‘Thirty Five Years In Mayapur’, Jananivas Prabhu, Pune Yatra, 27 January 2007

Jananivas prabhu sharing his realizations on Mayapur and Devotional Service at the Pune Yatra, Mofatlal Bungalow, January 2007

Jananivas prabhu spoke on thirty-five years of service in Mayapur, the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya. He said, ‘Ganga was right on our doorstep.’ Prior to his coming to Mayapur, he had attended the Gaura Purnima (Appearance Day of Lord Chaitanya) in Calcutta. Jananivas just wanted to be absorbed in devotional service. The pujari (priest of the Deity) in Mayapur left, and he had to do everything. He thought he was just going to spend two years as pujari Maypur…but twenty years passed. Jananivas, ‘If we engage ourselves in devotional service, we become timeless.’ ‘Everything goes by’ wherever devotional service is going on. The essence of Sri Mayapur Dhama and the essence of the Appearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Devotional Service. Our project is to build a spiritual city in Mayapur. This was predicted by Lord Nityananda in Navadvipa Mahatmya. Lord Nityananda’s exact words were that service to Lord Chaitanya will spreacd all over the world from this Temple in Mayapur. And the main service He has given is nama-seva, the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The chanting of the Holy Names of Krishna can be done anywhere, anytime and by anyone.

What is the best thing you can do for others? Birth, death, disease and old age are solved by chanting. The body is only a symptom of the problem. Therefore, hospitals and schools etc. cannot solve the problem (of the body). This is the simple method Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has given to solve the problems of life. Our business is ‘to give others what we have been given.’ Srila Prabhupada (the founder of the Hare Krishna Movement) has set up ISKCON for people to take to this simple process…and give it to others. Anyone can go back to Godhead if they follow this process according to their capacity.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is not considering our disqualification, He’s offering, He’s giving it freely – we just have to accept it. If we think we need siddhis, to go back to Godhead, we’ll get them. Krishna says, ‘as you surrender unto Me, I reward you accordignly.’ Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s not seeing that. He’s seeing, ‘Here’s an eternal servant’. We simply have to accept the yuga-avatara’s (incarnation of God for this modern age, the Age of Kali) ‘wonderful gift’. Srila Prabhupada said, ‘The process is simple. But I didn’t say it was easy.’

Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya noted that it was not mentioned in the Vedas. As a result of this, he hit his head against the wall. Just accept the service of Lord Chaitanya. It’s not written in the Vedas. It is freely given.

In the Siksastakam (the 8 prayers written by Lord Chaitanya), it is stated: You can show Your affection for Me, or, You may never show Your affection. So, whatever Your situation, Lord, I am still Your enternal servant. Please accept me.

When Prabhupada wanted Harikesh to preach in Russia, Harikesh said, ‘They eat only meat in Russia.’ Prabhupada responded, ‘Then eat meat.’ Harikesh retorted, ‘What about my consciousness?’ Prabhpuada replied, ‘To hell with your consciousness! Go and preach!’ This is the message of Pancha Tattva. This is the message of Mayapur. Nothing else can counteract the Age of Kali. Only Krishna Himself. But He has come – as His Holy Name.

‘This is the only thing they need – and you’ve got it!’ If you have this conviction, then you can have compassion for other living entities.

‘Radhanath Maharaja has got me out of my resting place. Go, and preach!’

 

Restoration Of The Icon

In his essay Real and Apparent, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur makes the following cogent remarks on the hypocrisy of impersonalist who denounce Deity worship:

‘The worship practised by avowed or covert impersonalists and abstractionists is in principle indistinguishable from oppostion to worship itself under a hypothetical concern for the preservation of its purity. The fury against idolatry often masks this sentiment of inveterate hostility to the very principle of worship’

He caps this off beautifully by saying:

‘The prayers of impersonalists offend the Lord more than the denunciations of His avowed enemies’

 

The Greatest Gift Is A Gift Of Love

‘Who is more fond than You of giving, or of serving even at a cost to Yourself, when there is someone open to receive? May it please Your Majesty that I render You some service and that I not have to render an accounting for all that I have received’

St. Teresa of Avila, Foundations 2.7

 

Update – October 2 to October 11 2009

While Bhakta Arne is saturating himself in bliss in Sri Vrindavan Dhama, MCD and G-Man (Gaura Sakti Das) are holding the fort here in Rosebank. We are still cooking up a storm with ‘Krishna’s Vedic Emporium’ foodstalls at the Killarney Mall Organic Market on Thursdays and The Wholefood Market at Blu Bird (Atholl Oaklands) on Sundays. Actually, we held a stall at Blu Bird today and Yelena, the wife of Branco, who sometimes fetches me from the airport, bought a Bhagavad-gita and took a whole lot of pamphlets on Krishna Consciousness. Another lady, Corinne, bought a Spiritual Warrior IV by Bhakti Tirtha Swami and another took a Higher Taste.

