Vol 13, No.2
February 2012
CONTENTS Getting Serious About Liberation
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, FounderAcharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, came to America in 1965, at age 69, to fulfill his spiritual master’s request that he teach the science of Krishna consciousness throughout the Englishspeaking world. In a dozen years he published some seventy volumes of translation and commentary on India’s Vedic literature, and these are now standard in universities worldwide. Meanwhile, travelling almost nonstop, Srila Prabhupada moulded his international society into a world wide confederation of ashramas, schools, temples and farm communities. He passed away in 1977, in Vrindavana, the place most sacred to Lord Krishna. His disciples and followers are carrying forward the movement he started. Krishna Voice, February 2012
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Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out
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The Final Point for the Bubble of Illusion
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The Bird in the Cage
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Freedom from Never-ending Karma
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Cover pages-4 Text pages-24 Please chant... Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare ...and be happy!
Published and owned by Sankirtana Seva Trust. Editor: Chamari Devi Dasi. Layout, design and graphics by ISKCON Design Group, Bangalore. For all information contact: Editor, Krishna Voice, SST, Hare Krishna Hill, Chord Road, Bangalore - 560 010 INDIA Phone: 91-80-2347 1956, 91-80-2357 8346 Fax: 91-80-2357 8625. © 2012 Sankirtana Seva Trust, Bangalore. All Krishna art and the works of Srila Prabhupada are © Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is strictly prohibited. Printed at Manipal Printers (P) Ltd., Manipal. DISCLAIMER: We neither represent nor endorse the accuracy or reliability or the quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased, or obtained by you as a result of an offer in connection with any of the advertisements published in our magazine. We strongly encourage you to do your own due diligence before responding to any offer.
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Getting Serious About Liberation By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder- Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness We live in an unfortunate time because we’re being misdirected from the pursuit of ultimate freedom, the true purpose of life. [Lecture given in Vrindavana, India, November 6, 1972] mumukshavo ghora-rupan hitva bhuta-patin atha narayana-kalah shanta bhajanti hy anasuyavah “Those who are serious about liberation are certainly nonenvious, and they respect all. Yet they reject the horrible and ghastly forms of the demigods and worship only the all-blissful forms and plenary portions of Lord Vishnu.”— Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.26 The first word, mumukshavah, means “desiring to be liberated.” It is very difficult to find this class of men, the mumukshavah. People do not know what is meant by mumukshavah. They do not know what liberation is. Even the so-called scientists and philosophers of the modern age do not know what is meant by liberation, moksha. And still they are the public leaders and heads of education. They do not know the objective of life, what human life is meant for. Sometime in the year 1950 or ’51 I went to Jhansi, and the friend in whose house I was staying was a leader. There was a meeting for Gandhi’s disappearance day. So I was asked to speak. At that time I was not a sannyasi. I was asked to speak on nonviolence. So I explained that if you have got some right and if somebody by force stops you from using your right, that is violence. I have got some right to take something or enter into some room, and if somebody checks me by force—"You cannot enter"—that is violence, and it is criminal. Our homeland is Bharatavarsha [India]. To take birth in Bharatavarsha is not an ordinary thing. Just see, practically, how many men are automatically circumambulating this temple out of respect. Even a common man will do so. If you study you’ll find that by nature people in Bharatavarsha are God conscious. Even a very poor man is satisfied in God consciousness. He doesn’t care that he is poverty-stricken. He’s satisfied: “Krishna has placed me in this position.” He doesn’t care to know or ask, “Why am I poverty-stricken?” He thinks, “Now I am getting some food by the grace of Krishna.” Not very long ago, say about two hundred or three hundred years ago, in Krishnanagara there was a big zamindar named Raja Krishnachandra. He went to a learned scholar, a brahmana pandita, who had voluntarily accepted poverty and asked him, “Panditji, can I help you in some way?” The pandita replied, “I don’t require any help from you.” “But I see that you are very poverty-stricken.” “No, I am not poverty-stricken. My students get some rice for me, and my wife cooks it. I get some tamarind leaves. So it is very nice. I don’t require any help.” This is India’s heritage. Chanakya Pandita was the greatest scholar and politician. He was the prime minister of Maharaja Emperor Candragupta. Chanakya Puri in New Delhi is named after Chanakya Pandita. He was living in a cottage, not accepting any salary. And as soon as Maharaja Candragupta wanted some explanation for an instruction Chanakya had given him, Chanakya resigned. Such detachment is the standard of persons born in India. Take Vyasadeva, for example. Who can be a greater scholar than Vyasadeva? His last contribution is SrimadBhagavatam, and each word, if you study for hundreds of years, still you will have more to understand. Each word. Such a scholar, and he was living in a cottage. This is actually India’s culture. So I explained in that meeting in Krishnanagar, “After many, many births, one is given the opportunity to take birth in this holy land of Bharatavarsha. Unfortunately, you leaders are by force making the people materialists. They had the opportunity to take advantage of the contribution of great sages, rishis, to study and to become successful human beings, but you are by force dragging them from that attitude to this materialistic way of life. This is violence. What are you speaking of nonviolence? This is violence.” About twenty years ago I was thinking like that. Actually, people are being killed not only in India but outside also Krishna Voice, February 2012
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by these blind leaders. They do not know how to lead people, how to make them happy, how to make them successful in the human form of life. Understand Radha-Krishna Narottama Dasa Thakura has sung, hari hari biphale janama gonainu manushya janama paiya radha-krishna na bhajiya janiya shuniya bisha khainu “My dear Lord Krishna, I have simply wasted my time.” Without Krishna consciousness, we are simply wasting time. We have great opportunity in the human form of life, but our attention is diverted simply for eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. And our real business is spoiled. That is summarized by Narottama Dasa Thakura. Hari hari biphale janama gonainu: “I have simply spoiled my life.” The human form of life is especially meant for understanding Krishna, Radha-Krishna. If not Radha-Krishna, at least Krishna, or the Battle of Kurukshetra. Mr. M. C. Chatterji was a nice friend of mine. He said, “Swamiji, I want Krishna of the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, not of Vrindavana.” That’s all right. At least take Krishna on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra. But take to Krishna. If you are not so fortunate as to understand Radha-Krishna, at least try to understand Arjuna-Krishna. The whole world is being spoiled. I am especially drawing the attention of thoughtful men. People are being killed without Krishna consciousness. They got this