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Purujit Prabhu is preaching Maitreya Prabhu and Dora Mataji are planning the menu Nityananda Prabhu is building Srila Prabhupada's new vyasasan Dhananjaya Prabhu is out distributing books Heidha mataji and Krsna Prema mataji are cleaning and tidying ...all in preparation for tomorrow's festivities! Join us at the BLISS London temple for an evening program full of kirtan, Krishna katha, talks with the monks, feasting and spiritual ecstacies! Our Rama Namavi festival starts at 4pm, Wednesday 17th April 2024. Sign up here!

In the following conversation Srila Prabhupada gives guidance on how to read his books. Kulasekhara: Srila Prabhupada, it says that the Caitanya-caritamrta is the postgraduate study of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Prabhupada: Hmm, hear him. What does he say? Pusta Krsna: Srimad-Bhagavatam is the postgraduate study... Devotees: Caitanya-caritamrta, postgraduate study. Kulasekhara: So if we're very attracted to reading Caitanya caritamrta now, but we haven't finished Srimad-Bhagavatam as yet, should we wait until we have studied Srimad-Bhagavatam thoroughly? Prabhupada: It does not mean that one who is not postgraduate, he cannot read other books. Spiritual life is not a stereotype like that. But one who is not postgraduate, it is little difficult for him to understand the statement of... Just like in the beginning of Caitanya-caritamrta, it is said, na caitanyat krsnaj jagati para-tattvam param iha, that there is no superior truth than Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So if you have not studied Srimad-Bhagavatam, you'll not understand this statement. If you understand, "Yes, Caitanya is the supreme truth," then it is to be understood that you have graduated. And if you are not, then it will be difficult for you to understand. Kulasekhara: Then the more we understand Srimad-Bhagavatam, the more we'll understand the Caitanya-caritamrta. Prabhupada: Yes, and if you understood Bhagavatam thoroughly, then you can understand Caitanya-caritamrta. But if you have not understood Bhagavatam, then you cannot understand Caitanya caritamrta. The simple statement, na caitanyat krsnat para-tattvam param iha. Where is Caitanya-caritamrta? Bring. Pusta Krsna: Which volume, Srila Prabhupada? Prabhupada: First volume. That means you are not reading, you simply are referring. This is the difficulty. Without thoroughly reading something, we bring so many questions. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has therefore forbidden, bahu sastra na pore. Don't bother yourself reading so many books at a time. You'll be puzzled. Find out this verse, yad advaitam brahmopanisadi... Pusta Krsna: I don't believe there's an index in this first volume. Prabhupada: In the first chapter you'll find. Dhrstadyumna: Seventeenth verse? "What is described in the Upanisads..." Prabhupada: Yad advaitam brahma-upanisadi. Pusta Krsna: yad advaitam brahmopanisadi tad apy asya tanu-bha ya atmantaryami purusa iti so 'syamsa-vibhavah sad-aisvaryaih purno ya iha bhagavan sa svayam ayam na caitanyat krsnaj jagati para-tattvam param iha [Cc. Adi 1.3] "What the Upanisads describe as the impersonal Brahman is but the effulgence of His body, and the Lord known as the Supersoul is but His localized plenary portion. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna Himself, full with six opulences. He is the Absolute Truth, and no other truth is greater than or equal to Him." Prabhupada: This is the beginning of Caitanya-caritamrta. So will anyone be able to understand this verse? Hmm? Everything is stated there, what is Caitanya. Will everyone be able to understand it? That is the proof that he's not graduate. If he is graduate, then he should understand. Therefore it is postgraduate. Kuladri: One must understand Bhagavad-gita before Srimad-Bhagavatam? Prabhupada: Yes. It is stated there yad advaitam brahma upanisadi. That means he must understand the Upanisads. He must understand what is Brahman. So without understanding this, how he can understand Caitanya-caritamrta? It will be explained there, but the fact is this. What is that? Is there any explanation? Pusta Krsna: No, there's no purport to this verse. Prabhupada: So further on there is explanation. Find out that. Devotee (2): Srila Prabhupada? How does one know when he has the understanding of the Bhagavad-gita? Prabhupada: What does he say? Answer him. Pusta Krsna: What did you say? Devotee (2): How does one know when he has the understanding of Bhagavad-gita? Dhrstadyumna: One has understood Bhagavad-gita who surrenders to Krsna, because Krsna says sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], that "The essence of all knowledge is to surrender unto Me, to give up all other duties." So one who takes that instruction as life and soul, he has understood Bhagavad-gita. Is that all right? Pusta Krsna: The same verse again in the Second Chapter."The compilers of the Upanisads speak very highly of the impersonal Brahman. The Upanisads, which are considered the most elevated portion of the Vedic literatures, are meant for persons who desire to get free from material association and who therefore approach a bona fide spiritual master for enlightenment. The prefix upa indicates that one must receive knowledge