Prema Kishore prabhu led us on our third regular Harinam though the streets of Melville last Friday (see www.vediccity.co.za for details). I rounded off our very successful Cooking Course on Saturday with Pizza, Khichari, salad and salad dressing. We sponsored the chef, Joseph, from St James (a vegetarian school) and the headmaster wrote a letter praising Joseph’s new cooking skills. I realized that what we take for granted, in this case our training as chefs, is of great value to others. That evening we cut vegetables for Sunday’s market. On Sunday we sold Prashadam at Blu Bird again and held our weekly Sunday programme. It was very encouraging for me to have Gaura Das and some of his friends at the programme. Another friend, Marcelle, arrived just as the guests were leaving. Gaura Shakti showed her some basic mridanga beats, then she sat and chanted a round of the maha-mantra with us. Oh…and we also gave her some chickpea fudge (which she’d had before).

Monday. We teamed up with Nandarani – who was in the Temple with me in Cape Town – at the University of Johannesburg Bhakti Yoga Society (BYS) from 12-2:30pm. We taught the students how to chant on beads last time. This time we held a basic cooking demo: Simply Wonderfuls and Nimbu Pani. The demo went well. Prema Sarovara Mataji’s friend, Grace, bought a Bhagavad-gita. Seven students bought chanting beads at the previous session. That they took beads was a very positive sign from the point-of-view of chanting. They told me at this session that the chanting was really helping them find peace and happiness. I returned to the flat, took a brief nap, then Gaura Shakti and I went to Dwarakadish prabhu’s place for the Marlboro Namahatta. It was humbling to be with such hospitable and respectful devotees.

Tuesday. Market and shopping for the stalls in Fordsburg. We dropped in at “Cater Commercial” to pick up some kitchen utensils kindly sponsored by Bhakta Rakesh and his family. We got in at around 4pm. Gaura Das came in the evening for a Mantra Meditation Session. He brought some of his friends and people he’d met on book distribution – Lebohang, Matthew, Claudia and Mortaza. I delivered 30 pieces of Laddhu (Chickpea Fudge) to a juice-bar in Woodmead on Wednesday morning, rushed back to the flat, then gave a talk on ‘Jyotish And Its Relevance To Spirituality’ (Jyotish is Indian Astrology) at the Wits BYS at from 1-3pm. I bought some slop-chips at “Kara Nicha’s” before trundling back home, back to Pancha Tattva. That night Gaura Das invited us over to his mom’s place for supper (in honour of his wife Jamuna’s birthday). I still had to cut veg for Thursday’s stall when we got back to the flat. Thursday means Killarney Mall Organic Food Market. Self-explanatory. Mother Prema Shakti came to the stall and informed me that there was a GAD (Gauteng Administration and Development) Sub-Committee meeting about Education at her flat with Keshava Krishna prabhu and some other devotees. The meeting touched on various important areas of education – for children, youth and adults. Another late night. Friday, I went on Sankirtan at the airport and Eastgate. Saturday, Sankirtan at Menlyn. Sunday, Blu Bird and Sunday programme.

Tonight we read from Bhagavad-gita and then chanted Damodarastakam Prayers. This week has been quite a busy one, compounded by Arne’s absence. (All the guests left with Chickpea Fudge). We are offering lamps every night to Lord Damodara and chanting the Damodarastakam. Kartik is a month of mercy. May the Lord be kind upon us.

Your servants at the Vedic City Project.

 

Pizza, Salad, Salad Dressing and Avocado Milkshake

PIZZA (Preparation time 40min, makes two trays of pizza, 6-8 people)

1. The Base

Ingredients: 3-4 cups cake flour, 3/4 packet instant yeast, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 cup hot water, 1tbsp sugar, 1/4 cup amasi/buttermilk/yoghurt, 2tbsp fennel seeds and 1tsp salt

Pre-heat oven at 230C while preparing the base.

(i) Mix flour, fennel seeds, salt and yeast.
(ii) Mix hot water, sugar and olive oil.
(iii) Add wet mix to dry mix, until consistent.
(iv) Knead pizza dough for about five minutes, adding more water or flour if necessary.
(v) Roll out into two bases. Place into greased trays, and place in oven until bases are light brown (about 20 mins).

