2 Krishna Voice, March 2021 Vol 22, No.3 March 2021

CONTENTS

The Hidden Incarnation 4 Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out 8 Living by Nature's Gifts 10 Are We Alone? 13 "Always Remember Krishna... 15 His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the Thiruvallikeni Parthasarathy Perumal Temple - Part 2 16 International Society for Krishna Consciousness, came to America in 1965, at age 69, to fulfill his spiritual master’s request that he teach the science of Krishna consciousness throughout the English- speaking world. In a dozen years he published some seventy volumes of translation and commentary on India’s Vedic literature, and these are now standard in universities worldwide. Meanwhile, travelling almost nonstop, Srila Pages-28 Prabhupada moulded his international society into a world wide confederation of ashramas, Published and owned by Sankirtana Seva Trust. Editor: schools, temples and farm communities. He Chamari Devi Dasi. Layout, design and graphics by passed away in 1977, in Vrindavana, the place ISKCON Design Group, Bangalore. most sacred to Lord Krishna. His disciples and For all information contact: Editor, Krishna Voice, SST, followers are carrying forward the movement he Hare Krishna Hill, Chord Road, Bangalore - 560 010 started. INDIA Phone: 91-80-2347 1956, 91-80-2357 8346 To know more about Srila Prabhupada visit Fax: 91-80-2357 8625. www.iskconbangalore.org/srila-prabhupada © 2021 Sankirtana Seva Trust, Bangalore. All Krishna art and the works of Srila Prabhupada are © Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is strictly prohibited.

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Krishna Voice, March 2021 3 The Hidden Incarnation A lecture in Mayapur on the appearance day of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: March 16, 1976 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness ittham nr-tiryag-rsi-deva jhasavatarair lokan vibhavayasi hamsi jagat pratipan dharmam maha-purusa pasi yuganuvrttam channah kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo 'tha sa tvam "In this way, my Lord, You appear in various incarnations as a human being, an animal, a great saint, a demigod, a fish, or a tortoise, thus maintaining the entire creation in different planetary systems and killing the demoniac principles. According to the age, O my Lord, You protect the principles of religion. In the Age of Kali, however, You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore You are known as Triyuga, or the Lord who appears in three yugas."—Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.38 Here is a specific statement about Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He's channa. Channa means "covered." Lord Chaitanya is a covered avatara, or incarnation, of the Supreme Lord because He appeared as a devotee. An avatara should be confirmed by great devotees, and their opinions must be upheld by statements in the shastra, the scriptures. Today's verse is a statement from the Srimad-Bhagavatam confirming that Lord Chaitanya is an avatara. The Eleventh Canto (11.5.32) gives another direct statement about Lord Chaitanya: krishna-varnam tvisakrishnam sangopangastra-parsadam yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah "In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons, and confidential companions." Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is also described by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura as yuga-dharma-pala, the protector of the religion for the age. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is described here as channah kalau. In the Kali-yuga He does not appear directly like other incarnations, such as Narasimhadeva, Vamanadeva, or Lord Ramachandra. He appears as a devotee. Why? Because He is the most magnanimous avatara. People are so foolish that they could not understand Krishna. When Krishna said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja—"Give up all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me"—they took it: "Who is this person ordering like that? What right does he have?" That is our material disease. If somebody is ordered to do something, he protests, "Who are you to order me?" This is the position. God Himself, Krishna—what can He say? He orders. As the Supreme Person, the Supreme Being, He must order. He's the supreme controller. He must order. That is God. But we are so foolish that when God orders, "You do this," we take it otherwise—"Oh, who is this man? He's ordering like that. Give up everything? Why shall I give him everything? I have created so many dharmas, 'isms.' Shall I give them up? Why shall I give them up?" Therefore the same Lord Krishna came again as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Today is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's appearance day, so we must discuss this very thoroughly. Rupa Gosvami understood Lord Chaitanya's position. To understand Lord Chaitanya we have to go through the guru, and Rupa Gosvami is our guru. Narottama Dasa Thakura, who is also our guru, has written, rupa-raghu-natha-pade hoibe akuti, kabe hama bujhabo sri yugala-piriti: If we want to understand the transcendental position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we have to go through the guru, the guru-parampara system. Otherwise it is not possible. The whole process is submission. Krishna wants this—sarva-dharman parityajya. So if we want to approach Krishna, we have to become very submissive. To whom do we become submissive? "Krishna is not here. To whom I shall submit?" Submit to His devotee, to His representative.

