QA session at ISKCON Bahrain

[Program at ISKCON, Bahrain]

Video:

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
A question-answer session till around 8.50. And then I’ll speak briefly about a new year, a new you for the new year. So, let’s start with a lot of questions. I don’t think we can cover all of them.
But let’s see how many we can cover. So, I’ll categorise some of the questions and I’ll try to take them in groups in case all of them we are not able to take. So, why do we have to suffer the reaction of a past sinful life in the next human form of life? Why not in that particular life itself? Krishna can do everything and everything.
Anything and everything. Our karma is like sowing of seeds. So, when a seed is sown, that seed fructifies according to its time.
If we sow weeds or sow grains, they should fructify in a few weeks. If we sow some flowers, they may take a few months. If we sow some fruits, they may take a few years.
Some fruits may take even a few decades. Like that, our karma is sowing of seeds. And different karma seeds fructify after different time durations.
And, sometimes we think of karma as simply A leads to B. But it’s not that simple. Because, for A to lead to a reaction B, sometimes a certain other set of circumstances are required. So, in the Mahabharata story, associated with Mahabharata story of Dhritarashtra asking Krishna, I had 100 sons, why were all my 100 sons killed? So, Krishna replied, as a hunter in a previous life, you once brutally killed 100 baby birds when you were trying to kill their parents but they escaped.
So, you made the he-bird and the she-bird suffer the agony of seeing their 100 children die. That’s why you had to see the death of your 100 sons. Dhritarashtra asked, why is it that Krishna said, you had done this 50 lifetimes ago.
So, he asked, why 50 lifetimes I had to wait? Krishna told him that for 50 lifetimes you had to accumulate the punya so that you could have 100 sons in one lifetime. And then that karmic reaction would come. So, karmic reactions are not simply A leading to B. A leads to B in a particular that reaction of B requires a particular circumstance to be there.
And sometimes that circumstance may take time to come. So, that’s why from the soul’s perspective, one body and another body are not that different because they are simply dresses. So, the appropriate circumstance, whenever it comes, the reaction will come at that time.
That appropriate circumstance may be just in a few minutes, it may be in a few hours, it may be a few years or it may be a few lifetimes. If I slap someone, that person slaps me back. If I eat very cold food at night and cold night like this, after 8 hours I will get a sore throat.
If somebody starts smoking at the age of 16, maybe at the age of 35 they get lung cancer. Sometimes, just as we can see different time durations in the reactions coming in this life also, sometimes some reactions may come for previous life’s actions in this life and for this life’s actions in the next life. So, why are there very few examples in scripture of varnaashram dharma according to guna karma? Why is it more varnaashram according to kula janma? Not exactly.
We have to understand that when we talk about varnaashram, the division of society into brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya, chudra, this, that the quality and the birth are not entirely unconnected. The qualities are determined by a person’s choice. I can choose to become godly during this life.
But, according to our qualities in our previous life, our birth is also determined. That means that if a brahmana, if a couple where the husband and wife are both of a brahmanical disposition, they unite and they conceive a child in brahmanical consciousness, then they will attract a brahmanical soul. If a kshatriya and a kshatriya they unite, then they will attract a kshatriya soul.
So, generally the genealogical and the psychological match. That is how karma works. So, that’s why it was not that, just like even if you look at say, if a couple is a doctor, both husband and wife are doctors.
Now, if their child wants to become a doctor, the facility is much easier. Facility is more. It’s not necessary that the child will automatically be a doctor.
The facility is more. So, birth is not inconsequential in determining qualities. So, traditionally, when there were not so many inter-caste marriages, so, when people of more or less similar mindsets married with each other, then they would attract a soul of a similar mindset.
And that’s why traditionally, it would be that a brahmana’s child would become a brahmana. A kshatriya’s child would become a kshatriya. But, there were exceptions which were recognised and accommodated.
But, even in the Mahabharata, that’s 5000 years ago, at that time only in a conversation between Yudhishthira and Nahusha, at that time Yudhishthira was saying, that now there has been a lot of intermixing. And because of which, we cannot determine the varna simply by birth. We have to look at different qualities.
So, that’s why, the traditional, if we see, the varna is determined not solely by birth, but the varna is not entirely disconnected from birth also. So, if somebody is born in a particular family, it’s likely that they will have the same varna as their parents. But, it’s not essential.
