Author: Purushottam Nitai Das

What Vedas say about women? They should be honored.

If you read Vedas thoroughly you will find many texts wherein women have been glorified. Vedas does not discriminate against women. But instead say that women have an important role to play in the society and family.

However, there are so called scholars who say that Vedas denigrate women. According to them “any wrong happening in India especially against women is the outcome of Vedic culture.”

It seems that they have not read the Vedic literatures completely or are wilfully distorting the Vedic texts.  To substantiate their point, they selectively quote Vedas but mostly wrongly.  They argue that “Vedas treat women as a second-class citizen and the holy book justifies violence against women.”

It is no denying the fact that women in India, in rural as well as in urban areas, are often the victims of crimes. I too was confused and sometimes thought that there must be some truth in it. However, close scrutiny of Vedic literatures revealed something else.

Instead of denigrating women, the Vedic literatures give women a very respectable position in the society.

Vedic quotes on Women

Below are quotes from the scriptures, it can help us to understand Vedic perspective on women.

• “A woman must be honored and adorned by their fathers, brothers, husbands, and brothers in law, who desire their own welfare. Where women are honored, there the gods are pleased; but where they are not honored, no sacred rite yields rewards. Where the female relations live in grief, the family soon wholly perishes; but that family where they are not unhappy ever prospers. The houses on which female relations, not being duly honored, pronounce a curse, perish completely, as if destroyed by magic. Hence men who seek (their own) welfare, should always honor women on holidays and festivals with (gifts of) ornaments, clothes and (dainty) food. In that family, where the husband is pleased with his wife and the wife with her husband, happiness will assuredly be lasting.” (Manusmriti: The Laws of Manu, Chapter 3, 55-60)

• Vedas state that when a woman marries then she enters “as a river enters the sea” and “to rule there along with her husband, as a queen, over the other members of the family”. (Atharva-Veda 14.1.43-44)

These quotes echo that Vedas do not demonize women.

Sir Monier Monier-Williams (1860-1888) an Indologist and head of the Oxford’s Boden Chair, has written: “Indian wives often possess greater influence than wives of Europeans.”

Why Vedas are criticized?

Then why so much negative propaganda against Vedic literatures. Delving deep into history will help us to understand this. When Britishers set their foot to colonize India then they were amazed to see a society which was God – centered. The Indians had extraordinary faith in Vedas which they considered sacred and their lives revolved as per the injunctions of these literatures.

In spite of hundreds of years of Muslim subjugation, majority of the Indians did not compromise with their religious beliefs and remained Hindus. The Britishers wanted to know what these Vedas are and so they deputed Max Muller to translate these literatures which was in Sanskrit language into English.

Along with this Max Muller also had the responsibility to indoctrinate the Indians into believing that what they are revering is filled with filth. This would ensure that the Hindus would start doubting their sacrosanct Vedic literatures, would start feeling inferior and will then easily accept the doctrines of British Colonists.

Max Muller’s vicious agenda could be easily understood by the letters he wrote to his wife and to the Duke of Argyle.

To his wife he wrote: It (the Rig Veda) is the root of their religion and to show them what the root is, I feel sure, is the only way of uprooting all that has sprung from it during the last three thousand years.”

To the Duke he wrote: “The ancient religion of India is doomed. And if Christianity does not take its place, whose fault will it be?”

Vedic Historical facts have been undermined

During their reign in India, the Britishers continued their anti Vedic teachings. Among the Indians they only allowed those scholars to be part of the academic institutions who agreed with their viewpoints. These academicians who were picked and indoctrinated by the British Colonists continued dominating the educational institutions even after India achieved independence.

These academicians – historians, sociologists etc – formed a cartel wherein they never allowed those who disagreed with their opinions or tried to have a different perspective to be part of the mainstream academia.

The history textbooks in India misinterpret, misrepresent and misquote facts to present Vedas, ancient Vedic culture and Indian history in a biased way. Several of the facts as how Hindus were persecuted and how thousands of Hindu temples were razed have never found its place in the history textbooks.

For e.g. in Goa in 1560s AD several orders were passed (which are well documented) by Viceroy D Constantine de Braganca and Governor Antonio Morez Barreto to drive away Brahmins, to confiscate their properties and to forcibly convert the Hindus but these facts are rarely highlighted.

In the book “Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India”, Prof K.S. Lal, former chairman of the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR), specifies that Hindus were ruthlessly persecuted by the Muslim rulers and gives the figure that the Hindu population decreased by over 80 million from 1000 AD to 1500 AD.

However these facts and figures are never mentioned in the history textbooks and are never taught in schools and colleges. In fact today if anyone tries to speak about such misinterpretation of Indian history & Vedic literatures then they are immediately rebuked and are painted as sectarian, fascist, illogical and even unscientific.

Millions of women in India never lost faith in Vedas

But in spite of enormous negative campaign, Vedas did not lose its sheen. Women did not get disillusioned by Vedas because nothing obnoxious is there in holy Vedas.

This is why millions of women including those who are highly educated occupying important positions in the society respect Vedas. A woman since her childhood sees that the Indian society does not lampoon her. And she never feels that she is treated as a second class citizen.

She grows up hearing anecdotes of Mahabharata and Ramayan wherein women are often the central characters. She never finds that the scriptures promote, propagate and advocate physical or psychological violence against them.

At her home she finds that her mother plays a vital and central role in the family decision making process. She finds that the society derives inspiration from the lives of Mother Sita, Mother Yashoda, Draupadi and Kunti. Millions of Hindus revere and worship Goddess Lakshmi, Durga, Subhadra and Kali, the feminine divine form.

She reads about saint Mirabai, Maharani Laxmibhai, and several women who actively participated in India’s freedom struggle.

She thinks, “If Vedic culture were against women then how did these women gained so much prominence in Indian society.“

Vedas do not preach hatred; it’s a gross misrepresentation of truth. Vedas preaches all to live with love and harmony. If a person studies the Vedic literatures with an open mind then he will develop admiration for Vedic culture.

Crime against women is a fact in present day society

However there is no denying the fact that there are crimes against women in Indian society which needs urgent attention. The rape cases, dowry death, bride burning and other evils have penetrated Indian society. It is because people have given up Vedic way of life. Materialism which has spread its wings has created a godless culture.

It instigates people to satisfy their wanton desires by adopting any means. Close scrutiny would reveal that proponents of materialism in fact have no respect for women. They use women as a tool to further their business interests.

Scantly dressed women are used in advertisements to sell almost all the products – be it men’s shaving cream, a shoe polish, an electronic gadget, an air – conditioner or a tooth paste.

Crime against women is because people are not following Vedas

We do not find any instance in Vedic literatures wherein women were objectified or used as a commodity. If anyone tried to do so they were severely punished. Duryodhana, Dushasana and Karna had to pay with their life for insulting and disrespecting Draupadi.

Vedas say men and women are equal.  They are children of same God. Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 14.4, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā – I am the seed-giving father. He is the Supreme father of both men and women. So, men should not disrespect and exploit women. And women should also not disrespect and exploit men. But instead, they both should come together to create a beautiful world and live happily. Once this understanding develops, the exploitative mentality will stop.

The crime against women is not because of Vedas but it is because people are not following Vedas.

If we want to end all kinds of crime against women (or even against men) then we should endeavour to create God centered society as explained in Vedas.

Just making strict laws won’t end crimes completely. All over the world there are laws against murder, kidnapping, rape, theft etc. But still there are felons who commit such heinous deeds. So, there is a necessity of spiritualty.

When Vedas are honored Women live in honor

Spirituality helps to burn the seeds of sin which is the root cause of all sinful activities.

Srila Prabhupada explains, “The only way to permanently change the criminal habit is to change the heart of the criminal. As you well know, many thieves are arrested numerous times and put into jail. Although they know that if they commit theft they will go to jail, still they are forced to steal, because of their unclean hearts. Therefore without cleansing the heart of the criminal, you cannot stop crime simply by more stringent law enforcement. The thief and the murderer already know the law, yet they still commit violent crimes, due to their unclean hearts.”

So to uproot the problems completely, it is important to develop and nurture a God centered society. Vedas help in creating a God centered life.

In a God – centered society, a person cultivates genuine love for God which cleanses his heart. And it helps him to understand that all – men and women – are children of God.

In such a spiritual society both men and women will honor each other. Men will respect women as they respect their own mother, own sister and own daughter. And women too will respect men as they respect their own father, own brother and own son.  

If entire world starts following Vedic literatures, there will be no crime against women.

Women will be honoured everywhere when everyone will begin honouring the teachings of Vedas.

