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In the Srimad Bhagavatam the following is explained by the father of Krsna, Vasudeva. The purport by Srila Prabhupada further elaborates on the points raised in the sloka. vrajams tisthan padaikena yathaivaikena gacchati yatha trna-jalaukaivam dehi karma-gatim gatah TRANSLATION Just as a person traveling on the road rests one foot on the ground and then lifts the other, or as a worm on a vegetable transfers itself to one leaf and then gives up the previous one, the conditioned soul takes shelter of another body and then gives up the one he had before. PURPORT This is the process of the soul's transmigration from one body to another. At the time of death, according to his mental condition, the living being is carried by the subtle body, consisting of mind, intelligence and ego, to another gross body. When higher authorities have decided what kind of gross body the living entity will have, he is forced to enter such a body, and thus he automatically gives up his previous body. Dull-minded persons who do not have the intelligence to understand this process of transmigration take for granted that when the gross body is finished, one's life is finished forever. Such persons have no brains with which to understand the process of transmigration. At the present moment there is great opposition to the Hare Krsna movement, which is being called a "brainwashing" movement. But actually the so-called scientists, philosophers and other leaders in the Western countries have no brains at all. The Hare Krsna movement is trying to elevate such foolish persons by enlightening their intelligence so that they will take advantage of the human body. Unfortunately, because of gross ignorance, they regard the Hare Krsna movement as a brainwashing movement. They do not know that without God consciousness one is forced to continue transmigrating from one body to another. Because of their devilish brains, they will next be forced to accept an abominable life and practically never be able to liberate themselves from the conditional life of material existence. How this transmigration of the soul takes place is very clearly explained in this verse. SB 10.1.40 purport

Srila Prabhupada explains how to avoid taking birth in lower life forms. One who commits sinful activities because of ignorance, tamo-guna, obtains a lower body. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni janmasu (Bg. 13.22). There are hundreds and thousands of different species of life. Why are there higher and lower bodies? One receives these bodies according to the contaminations of material nature. If in this life one is contaminated by the mode of ignorance and sinful activities (duskrti), in the next life, by the laws of nature, one will certainly get a body full of suffering. The laws of nature are not subservient to the whimsical desires of the conditioned soul. Our endeavor, therefore, should be to associate always with sattva-guna and not indulge in rajo-guna or tamo-guna (rajas-tamo-bhavah [SB 1.2.19]). Lusty desires and greed keep the living entity perpetually in ignorance and prevent him from being elevated to the platform of sattva-guna or suddha-sattva-guna. One is advised to be situated in suddha-sattva-guna, devotional service, for thus one is immune to the reactions of the three modes of material nature. SB 10.1.39 purport

The following is a description of the holy places where Krishna performed His earhtly pastimes. It is understood that Mathura City is the transcendental abode of Lord Krsna; it is not an ordinary material city, for it is eternally connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vrndavana is within the jurisdiction of Mathura, and it still continues to exist. Because Mathura and Vrndavana are intimately connected with Krsna eternally, it is said that Lord Krsna never leaves Vrndavana (vrndavanam parityajya padam ekam na gacchati). At present, the place known as Vrndavana, in the district of Mathura, continues its position as a transcendental place, and certainly anyone who goes there becomes transcendentally purified. Navadvipa-dhama is also intimately connected with Vrajabhumi. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says: sri gauda-mandala-bhumi, yeba jane cintamani, ta'ra haya vrajabhume vasa "Vrajabhumi" refers to Mathura-Vrndavana, and Gauda-mandala-bhumi includes Navadvipa. These two places are nondifferent. Therefore, anyone living in Navadvipa-dhama, knowing Krsna and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be the same personality, lives in Vrajabhumi, Mathura-Vrndavana. The Lord has made it convenient for the conditioned soul to live in Mathura, Vrndavana and Navadvipa and thus be directly connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Simply by living in these places, one can immediately come in contact with the Lord. There are many devotees who vow never to leave Vrndavana and Mathura. This is undoubtedly a good vow, but if one leaves Vrndavana, Mathura or Navadvipa-dhama for the service of the Lord, he is not disconnected from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At any rate, we must understand the transcendental importance of Mathura-Vrndavana and Navadvipa-dhama. Anyone who executes devotional service in these places certainly goes back home, back to Godhead, after giving up his body. Thus the words mathura bhagavan yatra nityam sannihito harih are particularly important. A devotee should fully utilize this instruction to the best of his ability. Whenever the Supreme Lord personally appears, He appears in Mathura because of His intimate connection with this place. Therefore although Mathura and Vrndavana are situated on this planet earth, they are transcendental abodes of the Lord. SB 10.1.28 purport