opportunity, the human form of life, and they should have been educated to understand Krishna. By understanding Krishna, they can become liberated. As it is stated here: mumukshavah. Mumukshavah means those who desire liberation. But the leaders do not know what liberation is, what transmigration of the soul is, what the soul is—nothing. Simply rascals, and they are leading the whole population. They do not know what liberation is. Darwin’s theory, the bodily concept of life, anthropology—that is going on in the university. A false theory, without any idea. Here it is said, mumukshavah, “desiring liberation.” But the people do not know what liberation is. They are thinking of liberation in terms of politics. We Indians have become liberated from British rule. What sort of liberation have we achieved? During British rule, people were free to move, free to spend their money. Now you are so liberated that you cannot move, you cannot spend your money. This is the kind of liberation we now have. Formerly there was no restriction for going outside the country. But as a sannyasi, I had so much difficulty obtaining the permission of the government to go out. Oh, with what great difficulty I got out of this country! And because I—some way or other, by Krishna’s grace— got out of this country, I could spread this Krishna consciousness movement all over the world. Otherwise, it was not possible. I wanted to start this movement in India, but I was not at all encouraged. I approached so many friends: “You have four sons. Kindly give me one of your sons. I want to make him a brahmana.” “Oh, Swamiji, what will he do, becoming a brahmana? We have to earn our livelihood.” You see? People have forgotten what is the aim of life, what is the purpose of life. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, bharata-bhumite haila manushya-janma yara janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara “Everyone who has taken birth in the land of Bharatavarsha must make his life successful.” [Chaitanya-charitamrita, Adi-lila 9.41] Because here we actually have the opportunity for liberation. In Bharatavarsha we have information about liberation. No other country. Their so-called liberation means political liberation. Fighting with one another— that is not liberation. Liberation means to get out of the cycle of repeated birth and death. That is liberation. But people have no idea what liberation is, or where to go after liberation. All this knowledge is practically blocked. Therefore it is very difficult for people to understand the statements of Srimad-Bhagavatam, like this verse: mumukshavo ghora-rupan hitva bhuta-patin atha. People do not understand. They are so misguided, ill-educated, that they do not understand it. But the land of Bharatavarsha is meant for liberation. In other lands, people take birth and have no information about liberation. Here, in this land, Bharatavarsha, there is the idea of liberation, mukti. We should be interested in liberation. Our condition within this material bondage is that we are transmigrating from one body to another, 6
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always trying to improve our material condition. Sometimes we are going up to higher planets, and sometimes we are coming down. The Dark Material World This is going on. But the human form of life is meant for getting out of the darkness of the material world. Tamasi ma jyotir gama. This is the Vedic information: “Don’t remain in this darkness.” This material world is dark, as we experience at night, before the sun rises. And it is also dark because of ignorance. We do not know the aim of life. Therefore, the whole world is darkness. And the Vedic information is “Do not remain in the darkness. Come to the light.” But that education—how to get out of the darkness of ignorance and the darkness of this material world—is lacking. Here it is mentioned: narayana-kalah shanta bhajanti hy anasuyavah. Asuya means envious. When we present Krishna, especially in India, people are sometimes envious of Him. But outside India, people have reacted differently. I have placed before them that “Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are searching after God. Here is God. Here is God’s name, here is God’s address, here are God’s activities. Try to understand God. Why are you speculating?” And they have accepted. They are not asuyava. They are not envious. Here, if I present Krishna, one may say, “Why not Kali? Oh, Kali is very active. She has a long tongue. She has a sword in her hand, cutting heads. It is very nice. And we shall be able to eat goats.” You see? Actually Kali-puja is for the meat-eaters. Now this is the Kali-puja season. Kali-puja is there because the Vedic shastras, scriptures, are so made that everyone, from the lowest rascal to the highest intelligent man, should be elevated. That is the purpose. All classes of men are there. Some are influenced by the mode of goodness; some are influenced by the mode of passion; some are influenced by the mode of ignorance. And the Vedas are meant for all human beings. There are different types of human beings; therefore there are different types of shastras to attract all classes of men, including the meat-eaters. The living entity comes to the material world to enjoy, to satisfy the material senses. That especially means eating meat, drinking wine, and having sex. So the Vedas regulate the so-called enjoyment. “You want to eat meat? All right, then sacrifice a goat before Goddess Kali and worship her on the amavasya, the dark-moon night.” There are so many regulations involved. The real purpose is restriction. But if it is directly said, “Don’t eat meat,” meat-eaters will revolt. Therefore the Vedic literature contains so many prescriptions for worshiping different demigods. Otherwise, there is no necessity for worshiping them. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita (7.20). Kamais tais tair hrita-jnanah prapadyante ’nya-devatah: Those who are worshiping demigods have become blind; they have lost their senses. Hrita-jnana: Real knowledge is lost. Therefore they’re after so many demigods. I have not manufactured this point. Krishna Himself says, kamais tais tair hrita-jnanah prapadyante ’nya-devatah: There is no need to worship any demigods. This is the lesson of the festival of Govardhana-puja. Nanda Maharaja, Krishna’s father, was arranging for the worship of Indra. Krishna stopped it, and He engaged his father in worshiping Govardhana, which is a representation of Krishna. That is the meaning of Govardhana-puja. We can get different types of sense pleasure in different bodies. But that is not a very good business. Sometimes I become a demigod, and sometimes I become a eucalyptus tree, standing for three hundred years. Why should we waste our time in that way? Asking that question is intelligence. But people do not know that “This time I am a very nice American. I have got my skyscraper and automobile and very good bank balance. I am very happy.” They don’t care. But the person does not know that next life he may become a cat or a dog That he does not know. There is that risk. A Scientific Movement This science is not taught in any university. People are such fools and rascals. It is a great science—transmigration of the soul, immortality of the soul, how to elevate the soul to the highest perfection. The rascals do not know. Nor are they being taught. It is such an unfortunate time. Therefore there is great necessity to spread this Krishna consciousness movement to actually educate the human being to the highest perfection of life. That is required. It is not a religious system, competing with some other religion. We are criticized for turning Christians into Hindus. This is nonsense. We are not concerned with Hindus, Muslims, or Christians. These are educated boys; they have no business becoming Hindus. Many people before me, many swamis, went to the West to turn Christians into Hindus. But the Western people kicked on their faces. These swamis did not become successful, because they talked nonsense. Why should a Christian become a Hindu, or a Hindu become a Christian? People should know what God is and what their relationship with God is. 8
