“This account originally appeared in a short work by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura entitled, ‘Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts.’(dated 20th August 1896.)” This was taken from “Prologue” to “Teachings of Lord Caitanya”(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 1974. pages xiii-xxii.) Who better could we find to include here than the pure unalloyed devotee, and foremost scholar in Vaisnava circles Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura to perform this task. He starts his essay;

“Caitanya Mahaprabhu was born in Mayapur in the town of Nadia just after sunset on the evening of the 23rd Phalguna (1407 Sakadba), answering to the 18th of February 1486 of the Christian Era. The moon was eclipsed at the time of His birth, and the people of Nadia were then engaged, as was usual on such occasions, in bathing in the Bhagirathi with loud cheers of Haribol. His father, Jagannatha Misra, a poor ‘brahmana’ of the Vedic order, and His mother, Saci-devi, a model good woman, both descended from ‘brahmana’ stock originally residing in Sylhet. Mahaprabhu was a beautiful child, and the ladies of the town came to see Him with presents. His mother’s father, Pandita Nilambara Cakravarti, a renowned astrologer, foretold that the child would be a great personage in time; and he, therefore, gave him the name Visvambhara. The ladies of the neighbourhood styled him Gaurahari on account of His golden complexion, and His mother called Him Nimai on account of the ‘nimba’ tree near which He was born. Beautiful as the lad was, everyone heartily loved to see Him every day. As He grew up He became a whimsical and frolicsome lad. After His fifth year, He was admitted into a pathasala where He picked up Bengali in a very short time.

“Most of His contemporary biographers have mentioned certain anecdotes regarding Caitanya which are simple records of His early miracles. It is said that when He was an infant in His mother’s arms He wept continually, and when the neighbouring ladies cried ‘Haribol’ He used to stop. Thus there was a continuation of utterance of ‘Haribol’ in the house, foreshewing the future mission of the hero. It has also been stated that when His mother gave Him sweetmeats to eat, He ate clay instead of the food. His mother, asking for the reason, He stated that as every sweetmeat was nothing but clay transformed, He could eat clay as well. His mother, who was also the consort of a ‘pandita’, explained that every article in a special state was adapted to a special use. Earth, while in the state of a jug, could be used as a water pot, but in the state of a brick such a use was not possible. Clay, therefore in the form of sweetmeats was usable as food, but clay in its other states was not. The lad was convinced and admitted His stupidity in eating clay and agreed to avoid the mistake in the future. Another miraculous act has been related. It is said that a brahmana on pilgrimage became a guest in His house, cooked food and read grace with meditation upon Krsna. In the meantime the lad came and ate up the cooked rice. The ‘brahmana’, astonished at the lad’s act, cooked again at the request of Jagannatha Misra. The lad again ate up the cooked rice while the ‘brahmana’ was offering the rice to Krsna with meditation. The ‘brahmana’ was persuaded to cook for the third time. This time all the inmates of the house had fallen asleep, and so the lad showed Himself as Krsna to the traveller and blessed him. The ‘brahmana’ was then lost in ecstasy at the appearance of the object of his worship. It has also been stated that two thieves stole away the lad from His father’s door with a view to purloin His jewels and gave Him sweetmeats on the way. The lad exercised His illusory energy and deceived the thieves back towards His own house. The thieves, for fear of detection, left the boy there and fled. Another miraculous act that has been described is the lad’s demanding and getting from Hiranya and Jagadisa all the offerings they had collected for worshiping Krsna on the day of Ekadasi. When only four years of age He sat on rejected cooking pots which were considered unholy by His mother. He explained to His mother that there was no question of holiness and unholiness as regards to earthen pots thrown away after the cooking was over. These anecdotes relate to His tender age up to the fifth year.

“In His eighth year, He was admitted into the tola of Gangadasa Pandita in Ganganagara close by the village of Mayapur. In two years He became well read in Sanskrit grammar and rhetoric. His readings after that were of the nature of self-study in His own house, where He had found all-important books belonging to His father, who was a ‘pandita’ himself. It appears that He read the ’smrti’ in His own study, and the ‘nyaya’ also, in competition with His friends, who were then studying under the celebrated ‘pandita’ Raghunatha Siromani.
“Now, after the tenth year of His age, Caitanya became a passable scholar in grammar, rhetoric, the ’smrti’ and the ‘nyaya’. It was after this that his elder brother Visvarupa left his house and accepted the ‘ashrama’ (status) of a ’sannyasi’ (ascetic). Caitanya, though a very young boy, consoled His parents, saying that He would serve them with a view to please God. Just after that, His father left this world. His mother was exceedingly sorry, and Mahaprabhu, with His usual contented appearance, consoled His widowed mother.
It was at the age of 14 or 15 that Mahaprabhu was married to Laksmidevi, the daughter of Vallabhacarya, also of Nadia. He was at this age considered one of the best scholars of Nadia, then renowned seat of ‘nyaya’ philosophy and Sanskrit learning. Not to speak of the ’smarta panditas’, the ‘Naiyayikas’ were all afraid of confronting Him in literary discussions. Being a married man, He went to Eastern Bengal on the banks of the Padma for acquirement of wealth. There He displayed His learning and obtained a good sum of money. It was at this time that He preached Vaisnavism at intervals. After teaching him the principles of Vaisnavism, He ordered Tapanamisra to go to and live in Benares. During His residence in East Bengal, His wife Laksmidevi left this world from the effects of snake bite. On returning home, He found His mother in a mourning state. He consoled her with a lecture on the uncertainty of human affairs. It was at His mother’s request that He married Visnupriya, the daughter of Raja Pandita Sanatana Misra. His comrades joined Him on His return from pravasa or sojourn. He was now so renowned that He was considered to be the best pandita in Nadia. Kesava Misra of Kashmir, who had called himself the Great Digvijayi, came to Nadia with a view to discuss with the ‘pandita’ of that place. Afraid of the so-called conquering pandita, the tola professors of Nadia left their town on pretence of invitation. Kesava met Mahaprabhu at the Barokona-ghata in Mayapur, and after a very short discussion with Him he was defeated by the boy, and mortification obliged him to decamp. Nimai Pandita was now the most important ‘pandita’ of His times.

“It was at the age of 16 or 17 that He travelled to Gaya with a host of His students and there took His spiritual initiation from Isvara Puri, a Vaisnava ’sannyasi’ and a disciple of the renowned Madhavendra Puri. Upon His return to Nadia, Nimai Pandita turned religious preacher, and His religious nature became so strongly represented that Advaita Prabhu, Srivasa and others who had before the birth of Caitanya already accepted the Vaisnava faith were astonished at the change of the young man. He was then no more a contending ‘naiyayika’, a wrangling ’smarta’ and a criticizing rhetorician. He swooned at the name of Krsna and behaved as an inspired man under the influence of His religious sentiment. It has been described by Murari Gupta, an eye-witness, that He showed His heavenly powers in the house of Srivasa Pandita in the presence of hundreds of His followers, who were mostly well-read scholars. It was at this time that He opened a nocturnal school of ‘kirtana’ in the compound of Srivasa Pandita with His sincere followers. There He preached, there He sang, there He danced, and there He expressed all sorts of religious feelings. Nityananda Prabhu, who was then a preacher of Vaisnavism and who had then completed His travels all over India, joined Him at that time. In fact, a host of ‘pandita’ preachers of Vaisnavism, all sincere at heart, came and joined Him from different parts of Bengal. Nadia now became the regular seat of a host of Vaisnava ‘acaryas’ whose mission it was to spiritualize mankind with the highest influence of the Vaisnava creed.

“The first mandate that He issued to Prabhu Nityananda and Haridasa was this: ‘Go, friends, go through the streets of the town, meet every man at his door and ask him to sing the name of Hari with a holy life, and you then come and report to Me every evening the result of your preaching.’ Thus ordered, the two preachers went on and met Jagai and Madhai, two most abominable characters. They insulted the preachers on hearing Mahaprabhu’s mandate, but were soon converted by the influence of ‘bhakti’ (devotion) inculcated by their Lord. The people of Nadia were now surprised. They said, ‘Nimai Pandita is not only a gigantic genius, but He is certainly a missionary from God Almighty.’ From this time to His twenty-third year, Mahaprabhu preached His principles not only in Nadia but in all important towns and villages around His city. In the houses of His followers He shewed miracles, taught the esoteric principles of ‘bhakti’ and sang His ’sankirtan’ with other bhaktas. His followers of the town of Nadia commenced to sing the holy name of Hari in the streets and bazaars. This created a sensation and roused different feelings in different quarters. The ‘bhaktas’ were highly pleased. The ’smarta brahmanas’ became jealous of Nimai Pandita’s success and complained to Chand Kazi against the character of Caitanya as un-Hindu. The Kazi came to Srivasa Pandita’s house and broke a ‘mrdanga’ (’khola’ drum) there and declared that unless Nimai Pandit ceased to make noise about His queer religion he would be obliged to enforce Mohammedanism on Him and His followers. This was brought to Mahaprabhu’s notice. He ordered the townspeople to appear in the evening each with a torch in his hand. This they did, and Nimai marched out with His ’sankirtan’ divided in 14 groups, and on His arrival in the Kazi’s house, He held a long conversation with the Kazi and in the end communicated into his heart His Vaisnava influence by touching his body. The Kazi then wept and admitted that he had felt a keen spiritual influence which had cleared up his doubts and produced in him a religious sentiment which gave him the highest ecstasy. The Kazi then joined the sankirtan party. The world was astonished at the spiritual power of the Great Lord, and hundreds and hundreds of heretics converted and joined the banner of Visvambhara after this affair.
“It was after this that some of the jealous and low-minded ‘brahmanas’ of Kulia picked a quarrel with Mahaprabhu and collected a party to oppose Him. Nimai Pandita was naturally a soft-hearted person, though strong in His principles. He declared that party feelings and sectarianism were the two great enemies of progress and that as long as He should continue to be an inhabitant of Nadia belonging to a certain family, His mission would not meet with complete success. He then resolved to be a citizen of the world by cutting His connection with His particular family, caste and creed, and with this resolution He embraced the position of a ’sannyasi’ at Katwa, under the guidance of Keshava Bharati of that town, on the 24th year of His age. His mother and wife wept bitterly for His separation, but our hero, though soft in heart, was a strong person in principle. He left His little world in His house for the unlimited spiritual world of Krsna with man in general.

“After His ’sannyasa’, He was induced to visit the house of Advaita Prabhu in Santipura. Advaita managed to invite all His friends and admirers from Nadia and brought Sacidevi to see her son. Both pleasure and pain invaded her heart when she saw her son in the attire of a ’sannyasi’. As a ’sannyasi’, Krsna Caitanya put on nothing but a ‘kaupina’ (two pieces of cloth, a loin cloth) and a ‘bahirvasa’ (outer covering). His head was without hair, and His hands bore a ‘danda’ (stick) and a ‘kamandalu’ (hermit’s water pot). The Holy Son fell at the feet of His beloved mother and said, “Mother! This body is yours, and I must obey your orders. Permit me to go to Vrndavana for My spiritual attainments.” The mother, in consultation with Advaita and others, asked her son to reside in Puri (the town of Jagannatha) so that she might obtain His information now and then. Mahaprabhu agreed to that proposition and in a few days left Santipura for Orissa. His biographers have described the journey of Krsna Caitanya (that was the name He got after His ’sannyasa’) from Santipura to Puri in great detail. He travelled along the side of the Bhagirathi as far as Chatrabhoga, situated now in Thana Mathurapura, Diamond Harbour, 24 Parganas. There He took a boat and went as far as Prayaga-ghata in the Midnapura District. Thence He walked through Balasore and Cuttack to Puri, seeing the temple of Bhuvanesvara on His way. Upon His arrival at Puri He saw Jagannatha in the temple and resided with Sarvabhauma at the request of the latter. Sarvabhauma was a gigantic ‘pandita’ of the day. His readings knew no bounds. He was the best ‘naiyayika’ of the times and was known as the most erudite scholar in the Vedanta philosophy of the school of Sankaracarya. He was born in Nadia (Vidyanagara) and taught innumerable pupils in the ‘nyaya’ philosophy in his tola there. He had left for Puri some time before the birth of Nimai Pandita. His brother-in-law Gopinatha Misra introduced our new sannyasi to Sarvabhauma, who was astonished at His personal beauty and feared that it would be difficult for the young man to maintain ’sannyasa-dharma’ during the long run of His life. Gopinatha, who had known Mahaprabhu from Nadia, had a great reverence for Him and declared that the ’sannyasi’ was not a common human being. On this point Gopinatha and Sarvabhauma had a hot discussion. Sarvabhauma then requested Mahaprabhu to hear his recitation of the Vedanta-sutras, and the latter tacitly submitted. Caitanya heard with silence what the great Sarvabhauma uttered with gravity for seven days, at the end of which the latter said, ‘Krsna-Caitanya! I think You do not understand the Vedanta, for You do not say anything after hearing my recitation and explanations.’ The reply of Caitanya was that He understood the sutras very well, but He could not make out what Sankaracarya meant by his commentaries. Astonished as this, Sarvabhauma said, ‘How is it that you understand the meanings of the ’sutras’ and do not understand the commentaries which explain the ’sutras’? All well! If You understand the ’sutras’, please let me have Your interpretations.’ Mahaprabhu thereon explained all the ’sutras’ in His own way without touching the pantheistic commentary of Sankara. The keen understanding of Sarvabhauma saw the truth, beauty and harmony of arguments in the explanations given by Caitanya and obliged Him to utter that it was the first time that he had found one who could explain the Brahma-sutras in such a simple manner. He admitted also that the commentaries of Sankara never gave such natural explanations of the Vedanta-sutras as he had obtained from Mahaprabhu. He then submitted himself as an advocate and follower. In a few days Sarvabhauma turned out to be one of the best Vaisnavas of the time. When reports of this came out, the whole of Orissa sang the praise of Krsna Caitanya, and hundred and hundreds came to Him and became His followers. In the meantime Mahaprabhu thought of visiting Southern India, and He started with one Krsnadasa Brahmana for the journey.

“His biographers have given us a detail of the journey. He went first to Kurmaksetra, where He performed a miracle by curing a leper named Vasudeva. He met Ramananda Raya, the Governor of Vidyanagara, on the banks of the Godavari and had a philosophical conversation with him on the subject of ‘prema-bhakti’. He worked another miracle by touching (making them immediately disappear) the seven ‘tala-trees’ through which Ramacandra, the son of Dasaratha, had shot His arrow and killed the great Bali Raja. He preached Vaisnavism and ‘nama-sankirtana’ throughout the journey. At Rangaksetra He stayed for four months in the house of one Venkata Bhatta in order to spend the rainy season. There He converted the whole family of Venkata from Ramanuja Vaisnavism to Krsna-bhakti, along with the son of Venkata, a boy of ten years named Gopala, who afterwards came to Vrndavana and became one of the six Goswamis or prophets serving under their leader Sri Krsna Caitanya. Trained up in Sanskrit by his uncle Prabodhananda Sarasvati, Gopala wrote several books on Vaisnavism.

