Vol 10, No.

1 Jan 2009

Rs.15

Sri Sri Radha Vrindavana-chandra, Vrindavana

 Vol 10, No.1 Jan 2009

CONTENTS

Nothing More To Achieve 4

Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out 10

Thakur Haridas Part III 12

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada On Science 17
Swami Prabhupada, founder- acharya
of the International Society for
Krishna Consciousness, came to
America in 1965, at age 69, to fulfill
his spiritual master’s request that he
teach the science of Krishna
consciousness throughout the English- Published and owned by Sankirtana Seva
speaking world. In a dozen years he Trust, editing by Chamari Devi Dasi. Layout,
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Vedic literature, and these are now Editor, Krishna Voice, SST, Hare Krishna Hill,
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Meanwhile, travelling almost nonstop, Phone: 91-80-2347 1956, 91-80-2357 8346,
Srila Prabhupada moulded his FAX: 91-80-2357 8625. © 2009 Sankirtana
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passed away in 1977, in Vrindavana, the world. Reproduction in any manner is
strictly prohibited. Printed for ISKCON,
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His disciples and followers are carrying
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forward the movement he started.
Cover pages-4 Text pages-20
Krishna Voice, Jan 2009 3
Nothing More To Achieve
Pure love for God is its own reward
A lecture given in New York City, November 30, 1966
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
daridrya-nasa, bhava-ksaya,—premera 'phala' naya
prema-sukha-bhoga—mukhya prayojana haya
"The goal of love of Godhead is not to become materially rich or free from material bondage. The real goal is to
be situated in devotional service to the Lord and to enjoy transcendental bliss."
—Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila 20.142
We should not expect that by our devotional service to Krishna our miserable material condition will improve, or
that we will be liberated from material entanglement. Thinking in that way is a kind of sense gratification. Yogis
and jnanis, or impersonalistic speculators, try to become free from material entanglement. But in devotional service
there is no such desire, because devotional service is pure love. In pure devotional service one has no expectation
that "I shall be profited in this way." Devotional service is not a profitable commercial business where one thinks,
"Unless I get something in return, I shall not practice devotional service in Krishna consciousness."
Lord Chaitanya prays to Lord Krishna:
na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
"O my dear Lord, Jagadisha, supreme master of all the worlds, I pray unto You that I do not want any wealth, I
do not want any number of followers, I do not want a very nice wife."
"Then what do you want?"
"My dear Lord, I may be put into any condition of life, but please bestow this benediction: that I may not forget
You. That's all. Due to my forgetfulness I am suffering so much. So if I can remember You, I don't mind any
condition."
Janmani janmani means "birth after birth." Lord Chaitanya does not even want liberation. Lord Krishna says, mam
upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate: "One who reaches the kingdom of God hasn't got to come back again
to take birth here." But Lord Chaitanya does not even aspire to reach the kingdom of God.
Lord Chaitanya gives us the proper understanding, confirming the teachings of Lord Krishna. In the sixth chapter
of the Bhagavad-gita, while explaining the yoga system Lord Krishna says, yam labdhva caparam labham manyate
nadhikam tatah: "One who achieves the perfection of yoga has no other desire to achieve."
We may achieve something in the material world, but that does not stop our desire to achieve something more. I
may achieve millions of dollars, but that does not make me satisfied. I want more—ten million dollars. And when
I get ten million dollars, then I desire a hundred million dollars. But one who possesses devotional service does
not think anything in the world more valuable.
Krishna consciousness is not different from Krishna. Therefore a Krishna conscious person possesses Krishna,
and what can be greater than Krishna? So a Krishna conscious person is fully satisfied. And Lord Krishna further
says, yasmin sthito na duhkhena gurunapi vicalyate: "One situated in Krishna consciousness is not shaken despite
the severest type of miseries."
A Krishna conscious person is steady in all circumstances. Prahlada Maharaja was a great devotee even as a
five-year-old boy.
Prahlada's atheistic father told him, "Oh, you rascal boy. You are chanting God's name? Who is God? I am God.
Why don't you chant my name? If you don't, then I shall throw you into the fire."
But Prahlada was steady. He said, "Father, I cannot stop chanting."
"You nonsense! You cannot? How dare you speak to me like this? Even the demigods are afraid of me."
"Oh, yes, father, I speak like this by the mercy of the same person who allows you to speak."
Krishna Voice, Jan 2009 5
"Oh, I don't care for anyone's mercy ..."
Prahlada's father had so much wrath, but Prahlada was steady. That steadiness is one of the characteristics of a
pure devotee of the Lord. Even in the greatest difficulty, even in the greatest danger, he is not shaken; he is steady.
That is the perfection of yoga. And that steadiness can be achieved easily by Krishna consciousness.
So we should not aspire to improve our material condition or to attain liberation. To aspire in that way means we
have material desires. Some people say that we must become desireless. But because I am a living entity, desire
cannot be completely absent. So my desire should be not to forget Krishna. That's all—that one desire. That is
real desire. And all other desires are foolish. We cannot be desireless, but we should have only bona fide desires.
I am part and parcel of the Supreme. So if I desire to work in cooperation with the Supreme, that is a natural desire.
That is desirelessness. In the material condition, to desire to eat is natural. As long as you possess a body, you
have to eat. No one will criticize you for your desire to eat.
So desirelessness means to desire the natural thing. To desire remembrance of Krishna is natural. Since I am part
and parcel of Krishna, how can I forget Him? But somehow I have forgotten Him, and my forgetfulness is the cause
of my many desires. And as soon as I desire Krishna, there will be no other desire. That is desirelessness.
As part and parcel of the whole, we get our highest pleasure by reciprocating with the whole. That reciprocation
we should aspire after. We should not think that in Krishna consciousness we should desire some material profit.
In the next verse, Lord Chaitanya says:
veda-sastre kahe sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana
Krishna, Krishna-bhakti, prema,— tina maha-dhana
"In the Vedic literature, Krishna is the central point of attraction, and His service is our activity. To attain the platform
of love of Krishna is life's ultimate goal. Therefore Krishna, Krishna's service, and love of Krishna are the three
great riches of life."
Now we aspire to possess something material. But as this verse explains, we should aspire to possess Krishna,
