madhu pandit - krishna voice 2009 04(apr)

Apr 2009Vol 10, No. 4

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Krishna Voice, Mar 2009 3

His Divine Grace A. C. BhaktivedantaSwami Prabhupada, founder- acharyaof the International Society forKrishna Consciousness, came toAmerica in 1965, at age 69, to fulfillhis spiritual master’s request that heteach the science of Krishnaconsciousness throughout the English-speaking world. In a dozen years hepublished some seventy volumes oftranslation and commentary on India’sVedic literature, and these are nowstandard in universities worldwide.Meanwhile, travelling almost nonstop,Srila Prabhupada moulded hisinternational society into a world wideconfederation of ashramas, schools,temples and farm communities. Hepassed away in 1977, in Vrindavana,the place most sacred to Lord Krishna.His disciples and followers are carryingforward the movement he started.

Published and owned by Sankirtana SevaTrust, editing by Chamari Devi Dasi. Layout,design and graphics by ISKCON Design Group,Bangalore. For all information contact:Editor, Krishna Voice, SST, Hare Krishna Hill,Chord Road, Bangalore - 560 010 INDIA,Phone: 91-80-2347 1956, 91-80-2357 8346,FAX: 91-80-2357 8625. © 2009 SankirtanaSeva Trust, Bangalore. All Krishna art andthe works of Srila Prabhupada are © BBTInternational. All rights reserved throughoutthe world. Reproduction in any manner isstrictly prohibited. Printed for ISKCON,Bangalore, at Manipal Printers (P) Ltd.,Manipal

Apr 2009Vol 10, No.4

CONTENTS

Fix Your Mind on Krishna 4

Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out 10

Sour Grapes and the Vine of Vedic Knowledge 17

Why Krishna Appears as Jagannatha 20

Cover pages-4 Text pages-24


Fix Your Mind on KrishnaThere's only one sure way to control the mind's desires

A lecture given in Bombay, January 4, 1975By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousnessvaikarikad vikurvanan manas-tattvam ajayata

yat-sankalpa-vikalpabhyam vartate kama-sambhavahFrom the false ego of goodness, another transformation takes place. From this evolves the mind, whose thoughts

and reflections give rise to desire.—Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.27

The mind is material because it is a product of the transformation of the mode of goodness. Gradually, beingcontaminated by different kinds of material desires, the mind becomes degraded. Kama esa krodha esa rajo-guna-samudbhavah. When the mind deteriorates, from the standard of goodness it comes to rajo-guna. Rajo-gunameans lusty desires, unending desires. And if desires are not fulfilled, then there is krodha, anger. In this way,kama krodha lobha moha matsarya—lust, anger, greed, illusion, and envy—become prominent, and we becomethe servant of these propensities.This gradual degradation of the mind is called illusion. The business of the mind is sankalpa and vikalpa. Sankalpameans to decide to do something, and vikalpa means to reject something. Everyone desires peacefulness of mind,but the nature of the material mind is sankalpa and vikalpa—restlessness.If you can control the senses by the mystic yogic process, the mechanical endeavor to control the mind, then youcan again be placed in the original spiritual status. That is the purpose of the yoga system. The yoga system isrecommended for a person whose mind is very restless.Actually, everyone's mind is restless. To bring the mind into a peaceful status is difficult. As long as desires arethere, to bring the mind to complete peace and tranquility is impossible. It is impossible because of sankalpa-vikalpa. Therefore Kaviraja Gosvami writes in the Chaitanya-charitamrta that even persons who act piously arenot peaceful. There is no question of peace of mind for the sinful. But even those who act piously cannot controlthe mind. And those who desire to stop material activities completely, pious or impious, also cannot control themind.The first group, those interested in pious activities, are karmis. And those interested in neither pious activities norimpious activities want to stop all kinds of activities. The Buddhist philosophy, for example, speaks of nirvana:"Stop the activities of the mind, or desires." But in that status, also, it is not possible to control the mind, thoughone may try to meditate. Finally, the yogis also cannot control the mind. So what to speak of the ordinary man,who is interested in neither pious activities nor liberation nor yogic perfection?Controlling the MindWhen Krishna advised Arjuna, in the Sixth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, to practice yoga for controlling the mind,Arjuna refused. Arjuna said, "My dear Krishna, You are advising me to control the mind by practicing yoga, but Ihave no such opportunity, because I am a family man. I am also a politician, a member of the royal family. I haveto see to the administration of the kingdom. And besides that, in family life I have to seek my material interest.So how is it possible for me to control the mind?" Arjuna flatly said:

cancalam hi manah krishna pramathi balavad drdhamtasyaham nigraham manye vayor iva suduskaram

"My dear Krishna, I think the mind is very, very restless." Cancalam hi manah Krishna. "Like a madman." Pramathi."And it is very strong. I want to control the mind, but it does not come under my control. That is my position.Therefore, although You are asking me to control the mind, I think that is more difficult than controlling the wind."Tasyaham nigraham manye vayor iva suduskaram.Suppose there is a very strong wind, a cyclone. If you want to stop it, that will not be not possible. Arjuna comparedthe mind to a cyclone. How can such a mind be controlled? So Arjuna rejected Krishna's proposal that Arjunashould control his mind. But to encourage Arjuna, Krishna said that Arjuna should not be disappointed: BecauseArjuna's mind was always engaged in the lotus feet of Krishna, Arjuna is the best of all yogis.

yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana

Krishna Voice, Mar 20096

sraddhavan bhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo matahKrishna encouraged Arjuna: "Don't be disappointed, because your mind is always engaged in Me." Arjuna mightbe anything, but he was always thinking of Krishna. He was always associating with Krishna. He did not knowanything else but Krishna. That is the position of the first-class yogi. Otherwise, to control the mind from kama,krodha, lobha, moha, matsarya is not possible. You have to change the position of such activities.Here it is said kama-sambhavah. Kama means "desire." The mind is restless, always desiring something. So thebest policy to control the mind is to desire to spread Krishna consciousness. Narottama Dasa Thakura has said,kamah Krishna-karmarpane: engage your desires by working for Krishna.You cannot be free from desire. That is not possible. Some teachers say, "Become desireless." No, that is notpossible. How can I? If I become desireless I die. As long as I am a living entity, I must desire. I cannot checkdesiring. At present we desire to become happy in the material world, to acquire so much money, to acquire this,to acquire that—that is kama, desire. But if you engage your mind in Krishna's service by thinking of how to spreadKrishna consciousness, how to convince people about Krishna, how to take them to Krishna's desire—if you goon making plans for spreading Kr ishna consciousness—then your mind is control led.You cannot stop desire. That is not possible. The mind's position is to desire. I desire something, and if I find itnot very palatable, then I reject it. And I accept another desire.You cannot keep the mind vacant even for a single moment. If by force you try to do that, you are simply laboring.Therefore Lord Krishna says, kleso 'dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam: to engage your mind in the impersonalor void is very, very difficult.Busy Making PlansEveryone is making plans based on desires. In our central government, in India, there is a planning commission.For the last twenty years they are simply making plans, and no plan has become successful; every plan fails. Oneresult, for example, is that rice, our staple food, has risen dramatically—to eight rupees per kilogram.As long as you are materially affected and making plans to get free, material nature is so strong that it will baffleall your plans and you will have to remain perpetually restless. You make a plan, and it is baffled by the stringentlaws of nature. And at last—making plans, making plans, making plans—one day Time comes and orders, "Pleasevacate your presidency, your prime ministership."A man will try to make successful plans up to the point of death—pralayanta. And then he will entrust everythingto his family. He'll say, "My dear son, my dear daughter, I could not fulfill this plan, so you do it. Now I hand it overto you." And the son also goes on making plans, plans, plans. But the plans will never be fulfilled.That is the verdict of the shastra, scripture: durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah. Durasaya means "success isimpossible." Therefore sankalpa-vikalpa—accepting some plan and then rejecting it—is going on perpetually. Theplans will never be fulfilled, but for making plans I perpetually give up one body and accept another. I give upresidence on one planet and go to another:

urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha madhye tisthanti rajasahjaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah

There are plans in the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance. Different plans give different kinds of bodyand different residential quarters in different planets.We have experience even in Bombay. If a man is living here in Bombay for fifty years, how many plans he hasmade and how many apartments he has changed. And still, his plan-making business is going on.Just as this plan-making business is going on in this span of life, it is going on life after life. Intelligent personsshould understand how to stop this unlimited plan-making business. Athato brahma-jijnasa. That is life—when oneis inquisitive to know the broader plan, the Brahman plan. Brahman means "the biggest." If one becomes inquisitiveabout the biggest plan, one's real life begins.With ordinary inquisitiveness we ask, "What is the price of rice today?" or "What is the situation of the strike? Whatis the situation of this, that?" That you can ask from the newspaper or from anyone. But for brahma-jijnasa, inquiryabout Brahman, the greatest, where shall you inquire? Will you go to the exchange market or some other market?No. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet. That is the injunction of the Vedas: You must find a guru. Samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham. The guru's qualification is brahma-nistham, "fixed in Brahman." And srotriyam:one who has heard from the disciplic succession is guru, not just any magician.Krishna is the original guru. He is the guru of Brahma, the first created being. Who can be a better guru thanKrishna? Tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye. He instructed Brahma, Brahma instructed Narada, and Narada instructed


Vyasadeva. And Vyasadeva has given us so many books of Vedic literature. That is called the parampara system,disciplic succession.Vyasadeva gave us four Vedas: Sama, Yajur, Rg, and Atharva. He then explained them in the 108 Puranas andsummarized them in the Vedanta-sutra. Then he explained the Vedanta-sutra by writing Srimad-Bhagavatam. Inevery chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam you will find Vyasadeva's statement brahma-sutra-bhashya, "commentaryon Brahma-sutra, or Vedanta-sutra."Brahma-sutra-bhashya, the commentary on Vedanta-sutra, is not Shankaracarya's bhashya, known as Shariraka-bhashya. That commentary is artificial. Brahma-sutra was written by Vyasadeva, and because he knew that inthe future so many rascals would misinterpret the Brahma-sutra, he personally compiled the bhashya on Brahma-sutra. That is Srimad-Bhagavatam. bhashyam brahma-sutranam vedartha-paribrmhitam: "The meaning of theVedas is completely described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the original commentary on Brahma-sutra."Srimad-Bhagavatam begins with the words of Brahma-sutra: jivasya tattva-jijnasa. As the Brahma-sutra saysathato brahma-jijnasa, the Bhagavatam says jivasya tattva-jijnasa: "The living entity's only business is to inquireabout the Absolute Truth." Nartho yas ceha karmabhih: "No other business."Real DharmaGenerally people think, "By becoming religious we shall become economically developed." If you actually followdharma, or religious principles, economic development will come. There is no doubt. But we do not know whatdharma is. That is the difficulty. That we have to learn from Krishna—athato brahma-jijnasa—from the guru. Andwhat does the guru say? What does Krishna say? Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: "Giveup all so-called religion and just surrender unto Me." That is dharma. Anything else is all cheating.Dharmah projjhita-kaitavah atra. Kaitava means "cheating." And Sridhara Svami, the original commentator on theBhagavatam, says, "Moksha is also cheating." Moksha means thinking, "I shall make myself void. I shall finishmy individual existence. I shall merge into the existence of the Absolute." Sridhara Svami says that such thinkingis cheating because you cannot become one with the Supreme. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, mamaivamsojiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah: you are part and parcel of the Supreme. How can you become one?Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, "My dear Arjuna, I, you, and all the soldiers and kings assembled on thisbattlefield were the same individuals in the past, are individuals now, and will continue to remain individuals." Sowhere is there oneness? In the past, present, and future the individuality is there.Snuffing out individuality is a concoction. It is called spiritual suicide. If a man becomes disappointed and cuts hisown throat or hangs himself or takes poison, does that mean he is finished? By putting an end to the body doeshe put an end to himself? No, that is not possible. He is a rascal, because he does not know na hanyate hanyamanesarire: "The self is not slain when the body is slain." The result of his suicide is that because he violated the rulesof nature he becomes a ghost. That is his life. One who commits suicide becomes a ghost. He does not get agross material body; he remains in the subtle body of mind and intelligence.Therefore a ghost can go anywhere very quickly because he is in the mind. Mind speed is very swift. If you havea gross material body you cannot go at once a hundred miles off. But if you are in the mental body, you can go athousand miles within a second. So ghosts can do wonderful things. But they are not happy, because they haveno gross body. They want to enjoy. The ghost is a materialist. He has committed suicide for some material want.He could not fulfill that want in his body, so he committed suicide. But the desire is still there, and he cannot fulfillit. He becomes perplexed. Therefore ghosts sometimes create disturbances.Engaging the MindDesires cannot be finished. Kama-sambhavah. Therefore the best thing is to fix your mind on Krishna, in Krishnaconsciousness. Then you will be happy, the mind always engaged in Krishna's business, planning how to satisfyKrishna.That is intelligence. Krishna wants everyone to surrender unto Him. When Krishna says, sarva-dharman parityajyamam ekam saranam vraja, He does not speak only to Arjuna; He speaks to everyone. So that is Krishna's desire,and if you want to serve Krishna, to fulfill His desire, that means you canvass everyone to surrender to Krishna.That is preaching. Krishna wants it. He has declared so.Your business is to satisfy Krishna. Why don't you do it? Why are you aspiring after mukti, siddhi, and bhukti—liberation, mystic perfection, and material enjoyment?Anyone executing pious activities, acquiring punya, will go to the heavenly planets. That is sense gratification. Inthe heavenly planets you live for many thousands of years, many millions of years, and get the association ofapsaras, or celestial dancing girls, a very nice standard of life, and so on. These are all personal comforts, bhukti.To go to the heavenly planet means to achieve a standard of life millions of times better than on this planet. This


