# Back to Godhead Magazine #55 *2021 (01)* Back to Godhead Magazine #55-01, 2021 PDF-View Welcome Śrīla Prabhupāda brought the West not only Lord Kṛṣṇa, but also Lord Caitanya, Kṛṣṇa’s most recent incarnation. While most incarnations described in the Vedic literature are partial manifestations of Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Caitanya is fully Kṛṣṇa Himself, teaching us how to be devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Today, success in spiritual life depends on the mercy of Lord Caitanya, and four articles in this issue relate to Him. Our cover story is about Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, whom Lord Caitanya empowered as one of the leaders of His movement. In “When God Offers a Discount” Jitendra Savanur explains that Lord Caitanya delivered a method of God realization just suitable for our times, when almost no one is qualified to perfect the spiritual practices prescribed in former ages. Vīśākhā Devī Dāsī, in “Our Internal and External Missions,” centers her presentation on Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s instruction that all human beings should strive to perfect their own lives and help others do the same. The idea of helping others is essential to Caitanya’s mission, and in “Tukārāma: Western India’s Exemplar of Lord Caitanya’s Teachings,” Mahānanda Caitanya Dāsa tells of a saint who, true to Caitanya’s teachings, inspired the people of Maharashtra to take up the chanting of Kṛṣṇa’s holy names. Hare Kṛṣṇa. —*Nāgarāja Dāsa, Editor* Founder's Lecture: The Intelligence Within Everything *Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that, like our own body, the universe develops because of the spirit within it.* Vrindavan, India - November 10, 1972 > tayā vilasiteṣv eṣu > guṇeṣu guṇavān iva > antaḥ-praviṣṭa ābhāti > vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ > [SB 1.2.31] Translation: "After creating the material substance, the Lord expands Himself and enters into it. And although He is within the material modes of nature and appears to be one of the created beings, He is always fully enlightened and in His transcendental position." > tayā vilasiteṣv eṣu > guṇeṣu guṇavān iva > antaḥ-praviṣṭa ābhāti > vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ > [SB 1.2.31] Now, this material creation is possible when the Supreme Spirit enters into it. This is a problem to the modern scientist, how creation was possible. They cannot understand that without spiritual touch, there cannot be any creation. That is their poor fund of knowledge. The Darwin's theory, development, process of evolution, they are childish. They are concentrating on the matter: matter is evolving. Matter does not evolve; matter is dead. It is due to the presence of the spirit soul it evolves. That they do not understand, although actually we are seeing. Just like a child born. If the child is born dead, it is simply dead matter; it does not grow. It is our practical experience. But if the child is living, or the spirit soul is within that body, then it develops. Similarly, the whole cosmic manifestation, this big universe, unless there is, in the center, the Supreme Spirit, how it develops? It cannot develop. Either you take this body or take this universal body—without the spirit being entered within it, there cannot be development. The modern scientists, they have no knowledge*.* They cannot understand this*.* They are so poor fund of knowledge*.* Practically we are seeing every day*.* This body has developed, your body, my body, how it has developed? Because I, the spirit soul, you, the spirit soul, enter into the matter*.* Therefore it has developed*.* *Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye* [SB 3*.*31*.*1]*.* So *deha upapatti,* development of this body, is possible when the spirit soul enters. The man, the male and female, they have sex life, and the two secretion, they mix up, becomes emulsified, and the spirit soul takes shelter within that matter. And then the matter develops gradually. That is the development within the embryo. And when it is fully developed, with hands and legs, consciousness, at seven months, then child wants to come out. Then, by the natural process, on the tenth month the child comes out. But medical science or physiologist, biologist, they do not know this. They do not know this. They cannot explain how the body is developing, how the body is being formed. They do not know. But this is the fact. *Tayā vilasiteṣu guṇeṣu guṇavān iva.* Now, the living entity wanted to enjoy this material world*.* We get different types of bodies on account of our desire to have such body*.* We want to enjoy the material*.**.**.*, the matter in a certain way, and Kṛṣṇa gives us the opportunity to enjoy as we liked*.* *Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ* [Bg 3*.*27]*.* Everything is under control of Kṛṣṇa. Although the body's obtained by material arrangement, still, behind the matter there is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is... As the living entity enters this material world, Kṛṣṇa is also there along with him. Sometimes the Māyāvādī philosophers, they mistake that the soul and the Supersoul, there is no such difference: only the soul is the Supersoul, or the Supersoul is the soul; *ātmā,* Param*ātmā,* they are both one. But not..., they are not both one; they are two. That is stated in the *Upaniṣads,* that they are sitting in one tree like two birds, friendly birds. One is enjoying the fruit of the tree; other is only witnessing. So the witnessing bird is Paramātmā, and the fruit-eating bird is *ātmā.* These are the Vedic statements. So we have entered this material world for enjoyment*,* and to give us facility for enjoyment the plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa*,* Paramātmā*,* *brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti* [SB 1.2.11]*,* He's also within this body. The...*,* this can be explained by one example: Just like when there is some fair. In India*,* just like we had attended that Kumbha-melā fair*,* so because the people would come and gather there*,* the government takes precaution*,* or makes necessary arrangement. There is actually a small government: the commissioner*,* the magistrate*,* they go there and manage things*,* that things are going on nicely so that people may not be in inconvenience; let them take bath peacefully. That is the idea. Similarly, the government is Kṛṣṇa. And because we wanted to come here to enjoy, the Kṛṣṇa has made so many nice arrangements. The... Sometimes they question, "Why this material world is created?" That is created for us. Because Kṛṣṇa knows that some of them, they want to enjoy this material world, to give them facility everything is arranged there. This is a, a replica of the spiritual world, but it is temporary, exactly like the Kumbha-melā camp is temporary*.* *Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate* [Bg 8*.*19]*.* A chance is given to the living entities to enjoy to their satisfaction, and the Vedic instruction is there so that they may follow and again come back home, back to home, back to Godhead*.* This is the whole arrangement*.* So *guṇeṣu guṇavān iva*.** Now, the Supersoul does not become affected by the material qualities, but the individual soul, they are affected by the material qualities, *sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa*.** But the Supersoul is above these *guṇas* always*.* *Antaḥ-praviṣṭa ābhāti vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ*.** He's always full conscious*.* When Kṛṣṇa comes within this material world, He does not become affected by the qualities, as we become*.* Therefore, those who are *mūḍhas,* those who are fools, they consider that Kṛṣṇa is also a human being like us*.* *Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam* [Bg 9*.*11]*.* But Kṛṣṇa, about Kṛṣṇa, it is said, *vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ*.** He's full, fully conscious*.* He knows*.* *Vedāhaṁ samatītāni* [*Bg* 7*.*26]*.* "I know everything," Kṛṣṇa says, "past, present, future*.*" Just like Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna, *aham vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam, idam avyayam* [*Bg* 4*.*1]: "Formerly I spoke to the sun-god*.*" So, because He does not forget past, present, future... *Vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ.* He's always conscious, fully conscious. Whatever was done in the past, what will happen in the future and what is happening, everything is known to Kṛṣṇa. *Vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ.* But we have lost our consciousness. We have lost our memory that we have past, that we are parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa, and we are identifying with this material world in different capacities. Somebody's identifying with this body; somebody's identifying with the society or community or nation or country. But Kṛṣṇa does not become such materially affected. *Vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ.* He's always conscious. So the Paramātmā... Although the Paramātmā is within this body, *antaḥ-praviṣṭa ābhāti,* without Him... Both the Paramātmā and *jīvātmā* are within this body, and the intelligence is coming from the Paramātmā. That is explained in the *Bhagavad-gītā: sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi-sanniviṣṭaḥ. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi-sanniviṣṭaḥ:* "I have entered in everyone's heart." *Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi-sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca* [*Bg* 15.15]*. *Smṛtir jñānam *apohanaṁ ca.*** Remembrance, memory, knowledge—everything is coming from Him*. *Smṛtir jñānam *apohanaṁ ca.*** And forgetfulness is also from Him. *Jñānam* and *apohanaṁ ca.* Knowledge and forgetfulness, both are there. Both are coming from Kṛṣṇa. Knowledge... Suppose I wanted to enjoy something in my past life. So Kṛṣṇa has given me a type of body so that I can enjoy, and He gives me reminder also: "Now you wanted to enjoy like this. You have got this opportunity. You do it." This is the proof. You'll find even a, what is called, the cub, born of an animal, the dog, cats and dogs, they find out where is the mother's breast. The human child also, they also try to find out where is the mother's breast. Because they..., they explain it as intuition. But we don't say it is intuition. Or even if you call "intuition," wherefrom it is coming? It is coming from Paramātmā. He's giving that "You find out here. You'll find your mother's breast, and here is your food. Here is your food." Therefore even just after birth, the kiddy, or the small child, finds out where is the food. This is the explanation of intuition. But the modern scientist, they say "intuition," but they cannot explain how the intuition is coming*.* It is explained in the *Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca* [*Bg* 15*.*15]*.* It is coming from Paramātmā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead*.* Antaḥ-praviṣṭa ābhāti vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ*.* But Kṛṣṇa, *sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi-sanniviṣṭaḥ,* as Paramātmā, He has entered in everyone's heart*.* He is in His knowledge*.* He knows that "This individual soul wanted to enjoy this material world," so He gives him facility: "Now you enjoy*.*" Those who have no discrimination of eating—all abominable things one can eat—he's given the chance of eating everything up to stool in the form of a hog. The facility's given. One who is shameless... Now this civilization has spread in the Western countries—they want to remain naked. There are so many nudie clubs. So next life they'll be given chance to become tree, to stand naked for thousands of years. This is laws of nature. They do not know how they're getting chance, different types of body for different types of enjoyments, material enjoyment. Sometimes he's put as a poor man; sometimes he's put as a rich man. Sometimes as demigod, sometimes as cat, sometimes as dog. In this way, it is going on. But they are..., there is no knowledge. The modern civilization, they do not take care of this Vedic information, neither they have got any sufficient knowledge how these 8,400,000 species of life are becoming possible. They have no science. But here it is stated: *antaḥ-praviṣṭa ābhāti vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ.* So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is all-pervasive. It is including science, philosophy—everything that we require. Everything complete. By Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, everything becomes completely known. *Prakāśa. Prakāśa.* Because as soon as we become in touch with Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa gives us all intelligence. *Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam* [Bg 10*.*10]*.* If we engage ourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in devotional service, sincerely and seriously, then all intelligence will come from within*.* Because Paramātmā is there, Kṛṣṇa is already there*.* *Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati* [Bg 18*.*61]*.* So simply... Just like the television set is there already. You can get so many news from outside, but you have to know how to tackle it. As soon as you push some button, electronic button, immediately the picture and the speaking immediately become manifest. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is already there within your heart. You are also there. If we simply connect or link with Kṛṣṇa, that is called *yoga. Yoga* means connecting the link. So there are different processes of *yoga* system, but the best *yoga* system, as it is described in the *Bhagavad-gītā:* always think of Kṛṣṇa within your heart*.* Always think*.* *Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ* [SB 9*.*4*.*18]*.* This is the example given by Ambarīṣa Mahārāja*.* You haven't got to practice so many *aṣṭāṅga-yoga* process—that is also one of the process—but this process, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa*.**.**.* *Satataṁ cintayanto mām*.* Satataṁ cintayanto mām*.**.**.*, satataṁ kīrtayanto mām* [Bg 9*.*14]*.* These words are there*.* If we engage ourself always chanting, hearing about Kṛṣṇa, > śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ > puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ > hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi > vidhunoti suhṛt satām > [SB 1.2.17] Then gradually the dirty things within our heart will be cleansed, and there will be clear direction what to do in which circumstances and how to do it. Everything will come. Because *vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ* [SB 1*.*2*.*31]*.* Kṛṣṇa is there*.* He's full of knowledge, scientific knowledge*.* Vijñānena*.* This very word is used, vijñānena*.* Not only *jñāna,* but vijñānena*.* Tactfully, everything perfectly will come*.* Simply we have to link our lost relationship*.* We are always in Kṛṣṇa touch, but at the present moment, due to the illusory energy of *māyā,* we have forgotten that we are always connected with Kṛṣṇa. This has to be, this illusion, this dirty things has to be moved; then our original relationship will be established, and our life will be perfect. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. FEAR: An Acronym for Facing Fear *Here’s a strategy to deal with fear: Focus, Arise, Engage, and Release.* by Caitanya Caraṇa Dāsa *Strategies for dealing with one of life’s pervasive challenges.