I can find no means to drive away this grief which is drying up my senses. I will not be able to dispel it even if I win a prosperous, unrivaled kingdom on earth with sovereignty like that of the demigods in heaven. Bhagavad-gita 2.8

PURPORT by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder-acharya for ISKCON:

Although Arjuna was putting forward so many arguments based on knowledge of the principles of religion and moral codes, it appears that he was unable to solve his real problem without the help of the spiritual master, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He could understand that his so-called knowledge was useless in driving away his problems, which were drying up his whole existence; and it was impossible for him to solve such perplexities without the help of a spiritual master like Lord Kṛṣṇa. Academic knowledge, scholarship, high position, etc., are all useless in solving the problems of life; help can be given only by a spiritual master like Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, the conclusion is that a spiritual master who is one hundred percent Kṛṣṇa conscious is the bona fide spiritual master, for he can solve the problems of life. Lord Caitanya said that one who is master in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, regardless of his social position, is the real spiritual master.

kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ‘guru’ haya

”It does not matter whether a person is a vipra [learned scholar in Vedic wisdom] or is born in a lower family, or is in the renounced order of life-if he is master in the science of Kṛṣṇa, he is the perfect and bona fide spiritual master.” (CC Madhya 8.128) So without being a master in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, no one is a bona fide spiritual master. It is also said in Vedic literature:

ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro
mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ
avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād
vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ

”A scholarly brāhmaṇa, expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge, is unfit to become a spiritual master without being a Vaiṣṇava, or expert in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But a person born in a family of a lower caste can become a spiritual master if he is a Vaiṣṇava, or Kṛṣṇa conscious.” (Padma Purāṇa)

The problems of material existence—birth, old age, disease and death—cannot be counteracted by accumulation of wealth and economic development. In many parts of the world there are states which are replete with all facilities of life, which are full of wealth and economically developed, yet the problems of material existence are still present. They are seeking peace in different ways, but they can achieve real happiness only if they consult Kṛṣṇa, or the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—which constitute the science of Kṛṣṇa—through the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, the man in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

If economic development and material comforts could drive away one’s lamentations for family, social, national or international inebrieties, then Arjuna would not have said that even an unrivaled kingdom on earth or supremacy like that of the demigods in the heavenly planets would be unable to drive away his lamentations. He sought, therefore, refuge in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that is the right path for peace and harmony. Economic development or supremacy over the world can be finished at any moment by the cataclysms of material nature. Even elevation into a higher planetary situation, as men are now seeking on the moon planet, can also be finished at one stroke. The Bhagavad-gītā confirms this: kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti. ”When the results of pious activities are finished, one falls down again from the peak of happiness to the lowest status of life.” Many politicians of the world have fallen down in that way. Such downfalls only constitute more causes for lamentation.

Therefore, if we want to curb lamentation for good, then we have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna is seeking to do. So Arjuna asked Kṛṣṇa to solve his problem definitely, and that is the way of Kṛṣṇa consciousness

De flesta ifrågasätter inte sina begränsningar, men lever ut sin önskan om större friheter genom filmer som Superman, Jumper och liknande. Man ifrågasätter inte varför man måste hålla sig till en begränsad yta som jordplaneten, eller varför man inte kan flyga av egen maskin. Man ifrågasätter inte varför man måste sova, äta, para sig och försvara sig. Man ifrågasätter inte varför man måste arbeta eller gå i skolan, eller varför man måste blir sjuk och åldras och dö. Man ifrågasätter inte varför man måste stå ut med olika typer av lidanden som kommer från andra, från en själv eller från vädret och naturen. Man ifrågasätter inte varför man inte kan svaret på allt om allt. Men indirekt, på det instinktiva planet försöker människan att komma förbi dessa begränsningar på olika sätt. En grov materialist försöker bli fri genom drogmissbruk, alkohol och tobak, hans metod är som strutsen som gömmer huvudet i sanden och försöker blunda för verkligheten, men han inser inte att hans metod bara begränsar honom ännu mer, efterom en missbrukare är fångad av sitt missbruk och jobbar hårt för att förvärva pengar till att betala det. En mindre grov materialst, men dock fortfarande en materialst försöker uppnå en känsla av frihet genom att bli rik och mäktig och den minst materialistiska försöker bli fri genom att kultivera kunskap och på så sätt kan han fantisera att han är mindre begränsad och titta ner på de som är mer begränsade och från det faktumet kan han känna en viss glädje att han är minsann friare.

Men en materialist är och förblir en begränsad själ och det är det sorgliga! Varför begränsas vi av tiden och rummet? I ett fängelse kan man finna en liknande situation. Fången är begränsad av tiden; fängelsets rutiner och han hålls inför fyra väggar och murar. Han är väldigt kontrollerad och kan inte fly, och skulle han fly, kommer han inte att komma långt och inte heller att njuta av sin så kallade frihet eftersom han kommer att ständigt vara plågad av rädslan att bli upptäckt. Så, om vi alla är begränsade betyder ju det att vi också är fångar, eller kriminella. Det finns olika grader av fångenskap och frihet, men vi är alla begränsade på olika sätt beroende på hur vi uppför oss. De heliga vedaskrifterna finns bland annat till för att lära mänskligheten hur hon kan bli fri och obegränsad av tiden och rummet. En fri själ kan resa mellan planeter och världar av egen vilja, hans lycka är inte beroende av hur vädret är, eller av skönhet, rikedom, familj, födelse, död, ålderdom, sjukdom mm. Dessa personer har lärt sig konsten att vara en laglydig medborgare i universum och därmed befriats av Guds nåd.

