friends he became an enthusiastic member of the youth club, taking part in energetic kīrtanas and plays. After Akhaṇḍadhī Dāsa persuaded them to join the temple in 1980, the three friends became the first of many young devotees to become sadhus from the local community, much to the surprise of their families. The two friends eventually became Prāṇabandhu Dāsa and His Holiness Ātmanivedana Swami. Śrutidharma quickly became an indispensable member of the outreach team and visited thousands of families in London over the next decade. He was known for his ability to present Kṛṣṇa in an attractive manner and always had the right story or scripture verse for any occasion. He sang, acted in dramas, gave speeches to crowds great and small, conducted saṁskāras, and raised funds. No task was too big and no service too menial for him, and he turned his hand to a remarkable variety of initiatives and projects with enthusiasm and determination. In doing all this, he was always a charming gentleman to those he met, and a genuine sadhu. His skills and affectionate dealings with others impressed a generation of worshipers at the Manor, and when Śrutidharma asked them to help Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission, they would often accept the invitation, becoming donors, life members, sevakas, and patrons. *The Manor Campaign* When Bhaktivedanta Manor was beset on all sides with challenges to its very existence, Śrutidharma proved indispensable to the campaign to keep the temple open. Whether through a sponsored walk in 1989, fund-raising dinners, or meeting members of Parliament and Hindu leaders, Śrutidharma coordinated the campaign through various community networks. He spent months at the end of 1993 and early 1994 touring the country to request all Hindu groups to unite to demonstrate their concern and to fight the proposed temple closure. Eventually, his energetic campaigning and urgent request that each town send a coach or two to London brought 36,000 people onto the streets before the Houses of Parliament. After the grand victory in 1996, Śrutidharma and Prāṇabandhu jointly formed the Bhaktivedanta Manor Foundation (BMF). Two years later, in the spring of 1998, Śrutidharma was married to Śrī Rādhikā Dāsī. They shortly became the proud parents of a son, Nitai. As a priest, chaplain to the Mayor of Harrow, interfaith leader, and religious minister, Śrutidharma was also involved in publishing. He became the head of publications and conceived, designed, and edited a series of publications for the Manor, including paperback books, magazines, guides, leaflets, calendars, websites, and the famous Janmashtami Souvenir Book. *President of Bhaktivedanta Manor* Śrutidharma Dāsa formally became the president of Bhaktivedanta Manor on the 18th of July 2010. Over the last ten years, and until only months before his passing, he continually expanded his range of relationships to include serving as a chaplain, visiting schools and businesses, taking part in saṅkīrtana street processions, visiting members of Parliament, conducting corporate events, and conducting informal house gatherings and larger spiritual retreats. He was interviewed by newspapers, radio, and television. He offered kind hospitality to visiting leaders of all religious groups and encouraged the congregation and volunteers in their spiritual lives. He met many dignitaries, including chief rabbis, archbishops, two Prime Ministers, members of the royal family, and Her Majesty the Queen. Śrutidharma Dāsa gave his life selflessly and wholeheartedly in the service of Śrīla Prabhupāda and Rādhā-Gokulānanda. For forty years he was a major pillar of the activities and achievements of Bhaktivedanta Manor, a genuinely warm and affectionate brother and spiritual teacher to thousands, and a sadhu who united all in service to Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of his life. From the Editor *When God Loses Control* We can truly know about God only when He reveals Himself. Śrīla Prabhupāda often said that God reserves the right to not reveal Himself to the unworthy, including people who try to understand Him through intellectual endeavors alone. Fortunately for us, God, Kṛṣṇa, has revealed Himself in various ways, including repeatedly coming to this world with His eternal associates. The Vedic scriptures tell of His descents, and even if we’re not there to witness them, by respectfully reading about them we can learn a great deal about Him. That reading purifies our hearts, allowing us to appreciate Him and develop our love for Him. One of the most amazing things we learn about God from the Vedic scriptures, especially *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* and other scriptures that focus on Kṛṣṇa, is that even though He’s God and therefore unlimitedly powerful, He enjoys being controlled by His devotees. This quality of His shows that love is at the core of ultimate reality. Vaiṣṇava authorities teach that one way to describe the ultimate truth is to say that it consists of three essential elements: God (Kṛṣṇa), His devotees, and the loving exchanges between them—or Bhagavān, bhakta, and