“Sri Caitanya visited numerous places in Southern India as far as Cape Comorin and returned to Puri in two years by Pandepura on the Bhima. In this latter place He spiritualized one Tukarama, who became from that time a religious preacher himself. This fact has been admitted in his ‘adhangas’, which have been collected in a volume by Mr. Satyendra Nath Tagore of the Bombay Civil Service. During His journey He had several discussions with the Buddhists, the Jains and the ‘mayavadis’ in several places and converted His opponents to Vaisnavism.
“Upon His return to Puri, Raja Prataparudra-deva and several ‘pandita brahmanas’ joined the banner of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was now twenty-seven years of age. In His twenty-eighth year He went to Bengal as far as Gauda in Mald. There He picked up two great personages named Rupa and Sanatana. Though descended from the lines of Karnatic brahmanas, these two brothers turned demi-Moslems by their continual contact with Hussain Shah, the then Emperor of Gauda. Their names had been changed by the Emperor into Dabir Khas and Sakara Mallik, and their master loved them heartily since they were both learned in Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit and were loyal servants of the state. The two gentlemen had found no way to come back as regular Hindus and had written to Mahaprabhu for spiritual help while He was at Puri. Mahaprabhu had written in reply that He would come to them and extricate them from their spiritual difficulties. Now that He had come to Gauda, both the brothers appeared before Him with their long-standing prayer. Mahaprabhu ordered them to go to Vrndavana and meet Him there.

“Caitanya returned to Puri through Santipura, where He again met His dear mother. After a short stay at Puri He left for Vrndavana. This time He was accompanied by one Balabhadra Bhattacarya. He visited Vrndavana and came down to Prayag (Allahabad), converting a large number of Mohammedans to Vaisnavism by argument from the Koran. The descendant of those converts are still known as Pathana Vaisnavas. Rupa Goswami met Him in Allahabad. Caitanya trained him up in spirituality in ten days and directed him to go to Vrndavana on missions. His first mission was to write theological works explaining scientifically pure ‘bhakti’ and ‘prema’. The second mission was to revive the places where Krsnacandra had in the end of ‘Dvapara-yuga’ exhibited His spiritual ‘lila’ (pastimes) for the benefit of the religious world. Rupa Goswami left Allahabad for Vrndavana, and Mahaprabhu came down to Benares. There He resided in the house of Candrasekhara and accepted His daily ‘bhiksa’ (meal) in the house of Tapana Misra. Here it was that Sanatana Goswami joined him and took instruction for two months in spiritual matters. The biographers, especially Krsnadasa Kaviraja, have given us details of Caitanya’s teachings to Rupa and Sanatana. Krsnadasa was not a contemporary writer, but he gathered his information from the Goswamis themselves, the direct disciples of Mahaprabhu. Jiva Goswami, who was the nephew of Sanatana and Rupa and who has left us his invaluable work of Sat-sandarbha, has philosophized on the precept of his great leader. We have gathered and summarised the precepts of Caitanya from the books of those great writers.

“While at Benares, Caitanya had an interview with the learned ’sannyasis’ of that town in the house of a Maratha ‘brahmana’ who had invited all the ’sannyasis’ for entertainment. At this interview, Caitanya shewed a miracle which attracted all the ’sannyasis’ to Him. Then ensued reciprocal conversation. The ’sannyasis’ were headed by their most learned leader Prakasananda Sarasvati. After a short controversy, they submitted to Mahaprabhu and admitted that they had been misled by the commentaries of Sankaracarya. It was impossible even for learned scholars to oppose Caitanya for a long time, for there was some spell in Him which touched their hearts and made them weep for their spiritual improvement. The ’sannyasis’ of Benares soon fell at the feet of Caitanya and asked for His grace (’krpa’). Caitanya then preached pure ‘bhakti’ and instilled into their hearts spiritual love for Krsna which obliged them to give up sectarian feelings. The whole population of Benares, on this wonderful conversion of the ’sannyasis’, turned Vaisnavas, and they made a master ’sankirtana’ with their new Lord. After sending Sanatana to Vrndavana, Mahaprabhu went to Puri again through the jungles with His comrade Balabhadra. Balabhadra reported that Mahaprabhu had shown a good many miracles on His way to Puri, such as making tigers and elephants dance on hearing the name of Krsna.
“From this time, that is, from His 31st year, Mahaprabhu continually lived in Puri the house of Kasi Misra until His disappearance in His forty-eighth year at the time of sankirtana in the temple of Tota-gopinatha. During these 18 years, His life was one of settled love and piety. He was surrounded by numerous followers, all of whom were of the highest order of Vaisnavas and who were distinguished from the common people by their purest character and learning, firm religious principles and spiritual love of Radha-Krsna. Svarupa Damodara, who had been known by the name of Purusottamacarya while Mahaprabhu was in Nadia, joined Him from Benares and accepted service as His secretary. No production of any poet or philosopher could be laid before Mahaprabhu unless Svarupa had passed it as pure and useful. Raya Ramananda was His second mate. Both he and Svarupa would sing while Mahaprabhu expressed His sentiments on a certain point of worship. Paramananda Puri was His minister in matters of religion. There are hundreds of anecdotes described by His biographers which we do not think it meet here to reproduce. Mahaprabhu slept short. His sentiments carried Him far and wide in the firmament of spirituality every day and night, and all His admirers and followers watched Him throughout. He worshipped, communicated with His missionaries at Vrndavana, and conversed with those religious men who newly came to visit Him. He sang and danced, took no care of Himself and of-times lost Himself in religious beatitude. All who came to Him believed in Him as the all-beautiful God appearing in the nether world for the benefit of mankind. He loved His mother all along and sent her ‘mahaprasada’ now and then with those who went to Nadia. He was most amiable in nature. Humility was personified in Him. His sweet appearance gave cheer to all who came in contact with Him. He appointed Prabhu Nityananda as the missionary in charge of Bengal. He dispatched six disciples (Goswamis) to Vrndavana to preach love in the upcountry. This he markedly did in the case of Junior Haridasa. He never lacked in giving proper instructions in life to those who solicited them. This will be seen in His teachings to Raghunatha dasa Goswami. His treatment to Haridasa (senior) will show how He loved spiritual men and how He defied caste distinction in spiritual brotherhood.”(Thakura Bhaktivinoda. 20th August 1896.)

Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivas adi gaura bhakta vrinda

Sri Krishna Chaitanya (centre), Sri Nityananda Prabhu (wearing blue), Sri Advaita Acharya (with beard),
Sri Gadadhara Pandit (purple dhoti), Sri Srivas Pandit (with shaven head and saffron dhoti)

Lord Krishna thought in Goloka, “I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age; nama-sankirtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord in the form of Lord Gauranga. By accepting the role of a devotee, I shall make the whole world dance in ecstasy, and thus realize the four mellows of loving devotional service. In this way, I shall teach devotional service to others by personally practicing it, for whatever a great personality does, common people will follow. Of course, My plenary portions can establish the religious principles for each age, but only I can bestow the kind of loving devotional service which is performed by the residents of Vraja.”

Besides this secondary reason for Lord Krishna to appear once more, taking the form of a devotee, there is another confidential purpose of a very personal nature. Even though Lord Krishna had tasted the essence of loving mellows by performing His conjugal pastimes in the company of the gopis, He was not able to fulfill three desires.

Therefore, after His disappearance, the Lord thought, “Although I am the Absolute Truth, and the reservoir of all rasas, I cannot understand the strength of Radharani’s love, with which She always overwhelms Me. Indeed, the love of Radharani is My teacher, and I am Her dancing pupil, for Her love makes Me dance in various novel ways. Whatever pleasure I get from tasting My love for Srimati Radharani, She relishes ten million times more, by Her love. Although there is nothing greater than Radha’s love, since it is all pervading, it nonetheless expands constantly and is completely devoid of pride. There is nothing purer than Radha’s love, and yet its behavior is always perverse and crooked.”

“Sri Radhika is the highest abode of love, and I am its only object. I taste the bliss to which the object is entitled, but Radha’s pleasure is ten million times greater than Mine. Therefore, My mind becomes mad to taste the pleasure that is experienced by the abode of love, although I cannot do so. Only if I can somehow become the abode of that love, will I be able to experience its joy.”

This was one desire that increasingly blazed in Lord Krishna’s heart. Then, upon seeing His own beauty, Lord Krishna began to consider as follows: “My sweetness is unlimitedly wonderful. Only Radhika can taste the complete nectar of My sweetness, by the strength of Her love, which acts just like a mirror whose clarity increases at every moment. Although My sweetness, being without limit, seemingly has no room for expansion, it shines forth with newer and newer beauty, and thus constantly competes with the mirror of Radharani’s love, as they both go on increasing without admitting defeat.” “Devotees taste My sweetness according to their respective love, and if I see that sweetness reflected in a mirror, I also become tempted to taste it, although I cannot. Upon deliberation, I find that the only way I can relish My sweetness is to take the position of Srimati Radharani.”

This was Lord Krishna’s second desire, and His third desire was expressed while thinking as follows: “Everyone says that I am the reservoir of all transcendental bliss, and indeed, all the world derives pleasure from Me alone. Who then could give Me pleasure? I think that only someone having a hundred times more qualities than Myself could give pleasure to My mind, but such a person is impossible to find.”

“And yet, in spite of the fact that My beauty is unsurpassed, and gives pleasure to all who perceive it, the sight of Srimati Radharani gives pleasure to My eyes. Although the vibration of My flute attracts everyone within the three worlds, My ears become enchanted by the sweet words spoken by Radharani. Although My body lends its fragrance to the entire creation, the scent of Radharani’s limbs captivates My mind and heart. Although there are various tastes due to Me alone, I become charmed by the nectarean taste of Radharani’s lips. Although My touch is cooler than ten million moons, I become refreshed by the touch of Srimati Radharani. Thus, in spite of the fact that I am the source of happiness for the entire world, the beauty and attributes of Sri Radhika are My very life and soul.”

“My eyes become fully satisfied by looking at Srimati Radharani, and yet, when She gazes at Me, She feels even greater satisfaction. The whispering murmur of the bamboo trees that rub against one another steals away Radharani’s mind, for She thinks it to be the sound of My flute. She embraces a tamala tree, mistaking it for Me, and thus She considers, ‘I have gotten the embrace of Krishna, and so now My life has become fulfilled.’ When the fragrance of My body is carried to Her by the wind, Radharani becomes blinded by love and tries to fly into that breeze. When She tastes the betel nut that has been chewed by Me, She merges into an ocean of joy, and forgets everything else.”

“Thus, even with hundreds of mouths, I could not express the pleasure which Radharani derives from My association. Indeed, upon seeing the luster of Her complexion after Our pastimes together, I consider My own happiness to be negligent. Expert sexologists say that the happiness of the lover and the beloved are equal, but they do not know the nature of transcendental love in Vrindavana. Because of the indescribable pleasure which Radharani experiences, I can understand that there is some unknown mellow within Me that controls Her entire existence.”

“I am always very eager to taste the joy that Srimati Radharani derives from Me, and yet, in spite of endeavoring, I have been unable to do so. Therefore, in order to fulfill My three desires, I shall assume Sri Radhika’s bodily complexion and ecstatic loving sentiment, and then descend as an incarnation.”

Desiring to understand the glory of Radharani’s love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness that She feels upon realizing the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord, Gauranga-Krishna, decided to appear in a form that was richly endowed with Her emotions. First of all, the Lord had His respectable superiors incarnate on the earth, such as His mother and father, Sri Sachidevi and Jagannath Mishra. In addition, there was Madhavendra Puri, Keshava Bharati, Ishvara Puri, Advaita Acharya, Srivas Pandita, Thakur Haridas, Acharyaratna and Vidyanidhi.

Before the appearance of Lord Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu, all of the devotees in the Navadvip area used to gather at the house of Advaita Acharya. In these meetings, Advaita Acharya preached on the basis of Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, decrying the paths of philosophical speculation and fruitive activity, and firmly establishing the super excellence of devotional service. In the house of Advaita Acharya, the devotees took pleasure in always talking about Krishna, worshipping Krishna, and chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

However, Advaita Acharya felt very pained to see how practically all the people of the world were devoid of Krishna consciousness and completely merged into material sense enjoyment. Knowing that no one can gain relief from the cycle of repeated birth and death without taking an interest in the devotional service of the Lord, Advaita Acharya compassionately pondered over the means whereby people could become delivered from the clutches of maya.

Advaita Acharya thought, “Only if Lord Krishna personally appears and preaches the path of devotional service by His own example, will liberation become possible for all people. Therefore, I shall worship the Lord in a purified state of mind and constantly petition Him with all humility. Indeed, my name Advaita will be fitting only if I am able to induce Lord Krishna to inaugurate the sankirtan movement of chanting the holy name, which is the only religion for this age.”

While Advaita Acharya thought about how to satisfy Krishna by His worship, the following verse came to mind: “Sri Krishna, who is very affectionate toward His devotees, sells Himself to one who offers Him merely a tulasi leaf and a palmful of water.” (Gautamiya-tantra)

Advaita Acharya considered the meaning of this verse in the following way: “Lord Krishna cannot find any way to repay the debt which He owes to one who offers Him a tulasi leaf and water. Therefore, the Lord concludes, ‘Since there is nothing in My possession which is equal to a tulasi leaf and water, I will liquidate the debt by offering Myself to the devotee.’ ” Thereafter, while meditating upon the lotus feet of Sri Krishna, Advaita Acharya constantly offered tulasi buds in water from the Ganga. While thus engaged in worship, Advaita Acharya petitioned Krishna to appear by His loud cries, and this repeated invitation attracted the attention of the Lord, causing Him to descend.

Sri Upendra Mishra, a brahmana who was formerly the gopala named Parjanya, the grandfather of Lord Krishna, was a great devotee and scholar. One of Upendra’s seven sons, Jagannath Mishra, moved from Srihatta to the banks of the Ganga at Nadia, and then married Srimati Sachidevi, the daughter of Nilambar Chakravarti, who was formerly Gargamuni.

Before the appearance of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Jagannath Mishra (who was formerly Nanda Maharaja) begot eight daughters in the womb of Sachidevi (who was formerly Yashoda), but just after birth, they all died. Being very aggrieved at the loss of his children, one after another, Jagannath Mishra worshiped Lord Vishnu, while desiring a son. Thereafter, Sachimata gave birth to a baby boy named Vishvarup, who was an incarnation of Lord Baladev. Being very pleased, the mother and father began to serve the lotus feet of Lord Govinda even more devotedly, because they realized that their happiness was by His mercy.

Then, in the month of Maagh (18th February 1486) of the year 1406, Shaka era, Lord Krishna entered the bodies of both Jagannath Mishra and Sachidevi. Thereafter, Jagannath informed his wife, “I see many wonderful things! Your body seems to be effulgent, and it appears as if the goddess of fortune is personally residing in our house. Wherever I go, everyone offers me respect, and even without asking, they give me money, cloth and grains.” Sachimata replied, “I also see wonderfully brilliant beings, appearing in the sky, as if offering prayers.”

Jagannath Mishra then said, “In a dream I saw the effulgent abode of the Supreme Lord enter into my heart. Then, from my heart it entered your heart, and thus I can understand that a great personality will soon take birth.”

After this conversation, both husband and wife felt very jubilant, and with great care and attention they rendered service unto the household Shalagrama-shila.