2. Tomato Puree

Ingredients: 6-8 tomatoes (jam tomatoes are the best) or canned tomato puree, two cups finely chopped fresh basil, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1tbsp thyme, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1tsp salt, 1tbsp black pepper and 1tsp hing/asafoetida.

Method:

(i) Place pot with two cups of water on high heat. Place colander on top. Fill colander with tomatoes once water is boiling. Cover with a lid, and steam.
(ii) Remove tomatoes when skins burst (10 mins). Allow to cool.
(iii) When tomatoes are cooled, puree in blender or crush with potato masher.
(iv) Place pureed tomatoes in small pot and bring to boil on medium-heat.
(v) Add other ingredients. Cook for 15 minutes or until thick. Remove.

3. Toppings

Ingredients: 3 peppers, 2 medium brinjals, 3 tomatoes, 500g mozzarella cheeze and 1 cup olives.

Method:

(i) Cut peppers into cubes or thin strips.
(ii) Cut brinjal into thin slices and deep fry in oil on high heat.
(iii) Cut tomatoes into thin slices.
(iv) Cut olives in half.
(iv) Grate mozzarella (or combination of gouda and cheddar or gouda and tasser’s cheeze).

4. Final Preparation

(i) Brush tomato puree onto 3/4 baked bases.
(ii) Sprinkle cheeze over puree.
(iii) Place tomatoes, olives, green peppers and olives over cheeze.
(iv) Sprinkle salt and black pepper over toppings.
(v) Place in oven at 230C. Bake for 10 mins or until cheeze is fully melted.
(vi) Remove from oven (at this stage you can add avocado).
(vii) Allow to cool for five minutes and cut into slices.

GREEN SALAD AND SALAD DRESSING (Preparation time: 5 mins/serves 10)

1. Salad

Make a green salad out of the following ingredients: 1 lettuce, three tomatoes, 2 green peppers, 2 medium carrots, 1 cup finely cut fennel and 1/3 cucumber. Cut vegetables to your suiting, but leave lettuce and tomatoes aside (as they make the salad soggy otherwise).

2. Dressing

Ingredients: 1 avocado, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup amasi/yoghurt, 1 squeezed lemon, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 cup water 2tsp hing, 1tsp salt, 1/4 cup honey and 1tbs cumin and/or coriander powder.

Method:

Blend ingredients together in blender

AVOCADO SHAKE (Preparation time: 5min/ Serves 4)

Ingredients: 2 ripe avocados, 385g condensed milk (tin), 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar.

Method:

(i) Boil water and sugar together until it makes a sticky syrup.
(ii) Add syrup to avocados and condensed milk, and blend.

 

Six Questions By The Sages (Of Naimisaranya)

What is the absolute, ultimate good for everyone?

The ultimate good for everyone is pure love of God achieved by constantly hearing about, glorifying, remembering and worshiping the Personality of Godhead.

What is the essence of all scriptures?

The essence of all scriptures is to please Lord Krishna by all one’s activities.

Why did Lord Krishna appear Himself?

Lord Krishna appeared in order to attract the living entities to His original form and pastimes, so that the living entities may go to his own abode, called Goloka Dhama.

Please decribe the pastimes of Lord Krishna

The Lord appeared as the son of Devaki. He was nourished in the house of Nanda Maharaja. He killed many demons like Putana and Kamsa. He took the side of the Pandavas and enabled them to win in the Mahabharata war.

Please tell us the purpose of the ten best-known incarnations

1 – To save the Vedas – the Fish Incarnation
2 – To uphold the Mandar Mountain – the Tortoise incarnation
3 – To lift the earth – the Boar incarnation
4 – To kill Hiranyakasipu – the Half-man/Half-lion incarnation
5 – To show mercy to Bali Maharaja – the Dwarf incarnation
6 – To kill the sinful kings – Parashurama
7 – To kill Ravana – Lord Rama
8 – To kill the demons like Dvivida – Lord Balarama
9 – To stop animal sacrifice – Lord Buddha
10 – To kill the plunderers – Lord Kalki

Where has religion taken shelter now that Krishna has left this world?

Religious principles have taken shelter of the Shrimad Bhagavata Purana

 

Morally Divide (From Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Nectar Of Devotion, 29 January 1973, Calcutta, India)

In this lecture, Prabhupada speaks of how a group of thieves had stolen something and were dividing the spoils amongst themselves. He refers to how they were going to ‘morally divide’ their booty. Then he gave an example of the United Nations: ‘The association of the “honest men”. All plunderers, rogues, thieves and they have made association: United Nations.’

This also reminds me of a quote I gleaned from The Path Of Perfection: ‘A society of thieves cannot be happy, because they have no aim in life.’