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This Krishna consciousness movement is not for turning Hindus into Muslims or Muslim into Hindus or Christian into Hindus. This is not such a movement. These Western boys and girls clearly understand this. Therefore they are following They are accepting. If I would have preached that Hinduism is better than Christianity, they would have kicked me out long ago. Krishna consciousness is a science; it is a philosophy. There is a great necessity to educate people in the aim of life. That is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. He was appealing to the human beings, those who are actually human beings, not to the cats and dogs. He said, “Study the contribution of the great sages and make your life successful. Then go out and preach this mission.” That is going on under the name of the Krishna consciousness movement. It is not a sentimental movement. It is a scientific movement. We therefore restrict our students from worshiping any demigods. When I started this mission, many friends advised me, “Why don’t you make it ’God consciousness’?” But I insisted that it be “Krishna consciousness.” Otherwise, people would include so many gods. “Here is another god, here is another god, here is another god, here is another god, here is another incarnation, here is another avatara.” All nonsense. I wanted to stress the one who is actually God. Krishnas tu bhagavan svayam: “Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.28]. Or in today’s verse: narayana-kalah shantah. One should worship only Krishna and His full expansions. Try to understand our mission. Here it is said that we have to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna also says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja: “Surrender unto Me only. Then you’ll be saved.” [Bhagavad-gita 18.66]. We don’t advise, “Worship Kali or Shiva or—it is all the same. Yata mata tata patha.” We don’t speak all this nonsense. We simply say, “Come to Krishna. Then you’ll be saved.”
VEDIC THOUGHTS The prayers of the impersonalists offend the Lord more than denunciation by His avowed enemies. —Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Real and Apparent (Divine Form)
I desire to be in Vrindavana so that I may sit on the bank of the Yamuna and pass each long day of my life in the twinkling of an eye, meditating on Lord Krishna. —Adi Sankaracharya Abhilasastaka
Of secret things I am silence. —Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita 10.38
There is no stronger obstruction to one's self-interest than thinking other subject matters to be more pleasing than one's self-realization. —Sanat Kumara Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.22.32
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SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS OUT On Lust and Love, Myth and Reality The following conversation between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and David Lawrence, a British schoolteacher, took place in August 1973 during an early-morning walk in London. David Lawrence: In the Srimad-Bhagavatam there seems to be a great deal of . . . demonology, if you like. Now, I confess this raises problems for me. Are the references to, say, the demoness Putana taking Krishna on her lap and Krishna sucking her breast and killing her—is this to be taken literally or allegorically? Srila Prabhupada: Literally. Mr. Lawrence: Literally, as a physical fact? Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Of course, in the Bhagavatam there are some figurative stories, similar to Aesop's Fables. These are for instruction. Mr. Lawrence: What about the reference to Krishna and the unmarried gopis [cowherd girls]? You say in your books that "He treated them like dolls, yet they were well pleased with Him." What is the main point of that passage? Srila Prabhupada: When the Bhagavatam says Krishna treated the gopis like dolls, that means the gopis danced just according to His desire. Mr. Lawrence: Is that to be taken literally, or is there some symbolic meaning? Srila Prabhupada: No, literally. The gopis are so devoted to Krishna that
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whatever Krishna desires, they do. Mr. Lawrence: I must confess, these activities of Krishna's are quite beyond my comprehension. Srila Prabhupada: Yes, they are very difficult for ordinary people to understand. That is why this portion of Krishnas life is depicted in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nine cantos are devoted to understanding Krishna's supreme position. Then Krishna's intimate lila [pastimes] are described in the Tenth Canto. But if one tries to read the life and pastimes of Krishna without understanding that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will be misled. Therefore the Bhagavatam begins by explaining the Supreme Lord as the original source of the creation (janmady asya yatah). The Bhagavatam doesn't abruptly introduce Krishna's pastimes with the gopis. In the spiritual world Krishna has unlimited varieties of activities.
The activities in this material world are only a perverted reflection of those in the spiritual world.
find others mad. [Laughter.]
But out of foolishness we take Krishna's activities to be like ours. Krishna loved the gopis. The gopis were young girls, and Krishna was a young boy, and He loved them. But here the so-called love between a young boy and girl is lust. Therefore it is condemned. But in the love between Krishna and the gopis there is not a trace of lust.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. This misunderstanding is condemned in Bhagavad-gita, where Krishna says avajananti mam mudha: "Because when I come to this world I come in a human form, rascals take Me for an ordinary human being." (The word mudha means "rascals" or "asses.") So, Lord Chaitanya is Krishna Himself, but the fools and rascals take him for an ordinary human being.
Here lust is going on in the name of love. And because it is not love, it doesn't continue very long—it breaks. But in the history of the spiritual world, you don't find that the love between the gopis and Krishna broke at any time. That is the difference between lust and love. Mr. Lawrence: In the West, one in three marriages is destined to break up. That's what they say now—one in three. Srila Prabhupada: Just see! And they are trying to drag their lusty ideas into Krishna's pastimes. Generally, rascals claim that Krishna's pastimes with the gopis support their own lusty activities: "Krishna acts lustily, so I can also." This is a gross misunderstanding. People who think like this do not take into account that here in the material world so-called love is lust—and it breaks. But in the love between Krishna and the gopis, there is no breaking—only increase. So how can they compare their lusty affairs to Krishna's loving affairs with the gopis?
Mr. Lawrence: He'll see a reflection of himself.
Mr. Lawrence; They're just talking from within their own experience. They can't imagine what happens when God presents Himself as a man. Srila Prabhupada: When they hear that Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill, they think, "This is mythology." But if Krishna is actually God, is it very difficult for Him to lift a mountain? He's floating so many heavy planets in the sky. So if Krishna can make so many planets weightless, is it very difficult for Him to make Govardhana Hill weightless? These things are very easy for devotees to understand, but nondevotees cannot understand them. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita Krishna clearly says, bhaktya mam abhijanati: "Only through devotional service can one understand Me." So if you want to understand Krishna and Krishna's pastimes in truth, you must take to the process of devotional service.
