The mission of AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the essence of Krishna consciousness . Prabhupada said in answering a reporter, who asked him why he had come to the USA , he replied ” I have come to teach you what you have forgotten, how to love God , I have come on the order of Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja , my spiritual master .
Our current mission is to fulfill the vision of AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada , the founder Acarya of ISKCON in reintroducing lost aspects of Vedic culture that are said to have originally permeated societies world wide , we are highlighting common traits and language connections within the many existing cultures and religions throughout the world , we have a nonsecterian outlook and are bringing to the forefront the true equality of all beings, its a self evident truth …. Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the USA constitution, famously spoke of this self evident truth, its calculated to be the consciousness , that we all possess , because that is the most important part of our lives , not the temporary body , although it’s important to properly maintain everybody and give appropriate facilities to everyone. That consciousness is present in all living beings , not just humans , and the Vedas calls on us all to analyse and understand it fully , such inquiry will bring everyone throughout the world, the real solutions to all of lifes problems , as well as peace of mind , and harmony between all beings and nations. Understanding consciousness means understanding Divinity .
Enclosed universe, infinite space, and the accuracy of cosmic calculations using limited senses within classical physics and math .
Many ancient cultures spoke of the universe being an enclosed unit with lower , middle, and upper planetary systems within a shell , this indicates that the original knowledge of the Vedas , in former times were widely distributed and worldwide cultures were Vedic in the broader sense of the world.
Outside the universal shell , they understood was the place where Divinity and His super subjective planes existed , with all the splendour of His spiritual varigatedness.
The Greeks and later the Arabic cultures as well as a Vedic culture and other cultures from the South Americas all held similar understandings , thus cultures intertwined and evidence for a much earlier concept of a global world can be thought of .
When the Roman empire conquered most of Europe, having taken in previously within their own cultures some aspects of Christianity, blind unscientific religious fanaticism began to develop some or most of the traditional Vedic ways of understanding our universe , along with a greater scientific approach to consciousness in general came to decline . When later the Roman empire came to an end , Christians predominanted and scientific thinking outside the bible came to a complete halt . But the old Arabic and Greek texts were still available, and the Mogal empires preserved some of this thinking of our universal structures .which was essentially theological in nature .
The Renaissance period gave a rebirth to science and a rethinking of the universe . Modern geometric systems and euclidean math was the new way of looking at life , so much so , that God was pushed out the picture, and so was dualism, the mechanistic Darwinian world had begun, scientific materialism, that used math and mechanistic thinking , placed our stars millions of miles away, and a concept of an infinite space, with no God outside of a universal shell was developed and taught in educational systems. If there were a God , some thought, it’s probably an impersonal energy . The idea of a separate mind to matter was written off because the mind could not be measured , and math could not be applied .
Measurements of the distance of planets in a multidimensional space, as spoken about by Lisa Randall the Harvard Prof, may not be so easy to calculate , the laws of physics are said in the Vedas to operate differently in different parts of the universe, so what is far is near ,what is near is far in a multidimensional universe.
The ancient culture and sciences should not be discarded and rubbished , and replaced by scientific materialism, which cannot even account for a mind , but rather believe it to only be simple neurons firing in a mechanistic mathematical brain , these events happening by chance events in a chance universe . This mechanistic veiw could be said to be ludicrously absurd , and discards the notion of intelligence and obvious design in just about everything we see , as well it ignores the perfect math in nature , where there is perfect mathematics you can bet your bottom dollar there is a perfect mathematician behind it .
For those persons preparing for leaving this world , which is obviously very entangleing for the mind and senses , with wives , children , housing , bank balance , careers , social status positioning and the like , even in older age there is no escape , as the whole process starts all over again with the grandchildren and their lives , its ever entangling . And so it was , that the Vedic cultures encouraged complete renunciation from material affairs and a leaving of homes to live wherever might be convenient , no fixed abode was favoured towards the end of life . An absorption in the spiritual dimensions was developed particularly in Gaudia Vaisnavism , which meant meditations on the eternal affairs of Krishna , Radharani , and the village life of Vraj . The Goswamis of Vrndavana , in their literature , having been instructed by Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu , have left so much to meditate on as the activities in every detail of Krishna and Radharani’s life has been revealed by them .