* We all face fearful situations in life. The Vedic literature tells us that fear is one of the ever-present conditions of life in the material world. How can we deal with our fears effectively? Here I propose four strategies, summed up as the acronym FEAR: F—Focus E—Engage A—Arise R—Release I’ll begin by discussing how to apply these strategies in ordinary life (in the office, for example), and conclude with their direct application to a life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. *Focus* In the *Bhagavad-gītā* Arjuna tells Lord Kṛṣṇa that he thinks controlling the mind is as difficult as controlling the wind. One strong force influencing our mind is fear. Fear makes our mind go wild with thoughts. “What if this goes wrong? What if that goes wrong?” Quite often, images of things that went wrong in the past trigger the mind’s imagination. The more we dwell on those past images, the scarier becomes our mind’s horror movie about our future. To prevent aggravating our fears, we need to focus on the present—and specifically on that aspect of the present that is scaring us. Suppose in your office your boss gives you a strange look and your mind races off in a panic: “Why that look? Am I going to be fired? If I lose my job, what will happen to me? How will I pay my mortgage? If I can’t pay my mortgage, I’ll be evicted. If I’m evicted, where will I stay? I’ll be homeless. That would be a disaster—how would I survive the cold?” Thus a mere glance may trigger a panic attack. You may be feeling cold because of your office’s air conditioning, but you end up shivering because of the freezing cold in your mind’s horror movie. To stop delusional fears, we can focus by asking ourselves, “What exactly is the problem right now?” and direct our attention from hazy, scary possibilities to specific, actionable issues. *Engage* Once our attention is focused on specific issues, we can move on to the next question: “What can I do about this problem right now?” As the Vedic literature teaches, we have two kind of senses: knowledge-acquiring senses and active senses. So we interact with the world in two primary ways: by taking in information from it and by doing action in it. Fear can misdirect both these interactions—it can divert our vision from specific problems to a smog of worst-case scenarios, and it can either paralyze us or impel a kneejerk reaction, thus worsening the situation. By focusing, we combat the misdirection of our perception; and by engaging, we combat the misdirection of our actions. Engaging helps us get out of our head. When we live in our head, giving too much attention to our thoughts, we let fear catch hold of us. But if we get out of our head by doing something tangible to address the situation, fear’s hold on us decreases. When the tangible action we take up is also time-bound, we feel compelled and inspired to give it our full attention. With our attention thus focused, we don’t give much attention to the fearsome phantoms conjured by the mind. And the less attention we pay to our fears, the weaker they become. When we are constructively engaged, we don’t become overwhelmed by fear. This is especially noticeable when we engage in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. Even if we face a dicey situation, constructive engagement makes us intense, not tense. But whenever we aren’t constructively engaged, then a risky situation fuels our mind to go into overdrive, and soon it conjures up scary scenarios that make us paranoid. During our idle time, our mind works overtime. Śrīla Prabhupāda would often quote the saying “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” A question may arise: if we are already feeling fear, can we engage ourselves constructively? Yes. Even if we can’t prevent fear’s presence within us, we can minimize its influence on us. By using directed questions to shift our attention from the fearful situation to a remedial action, we can weaken fear’s hold on us. Put another way, focusing and engaging help us bring our consciousness to the present instead of letting it wander in the past or in the future. The present is the only time when we can change anything. In the memorable words of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: Forget the past that sleeps and ne’er The future dream at all, But act in times that are with thee And progress thee shall call. The past is history; we can’t change it. And the future is mystery; we can’t predict it. The present is all we have—and all we will ever have. While dealing with a fearful situation in the present, what if the magnitude of the problem overwhelms us? That brings us to the next strategy. *Arise* Arise means that we raise our consciousness above threatening situations by understanding that we exist at a higher level of reality. Lord Kṛṣṇa explains in the *Bhagavad-gītā* that we are more than our body and mind; we are indestructible souls, eternally part of Kṛṣṇa. Becoming aware of our connection to Kṛṣṇa will provide us peace and power. By contemplating our spirituality, we understand that we have endured many problems in the past—and we will endure this problem too. Life is not a hundred-meter sprint; it is a hundred-mile marathon. Naturally, we would like to do our best in every sprint, but we are in for the long haul; a setback in one lap of life’s marathon isn’t a catastrophe. As long as we live with a material conception of life, however, our self-worth comes from our material identity and our corresponding capacity to control external things. When things go wrong or threaten to go wrong, we feel our self-worth being challenged, even crushed. We end up thinking of the possible failure not as an event in our life but as an event that defines our life. Raising our consciousness to the spiritual level makes our self-worth more secure. By becoming aware that our essential identity is indestructible, we can experience security and strength even amidst danger. How can we raise our consciousness? One powerful way is through meditation, for it directs our thoughts towards deeper, more enduring realities. While different forms of meditation direct our thoughts towards different objects, most empowering is the meditation that directs our thoughts towards an eternal, nonmaterial object. *Mantra* meditation is such a meditation—it centers our consciousness on **mantra*s*, which are sanctified, specialized sounds in sync with higher realities. *Mantra*s that address the supreme spiritual reality, such as the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra*, raise our consciousness most effectively to the highest spiritual level. *Release* Release means that we let go of the things not in our control. Frequently, however, we resist letting go of things because we feel that by letting go we are losing the control we are meant to have and are thus being irresponsible. To overcome such resistance, we can change our focus from what we are letting go of to what we are taking hold of: our thoughts. When we hold on to problematic situations, we unwittingly give those situations the power to take hold of our thoughts. The more those problems dominate our thoughts, the more the problems seem to grow, and the more we feel dwarfed and disempowered. And we become increasingly incapable of doing even the things we could have done. Thus, by holding on to the things we can’t control, we end up being irresponsible, not responsible. Lord Kṛṣṇa urges us to let go of things through devotional surrender to Him. He explains that we are not just spiritual; we are also parts of a whole bigger than ourselves *(Gītā* 15.7). That whole is the all-attractive, all-powerful ultimate reality, Kṛṣṇa Himself. He conveys *(Gītā* 18.66) that surrendering is not just about letting go of things but essentially about seeking His shelter. By surrender we focus on letting Kṛṣṇa take control of things. Actually, He is always in control. But we often believe that we are meant to be in control of things; and when we can’t control them, we feel threatened, even shattered. Kṛṣṇa has a higher plan, even if we can’t discern it now. Nonetheless, if we maintain a purposeful service attitude coupled with thoughtful devotional actions, then even if things go wrong, we will discover that Kṛṣṇa will eventually bring good out of them. With such devotional understanding, we learn to let go of things, and we strive to take hold of our thoughts and direct them towards Kṛṣṇa. The more we thus let go of the things not in our control, the more we can get our thoughts in our control and the more we can engage in the actions that are in our control. And as our devotional connection with Kṛṣṇa makes our consciousness calm and clear, we can more effectively think of the best way ahead. In fact, Kṛṣṇa reciprocates with our devotional disposition by giving us intelligence from within to choose wisely *(Gītā* 10.10). When our composure thus gets restored, we realize that letting go is not disempowering—rather, letting go to let God lead us is supremely empowering. *Concluding Reflections* The strategies in the FEAR acronym can also be seen as progressive steps for spiritualizing our consciousness. Focus and Engage bring our consciousness to the mode of goodness, characterized by clear perception and calm action *(Gītā* 14.11). Arise brings our consciousness to the spiritual level, wherein we perceive our imperishable nonmaterial essence (18.2). Release brings our consciousness to the devotional level, where we understand that Kṛṣṇa is our greatest benefactor (5.29) and will help us overcome all obstacles if we become conscious of Him (18.58). Just as the rising of the sun can dissipate the thickest of fogs, similarly, the rising of Kṛṣṇa consciousness within us can counter the biggest of fears. However, till the sun rises, we need a flashlight to clear the way in front of us. Similarly, till we can become steadily conscious of Kṛṣṇa, we can use these strategies as flashlights to illumine our next steps when the fog of fear darkens our way. And if these strategies are adopted in a devotional mood, they too can contribute to elevating our consciousness towards Kṛṣṇa. If we focus on identifying the exact problem confronting us, on acting according to what we can do about it right now, on remembering that we are bigger than our situations, and on letting go the things that are not in our control, with Kṛṣṇa’s help we can face fearful situations positively and productively. *Caitanya Caraṇa Dāsa 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, “Gītā-Daily,” visit gitadaily.com.* A Glowworm in Front of the Sun *Lord Brahmā, the powerful creator of the universe, tests Lord Kṛṣṇa and realizes he has more than met his match.* by Gaurāṅga Darśana Dāsa An attempt to display one’s minute power in front of the supremely powerful only proves to be futile. [Excerpted from Disapproved but not Disowned: A Sneak Peek into Sensitive Hearts, by Gaurāṅga Darshan Das. © 2018 Śrī Tulsi Trust.] This selection, chapter one of the book, retains the book’s style for Sanskrit and other considerations. The book is available in Kindle format at amazon.in and amazon.com, and in print at tulsibooks.com and amazon.in. This chapter is based on *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, Canto 10, chapters 13–14, and the purports of Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, and also Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s *Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma-māhātmya*, chapter 5. “This spot is perfect. The fragrance of the fully blown lotuses is permeating all over the beautiful scenery of the soft and sandy bank of the Yamuna. The sounds of chirping birds, cooing peacocks, humming bees and whispering leaves of the trees are together creating a pleasant atmosphere. Let’s take our lunch here while our calves graze in the soft grasses and drink water from the Yamuna.” Little Kṛṣṇa made this sweet proposal to His hungry friends. He had just killed a great snake demon named Aghasur and saved them. It was almost a daily routine for Kṛṣṇa in Vrindavan to kill some demon who often, curiously enough, appeared just before lunchtime. *Exchange of Love in an Enchanting Picnic* The gopas gladly agreed to Kṛṣṇa’s proposal. They sat down to eat in concentric circles, around Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa appeared like the center of a lotus, while the boys around Him appeared like its petals. Although the gopas surrounded Kṛṣṇa in all directions, each one of them constantly enjoyed seeing Kṛṣṇa face to face, as if Kṛṣṇa sat right in front of them. Kṛṣṇa didn’t expand Himself into many forms, yet He was seen face to face by every single gopa. Kṛṣṇa’s reciprocation with the residents of Vrindavan (Vrajavasis) was simply inconceivable! The community that keeps Kṛṣṇa in the center receives all reciprocation and protection from Him, like the *gopas*. Kṛṣṇa exhibits His majesty and powers to create and maintain this world, to kill the demons and to do several other things. But the power He manifests to reciprocate with His devotees, especially in Vrindavan, is the epitome of all His powers. At the end of the day, when Kṛṣṇa wanted to take His cows from the forest, back to the village, He would call out the name of one cow. Then each cow would hear her own name and run towards Kṛṣṇa with great eagerness and affection to join Him back home. Kṛṣṇa’s power is manifested to the ultimate extent in His reciprocation with the love of His dear devotees. The boys used flowers, leaves and tree bark as plates to eat their food brought from home. Each boy had a unique exchange with Kṛṣṇa while eating. Relishing the tasty food mixed with the love of their mothers, and adoring the company of their beloved Kṛṣṇa, the boys were absorbed in the spiritual picnic. Appreciating some item, they would take it right from their mouth and offer it to Kṛṣṇa to eat. And Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord who possesses all opulences in full and is the source of all incarnations, would eat it eagerly. “Is He God!?” This scene astonished even the demigods in the higher planets! Sweetness and simplicity are predominant in Vrindavan, more than majesty and formality. *An Unpleasant Surprise* As the gopas were enjoying their lunch, the calves that were pasturing nearby entered into the deep forest, allured by new grasses. Gradually they went out of sight. Not seeing them, the boys became worried. Kṛṣṇa told them, “My dear friends, please do not interrupt your lunch. I will go and search for the calves.” Kṛṣṇa at once left looking for the calves, still carrying a morsel of yogurt-rice in His left hand. Kṛṣṇa owns the anxieties of His devotees. Devotees who are dependent on Him are always protected. Kṛṣṇa searched everywhere in the forest and caves, but found the calves nowhere. He returned to the bank of the Yamuna, and now He couldn’t see His friends who had been taking lunch there! It was Lord Brahma who had stolen the calves and the boys. When Kṛṣṇa killed Aghasur, Brahma wondered how a little cowherd boy could act so amazingly. Brahma was fully aware of the prowess of the Supreme Godhead Kṛṣṇa, and it was he who had requested Kṛṣṇa to descend and reduce the burden of earth. Still, Brahma wanted to test Kṛṣṇa’s power now, forgetting the fact that Kṛṣṇa was the source of his own power. Śrīmad *Bhagavatam* and other ancient scriptures teach us that there is one Supreme God who is all-attractive and is called by the name ‘Kṛṣṇa.’ He expands into various forms like Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Narayana and so on, to perform various pastimes. He incarnates into this world in several forms, like Rama, Narasimha, Varaha and so on, to protect the righteous, punish the miscreants and establish morality. He appoints various administrators called the demigods, namely Brahma, Shiva, Indra, Candra, Yama and so on, to manage the affairs of material universe. All of them are devotees and servants of the Supreme Lord. Yet Brahma wanted to examine Kṛṣṇa now. Sometimes even great devotees also circumstantially get bewildered in their understanding of God. Lord Kṛṣṇa could immediately understand the deed and mood of Brahma. Kṛṣṇa had to bring Brahma back to his senses by reminding him of His own supremacy. But His immediate duty was to satisfy the mothers and cows in the village, who were eagerly waiting for the return of their sons and calves. And Kṛṣṇa did both together. God protects those who love Him and corrects those who are inimical to Him, either incidentally or intentionally. And He can do both simultaneously. *A Limitless Increase of Love* Kṛṣṇa, by His supreme mystic power, expanded as the gopas and the calves. He became exactly like them in all respects. He replicated their facial and bodily features, clothing and ornaments, behavior, mannerisms and so on. Thus Kṛṣṇa, surrounded by His own expansions, entered Vrindavan village, while playing on His enchanting flute. Everything that exists, whether a living being or a material object, is an expansion of Kṛṣṇa’s energy, just as heat and light are the expansions of fire. The mothers of the boys came out to receive them and lovingly embraced their sons. All the boys went to their respective homes and the calves entered their cowsheds. The parents and the cows had no knowledge of what had happened. All the mothers in Vrindavan always loved Kṛṣṇa more than their own children. They appreciated the fortune of Kṛṣṇa’s mother Yashoda who served Him in various ways. They weren’t envious of Yashoda, but desired to serve Kṛṣṇa like her. They wondered, “Will we be ever like Yashoda!” Kṛṣṇa reciprocated with their longing by appearing in the form of their own children now. By appreciating others’ good fortune, one can receive a similar fortune, but not by envying others. The mothers fed their children their own milk and bathed, dressed and decorated them with ornaments. The cows licked the bodies of their calves and fed them milk lovingly. These mothers experienced a tremendous increase in their affection for their children. The reason, however, was that it was Kṛṣṇa who had come in the form of their children, and they naturally loved Him. It’s most natural for a pure soul to love Kṛṣṇa above anything and anyone, including one’s own self. This wonderful exchange of affection went on for one full year. Kṛṣṇa reciprocated with the love of the mothers and cows in the village and went to the forest with His own expansions (boys and calves) and enjoyed as usual. Although Brahma wanted to test Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa smartly utilized this opportunity to reciprocate with the love of Vrindavan’s cows and mothers and relish it. A great person can turn an unpleasant situation into the most pleasureable and memorable situation. *Confusion of the Creator* Although Brahma did the mischief of stealing the boys and calves, he was anxious. Because he knew that he was playing with fire. Within a moment’s time, he returned to Vrindavan to see the result of his stealing. But in his one moment, one full year had passed on the earth. Brahma saw Kṛṣṇa sitting on the banks of the Yamuna with His friends, eating food and joking just as before. Brahma was dumbfounded. He went back to the place where he had hid the boys and calves and found them sleeping ‘under his mystic spell.’ He came back to Vrindavan again and saw them with Kṛṣṇa also. He couldn’t understand which set of boys and calves were real. His power seemed like snow in darkness or a glowworm in the daytime. Snow’s silver glitter in darkness and a glowworm’s light in front of the sun are not visible! Similarly, Brahma’s minute mystic power before Kṛṣṇa’s supreme mystic power proved to be insignificant. Humiliated, Brahma seemed like a child’s doll in front of a temple Deity. He had tried to mystify Kṛṣṇa, but he himself had been mystified. Just as a small mystic’s proud show-off of power in front of a great mystic is ludicrous, similarly an attempt to display one’s own power in front of the all-powerful God only proves to be futile. Brahma was not an ordinary conditioned soul. He was far superior to all the other demigods. Even in his supreme stature of being the father and creator of all living beings, the husband of the goddess of learning and the best authority in Vedic knowledge, he was perplexed in understanding the extraordinary display of Kṛṣṇa’s mystic power. Then what to speak of ordinary people in this world? Stunned and jolted by astonishment, Brahma became speechless. *A Revelation That Caused Repentance* Seeing the awkward situation of Brahma, Kṛṣṇa took compassion on him and lifted the curtain of maya. As Brahma looked on, all the boys and calves got transformed into four-armed Vishnu forms. Many Brahmas, Shivas, demigods, sages, moving and nonmoving living entities were worshiping the Vishnus. It was a breathtaking sight to see thousands of Vishnus, expansions of Kṛṣṇa, all at one place. Brahma practically fell unconscious. One should never be over-confident of one’s knowledge of God. Whatever may be the extent of one’s learning, austerity, piety, wealth and power, one cannot understand God completely. One can know Kṛṣṇa only by *bhakti* and the mercy of devotees. Whenever one deviates from *bhakti*, one is bewildered in one’s understanding of God, and even thinks oneself to be God or greater than God. However powerful one may be, if one doesn’t humbly submit before God, one will be bewildered by illusion. Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself to one who submits oneself, with a humble heart, before the Lord and His devotees. Seeing Brahma wonderstruck, Lord Kṛṣṇa withdrew the spectacular vision of His grandeur. Brahma could then see and appreciate the superexcellent nature of Vrindavan, where humans, deer and even ferocious animals like tigers lived peacefully in spiritual friendship. Due to the presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Vrindavan was transcendental to all other places and was free of material lust and greed. Brahma could then see Kṛṣṇa as a small cowherd boy looking for His friends and calves, still with the yogurt-rice in His hand, just as one year before. Lord Brahma immediately descended from his great swan carrier and fell down before Kṛṣṇa like a golden stick. The four helmets on his four heads touched Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. With all his four pairs of eyes shedding tears incessantly in deep remorse, he washed the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. With his voice faltering and limbs trembling, he offered heartfelt prayers to Kṛṣṇa with folded palms and a humble heart. He glorified Kṛṣṇa in various ways. All the negative reactions of one’s mistakes are burnt in the fire of one’s honest repentence. In self-reproach, Brahma said, “My dear Lord, just see my uncivilized impudence! I tried to test You. What am I compared to You? I am like a small spark in the presence of a great fire. Being passionate I presumed myself to be an independent controller. I am a small creature enclosed in a potlike universe. Unlimited universes come through Your (Maha Vishnu’s) bodily pores as dust particles pass through a window screen. Simultaneously, the entire universe lies within You . Thus, I am also inside You. Does a mother take offense when the child within her womb kicks with his legs? I am like Your son and You are like My mother. I have taken birth from the lotus coming out of Your (Garbhodakasayi Vishnu’s) navel. Considering me to be Your servant and child, worthy of Your compassion, kindly forgive my offense.” While in pride, one thinks oneself independent of Kṛṣṇa, in humility one prays, realizes and admits that one is utterly dependent on Kṛṣṇa. *Aspiration of a Humble Heart* Having begged pardon from Kṛṣṇa, Brahma humbly expressed his heartfelt desire: “My dear Lord, I pray for the fortune of being engaged in Your *bhakti* and counted as one of Your devotees in any birth, in any species. How greatly fortunate are the cows and ladies of Vrindavan, the nectar of whose milk You have happily drunk to Your full satisfaction, taking the form of their calves and sons. The fortune of the cowherd community in Vrindavan is unlimited, because You have directly become their friend. My greatest possible fortune would be to take any birth in Vrindavan and have my head bathed by the dust from the lotus feet of any of its residents.” Brahma, who had earlier wanted to test Kṛṣṇa by causing separation between Him and His beloved devotees, was now seeking the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and the dust of those devotees. Actually, this is the aspiration of someone in pure consciousness. The ultimate aspiration of a soul is to humbly serve the Supreme Lord and His pure devotees. Although Brahma fully humbled himself before Kṛṣṇa with all submissiveness, Kṛṣṇa was silent! He certainly forgave Brahma, but He didn’t speak anything in response to Brahma’s prayers. Admitting that the opulences of Kṛṣṇa are beyond the reach of his mind, body and words, Brahma requested Kṛṣṇa’s permission to leave and departed from there. The Picnic Continues . . . Kṛṣṇa went back to the bank of the Yamuna with the calves, still holding the morsel of yogurt-rice in His hand. His friends were sitting in the same place as they were one year before. They said, “Kṛṣṇa, how have You come back so fast with the calves? In Your absence, we haven’t eaten even a morsel of food. Come, please join us and enjoy the food.” And Kṛṣṇa joined the picnic and continued to enjoy the company of His dear friends. No one realized that a year had passed. *Honest Regret and Hearty Reciprocation* One shouldn’t minimize the position of Lord Brahma in any way, after hearing of this incident. To give a grave lesson to the people in this world, sometimes God puts His own devotees into awkward situations. Brahma’s bewilderment wasn’t similar to that of ordinary people. Vaishnava acharyas explain that Brahma was illusioned by the will of Kṛṣṇa. Thereafter, Lord Brahma considered with a remorseful heart, “I was lost in my identity as the creator of the universe. Due to this fault I have been deprived of love of Kṛṣṇa and the devotion of Vrindavan. I shall not fall prey to my wicked mind anymore!” To the extent one values relation with another, to that extent one becomes genuinely regretful of one’s mistakes in that relationship. Thinking thus, Brahma went to a place called Antardvip and did severe austerities to please Lord Kṛṣṇa. After many days, Kṛṣṇa mercifully appeared in the form of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was about to incarnate into the world in Kali-yuga. Brahma fell at the feet of the Lord, and the Lord put His foot on Brahma’s head. Brahma was enlightened with divine knowledge. Brahma prayed, “I am a proud and worthless wretch. Forgetting Your lotus feet, I have turned to material sense gratification. Half of my life has passed. How will I spend my remaining life? My only prayer is that I may become Your associate in Your manifest pastimes. Having given up the illusion that I am the creator, I want to take birth in Your association and sing Your glories.” Lord Caitanya granted Brahma’s desire saying, “So be it. During My pastimes on earth, you will take birth in a yavana’s house. Always thinking yourself low and fallen, you will be fully freed of pride. Your name will be Haridas Thakur. You will be famous for your humility. You will chant three hundred thousand holy names a day. At the time of leaving this world, you will see Me. And at the end of your life, you will attain Śrī Navadvip dham and be absorbed in eternal rasa.” Saying this, Lord Caitanya disappeared, and Brahma fell unconscious. Gaining consciousness, he wept incessantly, “O Lord! Friend of the poor! Dear to the devotees! When will I attain Your lotus feet?” *God’s Kindness Is Our Hope* High birth, wealth, education and beauty could make one so intoxicated at times that one might not be able to feelingly take shelter of God. But someone who is devoid of these four material qualifications could be more dependent on the Lord and chant His holy names in the mood of seeking shelter. Brahma’s position was the topmost in this universe. As Haridas Thakur, he became the topmost example of humility and ardent chanting of the Lord’s holy names. Śrīla Haridas Thakur is called namacharya for his incessant chanting. Lord Kṛṣṇa didn’t disown Brahma for his mischief of stealing the gopas and the calves. Kṛṣṇa brought him to the divine consciousness of humility and in fact, Kṛṣṇa glorified him for all time to come by declaring his ideal aspiration to the world. And when He appeared as Lord Caitanya to propagate the holy names of God, Kṛṣṇa honored Brahma as namacharya, the perfect example of chanting of the holy names of God. Who could be more kind than Kṛṣṇa? * Once Kṛṣṇa’s friends complained to Mother Yashoda that He had eaten dirt. Worried, Yashoda asked Him to open His mouth. Then Kṛṣṇa showed the entire universe to her within His belly. *(Śrīmad-Bhagavatam*, Canto 10, Chapter 8) ** For instance, once Lord Vishnu took the form of Mohini-murti, a beautiful woman, and bewildered Lord Shiva. Shiva, captivated by the beauty of Mohini-murti, ran behind Her as if afflicted by lust. Lord Vishnu wanted to warn all spiritual seekers to safeguard themselves from lust through this incident of Shiva’s apparent bewilderment by Mohini. But this incident in no way minimizes the position of Lord Shiva. As the Vaishnava acharyas explain, Shiva was captivated by the Lord’s spiritual internal potency, which evokes love and devotion, and not the illusory external potency, which evokes lust and sense enjoyment. *(Śrīmad-Bhagavatam*, Canto 8. Chapter 12) *Gaurāṅga Darśana Dāsa, a disciple of His Holiness Rādhānāth Swami, is dean of the Bhaktivedānta Vidyāpīṭha at ISKCON Govardhan Eco Village (GEV), outside Mumbai. His books include Gitā Subodhinī, Bhāgavata Subodhinī, Caitanya Subodhinī, and Bhāgavata Pravāha. He teaches scriptural courses at several places in India and oversees the Deity worship at GEV.* A Love Supreme: Rosa Parks and Govinda’s Restaurant *In the mid-1990s, one of Time magazine’s twenty most influential and iconic figures of the twentieth century was a regular diner at Detroit’s Hare Kṛṣṇa restaurant.* By Hlādini-śakti Dāsa A renowned guest dines on *kṛṣṇa-prasādam* in a celestial setting in East Detroit. A New York Times article published in 1977 sums up the incredible splendor of Devasadan Mandir, ISKCON’s Hare Kṛṣṇa temple in Detroit, Michigan, where I lived in 1994 and ’95: Like Kubla Khan in Xanadu, Lawrence P. Fisher had a pleasure palace built in 1929. However, the automobile magnate’s place with its gardens and fountains, its huge pseudo–Moorish rooms with painted ceilings and pillars inlaid with gold (not to mention a swimming pool, bowling alley, miniature golf course and boat dock for his 100-foot yacht) was set in East Detroit . . . .” I arrived in East Detroit in 1994 from New York City, where I’d been living at the Rādhā-Govinda Mandir. Upon arriving I was interviewed by ISKCON’s then co-Governing Body Commissioner (GBC) for Michigan, Ravīndra Svarūpa Dāsa, who wanted to know, “What made you come to Motown?”1 Appreciating his choice of words, I responded in kind, “I came to see the Supremes.”2 He appreciated my play on words, and our interview started on a note of shared laughter as he welcomed me into the circle of Devasadan’s staff. Little did I know that within weeks, through my work at Devasadan, I would meet one of the Motor City’s most famous residents. *A Noteworthy Govinda’s Patron* Rosa Parks moved to Detroit in the late 1950s. She was already internationally renowned for the catalytic role she had played in inaugurating the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott—a pivotal event in the civil rights movement—and thus she was loved by millions as an exemplar of human dignity and courage. In time she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and dozens of other prestigious honors. Time magazine named her one of the twenty most influential and iconic figures of the twentieth century. But all this is well known. What is not well known is that Rosa Parks was a dedicated practitioner of *yoga* and meditation, a strict vegetarian, and a regular visitor to Devasadan Mandir. In other words, Rosa Parks, “mother of the modern-day civil rights movement,” was also a de facto transcendentalist, and while not a formal or initiated practitioner of bhakti-*yoga*, she did engage in devotional service. Here is how I came to know. One of my many services at Devasadan (“celestial abode”) was managing Govinda’s Restaurant. There was one particular patron, a regular, who’d caught my eye. I wondered: hadn’t I seen this handsome, serene, and remarkably dignified woman somewhere before? It seemed so. Only I couldn’t place her. She was uncommonly stately in her bearing and demure manner, without a trace of egoism or self-conceit. I usually tried to mirror the mood of those I served, and I made no exception in this case. Therefore, noting how quiet and reserved she was, I tried to honor her introspective disposition by reflecting her mood in all my interactions with her. But then one day it suddenly dawned on me. It was Rosa Parks. The Rosa Parks! Still, to avoid blundering, I thought it wise to first confirm my notion. So I asked another devotee on the staff, and, “Yes,” my friend confirmed, she is the Rosa Parks. So that day while waiting on her, I asked, “You’re Rosa Parks, aren’t you?” She replied with a warm but reserved smile, “Yes, I am.” From our brief exchange I learned that she was vegetarian by choice and practiced *yoga* and meditation as ways of “self care.” Although I was thrilled by our meeting, after another word or two I withdrew, wishing to avoid transgressing an unspoken boundary. But I was elated. Devotees of Kṛṣṇa value and treasure *bhakti* as life’s greatest gift, and to taste Kṛṣṇa’s prasādam, as she was doing regularly, is to engage in *bhakti*. *Vegetarianism and Yoga* During her storied life of ninety-two years, Rosa Parks wrote an autobiography and a memoir. About her vegetarian diet she wrote, “For over forty years, I’ve been vegetarian. Growing up, my family had little money—I had health problems early in life because of poor nutrition. Eating healthy is a priority for me.” And in Rosa Parks: My Story, she recounts that as a child she learned daily stretching from her mother. Her life experience, she explained, taught her that spiritual practice powerfully counteracts the debilitating effects of stress and tension arising from material existence. For example, she was targeted for her social activism. Confronted by unmitigated hatred from unapologetic segregationists, facing numerous death threats, social censure, and economic reprisals, Rosa found that her *yoga* and meditation practices gave her power to sustain her heartfelt commitment to serving life’s higher purposes as she felt called by God to do. Knowing that Rosa Parks had been swept up in the net of love of God that Śrīla Prabhupāda had cast worldwide made me happy. By his efforts and her good fortune, Rosa was led from the nightmarish emotional landscape of Alabama’s Jim Crow3 culture to the sumptuous potpourri of sheer transcendental opulence offered by Govinda’s Restaurant in her new home in Michigan. To visit Govinda’s, Rosa would have to traverse some of the temple grounds. Beautified by shade trees, green lawns, and flower beds, and bordered on one side by a manmade canal linked to Lake St. Clair, the grounds are magnificent. A sunken garden filled with dazzling, multi-colored specimens of fragrant roses invites the eye; several large, majestically carved sculptures housed in elegant gazebos stand here and there, depicting divine characters from India’s ancient Vedas; and wide-open spaces with manicured lawns please the senses. In those days, the temple’s peacocks strolling about or perched in the trees added a special magic to the landscape, and not just visually by their incredible beauty, but audibly too, as when their musical cries suddenly crowded the air with sweet melodies imported from paradise. Captivated by the sound, visitors would often pause on the threshold to drink in the enchanting birdsong before proceeding further. Stepping beyond these treats into Govinda’s main dining hall is simply breathtaking. The restaurant walls are of light and dark exotic woods; solomonicas, stately black pillars styled after those found in King Solomon’s fabled palace in ancient Jerusalem, rise to the frescoed ceiling; floors and walls are exquisitely inlaid with yellow Italian onyx. There’s a stunning water fountain, and huge windows overlook the sprawling lawn outside. “Am I dreaming,” one wonders upon entering. Patrons of Govinda’s Restaurant get to sit in the very lap of luxury and dine leisurely with friends and loved ones, enjoying kṛṣṇa-prasādam. In this way they directly engage in serving Kṛṣṇa, His holy abode, and His spiritual entourage. Who could ask for anything more? And that was what Rosa Parks discovered at Devasadan Mandir. *Hlādini Śakti Dāsa, a disciple of His Holiness Tamāl Kṛṣṇa Goswami, lives in Vrindavan.* *NOTES* 1 For non-Americans who may be unfamiliar with the term: “Motown,” short for “Motortown,” is a nickname for Detroit, known for its automobile industry. 2 “Motown” also refers to a type of music with roots in Detroit. Diana Ross and the Supremes were a successful Motown group. The word play here alludes to the temple Deities: Gaura-Nitāi; Rādhā-Kuñjabihārī; Jagannātha, Baladeva, and Subhadrā; and Śrī Nāthjī—the supreme Supremes. 3. Enacted after the U.S. Civil War, Jim Crow laws segregated blacks from whites in the southern United States. When God Offers a Discount *To say that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to offer the sale of the century would be an understatement.* by Jitendra Savanur *A offer too good to refuse.* In the retail industry, a tremendous amount of planning and strategy is involved in pricing products. Using thorough research into the thinking patterns of shoppers, every retail company strives to come up with attractive offers to draw customers. One approach to pricing in the retail industry is discounts. The discount-centric pricing strategy (also known as high-low pricing) involves offering attractive discounts on various products periodically. During the short time when the products are on sale, a hyped sense of urgency is created in customers, which drives them to the store to buy the item on sale. This strategy works well because when customers see that they are buying a product at a reduced price (although that reduction in price is just seasonal, and somewhat fictitious), they get a sense of the accomplishment of having saved money. Thus people swarm retail stores on special days like Black Friday or Boxing Day to avail themselves of “doorbuster” discounts offered by retailers, even waiting in long queues for hours. Humans tend to look for options that require them to put in the least effort possible to achieve something. And if that effort is significantly less than what’s needed to attain their objective at some other time or in some other place or circumstance, then that is considered a big win. Giant retail businesses take advantage of this thinking time and again. The good news for us, the people of Kali-yuga, the present age of spiritual decline, is that the path of liberation and spiritual perfection has a discount. This discount is not seasonal, but always available to us. It is not meant to lure us into unnecessary spending, but to enable us to give up the allurements of this world. It indicates the supreme compassion of God and can propel us towards spiritual emancipation. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (12.3.52) says, > kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ > tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ > dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ > kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt “Whatever result one obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṇu, in Tretā-yuga by performing sacrifices and in Dvāpara-yuga by serving the Lord’s lotus feet one can also obtain in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra*.” Just as a doctor prescribes medicines to a patient based on the patient’s ability to withstand the medicine, scriptures prescribe different processes for liberation in different ages according to the abilities of people of those ages. Meditation on Lord Viṣṇu, the essential part of *yoga* as originally practiced under Vedic authority, was the method prescribed for liberation in Satya-yuga, the first—and most spiritually conducive—of the four world ages described in the Vedic literature. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* mentions that Dhruva, a disciple of Nārada Muni, attained Lord Viṣṇu by performing this kind of meditation, with strict postures and bodily control. In Tretā-yuga, the second age, brāhmaṇas achieved wonderful things just by uttering *mantras*, and hence their yajñas (sacrificial rituals) were full of sophistication, unparalleled by any yajñas we see today. All who took part in traditional Vedic yajñas made gradual spiritual advancement. In Dvāpara-yuga, the third age, the recommended spiritual practice was Deity worship. The Deity, a manifestation of the Supreme Lord perceptible to us, has been a means of spiritual connectivity for ages. For us today, however, following the numerous intricate rules and regulations of traditional Deity worship is difficult, if not impossible. Thus our inability to follow the processes prescribed for the other three ages is certain. The *Brahma-vaivarta* *Purāṇa* states: > ataḥ kalau tapo-yoga- > vidyā-yajñādikāḥ kriyāḥ > sāṅgā bhavanti na kṛtāḥ > kuśalair api dehibhiḥ “Thus in the age of Kali the practices of austerity, *yoga* meditation, Deity worship, sacrifice and so on, along with their various subsidiary functions, are not properly carried out, even by the most expert embodied souls.” *The Process for Us* But chanting the holy names of God—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—is an easy and sublime process that can gradually uplift us from our material conditionings and empower us to please God and redeem our true nature as His servants. Since God is Absolute, there is no difference between Him and His name, form, pastimes, and abodes. In *Śikṣāṣṭaka* (2), Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu prays, *nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā*: God has invested all His potencies in His holy name. Thus when we chant the holy names we are directly connecting with Kṛṣṇa, and when our chanting matures and becomes offenseless, we will experience the ecstasies of *bhakti*, or devotional service. This opportunity to chant the holy names is indeed a boon, given that there aren’t even hard and fast rules for chanting them (*niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ*). In the *Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa*, it is stated, > harer nāma harer nāma > harer nāmaiva kevalam > kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva > nāsty eva gatir anyathā “In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.” Thus by offenseless chanting of the holy names of God in the association of devotees, we can attain spiritual perfection even in one lifetime. There is no need to engage in prolonged meditation or the other complex processes mentioned above. And unlike retail discounts, this divine discount is available to us always, anywhere and everywhere. Therefore let us avail ourselves of it and perfect our lives. *Jitendra Savanur got connected to Kṛṣṇa consciousness through ISKCON Pune’s youth forum. He holds a master’s degree in computer science and works in the technology division of Goldman Sachs.* Tukārāma: Western India’s Exemplar of Lord Caitanya’s Teachings *In the seventeenth century, the saṅkīrtana movement flourished in Maharashtra thanks to the efforts of this inspired devotee.* by Mahānanda Caitanya Dāsa Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, “Tukārāma Ācārya became very famous in the Maharashtra province, and he spread the saṅkīrtana movement all over the province. The saṅkīrtana party belonging to Tukārāma is still very popular in Bombay and throughout the province of Maharashtra, resembling the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava saṅkīrtana parties in the chanting of the holy names of the Lord, accompanied by mṛdaṅgas and karatālas.” *(Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, *Madhya-līlā* 9.282, Purport) *Background* Tukārāma was born in a Vaiṣṇava family to Bolhoba and his wife, Kanakai, in 1609 in the village of Dehu near Pune in Maharashtra, India. His pious ancestors were worshipers of the Deity Lord Viṭhṭhala, a form of Dvārakādhīśa Kṛṣṇa. His pious and charitable father, barely literate, was a farmer and small trader of grains. After Tukārāma’s first wife died, he married Jijabai (or Awali). His parents died when he was young. His elder brother was not interested in business and worldly matters and left his family to go on pilgrimage. The burden of maintaining the family fell on Tukārāma, who had to engage in business from an early age. When he was losing money in one business, he worked hard to raise capital and start a new one. He was very honest with customers and made little profit. He would often give credit to customers who would never pay what they owed him. Although going through unfavorable conditions, he was exclusively dependent on the Lord. He expressed his feelings in this way: “Kṛṣṇa is the boat by which I can cross the ocean of material existence. Kṛṣṇa is my destination. Once I reach Him, I will not desire to come back. This destination shall relieve me of all miseries.” He renovated the family’s ancestral Viṭhṭhala temple and set up daily services. His mind was always absorbed in thoughts of the Lord’s lotus feet. Hari’s name was always on his lips, and his actions towards all creatures were compassionate. *The Lord Helps Tukārāma Amid Difficulties* One night, Tukārāma was passing through a jungle to reach his village. He had sacks of grain loaded on an ox. All his companions went ahead, so he had to walk alone. Suddenly a dreadful storm broke, with heavy wind, rain, and lightning. He had no shelter. There were fearful beasts around. Out of fear and hunger, the ox lost its balance, and the grain sacks fell onto the road. Tukārāma lost all hope of saving the grain in the fierce storm. Suddenly a stranger arrived and offered to clear the road. The sympathetic stranger lifted all the grain sacks in a moment and laid them on the ox. Then He led the way for Tukārāma until they arrived at the Indrayani River, which was flowing dangerously. The stranger continued to lead the way, and they crossed the river safely. Tukārāma was amazed at this and suddenly saw in a flash of lightning that his companion was wearing a yellow silk robe. He wore a sparkling Kaustubha jewel and tulasī beads on His neck. Tukārāma did not say anything. When they reached Dehu, the stranger suddenly disappeared. Tukārāma understood that He was his merciful Lord Viṭhṭhala. Tukārāma’s financial situation worsened. One day he bought a large quantity of chilies, loaded all the bags on his bullock cart, and started for the city market. On the way, he stopped for a break. As he was singing the names of Viṭhṭhala, Govinda, and Hari, villagers came to buy chilies. He asked them to pay whatever they wanted, and no one paid him anything. Later the stranger who had helped Tukārāma on the stormy night arrived in that village and told the villagers that He was a relative of the chili trader and had come to collect payment for the chilies the villagers had taken. He told them the exact amount each one had to pay. A few goons had carried off whole sacks. Thus all of them were forced to pay despite their incessant denials. The stranger gave all the money to Tukārāma, who thought that the stranger was a watchman from the village. They had a meal together, and Tukārāma bade Him farewell. All the villagers came and told Tukārāma that the person sent by him had collected money from them. He was astonished because he had not sent anyone. He realized that the stranger was his merciful Lord Hari. Tukārāma prayed to the Lord, “O merciful Keśava, Kṛṣṇa! Please accept me so that I may become free from the vicious bondage of birth and death.” *The Lord’s Revelations to Tukārāma* Tukārāma had six children. Like the unlimited waves of the ocean, problems in his material life continued, yet they did not become an obstacle to his devotion. Rather, he lost all interest in worldly pursuits. He would often go in solitude to nearby Bhandara Mountain to chant the holy names of Lord Viṭhṭhala. He would meditate on the Lord and His pastimes, perform kīrtana, and study *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, the *Bhagavad-gītā*, the *Rāmāyaṇa*, and other scriptures. He was not very educated, but after developing exclusive devotion to Viṭhṭhala, he educated himself by reading all these scriptures. Jijabai did not like his spiritual aspiration, but she was devoted to him. She would take care of the children and do the household work, and she would walk to Bhandara Mountain to take food to her husband. Lord Viṭhṭhala was very pleased with Tukārāma’s sincerity, exclusive devotion, simple nature, and detachment from the material world. He revealed Himself to Tukārāma on Bhandara Mountain. Later, the Lord appeared in his dream and asked him to compose verses to awaken people spiritually. In his writings, Tukārāma mentions that he was blessed by Rāghava Caitanya Keśava Caitanya Bābājī, who instructed him to chant the holy names “Rāma Kṛṣṇa Hari.” After Tukārāma received blessings from the Lord, his life changed. He composed thousands of *abhaṅgas*, poetic verses of the Lord’s glorification, teachings, and instructions to society; of pastimes of the Lord; and of prayers to the Lord establishing *bhakti* as the only way to achieve love for Lord Kṛṣṇa. His chanting of the Lord’s holy names and his *abhaṅgas* had widespread influence. People from all walks of life were attracted to Tukārāma and started following his instructions and teachings. Their lives transformed, and *harināma-saṅkīrtana* became a big movement in the area. Tukārāma’s life and teachings were in line with the teachings of Lord Caitanya, who freely distributed love of Kṛṣṇa and established harināma-saṅkīrtana as the *yuga-dharma*, the religion for Kali-yuga, the current age. Tukārāma told householders, “For spiritual life there is no need to renounce the world and go to the forest. You can burn all the sins of many births simply by chanting the holy names Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Hari, Viṭhṭhala, and Keśava with a fixed mind. This *harināma-saṅkīrtana* is the easiest but most effective process. Chant, and the Lord will happily visit your homes. The holy name is the essence of all Vedic scriptures. Even a hunter became Vālmīki Muni by simply chanting the holy names of the Lord.” *Tukārāma’s Glorifications of Lord Viṭhṭhala* Tukārāma’s abhaṅgas reveal a deep and sweet relationship between Lord Viṭhṭhala and His devotees. They also bring forth Tukārāma’s mood, which perfectly represents the mood of great devotees mentioned in the scriptures. He composed more than five thousand abhaṅgas. These are very heart-touching, and it is inspiring to see his realizations about Lord Kṛṣṇa, in the form of Viṭhṭhala. His abhaṅgas are filled with love and affection for the Lord and compassion for ordinary living beings. Tukārāma wonderfully glorified the merciful Lord Viṭhṭhala through a story. My Lord, I have remembered Your story. It’s a love story between You and Your devotee. Once, a deer was grazing happily in a lush green forest along with two fawns. A hunter came there with his dogs. He saw the deer and her fawns and set up a trap by putting a net on one side, keeping his dogs on another side, igniting a fire on the third side, and standing on the fourth side. The deer and fawns saw that they were trapped on all sides and started chanting Your holy names. “Rāma! Kṛṣṇa! Hari! Govinda! Keśava! Please save us, God of gods, O father! In this moment of great difficulty, who will save us but You? We don’t have anyone else to rely on.” When You heard this, Your heart melted. You immediately ordered the god of rain to extinguish the fire in that forest. Not only that, but a rabbit came from nowhere, and the dogs chased after it. In this way, when two sides were cleared, the deer and its fawns escaped while chanting Your holy names. They thanked You for protecting them. You are so merciful and thus very dear to Your devotees. You are the life and soul of Your devotees. O husband of Rukmiṇī Devī, my heart is full of bliss on glorifying Your divine self. *Lord Kṛṣṇa Appears as Viṭhṭhala in Pandharpur* Pandharpur is about 130 miles from Pune. Some call it Bhū (earthly) Vaikuṇṭha. Others call it Dakṣiṇa (southern) Dwarka. In Pandarpur resides a five-thousand-year-old self-manifested Deity of Lord Viṭhṭhala. The *Padma* and *Skanda* *Purāṇas* say that during Dvāpara-yuga, the previous age, Pandharpur was known as Dindirvana. Once, Lord Kṛṣṇa was in Dwarka and Rukmiṇī Devī got angry with Him and went to her parent’s house in Dindirvana. Lord Kṛṣṇa went there to persuade Rukmiṇī to return to Dwarka. The internal reason for the Lord’s journey was to meet His dedicated and sincere devotee Bhakta Pundalik, who was very poor and was living in a hut in Pandharpur with his old parents. Lord Kṛṣṇa visited Pundalik’s hut and called to him, “Pundalik, I have come to meet you. I am very pleased with your devotion.” Pundalik said, “O my Lord, I am unable to come to see you right now. I am serving my old parents.” He requested the Lord to wait, and he threw out a brick for Him to rest on. When Pundalik finally saw the Lord, He was standing on the brick. Enchanted by the Lord’s form, Pundalik asked Him to remain there standing on the brick for His devotees to worship Him. He and Rukmiṇī Devī both stayed at Pandharpur to be worshiped as Deities. Tukārāma and other devotees would visit Lord Viṭhṭhala and perform *harināma-saṅkīrtana*, a tradition still going on. During the annual Pandharpur Wari (wari = pilgrimage) in June, more than a million devotees perform *harināma-saṅkīrtana* as they make their pilgrimage to Pandharpur from various places in Maharashtra. After Lord Caitanya traveled to South India, He visited Pandharpur and stayed for there for eleven or twelve days. There He met Śrī Raṅga Purī, a disciple of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī. Lord Caitanya learned that at Pandharpur, His brother, Viśvarūpa, who became Śaṅkarāraṇya upon accepting *sannyāsa*, had attained perfection and entered spiritual world. *Viṭhṭhala and Rukmiṇī Visit Tukārāma* In Jagannath Puri, when King Pratāparudra saw Lord Caitanya and His devotees, He was astonished and said, *koṭi-sūrya-sama saba—ujjvala-varaṇa kabhu nāhi śuni ei madhura kīrtana* “Indeed, their effulgence is like the brilliance of a million suns. Nor have I ever heard the Lord’s names chanted so melodiously.” *(Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, *Madhya* 11.95) *bhaṭṭācārya kahe ei madhura vacana caitanyera sṛṣṭi ei prema-saṅkīrtana* “Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied, ‘This sweet transcendental sound is a special creation of the Lord [Caitanya] known as *prema-saṅkīrtana*, congregational chanting in love of Godhead.’” *(Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, *Madhya* 11.97) Tukārāma was engaged in this prema-saṅkīrtana initiated by Lord Caitanya. He would tell everyone, “Half of our life is spent in sleep, and the balance of our life is a struggle with disease and old age. Foolish people spend their life searching for happiness, but material happiness is like a grain while miseries are like a mountain. One can escape only by following the instructions of the Lord and His devotees. Simply drink the nectar of His sweet names, and all the knots of your attachment to material life will be destroyed.” Once, Tukārāma was not well and couldn’t join the saṅkīrtana party that regularly went from his village to the temple of Viṭhṭhala in Pandharpur to celebrate Ekādaśī and Dvādaśī. Feeling sad, he wrote a letter to Viṭhṭhala and requested the devotees to hand it to Him. In the letter, he expressed his deep sorrow for not being able to come, urging the Lord not to forget him and not to keep him away. The devotees reached Pandharpur and handed over the letter to the lotus feet of Lord Viṭhṭhala, whose heart melted. He said to Rukmiṇī, “We must go to see My dear devotee.” Rukmiṇī said, “All the devotees are here to celebrate Ekādaśī and Dvādaśī. How can we leave all of them and go?” So the Lord sent His carrier, Garuḍa, to bring Tukārāma from his village. Garuḍa arrived and asked Tukārāma to sit on his back to go to Pandharpur. “You are the carrier of my Lord,” Tukārāma said. “How can I take service from you?” Very humbly, he sent Garuḍa back. After the Dvādaśī feast the next day, Lord Viṭhṭhala and Rukmiṇī were eager to meet Tukārāma. Standing outside his village, in a flash Tukārāma was amazed to see His Lord and Rukmiṇī Devī arrive in front of him. He felt very guilty that the Lord had to come to meet him. The Lord hugged Tukārāma, who was overwhelmed and requested the Lord to visit his home. Lord Viṭhṭhala and Rukmiṇī visited his home and accepted the food he offered to them. The Lord showered his mercy on Tukārāma, whose life was a manifestation of this verse: “By showing mercy to all living entities, being satisfied somehow or other and controlling the senses from sense enjoyment, one can very quickly satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Janārdana.” *(Bhāgavatam* 4.31.19) *Instructions to Society* Tukārāma wrote, “Always remember Kṛṣṇa and hear *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* and *Bhagavad-gītā*.” He instructed everyone to follow *Ekādaśī* vows, worship *tulasī*, and visit holy places regularly. He wrote of people who don’t honor Ekādaśī, “They shall be affected by the disease of taking birth again and again.” And of people who honor Ekādaśi, he wrote, “They are as good as Lord Viṣṇu.” In the end, a transcendental flower airplane arrived to take Tukārāma to Vaikuṇṭha. He asked his wife and his fellow villagers to join him. But they did not believe him, so he left for Vaikuṇṭha alone while chanting the holy names of Lord. All glories to Tukārāma Mahārāja! *Mahānanda Caitanya Dāsa, a disciple of His Holiness Jayapatāka Swami, is originally from Pune. A mechanical engineer, he now lives in Muscat, Oman, with wife, Prītimayī Rādhikā Devī Dāsī (JPS), and their daughters, Rāsapriyā Devī Dāsī (JPS) and Riya.