Mr. Lawrence: I must admit that I've read far enough in your books to see that they really can't. Srila Prabhupada: When you give an analogy, there must be many points of similarity. So where are the points of similarity between Krishna's pastimes and the lusty affairs of this material world? These rascals are so dullheaded that they don't even have a logical argument. They are comparing the lusty affairs of this material world to the affairs of Krishna and the gopis. But where is the similarity? Mr. Lawrence; There's never any mention at all of lust or animal desire, is there? Srila Prabhupada: No. For example the Bhagavatam describes everything about Krishna's dancing with the gopis—their kissing, their embracing, and so on. But there is no mention of contraceptives. And the gopis never became pregnant. So how can we compare Krishna's loving affairs with the gopis to the lusty affairs of this material world? Mr. Lawrence: It can't be done. Another question: I was reading a book (one not put out by the Krishna consciousness movement) about Lord Chaitanya, and it said that the manifestations of Krishna consciousness He showed during kirtana [chanting] and so on were manifestations of madness. Can you comment on that? Srila Prabhupada: When a man is himself mad, he'll 12
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Narottama Dasa Thakura, who has written this song, is a famous acharya [spiritual master], and his compositions are accepted as Vedic truth. In this song he represents himself as a common man, as one of us. He laments, appealing to Hari, Lord Krishna, hari hari biphale janama gonainu: "My dear Lord, I have uselessly spoiled my life, because I have not worshiped You." People do not know that they are spoiling their life. They are thinking, "I've got a very nice apartment, a very nice car, a very nice wife, a very nice income, a very nice social position." All these material attractions make us forget the purpose of our life—to worship Krishna. In one verse [5.5.8], the Srimad-Bhagavatam summarizes the material attractions: pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh/ ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho 'yam aham mameti. The basic principle of material attraction is sex: pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam. A man hankers after a woman, and a woman hankers after a man. And when they actually engage in sex, they become very much attracted to each other:tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh. Hrdaya means "heart," and granthim means "hard knot.'' So when a man and a woman engage in sex, the hard knot in the heart is tied. "I cannot leave you," he says. "You are my life and soul." And she says, "I cannot leave you. You are my life and soul."
and so on. Everything will be finished.
The Final Point for the Bubble of Illusion An explanation of a song by the great spiritual teacher Narottama Dasa Thakura, given by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in the Los Angeles Hare Krishna center.
In this way material life is going on. The living entity travels through many species of life, many planets, until he comes to the human form of life. Human life is an opportunity to understand how we are transmigrating from one place to another, from one life to another, and simply wasting our time, not understanding what our constitutional position is and why we are suffering so much distress. These things are to be understood in this human form of life. But instead of inquiring about our real position, we are simply engaged with mithuni-bhavam and grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittaih—sex, wife, home, property, children, society, money, and position. We are captivated with these things, and we are spoiling our life. So Narottama Dasa Thakura, representing us, is lamenting, "My dear Lord, I have spoiled my life." Why? Manusya-janama paiya radha-krishna na bhajiya:"This human form of life is meant for understanding Radha-Krishna (the Lord and His energy) and worshiping Radha-Krishna. But instead of making contact with Radha-Krishna, I am simply spoiling my life in sense gratification." Then his lament goes on. Golokera prema-dhana hari-namasankirtana rati na janmilo kene tay: "Alas, why have I no attraction for chanting Hare Krishna?" The chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is a transcendental vibration; it is not a material thing. It is imported from the transcendental abode of Krishna. From there the transcendental sound of Hare Krishna has come. This sound is like the sunshine coming-from the sun. Although you cannot go to the sun—it is far, far beyond your reach—you can understand that the sunshine is coming from the sun globe. There is no doubt about it. Similarly, the vibration of the Hare Krishna mantra is coming from Krishna's planet, Goloka (golokera prema-dhana). And this chanting produces love of Krishna. (Prema-dhana means "the treasure of love for Krishna").
For a few days. Then divorce. But the beginning is sex. The basic principle of material attraction is sex. We have organized sex life in many social conventions. Marriage is a social convention that gives sex a nice finishing touch, that's all. Sometimes it is said that marriage is legalized prostitution. But for keeping up social relations one has to accept some regulative principles, some restrictions on sense gratification. Therefore civilized human beings recognize that there is a difference between sex in marriage and sex outside of marriage, which is just like sex between animals. In any case, when two people unite some way or other, their next demand is a nice apartment (grha) and some land (kshetra). Then children (suta). When you have an apartment and a wife, the next requirement is to have children, because without children no home life is pleasant. Putra-hinam grham sunyam:"Home life without children is just like a desert." Children are the real pleasure of home life. Finally there is the circle of relatives, or society (apta). And all these paraphernalia have to be maintained with money (vittaih). So money is required.
Narottama Dasa Thakura laments, hari-nama-sankirtana rati na janmilo kene tay: "Alas, why do I have no attachment for the chanting of Hare Krishna?" Why should one be attached to this chanting? That is explained in the next line. Samsara-bisanale diba-nisi hiya jwale juraite: "Chanting Hare Krishna is the only remedy to relieve the heart from the burning poison of sense gratification." Hiya means "heart." Our heart is always burning. Why? Because it is in touch with the sense-gratificatory process. No sense-gratificatory process can give me satisfaction, even though I try this way and that way, this way and that way. People are trying sense gratification in so many ways, and now they have come to the last point: the naked dance and . . . what is that called—that short skirt?
In this way one becomes entangled in the material world and covered by illusion. Why illusion? Why are such important things— wife, children, money—illusion? Because although at the present moment you may think everything is all right—you have a nice arrangement of home life, apartment, wife, children, society, and position—as soon as your body is finished everything is finished. You're forced to leave everything and move on to your next platform. And you do not know what your next platform will be. Your next body may be that of a human being or a cat or a dog or a demigod or anything. You do not know. But whatever it is, as soon as you leave your present body you will forget everything. There will be no remembrance of who you were, who your wife was, what your home was like, how big your bank balance was, 14
Everything will be finished in a flash, just like a bubble bursting in the ocean. The thrashing of the waves in the ocean generates millions and billions of bubbles, but the next moment they are all finished. Finished.
