I offer my very sincere gratitude to the management of an NSCI for facilitating this very wonderful place for this evening’s satsang. My very sincere thanks to all of you who have so kindly come, taken your precious time for pursuing the most valuable cause of life.

Krishna is the cause of all causes; Sarva Karana Karanam. Thus, there is no greater cause than trying to understand him, love him, and serve him. In the 6th canto of Srimad Bhagavatham, Maharaj Parikshit asks a very important question to Sukadev Goswami. Just previously in the 5th canto, Sukadeva Goswami explained the various ways that the spirit soul within the clutches of material existence can both enjoy and suffer. Just as there are different environmental conditions within this world, on a much greater scale, this is taken place within the universe. In the north and south poles, very very cold. In Bombay, in April-May, very very hot. In a similar way, the acaryas explain there are heavenly planets where those who amass the credits of great piety can enjoy far superior that even what pious people can enjoy in this world and there are also places there is big suffer, hellish conditions. We see throughout history and very recently even in this country, what hellish, unbearable sufferings can be inflicted upon human beings. Maharaj Paraksit being a vaishnava, a devotee of the lord, was feeling very compassionate to every living being who is suffering. This is the nature of an enlightened soul.

Prahlad Maharaj who was <____>3:54 the 5-year-old child was put through the most impossible difficulties, but he graciously passed through all of them simply by surrendering his heart to the Supreme Lord. He was fearless, even when thrown into pits of snakes, blazing fire, put into the ocean <____>4:20 deadly poison, attack aggressively with deadly weapons, he was fearless because Abhayacaranaravindare, Bhajahure mana Sri Nandanandana, Abhayacaranaravindare, because his mind was always focused in great faith on a mercy of the lord. One great military leader told his people that the only thing to fear is fear itself. Really, what is fear? What is the world? The world is interpreted subjectively by every living entity according to our perception. When Prahlad Maharaj was thrown into a pit of snakes, he was not seeing this as something horrible, he was seeing this as a wonderful opportunity and completely helpless and completely hopeless. In this state of mind, what a wonderful opportunity to just take the name of god and just put all my trust in him. Therefore, he was happy and he was only a child.

So, it is a fact all the things we see within this world is actually just a mirror of our own consciousness. A person who has a positive attitude will see positive opportunities in every situation that comes before him or her and a person who has a negative attitude will only see negativity. A devotee of the lord sees that whatever situation I may be in life or in death, in comfort or hardship, in success or failure, in pleasure or pain, in a health or disease, this is a perfect arrangement to learn, to grow, and to come closer to god. If you have that attitude, you will find joy in every situation in life.

I have often given example of my god sister Kunti Devi. She was on her deathbed. She was only in her mid 40s, dying of horrible cancer. Her bones were just disintegrated. She was paralyzed from the ways down. All she could do is just lay in a bed. She did not even had the strength to hold up a book. Someone gave her a little computer where she could just touch buttons and read our Guru Maharaja’s words and people were coming in to her and she was giving them happiness. She just had such a positive outlook. She said, I would not change my situation for anyone else in the whole world. So, she was telling us. She told me that” I will not change my situation for any person on the planet, I am so fortunate”. She was going to die any day. She said” in this state, when I read the words of Gurudev and Krishna, I am hearing that they are speaking to me personally. I have been reading the scripture for the last 25 years, but I have never heard Krishna speaking so personally to me as now. What greater treasure is there than that.

Sukadeva Goswami has told us better 1 moment of full consciousness than a long long long long life of wasted consciousness. After all there are trees that live 100s and even 1000s of years and there are tortoises that lives for 100s of years. Human life is very special because human life is the opportunity to develop a highest state of consciousness, the consciousness of eternity.

Na jayate mriyate va kadacin nayam

The soul is eternal. It has no beginning and no end and it is the soul that is our true identity. Bhagavad-Gita explains that this body is a Yantra, it is a machine, like an automobile that the soul is temporarily residing within. Death for the body is inevitable. Old age, disease is inevitable.