How we celebrated Jagannath Rath Yatra during COVID -19 pandemic?

Like last year, this year too devotees in Puri and other parts of India celebrated Jagannath Rath Yatra during COVID – 19 pandemic.

COVID – 19 has indeed affected the celebration of world famous Jagannath Rath Yatra. In Jagannath Rath Yatra at Puri and in other cities thousands of people would participate to pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath every year.  But COVID – 19 pandemic has shutdown the entire world –offices are closed, schools & colleges are closed and temples are also closed.

The killer Covid -19 Pandemic which started last year, 2020, is still killing people across the world. Few months back the 2^nd wave of Covid created mayhem in India killing thousands of people. The country was almost shutdown.

Rath Yatra celebrated in Puri during COVID without huge procession

Last year during the Rath Yatra time there was lockdown in India. Everything was closed including the temples. This year too the temples were closed. In 2020, the Supreme Court of India allowed Rath Yatra procession only in Jagannath Puri and this year too Rath Yatra procession was allowed only in Puri. In Puri also only the priests and devotees traditionally associated with Rath Yatra festival were allowed. Common people did not participate in the procession.

This year too like previous year Rath Yatra procession was not allowed in Kolkata. Kolkata Rath Yatra is organized by Iskcon and is famous in the city of joy. Thousands of people from Kolkata participate in it. Devotees from other parts of India and even from outside India come to participate in the Kolkata Rath Yatra festival.

Iskcon Kolkata too celebrated Rath Yatra during COVID but without procession

Although Rath Yatra procession was not there but still Iskcon Kolkata tried its best to celebrate the festival with whatever means available. All the rituals which are part of Rath Yatra was carried out by the resident devotees of the temple. At Iskcon House, Gurusaday Road a makeshift temple has been built which will be the Gundicha temple for the Lord.  Iskcon House is around 1.5 km from the main temple.

Lord Jagannath did not ride the chariots and was not pulled by thousands of enthusiastic devotees of Lord Jagannath. Instead the Lord directly went from Minto Park temple to Iskcon House on a vehicle.  There the Lord will reside till Ulta Rath Yatra. On the day of Ulta Rath Yatra, Lord Jagannath will come back to his Minto Park temple.

Before this Covid Pandemic struck the world, devotees would eagerly wait for Rath Yatra. In spite of busy schedule and other pressing commitments everyone would make sure that they participate in the festival.

Before marriage I always participated in Rath Yatra festival and procession. After marriage, me and my wife have been participating for last few years together. My parents would not be able to participate in the procession because of age but they always joined us when the chariots reached the Gundicha temple. For last few years, a beautiful Gundicha temple was mostly built at TAI Brigade Ground in Kolkata.  After Lord Jagannath would reach the Gundicha temple everyone would enjoy delicious khichadi prasadam. The taste would be out of this world.  Ask anyone in Kolkata who have tasted the khichdi prasadam at Rath Yatra and they will say you that it was the best khichadi they ever ate in their life.

Celebrating Rath Yatra at our home i.e. at Lord Jagannath’s home

But this year as there was no Rath Yatra procession, so, we were thinking how to celebrate Rath Yatra. We wanted to celebrate it.  This material world is a place where one or the other problems will keep on coming. Now its Covid pandemic, next year there may be some other crisis. Nothing should stop our devotion to Lord. 

One way to participate in the festival was to watch Rath Yatra live on YouTube channel. But it does not give the same feeling which we experience when we physically participate and pull the chariot.

So, after contemplation, we thought let us celebrate it at our home. Although I am saying, ‘our home’ but ‘our home’ is not ‘our home’, but it is ‘Lord Jagannath’s home.’ Lord Jagannath is Lord of the Universe, and he is kindly allowing me and my wife to stay in the house. Everything belongs to the Lord; nothing belongs to us.

So, we made plans to celebrate Jagannath Rath Yatra at Lord Jagannath’s home.

Srila Prabhupada celebrated Rath Yatra when he was just a small child. Although we cannot imitate him but still we can try to follow his footsteps. We knew that we may not be able to do it in a grand way as it happens in the temple. But whatever best we could do, we decided to do it.

Making the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva and Subhdra Devi and the chariot at home

My wife is good in making crafts. She takes Krishna Conscious classes for children and teaches the kids to prepare beautiful crafts based on various pastimes of Krishna.  This helps children to learn new things and use their talents in serving the Lord.

She took the responsibility of preparing small deity of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva and Subhadra Devi at home. She also took the onus of making chariot for the Lord.

Since everything was closed and plans were made just few days before the festival, so she made the deities and the cart with whatever materials available at home. Cardboard, boxes, coloured paper, paints etc were used.  

Lord Jagannath in black, Lord Baladeva in white and Subhadra Devi in yellow looked colourful. Only one chariot for the three deities were made and that to not too big. But it looked elegant.

We celebrated Rath Yatra at home during COVID lockdown

On the day of Rath Yatra, we decided to prepare varieties of delicious food items for the Lord. Lord Jagannath loves to eat nice food when offered with love.

I took the responsibility of cleaning the hall, decorating the altar. We also planned for a small Gundicha temple where Lord will reside till Ulta Rath Yatra.

My wife began cooking different food items for the Lord since early morning.

I brought lots of flowers from the market and decorated the main altar, Gundicha temple altar and the Lord with colourful flowers.

We decided that we will start our Rath Yatra festival and procession after the festival starts at Puri.

Although I am calling it procession but only me and my wife was there. We did not invite others because of pandemic. My parents are also stuck at their native place because of Covid, so they were also not present.

Once Rath Yatra started in Puri. We performed an elaborate arati of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva and Subhadra Devi. And then we began pulling the small cart of the Lord. A small blue colour ribbon was attached to the cart. It was the rope of the chariot. We pulled the Lord using that rope. 

With chanting of the mantras and singing of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra we began pulling the cart.  We also sang “jaya jaya jagannātha sacīra Nandan/ tribhūvana kore jār caraṇa vandan.” This is a very nice devotional song in Bengali composed by Vasudeva Ghosa, a great devotee of Lord Chaitanya.

We were enjoying the journey of the Lord. By the time the cart travelled from the main altar to the makeshift altar we both were feeling so happy, so enthusiastic. Our Rath Yatra lasted for around 30 minutes.

Offering arati and delicious food to Lord Jagananth, Lord Baladeva and Subhadra Devi

We placed the Lord on the Gundicha temple altar and did the arati. After the arati varieties of delicious food items were offered to the Lord.

We could have prepared more food and in large quantities and would have distributed it to our neighbours. But due to covid people avoid physical contact, so we did not prepare more. We did not invite our neighbours for the festival because of the same reason. Jagannath will stay at the makeshift Gundicha temple for nine days till the Ulta Rath Yatra.

Although we celebrated the Jagannath Rath Yatra festival in a small way but still we experienced lots of joy.

Rath Yatra gives us an experience of the joy of the spiritual world

One of the great things in Iskcon is that we are trained to practice and celebrate different festivals of the Lord at our home.  In fact, we are told that we should make our home like a temple of the Lord. Whatever we do, we should keep Lord in the centre.

The beauty of devotional life is that when we try to do something for the Lord then the Supreme Lord reciprocates, and we can experience the reciprocation in our hearts.  

We feel sad or frustrated or empty in our life because we try to seek happiness in the outside world. But if we absorb ourselves in the devotional service of the Lord, we will just experience bliss.

Rath Yatra is one such festival in which we can completely absorb ourselves and feel the presence of the Lord in our hearts.  Lord Jagannath has appeared for us – for you and for me.  

And when we whole heartedly participate in Rath Yatra festival, we experience joy of the spiritual world.

Whom do you love more – Krishna or your husband?

Once Srila Prabhupada jokingly asked a newly married girl, “Whom do you love more – Krishna or your husband?”

The girl hearing the question started crying.

Prabhupada was little surprised. He asked her why is she crying.

The girl replied, “I am just married so I don’t know much about my husband so can’t say that I love him very much.”

“Also I do not have taste for the holy name so it seems that I don’t have love for Krishna too.”

 Prabhupada said, “No problem. Keep trying, gradually taste for holy name will develop and love for Krishna will manifest”.

To love a person we need to know the person

It is true that unless we know a person completely it may not be possible for us to love him/her. Love for a person develops when we start seeing his/her qualities, sacrifices and how much he/she cares for us selflessly.

It is not that from day one we start loving our mother and father. But when we see how selflessly they are taking care of us often sacrificing their own desires and comforts we start developing love for them.

