Bhakti Yoga Meditations

Monday 30 June 2008

from Lima, Peru
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Today's Thought:

Distributing Krishna's Mercy

Having been blest with the sweetest, most inconceivable mercy of Krishna by my beloved spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, I have no other duty save and except to fully absorb my life in distributing this mercy as far as possible to every man, woman, and child on the face of this planet. The most productive and enlivening places for distributing this mercy are those places wherever people are the most open to receiving it. Therefore, I am regularly traveling the planet looking for the best opportunities to plant the seed the bhakti in the hearts of men.

Here in Lima I am experiencing the wonderful hearts of the Peruvian people, how receptive they are to the mercy of Lord Sri Krishna. Therefore, I am very happy to be here sharing this supreme mercy with them.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Distributing Krishna's Mercy in Peru

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Krishna Consciousness at Work

With every passing day I get so deluded with this material world. But I am forced to go through all my daily actions. My office is full of stress and full of people with ignorance. I get longing to engage myself in hearing songs praising the Lord or describing His beauty and His playful activities, to think about His greatness, and try to remember what is said in the Bhagavad-gita and try to improve myself as a person.

The whole day I want to do activities only connected to Him, like worship or study or listening to songs or seeing photos or hearing about Him or chanting. I do not feel like going to office at all. In office, I get in contact with material people with material concerns and I get disturbed.

Please guide me how to carry out my usual life. I want an opportunity to serve God. But I do not know how to go about it.

I also have a doubt. What does the tilaka signify?

Your humble servant,

Jaisri

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Answer: Charge Your Batteries and Wear Tilaka

The office atmosphere must necessarily be full of stress because it is not a Krishna centered atmosphere. The key for your happiness is that you must turn your home into a Krishna conscious ashram in which every morning and evening you dive deeply into the mellows of Krishna bhakti. In this way if you keep your bhakti batteries always fully charged, even if you have to spend some hours every day in a material atmosphere, you will be able to remain always diving deeply in the nectarean ocean of bhakti.

Tilaka marks your body as a temple of God. I recommend that you wear it every day to your office because it will help you to be more Krishna conscious. Many years ago when I was working a job to support our preaching center in Austin, Texas, I made the decision one day to wear tilaka to work. My job was to sit in the office and sell long distance telephone service over the telephone. That day when I wore tilaka I had an exceptional number of sales. My manager was very pleased. He told, "I don't know what that is on your forehead, but you must wear it every day." So every day from then on I always wore tilaka to work.

For further information regarding tilaka, please consult the following web page:

http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/tilaka.html

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 29 June 2008

from Lima, Peru
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Today's Thought:

Comfort In All Circumstances

Krishna consciousness is transcendental to our material surroundings. Sometimes in our world wide travels we find ourselves in comfortable circumstances and sometimes we find ourselves in uncomfortable circumstances. The beauty of Krishna consciousness is that in any and all circumstances the unlimited eternal comfort of Lord Sri Krishna's lotus feet are always available unfailing in all situations. Simply we must master the art of taking shelter of Him instead of taking the so-called shelter of the material energy, which is guaranteed to disappoint us in the ultimate issue.

samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam
mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh
bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam
padam padam yad vipadam na tesham

"For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murari, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf's hoof-print. Their goal is param padam, Vaikuntha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step". --Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.58

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Challenge: Qualitative Oneness?

You mentioned that we are eternal spirit-souls in quality one with the supreme source of all existence, Krishna or God. However it is also mentioned that Krishna is the energetic, i.e. the source and that we are his marginal energies. How then these two entities be qualitatively the same?

Your servant,

Nishikant

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Answer: Eternity, Knowledge, and Bliss

The energy and the energetic both possess the qualities of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. Therefore they are qualitatively one.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 28 June 2008

from Lima, Peru
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Today's Thought:

Revolutionization of this Entire Planet

On Friday 27 June 2008 I gave a lecture on the science of reincarnation at Lima's Ricardo Palma University at the invitation of its Department of Eastern and Western Classics. I spoke to an auditorium full of eager listeners, who had many sincere questions, who enthusiastically chanted Hare Krishna, and many of whom purchased Krishna conscious literatures at the conclusion of the lecture. This experience reinforced my conclusion that all over the world there are many sincere souls who, if given a chance to hear Krishna consciousness nicely explained, will appreciate it very much and be eager to learn more about it by studying Srila Prabhupada's books and who will then by his mercy awaken their dormant Krishna consciousness and naturally out of compassion dedicate themselves for the revolutionization of this entire planet.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Widely Distributed Poster Advertised the Lecture

Reincarnation Lecture

Enthusiastic Autograph Seeker

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Challenge: Change Your View of the World

I have all the respect for you in this world, and I think you are doing a wonderful service to your guru and bringing us awareness to a spiritual world. Even though you never accepted me as your student, but I do like your thoughts and read them on daily basis. If I don't read your mail "Thought for the Day", I feel I am missing something.

I have one thing which I was holding back from long time, hoping you might come around and change your view of the world. Today I had some time, so I thought I will share my feeling with you and see if we can find some common ground.

You always mention we should not eat meat, drink etc. I am just trying to be devils advocate and put this question back to you with one example

Recently due to oil shortage, countries like the USA, started using corn as basic source of Ethanol to make gasoline. This had a reverse affect and caused food shortages and eventually causing inflation and that has led to riots across many nations.

Meat, fish etc...are currently consumed by 4 Billion people on a daily basis. If all the people on this earth will stop eating meat /fish and become completely vegetarian, it will be a nightmare for every human to survive on this earth. We don't produce vegetables to feed 6 billion people.

I think in other way and consider this as God's way of running this world where everyone is dependent upon something else. Take for example, shark. It's heavily dependent upon small fish. Small fish are dependent upon even small water insects etc... Same is the case with every animal on this world. Each animal survives on other small or large animal.

I consider human as an animal. People in Russia, where it is extremely cold, cannot grow food. They have to survive on ice fishing. They are same human beings as we are. We live in cities, they live in snow and do scientific research.

I personally don't eat meat or fish. I am pure vegetarian. But I have never asked anyone to stop eating meat. If they feel they have to change their food styles, they will do it on their own.

I also don't agree with you principal of doing 16 rounds of Hare Krishna chanting on japa beads. I personally feel if a person can do one round of beads with complete peace of mind, that it is much better than 16 rounds. I have seen people doing 16 rounds because they have been told by the Guru. My question is: If you want to speak with God, you can close your eyes and talk to him once. Why do you have to repeat same conversation 16 times? If you were God and if every person on this earth were to ask you the same thing 16 times, will you like it? Even if you take an example of a Cell Phone. Will you like someone calling you 16 times day ? I guess not.

Having a family of wife and two kids, along with your job, it makes it very complex. If I have to do 16 rounds daily just because I have to do it, I can tell you I will be saying mantras just to complete 16 rounds.

Recently you mentioned, we should go back to bullock card and horses, and give up our cars and stay like olden days. I think that would be against God's will. This is karma. Humans constantly have to improve their way of life. We have to struggle to make money and survive. If we all stop working for next best thing, then we will become lazy and useless.

If we all started to use bullock carts, just imaging our highways. Just imagine you being stuck in Texas. Currently you are enjoying a liberty of modernization. You have been to virtually every country, thanks to man's innovation to fly. You can communicate with millions with one email. Thanks to man's innovation in software and networks.

You were stuck in Auckland because of flight problems and could not communicate with people in Peru. Just imagine you not having access to modern technology and you found yourself helpless and had to leave it to God to pass on this message.

I believe God has given human a brain to innovate living on this planet. I am part that innovation and you are too. You teach science of God and I manage email service for a large corporation. Even though we have no connection in our innovations, we use each other's knowledge to improve our living.

I would like to humbly request if I may to not force people to give up eating meat and fish. These are made by God for a reason.