The following is a description by Srila Prabhupada of how the energy of Krishna acts in both bewildering and liberating the living entities. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8 [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]). In the Vedas it is said that the potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are called by different names, such as yogamaya and mahamaya. Ultimately, however, the Lord's potency is one, exactly as electric potency is one although it can act both to cool and to heat. The Lord's potency acts in both the spiritual and material worlds. In the spiritual world the Lord's potency works as yogamaya, and in the material world the same potency works as mahamaya, exactly as electricity works in both a heater and a cooler. In the material world, this potency, working as mahamaya, acts upon the conditioned souls to deprive them more and more of devotional service. It is said, yaya sammohito jiva atmanam tri-gunatmakam [SB 1.7.5]. In the material world the conditioned soul thinks of himself as a product of tri-guna, the three modes of material nature. This is the bodily conception of life. Because of associating with the three gunas of the material potency, everyone identifies himself with his body. Someone is thinking he is a brahmana, someone a ksatriya, and someone a vaisya or sudra. Actually, however, one is neither a brahmana, a ksatriya, a vaisya nor a sudra; one is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord (mamaivamsah), but because of being covered by the material energy, mahamaya, one identifies himself in these different ways. When the conditioned soul becomes liberated, however, he thinks himself an eternal servant of Krsna. Jivera 'svarupa' haya-krsnera 'nitya-dasa.' [Cc. Madhya 20.108]. When he comes to that position, the same potency, acting as yogamaya, increasingly helps him become purified and devote his energy to the service of the Lord. In either case, whether the soul is conditioned or liberated, the Lord is supreme. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (9.10), mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram: it is by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that the material energy, mahamaya, works upon the conditioned soul. prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate "The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities which are in actuality carried out by nature." (Bg. 3.27) Within conditioned life, no one has freedom, but because one is bewildered, being subject to the rule of mahamaya, one foolishly thinks himself independent (ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]). But when the conditioned soul becomes liberated by executing devotional service, he is given a greater and greater chance to relish a relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in different transcendental statuses, such as dasya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vatsalya-rasa and madhurya-rasa. Thus the Lord's potency, visnu-maya, has two features -- avaranika and unmukha. When the Lord appeared, His potency came with Him and acted in different ways. She acted as yogamaya with Yasoda, Devaki and other intimate relations of the Lord, and she acted in a different way with Kamsa, Salva and other asuras. By the order of Lord Krsna, His potency yogamaya came with Him and exhibited different activities according to the time and circumstances. Karyarthe sambhavisyati. Yogamaya acted differently to execute different purposes desired by the Lord. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.13), mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah. The mahatmas, who fully surrender to the lotus feet of the Lord, are directed by yogamaya, whereas the duratmas, those who are devoid of devotional service, are directed by mahamaya. SB 10.1.25 purport

In 1977, Srila Prabhupada wrote the following in his Srimad bhagavatam commentary. The same applies to today's events when the two super powers USA and Russia are flirting with the idea of nuclear armageddon. When the world is overburdened by unnecessary military arrangements and when various demoniac kings are the executive heads of state, this burden causes the appearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (4.7): yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham "Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion -- at that time I appear Myself." When the residents of this earth become atheistic and godless, they descend to the status of animals like dogs and hogs, and thus their only business is to bark among themselves. This is dharmasya glani, deviation from the goal of life. Human life is meant for attaining the highest perfection of Krsna consciousness, but when people are godless and the presidents or kings are unnecessarily puffed up with military power, their business is to fight and increase the military strength of their different states. Nowadays, therefore, it appears that every state is busy manufacturing atomic weapons to prepare for a third world war. Such preparations are certainly unnecessary; they reflect the false pride of the heads of state. The real business of a chief executive is to see to the happiness of the mass of people by training them in Krsna consciousness in different divisions of life. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah (Bg. 4.13). A leader should train the people as brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras and engage them in various occupational duties, thus helping them progress toward Krsna consciousness. Instead, however, rogues and thieves in the guise of protectors arrange for a voting system, and in the name of democracy they come to power by hook or crook and exploit the citizens. Even long, long ago, asuras, persons devoid of God consciousness, became the heads of state, and now this is happening again. The various states of the world are preoccupied with arranging for military strength. Sometimes they spend sixty-five percent of the government's revenue for this purpose. But why should people's hard-earned money be spent in this way? Because of the present world situation, Krsna has descended in the form of the Krsna consciousness movement. This is quite natural, for without the Krsna consciousness movement the world cannot be peaceful and happy. SB 10.1.17 purport