about the Absolute Truth from a spiritual master. One who has faith in his spiritual master actually receives transcendental instruction, and as his attachment for material life slackens, he is able to advance on the spiritual path. Knowledge of the transcendental science of the Upanisads..." Prabhupada: Where is that boy? You are hearing? Devotee (2): Yes, Prabhupada. Pusta Krsna: "Knowledge of the transcendental science of the Upanisads can free one from the entanglement of existence in the material world, and when thus liberated, one can be elevated to the spiritual kingdom of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by advancement in spiritual life. The beginning of spiritual enlightenment is realization of impersonal Brahman. Such realization is effected by gradual negation of material variegatedness. Impersonal Brahman realization is the partial, distant experience of the Absolute Truth that one achieves through the rational approach. It is compared to one's seeing a hill from a distance and taking it to be a smoky cloud. A hill is not a smoky cloud, but it appears to be one from a distance because of our imperfect vision. In imperfect or smoky realization of the Absolute Truth, spiritual variegatedness is conspicuous by its absence. This experience is therefore called advaita-vada, or realization of the oneness of the Absolute. The impersonal glowing effulgence of Brahman consists only of the personal bodily rays of the Supreme Godhead, Sri Krsna. Since Sri Gaurasundara, or Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is identical with Sri Krsna Himself, the Brahman effulgence consists of the rays of His transcendental body. Similarly, the Supersoul, which is called the Paramatma, is a plenary representation of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The antaryami, the Supersoul in everyone's heart, is the controller of all living entities. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, wherein Lord Krsna says sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah: "I am situated in everyone's heart." (Bg. 15.15) Bhagavad-gita also states; bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29], indicating that the Supreme Lord, acting in His expansion as the Supersoul, is the proprietor of everything. Similarly, the Brahma-samhita states, andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham: [Bs. 5.35] the Lord is present everywhere within the heart of every living entity and within each and every atom as well. Thus by this Supersoul feature the Lord is all-pervading. Furthermore, Lord Caitanya is also the master of all wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation because He is Sri Krsna Himself. He is described as purna, or complete. In the feature of Lord Caitanya, the Lord is an ideal renouncer, just as Sri Rama was an ideal king. He accepted the order of sannyasa and exemplified exceedingly wonderful principles in His own life. No one can compare to Him in the order of sannyasa. Although in Kali-yuga acceptance of the sannyasa order is generally forbidden, Lord Caitanya accepted it because He is complete in renunciation. Others cannot imitate Him but can only follow in His footsteps as far as possible. Those who are unfit for this order of life are strictly forbidden by the injunctions of the sastras to accept it. Lord Caitanya, however, is complete in renunciation as well as all other opulences. He is therefore the highest principle of the Absolute Truth. By an analytical study of the truth of Lord Caitanya, one will find that He is not different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna; no one is greater than or even equal to Him. In Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna says to Arjuna, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] 'O conquerer of wealth (Arjuna), there is no truth superior to Me.' Thus it is here confirmed that there is no truth higher than Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya. The impersonal Brahman is the goal of those who cultivate the study of books of transcendental knowledge, and the Supersoul is the goal of those who perform the yoga practices. One who knows the Supreme Personality of Godhead surpasses realization of both Brahman and Paramatma, because Bhagavan is the ultimate platform of absolute knowledge. The Personality of Godhead is the complete form of sac-cidananda (full life, knowledge and bliss). By realization of the sat portion of the Complete Whole (unlimited existence), one realizes the impersonal Brahman of the Lord. By realization of the cit portion of the Complete Whole (unlimited knowledge) one can realize the localized aspect of the Lord, Paramatma. But neither of these partial realizations of the Complete Whole can help one realize ananda, or complete bliss. Without such realization of ananda, knowledge of the Absolute Truth is incomplete. This verse of Caitanya-caritamrta by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami is confirmed by a parallel statement in the Tattva-sandarbha by Srila Jiva Gosvami. In the Eighth Part of Tattva-sandarbha it is said that the Absolute Truth is sometimes approached as impersonal Brahman, which, although spiritual, is only a partial representation of the Absolute Truth. Narayana, the predominating Deity in Vaikuntha, is to be known as an expansion of Sri Krsna, but Sri Krsna is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the object of the transcendental love of all living entities." Prabhupada: So is it clear? (laughs) It is not so easy. Therefore it is postgraduate. Pusta Krsna: Can these things be understood theoretically, Srila Prabhupada, or is realization required? Prabhupada: Realization required. What is the use of theoretical knowledge? Devotee (2): Srila Prabhupada, can realization be had through service without theoretical understanding? Prabhupada: This whole science is understood through service only. Everything becomes revealed. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah [BRS. 1.2.234]. Revelation. Everything is revelation. Unless one is very sincere servant, there is no revelation. Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban

Srila Prabhupada introduced the fire sacrifice for the initiation ceremony and marriage ceremony. Nowadays we see so many devotees organizing big fire sacrifices and neglecting the performance of sankirtana yajna (congregational chanting). In this purport Srila Prabhupada explains why this is a waste of time. mantratas tantratas chidram desa-kalarha-vastutah sarvam karoti nischidram anusankirtanam tava TRANSLATION There may be discrepancies in pronouncing the mantras and observing the regulative principles, and, moreover, there may be discrepancies in regard to time, place, person and paraphernalia. But when Your Lordship's holy name is chanted, everything becomes faultless. PURPORT Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended: harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha [Cc. Adi 17.21] "In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." (Brhan-naradiya Purana 38.126) In this age of Kali, it is extremely difficult to perform Vedic ritualistic ceremonies or sacrifices perfectly. Hardly anyone can chant the Vedic mantras with perfect pronunciation or accumulate the paraphernalia for Vedic performances. Therefore the sacrifice recommended in this age is sankirtana, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah (SB 11.5.29). Instead of wasting time performing Vedic sacrifices, those who are intelligent, those who possess good brain substance, should take to the chanting of the Lord's holy name and thus perform sacrifice perfectly. I have seen that many religious leaders are addicted to performing yajnas and spending hundreds and thousands of rupees for imperfect sacrificial performances. This is a lesson for those who unnecessarily execute such imperfect sacrifices. We should take the advice of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah). Although Sukracarya was a strict brahmana addicted to ritualistic activities, he also admitted, nischidram anusankirtanam tava: "My Lord, constant chanting of the holy name of Your Lordship makes everything perfect." In Kali-yuga the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies cannot be performed as perfectly as before. Therefore Srila Jiva Gosvami has recommended that although one should take care to follow all the principles in every kind of spiritual activity, especially in worship of the Deity, there is still a chance of discrepancies, and one should compensate for this by chanting the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In our Krsna consciousness movement we therefore give special stress to the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra in all activities. SB 8.23.16 sloka and purport

On this episode of the BLISS podcast, Maitreya Rishi dasa explores and explains the very important topic of maintaining a spiritual sadhana; why it is essential, it's ultimate goal, and how to do it very nicely.

✨ Introducing Our Newest Edition of 'Matchless Gift' Magazine! 📖 hare Krishna We're thrilled to announce the release of the latest issue of our beloved magazine, 'Matchless Gift'! 🎉 Hare Krishna magazine Packed with insightful articles, captivating stories, and uplifting messages, each page of 'Matchless Gift' is crafted to inspire and enlighten readers on their spiritual journey. In this edition, delve into the timeless wisdom of the Hare Krishna tradition, explore the beauty of devotion, and discover practical insights for leading a fulfilling life. But that's not all! By subscribing to 'Matchless Gift,' you'll ensure you never miss an issue. Plus, as a subscriber, you'll gain access to exclusive content, special offers, and community updates. Don't miss out on the opportunity to enrich your spiritual journey and connect with like-minded individuals. Purchase your copy of 'Matchless Gift' today and embark on a path of enlightenment with us! 🔗 Purchase Now 💌 Subscribe now and receive your monthly dose of inspiration directly to your doorstep! Check out our other issues... Ready to buy? Click me Matchless gift

🕉️ Rama Navami Celebration at BLISS London Temple! 🕉️ Dear Devotees and Friends, You're invited to join us for the Rama Navami celebration at BLISS London Temple on April 17th at 4 pm. Here's what's on the agenda: Kirtan Prasadam Feast Lecture on Rama Navami Special Event: Installation of Srila Prabhupada Murti Date: April 17th, 2024 Time: 4:00 PM onwards Venue: BLISS London Temple All are welcome to attend. Book now to secure your spot! Hare Krishna!