to reciprocate with Krishna, and ultimately to love Krishna. In the material world we see a reflection of love in the
exchange between two lovers. They don't want anything besides each other. He wants her, and she wants him.
But that relationship is only a perverted reflection of real love, which is reciprocated with Krishna.
In the material world there is no possibility of love. What is called love is lust. But we call it love because it is a
reflection of love. Love of Krishna is real, and love in the material world is unreal. Lust is like the shadow, and love
is the reality. There is gulf of difference between the shadow and the reality.
A devotee is not anxious for liberation, because he is liberated in his intimate connection with Krishna. One cannot
be in intimate touch with Krishna unless one is liberated. So liberation and intimate connection with Krishna are
the same thing. Lord Krishna says:
yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam drdha-vratah
What is the translation?
Devotee [reading]: "But those men of virtuous deeds whose sin has come to an end, freed from the delusion of
dualities, worship Me steadfastly avowed."
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. So to worship Krishna steadfastly means one is liberated from delusion. That is called
mukti. One who still has some doubt—"Why shall I worship Krishna?"—is still in delusion, and the reactions of
his sinful life are not finished. If one has a slight doubt, that means there is still a slight tinge of sinful reaction.
One free from all sinful reactions has no more duality. Duality means thinking, "Shall I stick to the process of
Krishna consciousness or not?" One free from sinful reactions has firm faith—"Yes! Krishna worship is the final
goal."
One who worships Krishna is already liberated. For example, if a man is sitting on the bench of the high court, it
is to be understood that he has passed all the educational requirements and is a good lawyer. There is no need
to ask whether he has passed his M.A. or his law examination. Similarly, if one is strictly in Krishna consciousness,
it is to be understood that he is liberated.
The definition of liberation is given in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih.
We each have different conceptions of life. I have one idea, you have another idea, and another person has another
idea. Mukti means to be free from these different ideas and be situated in our constitutional position.
And what is our constitutional position? We are part and parcel of the Supreme, Krishna. Then what is our duty?
6 Krishna Voice, Jan 2009
The duty of the part is to serve the whole. Your hand is part of your body, and its duty is to serve the body. Similarly,
because you are part and parcel of the Supreme, your duty is to serve Him. You have no other duty. One who
understands this point firmly and with conviction is liberated.
Now, someone may ask, "Oh, how can you say such a person is liberated? He goes to the office. He dresses like
an ordinary man. What do you mean he is liberated?"
But does mukti mean that a person must dress differently or have four hands or eight legs? No. All that is required
is a change of consciousness. Krishna consciousness means a change of consciousness. We now think, "I am
this matter. I have got so many duties within the material world." In Krishna consciousness you change that
thinking—"No, I belong to Krishna. I am part and parcel of Krishna; therefore my whole energy should be used
for Krishna."
That kind of thinking is Krishna consciousness. Now I apply all my energy to the material conception of life. When
I apply my energy—transcendental energy—to Krishna, I am liberated.
Therefore a pure devotee of Krishna does not hanker after mukti. Bilvamangala Thakura, a great devotee of
Krishna, says, muktih svayam mukulitanjalih sevate 'sman: "Oh, the mukti lady stands with folded hands and asks,
'My dear sir, what can I do for you?' " And the devotee doesn't care. "Oh, what can you do for me? I don't want
your help."
Bilvamangala Thakura lived for several years in Vrindavana, and he became a great devotee of Krishna. The story
of his life is instructive.
In the beginning of his life Bilvamangala was an impersonalist. He was a South Indian brahmana, a very rich man,
and very sensuous. He had an ongoing relationship with a prostitute. He was so devoted to the prostitute that even
while attending his father's funeral he was asking the priest, "Please make haste. I have to go. I have to go."
After the ceremony Bilvamangala took very nice food in a bag and left for the prostitute's house. When he came
out of his home, it was raining in torrents. But he didn't care about the rain. He had to cross a river, but there was
no boat. Even though the waves were furious, he swam across the river.
The prostitute thought, "Oh, it is raining, so he may not come." So she blocked the door and went to sleep.
When Bilvamangala came to the house, he saw that the door was locked. It was still raining. To pull himself over
the wall into her courtyard, he grabbed a snake. Just see how intensely he was attached to the prostitute.
When Bilvamangala went to the prostitute, she was astonished.
"Bilvamangala, how do you dare come here like this?"
So he described his journey. "Yes. I did this, I did this, I did this, I did this."
Chintamani, the prostitute, said, "My dear Bilvamangala, you have such intense love for me. If you had the same
love for Krishna, how sublime your life would be!"
"Oh, yes. You are right." Her words struck him. He left at once.
He began to travel to Vrindavana, but he became attracted to a woman on the way, and he followed her. She
belonged to a respectable family. When she arrived at home, she told her husband, "This man is following me.
Please ask him what he wants."
The husband asked Bilvamangala, "My dear sir, you appear to be a very nice gentleman and to belong to a very
aristocratic family. What do you want? Why you are following my wife?"
Bilvamangala said, "Because I want to embrace her."
"Oh, you want to embrace her? Come on. Embrace her. You are welcome."
The brahmana told his wife, "He is a guest. He wants to embrace you and kiss you. So please decorate yourself
nicely so that he may enjoy."
The woman followed her husband's instructions.
When Bilvamangala came inside before the woman, he said, "My dear mother, will you kindly give me your
hairpins?"
"Yes. Why?"
"I have got some business."
Then he took the hairpins and pierced his eyes—"Oh, these eyes are my enemy." He became blind. He thought,
Krishna Voice, Jan 2009 7
"Now no more shall I be disturbed."
Then he went to Vrindavana, and he performed penance and austerities there. Krishna as a boy came to him.
"Oh, my dear sir, why are you starving? Why don't you take some milk?"
"Who are you, my dear boy?"
"I am a cowherd boy of this village. If you like, I can give you milk daily."
"All right."
So Krishna supplied him milk. There was friendship between them.
And Bilvamangala has written, "Bhakti is such that mukti is nothing for me." In other words, he thinks, "When
Krishna comes to supply milk, oh, then what is the use of mukti?"
You see? That's a great soul—Bilvamangala Thakura. It is worth remembering his name. He has written a nice
book, Krishna-karnamrita, a very authoritative book. Lord Chaitanya found the book in South India, and He
recommended that all His devotees read it.
Thank you very much.

