Vol 18, No.

4 April 2017

CONTENTS
When God Reveals Himself 4
Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out 9
The Prayers of Lord Brahma 11
Receiving Krishna's Teachings As They Are 16
God's Playground Vrindavan 22

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Prabhupada, Founder- Acharya of the International Cover pages-4 Text pages-32
Society for Krishna Consciousness, came to America
in 1965, at age 69, to fulfill his spiritual masters Published and owned by Sankirtana Seva Trust. Editor:
request that he teach the science of Krishna Chamari Devi Dasi. Layout, design and graphics by
consciousness throughout the English-speaking world. ISKCON Design Group, Bangalore.
In a dozen years he published some seventy volumes
of translation and commentary on Indias Vedic For all information contact: Editor, Krishna Voice,
literature, and these are now standard in universities SST, Hare Krishna Hill, Chord Road, Bangalore - 560
worldwide. Meanwhile, travelling almost nonstop, Srila 010 INDIA Phone: 91-80-2347 1956, 91-80-2357 8346
Prabhupada moulded his international society into a Fax: 91-80-2357 8625.
world wide confederation of ashramas, schools, temples 2017 Sankirtana Seva Trust, Bangalore. All
and farm communities. He passed away in 1977, in Krishna art and the works of Srila Prabhupada are
Vrindavana, the place most sacred to Lord Krishna. His Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.
disciples and followers are carrying forward the All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction
movement he started.
in any manner is strictly prohibited.
To know more about Srila Prabhupada visit
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Krishna Voice, April 2017 3

 The Perfection of Yoga

When God Reveals Himself A lecture by

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
jnana-vijnana-trptatma
kuta-stho vijitendriyah
yukta ity ucyate yogi
sama-lostrasma-kancanah
"A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a yogi [or mystic] when he is fully satisfied by
virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled.
He sees everythingwhether it be pebbles, stones, or goldas the same." [Bhagavad-gita 6.8]
Book knowledge without realization of the Supreme Truth is useless. In the Padma Purana this is stated as follows:
atah sri-krishna-namadi
na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau
svayam eva sphuraty adah
"No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, qualities, and pastimes of Sri Krishna through
materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the
Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality, and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him."
This point is very important. Now, we accept Krishna as the Supreme Lord. And why do we accept Krishna as the
Supreme Lord? Because it is stated in the Vedic literature. The Brahma-samhita, for example, says, isvarah
paramah krishnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah: "The Supreme Controller is Krishna, who has an eternal, blissful,
spiritual body." Those who are in passion and ignorance, the lower modes of material nature, simply imagine the
form of God. And when they are confused they say, "Oh, there is no personal God. The Absolute is impersonal
or void." This idea is a product of frustration. Actually, God has a form. Why not? The Vedanta-sutra says, janmady
asya yatah. "The Supreme Absolute Truth is that from whom [or from which] everything emanates." Now, we have
forms. And not only we but all the different kinds of living entities have forms. Wherefrom have they come?
Wherefrom have these forms originated? If God is not a person, then how have His sons become persons? If my
father is not a person, how have I become a person? If my father has no form, wherefrom did I get my form? These
are commonsense questions. Nonetheless, when people are frustrated, when they see that their bodily forms are
troublesome, they develop an opposite conception of form and imagine that God must be formless. But the Brahma-
samhita says no. God has a form, but His form is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss (isvarah paramah krishnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah). Sat means "eternal," cit means "knowledge," and ananda means "pleasure." So God
has a form, but His form is full of pleasure, full of knowledge, and eternal.
If we compare our body to God's, we see that our body is neither eternal nor full of pleasure nor full of knowledge.
So our form is clearly different from God's. Unfortunately, as soon as we think of form, we usually think the form
must be like ours. Therefore, we think that since God must be the opposite of us, He must have no form. This is
speculation, however, not knowledge. Again, the Padma Purana says, atah sri-krishna-namadi na bhaved grahyam
indriyaih: "One cannot understand the form, name, quality, or paraphernalia of God with one's material senses."
Our senses are imperfect, so how can we speculate on the Supreme Perfect? It is not possible.
Then how is it possible to see Him? Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. If we train our senses, if we purify our senses, those
purified senses will help us see God. It is just as if we had cataracts on our eyes. When our eyes are suffering
from cataracts, we cannot see. But this does not mean that there is nothing to be seenonly that we cannot see.
Similarly, now we cannot conceive of the form of God, but if our "cataracts," our ignorance, are removed we can
see Him. The Brahma-samhita says, premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena/ santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti:
"The devotees whose eyes are anointed with the love-of-God ointment see God, Krishna, within their hearts twenty-
four hours a day." So we need to purify our senses. Then we'll be able to understand what the form of God is, what
Krishna Voice, April 2017 5
the name of God is, what the qualities of God are, and what the paraphernalia of God is. Then we'll be able to
see God in everything. The Vedic literature is full of references to God's form. For example, it is said that God has
no hands or legs but that He can accept anything you offer (apani-pado javano grahita). Also, it is said that God
has no eyes or ears but that He can see everything and hear everything. These are apparent contradictions,
because whenever we think of someone seeing, we think he must have eyes like ours. This is our material
conception. Factually, however, God does have eyes, but His eyes are different from ours. He can see even in
the darkness, but we cannot. God can hear, also. God is in His kingdom, which is millions and millions of miles
away, but if we are whispering something in a conspiracy, He can hear it, because He is sitting within us.
So we cannot avoid God's seeing or God's hearing or God's touching. In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krishna says,
patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah
"If somebody offers Me flowers, fruits, vegetables, or milk with devotional love, I accept and eat it." How is He
eating? We cannot see Him eat, but He is eating. We experience this daily: when we offer Krishna food according
to the Vedic ritualistic process, we see that the taste of the food changes immediately. This is practical.
Thus God eats, but because He is full in Himself, He does not eat like us. If someone offers me a plate of food
and I eat it, the food is gone. But God is not hungry, so when He eats He leaves the things as they are. Purnasya
purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate: God is so full that He can eat all the food that we offer but still it remains
as it is. He can eat even with His eyes. This is stated in the Brahma-samhita. Angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti:
"Every limb of the body of God has all the potencies of the other limbs." Although we can see with our eyes, we
cannot eat with our eyes. But if God simply sees the food we have offered, that is His eating.
Of course, we cannot understand this at the present moment. Therefore the Padma Purana says that only when
one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form,
qualities, and pastimes of the Lord revealed. We cannot understand God by our own endeavour, but God can
reveal Himself to us. Trying to see God by our own efforts is just like trying to see the sun when it is dark outside.
If we say, "I have a very strong flashlight, and I shall search out the sun," we will not be able to see it. But in the
morning, when the sun rises by its own will, we can easily see it. Similarly, we cannot see God by our own
endeavour, because our senses are all imperfect. We have to purify our senses and wait for the time when God
will be pleased to reveal Himself before us. This is the process of Krishna consciousness. We cannot challenge,
"My dear Lord, my dear Krishna, You must come before me so I can see You." No, God is not our order supplier,
our servant. When He is pleased with us, we'll see Him. Therefore in our yoga process (bhakti-yoga), we try to
please God so that He will be revealed to us. That is the real yoga process. Without this process, people are
accepting so many nonsensical "Gods." Because people cannot see God, anybody who says "I am God" is
accepted. No one knows who God is. Somebody may say, "I am searching after the truth," but he must know what
the truth is. Otherwise, how will he search it out? Suppose I want to purchase gold. I must know what gold is, or
at least have some experience of it. Otherwise people will cheat me. So people are being cheatedaccepting so
many rascals as Godbecause they do not know what God is. Anyone can come and say, "I am God," and some
rascal will accept him as God. The man who says, "I am God" is a rascal, and the man who accepts him as God
is also a rascal. God cannot be known like this. One has to qualify himself to see God and to understand God.
That is Krishna consciousness. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. If we engage ourselves in
the service of the Lord, then we'll become qualified to see God. Otherwise it is not possible.
Bhagavad-gita is a transcendental sciencethe science of Krishna consciousness. So no one can become Krishna
conscious simply by mundane scholarship. Simply because one has some titlesM.A., B.A., Ph.D.that does
not mean he'll understand Bhagavad-gita. This is a transcendental science, and one requires transcendental
senses to understand it. Therefore one has to purify his senses by rendering service to the Lord. Otherwise, even
if one is a great scholar he will make mistakes in trying to find out what Krishna is. He will not understandit is
not possible: This is why Krishna appears in the material world. Although He is unborn (ajo 'pi sann avyayatma),
He comes to let us know who God is. But since He is not personally present now, to know Him one must be
fortunate enough to associate with a devotee who is in pure Krishna consciousness. By the grace of Krishna a
devotee gets realized knowledge. So we have to acquire the grace of Krishna. Then we can understand Krishna,
then we can see Krishna, then we can talk with Krishnathen we can do everything.
Krishna is a person. He is the supreme person. That is the Vedic injunction. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam:
"We are all eternal persons, and God is the supreme eternal person." Now, being encaged within this body, we
6 Krishna Voice, April 2017
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Krishna Voice, April 2017 7