4 Krishna Voice, March 2021 Krishna Voice, March 2021 5 Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared on this day to give mercy to the fallen souls, who are so foolish that they cannot take to Krishna consciousness. He is personally teaching how to take to Krishna consciousness. And that process is this kirtana, chanting Krishna's holy names. In our Teachings of Lord Chaitanya there is a picture of Lord Chaitanya chanting in Prayag, and Rupa Gosvami is offering his obeisances. That is the first meeting with Rupa Gosvami, and he composed this verse: namo maha-vadanyaya krishna-prema-pradaya te krishnaya krishna-chaitanya- namne gaura-tvise namah "O most munificent incarnation! You are Krishna Himself appearing as Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden colour of Srimati Radharani, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krishna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You." So this is channa-avatara. He's Krishna, He has come to give you krishna-prema, but He's acting like a Krishna devotee. This is the meaning of "covered incarnation." He is not commanding now, "You do this." Or He's commanding, "Do this," but in a different way, because people misunderstood Krishna—"Oh, who is this person commanding?" Even a rascal so-called scholar has said, "Krishna's demanding too much." "Sophisticated" persons think like that. But our process is to submit. Unless we submit, there is no hope of advancing in Krishna consciousness. That is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching: trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna / amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih. If you want to chant the Hare Krishna mantra, you have to take this principle: trnad api sunicena. You have to become humbler than the grass. When grass is lying on the street, everyone tramples it, but it never protests. And you must be more tolerant than a tree—taror api sahisnuna. The tree is giving us so much help. It is giving us fruits, flowers, leaves, and, when there is scorching heat, shelter also. The tree is so beneficial. Still, we cut it down. Whenever I like, I cut it down. But there is no protest. The tree does not say, "I have given you so much help, and you are cutting me?" No. It is tolerant. Therefore Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has selected taror api sahisnuna and amanina manadena. The devotee should not expect any respectful position but should offer all respect to anyone. If we acquire this qualification, we can chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra without any disturbance. This is the qualification. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to teach these principles. He is Krishna Himself. Svarupa Damodara, Lord Chaitanya's secretary, has written, na chaitanyat krishnaj jagati para-tattvam param iha: Paratattvam, the Supreme Truth, is Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Supreme Truth is Krishna, but Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is not different from Krishna. Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan—these are the three features of the Supreme Absolute Truth. vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramatma, or Bhagavan." The Absolute Truth is one, advaya-jnana. There is no difference. But according to our qualification for understanding, the Absolute Truth appears as the impersonal Brahman, the localized Paramatma, and the beloved Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. If you want to understand the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman, you realize that. If you want to realize the Absolute Truth as Paramatma—everywhere, all-pervading— you can realize Him. And if you want to see Him as the most beloved, then you can also have that. That is the meaning of ye yatha mam prapadyante. You can realize the Absolute Truth any way. He is prepared to manifest Himself as you desire. Originally there was water all over the universe. So at that time the Lord came as a fish. Similarly, He became a tortoise. Then He became Narasimhadeva. He became Vamanadeva, and so on. Don't think the avatara comes only to the human society. He appears amongst the animals, amongst the insects, amongst the trees. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna says, "Among the trees, I am this tree. Among the animals, I am this animal. Among the fighters, I am this fighter . . ." He's everything, but He points out a few examples. He is prepared to be appreciated by you in any condition of life if you take His instruction on how to realize Him. And if you manufacture your own way, it is not possible to realize Him. But even if you are the most ordinary man, you can realize Him. There is no difficulty. How? Krishna says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: "My dear Arjuna, I am the taste of water."

6 Krishna Voice, March 2021 Now, who does not drink water? Anyone? The animal drinks water, and the human being drinks water. But the animal cannot understand God, although God is there in the water. The man can understand because he is a human being. Therefore a human being is different from an animal. Still, if we are drinking water but we are not realizing Krishna, then we are animals. When we drink water we have so many chances to remember Krishna. And that is the process of devotional service. Smaranam, remembering. Every time you drink water and remember Krishna, you are in devotional service. Where is the difficulty? But the rascals will not take it. As soon as you drink water and the taste of the water appeases your thirst, if you simply remember, "In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated that this taste is Krishna," then immediately you remember Krishna. And as soon as you remember Krishna, it is devotional service, smaranam. Where is the difficulty? Where is the difficulty for becoming Krishna conscious? Prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh: "I am the illumination of the moon and the sun." Who does not see the sunshine and the moonshine? In daytime you see the sunshine, and at night you see the moonshine. So you can see the sunshine and moonshine and remember Krishna's instructions: "I am this sunshine and moonshine." Where is the difficulty? Pranavah sarva-vedesu. Now, you may think, "I'm a learned Vedantist. Why shall I study the sunshine and moonshine? I shall chant om." But Krishna says, "Rascal, I am this om. You are a big Vedantist. You chant om, but I am om." Every Vedic mantra is chanted after the vibration of omkara (om). So whether you are a Vedantist or an ordinary human being who does not know anything, you can realize Krishna. There is no difficulty. Krishna taught everything for becoming Krishna conscious, but still we are such rascals that we could not understand Krishna. Therefore Krishna came again: "These rascals failed to understand Me, and now I shall teach how to become a devotee of Krishna by My personal behaviour." That is Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He taught by His personal example. Don't think that because He's playing the part, He's a human being like us. For example, someone may be massaging my body and not doing it properly. And I might take his hand and begin to give the massage, "Do like this. Do like this." That does not mean I am a masseur or I am a servant of that person. Similarly, don't forget that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. You are worshiping Radha-Krishna, and there is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Deity also. Some people protest, "Why should Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Deity be placed along with Krishna?" But they do not know. Sri-krishna-chaitanya radha-krishna nahe anya. Sri Krishna Chaitanya is Krishna. It is confirmed by the shastras. In today's verse it is said, channah kalau yad abhavah. In the Kali-yuga, He does not appear directly as an incarnation like Narasimhadeva or Vamanadeva or Lord Ramachandra, but He appears as a devotee. But He's an incarnation: Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. "Therefore sometimes You are called Triyuga." There are four yugas, or ages, but He is known as one who appears in three yugas. Because in three yugas He appears distinctly and in the fourth yuga, the Kali-yuga, He appears as a devotee, He's called Triyuga. So today is the birthday, or appearance day, of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and this is His birthplace—Mayapur. It is your good fortune that you are all present here. Always remember Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and chant sri- krishna-chaitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. This will make your life perfect. Thank you very much.

