>Dear Madhudvisa, > >How does Hindu Tantric Tradition compare to Krishna Consciousness? The entire >tantric scheme seems blasphemous and passion-infested to me. Tantra describes >Krishna as a golden incarnation of Vishnu that was excited by passion into a >black color. It is in this form that he then proceeded to enchant all of the >women of the world. Parallels can be drawn between this claim and the various >paintings that I have seen on the web pertaining to Krishna and the Gopis. How >accurate is this tantric claim, and why is Krishna so often seen engaging in >semi-sexual acts with Gopis (such as undressing them and swimming with them)? >I had imagined that Krishna would be above such lusty acts, as you state that >he is origin of consciousness far above human passion. How does Radha play >into this picture. Is she an actual real entity, or is she more of an aspect >of Krishna himself (similar to the female aspects of the demigods). How does >she compare to the other devotees of Krishna: is she more a part of Krishna >than the other devotees, or is she similar to all of the other devotees? >What do you think of the Hindu trinity? Where is the Srimad Bhagvatam in the >grand scheme of Hindu literature? Who is Lord Ganesha, and what does he stand >for and do as a demigod? How are you able to determine the true path out of >all the confusion that seems to stem from Hindu tradition? Thank you for your >response! > > Dear Phillip Hello. Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!! As for understanding Krishna's pastimes with the gopis (the cowheard girls of Vrndavana) it is not an easy thing to understand. In fact it is the most confidential knowledge. We compare Krishna's acts with our own acts, so when Krishna is dancing with the gopis we think it's out of lust on Krishna's part... But actually it's pure love. Everything that exists here in the material world has it's origin in the spiritual world, in Krishna. So here there are some feelings between men and women, there are also feelings between Krishna and His devotees in the spiritual world. But it is a completely different nature to the lusty feelings between a boy and a girl in the material world. One should not discuss the pastimes of Krishna, particularly His pastimes with the gopis, unless he is somewhat advanced in Krishna consciousness and then he will not discuss them in public as people will misunderstand Krishna and think He is a women-hunter, etc as the tantric school does... So the recomendation is one should first study and assimilate the first 9 canto's of the Srimad Bhagavatam and only then should one read the tenth canto which describes the pastimes of Krishna when He was present on this planet 5,000 years ago.... So I would suggest you study the first 9 cantos of the Bhagavatam and understand Krishna as He manifests Himself in the material energy, how He creates the material world and the pastimes of His incarnations and devotees... That is the only way to understand Krishna really, one must make a systematic study from the first canto up... Of course so many go straight to the tenth canto and completely misunderstand the whole thing... As for the position of the Bhagavatam in the Vedic literature, it is the paramahamsa-samhita, the literature for the topmost souls. All the Vedas were written down by Srila Vyasadeva and still he was unsatisfied, so his spiritual master, Narada Muni appeared and Srila Vyasadeva asked him why he was dejected after writing such a large number of books... So Narada Muni replied he had given so much philosophy but he had not clearly described the pastimes of Krishna... He had given so many ritualistic performances but neglected the real point... developing love for Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead... So then Srila Vyasadeva wrote Srimad Bhagavtam... It is the topmost Vedic literature... Ganesh happend to be the scribe for Vyasadeva, he wrote down the Mahabarata, and perhaps the rest of the Vedic literature as well... Of course in India the Hindus worship so many demigods like Ganesh and even devotees of Krishna sometimes worship Ganesh to remove the problems on the path of Krishna consciousness... But we understand the demigods are all part and parcel of Krishna, all assisting hands of Krishna... So by worshiping Krishna all the demigods are also satisfied... So we just worship Krishna. It simplifies everything and it is the intelligant thing to do... But that doesn't mean we disrespect the demigods... They are all great devotees and have very important services to perform in the upkeep of the universal order... The Hindu Trinity, Radha, And the confusion of the Hindu system will have to wait a little as I have to go now... But there will be no confusion if you continue reading the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada... He has the amazing ability to explain everything so clearly the confusion will evaporate like mist as the sun rises... Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!! Madhudvisa dasa