Krishna Says “I am…”
As we continue reading the Seventh Chapter of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is we find Krishna explaining Himself to His friend Arjuna.
O son of Kunti [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man. (Bhagavad-gita 7.8)
Here we can see how Krishna can be understood by both His spirtual and His material energies. Even if one does not have spiritual vision still Krishna can be preliminarily perceived by His different energies, and in this way He is realized impersonally.
As the sun god is a person in the sun planet and he can be perceived in an impersonal way by his all-pervading energy, the sunshine, similarly, Krishna, although in His eternal abode, is perceived by His all-pervading, diffusive energies.
The taste of water is the active principle of water. No one likes to drink sea water because the pure taste of water is mixed with salt. Attraction for water depends on the purity of the taste, and this pure taste is one of the energies of Krishna.
The impersonalist perceives the presence of the Lord in water by its taste, and the personalist also glorifies the Lord for His kindly supplying water to quench man’s thirst. That is the way of perceiving the Supreme.
Practically speaking, there is no conflict between personalism and impersonalism. One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction. Therefore Lord Caitanya established His sublime doctrine: acintya-bheda and abheda-tattvam–simultaneously one and different.
The light of the sun and the moon is also originally emanating from the brahmajyoti, which is the impersonal effulgence of the Lord. Similarly pranava or the omkara transcendental sound used in the beginning of every Vedic hymn to address the Supreme Lord also emanates from Him. Because the impersonalists are very much afraid of addressing the Supreme Lord Krishna by His innumerable names, they prefer to vibrate the transcendental sound omkara. But they do not realize that omkara is the sound representation of Krishna. The jurisdiction of Krishna consciousness extends everywhere, and one who knows Krishna consciousness is blessed. Those who do not know Krishna are in illusion, and so knowledge of Krishna is liberation, and ignorance of Him is bondage.
I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics. (Bhagavad-gita 7.9)
Everything in the material world has a certain flavor or fragrance, as the flavor and fragrance in a flower, or in the earth, in water, in fire, in air, etc.
The uncontaminated flavor, the original flavor, which permeates everything, is Krishna. Similarly, everything has a particular original taste, and this taste can be changed by the mixture of chemicals. So everything original has some smell, some fragrance, and some taste.
Fire is Krishna and without fire we cannot run factories, we cannot cook, etc. The heat in the fire is Krishna. According to Vedic medicine, indigestion is due to a low temperature in the belly. So even for digestion fire is needed.
In Krishna consciousness we become aware that earth, water, fire, air and every active principle, all chemicals and all material elements are due to Krishna.
The duration of man’s life is also due to Krishna.
Therefore by the grace of Krishna, man can prolong his life or diminish it. So Krishna consciousness is active in every sphere.
O son of Prtha, know that I am the original seed of all existences, the intelligence of the intelligent, and the prowess of all powerful men. (Bhagavad-gita 7.10)
Krishna is the seed of everything. In contact with material nature, the seed fructifies into various living entities, movable and inert. Birds, beasts, men and many other living creatures are moving living entities; trees and plants, however, are inert—they cannot move, but only stand.
Every entity is contained within the scope of 8,400,000 species of life; some of them are moving and some of them are inert. In all cases, however, the seed of their life is Krishna.
As stated in Vedic literature, Brahman, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is that from which everything is emanating. Krishna is Parabrahman, the Supreme Spirit. Brahman is impersonal and Parabrahman is personal. Therefore, originally, Krishna is the source of everything. He is the root.
As the root of a tree maintains the whole tree, Krishna, being the original root of all things, maintains everything. This is also confirmed in the Vedic literature. “The Supreme Absolute Truth is that from which everything is born.” He is the prime eternal among all eternals. He is the supreme living entity of all living entities, and He alone is maintaining all life.
Krishna also says that He is the root of all intelligence. Unless a person is intelligent he cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.
I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles, O Lord of the Bharatas [Arjuna]. (Bhagavad-gita 7.11)
The strong man’s strength should be applied to protect the weak, not for personal aggression. Similarly, sex life, according to religious principles (dharma), should be for the propagation of children, not otherwise. The responsibility of parents is then to make their children Krishna conscious.
All states of being—be they of goodness, passion or ignorance—are manifested by My energy. I am, in one sense, everything—but I am independant. I am not under the modes of this material nature. (Bhagavad-gita 7.12)
All material activities in the world are being conducted under the three modes of material nature. Although these material modes of nature are emanations from the Supreme Lord, Krishna, He is not subject to them.
Under the state laws one may be punished, but the king, the lawmaker, is not subject to that law. Similarly, all the modes of material nature—goodness, passion and ignorance—are emanations from the Supreme Lord Krishna, but Krishna is not subject to material nature. Therefore these modes of nature, although issuing from Him, do not affect Him. That is one of the special characteristics of Bhagavan, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me who am above the modes and inexhaustible. (Bhagavad-gita 7.13)
The whole world is enchanted by the three modes of material nature. Those who are bewildered by these modes of nature cannot understand that transcendental to this material nature is the Supreme Lord, Krishna.
By nature living entities have particular types of body and particular types of psychic and biological activities accordingly.