are meeting birth and death. But actually we have no birth and death, because we are eternal spirit souls. According
to our work, according to our desire, we are transmigrating from one kind of body to another, another, and another.
But in reality we have no birth and death. As explained in Bhagavad-gita [2.20], na jayate mriyate va: "The living
entity never takes birth and never dies." Similarly, God is also eternal. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam: "God
is the supreme living entity among all living entities, and He is the supreme eternal person among all eternal
persons:" By practicing Krishna consciousness, by purifying our senses, we can reestablish our eternal relationship
with the supreme, complete, eternal person. Then we will see God.
By realized, transcendental knowledge one becomes perfect and can remain steady in his convictions, but by
mere academic knowledge one can be easily deluded and confused by apparent contradictions. It is the realized
soul who is actually self-controlled, because he is surrendered to Krishna. And it is the realized soul who is
transcendental, because he has nothing to do with mundane scholarship. For him, mundane scholarship and
mental speculation, which may be as good as gold to others, are of no greater value than pebbles or stones.
Even if one is illiterate, even if he does not know the ABCs, he can realize Godprovided he engages himself in
submissive, transcendental loving service to God. On the other hand, a very learned scholar may not be able to
realize God. God is not subject to any material condition, because He is the Supreme Spirit. Similarly, the process
of realizing God is also not subject to any material condition. It is not true that because one is a poor man he
cannot realize God or because one is a very rich man he shall realize God. No. God is unconditional (apratihata).
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam [1.2.6] it is said, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje: "That religion
is first-class which helps one advance his devotional service and love of God." The Bhagavatam does not mention
that the Hindu religion is first class or that the Christian religion is first class or that the Mohammedan religion is
first class or that some other religion is first class. The Bhagavatam says, "That religion is first class which helps
one advance his devotional service and love of God." That's all. This is the definition of a first-class religion. We
do not arbitrarily designate one religion as first class and another religion as last class. Of course, there are three
qualities in the material world (goodness, passion, and ignorance), and religious conceptions are created according
to these qualities. But the purpose of religion is to understand God, and to learn how to love God. Any religious
system, if it teaches one how to love God, is first class. Otherwise it is useless. One may prosecute his religious
principles very rigidly and very nicely, but if his love of God is nil, if his love of matter is simply enhanced, then
his religion is no religion.
In the same verse the Bhagavatam says that real religion must be ahaituki and apratihata: without selfish motivation
and without any impediment. If we can practice such a system of religious principles, then we'll find that we are
happy in all respects. Otherwise there is no possibility of happiness. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir
adhokshaje. One of God's names is Adhokshaja. Adhokshaja means "one who conquers all materialistic attempts
to be seen." Akshaja means "direct perception by experimental knowledge," and adhah means "unreachable."
So, we cannot understand God by experimental knowledge. No. We have to learn of Him in a different wayby
submissive aural reception of transcendental sound, and by the rendering of transcendental loving service. Then
we can understand God.
Therefore, a religious principle is perfect if it teaches us how to develop our love for God. But our love must be
without selfish motive. If I say, "I love God because He supplies me very nice things for my sense gratification,"
that is not love. Real love is without any selfish motive (ahaituki). We must simply think, "God is great; God is my
father. It is my duty to love Him," That's all. No exchange"God gives me my daily bread; therefore I love Him."
No. God gives daily bread even to the animalsthe cats and dogs. God is the father of everyone, and He supplies
food to everyone. So appreciating God because He gives me breadthat is not love. Love is without motive. I
must think, "Even if God does not supply me my daily bread, I'll love Him." This is real love. As Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu says, aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va: "O Lord, You may
embrace me, or You may trample me down-with Your feet, or You may never come before me, so that I become
brokenhearted because of not seeing You. Still, I love you." This is pure love of God. When we come to this stage
of loving God, then well find ourselves full of pleasure. Just as God is full of pleasure, we'll also be full of pleasure.
This is perfection.