This is a delicious recipe for Moong dal with coconut milk and jaggery, which can be offered to Lord Krishna according to Srila Prabhupada's standard and for the pleasure of anyone who might be fortunate enough to taste Krishna's prasadam. Remember, however sweet this preparation might be, it only tastes that good because you offered it to Krishna! Make it and distribute to friends and family; be careful not to take it all yourself (although very tempting). Ingredients 250g moong dal 2 Tbsps + 1 cup ghee Paruppu Payasam 1L + 1/2 cup of water Handful of chopped coconut Handful of cashews Handful of raisins 300 ml coconut milk 1 1/2 cup dark jaggery 1 tsp of cardamon powder 2 small pieces of medicinal camphor (optional) Pinch of salt 1 pot and 1 kadai or 2 kadai (iron wok) 1 spatula Gas stove Measuring cups Knife for cutting coconut Method Paruppu Payasam Fry the moong dal in a pot or kadai with the tbsp of ghee two minutes to remove the raw smell of the dal. Add 1 liter of water to dal and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes uncovered or until the dal is cooked till mushy. It should not be completely cooked until the point of full disintegration. Set the dal aside. In a wok or kadai, place 1 cup of ghee and heat it on medium flame until hot. You can test the temperature with the back of your hand over the ghee and feel that it is sufficiently warm. Carefully place the coconut pieces, in first and fry them for 15 seconds, and then the cashews and raisins, which cook much more quickly. Fry these dry fruits until aromatic and a few shades darker. To this add 1/2 cup of water and step back to avoid the spluttering oil. Once the spluttering oil has stopped, place the jaggery into the oil and melt it down. The water is added to help melt the jaggery. When the jaggery is melted, add the coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in the moong dal. Once boiling again, add in the cardamon powder and camphor. Mix well. Boil uncovered for another 3-4 minutes. Add 3 tbsps more of ghee once removed from the heat. Serve to Krishna and let Him enjoy for at least 15 minutes before removing the offering and serving the preparation. Hare Krishna! Learn how to offer food to Krishna in our handy e-book:

If you've attended our Sunday Love Feast at the temple, or watched the daily livestreams on Facebook, you've probably wondered what the chef devotee does when he places a plate of food on the altar, closes the curtain, rings the bell and bows down in front of the Deities to recite mantras. The devotee is offering the food to Krishna, so that it can be transformed into sacred Krishna prasadam. What is Krishna prasadam? how to offer food to The Krishna consciousness movement vigorously approves this practice of preparing food, offering it to the Deity, and distributing it to the general population. This activity should be extended universally to stop sinful eating habits as well as other behavior befitting only demons. A demoniac civilization will never bring peace to the world… . When the people take to eating only prasadam offered to the Deity, all the demons will be turned into Vaishnavas… . It is then and then only that a peaceful condition can prevail in society. Chaitanya-charitamrita (Madhya-lila, 4.93, purport) The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin. BG 3.13 A person in Krsna consciousness, engaged in devotional service, simply by the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, simply by offering regulative obeisances unto the Deity, simply by hearing the glories of the Lord, and simply by eating the remnants of foodstuffs offered to the Lord, realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead very easily. BG 12.5 You can learn how to do this at home in our handy mini e-book:

This is an article from the Matchless Gift Magazine, a monthly print and online publication full of Krishna conscious articles, essays and interviews, with original AI art, a regular comic, recipes and more. Subscribe here for just £19.99 a month! Knife Crime in London by Maitreya Rsi Dasa Jamel Boyce; a 17 year old boy who, in October of 2016, was stabbed in Clapham (a town within London) in the leg and chest in a brutal, unprovoked attack. To this day, he remains alive, but in a vegetative state. He had nothing to do with the attacker, nor was he robbed. It was simply senseless violence. The rise of so-called “zombie knives,”–serrated swords that stretch as far as an arm–has elevated the situation to new heights of ferocity as boys, some of whom are not older than children, run around with machetes in their tracksuits. Kali-yuga is the age of quarrel, hypocrisy, and degradation. Srila Prabhupada says: knife crime london With the advancement of Kali-yuga, the duration of life, bodily strength, memory, mercifulness, religious sense -- in this way everything will be reduced. (Lecture Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975) With time, the issue will only get worse. Social workers, the goverment, and police enforcement agenices are taxing their brains for solutions to the knifee crisis gripping the UK’s streets. As of yet, they have not found anything substantially helpful. In fact, one article in the Gaurdian predicts: “...while knife crime, like most crimes, can never be eradicated, it need not be understood as an intractable, cultural feature of urban life.” But the Srimad-Bhagavatam does not agree with the idea that it will not be a part of our life. In the 12th Canto of the great work, we find a description of the coming days: “...the occupations of men will be stealing, lying, and needless violence” (SB 12.2.12-16) The Srimad-Bhagavatam is full of such predictions that are becoming true day after day; such is the spotless nature of this scripture. There is an upside, though, and that will be discussed throughout this article: The Srimad-Bhagavatam also predicts the appearance of Krishna in a merciful incarnation who gives an easy process for delivering the whole world from it’s presently wretched condition. The number of knife crimes per year is only increasing. In fact, one of the most recent years had more knife crimes together than the entire decade preceding it. In the year ending March 2023, there were around 50,500 offenses involving a sharp instrument in England and Wales (excluding Devon & Cornwall). There are 45 knife offenses in the city of London every day. You might think not that’s a lot for a city of 9 million people, but a stabbing every 16 minutes in any given place is not something you jump for joy over, exactly. Yet it’s become the norm for the people of Kali-yuga. It’s not the just the frequency of the stabbings which are shocking, but the sheer brutality and animalism of them. Josh Osbourne