Srila Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of ISKCON, has delivered more than 1500 lectures on Vedic scriptures like Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita. The audio recording of his lectures are available in ISKCON centers. You can also hear some of these lectures in www.iskconbangalore.org/srila-prabhupada-lectures

Fasting Festivals Mar 9 Ekadashi Mar 3 Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura - Appearance Mar 10 break fast Fasting till noon Mar 28 Sri Gaura Poornima: Mar 25 Ekadashi Appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Mar 26 break fast Fasting till moonrise

Krishna Voice, March 2021 7 SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS OUT The End of Kali-Yuga: No More Hare Krishna This conversation between Srila Prabhupada and the poet Allen Ginsberg took place on May 13, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. Srila Prabhupada: Lord Buddha is accepted as an incarnation of Krishna. This is stated in the Bhagavatam. He is accepted as the ninth incarnation. Baladeva is the eighth. And the tenth is awaiting. Allen Ginsberg: Kalki. Srila Prabhupada: Kalki. Allen Ginsberg: Now, what is Kalki's nature? Srila Prabhupada: That is described in the Bhagavatam. He will come just like a prince, with royal dress and sword, on horseback—simply killing, no preaching. There will be no brain to understand God. Allen Ginsberg: There will be no brain to understand God? Srila Prabhupada: People will be so dull. It requires a brain to understand... Allen Ginsberg: So Kalki comes at the end of the Kali-yuga? Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Then Satya-yuga will begin. Allen Ginsberg: Which is? Srila Prabhupada: Satya-yuga is the pious age. People will be pious, truthful, long-living. Allen Ginsberg: Are those the people that will remain, or are they from whatever new creation comes out of the destruction?

8 Krishna Voice, March 2021 Srila Prabhupada: All the miscreants will be killed. And there must be some pious. They remain. Allen Ginsberg: Do you think of this in terms of a historical event that will occur in the lifetime of your disciples? Srila Prabhupada: No. This will happen at least 400,000 years from now. So at that time my disciples will be with Krishna. [Laughter] Devotees: Haribol! Srila Prabhupada: And those who will not follow them, they will see the fun—how they are being killed. [Laughter] Allen Ginsberg: Will people still be chanting Hare Krishna in 400,000 years? Srila Prabhupada: No. Hare Krishna will be finished within ten thousand years. There will be no more Hare Krishna. Allen Ginsberg: Ah. So what will be left? Srila Prabhupada: Nothing. I'll kill you and eat you, and you shall kill me. You shall eat me. That will be left. Allen Ginsberg: After ten thousand years? Srila Prabhupada: Yes, there will be no grain, no milk, no sugar, no fruit. So I will have to eat you, and you will have to eat me. Full facility for meat-eating. [Laughter] Full facility. Krishna is very kind. He'll give you facility: "All right. Why cows and calves? You take your own son. Yes. Eat nicely." Just like serpents, snakes—they eat their own offspring. Also tigers. So this will happen. And there will be no brain to understand [God], no preachers, nothing. And then Krishna will come: "All right, let Me kill you so that you will be saved." Allen Ginsberg: But you see it as actually a historical thing of ten thousand years for the chanting? Srila Prabhupada: Now it will increase. Allen Ginsberg: Until? Srila Prabhupada: Up to ten thousand years. Allen Ginsberg: And then? Srila Prabhupada: Then diminish. Allen Ginsberg: So what is the purpose right now? Srila Prabhupada: People will take advantage of this up to ten thousand years. Then they will... Allen Ginsberg: So this is like the last rope, the last gasp. Srila Prabhupada: [Laughs]Yes. So the sooner we take shelter—shelter of Krishna consciousness—the better. Allen Ginsberg: When did this yuga begin? Srila Prabhupada: Kali-yuga began five thousand years ago. Allen Ginsberg: Where is all this information? Srila Prabhupada: In the Vedic literature, the Bhagavatam. Allen Ginsberg: It has the detailed analysis of what goes on in the Kali-yuga? Srila Prabhupada: Oh, yes. I will read it to you sometime. In the Twelfth Canto, the Kali-yuga descriptions are there. And you will find that all the descriptions are coming true. Just like there is one statement, svikara eva udvahe: "Marriage will be performed simply by agreement." Now that is being done. And lavanyam kesa-dharanam: "People will think that they have become very beautiful by keeping long hair." That is coming true. Allen Ginsberg: In the Bhagavata Purana is there also provision for the Chaitanya cult? Srila Prabhupada: Oh, yes. We have given that in our book Teachings of Lord Chaitanya. Allen Ginsberg: Within this period of ten thousand years, only those who hear Krishna's name and worship Krishna by chanting... Srila Prabhupada: They become liberated and go back home, back to Godhead. Allen Ginsberg: And everybody else gets involved deeper and deeper in the yuga. Srila Prabhupada: Yes, yes. So if anyone believes in the shastras [scriptures], he should take to this Krishna consciousness. That is intelligence—to take advantage of the authorized scriptures. Krishna Voice, March 2021 9 Living by Nature's Gifts After several centuries, the Industrial Revolution has left a legacy of dissatisfaction, conflict, and pollution. Srila Prabhupada advises us to stay away from the factory, live in harmony with the earth, and make our goals spiritual, not material. Extracts from the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. "Gigantic industrial enterprises" Srila Prabhupada says, "are products of a godless civilization, and they cause the destruction of the noble aims of human life." "The more we go on increasing such troublesome industries," the more we "squeeze the vital energy out of the human being" and "the more there will be unrest and dissatisfaction of the people in general, although a few only can live lavishly by exploitation." (SB 1.8.40) "The productive energy of the labourer is misused when he is occupied by industrial enterprises.... The production of machines and machine tools increases the artificial living fashion of a class of vested interests and keeps thousands of men in starvation and unrest. This should not be the standard of civilization." (SB 1.9.6) Terrible Industrial Enterprises "'Factory' is another name for hell. At night, hellishly engaged persons take advantage of wine and women to satisfy their tired senses, but they are not even able to have sound sleep, because their various mental speculative plans constantly interrupt their sleep." (SB 3.9.10) "The dungeons of mines, factories, and workshops develop demoniac propensities in the working class." Meanwhile, "the vested interests flourish at the cost of the working class, and consequently there are severe clashes between them in so many ways." (SB 1.11.12) "Manufacture of the 'necessities of life' in factories and workshops, excessively prominent in the Age of Kali, the age of the machine, is the summit of the quality of darkness." Why? "Because factually there is no necessity for the commodities manufactured." (SB 2.5.30) "What is the need of an artificial luxurious life of cinema, cars, radio, flesh, and hotels? Has this civilization produced anything but quarrelling individually and nationally? Has this civilization enhanced the cause of equality and fraternity by sending thousands of men into a hellish factory and the war fields at the whims of a particular man?" (SB 1.10.4) "The real problem is how to get free from the bondage of birth, death, and old age. Attaining this freedom, and not inventing unnecessary necessities, is the basic principle of Vedic civilization...."The modern materialistic civilization is just the opposite of the ideal civilization. Every day the so-called leaders of modern society invent something contributing to a cumbersome way of life that implicates people more and more" in the cycle of birth and death." (SB 7.14.5) "Now people are very busy trying to find petroleum in the midst of the ocean. They are very anxious to make provisions for the future petroleum supply, but they do not make any attempts to ameliorate the conditions of birth, old age, disease, and death." (SB 4.28.12) "The materialists ... think that they are advancing. But according to Bhagavad-gita 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." (BG 16.9) Natural Gifts "According to Vedic economics, one is considered to be a rich man by the strength of his store of grains and cows. With only these two things, cows and grain, humanity can solve its eating problem.... All other things but these two are artificial necessities created by man to kill his valuable life at the human level and waste his time in things which are not needed." (SB 3.2.29) "If we have sufficient grains, fruits, vegetables, and herbs, then what is the necessity of running a slaughterhouse and killing poor animals? A man need not kill an animal if he has sufficient grains and vegetables to eat. The flow of river waters fertilizes the field, and there is more than what we need. Minerals are produced in the hills, and jewels in the ocean. If human civilization has sufficient grains, minerals, jewels, water, milk, etc., then why should