 

Haridas Thakur’s Quality Of Forbearance

From the brahminical point-of-view, Haridas Thakur came from a family of untouchables. He was Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s nama-acarya (the leader in the process of self-realization for this age, Mantra Meditation), even though he was born into a pious muslim family.

The muslims, however, rejected him because of his practice of Vaishnavism; and the Hindus, especially the caste-conscious brahmanas, considered him to be an untouchable muslim.

Haridas Thakur was living in Phuliya-gram, near Sri Advaita prabhu. He was chanting a minimum of 300,000 names of Krishna every day. Haridas was experiencing ecstatic symptoms. Aside from chanting, he would explain the glories of the Holy Name to others. Because he was an embodiment of what he preached, he transformed the hearts of the people he met – muslims, Hindus and atheists. They all became Vaishnavas.

The Kazi became very envious of Haridas. He went to the Governor and said, ‘This rascal, he’s ruining our culture. So many of our distinguished muslims are becoming untouchable Hindus by his influence. He must be punished immediately! The Kazi ordered for his arrest. Haridas was happy to go to the Governor. He simply chanted as he was brought to the Governor’s residence.

On the way to the Governor’s residence, they passed a prison. The prisoners were eager to see Haridas Thakur because they were all very pious and religious people. They had been arrested, imprisoned and tortured on account of their religious beliefs. They begged the guards to allow them to see Haridas. They were so eager to see Haridas and, by seeing him, felt love of God. They experienced ecstasy as they offered prayers to Haridas.

Haridas smiled and said, ‘I offer you this benediction: May you always remain as you are.’ The prisoners were disappointed. A prisoner wants to get out of prison. Haridas said, ‘I see you are very disappointed. But look at you. You are seeing Krishna’s devotee and you are offering prayers. This is your benediction that you are entreating a devotee. In a few days you will be free from this prison, but please follow these instructions wherever you may be and in whatever circumstances you may find yourselves: associate with devotees; avoid the association of materialistic people who are not engaged in devotional service to Krishna; come together and speak about Krishna, hear about Krishna, always chant the name of Krishna, remember Krishna, never forget Krishna; and keep Krishna’s name on your mouth. In this way you will attain the goal of your life. They had only a moment’s association with Haridas Thakur.

Haridas then entered the chambers of the Governor. The Governor’s heart melted on seeing Haridas’s kind demeanour. He said, ‘My dear sir, you’re a respectable gentleman from the Islamic faith. You come from a family in the highest position of society. Why? Why is it that you are living like a low class untouchable, dirty, filthy Hindu? In what scripture does it say that by abandoning you own religion and accepting that of another you will know God?’

Haridas laughed loudly, in front of the Governor and Kazi, ‘Just see the power of Vishnu’s Maya! Ha ha ha.’ Then he turned to the Governor and Kazi and said, ‘There is only one God and every living being is the child of that God. The Puranas describe that one God, the Holy Q’Uran describes that one God. There may be many different names, there may be different rituals, there may be different ideals. All the scirptures of the world are declaring the supremacy of that on Supreme Lord who is all-pervading, who is the controller of all material and spiritual worlds, who is invincible and who is all-merciful. The Lord invests within a particular persons’s heart a particular mode of worship adn that devotee will naturally worship the Lord accordingly. The Lord has instilled within my heart devotion to Krishna and the chanting of Krishna’s names and there is nothing I can do to stop that. So, my request is this: that if a Hindu brahmana were to convert to become a muslim, that punishment that the brahmanas give to that person, you should give me.’

The words of Haridas actually charmed the heart of the Governor. He said, ‘What you are speaking is very learned and true.’ He said, ‘If you just preach from your own scripture, we will give you all facility. But if you preach from this other scripture, there is nothing I can do. Look at the Kazi, he is a powerful man!’ Haridas Thakur said, ‘I have no concern if you kill me, but I can never give up the chanting of the Holy Names of Krishna. If you like, you may cut my body into hundreds and thousands of pieces, but through it all, I will continue to chant the Holy Names.’

The Governor didn’t know what to do. He looked at the Kazi, and said: ‘What do you want me to do with this animal!?!’ The Kazi said, ‘Kill him. Not an easy death. Beat him through 22 market places of the city…until his life ends….’

The Governor summoned big, huge executioners. They dragged Haridas Thakur. They pulled him by the hair and began to beat him and beat him and beat him. There only desire in life was to murder this innocent man. The common people were enraged by this injustice. Some fell at the feet of the executioners and prayed, ‘I will give you all my wealth, everything I own, if you stop beating this man.’ Others said, ‘Beat me instead! Let me die in his place.’ They continued beating Haridas. The people of Phuliya wept in anguish, ‘Our whole civilization is going to be vanquished due to the offence against this innocent man.’ The executioners blasphemed Haridas with harsh words and beat him with sticks through all 22 market-places, dragging him along.