Krishna also loves us selflessly. Whether we love him or not he continues to love us providing all the necessities of life. It is true that we suffer too but suffering is meant to correct us.

If we start practicing devotional life by chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra sincerely and read more about Krishna then gradually we will understand Krishna and love for him will manifest.

Krishna in Bhagavad Gita assures that if we remember him constantly without deviation and remain engaged in his devotional service then we can easily attain him. B.G. 8.14.

By determined spiritual practice we can attain Krishna

In the beginning it may not be possible to always remember him but with constant practice it can be possible. For example when we chant our mind wanders because as of now we are not having sufficient taste for the holy name. So it is advised that while chanting we should try our best to control our wandering mind and force it to focus on the holy name. If we do it continuously then eventually our mind will also develop taste for hearing the holy names.

And since chanting is not a material activity it’s a spiritual activity so when we chant then Krishna cleanses our heart and mind of all material thoughts and purifies it.

As Lord Chaitanya says in Siksastakam, “Chanting cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life of repeated birth and death.”

If we practice devotion to Krishna with determination then Krishna will provide us everything which will help us to attain him.

Krishna in Gita assures us, “But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.” Bg 9.22.

When we love Krishna, we love all

Now back to the question

Should a devotee wife love Krishna more than her husband or vice versa?

The beauty of devotional life is that the more we love Krishna the more we develop love for everyone. So if a wife or a husband  is a dear devotee of Krishna then his/her love for his/her spouse will also multiple manifold – a win – win situation.

What Bhagavad Gita says about death? Its inevitable.

In Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna speaks about death, rather strongly.  He says that death in this material world is inevitable. So, we should not feel sorry for those who are dying. Everyone who is born in this world will die one day.

No matter who you are you will die one day. The agents of death can knock at your or mine door at any moment, and we cannot do anything.

Greatest conquerors have failed to conquer death

I had once seen a movie “Final Destination.” The movie shows that a group of students of a college boards a plane to go to France.  One of the students while on the plane gets a paranormal experience. He sees the future. He sees that soon after the takeoff, the plane catches fire and crashes. Everyone dies. He starts shouting saying that the plane is going to crash. He asks everyone to deboard the plane else they will die. It creates chaos inside the plane. Everyone thinks that he has gone insane. The airport security takes him off the plane. And the plane really crashes immediately after takeoff. He escapes death.  

The student feels that he was also supposed to die with others in the plane crash, but he escaped death. But death won’t leave him. Sooner or later, it will follow him. To survive, he needs to defeat death. He starts doing research on death and tries to understand how death strikes. And what is its pattern?  

His apprehensions are true. Death tries to strike him again and again. But with his intelligence and proper planning he is able to outwit death each time. He finally survives in the movie.  The concept of the movie is quite fascinating.

But such things happen only in reel life and not in real life. In real life it is impossible to conquer death. The greatest conquerors in this world have failed to conquer death.

Death may come without any prior notice

During this Covid pandemic many of us have got this realization.  Many people whom I knew closely have died. In fact, they died helplessly. All the powerful governments of the world have terribly failed to save the life of the people. They have failed to save even themselves. Many influential political leaders have succumbed to Coronavirus. Everyone seems helpless.

Not just because of Coronavirus, people are also dying for other reasons. Or it would be correct to say for no reasons.  Sometimes death strikes without any prior notice, within few seconds life comes to an end.

Recently I had an experience that how life can end within few moments.  

The Devastating Day

It was just like any other day. I started my office work from home. Because of lockdown, I have been working from home for more than a year now.  The sky was clear. I opened the window for fresh air and got into my work. 

But soon by noon the sky got covered with thick clouds. It became completely dark. We had to switch on the lights. Soon there was thunderstorm accompanied with lightning. Thunderstorm is not uncommon in Kolkata. We have got used to it.

But that day it appeared as if the sky was too angry.  There were multiple layers of cloud in the sky, and they were all roaring. After every few seconds lightning was striking. I could see that many of it fell near our house.  

I was seeing the wrath of the nature from my window.  Soon the lights went off. Although it was middle of the day but the room was completely dark. Nothing could be seen. The security personnel did not immediately start the generator. Maybe they were afraid to go to the generator room.

My wife had put lunch plate at the altar and was about to offer food to Lord Krishna. She used mobile torch for light and kept it near the altar.

After offering the food, she went to the balcony. The sky was still roaring, and the lightning was falling from the sky again and again.

One such lightning it appeared fell very close to our apartment. My wife ran from the balcony. She said that she could experience the force of the lightning and it had made her numb for few seconds.

She said that it looks like these are the clouds of devastation. Something like sāṁvartaka cloud which Indra sent to destroy Vrindavan.  

Lethal lightning kills the kids

After few hours weather became normal. Next morning the maid who does not live too far from our apartment informed that two children – a boy and a girl – who were playing near her house got burnt alive due to lightning strike.  The maid was in shock because she knew the kids. They were brother and sister and were small. Seeing the rain, they ran outside to play. 

The children’s mother did not expect something terrible was to happen. She was watching her kids play as she used to do daily while doing her household chores.  But suddenly the lethal lightning fell upon the children.

Everything happened in few moments. Mother could not do anything. Nobody could have done anything. Her life fell apart.

It was the same lightning strike which had frightened me and my wife. It seems that the cloud of devastation had come to take the life of those two children.

In material world death is everywhere

Srimad Bhagavatam informs us that in this world there is danger at every step – padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām.

In Bhagavad Gita too Krishna clearly says that this material world is a place of misery – duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam.

Krishna also says that everyone in this material universe has to die.  No one can escape death. Here death is everywhere. Even if you and me go to the highest planet of this material world – Brahmaloka – still we won’t get freedom from death. Only in the spiritual world, the kingdom of Krishna, there is no death.

“From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.”  Bhagavad Gita 8.16

Death is too painful

It is true that as a soul we never die. We are eternal. But in this material world we are again and again forced to leave our current body and accept a new temporary body. That process is called death. And death is extremely painful.

When we die, we are forced to leave everything which we are attached to in this world.

We all have experience that when even a small thing which we are attached to is taken away from us, we feel so miserable.  We love our mobile phone, and we lose it, we feel so terrible.

If someone is attached to his house and he is forcibly evicted from the house, he is devastated.

A person had a beautiful house. I would see his house daily while going to school. It was a big bungalow painted in pink. Government decided to build a bridge over the Ganges connecting cities. As per the design made by the engineers the pillars of the bridge had to be laid down in the area where the pink bungalow was built.

That beautiful bungalow had to be demolished. The owner of the house was in shock. He opposed the move. He fought a legal battle in the court. But the court said that the bridge is going to serve the people, so let it be built. Let your house be demolished, take the compensation. When the municipal authorities came and started demolishing the house, the owner of the pink bungalow could not bear it. He got a massive heart attack and died. He was very much attached to his house.

At the time of death, one experiences pain of 42,000 scorpion bites

Just like we are attached to our house, we are also attached to our body. In fact, we identify ourselves with our body every moment.  As a soul, we reside in our body. This body is our home.  And one fine day we are asked to evict the body. How terrible we will feel?  We will be forced to leave our family members and friends. The thought of it makes us sick.

Death is not just painful physically but also emotionally.

To make us understand how painful death is, Garuda Purana says that at the time of death, a person experiences pain equivalent to 42,000 scorpion bites.

Bhagavad Gita says to escape death return back to the spiritual world

So, Vedic scriptures like Bhagavad Gita says that we should not be too attached to this world because this world is temporary and here death is everywhere. In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says that we should strive hard to return back to the spiritual world where there is no death and life is permanent.

“That which the Vedāntists describe as unmanifest and infallible, that which is known as the supreme destination, that place from which, having attained it, one never returns – that is My supreme abode.” Bhagavad Gita 8.21

Death is present only in this material world. And not in the spiritual world.  In the spiritual world no one dies because of Coronavirus or lightning strike.

So, Krishna wants us to return back to the spiritual world.

In Brihad-Bhagavatamrita, it is explained that Lord Krishna becomes so happy when Gopa kumara returns back to the spiritual world from this material world. While welcoming gopa kumara to the spiritual world Lord Krishna says, “In the material world you had to suffer so much because of heat, cloud, rain, thunderstorms and lightning. I am happy that you are back to my kingdom.”

This is why Bhagavad Gita says that if we want to escape death, we should return back to the spiritual world, the kingdom of Krishna.

Why do we worship Radha? To get love of Krishna.

