Yesterday we did ŚB-04.25.26, is that what it was? Okay. Today we're on Bhāgavatam, 4th Canto, Chapter 25, Text Number 27.

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

ka ete ’nupathā ye ta
ekādaśa mahā-bhaṭāḥ
etā vā lalanāḥ subhru
ko ’yaṁ te ’hiḥ puraḥ-saraḥ

ke — who; ete — all these; anupathāḥ — followers; ye — they who; te — your; ekādaśa — eleven; mahā-bhaṭāḥ — very powerful bodyguards; etāḥ — all of these; vā — also; lalanāḥ — women; su-bhru — O beautiful-eyed one; kaḥ — who; ayam — this; te — your; ahiḥ — the snake; puraḥ — in front; saraḥ — going.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 04.25.27, Translation.

My dear lotus-eyed, who are those eleven strong bodyguards with you, and who are those ten specific servants? Who are those women following the ten servants, and who is the snake that is preceding you?

Purport

The ten strong servants of the mind are the five working senses and the five knowledge-gathering senses. All these ten senses work under the aegis of the mind. The mind and the ten senses combine to become eleven strong bodyguards. The hundreds of women under the jurisdiction of the senses are addressed here as lalanāḥ. The mind works under the intelligence, and under the mind are the ten senses, and under the ten senses are innumerable desires to be fulfilled. All these, however, depend on the vital life force, which is here represented by the snake. As long as the vital life force is there, the mind works, and under the mind the senses work, and the senses give rise to so many material desires. Actually the living entity, known as purañjana, is embarrassed by so much paraphernalia. All this paraphernalia simply constitutes different sources of anxiety, but one who is surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who leaves all business to Him, is freed from such anxieties. Therefore, Prahlāda Mahārāja advises a person who has taken to the materialistic way of life, which is never permanent but always temporary, to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and leave aside all his so-called responsibilities in order to get free from all anxieties.

vande ’haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-
kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca
śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-
raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam
sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-
sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ
śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-
lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe

nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe

So, we have to understand the wonderful advice of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Why has he advised us to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It's explained here. The materialistic way of life is never permanent but always temporary. So, in other words, there's permanent happiness and there's temporary happiness. It's interesting to note, as per Prabhupāda 's quote this morning after the Mangal-arati, there's two types of happiness, internal and external. One who goes after the external happiness, he's called a materialist, and one who goes after the internal happiness he's called the spiritualist. So now we should consider the two types of happiness. The external happiness is temporary, it's always happiness and distress, happiness and distress, happiness and distress. Even when there's happiness, it's only so-called happiness. It's not real happiness, it's illusory happiness. Just like in the desert, there's an illusion of water, it's called a mirage. So, why the mirage appear to be an illusion of water? Because a real water actually exists, you understand. If there's no such thing as real water, the mirage would not be attractive. Because what? Because there's such thing as real water that looks in a certain way, and the mirage looks like that real water, therefore the mirage is attractive. So illusory happiness is only attractive because it is a perverted reflection of real happiness. So, real happiness is a real thing and illusory happiness is simply a perverted reflection of the real thing. So, if I gave you a... there's a nice plate of prasādam here, you're really hungry, you've got a nice plate of prasādam. I take a mirror and I give you a reflection of the prasādam, I give you the mirror, here's your prasādam. Would you be happy to get a mirror? Could you get any nourishment by taking a mirror of prasādam What good is a mirror of prasādam. So this illusory happiness is really a joke, a real joke, illusory happiness. But yet we're running after it, isn't that crazy? I mean, this is called a madman running after illusory happiness. Running, running, running, running, running, running, running, like the animal running after the mirage. So, you got some animal running after the mirage, that's us. How do you convince him not to run after the mirage? My dear animal, while you're running after the mirage, how do you convince him? Because he's convinced there's real happiness out there in the desert. How do you convince him to stop running after the mirage?

Well, you've got to give him some real water. You've got to give him some real water. Here, here's the real thing right here. You don't have to run after it. It's right here. You're looking for enjoyment. Okay, here it is right now. So that's the beauty of what's that called? The Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. How does that go?

