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The rope of transcendental knowledge

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Leicester, UK, May 2011) Initiation Lecture

It is the time to make a commitment. A commitment to the truth…..a commitment to reality. For so many lifetimes we have been committed to illusions. For so many lifetimes we have chased false dreams. For so many times we have searched for happiness here and there…..and everywhere…..and what did we get? Each time again, we thought for a moment:

"Yes…yes…yes….success….success!"

And then it didn't work. Then again it slipped out of our hands before we knew….and then again we suffered, then we suddenly realise:

"What have I done?"

But again we tried again and again we tried to enjoy this illusory energy. Today we make a commitment. A commitment to hold on to the rope of transcendental knowledge! To firmly hold on to this rope, and no matter what happens, to never leave! To never ever leave for a moment this shelter of this transcendental rasas. We know that our spiritual master is fixed at the Lotus Feet of Krishna.

It is said that the etymological meaning of the word 'guru' is heavy. Not that the guru is a heavy personality who will chastise us – sometimes he will, but the heaviness of the guru is described as:

"The guru is fixed at the Lotus Feet of Krishna and he is so heavy that you cannot move him from that position! He will always be there."

Therefore, whenever we turn to our spiritual master, we turn to Krishna, and thus we always again turn to our spiritual master because he will reconnect us with Krishna……….because our connection is feeble and weak. Yes, with the rope of transcendental knowledge, we are holding on but with a weak grip and so many times it is slipping from our hands! Then…then what will we do?

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Taking on responsibility

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Leicester, UK, May 2011) Initiation Lecture

It is described that the spiritual master is the mercy manifestation of Krishna. He is particularly present in our life at all times to direct us! In this way a disciple must always be sure to be in the care of the spiritual master. At the same time a spiritual master is not always present in every situation, at least not in his personal form. The spiritual master will not always be there to answer our questions about anything and everything:

"Should I go left? Or right? What should I do now?"

He is not taking away our responsibility. We ourselves our responsible. We are responsible to act appropriately according to the scriptures….according to the directions of the sadhus. And we need to ourselves realise that we must take shelter! We are looking at the spiritual master for inspiration and enthusiasm in spiritual life!

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Regretting one's sinful activities is necessary

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Material World - A Mirage

Whatever you have got in this material world, that is simply imitation, a shadow of the original....You can understand that in the desert sometimes it appears that there is a vast ocean of water, mirage. But actually there is no water. Those who are animals, they sometimes are misled. They are thirsty, and they think that there is water in the desert, and they run over, but actually there is no water. The animal runs, and the water also advances. In this way, when he becomes too much fatigued, he dies. This is the exact example of this material world. We are hankering after water, we are thirsty, and we are being misled by so-called water, mirage.

(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Laguna Beach, 9/30/1972)

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Jatayu - The Devotee

Jatayu - From material persepctive, jatayu failed. He lost, tried to keep sita from being taken away, but he was cut to pieces and was losing his life and Sita was taken by Ravana. But Lord Ramacandra did not see whether jatayu was successful or failure by material perspective but he saw the sincerity of devotion and Rama wept and wept to show the world, how much he loved His devotee.

To please the Lord is the only sign of victory, and to displease Him is the greatest failure, even if we win the whole world.

- HH Radhanath Swami

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More Enthusiastic to Chant

"In the relative world, the word "water" and the substance water are different. When I am thirsty, if I simply chant "Water, water, water," my thirst will not be satisfied. I require the real water. That is the nature of the relative world and relative consciousness. But in the spiritual world or spiritual consciousness, the name is the same as the thing that is named. For instance, we are chanting Hare Krsna. If Krsna were different from the chanting of Hare Krsna, then how could we be satisfied chanting the whole day and night? This is the proof. An ordinary name-if you chant "Mr. John, Mr. John," after chanting three times you will cease. But this Hare Krsna maha-mantra- if you go on chanting twenty-four hours a day, you will never become tired. This is the spiritual nature of the Absolute Truth. This is practical. Anyone can perceive it." (Civilization and Transcendence ch. 7)