planet is Bhurloka. As you go up and up you come to Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka,Brahmaloka—so many lokas, or planets. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. If you increase your mode of goodness,then you are gradually promoted to a more and more comfortable situation.If you go to Siddhaloka, at once you become a perfect yogi. The yogis try to get some material power, or siddhi.For example, if one gets prapti-siddhi, whatever he likes he can get at once. And people will come to him, "Oh,here is God. He is creating rasagulla*." [Laughter.]A yogi in Benares will make two rasagullas appear in a pot when anyone comes to see him. And even big, bigmen become surprised—"Oh, here is God." They don't ask, "What is the price of these rasagullas?" Say, fourcents? So by jugglery of four cents he became God. This rascaldom is going on. By jugglery of four cents, eightcents, or four hundred, or four thousand—if one can make some jugglery, then he becomes God. This is foolishness.Therefore Krishna says that this kind of yoga practice is simply cheating. Krishna describes the first-class yogi:yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana. One who thinks always of Krishna—"Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna"—is a first-class yogi.Hear from a DevoteeSome foolish people are cheated by yogic jugglery, and the yogi gets some material position. But there are manyways to get some material position. Even a politician may attract many millions of people to hear him speak. Butwhat is the benefit of such hearing? First of all we have to see what is the benefit. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh. Ifyou are interested in hearing lectures, then shastra says, "Hear of Vishnu," not of any rascal. Hear from a Vaishnava,a devotee of the Lord. Then you will be benefited. Otherwise you will not be benefited. Avaisnavo gurur na syat.That is the injunction of the shastra. One who is an aVaishnava, a non-Vaishnava, cannot become guru.Sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah. A brahmana may be very expert in sat-karma, six occupationalduties: patana, patana, yajana, yajana, dana, and pratigraha. Patana means that a brahmana must be a very, verylearned scholar by reading Vedic literature. Patana means that he must teach others the Vedic literature.Formerly it was the custom that brahmanas not accept service under anyone. They would sit down anywhere andopen a school to teach Vedic literature. And the students would go door to door for begging—"Mother, give mesome alms." Whatever they would bring would be cooked and offered to Krishna, and the prasadam would bedistributed amongst themselves. That was the traditional process of education—not paying some fee and givingsome bribe to enter school and then receiving a rascal education. No. First-class education, without any fee, fromthe realized soul—that was the educational system, varnasrama-dharma.So we have to find out such a guru—a Vaishnava. shastra says, sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah.The brahmana must not only be expert in six kinds of occupational duty, but also mantra-tantra-visaradah: "Hemust know Vedic mantras and tantras—chants and rituals—perfectly well." Avaisnavo gurur na sa syat: "But if heis an aVaishnava, he cannot be a guru." An aVaishnava does not believe in the Supreme Personality of GodheadVishnu, or he believes that demigods, such as Lord Shiva or Lord Brahma, the best of the demigods, are equalto Vishnu. For example, Ravana was a very learned scholar and the son of a brahmana. And he was economicallydeveloped. His only fault was that he was an aVaishnava: he did not care for Lord Rama. So he is designated arakshasa, an uncivilized atheist.One who is not a devotee of Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cannot become a guru. That is notpossible. And Vaishnavah sva-paco guruh. Sva-paca means the dog-eaters, chandalas, the lowest of mankind.Candalo 'pi dvija-srestho hari-bhakti-parayanah. If somehow or other such a person has become a Vaishnava,then he can become guru. But the expert brahmana who is not a Vaishnava cannot.Krishna says, "Anyone who takes shelter of Me, even if he belongs to the papa-yoni—the chandalas—is eligibleto go back home, back to Godhead."One should not consider whether a Vaishnava is born of a low family, not a brahmana family. Such a considerationis naraki-buddhi, hellish. Sri Sanatana Gosvami says:

avaishnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtamsravanam na kartavyam sarpocchistam yatha payah

If an avaishnava, a Mayavadi, speaks about Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita, one should not hear his speech. Oneshould avoid it because it will create some misunderstanding. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has forbidden strongly—mayavadi-bhashya sunile haya sarva-nasa: "If one hears from a Mayavadi impersonalist about Bhagavad-gita orSrimad-Bhagavatam, then one is doomed." Therefore, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: one shouldapproach a Vaishnava to accept him as guru and then take lessons from him and make one's life successful.Thank you very much.