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Looking for real happiness? Well, here it is, right here, on a silver platter, Hare Krishna Mantra, you see. Actually, there's unlimited nectar. Actually, it's interesting to note, as Prabhupāda explains, Krishna literally means, the two syllables means - Greatest pleasure. That's the literal meaning of the two syllables, Greatest pleasure. So, you can get the greatest pleasure just by chanting Hare Krishna. You don't need anything else. So why are you not totally absorbed in chanting Hare Krishna 24 hours a day? Actually, you want to be absorbed, just like somebody wrote a question to me, I got a question coming through the emails from what's called Quora.com. She wants to know, where is the spiritual master who can teach me how to be in a meditative state 8 hours a day? I wrote back, why 8 hours a day? Why not 24 hours a day? This Bhakti Yoga system teaches you how to be in a meditative state 24 hours a day. What does meditative state mean? Connected with the divine. Finding internal happiness. The amazing thing is you can be here in this external world going on successfully as a leader, as a follower, as a businessman, as an employee, as a teacher, as a student, any position. And the beauty of this process is you can be in a meditative state 24 hours a day. Why do you do that? You have to see everything as the energy of Krishna, engage everything in Krishna's service. It doesn't matter what your position. You can be a street sweeper, you can be a prime minister, it doesn't matter what your position is. A husband, a wife, a kid, it doesn't matter what your position is, if you see everything as the energy of Krishna, engage everything in the service of Krishna, then you are rightly situated in a state called samadhi.

So, don't be a rascal and a fool. Learn how to be in a state of samadhi, internally situated in a transcendental bliss in every situation. Doesn't matter what's happening in the external energy. You can be praised, you can be chastised, you can be ignored. It doesn't matter with what’s happening in the external energy. Because your happiness is within. It's not based on the external thing. “Well, people who are glorifying me, then I feel happy. If they're chastising me, I feel miserable. If they're ignoring me, I feel even more miserable”. See, you have to be a devotee, someone who's actually a devotee of Krishna, not a pseudo devotee, but someone who is actually a devotee of Krishna, they find their happiness within, 24 hours a day. They're locked-in to this transcendental platform, not by force, but by choice.

We don't lock you in. The spiritual measure does not lock you in. Okay, here's some handcuffs and a ball and a chain, now you're locked in. No, it's completely voluntary. Even Prabhupāda would sometimes tell the devotee who's having difficulty, “Well if you like, give it up and go as you enjoy your life on the outside. Prabhupāda would tell them, you're not locked in to this process. It's for those who are actually intelligent, who understand what is the real happiness. Those persons who understand what is the real happiness, they will do whatever it takes to get fixed in this consciousness. Whatever austerities they have to do, whatever penance, whatever difficulties they have to embrace. Like, we have four difficulties. What are they called? No illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat eating, no gambling. Someone who's addicted to illicit sex, intoxication, meat eating, and gambling it's difficult to give them up, you see. We live in a world where practically everybody is absorbed in illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication and gambling. So, with a newcomer to come it's a little difficult. He's used to running after illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication and gambling. So, to give it up is a little bit austerity. But if you give him a taste of

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Why run after illicit sex, intoxication, meat eating and gambling when you can get even more pleasure here. You can get real pleasure here, you see, from this process of Krishna consciousness. So, if you give up those things which distract you from Krishna consciousness, and embrace those things which give you Krishna consciousness, then you're rightly situated.

I was meditating this morning, at the temple this morning, about these two types of happiness - Sense gratification and Bhakti. What's the difference? The difference is material happiness actually drains your energy. It actually takes your energy away, it actually kills you. Material happiness drains your energy away, it actually kills you. But spiritual happiness energizes you. You get more energy, more enthusiasm, more determination, more patience, more intelligence, more loving feelings. Everything comes from the spiritual enjoyment. In either case, you can enjoy it. You can enjoy having illicit sex if you want, go for it. You can enjoy getting intoxicated if you want, go for it. You can enjoy eating all kinds of meat. They're out there. McDonald's is waiting for you. Gleefully waiting for you, or Kentucky Fried or whatever. All these, the gambling casinos right there, it's like in the US we have El Reno, a music club, Reno and Las Vegas, it's all waiting for you. Go and gamble, it's all waiting for you. You can go either way. But if you actually understand and realize the science of enjoyment, and you realize that material enjoyment bleeds me of my energy, and spiritual enjoyment energizes me more and more and more and more.

