# Back to Godhead Magazine #58 *2024 (06)* Back to Godhead Magazine #58-06, 2024 PDF-View COVER: In a series of verses known as the *Gopī-gīta*, from the Tenth Canto of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s cowherd girlfriends express their longing for His company. Please see the article beginning on page XX, which discusses an especially instructive verse of the *Gopī-gīta*. (Painting by Dīna-bandhu Dāsa.) Welcome This issue’s cover story touches on a topic that only those at the highest levels of Kṛṣṇa consciousness can fully appreciate: the relationship between Kṛṣṇa and His beloved *gopīs*. While the article, by Gaurāṅga Darśana Dāsa, doesn’t discuss details of the intimate pastime known as the *rāsa* dance, it does deal with a theme within its context—what the *gopīs* said after Kṛṣṇa abruptly disappeared from the dance. Scriptures such as *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, as well as the spiritual authorities who faithfully represent them, warn that premature discussion of Kṛṣṇa’s dealings with the *gopīs* can hinder one’s spiritual progress. Neophyte devotees (not to speak of nondevotees) are unqualified to truly grasp the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa’s sacred interactions with the *gopīs* and may commit offenses by trying to do so. In bodily consciousness, it’s only natural for us to think that what’s going on between Kṛṣṇa and the *gopīs* is like material romance. But it’s not; it’s a spiritual exchange of absolutely pure love devoid of selfish motive. That said, there’s nothing in this issue’s cover story that’s unsuitable for a wide audience. Rather, its message is an important one for all readers to hear. Hare Kṛṣṇa. —*Nāgarāja Dāsa, Editor* Q&A *Many people say that they feel great peace and joy while meditating, praying, or chanting. What is the cause of this feeling?* This feeling comes from the experience of our home within. All of us have experience of the relief we feel on returning home after a long day’s hard work. This subjective feeling is so universal that it has become a phrase. When we find a particular place comfortable and relaxing, we say, “I feel at home.” Solid structures can offer rest for our physical bodies, but where can our stressed and distressed minds find relief and rejuvenation? For that, analogous to the outer home for our bodies we need an inner home for our minds. In fact, all of us already have our inner homes, though we may not think of them in that way. But just as we return to our outer home when we have nothing pressing to do elsewhere, our mind returns to our inner home when there’s no pressing activity to occupy it elsewhere. Therefore, by observing the default thoughts of our mind, we can discover our current inner home, which may be about movies, sports, our bank account, our romance, and so on. Unfortunately, none of these inner homes offer lasting shelter: a movie may turn out to be irritatingly mediocre; a sports match may hand us the very result we didn’t want; an economic crash may empty our bank account; what began as a romance may end as a tragedy. Thus the very thoughts meant to calm our disturbed mind may end up agitating it further. Then where do we find a secure, infallible inner home? In God, say the great wisdom traditions. God is the supreme source and reservoir of the highest peace, joy, and love. When our minds rest in Him, we discover the ultimate inner home. Meditation, prayer, and chanting are all spiritual techniques that connect our mind with God. The Vedic wisdom-tradition explains that among these techniques, hearing the divine sound of prayers and God’s holy names is the most efficacious. This divine sound acts like an elevator that quickly transports our mind to the loving, soothing presence of God. Are such experiences mere sentimental imaginations? Possibly. But then the fact stares us in the face that such experiences have been reported as tangible realities by millions of people all over the world throughout history. Moreover, the healing effects of such spiritual experiences have been objectively documented by hundreds of scientific studies in the field of mind-body medicine. Therefore, when we spend so much time and money to choose the best possible outer home, why not be a bit open-minded, invest a little time daily in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and check out the option of a better inner home? *If God is good, then why does He allow suffering?* The pains of the world serve as protectors from a far greater pain. The Discovery Health Channel’s *Mystery Diagnosis* episode that aired on November, 21, 2009, had an intriguing title: “The Boy Who Never Cried.” It featured an infant, Baby Carson, who suffered from an extremely rare disorder called Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis (CIPA). Children with CIPA feel no pain, nor do they sweat or shed tears. They are highly vulnerable to injuring themselves in ways that would ordinarily be prevented by feeling pain. For example, they often have eye-related problems, like infection due to having unfeelingly rubbed the eyes too hard or too frequently or having scratched them during sleep. CIPA children like Carson often play recklessly, being unafraid of banging into anything. From a child’s short-sighted perspective, obliviousness to pain may seem a blessing that grants fearlessness. But from a mature parental perspective, that same obliviousness to pain is seen as a curse that impels foolhardiness. Parents of a CIPA child often have one prayer: let our child feel pain. If intellectual maturity can grant us insight into the benefit of pain in this particular case, is it not possible that spiritual maturity can grant us insight into the benefit of pain in general? Such maturity comes by acquiring spiritual education and spiritual experience. Spiritual education, as given in the Vedic scriptures, helps us understand that we are spiritual beings, souls destined for ever-increasing happiness in a loving relationship with God in His eternal abode. Due to imprudent desires, we choose to enjoy separately from Him in this material world, where everything, due to its temporary nature, frustrates our quest for permanent happiness. Spiritual experience comes when we chant the holy names of God in devotion and relish the sublime shelter and supreme joy of remembering Him. Then we comprehend that God loves us and wants to give us the best: constant happiness, no suffering. The sufferings of this world are caused not by God, but by our own bad karma. He allows our own due sufferings to come upon us to: • *Protect us* from the futile and fatal illusion that we as spiritual beings can be happy in a material setting. *• Provoke us* to redirect our desires to the spiritual level, where we can reclaim the eternal happiness that is our rightful God-given destiny. Those of us who have never had the opportunity for spiritual growth may find this analysis abstract and impractical. But, given that the pains are inevitable at the material level, instead of fruitlessly complaining or passively enduring them, why not dynamically try to transcend them by growing up spiritually? Founders Lecture: Undisturbed by the Material Condition *Bombay—January 12, 1975* Advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness requires tolerance of the body’s inevitable discomforts. > nabhasaḥ śabda-tanmātrāt > kāla-gatyā vikurvataḥ > sparśo ’bhavat tato vāyus > tvak sparśasya ca saṅgrahaḥ “From ethereal existence, which evolves from sound, the next transformation takes place under the impulse of time, and thus the subtle element touch and thence the air and sense of touch become prominent.”—*Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 3.26.35 Everything is being explained here by Lord Kapiladeva. Sound is produced on account of ether. And when sound is further developed, it creates the sense perception of touch, then form, taste, and smell. These will be explained one after another. [Aside:] You can read the purport also. [Nitāi Dāsa reads]: “In the course of time, when the subtle forms are transformed into gross forms, they become the objects of touch. The objects of touch and the tactile sense also develop after this evolution in time. Sound is the first sense object to exhibit material existence, and from the perception of sound, touch perception evolves, and from touch perception the perception of sight. That is the way of the gradual evolution of our perceptive objects.” Prabhupāda: You can read the next purport. Nitāi Dāsa: [He first leads the chanting of the verse.] > mṛdutvaṁ kaṭhinatvaṁ ca > śaityam uṣṇatvam eva ca > etat sparśasya sparśatvaṁ > tan-mātratvaṁ nabhasvataḥ “Softness and hardness and cold and heat are the distinguishing attributes of touch, which is characterized as the subtle form of air.” (3.26.36) Prabhupāda: These are all different transformations of the ethereal existence. In the *Bhagavad-gītā* (2.14) it is said, *mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ*. Our material pains and pleasures are felt on account of this *sparśa*, or sense of touch. It is an arrangement of the ether, or a transformation of ethereal activities. Actually, this has nothing to do with the spirit soul. The spirit soul is untouched by all these things. To understand this requires realization. Because great devotees like Bharata Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja, and Haridāsa Ṭhākura were very, very much advanced in spiritual consciousness, these ethereal activities on the external body did not touch them. Even in our Western world, Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, but it did not touch him. This is to be practiced, that in our regular activities in devotional service we should not be disturbed by the ethereal transformation in touch with the skin. That is called *sthita-prajṣa*. The word is used in the *Bhagavad-gītā*. A devotee is *sthita-prajṣa*. He should not be disturbed by this material condition or the change of ethereal activities. We should be fixed up, *ātma-stha*. And then our progress in spiritual life will be unhampered. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (1.2.6) states: > sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo > yato bhaktir adhokṣaje > ahaituky apratihatā > yayātmā suprasīdati “The supreme occupation [*dharma*] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.” When we are firmly fixed up in devotional service, that is the highest transcendental form of religion. There are so many religious systems—Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion—but they are all material conceptions of religion. “Material conception” means that we are in this material world, and through a process or system we are trying to understand what God is. That is called religion. The attempt to understand God and His laws is religion. It doesn’t matter whether it is executed through a system called Hindu religion or a system called Muslim religion or a system called Christian religion. If the objective is the same—Adhokṣaja, “the transcendent Lord”—then that process is first-class religion. If we simply stick to a system without making any progress towards the goal of understanding Adhokṣaja, then it is *śrama eva hi kevalam,* simply useless labor: > dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ > viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ > notpādayed yadi ratiṁ > śrama eva hi kevalam “The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.” (*Bhāgavatam* 1.2.8) Don’t be stuck up in a system. The system is required provided you make progress towards realization of the Supreme. But if you simply follow a system but do not advance in the matter of realizing the Supreme, then, according to Śrīmad-*Bhāgavatam* or according to the Vedic version, it is simply a labor of love. It has no value. Therefore the *Bhāgavatam* says what is the first-class religious system. It doesn’t matter if you call it Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Buddhist. “That is first-class religion which helps you progress in realization of Adhokṣaja.” Adhokṣaja, a name of Kṛṣṇa, means the subject matter which you cannot understand simply by mental speculation or by exercising empiric knowledge. *Stages of Knowledge* That is called *adhokṣaja*. We have to approach that *adhokṣaja*. There are different stages of knowledge: *pratyakṣa*, *parokṣa*, a*parokṣa*, *adhokṣaja*, and *aprākṛta*. We have to approach the *aprākṛta*—the transcendental, above the material nature. *Adhokṣaja* is nearer to the lower grades of knowledge: *pratyakṣa*, *parokṣa*, and a*parokṣa*. They are in the stage of *kaniṣṭha-adhikāra*, the beginning stage of *bhakti*, which is described in *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (11.2.47): > arcāyām eva haraye > pūjāṁ yaḥ śraddhayehate > na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu > sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ “A devotee who faithfully engages in the worship of the Deity in the temple but does not behave properly toward other devotees or people in general is called a **prākṛta*-bhakta*, a materialistic devotee, and is considered to be in the lowest position.” The *prākṛta* stage is *pratyakṣa* knowledge, or direct perception and knowledge received from the *paramparā*, the authorized guru-disciple line. *Pratyakṣa*, *parokṣa*, then a*parokṣa*, or self-realization, then *adhokṣaja*, then a*prākṛta*. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a*prākṛta* knowledge. It is the topmost platform of knowing Kṛṣṇa. Up to the stage of *adhokṣaja* knowledge, we have to follow the regulative principles strictly. A*prākṛta* knowledge is for the *paramahaṁsa*, the topmost devotee, who is called a *rāga-bhakta*, a pure devotee with complete attachment to Kṛṣṇa. The stages of *pratyakṣa*, *parokṣa*, and a*parokṣa* are called *vidhi-*bhakti**, or devotional service under strict rules and regulations. Without *vidhi-*bhakti** you cannot reach the platform of *rāga-*bhakti**, which is our aim. *Rāgānugā-bhaktī*, or *rāga-*bhakti**, is executed following the footprints of the devotees in Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa’s personal associates. Not by immediately becoming directly Kṛṣṇa’s personal associate, but by following the footprints of Kṛṣṇa’s eternal associates can we come to the stage of *rāga-*bhakti**. That is called *parā-*bhakti**, transcendental *bhakti*. That *parā-bhakti* is required. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for gradually developing ourselves up to the stage of *rāga-bhakti*, or *parā-bhakti*. Then life is successful. *Practice without Being Disturbed* In that way we should not be disturbed by these ethereal interactions. As it is stated here, *mṛdutvaṁ kaṭhinatvaṁ ca śaityam uṣṇatvam eva ca*. Softness, hardness, cold, heat—we are disturbed by these things. Suppose you are lying on the floor. It is *kaṭhinatvam*: it is very hard. But if you are given a cushion or a nice mattress, that is *mṛdutvam*, soft. Similarly, *śītoṣṇa*, heat and cold. Sometimes water is felt very cold, and sometimes it is very hot. The water is the same, but according to the change of the ethereal arrangement, it is coming in different conditions. And it is the source of pains and pleasures on account of the sense of touch, which is associated with the skin. To understand fully that “I am not this body” requires realization, *ātmānubhūti*. The more we become advanced in spiritual consciousness, the more we become situated in *ātma-stha*. That is called *sthita-prajṣa*. Then we shall not be disturbed. We should practice not to be disturbed by these conditional or ethereal transformations because we do not belong to this material arrangement. As spirit soul—*ahaṁ brahmāsmi*, “I am spirit”—I do not belong to this material arrangement, but I have been accustomed to this. By practice we have to come to the spiritual status. And during practice we require tolerance. Practice is called *bhajana* or *sādhana*, and austerity, penance, and tolerance are *tapasya*. We have identified with material things which we are not, and to practice to come to the spiritual platform—that tolerance is called *tapasya*. This is the meaning of *tapasya*. *Tapaḥ* means pain, to voluntarily accept some pain. *Tapasya* is especially practiced in the *sannyāsa* stage, the renounced order of life. In our current age it is very difficult, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave us the example. For sleeping He was lying on the floor. His devotee wanted to give Him a quilt or soft bedding, but He refused. He did not take it. He is teaching us. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the teacher. It is very difficult to strictly follow His example, but we must try to follow as far as possible. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore taught us, *taror api sahiṣṇunā* (*Śikṣāṣṭaka* 3). We must be tolerant like the tree, or more than the tree. The trees are standing in the open air, and there are so many disturbances—storms, scorching heat, and somebody is taking a leaf, somebody is cutting. It doesn’t protest. Tolerance. This is a very good example of tolerance. In order to execute our spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we shall learn tolerance. Tolerance is advised in the *Bhagavad-gītā* (2.14), *tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata*: “Don’t be disturbed.” A *brāhmaṇa* or *sannyāsī* has to take a bath three times a day. And if it is very chilly cold, it does not mean that he will give up taking a bath three times. Early in the morning he must take a bath. That is one example of tolerance. There is severe cold, chilly cold, but my duty is to take a bath in the morning, so I must tolerate. I must tolerate that chilly cold and still take my bath. This is called *tapasya*. Not that “It is very chilly cold. I will not take my bath.” No, that is not allowed. Then you are lagging behind. You must take your bath. Of course, if somebody is seriously ill, that is a different thing. Generally Kṛṣṇa advises tolerance. He says *āgamāpāyino ’nityāḥ*. There are seasonal changes; they will come and they will go. They are an ethereal arrangement only, an external arrangement. They are, rather, an illusion. An external arrangement means an illusion. We have nothing to do with it. But due to this Kali-yuga, the present age, especially, we are very much affected by these external disturbances. And those disturbances sometimes force us to forget our relationship with the Supreme. That is called illusion; that is called *māyā*. *One Good Quality in This Age* So we must become very strictly adherent to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is very easily done in Kali-yuga. > kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann > asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ > kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya > mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet “My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra*, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (*Bhāgavatam* 12.3.51) This Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—is especially prescribed for this age. If we strictly chant this mantra, then we become *mukta-saṅga*. *Mukta-saṅga* means that although we are in this material world, we are not in touch with it. We remain untouched by the material contamination and gradually become perfect. Then we can be transferred to the spiritual world. Our Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is following the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who quoted from the *Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa* (3.8.126): > harer nāma harer nāma > harer nāmaiva kevalam > kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva > nāsty eva gatir anyathā “In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.” This is a Vedic injunction. This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is not a manufactured way. It is following the Vedic principles. *Agni Purāṇa*, *Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa*, *Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa*, *Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad—*many Vedic literatures recommend Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting. Sometimes in these literatures it begins Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare; sometimes it begins Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So people become puzzled about which one should be first vibrated. But whether you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or Hare Rāma in the beginning, it doesn’t matter. There is no difference between the holy names of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma. But still there is some distinction. In the *śāstras*, or scriptures, it is said that if you chant Lord Viṣṇu’s name one thousand times, that is equal to chanting one name of Lord Rāma, and if you chant Lord Rāma’s name three times, that is equal to chanting Kṛṣṇa’s name one time. This is the śāstric injunction. Whether you chant Lord Viṣṇu’s name or Lord Rāma’s name or Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name, there is no difference. Different people become devoted to different forms. Sometimes they are a devotee of Lord Rāmacandra; they want to worship Sītā-Rāma. That is good. Sometimes they want to worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. That is also good. And sometimes they want to worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. That is also the same. There is no difference. There are many manifestations of Viṣṇu, but the original manifestation, or the origin of all of them, is Kṛṣṇa, as stated in *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (1.3.28), “Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead.” Really, when we speak of Bhagavān, that is Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa’s expansions are also Bhagavān. And those who are very, very powerful—like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, Nārada, and many other devotees and sages—are also sometimes addressed as Bhagavān in the *śāstra*. But not ordinary men. Ordinary men cannot become Bhagavān. That is not possible. But everyone can become an exalted devotee. Nārada Muni, in his previous birth, was a maidservant’s son, not born in a *brāhmaṇa* family. But by the good association of devotees, in his next birth he became Nārada Muni, the spiritual master of so many exalted devotees. We hear Nārada Muni’s name in connection with Prahlāda Mahārāja, Dhruva Mahārāja, and many other devotees. And so everyone has the potential to become just like Nārada Muni. It doesn’t matter where you were born. Nārada Muni was born as a maidservant’s son, but by good association, in his next life he became Nārada. *Sat-saṅga*, association with devotees, is very important. Therefore we have named this society “the Kṛṣṇa conscious society.” Anyone can join it. It doesn’t matter what he is. Practically we are collecting, recruiting members from all parts of the world without any distinction. Distinction is there on the material platform. On the spiritual platform there is no such distinction. The devotees’ vision is to see only the spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. The devotees are not concerned with distinctions based on the body. Their sympathy is for the spirit soul. “Here is a spirit soul, and he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. He is now bound up by this material bondage. Let me try to rescue him.” People have become foolish. They are thinking that in material bondage they will be happy. That is not possible. Therefore Vaiṣṇavas like Prahlāda Mahārāja and his followers very seriously think of the fallen conditioned souls and try to rescue them. And in this Kali-yuga it is very easy. As I have already explained, *kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ*. This Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults. So many faults are there, one after another, one after another. But there is one benefit, one very great quality. What is that? If someone simply chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then he becomes free from this material bondage and goes back home, back to Godhead. So our only request to everyone present here is to chant this *mahā-mantra*: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Thank you very much. No “Special Path” This exchange between His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, two priests, and two Christian scholars took place in Paris on June 15, 1974. Madame Siaude: Your Divine Grace, one who is not inclined toward study—can he or she attain God by directly surrendering unto Him? Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. Certainly. It does not require education, scholarly knowledge, or anything. If one agrees to surrender to the lotus feet of God, then his life is perfect. That is stated in the Vedic literature. *Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim*: “If one has surrendered himself to the lotus feet of God and is worshiping Him, there is no more need of austerity and penances.” And by the same token, *nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim*: “If one has not learned how to surrender to God and worship Him, then all his austerities and study are useless.” Further, *antar bahir yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim*: “If one can see God within and without, then where is the necessity of austerity?” And by the same token, *nāntar bahir yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim*: “If one has not learned to see God within and without, then where is the value of his austerity and penances?” Therefore, God realization is the only business of the human being. Madame Siaude: We agree totally with what you are saying. Father Fransad: At the same time, Your Divine Grace, we seem to have a contradiction. A few minutes ago you were saying, “First we must learn about God, and then we will know how to pray to God.” But now you seem to be saying, “If one surrenders to God, one has no need to learn about Him first.” Śrīla Prabhupāda: We say, “Religion means to love God—and you cannot love God unless you learn what God is.” That means you have to learn about God. Only then can there be real religion. Father Fransad: So even if we are without scholarly knowledge, God can reveal Himself to us directly? Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. That is a fact. If you are actually a devotee, then God will reveal Himself. That is stated in the Vedic literature. *Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ*: you cannot understand the form, name, attributes, and pastimes of God by these blunt senses. These present material senses cannot realize God. Then how can you realize God? *Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau*: when you serve Him with your tongue, then gradually God reveals Himself. Now, you can do two businesses with the tongue. One is talking, and the other is eating. So if you engage your tongue in glorifying God, and if you eat only food offered to God, then you realize God. Therefore, these young boys and girls from Europe and America are being taught, “Use the tongue for Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and eat *kṛṣṇa-prasāda*, food offered to Kṛṣṇa.” And as a practical result, although they are very young, still they have realized God, Kṛṣṇa. They are far more advanced than anyone else. They have forgotten all material things—illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, gambling. They are simply devoted to the service of Kṛṣṇa. So, because they have engaged their tongue in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they have forgotten all kinds of nonsense, including meat-eating and intoxication. The American government spent millions of dollars to stop their LSD habit. Yet it could not stop even one man. But as soon as these young people came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately they gave up all this nonsense. Madame Siaude: We are glad to see how successful you have been. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. So let us join together and push forward this movement: chanting the holy name of God. I don’t say, “You must accept the name Kṛṣṇa.” If you have got any other name, you can chant that. Father Fransad: So when you are glorifying God, we hope you will think of us—and when we are glorifying God, we will think of you. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. Father Canivez: Yesterday evening, during your lecture, I was very sad when there were some people making noise. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the difficulty. Gradually, the population of the world are becoming urchins. Very degraded. Before all of you arrived today, I was discussing the Twelfth Canto of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, which predicts how people in this age will become degraded. And this is due to a lack of God consciousness. Father Canivez: Your Divine Grace, it seemed that the young people who made so much disruption were finding your lecture very hard to accept. Śrīla Prabhupāda: That is because the young people are gradually becoming degraded. They do not accept authority. Disciple: Yes. When they saw, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that you were speaking authoritatively, they rejected it. They reacted. Śrīla Prabhupāda: So that is due to their degradation. They cannot accept any authority. And one cannot advance in knowledge without accepting authority. Father Canivez: Surely. Śrīla Prabhupāda: But one more thing I may say is that the disobedience to authority has begun from their fathers. Father Canivez: From whom? Śrīla Prabhupāda: From their fathers. Yes. Because in the Bible it is said, “Thou shalt not kill.” And yet the fathers indulge in the killing business. So naturally the next generation has become degraded. Father Canivez: Did many stay after the meeting last night? Disciple: Oh, yes. They stayed until midnight. The total attendance yesterday was roughly two thousand people, and at least one thousand stayed until twelve o’clock. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Oh? Twelve o’clock? Disciple: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. The manager of the hall was pleading with us to ask them to leave. He wanted to go home. Father Canivez: It’s very good that so many stayed to find out more information, to ask questions and discuss with your followers. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, any reasonable man will find this subject matter interesting. In *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* it is stated, *śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra*: “Just ponder the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and then give your judgment.” It is never recommended to take it blindly. *Karaha vicāra*: “Just consider with all reason and argument.” And *vicāra karile citte pābe camatkāra*: “If you consider it with logic and reason, you’ll find it sublime.” Disciple: So to understand a scripture, whether it be the Bible or *Bhagavad-gītā*, we have to rely on logic and reason? Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. For instance, in the Bible it is said, “In the beginning was the word.” So in the beginning there was only the Lord’s word. Which means that this word is not a word of this material creation. Disciple: Śrīla Prabhupāda, many of the so-called spiritual teachers today say, “You cannot chant the name Kṛṣṇa or any other of God’s names, because any sound is simply a material sound.” Śrīla Prabhupāda: That’s it. These rascals do not understand what this sound is. They do not see that even before the creation there existed this sound, the Lord’s holy name. Madame Devi [*newly arrived*]: Your Divine Grace, do you think that in the future all religions will come together and form one group? Śrīla Prabhupāda: There is no “all religions.” There is only one religion. One who deviates—he creates another religion. Religion means there is God and we should be obedient to God. This is religion. Madame Devi: So it is not necessary to go by one’s special path? Śrīla Prabhupāda: No. There is no “special path.” There is only one path: that God is there, God is great, and we are all subordinate to God. That’s all. A Pause for Prayer All glories, all glories to the holy name of the Lord, the abode of immortal transcendental bliss! The Supreme Absolute Truth, who possesses an eternal form of sacred syllables, has descended in the form of the holy name. Thereby He shows mercy to His own devotees while showering boundless compassion upon all fallen souls. All glories to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is called by different names, such as Hari, Kṛṣṇa, and Rāma! He is the auspicious resting place of all living entities within the universe, and He delights the minds of all souls. Wise sages maintain great reverence for His holy name and constantly sing it by filling their mouths with the sound. O Lord Kṛṣṇa in the form of name-syllables! You possess all supreme powers and are engaged in bestowing pure auspiciousness upon the living beings. Without You there is no other friend to rescue us from the ocean of material existence. You have come for the deliverance of all fallen souls. For all souls within this world there is much misery and sorrow. O Harinām, if someone calls upon You just once, feeling himself very meek and lowly, possessing nothing and seeing no other remedy for his relief, You then easily destroy all his sorrows. If one simply obtains a faint glimpse of Your actual identity, then all sorts of terrible miseries are cast far away; indeed, the very form of suffering itself is easily broken to pieces. Bhaktivinoda says, “All glories, all glories to the holy name of Lord Hari! O Harināma, I perpetually fall to the ground in hope of attaining Your lotus feet.” –Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura *Śrī Nāmāṣṭaka*, Song 4 Translation from Bengali by Daśaratha-suta Dāsa *Kṛṣṇa’s Devotee Never Perishes* By Brajanātha Dāsa Though these three devotees were detoured on their path to Kṛṣṇa, they reached their goal through His ever-vigilant mercy. Lord