Sankarshan Das: Ecstatic adventure Srimad Bhagavatam. Srimad Bhagavatam 3rd Canto, chapter 29, Text 15

Om Namah Bhagavate Vasudevaya

Om Namah Bhagavate Vasudevaya

Om Namah Bhagavate Vasudevaya

nisevitenanimittena

sva-dharmena mahiyasa

kriya-yogena sastena

natihimsrena nityasah

nisevitena — executed; animittena — without attachment to the result; sva-dharmena — by one’s prescribed duties; mahiyasa — glorious; kriya-yogena — by devotional activities; sastena — auspicious; na — without; atihimsrena — excessive violence; nityasaḥ — regularly.

Translation

“A devotee must execute his prescribed duties, which are glorious, without material profit. Without excessive violence, one should regularly perform one’s devotional activities.”

Purport

One has to execute his prescribed duties according to his social position as a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra. The prescribed duties of the four classes of men in human society are also described in Bhagavad-gita. The activities of Brahmanas are to control the senses and to become simple, clean, learned devotees. The ksatriyas have the spirit for ruling, they are not afraid on the battlefield, and they are charitable. The vaisyas, or the mercantile class of men, trade in commodities, protect cows and develop agricultural produce. The sudras, or laborer class, serve the higher classes because they themselves are not very intelligent.

From every position, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, sva-karmana tam abhyarcya: one can serve the Supreme Lord by performing one’s prescribed duty. It is not that only the brahmanas can serve the Supreme Lord and not the sudras. Anyone can serve the Supreme Lord by performing his prescribed duties under the direction of a spiritual master, or representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one should think that his prescribed duties are inferior. A brahmana can serve the Lord by using his intelligence, and the ksatriya can serve the Supreme Lord by using his military arts, just as Arjuna served Krishna. Arjuna was a warrior; he had no time to study Vedanta or other highly intellectual books. The damsels in Vrajadhama were girls born of the Vaisya class, and they engaged in protecting cows and producing agriculture. Krishna’s foster father, Nanda Maharaja, and his associates were all vaisyas. They were not at all educated, but they could serve Krishna by loving Him and by offering everything to Him. Similarly, there are many instances in which candalas, or those lower than sudras, have served Krishna. Also, the sage Vidura was considered a sudra because his mother happened to be a sudra. There are no distinctions, for it is declared by the Lord in Bhagavad-gita that anyone engaged specifically in devotional service is elevated to the transcendental position without a doubt. Everyone’s prescribed duty is glorious if it is performed in the devotional service of the Lord, without desire for profit. Such loving service must be performed without reason, without impediment, and spontaneously. Krishna is lovable, and one has to serve Him in whatever capacity one can. That is pure devotional service.

Another significant phrase in this verse is natihimsrena, “with minimum violence or sacrifice of life.” Even if a devotee has to commit violence, it should not be done beyond what is necessary. Sometimes the question is put before us: “You ask us not to eat meat, but you are eating vegetables. Do you think that is not violence?” The answer is that eating vegetables is violence, and vegetarians are also committing violence against other living entities because vegetables also have life. Non-devotees are killing cows, goats and so many other animals for eating purposes, and a devotee, who is vegetarian, is also killing. But here, significantly, it is stated that every living entity has to live by killing another entity; that is the law of nature. Jivo jivasya jivanam: one living entity is the life for another living entity. But for a human being, that violence should be committed only as much as necessary.

A human being is not to eat anything which is not offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yajna-sistasinah santah: one becomes freed from all sinful reactions by eating foodstuffs which are offered to Yajna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A devotee therefore eats only prasada, or foodstuffs offered to the Supreme Lord, and Krishna says that when a devotee offers Him foodstuffs from the vegetable kingdom, with devotion, He eats that. A devotee is to offer to Krishna foodstuffs prepared from vegetables. If the Supreme Lord wanted foodstuffs prepared from animal food, the devotee could offer this, but He does not order to do that.