Na hanyate hanyamane sarire,

The soul is transcendental. It is eternal full of knowledge and full of natural bliss, transcendental ecstasy; that is who we are what we are. So, Sukadeva Goswami told like this that 1 moment of consciousness of our relationship with god as eternal servants is more valuable than living millions hundreds and hundreds of years in forgetfulness. So, Kunti lying on her death bed was saying like this: “ I am so fortunate, I am hearing Krishna so nice, I am chanting his name with such feeling like never before. If I was not in this predicament, I feel like Maharaj Parikshit on the bank of Ganges hearing from Sukadeva Goswami, How fortunate! I just want to tell people about my good fortune and share it with them and she was happy. Actually, even a Television station and they were not religious, they were not spiritual, they were just looking for sponsors for commercials, for money and trying to do the best they can. Even a Television station that was totally secular in materialistic, they heard about this woman and did a special segment of a new show on her. They did actually a special show on her and the lady who was the MC of that show , she was deeply moved. You have something so great, you are about to die, but you have something, you have more happiness, you are more hope than anyone I ever met in my whole life. Kunti was smiling and she said, yes, and I want to give this to you also. Try to understands what is the real purpose of life and how to achieve it. Every situation is a positive opportunity to the degree we expect things to go our way. We are definitely going to be in great anxiety because they are not going to go our way. Sometimes they might, but usually they do not because every living entity within this whole cosmic manifestation has a different Ahankar or false ego. Yes. So, you cannot expect everyone to always treat you the way you want them to treat you. So many problems. Adi Atmika, Adi Daivika, Adi Bhautika.

Adi Bhautika: Adi Bhautika means miseries caused by other living beings. Sometimes our friends betray us, sometimes people are competitive against us, sometimes people will insult us, blaspheme us, try to destroy us, or just neglect us. Very difficult.

Adi Atmaka: Miseries caused by one’s own body and mind. At any moment, something could happen to this body. Headache, fever, injury, and the mind; I do not think I have to say so much about the mind. We all know what it is. Even if everything we ever want its we have, the mind will still be in distress about how to keep it or what else to get. The mind is never satisfied for long.

Adi Daivika: Then, there is a miseries caused by natural disturbances, too much heat, too much cold, high winds, earthquakes, Tsunamis, tidal waves, wild fires, so suffering is inevitable.

Just like my dear god brother, His Holiness Sridhar Maharaj. He was also dying of cancer. He often used to tell, he said that pain is inevitable, pain is unavoidable, but suffering is optional. It is true. Pain will come; pain to the mind, pain to the heart, pain to the body, pain to the ego, but suffering is optional. It is really a matter of our perception. So, yes the simple lady. She was just a housewife, had 2 children. Worked in the service of god in humanity for many years. Try to take care of her family nicely, but she had such deep sublime realizations, perception of reality. Actually, that is what happiness or distress is about. Happiness and distress is not about the environment around us. It is about how we perceive it. Therefore, little Prahlad, he was saying Krishna, the supreme objective of love. In every situation of life, he was turning to him and therefore he was experiencing bliss and Hiranyakashipu who was his father, who was trying to murder him. It was absolutely intolerable for him. He has achieved the universe, and his little tiny son, and he is doing everything within his power to torture and kill his son, and his son is smiling in bliss. His son just told him, My dear father, I feel such petty for you. Why are you wasting your life in this way? Just turn, go to Vrindavan and turn to Krishna. You are in a deep dark well of ignorance. So, Maharaja Parishit after hearing about various ways that people have to suffer in hellish conditions, he was feeling deep compassion. He wanted to help them. So he asked Sukadeva Goswami, please tell me and please tell the whole world what is the solution for this problem of suffering hellish conditions and Sukadeva Goswami quoted from various Shastras that according to one’s particular sinful activity, there are particular formulas of atonement that will counteract the effects. It is called prayaschita. In many religions this is very popular. In the middle ages, especially in the Europe when someone would commit sinful activity, they would pay a certain fine to the priest and he would do a certain prayer and ritual to <____>18:58. So, they became very wealthy. Here in India also, you can pay Brahmans to do pujas and mudras, yantras and tantras, and yagyas to somehow or other counteract this sin and that sin and this problem and that problem and this black magic <____>19.20. I hear about it all the time in Bombay, but Maharaj Parikshit was not satisfied with that answer. He said if an elephant takes the nice clean bath, the elephant will come out of that river and roll in the dirt, and become dirty again. Unless the heart is clean, even if you atone for particular immoral activities, you will be forced by your uncontrolled mind to do it again and again and again. Arjuna asked this question to Krishna. Even people who want to do good, why is it that they are impelled to criminate themselves again and again and again in immoral activities?

