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Although we are not these bodies, we base our whole life on bodily relationships centered around sex attractions. Srila Prabhupada comments: "Attachment to women is so contaminating that one becomes attached to the condition of material life not only by the association of women but by the contaminated association of persons who are too attached to them. There are many reasons for our conditional life in the material world, but the topmost of all such causes is the association of women, as will be confirmed in the following stanzas. In Kali-yuga, association with women is very strong. In every step of life, there is association with women. If a person goes to purchase something, the advertisements are full of pictures of women. The physiological attraction for women is very great, and therefore people are very slack in spiritual understanding. The Vedic civilization, being based on spiritual understanding, arranges association with women very cautiously. Out of the four social divisions, the members of the first order (namely brahmacarya), the third order (vanaprastha) and the fourth order (sannyasa) are strictly prohibited from female association. Only in one order, the householder, is there license to mix with women under restricted conditions. In other words, attraction for woman's association is the cause of the material conditional life, and anyone interested in being freed from this conditional life must detach himself from the association of women." SB 3.31.36 purport

The following is an article written by His Grace Nityananda Dasa from one of the previous Matchless Gift Magazines. Matchless Gift #22 is out now! Get it here . Nityananda Prabhu hangs out with a Sunday Love Feast guest in Krishna's kitchen Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is everywhere and everything. "No He’s not," you may say, "I can't see Him anywhere!" You're most certainly right; the only place where Krishna is not is the consciousness of the person trying to forget Him. It can be difficult to remember Krishna, but it can also be difficult to forget Krishna since remembrance and forgetfulness are not always straightforward. For example, someone comes up to me one day and asks, "Where did you put the keys to the temple?" I don't remember immediately, and no matter how hard I try, the memory is not coming. But the next day, I see some silly 10-second commercial advertisement with a catchy jingle, and the song gets immediately ingrained in my mind. Forget about forgetting. It's there, and it's not going away, even to the point where it may become annoying. Yet still, no matter what I do, I just can't seem to get the tune out of my head. Perhaps you share a similar experience? Sometimes we want to remember, but can't; sometimes we want to forget, but can't. Therefore, this means we are not the source of remembrance and forgetfulness ourselves. If we were the source, we would be able to dictate our forgetfulness and memory, but since we cannot, there must be something outside of us dictating our memory—some higher power. Logically that power must be more advanced than ourselves. "What is that higher force?" is the next question a reasonable person will ask. The higher force in question is a person. Indeed, a person in charge of our memory and forgetfulness is the only reasonable conclusion to this question. This fact is understandable by observing the world around us, wherein we can always see persons controlling the non-personal, or impersonal. For example, a person is controlling a phone. The person can choose when and where to use the phone and for what as well. It is not that the phone is controlling the person and telling him what to do and how to act. It may be that sometimes the person is addicted to some app he is using on the phone and is therefore dictated by the app, even to the extent of loosing sleep or food, or losing precious moments of human life aimlessly scrolling the feed. It may appear, therefore, that the person is controlled by an impersonal thing—in this example, the phone. Upon further consideration, however, it becomes very clear that the app itself was created by a person in the first place. And even further, the very microchips on which the app is running were also created by a person. And the machine that dug out the minerals used for the microchips was also fully controlled and created by a person. In fact, the rare earth minerals used in phone production were created by a person, and so on. No matter how far back in the chain you go, the source is always a person. Even a child can understand that something does not come from nothing. You cannot see this happening anywhere around us, except maybe in a magic trick. But even in a magic trick, where the magician pulls a rabbit from a hat, the source of that cheap trick is the magician—another person. Obviously, a grown adult will not believe in cheap magic tricks from a hired magician, but that poses the question: why, then, is anyone believing in cheap magic tricks being sold to us by hired magician-like scientists? Tricks neatly packaged as the "big bang theory" and "evolution theory" are simply cheap tricks, and the hired (sponsored) magicians (scientists) are selling them to us, expecting us to buy the false narrative that something does in fact appear from nothing. In the evolution theory, they claim life has come from chemicals, and in the big bang, they go so far as to claim that the entire universe came from nothing. Although we cannot see this happening anywhere around us, these theories are still being imposed upon us, although they are nothing more than blind beliefs with no basis in actual reality. We cannot see life coming from matter, as the modern narrative would want us to believe. In fact, we can observe all life coming from life. A child is coming from a father and a mother, and so are they, and so on and on. And if we take this train of thought all the way back, we will eventually come to the first father that does not have a father. So that is God, that is Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead! Just as a father controls the child and as a person controls impersonal matter, similarly, the Supreme Father, being the Supreme Person, is controlling all living beings and all the material coverings of the living beings. For our span of abilities, controlling a small phone is nothing extraordinary, and in the same way, controlling our forgetfulness and remembrance is nothing extraordinary for Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanishad 2.2.13). Both the Lord and the living entities are eternal and sentient, but the difference is that the Lord is unlimited, whereas the living entities are limited. We are a person, and God is also a person. Krishna is the source of all personality; actually, our personality comes from Him. Otherwise, how can you explain the cause of personality? As we have elaborated on earlier, nothing personal ever comes from something impersonal, such as a child coming from a rock, for example. Krishna is the ultimate person, and we are ultimately the small person, just a tiny part and parcel of Him. That is the main difference. Our control is limited, and there's nothing we can do about it. We can only control what we're given by the Supreme Controller—no more, no less. In this context, a person may be trying to remember Krishna, but for some reason or another, he may be struggling in his endeavor. Krishna, being the Supreme Controller of all matter and spirit, being very merciful, will help such a sincere soul so that in the crucial moment, the kind-hearted devotee will be able to remember Krishna at the time of death because of his sincere endeavor to do so throughout his life. An unfortunate person trying to forget Krishna will share the same fate. Krishna will similarly help him remember—but not remember Krishna; just the opposite! He will help him remember whatever he was meditating on throughout his life, for that is actually Krishna's mercy. We have come into this world to fulfill our material desires, and on the way, from life to life, we have picked up countless temporary, material desires. As we travel through this life, fulfilling one desire after another, chasing after temporary achievements like money, name, and fame, we may think we're acting as we want to act; however, it's simply the immeasurable power of material desires that completely controls us at every step along the way. The poor, unfortunate conditioned soul finds himself hopeless in a very dangerous sea, being tossed here and there by the gigantic wave-like desires for enjoyment, wealth, beauty, power, name, and fame, control, and so on. Just like a ship untied from the port and now left to the mercy of the ocean, being tossed around violently, similarly, a conditioned spirit soul, when untied from Krishna consciousness, is being tossed, rendering him completely hopeless with no escape, left completely at the mercy of cruel nature. This is factual: sometimes a person may even desire to quit some bad habit, such as smoking, but is unable to do so because other pushes and habits are so strong. A drowning man’s position is very difficult. But if someone comes and lifts him out of the water even a little bit,  his position improves immediately and tremendously. That person throwing us the rope, our only chance of survival, is the spiritual master. The only thing left to do is grip on very tightly. Can you imagine not grabbing the rescue rope while someone throws it to you? Certainly, that would be the greatest foolishness.  'No Time' compiled by His Grace Purujit Dasa Get 'No Time' here !