is a former gang member, and during an street interview even he was shocked to hear that now, kids as young as 14 run around with machetes and aim for the throat and heart. “It wasn’t like that back in my day, 15-20 years ago,” says Josh. “we used to aim for non-vital areas of the body just to scare them.” Ken Hines is the founder of an independent stop and search party in Harringay, London. During a show on TalkTV he said: “I think three, four years ago, a law came out... to stop zombie knives and the purchasing or even having them in your home. And the manufacturers got around it because they removed the offensive writing that used to be on the knives.” (TalkTV) Shockingly, the above information is not at all an exaggeration. The governments’ attempt at legislation to stop the purchase of easily available zombie knives was a measly removal of some offensive writing. As if someone is going to care about the writing on the knife while it’s being lunged into their chest. If you think that “easily available” is an exaggeration, you should know that one can, at the present moment, search Amazon for machetes and zombie knifes, pay as little as 20 pounds, and get one delivered to their doorstep, with no checks for age or criminal history, and not even a signature for the Amazon delivery guy. “...some retailers continued to sell these kinds of weapons but evaded breaking the law by removing the threatening wording on the blade or handle that incites violence. Today’s announcement closes this loophole, banning these ‘zombie style’ knives and machetes that do not have this threatening writing, but are just as dangerous.” (Gov.uk) This legislation was announced in August of 2023. As of yet, it has not been passed. This means that you can still purchase and own “zombie” style knives from Amazon in as little as a few clicks. This raises the question whether or not the Government cares or at least understands the severity of the situation. Perhaps they know that this will not solve the problem. Although the UK Government's website does have a list of types of knives and weapons that are completely banned in the UK, and although the list is somewhat extensive, it doesn’t rule out kitchen knives, butter knives, or even machetes. In fact, when you look at some of the pictures of police confiscated knives, you’ll see that the majority of them are simple kitchen knives, presumably because that’s whats already lying around, and doesn’t draw a lot of attention. Of course, there’s the factor at play here that the knives are increasing in size just for show and to boost the criminal ego of some the delinquent youth, but on the whole, kitchen knives are widely used for their somewhat discreet nature, the fact that they are widely available, and that there are no laws restricting the purchase of them. So, there may be a ban on zombie knives and samurai swords, but, to be frank, I don’t really fancy having a 10” kitchen knife plunged into my throat, either. People should be using those knives to cut vegetables for Krishna and offer Him nice food instead of cutting their neighbors’ throat. That’s why we at BLISS made “How to Offer Your Food to Krishna,” a small pamphlet which teaches the process of offering to Krishna with love and devotion whatever we eat, a process which purifies the body and mind. There should be a ban on the sale of knives, even kitchen ones, unless one is a devotee of Krishna, in which case he can use the knife for the purpose it was originally created for; making Krishna prasadam (the Sanskrit word for food offered to Krishna). Regarding increased legislation as a step forward for curbing knife crime, Ken Hines says further: “It doesn’t matter what legislation you put in place, because the people who are going to get hold of them aren't the people who are law-abiding anyway or pay attention to what the law is or its consequences.” In the ‘Upadeshamrta’ of Srila Rupa Goswami we find the following injunction: “...a rascal, a foolish man, may have the experience of both hearing and seeing and may even be punished, but still he continues to steal. Even if such a person atones and is punished by the government, he will again commit theft as soon as he comes out of jail.” (NoI 1) The Government should be intelligent enough to ask, why is the phenomena occurring? How come, even though people know it’s wrong to kill, and may even be punished for it, they continue? Clearly something more is at work here. The head of the National Police Coordination centre, Mark Williams, chimes in: “I think we're seeing a better understanding of the the background of violent crime. We know that at its heart, violence comes from inequality; it comes from deprivation; it comes from poor housing and education; it comes from adverse childhood experiences; it comes from young men who've suffered often physical, emotional, sexual, or violent abuse of some sort in their younger years, and it comes from a whole host of different causes, and we know that the police alone cannot solve that issue. It has to be solved by society as a whole, by politicians, by local authorities, and by the community themselves.” It’s apparent that it’s not just about putting away the knives. After all, if someone wants to do harm, he can do it with his natural, Krishna-given weapons: his fists. So the blades are not the problem. It’s the people behind them. And, more specifically, it’s heart of the person that is dirty. It’s the unclean mind that is the breeding ground of all the evil ideas and intents that a criminal contemplates. The idle mind is a devils workshop, goes an old English saying. So, in answer to this, some suggest youth clubs or other engagements to keep young men out of gangs and gang-related activity: “Nowadays, there aren’t many youth clubs for people to go to. If there were more, a lot of young people wouldn’t be on the streets and getting up to things they shouldn’t be.” (Tristan Green, 19, from South London*) If you watch or read any report on knife crime in the UK, you’ll have a board full of experts all speaking up on how horrible it all is and how somethings got to change. They’ve found ways to minimize it and divert the criminals for some time (and who knows, perhaps they’ll graduate to white collar crime instead), but no one has found a way to purify the criminal mentality altogether, to offer something so sublime that, on mass a scale, crime is abandoned as something unnecessary and distasteful even to hardened lawbreakers. What, then, is the solution to this madness? More legislation? Stricter police enforcement? Youth workshops? Or, perhaps, this is all missing the point. It would appear we need to purify our very hearts, otherwise, our efforts for peace will be just like an elephant’s