Material opulence is so bewildering that it makes even a learned, self-controlled man forget to search for the goal of self-realization. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, the Lord of the universe, can see everything by His will. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him. Purport The words ko vicaṣṭe gatim ātmano yathā indicate that when one is puffed up by the false prestige of possessing material opulence, he certainly neglects the goal of self-realization. This is the position of the modern world. Because of so-called scientific improvements in material opulence, people have entirely given up the path of self-realization. Practically no one is interested in God, one’s relationship with God or how one should act. Modern men have altogether forgotten such questions because they are mad for material possessions. If this kind of civilization continues, the time will soon come when the Supreme Personality of Godhead will take away all the material opulences. Then people will come to their senses.

There is often a lot of confusion regarding finding out a bona fide spiritual teacher among spiritual aspirants. Should one browse a catalog of gurus? Search on Google? Or is it simpler than that? The following purport from Srila Prabhupada illuminated the issue very clearly. The great sage Narada overheard this news, and understanding all the activities of Dhruva Maharaja, he was struck with wonder. He approached Dhruva, and touching the boy’s head with his all-virtuous hand, he spoke as follows. PURPORT When Dhruva Maharaja was talking with his mother, Suniti, of all the incidents that had taken place in the palace, Narada was not present. Thus the question may be raised how Narada overheard all these topics. The answer is that Narada is trikala-jna; he is so powerful that he can understand the past, future and present of everyone’s heart, just like the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, after understanding the strong determination of Dhruva Maharaja, Narada came to help him. It may be explained in this way: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in everyone’s heart, and as soon as He understands that a living entity is serious about entering devotional service, He sends His representative. In this way Narada was sent to Dhruva Maharaja. This is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija: by the grace of the spiritual master and Krsna, one can enter into devotional service. Because of Dhruva Maharaja’s determination, Krsna, the Supersoul, immediately sent His representative, Narada, to initiate him.

This article by Bhaktin reena explains one of the most commonly asked questions in Krishna consciousness; why are we here? Why did God's expansions come under the influence of Lord's materialistic energy Maya? Living entities are not direct expansions of the Lord. There are variegated energies or classification like tattvas. We get the information from the Acharyas and scriptures. The swamsha expansions are direct expansions and Vibhinnamsha are the living entities or jivas not under the category of Vishnu murtis or direct expansions. The devatas are empowered entities of Parabrahman. There are qualitative manifestations as well. The jivas with covered consciousness or avidya belong to the marginal potency or jiva tattva. They are fallible or carry the tendency to be covered by avidya or ignorance the result of which is karma bandhan or bondage in the worldly existence due to the influence of material qualities. In jiva tattva we have nitya baddhas or eternally conditioned souls. There are nitya muktas/siddhas divided into sadhana siddha and kripa siddha. The muktas are liberated from karmic bondage through spiritual practices or sadhana or are specially favoured by the Lord and His devotees or eternal associates. The baddha jivas are least attracted to the knowledge of self being engrossed in deep sense gratification due to lack of sukriti or spiritual merit of the soul. Such souls seek perpetual happiness on the mundane platform and are forever entrapped by the illusory potency of maya or material nature. This enchantress plays various tricks to keep the soul engaged in the shackles of worldly duties and responsibilities through attachments and affection of family life and society or nation that warrants sincere attention and continued devotion of the soul till it is encased in the body. However, the grace of a bonafide spiritual master helps such a soul to realise the flickering nature of this material world and think about the eternal self. Attraction to the lotus feet of Lord Hari is the only hope for the soul in order to free itself from perpetual suffering in this material world.