And the opportunity was given for people, if they had exhibited qualities of a different varna, to accept that work. But, over the years, it became solidified and fossilised, we could say, where the facility for flexibility was decreased. And when it became rigid and it became exploitative, that’s when the caste system became, what we call as caste system came up and it became discriminatory.
So, in Jagannath Puri, the people follow the regulatory principles, but the Lord mercifully allows them to serve. Why is that? Yeah. In bhakti, it’s very important to recognise that Krishna is independent.
So, Krishna can accept service from anyone. In scripture, as well as in the living tradition, there will be people who will be exceptions. And those exceptions are not meant to reject, to justify the rejection of the rule.
But those exceptions are meant to help us see that the rule alone is not everything. Just like we have the example of Shabari. Shabari datta phala shanirama.
So, Shabari actually tasted the fruit and offered it to the Lord. Now, if we do it, that will not be appropriate. But her doing it is considered appropriate because she had a great devotion.
So, similarly, the exception to the rule that we should keep the food offered to the Lord pure, the exception to the rule is there. The rule is there and the exception demonstrates the essential principle of devotion. So, for us, in Jagannath Puri, now do all the Pandas have great devotion? Well, many do have.
And, if there are traditions where bhaktis practise somewhat differently from the way we are practising, then we have to see that the Lord is merciful enough to accept even their devotion. But we are coming in a particular tradition and in this tradition, we follow certain rules. So, the Lord is not limited that he can be accessed only through certain rules.
But if we are following a particular tradition, then we need to follow the rules which our traditions, our Acharyas have given. We don’t have to judge others by the rules of our tradition. Yes, we can see that by following the rules, if we follow them strictly, our consciousness becomes more receptive for Krishna.
So, we follow the rules. But we don’t judge and condemn others if they are not following the rules. There is a pastime, in the Chaitanya Charitam, it is described how Ramanujacharya, he went to Puri and he saw that the clothes which were being offered to Jagannath were not being properly, the starch was not removed from them.
And he said, why are they not doing this? And then Lord Jagannath came in his dream and Lord Jagannath slapped him. He said, what are you doing? He said, these are my devotees and they are worshipping me. I am pleased by their worship.
So, for us, we have to recognise that Krishna Bhakti is, the rules are important, but Krishna Bhakti is more than the rules. And in some cases, when the examples are there of somebody who is devoted but is not following the rules, we see that as an example of the essence of devotion being most important. But that doesn’t mean the rules are not important, but that the Lord is not, access to the Lord is not limited to the rules.
The rules prepare our consciousness by bringing it to a basic level of morality and purity by which Krishna Bhakti can take off faster. So, it’s like, if the wood is wet, or it is semi-wet, or it is dry, then if you put a spark on it, it will catch fire much faster. So, the rules and regulative principles that we follow, they make our consciousness more receptive for the spark of Krishna Bhakti.
So, if we are in the mode of ignorance, we are doing activities in the mode of ignorance, then it’s like wet wood. So, for the spark of Krishna Bhakti to take off will be difficult. But, in some cases, if the Krishna Bhakti is there already, then even if some wetness is there around the wood, that will get dissipated.
So, we see that for me to grow towards Krishna, I need to follow the rules. But Krishna Bhakti is such that it can manifest in some people even without the rules also. So, I won’t become judgemental, but that doesn’t mean I become sentimental and I also give up the rules and regulations.
So, if anybody has any short questions related with any of the answers I am giving, feel free to ask it. It’s a separate question. Then we’ll see if we have time later.
Yeah. Okay, no need. Okay.
So, after fasting on Pandan Dirjal Ekadashi, why don’t all our sins get vanquished as is mentioned in scripture? Scriptural promises are meant to increase our faith in the standard process. They are not meant to be a substitute for the standard process. So, if we see in the Ajamil pastime, Ajamil chants one name of Narayana and he is freed from sinful reactions.
Now, what is the conclusion of either Shukadeva Goswami when he is narrating the pastime or of Sri Prabhupada when he is commenting on it? Is there a conclusion that all of us can do whatever activities we want and at the time of that we all chant Narayana? No, that is not the point. The point what Shukadeva Goswami says is that he chanted once unconsciously and even then he was delivered. So, if we chant regularly and consciously, surely we will be delivered.
So, the devotee’s stress always is on the standard process of bhakti. So, when we describe that Pandanjali Lekadashi, if we fast, all our sins get vanquished. Now, what does it mean? It means that the Lord is so merciful that if we are ready to do this serious committed bhakti, the Lord is ready to purify us.