8 Krishna Voice, Jan 2009

SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS OUT
"We Must Have A Definite Process"
Here is an exchange between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and an official from an
impersonalist ("God-is-simply-everyone-and-everything") movement. The exchange took place in Paris, on August
13, 1973, with Prabhupada's disciples translating the official's remarks from French.

Official: Personally, I do not like the idea Therefore, I want to know what are the
of killing animals. principles—the rules and regulations—
Srila Prabhupada: But what is the ideal of the order.
of your order? That I am asking. Official: Our principles are love, beauty,
Official: Love between men. harmony, peace. And as you progress,
Understanding. one initiation after another. If you begin
as a butcher, then gradually, in your
Srila Prabhupada: What have the
own self, you will wish to give it
animals done? There is no love or
up. But there are no rules.
understanding shown to them.
Srila Prabhupada: "One
Official: I love the animals. I have many
initiation after another,"
animals living with me. I'm surrounded by
but there are no
animals. [Laughter.]
progressive
Srila Prabhupada: That is nice. But a rules?
person who is habituated to kill
Official:
animals—will he be admitted into your
Our order
order?
doesn't
Official: I don't think someone who require
kills animals would like to enter, but that you
if a butcher wants to enter, that is
all right, because gradually we will
elevate him.
Srila Prabhupada: Then, in
principle, the order does not
allow animal killing?
Official: Ideally, our movement
would not want to see
animals killed, or anyone
killed.
Srila Prabhupada:
give up meat-eating. Our order is intelligent. If we were Srila Prabhupada: But, for instance, the Bible imposes
to tell people, "Don't do this, don't do this, don't do that," the rule or regulation "You shall not kill." Yet you have
nobody would join us. In any case, the real mystic is no such thing.
someone who has controlled his own body. Official: Realization is what counts.
Srila Prabhupada: But you cannot explain how to Srila Prabhupada: Yes, but what that realization is you
control the body. cannot explain. If you cannot explain, then what is your
Official: It happens immediately, or it will happen in a realization?
while. Official: Had I not realized something, I would not be
Srila Prabhupada: At least I cannot accept this. We here now.
could discuss further if you had some definite program. Srila Prabhupada: Then first let us see whether you
Say I want to enter your association. You must give me can describe who you are.
some prescription by which, if I follow, I'll make progress.
Official: When Moses saw the burning bush and asked
But you have no such prescription.
the fire, "Who are you?" the fire said, "I am what I am."
Official: I shall submit to my grandmaster your request Who am I? That is a question you are going to have to
for a specific prescription to be given to you. answer by your own meditations.
Srila Prabhupada: But, in principle, your order hasn't Srila Prabhupada: But what is your meditation? What
got any such prescription. have you learned?
Official: We will make one special, just for you. Official: The thing to realize is peace. When you join
Srila Prabhupada: But not for the general mass of our order, you receive a letter, and at the bottom of the
people. letter, it says, "With our best wishes for your peace and
Official: Correct. It is very good that you prescribe no happiness."
meat-eating, no intoxicants, no premarital or extramarital Srila Prabhupada: That's all right. Everyone wants that.
sex, and so on. These are nice principles that you are But what is the process?
following. And we are sure that you have come to these Official: Praying, courage, faith. A serious movement,
conclusions—on your own—just as perhaps one day a serious order, would never guarantee instantaneous
we may also come to these conclusions—on our own. illumination.
Srila Prabhupada: So for the time being, your order Srila Prabhupada: No, that we also say. But we must
has no such rules and regulations? have a definite process. For instance, in answer to the
Official: Our order makes certain suggestions, but we question "Who are you?"—because at least one must
do not oblige anyone to follow our suggestions. know who he is—you gave the vague reply "I am what
Srila Prabhupada: What are those suggestions? I am." If you ask me, "Who are you, sir?" and I say, "I
am what I am," is that the proper answer? [Laughter.]
Official: Our movement suggests that people live a life
That is a nonsense answer.
as perhaps yours is—of purity, pure thoughts, moral
living, and even following certain principles. Official: I could tell you my name, but the interior, the
reality, is different. Now, if we all join together in silence
Srila Prabhupada: But these impure things are going
and we enter into ourselves and create one person,
on all over the world, and you don't say anything.
then we will know who we are—from that silence.
Suppose a man is killing animals. You don't prohibit
him. He is engaged in immoral life, and if you don't Srila Prabhupada: But how it is possible to remain
prohibit him, then how can he become moral? Do you silent?
think morality and the killing of animals go together? Disciple [in jest]: Bahunam janmanam ante: "After
Official: Our order likes very much the ideals of beauty many, many births and deaths."
and harmony and morality, but we cannot impose these Srila Prabhupada [laughing]: That's all right. That's all
things on anyone. right.

Fasting Festivals
Jan 21 Ekadashi Jan 10 Ratha Yatra in Bangalore
Jan 22 break fast Jan 24 Ratha Yatra in Mangalore
Feb 6 Ekadashi Jan 31 Ratha Yatra in Bellary
Fasting till noon for Varaha
Feb 2 Sri Advaita Acharya—Appearance
Dev’s and Nityananda
Fasting till noon
Prabhu’s appearance
Feb 6 Sri Varaha Deva—Appearance
Fasting till noon
Feb 7 Sri Nityananda Prabhu—Appearance

Krishna Voice, Jan 2009 11

[In Part II, Professor Sannyal described the gathering of absorption into the One is logically unsound and opposed

