What Does Krishna Look Like?
In the previous newsletter we established that Krishna means ‘the all-attractive person’. That means Krishna possesses all six attractive qualities (wealth, strength, beauty, knowledge, fame and renunciation) in full. Krishna is a person. The difference between Krishna and us is that Krishna is unlimited in every way whereas we are limited in every way. Krishna is infinite and we are infinitesimal. So in quantity we are very different from Krishna. Krishna is unlimitedly great and we are unlimitedly small. To understand this we can consider the situation of a drop of ocean water and the entire ocean. In quantity there is a huge difference between a single drop and the entire ocean. But in quality the drop of ocean water and the ocean are the same. If you analyze the drop of ocean water you will find a certain composition, a certain percentage of salt, and so on. So this composition of the drop is the same as the composition of the ocean. So we are qualitatively the same as Krishna but quantitatively there is a vast difference between us and Krishna.
Is Krishna Like Us?
So now you are perhaps thinking that Krishna is like us, only much bigger, much more powerful, much more intelligent, much more wealthy, much more famous, etc. And that is true to a certain extent but there is one big difference between Krishna and us here in the material world. In the material world we have accepted a material body made of earth, water, air, fire and ether. This material body is a covering of our real self. Really we are all spirit souls. All eternal spiritual entities whose nature is full knowledge, eternal youthful life and ever-increasing transcendental bliss. This is called, in Sanskrit, sat-cit-ananda-vigraha, it means we have a spiritual form that is eternally youthful, full of knowledge and ever-increasing transcendental pleasure.
So when we think that Krishna is like us we make a big mistake.
Because we are generally in the material concept of life, so when we think of ourselves we think of our material body. We identify with our material body, thinking, “I am an American man,” or “I am an Indian woman,” or “I am a dog,” etc. But we are not the material body. This identification with the material body is false identification. We are actually not the material body, we are the eternal blissful spirit soul who is currently trapped in this material body. So Krishna does not have a material body like us. Krishna, even when He appears in this material world, appears in His original sat-cit-ananda-vigraha spiritual body.
The Material World as a Reflection:
The problem with the material world is it is a perversion of the spiritual world. This material world is a reflection of the spiritual world. So the original pure form of everything we experience here in the material world exists in the spiritual world. Because this material world is a reflection. So if something exists in the material world it must be a reflection of some actual factual thing that exists in the spiritual world. You can understand this by thinking of the reflection of a tree on water. If the water is still and clear then you can see the tree quite clearly in the water. Still the reflection of the tree is not the same as the actual tree. If it is a mango tree for example you will be able to see the reflection of the mangoes in the water but if you try to grab those reflected mangoes and eat them you will only end up with a handful of water… The actual substance you want, the tasty mango, is not in the reflection, it is on the original tree. That is the way with everything in this material world. We see the reflection of the thing, but we can not get the actual substance. For example love. Love is real and love is between us and Krishna. But here in the material world that love is reflected in a perverted way and we are trying to experience love in a different way. So we can not actually taste the real love in the material world but we can get the idea of what love is.
If you imagine the water that the mango tree is reflected on becomes disturbed by a strong wind then because there are many disturbances and waves on the water the reflection of the original tree becomes unclear. So the reflection of the mango tree is becoming perverted or distorted due to the movement of the water. Similarly this material world is a reflection of the spiritual world on our desire. So as the reflection of the mango tree is perverted and distorted by the movement of the water, in this material world the reflection of the reality of the spiritual world is perverted and distorted by our desires.
The reflection of the tree is on the water, the reflection of the spiritual world is on our desire. So the more disturbed the water is the more unclear the reflection of the original tree becomes, and the more our desires are diverted from the service of Krishna, the more perverted and distorted the reflection of the spiritual world appears in the material world…
So something which is originally pure like the love Krishna has with Radha is reflected in this material world in a perverted way and the original pure thing becomes contaminated in the reflection.
So I have explained these points to give some background to understanding “What Does Krishna Look Like?” So I think you can understand that what we see here in the material world can give us some idea of what is in the spiritual world, but you know that the real substance is not here because what we are seeing here is only a perverted reflection. Still we can understand something from the reflection of the mango tree in the water, particularly if it is a calm day and the water is still. Similarly we can understand something of the spiritual world by seeing its reflection here in the material world particularly if our mind is peaceful and our desires are pure.