Srila Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of ISKCON, has delivered more than

1500 lectures on Vedic scriptures like Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam and
Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita. The audio recording of his lectures are available in
ISKCON centers. You can also hear some of these lectures in
www.iskconbangalore.org/srila-prabhupada-lectures

8 Krishna Voice, April 2017

 SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS OUT
Scientific Progress: Bombastic Words
This exchange between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his disciple Bhaktisvarupa
Damodara Swami, Ph.D., took place in Atlanta during March of 1975.
Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami: Modern scientists entities, and yet the materialistic scientists are holding
are working very hard to create life in the laboratory. big conferences on how to create something. Just see
this childish proposal. They are wasting time, misleading
Srila Prabhupada: Try to understand this. Just as God
people, and wasting everyone's hard-earned money.
is already existing, so the living entities, being part and
Therefore I say they are rascals. They are trying to
parcel of God, are also already existingeternally. So
"create." What will they create? Everything is already
you haven't got to "create." That is foolishness, because
there. But they do not know this, even with all their
the living entities are eternalthey are never created.
advanced education. Therefore, the Bhagavad-gita
They simply become manifest in the material world in
describes them as mudhas, rascals.
four different ways. Some of them are manifested through
seeds, some of them through fermentation, some through Now, you tell these mudhas, "My dear sir, you cannot
eggs, and some through embryos. But the living entities create, nor can anything be created. Just find out where
are already existing, so there is no question of "creation." the living entities are coming from, what is their source,
This is the science of the living entity. who is the brain behind all of nature. Find that out.
That is real knowledge. If you struggle for this knowledge
There are already so many millions and trillions of living

Krishna Voice, April 2017 9

and try to find the original source of everything, then Srila Prabhupada: Yes. For example, a good cook
some day you may come to the platform of vasudevah knows how to mix the spices and condiments and make
sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah: you'll understand very tasteful things. So you can call a chemist a good
that God is the source of everything, and your knowledge cook. Chemistry is nothing but the art of mixing different
will be perfect." chemicals, that's all. There is oil, there is alkaline, you
mix it very professionally, and soap comes outvery
Look at this nice flowerdo you think it has come out
useful.
automatically, without the direction of any brain? This
is nonsensical philosophy. These so-called scientists Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami: But the scientists
use so many bombastic words, but how much are they are convinced that somehow they'll be able to create
actually explaining? Nobody else can understand; it is life and even make a human being.
understood by them only. They put forth some
Srila Prabhupada: This is not a problem, that without
complicated language in such a way that unless they
your creation of life the world will go to hell. Life is
explain it, nobody will understand. They say that
already there. For instance, there are so many
everything is automatically done "by nature." That's not
motorcarsif I manufacture another motorcar, is there
the fact.
any great credit for me'? So many motorcars are already
Nature is an instrument. Just like a wonderful computer. there! When there were no motorcars, the first man who
But still there is an operator. These rascals have no manufactured one had some credit. "Yes, you have
common sense. Where is the machine that is working done something nicea horseless carriage. People will
without any operator? Is there such a machine within benefit from ita conveniencethat's all right." But
their experience? How can they suggest that nature is when there are millions and millions of motorcars simply
working automatically? Nature is a wonderful machine, creating accidents, and I manufacture another motorcar,
but the operator is God, Krishna. That is real knowledge. what is my credit? What is my credit'?
Just because the machine is working very wonderfully,
Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami: Zero.
does that mean there is no operator? For example, the
harmonium is also a machine, and if an expert musician Srila Prabhupada: Zero. And to achieve this "zero,"
is playing it, then it produces very melodious, pleasing they are going to hold some big conference, and so
sounds. "Oh, how nice." But will the harmonium play many people will come and spend money.
automatically and give out melodious sounds? So they Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami: They want to make
don't even have any common sense, and still they are a better human being. They want to make life better.
calling themselves scientists. That is our regretthat
these people don't even have any common sense, and Srila Prabhupada: Yes, that is our proposal. We say
still they are passing as scientists. to the scientists. "Don't waste time trying to make life.
Try to make your life better. Try to understand what your
Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami: They are thinking actual spiritual identity is, so that you may become
that because through chemistry they are able to happy in this lifetime. This research should be done."
synthesize some primitive amino acids...
The first thing they have to learn is that there is a driver,
Srila Prabhupada: That is craftsmanship; that is not or soul, within the "motorcar" of the body. This is the
knowledge. For instance, let us say that you paint a first point of knowledge. Unless one understands this
picture of a rose. You are a painternot a man of simple thing, he's an ass. The driverthe soulis
knowledge. "Man of knowledge" means someone who moving the motorcar of this body. And if the driver is
knows how things are being done. A painter simply educated, then he can move his body for self-realization,
imitates what he sees, that's all. Therefore, art and so that he can go home, back to Godhead. Then he
science are two different departments. becomes perfect. So we are educating the driverwe
Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami: So if they create are not trying to manufacture another tin car. This is
some synthetic, that is just an art. Krishna consciousness.