* Rūpa Gosvāmī: Unique Recipient of Śrī Caitanya’s Mercy *A highly posted government officer renounced the world and became a highly posted leader among Lord Caitanya’s followers.* By Māyāpur-śaśi Dāsa A brief look at the life of an empowered devotee whose extraordinary service helped set the foundations for Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement. The esteemed Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura (born 1520 CE) taught that to understand the loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa we must serve the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī with intense eagerness. He also wrote: > śrī-caitanya-mano-’bhīṣṭaṁ > sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale > svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ > dadāti sva-padāntikam “When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?” Rūpa Gosvāmī was born in 1489. His ancestors are generally believed to have come from Karnataka before his family moved to Jessore, now in modern-day Bangladesh. The area of the world into which Rūpa was born had been ruled by successive empires. Buddhism’s and Hinduism’s popularity had alternated in India, and from the thirteenth century the area had been under the control of the Bengal Sultanate. But the expansion of the Mughal Empire saw the area fall under its control and with it the conversion of much of the populace to Islam. India became the wealthiest region in the whole Mughal Empire. Rūpa’s father had been the private secretary of the Sultan of Bengal, Jalaluddin Fateh Shah, until 1487, when the Shah was assassinated by one of his own presidential guards,1 an act which ended the Ilyas Dynasty of Bengal. *Lifelong Devotees* Rūpa’s brothers were Sanātana Gosvāmī, the oldest, who, like Rūpa, became one of the famed Six Gosvāmīs of Vrindavan, and Vallabha (also called Anupama), the youngest, who became a devout follower of Lord Rāmacandra. From childhood Rūpa and Sanātana were absorbed in pure *bhakti*. Later they built ponds on their land and called them Rādhā-kunda and Syama-kunda, and they named their wooded areas after Vraja’s twelve forests. Perhaps because of their intellectual prowess and their father’s previous employment, these outstanding brothers came to the attention of the new ruler of Bengal, Alauddin Hussain Shah.2 Incredibly for such young men, Rūpa was appointed the Shah’s private secretary (in effect equivalent to prime minister) and given the title Dabir-i-khas, while Sanātana became the chief assistant minister with the title Sākara Mallika.3 Anupama became the state treasurer. One night, Sanātana and Rūpa had the same dream—a holy man visited and told them not to become distracted by their vast opulence but to devote themselves to preaching the glories of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. They were amazed to discover that they had shared the same dream. Rūpa told Sanātana that he was convinced that Lord Kṛṣṇa had descended as Lord Caitanya and that surely He would be able to clarify the meaning of the dream. The brothers first met Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in 1514, not far from where they lived, at Ramakeli. Unbeknownst to them, the Lord had traveled to Ramakeli specifically to meet them. As *Śrī* *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* *(Madhya* 1.207–208) describes: “After hearing the prayer of Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika, *Śrī* Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ‘My dear Dabira Khāsa, you two brothers are My old servants. My dear Sākara Mallika, from this day your names will be changed to *Śrī*la Rūpa and *Śrī*la Sanātana. Now please abandon your humility, for My heart is breaking to see you so humble.’” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu fully understood the humbleness and devotion of Rūpa and Sanātana. The Lord went on to say, “I really had no business in coming to Bengal, but I have come just to see you two brothers.” (*Madhya* 1.212) *Rūpa Resigns* Rūpa was first to resign from his government post. He knew that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was living at Jagannath Puri, and he sent messengers to find out how long the Lord planned to remain there. The messengers returned with news that Mahāprabhu was in Prayaga (Allahabad), and Rūpa and Anupama quickly made their way there. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was staying at the house of a South Indian brāhmaṇa and inevitably had many visitors wishing to spend time with Him. Rūpa chose an appropriate moment to fall at the Lord’s feet with straw between his teeth as a sign of humility. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was delighted to see Rūpa again, and Rūpa offered these beautiful prayers to the Lord: O most munificent incarnation! You are Kṛṣṇa Himself appearing as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kṛṣṇa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You. We offer our respectful obeisances unto that merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead who has converted all three worlds, which were maddened by ignorance, and saved them from their diseased condition by making them mad with the nectar from the treasure-house of love of God. Let us take full shelter of that Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, whose activities are wonderful. (*Madhya* 19.53–54) Although Rūpa and his brothers were from a highly aristocratic brāhmaṇa family, the rigid Hindu traditionalists considered them fallen because of their close association with the Muslim Nawab. They no longer accepted them as brāhmaṇas but considered them untouchables. Nevertheless, Vaiṣṇava devotees are above caste and creed, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu unhesitatingly accepted Rūpa as a gosvāmī. For ten days in Prayag the Lord empowered Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī with the intimate teachings of Vaiṣṇavism. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī the ultimate limit of the truth about Lord Kṛṣṇa, the truth about devotional service and the truth about transcendental mellows, culminating in conjugal love between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Finally He told Rūpa Gosvāmī about the ultimate conclusions of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*. By entering the heart of Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu empowered him to ascertain properly the conclusions of all truths. He made him an experienced devotee whose decisions correctly agreed with the verdicts of the disciplic succession. Thus Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī was personally empowered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (*Madhya* 19.115, 117) Consider the bliss that Rūpa must have felt after meeting Lord Caitanya—Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself in the mood of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī—and receiving clear instructions not only on the philosophy of Vaiṣṇavism but also on his life’s service. He would devote himself wholeheartedly to rediscovering the places of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in Vrindavan, which had long remained hidden. He would write devotional literature and teach others the rules of devotional service (*bhakti-yoga*). *Śrī* *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* *(Madhya* 19.1) reveals the magnitude of *Śrī*la Rūpa Gosvāmī’s importance: > vṛndāvanīyāṁ rasa-keli-vārtāṁ > kālena luptāṁ nija-śaktim utkaḥ > sañcārya rūpe vyatanot punaḥ sa > prabhur vidhau prāg iva loka-sṛṣṭim “Before the creation of this cosmic manifestation, the Lord enlightened the heart of Lord Brahmā with the details of the creation and manifested the Vedic knowledge. In exactly the same way, the Lord, being anxious to revive the Vrindavan pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, impregnated the heart of Rūpa Gosvāmī with spiritual potency. By this potency, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī could revive the activities of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, activities almost lost to memory. In this way, He spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness throughout the world.” *On to Vrindavan* After the Lord taught and empowered Śrī Rūpa, He prepared to travel to Benares. Rūpa wished never to leave His side, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed him to go to Vrindavan, suggesting that they would meet again in Puri. Śrī Rūpa traveled to Vrindavan with Anupama. They stayed there for a month, and Śrī Rūpa wrote the introduction to a drama but was unsure how to continue. They decided to search for Sanātana. He had left his government post, and they believed he must be somewhere along the banks of the Ganges. When they reached Prayag once again, they discovered that Sanatana had been there but had left for Vrindavan by a different route. Intensely missing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Srī Rūpa decided to meet Him once again in Puri. As they were traveling, Anupama fell ill and passed away. This delayed Srī Rūpa’s travels. When Rūpa resumed his journey, he stopped for a night in Satyabhama Pura, Orissa. That night, Satyabhāmā, one of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s chief queens in Dwarka, came to Rūpa in a dream. “Write a separate drama about me,” she said. “By my mercy it will be extraordinarily beautiful.” (*Antya* 1.42) Rūpa understood. He would divide the drama he had started about Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in Vrindavan and Dwarka into two separate works. *With Śrī Caitanya in Puri* Absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, he continued his journey to Puri, where he reached the hut of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu promptly joined them, and the three eagerly exchanged news. The following day, the Lord introduced Rūpa to His intimate associates, declaring to Advaita Ācārya and Nityānanda Prabhu, “May Rūpa Gosvāmī, by Your mercy, become so powerful that he will be able to describe the transcendental mellows of devotional service.” (*Antya* 1.57) Rūpa Gosvāmī, because of His prior association with Muslims, and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, because he was born in a Muslim family, could not visit the Jagannātha temple, but Lord Caitanya would visit them every day to discuss Kṛṣṇa’s activities and bring them prasādam. One day Lord Caitanya told Rūpa, “Do not try to take Kṛṣṇa out of Vrindavan, for He does not go anywhere else at any time.” This confirmed the dream in which Satyabhāmā had appeared before him and told him to split his drama into two. Rūpa attended the Rathayātrā festival and saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu dance before Lord Jagannātha. It was the Lord’s habit to recite a verse while dancing in front of the chariot, but no one but Svarūpa Dāmodara could understand its meaning. That very personality who stole my heart during my youth is now again my master. These are the same moonlit nights of the month of Caitra. The same fragrance of mālatī flowers is there, and the same sweet breezes are blowing from the kadamba forest. In our intimate relationship, I am also the same lover, yet still my mind is not happy here. I am eager to go back to that place on the bank of the Revā under the Vetasī tree. That is my desire. (*Antya* 1.78) While this seems to be the ordinary pining of a woman for her lover, Rūpa grasped the Lord’s intention and wrote another verse on a palm leaf to reveal what he had heard: My dear friend, now I have met My very old and dear friend Kṛṣṇa on this field of Kurukṣetra. I am the same Rādhārāṇī, and now We are meeting together. It is very pleasant, but I would still like to go to the bank of the Yamunā beneath the trees of the forest there. I wish to hear the vibration of His sweet flute playing the fifth note within that forest of Vṛndāvana. (Antya-līlā 1.79) Rūpa then stuffed the leaf into the thatched roof of his hut and went to bathe in the sea. Just then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu decided to visit Rūpa. Seeing the leaf, the Lord pulled it from the thatch and upon reading it was overwhelmed with love of Kṛṣṇa. When Rūpa returned, the Lord said, “My heart is very confidential. How did you know My mind in this way?” After saying this, He firmly embraced Rūpa. (*Antya* 1.84) The Lord then showed the verse to Svarapa Dāmodara, who understood that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must have bestowed His full mercy on Rūpa. Lord Caitanya’s devotees visiting from Bengal returned there after the Rathayātrā festival, but Rūpa remained in Puri to be near the Lord. The Lord asked Rūpa about the subject of a book he was writing, and when Rūpa showed him a page (leaf) of it, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu declared, “The handwriting of Rūpa Gosvāmī is just like rows of pearls.” The Lord brought others to hear excerpts of Rūpa’s writing, and their hearts were all filled with love for the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and intense gratitude to Rūpa for expressing the Lord’s innermost feelings so perfectly. Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya commented, “Your poetic expressions are like continuous showers of nectar.” After the Dola-yātrā (Holi) festival, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed Rūpa to return to Vrindavan and not only to continue to write but also to execute the other missions He had set out for him. “When you go to Vṛndāvana, stay there, preach transcendental literature and excavate the lost holy places. Establish the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa and preach the mellows of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s devotional service. I shall also go to Vṛndāvana once more.” (*Antya* 1.218–219) Rūpa became the exemplar of an austere Vaiṣṇava focused on serving the Lord twenty-four hours a day, barely sleeping, if at all. He lived under trees and ate most simply, usually chickpeas and roti he begged from house to house. His clothes were nothing but torn rags, and yet he chanted the names of the Lord and danced in complete ecstasy, superhumanly achieving the goals Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had assigned him. Rūpa Gosvāmī became a prolific writer. One of his best-known books, *Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu*, was graciously presented by Śrīla Prabhupāda for the English-speaking world as The Nectar of Devotion—in effect a handbook for those following the *bhakti-yoga* path. In his purport to *Śrī* *Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, *Madhya-līlā* 19.132, *Śrī*la Prabhupāda writes: According to Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, distributing literature is like playing on a great mṛdaṅga. Consequently, we always request members of the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness to publish as many books as possible and distribute them widely throughout the world. By thus following in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, one can become a rūpānuga devotee. Indeed, the spiritual line coming to us through the grace of Śrīla Prabhupāda is based on the authority of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, and thus ISKCON devotees may be called rūpānugas—followers in the footsteps of Rūpa Gosvāmī. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī departed from this world in 1564, and his samādhi (tomb) and *bhajana-kuṭīr* (hut for performing spiritual practices) are in the courtyard of the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple in Vrindavan. 1 The assassination is mentioned in A Brief History of Bengal for Diaspora Bangladeshis, by Professor S. Deen. Also: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.) 2 Discussion Paper: Development of Islamic Political System in Bengal (author unknown): “Alauddin Hussain Shah (1493–1519) was founder of Hussain Shahi dynasty (1493–1538) and deliverer of Bengal from Abyssinian tyranny (1487–1493). He assumed the regal title, ‘Khalifah of God by proof and evidence’.” 