Conversations from India

Srila Prabhupada thought if he could get some of the Westerners to become devotees of Krishna, the Indians would then realize the importance of the spiritual culture they had given up.

Srila Prabhupada thought if he could get some of the Westerners to become devotees of Krishna, the Indians would then realize the importance of the spiritual culture they had given up.

With this issue, we mark the beginning of the tenth year that BACK TO GODHEAD is being published in the West. It is unique because it is devoted to Krishna.
I have thought of entering a temple and becoming a full-time devotee, but there is one major question in my mind in regard to Krishna consciousness. I feel as though woman is regarded as lesser than man within Krishna consciousness.

When people see a picture like the one you see here, they often ask, “Who is that girl with Krishna?” The answer is that She is Srimati Radharani, Krishna’s pleasure potency.
Perhaps I misunderstand you, but I feel saddened when it appears to me that you espouse Krishna consciousness as the only path to the realization of God and, moreso, when you denounce as less worthy other philosophies which in fact differ only in aspect and reach the same ultimate goal.

There are two kinds of living beings in the creation—the divine and demonic. A demon need not be a huge monster with ten heads, nor a red fiend with a pitchfork. In fact, the demons who live among us generally appear quite ordinary.

I’m in a peaceful little village, seventy kilometers north of Pondicherry. But while I write, trying my best to concentrate, the villagers we’re staying with have gathered in the next room—to watch the cinema, on television.

Traveling north from Kanya-kumari, in a few days we come to the village of Tirukkurungudi, once visited by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu nearly five hundred years ago.

Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya tested the transcendental condition of Lord Caitanya in the light of authentic scriptures. He checked His pulse, heartbeat, stomach movements, etc., and found that His bodily functions were all in complete suspension.

The soul is like a sleeping man. When a man sleeps at night, he forgets his real life to wander in a world of dreams. As a sleeping man can be called back to consciousness when he hears the sound of his name, so the dormant spirit soul is stirred to transcendental life by the vibration of the name Krsna.