Well today is my birthday. 72 years ago on this day I was in a small baby’s body, but today I am in an old man’s body. But I’m still the same person, although it seems like I have lived many different lives, as a child, as a student, as a devotee, as a husband and father, grandfather, and retired woodworker. Lived and traveled to so many places, had so many different life experiences, and so it seems, I have lived many lives.
I am reminded of some of the famous important verses from the Bhagavad-gita:
As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change. (Bg 2.13)
For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain. (Bg 2.20)
Full texts and purports will follow at end of post, but I wanted to mention some well known persons who I share a birthday with.
On this day in 1978, Dhani Harrison appeared, who we all know as the son of George and Olivia Harrison, turns 50 today.
And one of my favorite musicians Jerry Garcia was born on August 1, 1942, in San Francisco, California. He was the co-founder, lead guitarist, and vocalist of the Grateful Dead.
Jerry Garcia and Srila Prabhupada intersected through 1960’s counterculture, notably via the Grateful Dead playing at the 1967 Mantra-Rock concert. The Grateful Dead performed alongside Big Brother and the Holding Company and Allen Ginsberg at the historic San Francisco Avalon Ballroom benefit concert, which helped introduce A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami and the Hare Krishna Movement to the West coast.
…One issue that many find shocking is the extent to which Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is was edited without having been authorized by His Divine Grace, Srila Prabhupada. He was never a fan of extensive editing of any of his published works. What’s more, the over-edited edition published in 1983 removed thirty-two color pages that Srila Prabhupada insisted be included in his great opus. Three of those eliminated color pages were of the predecessor acaryas, namely Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Srila Gaura Kishora Das Babaji Maharaja and Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode.
Even the pocket Gita printed in India included all of the color plates found in the Macmillan edition.
If you are just hearing about this for the first time, please contact the GBC representative in your area and humbly request that this offense be rectified with the next printing. Doing so will attract Srila Prabhupada’s blessings. Do not fear when the cause is just.
A CRISIS IN LEADERSHIP
by Locan Ananda dasa
Many followers of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings have been calling for the worldwide reformation of the leadership of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The charge being made is that leaders and managers need to adhere more closely to the specific instructions of our Founder Acarya. There should be greater vigilance and the immediate correction of inappropriate behavior on the part of errant leaders.
The great mistake of modern civilization is to encroach upon others’ property as though it were one’s own and thereby create an unnecessary disturbance of the laws of nature.
We are witnessing a world in turmoil right now, with nations at war with each other. And I am reminded of the peace formula that Srila Prabhupada has given us. He first presented the peace formula in an early edition of Back to Godhead Magazine, then in the Bhagavad-gita, and it appeared in many small books and pamphlets. We share with you today, a sampling of the peace formula in some of the early small books.
“A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries.” (Bhagavad-gita 5.29)
The politicians and diplomats are trying to establish peace in the world. We have the United Nations and many other organizations. They are working to establish real peace and tranquillity, to eliminate misunderstanding between man and man and nation and nation. But that is not happening. The defect is that the root is wrong. Everyone is thinking, “It is my country,” “It is my family,” “It is my society,” “It is my property.” This “my” is illusion. This “I-and-my” philosophy is māyā-illusion.
I find it interesting, how one morning, I will wake up and find it very easy and pleasing to chant Hare Krishna and preform my devotional activities, and the next day I find it difficult? I realized that it due to the influence of the three modes of material nature.
…Everyone should know that a living entity is eternally a servant and that unless one serves Krsna one has to serve illusion in different varieties of the three modes of material nature. (from Preface to Bhagavad-gita As It Is)
…In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly explained that there are three kinds of activities according to the different modes of nature: the activities of goodness, of passion and of ignorance. (from Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is)
The three modes of material nature is an important topic, so much so , that there is an entire chapter dedicated to it in the Bhagavad-gita.
Material nature consists of the three modes—goodness, passion and ignorance. When the living entity comes in contact with nature, he becomes conditioned by these modes. (Bg. 14.5)
PURPORT
The living entity, because he is transcendental, has nothing to do with this material nature. Still, because he has become conditioned by the material world, he is acting under the spell of the three modes of material nature. Because living entities have different kinds of bodies, in terms of the different aspects of nature, they are induced to act according to that nature. This is the cause of the varieties of happiness and distress.