The 22nd edition of the Matchless Gift magazine has just been released! Full of insightful articles, classes and realisations... Get yours now! (Link here) Matchless Gift #22 Cover

Chech out the latest episode of the B.L.I.S.S 'Krishna Friends' sitcom, titled 'Don't Save Me, Don't Shave Me!' Bhakta Maxim plots to escape the devotee association Here's the link !

Is God formless? Decide for yourself after hearing this debate between our Dhananjaya Prabhu and a Muslim man. Hare Krishna

Check out the latest B.L.I.S.S Harinam vlog on the Expand the Bliss youtube page. Harinam Vlog #4: Tunnel to Vaikuntha

Sometimes there are so-called devotees who criticize the acharya or a spiritual master by depicting him as an ordinary human being with the four defects of conditional perception. Such concepts ruin one's Krsna consciousness. One should not accept a spiritual master if he is not sure that the spiritual master can deliver him from ignorance. The following is a series of quotes by His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, where this concept is explained and elaborated upon. It is better service to Krishna and Spiritual Master in a feeling of separation; sometimes there is risk in the matter of direct service. For example, Kirtanananda was giving me direct service by massaging, cooking for me, and so many other things; but later on by dictation of Maya, he became puffed up, so much so that he thought his Spiritual Master a common man, and was existing only on account of his service. This mentality at once pushed him down. Of course, those who are sincere devotee, they take direct service as an opportunity, but the illusory energy is so strong that it acts on this doctrine of familiarity breeds contempt. Kirtanananda was thinking I was existing on his service, instead of realizing I was giving him opportunity to do me some service. Letter to: Madhusudana — San Francisco 30 December, 1967 Both the Lord's Deity form and the spiritual master should be seen from a distant place. This is called maryada. Otherwise, as it is said, familiarity breeds contempt. Sometimes coming too near the Deity or the spiritual master degrades the neophyte devotee. Personal servants of the Deity and the spiritual master should therefore always be very careful, for negligence may overcome them in their duty. CC Madhya 12.212 Maya is so strong that unless one is determined not to fall victim, even the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot give protection. The Supreme Lord and His representative always want to give protection, but a person must take advantage of their personal contact. If one thinks that the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative is an ordinary man, he will certainly fall down. CC Madhya 17.14 Damodara Pandita was a great devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sometimes, however, a person in such a position becomes impudent, being influenced by the external energy and material considerations. Thus a devotee mistakenly dares to criticize the activities of the spiritual master or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Despite the logic that "Caesar's wife must be above suspicion," a devotee should not be disturbed by the activities of his spiritual master and should not try to criticize him. A devotee should be fixed in the conclusion that the spiritual master cannot be subject to criticism and should never be considered equal to a common man. Even if there appears to be some discrepancy according to an imperfect devotee's estimation, the devotee should be fixed in the conviction that even if his spiritual master goes to a liquor shop, he is not a drunkard; rather, he must have some purpose in going there. it is said in a Bengali poem: yadyapi nityananda sura-badi yaya tathapio haya nityananda-raya "Even if I see that Lord Nityananda has entered a liquor shop, I shall not be diverted from my conclusion that Nityananda Raya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." CC Antya 3.11 Prabhupada: Don't come very near. Nitai: I'm sorry. Morning Walk -- February 23, 1974, Bombay Aksayananda: I was recently told by one devotee that the acarya does not have to be a pure devotee. Prabhupada: What? Aksayananda: That the acarya does not have to be a pure devotee. Prabhupada: Who is that rascal? Aksayananda: Well, he said it. Who said it? Prabhupada: Who said? Who is that rascal? The acarya does not require to be a pure devotee? Aksayananda: He said it. Nitai said it. He said it in this context. He said that Lord Brahm is the acarya in the Brahma-sampradaya, but yet he is sometimes afflicted by passion. So therefore he is saying that it appears that the acarya does not have to be a pure devotee. So it does not seem right. Prabhupada: So who is that rascal? I want to know who has said. Aksayananda: Nitai. Nitai dasa. Harikesa: Nitai said that? Prabhupada: Who is Nitai dasa? Harikesa: Our Nitai. Aksayananda: Nitai. Prabhupada: Oh, our Nitai? Oh. Aksayananda: He said he couldn't understand it, but he thought, he said that he thought... Prabhupada: He manufactured his idea. Therefore he's a rascal. Therefore he's a rascal. Nitai has become an authority? Aksayananda: No, actually he said that he thought... Prabhupada: He thought something rascaldom, and he is expressing that. Therefore he is more rascal. These things are going on. As soon as he reads some books, he becomes an acarya, whatever rascal he may be. Morning Walk -- December 10, 1975, Vrndavana It will be a great mistake if somebody thinks that Krsna, or Krsna's representative... Just like bona fide representative, Jesus Christ or other great, I mean to say, leaders of the religious faiths, they do not come with the inferior nature. They come with the superior nature of God. That we have to accept. If we have to accept the truth explained in the Bhagavad-gita, then we must accept that, that God and His representative, they do not come, who come directly from the kingdom of God, they do not come, accepting this inferior nature. Bhagavad-gita 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966 Foolish people consider Krsna a human being, and they consider Lord Krsna's pure devotee an ordinary human being also. CC Madhya purport 22.51 Karmīs may consider the body of a devotee material, but factually it is not, for a devotee has no conception of material enjoyment. If one thinks that the body of a pure devotee is material, he is an offender, for that is a vaiṣṇava-aparādha. CC Antya 4.194 Material means when the consciousness is not Krsna. That is material. The same example, that iron rod, if kept to the fire, gradually it becomes warm, warmer, and at last it becomes red. When it is red, it is no longer iron; it is fire. Similarly, by spiritual association, your body gradually becomes spiritualized. And at the perfection stage, there is no more material activities, simply the activities of the fire. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita: mam cavyabhicarini- bhakti-yogena yah sevate sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26] The whole body becomes supplemented with Brahman effulgence. It is not for everyone, and those who are very, very much spiritually advanced, their body becomes like that. Therefore a Vaisnava acarya's body is never burned. It is entombed. They worship the body. But that is spiritual body. Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.27-34 Surat, December 17, 1970 The spiritual master, or ācārya, is always situated in the spiritual status of life. Birth, death, old age and disease do not affect him. According to the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, therefore, after the disappearance of an ācārya, his body is never burnt to ashes, for it is a spiritual body. The spiritual body is always unaffected by material conditions. SB 10.4.20 The first sign of the mahatma is that he is already situated in the divine nature. He is not under the control of material nature. Bg 9.13 Krsna's representative comes into the material energy in order to preach. Although he is within the material energy, he is not under its control. But if you come in contact with material energy without serving Krsna's purpose, you suffer. For instance, in a jail there are many superintendents and government officials.There are also prisoners. However, their conditions differ. We cannot say that because they are all in jail that they are all suffering in the same way. The superintendent is there because he is serving the government's purpose. Therefore he is not subject to the laws of the jail. (Descartes) Prabhupada: Just like a man has gone to jail, he's giving education to the prisoners, "My dear brother prisoners, this life is not good, you become honest, don't come to the jail." So other prisoners, they are working hard, they are hammering on the bricks, they think that "This man is not hammering on the bricks, he's talking only." Interviewer: I didn't gather that. Bali-mardana: In the prison the people are, their work is, say, to hammer on bricks. So when, if someone comes into the jail and tells the prisoners, "You shouldn't be doing this, actually you should become honest and go out of the jail and be free." Now if the persons in the jail... Because... They will then become envious that "this person, instead of working hard like us, he's simply talking." They cannot understand the benefit that he's giving them and they become envious, that "Because he's not working like us he is nonsense." Interview with Religious Editor Of the Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York Gurusu means those who are acaryas, to accept their body as ordinary man’s body, this is denied in the sastras. (Lecture Excerpt – Los Angeles, January 13, 1969) A spiritual body is not formless; it is a different type of body, of which we cannot conceive with our present mundane senses. Formless therefore means devoid of mundane form, or possessing a spiritual body of which the nondevotee can have no conception by the speculative method. SB 2.9.32 Hari, or the Personality of Godhead, is the Supreme transcendental Person situated beyond the range of material affection. These statements are also confirmed even by Acarya Sannkara. One may argue that His relation with the goddesses of fortune may be transcendental, but what about His relation with the Yadu dynasty, being born in that family, or His killing the nonbelievers like Jarasandha and other asuras directly in contact with the modes of material nature. The answer is that the Divinity of the Personality of Godhead is never in contact with the qualities of material nature in any circumstances. Actually He is in contact with such qualities because He is the ultimate source of everything, yet He is above the actions of such qualities. He is known, therefore, as Yogesvara, or the master of mystic power, or in other words the all-powerful. Even His learned devotees are not affected by the influence of the material modes. The great six Gosvamis of Vrrndavana all came from greatly rich and aristocratic families, but when they adopted the life of mendicants at Vrndavana, superficially they appeared to be in wretched conditions of life, but factually they were the richest of all in spiritual values. Such mahabhagavatas, or first-grade devotees, although moving amongst men, are not contaminated by honor or insult, hunger or satisfaction, by sleep or wakefulness, which are all resultant actions of the three modes of material nature. Similarly, some of them are engaged in worldly dealings, yet are unaffected. Unless these neutralities of life are there, one cannot be considered situated in transcendence. The Divinity and His associates are on the same transcendental plane, and their glories are always sanctified by the action of yogamaya, or the internal potency of the Lord. SB 1972 1.11.38 To be in Krsna consciousness or in devotional service means to acquire the equality of Krsna. The Lord says that His nature is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge, and the living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme, as gold particles are part of a gold mine. Thus the living entity's spiritual position is as good as gold, as good as Krsna in quality. The difference of individuality continues, otherwise there is no question of bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga means that the Lord is there, the devotee is there and the activity of exchange of love between the Lord and the devotee is there. Therefore the individuality of two persons is present in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the individual person, otherwise there is no meaning to bhakti-yoga. If one is not situated in the same transcendental position with the Lord, one cannot serve the Supreme Lord. To be a personal assistant to a king, one must acquire the qualifications. Thus the qualification is to become Brahman, or freed from all material contamination. Bg 14.26 Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gives his opinion about how a person completely engaged in the service of the Lord transforms his body from material to transcendental. He says: "A pure devotee engaged in the service of Lord Krsna has no desire for his personal sense gratification, and thus he never accepts anything for that purpose. He desires only the happiness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, and because of his ecstatic love for Krsna, he acts in various ways. Karmis think that the material body is an instrument for material enjoyment, and that is why they work extremely hard. A devotee, however, has no such desires. A devotee always engages wholeheartedly in the service of the Lord, forgetting about bodily conceptions and bodily activities. The body of a karmi is called material because the karmi, being too absorbed in material activities, is always eager to enjoy material facilities, but the body of a devotee who tries his best to work very hard for the