However, when Sachimata’s pregnancy approached the thirteenth month, and still there was no sign of delivery, Jagannath Mishra became very apprehensive. At that time, Nilambara Chakravarti made an astrological calculation and predicted that the child would be born that very month, taking advantage of an auspicious moment.

Thus it so happened that on the evening of the Phalguni purnima, in the year 1407 Shaka era, corresponding to the modern year 1486, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu made His appearance at Navadvip. At this time, Rahu considered, “When the spotless moon of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is about to become visible, what need is there for a moon which is full of black marks?” Thinking in this way, Rahu covered the full moon, and so all of the Hindus went to the banks of the Ganga in order to bathe and chant the names “Krishna” and “Hari”. While the Hindus were thus vibrating the holy names of the Lord, the Mohammedans jokingly imitated them. In this way, at the time of Lord Chaitanya’s appearance, everyone was engaged in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

In all directions and within everyone’s mind there was peacefulness and joy. In Shantipur, Advaita Acharya and Haridas Thakur began chanting and dancing in a very pleasing mood, although no one could understand why they did so. While laughing again and again, they also went to the Ganga, and at that time, Advaita Acharya took advantage of the lunar eclipse to distribute all kinds of charity to the brahmanas. Upon seeing how the whole world had become jubilant, Haridas Thakur addressed Advaita Acharya in great astonishment, “Since Your dancing and distribution of charity appears very pleasing to me, I can understand that You have some very special purpose.”

In Navadvip, Srivas Thakur and Acharyaratna, who was also called Chandrashekhar, immediately went to bathe in the Ganga, and while chanting the holy name of the Lord in great jubilation, they also gave charity by dint of mental strength. Indeed, wherever they were situated, all of the devotees danced, chanted and gave charity on the plea of the lunar eclipse, their minds overwhelmed

By Sage Pathanjali

Sadashivashtakam

By Sage Pathanjali

(This stotra is from Halasya Puranam, (i.e. The story of the city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu) and is a prayer to Sundareswarar of Madurai. This is written by Sage Pathanjali one of those for whom Lord Shiva danced in Chidambaram. Since his feet is considered proper for salutation he was called Pathanjali. His greatest contributions are his commentary on Sanskrit grammar by Panini and his book on Yoga called Yoga Sutra.)

Suvarna padmini thatantha divya harmya vasine,
Suparna vahana priyata soorya koti thejase,
Aparnaya viharine phana darendra dharine,
Sada namashivaya they sadashivaya shambhave. 1

Forever salutations to the peaceful one,
Who blesses us with prosperity and who is ever peaceful,
Who resides in the holy building near the tank of golden lotus
Who is as brilliant as billions of suns,
Who is liked by he who rides on a bird,
Who lives with Parvathi,
And who wears the snake on his head.

Sathunga bhanga jahnuja sudhamsu ganda moulaye,
Pathanga pankaja suhruth krupeeta yoni chakshushe,
Bhujanga raja kundalaya, punya shali, bhandhave,
Sada namashivaya they sadashivaya shambhave. 2

Forever salutations to the peaceful one,
Who blesses us with prosperity and who is ever peaceful,
Who has on his head the river which fell from the sky,
And the piece of moon shedding nectar,
Who has moon, friend of lotus, and fire as eyes,
Who wears snakes as ear studs,
And who is the friend of all who do good deeds.

Chathur mukhanana aravinda veda geetha bhoothaye,
Chathurbhujanuja sareera shobha mana murthaye,
Chathurvidartha dana sounda thandava swaroopine,
Sada namashivaya they sadashivaya shambhave. 3

Forever salutations to the peaceful one,
Who blesses us with prosperity and who is ever peaceful,
Who is praised by the four Vedas sung by four faces of Brahma,
Who shines because of his merger with the sister of the four armed,
Who blesses us with just duty, assets, love and salvation,
And who has a form of the vigorous male dancer.

Saran nisakara prakasa manda hasa manjula,
Dhara pravala bhasa mana vakthra mandala sriye,
Karasphurath kapalamuktha Vishnu raktha payine,
Sada namashivaya they sadashivaya shambhave. 4

Forever salutations to the peaceful one,
Who blesses us with prosperity and who is ever peaceful,
Who is very pretty like the autumn moon with a smile,
Who shines with the lustre to his face added by his red lips,
Who holds a skull in his one free hand,
And who has got the sister of Lord Vishnu.

Sahasra pundareeka poojanaika soonya darshanath ,
Sahasra nethra kalpitharchanachyuthaya bhakthitha,
Sahasra bhanu mandala prakasa chakra dhayine,
Sada namashivaya they sadashivaya shambhave. 5

Forever salutations to the peaceful one,
Who blesses us with prosperity and who is ever peaceful,
Who gave the holy wheel with the brilliance of thousand solar systems,
To Him who took his own eye to offer to Him,
When he found that one flower was less out of thousand lotuses.

Rasaradhaya ramya pathra bruthradanga panaye,
Rasa darendra chapa sinjani krutha nilasine,
Swasaradhi kruthabja yoni nunna veda vajine,
Sada namashivaya they sadashivaya shambhave. 6

Forever salutations to the peaceful one,
Who blesses us with prosperity and who is ever peaceful,
Who travels in the pretty chariot of earth,
Who uses Lord Vishnu as powerful arrow,
Who has a bow made of the Mountain Meru,
For which the great snake has been tied as string,
Whose chariot is driven by Brahma,
With the four holy Vedas as horses.

Adhiprakalbha veerabhadra simha nada garjitha,
Sruthi prabheetha daksha yaga bhaginaga sadmanaam,
Gathi pradhaya garjithakhila prapancha sakshine,
Sada namashivaya they sadashivaya shambhave. 7

Forever salutations to the peaceful one,
Who blesses us with prosperity and who is ever peaceful,
Who gave protection to those who attended the Yaga of Daksha,
When they started trembling before efficient Veerabhadra with his lion like roar,
And who was the witness to the billions of the universe who heard the roar

Mrukandu soonu rakshana vadhootha danda panaye,
Suganda mandalasphurath prabha jithamruthamsave,
Akhanda bhoga sampadartha loka bhavithathmane,
Sada namashivaya they sadashivaya shambhave. 8

Forever salutations to the peaceful one,
Who blesses us with prosperity and who is ever peaceful,
Who took the punishing stick to save the son of Mrukandu from dying,
Whose pretty neck further shines because of the crescent moon,
And who blesses all those who pray for pleasure, wealth and salvation.

Madhuripu vidhi shakra mukhya devaii,
Api niyamarchitha pada pankajaya,
Kanaka giri sarasanaya thubhyam,
Rajatha sabha pathaye, namasivaya. 9

Salutations to the ever peaceful God,
Whose lotus like feet are worshipped 
By enemies of Madhu and other Devas,
Who has the golden mountain as his bow,
And who is the lord of the silver hall.

Halasya nadhaya maheshwaraya,
Hala halalankrutha kandharaya,
Meenekshanaya padaye shivaya,
Namo nama Sundara thandavaya. 10

Salutations and salutations to the handsome dancer,
Who is the great god and lord of the town of Madurai,
Who stopped the poison called halahala in his neck,
And who is the lord of the Devi with eyes like fish.

Ishwara Uvacha:-
Thwaya krutham idham sthothram ya padeth bhakthi samyutha,
Thasya ayur deergam arogyam sampadascha dadamyaham.

God told:
He who reads this prayer composed by you with devotion,
Will be given long life, health and wealth by me.

Goddess Saraswati – Goddess of wisdom

Saraswati Slokam

Goddess Saraswati – Goddess of wisdom

Goddess Saraswathi is the consort of Lord Brahma (Lord of Creation) and is the Goddess of wisdom and learning. Saraswati is the one who gives the essence (sara) of our own self (swa). She is considered as the personification of all knowledge – arts, sciences, crafts and other skills. She has a beautiful and elegant presence, is pure white in colour, clad in a white sari, seated on a white lotus, representing purity and brilliance. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning; mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has the sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus (a symbol of true knowledge) in the second. With her other two hands she plays the music of love and life on the veena. 

She is dressed in white (sign of purity) and rides on a white goose (swan). The swan is known for its pecliar characteristic of being capable of separating water from milk, indicating that we should possess discrimination in separating the bad from the good. The seat being a lotus or peacock implies that the teacher is well-established in the subjective experience of truth. When sitting on a peacock she reminds us that wisdom suppresses ego.

Like Brahma, she is not worshipped much in temples. However, every year Saraswathi Pooja (Navarathiri ) is celebrated by people all over India, be it students, workers, craftsmen, businessmen offering their prayers for a successful and fruitful year. However, Saraswathi does have a temple in Koothanur in Tanjavur district (Tamil Nadu).

Saraswati Namasthuvyam
Varadhe Kamaroopini
Vidyarambham Karishyami
Siddhahi Bavathumeh Sadah

Sree Saraswathi Dhyanam

Soorasoora Sevidha Pankaja
Gare Viraajat kamaneeya Pustakaa
Virinji Pathni kamalasana sthathitha
Saraswathee nruthyathu vasimeh sada

Sree Saraswathi Ashtothram

Om Sarasvatyai namah 
Om Maha-bhadrayai namah 
Om Maha-mayayai namah 
Om Vara-pradayai namah 
Om Sree pradayai namah 
Om Padma-nilayayai namah 
Om Padmakshmai namah 
Om Padma-vaktri-kayai namah 
Om Shivanu-jayai namah 
Om Pustaka-stayai namah 

Om Gynana-mudrayai namah 
Om Ramayai namah 
Om Kama-rupayai namah 
Om Maha-vidyayai namah 
Om Maha-pataka-nashinyai namah 
Om Maha-shrayayai namah 
Om Malinyai namah 
Om Maha-bhogayai namah 
Om Maha-bhujayai namah 
Om Maha-bagayai namah 

Om Maho-tsahayai namah 
Om Divyamgayai namah 
Om Sura-vandi-tayai namah 
Om Mahakalyai namah 
Om Maha-pashayai namah 
Om Maha-karayai namah 
Om Mahamkushayai namah 
Om Peetayai namah 
Om Vimalayai namah 
Om Vishvayai namah 

Om Vidyunma-layai namah 
Om Vaishnavyai namah 
Om Chandri-kayai namah 
Om Chandra-lekha-vibhu-shitayai namah 
Om Bhoga-dayai namah 
Om Savitryai namah 
Om Surasayai namah 
Om Devyai namah 
Om Divya-lankara-bhushitayai namah 
Om Vagdevyai namah 

Om Vasudayai namah 
Om Teevrayai namah 
Om Maha-bhadrayai namah 
Om Maha-phalayai namah 
Om Gomatyai namah 
Om Bharatyai namah 
Om Bhamayai namah 
Om Govimdayai namah 
Om Jati-layai namah 
Om Vindhya-vasayai namah 

Om Chandi-kayai namah 
Om Vaishnavyai namah 
Om Bramhyai namah 
Om Bramha-gynanaika-sadhanayai namah 
Om Soudaminyai namah 
Om Sudha-murtayai namah 
Om Subha-drayai namah 
Om Sura-puji-tayai namah 
Om Suvaa-sinyai namah 
Om Suveenayai namah 

Om Vini-drayai namah 
Om Padma-lochanayai namah 
Om Vidya-rupayai namah 
Om Vishalayai namah 
Om Bramha-jayayai namah 
Om maha palayai namah
Om Traeimurtyai namah 
Om Traeikalanjyai namah 
Om Traeikalanjyai namah 
Om Shastra-rupinyai namah 

Om Shumbha-sura-pramadhinyai namah
Om Shubha-dayai namah 
Om Sarvatmi-kayai namah 
Om Rakta-beejani-hantrai namah 
Om Chamundayai namah 
Om Ambikayai namah
Om Munda-kambi-katai namah 
Om Dhumra-lochana-mardhinyai namah 
Om Sarva-devastu-tayai namah 
Om Soumyayai namah 

Om Sura-sura-namaskrutayai namah 
Om Kala-ratryai namah 
Om Kala-dharayai namah 
Om Vagdevyai namah 
Om Vara-rohayai namah 
Om Varahyai namah 
Om Varijaa-sanayai namah 
Om Chitrambarayai namah 
Om Chitra-gamdhayai namah 
Om Chitra-malya-vibhushitayai namah 

Om Kantayai namah 
Om Kama-pradayai namah 
Om Vindyayai namah 
Om Rupa-soubhagya-daeinyai namah 
Om Shweta-sanayai namah 
Om Neela-bhujayai namah
Om Sura-puji-tayai namah 
Om Rakta-madhyayai namah 
Om Neela-jamghayai namah 
Om Niranja-nayai namah 

Om Chaturana-nasamrajyai namah 
Om Chaturvarga-phala-pradayai namah 
Om Hamsa-sanayai namah 
Om Bramha-vishu-sivatmi-kayai namah 
Om Sarva-mangalaya namah
Om Vedamathre namah
Om Saratayai namah 
Om Sri Saraswatyai namah 

Om Naanavidha Parimal Pathra Pushpaani Samarpayami

After consulting with his demoniac ministers, Kansa instructed a witch named Pütanä, who knew the black art of killing small children by ghastly sinful methods, to kill all kinds of children in the cities, villages and pasturing grounds. Such witches can play their black art only where there is no chanting or hearing of the holy name of Krishna. It is said that wherever the chanting of the holy name of Krishna is done, even negligently, all bad elements—witches, ghosts and dangerous calamities—immediately disappear. And this is certainly true of the place where the chanting of the holy name of Krishna is done seriously—especially in Våndävana when the Supreme Lord was personally present. Therefore, the doubts of Nanda Mahäräja were certainly based on affection for Krishna. Actually there was no danger from the activities of Pütanä, despite her powers. Such witches are called khecaré, which means they can fly in the sky. This black art of witchcraft is still practiced by some women in the remote northwestern side of India. They can transfer themselves from one place to another on the branch of an uprooted tree. Pütanä knew this witchcraft, and therefore she is described in the Bhägavatam as khecaré.

Pütanä entered the county of Gokula, the residential quarter of Nanda Mahäräja, without permission. Dressing herself just like a beautiful woman, she entered the house of mother Yaçodä. She appeared very beautiful, with raised hips, nicely swollen breasts, earrings, and flowers in her hair. She looked especially beautiful on account of her thin waist. She was glancing at everyone with very attractive looks and smiling face, and all the residents of Våndävana were captivated. The innocent cowherd women thought that she was the goddess of fortune appearing in Våndävana with a lotus flower in her hand. It seemed to them that she had personally come to see Krishna, who is her husband. Because of her exquisite beauty, no one checked her movement, and therefore she freely entered the house of Nanda Mahäräja. Pütanä, the killer of many, many children, found baby Krishna lying on a small bed, and she could at once perceive that the baby was hiding His unparalleled potencies, which resembled fire covered by ashes. Pütanä thought, “This child is so powerful that He can destroy the whole universe immediately.”