bath: an elephant takes his bath in the river, but then as soon as he reaches the bank, he throws mud all over his body again. Similarly, suppressing crime with limited material measures without addressing the lack of spiritual knowledge and higher spiritual taste will only lead, eventually, to more crime. The criminal mentality is due to a polluted heart. Originally, the soul is pure and uncontaminated by material desires. In pure consciousness, we are all blissful and full of knowledge of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When society is in such Krishna consciousness, the original consciousness of everyone, there is no crime, because everyone is self-satisfied and not in want of anything material. The Krishna consciousness movement is a movement to revive this original consciousness and thus solve the problem of crime as a natural consequence. Srila Prabhupada explains this process thus: Lieutenant Mozee: I understand you have some ideas that could help us in our efforts to prevent crime. I’d be very interested to hear them. Śrīla Prabhupāda: The difference between a pious man and a criminal is that one is pure in heart and the other is dirty. This dirt is like a disease in the form of uncontrollable lust and greed in the heart of the criminal. Today people in general are in this diseased condition, and thus crime is very widespread. When the people become purified of these dirty things, crime will disappear. The simplest process of purification is to assemble in congregation and chant the holy names of God. This is called sankirtana and is the basis of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So, if you want to stop crime, then you must gather as many people as possible for mass sankirtana. This congregational chanting of the holy name of God will dissipate all the dirty things in everyone’s heart. Then there will be no more crime." You may or may not have heard about “drill music,” a genre popular among UK youths, especially those involved with gangs. That’s right; there a whole genre of music dedicated to living a life of crime. It’s far less about melodies and instrumentation and more about the extremely provocative and violent lyrics which promote drug use, drug dealing, unlimited sexual relations, and, you guessed it, knife and gun crime. Oh, we forgot to mention, they have guns too. And while the artists of the genre themselves will not attest to violence being a result of their music (which is really not very surprising at all, since their career depends on not being partially accountable for the murders and attacks of hundreds and hundreds of people), they cannot avoid the fact that their music is glorifying, promoting, and encouraging terrible things that people deal with on a daily basis. There’s one song where a rapper proudly says “If you saw what I did one day in Brookmill park, you’d stay at home. I banged my blade, I grabbed his neck, I slashed him down, I felt his bones.” It would take some serious arguments to convince me that these lyrics didn’t have some sort of effect on the consciousness of the listener, as some advocates of the genre propitiate. So this drill is the modern sankirtana movement for the juveniles of today. The sankirtana movement of chanting the holy name of Krishna: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare was started 500 years ago by Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the golden incarnation of Lord Shri Krishna for the present iron age of Kali. His movement is a joyful one; reviving our original Krishna consciousness in the easiest way, by the congregational chanting of this great Mantra, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. By the chanting process, one associates with the supreme pure, Krishna (God) Himself. The adolescents of London are presently enjoying a perverted form of sankirtana called “drill music” which, instead of reviving their original Krishna consciousness, is awakening a consciousness of hate, murder, theft, and drug abuse. The sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya will not be foreign to them, because it uses the same elements; singing, eating, and dancing. Simply singing and dancing to Hare Krishna instead of drill, a person can transform himself from an animal to a god-conscious saint capable of delivering himself and others from the cycle of birth and death. The government is spending many thousands, if not millions of taxpayer money to combat the issues of knife crime through various programs, stop and search groups, and increased police presence. But if they simply supported this inexpensive and simple movement of chanting Hare Krishna, they would solve all the problems of crime, as well as uncountable other obstacles mankind confront. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Without religious principles, what is the difference between a dog and a man? Man can understand religion, but a dog cannot. That is the difference. So if human society remains on the level of dogs and cats, how can you expect a peaceful society? If you bring a dozen dogs and put them together in a room, will it be possible to keep them peaceful? Similarly, if human society is filled with men whose mentality is on the level of dogs, how can you expect peace? Social workers sometimes argue that the situation of these troubled young men is largely due to their karmic situation; they are born into an environment and atmosphere of violence and therefore have no option but to fight back and arm themselves with knives. As a matter of fact, one hoodlum resident of Liverpool, a young boy in an interview with a BBC news journalist, admitted: “Karma happens both ways. I know my karma is probably gonna catch up to me one day, but when it happens it happens. I'm not gonna run from it. I’m gonna fight back.” Unfortunately, this young man does not see the foolishness of the idea that you can fight with the authority of God. Krishna Himself designed the system of Karma, so how can someone expect to fight against it? It’s impossible. The fact is, there are youth clubs, and there are many other alternative activities for young people to get involved with. One could just read a book. And yet, they are not effective at solving the problem. Crime is becoming more widespread, and more severe. There’s no other way to overcome this karmic destiny in which they are entangled except the process of Krishna consciousness, by which one can transcend the limits of his karma by liberating himself from his material body and mind. One can argue that it is due to the environment and upbringing which leads young men to a life of crime, but beyond the scope of one’s environment and karma, however, is the notion that people commit crime because they suffer