"Krsna's words and He are not different. That is omnipotency. Omnipotency means everything relating to Krsna has the same potency. Just like here in this material world, if you are thirsty and want water, simply calling repeatedly, "water, water, water, water, water," will not satisfy your thirst. Because the word "water" has not the same potency as water itself. You require the water as it is. Then your thirst will be satisfied. But in the transcendental, absolute world, there is no such difference. Krsna and Krsna's name, Krsna's words and Krsna's qualities, Krsna's pastimes- everything is Krsna." (SPT 25/3/67)

"So immediately you can be in touch with Krsna by vibrating this sound, Hare Krsna. It is so potent. Nama cintamanih krsnas caitanya-rasa-vigrahah. The name of Krsna is cintamani, transcendental. It is not this material sound, material name. Nama cintamanih krsnas caitanya. Living force, caitanya. It is not dead sound. If you want water, if you chant only "Water, water, water, water," you will not get water, because it is material sound. The water substance is different from the word "water". Therefore, simply by chanting, "water, water" you cannot quench your thirst. You must have the substance water. That is material sound. Anything you take, simply by chanting the name, you will not get the thing. That is material.
"But in the spiritual world, the name and the person or the substance is the same. Krsna and Krsna's name is the same. There is no difference. Therefore, those who are chanting "Krsna, Krsna, Krsna," they are becoming more and more enthusiastic to chant."(SPT 22/1/75)

- SRILA PRABHUPADA

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Krishna Consciousness means coming out of the Comfort Zone

Do you think of returning to Vrindavan? Rayarama asks Srila Prabhupada


(Srila Prabhupada in His room at Radha Damodar Temple, Vrindavan)

Srila Prabhupada: "My heart is always hankering after that Vrindavan. Even though I am sitting in New York a magnificent city, I shall be very happy to return to my Vrindavan, that sacred place. Of course, if someone asks, "Why are you here?' I must say that it is my duty. I have brought some message for you people. My Guru maharaja ordered me, 'Whatever you have learned, whatever knowledge you have, you should go to the western countries and distribute it.' If I go and sit down in Vrindavan, I will be very comfortable there and have no anxiety. But I have taken these risks in old age because I am duty bound. In spite of all inconveniences, one has to execute his duty. This is the basic principle for advancement in spiritual knowledge.

If we think of Krishna, we are always in Vrindavan. Krishna consciousness means living with Krishna in that spiritual planet, Goloka Vrindavan. You simply have to wait to give up the body. That is the process.



Ananya cetah satatam yo mam smarati nityasah - For one who remembers Krishna constantly, Krishna becomes purchased. The greatest most valuable thing, becomes easily available. Why?
Tasyaham sulabhah partha nitya yukta yoginah - Beacuse My devotee is continually engaged in Bhakti Yoga, I am easily available.

Ofcourse you may think sometimes it is not that easy, but sometimes when the moon is covered by clouds, we think it is not there because everything is dark. But when the clouds pass, we see that the moon has been there all the time, shining in all its brightness. This Krishna Consciousness movement is that benediction moon, shining through the clouds of Kali-Yuga.

- The Hare Krishna Explosion Chapter 5

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Value of Time

The great politician-Pandita named Cāṇakya said that even one moment of time cannot be returned even if one is prepared to pay millions of dollars. One cannot calculate the amount of loss there is in wasting valuable time. Either materially or spiritually, one should be very alert in utilizing the time which he has at his disposal. A conditioned soul lives in a particular body for a fixed measurement and it is recommended in the scriptures that within that small measurement of time one has to finish Krsna consciousness and thus gain release from the influence of the time factor. But, unfortunately, those who are not in Krsna consciousness are carried away by the strong power of time without their knowledge, as clouds are carried by the wind.

- SB 3.30.1 Purport

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Material achievements are like play toys.

"They are modelled after real things. but they are just imitations. A little girl may spend hours imagining that her doll house is real, but it is still a toy all the time. Krishna has impregnated this material world with spiritual sparks, ourselves. And we are little children playing with toys, and Krishna is a kind father allowing us to play to our hearts' content. The material body comes into being, and it grows, leaves some by-prodycts, gets older, dwindles and vanishes. And this process is repeated over and over. But to avoid all this suffering, we must return to Krishna, to reality. Illusion is always strong and is saying, 'Look here! Enjoy. You are God! Why do you worship.?'

