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Shrila Prabhupada explains here the nature of things transcendental. In the absolute world, the plane, the associates of Lord Vishnu and Lord Vishnu Himself are all spiritual. There is no material contamination. In quality, everything there is one. As Lord Vishnu is worshipable, so also are His associates, His paraphernalia, His airplane and His abode, for everything of Vishnu’s is as good as Lord Vishnu. Dhruva Maharaja knew all this very well, as a pure Vaishnava, and he offered his respects to the associates and to the plane before riding in it. But in the meantime, his body changed into spiritual existence, and therefore it was illuminating like molten gold. In this way he also became one with the other paraphernalia of Vishnuloka. Mayavadi philosophers cannot imagine how this oneness can be achieved even in different varieties. Their idea of oneness is that there is no variety. Therefore they have become impersonalists. As Sisumara, Vishnuloka or Dhruvaloka are completely different from this material world, so a Vishnu temple within this world is also completely different from this material world. As soon as we are in a temple we should know very well that we are situated differently from the material world. In the temple, Lord Vishnu, His throne, His room and all other things associated with the temple are transcendental. The three modes, sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna, have no entrance into the temple. It is said, therefore, that to live in the forest is in the mode of goodness, to live in the city is in the mode of passion, and to live in a brothel, liquor shop or slaughterhouse is in the mode of ignorance. But to live in the temple means to live in Vaikunhaloka. Everything in the temple is as worshipable as Lord Vishnu, or Krishna. SB 4.12.29 'As soon as we are in a temple we should know very well that we are situated differently from the material world'

'In the history there is not a single instance that man has controlled nature. But nature has controlled man. That is the history.' Especially nowadays we hear the scientists saying: “We must fight the Covid virus, we must fight nature by science.” But is it really possible? Is the nature to be controlled by mere mortals? His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada gives practical arguments against such so-called scientific claims in the following conversation for the pleasure of the devotees. He also discusses how the Hare Krishna song is more enjoyable than any other mundane song. Prabhupada: In the history there is not a single instance that man has controlled nature. But nature has controlled man. That is the history. Where is the proof that you shall control? You are controlled. Nature is forcing you to become an old man. You are becoming. You control like that, that you remain a young man. Nature is controlling you to die. You control nature that "Death will not be forced upon me." So where is the history that man has controlled nature? Nitai: They say that now we are controlling atomic energy, and now we are controlling... Prabhupada: What is that atomic energy? What is the use of it? We'll die. Without atomic energy you'll die. What is this control? Death is already there, and you are utilizing atomic energy for death, that's all. So what is your credit? You use atomic energy that you'll not die. Then it is control. Death is already there. You might have atomic energy or no atomic energy—you have to die. By atomic energy you are accelerating the same problem of death, that's all. Tamala Krishna: Gradually we are learning how to become deathless. Prabhupada: Eh? Tamala Krishna: They will argue... Prabhupada: That is foolishness. That is called hope against hope. That is foolishness. Therefore we say because you are expecting like that, therefore we understand that you are a fool. We can immediately understand, "Here is a grand fool." That is our study. Many fools have done like that, and you are one of them, you are also trying to be. Therefore our conclusion is, "You are fool number one." Devotee: We may not be able to actually stop death, but while we're here we can at least prolong our lifetime and... Prabhupada: That also you cannot do. Where is the proof? Devotee: Well, at the atomic research plants... Prabhupada: Oh, that is another foolishness, I say. You have not done it. You are simply expecting. Hope against hope, that's all. Devotee: But they are making different cures for critical diseases that are causing deaths... Prabhupada: That's all right. But that does not mean there will be no disease. That is already being done by many medical practitioners—better medicine. But where is the medicine that will not be disease? Tamala Krishna: Gradually we are eliminating, one by one, all the diseases. Prabhupada: No, that you have not done. No disease... You have increased diseases. You have stopped one disease and increased another. Not stopped, but you have increased another disease. Devotee: We have to learn, though, how to prevent all these diseases. Prabhupada: Therefore you are fool. You have to learn. That means you have to learn, means you are fool. Yashodanandana: But we are learning. Prabhupada: Don't assert it, that you have done it already, you shall do it... As soon as you say, "We have to learn," that means you are fools. And why, you are student, why you are claiming all these perfections? You have to learn. That you have to learn from us. Brahmananda: Actually, when I was in Germany, there was evidence of how the scientists increased disease. They invented some vaccine to counteract influenza, and they injected all of Germany with this vaccine. But what happened is sometimes the body builds up resistance to these vaccines and produces another germ. So, as a result, another type of influenza was created, which was far more worse than the previous. It made people get fever for four and five days straight, 105 degrees. Prabhupada: That is the way of... They have discovered this streptomycin for tuberculosis, that if one takes too many injection of streptomycin, then it does not act. Devotee: He becomes immune. Prabhupada: Yes. Brahmananda: So as a result of the vaccine, they created a worse type of influenza, and they have nothing to counteract that worse type. So now they have to invent another type. 'They have discovered this streptomycin for tuberculosis, that if one takes too many injection of streptomycin, then it does not act.' Prabhupada: These rascals give trouble to the people, especially in India. They are not after the vaccine. They will catch people and force them. Just see. This is going on. Boys and others are avoiding, they are going, going this way, that way. Sometimes they fall, they do not know, and capture and force. These rascals are creating havoc. Only to kick them on their face with shoes, that's all. The so-called scientists and biologists and... They do not know anything. Tamala Krishna: You were saying that all the scientists are fools and rascals, but they may challenge, "How has your knowledge benefited you?" Prabhupada: Your knowledge has not benefited you. Our taking your so-called science has benefited you because you are using it for Krsna. You have worked so hard, so result is going to Krsna. Hare Krsna. We are making the best... Just like there is chair, but we don't care for the chair. We can sit down. But if it is available, we don't reject it. Therefore if you are making favor to me, you have made a chair and I am sitting there. Not that I require your chair; without your chair I will..., shall die. That is not my policy. You rascal, you have done something; I'm using it for your benefit. That's all. Tamala Krishna: They may