So leaving everything behind of materially entangleing affairs , taking up the activities of the spiritual world , because after all , at death , there is no choice, everything of our material affairs are taken away . There is no escape from death , it’s imposed upon us all . In order to prepare and to absorb thd mind in spiritual affairs , its was recommended to live a life of a beggar with no fixed abode . Because the mind and senses could then became fixed with no deviations , fixed in a spiritual realm by the constant practice of spontaneous and unmotivated devotional service through meditation and entering the pastimes of Radha Krishna with attitudes of service and friendship . After some time of fixed practice and meditation , ones spiritual position and services were revealed , even though situated supposedly in the material world.
In a life of strict renunciation , one learned to become fully dependent on Krishna, the mind and senses no longer engaged in the matters of the material world that immediately grab everyone’s attention.
This kind of life would be totally abhorrent to the western thinker , who in old age cling on to their memories and families right to the last moments of life . However preparing for the inevitable change is better than hoping against hope that a little more family pleasure might be aquired….actually the destination of the soul for those absorbed in family life is to once again return to the material world , to take up another family for those so absorbed , and thus samsara , the repeated births and deaths . Lord Krishna Himself in Bhagavad says, “Think of Me ,” I will rescue you from repeated births and deaths.
Within the inconceivable power of the Sun , are practically uncountable photons, particles of light, incidentally, light is not made of atoms, everything else in our material universe is .
According to the Vedas, the Sun is a devolved energy from the original spiritual light that the Vedas refer to as the brahman effulgence . Mahavisnu possesses multifarious energies, spiritual light being one of them . Atomic and electro magnetic capacity is drawn from the original source of the Bramajyoti . Scientifically speaking , light can not be destroyed , but can be obsorbed , if not obsorbed the light particals will it carry on existing, within universal time , thus the hint of the eternal spiritual light is given .
The Vedas often give analogies to explain various philosophical points , eg., the Sun can be compared to God , and the particles of light of the sun are compared to countless conscious living beings , who have the same qualities of God in their pure existence , but not the same quantity of powers or attraction . Within the unlimited Divinity are the unlimited “limited’s .” Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu has revealed to the world the truth of the simultaneously and inconceivably oneness and difference . Individual living beings are expanded from Divinity . The unlimited expands Himself into the unlimited limited , and thus , in spiritual math , one plus one equals one , one minus one equals one . Srila Jiva Goswami , in his Tattva Sandarbha, says that Divinity has made the impossible possible.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us this understanding of the inconceivable and simultaneous one and difference between Himself and His part and parcels . This is the explanation of the origins of all particles of consciousness, or souls . The eternals come from the eternal, and there is no limit to the eternal’s . In that way, it’s understood that there has never been a time when we or God did not exist. Some souls are manifestly active , and some dormant , ready to be expanded.
It is concluded by great Vaisnava philosophically minded thinkers that an over emphasise of the oneness, or an over emphasise of the difference, are both unsound philosophical positions . The truths about God and the souls or particles of consciousness are revealed by Mahāprabhu and explained perfectly by Srila Jiva Goswami in his Tattva Sandarbha drawing such truth from the Srimad Bhagavatam the natural commentary of the Vedanta Sutras.
An absolute truth remains a truth at all times. It relates to all things , in all places and to all conscious beings at all times , and in every circumstance . It also interelates with countless and unlimited relative truths . Absolute truth can never change. Its position is eternally a fact .
Of course in todays social media society , it becomes more and more difficult to find any objective truths , and everyone is being bombarded with subjective and relative opinions , often presented as being objective facts to various gullible members of the public , or on various media webb sites .