We are in the reflection and are being baffled. There is a saying, 'I thought I was building my cottage safely, but it was burnt to ashes.' Whatever we do here is patchwork. Where can you get happiness? Whatever material thing you will get will eventually vanish. So this sense of temporary nature of things should come to us.."

- Srila Prabhupada (Hare Krishna Explosion Ch6 Pg 114)

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Difference between Krsna Consciousness and Maya

So, material nature is a reflection of the spiritual reality. Everything seems to be there, but it's a reflection. The reality is when it is real, not only an impression. It is there. Like, for example, leaves have a purpose. Flowers have a purpose. Fruits have a purpose. Like, we are hungry and we want to eat the fruit. Can we eat the fruit from the reflection? We like the beauty of the flower and want to pick it and make a garland. Can we pick the flowers from the reflection of the tree, although it appears to be there? That is the difference between the reality and the reflection.

Now when we are looking at the reflection, then our consciousness is stuck there. But when we look at the reality, in order to look at the reality we have to withdraw our consciousness from the reflection and then only will we be able to project it into the reality. Like, we are very hungry, so another reflection, impression of a reflection, can be seen in this way that in this world is a mirror. And, say we are standing there, and there is a table, full of beautiful, delicious food. And I am very hungry.

Now when I look at the reflection, extremely hungry, for seven days I didn't have any food [laughs], and I come into the room and I see the reflection.  Then what will happen? Mind you, did anybody ever fast for seven days? [laughs] Well, you know how it is like to fast even for one day. And Nirjala Ekadasi you fast and you are very hungry. The next day, not the same day. And you see all kinds of beautiful prasad, delicious prasad. So what will be the natural reaction for you? You came in from the door and there you see a
beautiful table full of hundreds of delicious preparations. The whole world is full of preparations, foodstuff.



Now what will you naturally do? Won't you just run to the food, thinking that the food is there? But you try to grab the food, what do you get? You get the food? Or you get the solid mirror? And you are so hungry and you are so, you became so obsessed with the prospect of having the food, then what do you do? You are trying to get the food, but you don't get the food. But then what do you think? You think there is something wrong in your trying, that's why you are getting no food. Maybe if you try harder, then you'll get it. Your food is there, but you can't just get it. So what do you do? You take a few steps back and then pounce up, thinking that now you get it. What do you get? You get hurt. The more you endeavor the more you get hurt. The more you endeavor the more you get hurt.

Then somebody comes into the room and sees you struggling like that to get the food. And then he tells you, "this is only the reflection.  You'll never get the food you found in the reflection." But since the reflection is there of the food since the food is there in the reflection, in reality also the food must be there! So the food is not there, the real food is there. But then, if you're wise enough, then you believe in his words and you turn your face and you see, yes, the real food is there, the table is there, all the preparations are there. You simply just have to just approach in that direction, not in this direction.

So that is the difference between Krishna consciousness and maya. In simple words we can say that there is a reflection and there is a reality. The material nature, what is the definition of the material nature? The material nature is the reflection. Yathabhaso  yatha tamah [SB 2.9.34]. Abhasa. Abhasa means the impression of the reality. It is not the reality. It is the impression of the reality.

- HH Bhakti Caru Swami Maharaj -
lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 3, Chapter 25, The Glories Of Devotional Service Text 15

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Remembering Krishna at the time of Death

We can remember Krishna only when we are sada tad bhava bhavitah. When one is simply thinking of Krishna all the time, sada. Then only he'll be able to remember Krishna at the time of death. If one is thinking of anything else, people, we know the story of Ajamila. He was attached to his son, so much so that he remembered his son at the time of death. Our last thought will be where our deepest attachment is. Wherever your deepest attachment, that will be your last thought.

So we have to be very, very careful that our consciousness is in the right place. And if we practice properly throughout our lifetime at the time of death we will. And we are seeing it's happening.