We have to commit violence; that is a natural law. We should not, however, commit violence extravagantly, but only as much as ordered by the Lord. Arjuna engaged in the art of killing, and although killing is, of course, violence, he killed the enemy simply on Krishna’s order. In the same way, if we commit violence as it is necessary, by the order of the Lord, that is called natihimsa. We cannot avoid violence, for we are put into a conditional life in which we have to commit violence, but we should not commit more violence than necessary or than ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (End of Purport)

vande ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaishnavams ca

sri-rupam sagrajatam saha-gana-raghunathanvitam tam sa jivam

sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam krishna-caitanya-devam

sri-radha-krishna-padan saha-gana-lalita- sri-visakhanvitams ca

nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesha-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

Prabhupada first talks about the different social orders, the brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras. Now a days, as stated in the Vedic wisdom, "Kalau sudra sambhavah" - In this age of Kali, everyone is a sudra. There are a few vaisyas, a few shopkeepers, a few farmers here and there but the vast majority of people they are sudra class. They don't have any own intelligence to start their own business or to be a proper administrator of the society or to be a learned Brahmana, they don't have the intelligence to do that. All they know is how to do is work a job, get a job. Even though they are highly educated, even though they have a PhD degree, if they can't get find employment, they are in great difficulty. Today we have no real ksatriyas. These so called political leaders, they are just sudras basically, elevated sudras, worker class. We have no actual administrators, ksatriyas like Yudhisthira Maharaj or Arjuna, who are duty bound to protect the citizens, even the animals being unnecessarily harmed. You have the Presidents, Prime Ministers, all eating meat, sitting there and eating meat in the White House or wherever they may be, eating hamburgers, fried chicken and so many things, this is not ksatriya. Ksatriya protects every citizen, even the animal citizens within his kingdom. As far as brahmanas, we have so-called brahmanas. They are all eating meat. They are all engaged in sinful activities, so-called college professors, priests, rabbis, they are all engaged in nonsense. Sometimes I use to go to see my minister. When I was a young Christian boy, I remember visiting my minister in his what is called pastor’s study, his office of the church I saw him smoking a big cigar. The other one, before him, he was smoking a pipe. They were seen around smoking. This is the brahmana class smoking? Our Krishna consciousness movement is meant to establish actual Brahmanas, and Ksatriyas we want to establish as well. We want to establish a class of Brahmans and Ksatriyas. Then the society will become very nice, we can educate everyone how to utilize their occupational tendencies, in the service of the Lord, even the sudras can be nicely engaged. They are all engaged in Krishna's service, they become also great devotees. Not that everyone has to be a Brahmana, or Ksatriya or Vaisya. Everybody can be engaged according to their natural propensity. In this way they can all become glorious and they can all go back to home, back to  Godhead upon leaving their present body. Prabhupada talks a lot here about the unnecessary violence being committed against the animals. Krishna says,

patram puspam phalam toyam

yo me bhaktya prayacchati

tad aham bhakty-upahrtam

asnami prayatatmanah

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.”

There is a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, there is no mention of meat. If Krishna had said, "Offer Me meat." Then we could offer Him meat, but He asks only for vegetarian foodstuffs. The point here is that is also killing so that is also violence. When you pull a carrot out of the ground, you just killed a carrot. It's a living being in a carrot's body, you uproot the carrot, now you are killing him. It is still living for a little while because you can put that carrot in some water and it will grow. But then you started cutting it up, peeling it and cutting it up. It's finished. We are allowed to do a certain amount of violence according to Krishna's instructions. The Ksatriya's are also allowed to kill the aggressors. Those who are committing unnecessary violence, the Ksatriyas can use violence to curb them down.  In this way, even violence can be used for Krishna's service. How many people were killed in the battlefield of Kuruksetra. That's under Krishna's order. "Rise now and fight the battle."

