I sincerely offer my gratitude to all of you for giving this precious time to attending this evening program. There are so many alternatives of how to spend our time in life, and this is very much which determines the destiny of each soul, how we choose to utilize every precious moment we have.

According to the Bhagavad-Gita and Vedic scriptures destiny is unavoidable or we created our self’s, because it is the law of nature for every action there is equal corresponding reaction, or as we say what goes up must come down and similarly this law apply to physics, is on the platform of subtle material nature, the power of our thoughts the power of our feelings, affects the world, what to speak the power of our speech and actions. Human life is distinguished from the lower species because the human being has the power to determine the direction of life he or she which is to travel. The lower species have no such power they simply act according to the dictations of the nature of the particular body they live, but a human can do anything, we can be morale, immoral, honest, dishonest, humble egoistic, we have that power and with the power comes responsibility, thorough out history we see that people who have great power, could either bring about great good or terrible destructions, with power comes responsibility. The difference between a grown parent and a small child is, power, physical power, intellectual power, discriminatory power, therefore if u have a child, you have a great responsibility to protect, to care for and to guide. So with the responsibility of our free will in this human life which is a great power is much responsibility, and whatever we choose there will be a reaction and the accumulation of the actions in words and we decide to perform is what determines our destiny.

What is coming upon us today is very much the affects of the choices we have made in the past, and how we respond, how we react to what is coming upon us, will determine our future, not only in this life, but in future life's as well. And it is all, sad emotion at every moment according to the choices we make. Life is so short, sometimes it's said that youth is wasted on the young, because when you started getting older you realize how valuable every moment is and as you get even older you start realizing how precious every moment is and as you get older you realize how time is flying faster and we can't hold on to it. As a child seconds take a long time to past, do you remember in school just waiting for the bell to ring, not the bell to bring you into the class, but the bell to let you out of the class, seem to last for ages. But if you speak to an 80 year old man or woman it seems like life has past in moments, infactully in the light of eternity it is, every moment is so precious. We are forming our destiny we either covering or uncovering the beauty of our own souls. Therefore the vandasutra begins with the aphorism. “Atthato Brama Jigyasa ....”. That now you have attain this precious human life, it is time to inquire into our true and eternal welfare, who am I, where am I going, where am I coming from, why is there suffering, what is real happiness, who is god, and what is my relationship with that god, and what is my true relationship with all living beings, when we really sincerely making efforts to understand these questions and act according to what was answers those questions, then the beauty of human life begins to blossom. It is said that you cannot judge a book by looking it's cover. One who has faith, faith in the supreme beauty of god's love can see beyond the external appearances of what comes upon us in life. One who sees the invisible is a person who has a great future of success at his wisdom.

This afternoon I was with about 50 devotees from London having a meeting, but first I tell you why I was late for that meeting. I spent the afternoon with “Ambrish das”, who is secular name is “Alford brush Ford”, he is the grand son of Hennery Ford, who really promoted the pullifiration of automobiles creating through an assembly line, wherever ho goes my friend, he can go to any television station, any news paper, magazine and to say I'm Heneryford's great grandson, in any country in the world and that be surrounding him with microphones and cameras, Just a few years ago I was in Moscow, and it was giving notice to the press that the great grand son of Hennery ford is coming , every major TV, radio station, every news paper, and every magazine was waiting at immigration to greet him. And they are interviewing him, and inviting him into the shows, and he tell me what did I do, all I did is I was born; he doesn't even work for the ford motor company, but because of that connection to a famous personality. So today we spend few hours together and then these devotees from the united kingdom came and I was suppose to speak to them, they were waiting what I wanted to just show proper hospitality to my dear friend, so I went to the street to see him to his car, but because of intense bounded traffic his car could not get to the temple, because it parks somewhere else, and his secretary and driver were talking on the cell phone, where are you I'm stuck in traffic, where did you park around the block, it took him almost 15 minutes for him just round the corner get to the temple, so we were waiting , and do you hear the story?” Haribol”. And Meanwhile the London devotees waiting in the garden and I'm trying to see him off then finally there was small gap in the traffic and his car was about to rush out and after Alfordford roll down his window and said "it's all Hennery Ford's Fault", very humble person actually.