Thakur Haridas
great learned Pandits to hear the teachings of Srila Thakur to the real teaching of the Scriptures. The alternatives of
Haridas, at which time Gopal Chakravarti arose in offense enjoyment and abstention from enjoyment exhaust,
against the Saint. Consequently, Gopal was stricken by indeed, the possibilities of function of the mind and body;
leprosy—the circumstances of which will be described but they have no application to the soul who is located
in Part III.] Part III beyond the reach of body and mind. The soul is
The world is gratuitously assumed by a pseudo-rationalism substantially different from the mind and body. The soul
to be the only reality and the attempt is therefore made
to ascertain the methods by following which we can attain
From the book "Sree Krishna-Chaitanya" is the substantive reality while the mind is only his perverted
reflection in the mirror of limited existence. The mind is
by Professor Sannyal the material shadow, so to say, of the soul who is the
the gratification of the senses, which function appears to
be the relationship naturally subsisting between ourselves enriched, deepened and broadened by more experience On the attainment of this desirable goal there is no spiritual substance. The mind is a material phenomenon
and the world. The senses are assumed to be an integral and that it is worth our while to help this process in a difference between the devotee, devotion and the Object galvanised into the appearance of self-consciousness by
and undetachable part of ourselves. The mind is identified conscious manner. To this the answer would be that the of devotion. The service of the Brahman is thus only a the impulse communicated to it by the deluded soul. Mind
with the senses on the one hand and with the soul on better and more detailed realization of our utter ignorance, temporary means to a final end, which means being is the shadow of the perverse soul mirrored in matter.
the other. The senses connect the mind, or the soul, by in the midst of the mockery of a civilization that is claimed different from the end and is, therefore, necessarily This description is, and can be, but an imperfect and
this assumption, with the external world. The senses are to be based upon knowledge, would be a self-contradiction terminable with the attainment of the goal. It is the highest misleading analogy of the relationship that actually subsists
the eyes of the whole system. All pain and pleasure that is not likely to appeal to the assorting instinct of our form of religion to try to realize, by the appropriate methods, between mind and soul. The shadow of the material
suffered by the mind are due to the way in which the rational nature and is calculated to make our condition the knowledge of, and absorption into, the undifferentiated substance is not categorically different from the substance
mind directs the senses in their relations with the world. no better than it is. Civilized wickedness and filth are not Brahman. When the individual soul becomes one with itself, both of them being material phenomena. The
The mind cannot apparently know by intuition, at any rate preferable to any nuisance of the uncivilized state. Satan, the Brahman the state of separate existence and necessity shadow of the soul in this case is, however, categorically
ordinarily, all the consequences of any particular mode who may be allowed to possess the perfection of worldly for any kind of distinguishable function terminate together. different from the soul, being a material phenomenon
of employment of the senses. The mind can, indeed, try culture, is probably more miserable than the uncivilized According to Gopal Chakravarti and his associates this pure and simple. The soul in his spiritual or natural
to guess about them. But it can never be quite sure about Gond. It would be difficult for the unbiased reason of man knowledge of the Brahman is higher than service and the condition is categorically different from material
any occurrence till after actual experience. This uncertainty to choose between materialistic savagery and materialistic termination of both knowledge and service is the highest phenomena. The soul is self-conscious itself. There can
is supposed to be reducible to certainty if it could be civilization. goal. Gopal is quite sure that this is the only teaching of be no such thing as ignorance in the soul. There can be
possible to know from experience the uniform "laws" that the Scriptures. It may be observed at this place that no such thing as genuine self-consciousness in the mind
"Ignorance is misery," says one of the wisest of proverbs. which is non-soul. The apparent self-consciousness of
are assumed to govern all phenomenal occurrences Increase of ignorance is not any decrease of misery. Shankara does not discard the principle of worship, but
under all circumstances. This hypothesis of the uniform declares its tentative necessity which is terminable on the mind is really a state of complete ignorance which is
Ignorance is supposed to be the state of all empiric given its shape and color by the qualities of matter:
operation of the "laws" of Nature has been built up by knowledge which is improperly assumed to be alone self-realization which, according to him, is identical with
the accumulated "experiences" of the race. But as the complete absorption into the One. grossness, limitation, perishability, changeableness, etc.
available to man. Our very nature is sometimes supposed These unwholesome traits are non-existent and impossible
occurrences themselves present an infinity of to be incapable of real enlightenment. This axiom of Thakur Haridas distinguishes between devotion, work
complications it has not been possible to attain to anything in the soul.
pessimism is exploited for advising man to turn a deaf and knowledge. The soul in the bound state desires one
like certainty in isolating the single threads of the web in ear to the Teacher of the Absolute. It is even more of two alternative functions: If he is optimistic he wants The soul is capable of forgetting his real nature, mistaking
order to be certain to reproduce all the occurrences of disastrously utilized for condemning the devotees greater scope for enjoyment. If he happens to be himself to be a material entity. The soul is not above one
Nature in the Laboratory. themselves. pessimistic, he hankers for emancipation from the misery possible weakness, willful rebellion against the Truth. It
Assuming that the above object of scientific endeavour of mundane existence. is a real blunder on the part of the soul to choose to be
It cannot be otherwise. The soul is in this case identified a rebel. But the soul is perfectly free to refuse to serve
will be realisable in practice in the long run, its success with the mind-cum-body. Abandonment of the mind, The latter, the pessimist, sometimes thinks that real
should make it possible for us to prolong the possibility the Truth, i.e., Godhead. He thereby proves deliberately
therefore, appears as equivalent to the abandonment of emancipation is impossible so long as the consciousness false to his own substantive nature, because it is the
and scope of sensuous enjoyment ad infinitum. If we fail the soul, or to self-immolation. The mind seems to be our of one's being different or separate from the One persists.
to be perfectly "happy" by the complete elimination of constituent function of the soul, in his natural state of
all. Groping in perpetual ignorance appears as our It is to this extreme school of atheistic Vedantists, perfect spiritual existence, to be the exclusive servant of
"pain" by the proper employment of the "forces" of Nature inevitable function, miscalled "Search for the Truth." advocating unification with the Brahman, that Gopal
in the way that is calculated to produce such a result the Truth. The soul who rebels against Godhead is
Empiric enthusiasts imaginatively describe this process Chakravarti, like most cultured people of his day as well punished by his exile to the phenomenal world and by
under the then-known "laws of Nature," our labours should as the "eternal quest." These metaphors and denunciations as of this, happened to belong by his empiric
still have really no abiding value for ourselves. But has incarceration in the double material case of mind and
do not, however, help us in any way; but, on the contrary, predisposition. According to this school fruitive work leads body. This point will be further elucidated later.
our "experience" up to the present moment taken us an they only tend to obstruct the process of the real quest. to empiric knowledge and the latter to the third position
inch towards the realization of unmixed or lasting pleasure? of inexpressible oneness with the Brahman. Devotion or Fruitive work and empiric knowledge are functions of the