Fasting Festivals
Apr 23 Ekadashi April 19 Brahma Ratha
Apr 24 break fast Apr 21 Brahmotsava celebrations end (in Bangalore) -
Dhvaja Avarohana
May 6 Ekadashi
May 7 break fast Apr 29 Akshaya Tritiya
May 6-8 Chandan Yatra of Sri Prahlada Narasimha (in Bangalore)
May 9 Narasimha Chaturdashi: Appearance of Lord Narasimhadeva
fasting till dusk

10 Krishna Voice, April 2017

 The Prayers of Lord Brahma
The Transcendental Pastimes of Lord Krishna
Brahma, the most powerful demigod, tried to match his power against Lord Krishna's.
But soon Brahma realized his mistake.
One morning Lord Krishna and His cowherd friends "By the speculative method one may gain partial
went with their calves into the forest. While the boys knowledge of Your cosmic manifestation, but it is not
were enjoying a picnic lunch on the bank of the river possible to understand You, the origin of everything.
Yamuna, the calves started looking for fresh grass and The attempt of persons who are interested only in
wandered away. When Krishna noticed that the calves speculative knowledge is simply wasted labour, like the
were gone, He left His friends and went searching after labour of a person who attempts to gain something by
them. All this time the great demigod Brahma had been beating the empty husk of a rice paddy.
watching, and now he decided to test Krishna's power. "Instead, one should engage himself in Your devotional
He took all the calves and boys and hid them in a cave. service even in his worldly activities, and should always
When Krishna was unable to find the calves, He returned keep himself near You by the process of hearing and
to the bank of the river and discovered that the cowherd chanting Your transcendental glories. You are realizable
boys, too, were gone. Immediately Krishna understood only by persons who have cleansed their hearts of all
that Brahma had taken them away. To hide the loss contamination, and this cleansing of the heart is made
from their mothers, Lord Krishna expanded Himself and possible by such hearing and chanting."
exactly duplicated the missing boys and calves. These Lord Brahma presented himself to Lord Krishna as
new boys and calves were all actually Krishna Himself. having been the most presumptuous living creature. He
Lord Brahma went away for what to him was a moment had stolen the boys and calves simply to test Krishna's
(by our calculation it was a solar year). Then he came power, but now he admitted that it was foolish for him
back to see the fun he'd caused by stealing Krishna's to have attempted to display his energy before the
calves and friends. But to his great surprise, Brahma energy of the Supreme Person. Coming to his senses,
saw that they were playing with Krishna in exactly the Lord Brahma saw that although in the eyes of all other
same way as before he'd stolen them. Then, to convince living beings in this material world he was a very powerful
Brahma that the new calves and boys were not the creature, still, in comparison to the power and energy
original ones, They all transformed into effulgent four- of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his power was
armed Vishnu forms. (Vishnu is Krishna's expansion for nothing.
the creation and maintenance of the material universes.) Nevertheless, as the supreme personality in charge of
Brahma was completely bewildered by this display. So this particular universe, Brahma is without a doubt a
Lord Krishna took compassion upon him and caused faithful servant of Krishna. Therefore he could appease
the Vishnu forms to disappear. Now Brahma realized Him. Brahma admitted that he had been puffed up by
he had made a mistake in trying to match his power his powerful position as controller of the universe. He
against the Supreme Lord's. He began offering prayers asked that the Lord look on him as a subordinate servant
to Krishna with great respect, humility, and attention. whose little mistake and impudence might be excused.
"My dear Krishna," Brahma said, "You are the only Said Brahma, "Just consider all the happenings that I
worshipful Supreme Lord. Therefore I am offering my have seen todayare they not all due to Your
humble prayers just to please You, Krishna, son of inconceivable energies? First of all, I saw You alone.
Maharaja Nanda, who are standing before me. Your Then You expanded Yourself as the cowherd boys, the
bodily features are of the colour of bluish clouds filled calves, and all that exists in Vrindavana forest. Then I
with water, and You are glittering with a silver electric saw You and all the boys and calves as four-handed
aura emanating from Your yellow garments. Vishnu forms, and They were all being worshiped by all
"My dear Lord, people may say that I am the master of the elements of creation and all the demigods, including
all Vedic knowledge, and I am supposed to be the me. Again They all became cowherd boys and calves,
creator of this universe, but it has been proved that I and You remained alone as You were before. Does this
cannot understand Your personality, even though You not mean that You are the Supreme Lord, the origin of
appear before me just like a child. I cannot estimate the everything, that from You everything emanates, and
potency of Your bodily activities. It is to be understood that again everything enters into You, although You
that when I, Lord Brahma, the supreme personality of remain the same as before? "People with a poor fund
this universe, cannot estimate the childlike body of the of knowledge may think that because You are the son
Supreme Personality of Godhead, then what to speak of Nanda Maharaja, You are not the original person, but
of others? are born just like a human being. They are mistaken.
Krishna Voice, April 2017 11
 ADVERTISEMENT

In spite of Your being the son of Nanda, You are the women] and the cows of Vrindavana are so fortunate
original person, and there is no doubt about it. You are that they have been able to supply their breast milk to
the Absolute Truth, and You are not of this material You. Persons who are engaged in performing great
darkness. And because You are not one of the creations sacrifices cannot attain the perfection of understanding
of this world, even after the world is annihilated Your You, but simply by devotional service these innocent
existence will continue. village women and cows are all able to satisfy You with
"My dear Lord, I pray that I may be so fortunate that in their milk. You have drunk their milk to Your satisfaction,
this life or in another life, wherever I may take my birth, yet You are never satisfied by those who engage in
I may be counted as one of Your devotees. Wherever performing costly sacrifices.
I may be, I pray that I may be engaged in Your devotional "I am simply amazed by the fortunate position of
service. I do not even care what form of life I get in the Maharaja Nanda, mother Yashoda, and the cowherd
future, because I can see that even in the forms of cows men and gopis: You, the Supreme Personality of
and calves or cowherd boys, the devotees are fortunate Godhead, the Absolute Truth, are existing here as their
to be always engaged in Your transcendental loving most intimate lovable object. My dear Lord, no one can
service and association. Therefore I wish to be one of actually appreciate the good fortune of these residents
them instead of the exalted demigod I am now, for of Vrindavana, because they are actually relishing Your
actually I am full of ignorance. The gopis [cowherd presence and enjoying Your association. We demigods