Just the day before yesterday one devotee in South Africa all of a sudden left her body. They went shopping from six, she was quite elderly, she and her husband. Many of you know probably, Harichandan and his wife, Rukmavati. Harichandan comes here quite often. Harichandan and his wife. She had some heart problem. They did shopping from six to nine, then, no I am sorry, three to six. Three o'clock to six o'clock. They did their shopping, then they came home. At seven o'clock they did their arotika and then they took some prasad. Now, when they were shopping she was actually telling him that she had a dream that Bhakti Devi came and told her to come with Her. And then at ten o'clock at night she was telling that she was feeling suffocation. She was finding it difficult to breathe. And she just told him, see, my time has come to go, I am going to go. And she just left. I mean, such a glorious way of… and apparently she is just an ordinary housewife. She is not a big sannyasi or big devotee. She was just a simple… but we are seeing how Krishna Consciousness Movement is benefitting people. How can one leave his body or her body in this way? She is having some difficulty and she is saying, well, my time has come for me to leave the body. Gone!

This is how Krishna consciousness helps. The real help will come at the time of death. And it's a beautiful experience. To tell you frankly, like, when Prabhupada was in his final days, Prabhupada was totally bedridden as I told you many times. Prabhupada couldn't even turn to his side. We had to help him to make him turn to his side when he wanted to. And sometimes Prabhupada used to say that, "Don't think that this won't happen to you." What Prabhupada was going through, and Prabhupada was saying that it will happen to all of us. In this way Prabhupada actually taught us how to die, how to leave our body. And at that time, I mean, I heard the expression, Prabhupada saying that, but couldn't understand it. But now I am seeing it, what happens when the body gets old. It doesn't function the way it used to function before. And it will happen. Gradually it will become bedridden.  Bedridden means the soul and the body will become separated gradually. And then finally the soul will leave the body and go.

So that is the arrangement of nature and we have to go along with that. But unfortunately what is happening nowadays, people do not want to accept death, do not want to accept old age, do not want to accept disease. They are trying to make all kinds of artificial arrangement. They are trying to find medicine so that they won't get the disease. They are trying to make arrangements that they won't become old. But it never happens. They become old, only, one doctor actually made a very wise statement the other day. He was telling, it was during the convention in South Africa. One doctor made that statement. He was invited to speak and he was telling, he frankly admitted, what modern medicine has been able to do is to prolong the suffering condition of the people. They have been able to simply prolong the suffering condition. The man was meant to suffer for five days and leave his body, but they are making the body to prolong for five years. And in these five years what is happening? The man is just suffering, prolong the suffering condition.

Okay, so that is the reality and we are very fortunate that Prabhupada gave us Krishna consciousness. So let's take full advantage of it. There will be many hurdles. There will be many difficulties. There will be many obstacles.  Don't worry about that. Just recognize you got the most precious thing and go ahead with it.

- HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj
Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.15

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Remembering Krishna at the time of Death

We can remember Krishna only when we are sada tad bhava bhavitah. When one is simply thinking of Krishna all the time, sada. Then only he'll be able to remember Krishna at the time of death. If one is thinking of anything else, people, we know the story of Ajamila. He was attached to his son, so much so that he remembered his son at the time of death. Our last thought will be where our deepest attachment is. Wherever your deepest attachment, that will be your last thought.

So we have to be very, very careful that our consciousness is in the right place. And if we practice properly throughout our lifetime at the time of death we will. And we are seeing it's happening.

Just the day before yesterday one devotee in South Africa all of a sudden left her body. They went shopping from six, she was quite elderly, she and her husband. Many of you know probably, Harichandan and his wife, Rukmavati. Harichandan comes here quite often. Harichandan and his wife. She had some heart problem. They did shopping from six to nine, then, no I am sorry, three to six. Three o'clock to six o'clock. They did their shopping, then they came home. At seven o'clock they did their arotika and then they took some prasad. Now, when they were shopping she was actually telling him that she had a dream that Bhakti Devi came and told her to come with Her. And then at ten o'clock at night she was telling that she was feeling suffocation. She was finding it difficult to breathe. And she just told him, see, my time has come to go, I am going to go. And she just left. I mean, such a glorious way of… and apparently she is just an ordinary housewife. She is not a big sannyasi or big devotee. She was just a simple… but we are seeing how Krishna Consciousness Movement is benefitting people. How can one leave his body or her body in this way? She is having some difficulty and she is saying, well, my time has come for me to leave the body. Gone!