Why do we worship Radha if Rukmini is the legally wedded wife of Krishna? Is it not better or moral to worship Rukmini and Krishna than Radha and Krishna?

Worshipping Rukmini is great, its wonderful, and we should do it. In fact, devotees do worship Rukmini Krishna and there are many temples which have the deity of Rukmini and Krishna.

But still the great saintly personalities revere the relationship between Radha and Krishna. The transcendental loving relationship between Radha and Krishna cannot be equalled in this world and not even in the spiritual world.

Is Radha and Krishna married?

Yes. Radha and Krishna are eternally married.  They are eternally one. Just like our parents are married before our birth, similarly Radha and Krishna are married since the dawn of creation. As our parents do not again marry to prove to us that they are married.

Similarly, our eternal parents – Radha and Krishna – do not have to marry again in this world to prove their marital status.  

But there is also a pastime which is quite famous in braj, Vrindavan, that Lord Brahma got Radha and Krishna married when they were performing their childhood pastimes in Vrindavan and Barsana.

Radha is the source of incarnation of goddesses of fortune

Krishna is the source of incarnations of Vishnu and Narayan who reside in various Vaikuntha planets. Similarly, Radha is the source of expansion of Krishna’s pleasure potency.

She is the source of all the gopis and also the source of goddess of fortune, Laksmidevi.

Wherever Krishna is, there is Radha. So, when Krishna is in Dwarka, Radha expands as Rukmini, the goddess of fortune, to serve Krishna and to give pleasure to Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada writes, “According to expert opinion, Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, is a subordinate expansion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. As Kṛṣṇa has numerous expansions of viṣṇu-mūrtis, so His pleasure potency, Rādhārāṇī, also has innumerable expansions of goddesses of fortune.”

Radha is very dear to Krishna

Krishna without Radharani is like sun without sunshine.  Krishna is the supreme enjoyer and Radharani is the source of that enjoyment.

There are millions of gopis in Goloka Vrindavan, the spiritual world. And all the gopis always serve Krishna and give joy to Krishna.  All the gopis are great devotees and they desperately desire to be with Krishna but Krishna longs to be with Radha.

And although the gopis want to be with Krishna but they get great pleasure when they see Radha and Krishna together.  

And Radharani, the best among all the gopis, wants to give Krishna to others. So, she happily allows the gopis to enjoy pastimes with Krishna.

In fact, if Srimati Radharani is pleased with our devotion then she will allow us also to participate in the eternal blissful pastimes of Goloka Vrindavan.

She wants us to be always with her in the spiritual world. She does not want anyone of us to suffer. In fact, if we cry for her help then she will quickly free us from all sufferings.

Radha saves a suffering soul in Vrindavan

Once in Vrindavan, some kids were harassing a jackal, they were chasing him with sticks and throwing rocks at him. And the Jackal running for his life entered into a hole in the ground. When the boys saw Jackal inside the hole they set fire around the hole. The heat was intolerable and the Jackal started screaming and crying.

Radharani was within the vicinity. When she heard the cry she asked Lalita Sakhi, her friend, to find out what was happening.  She said, “This is Vrajbhumi, my land, no one should be suffering here.”

Lalita Sakhi immediately went and saw boys giving trouble to the Jackal, she chased the boys away. She took the Jackal out from that hole, he was trembling in fear. The Jackal was brought to Radharani. He fell at her feet and she blessed the Jackal. She gave the Jackal the body of a gopi.

And this gopi became an associate of Radharani in the spiritual world. The Jackal’s sincere cry for mercy attracted the mercy of Srimati Radharani.

It is explained that the hole in which Jackal got confined represents the material existence.  The Jackal represents us, the living entities. The fire around the hole is the misery of material existence. The loud cry of Jackal represents our utter helplessness in this material world.

But like the Jackal if we cry for Radha’s mercy then she will surely free us from all miseries. She will give us her shelter and an opportunity to be with her and serve her in the land of Vraja where Krishna is the King and she is the queen.

Why worship of Radha is important?

To get freedom from material sufferings and to become dear to Krishna and attain love of Krishna, we should worship Radha.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura one of the most prominent Vaisnav acharyas underlines the importance of worshipping Radha in his book Gitavali. He writes, “radha-bhajane jadi mati nahi bhela/krsna-bhajana tava akarana gela – If your desire for the worship of Radha does not come about, then your so-called worship of Krsna is completely useless.”

Once when a person was worshiping Krishna at Radha Kunda and begging for Krishna’s mercy then Bhaktisiddhnata Saraswati Thakura immediately remarked, “We are worshippers of the servant of the servant of Srimati Radharani. This is the mood of all the followers of Rupa Goswami.”

We cannot attain Krishna without becoming a devotee of Radha. She is not like a demigod or demigoddess. She is greater than all the demigods of any material universe.

As Krishna is the supreme father of all living entities of all the universes, Radha, Krishna’s eternal consort, is the supreme mother of all the living entities of all the universes.

Pleasing mother is easier than pleasing father. Why? Because mothers are soft-hearted. Similarly, our eternal mother, Radharani’s heart is soft like butter. She can be easily pleased.  And we know that Krishna loves butter! 

So, if by our sincere devotion we attract Radharani’s attention, we will eventually get Krishna’s affection.

Bhaktivinod Thakura further writes in Gitavali, “If one considers oneself to be a humble maidservant of Radhika, then such a person very quickly meets the Lord of Gokula.”

The mysterious appearance of Srimati Radharani

Appearance of Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Krishna, is celebrated as Radhastami. As Krishna is the father of all, similarly Radharani is the mother of all living beings of the universes.

When Lord Krishna was to appear in this world, he requested Radharani to accompany him.

Radharani agreed but she had a condition. She wanted river Yamuna and Govardhan hill to also appear on earth. This was not a problem for Krishna. Yamuna and Govardhan were more than happy to appear on earth to assist Krishna and Radha in their pastimes.

Radharani also wanted to appear on earth because she always wants to be with Krishna. She cannot live without Krishna. And Krishna cannot live without her. So, she happily agreed.

Radharani appears in the house of Vrishbhanu Maharaj and Kiritida Devi in Barsana

She decided to appear in Barsana in the house of Vrishbhanu Maharaj and Kiritida Devi. Both these great souls had been performing austerities since many lifetimes to have the eternal consort of Krishna as their daughter.

Story behind appearance of Srimati Radharani on earth

Once Vrishbhanu Maharaj went to the river Yamuna and there he saw an extraordinary spectacle. In the river Yamuna a beautiful lotus flower of golden colour was floating.

And in the whorl of the flower was a little girl of golden complexion. 

She was extremely attractive. Just by seeing her Vrishbhanu Maharaj’s heart got overflooded with love.  He immediately picked the little girl in his arms. He felt deep bliss. His heart danced in joy. Just by looking at her, he forgot all his miseries and misfortunes. He considered himself to be the most fortunate person in the world. 

Vrishbhanu Maharaj looked around; he did not see anyone around.

He thought, “Who is she? Why she is all alone here?”

He waited and waited but no one turned up.

“How can I leave her alone here? It won’t be safe for her. What if no one comes for her? What if no one is there to look after her in this world?” These thoughts kept on troubling him.

After waiting for a long period of time, he decided to take the girl to his house.

He felt that it is the will of the providence that she becomes his daughter. It is a gift of God to him.

Kiritida Devi and Vrishbhanu Maharaj, the proud mother and father of Srimati Radharani

Kiritida Devi, his wife, was so happy to see the baby girl.  Both Vrishbhanu Maharaj and Kiritida Devi desperately wanted a child and for this they had been praying to the Lord continuously.

And today by divine arrangement a goddess had appeared in their life as their daughter. Kiritida Devi and Vrishbhanu Maharaj became the proud mother and father of the little girl who was Srimati Radharani.  

Vrishbhanu Maharaj and Kiritida Devi were the king and queen of Barsana. Little Radha became the princess of Barsana.

Little Radha’s eyes are closed, she does not even cry  

But they observed a unique thing in the baby. Her eyes always remained closed. She did not cry, and it seemed she could not even hear.

Both the parents became sad. But their sadness would disappear as soon as they would see the face of little Radha.  Tiny little Radha had stolen their hearts. They would do their best to take care of the baby. And would pray to the Lord to give her vision and speech.

Celestial sage Narada meets Radha

Meanwhile Lord Krishna had already appeared in the house of Nanda Maharaj. Sage Narada had played an important role in ensuring that Lord Krishna appears as soon as possible. The revered sage knew that if Krishna has appeared then Radharani will also appear somewhere near Vrindavan.

