Godhead is light. Nescience is darkness. Where there is Godhead there is no nescience. Photo on the lawn of Bhaktivedanta Manor b y B hargava dasa. Hare Kr~na. . . Hare Kr~na. . . Kr~na. . . Kr~na. . . Hare Hare Hare I\ama Hare I\ama I\ama I\ama Hare Hare
Bhaktivedanta Manor, European headquarters for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, is a model community that exemplifies the principle of plain living and high thinking. Kr~CJa consciousness, or God consciousness, is the center of all activity at Bhaktivedanta Manor. Despite its tranqu ility, however, the Manor is a challenge to the destructive thrust of modern civilization, for it offers a spi ritual vantage point from which to see clearly the inconsistencies of modern human society. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada often speaks of the imbalance caused by today's artificial civilization. He writes in his Srimad Bhagavatam purports, " It is understood that in the past people depended on na ture's gifts of fruits and flowers without industrial enterprises promoting filthy slums for residential quarters. Advancement of civilization is not established on t he growth of mi lls and factories to deteriorate the f iner instincts of the human being; it rests on developing the potent spiritual instincts of humanity." Bhaktivedanta Manor is dedicated to this essential spiritual development. Our beautiful estate, with its Tudor buildings, fertile gardens and orchards, da iry cows, lakes, paths, footbridges and greenhouses, could provide an idea l home or business opportunity for a materialist. But our spiritual master, following the Vedic injunction that everything in truth belongs to God, has sanctified the Manor Kr~oa-ized it-by dedicating it to the service of the Supreme Lord, Sri Kr~oa. By pleasing Kr~Qa, one can bring pleasure to the entire world. Therefore every square inch of Bhaktivedanta Manor is dedicated to the service of Kf~l)a. At Bhaktivedanta Manor, therefore, and in centers around the world, the Kr~ra conscious devotees are living spiritually purified lives, guided by the ideas presented here in Back to Godhead. We therefore take great pleasure in offering you this transcendental journal of Kr~Qa conscious ph ilosophy and inviting you to our international centers to see how this philosophy actually works.
Back to Godhead 1 BACK TO GODHEAD CONTENTS n tEM ;IGAZIKE Of TilE HARE KRISHNA M()\'f~ t ENT Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers 3 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada FOUNDER (under the direction of I lis Divine Grace 9 Sri $(tmad Bhaktisiddhan ta Sarasvati Prabhupada) ISKCON News His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada The Education to End all Miseries 11 Holiness SatsvarOpa dasa Gosvami I;!)I TOR by His Satsvariipa dasa Gosvami IIHAKT'IVEDANTA BOOK TRUST Sankirtana: The Foremost Benediction 16 COORDI \TOR dasa Bali Mardan dasa Gosvami by Gopijana-vallabha
A~SOC I ATE ED ITOR Jayftdvaita dasa Publishing in the Service of the Lord 18 SANSKJUT H>I TOJt by Visakha-devi dasi Jngannfttha dasa 1' 1\0I)Ul'TION MANAGER Letters 23 Rftdhflva llabha dftsa AnT Ollli:Cl'Uit The Desire of a Pure Devotee 26 lndrapramada dftsa by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swam i Prabhupada A~S I STANT ART DIRECTOR Navadvipa dasa
ll.. lU~TitATORS ON THE COVER Muralidhara dasa. YaduranKl Ave .. Los Angdcs.l'ahf. t,Mf'.o.-..,_ a registered member of the International ~~we:• ...,._,,.. __ 900:J4. 1' dit o r~:tl O lllccs:J~Tii'f•n y l'la.:e. llrooklyn.N.Y.II ~3 1 For information o n h ow you can become --- ~ IJm:k to Gmllwml No. 63C 1974 Ohaklivcd:mt:• llookTrusl Society for Krishna Consciousness. please write to the Society's secretary at 3764 ~'i~~~~f~ U All righ ls rcs<.•rvc cl . Printed in USA . Watseka Avenue, Los Angeles, C:tlifornia, 90034.
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS I CENTERS AROUND THE WORLD AFRICA: Capetown, S. Africa-74A Upper Watetkant St. , Nairobi, Kenya-P.O. Box 28946 (E A Inca). THE AMERICAS: Atlanta, Georgia-24 N.E. 13th St. 30309/ (404) 892·9042. Austin, Texas-1003 E. 14th St. 7870'2/ (512) 476-1558. Birmingham, Alabama-537 52nd St. South 35212; Boston, Massachusens-40 N. Beacon St. 02134/ (617) 782·8892; Buenos Aires, Argentina-Ecuador 1/473; Buffalo, New York-132 Bidwell Pkwy. 14222/ (716) 882·0281. Caracas, Venezuela-Cane Luis Roche No. 61, Colinas, De Los Chagoaramosl 76(). 783; Chicago, lllinois-1014 Emerson.St., Evanston 60201/ (312) 4 75-91 26; Cleveland, Ohio-15720 Euclid Ave .. E. Cleveland 441 1'21 (21 6) 451·0418; Dallas, Texas-5430 Gurley St. 752Z3/ (2t4) 827·6330: Denver, Colorado-1400 Cherry St. 802201 (303) 333-5461; Detroit, Michigan- 831 t E. Jefferson Ave. 48214/ (313) 824·6000; Gainesville, Florida- I 104 N.W. 3rd Ave. 32601; Honolulu, Hawaii-1578 Ala Aoloa Loop 96819/ (808) 839-2210. Houston, Texas.-707 HawthO
';. .I I "God." "Spiritual north of Calcutta) in honor of the appear life." These were ance day of Lord Caitanya, who is con such vague terms to sidered an incarnation of Krsna Himself. I me before I met left for Mayapur planning t;; ~tay two days ~ J Prabhupiida. I have at the most, but ended up staying a week. always been interest· There I met Prabhupada again. I was the ,., ed in religion, but only Western nondevotee on the island, before I met the and since I was living with the devotees on devotees, I did not have the intelligence or their land, this was a unique opportunity proper perspective needed to inquire to learn intimately about Krsna conscious fruitfully about spiritual life. I had been to ness. When I met Prabhupada: he asked me Hebrew School and had studied Oriental how I was and if I had any questions. The philosophy, but I could never get satis· devotees had explained to me that fying answers to my questions. Prabhupada could answer any questions After graduating college with a B.S. in about spiritual life because he represents a Chemistry, I joined the Peace Corps and disciplic succession of spiritual masters. I went to India as a science teacher. In India thought that Prabhupada might really I inquired about the Hare Kr~fla move know what is going on in the world. After ment. I was curious about its authenticity. all, his devotees claimed this, and I ad· Attracted by the chanting and intrigued mired and respected his devotees. So with by t he philosophy, I had visited the Riidha· this in mind I began to ask my questions. Krsna temple in New York several times Inadvertently, I had approached a spiritual Sri! a Prabhupada: This movement is especially before going to India, but 1 did not con master (guru) in the proper manner, sub sider the seemingly austere life of a devo· missively asking questions about spiritual meant to enable a human being to reach the tee for myself. matters. reaJ goaJ of life. In India I first met the Kr~~a conscious Prabhupada was pleased, and over the Bob: The real goal- ? devotees in Calcutta during October of next several days he answered my ques Srila Prabhupada: The real goal of life. 1972. The devotees could clearly explain tions. I asked them mostly from an to me the purpose of yoga and the need academic point of view, but Prabhupiida Bob: Is the reaJ goal of life to know God? to inquire about spiritual life. I began to always gave me personal answers so that I Srila Prabhupada: Yes. To go back home, feel that the rituals and ceremonies they would take to spiritual life. Prab hupada back to Godhead. That is the real goal of life. practiced were not dull, sentimental obli was patiently trying to help me under gations, but a real, sensible way of life. stand that Krsna (God) is the supreme Just like the water that comes from the sea At first, however, it was very difficult enjoyer, sup~e~e friend and supreme it forms clouds, the clouds fall down as rain, for me to understand the philosophy of proprietor. I put forward many impedi· and the actual goal is to flow down the river Krsna consciousness. In so many subtle ments to accepting the obvious: that I and again enter the sea. So, we have come way·s, my Western upbringing preven t_ed would have to become serious about God me from seeing things that were as plain consciousness to understand God. But from God, and now we are embarrassed by as the nose on my face ! Fortunately, the Prabhupada relentlessly yet kindly urged this materiaJ life. Therefore, our aim should devotees convinced me of the need to me on. be to get out of this embarrassing situation practice some few basic austerities, and Now I am back in the United States and go back home, back to Godhead. This is thus I was able to gain the intelligence and working for my master's degree in geology desire to understand spiritual life. at Rutgers, sponsoring Kr~~a conscious the real goal of life. I can now reca ll how distant and tenuous activities on the campus, chanting Hare rnam upetya punar janma my concepts of sp iritual and transcenden K.r~fla myself every day, and associating tal existence were. I met Prabhupiida with the devotees at the temple in New duftkhalayarn asasvatam briefly at this time, and shortly thereafter York. Gradually,! am overcoming material napnuvanti rnahatrnana[l I decided to become a vegetarian. (I was impediments. Due to the kindness of Srlla sainsiddhiin pararniiin gatii~ proud of being a vegetarian, but later Prabhupada, I have realized the importance Prabhupada reminded me that even of inquiring about sp iritual life from a ("After attaining Me, the great souls, who pigeons are vegetarians.) genuinely self-rea lized person. Spiritual are yogis in devotion, never return to this In February I met some devotees in life has thus become more real to me and Calcutta, and they invited me to a festival less sentimental. temporary world, which is full of miseries, in Mayapur (a holy island ninety miles Bob Cohen because they have attained the highest perfec-
Back to Godhead 3 tion. (Bg. 8.15)] That is the version thing. It is said in science that energy devotees] were under a certain con of Bhagavad-gita. If anyone comes to is never destroyed ; it is just changed. ception of life, but by training they Me-mam upetya- hc docs not come Srila Prabhupada: That's all right. But have taken to another conception of back again. Where? To this place how the energy is working in the fu life. So the ultimate training is how to du['lkhiilayam a.Sasvatam. This place is ture-that science does not know. How become Krgta conscious. That is per the abode of miseries. Everyone knows, is the energy diverted? How, by dif fection. but they have been fooled, befooled ferent manipulations, is the energy Bob: If two people are Kr~r.ta con by so-called leaders. This is miserable working differently? For instance, elec scious, is their soul the same? life, material life. K~~11a says, God trical energy. By different handling it Srila Prabhupada: The soul is always says, that this place is du{1khiilayam is operating the heater, and it is the same. it is a place of miseries. And it is operating the refrigerator. They arc Bob : In each person? In each person also a.Sasvatam, t emporary. You cannot just the opposite, but the e lectrical is it the same? make a compromise: " All right, let energy is the same. Similarly, this Srila Prabhupada: Ah, yes. it be miserable. I shall remain here energy- living energy- how is it being Bob [pointing to two devotees] : If as an American o r Indian." No! directed ? Which way is it going? How these two are Kr~ J;t a conscious, arc That also you cannot do. You cannot is i t fructifying in the next life? That their souls the same? remain an American. You may think they do not know. But in Bhagavad Srila Prabhupada: The soul is the same t hat, having been born in America, you gita it is very simply stated. but always individual, even if they are are very