kama esa krodha esa

rajo-guna-samudbhavah (BG 3.37)

Krishna told Arjuna that it is this kama, this passion to enjoy which is transformed into <____>20.37 when it is unfulfilled, anger that is the all <____>20.44 for enemy at this world. So, Parikshit Maharaj said “I cannot accept this! what is the real solution to cure a person’s heart of the disease who want to engage in these materialistic types of activities”. Parikshit Maharaj was so compassionate. He was already a liberated soul. He was asking on behalf of you and me. You can understand a person’s spiritual enlightenment by observing the quality of Para Dukha Dukhi. Anyone can speak slokas, anyone can propound high philosophical concepts if they have that academic capacity and these things are good if they are used for the right purpose. The actual quality, to back a little Ravana and Hiranyakashipu, they knew 100s and 1000s of slokas and philosophies. They were really learned scholars, but what is the quality of a person who is actually close to god? Para Dukha Dukhi that other people’s sufferings become their own suffering that they even become more concerned with the welfare of others than their own. When the Supreme Lord offered a benediction to Prahlad after he withstood so much remaining faithful to the Lord, Lord Narahari offered him anything, anything within the 14 worlds, he offered him the mystic cities to perform miracles, he offered him liberation, he offered him elevation to the spiritual world eternally, but Prahlad said how can I go back to the spiritual world when so many fools in this world who are my brothers and sisters are suffering. Let me remain with them to help them. That is Para Dukha Dukhi. In a very developed state, Vasudeva Datta, he prayed to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the avatar of this age of Kali that My dear Lord, I have 1 desire, only 1 desire that is burning in my heart, please fulfill it. When I see people suffering due to forgetfulness of the relationship with you my Lord, my heart breaks. It is intolerable. Please grant me this benediction. Let me take the Karma and the sins of every living entity in the universe on my head and suffer and suffer perpetual hellish conditions and give them all liberation and he meant it. The Supreme Lord, Sri Caitanya upon hearing his words was weeping tears. To make god cry, you have to really be serious. He was weeping tears, his limbs were trembling, his <____> 24.46 voice was faltering and he said Vasudeva Datta, it is no surprise, it is not astonishing that you are asking for a benediction like this because you are nondifferent than Prahlad Maharaj. That is the nature of a pure heart. It is not just an artificial imposition. So this is actually a real quality of a saintly person that they feel great compassion for those who are suffering. Maharaj Parikshit had that compassion not just for the body and the mind, but he wanted a real solution for this eternal soul. It was then that Sukadeva Goswami narrated the story of Ajamila.

I believe you all know the story. Ajamila was brought up in a very very good family. He was taught all virtues, morals, spirituality, and he worshipped the Lord. He was a very good Brahman and he had a very chaste and faithful wife, but somehow or other this Maya Sukhaya, this desire to enjoy the illusory energy was still in his heart and due to materialistic association, he became bewildered. It could happen to almost anyone unless they are very very careful. He just happened to see a prostitute with a very sinful man enjoying together and this awakened in his heart. This deep desire to enjoy. How the mind and senses,

yatato hy api kaunteya

purusasya vipascitah

indriyani pramathini

haranti prasabham manah (BG 2.60)

Krishna tells in Gita that the senses are so strong and impetuous that they can forcibly carry away the mind and intelligence even of a man of discrimination 27.39, but then he gives the solution in the next verse

Tani sarvani samyamya

yukta asita mat-parah

vase hi yasyendriyani

tasya prajna pratisthita (BG 2.61)

One must restrain the mind in senses and simultaneously fix the consciousness on me, Krishna says. The idol mind is devil’s workshop. Only for so long can we just keep saying no to the mind and senses, immoral materialistic selfish demons?