To take darshan of Srimati Radharani, sage Narada would go to different houses to find if any new baby girl has taken birth. He would see the child to find out if she is Radharani.

One day he came to the house of Vrishbhanu Maharaj and asked the same question. Since the child was not in a normal condition so Vrishbhanu Maharaj used to be reluctant to show the child to others. But they could not refuse sage Narada.

He took him to a room where Srimati Radharani as a baby girl was playing in her cradle. 

As soon as Narada saw the baby girl he recognized her. She was Radharani. He was overwhelmed with joy.

Somehow, he controlled his emotions. He wanted to offer prayers to Radharani. But he could not do it in front of her father. He knew that Radharani would not like to reveal her identity to her father and mother.

So, he requested Vrishbhanu Maharaj to leave him alone with the child so that he could say some prayers for the benefit of the child.

Vrishbhanu Maharaj left and Narada Muni began offering his prayers to her.

Radharani blesses saga Narada

Srimati Radharani was extremely pleased to see sage Narada. She appeared in her youth (kishori) form which is very rare to see.  Narada Muni saw the most beautiful form of Srimati Radharani, the mother of entire creation. He was so ecstatic. He could not control his emotions. Overwhelmed with spiritual delight he fainted.

Srimati Radharani brought him back to his external consciousness. She asked the sage if he wanted any benediction. Narada was still stunned at his great fortune. He kept on offering his prayers to Radharani again and again. Today all his desires were fulfilled. What else could he have asked from her? He sought blessings from Radha. Singing and dancing in joy, he left the house of Vrishbhanu Maharaj.

Meanwhile Radharani again took the form of the little girl.

Vrishbhanu Maharaj and Kirtida Devi did not know what transpired between the sage and their little princess. Both were praying that their child opens her eyes and start playing like other children of Barsana.

Krishna and Radharani meets for the first time

After the appearance, Srimati Radharani was desperate to meet Krishna. Krishna too longed to meet Radha. But they were not getting an opportunity to see each other.

Once Vrishbhanu Maharaj invited Nanda Maharaj who was his friend to his house with all the family members. Krishna also came. At that time Krishna had not even started walking, he used to just crawl. Krishna was waiting for the opportunity to see Radha. He knew his Radha would be waiting for her.

When the elders of the family got busy, he secretly crawled to the room of Radharani.

He caught hold of the cradle in which his most beloved princess was lying. Holding the cradle with his hand, little Krishna stood up.

Radharani opens her eyes for the first time to see Krishna

Radha felt the presence of Krishna. She slowly opened her little beautiful eyes. She was waiting for this moment from the day she appeared on earth. As soon as she appeared she had closed her eyes because she had a desire that when she opens her eyes for the first time, Krishna should be in front of her. And now Krishna was before her.

They both looked into each other’s eyes. Their hearts were flooded with deep emotions. Words were not sufficient to express their love for each other. Radharani, the princess of Barsana, could not control her tears. She was not able to control herself anymore. Little Radha cried. She cried for Krishna. She was asking Krishna why he came so late. Krishna did not say anything. He did not want to say anything. Krishna just stood stunned looking at Radha. He just wanted to live in that moment forever.

Kirtida and Vrishbhanu’s eyes are filled with tears of joy when they see that Radha’s eyes can see

Cry of little Radha reverberated in the palace of Vrishbhanu Maharaj. Everyone quickly rushed inside the room of Radha.

Little Radharani was restless in her cradle. Her eyes were open. Little Krishna was standing in front of Radha.

Kirtida, the most fortunate mother of Srimati Radharani, and Vrishbhanu Maharaj, the blessed father of Srimati Radharani, also could not control their tears.

Their eyes are filled with tears of joy when they see that Radha’s eyes can see. Mother Kirtida immediately picked Radha in her arms and embraced her.

Mother and father just looked into the little beautiful eyes of their beautiful daughter and experienced immense joy.

It was time for celebration in Barsana and Vrindavan.

Radharani had started seeing, speaking and hearing. She was so happy because she saw Krishna. And little Krishna after seeing Radha was so blissful.

Story about the appearance of Srimati Radharani in Barsana has been described in Puranas.

Barsana, the blessed land – the birthplace of Srimati Radharani

The land of Barsana became blessed because of the appearance of Srimati Radharani. Radharani played, sang and danced in the holy city of Barsana with her cowherd friends.

The residents of Barsana became fortunate because every moment they got an opportunity to see Radharani and to be with Radharani. They were greater than the mystic yogis because they got association of Radharani.

And it is impossible to describe the fortune of Kirtida Devi and Vrishbhanu Maharaj, the mother and father of Srimati Radharani.  We can just bow our head at their lotus feet and beg for their mercy.

Let us aspire to bathe in the sacred dust of Barsana which had the fortune to embrace the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Krishna.

A Memorable Vrindavan Kartik yatra led by Radhanath Swami

Vrindavan Kartik yatra led by HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj in 2019 is one of my most memorable yatras to Vrindavan.

Vrindavan is one of the holiest places of spiritual India. People in large numbers come here especially in the month of Kartik to practice pure devotion to Krishna so that they can attain Krishna and perfect their life.

In spiritual India people still pursue spiritual goals

Just turn the pages of the history of India and you will come across the life stories of scores of eminent men and women who had all the means to enjoy their material life, but they willingly gave it up to pursue their spiritual goals.  They weren’t satisfied just to satisfy the demands of their mind, senses and body.  Animals do the same thing.

Their conscience would constantly nudge them to look something which was not material and not ephemeral. They were searching for happiness which was not contaminated with pains and suffering. They were looking for love which was utterly pure, not mixed with lust.

These spiritual seekers would either go to the forest or to the places of pilgrimage where they would intensely practice devotion to the Supreme Lord.  Before embarking on their spiritual journey, they would distribute all their wealth among their family members and for themselves they generally kept some meagre amount. 

Their departure would mostly be a sombre moment because they and their family members knew well that this could be the last time, they are seeing each other.  In absence of mobile phones, internet and other means of communications it was not possible to be in touch with the family members or get their audience in emergency.  But their quest for spiritual enlightenment were so strong that they were willing to tolerate all difficulties and challenges.

This tradition, of visiting to the holy places in search for the Supreme truth, still continues in India even in this age of Kali Yuga. In spite of material advancement, in spiritual India people still pursue spiritual goals.

Human life is to seek higher spiritual truth

The scriptures describe Kali Yuga as the age of downfall because in this age, the eternal spiritual beings living in this mortal world by their own choice unfortunately become less interested in pursuing spiritual goals and become more interested in pursuing material goals.

But it seems that Kali yuga is at its nascent stage, it is just 5000 years old, and so still we find innumerable people who have taste for spiritual life.

And so, if we go to any holy places, we find thousands of people there.  When we live with the people who are gross materialists or are heavily influenced by the modern media, we start believing that life is meant just for sensual gratification. It appears as if this is what everyone else is doing and this is what we are also supposed to do.

But that is not true. There are still people intelligent enough to understand that this precious human birth should not be wasted for carnal pleasure but should be utilized to seek the higher truth.

Iskcon Chowpaty organizes Vrindavan Kartik Yatra under the leadership of HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj

I can say this because recently I had an opportunity to be in the company of thousands of such devotees who had congregated in Vrindavan to sincerely practice devotion to the Supreme Lord.  All were in Vrindavan as part of Kartik Yatra which was organized by Iskcon Chowpaty, Mumbai under the leadership of HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj. 

There were around 7000 devotees who had registered for the yatra. And there were few thousand others who too had joined but due to some unavoidable reasons had not registered for the yatra.

Glories of Vrindavan Dham

Vrindavan isn’t an ordinary place. It is the place where Krishna appeared. Scriptures and the learned scholars have declared unequivocally that Krishna is the Supreme Lord. Although externally it may appear just as any other city or town but if anyone spends some time in Vrindavan he will for sure fall in love with Krishna.

Here not just the Vrajvasis, the fortunate residents of Vrindavan, but even the dust particles constantly and joyfully sing the names and glories of Krishna. Vrindavan is Krishna’s home. It is Radharani’s home.

And we are told that this is also our home. A child lives where his parents live. And Krishna and Radharani are our father and mother, so we too belong to Vrindavan.

And knowing this to be the ultimate truth millions visit this holy place to revive their lost relationship with Krishna so that they can again get an opportunity to live in the kingdom of Krishna where there is no anxiety, no frustration, no enemies, no suffering, no disease and no death. In Vrindavan one lives forever in bliss in the company of Krishna.