There are four classes of men functioning in the three material modes of nature. Those who are purely in the mode of goodness are called brahmanas. Those who are purely in the mode of passion are called ksatriyas. Those who are in the modes of both passion and ignorance are called vaisyas. Those who are completely in ignorance are called sudras. And those who are less than that are animals or animal life. However, these designations are not permanent. I may either be a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or whatever—in any case, this life is temporary. But although life is temporary and we do not know what we are going to be in the next life, still, by the spell of this illusory energy, we consider ourselves in the light of this bodily conception of life, and we thus think that we are American, Indian, Russian or brahmana, Hindu, Muslim, etc. And if we become entangled with the modes of material nature, then we forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is behind all these modes.
So Lord Krishna says that men, deluded by these three modes of nature, do not understand that behind the material background is the Supreme Godhead.
There are many different kinds of living entities—human beings, demigods, animals, etc.—and each and every one of them is under the influence of material nature, and all of them have forgotten the transcendent Personality of Godhead. Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance, and even those who are in the mode of goodness, cannot go beyond the impersonal Brahman conception of the Absolute Truth. They are bewildered before the Supreme Lord in His personal feature, which possesses all beauty, opulence, knowledge, strength, fame and renunciation.
When even those who are in goodness cannot understand, what hope is there for those in passion and ignorance?
Krishna consciousness is transcendental to all these three modes of material nature, and those who are truly established in Krishna consciousness are actually liberated.
About the Author
Madhudvisa dasa My first contact with a Hare Krishna was a most merciful Mataji in Oxford Street, London who sold me a "Higher Taste" cook book in 1984 while I was on holidays there. I started seriously reading Srila Prabhupada's books in Australia 1985 and by 1986 Srila Prabhupada had convinced me "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and "we should surrender to Krishna." I joined the Hare Krishnas in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. Since then I have been chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching as much as I can. That's my life and full-time occupation now really. I like it more than anything I've ever experienced before. Srila Prabhupada's books are so amazing... Even after reading them all many times they're still fresh and new. They are truly transcendental! That's it really. Now I'm just hankering to once again see the world chant Hare Krishna, dance and feast and float away in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement as it did in Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. Let the whole world drown in the ecstatic flood of love of Krishna!
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Hare Krsna prabhu thanks for this kind of enlightment regard Bahagvad gita
Why human being is born when the ultimate goal as per Krishna consciousness is to liberate self from material World that God (Krishna)has created.What will happen to the world if all crimes were to vanish.We will not be needing security system if every human being were to become Saint;millions of people will go jobless. Bhagwat Gita was revealed to mankind on the battlefield why?
Don’t worry, there will always be plenty of sinful people to fill the material world. And even if somehow there are not Krishna can close down the material world. It is not important. The material world is manifested by Krishna as the result of our desires to enjoy separately from Him. So if none of the living entities wanted to enjoy separately from serving Krishna then there would be no reason for Krishna to manifest the material world. It is not such an important thing. It is like a big sand pit for us to play in.
Hare Krishna Prabhu JI,
PAMHO,
Prabhu jI I HAVE A QUESTION I DONT KNOW IT IS RELEVANT OR NOT…
BUT I HAVE TO ASK….
I have a seen a dream , same dream several times…. A dream of earthquake happens and then I started chanting of Hare Krishna in dream….
This dream I’ve seen several times I don’t know why…..
can you please guide me in this……
Thank you Prabhu ji
Hare Krishna
Hari Bol
Hare Krishna Aashish
Dreams are not very important. But it is very nice that even in your dream when you see some dangerous situation you are chanting Hare Krishna. That is very nice, chanting Hare Krishna even in your dreams!
So keep on advancing in Krishna consciousness more and more by strictly following the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] and chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day. We do not take much notice of dreams. It is mostly imagination, rubbish. Not important. But if you can be serving Krishna and chanting Hare Krishna in your dreams that is very good.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa Dasa
I just want to say. Keep these lessons coming. They are so helpful and reading them every few days is another tool to help remain Krishna Conscious.
Blessings
Haribol
Cello
hare krsna dandvat pranam pg.
when we commit sins unwillingly then what should we do ?
because sometimes we try to stop ourself to look something wrong like vulger pictures, billboard and so many things as u know prji. my que. is related to lust. what to do after that. because i feel very sad and very guilty after that ? and not able to do properly my sadhna…..
We have to become Krishna conscious and then we will not be interested in these things. And the beginning point, the starting point in becoming Krishna conscious is chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, strictly following the four regulative principles (no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication) and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours per day. If you really seriously follow these points strictly then very soon you will no longer feel these lusty desires.
Even if the lusty desires are there the solution is to chant Hare Krishna and distract your mind from the lusty things and attract your mind to Krishna. The only way we can become free from lusty desires is by developing our love for Krishna. And that is done by hearing and chanting about Krishna.
So chant Hare Krishna, read Srila Prabhupada’s books and follow the regulative principles. If you do these things then quickly all your problems will be solved.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
hare krishna prabhu ji, i want to ask that if someone ask that how much round you have done can i tell him or not?
yes. it is not a secret.
hare Krishna madhudvisa dasa prabhu ji,
I want to ask you that can I discontinue my round and continue it after some time due to some reasons.please help me.
We do not continue partial rounds. When you do not chant a complete round just forget about it and start chanting again at the beginning next time. Chanting more than 16 rounds a day is not a problem. Chanting less is a problem. So a few extra mantras chanted here and there is good. So if you do not complete a round just ignore that and start chanting that round again when you start chanting again.
Hare Krishna prabhu ji I want to know if maya is material(jad) and we human beings are energy(Chetan) still maya control us .How it is happened?