This tells me, that I am not yet transcendental to the three modes, and I still have plenty of work to do.
We share with you a description of the three modes as outlined in chapter 14 of the Bhagavad-gita.
Yesterday I was reading from the Srimad Bhagavatam, and there was something from the purport that caught my attention, and had me read and re-read the purport many times.
As a cow, bound through the nose by a long rope, is conditioned, so also human beings are bound by different Vedic injunctions and are conditioned to obey the orders of the Supreme. (SB 1.13.42)
Every living being, whether a man or an animal or a bird, thinks that he is free by himself, but actually no one is free from the severe laws of the Lord. The laws of the Lord are severe because they cannot be disobeyed in any circumstance. The man-made laws may be evaded by cunning outlaws, but in the codes of the supreme lawmaker there is not the slightest possibility of neglecting the laws…
… The statutory laws of the state are imperfect imitation replicas of religious codes. The secular state, or the godless state, allows the citizens to break the laws of God, but restricts them from disobeying the laws of the state; the result is that the people in general suffer more by breaking the laws of God than by obeying the imperfect laws made by man…
…The factual position of the living being is, however, that he is the eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord…
…But in the conditioned material world, every living being wants to be the Lord of other living beings, and thus by the illusion of māyā this mentality of lording it over becomes a cause of further extension of conditional life. (from Purport)
I think of the sad state of the world today, where Gods laws are being broken. There are slaughter houses for animals, where billions of living creatures are cruelly murdered every day, there is mass genocide taking place in the Middle East and other parts of the world where humans are killed or left homeless. Where people are controlled by dictators, warlords, and unscrupulous leaders. Again I am reminded of “Mans inhumanity to man and beast”. Breaking the laws of God, can only result in more suffering for the living conditioned souls.
The very first verse in the Introduction to the Bhagavad-git As It, is this this very important prayer:
om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
“I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.“
I have always liked the simplicity of this verse, because that is exactly what Srila Prabhupada did when I read my first book. He opened my eyes with Knowledge.
…The Lord is the supreme spiritual master, and the bona fide representative of the Supreme Lord is also a spiritual master. The Lord from within enlightens the devotees by the effulgence of the nails of His lotus feet, and His representative, the spiritual master, enlightens from without. Only by thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord and always taking the spiritual master’s advice can one advance in spiritual life and understand Vedic knowledge.
yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23)
Thus the Vedas enjoin that for one who has unflinching faith in the lotus feet of the Lord, as well as in the spiritual master, the real import of Vedic knowledge can be revealed. (from purport SB 4.24.52)
“I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.” This gives the definition of the guru. Everyone is in the darkness of ignorance. Therefore everyone needs to be enlightened with transcendental knowledge. One who enlightens his disciple and saves him from rotting in the darkness of ignorance in this material world is a true guru.
I have often pondered this question that Arjuna asks Krishna:
Arjuna said: O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force? (Bg. 3.36)
And Krishna answers:
The Blessed Lord said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world. (Bg. 3.37)
A living entity, as part and parcel of the Supreme, is originally spiritual, pure, and free from all material contaminations. Therefore, by nature he is not subjected to the sins of the material world. But when he is in contact with the material nature, he acts in many sinful ways without hesitation, and sometimes even against his will. As such, Arjuna’s question to Kṛṣṇa is very sanguine, as to the perverted nature of the living entities. Although the living entity sometimes does not want to act in sin, he is still forced to act. Sinful actions are not, however, impelled by the Supersoul within, but are due to another cause, as the Lord explains in the next verse. (from purport)
further explained:
…When a living entity comes in contact with the material creation, his eternal love for Kṛṣṇa is transformed into lust, in association with the mode of passion.
…Therefore, lust is the greatest enemy of the living entity, and it is lust only which induces the pure living entity to remain entangled in the material world.
I remember the very first time I opened the Bhagavad-gita, I focused on the pictures and captions. I wasn’t really ready to read it yet, it seemed way above my level of intelligence, and there were words I couldn’t pronounce or understand, but the pictures spoke to me. I thought this image, as simplistic as it was, spoke a very profound and powerful message.