We are Made in the Image of God:
So Krishna looks like us, you know even in the Bible it says “We are made in the image of God.” So if we are made in the image of God then God must look something like us. And in fact He does. Krishna is like us in that He has two arms, two legs, a head, etc… Krishna has a human form because humans are made in the image of Krishna. But Krishna’s body is completely spiritual, Krishna does not have a material body, and Krishna has all the six opulences (wealth, strength, beauty, knowledge, fame and renunciation) in full. So in that regard we can not compare with Krishna. So Krishna is the most beautiful eternally youthful person, He is the strongest person, the wealthiest person, the most famous person, the most intelligent person and He is completely unattached.
There are many nice descriptions of Krishna in Srila Prabhupada’s books and I encourage you to read them for yourself. Particularly I encourage you to read Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are so many wonderful descriptions of Krishna in that book. There are also many other nice descriptions of Krishna. There is a prayer called Damodarastaka which we sing every day during the month of Damodar that very beautifully describes Krishna as the butter thief. Krishna is wonderful because everything that Krishna does is wonderful and glorified by the devotees. If an ordinary man was stealing butter then that would be criminal, but when Krishna steals butter and feeds it to the monkeys of Vrindavan the devotees very much enjoy the transcendental pastimes of Krishna.
Also Brahma-Samhita has a nice description of Krishna:
“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who plays on His transcendental flute. His eyes are like lotus flowers, He is decorated with peacock plumes, and His bodily color resembles the color of a fresh black cloud, although His bodily features are more beautiful than millions of Cupids.” This beauty of the Supreme Lord can be seen by devotees who are in love with Him, devotees whose eyes are anointed with love of Godhead.” [Bs. 5.38]
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!
Related Posts
Who is Krishna? →
God Realization Depends on God (MP3 Audio) →
Lord Chaitanya Defeats the Buddhists →
The best understanding of our spiritual body is described by the kabala, our body is made of virtues and the recomendation is to emulate those virtues so we can be as He is.
Thank you for these lessons, and I do have question < When you offer your food to Krishna for His blessing, do you have a special ceremony, or prayer, or do you simply
say thank you, and maybe chant over it a few times?
Yes. Firstly you have to cook it for Krishna, no firstly when you go shopping to the supermarket you have to be there with the purpose of purchasing nice things that you can offer to Krishna, then when you are preparing and cooking it you have to be doing it in the consciousness that ‘I am preparing this very nicely because it will be offered to Krishna.’ So you have to do everything very cleanly and nicely. So it is not just a prayer. The whole thing needs to be done for Krishna actually. Not that we cook anything for ourselves. Not that we cook anything because we like it. We should do everything for the pleasure of Krishna. We need to cook the things Krishna likes for the pleasure of Krishna. Then we offer it. And yes of course there are some mantras but the main thing is you have to cook it for Krishna. Not for yourself.
I have an article at:
https://krishna.org/how-to-offer-food-to-krishna/
Which you can read and all the mantras, etc, are there.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare krishnA. Daily mails which we are receiveing we are reading very nicely understandable. Pls need to know we are married and want to gveup this married life n to serve Lord krishnA. As m female will this society live me ? But we love n trust Lord Krishna the eternal body who is going to help me in this. My Lord Krishna is everything to me. If m breathing today it’s Bec of Lord Krishna.
Hare Krishna Nidhi
For female giving up family life is not possible. That is for male. Female needs to be protected, first by her father, then her husband, then her sons.
So female remains in the family life. And you can become Krishna conscious there. Krishna consciousness is so nice that it does not depend on any external circumstances. You can chant Hare Krishna and read Srila Prabhupada’s books anywhere, in any condition of life.
So just do this, where you are now, in your family life. Chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex. no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day.
Just do it where you are and you will find that very quickly you are making rapid spiritual advancement.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Mirabai also left her family and went to krishna ….
U can leave if you are confident and fixed in devotion.
It’s better than living in illusion with a man who has all bad habits and doesn’t do his duties properly ( if it’s the case) since most of the men are degraded except for a few.
pamho prabhu agtacbsp.thank you very much for the newsletters i appreciate whoever remind me to our best suhrit satam best and eternal friend sri krsna bhagavat.i remember you madhudvisa prabhu but i was more rascal at that time i did some spiritual advancement on the meantime i mean i stopped ganja and girls age concern im 57 years young now so i became more serious in the way back home also because of a good devotee preacher like you jai prabhu thank you dandavat ys abhaya carana seva das sebastian
Hare Krishna Prabhu
I am not the original Madhudvisa Prabhu. I joined ISKCON in 1986 only. Original Madhudvisa has unfortunately left his body now.