Hare Krishna Rahul
Maya is not material. Maya is a person. Maya is spiritual. A spiritual force. Maya actually means ‘that which is not’. So we can say maya means illusion. What maya does in this material world is she presents us with a very convincing illusion and convinces us that it is possible to be happy in this illusory material world without Krishna. Basically the illusion of the material world is that we can enjoy here, we can become the master, we can become great, we can become the leader, we can enjoy here. You know. On and on and on until ultimately we think we can become God.
This is all maya. The illusion that we can be happy separate from serving Krishna is maya. Actually we are servants of Krishna. That is our purpose. That is all we can do. And when we are favorably serving Krishna we are happy. There is no other way for us to be happy.
So anyhow as soon as we don’t want to serve Krishna then we become overpowered by mahamaya. Actually when we are serving Krishna we are overpowered by yogamaya… So even when we are serving Krishna in the spiritual world we are under the power of yogamaya. But Yogamaya acts to enhance our service and relationship with Krishna and mahamaya acts to cover our intelligence and hide Krishna from us.
Anyhow it is all a great science and if you want to learn it actually you have to read the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada..
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji
i am going to nanitaal, for 3days and there is no one to worship or take care of my ladoo Gopal, so can i take him with me? I have a medium sized couch or u may say bed and a swing of him, i cant carry the swing in my handbag (handbag is silk inside and velvet out) but can carry asans and couch. So shall i carry him with me or not???
at some time of month i am not able to worship him (i don’t have a proper Sri vigrah), but i join my hands in front of him and pray, is that okay???
deep respect
thankyou
hare Krishna
Yes. You can take your Ladoo Gopal with you and worship Him whereever you are.
Thanx
hare Krishna
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji
so, Krishna consciousness is higher than these three modes of material nature, right???
goodness is brahmana means the one who donates, dose good karma, etc…( I’m not clear about it)
passion is Kshatriya means the ones who have to fulfill there dutys like protection of society, leadership,i will do or die kind of…etc…
ignorance and passion is vaisaya means the one who has to lead, and earn money…like living for fulfilment of needs.. the people like business persons
( i got all this in my head from your article “horrible indian caste system” and its picture representing all this.. It was nice! )
ignorance means the people who don’t know aim of there lives and are living like…like aimlessly..not leadership..nor interested in god kind of…just living like animals ( donkeys !!)
please let me be clear about this and advice me a book of srila prabhupada on this, i think karm yog ???
Krishna consciousness is the bliss, highest level of happiness !!! Can NEVER be Compared with these modes…
No caste system required, right !! ???
Thanx
Hare Krishna
Radhey Radhey !!!
i think krishna movement must establish satelite chanel
and expand krishna culture around the world.
Hare Krishna Prabhu… I have a doubt since childhood.. who created all these words and different languages? is it that it just came out of nowhere or Krishna created them? it becomes difficult to think that one particular human being created some words and started asigning meanings to it? even if that is the case there should be some language to begin with.. ok if we think that Sanskrit is the original language, but then how can it happen that everyone in a region start deriving some words out of it and universally accept its meaning? This strange thought was creating disturbance in my mind many times.. cos i feel r these words what i speak are some mere created sounds or they really mean objectively what we mean it.. please clarify my doubt…
thanking you
with regards
Hare Krishna Sanjay
You need to read Srila Prabhupada’s books. The creation of the universe is very elaborately described in Srimad-Bhagavatam. If you simply study Srimad-Bhagavatam then you will understand everything about the creation.
As far as language, yes, Sanskrit is the original language, and there was a time when there was one world King and one world language. But over time everything has been separated and all the different languages have developed. It just happens over time. If the people are separated by large distances and there is no travel and the people are not mixing with each other then over time the language changes. So everyone’s language became different.
The words in these languages are just sounds and there is no absolute meaning to them. The same thing can be called by many different names in many different languages. So these many different names have no relationship to the actual thing. The names are only useful because it is a shared thing by the people who speak that language. They all accept that the wet stuff that comes out of the sky when it is raining is called ‘water’. So the name ‘water’ is useful for them because it is shared knowledge, that ‘water’ means that wet stuff. But there is no real actual connection with the word ‘water’ and the substance ‘water’.
That is the difference between material sound and spiritual sound. With material sound there is a difference between the name of something and the actual substance. So the name ‘water’ is different from the substance that is referred to by the name ‘water’. But this is not the case with the names of God. For example the name “Krishna” is Krisha. If you tried chanting ‘water water water’ that would never enable you to taste the actual water. Because the name water is different from water. But if you were to chant ‘Krishna Krishna Krishna’ then ultimately you would experience Krishna in person. Because the name of Krishna is Krishna.
That is why we chant the Hare Krishna mantra, because the name of Krishna is Krishna, and chanting Hare Krishna is personal association with Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna
The contents of newsletter “Krishna says” are excellent, however I could not understand the concepts of “Personalist ” and “Impersonalist”. Similarly I could not get the concept stated in following lines.
“All the modes of material nature—goodness, passion and ignorance—are emanations from the Supreme Lord Krishna, but Krishna is not subject to material nature. ”
Will you please explain them.
regards
Hare Krishna Sulabha
Thank you for reading the newsletter and for the nice questions.