Visaya vinivartante

niraharasya dehinah

rasa-varjam raso 'py asya

param drstva nivartate (BG 2.59)

One can actually forever conquer over the mind and senses only if we experience a higher taste.

By engaging the same mind and the same senses in positive spiritual activities, the mind and senses are busy and in the meanwhile, purifying the heart. Our beloved Guru Maharaja Srila Prabhupada explains that the soul is originally pure. It is eternally pure. Just like when a drop of water falls from a cloud, it is pure, it is crystal clear. But, when it comes in contact with the ground, it acquires dirt, mud, and other such pollutants and therefore its transparency is lost. In fact, with mortal eyes, it is very difficult to see something transparent, but when something is polluted, you can see it very grossly. So, that is the condition of our consciousness. When it comes in contact with the 3 modes of material nature, Rajo guna, Sattva guna, Tamo guna; when it comes in contact with this material energy, so many egoistic conceptions awaken. We forget our eternal nature. I am this body and then we start thinking I am of this caste, I am this sex, I am of this social status, I am of this age, and whatever is close to this body is mine to enjoy. Then, we may try to enjoy in that spirit, we become incriminated in so many karmic situations and we become more and more and more polluted. In this age of Kaliyuga, it is so unfortunate, it is very <____>31.07 unbelievably, invading India especially Mumbai. This conception that the enjoyment in life is to accumulate more and more filths, dirt, pollution in our hearts that is happiness. That is being cool and prestigious. Yes? How much we can drink, how many sexual affairs we could have? How much we can cheat people, how much we could gamble, how much we can watch all kinds of immoral scenes in the cinemas? When I was small boy, I remember Gangsters were idolized. They were like heroes. I don’t know if you know American history, But <____>32.04 John Dillinger, he was a murderer and a bank robber, but he was a legend and a hero in America. When the plea shot him dead, people were <____>32.19. The government did not put their flags and <____>32.22 but people were <____>32.23. They were condemning the <____>. This is considered exciting. We see the boarding in Bombay, people with knives and people with blood all over, women dressed in various provocative ways, people are thinking oh this is what I want to be. These things are considered great being very proud, egoistic, very attractive, smoking cigarettes. Our Guru Maharaj, there was a cigarette sign saying smoke, be find refreshing coolness by smoking cool cigarettes that was the name cool and Prabhupada said this is maya. They are putting fire on their mouth, they are putting burning fire in their lungs and they are told that it is cool and they believe it. So, this is a very unfortunate situation. Actual civilization is where people are respected, they are honored when they genuinely striving and making sacrifices for purity, morality, and realization of god. Today, even in colleges and universities they are considered very unfashionable and unpopular if you talk about god and morality and ethics and purifying your heart. Let us enjoy. The people don’t know what real enjoyment is. Spiritual life is supremely most enjoyable. So, compassion to the body, mind, and especially to the soul.

I heard a true story that in south part of India, a man was holding his daughter and a wave came and when the wave left, all that was left in his arms was her clothes. The girl was dragged away. It is very sad. There is a lesson; this body is a temporary set of clothes for the soul. We should do everything we can to help the body, but we <____>35:20 simply to make your dress nice, but neglect the person, the conscious force is incomplete. It is not true compassion. Parikshit Maharaj had compassion for the souls of all living beings. So, poor Ajamila he became distracted. In that distracted condition due to unfavorable association, there is a famous saying, show me who you associate with and I will tell you who you are. We become our association. If you put an iron rod in fire, it becomes red and hot like fire. If you put an iron rod in ice, it becomes cold as ice. We take on the qualities of who we associate. That is why this wonderful satsang program tonight is so important to associate with light-minded people who are striving to hear about high enlightening topics is all important. It will determine the state of our consciousness.