It is very good news you are more serious now. So best way is to follow in Srila Prabhupada’s footsteps and speak to everyone we meet about Krishna, as Prabhupada did…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Pamho madhudvisa prabhu agtacbsp im glad to hear that you are still a strong preacher i like your comments on hdg acbsp philosophy which is the best krsna katha yes i try to save myself now there is nothing else to do at 57 but to save my soul by going back blissful again as sri krsna created us agtys ys acsd
Hare krishna, please kindly accept my obeisances. Very very thank you, you are giving me information about krishna.
I want to become devotee of krishna.
Hare krishna prabhu!
whatever you said is absolutely true,that we having a material body but our nature is spiritual.
and yeah we all knows that krishna having his divine spiritual body.Then the question is why krishna offered us material body instead of spiritual body?sometimes this makes me confuse.
Krishna gave us a material body because we rejected His service in the spritual world. So He has created this material world for us to play god in and fight amongst ourselves as to who is the biggest god… So to come to the material world to play god we need a material body. That is why we have a material body.
The main point is we can not really understand anything spiritual unless we become spiritual ourselves. And once we become spiritual ourselves then automatically the understanding and realization will come. And they way to do this is by chanting:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Is deity worship mandetory as a krsna devotee
Hare Krishna Vishal
No. In this age chanting Hare Krishna mantra is mandatory. Deity worship actually it is difficult to perform properly in Kali-yuga. That is why Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared and gave us this Hari-Nama Sankirtana. So you can just get a picture of Srila Prabhupada and a picture of the Panca-Tattva [Lord Caitanya and His associates] and chant Hare Krishna in front of these pictures and that will be perfectly OK.
If you can do deity worship properly that is very good, but it is not essential. Chanting Hare Krishna is essential.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
Prabhuji my question is : What is the way to get rid of this material world and reach to the
Godhead.
Hare Krishna Ashok
We are not going to get rid of this material world. The material world exists because there will always be a certain percentage of the total number of living entities who will rebel against Krishna. The material world is like a prison. In every country the government builds some prisons. It is not that the government wants its citizens to be criminals, but they know that a certain percentage of the people will be criminals.
So the point is not to get rid of the material world, but for us to leave this material world and go back home, back to Godhead. And in the process we want to take as many of the other suffering materialistic conditioned souls in this world with us.
And that process is very simple. We just have to become Krishna conscious and remember Krishna at the time of death. Krishna explains in Bhagavad-gita that whatever state of mind one has at the time of death, that state he will attain in his next life. So if we think of Krishna at the time of death then we will be transferred back home, back to Godhead.
So this process of Krishna consciousness is meant to keep us engaged in serving Krishna, chanting Hare Krishna, remembering Krishna, talking about Krishna, 24 hours a day. So if we are constantly engaged in serving Krishna and chanting Hare Krishna and reading Srimad-Bhagavatam then naturally at the time of death we will remember Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Explanation of real love and materialistic love is very clear. Vastness of krishna with reference to ocean and drop of sea water with small and limited in materialistic nature is made open.
Love this study. Hari bol
Krishna is lord of the world
Hare Krishna
In the above article, under the section what does Krishna look like, it is mentioned “So in quality we are very different from Krishna”. I think there is a typo. It should be “in quantity instead of quality”?
Yes Prabhu it is a typo, thank you very much for pointing it out, I have corrected it now.
Yes. You are correct, thank you very much for letting me know. I have corrected this now.
Radhe radhe,
How to never let the love for krishna diminish? I feel worried whenever I feel that krishna is going away from me. I just don’t want him to go. I don’t how to express it. I don’t think I will ever be able to get him away from me cuz I feel home when I enter my hostel room and see his murti that I talk to often look at, with love. How to keep it going on?
If we stop doing hare Krishna mantra for a few days, do we have to start over? Cuz its kinda difficult fr me right now.
Also, u r confusing me krishna has a blue colour, he is black too……so does he have black colour with a blue aura around his body? I hope u can understand my question? I was always confused about this question.