Pütanä’s understanding is very significant. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is situated in everyone’s heart. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gétä that He gives one necessary intelligence, and He also causes one to forget. Pütanä was immediately aware that the child whom she was observing in the house of Nanda Mahäräja was the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. He was lying there as a small baby, but that does not mean He was less powerful. The materialistic theory that God-worship is anthropomorphic is not correct. No living being can become God by undergoing meditation or austerities. God is always God. Krishna as a baby is as complete as He is as a full-fledged youth. The Mäyäväda theory holds that the living entity was formerly God but has now become overwhelmed by the influence of mäyä. Therefore they say that presently he is not God, but when the influence of mäyä is taken away, then he again becomes God. This theory cannot be applied to the minute living entities. The living entities are minute parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; they are minute particles or sparks of the original fire. So these sparks can be covered by the influence of mäyä, but the original fire, Krishna, cannot. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even from the beginning of His appearance in the house of Vasudeva and Devaké.

Krishna showed the nature of a small baby and closed His eyes, as if to avoid the face of Pütanä. This closing of the eyes is interpreted and studied in different ways by the devotees. Some say that Krishna closed His eyes because He did not like to see the face of Pütanä, who had killed so many children and who had now come to kill Him. Others say that Pütanä hesitated to take the baby on her lap because something extraordinary was being dictated to her from within, and in order to give her assurance, Krishna closed His eyes so that she would not be frightened. And yet others interpret in this way: Krishna appeared in order to kill the demons and give protection to the devotees, as stated in the Bhagavad-gétä: pariträëäya sädhünäà vinäçäya ca duñkåtäm [Bg. 4.8]. The first demon to be killed was a woman. According to Vedic rules, the killing of a woman, a brähmaëa, cows or a child is strictly forbidden. Krishna was obliged to kill the demon Pütanä, and because the killing of a woman is forbidden according to Vedic çästra, He could not help but close His eyes. Another interpretation is that Krishna closed His eyes because He simply took Pütanä to be His nurse. Pütanä came to Krishna just to offer her breast for the Lord to suck. Krishna is so merciful that even though He knew Pütanä was there to kill Him, He took her as His nurse or mother.

There are seven kinds of mothers according to Vedic injunction: the real mother, the wife of a teacher or spiritual master, the wife of a king, the wife of a brähmaëa, the cow, the nurse and mother earth. Because Pütanä came to take Krishna on her lap and offer her breast milk to be sucked by Him, she was accepted by Krishna as one of His mothers. That is considered to be another reason He closed His eyes: He had to kill a nurse or mother. But His killing of His mother or nurse was no different from His love for His real mother or foster mother Yaçodä. We further understand from Vedic information that Pütanä was also treated as a mother and given the same facility as Yaçodä. As Yaçodä was given liberation from the material world, Pütanä was also given liberation. When the baby Krishna closed His eyes, Pütanä took Him on her lap. She did not know that she was holding death personified. If a person mistakes a snake for a rope, he dies. Similarly, Pütanä had killed so many babies before meeting Krishna, and she mistook Him to be like them, but now she was accepting the snake that would kill her immediately.

When Pütanä was taking baby Krishna on her lap, both Yaçodä and Rohiëé were present, but they did not forbid her because she was so beautifully dressed, and because she showed motherly affection towards Krishna. They could not understand that she was a sword within a decorated case. Pütanä had smeared a very powerful poison on her breasts, and immediately after taking the baby on her lap, she pushed her breastly nipple within His mouth. She was hoping that as soon as He would suck her breast, He would die. But baby Krishna very quickly took the nipple in anger. He sucked the milk-poison along with the life air of the demon. In other words, Krishna simultaneously sucked the milk from her breast and killed her by sucking out her life. Krishna is so merciful that because the demon Pütanä came to offer her breast milk to Him, He fulfilled her desire and accepted her activity as motherly. But to stop her from further nefarious activities, He immediately killed her. And because the demon was killed by Krishna, she got liberation. As Krishna pressed her breast extremely hard and sucked out her very breath, Pütanä fell down on the ground, spread her arms and legs and began to cry, “Oh, child, leave me, leave me!” She was crying loudly and perspiring, and her whole body became wet.

As she died screaming, there was a tremendous vibration on the earth and in the sky, on the upper and lower planets and in all directions, and people thought that thunderbolts were falling. Thus the nightmare of the Pütanä witch was over, and she assumed her real feature as a great demon. She opened her fierce mouth and spread her arms and legs all over. She fell exactly as Våträsura did when struck by the thunderbolt of Indra. The long hair on her head was scattered all over her body. Her fallen body extended up to twelve miles and smashed all the trees to pieces, and everyone was struck with wonder upon seeing this gigantic body. Her teeth appeared just like plows, and her nostrils appeared just like mountain caves. Her breasts appeared like small hills, and her hair was a vast reddish bush. Her eye sockets appeared like blind wells, and her two thighs appeared like two banks of a river. Her two hands appeared like two strongly constructed bridges, and her abdomen seemed like a dried-up lake. All the cowherd men and women became struck with awe and wonder upon seeing this. And the tumultuous sound of her falling shocked their brains and ears and made their hearts beat strongly.

When the gopés saw little Krishna fearlessly playing on Pütanä’s lap, they very quickly came and picked Him up. Mother Yaçodä, Rohiëé and other elder gopés immediately performed the auspicious rituals by taking the tail of a cow and circumambulating His body. The child was completely washed with the urine of a cow, and the dust created by the hooves of the cows was thrown all over His body. This was all just to save little Krishna from future inauspicious accidents. This incident gives us a clear indication of how important the cow is to the family, society and to living beings in general. The transcendental body of Krishna did not require any protection, but to instruct us on the importance of the cow, the Lord was smeared over with cow dung, washed with the urine of a cow, and sprinkled with the dust upraised by the walking of the cows.

After this purificatory process, the gopés, headed by mother Yaçodä and Rohiëé, chanted twelve names of Vishnu to give Krishna’s body full protection from all evil influences. They washed their hands and feet and sipped water three times, as is the custom before chanting mantra. They chanted as follows: “My dear Krishna, may the Lord who is known as Aja protect Your legs; may Lord Maëimän protect Your knees; may Lord Yajïa protect Your thighs; may Lord Acyuta protect Your upper waist; may Lord Hayagréva protect Your abdomen; may Lord Keçava protect Your heart; may Lord Éça protect Your chest; may Lord Sürya protect Your neck; may Lord Vishnu protect Your arms; may Lord Urukrama protect Your face; may Lord Éçvara protect Your head; may Lord Cakradhara protect Your front; may Lord Gadädhara protect Your back; may Lord Madhusüdana, who carries a bow in His hand, protect Your right side; may Lord Ajana protect Your left side; may Lord Urugäya with His conchshell protect You on all sides; may the Personality of Godhead Upendra protect You from above; may Lord Tärkñya protect You on the ground; may Lord Haladhara protect You from all sides; may the Personality of Godhead known as Håñékeça protect all Your senses; may Lord Näräyaëa protect Your life airs; may the Lord of Çvetadvépa, Näräyaëa, protect the core of Your heart; may Lord Yogeçvara protect Your mind; may Lord Påçnigarbha protect Your intelligence; and may the Supreme Personality of Godhead protect Your soul. While You are playing, may Lord Govinda protect You from all sides, and when You are sleeping, may Lord Mädhava protect You from all danger; when You are walking, may the Lord of Vaikuëöha protect You from falling down; when You are sitting, may Lord Näräyaëa give You all protection; and while You are eating, may the Lord of all sacrifices give You all protection.”

Thus mother Yaçodä chanted different names of Vishnu to protect child Krishna’s different bodily parts. Mother Yaçodä was firmly convinced that she should protect her child from different kinds of evil spirits and ghosts—namely Òäkinés, Yätudhänés, Kuñmäëòas, Yakñas, Räkñasas, Vinäyakas, Koöaräs, Revatés, Jyeñöhäs, Pütanäs, Mätåkäs, Unmädas and similar other evil spirits, who cause persons to forget their own existence and give trouble to the life airs and the senses. Sometimes they appear in dreams and cause much perturbation; sometimes they appear as old women and suck the blood of small children. But no such ghosts and evil spirits can remain where there is chanting of the holy name of God. Mother Yaçodä was firmly convinced of the Vedic injunctions about the importance of cows and the holy name of Vishnu; therefore she took all shelter in the cows and the name of Vishnu just to protect her child Krishna. She recited all the holy names of Vishnu so that He might save the child. Vedic culture has taken advantage of keeping cows and chanting the holy name of Vishnu since the beginning of history, and persons who are still following the Vedic ways, especially the householders, keep at least one dozen cows and worship the Deity of Lord Vishnu, who is installed in their house. Persons who are advancing in Krishna consciousness should take instruction from this pastime and also be very much interested in cows and the holy name of Vishnu.

The elder gopés of Våndävana were so absorbed in affection for Krishna that they wanted to save Him, although there was no need to, for He had already protected Himself. They could not understand that Krishna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead playing as a child. After performing the formalities to protect the child, mother Yaçodä took Krishna and let Him suck her breast. When the child was protected by Vishnu-mantra, mother Yaçodä felt that He was safe. In the meantime, all the cowherd men who had gone to Mathurä to pay tax returned home and were struck with wonder at seeing the gigantic dead body of Pütanä.

Nanda Mahäräja recalled the prophecy of Vasudeva and considered him a great sage and mystic yogé; otherwise, how could he have foretold an incident that happened during his absence from Våndävana? After this, all the residents of Vraja cut the gigantic body of Pütanä into pieces and piled it up with wood for burning. When all the limbs of Pütanä’s body were burning, the smoke emanating from the fire created a good aroma of aguru. This aroma was due to her being killed by Krishna. This means that the demon Pütanä was washed of all her sinful activities and attained a celestial body. Here is an example of how the Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-good: Pütanä came to kill Krishna, but because He sucked her milk, she was immediately purified, and her dead body attained a transcendental quality. Her only business was to kill small children; she was only fond of blood. But in spite of being envious of Krishna, she attained salvation because she gave her milk to Him to drink. So what can be said of those who are affectionate to Krishna in the relationship of mother, who with great love and affection render service to Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supersoul of every living entity?

It is concluded therefore that even a little energy expended in the service of the Lord gives one immense transcendental profit. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gétä: sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya träyate mahato bhayät. Devotional service in Krishna consciousness is so sublime that even a little service to Krishna, knowingly or unknowingly, gives one the greatest transcendental benefit. The system of worshiping Krishna by offering flowers from a tree is also beneficial for the living entity who is confined to the bodily existence of that tree. When flowers and fruits are offered to Krishna, the tree that bore them also receives much benefit, indirectly. The arcana process, or worshiping procedure, is therefore beneficial for everyone. Krishna is worshipable by great demigods like Brahmä and Lord Çiva, and Pütanä was so fortunate that the same Krishna played in her lap as a little child. The lotus feet of Krishna, which are worshiped by great sages and devotees, were placed on the body of Pütanä. People worship Krishna and offer food with great reverence and devotion, but automatically He sucked the milk from the body of Pütanä. Devotees therefore pray that if simply by offering something as an enemy Pütanä got so much benefit, then who can measure the benefit of worshiping Krishna in love and affection? Therefore only Krishna should be worshiped, for so much benefit awaits the worshiper.

Although Pütanä was an evil spirit, she gained elevation just like the mother of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is clear that the cows and the elder gopés who offered milk to Krishna were also elevated to the transcendental position. Krishna can offer anyone anything, from liberation to anything materially conceivable. Therefore, there cannot be any doubt of the salvation of Pütanä, whose bodily milk was sucked by Krishna for such a long time. And how can there be any doubt about the salvation of the gopés who were so fond of Krishna? Undoubtedly all the gopés, cowherd boys, cows and everyone else who served Krishna in Våndävana with love and affection were liberated from the miserable condition of material existence.

When all the inhabitants of Våndävana smelled the good aroma from the smoke of the burning Pütanä, they inquired from each other, “Where is this good fragrance coming from?” And while conversing, they came to understand that it was the fumes of the burning Pütanä. They were very fond of Krishna, and as soon as they heard that the demon Pütanä had been killed by Krishna, they offered blessings to the little child out of affection. After the burning of Pütanä, Nanda Mahäräja came home and immediately took up the child on his lap and began to smell His head. In this way, he was quite satisfied that his little child was saved from this great calamity. Çréla Çukadeva Gosvämé has given a blessing to all persons who hear the narration of the killing of Pütanä by Krishna: they will surely attain the favor of Govinda.

Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! he
Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! he
Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! rakña mäm
Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! pähi mäm
räma! räghava! räma! räghava! räma! räghava! rakña mäm
Krishna! keçava! Krishna! keçava! Krishna! keçava! pähi mäm
Caitanya-caritämåta (Madhya 7.96)

While attempting to write this book, Krishna, let me first offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, Oà Viñëupäda 108 Çré Çrémad Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé Mahäräja Prabhupäda. Then let me offer my respectful obeisances to the ocean of mercy, Lord Çré Krishna Caitanya Mahäprabhu. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna Himself, appearing in the role of a devotee just to distribute the highest principles of devotional service. Lord Caitanya began His preaching from the country known as Gauòadeça (West Bengal). And as I belong to the Madhva-Gauòéya-sampradäya, I must therefore offer my respectful obeisances to the disciplic succession of that name. This Madhva-Gauòéya-sampradäya is also known as the Brahma-sampradäya because the disciplic succession originally began from Brahmä. Brahmä instructed the sage Närada, Närada instructed Vyäsadeva, and Vyäsadeva instructed Madhva Muni, or Madhväcärya. Çré Mädhavendra Puré, the originator of the Madhva-Gauòéya-sampradäya, was a sannyäsé (renunciant) who belonged to the Madhväcärya disciplic succession. He had many renowned disciples, such as Nityänanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu and Éçvara Puré. Éçvara Puré happened to be the spiritual master of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu. So let us offer our respectful obeisances to Éçvara Puré, Nityänanda Prabhu, Çré Advaita Äcärya Prabhu, Çréväsa Paëòita and Çré Gadädhara Paëòita. Next, let us offer our respectful obeisances to Svarüpa Dämodara, who acted as the private secretary to Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu; and let us offer our respectful obeisances to Çré Väsudeva Datta and the constant attendant of Lord Caitanya, Çré Govinda, and the constant friend of Lord Caitanya, Mukunda, and also to Muräri Gupta. And let us offer our respectful obeisances to the six Gosvämés of Våndävana—Çré Rüpa Gosvämé, Çré Sanätana Gosvämé, Çré Raghunätha Bhaööa Gosvämé, Çré Gopäla Bhaööa Gosvämé, Çré Jéva Gosvämé and Çré Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé.