10

SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS OUT

Official: Our movement is very well known in the UnitedStates. Have you never come across our society?

Srila Prabhupada: What is the aim of your movement?

Official: The evolution of man.

Srila Prabhupada: "The evolution of man." So man isgoing to evolve more? What is that ultimate "evolution"?What is your movement about?

Official: A reintegration of man with the cosmos, orcosmic consciousness.

Srila Prabhupada: Cosmic consciousness. We alsobelieve in individual consciousness and cosmicconsciousness. We are now studying this subject matterin our class. Ksetra-jna: the individual soul is a knower—conscious—and the Supersoul, God, is alsoconscious. So we also admit: universalconsciousness. That is God's consciousness. Butour consciousness is limited.

Official: Our movement is studying the samething.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. So that is real evolution:when our consciousness is in agreement with thesupreme consciousness. That is Krishnaconsciousness.

Official: Ours is a mystical and philosophical orderthat allows its students to achieve the perfectionof consciousness.

Srila Prabhupada: So what is theideal of that perfection ofconsciousness?

Official: It is love.

Sri la Prabhupada:"Love." That's nice. Verygood. So the supremeconsciousness and ouri n d i v i d u a lconsc iousness—when they are inexchange of love,that is perfection. Isthat right?

Shattering "The Silence Of The Absolute"This exchange between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and an official from an

impersonalist ("God-is-simply-everyone-and-everything") movement took place in Paris, on August 13, 1973, withSrila Prabhupada's disciples translating the official's remarks from French.

Official: This ultimate consciousness is one of unionwith the Absolute. It is one of light, of samadhi, of totallove. This is the highest.

Srila Prabhupada: "Love." When we speak of love,there must be two persons. So what is your philosophy?

Official: The love of which I am speaking is a love thatbinds everything together, that bathes everything in lightand love.


Srila Prabhupada: So there is no action?

Official: No, there is action.

Srila Prabhupada: What are those activities?

Official: Giving.

Srila Prabhupada: Giving—and taking, also.

Official: There is giving. There is also taking. But theperson who has achieved this ultimate perfection—whenever he takes, he immediately gives it to someoneelse.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. The transaction between twolovers: the first gives; the second takes. Sometimes thesecond gives and the first takes. This is exchange.Similarly, I give my beloved something to eat, and healso gives me something to eat. And again, I disclosemy mind unto my beloved; my beloved also disclosesher or his mind. These are loving exchanges.

Official: I understand that we are talking of love meaningtwo persons, but why can't we think of love in terms ofan exchange between man and everything? Betweenman and the cosmos?

Srila Prabhupada: As you say, cosmos meansconsciousness. And consciousness means persons,the Supreme Person and His subordinates. For instance,I may want to love a whole tree, with all its leaves andtwigs. Now, if I pour water on the root of the tree, it goesto the leaves, twigs, branches automatically. So if welove the supreme consciousness, the Supreme Person,who has got universal or cosmic consciousness, thenautomatically our service goes to everyone, everywhere.

Official: This is also our philosophy.

Srila Prabhupada: But you cannot love everyone andanyone or everything without finding out the originalsource of everything.

Official: Our order is a school that teaches its studentsto progress, step by step, toward that ultimate sourceof all sources.

Srila Prabhupada: What are those steps?

Official: It is a gradual progress. Our students come,they receive initiation, and then they are guided. Theyare given certain principles, and then gradually, at theirown rate, by their own powers, they ultimately arrive atperfection.

Srila Prabhupada: So, what is that ideal of perfection?

Official: That ideal of perfection is nirvana. It is thekingdom of Lord Jesus Christ. It is the ultimate point forwhich all men are ultimately striving.

Srila Prabhupada: So, what is that? Nirvana meanszero. Everyone is striving for zero?

Official: Nirvana means something different for us.

Srila Prabhupada: What is that?

Official: It is an entering into something that is aliveand real.

Srila Prabhupada: Nirvana—this is a Sanskrit word.Nirvana means "finish."

Official: For us, the word nirvana means an end, butan end to this material existence and an entrance intothe silence of the Absolute: onto a level that is real,whereas this one is false. This one is rejected.

Srila Prabhupada: Why "silence"?

Official: The term "entering into silence" is a mysticterm.

Srila Prabhupada: You cannot explain i t .

Official: It is indescribable, because it is something thatis arrived at inside, through meditation. You can't reallydescribe it in words.

Srila Prabhupada: Why? You are describing so manythings in words, and yet the ultimate goal you cannotdescribe.