There are two types of transcendentalists, spiritualists: personalists and impersonalits. A personalist accepts the Supreme to be ultimately a person and worships the personal form of God. For example we, devotees, Vaisnavas, are personalists. We know that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and we worship Him as the cause of all causes.
An impersonalist, on the other hand, accepts the impersonal all-pervasive energy of the supreme as the supreme. The impersonalist believes in Krishna also and he will accept that Krishna is God also, but he believes that the impersonal energy is superior to and is the source of the personal form. So the impersonalist things the supreme is not a person but an all-pervading energy and that when Krisha appears He comes out of that impersonal energy and later on He will again merge with that impersonal energy.
Impersonalists what to destroy or annihilate their individuality and their personality. They want to stop all activities and end all relationships. Basically they want to cease to exist.
This impersonal philosophy is born out of frustration. Generally the jnanis, the thoughtful men, come to this impersonal conclusion. A thoughtful person can see that there is no happiness in the material world that that every activity in the material world will ultimately cause pain and suffering and frustration. So the impersonalist tries to negate everything of the material world. They think because in the material world we have form then in the spritual world there must be no form.
This impersonalistic idea comes because of ignorance. Because of lack of knowledge. Actually there is an all-pervasive spiritual energy, but the source of that energy is Krishna, the Supreme Personalty of Godhead. But Krishna can only be seen by the devotees. For the others He is hidden by the curtain of yoga-maya. So the impersonalists can not understand that the source of the impersonal all-pervading energy they aspire to merge into is Krishna…
So hopefully that makes it a little clearer, if not please write and I will try and explain more…
As far as the statement that “All the modes of material nature—goodness, passion and ignorance—are emanations from the Supreme Lord Krishna, but Krishna is not subject to material nature.” That is simply saying that the material modes of nature that we in the material world are completely controlled by have no power over Krishna. It says that these material modes of nature come from Krishna, but that Krishna is not under their control.
Krishna creates the material world and the material modes of nature and we, the conditioned living entities are placed within the material world and we are completely under the control of the three modes of material nature. But Krishna is never controlled like us, Krishna is always the controller, always the master.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Answer to “WHY IS KRISHNA BLUE?”
Krishna is Shyamasundara. That is not exactly blue. You will understand when you see Krishna. How can you expect to understand Krishna if you are not Krishna conscious. There is a process. How you can elevate your consciousness to the platform of Krishna consciousness and Srila Prabhupada has most mercifully and elaborately described this process in his transcendental books. So read Srila Prabhupada’s books and follow the instructions you find Srila Prabhupada giving you as you read his books and when you become Krishna conscious then you will be able to understand Krishna to some extent. Otherwise it is not possible for you to understand Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna>>>…
Thanks a lot Prabhuji for giving your precious advice on my previous question,Prabhu Ji i am doing all this four regulative principles, Chanting 16 Rounds, reading Srila Prabhupada’s Books & Distributing Books also, But sometimes i am getting attached with my Girl Friend. We both want to avoid it and getting married but due to astrological discrepancies we want Krishna’s Mercy & I always believe in Krishna will help us, So please suggest us how can we both have it and have a better spiritual life. Prabhuji i understand that what i am doing is sin, so i am praying lord & i need you kind suggestion to avoid it Please.
Hare Krishna Sanjaya
Just get married and stay together, stay married. There will be so many problems in your marriage. There are so many problems in everyone’s marriage. That is the nature of married life. But in your situation you must get married. There is no other option for you at the moment. There is no actual compatible boy and girl in this world. We are all incompatible with each other in this way because everyone here in the material world is ultimately trying to become the enjoyer himself. No one actually wants to serve anyone else unless he sees some personal benefit in it for himself.
So do not worry very much about the astrology. There is no perfect match. And you have already a relationship with this girl so you have to marry her. Just do it. Do not delay the marriage. Do it right away and be satisfied with this girl and she has to be satisfied with you and just stick together and bring some nice children into the world and teach them about Srila Prabhupada and Krishna and develop a nice spiritual ashram in your home…
That will be a very nice service.
These unmarried relationships are very bad and very sinful. You need to get married and become committed to this relationship as a way to help each other advance in Krishna consciousness. That will make everything very nice.
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji!!!, Goodness, Passion and Ignorance – these three words are repeatedly used in Srimad Bhagwad Gita in order to explain the human nature towards the realisation of God. I have one question, Goodness is no doubt above all but what about passion ? Is it not good to be passionate ? Unless one becomes passionate how can the goals be achieved? Don’t you think that even for becoming a Krishna Conscious person some one has to be passionate towards it ? Please forgive me if I am asking something crossing my limit. I too believe ” Ishwara param Krishna, Sacchidananda Vigraha, Anadir Adir Govindah, Sarva Karanah Karanam.”
Hare Krishna Soumitra
When things are engaged in the service of Krishna they loose their material quality, they become spiritual. So if one becomes passionate to get out of bed before 4:00 AM to attend Managal Aroti and passionate to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and passionate to go out on the streets and distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books to all the conditioned souls then this is of course very good. It is not material, it is completely spiritual. This is actually not the passion being spoken about in the Gita as one of the three modes of material nature.