Vi ska veta att till den grad vi är begränsade och olyckliga, till den grad är vi olydiga och kriminella. I Bhagavad-gita berättar Herren Krishna exakt vad som krävs för att bli fri och lycklig och i Krishnarörelsen lärs metoden ut och den kan verka paradoxal:

Man ska bli ett med Herrens vilja, genom att sluta vilja och planera för sin egen del, utan man ska bli del av en större vilja och plan; Krishnas. Då blir man genast fri och obegränsad. Enkelt, men samtidigt svårt, men inte omöjligt. Sjung Hare Krishna och bli gradvis fri!

The child cries to have the moon from the mother, and the mother gives the child a mirror to satisfy the crying and disturbing child with the reflection of the moon. Similarly, the crying child of the Lord is given over to the reflection, the material world, to lord it over as karmī [hard working person] and to give this up in frustration to become one with the Lord. Both these stages are dreaming illusions only…

MER?

Prabhupada: Your question is whether miseries are eternal or not.
No. Miseries are not eternal. You can end your miseries. But if you want to end miseries materially, that is temporary. If you end your miseries spiritually, that is permanent.

Just like in this world we are also trying to end our miseries. Suppose I am distressed or I am diseased. I go to hospital to end my misery. But that misery are not permanent, er, that end of misery is not permanent, temporary. I can get again disease.

So long I have got this material body, that miseries can be repeated. That disease can be repeated. But if you get your spiritual body, then there is no more question of miseries.

Hela samtalet

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 4.11-12 — New York, July 28, 1966

Lyssna här

Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath i Radhadesh templet

Hridayananda: [break] (translating) How many births do we have?
Prabhupada: Births? There is no counting. Because unless you come to spiritual knowledge, the birth and death will continue.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.16 — Mexico City, February 16, 1975

Guest: It is written in many scriptures that God is light.
Prabhupada: God is everything. God is darkness also. We say, ”God is that from whom everything comes.” So light also comes; darkness also comes. So darkness also comes from God.

Enligt de Vediska skrifterna är Krishnas transcendentala kropp mörk blå och ljus som miljontals solar samtidigt! Hur kan detta gå till? I den materiella världen kan vi ibland se ett mörkt regnmoln på himlen upplysas av en blixt…

Hela samtalet är länkat här

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Reporters Interview — June 29, 1974, Melbourne

Srila Prabhupada: ”The yoga system of meditation was possible to be practiced in the Golden Age, or in the Satya-yuga,” but not in this age. Then how self-realization is possible? That is said, kalau tad dhari-kirtanat: ”Simply by chanting this Hare Krsna.”

It doesn’t require a secluded place, a sanctified place, or so many rules and regulations. Anywhere you can chant. While you are walking on the street, you can chant Hare Krishna. You are in meditation. While you are working, you can chant Hare Krishna. Nobody is going to tax you; nobody is going to bother you. You have no loss, but the gain is immense.

So this Hare Krishna movement is started, and it is easy, it is prescribed. If you at all want to get some spiritual benefit, you try to follow this prescribed method. Just like if you want at all to be cured, you must take the prescription of an experienced physician. Don’t take any prescription who is a quack. If you take proper treatment, if you follow the instruction, then you be sure that you get the result out of it.

Den senaste tiden har jag varit utom mig av lycka och det är tack vare den intensiva period jag spenderar i min andliga retreat här i templet Radhadesh med så många andligt seriösa personer och om man verkligen följer Bhakti-yoga processen som man bör, kan man lätt göra snabba andliga framsteg och förverkliga Gud och det är just i mötet med Honom som man erfar en lycka man aldrig kunnat föreställa sig. Detta bekräftas av alla vismän och stora Krishnahängivna som nått fram till det slutgiltiga målet:

Srila Prabhupada: Lord Caitanya practically demonstrated Krsna consciousness yoga simply by chanting the holy names of Krsna as they were mentioned in the Vedanta, Srimad-Bhsgavatam, and many important Puranas. The largest number of Indians follow this yoga practice, and in the USA also it is gradually growing in many cities. It is very easy and practical for this age, especially for those who are serious about success in yoga. No other process can be successful in this age. The meditation process in right earnest was possible in the golden age of Satya-yuga, because the people at that time lived for a hundred thousand years on the average.

If you want success in practical yoga, take to the chanting of

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare,

and feel for yourself how you are making progress. One should know for himself how much he is progressing in yoga practice. In the Bhagavad-gita this practice of Krsna consciousness is described as
raja-vidya, the king of all erudition;
raja-guhyam, the most confidential system of spiritual realization;
pavitra, the purest of all that is pure;
su-sukham, very happily performed; and
avyayam, inexhaustible.

Those who have taken to the most sublime bhakti-yoga system, this practice of devotional service in transcendental love of Krsna can testify to how they are nicely enjoying its happy and easy execution.

Yoga means controlling the senses, and bhakti-yoga means purifying the senses. When the senses are purified they are also automatically controlled.

You cannot stop the activities of the senses by artificial means, but if you purify the senses, they are not only kept back from rubbish engagement but also they become positively engaged in transcendental service to the Lord. Krsna consciousness is not manufactured by us through mental speculation. It is the injunction of the Bhagavad-gita which says that when we think in Krsna, chant in Krsna, live in Krsna, eat in Krsna, talk in Krsna, hope in Krsna, and sustain in Krsna, we return to Krsna without any doubt. And this is the substance of Krsna consciousness.”

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture — Seattle, October 11, 1968

Hari-Sauri: The material universes are like a produce of Maha-Vishnu.
Prabhupada: A big dream, that’s all. Material existence means a big dream. How long you’ll dream? So long you are in this body. And as long as the body is finished, your dream is finished. Your nation, your society, your friends, your money, your bank, everything finished. Is it not a dream? Then dream another—you become cats and dogs or demigods. You dream in a different way. You are now dreaming as American; next life you may dream something else.