Does Krishna consciousness promote a pessimisticworldview?“Oouuuch!”My dentist probably expected a more meaningfulexchange, perhaps simple pleasantries or a friendlyconversation. After all, he hadn’t seen me for quite sometime. But I was here to get down to business, and sowas he. No time for light talk.“Let’s see,” he said, looking into my mouth as if searchingfor gold. “You need a few fillings. Hmm. Root canal, forsure, and definitely a bridge, right back here.”It was precisely at this point that the oouuch blurted outof my mouth. He poked once too often.“Come on,” I started. “The idea of all that dental workis depressing—it’s going to cost way too much, and it’sprobably gonna hurt.”“I’m not saying this to depress you,” he said, shakinghis head. “That’s not my motivation. These are the facts.Your teeth need attention, and they need it now.”That sent my mind back to a conversation I had hadthe day before, at the Sunday feast in the Brooklyn HareKrishna temple. I was explaining certain basic points ofKrishna conscious philosophy to a newcomer, tellingher that the world is a place of misery, wherein repeatedbirth and death take place. We all go through birth,death, old age, and disease, I reminded her, and we allsuffer from threefold miseries: those caused by our ownbodies and minds, by the bodies and minds of others,and by natural calamities.“Why are you so negative?” she asked.A bit surprised by her reaction, I explained that thenegative philosophy at the base of Krishnaconsciousness is only a starting point. Using this as afoundation—that the material world can be a nastyplace—Krishna consciousness goes on to explain howlife can be truly blissful, not only in some hopeful futurelife but also within our own lifetime, in the here and now.But now, sitting in my dentist’s chair, I sounded a lot likethat young woman. My dentist was only giving me thefacts, explaining the state of rot in my mouth.Nonetheless, I found it necessary to rebel, to insist thathe was being overly negative. Similarly, when I mentionedthe obvious truth of life in an ever-decaying materialworld, my new friend at the temple needed to respondin kind, as if I was distorting the facts just to depressher.Optimists, Pessimists, and RealistsPeople usually fall into one of two categories: optimistsor pessimists. They view life as being basically a happy

experience or a dismal one. Optimists see the cup ashalf full, whereas pessimists see it as half empty. Thesetwo types of people view the same phenomenondifferently. Where would one place the devotees ofKrishna? Are they pessimists?No, they are not. True, they are aware of the miseriesof material existence, but that’s called knowledge in themode of goodness. Knowledge in the mode of ignorance,by contrast, is beleaguered by obliviousness—blindnessto the pain and suffering that are very real componentsof the material world. In other words, Krishnaconsciousness has much to say about the darker sideof life, about the perils of being caught in a temporarymaterial body. At first blush, therefore, Krishnaconsciousness might appear pessimistic. But a deeperlook reveals that it transcends the usual duality ofoptimism and pessimism altogether. Rather, it is whatI would call “realism,” or, better yet, “spiritual realism.”That is to say, it is balanced. This is so because it is nota product of the usual conditioned responses, positiveor negative, but it is instead the spiritual consciousnessbequeathed to us by the saints and sages of the past.Indeed, Krishna consciousness is like a precious gem,originally revealed by God Himself, and then passeddown by self-realized souls in disciplic succession, inan esoteric lineage created by God to help all conditionedsouls reach the ultimate spiritual truth.Pessimism and the Western Philosophical TraditionIn popular language, the term pessimist is applied topeople who habitually view life with intense melancholy,who view painful experiences as almost desirable—atleast in the sense that they wouldn’t know how to liveany other way. Pain is familiar to them. In addition, suchpeople generally have little corresponding appreciationfor the pleasurable or positive side of life. Alternatively,pessimists sometimes do want happiness in the normal,positive sense of the word, but they are doubtful aboutthe possibility of achieving it. These are two classickinds of pessimism.As a philosophical system, Pessimism addresses thepresence of evil in the world, the built-in torment resultingfrom material limitations. Loved ones leave or die,situations to which we become attached soon change,fundamental anxieties find their way into our lives,especially that black hole of our own mortality—all causesuffering on both gross and subtle levels. In the Westthe philosopher Leibniz taught that pain is integral tofinite and temporary existence. For example, he said,we don’t want to see the end of pleasure, love, and life,and yet end they must. The principle from which painand evil arise—the temporary quality of all thingsmaterial—is thus viewed as an essential part of nature.

Sour Grapes and the Vine of Vedic KnowledgeBy Satyaraja Dasa


This idea is clear in Buddhist thought as well, wherethe Four Noble Truths categorize suffering in variousways along with a coherent system for the cessation ofsuffering. And it is also taught in the Bhagavad-gita,upon which Kr ishna consciousness rests.Arthur Schopenhauer is considered one of the fathersof Pessimism as a philosophical school of thought. Hiswords, at least in regards to suffering, merely echo thetruths found in the Vedic literature. Ultimately,Schopenhauer tells us, “All life is suffering.” He explainsthis by noting that everything that lives has desire, wants,and needs. “Life wants,” he says, “and because itswants are mostly unfulfilled, it exists largely in a stateof unfulfilled striving and deprivation.”His analysis reminds me of something I said to mydentist: All materialistic endeavors for happiness fallinto three broad categories, and they all result in misery:(1) You try for happiness and don’t achieve it. You’remiserable for obvious reasons. (2) You try for happinessand achieve it, but it doesn’t live up to your expectations.Again you’re miserable. (3) You try for happiness andget it, and it does live up to your expectations. But youlose it after some time. Is there any form of materialhappiness that doesn’t fit into one of these threecategories?“And even that which we call ‘happiness,’” saysSchopenhauer, “is really only a temporary cessation ofsome particular suffering.”All satisfaction, or what is commonly called happiness,is really and essentially always negative only, and neverpositive. It is not a gratification which comes to usoriginally and of itself, but it must always be thesatisfaction of a wish. For desire, that is to say, want,is the precedent condition of every pleasure; but withthe satisfaction, the desire and therefore the pleasurecease; and so the satisfaction or gratification can neverbe more than deliverance from a pain, from a want.The Vedic tradition articulates this same idea. SrilaPrabhupada often referred to happiness in the materialworld as merely “the cessation of misery.” He used theanalogy of the dunking stool. To punish evil-doers,officers of the court used to tie criminals to a see-sawkind of dunking stool, easing them down into water andthen, periodically, lifting them up again. Gasping for air,the convicted felon would enjoy the simple act ofbreathing as if it were the greatest pleasure. Likewise,Prabhupada taught, because the material world is sodevoid of any real enjoyment —of any substantivepleasure—the titillating sensations of the body and mindseem alluring, like a few precious breaths to a drowningperson.So Are Devotees Pessimistic?It is clear from Srila Prabhupada’s books that sufferingis integral to material existence: “Out of so many humanbeings who are suffering, there are a few who are