So, scriptural promises, they indicate the magnitude of Krishna’s mercy. The magnitude of the Lord’s eagerness that we come to him. But a devotee’s mood in approaching the Lord is never mathematical.
I did this much for you, so you do this much for me. A devotee sees the promises as expressions of the Lord’s compassionate heart. That he is so eager that I come to him.
And therefore, we reciprocate not with our calculative head, but with our repentant, humble heart. That Krishna, you are so kind. Let me wholeheartedly devote myself to you.
So, the scriptural promises indicate the mercifulness of the Lord. But as devotees, we don’t demand that the Lord give us mercy in the exact way in which the scripture promises. We see the principle of mercy and we commit ourselves to the standard process of bhakti by which we will receive the mercy.
Some allowance. You keep it with you. What is the most important factor for determining our next life destination? Is it the consciousness at the time of death? Is it the karmas during the current lifetime? Or is it the Sukruti and Ajnat Sukruti of this lifetime? Yeah, good question.
All three are important. Firstly, when we talk about, Krishna says, what you remember at the time of death, you will attain that. Now, this is 8.5 and 6, he talks about remembering, what we remember at the time of death.
But he follows that up immediately with the verse, tasmat sarveshu kaaleshu mahanusmarjan decha. Therefore, try to remember me constantly. So, when we are talking about remembrance at the time of death, what we remember at the time of death is a natural result of what we have remembered throughout our life.
So, it’s not just, again I said, somebody may say that, oh, I will do all kinds of sensual activities throughout my life and when I feel I have enjoyed enough, then I will put a gun on my head. Hare Krishna! And I will go to Krishna. You know, we can’t cheat Krishna like that.
Why? Because, even if I chant the name of Krishna, I will not remember Krishna. Especially, the moment of death is a moment of great distress, of immense pain, of great shock and at that time, we desperately need shelter and our thought at the time of death will automatically go towards that in which during our life, we have experienced the greatest shelter. So, at the time of death, even say battle-hardened soldiers, if they get a painful wound, fatal wound, then they may call out, Mother! Or they may remember their wife, or they may remember their child, whoever they are attached to.
They don’t consciously decide to think about it, but thoughts naturally go over there. So, wherever during the course of our life, we have experienced the deepest shelter, that is what we will remember automatically at the time of death. So, that’s why, for us to remember Krishna at the time of death, we need to cultivate remembrance of Krishna throughout our life and especially seek shelter and experience shelter of Krishna at that time.
Seek, experience the deepest shelter of Krishna during the course of our life. We all experience shelter in different things. We may experience some shelter by just coming home, by counting our bank balance, by seeing how much respect we have in society, whatever.
But among all the different shelters we have, if during the course of our life, by our practise of bhakti, Krishna has become our deepest shelter, then at the time of death, automatically Krishna will be what we will take shelter of, even without our conscious contemplation. Of course, we as sadhakas try to create circumstances which are supportive by which a person who is departing will be helped in remembering Krishna. But what they will remember will be largely determined by what they have strived to remember and what they have taken shelter of.
So, what we will remember at the time of death and what we remember throughout our life are related. Now, as far as the Ajnat Sukhruti or the Sukhruti is concerned, actually, the bhakti that we perform or the bhakti that we help others to perform, all that counts. There is the remembrance of Krishna which may not be there if somebody is not attached to Krishna.
But still, because they have practised Krishna bhakti, that will shape the results of whatever karma they have, it’s coming in their life. So, if we have done, say, this much quantity, we cannot quantify karma in mathematical terms. But still, say, if somebody has done 100 units of karma which they are supposed to get.
So, this karma can come in different ways. Say, this is mathematical as an example. Say, 33% of that karma might come when they go to a lower planet, a hellish planet.
33% of their karma may come in a lower species. And 33% of the karma might come in a future human birth. Now, if a person doesn’t have much bad karma, then they might just go to human birth and that’s where the karma comes to them.
So, if somebody has practised bhakti, then it is said that that person will surely get a human form in the next life. And that means that whatever 100 units of karma was there for them, that will not get distributed in lower species or lower planets. It will all come in the next life in the human form only.
So, by our remembrance of Krishna, generally the opportunity to remember Krishna will come in the next life. So, we will get the opportunity for human consciousness in the next life. So, the Ajnatsukruti alone will not shape our next life’s destination.
But the Ajnatsukruti will not alone determine our next life’s destination, but the Ajnatsukruti can shape our next life’s destination so that we still have the opportunity to practise bhakti. That’s why it is said, if one does even a little bhakti, then they will get a human life in the next birth. So, alpam apyasa dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat.