10 Krishna Voice, March 2021 it hanker after terrible industrial enterprises at the cost of the labour of some unfortunate men?" (SB 1.8.40) "Advancement of human civilization depends not on industrial enterprises but on possession of natural wealth and natural food, which is all supplied by the Supreme Personality of Godhead so that we may save time for self- realization and success in the human form of body." (SB 4.9.62) Srila Prabhupada cites the example of Lord Krishna's ancient city of Dvaraka. "Dvaraka was surrounded by flower gardens and fruit orchards along with reservoirs of water and growing lotuses. There is no mention of mills and factories supported by slaughterhouses, which are the necessary paraphernalia of the modern metropolis.... "It is understood that the whole dhama, or residential quarter, was surrounded by gardens and parks with reservoirs of water where lotuses grew ... All the people depended on nature's gifts of fruits and flowers without industrial enterprises promoting filthy huts and slums for residential quarters." (SB 1.11.12) Demoniac Civilization "The natural gifts such as grains and vegetables, fruits, rivers, the hills of jewels and minerals, and the seas full of pearls are supplied by the order of the Supreme, and as He desires, material nature produces them in abundance or restricts them at times. The natural law is that the human being may take advantage of these godly gifts by nature and flourish on them without being captivated by the exploitative motive of lording it over material Nature." (SB 1.8.40) "All these natural gifts are dependent on the mercy of the Lord. What we need, therefore, is to be obedient to the laws of the Lord and achieve the perfection of human life by devotional service." (SB 1.8.40) "Everyone is acting under the influence of material nature, and only fools think they can improve upon what God has created." (SB 7.14.7) "The prosperity of humanity does not depend on a demoniac civilization that has no culture and no knowledge but only gigantic skyscrapers and huge automobiles always rushing down the highways. The products of nature are sufficient." (SB 5.16.24) "Ample food grains can be produced through agricultural enterprises, and profuse supplies of milk, yogurt, and ghee can be arranged through cow protection. Abundant honey can be obtained if the forests are protected. "Unfortunately, in modern civilization, men are busy killing the cows that are the source of yogurt, milk, and ghee, they are cutting down all the trees that supply honey, and they are opening factories to manufacture nuts, bolts,