satisfaction of Krsna by fully engaging in the Lord's service must be accepted as transcendental. Whereas karmis are interested only in the personal satisfaction of their senses, devotees work for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. Therefore one who cannot distinguish between devotion and ordinary karma may mistakenly consider the body of a pure devotee material. One who knows does not commit such a mistake. Nondevotees who consider devotional activities and ordinary material activities to be on the same level are offenders to the chanting of the transcendental holy name of the Lord. A pure devotee knows that a devotee's body, being always transcendental, is just suitable for rendering service to the Lord. A devotee on the topmost platform of devotional service always humbly thinks that he is not rendering any devotional service. He thinks that he is poor in devotional service and that his body is material. On the other hand, those known as the sahajiyas foolishly think that their material bodies are transcendental. Because of this, they are always bereft of the association of pure devotees, and thus they cannot behave like Vaisnavas. Observing the defects of the sahajiyas, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung as follows in his book Kalyana-kalpa-taru: ami ta' vaisnava, e-buddhi ha-ile, amani na haba ami pratisthasa asi', hrdaya dusibe, ha-iba niraya-gami nije srestha jani', ucchistadi-dane, habe abhimana bhara tai sisya tava, thakiya sarvada, na la-iba puja kara "If I think I am a Vaisnava, I shall look forward to receiving respect from others. And if the desire for fame and reputation pollute my heart, certainly I shall go to hell. By giving others the remnants of my food, I shall consider myself superior and shall be burdened with the weight of false pride. Therefore, always remaining your surrendered disciple, I shall not accept worship from anyone else." Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has written (Antya-lila 20.28): premera svabhava—yahan premera sambandha sei mane,—'krsne mora nahi prema-gandha' "Wherever there is a relationship of love of Godhead, the natural symptoms are that the devotee does not think himself a devotee, but always thinks that he has not even a drop of love for Krsna." CC Antya 4.173 Karmis may consider the body of a devotee material, but factually it is not, for a devotee has no conception of material enjoyment. If one thinks that the body of a pure devotee is material, he is an offender, for that is a vaisnava-aparadha. CC Antya 4.191-194 Although Balabhadra Bhattacarya was personally serving Lord Krsna in His role as a devotee (Caitanya Mahaprabhu), he mistook Lord Krsna for an ordinary man and an ordinary man for Lord Krsna because he did not follow the rules set down by sastra and guru. CC Madhya 18.101

Check out this old school B.L.I.S.S Podcast on the essential questions of life...

In this short purport from the Krishna book, Srila Prabhupada describes the effects of the age of Kali, shown as glorifying the atheists and miscreants while obscuring the followers of the Vedic principles. Could this be the reason why true followers of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada are always struggling? A man points out a tree full of glowworms During the rainy season, in the evening, there are many glowworms visible about the tops of trees, hither and thither, and they glitter just like lights. But the luminaries of the sky – the stars and the moon – are not visible. Similarly, in the Age of Kali, persons who are atheists or miscreants become very prominently visible, whereas persons who are actually following the Vedic principles for spiritual emancipation are practically obscured. This age, Kali-yuga, is compared to the cloudy season of the living entities. In this age, real knowledge is covered by the influence of the material advancement of civilization. The cheap mental speculators, atheists and manufacturers of so-called religious principles become prominent like the glowworms, whereas persons strictly following the Vedic principles or scriptural injunctions become covered by the clouds of this age. People should learn to take advantage of the actual luminaries of the sky – the sun, moon and stars – instead of the glowworms’ light. Actually, the glowworms cannot give any light in the darkness of night. As clouds sometimes clear, even in the rainy season, and sometimes the moon, stars and sun become visible, so even in this Kali-yuga there are sometimes advantages. The Vedic movement of Lord Chaitanya’s- the distribution of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra-is heard in this way. People seriously eager to find real life should take advantage of this movement instead of looking toward the light of mental speculators and atheists. KRISHNA BOOK 20 - DESCRIPTIONS OF AUTUMN

The senses are like serpents... Who is an enemy? An enemy is he who impedes one's free will and happy life. The senses, therefore, are our greatest enemy. Our senses are constantly dictating our actions and controlling our future. You can only read this article right now because you have found time within the constant demand of sense enjoyment. The senses can be compared to one man who has several nagging wives. He comes home and finds that each wife wants his time in their respective room. He is pulled here and here by their demands. Similarly, we are subject to the pulls of the senses perpetually. The eyes want to see the beautiful form of the opposite sex, the ears want to hear music or talking, and the tongue especially wants to enjoy talking and eating. It's not possible to be calm and peaceful when the senses are not being gratified. There is a completely sound proof room in the United States, for example, where if one stays there, all he can hear is his mind. It's considered a world record setting feat to stay in there more than a few hours. When the senses have no opportunity to be satisfied, we lose our composure. We are pleasure seeking by nature, and the senses are the medium by which we enjoy life and its objects. So, although we consider ourselves free, we are never free from the control of the senses. Everything is made in such a way that to satisfy the senses is the primary goal of life. How to control your senses We go to school from early in our childhood, all the way up into adulthood, and in this way practically a third of our life is spent learning. Why? So we can feed ourselves, so that we can afford a nice house, car and significant other, and purchase luxuries like intoxication and expensive clothing. We are pushed into circumstances by the dictation of the senses, who command "you must enjoy." We have to accept some job we don't like for the sake of so-called happiness. We have to eat, we have to sleep, and for most, we have to mate. When these basic necessities are withheld from any one person, that is considered severe suffering because his senses aren't satisfied. So we are