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This is an episode of our Kick On the Face series which deals with the topic of demigods and demigod worship in detail. Also it clarifies a common misunderstandings about Hinduism. Please have a look.

While this Gulab Jamun recipe might initially sound challenging and complex, it is well worth the effort. A legendary delight of Indian cuisine, this is often a favorite of the Hare Krishna devotees. It is an explosion (literally) of flavor and sweetness, with a beautiful spongy texture. Many a Sunday love feast guest has had to be almost rolled home after a serving of these at the BLISS temple! This is a recipe from the Matchless Gift Magazine, issue 10. Each monthly issue includes a recipe from the Bliss kitchen. Get yourself a copy HERE! Recipe: Gulab Jamun Ingredients Guests enjoy a brand new feast every Sunday at our South London temple Milk powder 2 cups Milk accordingly 2 tsp ghee Baking soda 1/2 tsp Plain flour 1 cup 1 tsp cardamon powder, a large pinch saffron, a cap of rose water, a pod vanilla, or a similar measurement of any other sweet spice Sugar 4 cups Water accordingly Salt a pinch Method To a large cooking vessel (a wok works best) add the milk powder. Make a paste by adding the milk gradually and mixing as you pour. Mixing while the mixture is very thick and pressing out the lumps with a spatula will help to ensure that there are no lumps in the final mix. The consistency should be like custard, or very thick milk. Now, add the ghee and mix.  Put the wok on the flame and cook on a low heat for around 7 minutes, stirring constantly. It should come to the consistency of room temperature, soft butter. Let the mixture cool. Take 4 cups of sugar in a cooking vessel. A more narrow vessel is recommended for this; you can use most ordinary kitchen pots. Add enough water to the mixture that the sugar is completely immersed. Cook it on a medium flame along with whatever spices you have chosen. Boil the syrup for just 4 minutes. In Indian confectionery, there are different “strings” which are used to measure the viscosity of a sugar syrup. Different string counts are used for different preparations. To test the string count, take a drop of syrup from the spoon after allowing it too cool down for a few seconds. Then press the drop in-between your index finger and thumb, and quickly open and close the the tip of the finger and thumb. The amount of strings of syrup between the finger and the thumb indicate the thickness, from 1-4, 4 being the thickest. In this case, we don’t want to see any strings. This is because the syrup should be more watery in order to soak all the way through the gulab jamun. Don’t worry; it’ll still be plenty sweet. A note on spices: Traditionally, it is compulsory to use gulab jal, or rose water, to make gulab jamun. The name of this sweet is derived from the use of rose water. Most of the time, gulab jamun includes the flavors of saffron and cardamon. However, alternatively, you can use a combination of cardamon and kewra water (1 tsp powdered cardamon and 1 cap of kewra water), vanilla (a couple tsp of good quality essence, or the whole seeds of a pod if available), cinnamon and cloves ( a 4 inch stick and a tbsp of cloves), or just the juice of a lemon. Now the mixture of powdered milk and milk will have cooled down. This mixture needs to be kneaded, pressing out any lumps.  After the mixture has become smooth, you can sift in the plain flour and baking soda. Then, combine all these ingredients into a homogeneous dough. if it is a little dry, you can add milk. It should be a fairly soft, moist dough.  Now, cover the dough with a slightly damp cloth. Taking small pieces at a time, roll the mixture into balls. You can grease your hands with a small amount of ghee to make this easier. The ball should as small as a gumball, or a little bigger than a large blueberry or raspberry. The bigger they are, the more chance they have of splitting while frying or soaking and handling. Make sure there are no large cracks or folds in the ball. It should be a smooth surface. Small scratches and indents are permissible and almost unavoidable. Take another slightly damp cloth and cover your rolled gulab dough balls. In the wok (it should be cleaned), make a medium pool of ghee. The amount of ghee used depends on you, but it should be enough that the jamuns can float without touching the bottom of the vessel. More ghee makes the process easier, but is not required. Heat the ghee to 120ºc, or just keep it on a low flame. You can test if the ghee is the right temperature by dropping a piece of dough into it; of the dough floats after a few seconds, the ghee is the right temperature.  Now carefully place the dough balls into the ghee. Be sure to not place so many that they will not fit into the ghee, as they should be all evenly colored. this will ensure even cooking and uniform appearance.  If the balls start browning immediately, take them out with a spider (frying instrument) and turn down the heat, or turn it off. You can fry them once the temperature decreases a little, and keep the flame off, only turning it back on once they start to cease cooking. Temperature control is essential here.  Once the balls turn slightly more than golden brown, they are done. The sugar syrup should still be warm. Check it’s consistency to make sure that it hasn't thickened up to a 1 string consistency. Now, place the freshly fried balls into the syrup. The balls must be hot in order to absorb the syrup completely.  Let the balls soak in the syrup for a minimum of 30 minutes. They can be kept soaking for up to 5 hours for the best results.  Offer this wonderful preparation to Krishna with love and devotion.  Serve with a few gulabs to your friends and family with a pool of syrup and watch them enjoy to the fullest Krishna's divine prasadam. Loved this recipe? Subscribe to the Matchless Gift Magazine, annd receive recipes each month, straight to your door

These days we are being voluntarily brainwashed by so much rubbish that is flooding us from social media that it is practically impossible for us to associate with pure devotees and achieve perfection of life -namely attaining the maha-bhagavata stage of devotional service. Purports such as this by Srila Prabhupada serve as a great impetus to sincere souls ready to reject the rubbish like association and hearing: "Everyone is addicted to hearing of the activities of another person, whether a politician or a rich man or an imaginary character whose activities are created in a novel. There are so many nonsensical literatures, stories and books of speculative philosophy. Materialistic persons are very interested in reading such literature, but when they are presented with genuine books of knowledge like Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Visnu Purana or other scriptures of the world, such as the Bible and Koran, they are not interested. These persons are condemned by the supreme order as much as a hog is condemned. The hog is interested in eating stool. If the hog is offered some nice preparation made of condensed milk or ghee, he won't like it; he would prefer obnoxious, bad-smelling stool, which he finds very relishable. Materialistic persons are considered condemned because they are interested in hellish activities and not in transcendental activities. The message of the Lord's activities is nectar, and besides that message, any information in which we may be interested is actually hellish." SB 3.32.20

This is a testimony from a devotee of the name Subhangi Devi Dasi about how she assisted her father at the time of death, taken from Matchless Gift 23. Chilling and touching at the same time. Please have a read: Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupad! All glories to all of the Vaishnavas, especially the preachers who are saving the world from hell! All glories to your service! Have you ever heard of terminal restlessness? Probably not, unless you are a doctor or a nurse. But although the name is new, the condition is described in Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada says: "And similarly, miserable condition of death. When one is lying in coma, so many sufferings is going on, so many dreaming, the Yamaduta is coming. Sometimes the man on the deathbed cries, he's so much suffering but there is no remedy. Everyone is helpless. So that is the miserable condition of death..." Srila Prabhupad, Gorakhpur Feb 18, 1971 I will tell you how I found out about it, and this story is a classic example of the dreadful reality faced by all the suffering souls of this material world. It also shows clearly what Srila Prabhupad has saved us from and why we should feel eternally indebted to him.It all started when I received a phone call from my parents saying that Dad was sick with cancer. I believe in omens, and my right eye started twitching profusely, so I knew that the outcome wouldn't be good. That was in the beginning of November.But Dad was optimistic. He was sure he could overcome everything, as he had always been the controller in every situation and had faced many trials in life and overcome them all. Until now he seemed to be a lucky guy, enjoying good facilities and good karma in every respect. Little did he know that his good karma had come to a grinding halt. If Krsna wants to save you no one can kill you, but if Krsna wants to kill you no one can save you. Dad had prostate cancer, and it had spread into his bones. He was having chemotherapy, but it failed twice. I rang one day, and he literally wept. "I'm dying," he said. I felt compassion for him. He was helpless in the hands of cruel fate. I tried to help. "Well don't worry," I said. "There is reincarnation. You will be okay. Just pray. God is kind." But it was little comfort to someone who was bewildered and didn't know God. After that I felt that I was somehow connected to his suffering. I could feel all of his fear and anxiety. I would pray all the time. I didn't want to experience any of it, but I guess I was karmically connected to him, so there was no escape no matter how far away I was. The physical suffering was nothing compared to the mental torture he was experiencing. He became humble, and I dropped everything a couple of times and flew from Vrindavan to be with him. In the past he had never wanted to hear anything about Krishna, so I had given up trying years ago. We never discussed the subject. I would just feed him prasad (he loved my cooking) and talk about other things. I had Vrindavan dust with me and some Yamuna water mixed with Ganga. There were also some small Jagannatha Deities. I deposited all these things in the house, hoping they would have an effect and using them whenever possible, in Dad's food and so on. I kept praying and hoping that somehow I could convince him about Krishna before he died. He was so bewildered and humbled by his lack of control over the situation that he was willing to listen to some degree. He was clutching at straws. I read him some Bhagavad Gita, and he said that it was comforting. I also read to him from Coming Back. He liked that because the idea of reincarnation was something positive to look for in the future, and he was desperate for that. I saw in there the chapter about Ajamila and felt I should read it to him, but thought maybe it was too much to thrust upon him. Besides, I was there, and because I was chanting everything it would be okay, or so I thought. I really believed you could just chant Hare Krishna and all bad things would go away. I guess this is a superficial and neophyte viewpoint. The material world is such a heavy place, and with my great ego I, was overestimating my own purity. I realized later that I'm really not even a devotee. If you are incapable of saving yourself, how can you possibly save anyone else? I had to fly back to Vrindavan several times, as I had family and business commitments, but the whole time I could feel him pulling me. I had zero mental peace during this time. I think he really wanted me there and was emotionally dependant on me, as I was the only one offering any tangible solutions. People are basically not sympathetic either, and he needed a lot of understanding. I am not good at handling suffering, so this was difficult to bear seeing someone you care for suffering so much anxiety. I left my Jagannatha Deities there and asked them to forgive any offense but to please protect my father while I went back to India on business just for a couple of weeks. Then my mother rang. She was at her wits' end. "Please come," she said. "He is in hospital now, and we need you here." I jumped on the first flight, and as soon as I arrived, I moved into the hospital with Dad. It was incredible how Krishna seemed to arrange it. They gave us a private room and let me sleep there and care for him. Nobody questioned my authority, and my