And to attain that bliss thousands of devotees had come to Vrindavan in Kartik Yatra from different parts of India and from different parts of the world.

The month was Kartik which is described as the holiest month of the year, the place was Vrindavan which is the best of the holy places in entire universe and so none of the sincere devotees wanted to waste even a single moment. 

Daily routine during Vrindavan Kartik Yatra

The day used to begin before sunrise. At 4:30 am devotees would rush to Krishna Balarama temple to participate in morning arati (mangala arati) and to take darshan of the beautiful deities of Lord Krishna, Srimati Radharani, Balarama and Gaur Nitai.

Immediately after the arati everyone would hurriedly go to Iskcon Goshala, which was the venue for the program, for breakfast. The breakfast would start at around 6 in the morning because devotees had to leave early to visit many holy places in Vrindavan.

For far off places several buses were arranged which would leave at around 7 am. And for the places which were near to the venue, Iskcon Goshala, devotees would go by walk performing sankirtan.  

If thousands of devotees would have visited the same place at the same time it would have over crowded the place and would have created chaos. So the devotees were divided into different groups. Each group was named after the eight principle sakhis (astaskahis) of Krishna – Lalita, Vishaka, Indulekha, Sudevi etc. Different groups would visit different places each day.

At each of the places a senior devotee would explain the significance and the pastimes associated with that place.  By afternoon everyone would return to the venue so that no one misses the lunch.

One of the much-awaited programs was the evening class of Radhanath Swami Maharaj which would begin at around 5 pm.  Thousands of devotees with rapt attention would hear him. And Maharaj would effortlessly take us to the journey of Vrindavan narrating many sweet pastimes of Krishna.  

During the kirtan in the night everyone would immerse themselves in the divine sound of Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Everyone would sing, and everyone would dance not for themselves but for Krishna’s pleasure.

Govardhan Parikrama in Kartik month

And in Vrindavan how can one miss to do the parikrama (circumambulation) of the famous Govardhan Hill.  One of the most famous life stories of Krishna is his lifting the Govardhan hill on his little finger for 7 days to save the Vrajbasis from the wrath of Indra. On the last day of the yatra we went for parikrama.

Thousands of us converged at Govardhan early morning. But we weren’t the only ones there were several other lovers of Krishna who too had come for the same purpose.

The entire parikrama is around 21 km and takes around 6 – 7 hours to complete. But if one also visits the many sacred places enroute to parikrama then it takes more time. 

We were very fortunate to do Govardhan Parikrama during the auspicious month of Kartik.

A memorable and blissful experience in Vrindavan

The bliss which we experience in devotion to Krishna cannot be described in words. It is million times more than the happiness which we get by satisfying the demands of body and senses. 

This is the reason why people since ages have been visiting holy places . And in the holy places too they like to live in the association of devotees.  In the association of devotees, we learn how to subdue our lower nature and learn the art of living a happy Krishna Conscious life.

Thousands of devotees from all over the world came together, chanted together, sang together, danced together, ate together and prayed together. This can be possible only when we keep Krishna in the centre of our life.

Under the spiritual guidance of HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj, my spiritual master, Vrindavan Kartik Yatra was memorable and blissful.

We were able to absorb ourselves in chanting the names of Krishna, hearing Krishna’s beautiful pastimes and relishing Krishna prasadam(spiritual food).

Such an experience I would cherish throughout my life. And when again an opportunity comes to be part of such yatra, I will surely go for it.

Thanks to HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj for giving me such a divine experience.

Know the six glories of Hare Krishna Mahamantra

In Sri Siksastakam, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu describes the glories of Hare Krishna Mahamantra which frees us from sufferings & gives us bliss.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu propagated the sankirtan movement in 15^th century.  Sankirtan means congregational chanting of the holy name of Krishna i.e. the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.  Holy name of Krishna can be chanted publicly or individually, the benefit is the same.

In the first verse of Sri Siksastakam, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu talks about the glories of performing śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam i.e. chanting the names of Krishna – the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

Sri Siksastakam Verse 1

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ

śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam

ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ

sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

“Glory to the sri-krsna-sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.”

Let us discuss in detail the six glories of the holy name of Krishna i.e. the Hare Krishna Mahamantra from the first verse of Sri Siksastakam.

1. Cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years

Dust of lust, greed, pride, anger, envy, illusion and false ego pollutes our heart and keeps us away from Krishna. It is because of these impurities that we suffer in this world. Unless we purify our heart of these contaminations, we won’t be able to lead a pure life of peace and bliss. There is no material pill in this world which can cure this disease of our heart.   By our own efforts it is almost impossible. 

But when we chant the holy names of Krishna then Krishna who is supremely pure purifies our heart of all the dust which is accumulated in our hearts for years. When sun shines darkness flees. Similarly, when Krishna’s name illuminates our hearts the vices which is polluting our hearts just disappears.

Sun is so powerful that it even cleanses the filthy places and remains unaffected. Krishna who is the source of the sun cleanses all the impurities from our hearts and remains completely pure.

In fact, we become pure like him when we remain under the shelter of his holy names.

2. Extinguishes the fire of conditional life of repeated birth and death

You do not want to die. I do not want to die. Ask a 90 year old person, he too does not want to die. We all fear death. We try our best not to die but the cruel laws of material nature do not allow us to live forever.

As long as we are in this material world we will have to die again and again and be born again and again. This is how this material world functions.  

Krishna confirms this in Bhagavad Gita 8.16, “From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place.” But Krishna does not stop here. He further says in the same verse to Arjuna that “But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.”  

So, if you and I do not want to die then we have to go to the abode of Krishna, the spiritual world.  Chanting the holy names of Krishna cleanses our hearts, helps to develop and deepen relationship with Krishna and ultimately helps us to attain kingdom of Krishna.

In that spiritual kingdom no one has to die again and again and be born again and again. So, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is saying that chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra extinguishes the fire of conditional life of repeated birth and death.

3. Holy name is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon

We struggle hard for existence in this world. Our efforts to lead a happy and peaceful life again and again gets defeated.  It leads to frustration and lamentation. Life’s uncertainty leads to fear. And fear causes stress and anxiety.

It appears as if we are caught in the midst of a forest fire. We find ourselves helpless and gradually become hopeless.

To save the humanity from this precarious situation the holy name of Krishna appeared.  The holy name is like the soothing rays of the full moon. It calms our restless mind, pacifies our agitated heart and brings hope in our life.

So Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says, “It is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon.”

When Krishna plays flute in Vrindavan all the brajvasis spontaneously get mesmerized by the mystical music. Similarly, the holy name of Krishna which is non-different from Krishna automatically captivates the hearts of the suffering soul and fills their heart with transcendental melody. Holy name is a great benediction for us, we should be grateful to the holy name.

4. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge

The purpose of Vedas is to know Krishna. Krishna says, “By all the Vedas, I am to be known.” Bhagavad Gita 15.15. The final conclusion of all Vedic scriptures is that we are parts and parcel of Krishna. We are spirit souls currently in a material body made of bone and flesh. Our real identity is that we are spiritual beings and are meant to live with Krishna in Krishna’s kingdom.

In this material world because of material impurities our knowledge gets covered and we forget our relationship with Krishna. When we chant the holy name of Krishna then layers of material coverings gets removed and the ray of transcendental knowledge enlightens us. It reveals to us our real identity. We begin to realize that we belong to Krishna.

That is the ultimate goal of all transcendental knowledge. Holy name helps us to achieve that coveted goal. So, holy name is the life of all transcendental knowledge.

5. Holy name increases the ocean of transcendental bliss

As soon as we move closer to Krishna by chanting his names, we start experiencing drops of bliss pouring in our hearts.

Every being has been trying his best to enjoy the life of bliss in this world. But the material nature is not capable to satiate our heart.  As the water of the ocean cannot quench our thirst, similarly things of this ephemeral world cannot bring joy to our heart. We are spiritual beings, so our soul longs for transcendental pleasures and not worldly pleasures.

Krishna is the source of all transcendental pleasures.  When we connect to Krishna by chanting his names, Krishna who is ever eager to grace us with all happiness begins showering transcendental joy upon us.    The more we become serious in our spiritual life, the more we become eager to chant the names of Krishna, our bliss too begins increasing.  

We soon start floating in the ocean of transcendental bliss and start experiencing unlimited joy.

6. Holy name enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious

The holy name is as sweet as sugar candy. Better to say sweeter than the sugar candy.

The holy name is full of nectar and has appeared to fill our life with nectar.