whipped by these different senses. The mind, being the primary sense, keeps us in lamentation for not satisfying the other gross senses. And unlike other enemies, the senses are our constant companion, and are impossible to be victorious over by our own efforts. When the mind is uncontrolled, it leads all of the senses, even the intelligence, astray. Therefore, the "top-dog" enemy in the war-field of life is the mind. We are controlled by the mind and the circumstances that affect it, which are perceived through the gross senses. Even if people try to make peace, the senses and the mind in interaction with their objects will ruin the whole effort. So the real war in life is a war with our mind and senses. In actuality, war that we see in history and at the present moment is but a manifestation of the untamed mind. A sloka in the Bhagavad Gita explains this point: The senses are so strong and impetuous, O Arjuna, that they forcibly carry away the mind even of a man of discrimination who is endeavoring to control them. [BG 2.60] The only way then, to make a peaceful resolution, something that will unite the whole world, is to control the senses in such a way that the will not be attracted by the material world, which is the cause of all conflict. But how is it possible to give up this attachment, which is such an integral aspect of daily existence? Again, the Bhagavad-Gita provides a nice answer: The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness. [BG 2.59] What is that higher taste? Lets say I want to eat something to satisfy my tongue, I've been working all day and I feel a little hungry. Now, to facilitate that desire, material nature provides food, and the material body eats and digests that food, processes it, and creates a new material body. In this way, nature is creating new material bodies for us by which we can experience the material world. Ordinarily we consider it good that the food is increasing our duration of life. But actually, food that is not offered to the supreme is ultimately increasing our duration of residence within the temporary material atmosphere, which is full of suffering due to the main problems of life; birth, death, old age and disease. To offer food to God is the sane path, because Krishna, God, can take away the reaction, as He is above the action and reaction of the material world, and He Himself controls the material energies. Being a minute part and parcel of Krishna, however, we are always subject to the stringent laws of nature. For example, if one overeats, he is immediately punished by his digestive system. Nature has no consideration, she will simply punish. Similarly, when we act without Krishna consciousness, for our own sense gratification, we are punished with a new material body. This is the white flag, the surrender to material nature which is our defeat in the great struggle for existence, to let our minds carry us to more temporary and frustrating material bodies. Just like when a party is defeated in war, they are subject to enslavement, prison, debts and control by the victors. We let nature do the same to us when we don't act in Krishna consciousness. Krishna consciousness means to serve Krishna's senses, rather than ones own senses, and thereby be free from the resultant reaction. So, that higher taste is becoming gradually more and more liberated from the demands of the senses, and connecting our senses instead with the all-attractive Supreme Personality in loving devotional service. That service, unlike service in this world, is eternal, thereby the pleasure of that service is eternal also. Krishna means the reservoir of all pleasure, and by connecting with Him in yoga, by chanting the holy names of the Lord, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, we can find unlimited and unhindered spiritual bliss. By the continued process of chanting, one cleans off the previously accumulated karma from his consciousness, that which makes him bound to the material conception of life and the material body. That is the instruction of Lord Caitanya, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc Antya 20.12]. As the chanting progresses, one learns to see all living entities as equal to himself. The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]. [BG 5.18] With this spiritual vision, one can understand his original eternal and blissful nature. In that state of consciousness, he realizes that he is not the body and the senses, nor is there any difference, spiritually, between one living entity and another. He can see that every living entity is a servant of Krishna. The war on the senses will be finally over, because to serve Krishna is the resting place of the senses. Krishna takes control by his internal spiritual potency, instead of by his external material potency. Therefore, when we attain the spiritual platform there can be actual peace. Not only will our minds be freed from the push of nature, but there will be no fighting on account of unanimous interest. In this world, our activities can be described as circles. The circle, like a compass, is drawn around a point of selfish interest. Now, someone else might have an interest, and his circle overlaps mine because the object of interest is different. But if the object of interest is the same, it doesn't matter how many circles there are. When Krishna is the center of our activities, instead of our bodies, we will never have conflict. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna explains the process of Krishna consciousness and how it acts upon the devotee, one who is acting for Krishna. One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me—such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me. [BG 12.13-14] People generally tend to think that war is started on the basis of some moral infraction or necessity of protection, but actually war is always on the basis of sense gratification. When we think of ourselves as the proprietor, and as the object of sense gratification, we become envious of everyone around us. One man is fighting another becomes the other is impeding the enjoyment of his senses. America, dependent on petroleum oil for it's factories, cars, planes and almost all it's facilities, fights with other countries for their supplies of oil. One country defends another to protect their economical interest. On a smaller scale, one man fights another because of a woman, money or intoxication. Everything is actually going on because the senses are dictating, "You must enjoy power, sex, money and food." And in this way we can never be free from their torture. In actuality, war in this material world is between the living entity and his own senses. The only way to real world peace, the only way to be victorious over the villainous senses is by controlling them in devotional service to the supreme godhead, Shri Krishna, and the most sublime and easy service in this age is the chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare.