actually inquiring about their position, as to what theyare, why they are put into this awkward position, andso on. Unless one is awakened to this position ofquestioning his suffering, unless he realizes that hedoesn’t want suffering but rather wants to make a solutionto all suffering, then one is not to be considered a perfecthuman being. Humanity begins when this sort of inquiryis awakened in one’s mind.” (Bhagavad-gita As It Is,Introduction)The final sentence in the above quote reveals somethingabout the purpose of suffering in the material world. Itis meant to act as an impetus for the human being toinquire about God consciousness. After lifetimes ofvarious kinds of suffering, the wise begin to ask, “What’slife all about? Why am I here? Why should I go onsuffering?” These questions separate humankind fromthe animals.In Srila Prabhupada’s books he often reveals a kind ofhierarchy of consciousness. On the most fundamentallevel, he says, one believes that the world is safe, thatlasting pleasure exists here, and that one can live happilyever after. But he quickly adds that a life based on suchthinking is like animal life, where eating, sleeping, mating,and defending are the primary activities and one haslittle time to pursue God consciousness. Human beings,he tells us, must move on from this basic, animalisticmentality. And if they advance even a little, he says,then they adopt something of a pessimistic view of life,acknowledging the limitations of material happiness, itsshallowness and its temporary nature.Significantly, however—and this is the main point—Prabhupada also talks about a yet higher level ofexistence, wherein one bids adieu to pessimism andbecomes situated in Krishna consciousness. From thisperspective, life is full of meaning, full of purpose, fullof bliss. It begins while serving Krishna in the materialworld, and carries on when we attain His supremekingdom.Not Naive OptimistsOverall, devotees believe in hope rather than despair,tolerance rather than fear. They believe in love and nothatred, compassion not selfishness, beauty not ugliness,and realized knowledge not blind faith or irrationality.They believe in working hard for the true betterment ofhumankind, and they give their time and life to helpother people. These are not the virtues of the pessimist.But devotees aren’t naive optimists either. They don’tbelieve that all humans will necessarily pursue highergoals. Krishna consciousness is a pragmaticphilosophy—humans are not necessarily good or evilbut they do have the capacity for both. For this reasonSrila Prabhupada set up his institution (ISKCON) toencourage the ultimate good while discouraging notonly the overtly evil but also goodness diluted bymaterialism.


Apr 21 EkadashiApr 22 break fast

May 5 EkadashiMay 6 break fast

Fasting FestivalsApr 27 Akshaya Tritiya

Chandana Yatra beginsMay 8 Narasimha Chaturdashi

Appearance day of Lord NarasimhaFasting till dusk

On that point many may look at devotees somewhataskance, wondering why they are not more involved insocial work or altruistic endeavors. The truth is, devoteesfavor these things, but they prefer to spiritualize them,to bring them to the next level by using them in Krishna’sservice. For example, devotees believe in feeding people,but they insist on feeding them Krishna prasadam,sumptuous vegetarian cuisine that has been offered toKrishna with love. Prasadam distribution is the epitomeof food distribution because it nourishes people bothmaterially and spiritually. Devotees favor this kind ofholistic endeavor, one they believe can help peopleovercome evil and pain.And that’s the question: How are we supposed toovercome evil and human suffering? Many traditionalreligions teach that we can overcome these only in anafterlife where a benevolent God rules in His paradisiacalkingdom. Krishna consciousness, however, rejects theidea that we must wait for some pie-in-the-sky future.Yes, those who are Krishna conscious have secured aplace for themselves in the hereafter, with Krishna inthe spiritual world. But that is not their chief concern.Instead, Prabhupada taught devotees that the fightagainst human suffering and evil must occur here andnow. Since each of us is responsible for that which goeswrong in our lives, we are also responsible for makingthings right. Krishna consciousness teaches that wecan indeed make things right, but only if we surrenderto God, with a heart full of love and devotion. Devoteestry to do that in their own lives, and they teach othersthe same principle.

Prabhupada concludes:Knowledge means understanding how the supremecontroller is controlling. People who defy religion anddeny the existence of a supreme controller are like thejackal that keeps jumping and jumping, trying to reachgrapes on a high vine. After seeing that he cannot reachthe grapes, he says to himself, “Oh, there is no need toreach them. They are sour anyway.” People who saythat we do not need to understand God are indulgingin sour grape philosophy.Prabhupada here turns the “devotee as pessimist” ideaon its head. He sees the materialist as pessimistic—asrejecting God because of a “sour grapes” kind ofphilosophy. Indeed, from the Vedic perspective thedevotees have the greatest hope for humankind—toengage them in Krishna’s service—while the materialistsare hopeless, having given up the quest to understandGod. And in this hopelessness they sometimes viewdevotees as negative.But devotees value this world more than anyone else,because they see it in relation to God. Some peoplewill be pleased by this vision: “Right. It is important tosee God in His creation. But why, then, do you devoteestend to emphasize the Creator instead?” The reason isquite simple: Devotees know that focusing on the creationcan distract a person from the Creator. Therefore,devotees emphasize the Creator to help one avoid thepitfall of becoming sidetracked. Until one learns to focuson God, the relationship between Him and His creationremains an abstraction. This is not sour grapes; it’s justa fact of life.


I was born in a conservative Orissan Vaishnava familyin Puri, on the east coast of India. The Supreme LordJagannatha and His devotees were at the center of mylife. As a child, I played with dolls of Jagannatha,Baladeva (Balarama), and Subhadra, the deities in thefamous Puri temple. I still remember how my mothergave me enormous plates of Jagannatha prasadamand told me to always remember the Lord. I saw howthe simple and devoted Orissan people—even doctors,engineers, and scientists—never neglect to honor LordJagannatha. I watched how the king of Puri becomesa humble servant and sweeps the street beforeJagannatha’s cart during the yearly Rathayatra, orfestival of the chariots.