Nasta-prāyesv abhadresu

nityam bhāgavata-sevayā

bhagavaty uttama-śloke

bhaktir bhavati naisthikī (SB 1.2.18)

Therefore, real human civilization is to seek regular association with saintly persons.

Mahat-sevām? dvāram āhur vimuktes

stamo-dvāram? yositām? sańgi-sańgam (SB 5.5.2)

The Bhagavat purana describes how by associating with great personalities and serving them by hearing from them, the doors to the perfection of liberation are opened in our lives, but by associating with materialistic people who are squandering their lives due to being impelled by the false ego, we are opening the doors to the darkest regions. Association is all important. Ajamil in the association of his mother and father and his wonderful wife was a very pious and good man, but because he chose to associate with the wrong company, he became completely degraded. He broke the heart of his family, he rejected his mother, father, rejected his wife, and living with the very sinful person, he became so sinful. He became a hardened criminal. So selfish, so egoistic. He did not care for anyone except himself and his own family. If he had to cause pain, he had to lie, he had to cheat, he had to <____>38.57 physical harm and violence to others, he did not care because after all life is about is serving #1 need. Even some great psychiatrist and psychologist in the west they say that today’s civilization is the me civilization. Everyone is so thinking about me. So, Ajamil was dying in old age, but do you know because he performed some nice activities in his childhood, the grace of god was still with him. Krishna tells in Gita

Nehābhikrama-nāśo 'sti

pratyavāyo na vidyate

sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya

trāyate mahato bhayāt (BG 2.40)

That whatever we do in the service of the lord, it is never lost. It is eternal.

Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto

mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca (BG 15.15)

Krishna is seated in everyone’s heart. Krishna is the source of remembrance, knowledge, and forgetfulness. The living entity that is Jeeva Shakti, Jeeva Shakti means

maMaivamso jiva-loke

jiva-bhutah sanatanah (BG 15.7)

The spirit soul by constitutional nature is part and parcel of Krishna. We are simultaneously god and not god. Like a sun ray is the sun, but it is only an infinite decimal point of the sun. It is not the sun, but it is a part of the sun. In the same way, we are part and parcel of the Lord, we are sat cit ananda, eternal, full of knowledge, full of bliss.

Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam

eko bahunam yo vidadhati Kaman (Katha 2.2.13)

There is one supreme eternal who is the absolute truth, Bhagavan and there are unlimited infinite decimal 41.21 eternal beings who are always subordinate to the one supreme. We have free will and according to the decisions and choices we make in our free will, the Lord within our heart will facilitate that. If we want to forget god, so that we can do anything we want, we can make our own laws, we can make our own principles of morality, or we can break them, the lord will facilitate. He is the source of forgetfulness. You want to forget, he will create such an incredible network of forgetfulness. Whole scientific, technological, philosophical, psychological evidence that there is no god. So much logic and common sense we will have that after this body dies, everything is finished. So, it does not matter what I do as long as I enjoy. Such deep avidya or ignorance, how can it come about? It is the Lord simply facilitating our desire, but if we want to remember, if we want real knowledge, the lord from within our heart will facilitate that. Lord Caitanya told Rupa Goswami that spirit soul is wandering through endless species of life. There are 8 million 400 thousands species according to Padma Purana. Wandering through various universes, trying to enjoy and simultaneously suffering, but one when finally comes to the position of being very fortunate, the Lord within the heart when he sees, there is some faith, there is some desire to know him and come closer to him, the Lord will give all directions. <____> 43:58 creation to leave the spiritual masters and the holy people to actually give us the enlightened knowledge we require. Ajamila named his youngest son Narayan, why? Because the Lord new that Narayan was going to be at his bedside at the time of death. The lord inspired him to give his son that name. Because although, he did heaps and heaps and heaps of criminal activities, he did some good and the lord never forgot that. He performed Bhakti, devotional service which is never lost. So at the time of death, he saw the Yamadutas, the messengers of hell to drag his soul and his subtle body to very cruel punishments and he cried for his son Narayan and the servants of the Lord sent the Yamadutas away and he became purified and then he realized what have I done in my life. He was utterly repentive for all the bad things that he did, all the pain he caused to others, and he went to Haridwar and there he spent the rest of his life fixed in meditation on the mercy of the lord and he spent the rest of his life purifying his heart by chanting the holy name