Some people think it's just an allegory. But no, that's an actual battle. So many warriors were killed on that battlefield on Krishna's order. When violence is required, Krishna will engage the devotee in committing violence. I remember years ago, our temples were sometimes being robbed and attacked. Different robberies were going on. Prabhupada said, “give me a gun in one hand and bead bag in another, I will protect you”. That was what Prabhupada said. We had a robbery there in our Miami temple. They came with rifles and pistol to rob us. We had a gun there. That was quite an interesting evening. In the evening we all get together for milk prasadam. It’s nice time at the end of the day we all sit around and have some milk prasadam. But all of a sudden, into the prasadam room comes two bandits. One of them had a gun at Bhaktin Paddy's head, the other had a big rifle. He said everybody get down on the floor. Bhaktin Paddy was going like "Ahh.." She was in great anxiety that they are going to shoot her.  They threatened us to get down on the floor, but I was thinking what is this nonsense "get down on the floor. I am not going to bow down to these guys, these rascals." I just yelled out "Narasimhadev" Narasimhadev is the great protector so I yelled out "Narasimhadev" Now the gun is no longer pointed to Bhaktin Paddy, it's pointed to me. I thought, well I am going to negotiate with them. "We are your friends. What do you want?" He said "The money, where is the money?” At that point our temple President came walking in, out of the treasury, which is adjoining the prasadam room, to take milk prasadam. He was little surprised to see robbery going on in the prasadam room.  All bandits had rifles and pistols. He decided to go  back in the treasury where there was a gun. We had a gun to protect ourselves from violence. The temple President said, "Get the gun and shoot the bastard." He told to the treasurer.  So, violence can be used. These people threatened to kill us. In that situation you could use violence, you can kill them if necessary. "Get the gun and shoot the bastard." He told him. As soon as they heard this, they went running scared.  And the temple treasurer came out and "boom" He shot at them.

Violence can be used in Krishna's service, even as devotees we can use violence if we have to shoot somebody, we can do that if necessary. Temple President told to shoot them, it’s self-defense. Violence can be used in Krishna's service. Even though we are nonviolent by nature, but for protection’s sake, violence can be used. Anything can be used in Krishna's service. Whatever is necessary, we can use it for Krishna. Right now, the whole world is in great suffering condition due to lack of Krishna consciousness. So, we have to use any and all means to awaken them to Krishna consciousness. This is what Prabhupada wants us to do, he wants us to make the whole world Krishna conscious.

Prabhupada very much recognized me when I was a young brahmacari because I had this desire to make the world Krishna conscious. He even wrote me a nice letter encouraging me in that mood. After my initiation I sent some Guru daksina of to London. I sent him a letter on 2nd September 1971. That was amazing, only 5 days later, Prabhupada replied, that means the letter crossed the Atlantic very quickly. Only 5 days later, he wrote me a reply from London. In that letter he said, "I can see that you are a very sincere and enthusiastic boy, anxious to spreading this movement. Those are first class qualifications for making advancement in Krishna consciousness. So continue enthusiastically as you are doing and surely Krishna will bless you.” Prabhupada very much liked our wanting to spread this movement. He recognized me that I was wanting to spread this Krishna consciousness movement.

We have to have this desire. Not just my own Krishna consciousness, devotee is compassionate. He sees the suffering world around him, all hell is breaking loose, just like it happened in Washington DC, because there is no proper leadership. We want to establish proper leadership. Prabhupada said, we need to establish brahmanas and Ksatriyas. We have to establish these two classes. We need to have proper leadership. How do we establish Ksatriyas in today’s democracy? We have to educate the voters. We have to do massive book distribution, all kinds of preaching. Everything we can do to flood this world with Krishna consciousness, so people will understand. They may not be devotees yet, but they will understand that many devotee leaders. They may not fully ready to take up the process, but they can understand that these Hare Krishna people they have the proper understanding of how this world can be properly managed in such a way that everybody is happy. “Let these Hare Krishna people be the leaders of the world”. We need to preach in such a way that people will want Krishna conscious leaders in the Whitehouse, in Buckingham palace, the parliament building, in every place in the world they want Krishna conscious leadership. We have to preach in such a way that people will vote for Krishna conscious leaders because this will bring to end all the strife that is going on in the world. It's horrible strife that is going on. People don’t realise how wonderful is Krishna and these amazing pastimes of Krishna, amazing teachings of Krishna, we have to bring Krishna to the forefront. His teachings, it’s so full of mercy so full of love, transcendental pastimes.

