Confluence at Pandharpur

This article appeared in the November 2011 issue of the Back to Godhead (India) magazine.

Confluence at Pandharpur

The holy site of Pandharpur unites two powerful Bhakti movements that will spread the holy names of the Lord all over the world.

“Oh, most ISKCON followers are well-off, intelligent city dwellers, the elite, quite different from the simple rural devotees of Lord Viööhala of Pandharpur.” Time and again people have pointed this out to me, often with an accusatory undertone. It’s as if having a predominantly urban following poses a threat to ISKCON’s spiritual credibility. But during my recent trip to Pandharpur, as I reflected on this disturbing perception, I found it gradually replaced by an exhilarating prospect.

From the balcony in my room at the ISKCON Pandharpur guesthouse, I got a panoramic view of Çré Pandharpur Dhäma. Everything one comes to Pandharpur for lay before my eyes to behold and savor.

Kshetreshu teertheshvatha daivasteshu

bhakteshu sarveshva iha vai garishtham

sri pundarikam kila chandrabhaga

sri vitthalaste muni pundarikah

(-- Padma Purāna 32.44)

The best holy place, holy waters, deity, and devotee are Pandharpur, the Chandrabhaga, Lord Viööhala, and Puëòaléka respectively.

The river Bhémä, known here as the Chandrabhaga (“moon’s crescent”) because of its path, flowed from right to left, cutting across a wide expanse of the holy land. Almost directly in front of me and across the river, only two hundred meters from where I stood, rose Pandharpur’s most precious possession: the famous Çré Viööhala Rukmiëé Temple, which houses the ancient Deity of Lord Viööhala. Densely dotting the opposite river bank I saw a multitude of devotees eagerly bathing in the Chandrabhaga’s holy waters.

Pandharpur, situated in the Solapur district of Maharashtra, is Maharashtra’s spiritual capital. The image of Lord Viööhala, with His hands on His waist, standing on a brick, waiting for His devotee, is ingrained in the consciousness of most Maharashtrians. Every year for centuries now, thousands upon thousands of pilgrims from villages all over Maharashtra and from Gujarat, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, walk to Pandharpur with unflinching faith in Lord Viööhala’s protection as an offering of devotion. During their love-walk (väré), these värkarés immerse themselves in remembering the Lord and chanting His holy names, playing musical instruments like karatalas (hand cymbals) and mådaìgas or other drums to accompany their singing. Leading up to the Äñäòha Çukla and Kärtika Çukla Ekädaçés, devotees walk 15–20 days to take darçana of their Lord Viööhala, who is always eagerly waiting for them. No one seems to mind that approximately a hundred thousand others are vying for their Lord’s darçana too.

What Makes Pandharpur a Dhäma?

The Lord’s place of residence is called a dhäma. A dhäma is also a place where remembrance of the Lord comes naturally. Therefore, places where the Lord or His pure devotees have visited or performed pastimes are dhämas. The Lord also declares in the Padma Puräëa that He resides wherever His devotees are glorifying Him.

nähaà tiñöhämi vaikuëöhe

yoginäà hådayeñu vä

tatra tiñöhämi närada

yatra gäyanti mad-bhaktäù

“I am not in Vaikuëöha nor in the hearts of the yogés. I remain where My devotees engage in glorifying My activities.”

Pandharpur fits all the above definitions of a dhäma. Lord Kåñëa, the emperor of Dvärakä, once came here in search of His beloved wife Rukmiëé, who was upset. While here, He remembered His great devotee Puëòaléka. On reaching Puëòaléka’s house, He saw Puëòaléka serving His Vaisnava parents. Puëòaléka, although overjoyed to see the Lord personally at his door, asked Him to wait on a brick while he finished serving his parents. The Lord, His heart overflowing with love for His devotee, patiently stood on the brick, His hands on His waist, waiting for His devotee to attend to Him. Puëòaléka later requested the Lord to stay in Pandharpur forever and bestow spiritual perfection on anyone who merely took His darçana. Of course, the Lord agreed. In recent times, another great devotee, Tukäräma, visited Pandharpur regularly. He also broadcast the congregational chanting of the Lord’s holy names (saìkértana) throughout Maharashtra, so much so that Pandharpur and saìkértana are now inseparable.

Pandharpur and ISKCON

Saìkértana and ISKCON are also inseparable. ISKCON is the modern-day home of the worldwide saìkértana movement and is popularly known all over the world as the Hare Kåñëa movement after the Hare Kåñëa mantra saìkértana that is its essential activity. While millions know about Pandharpur and many know about ISKCON, few seem to know about ISKCON’s connections with Pandharpur, both historical and contemporary.

To my left, as I looked down from the first floor balcony of the ISKCON Pandharpur guesthouse, I saw a small structure of columns supporting a dome. Beneath the dome, on a raised platform, three pairs of footprints are installed. The soles of Lord Visnu’s lotus feet in each form are marked with distinctive symbols, and these three pairs of footprints depict the symbols on the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityänanda, and Lord Viçvarüpa. Viçvarüpa, the elder brother of Lord Caitanya, is an incarnation of Lord Balaräma. He took sannyäsa in Pandharpur after he had traveled all over India. Lord Nityänanda received spiritual initiation from Çré Lakñmépati Tértha in Pandharpur, and Lord Caitanya Himself visited and stayed at Pandharpur during His travels around India. The great Gauòéya Vaiñëava spiritual master Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura sings, gaur ämära, je saba sthäne, karalo bhramaëa raìge, se-saba sthäna heribo ämi, praëayi-bhakata-saìge: “I aspire to see, in the company of loving devotees, all the places visited by Lord Caitanya.” Çréla Prabhupäda writes, “A devotee should make a point of visiting all the places where Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu performed His pastimes. Indeed, pure devotees of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu even want to see the places He simply visited for only hours or minutes.” This is the 500-year-old historical connection between Pandharpur and ISKCON.

Today, under the leadership of His Holiness Lokanätha Swami, ISKCON has a temple in Pandharpur—the Çré Çré Rädhä Paëòharénätha Temple. Çréla Prabhupäda once commented, “Our Lokanätha Swami is just like Saint Tukäräma. The whole of India and specifically Maharashtra is enthused with Kåñëa. Now you have to revive their Kåñëa consciousness. This is Tukäräma’s country, but now they are becoming bad politicians. So revive them by the process of the saìkértana movement. I am very glad that you are preaching village to village and will cover all of Maharashtra.” Today, Lokanätha Swami is the head of ISKCON’s international Padayäträ Ministry. Under his guidance many padayäträs have been organized all over the world. But Lokanātha Swami, with his childhood rooted in varés to Pandharpur, and because his spiritual master likened him to the Tukäräma of ISKCON, has a special place in his heart for Pandharpur.