Is "pleasure" really different from "pain"? Or is it only Gopal Chakravarti is a typical brahmana of the pseudo- mind and, therefore, purely material phenomena. By
Vedantic School of Shankara. He has no doubts regarding service is classed under fruitive work, which is assigned
different by circumstance? That which is food for the a lower position than empiric knowledge. The process of means of such work and knowledge the deluded soul
goose is food for the gander, is not found to be more true the goal of the Vedanta. According to him the attainment cannot realize his natural function for the plain reason
of the Knowledge of the Brahman, Who possesses no advance to the goal of complete unification with the One,
than most hypotheses. Variation, which is sought to be according to this school, is devotion (blind faith rendering that they are not his proper function at all. By means of
eliminated, is found on close inspection and analysis to distinctive function at all that is capable of being defined, work and knowledge the soul only moves in a vicious
is the goal. By the attainment of the knowledge of the possible utilitarian work of a low order) (Bhakti) leading
be itself the indispensable condition of the pleasures. We to work of a higher order (Karma), which, in its turn, leads circle of material existence which is seemingly conscious
are, therefore, left inevitably to the present condition of real Nature of the Brahman, the individual soul is freed but is really one of absolute ignorance. This is the
from all the miseries of his apparent existence which only up to empiric knowledge of the uselessness of all
necessary and complete ignorance in order to have any knowledge and all activity terminating in perfect absorption explanation why, by means of the undifferentiated
"pleasure" at all by our dealings with the world by means seems to be limited and is, therefore, only supposed to knowledge of the Brahman, freedom from the fetters of
be miserable. As there is only One Entity, the Brahman, into the One.
of our senses. work and knowledge of this anomalous existence can be
Who is ever free from all defects and all merits, the goal Haridas is neither a pessimist nor an optimist. He is an attained by crores of years of endeavour. This is what
It is argued that pleasure and pain might themselves by can be no other than complete absorption into the One. absolutist. He is convinced that the theory of complete Gopal says. The delay is, however, not due to the
12 Krishna Voice, Jan 2009 Krishna Voice, Jan 2009 13
complexity of the process, as he supposes it to be. So the pseudo-Vedantists.
long as a person continues to suppose that an impersonal The point reached marks almost the limit of rational
all-pervasive Entity is the goal of knowledge one is not discussion toward the spiritual issue which is open to
yet freed from the real ignorance of his spiritual function. the empiricist. He cannot proceed further without
This must be so, because Truth is not impersonal. discarding the method of empiricism by giving up
Neither is Truth a person in the sense in which the completely the process of his unaided effort. It was not
mentalists, including Shankara, apparently want us to possible for Gopal Chakravarti to retrace his steps by
understand the term. Spiritual personality is categorically any other method. That he was not at all prepared for
different from the distorted empiric notion of the same. this is proved by his offensive conduct towards Thakur
Until the nature of the Personality of the Truth is properly Haridas who had, therefore, no other alternative but to
grasped, one continues in the deluded state which is leave him to the mercies of Maya. But the actual good
also the state of limitation (bondage). Therefore Gopal will of Haridas towards the offender bore its fruit in the
Chakravarti is right, although he is unaware of it, in swift punishment, that could be intelligible to the sufferer
holding that the chance of emancipation of a person himself, that smote him in the form of leprosy. Gopal
who has attained to the notion of Godhead as an was, thereby, afforded an excellent opportunity of revising
impersonal and inactive, although all-pervasive and his impersonal doctrine. But he was of course free to
transcendental, Entity, is very slight. Gopal does not avail of it or not.
understand that his ideal person is also necessarily no The Godless attitude is an attitude of absolute confidence
less deluded than himself if he supposes his condition in one's own judgment and power. The atheist is not at
to be the goal. all disposed to submit to another in any circumstances.
The interpretation of the text relied upon by Gopal He has to be compelled to submit to non-God because
Chakravarti, said Thakur Haridas, is that of a person he can consistently submit only to compelling force.
who does not understand the Nature of the Name by Such submission alone is appreciated in the state of
reason of his having no access to Him. The deluded sin and ignorance which is a radically false position and
person is no longer consciously contradicting himself necessarily entails constant irrational conduct on a really
and is not, therefore, insincere in the sense of being rational being unnaturally disposed to accept the same
double-tongued. He is certainly to be pitied. Neither can through the no less unnatural fear of punishment.
his conduct be regarded as sincere inasmuch as it is The Holy Name of Godhead is not a thing of this world.
opposed to his real nature of which he only happens to The Name of Godhead is identical with Godhead Himself.
be ignorant by his own conscious perversity. The empiric The Godhead appears in this world in the Form of the
casuist who affects to believe in the impersonal nature Name on the lips of His pure devotees. He appears as
of the Truth is only pushing his conscious perversity of the transcendental Sound on the spiritual lips of the
the choice of untruth to its logical conclusion. If the soul in the state of grace.
deliberate error is not ignored his conduct cannot be
regarded as consistent, being altogether untrue. The Name of Godhead appearing on the lips of a pure
devotee as the Transcendental Sound, is perceptible
Gopal Chakravarti's source of error lay deeper than the as such only to the spiritual ear. These statements are
plane on which he stood and was, therefore, naturally likely to appear absurd and puerile to the dogmatic
incomprehensible to him in his condition of cultured impersonalist. Can the soul, he will persist to ask, have
perversity. The Vaishnavas, who alone understand the lips and ears? Can the soul have senses? But—can
real cause of the worldly ailment, alone possess the the empiricist know, even if he have?
true spirit of toleration. Thakur Haridas showed his
toleration of the rank atheism of deluded Gopal The transcendentalists maintain that the soul has an
Chakravarti by abstaining from disturbing him further. infinity of senses of which the physical senses are a
This toleration really means the withdrawal of his perverted reflection. There cannot even be the shadow
causeless, apparently aggressive, mercy from a deluded of existence of the physical senses if there were no
soul whose opposition to Godhead is likely to be substantive spiritual senses. But there are also the
increased by the process. It is the greatest possible spiritual senses themselves as distinct from but not
misfortune that can befall a conditioned soul to miss the unrelated to their corresponding shadowy reflections in
special mercy of the Vaishnava by his successful this phenomenal world. This is involved in the very
opposition to the Truth. The apparent intolerance of a definition of the Absolute. The spiritual sense is
Vaishnava is as helpful to a person as his tolerance of categorically different from the physical sense. The
evil. The Vaishnava never cooperates with the offending spiritual senses are perfect and self-conscious, there
soul in his sinful activities. He does not agree to be false being no interval or barrier of time or space between
to himself and his eternal Master to please the confirmed the sense and its possessor. The spiritual body is
apostate. Such sympathetic toleration of evil is a grave indivisible and perfectly self-conscious in every part and
offence against the Truth notwithstanding the significant is identical with the owner of the body. All this is
fact that it alone is relished by the pantheistic school of incomprehensible to us although it is perfectly consistent
14 Krishna Voice, Jan 2009
with the fundamental principles of indivisible substantive Mazumdars.
existence, that are also acceptable to the empiricist. Thakur Haridas mercifully explains that the different
The empiricist, although he may sometimes, under concrete forms of the so-called 'liberation' concocted