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini śuni caiva śva-pāke ca paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ
vidyā—education; vinaya—gentleness; sampanne—fully equipped; brāhmaṇe—in the brāhmaṇa; gavi—in the cow; hastini—in the elephant; śuni—in the dog; ca—and; eva—certainly; śvapāke—in the dog-eater (the outcaste); ca—respectively; paṇḍitāḥ—those who are so wise; sama-darśinaḥ—do see with equal vision.
TRANSLATION
The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste]. (Bg 5.18)
PURPORT
A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not make any distinction between species or castes. The brāhmaṇa and the outcaste may be different from the social point of view, or a dog, a cow, or an elephant may be different from the point of view of species, but these differences of body are meaningless from the viewpoint of a learned transcendentalist. This is due to their relationship to the Supreme, for the Supreme Lord, by His plenary portion as Paramātmā, is present in everyone’s heart. Such an understanding of the Supreme is real knowledge. As far as the bodies are concerned in different castes or different species of life, the Lord is equally kind to everyone because He treats every living being as a friend yet maintains Himself as Paramātmā regardless of the circumstances of the living entities. The Lord as Paramātmā is present both in the outcaste and in the brāhmaṇa, although the body of a brāhmaṇa and that of an outcaste are not the same. The bodies are material productions of different modes of material nature, but the soul and the Supersoul within the body are of the same spiritual quality. The similarity in the quality of the soul and the Supersoul, however, does not make them equal in quantity, for the individual soul is present only in that particular body, whereas the Paramātmā is present in each and every body. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has full knowledge of this, and therefore he is truly learned and has equal vision. The similar characteristics of the soul and Supersoul are that they are both conscious, eternal and blissful. But the difference is that the individual soul is conscious within the limited jurisdiction of the body, whereas the Supersoul is conscious of all bodies. The Supersoul is present in all bodies without distinction.
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
I have been carrying around a little piece of paper in my wallet, with the words yare dekha, tare kaha on it. I finally went to Vaniquotes to see what these words implied.
yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa (Cc Madhya 7.128)
“Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.”
…the sublime mission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Many people come and inquire whether they have to give up family life to join the Society, but that is not our mission. One can remain comfortably in his residence. We simply request everyone to chant the mahā-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
…The real purpose of human life is to attain the spiritual platform and return to Godhead. That is the summum bonum of spiritual realization. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to elevate human society to the perfection of life by pursuing the method described by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His advice to the brāhmaṇa Kūrma. That is, one should stay at home, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and preach the instructions of Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. (from purport)
“Whomever you meet, simply talk with him about the instructions given by Kṛṣṇa or tell him of narrations about Kṛṣṇa.” (SB 4.23.38)
I am sure by now, everyone has heard about Donald Trumps tweets from his social media.
I really don’t want to focus my attention on such insane speak, but it was to horrific to ignore.
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” (April 7)
A civilization that has been around for some 5,000 years, since the time of the Pandavas. It is simply madness. And can only be described as demonic behavior.
From the pages of the Bhagavad-gita, there is a description of the demoniac personality…
The demoniac person thinks: “So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more. He is my enemy, and I have killed him; and my other enemy will also be killed. I am the lord of everything, I am the enjoyer, I am perfect, powerful and happy. I am the richest man, surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so powerful and happy as I am. I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and thus I shall rejoice.” In this way, such persons are deluded by ignorance. (Bg 16. 13-14)
Following such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world. (Bg 16.9)
This is a very important verse, and often quoted by Srila Prabhupada in Lectures.
“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” (Bg 4.9)
…“The one Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally engaged in many, many transcendental forms in relationships with His unalloyed devotees.”
…the devotee, simply by understanding the transcendental nature of the body and activities of the Lord, attains the abode of the Lord after ending this body and does not run the risk of returning again to this material world.