This is how Krishna consciousness helps. The real help will come at the time of death. And it's a beautiful experience. To tell you frankly, like, when Prabhupada was in his final days, Prabhupada was totally bedridden as I told you many times. Prabhupada couldn't even turn to his side. We had to help him to make him turn to his side when he wanted to. And sometimes Prabhupada used to say that, "Don't think that this won't happen to you." What Prabhupada was going through, and Prabhupada was saying that it will happen to all of us. In this way Prabhupada actually taught us how to die, how to leave our body. And at that time, I mean, I heard the expression, Prabhupada saying that, but couldn't understand it. But now I am seeing it, what happens when the body gets old. It doesn't function the way it used to function before. And it will happen. Gradually it will become bedridden.  Bedridden means the soul and the body will become separated gradually. And then finally the soul will leave the body and go.

So that is the arrangement of nature and we have to go along with that. But unfortunately what is happening nowadays, people do not want to accept death, do not want to accept old age, do not want to accept disease. They are trying to make all kinds of artificial arrangement. They are trying to find medicine so that they won't get the disease. They are trying to make arrangements that they won't become old. But it never happens. They become old, only, one doctor actually made a very wise statement the other day. He was telling, it was during the convention in South Africa. One doctor made that statement. He was invited to speak and he was telling, he frankly admitted, what modern medicine has been able to do is to prolong the suffering condition of the people. They have been able to simply prolong the suffering condition. The man was meant to suffer for five days and leave his body, but they are making the body to prolong for five years. And in these five years what is happening? The man is just suffering, prolong the suffering condition.

Okay, so that is the reality and we are very fortunate that Prabhupada gave us Krishna consciousness. So let's take full advantage of it. There will be many hurdles. There will be many difficulties. There will be many obstacles.  Don't worry about that. Just recognize you got the most precious thing and go ahead with it.

- HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj
Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.15

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Driven by self interest

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, June 2011)
The desire to enjoy the material world or the need of wanting to get out of this material world, is the same thing…..it's still considered selfish.

'Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī, sakali 'aśānta.'

The sense enjoyer, the karmi or 'mukti' – the one who looks for liberation. ….or the 'siddhi' – the yogi who looks for mystic power – They're all selfish. Still selfish…..still driven by self interest!

So all these kinds of things (that are described in the Srimad Bhagavatam) are meant to make us introspective….are meant to bring us to the point and recognise the selfishness within us! How self centred we are? How much is everything about me? And my personal position? And even in devotional service….my position in devotional service, where I am and from that platform serving Krishna – and this is also tested!

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Driven by self interest

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, June 2011)
The desire to enjoy the material world or the need of wanting to get out of this material world, is the same thing…..it's still considered selfish.

'Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī, sakali 'aśānta.'

The sense enjoyer, the karmi or 'mukti' – the one who looks for liberation. ….or the 'siddhi' – the yogi who looks for mystic power – They're all selfish. Still selfish…..still driven by self interest!

So all these kinds of things (that are described in the Srimad Bhagavatam) are meant to make us introspective….are meant to bring us to the point and recognise the selfishness within us! How self centred we are? How much is everything about me? And my personal position? And even in devotional service….my position in devotional service, where I am and from that platform serving Krishna – and this is also tested!

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A shallow understanding

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, June 2011)

We find that sometimes philosophers are bringing up the point that:

"How can there be a God? Who is the creator of the material world?"

And they speak out against the designed argument that there is an intelligent design behind this world! For example, a philosopher like Yeung would speak out against this and would say:

"How can it be when there are imperfections in this world. Floods, earthquakes and so on It shows that it's not going on perfectly".

A somewhat shallow understanding. Not understanding that first of all, the whole material world is not going on by Krishna's desire. Not at all! It is not going by Krishna's desire, it is Krishna's design! But it is going on in response to the desires of the living beings of the conditioned souls, and it's a perfect response to those desire less of the conditioned souls. Sometimes frustrating the desires, and sometimes fulfilling the desire, and that's the design. But it is not Krishna's desires. Krishna's doesn't desire the whole material world! And still He comes into the material world to tolerate it!

The material world is just a bit too much, and therefore this is not going on by Krishna's desires but our desires! We are the ones who provide the fuel for the spinning of the planets. It's us….it's our desire to enjoy this material energy, that keeps it going and not Krishna's desire! It's Krishna's will and energy that keeps everything going but it's not his desire!

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