pressure of his own logic, seem to agree with the by the mentalists as their unknowable summum-bonum
conclusions of transcendentalism, finds it impossible to are the outcome of the desire for sensuous gratification.
adopt them in practice. The absolute conduct is not If one could live in the happy realms of Krishna described
possible on the mundane plane to which he finds himself in the Scriptures, the empiricist supposes that such a
strictly confined by his own postulates backed by the person should be enabled to enjoy more good things
real Deluding Potency. than are available on the Earth if his condition is really
If one is merely disposed to regard any sound as worth having. The same desire for extended opportunities
transcendental, such wish alone will not make the sound of sensuous enjoyment happens also to be the real
of his choice to become really transcendental. Similarly, motive behind the formulation of the other 'forms' of the
if a person is disposed to regard a transcendental Sound empiricist's 'saved' existence. The grossness of the
as an occurrence of the mundane atmosphere such ideal of liberation is fully unmasked when one is told
attitude will not also affect the subjective nature of the that the salvationist's "final" form is to become the equal
transcendental Sound. There is real difference between of Godhead by merging with the Object of his worship!
the transcendental Sound and mundane sound. The It is to this unnatural and profane position that the
transcendental Sound is identical with the object denoted unchecked speculations of the mentalists are logically
by the sound. The mundane sound is separated from bound to lead in the long run. Thakur Haridas ascribes
the object denoted by it by the intervals of time and the grossness of the ideal to the attitude of the empiric
space. To hear the mundane sound of the name of a thinker, the insatiable desire for sensuous pleasure.
Lion is not the same thing as to see the beast. On the
spiritual plane the very word 'Lion' is identical with the The desire to enjoy is categorically different from, and
animal. The animal is fully realisable by and in the wholly incompatible with, the desire to serve, to love.
hearing of his name. Whereas the real nature of the If one feels a real desire to serve Krishna he would lose
mundane animal, denoted by the mundane sound, ever all taste for his own enjoyment. All impurity,
remains a thing unknown. unwholesomeness and misery are fortunately and
mercifully ordained by the Lord as the inevitable
The Name of Krishna is identical with Godhead. But the consequence of the insatiable desire for selfish
Name of Krishna does not manifest Himself on mundane enjoyment. But the soul who turns away from immediate
lips nor to the mundane ear. The Name Krishna appears enjoyment by considerations of greater prospective
in His Form of the Transcendental Sound on the spiritual enjoyment in the sequel, cannot also for that very reason
lips of His devotees and is heard by the spiritual ear of realize the condition of loving devotion to the Feet of
the submissive soul by the Grace of Krishna. The Name the Lord, however strongly impressed he may profess
Krishna is identical with the Possessor of the Name. to be of the desirability of such a state. He is, no doubt,
The Name Krishna appears to the listening ear, as He free to think that he really desires it; but at the same
is, only by degrees. As soon as the dormant soul catches time he is wholly incapable of ever attaining to it by such
the first faint reflection of His Light he is at once desire. But, says Thakur Haridas, he may nevertheless
completely free from the bondage of ignorance and sin. attain to love for Krishna by the Chanting of the Holy
It is the Name Who comes of His Own accord to our Name, by the Grace of the Holy Name Himself. This is
fettered soul. The bound jiva, or living entity, has no the special Dispensation for the Age which is so
access to the Presence of Krishna on his own initiative. irremediably speculative; and there is no other way open
Krishna's Approach is heralded by the harbinger of Light to this Age for attaining to the loving service of Krishna.
whose first glimmerings on their appearance put an end
to all misconception regarding the categorical difference Haridas refers to the texts of the Scriptures to prove the
between light and darkness. truth of his statements. This is the only proper use of
the Shastras. The Shastras bear witness to the Truth
Unless and until the soul becomes aware of the true of the realizations of all really pure souls.
nature of spiritual existence by being so enlightened by
the Source of all consciousness, he is sure to mistake There is one other fact which is worthy of our notice.
the mind for his real self and the mental function as the The Pandits of the learned assembly, headed by Hiranya
only knowledge. If at this stage he does not wilfully shut Mazumdar, the master of the house, took the side of
his eyes but keeps them turned towards the growing Thakur Haridas. They not only strongly censured the
Light he gradually and in due course obtains the sight conduct of Gopal Chakravarti in the open assembly but
of the concrete Source of all light. This is the mode of Hiranya Mazumdar thought it his duty to renounce all
Appearance of the Holy Name. The sight of Krishna is further connection with a brahmana who could be guilty
alone capable of inspiring love for Krishna. This the of an act of discourtesy to the devotee of Godhead.
position of Thakur Haridas as explained by himself to Nevertheless the Pandits and Mazumdar himself felt
the Pandits who were in assembly at the house of the themselves involved in the sin of Gopal Chakravarti by
Krishna Voice, Jan 2009 15
the unhappy circumstance of their having had to hear
most reluctantly the blasphemous words uttered by
Gopal in their presence. For this sin the only expiation,
prescribed by the Shastras, was to seek in all humility
the pardon of Thakur Haridas, not for the offender, but
for themselves. This is not mere courtesy, but an
unavoidable necessity if one really wants to serve the
Truth. Any association, deliberate or accidental, with
untruth tends to obscure our vision of the Truth, Who
is, indeed, a very Jealous Master. Those who are
disposed to serve the Truth with causeless, loving
devotion, throw to the winds all considerations of ignorant
propriety or ignorant justice and are never satisfied by
serving the Truth by all their senses at all times and in
all circumstances. By the grace of Thakur Haridas this
instinct of loving devotion actually manifested itself in
the conduct of those who had listened with faith to the
Absolute Truth from his pure lips.
Sri Raghunathdas Goswami was a child at this time.
He used to visit the Thakur in his hut during his stay at
Chandpur. The boy was the fortunate recipient of the
mercy of Thakur Haridas. This is considered by Sri
Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami as the real cause of
Raghunath Das's subsequent unique devotion to the
Feet of Sri Chaitanya. The mercy of a sadhu acts equally
on all persons, irrespective of age, sex or condition—
all of whom have an equal chance of being benefited
by associating with a real sadhu. The interests of the
soul are not capable of being adversely affected by any
worldly conditions. The boy's soul has no defect of
immaturity any more than that of an old man the
advantage of maturity. Such maturity or immaturity has
no relevancy in one's associating with a sadhu. The
boy's soul, equally with the soul of the old man, may or
may not be disposed to listen to the words of a sadhu
for the genuine purpose of acting up to the same. It is
as necessary for a child to associate with a sadhu as
for an adult; but in neither case can one be sure of
obtaining the mercy of the sadhu with whom he may
choose to associate. The sadhu is kind to one who is
really inclined to serve Godhead. It is the function of a
sadhu to foster one's inclination for the service of the
Lord by means of his conduct and words. The articulated
sound is, however, the sadhu's unambiguous weapon
to fight all un-Godliness. It should puzzle the muddled
brain of the whole race of self-conceited empiricists to
understand why and how the sadhu need have no other
work except talking about almost anything to whom he
likes. Any person who is spoken to by a sadhu, even
for the tiny space of a second, has every chance of
attaining the real object of life which is unattainable by
infinite endeavour by any other method. Nay, it is our
duty to listen to a real sadhu, if we are fortunate enough
to meet him, in preference to all other duties, which are
not only of secondary importance, but are a positive
obstruction on the path of the highest and only good.
End—Part III