…One can attain the perfect stage of liberation from birth and death simply by knowing the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (from purport)
The world seems to be in a state of chaos, what with cities being bombed, thousands of people being displaced, and left without home, power, heat, food or water. There is death and destruction in so many places around the globe. It is ‘man’s inhumanity to man”, and I often wonder how is it possible that man can act in such deplorable and sinful way
Those who are demoniac do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done. Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor truth is found in them. (Bg. 16.7)
Following such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world. (Bg. 16.9)
PURPORT
The demoniac are engaged in activities that will lead the world to destruction. The Lord states here that they are less intelligent. The materialists, who have no concept of God, think that they are advancing. But, according to Bhagavad-gītā, they are unintelligent and devoid of all sense. They try to enjoy this material world to the utmost limit and therefore always engage in inventing something for sense gratification. Such materialistic inventions are considered to be advancement of human civilization, but the result is that people grow more and more violent and more and more cruel, cruel to animals and cruel to other human beings. They have no idea how to behave toward one another. Animal killing is very prominent amongst demoniac people. Such people are considered the enemies of the world because ultimately they will invent or create something which will bring destruction to all. Indirectly, this verse anticipates the invention of nuclear weapons, of which the whole world is today very proud. At any moment war may take place, and these atomic weapons may create havoc. Such things are created solely for the destruction of the world, and this is indicated here. Due to godlessness, such weapons are invented in human society; they are not meant for the peace and prosperity of the world.
Today most people have heard of yoga and meditation, but I remember when I first took up yoga back in 1972, it was not so widely known. I was first introduced to it from the book “Be Here Now”. It was a very simplistic book, but it was full of ideas, quotes and images, that opened my mind to a world of spiritual thought. It introduced me to yoga, meditation, the concept of vegetarianism, spirituality, and the need of a Guru or Spiritual Master. I began to take seriously ideas that were introduced, such as self realization, living a more pure life, developing our relationship with God, finding out who is God, and finding my spiritual master (guru). So for me, the book was the beginning of my journey, as it was for many, so indeed it was a huge success, it that regard.
Maybe I was sincere, or maybe just lucky, but I soon found my eternal Spiritual Master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and he answered all my questions. He told me who is God (Krsna), what my relationship with him is (sanatan-dharma), the process for self realization (bhakti-yoga), and how to get out of this temporary material world and return home back to Godhead.
When I first began my practice of Yoga, it was purely as a spiritual Practice. Nowadays, people will take it up for many different reasons, such as weight loss, fitness, relaxation, or social acceptance and community. But I still see it as a spiritual practice. The daily asanas, which are good for my ageing body, are an offering, and the breathing is a mindful prayer.
The word Yoga means “Union”. To link our consciousness with a Higher Consciousness.
Yoga means “linking” with the Supreme. The Bhagavad-gītā describes several systems—karma-yoga (work), jñāna-yoga (knowledge), dhyāna-yoga (meditation), and aṣṭāṅga-yoga (eightfold path)—but ultimately declares bhakti-yoga, devotional service, to be the highest.
“Of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga, and is the highest of all.” (Bg. 6.47) So one who thinks of the Supreme Lord always is the greatest yogi, the supermost jnani, and the greatest devotee at the same time.
This morning as I was finishing the Tenth Chapter of the Second Canto, the following verse and purport jumped out at me from the pages. And I realized for the thousandth time, what great good fortune we have in that we can hear directly from the pure devotee of the Lord, about the eternal pastimes of the Lord, through the pages of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Of the three types of Transcendentalist’s, namely the jñānī, the yogī and the bhakta, or the impersonalist, the meditator and the devotee. It is only the devotee who can factually know the Lord as He is and thus be trained in the bona fide service of the Lord and be allowed to enter into the direct association of the Lord in so many capacities. The highest glorious association with the Lord is made possible in the planet of Goloka Vṛndāvana, where Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoys Himself with the gopīs and His favorite animals, the surabhi cows.
… The impersonalist is satisfied simply by understanding the all-pervasive influence of the Lord. This is called Brahman realization. Greater than the impersonalist is the mystic who sees the Lord situated in his heart as Paramātmā, the partial representation of the Lord. But there are pure devotees who take part in the direct pleasure (ānanda) potency of the Lord by factual reciprocation of loving service. The Lord in His abode called the Vaikuṇṭha planets, which are eternal manifestations, always remains with His associates and enjoys transcendental loving services by His pure devotees in different transcendental humors.
So we are pleased to present the following Texts and Purports
It has been interesting to see how this Hare Krishna Movement (ISKCON) has changed and developed since the early days. When this movement started it was like a family, a small family of dedicated devotees, with one scripture, one God (Krsna), one mantra (Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare), and one spiritual master (Srila Prabhupada). Then it became an International family with branches all around the world.