Krishna Himself has explained in the Bhagavad-gétä that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that whenever there are discrepancies in the regulative principles of man’s religious life and a prominence of irreligious activities, He appears on this earthly planet. In other words, when Lord Çré Krishna appeared, there was a necessity of minimizing the load of sinful activities accumulated on this planet, or in this universe. For affairs of the material creation, Lord Mahä-Viñëu, the plenary portion of Krishna, is in charge.
When the Lord descends, the incarnation emanates from Viñëu. Mahä-Viñëu is the original cause of material creation, and from Him Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu expands, and then Kñérodakaçäyé Viñëu. Generally, all the incarnations appearing within this material universe are plenary expansions from Kñérodakaçäyé Viñëu. Therefore, the business of minimizing the overload of sinful activities on this earth does not belong to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna Himself. But when Krishna appears, all the Viñëu expansions also join with Him. Krishna’s different expansions—namely Näräyaëa, the quadruple expansion of Väsudeva, Saìkarñaëa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, as well as partial plenary expansions like Matsya, the incarnation of a fish, and the yuga-avatäras (incarnations for the millennium) and the manvantara-avatäras (incarnations who appear during the reigns of the Manus)—all combine together and appear with the body of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna is the complete whole, and thus all plenary expansions and incarnations always live with Him.
Therefore when Krishna appeared, Lord Viñëu was also with Him. Krishna actually appears in order to demonstrate His Våndävana pastimes and in this way attract the fortunate conditioned souls and invite them back home, back to Godhead. The killing of the demons in Våndävana was carried out only by the Viñëu portion of Krishna.
The Lord’s abode is described in the Bhagavad-gétä, Eighth Chapter, twentieth verse, where it is stated that there is another, eternal nature, the spiritual sky, which is transcendental to this manifested and nonmanifested matter. The manifested world can be seen in the form of many stars and planetary systems, such as the sun and moon, but beyond this there is a nonmanifested portion, which is not approachable by anyone in this body. And beyond that nonmanifested matter is the spiritual kingdom. That kingdom is described in the Bhagavad-gétä as supreme and eternal, never to be annihilated. This material nature is subjected to repeated creation and annihilation. But that part, the spiritual nature, remains as it is, eternally.
The supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is also described in the Brahma-saàhitä as the abode of cintämaëi. That abode of Lord Krishna, known as Goloka Våndävana, is full of palaces made of touchstone. There the trees are called desire trees, and the cows are called surabhi. The Lord is served there by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune. His name is Govinda, the Primeval Lord, and He is the cause of all causes. There the Lord plays His flute, His eyes are like lotus petals, and the color of His body is like that of a beautiful cloud. On His head is a peacock feather. He is so attractive that He excels thousands of Cupids. Lord Krishna gives only a little hint in the Gétä of His personal abode, which is the supermost planet in the spiritual kingdom. But in Çrémad-Bhägavatam Krishna actually appears with all His paraphernalia and demonstrates His activities in Våndävana, then at Mathurä, and then at Dvärakä. The subject matter of this book will gradually reveal all these activities.
The family in which Krishna appeared is called the Yadu dynasty. This Yadu dynasty belongs to the family descending from Soma, the god in the moon planet. There are two different kñatriya families of the royal order, one descending from the king of the moon planet and the other descending from the king of the sun planet. Whenever the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears, He generally appears in a kñatriya family because He has to establish religious principles or the life of righteousness. The kñatriya family is the protector of the human race, according to the Vedic system. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as Lord Rämacandra, He appeared in the family descending from the sun-god, known as Raghu-vaàça; and when He appeared as Lord Krishna, He did so in the family of Yadu-vaàça. There is a long list of the kings of the Yadu-vaàça in the Ninth Canto, Twenty-fourth Chapter, of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. All of them were great, powerful kings. Krishna’s father’s name was Vasudeva, son of Çürasena, descending from the Yadu dynasty. Actually, the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not belong to any dynasty of this material world, but the family in which the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears becomes famous, by His grace. For example, sandalwood is produced in the states of Malaya. Sandalwood has its own qualifications apart from Malaya, but because accidentally this wood is mainly produced in the states of Malaya, it is known as Malayan sandalwood. Similarly, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, belongs to everyone, but just as the sun rises from the east, although there are other directions from which it could rise, so by His own choice the Lord appears in a particular family, and that family becomes famous.
As explained above, when Krishna appears, all His plenary expansions also appear with Him. Krishna appeared along with Balaräma (Baladeva), who is known as His elder brother. Balaräma is the origin of Saìkarñaëa, of the quadruple expansion. Balaräma is also the plenary expansion of Krishna. In this book, the attempt will be made to show how Krishna appeared in the family of the Yadu dynasty and how He displayed His transcendental characteristics. This is very vividly described in Çrémad-Bhägavatam—specifically, the Tenth Canto—and thus the basis of this book will be the Tenth Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam.
The pastimes of the Lord are generally heard and relished by liberated souls. Those who are conditioned souls are interested in reading stories of the material activities of some common man. Although similar narrations describing the transcendental activities of the Lord are found in Çrémad-Bhägavatam and other Puräëas, the conditioned souls still prefer to study ordinary narrations. They are not so interested in studying the narrations of the pastimes of the Lord, Krishna. And yet the descriptions or the pastimes of Lord Krishna are so attractive that they are relishable for all classes of men. There are three classes of men in this world. One class consists of liberated souls, another consists of those who are trying to be liberated, and the third consists of materialistic men. Whether one is liberated or is trying to be liberated, or is even grossly materialistic, the pastimes of Lord Krishna are worth studying.
Liberated souls have no interest in materialistic activities. The impersonalist theory that after liberation one becomes inactive and needs to hear nothing does not prove that a liberated person is actually inactive. A living soul cannot be inactive. He is either active in the conditioned state or in the liberated state. A diseased person, for example, is also active, but his activities are all painful. The same person, when freed from the diseased condition, is still active, but in the healthy condition the activities are full of pleasure. Similarly, the impersonalists only seek to get free from the diseased, conditioned activities, but they have no information of activities in the healthy condition. Those who are actually liberated and in full knowledge take to hearing the activities of Krishna; such engagement is pure spiritual activity.
It is essential for persons who are actually liberated to hear about the pastimes of Krishna. That is the supreme relishable subject matter for one in the liberated state. Also, if persons who are trying to be liberated hear such narrations as the Bhagavad-gétä and Çrémad-Bhägavatam, then their path of liberation becomes very clear. The Bhagavad-gétä is the preliminary study of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. By studying the Gétä, one becomes fully conscious of the position of Lord Krishna; and when he is situated at the lotus feet of Krishna, he understands the narrations of Krishna as described in Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Lord Caitanya has therefore advised His followers that their business is to propagate Krishna-kathä.
Krishna-kathä means narrations about Lord Krishna. There are two Krishna-kathäs: narrations spoken by Krishna and narrations spoken about Krishna. The Bhagavad-gétä is the narration or the philosophy on the science of God, spoken by Krishna Himself. Çrémad-Bhägavatam is the narration about the activities and transcendental pastimes of Krishna. Both are Krishna-kathä. It is the order of Lord Caitanya that Krishna-kathä should be spread all over the world, because if the conditioned souls, suffering under the pangs of material existence, take to Krishna-kathä, then their path of liberation will be open and clear. The purpose of presenting this book is primarily to induce people to understand Krishna or Krishna-kathä, because thereby they can become freed from material bondage.
This Krishna-kathä will also be very much appealing to the most materialistic persons because Krishna’s pastimes with the gopés (cowherd girls) are exactly like the loving affairs between young girls and boys within this material world. Actually, the sex feeling found in human society is not unnatural because this same sex feeling is there in the original Personality of Godhead. The pleasure potency is called Çrématé Rädhäräëé. The attraction of loving affairs on the basis of sex feeling is the original feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we, the conditioned souls, being part and parcel of the Supreme, have such feelings also, but they are experienced within a perverted, minute condition. Therefore, when those who are after sex life in this material world hear about Krishna’s pastimes with the gopés, they will relish transcendental pleasure, although it appears to be materialistic. The advantage will be that they will gradually be elevated to the spiritual platform. In the Bhägavatam it is stated that if one hears the pastimes of Lord Krishna with the gopés, from authorities with submission, then he will be promoted to the platform of transcendental loving service to the Lord, and the material disease of lust within his heart will be completely vanquished. In other words, such hearing will counteract material sex life.
This book, Krishna, which is filled with Krishna-kathä, will thus appeal equally to the liberated souls and to persons who are trying to be liberated, as well as to the gross, conditioned materialist. According to the statement of Mahäräja Parékñit, who heard about Krishna from Çukadeva Gosvämé, Krishna-kathä is equally applicable to every human being, whatever condition of life he is in. Surely everyone will appreciate it to the highest magnitude. But Mahäräja Parékñit also warned that persons who are simply engaged in killing animals and in killing themselves may not be very much attracted to Krishna-kathä. In other words, ordinary persons who are following the regulative moral principles of scriptures, no matter in what condition they are found, will certainly be attracted, but not persons who are killing themselves. The exact word used in Çrémad-Bhägavatam is paçu-ghna, which means killing animals or killing oneself. Persons who are not self-realized and who are not interested in spiritual realization are killing themselves; they are committing suicide. Because this human form of life is especially meant for self-realization, by neglecting this important part of his activities one simply wastes his time like the animals. So he is paçu-ghna. The other meaning of the word refers to those who are actually killing animals. This means persons who are animal-eaters (even dog-eaters), for they are all engaged in killing animals in so many ways, such as hunting and opening slaughterhouses. Such persons cannot be interested in Krishna-kathä.
King Parékñit was especially interested in hearing Krishna-kathä because he knew that his forefathers, particularly his grandfather, Arjuna, were victorious in the great Battle of Kurukñetra only because of Krishna. We may also take this material world as a Battlefield of Kurukñetra. Everyone is struggling hard for existence on this battlefield, and at every step there is danger. According to Mahäräja Parékñit, the Battlefield of Kurukñetra was just like a vast ocean full of dangerous animals. His grandfather Arjuna had to fight with such great heroes as Bhéñma, Droëa, Karëa and many others who were not ordinary fighters. Such warriors have been compared to the timiìgila fish in the ocean. The timiìgila fish can very easily swallow up big whales. The great fighters on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra could swallow many, many Arjunas very easily, but simply due to Krishna’s mercy, Arjuna was able to kill all of them. Just as one can cross with no exertion over the little bit of water contained in the hoofprint of a calf, so Arjuna, by the grace of Krishna, was able to very easily jump over the ocean of the Battle of Kurukñetra.
Mahäräja Parékñit very much appreciated Krishna’s activities for many other reasons. Not only was his grandfather saved by Krishna, but he himself also was saved by Krishna. By the end of the Battle of Kurukñetra, all the members of the Kuru dynasty, both the sons and grandsons on the side of Dhåtaräñöra and those on the side of the Päëòavas, had died in the fighting. Except the five Päëòava brothers, everyone died on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra. Mahäräja Parékñit was at that time within the womb of his mother. His father, Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, also died on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra, and so Mahäräja Parékñit was a posthumous child. When he was in the womb of his mother, a brahmästra weapon was released by Açvatthämä to kill the child. When Parékñit Mahäräja’s mother, Uttarä, approached Krishna, Krishna, seeing the danger of abortion, entered her womb as the Supersoul and saved Mahäräja Parékñit. Mahäräja Parékñit’s other name is Viñëuräta because he was saved by Lord Viñëu Himself while still within the womb.
Thus everyone, in any condition of life, should be interested in hearing about Krishna and His activities because He is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. He is all-pervading: inside He is living within everyone’s heart, and outside He is living as His universal form. And yet, as described in the Bhagavad-gétä, He appears as He is in the human society just to invite everyone to His transcendental abode, back home, back to Godhead. Everyone should be interested in knowing about Krishna, and this book is presented with this purpose: that people may know about Krishna and be perfectly benefited in this human form of life.
In the Ninth Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Çré Baladeva is described as the son of Rohiëé, a wife of Vasudeva. Vasudeva, the father of Krishna, had sixteen wives, and one of them was Rohiëé, the mother of Baladeva. But Baladeva is also described as the son of Devaké, so how could He be the son of both Devaké and Rohiëé? This was one of the questions put by Mahäräja Parékñit to Çukadeva Gosvämé, and it will be answered in due course. Mahäräja Parékñit also asked Çukadeva Gosvämé why Çré Krishna, just after His appearance as the son of Vasudeva, was immediately carried to the house of Nanda Mahäräja in Våndävana, Gokula. He also wanted to know what the activities of Lord Krishna were while He was in Våndävana and while He was in Mathurä. Besides that, he was especially inquisitive to know why Krishna killed His maternal uncle, Kaàsa. Kaàsa, being the brother of His mother, was a very intimate superior to Krishna, so how was it that He killed Kaàsa? Also, Mahäräja Parékñit asked how many years Lord Krishna remained in human society, how many years He reigned over the kingdom of Dvärakä, and how many wives He accepted there. A kñatriya king is generally accustomed to accept more than one wife; therefore Mahäräja Parékñit also inquired about His number of wives. The subject matter of this book is Çukadeva Gosvämé’s answering of these and other questions asked by Mahäräja Parékñit.
The position of Mahäräja Parékñit and Çukadeva Gosvämé is unique. Mahäräja Parékñit is the right person to hear about the transcendental pastimes of Krishna, and Çukadeva Gosvämé is the right person to describe them. If such a fortunate combination is made possible, then Krishna-kathä immediately becomes revealed, and people may benefit to the highest possible degree from such a conversation.
This narration was presented by Çukadeva Gosvämé when Mahäräja Parékñit was prepared to give up his body, fasting on the bank of the Ganges. In order to assure Çukadeva Gosvämé that by hearing Krishna-kathä he would not feel tired, Mahäräja Parékñit expressed himself very frankly: “Hunger and thirst may give trouble to ordinary persons or to me, but the topics of Krishna are so nice that one can continue to hear them without feeling tired because such hearing situates one in the transcendental position.” It is understood that one must be very fortunate to hear Krishna-kathä seriously, like Mahäräja Parékñit. He was especially intent on the subject matter because he was expecting death at any moment. Every one of us should be conscious of death at every moment. This life is not at all assured; at any time one can die. It does not matter whether one is a young man or an old man. So before death takes place, we must be fully Krishna conscious.
At the point of his death, King Parékñit was hearing Çrémad-Bhägavatam from Çukadeva Gosvämé. When King Parékñit expressed his untiring desire to hear about Krishna, Çukadeva Gosvämé was very much pleased. Çukadeva was the greatest of all Bhägavata reciters, and thus he began to speak about Krishna’s pastimes, which destroy all inauspiciousness in this Age of Kali. Çukadeva Gosvämé thanked the King for his eagerness to hear about Krishna, and he encouraged him by saying, “My dear King, your intelligence is very keen because you are so eager to hear about the pastimes of Krishna.” He informed Mahäräja Parékñit that hearing and chanting the pastimes of Krishna are so auspicious that the processes purify the three varieties of men involved: he who recites the transcendental topics of Krishna, he who hears such topics, and he who inquires about Him. These pastimes are just like the Ganges water, which flows from the toe of Lord Viñëu: they purify the three worlds, the upper, middle and lower planetary systems.

In the Western countries, when someone sees the cover of a book like Krishna, he immediately asks, “Who is Krishna? Who is the girl with Krishna?” etc.
The immediate answer is that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How is that? Because He conforms in exact detail to descriptions of the Supreme Being, the Godhead. In other words, Krishna is the Godhead because He is all-attractive. Outside the principle of all-attraction, there is no meaning to the word Godhead. How is it one can be all-attractive? First of all, if one is very wealthy, if he has great riches, he becomes attractive to the people in general. Similarly, if someone is very powerful, he also becomes attractive, and if someone is very famous, he also becomes attractive, and if someone is very beautiful or wise or unattached to all kinds of possessions, he also becomes attractive. So from practical experience we can observe that one is attractive due to (1) wealth, (2) power, (3) fame, (4) beauty, (5) wisdom and (6) renunciation. One who is in possession of all six of these opulences at the same time, who possesses them to an unlimited degree, is understood to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These opulences of the Godhead are delineated by Paräçara Muni, a great Vedic authority.
We have seen many rich persons, many powerful persons, many famous persons, many beautiful persons, many learned and scholarly persons, and persons in the renounced order of life unattached to material possessions. But we have never seen any one person who is unlimitedly and simultaneously wealthy, powerful, famous, beautiful, wise and unattached, like Krishna, in the history of humanity. Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a historical person who appeared on this earth 5,000 years ago. He stayed on this earth for 125 years and played exactly like a human being, but His activities were unparalleled. From the very moment of His appearance to the moment of His disappearance, every one of His activities is unparalleled in the history of the world, and therefore anyone who knows what we mean by Godhead will accept Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one is equal to the Godhead, and no one is greater than Him. That is the import of the familiar saying “God is great.”