ISKCON’s Contribution to Pandharpur

Serving the Lord, the devotees, and the dhäma is central to the bhägavata culture the saìkértana movements of both Tukäräma and ISKCON espouse. Lord Kåñëa says in the Bhagavad-gétä (18.68–69) that no one is dearer to Him than those who spread the message of the Gétä among devotees. Pandharpur is full of devotees, and ISKCON’s expertise in presenting the Bhagavad-gétä’s message is well-known. In his talks in India and abroad, Lokanätha Swami often speaks about Lord Viööhala. Consequently, many devotees from around the world have started to visit Pandharpur. ISKCON Pandharpur also reaches out to the nearby rural communities, where their programs are attended by the local folk. Lokanätha Swami’s Marathi book Bhü-Vaikuëöha, compiled after a lot of scriptural research, reveals the unique spiritual stature of Pandharpur and weeds out non-scriptural and anti-scriptural misconceptions about the path of pure bhakti that is this dhäma’s very essence.

During the annual värés to Pandharpur, ISKCON’s Bhaktivedanta Hospital conducts free medical camps for residents of Pandharpur, and ISKCON’s Food for Life organization distributes free wholesome prasäda to the värkarés. This year ISKCON served around three hundred thousand devotees in these ways. Over the years, the authorities of the Çré Viööhala-Rukmiëé Temple and ISKCON Pandharpur have worked together on many occasions. ISKCON also conducts regular programs inside the Viööhala-Rukmiëé Temple. ISKCON’s regular and significant contributions over the years have not gone unnoticed by the government, either. The Government of Maharashtra wishes to transform Pandharpur into an international destination so that Lord Viööhala’s glories may spread throughout the world. Looking at the amazing transformations ISKCON’s presence has brought in holy places like Mäyäpur and Våëdävana, the government has asked ISKCON to help lead this task. And ISKCON Pandharpur has enthusiastically accepted the government’s request that they arrange for the construction of a bathing ghäta. This ghäta—which will be known as Prabhupäda Ghäta—will be on the ISKCON temple’s side of the river. With lawns, fountains, and other relaxation areas, it promises to make the pilgrims’ visit to Pandharpur convenient, thus making Pandharpur an even more attractive destination.

Confluence at Pandharpur

At first look, the rural devotees of Lord Viööhala, with their modest means and simple ways, seem to have nothing in common with ISKCON’s predominantly urban followers. Those who have given their hearts to the värkarés sometimes find it hard to appreciate ISKCON’s methods. Time and again I have come across people, some genteel, some vehement, who say that ISKCON caters only to the well-educated urban elite. “Why doesn’t ISKCON do something for the rural poor?”

I was stumped when someone first asked me this question. It struck me as odd; as if there is no meeting place between värkarés and urbanite devotees. The apparent conflict is easily resolved in light of how and where these two glorious saìkértana movements started. Tukäräma lived and started preaching the message of love of God in the nondescript Indian village of Dehu, whereas Çréla Prabhupäda was a Calcutta boy and later traveled to the United States to begin his preaching mission in New York City. How can we expect the two movements to have the same kind of followers—at least initially?

But the bhägavata culture makes no distinction between rich and poor among its followers. To judge a spiritual movement based on the bank balance of its adherents instead of on its teachings is material vision. But putting that aside, as ISKCON’s various activities in rural Pandharpur prove, ISKCON doesn’t intend to restrict itself to any particular strata of society. ISKCON’s mission is to spread Krishna’s holy name to every town and village on earth. Since most of India lives in villages, it’s only a matter of time before ISKCON will have more rural followers than urban in India. To realize that day - when the whole world, villager or city-bred, chants the holy name - is the mission of all the sincere followers of Lord Caitanya, Çréla Prabhupäda, and ISKCON.

ISKCON in Pandharpur symbolizes the confluence of two great bhakti traditions, one rural and one urban. The proposed Prabhupäda Ghäöa promises to be the site where the two bhakti currents will mingle and embrace each other. Then the combined force of these two great currents will wash away materialistic standpoints that allow us to think one current is holier than the other. Both are holy.

Looking down from my vantage point, a balcony in the ISKCON Pandharpur guesthouse, I saw in my mind’s eye thousands of devotees carpeting the near bank of the Chandrabhaga at the place where Prabhupäda Ghäöa will soon appear, and many others eagerly dipping into the sacred and refreshing waters.

After a confluence, there is no clear distinction between the constituent currents. Similarly, in the current of bhakti that will now flow from Pandharpur, it will be hard to distinguish between the rural and the urban currents; they will unite and flow together with great force and reverberate the holy names of Lord Viööhala in roaring saìkértana.

A Hare Krishna Composition by Cousins

The Rising Moon of Mayapur

The following article appeared in the October 2011 issue of the Back to Godhead (India) magazine as the cover story.

The Rising Moon of Mäyäpur

In a little-known village of Bengal on the banks of the river Ganga, an extraordinary temple is coming up. From here, the flood of Lord Caitanya’s mercy will inundate the entire world.

The world’s great spiritual traditions are all but lost. All that remains of them are a few sincere followers and a few grand monuments. Millions visit these monuments, not usually to enhance their spirituality but because of the monuments’ architectural and historical significance. The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (ToVP) aims at nothing less than making wholesome, authentic spiritual life again appealing to people. Combining modern technology, ancient science, timeless wisdom, and pulsating culture, the very creation of the ToVP will fulfill fascinating prophecies. Will it indeed flood the world with sublime love of God?

The Mäyäpur Connection

The ToVP is rising on the banks of the Ganges in the holy town of Mäyäpur, West Bengal, India. Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, father of the modern-day Kåñëa consciousness movement, narrates in his Navadvépa-dhäma-mähätmya how Lord Nityänanda spoke to Çréla Jéva Gosvämé about the future of Mäyäpur. Lord Nityänanda prophesized: “When our Lord Caitanya disappears, by His desire, the Ganges will swell. The Ganges water will almost cover Mäyäpur for a hundred years, and then the water will recede. Then, by the Lord’s desire, Māyāpur will again be manifest, and the devotees will build temples of the Lord. One exceedingly wonderful temple (adbhuta-mandira) will appear—from which Gauräìga’s eternal service will be preached around the world.”