Devotee: Miniskirt. Srila Prabhupada: Miniskirt, yes. [Laughs] So, because in the material world the basic principle is sex, everyone is inviting, "Yes, come on, enjoy sex. Come on, enjoy sex." But no matter how you try to enjoy sex, you cannot be satisfied. That is certain, because sense gratification is not your real platform of enjoyment. You are Krishna Voice, February 2012
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a spirit soul, and unless you come to the spiritual platform you will never be satisfied by any sense gratification. You'll simply go on hankering after pleasure, but you will find no satisfaction. Therefore, Narottama Dasa Thakura says we are suffering in samsara-bisanale. Samsara indicates our material demands for eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. These are just like fiery poison. Then he says, "My heart is burning from this poison, but I have not searched out the means of relief: the chanting of Hare Krishna. I have no attachment for this chanting, and therefore I have spoiled my life." Then he says, vrajendra-nandana jei sachi-suta hoilo sei. The chanting of Hare Krishna was introduced by Krishna Himself, Vrajendra-nandana, in the form of Lord Chaitanya, Sachi-suta. Krishna took the part of the son of Maharaja Nanda, the king of Vrindavana. Therefore Krishna is called Vrajendra-nandana. And Lord Chaitanya took the role of the son of Mother Sachi; so He is known as Sachi-suta. The Supreme Personality of Godhead takes pleasure when He is addressed with His devotee's name, with His energy's name. (His devotees are also His energy.) Although He has no father—He is the father of everyone—He accepts some devotee as His father when He appears on earth. When a pure devotee wants Krishna as his son, Krishna accepts the devotee as His parent. So Narottama Dasa Thakura says that Vrajendranandana (Krishna) has now appeared as Sachi-suta (Lord Chaitanya), and Balarama (Krishna's brother) has become Nitai. And what is Their business? Dina-hinajata chilo hari-name uddharilo: saving all kinds of wretched, sinful, conditioned souls by teaching them the chanting of Hare Krishna. In this age, Kali-yuga, you cannot find a pious man or a saintly person. Everyone is addicted to sinful activities. But simply by distributing the chanting of Hare Krishna, Lord Chaitanya saved everyone, however fallen he might have been. "Come on!" He said. "Chant Hare Krishna and be delivered." What is the evidence that Lord Chaitanya saved even the most fallen? Tara saksi jagai madhai. Jagai and Madhai were two brothers who engaged in all kinds of sinful affairs. They were born into a very high brahmana family, but by bad association they became sinful. Similarly, in the present age, although the people of the West are descending from Aryan families, very nice families, by association they have become fallen. Their environment is full of illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling. So Jagai and Madhai are specimens of the modern population, and Lord Chaitanya delivered them simply by inducing them to chant the Hare Krishna mantra. So chanting Hare Krishna will actually deliver all fallen souls, without doubt. This is not bogus propaganda. Whatever his past life, anyone who takes to this chanting process will become saintly. He will become a pure, 16
Krishna conscious person. Chanting Hare Krishna will purify our heart, our burning heart. Then we will understand, "I am an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord, Krishna." Ordinarily we can come to this understanding only after many, many births, as Krishna confirms in the Bhagavad-gita [7.19]. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate: "After many, many births, when a person becomes a man of wisdom, he surrenders unto Me." Why? Vasudevah sarvam iti: because he knows that Vasudeva, Krishna, is everything. But that kind of great soul is very rare (sa mahatma sudurlabhah). But Lord Chaitanya has made it easy to become such a great soul. How? Simply by chanting Hare Krishna. Therefore at the end of his song Narottama Dasa Thakura says, ha ha prabhu nanda-suta vrsabhanusuta-juta koruna karoho ei-baro: "My dear Lord Krishna, You are now present before me with Your internal potency, Your pleasure potency, Radharani. Please be merciful to me. Don't neglect me because I am so sinful. My past life is so black, but don't neglect me. Please accept me. Don't kick me away. I surrender unto You." So, all of us should follow in the footsteps of Narottama Dasa Thakura. The purificatory process is chanting Hare Krishna. And as soon as our heart is purified, we will become completely convinced that Krishna is the Supreme Lord and that we are His eternal servants. We have forgotten this. We are serving, but instead of serving the Lord we are serving our senses. We have never become the master. We are not the masters of our senses; we are the servants of our senses. That is our position. So why not become the servant of the Supreme Lord instead of remaining the servant of your senses? Actually, you can become the master of your senses only when you become the servant of Krishna. Otherwise, it is not possible. Either godasa or gosvami: that is your choice. A person who is the servant of his senses is called godasa, and a person who is the master of his senses is called gosvami. He controls his senses. When his tongue wants to eat something not offered to Krishna, he thinks, "O tongue, you cannot taste this thing. It is not krishna-prasadam [food offered to Krishna]." In this way one becomes a gosvami, a master of his senses. When a person does not allow his senses to do anything for sense gratification but acts only for the service of Krishna, that is called devotional service. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate: devotional service means to engage your senses in satisfying the master of the senses. The supreme master of the senses is Krishna. Now we are trying to use our senses for our personal service. This is called maya, illusion. But when we engage the same senses in the service of Krishna, that is perfection. We don't stop the activities of the senses, but we purify the senses by engaging them in Krishna Voice, February 2012
the service of the Lord. This is Krishna consciousness. Thank you very much. Any questions? Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, how is it that Lord Jesus is called the son of God? If Krishna is usually the son, how is Jesus— Srila Prabhupada: Not usually. Krishna is the Supreme Father, but He becomes His devotee's son out of His love. Being a son is not Krishna's constitutional position; being the father is His constitutional position (aham bija-pradah pita). But sometimes He voluntarily becomes a son to taste His devotee's fatherly or motherly love for Him. When a pure devotee prays, "My dear Lord, I want You for my son," Krishna accepts his prayer. Vasudeva and Devaki become Krishna's parents in this way. In a previous life they underwent severe austerities. They were married, but they had no sex. They were determined that unless they could get the Lord as their son they would not have a child. So they performed severe austerities for many thousands of years. Then the Lord appeared to them and asked, "What do you want?" "Sir, we want a son like You."