Krishna Voice, March 2021 11 automobiles, and wine instead of engaging in agriculture. How can the people be happy? They must suffer from all the misery of materialism. Their bodies become wrinkled and gradually deteriorate until they become almost like dwarves, and a bad odour emanates from their bodies because of unclean perspiration from eating all kinds of nasty things. This is not human civilization." (SB 5.16.25) A Higher Goal of Life "Advancement of civilization is estimated not on the growth of mills and factories to deteriorate the finer instincts of the human being, but on developing the potent spiritual instincts of human beings and giving them a chance to go back to Godhead.... Human energy should be properly utilized in developing the finer senses for spiritual understanding, in which lies the solution of life." (SB 1.11.12) "Nature already has an arrangement to feed us," Srila Prabhupada says. "The Lord has provided food for both the elephant and the ant.... "Therefore one who is intelligent should not work very hard for material comforts. Rather, one should save his energy for advancing in Krishna consciousness." (SB 7.14.14) "Demons are very much interested in advancing a plan by which people will labour hard like cats, dogs, and hogs, but Krishna's devotees want to teach Krishna consciousness so that people will be satisfied with plain living and Krishna conscious advancement." (SB 9.24.59) "The sufferings of human society are due to a polluted aim of life, namely lording it over the material resources. The more human society engages in the exploitation of undeveloped material resources for sense gratification, the more it will be entrapped by the illusory, material energy of the Lord, and thus the distress of the world will be intensified instead of diminished." (SB 2.2.37) "Advancement of human civilization must be towards the goal of establishing our lost relationship with God, which is not possible in any form of life other than the human. One must realize the nullity of the material phenomenon, considering it a passing phantasmagoria, and must endeavour to make a solution to the miseries of life. Self- complacence with a polished type of animal civilization geared to sense gratification is delusion, and such a 'civilization' is not worthy of the name." (SB 2.2.4) "The materialistic advancement of civilization ... ultimately ends in wars and scarcity. The transcendentalist is specifically warned to be fixed in mind, so that even if there is difficulty in plain living and high thinking he will not budge even an inch from his stark determination." (SB 2.2.3) "All human society is meant to worship Lord Vishnu [God]. At the present moment, however, human society does not know that this is the ultimate goal or perfection of life. Therefore instead of worshiping Lord Vishnu, people have been educated to worship matter. "According to the direction of modern society, men think they can advance in civilization by manipulating matter to build skyscrapers, big roads, automobiles and so on. Such a civilization must certainly be called materialistic because its people do not know the goal of life. "The goal of life is to reach Vishnu, but instead of reaching Vishnu, people are bewildered by the external manifestation of the material energy. Therefore progress in material advancement is blind, and the leaders of such material advancement are also blind. They are leading their followers in the wrong way." (SB 5.1.14) "Life is never made comfortable by artificial needs, but by plain living and high thinking." (SB 2.2.37) The Blind Man and the Lame Man Together "At the present moment, India may be compared to the lame man and the Western countries to the blind man. For the past two thousand years India has been subjugated by the rule of foreigners, and the legs of progress have been broken. In the Western countries the eyes of the people have become blind due to the dazzling glitter of material opulence. "The blind man of the Western countries and the lame man of India should combine together," Srila Prabhupada says. "Then the lame man of India can walk with the help of the Westerner, and the blind Westerner can see with the help of the lame man. In short, the material advancement of the Western countries and the spiritual assets of India should combine for the elevation of all human society." (SB 4.25.15) "One who understands the purpose of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, should seriously understand the importance of the Krishna consciousness movement and seriously take part in it. One should not endeavour for ugra-karma, or unnecessary work for sense gratification." (SB 9.24.59)

12 Krishna Voice, March 2021 Are We Alone? By Madhu Pandit Das In October 2017 a mysterious object appeared in the sky. American scientists observing it over a period of eleven days called it ‘Oumuamua’ (Hawaiian for ‘scout’). Though it was the first object visible from outside our star system, many quickly dismissed it as just another comet or asteroid. But physicist Abraham Loeb, Chair of Harvard’s Department of Astronomy, disagreed. He said, “Oumuamua was created by an intelligent civilization not of this Earth.” He said the object’s shape, luminosity and in particular its trajectory suggested it was something like a lightsail - an object that propels a vehicle using starlight. Cut to the present. “I’m safe on Mars. Perseverance will get you anywhere” tweeted NASA’s ‘Perseverance’ rover after it landed on Mars on February 19, 2021. Though NASA has landed a number of rovers previously on the ‘barren’ red planet with each expedition throwing new light, the Perseverance rover is different. Equipped to search for remnants of ‘past microbial life,’ it is designed to initiate bringing some Martian rocks to the Earth by the early 2030s for scientists to study up close. The billion dollar question? “Was Mars ever a living planet?” Our sun is only one of billions in the Milky Way galaxy. And the Milky Way is itself just one among billions or even trillions of other galaxies. Considering the vastness of the universe, some scientists are now asking, is it not highly likely that there is life elsewhere too, albeit unknown to us? Isn’t it hubris to assume that we are the only life around? While some might say that if life is so common, why haven’t we seen it, Professor Loeb in his new book “Extra- terrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth” argues that absence of evidence of life elsewhere is not evidence of its absence. Scientists believe that finding even circumstantial evidence of other beings, even long-extinct ones on other star systems, would help to gain perspective on our most difficult problems, help discover new technologies, and help learn of unseen future dangers. This apart from the hope of colonising some of those planets in the near or distant future. So they essentially believe that life is almost a certainty given the vastness of the universe, and that we need to simply open our eyes and look.