There are various classes of men in the world who speak of God in different ways, but according to the Vedic literature and according to the great äcäryas, the authorized persons versed in the knowledge of God in all ages, like äcäryas Çaìkara, Rämänuja, Madhva, Viñëusvämé, Lord Caitanya and all their followers by disciplic succession, all unanimously agree that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As far as we, the followers of Vedic civilization, are concerned, we accept the Vedic history of the whole universe, which consists of different planetary systems called Svargalokas, or the higher planetary system, Martyalokas, or the intermediary planetary system, and Pätälalokas, or the lower planetary system. The modern historians of this earth cannot supply historical evidences of events that occurred before 5,000 years ago, and the anthropologists say that 40,000 years ago Homo sapiens had not appeared on this planet because evolution had not reached that point. But the Vedic histories, the Puräëas and Mahäbhärata, relate human histories which extend millions and billions of years into the past.
For example, from these scriptures we are given the histories of Krishna’s appearances and disappearances millions and billions of years ago. In the Fourth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gétä Krishna tells Arjuna that both He and Arjuna had had many births before and that He (Krishna) could remember all of them and that Arjuna could not. This illustrates the difference between the knowledge of Krishna and that of Arjuna. Arjuna might have been a very great warrior, a well-cultured member of the Kuru dynasty, but after all, he was an ordinary human being, whereas Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the possessor of unlimited knowledge. Because He possesses unlimited knowledge, Krishna has a memory that is boundless.
Krishna’s knowledge is so perfect that He remembers all the incidents of His appearances some millions and billions of years in the past, but Arjuna’s memory and knowledge are limited by time and space, for he is an ordinary human being. In the Fourth Chapter Krishna states that He can remember instructing the lessons of the Bhagavad-gétä some millions of years ago to the sun-god, Vivasvän.
Nowadays it is the fashion of the atheistic class of men to try to become God by following some mystic process. Generally the atheists claim to be God by dint of their imagination or their meditational prowess. Krishna is not that kind of God. He does not become God by manufacturing some mystic process of meditation, nor does He become God by undergoing the severe austerities of the mystic yogic exercises. Properly speaking, He never becomes God because He is the Godhead in all circumstances.
Within the prison of His maternal uncle Kaàsa, where His father and mother were confined, Krishna appeared outside His mother’s body as the four-handed Viñëu-Näräyaëa. Then He turned Himself into a baby and told His father to carry Him to the house of Nanda Mahäräja and his wife Yaçodä. When Krishna was just a small baby the gigantic demoness Pütanä attempted to kill Him, but when He sucked her breast He pulled out her life. That is the difference between the real Godhead and a God manufactured in the mystic factory. Krishna had no chance to practice the mystic yoga process, yet He manifested Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead at every step, from infancy to childhood, from childhood to boyhood, and from boyhood to young manhood. In this book, Krishna, all of His activities as a human being are described. Although Krishna plays like a human being, He always maintains His identity as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Since Krishna is all-attractive, one should know that all his desires should be focused on Krishna. In the Bhagavad-gétä it is said that the individual person is the proprietor or master of his own body but that Krishna, who is the Supersoul present in everyone’s heart, is the supreme proprietor and supreme master of each and every individual body. As such, if we concentrate our loving propensities upon Krishna only, then immediately universal love, unity and tranquillity will be automatically realized. When one waters the root of a tree, he automatically waters the branches, twigs, leaves and flowers; when one supplies food to the stomach through the mouth, he satisfies all the various parts of the body.
The art of focusing one’s attention on the Supreme and giving one’s love to Him is called Krishna consciousness. We have inaugurated the Krishna consciousness movement so that everyone can satisfy his propensity for loving others simply by directing his love towards Krishna. The whole world is very anxious to satisfy the dormant propensity of love for others, but the various invented methods like socialism, communism, altruism, humanitarianism and nationalism, along with whatever else may be manufactured for the peace and prosperity of the world, are all useless and frustrating because of our gross ignorance of the art of loving Krishna. Generally people think that by advancing the cause of moral principles and religious rites they will be happy. Others may think that happiness can be achieved by economic development, and yet others think that simply by sense gratification they will be happy. But the real fact is that people can be happy only by loving Krishna.
Krishna can perfectly reciprocate one’s loving propensities in different relationships called mellows, or rasas. Basically there are twelve loving relationships. One can love Krishna as the supreme unknown, as the supreme master, the supreme friend, the supreme child, the supreme lover. These are the five basic love rasas. One can also love Krishna indirectly in seven different relationships, which are apparently different from the five primary relationships. All in all, however, if one simply reposes his dormant loving propensity in Krishna, then his life becomes successful. This is not a fiction but is a fact that can be realized by practical application. One can directly perceive the effects that love for Krishna has on his life.
In the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gétä this science of Krishna consciousness is called the king of all knowledge, the king of all confidential things, and the supreme science of transcendental realization. Yet we can directly experience the results of this science of Krishna consciousness because it is very easy to practice and is very pleasurable. Whatever percentage of Krishna consciousness we can perform will become an eternal asset to our life, for it is imperishable in all circumstances. It has now been actually proved that today’s confused and frustrated younger generation in the Western countries can directly perceive the results of channeling the loving propensity toward Krishna alone.
It is said that although one executes severe austerities, penances and sacrifices in his life, if he fails to awaken his dormant love for Krishna, then all his penances are to be considered useless. On the other hand, if one has awakened his dormant love for Krishna, then what is the use in executing austerities and penances unnecessarily?
The Krishna consciousness movement is the unique gift of Lord Caitanya to the fallen souls of this age. It is a very simple method which has actually been carried out during the last four years in the Western countries, and there is no doubt that this movement can satisfy the dormant loving propensities of humanity. This book, Krishna, is another presentation to help the Krishna consciousness movement in the Western world. This transcendental work of literature is published with profuse illustrations. People love to read various kinds of fiction to spend their time and energy. Now this tendency can be directed to Krishna. The result will be the imperishable satisfaction of the soul, both individually and collectively.
It is said in the Bhagavad-gétä that even a little effort expended on the path of Krishna consciousness can save one from the greatest danger. Hundreds of thousands of examples can be cited of people who have escaped the greatest dangers of life due to a slight advancement in Krishna consciousness. We therefore request everyone to take advantage of this great transcendental literary work. One will find that by reading one page after another, an immense treasure of knowledge in art, science, literature, philosophy and religion will be revealed, and ultimately, by reading this one book, Krishna, love of Godhead will fructify.
My grateful acknowledgement is due to Çrémän George Harrison, now chanting Hare Krishna, for his liberal contribution of $19,000 to meet the entire cost of printing this volume. May Krishna bestow upon this nice boy further advancement in Krishna consciousness.
And at last my ever-willing blessings are bestowed upon Çrémän Çyämasundara däsa Adhikäré, Çrémän Brahmänanda däsa Brahmacäré, Çrémän Hayagréva däsa Adhikäré, Çrémän Satsvarüpa däsa Adhikäré, Çrématé Devahüti-devé däsé, Çrématé Jaduräëé-devé däsé, Çrémän Muralédhara däsa Brahmacäré, Çrémän Bhäradväja däsa Adhikäré and Çrémän Pradyumna däsa Adhikäré, etc., for their hard labor in different ways to make this publication a great success.

Hare Krishna.

Advent Day of
Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté
February 26th, 1970
ISKCON Headquarters
3764 Watseka Avenue
Los Angeles, California

Some don't realize that they are, but they are.
KRISHNA is GOD, the source of all that exists, the Cause of all that is, was, or ever will be.
As GOD is unlimited, HE has many Names.
Allah-Buddha-Jehova-Rama: ALL are KRISHNA, all are ONE.
God is not abstract; He has both the impersonal and the personal GOD is abstract ; He has both the impersonal and the personal aspects to His personality which is SUPREME, ETERNAL, BLISSFUL, and full of KNOWLEDGE. As a single drop of water has the same qualities as an ocean of water, so has our consciousness the qualities of GOD'S consciousness … but through our identification and attachment with material energy (physical body, sense pleasures, material possessions, ego, etc.) our true TRANSCENDENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS has been polluted, and like a dirty mirror it is unable to reflect a pure image.

Some don't realize that they are, but they are.
KRISHNA is GOD, the source of all that exists, the Cause of all that is, was, or ever will be.
As GOD is unlimited, HE has many Names.
Allah-Buddha-Jehova-Rama: ALL are KRISHNA, all are ONE.
God is not abstract; He has both the impersonal and the personal GOD is abstract ; He has both the impersonal and the personal aspects to His personality which is SUPREME, ETERNAL, BLISSFUL, and full of KNOWLEDGE. As a single drop of water has the same qualities as an ocean of water, so has our consciousness the qualities of GOD'S consciousness … but through our identification and attachment with material energy (physical body, sense pleasures, material possessions, ego, etc.) our true TRANSCENDENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS has been polluted, and like a dirty mirror it is unable to reflect a pure image.
With many lives our association with the TEMPORARY has grown. This impermanent body, a bag of bones and flesh, is mistaken for our true self, and we have accepted this temporay condition to be final.
Through all ages, great SAINTS have remained as living proof that this non-temporary, permanent state of GOD CONSCIOUSNESS can be revived in all living Souls. Each soul is potentially divine.
Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita: "Steady in the Self, being freed from all material contamination, the yogi achieves the highest perfectional stage of happiness in touch with the Supreme Consciousness." (VI, 28)
YOGA (a scientific method for GOD (SELF) realization) is the process by which we purify our consciousness, stop further pollution, and arrive at the state of Perfection, full KNOWLEDGE, full BLISS.
If there's a God, I want to see Him. It's pointless to believe in something without proof, and Krishna Consciousness and meditation are methods where you can actually obtain GOD perception. You can actually see God, and hear Him, play with Him. It might sound crazy, but He is actually there, actually with you.
There are many yogic Paths-Raja, Jnana, Hatha, Kriya, Karma, Bhakti-which are all acclaimed by the MASTERS of each method.
SWAMI BHAKTIVEDANTA is as his title says, a BHAKTI Yogi following the path of DEVOTION. By serving GOD through each thought, word and DEED, and by chanting HIS Holy Names, the devotee quickly develops God-consciousness. By chanting
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Räma, Hare Räma
Räma Räma, Hare Hare
One inevitable arrives at KRISHNA Consciousness. (The proof of the pudding is in the eating!)
I request that you take advantage of this book KRISHNA, and enter into its understanding. I also request that you make an appointment to meet your God now, through the self liberating process of YOGA (UNION) and GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.

(hand written)
All you need is Love (Krishna) Hari Bol.
George Harrison 31/3/70

Apple Corps Ltd 3 Savile Row London W1 Gerrard 2771/3993 Telex Apcore London

 Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

A pure devotee of Krishna, who raised me as a Krishna concious child from the beginning of my life. In my boyhood ages he instructed me how to play the mådanga. He gave me Rädhä-Krishna Vigraha to worship, and he gave me Jagannätha-Ratha to duly observe the festival as my childhood play. He was kind to me, and I imbibed from him the ideas later on solidified by my spiritual master, the eternal father.

Table Of Content

Words from Apple, George Harrison
Preface
Introduction
1: The Advent of Lord Krishna
2: Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Krishna in the Womb
3: The Birth of Lord Krishna
4: Kaàsa Begins His Persecutions
5: The Meeting of Nanda and Vasudeva
6: Pütanä Killed
7: The Salvation of Tåëävarta
8: Vision of the Universal Form
9: Mother Yaçodä Binds Lord Krishna
10: The Deliverance of Nalaküvara and Maëigréva
11: Killing the Demons Vatsäsura and Bakäsura
12: The Killing of the Aghäsura Demon
13: The Stealing of the Boys and Calves by Brahmä
14: Prayers Offered by Lord Brahmä to Lord Krishna
15: The Killing of Dhenukäsura
16: Subduing Käliya
17: Extinguishing the Forest Fire
18: Killing the Demon Pralambäsura
19: Devouring the Forest Fire
20: Description of Autumn
21: The Gopés Attracted by the Flute
22: Stealing the Garments of the Unmarried Gopé Girls
23: Delivering the Wives of the Brähmaëas Who Performed Sacrifices
24: Worshiping Govardhana Hill
25: Devastating Rainfall in Våndävana
26: Wonderful Krishna
27: Prayers by Indra, the King of Heaven
28: Releasing Nanda Mahäräja from the Clutches of Varuëa
29: The Räsa Dance: Introduction
30: Krishna's Hiding from the Gopés
31: Songs by the Gopés
32: Krishna Returns to the Gopés
33: Description of the Räsa Dance
34: Vidyädhara Liberated and the Demon Çaìkhacüòa Killed
35: The Gopés' Feelings of Separation
36: Kaàsa Sends Akrüra for Krishna
37: Killing the Keçé Demon and Vyomäsura
38: Akrüra's Arrival in Våndävana
39: Akrüra's Return Journey and His Vision of Viñëuloka Within the Yamunä River
40: Prayers by Akrüra
41: Krishna Enters Mathurä
42: The Breaking of the Bow in the Sacrificial Arena
43: The Killing of the Elephant Kuvalayäpéòa
44: The Killing of Kaàsa
45: Krishna Recovers the Son of His Teacher
46: Uddhava Visits Våndävana
47: Delivery of the Message of Krishna to the Gopés
48: Krishna Pleases His Devotees
49: Ill-motivated Dhåtaräñöra
50: Krishna Erects the Dvärakä Fort
51: The Deliverance of Mucukunda
52: Krishna, the Raëacora
53: Krishna Kidnaps Rukmiëé
54: Krishna Defeats All the Princes and Takes Rukmiëé Home to Dvärakä
55: Pradyumna Born to Krishna and Rukmiëé
56: The Story of the Syamantaka Jewel
57: The Killing of Saträjit and Çatadhanvä
58: Five Queens Married by Krishna
59: The Deliverance of the Demon Bhaumäsura
60: Talks Between Krishna and Rukmiëé
61: The Genealogy of the Family of Krishna
62: The Meeting of Üñä and Aniruddha
63: Lord Krishna Fights with Bäëäsura
64: The Story of King Någa
65: Lord Balaräma Visits Våndävana
66: The Deliverance of Pauëòraka and the King of Käçé
67: The Deliverance of Dvivida Gorilla
68: The Marriage of Sämba
69: The Great Sage Närada Visits the Different Homes of Lord Krishna
70: Lord Krishna's Daily Activities
71: Lord Krishna in Indraprastha City
72: The Liberation of King Jaräsandha
73: Lord Krishna Returns to the City of Hastinäpura
74: The Deliverance of Çiçupäla
75: Why Duryodhana Felt Insulted at the End of the Räjasüya Sacrifice
76: The Battle Between Çälva and Members of the Yadu Dynasty
77: The Deliverance of Çälva
78: The Killing of Dantavakra, Vidüratha and Romaharñaëa
79: The Liberation of Balvala, and Lord Balaräma's Touring the Sacred Places
80: The Meeting of Lord Krishna with Sudämä Brähmaëa
81: The Brähmaëa Sudämä Blessed by Lord Krishna
82: Lord Krishna and Balaräma meet the inhabitants of Våndävana
83: Draupadé Meets the Queens of Krishna
84: Sacrificial Ceremonies Performed by Vasudeva
85: Spiritual Instruction for Vasudeva, and the Return of the
Six Dead Sons of Devaké by Lord Krishna
86: The Kidnapping of Subhadrä, and Lord Krishna's Visiting Çrutadeva and Bahuläçva
87: Prayers by the Personified Vedas
88: The Deliverance of Lord Çiva
89: The Superexcellent Power of Krishna
90: Summary Description of Lord Krishna's Pastimes

We have four basic animal instincts; eating, sleeping, mating and defending. We have these instincts in the human form of life and they are common with the animals. All the universities, all the colleges, all our educational institutions are simply imparting knowledge meant to help us engage in these animal propensities in a more advanced way, in a more “civilized” way. But in reality there is no difference. If we eat in a very beautiful building from very beautiful silver plates with a very nice tablecloth, and we have beautiful waiters serving the food, everything is very nice. This is what we have been able to do as a result of this education — we have been able to provide a very nice atmosphere for eating. But the actual eating process is the same. If I eat the food in this beautiful atmosphere and a dog on the street eats the same food then the taste the dog is enjoying and the taste I am enjoying is the same.