Mäyäpur is ISKCON’s international headquarters; Çréla Prabhupäda chose it as such because it’s the place where Lord Caitanya appeared. Lord Caitanya, who is Kåñëa Himself in a golden form, appeared in Mäyäpur a little over five hundred years ago with the mission to flood the world with the highest love of God—a love that had rarely been revealed to this world before. He spread the Hare Kåñëa mantra throughout India, and prophesized that one of His commanders-in-chief would one day spread the same holy name to every town and village in the world. In 1965, at almost seventy years old, Çréla Prabhupäda arrived in the USA. Within twelve spectacular years he inspired the founding of 108 temples in cities around the globe. Now thirty-five years later, ISKCON continues to spread Lord Caitanya’s mission, with the goal of fulfilling the prediction that  Kåñëa’s name will be heard in every town and village. Today, ISKCON has about five hundred temples, farm communities, restaurants, and schools. But while all of these are ISKCON temples, this upcoming ToVP in Mäyäpur will undoubtedly be “the” ISKCON temple.

It’s significant that Çréla Prabhupäda chose Mäyäpur as ISKCON’s international headquarters. Even today Mäyäpur is not overly connected with the rest of the world; he didn’t choose it for the material facilities it could provide. Rather, Çréla Prabhupäda well knew the incomparable spiritual significance of Mäyäpur. Here Lord Caitanya first revealed his superexcellent presentation of Vaiñëavism: Gauòéya Vaiñëavism. Mäyäpur is the highest seat of Gauòéya Vaiñëavism, just as Vatican City is the highest seat for Roman Catholics and Mecca serves in the same capacity for Muslims. Now with the construction of the magnificent ToVP, Gauòéya Vaiñëavism will be prominent on the world’s spiritual map. Millions from all walks of life will be attracted to the sublime philosophy and culture that built it.

Temple or Planetarium?

The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium—the name itself arouses interest. Çréla Prabhupäda had a clear vision—one he expressed on many occasions—for the ToVP. He wanted “a unique Vedic Planetarium to present the Vedic perspective of life, including a gigantic display of the material and spiritual worlds, which could be viewed by visitors from different levels as they traveled through the planetarium.” Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted to use something startling and state-of-the-art to attract people from around the world to Mäyäpur. Once they arrived, their spiritual journey would begin and they would be given the chance to practice Kåñëa consciousness, if only for a few days, ushering auspiciousness into their lives.

Aside from the presentation itself, Çréla Prabhupäda recognized the hold modern atheistic science has on most people. He wanted to challenge the mechanistic understanding of the universe. To educate people in the principles of Vedic cosmology is a crucial aim of the ToVP. Cosmology studies the origin, purpose, structure, and function of the universe, and Vedic cosmology gives extensive information not only about the structure of the phenomenal universe as we see it, but about its source, purpose, and the subtle laws that govern it.

The fundamental concept pervading Vedic cosmology is that everything and everyone has a relationship with and dependence on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, the source of the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of the manifested worlds. The Vedic Planetarium and Science Center will attractively present this profound understanding. It will also offer solid scientific arguments that underpin the concepts of Intelligent Design. And of course, the ToVP will continue to challenge and counter popular atheistic claims about human ancestry by showing through evidence and logic that life cannot come from matter and that humans could not have evolved from apes.

The ToVP’s aim is the aim of any true temple: to attract people to Kåñëa (God) and to educate them about Him. Five hundred years ago Mäyäpur and the nearby town of Navadvépa were centers of learning in logic, philosophy, and spirituality. Today, Mäyäpur hosts primary school students as well as adults taking advanced courses in Vaiñëava philosophy and practice. Mäyäpur’s leaders are already planning to build a university. Along with an academic education, however, future Mäyäpur students will also  experience a practical lifestyle centered on devotion to God. The ToVP will be the hub of this spiritual education.

Thus even with the emphasis on the Vedic Planetarium, the ToVP is most definitely a temple and not a planetarium. It’s a temple with a difference, the first of its kind, the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

Grand and Exquisite

The ToVP is the biggest Vedic temple being built in the last 1000 years. Çréla Prabhupäda is the original ToVP architect. In his letters and conversations he had clearly outlined its key features. The temple is coming up honoring all those instructions.

In July 1976, Çréla Prabhupäda expressed his preference for the outer design of the temple. While visiting Washington, he instructed his disciples Yadubara Däsa and Viçäkhä Devé Däsé to take detailed photos of the US Capitol building, which would serve as a prototype for the ToVP. The most prominent external feature of the ToVP will thus be its three towering domes. Based on Prabhupäda’s various instructions, the tallest and central dome, more than 300 feet tall, will house three sets of deities. The leftmost set will be of the disciplic succession, the venerable line of spiritual masters in which Çréla Prabhupäda has come. In the center will be the effulgent and huge Païca-tattva deities: Çré Kåñëa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityänanda, Çré Advaita, Çré Gadadhara, and Çré Çrévasa, who are already being worshipped today in the present Mäyäpur temple. And on their right will be the gorgeous Çré Çré Rädhä-Mädhava and Their eight principal cowherd girl friends. The combined presence of all these deities on the 140-foot wide ToVP altar will offer a Deity darçana unmatched in this world.

The huge temple space around the central deities will be big enough to hold 10,000 devotees. The high ceiling of the dome will remind visitors of the greatness of God and inspire humility and submissiveness. Hanging inside the central dome will be a chandelier with a difference: a moving 3-D model of the structure of the universe as described in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Visitors will be able to study the structure of the universe from multiple levels. At each level will be galleries and exhibits to explain the various aspects of the universe, along with its purpose. The highest level will take visitors on a tour to the spiritual world.

The central dome walls would be of the best of marble ornamented by gold inlays. The magical and expensive onyx marble, which is known for its translucence and delicacy, will adorn the altar. The central dome will be flanked on either side by two smaller domes. The dome on the right will house the deity of Lord Nåsiàha. Its interiors will be South Indian style and dominated by black. The dome on the left will house the Vedic Planetarium. The temple would implement green architecture; a state-of-the-art natural air flow system will ventilate the huge central and right domes without using air-conditioners. In contrast, the Vedic Planetarium, consisting of multiple floors, seminar halls, etc. will be fully air conditioned.