happy. But you cannot remain vasiimsi Frriini yatha vihaya not Kr~J;ta conscious. For instance, you an American for long. Yo u will have to are a human being, and I am a human (Bg. 2.22] be kicked out of that place. And your being. Even if I am not a Christian, next life you do not know! Therefore, You are covered by a dress, by a shirt. even if you are not a Hindu, still we it is dt~bkhiilayam a.Sasvatam- miserablc When this shirt is unusable, you change arc human beings. Similarly, the soul and temporary. That is our philosophy. it. Similarly, this body is just like a may not be ~Qa conscious, or he Bob: But when you have some knowl shirt and coat. When it is no longer may be K~Qa conscious- it doesn't edge of God, then life is not so mis workable, we have to change it. matter. But the soul is the soul. erable? Bob: What is the "we" that has to Bob: Can you tell me more about this? Srila Prabhupada: No! Some knowl change? What is constant? Srila Prabhupada: Soul- as pure spirit, edge will not do. You must have per Srila Prabhupada: That is the soul. all souls are equal. Even in an animal. fect knowledge. Bob: From one life to the next? Therefore it is said (Bg.S.18] ,pa!1pitab Srila Prabhupada: That is the soul- 1. janma karma ca me di11yam sarna-darsinab: those who are actually What "you" is speaking? You! What evaril yo vetti tattvata{1 learned do not see the outward cover "I" is speaking? Identity: iitmii, or [Bg. 4.9] ing, either in a human being or in an soul. animal. Tattvata/1 means " perfectly." Perfect Bob: My soul is different from your knowledge is being taught in Bhagavad soul? Srila Prabhupada: Yes. You are an ~~ Feeling ~~.lit gitii. So, we arc giving human society a ';.t God Inside ~ chance to learn Bhagavad-gitii as it is individual soul, l am an individual soul. and make their lives perfect. That is the Bob: You have removed yourself from Bob: If I may ask another question karmic influences. I Kr~I;ta conscio usness movement. If was to remove on this? myself from karmic influences, would Srila Prabhupada: Yes. The Science our souls be the same or different? Bob: I have considered the soul some ~ ~ ~ ~ Srila Prabhupada: The soul is of the ~ of the So ul ~ what aS part of God. At times I think same quality in all. Yo u are under a I feel God. I'm here, and you may say Srila Prabhupada: What docs your certain conceptio n of life at the pres God is here. So if the soul is inside me, science say about the transmigration ent moment, and these countrymen then should I be able to feel God of the soul? of yours [the Kr~J;ta consciousness inside me? Not all of God, I mean, Bob: I think ...that scicncc ...cannot but a ... deny o r affirm it. Science does not Srfla Prabhupada: Part of God. know it. Bob: But I don't feel God in me, but Srila Prabhupada: Therefore I say God may be here, separate- separate that science is imperfect. from me. But should r be able to feel Bob: Science may, though, say some-
4 Back to Godhead God inside me, since my soul is part Bob: You must please God for Him of God? to reveal Himself. Is that correct? Srila Prabhupada: Yes. God is inside Srila Prabhupada: Yes. also. God is everywhere. God is inside and outside also. This is to be known. #ttl Finding ~~ ~ob: How do you feel God inside you? P A Spiritual Master ~ Srila Prabhupada: Not in the begin ning, but you have to know from the Syamasundara (Srila Prabhupada 's sec sastras [scriptures], by the Vedic in retary] : How do we know when we formation. For example, in the ~e pleasing God? Bhagavad-glta it is said, lsvara{'t sarva Srila Prabhupada: When we see Him. bhiitanam hrd-dese 'rjuna t i~_thati : God Then you will understand. Just as, is there in everyone's heart. [Bg. 18.61] when you eat, you do not require to Paramaru-cayantara-stham [ Brahma ask anyone whether you are feeling samhita, 5.35] : God is also within strength or your hunger is satisfied. If every atom. So this is the first infor you eat, you understand that you are mation. And then, by the yogic pro feeling energy. You don't need to cess, you have to realize it. inquire from anyone. Similarly, if ~ob: Yogic process? you actually serve God, then you will Srila Prabhupada: Yes. understand, "God is dictating to me. Bob: Is chanting Hare Kr~I)a such a God is there. 1 am seeing God." yogic process? ft: devotee: Or God's representative. Sri! a Prabhupada: Yes, it is also a Srila Prabhupada: Yes. yogic process. Devotee: It comes easier. Bob: What kind of yogic process must Srila Prabhupada: You have to go 1 do to find out- to feel this informa through God's representative. tion - to feel the soul inside? yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadaft "You'll understand everything of Srila Prabhupada: Yes, there are many "By the mercy of the spiritual master God- how God is inside, how God is different yogic processes, but for this outside, how God is working. Every one is be~edicted by the mercy of age this process is very nice. thing will be revealed." J ~ob : Chanting. Kr$l)a." [Srf Gurv-a,s_takam If you Srila Prabhupada: Yes. please God's representative, then auto matically God becomes pleased, and Bob : Through this I can feel not only sak~ad-dhari tvena samasta-sl!strai r God outside but God inside? thus you can directly see Him. uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhi/1 An Indian gentleman: How to please Srila Prabhupada: You '11 understand kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya everything of God- how God is inside, God's representative? Vande gur0{1 srf-carararavindam how God is outside, how God is Srila Prabhupada: You have to carry working. Everything will be revealed. out his orders, that's all. God's rep ["The spiritual master is to be honored By this attitude of service, God will resentative is the guru. He asks you to as much as the Supreme Lord because reveal Himself. You cannot understand do this, to do that- if you do that, that of his being the most confidential God by your endeavor. Only if God is pleasing. servitor of the Lord. This is acknowl reveals Himself. ] ust like- when the edged by all revealed scriptures and is yasyaprasadan na gatift kuto 'pi followed by all authorities. T herefore sun is out of your sight at night, you "Without the grace of the spiritual 1 offer my respectful obeisances unto cannot see it by your torchlight, or master one cannot make any advance any light. But in the morning you can the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, ment." If you displease him, then you who is a bona fide representative of see the sun automatically, without any are nowhere. Therefore we worship Lord Kmta." (SrfGurv-a,s.takam)] The torchlight. Similarly, you have to cre the guru. guru should be accepted as God. That ate a situation- you have to put your is the injunction of all sl!stra. self in a situation- in which God Bob: The guru should be accepted as will be revealed. It is not that by some method you can ask Cod, "Please a representative of God? come. I will see You." No, God is not your order carrier.
Back to Godhead 5 Sri! a Prabhupada: Yes, the guru is fore Kr~Da again came as a gu.ru and information directly from Kn;l)a ? It God's representative. The guru is the taught people how to surrender to comes through the disciplic succession external manifestation of Kr$Qa. Kr~l)a . from the books? Bob: But different from the incarna Syamasundara: Doesn't He say in Srila Prabhupada: There is no differ tions of Kr~Qa that come? Bhagavad-gi'tii, " I am the spiritual ence. Suppose l say chat t his is a pen Srila Prabhupada: Yes. master"? cil. If you say to him, "This is a pen Bob: In what way is the external mani Srila Prabhupada: Yes, He is the orig cil," and if he says to another man, festation of the guru different from inal spiritual master because He was "This is a pencil ," then what is the the external manifestation of, let us accepted as spiritual master b y Arjuna. difference between his instruction and say, Kr$t~a or Caitanya when They So what is the difficulty? Si~yas te my instruction? come to earth? '/ram siidhi miirh tviirh prapannam. Bob: Kr~l)a 's mercy allows you to Srila Prabhupada: The guru is the Arjuna told the Lord, " l am Your know chis now? You can take Krsl!a's representative of Kr$Qa. So there arc disciple, and a soul surrendered unto SrTia Prabhupada: as symptoms of who is a guru. The You. Please instruct me." (Bg. 2.7] mercy also, provided it is delivered as we are teaching Blzagavad general symptoms are described m So unless He is a spiritual master, how it is. Just Bhagavad-gitii Kr~r)a says: the Vedas. does Arjuna b ecome His disciple? gitii. ln He is the original guru.. Tene bralmw tad vijniinartharh sa gurnm sarva-dharman parityajya lrrdii ya iidi-kavaye: " It is He only who vraja eviibhigl!Cche t mam ekarir sara,1arh ftrst imparted Vedic knowledge unto samit-pii!tifr srotriyarir brahma-ni~tham "Just give up all other forms of reli the heart of Brahma, the first created [Murrf/Cika Upani~Cid, 1.2.12] gion and simply surrender unto Me." being." [ Bhiig. 1.1.1] Therefore He is [Bg. 18.66] Now we are saying that A guru must come in a disciplic suc the original guru. and he must have heard you should give up everything and cession, Bob : Kr ~!la. surrender to Kr~Da. Therefore, there is thoroughly about the Vedas from his Srila Prabhupada: Yes. He is the origi no difference between Kr~Da 's instruc spiritual master. Generally a guru's nal gum. Then His disciple Brahma is tion and our instruction. There is no symptom is that he is a perfect devotee, a guru, then his disciple Narada is a deviation. So if you receive knowledge that's all. And he serves Kr~!la by guru, then his disciple Vyasa is a guru in that perfect way, that is as good as preaching His message. in this way there is a guru-paramparii - He was a differ receiving instruction directly from Bob: Lord Caitanya l disciplic succession of gurus l . Evaril Kr~ Qa . But we don't change anything. ent type ofgu.nt t han you are? paramparii-praptmrt. l Bg. 4 .2] The No, no. Gurus ca n Bob: When I pray reverently, faith fully, Sri la Prabhupada: transcendental knowledge is received does Kr~t~a hear me? not be of different types. All gurus through the disciplic succession. arc of one type. Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Bob: But He was- was He also an in Bob: From me to Him? carnation at the same time? #Jtj Receiving Knowledge I!C• Srila Prabhupada: Yes, because He is Srna Prabhupada: Yes, He is Kr!jr~a ~ From Kr~ l}a ..,... within your heart He is always hearing is representing the you- whether you are praying or n ot Himself, but He Bob : So a guru receives his knowledge guru. praying. Wh en you are doing some through the disciplic s uccession, not you. And Bob: I. . . l see. nonsense, He is also hearing directly from Kr$t~a? Do you recieve a Prabhupada: Yes. when you pray, that is very good SrTi some knowledge directly from Kr~l)a? Bob: And then .. . welcome. Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Kr~!la's direct ear, is praying louder Srna Prabhupada: Because Kr~Qa was Bob: To Kr ~l)a's instruction is there: Blragavacl-gita! nse? God, He demanded: than nonse Bob: I see, but ... Srila Prabhupada: No. He is all SCirva-dhanruin parityajyCI Srila Prabhupada: But you have to perfect. He ca n hear everything. Even mam ekarh sara/writ vraja learn it through the disciplic succession, if you don't speak, even i f you simply it. "Abandon all varieties of religion and otherwise you will misunderstand think, "I shall do it," then He hears receive just surrender unto Me." l Bg. 18.66] Bob: But presently you do not you. sarvasya ciilratir hrdi samriviHab: But people misunderstood Him. There- Kr$Qa is seated in everyone's heart. [ Bg. 15.1 51 Bob: But o ne should pray- is that so? Srila Prabhupada: That is his business praying.
