What Is "The Higher Taste"?

Dear All,

Just about a couple of hours ago I was in a class by H. G. Sankirtanananda Prabhu. I always love to hear from him. Today he instructed us on the topic of how Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s devotees are “Vairaagya Pradhaan”, i.e. how in them the quality of renunciation is prominent. The essence of the lecture was that the renunciation of the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu arises from engagement in positive higher activities of Devotional Service while the renunciation of the Mayavadis arises from frustration. I will not elaborate on this discussion in this article.

But what I want to elaborate on is the short question-answer session that followed the lecture. While explaining the principle of higher engagement, H. G. Sankirtanananda Paabhu mentioned how one will relinquish a low paying job for a high paying one and how a hungry man will relinquish a two-day old dry roti for halwa prepared in pure ghee J. On this point, H. G. Vamandev Prabhu very humbly asked what I thought was a very beautiful question.

He asked (I will paraphrase), “Is this example given in a particular context? Doesn’t taste depend on the modes of nature that a person has acquired? For example, the hog will reject the halwa and accept stool instead.”

Now I was really keen on hearing the answer J I thought this was a very important question. And then H. G. Sankirtananand Prabhu answered as follows (in essence). I’ll paraphrase. “In the example, the dry roti or the low paying job is compared to any enjoyment that is material, be it in any of the three modes. The halwa or the high paying job is compared to the enjoyment in the pure goodness”. Ofcourse, he elaborated further on how some people wont even take to the higher engagement because they are so much engrossed in their sense enjoyment that they ignore the promise of an even higher taste. That’s why, he said, sometimes very strong preaching is required to such people to bring them out of the illusion of sense gratificatory enjoyment.

I was thrilled to hear the answer. H. G. Samkirtanananda Prabhu’s answers are always very very clear. And he answers more than what is just asked. He elaborates on the subject matter from all possible perspectives.

I got a few realizations from this short question-answer session:

1. Even though I had heard this Bhagavad Gita verse “param drishtva nivartante …” so many times and quoted it myself so many times to so many people, after this discussion my understanding of what is meant by “higher taste” suddenly became clear. That the higher taste refers particularly to the taste for devotional service was made crystal clear in my mind.

2. I also realized the wonderful benefit of being around when two wonderful devotees are discussing the glories and pastimes and instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna! This also has made the meaning of the following Bhagavatam verse much clearer in my mind. Paraphrase : “Whenever there is a discussion about the Supreme Lord, three kinds of people are benefited. The enquirer, the answerer, and the other listeners” In this case I was in the third category J

3. I also realized that for preaching one really needs a deep study and understanding of the scriptures. Further, while giving examples, one has to always be very clear about what philosophical truth is being explained via the example. Also, I remember hearing from H. G. Vamsi Vadan Prabhu that one must not stretch the example (i.e. try to bring out other philosophical points from it) beyond its intended purpose.

Thus, I had a fully satisfying Morning Class yet again J Thanks a zillion to H. G. RadheShyam Prabhu for caring for all of us so much. As long as we follow his lotus feet, we can be assured of a steady journey in our spiritual life.

Yours in the service of Krishna,

Abhijit.

Scientific Preaching

Dear All,

I had the great fortune of being with H.G. Chaitanya Charan Prabhu (August 01, 2007) when he was instructing us on the topic of “Scientific Preaching”. Here is a write-up on the main points from that lecture.

A kanishta adhikari is one who sees God only in the temple. But a madhyama adhikari sees the relationship with Krishna as omnidirectional, i.e. every activity he can see as connected to Krishna. Without such knowledge, materialistic people are engaged in what is called “ugra-karma”. Bhagavad Gita 16.8-9 describes “ugra karma”. Its characteristics are that it is (i) at best unbeneficial, and (ii) at worst destructive. Moreover, in the modern society, such work is considered progressive.

Srila Prabhupada used to say that we want to change the way people think!

….

Why Preach Scientifically?

[1] As an expression of love for Krishna. To counter blasphemy.

How we react to atheistic scientific theories also affects our own spiritual progress! We can see how Srila Prabhupada openly challenged atheistic scientific theories. Why? Because if one really has bhakti, he will naturally want to strongly challenge the atheistic theories.

In this connection Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada used to say that those who criticize the devotees for criticizing the blasphemers are themselves on the kanishta platform.

[2] To counter the strong intellectual hostility against God

In today’s world, spirituality is either downplayed or totally denied. Srila Prabhupada found that the main reason for this was the Darwin’s Theory of evolution. By preaching scientifically, we want to create a favorable situation for preaching Krishna Consciousness. Once Darwinism is defeated, Krishna Consciousness will really flourish!