argue that the knowledge which you say you have, it doesn't stop all of these things from happening to you. You're also suffering from symptoms of... Prabhupada: Yes. But I'm trying, because I have got this material body like you, so I have to suffer like you. But I'm making treatment. You are not making treatment. Tamala Krishna: But the effects appear to be the same on everyone. Prabhupada: No. We are not so much after doctors or medical... Tamala Krishna: Your students also suffer from diseases and all... Prabhupada: That's all right. So long the body's there, one has to suffer. That we tolerate. That is advised in the Bhagavad-gita, matra sparsas tu kaunteya sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah agamapayino nityas tams titikshasva bharata [Bg 2.14] Titiksha. We know how to tolerate. We are not mad after curing. We know these things will happen so long I have got this body. Tamala Krishna: So your difference is that you tolerate, whereas the scientists don't. Prabhupada: Because we know that there is no cure. You do not know. You are trying to cure. That is the difference between you and me. We know that so long I have got this body, I'll have to suffer. So we do not stop our business. We tolerate and do our business. That's all. But you have no business. You are simply trying, hope against hope. But it will never be fulfilled. That is the... [break] Apart from us, take other living entities, just like birds, beasts, they do not know science. But so long they have got this body, they are also sometimes diseased. But they have no science. How they are cured? The same thing, just like this trees, they have no scissors, so how their leaves are being trimmed, falling down, again new leaves are coming." We have discovered scissors, or clippers, but you have no clippers. How their hairs, or their leaves, are being cut, vanished? Devotee: Prabhupada, according to archeological findings primitive man, before, when they would get some disease they would just die. And now modern science has developed so nicely... Prabhupada: That is there. And who is not dying now? Devotee: Well, but... Prabhupada: Well, well, well... Devotee: ...they died at thirty, forty years old. Now we're dying at a hundred years old. Prabhupada: So what is the difference, you die after forty years or hundred years? These trees dies after thousands years. Does it mean the trees are better than you? [laughter] If one dies after one thousand years, does it mean his life is successful? Devotee: But all of us want to live longer. Prabhupada: Why? Who is allowing to live long? If you trying to live longer, already trees are living longer than you. Then a tree is better than you. By living longer you want to take some credit, then trees should be given that credit. That is the point. Many big, big men, they lived for short time. Just like Sankaracarya lived for thirty-two years, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu lived for forty-eight years. They're still living. There are so many followers of Sankaracarya, so many followers of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Krishna told that He lived for 125 years, and Krishna is still living. Yashodanandana: Jesus Christ only lived for thirty-six years. Prabhupada: Who's caring for any tree who lives for five thousand years? If that is your point—to live long is a great credit—there are already so many living entities who live long, longer than you. Devotee: Well, they don't... They may be living a long time, but they don't have the same intelligence how to use their life span... Prabhupada: That is also [indistinct], that the dogs also got intelligence, the hogs also got intelligence. The intelligence which you are claiming, that is all discussed in Shrimad-Bhagavatam. It is said yes, they are living, but you don't see that breathing. So then the vastra, the bellow, it is breathing, "Waa, waa, waa, waa." If breathing is a credit, then give credit to vastra. It is breathing more forcefully. Yes they're living, but they have... don't see they have any sex enjoyment [indistinct]. You see the dogs and hogs, they are having very good sex enjoyment, even on the street, without any restriction, and begetting three dozen children in a year. And we give credit to whom? Tamala Krishna: Well, apart from science, we have very nice philosophy and literature, studying art. Prabhupada: That is real science. Science we admit, but your science is not. You are trying to go against the laws of nature. Tamala Krishna: What about our art and literature, which just shows that... Prabhupada: No. That is different department so far science is concerned. But pure science is useless, simply useless. Tamala Krishna: If we acknowledge that, suppose we acknowledge that, but we say that still our cultural advancements are very great. The students say that... Prabhupada: That's a fact. That's a fact. Tamala Krishna: They say, "Why...?" Many people I meet in the universities, they're not involved with science very much. Their main dealings are with culture, literature, arts, philosophy, music. They say... This feels, "We have very wonderful, beautiful things to study, so why should we take up studying what you have to offer? There's so much to study with what we're doing. Why should we join your movement? Why should we give up studying such beautiful music and art and literature?" Prabhupada: Because you'll like it. And there is beautiful sounds, you'll hear it. The animals hear it. Tamala Krishna: But you sing the same song all the time. Prabhupada: That's all right. But do you hear it? As soon as you chant Hare Krishna mantra, hundreds of persons, they'll have to hear it. Ask them not to hear it. You go, you scientists, [indistinct] ...don't hear it. They hear it. That's all. Tamala Krishna: But your music is of one chanting, is very limited. Chanting... Prabhupada: First of all you finish this limited, then you go to unlimited. You have no experience of this limited, what to speak of the unlimited. Krishna has described you mudhas, and you have taken. You are mudhas. You may try to take credit in so many ways, but our conclusion is following the footsteps of Krishna. You are all mudhas. Devotee: Just like some people may express God by chanting Hare Krishna, but we can also express God through our musical talent. Prabhupada: We are doing. We are doing. We decorate God so nicely [indistinct]. We are doing art, painting, everything. They, cooking art, so many varieties of different that we are offering to Krishna. There's no scarcity of art, [indistinct]. Tamala Krishna: We are trying to attain the Supreme through our own music. We are doing that through our own mus... Prabhupada: No. That is... That is another nonsense. We are trying to please the Supreme by the supreme music. Golokera prema-dhana hari-nama-sankirtana. These sounds are not mundane sounds. These are Vaikunta sounds. Narada muni bajaya vina radhika-ramana name. It is brought by Narada Muni. It is not manufactured here. Tamala Krishna: Don't you think that the great musicians like Bach, they were inspired by God to make this music? Prabhupada: But they [indistinct] do not believe in God. So that is another thing. But this music is like you are hearing music ten thousand miles away. Similarly, this music is being imported from Vaikunta, many millions and many millions of miles away. So this is not just music of this mundane sound. Otherwise, why you are not tired, repeating it for many, many days? Any mundane sound, we repeat it, you cannot prolong it. You cannot prolong it. But we are..., we have learned this only Hare Krishna, and you can chant this. And you also hear it. You're attracted. Yashodanandana: You have said that variety is the mother of