Shrila Prabhupada worships the deity By Gauridas Pandita Dasa "Tomorrow we will go to Vrindavan; better to die in Vrindavan." Those are the words of Shrila Prabhupada in Hrsikesh in May of 1977. We were there trying to regain Shrila Prabhupada's failing health on the advice of a good friend and life member in Bombay, Mahadeviya Kartikeya. Things were going good in Hrsikesh until one stormy night. Shrila Prabhupada was up all night and at about 2:30am he made that statement to Upendra Prabhu who came downstairs and woke the rest of us up with the devastating news that Shrila Prabhupada wanted to go to Vrindavan to leave his body. We were not at all ready for the disappearance of Shrila Prabhupada. Losing Shrila Prabhupada's personal presence would seem to be the end of the best thing that ever happened to us. The power had been going off and back on all night with the storm. It was like the description of the beginning of this age of Kali in the Shrimad Bhagavatam. Shrila Prabhupada's health had started to deteriorate at the 1977 Goura Pournima Festival. He canceled a few of his scheduled classes and events. The devotees who came from all over the world started to worry about and pray for the health of Shrila Prabhupada our ever well wishing spiritual master. I went to Mayapura for the Gaura Pournima festival in the Spring of 1977 in hopes of becoming a personal servant for Shrila Prabhupada. There I met Upendra Prabhu who I had known from the Hawaii Temple. He was arranging some flower vases in the hallway outside of Shrila Prabhupada's room. When he finished he told me to take the vases into Shrila Prabhupada's room. I was a little nervous and hesitated at the door when all of the sudden Upendra pushed me inside. Shrila Prabhupada was alone sitting behind his desk. I put the vases on his desk, offered my obeisance's and quickly left the room. That was the first time I'd been alone with Shrila Prabhupada since I received my Gayatri initiation from him on Dec.3, 1975 in Vrindavan. Srila Prabhupada went from Mayapur to Bombay in April of 1977. Due to some good fortune I got the chance to serve Shrila Prabhupada. My hearts desire was becoming fulfilled finally. Tamal Krishna Maharaja was Shrila Prabhupada's secretary at that time. I joined the movement for my first year in 1974 with him and Vishnujana Swami. Knowing me from the RDTSP he asked me if I wanted to be a guard for Shrila Prabhupada. I jumped at the chance. I didn't even get to see Shrila Prabhupada for the first two weeks. Then an opportunity arose. I got to help carry a bookshelf into Srila Prabhupada's room. After putting it in place I quickly sat down in front of Shrila Prabhupada. I wanted to relish the darshan of His Divine Grace as long as possible. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the secretary in the doorway waving at me to come out, but I acted like I didn't see him, so I could stay longer. Then I realized my service being his guard at the door shouldn't be neglected so I offered my obeisances and went back to my service. His quarters in the new Temple in Bombay were not complete when Shrila Prabhupada arrived so he told Surabhi Swami, the devotee architect, that he had three days to get it ready. When Shrila Prabhupada was brought to the elevator for the first trip up to his quarters on the top floor the elevator doors opened and a rat ran across the floor. Shrila Prabhupada said, "Just see! The Temple is not even finished, and the rats are already here." I am not sure if that was a joke or not, but since Shrila Prabhupada was ill we did not laugh. Shrila Prabhupada's physical health continued to deteriorate in Bombay. . Shrila Prabhupada decided to go to Hrsikesh to try to get healthy again. I asked if I could go and the secretary Tamal Krishna Maharaja said no. I asked again and again and finally asked if I paid my own way could I join them there. He said that would be alright. I was so happy. I sold a tent I had to get the money for the ticket. Then it was off to Hrsikesh and later Sri Vrindavan Dhama where my services increased dramatically satisfying my hearts desire. Things were like heaven in Hrsikesh serving Shrila Prabhupada. We were staying in a two story house right on the bank of the Holy Ganges River. The best Jalebi maker in the world was right across the street. Shrila Prabhupada said that hot Jalebi's could cure the common cold, so used to have fruit, yogurt and hot Jalebi's for breakfast. Shrila Prabhupada didn't like the devotees eating at regular restaurants but he said we could eat at a restaurant there called the Choti Wala, because the cooks were first class Brahman's. I used to enjoy taking Japa Walks along the Ganges River in Hrsikesh. The forests are lush, filled with singing birds, and devotees. I would walk up along the Ganges Bank and then jump in the rushing Holy River and ride a log back to Srila Prabhupada's house chanting all the way. We used to Perform Harinam Sankirtan every day in the Market Place. We would chant all afternoon until about 5pm then take the Kirtan back to the rooftop of the house that a life member was letting us use. Then at about 5:30pm Srila Prabhupada would give his darshan to the general public. Although we did not advertise the darshan; the room was always full of interested guests every evening. Shrila Prabhupada preached in his authoritative, convincing and charming way. He used his great Vaisnava wit to charm the fortunate guests and inspire them to take to Krishna Consciousness. Shrila Prabhupada said that the Bhagavad Gita should not be misinterpreted most every Darshan. The people are so easily misled. That's why Shrila Prabhupada gave us Bhagavad Gita As It Is. Shrila Prabhupada was a perfect gentleman and a great and loving host, the topmost host! He always paid attention to everyone and made sure all of the guests received Prasadam. When I first arrived in Hrsikesh Shrila Prabhupada was having his evening darshan. I was told to stand at the door with some Prasadam sweets and give them to the guests as they left. Shrila Prabhupada saw a man waiting outside the screendoor and told me to let him in. As I opened the door to let him in another person left the room at the same time. Shrila Prabhupada asked me if I had given the man that left some Prasadam. I said I couldn't because they crossed paths. He looked over to his Secretary TKG, and told him, 'This boy is incompetent.' The secretary then told me to go downstairs and he would talk to me later. I was devastated! I thought I was finished! I had given my life to serve Shrila Prabhupada and now I had displeased him and felt I was rejected by him. I thought that my chance to serve him was over. I waded out into the Ganges and thought of drowning myself since I had been rejected by my guru. I thought of my first spiritual mentor Vishnujana Swami and how he drowned himself at Prayag farther downstream and thought I could attone for my incompetence by following Vishnujana Swami's example. As I was contemplating suicide, Tamal K.G. came down to the rivers edge smiling seeing my plight and he told me not to take it so seriously. He told me to go up and clean Shrila Prabhupada's room. I was elated to know that I was going to get another chance to serve Srila Prabhupada. I rinsed myself off with the Ganges water and pulled myself together and made my way up