Hare Krishna Sheetal
As soon as we become distracted from chanting Hare Krishna and from reading Srila Prabhupada’s books then we will very quickly forget Krishna. That is the way maya works. If we are not constantly engaged in chanting Hare Krishna and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and serving Krishna then we will forget Krishna again. So we must be very careful to never miss chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, we must strictly follow the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication and we have to read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. Without strictly following all these points there is no spiritual life actually. It is just sentimentality.
As far as Krishna’s color, don’t worry so much, just keep chanting Hare Krishna and in due course Krishna will reveal Himself to you and you will then know His color by direct experience.
Radhe krishna,
I wanted to ask u one more question since u hv talked about Krishna’s image.
We can do idol worshipping of krishna right? Can u also tell me d book to be referred which has d detailed processes for worshipping krishna…I know only some of it cuz I always only help ma do all d puja part…so I don’t know it as well as she knows it…also I want to know everything I possibly can know about the reasons being everything that we do fr krishna….please refer a book by prabhupada which has all such details. 🙂
Hare Krishna Sheetal
We do Deity worship, not Idol worship. The deity is Krishna personally present. We have to come to realize that as a fact though the deity worship. We should never think of the deity as and idol. Deity is Krishna who has mercifully appeared to take a material form because in our present materially contaminated position we can not see Krishna’s spiritual form. But the Deity is Krishna’s spritual form, not an idol, and we will practically realize that through the process of Deity Worship.
Srila Prabhupada did not write a book specifically on Deity worship but requested his disciples to make a shortened translation of Archana Paddati. Which was done and we have a version of this that is published by the Vrindavan Krishna Balaram temple available:
https://krishnastore.com/deity-worship-manual-from-sri-krishna-balarama-mandir-h-krishna-1783.html
It has one big mistake in it, which you can read about on the product page, but otherwise it gives a nice detailed description of the deity worship process. That is the standard in the Krishna Balaram temple. So for home worship you may set a lower standard. But the important thing about deity worship is once you set the standard you never lower that standard. The deity worship must be done punctually every day without fail.
So I think you would find this book to be very useful.
Hare Krsna all,
Just received the 2boxes of books i ordered last Sunday amazingly fast delivery ,amazing 1box “life comes from life “and 1box “beyond birth and death”,and all are sealed perfect,
Sri Krsna Sankirtan Ki Jay,Srila Prabhupada Ki Jay
If i find time ill go in front of the Universitys here in berlin
Mohini
Hi…If Krishna is a person, how about the verse in the Christian bible that says that God is spirit? Can you please square this out for me?
Hare Krishna!
Krishna is everything, originally He is a person but all energies emanate from His personality.
So, is Krishna a spiritual being with a different kind of spiritual body, but not like our material bodies?
We also have spiritual bodies but here, in the material world, we are covered by material bodies, subtle and gross. Krishna has no covering of material bodies. When we go back home back to Godhead, back to Krishna, we go there in our original spiritual bodies that are like Krishna’s spiritual body. Only thing is Krishna is unlimitedly great and we are unlimitedly small. But qualitatively we are the same constitution as Krishna.
Pranam gurudev,
Thankful for clearing my doubts regarding Krishna
Hare Krishna hare Krishna
Hare Krishna, Prabhu.
I have been chanting all 16 rounds the past three days now. I was able to do that because I am not working right now and I have time. I downloaded an app to help me keep track. It took me a long while to finish all 16 rounds. One question, prabhu…would it be an offense against God if I didn’t complete all 16 rounds during the day?
Hare Krishna Damien
The point is if you want to become Krishna conscious you have to surrender to the basic points at least. Basic points, starting points, are 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 a day. These are minimum things and must be done if you want to become Krishna conscious.
Otherwise it is just sentimentality. Of course it will not be always easy to do all these things every day. We have to be prepared for that. To become Krishna conscious we have to accept tapasya, voluntary austerities, for the sake of advancing in spiritual life. So in the beginning it may be difficult for us to follow the regulative principles, it may be difficult for us to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra, it may be difficult for us to read Srila Prabhupada’s books every day at least 1-2 hours. But we have to surrender to these things and accept these difficulties if we are to actually make advancement in Krishna consciousness.
And as soon as you become a little serious to follow these things maya will be there whispering into your ear and giving you so many excuses to not do these things… So trying to become Krishna conscious is declaring war on maya, and she will fight back. She will try in so many ways to distract us from Krishna consciousness. She will try in so many ways to convince us not to chant 16 rounds, not to follow the regulative principles, not to read Prabhupada’s books…
‘
So we have to become strong, actually surrender to all these things, and actually do them every day as our first priority.