So, it's your choice, my dear listeners, become de-energized or energized? What do you prefer? Have all your energy taken away, little by little taken all away, you're dead, you just, you drop dead, finished. Or you’re going to be energized, awaken your actual identity, which is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss? See, devotees, a devotee's body maybe go downhill, you see. Old age comes to everyone.

When you're actually Krishna conscious, you become younger every day. Because you become more and more in touch with your eternal identity, Nava-yauvanam (Brahma-saṁhitā 5.33). As Krishna is Nava-yauvanam, devotee is qualitatively one with Krishna, the devotee is also an eternal youth. As Krishna is an eternal youth, devotees are also eternal youth. So, the more you awaken Krishna consciousness... There was some song, it says, “I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now." you see. So, Krishna consciousness means you become younger every day, because you're coming closer and closer and closer to your “Swarupa”, your eternal relationship, your eternal identity in the pastimes of the Supreme Lord.

So, it's what we call it in America, a no-brainer. Duh! I mean, anybody, even if you don't have a brain at all, you may have no brain, you can understand that ever increasing happiness is better than ever decreasing happiness, you see. But the difficulty is we're even less with having no brains. Dvipada-paśu, you know that śloka,

śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ
saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ
na yat-karṇa-pathopeto
jātu nāma gadāgrajaḥ
[ŚB 2.3.19]

Those men who are like dogs, hogs, camels and asses praise those men who have no attachment to the pastimes of Krishna, you see. So, Prabhupāda explained in a very wonderful lecture in L.A. That lecture is so enlivening, you should hear it sometime on the recordings. Amazing lecture. He says, “who will they, when the dogs, hogs, camels and asses go to vote, who will they vote for? Another paśu, another animal”. So that's where they're heading. When you vote, the small dogs, hogs, camels and asses, elects their leaders, big dogs, hogs, camels and asses. So, where's society going to go? It's run by dogs, hogs, camels and asses. That's what's happening. You wonder why there's so much chaos in the world. I mean, it's horrible what's going on.

There's one neighborhood in the U.S. where there's regular shootings. So many kids are being murdered. It's just horrible what's going on. There's regular shootings in the neighborhood. One shooting every... there are regular, many kids have been shot dead in this neighborhood. And they don't know any solution for this, you see. There's many, some, you know, kids take guns, they go to school and shoot and kill. And little, I mean small children, teenagers, or students, not even legal adults, they take a gun and go to, they get a gun and they're from their parents' house and they go to the school and they shoot people. Can you imagine children doing this now, how it's going downhill? Downhill, more and more and more and more and more, you see. Because why? They got the Dvipada-paśu. They have two-legged animals running these countries. Two-legged animals running the universities, the businesses, all of these things are being run by two-legged animals, less than animals actually.

We were discussing the other day, an animal acts in perfect accordance with the laws of nature, perfect accordance. The dog does exactly what it's supposed to do. The snake does exactly what it's supposed to do. The monkey, as we see in Vrindavan, every single animal is doing it. Every plant, every animal, every worm, every germ, they're acting perfectly in accordance with the laws of nature. They don't deviate even slightly from the laws of nature. Just like who's polluting the earth right now? The dogs polluting it? The snakes? The monkeys? The gorillas? Which of all these creatures here, which creature is polluting the water and the air right now? The human beings. The human beings are not living in harmony with the laws of nature, the laws of God.

Even the laws of nature is not living in harmony. That's why the humans are polluting the earth and polluting the air and the water. Even every day you look on the air index, they say a very poor quality air in Vrindavan even right now. People have heart disease, it's dangerous to breathe here, it explains. That's how bad it is. Even in Vrindavan the air is being polluted now. So, all this is going on because we're being led by those persons who are in the category of dogs, hogs, camels and asses. So, it's time we understand who are the actual leaders on this planet. Those persons who are Krishna conscious, they are the actual leaders. And the so-called leaders of this planet now, they should take training from those persons who are Krishna conscious. Just like in the Vedic culture, who actually led the society? Was it the kings? No. The actual leaders were the, not the kshatriyas, the kings, the princely class, the actual leaders of the society were the brahmanas, you see. Because they would train the administrators how to administrate in a way that would be beneficial for the citizens.

