Vedic Views on Western Thinkers Carl Jung (1875 -1961) Swiss psychologist Carl Jung sought a way out of the ocean of material suffering. Yet he felt, “I had to make do with my own truth……” (A discussion with His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.) Hayagriva dasa: Jung gave the following criticism of Sigmund Freud: […]
How many times have we recently been asked, “Who will succeed Srila Prabhupada as the spiritual leader of the Hare Krsna movement?” And how often have we been confronted with the ominous inquiry, “Will the Hare Krsna movement be able to survive without His Divine Grace?”
If you visit the town of Puri on the Bay of Bengal, you will find, amid palm trees and small houses, a stone shrine marking the place where the great saint Haridasa Thakura sat alone or with a devotee companion and worshiped Krsna.
I can’t bear to think you are no longer here, But when I do I feel your hand upon me And your voice guiding me, as in the night the moon, Lights the wanderer’s way.
As long as all of his disciples constantly look to his instructions and remain faithful, there will not be any chaos. But if they look away from or neglect the teachings of their spiritual master, or if they fail to follow them, then there will be chaos.
Wherever Srila Prabhupada went, on fourteen journeys around the globe, he constantly spread the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, and when he finally departed he was surrounded by disciples from around the world, loudly chanting these names of God he had given them.
Although we do not want unhappiness, by our dealings we create enemies, and there is fighting and war. This forest fire of material existence goes on perpetually, and the authorized person who can deliver you from this fire is called guru, the spiritual master.
Srila Prabhupada has circled the globe thirteen times to talk on Krishna consciousness with disciples, reporters, professors, and public officials. What follows is a sampling of highlights from Srila Prabhupada’s tour of America this summer.
If I throw a handful of stones into the water, the circles they make will overlap and clash. But if I could throw the stones all at one center point, the circles would never clash. If we find the perfect center, we’ll have perfect harmony.
My dear Dhruva because you are not born of my womb you do not deserve to sit on the king’s lap, nor on the royal throne. If you desire the throne, you must first satisfy Krishna by severe austerities.
As Emerson said, “It is natural to believe in great men.” And in his book, The Hero, American Style, Marshall William Fishwick remarks that “people are ineffective without leaders.”
“I can remember being a young man, a boy, a baby. What was I before that—what will I be next?” Mike Robinson of London Broadcasting Company interviews Srila Prabhupada.
Anyone can chant the Hare Krishna mantra, anytime, anywhere. The main thing is to listen closely to the sound. Whether you sing it or say it, alone or with others, the Hare Krishna chant brings about joyful spiritual awareness.
You have to surrender to the guru, but not blindly or sentimentally. First you should study him carefully to find out whether he has the qualifications spelled out in the Vedic literature.
Srila Prabhupada you are fulfilling Lord Gauranga’s wish. Without discrimination you distribute the contents of the storehouse of transcendental love.
If you want to be cheated, you will find cheating gurus. But if you are sincere, you will find a sincere guru. The genuine guru is God’s representative, and he speaks about God and nothing else.
ISKCON devotees chant Hare Krishna in New York City in 1976.
Devotees chanting Hare Krishna in New York’s Central Park.
The special design of the Hare Krishna chant makes it easy to repeat and pleasant to hear. Spoken or sung, by yourself or in a group, Hare Krishna invariably produces a joyful state of spiritual awareness—Krishna consciousness.