God expresses His identity in the Bible, the sacred text of the western world, but the meaning of His statement to Moses, a great prophet, has remained cryptic to biblically scholars since it was written. Bhakta Herakles, however, has found the answer decoded in the ancient Srimad-Bhagavatam and explained by Srila Prabhupada. "... All the answers are there in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. You will simply have to study these books to find out the answers..." Letter to Bali-mardana and Sudama written from Tittenhurst, UK 3rd October 1969 In the old testament, there is the story of Moses, to whom God appears in the form of an inexhaustible burning bush. He gives Moses instructions on how to take the Israelites out of Egypt. However, Moses doubts that the Israelites won't believe him about this divine revelation and therefore asks God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" To this question, God gives His name in the most enigmatic fashion: "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14 — American Standard Version (ASV) This "name" given by God to Moses, has puzzled biblical scholars for centuries. I remember watching a documentary about this subject as a teenage and the scholars came up with all sorts of concocted interpretations and some of them would be very hilarious such as "God could be a 'comma', because it is present between I AM (,) THAT I AM. Even Indian philosophers of the Advaita Vedanta school has given their interpretation about this. Nisargadatta Maharaj explains this as" an abstraction in the mind of the Stateless State, of the Absolute, or the Supreme Reality, called Parabrahman: it is pure awareness, prior to thoughts, free from perceptions, associations, memories." However, interestingly enough, we can find a similar statement in relation to the biblical verse in the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam. The second Canto of the Bhagavatam, which describes the process of material creation, contains the narration of how Lord Brahma takes birth from the lotus flower which emanates from the navel of Garbhodakasayi Visnu. There was complete darkness in the universe because Brahmaji was the first created living being. He tried to find the origins of his existence but in vain. Therefore upon hearing the word "Tapa", he meditates for 1000 celestial years and when the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes very pleased with him, manifests Himself. He gives Brahma the Srimad Bhagavatam in 4 verses during the beginning of creation and it is known as the Catushloki Bhagavatam (2.9.33-36), which was expanded by Krishna Dvaipayana Vyas into 18000 verses. In the first verse of the catushloki, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says: "Brahmā, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead." An extract of Srila Prabhupada’s beautiful explanation of this verse: "We should note very carefully that the Personality of Godhead is addressing Lord Brahmā and specifying with great emphasis Himself, pointing out that it is He, the Personality of Godhead, who existed before the creation, it is He only who maintains the creation, and it is He only who remains after the annihilation of the creation. Brahmā is also a creation of the Supreme Lord. The impersonalist puts forth the theory of oneness in the sense that Brahmā — also being the same principle of “I,” because he is an emanation from the I, the Absolute Truth — is identical with the Lord, the principle of I, and that there is thus nothing more than the principle of I, as explained in this verse. Accepting the argument of the impersonalist, it is to be admitted that the Lord is the creator I and that the Brahmā is the created I. Therefore there is a difference between the two I’s, namely the predominator I and the predominated I. Therefore there are still two I’s, even accepting the argument of the impersonalist. But we must note carefully that these two I’s are accepted in the Vedic literature (Kaṭhopaniṣad) in the sense of quality. The Kaṭhopaniṣad says: nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān The creator I and the created I are both accepted in the Vedas as qualitatively one because both of them are nityas and cetanas. But the singular I is the creator I, and the created I’s are of plural number because there are many I’s like Brahmā and those generated by Brahmā. It is the simple truth. The father creates or begets a son, and the son also creates many other sons, and all of them may be one as human beings, but, at the same time from the father, the son and the grandsons are all different. The son cannot take the place of the father, nor can the grandsons. Simultaneously the father, the son and the grandson are one and different also. As human beings they are one, but as relativities they are different. Therefore the relativities of the creator and the created or the predominator and the predominated have been differentiated in the Vedas by saying that the predominator I is the feeder of the predominated I’s, and thus there is a vast difference between the two principles of I." In short, the real I is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and can be considered to be the name of the Lord. He is the only entity who existed before the creation (before we could even say 'I exist') and will continue to exist even after annihilation of the whole cosmic manifestation. His identity is Absolute whereas our identity is dependant on his existence and therefore relative. Our understanding of 'I' and 'mine' in relation to this material universe is just an illusion due to our false ego. This is what God means when He discloses to Moses about His identity (I Am What I Am) and this concept can be clearly understood only by studying the Srimad Bhagavatam under the guidance of a pure devotee of the Lord.

Because Krishna appears to be just like an ordinary human being, people often mistake Him as such and erroneously think His body to be material, just like ours. However, this is not the case, as will be scientifically explained in this nice article by Bhaktin Reena Menon. Yes. Lord Krishna is the adi-purusha, the sat chit ananda swarupa.. Eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. He is super conscious spirit. Omnipresent and omnipotent. Our material bodies are made of 5 gross elements and are subject to birth, death, old age and disease. We are neither omnipotent nor omniscient. We, as part and parcel of Parabrahman Krishna possess similar divine bodies as sat chit ananda swarup in our original state devoid of material body and qualities. However we belong to His marginal potency with an inherent tendency to fall in material consciousness. Lord Krishna on the other hand is achyuta Or infallible. He is eternally free from material contamination being the Supreme Brahman. Lord Krishna's divine leelas and killing of ferocious demons right from His divine appearance is a proof of His eternal divine body. Foolish persons or people who are conditioned in material consciousness speculate the Lord's activities and conclude them to be that of a mortal. Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita says that His appearance, disappearance and activities are all divine and those who conclude it as birth, death and activities based on karmic bondage are certainly in illusion. Lord Krishna reveals Himself only to His unalloyed devotees. No amount of austerity, severe penance, charity or good karma can equate pure devotional service in the heart of a bhakta. Pure devotion unto His lotus feet is the only shelter and way to attain salvation.