Even though the dog is eating off the street, he has no plate at all, and I am eating off a silver plate, the taste I am experiencing is the same as the taste the dog is experiencing. No matter what the plate is the food tastes the same. The dog is eating off the street, someone is eating from a paper plate, someone is eating off a plastic plate, someone is eating off a golden plate, but the taste doesn’t change. It doesn’t matter what facilities we have around the sense-gratifying process, the actual sense pleasure is the same. In reality the dog is tasting exactly the same thing as a very wealthy man living in his very big house with many servants.

Science and technology have not made sex or food more enjoyable

If you look carefully at all our material advancements you will find them all similar to the above example. We haven’t changed the basic principle of animal sense gratification. The same thing is there in sex life. The dog is having sex on the street and we have made a big arrangement for sex but the actual sense pleasure is the same. The dog is enjoying the same pleasure as we are enjoying, even though we have a beautiful bedroom. The actual substance, sex life, is the same. Everything is the same, we haven’t changed the substance.

We consider society has advanced because we have made a more elaborate arrangement for sense gratification, but this is not real progress in life. The real purpose of life is not to simply improve on the animal activities. The real purpose of life is to understand who I am, to understand what is my position. This is the real education. It is described at the beginning of the Vedanta-sutra that one’s life is meant for enquiring into the meaning of Brahman. Brahman means spirit.

We are in this material world and we are identifying with this material body. Our body is made of the material elements: earth, water, fire, air and either. We can very easily perceive this body so we identify with it, we think, “I am this Australian man,” or “I am a beautiful women,” I identify with whatever position my body is in. This is the beginning of our bewilderment. By identifying with the body we automatically identify with a particular family, we identify with a particular group of people, we identify with a particular country. From this single identification with the body our whole illusion grows and grows and grows. It is called aham mamadi. This illusion of bodily identification is what is keeping us in the material world and any education we can find on this planet at the moment is reinforcing the bodily concept of life.

Todays universities and colleges are slaughterhouses

The students going to todays universities and colleges are actually going to slaughterhouses because the real purpose of life is to understand the soul and to understand the relationship of the soul with the supreme soul, Krishna. But our universities and colleges are not speaking on this, they are simply imparting some technical knowledge and this technical knowledge is not even very useful. Technical knowledge is for the sudra, for the lowest class of men. A sudra can learn this technical knowledge, it is not difficult. Any sort of technical knowledge, even engineering or computer science, or something we consider to be very great, is not actually a very great thing, it can be learnt by a sudra, a less intelligent person.

The real purpose of life and the real education as described in this verse is to understand the nature of the soul and to understand the relationship of the soul with the supreme soul, Krishna.

Krishna consciousness is the king of education

Raja-vidya, vidya means education, raja means king so raja-vidya means king of education. So this king of education is Krishna consciousness. This verse is the beginning of the ninth chapter of Bhagavad-gita. In this ninth chapter the process of devotional service is described. The king of knowledge or the highest knowledge is that we are eternally servants of Krishna and our business is to engage in the service of Krishna. This is actually quite high knowledge. People generally can’t even conceive of God as a person, it’s very difficult. We understand that I am a person and we can see all the problems I’m having so it’s difficult for us to conceive of God as also being a person. Because we think of a person as being like us. But God, Krishna, is not like us, He’s the Supreme Person, and His nature is different, His nature is sat cit ananda vigraha, He’s eternally youthful, He’s full of knowledge and He’s full of pleasure. It is described: om ananda-mayo’bhyasat, “By nature the Supreme Lord is blissful.” So this nature of God as a person is different from our nature here in the material world.

Our nature is actually the same as Krishna’s but because we have come to this material world we have been covered by this material body made of earth, water, fire, air and either. We are also covered by a more subtle covering, the mind, the intelligence and the false ego. Together these are called the subtle body. These two coverings are like the shirt and coat of the soul. The shirt and coat cover the body, similarly we are also covered by the gross elements and the subtle elements and we have forgotten our original spiritual nature, because we are identifying with this body. Underneath this covering we have the same nature as Krishna, we are also sat, cit, ananda, we’re eternally youthful, full of knowledge and full of pleasure and we also have an eternal blissful spiritual form.

We have come to this material world because we have independence. Everyone in the creation of the Supreme Lord is an individual. I am an individual, you are an individual, and Krishna is an individual, God is an individual, we are all individual persons. The difference is:

nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam
eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman

We are all nitya, but Krishna is the supreme singular nitya and we, the living entities, are the plural nityanam. So there is one Krishna who is the supreme and who is supplying all the necessities for unlimited nityas or subordinate living entities. So we are the subordinate living entities. We are also the same quality as Krishna. There is a nice analogy, if you take some gold you can make so many different ornaments from the gold. Although they are manifest in different forms they are all gold, they are all of the same quality as the gold. So Krishna is like the gold mine and we are like some small ornament made from the gold. The same quality is there.

The nature of the spiritual world

Krishna has certain qualities and we also have those qualities, but the nature of Krishna is that He possesses these qualities in unfathomable depth, in great quantity. He is an ocean of all these qualities, whereas we have the same qualities but a tiny drop, a small amount only. So we are samples of Krishna, small particles of Krishna. We are independent persons so we have our own desires. We can serve Krishna if we want to or we can serve ourselves if we want to, but in the spiritual world it is not possible to do anything except serve Krishna because that is the nature of the spiritual world. The nature of the spiritual world is that everybody there is engaged in the service of Krishna. We might think it’s quite boring, that everyone’s doing the same thing, but it’s not at all like that. We see in this material world so many varieties of activities. This material world is a perverted reflection of the spiritual world so all the varieties of activities we see going on here are also going on in the spiritual world.

There are unlimited devotees of Krishna in the spiritual world and they all have individual personalities and individual tastes and individual desires. They are in a relationship with Krishna according to their particular taste, according to their particular desire. It’s not that the spiritual world is some sort of place full of robots all serving Krishna. It’s not like that. The spiritual world is a place of blissful enjoyment and everybody’s there, it’s not that we just have a relationship with Krishna when we are in the spiritual world but all the devotees are there as well. So we have many friendships in the spiritual world with the different devotees who are there and our friendships are centred around serving Krishna. So the real difference between the spiritual world and this material world is in the spiritual world Krishna is the centre and everybody is working to please Krishna, but they are individuals. Everything we see here is there also. My individual feelings, everything is there. I can become angry in the spiritual world, I can become happy in the spiritual world, everything is still there, all the feelings I have here are still there in the spiritual world, but the difference is the material body is not there. We have a body in the spiritual world, but the body is spiritual, it’s an eternal body full of pleasure and full of knowledge.

Krishna cannot be understood by sense perception

The reason many people find it difficult to understand the personal nature of God is they can’t conceive of anything beyond their experience. This is quite natural. We have a certain framework within which our mind is working, we can have certain experiences through our senses and we frame all our other experiences within the boundaries of our sense perception. We can’t conceive of anything beyond the things we have experienced. It’s not possible, we can’t understand. We try to put everything within the boundaries of our experience. When things are described which are beyond our experience it’s very difficult to understand them. We are hearing explanations of the spiritual world and we are hearing explanations of the spiritual body but we can’t help trying to frame them within our limited experience. This is a big danger, if we do it we will misunderstand Krishna’s pastimes, we will misunderstand devotional service and we will consider them activities performed within the material energy.

There is a class of philosophers called Mayavadis who think Krishna accepts a material body when He comes to the material world. They think all activities are material so they think devotees who are engaged in serving Krishna are engaged in material activities, they think the devotees are in maya. They think the ultimate state of liberation is a state of cessation of activities. But this is not a fact. The soul is active eternally. We see the principle of life in this body. The principle of life in this body is the soul. It is actually the soul which is motivating the body. The body by itself can’t do anything. We can see it practically, as soon as the soul leaves the body, as soon as there is death, then the body is lying on the ground. The body is there, all the chemicals are there, all the elements are there, everything is there, but the soul is gone. It’s simply a lump of flesh and blood and stool lying on the ground, it can’t do anything, because the activity, the motivating principle, the life-force is the soul. When the soul leaves the body that activity, that motivating principle, that individuality, that life goes with the soul. So how can the soul be inactive at any point? The soul is eternally active and we can’t stop activity, so after the soul has left this body it has to take on another body, either in the material world or in the spiritual world, and the activity continues.

So real education is to come to the point of understanding the relationship between the living entity, myself, and the supreme person, Krishna. That is one level, this is not the most confidential knowledge. The most confidential level is to actually understand what it is that goes on between the devotee and Krishna. What is the service, what is the activity that the devotee engages in with Krishna. This is the most confidential knowledge, to understand the process of devotional service, to understand how the devotees engage in the service of Krishna. After understanding this we should also do it, we should take it seriously and engage ourselves in the service of Krishna. This is the ultimate goal of life.

Krishna consciousness is very simple — but people like complicated things…

Krishna consciousness is a very simple process but because people like to understand something very complicated sometimes they can’t grasp the simple nature of Krishna consciousness. But it’s very simple. The idea is we’re here in the material world and are engaged serving ourselves or our family or our country or our community. We have to serve somebody. The process of devotional service or Krishna consciousness is simply to change that service and instead of serving myself I serve Krishna. It’s very simple, that’s it, that’s devotional service, that’s the most confidential knowledge. All I have to do is serve Krishna, I don’t really have to change my activities because the activities I am doing now I can just do for Krishna. I’m cooking. I have to cook. Everybody has to cook. There’s no alternative — we have to eat something — so we have to go to the supermarket and buy some food and we have to cook it. Everyone is doing this. I can cook for myself but I can also do that same cooking for Krishna. Of course if I am cooking for Krishna there are some special considerations, I can only offer Krishna the food He likes to eat; grains, vegetables, milk products and fruit, I have to be very clean and I have to think in my mind that I am going to make an offering for Krishna, I’m going to cook some very nice food and offer that food to Krishna. This cooking is the same activity as cooking for myself, you can’t see any difference. If you go to one house and see a devotee cooking and you go to another house and see another person cooking they are doing the same thing, the activity is not different but the consciousness of the devotee is different. The devotee is doing it for Krishna, he’s thinking how Krishna will enjoy this meal and how it will be very nice for Krishna to taste this meal. Then he is happy to eat the remnants of the food tasted by Krishna. In this way the devotees spiritualise all the activities of their lives.

The ultimate goal of life or the main purpose in life is to come to the point when we can always remember Krishna and never forget Krishna. This is the goal of the devotee. He wants to structure his life in such a way that at every point he is reminded of Krishna, in this way he will always be in ecstasy, always in transcendental bliss.

The position of such a devotee who always remembers Krishna and never forgets Krishna is that his body becomes spiritual, he’s not in this material world any more. Although his body appears to be in the material world he’s not of the material world, his material body dissolves and his body becomes spiritual. In India generally people’s bodies are cremated after death or they are put into a river but the spiritual master is put into samadhi, it means he is put into a tomb, because the body of the spiritual master is spiritual, his material body has been consumed by the fire of devotional service.

Liberation is easy — but to understand Krishna is a person is special

We have to try and grasp this simple point, that I should use all of my energy for Krishna. I should do everything for Krishna. If we can actually comprehend this point and believe it and live our life in that way then success in spiritual life will be very rapid for us, very easy. It sounds so simple and it is so simple but generally people can’t take to it, Krishna says:

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah

Krishna says that out of many thousands of men one may even endeavour to come to spiritual life and out of many such people who are practising spiritual life a few might become liberated and out of thousands of such liberated persons hardly one knows Krishna in truth. So comparatively speaking it’s not so difficult to become liberated, even though out of thousands of men only a few become liberated, but comparatively speaking it’s easy to become liberated.

Liberated means to come to the point of realising “I am not this body,” to come to the understanding that “I am Brahman, I am spirit,” this is liberation. But to come to the point of understanding God is a person, His name is Krishna, He is engaged in His eternal pastimes with the residents of Vrndavana and that I can also become engaged in those pastimes serving Krishna and that will be the topmost perfection for me. To come to this point is difficult. Of course it is not difficult — we can just do it immediately. You can hear this class and just accept it. Just accept that Krishna is a person in the same way I am a person. Krishna is the supreme person, He is the possessor of all knowledge, all strength, all beauty, all fame and all renunciation. All these are full in Krishna. If I accept this and understand that now I should serve Krishna, live my life in that mood, serving Krishna, then I will immediately be transferred to the liberated platform of ecstasy, I will no longer be implicated in this material world whatsoever. The pains and pleasures of the material world will not touch me any more because I will simply be engaged in the loving service of Krishna.

It’s a very simple thing, but the reality is not so many people are doing it because we are attached to the material concept of life. We are attached to this material body, we are attached to our sense gratification. So Krishna consciousness can only really be understood by someone who is extremely fortunate. This great fortune comes through the association of devotees, it’s not possible in any other way because this confidential knowledge which is described here in the Bhagavad-gita is not perceivable, is not obtainable through our sense perception. We can speculate, we can think with our mind and endeavour with our senses to try and understand the world around us, to try to understand the purpose of life, but devotional service, this Krishna consciousness is beyond the range of our sense perception, so we can never come to the point of devotional service without the mercy of a pure devotee. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 19.151)

brahmanda bramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

“According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, one such person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.”