Just like I was reading this morning, Krishna was in the house of Radharani. He is in Radharani’s house and Radharani's husband comes back. Radharani's husband Abhimanyu. Here He is with another man's wife. Radharani is actually married to Abhimanyu.  Krishna there He is in the house of Radharani, Abhimanyu is coming back, so what to do? Krishna is so clever, He disguised Himself as Abhimanyu and He addresses Jatila, the mother. The mother is also there. Now He is dressed as Abhimanyu. He addresses Jatila, the mother. The mother is also these. Now He is dressed as Abhimanyu. He says "O My dear mother I am your real son Abhimanyu, but just see Krishna dressed up like Me is coming before you." [Laughs] The actual Abhimanyu is actually Krishna disguised as Abhimanyu. "I am the real Abhimanyu and Abhimanyu is Krishna disguised as Abhimanyu." So Jatila believes Krishna thinking this is her actual son and she becomes angry at her real son Abhimanyu who is coming home now. "Who is this?" She becomes angry at him and is driving him away. "Get out of here, get out of here." She is driving the actual Abhimanyu thinking him to be Krishna. And Abhimanyu is crying " Mother Mother what are you doing?" The girlfriends of Radharani are there, just laughing and smiling.

Just an amazing Personality, His wonderful teachings, these amazing pastimes which are so attractive. We have to distribute these books of Srila Prabhupada so that people can get attracted to the pastimes of Krishna. Now they are reading about the rockstar, the movie star. What are these rascal characters? They are just greedy people. They are not really attractive people. We have a desire to be attracted to a hero. It's our natural tendency. Because we are all devotees of Krishna, we have a tendency to be attracted to Krishna and the great sages. When we get covered by the material energy, we take that tendency and we get attracted to a movie star, musicians, the politicians, the actors etc. These people are actually disgusting. Just like when I was a kid, big hero during my days was the singer named Bob Dylan, a big hero. He was considered a great hero of the counterculture. He made so much money by selling his music, now he sold his whole music catalog for 300 million dollars. He is just after money. He is some greedy person but he is made into a big hero. It’s a shame actually that people are running after these musicians, politicians, actors thinking them to be great heroes. Actually, they are just greedy envious people. We need to take this tendency and to repose it in Krishna. That’s why we have these books, the Krishna book, Nectar of Devotion is full of so many amazing pastimes, we should read these pastimes and become attracted to these pastimes. So many amazing pastimes like Hiranyakasipu and Nrsimhdeva, such an amazing thing. Hiranyakasipu wants to achieve immortality. He wants to become immortal. He worships Lord Brahma to get benediction of immortality, and he actually does all these austerities and penances, now he thinks he has got it. Brahma actually tricks him. You will not die in the day or night, you will not die in the land or sea, you will not be killed by any man or beast, by any weapon, in this way he gives all these boons and now Hiranyakasipu is like "Now I am immortal, I am immortal, I am immortal." But then Krishna appears as Narasimhadev, He kill him in the twilight, not in the day or night, He doesn't kill him by any weapon, He kills Him with the nails of His hands, He was not killed by a man or beast, He was killed by a half man and half beast. In this way, Krishna is so clever, He outsmarts these demons every time.

We shouldn't be fooled by these nonsense rascal demons, these material scientists, big bang, everything came out of an explosion, can you imagine how idiotic that is, to say that this beautiful universe, the lotus flower was caused by an explosion. Explosion don't create order; they break down order. We are supposed to believe these scientists who say that everything came out of explosion, a big bang. It's time we stop putting out faith on these rascals, it’s time we stop putting our faith on these mudhas, these rascals, these idiots and put our faith on those persons who actually have knowledge like Srila Vyasadev, the great Vaisnava Acaryas, Krishna Himself. It's time we put our faith and take knowledge from those persons who know things as they are. If you want to know something about something, the person who invented it, he is the knower. Just like someone makes some invention, they are the best knower of that invention, isn't it? Why not see, who is the person who invented the reality we are living in? Who is the creator of it? That's Krishna. Why don't we go to Krishna? Krishna is the Supreme authority. Krishna knows everything, past, present and future. Why don't we put our faith in Krishna instead of our rascal mind, these rascal scientists, we should put our faith on Krishna. Krishna is the perfect knower of everything. "My dear Lord, I humbly submit myself unto You. You kindly enlighten me, kindly deliver me from the illusion I am caught up in right now." In this way we can actually make our lives perfect.