Krishna Voice, March 2021 13 Only if the scientists paid any attention to India’s ancient Vedic literature, without bias, would they find a treasure trove of information on the real construct of this cosmic creation. In the fifth of its twelve books, the Srimad Bhagavatam - the last contribution of India’s greatest sage Vyasadeva - paints a vivid picture of the material as well as the spiritual worlds, and the life therein. The entire epic is in the form of a conversation between Sage Shuka, the son of Vyasa, and a young Emperor Parikshit just about to die. Revered among learned circles, the Bhagavatam continues to illuminate the path of a spiritual India since the last five thousand years. According to the authority of the Bhagavatam tradition, the material world makes up a quarter of the total creation, three quarters being made up of the spiritual world. Apart from liberated souls residing in the spiritual planets, every planet in the material world is supposed to be full of living beings who are essentially non-material beings residing in different bodies made of matter according to their karma. Those inhabitants have bodies just suitable for the climatic, atmospheric conditions of the planets they inhabit, just like even on earth, fish and birds have bodies suitable for living in the water and air respectively. Thus a denizen of the Sun might possess a fiery body, and a denizen of the Moon or Mars might possess a similarly qualified body. It might be a folly therefore to think that only earth-like conditions are suitable to support life. A teeny ant crawling across my desk living in its two-dimensional world does not realise my presence near it. It does not grasp the three-dimensional world although living in it. This reminds us of a scene from one of the ‘Jurassic’ movies in which one of the characters steps into a huge footprint of a dinosaur thinking it to be just an ordinary crater. What never ceases to amaze me is that we aren’t done discovering new species of life even on this earth, with scientists discovering a new bird, fish or frog practically once every few months. And have we even fully understood our own bodies? As late as 2020, a group of Dutch scientists discovered an impossibly small set of glands dubbed “tubarial glands” that sat hidden in the skull where the nose and the throat meet. Therefore it would do us good to not cast aspersions on the content of Vedic cosmology in the great work of Srila Vyasadeva, the Srimad-Bhagavatam, be humble and acknowledge that we do not understand everything fully after all. Whereas the ascending process of knowledge-gathering of modern science is arduous, slow and without guarantee of satisfactory results even after expending enormous effort, the descending process of acquiring ready-made knowledge is easy and safe in its conclusions. This kind of descending knowledge does have its own methodology for verification and realization of the truths contained therein. It is not just belief, but a challenge to humanity, to follow the right methodology or tapasya and discover those subtle truths, many of which are not accessible to our gross senses. And this process is safe because Vedic wisdom is “apaurusheya” - not man-made, but revealed Word. Scientists would thus do well to take hints from the Bhagavatam in conducting their research work. And according to the mandate of the Bhagavatam, the perfection of their endeavour would be to corroborate the truth it presents. 14 Krishna Voice, March 2021 Bhakti-yoga at Home "Always Remember Krishna... By Rohininandana Dasa And never forget Him." So states the most important instruction of the Vedas. All other rules and regulations simply serve to assist this one basic principle. Thinking of Krishna is as natural as thinking of our own self. Despite our involvement with a multiplicity of things in this world, we always retain a sense of self. Even when we are in love and absorbed in thoughts of another, our absorption is in relationship to our self—my friend or my lover. Now that we've come to Krishna consciousness, we've learned that our self is spiritual and that we are parts of the Supreme Self, Lord Krishna. Our selfhood and our very existence are inseparable from Krishna, and we are dependent on Him, as a ray of sunshine is dependent on the sun. Not only is Krishna the Supreme Self; He is also the supreme beloved. When the people of Vrindavana—who possess nothing dearer than Krishna—thought Him to be fatally enwrapped in the coils of the serpent Kaliya, they saw the whole world, including themselves, as vacant and useless. We may now be far from the Vrindavana plane of existence, yet we can begin to sense our exclusive dependence on Krishna and our inherent love for Him. The air, the life-giving sun, the sweet taste of water, the timeless bird- song, our food, and our ability to digest it are all Krishna. As His energies, all the features of the material world are nondifferent from Him. Krishna is so kind that He takes care of us at every moment and at every step of our lives, no matter who we may be or where we may happen to roam. In a natural, healthy state of Krishna consciousness a person never forgets Krishna. Similarly, Krishna has never forgotten and will never forget any one of us, any more than a loving parent could ever forget his child's welfare and happiness. We can end our present sleep of forgetfulness of Krishna and ourselves by hearing and chanting about the Lord— His names, qualities, and activities. This simple method is so powerful it can elevate one quickly to the spiritual platform of Krishna consciousness. We can learn, as Srila Prabhupada says, to mould our lives in such a way that we will always remember Krishna and always find ourselves awake and alive rather than asleep in the struggle for illusory survival. The Vedic scriptures advise us to "somehow or other" remember Krishna. At first, we may think of Him as an order supplier, or we may have an improper understanding of who He is, or we may be afraid of Him or even envious of Him. But because Krishna is absolute, no matter how we think of Him we will benefit, just as, regardless of our opinion of fire, if we put our hand near it we'll feel its heat. Srila Prabhupada once said that an alcoholic could make spiritual advancement if he thought of the sweet taste of his wine as Krishna. Of course, as we progress spiritually we'll learn to think and act more and more favourably for the development of our pure Krishna consciousness. That means we'll try to please the Lord with our every thought, word, and deed. Our remembering Krishna "somehow or other" will develop into remembering Krishna with love. We can add Krishna to our lives in numerous and perhaps numberless ways. One way I haven't mentioned thus far, but which I have found of great value to me over the years, is listening to tapes. Tape players let us use Kali- yuga technology to make up for the poor memories Kali-yuga has given us. We have a chance to hear a pure devotee such as Srila Prabhupada, not once but over and over again, whenever it is convenient for us. And if we find it hard to sit down and hear, we can turn on the tape machine when we sit in our car, when we cook, or when we do repetitive things such as bathing, dressing, or hanging up the washing. If we can get in a half hour or an hour of hearing every day, our minds and intellects will be stimulated with spiritual topics throughout the day. We can also increase our remembrance of Krishna by trying to see Him everywhere. In Bhagavad-gita Krishna gives us many hints how to do this. In fact, just remembering Lord Krishna's instructions—as Arjuna did when Krishna disappeared from external vision—is a way to associate with the Lord. If we find it hard to think of the original form of Krishna, we can think of His universal form. As described in the Second Canto of the Srimad- Bhagavatam, we can meditate on the universe as a huge body with mountains for bones; trees and clouds for hair, rivers for veins; oceans for an abdomen; wind for breath; the sun and moon for eyes; and passing ages for movement. Or, as the Gita describes, we may choose to contemplate the nature of matter and spirit. Whatever our disposition, we can find a way to practice Krishna's conclusion: "A true yogi observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized person sees Me, the Supreme Lord, everywhere." And the result? Krishna says that for such a person, "I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me." (Bg. 6.29-30) Krishna Voice, March 2021 15 Vrindaranya Kshetra Thiruvallikeni Parthasarathy Perumal Temple - Part 2 by Sampatkumara Ramanuja Dasan (Adv. Ashwin.S) Continued from previous issue In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krishna says: They say His other hand, pointing to His lotus feet, reminds us of the following shloka of the Bhagavad- Bg. 1.15 gita: pancajanyam hrsikeso Bg. 18.66 devadattam dhananjayah paundram dadhmau maha-sankham sarva-dharman parityajya bhima-karma vrkodarah mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo “Lord Krishna blew His conch shell, called Pancajanya; moksayisyami ma sucah Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhima, the voracious eater and performer of herculean tasks, blew his terrific “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto conch shell, called Paundra.” Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” The Sri Vaishnava scholars say they consider having studied the whole of the Bhagavad-gita by worshipping Perhaps this is the only temple in the world where the Sri Parthasarathy Perumal, for the conch in the right Supreme Personality of Godhead is seen in this divine hand of the main Deity represents the 15th verse of the form. The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna as Parthasarathy first chapter of the Gita, quoted above. – geetha swaroopa as He is worshipped in this temple,