Krishna Voice, April 2017 13

may be proud of being controllers of the senses, but an ordinary man, are described in Bhagavad-gita as
the residents of Vrindavana are so transcendental that demonic and less intelligent. You are always
their senses are not under our control. Actually, they transcendental. Actually, You have assumed this body,
are enjoying their senses only through service to You. which resembles that of an ordinary cowherd boy, simply
I shall therefore consider myself fortunate if I am given to increase the devotion and transcendental bliss of
a chance to take birth in this land of Vrindavana in any Your devotees.
of my future lives. "My dear Lord, I have nothing to say about people who
"My dear Lord, I am therefore not interested in either advertise that they have already realized God or that
material opulences or liberation. I am most humbly by their realization they have themselves become God.
praying at Your lotus feet for You to please give me any But as far as I am concerned, what can I say about You,
sort of birth within this Vrindavana forest, so that I may or how can I realize You with my senses? I cannot even
be favoured by the dust of the feet of Your devotees. think of You perfectly with my mind, which is the master
Even if I am given the chance to grow just as humble of the senses. Your qualities, Your activities, and Your
grass in this land, that will be a glorious birth for me. body cannot be conceived by any person within this
But if I am not so fortunate as to take birth within the material world. Only by Your mercy can one understand,
forest of Vrindavana, I beg to be allowed to take birth to some small extent, what You are.
just outside the immediate area of Vrindavana, so that "My dear Lord, although I sometimes falsely think that
when the devotees go out they will walk over me. Even I am master of this universe, You are the Supreme Lord
that would be a great fortune for me. I am simply aspiring of all creation. I may be master of this universe, but
for a birth in which I will be smeared by the dust of the there are innumerable other universes, and there are
devotees' feet. I can see that everyone here is full of innumerable other Brahmas who preside over those
Krishna consciousness; they do not know anything but universes. And actually You are the master of them all.
Lord Krishna. Please therefore accept me as Your surrendered servant.
"I can now understand that Your appearance as a small I hope that You will excuse me for disturbing You in Your
cowherd boy, a child of the cowherd men, is not at all pastimes with Your friends and calves. Now if You will
a material activity. My dear Lord Krishna, those who kindly allow me, I will immediately leave so that You can
deride You, claiming that You have a material body like enjoy Your friends and calves without my disruptive

14 Krishna Voice, April 2017

 ADVERTISEMENT
presence. My dear Lord, You are the only worshipable
Deity within the whole creation. As long as there is
sunshine within this material world, kindly accept my
humble obeisances."
After offering his respects, Brahma, the master of this
universe, circumambulated the Supreme Personality
of Godhead three times and prepared to return to his
planet, Brahmaloka. With a gesture, Lord Krishna
gave him permission to depart. As soon as Brahma
left, Lord Krishna appeared just as He had on the very
day the cows and cowherd boys had vanished a year
before.
Krishna had left His friends on the bank of the Yamuna
while they were eating lunch, and although he returned
exactly one year later, the cowherd boys thought He
had returned within a second. That is the way of
Krishna's activities. Bhagavad-gita explains that Krishna
Himself is residing in everyone's heart, and He causes
both remembrance and forgetfulness. All living beings
are controlled by the supreme energy of the Lord, and
sometimes they remember and sometimes they forget
their relationship with Him.
The cowherd boys, being controlled in such a way,
could not understand that for one whole year they had
been under the spell of Brahma's mystic power. When
Krishna appeared before the boys, they thought,
"Krishna has returned within a minute!" They began
to laugh and said, "Dear friend Krishna, You have
come back so quickly. All right, we have not begun
our lunch yet. We have not taken even one morsel of
food. So please come and join us and let us eat
together."
Krishna smiled and accepted their invitation. While
eating, Krishna was thinking, "These boys believe that
I have come back within a second, but they do not
know that for the last year I have been involved with
the mystic activities of Lord Brahma."
After finishing their lunch, Krishna and His friends and
calves began to return to their homes. When Krishna
returned to Vrindavana, all the inhabitants came out
to see Him. He was wearing a peacock feather on His
helmet, which was also decorated with forest flowers.
In addition, Krishna wore a garland and was painted
with variously coloured minerals collected from the
caves of Govardhana Hill. Govardhana Hill is famous
for natural red dyes, and Krishna and His friends had
painted their bodies with them. Each boy had a stick
and a flute and a bugle made of buffalo horn, and
each was calling his calves by their names. The
cowherd boys were so proud of Krishna's wonderful
activities that while entering the village, they all sang
His glories.
[Adapted by Drutakarma dasa from Srimad-
Bhagavatam, translation and commentary by His
Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.]