6 Back t o Godhead Bob: Whose business? ments for m aterial enjoyment, of Srila Prabhupada: Every living entity's. which sex life is t he topmost enjoy That is the only business. Eko bahuniim ment. The Bhiigavatam says that this yo vidadhiiti kiiman [Ka{ha Upani$ad, material world .. . 2.2.13]. That is the statement of the pumsa[-z striya mitlwnlbhavam etam Vedas. [Bhag. 5.5.8] Bob: What does that mean? Man is attached to women, and woman Srila Prabhupada: He supplies every is attached to m an. Not only in human thing to everyone. He is supplying society- in animal society also. That food t o e veryone. So He is the Father. attachment is the basic principle of So why s hould you not pray, " Father, material life. So, a woman is hankering give me this"? Just as in the Christian or seeking after the a ssociation of a Bible there is, "Father, give us our man, and a man is hankering o r seeking daily breaid ." That s good- t hey are for the association of a wo man. Al l the accepting the Supreme Father. B ut fiction novels, dramas, cinema a nd grown-up children should not ask from even ordinary advertisements that you the father: rather, they should be see simply depict t he attachment be prepared to serve t he father. That is tween man and woman. Even in the bhakti [devotion J . tailor's shop you will find in the win Bob: My questions you solve so nicely. dow some woman and some man. [Everyone laughs with affection.! p rav_rttir e~iim bhiitiiniiril nivrttis tu Srila Prabhupada: Thank you very mahiiphaliim (Manu-samhitiiJ much. So this attachment is already there. Bob: So, should I ask you another Bob: Attachment between man and question now? woman? Srila Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Yes! Srila Prabhupada: Man and woman. So if you want to get liberation from " The whole Vedic principle is to get this material world, then that attach liberation f rom material bondage." #J'I Sex I'\ ment should be reduced to nil. Other ~ and Liberation ~ wise, simply further attachment- you The Indian system calls for varra and will have to take rebirth, either Bob: I've asked devotees about how as a asranw- four social orders a nd four human b eing or as a demi they feel towards sex in t heir rela god or as an spiritual orders. Bralrmacarya [celibate animal, as a s erpent, as a bird, tions, and l see the way they feel, but as a student life I, grlrastha [married life] , beast. You will have to take b I ca n' t see myself acting t he sa me irth. So, vanaprastha [retired life] and sannyasa way. See, I'll be getting married at the t his basic principle of increasing attach (renounced lifeJ - t hese are t he spiritual end of t his summer. ment is not our business, although it orders. And the social orders include is Srila Prabhupada: Hmm? t he general tendency. Grlra, k5etra, briilrnra!1as (intellectuals], k~atriyas Bob: I'Ll be getting married at the end suta [home, land, sonsJ. But if one [administrators] , vaisyas [merchants of this summer, in September or can reduce and stop it, that is first and farmers 1 and siidras [ordinary August when I return to America. And class. Therefore our Vedic system is workers]. So under this system, the the devotees say that the householders to first of all train a boy as a regulative principles are so nice that only have sex to conceive a child, and bralmraciirl-no sex life. The Vedic even if one has the tendency to enjoy I cannot picture myself at all in such a principle is to reduce attachment, not material life, he is so nicely molded that position, and- urn- what kind of sex to increase it. Therefore the whole at last he achieves liberation and goes life can one lead, living in the material system is called var!riisrama-dlramra. back home, back to Godhead. This is world? the process. So sex life is not required, Srila Prabhupada: The Vedic principle but because we are attached to it, is that one should avoid sex life al therefore there are some regulative together. The whole Vedic principle principles under which it is maintained. is to get liberation from material bondage. There are different attach-
Back to Godhead 7 Kr!;l}a and accepted Him as spiritual taught it in the schools and colleges. The Bodily ~ ~ master. And when Kr~TJa became his Everyone already knows how to do it. Conception of Life -.. spiritual master, He chastised Arjuna [He laughs.] That is the general ten in the beginning: dency. But education should be given Srila Prabhupada: It is said in Srirnad to stop it. That is real education. aiocyiin anva.Socas tvarn Bhagavatarn that- (There is a long pause, fllled with the pajiiii-viidarns ca bh~ase pumsa[1 striyii rnitlwnibhiivarn etarh gatiisun agatasums ca sound of bicycle horns, children play tayor mitho hrdaya-granthirn iihu{1 niinusocanti parflitii[1 ing, and throngs of people calling to one another.] ato grha-k~etra-sutapta-vittair (Bg. 2.11) janasya moho 'yam aham mameti Bob: Presently, in America, that's a [Bhag. 5.5.8] " You are talking like a learned man, radical concept. but you are fool number one because SrTia Prabhupada: Well, in America This sex life is the basic principle of you are talking about the bodily con there are so many things that require material life- attachment for man or cept of life." So this sex life increases reformation, and this ~{la conscious woman. And when they are united, the bodily concept of life. Therefore, ness movement will bring that. I went when a man and woman are united, the whole process is to reduce it to nil to your country and saw that the boys that attachment becomes increased, Bob: To reduce it over the stages of and girls were living like friends, so I and that increased attachment will in your life? said to my students, "You cannot duce one to accumulate grha (a home), Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Reduce it. Just live together as friends; you must get k.setra (land), suta (children), iipta as a boy is trained up as a student up yourselves married." (friendship or society) and vitta. Vitta to twenty-five years, restricting sex life. Bob: Many people see that even mar means money. In this way-g.rha-k~etra Brahmaciirl. So, some of the boys re riage is not sacred, so they find no de sutiipta-vittaib- he becomes entangled. main nai~!hika -b ralm1acarl [celibate for sire to marry. Because people get ]anasya moho yam: this is the illusion. life]. Because they are given education married, and if things are not proper, And by this iJ!usion he thinks, aham and they become fully conversant with they get a divorce so very easily ... rnameti: "1 am this body, and anything spiritual knowledge, they don't want SrTia Prabhupada: Yes, that also. in relationship with this body is mine." to marry. But one who has no such Bob: .. . that some people feel that to Bob: What is that again? restraint is allowed to marry. That is get manied is not meaningful. Srila Prabhupada: This attachment also restricted- he cannot have sex Srila Prabhupada: No, their idea is increases. The material attachment in life without being married. Therefore that marriage is for legalized prostitu volves thinking, " I am this body, and in human society there is marriage, not tion. They think like that, but that is because I have this body in a particular in animal society. not marriage. Even that Christian paper place, that is my country." And that is - what is that? Watch- ? going on: "I am American, I am Indian, Spirit ual Cu lt ure Syamasundara: Watchtower? I am German, I am this, I am that- this iJ'I ldt ;.t in a Degraded Society ~ Srila Prabhupada: IVatchtower. It has body. This is my country. I shall sacri criticized that one priest has allowed fice everything for my country and Srila Prabhupada: But people are grad a marriage between two men- homo society." So in this way, the illusion ually descending from human society sexuality. So these things are all going increases. And under this illusion, when to animal society. They are forgetting on. They take it purely for prostitution, he dies he gets another body. That may marriage. That is aJso predicted in the that's all. So therefore people are be a superior body or inferior body, ac siistras. Dam-patye 'bhirucir hetuiJ: In thinking, "What is the use of keeping cording to his karma. So if he gets a the Kali-yuga [the present age of quar a regular prostitute at such heavy ex superior body, then that is also an rel], eventually there will be no mar penditure? Better not to have this." entanglement, even if he goes to the riage performances; the boy and the Syamasundara: You use that example heavenly planets. But if he becomes a girl will simply agree to live together, of the cow and the market. cat or dog, then his life is lost. Or a tree and their relationship will exist on Srila Prabhupada: Yes-when the milk there is every chance of it. So this sci sexual power. If the man or the is available in the marketplace, what is ence is not known in the world- how woman is deficient in sex life, then the use of keeping a cow? [Everyone the soul is transmigrating from one there is divorce. So, for this philosophy laughs.) It is a very abominable con body to another, and how he is being there arc many Western philosophers dition in the Western countries- [ have entrapped in different types of bodies. like Freud and others who have written seen it. Here also in lndia, gradually it This science is unknown. Therefore so many books. But according to Vedic is coming. Therefore we have started when Arjuna was spcaking- " If l kill culture, we arc interested in sex only this Kr$1)a consciousness movement to my brother, if l kill my grandfather on for begetting children, that's all. Not to educate people in the essential prin the other side ... " - he was simply study the psychology of sex life. There ciples of spiritual life. It is not a sec thinking on the basis of the bodily con is already natural psychology for that. tarian religious movement. It is an cept of life. But when his problems Even if one docs not read any philoso essential cultural movement for every could not be solved, he surrendered to phy, he is sexually inclined. Nobody is one's benefit. @
8 Back to Godhead FESTIVALS OF K~~~A CONSCIOUSNESS
THE DEVOTEES of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are preparing for a number of important upcoming festivals that are celebrated every year. These festivals are great transcendental opportunities because they afford one the chance to hear about, chant about and remember Kr~Da , in the association of pure devotees of Kr~Qa. The KI:s.11a conscious devotees invite everyone to join in the bliss of these celebrations. For further details, please write or call the ISKCON center nearest you.