Kṛṣṇa’s intention through the *Bhagavad-gītā* was to impart to Arjuna His teachings and to send to all of us His message to surrender to Him. By giving full importance to the minute independence we inherit from Him as His parts, He opens all possible paths for us to come to Him, directly or indirectly. Ultimately He reveals the most effective method to reach Him: “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” (*Gītā* 18.66) The Lord made a few promises in the *Bhagavad-gītā*, and He had already fulfilled such promises previously through His pastimes. He did this to establish our faith in Him and inspire us to surrender unto Him with love and devotion. These promises and pastimes testify to the Lord’s boundless love and compassion for His devotees and His unwavering commitment to them. They also instill within us a deep sense of trust in Him and devotion unto Him. One of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s promises comes in verse 9.31: > kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā > śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati > kaunteya pratijānīhi > na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati “He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.” The words *bhavati* (becomes) and *nigacchati* (attains) prove that after engaging in irreligious or abominable activity (spoken of in the previous verse), the devotee laments, remembers Kṛṣṇa again and again, and thus quickly becomes righteous. This points to the transformative power of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as even those who have engaged in sinful activities can find redemption through sincere devotion. By acknowledging one’s own faults and seeking Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, one can gradually purify one’s heart and reestablish one’s connection with the Lord. A testament to the comprehensive nature of devotion is that it can uplift even the most fallen souls and ensure that they do not fall to a lower destination after death. As evidence of the truth of the Lord’s declaration, He performed the following pastimes. *Ajāmila’s Rescue* The Sixth Canto of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* relates the story of Ajāmila, who was trained by his parents in his youth to be a pure *brāhmaṇa* and had devotion for the Lord. But when Ajāmila saw a man embracing and kissing a prostitute, his lust awakened. In illusion, he fell under lust’s control, abandoned all regulative principles, and fathered ten sons by the prostitute. The youngest son was named Nārāyaṇa, to whom Ajāmila was deeply attached. At the time for Ajāmila’s death, the Yamadūtas—the order carriers of Yamarāja, the lord of death—arrived to take the degraded Ajāmila to Yamarāja’s court, where he would be judged and punished according to the level of his sinful acts. Seeing the extremely fearsome Yamadūtas, terrified Ajāmila loudly called for his dearest son, Nārāyaṇa. Although he called “Nārāyaṇa!” while thinking of his son, as soon as he pronounced the name the sound entered his ears, and his thoughts shifted to the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu). The Lord then sent His messengers, the Viṣṇudūtas, to rescue Ajāmila. The Lord did this because of Ajāmila’s current state of mind and whatever *bhakti* he had performed earlier in his life. The Viṣṇudūtas appeared on the scene and interrupted the Yamadūtas’ action, telling them that Ajāmila had already atoned for all his sins not only in this life but in millions of previous lives. This was because he had chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa in a helpless state of mind when he saw his death near. By the potency of chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa in a helpless state of mind at the time of death, Ajāmila was given a second chance by the Lord. He got an extension of his life to cultivate devotional service and attained the supreme perfection of going back home, back to Godhead, when he finally did leave his body. Kṛṣṇa’s rescuing of Ajāmila from the Yamadūtas demonstrates how Kṛṣṇa can bestow extraordinary mercy on His devotees in reciprocation for their chanting even just one holy name. It proves that Kṛṣṇa’s devotees never perish. Ajāmila was a sincere devotee in his youth, but because he couldn’t control his senses, he fell into sinful activities. Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul, and we can assume that the Lord inspired Ajāmila to name his son Nārāyaṇa. In affection, Ajāmila would constantly call “Nārāyaṇa! Nārāyaṇa!” This habit saved him from the most fearful and dangerous condition at the time of his death. By repeatedly calling out to his son Nārāyaṇa, Ajāmila was reviving his Kṛṣṇa consciousness and performing devotional service that would lead to his attaining the spiritual world. The Lord demonstrated through Ajāmila that no spiritual activity compares in power to that of chanting the holy names. Yamarāja told the Yamadūtas, “Therefore it should be understood that one is easily relieved from all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name of the Lord and chanting of His qualities and activities. This is the only process recommended for relief from sinful reactions. Even if one chants the holy name of the Lord with improper pronunciation, he will achieve relief from material bondage if he chants without offenses. Ajāmila, for example, was extremely sinful, but while dying he merely chanted the holy name, and although calling his son, he achieved complete liberation because he remembered the name of Nārāyaṇa. (*Bhāgavatam* 6.3.24) Kṛṣṇa is all-merciful and all-powerful, so He can do as He pleases. Therefore, if at death even a sinful person speaks Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name out of sincerity—or even without intending to invoke Kṛṣṇa’s mercy—Kṛṣṇa can award that person liberation. He says in *Gītā* 8.5, “And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body remembering Me alone at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.” This verse is spoken at the beginning of a section where Kṛṣṇa describes a yogi who practices remembering Him throughout life. But in an exceptional case where a sinful person calls out Kṛṣṇa’s name helplessly and intensely as Ajāmila did, Kṛṣṇa may grant that person residence in the spiritual world. For us practicing devotees, how we react in times of danger—Do we call out to Kṛṣṇa?—is an indication of our ability to pass the test of remembering Kṛṣṇa at the time of death. *Gajendra’s Deliverance* The story of the elephant Gajendra is told in the Eighth Canto of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*. In his previous life, Gajendra was a great king named Indradyumna, a dedicated devotee. When Indradyumna retired from his kingdom and family life, he moved to the Malaya Hills to engage in *tapasya* (meditation) for spiritual advancement. One day, the sage Agastya came across the king when the king was in an ecstatic trance of love of Godhead. Unaware of Agastya’s arrival, the king ignored the sage, though by his religious duty he was obliged to receive him. Angered at this breach of etiquette, Agastya cursed the king to be born as an elephant in the next life. For a pure devotee, everything becomes a blessing, however, and we can understand that putting this great king in an elephant’s body was Kṛṣṇa’s arrangement. Kṛṣṇa knows past, present, and future (*Gītā* 7.26). Therefore He knew that in Indraduymna’s birth as the elephant Gajendra he would be helplessly caught in a crocodile’s jaws and this would bring him to absolute surrender unto Him. When the crocodile attacked Gajendra, in his helpless condition Gajendra remembered prayers he had learned in his previous life and offered them to the Lord. The Lord descended as an avatar and delivered Gajendra from the crocodile’s jaws and from repeated birth and death. Throughout his life, Gajendra had thought he would enjoy heavenly comforts and beautiful relationships in the material world. But when he was struggling with the crocodile in the water, with no one to help him, he gave up all hope of being saved by himself or by any member of his entourage. Still, at that time he was truly fortunate because he fully surrendered his consciousness at the feet of the Lord, the only one who could save him. Gajendra did not want to be saved only from his present predicament. He prayed to the Lord, “I do not wish to live anymore after I am released from the attack of the crocodile. What is the use of an elephant’s body covered externally and internally by ignorance? I simply desire eternal liberation from the covering of ignorance. That covering is not destroyed by the influence of time.” (*Bhāgavatam* 8.3.25). Ṛṣi Agastya’s curse thus proved to be a benediction. This is a very important story because it is everyone’s story. Our nature, our tendency, is to seek comfort, security, and shelter in the illusions of this world. We should be aware that in this pond of material existence, we are always in the jaws of a crocodile. Only what we’ve done for Kṛṣṇa can help or save us. *King Bharata’s Three Lives to Success* King Bharata, whose story is told in the Fifth Canto of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, was the emperor of the world, and since his time, the earth has been known as Bhārata-varṣa. He retired as emperor and went to a place in the forest called Pulahāśrama for self-realization. He chose that spot because it had a reputation for being a place where the Lord was especially merciful to those who worshiped Him there. By strictly practicing yoga disciplines, Bharata achieved the high level of spiritual advancement known as *bhāva-bhakti,* where one experiences spiritual ecstasy. He fell from his elevated position, however, because of too much affection for a motherless fawn he rescued. His mistake was not in rescuing the fawn, but in reposing his sense of compassion solely upon the fawn’s body, to the exclusion of the well-being of the soul within, and in turn he forgot Kṛṣṇa. Bharata Mahārāja could have just saved the deer and arranged for it to be with other deer, but he didn’t do that. He took the false-ego position of “I am the protector of the deer” and left aside Kṛṣṇa. That was the mistaken conscious choice he made. Instead of thinking of Kṛṣṇa at the time of death, Bharata Mahārāja thought of the deer and became a deer in his next life. As Kṛṣṇa says in *Gītā* 8.6, “Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.” Knowing Bharata Mahārāja’s sincerity, Kṛṣṇa gave him the opportunity to never make that same mistake again. Although in the body of a deer, he was able to remember his previous life. After one life as a deer, he received a human body in the family of a good *brāhmaṇa* for revival of his previous transcendental consciousness. Having learned from his mistake, he renounced all material attachments and achieved liberation. Bharata Mahārāja’s story can teach us at least four significant points: (1) As we progress in spiritual life, compassion naturally arises. Once awakened, it should be reposed properly. (2) Transcendental endeavors, such as in yoga practice, never go in vain. By the grace of the Lord the transcendentalist gets repeated opportunities for complete perfection in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (3) Kṛṣṇa-centered relationships are of great importance. (4) For the benefit of others, we should give our life to Kṛṣṇa. *Clear Recipients of Kṛṣṇa’s Mercy* Despite their temporary setbacks in devotional service, these three great souls were fortunate to receive the Lord’s mercy. The reason for this is that they had not offended the holy name. This allowed them to rekindle their devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa and continue their journey back to Godhead. In these histories, the Lord showed us not only that chanting His holy name is powerful, but also that we must seek shelter at His lotus feet as we face the challenges of the material world, which pose a threat just like a crocodile’s jaws. He also showed that we must act compassionately so that others may become Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even though we may be full of faults, we don’t have to worry. We can take solace in the fact that a sinner can become a saint. Regardless of where we are in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we can rise. Our guru and Kṛṣṇa can help us revive our relationship with Kṛṣṇa and gain His association. He will never forget any soul who even once sincerely prays to Him. Not only will He not forget us, but He will be there to rescue us at the right time. Brajanātha Dāsa, PhD, and his wife, Suvarṇa Rādhā Devī Dāsī, PhD, both disciples of His Holiness Rādhānāth Swami, live in Longmont, Colorado, with their two daughters. They are active in book distribution and in serving Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda at ISKCON Denver. Duryodhana’s Depravity: Poison, Humiliation, and Dark Empowerment by Caitanya Caraṇa Dāsa *The malice in Duryodhana’s heart was evident even in his teenage years.* Duryodhana glared at the Pāṇḍavas as they played on the riverbank. How dare they take from him the honor that had been his for so long! Before the Pāṇḍavas came from the forest to Hastinapura, Duryodhana, being the heir apparent to the throne, had been the center of attention. But after the Pāṇḍavas’ arrival, they started getting all that attention. Duryodhana gritted his teeth. He had to stop the Pāṇḍavas. His father was blind and passive. If Duryodhana didn’t take matters into his own hands, everything would be lost. To stop that disaster, he had to eliminate the Pāṇḍavas. Among them, Bhīma, being the strongest, was his foremost rival. If he could get Bhīma out of the way, the remaining Pāṇḍavas would be easy pickings. Duryodhana’s plan to poison Bhīma was now unfolding. He had invited his cousins and brothers to an outing at a nearby river and had arranged a feast for everyone, including a special course for Bhīma, knowing how much that hefty Pāṇḍava ate. Duryodhana concealed his glee as he watched Bhīma eat his meal, which contained a strong dose of slow-acting poison. Under its influence, Bhīma would first fall asleep. No one would suspect anything; they would think Bhīma’s sleepiness was because of the quantity of food he’d eaten, not the ingredient within the food. Bhīma ate unsuspectingly. Prompted by Duryodhana, he ate more and more and more, till he could eat no more. Soon he fell asleep on the riverbank while the other boys started playing. During the play, one of Duryodhana’s brothers led everyone away. With Bhīma alone and asleep, Duryodhana grabbed the opportunity. With some accomplices, he tied up the sleeping Bhīma, carried him to the river, and tossed him into the water. Seeing Bhīma’s body sink, Duryodhana rubbed his hands with a fiendish laugh. Bhīma’s chapter was over. *Those Who Poison Others Poison Themselves* Duryodhana was just a teenager when he plotted to kill Bhīma. The plot didn’t emerge from a feeble fleeting feeling; it emerged from a deliberate diabolical design. The sheer amount of malice his heart must have had is alarming and appalling. How did someone so young become so evil? Are some people intrinsically evil? No, at our core we all are pure souls, parts of the all-pure Supreme. However, we all have been in material existence for many lifetimes. Our actions all form impressions on our mind, and they go with us from one life into the next, where they surface in our consciousness as inner voices that prompt us to do certain things. Some impressions are divine; they prompt us toward good actions. And some impressions are demonic; they prompt us to do bad things. We all carry impressions of both kinds. In some of us, divine impressions predominate, while in others the demonic impressions predominate. Our inner impressions are like two wolves within us: a good wolf and a bad wolf. Just as wolves may fight to get hold of some meat, these inner voices fight to get hold of our consciousness. In the inner war, which wolf wins? The wolf we feed. And which wolf do we feed? Often it is the wolf that howls the loudest; whichever voice prompts us the most, we listen to it. And when we do what a wolf bids, we are unwittingly feeding that wolf, making it stronger so that it prompts us more forcefully. Over time, that wolf’s voice becomes the only voice we hear internally, and we start doing its bidding unresistingly, even unthinkingly. Those with demonic nature—like Duryodhana—have been feeding their bad wolf for a long time. As indicated by the many inauspicious omens at the time of his birth, Duryodhana was born with predominantly demonic impressions. And by his nefarious actions throughout his life, he fanned and fueled those impressions. In this incident, with each handful of poisoned food that Duryodhana fed Bhīma, he also fed the bad wolf within himself. And soon that bad wolf started howling so loudly that Duryodhana became deaf to the good wolf within him—as well as to the good words of advice or caution from without. That bad wolf led him to reprehensible actions that bottomed in the catastrophic Kurukshetra war, which killed millions, and killed Duryodhana too. Feeding the bad wolf may make us temporarily feel good, but eventually it backfires; we feed the bad wolf, and it responds by poisoning us, by impelling us to self-destruction. *Bhīma Saved* By divine coincidence, Bhīma was saved. While he was sinking in the river, some snakes bit him, and their poison neutralized the poison in his food. Then he was taken to Varuṇa, the god of water, who gifted him a celestial drink that increased his strength many times over. Thus Bhīma returned stronger, and Duryodhana’s plan didn’t just bust; it boomeranged. Still, Duryodhana kept scheming, eventually getting the Pāṇḍavas exiled to the forest for thirteen years. *The Humiliator Humiliated* During the Pāṇḍavas’ exile in the forest, Duryodhana went there to parade his power and prosperity before them. Accompanied by queens, friends, and attendants, he marched to the river on whose other side the Pāṇḍavas were camping. Suddenly an effulgent being blocked his way. Identifying himself as the king of the Gandharvas (celestial musicians), that being spoke in a commanding voice, “Stop. We celestials are bathing and sporting in this water now. Don’t intrude while we are here.” Duryodhana was naturally arrogant. And he was on a mission to brag and display his power. He was in no mood to listen to anyone. He dismissively responded, “I’m the earth’s ruler. Who are you to stop me? Get out of my way, lest I become angry and destroy you.” *The Gandharva king laughed scornfully.