Me. I shall obey your orders."
"How can you get a son like Me? I'll become your son!"
So Mother Yashoda has become more than God, more than Krishna. The mayavadi [impersonalistic] philosophers want to become one with the Lord, but our philosophy is to become more than Krishna. Why one with Krishna? More than Krishna. And, actually, Krishna does make His devotee more than Himself. Another example is Arjuna. Krishna took the part of his chariot driver. Krishna was actually the hero of the Battle of Kurukshetra, but He gave that position to His devotee: "Arjuna, you become the hero. I shall be your charioteer."
So Krishna, the Lord, is the father of everyone, but He voluntarily becomes the son of His devotee. Otherwise, His position is always the Supreme Father. Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, I read in the SrimadBhagavatam that when one becomes a liberated soul he attains perfect freedom and that sometimes his freedom is on the same level as Krishna's or even more than Krishna's. Can you explain this? Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Take Vasudeva, for example. He's more than Krishna. Or Mother Yashoda. You have seen the picture of Yashoda binding Krishna? Devotee: Krishna looks like a little baby? Srila Prabhupada: Yes. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is feared by everyone, but He becomes fearful of Mother Yashoda: "My dear mother, kindly do not bind Krishna Voice, February 2012
Krishna is just like a father who wants to see his son become more than himself. If the father has an M.A., he wants to see his son get a Ph.D. Then the father is satisfied. He'll not tolerate an outsider's becoming more than him, but he's glad if his son becomes more than him. Similarly, Krishna, the Supreme Lord, wants to see His devotee become more than Himself. That is His pleasure. 17
The Bird in the Cage Hey lady! Lady!! Wake up! Your bird is starving. Hey lady! by Dravida Dasa Why is that woman blithely dusting the birdcage when acquire a body made of matter, and suffer perpetually it's the bird itself, obviously sick or hungry, that urgently in the cycle of repeated birth, old age, disease, and needs attention? She seems so caught up in polishing death. Eons ago, in some unimaginably distant her golden cage that she's forgotten all about the poor millennium, we chose not to serve Krishna but to imitate creature. Or perhaps she's just too deaf and nearsighted Him. And we've been encaged in matter ever since. to perceive its distress. To end our suffering, we need only choose now to serve The urgency we feel in wanting to do something to Krishna. There is no other way, as Krishna affirms in remedy this outrage roughly parallels the urgency a the Bhagavad-gita (7.14): "My material energy is self-realized spiritual master feels as he looks upon insurmountable—unless one surrenders to Me." After those of us who are suffering the pains of life in the all, Krishna is God, the supreme controller of both the material world. The parrot, you sec, represents the spiritual and material energies. He has created the spiritual soul, the spark of consciousness encaged within material world only to teach us that living apart from the material body. The cage is the body itself, which Him is misery. Once we learn that and begin to serve covers the soul and keeps him trapped in the material Him again, He compassionately lifts us above the painful world. And the old woman represents the person in dualities of material life. spiritual ignorance, oblivious of the needs of the spiritual The Vedic literature says that one who serves the Lord self within and absorbed in satisfying the demands of with his full energy is free of material bondage, even the external body. while still living in the material body. In other words, at His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada every moment he understands himself to be felt intense compassion for people suffering from spiritual transcendental to the pleasures and pains, the ups and ignorance, and he dedicated his life to teaching the downs, of material existence. Even in the greatest science of Krishna consciousness so they could be difficulty he remains undisturbed, serene in his enlightened. In his commentary on India's greatest transcendental loving relationship with Krishna. So life spiritual classic, Srimad-Bhagavatam, he writes, "The in the world of matter can be a pleasure when we're spirit soul's needs must be fulfilled. Simply by cleansing nourished by spiritual contact with Krishna, just as life the cage of the bird, one does not satisfy the bird. One for our bird in the golden cage would be a pleasure if must actually know the needs of the bird himself. The he were properly fed and cared for. need of the spirit soul is that he wants to get out of the Of course, the bird in the cage would find ultimate limited sphere of material bondage and fulfill his desire happiness only in freedom: he wants to return to his for complete freedom. He wants to get out of the covered home in the forest. Similarly, the self-realized soul yearns walls of the greater universe. He wants to see the free to return home, back to Godhead, to live with Krishna light and the spirit. That complete freedom is achieved eternally. And this is the fruit of full surrender to the when he meets the complete spirit, the Personality of Lord. Godhead." "Wake up!" call out the Vedas. "Try to understand the Now, you may ask. How did the bird ever get into the great value of the human form of life. Don't remain in cage in the first place? How did the soul ever become the darkness of spiritual ignorance. Come to the light covered by matter? How did we ever lose sight of God? of transcendental knowledge." The devotees in the The Vedic literature explains that each of us is a part Krishna consciousness movement, following the lead of God, a minute particle of His spiritual energy. And of Srila Prabhupada, echo this call of the Vedic literature. because we are part of God we have His qualities, but Human life is very rare, and it is the only form of life in in minute quantity. One of those qualities is which the soul enwrapped in ignorance can understand independence. the science of God consciousness. The purpose of the God, or Krishna, has complete independence—He can International Society for Krishna Consciousness is to do whatever He wants whenever He wants. Our provide knowledge of God in the form of books and independence consists of being able to choose between other media, to provide a practical method for serving Krishna and trying to imitate Him. reestablishing our loving relationship with God through bhakti-yoga, devotional service, and to show by example Serving Krishna is our constitutional activity and brings how we can live in this world in a liberated and joyful us eternal bliss in Krishna's spiritual world. But when state, serving God with all our vital energy. Now it is we try to imitate Krishna—when we try to usurp His simply up to each of us to choose to quit polishing the position of supreme enjoyer and controller—we must come to the material world. Here we forget Krishna, cage and take care of the suffering bird within. 18
Krishna Voice, February 2012