So, it's time now that we emerge, that we the Krishna conscious devotees can emerge developing all saintly qualities. What does Rupa Goswami say?

vāco vegaṁ manasaḥ krodha-vegaṁ

jihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam

etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ

sarvām apīmāṁ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt.(NOI 1)

Those who can conquer mind, words, anger, tongue, belly and genitals can make the whole world their disciples. So, we need to become, those of us who are struggling here, to awaken our Krishna consciousness. We’ve to get out of the maya. All these mature desires still flooding our brains, you see. It's time for us to get out of this semi-Krishna conscious position and come to actual Krishna consciousness, pure Krishna bhakti. Because when our devotees, when we devotees can come to that position, we'll be qualified to lead all these, guide and instruct all these leaders how to solve the problems of this planet. We'll actually be able to inspire the voters to vote for Krishna conscious leaders. Even Prabhupāda at one time established, as I explained before, the “In God We Trust Party”. It's kind of an interesting, very interesting title, political party.

Because that's what's on the all-American currency, “In God We Trust”. You look on the dollar bill, it says “In God We Trust”. It's still loved than in earlier days when they were more God-conscious. We hope the atheists don't take it off anytime soon. They may try, the court, going to the Supreme Court or something, taking God We Trust off the dollar. But it's still on the dollar now. So, Prabhupāda started “In God We Trust” political party. And we had candidates running for office. But we had this topic, it’s illegal. A religious organization cannot engage in politics. But our individual devotees can do that. I encouraged one highly placed devotee and highly placed in the government in Mauritius to go ahead and run for office. He is already in a big political post in the country. Why not run for Prime Minister? I encourage him. I don't know if he's taken my advice or not. Why not run for Prime Minister?

So anyway, the more we can actually have Krishna conscious leaders who take the authority of scripture, both as a Brahmin or an instructor or as an administrator, the more we can have Krishna conscious leadership on this planet, the more the whole thing is going to turn around. In other words, the more we can turn around our own hearts, the more we'll have the potency to turn around the world around us. So, let's take this process of awakening Krishna consciousness for our own benefit, and the benefit of all living entities, very seriously. Prabhupāda gave us the order - Become guru and deliver the whole world. So, we have some heavy-duty marching orders from our Founder Acharya. Very heavy-duty marching orders.

Somebody put out there on the internet - “Won't the world be better off if we have more women leaders?” Someone was asking. If we have more women in leadership positions, won't that solve the problems of the world? But the problem is, as long as we think men and women, that's the problem. As long as we identify with these bodies, that's the problem. They say, “Well women don't”, “Women may be better off”. No, as long as you think man and woman, that's the problem. The problem is we're still thinking man and woman on the bodily platform. When one actually come beyond the bodily platform, one realize that a man or a woman, either one, can become a very powerful leader if they're not on the bodily platform. That's the key. Get off the bodily platform - “Man and woman, man and woman. Get off this bodily platform. “I'm not a man, I'm not a woman. I'm an eternal spiritual being, qualitatively one with the Supreme Lord”. And then such a person can be a very powerful leader, can be uplifting in consciousness, can uplift the consciousness very greatly by their own preaching activities and their own example, you see. So, we need such qualified leaders now to bring the world out of chaos. And Prabhupāda is giving us everything we need to actually become such Kṛṣṇa conscious persons who can understand the real nature of existence, Athāto brahma-jijñāsā - Now you've got this human form, you're meant to utilize it for self-realization, not for sense gratification. You're meant to find happiness within, not to look for it without. It's interesting, I like the word “without” to describe the happiness, external happiness, because it's a very good term for external happiness, “without”. “Within and without”. Without means you're without happiness. And without, there is no happiness. It's a very nice, very poetic way of understanding. Happiness within, happiness without. Happiness without, you're without happiness. So, within is where you're going to find the real happiness. You understand this point?