* “You are a mere mortal and you dare to threaten us celestials. Flee before we punish you for your insolence.” Blinded to danger by anger, Duryodhana attacked the Gandharvas. Though he fought fiercely with them, their strength was far superior. His associates Karṇa, Duḥśāsana, and Śakuni joined him in fighting, but soon these three warriors were overcome. Battered and bruised, they fled. Seeing them flee infuriated Duryodhana, and he fought with increased fervor. But his fervor was no match for the celestials’ power; in no time the Gandharvas arrested and bound him. One of the Kaurava soldiers who had escaped the carnage ran to the Pāṇḍavas and begged them to help. At Yudhiṣṭhira’s behest, Bhīma and Arjuna rescued and released Duryodhana. Normally, someone released from bondage would be relieved, even delighted. But Duryodhana felt humiliated, even devastated. Being defeated and bound had been terrible for him. But to have his bound condition seen by those he had come to humiliate was even worse. And to need those very people to rescue him was the worst. *Envy Hurts the Envious More than the Envied* Why did Duryodhana embark on the mission to humiliate the Pāṇḍavas? Because of envy. He wasn’t satisfied with his own prosperity; he wanted to see the Pāṇḍavas’ poverty. More importantly, he wanted them to feel misery by seeing the contrast between his prosperity and their poverty. And seeing them in misery would give him joy. Or so he believed. Envy makes us pathetically and perversely other-centered. Even if we get the thing we have dreamt of, envy doesn’t leave us in peace. Envy transforms our dreams so that they center not on what joy we can attain, but on what misery we can inflict on the object of our envy. And in that frenzied effort to hurt others, we throw away our moral compass and act reprehensibly. Eventually, those actions come back to us as grievous reactions. Apart from the future misery envy subjects us to, it also subjects us immediately to unrelenting dissatisfaction. Such was Duryodhana’s plight. Even when his scheme to exile the Pāṇḍavas had succeeded, envy kept him discontented—and impelled him to act stupidly and bring humiliation upon himself. Saved from Suicide or Strengthened for Self-destruction? After being released, Duryodhana dreaded the prospect of returning to Hastinapura. The courtiers and citizens would mock him on hearing how he had been bound and had been released by the Pāṇḍavas. Deeming such dishonor unbearable, he decided to never return, to instead end his life. He sat to fast till death, desisting from all food and water. His associates urged him to give up his fast—Duḥśāsana begged, Karṇa exhorted, and Śakuni goaded. But it was all to no avail. While Duryodhana sat in meditation, he suddenly felt himself being drawn out of his body. A mysterious power transported him, in a disembodied form, to an otherworldly realm. There, he was ushered into the presence of a fearsome-looking being who chided him. “O child, why are you foolishly committing suicide? You are a powerful warrior, a prime product of our prolonged penances.” Astonished, Duryodhana took in what he was seeing and hearing. The being in front of him was evidently a leader of the Daityas, a demonic species. He listened intently as the Daitya continued. “We have planned for long to conquer the earth. Now that plan is about to attain fruition. And you are our lynchpin. We have penetrated the earth by taking birth in human species in various royal families. Among all our representatives on the earth, you are the foremost. Through you, we will take over the world. You are destined for greatness.” Duryodhana’s depression started disappearing. Would he really be backed by a power bigger than himself? He had sensed that the Pāṇḍavas were backed by some higher power that had repeatedly thwarted his plans. It was time that some higher power assisted him too. Then he would get the better of the Pāṇḍavas, once and for all. The Daitya continued, “When the war begins, we will enter into the bodies of your allies. Bhīṣma and Droṇa will forget virtue and fight with demonic fury for your cause. Being empowered by us, Karṇa will slay Arjuna, and you will slay Bhīma.” Excitement and anticipation started surging through Duryodhana. Might his dreams still come true, despite his present frustration? The Daitya’s concluding words confirmed his feeling. “Do not foolishly commit suicide; return to the kingdom, make alliances, prepare for war. Victory and glory await you.” Duryodhana bowed before the Daitya. Within moments, he felt himself returning to the earth and into his body. Opening his eyes, he told his melancholy friends that he had decided to return to the kingdom. While they celebrated and cheered, he pondered what he had just experienced. Was it a fantasy? Or was it a reality of another level? Being unsure, he decided to keep it to himself. Whatever the nature of that experience, he now felt excited, enlivened, empowered. That was all that mattered. *Empowered May Not Mean Blessed* When in trouble, we often seek help from someone stronger. Children may turn to their parents; citizens to their rulers; small nations to larger nations. We might even approach higher beings beyond the earthly realm. Dharmic traditions delineate a multilevel cosmos wherein different beings exist at different levels of reality. Apart from the earthly realm exist a celestial realm and a subterranean realm. And beyond the entire material existence lies the highest realm, the spiritual world, where God, the omnipotent supreme, reigns. Within His jurisdiction, various beings preside over various realms of existence. While the greatest and best empowerment comes from God, other powerful beings can also empower us humans. One such evil being empowered Duryodhana. The *Mahābhārata* describes a phase in human history wherein the boundaries between the various realms of existence were far more porous than at present. Beings from other realms frequently interacted with the earth, even inhabited the earth. In a sense, the Pāṇḍavas themselves were celestials descended on the earth; they had been begotten by the gods in Kuntī’s womb. The epic’s primary narrative occurs at the earthly level, but sometimes it describes events at other levels. This incident of Duryodhana’s being teleported is one example of the limelight moving behind the earthly stage. During a play, what happens on the stage is shaped by what happens behind the stage. Similarly, during our life, what happens on the earthly level is shaped by what happens at other levels of reality. When we are empowered, that doesn't necessarily mean we are blessed; it depends on who is empowering and for what purpose. A citizen who assists the police in maintaining law and order may be provided a gun. But a citizen who wants to get even with a rival may be provided a gun by a criminal gang with its own vested interest in eliminating that rival. Though both citizens are similarly equipped, they are not similarly situated. One is a law-assister, the other a law-breaker. The citizen empowered by a gang is bent on doing wrong, not right. With the weapon, he will do worse wrongdoing and incur greater karmic punishment. Similarly damaging was the empowerment Duryodhana got from the demonic. Just because we are empowered doesn’t mean we are right. Only if we are conscious and conscientious to use our free will rightly can we use the empowerment rightly. And the more empowered we become, the more guarded we need to become. Why? Because our actions become far more consequential. If used well, our empowerment can enable us to do immense good. But if misused, it can lead to immeasurable harm. The most empowering empowerment is the wisdom and the willpower to use our free will wisely. With this empowerment, we can use all other empowerments constructively. How can we get this empowerment? By practicing *bhakti-yoga*, which connects us with the all-pure Supreme. That connection purifies us of the impure impressions that impel us to misuse our free will. Such was Arjuna’s empowerment. It was the opposite of Duryodhana’s. And the two opposite empowerments took them on opposite trajectories. *Caitanya Caraṇa Dāsa serves full time at ISKCON Chowpatty, Mumbai. He is a BTG associate editor and the author of more than twenty-five books. He has two websites: gitadaily.com and thespiritualscientist.com (the source for BTG’s “Q&A”).* The Gopīs Glorify the Nectar of Kṛṣṇa-kathā by Gaurāṅga Darśana Dāsa *A brief explanation of the Gopī-gīta verse beginning tava kathāmṛtam.* *Śrīmad *Bhāgavatam** is the divine spiritual literature considered the essence of all scriptures. Its Tenth Canto, which describes the divine pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, is considered the essence of the *Bhāgavatam*. And within the Tenth Canto, the five chapters (29–33) that describe Kṛṣṇa’s divine *rāsa* dance with the *gopīs* are considered the further essence. In the middle of these five chapters, called the *rāsa*-paṣcādhyāya, is the thirty-first chapter, composed of nineteen extremely special verses (**śloka*s*), collectively known as the *Gopī-gīta*. The nineth *śloka* is special because there the *gopīs*, the topmost devotees of Kṛṣṇa, describe the importance of spreading *kṛṣṇa-kathā* (Kṛṣna-related topics) and praise the devotees who do so as the world’s greatest benefactors. This verse, especially, gives advice that’s practical for *sādhakas*, devotees in the stage of practice. This article elaborates on that *śloka*. *The Context* On Śarat Pūrṇimā, the full-moon night of autumn, Lord Kṛṣṇa stood under the tree at the site in Vrindavan known as Vaṁśī-vaṭa and played His divine flute. All the young *gopīs* of Vrindavan became attracted to Kṛṣṇa’s flute-song and came to the forest to see and serve Kṛṣṇa, who then said to them: O most fortunate ladies, welcome. What may I do to please you? Is everything well in Vraja? Please tell Me the reason for your coming here. This night is quite frightening, and frightening creatures are lurking about. Return to Vraja, slender-waisted girls. This is not a proper place for women. Not finding you at home, your mothers, fathers, sons, brothers and husbands are certainly searching for you. Don’t cause anxiety for your family members. (*Bhāgavatam* 10.29.18–20) The **gopī*s* became disappointed and pleaded to Kṛṣṇa not to speak such harsh words. Knowing their hearts, Lord Kṛṣṇa initiated the *rāsa* dance with them. The **gopī*s* became happy on getting the great privilege of being with Kṛṣṇa. Generally the **gopī*s* get to see Kṛṣṇa only when He goes into the forest and when He comes back. The *gopas* (male cowherds), cows, and calves, and even *vātsalya* devotees (devotees in the parental mood) like Nanda Mahārāja, Yaśodā, and other adults, get to spend more time with Kṛṣṇa. But the younger **gopī*s* don’t have such an opportunity. Now that they got the special opportunity of Kṛṣṇa’s personal association, they felt very privileged and happy, and slightly proud. Each *gopī* felt she was most special. (This so-called pride in the hearts of the **gopī*s* is not like the mundane pride in materialistic people.) Kṛṣṇa noticed their feelings and disappeared from the scene just to create separation to increase their longing for Him. They indeed longed to see their beloved Lord and started searching for Him everywhere. After not finding Him, they arrived at the bank of the Yamuna River and sang their song of separation called the *Gopī-gīta*. The following is its nineth *śloka*. > tava kathāmṛtaṁ tapta-jīvanaṁ > kavibhir īḍitaṁ kalmaṣāpaham > śravaṇa-maṅgalaṁ śrīmad ātataṁ > bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ “The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one’s sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent.” (*Bhāgavatam* 10.31.9) *1. Tava kathāmṛtam: Kṛṣṇa-kathā is like nectar.* *Tava* means “Your” (i.e., Kṛṣṇa’s), and *kathā* means “the narration of His topics, or the descriptions of His *nāma*, *rūpa*, *guṇa*, and *līlā* (names, forms, qualities, and pastimes).” *Amṛta* means “nectar,” or that which makes one immortal—one who drinks *amṛta* transcends *mṛtyu,* or death. Kṛṣṇa-*kathā* is that nectar which enables one to transcend *saṁsāra*, the cycle of repeated birth and death. *Kṛṣṇa-kathā* is of two types: words spoken by Kṛṣṇa and words spoken about Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa’s words are sweet like nectar. The *gopīs* say, *madhurayā girā valgu-vākyayā budha-manojṣayā . . .* “O lotus-eyed one, Your sweet voice and charming words, which attract the minds of the intelligent, are bewildering us more and more. . . .” (*Bhāgavatam* 10.31.8) Lord Kṛṣṇa’s *Bhagavad-gītā* is also *kṛṣṇa-kathā* and is the *amṛta*, or nectar, of His instructions to all of humanity. Not only are Kṛṣṇa’s words nectar, but the words describing His pastimes and qualities are also nectar. When Śukadeva Gosvāmī spoke the nectarean pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, they became even more nectarean (*śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam*, *Bhāgavatam* 1.1.3), having emanated from the mouth of a devotee whose heart is filled with love for the Lord. When devotees come together and talk about Kṛṣṇa, their discussions are like nectar (*Bhāgavatam* 11.3.30). Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī Herself describes the results of hearing *kṛṣṇa-kathā*: > yad-anucarita-līlā-karṇa-pīyūṣa-vipruṭ- > sakṛd-adana-vidhūta-dvandva-dharmā vinaṣṭāḥ > sapadi gṛha-kuṭumbaṁ dīnam utsṛjya dīnā > bahava iha vihaṅgā bhikṣu-caryāṁ caranti “To hear about the pastimes that Kṛṣṇa regularly performs is nectar for the ears. For those who relish just a single drop of that nectar, even once, their dedication to material duality is ruined. Many such persons have suddenly given up their wretched homes and families and, themselves becoming wretched, traveled here to Vṛndāvana to wander about like birds, begging for their living.” (*Bhāgavatam* 10.47.18) *2. Tapta-jīvanam: Kṛṣṇa-kathā is the life of those who suffer.* *Tapta* refers to those who are suffering, and *jīvanaṁ* means “life.” The *gopīs* say that the nectarean words of Kṛṣṇa and about Kṛṣṇa are the life and soul of all suffering souls—*tapta jīvanam*. Suffering people are of two types: conditioned souls who suffer due to their ignorance and false ego, and elevated devotees who suffer due to their loving feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa. *Kṛṣṇa-kathā* is life (*jīvanam*) for both types of people. What revives the life of a dying or an unconscious person is called *mṛta-*saṣjīvanī**. A *saṣjīvanī* mantra or herb gives *jīvanam*, life. When Lord Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were fighting the battle of Lanka, They fell unconscious. Mighty Hanumān then went to the Himalayas and picked up a mountain of *saṣjīvanī* herbs that revived Lord Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and many *vānara* (monkey) warriors. The *gopīs* said that for one who is suffering, spiritually unconscious, or spiritually fallen, the real life-inducing remedy is *kṛṣṇa-kathā*. In the *Padyāvalī* (19), compiled by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s name is described as the life of all great souls (*jīvanaṁ sajjanānām*). We conditioned souls in material existence are suffering miseries under the influence of the three modes of material nature. Being an *aṁśa* (part) of Kṛṣṇa, each of us is a pure soul. Therefore, to be entrapped in a material body and thus undergo material miseries is a diseased condition for us. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, which presents the nectar of *kṛṣṇa-kathā*, relieves us of the miseries of life by causing indifference toward all material temptations and tribulations. *3. Kavibhir īḍitam: Kṛṣṇa-kathā is sung by ancient and contemporary poets.* *Kavi* means a poet or a great philosopher, scholar, thinker, or sage. *Īḍitaṁ* means to describe or sing. Even great poets glorify *kṛṣṇa-kathā*. *Kavis* are two types: ancient saints, like Vyāsadeva and Nārada Muni, and contemporary saints of the recent past, like Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākūra *Kṛṣṇa-kathā* is so sweet that genuine evolved poets and saints of all ages relish the descriptions of Kṛṣṇa’s names, forms, qualities, and pastimes. In fact, the Lord’s glories must be described repeatedly across generations, with a presentation style suitable to the changing times, circumstances, and capacity of the audiences. Such suitable presentations require their presenters to have personal realization of the subject and loyalty to the *paramparā* (disciplic succession) in order to package the essential spiritual message in a form for each audience that is relevant, relatable, understandable, and digestible. In this regard Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, Personal realization does not mean that one should, out of vanity, attempt to show one’s own learning by trying to surpass the previous *ācārya*. 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. (*Bhāgavatam* 1.4.1, Purport) Śrīla Prabhupāda inaugurated ISKCON about six decades ago and presented the knowledge of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* and the teachings of the ancient *ācāryas* in a contemporary way, in English, for the understanding of the modern world. *4. Kalmaṣāpaham: Kṛṣṇa-kathā vanquishes the sinful contamination of repeated birth and death.* *Kalmaṣa* means “contamination,” and *apaham* means “to destroy.” *Kṛṣṇa-kathā* destroys all contamination. *Kalmaṣa* is of two types: internal contamination—*hṛdaya-kalmaṣa*, the heart’s contamination of sinful propensities (*anarthas*) and offenses (*aparādhas*); and external contamination—*kali-kalmaṣa*, the contamination of the current quarrelsome age (Kali-yuga). Externally, Kali-yuga has many faults. Internally, we have our own faults, like lust, envy, pride, and greed. *Kṛṣṇa-kathā* eradicates all internal and external contaminations. King Parīkṣit says to Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmi, > praviṣṭaḥ karṇa-randhreṇa > svānāṁ bhāva-saroruham > dhunoti śamalaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ > salilasya yathā śarat “[*Śrīmad-Bhagavatam*,] the sound incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul, enters into the heart of a self-realized devotee, sits on the lotus flower of his loving relationship, and thus cleanses the dust of material association, such as lust, anger and hankering. Thus it acts like autumnal rains upon pools of muddy water.” (*Bhāgavatam* 2.8.5) *Kṛṣṇa-kathā* destroys *anarthas* at an individual level and the contamination of Kali-yuga at a global level. Therefore Sūta Gosvāmī said, *kṛṣṇa-caritaṁ kali-kalmaṣa-ghnam*: [Then Śukadeva began to discourse on] “topics concerning Kṛṣṇa, which are the remedy for all sufferings in this Age of Kali.” (*Bhāgavatam* 10.1.14) Later, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, > kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann > asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ > kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya > mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet “My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra*, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (*Bhāgavatam* 12.3.51) Therefore *kṛṣṇa-kathā* and *kṛṣṇa-kīrtana* cause *kalmaṣāpaham*—the destruction of contamination. *5. Śravaṇa-maṅgalaṁ: Kṛṣṇa-kathā is most auspicious to hear.* *Śravaṇa* means “hearing,” and *maṅgalam* means “auspiciousness.” Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī writes that hearing *kṛṣṇa-kathā* causes auspiciousness in two ways: by making *kṛṣṇa-prema*, the ultimate goal of life, attractive, and by making it attainable. The more we hear about Kṛṣṇa, the more the goal of *kṛṣṇa-prema* becomes attractive to us. Many people don’t have a goal for their life; they have only temporary goals, such as getting a good career or a grand home or an expensive car or a high score on exams. But one should have a life goal, and that goal should be the attainment of *kṛṣṇa-prema*—love of God, Kṛṣṇa. Unfortunately, most people don’t find this goal attractive. Why? Because of insufficient hearing of *kṛṣṇa-kathā* from the right source. When heard from a sincere and experienced devotee, *kṛṣṇa-kathā* makes the goal of *kṛṣṇa-prema* very attractive. When we hear about *kṛṣṇa-prema*, we learn about the beauty, mercy, greatness, and sweetness of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Such hearing (*śravaṇa*) gives rise to the supreme auspiciousness (*maṅgalam*). *Kṛṣṇa-prema* includes the love we have for Kṛṣṇa and the love He has for us. It means expressing our love for Kṛṣṇa and experiencing His love for us, which makes our life most fulfilling and worthy. Establishing a relationship with Kṛṣṇa centered on love becomes attractive to us when we hear *kṛṣṇa-kathā*. As devotees in the stage of practice, we may tend to ignore the main, essential goal of *kṛṣṇa-prema* and instead develop other goals and targets, even under the umbrella of *bhakti-yoga*. We may get caught up in the minute details of projects or activities or interactions and forget that the ultimate goal of all of it is to please Kṛṣṇa and attain *kṛṣṇa-prema*. The attainment of the goal of *kṛṣṇa-prema* requires a lot of determination and absorption, as well as commitment to the principle of *ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam*—to accept only things favorable to attaining the goal and reject things unfavorable. The determination and inspiration to do these things come by regularly hearing *kṛṣṇa-kathā* from the right source. The second aspect of *śravaṇa-maṅgalam* is that *kṛṣṇa-kathā* makes the goal attainable. Once a specific goal becomes attractive to us, we need to find the practical means to make it attainable. That is accomplished by hearing *kṛṣṇa-kathā* because it not only advertises *kṛṣṇa-prema* well, but also gives us the right methods of worshiping and serving Kṛṣṇa, along with inspiring examples of devotees who did so. Absorption in hearing about Kṛṣṇa is both the goal and the means to attain it. *6. Śrīmad ātatam: Kṛṣṇa-kathā is spiritually potent and must be propagated.* *Śṛīmat* means “filled with spiritual power,” and *ātatam* means “to broadcast all over the world.” Spiritually powerful *kṛṣṇa-kathā* must be broadcast all over the world by many sincere devotees to bestow upon all living beings all benefits, up to and including *prema*. *7. Bhuvi gṛṇanti ye bhūri-dā janāḥ: Kṛṣṇa-kathā is broadcast by the most munificent people on the planet.* *Bhuvi* means the material world, *gṛṇanti* means to chant and spread, and *ye bhūri-dā janāḥ* means the most munificent persons. Whoever broadcasts the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa is the most benevolent benefactor of humanity (*bhūri-dā janā*) and thus its best well-wisher. We tend to think that well-wishers are people who satisfy our body and mind. For instance, if somebody gives you good food to eat, speaks words encouraging to hear, or offers you a nice place to live, you might consider that person your well-wisher. But someone who helps the spirit soul—the real you—escape the material entanglement by spreading *kṛṣṇa-kathā* is your ultimate well-wisher. The greatest benefit is done by touching the soul. *Kṛṣṇa-kathā* may be intellectually stimulating, mentally pleasing, or sweet to the ears, but its essential quality is that it should be spoken to inspire the heart to become absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That’s the ultimate benefit the devotee can provide to anyone. We truly benefit others by nourishing their souls, not by giving them physical comforts, pleasing their senses, mind, ego, or intelligence, or satisfying their gross or subtle body. The soul’s ultimate nourishment is in the nectar of *kṛṣṇa-kathā*. That’s why those who speak *kṛṣṇa-kathā* are the most munificent benefactors. One can never repay one’s debt to such selfless devotees. *Gaurāṅga Darśana Dāsa, a disciple of His Holiness Rādhānāth Swami, is dean of the Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha at ISKCON Govardhan Eco Village (GEV), outside Mumbai. He is the author of thirty-three books, including the Subodhini series of study guides, children’s books such as* Bhāgavatam Tales*, and other self-enrichment books. He conducts online and residential scriptural courses for children and adults.* Surat’s Superb Reception *Excerpted from Dancing White Elephants, December 15, 1970—January 3, 1971* During their stay here, Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Western disciples witness natural devotion among the citizens and, from their hosts, ideal Vaiṣṇava hospitality. *Excerpted from* Dancing White Elephants—Traveling with Srila Prabhupada in India, August 1970–March 1972, *by Giriraj Swami. Copyright © 2023 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.* This excerpt is from Chapter 5 and retains the book’s style for spelling Sanskrit words and other considerations. The book is available from the Krishna.com Store, the author’s website (girirajswami.com), and other outlets. The next stop for Srila Prabhupada and the World Sankirtan Party was Surat, a town in the state of Gujarat and home to over half a million people, which Prabhupada said was “a city of devotees.” He told us that the Gujarati people in general were extremely pious and would receive us very cordially. He wrote to Gurudas to come from Delhi and other devotees to come from Bombay—we would inundate the streets of Surat with glorious *hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana*. I was thrilled with the prospects of this next adventure. The *Mahābhārata* mentions Surat in its narration of the history of Krishna moving His cows from Mathura to Dvaraka. On the way, they stopped in Surat, which at that time was called Suryapur, and the cows’ footprints are said to still be visible at a pilgrimage site known as Gai Pagli (“the feet of cows”). Krishna used to stop there on His way to Dvaraka—about four hundred miles northwest, maybe eight days by horse-drawn chariot—and to this day the entire state of Gujarat is well known for its many worshippers of Krishna, especially in His form as a young cowherd boy, Bala Krishna. Commercially, Surat is known internationally for its textiles and diamonds. Over 90 percent of the world’s diamonds are cut and polished in Surat, and the silks manufactured there are considered among the best in the world. The city is also renowned for its silk brocades and gold embroidery—*jari*. Srila Prabhupada had previously met our host, Mr. Bhagubhai Jariwalla, in San Francisco in 1968, and Mr. Jariwalla had invited Prabhupada to come to Surat with his Western disciples, to which Prabhupada had readily agreed. In a letter to Mr. Jariwalla dated October 16, 1968, Prabhupada had written, “All over [Gujarat] there are so many Vaishnavas. So they should come forward to cooperate with me, then it will be a very nice organization. We want to establish one God, Krishna; one scripture, Bhagavad-gita; one mantra, Hare Krishna; and one work, service to the Supreme Lord. And people are responding. . . . I thank you very much once more for your nice letter and appreciation of my activities, and if you kindly cooperate with me, I shall be still more encouraged.” When we arrived at Mr. Jariwalla’s house, we found Prabhupada’s letter placed under the glass of his desk. Mr. Jariwalla, his wife, and their adult son and daughter were wonderful, selfless people, tireless in their efforts to care for us—twenty or twenty-five in all—including treating our nearly continuous illnesses. The women ran the household with great efficiency. They opened up their main floor for the devotees to take *prasāda* and to preach to visitors and gave Prabhupada the entire second floor: a front room, a sleeping room, servant’s quarters, and a balcony. The balcony turned out to be important, as masses of Surat citizens would clamor outside to get a glimpse of Prabhupada and he would go out on the balcony to acknowledge them. The Jariwallas gave over their third-floor bedrooms for the ladies and the fourth floor to the men; they themselves moved onto the roof. Virtually the entire building, known as Motorcycle House, was offered to accommodate Prabhupada and his World Sankirtan Party. In the *Caitanya-caritāmṛta* (*Madhya* 3.41) Srila Prabhupada describes his father’s standard for receiving guests: “According to the Vedic principles, there must always be a guest in a householder’s house. In my childhood I have actually seen my father receive not less than four guests every day, and in those days my father’s income was not very great. Nonetheless, there was no difficulty in offering *prasādam* to at least four guests every day. According to Vedic principles, a householder, before taking lunch, should go outside and shout very loudly to see if there is anyone without food. In this way he invites people to take *prasādam*. If someone comes, the householder offers him *prasādam*, and if there is not much left, he should offer his own portion to the guest. If no one responds to his call, the householder can accept his own lunch. Thus the householder’s life is also a kind of austerity.” Gujarati culture is particularly refined and pious—the Vedic conception is that guests should be received and treated like God—and Mr. Jariwalla and his family were perfect hosts. One of the main activities that brought us in contact with them was taking *prasāda*. We took our noon and evening meals with Srila Prabhupada, breakfast by ourselves. The Jariwallas would set up nice plates for us, we would sit in lines on the floor, and they would personally serve us, kneeling down and offering us whatever we wanted. And after preparing and serving the whole meal for us, they would ask, “Is there anything else you would like?” “None of them ever took any *prasāda*m until every one of us had been fully satisfied,” Nanda Kumar remembered. “Sometimes there was nothing left after our voracious appetites had been satiated, and still they would serve every last bit of it to us if we would accept. Often, they would have to cook again for their family, sometimes many hours after their normal mealtime.” The *prasāda* itself was incredible—expertly prepared, flavorsome, and healthful. We could see how much Srila Prabhupada was relishing it, and when he particularly enjoyed a dish, he would ask the women to find out how it had been prepared. Yamuna found ways to spend as much time in the kitchen as possible and watched the cooks closely and with appreciation. Mr. Jariwalla even mentioned her interest to Srila Prabhupada—“how Yamuna Devi loves to learn this cooking.” Unfortunately, the rest of us were not so experienced in how to deal with respectable Hindu families. In Vedic culture, the guest should not impose upon the host, but, as Nanda Kumar said, “We were all young Westerners still filled with Western habits, even though we were learning the Vedic culture and doing our best to apply it in our daily lives.” So, sometimes one of us would say, “I want this” or “I want that,” and our hosts would cook another preparation. But we didn’t know how to behave properly, and we were demanding more and more. The Jariwalla family never indicated that they took any offense—they just humbly served with smiles on their faces—but eventually we started getting reports from Hamsaduta, perhaps coming from Srila Prabhupada, that we shouldn’t be so demanding of our hosts—that we should be better guests—and that whatever they offered us, we should accept respectfully and cheerfully and then finish and go back up to our quarters. There had been a lot of talking after meals, and we had been hanging around downstairs. As it was, the hosts had already moved onto the roof to accommodate us, so if we hung around on the ground floor, there was no place for them to go. So, we learned to be more considerate of our hosts, but finally Hamsaduta had to give us a class to reform our uncultured manners. He taught us how to eat properly (with only the right hand), how to behave properly (not to throw *prasāda*)—all the rules that we’d actually been taught when we’d first joined the movement, but which apparently some of us had never really learned or else had forgotten. Hamsaduta appealed to us to please try to behave ourselves so that we didn’t exasperate our hosts or create a bad impression of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada’s manners, of course, were impeccable. As Madri dasi observed, “One day, he finished his lunch, and the hosts gave him a whole banana. I never saw anyone peel a banana like he did. He didn’t touch it at all with his left hand. He picked