THE Fl RST CELEBRATION is Ratha yatrii, which occurs this year on June 21. (Kt$t)a conscious festivals occur on a differ ent day every year, according to our Western solar calendar, because their appearance is calculated by the Vedic calendar, which is lunar.) The Rathayiitrii festival , which has been observed in India's holy city of Jagannatha Puri for thousands of years, glorifies Lord K{$Qa in His form as Lord .J agannatha, which means "the Lord of the universe." Because the Deity is omnipotent, He can appear in fully spiritual incarnations appar ently made of wood. Lord Jagannatha is such an incarnation of the Lord. On the Rathayatra day, the devotees bring the J agannatha Deity on a parade of many miles in a huge cart. Chanting and dancing jubi lantly, the thousands of people who gather for the festival pull the cart through the streets with long ropes. The celebration con cludes with a sumptuous feast of kn!Ja· prasada, food first offered to Lord Jagannatha. In London and in San Francisco, the first city in the West where the Rathayiitra Festival was held, thousands of people participate in celebrating Rathayiitrii. MaMjana dasa THE NEXT FESTIVAL, J anmaHami, marks the Appearance Day of Lord K~~!Ja. This is what we might naturally call His "birthday," except that K.l;~!Ja does not take birth like an ordinary human being. His so-called birth is a transcendental pastime He performs through His mystic potency. In the Bhavi~ya Purti,na it is said, "My Lord Kt~!Ja , please let us know the date when Your mother, Devaki-devi, gave birth to You. If You kindly inform us about this, we shall observe a great celebration on this date. We are souls one hundred percent surrendered unto Your lotus feet, and we wish only to please You with our ceremonies." K.l;~!Ja conscious devotees, therefore, hold great celebrations on the Appearance Day of Lord Kt~Qa , especially in Vtndavana, India, where the Lord appeared on earth, and in New Vrndavana, a Kt~Qa conscious community in the hills of West Vriginia that is a transcenden tal replica of K.l;~Qa's original abode. This year, Janma~tami occurs on the II th of August.
Muralivadana dasa Bhiirgava d 10 Back to Godhead Jhe ~dluccdfiolfJl fo ~lfJld rfBJH MiseJrJies BY HIS HOLINESS SATSV AROP A D.ASA GOSVAMI EVERYONE WILL AGREE that a life is twenty-five percent wasted." if he does not learn how to save him human being needs some kind of edu Some time passed, and the scholar self from the miseries of life and ul cation. Some teachers stress preparing began commenting upon the various timately from death itself. The Vedic oneself for an occupation, while others land formations around them, boasting literature refers to a human being who assert that the quest for knowledge that he was also a master of geology. does not use his human birth to solve itself sufficiently justifies an education. "Do you know the science of geology?" life's perplexities as a krparJa, or miser. But unless one's vocational education he asked. When the boatman said he did The Garga Upan~ad states: "He is a or search for knowledge can reveal to not, the scholar declared, "Oh, then miserly man who does not solve the him his own identity, the purpose of fifty percent of your life is wasted." problems of life and who thus quits life, his relationship with God and the Then the scholar next launched into a this world like the cats and dogs, with universe, and the path of freedom from dissertation on psychology, and when out understanding the science of self material miseries, whatever else he the boatman admitted he knew nothing realization." The real wealth of human learns is but a waste of time. about it, the scholar announced, "In life lies in becoming enlightened and The well-known incident of the deed, seventy-five percent of your life solving the problems of life. Education unduly proud scholar and the boatman is wasted!" that misses or ignores this must be con illustrates this point. A scholar once Suddenly black clouds began pour sidered subhuman. engaged a ferryboat man to row him ing rain, and a squall rocked the little across a river. Observing that his boat ferryboat. Within minutes the storm Facing the Problems man was quite uneducated, the scholar became so serious that waves broke began to show off his own learning and over the ferry's sides, and the ferry What, then, are the problems of exis simultaneously criticize the boatman. man, seeing they would have to aban tence? First, there are the fourfold "My good boatman," the scholar don the boat, turned to the scholar miseries birth, death, disease and old said, "just see how the first stars are ap and said, "Sir, I'm afraid this boat is age. There are miseries caused by other pearing in the sky. We may observe the lost. We'll have to swim for it. Do you living entities, such as biting bugs juxtapositions of planets and stars to a know the art of swimming?" and human enemies; there arc mis degree that is marvelous. Tell me, do But the scholar replied, "I don't eries caused by the very nature of you know the science of astronomy?" know how to swim." our bodies, such as mental anxiety, "No sir," the boatman replied, add "Oh, sir," said the boatman, "then indigestion and broken Limbs; and ing that he knew little beyond rowing. one hundred percent of your life is there are miseries inflicted on us by "You don't know astronomy?" the wasted!" He then dove in to the river natural calamities beyond human con scholar said. "Poor fellow! Then your and began swimming, while the edu trol, such as earthquakes, droughts and cated scholar drowned. floods. For our education to be fruit SatsvarOpa dasa Gosvami, the lJ'diwr of Back to Cfodhcad. Is t'urremly traveling with /lis DMne Groce Thus although a man may pretend ful, it should help us find a solution Sri/a Prablmpada. ser~,ing os his personal secretory. to be educated, his education is useless to these problems. One might object to our assumption pains of material life similarly nullify fore he came to the meeting at which that human life should yield freedom all the enjoyments of the material he was killed, his confidential associates from miseries. Some people think mis world. But if despite all sufferings, one warned him not co go, but nevertheless ery the natural human condition. They is determined to enjoy material life he persisted. Another imperfection is say we are meant to suffer. Neverthe to eat sweet food mixed with sand-still that we fall into illusion, mistaking one less, living entities of all species want to one cannot. No one is allowed to stay thing for another. We are also imper be happy and avoid suffering; no one here. We may want to make our home fect in that we are prone to cheat. For takes suffering naturally. Misery may here and enjoy, but death kicks us out. example, I must admit that I sometimes seem inevitable, yet philosophers, hu There are no exceptions. Everyone is make mistakes and sometimes fall into manitarians and politicians ever seek its forced to leave. illusion. But if nevertheless I write a remedies. Not only does a human being Therefore, with the facilities of hu book claiming to be the truth, is that try to avoid suffering; even an ant re man life, one should seek an ultimate not cheating? How can one subject to sists being killed. Ask anyone if he is solution to misery. Still one might ob so many imperfections claim to be a eager to deteriorate with old age. To ject that to stop suffering is impossible. teacher? And another imperfection is answer honestly, one would have to say The painter Van Gogh once wrote in a that we have limited senses. With our no. What about disease or death? Would letter, "Misery is eternal." But the solu limited ears we can hear only a certain anyone like to die right now? "No tion is at hand, as we shall describe range of sounds, and with our eyes we thanks." Sometimes people try to block herein, if only one approaches the observe the huge sun in the sky to be out suffering with sensual pleasure. For problem seriously and receives the no bigger than a half dollar. These example, one might temporarily forget proper education. conditions of material nature, imposed one's anxieties through drugs or liquor. upon one and all, limit man in his But after the high wears off, the anxie knowledge. ties return. The Giants Who Fail Us One's claim to be happy and content is a deception if one has not con We should think that if we scrutin The Perfect Intelligence quered the miseries of birth, death, old ized the works of great writers, scien age and disease. For example, say we tists and artists, they would help us But perfect knowledge to free us were to visit a friend in the hospital conquer these miseries. But as we con from suffering is available-from the and find that his leg was in traction, he sult our great thinkers, we find they perfect source. Unlike knowledge spo was unable to pass urine unless a nurse do not have the solution. Socrates, ken by imperfect, conditioned living brought a bedpan, he had to receive Shakespeare, Freud or the latest Nobel entities, that spoken by God is perfect, shots regularly, and he could not cat Prize winning scientists may be giants free of defect. There is a supremely solid food. If we asked our friend how in their fields, but reading their works intelligent being, and His intentions he was feeling and he replied, "I'm cannot free one from death or old age. toward mankind are loving. As the all right," we might ask. "What is Scientists, of course, are well-known supreme creator, He can give the that 'I'm aJI right'?" With so many for what they supposedly will do in knowledge for supreme freedom from miseries, how could he consider him the future. Those called gerontologists misery. self all right? even profess to be on the verge of dis Atheists argue that there is no Su Such illusions of well-being and covering how to stop aging and death. preme God, but they cannot explain satisfaction are common among lower But according to a recent report in how the huge cosmic manifestation of animals. Cattle and chickens, for in Newsweek, "they have not reached any universes, planets and living beings has stance, eat their grass and grains in thing even resembling an elixir of come about. The pious accept that God contentment, although their master youth." ln any case, aside from hopes is the creator, but atheists speculate feeds them simply to kill them. A that some heroic scientist may rescue that everything has arisen automatical human being, however, won't stand us from our problems, the miseries of ly through spontaneous combustion, for being miserable. He protests, or he birth, death, old age and disease have chance chemical and sexual combina seeks a solution. no solution. No one wants them, but tions, blind evolution, and so on. Hedonists, of course, say that the no one is free from them. These explanations identify only inter only solution is to go on enjoying the Even humanity's greatest scientists mediate causes; none of them disproves pleasures of the senses and not dwell and philosophers cannot solve the the existence of a Supreme Lord who on miseries, but unfortunately life's problems of Life because everyone born is the cause of all causes. miseries curb their pleasure at every into the material world is conditioned The universe displays wonderful step. One might have palatable food to by four basic imperfections. First, we management, engineering and artistry, eat, but if someone were to mix sand are prone to make mistakes- "to err is and behind all these huge affairs of into it, no one would be able to enjoy human." In India, for instance. nature is a gigantic brain or