So, let us not be deluded anymore about all this false propaganda going on in the material world. “Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy”. Like that old Ultra-Bright toothpaste. “Ultra-Bright toothpaste gives your mouth sex appeal”. They're trying to encourage everybody about Ultra-Bright toothpaste so you can enjoy sex life, with Ultra-Bright toothpaste. It's going on, all this ridiculous propaganda, you see. Ridiculous, ridiculous propaganda. So, it's time for us to not be deluded and misled by all this. We take advice.

mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186)

We have to take the guidance from these great acharyas who chalked out this pathway back to home, back to Godhead. That's whose advice we should take, not the rascals and fools or something like exploit us in so many ways. You want to be exploited? There's so many exploiters waiting. You want to be exploited, the exploiters are waiting for you, come on. Come on, come on, I want to exploit you. Come on, come on, come on. So, if you want to be exploited, you'll have no trouble finding exploiters. They're ready to exploit you right now. If you want to be exploited, you'll have no trouble finding exploiters. They're ready to exploit you right now. If you want to be exploited, no problem at all. The exploiters are ready for you. But if you don't want to be exploited, you have to find those persons who have no exploitive consciousness, no exploitive motives, no exploitive mentality. That's the bonafide Vaishnavas, the bona fide spiritual masters. These are persons who are free from the exploitative mentality, who simply have the desire to serve. This divine consciousness of reconnecting with the Supreme, this is where it's at. This is where you'll find the real satisfaction of life, reconnecting with that Supreme Person, you see, the source of everything.

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo

mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ

budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ(B.G. 10.8)

That Supreme Person, Krishna, says, I am the source of all material and spiritual worlds. Everything emanates from me. The wise know this perfectly, engage in my devotional service, and they do what? They worship me with all their hearts, not a little tiny pinch of their heart, like 1%, 2%, 5%.

Gurumataji(at background): Question, question.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Questions, questions, questions, and answers, and answers, and answers. Gurumataji is reminding me I'm getting too wound up with talking, talking, talking. Now it's time to hear what the listeners have in their minds so I can try to help them. I have some questions coming in here. I'll take some of the internet, but the local people get the preference over the internet people. Yes.

Lila Manjari Devi Dasi: When I am thirsty I will look for the actual water and I will not be satisfied with the reflection. So, when the soul is thirsty for actual happiness, how come it is not becoming eager for the actual happiness?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: The exploiters are there to bewilder your mind. Being cheated by the exploiters, they say, “Oh, the real happiness is here. You don't need to go that spiritual path. The real happiness is here”. Just like we come into, what did we see arriving at the airport in India? Instead of Radha Krishna, we see Johnny Walker whiskey and Russian vodka. That's what I saw right here in Delhi airport. The cheaters are there, ready to exploit you because our minds are bewildered by all these cheaters. That's the problem. The hell with this false propaganda, Johnny Walker and Russian vodka to bewilder the minds. And I saw these Hindu people lined up in a big queue. That would have made it even worse. It was a huge queue of all these Hindu people. This is the land of Krishna and all these Hindus are lining up to buy their Johnny Walker. I mean, I just, I felt, almost felt like crying to see arriving here in India. A big queue lining up to buy their Johnny Walker. Unbelievable. So, people are being misled by this propaganda, that's the problem. False propaganda is the problem. We've been polluted by false propaganda. That's why we have to make bonafide propaganda. That's why our preaching is so important. The Harinam, book distribution, Prasadam distribution, preaching programs, Namahat programs, that's why it's so important. We have to make so much propaganda that no one even listens to those rascals anymore. We have to take every opportunity to push forward this propaganda, Krishna Consciousness propaganda. So, they're no longer cheated by Johnny Walker and Russian vodka and illicit sex and all this nonsense going on out there, that's garbage going on out there. Does that make sense?

Now we have Hare Krishna Das. I'll go back and forth, local and internet.

Hare Krishna Das: If a God-conscious person reaches the topmost post (thoughts by Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Jai, We’ll you pray for that. When will that day come when my offenses will be ceasing, and the taste for name increasing? When, O when will that day be mine? Bhaktivinode prays for us. “kabe ha'be bolo se-dina āmār”. If he reaches the topmost post, how can he conduct his activities in a democratic setup whose decision has to be supported by a majority to get implemented?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: He should make propaganda to convince people to vote for devotees. That's what he should do. Everyone's free to make propaganda. Vote for... Everyone's out there - “Vote for this person, vote for that person”. We should tell them, “You're wasting your time with all these rascal voters, all these rascal candidates. Let's find some real candidates”. You can make propaganda to get some real candidates out there. We should educate people whether you vote for this party or that party, either way you're being cheated and exploited. Just like in America, we have the Democrats and the Republicans. Both candidates are rascals. They're both meat eaters, liquor drinkers, both parties. Either way, you're either a Democratic or a Republican, either way you're being cheated by rascal leaders. People should know we need to have saintly persons running for office, not these rascals.