The three modes of material nature: goodness, passion and ignorance, are like the three colors: red, blue and green. As with these three colors you can mix them in various proportions to produce any other color, the material world simply consists of these three modes of nature: goodness, passion and ignorance, mixed in various proportions. So in this sense even the material goodness is not really good as it still is material. However the mode of goodness is conducive to spiritual life. The mode of ignorance is the worst, in the mode of ignorance one is prone to laziness, sleep, intoxication, etc and gradually one in the mode of ignorance will become completely crazy also. So in the mode of ignorance one can not achieve anything, material or spiritual. The mode of passion is better than the mode of ignorance, and as you say, out of the three modes of material nature, the mode of goodness is the best. But still devotees have to transcend these three modes of material nature altogether.
You are correct of course that to become Krishna conscious one has to be somewhat passionate towards it. So that sort of passion, to become Krishna conscious, is good. But of course this is not really passion in the ordinary sense. In the ordinary sense we understand passion as the desire to create, the desire to ‘improve’ things in the material world, and of course the desire for sex. So this passionate mood and the desire to ‘improve’ the material world and the desire for sex is all bad and all counter-productive for one wanting to advance in spiritual life. Today’s world is very much in the mode of passion but this passion has not created a very nice situation for the people of the world and has not encouraged people to advance spiritually. So actions in the material mode of passion are bad.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
nice to see your back again have not had email for 3 weeks
krishna will be pleased
HARE KRISHNA PRABHU JI…..))NIcly described…..m waiting for dis since a long time))))
THANKS
Hare Krishna
I would like to thank u for ur informative article. prabhu ji I want to make dresses for ladoo gopal and Radhe Krishna bt I hvnt tkn classes bt I knw basic sewing. can u help me so that I can make clothes for my krishna.
how we able to knw krishna has accepted us despite our wrong doing or breaking unknowingly promise which we do to krishna?
Radhe Radhe
Hare Krishan Pratiksha
As far as making clothes for Krishna you can just do it. You can use the existing clothes you have to get the idea and just make them along the same lines. If you chant Hare Krishna and pray to Krishna and Srila Prabhupada to give you the intelligence how to do it nicely they will help you also and it will come out very well…
We have to be accepted by Krishna’s pure devotee, the bona fide spiritual master. If the bona fide spiritual master, like His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, accepts our service and is pleased by our attempts to serve him then we can know that Krishna is please with us and that Krishna has accepted our service. It is not that we can serve Krishna directly, we serve Krishna by serving Krishna’s pure devotee representative, the bona fide spiritual master, and when the bona fide spiritual master is pleased with us then we know that Krishna is pleased with us. That is the way.
As far as if we are breaking the regulative principles then of course it is possible we can fall down from the principles due to bad habits in the past and/or due to bad association and this sort of falling down can be forgiven by Krishna if we are sincerely regretting our failures and sincerely trying not to fall down again. But we can not engage in sinful activities while thinking that ‘later on I will chant Hare Krishna and that will counteract this sin I am now performing.’ That is the greatest offense, “Performing sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name.” So we can not try to use the holy name like this, to counteract sinful activities that we are knowingly performing. This is the greatest offense.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare krishna hare krishna.
जयति श्रीकृष्णस्य ।
Very very deep knowledgeable.I understood it completely.
Thank u Very much
Regards,
SANJAY GUNGE PATIL.
In your article, it is mentioned : “When even those who are in goodness cannot understand, what hope is there for those in passion and ignorance? ”
I want to simplify my life. What actions are necessary for a man in goodness if he desire bliss for himself
and his family ?
Hare Krishna Umang
We have to understand that we are not the enjoyers ourselves. We need to understand the actual position is that Krishna is the real enjoyer and we enjoy only by serving Krishna, by pleasing Krishna. We can not enjoy actually independently of serving Krishna. That is why there is no actual pleasure in the material world. Everyone is trying for bliss and pleasure for themselves and their families and even though occasionally it may seem they get a little happiness, it is always very short-lived. And this momentary, short-lived happiness is not satisfying, because we want a permanent happy, blissful condition for ourselves and our families.
So the way you and your family can be permanently blissful is if you are all together engaged in the service of Krishna. And how to do this in practice, that is a big subject that Srila Prabhupada has written almost 100 books about. So it is a science. We have to learn the science by reading and studying the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. You will find all your answers there. If you put into practice what you learn from reading Srila Prabhupada’s books then you will become permanently blissful along with all your family members.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna! Dandavats! All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I would like to know what’s the status of the cows in Goloka or Gokula, are they in santa rasa o can they evolve to some other form like human, are they satisfied with their bodies eternally? Could we take siddha deha as cows? Doesn’t look very appealing! Or I don’t know; he he!
Hare Krishna Indradyumna Prabhu
We can not expect to understand the situation of the things in the material world and we can not impose our material ideas and conceptions on the spiritual world. We can not transfer our understanding of the life of a cow in the material world to the life of a cow in the spiritual world serving Krishna there. It is a completely different thing altogether.
The exact details of how everything works in the spiritual world we will understand when we go there. Here, in the material world, with our material mind an senses, and with only our material experiences and memories to comprehend things in relation to, we can not actually conceive of the real situation of things in the spiritual world, it is not possible for us to understand or conceive of the real situation of things in the spiritual world with our material mind and senses.
We get some indication of the situation of things in the spiritual world from the scriptures. But this is not a complete explanation and it is not possible to completely explain it in the language we use in the material world and in relation to the experiences we have in the material world. So we have a broad idea only, we can not expect to comprehend the full details of life in the spiritual world until we actually go there.