Just look at milk. You and I both drink milk. Why? Because she is our second mother. But if you visit any modern milk company, you will stop drinking milk, that is my promise.

Cow will only give milk when she has delivered a baby. Generally a cow will give milk between 12 and 18 months after it's delivery.

Large milk companies, impregnate cows with injections every two years. Just imagine if they did not do that, the cost of milk would be $50.00 a gallon. Now if you watch this with your own eyes, I can promise you will be the first one to say, stop drinking milk.

Just want to tell you, if God really did not want a particular cow to not have baby, then any injection would not work. But it's working and it's working in every country.

Some things we may not like in this world as it's against religious principles, but they do happen and we cannot change them.

If cows stop giving milk, just imagine what will happen to our kids.

Sorry for the long message. Please give your sincere thought on this and let me know if we found a common ground.

I will always respect you as my Guru !!

Cheers, and you have a wonderful time in Peru.

Susheel

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Answer: Why Should I Narrow My Vision?

As you admit, you are playing the devil's advocate. I am not advocating the devil or Satan or the illusory energy as you are doing. I am advocating the revealed vision of the Supreme Person, the perfect knower of everything, the source of all existence.

Because you are advocating a limited vision based on the illusory material conception of existence, there are so many flaws in your picture of the world. It is you whose vision needs to be broadened, not me.

Your ideas regarding meat eating are far off the mark. About half the world's grain is consumed by animals that are later slaughtered for meat. This is a very inefficient process. It takes 16 pounds of grain and soybeans to produce 1 pound of feedlot beef. If people were to subsist on grains and other vegetarian foods alone, this would put far less strain on the earth's agricultural lands. About 20 vegetarians can be fed from the land it takes to feed 1 meat eater.

I visit Russia twice a year and spend time with vegetarian people who offer all of their food to Krishna before eating.

My only point regarding transportation is that our present oil based economy is guaranteed to fail once we run out of oil. We need to start now planning for alternative means of survival instead of naively thinking that the oil will last forever. The Amish people in the USA live happily without using any oil-based transportation. They successfully rely on horse power for transportation and plowing. I have even personally seen how they use a horse even to mow their lawns.

You may not agree to chant 16 rounds daily. That is your free will. Krishna will not interfere with it. Nor will His devotees interfere with it. But you should know that in the Bhagavad-gita Krishna orders that we should chant His names 24 hours daily. 16 rounds is a minimization to facilitate persons who must busy themselves with earning a livelihood. If we cannot chant even this minimal amount to try to satisfy the Lord's order for constant chanting, how can we claim to be the obedient servants of the Lord? In such a state of mind we are merely the servants of our material senses. That's all. Such material mentality will force us to take birth after birth in this material world. If we are content to do that, chanting is not required. But if we want to escape the cycle of birth and death, we must beg Krishna to help us figure out a way to chant at the least 16 rounds daily in the midst of our busy schedules. I hope you can understand this.

We should not rely on the modern abusive milk industry for our milk. We should establish cow protection communities all over the world where the cows and bulls are lovingly cared for.

I appreciate that you will always respect me as your guru. But you must understand what is the proper meaning of the guru/disciple relationship. If you truly respect me as your guru, you will inquire submissively to try to understand my teachings. You will not try to defeat my arguments. Guru means where we can submissively inquire and surrender ourselves as humble servants. If you want to accept me as guru, you are welcome. But then you must become an actual disciple. Don't try to become the guru of the spiritual master. You must become his humble disciple, if you want to realize the highest truth.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 27 June 2008

from Lima, Peru
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Today's Thought:

From Pristine to Polluted

Leaving behind the sunny, heavenly pristine paradise of Fiji, we have now, after a flight that was delayed for seventeen hours and after three nights of travel, arrived in cold, damp, dark, heavily polluted Lima, Peru, where I have yet to see the sun shine. It is a very sharp contrast to say the least. Such dualities regularly experienced by traveling preachers are a great facility for realizing that our real happiness is only in Krishna consciousness. Lord Caitanya so wonderfully taught this principle by praying that he had no desire for wealth, women, or followers, or even liberation from the cycle of birth and death. He prayed that His only desire was to be engaged in devotional service. Consequently, this is the mood that we must also embrace. If we do so, we will always be completely happy and satisfied, no matter what kind of external situation we may find ourselves in.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Natural Beauty of Fiji
http://www.backtohome.com/images/Spring 2008/Fiji-Mountains.JPG

More Natural Beauty of Fiji
http://www.backtohome.com/images/Spring 2008/Fiji-ocean.JPG

"Natural Beauty" of Lima, Peru
en route to Evening Bhagavad-gita Lecture
http://www.backtohome.com/images/Spring 2008/Lima-wilson-street.JPG

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Are Computer Games Gambling?

First I want to thank you about your online guidance. I'm almost 16 years old. And I want ask one simple question:

Are computer games considered to be gambling?

I am really confused about that so I'm asking what is your point about it. Is it good or bad?

Tad

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Answer: Every Moment for Krishna

Just as in gambling, we waste our money by throwing it away, any activity which does not connect us with Krishna is a foolish waste of time and is thus in the same category as gambling. The human life is very uncertain. It can end at any time. Therefore, we should be very careful to utilize every moment in the service of Krishna. Otherwise, we may find ourselves greatly regretting how we spoiled our human life without dedicating it in the service of the Lord.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 26 June 2008

from Auckland, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

Depending on Krishna

25 June 2008, 4:00am--We are now delayed in Auckland. Our plane that was going to carry us from Auckland to Santiago was struck by lightening as it came from Sydney. Luckily it landed safely, and no one was hurt. But its computer system was knocked out. The airline has put us up in a hotel, and we are due to fly out this morning. But after having tried many ways to contact the devotees in Peru about the change of schedule, I have not been successful. I've tried emails, SMS messages, and phone calls from various phones to many different numbers. The messages tell me that all the phone numbers are all invalid. I do not what is going on, but I know one thing for sure. Krishna is the Supreme Controller, and if we sincerely and intelligently surrender ourselves unto Him, everything will work out perfectly in the end.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Tell about Krishna?

I want to first thank you for your visit to Melbourne, I was unfortunately unable to attend your classes, but I was able to listen to them thanks to the great devotees who upload all classes online.

I have only taken up the process of bhakti-yoga for 4 months and next month I'll be moving into the temple. I mention it to strangers and friends, so I can get a chance to talk about this perfect process to eternal happiness.

But I always have this problem of giving so much information and becoming really excited, which seems like it deters them. Thinking that I've become brainwashed or on drugs.

My strategy is to first only talk about the difference between the body and the soul. Then I feel like I get over-excited and mention the soul is part-and-parcel of Krishna. That's when the deterrence occurs.

Please enlighten me on this subject,

Your humble servant,

Kanapathy

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Answer: What is Easily Swallowed

Your understanding is correct. Give them only what they can easily digest. Later on you can give them more.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Wednesday 25 June 2008

from Nadi, Fiji
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Today's Thought:

Writing "Thought for the Day" in a Taxi

23 June 2008, 5:20pm--This is being written in the back seat of a taxi driven by a wonderful devotee named Raja Ram das. He is driving us free of charge (in spite of today's inflated gasoline prices) half way around the Fijian Island known as Vitilevu from Suva to Nadi, where we will catch a flight tomorrow morning to Auckland, New Zealand. In Auckland after a five-and-a-half hour wait in the airport, we will catch a eleven-and-a-half hour flight across the Pacific Ocean to Santiago, Chile. There after a 7 hour wait in the airport we will catch a 4 hour flight to Lima, Peru. Finally after two nights and two days in transit we will reach our next temporary residence on the road in Lima, Peru.