Darshan of Parthasarathy Perumal: Venkata Krishna is seen standing with elder brother Balarama and consort Rukmini (on His right), Satyaki, son Pradyumna and grandson Aniruddha (on His left)

16 Krishna Voice, March 2021 Lord Parthasarathy as Rajagopala Parthasarathy Perumal as Govardhana Giridhari inspires devotees at the very first sight of His beautiful A peculiar confusion clouds the mind of devotees who form, and they are transported to an unknown place of see the sword with golden sheath set with precious pure spiritual bliss. The golden form of Rukmini, standing stones on the left side of the Lord, contrary to His on the right side of the Lord, bedecked with precious undertaking that He would not take any weapon during stones, is glorified by Peyy Azhwar. the war. The sword is not meant to kill the enemies on

The Jeeyar (sannyasi head) of Thirumala Thirupathi leading the brahmanas of Thiruvallikeni during the festivals

Krishna Voice, March 2021 17 Lord Ranganatha with His consorts in the temple at Thiruvallikeni

The Lord of Thiruvallikeni on an elephant carrier during Brahmotsava

18 Krishna Voice, March 2021 the battlefield of Kurukshetra, but symbolizes the sword Festivals of knowledge to destroy the crass ignorance of human Monthly panchaparva festivals are conducted for Sri beings. Parthasarathy Perumal as follows: There is another interesting verse in the Bhagavad-gita, *Festival on the beginning of every Tamil month which justifies the sword: *All Ekadashis Bg. 4.42 Parthasarathy Perumal: tasmad ajnana-sambhutam hrt-stham jnanasinatmanah The annual Brahmotsavam of Parthasarathy Perumal chittvainam samsayam yogam is celebrated in the month of Chitirai. Apart from this, atisthottistha bharata Vasantha and Kodai utsavam are also celebrated in the temple. On the Makha nakshatra in the month of Maasi, “Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart the Lord is taken to the sea, seated on Garuda vahana. out of ignorance should be slashed by the weapon of The vahana is taken as far into the sea as the platform knowledge. Armed with yoga, O Bharata, stand and is immersed in the water. fight.” The most important festivals in this temple are Paghal Still more grand and inspiring is the bewitching and Pathu and Ira Pathu. These are 10 day long festivals, ever-smiling festival Deity of Parthasarathy Perumal, each preceding and acceding Vaikunta Ekadashi. During with scars on His face caused by Bhishma’s arrows at this 21- day festival, the sacred songs of the Azhwars the battle of Kurukshetra. Different forms are observed are sung in the temple and Sri Parthasarathy Perumal by the devotees when they stand near and far. It is a is dressed up in different forms each day, like unique feature of this Deity, that His golden face changes Govardhana Giridhari, Mohini, etc. The Lord is bedecked into a blackish blue tinge within an hour after a holy with an armour made of diamonds and rubies on the bath, enhancing His beauty. The tilaka of the Lord, set day of Vaikunta Ekadashi, when He makes His with diamonds and a dark blue stone in the centre, appearance through a special entrance called the resembles the full moon in a crystal clear blue sky. Vaikunta Vaasal (door) which is opened only on this Experts in metallurgy are baffled and are not able to day. During the Ira Pathu festival mentioned above, explain the changing colour of the face of the utsavar after the service of chanting of the songs of Azhwars, Deity. music performances by well-known dignitaries are