16 Krishna Voice, Jan 2009

 Srila Prabhupada On Science
With the support of Vedic knowledge, Srila Prabhupada challenged society's blind allegiance to modern science.
By Drutakarma Dasa in 1986
On a warm, sunny, dry begun the work I was
December morning, my now helping him carry
taxi driver turned from out.
the raucous, acrid main
Prabhupada's First
roads of New Delhi into
Book
the calm, spacious, tree-
lined avenues of In 1959, Srila
Chanakya Puri, the Prabhupada was living
capital city's in a small room above
international quarter. As a Krishna temple in the
we entered the garden- old, crowded
bordered driveway to Chippiwada district of
the stately Taj Palace Delhi. At that time he
hotel, I pinned my wrote a slender book
conference badge on called Easy Journey to
the lapel of my dark blue Other Planets. Srila
suit jacket. A uniformed Prabhupada would later
and turbaned hotel publish dozens of
employee with a great volumes of writings,
moustache opened the including his
door. I stepped out and monumental translation
paid my fare in rupees of the Bhagavata
to the driver. I was in Purana, or Srimad-
New Delhi for the World Bhagavatam, but Easy
Archeological Congress. Journey to Other
Planets was his first
The conference room
book. And, significantly,
was decorated in muted royal style, reminiscent of a
he placed these words on the first page: "Dedicated to
bygone era of Moghul opulence. Dimmed chandeliers
the scientists of the world, with the blessings of His
cast a golden glow. I sat among the archeologists,
Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
waiting my turn to speak. After a brief introduction by
Goswami Maharaja, my spiritual master."
the section chairman, and a respectful smattering of
applause, I stepped to the podium. My opening humor Although he dedicated his book to the scientists of the
drew some chuckles. Then, identifying myself as a world, Srila Prabhupada did not shrink from challenging
member of the Bhaktivedanta Institute, the science some of their most cherished conclusions about life and
studies branch of the International Society for Krishna the universe.
Consciousness, I began to read my paper "Puranic For example, he wrote, "Krishna says in the Bhagavad-
Time and the Archeological Record." gita that hundreds of thousands of years ago the Gita
I looked into the eyes of the assembled scientists, and was spoken to the presiding deity of the sun, who
for the next twenty minutes argued politely but forcefully delivered the knowledge to his son Manu, from whom
against the Darwinian view that humans evolved fairly the present generation of man has descended. Manu,
recently from apes. The actual evidence, I said, favored in his turn, delivered this transcendental knowledge to
the Puranic idea that humans have been present on his son King Ikshvaku, who is the forefather of the
this planet since the beginning of creation. In other dynasty in which the Personality of Godhead appeared."
words, human history extends throughout vast cycles The idea that humans on this earth are part of a larger
of cosmic time, each lasting hundreds of millions of community of humanlike beings populating the universe
years. As I was speaking, I remembered my spiritual certainly contradicts the idea that we humans evolved
master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami on this planet by random evolutionary processes. So
Prabhupada, who decades earlier in this same city had also does the idea that humans of an advanced level
Krishna Voice, Jan 2009 17
 of civilization, such as King Iksvaku, lived on this planet hundreds of thousands
of years ago.
Srila Prabhupada realized that the accounts of life and the universe found in the
ancient Vedic texts were in fundamental conflict with the accounts of modern
science. His courage in directly addressing this conflict, his refusal to quietly
avoid it, represents one of Srila Prabhupada's great contributions. This contribution
is especially worthy of remembrance during this year, the one hundredth
anniversary of Srila Prabhupada's birth.
No Postdated Checks
Srila Prabhupada was prepared to give scientists credit for anything they could
actually accomplish. But he would not give them credit for assertions they could
not practically demonstrate. For example, scientists are fond of asserting that
life arose on earth by chemical combination. In response to such claims, Srila
Prabhupada argued that no one has observed life arising spontaneously from
chemical combination in nature. Nor have scientists produced life by combining
chemicals in their laboratories. Faced with protests that great progress has been
made and that life would indeed soon be produced in laboratories, Srila
Prabhupada refused to accept from materialistic scientists these "postdated
checks."
Turning from the origin of life to the origin of species, Srila Prabhupada rejected
Darwin's proposal that one species transforms into another. There is evolution,
he said, but it is the evolution of the soul through various forms of life, all created
by Krishna. In any city, he reasoned, there are varieties of houses and apartments.
According to one's means, one obtains a certain dwelling. Similarly, God has
created millions of species, and according to a soul's karma the soul occupies
first one kind of body, then another. The kinds of bodies, once manifested by
the arrangement of the Lord, do not transform. If one species does transform
into another, Srila Prabhupada asked, why do we not see this occurring today?
In Easy Journey to Other Planets, Prabhupada examined the concept of antimatter.
According to nuclear scientists, both matter and antimatter are destructible. But
if something were truly antimaterial, said Srila Prabhupada, it should not be
subject to destruction, as are the antimaterial particles observed by scientists
in their atom smashers. Truly antimaterial entities are described in the Vedas,
he went on to say. The soul, for example, is an ever existing particle of
consciousness, emanating from the supreme conscious being, Krishna.
The Shortcomings of Science
According to materialistic science, the soul is a mythological concept.
Consciousness is simply the result of chemical interactions in the brain. Srila
Prabhupada often challenged this idea. The soul, he proposed, is the source
of consciousness. If the soul is present in the body, the body displays
consciousness. If the soul leaves the body, consciousness disappears. If, as
the materialistic scientists claim, consciousness comes from chemicals, they
should demonstrate this by injecting chemicals into a dead body and thus
restoring its consciousness.
In discussing the origin of the universe, most materialistic scientists favor some
version of the "big bang" theory. According to this theory, an infinitely small and
dense particle of matter suddenly expanded into the universe as we know it.
Srila Prabhupada questioned how such a process could produce all the signs
of order and design we can observe in the universe. He upheld the Vedic account
of creation, in which creation unfolds under the supervision of the Supreme Lord
and subordinate demigods like Brahma.
The Vedic universe, quite apart from its origin, differs structurally from the
universe depicted by modern science. Many of the structural features of the
Krishna Voice, Jan 2009 19
 antimaterial activities, he is destroyed materially at the
annihilation of the material worlds and is subject to take
rebirth in a material shape with the rebirth of a new
material universe. In other words, he is subject to the
pains of repeated births and deaths.
"Only those living entities who take to the loving service
of the Personality of Godhead during the manifested
stage of material life are undoubtedly transferred to the
antimaterial worlds after quitting the material body.
Immortality is obtained only by those who return to
Godhead by practice of antimaterial activities."
Ultimately, Prabhupada opposed the conclusions of
materialistic scientists because those conclusions
discourage people from taking up antimaterial activities
that can deliver one from the cycle of birth and death.
Misguided by scientific teachings that deny or downplay
the existence of God and the soul, people engage in
material activities that keep one in ignorance of one's
true spiritual identity and keep one from returning to
one's original spiritual home.
Recruiting Help
Vedic universe, such as Mt. Meru, a huge mountain In 1960, when Srila Prabhupada published Easy Journey
rising from a plane in the center of the universe, simply to Other Planets, he was alone. He would not remain