The point is you can set your alarm for 4:00 AM and get out of bed and chant 16 rounds in the morning, or at least 8 rounds, and then more during the day and evening, and still you can do all your normal daily things, go to your job, etc.
And as you chant more and more you will be able to chant 16 rounds in a shorter time. For me I chant slowly so it takes me actually 3 hours sometimes even 4 hours to chant 16 rounds. But many devotees can chant 16 rounds in 2 hours. So when you are practiced in it you will probably be able to chant 16 rounds within 3 hours and that is not very much, you have 24 hours, so using 3 hours out of 24 for chanting Hare Krishna is nothing.
So just do it. Strictly follow all these points and ignore all the suggestions from maya as she tries to convince you not to do it..
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare krishna prabhu
According to my view iskcon is not good
Bogus masters are there
Am i right or wrong ?
You are correct.
Hare krishna prabhu
All glories to shril prabhupad
I am a student i read bhagwat gita and shril prabhupad books and chant hare krishna mahamantra .
Krishna says in gita that you should serve me but donot leave your occupation .
I want to become ias officer and also want to remember krishna
Whatever occupation we should do offer 70 percent of income in preaching and making hare krishna temple and i want to make shril prabhupads book library
For this i want to become Ias officer .
I should become IAS officer or simply become employee in office
Which occupation i should choose
Please tell me prabhu ji
MOST FALLEN SOUL
ANSHU RAJ
I don’t know. But if you become a pure devotee of Krishna by reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and following all the instructions you find in Prabhupada’s books as you read them Prabhupada will guide you through his books and Krishna will guide you from within your hearts. So Prabhupada’s books are not just for putting in in a library. THEY ARE FOR READING. Main problem is these days hardly anyone is serious about reading all of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Srila Prabhupada has spent so much time and energy writing his books for us. The least we can do is SERIOUSLY READ ALL OF SRILA PRABHUPADA’S BOOKS.
So read all of Srila Prabhupada’s books and then you will know what to do.
Hi…I don’t understand something…Why did Krishna create us in his image? And how did we end up in our material bodies? Did he intended us to be created WITH a material body covering?
Hare Krishna!
We are not created in the sense that we are parts and parcels of Krishna. So as Krishna is eternal, unborn, undying. So we are also.
Krishna gives us some independence. So we can choose if we want to serve and love Krishna in the spritual world, or we can reject that. Our relationship with Krishna is one of love, and for love there has to be the freedom to reject the lover and go somewhere else. So it is Krishna’s great mercy upon us that when we reject Him he has created this material world where we can come to and be under the illusion that we can become the master, we can become the controller, that there is no God above us, only sky… So we created this material world really because it is created by Krishna to allow us to fulfill our desires of existing independently from Him. This material world is like a playground created by Krishna, our father, where we can ‘play god’. So indirectly we have created this material world with our desires and we have created these material bodies also with our desires.
Krishna does not intend us to come to the material world and be covered by a material body. But Krishna gives us a limited degree of independence. So if we choose to misuse that independence, if we reject Krishna, and want to become god ourselves, then that causes us to take birth in the material world in a material body.
So it is caused by ourselves, not by Krishna, Krishna does not want the material world, we want it. So He creates it for us, but it is created, like a government creates a prison for the prisoners, with the intention of rectifying the prisoners. So this world is like that. Ultimately all our attempts to be happy separately from Krishna fail miserably and a thoughtful person, after many, many births in the material world will realize there is no happiness in the material world and will want to get out. So this is intelligence. Realizing there is no happiness in the material world and questioning what is the purpose of life, etc. That is the beginning of human life.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Reading your article about Krishna is itself enligthening. I am so happy learning spiritual things. But how can I personally experience Krishna right now? I listen everyday to the Hare Krishna songs and I feel good. My grandson is so curious looking at the colorful pictures everytime I play the Hare Krishna mantra in youtube. Thanks a lot! I like to read more about Krishna and how to experience Him personally.
We are experiencing Krishna at every moment but because our consciousness is contaminated and polluted we can not realize that. So to see Krishna we have to purify our consciousness. And that is a scientific process called saddhana-bhakti. It takes a little time and you have to learn the science. Not that one can become a doctor overnight, one has to go to the college and study the books and pass the exams, etc. So in Krishna consciousness we have to learn it. We have to follow the regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] we have to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and we need to read all of Srila Prabhupada’s books. So it may take a little time and we have to be enthusiastic as you are to see Krishna immediately but at the same time we have to be patient and determined and execute the process of saddhana-bhakti faithfully and we will see Krishna face-to-face in the end.