Lord Jagannatha may look peculiar and strange to theWestern world, but He is the life and soul of the Orissans.Even though I attended the Rathayatra festival for manyyears in my youth, it was not until I met the devoteesof ISKCON that my devotion for Jagannatha deepened.Now Jagannatha is worshiped in many ISKCON templesaround the world, and I have grown to see Him as themost merciful and charming person who excuses Hisdevotees’ offenses and attracts them further along thepath of devotional service.

Jagannatha means “Lord of the universe.” Many Vedicbooks mention that Jagannatha is Krishna. Baladevais His brother, and Subhadra is His sister.

Although Krishna is absolute and transcendental tomaterial nature, to accept the loving service of Hisdevotees He appears before us as the deity in thetemple, in the form of stone, metal, wood, or paint.Jagannatha is a wooden form of Krishna.

Because Jagannatha does not look like Krishna, peoplemay wonder how He can be Krishna. Scriptures tell thestory behind Jagannatha’s pecul iar form.

Jagannatha’s Transcendental Advent

The Skanda Purana relates King Indradyumna’s questto find a deity form of Krishna after dreaming of abeautiful blue deity named Nila Madhava. The namedescribes the sapphire color of the deity: Nila meansblue, and Madhava is one of Krishna’s names. KingIndradyumna sent messengers in all directions to findNila Madhava, and a brahmana named Vidyapatireturned successful. He discovered that Vishvavasu, apig farmer (savara) in a remote tribal village, was secretlyworshiping Nila Madhava. When Vidyapati later returnedto that place with Indradyumna, however, Nila Madhavawas gone. King Indradyumna surrounded the villagewith his soldiers and arrested Vishvavasu.

Then a voice from the sky proclaimed, “Release thesavara and build a big temple for Me on top of Nila Hill.There you will see Me, not as Nila Madhava, but in aform made of neem wood.”

Nila Madhava promised to appear as wood (daru), andthus He is called daru-brahma (“wood-spirit”).Indradyumna waited by the ocean, where the Lordarrived as a giant log floating toward the beach.

Disguised an old man, Vishvakarma, the architect ofthe demigods, arrived to carve the deities under thecondition that he would remain undisturbed for twenty-one days. King Indradyumna consented, and the artistworked behind locked doors. Before the time periodwas up, however, the noise stopped, and KingIndradyumna’s intense curiosity prompted him to openthe doors. Vishvakarma had disappeared. In the room,the three deities of Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadralooked as if unfinished—without hands or feet—andIndradyumna became greatly perturbed, thinking hehad offended the Lord.

That night, Jagannatha spoke to the king in a dreamand reassured him, explaining that He was revealingHimself in that form out of His own inconceivable desire,to show the world that He can accept offerings withouthands, and move around without feet.

Lord Jagannatha told the king, “Know for sure that Myhands and feet are the ornament of all ornaments, butfor your satisfaction, you may give Me gold and silverhands and feet from time to time.”

Devotees now worship the same “unfinished” forms ofJagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra in Puri and intemples around the world. These forms are part of theireternal pastimes.

Transformed by Rohini’s Talks

The Utkala-khanda of the Skanda Purana gives anotheraccount related to Krishna’s appearance as Jagannatha.(Utkala is the traditional name for Orissa.) Once, duringa solar eclipse, Krishna, Balarama, Subhadra, and otherresidents of Dwaraka went to bathe in a holy pond atKurukshetra. Knowing that Krishna would be there,Srimati Radharani, Krishna’s parents Nanda andYashoda, and other residents of Vrindavana, who wereburning in the fire of separation from the Lord, went tomeet Him. Inside one of the many tents the pilgrimshad set up at Kurukshetra, Rohini, Lord Balarama’smother, narrated Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes to thequeens of Dwaraka and others.

The residents of Dwaraka are said to be in the mood of

Why Krishna Appears as JagannathaBy Narada Rishi Dasa

In a unique form, Lord Krishna is worshiped in a famous temple in Puri, India, and at Ratha Yatras (chariot festivals)there and around the world.


opulence (aishvarya), and they worship Krishna as theSupreme Lord. But the residents of Vrindavana are inthe mood of sweetness (madhurya), and they have aconfidential relationship with Krishna that surpassesawe and reverence because it is based on friendshipand love. Rohini’s narration was thus extremelyconfidential, so she posted Subhadra at the door toprevent anyone from entering.

Krishna and Balarama came to the door and stood onSubhadra’s left and right sides. While listening to Rohini’snarration of Krishna’s intimate Vrindavana pastimes,Krishna and Balarama became ecstatic, and Theirinternal feelings were exhibited externally. Their eyesbecame dilated, Their heads compressed into Theirbodies, and Their limbs retracted. Seeing thesetransformations in Krishna and Balarama, Subhadraalso became ecstatic and assumed a similar form. Thus,

by hearing about Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavana,Krishna and Balarama, with Subhadra in between,displayed their ecstatic forms of Jagannatha, Baladeva,and Subhadra.

The Lord’s Highest Ecstasy

According to the Skanda Purana, the Jyeshtha-purnima,the full-moon day of the month of May-June, is thebirthday of Jagannatha. Jagannatha is Krishna, butKrishna’s birthday is Janmashtami, in the month ofBhadra (August-September). This apparent contradictionis resolved if we understand that the Jyeshtha-purnimais the time when Krishna appeared in the form ofJagannatha with big, dilated eyes and shrunken limbs.This is known as mahabhava-prakasha, the ecstaticform of Krishna. Mahabhava means “the highest ecstasy,”and prakasha means “manifestation,” so Jagannathais literally the ecstatic form of Krishna.