So the point is that I don't know if, when, or where I will be able to upload the 25 June "Thought for the Day" during this time. Since in Fiji I have been able to use my mobile phone for uploading it, the safest bet is to upload it here in Fiji before taking rest tonight. I am making sure to do this so the many readers who very much appreciate receiving "Thought for the Day" every day can get it on time.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all you who have so much appreciated "Thought for the Day" and our weekly lesson. Writing this newsletter every day has been the greatest opportunity of my life to please my spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, by spreading his teachings all over the world for the deliverance of a human society which is very much suffering the pangs of material existence.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Writing "Thought for the Day" in a Taxi

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Kaliya Serpent in Fiji Now?

Dear Srila Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

In "Thought for the Day" dated 21st June 2008 you mentioned the following:

"The local native Fijian people know that that there is a gigantic multi-hooded snake that lives in Fiji."

But if Kaliya is there, then why has there been no report in the newspapers regarding such a snake? I am not telling that Kaliya does not exist or that the pastime of Krishna punishing Kaliya did not take place. But I cannot not believe he could be there now as I thought that by now Kaliya snake would be dead.

Am sorry for my ignorance. Please guide me.

Vishal

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Answer: Local Reports Confirm His Presence

My Dear Vishal,

Please accept my blessings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The local devotees here in Fiji know about the sightings of the giant multi-hooded Kaliya serpent even in recent times. So it appears that most likely Kaliya is still living here in Fiji. The tree from which Krishna jumped to subdue Kaliya on the bank of the Yamuna is still living. So it is not inconceivable that Kaliya could also still be living.

The native Fijian people also revere Kaliya as divine being who dwells in Fiji. They call him Degei (pronounced Dengei).

I hope this meets you in the best of health and in an ecstatic mood.

Always your well-wisher,

Sanlarshan Das Adhikari

Is Kaliya in Fiji now?

More information is available for study at:

http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com

A complete searchable archives of all of our past lessons and daily thoughts is available at:

http://www.sda-archives.com

Get your copy today of the greatest self-realization guide book in the world,
Bhagavad-gita As It Is available at:

http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/store

Tuesday 24 June 2008

from Suva, Fiji
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Today's Thought:

More Conducive for Self-Realization

In a world becoming every day more and more polluted by the poison of greed it is natural that the air and water will also become more and more poisonous. On remote tropical islands, such as the Fiji Islands, we get a glimpse of how much more conducive for self-realization the entire world must have been like in the Vedic times before it became so much polluted by multifarious forms of contamination. Clean, fresh air and water, open spaces and panoramic vistas abound here along with multi-varieties of tasty fruits and vegetables growing naturally in the wild. In this place with a small piece of land anyone can easily and comfortably survive without having to worry about the rising price of petroleum. It is a very sattvic atmosphere very conducive for absorbing the mind in the supreme meditation of Lord Sri Krishna's unlimitedly sweet transcendental names:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Industrial Plant "Blesses" Environment (not in Fiji)

Unhealthy Toxic Air Blankets a City (not in Fiji)

Japa in Fresh, Clean Air by the Sea in Fiji

Mountaintop Live-off-the-Land Family in Fiji

Breathtaking Pacific View from their Shack

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Why Should I Become a Devotee?

Why should I become a devotee?

Raghunath

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Answer: You Cannot Become a Devotee

There is no question of becoming a devotee. The first teaching of Lord Caitanya to Sanatana Goswami is that every living being is by his very nature a devotee of Lord Krishna. So no one can become a devotee because everybody already is Lord Krishna's devotee. It is a simply a matter of waking up and realizing, "I am a devotee of Lord Krishna."

We are all devotees of Krishna because we are all His energy. We are all His emanations. Because we are part of Him, we are all naturally His servants.

This principle can be easily understood by observing the relationship of any unit with its parts. Each part of a unit naturally serves the complete whole unit. Just like I am now typing these words into my laptop computer. The space bar which I just pressed is part of the laptop computer. Therefore its function is to serve the computer. If it does not serve the computer properly it has to be repaired. When we do not serve God properly we require to be repaired. The factory-authorized (God-authorized) repairman is the spiritual master.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 23 June 2008

from Suva, Fiji
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Today's Thought:

Serving Pure Devotees

If we want to achieve the spiritual world at the time of death, we must absorb ourselves fully in thoughts of the Lord at the time of passing out of our bodies. In order for us to be blessed with such consciousness at this ultimately important junction we must cultivate within ourselves an overriding taste to always be absorbed in hearing and chanting His glories.

If we are lacking such taste, is there a way that we can easily attain it? According to the authoritative Srimad Bhagavatam, the answer is a resounding "yes." All we have to do to acquire such taste is to serve the pure devotees, those devotees who are completely free from all vice. Such service will enable one to quickly enter the wonderful world of ecstatic 24 hours a day absorption in Krishna consciousness and guarantee our entering into the spiritual world at the time of death.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Why Did You Choose the Vedic Version of Reality?

Namaste. May I ask what was it that made you decide that the Vedic version of reality was the one you would live by and preach? How did this come about? I am making a study of the various religions and spiritualities. I find a great amount of agreement throughout the various paths. What a wonderful world Lord Krishna has given us to try and understand! Thank you for all you do to help others come to God.

Love always...

Tommi

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Answer: There is No Question of Choosing a Version of Reality

There is no question of choosing a version of reality.

Do we decide which version of the sunrise we want to see? No. The sunrise is the sunrise. There is no question of deciding which version of the sunrise we want to see. If we want to see the sunrise, we simply gaze at the eastern horizon at dawn. That's all. It's as simple as that.

Similarly there is no question of deciding which version of reality we want to live by, because there is no such thing as different versions of reality. Reality is reality. That's all. There cannot two different versions of reality. If there is some discussion about different versions of reality, we can understand that such discussion is utter foolishness. "Different versions of reality" means "unreality."

So I did not choose any version of reality. Simply I desired to be enlightened, and I intensely begged the Lord to enlighten me. Out of His causeless compassion upon me, He kindly enlightened me with the knowledge by which all nescience is destroyed, just as the sun lights up everything in the daytime. Along with my unlimited good fortune comes the automatic responsibility to share this knowledge with a world which is almost completely bereft of spiritual enlightenment. Therefore I have fully dedicated my life for educating the entire human society in the science of reality.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 22 June 2008

from Suva, Fiji
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Today's Thought:

Living Always in Paradise

We are now here for a brief three day stop in the Fiji Islands, a popular tropical paradise destination for millions of tourists. My purpose of coming here is not fun in the sun. My purpose of coming here is to spread the rays of Lord Caitanya's benediction moon in this place which, like every other nation on the face of this planet, is so much bereft of spiritual knowledge. What amazes me the most about Krishna consciousness that whether I am in hellish northern city or in serene tropical paradise, the taste is the same. The taste of Krishna consciousness is super sweet no matter where we may be in this material world. As soon as we connect with Krishna through the transcendental sound vibration of His holy names we are immediately living in the serene paradise of His transcendental abode.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Explaining Krishna Bhakti to Guru Das in Riga, Latvia

Answering Emails in Fiji

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Improve my Faith?

I stay away from my home town because I am a student. I am scared that I will fall down because there are no devotees here. I am alone with non-devotees. I want to continue with my bhakti while I live here, but I need advise how to do so. I read "Thought for the Day" every day, but I do not have enough faith. I want to improve my faith. How can I do so?