In this way, all these three contribute, but it’s primarily what we have become most deeply attached to during our life going, that’s what contributes the most. Sada tad bhava bhavidaha. Sada tad bhava.
Whatever bhava, whatever emotional disposition we have acquired in this life, bhavidaha, that will become manifest in our next life. Are demigods directly manifest as full-fledged demigods? Or do they also have childhoods? Usually no. The demigods manifest fully as full-formed beings because they have certain functions to perform and they have certain karma to enjoy.
So, they manifest usually in a youthful body, which has all the facilities to enjoy. Whatever heavenly facilities they are meant to enjoy. And they also have the resources by which they can execute whatever responsibilities of cosmic administration that they are to execute.
Yeah. But what about some devatas manifesting like Ganapati or Kartikeya? Yes, if you see, in the case of certain devatas, for the purpose of a particular leela, for a particular pastime, they may manifest in a particular way. For example, Ganesh, we have the whole story of his head being transposed.
Now, for that purpose, they are not controlled by the laws of material nature to the same extent as we are. But, in some cases, they can go through certain phases similar to humans. So, it’s not a necessary condition, but it’s possible they can do it.
But that’s not what is necessary for everyone to go through. Do devatas’ bodies comprise of earth, water, fire, air, ether? Not necessarily. It depends on which level of existence they are at.
For example, it is said that Brahma’s body is made of pure intelligence. That means, he has a body, which is a physical body, but is not physical in the sense of gross material. It is a material body, but it is not a gross material body like ours.
It is a subtle material body. So, how exactly it is created, how exactly it is sustained, it’s completely different mechanism from what we know about. So, usually depending on the particular celestial planet that they are existing, whatever is the body that is compatible with that particular loka, that is where, that is the kind of body they get.
So, if it’s higher celestial planets are subtler planets. And naturally they get bodies which are prominently made of subtler elements over there. So, do you have any book which describes the formation of earth and the seven continents from the Vedic perspective? Yeah.
It’s the next question. Related with the, ok, let me read. Related to the moon mission, it is said that is it possible for a human mission to moon or mars or other planets? I have on my website an elaborate article about this.
And if I had known this question, I have a powerpoint presentation also on this. I’ll make 3-4 points about this. The first point is that the Bhagavatam and the scriptures in general and modern science perceive the world from different perspectives.
From different scales of perception. So, if I take say charcoal which is black and I chalk, which is white. Now, I grind both of them into powder and mix both the powders together.
Now, that powder will be grey. But if that same powder I look at under a microscope, I won’t see any grey powder. I will see white granules and black granules.
Now, what is it actually? Is it a grey powder or is it white granules and black granules? What it is depends on the scale of perception. So, reality is state specific. Whatever state of observation we are at, accordingly we will perceive.
So, therefore, because the Vedic scriptures and the modern science perceive things from different scales of observation. That’s why the perceptions often are significantly different. And this does not mean that one is right and the other is wrong.
Both work in their own ways. And even in the Vedic tradition, sometimes we talk about Vedic cosmology. In the Vedas, there is not one model of cosmology that is described.
Even in the Vedic tradition, one of the most famous astrologers, astronomers is Aryabhatta. And Aryabhatta, he primarily operated using the astrological books which are called as Jyotishas. There is a whole genre of Shastra which is called Jyotish Shastra.
And within that Surya Siddhanta is one of the prominent books which Bhakti Sahasrat Thakur was expert at. So, now Aryabhatta, when he writes, when he studied the Bhagavatam cosmology almost 1200 years ago, in his writings he expresses perplexities. He says, I cannot understand the Bhagavatam.
So, even in the Vedic tradition, in the broad Indian tradition, there is a Jyotish Shastra which gives particular vision of the cosmos and the Puranic cosmology of Jyotish, which is the Bhagavatam cosmology. And both have been there and how the two are to be brought together, it has been a perplexity even for stalwart scholars in our tradition. Now, even our, we may say that Aryabhatta was a mundane scholar.
He was a religious person. He is not exactly a Vaishnavacharya. But even our Vaishnavacharyas, when they have, for example, talked about the horoscope of Lord Chaitanya or the horoscope of Lord Krishna, for making horoscopic calculations, no Acharya has used the Bhagavatam’s cosmology.