Due to ignorance, we may fail to comprehend the immense potency and purity of the holy name of Krishna. But once we get attached to the holy name, we forget all our misfortunes and just want to chant the names of Krishna. In fact, our misfortunes lose its relevance because it gets driven away by the holy name.

We delight in tasting the name of Krishna which is full of nectar.

Srila Rupa Goswami was so captivated by the holy name that he used to pray to the holy name to give him millions of mouths and millions of ears so that he could chant millions of times the holy name and hear it millions of times.

The holy name is the ambrosia for all sufferings. It helps us to taste the nectar for which we are always anxious and it bestows upon us complete perfection.

Conclusion

The glories of holy name discussed above should inspire us to chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. It will make our life auspicious. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabbhu an incarnation of Krishna appeared in this world to make us understand the benefits of chanting the holy name of Krishna. So, we should take shelter of the holy name by regularly and sincerely chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

How to worship Lord Jagannath at home and be blessed?

If you worship Lord Jagannath at home with love and devotion, then Lord Jagannath will shower his blessings upon you.  

In Jagannath Puri temple and in Iskcon temples, Lord Jagannath along with his brother Lord Baladeva and little sister Subhadra Devi is worshipped reverentially. Thanks to Iskcon, today Lord Jagannath is worshipped all over the world. Many non-Indians have got attracted to Lord Jagannath and come to the temple to worship him.

But it is not that to worship Lord Jagannath, you always have to go to temple. Its great if you can regularly visit Lord Jagannath temples. But Lord Jagannath can be worshipped at home also along with his brother and sister.  Even if you love to go to temple still you should worship Lord Jagannath at home.  

But can everyone worship Lord Jagannath at home? Or only some are eligible to worship the Lord. Let us see.

Who can worship Lord Jagannath at home?

Anyone who has a desire to worship Lord Jagannath can worship him at home.  One does not need to be a brahmana to worship the Lord. One does not need to be a male to worship the Lord. And one does not need to be a Hindu to worship the Lord. 

Men and women, young and old, Hindus and non-Hindus all are qualified to worship Lord Jagannath.  You and me and everyone in this entire universe are children of Lord Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe. So, each one of us are qualified to worship him.

The only qualification required to worship the Lord is love and intense longing to serve him.

So, if you are a lover of Lord Jagannath and have a burning desire to worship him then read further to know how you can worship him at home.

To worship Lord Jagannath at home, get a beautiful deity or picture of Jagannath  

This is the first requirement. You should get a beautiful deity of Lord Jagannath. You can buy wooden deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva and Subhadra Devi.  If you visit Jagannath Puri then you can get one such deity. In many Iskcon temples wooden deity of Lord Jagannath with his brother and sister is also available.  

If not wooden deity, then you can have picture of Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva and Subhadra Devi and get it nicely framed. Best is to use that picture of Lord Jagannath which is being worshipped in the temple as per the guidelines of the scriptures. 

We can have picture of Lord Jagannath of Jagannath Puri temple. Or else we can have pictures of Lord Jagannath from Iskcon temples. At many Iskcon temples Lord Jagannath is wonderfully worshiped. You just see the deity of Lord Jagannath worshipped in Iskcon temples and you can see how Lord Jagannath has a big smile on his face. 

Wooden deities or picture of Lord Jagannath can also be bought online.

Please note that Lord Jagannath is mostly worshipped along with brother Baladeva, sister Subhadra and Sudharshan Chakra. Whenever you will see a picture or deity of Jagannath, you will always see him along with his brother, sister and Sudharshan Chakra.

Make a beautiful and big altar for Lord Jagannath

Get a beautiful altar for Jagannath. The altar should not be just beautiful, but it should be big too.

Why we need a big altar? Because the Lord should be easily visible to our eyes.

Sometimes people have small picture of Jagannath, and they keep it in a cupboard or locker in their house. Once in the morning they open the cupboard or locker, offer some puja items to the Lord and then close the cupboard.  This is not the right attitude.

Do not confine Lord to some corner of the house. In fact, in your house, Lord Jagannath should occupy a prominent place.

In some house there is special puja room where deities or picture of the Lord is kept.  That is also good.

But I feel it is better to have a large altar for the Lord in our living room.

What is the benefit of having the altar in the living room?

One does not have to go to any corner of the house to see the Lord.  All the family members daily come to the living room so everyone will see the Lord daily. Not just daily but many times in the day people in the house can have darshan (divine vision) of the Lord.

While leaving the house for work, you will see the Lord.  As soon as you will enter the house, you will see the Lord.  You will always feel the presence of the Lord in your house. The Lord will become the centre of your life.

Not just that when guests visit your house, they can also have darshan of the Lord and will feel blessed.

Having Lord in the living room in a big altar will keep on reminding you that your house belongs to Lord Jagannath. He is the owner of the house. And he has given you an opportunity to stay in the house. For this you should always be grateful to Jagannath.

Our house should become a temple of Lord Jagannath

It does not matter whether our house is big or small, in our house Lord Jagannath should be the centre and should occupy a prominent place.

What if you are a student staying in hostel?

If you are a student staying in a hostel, then you can still have framed picture of Lord Jagannath on your study table.  When I was in hostel, I had made a small altar on my study table and would worship the Lord.   Now with the blessing of Lord Jagannath, I have big altar in the living room for Lord Jagannath who fulfils everyone’s desire.

Follow below steps to worship Lord Jagannath at home

Worshipping Lord Jagannath is simple. It can be easily learned. Lord Jagannath is worshipped along with Lord Baladeva, Subhadra Devi and Sudharshan Chakra.

Following sacred items are required for worship.

1. Achamanam cup having water. Put some Ganges water into the cup.
2. Incense sticks
3. Ghee lamp (Diya)
4. Conch filled with water. Use non blowing conch. Put some Ganges water and if possible rose water in the conch.
5. Cloth of the size of handkerchief
6. Flowers. Do no use hibiscus flower. Better to use flowers having fragrance.  
7. Chamara (Yak tail fan)
8. Peacock fan
9. Bell
10. Small pot to collect water after bathing the Lord.

Before starting the worship of the Lord purify your hand with water from the achamanam cup.

Note: When you are worshipping the Lord, hold the bell in your left hand and keep it ringing while you are worshipping.

Let us see how to worship Lord Jagannath with the sacred items.

1) Worshipping the Lord with incense

Light the incense sticks and move it around the entire body of Lord Jagannath for 7 times in clockwise direction. After that show the incense to Lord Baladeva by moving the incense 7 times around the body of Lord Baladeva in clockwise direction. Follow the same approach to worship Subhadra Devi and then Sudharshan Chakra.  

It is good to have 3 incense sticks at least. If we can have more like 5 or 7 then great.

2) Worshipping the Lord with ghee lamp (Diya)

First show the lamp to the lotus feet of Lord Jagannath by moving it around the feet of the Lord for four times in clockwise direction.  We then show the lamp to the belly of Jagannath. For that move the lamp in clockwise direction two times around the belly of the Lord. We then move the lamp in clockwise direction three times around the head of Jagannath. At the end, we move the lamp in clockwise direction seven times around the entire body of Jagannath.

After worshipping Jagananth with ghee lamp as explained above, worship Lord Baladeva using the same ghee lamp.  The approach will be exactly similar. First worship the feet of Baladeva by moving the lamp four times in clockwise direction, then worship belly by moving the lamp around the belly  two times, then move the lamp around the head for three times and then around the entire body for seven times.  

After worshipping Baladeva with ghee lamp, worship Subhadra Devi followed by Sudarshan Chakra.

The lamp should be offered slowly and with love.  

After worshipping with ghee lamp is completed, the family members can purify themselves by accepting the offered lamp. They can put both the palms above the flame of the sacred lamp and touch their forehead and eyes. 

3) Bathing Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladeva, Subhadra Devi and Sudarshan Chakra

Take the conch filled with water and move it three times on top of Lord Jagannath’s head in clockwise direction and then move the conch seven times around the body of the Lord in clockwise direction.

After that pour small quantity of water from the conch into the small pot.

After that bathe Lord Baladeva using the same conch with remaining water. Move the conch around Baladeva’s head three times in clockwise direction and then seven times around his body in clockwise direction. Again, remove little water from the conch by pouring it into the same pot in which you had poured after bathing Jagannath.

Follow same approach to bathe Subhadra Devi and Sudharshan Chakra.

Use non blowing conch to bathe the Lord. 

Sprinkle the sacred water collected in small pot after bathing the Lords on your family members body and on yourself.