Your humble servant,

Thirumurugan

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Answer: Have Nice Daily Sadhana

To become strong in your Krishna consciousness, you must simply rise early every day and have nice sadhana. Here's what you should do every morning without fail:

1. Take bath
2. Decorate your body with tilak
3. Sing the Gurvastakam prayers
4. Chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra on japa beads
5. Study the Srimad Bhagavatam
6. Prepare your breakfast and offer it to the Lord
7. Partake of the foods you have offered to the Lord (prasadam)

If you do the above every day you will get a wonderful taste for Krishna consciousness. You will not be attracted by the lower taste of material sense gratification, and you will hence not fall down.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 21 June 2008

from Auckland, New Zealand Airport
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Today's Thought:

Back to Fiji

20 June 2008. We are here at the Auckland airport getting ready to board a flight to Fiji. Fiji is a very special place because this is where Kaliya serpent went after being driven by Krishna from the Yamuna River. By the touch of Krishna's lotus feet Kaliya became a great devotee. The local native Fijian people know that there is a gigantic multi-hooded snake that lives in Fiji. Fiji was also blessed with the presence of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada established in Fiji the Krishna-Kaliya temple in which Krishna is dancing on the hoods of Kaliya.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How Do I Know that Krishna Consciousness is Right for Me?

I'm a 15-year old that's lost in a world where there are almost as many ways or religions as there are people. I have been reading about Krishna Consciousness and everything makes sense so far. But I still have one question that keeps on coming: How do I know that Krishna Consciousness is right for me?

Also, how do I know that Krishna is the true lord and master?

And finally, how can I experience Krishna? Are there any meditations or exercises you can give me to talk to Krishna?

One more thing: What does Hare Krishna mean? And does Krishna Consciousness fall under Hinduism?

Thank you for all your help,

A.T.P.

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Answer: Because You Were Originally Krishna Conscious

Before you fell into material existence you were originally a Krishna conscious being. Therefore Krishna consciousness is naturally right for you and for all other living beings.

Because Krishna declares Himself in the Bhagavad-gita to be the original source of all existence, we can therefore understand that He is the Supreme Lord and Master.

You can personally experience Krishna first hand by regularly chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra every day with love and devotion:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Hare Krishna is a prayer calling out to Krishna's energy and to Him that They kindly engage us in His service.

Krishna consciousness does not belong under any religious designation because it is the original pure form of all religions.

Please feel free to write me with all of your questions.

Do you have a copy of Bhagavad-gita As It Is?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 20 June 2008

from Auckland, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

The Whole World is Waiting

It has been a truly delightful stopover for three nights at the ISKCON temple in Auckland, New Zealand. The temple is located outside of the city in the beautiful countryside. The temple's head pujari, Sriman Divyagovinda Prabhu, has taken wonderful care of us seeing to our every need. As usual I am lecturing twice daily morning and evening and writing during the day. The temple is amazingly beautiful. As soon as you enter the temple room you feel how you are being carried away into the transcendental dimension beyond time and space, the unlimitedly amazing Vaikuntha world.

From here we travel onwards to Fiji, then to Peru and Atlanta, and finally back to our home base in Austin, Texas, where we will be preparing for another world tour starting in September. The whole world is waiting for a new dawn of spiritual enlightenment to sweep away the madness and confusion. Therefore I continue writing and explaining the secrets of Krishna consciousness as much as possible always hoping and praying for that day when the whole world will wake up and realize that there is no alternative for sanity on this planet outside of Krishna consciousness.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

ISKCON Temple--Auckland, New Zealand

Sri Sri Radha-Giridhari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Finding a Bona Fide Guru

How can I find a bona fide spiritual master?

Manvi

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Answer: See Who Krishna Has Sent

You do not have to find a guru. As soon as you are ready to surrender yourself fully unto the Lord, the Lord will put you in contact with a bona fide spiritual master. You will be able to recognize him by seeing who is that person who presents the Bhagavad-gita as it is without adding or subtracting anything. So simply you must now see who Krishna has sent you.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 19 June 2008

from Auckland, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

The Solution for all Problems

When will the world leaders wake up and realize that they are on the wrong track? Their attempts to solve the world's problems are only touching the symptoms of the problems because they do not understand the one underlying cause for all the thousands and millions of problems that are troubling the human society.

The root cause of all difficulties is our false identification with the material body. Even though we are eternal spirit-souls in quality one with the supreme source of all existence, Krishna or God, we have foolishly misidentified ourselves with a rotting, dying bag of gross material elements known as the material body. Therefore it's no small wonder that no matter in what way we may try to enjoy this world, we are always, in the final analysis, left high and dry with a depressing sense of bewilderment and frustration. It's only when we reawaken our original but now dormant enlightened consciousness, our Krishna consciousness, that we become actually, factually genuinely satisfied.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How Can Mankind Survive?

Respected Sir,

There are many questions that the world now faces and need to be answered. As you have rightly pointed out: What will happen when the world will run out of oil?

Today the world is running at a breakneck speed for its own destruction, in the name of modernity and economic growth etc. The good science is used for immoral purposes. It has made men into extremely greedy, materialistic, money-oriented hypocrites. It has turned man away from the philosophical and religious path needed for peace. Man is forgetting God's mercy.

All people around the world have become utterly stupid & imbecile and have lost common sense. They get high degrees from universities but have no brain to think.

Earlier the society was agrarian and people were pure. Every one loved the other man. There was no hatred and no jealousy. Today the world is run by criminals. Here man kills man, man hates man, all because of money, not God. Man in general has become very sinful and impure. There are no intellectuals in today's world who can see the future and stand firm against such wrong path followed by the entire world. This is leading towards disaster. People are not calm , they are all running like mad and insane people.

Only two hundred years of useless industrialization in the USA and Europe practiced by only 200 -300 Million people, who are called consumers, has produced effects like global warming, filthy pollution like plastic bags and bottles, etc. Man today needs all kinds of gadgets like cars, TV's, telephones, computers, radios, watches, washing machines, tapes, CD's, still cameras, video cameras, films, mobile phones, electric lamps, electric fans, vacuum cleaners, office equipment, room heaters, room coolers, air conditioners, big industries, etc and so on and on .

Everything that we need to live a modern life comes from these money churning dirty industries that are polluting not only earth but also the purity of the human mind. Every one wants to be rich.

Now what will happen when the whole world of 6 billion people (or 12 billion people in next 15 years) starts consuming and polluting this earth the way America has preached? All the ice in Himalayas and Arctic will melt. How can man survive then? There will be no more rivers, no more trees. Only deserts will emerge everywhere. This dirty industrialization has produced atomic bombs to kill fellow human beings. Today one community hates other. Every nation intends to acquire atom bombs because without that they do not feel safe.

There are no more saintly people like Tolstoy, Gandhi, Thoreau, etc, and other noble western philosophers, in this world, to lead mankind anymore now. The Nobel Peace Prize is distributed for political purposes.

Where exactly the world is heading? What is the solution?

Regards,

Sabyasachi Chaudhuri

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Answer: By the Guidance of Pure Devotees

Your analysis is in many ways correct. But in regards to saintly people, we require the guidance of those who are pure devotees of Lord Sri Krishna. Although great in many ways, neither Gandhi, Tolstoy, or Thoreau were in this category, therefore they could not effectively lead the world out of its ever more chaotic condition. However, if there can now arise on this planet a class of persons who are pure devotees of Lord Krishna, the entire world situation will be saved. Therefore we are requesting you to carefully study Bhagavad-gita as it is and mold your life strictly according to its principles.

We are willing to give you all help and guidance in this regard. The pure devotees of Krishna can inspire the entire world to adopt a new, more enlightened and more congenial lifestyle, which will evolve into a new world order that will last on this planet for 10,000 years.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Wednesday 18 June 2008

from Christchurch, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

Easily Surmounting the Vast Ocean of Tribulation

This material existence is a vast ocean of tribulation. Every day we are faced with so many disturbances and difficulties and sometimes we are also beset with overwhelming devastations. How can we cross over this inconceivably vast ocean without getting wet, without feeling any pinches from the material nature? This is a great art known as the science of bhakti. It has been taught by all the great saintly teachers throughout the history of the universe and is nicely encapsulated by this verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam:

samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam
mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh
bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam
padam padam yad vipadam na tesam

"For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murari, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf's hoof-print. Their goal is param padam, Vaikuntha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step."-- Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.58

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Source of Text

Hare Krishna

Can you tell me the source of this text?