mother just backed off and let me do anything. She is a Roman Catholic and doesn't usually allow me to speak about Krishna. I realized that the karmis are so far into denial that they try to avoid the reality of death as much as possible, so it was a way out for her if I took the burden. She could go home and pretend nothing was happening, yet still know that Dad was being taken care of by me. Or maybe deep down she also felt desperate for his spiritual welfare, and I was the best solution they had. I'm not really sure. Once it all goes beyond their material perception and control, they become completely bewildered. I only know that I was able to fully take over the care of my father. Many people must suffer and die alone in hospitals going through what I am about to tell…I slept next to Dad and tended to his every need. I managed to get Tulasi beads on him, which one demoniac nurse kept taking off. I got mental about it. Oh no, I thought, he is so sinful, he can't wear Tulasi. Then I just got in this mindset that I was going to be aggressive and keep those beads on him no matter what. She would take them off, and I would just smile sweetly and put them right back on.I read some Bhagavad Gita to him. He didn't eat at all for the twelve days leading up to his death. For eight of those days he had only Ganga and Yamuna water and nothing else. I controlled everything that went into his mouth. I even started sprinkling Vrindavan dust in his water as well. Toward the end, he was on another level, not of this world. He seemed to be perceiving things that other people couldn't. For example, every night I would put on a Shiva T-Shirt to wear to bed. There was a large picture of Lord Shiva on the front of it. My habit was to wait till he was asleep and in a subtle manner, sprinkle a little bit of Vrindavan dust on his head in case he died while I was asleep. One night I had just sprinkled the dust, and he sprang up with a wide-eyed look of amazement. "Oh, you're all surrounded by dust," he said. Another night, in the same way, he sprang awake and looked at my Lord Shiva shirt. "Careful!" he said. "There's fire coming out of your shirt." The day before he died, he said there were big dogs in the room and an ugly person floating outside the window. The evening before his death he began to feel disturbed. "Untie my legs," he was saying to I don't know whom, and he was visibly distressed. My mother and my daughter decided to stay overnight at the hospital, which they didn't normally do. I drifted off to sleep and so did Mum. At about 9.30 pm my daughter woke me up. "Mum," she said, "come quickly! Something's happening to Grand-dad." I raced over to the bed and Dad was moaning. "Please, please," he was saying, "I beg you, let me loose, please let me loose." His tone was humble and terrified, and his eyes were lowered. He was to say these words many, many times over the next six hours. He was trying to jump off the bed and hide under his pillow. You have to understand that he was skin and bones. He couldn't even urinate without help, and here he was suddenly trying to get up and run off. He was thrashing around like a mad man. This is really inauspicious, I thought. I grabbed him by the shoulders. "Dad," I said, "what's happening? You okay?" He was terrified. "Oh Sue," he cried out, "I tried to get away, I really did, but they got me." His voice went up to a shout. "She's got me!" he yelled out. At that time I should have realized what was happening, but the fact that he said, "She's got me" put me off, and somehow I got covered over, and for the next six hours I just tried to comfort him. He cried out again and again. "Oh, for God's sake," he would shout, "just let me rest, just ten minutes. Please, I beg you." His tone of voice was terrified and all the while humble and begging. I would chant and he would relax a little. Then a nurse would come and distract me, and he would start again, thrashing and begging. "What's wrong?" I asked. He seemed exasperated. "I'm trying to tell you," he said, "but I just can't." Then at 3 am it suddenly dawned on me that the Yamadutas had him. It was so obvious, and I felt so foolish for not realizing it until now. I turned to my 13-year-old daughter and told her I thought the Yamadutas had him. "Yes," she said. "I know. I woke you up because I saw three of them floating above his bed, and he was cowering and looking up." She had actually seen them. She described later how they looked, with boar-like tusks coming upward out of their mouths and glaring eyes. She had thought they were some kind of ghosts trying to steal his soul from his body. Of course, by Krishna's arrangement, my mother was sleeping, oblivious the whole time. What to do? I thought. I started to pray to Krishna: "Oh, please let him go, Krishna." I was begging. Then Supersoul would answer. "Why?" He would say. "He will only offend again." Then I was really upset. I started praying to Yamaraja" "Please, Yamaraja..." And all the while, I was chanting. I told Dad I was sorry I hadn't realized sooner that they had hold of him. He nodded, traumatized. His whole death experience was hellish. I'm sorry that any souls have to experience such a thing and understand now why Srila Prabhupad felt such urgency to save everyone. "Dad," I said, "do you want me to hold you and chant?" "Yes, yes," he said. "Have they still got you?" "No, they let me go." Then I held him tight for the next three hours, and he slowly gave up his life, through his mouth, peacefully with me chanting right in his ear and dripping Ganga and Yamuna water into his mouth. I stayed fully focused on chanting very close to his ear until he breathed his last, at 6 am. He went straight out of his mouth and his eyes just closed. Poor him! Cruel, cruel, hellish material world! It had been only seven months from the start of his illness, and the seventy-one-year story of his life was forcibly ended. While he would be thrashing and crying out "Let me loose!" I'd ask the nurses what was happening. "Oh, it's normal," they'd say. "He's just fighting it, and it happens to everyone. There's even a term for it. It's called terminal restlessness. And they give nurses' seminars about how to deal with it." Well I've got news for you, folks. It's actually terminal Yamadutaness. Of course they are advised to just pump them full of morphine and ignore all their ramblings. Another thing is that no one is meant to know about it. It was purely Krishna's mercy that we were able to realize it, and even then I almost missed it. For six hours I was confused and yet Dad was telling me quite clearly and begging for help, so some sort of maya is covering the whole thing and people aren't aware of it. Only the person who is going through it knows. Mention is made of the dogs. A devotee told me afterwards that they were reading Yamaraja scriptures, which give detailed descriptions, and it is said that the hounds of hell come ahead several days before and sniff out where the rascals are dying. There was also the fact that he said, "She's got me." Apparently the Yamadutas have their own society with wives, kids and everything. Since they are also living entities in this material world, they are born into that society. I don't usually put pen to paper, as I don't feel at all qualified to do so, but mother Radha Kunda Devi Dasi encouraged me and said that this experience should be shared with all the devotees. So please excuse my shortcomings. I am not very philosophical or academic. Here are some of Srila Prabhupada's comments on the subject: "To see the Yamadutas, or the carriers of order of Yamaraja, superintendent of death, to see face to face... At the time of death, when one very sinful man is dying, he sees the Yamaraja or the order carriers of Yamaraja. They are very fierce looking. Sometimes the man on the deathbed becomes very much fearful, cries, 'Save me, save me.'" Srimad Bhagavatam lecture, Denver, July 2, 1975 "But you take this mission and go everywhere, in every corner. I am thankful to you. You are already doing that, in Europe and America, [people are] deep asleep. Because people are sleeping under misguidance, and they are becoming candidate for being carried away by the Yamaduta. This is the position of the whole world, Yamaduta. Yamaduta will not excuse you, however you may be very proud of becoming independent. This is not possible. To save the human civilization, the rascal civilization, that 'There is no life after death, and you go on enjoying as much as you like,' this wrong civilization is [a] killing civilization. So you save them. You save them. Otherwise the Yamaduta is there." Vrindavan, September 5, 1975 "This man was like this, and he must be carried to Yamaraja for punishment..." Why punishment? No, to make him purified, it is said, 'Punishment required.' This is nature's law. Just like if you have infected some disease, the punishment is you must suffer for it. The punishment is good. If you have infected some disease, and when you suffer, that means you become purified from the disease. Suffering is not bad, to become purified. Therefore when a devotee suffers, he does not take it ill. He thinks that, 'I am being purified. I am being purified.'" Vrindavan, September 5, 1975 So I suppose that even though Dad had Tulasi beads on, he was a good man by ordinary standards, but he liked to hunt, and he had been a drinker, womanizer, and cow eater. And even though he had had all facilities for the last 28 years, he didn't surrender to Krishna. Even at the time of death, he didn't seem able to think of Krishna as the solution to his woes.Srila Prabhupad sums it up in the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 6.2.49: "At the time of death one is certainly bewildered because his bodily functions are in disorder. At that time, even one who throughout his life has practiced chanting the holy name of the Lord may not be able to chant the Hare Krsna mantra very distinctly. Nevertheless, such a person receives all the benefits of chanting the holy name. While the body is fit therefore, why should we not chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly? If one does so, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be properly able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith." Purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 6.2.15: "Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail. If one practices chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, he is naturally expected to chant Hare Krsna when he meets with some accident. Even without such practice, however, if one somehow or other chants the holy name of the Lord (Hare Krsna) when he meets with an accident and dies, he will be saved from hellish life after death. One is immediately absolved from having to enter hellish life, even though he is sinful." In the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 6.2.7: "The Yamadutas had considered only the external situation of Ajamila. Since he was extremely sinful throughout his life, they thought he should be taken to Yamaraja and did not know that he had become free from the reactions of all his sins. The Visnudutas therefore instructed that because he had chanted the four syllables of the name Narayana at the time of his death, he was freed from all sinful reactions." In the same purport, Srila Prabhupada quotes the following verses: "Simply by chanting one holy name of Hari, a sinful man can counteract the reactions to more sins than he is able to commit." Brhad-Visnu Purana "If one chants the holy name of the Lord, even in a helpless condition or without desiring to do so, all the reactions of his sinful life depart, just as when a lion roars, all the small animals flee in fear." Garuda Purana "By once chanting the holy name of the Lord, which consists of the two syllables ha-ri, one guarantees his path to liberation." Skanda Purana I can only hope and pray that somehow my father had a small thought of Krishna because of my feeble efforts and the causeless mercy of Guru and Gauranga. Anyway, I would like the feedback of all the devotees. Do others have similar experiences to tell? What do you all think about this topic? Please all of you Vaishnavas pray for my father that he may have an opportunity to serve Krishna. I was thinking myself to be the big hero, going to save my father, only to find that I'm just a big bag of hot air zero. I am such a fallen rascal that I couldn't help him in his hour of need, and I hope this story helps others to advance their efforts in Krishna consciousness so that we can all help Srila Prabhupada in his mission to relieve all the sufferings of the fallen conditioned souls. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, savior of the whole world! Your fallen servant, Subhangi Devi Dasi If you're interested, you can find the latest edition of the Matchless Gift magazine here.