They also have used the Jyotisha cosmology. So, now this Vishwacharya Dacura, for example, has himself commented on the Bhagavatam and he has commented on the 5th Canto also. But although he has commented on the 5th Canto, when it comes to astrological calculations, he has not used the 5th Canto.
He has used the Jyotisha Shastras. Now, how exactly these two have been reconciled, we don’t know. The Acharyas themselves, even while commenting on the Bhagavatam, they have not reconciled the two.
But we have evidence that they have used both. That they have used Jyotisha cosmology for practical, calculational purposes and they have used Bhagavatam cosmology for devotional purposes. For seeing how Dharma and devotion pervade the universe.
So, that’s why we don’t have to put modern science and scripture in competition to each other. When we position scripture as a competitor of science, we devalue scripture. We devalue scripture.
Why? Because scripture is not here to tell us how to fly a plane or how to develop a computer. That knowledge may be there, but that is not the purpose of scripture. When Parikshit Maharaj is renouncing the whole world to fix his mind on Krishna, he is not interested in cosmology the way a cosmonaut or astrophysicist may be interested.
He is interested in the cosmology to the extent that it helps him to fix his mind on Krishna. You see the Bhagavatam itself, it describes the cosmos, but the scientific or the mathematical figures in the Bhagavatam are very few. Okay, this is this dimension, this is this dimension, this is this dimension, but the whole focus is, it may give a little dimensions, the chapters 15 to 25 of the Bhagavatam can to describe the cosmology.
But in those, there may be a few verses we describe the figures and most of the verses are describing the prayers. Okay, on this planet, these are the residents and they are offering these prayers. The thrust of the Bhagavatam is not to describe cosmology.
The thrust of the Bhagavatam is to show how throughout the cosmos there is bhakti, there is dharma. Everybody everywhere is remembering the Lord, therefore you should also remember the Lord. So the focus of the Bhagavatam is to help us fix the mind on Krishna.
Now, so the point I made is that I made two points now. First is that observations are states are depending on the scale of observation and it is not that one is right and other is wrong. Both can be right depending on the scale of observation.
And second point I made is that the Bhagavatam, in the Vedic tradition itself, there have been two different ways of observing and they have both been accepted and used. They have not been put in competition. So, Jyotisha cosmology is in many ways similar to modern science.
It agrees with empirical observations and it can be used for practical calculations. So, with this background, if we consider, say, Srila Prabhupada talking about the moon mission. Now, what was Srila Prabhupada’s thrust? If you see, Prabhupada, he made many different statements about the moon.
His thrust was don’t get so excited about it. The point was, if you see in the introduction of the Bhagavad Gita, Prabhupada writes that modern man has laboured a lot for raising himself to the moon but he has not laboured much for raising his consciousness. The Bhagavad Gita guides him about how he can raise his consciousness.
So, Prabhupada’s central point was that don’t get so excited about going to the moon. The point is that you practise bhakti and raise your consciousness. That is what is going to solve the real problems of life.
Even if we suppose we go to the moon, we go to some other planet, what are we going to do over there? There also we are going to eat, sleep, mate and defend. Isn’t it? So, what is so great about it? So, Prabhupada’s point was that do something, seek something higher. Don’t get excited simply by going to this planet or that planet.
And Prabhupada’s point also was that he said that there is the moon which is the higher planet. That’s why it can’t be accessed. Now, Chandraloka is a higher level of reality.
Whereas, what we see, the moon, is not exactly the same as Chandraloka. Why are the two not the same? Because it is very clearly described in scripture that the devatas and their abodes are not directly seeable by us. For example, we may say we can see Chandra, we can see Surya, but can we see Svarga? We can’t see Svarga.
So, it is described that because Chandra and Surya are required for us to see so that we can do astrological calculations, no auspicious murtas, so we have been given the vision to see them partially. But, what we see is based on three-dimensional vision. It is not the higher reality.
Many times when the devatas come to earth, it’s only when they grant the vision that we can see the devatas. Otherwise, even if they come on the earth, we can’t see them. We see this several times described in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana also.
Devatas grant vision, then people can see them. Otherwise, they are there at one moment, the next moment they are gone. They just don’t give the vision.
So, in three-dimensional space, using physical means, we may be able to go from the earth to some other planet. But, even if we go there, travelling through three-dimensional space, we have not got the karmic qualification to see the higher reality. It’s just like if you have a mainframe computer, where it’s like a huge machine where say 100 people are working on it simultaneously, on one machine only.
Then different people have different levels of access. So, some person has data entry access. Some person has administrative access.