aren't visible to modern scientific investigators. But Srila so for long. In 1965 he journeyed to the United States,
Prabhupada suggested that there may be much that is arriving in New York, and founded the International
beyond the range of the senses of ordinary humans. To Society for Krishna Consciousness. He trained his
illustrate this point, Prabhupada often repeated the story followers in the basic teachings and practices of devotion
of the frog in the well. Because the frog was confined to Krishna. By the 1970s his movement had grown
to the well, the frog's perceptions were limited. When considerably, and its activities had become more varied.
told of the existence of the ocean, the frog, who had
seen only the small amount of water in his well, could In 1971, Srila Prabhupada began to converse on scientific
not imagine such a thing. topics with Thoudam Damodar Singh, a graduate student
in biochemistry who had become attracted to
So beyond pointing out the shortcomings of specific Prabhupada's teachings. The young scientist later
scientific theories about the origin of life and the universe, became a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, and received
Srila Prabhupada also offered an epistemological critique the name Svarupa Damodara Dasa. In conversations
of the entire scientific method. The scientific method is with Svarupa Damodara and others, Srila Prabhupada
empirical. Citing Vedic sources, Srila Prabhupada outlined his critique of modern science and asked his
observed that knowledge acquired by empirical methods scientifically trained followers to develop it in detail.
is infected with four defects: mistakes, cheating, illusion, Svarupa Damodara (now Bhaktisvarupa Damodara
and imperfect senses. Swami) responded positively, and in 1975 he and other
The best way to acquire knowledge, Srila Prabhupada disciples founded the Bhaktivedanta Institute. Srila
said, is to accept knowledge from a person beyond the Prabhupada wanted the Institute members to challenge
defects of the empirical method. That person is the erroneous scientific teachings and intelligently present
Supreme Lord, who has given us perfect knowledge in the correct Vedic ones.
His words, as recorded in the Vedas and transmitted Srila Prabhupada's vision for giving spiritual knowledge
by chains of bona fide spiritual masters. through science was variegated. He wanted members
In Easy Journey to Other Planets, Srila Prabhupada of the Bhaktivedanta Institute to lecture boldly at colleges
repeats the essence of such true knowledge, given by and universities, stage debates, organize conferences,
the Lord Himself: "Lord Krishna instructs that all the set up educational institutions, publish books and
planets within the material universe are destroyed at journals, build museums and planetariums. In his
the end of 4,300,000 ´ 1,000 ´ 2 ´ 30 ´ 12 ´ 100 solar personal exchanges with scientists, sometimes he boldly
years ... The living entity, however, is constitutionally an challenged, sometimes he manifested tolerance and
antimaterial particle. But unless he elevates himself to kindness. As it has not been possible for any single
the region of the antimaterial worlds by cultivation of follower of Srila Prabhupada to encompass all of his
20 Krishna Voice, Jan 2009
moods and strategies, different followers have spread the Gaudiya Vaishnava teachings throughout
concentrated on different aspects of his vision. But they the world, especially in English. In 1933 Prabhupada
are all acting for one purpose—to carry on Srila became the formal disciple of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati,
Prabhupada's work of establishing the truth about reality and in 1936, the year of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's death,
for the welfare of the entire world. Prabhupada received a letter from him renewing his
request that Prabhupada teach in the West. In 1965, at
In the Nineteenth century, India's British rulers offered
the age of 69, Prabhupada came to New York City,
Western education to Indian intellectuals. The goal was
where a year later he started ISKCON, the institutional
to create a cadre of English-speaking and English-
vehicle through which the teachings of Gaudiya
thinking Indians to assist them in the British program of
Vaishnavism were to spread quickly around the world.
military, political, economic, religious, and cultural
domination. This educational program successfully Among these teachings are those connected with the
induced many Indian intellectuals to abandon their origin of life and the universe. To scientifically establish
traditional culture and wisdom for Western modes of these teachings, Srila Prabhupada in 1975 organized
science and theology. the Bhaktivedanta Institute. He envisioned the
introduction of Gaudiya Vaishnava teachings on the
The program even made its mark on Gaudiya
origin of life and the universe as a direct confrontation
Vaishnavism, the line of Krishna devotees that traces
with prevailing Western scientific ideas, such as
back to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. But in the middle
Darwinian evolution.
of the nineteenth century, Kedarnatha Dutta (1838-
1914), an English-speaking magistrate in the colonial My own involvement in the Bhaktivedanta Institute, as
administration, became interested in Gaudiya a Western convert to Gaudiya Vaishnavism, can thus
Vaishnavism. After his initiation by a Gaudiya Vaishnava be seen in the historical context of the larger cultural
guru, he inaugurated a revival of Gaudiya Vaishnavism interaction between Western science and an Asian
among the intelligent classes, in Bengal and throughout Indian knowledge tradition with vastly different views
India. on natural history.
The central goal of Gaudiya Vaishnavism is cultivation
of bhakti, or devotion, to Krishna, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The bhakti school also
incorporates a strong philosophical tradition, grounded
in a literal, yet by no means naive, reading of the Vedic
and Puranic texts, including their accounts of history
and cosmogony. Kedarnatha Dutta, later known by the
title Bhaktivinoda Thakura, communicated Gaudiya
Vaishnava teachings not only to his Indian
contemporaries but also to the worldwide community
of intellectuals. He reached the latter by publishing
several works in English, among them Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts, which appeared
in 1896.
In the early twentieth century, Bhaktivinoda Thakura's
son Bimala Prasada Dutta, later known as
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura (1874-1936), carried
on the work of his father, expanding Gaudiya
Vaishnavism in India and sending a few disciples to
England and Germany. The European expeditions did
not, however, yield any permanent results, and the
missionaries returned home.
In 1922, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada, then known as Abhay Charan De, met
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in Calcutta, India.
A recent graduate of Scottish Churches College in
Calcutta and a follower of Gandhi, Prabhupada was
somewhat skeptical of this very traditional guru. But he
found himself won over by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's
sharp intelligence and spiritual purity. At this first meeting,
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati requested Prabhupada to
Krishna Voice, Jan 2009 21
 News from Mangalore

The Deities of Sri Krishna and Balarama were

offered a new dress and Krishna stood as
Giridhari in His special alankara for the occasion.

The Lord was offered a variety of special food

items including a cake replica of Govardhana
Hill.

To recognize the cow’s service to human society,

Go puja celebrations included arati to a cow
and her calf.

Vidya Dana
ISKCON Bangalore
initiated the distribution of
free note books to
government school
students. At the inaugural
function of this Vidya Dana
programme, Sri Ashwath
Narayan, (MLA, Mallesh-
waram) distributed free
note books to students of
the Government High
School in Malleshwaram.
The free note book
distribution at that school
was sponsored by First
Flight couriers.

22 Krishna Voice, Jan 2009

 Krishna Voice Monthly Magazine, January 2009 Vol10, No.1 Price Rs 15/-
Posted on 5th or 10th of the Month at MBC, Manipal, License to post without prepayment No. WPP(CO-8), Reg No. KA/BGGPO
2521/ 2009-11, Registered with Registrar of Newspapers for India under No. RNI 71022/99, Posted at MBC, Manipal, 576104.

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