All the information you need is in Prabhupada’s books. Please read them.
Thank you ,mohini;)
Hare Krishna Prabhuji, please accept my humble obeisances. Thank you for replying to my earlier question of man going to outer space. I have received the news letter of how Lord Krishna looks like. It is very interesting to get to know all these and thank you for the same. I look forward for your next news letter.
Yours sincerely Nagendra.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Yes,getting these books out is the most important duty of every devotee,and if you give them away for free,for my humble self i make the goal for 1book a day,makes 356 books a year,so if we pass away and have to return to this rotten planet ,i know the books will be there so we can continue where we left off,yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada
Mohini
It is not Srila Prabhupada’s plan to distribute the books free of charge. Firstly if you give something to someone free they will not value it. They will most likely not read it and throw it away. So we do not want that. Then we are not helping them at all. They are just committing offenses by throwing away the book. So Srila Prabhupada correctly tells us that if they give a donation they will read the book. This is the psychology. Once someone pays for a book the think, “I have spent some of my hard-earned money on this book, I have to read it to get my money’s worth.” So we have to get the people to pay for the books otherwise they will not value them and most will just throw them away, but if they pay for the book they will value it, they won’t throw it away, and they will read it.
The other important reason why we have to get the people to pay the printing costs of the books is that is service to Krishna. If they pay for the printing of the book that is devotional service for them. This is called ajnata-sukriti, it is unknown pious activity. So they are rendering practical devotional service to Krishna by paying for the printing of a book that is glorifying Krishna. That is a great credit for them and that is the beginning of their devotional service.
So we don’t give out free books. We distribute books and we ask the people if they can leave a contribution to help cover the printing cost.
So please do this. Purchase some books yourself from:
https://krishnastore.com/books-wholesale-om-21_37.html
And just distribute them to the people and ask the people to leave a contribution to help with the printing cost.
And don’t just distribute one book a day. Distribute more. 10 a day, 100 a day, etc.
In reality there are not many sincere devotees who are prepared to distribute Prabhupada’s books so the few that are need to distribute a lot of books…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Yes of course you are right Prabhu, actually iam combining it with our business so when somebody is a customer !they get a book too and actually they love it,but of course 1book a day is the minimum and yes bookdistribution is the most wonderfull service and keeps my mind clear.
And yes 10 a day ,100 a day ,boxes yes just like old times .by the way your newsletter is amazing ,your website is amazing and thanks again for sharing,yes thank you,
Mohini
Hi Mohini…I will read the gita. I won’t take it for granted even if someone gives me a copy. I WILL READ IT.
For me even if the book of Prabhupada is given to me free, I will value it very much. You can be sure of that. You know I left all mybooks about Krishna Consciousnes in the Philippines when we migrated here in Canada. If you can give me some free copies anything about Krishna, I would appreciate it very much. Thank you so much!
If I give you free books then you will not value them, just like the Krishna conscious books you got in the Philippines, probably for free, you did not value them, you left them there instead of bringing them with you. So just buy the books at:
https://krishnastore.com
When you pay for them you will value them, you will read them, and you will get the benefit of paying for the printing cost which will be real practical devotional service and will help you advance in Krishna consciousness even more.
We do not give away free books…
Yeah, free books arent valued. Once I had sold a BBd to a man. The next day when I was showing the same book to another girl, that same man was present and shouting from behind, “Hey ! She is a cheat! Don’t buy that book from her, iskcon gives the same book for free.” Thus that girl went away. The same thing happened for 2-3 people. Then I went to another place.
I thought I should reduce the price of the book, but then I didn’t; thinking cheap things aren’t valued. Of course sometimes thinking that if iskcon wasnt there i would have done much better…But thank you Prabhu for something, Krishna knows about it. . When o when will that day me mine…
Hare Krishna, Yes. The principle is we should get them to pay the printing cost of the book at least, but in reality if it is a very sincere person who is actually interested we can give them for less cost. Also I usually have some small leaflets like ‘On Chanting Hare Krishna’, ‘Krishna, The Reservoir of Pleasure’, etc, and even the people who do not give a donation you can give them a booklet like this, etc. But if you give a big hard cover Gita and they give a 20 cent donation you can say, “Well that costs us $10 to print, do you mind if I give you a smaller book?’ and they will understand this and be happy, and you can give them some small book or booklet. So principle is they should pay the printing cost at least but you know it is ultimately up to the distributor to decide what to give by understanding the nature of the person he is speaking with, etc.