3 The National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh: “Dabir-i-Khas, a royal prestigious post under the sultanate of Delhi signifying the private secretary of the sultan. During the sultanate period Diwan-i-Insha was the third important department [and] dealt with royal correspondence. Dabir-i-khas presided over this department.” Gopīparāṇadhana Dāsa writes in the front matter of Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta that in effect Rūpa’s activities were equivalent to those of a prime minister. *Māyāpur-śaśi Dāsa, a disciple of His Holiness Keśava Bhāratī Dāsa Goswami, is a retired British Army officer now living in Taiwan.* The *Bhagavad-gītā’s* Three Greatest Secrets *Lord Kṛṣṇa’s instructions to Arjuna involve various levels of confidentiality in regard to the nature of reality.* By Satyarāja Dāsa Lord Kṛṣṇa speaks on different levels of confidentiality in His teachings to Arjuna. “This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.” *(Bhagavad-gītā* 9.2) Generally, when one thinks of esoteric Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava literature, masterworks like Gīta-govinda, Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, Govinda-līlāmṛta, and Gopāla-campū come to mind, since these works embody confidential knowledge of Kṛṣṇa’s loving exchanges with His devotees. Indeed, they require a certain qualification (adhikāra) to fully understand. Cautions abound. Great Vaiṣṇava ācāryas discourage fledgling devotees from entering into these texts too quickly, lest the weeds of confusion throttle their devotional creeper and their spiritual life become utterly compromised. But the *Bhagavad-gītā* is a different matter. We are told that it is a basic text, safe for practitioners at any stage of spiritual development. While this assessment of its introductory stature is true, the Gītā has an esoteric dimension, too, espousing deep, confidential knowledge that holds all the secrets of transcendence, at least in seed form. If we analyze the teachings of the greatest Vaiṣṇava authorities throughout history, such as Śrīdhara Swāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī, Viśvanātha Cakravartī, and Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, we can discern five levels of instruction found in the *Bhagavad-gītā*. First, one finds general teachings and insights, ranging from moral codes and ethical principles to rudimentary spiritual truths. A few examples: “While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises. From anger, delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost, one falls down again into the material pool.” (2.62–63) “For one who has taken his birth, death is certain, and for one who is dead, birth is certain.” (2.27) “He who is temperate in his habits of eating, sleeping, working and recreation can mitigate all material pains by practicing the *yoga* system.” (6.17) These are essentially the teaching of dharma, or duty, and karma-*yoga*, the science of action, along with fundamental philosophical principles, such as reincarnation. A second level of teaching has been described by Kṛṣṇa Himself as “secret,” or guhyam. It usually revolves around the spiritual nature of the soul, how it is distinct from the body and a part of the Supreme Soul. This teaching is found throughout the *Gītā’s* early chapters. It is knowledge of Brahman, the basic spiritual constitution of God, the soul, and the spiritual world. It is the second level of teaching. For the third level, Kṛṣṇa uses the word *guhyatara* (“more secret”), and this refers to the fact that two souls occupy the body—the self (*jīva*) and the Superself (Paramātmā), that is to say, the individual soul and God. This includes the notion that all living beings are subservient to the Supreme and should, through deep contemplation and *yogic* processes, perceive God’s presence everywhere—within the heart of all and within and between every atom. More advanced still, Kṛṣṇa says, is the most secret knowledge (*guhyatamam*), revealed for the first time in the ninth chapter (text 34): “Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.” Implicit in this verse is an emphasis on Kṛṣṇa in His original form as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Clearly, throughout the *Gītā* Kṛṣṇa’s divine personhood is acknowledged as the most confidential aspect of spiritual truth. He states this Himself: “Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is to be understood as the knower of everything, and he therefore engages himself in full devotional service, O son of Bharata.” (15.19) Immediately after making this most important proclamation, He adds, “This is the most confidential [*guhyatamam*] part of the Vedic scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise, and his endeavors will know perfection.” (15.20) Moreover, 9.34 is where Kṛṣṇa first recommends becoming His devotee (man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ), a teaching He will reiterate in the eighteenth chapter. In other words, this instruction is so important and confidential, He says it twice. The urgency of becoming a devotee, as expressed here, is the *Bhagavad-gītā’s* fourth level of instruction. Yet Kṛṣṇa’s straightforward articulation of this truth in chapter nine does not include an explanation of just how He feels about His devotees. True, He says that one should absorb one’s mind and consciousness in Him, and that because of this one will come to Him in the end. But for a deeper understanding of why Kṛṣṇa makes this promise—or why such absorption is so dear to Him—one must look to the reiteration of this verse in the eighteenth chapter (text 65): “Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.” While most of this verse is the same as the one in chapter nine, the last few words are different, offering us knowledge that is yet more confidential. In chapter nine, the final part of the verse says, *mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ*: “Being completely devoted and absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.” In 18.65, however, Kṛṣṇa ends the verse by saying, *mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te pratijane priyo ’si me*: “Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.” In chapter nine, then, Kṛṣṇa emphasized His devotees’ love for Him, but here He focuses on His love for His devotees. Although Kṛṣṇa’s additional words in chapter eighteen are hardly highlighted outside the Gauḍīya tradition, for followers of Śrī Caitanya they overflow with meaning. Indeed, embedded in these words is the most secret of all secrets (*sarva-guhyatamam*), for it gives a hint of the love that abides between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. It is not a one-way affair, but reciprocal. The tradition has thus detected the seed of rasa, or rapturous relationship, in this verse, and although not expounded upon in the *Gītā*, stalwarts of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism would eventually unpack it for the Vaiṣṇava world. It should also be noted that Śrī Caitanya Himself highlighted this verse as the most important or powerful (*balavān*) instruction of the *Gītā*. (See *Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, *Madhya* 22.57–59.) In terms of the text’s three “secret” teachings, then, one can discount the first level of instruction, since it is not delivered as a secret message but rather as underlying truth. Kṛṣṇa’s secret instruction begins with the second level of teaching, and it is essentially the teaching of Brahman, or the impersonal Absolute, and the nature of the soul. The third level, which focuses on Paramātmā, is seen as more confidential, and indicates the second level of secret truth. The fourth and fifth dimensions of instruction can be combined into one, for they both focus on the worship of Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Person, though the more esoteric level of being “dear to Kṛṣṇa” is certainly a higher conception. In fact, it is this notion of having a loving relationship with Kṛṣṇa that is the third and ultimate secret of the *Gītā*. Briefly, in terms of the Sanskrit: *guhyam* is positive knowledge, *guhyatara* is comparative knowledge, and *guhyatamam* is superlative knowledge. Sarva-*guhyatamam* is the complete form of superlative knowledge, and the topmost secret of all secret teachings. Because *sarva* means “all,” it is an enhanced form of *guhyatamam*. *Traditional Commentators* Over the centuries, Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava teachers have articulated these secret levels of truth in slightly different ways, though in the end they naturally point to the same underlying formulation. The lauded Vaiṣṇava commentator Śrīdhara Svāmī (c. fourteenth century), for example, conveys an early version of this when explaining *Bhagavad-gītā* 9.1, expressing the idea in general terms: “The secret knowledge (*guhyam*), *jñāna*, was [articulated elsewhere]. The more secret knowledge (*guhyataram*) is knowledge of antaryāmī. The most secret knowledge is worship consisting of complete surrender and the mind thinking of the Lord, the Supreme Person.”* Jīva Gosvāmī adds further insight into the highest level of confidentiality in his *Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha* (*Anuccheda* 82.2): [Because it is specifically Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s glory that is unparalleled and unsurpassable, He Himself in the concluding statement of the *Gītā*, the essence of the meaning of all scripture, instructed Arjuna in His bhajana alone, which surpasses that of all other manifestations. This bhajana is in the form of love for Bhagavān, which is venerated by all devotees as the most confidential secret of all *(sarva-guhyatamam)*. . . . [Śrī Jīva now quotes the *Gītā* on the respective truths of Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Then:] [The] *Gītā* is prescriptive of the supreme goal alone *(paramārtha)*. And even among teachings on the supreme goal, the *Gītā*’s precepts are more confidential *(guhyatara)* than other instructions, as stated above: “Hear again My supreme instruction, the foremost of all secrets *(sarva-guhyatama)* (*Gītā* 18.64). This more confidential knowledge *(guhyatara)* is presented from verse 18.61 onward. . . . [*Gītā* 18.63 says:] This knowledge [of Īśvara, or Paramātmā] is more confidential *(guhyataram)* even than the knowledge of Brahman, which is specified simply as confidential *(guhya)*. The comparative suffix tarap [applied to the word guhya] is used to show the superiority of the former over the latter. Śrī Jīva goes on to show that even among incarnations and manifestations of God, such as Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa is the highest and thus the most appropriate recipient of all worship. He also emphasizes that Kṛṣṇa reveals all this to Arjuna because he is “most dear to Him,” using the words “extremely dear” (*dṛḍha iṣṭa*). Kṛṣṇa, says Śrī Jīva, “thus exhibits special love for Arjuna,” and it is this that is the most confidential of all the *Gītā’s* secrets. Indeed, it is this all-encompassing love that Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava practitioners aspire for. Viśvanātha Cakravartī (c. 1626–1708), in commenting on *Gītā* 9.1, broadens the scope, averring that any knowledge leading to liberation could be considered confidential (*guhya*), and that this can be seen as a general reference to Brahman. He identifies this knowledge as coming from the *Gītā*’s “second, third, and other chapters.” In contrast, knowledge revealed in the seventh and eighth chapters, he says, which is suitable for attaining Kṛṣṇa, i.e., knowledge of the Lord within the heart, can be called *guhya*tara, “more secret.” Finally, says Viśvanātha, in the eighteenth chapter the Lord delivers knowledge that is kevala, or pure, in the realm of *śuddha-bhakti*, or untainted devotion, which is “by far *guhya*tamam, or ‘most secret.’” *Modern Commentators* While Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (1838–1914), one of the greatest teachers of the modern era, offers a general overview of the three secret levels, he then more precisely explains them as referring to Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. First, his initial statement as found in his *Gītā* commentary on 9.1: “The wisdom of self-realisation in the second and third chapters of *Śrī* *Gītā* are the profound (*guhyam*) teachings of Lord *Śrī* Kṛṣṇa. The Lord’s descriptions of Himself as the Supreme in the seventh and eighth chapters are more profound *(guhyataram)*, indicating that knowledge gives birth to devotion. In chapter nine, the most profound *(guhyatamam)* teachings begin as the Lord describes the symptoms of exclusive devotion *(kevala-bhakti)*.” But Bhaktivinoda continues. He quotes Kṛṣṇa in his commentary to 18.64: I spoke *brahma-jñāna*, knowledge of My featureless aspect, to you. This knowledge is confidential (guhya). And I told you of *īśvara-jñāna*, knowledge of My localized aspect, which is more confidential (guhyatara). Now, I am instructing you on *bhagavat-jñāna*, knowledge of My personal aspect, which is most confidential (guhyatamam). Please listen. This *bhagavat-jñāna* is superior to all the other teachings I have given in *Bhagavad-gītā*. I am imparting it to you for your welfare, because you are very dear to Me. *Bhagavat-jñāna*, according to Bhaktivinoda, can be divided into two levels of knowledge, as explained in the beginning of this article. The first level, in *Gītā* 9.34, is said to emphasize the importance of our love for God, in that we are instructed to become His devotee and to think of Him always. But this is only the initial stage. Thus, Bhaktivinoda writes, “In chapter nine, the most profound *(guhyatamam)* teachings begin as the Lord describes the symptoms of exclusive devotion *(kevala-bhakti)*.” Note that he says that this is where they begin. But when they are reiterated in 18.65, they appear with a new ending, and here we learn of God’s love for us, which is not only the most confidential teaching but the culmination of true knowledge (vedānta). Western academics acknowledge this truth as well. Renowned Gītā scholar Robert Minor writes in his classic The *Bhagavad Gita*: An Exegetical Commentary (South Asia Books, 1982), “Whereas the former was ‘more secret than the secret,’ in 18.64–69, Kṛṣṇa gives his final message which is his ‘supreme message,’ *śṛṇu me paramaṁ*, and ‘the highest secret of all,’ *sarva-guhyatamaṁ*. This secret is the devotion, *bhakti*, to Kṛṣṇa, which is the key to all else (18.65–66), but Arjuna is able to hear it only because he is greatly loved by Kṛṣṇa.” (emphasis added) Thus Kṛṣṇa’s reciprocation with His pure devotee is recognized outside the tradition as well, at least intellectually. This same notion has been eloquently highlighted by the devotee scholar Graham Schweig. In his edition of the Gītā, known as *Bhagavad Gītā*: The Beloved Lord’s Secret Love Song (HarperOne, 2010), he re-envisions the three levels of guhyam for the contemporary world, based squarely on the original Sanskrit text. First, he combines the ethical and moral teachings of the *Gītā* with the first level of secret instruction, which can be aligned with a general spiritual sensibility, known as Brahman, as mentioned by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Then, for the second level, Schweig highlights loving God, which is, of course, among the *Gītā*’s central teachings, particularly in chapter nine. Schweig’s description of the ultimate secret clearly parallels that of his predecessors. To elaborate, he writes about “the great secret,” “the greater secret,” and “the greatest secret of all.” Although what constitutes these different levels of secret teachings is presented throughout the sacred text itself, in numerous layers, they are, as Schweig points out, most dramatically declared in the final, eighteenth, chapter, progressively building from the great message to the greatest. In order of appearance, Schweig continues, these secrets might be expressed as follows: (1) The first secret is how we should act in the outer world of conflict; that is, we should always act out of love. Love should inform all our actions, he says, as much as possible. The *Gītā* lets us know how to do this. (2) The greater secret is that God, in whatever way one perceives of Him, should be fully embraced with a mood of loving devotion, stemming from within the devotee’s own heart. (3) The greatest secret of all appears in verses 18.64–66, says Schweig, in which Kṛṣṇa reveals that He fully reciprocates His devotee’s love: “You are so much loved by me,” Kṛṣṇa says. While most editions or translations emphasize that the devotee needs to develop love for God, Schweig’s edition notes that Kṛṣṇa loves His devotee, too. Perhaps more than we can ever love Him. This, indeed, is the ultimate secret of the *Gītā*. *The Jewel in the Jewel Box* The *Gītā* is traditionally described as a jewel box, containing the most precious gems of *kṛṣṇa-bhakti*, or love of God. Far from being a rudimentary spiritual literature, it has the content to bring one directly in touch with the spiritual realm, particularly if one reads it in disciplic succession, taking shelter of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s *Bhagavad-gītā* As It Is. It was Viśvanātha Cakravartī who popularized the jewel box analogy, dividing the *Gītā’s* eighteen chapters into three sections. He writes that the first six are primarily concerned with *karma*, or the “actions” that bring one closer to God, and that the final six focus on *jñāna*, which uses “knowledge” in pursuit of transcendence. The middle six chapters give us *bhakti*, or devotion—the *Gītā’s* essence and its highest prize. Viśvanātha writes: The final six chapters of the scripture *Śrī Gītā* are jewels of spiritual education. They form part of a treasure chest containing the rarest secret of *bhakti*, or devotional service. The first six chapters, dealing with *karma*, form the golden lower part of the chest, and the third six chapters, dealing with *jñāna*, form its gem-studded cover. The *bhakti* found within is the most precious treasure in the three worlds. It has the power to bring Śrī Kṛṣṇa under one’s control. In commenting on the above, Viśvanātha’s disciple Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa takes the analogy further, addressing the verses highlighted in this article. According to Baladeva, the following verses are like a confidential inscription on the box, revealing its true meaning and value: “Because you are very dear to Me,” Lord Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, His exemplary devotee, “I am speaking to you the most confidential part of knowledge. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit. Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are dear to Me.” (18.64–65) In the entire *Gītā* there are only two instances of texts being spoken twice, and the other instance is not pertinent in the present context.** Verses 9.34 and 18.65, however, are extremely pertinent, for here Kṛṣṇa utters an ultimate, secret truth about becoming His devotee, and this occurs at the *Gītā*’s center, as the last verse of the ninth chapter (9.34). Significantly, this verse is found in the heart of the *Gītā*’s *bhakti* section, as a central feature of the transcendental jewel box, and again toward the *Gītā*’s end, where Kṛṣṇa reveals the culmination of all knowledge. In other words, this verse is so significant, and so much at the heart of Kṛṣṇa’s teaching, that He deigns to repeat it, emphasizing this fact with the word bhūyaḥ, “again,” in 18.64. And in this same verse, Kṛṣṇa also underlines that this teaching—to always think of Him and become His devotee—is the most confidential part of knowledge, and that His love for His devotees is even more confidential than that. *In this article I have relied on translations by Bhānu Swami, Kuśakratha Dāsa, and Satyanārāyaṇa Dāsa. My thanks to them. **The other instance of a verse being repeated in the *Gītā* occurs at 3.35 and 18.47, where we are told that it is better to engage in one’s own duty imperfectly than to engage in another person’s duty perfectly. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*: The Fully Mature Teachings of the *Gītā* Śrīla Prabhupāda states in his commentary on 18.64: “The Lord has given Arjuna knowledge that is confidential (knowledge of Brahman) and still more confidential (knowledge of the Supersoul within everyone’s heart), and now He is giving the most confidential part of knowledge: just surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At the end of the Ninth Chapter He has said, *man-manāḥ*: ‘Just always think of Me.’ The same instruction is repeated here to stress the essence of the teachings of *Bhagavad-gītā*. . . . This is the most important instruction in all Vedic literature.” The secrets in the *Gītā* fully mature in the *Śrīmad-*Bhāgavatam**, the “ripened fruit of the Vedic tree of knowledge,” wherein the fruit’s “secretive” nature is laid bare: “The Supreme Lord said: ‘The knowledge acquired about Me is very confidential [*guhyam*] and is realized in combination with devotional service . . .’” (2.9.31) Here, in this section of the *Bhāgavatam*, and developing further through its subsequent ten cantos, the most secret knowledge is explained in detail: Who is Bhagavān, in both His original form and His various manifestations? How can one define His multifarious energies? How does the Lord interact with these energies? How does the first created being enact the instructions given to him by the Lord Himself? It is not coincidental that the *Bhāgavatam*’s four nutshell verses (2.9.33–36) follow immediately thereafter and contain the essence of the scripture as a whole. The *Bhāgavatam* expands on these questions and others, and by way of answering offers details of the ultimate secret, including devotional service (*sa-rahasyam*) and love of God *(prema-bhakti)*, elaborating upon our love for Him and His love for us. *Satyarāja Dāsa, a disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda, is a BTG associate editor and founding editor of the Journal of Vaishnava Studies. He has written more than thirty books on Kṛṣṇa consciousness and lives near New York City.* Our Internal and External Missions *Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered His followers to work for the ultimate benefit of themselves and others.* by Viśākhā Devī Dāsī As aspiring devotees of Kṛṣṇa, our duties to ourselves and others are complimentary. “One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.” *(Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, *Ādi* 9.*41)* When quoting this verse, spoken by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrīla Prabhupāda would often point out that in ancient times “Bhārata-varṣa” referred not just to India—as it did in Lord Caitanya’s time and still does today—but to this entire planet. Therefore the words of Śrī Caitanya, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can be taken to mean that He enjoins all the people of the world—every one of us without exception—to participate in a twofold mission: (1) to make our own lives successful and (2) to work for others’ benefit. To make our own lives successful is our internal mission: to spiritually progress by following the principles of *bhakti-yoga* as instructed by Śrīla Prabhupāda. To benefit others is our external mission: to assist in pushing on Kṛṣṇa’s movement by using our intelligence, talents, and assets in His service. These twofold missions go hand in hand. As we individually progress spiritually by our sādhana—our practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness—we naturally want to offer Kṛṣṇa consciousness to others. Kindhearted people want to share their valuables. And when we see people’s lives improve as they come closer to Kṛṣṇa, we’re enlivened to increase the quality of our sādhana so we may also come closer to Kṛṣṇa. Sādhana and the distribution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness nurture each other. *Our Internal “Roots,” “Trunk,” and “Crown”* The concept of our internal mission may be made memorable through a tree analogy. A tree’s health depends on its strong root system. As healthy roots go deep, sādhana-bhaktas take daily steps to improve themselves by increasing their attentiveness to their service to Kṛṣṇa. They read, hear, contemplate, apply lessons from the scriptures, and feel Kṛṣṇa’s presence in their lives. They call out to Him, chant His names, pray to Him with absorption, and strengthen their relationship with Him. Gradually, they fully identify with Kṛṣṇa’s wonderful family of devotees, and their love for Kṛṣṇa and His devotees develops. To come to this coveted point, each one of us first needs to be convinced of answers to the basic questions “Who am I?” and “What am I supposed to do?” Kṛṣṇa says, *mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ*: “The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts.” (*Gītā* 15.7) We are not our body or mind but an eternal spirit soul, a part of Kṛṣṇa and meant to serve Him. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, “The svarūpa, or constitutional position, of the living being is the rendering of service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (*Bhagavad-gītā As It Is*, Introduction) With certainty in our actual, divine identity, and knowing that the soul’s function is to serve the Supreme Lord, we perform devotional service to Kṛṣṇa seriously and sincerely. Although our attempts may be imperfect, we respect ourselves for trying. Daily we learn about Kṛṣṇa consciousness from Śrīla Prabhupāda, from our spiritual master, and from our peers, and try to reflect on the knowledge from various viewpoints. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains, “The proper function of the brain or psychological activity is to understand everything through Kṛṣṇa’s perspective or point-of-view, and so there is no limit to that understanding because Kṛṣṇa is unlimited, and even though it can be said that the devotee who knows Kṛṣṇa, he knows everything (15th chapter), still, the philosophical process never stops and the devotee continues to increase his knowledge even though he knows everything. Try to understand this point.” (Letter, January 21, 1972) In another letter, written six months later, Śrīla Prabhupāda made a similar statement: “I am very much stressing nowadays that my students shall increase their reading of my books and try to understand them from different angles of vision. Each sloka [verse] can be seen from many, many angles of vision, so become practiced in seeing things like this.” (June 16, 1972) We continue to deepen and strengthen our Kṛṣṇa conscious “roots” by trusting the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and confidentially revealing our mind to compatible devotees and, in turn, hearing from them confidentially. The exalted Vaiṣṇava teacher Rūpa Gosvāmī explains that these practices—*guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati*, revealing one’s mind in confidence and inquiring confidentially—are some of the ways devotees express their love for one another. In Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words, “One should inquire about the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and open his mind in order to understand the situation of this material world. Thus the *guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati* principles can be served.” (The Nectar of Instruction 4, Purport) The tree’s trunk can be compared to the lifestyle choices we make to further our internal mission. We need to balance our material and spiritual responsibilities and try to excel in both areas. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains: “A devotee’s one qualification is dakṣa—dakṣa, expert. Out of the twenty-six qualifications, a devotee is always very expert in dealing. It is not that because they have left anything material, they do not know how to deal with material things. Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī did it. Perhaps you know the story. Political. Although he had nothing to do with material things, when there was a political gain, he tackled it very nicely when he was a young man. But the devotees, although not interested in material things, but for Kṛṣṇa’s sake they deal with material things very expertly. That should be the qualification of a devotee: expert.” (Conversation, March 16, 1976) Another part of the “trunk” of our internal mission is to lead a healthy life, to take care of ourselves mentally, physically, and emotionally. Kṛṣṇa Himself says, “He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the *yoga* system.” (*Gītā* 6.17) *Sādhana-bhaktas*, following the principles of *bhakti*, fulfill their vows, live with balance and integrity, and develop saintly qualities. The crown of the tree is the part most visible. Yet the crown also has an internal component: In my service to Kṛṣṇa I may become publicly visible—singing, speaking, teaching aspects of spiritual life. But within myself, am I consistently oriented toward spiritual progress, or does part of me seek material fame, wealth, and power from my prominence? *Śrīmad-*Bhāgavatam** (4.22.32) declares, “There is no stronger obstruction to one’s self-interest than thinking other subject matters to be more pleasing than one’s self-realization.” Although externally the crown of the tree may appear healthy, if the tree becomes infested with beetles, it will eventually wither. Similarly, if we fail to keep our priorities in order, our spiritual life becomes infested with material desires, and we will wither internally and externally. “As a result of continually thinking of sense objects, one’s real consciousness almost becomes lost.” (*Bhāgavatam* 4.22.30) We want to follow the directives of our spiritual master and at the same time, aware that the realization and application of Kṛṣṇa consciousness embraces many nuances, avoid becoming overconfident and proud. We are trying to become aware of God, along with many other sincere souls who are trying similarly. In this mood, we’re frank about our weaknesses, rectify them, and remain consistently clear and focused on the importance of spiritual life. Eventually we will experience the unexcelled happiness of executing unmotivated, uninterrupted devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. *Our External Mission* To benefit others by propagating Kṛṣṇa consciousness (our external mission), it’s often necessary to be part of a team. A well-functioning team is usually more effective than individuals working separately. As with the internal mission, the vital elements that make a strong team of devotees also correspond to the tree analogy. In a devotee team, the healthy “root system” is a mutual conviction that the team exists to improve people’s lives by offering them Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To that end, team members adhere strictly to fundamental principles that guide their behavior and decisions and preserve their integrity. All the team members share the core values of *bhakti-yoga* and among themselves do not tolerate violations of those values. At the same time, the team is thoughtful (not fanatic) about how to best communicate their firm moral and spiritual convictions to others. Just as we individually need to respect ourselves for sincerely trying to execute *bhakti*, each member of a well-functioning team respects every other team member. As we need to daily hear about Kṛṣṇa consciousness to grow internally, so each member of a good team is perpetually curious, probes for understanding, and readily learns from other team members and people outside the team. Each member trusts and is vulnerable to other team members, is able to identify critical issues, and can bring them forward openly. These are aspects of guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati, revealing one’s mind in confidence and inquiring confidentially. Part of our internal mission is to be in touch with our mental, physical, and emotional needs and respond to those appropriately. Similarly, team members need to have good intercommunication skills, be willing to debate important issues, and respond practically and appropriately to those issues. As we are enjoined to be spiritually and materially dutiful, so team members are enjoined to follow through on their particular responsibilities and to rectify and recover quickly from their mistakes. Internally, we strive to be selfless in our service to Kṛṣṇa; correspondingly, team members should not be interested in personal gain but focused on the collective good. As with one’s internal mission, team members commit to decisions, share the same priorities, stand by those, and express them clearly and consistently. The team’s “trunk” is their agreed upon answer to the question “What do we do?” Most devotee teams offer people the opportunity to develop spiritually by somehow or other engaging in Kṛṣṇa’s service—through hearing about Him, chanting His names, remembering Him, and pleasing Him in various ways. The trunk also means, “How do we measure our success?” In the final analysis, devotee teams want to please Śrīla Prabhupāda by coming closer to Kṛṣṇa themselves and bringing others closer to Him. Regarding our internal mission, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, “Without hearing and following the instructions, the show of devotional service becomes worthless and therefore a sort of disturbance in the path of devotional service.” *(Bhāgavatam* 1.2.12, Purport) Similarly, a team of devotees who do not share a common vision and the process for achieving it will be ineffective and even a disturbance. *Both Our Missions* The most visible part of the tree, the crown, is analogous to the devotees’ contributions to benefit society. By actively engaging their talents, skills, and abilities in Kṛṣṇa’s service, and by taking responsibility for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission, devotees, whether individually or as a team, reach out to, care for, and encourage others in spiritual life, the highest service to all living beings. “By acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness one can render the highest service to everyone—namely self, family, society, country, humanity, etc. If Kṛṣṇa is satisfied by one’s actions, then everyone will be satisfied.” (*Gītā* 2.41, Purport) In a letter (January 9, 1973), Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote, “Service to humanity means *jnana*. By giving people knowledge, *jnana*, that is the highest service to humanity. So we are performing the actual welfare work of society by informing everyone through our literatures who is God, who they are, and what is the relationship. In this way everyone who hears our message gets the opportunity to fulfill his actual position as a human entity and become delivered from the clutches of maya [illusion].” Whether alone or part of a team, one can benefit others by giving them genuine spiritual life. How to do this is not stereotyped or rote, but requires God-given sensitivity and intelligence. In Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words, “One must have full confidence in the previous *ācārya*, and at the same time one must realize the subject matter so nicely that he can present the matter for the particular circumstances in a suitable manner. The original purpose of the text must be maintained. No obscure meaning should be screwed out of it, yet it should be presented in an interesting manner for the understanding of the audience. This is called realization.” *(Bhāgavatam* 1.4.1, Purport) Both internally and externally, in the apparent sameness of our message and mission we need to find perpetual freshness in the unlimited beauty of our unchanging yet always changing Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. We build on the timeless principles He has given us and find we have a renewed sense of what’s important and a renewed eagerness to pursue it. With humility, gratitude, and thoughtfulness, we try to progress in spiritual life. Both the internal and external missions are important, but of the two, the internal mission takes priority. “Understanding is one thing, and practical application of that understanding is another. But as devotees of Kṛṣṇa, being engaged in the practical work of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is already the highest realization. That’s all right, that is our real mission, to deliver the world by preaching Kṛṣṇa’s message to others, but even higher realization, the highest realization, is to save oneself.” (Śrīla Prabhupāda letter, January 9, 1973) When we bring strength and courage to both our internal and external missions, we will surely blossom spiritually, just as we are meant to. [COVER: The Deity of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī at New Vrindaban, West Virginia. Background painting by Puskara Dāsa.] Letters *A Jain Hari Bhakta* I am a Jain, and I want to do *Hari* *bhakti*. Can you tell me how I should start my *bhakti* and what I can do to come closer to the Lord? I am very attached to Lord Rāma as well as Lord Kṛṣṇa. So can I do *bhakti* to both of Them simultaneously? Umang Bhansali Via the Internet *Reply:* *Bhakti* is the natural propensity to love God, whether it be Lord Rāma or Lord Kṛṣṇa or His other forms. Devotees of Kṛṣṇa naturally have *bhakti* for His other forms, understanding them to be nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Each person has a unique relationship with the Lord. One starts the practice of *bhakti* by hearing about Him and glorifying His unlimited characteristics and pastimes. Then one should take every opportunity to serve Him and tell others about Him. With God in the center of one’s life, then everything becomes spiritual. So do whatever helps you focus on Him. You should have the expert guidance of a spiritual master to help you in your spiritual practices of purification. Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself recommends this in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (4.34). We aspiring devotees begin our day with chanting the holy names of the Lord and reading about His pastimes. That helps us focus during the day and remember that we are His eternal servants. We also offer our food to Him, and then we enjoy the food as His *prasādam* (“mercy”). Try to get in touch with ISKCON devotees for further guidance. You can find a list of our temples at centres.iskcon.org. *Modern Technology and God* I have a few questions. In this century with so many technological and scientific advancements, man today has been sending satellites and rovers to Mars, the moon, and several other parts of the solar system. Does this mean that the conception of God is a fallacy? Does this mean that God doesn’t exist or, if He exists, that we have managed to be equal to His power? There are so many gods—Śiva, Durgā, Kālī, Gaṇeśa, Sarasvatī, and so on. And there are so many temples—Kedarnath, Badrinath, Dakhshineshwar Kali. If people accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme God, will they no longer visit these holy places? Should we abandon these temples? And what about the devotees? Should they abandon their *ārādhya* *devatā* or *devī* [worshipable god or goddess]? Satyaki Basu Sarbadhikary Via the Internet *Reply:* If you study the scriptures, you will find that space travel has been going on for thousands of years because in other ages people were more technologically advanced than we are today. While Kṛṣṇa was on the earth five thousand years ago, space travel was going on. Demigods were visiting other planets, and there were people like Nārada who could move throughout space in their own body. Arjuna even got to go with Kṛṣṇa on His chariot to see Mahā-Viṣṇu beyond the universe. There are many incidents of space travel described in the Vedic literature. The flying machines were much more sophisticated than they are nowadays. Our elementary attempts to go to the closest planets are childish play compared to what mature *yogis* can do, and are not near approaching the majesty of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He creates and controls all these planets, machines, and people’s intelligence. Even if modern humans have gone to other planets, they all come back because they can’t live there. The Lord is unlimited and infallible, whereas all of us are temporary and imperfect. Therefore we should not offend the Lord, but surrender to Him. Regarding your question about the exclusive worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa, He is the Supreme Lord, and He comments in the *Gītā* that worship of the demigods is misdirected; all worship is really meant for Him. Still, the Vedic literature sometimes condones demigod worship to encourage persons who are so inclined, mainly with fruitive intentions, to acknowledge a higher power beyond themselves. Gradually they can understand that Kṛṣṇa is the source of the demigods. Not everyone is ready to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, so He helps people move toward Him. Therefore demigod worship will naturally go on. We don’t need to worry about that. Kṛṣṇa’s devotees don’t disrespect the demigods. In our guidebook The Nectar of Devotion *(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu)* disrespect of the demigods is listed as one of the offenses that must be avoided by the aspiring devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Lord Caitanya, Kṛṣṇa Himself, visited many temples of demigods in South India during His travels, bowing to and respecting the demigods. So He showed that there is no problem with devotees’ doing that. Still, we pray that in the quest for perfection, everyone will gradually take up the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Soul to Kṛṣṇa I want to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. I want to give my soul to Him. Raj Via the Internet *Reply:* You have made the best choice. We should all finish up our business in the material world and go to Kṛṣṇa. Since we are inexperienced in offering loving devotional service to Him, having been in the material world for many lifetimes, we need to get proper guidance and start a purifying process. That is what our temples are about—engaging our material bodies in a spiritual program. *Bhakti-yoga* is the art of giving everything to Kṛṣṇa. Our consciousness has to be reprogramed from thinking “It is all about me” to thinking “It is all about Kṛṣṇa.” To remind us of our eternal loving service position, we are advised to glorify the Lord, beginning with chanting His holy names. You can visit our temples, even on their live webcams, and see our daily programs. We have many classes and seminars available too, and many books. Begin by reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s *Bhagavad-gītā* As It Is. We study the Vedic scriptures every day to keep our minds purified and enlivened. Make service to Kṛṣṇa your priority in this lifetime and perfect yourself. *Bhakti-yoga* is a joyful process that anyone can take part in. Śrīla Prabhupāda Speaks Out: Always Some War *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.* Śrīla Prabhupāda: I’ve seen in New York that in some quarters it is so nasty. Disaster. So many storefronts and houses lying vacant. Just after my arrival there, I would sometimes walk to see various parts of the city. Hellish condition. People said it was risky, but [laughing] I did not know that it was risky. One electrician who was my friend said, “Oh, Swamiji, you are going to that quarter? It is not for you. Don’t.” “Oh, I do not care. What have I got that they could take from me?” So I was going here and there in New York City. So many nasty quarters. London, also. So many houses vacant. Disciple: Śrīla Prabhupāda, some say there is more chance of being killed in New York City than in the jungle. Violent criminals are roaming the neighborhoods to rob and rape, because they know that very often modern society isn’t going to do much to stop them. These thugs can literally get away with murder. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. People warned me not to go to Central Park in the evening. They said at night nobody goes there. Disciple: That’s quite true, Śrīla Prabhupāda. At night ordinary people are afraid to go there. They have to stay inside, behind locked doors. Nobody can go to the park. Except the muggers and killers. They practically own the place. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Such an important park in such an important city, and no one can go there. Disciple: Śrīla Prabhupāda, it seems people are realizing how bad this modern civilization is. But is there anything this civilization has done that’s good—even if just by accident? People are hoping against hope. because their civilization is so bad. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. That is why they support this “accident” theory of the universe. Because ordinarily in their civilization there is no good. There is no possibility of good. But some good may come by accident, that’s all. Otherwise, jagato ’hitāḥ: world destruction—in their civilization there is only fault. But accidentally, good sometimes comes. Accidentally, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement came here [laughing], although it was already going on in India. Nobody here called for Kṛṣṇa consciousness—the scientists, the politicians. But as if by accident it came. As if by accident they got this benefit. They cannot explain the workings of God; therefore they take everything as an accident. [To disciple:] Go on reading. Disciple [reading from *Bhagavad-gītā* As It Is 16.9]: “The demoniac are engaged in activities that will lead the world to destruction. The Lord states here that they are less intelligent. The materialists, who have no concept of God, think that they are advancing. But according to *Bhagavad-gītā*, they are unintelligent and devoid of all sense. They try to enjoy this material world to the utmost limit and therefore always engage in inventing something for sense gratification. Such materialistic inventions are considered to be advancement of human civilization, but the result is that people grow more and more violent and more and more cruel—cruel to animals and cruel to other human beings. They have no idea how to behave toward one another. Animal killing is very prominent amongst demoniac people. Such people are considered the enemies of the world, because ultimately they will invent or create something which will bring destruction to all. Indirectly, this verse anticipates the invention of nuclear weapons, of which the whole world is today very proud. At any moment war may take place, and these atomic weapons may create havoc. Such things are created solely for the destruction of the world, and this is indicated here. Due to godlessness, such weapons are invented in human society; they are not meant for the peace and prosperity of the world.” Śrīla Prabhupāda: Now discuss. Disciple: If we look back over this century, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we can’t find many years of peace. The Russo-Japanese War, the First World War, the Second World War. the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and hundreds of what they call “low-intensity conflicts.” But always some kind of war going on. Whether in the Middle East or Latin America or Africa, people are always fighting over land and industrial resources. It seems some kind of war always has to be going on. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, always some war. “Cold war” or “hot war,” as they say. When there is the fire of physical combat that is a hot war. And when there are diplomacy and politics that is a cold war. So war is going on. Sometimes it is hot; sometimes it is cold. There is no peace. Disciple: And what’s more, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we even see that among the so-called God conscious communities, still there are such horrible activities going on. Fighting. Śrīla Prabhupāda: No, no. We don’t say that all fighting has to stop. We are drawing a distinction between fighting by demons and fighting by demigods. If you are a demon and you come to attack me. then I must defend myself. What can I do? If you start a war, you are a demon. Shall I decline from fighting you? “No, no. I am a demigod—I shall not fight. You can kill me.” Is that intelligent? I’ll have to fight. But war starts by the instigation of the demoniac. The Kurukshetra war—it was not started by Arjuna. It was started by Duryodhana. From the Editor *With Kṛṣṇa at the Beach* Because we live in Florida, my wife and I often take our granddaughter to the ocean during the summer. She’s twelve now, and we’ve been going to the beach with her since she was about two. So we’ve spent a lot of time there (which accounts for my tanned face on BTG’s Contents pages). I’ve always liked the “elemental” experience of the ocean beach—the feeling of being surrounded by the basic elements of earth, air, water, sky, and fire (sun). We know from the *Bhagavad-gītā* (7.4) that these are Kṛṣṇa’s energies. And for aspiring devotees, the natural opulence of the ocean tends to spark thoughts of Kṛṣṇa and His teachings. For example, the material world is compared to an ocean. This suggests, among other things, that to cross it on one’s own is impossible. Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, however, that for one who takes shelter at Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, the ocean of material existence shrinks down to the amount of water in a calf’s hoofprint. One can easily step over it. In *Bhagavat-sandarbha* Jīva Gosvāmī uses the ocean to make a point about Brahman (the Absolute Truth) and the *jīva*, sometimes said to be identical to Brahman. Jīva Gosvāmī says that when the scriptures seem to equate the *jīva* with God, it is like someone pointing to the ocean and saying, “This is the ocean.” Of course, what is seen is just a part of the ocean; we can’t see the whole ocean. But we can understand something about it just by seeing a small part of it. Similarly, when the Upaniṣads speak of the *jīva* as Brahman, they’re speaking only of an aspect of Kṛṣṇa to give us some sense of Him. Kṛṣṇa says that of bodies of water He is the ocean, implying that because the ocean is the greatest body of water it naturally represents Him, the greatest of everything. When I’m in the ocean I often think that the short distance I’ve traveled from the shore is like the tiny distance I’ve traveled in my understanding of oceanic Kṛṣṇa. Anyone who has spent many hours at the ocean notices how the shoreline changes throughout the day. And even though the waves arrive with a rhythm that might suggest monotony, each breaker is unique, creating a dynamic beauty. Kṛṣṇa’s beauty is dynamic too, and is described in the Ninth Canto as a festival for the eyes. Many things take place during a festival, so it might seem strange to compare someone’s face, which doesn’t noticeably change from moment to moment, to the array of sights at a festival. But the gopīs were angry at Lord Brahmā for creating eyes that blink, causing the gopīs to momentarily lose sight of Kṛṣṇa. They didn’t want to miss anything at the “festival.” Besides water (the ocean), the other elements that make up the beach experience can also inspire Kṛṣṇa thoughts. For example, Kṛṣṇa says that the sun is one of His eyes, and it’s easy to think of Him looking down on us during a sunny day at the beach; the vast blue sky spread out over the ocean reminds us of the hue of Kṛṣṇa’s body; the countless grains of sand always make me think of various countless things we hear about in our scriptures, such as the universes emanating from the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu or the souls inhabiting the material world, waiting for the grace of the Lord’s pure devotees for the opportunity to go to Him—and swim in the ocean of devotion. Hare Kṛṣṇa. —*Nāgarāja Dāsa, Editor* Vedic Thoughts There is a wide gulf between superficial dabbling in philosophy to impress people with a few stock phrases, and a sincere search for knowledge of the Absolute. Through the speculative process it is impossible to fathom the inconceivable topics concerning the Absolute Truth, for they can be understood only through the science of devotion. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda *Renunciation Through Wisdom*, Chapter 5 With great love My devotees see Me and talk with Me. The happiness I feel by associating with My devotees is newer and newer at every moment. Although My desires are always fulfilled, My desire to associate with My devotees never ends. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa *Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya* 14.28 I have no attraction for performing religious rituals or holding any earthly kingdom. I do not care for sense enjoyments; let them appear and disappear in accordance with my previous deeds. My only desire is to be fixed in devotional service to the lotus feet of the Lord, even though I may continue to take birth here life after life. Mahārāja Kulaśekhara *Mukunda-mālā-stotra* 5 Again, offering obeisances unto all you brāhmaṇas, I pray that if I should again take my birth in the material world I will have complete attachment to the unlimited Lord Kṛṣṇa, association with His devotees and friendly relations with all living beings. Mahārāja Parīkṣit *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 1.19.16 Fools fall in love with material sense objects. As they always love sense objects, may I always love You [Lord Nṛsiṁha]. I always meditate on You. I pray that You will never leave my heart. Prahlāda Mahārāja *Viṣṇu Purāṇa* 1.20.19 A soul who knows the bliss that comes from the Supreme Brahman never fears. *Taittirīya Upaniṣad* 2.7.1 O Viṣṇu, Your name is completely transcendental. Thus it is self-manifested. Indeed, even without properly understanding the glories of chanting Your holy name, if we vibrate Your name with at least a small understanding of its glories—that is, if we simply repeat the syllables of Your holy name—gradually we shall understand it. *Rg Veda* 1.156.3 The result of chanting is that one awakens his love for Kṛṣṇa and tastes transcendental bliss. Ultimately, one attains the association of Kṛṣṇa and engages in His devotional service, as if immersing oneself in a great ocean of love. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Śrī *Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, *Antya-līlā* 20.14 BTG55-02, 2021