We can derive unlimited satisfaction and bliss and we can actually turn this world into a paradise. There is no reason for us to suffer like this. Prabhupada actually told us, he said, “If you simply read, chant and preach as much as possible, then very soon this Krishna consciousness movement will be accepted as the only religion in this world." Can you imagine? If Hare Krishna, Krishna consciousness was universally accepted as the world religion, in every town, village, city and hamlet in the entire world, can you imagine how wonderful it would be? Prabhupada said we can do it. We can accomplish that, we simply have to read, chant reach as much as possible every day. Read these books, keep reading, every spare minute you have, read, read, read these books. There are so many books written by devotees also. Just like right now, I have a book siting in the kitchen. In the middle of my service, I get the offering ready, there are a few minutes left before the arati, if I have 2 or 3 minutes, I pick up that book. I am right now reading about the devotees who were put in prison in Russia during the Soviet era. They were being tortured like hell in the prison, it’s horrible what they were going though. They were beaten severely. They told how they were living in the prison. Many devotees were put in the different cells throughout the prison. On Gaura Purnima, somehow they had little money, they bribed the guard and let him do a kirtan. They were all singing the most glorious kirtan throughout the whole jail, singing on Gaura purnima. Actually they didn’t know when is Gaura purnima. Some mataji came snuck in near the prison, got to the window and yelled at them what day it was for Gaura Purnima. Then they all knew when is Gaura purnima." They went through hell. These guards sometimes would come and beat them so they would be in pain for days. They were beaten severely by the guards; they went through so much hell but still they maintained their Krishna consciousness. It’s amazing story how they survived living in the prison. The guards were very cruel and they would beat them again and again, it's amazing how they survived in the prison. There are so many wonderful books out there written by devotees also, you can read them as well. Our main curriculum is Prabhupada books. Then we have the extracurricular books as well. Just like I just finished reading the book written by Mukunda Maharaj "Happiness at Second Avenue", how the movement began. It's amazing how Prabhupada started this movement. He had no proper facility, living in the bowery where the drunks were passing urine, and vomiting in the whole way, it was horrible what Prabhupada went through. It's amazing story, it’s history. We can read Prabhupada’s books, other books written by devotees. We can read, we can hear lectures, we can chant, we can memorize verses, we can chant Brahma samhita, we can chant different verses, we can sing beautiful songs by the Vaisnava acaryas, there is so much to do to absorb ourselves 24/7, constantly hearing about, reading about and preaching the glories of Krishna. Take every opportunity to preach to the world. Krishna blessed me yesterday. A very favorable person who asked me and he wanted to know about Krishna consciousness, it was a very big radio show, on 14 stations it went live yesterday afternoon. We should take every opportunity to preach, tell people about Krishna wherever we can. Go to meetings, go to street corners, go everywhere you can, go on the internet, wherever you can, tell your neighbors, tell your friends, tell your relatives, tell everybody you can about Krishna. We want to revolutionize this planet; we have to tell everybody about Krishna.

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa

amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa

Whomever you meet, instruct them in the teachings of Krishna. In this way on My order, you become guru and you deliver this world. Is this only for the spiritual master and initiating gurus? No. This is for every rank-and-file member of ISKCON. You become guru. Everyone is meant to be a siksha guru, one who instructs others. Everyone in our movement is meant to be a siksha guru. Even the children, everyone should become siksha guru.

Let’s see if we have any questions. Alright we have something coming in. 44.12

Alakananda: Does the word “learned” in the purport indicate having spiritual knowledge or material knowledge?

Sankarshan Das:What paragraph is it in? I don't know. I don't have time to look through it. Let me know what paragraph it is in. There are different kinds of “learned”, let me know what paragraph it is in. Give me the whole quote. Just type in the whole sentence, that should be the best thing. So I don’t have to look for it.

Mahabhagavat - We say in Bhagavad gita that varna, caste depends on qualities, guna and karma. Vidura was the highest category of saint so why was he considered sudra.

Sankarshan Das: - Because his mother happened to be a sudra. He was born in sudra family. That’s why he is considered as sudra in one sense, it's described in the purport.

Bhaktin Angalaparameshwari - A person who is doing a kind of corrupt activity, but still he is offering the results to the Lord, does he get purification?

Sankarshan Das- Sure. Just like some thief robs a bank, but he gives part of his plundered funds as donation to ISKCON, we are not telling people to do this, it’s just an example. Yes, he will get benefit. Of course, we shouldn’t go and rob banks. But if the bank robber gives some portion of his robbery to Krishna, that’s for his benefit.