The towering domes will be visible from miles away. The temple will be situated within beautiful landscaping with water bodies, fountains, and lawns. The massive size will awaken visitors to the temple’s immense significance. The outside walls would be in various exquisite shades of blue, white, and gold. The best marble to clad the outer walls will come directly from the quarries of Turkey. True to its purpose of being a world temple, its architecture would be an eclectic blend, borrowing heavily from Vedic and non-Vedic styles of sacred architecture. The main entrance would be like that of a classic Vedic temple with pillars and a courtyard. The magnificent domes would in robin-egg blue and would be reminiscent to the famous Faberge eggs designed by the famous Russian jewelry firm, House of Faberge. Faberge eggs are elaborate jewel-encrusted eggs, typically miniature. Along the same lines, the ToVP domes would be elaborately ornamented with weavings of gold. Above the entrance to the central dome would be an astronomical clock similar to the famous Prague Astronomical Clock. Eight staircase towers all around the structure would lend delightful symmetry. At night, the play of light would create another breathtaking scene. Apart from these major features, there will be innumerable finer aspects that will lend unprecedented beauty to this magnificent temple.

The Rising Moon of Mäyäpur

Çréla Prabhupäda requested his disciple Ambaréña Däsa (Alfred Ford, great grandson of Henry Ford) to help finance the ToVP. Taking this instruction as his very life, Ambaréña Däsa is personally financing a major portion of the total expenses. The temple construction started in 2009 and is well under way. Çréla Prabhupäda talked about the ToVP most with another disciple, Bhavänanda Däsa, who was involved for many years with the early development of the Mäyäpur temple. He now serves as the Creative Director for the ToVP. Ñaòbhuja Däsa, a 22-year Mäyäpur veteran and Project Coordinator for the completion of Çréla Prabhupäda’s Puñpa Samädhi, is now heading the ToVP project as the Project Director. Working under him are Puëòarékäkña Govinda Däsa as the Site Project Coordinator and Viläsiné Devé Däsé as the Consultant Coordinator coordinating all architects and drawings.

Gammon India, one of the largest physical infrastructure construction companies in India, is building the temple. Mr. Vibhuti Choudhary is acting as the consultant. The plan is for the superstructure to be complete within the next three years. If possible, even the Deities will be moved to Their grand new location. The completion of the external decorative work will take some years beyond to complete. 2016 is the 50^th anniversary of ISKCON. The ToVP team’s desire is to present this grand temple to Çréla Prabhupäda in 2016 as a token of love and immense gratitude for the unfathomable gift of Kåñëa Consciousness that he has given the world.

Çréla Prabhupäda said that the ToVP already exists; Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura saw it. Whatever the Lord desires automatically becomes manifest by His icchä-çakti (the power of His desire). Now, what remains is to put the bricks and cement, and steel and paint, all in their place. Çréla Prabhupäda explained that Kåñëa showed Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukñetra that He had already killed Arjuna’s enemies. Arjuna still had to fire his arrows and become the instrument for the killing. Similarly, whoever will help in physically building the ToVP will become famous as an instrument of the Lord in fulfilling His most cherished desire—of spreading His message in every town and village.

Çréla Prabhupäda made Mäyäpur the center of ISKCON. The ToVP touches the life of every ISKCON friend and member in a way unlike any other ISKCON temple. It is the root of the ISKCON tree. By watering this root, one will feel more strongly connected to the mission of the Lord. From this root the highest spiritual nourishment will reach all devotional branches all over the world.

Çréla Prabhupäda named the present Mäyäpur temple complex “Çré Mäyäpur Chandrodaya Mandir”. The word candra means “moon” and refers to the effulgent moon of Lord Caitanya. The word candrodaya can be split as either chandra-doyä or candra-udaya. The former refers to the doyä (mercy) of Lord Caitanya, and the latter to the udaya (rise) of Lord Caitanya’s mission. About the ToVP, Çréla Prabhupäda had once said, “The plans and contemplations are going on in different phases; now when Caitanya Mahäprabhu will be pleased it will be taken up.” That time has come. With the rise of the ToVP, the resplendent moon of Lord Caitanya will ascend further and bathe the world with the most pleasing moonlight of love of God.

The Eternally Limitless And Me

This article appeared in the September-October 2011 issue of Back To Godhead International.

The Eternally Limitless and Me

A mental journey leading to the conclusion that existence is unlimited finds support in the Vedic scriptures.

From early childhood I wondered where the limit of the universe might be. At night, as the stars twinkled enigmatically overhead and the moon majestically presided over the celestial assembly, I pondered what lies beyond this universe.

Suppose I ventured out into the enchanting night sky and some fine hour reached its limit. What would I find beyond it? If I ever found the boundary, I'd be able to distinguish between the two sides of it: inside the boundary, and beyond it. With the spirit of adventure and the anticipation of new discoveries, I would continue my journey. But then I might come across another boundary, and another, and another. Either I'd keep finding boundaries, or after a certain number of boundaries, I'd never find the next one. In either case, I concluded, I would never find a boundary beyond which existence ceased. Existence is unlimited. That idea seemed incomprehensible to me, but undeniable.

My childhood mental journeys were all but forgotten till I came across the profound Vedic wisdom, which addresses the fundamental questions whose perplexity discourages many from all but token enquiry. We read in the Vedic scriptures that existence is indeed unlimited, even though the universe we live in has a boundary. The universe is shaped like a sphere and covered by layers of material elements, like earth, water, fire, and air. The sky we see at night is inside this universe and can be called the material sky. But beyond this limited universe is the unlimited existence of the spiritual sky, which has no limits. In one corner of that spiritual sky rests the whole material creation, with countless material universes, one of which we presently live in. In the unlimited spiritual sky are innumerable unlimited spiritual planets, called Vaikuçõhas, on which the Supreme Lord resides in His unlimited all-powerful forms along with His uncountable loving devotees. There they enjoy unlimited loving pastimes, experiencing ever increasing and ever fresh happiness.