Freedom from Never-ending Karma By Narada Rishi Dasa Everyone in the material world is subject to the laws of karma, except the pure devotees of the Lord. In Sydney, Australia, 1993, my good friend showed me one of the most attractive beaches in the world, with crystal-clear water and snow-white sand. As we walked along the beach, I commented that the scenery was extremely beautiful. Then we both reflected on the fact that nothing is permanent in this world and we cannot remain in any situation forever. I thought about how we should use this temporary lifetime to stop the repetition of birth and death and be freed from the clutches of endless karma. Karma is broadly defined as material activities and their reactions. People commonly paraphrase the concept of karma as "What goes around comes around" or, as the Bible states, "As you sow, so shall you reap." Sri Chaitanya Shikshamrita explains that karma arises from forgetfulness of our essential svarupa, or form— our identity as servants of God. Not understanding karma, the living entity keeps trying to dominate material nature, with suffering as the result. Materialistic activities keep us bound within the material realm in an unbroken chain of repeated births and deaths. Without proper direction, the jiva (living entity) can't escape, like a bird caught in a hunter’s net that futilely flaps its wings. Stuck within the material world, entwined by the three modes of material nature, the living entity thinks that sense enjoyment is the ultimate goal. The laws of karma are intricate and difficult to understand. The ancient Vedic literature, however, clearly explains entanglement in material nature and how to get free of it. By following the prescription of Vedic philosophy, as taught by pure teachers in disciplic succession, we are sure to cut the bonds of karma and achieve spiritual perfection. Caught up in Desire Being part of the Supreme Lord, the living entity is spiritual by nature, but its sheer desire for sense gratification (pleasing the mind and senses) is a prime cause of material bondage. Trying to enjoy in material life, the living entity stays within the unbroken cycle of birth, death, old age, and disease. Continually performing material activities, the soul roams from one species to another without end. This is called reincarnation or samsara-chakra, the wheel of birth and death. People often have a hard time understanding the concept of reincarnation. First one has to understand the soul, God, and their relationship. Krishna says that the soul is eternally part of Him. As such, both God and the soul are eternal, as is their relationship. Rejecting God, the soul takes on one body after another, supplied by God 20
in response to the soul's desire to enjoy separately from Him. This is reincarnation. To become free from this bondage, we must endeavor to reestablish our eternal relationship with the Lord. We stay in the material world because it seems beautiful and attractive to us. But experience should teach us that it contains many cruelties. By the law of karma, we suffer because of our own acts. The Lord gives us independence to act according to our individual propensities, and we reap the results. The most devastating karmic reaction is endless entanglement in the material world, a dangerous place. Scripture explains that in the material world one living entity survives on another (jivo jivasya jivanam). The tiger in the forest catches the deer and enjoys the feast. The rich oppress the poor, and the strong overpower the weak. That is the law of nature. God is not cruel, but He has created this system to keep balance in nature. It is important to understand that when the tiger kills its prey, it is free of sinful reaction or bad karma. Animals act out of their natural propensity (dharma) to survive. On the other hand, when man does the same activities, such as slaughtering cows or even killing an insect, he is liable to be punished. Human beings possess a developed brain and the potential to cultivate higher knowledge and reestablish their relationship with the Lord. Of the 8,400,000 species, humans are superior to all others because of their ability to develop spiritual knowledge. By acting in that knowledge, they can become free from the bondage of karma. If we take to spiritual life wholeheartedly, we can cut the bonds of our karma and achieve complete freedom, happiness, and spiritual perfection. Mrigari Transformed Chaitanya-charitamrita recounts a story from Skanda Purana about a hunter named Mrigari (literally "killer of animals"), who was killing many animals and leaving others half dead to suffer. When he took shelter of the great devotee Narada Muni, who became his spiritual master, he gave up his sinful activities and would not even step on an ant. By chanting Hare Krishna on the order of Narada Muni, he came to an elevated spiritual position. His devotional service destroyed the karmic reactions to his sinful activities. (Krishna openly declares that those who render devotional service to Him are exempt from all sinful reactions, but it is a great offense to intentionally commit sinful activities on the strength of devotional service). Mrigari was saved by taking shelter of Narada Muni, Krishna's representative. That's the authorized way to turn to Krishna. In his Bhagavad-gita commentary, Srila Krishna Voice, February 2012
Prabhupada presents the metaphor of two birds sitting in a tree. One bird, which represents the individual soul, is eating, and the other, which represents Krishna in the heart, is simply watching. The eating bird enjoys the fruits of the tree (karma), some sweet, some bitter. But the moment it turns its face toward its friend Krishna, it becomes free from karma. By not taking shelter of the Lord through His devotees, souls suffer the results of their actions until they realize the higher truth that they must surrender to Krishna. Krishna has given us freedom, but misuse of that freedom results in perpetual bondage in the material world. The material energy conditions us to act in certain ways, in ignorance. Lacking transcendental knowledge, rebellious souls are born again and again because they repeatedly commit sinful acts. They continuously engage their senses in selfish gratification rather than in devotional service to the Supreme Lord, who is Hrishikesha, the master of the senses. The living entities are constitutionally eternal servants of the Supreme Lord. Those who reject His direct service must serve Him nonetheless. Entangled in conditional life, they are forced to serve His material energy (maya). Unlike the Lord's devotees, they swim in the ocean of karma and never become free from it. Only pure devotional service can break the bonds of endless karma. Krishna Himself recommends, “All that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Bhagavad-gita 9.27) Krishna wants us to direct all of our activities toward Him. Prescribed Practices The Vedic scriptures recommend that we regularly practice some simple techniques to become pure devotees of the Lord. We should always chant the Lord's holy names: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Chanting this maha-mantra is the prime process for cleansing our heart, mind, and senses of the accumulated dirt of many lifetimes—the "dirt" being material reactions and desires. To understand higher truths—including the self, its relationship with God, the intricacies of karma, the process of reincarnation, and liberation—we should regularly study the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and other Vedic books that promote pure devotion to the Supreme Lord. To be free from all karma, good and bad, we must eat only food that has been offered to Krishna. He accepts only pure vegetarian food, and we can receive the remnants as His mercy (prasadam). Krishna clearly states, “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I will accept it.” (Bg. 9.26) He Krishna Voice, February 2012