Now this society has become a huge movement, with new temples and congregations springing up all over the world, with different branches and camps, and so many new Spiritual Masters. It is inspiring to see the growth of this society, even though at times does not resemble the Original. What with the changes to our sacred books, and outside influences from all sides. It has created some division amongst our ranks. But there is one thing we can all agree on is, and I quote from the last paragraph from the introduction of the Bhagavad-gita:
“In this present day, man is very eager to have one scripture, one God, one religion, and one occupation. So let there be one common scripture for the whole world-Bhagavad-gītā. And let there be one God only for the whole world-Śrī Kṛṣṇa. And one mantra only-Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. And let there be one work only-the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.“
The Branches of the Caitanya Tree
Thus the branches of the Caitanya tree formed a cluster or society, with great branches covering all the universe. (Sri Caitanya-caritmrta Adi 9.18)
PURPORT
Our International Society for Krishna Consciousness is one of the branches of the Caitanya tree.
Śrī Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also the gardener, and as He poured the water of His mercy on the tree, all the branches and subbranches grew, day after day. (Adi 12.5)
The fruits of love of Godhead that grew on those branches of the Caitanya tree were so large that they flooded the entire world with love of Krsna. (Adi 12.6)
This morning as I was waking up, I was reminded that just yesterday, America and Israel declared war on Iran.
As much as I would like not to meditate on politics, it almost seems unavoidable, because it affects us all.
People are suffering, and starving and dying everyday in places like Ukraine, Gaza, Venezuela, Iran, and not to mention thousands of other places in the world.
It is too easy to just look away, and write it off as Karma.
As a devotee, I try to see this world through the lens of the Vedas, particularly the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam.
And I was thinking how different we all are, but connected as well; brothers and sisters, parents and children, friends and neighbors. All connected like drops of water in the ocean, or sparks from the same fire.
I went to the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, entitled “Knowledge of the Absolute”, in hopes of a better understanding of world events.
na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ
na—not; mām—unto Me; duṣkṛtinaḥ—miscreants; mūḍhāḥ—foolish; prapadyante—surrender; narādhamāḥ—lowest among mankind; māyayā—by the illusory energy; apahṛta—stolen by illusion; jñānāḥ—knowledge; asuram—demonic; bhāvam—nature; āśritāḥ—accepting.
TRANSLATION
Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me. (Bg. 7.15)
When we speak of yoga we refer to linking up our consciousness with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Such a process is named differently by various practitioners in terms of the particular method adopted. When the linking up process is predominantly in fruitive activities, it is called karma-yoga, when it is predominantly empirical, it is called jñāna-yoga, and when it is predominantly in a devotional relationship with the Supreme Lord, it is called bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga or Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the ultimate perfection of all yogas, as will be explained in the following verse.
And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. (Bhagavad-gita 6.47)
The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in bhakti-yoga. All other yogas are but means to come to the point of bhakti in bhakti-yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga; all other yogas are progressions toward the destination of bhakti-yoga. From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of bhakti-yoga is a long way to self-realization. Karma-yoga, without fruitive results, is the beginning of this path. When karma-yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called jñāna-yoga. When jñāna-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. And, when one surpasses the aṣṭāṅga-yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, it is called bhakti-yoga, the culmination. Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analyze bhakti-yoga minutely one has to understand these other yogas. The yogī who is progressive is therefore on the true path of eternal good fortune. One who sticks to a particular point and does not make further progress is called by that particular name: karma-yogī, jñāna-yogī or dhyāna-yogī, rāja-yogī, haṭha-yogī, etc. If one is fortunate enough to come to the point of bhakti-yoga, it is to be understood that he has surpassed all the other yogas. Therefore, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is the highest stage of yoga, just as, when we speak of Himalayan, we refer to the world’s highest mountains, of which the highest peak, Mount Everest, is considered to be the culmination.