So we are wandering through so many bodies, sometimes we take this human form of body, sometimes we take a demigods body in the heavenly planets, sometimes we are sent down to the hellish planets to suffer, and sometimes we are even born into the species of plants and animals. This process of the transmigration of the soul has been going on since practically time immemorial, no one can trace out the beginning of it. We are called nitya baddha entities, this means eternally conditioned, so practically speaking we are stuck here in the material world travelling from one body to another body, one form of life to another form of life, one planet to another planet, and simply undergoing the same activities: birth, old age disease and death.

The only way out is by the mercy of a pure devotee
We are going through this repetition of birth and death time and time again, nitya baddha means eternally, so it’s only if we are extremely fortunate to get the chance of associating with a pure devotee and by the mercy of that pure devotee we can get the seed of devotional service, bhakti-lata-bija, it means the seed of the creeper or the plant of devotional service. This analogy is very nice, devotional service or Krishna consciousness is likened to a plant, and the process of Krishna consciousness or Bhakti-yoga is likened to the watering of the plant.

We have to find someone who has the seed of this devotional service [he can't have the seed unless he has the plant fully grown within his heart as only then will it produce flowers, fruit and seeds]. We have to receive the seed of devotional service from him — that is called initiation. Under the expert direction of such a pure devotee we should then engage in the process of watering the seed of the plant of devotional service he has planted within our hearts. This watering process consists of nine items but the most important two items are hearing and chanting.

The beginning is to hear from a pure devotee

The beginning of every activity in life is to hear. Without hearing about something we can’t do it. So in the same way with Krishna consciousness we have to hear, and we have to hear from a pure devotee. If we hear from someone who is a pure devotee the effect will be very quickly experienced. When we hear from a pure devotee he’ll tell us that we should chant Hare Krishna, that we should serve Krishna in this way, so we should follow his instructions. The next process is chanting. If we hear something then we can repeat that same thing to someone else, even though we may not be very highly advanced or very intelligent, we can still pass on the message. If we hear the message from a pure devotee that, “Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead,” then even if we haven’t completely realized it ourselves, we can tell our friends, “Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” If we hear from our spiritual master that we should chant Hare Krishna, even if we haven’t come to the point of fully relishing all the mellows of chanting Hare Krishna, we can chant Hare Krishna ourselves and tell our friends, “You should chant Hare Krishna.” This is the way sravanam kirtanam visnoh, hearing and chanting about Krishna. This process is very powerful and I humbly beg everyone to take it seriously.

This verse is very instructive, “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 realisation, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting and it is joyfully performed.” We should know all these things, we should know that real education means to find these things, the perfection of religion which is everlasting and which is joyfully performed, and that thing which gives the direct perception of the self by realization. This is real education.

An organization is needed to impart this education to the people of the world

We have to create an organization or create an institution which is capable of imparting this education to people in general. There is currently no such organization in the whole world, every organization is simply imparting mundane information and even so-called spiritual organizations have become degraded and are not imparting spiritual knowledge at all, they have simply become places for politics. There is no institution which is imparting this knowledge of the real purpose of life which is to engage in devotional service to Krishna and do everything for the pleasure of Krishna… Thank you very much, Hare Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada: What is the meaning of the word Christ?

Father Emmanuel: Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, meaning “the anointed one”.

Srila Prabhupada: Christos is the Greek version of the word Krishna.

Father Emmanuel: This is very interesting.

Srila Prabhupada: When an Indian person calls on Krishna, he often says, “Krsta”. Krsta is a Sanskrit word meaning “attraction”. So when we address God as “Christ”, “Krsta”, or “Krishna” we indicate the same all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Jesus said, ” Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be Thy name,” the name of God was Krsta or Krishna. Do you agree?

Father Emmanuel: I think Jesus, as the son of God, has revealed to us the actual name of God: Christ. We can call God “Father”, but if we want to address Him by His actual name, we have to say “Christ”.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. “Christ” is another way of saying Krsta and Krsta is another way of pronouncing Krishna, the name of God. Jesus said that one should glorify the name of God, but yesterday I heard one theologian say that God has no name — that we can call Him only “Father”. A son may call his father “Father”, but the father also has a specific name. Similarly, God is the general name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose specific name is Krishna. Therefore whether you call God “Christ”, “Krsta”, or “Krishna”, ultimately you are addressing the same Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Father Emmanuel: Yes, if we speak of God’s actual name, then we must say, “Christos”. In our religion we have the Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe we can know the name of God only by revelation from the son of God. Jesus Christ revealed the name of the Father, and therefore we take the name “Christ” as the revealed name of God.

Srila Prabhupada: Actually, it doesn’t matter — Krishna or Christ — the name is the same. The main point is to follow the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures that recommend chanting the name of God in this age. The easiest way is to chant the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare. Rama and Krishna are names of God and Hare is the energy of God. So when we chant the maha-mantra we address God along with His energy. This energy is of two kinds, the spiritual and the material. At present we are in the clutches of the material energy. Therefore we pray to Krishna that He may kindly deliver us from the service of the material energy and accept us into the service of the spiritual energy. This is our whole philosophy. Hare Krishna means, “O energy of God, O God (Krishna), please engage me in Your service.” It is our nature to render service. Somehow or other we have come to the service of material things, but when this service is transformed into the service of the spiritual energy, then our life is perfect. To practice bhakti-yoga [loving service to God] means to become free from designations like Hindu, Muslim, Christian, this or that, and simply to serve God. We have created Christian, Hindu and Mohammedan religions, but when we come to a religion without designations, in which we don’t think we are Hindus or Christians or Mohammedans, then we can speak of pure religion, or bhakti.

Father Emmanuel: Mukti? [liberation from material miseries]

Srila Prabhupada: No, bhakti. When we speak of bhakti, mukti is included. Without bhakti, there is no mukti, but if we act on the platform of bhakti, then mukti is included. We learn this from the Bhagavad-gita (14.26):

mam ca yo ‘vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down under any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.”

Father Emmanuel: Is Brahman Krishna?

Srila Prabhupada: Krishna is Parabrahman. Brahman is realised in three aspects: as impersonal Brahman, as localised Paramatma and as personal Brahman. Krishna is personal and He is the Supreme Brahman, for God is ultimately a person. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.11), this is confirmed:

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvam yaj-jnanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmati
bhagavan iti sabdyate

“Learned transcendentalists, who know the Absolute Truth, call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan.” The feature of the Supreme Personality is the ultimate realisation of God. He has all six opulences in full: He is the strongest, the richest, the most beautiful, the most famous, the wisest and the most renounced.

Father Emmanuel: Yes, I agree.

Srila Prabhupada: Because God is absolute, His name, His form and His qualities are all absolute and they are nondifferent from Him. Therefore to chant God’s holy name means to associate directly with Him. When one associates with God one acquires Godly qualities and when one is completely purified he becomes an associate of the Supreme Lord.

Father Emmanuel: But our understanding of the name of God is limited.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, we are limited, but God is unlimited. And because He is unlimited, or absolute, he has unlimited names, each if which is God. We can understand His names as much as our spiritual understanding is developed.

What is the difference between Krishna consciousness and Christianity?

Father Emmanuel: May I ask a question? We Christians also preach love of God, and we try to realise love of God and render service to Him with all our heart and all our soul. Now, what is the difference between your movement and ours? Why do you send your disciples to the Western countries to preach love of God when the gospel of Jesus Christ is propounding the same message?

Srila Prabhupada: The problem is that the Christians do not follow the commandments of God. Do you agree?

Father Emmanuel: Yes, to a large extent you’re right.

Srila Prabhupada: Then what is the meaning of the Christians’ love for God? If you do not follow the orders of God, then where is your love? Therefore we have come to teach what it means to love God. If you love Him you cannot be disobedient to His orders. And if you are disobedient your love is not real.

Srila Prabhupada: All over the world people don’t love God. They love their dogs. The Krishna consciousness movement is therefore necessary to teach people how to revive their forgotten love for God. Not only the Christians, but also the Hindus, the Mohammedans and all others are guilty. They have rubber-stamped themselves as Christian, Hindu or Mohammedan, but they do not obey God. This is the problem

Visitor: Can we say in what way the Christians are disobedient?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. The first point is they violate the commandment “Thou shall not kill” by maintaining slaughterhouses. Do you agree that this commandment is being violated?

Father Emmanuel: Personally, I agree.

Srila Prabhupada: Good. So if the Christians want to love God, they must stop killing animals.

Father Emmanuel: But isn’t the most important point…

Srila Prabhupada: If you miss one point there is a mistake in your calculation. Regardless of what you add or subtract after that the mistake is already in the calculation and everything that follows will also be faulty. We cannot simply accept the part of the scripture we like and reject what we don’t like and still expect to get the result. For example, a hen lays eggs with it’s back part and eats with it’s beak. A farmer may consider, “The front part of the hen is very expensive because I have to feed it. Better to cut it off.” But if the head is missing there will be no eggs any more because the body is dead. Similarly, if we reject the difficult part of the scriptures and obey the part we like, such an interpretation will not help us. We have to accept all the injunctions of the scriptures as they are given , not just those that suit us. If you do not follow the first order, “Thou shall not kill,” then where is the question of love of God?

Visitor: Christians take this commandment to be applicable to human beings, not to animals.

Srila Prabhupada: That would mean Christ was not intelligent enough to use the right word: murder. There is killing, and there is murder, Murder refers to human beings. Do you think Jesus was not intelligent enough to use the right word. Killing means any kind of killing and especially animal killing. If Jesus had meant simply the killing of humans he would have used the word murder.
Mathew:5:21: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Mark:10:19: Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
Luke:18:20: Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
Romans:13:9: For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
James:2:11: For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

Father Emmanuel: But in the Old Testament the commandment “Thou shall not kill” does refer to murder. And when Jesus said, “Thou shall not kill,” he extended the commandment to mean a human being should not only refrain from killing another human being, but should also treat him with love. He never spoke about man’s relationship with other living entities but only about his relationship with other human beings. When he said, “thou shall not kill,” he also meant in the mental and emotional sense — that you should not insult anyone or hurt him, treat him badly and so on.

Srila Prabhupada: We are not concerned with this or that testament but only with the words used in the commandments. If you want to interpret these words, that is something else. We understand the direct meaning. “Thou shall not kill” means, “The Christians should not kill.” You may put forward interpretations in order to continue the present way of action but we understand very clearly there is no need for interpretation. Interpretation is necessary if things are not clear. “Thou shall not kill” is a clear instruction. Why should we interpret it?

Father Emmanuel: Isn’t the eating of plants also killing?

Srila Prabhupada: The Vaisnava philosophy teaches that we should not even kill plants unnecessarily. In the Bhagavad-gita (9.26) Krishna says:

patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah

“If someone offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or a little water, I will accept it.” We offer Krishna only the kind of food He demands, and then we eat the remnants. If offering vegetarian food to Krishna were sinful, then it would be Krishna’s sin, not ours. But God is apapa-vijna — sinful reactions are not applicable to Him. He is like the sun, which is so powerful that it can purify even urine — something impossible for us to do. Krishna is also like a king, who may order a murderer to be hanged, but who himself is not subject to punishment because he is very powerful. Eating food first offered to the Lord is also something like a soldier’s killing during wartime. In a war, when the commander orders a man to attack, the obedient soldier who kills the enemy will get a medal. But if the same soldier kills someone on his own he will be punished. Similarly when we eat only prasada [the remnants of food offered to Krishna], we do not commit any sin. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (3.13):

yajna-sistasinah santo
mucyante sarva-kilbisaih
bhunjate te tu agham papa
ye pacanty atma-karanat

“The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food that is first offered for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.”

Father Emmanuel: Krishna cannot give permission to eat animals?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes — in the animal kingdom. But the civilized human being, the religious human being is not meant to kill and eat animals. If you stop killing animals and chant the holy name Christ, everything will be perfect. I have not come to teach you, but only to request you to please chant the name of God. The Bible also demands this of you. So let’s kindly cooperate and chant, and if you have a prejudice about chanting the name Krishna then chant “Christos” or “Krsta” — there is no difference. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: namnam akari bahu-dha nija-sarva-saktis. “God has millions and millions of names, and because there is no difference between God’s name and Himself, each one of these names has the same potency as God.” Therefore even if you accept designations like Hindu, Christian or Mohammedan, if you simply chant the name of God found in your own scriptures, you will attain the spiritual platform. Human life is meant for self-realisation — to learn how to love God. That is the actual beauty of man. Whether you discharge this duty as a Hindu, a Christian or a Mohammedan, it doesn’t matter — but do it?

Father Emmanuel: I agree.

Srila Prabhupada: [pointing to a string of 108 meditation beads] We always have these beads, just as you have your rosary. You are chanting, but why don’t the other Christians also chant? Why should they miss this opportunity as human beings? Cats and dogs cannot chant, but we can because we have a human tongue. If we chant the holy names of God, we cannot loose anything; on the contrary, we gain greatly. My disciples practice chanting Hare Krishna constantly. They could also go to the cinema, or do so many other things, but they have given everything up. They eat neither fish nor meat nor eggs, they don’t take intoxicants, they don’t drink, they don’t smoke, they don’t partake in gambling, they don’t speculate and they don’t maintain illicit sexual connections. But they do chant the holy name of God. If you would like to cooperate with us then go to the other churches and chant, “Christ”, “Krishna” or “Krsta”. What could be the objection?

Instead of keeping the churches closed, why not give them to us?

Father Emmanuel: There is none. For my part I would be glad to join you.

Srila Prabhupada: No. We are speaking with you as a representative of the Christian church. Instead of keeping the churches closed why not give them to us? We would chant the holy name of God there twenty-four hours a day. In many places we have bought churches that were practically closed because no one was going there. In London I saw hundreds of churches that were closed or used for mundane purposes. We bought one such church in Los Angeles. It was sold because no one came there, but if you visit the same church today, you will see thousands of people. Any intelligent person can understand what God is in five minutes; it doesn’t require five hours.

Father Emmanuel: I understand.

Srila Prabhupada: But the people do not. Their disease is that they don’t want to understand.

Visitor: I think understanding God is not a question of intelligence but a question of humility.

Srila Prabhupada: Humility means intelligence. “The humble and meek own the kingdom of God.” This is stated in the Bible, is it not? But the philosophy of the rascals is that everyone is God and today this idea has become popular. Therefore no one is humble and meek. If everybody thinks he is God, why should he be humble and meek? Therefore I teach my disciples how to become humble and meek. They always offer their respectful obeisances in the temple and to the spiritual master, and in this way they make advancement. The qualities of humbleness and meekness lead very quickly to spiritual realisation. In the Vedic scriptures it is said, “To those who have firm faith in God and the spiritual master, who is His representative, the meaning of the Vedic scriptures is revealed.”

Father Emmanuel: But shouldn’t this humility be offered to everyone else also?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, but there are two kinds of respect: special and ordinary. Sri Krishna Caitanya taught that we shouldn’t expect honour for ourselves, but should always respect everyone else, even if he is disrespectful to us. But special respect should be given to God and His pure devotee.

Father Emmanuel: Yes, I agree.

Srila Prabhupada: I think the Christian priests should cooperate with the Krishna consciousness movement. They should chant the name of Christ or Christos and should stop condoning the slaughter of animals. This program follows the teachings of the Bible; it is not my philosophy. Please act accordingly and you will see how the world situation will change.

Father Emmanuel: Thank you very much

Srila Prabhupada: Hare Krishna!