The BBC are also dishonest, and when John Simpson , their foreign affairs editor, proudly says the BBC never spin anything , that very statement is spin . What’s good for the goose? May not be so good for the gander .
Truth is infinite and unlimited, and the limited may know something of the unlimited by the unlimited mercy of the unlimited on the limited , thus, the absolute truth can be accessible to any of its unlimited portions .
Krishna says if you want to know the truth , one must approach a bone fide spiritual master , who has insight into absolute truths . The Vedic cultures have always recognised the trancendental spiritual teachers , whose lives are dedicated to Divinity and the absolute truth. They are those who are able to speak purely and directly from the Scripture but who have realized knowledge by the grace of the absolute, its they who can give us access and insights to various aspects of the absolute and without duplicity based on relative selfish interests .
Political truths and philosophical variable truths may be another matter and can be regarded as relative truths . If they are actually truths and expounded by those who live in the mode of goodness and truthfulness, they will ring true to the truthful.
Those who want to be cheated will always find cheaters .
A .C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada would say this world is for the cheaters and the cheated .
Ultimately, if one takes shelter of absolute truth, one is going to instinctively know when truth is before us . Divinity within the heart directly inspires the truthful, and the truth can always be corroborated by other saints as well as the theological texts passed down from any of the four sampradayas and their disciplic successions .
The vedic multidimensional universe , the cosmic pie of a higher , middle, and lower planetary systems , are unobserved by conditioned senses made of matter
” More is unknown than is known. We know how much dark energy there is because we know how it affects the universe’s expansion. Other than that, it is a complete mystery. But it is an important mystery. It turns out that roughly 68% of the universe is dark energy. Dark matter makes up about 27%. The rest – everything on Earth, everything ever observed with all of our instruments, all normal matter – adds up to less than 5% of the universe. Come to think of it, maybe it shouldn’t be called “normal” matter at all, since it is such a small fraction of the universe.”
Every species of life with a particular set of senses takes thd world in differently . Even human beings see , think , feel, and will in individual subjective ways , although the same objective world sits before us all . The artist can see incredible details in nature or take on a certain philosophical leaning which they represent in their arts of all kinds . The hawk flying high in the air , has incredible detailed vision with which to locate prey below , the owls eyes are able to see in the darkness of night , the dogs hear high pitch sound , and whales can percieve low sounds undetected by our ears . Light itself has many frequencies , undetected by some but detected by others , sometimes with the aid of a machine.
The vedas speak of the fourteen planetary systems within our universe, along with 400,000 different human like beings whose bodies and senses are designed for certain atmospheric conditions that operate in different time zones. Our 12 hours are equivalent to their 6 months , and in the case of Lord Bramha , his 12 hours are equivalent to our 4.5 billion years . Such multidimensional universes can not necessarily be observed by those with earthly senses , as much as humans themselves have different degrees of intellectual and sensual awareness . They differ drastically from one another and , of course, from the other species. So we can safely say the fourteen planetary systems can be considered parallel planes unobserved by humans , at least, that is the general rule .
Yogis with mystic power , are said in the Vedas to be able to transport themselves in their subtle bodies to other parts of the universe and interchange existences .
Marie Currie, the Nobel prize winner for her work on x rays , carried out many experiments with telepathy and knew of the realistic states of a subtle a existence.
The Harvard Prof Lisa Randall has written many papers and books on multidimensional space time existence and the many possibilities of existence that she calls branes , as in being part of the membrane of greater planes of dimensions.
Yoga means to understand the dualism of life , mind , matter and consciousness , things that Plato and Socrates spoke about , although Democritus held the modern scientific materialism veiw .