The following is a summarized but comprehensive biography of the spiritual master of the Hare Krishna movement— His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. When His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada first visited his devotees in England in 1969 and was asked by a reporter to explain what he had come to teach, he calmly responded: ‘‘I am trying to teach what you have forgotten.’’ And indeed, this is the sole role of a bona fide spiritual master. The message of Krishna (God) consciousness reaches beyond the limited sphere of one’s nationality, race, sex, religious denomination or similar sectarian considerations. We, as spirit souls, are eternal, and our eternal function is to serve the Supreme eternal Person. The guru’s duty is to reawaken such consciousness, without creating artificial impositions on the mind. Through his instructions, one has a chance to discover one’s original state of being, liberate the self from all misconceptions, and engage in a loving devotional relationship with God. His Divine Grace, or more commonly Srila Prabhupada, is performing this task most brilliantly at this very moment by instructing millions of Krishna devotees all over the world on the science of bhakti-yoga through his highly esteemed transcendental books, the medium of recorded transcendental vibration. He is thus fulfilling the purport of a poem written by a great Vaishnava saint, who wrote: ‘‘He reasons ill who says that Vaishnavas die, when thou art living still in sound! The Vaishnavas die to live, and living try to spread the holy name around.’’ His Books Srila Prabhupada’s teachings are not appreciated exclusively by a limited circle of disciples or followers of Krishna. Numerous scholars, professors, linguists and scientists from various fields admire him for his expert grasp on the ancient Vedic knowledge, and proclaim him to be the true ambassador of the original Indian culture. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise to find Srila Prabhupada’s scholarly translations practically in every major university and college on the planet. In fact, the teachers in many of these institutions use them as standard textbooks. The following is just a small sample of what prominent scholars wrote about Srila Prabhupada’s most popular Bhagavad-gita As It Is: ‘‘ Whether the reader be an adept of Indian spiritualism or not, a reading of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is will be extremely profitable. For many this will be the first contact with the true India, the ancient India, the eternal India. ’’ Francois Chenique, Professor of Religious Sciences from the Institute of Political Studies in Paris ‘‘ This is a work to be treasured. No one of whatever faith or philosophical persuasion who reads these books with an open mind can fail to be both moved and impressed. ’’ Dr. Garry Gelade, Professor of Psychology from Oxford University “ There is little question that this edition is one of the best books available on the Gita and devotion. Prabhupada’s translation is an ideal blend of literal accuracy and religious insight. ” Dr. Thomas J. Hopkins, Professor of Religion, Franklin and Marshall College What is significant is that Srila Prabhupada’s voluminous literary contribution confirms the powerful potency of the Vedic writings. The Vedas, the most ancient scriptures in the world, are also called sruti, because they are understood by hearing. It has been said that a fool remains unnoticed until he speaks. The real master never deviates or contradicts the scripture, and in this way the potency of the spiritual message passes through him in a same way electricity passes through a linked-up wire. It is therefore the knowledge the spiritual master is speaking which is important rather than his physical presence, and we should study such knowledge from the lips of the spiritual master to ascertain his qualification. Disciples all around the world are experiencing Srila Prabhupada’s direct guidance on a daily basis through his literatures, and the effect of this spiritual potency manifests in their ability to easily refrain from meat-eating, illicit sex, gambling and intoxication, even without meeting Srila Prabhupada personally. Although it is a standard practice for every disciple of Krishna to refrain from these activities, is not an easy job—especially in a modern society, where one is practically raised to indulge in these sinful activities. However, anyone who links himself up with Srila Prabhupada through his instructions can very easily come up to this standard. How is this possible? As Srila Prabhupada mentions in one of his purports: ‘‘ The potency of transcendental sound is never minimized because the vibrator is apparently absent. ’’ Predictions Although the knowledge of the Vedas has no beginning, they were written down by Srila Vyasadeva 5,000 years ago. They contain complete knowledge ranging from spirituality, religion, art, politics, economics, astronomy and astrology—up to military art and medicine. The essence or the cream of the Vedas is the beautiful Srimad-Bhagavatam, or Bhagavata Purana. It is the last contribution of Srila Vyasadeva to the world. In the First volume of this great literature we find the following prediction made: “ This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krishna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana. ” (Bhag. 1.3.43) According to the Vedas, history is divided into four ages, the last of which being the present age, Kali-yuga, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy. The above-mentioned verse says that the knowledge contained in the Bhagavatam will bring the solution to the world wide crisis, and it is due to Srila Prabhupada that the Srimad-Bhagavatam is now accessible on a massive scale. It is of no wonder, therefore, that the Delhi-printed translation of this work, along with a bag of cereals and a few coins, was the only possession he took with him on his journey to the western countries from his motherland India. Furthermore, in the 16th century, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the last, yet disguised appearance of Lord Krishna in this world, predicted that the name of Krishna would be heard in every town and every village in all countries across the globe. Similarly, a great acarya, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, wrote in his 19th century journal, Vaisnava Toshani, that soon the Hare Krishna movement would be propagated all around the world and people from England, France, Russia, Germany and America would assemble together and chant the names of Krishna in the streets of their towns. Srila Prabhupada fulfilled both of these prophecies by sending groups of his disciples to chant the Hare Krishna mantra in all the corners of the planet—a task that is unparalleled in the history of the Vedic tradition, thus turning the Hare Krisna mantra into a household term. These, and numerous other references, might give us a little hint as to the significance of Srila Prabhupada’s appearance in this world. Disciplic Line Of Spiritual Masters His Divine Grace was born as Abhay Caran De on September 1, 1896 in Calcutta. In 1920 he finished his schooling, majoring in philosophy, English and economics at the University of Calcutta. Soon afterward, he took up the duties of a manager at a large chemical company. Then in 1922, he met His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, the founder of 64 Gaudiya Vaishnava Maths in India, Berlin and London. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati belongs to the ancient disciplic succession (parampara) of spiritual masters through which the science of bhakti-yoga is passed down since Lord Krishna introduced it to his friend Arjuna as the Bhagavad-gita 5,000 years ago. The succession is still current, and in short we can say that His Divine Grace belongs to the Brahma-Madhva Gaudiya-Vaishnava sampradaya: 1) Krishna , 2) Brahma , 3) Narada ; 4) Vyasa , 5) Madhva , 6) Padmanabha , 7) Nrhari , 8) Madhava , 9) Aknobhya , 10) Jayatirtha , 11) Jnanasindhu , 12) Dayanidhi , 13) Vidyanidhi , 14) Rajendra , 15) Jayadharma , 16) Purusottama , 17) Brahmanyatirtha , 18) Vyasatirtha , 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) Bhaktivinode , 30) Gaurakisora , 31) Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati , 32) His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The succession protects the message from being adulterated by imposters and consists of fully-realized, liberated pure devotees of Krishna, who act as transparent via mediums through which the teachings are broadcasted to the people of the world, as they are, without change. Any deviation from the line as above-mentioned will bewilder the student’s understanding. Unless one is on the highest platform of spiritual realization and strictly follows the instructions of his predecessor, one cannot become a spiritual master. At Allahabad in 1933, Abhay Caran De was formally initiated, and in 1936, just days before Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s departure from this mortal world, he was specifically ordered by his master to spread Krishna Consciousness in the English language to the West. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati also instructed his disciples in his Gaudiya Matha institution to form a governing body commission to conduct the preaching in his absence. Unfortunately, the order was not followed, and the institution thereby broke into factions. Srila Prabhupada writes about these events in his purports to Caitanya-caritamrta: ‘‘ In the beginning, during the presence of Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya Astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, all the disciples worked in agreement; but just after his disappearance, they disagreed. One party strictly followed the instructions of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, but another group created their own concoction about executing his desires. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, at the time of his departure, requested all his disciples to form a governing body and conduct missionary activities cooperatively. He did not instruct a particular man to become the next acarya. But just after his passing away, his leading secretaries made plans, without authority, to occupy the post of acarya, and they split into two factions over who the next acarya would be. Consequently, both factions were asara, or useless, because they had no authority, having disobeyed the order of the spiritual master. ’’ (C.C. Adi 12.8) Journey to America Remaining aloof from the politics of the Matha, in 1944 Srila Prabhupada started the periodical ‘‘Back to Godhead’’ in the English language, and at the end of the 50’s published Easy Journey to Other Planets—a small booklet challenging the authenticity of the moon landing expedition program, on the basis of astronomical information contained in the ancient Vedic texts. He also adopted the renounced order of life (sannyasa) and started working on his life’s masterpiece—the translation of the 60-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam. He resided in the Radha Damodara temple in Vrndavana, the birth place of Krishna, where he found spiritual inspiration being surrounded by the places of pilgrimage commemorating the six Gosvamis, the direct disciples of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then at the age of 70 in 1965, His Divine Grace arrived in the USA. He had only a great aspiration to fulfill the order of His Guru Maharaja Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati to spread the message of Krishna, as it is, in the West. Upon arriving, he wrote the following prayer: " How will I make them understand this message of Krishna consciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified and the most fallen. Therefore I am seeking Your benediction so that I can convince them, for I am powerless to do so on my own .’’ ‘‘ Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought me here to speak about You. Now, my Lord, it is up to You to make me a success or failure as You like .’’ ‘‘ O spiritual master of all the worlds! I can simply repeat Your message, so if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding .’’ ‘‘ Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure. I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates their hearts they will certainly feel engladdened and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life .’’ ‘‘ O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like .’’ ‘‘ I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the holy name of Krishna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, and now, if You like, You can fulfill the real purport of Bhaktivedanta .’’ (Markine Bhagavata-dharma, Boston Harbor, September 18, 1965) Manifesting a perfect example of how a sincere disciple should be determined to fulfill the orders of the spiritual master, he manifested a pastime of struggling for one year without any external success in New York, the greatest city in the world. But by chanting the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare under a tree in Tompkins Square Park, he soon attracted the attention of the younger generation, who resonated with the message of Krishna and who joined him to form the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. A world wide Hare Krishna revolution began. Temples were established first in America, then Europe and gradually on all other continents. Thousands of young people of all faiths, races, sexes and nationalities took up devotional life and turned into saints practically over night. This marked the only time in history that a Krishna devotee was successfully training non-Indians in the strict disciplines of Vaishnavism. In 1970, George Harrison, of the popular musical group the Beatles, and Srila Prabhupada’s personal friend and admirer, applauded the movement by his song ‘‘My Sweet Lord’’ where he used the Hare Krishna chant. He also financed the printing of Srila Prabhupada’s ‘‘Krishna—The Supreme Personality of Godhead’’ book and wrote a foreword for it, in which he openly encouraged his fans to take up the chanting process. The Hare Krishna movement became widely-known, and in 1976 the Hare Krishna movement was recognized by the American government as a bona fide religion. According to the Sri Caitanya￾caritamrta this is not a feat of an ordinary man. Unless directly empowered by Krishna, one cannot propagate the sankirtana movement. Wonderful Accomplishments Just like a lotus growing in muddy water remains untouched by the muddy water, similarly a pure devotee of the Lord can use all modern facilities; corporations, banks, dictaphones, airplanes, computers, television, etc. to broadcast the message of Krishna consciousness and yet remain completely unaffected. Srila Prabhupada’s exemplary behavior in dealing with the material world serves as an impetus to many aspiring spiritualists up to the present day. Srila Prabhupada, within a short span of 12 years, accomplished his mission by writing approximately seventy books on the science of Krishna consciousness. The Encyclopedia Britannica proclaimed that his voluminous translations from the original Sanskrit and his lucid commentaries “have astounded literary and academic communities worldwide.” (By 1976, over 55,000,000 literatures had been published in twenty-five languages and distributed in almost every country, making the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust the world’s largest publisher of Indian religious and philosophical texts. One printing alone of Bhagavad-gita As It Is required seventy-six train cars to ship the paper needed to print it.) He also managed to initiate over 5,000 disciples, establish 108 Krishna temples on six continents, install the deity of Krishna in each center and train his disciples in the process of deity worship. He inaugurated the Ratha-yatra Festival of Lord Jagannatha in major cities around the globe, which in effect brought the temple to the people. He also instructed his disciples in 1967 to start an incense business in order to provide financial support for the maintenance of the temples. Within four years, the business, Spiritual Sky Incense, generated an annual revenue of one million dollars (equivalent to $4,600,000 in 2004). He introduced the “Sunday Love Feast” and other prasadam (sanctified food) distribution programs that provided millions of free meals to the public. He created the world’s first chain of vegetarian restaurants. He built major temples in Bombay and Vrndavana, and founded a spiritual city at Mayapur. All became international sites of pilgrimage. He established primary schools to provide education in the principles of devotional service and founded The Bhaktivedanta Institute to advance Krishna consciousness within the scientific community, engaging serious academics in the consideration of the science of self-realization. He also set up farm communities to teach “simple living and high thinking,” emphasizing cow protection and dependence on God and nature. He Lives Forever Through His Instructions As the organization grew, Srila Prabhupada would accept new devotees not physically, but through his more experienced disciples. They would train the new devotees in the basic principles of Krishna consciousness and perform the formalities of the initiation ceremony on his behalf. Srila Prabhupada did not choose a successor, but requested all his disciples to continue associating with him through his books and work cooperatively even after his physical departure. Let us therefore take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. “ There are two ways of association - by vani and by vapu. Vani means words, and vapu means physical presence. Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not, but vani continues to exist eternally. Therefore we must take advantage of the vani, not the physical presence .” (Caitanya-caritamrta 1975, Concluding Words) —The Editors

Krishna-Balarama Srila Prabhupada explains how in this disturbed age we can control the mind by the powerful process of hearing about the Lord: "The process of meditating on the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within oneself and the process of chanting the glories and pastimes of the Lord are the same. The only difference is that hearing and fixing the mind on the pastimes of the Lord is easier than visualizing the form of the Lord within one's heart because as soon as one begins to think of the Lord, especially in this age, the mind becomes disturbed, and due to so much agitation, the process of seeing the Lord within the mind is interrupted. When there is sound vibrated praising the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, however, one is forced to hear. That hearing process enters into the mind, and the practice of yoga is automatically performed. For example, even a child can hear and derive the benefit of meditating on the pastimes of the Lord simply by listening to a reading from the Bhagavatam that describes the Lord as He is going to the pasturing ground with His cows and friends. Hearing includes applying the mind. In this age of Kali-yuga, Lord Caitanya has recommended that one should always engage in chanting and hearing Bhagavad-gita. The Lord also says that the mahatmas, or great souls, always engage in the process of chanting the glories of the Lord, and just by hearing, others derive the same benefit. Yoga necessitates meditation on the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, whether He is standing, moving, lying down, etc." SB 3.28.19 purport

The soul is moving through many different bodies, from birth till death. In my childhood, while travelling on the train, I used to observe an interesting phenomenon. When the train would stop at a station and another train would pass by, it seemed as though the train I was in was also moving. As soon as the other train passed, it became obvious it was just an optical illusion and that my train was still stationary. In this same way, the conditioned soul, wrapped in the bodily conception of life, thinks of his self as moving and ever-changing, although the soul as he is does not change at all. It is only by identifying with the body and thus with the senses (through pro-longed lustful sense gratification) one becomes illusioned to think he is one with the body and thus one with the material world, although in actuality he is completely aloof. Lord Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-gita that the souls is taking newer and newer bodies just as a person is putting on clothes daily. The gross and subtle covering consisting of earth, water, fire, air, either, mind, intelligence and false ego can be compared to the inner and outer covering of a well-dressed person. As it would be foolish to address ourselves as Mr. Black Sweater or Mrs. Red Skirt, similarly it is a sign of insanity to address and think of ourselves as men, women, animals, plants, ugly, beautiful, rich or poor. It would be also foolish to conclude that after a person undresses he becomes zero. Some philosophers claim that after suffering in the world of false designation one should artificially think that the self is a mere concept, which we should simply annihilate in our mind through the process of concocted meditation on nothingness and thus commit spiritual suicide. Such frustration-based philosophies have been torturing the men of this world since time immemorial and one should carefully avoid such nihilistic desperation. It is only after undressing people experience intimacy when engaged in sex life. Similarly, it is only after liberation one can experience the intimacy of spiritual life (that is completely opposite in nature to mundane sex life) with Krishna. Such intimacy can take place in multitude types of rasas (mellows of love) in one's original swarupa or form. One should therefore carefully avoid both false identification with the material designations and attachment to the designationless senseless nonsense conception of the soul. Both have been tormenting the spirit soul since time immemorial.