it up in his right hand and started to peel it with his teeth, pulling the strips down with his teeth and then picking out the white part in the center. Then, pulling the white part away, he let the whole banana skin drop from his teeth. He did all this without touching it with his left hand.” The day after we arrived was the disappearance day of Srila Prabhupada’s guru maharaja*,* Srila Bhaktisiddhanta. Prabhupada called us into his room to observe the occasion*,* which was momentous for him—and for us. He had dedicated his *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam**,* “To Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja*,* My Spiritual Master*,* on the 26th Annual Ceremony of His Disappearance Day. *He lives forever by his divine instructions and the follower lives with him*.” On the absolute platform*,* the spiritual master’s appearance and disappearance are the same*,* he told us—both are beautiful*,* just like the sunrise and the sunset. Srila Prabhupada said that the Gujaratis were naturally Krishna conscious and gave the example that if a spark falls on dry grass, the grass will immediately burst into flame. The people of Surat were like dry grass, he said, and as soon as he arrived, they burst into flames of appreciation. We did *saṅkīrtana* practically every day on the streets, and wherever we went, everyone came out. There were no pandal or formal programming, but Mr. Jariwalla placed advertisements in the newspaper and had handbills distributed to announce our routes, and one day the mayor of Surat, Mr. Vaikuntha Shastri, proclaimed a public holiday and all the schools and factories were closed so that everyone could come out and see the procession, at which the mayor himself greeted us and welcomed Srila Prabhupada, garlanding him. The entire city was excited and prepared, eagerly awaiting our arrival. Giant signs in Gujarati read, “Welcome to the American and European Devotees of Krishna” and “Welcome to Members of the Hare Krishna Movement.” The streets were lined with stalks of plantain and decorated with religious symbols and flower designs painted with rice flour, and different-colored saris and strings of flowers and leaves were draped from one side to the other. It was a spectacular, festive atmosphere. People had never seen foreign sadhus before, and they lined the streets in the thousands, running from all directions, standing on top of buildings, and clustering in windows to see us. Women threw flower petals from the rooftops as we processed, chanting Hare Krishna, and every half block or so, we would have to stop, due to people approaching us to offer *ārati* with flowers, incense, and lit ghee lamps; put Kumkum on our foreheads; place garlands around our necks; and invite us to their homes. One day we were stopped practically every few steps, and soon we had ten, fifteen, twenty garlands around our necks and had to take them off and throw them back into the crowd, who would eagerly grab for them. Shyamasundar and Saraswati were particular attractions—Shyamasundar so tall and handsome, and little three-year-old Saraswati, with her blue eyes and blond hair, clapping and dancing in the kirtan. In all, as Kausalya said, “Surat was very special. The whole town was surcharged with Krishna consciousness . . . Everybody welcomed us wherever we went, but they welcomed us more in Surat than any place we ever went.” Yamuna, like the rest of us, was in bliss. “It had been my desire from the beginning of my devotional life, and I prayed for the day that I would be in India with Srila Prabhupada,” she remembered. “So, when he returned to San Francisco, he asked me if I still wanted to go to India. Tears immediately came to my eyes, and I said, ‘Yes, Swamiji, very much.’ . . . but it wasn’t until we actually came to India and walked and danced in the streets with Srila Prabhupada on *nagara-saṅkīrtana* that I realized something of what it meant. To walk in the footsteps of great Vaishnavas who chanted and danced in the streets before us, and to be able to touch the hearts of people along the way with *hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana*, were simply the most wonderful and nectarean things. Srila Prabhupada assured me that he would take me to the highest place, and for me, *nagara-saṅkīrtana* with Srila Prabhupada was that place.” At first, Prabhupada joined our daily processions and after a short while returned to Mr. Jariwalla’s house while we carried on. Then he stopped coming, but every morning as we were leaving, he would wave to us from his second-floor balcony, and, thus enlivened, we would set off down the street, chanting with transcendental pleasure. And later in the day, when we returned, he would be out there again, waiting for us. “Prabhupada was at the foot of the stairs, greeting us,” Cidananda said of a typical evening’s welcome. “We were in complete bliss, with flower garlands all over us, big smiles on our faces. We were very happy that we had been so well received. It was as if Prabhupada was standing there saying, ‘Just see how wonderful this Krishna consciousness is! Just see how happy you are!’ He was standing there smiling. He was so happy that we were happy.” *Giriraj Swami met Sla Prabhupada in Boston in 1969 and spent many years in India. In the early 1970s he oversaw the development of Hare Krishna Land in Juhu. He has written four books other books, available from the Krishna.com Store and his website: girirajswami.com.* A Child Prodigy of a Special Kind by Hari Bhakti Dāsa *His exemplary devotional qualities inspired the defeat of one of history’s most vicious tyrants.* “My dear boy, please tell me what you consider the best of all subjects you have learned.” The proud father had tears gliding down his bearded cheeks as he addressed his innocent five-year-old child.* What was he expecting to hear from his son? Any childish words would have melted his otherwise stonelike heart. But the child’s response shocked the indulgent, loving father. “O best of the *asuras*, King of the demons, as far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [*vana*]. More clearly, one should go to Vṛndā*vana*, where only Kṛṣṇa consciousness is prevalent, and should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (*Bhāgavatam* 7.5.5) *This was no ordinary child.* Today, a child who exhibits extraordinary talent at a very young age is termed a child prodigy. This child’s talent was extraordinary even among the extraordinary because it was the result of his devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, making him a uniquely blessed and gifted child. All the blessings he received were by the grace of his guru and his Lord. His speech, faith, and realizations were not only extraordinary for a child, but were far superior to those of all but the rarest of adults throughout history. When Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared as terror and anger personified to kill this child’s demoniac father, all the leading personalities in the universe could not pacify Him. But this child did. This child prodigy accomplished what even Lakṣmī, the Lord’s eternal consort, feared to try to do. This child was Prahlāda, the great devotee son of the extremely demoniac father Hiraṇyakaśipu. *Absolute Absorption* From his very childhood, Prahlāda was uninterested in anything material. Material desires simply did not exist in his psyche. He was completely absorbed in thoughts of Lord Kṛṣṇa and was actually embraced by the Lord while doing his activities. Because of his elevated spiritual status, he sometimes cried, sometimes laughed, and sometimes sang loudly in ecstasy. And where was the attention of his father absorbed? Hiraṇya*kaśipu* terrorized the universe and brought all the demigods and objects of sense enjoyment under his control. The name Hiraṇya*kaśipu* means gold (*hiraṇya*) and a soft bed (*kaśipu*). In other words, his absorption was in wealth and women. In spite of his universal control, he was always dissatisfied. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (7.4.19) mentions, > sa itthaṁ nirjita-kakub > eka-rāḍ viṣayān priyān > yathopajoṣaṁ bhuṣjāno > nātṛpyad ajitendriyaḥ “In spite of achieving the power to control in all directions and in spite of enjoying all types of dear sense gratification as much as possible, Hiraṇyakaśipu was dissatisfied because instead of controlling his senses he remained their servant.” Although a child, Prahlāda was a grown-up mature person compared to his childish father, who delighted only in playthings created by the illusory energy. The result of Prahlāda’s absorption was ecstasy; the result of his father’s was anxiety. *Stupendous Good for Others* One way to compare Prahlāda and Hiraṇyakaśipu is in terms of their ability to do good for others. Being selfish, what good could Hiraṇyakaśipu do? Only someone at least partly free from personal wants can think about doing good for others, not someone whose consciousness is absorbed in thoughts of “I” and “mine.” Hiraṇyakaśipu’s thoughts of other people were limited to enjoying them or making them suffer. His massive cruelty involved terrorizing all, defiling women, dismantling places of Viṣṇu worship, and arranging for his own glories to be sung everywhere. And he wished his child to follow in his footsteps. But Prahlāda was different. His father sometimes asked him what was the best knowledge he had learned from his teachers. He understood the superficiality and duplicity of the knowledge (or, rather, ignorance) taught by his schoolteachers, Śaṇḍa and Amarka, the sons of Śukrācārya, the guru of the *asuras*. Therefore, when once asked by his father what was the best thing he had learned in school, Prahlāda remembered his spiritual teacher, Nārada Muni, and told his father that the best knowledge was the nine-fold process of devotional service to the Lord, beginning with hearing and chanting about Him. By this answer alone Prahlāda showed that he knew how to truly benefit others, and therefore he always tried to engage everyone in devotional service. Prahlāda’s classmates wanted to know what he had learned from Nārada Muni, so he described to them, among many other lessons, the temporality of material endeavors and the glory of devotional service. The five-year-old also explained the dangers of wealth and of family life disconnected from Kṛṣṇa. Prahlāda’s life and teachings are recorded in the scriptures, and thus he taught the world through his words and actions. We hear from *Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata* that even Lord Caitanya, the Supreme Lord, took pleasure in hearing the glories of Prahlāda over and over again. *Independence via Dependence* Prahlāda’s resistance to his father’s complete disapproval of Viṣṇu worship made Prahlāda his father’s top enemy. The hard-hearted father finally ordered the child killed. But although Hiraṇyakaśipu’s minions tried in various ways to kill the tender child, Prahlāda never cared to protect himself. He did his part by remembering the Lord, and the Lord did His part by protecting him. Prahlāda was assaulted by sharp weapons, but no weapon could harm or even touch him. His dear Lord showered him with life-sustaining nectar by touching every part of his body with His lotus palms. Prahlāda’s body became as strong as a thunderbolt. The attacks of serpents were also in vain. And when Prahlāda was thrown into engulfing flames, he felt cool by remembering Lord Nārāyaṇa, who lies above the Garbhodaka Ocean in the coils of Ananta Śeṣa. Hiraṇyakaśipu never cared for any authority. The only time he showed any dependence on anyone was when attempting to attain his desired boon—immortality—from Brahmā. Hiraṇyakaśipu became so powerful that one flick of his eyebrows was enough to alter climate to make it congenial to his whims. But because his independence was in defiance to the Supreme Lord’s governance, it could hardly last. On the contrary, the absolute dependence of the child on Kṛṣṇa resulted in his protection from unimaginable attacks. Prahlāda’s dependence made him independent to the extent of defying the laws of nature. His own Lord, the lawmaker, amended all laws to care for His dear devotee. *Mountainous Faith* Hiraṇyakaśipu’s persecution was powerless to dampen Prahlāda’s enthusiasm. The proud father’s baffled attempts increased his own wrath, and finally he himself rushed to kill the boy. The child remained unfazed even as the boastful father hammered his little son with sharp words. After receiving the child’s affirmation that his dear Lord was everywhere, even in a palace pillar, Hiraṇyakaśipu struck the pillar with his fist. Just to prove the words of his dear devotee true, the Lord burst out from the pillar. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (7.8.17) states, > satyaṁ vidhātuṁ nija-bhṛtya-bhāṣitaṁ > vyāptiṁ ca bhūteṣv akhileṣu cātmanaḥ > adṛśyatātyadbhuta-rūpam udvahan > stambhe sabhāyāṁ na mṛgaṁ na mānuṣam “To prove that the statement of His servant Prahlāda Mahārāja was substantial—in other words, to prove that the Supreme Lord is present everywhere, even within the pillar of an assembly hall—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, exhibited a wonderful form never before seen. The form was neither that of a man nor that of a lion. Thus the Lord appeared in His wonderful form in the assembly hall.” Although a child, Prahlāda had mountainous faith—faith in the words of his guru, Nārada Muni, and in the Lord’s omnipresence. He successfully passed the exam of faith, and the Lord gave a thunderous response to his faith. His father, though an adult, remained skeptical till the end and was ultimately destroyed along with his companions for his godless display of robbed opulences. *Oceanic Compassion* We generally don’t expect any words of compassion from a five-year-old. Usually children are attached to their toys and play. But in Prahlāda’s prayers in the Fifth Canto (Chapter 18), he prays for auspiciousness for the entire world and for everyone’s engagement in the Lord’s service. When Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared, Prahlāda asked for everyone’s deliverance from material existence. He didn’t wish to be liberated alone. He even desired the deliverance of his father, his greatest tormenter. His father lived and died selfishly. What was his gain for his ten thousand years of austerity? A short-lived kingdom. And what was Prahlāda’s gain? A life of total absorption in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa and dependence on Him, a life of concern and care for others. Prahlāda’s character is etched deeply into the minds of millions of devotees. His faith has given, is giving, and will give hope to future devotees as well. Prahlāda has even made Nṛsiṁhadeva more famous, so attractive is his unique story. Devotees throng in huge numbers to offer their worship, respects, and prayers to both Prahlāda and Nṛsiṁhadeva. Prahlāda is the greatest child prodigy the world has ever seen. Even adults cannot come to his standard. His story remains a beacon for all devotees who yearn to grow up in their Kṛṣṇa conscious lives. *The details of Prahlāda’s story as cited here come from the Seventh Canto of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* and Chapters 8–10 of the *Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya*. Sidebar: *Nārada Praises Prahlāda* Śrī Nārada said: Now, after so long, I have finally seen you—the true recipient of Kṛṣṇa’s full mercy! Now my efforts have borne fruit! From your very childhood you have been endowed with pure devotion for Kṛṣṇa. Such spontaneous love has never been seen anywhere before. By virtue of that pure devotion, you overcame terrible obstacles, the thousands of outrages your father committed against you. And by your influence all the demons became Vaiṣṇavas. While immersed in meditation on Kṛṣṇa, you seemed to forget your own existence. Like a madman you danced and sang and called out loudly, your body trembling. In this way you spread devotional service unto Lord Viṣṇu, delivering all the worlds from the cycle of material life and filling them with joy. When Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared on the shore of the ocean, He placed you on His lap and caressed you like a mother. Thus He honored you, ignoring Brahmā, Śiva, and the other demigods offering prayers, and even ignoring the goddess Padmā. Brahmā, terrified, begged you to approach Śrī Nṛsiṁha. And when you fell at the Lord’s divine lotus feet, the Lord stood up and raised you from the ground. He put His lotus hand upon your head and began to lick your entire body. When Lord Hari, with most attractive and clever enticements, tried to offer you the supreme abode, you showed no interest in liberation, which is prayed for by Brahmā and by everyone else. Rather, you asked only devotion to the Lord, birth after birth. Responding to your Lord’s love, you agreed to assume your father’s throne. And as you told Lord Nṛsiṁha in your prayers, by doing this you wished to help deliver all people. You are still on that royal seat, fixed in meditation on Lord Nṛsiṁha. – *Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta* 1.4.4–10 *Hari Bhakti Dāsa (haribhaktidas.com), a disciple of His Holiness Rādhānāth Swami, serves as a* brahmacārī *at ISKCON Pune, where he teaches Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the youth and congregation. He compiles and writes regularly for* Bhagavata Pradipika*, a magazine of the Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha at Govardhana Ecovillage.