intelligence. it, for although its taste would still be Mahatma Gandhi was supposed to have If a child sees a spacecraft orbiting in there, the sand would grit against one's been a very great person, but he too the sky, he may think it is doing so teeth and nullify the enjoyment. The committed mistakes. Five minutes be- by chance, without control, but a ma- 12 Back to Godhead ture person knows that teams of in stand that he is not his body but a has not forgotten us- even though we telligent scientists and technicians are spiritual soul. Nevertheless, most big have absorbed ourselves in temporary controlling its flight. Why, then, should scholars, philosophers and political activities and thus forgotten Him-He we assume, like ignorant children, that leaders have not taken even this first sends His personal representative, the these huge spacecraft called planets are step. They have not mastered even the spiritual master. to offer us the path flying in exact, grand orbits through ABC's of real education. Rather, think by which to return home, back to space automatica1ly, with no intelli ing they are their bodies, they identify Godhead, to teach us by precept and gence behind them? Our scientists may themselves with their families, races, example the life of God consciousness, observe the workings of the universe nations and so on. A person in bodily a life of eternity, bliss and knowledge. and describe how the law of gravity consciousness thinks, "I am John holds the planets in orbit, but simply Thompson," "I am a white man," "I to observe the phenomenon and label am an American," "I am black," "I it "the law of gravity" does not really am Christian," "I am Communist," "I explain or in any way duplicate the in am human," and so on. Yet within a conceivable mystic potency that en few years the demise of the body van ables the planets to float and sail quishes all such designations. through space. Indeed, to observe laws According to Vedic literature, the in the universe is to admit that there real self, as. an eternal soul who exists must be a lawmaker behind them. Thus in a loving relation to God, the com begins a conviction in the existence of plete whole, does not die when the a supreme intelligence, a supreme con body dies, nor does he grow old when troller- God- who alone can give man the body grows old. He cannot be cut; the ultimate knowledge of how to be nor can he be killed. He is joyful al come free from suffering. ways. If one understands this, he can The transcendental nature of God is disentangle himself from his long his revealed in scripture, which is His tory of suffering. But if one does not spoken word. The original scripture is undertake this study, whatever else he called the Veda (veda means "knowl does in his bodily identity is defeated edge"). For the benefit of all living at the time of death. beings, God revealed information on Human education, then, must not how to become free from the suffering merely instruct us how to prepare for of material life, and a disciplic succes a job or how to speculate upon the im Srimad sion of spiritual masters has conveyed perfect views of great thinkers. Rather, it to us. Such knowledge is called it must enable us to solve the problems -gavatam apauru~eya, which means that it origi of life. A human being should be dis IS THE UTERARY nates not from imperfect men within satisfied as long as he cannot extricate this world, but, without defect, from himself from the prison called the ma INCARNATION OF GOD God. Jn Vedic literature the supreme terial world, where everyone is subject It is all-successful, all-blissful controller, the intelligent being from to the strict punishments of old age, and all-perfect. It is as whom everything emanates, is called death and disease. To be gainfully em bright as the sun. Thus persons Kt~Qa, which means "All-attractive." ployed within the prison, to try to who their vision The Supreme Lord, Kr~ma, has given enjoy prison life to the utmost, or to have lost authoritative literature to men in dif give up all hope of ever getting out of due to the dense darkness of ferent lands, and His words appear to prison and simply to sit down to read ignorance in the age of differ according to the times and and write books for amusement is not quarrel shall get light from it." places they were delivered and the the real nature of a freedom-loving understanding of the people in those being. Each of us, by our original na SRfMAD-BHAGAVA T AM places; thus we have the Bible, Koran ture, is meant to be free of the suffer The Sublime Science of and Bhagavad-gita. Yet the teaching of ings material nature imposes upon us. the Supreme Personality of Godhead the Supreme is one, for its conclusion Although our confmemenc in che by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is always the same: obedience to God material world is under the jurisdiction will end all suffering. of the supreme controller, Kr~Qa, He is Available {rom not to blame for our suffering. We ISKCON Mailorder ourselves have brought it about by 3959 Landmark Education Beyond the Body our ignorance. Lacking education in Culver City, Calif. 90230 what is what, thinking we belong to (Use tlze convenient order card To take the first step in transcen the material world, we have forgotten supplied in this magazine} dental knowledge, one should under- our spiritual nature. 8ut because K~~Qa Back to Godhead 13 llluwacion: Yadura~i dcvf d4sf LORD SRT K~~~A. enjoying His pastimes as a cowherd boy, returns home from the pasturing grounds at the end of the day. Krj ru Is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; He is not Impersonal. In His Vrndiivona pastimes especially, He Is always surrounded by the cowherd boys, the cowherd girls, His mother and all the inhabitants of VrndOvana. Photos by BMrgava d~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~vm:~~~~ d achieve steady, unwavering peace and hap pines~. Under- standing this to be the real need of everyone, Sri Kt~t)a , , ~A 7\TKJR,..,... A 1\T A who is not o nly omniscient but o mnipresenr, being seated CJ../'11 Y-' ~ ../'11 Y../'1 within the heart of every living e ntity, appeared as Lord 1 Caitanya. ~ In spreading the sankirtana movement, Lord Caitanya set CJ"'HE the perfect example for anyone who aspires to become a , devotee of Kr ~ f)a and thus attain an eternal life of bliss and Df'lD D11~osr knowledge. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was not concerned with r U~'-£1 Y.I• acquiring self-esteem, many fo llowers, or a great reputation, but wherever He went He always chanted the holy name of d BD1\TD'fl•T.c,..,...~o•1\T Kt~f)a: Hare Kt~qa , Hare Kr~Qa , Kr~Qa Kr~Qa , Hare Hare/ 1£1 YD. '.I. I ~ ~· '1 Y Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Riima, Hare Hare. Even , though He is in fact the Supreme Person, He presented BY GOPlJANA- VALLABHA DASA Himself with a meek and humble attitude. Thus He gained the respect of everyone He met and convinced everyone to d F THE MANY transcendental activities of the Inter- join Him in scni klrtana. ~ national Society for Krishna Consciousness, foremost The present-day Internatio nal Society for Krishna Con- l Ois the saltkirta11a program. Saitkirtana is the congre- sciousness is working to fulfill Lord Caitanya's prophecy that gational chancing of the name, fame and pastimes of the in this Kali-yuga (the Age of Quarrel) the holy name of Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Kr!!Qa. As part of K~~Qa will be heard in every city, village and town. It is to ~ scuikirtana, devotees chant and dance in the streets, distri- execute such an ambitious mission that His Divine Crace ~ bute books about KrHia and distribute prasiida (food A.C. Bhakcivedanta Swami Prabhupada left his homeland, l offered to Kr~Qa ) - all to glorify Kr$t)a , the Supreme Lord. India, at the advanced age of seventy and sailed t o the Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the father of sankirtana, is United States to found the Kr!;Qa consciousness movement. actually K{!Jf)a Himself, but in the disguise of a devotee o f Following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, Srila d Kr!iQa. He appeared five hundred years ago to revive the Prabhupiida performed sm;tkirfa11a, alone but with un- ~ original pure God consciousness of all living entities. Only deterred spirit, for over a year, until a few young men, 'l by reviving this consciousness within oneself can o ne attracted by his sincere presentatio n, became his disciples. In the seven years since then, more than seventy Kr~t:~a Gopijana·vallabha dasa earned his BA in economics and philosophy from consciousness temples have sprung up all over the globe, Come// Uni~ersiry in 1969 and shortly thereafter joined the Kmw conscious- ~ ness movement. He is rhe President of JSKCON's New York City center. with thousands of devotees taking up Lord Caitanya's l which sponsors an especially enthusiastic satikirtana program. sartkirtmta banner. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~VIt<:~~~ One may ask how so much interest and activity could be ing of Hare Kr$t)a and t hus realize the goal of life. The ~ generated in so short a time. It is the plan of the Supreme human form of life is not meant simply for eating, sleeping, ' Lord, l<{~l}a , without whose sanction not even a blade of mating and defending like animals; it is meant for self- grass can move. Kr~t:~a explains in BhaJ?avad-J?itii: realization. The lledanta-siitra states, athato braltma-jijiiii.sii: yada yada hi dharmasya human life is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth. t_ glanir blwvati bharata J And ;!~a~ is that Absolute Truth? Kr~Da states in ~ ablt.yutthanam adharmasya B ·tagava ·gtta: , taclat111anarh srjiimy alwm mattab paratarmn niinyat kincid asti dhananjaya "Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious mayi sarvam idatn protmn ~ practice, 0 descendant o f Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend Myself." (Bg. 4.7) siitre mari-ga!1ii iva Lord Kr~t:~a comes in the form of Sri Caitanya "0 conqueror of wealth [ Arjuna], there is no truth superior ~ Mahaprabhu to distribute the real process of self-realiza- to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a l tion for th is agc- sm1kirtana, the congregational c hanting t hread." (Bg. 7. 7) ~ of Kr~t:~a 's holy names. Many forms of self-realization and aham sarvasya prabltavo ' yof!.a arc popular today, but to achieve the quickest and matta/:1 sarvan1 pravartate most perfect result, one should take direction from Kr~t:~a iti matvii bhajante 111a1i1 Himself, the Supreme Lord. In Sri111ad-Biriigavatam, the budhii bhiiva-samanvitab cream of all the Vedic literatures, Vyasadcva, who is the f " I am the source o all spiritual and material worlds. Every- ~ literary incarnation of Kr~r)a, predicts the appearance of f thing emanates rom Me. The wise who perfectly know this Lord Caita nya Mahiiprabhu . He declares: engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all ' krHw·t){lruarh tvi~akr~!'"'i' their hearts." (Bg. 10.8) sai1gopai1gastra-par~adam Thus by taking perfect information from the perfect yajiiai{l sm1kirtana-prayair source, Kr~Da , one achieves the perfect result-devotionaJ i yajanti hi sumedltasa{l service to Kr!iJ1a. Chanting and hearing arc rhe recommended ~ means of achieving devotionaJ service. Since Kr:>tla is all - , " In t his Age of Kali, people who arc endowed with suffi- powerful, He is present as His name, qualities, form , pas- cient intelligence will worship the golden incarnation of the times and paraphernalia. Therefore simply by chanting Lord [Caitanya MahaprabhuJ. who is accompanied by His and hearing Kr~•)a's name, one associates with Kr!it:~a !