to the house. Still feeling ashamed I started to sweep the floor. Shrila Prabhupada was sitting behind his coffee table. When I looked over at him he smiled real nice. I was surprised and delighted and all my anxiety left me immediately. Then I happily went back to cleaning the house. Guru means heavy. Thank God I didn't drown myself! Shrila Prabhupada also taught us each how to cook a basic meal of rice, dahl, subji and chapatis. The mercy of Shrila Prabhupada was flowing like the Ganges and it still is! Things were ecstatic in Hrisikesh, until that night when Shrila Prabhupada first told us that he was going to leave his body. The next day Pradyumna Prabhu and I went ahead of the party to make arrangements for Srila Prabhupada's arrival. We arrived just before Mangala Aratika and informed the Temple President Akshayananda Maharaja, that Shrila Prabhupada was coming that morning. Shrila Prabhupada arrived at the temple at about 7am. At this point Shrila Prabhupada’s health had deteriorated so much that he could no longer walk on his own. The devotees in Vrindavan, and around the world, were unaware of how serious it was. We brought a rocking chair out to the car to carry Shrila Prabhupada. He asked to see the Deities first. We carried him into the temple and set his chair down before Sri Sri Gaura–Nitai. Shrila Prabhupada stood up offering his respectful obeisance's to Their Lordships. At that point someone took the chair away. Srila Prabhupada stood there gazing at Sri Sri Goura-Nitai for a few moments as tears gliding down his face. Then he moved to sit in the chair that wasn’t there and we had to catch him. The devotees looked at each other with concern. The chair back was brought back and we carried Srila Prabhupada over to Sri Sri Krishna and Balarama. Again Shrila Prabhupada stood up, even though it was difficult, with tears in his eyes as he gazed at Their Lordships with love and devotion for quite some time. We then moved over to Sri Sri Radha Symasundara and Sri Lalita and Sri Visaka's alter. Again Srila Prabhupada rose up and gazed lovingly at the Deities. After a few moments he turned to us and said that he wanted to see all of the devotees in his room. We carried Shrila Prabhupada to his room and he took his seat at his desk. The devotees filled the room quickly and were crowded around the doors and windows trying to see and hear our divine master. When all the devotees settled in as much as possible Shrila Prabhupada, looking very serious, said, "So I cannot speak. I am feeling weak. I was to go to other places like Chandigarh, but I canceled the program because the condition of my health is very deteriorating. So I preferred to come to Vrindavan. If death takes place, let it take here. So there is nothing new to be said. Whatever I have to speak, I have spoken in my books. Now you try to understand it and continue your endeavor. Whether I am present or not present, it doesn't matter. As Krishna is living eternally, similarly, the living being also lives eternally. But kirtiryasya sa jivah: 'One who has done service for the Lord lives forever.' So you have been taught to serve Krishna, and with Krishna we'll live eternally. Our life is eternal. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire. A temporary disappearance of this body, it doesn't matter. Body is meant for disappearance. Tatha dehantara-praptih. So live forever by serving Krishna. Thank you very much." (Arrival Address 5-17-77) At that point most of the devotees were crying. To me it still hadn't really sunk in yet that Shrila Prabhupada was about to leave us physically. Philosophically we understood that Srila Prabhupada would live with us in his books etc. but we would so miss his physical presence. Serving Shrila Prabhupada personally in Bombay, Hrishikesh and Vrindavan were the best days of my life. Those days were numbered and unfortunately ran out. I had entered India on a three month tourist visa. I had received a three month extension already when I applied for another. It was denied. I considered just staying past my expiration date so I could remain with His Divine Grace who I knew was leaving the planet soon as he already said. I decided it would be better to go back to America and get another visa and then return. It was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make; leaving Shrila Prabhupada's precious personal association. Shrila Prabhupada always told us to follow the law; so I did. I had packed my belongings and had it loaded onto a horse drawn cart for my trip to the Mathura train station. I went to offer my obeisance's to Tamal Krishna Maharaja in his office before leaving. He told me I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to Shrila Prabhupada. I said Shrila Prabhupada knows everything and I didn't want to bother him. Tamal said to wait a minute and he entered Srila Prabhupada's room. A moment later he stuck his head out of the door and told me to come in. This would be the last time I would see Shrila Prabhupada before his divine departure for Goloka Vrindavan. Upon entering Shrila Prabhupada's room I offered my full dandavats. He was sitting behind his desk translating. Tamal K.G. said, "Here's Gauridasa Pandita, Shrila Prabhupada; he has to go back to America now because his visa is expiring and the government wouldn't give him an extension." Srila Prabhupada looked at me with compassion and said, "Just see. I just train him up and the rascal government takes him away. Thank you very much for all of your service, you've been very sincere. You are welcome to be my personal servant anytime. So you go worship Radha Damodara and be happy." He already knew I would go to take care of Sri Sri Radha Damodar. I was ecstatic at the mercy of Shrila Prabhupada, he said I could return to his personal service anytime. I now had great hope and said, "Thank you, Shrila Prabhupada" and offered my dandavats again and slowly backed out of his room. I paused at the door and took one last look at His Divine Grace and he nodded his head, like go ahead, it will be alright, then he continued to translate into his dictaphone. I boarded the horse drawn cart and started my journey out of Vrindavan. The trip seemed to last for forever as I lamenting having to leave Shrila Prabhupada's personal service and Sri Vrindavan Dhama. I became overwhelmed with emotion and memories of Shrila Prabhupada and had a feeling I would not see him again in this world. After arriving in Gita-Nagari we got the news that Shrila Prabhupada had decided to come to Gita- Nagari; to establish the Varna-ashrama system and we were all ecstatic. The devotees were morose before, hearing that Shrila Prabhupada was sick and maybe going to leave his body. Now we had renewed hope! The devotees were happy again and very enthusiastically preparing for Shrila Prabhupada's arrival. We painted Shrila Prabhupada's house and made all of the necessary arrangements. Seeing all of the renewed enthusiasm I wrote a letter to Shrila Prabhupada who was in London at the time on his way to us. I got a letter from his secretary, Tamal K.G., which Paramananda Prabhu, the temple president, read to all of the devotees since it was about Shrila Prabhupada. The letter started out, "I read your letter to Shrila Prabhupada as I found it very poetic and an excellent description of Gita-Nagari. When I told