Lord Brahma to Sri Krishna: "What am I, a small creature measuring seven spans of my own hand? I am enclosed in a potlike universe composed of material nature, the total material energy, false ego, ether, air, water, and earth. And what is Your glory? Unlimited universes pass through the pores of Your body just as particles of dust pass through the openings of a screened window. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.11)

Caitanya Mahaprabhu explains: "The spiritual sky, which is full in all six opulences, is the intermediate residence of Lord KRsça. It is there that an unlimited number of forms of KRsça enjoy Their pastimes. Innumerable Vaikuçõha planets, which are just like different rooms of a treasure-house, are all there, filled with all opulences. Those unlimited planets house the Lord's eternal associates, who are also enriched with the six opulences." (CaitanyacaritamRta, Madhya 21.48.49)

In today's scientific age, there is a strong emphasis on gaining knowledge through experiments whose results are tangible to the gross senses. If something is beyond direct sense perception, then we try to come to logical conclusions based on the data we obtain through our senses. However, since the senses are inherently imperfect (e.g., we can experience only the light within a certain band of frequencies), any knowledge they can provide is imperfect. In the face of this, one is left with no option but to accept and follow some higher authority that promises knowledge unapproachable by mere gross senses. The holy scriptures are one such authority. While our mental excursions can lead us to some conclusions, they can never give us any details about the nature of the transcendent Absolute Truth. On the other hand, the revealed scriptures, such as the Vedic literature quoted above, have not only acknowledged the fundamental questions, such as those about existence, but have authoritatively provided answers to them in great detail and clarity. Such deep insight is possible only because Vedic literature is not of mundane origin but is apauruseya, of divine origin. As stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.1), at the beginning of the creation of the universe, the perfect authority, Lord Sri Krishna, imparted the complete Vedic knowledge to Brahma from within his heart.

Looking for the Source

Another question I wondered about as a child is the origin of everything. Each thing in our experience has a source, but what is the source of everything? And when did everything start coming into being? I did some thought experiments and arrived at this: For there to be an instant in time when existence came into being, there would have to be a time when existence was absent. That is, at time t, there was non-existence.nothing existed. And then, out of nowhere, literally, at time t + dt, voila! There was existence! Existence came out of nonexistence. This, I was convinced beyond doubt, is not possible. So, what's the alternative explanation? The only alternative is that there is existence eternally, for all time instants t. Since we are certain that there is existence, and that existence cannot crop out of nonexistence, existence is eternal.

The source of everything, Lord Sri Krishna, exists eternally and doesn't depend on anything else for His existence. He says in the Bhagavad-gita (10.8), "I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts."

So, existence is not only unlimited, but also eternal. Eternally unlimited existence. Again, incomprehensible, but undeniable. The Vedic scriptures confirm this as follows. The Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, and His energies exist eternally and simultaneously. Just as the sun and sunlight exist simultaneously (the sun being the source), so the Lord and His energies exist simultaneously (the Lord being their source). One of the Lord's energies is the material energy, of which the material universes are made. This energy is also eternal, but its different manifestations are temporary. Therefore, everything inside this universe and the universe itself is temporary, being temporary manifestations of the eternal material energy of the Lord. The time scales might vary astronomically; some manifestations exist for a few minutes, while some, like this universe, exist for millions of years. But in any case, all are temporary. And they are hopelessly insignificant in size and duration when compared to the eternally unlimited nature of existence.

Is My Existence Limited?

The next question I pondered, especially after finding myself lost inside eternal limitlessness, was about my own existence. If my existence is limited to the eighty-odd years of the existence of my body, then nothing of this world is of any significance at all. What is eighty years compared to eternity? All human endeavors, philosophy, morality, achievement, emotions, aspirations, philanthropy.everything.is just plain insignificant. All discussions on any matter whatsoever are insignificant. Right and wrong, justice and injustice, independence and slavery, this philosophy or that, sports, politics, showbiz, likes and dislikes, virtue and sin, nothing is any more significant than an invisible harmless speck of dust compared to the vast desert. And therefore, I could resign myself to doing whatever I like for the hopelessly limited expanse of my existence.

But what about the other possibility? What if my existence is not limited to just this one lifetime? What if it extends to many lifetimes? What if it is eternal? If so, then how I lead my life becomes an important question because I don't want to be uncomfortable for any significant length of time. How should I act so that my existence is comfortable and happy?

The Vedic scriptures assert, and base their teachings on, the fundamental understanding that life is eternal. All living beings, called souls (atman), have existed eternally and will continue to exist eternally.

Lord Krishna says, "For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." (Bhagavad-gita 2.20)

Forgetful Souls

The souls' original home is one of the spiritual planets, and they have an eternal relationship of love with the Lord. The souls are thus meant for an eternal life of happiness and enjoyment experienced through spiritual senses by lovingly serving the Lord in the spiritual planets. The souls who desired an existence independent of the Lord were kindly provided by the Lord with this material world, with a material body to interact with the material world, and with the forgetfulness of their true identity. Thus, typically, the souls in the material universes are forgetful of their original position as an eternal loving associate of the Supreme Lord. However, because the souls have known sublime love and happiness in the spiritual world, they seek the same experience in the material world. Averse to serving anyone else, they develop the notion that they can achieve happiness only by gratifying their own mind and senses. Thus, in the quest for unlimited happiness through the temporary and limited material senses, they either resign to frustration (tolerating it or venting it), or they start exploiting others for their own selfish desires. In any case, the temporary and limited material senses, by interaction with the objects of this material world, can never taste the happiness the soul tastes through spiritual senses by loving service to the Lord. This situation is, in a nutshell, the cause of all the ills of this material world.

Lord Krishna says, "The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind." (Bhagavad-gita 15.7)

Thus, the root cause of all misery is that we are, of our own volition, looking for happiness in the wrong place. Unless we engage our mind and senses in the loving service of the Lord, the unlimited happiness we seek will never be ours. Nothing in the material world can give us that, as we can easily see by observing the lives of the richest and most materially successful people. What is the source of all lasting happiness? The Bhagavad-gita (2.65.66) answers: "For one thus satisfied [in KRsça consciousness], the threefold miseries of material existence exist no longer; in such satisfied consciousness, one's intelligence is soon well established. One who is not connected with the Supreme [in KRsça consciousness] can have neither transcendental intelligence nor a steady mind, without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?"

Peace and Happiness Through Selfless Service

A satisfied and peaceful mind is the basis of lasting happiness. How do we keep our minds satisfied, especially in an age where glittering promises of instant pleasures surround us? Many of us might have found that helping others brings a sense of satisfaction to our lives. Why? The Vedic scriptures explain that the very nature of the soul is selfless service to the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna. Thus, because serving someone other than Krishna resembles service to Him, it delivers a drop of the ocean of satisfaction and happiness in store for us when we start lovingly serving Krishna directly. When we start serving KRsça, very shortly we start experiencing a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness. And naturally we want to share with others our good fortune of discovering real happiness.