from a lack of knowledge of their eternal self and their real goal of life, Krishna consciousness. In fact, any person, regardless of their position in society will suffer the entanglements of his respective karma and be forced to act according to the nature he is destined to have if he fails to realize the true nature of the self. Ken Hines concurs: “A lot of these kids, they don't value their lives. There's an identity crisis. They don't know who they are...” By the simple method of sankirtana, chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and taking sumptuous prasadam, he can easily and happily understand the self. Therefore, the government should enlist the help of the Krishna devotees to distribute the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra widely so that young people can be attracted with musical entertainment and palatable foods, which will bring them very quickly to the purified state of self-realization, free from all the polluted violent ideas stocked up in the heart. This is a practical program that the BLISS South London temple is already trying to propagate throughout London. Every Saturday, the devotees of BLISS storm the streets of London and it’s suburbs with a mridanga (drum) and karatalas (hand cymbals) and chant the Hare Krishna mantra, which is received very well by the public. Even the road-men (gangsters who often are implicated in knife crime) themselves participate by clapping, dancing, and chanting. And during the week, the devotees spend the majority of their day distributing the sacred literature Bhagavad-gita to enlighten the people of the UK about Krishna. This movement is simply for the purification and upliftment of society, yet we are not met with the support we require to make it widely available. So, until that time when the Government realizes the inefficacy of their programs and the superior method of Krishna consciousness, the people of the UK with have to live in fear of machete wielding villains paroling the streets, increasing day by day. But there is a practical, perfect, and pure solution; Shri Krishna sankirtana, and the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita, as they are presented by His Divine Grace A.C Bhkativedanta Swami Prabhupada, and the BLISS devotees will continue to push these on despite all odds.

The Bliss London temple will be quieter than usual for the next three days. Why? The devotees will be sharking! So watch out, Londoners... Bliss London devotees go sharking Bhaktin Dora mataji has been appointed the Bliss Sankirtan leader, and every day she's encouraging the devotees to get more serious about distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. One should engage in practical service to the Lord. In our Krsna consciousness movement, all our activities are concentrated upon distributing Krsna literature. This is very important. One may approach any person and induce him to read Krsna literature so that in the future he also may become a devotee. Such activities are recommended in this verse. Such activities will always remind the devotees of the Lord’s lotus feet. By fully concentrating on distributing books for Krsna, one is fully absorbed in Krsna. This is samadhi. SB 10.2.37 Ahead of our upcoming group trip to Germany for Gaura Purnima at His Grace Mathura Pati Dasa's temple, the devotees will be sharking from Wednesday to Saturday. What is sharking? Like sharks, devotees waste no time in getting to the sustinence - the laksmi! The idea is that after the morning Guru Puja, devotees get ready for the day, take prasadam during the class and then head out, leaving behind the leisurely kirtan and prasadam in the temple room... With bags full of transcendental literatures and sankirtan snacks (chocolate and cheese preferable), the devotees will hit the streets of London to try and collect as much as possible before we put our temple to temporarily rest for the duration of the trip! We always need your support in running our costly London temple. If you would like to donate to help us with our temple expenditures, please kindly do so here, or better yet, why not subscribe to our monthly magazine, Matchless Gift? Each month, you help support our temple with a small contribution, and we send you a beautiful, brand new magazine with fresh art, articles and exciting literary contributions from devotees worldwide. To find out more and sign up, click here.

Srila Prabhupada here explains the basic philosophy, aim and practise of the Krishna consciousness movement. One can very easily understand that the mind is constantly flickering, changing in the quality of its thinking, feeling and willing. This is explained by Arjuna in Bhagavad-gita (6.34):How To Calm My Mind? cancalam hi manah krsna pramathi balavad drdham tasyaham nigraham manye vayor iva suduskaram The mind is cancala, flickering, and it changes very strongly. Therefore Arjuna admitted that controlling the mind is not at all possible; this would be as difficult as controlling the wind. For example, if one were in a boat moving according to the wind on a river or the sea, and the wind were uncontrollable, the tilting boat would be very much disturbed and extremely difficult to control. It might even capsize. Therefore, in the bhava-samudra, the ocean of mental speculation and transmigration to different types of bodies, one must first control the mind. By regulative practice one can control the mind, and this is the purpose of the yoga system (abhyasa-yoga-yuktena [Bg. 8.8]). But there is a chance of failure with the yoga system, especially in this age of Kali, because the yoga system uses artificial means. If the mind is engaged in bhakti-yoga, however, by the grace of Krsna one can very easily control it. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Cc. Adi 17.21]. One should chant the holy name of the Lord constantly, for the holy name of the Lord is nondifferent from Hari, the Supreme Person. By chanting the Hare Krsna mantra constantly, one can fix the mind on the lotus feet of Krsna (sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh [SB 9.4.18]) and in this way achieve the perfection of yoga. Otherwise, the flickering mind will hover on the platform of mental speculation for sense enjoyment, and one will have to transmigrate from one type of body to another because the mind is trained only in relation to the material elements, or, in other words, to sense gratification, which is false. Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan (SB 7.9.43). Rascals (vimudhan), being controlled by mental speculation, make huge arrangements by which to enjoy life temporarily, but they must give up the body at the time of death, when everything is taken away by Krsna's external energy (mrtyuh sarva-haras caham [Bg. 10.34]). At that time, whatever one has created in this life is lost, and one must automatically accept a new body by the force of material nature. In this life one may have constructed a very tall skyscraper, but in the next life, because of one's mentality, one may have to accept a body like that of a cat, a dog, a tree or perhaps a demigod. Thus the body is offered by the laws of material nature. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni janmasu (Bg. 13.22). The spirit soul takes birth in higher and lower species of life only because of his association with the three qualities of material nature. urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha madhye tisthanti rajasah jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah "Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds." (Bg. 14.18) In conclusion, the Krsna consciousness movement offers the topmost welfare activity for human society. The saner section of human society must therefore take this movement very seriously for the benefit of all humanity. To save oneself from the repetition of birth and death, one must purify his consciousness. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. One must be freed from all designations-"I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that"-and come to the platform of understanding that Krsna is the original master and we are His eternal servants. When the senses are purified and engaged in Krsna's service, one achieves the highest perfection. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. The Krsna consciousness movement is a movement of bhakti-yoga. Vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga [Cc. Madhya 6.254]. By following the principles of this movement, one becomes disassociated from material mental concoctions and is established on the original platform of the eternal relationship between the living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead as servant and master. This, in summary, is the purpose of the Krsna consciousness movement. SB 10.1.42 purport

The following passage from Srila Prabhupada's Srimad-Bhagavatam introduction describes how and why Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu began preaching his most sublime sankirtana movement. After taking sannyasa, the Lord made His headquarters at Jagannatha Puri due to the request of His mother, Srimati Sacidevi. The Lord remained for twenty-four years at Puri. For six years of this time He traveled continuously all over India (and especially throughout southern India) preaching the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Lord Caitanya not only preached the Srimad-Bhagavatam but propagated the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita as well in the most practical way. In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Sri Krsna is depicted as the Absolute Personality of Godhead, and His last teachings in that great book of transcendental knowledge instruct that one should give up all other modes of religious activities and accept Him (Lord Sri Krsna) as the only worshipable Lord. The Lord then assured that all His devotees would be protected from all sorts of sinful acts and that for them there would be no cause for anxiety. Unfortunately, despite Lord Sri Krsna's direct order and the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita, less intelligent people misunderstand Him to be nothing but a great historical personality, and thus they cannot accept Him as the original Personality of Godhead. Such men with a poor fund of knowledge are misled by many nondevotees. Thus the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita were misinterpreted even by great scholars. After the disappearance of Lord Sri Krsna there were hundreds of commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita by many erudite scholars, and almost every one of them was motivated by self-interest. Gaura Purnima Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the selfsame Lord Sri Krsna. This time, however, He appeared as a great devotee of the Lord in order to preach to the people in general, as well as to religionists and philosophers, about the transcendental position of Sri Krsna, the primeval Lord and the cause of all causes. The essence of His preaching is that Lord Sri Krsna, who appeared at Vrajabhumi (Vrndavana) as the son of the King of Vraja (Nanda Maharaja), is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is therefore worshipable by all. Vrndavana-dhama is nondifferent from the Lord because the name, fame, form and place where the Lord manifests Himself are all identical with the Lord as absolute knowledge. Therefore Vrndavana-dhama is as worshipable as the Lord. The highest form of transcendental worship of the Lord was exhibited by the damsels of Vrajabhumi in the form of pure affection for the Lord, and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends this process as the most excellent mode of worship. He accepts the Srimad-Bhagavata Purana as the spotless literature for understanding the Lord, and He preaches that the ultimate goal of life for all human beings is to attain the stage of prema, or love of God. Many devotees of Lord Caitanya like Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura, Sri Locana dasa Thakura, Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, Sri Kavikarnapura, Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati, Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and in this latter age within two hundred years, Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti, Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana, Sri Syamananda Gosvami, Sri Narottama dasa Thakura, Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura and at last Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura (our spiritual master) and many other great and renowned scholars and devotees of the Lord have prepared voluminous books and literatures on the life and precepts of the Lord. Such literatures are all based on the sastras like the Vedas, Puranas, Upanisads, Ramayana, Mahabharata and other histories and authentic literatures approved by the recognized acaryas. They are unique in composition and unrivaled in presentation, and they are full of transcendental knowledge. Unfortunately the people of the world are still ignorant of them, but when these literatures, which are mostly in Sanskrit and Bengali, come to light the world and when they are presented before thinking people, then India's glory and the message of love will overflood this morbid world, which is vainly searching after peace and prosperity by various illusory methods not approved by the acaryas in the chain of disciplic succession. SB Introduction