enjoyment. So we are enjoying many different songs. Prabhupada: Unless there is variety, how we are enjoying? Yashodanandana: Yes. So therefore you only have one song. But we have many songs. Prabhupada: That's all right. Who cares for you? Yashodanandana: So many people. Prabhupada: No. Tamala Krishna: But there are so many symphonies... Prabhupada: That is our credit. We have got one song, and we are attracting so many. You have got many songs, but you attract yourself only. That... Devotee: When there is a symphony orchestra, ten thousand, twenty thousand people have come to hear. Prabhupada: But who takes it seriously? Devotee: They all do. Prabhupada: They hear and go away. That's all. Temporary, temporary. Devotee: But then they will also buy the record and listen at home. Prabhupada: That's all right, but our song, we are chanting always. Where is that song you have got? You have got to... Just like George Harrison. He has to give new records. Nobody cares for the old record. Although he is a big musician, then his business will stop if he says that "I have given one song, that's all." [laughter] Who will care for it? That is our credit. Devotee: But they will say only a select few are interested in that Hare Krishna song. Not so many people. Prabhupada: That's all right. Not select few. We're increasing the number, many thousands. Cannot say select few. Select few was beginning, because I was chanting Tompkinson Square. And now that it is not select few, and it will increase. But the song is the same. That is our credit. (Conversation with Devotees – April 14, 1975, Hyderabad)

Here is a class on the Shrimad Bhagavatam 3.13.9, dated 13th January 2025 by His Grace Purujit Dasa. His Grace Purujit Dasa giving class from the B.L.I.S.S London temple Check out the class here .

One of the most common obstacles people encounter with the concept of accepting a guru is that they think he might end up cheating them. Nowadays especially, there are so many bogus gurus, yogis and swamis, so who can we trust? In the following conversation, Shrila Prabhupada, a genuine guru, explains the problem and it's solution scientifically. Prabhupada: Everything is known, can be known, from authorized source of knowledge. A child does not know what is this. He asks father, "Father, what is this?" The father explains, "My dear boy, this is Dictaphone. When I speak, it records." Child knowledge, he sees. That is the way of knowledge. If you do not know God, you must approach a person who knows God. Then you know. There is no difficulty. John Fahey: But I went to church, and I still don't know. Prabhupada: Hmm? Atreya Rsi: He went to church and he could not find out. Prabhupada: That may be. John Fahey: They told, but I didn't feel it. Prabhupada: That may be, but you may be cheated, that is another thing. Suppose you ask something from somebody. If he cheats you, that may be your mistake or his, but the process is the same; you cannot avoid that. If you want to know God, then you have to go to a person who knows God. You might have gone to a person who does not know. That is another thing. You went to a wrong person. But actually if you want to know God, you must have to go to a person who knows God. That you have to search out. That requires intelligence. But you cannot give up the idea. Because you have been cheated, "I could not get information," therefore you cannot give up that business. You have to find out somebody else. But because you say: "I have been cheated. I could not get the right information. I stop this business," that is not allowed. You must. Therefore, according to Vedic order it is said, tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet means he must (go) to a person to understand that science of God. You must go to a guru or a man who knows. Guru means who is more intelligent. Guru means weight, heavy, heavier, that heavier in knowledge. So you have to find out a person who is heavier than you, not ordinary. Must go. Not that may go or may not go. No. Must go. Tad vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet. And what is the symptom of guru? Srotriyam. Means he has heard about God from his superior, his guru. Srotriyam. And how can I know that he has heard from his superior about God? He might say that "Yes, I have heard," but what symptoms I shall . . .? Brahma-nistham. Brahma-nistham means that he has become a complete devotee of God, result. Just like a man, a physician. A physician means he has attended the medical college, passed the examination, and the result is that he's practicing as a physician. Not only passing will do, but he's actually passing and he's actually practicing and he's curing patients. Therefore you find out a physician, "Here is a physician." It is not difficult. So guru means one who knows God. How can I know that he knows God? Because he's making others to know God. Where is the difficulty? But if you go to a person who does not know God, that is your fault. If you go to a physician who is not actually physician, a store-keeper, then that is your fault. You must have the intelligence who is a physician. That much intelligence you have got. You see a signboard, Dr. Such-and-such M.D., medical practitioners. Now you go there and you see there are patients waiting for him, for his treatment, he's giving medicine and they are being cured. Then where is the difficulty to find out a physician? There is no difficulty. So if one is serious to be cured of the disease, he must go to a physician. If he does not go to the physician, how he can be cured? Just like you have learned the guitar playing. Do you learn it alone or learn it from somebody? John Fahey: Mainly by myself. Prabhupada: Huh? John Fahey: Mainly alone. Prabhupada: Anyway, you have followed somebody at least, standard. John Fahey: Oh, yeah, people I heard. Prabhupada: Yes. So that is the way of learning what is God. The main business is that one must know God. It is not that because I approach some person and he did not know, he could not give me the right knowledge of God, then I give up this idea of knowing God. No. That will not . . . that is not good for human life. Then you remain animal. I might have been cheated or I might not have approached the proper person, but that does not mean I can stop that idea. That is not . . . In another place it is said, tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One who is actually inquisitive to understand the highest benefit of life, he must approach a guru. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh. Jijnasu means inquisitive. Sreya—the highest benefit of life. Uttamam—highest. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam. Sabde pare ca nisnatam (SB 11.3.21). What is the qualification of such a person? Sabde pare ca nisnatam: he is completely well versed in the transcendental science. And what is the symptom that he is well versed? Brahmany upasamasrayam: he has taken shelter of Brahma or Krsna or God, upasana, finishing all material desires. These two things: he is a devotee, but he has no more material desires. He must be well versed in the science, he must be a devotee, and he has no attraction for material things. These three things if you can find, then he's perfect guru. Everything is there in the sastra; and therefore books should be consulted. If you have no books, those who are discussing books, you should approach them, you should hear them. Just like we are holding class morning, evening. People can come here, take advantage what we are speaking, then gradually they can understand. But we cannot avoid that. That is not good idea. If I say that, "I went to church. I was not very much enlightened; therefore I give up this attempt," oh, that is not good.