"Our purpose is to help everyone awaken their original spiritual identity, which is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. Such a global awakening will, in one stroke, solve all the problems of the world society bringing in a new era of unprecedented peace and prosperity for all."

I like to refer to it.

Thanks,

In need of your blessings.

R. Parthibaraj

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Answer: Sankarshan Das Adhikari

The source of the text is me. I have written those words strictly in accordance with the conclusions of the revealed scriptures. You can tell them that these words were written by Sankarshan Das Adhikari.

I hope this meets you in the best of health and in an ecstatic mood.

Always your well-wisher,

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Tuesday 17 June 2008

from Christchurch, New Zealand
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Today's Thought: Persons of Ideal Character

The greatest deficiency of the modern day society is the lack of persons of saintly character. Saintly character means to be solidly fixed in truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, and austerity. Quite to the contrary, the current society is plagued by dishonesty, unchastity, cruelty, laziness, and hedonism. We are tortured by the administration of leaders who manipulate themselves into power by their expertise in cheating and lying. And consequently no one can be fully happy, peaceful and satisfied. Illicit sex life, meat eating, intoxication, and gambling are considered to be the very necessities of life even though they are wreaking ever-increasing havoc upon the human society. What can be done to put a stop to all this madness? The first step is that we ourselves must become persons of ideal character, persons who are truthful, clean, merciful and sense controlled. These saintly qualities are easily achieved if one regularly chants the holy names of God and associates with persons of saintly character.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Initiation

How may I be initiated?

Emmett

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Answer: Become Qualified, Approach Guru

I am very happy that you have inquired from me regarding how you can be initiated. Receiving initiation from a bona fide spiritual master is the most important step that one can take in one's spiritual life. This is why the revealed scriptures mandate that one must become initiated. For example in the Srimad Bhagavatam we find the following verse:

tasmad gurum prapadyeta
jijnasuh sreya uttamam
sabde pare ca nishnatam
brahmany upasamasrayam

"Any person who is seriously desirous of achieving real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of a spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken complete shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters." Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3.21)

My spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has set the standard for initiation as follows: One must be solidly situated in the vow of chanting 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mahamantra every day on japa beads along with strictly avoiding illicit sex life, intoxication, meat eating, and gambling. If you are solidly situated in the above items, then you are qualified for becoming an initiated disciple, and you should inform the spiritual master that now you are ready for initiation. He will then guide you regarding the necessary steps to take in order to become initiated as soon as possible.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 16 June 2008

from Christchurch, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

Stop Killing Cows

Even though the solution for all the world's problems is very simple, the world leaders are completely bewildered and unaware of the solution. Therefore we hope that they will all read this.

All we have to do to solve the world's problems is to stop killing the cows. If we do so, all the problems on this planet will be practically eliminated. The modern day so-called leaders do not realize how sinful it is to kill the cow. The cow is our mother because after our first mother stops giving us her breast milk we take advantage of the breast milk of our second mother, the cow. We would not dream of killing our first mother after she stops giving us her breast milk. So how we can think of killing our second mother when she stops giving us her breast milk? It is unthinkably heinous. And because throughout the world we are regularly slaughtering millions and millions of innocent cows, we are suffering karmic reactions of ever-increasing proportions. These karmic reactions are manifesting in so many forms such as: terrorism, global warming, energy crisis, crime, disease, famine, water shortage, premature death, etc, etc. Therefore we are calling on all human beings on this planet to immediately stop killing cows. Please heed our plead. You will be amazed by how quickly the earth will be transformed into a paradise.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

How Can We Be So Cruel as to Kill Mother Cow?

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Conquer Lust?

I know that this question has been asked many times before and also in your Question and Answer section of your Thought for the Day on Sunday 8th June 2008. Your reply was "Lust is automatically subdued by reviving your dormant Krishna consciousness. When you become fully satisfied by loving Krishna, deriving unlimited happiness in that sweet relationship, you will no longer be attracted by the flickering inferior so called love of this material world."

The problem I experience with this is that I have not yet attained love for Krishna as I am still very much contaminated with material matters. Attaining love for Krishna is very rare and certainly does not happen overnight for us neophyte devotees unless Krishna bestows His special mercy upon such a devotee. During our day to day activities we come across many opportunities where lust arises, how do we subdue that as we are not yet fully absorbed in Krishna Consciousness? This lust is so strong that its hard to remember Krishna at times. I am fortunate that I have yet not fallen to such lust but it is so strong that I fear that it will cause a lot of obstacles in my spiritual life.

Thank you very much. Hare Krishna

Regards

Amesh

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Answer: When Lust Attacks...

When lust attacks, you have to pray to Krishna to save you. And if you are still feeling lusty, you have to pray harder. And if you are still feeling lusty, you have to pray harder. And if you are even still feeling lusty, you must pray even harder for Krishna's protection. In this way you will be saved from the arrows of Cupid. Krishna is known as Madan Mohan, the attractor of Cupid. If you intensely take shelter of Krishna, He will divert Cupid away from you.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 15 June 2008

from Christchurch, New Zealand
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Today's Thought:

Memories of Australia

14 June 2008--We are now in the Sydney airport awaiting a flight to New Zealand. This is a wonderful opportunity to reflect back on the wonderful Krishna conscious experiences we have had here in Australia since we arrived on 27 May. Our days have been so much overflowing with sweet memorable experiences that it seems as if we have always been here. Actually there is nothing more wonderful than being in the association of the Lord's devotees engaging in the all-auspicious activities of hearing about, glorifying, remembering, and serving the Supreme All-Attractive Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. We are eagerly awaiting our return here on 18 December 2008.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sydney Farewell Video Clip:
http://www.backtohome.com/video/Sydney_Farewell.wmv

Melbourne Farewell

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Advance My Krishna Consciousness?

Please accept my humble obeisances and instruct me with your light. How should I advance in my Krishna consciousness? Thank you for your instruction and advice, and I am very happy in the countdown to your visit to Peru.

Hare Krishna!

-- Carlo Vergara Arbocco

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Answer: Follow Rupa Goswami's Advice

The easiest and surest way to advance in Krishna consciousness is to heed the following advice of Srila Rupa Goswami:

adau gurvasrayam

"The first step on the path of bhakti is to take shelter of the bona fide spiritual master."

And then under the guidance, blessings, and inspiration of the spiritual master absorb yourself 24 hours daily in hearing, chanting, remembering, and serving Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Don't leave any gaps in your day for Maya, the illusory energy of the Lord. If you will follow this simple program, your rapid spiritual progress is guaranteed.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 14 June 2008

from Melbourne, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Coping with and Transcending Suffering

An unavoidable aspect of material life is suffering. Sometimes it is mild. Sometimes it is acute. And sometimes it is absolutely devastating. Since devotees also have material bodies, they are also subject to these sufferings of material existence. So how do devotees cope with and transcend these unavoidable sufferings?

The first point is that they realize that they are not their bodies. By taking complete shelter of Sri Guru and Krishna they gain a vantage point of being solidly situated in the Lord's internal energy, His spiritual energy. From this position they view all of their suffering in a detached way seeing it as something that does not actually touch or affect them. They see it instead as something happening out there in the external energy, the Lord's material energy. In this way, they never feel themselves threatened by even the most devastating of suffering situations within this material existence.

This is described as follows in the Bhagavad-gita:

yo 'ntah-sukho 'ntar-aramas
tathantar-jyotir eva yah
sa yogi brahma-nirvanam
brahma-bhuto 'dhigacchati

"One whose happiness is within, who is active and rejoices within, and whose aim is inward is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme, and ultimately he attains the Supreme."
BG 5.24

They also understand that in everything there is a purpose. In this way they put their complete trust and faith in Lord Krishna knowing full well that every arrangement He makes is perfect. This gives them the strength to patiently endure and blissfully transcend whatever suffering may come their way within the divine plan of the Lord.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sri Sri Radha Damodar in Melbourne
(These are the unlimitedly beautiful and merciful Radha Krishna deities that travel all over the world with Sriman Sankarshan Das and his wife, Vishnupriya Mataji.)