Krishna Voice, April 2017 15

 Receiving Krishna's Teachings
As They Are
Is Lord Krishna just a messenger for a higher, impersonal truth?
by Dhrstaketu Dasa
Bhagavad-gita is the record of a conversation that took or even mythical figure. He is a mouthpiece, they say,
place between Lord Krishna and the great warrior Arjuna for the higher, impersonal truth that is God. The
in approximately 3,000 b.c. Krishna, standing with Arjuna impersonalists believe that the statements of the Gita
on a chariot between two massive armies poised for should not be taken literally; rather, they should be
war, explained to him the details of spirit, matter, and interpreted in one's own way. To them, Bhagavad-gita
the controller of both. For the past five thousand years is an allegory, a mere story containing hidden
scholars all over the world have struggled to understand philosophical meanings, understandable by deliberation
the meaning of Bhagavad-gita, but many have failed to and interpretation.
grasp the key to this understanding: recognition that
Krishna, the original speaker of Bhagavad-gita, is a Personalists, on the other hand, accept Krishna as the
person, the Supreme Person. Supreme Godhead. Therefore they regard the statements
in the Gita as the Lord's direct instructions for our benefit.
In common usage the word person refers to an individual Rather than interpret the words of the Bhagavad-gita,
being, distinct from others. A person has form, qualities, the personalists understand them according to their
and a history by which others can identify and describe literal meaning.
him. A person can express himself and understand 'the
expressions of others; he has feelings and desires and Objectively speaking, there is no need to interpret the
can share relationships. In the context of Bhagavad- statements of Bhagavad-gita, because interpretation
gita, the word person refers not only to the limited mortals only covers their authority. The verses of Bhagavad-
of this world but also to higher beings, such as demigods, gita are as clear and bright as the sun, and interpretation
and to God Himself. is like a cloud that obscures their light. A statement
needs interpretation when its meaning is unclear. For
It is on this issue of the personality of God that the two example, if I say, "The village is on the Ganges,"
major classes of Bhagavad-gita scholars divide. The someone may require an interpretation, because on the
impersonalists, or mayavadis, believe that God has no Ganges may mean either "on the bank of the Ganges"
form, qualities, or activities. They conceive of Him as a or (by some stretch of the imagination) "on the surface
shapeless, impersonal entity, often as an all-pervading of the Ganges." In Bhagavad-gita, however, the meaning
white light. And since the mayavadis believe that God, is simple and clear. There is no interpretation required.
or the Absolute Truth, is without varieties, they also Still, people interpret it. Why?
maintain that all varieties are false, or illusory. According
to the mayavadis, whatever form, colour, sound, taste, First, though the meaning is clear, persons confused
smell, or touch we perceive is unreal, and thus personality about spiritual life cannot understand even the simple
and personal relationships are also unreal. The concepts presented in Bhagavad-gita. Therefore they
impersonalists' ultimate goal is to lose all personal derive their own explanations of Krishna's words. Second,
identity and merge with an impersonal God. many cheaters and hypocrites twist and distort the
meaning of the Gita to spread their own self-motivated
The personalistic Bhagavad-gita scholars reject the idea
that God is a formless entity. On the contrary, the doctrines. They know that Bhagavad-gita has been
personalists, or Vaishnavas, maintain that God's personal popular for thousands of years. Taking advantage of
form is the source of all others. Some varieties, they this popularity, they hope to gain an audience for their
say, are temporary and in that sense illusory, but others views, which they pass off before the public as
are permanent and real. According to the Vaishnavas, commentaries on the Gita. Krishna Himself, however,
God and His abode possess eternal forms that can be neither sanctions their ideas nor gives any conclusive
realized and attained. Thus the ultimate goal of the evidence in Bhagavad-gita to support them.
personalists is to perfect their relationship with God An interpretation of Krishna's words that ascribes to
through service and love. them a meaning different from their original grammatical
When these two groupsthe impersonalists and the and semantic sense can only mislead the reader.
personalistsapproach Bhagavad-gita, their conclusions Krishna's teachings are meant for the enlightenment of
naturally differ. The impersonalists believe that Krishna, anyone who hears them, but one must accept them as
the speaker of the Gita, is an ordinary man, a historical they are in order to receive their beneficial effect.
Krishna Voice, April 2017 17
 Sri Chaitanya Jayanthi Sambhramotsava
The first ever celebration of Gaura Purnima at Udupi Sri Krishna Matha
Sri Gaura Purnima is a major festival celebrated every year by devotees to conviction about His philosophy. The panel discussion was moderated by His
commemorate the appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who appeared Grace Vyomapada Dasa, President of Hare Krishna Movement, Bhilai.
over 500 years ago in West Bengal and initiated the Harinama sankirtana During the first session in the afternoon, childrens of ISKCON Bangalore sang
movement all over India. various bhajans on Sri Chaitanya. This was followed by a Kavi Goshthi wherein
This year, for the first time, ISKCON Bangalore in association with Sri Krishna renowned poets read out their poems on the various pastimes of Sri Chaitanya.
Matha, Udupi, celebrated this festival at Rajangana Hall in the Mathas premises Dr. Na. Mogasale, Prof. V. Krishnamurthy Rao, Prof. K. E. Radhakrishna, Dr.
on March 19, 2017. Aptly titled Sri Chaitanya Jayanti Sambhramotsava, the Chintamani Kodlekere, Prof. Chandrashekhara Talya and Sri Satyamangala
event was organized at the invitation of His Holiness Sri Sri Vishvesha Tirtha R. Mahadeva actively participated in this session.
Swamiji of Paryaya Sri Pejawar Adhokshaja Matha to celebrate the anniversary The concluding and most exciting part of the event was a grand Ratha Yatra
of the appearance of Sri Chaitanya. within the temple precincts along with sankirtana by ISKCON devotees. While
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was initiated in the Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya the ratha carrying Lord Krishna moved along the temple street, devotees carried
which originated from Sri Madhvacharya. Udupi is well-known for the Krishna the Deities of Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga (Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Chaitanya
Temple which was established by Sri Madhvacharya in the thirteenth century. Mahaprabhu) ahead of the ratha. Hundreds of devotees chanted the Hare
The celebration began with Harinama sankirtana by devotees of ISKCON Krishna maha mantra and danced in great jubilation to the accompaniment of
Bangalore and was followed by the inauguration ceremony at 9:30 am. His drums, mridangas, karatalas and conch shells.
Holiness Sri Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji and His Holiness Sri Sri Vishva Over 1000 devotees from the ISKCON Bangalore group of temples from
Prasanna Tirtha Swamiji (Junior Pontiff of Sri Pejawar Adhokshaja Matha) different parts of the country participated in this grand event.
inaugurated the event. His Grace Madhu Pandit
Dasa (President ISKCON Bangalore) presided
over the ceremony. Sri Vyasanakere
Prabhanjanacharya (an eminent Sanskrit scholar),
Prof. R. Venkata Rao (Vice-Chancellor, National
Law School of India University, Bengaluru), Prof.
T. V. Subba Rao (Director, Research and
Development of National Law School of India
University, Bengaluru) were the Chief Guests. Prof.
Mallepuram G. Venkatesh (Former Vice Chancellor,
Karnataka Sanskrit University) and His Grace
Stoka Krishna Dasa (President, HKM Chennai)
were among the other dignitaries who graced the
event.
The inaugural ceremony was followed by a Vichara
Goshthi (deliberation on the pastimes of Sri
Chaitanya) by scholars that included Dr. A.
Madhava Udupa, Dr. Vasanthkumara Perla, Dr.
Rajashekhara Halemane, Sri Gururaj Poshettihalli,
Dr. H. G. Shreedhar and Dr. N. K. Ramaseshan.
The next session was a panel discussion during
which His Grace Madhu Pandit Dasa, His Grace
Stoka Krishna Dasa and His Grace Tattvadarshana
Dasa spoke on their personal journey of coming Inauguration ceremony (from left) Prof. Mallepuram G. Venkatesh, Prof. T. V. Subba Rao, Prof. R. Venkata Rao,
Holiness Sri Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji, His Holiness Sri Sri Vishva Prasanna Tirtha Swamiji,
in touch with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhus teachings
Sri Vyasanakere Prabhanjanacharya, His Grace Madhu Pandit Dasa & His Grace Stoka Krishna Dasa.
and their understanding, appreciation and
18 Krishna Voice, April 2017 Krishna Voice, April 2017 19
 His Holiness Sri Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji
speaking during the inauguration ceremony