You’re wrong in saying that I don’t value my free books. We were allowed limited baggage when we migrated here in Canada. To value my books, I donated them all in our barangay library to be read by anybody interested in spirituality. Please refrain from saying we don’t value things if it’s free. It depends.Just say you don’t give free books and the message is clear to us. I’m sorry. I don’t want to argue I just want to be clear that even if it free I value it especially about spirituality. Thank you so much. Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna, Yes, very sorry, of course some people do value spiritual things even if they are free, but most people do not. And if they pay the printing cost that is very great devotional service on their part, and that unknown devotional service, paying for the printing cost of the book, purifies them and qualifies them to read and understand the book. So it is very important that we get the people to pay for the printing cost of the books.
Hare Krsna Venerando,i used to distrbute lots of books in the early 1980 in the Phillipines ,in Manila ,Cebu ,Baguio,also sets of Srimad Bhagavatham,at that time bookdistribution was going on very nicely,i dont know now,but see how potent Srila Prabhupadas books are and how it spreads around the world ,now we just have to also read them ,realise and continue distributing them even they just give 1€ only and if they dont have money i tell them its ok just make sure you treat them as if you paid 10000€ for them.
Knowledge of Krsna is such a great gift that one is not able to repay the benefactor at any time(S.P.)
Chant and be happy ,mohini
Hello Madhudvisa…how about the PDF download of the gita book? Its given free…
Hare Krishna!
You can download PDF Bhagavad-gita at:
https://krishna.org/bhagavad-gita-as-it-is-original-1972-edition-free-pdf-download/
Hare Krishna! Thank you for this article on “What Does Krishna Look Like?” I know that I have certainly thought about his appearance. For me, you have answered very thoroughly. I am an artist and I have seen many paintings and I too have have painted him from my own mind and what I think he may look like. But this article has gone beyond this. By naming each of the 6 attractive qualities of Krishna that was new for me and made me expand my thoughts about him. I also like the example of Krishna being like the ocean and we are like drops of water from the ocean. I look forward to your next newsletter. Thank you.
I have heard that a Vaishnav does not want liberation. Rather he or she wants a place in the feet of Krishna. Even final liberation is inferior than getting a place in the feet of Krishna. So, what should be my aim?
A Vaisnava does not even want a place at the feet of Krishna. If you are at the feet of Krishna you are liberated. A Vaisnava simply wants to be engaged in the service of Krishna under the direction of a pure devotee of Krishan and he wants to live in the association of devotees. That is all. Actually in that condition a devotee is liberated and is at the lotus feet of Krishna. So that should be your aspiration, to be engaged in the service of Krishna and to live in the association of devotees.
Very blissful instructions about the Supreme personality of Godhead Krishna. Lovely, Wonderfull, Transandantal…
Only By reading the glorious instructions of my sweet little Angel Krishna’s a sweet little child krsna I loose my mind unto the lotus feet of krsna…
I cannot able to stop my happiness oh my krsna how blissful you are.. Incontrollable.
Love you love you love you my sweet little Angel Krishna…
Life with krsna is full of Bliss’sssssssssss.
Hari bol dandavat pranam…_/_
what are the duties of the manus
What has that got to do with the article? “What does Krishna look like?” You have to ask questions related to the article…
Krishna looks like us (humans) but only when he takes a form similar to ours. His actual appearance is unavailable to us due to, among other things, sensory restrictions. When the Bible states that we are made in God’s image, I’ve always assumed that man was made in our creator’s, Manu, image.
Hare Krishna Bhurlokan
You are wrong. We are made in Krishna’s image. Manu also is made in Krishna’s image. Krishna is so merciful that He appears in this material world in His original transcendental form. Krishna appeared in Vrindavan in India on this planet 5,000 years ago. So we have the descriptions of Krishna from that time, also they made murtis or statues of Krishna at that time and some of these still exist even now. So we certainly know what Krishna looks like. Krishna also very mercifully appears in a form which is apparently made of the material elements, as the archa-vigraha, the deity in the temple. So you can go to any Krishna temple and see Krishna there. You can not assume anything when it comes to spiritual knowledge. Your assumptions are useless. You have to hear the knowledge from a bona-fide spiritual authority in the disciplic succession. That is the only way we can get the correct transcendental knowledge.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
He looks a lot like some of the pictures of Him that I have seen, but very little like other pictures that I have seen. However, He can change His appearance in any way, shape or form. He is now almost 50 years old, but looks like He is in His 20s. He is very handsome. He radiates love, purity, kindness, caring, strength, power, humility, sweetness, concern, mercy, innocence and everything that is good and beautiful.