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Was the Entire World India?

I am so very grateful for coming across your websites. Your wisdom is like a well that never goes dry and it quenches my thirst to drink of its nectar, which is the sweetest gift of love that man can receive. Please forgive me of my ignorance on this subject. India is known as the land of great wisdom and spiritual wealth. Was the world once just India? And if this is so, is that why the Bhagavad-gita was only originally from India? When was the world divided into different continents, and how did the different languages and races occur? Please be merciful, Your Holiness, and instruct me on this matter.

Your servant of the servant.

Kathy

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Answer: Vedic Culture All Over the Universe

I am very happy that Krishna has blessed me with such a sincere, devoted reader as you. This is a great encouragement to me to carry on with my life's mission of trying to ignite a spiritual revolution on this planet for the deliverance of every man, woman, and child back to home, back to Godhead.

Yes, India at one time included this entire earth planet and this Vedic knowledge was thus naturally known throughout the world including even other planets.

The different continents have existed from ancient times. Originally Sanskrit was the world language for all civilized peoples, but with the advent of the Kali Yuga 5,000 years ago, Sanskrit gradually degenerated into the multi-languages that we find in the world today.

The different races have always been there. This is confirmed in the ancient Vishnu Purana where it confirmed that there are 400,000 different types of human species. These different human species have existed from the very beginning of the universe.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 13 June 2008

from Melbourne, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Eager for the Mercy

Krishna's mercy is available for all in unlimited quantities so there is plenty of it to go around for everyone. It is not like some material thing such as oil that will gradually run out as the supply becomes exhausted. No. Everyone can get as much as they want without any fear of a shortage.

So how will we qualify ourselves to get the mercy of Krishna? Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises that one should be eager to purchase this Krishna consciousness at any price. Is he talking about our spending millions of dollars to achieve this most sublime treasure? No. Rupa Goswami advises that the only price for getting the mercy of Krishna is laulyam, eagerness. We should be very, very eager to see Krishna and speak with Krishna in this very lifetime. Of course this does not mean that we should cheaply demand that He become present before us. What it does mean is that we should attract the Lord to mercifully reveal Himself to us by sincere humble service.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Devotees in Melbourne Eager for Receiving
Radha Damodar's Mahaprasadam Mercy

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Doomsday in 2012?

Everyone is talking about the year 2012 and the day 21.12.2012, and they call it dooms day. They say that the earth will no more be in existence because of Mars, an asteroid, or a world war, etc. They also mention the predictions of the Mayan Indians and Nostradamus for that particular date. Is this prediction true? Kindly let me know.

Conjeevaram

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Answer: Don't Listen to Speculators

I don't know who this so-called "they" refers to. But I do know that the so-called doomsday date is not bona fide, because this earth planet will not be destroyed until the entire universe becomes destroyed at the time of the universal devastation 155 trillion years from now. We cannot count on the predictions made by those persons who are still under the influence of the three modes of material nature. If we want accurate predictions we must hear from those who are completely beyond the influence of the three modes of material nature. These persons are called tri-kala-jna, the perfect knowers of past, present, and future. They can give us perfection of all things that have occurred in the past, things that are happening, and will be happening in this universe millions and trillions of years from now.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 12 June 2008

from Melbourne, Australia
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Today's Thought:

When There's No More Oil, Get Back to the Soil

We have not run out of oil yet, but we are rapidly moving in that direction. Before we reach that point we need to realize the practical reality that our oil-based socio-economic system cannot continue indefinitely. It is simple common sense that we need to take a serious look now at the way the world operated before petroleum came on the scene. In those days the majority of the people lived on small family-operated farms depending on cows for milk and bulls and horses for the power to pull the plow and for transportation. Of course, electric and solar powered vehicles are a possible option. But as it is said, "Trust no future, however pleasant." There is no certainty that we can generate a sufficient quantity of power to enable us to maintain our present social structure. Therefore we must now take a very serious look at revamping the human society in the direction of the model which has successfully maintained the human race for thousands and thousands of years on this planet.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: A Thousand Questions

I am a great devotee of Lord Krishna. I pray to him everyday. I prayed from my childhood. I have not said to anybody in my life except to my mother and grandparents that I love Him. Nobody could give me right answers for my thousand questions. Actually I was not satisfied from their answers. From my 1,000 questions one question is:

What are the ways to find Lord Krishna and how to keep my mind in peace?

I am too small to love God, but I am not like other girls in Kali Yuga.

Yours sincerely

Anumita

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Answer: A Million Answers

I am very happy that you are very dedicated to Lord Krishna and also that you are feeling yourself very small. This is always the mood of a devotee. He feels himself to be very tiny and insignificant. The good news is that you do not have to go very far to find Lord Krishna because He has mercifully appeared in the sound of His holy names:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

If you will regularly chant the above mahamantra at least 16 rounds daily on japa mala beads and if you will refrain from sinful activities such as illicit sex life, meat eating, intoxication, and gambling, then it is sure and certain that you will gradually reawaken the pure love of Krishna which is currently lying dormant within your heart. You will find Krishna, you will live always in perfect peace, and even if you have a million questions, they will all be answered perfectly.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Wednesday 11 June 2008

from Sydney, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Exciting Krishna Consciousness on the Road

Life on the road for Krishna is truly an exciting adventure. We never know what to expect next. But we do know one thing for sure. Krishna's mercy is always manifesting at every moment wherever we go all over the world in all times, places, and circumstances. How that mercy will manifest we do not know. But we do know absolutely for sure that it will manifest. The interesting, amazing thing is to watch carefully and see how it is always manifesting without fail wherever we go all over the world.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: When is the Universal Destruction?

I have discussed about Kali Yuga as my daily discussion sharing your ultimate thought with my friends and one of my Muslim friend here who was listen very attentively had raised me a question that the entire universe will annihilated at the end 427,000 years or within that period?

Please enlighten me.

Your humble servant,

Jack

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Answer: 155 Trillions Years from Now

The universe will not be destroyed at the end of the Kali Yuga, which will be happening in another 427,000 years. The universe will not be destroyed until Mahavishnu inhales, which will occur approximately 155 trillion years from now.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Tuesday 10 June 2008

from Sydney, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Why Be in Anxiety about Anything?

The ultimate provider of everything material and spiritual is Krishna or God. Therefore if He is pleased, He can easily give us whatever we need. In this connection Srila Prabhupada explains, "The Lord is all-powerful, and if He is satisfied by our obedience unto His lotus feet, He is competent to bestow upon us all kinds of blessings for the successful execution of both our material and spiritual lives." So why should we be in any anxiety? There is no reason for this. The present day human society is in so much in anxiety about food shortage, water shortage, and fuel shortage. They do not realize that if they will simply surrender themselves unto the Lord that everything they need will be easily provided. Because they are ignorant of this principle the entire human society is in an ever-increasingly chaotic situation. Therefore the science of Krishna consciousness should be taught to everyone for the happiness of all.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Photos from New Gokula Farm Retreat

Radha-Gokulananda

Lecture on the Science of Krishna Consciousness

Early Morning Japa Session

Friendly Cow

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Mahaprabhu's Mercy

How to know that we have got the mercy of Mahaprabhu?