Rathotsava of the temple with the gopuram visible on the left

Krishna Voice, March 2021 19 Grand procession of Sri Vaishnava devotees during the birth anniversary of Manavala Mamunigal

20 Krishna Voice, March 2021 Lord Parthasarathy Perumal with Mahalakshmi on His chest. Note the battles scars on His face. arranged every day in front of Lord Parthasarathy. This From that year onwards, the system of music specific seva is called as Ekantha seva. The origin of performances came into existence during Ira Pathu this system is credited to the famous Carnatic music festival. On account of the saint’s inauguration of this composer Thyagaraja Swami. Thyagaraja Swami also festival, and out of respect and love to him, almost all composed many songs in praise of Parthasarathy the famous vidwans had, in the past, partaken in the Perumal of this temple in the year 1845 and expressed festival and even today many musicians vie with each his desire to the authorities of the temple that this system other to offer this service to Parthasarathy Perumal, as of music performance be continued during these days they believe that by doing this service, they are respecting of Ira Pathu every year, just as it is done in Srirangam. the pious wishes of the saint Thyagaraja Swami.

Krishna Voice, March 2021 21 Parthasarathy Perumal on Garuda vahana during Masi Makha festival

Lord Parthasarathy on Surya Prabha vahana during Brahmotsava

22 Krishna Voice, March 2021 Catch them young! A peculiar feature of this temple is the concept of Kutti Perumal or children’s Lord: the children have their own Deity for whom they celebrate festivals. The worship in the temple and the recitation of the songs east, with His consorts. Brahma is seated on the lotus of Azhwars are done in accordance with the southern flower emanating from His navel. There are two other school of Sri Vaishnavism. The pond in front of the Deities in the same shrine - Narasimha and Sri Varaha, temple is known as Kaivarani, which means white lily facing each other in the North and South. tank. It is considered to be most sacred of all places of Srimathi Vedavalli Thayaar is in a shrine facing east, worship. According to Puranic literature, a dip in the on the right side of Lord Parthasarathy’s shrine. Festivals sacred tank would give all spiritual bliss, happiness and are conducted to serve Srimathi Mahalakshmi every prosperity. The peculiar feature of the pond is that it Friday and the procession goes around the precincts does not get dried even during peak summers and of the temple. A sacred bath is offered to Mahalakshmi fishes don’t thrive in it. The Lord is offered a boat festival Thayaar every Friday. Vasantha utsava or the three- or theppotsavam during February-March. There is a day spring festival ending with Revathi nakshatra, in separate shrine for Hanuman on the eastern bank of the month of May-June, is celebrated for Mahalakshmi the pond. and Ranganatha. Dhavana utsava is celebrated along Sri Ranganatha shrine in Thiruvallikeni temple and with Manavala Mamuni on moola nakshatra during associated festivals March- April. Navaratri festival ending with Mahanavami is celebrated in the month of September-October. Sri The oldest of the shrines in the temple is that of Sri Ranganatha is taken out in procession on the Revathi Ranganatha. It is said that Sri Mahalakshmi, in the guise nakshatra of every month. The appearance anniversary of a young child, came away from Her abode on the of Mahalakshmi is celebrated on shuddha makha chest of Mahavishnu in the ksheerabdi ocean due to Dwadashi day during Feb-March. Her marriage with Sri some misunderstanding with the Lord, to Vrindaranya Ranganatha is celebrated with the usual religious rites on shuddha makha Dwadashi in February – March, prescribed on such occasions. Pallava utsavam is which is considered to be very sacred by all. Sri Vedavalli celebrated for five days during March-April. The Sthala has requested Sri Ranganatha to bless all devotees Purana of the temple is read on all days of the festivals, who worship Them on that day of divine marriage, to which concludes on the Panguni Uttiram day. attain all prosperity and salvation or moksha at the end. There is a separate shrine within the main shrine, for (To be continued) Sri Ranganatha who is reposing on Adi Shesha, facing Photo courtesy: Kesavabhasyam

Krishna Voice, March 2021 23 24 Krishna Voice, March 2021 Krishna Voice, March 2021 25 Ratha Yatra at Bangalore

Dignitaries at the inauguration: (l-r) Sri Madhu Pandit Dasa (President, ISKCON Bangalore), Sri M V Rajasekhar (CMD, BEML), Sri K Gopalaiah (Minister of Excise Department, GoK), Sri Harish (Ex-Deputy Mayor, BBMP).

26 Krishna Voice, March 2021 Alankara (above) and abhisheka (below).

Krishna Voice, March 2021 27 28 Krishna Voice, March 2021