People sometimes ask, What's the use of serving God, who doesn't really need our help, instead of serving the needy and unfortunate of this world? The answer, which you've likely figured out by now, is that every soul needs to serve God. Only by serving God can souls be as happy as they want to be. Therefore, we should serve God for our own benefit. Moreover, having understood this fundamental truth, we would naturally want to serve others by encouraging them to also serve God and thus find true happiness in their lives. This is the only real service one can render to others; all else will just be a mere semblance of service, with no lasting positive impact, because nothing else tries to cure the root cause of all maladies. Thus, let all types of social workers carry on their good work, but also add this most important factor of spreading God consciousness.into their list of activities. With that, their endeavors will be truly successful; without that, all their endeavors are but utter failures. In the words of Prahlada Maharaja, an exemplary devotee of the Lord: "Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Visçu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.31)

The scriptures inform those seeking happiness away from God that unlimited happiness is found only in serving Him. Thus, by knowing that one's true self-interest lies in serving God, the typically selfish soul of this world starts serving Him. And by serving God, even just for one's own benefit, one's dormant love for God awakens, transforming actions of self-interest into selfless actions of love. The soul's nature is to love and serve God, and once reinstated in that natural original consciousness, the soul just wants to serve God out of pure love. A pure devotee of God does not consider whether he himself is happy or not; his only concern is how to serve and please the Lord. The devotee's love moves Krishna, who is all-loving, and Krishna reciprocates in such a way that the devotee's happiness knows no bounds. Still, the pure devotee's actions are motivated not by Krishna's reciprocation but only out of pure love. The pure devotee never seeks his own happiness; he always seeks Krishna's service. Indeed, this is the very definition of pure love, and pure love for Krishna is the very essence of the existence of the soul.

"This is the natural result of intense love of Godhead. The devotee does not consider personal inconveniences or impediments. In all circumstances he wants to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Chaitanya-Charitamrta, Madhya 4.186)

Thus, the journey that started from the terrace of my house as I gazed into the lovely night sky led me beyond the boundaries of the material world into the limitless expanse of the spiritual sky. It further led me into the eternally limitless existence of the Lord and His energies. Discovering such incomprehensible vastness made me wonder about the significance of my own existence. Further excursions led me to discover the eternity of my own existence, and of my natural eternal state as a loving servant of God.

What's more, I now find myself on an even more fascinating journey - a journey from  selfishness to self-interestedness to selflessness. The incomprehensible but undeniable eternal limitlessness of existence out there has led me to discover myself in here.

Let My Heart Be Warmed Again

My cousin Sanket Joshi has beautifully composed and sung my poem "Let My Heart Be Warmed Again".

Let My Heart Be Warmed Again

Many verses have I penned,

Various moods have flowed along,

With no mention of the Supreme Lord,

All but parts of some useless song.

Now that I try to write again,

Glorifications of that Supreme Lord,

The rebellious mind helps no more,

I find it hard, to even start.

And so I pray to that Supreme Lord,

Let my heart be warmed again,

Let it overflow with nectarean words,

To drench Him as will torrential rain!

Mind Games

An edited version of this article appeared in the August 2011 issue of Back To Godhead (India edition).

Mind Games
Use your mind-key to open the door to eternal happiness.

My friend at IIT used to say, “It’s hard to carry on, but it’s harder still to let go.” When a college student says this, he’s almost always referring to a situation in which his sweetheart considers him just another homo sapiens. Or sometimes it might refer to a problem more serious than an unrequited and juvenile infatuation; he could mean something like having to bear the burden of financially maintaining his family while trying to study as much as any other student. But in all cases, this catchy line implies suffering from an attachment that is both unfulfilling and painful, yet one the mind cannot let go—either because the attachment is due to an obligation or, as in most cases, because it’s a mental fancy. When it’s a fancy, the mind becomes preoccupied with a “perfect” world where everything is ideal, even as the sights and sounds of the “real” world remind us of the harsh reality. The mental utopia is so intoxicating—and the sobering bouts of reality so agonizing—that we tend to prefer imagination to reality. It’s hard to carry on, but harder still to let go.

Mind: The Past-Present Oscillator

Yes, to let go of an obligation because it’s painful is undutiful. But most often, it’s not really our pressing obligations that bother us. Rather, it’s our mind. It is the nature of the mind, as Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.6.30–31) explains, to latch onto and become obsessed by unfulfilled desires, only to reject them later. For example, the mind tends to dwell on unfortunate past events—maybe a missed promotion at the office or something sad from our childhood. It also tends to dream of a grandiose future—a big house or immense wealth or power. We then hanker for this fantastical idea like mad. Not only that, even if our desires are fulfilled, the mind remains dissatisfied. Even that big house at the seaside will not keep the mind at bay. It will find something else to want, something else to moan about. A mind so engrossed in the past and future is uncontrolled, and an uncontrolled mind saps our energy; it doesn’t let us live in the present. The fickle mind forces us to run behind targets that move tirelessly and erratically. Go on with this long enough and it will lead to a mental breakdown. But it’s not actually the mind that breaks; it’s us who become tired of chasing the mind’s whimsical demands. The uncontrolled mind continues to do what it does best—torture us.

Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita (6.6), bandhur ätmätmanas tasya yenätmaivätmanä jitaù/ anätmanas tu çatrutve vartetätmaiva çatru-vatthe: “For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy.” Not only is the uncontrolled mind our greatest enemy, it’s also our closest neighbor. The combination is terrifying. Yet we tend to ignore the situation and play into the traps of the mind. In the art of war, it’s vital to know the opponent’s strengths. Only then can one devise a strategy to neutralize the enemy’s advantage and perhaps even use it to for our own good. The uncontrolled mind’s greatest strengths happen to be our greatest weaknesses: (a) we think, subconsciously at least, that our happiness lies outside ourselves, in favorable external situations; and (b) that we can control those situations.