So I came in the garden, and I was thinking about these wonderful devotees in London. In the yearly 1970's to our very dear god brother god sister, actually they came to London in late 60's Yamunadevi Prabhu and Shyamsunder Prabhu, what they did was simply amazing, they started temple in Sanfrancisco in 1967, and our Gurudev Srilaprabhupad, he sent 3 household couples, six and half devotees, one baby who is a month old, and six adults three married couple, he sent them to London, they didn't have money, they didn't have contacts, and they were suppose to start the temple there and they did. Shyamsundar prabhu he had this idea, that if we reach influentional people then common people will be influenced and being a hippy from his past his conception our really influential person was pedimise by the Beetles. So we will give Krishna to the beetles and somehow other it's a long story but he did with in a month or two they were all living in Jhon lenen's house. Even before that the beetles produce the record for them, a single record were Yamuna was singing Hare Krishna Mantra, produced by George Harrison, it was put on the Top 40 and it was no one song in Europe, hundred and thousand peoples buying Hare krishna just to hear our sweet loving Yamuna singing. And then Shyamsunder moved in the house of George Harrison, and after sometime they started a small temple just to couple blocks from the British museum on very place, in down town London, very nice building, but it was soon over crowded so many people and Prabupada our Gurudev saw what inconvenience such crowded facilities, he was feeling always “saarvas kaitu bhavantu…”, that every one be happy. So he asked try to find out bigger place, but how to find bigger place when he couldn't even pay for the small place, they were living in, so shyamsunder prabhu discussed with the George Harrison and he decided to buy a beautiful Victorian mansion in the countryside and it was named Bhaktivaidanta Manner and prabhupada made that a state the Headquarter of the Hare Krishna movement for all of Europe and spends so much time but soon that was overcrowded, so they had to get another place, but anyways these devotees are were meeting from the Bhaktivaidanta Manner many of them are Indian origin, there are thousands of thousands of people, who come to the temple and actively participating for Janmastami there was almost a couple months before the event there's up to 800 woman tears working after work every night of the week sometimes till midnight just to prepare for the festival. Out of devotion now there was some complaints and the government years ago decided to close Bhaktivaidanta manner form any public worship ,because it was creating traffic conjunction in the villages, because of thousand of thousands of people coming up for festival and when the law was coming from the central government that worship is banned. So many people there hearts very much broken, and they appeal the decision and they lost, they appeal, they appeal they lost, starting doing demonstration, someone getting arrested, they united with other minority religious group, had demonstrations with thousands of thousands of people front of the parliament building and the police arrested others, and this went on for about 10 years. And there wasn’t even a ray of hope of success that success they were just loosing every battle, but they have faith, that they were not doing anything wrong, they were doing the right thing, and alternately it's a long story, but in the end they not only won the war, but they and they were given complete freedom for worship but the also got property all the way road connected to the highway, which maid the property of Bhaktivaidanta manor about 10 time bigger than it was, when they start at the fight. A driveway right to the road connected to the highway which gives places of thousands of thousands of car, and there congregation has increased immensely and none of this would have happened if they didn't closes town. so when obstacles come in life, we should know that those obstacles are not bad, whatever they may be, they are bad if you perceive them bad and act accordingly, but if we see the impediments that come in our life as opportunities to grow, opportunities to go deeper into our surrender to god ,opportunities to more helpless, we cry out for the Lord’s help and chant his holy names" hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna krsna hare hare, hare ram hare ram ram ram hare hare”....then it is assured because success in life is not about some external accomplishment, success in life is about expressing the integrity of our will before god, who is the witness within. “Athakumbaya vijastreshtha....” Whatever our occupation, whatever of field life may be, our success is if we please Krishna, the Lord who is all attractive, all loving and all merciful.