Shrila Prabhupada you had written the letter; he remembered you very fondly." I was ecstatic to hear that. I was glad to hear that Shrila Prabhupada remembered me fondly, as I remember him fondly. Shrila Prabhupada decided to return to Vrindavan from London because his health deteriorated further. I wrote Tamal K.G. A letter and got his permission to return to resume my service to Shrila Prabhupada. I had to train up a new pujari before leaving Gita-Nagari first though. He turned out to be Radha Damodara Dasa! It took two weeks to train him up properly. The day he took over completely, I had chanted my japa outside the curtains circumambulating Tulasi Devi and the Vyasasana. During that time we got a call from India, that Srila Prabhupada may be leaving his body soon. Then we got a call a little later confirming that he had indeed made his divine departure for Krishna Loka. I sensed something special was going on during my japa, as it was. Actually I didn't want to see that particular pastime. I thank Krsna for saving me from that. I know that Srila Prabhupada is as present as ever, for me now, and everyone who takes shelter of him past, present and on into this Golden Age of Lord Chaitanya. All glories to our ever well-wisher His Divine Grace Shrila Prabhupada who left this world so Courageously like Grandfather Bhismadeva. He reasons ill Who says that Vaishnavas die When thou art living still in sound The Vaisnava dies to live! And living tries To spread the Holy Name around. Hoping this meets you well and Happy in Krishna Consciousness Your eternal friend and servant Gauridasa Pandita Dasa

"Vaishnava" by Noel Rotom Shrimad Bhagavatam 1.2.16 says: susrusoh sraddadhanasya vasudeva-katha-rucih syan mahat-sevaya viprah punya-tirtha-nisevanat Translation: "O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely freed from all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains affinity for hearing the messages of Vasudeva." Purport by His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: "The conditioned life of a living being is caused by his revolting against the Lord. There are men called devas, or godly living beings, and there are men called asuras, or demons, who are against the authority of the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavad-gita (Sixteenth Chapter) a vivid description of the asuras is given, in which it is said that the asuras are put into lower and lower states of ignorance life after life and so sink to the lower animal forms and have no information of the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. These asuras are gradually rectified to God consciousness by the mercy of the Lord's liberated servitors in different countries according to the supreme will. Such devotees of God are very confidential associates of the Lord, and when they come to save human society from the dangers of godlessness, they are known as empowered incarnations of the Lord, as sons of the Lord, as servants of the Lord or as associates of the Lord. But none of them falsely claims that he is himself God. This is a blasphemy declared by the asuras, and the demoniac followers of such asuras also accept pretenders as God or His incarnation. In the revealed scriptures there is definite information of the incarnation of God. No one should be accepted as God or an incarnation of God unless he is confirmed by the revealed scriptures. The servants of God are to be respected as God by the devotees who actually want to go back to Godhead. Such servants of God are called mahatmas, or tirthas, and they preach according to particular time and place. The servants of God urge people to become devotees of the Lord. They never tolerate being called God. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was God Himself according to the indication of the revealed scriptures, but He played the part of a devotee. People who knew Him to be God addressed Him as God, but He used to block His ears with His hands and chant the name of Lord Visnu. He strongly protested against being called God, although undoubtedly He was God Himself. The Lord behaves so to warn us against unscrupulous men who take pleasure in being addressed as God. The servants of God come to propagate God consciousness, and intelligent people should cooperate with them in every respect. By serving the servant of God, one can please God more than by directly serving the Lord. The Lord is more pleased when He sees that His servants are properly respected because such servants risk everything for the service of the Lord and so are very dear to the Lord. The Lord declares in the Bhagavad-gita (18.69) that no one is dearer to Him than one who risks everything to preach His glory. By serving the servants of the Lord, one gradually gets the quality of such servants, and thus one becomes qualified to hear the glories of God. The eagerness to hear about God is the first qualification of a devotee eligible for entering the kingdom of God." (SB 1.2.16) The best way for one to become qualified to enter into the Kingdom of God, from which having gone, one never returns to this temporary world full of miseries, is an eagerness to simply hear about the glories of the Lord. The recommended process for acquiring this eagerness is by serving the Lord's pure devotee. Shrila Prabhupada explains here how the servant of the Lord comes to this world to spread God Consciousness. And they may appear in different countries according to the Lord's will. They are so magnanimous, they appear in different times and circumstances to reach the fallen conditioned souls wandering in this world. Similarly, the Lord incarnates in every species of life, in every universe. "There are innumerable material universes, and in each and every universe there are innumerable planets inhabited by different grades of living entities in different modes of nature. The Lord (Vishnu) incarnates Himself in each and every one of them and in each and every type of living society. He manifests His transcendental pastimes amongst them just to create the desire to go back to Godhead. The Lord does not change His original transcendental position, but He appears to be differently manifested according to the particular time, circumstances and society." (SB 1.2.34, Purport) The pure devotee and the Lord are to be considered as One. Although they always maintain their independent identity, because they are flawlessly merged within the will of Krishna, they are to be respected as on the same level as God. Such goes for all servants of Krishna who are directly and fully engaged in Krishna consciousness through devotional service under the guidance of the bonafide spiritual master. It is stated in the sastra that even if one chants the holy name once without offense, they are rid of lifetimes of sinful results. So what to speak of the servants of Krishna who are constantly uttering the holy name and serving the pure devotee faithfully and with determination. We should always offer our respects to the servants of Lord Krishna, at least internally, understanding them to be the dispensers of the Lord's mercy. Therefore it is said, "vancha-kalpa-tarubhyas ca, krpa-sindhubhya eva ca, patitanam pavanebhyo, vaisnavebhyo namo namah"(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees and can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.)