Author: Bhakti Vikasa Swami

I was staying in the Calcutta temple. The temple president had somehow become preoccupied with doing business - for the temple, but doing business nonetheless - and he wasn't taking care of the devotees. Most of the devotees were quite disturbed. We weren't getting proper food, we were new in India, and we depended on the temple president to make many arrangements for us. The devotees were just waiting for Srila Prabhupada to come

There are many stories of Sati, chaste women. Nala-damayanti. Her husband became so poverty-stricken. He was king, but he became later on so poverty-stricken that he had no sufficient cloth. The husband and wife was putting on the same cloth, half and half. So still, still there was no divorce. You see. Still the woman did not consider

Srutayah, scriptures. Suppose somebody sticks to the scriptures. So scriptures, there are different types of scripture. So they are vibhinna. Vibhinna means different types. So how we can become purified by, even by following the scriptures? Tarko 'pratisthah smrtayo vibhinna na casav rsir yasya matam na bhinnam. Muni means thoughtful, philosophers. If we follow a particular type of philosopher, that is also not perfect because I may be under the care of a philosopher, frog philosopher.

So the situation of the world, due to ignorance of the soul they are creating so many sinful activities and becoming entangled. But they have no knowledge how they are becoming entangled. This is maya's, praksepatmika-sakti, avaranatmika.

The distinction between a pure devotee and a karma-misra devotee is this: a pure devotee does not desire anything for material enjoyment, whereas a mixed devotee becomes a devotee to become a first-class enjoyer of this material world.

...people have manufactured a civilization based on constant hard work.

If you think this is a brass-made idol, then it will remain a brass-made idol to you forever. But if you elevate yourself to higher platform of Krsna consciousness, then Krsna, this Krsna, will talk with you. This Krsna will talk with you.

Devotees who are always absorbed in thoughts of Krsna will soon see Krsna face to face without a doubt. In other words, devotees who are always engaged in Krsna consciousness and are fully absorbed in thoughts of Krsna certainly return home, back to Godhead. They then see Krsna directly, face to face, talk with Him and enjoy His company.

We must always remember that we are in a material circumstance wherein at every moment our mind is subject to agitation. Actually we are not in a very comfortable situation. We are always thinking that by changing our situation we will overcome our mental agitation, and we are always thinking that when we reach a certain point, all mental agitations will disappear.

A young hippie stood up and shouted, "Hey, Swamiji!" People in the audience turned around and looked. "You said if we're not careful, in the next life we'll become a dog. But I want to tell you that I don't mind if I become a dog in my next life."

Preaching purifies us of these material tendencies for sense gratification. It is simply a matter of time that you will see this.

[Srila Prabhupada] assured me, "In the future there will be a history of how Vedic culture was brought to America. We are introducing a new style of life and civilization. Everything should be ideal. Others have never dreamt of such a civilization: free life, happy life, no anxiety, and hope-great hope, that we are going back home, back to Godhead.