The Nature of Material Happiness

Because we think that happiness is found in external situations – a big house or immense wealth or high social status, or even things like job security and good health - the mind can lure us into its obsessions. Impelled by the promise of happiness through these situations, we feverishly try to grab or create them. Why do we believe the mind? Because we think we can control the world and can therefore create and maintain external situations. It sounds outrageous to say we think we are controllers when it’s so obvious that we are not; yet we hanker for future favorable circumstances as if we control them. Since we don’t control most of the circumstances of this world, it’s obvious that even if we find ourselves in a favorable situation, it might not last. For example, even if we land a great job, it will not give us happiness all the time; the same job might become unfavorable after some time. Similarly, a big house might soon become a burden rather than a luxury. Thus, not only are the situations in this world temporary, even the same external situation might not remain favorable for long. The Bhagavad-gita (5.22) warns us that running after temporary external situations is a recipe for misery: “An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunté, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them.”

The quest for happiness is natural to the soul. The Bhagavad-gita (15.7) explains that all living beings are sac-cid-änanda—eternal souls with full knowledge and bliss—and part and parcel of the Supreme Lord Kåñëa. We are meant for an eternal life of happiness and enjoyment, lovingly serving the Lord in our original home, the spiritual world. The souls in this world, us, are typically those who desired to experience an existence independent of Kåñëa and for whom Kåñëa kindly provided this material world along with a body they could use to interact with it. He also allowed us to forget our true identity. However, because we once tasted sublime love and happiness in the spiritual world, we are ever seeking for that same happiness even in this material world - but without serving the Lord. Since we are generally averse to serving anyone, we have developed the notion that we can become happy only by gratifying our own mind and senses. Yet our temporary and limited material senses can never taste in material pursuits the happiness we have tasted through spiritual senses by lovingly serving the Lord. Thus the mental dissatisfaction.

The Secret of Mind Control

This leads us to the secret of mind control. Controlling the mind does not mean stopping the mind’s activities but engaging the mind in the Lord’s service. Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.27.5) offers this infallible technique: “It is the duty of every conditioned soul to engage his polluted consciousness, which is now attached to material enjoyment, in very serious devotional service with detachment. Thus his mind and consciousness will be under full control.” The great devotee King Ambarisha exemplified this technique; he engaged not only his mind but all his senses in serving the Lord.

According to the Gita 2.50, the art of transforming our day-to-day life into a spiritual journey is called yoga. By constantly engaging in the joyful process of devotion, we not only control the mind but attain spiritual perfection. Instead of brooding over the temporary ups and downs of our life, why not use them as opportunities to serve and remember Kåñëa? Why not look at our life as a tool to be used to help our spiritual advancement? Why look at our life, insignificant as it is, as the end in itself? The human form of life holds the key to spiritual perfection. Why brood over the rust on the key when you can use it to open the door to eternal happiness?

Defending As It Is

This article appeared in the March/April 2011 issue of the Back To Godhead (International edition) magazine of ISKCON.

Defending "As It Is"

Does the Bhagavad-gita allow for multiple interpretations?

Scholars all over the world accept the Bhagavad-gita, which talks about the all encompassing Absolute Truth, as one of the most important books from India. Simple yet profound, easily accessible yet mystical, it continues to be the subject of myriad interpretations. But since the Absolute Truth, the subject of the Gita, is one entity and not many, then logically the Gita must have only one ultimate conclusion.

Srila Prabhupada chose to name his commentary Bhagavad-gita As It Is. This presumptuous-sounding title puts off many. A common retort is, "How can one man have a monopoly on what the Bhagavad-gita means?" However, by using this title Srila Prabhupada wants to highlight that the Bhagavad-gita has a specific message. And even more important, by using this title Prabhupada wants to tell readers that his commentary presents that specific message as it is, without change.

Is the Bhagavad-gita Ambiguous?

One common objection to identifying a single conclusion to the Bhagavad-gita is that the book is ambiguous and can be interpreted in multiple ways. Without denying that some verses can be variously interpreted, one can still clearly understand the ultimate conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita from its own unambiguous declaration of it.

[extract]

Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you My supreme instruction, the most confidential knowledge of all. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit. Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. This confidential knowledge may never be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me. For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear." (18.64.69)

[end extract]

There can be no other interpretation of these verses than the obvious one: Become a pure devotee of Krishna and surrender completely to His sweet will. Since this is the summary instruction at the end of the Bhagavad-gita, all of Lord Krishna's other instructions must support and point to it. Not only that, the words guhya-tamam ("most confidential") appear three times in the Bhagavad-gita (9.1, 15.20, 18.64), and in all three places the words describe knowledge about unalloyed devotional service to Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada highlights this clear specific message – Bhakti - throughout his commentary. But others contend that because the Bhagavad-gita talks about other spiritual paths, these must be on the same level as bhakti. Lord Krishna does indeed speak about karma-yoga (developing detachment from the results of one's work), jnana-yoga (philosophical speculation to discern spirit and matter), and dhyana-yoga (meditation to the realize the self and God). How then can we say that unalloyed devotion to Krishna is the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita? Apart from the fact that the Bhagavad-gita itself declares so unequivocally, as noted above, a study of the Bhagavad-gita reveals that all other processes Krishna speaks of depend on bhakti for their practice and success. Here are a few examples:

"Therefore, O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me, without desires for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free from lethargy, fight." (3.30)

"One who is in full knowledge and who is always engaged in pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him, and he is dear to Me." (7.17)

"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." (7.19)

"And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me, he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion." (6.47)

Thus, we see that whether it be karma-yoga (3.30), jnana-yoga (7.17, 19), or dhyana-yoga (6.47), all depend on devotion to Krishna. We find similar references throughout the Bhagavad-gita. And at the end of the Gita, Lord Krishna declares that bhakti is the single supreme conclusion, independent of any other process.

What About Intellectual Freedom?

Despite the evidence given above, some people refuse to accept that the Bhagavad-gita has just one conclusion; they think that accepting this premise would preclude any intellectual discussion of the book. Fortunately, that's not true. Even though the conclusion is beyond all philosophical conjecture, being as bright and clear as the sun on a cloudless day, the complete text of the Bhagavad-gita is like a gem-studded highway leading to the conclusion. Each verse is profound and can provide deep realizations, all in line with the conclusion. In fact, as one continues to follow the principles of the Bhagavad-gita, the realizations become deeper and deeper still, each coming along with the thrill of a new discovery. Also, understanding the concepts of the Bhagavad-gita stimulates the intellect. Figuring out how one concept leads into another, how the various concepts interrelate, how one concept explains another, and so on, is an intellectual adventure replete with astonishing discoveries and unexpected surprises.