Pray that you will recognize Him when you see Him because He appears to be an ordinary man.
Hare Krishna.
Thank you so much for the newsletter and these wonderful posts.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
I am thankful to you for this wonderful mail..
I am being in krishna consciousness since oct 2016 by attending JSD cource & attending every monday Bhagwat gita class,
I have corrected myself by stopping eating egg’s,having alcohol,
Also practice ABCD,Association of devotees,reading books,chanting krishna name…
I have one question to be asked…i am feeling the the attachment with krishna & slowly & gradully getting detached from material desires for myself,
But as i am only earner & have responsibility of other 4 on me,Parents,wife,1 daughter & expecting one more child by next month,
In this competitive world if you are not cunning & please your boss things dont work,
But wat i understand krishna is our all,so i have been focusing on his pleasing & focus on krishna..
I have got one failure recently by not getting promotion..what i feel i have been working on removing all false ego & please my boss,,,i feel there has been a self confidence issue in me since than….
Kindly help me what to do..as JOB is important for serving my responsibilities & promotion’s & growth for their better fulfilment…
Hare Krishna Dhimant
It is very good news that you are sincerely taking to Krishna consciousness and making spiritual advancement. That is the purpose of our life. We have to adjust our lives so we are always chanting Hare Krishna, always remembering Krishna and never forgetting Krishna. If we can do this then naturally we will remember Krishna at the time of death and if we remember Krishna at the time of death Krishna assures in Bhagavad-gita that we will return to Him, we will go back home back to Godhead for sure.
As far as the material world, the job, the promotion, etc. We should not care too much about it. Of course as a family man you have to work and make money to support the family. So do it responsibly. But do not be so attached to the results. As devotees we serve Krishna to the best of our ability and we know that Krishna is please by that. Our interest is in pleasing Krishna only, we do not actually mind so much if the result is good or bad. The point is we are surrendered to Krishna and serving Him. So the point is the service, not the result.
So we do not care for success or failure in the material world. Sure, you have to do your duty and make an effort, but not that you become disturbed if it is not successful, and not that you make such an extreme effort that it disturbs your spiritual life.
In reality as far as material things are concerned we are destined to enjoy a certain amount and suffer a certain amount due to our karma, due to the sinful and pious activities we have done in this life and in previous lives. So if you have good karma then things in the material world will go well for you, but if you have bad karma things will go wrong.
So as devotees we know that these results are destined and we can not change them. If you are not destined to get the promotion then no matter how hard you work you will not get it, and if you are destined to get the promotion if you just do your duty normally without making any special effort, you will get the promotion.
So the point is don’t worry about material things. Do your job, perform your duty, and know that the results you are destined to get, good or bad, will come. And don’t be happy when good results come and don’t be distressed when bad things happen. Know that it is all destined to happen due to your karma and that you can not change it. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita that happiness and distress come and go like the summer and winter seasons. There is nothing we can do about it. It is too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer. But that is the way it is and we can’t change it. So we have to tolerate it, not be disturbed by it, and just go on with our spiritual life.
So don’t worry, as far as the job do your duty but without making any extreme effort and if you are destined to be promoted due to your karma you will get promoted and if you are destined to loose your job you will loose your job. And don’t become happy or distressed in either case.
Krishna will look after you in any situation in life. We don’t really care about the temporary situation in the material world. We care about serving Krishna and remembering Krishna at the time of death.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Thank you Prabhuji,
I am still focussing on Krishna by chanting his name,reading his books & listening his bhajan’s & mahamantra,
Thank you for your help,i will take into consideration & i hope krishna will help & guide me in that direction.
Hare Krishna, Madhudvisa dasa! I like your answer to Dhimant…It is also very applicable to me, but in a different situation.
I love reading these posts. I learn a lot.
Thank you!
Hare Krishna Prabhu…this answer is very helpful for me. Now I know that I have to make effort but not extra effort to succeed in material life because that will only entangle me in material world more and more.