The following is an article written by His Grace Dhananjaya Dasa for the Matchless Gift magazine. Dhananjaya Prabhu and his dear friend Avishek Some time ago, there was this guy I met on book distribution, and he made a remark that “Bhaktivedanta Swami didn’t do the Sanskrit properly.” People sometimes say that. Firstly, to all the so called Sanskrit scholars and those holding them in high regard: you’re all rascals! I don’t say it, Krishna says it. (Bg. 7.15) na mam dunkrtino mudhah…  You study the Vedas but you do not understand the purpose of your study, Krishna declares in the Bhagavad Gita (15.15 ) vedais cha sarvair aham eva vedyo vedanta-krd veda-vid eva chaham   By all the Vedas, He is to be known, and that he is the knower of the Veda and the compiler of the Vedanta. Naturally then, the question arise in the mind of any sincere student “who is Krishna?” Krishna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all the great acharyas or teachers in the Indian tradition including Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Vishnu Swami, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and even the founder of the impersonalist school of thought, Shankaracharya, who declares, narayanah paro ‘vyaktat: Narayana or Krishna is beyond this material manifestation. The Rig Veda (1.22.20) similarly declares that “the demigods are always looking to that supreme abode of Vishnu." See, there is no difference between Vishnu and Krishna, for the first is a plenary expansion of the latter (SB - 1.3.28 - krishnas tu bhagavan svayam). Even Lord Shiva declares in the Padma Purana that out of all worship, the worship of Vishnu is the highest⎯aradhananam sarvenam vinnor aradhanam param. Similarly, Lord Brahma declares that Krishna is the supreme controller (BS 5.1 - Isvarah paramah krishnah) and that he is the cause of all cause (sarva- karana-karanam). both Brahma and Shiva are considered as two of the great 8 Mahajans or authorities on the Vedic knowledge. Furthermore, Krishna proclaims that there is no higher truth above him, and thus Krishna is established very clearly as the only purpose of the Vedic study and the last word in transcendence (brahmeti paramatmeti sabdyate). Now, this might seem very sectarian and conservative, for it does not support the idea of the Vedas being a “spiritual buffet” in which one can select any mode of worship mentioned in the Vedic scriptures and attain the same destination. What people fail to grasp is that Krishna is a person and that to understand Him (as He is the purpose of the Vedic studies) one won’t be able to simply avoid His opinion, which is very clearly expressed in the Bhagavad-Gita, where Krishna declares (BG 18.66) sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja - “abandon all of varieties of religion and just surrender unto me.” If we want to know Krishna, then naturally there is no better way than to approach Krishna directly. Just like you are the best source of information about yourself, be it your personality, pastimes, qualities, desires, and so on, the same holds true for the supreme person, Shri Krishna. This information is most confidential; it’s reserved only for Krishna and to those whom Krishna deems worthy of entrusting the knowledge to. Krishna makes it clear by saying the only way to know him is through devotional service. (BG 18.55)⎯bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas chasmi tattvatah this process is not some kind of perverted desire of God to lord it over his subjects, but is a standard process of loving exchanges, which⎯ follow the three preliminary stages; namely, pranipatena⎯aproaching a person pariprasnena⎯inquiring submisevely and sevaya⎯serving the person. Every relationship is built upon these three principles. At first, a boy and girl approach each other, then they inquire from each other about their desires, and then they render some service to each other. This process gradually strengthens the bond between the two lovers, and as long as there is no interruption, the relationship flourishes nicely. The most important aspect is service, for to love means to serve. Love is not simply a word but an exchange of service between two persons. The relationship between Krishna and the Jiva (minute soul) is conducted in the same way. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita, ye yatha mam prapadyante: as they surrender unto Me, I award them accordingly. This surrendering process is what constitutes the system of Bhakti-yoga or linking up to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Shri Krishna in devotional service. The more unconditional one becomes in his service, the more Krishna reveals himself. Krishna decides to do so through the agency of the guru. For that reason, He advises Arjuna to approach a spiritual master. The guru reveals Krishna when he feels the disciple is qualified. This is easy to understand, because even when one wants to approach a very important personality in this world, he has to go through his bonafide representative. The same process is also recommended in the Mundaka Upaninad (1.2.12 ) where it is said:  tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet samit-panih shrotriyam brahma-nistam  Here the word abhigacchet is used, which signifies that something is obligatory. The choice of a guru must thus never be a question of fashion or personal preference. The qualification of such a spiritual master is delineated in the following verse where Krishna declares to Arjuna (BG 4.3)  sa evayam maya te ’dya yogah proktah puratanah bhakto ’si me sakha cheti rahasyam hy etad uttamam  Because he is his confidential friend and devotee, Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, and Arjuna was able to understand it. This gives very clear guidance that anyone who wants to be like Arjuna must also follow the footsteps of Arjuna and be situated in one of the five rasas or mellows of devotional service (neutrality, servitorship, friendship, paternity, and conjugal love). The exalted nature of devotional service is furthermore emphasised by Lord Brahma, the first living entity to receive the Vedic knowledge directly from Krishna (SB 1.1.1. tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye). He says that Krishna is inaccessible to the Vedas (BS 5.33 vedenu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau) but that he is obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul. This might seem like an apparent contradiction, for Krishna delineates that he is the goal of Vedic study, and yet Brahma says he cannot be known by the Vedic study. However, the Veda says (Bg 4.34)⎯surrender to the guru, for he will initiate the disciple with the knowledge of one’s relationship with Krishna. The development of this relationship is what actually constitutes the process of Bhakti-yoga. In a similar context, Svetasvatara Upanishad (6.23.) declares: yasya deve para bhaktir
 yatha deve tatha gurau tasyaite katita hy artah prakasante mahatmanah “Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” No guru⎯no Krishna, know guru⎯know Krishna. Unfortunately, disgusted by the futility of service in the mundane world and in a vain attempt to avoid rendering service to the pure devotee spiritual master, the impersonalist scholars bring so many concoctions. This is exemplified by Dr. Radhakrishnan, the late president of India, who interpreted the previously mentioned verse when Krishna says sarva dharman parityajya: “Just surrender unto me”. The rascal said, “It is not to Krishna, but to the unborn within Krishna that we should surrender”. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the latest appearance of Krishna, proclaimed such indirect interpretations by these Mayavadi scholars to a cloud covering the Sun. Interpretation is necessary only when the matter is not clear, but Krishna says very clearly⎯simply surrender unto Me, the person, Krishna⎯the same Krishna that spoke the Bhagavad-Gita 5000 years at Kurukshetra in modern-day India. These Mayavadis try to divide Krishna from His form claiming that His form is Maya (illusory) and that Krishna is but another manifestation of the ultimately impersonal Brahman. Krishna rejects this theory by proclaiming that “fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that be”. (BG 9.11)  Krishna has a transcendental form full of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. To further reject the Mayavadi conclusion that God is impersonal, Krishna also declares brahmano hi pratistaham⎯I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman (BG. 14. 27). Unfortunately, the Mayavadis reject the process in their vain attempt to understand the unlimited reality which lies beyond the purview of the blunt material senses with their limited pea like brain. Accepting the ascending process of acquiring knowledge in which one relies upon one’s limited mental capacity and gross material senses to understand Krishna, who is known as adhokshaja⎯ beyond the purview of material senses. They consequentially never attain perfect knowledge of the absolute truth. On the other hand, the devotees accept the process favoured by Krishna personally, which is to attract God by one’s loving devotional attitude. That attitude is shown in the writings of the great Vaishnava acharyas (spiritual masters) that are simply meant to glorify the Lord. The Lord is absolute, which means that there is no difference between Krishna and descriptions about Krishna. By the culture of regular hearing about Krishna, the living entity becomes more and more purified, and this process gradually purifies one from all impurities in the heart, which are the product of many lifetime’s of materialistic desires. Being free from such hankering and lamentation, one proceeds with  uninterrupted devotional service to the Supreme Lord which serves as the source of higher and higher ecstasy for such a purified soul. This is very nicely exemplified by the Shrila Prabhupada’s movement. Prabhupada explains in the preface of his Bhagavad-Gita As It Is that although there were more than 600 versions of the Bhagavad-Gita, none of them produced any devotees of Krishna. Phalena pariciyate⎯judge a tree by its fruits. That means that none of them touched the spirit of the Bhagava-Gita, which is the this acceptance of devotional service. That is why the serious students of the Veda should reject such unauthorised translations, commentaries, and opinions of the so called scholars, and in this way save time thaat they can then spend in propagating this Krishna consciousness movement. Krishna declares such endeavour as the most pleasing to Him. Krishna, the supersoul of all living beings, will thus award such a soul with transcendental realisation, by which one can establish himself firmly in his relationship with Krishna. This is called vigyana or transcendental realisation. That is the difference between a devotee and nondevotee⎯even though the nondevotee scholar may utter the words “aham “brahmasmi (I am spirit) and brahma satyam jagat mithya⎯the material world is illusion⎯he will still lack practical realisation. So many unscrupulous individuals who speak big words are attached to all kinds of sense gratificatory activities such as smoking cigarettes, ganja, and womanising in their private life… such a materialistic person can never write authoritatively on the Vedic knowledge, for all his knowledge is stolen by illusion (mayayapahrta-gyana). The Vedas are known as aparaushya, meaning they are without any human defect, and to preserve this pure quality of the sabda brahman (transcendental sound) Krishna says: evam parampara praptam (Bg 4.2)⎯that the Vedic knowledge must be spoken in the chain of disciplic succession. The importance of receiving sabda brahman through a bona fide channel is of upmost importance, for this is the entire reason Krishna had to speak the Bhagavad-Gita ⎯ the disciplic succession was broken. So, it is not so simple for anyone to voice his nonsense opinion and immediately be recognised as an authority. Milk is a very nutritious beverage, but when touched by the lips of a snake, it becomes poison. Lord Chaitanya warned us not to hear from nondevotees, for we will be bewildered in our attempts to understand  Bhagavan Shri Krishna in truth. To add the last log to the fire, Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-Gita about 5000 years ago, and from the Vedic scriptures we can understand that the commonly spoken language at that time was Sanskrit, thus naturally everyone would have the ability to understand the language perfectly, yet Krishna, in the same Bhagavad-Gita, still says that the whole world knows Him not (Bg 7.13) Krishna says that in the present tense, which makes it clear that mere knowledge of Sanskrit is never enough to understand Krishna. So, what are the odds of one grasping the Vedanta by mere scholarship? Absolutely zero. You might be a big scholar, a big man of knowledge, but unless you surrender to Krishna, you won’t reach the desired result; you will be simply licking the outside of the bottle of honey. For this reason, the members of the Bhaktivedanta Lives in Sound Society accept a bona fide spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and understand the Veda under his careful translations and Bhaktivedanta purports, which actually helping one to realise Krishna’s transcendental nature. Knowing that nature, one doesn’t have to take birth again in this miserable material world. Don’t gamble with your spiritual life, hear from the proper source. Hare Krishna! If you're interested, you can find the latest edition of the Matchless Gift magazine here.