Some person has complete access of everything. So now, if the person is a data entry operator, tries to go into the area of the computer where he or she doesn’t have access, they may click over there, but they will not see anything over there. Either they will not be able to go there only, even if they somehow get there, they will not be able to see anything.
They can’t access the files. So, similarly, in the universe, what we can access is determined by our karmic qualifications. So, Prabhupada’s point was that we human beings cannot access Chandraloka.
Chandraloka is a heavenly abode. But by the Lord’s arrangement, a projection of Chandraloka is the moon. The moon is visible to us with our eyes.
But Chandradev is not visible to us with our eyes. Why? Because Chandradev is a higher being. Soma is a higher being.
So, there is there is a part of the moon which is projected within three-dimensional space. Just like if there is a big building, the building, if we had depicted on the map, now, the map, it just comes as one point over there. Now, if I, if this is Bahrain and this is Mumbai, on a map, I can move my finger from Bahrain to Mumbai.
And I can say, I want to Mumbai. But I am not experiencing Mumbai over there. Why? Because this is a representation.
It is not the full reality. So, like that, what we can perceive with our senses is a three-dimensional representation of the moon, of Chandraloka, which is a higher reality. So, Prabhupada’s point is that even if we go physically to the moon, we cannot access Chandraloka.
So, physically, it may be possible that by acquiring some technology, some people may be able to go to some planets. But what after that? What are they going to do? Prabhupada’s whole stress was, don’t get excited by such things and get distracted from Krishna. The real growth will happen when we grow in our attachment to Krishna, in our devotion to Krishna.
So, focus on that and don’t get distracted by other things. So, do we have books that describe the formation of the earth and seven continents from Vedic perspective? See, again, there is, if you see the Vedic body of knowledge, you can see it’s one big circle. There is material knowledge within it and there is spiritual knowledge within it.
Now, if we consider the material knowledge, some of the material knowledge may agree with modern science. Some of the material knowledge in scriptures may disagree with modern science. But the major part of Vedic knowledge is that which transcends modern science.
That there is a spiritual world in which Krishna is a blueish black cowherd boy and he reigns supreme over them. Science can say nothing about it. Science cannot just read the spiritual world.
So, science can neither, Prabhupada writes in a purport, science can neither prove it nor disprove it. So, for functioning in today’s world, we, for functional purposes, may use modern science. But, for our ultimate life’s goal, we use scripture.
Now, some devotees may specialise and may focus on the material knowledge in scripture also. So, if we have interest, there are devotee scientists who have done some research and they have written some books. But, we don’t have to see the material knowledge.
We don’t have to go to scripture to seek material knowledge. We go to scripture primarily to seek spiritual knowledge. In the first canto of Bhagavatam, there is the description of how in the chapters 10 and 11, Krishna leaves Hastinapur and goes to Dwaraka.
And the path is described. Krishna went from here, here, here, this city, this city, this city, crossed this river and finally reached. And there, Prabhupada says in the purport, that some geologists or scientists may try to find out the exact path which Krishna took while going from Hastinapur to Dwaraka.
And he says, this is a very difficult task because by nature, the earth’s surface keeps changing. As far as we are concerned, we are simply satisfied that Krishna has reached Dwaraka and is going to perform pastimes with his devotees. So, we look forward to those pastimes.
So, Prabhupada is very clear in his purpose. If we are studying the Bhagavatam, we as general devotees, we are coming here primarily to we are approaching scripture for the same purpose for which Parikshit is approaching. We want to remember Krishna.
So, we focus on the remembrance of Krishna. And if we want to find out material knowledge from scripture, that’s fine. That is a specialised field which will require a lot of study.
We may have to learn Sanskrit. We may have to read books which are specialised in those fields. And then we can get some knowledge from there.
But that doesn’t have to be our thrust. So, whenever we find any conflict between science and scripture, we don’t have to go into that conflict zone. To understand that science also works by Krishna’s arrangement.
That science, when it works, how does it work? Krishna has arranged for certain laws to be present in material nature. And science is simply discovering those laws. So, just as for Parikshit Maharaj, studying the cosmos as is revealed in the Bhagavatam helped him to fix the mind on Krishna.
We can study science as it is revealed by modern science and that can also help us to fix our mind on Krishna. Newton, he discovered the law of gravity. But then he also said, O father, I think thy thoughts after thee.
That means, he saw his scientific discoveries as spiritual insights into the way God had arranged for the creation to manifest. So, for us, if we have a scientific inclination, if we have an analytical mind, then we understand the purpose is to fix the mind on Krishna. So, purpose is to fix the mind on God.