The Vedas dismiss the idea of chance events in a universe caused by the somewhat ludicrous suggestion that the big bang originated from another aspect of an atomic realm , that somehow gave birth to countless atoms , that make up the elements, and compounds we see in the classical physical plane of our experience . Those following scientific materialism postulate that everything observed is because of another chance event , meaning the neurons firing by chance in the brain that supposedly causes consciousness . Such is the speculative explanations of atheistic persons in their analysis of life , which is greatly helped along by the education system and the guesses of the Darwinian hypothesis that are taught as practically fact based science.
Many times, you’ll hear someone say ,” I can identify with that “
But who or what should we identify with ? Our childhood, our youth , our middle age , or old age ? Or how about our political leanings ? Which political movement suits us ? left leaning, right leaning, or centre ground ? Persons are forever changing who or what they identify with . Sometimes someone is our friend sometimes the same person becomes our enemy , sometimes someone is very attractive as a partner to us , and a short time later we reject them , and find someone else . The Vedas indicate that the minds business is forever accepting and rejecting the sense objects . This world of ever fluctuating duality has to be understood , and the real observer should learn to advance the consciousness to a state beyond the duality of material life . When we examine the disturbances of dualities , we begin to realise such states occur because of excess and our own selfish motivations , we , at that point can climb higher in consciousness and begin to contribute real happiness to others , without selfish calculations . Ultimately, it is undertaking sacrifice as the utmost principle in contributing happiness centred on Divinity that the Vedas point us all to , no more local or provincial interests , but the satisfaction of Krishna . Such actions are like watering a tree , necessarily all the leaves are satisfied. Sacrificing for the sake of others without considering my own feelings is an elevated state . You’ll be pleased to hear such a sacrifice becomes very rewarding as the universal material and spiritual energies work in such a way that nothing goes in vain .
The Vedas encourages us to dive deeper into states of consciousness and explore a different sorts of happiness , a happier state of mind , beyond sense satisfaction that even animals can easily obtain . The Vedas encourages us to consider whether we are boy , a girl , young , old , black , white , rich, poor, intelligent, or not so , or are we just an observer of such external conditions that are thrown upon us? And are we becoming overly affected , because of selfishness and misunderstanding who we are .
Let’s see what Sastra say .
nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir nāpi vaiśyo na śūdro nāhaṁ varṇī na ca gṛha-patir no vanastho yatir vā kintu prodyan-nikhila-paramānanda-pūrnāmṛtābdher gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ
Translation
“ ‘I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya or a śūdra. Nor am I a brahmacārī, a householder, a vānaprastha or a sannyāsī. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the maintainer of the gopīs. He is like an ocean of nectar, and He is the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He is always existing with brilliance.’ ”
This verse , with Vedic terms for our different social positions and stages of life , offers an insight into the permanent identity of a soul in a specific relationship with Divinity , This may be a little esoteric for many to understand, but the principle is given , you are not the body , not the changing mind , not a deteriating and frustrated intelligence , but something beyond material calculations , and this super subjective realm is understood by sacrifice, and the ultimate sacrifice is one of pure service to Divinity , in a cooperative spirit , with others who have similar goals.
The Vedas delineate many other permanent relationships that have nothing to do with atoms , elements, or compounds or an ethereal ever-changing mind and intelligence.
The original consciousness belongs in a permanent identity, which is ever new and ever enthusiastic to exchange love and as the song goes
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
There’s a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby
Maybe your fairy tale child hood imaginings have something to them
Some people have romantic idealistic concepts that society can live as one .
In spiritual terms, maybe , when by cultivating spiritual consciousness, one is able to see that consciousness particals are in each body , the very substance of life , and in that sense all equally loved and reciprocated to by God .
But materially speaking , individuals have always expressed differently and lived differently , both individually and in communial ways, expressing their unique national cultural ways of life, which can be seen to be one and different.
In the vedas 5th Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, the activities of King Prtu give the description of the natural creation of boundaries, such as oceans , rivers, and mountain ranges. Although harmony can be achieved within mankind it must be understood as being based on their differences , which sometimes have complex social and karmic differences , nevertheless , all societies should be respected and understood with mature and intelligent ways .