The poem Mahabhava Prakasha by the Oriyan poetKanai Khuntia describes the confidential meaning behindthe form of Jagannatha: He is the embodiment ofKrishna’s pangs of separation from the residents ofVrindavana, particularly Radha and the gopis. Scripturesexplain that intense feelings of spiritual ecstasy, especiallyin this mood of separation from a loved one, producetransformations in the body. Since Krishna is not differentfrom His body, His internal feeling showed externally,and He assumed the form of Jagannatha.

The ecstasy of mahabhava is compared to an ocean.In the pastime with King Indradyumna, a giant log floatedon the ocean. Similarly, the forms of Jagannatha,Balarama, and Subhadra float on the ocean ofmahabhava.

When the sage Narada saw Krishna transformed asJagannatha, he prayed to the Lord to appear like thisagain. Although the Lord is not obliged to anyone, Hereciprocates with His devotees to fulfill their desires. InGarga Samhita Krishna states (1.27.4): “I am full—allthe epics in one. Yet I surrender to the wish of Mydevotee and come in whatever form he wants.” Thus,just as Krishna appeared as Nila Madhava to satisfyVishvavasu, He appeared in the deity form asJagannatha and resides in Jagannatha Puri to satisfythe desire of Narada Muni.

This special form of Krishna is also known as PatitaPavana, the savior of the fallen, and anyone who takesHis audience with proper consciousness is awardedspiritual liberation.

Jagannatha as Krishna of Vrindavana

Although Jagannatha is often identified with Krishna ofDwaraka, in the mood of opulence, His actual butconfidential identity is as Krishna of Vrindavana, thelover of Radharani. The Jagannatha Chaitanyam says,“Radha stays in the heart of Jagannatha, and so doesSri Krishna.”

Krishna is known by His relationships, especially withthe residents of Vrindavana, and devotees sometimesrefer to Jagannatha in this way. Jagannatha is consideredthe consort of Radharani, who associates with Krishnaonly in His mood of Vrindavana. The ecstasy that resultedfrom Krishna’s love for Radharani caused Krishna’stransformation into the form of Jagannatha.

The Oriyan poet Banamali sings, “O Jagannatha,Yashoda’s dear foster son, Your Radha is like the chatakabird, drinking only the pure raindrops You shower asYour grace.”

In Vrindavana, Krishna assumes the graceful three-foldbending form (tribanga-lalita), and He wears a peacockfeather and plays His flute. The Jagannathashtakam(verse 2) identifies Jagannatha with this mood: “In Hisleft hand Lord Jagannatha holds a flute, on His head

He wears peacock feathers, and on His hips He wearsfine yellow silken cloth. From the corners of His eyesHe bestows sidelong glances upon His loving devotees,and He always reveals Himself through His pastimesin His divine abode of Vrindavana. May that JagannathaSvami be the object of my vision.”

The poetess Madhavi-devi, the sister of RamanandaRaya, writes in one of her songs: “The tender, sweetverses of Sri Gita-govinda bearing the name of Radhaare woven into the khandua [pieces of cloth worn byJagannatha each evening], which Lord Jagannathaholds close to His limbs.”

The Chaitanya-Chaitanya explains that Krishna cameas Chaitanya to understand Radharani’s mood. DuringRatha Yatra He danced in ecstasy in front of LordJagannatha (Krishna) to get His attention. In reply,Jagannatha consoled Him: “I never forgot any gopis orgopas, and especially You, Srimati Radhika. How canI forget You?”

Narada Muni revealed to Gopa-kumara in Brihad-bhagavatamrita (2.5.212–214): “Eternally as dear to SriKrishnadeva as His beautiful Mathura-dhama is thatPurushottama-kshetra. There the Lord displays Hissupreme opulence and yet charms His devotees byacting like an ordinary person of the world. And if youare still not fully satisfied after going there and seeingHim, then at least stay there for some time as the meansto achieve your desired goal. Of course, your ultimategoal is pure love for the lotus feet of Krishna, the divinegopis’ life and soul—love that follows the mood of theLord’s own Vraja-bhumi. You seek no other goal thanthat.” Love for Jagannatha is krishna-prema, love ofKrishna, which is our ultimate goal. Krishna has becomeavailable to everyone in the form of Jagannatha.

Since Lord Jagannatha is none other than Krishna, Hisabode is equal to Vrindavana, where Krishna performsHis childhood pastimes. Jagannatha Puri—also calledPurushottama-kshetra, Sri Kshetra, and Nilachala (“theplace of the blue mountain”)—contains all of Krishna’sVrindavana pastimes (lilas), although they may be hiddenfrom material eyes. The Vaishnava-tantra states,“Whatever lilas of Sri Krishna are manifest in Gokula,Mathura, and Dwaraka are all found in Nilachala, SriKshetra.”

By having the proper spiritual vision—eyes anointed bypure love of Godhead, krishna-prema—one can see allthe pastimes of Krishna there.

Jagannatha is no one else but the ecstatic manifestationof Krishna, who appears in His most merciful form tohelp us go home, back to Godhead. Therefore, SrilaPrabhupada has introduced the Jagannatha Rathayatrain many cities around the world to uplift the conditionedsouls from the spell of maya (illusion). Let us takeadvantage of the occasion.


Gaura Purnima - 2009

Abhisheka to Their Lordships

The utsava vigrahas of Sri Sri Nitai Gaurangaleave the main temple hall in procession tocircumambulate Hare Krishna Hill with Theirdevotees performing sankirtana on theoccasion of Lord Gauranga’s appearance day,Sri Gaura Purnima.

Maha sankirtana onHare Krishna Hill


The FOLK members performed a drama “Victory in Navadvip” enacting the pastimes of Lord Chaitanyaconquering Chand Kazi.

Krishna Voice Monthly Magazine, April 2009 Vol10, No.4 Price Rs 15/-Posted on 5th or 10th of the Month at MBC, Manipal, License to post without prepayment No. WPP(CO-8), Reg No. KA/BGGPO2521/ 2009-11, Registered with Registrar of Newspapers for India under No. RNI 71022/99, Posted at MBC, Manipal, 576104.

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