An article by Bhaktin Reena Whatever Lord Krishna has done, Lord Vishu could have done it in his original form. The original form of Vishnu is krishna.. The Supreme Lord krishna is eternally present in Goloka dham, the highest spiritual abode and He is manifested as Himself in this material world as an incarnation of Vishnu but is known as Purnavatar because He displayed His potencies that cannot be comprehended by the material consciousness. Lord Krishna is a mystery to everyone. His activities cannot be understood even by great devatas like Lord Shiva what to speak of ordinary human beings with limited mindset. This incarnation is very special. The most special. He is even unknown to the Voidists, impersonalists.. what to speak of agnostics, atheists and those who are from abrahmic faiths. Even the Vishnu bhaktas may not fully grasp the prema aspect of Lord krishna and it is basically because it is another stream in the same ocean of pure love of God. In Goloka dham, the reverential aspect is transcended by the pure associates of the Supreme Lord. This is the highest form of consciousness and it cannot be comprehended easily by everyone on the spiritual path. The Lord knows His devotees. All the pure devotees of Lord Vishnu are equally worshippable and are favoured by Lord Shiva Himself who states the same to Mata Parvati in Padma Puran. Hence, all Acharyas who are pure devotees of the Lord under Vaishnava traditions are worthy of all respects and humble prayers.

There is often confusion among casual readers of the Vedas as to whether God is impersonal or not, so in the article Bhaktin Reena explains the difference aspects of God, known as Brahman, as described in the Vedic literature. In advaita vedanta the absolute truth is impersonal or formless without any attributes. Personal brahman is known as saguna brahman or brahman who accepts attributes and forms. This is the difference between personal and impersonal brahman according to advaita. Advaita rejects the original transcendental form of the absolute. They understand brahman through the process of negation. This means brahman according to advaita is just negation of material dualities and any attribute. Hence, they consider personal brahman as a temporary manifestation or subordinate to impersonal brahman. The impersonal brahman is the Supreme divine light and the aspirants of advaita want to merge in this light and kill their individual identity. This is kaivalya Or liberation for them. Liberation means freedom from identity, activities and attributes. The kevala advaitins believe that the impersonal brahman assumes a material form and allows maya or illusion to cover it's consciousness. They do not differentiate between jiva and Paramatma. This one undifferentiated brahman is the cause and result of all that is. This means all jivas are part of undifferented brahman covered in maya and since brahman cannot be differentiated or it's variegated energies are not recognised in kevala advaita, the absolute truth itself has assumed the forms of jivas due to covered consciousness. They believe they are God and revival of their dormant consciousness about this identity will free them from the temporary material form. This is liberation for them. In reality according to scriptures there are three conceptions of the absolute truth namely the impersonal brahman, the all-pervading supersoul or Paramatma and the Supreme Person or Bhagavan. The impersonal Brahman is the transcendental effulgence which are the bodily rays emanating from the sat chit ananda swarupa Bhagavan. All the three features of the absolute are compared with the sun, sunlight and the presiding deity of the sun Vivasvan. The brahman feature is compared to the sunlight. As we move closer to analysing the nature of the absolute, we realise that the Bhagavan feature is the ultimate just as we move closer to knowing the sun we realise that the presiding deity or the controller is the ultimate. The Bhagavan feature is the Supreme Personality of Godhead with superconsciousness and the source of unlimited divine attributes. All divine forms are His expansions. The jivatmas belong to His marginal energy with chances of being covered in material consciousness. Hence, personal feature of the absolute is the original reality. The jivatmas cannot kill their individual identity because service is an indispensable nature of the jiva. Hence, curtailing or artificially suppressing the natural service attitude would be detrimental to the spiritual advancement of the jiva. The real pleasure lies in serving the absolute. This pleasure is many million times superior to the pleasure attained by the advaitins.