wants pure vegetarian food, not meat, fish, eggs, or liquor. When we offer vegetarian food with love, devotion, and deep faith, our offering becomes free of sin and karmic reaction. Those who prepare food for their own sense enjoyment, however, eat only sin. (Bg. 3.13) Vegetarianism is also important because it means we avoid sinning by killing animals or connecting ourselves with animal killing. The law of karma dictates that those who kill animals and eat them will be killed and eaten in their next life. We must also seek the association of devotees trying to be free from karma. Just as contact with a sick man can infect one with his disease, so contact with Krishna or His pure devotee elevates one spiritually. We can then be cured of what Srila Prabhupada called “the material disease.” Cultivating Krishna consciousness reminds us that both suffering and enjoyment come uninvited according to our good and bad activities. But pure devotion to the Lord surpasses everything. Krishna is known as bhakta-vatsala, or one who is very merciful to His devotees. He is more concerned about our going back home, back to Godhead, then we are concerned about Him. He wants us to get out of this miserable material world to join Him in His eternal abode. “As all surrender unto me," Krishna says, "I will reward them accordingly.” (Bg. 4.11) The Brahmana and the Cobbler Here's an example of two of the Lord's devotees, showing how He looked at their devotion and rewarded them according to His promise in the Gita. Once, Narada Muni was going to meet Lord Narayana (Krishna in His four-armed form) in the spiritual world. A smarta brahmana (one attached to rituals but lacking devotion) and a poor cobbler both requested Narada to ask the Lord when they would go back home, back to Godhead. They also asked Narada to report what the Lord was doing when Narada saw Him. After Narada's departure, the smarta brahmana kept busy with rituals aimed at gaining wealth and perfection, while the poor cobbler simply chanted Hare Krishna as he repaired shoes to maintain his family. When Narada returned, the smarta brahmana asked him, “My dear Narada Muni, please tell me what was my Lord doing when you saw Him?” “Oh!" Narada exclaimed "The Lord was passing an elephant through the eye of a needle.” Blinded by false ego and fake devotion, the smarta brahmana said, “That's impossible! How can an elephant pass through the eye of a needle?” When the smarta brahmana asked when he would go back to Godhead, Narada Muni replied that he would take as many millions of years as there are leaves on a tamarind tree. 21
When the cobbler heard about the Lord’s passing an elephant through the eye of a needle, he exclaimed, “Yes! Yes! It is possible! My Lord can make impossible things possible. Nothing is impossible for Him. He can easily pass an elephant through the eye of a needle, just as he packs millions of trees within the seeds of a tamarind tree.” Narada then told the cobbler he would return to the Lord at the end of that very life. What a wonderful arrangement of the Supreme Lord! The cobbler’s simple devotion qualified him to be free from the karmic cycle and to go back home, back to Godhead. The smarta brahmana’s pride and pretentiousness were obstacles to his spiritual success. When, like the cobbler, a person knows the simple process of Krishna consciousness and has some love and devotion for the Lord, his efforts become successful. Others, like the smarta brahmana, fail, despite knowing many things. The smarta failed because of his incorrect motives, while the poor cobbler, in spite of his humble
occupation, was favoured by the Supreme Lord and became eligible to go back home, back to Godhead. Why not all of us? Let’s get rid of all our karma. If a poor cobbler can do it, then surely we can. And let’s do it wholeheartedly. Rich or poor, all are subject to the laws of karma, but those who are Krishna conscious surpass everything. Anyone who sincerely chants Hare Krishna, whether a big industrialist or a pauper, can attain the Lord’s abode. The Bhagavatam promises that chanting Hare Krishna can burn all our karma, just as a forest fire burns gigantic trees to ashes and the sun dissolves the fog by its rays. Spiritual activities are beyond the laws of karma, and therefore no bondage can stop or bind pure devotees within the material world. We too can escape by cutting the bonds of never-ending karma with continuous, unflinching, and determined devotional service. That service will always remind us of our natural position as the eternal servants of Krishna. It is the positive pathway to lead us back to His abode.
Fasting
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Festivals
Feb 18 Feb 19
Ekadashi break fast
Feb 12
Mar 4 Mar 5
Ekadashi break fast
Feb 25 Mar 8
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura - Appearance (fasting till noon) Ratha Yatra in Mangalore Sri Gaura Purnima - Appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (fasting till moonrise) Krishna Voice, February 2012
Sri Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2012 BANGALORE:
Laksharchana
Abhisheka
Vaikuntha Dwara Krishna Voice, February 2012
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Sri Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2012 Vaikuntha Dwara Darshana at Hare Krishna Hill
Vaikuntha Dwara Darshana at Vaikuntha Hill
Dr Vidyabhushana sings the glories of Lord Srinivasa 24
Among dignitaries who visited the temple on this auspicious occasion was Sri K H Muniyappa, Union Minister of State for Railways Krishna Voice, February 2012
Sri Vaikuntha Ekadashi 2012
Bellary
Hubli
Mysore Krishna Voice, February 2012
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Ratha Yatra 2012 BANGALORE: left: Sri Sri Krishna Balarama on Their grand ratha. below: Devotees participate enthusiastically in pulling the ratha.
left: Sri Narahari, President, Akhila Bharatiya Shaikshanika Mahasangha inaugurates the Ratha Yatra at Bangalore in the presence of other dignitaries.
Mysore 26
Bellary Krishna Voice, February 2012
ICAI Award for Akshaya Patra The Akshaya Patra Foundation, has been awarded the Gold Shield for ‘Excellence in Financial Reporting’ by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) for the third year in succession. Akshaya Patra received the award from Veerappa Moily, Union Minister for Corporate Affairs, at a function organized for this purpose by ICAI at Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai.
Bhagavad-gita distributed to dignitaries during Gita Jayanti month
Sri V Dhanajaya Kumar Special Representative of Karnataka in Delhi
Dr V S Acharya Minister for Higher Education, GOK
Sri B N Bacche Gowda Minister for Labour, GOK
Sri H D Kumaraswamy MP & President JD(S), Karnataka
Sri B K Hariprasad Member, CWC
Sri B Z Zameer Ahamad Khan MLA, Chamarajpet
Krishna Voice, February 2012
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Krishna Voice Monthly Magazine, February 2012 Vol.13, No.2 Price Rs 15/Posted on 5th or 10th of the Month at MBC, Manipal, License to post without prepayment No. WPP 8, Reg No. KA/BGGPO/2521/ 2012-2014, Registered with Registrar of Newspapers for India under No. RNI 71022/99, Posted at MBC, Manipal, 576104.