Abasaheb

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Answer: Surrender to Krishna

When you become so attracted to chanting Krishna's name that you feel like chanting 24 hours a day, then you can know that you have gotten Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 9 June 2008

from New Gokula Farm, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Revolutionize the Planet

I've said it many times before, and I will say it again. In fact I'll keep saying it again and again until that day comes when it finally becomes fully manifested or I leave my body at the time of death. We've got to revolutionize this planet. We've got to put God back in the center of every facet of the human society. Just try to understand this message very deeply and sincerely that Krishna or God is the source of all existence, and that therefore we are meant to live in a state of total, complete harmony with Him. The entire planet and indeed the entire universe will become totally peaceful and happy. In other words our lives will become amazingly sublime. Even our material needs will be easily met. But if we neglect to properly respect and serve Krishna and His representative, the bona fide spiritual master, and the Vaisnavas the whole planet will plunge into a deeper and darker every-increasingly nightmarish deathlike condition.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Get Free from the Karma from Past Sins?

In my life I had been very fond of eating eggs till year 2004. But now after accepting you as my spiritual master I avoid eating eggs. But I always get disturbed thinking that this misdeed of mine may affect my spiritual advancement. Since every karma has it fruits sometime in life and no one can escape from the balance of his wrong actions, I remain afraid for fear of facing the results of my sins I committed by eating eggs in the past. Please help me to get free from the bulk of my earlier sins and develop love for the Lord.

Thanking you,

Your servant,

Amit

India

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Answer: Surrender to Krishna

According to Lord Krishna's instructions in the Bhagavad-gita, when we fully surrender unto Him He frees us from the reactions to all of our previous sins. That full surrender includes taking shelter of the bona fide spiritual master by the process known as initiation. For you to become initiated you must be recommended by your temple president as someone who is solidly fixed in chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day on japa mala beads and who is also strictly avoiding illicit sex, meat eating, and gambling. When someone is recommended to me by the temple president of their local ISKCON temple I am very happy to initiate them as my disciple.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 8 June 2008

from Sydney, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Thanks to Vraja Dhama Prabhu

A special thanks today to Vraja Dhama Prabhu from Brisbane, Australia. On my recent visit there on 30 May 2008 he videoed my lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 10.4.14. He then uploaded it to the internet so that all of you can now watch it in its entirety. Krishna consciousness is not dry renunciation. We can use anything material in the service of the Lord for the purpose of loudly broadcasting His glories all over the world. What Vraja Dham Prabhu has done is a notable example.

Here's the video:

http://www.backtohome.com/video/Lectures.htm

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: How to Conquer Lust?

How can I subdue this enemy called lust? In starting it seems it is our friend but then I come to know it is my enemy!!! What to do about this enemy? How should I resist this temptation?

Vishal

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Answer: Love Krishna

Lust is automatically subdued by reviving your dormant Krishna consciousness. When you become fully satisfied by loving Krishna, deriving unlimited happiness in that sweet relationship, you will no longer be attracted by the flickering inferior so called love of this material world.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Saturday 7 June 2008

from Sydney, Australia
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Today's Thought:

God the Son and God the Father

Recently one of my readers attacked me for not accepting Jesus. Such an attack is ridiculous because I have fully accepted Jesus much more so than the so-called Christians. After all, it was he who inspired me to take to the pathway of Krishna bhakti. There is no difference between the teachings of God the Father (Krishna) and God the Son (Jesus). Krishna is the name of God the Father, Who we read about in the Bible. When I explained to her that it was Lord Jesus who called me to the path of Krishna bhakti she replied,

"If Christ calls you, he wants you to serve him not other false Gods with contradictory statements. I pray that you come to know what Christ stands for, which is totally different from what Krishna is. "

Apparently she has not carefully read the statements of Lord Jesus in the Bible and compared them with the statements of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita. If she were to do so, she would see that both of them are teaching exactly the same thing, that we must fully surrender ourselves unto the Supreme Person in loving service.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: What Should I Tell My Father?

I feel it difficult to continue my practice of Krishna consciousness because my father is always scolding me and asking why I am chanting Hare Krishna. What should I say to my father?

Kani

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Answer: He Should Encourage You to Chant

Tell your father that if you, his child, become spiritually perfect by chanting the holy names of God, that by the Lord's special mercy because he is your father, he will automatically become delivered from the cycle of birth and death. Therefore since you are chanting for his benefit to permanently save him from all material miseries, he should encourage you to chant as much as possible.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Friday 6 June 2008

from Sydney, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Steady through All Varieties of Circumstances

Traveling and preaching Krishna consciousness all over the world exposes us to some many varieties of circumstances. Sometimes we have nice living facilities, and sometimes they are not so nice. Sometimes it is easy to write "Thought for the Day". Sometimes it is a real challenge to finish it in time for the daily deadline. Sometimes we are healthy. Sometimes we are sick. And there so many other varieties as well. Therefore we simply have to accept whatever comes our way as the mercy of Krishna and do the best we can to serve Him in all circumstances. The only constant factor we have is His service. Everything else is subject to so many changing circumstances. This means that we must remain always tolerant and steady in our devotional service no matter circumstances we may find ourselves in.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: About Exhausting the Petroleum Supply

I am a little worried about petroleum. The remaining available storage can only be used for 30 years or so. Humans will quickly run out of petroleum. Then everything will be gone: autos, planes, trucks, factories, etc. But you travel to preach by plane and ships. The printing of Krishna consciousness books entails enough electricity supply, and electricity is mainly produced from burning of petroleum. Even if we can produce electricity from air and water, the wire still needs rubber to cover. Rubber is made from petroleum.

This is my worry. If all people surrender to Lord Krishna, will He give us intelligence to invent some alternative technology using subtle material science? Such subtle science is used by people in previous yugas, and it can also bestow humans easy transport, printing, architecture, it is highly advanced without any dependence on petroleum.

Your most humble servant,

Yechen

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Answer: Krishna Will Provide Something

We do not have to worry about serving Krishna and spreading His teachings all over the world. Krishna will always give His devotees the facility to do these most important activities.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Thursday 5 June 2008

from Canberra, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Use Everything in Krishna's Service

Since everything is the property of the Lord, everything should be used in His service. This is real renunciation, not the so-called renunciation of considering everything to be material and therefore not using things at all. By using everything in the Lord's service everything regains its original spiritual nature. Since everything is coming from the Lord, everything is essentially spiritual. It only becomes material when we utilize it for our own selfish purposes. Therefore if an airplane is available, we can utilize it for traveling and preaching all over the world. And if it is not available, we can utilize an oxcart for the same purpose. Though our vehicle may be different, our message will always remain the same: Dive into and relish the unlimitedly deep nectarean ocean of Krishna bhakti by completely surrendering yourself at the Lord's lotus feet.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

We can travel by airplane, if available...

Or if necessary, we can travel by oxcart.

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: You Cannot Fly By Cow and Bull

You do realize that the cow and the bull can't provide air travel for you to spread His Lordship's consciousness, right?

Nawal

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Answer: We Can Adopt Any Means of Travel

Why do you ask such a question? Do you think I am lacking in common sense to understand that I cannot utilize the cow and bull for flying all over the world? Although I will utilize airplanes as long as they are available, I am not dependent on them for my world preaching mission. If necessary, I can travel all over the world by oxcart and by sailing ship.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Wednesday 4 June 2008

from Canberra, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Krishna Always Protects His Devotees

If we take complete shelter of Krishna, we will not be in any anxiety regarding whatever upheavals may beset the world society. A devotee's security is the lotus feet of Krishna, not the material society. Krishna lovingly makes all arrangements for His devotees so that they can always be in the best situation for advancing themselves in His loving service. And His devotees put their complete faith and trust in Him because His shelter is always guaranteed in all times, places, and circumstances.