Check out the latest B.LI .S.S movie, filmed by His Grace Nityananda Dasa, His Grace Maitreya Rsi Dasa and edited by His Grace Purujit Dasa. Dhira Govinda Dasa on the London Underground Check out the movie here .

At the B.L.I.S.S London temple, devotees are distributing Krishna's transcendental vibration from early morning till night. It's a real austerity, especially in the winter. The devotees have sacrificed warm prasadam to take simple preparations like cheese and fruits, to save time and ensure that we can distribute as many books as possible, as well as raise enough funds for the preaching. Daivi Shakti distributes the Matchless Gift magazine Donations are crucial to the B.L.I.S.S temple, which is run by brahmana monks. 'Charity should actually be given to brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs because whatever money they get they spend for Krishna. Whatever charity one gives to a brāhmaṇa goes to Krishna .' - Shrila Prabhupada If you would like to support, here's the link .

Check out the latest B.L.I.S.S movie , narrated and edited by His Grace Nityananda Dasa. Nityananda Prabhu

A devotee of Krishna is friendly to everyone. Therefore it is said here that he has no enemy (nirvairah). How is this? A devotee situated in Krishna consciousness knows that only devotional service to Krishna can relieve a person from all the problems of life. He has personal experience of this, and therefore he wants to introduce this system, Krishna consciousness, into human society. There are many examples in history of devotees of the Lord who risked their lives for the spreading of God consciousness. The favorite example is Lord Jesus Christ. He was crucified by the nondevotees, but he sacrificed his life for spreading God consciousness. Of course, it would be superficial to understand that he was killed. Similarly, in India also there are many examples, such as Thakura Haridasa and Prahlada Maharaja. Why such risk? Because they wanted to spread Krishna consciousness, and it is difficult. A Krishna conscious person knows that if a man is suffering it is due to his forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with Krishna. Therefore, the highest benefit one can render to human society is relieving one's neighbor from all material problems. In such a way, a pure devotee is engaged in the service of the Lord. Now, we can imagine how merciful Krishna is to those engaged in His service, risking everything for Him. Therefore it is certain that such persons must reach the supreme planet after leaving the body. -Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita (11.55)

The transcendental message is passed down through a disiplic succession. In connection with the Krishna consciousness movement and its history, we oftentimes we hear about the parampara, ancient disciplic succession, where the knowledge of one's relationship is passed down through a chain of self realized spiritual masters. The self-realized spiritual masters are passing on the message of Krishna in unchanged form and this protects the succession from adulteration. Lord Krishna Himself is the originator of this succession both at the beginning of creation by instructing Lord Brahma through his heart, and later on on the battlefield of Kuruksetra where He appears to re-establish the succession starting with his beloved and intimate friend Arjuna, who is the example of a perfect devotee in this world being in a complete surrender to the Lord. However, the succession does not appear only historically with one spiritual master "after another." There is a succession or transmission of transcendental knowledge happening in real time as well. Both of these paramparas are bona fide and they play a role in inspiring conditioned souls to take up the process of bhakti. In the Chaitanya Charitamrta, there is a wonderful pastime of Lord Chaitanya described in connection with the followers of Buddha. The description of this wonderful pastime that illustrates the divine potency of the holy name goes as follows. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu established the devotional cult everywhere. No one could defeat Him. Being thus defeated by Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, all these philosophers and their followers entered into His cult. In this way Lord Chaitanya made South India into a country of Vaishnavas. When the nonbelievers heard of the erudition of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, they came to Him with great pride, bringing their disciples with them. One of them was a leader of the Buddhist cult and was a very learned scholar. To establish the nine philosophical conclusions of Buddhism, he came before the Lord and began to speak. Although the Buddhists are unfit for discussion and should not be seen by Vaishnavas, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spoke to them just to decrease their false pride. The scriptures of the Buddhist cult are chiefly based on argument and logic, and they contain nine chief principles. Because Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu defeated them in their argument, they could not establish their cult. Shrila Prabhupada based on the explanations of Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura states the various discrepancies in the Buddhist doctrine and one may take pleasure in reading about these in Shrila Prabhupada's commentary on the Chaitanya Charitamrta (Madhya 9.49): The teacher of the Buddhist cult set forth the nine principles, but Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu broke them to pieces with His strong logic. All mental speculators and learned scholars were defeated by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and when the people began to laugh, the Buddhist philosophers felt both shame and fear. The Buddhists could understand that Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was a Vaishnava, and they returned home very unhappy. Later, however, they began to plot against the Lord. Having made their plot, the Buddhists brought a plate of untouchable food before Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and called it maha-prasada. When the contaminated food was offered to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a very large bird appeared on the spot, picked up the plate in its beak and flew away. Indeed, the untouchable food fell upon the Buddhists, and the large bird dropped the plate on the head of the chief Buddhist teacher. When it fell on his head, it made a big sound. The plate was made of metal, and when its edge hit the head of the teacher, it cut him, and the teacher immediately fell to the ground unconscious. When the teacher fell unconscious, his Buddhist disciples cried aloud and ran to the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu for shelter. They all prayed to Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, addressing Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself and saying, "Sir, please excuse our offense. Please have mercy upon us and bring our spiritual master back to life." The Lord then replied to the Buddhist disciples, "You should all chant the names of Krishna and Hari very loudly near the ear of your spiritual master. "By this method your spiritual master will regain his consciousness." Following Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's advice, all the Buddhist disciples began to chant the holy name of Krishna congregationally. When all the disciples chanted the holy names