The concept of harmony in discord is only realised in the minds of those who are learned who are aware of the consciousness of Divinity within their hearts and in the hearts of all living beings. They who have evolved love for Divinity and as such , all beings , seeing that everything and everyone is connected to God . Knowledge means knowing all are His expansions , such divine inspiration creates the inconceivable oneness and difference vision in our relationship with Him and all beings .
The vipras , Brahminical men, and Suddha Bhaktas know this very well and realise it . By their association , we can also know and realise this truth .
It is never found in any political leaders , who we could safely say are mostly lacking in real wisdom, and are sometimes fools and rascals , so they must always take direction from the real intelligensia as described above .
The original Varna Ashram system is a wonderful sharing and educational resource for all , it is meant to instigate social mobility and give everyone the chance of good association and beneficial learning .
That is part of the remit of ISKCON, to introduce this reality to people in general
Vedic culture means following traditions and the highest of cultures every field of education including the arts . Its emphasis is to follow great men and women , with proven qualities set out in the Vedas , such inspiration and the best of human qualities automatically benefit the rest of society , by good associations one becomes a good and wholesome person , by bad associations one becomes troubled , thus rascals were never allowed free reign , as today , especially on social media and within governments as business leaders .
Modern Western, lefty liberal , literally means follow your own mind and senses ,and get every one to do the same , with no real sense of cultivation of consciousness or conserving traditions of culture and family . In the course of time the essence of knowledge has been lost , and the truth always needs reserecting messages because it gets in time replaced by speculations and subjective scientific materialism . Such is the nature of material conditioned nature along with an independent free will .
Persons who follow false “freedoms ” and speculations will find the opposite of what they are looking for , which is perfect loving relationships , but granted, there are 8,4000000 species of life , so plenty of facilities for expression in countless bodies , and how people want to lead their lives , those likings are found in other species , and Bhagavad Gita teaches wherever your taste , an appropriate body awaits.
A human form gives one a chance for freedoms beyond one’s comprehension . it’s our responsibility as humans to know just what those freedoms are .
In Vedic times , the leaders were respectful towards all living beings. They had equal responsibility towards every one and every creature that lived , and under the direction of a wise council of persons who were knowledgeable about consciousness , they knew that the consciousness present meant that the living being was a soul in a particular body for particular reasons , and should be regarded equal to humans , in terms of their rights of existence.
Unfortunately, we can not say our current leaders are at all wise or knowledgeable about many things , especially about consciousness . Most of them are either Darwinians or have no spiritual scientific understanding of consciousness , and foolishly assume only humans are really conscious or have souls .
Their ignorance is reflected in the way they ruthlessly treat the environment and the creatures that live within it , whether it be the sky , land, or the sea .
Here is an example of their callousness.
The following lists percentage of declines of some bird species recorded in the Common Bird Census between 1970 and 1999 , todays figures would be considerably more alarming.
Tree sparrow -95 per cent…. Corn bunting -88 per cent…. Willow tit -78 per cent ….Spotted flycatcher -77 per cent ….Woodcock -74 per cent…. Starling -71 per cent …..Turtle dove -71 per cent ….Song thrush -56 per cent….. Bullfinch -53 per cent ….. Skylark -52 per cent…. Cuckoo -33 per cent
Bhagavad Gita 16.9.
Lord Krishna tells us how to recognise the work of those with demoniac mentality, or who dwell in ignorance.
…”.the demons, lost to themselves, and with no real intelligence, engage in unbeneficial ,horrible works meant to destroy the world.”
Jesus said You’ll know people by their works .
It’s time to select leaders who are led by the real intelligensia and bypass politicians who, at most are sophisticated animals with absolutely no wisdom in real terms , who only take guidance from exploitative money men , and discard wise council.
Site Title 