bhakti. The exchanges of love between Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His devotees (all of us in our pure state) motivate everything He does. Many religious traditions appreciate the majesty of God and praise His unlimited power, especially as displayed in His act of creation. Granted, religions outside the Vaiṣṇava tradition may also speak of God’s love for mankind, but they say little if anything about His love-filled relationships with His purest servants. Through *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* and similar scriptures, Kṛṣṇa grants us access to His most intimate relationships with His devotees. Even in the *Bhagavad-gītā*, where He plays the role of a teacher, He speaks of the love He and His devotees have for each other. In commenting on text 15.6 of the *Gītā*, where Kṛṣṇa says something about His eternal abode, Prabhupāda writes, “One should be captivated by this information.” We should likewise be captivated to learn that pure love is so powerful that it can control even God, the Supreme Controller. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* relates many examples of the power of pure spiritual love. One example that quickly comes to mind is Kṛṣṇa’s being tied up by His mother, Yaśodā. He’s God, so no one can tie Him up—unless He allows it. Yaśodā’s love is so pure that it overpowers Him. Similarly, when Brahmā prays to Lord Kṛṣṇa for the ability to build and populate the universe, he praises Kṛṣṇa for appearing to each devotee in whatever form of His the devotee wishes to see. “This is Your mercy on Your devotees,” Brahmā says. In the ultimate sense, Kṛṣṇa is always in control of everything, but because love is essential to His nature, He arranges events in which He is free to ignore that He’s God so that He can savor the pure love of His devotees. Kṛṣṇa’s dealings with His devotees go on eternally in the spiritual world. In His transcendental land of Goloka Vṛndāvana, He lives with His eternal associates in an atmosphere of love and intimacy. His Godhood is not displayed there. His friends climb on his back, His parents scold Him when He’s naughty, His girlfriends rebuke Him out of jealous anger—all because He wants things that way. And because He’s God, He always gets what He wants. —Nāgarāja Dās Vedic Thoughts The Supreme Personality of Godhead is unlimited, and any service rendered Him is also unlimited because the Lord's unlimited energy is the dynamic force behind such service. When this supernatural energy is reposed in us, all our thoughts and feelings, our physical body, our mind, our knowledge, and so on, are energized by it. Every endeavor then simply merges into this flow of energy, and we become like a lotus growing from the mud—in the world but uncontaminated by it. This is how the nondual principle comes alive: our mind, heart, consciousness, and activities become nondifferent from the Supreme Lord, the Absolute Truth. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Renunciation Through Wisdom, Chapter 5 When a diseased eye is treated with medicinal ointment it gradually recovers its power to see. Similarly, as a conscious living entity cleanses himself of material contamination by hearing and chanting the pious narrations of My glories, he regains his ability to see Me, the Absolute Truth, in My subtle spiritual form. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 11.14.26 Foolish people, who are actually drowning in ignorance but consider themselves intelligent and scholarly, get battered by the kicks of *māyā*. They wander in the material world just like blind people being led by other blind people. *Muṇḍaka* *Upaniṣad* 1.2.8 All the bodily forms of the Supreme Soul are eternal and unchanging. They have no material qualities, desirable or undesirable, and at no time are they born from material nature. They are all full of supreme bliss, fully aware of everything, complete in all transcendental qualities, and devoid of all faults. *Maha-varaha* *Purana* Quoted in Jīva Gosvāmī’s *Bhagavat-sandarbha*, *Anuccheda* 54 The Supreme Personality of Godhead may have inconceivable potencies and mutually contradictory qualities, for these truths are all described in the scriptures, which are the root of all knowledge of the spiritual reality. Śrīla Vyāsadeva *Vedānta-sūtra* 2.1.27 It is true that by practicing restraint of the senses by the yoga system one can get relief from the disturbances of desire and lust, but this is not sufficient to give satisfaction to the soul, for this [satisfaction] is derived from devotional service to the Personality of Godhead. Śrī Nārada Muni *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 1.6.35 Although the Supreme Person has all variety of His personal energies, if one’s mind is unable to appreciate that variety one may conceive of the Lord in a more general way, or one may even have some direct realization of Him but without a clear distinction between the energies and their possessor. Considered in this way, He is known as Brahman. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī *Śrī Bhagavat-sandarbha, Anuccheda* 2 BTG54-05, 2020