Hare Krishna Das - Can one love and appreciate devotees by loving Krishna or it is vice-verse?

Sankarshan Das - It actually works both ways. If someone is attracted to Krishna and then he finds someone who is also attracted to Krishna… Birds of same feather flock together, right? If you are attracted to Krishna and you find someone who is also attracted to Krishna, you will be like "Oh you are attracted to Krishna?" So it works both ways. Someone is attracted to devotees, then they find out that devotees are attracted to Krishna. So it works both ways.

Devotee - Qualities of a brahmana?

Sankarshan Das- samo damas tapah saucam

ksantir arjavam eva ca

jnanam vijnanam astikyam

brahma-karma svabhava-jam 47.39

There is jnana and vijnana. A Brahmana has both. He is learned in spiritual knowledge. And vijnana means he is expert in applying the knowledge also. If you simply have theoretical knowledge but you don’t apply it, then you are not really on the brahminical platform. The quality of a brahmana is jnana vijnyanam, practical application. He has great spiritual knowledge; at the same time, he applies that knowledge. It’s not just theoretical. He puts it into practice. And here is an insider’s secret, Alakananada. If you don’t really apply this knowledge, you lose it in due course of time, it goes in and out. If you actually apply the knowledge then it becomes realized knowledge. Otherwise theoretical knowledge comes and goes, you can't keep it. But when you apply it, that applied knowledge becomes realized. So you have to take the theoretical knowledge, the learning you have and you have to apply it. Just like it’s stated,

sadhu-sanga’, ‘sadhu-sanga’—sarva-sastre kaya

lava-matra sadhu-sanga sarva-siddhi haya

By association with the sadhus, one achieves perfection. One should take association of the devotees. We have our programs here in Austin which are very safe. We have them in the outside, not inside, where everybody is at great distance from one another. So, it’s very safe. One should come to these programs. Sastra says, by associating with devotees one achieves sarva-siddhi haya, one achieves all perfection. "Well, I am learned because I know this verse." But if you are aloof from devotee association, then that knowledge is lost but if you apply that knowledge, vijnanam, then you achieve all perfection. Being learned is very good but if you don't apply it, you lose that leaning in due course of time. When you apply it, it becomes very powerful, it becomes realized knowledge.

Mahabhagavat - The description doesn't make sense.

Sankarshan Das- Well, how can you say that what Prabhupada says doesn't make sense. That doesn't make sense to me Mahabhagavat. You would say that what Prabhupada has written doesn't make sense, you can say you can’t understand it. It doesn’t make sense to you but you can’t say it’s a nonsensical statement. There is a difference. It doesn't make sense to you, but you can’t say it’s a nonsensical statement. In Vedic culture that was generally the system. In Vedic culture that was how it worked because by association those born of sudra family were sudras naturally, because the qualities were passed on. In previous ages, that was the system. It was based on birth not by force but by the qualities. Because you are associating with that varna, you will naturally have that varna by that association those qualities will develop in you too. That was formally how it worked. In this kaliyuga, it’s quite different. In this yuga everyone is sudra. Kalau sudra sambhava. But Lord Caitanya's movement will elevate them from their lower position to brahminical stage, by association, by power of the Holy names. It's from previous yuga. Vidura is a brahmana in the sense of being a Vaisnava. A Vaisnava is automatically a brahmana, even though externally he may act as a ksatriya  or vaisya or sudra. A Vaisnava is naturally a brahmana automatically, even though externally he may act differently in the society.

Bhaktin Priya Balani - What is my prescribed duty?

Sankarshan Das - In this movement we are creating brahmanas. You are enrolled in brahmana school, we are training you how to become a brahmana. That’s what you have to do. We are creating brahmanas, you learn how to become a brahmana.

Bhaktin Shivani- Does being Krishna Consciousness means to be single minded?

Sankarshan Das - Yes, one pointed determination. “I must become a pure devotee of Krishna.” Here is what Prabhupada told us in Los Angeles, he said, “Become perfect and become leader of the world.” That's our duty, to become perfect and become leader of the world. World leader means preacher, one who shows ideal example and one who teaches others how to be the ideal example. That’s called world leader. Someone who is leading the world by their example. So Prabhupada told us that’s a one-pointed thing, “be perfect and be a world leader. That’s our one-pointed determination.