_ associates, by performing sankirtana. (Billig. 11.5.32) directly. Thus one is liberated from the influence of rhc ~ Anyone desiring freedom from the anxiety and disap- materiaJ energy and comes under the influence of K.r~pa's pointment of material life can seriously take up the chant- spiritual potency. This is the perfection of life. O , ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "JUST AS ONE cannot separate the body English-speaking people of the world. Srna Publishing from the soul while in the conditioned state, Prabhupada has never forgotten his spiritual so the disciple cannot separate the spiritual master's request; indeed, he has made it the master's order from his very lifc."- Srna very center of his life, and, assisted by his in the Service Bhaktivinoda Thakura (a great spiritual mas disciples, he has now organized an ambitious ter in the Kr$1)3 conscious line of disciplic publishing and book distribution program ofthe Lord succession). that every year sees hundreds of thousands Many years ago, Srna Bhaktisiddhanta of copies of K~~J13 consc ious books distrib· by Vi5akha-devr dasi Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja instructed I lis uted around the world. Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedant;t Swami Daily, in th e early morning hours, Srna Prabhupada, his disciple, to spread the Prabhupiida translates and explains original Photos by Visakhil-dcvi dllsi and Bhargava dasa science of Kw)a consciousness to the Sanskrit and Bengali scriptures in the English language on a dictaphone (above). The tapes are sent to lSKCON Press in New York, where they are typed out (above right), composed (middle right), and edited (below right) by Srila Prabhupiida's students. (con 't.) Vi~khli · devi dllsi, a gradUIIteofRocltester Institute of Technology, is a professional pllotograplter and an expert 011 photomicrography. in wlliclt small objects are reproduced as magnified images. Site first joined ISKCON while doing freelance work in India. Site and lterlwsband.olsoa professional photographer. arc cur· rently traveling around tlte world making documeotary films about tlte K!1(1a consciousness movement. The duty of a surrendered soul is to make the desire of his spiritual master his own de· sire. For this reason the devotees at ISKCON Press enthusiastically accept the responsibili· ty for publishing Prabhupada's words. The artists at the press make "windows to the spiritual sky" with their illustrations for the books (above), and the photographers have complete facilities (left) to portray the activi· ties of the Lord's servants here on earth. All the press operations, including shooting with a copy camera (right), designing (below), spotting (opposite, above), stripping (oppo· site, middle), printing (opposite, below), cut· ting (opposite, middle), and binding, arc car· ried out by the disciples, with the intention of pleasing the Supreme Pe~sonality of God· head and His pure devotee, Srlla Prabhupada. (t'l)ll 't.) 20 Back to Godhead The books that ISKCON Press publishes are the foundation of the Hare Kmta move ment because, as Prabhupada says, "These books present the perfect peace formula, beyond sectarian and national limitations. Simply by engaging in the process of self realization described in such transcendental literature, one can transcend material con sciousness and thus subdue all the problems of life." In the major cities of more than twenty countries around the world, devotees, with all humility an9 respect, offer everyone the Supreme Lord, SriKr~IJa , in book form. 0 The editors of Back to Godhead welcome correspondence ~'f-f- LJfi1J All letters will receive a personal reply, and correspondence pertaining to the subject matter of Kr~ (l a consciousness. (,;t t~ / '- of special interest will be published regularly. :3.; ;~~;:;a:: .;:~c;u~·!JI:::n:1 ;:1E:::JJ:: ~u:::u~ :::£::JJ:~uc:.:: ·::ll:::;n~ ;:o~:!CJ:; ~c:a:: ·~~. . .p''S3:! ::.E3:: 1:C31~ ~ 'IICl:'~ ~-ll£:3:1 ::ICI:1 ~ lliC ''·~·, .p : ~>'Cil:;;;f3: .p: At any rate, it is also possible to and acknowledge the unity in our en A READER OBJECTS adhere to the "platform of personal deavor. TO BACK TO GODHEAD'S relationship" w ith another of God's " Truth is One: sages cal l it by various EXCLUSIVITY faces (the Holy Mother or Buddha, for names. " ~g Veda. Om. example) and rea lize "K f$1)a" con Sirs: sciousness simply under a different Elayne Prince New York, New York Perhaps I misunderstand you, but I name, say Christ consciousness. feel saddened when it appears to me Aga in from the Gita: that you espouse Kr~f)a consciousness "When goodness grows weak, as the only path to the realization of When evi l increases, God and, moreso, when you denounce I make myself a body. Dear Ms. Prince, as less worthy other philosophies which In every age, in fact differ only in aspect and reach I return to deliver the holy . . ." We have not expounded Kr~Qa con the same ultimate goal. Perhaps Kr~oa is the Supreme God sciousness as the superior philosophy "This platform of personal relation head-but if worshiped in the same of God realization to sadden you; it is sh ip is certainly higher than the imper manner, does it matter what we cal l our duty to present Kf$1)a conscious sonal platform or the platform of Him? Or is it fair to discredit worship ness as superior because as far as Supersou I or Paramatma real ization." ing in a manner closer to our own in Bhagavad-gita and the Upani~ads speak Back to Godhead No. 54 cl ination to reach the ultimate T ruth for themselves, this presentation is I gather here that one of the imper ("all paths lead to me ...")? perfectly correct. sonal philosophies referred to is " I mpersonalists cannot think along The ~g Veda's statement that the Vedanta, which is nondualistic, with these terms [i.e., tendency towards Truth is one although called variously "many and no" personified God. pleasure"], for they deny the pleasure is certainly valid, but this does not May I quote from the Glta as t rans potency; therefore the impersonal ist mean that everything is the truth. The lated by Swami P-- : philosophy is incomplete and inferior." Upani~ads clearly reject this idea. One "Some whose hearts are purified Back to Godhead No. 54. This is an must discriminate between Truth and rea lize the atma within themselves inadequate and unfair value judgment illusion. The lsopani~ad says: through contemplation. Some real ize of Vedanta. Unfortunate in that anyad evarw~ sambhavad the atnu'i philosophical ly ...Others fol whether or not one views the Gitii as anyad tihur asambhavat low the yoga of right action. Others concerned with Kr$oa the individual iti susruma dhirtit)tim who do not know these paths, worship and His aspect as Brahman, the Ulti ye nas tad vicacak~ire God as their teachers taught them. If mate Reality, or Kr~Qa the Supreme "It is said that one resu lt is obtained these faithfully practice what they Godhead, the message is the same. In by worshiping the supreme cause of have learned, they wi II pass beyond adequate in that it does not acknowl all causes and that another is obtained death's power." edge or relate the joy and peace that by worshiping what is not supreme. All And aga in, "Others worship Me, Vedanta has to impart to those of us this was heard from the undisturbed knowing Brahman in all things. Some who find it easier to worship God as authorities who clearly explained it." see Me as one with themselves, or the atman/paramiitman. Wopani$ad, Mantra 13) separate. Some bow to the countless The methods may be different, and Since nothing exists outside of gods that are only My million faces." yet we travel the same road, leading to Kn>(la, certainly all paths lead to Him Each man has his own "inclination." the same place. Only our veh icles dif in one or another of His man ifesta Hence the four yogas- raja, jnana, fer. This shou ld not act as a wedge be t ions. But this does not mean that all bhakti and karma. I see no indication tween us but should bring joy in the paths lead to His highest manifestation. in the Grtii or Upani~ads tha t one path knowledge that we-all of us right Some paths lead up, others down. In is inherently superior to another (as Buddhists, Jews, Christians, Hindus deed, in that part of the "All paths suming that either of t he yogas or a are travelers on the same road, honor lead to Me" verse which you did not combination of them is practiced with ing each other's way, seeing harmony, quote, the Lord affirms, "I reward Truth, according to the scriptures.) not disorder, and that we can respect everyone differently according to the Back to Godhead 23 nature of his surrender." (Bg. 4.11) "I am the only enjoyer and the only puffed up with their manufactured Different kinds of transcendenta Iists object of sacrifice. Those who do not methods of spiritual realization, but get different rewards. Not everyone recognize My true transcendental the Ved ic instruction does not uphold ach ieves the same ultimate goal. If all nature fall down." (Bg. 9.24) them. Unless one has received knowl paths led to the same goal, Kr~oa In the Gita Lord Kf~(la refers to the edge from the bona fide spiritual would not bother to speak Bhagavad devotees who chant His glories as master, one cannot have the real thing gita. Lord Kf~(la speaks the Gftii. for our mahatmas, great sou ls (Bg. 9.1 3- 14), as it is." It is not unlikely that your benefit, to point out the most suitable but He refers to the worshipers of the mistaken ideas about Bhagavad-gita path to the highest realization. demigods as "unintelligent" (Bg. 7.23) have come from the books you have If you have not seen indications in and declares that their minds are "dis read. For a translation of Bhagavad-gita the Gitii. or Upani~ads that one path is torted by material desires." (Bg. 7.20) by a bona fide spiritual master, I inherently superior to another, I sug How then can you say that both strongly recommend Bhagavad-gita As gest you look more closely. True, in classes of worshipers are equal? It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhagavad-gWi Kr~oa explains different Nor do the devotees of the demigods Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. systems of yoga, but you will find that achieve the same goal as Lord Kr?oa's God has many faces, for He appears the Lord concludes: devotees. Those who worship the dem i in many incarnat ions, such as Vi?QU yoginam api sarve~am gods, Lord Kr?oa says, achieve limited and Rama. This does not mean, how mad-gatenantaratmanri and temporary enjoyment on the plan ever, that all faces are as good as God's. sraddhrivan bhajate yo mam ets of t he demigods, but His devotees Not everyone who has a face is God. sa me yuktatamo mata~ ultimately reach His supreme planet Richard Nixon has a face. You have a "Of all yogis, he who always abides in (Bg. 7.23). Elsewhere in the Gfta Lord f ace. I have a face. Even cats and dogs Me w ith great faith, worshiping Me in Kn>(la declares: have faces. Does this mean that Mr. transcendenta l loving service, is most yanti deva-vrata devan Nixon, you, I and all the cats and dogs intimately united with Me in yoga and pitfn y anti pif['-vratal;l are as good as God? Of course not. is the highest of all." (Bg. 6.47) Here bhiitani yanti bhiitejya One must learn from authorities who yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam the Lord clearly indicates that bhakti God is. Then one can know His face "Those who worship the demigods wi II yoga, the yoga of devotional service, is from the faces of His many sons. take birth