For example, while one is wading through the marshy land of so many types of religion, through the fog of so many clouding philosophies, trying to reach a clear conclusion about faith, the sunlight of transcendental knowledge imparted in the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita regarding faith in different types of people shows the way. Then the solid ground of the fourteenth chapter, about the three modes of nature, assures us that dry land is near. And finally, the discovery of Lord Krishna's discussion, in the seventeenth chapter, of faith in the different modes of nature takes us safely out of the marshlands of confusion, high and dry, with a clear understanding of faith. The essential teaching is that the best faith is that which is reposed in Krishna.

Such philosophical and intellectual excursions help us realize the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita. And even the less intellectually gifted can understand the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita because Krishna rewards the sincere student with the intelligence to do so (Bg.10.10) Accepting the unambiguous conclusion of unalloyed devotion to Krishna in the very beginning doesn't thwart intellectual pursuits. On the contrary, the Bhagavad-gita is a treat for intellectuals who, using their intellectual muscles, wrestle to grasp the ever deepening profundity of Krishna's message. Their sincerity and devotion to Krishna attracts His mercy, which then bestows the fruits of their intellectual labors. Krishna encourages such use of intelligence by declaring that those who study the Bhagavad-gita worship Him by their intelligence. (Bg. 18.70)

Faithless Misinterpretations

Some people won't accept that the Gita has just one message because they think its words just can't be literally true, making the verses open to more than one interpretation. They find it hard to believe some of the things mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita. Many of the concepts stated simply in the Bhagavad-gita are beyond the common man's perception. For example, the Bhagavad-gita talks about heaven, hell, and the spiritual world, all three of which lie beyond ordinary perception. But taking the message of the Bhagavad-gita "as it is" implies accepting as true the existence of heaven, hell, and the spiritual world. In fact, one of the most important messages in the Bhagavad-gita is the call to get out of the cycle of repeated birth and death in the material world and go back to the spiritual world. Unless we accept the existence of the spiritual world, how can we take the message of the Bhagavad-gita seriously, or "as it is"? Anyone who understands that the goal of life as stated in the Bhagavad-gita is to get out of the cycle of birth and death will never propagate anything less than that in the name of the Bhagavad-gita. But since many people don't believe the literal meaning of the words of the Bhagavad-gita, too many commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita do not highlight this goal enough. Instead, they may use the concepts described in the Bhagavad-gita as mere management tips to become better leaders in the material world. Although the Bhagavad-gita's concepts can certainly help us manage our lives better, that is not their ultimate purpose. All such commentaries are not taking the message of the Bhagavad-gita "as it is."

Inconceivable Krishna

Some people don't accept the direct message of the Gita because they believe that the Absolute Truth is impersonal. Therefore, when Krishna speaks of Himself (the person) as the highest truth, they take Krishna as a metaphor representing the impersonal Absolute Truth. This bias distorts the "as it is" meaning of many Gita verses.

These philosophers can't fathom how a person could possess the inconceivable opulence and powers described in the Bhagavad-gita. For example, how could a person always be everywhere? Krishna explains that He is everywhere in His unmanifested form .i.e., in the form of His unlimited energies.and at the same time, since He is the source of everything, He is always aloof from His creation. (Bg. 9.4.5) Just like the sun, which rests in one place in the sky but pervades all of creation, Krishna sits aloof from His creation but still pervades it. Philosophers overwhelmed by Krishna's mystic powers and unable to fathom them try to hide their bewilderment by lowering the status of Krishna. Instead of the all-powerful person whose energies are all-encompassing and everywhere, they want Him only to represent an all-pervading impersonal entity. However, as soon as this is done, the message doesn't remain "as it is." Lord Krishna addresses this problem: "Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is imperishable and supreme." (Bg. 7.24)

The "as it is" meaning of "I" used by Krishna throughout the Bhagavad-gita is straightforward. Only a person (and not an impersonal entity) will speak in terms of "I" and "mine," as Krishna does throughout the Gita. Moreover, only if Krishna is accepted as a person and not as a mere metaphorical instrument does the conclusion of devotion to Krishna makes sense. How can one love something impersonal? Thus, philosophers who don't accept that the Absolute Truth is the person Krishna must forego the literal meaning of the Bhagavad-gita and interpret it in many concocted ways.

Why Take the Message "As It Is"?

Some may raise the objection that even if the Gita has just one clear message, why must one take that message "as it is"? But that's like asking why you must take the doctor's prescription as it is. Why not interpret it the way you want? The answer is simple: Just as misinterpreting a doctor's prescription won't cure your illness, misinterpreting the message of the Bhagavad-gita won't help your spiritual progress. Arjuna accepted the message of the Bhagavad-gita as it is (Bg. 10.14), and so should we, if we are interested in achieving the desired result of studying and following it. The desired goal of the Bhagavad-gita is to get out of the cycle of birth and death by reviving our dormant love for Krishna.

The Essence of "As It Is"

Some people object to Prabhupada's seemingly presumptuous use of "as it is" in the title of his commentary because it seems to imply that only his commentary is accurate, or that it's better than everyone else's. But any commentary on the Gita that sticks to Krishna's clear message is "as it is." Thus all commentaries by Vaisnava acaryas, such as Ramanujacarya and Madhvacarya, are "as it is" commentaries. Although the commentaries by the different Vaisnava acaryas seem to differ from one another in some respects, they are all "as it is" commentaries because their conclusion is unalloyed devotion to Krishna. Different acaryas preach the message of the Gita in different social and intellectual climates, and therefore emphasize the philosophical and practical details that most suit the times. But they all aim to bring many people to the concluding principle of the Bhagavad-gita: unalloyed devotional service to Krishna.

A person clear about the Gita's "as it is" conclusion can easily identify commentaries that are not "as it is." Srila Prabhupada deliberately used the phrase "as it is" in the name of his Bhagavad-gita commentary, not to defy the revered Vaisnava commentaries, which are all "as it is," but to defy all those that do not highlight unalloyed devotion to Krishna as the only conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita. Prabhupada's commentary title continues to shake up and entice all who come in contact with it.

Freedom of expression is the mantra in today's world. Even the Absolute Truth has become a matter of opinion rather than a matter of fact. In such a setting, Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita As It Is presents an outright challenge to the incumbent intellectual scene. One can't resist getting intrigued by such audacity. Only one who has something awesomely powerful up his sleeve can take on the whole world in this manner. Don't miss the opportunity to study Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita As It Is and see for yourself how his commentary lives up to its catchy name.