Sometimes the devotees face very calamitous situations that appear completely hopeless from the material point of view. In such situations all they can do is to call out feelingly for the Lord's protection. And then out of His loving kindness the Lord rescues His devotees from the danger. Once in Vrindavan all the inhabitants of Vrindavan including the cows and calves were surrounded by and about to be consumed by a devastating forest fire. But when they pleaded for Krishna's help the Lord personally swallowed the forest fire and saved everyone from certain death. This was not impossible for Krishna, because He is unlimited. He has unlimited power to do anything He desires. In this way if we always take shelter of Lord Sri Krishna we never have anything to fear in any circumstance.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Krishna Swallows the Forest Fire

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Potency of Srila Prabhupada's Transcendental Vibrations

Will listening to transcendental vibrations via electronic media really help? I have 'Srila Prabhupada's dhun' CD with me. Will listening to it be as effective as listening to it directly from Srila Prabhupada's lips?

Hare Krishna

Karthik

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Answer: This Depends on Your Faith

Whether you could be sitting directly at Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet bathing in the nectar of the transcendental sound vibrations emanating from his lotus mouth or whether you are hearing a recording of his voice, reading his printed words, or hearing his teachings from one of his fully dedicated disciples---the potency is the same. It is simply up to you, the hearer, to be fully receptive to drink deeply into your heart the unlimited nectar of his causeless mercy. So how much benefit you receive depends on how faithfully you connect with Srila Prabhupada through any one of the above means.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Tuesday 3 June 2008

from Canberra, Australia
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Today's Thought:

It's Time to Get Practical

It's time to get practical. Over the last century there has gradually evolved a world-wide socio-economic system based on a plentiful supply of oil, cheap oil. That era has now come to an end. There is no reason to panic. God is still in control. He will never let His devotees starve. But we must now immediately begin to reorient our global world order back towards an agrarian family farm model as it was a century ago. These mega cities whose residents survive on foods produced by petroleum powered tractors and trucked in from the agricultural fields by petroleum powered trucks can no longer continue to exist on the massive scale that they do now.

All the world governments should now take the initiative to facilitate their citizens who would like to take to an agrarian lifestyle. The basic survival skills of how to protect the cows and bulls and successfully work the land for producing one's eatables should now become available for all to learn in our public educational systems.

When we, the members of the human civilization, become reconnected with the land, the cow, and the bull and we practically realize how dependent we are on the God-given rains, there will be a natural resurgence of God consciousness all over the world. And as the use of petroleum powered automobiles decreases more and more, the earth's atmosphere will naturally become cleaner and cleaner. Global warming will no longer be an issue. Chopping firewood for staying warm in the winter will be the issue.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

When Gasoline Becomes History...

How We Will Survive?

Better We Learn Now How to Utilize the Land, the Bull, and the Cow.
This Should Be Taught in the Schools.

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Who is Srila Prabhupada's Successor?

I want to ask a question that I think is very important: It is said that in order to follow the rules of the scriptures by engaging in practical service offered to the Lord, it is necessary to follow a spiritual master. Without following the instructions of a spiritual master coming in one of the bona fide disciplic successions originating with Krishna Himself, we cannot make any spiritual progress. The practices of bhakti-yoga are those given by the greatest spiritual master and representative of Krishna consciousness in our era, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He has thus given the true list of disciplic succession which is as follows:

1. Krishna
2. Brahma
3. Narada
4. Vyasa
5. Madhva
6. Padmanabha
7. Nrihari
8. Madhava
9. Aksobhya
10. Jaya Tirtha
11. Jñanasindhu
12. Dayanidhi
13. Vidyanidhi
14. Rajendra
15. Jayadharma
16. Purusottama
17. BrahmanyaTīrtha
18.VyasaTīrtha
19. Laksmipati
20. Madhavendra Puri
21. Isvara Puri, (Nityananda, Advaita)
22. Lord Caitanya
23. Rupa, (Svarupa, Sanatana)
24. Raghunatha, Jiva
25. Krishnadasa
26. Narottama
27. Visvanatha
28. (Baladeva) Jagannatha
29. Bhaktivinoda
30. Gaurakisora
31. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
32. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Here is my question: Who is the successor of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada? There can be only one successor to respect the scriptures.

I thank you for your answer.

André / France

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Answer: All of His Strictly Obedient Disciples

Your idea that there can only be one successor is incorrect. In the list you gave me kindly note #'s 21,23,24, and 28. In each of these cases there was more than one current link of the chain of disciplic succession.

Srila Prabhupada said that all of his disciples who are strictly following his instructions would be the next spiritual masters in the line of disciplic succession. So Srila Prabhupada is number 32 in the list beginning with Lord Krishna and those of his disciples who are strictly following his instructions are in position number 33.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Monday 2 June 2008

from Sydney, Australia
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Today's Thought:

World Without Oil

The world is faced now with a limited supply of oil which is quickly being gobbled up by an ever-increasing demand. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that in the near conceivable future the world socio-economic system is going to have to be radically restructured if the human society is going to survive.

The Vedic culture offers a workable model that can function quite well in world without oil. This most ancient culture is the original culture on this planet. It flourished here for millions of years up until 5,000 years ago when the Kali yuga began.

The Vedic economic system is based on the land, the cow, and the bull. The cow is the mother because she supplies the milk. And the bull is the father because he plows the fields to produce the grains and other foodstuffs. Each family lives happily in Krishna consciousness and in economic self-sufficiency producing their own milk and food on their one acre of land.

Such a system is very conducive for the self-realization process. In the spring you plant the crops. In the fall you harvest them. And the rest of the time you can focus on spiritual advancement by chanting Hare Krishna, studying the Vedic literatures, hearing from great sages, worshipping the deity, and by attending spiritual festivals.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

In a World Without Oil...

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: What Gives Life to the Body

My dear Spiritual Master,

What gives life to the body? Is it the Supersoul? And is it the decision of the Supersoul too, to leave the body and the soul has to follow?

Your serving disciple,

Michael

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Answer: The Presence of the Soul

My Dear Michael,

Please accept my blessings.

The presence of the atma, the soul, is what gives life to the body. Just as a car is dead matter, it cannot move on its own without a driver, similarly the body is dead matter and cannot function as a living organism without the soul being present within it as the driver.

The Supersoul gives sanction for how long the soul is allowed to remain in a particular body. When the Supersoul wants the soul to leave the body, the soul has no choice but to leave. And when it leaves, the body becomes dead.

The soul is the living force which animates the body. It is always accompanied by the Supersoul through thousands and millions of births. In the Vedic literature the soul is compared to a fruit-eating bird, the Supersoul is the witnessing bird that always accompanies the fruit-eating bird, and the material body is the tree in which the fruit-eating bird is trying to enjoy the fruit.

Always wishing you the very best,

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sunday 1 June 2008

from Brisbane, Australia
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Today's Thought:

Fly Hare Krishna Airlines

Come fly the friendly Hare Krishna skies on the mantra airplane of transcendental sound vibration. This airplane does not require petroleum. The only fare you have to pay is your faith. Flights are departing now for the transcendental dimension situated far, far beyond the land of time, space, birth, and death. Become a liberated spaceman in the transcendental spiritual sky. Join us now and every day chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Who Made Us Wish to Be Away from Krishna?

You say that God created this universe because of 'our' desire to come here. But, we say all actions here are preplanned by God and everything happens on His will. So then where does this 'our' desire come from? Who makes us think that we wish to be away from Krishna? Again, it was His plan and His will. I just don't get this. If everything is His will then how does the karma theory work?

It is God's plan how Kali yuga will be. So then why at all are we trying to request people to take into Krishna consciousness. Aren't we trying to to go against the wind? It is He under who decides who wants to become His devotees. So where does the 'I' factor come from? Can you please make me understand this?

haribol!

regards

Anu

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Answer: We Did

It is not true that everything is preplanned by God. He gives us the free will to decide what we want to do.

Nobody other than our foolish selves thought to enjoy separately from Krishna. This was not Krishna's plan, nor Krishna's will. This was our foolishness.

Now we have to hear from the bona fide spiritual master and get back to our original enlightened position in the transcendental world.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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