among the demigods; those the topmost yoga system, surpassing You have mentioned worship of the who worship ghosts and spirits w il l all others. All other yogas are but "holy mother," by which I assume you take birth among such beings; those means to elevate oneself to bhakti. mean the goddess Kali, or Durga. But, who worship ancestors go to the an You have mentioned that some as the Brahma-sarhhitii confirms (Bs. cestors; and those who worship Me w iI I people bow to the gods who are but 5.44), Durga is the goddess who per live w ith Me." (Bg. 9.25) the million faces of Kr~oa. But you sonifies the Lord's material energy should understand this verse clearly. Commenting on this verse, our in other words, she is maya (illusion) The faces of the many demigods are spiritual master writes: "Nowhere in personified. How can worship of illu Kn;oa's faces because Kr?oa is their authentic scriptures is it said that what sion be the same as worship of the Supreme Lord, just as the faces of a ever you do and whatever you worship Absolute Truth? Again, God has many you will ultimately reach the same king's agents are faces of the k ing they names, but this does not mean that all represent. But this does not mean that goal. Such foolish theories are offered names are as good as His. The Kali by self -made masters who have no con al l the demigods are equal to Kr?oa. santararza Upani~ad states: "The only Bhagavad-gita clearly rejects this idea. nection with the bona fide system of means to counteract the evi l effects of If you look only eight verses past the disciplic succession. The bona fide Kal i-yuga [the present age of quarrel one you quoted in this connection, spiritual master cannot say that every and anxiety] is these sixteen names of one's own mode of worship-be it wor you will find that Lord Kr?oa says: the Lord: Hare KHrza, Hare Kr~rza, sh ip of the demigods or of the Su ye 'py anya-devata-bhakta Kr~rza Kr~ra, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, yajante sraddhayanvita[z preme-leads to the same goal. For a Hare R.ama, Rarna Rarna, Hare Hare." te 'pi mam eva kaunteya common man it is very easy to under You indicate that there is no differ yajanty avidhi-piirvakam stand that a person starting by train ence whether one is concerned with "Whatever a man may sacrifice to other from Bombay can reach the destination Kr?oa's Brahman (impersonal) aspect gods, 0 son of Kunti, is real ly meant for which he has purchased his ticket, or with His feature as the Supreme for Me alone, but it is offered without and nowhere else. A person who has Personality of Godhead. But Lord purchased a ticket for Calcutta can true understanding." (Bg. 9.23) Kf~(la devotes an entire chapter of the In the next verse the Lord empha reach Calcutta. But contemporary so Gita- Chapter Twelve-to rej ecting this sizes t he same point: called masters say that whatever idea. There Arjuna asks: spiritual ticket you may purchase will aham hi sarva-yajrianarh evam satata-yukta ye bhokta ca prabhur eva ca take you to the supreme goal. Such bhaktiis tvam paryupasate na tu mam abhijananti mundane and compromising offers at ye capy a!qaram avyaktam tattvenatas cyavanti te tract many fool ish creatures to become te~m ke yoga-vittamtJI:I 24 Back to Godhead "Which is considered to be more per own incl ination?" Obviously it does fect: those who are properly engaged matter, at least to Lord Kr?oa Himself. in Your devotional service, or those Otherwise He wouldn't have specified who worship the impersonal Brahman, in Bhagavad-gitii how one shou ld act. the unman ifested?" ( Bg. 12. 1) After expounding the science of yoga The Lord emphatically replies: before Arjuna, Lord Kr?Qa indeed THE BEST FRIEND says: "Deliberate on this ful ly, and OF EVERYONE mayy avesya mano ye nuim then do what you wish to do." (Bg. nitya-yukta upasate IS A BOOK sraddhaya parayopetas 18.63) But then the Lord clearly re The best friend of a ll livi ng beings is Kr~r;~a, te me yuktatanui mataf:t iterates the central message of al l the the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for Gitii's confidential teach ings: He is the Supreme Lord who resides in ''He whose mind is fixed on My per man-mana bhava mad-bhakto everyone's heart. He is the surpeme al l sonal form, always engaged in worship attractive person, the reservoir of all mad-yiijinuim namas-kuru ing Me w ith great and transcendental beauty, knowledge, wealth, fame, strength mam evai~yasi satyam te and renunciation. He appears in this faith, is considered by Me to be most pratijiine priyo 'si me world, age after age, to invite us to revive perfect." (Bg. 12.2) Thus it is clear our eternal relationship with Him. Now "Always think of Me and become My that Kf$Qa does not consider the two He has appeared as a book. devotee. Worship Me and offer your paths the same. He considers one path homage unto Me. Thus you will come KF:l~~A , The Su~reme superior-bhakti, devotion to Him in to Me without fail. I promise you this Personali!Y of Godhead His personal feature. because you are My very dear friend." by His Divine Grace You cite the joy that Vedanta has A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Bg. 18.65) Why should we try to brought you, but unless you under dream up excuses for doing anything 750 pages, with 82 full color original illustra stand Kn>oa as the Supreme Personality tions. Two-volume hardbound set: $14.95 else? If Krsna is indeed the Supreme (individual volumes: S7 .95 each). Complete of Godhead, you don't even know Godhead, ~hy don't you do what He paperback trilogy edition: $4.95 (individual what Vedanta is. Without Kr?Qa, there volumes: S 1.95). says? is no meaning even to the word sarva. Back to Godhead 25 An excerpt from "Prayers of King Kulasekhara" THE IEIIIE IF I PilE IEVITEE An unpublished manuscript by His Divine Grace A. I. Bhakliuedanla Swami Prabhupada mukunda miirdhna praryipatya yace bhavantam eklintam iyantam artham avismrtis tvac-cararyiiravinde bhave bhave me 'stu bhavat-prasadiit Mukunda-malii-stotra (Verse 4) King Kulasekhara (9 my Lord Mukundo! I bow my head down before lOur Lordships lotus feet and respectfully ask for the fulfillment of my only desire. Throughout my repeated births may I never forget but always remember }Ou by YOur Lordship's mercy. PURPORT: Despite all difficulties, a condemn the imitation peacock and shows. If he is circumstantially placed pure devotee has nothing to ask from are ignorant of the real one are called amidst such illusory things, he does not the Lord. The world in which we live is empiric philosophers. Disgusted by fo l artificially try to extricate himself or a miserable place. It is, so to speak, a lowing a mirage, these empiric philoso condemn such illusions. For instance, prisonhouse for the ever joyful spirit phers seek to merge into a void. Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, a great as soul. A prisoner cannot move or enjoy A pure devotee, however, cannot be sociate of Lord Caitanya and a rich life freely, and similarly the living en classified among such bewildered man's son with a beautiful wife and tities who have been conditioned by people. He does not aspire to enjoy the other paraphernalia,met Lord Caitanya the laws of material nature are doomed. imitation peacock, nor does he con Mahaprabhu at Par:tihii~i , a village about Indeed, they are bound by the four demn it out of disgust like the baffled forty miles from Calcutta. He asked the principal miseries- namely birth, death , empiricist. Rather, he seeks the reality. Lord's permission to accompany Him old age and disease. These miseries are He is superior to all the servants of and leave his material connections. imposed upon the living entities by the material nature because he prefers to The Lord refused this proposal and in laws of external nature (maya). Maya serve the Lord, the master of all . He structed Srila Raghunatha diisa that it punishes the forgetful living entities seeks the substance and does not want is useless to leave worldly connections who are busy making plans for lasting to give it up. The lotus feet ofMukunda out of sentiment or out of artificial happiness despite a ll material distresses. (Sri Kr~Da , the giver of liberation) are renunciation. Rather, one should have By the mercy of the Lord, the pure the substance, and being a most intelli a complete knowledge of the physical devotee knows this very well. Philoso gent devotee, King Kulasekhara prays world, and, while behaving outwardly phy means understanding this truth , to obtain this substance without a as a worldly man, he must inwardly and advanced knowledge means under shadow. A devotee of Narayal)a ( Kr~t;~a ) cultivate his faith in spiritual life. This standing the naked truth of this world is not at all afraid of any circumstance will help one progress in spiritual life . and not being deluded by the tempor that may befall him. He is neither No one can cross a large ocean by jump ary beauty of this illusory show. Mate afraid to visit the kingdom of Pluto ing. What was possible for Hanuman by rial nature is not at all beautiful; it is nor anxious to enter the kingdom of the grace of Rama is not possible for like an imitation peacock. We must heaven. For him both these kingdoms everyone.* To cross the ocean, one have the sense to understand that a real are of equal value; they are but castles must wait and see by what means one peacock is a different thing altogether. in the air. He does not aspire to attain can gradually reach the ot her side. Those who are mad after enjoying or either of them, nor does he condemn Although a pure devotee does not capturing the imitation peacock, as well them. What he ultimately desires is bother himself with what is going to as those who have only a pessimistic very nicely expressed in the words of happen next in the material world, he view of the imitation peacock and no King Kulasekhara. is nonetheless constantly alert, and he positive information about the real A pure devotee of the Lord like King does not forget his ultimate aim. There peacock, are illusioned by the modes of Kulasekhara does not pray to God for fore King Kulasekhara prays to remem material nature. Those who are after material wealth, fo llowers, beautiful ber the lotus feet of the Lord. For- the imitation peacock are called frui women or imitation peacocks because • As related in I he epic Riinuiya~za. Hanum iin leaped across the Ind ian Ocean 10 reach Larika from India on:. mission fo r Lord tive workers, and those who simply he knows the real value of such illusory R3ma. :m incarnarion of 1he Personality of Godhe3d . 