The One who has seen the truth!

There are two things (1) external (2) internal, also called form and substance. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati maharaj also calls it morphology and ontology. But anyways, anything we do in this world, we have to understand these two factors (external and internal). Pure devotees of the Lord do not show discrimination between external and internal. Because there is no discrimination, there is no duplicity of thought and action. Hence when they say Krishna is God, surrender unto Him. We accept it as it is - as there is no duplicity.

On the other hand, the educated class of this world take professional training to be politically correct externally (in the name of efficient management) while harboring conflicting internal thoughts. So duplicity is a great quality for a material person. Duplicity and hypocrisy leads to quarrel which we experience in abundance today.

One should not hear about the subject matter of God from such duplicitous persons even if he is a popular religious figure. Search and seek out a person whose external and internal behavior is identical and hear about God, such a person can impart knowledge as he has seen the truth. There is no other path to understand God!

Hare Krishna

Practical religion

The problem with mainstream religion such as Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and Judaism is that at some point the practitioner has to give up rational thinking and just start to "believe". Rational thinkers including the empirical ones have a field day with such dogmatic belief. Actually, there is lot of unverifiable dogma in science too that forms the very basis of modern science. So there is dogma in both except in science belief or as they call it assumptions only form the basis for a theory but in religion the whole experience is on the mental platform (dogmatic) with no verifiable experience. Therefore as science is advancing especially through tech trinkets or science fiction gadgets, religion is losing its value.

Another reason I think religion is becoming less of a reference point in modern day living is because it has no practical relevance to people. For example what does religion have to say about social ills such as poverty? Is there a strategy to use religious values as espoused in popular scripture to solve poverty? How about household problems such as divorce or domestic violence? Do we have religious solutions? Rarely you will find a pastor or priest heading a panel dealing with social, political or economical problems. So mainstream popular religions are happy just to use God in manner of "belief" versus "non-belief". Beyond this there is little religion can offer to society today. I agree it is important to "believe" in a life beyond life as it provides some hope for the after-life but if mainstream religion does not offer real-world solutions confronting households and society at large, then religion will simply become a hobby of sorts or merely armchair philosophy.

Bhagavad Dharma, on the other hand as enunciaed by modern day saint Srila Prabhupada, provides us with practical methods or strategies to deal with mental, physical and spiritual problems on an individual level, community level and or global level. If we adopt the methods given by Prabhupada rest assured our social, economic and political problems can be solved and simultaneously cultivate our dormant spiritual attraction for God.

Below is a statement that provides a glimpse into the magnanimous thought of Prabhupada and how he saw Bhagavad Dharma's capacity to change the entire world.

"Human society, at the present moment, is not in the darkness of oblivion. It has made rapid progress in the fields of material comforts, education and economic development throughout the entire world. But there is a pinprick somewhere in the social body at large, and therefore there are large-scale quarrels, even over less important issues. There is need of a clue as to how humanity can become one in peace, friendship and prosperity with a common cause. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will fill this need, for it is a cultural presentation for the respiritualization of the entire human society" - Srila Prabhupada

We only have to accept his words and practically apply it in our lives.

Hare Krishna

Grazing and climate change

If we stop animal slaughter on a mass scale, if we go back to our roots of simple life, then it is doable, our planet can return to its pristine self and serve mankind with glory.

Hare Krishna

Decline in married first time mothers

According to a recent report by the Census, in the US, there is a rapid decline in marriage rates among first time young mothers less than age 23 indicating that more and more young women are delivering babies outside wedlock. The purple line represent married women - it has dramatically dropped from 63% prior to the 1990s to 24% in 2012. The blue line are young moms cohabitating. Cohabitation is a sociological phenomenon on the rise in the US where man and woman just live together as mates without any commitment. Another reason as to why divorce rates are reducing because more and more are cohabitating. The pink line is much more disturbing in that these women neither cohabitate nor marry but get pregnant nevertheless. They are most likely women with unplanned pregnancies. In other words, they have sex without any intention to get pregnant but get pregnant anyways. This group of women most likely perform abortion as they feel pregnancy is a burden on their life.

So why is this important, you ask? When we live our lives solely to satisfy our sensual organs, honestly, the line between man and beast disappears!!

Arjuna argued with Krishna that he will not fight the battle of Kurukshetra. One of the reason he gave was that by killing many men in battle the family tradition will be destroyed thus giving rise to unwanted children who then will destroy all community and social welfare projects. Arjuna gave such astute responses to Krishna that today after 5000 some years we can see the impact of unwanted pregnancies. The Govt ends up spending billions in social welfare and still most of these children are growing with mental and physical challenges. What to speak of spiritual acumen?

Krishna Consciousness is simply not a sectarian religion based on dogmatic beliefs. It is intended to respiritualize the entire human society providing solution to all problems of life. Sex no doubt is very enticing thus sex is a multi-billion dollar industry. Every aspect of our modern life is filled with sexual innuendos. This is not surprising. However, we can change this obsession with sex.

By simply chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, we can turn to our lighter side- our spiritual side. Life will be much more simpler, much more happier!

Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!

Hare Krishna

Vaishnava is simple at heart

Vaisnava means one who is able to sit down anywhere, under any conditions, and be happy. He wants only a place to lay down, a little prasadam, and if there's a little service he can do, gladly let me do it for Krishna, that's all. As long as we are thinking I want this, that is not to my liking, or if I adjust things a certain way everything will be better, these thoughts are material. Devotional service is not conditional.

So stop this dreaming state. Try to understand things with the light of your intelligence, and if your are sincere in this way, without a doubt Krishna will give you full facility to understand Him and become freed of the bondage of ignorance. Nowadays it seems many of the older disciples like yourself are having difficulty. If you do not set the example for the younger students and take the responsibility for instructing them in the right line, how will things go on?

Try to always study our books and see our philosophy from different lights of directions, become convinced yourself of this knowledge and without a doubt all of your difficulties of mind will disappear forever and you will see Krishna face-to-face.

- Srila Prabhupada letter July 8 1972

Why should we chant the Holy Name?

The holy name has to be chanted to please the Supreme Lord, and not for any sense gratification or professional purpose.  If this pure mentality is there, then even though a person is born of  a low family, he is so glorious that not only has he purified himself, but he is quite competent to deliver others.

-  Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.33.7 purport