Of course an actual pure devotee of Krishna is already in the spiritual world and is already experience the nature of Goloka Vrindavan. So he knows it. But still one has to know it actually. It is not that someone who is not a pure devotee of Krishna can understand and appreciate these things. So to truly understand and comprehend these things we have to become pure devotees of Krishna and have to experience life in the spiritual world ourselves.
As far as the cows serving Krishna in the spiritual world don’t worry, it is very ecstatic for them. The status of everyone in Goloka Vrindavan is the same, they are all pure devotees of Krishna serving Krishna in different ways. Everyone has an eternal relationship with Krishna and for him that is the best thing, the highest thing, that is the way he wants to serve Krishna. And Krishna responds to His devotees and reciprocate with them in the way they want to see Him. So do not worry, if you don’t want to serve Krishna as a cow in Goloka Vrindavan then you will not be serving Krishna as a cow. You will get to serve Krishna the way you want to serve Krishna, that is of course if you are a pure devotee of Krishna.
And realistically a pure devotee of Krishna does not want to do anything except to serve Krishna the way Krishna wants him to serve Him… The pure devotee has no conception of his personal desire. His only goal is to please Krishna. That is his pleasure. So he is a soul completely surrendered to Krishna. He wants to do what Krishna wants him to do, that’s all.
Of course we have no direct access to Krishna. We see Krishna through Srila Prabhupada and we understand what Krishna wants us to do through the instructions of Srila Prabhupada. So you know that Prabhupada wants us to distribute his books. You may not like to distribute Prabhupada’s books. It is hard work of course and you may consider that you are not suited to such a service. But Prabhupada is ordering you, “If you love me, distribute my books.” So if you are a devotee then you will put aside any personal considerations and desires and aspirations and surrender to Srila Prabhupada and dedicate your life to distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. And in this service you will be unlimitedly transcendentally happy… Otherwise, trying to satisfy our own senses, we will remain perpetually on the material platform and we will continue to suffer in the material world forever, life after life…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare krsna pr..
i had a doubt regarding a major challenge we are facing in kali yuga, its truthfulness. Is it ok for a person to tell a lie if it saves the life of another person.
for eg: A man is being hacked by few rogues. He passes across an ashram and asks the Rishi to not to inform the rogues that he is hiding inside his ashram. At this point, when the rogues come and enquire abt that man, What shld the rishi do??
Shld he uphold the truthful quality OR shld he tell a lie to save the mans life??
Regards,
Prashant kumar
Hare Krishna Prashant
Devotees of Krishna are not attached to mundane morality. Their business is to serve Krishna, to please Krishna. So if that involves telling some lie or doing something that otherwise would be considered immoral then they do it. The idea is to serve Krishna, to please Krishna, not to stick to some moral principles at the cost of serving Krishna.
There is a very good example of this with Yudhisthira Maharaja who was a very famous moralist. Krishna wanted Yudhisthara to tell a lie to Dronacarya but he Yudhisthara could not do it because he was such a moralist and did not want to tell a lie. You can study this and get all the details if you search for it on http://www.PrabhupadaBooks.com
So, although it is true that truthfulness is a brahmanical quality, still there are times when a devotee may lie if that is what Krishna wants him to do…
Your example is a materialistic one and in such situations the object is not service to Krishna. This idea of saving a man from the attack of some thieves is quite a different thing from devotional service. So really a devotee does not get involved in such things. All of his actions are done for Krishna. This sort of action you are recommending is a materialistic action and will generate karma and will entangle all the actors in repeated birth and death. So it is maya…
But still there are occasions where one may need to tell lies in Krishna’s service and a devotee is not opposed to this on the basis of mundane morality…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna
These mails from you refreshes and rejuvenates my soul!
Thank you so much for sending me regularly.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare!
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!!
I only want to comment. How much value I get from these writings sent to my email. I don’t always comment but I always read and learn from them it is like a joy to me to continue to dive deeper into the beauty and truth of the gita. I thank you deeply from my heart for your great service. krishna beautiful god all my love and service to your glory,this I pray.
Dear Madhudvisa dasa Prabhu Ji
Hare Krishna
It is said that material existence is a war against the Supreme Person and Devotional Service is a war against the powerful maha maya. He declares that the material energy is working as per instructions while He Himself as Sankarshana or Lord Ananta has it as His main mission to shut down the material creation restrains His anger and intolerance (SB 5.25.6) and Himself as Lord Sriman Narayana chases after the fallen souls out of mercy (SB 11.5.34)
None have able to give me clarity on this powerful paradox though I understand the need to humor maha maya in the proximity of Jiva sakti as an un-consorted potency with vulnerable jivas well conditioned for material compatibility for deluding.
It will be kind of you if you could throw some light on this transcendental sensitivity.
Radhe Radhe
Hare Krishna Naren
It may be that Krishna in His various incarnations would like to close down the material world but that is not going to happen.
That is not going to happen because Krishna has given us, the living entities, limited independence. So that independence means we can choose to love and serve Krishna or we can choose not to do this.
So that is why the material world exists. To give us, the living entities who have chosen not to serve Krishna some place to go and try and become the master, try and become the enjoyer, separately from Krishna.