Just recently within our temple we had a wonderful devotee who had passed away from this world, many of you knew him, Satok-krsna prabhu, and his passing was beautiful. Now this is a very esoteric concept, how could death be beautiful, for many death means end of life, how could that ever be beautiful. If worthy end of life it's horrible, but life we learned from all the great realized souls and all the great holy books, life is eternal, Bhagvata-Gita tells “na jaaiya, na mriyatai.....” for the soul the source of life the animating power within us the consciousness, there is no birth, there is no death, “na hanyatai na hanyamanai sareerai.....” it is not slame in the body as slame, “dehoyasmin yatha dehai....” as the soul is traveling thorough the various stages of life from childhood to young and old age, in the same way the soul transmigrates at the time of death and what is overall consciousness, what is that we accumulate the greatest attachment for in our life that determines the journey of the soul after it's depart from this body. So a person who understand this that death is simply a transmigration state, it's not the end, one who dies, one who gives-up the body in a very elevated state of consciousness, it is beautiful. We have our choice how we will live and how we will die. Satoka krsna has cancer, but he was always smiling, he was always grateful, he was happy, I spoke to him on the phone many times, and he was always just thanking god, for all the wonder full opportunities that the lord gave him to serve in his life. He was not focusing on how little time he have to live, and coursing in frustration rather, he was grateful from the core of his heart for every moment the lord gave him the opportunity to serve, to be with devotee, to hear the glories of the lord, and to chant Krishna’s names. It wasn't mental disposition, it was realization, it was experience, and even in that stage he was giving so much to others. Devotees simply love to come to see him because what they have receiving from him. And even though his body was becoming utterly breaking to pieces, his organs dis-immigrating, he maintain same consciousness, I can tell you, in my observation he was happier in that state than practically the entire population of Mumbai sitting in car in the traffic jam, listing to music, or arguing with each other, I don't know, going to the nightlife, trying to somehow or other to find some one to enjoy with something to enjoy, somehow or other enjoy. But he was enjoying greater than them. He was paralyzed, but he was happy, he was grateful, and he was immersed in devotion to Krishna, to the lord and he left the world in that state, it was beautiful.

What is the lesson, we have a choice, and how are we going to perceive the reality that is come upon us. Sometimes we are in a situation which is beyond our control, were frustrated when we want to control and things go out of control, yes? But when we accept the situation and look for the opportunity to come close to the god in that situation and to grow then there is fulfillment there is happiness and not only that, there is the experience of the presence of Krishna within us and that is beautiful, so yes this is an extreme example for whatever comes upon us we can make our choice. Sometimes we honored and sometimes we criticized personally or even publicly and for one who is honored, dishonored is worst than death but for one who sees a divined reason behind it, dishonor is more blissful than honor, because life is not being about honored and dishonored, Life is about how we respond to each of those situations and the observation of the Lord within the heart. There may be pleasure or pain, there may be success or failure there may be victory or defeat, it is usually beyond our control, we try our best and still, god helps them who help themselves, we must try our best Krishna tell in Gita that we give up egoism and laziness. There is no place for laziness on a spiritual path there must be determination, there must be enthusiasm, based on faith in whatever we do that brings about progress, some people think that people take the spiritual path to run away from the problems of this world, to live a lazy life, and unfortunately it is often true, but that is not a spiritual path. Those who actually face the really problems of life birth, old age, disease, death forgetfulness of our relationship with god and our enthusiastic determine to perform our duties in this world for that purpose to come closer to essence in our source, that is spiritual , that is what gita teaches.

So every moment we have an opportunity and any moment there is lost can not be bought back for all wealth in the creation any moment spend wisely in the service of the lord is an eternal investment and those who know modern business management you are aware that how you manage your time is very critical and in even more critical in our spiritual lifes, how we manage our time, the decisions we make, yes a situation comes upon us it may be just we want or it may be exactly we despise the most, it might be just we have feared within upon us, we may be praised, we may be blamed, but will it be responded with humility or false ego? when we respond with anger and revenge our compassion of forgives, when we respond by giving up or by learning a good lesson and carrying on stronger than ever with greater determination, when we respond by cursing god or thanking god that is our choice.