Devotee - We give the example of Dronacarya who acted as a ksatriya, Parasurama who acted as a ksatriya and the son of a prostitute who acted as a brahmana, therefor this is inconsistent.

Sankarshan Das – Interesting! We need to study. I wouldn't accuse Prabhuapda of inconsistency. I can't. You are merging into a little dangerous territory Mahabhagavat. You can't say, "O Prabhupada, your writing is inconsistent." You have to go to deeper level, that's all I can say. Go to a deeper level.

Amala Purana - We get so much knowledge from all different fields of devotional service from Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Please help us understand how we can practically follow what we are reading from these books. Is our daily practice of chanting, following regulative principles, eating prasadam can be called practical application of knowledge?

Sankarshan Das - Yes. Sadhana bhakti- hearing, chanting, remembering, offering prayers, these activities, nava vidha bhakti. sravaṇa, kirtana, smarana, vandana in this way, these 9 activities of bhakti. That is the practical application of what we are reading. Hear about Krishna, talk about Krishna, bow down to Krishna, offer prayers to Krishna, everything for Krishna's service 24/7.

Sadhu Bhusana - It worked with other yugas because the goal of whole society was to satisfy Krishna. Hari tosanam.

Sankarshan Das – That’s a comment.

Mahabhagavat - Please help me go to the deeper level Srila Gurudev. What is the proper understanding here?

Sankarshan Das - We all have to go to deeper level. I can't give you an intellectual answer for that. Why in this sense Vidura is considered a sudra? Wait a minute. Here is one-point Mahabhagavt. It doesn't say Vidura was a sudra, he was considered a sudra from an external viewpoint. That’s an easy answer. Prabhupada doesn't say he was sudra, he was considered as sudra.

Devotee - When we preach some of the people are willing material benefits from us. How to deal with them?

Sankarshan Das - They want material benefits from us, how to deal with them? I understand what you are saying. People want blessings for "I am looking for a new job, please bless me that I can get a good job." Some of them come to devotees with those kinds of ideas. We should preach to them if you want to be situated in happiness, you want to be successful and happy in life, right? If you focus on surrendering yourself to Krishna, just like it is stated in the Bible, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God; and all other things shall be added unto you”. If you put Krishna first, everything else follows automatically. Success and happiness follow automatically, to one who puts Krishna first. If you want success and happiness without Krishna, good luck. OK.

We are running out of time now; this should be the last one.

Lila manjari - Is causing anxiety to others also considered violence?

Sankarshan Das - It depends. If they are in anxiety because you are Krishna conscious, then no, just like some parents get into anxiety when their children want to become devotees. My mother was in anxiety about it. She would bring me a Bible and give me the points. “Son, remember you are baptized Christian, why you are giving up Jesus.” [laughs] She was in anxiety. My dad was cool, but my mother was not cool of me being Krishna conscious. That wasn’t violence simply to chant Hare Krishna and become a disciple of Srila Prabhupada. So it depends on what kind of anxiety you are causing them. If we are offensive towards Vaisnavas, if we are not properly behaving when we are associating with devotee and they are in anxiety because of our being offensive, then that is violence. Being offensive, Vaisnava aparadha is a subtle form of violence.

Lila manjari - Knowingly or unknowingly we are causing anxiety to many living entities, how to get over it?

Sankarshan Das - Always be in the mood of loving service, serving the Vaisnavas, even must avoid jiva aparadha, being offensive to any living entity. Our mood is to give service to everyone, to be Krishna conscious and help everybody connect with Krishna. That’s the proper mood.

Paramatma Das - Some devotees treat different devotees differently not being equipoised, does that mean they are committing violence by showing partiality?

Sankarshan Das- Yes, we should not do party politics with devotees. We should be equipoised, that devotee is the well-wishing friend of all living entities. That’s the position of a devotee. To distinguish - "This person I like that person I don’t like.” Just like the brahmacaris are great, but women are just a bunch of prostitutes. One has to be equipoised. No, they are your mothers. Treat them respectfully, they are your mothers.

Ok we will stop here, our time is up. Thank you everybody for tuning in. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.