The following is an interview by His Grace Nityananda Dasa to His Grace Maitreya Rsi Dasa taken from the 10th edition of the Matchless Gift magazine. This article was titled by Maitreya Prabhu himself:D What was your first touch with Krishna consciousness? My first touch with Krishna Consciousness was a book of impersonal philosophy. I will not say which book specifically, because I do not want to advertise that rascal. He was describing some meditation practices and fortunately one of them was chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. I tried that out when I read the book, but aside from that, I had never heard about Krishna consciousness, devotees, or Shrila Prabhupada. I heard nothing about Krishna before I read that book about 6 years ago. What made you get serious about the process? Well I took a bunch of psychedelic drugs (laughs), and I realized that there is something beyond ordinary experience. But I knew that it was not obtainable only by taking drugs; the drugs were also messing me up. So I was looking for a more religious or spiritual experience. But no spiritual practice or book satisfied my intelligence until I came across Shrila Prabhupada, and then I felt “Okay, this is a tangible practice and a complete philosophy.” When I found Srila Prabhupada's books I decided to try to take it more seriously. How did Shrila Prabhupada's books come to life? They started coming to life because I would hear from Shrila Prabhupada about working hard on a job like an ass, and I was also at that time working on a job. So I saw in my own life that if I don’t cultivate some spiritual experience or strive for realization of God, then really I'm just working hard like an ass for my basic necessities. When Shrila Prabhupada was talking about that it really resonated with my personal situation at the time. Shrila Prabhupada would say many other things also, and afterward I would have some experience, and it confirmed exactly what Shrila Prabhupada was talking about. Or he would answer my questions that I had by reading his books or watching his lectures. I think everyone that reads Shrila Prabhupada's books can feel that he is communicating with them directly. How come you decided to start the temple life, what attracted you?  I didn’t have anything better to do really, but that doesn’t mean that temple life was out of boredom. After seeing the futility of the future that was ahead of me, that I wouldn't find satisfaction of working on a job or running after the various so called goals or aspirations that had been pushed upon me when I was a child, I decided that there was really no other option rather than taking to spiritual life as full time as possible. I don’t think I would have done it via any other path except through Shrila Prabhupada's books, but because the process of Krishna consciousness is so sublime and easy, I was naturally desiring to join the temple, which everyone can experience if they read Shrila Prabhupada's books. You said you would not find satisfaction living outside, why not? Many people do find satisfaction, they are very happy. Well yeah, that happiness is more like the happiness that you experience in a dream. You have some happiness because of a lack of understanding or a lack of knowledge, just like a pig, you know? He is covered by ignorance and is enjoying in stool, and doing all kinds of abominable things, rolling around in mud, etc. But if some civilized person comes and sees the pig, he is not exactly envying the pig; he doesn't want to be in the pig's situation. But the pig is enjoying. So, similarly, we have a very low standard of enjoyment, actually. Most of the time it’s suffering, we go to work, we work hard, we have to deal with the boss and the colleagues, then you come home and you have to pay your taxes, so many sufferings we have for very little happiness. And that happiness is actually just an escape from the suffering, so it is not very high class. The more you realize that, the more you realize that “I still want more deep and fulfilling happiness.” Then spiritual life is for you. But that doesn’t mean you have to live in the temple to practice spiritual life. The point is to endeavour for Krishna consciousness. Then your home or whatever will also become a temple. A very deep answer, thank-you. So where and how long ago did you join the movement? I joined the movement in the US, in the state of Washington. It's a very beautiful place, like the heavenly planets really. I started practising there, and got Shrila Prabhupada's books at my home. I started reading the books after taking a gap year from college. I wanted to be a yoga teacher, at that time I was studying various books about yoga and eastern philosophy. That was about 5 years ago. When I took things more seriously, I moved to Spain after meeting my teacher His Grace Purujit Prabhu. He asked me if I would like some more training in a temple environment. Of course, who would pass up an opportunity to be trained by a senior member of the Krishna consciousness movement? I ended up going to Spain with the idea that I would only stay for three months initially. But that three months turned into one year, and eventually I gave up my green card in the US and all my possibilities of a future there as well.  You gave up your green card for a Vaikhunta card! At that point, did you ever think you're going to be a temple president and such an influential devotee in BLISS? Yes, that was my ambition the whole time, simply to become a guru (laughs). No, actually I started by trying to make a temple in the US, but it was not my idea that I am going to be a temple president, that happens automatically when you set up a temple. But having a temple in the USA was very difficult, I am not ashamed to say, it was very difficult to maintain the place as there was a lot of rent due, and I was maintaining everything myself, with scanty knowledge of Krishna consciousness. So, when I went to Spain, my idea was to stay at best just a floor sweep in the temple, observe how things are going on, and stay in association of more advanced devotees. Then things progressed, and it's a long story how we are now here in London, but now I have somehow or other been placed in the position of temple president, and the devotees are very kind to tolerate me. Who decided to make a temple in London? How did it happen? There are already many other temples in London, what's the difference between BLISS and other organizations? Well, the answer to this question as a whole is, why only have one temple? If the temple is such a good thing, and it is a good thing, as in the temple you can immediately dive into the ocean of a Krishna consciousness atmosphere in the association of devotees, you can hear the kirtan, take prasadam, etc. Actually every home should be a temple, what to speak of just a few temples in a huge city like London? There should be hundreds of thousands of temples, so why not open another? But the initial idea to open a temple in London was that His Grace Purujit Prabhu was not satisfied with the small preaching we were doing in Spain, and he wanted to expand to a busy, highly densely populated city, such an important city as London, and that is also very scientific: if something takes off in a central, metropolitan city like London, then the whole world will follow. So, he told me to go to London, and that I did. I flew in, took shelter of some very nice locals, and started building the temple from scratch under the guidance of His Grace Purujit Prabhu.  The difference between us and other organizations? So far other organizations are following Shrila Prabhupada and spreading Krsna consciousness as it is, teaching others to follow Shrila Prabhupada, then I see no difference. But BLISS has a very clear vision. We would not mind co-operating, of course, with any sincere group or organization.  Very interesting details, thank you! How did the London temple start? The London temple started… It's a long story and it's been explained in various places in our BLISS media, there are some podcasts on our YouTube channel that describe the story in detail for many hours. But in summary, we were living in Spain and we really had no money. So we collected and purchased a ticket for UK, and we had just a little bit to pay for the air BnB. But when I got to London, however, the AIR BnB canceled for no apparent reason, I guess it was the arrangement of Krishna just to test me a little bit. When I arrived it was about 9pm at night, and I was unable to get access to the house. I made some calls, but it was very late and nothing was available, and I was unable to find any other place, so I just took shelter outside a library and used some cardboard boxes to make a bed to cover myself, but it was very cold, even though it was July. Then, by the arrangement of one of my Godbrothers, His Grace Makhancora Prabhu, I was able to get in touch with a nice lady, Giselle, and she was able to give me shelter in her small apartment. From there, I was able to make calls, look for properties, and it gradually developed until I found a small apartment right in the smack bang center of London: Waterloo. From there, I called His Grace Purujit Prabhu and told him the coast was clear. He came from Spain, and we started operationing. Now we're here in a four bedroom detached house with a garden. These are all blessings from Krishna, Shrila Prabhupada, and Purujit Prabhu, what can I say more?  Not a very warm welcome, but a very nice result! What is your vision for BLISS, what would you like to achieve for Krishna in this life? I would like to reduce the intake of gulab jamuns (sweet balls soaked in syrup, the recipe for which is in this magazine!) because I'm feeling very tired now (laughs). What would I like to achieve? Of course, the ultimate goal is to achieve Love of Godhead, but aside from that, we have the humble ambition of making a center in every town and village in the universe. If the universe is not possible, then at at least the whole world. To try and make at least 100% of people Krishna conscious. We are looking right now at some more temple opportunities, and we are currently working towards the BLISS manor, which is an exciting project that we hope to have south of London; a very beautiful manor surrounded by a lake and nice ground where we can have cows, a school for Krishna conscious children, and a place where people can come and be peacefully educated in the principles of Krishna consciousness away from the bustle of materialistic city life. Perhaps we will be even arrested if we disclose all our plans, we are so ambitious (laughs). Wow, what a vision! So, if all of that was not enough, please tell us, why should people support this movement? Well, you have to support something. You're putting your money towards something, because a little bit you have to support yourself, your body, your family, etc. That's alright, but what are you going to do with the rest of the money? If you spend it for useless things, then it won’t really bring you any satisfaction; in many cases, it will just make the situation worse. Or, you can spend it for something sublime, and this Krishna consciousness movement is very sublime. People of a higher intelligence, who have gotten wealth by their hard endeavour, can appreciate what it's like to suffer. So they give donations to charity and hospitals so that people that are in conditions that they were once in can be elevated and happy. Of course, that is material, but this Krishna consciousness is the greatest hospital or charity, because it elevates people to where they become free from birth, death, and suffering all together, what to speak of disease and poverty? It's a very nice movement, and the effect of it can be immediately experienced by a sincere practitioner or anyone that participates in simply chanting Hare Krishna. So, why not participate? This is a very noble cause. Don't waste your money, and don’t just keep your money also, don't hoard your money like a miser, passing it on to the next generation... it will not benefit anyone, just like it does not benefit you. Even if you can just give a little bit of your money to this movement, it will give you eternal benefit. So, that is such a nice thing. Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview, it was a pleasure, Hare Krishna! Thank you for asking good questions, Nityananda Prabhu, this was a nice interview. And I'm honored to take part. And I hope that anyone who reads it has paid for this magazine. Hare Krishna! If you're interested, here's the link for the latest edition of the Matchless Gift magazine.