Vichara Goshthi
(deliberation on the pastimes
of Sri Chaitanya)

ISKCON Bangalore devotees singing bhajans Sri Madhu Pandit Dasa speaking during the
on Chaitanya Mahaprabhu inauguration ceremony

Kavi Goshthi(from left) Dr. Chintamani Kodlekere, Prof. K. E. Radhakrishna, Dr. Na. Mogasale,
Sri Satyamangala R. Mahadeva, Prof. V. Krishnamurthy Rao and Prof. Chandrashekhara Talya
20 Krishna Voice, April 2017
 The event concluded with a grand Ratha Yatra along with Harinama sankirtana

Excerpts from dignitaries speeches

My guru Sri Vidyamanya Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Teertha Swamiji had a great coming in the parampara of Sri
desire that we celebrate Madhvacharya understood the
Chaitanya Jayanti also, just essential teaching of
like we celebrate Madhva Madhvacharya fully, and that is
Jayanti. That dream has why Chaitanyas sankirtana
come true today in Lord movement is so powerful today.
Krishnas abode in the If earlier the Madhva sampradaya
presence of all you took pride in defeating false
devotees. philosophies, today it takes pride in the number of living
Udupi is Lord Chaitanyas karma bhumi, for it entities embracing Krishnas holy name. We are all fortunate
is also from here that He preached the message that because of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, because of Srila
of bhakti. Therefore, that Chaitanya Jayanti is Prabhupada, we can proudly say that we are also Madhvas.
being celebrated here gives us great pleasure. We are very pleased that Swamiji mooted the idea of
having Chaitanya Jayanti at the lotus feet of Udupi Krishna.
Madhvacharyas philosophy and Lord
His Holiness has advised us that we should come together
Chaitanyas philosophy are not different. They
to preach the philosophy of Madhvacharya more and more
are the same. ISKCONs preaching bhakti all
without any barriers of caste, creed or religion. Udupi is
over the world is a great achievement. Therefore
the seat of our moola-guru, so let us all work together to
we are very proud of ISKCON.
spread the message of Madhvacharya and Chaitanya
His Holiness Sri Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Mahaprabhu, as presented by Srila Prabhupada.
Swamiji
His Grace Sri Madhu Pandit Dasa

Chaitanya was a If the importance of worshipping

champion of social Krishna was taught by Sri
liberation. Much before Madhvacharya, the significance
anyone Thoreau or of sankirtana was heralded the
Gandhi - Chaitanya world over by Sri Chaitanya.
Mahaprabhu organized Sankirtana - one of the nine
civil disobedience for the processes of bhakti - preached
right cause, when He by Sri Chaitanya in just 48 years
disobeyed the orders of of His life, was revived by ISKCON. That ISKCON has
Chand Kazi. Therefore He is the pioneer of the spread the holy name of Krishna the world over is a matter
civil disobedience movement, showing the path of such joy! This event today is a real celebration!
to Gandhi, leading to Indias independence.
Sri Vyasanakere Prabhanjanacharya
Prof. R. Venkata Rao
Krishna Voice, April 2017 21
God's Playground Vrindavan
A vision of the spiritual skythe land where Krishna, the Supreme Lord,
appeared to man 5,000 years ago to reveal His pastimes
Text by Jaya Govinda
Today there is a seeking for a particular type of to non-living material, and it is that force to which we
surrounding, or "spiritual atmosphere" for meditation, are attracted when we seek a rural environment.
especially among groups of people interested in
In our own experience we may find that when this
meditation and the nature of existence. Even for those
superior living force leaves a person, the remaining
who are simply desiring relaxation, or repose in old age,
material, the dead body, bears little attraction for us,
there is a necessity for some kind of place with a
although when the same body was occupied by the life
meditative mood. Certainly, for clear uninterrupted
force, that person might have been a close relation.
thought, meditation, one must become freed from
This life force is sometimes called the "soul"; and the
everyday anxieties and the nervous mechanical nature
universe also has a soul, we may call it the Supersoul,
of today's cities and industrial towns.
which causes the phenomena of Nature to occur.
Being a city-dweller from birth, I have found, as I'm sure
The presence of spirit-soul in mutable matter is
many others have, that the forests with their varieties
recognizable by six symptoms: birth, growth,
of flora and fauna rather set the stage for meditation.
consumption, reproduction, old age and death. And
They are not the creations of man; they are superior in
there is also a seventh and more important symptom
some way to man's creations. They might represent to
consciousness. When we associate with that superior
us, if we wish it, the grace and beauty existing in the
spiritual nature of things, or when we associate with
movements of the cosmos.
others also seeking after that superior nature, we feel
To be sure, there is always some superior force present uplifted because we are approaching closer to this basic
which makes the seasons change, the rains come, the truth of existencewhich is existing within both ourselves
planets revolve; and that force is more perceivable in and the world around us as a controlling force.
natural surroundings, of which the forest is only one
Srila Vyasadeva, compiler of the Vedas, author of the
example. That superior force or life force gives animation
Puranas, Upanishads, Mahabharata, and ultimately of
the Srimad Bhagavatamwho lived about 5,000 years
agodescribes in all these writings how one may
gradually come to the awareness and understanding of
this superior nature by which the cosmic manifestation
is functioning so perfectly. In his most mature stage, he
composed 12 cantos or books, each larger then the
preceding, to form an immense literature called Srimad
Bhagavatam. In this he described the nature of a spiritual
realm existing outside of this world of matter.
It would be very difficult for us to understand that spiritual
realm when we have available to us only information of
this temporary and mutable world. Therefore we must
accept the information given us directly from the place
where the spiritual energy predominates; a realm which,
fortunately, lies outside the scope of our limited mundane
sense perception. Srila Vyasadeva was a personality
incarnated from that place specifically for the purpose
of delivering such information. In the Srimad
Bhagavatam, then, one may find in the later cantos a
lucid description of a place called Goloka Vrindavan.
This is the supreme abode of the Lord, who is the source
of all cosmic manifestations.
The Supreme Lord is described as eternally youthful.
He is not burdened by the maintenance of all the planets,
but, by His omnipotence, He maintains them effortlessly
22 Krishna Voice, April 2017
and at the same time enjoys childlike sports as a cowherd death.
boy, in eternal Vrindavan. He has many companions
It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that all living beings
and lovers there, amid beautiful fields and surroundings
are meant to enjoy some relationship with the Lord
described as "all-conscious." In that spiritual world, of
directly, either as friend or lover, parent or son. But a
which the material sphere that we know is a perverted
small percentage of living beings have come to be
mirror-reflection, the nature of people, places and events
trapped in this world that we now find ourselves in. We
is permanent or eternal, all-blissful and full of all
might assume, therefore, that the Supreme Lord is a
knowledge. These are the qualities of the higher spiritual
cruel and punishing personality, having placed us on
nature, of the spiritual living entities when they are out
this plane of death, and that He freely inflicts all manner
of contact with the inferior, mutable Nature of this world.
of pains upon us. For example, a mother's son having
There is a verse in the scriptural text called Brahma been harmed in an auto accident, the mother might ask:
Samhita which says of Vrindavan: "The houses are "O Lord, why have You so cruelly harmed this boy?"
made of touchstone [a substance which turns iron to The mother is attentive to the idea of "innocent youth."
pure gold]. There are thousands of trees, called desire- But actually the child's life forcehis real selfis existing
trees, from which one may obtain anything whatever. unchanged in its superior form of spiritual energy, and
The Lord is surrounded by hundreds of thousands of only the temporary body has been affected, being of a
Lakshmis, goddesses of fortune, and the Lord is mutable nature.
constantly attending the Surabhi cows, which give an
The spiritual form is in a state of false identification and
unlimited supply of nectar-like milk. I worship Govinda,
is governed, as a result, by impure or ignorant desires.
the primeval Lord, who is the cause of all causes."
Because of these impure desires he is forced to
Of course the absolute center of attention in the spiritual transmigrate from body to body, until such a time as he
world is Govinda or Krishna. In that sublime realm may desire to awaken to the higher platforms of spiritual
walking is dancing, and speaking is sweet song. It is a consciousness. Therefore, he whom we are seeing as
realm meant for all living beings to dwell in. We ourselves "young" is in reality a spiritual entity who has been
cannot even conceive of the wonders of this universe allotted a certain body, like a shell covering his true self,
of matter; and so it may be difficult for us to conceive and who has also been allotted certain circumstances,
of another, transcendental realm where there is no according to past deeds.