So, scripture can help us to fix the mind on God. Even modern science also, if approached properly, can deepen our appreciation of God. And if we have special interest, then we can study the Aparavidya, the material knowledge that is given in scripture and try to gain some understanding.
But as of now, we don’t have to go into the technicalities of specifics as I described, material specifics, as I described in scripture. If Parikshit Maharaj had been interested in material specifics, you know, he would have stayed and ruled the kingdom. See, Parikshit Maharaj has left his kingdom so that he can fix his mind on Krishna.
And we are studying the book which Parikshit Maharaj is hearing and in that we are getting caught in so many things other than Krishna. Why do we have to do that? We have to just stay focused. Focused on Krishna.
And when we are studying scripture, we see why, what section of scripture is helping me in my remembrance of Krishna. And a section of scripture that doesn’t help me in my remembrance of Krishna, we don’t reject it, but we just respectfully put it aside. This is not for me right now.
If it is very, a matter of great curiosity, I can connect with specialist devotees who have studied these scriptures and try to understand it. So, Sadaput Prabhu, Dr. Richard L. Thompson is one of the most prominent devotee scientists. He has written 2-3 books.
He has written a book called Vedic Cosmography which gives a very reasonable and persuasive understanding of the Vedic cosmos and the modern scientific cosmos. And the limitations of the modern scientific world view and how they can be addressed if deeper study of Vedic cosmos is done. He has written another second book called Maya, the world as a virtual reality which takes more cutting edge insights of modern science and presents them also.
So, if we are specialist interested, we can study that. But in general, we have to be very clear when we are studying scripture. My purpose is to fix the mind on Krishna.
And whatever helps me to fix the mind on Krishna, I focus on that. Whatever is confusing, whatever is bewildering, then rather than getting agitated by that, we just focus on seeing what can help me to fix my mind on Krishna. I’ll conclude with one point here.
That once some devotees came to Prabhupada, this is a conversation in Hawaii, and they said, Prabhupada, if we tell the scholars, if we meet the scholars, and we tell the scholars that say, there is a discussion in the Bhagavatam that Ugrasen had some astronomically large number of bodyguards. So, if we tell them that he had this many bodyguards, they start laughing at us. They say that, how could he have? Where were they living? Dwarka is a small place.
Where were their houses? Where were their toilets? They start laughing and making fun of us. Now, Prabhupada could have answered, Krishna can do anything. Krishna can sustain the whole planet on the tip of a needle.
Yes, Krishna can do that. But Prabhupada did not go into that zone. Prabhupada’s answer was, among all the thousands of verses of the Bhagavatam, was that the only thing you found to speak with scholars? No.
Our purpose is to help others come closer to Krishna, and our purpose is ourselves to go closer to Krishna. So, Prabhupada said, don’t worry about that. So, we have to be very clear.
Our focus is to remember Krishna. And whatever it takes to remember Krishna, we keep that purpose in mind and move forward in our life. So, can I speak briefly about New Year? A few minutes? So, I’ll speak about how to have a new you for the New Year.
I’ll speak three points. All of us, when we start seeking a new year, at that time, we make New Year resolutions. Sociologists have found that 90% of people’s New Year resolutions are not new.
They made the same resolution last year, which they couldn’t keep. So, a New York Times article found, very interesting, that what helps people to keep their resolutions? And from 1920s to around 2000, they did a report in some studies, that in general, people who have religious commitments, people who are committed religiously, they are able to better keep their resolutions. So, what happens is, whether it is I’m going to do this or I’m not going to do this.
So, this was the article which had come in, I think, 2008 in New York Times. And then, I have quoted in my book Recession, Adversity or Opportunity. So, he says that if you want to keep your resolutions, add one more resolution.
The resolution to increase your religious commitment. So, we would like to become better and I’m going to talk about three things to keep our New Year resolutions, to bring out a new you. Connect, Contemplate and Consolidate.
Connect means that we connect with Krishna. Suppose, I have to lift a very big weight. Now, I may not have the strength to lift that weight.
But, if I can place that weight on a lever and then I press the lever, the amount of force required is very less and the weight will get lifted. So, our Krishna Bhakti is like that lever. Whatever resolution we want to follow, if we first focus on connecting with Krishna and connecting with Krishna in a way that is accessible and relishable for us.
So, it may be, we like to study scriptures, like to do kirtan, make a resolution to do kirtans. If we like to worship the deities, make a resolution to worship deities. Connect with Krishna.