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

So, this is the solution according to Sukadeva Goswami, according to Krishna,

Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto

mad-yaji mam namaskuru (BG 9.34)

Always remember me Krishna says. When that drop of water becomes polluted by all sorts of mud, when the spirit soul which is originally pure becomes covered with so many egoistic selfish passionate desires, we must filter that water to bring it back to its natural original state. What is the way of filtering our consciousness? Not creating an artificial imposition on the mind, but actually bringing our consciousness back to its original, natural, pristine state, <____>47.21 that in the pure state, we not only realize our own eternal identity, but we realize our relationship with Krishna, the Supreme Absolute Truth who is Bhaktavatsal, who is always so dear. The object of the love with his devotees. What is love? Love in its original state is the soul’s deep eternal affection toward the all attractive, all merciful, all opulent Lord. That is love. When we forget our love for god, we try to find some replacement, but we are never satisfied because god’s love for us is unlimited and our love for god is incessant and it is perfect. What is it that actually attracts us in anything in this world? It is the presence of god. Why do we love our mother or father or children or wife or husband. Sometimes, that happens. Why do we love these people? Why we don’t love their body when they are dead? We love them because there is a tiny little infinite decimal part of god within their hearts. That is what we love. Because we love god, it is our nature. Krishna is all attractive. He is Bhagavan. He has all strength, all knowledge, all fame, all power, all renunciation, and especially all beauty. So, when we simply <____>49:32 our affection, our natural inclination to love in god, we achieve ultimate happiness and that happiness is universal. Because when you love god, then you naturally spontaneously love every living entity. Because you see everyone as the children of god. How is that love awakened? In this age of Kali, there is a special medicine that goes right to the core of the problem and makes permanent solution.

Harer nama harer nama

harer namaiva kevalam

kalau nasty eva nasty eva

nasty eva gatir anyatha (Brhan-naradiya Purana 38.126)

Most powerful, most effective energy, and our medicine in this age of Kali. The chanting of the holy names of Lord Hari. Why?

Nama cintamani Krishnas

Caitanya rasa vigraha (Padma Purana)

The name of god is nondifferent than god. Therefore, it is like touchstone. It can fulfill all of our innermost desires. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu prayed

Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis (Sri Siksastaka #2)

All the powers, opulence of the Supreme Lord are within the names, can be accessed through the chanting of the holy names. Ajamila attained the ultimate perfection of life simply by chanting god’s names. That same opportunity is available for all of us. By associating with saintly persons, by living in harmony with god’s laws of proper morality, by hearing the glories of the lord, and chanting the names of the god, it is certain that we will realize and experience the unlimited wealth, the treasure of happiness within ourselves and like Prahlad in that state, he just want to share with everyone. Like that simple housewife Kunti Devi even in a most difficult situation on her deathbed, she was experiencing love of god and she felt so wealthy and so happy and so fortunate she just wanted to share it with everyone. In all situations, that is real success. <____>52:40. Human life is so rare and every moment in life is so precious because time passes inconceivably. Seconds are passing, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, life after lifer after life imperceptibly time is stealing our life away. What are we going to do with our time? Ayur harati vai pumas (SB 2.3.17). The Bhagavatam declares with every rising and setting of the sun, we are 1 day closer to death. Except for those who are hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, who are immersed in service to the Lord. For such personalities with every rising and setting of the sun, we are 1 day closer to realizing our own eternal existence. Closer to the eternal lila of the Lord. Therefore, Krishna tells

Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto

mad-yaji mam namaskuru (BG 9.34)