24 Krishna Voice, April 2017

One who makes inquiry into the spiritual cause for all all His eternal associates, the enactment of His eternal
this manifested world becomes acquainted with the pastimesall this is sometimes made manifest in the
spiritual life force within himself, and therefore he need material world. And the location for such a manifestation
not lament for himself, even though death is approaching. is described as entirely nondifferent from that location
Those who seek after spiritual understanding can know in the spiritual realm. Thus the Vrindavan which we find
for a fact that the Lord is most kind and merciful to have as a small village in north central India today, and
given them this human life with which to reach Him and pictured on these pages, is in reality the very Vrindavan
understand Him. And it is only those who are not using of the spiritual sky, the supreme abode of the Lord. At
their lives in this way who fail to understand the kindness this location the Lord reveals His eternal pastimes,
of the Lord. although He has not left that original locality in the
spiritual sky. This is done by the Lord's omnipotence,
The Lord can be known by direct experience, through
and it is as though a dimensional window has opened,
the process of chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna,
making the spiritual realm visible to beings of this
Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama,
mundane world.
Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In the attainment
of such knowledge one experiences the sweetest love When this manifestation takes place, Krishna creates
and the fulfillment of life, a state of bliss that he could a spiritual locality for those beings who are attracted by
never have even hoped for in his fallen state. the higher spiritual nature. For those persons who are
advanced in the matter of self realization, especially by
The Lord might well leave the inhabitants of this world
the process of chanting the holy names, the Lord reveals
to suffer and rise up, going round and round on their
His eternal pastimes at Vrindavan, and He may also
own blind groping efforts. But His kindness is so great,
reveal the nature of an individual's eternal relationship
and His desire to see the living beings out of this morass
to Himself. You might say that Vrindavan is a pleasure
of birth, death, old age and disease is so strong, that
reserved only for devotees of the Lord, because they
He personally descends from time to time into our view
alone are able to relish the transcendental aspect of
to lift the veil of illusion which renders invisible the
that most sacred place on Earth. And anyone may come
spiritual reality, the eternal truth of His own personage
to the devotional stage whereby he can understand
and realm.
Vrindavan simply by chanting the holy names of
That spiritual realm, the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna and Krishna.

Krishna Voice, April 2017 25

 On the occasion of the 531st anniversary of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhus appearance, commonly
celebrated as Gaura Purnima, devotees participated in festivities at Hare Krishna temples across the
country. At the Bangalore ISKCON Sri Radha Krishnachandra Mandir, devotees carried the utsava vigraha
of Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga on a pallaki accompanied by devotees performing Harinama sankirtana (top left).
Later in the evening, Their Lordships were offered an elaborate abhisheka (top right and below), followed
by a naivedya of 54 food items, for Their pleasure.

28 Krishna Voice, April 2017

 Mangalore

Mysore

Ahmedabad

Hyderabad

Krishna Voice, April 2017 29

Krishna Voice Monthly Magazine, April 2017 Vol.18, No.4 Price `30/-
Posted on 5th or 10th of the Month at MBC, Manipal, License to post without prepayment No. WPP-08, Reg No. KA/BGGPO/2521/
2015-17, Registered with Registrar of Newspapers for India under No. RNI 71022/99, Posted at MBC, Manipal, 576104.

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