OK, next.

Devotee: Hare Krishna Srila Gurudev. So, this line that “one who is surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who leaves all business to Him, is freed from such anxieties”. So,

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Speak a little more distinctly and clearly for me.

Devotee: In the purport there is a line that one who surrenders unto Supreme Personality of Godhead and who leaves all business to Him is free from all anxiety.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: That's right.

Devotee: I didn't understand what we have to leave to Krishna and what we have to not leave to Krishna.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: You have one desire only, and that's to please Krishna. Leave aside all other desires. Throw them away. Put them in a trash can. You should have one desire and one desire only, that “I will give unlimited pleasure to Krishna with my every thought, word and deed in all times, places and circumstances”. If anything else comes, spit it out. If you have anything coming to your mind, spit it out. Vehemently spit it out. Get out of here, you damn thought. “My only—now I want one desire only, and that's to please Guru and Krishna, with my every thought, word, every time, every circumstance”. Anything else that gets in the way, spit it out. Spit it out. Get rid of it. Flush it. When you pass stool, do you try to enjoy it? You flush it. So, flush all that garbage, all that stool in your heart, and have one desire only, that's to please Krishna and Guru, nothing else. Understand?

Locals? India locals? OK, internet.

Tarun Krishna Das: Is IT industry also among the exploiters and exploited? It can be used in a good way.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Prabhupāda said media can be used in a good way. He was asked by that in a morning walk in Los Angeles. “Prabhupāda, can we use the media in Kṛṣṇa's service? Prabhupāda - “I'm using this microphone. You had a microphone recording” and Prabhupāda- “Just like we're using this microphone”, Prabhupāda - “Yes”. So, we can use this, just like I'm using the internet now to get people signing up for this e-course. We can definitely use this modern day technology in Krishna's service, engage everything in Krishna's service. Prabhupāda said -”Whatever talent you have, use it in Krishna's service”. So, yes, it all can be used for Krishna's service, but not for sense gratification. Locals? Yes.

Pradhānagopika Devi Dasi: Hare Krishna Srila Gurudev. Your grace mentioned that everything is energy of Krishna. So, those people who have given us false propaganda, those who does bad to us, we tend to hate them.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: No, why should we hate them? Hating is not the quality of a Vaishnava. He has compassion for everyone, even the enemies.

Pradhānagopika Devi Dasi: But the conditioning is so tight now that...

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Take out your conditioning.

Pradhānagopika Devi Dasi: Conditioning like, this is your goal of life, to attain, to gain money, to gain this and that, not Krishna ultimately. For those people who have given us false propaganda, how to have compassion for them and not have a hatred mentality for them?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: One thing is Lord Caitanya's order, Prabhupāda 's order. So how can I not hate those people who cheated me and exploited me?... Yeah, I know I've been cheated and exploited also, in so many ways. I feel really, I know I don't feel really good. I can think about my own life, how even one of my childhood playmates very much misguided me and hurt my life very badly. A childhood playmate of mine, a little kid, he was my playmate. And I met him one time and he gave me some advice that really, actually hurt my life in so many ways. So how can I have compassion on such a person who hurt me in so many ways? Well, I have to think, actually he's a pure spiritual being, but he himself was exploited by the material nature, and he passed on that exploitation to me. So, you know, he's a victim. Actually, we're all victims. Even the person who cheated and exploited us, we're all victims of the material nature. So, in that way we should see that he's also been cheated. Those who cheated me were also cheated. So, let's put a stop to this cheating business by connecting with Krishna and helping everybody to connect with Krishna. Does that make sense? They were exploited also. We're all, originally, we've all been, we're all actually pure devotees. We had a desire to try to enjoy separate from Krishna. And because of that, we entered into this realm where we're all being exploited by the material nature. You have to see it philosophically. Go beyond just your ordinary one-on-one dealings. You have to see the whole thing philosophically, based on the Vedic wisdom. That's what you have to do. You have to see it philosophically, not just, you know, emotionally. Go beyond your emotions, see it philosophically, that'll help you, okay?