Krishna, Rama and Hari, the Buddhist teacher regained consciousness and immediately began to chant the holy name of Lord Hari. Shrila Prabhupada writes: "Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Takura comments that all the Buddhist disciples were actually initiated by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu into the chanting of the holy name of Krishna, and when they chanted, they actually became different persons. At that time they were not Buddhists or atheists but Vaishnavas. Consequently they immediately accepted Sri Chiaitanya Mahaprabhu's order. Their original Krishna consciousness was revived, and they were immediately able to chant Hare Krishna and begin worshiping the Supreme Lord Vishnu. It is the spiritual master who delivers the disciple from the clutches of maya by initiating him into the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. In this way a sleeping human being can revive his consciousness by chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In other words, the spiritual master awakens the sleeping living entity to his original consciousness so that he can worship Lord Vishnu. This is the purpose of diksha, or initiation. Initiation means receiving the pure knowledge of spiritual consciousness. One point to note in this regard is that the spiritual master of the Buddhists did not initiate his disciples. Rather, his disciples were initiated by Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and they in turn were able to initiate their so-called spiritual master. This is the parampara system. The so-called spiritual master of the Buddhists was actually in the position of a disciple, and after his disciples were initiated by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, they acted as his spiritual masters. This was possible only because the disciples of the Buddhist acarya received the mercy of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Unless one is favored by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the disciplic succession, one cannot act as a spiritual master. We should take the instructions of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the spiritual master of the whole universe, to understand how one becomes a spiritual master and a disciple." Thus when the spiritual master of the Buddhists began to chant the holy name of Krishna and submitted to Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, all the people who were gathered there were astonished. Ordinarily speaking, the spiritual master, or acharya by the definition must be expert in studying the Vedic scriptures, must practise the conclusions of his study and preach them to his followers. The Buddhists followers were neither learned scholars in the Vedas, nor could they practise their tenets and preach to their followers. In fact, the Buddhist school rejects the Vedas being naisthikas. Their sprititual master was unconscious when they chanted the holy name into his ear. How then could they initiate their master and thus become his spiritual masters? The answer is they have become members of the real time parampara by following the order of Lord Chaitanya. Lord Chaitanya gives this order to everyone of us: yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa "Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Sri Kriishna as they are given in the Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad-Bhagavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land." (Madhya 7.128) One might not be very learned or perfect, yet he can become a guru by strictly following the order of the spiritual master. In this way he becomes a tool and a link to the disciplic succession. Shrila Prabhupada writes in a letter to his formally uninitiated disciple: Yes, whoever you tell the chant to, it is effective. You have heard it from me and my disciples, similarly I have heard it from my Guru Maharaja, and so on, and on. Because you have heard it from a pure devotee of the Lord, therefore it is transmitted from you to another. Just as an aerial message, is transmitted from one place to another, similarly, this Guru parampara system is working. My disciples are my agents, my representatives, so by hearing it from them, you are receiving it from me. And because you are a sincere soul, those who are hearing the Mantra from you are receiving it in disciplic succession, from Lord Chaitanya and from Lord Krishna. (Letter to: Andrea Temple -- Los Angeles 6 March, 1968) However, foolish motivated people of this world have no interest following this instruction of Lord Chaitanya to become a guru. They want to manufacture ideas against his desires and in this way the whole world is bewildered. If we want to solve the problems that we are facing in our present day and age we should pay attention to the lamentation of the pure liberated acharya Shrila Prabhupada who writes: Presently people are so fallen that they cannot distinguish between a liberated soul and a conditioned soul. A conditioned soul is hampered by four defects: he is sure to commit mistakes, he is sure to become illusioned, he has a tendency to cheat others, and his senses are imperfect. Consequently we have to take direction from liberated persons. This Krishna consciousness movement directly receives instructions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead via persons who are strictly following His instructions. Although a follower may not be a liberated person, if he follows the supreme, liberated Personality of Godhead, his actions are naturally liberated from the contamination of the material nature. Lord Chaitanya therefore says: "By My order you may become a spiritual master." One can immediately become a spiritual master by having full faith in the transcendental words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by following His instructions. Materialistic men are not interested in taking directions from a liberated person, but they are very much interested in their own concocted ideas, which make them repeatedly fail in their attempts. Because the entire world is now following the imperfect directions of conditioned souls, humanity is completely bewildered. (SB 4.18.5 purport)

Good result of tilling the paddy field depends on providential rain and therefore the result is uncertain. Similarly, performances of any kind of sacrifice in this age of Kali is also uncertain. Unscrupulous greedy Brahmins of the age of Kali induce the innocent public to maintain such uncertain sacrificial shows, without disclosing the scriptural injunction that in the age of Kali no other sacrificial performance can bear any fruit - except the sacrifice of congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord. In this connection the Shrimad Bhagavatam states: prayena veda tad idam na mahajano 'yam devya vimohita-matir bata mayayalam trayyam jadi-krta-matir madhu-puspitayam vaitanike mahati karmani yujyamanah (SB 6.3.25) “Because they are bewildered by the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yajnavalkya and Jaimini and other compilers of the religious scriptures cannot know the secret, confidential religious system of the twelve mahajanas. They cannot understand the transcendental value of performing devotional service or chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. Because their minds are attracted to the ritualistic ceremonies mentioned in the Vedas—especially the Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Rg Veda—their intelligence has become dull. Thus