Always remember me, become my devotee, worship me, offer your homage unto me. In this way, you will come to me without fail. It is certain. To have faith in this principle is the most glorious wealth that we can possibly achieve. It is not blind faith. Faith that I will be happy through acquiring money, faith that I will be happy by developing by handsome, beautiful, or strong body, faith that I will be happy by getting promotions and having more prestige, that is blind faith. Because how long will it last? Then, even people who have it all, they are taking sleeping process to go to sleep. There is so much anxiety. That is blind faith. As the Bengali saying says, <____>55:21 having faith that I will be happy by obtaining the egg of a horse. The world is striving to gain the happiness of possessing a horses egg or a flower growing in the sky, but the fact is horses do not lay eggs. It is not real. It is illusion. So, all of our material attempts for happiness, for security, for stability, are illusory. Therefore, the greatest of all wealth is to have faith in the truth, it is not blind faith. It is faith that has been established by god’s incarnations all over the world. Whether one is a Hindu or a Muslim or a Jew or a Christian or a Zoroastrian, whatever religion, the principle is universally the same that we must have faith that if we surrender to the Lord, we will find the ultimate perfection of life. The greatest most compassionate, learned saints throughout history, throughout the world have been not only educating us in this way, but they have been pleading for us to understand. Sometimes, even willing to sacrifice their lives to help enlighten us with this faith. Are such great personalities willing to live and die to give us this? Are they wrong? Are they in illusion? Compare the saints of the world, the real saints, the character and quality of their lives to the people who are promoting atheism and materialism. Who do we want to have faith? That is our choice. When we associate with saintly people and hear from them, our faith grows. Our faith is nourished. It is already within our heart. It is nourished like watering a seed. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah, sadhu sangah nourishes the seed of faith that is within our heart. Faith that if I live in harmony, the will of god, if live as a servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord,

Trinad api sunicena

taror api sahishnuna

amanina manadena

kirtaniyah sada harihi.

To be humble like a blade of grass, tolerant like a tree, ready to offer all respect to others, and expect none in return. If we can just try to live by this principle, we could chant the names of the Lord constantly.

Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-mahadavagni-nivapanam

The chanting of the holy names cleanse the heart, filters all the unwanted egoistic selfishness, the lust, envy, anger, greed, pride, and illusion. Filter it all away and brings the pristine pure transcendental nature of the soul back to its original state. In that state, ecstatic unlimited love, prem for the Lord Krishna and for every living being. If you water root of the tree, every part of the tree is satisfied. This is real solution. People think that it is impractical, that is impractical. Because nothing else will work. Everything else is superficial. In this world, we do have responsibility to perform superficial symptomatic remedies to the problems of the world. We have to do it. It is our duty, but we should never neglect the real problem, purifying our own heart and being instruments of god’s love in our life by chanting his holy names.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

<____>1.00.48 it is so easy and is so joyful. It is just designed for the age of Kali. How many can go to Himalayas and sit in meditation in complete concentration and celibacy their whole lives, but according to the scriptures, you can get all that results and more even living at home. Prahlad Maharaj, Dhruva Maharaj, they were Grihastas, they were not Sanyasis like me. They had wives, they had children, they have immense responsibilities. They were kings, but they performed all their duties, never neglecting to hear and chant the glories of the lord and doing will of the Lord. That is the beauty of real life.

Thank you very much.

It was this wonderful benediction that His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad shared with the whole world. The incredible depth and wealth of the Vedic scriptures, Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Upanishads. He travelled around the world 14 times. He started from Bombay also. This is where he collected his ticket for a Cargo ship the Jaladuta 1.02.32. He took that <____> ship across the Arabian Sea, he went through Africa and Europe crossed the Atlantic ocean arrived at New York city, he had 40 rupees and did not know anyone. But, he had a box of Srimad Bhagavatam. He had faith, faith in the mercy of his guru and the Lord and total faith in the power of the holy names and he transformed 10s and thousands of people’s lives. It is by his sacrifice of love that we are all here together tonight.