And let's see, here we have Krishna Seva.

Gurumataji: Does that also happen because of our own dealings?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Our own what?

Gurumataji: Because of... We always misuse our own intelligence, that's why it happens?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Because we don't use our own intelligence ,yeah?

Gurumataji:Yeah.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: But our own foolishness.

Gurumataji:Why we should hate somebody when I did it myself?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: We were foolish to be misguided by them. It was our foolishness to be misguided by them. That's what you're saying? Yeah. It's our foolishness.

Gurumataji:You can say such and such person trained me this way. But why did we go following him?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Because of our own foolish desire for sense gratification, that’s why. We’ve accepted it. We’re also running after sense. It’s our foolishness. We allowed us to be exploited because of our own desire for sense enjoyment. You see. So, it's our fault. It's our fault you were exploited. You accepted the exploitation was your own foolishness, your own stupidity. So, it's your fault that you took their guidance. You foolishly let them exploit you. That was your foolishness. So, you got to blame yourself ultimately. Good point.

Gurumataji:You have to give yourself time for the questions and answers, not at 9 o'clock, okay?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Okay. Alright.

Krsna Seva Das: Why does the illusory happiness appear quite pleasant even after tasting the actual happiness in the spiritual world?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Why is the shadow still appearing? Why is the illusion still...? Because we're not fully convinced, that's the problem. We're still not fully convinced yet. We're still wavering in between the material and spiritual natures. That's why the material thoughts and material sense gratification still seems attractive to us. We know it's not beneficial, but yet we're attracted to it. That's an interesting thing. A neophyte devotee knows these things are bad for him, yet he's still attracted to them, You see. So we have to... The solution is you have to intelligently protect yourself. No illicit sex. They may appear attractive to him. Illicit sex, intoxication, meat eating, gambling, they still may appear attractive to the neophyte devotee. He feels an attraction for them, but he knows they're bad, so he shuns them, he rejects them. He spits out the thought of trying to enjoy these things. So, by that way, it's like somebody who's addicted to cigarettes, he knows it's bad, he wants to be a devotee, but his body is craving nicotine. And so what does he do? He gradually gives it up. It's like one can gradually give up the desire for sex by becoming a Gṛhastha, having some Krishna conscious kids, you see. But actually sex has to be given up. So, in this way we know things are bad for us and we have to give them up all of a sudden or give them up gradually, like the Gṛhasthas give it up gradually, for example.

Okay, let's see.

Devotee:What to do if some days when the quality of chanting is poorer than usual?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Well, you got to try harder. Try harder. Remember the process. Call like a child crying for the mother. “My dear Krishna, my mind is really off the track, so please bless me”. Beg Krishna to help you. Simple thing.

Bhaktin Sheela: Balancing spirituality, health, family and career during the day becomes challenging. Please enlighten us on how to act in Krishna consciousness, practicing bhakti and sustainability, and not get burned up.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Very simple Bhaktin Sheela, you have to prioritize Krishna, put Krishna in the center. Always keep Krishna in the center. Everything is Krishna-centered. Your health, your family, your career, everything is based on praising Krishna, and then you'll be okay. Okay,

Krishna Prema Das: If someone is showing envy, anger, and jealousy, should I show compassion to such a person?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: It may or may not be a good time to show it to them. You should feel compassion for them and show it whenever you can actually have some impact on them. And with such a person, it's better to avoid right now. Feel compassion but avoid them. When you're able to actually have some impact on them, you can show compassion to them externally.

Visnurata Das: What is the solution for tendency of those who heedlessly try to enjoy sense magnification?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Well, first of all, get yourself free from it. Physician, heal thyself. We can see that others have this tendency. Well, we still have this tendency too. So, work on yourself, and then you'll have the potency to help others. That's the key. Work on yourself, and then you'll have the potency to help others. That's the key. Work on yourself, and then you'll have the power to help other people. Physician, heal thyself.

Anything else? Gurumataji, is there more points to add?

Gurumataji:No.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Anything else from our local devotees anything else

Gurumataji:Give some time earlier then i can add something. Not now. Question and answers should start early.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari: Okay there's nothing else, we call it quits. And thank you so much.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

(This session is no longer being recorded.)