But it is all an illusion. The material world is not separate from Krishna. That it appears to be separate from Krishna is maya, an illusion. So there is no paradox actually. It is true of course that Krishna would prefer if we were not here suffering in the material world. But our suffering in the material world is not Krishna’s fault. It is our fault. We have chosen not to serve Krishna. But we can only be happy by serving Krishna. So we can come to the material world, but we can not be happy here. Our every attempt to become happy in the material world will be frustrated and after many, many births in the material world of frustration and death a thoughtful person will realize that it is better to surrender to Krishna and serve Krishna. Such a great soul is very rare…
So there is no paradox if you understand what is going on…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Jai Shree Krishna! Hari Bol! The most intimate way to experience Lord Krishna is by chanting His name, as He is his name and always is present when we chant His glories. Also even more i ntimate is the chanting of Radharani’s name, as she is His sweetness. So, thank you very much for your wonderful posts and Hari Bol. Tulsidasji
I do enjoy reading these articles….there is so much to learn in such a short span of life.
Your help is appreciated.
I am ever gloriously happy to hear of the words and past-times of Khrishna. Eternal joy who embrace this wisdom. Om
It is all way to confusing for me, to understand all this, I can’t,
but I chant every now and then,
I want love, is all
I hope for all souls,
perhaps more spiritual sighings or spiritual expieriences from Krishna, with glories of LOVE and miracles , would work, better, more.
Of course the wrong doers will be punished,
and of the do-good-ers , will we see a reward?
this is not from scripture, scripture for me is too much, too much, I can not understand some of the words
still I chant, every now and then
this may change tomorrow, I don’t know,
I love you all
DavyKrishna
Hare Krishna DavyKrishna
Chanting Hare Krishna “now and then” is of course nice. Every little thing in Krishna consciousness is nice and will ultimately lead you to perfection in spiritual life.
But you will not be able to understand Krishna consciousness by chanting “now and then.”
Krishna consciousness is a serious thing and if we actually want to achieve Krishna consciousness there is a scientific process that will allow us to advance in spiritual life. So like any other scientific process if we do not strictly follow the principles and the rules and regulations then our process will not work.
The beginning of Krishna consciousness is to have some faith in Krishna, and in Krishna consciousness and in Srila Prabhupada. And I am sure you already have that, so you are on your way to Krishna consciousness. The next step is to associate with the devotees. And that means devotees who are actually practicing the process of pure devotional service. And these days it is very difficult to find such devotees. These days everywhere almost all of the people presenting themselves as devotees of course are to some degree devotees, but generally they are not pure devotees. They have some material aspirations they are trying to achieve through their Krishna consciousness. So this materially contaminated devotional service is not very powerful and such materially contaminated devotees have no real power to spread Krishna consciousness and if we associate with them we will also become more and more materially contaminated.
So we have to associate with pure devotees and at the moment the best way to do that is to read Srila Prabhupada’s books and listen to his lectures and bhajans. That is the perfect association with the perfect devotee, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. And also when we read Srila Prabhupada’s books we are not only associating with Srila Prabhupada, Krishna is there in Srila Prabhupada’s books along with all His incarnations and expansions and all of His devotees. So there is so much association available in Srila Prabhupada’s books. We have to read them.
Then after we have been associating with Srila Prabhupada in this way we have to surrender to him and accept his orders as our purpose in life. We have to follow at least the basic points like chanting at least 16 rounds a day of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and strictly following the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication]. Srila Prabhupada stresses on these points so much and says that without chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and strictly following the four regulative principles there is no spiritual life, it is just imagination.
So although it is nice we can not expect to be able to become Krishna conscious or to be able to understand Krishna consciousness by chanting Hare Krishna “now and then.” It requires a very serious commitment and great determination and perseverance. And we should not be frightened by this. Krishna will help us if we are sincere. It is not very difficult really. Of course it is difficult in the sense that maya is very strong and will always try to distract us. But if we are determined to fight seriously with maya then Krishna will give us the strength and although sometimes we may be defeated by maya, in the long run we will be victorious.
So chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
All the names of Krsna (God) are contained in Bhagavad Gita…
Hare Krishna Karen
Actually Krishna’s names are unlimited. So they are not all in the Bhagavad-gita. There are many of Krishna’s names in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that are not in the Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita is an introductory book. So in Bhagavad-gita everything is there in the summary form. But for more details we can go to Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc.
Chant Hare Krsihna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna, Madhudvisa dasa!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Good point… I guess I did not word it well. I have also read Srimad-Bhagavatam (twice) and I agree. Could it be said that all Krsna’s names are contained in all the writings of the acarya Vaisnavas, since they were inspired by Krsna? Also, what about the Vedas and Upanishads?
Hari Bol!
Hare Krishna Karen
Krishna’s names are unlimited. So they are not all written down. In one sense it is said that God has no name, but Krishna has many names in relationship with His devotees and His pastimes. So the names are unlimited and only a sample of Krishna’s names is given in the revealed scriptures.
Nothing about Krishna can be completely described. Because is unlimited in every respect. So the Vedic scriptures can not completely describe Krishna in any way. They give us a description to the degree that it can be expressed in the language we understand and in a way that we can conceive. However a pure devotee of Krishna can realize Krishna and His nature, His form, His pastimes, etc, to a great degree, by surrendering to the bona fide spiritual master and serving him. Krishna reveals Himself to the devotees from within their hearts.
Still it is said that even Krishna does not understand the full extent of His glories because they are constantly expanding. So Krishna can understand it at one point then His glories expand again… So it is like that. We can not hope understand Krishna fully, but we can understand Him to a large degree by the process of Krishna consciousness, devotional service.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna!
Kindly accept my Pranam Swamiji!
