Author: Bhakti Vikasa Swami

  1. No draft board in Krsnaloka

    During the 1960's in America, at the time of the Vietnam War, a new devotee asked Srila Prabhupada, "What is it like in Krsnaloka?" Srila Prabhupada replied, "You won't be bothered by the draft board." That was a suitable (and humorous) reply for a person plagued with that particular fear, but there is of course much more to Krsnaloka than "no draft board." Sometimes
  2. University education

    The education is that a university student, if he is informed, "If you live irresponsibly, then you may become dog next life," so they say, "What is the wrong if I become a dog?" [laughter] This is the result of education. He doesn't care. He is thinking, "If I get the life of a dog, I will have no restriction of my sex life on the street." That's it. He is thinking
  3. Chanting “mango” and chanting “Krsna”

    Since the Lord is absolute, there is no difference between His name and His actual form. In the material world there is a difference between form and name. The mango fruit is different from the name of the mango. One cannot taste the mango fruit simply by chanting "mango, mango, mango." But the devotee who knows that there is no difference between the name and the
  4. New Year’s Day every day

    On 12 January, 1969, Srila Prabhupada wrote: My Dear Kirtanananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 31, 1968, and I thank you for your good wishes for the new year. Please accept the same from my side. So far as we are concerned, our new year is every day because Krishna belongs to the nitya lila. Nitya lila means
  5. The pleasure potency causes pain

    The pleasure potency is not painful to Krsna. But it is painful to us conditioned souls. It will give him pain, so many aftereffects. Sex life, even it is not illicit, still it is painful, aftereffects. You'll have to take care of the children. You have to bear children. That is painful. You have to pay to the hospital for delivery, then education, then doctor's bill
  6. Hopeless women want liberation

    Prabhupada: If father is rascal, the son is rascal. Therefore Bhagavata says that "If you are a rascal, don't become a father." Pita na sa syat, na mocayed ya samupeta-mrtyum [SB 5.5.18]. "If you are a rascal, don't become a mother." Stop population. They have therefore invented, "Yes, we shall become 'bachelor father,' 'bachelor daddy,'" not actual father but
  7. Servant of tea

    Devotee: He's asking why we shouldn't take tea. Prabhupada: Because intoxication. You become addicted. You are asking because you cannot give up tea. Therefore you are asking. Therefore it should be given up. You become servant of tea. [laughter] Otherwise there is no question of asking. His asking means you want to drink. That means he has become servant of tea. Our
  8. Snake-charming mantra and Maha-mantra

    One medical practitioner friend of mine, when he was student in Lucknow, he stated that there is a palace building, Chatar Mandir? Chatar Mandir, in Lucknow. There is some government office. So there were several snakebite cases; several men were killed by snakebite. So they could understand that "There is a venomous snake in this building. At opportunity he bites
  9. “Give us our daily bread” vs. feeding Krsna

    You can serve Krsna in any capacity — provided you want to serve. And if you want to engage Krsna for your service, that is blunder. Then it is blunder. You cannot engage Krsna to your service. The everyone is trying to engage Krsna for his service. They are going to the church, "O Krsna, give us our daily bread," that "You serve me. You give us our daily bread and