That connection with Krishna will give us inner strength. It will give us inner satisfaction. When we say that Krishna says that, somehow or the other fix the mind on Krishna.
That means, that just do what it takes to fix the mind on Krishna. If we do that, everything else will follow. That actually, if we just fix the mind on Krishna, we will be able to move towards Krishna.
That’s the first point. Connect. And second is contemplate.
Contemplate means, when we start something new, there is inspiration. We feel like doing it. But, after sometime the inspiration goes away.
There is a famous Nobel laureate author, he was asked, do you write only when you are inspired or do you write everyday? So, he said that, I write only when I am inspired and I make sure that I am inspired every morning at 9 o’clock. So, what that means is, that inspiration cannot be a steady motivator. Inspiration can get us to start off.
And we do need inspiration. Sometimes we hear a nice class, we have some spiritual experience, we get some good association, we feel inspired. Yes, I am going to do this.
But, if we count only on inspiration, we will not be able to continue. From inspiration, we have to come to our own contemplation and conviction. Why do I want to do it? I feel like doing it.
Feeling will not be there tomorrow. So, why am I going to do it? We have to contemplate, analyse and write it down. Why am I doing this? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And then when I don’t feel like doing it, I read it.
Krishna says, He says, with your intelligence, situate yourself on the spiritual platform. So, our buddhi is very important. Contemplate.
Whatever is the resolution which we do, we should make. Contemplate. Why do I want to do it? Write it down and read it regularly.
That will help us to stick to it. And the last is, consolidate. Consolidate means that we need to be able to recognise that we cannot continue on our own all the time.
We need the help of others. So, if we make any resolution, it is very good if we do it in consolidation with others. We consolidate it by doing it in coordination with others.
So, if I want to memorise verses, then even if I can’t sit with some other devotee and memorise, I can decide. I can tell. Now, I am going to memorise this verse.
Which verse are you going to memorise? And whenever we meet each other, we ask, have you memorised? Which verse did you memorise? You recite. I will recite. If we are going to chant better, if we are going to study scripture better, if we are going to exercise more, whatever resolution you are going to just do it with someone else.
We consolidate through association. Because what happens? We start off with inspiration. But our inspiration goes down.
So, we use the mind. The mind is what gets inspired sometimes. But beyond the mind is the intelligence.
So, we contemplate and get intellectual conviction. But intellectual conviction may also not last. Yeah, I know it is the right thing, but I don’t feel like doing it.
The mind may just get it. So, then, what are we doing? When we tell someone else, I am going to do it. And we make a commitment like that.
Not in a proclaiming sense to the whole world, in an egoistic sense. But just telling it to some other people. Then, when you say, oh, this other person is going to do it.
And this person is going to ask me. Will I do it? Have I done it or not? So, what happens? We are basically using our ego in Krishna’s service. We don’t want to look bad in other people’s eyes.
So, what we do is the ego can come in the way of Krishna, but the ego can also help us on the way to Krishna. If we make a, we tell somebody else, this is what I am going to do. And we make a plan.
So, in de-addiction programmes, they call this as accountability partner. That is a partner who will tell you, to whom you are accountable. Have you done it or you have not done it? So, if we make some resolution and we have some accountability partner like that.
Some devotee with whom we work together. Then, that will be the external inspiration for us. And if we just bring some more degree of Krishna into our life, from where we are, Krishna can change us drastically.
Because, Krishna is omnipotent. And he as Prabhupada writes, he wants us to come to him. But he is concerned whether we really want to come to him.
So, rather than thinking this resolution is so big and I will not be able to keep it. Just think, just take one step forward. And make solid plan to take that step forward and Krishna will reciprocate.
And it’s not that if we are unable to keep a resolution, we have failed. It is that as long as we kept a resolution, that also is a success. So, we focus not on whether I will continue it life long or year long or month long or whatever.
Don’t think about that. The moment we think, oh, I have to do this throughout my life, we will not do it for one day also. It’s too much.
Just think that, okay, let me do it today. Let me do it tomorrow. Let me do it one more day.
One more day. So, we take… … Step by step if we do, we will be able to do much in Krishna’s service. So, we bring Krishna into our life and Krishna will bring us to a new life.
Thank you very much. Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna.
Shri Ram Prabhu ki Jai. Shri Ram Prabhu ki Jai. Hare Krishna.
Our programme continues. As you all know, today we have a very special session. The special class is on