4) Drying the Lord with the cloth

After the 3 deities and Sudharshan Chakra have taken bath, they also have to be dried. Take a small cloth of the size of a handkerchief and move it around the entire body of Jagannath for seven times.  Use the same cloth and move it around the body of Baladeva seven times. Do it in similar way for Subhadra Devi and Sudharshan Chakra.

5) Offering flowers to Lord Jagannath

Move the flower plate seven times around the body of Jagannath in clockwise direction. Similarly move the flower plate around the body of Baladeva seven times in clockwise direction followed by Subhadra Devi and Sudharshan Chakra.

After this take few flowers from the plate and put it on the lotus feet of Jagannath, Baladeva, Subhadra Devi and also Sudharshan Chakra.

6) Fanning the Lord using chamara (yak tail fan)

Fan the Lord using chamara (yak tail fan) by moving it up and down so that the entire body of Jagannath is fanned. Do it for seven times. After that fan Baladeva for seven times followed by Subhadra Devi and Sudharshan Chakra.  If time permits you can fan the Lords for more number of times and not just seven times.

7) Fanning the Lord using peacock fan

Just like you fanned the Lord using chamara, similarly fan the Lord using peacock fan. Fan the entire body of Lord Jagannath for seven times followed by Lord Baladeva, Subhadra Devi and Sudharshan Chakra. As mentioned above if you have time then fan the Lord for more number of times.

While worshiping sing kirtan  

While you are worshipping the Lord you can sing Hare Krishna kirtan. If your family members are also participating they can also sing along with you. They can play cymbals and mridangam. To play mridangam one needs some practice.  But generally, everyone can play cymbals.

Since Lord Jagannath and Lord Krishna is same, so you can sing Hare Krishna kirtan.

Along with that you can chant prayers specifically for Lord Jagannath –

jagannāthaḥ svāmī nayana-patha-gāmī bhavatu me

If you know Jagannathastakam prayer of Sankaracarya then you can sing that too. Its lyrics and tunes are little difficult but with practice you can get used to it.

What should be the mood while worshipping Lord Jagannath at home?

Our mood should be to offer our love to Lord Jagannath. We should offer each item to the Lord with utmost care and with devotion while worshipping. Worship is not just a ritual; it is a means by which we connect to the Lord and invite him to reside in our house and in our hearts.

We should not try to complete the worship in a hurry.  Those who are participating in the worship of Lord Jagannath at home should also be attentive and sincere. It should not happen that they are busy with their mobiles or are looking here and there. The person who is worshipping Lord Jagannath and those who are participating get equal benefit.

If you worship Lord Jagannath at home with love, care and attention daily, your house will become a sacred house. And in that sacred home, you and your family members will always live happily.

Do you know the size of your soul?

You know the size of your physical body, but do you know the size of your soul? Is it too big or too small?  

Vedic scriptures like the Svetasvatara Upanisad, Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad and Chaitanya Charitamrita explains the size of the soul.

What the Vedic scriptures say about the size of the soul?

Svetasvatara Upanisad (5.9) says the following things about the size of the soul:

“When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the dimension of the spirit soul.”

Chaitanya Charitamrita also says the same thing about the size of the soul.

keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya
śatāṁśa-sadṛśātmakaḥ
jivaḥ sūkṣma-svarūpo ’yaṁ
saṅkhyātīto hi cit-kaṇaḥ

“ ‘If we divide the tip of a hair into a hundred parts and then take one of these parts and divide it again into a hundred parts, that very fine division is the size of but one of the numberless living entities. They are all cit-kaṇa, particles of spirit, not matter.’ Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya 19.140

Let us see what Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad says about the size of the spirit soul.

eṣo ’ṇur ātmā cetasā veditavyo
yasmin prāṇaḥ pañcadhā saṁviveśa
prāṇaiś cittaṁ sarvam otaṁ prajānāṁ
yasmin viśuddhe vibhavaty eṣa ātmā

“The soul is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect intelligence. This atomic soul is floating in the five kinds of air (prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, samāna and udāna), is situated within the heart, and spreads its influence all over the body of the embodied living entities. When the soul is purified from the contamination of the five kinds of material air, its spiritual influence is exhibited.” Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (3.1.9)

So, all the above three scriptures say the same thing about the size of the soul.

As per these scriptures, the size of the soul is one ten – thousandth (1/10,000) part of the tip of your hair.

Size of the soul is same in all the living entity of this material world

Size of the soul is same in every living entity. Whether it is the ant’s body, or elephant’s body, or your body, or mine body the dimension of the soul, the spiritual spark, is the same.

It means that if you take the tip of your hair and cut it into ten – thousand parts then one of the extremely tiny parts is the actual size of the soul.

Where does the soul reside?

Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad explains that the soul which is atomic in size resides within the heart.

Bhagavad Gita says that soul is invisible and inconceivable

Although too small within the body, soul is extraordinarily powerful. Soul cannot be seen with material eyes nor through any material means.

In Bhagavad Gita 2.25, Krishna says that soul is invisible (avyaktaḥ) to our material eyes.  You can stand in front of the mirror and can see your physical self but not your soul. A doctor can open your body and see many things inside it, but not your soul.   A very powerful microscope which can see extremely small objects also cannot see the soul. Why?

Because soul is spiritual and not material. This is why Krishna describes the soul as inconceivable (acintyaḥ). Unless we become completely pure, we cannot see the soul.

But we can experience the presence of the soul in our body.

How to perceive the soul in your physical body?

You can perceive the soul in your body through consciousness. Soul is the source and cause of consciousness. The emotions which you and I experience and the pleasures and pains which we go through in our life is because of consciousness.  If there is no consciousness in the body, it means the body is dead. Which in turn means that the soul has left the body. 

The body lying on the deathbed may have everything – eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands, leg, heart, lungs, kidneys, bones, flesh and so on. Physically the body is complete. But still, it is dead. Because the soul has left the body, so the body cannot function.

Soul is the active principle in our body. It gives energy to the body. Soul never dies. Soul can stay inside the body only for a limited period of time which is allotted to him by God. When the time ends, the soul has to leave the body. And then it has to look for another body in this material world.

Based on his karma it gets a new body and a new destination. If the karma is good soul gets higher birth, even goes to higher planets in this material universe. If the karma is bad, then soul has to suffer. Soul even gets an animal body which is full of misery if it has committed many sins.

Is the size of the soul always one ten – thousandth (1/10,000) part of the tip of the hair?

No. In this material world as long as the soul occupies a material body, its size is one ten – thousandth (1/10,000) part of the tip of the hair. But once the soul regains its original spiritual nature then it has its own spiritual form and size which is not one ten – thousandth (1/10,000) part of the tip of the hair.

Within the material body, the soul is present in seed (bija) form. But it is not that the soul is always extremely small. One should also not conclude that soul does not have any form or soul means some kind of light.

Soul is spiritual. It has spiritual attributes. It has its own spiritual identity and form(sarupa).  But in this material world because of material coverings and contamination, the soul is not able to exhibit its spiritual attributes.

In this material world, to function, soul is given a material body and the soul resides within the physical body in a seed form. Soul gets a specific material body to reside based on its karma and desire. Till the time soul has material desires, it continues getting new physical bodies.

Soul regains its spiritual form once it becomes pure

But once the soul becomes free from all material desires, it does not need any physical body. It regains its original spiritual form.

For example, sage Narada is pure, is free from all material contaminations, so his body is spiritual and not material. He does not need any physical body to function. Similarly, the gopis and gopas of the spiritual world, Goloka Vrindavan, are all pure and does not have material bodies. They have spiritual bodies.

So, if the soul becomes pure then like sage Narada or gopis or gopas, the soul will regain its spiritual form. Once the soul will have spiritual personality then it will start exhibiting spiritual qualities.

As a spiritual person, the soul will return back to the spiritual world. There as one of the associates of the Supreme Lord, the soul will reside along with other pure devotees of the Lord.

As a spiritual person, the size of the soul is as per the form(svarupa) in which it serves the Lord in the spiritual world.

Conclusion

• Size of the soul in the material body is one ten – thousandth (1/10,000) part of the tip of the hair. This is confirmed in Svetasvatara Upanisad, Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad and Chaitanya Charitamrita
• Soul resides in the heart of the body according to Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad.
• Soul is spiritual but the soul within the physical body has material coverings, so it is not able to exhibit spiritual qualities.
• Once the soul becomes pure it regains its spiritual form or spiritual personality.  
• As a spiritual person the soul’s size is not one ten – thousandth (1/10,000) part of the tip of the hair. But its size is as per the form (svarupa) in which it serves the Lord in the spiritual world like Goloka Vrindavan.