* Beware the Dear Deer By Suvarṇa Rādhā Devī Dāsī *Deer play pivotal and symbolic roles in many stories from the Vedic epics.* In the *Rāmāyaṇa*, Mahārāja Daśaratha, while hunting in the forest, heard what he thought was the gurgle of a deer drinking water. When he shot an arrow in the direction of the sound, he was mortified when he heard a human cry. He had hit a boy named Śravaṇa Kumāra, who was filling a pot with river water. Daśaratha was aghast and apologized profusely for his unintentional yet unrighteous act. Before dying, Śravaṇa Kumāra forgave Daśaratha and asked him to bring the water to his blind parents. On learning from Daśaratha of their son’s unfortunate death, the grief-stricken parents cursed Daśaratha: “Just as we will suffer and die due to separation from our beloved son, you too shall have the same fate.” The couple did in fact die on the spot, and Daśaratha Mahārāja performed the cremation rites for Śravaṇa Kumāra and his parents. While Lord Rāmacandra was in exile with His consort, Sītā Devī, and brother Lakṣmaṇa, a beautiful golden deer grazed near their cottage in the forest. Sītā was attracted to the deer and asked Rāmacandra get it for her as a pet. Unable to resist her plea, Lord Rāma agreed to capture the deer. He instructed Lakṣmaṇa to look after Sītā and ventured into the forest to get it. Very soon, Rāmacandra realized that the deer was not real; it was the Rākṣasa Mārīca. When Rāmacandra shot Mārīca with an arrow, his identity was exposed. While dying, Mārīca imitated Rāmacandra’s voice and shouted, “O Lakṣmaṇa! O Sītā! Help! Help!” Lakṣmaṇa was skeptical of the voice and chose to stay with Sītā. She, however, consumed by worry about Rāmacandra’s safety, insisted that Lakṣmaṇa rush to His aid. Reluctantly, Lakṣmaṇa left Sītā alone in the cottage and went looking for Rāmacandra. Rāvaṇa, who had hatched a plan with Mārīca to abduct Sītā, found her alone. Unaware of Rāvaṇa’s identity, Sītā innocently fell into his trap. He quickly pounced on her, abducted her, and flew over the clouds to Lanka. In another deer-related story, this one from the *Mahābhārata*, King Pāṇḍu saw a deer couple in the woods and unleashed swift, sharp arrows, piercing them both. They were not deer, however, but were the sage Kindama and his wife, enjoying as deer. After being pierced by Pāṇḍu, Kindama wept bitterly, called out in a man’s voice, and fell to the ground. Before dying, he cursed Pāṇḍu to die when overcome with sexual desire. In another episode in the *Mahābhārata*, when the *araṇi* sticks a hermit would use to ignite sacrificial fires got entangled in a deer’s antlers, the Pāṇḍavas went in search of the deer. During the hunt, four of them drank from a poisoned lake and died. They were revived only after Yudhiṣṭhira was able to answer questions on dharma from a heron, who turned out to be Yamarāja, also known as Dharmarāja, the lord of dharma. In *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* King Bharata renounced his kingdom and went to the forest for spiritual advancement. One day, he saw a baby deer fall from the womb of its mother into a river. The doe, shivering in fear because of a lion’s roar and weak from the miscarriage, died shortly after. King Bharata felt compassion for the baby deer, brought it to his ashram, and soon became attached to it. As Bharata was dying, his infatuation for the fawn was so intense that in his next birth he was born as a deer. By Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, however, he was able to remember his previous life, and after his life as a deer, he was born as the devotee Jaḍa Bharata. Both the *Mahābhārata* and the *Bhāgavatam* tell how Jarā, a hunter, shot an arrow into Lord Kṛṣṇa’s foot, assuming it to be the face of a deer. Kṛṣṇa used the mistake as a ploy for ending His time on earth. Why Deer? We can find much symbolic significance in the choice of a deer in these incidents. For example, a deer symbolizes enjoyment, as when a deer is attracted by the sweet sounds of a hunter’s flute. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* warns us that the beautiful sounds of children’s voices keep parents bound up in material existence by creating an illusion of happiness and fulfillment through material attachments. Like the deer, human beings enjoy family life unaware of the time factor behind them. Time is like a tiger, ready to eat the deer. The tiger symbolizes the inevitable passage of time and the impermanence of material enjoyment. It serves as a reminder that while we may find temporary happiness in our family and relationships, ultimately they are subject to change and decay. Thus, to transcend the cycle of materialistic pursuits and find lasting fulfillment, it is essential for all of us to cultivate a deep understanding of our true spiritual nature. The deer therefore teaches us that we should not work for bodily pleasures or get trapped in material enjoyment, which ultimately leads to spiritual downfall. As for sexual enjoyment, it should be accepted only to create children and raise them in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The deer-related incidents of Daśaratha and Pāṇḍu occurred while hunting, an activity traditionally allowed for *kṣatriyas* (kings and warriors) to prepare them for the battlefield. Daśaratha’s story serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the detrimental consequences of improper hunting practices. He had no ill intent, but his tragic mistake led to his downfall and his kingdom’s suffering. This incident warns us that we should abstain from hunting. By adhering to ethical principles and avoiding harmful actions, we can strive toward a more harmonious and spiritually evolved society. In Lord Rāmacandra’s story, we can compare the deer to the illusory energy of the Lord, which capture’s our mind. The incredibly enchanting and captivating beauty of the golden deer allured Sītā. Her desire for it led to Her separation from Lord Rāmacandra and great hardship for both of them. Similarly, material attractions separate living entities from the Lord and make them miserable. The deer’s allure was so powerful that even Rāmacandra’s consort, Sītā, could not resist its charm. This serves as a reminder that the illusory energy can affect anyone, regardless of one’s spiritual strength. It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of being swayed by external appearances and the importance of staying focused on one’s spiritual path. In the life of King Pāṇḍu, a sage took the form of a deer and was enjoying with his wife, but Pāṇḍu shot them despite their enjoyment. Upon realizing his mistake, Pāṇḍu deeply regretted his action. The sage, before departing, cursed Pāṇḍu with a tragic fate that would prevent him from ever experiencing the joys of marital life. In the *Mahābhārata* episode involving the Pāṇḍavas, they became tired and dejected while searching for the deer. *Kṣatriyas* would not typically succumb to these weaknesses. Therefore, we can see the deer that stole the *araṇi* sticks as representing the lure of the material energy, whose pursuit degrades us into acts unbefitting our status. As for Mahārāja Bharata, his undue affection for the deer was clearly the cause of his downfall. Fortunately, after one life as a deer, he was steadfast in his determination to perfect his Kṛṣṇa consciousness and achieved success. His story can inspire us to redouble our spiritual efforts when we fail to pass tests we face in our journey to the Lord. Regarding the hunter who “killed” Lord Kṛṣṇa, his mistake highlights the importance of being cautious and mindful of our actions and desires. In humans, all five senses are dominant, each sense attracted to a “deer” it chooses to seduce for its own enjoyment. The senses compete for gratification, thus leading us to separate from the shelter of a spiritual master and the Lord. It is impossible to satisfy even one sense at a time, and chasing the deer of attractions in the material world leads us into traps that are difficult to escape. To avoid these traps, it is crucial for us to prioritize our spiritual growth and align our senses and actions with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. *Suvarṇa Rādhā Devī Dāsī, PhD, and her husband, Brajanātha Dāsa, PhD, both disciples of His Holiness Rādhānāth Swami, live in Longmont, Colorado, with their two daughters. They are active in book distribution and in serving Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda at ISKCON Denver.* Guidance from the Prayers of a Prince by Tanay Shah *Dhruva Mahārāja’s prayers to the Lord provide valuable lessons for our devotional journey.* People often turn to prayer to seek fulfilment of their diverse material desires. But are material-centric requests truly the best form of communion with the Lord? Dhruva Mahārāja’s example offers profound insights into the nature of prayer. Prince Dhruva faced deep emotional pain when he was denied a simple opportunity to sit on his father’s lap, only to be insulted by his envious stepmother. Fueled by this hurt, he boldly decided to leave home, aspiring to achieve a position even greater than his esteemed great-grandfather, Lord Brahmā. Guided by the wise Nārada Muni, Dhruva embarked on a journey of rigorous austerities with the sole aim of pleasing Lord Viṣṇu and attaining the highest material position in the universe. After successfully pleasing Lord Viṣṇu through his dedicated penance, Dhruva found himself in the presence of the Lord, who appeared directly before him. Overwhelmed with gratitude and reverence, Dhruva offered prayers that unveil remarkable insights and reflect his transformative journey. Here we consider four of those twelve prayers, as recorded in *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*. *Awakening to Divine Consciousness* On witnessing the beautiful form of the Lord, Dhruva Mahārāja fervently prayed, “My dear Lord, You are all-powerful. After entering within me, You have enlivened all my sleeping senses—my hands, legs, ears, touch sensation, life force and especially my power of speech. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You.” (*Bhāgavatam* 4.9.6) Dhruva Mahārāja easily realized the change in his life after experiencing spiritual awakening and encountering the Lord directly. He recognized that his vitality had been dormant, but now, after encountering the Lord, he was truly alive and truly awake. The guidance given here by Dhruva after his spiritual awakening resonates in a song by the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava saint Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: “O living being, please wake up! How much longer will you linger in the lap of illusion? Embrace the gift of the human form to delve into the profound understanding of your authentic self.” The awakening of Dhruva’s senses and mind to spiritual enlightenment was made possible solely by the mercy of the Lord’s spiritual energy. In that regard the initial address in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra* is directed toward the spiritual energy of the Lord, Hare. However, this divine energy bestows Her mercy on us only when we wholeheartedly embrace surrender to our eternal role as a loving servitor of the Lord. When we place ourself at the Supreme Lord’s disposal, the spiritual energy gradually unveils to us the loving presence of the Lord. *The Magnitude of God’s Grace* Dhruva Mahārāja continued his prayer: “O my master, . . . You are the only shelter of all persons who desire liberation, and You are the friend of all who are distressed. How, therefore, can a learned person who has perfect knowledge ever forget You?” (*Bhāgavatam* 4.9.8) God’s surrendered devotees cannot forget Him even for a moment. The devotees realize that the Lord’s mercy is limitless and that they can’t even know how much they benefit from His grace. As devotees dedicate more and more time to serving the Lord, they receive increasing encouragement from the divine energy. In the *G**ītā* (10.10) Lord Kṛṣṇa emphasizes that those who wholeheartedly engage in devotional service, driven by love and affection, receive internal guidance for further progress. With this encouragement, devotees never lose sight of the Personality of *G*odhead; they remain constantly aware of Him and grateful to Him. They feel a deep sense of obligation to Kṛṣṇa for the enhanced strength He bestows on them for their devotional journey. *Ideal Prayers* Continuing, Dhruva says, “Persons who worship You simply for the sense gratification of this bag of skin are certainly influenced by Your illusory energy. In spite of having You, who are like a desire tree and are the cause of liberation from birth and death, foolish persons, such as me, desire benedictions from You for sense gratification, which is available even for those who live in hellish conditions.” (*Bhāgavatam* 4.9.9) Herein Dhruva Mahārāja expresses remorse because he initially approached the Lord to gain material benefits. His introspection also offers valuable insights into the nature of our own current prayers and what we should genuinely seek from the Lord. Studying the acts and prayers of the Lord’s pure devotees helps dispel the numerous doubts and questions that may challenge us in our spiritual journey. Much like Dhruva Mahārāja, we may find ourselves beseeching the Lord to fulfill various material desires. But we should understand the inherent problem in such requests: they lead only to transient and unsatisfactory results. Despite our fervent yearning, material desires never bring lasting contentment. Instead, they bind us more tightly to the material world, creating more distance between us and Kṛṣṇa’s loving embrace. In a verse from the *Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya* (7.28), Dhruva Mahārāja tells Lord Viṣṇu, “I was searching after a piece of glass, but instead I have found a most valuable jewel.” Extending the analogy, we can compare our material desires to pieces of broken glass. As sharp glass can hurt us physically, clinging to endless material desires can harm us internally and prolong our stay in the material world. Material “rewards,” being fleeting and insubstantial, fail to satisfy our deeper yearnings. Therefore, instead of asking the desire-fulfilling Lord for metaphorical pieces of broken glass, we should aspire for the enduring and priceless diamond—the jewel of devotion to the Lord. While there are moments when practicing devotees feel the need to pray for the fulfillment of specific needs due to life’s challenging demands, such requests don’t exclude us from the realm of devotional service. In the *Gītā* (7.16) Kṛṣṇa says, > catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ > janāḥ su-kṛtino ’rjuna > ārto jijṣāsur arthārthī > jṣānī ca bharatarṣabha “O best among the Bhāratas, four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.” This verse illustrates how even those seeking wealth and relief from worldly troubles turn to Kṛṣṇa and engage in His devotional service. However, persistently seeking undue material blessings from the Lord will distance us from a genuine connection with Him. Hence we must consciously endeavor to direct our focus toward praying to the Lord for advancement in His devotional service. While articulating heartfelt prayers in our own language and words, their essential value lies in our aligning them with the fundamental principle of pleasing the Lord. *Dhruva’s Spiritual Roadmap* Dhruva Mahārāja continued, “O unlimited Lord, kindly bless me so that I may associate with great devotees who engage in Your transcendental loving service constantly, as the waves of a river constantly flow. Such transcendental devotees are completely situated in an uncontaminated state of life. By the process of devotional service I shall surely be able to cross the nescient ocean of material existence, which is filled with the waves of blazing, firelike dangers. It will be very easy for me, for I am becoming mad to hear about Your transcendental qualities and pastimes, which are eternally existent.” (*Bhāgavatam* 4.9.11) Dhruva Mahārāja’s declaration emphasizes a fundamental truth: the richness and sweetness of transcendental devotional service is fully realized only in the company of pure devotees. Attempting to embark on the path of devotion in isolation is a profound mistake, as such a solitary journey makes the destination unattainable because it lacks the transformative power found in communal devotion and the guidance of spiritual superiors. Without the company of devotees, our benefit from the potency and sweetness of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s words becomes diminished. Dhruva Mahārāja therefore ardently expresses his desire for the fellowship of pure devotees, recognizing it as an indispensable element for devotional growth. Still, someone might ask Dhruva Mahārāja: “While you may find immense happiness in the company of devotees, what is your strategy for traversing the formidable ocean of material existence?” Dhruva Mahārāja offers a reassuring response, asserting that the journey is not as arduous as it may appear. He emphatically states that navigating the ocean of material existence becomes remarkably easy through a singular approach—developing an insatiable thirst for hearing the glories of the Lord. He clearly says that for those who consistently immerse themselves in narratives and discussions about the Lord, and become genuinely addicted to this spiritual process, transcending the material world becomes easy. The material world is like a blazing fire, but for a devotee this fire is insignificant because he has absorbed himself in the cooling ocean of devotional service. To a devotee who sees Kṛṣṇa everywhere, the material world is full of pleasure. Dhruva Mahārāja’s prayers offer profound insights into the art of connecting with the Lord and advancing in spiritual life. They emphasize the significance of expressing heartfelt prayers, nurturing meaningful connections with devotees, and sustaining an unwavering enthusiasm for immersing oneself in the Lord’s captivating pastimes. These interconnected elements form a dynamic and transformative roadmap, guiding us to elevate our spiritual journey to greater heights. *Tanay Shah is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in financial management. He holds a diploma in* Bhagavad-gītā *and a Bhakti Shastri degree. He writes articles, edits books for children and adults, and is an international yoga teacher. He lives in Mumbai.