Here is the latest Harinam vlog, shot by B.L.I.S.S devotees and edited by His Grace Purujit Dasa. The Harinam after the wedding Enjoy:)

The following is an article written by Her Grace Krishna Prema Devi Dasi, from the Matchless Gift magazine. Krishna Prema mataji getting ready on her wedding day "At present, human society is being misled by leaders who are blind, for they do not know the aim and objective of human life, which is self-realization and the reestablishment of our lost relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.... The Krishna consciousness movement is trying to enlighten human society in this important matter." SSR, p.2 Humans have something that other species do not: free will. Animals are bound by instincts. A dog will not stop and look both ways before crossing the street after he spots a squirrel on the other side. Neither will he hesitate to bark at someone entering his abode, even though it may be his beloved master.  Animals are bound entirely by the senses. But human beings are invited to make use of something extra, something that, when used intelligently and correctly, can elevate us to finally escape from the cycle of birth and death, from all material and physical anxieties. That special something is called will. More importantly, the determination to use will in the propagation of God consciousness. This turning towards God, this shift in valuation of human life, this change of priority is a symptom of a rare soul who is finally ready to, perhaps for the first time in millions of incarnations, start the conscious journey back home, back to Godhead. Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth. BG 7.3 After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare. BG 7.9 The journey is always ongoing, for we are all fallen souls climbing back. But we have a little independence. Krishna allows us our little independence. He is not a dictator, nor a tyrant who enslaves us and forces us to serve and love Him. No. As parts and parcels of Krishna, we naturally want to serve Him. If you are cringing at this, it is because you have got a bad taste for service, for service in this material world is pure exploitation.  Everything is transactional. An employee serves his boss to receive a fee. A boyfriend buys his girlfriend flowers so he can receive her love. A parent looks after their child so the child will return the favour when they’re indisposed. We, as eternally separate, conditioned souls, are subject to four imperfections: the tendency to be in illusion, to commit mistakes, to cheat others, and to have imperfect senses. Because we think we are our bodies, we naturally cheat others. If you are disturbed by reading this, it is because you think you are your body. But you are not your body. Just look at those two last words: your body. There is the body and there is the owner. The observer. Your body is your vessel. What it houses or is permeated/powered by, is the living force: the soul. That is you. As Krishna (God) says in the Bhagavad Gita (known as the Song of God): dehino ’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change. BG 2.13 You are in fact the observer of the changes of the body. You were present when you had a child body, you were present when you had an adolescent body. And you will be present when you have an old body. Older people often say they don’t feel their age, which makes sense, because they are not their age. The spirit soul does not age. They are the infinite observer, powering the body but not eternally attached to it. Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. BG 2.12 We are not our bodies. Every living thing is a living force, a spirit soul that is more than their current body. Every body you see, no matter how big or small, is simply matter moved by the soul inside, the living force. With this wonderful knowledge, one can enjoy the peace that comes from the realisation that, if I am not my body but a pure spiritual soul, with an identity rooted in no material designation (English, Indian, girl, boy, Christian, Muslim, fat, thin, tall, small, all the unimportant temporary variables), then everyone else must be too. With this realisation, there need not be any fear, because you realise that all are siblings within the family of life. The Father is God, and just like your own father, He has many names. God has Hundreds of names. Some people who have yet to discover His personal nature (as well as the impersonal) even simply refer to Him by His position, just simply, God. We in the Hare Krishna movement refer to Him by His most intimate name, Krishna. Krishna means all attractive. “God has many dealings with His many devotees, and according to those dealings, He is called certain names. Since He has innumerable devotees and innumerable relations with them, He also has innumerable names. We cannot hit on any one name. But the name Krishna means ‘all attractive.’ God attracts everyone; that is the definition of ‘God.’ We have seen many pictures of Krishna, and we see that He attracts the cows, calves, birds, beasts, trees, plants, and even the water in Vrndavana. He is attractive to the cowherd boys, to the gopis, to Nanda Maharaja, to the Pandavas, and to all human society. Therefore if any particular name can be given to God, that name is ‘Krishna.’” SSR p.18 The human, when he is attached to and identified with his material body, is just like a dog. He barks at people who are not of the same religion as him. He whines when life doesn’t go in the way he wants it to. In this way we can be extremely animalistic. But those who are sincere and who are ready, due to a long journey through countless lives of searching, to accept a higher authority and come to the platform of acting like a human and not an animal, will begin to cut off their animalistic tendencies using what? Determination, intelligence, and will. "Animals transmigrate in only one direction -- upward -- but human beings can transmigrate to either a higher or a lower form of life. The body is awarded according to the living entity's desire. The lower animals have one kind of desire, but the human being has thousands and millions of desires⎯animal desires as well as human desires. By nature’s laws, the lower species are coming up from animal forms to the higher, human forms. But once you come to the human form, if you don't cultivate Krishna consciousness you may return to the body of a cat or dog." Life Comes From Life⎯morning walks with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada One of the reasons that this Krishna consciousness movement is the most sublime and the most joyful way of existing in this world of misery, is because the Acharyas, our disciplic session of bona fide representatives of God Himself, understand our limitations. At different times in history, such as the period named Satya-yuga, different techniques were recommended by the learned for self-realisation. In that age, when people lived hundreds of thousands of years, a particularly austere (from the Kali-yuga point of view) method of God realisation was prescribed… Now in the Satya-yuga the people were trained to meditate on Kṛṣṇa. They had, I mean to say, 100,000's of years they used to live, 100,000's of years. Just like we cannot..., our limit is one hundred years only, similarly, in the Satya-yuga the limit of living was 100,000's of years. And people would meditate. There are history... Meditate some fifty hundred thousands of years..., no, fifty thousands of years. Just like Vālmīki Muni. Vālmīki Muni meditated for fifty thousands of years, and then he wrote Rāmāyaṇa. Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.330-335 -- New York, December 23, 1966 In the following age, Treta-yuga, yajnas, and in Dvapara-yuga, temple worship was recommended. In this age of Kali, with degraded minds unable to grasp, let alone be interested in elevated topics, tongues that are obsessed with eating animals, senses that are completely uncontrolled… all we have to do is simply chant the simple mantra, known as the Mahamantra, or the great mantra for deliverance. What else is required for self-realisation according to the Hare Krishna movement in this age of quarrel and hypocrisy? Dance, sing, play instruments, distribute knowledge when you hear it, try and understand this philosophy, and eat copious amounts of prasadam, vegetarian food that has been prepared with love and devotion for the enjoyment of the supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna. Modern scientists guess that the universe was created by an exploding chunk, a mass of gas, or some other inanimate source. But from the Vedas, the reservoir of infallible knowledge, we learn of the real source of creation⎯Lord Krishna. Here we see Lord Krishna's partial expansion Maha-Vishnu lying in the Causal Ocean. While He sleeps in that ocean, millions of universes are generated as He exhales. A second expansion, Garbhodakasayi Vishnu, enters all the universes to create diversities in each of them. From the navel of Garbhodakasayi Vishnu springs the stem of a lotus flower, the birthplace of Brahma, who is the father of all living beings and the master of all the demigod-engineers. It is Lord Brahma who creates each universe, using his fine intelligence to manipulate the gross elements supplied by Krishna and His expansions. SSR plate 8 There is no artificial renunciation in our movement. This simply doesn’t work. It doesn’t last. That’s why there are so many rascals who are voted into positions of power who abuse it. Our spiritual master Srila Prabhupada, the current Acharya of our movement, tells us not to give up food, but rather honour Krishna prasadam. It’s so easy to do. Don’t give up your love of music, simply listen to bajans (prayers) and hear songs all about Krishna. When you listen to Krishna music, especially the Hare Krishna mantra, you can listen all day, every day. At the BLISS temple, we do the same program every single day. We chant Hare Krishna in different ways and in different tunes, and we never get bored. That’s because the Mahamantra is a transcendental sound vibration. If you’re just scrolling on Spotify, how many times do you skip the song without hearing the whole thing through? That’s the difference between material and spiritual. When it comes to the material or the illusory energy of God, everything has a saturation point. No matter how much delicious chocolate you eat, or how many times you have sex, eventually you have to stop, it’s too much. But with spiritual practices, the enjoyment is eternal. We prefer that, we feel fulfilled by that, because we are eternal…. Everything has a saturation point like our belly, like our wife, like our family, like our eyes, ears, nose, our genital, it also has a saturation point, you see. How long can we enjoy sex life? For some time, then we have to reject it and go on to something else. Because it has a saturation point like anything else. But there is a type of pleasure that has no saturation point, and that can be experienced even by a child if he simply allows his consciousness to stop accepting, rejecting, accepting, rejecting, and fix on that unlimited pleasure within, Hare. Everyone can say that, Hare. [all repeat Hare!] That unlimited pleasure within.  ⎯His Holiness Vishnujana Swami , Laurelhurst Park, Portland Oregon 1975 If you are a musician, use your talent to sing about Krishna. Similarly, if you are a dancer, artist, finance wiz, computer programmer, scientist, anything. Everyone is welcome, because this Krishna consciousness is not artificial. It is not a new imposition, a new age technique offering temporary relief from the monkey mind. It’s called sanatana-dharma, it’s the natural position of every living being⎯to be connected with Krishna. That’s why we feel so happy when we chant. This Krishna consciousness movement is not religious fanaticism, nor is it a revolt by some recent upstart; rather, it is an authorised, scientific approach to the matter of our eternal necessity in relation with the Absolute Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Enjoyer. Krishna consciousness simply deals with our eternal relationship with Him and the process of discharging our relative duties to Him. Thus, Krishna consciousness enables us to achieve the highest perfection of life attainable in the present human form of existence. SSR P3 His Holiness Vishnujana Swami, an exemplary disciple of Shrila Prabhupada, explains that whatever we do as practising Krishna conscious devotees, we should consider: is this action sanctioned by my spiritual master? Is this pleasing to my spiritual master? Is this for the good of Krishna, or my temporary, imperfect senses? For my temporary body? This is called using the intelligence to guide the mind and the dictates of the body, rather than being bewildered by the pushes and pulls of the mysteriously alluring material nature. Everyone is using their will, powered by their determination. What differentiates our experiences of life is fueled by our actions. Our actions are fueled by our determination. The perfection of life is to change our determination to be fixed in devotional service - to use the human form of life to return to our swarupa, our natural constitutional position of being connected to Krishna via loving transcendental devotional service. You have lived countless lives in different bodies. Now you have this opportunity, this human body, this human mind which has so much potential. Why not use it? Why not use this one life and dedicate it to self-realisation? There is no loss, and the gain is so great. You try every day to gratify your senses, to build something to make you feel safe, but simply you are running from death. You’re terribly afraid of how little control you have in your life, and you’re grasping at a just a few controllable things. But you are not the supreme controller. This makes one feel terribly scared, until they realise that the supreme controller is Krishna, and Krishna is very easy to love and trust, because He is all attractive. Everyone is seeking to find out Kṛṣṇa, directly or indirectly. Kṛṣṇa means the all-attractive. All-attractive. Bhagavān means the all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. So indirectly or directly, everyone is seeking Kṛṣṇa, the all-attractive. Ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt---the Supreme Bliss. Bhagavad-gita  4.11 class, March 31, 1974 , Bombay "Always remain a devotee. You have had so many lives, just give this one for Krishna, then you may do whatever you want; but this one is for Krishna." Shrila Prabhupada to Jagattarini If you are interested, here's the link to the most recent edition of the Matchless Gift magazine.

The following is an article from the Matchless Gift magazine, written by Hamsini Devi Dasi. B.L.I.S.S girls dance for Lord Caitanya I’m sure you’re familiar with the terms ‘One direction infection’ and ‘Bieber fever.’ If not, firstly, which rock have you been living under? And secondly, I sincerely apologise for the nonsense I am about to contaminate your consciousness with. Having suffered an 8 year bout of one direction infection I can confirm that this tweet is not an exaggeration.  This isn’t even a fraction of the concerning posts you will find on the unsound side of the internet. There are innumerable different sects of fans, setting up camps in the depths of twitter, instagram, tumblr etc. and branding themselves as a ‘stan’ (stalker fan) of the object of their affection. As of 2020, the band One Direction had a combined 177.3 million followers on Instagram alone. And this is just one social media platform, and one band out of many thousands of musicians, actors, influencers and so on who have amassed a hoard of devotees. This strange phenomena has swept the world for at least a century, think Beatlemania or bevies of girls loitering outside of hotels, waiting to catch a glimpse of Frank Sinatra. With the creation of the internet and the rise of social media, this craze is only spreading, with new idols to worship every second. We can see from the audience of 55,000 for the Beatles in 1965 that these infatuations are not anything new. So what makes these celebrities so attractive? Everybody wants to be Krishna. The reason we are in this jailhouse of material existence is because of this desire. Krishna is the name of God. ‘Krishna, this word, means all-attractive. Krishna is attractive to every living entities, not only human being, even the animals, birds, bees, trees, flowers, fruits, water.’ He is full in 6 opulences, namely; Wealth, strength, beauty, fame, knowledge, and renunciation. As Krishna’s individual parts and parcels, we are of the same quality as him, in a minute form, so naturally these opulences are minutely present in our lives. Unfortunately, being in contact with the material nature, the jiva is quickly succumbed to the illusion that he is the material body, and nothing material can satiate our true desire, which is to be reunited with Krishna in eternal bliss and knowledge. This leaves all conditioned souls in a perpetual state of hankering and lamenting for beauty, popularity, or some other mundane benediction that ultimately culminates in further attachment and suffering. But Krishna is the fulfiller of all desires and he allows us to enact our twisted fantasies because he is just that merciful. “Man proposes, God disposes,” Prabhupada says. So we are living in a world of Krishna wannabes, where Krishna is fulfilling the rampant desires for worldly fame and riches. But how do these wannabes attract such a following? Shrila Prabhupada talks about the loving propensity present in all living entities. He says, “The basic principle of the living condition is that we have a general propensity to love someone. No one can live without loving someone else.” We can see this propensity everywhere in the world. From blockbuster rom-coms to the warmth in your heart when you catch eyes with your beloved. Everybody loves love. It’s a very powerful force, and it’s depths are boundless. Beautiful, right? Wrong. Srila Prabhupada says, “This material life is simply based on lust. We want to enjoy this world. We love this material world because we want to satisfy our senses. So this lust is the perverted reflection of my love of God. In my original constitution, I am made to love God, but because I have forgotten God, therefore I love matter.” This matter-‘loving’ propensity is especially strong in the young, primarily female, fan groups who can devote almost every action to their chosen celebrity. As a reformed directioner (one direction stalker fan) I have 8 years of practical experience performing various devotional services for what was once the ‘biggest band on the planet’. Some of these services include: being dripped out head to toe in one direction merchandise, discussing the band member’s pastimes with other devoted fans, engaging in online wars with enemy fandoms, posting one direction propaganda and learning the lyrics to all their songs. This lifestyle is very gruelling. All superfans are thrown between intense hankering and lamenting over people who have no idea they exist, whilst neglecting all other responsibilities to be completely absorbed in the most pitiable lusting in existence. Stalker fans are generally perceived by the rest of the world as total creeps, yet millions of spirit souls are proudly stunting these bodily designations. There must be something of more value to pour all your love into… Krishna is the reservoir of all pleasure and only in our relationship with him can we find everlasting bliss. As his tiny parts and parcels, his happiness is our happiness, so engaging in his devotional service is the only means of self-fulfilment. A life of service to God might make you think of great austerities like living in a cave or renouncing all food, but actually devotional service is not so different from the sense gratification we already indulge in. Pleasing God entails cooking him delicious vegetarian meals, playing ecstatic music, and glorifying his name, form, and pastimes with everyone around you. All of these joyous activities are just a means to facilitate the most important instruction, which is to always remember your best well wisher, Krishna.  "While Krishna was engaged in tending the cows in the forest of Vrindavana or on Govardhana Hill, the gopis in the village were always absorbed in thinking of Him and discussing His different pastimes. This is the perfect example of Krishna consciousness: to somehow or other remain always engrossed in thoughts of Krishna. The vivid example is always present in the behavior of the gopis; therefore, Lord Chaitanya declared that no one can worship the Supreme Lord by any method which is better than the method of the gopis. The gopis were not born in very high brahmana or kshatriya families; they were born in the families of vaishyas, and not in big mercantile communities but in the families of cowherd men. They were not very well educated, although they heard all sorts of knowledge from the brahmanas, the authorities of Vedic knowledge. The gopis' only purpose was to remain always absorbed in thoughts of Krishna." (Krishna Book, Chapter 21) So we should take inspiration from the topmost devotees of the Lord. Instead of meditating on Tupac and Biggie, we can meditate on Krishna and Kamsa. We can substitute fantasising about Harry Styles’ beautiful locks for daydreaming about Krishna’s enchanting smile. Rather than reminiscing the Kim K and Kanye West love story, we should always try to serve the pure eternal love between Radha and Krishna. This way we will surely reach perfection. If you're interested, please kindly take a look at the latest edition, #23 on The BLISS Store.