I have read Srimad Bhagavat Gita, many times; I sincerely admit and I do not understand many chapters,…it is beyond my intelligent;. If you go through Indian History, Bhakti movement in North & South India, prominent devotees of Lord Krishna did not go through Bhagavat Gita, most of them were illiterate,; what they know was only how to please Krishna with their pure love; out of love they cried, thinking of him all the time and they gave up their material comforts!
Yes, with our small intelligence we can’t understand “supreme” even Krishna has explained his personal & impersonal forms….. Attaining knowledge/understanding Gita won’t give you samadhi or excellent devotee… Unless & until you do not know how to love/surrender to Krishna.
You may attain good fame in this material world by giving “Gita lessons by giving beautiful lectures; I have seen In India many are giving spiritual lectures; in real life they are just ordinary people; they are doing for money..fame..etc. Rather understanding Krishna’s potencies, be like a child, child only knows his/mother loves him or her; whatever happens mother will take care…give her/him protection! A child has nothing to do with his Mom’s beauty, qualification whether she is holding high position in the society! Even if she is a prominent personality; for him/her she is his Dear Mother” nothing else… Let the world respect her position, praise her beauty etc…For her son/daughter what does it matter?
For me Krishna is my beloved Friend, I have nothing to do with his super natural powers; potencies etc…. Yes, as per instructions given by Our Gurudeva Prabhupadaji, how to surrender/please him so that I will be with him after this birth….Only chanting is simple way, by chanting I feel am always thinking of Krishna where ever I am!
One real incident I want to mention here swamiji;
It happened almost 20 years back; one Swamiji was giving Bhagavat Gita lecture; one poor farmer was sitting in the front row; after everybody left, Swamiji finds the farmer was sobbing! It happend daily! The Finally on last day, he asked the Farmer, I noticed you weeping daily! even the crowd left I see you sitting firmly and weeping!? Are you moved by my Gita Lecture? (He is famous for his Bhagavat GIta lectures in India)
The poor farmer replied, Maharaj, I have no intelligence to understand your sophisticated language, and difficult sanskrit slokas with your nice explanation, I am a stupid farmer; I understood nothing from your lecture; but one thing I understood is; Lord Krishna delivered Gita in the battle field; he was Arjuna’s Sarathi (Driver) he was sitting in the front, Arjuna was sitting in the back; Krishna has to turn his face back towards Arjuna to deliver Gita; he had to sit in that position for many hours! I felt the pain, Alas my Krishna’s neck would have severe pain!? For 18 days he must be suffered from neck pain! That is why I was weeping! ! Shocked by this reply, the famous Swamiji fell on the poor farmer’s feet, and cried; See, I am giving Bhagavat Gita lecture for so many years; what use; I have no love, devotion towards Lord; what is the use of my knowledge? Your devotion has beaten my knowledge!…. Even while writing, my eyes are filled with tears! I
This is what Krishna expect from us; he never admire knowledge without devotion! Love/devotion towards Krishna we should concentrate! I am not telling Gita reading /understanding is not necessary;;;; The bhakti Marg, how to love God; our Gurudeva is giving guidance through his books with simple easy language even the little intelligent persons like me can understand this! I am very grateful to you for giving Gurudeva’s books!
Kindly forgive me if you find the above is anything abusive!
Hare Krishna
Uma Sridhar
As stated in Vedic literature, Brahman, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is that from which everything is emanating. Krishna is Parabrahman, the Supreme Spirit. Brahman is impersonal and Parabrahman is personal. Therefore, originally, Krishna is the source of everything. He is the root.
My question is what is impersonal? personal? pls explain more? thank u..hk
Hare Krishna Parik
It is a nice question.
There are three different ways of seeing Krishna. Each way is but a different angle of vision of the same Krishna. There are a number of analogies given to explain this. One is the sun. If you do not actually see the sun, if the sky is full of clouds, then still you can perceive the light that is coming from the sun through the clouds. So even though you can not see the sun you can experience the light of the sun. So this light is one of the energies of the sun. So the impersonal realization of Krishna is like this. Krishna is like the sun in that He is the source of all energy. Everything is emanating from Krishna. So there is an all-pervasive energy called the brahmajoyti which is emanating from Krishna. So the impersonal realization of Krishna is to perceive this all-pervading energy. So the impersonalists believe this energy is supreme because that is all they can see. The can not see beyond the glare of this impersonal brahmajoyti.
It is true of course that Krishna has an all-pervasive impersonal energy and the impersonalists perceive this. So they are also perceiving Krishna, but not in a very clear way.
If we go back to our sun example if one can actually see the sun in the sky then that is a more advanced realization. Then one knows that the source of the all-pervading light is the sun planet. That is something like the yogis who meditate on the form of Visnu within their hearts. But if one can actually enter into the sun planet and meet the sun god then that is the highest realization. So similarly if one can enter Goloka Vrindavan and meet Krishna who is the source of the impersonal energy and of everything else then that is the highest realization.
So impersonal means the transcendentalists who can only perceive the impersonal, all-pervasive energy of Krishna. They have no knowledge of Krishna’s personal form, therefore they believe that the supreme is formless and impersonal.
And the personalists are the devotees who know that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the personalists know that God, Krishna, is a person and the impersonalists are unable to see him. They are blinded by the impersonal effulgence of the Brahmajyoti.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Krishna Says “I am…”
Awesome declarations
made by the “I Am.”