they are busy collecting the ingredients for ritualistic ceremonies that yield only temporary benefits, such as elevation to Svargaloka for material happiness. They are not attracted to the sankirtana movement; instead, they are interested in dharma, artha, kama and moksha.” (SB 6.3.25) As stated in Bhagavad-gita (15.15), vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah: the real purpose of studying the Vedas is to approach the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. Unfortunately, unintelligent people bewildered by the grandeur of Vedic yajnas want to see gorgeous sacrifices performed. They want Vedic mantras chanted and huge amounts of money spent for such ceremonies. Captivated by the Vedic injunctions they think: "If I perform this yajna, then next life I will be elevated to the heavenly planet." That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita: yam imam puspitam vacam pravadanty avipascitah veda-vada-ratah partha nanyad astiti vadinah kamatmanah svarga-para janma-karma-phala-pradam kriya-visesa-bahulam bhogaisvarya-gatim prati “Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words of the Vedas, which recommend various fruitive activities for elevation to heavenly planets, resultant good birth, power, and so forth. Being desirous of sense gratification and opulent life, they say that there is nothing more than this.” (Bg 2.42-43) Those who are simply attracted by the Vedic formulas cannot understand that offenseless chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is sufficient. In the Bhakti-sandarbha (283), Shrila Jiva Gosvami says: yady api sri-bhagavata-mate panca-ratradi-vad-arcana-margasyavasyakatvam nasti, tad vinapi saranapatty-adinam ekatarenapi purusartha-siddher abhihitatvat. “It is Shrimad-Bhagavatam’s opinion that the process of Deity worship is not actually necessary, just as the specific prescriptions of the Pancharatra and other scriptures do not have to be followed. The Bhagavatam enjoins that even without practicing Deity worship one can achieve the complete success of human life by any of the other devotional processes, such as simply offering oneself at the Lord’s feet for His protection.” Similarly the Shrimad Bhagavatam states: yan-namadheya-sravananukirtanad yat-prahvanad yat-smaranad api kvacit svado 'pi sadyah savanaya kalpate kutah punas te bhagavan nu darsanat aho bata sva-paco 'to gariyan yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te “To say nothing of the spiritual advancement of persons who see the Supreme Person face to face, even a person born in a family of dog-eaters immediately becomes eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices if he once utters the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or chants about Him, hears about His pastimes, offers Him obeisances or even remembers Him. Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name! Even if born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are worshipable. Persons who chant the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and fire sacrifices and achieved all the good manners of the Aryans. To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas and fulfilled everything required.” (SB 3.33.6) In this verse the spiritual potency of chanting, hearing or remembering the holy name of the Supreme Lord is greatly stressed. Rupa Gosvami has discussed the sequence of sinful activities of the conditioned soul, and he has established, in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, that those who engage in devotional service become freed from the reactions of all sinful activities. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita. The Lord says that He takes charge of one who surrenders unto Him, and He makes him immune to all reactions to sinful activities. If by chanting the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead one becomes so swiftly cleared of all reactions to sinful activities, then what is to be said of those persons who see Him face to face? Another consideration here is that persons who are purified by the process of chanting and hearing become immediately eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices. Generally, only a person who is born in a family of brahmanas, who has been reformed by the ten kinds of purificatory processes and who is learned in Vedic literature is allowed to perform the Vedic sacrifices. But here in this verse the word sadyah, "immediately," is used, and Shridhara Svami also remarks that one can immediately become eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices. Sometimes envious people ask how Europeans and Americans in the Krishna consciousness movement can become brahmanas and perform such sacrifices. They do not know that the Europeans and Americans have already been purified by chanting the holy name of the Lord-Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This is the proof. Those who find fault in the Western Vaishnavas should consider this statement from Shrimad-Bhagavatam and the commentary on this verse by Shrila Jiva Gosvami. In this regard, Shrila Jiva Gosvami has stated that to become a brahmana, one has to wait for purification and undergo the sacred thread ceremony, but a chanter of the holy name does not have to wait for the sacred thread ceremony. One should not disbelieve or think, "How by chanting the holy name of the Lord can one become a holy man to be compared to the most elevated brahmana?" To eradicate such doubts in the minds of unbelievers, this verse affirms that the stage of chanting of the holy name of the Lord is not sudden, but that the chanters have already performed all kinds of Vedic rituals and sacrifices. It is not very astounding, for no one in this life can chant the holy name of the Lord unless he has passed all lower stages, such as performing the Vedic ritualistic sacrifices, studying the Vedas and practicing good behavior like that of the Aryans. All this must first have been done. Just as a student in a law class is to be understood to have already graduated from general education, anyone who is engaged in the chanting of the holy name of the Lord—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—must have already passed all lower stages. It is said that those who simply chant the holy name with the tip of the tongue are glorious. One does not even have to chant the holy name and understand the whole procedure, namely the offensive stage, offenseless stage and pure stage; if the holy name is sounded on the tip of the tongue, that is also sufficient. It is said herein that nama, a singular number, one name, Krishna or Rama, is sufficient. It is not that one has to chant all the holy names of the Lord. The holy names of the Lord are innumerable, and one does not have to chant all the names to prove that he has already undergone all the processes of Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. If one chants once only, it is to be understood that he has already passed all the examinations, not to speak of those who are chanting always, twenty-four hours a day. It is specifically said here, tubhyam: "unto You only." One must chant God's name, not, as the Mayavadi philosophers say, any name, such as a demigod's name or the names of God's energies. Only the holy name of the Supreme Lord will be effective. Anyone who compares the holy name of the Supreme Lord to the names of the demigods is called pasandi, or an offender. The holy name has to be chanted to please the Supreme Lord, and not for any sense gratification or professional purpose. If this pure mentality is there, then even though a person is born of a low family, such as a dog-eater's, he is so glorious that not only has he purified himself, but he is quite competent to deliver others. He is competent to speak on the importance of the transcendental name, just as Thakura Haridasa did. Takura Haridasa was apparently born in a family of Muhammadans, but because he was chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord offenselessly, Lord Chaitanya empowered him to become the authority, or acharya, of spreading the name. It did not matter that he was born in a family which was not following the Vedic rules and regulations. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Advaita Prabhu accepted him as an authority because he was offenselessly chanting the name of the Lord. Authorities like Advaita Prabhu and Lord Chaitanya immediately accepted that he had already performed all kinds of austerities, studied the Vedas and performed all sacrifices. That is automatically understood. The smarta-brahmanas however were of the opinion that even if such persons who are chanting the holy name of the Lord are accepted as purified, they still have to perform the Vedic rites or await their next birth in a family of brahmanas so that they can perform the Vedic rituals. But actually that is not the case. Such a man does not need to wait for the next birth to become purified. He is at once purified. It is understood that he has already performed all sorts of rites. It is the so-called brahmanas who actually have to undergo different kinds of austerities before reaching that point of purification. There are many other Vedic performances which are not described here. All such Vedic rituals have been already performed by the chanters of the holy name. The word juhuvuh means that the chanters of the holy name have already performed all kinds of sacrifices. Sasnuh means that they have already traveled to all the holy places of pilgrimage and taken part in purificatory activities at those places. They are called aryah because they have already finished all these requirements, and therefore they must be among the Aryans or those who have qualified themselves to become Aryans. "Aryan" refers to those who are civilized, whose manners are regulated according to the Vedic rituals. Any devotee who is chanting the holy name of the Lord is the best kind of Aryan. Unless one studies the Vedas, one cannot become an Aryan, but it is automatically understood that the chanters have already studied all the Vedic literature. The specific word used here is anucuh, which means that because they have already completed all those recommended acts, they have become qualified to be spiritual masters. The very word grnanti, which is used in this verse, means to be already established in the perfectional stage of ritualistic performances. If one is seated on the bench of a high-court and is giving judgment on cases, it means that he has already passed all legal exams and is better than those who are engaged in the study of law or those expecting to study law in the future. In a similar way, persons who are chanting the holy name are transcendental to those who are factually performing the Vedic rituals and those who expect to be qualified (or, in other words, those who are born in families of brahmanas but have not yet undergone the reformatory processes and who therefore expect to study the Vedic rituals and perform the sacrifices in the future). There are many Vedic statements in different places saying that anyone who chants the holy name of the Lord becomes immediately freed from conditional life and that anyone who hears the holy name of the Lord, even though born of a family of dog-eaters, also becomes liberated from the clutches of material entanglement. The offenseless chanting of the holy name does not depend on the initiation process. Although initiation may depend on purascarya or purascarana (activities before initiation), the actual chanting of the holy name does not depend on purascarya-vidhi, or the regulative principles. If one chants the holy name once without committing an offense, he attains all success. Generally brahmanas are puffed up with false prestige because they belong to the aristocracy and perform many Vedic sacrifices. In South India especially, this fastidious position is most prominent and this was the case five hundred years ago also. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu actually started a revolution against this brahminical system by inaugurating the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. By this chanting, one can be delivered regardless of caste, creed, color or social position. Whoever chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is immediately purified due to the transcendental position of devotional service. One might ask, if by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can reach the platform of love of Godhead, then what is the necessity of being initiated? The answer is that even though the chanting of the holy name is sufficient to enable one to progress in spiritual life to the standard of love of Godhead, one is nonetheless susceptible to contamination because of possessing a material body. Consequently, special stress is given to the arcana-vidhi. Srila Jiva Gosvami says that although sankirtana is sufficient for the perfection of life, the arcana, or worship of the Deity in the temple, must continue in order that the devotees may stay clean and pure. Even at the present moment people are attracted more if there is a temple. If one simply chants, very few people will come. Therefore both are recommended: chanting and at the same time temple worship. People’s minds are so materialistic that they cannot give proper respect to or understand the importance of chanting the holy name. Generally, they are attracted by the karma-kandiya vicara (fruitive activities). If the preachers of the Krishna consciousness movement do not arrange for a gorgeous system, people will not be attracted. Therefore sometimes, in order to attract people to chant, gorgeous temple is required. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Takura says that simply by chanting the holy name of Krishna once, a person becomes perfect. Such a person is understood to be a Vaishnava. With such faith and belief, one may begin a life of Krishna consciousness, but an ordinary person cannot chant the holy name of Krishna with such faith. This is confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Upadesamrta: krsneti yasya giri tam manasadriyeta. One should accept the holy name of Krishna to be identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Transcendence Himself. The holy name of Krishna is also identical with Krishna and is also chintamani. The name Krishna is the personification of sound perfectly transcendental and eternally liberated from material contamination. One should understand that the name Krishna and Krishna are identical. Having such faith, one must continue to chant the holy name. When one is situated on the neophyte platform, one cannot understand the devotional ingredients of a pure, unalloyed devotee. However, when the novice engages in devotional service-especially in Deity worship-and follows the order of a bona fide spiritual master, he becomes a pure devotee. Anyone can take advantage of hearing about Krishna consciousness from a pure devotee and thus gradually