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Sudarsana
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On 5 Jun 1995 21:33:48 -0700, you wrote:
Dear Ashok,
I read your post and accept the things written in the article you posted and
appreciate the obvious desires to help people and the world in general to head on
a spiritual path rather than the demonic one.
I think you may be Indian and I know all the answers are there in the Vedic
scriptures like the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavat Purana). I
urge you to read them. The best English translations available are by His Divine
Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of the Hare Krishna
movement.
>A close friend of mine writes:
>-----------------------------------------
>I am able to see spirits, and people while they are on their out-of-body (
>OB) sojourns (I don’t know why). My observation is that people who have
>these strange powers (controlling spirits , OB travel, etc.) usually use
>it for furthering their own ends or their own people’s ends. Shouldn’t one’s
>outlook be universal and shouldn’t these powers be used for the benefit of all
>good people from all nations?
These disembodied spirits often don't have bodies to go back to. If one dies
untimely [suicide, etc] he is forced to become a "ghost". That means he has a
subtle body [mind, intelligence and false ego] and a spirit soul, but no material
body. They are generally frustrated and angry and very disruptave.
Almost everyone in the material world is looking to his own pleasure. Even the
people trying to benefit the people "from all nations" are generally doing it so
the world will be a nicer place for them to live in...
>Coming to my present problem, I have a fair idea who the people are (those
>using spirits, and the very few travelling OB - their form during their OB
>travels is a replica of their gross life form). My questions relate to how I
>can tackle these unwanted and unnecessary interferences/observations in/of my
>personal and spiritual life and of those related to me.
>1. How does one prevent evil spirits from entering one’s body?
One has to remain very clean. Ghosts can enter in unclean circumstances.
One has to avoid all forms of intoxication [alcohol, etc] as one is put in a
compromised position when affected by intoxiciants and evil spirits may take the
chance of entering.
One should always be spiritually engaged. He should chant the holy name of God (we
chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra -- this is very effective). Reading the
scriptures, offering aroti to the Lord, offering inscense to the Lord and burning
it around the house, all these things drive away evil spirits.
Carrying holy objects. We always have our tulasi jappa-mala with us and tulasi
neck-beads, we mark seven places on our bodies with gopi-chandan [clay from the
banks of the Yamuna river in Vendavana, the site of Krishna's childhood pastimes.]
>2. How does one prevent thought-transference from both evil spirits and
>people on out-of-body travels who are trying to influence you?
All the above things are very effective. The loud chanting of the Hare Krishna
mantra is extremely effective...
>3. I am able to see the same spirits everyday, day and night, some following
>me everywhere I go. How do I get rid of them?
As above mentioned...
>4. The articles I use, the food I eat...., how do I ensure that they are not
>contaminated by bad vibrations from evil spirits and evil people?
You should only eat prasadam, the remnants of foods offered to Krishna. If you
cook nice vegetarian offerings for Krishna and offer them to Him [a picture, the
salagram-sila or the murti form] He will accept the love with which you prepare
the food. The prasadam will become completely spiritual and purifying. It will not
only not be contaminated by thes evil living entities but will drive them away.
Food is a very common way people are contaminated in our society. The
consciousness of the cook enters the food... So eating food from anywhere and
everywhere is not good. One should make the vow only to eat the foods offered to
Krishna. [prasadam]
>5. How do I handle this situation without hating or destroying these evil
>ones whose interference in my life is unwarranted? (All religions claim that
>hate is to be abhorred and Love is the true path -- and I kind of feel that if
>I hate sufficiently, I can injure the evil ones)
Become a devotee of Krishna. Devotees don't hate anyone. They want to help
everyone, even the evil spirits. Your chanting and reading will help them also...
>6. How does one thwart organized evil? (unfortunately, there seems to be no
>organized good of the requisite caliber for thwarting the efforts of organized
>evil -- good of the requisite caliber seems to be occuring in isolated people
>or pockets)
With organized goodness!!
We have to make an organization of devotees of the Lord and spread spiritual
consciousness all over the world. It is in everyone's heart, but unfortunately
currently there is so much evil that most people have become evil... but the
goodness is there in their hearts. It just has to be uncovered. The best method
for this age is chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra.
hare nama hare nama arer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nastya eva gatir anyatha
"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the
chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other
way. There is no other way." (Brhad-naradiya Purana 3.8.126)
>I have two further questions of a general nature (the above questions are
>specific to me):
>7. How does one educate ignorant people about the reality of these things and
>tell them to be careful about the kind of food they eat, the kind of company
>they keep, the necessity of everyday prayer, etc.?
By your own example. We have to become "acarya", it means teach by example. We
have to become spiritually advanced ourselves, we have to become free from all the
evil influences ourselves -- otherwise how can we help anyone else? A drowning man
can't save another drowning man... He has to be able to swim himself.
So we should become fixed-up in spiritual life first by following the instructions
of a bona fide spiritual master, reading the scriptures, chanting Hare Krishna.
Krishna [God] is in our hearts so He knows what we want to do... If we want to
help people come closer to Him then He will give us the intelligence how to do
it...
anan yas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhi yuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham
"But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating
on My transcendental form--to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve
what they have." (Bhagavad-gita 9.22)
>8. How to prevent people from believing in evil occultists, and evil
>"spiritual" leaders?
We have to preach loudly.. Otherwise they will be mislead. But our preaching will
have no effect unless we are pure ourselves.
Thank you. Hare Krishna!
Thank you. Hare Krishna!
Madhudvisa dasa
(madhudvisa@krishna.org) /sudarsana
All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!
Sudarsana
Home madhudvisa@krishna.org