* A Cow and God’s Goodness by Viśākhā Devī Dāsī *Looking back at a time of joy and challenge and delight in a country ashram.* Many years ago, I had the unusual experience of living in a small ashram in Grants Pass, Oregon, with two godsisters, Yamunā and Dīnatāriṇe Prabhus. Their company was sublime, their deity worship was out of this world, and their cooking and the traditional devotional songs they sang were similarly special. Beyond all that, they had their own delightful pet cow, Bimala Prasada. Prior to meeting Bimala Prasada, I’d always looked at cows from a distance—a safe distance. Bimala, however, was practically an ashram resident who happened to live in the pasture just outside the ashram. She and Yamunā and Dīnatāriṇe were on close terms, and over the months I stayed at the ashram, Bimala became my friend too. She was young and occasionally took pleasure in mischief, like escaping from her enclosure and feasting on the carefully tended hyacinth flowers in the front yard that were intended for the deity’s garlands. When Dīna and Yamunā sternly scolded her for her transgression, Bimala seemed to assume an innocent, sweet look that said, “I’m sorry, but it was too good an opportunity to miss!” which made it difficult to stay upset with her for long. Once safely back in her own pasture, Bimala thoroughly enjoyed my stroking the underside of her neck and brushing her. Her short brown hair was thick and velvety soft, and as I brushed her, I’d watch the coarse brush bristles as they followed the rounded contours of her plump belly, the gentle rises of her ribs, and the high peaks of her bony hips. Once I had the rhythm of milking down and had developed some strength in my fingers and forearms, milking Bimala before sunrise became a favored activity. Even now decades later, I can still hear the sound of the thin, strong streams of milk rhythmically hitting the stainless-steel bucket, releasing wisps of steam into the cool morning air. As the bucket gradually filled with rich, frothy milk, Bimala, contentedly chewing grains, would make subdued snorts and grunts that melded with the calls of the early rising song sparrows and black-capped chickadees in the nearby forest. The unique stillness of that predawn hour was filled with scents of dung and hay and fresh, pure milk. And how much milk there was! With this single and incredibly versatile ingredient, we made yogurt, cream, panir cheese, and unbelievably scrumptious milk sweets. We made butter and ghee, whey and buttermilk—and with all that, there was still enough milk left to sell to a local restaurant that valued whole, organic, locally sourced milk. The three of us loved Bimala Prasada, and we felt that she loved us. Besides her milk, her very presence contributed mightily to the ashram. The cow, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains, exemplifies the mode of goodness. Mixtures of the three modes of material nature govern the workings of this material world. The mode of ignorance is characterized by laziness, indolence, and sleep; the mode of passion by busyness, desire, and material ambition; and the mode of goodness by peacefulness, satisfaction, and tolerance. In general (that is, when she wasn’t in heat), Bimala was peaceful, satisfied, and tolerant, and being around her somehow increased my sense of peacefulness, satisfaction, and tolerance—and that is a bit of a mystery. How does being around an animal bring one closer to the mode of goodness, the mode of learned and gentle *brāhmaṇas*, those who are elevated in knowledge, good character, and behavior? One of the principles Śrī Kṛṣṇa explains in the *Bhagavad-gītā* is that one becomes a *brāhmaṇa* not by being born in a *brāhmaṇa* family, but by acquiring the qualities of a *brāhmaṇa*. Kṛṣṇa says, > śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ > kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca > jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ > brahma-karma svabhāva-jam “Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness—these are the natural qualities by which the *brāhmaṇas* work.” (*Gītā* 18.42) These attributes of the mode of goodness aren’t academic. That is, it’s not by excelling in math, English, history, and science that we’ll become peaceful, self-controlled, austere, and so on. Rather, to acquire the qualities of the mode of goodness we need an environment conducive to that mode, and we need to have the company of those with good qualities. To be in the mode of goodness is to be internally fit, and to become fit in this way we first must desire to be, which ideally will lead us to find genuine spiritual teachings as well as sincere practitioners of those teachings. This concept is put poetically in the *Gītā-māhātmya* (6): > sarvopaniṣado gāvo > dogdhā gopāla-nandana > pārtho vatsaḥ su-dhīr bhoktā > dugdhaṁ gītāmṛtaṁ mahat “All the *Upaniṣads* are like a cow, and the milker of the cow is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda. Arjuna is the calf, the beautiful nectar of the *Gītā* is the milk, and the fortunate devotees of fine theistic intellect are the drinkers and enjoyers of that milk.” In other words, the *Upaniṣads*, of which there are 108 and which contain vast knowledge about the Absolute Truth, are likened to a cow. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is famous as cowherd boy, is the milker of that cow. Arjuna is likened to a calf. In the presence of her calf the cow gives profuse milk, and that milk is the *Bhagavad-gītā*. Arjuna’s strong desire to hear from Śrī Kṛṣṇa inspired him to ask questions. In response, Kṛṣṇa offered Arjuna the essence of the extensive *Upaniṣads* for his nourishment and wisdom. And to this day, pure and learned devotees continue to take this milk, the nectarean instructions of the *Bhagavad-gītā*, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s divine song. Before he heard the *Gītā* from Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna was confused and dissatisfied. As he heard verse after verse, his confusion and dissatisfaction gradually dissipated, replaced by a previously unknown clarity of purpose as well as a process for attaining that purpose—*bhakti*, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. *Back to Bimala* Sadly, before I came to the ashram, Bimala’s calf had died at birth, yet for years afterwards, as the ashram residents gave her profuse care and love, Bimala continued giving profuse milk. The reciprocal relationship, the loving exchange, between the beautiful devotees and this beautiful animal was impossible to overlook. I was living in a simple ashram that was blessed with the natural abundance that accompanies *bhakti*. By the grace of our teacher, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we ashram residents were experiencing the sense of fulfilment and happiness that comes from trying to live according to Kṛṣṇa’s plan. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains: The bull is the emblem of the moral principle, and the cow is the representative of the earth. When the bull and the cow are in a joyful mood, it is to be understood that the people of the world are also in a joyful mood. The reason is that the bull helps production of grains in the agricultural field, and the cow delivers milk, the miracle of aggregate food values. The human society, therefore, maintains these two important animals very carefully so that they can wander everywhere in cheerfulness. . . . The bull and the cow can be protected for the good of all human society simply by the spreading of brahminical culture as the topmost perfection of all cultural affairs. By advancement of such culture, the morale of society is properly maintained, and so peace and prosperity are also attained without extraneous effort. (*Bhāgavatam* 1.16.18, Purport) One cow, one small ashram with just a few ashram residents, but such a lesson in living well and living joyously! Just as throughout our body there are all sorts of complex actions and reactions going on that we don’t fully understand but that lead to our wellbeing (or lack thereof), so with our relationship with the earth and her creatures, especially the cow. Bimala Prasada, in her own ineffable way, was nudging me toward a fuller, more holistic life. It was a life steeped in appreciation and gratitude for God’s miraculous gifts, and my acknowledgement of those gifts and attempt to reciprocate them. It was a wholesome life of joy and challenge and delight. Perhaps looking back on it after so much time I’ve idealized that little Grants Pass ashram, or perhaps—because it was a life of simple living and high thinking that Kṛṣṇa describes for human beings—it was truly enchanting. *Visakhā Devi Dasi has been writing for BTG since 1973. The author of six books, she is the temple president at Bhaktivedanta Manor in the UK. She and her husband, Yadubara Dāsa, produce and direct films, most recently the biopic on the life of Śrīla Prabhupāda* Hare Kṛṣṇa! The Mantra, the Movement, and the Swami Who Started It All*. Visit her website at OurSpiritualJourney.com.* From the Editor *The Supreme Personality of Godhead* The first prominent spiritual teacher to spread the message of Lord Caitanya in English was Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. We can only imagine the magnitude of his unprecedented task. Lord Caitanya’s message, with its abundance of elevated spiritual ideas, was originally presented only in Sanskrit and Bengali. Śrīla Prabhupāda mentions that no English synonyms exist for many Sanskrit words for the highest devotional feelings and exchanges. For Śrīla Bhaktivinoda to translate Lord Caitanya’s teachings into English, therefore, required great care and divine inspiration. One challenge was to find a suitable English term to refer to Kṛṣṇa. While Śrīla Bhaktivinoda used terms such as “God” and “the Supreme Lord,” these tend to be problematic because most English-speaking people had (and have) a conception of what they mean that falls far short of capturing many theological aspects of Kṛṣṇa. Like Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī and Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sometimes referred to Kṛṣṇa as “the Supreme Personality of Godhead,” a term my research suggests was not used before him, and even now is rarely used outside Vaiṣṇavism, especially Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism. When coining a term, one risks confusing people when they first encounter it. But as it becomes more and more well-known, people become comfortable with it even if its meaning is not self-evident. The term “the Supreme Personality of Godhead” was not immediately clear to me when I first read it in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. Analyzing it piece by piece didn’t help. It seemed to refer to someone who is the supreme personality (or person, I supposed) of—what?—a place called “Godhead”? In other words, there’s a place (or something) called Godhead and Kṛṣṇa is the top person there. But that’s not exactly the point. As far as I know, Śrīla Prabhupāda never explained the phrase word by word. But I feel somewhat confident in my understanding that “Godhead,” a word used in Śrīla Bhaktivinoda’s time and still in use, here refers to the Absolute Truth, which, as defined in *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (1.2.11), is a nondual entity with three aspects: the impersonal Brahman, the Supersoul within everything, and the Supreme Person. The phrase “the Supreme Personality of Godhead” thus refers to the Supreme Person aspect of Godhead (or “the Godhead”). One way to misread the phrase, as least as Prabhupāda used it, is to think it intends to say that Kṛṣṇa is supreme among all other Personalities of Godhead, such as Lord Viṣṇu. But Śrīla Prabhupāda uses the full phrase—including “Supreme”—to refer to Viṣṇu as well as other expansions and avatars who are full manifestations of Himself. The Sanskrit term generally used to distinguish Kṛṣṇa from His expansions is *svayaṁ bhagavān*, often translated as “the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself” or “the original Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, referring to Lord Kṛṣṇa, writes in *Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta* (*Ādi* 2.88): “Only the Personality of Godhead, the source of all other Divinities, is eligible to be designated *svayaṁ bhagavān*, or the primeval Lord.” Kṛṣṇa holds the unique position of being the origin of all other forms of God. And He has four qualities that His expansions (and any imperfect conceptions of God) don’t have: He performs uniquely wonderful pastimes, He is surrounded by the most loving devotees, He can attract all with His flute-playing, and His beauty is unrivaled. Kṛṣṇa is more than just “God”; He is *svayam bhagavān*, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Hare Kṛṣṇa. —*Nāgarāja Dāsa, Editor* Bhakti Wisdom 58/6 Transcendental pleasure derived from loving service to the Lord is actual independence. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 3.27.24, Purport As soon as we learn about the truth, we should become fixed in it. We should not waste even a moment of the time we have left in our lives on sense gratification. Rather, we should use all our time to worship Hari [Kṛṣṇa]. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura *Amṛta Vāṇī*, “108 Essential Instructions” *Karma-yoga*, *jñāna-yoga*, *aṣṭāṅga-yoga*, etc., are all in the category of *naimittika-sukṛti* (pious acts yielding temporary results), whereas *bhakta-saṅga* (associating with saintly persons) and **bhakti*-kriyā-saṅga* (contact with devotional acts) are *nitya-sukṛti* (pious acts yielding eternal results). Only one who has accrued *nitya-sukṛti* over many lifetimes will attain *śraddhā* (faith in *bhakti*). *Naimittika-sukṛti* offers many temporary results, but cannot evoke *śraddhā*, which leads to eternal unalloyed *bhakti*. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura *Jaiva Dharma*, Chapter 6 Whoever chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa just once is worshipable and is the topmost human being. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu *Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā* 15.106 When one’s intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa *Bhagavad-gītā* 5.17 Persons who hear *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* regularly and are always taking the matter very seriously will have the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa manifested in their hearts within a short time. Mahārāja Parīkṣit *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 2.8.4 My dear Lord, I therefore do not wish to have the benediction of merging into Your existence, a benediction in which there is no existence of the nectarean beverage of Your lotus feet. I want the benediction of at least one million ears, for thus I may be able to hear about the glories of Your lotus feet from the mouths of Your pure devotees. Mahārāja Pṛthu *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 4.20.24 What is the use of worshiping the demigods? What is the use of studying the scriptures? What is the use of bathing in holy places? What is the use of austerities? What is the use of sacrifices? What is the use for those who have no devotion for Kṛṣṇa? *Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāna* 28.116 2025 A Dog and His Master BTG59-01, 2025