26 Back t o Godhead getting one's relationship with the Lord have passed I can remember all of them, offspring see things differently. For the and thus remaining in the ocean of ma but you cannot, 0 subduer of the rat, his capture is death, whereas for the terial hankering is most abominable. In enemy!" (Bg. 4.5) For the Lord there offspring, it is but a pleasurable touch. the lower animal species, the living en is no history of past, present and future, The passing away of a devotee from the tity completely forgets his relationship but for the living being there is such a active scene of material existence may with the Lord, and consequently he is history due to his forgetfulness of the appear to be death, but it is different constantly busy eating, sleeping, fearing past. However, a living entity who is a from the death of an ordinary man. The and attempting to gratify his senses. death of an ordinary being grows from Such a life of forgetfulness is the aim his good and evil deeds, and his next of modern civilization, which seeks to birth is awarded according to his past attain such an animalistic life by inl deeds. It is different for a devotee, how proved economics. There is regular and ever. Even if a devotee fails, he is guar- specific propagandizing by agents of anteed birth in a good family-that of the external energy to root out the a learned and devoted brahmm:za or very seed of divine consciousness. of a rich mercantile vaisya. Thus the This is an impossible attempt, be devotee who fails in his spiritual cause the divine consciousness of attempts has a better chance to a living being cannot be killed, al improve his spiritual condition though it may be temporarily and devotional service by taking choked by circumstances. birth in a well-to-do family. Un In his original identity, the fortunately in this iron age the living entity and his original members ofwell -to-do families spiritual qualities are inde misuse their prosperity in vari structible. One can kill neither ous ways and instead of im the spirit soul nor its spiritual proving their spiritual life qualities. Remembering the simply degrade themselves Lord and desiring to serve by bad association. King Him are the spiritual qualities Kula$ekhara therefore prays of the soul. One may artifi not to forget the lotus feet of cially attempt to suppress the the Lord throughout his re spiritual qualities, but these peated births. qualities will be reflected in a A devotee who has attained perverted way on the mirror of perfect success in devotional material existence. The spiritual service returns to Godhead desire to serve the Lord out of without a doubt For him there is transcendental love is reflected in no question of repeated birth and a perverted way in the material de death. But if a devotee does not at sire for wine, women, wealth and so tain complete perfection, he is guar- on . The so-called love of material anteed birth in a learned and weU-todo things- even for country, community, family, and even if he is not given birth religion and family - is but a perverted in a good family, he is blessed by being reflection of the love of Godhead dor able to remember the lotus feet of the :::··:,. mant in every soul. King Kulasekhara's Lord. Such a benediction is greater than position is that of a liberated soul; he (g~;\.:~::.·:~: any number of material assets. Con does not wish to pollute his genuine stant remembrance of the Lord's name, love of God by love of material things. constant companion of the Lord is also fame and qualities automatically coun The words bh.ave bhave, meaning transcendentally situated. His birth and teracts the reactions of all vices and ex "throughout repeated births," are very death are one and the same. They are tends the blessings of goodness. Con significant here. A pure devotee is never but ephemeral flashes, and they do not stantly remembering the lotus feet of afraid of repeated birth. This is not true in any way affect the spiritual existence the Lord is the same as rendering of the jiianl (mental speculator) who as of a devotee. active service to the Lord. pires to merge into the Absolute and To cite a crude example, a cat cap Therefore a pure devotee does not thereby stop the process of repeated tures both her offspring and her prey, ask the Lord for material wealth, man birth. In Bhagavad-gltii it is stated that the rat, in her mouth. In the eyes of the power, followers or beautiful women. the birth and deeds of the Personality layman, both capturing processes may Rather, he simply prays for unalloyed of Godhead are divya, or transcendental. appear the same, but in fact there is a faith in the Lord's service. This should In Bhagavad-glta the Lord tells Arjuna: vast difference. While being carried in be the prayer and life motto of all pro "Many, many births both you and l the eat's mouth, the rat and the eat's spective students in devotional service. 0 Illustration: Muralidhara dasa Back to Godhead 27 (LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD) A Back to Godhead Analysis " the real thing." The same fools who tracted by the lure of materialism." The Cheaters and the Cheated ventured into the New Frontier to find (Srlmad-Bhagavatam, 5.18.12) a Great Society and found instead the Thus if we want our leaders to be "There's a sucker born every minute," Vietnam war. The same fools who men we can trust, they must be not P. T . Barnum is al leged to have said. thrilled and cheered as man set off to only materially qualified but also God And whether he said it or not, it's conquer space and who woke up a few conscious, or Kr~~a conscious. Other certainly true. And when we add all bi llion dollars later with nothing but wise we will simply remain a society of those newborn suckers to the old fools heaps of "moon rocks." cheaters and the cheated. already here, we really wind up with a population problem. Sucker: " a person "Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest A Kr~11a conscious person can easily cheated or deceived." And who show on earth- democracy! Govern actually be entrusted with the leader is that? We'd hate to say the majority ment of the people! By the people! ship of a great nation because he is of the American people-the most For the people!" But when the people above material desires. He knows that educated, sophisticated and are easi ly manipulated by fa lse there is no greater gain in life than the highfalutin people in the world. But, propaganda financed by self-interested service of Kr~Qa. Therefore the vested then, someone elected Richard Nixon. businessmen and politicians, democ interests cannot buy and sell him like If Nixon had been a rotten king, no racy is I ittle more than a farce. In ordinary mundane politicians. He one but Nixon would have been to such a perverted democracy, ignorant performs his duty conscientiously as a blame tor the way he's run things. But voters elect useless leaders. Thus the service to the Supreme Lord, and the American peop le freely elected him bl ind lead t he blind, and the entire because he is serving the Supreme, he to the presidency. Now they have no society falls into a ditch. diligently serves all his citizens, whom one to blame but themselves. The If the democratic form of govern he sees as being parts and parcels of trouble is that like it or not we ment is to be at all meaningful, t he the Supreme. If one waters the root of are suckers. And t o make matters voters must be qualified voters who a tree, one automatically serves all the worse. we can be relied upon to fall know how to discriminate between a leaves and branches. Similarly, only a f or the same tricks again and again. Madison Avenue illusion and a leader who serves Kr~oa can properly genuinely substantial political leader. serve his citizens. Certainly we all must acknowledge that the ch ief executive post of the From many points of view, Mr, Therefore, t he American people world's lead ing democracy calls for a Nixon was an excellent choice for the and the people of the entire world man of great integrity, sobriety and presidency. He was a w idely ex peri must be educated to demand of their intelligence who will act in the best enced administrator whose shrewdness leaders that they be Kf $Qa conscious, interests of the citizens. On ly a man in foreign policy is almost undeniable. God conscious. America's motto, "In whose intelligence can rule his senses His defect, however, was his personal God We Trust," ind icates the proper can be entrusted w ith such important character. direction in which the people of responsibi lities. How can we insure that the man we America and the world must turn. But who will select such a chief elect will be a man of integrity? The One who does not put his trust in God e><.ecutive? In 1972 the American Vedic literature declares: must ultimately place his trust in the people overwhelmingly endorsed illusions of this mater ial world- and Richard M. Nixon. Now they're begin yasyiisti bhaktir bhagavaty akiiicana thus become entangled in an endless ning to see what they voted for- a sarvair gurzais tatra samiisate sura/1 network of perplexity. lllusioned man of questionable character who harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-gurza voters thus entangled will repeatedly apparen tly cheated his country for the mano-ratheniisati dhavato bahi/1. ele.ct illusioned leaders to continue a sake of his own bank ba lance and poli bewi ldered society for backwards tical ambitions, a man whose intelli "One who has unflinching devotion progress. To have a truly progressive gence and sense of duty seem too for the Personality of Godhead has all society, we must place our confidence weak to control his desires. good qualities. But one who is riot a in leaders who are Kr~oa conscious. If devotee of the Lord has only material one puts his trust in a servant of illu Who elected such a leader? Fools! qualifications that are of little value. sion rather than a servant of God, The same fools who smoke fire to keep This is because he is hovering on the illusion will make him a sucker "kool" and who th.1nk Coke to be mental plane and is certain to be at- ·mdeed- again and again and aga·ln. 28 Back to Godhead Five thousand years ago on an ancient battlefield in India, Lord Kr~r:-a spoke the words of Bhagavad gita to His friend and disciple Arjuna. That holy discourse, spoken in a mere thirty minutes, can awaken and refine our eternal consciousness. "This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed." - Bhagavad-gfta, 9.2 lhagavall-g11a Is Ills His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada A necessity for anyone truly serious about yoga, self-realization or spiritual fulfillment, Bhagavad- gfta As It Is presents and explains the Gita's verses without changing their timeless meaning. This complete edition includes the original Sanskrit verses, easily pronouncable Roman transliter ations, word-for-word synonyms, transla tions and elaborate purports. Pure knowl edge, purely transmitted. Forty-four full- color pictures, painted especially for this book. l ,000 pages. Hardcover, $10.95; paperback, $4.95. Available from ISKCON Mailorder, 3959 Landmark, Culver City, Calif. 90230. (Use the convenient order card supplied in this magazine}. crhe 'Nectar ofCJJevotioll The Complete Science of Bhakti-yoga His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada The Nectar of Devotion is a complete, step by-step handbook for attaining perfection in bhakti-yoga, the yoga of the highest love. Enriched by hundreds of factual personal examples, The Nectar of Devotion explains the practical techniques of bhakti-yoga, both basic and advanced. FROM THE PREFACE OF THE NECTAR OF DEVOTION: "No one can live without loving someone else. This propensity is present in every living being. Even an animal like a tiger has this loving propensity, and it is certainly present. in human beings. Our love expands just as a vibration of light or air expands, but we do not know where it ends. Human society teaches one to love his country or family or his personal self, but there is no information of where to repose the loving propensity so that everyone can become happy. That missing point is Kt~Qa. The Nectar ofDevotion teaches us the science of loving every living entity perfectly by the easy method of loving Kmta. If we learn how to love K{~Qa, then it is very easy to immediately and simultaneously love every living being." THE NECTAR OF DEVOTION: 400 pages, 10 full-color plates, hardbound: $7.95, paperback: $3.95. Available from JSKCON Mailorder, 3959 Landmark, Culver City, Calif 90230.(Use the convenient order card supplied in this magazine)