My teacher called death

Death is painful...no doubt. It is more painful for the loved one's to see the person depart. The pain a loved one feels just at the time of death which is incalculable is the same amount if not bigger pain pure devotees and Krishna feels all the time for the conditioned souls when they are alive. This is the difference between ordinary man and an enlightened soul.  An enlightened soul sees that death is happening all around us and yet common man is not realizing this all important aspect of nature?

Why must we feel pain only during death or just before death? Why do we have to feel pain only if my loved ones die? When we see others depart, is it not a lesson God is teaching us to prepare for our own ultimate and untimely death? If we prepare nicely, there may be physical pain but not emotional and mental pain when our time comes. But despite so many fore warnings we hear all around us through media, scriptures and Guru...still practically everyone is thinking I will deal with it when my turn comes and in their free time desperately try to squeeze happiness either through family, friends, community, entertainment etc

So only when we feel the pain for beings around us when they are dying will we snap out of our illusion of enjoyment. Of course I am not suggesting going to depression as there is misery practically everywhere, however, this sort of mature empathy towards the suffering of other beings will make us sober, will make us realize how insignificant our attempts to enjoy are and that our only purpose, hope and optimism out of this misery is to take shelter of the Supreme Being Krishna.

As long as we continue to deny this truth omnipresent death, be blind to this truth, divert away from this truth by engaging in other activities, we cannot be happy in this world. Sobering up and finding a way to take shelter of Krishna is the only way we can be truly happy in this world!

Hare Krishna

grounded and innovative

PAs devotees we have to know when to call it quits and take shelter of Krishna. Sometimes, to problem solve one can be creative and innovative and get into one's own heads. One can try different approaches, different methods and get enthusiastic about the approach and methods. This is good especially if one is a natural leader and have the ability to multi-task. One can use these talents, no doubt, for Krishna's service and in fact accomplish a lot.

However, an advanced devotee will know where to draw the line between one's own creative thinking and Hand of God. An advanced devotee will never lose sight of the fact that man proposes but ultimately God disposes and in that disposition remains humble, patient and enthusiastic. So while we need creative thinking to execute our ideas, we should realize in a deeper way that ultimately it is Krishna who sanctions our creativity. This thought can always keep us grounded but at the same time innovative.  In this mental state, we will not take failure too personal and success will not spoil us.

Hare Krishna

Acharya - Trailer

I eagerly am awaiting this movie. Every time I listen to or hear about Srila Prabhupada, I get the chills...I salute to thee O Master!

Hare Krishna

The Pale Blue Dot

by Carl Sagan

Hare Krishna

The magic is still there!

We hear so many sadhus performing miracles, manifesting gold, curing diseases etc. But ISKCON the way it began and grew and the way people got attracted to Prabhupada was simply a miracle. While kirtan, prasadam, philosophy was there, it still was not sufficient to set the ISKCON Juggernaut ball rolling. It was one man Prabhupada to whom so many people got attracted.

Besides considering the commitment required to be in Krishna consciousness, it was anything short of miracle. Unlike other world religions, Krishna consciousness was not forced upon anyone, it was an open voluntary movement started by a 70 year old man. To voluntarily give up meat eating, alcohol and illicit sex for westerners especially is not something to be taken lightly. Indians born in pious brahman families engage in such sinful behavior...so to be born in a western culture and having these habits since childhood and just give it up instantly is anything short of miracle. Then above that to chant Hare Krishna for two to three hours everyday at a minimum is unthinkable. What to speak of young westerners in their 20's willing to take up sanyas to preach about Krishna?

So Prabhupada was like a pied piper hypnotizing people towards Krishna. So in that sense, it is a miracle. The movement we see and experience today is simply the wake left behind by Prabhupada in the 60s and 70s. If we want to continue to spread this magic, then we have make things simple by letting Prabhupada lead from the front and that is possible by adhering to his instructions, reading his books, chanting Hare Krishna and sincerely purifying our own consciousness free from envy and pride.

The magic is still there!

Hare Krishna