Srila Prabhupada was not interested in preaching only to disillusioned hippies or peasants who do not know anything about the materialistic way of life. On the contrary, he was interested in preaching to those who strongly propagated the materialistic way of life!

[3] To remove the misconceptions from people’s minds about the existence of soul and God.

The misconceptions about the existence of the soul and God ultimately lead to the situation described in Bhagavad Gita verse 16.8. It creates atheists who say that the world is unreal, without a Supreme controller God, has come by chance, and has only one purpose – sex enjoyment. The atheistic philosophy thus leads to the understanding that sense gratification is the goal of life.

….

This kind of scientific preaching is not non-devotional. H. H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharaj defines a preacher as one who removes the obstacles between the conditioned soul and Krishna. One such great obstacle is the doubts created in the mind by modern science. We have to prove that science does not point in the direction of atheism.

Yours in the service of Krishna,
Abhijit.

The Bhakta Pralhad School (BPS) Parents' Orientation Program

Saturday, July 28, 2007.

Dear All,

Bhakta Pralhad School (BPS), which is run by devotees associated with the Sri Sri Radha Kunjabihari Temple, ISKCON, Pune, had arranged a Seminar cum Orientation Program in the evening of the 28^th of July, 2007, for the parents of the little kids who attend this weekly school. It was held in the community hall of the housing society in which H. G. Srinivas Prabhu and his good wife Anna Mataji stay with their two kids. The program was very well attended. Such BPS programs are a great source of encouragement and inspiration for other congregation devotees to express their love for Srila Prabhupada and his mission in various ways.

Just before the start of the program, the parents were busy in dressing up all the excited kids in their various costumes. Yes, there were stage performances to give! The program started with a very sweet and enchanting kirtan led by Piyush Singh Prabhu. This was followed by a short introduction by H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu, who is a very senior and much respected devotee of the Pune congregation.

H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu

By this time the kids were really bubbling with excitement. Without further ado, the first stage performance started! The main characters in the skit included Krishna (ofcourse!), His parents Nanda Maharaja and Yashoda Mai, Radharani, Arjuna, and a few Gopas. The theme was that a devotee was singing a song of glorification for her beloved Lord Sri Krishna and the various stanzas were being enacted by the other characters. The song was sung very sweetly by Dipali Mataji. The skit drew a very appreciative applause from all the parents present.

The next event was even sweeter because it was performed by 5 year olds! They recited two verses from the Bhagavad Gita, with meaning. And this really drew a thundering applause from all present. After that there was a slightly larger skit. Its main characters were Narada Muni, a brahmana, and a cobbler. The theme was how the cobbler, though not as learned in the scriptures as the brahmana, had unflinching faith in the omnipotence of the Supreme Lord, and was therefore more dear to the Lord.

The third skit

After these performances by the kids, the kids were sent out to play in the adjoining garden :-) The kids just cant sit and listen to parents’ orientation seminars :-) The actual seminar that followed was conducted by another senior and respected congregation devotee – H. G. Sachi Tanuj Prahbu. He is also the father of one of the kids who performed in one of the skits.

H. G. Sachi Tanuj Prabhu

The seminar started with a small interactive exercise. All the parents were given a clay ball with which they were asked to make something in one minute. After this exercise was completed, all the parents were asked what they had made and what were they thinking while making it. All the parents had made very innocent things like modak (most popular), a water stand for the birds to come and sip water, a penguin, and so on. And the thoughts that went behind creating them were also very simple and innocent, like “let me make a modak to offer to Lord Krishna”, “let the birds come and sip water from this”, or “I made the penguin just like that…”

The point of this exercise was to demonstrate how all the adults still remember the things they used to do in their childhood. How none of them was feeling very grumpy about doing such a playful exercise. How no one just crushed the clay balls to vent his/her anger on it. The question that was posed then was “What will your kids make 25 years from now in a similar exercise?” What impressions are they going to carry with them for the rest of their life? Are these impressions going to be such innocent ones or nasty ones like those involving violence, boredom, sadness, and so on? Are we giving our kids a really happy childhood? Are our kids really happy watching TV all day while we are ourselves busy doing our own things?

These questions surely captured the attention of the parents. They were now listening attentively. The seminar continued on the theme. “What is it that parents want their children to have?” A good education, peaceful life, good values, and so on. Saci Tanuj Prabhu was expertly putting forward the thoughts so that all present could identify with them. He was also making sure that the seminar was lively and not monotonous.

Prasadam was arranged after the seminar. Overall, it was a nice evening out for the kids and the parents and there were quite a lot of things for the parents to take back home with them. It is wonderful how Lord Chaitanya’s mercy is flowing through all sections of the society. With initiatives like the Bhakta Pralhad School it wont be too far away that Gauranga’s holy names will be chanted in all towns and villages on the face of the earth!

Yours in the service of Krishna,
Abhijit.