become purified. In other words, the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is so powerful that it does not depend on official initiation, but if one is initiated and engages in pancaratra-vidhi (Deity worship), his Krishna consciousness will awaken very soon, and his identification with the material world will be vanquished. Sometimes neophyte devotees think that they can continue the sravana-kirtana process without worshiping the Deity, but the execution of sravana-kirtana is meant for highly developed devotees like Haridasa Takura, who engaged in the sravana-kirtana process without worshiping the Deity. However, one should not falsely imitate Haridasa Takura and abandon Deity worship just to try to engage in sravana-kirtana. This is not possible for neophyte devotees. The path of Shrimad-Bhagavatam is for the paramahamsas, and the path of Pancaratra is for the neophytes. The temple worship is necessary for the beginners so that by following the regulative principles such devotees become more and more purified and thus gradually come to the platform of understanding Shrimad-Bhagavatam. One's gross body should be engaged in the service of the Lord through the path of archan or worshipping the Lord in the temple, whereas the subtle mind should be engaged in the matter of hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, thinking about them and chanting His name. All such activities are transcendental. None of the gross or subtle senses should be engaged otherwise. In the Shrimad Bhagavatam it is stated by Vidura: manye maha-bhagavatam naradam deva-darsanam yena proktah kriya-yogah paricarya-vidhir hareh “I know that the great sage Narada is the greatest of all devotees. He has compiled the pancaratrika procedure of devotional service and has directly met the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” The great sage Narada's mission is to broadcast the devotional service of the Lord. For this purpose he has compiled the Narada Pancaratra, a directory of devotional service, so that devotees can always take information about how to execute devotional service and thus engage twenty-four hours a day in performing sacrifices for the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, the Lord has created four orders of social life, namely brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra. In the Narada Pancharatra it is very clearly described how each of the social orders can please the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavad-gita (18.45) it is stated, sve sve karmany abhiratah samsiddhim labhate narah: by executing one's prescribed duties one can please the Supreme Lord. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.13) also it is stated, svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam: the perfection of duty is to see that by discharging one's specific duties one satisfies the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His Divine Grace Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura introduced both the processes -the archana or pancaratriki-vidhi, Deity worship performed according to Narada Pancharatra and bhagavata-marga, the path of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The best is the bhagavata-marga, which consists of sravanam kirtanam smaranam and pancaratriki-vidhi involves pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam. For example, in the beginning of the Shrimad-Bhagavatam, simply sravanam or hearing, and smaranam, or remembering, memorizing the Supreme Truth is emphasized. Param satyam dhimahi; janmady asya [SB 1.1.1]. That is the bhagavata-marga. Then in the Second Canto the pancaratrika-vidhi is recommended where worshiping the gigantic form of the Lord is described. In this connection, it should be known that the virat-rupa or visva-rupa, the gigantic universal form of the Lord, which is very much appreciated by the impersonalist, is not an eternal form of the Lord. It is manifested by the supreme will of the Lord after the ingredients of material creation. Lord Krishna exhibited this virat or visva-rupa to Arjuna just to convince the impersonalists that He is the original Personality of Godhead. Krishna exhibited the virat-rupa; it is not that Krishna was exhibited by the virat-rupa. The virat-rupa is not, therefore, an eternal form of the Lord exhibited in the spiritual sky; it is a material manifestation of the Lord. However, in spite of their material touch, such forms of the Lord as the virat and visva are all nondifferent from His eternal form as Lord Krishna and the archa-vigraha, or the worshipable Deity in the temple, is a similar manifestation of the Lord for the neophytes. The bhagavata-marga and pancharatrika viddhi combined together help one another. The Bhagavata process will help the pancharatrika-process, and the pancharatrika process will help the Bhagavata process. The pancharatriki-vidhi process means that although one is not born of a brahmana family, if he has a little tendency to become a brahmana he should be given a chance. Brahmana means brahma janati iti brahmanah, one who is inquisitive to understand Brahman—brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11] Just like a spark becomes a fire if we fan it, similarly one can become a brahmana by the process of pancaratrika-vidhi, if he has a little brahminical propensity. To illustrate the necessity of the two systems, Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Takura authorized an emblem of the Gaudiya Math institution which depicts pancaratriki-vidhi on one side and bhagavata-viddhi on the other.

All we do in life is trying to serve with the purpose of satisfying ourselves. We work, construct big cities, study at universities, earn money, set up families, do charity and even help others just to find complete satisfaction. The question we should ask ourselves though, is that if the aim of life is to find satisfaction for myself, how can I satisfy myself if “I” am “myself”? If “I” and “myself” are one and the same person, how can the satisfier be the satisfied at the same time? If I’m satisfying myself, who is it that is satisfying myself? “I” or “myself”? The Shrimad-Bhagavatam gives a more practical suggestion: yatha hi skandha-sakhanam taror mulavasecanam evam aradhanam visnoh sarvesam atmanas ca hi “When one pours water on the root of a tree, the trunk and branches of the tree are automatically pleased. Similarly, when one becomes a devotee of Lord Vishnu, everyone is served, for the Lord is the Supersoul of everyone.” (SB 8.5.49) By watering the root of a tree, the whole tree is nourished without separate endeavour. Similarly, by serving Krishna, everyone is satisfied, including myself, who is His part and parcel. But if one pours water on the branches and leaves directly, the water stays on the outside and does not actually nourish the leaves. Similarly, our endeavour to satisfy ourselves by ourselves does not give satisfaction to our self nor others, but instead ends up wasted on the outside to produce an illusory pleasure of the material body. We can never satisfy ourselves, because we ARE ourselves, so trying for satisfaction of the self by my self is just like one hand trying to clap itself–complete absurdity. For satisfaction we need help from another conscious being and if we satisfy the supreme being, Krishna, we will attain complete satisfaction. This is our eternal sanatana-dharma. (excerpt from the published e-book "History of Atheism") get it on www.expandthebliss.com/about )