I have read and re-read this chapter many times this election year, and this is a perfect description on the demoniac man.
dambho darpo ’bhimānaś ca krodhaḥ pāruṣyam eva ca ajñānaṁ cābhijātasya pārtha sampadam āsurīm
dambhaḥ—pride; darpaḥ—arrogance; abhimānaḥ—conceit; ca—and; krodaḥ—anger; pāruṣyam—harshness; eva—certainly; ca—and; ajñānam—ignorance; ca—and; abhijātasya—one who is born; pārtha—O son of Pṛthā; sampadam—nature; āsurīm—demoniac.
Arrogance, pride, anger, conceit, harshness and ignorance—these qualities belong to those of demonic nature, O son of Pṛthā. (Bg 16.4)
In this verse, the royal road to hell is described. The demoniac want to make a show of religion and advancement in spiritual science, although they do not follow the principles. They are always arrogant or proud in possessing some type of education or so much wealth. They desire to be worshiped by others, and demand respectability, although they do not command respect. Over trifles they become very angry and speak harshly, not gently. They do not know what should be done and what should not be done. They do everything whimsically, according to their own desire, and they do not recognize any authority. These demoniac qualities are taken on by them from the beginning of their bodies in the wombs of their mothers, and as they grow they manifest all these inauspicious qualities. (From purport to Bg. 16.4)
The demoniac man knows no limit to his desire to acquire money. That is unlimited. He only thinks how much assessment he has just now and schemes to engage that stock of wealth farther and farther. For that reason, he does not hesitate to act in any sinful way and so deals in the black market for illegal gratification. He is enamoured by the possessions he has already, such as land, family, house and bank balance, and he is always planning to improve them…
Whenever I think about the Bhagavad-gita, this image comes to mind. It is the “Song of God”, the words spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to His dear friend and disciple Arjuna.
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 1972 Edition By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Chapter Ten, Text 12-13
Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.
PURPORT
In these two verses the Supreme Lord gives a chance to the modern philosopher, for here it is clear that the Supreme is different from the individual soul. Arjuna, after hearing the essential four verses of Bhagavad-gītā in this chapter, became completely free from all doubts and accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He at once boldly declares, “You are Parambrahma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” And previously Kṛṣṇa states that He is the originator of everything and everyone. Every demigod and every human being is dependant on Him. Men and demigods, out of ignorance, think that they are absolute and independant of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. That ignorance is removed perfectly by the discharge of devotional service. This is already explained in the previous verse by the Lord. Now by His grace, Arjuna is accepting Him as the Supreme Truth, in concordance with the Vedic injunction. It is not because Kṛṣṇa is an intimate friend of Arjuna that he is flattering Him by calling Him the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth. Whatever Arjuna says in these two verses is confirmed by Vedic truth. Vedic injunctions affirm that only one who takes to devotional service to the Supreme Lord can understand Him, whereas others cannot. Each and every word of this verse spoken by Arjuna is confirmed by Vedic injunction.
People often think that The Hare Krishna Movement (ISKCON) is a Hindu Religion, but it is not. Sometime back in 1968, one reporter asked Srila Prabhupada, “What is this Hare Krishna Movement?”. Srila Prabhupada replied: “We are not a buissness , we are not a Religion”.
…I am not very interested to establish a Hindu temple. Perhaps you know from the very beginning I never described my movement as Hindu religion. Religion means the bona fide process by which we understand God and the first class religion is that which teaches people to develop love for God. To know or accept the authority of God is one thing, but to love God is another. Generally, people are interested in material comforts and they make God as the supplying agent. This kind of devotion is not purified. It is contaminated by material desires, but when one is elevated to the position of giving everything to God out of love and affection, that is the first class position. We are teaching this philosophy in the name of Krishna Consciousness, and it is applicable to all sober persons. The Bhagavat principle is that because we can be happy simply by developing our dormant love of God, this is our first business. (Letter to: Mukunda June 3, 1969)
In the eighteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna in conclusion states:
Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear. (Bg 18.66)
PURPORT
The Lord has described various kinds of knowledge, processes of religion, knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, knowledge of the Supersoul, knowledge of the different types of orders and statuses of social life, knowledge of the renounced order of life, knowledge of nonattachment, sense and mind control, meditation, etc. He has described in so many ways different types of religion. Now, in summarizing Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says that Arjuna should give up all the processes that have been explained to him; he should simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That surrender will save him from all kinds of sinful reactions, for the Lord personally promises to protect him.
The Hare Krishna Movement 