So I thank you very much here in Mumbai there are so many alternatives, if somebody is speaking from Bhagvat-gita in a village everyone will come because they have nothing else to do except, sleep but Mumbai how many things to do. Every hording or billboard inviting us, so many things to do. I beard Jony walker that is a type of alcoholic beverage, I believe and earth been fire. My dear friend Richard he use to traveled with them. Every hording every shop practically every person you meet is advertising there consciousness. Infact, Srila Prabhupada he said that amongst where these types of ropes, because people dressed in such a way to advertise there consciousness. If a man or woman is dresses in a very seductive way they are expressing there desire to attract your sensual feelings, if some people dress in a way to show people how welfare they are or how beautiful they are, so traditionally in religions are allover the world amongst cut there hairs and wear the slappy little cloths. whatever we do in life is advertising in some way by the way we talk, by the way we dress, by the care we drive everything is some sort of expression that effects other peoples consciousness. When George Harrison asked prabhupada should I shave my head and put up these ropes, he said “no” you can best server god by being a beetle and dress like a beetle , and with your influence people will come closer to the god and he tried to do that and he influenced thousands people's life in a very powerful way. we have our freedom at every moment, how we going to respond to our situation, how we are going to grow, how we are going come closer to god and how we are going to influence others in a positive way " sarva sukaitu bhavantu" prabhupada said “to live in such a way to make everyone happy”, happiness of the body, happiness of the mind, but specially the happiness of our eternal self soul. In this age of Kali it is proclaimed that this love for god this blissful state is dormant within the heart of every living being, it's not an artificial in position of the mind, it is not just adjusting the mind in such a way to see a certain way, the need to love the joy of love is our essence. Love of God, knowledge of God who is the all beautiful , all loving, all compassion person, is within us all, it is simply uncovered by the treasure under the ground such great wealth must simply be uncovered within, this chanting of god's name has the most amazingly effective power to awaken that love of god within us.

When we were speaking at youth festival just a week ago one student asked the question that, “I am a scientist” and I can only accept something if it is scientifically proof can your religion be scientifically proofed otherwise, I must rejected, so I asked the scientist what is your definition of science? he said first of it's high poficies, then there is experimentation, and then there is evidence that is science, if anything confirms on those principles it is science, but if it is just based on faith, it' not science it's religion, Hare krishna. But our Guru Maharaj often said that we are not professing religion, we are professing science and another times prabhupada said the essence of all religion is "to love god", so how can krishna consciousness or any great religious system be understood scientifically there is a high poficies .The high poficies is far most extensive than biological, physiological or chemical science, even mathematics how many books, there are Bhagavad-Gita, 18 purnas, 108 upnishad, 1800 verses of Mahabharata, Ramayana Valmiki-muni, so many supplementary literatures of the great religions of the world and they are giving her poficies, you are not this body you are the eternal soul and if there is a god, some describe as god as father who punish for your sins if you are naughty sometimes your father appears like that. Krishna says, I'm the eternal seed giving father of all living beings. But if you well behaved when your father comes home he will be so kind, he will play with you , he will do so many wonderful what he would likes the best he will share with you, so the Vedic literatures telling that side emphasizing that side, if you live in a spirit of devotion then here is the beautiful past time of the lord and the spiritual world, the most loving playful lord, who will include you in most intimate loving reciprocations forever , this is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, this is described in Chaitnya Caritamrita, and that love for god is dorment within our heart and by chanting lord’s names that love is awaken, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare.

To other forms of yoga we may get supernatural powers but they are material they will not satisfy the heart, we may get good health which is very nice and can be used for very good purposes, but how long will it last? we can gain piece freedom from anxiety or even liberation but only by purifying our heart, through loving service to the lord in a personal way in everything we do and to developing that consciousness through god's name can be essence of our real desire or love of god awaken, therefore Krishna tells in gita after describing the various yoga systems " yoginaam api sarveshaam ..........." of all yogis one who abides in me with great faith and devotion is most successful and is most perfectly intimately united in yoga with me . "Bahunaam Janmanaam Prapdayatai ....." After many births and deaths of practicing various spiritual principals one who really comes to conclusion “surrenders the heart with love” or as the bible said the first and great commandment is to love god with all your heart, mind and soul. So we are chanting these holy names not simply for piece, not simply for pious entertainment but, with deep aspiration to cleanse our hearts and awaken the spirit of eternal loving service from within. Lord Chaitanays said " Param Vijaiyatai Sri krsna Sankirtanam" the Sankirtan god’s name descending on earth is the prime benediction greatest benediction to all humanity. I thank you very very much.