The executioners were exhausted at the end of the day. They couldn’t even move their arms anymore. They said, ‘Haridas, are you a human being? What is this! No man has ever lived through two or three market-places. Maximum. In history! We have beaten you in all 22 market-places! And not only are you alive, but every now and then you are smiling at us and didn’t even appear that you are in pain! It seems that you felt sorry for us! We don’t know what to do because if we are not able to kill you, the Kazi will have us killed.’

Haridas Thakur smiled, ‘If my bein alive is of some difficulty for you, then you watch and see what I shall do.’ Then he sat down on the ground and all symptoms of life disappeared – no pulse or heart-beat or life-breath. The executioners went and through Haridas at the doorway of the governor. The governor said they should bury him. The Kazi, however, objected, ‘No. No burial. Burying is the way that a proper Muslim’s body is disposed of. If he’s buried, he’ll go to paradise!’ Then some people said, ‘Just burn him like a Hindu!’ Then some brahmanas came and said, ‘No. You can’t burn an untouchable!’ So, what to do. No-one wanted his body. Eventually, the Kazi said, ‘Throw him in the river like a piece of trash. Let him suffer forever.’

The executioners took Haridas’s body to the river. When they were about to pick him up, however, his body became heavier than the earth – he was so filled with Krishna because of his constant chanting, he became as heavy as Krishna (who is heavier than the heaviest). Again, they struggled. All of a sudden, Haridas became light, and they threw him in the Ganges. He floated on the surface for some time, then sank under the water and disappeared. Later, he came back to consciousness. He returned to Phuliya-grama

The executioners fell at his feet, and surrendered. Then the Governor came and offered him obeisances and gifts and asked forgiveness, ‘Please forgive me! Now I know you are a real saint, a genuine lover of God.’ Then the Kazi came and surrendered to Haridas, begging forgiveness.

After this scene, Haridas went and met some brahmanas. They wanted to know why he was tortured so. What did he do? Haridas said, ‘I heard them blaspheme Krishna’s name. I heard them balspheme Krishna and His devotees. Because that sound vibration entered through my ears, I deserve a reaction millions of times worse than the reation I got being beaten in 22 market-places.’ This is how sensitive Haridas Thakur was to hearing an offence to Krishna, His devotees and the Holy Name.

(Taken from a lecure by His Holiness Radhanath Maharaja on Haridas Thakur’s quality of forbearance, given at Pune in 2001)

 

What Do I Do?

A friend of mine, Emina, asked me, ‘What do you do?’ I don’t know why, but I had to think about it for a while (I am fairly busy believe it or not). ‘What did you do today?’, she asked. An easier question. I didn’t have to think. ‘I went to the market to buy vegetables and other goods for our food stalls’, I said. ‘Oh, and I was uploading pictures from my camera to my hard-drive.’

‘What do you do to become happy?’ I pondered this question a while, then gave my answer, ‘Well, I chant Hare Krishna.’ But then I thought that was not a complete answer. ‘Before I became a devotee I used to drink and smoke. And I had radical mood swings. But I stopped that after some time and I also became a vegetarian. Since then I stopped having mood swings. And the chanting also helps, of course’. I proceeded to tell her a story from my book distribution days in Cape Town. The one day I was distributing books in St. George’s Mall. It was a cold winter’s day. I wasn’t feeling that great. In fact, I thought I must have looked miserable. Then a person came up to me and said, ‘You look so happy!’ When I got back to the Temple I reflected on the day’s occurrences and realized that although I had not been in a particularly joyful mood, I was happier than most of the people around me. The gauge for this happiness was my former tendency to manic-depression and not a sense of smugness or superiority.

So what have I been up to? Well, on Thursday we had our vegetarian food stall at the Killarney Fine Food Market, which I helped set up with Arne from 9-10:30am, and I went out distributing spiritual literatures with Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu from 10:30-4:45pm. Friday, after two hours of chanting, I also sold books and raised funds at Sandton City, 10:30am to 5pm. On Saturday we went to the Yoga Camp at Zoo Lake and conducted a little Harinama Sankirtan (processional chanting with traditional musical instruments) from 9:30-11:30am, with Lerato doing firedancing and Poobal playing sax. Gaura Shakti and I taught our third session of our Vegetarian Cooking course from 12-3pm the same day. In the evening, I cooked kichari. Rupa and I took kichari with nkomasi (a kind of yoghurt), lemon and rotis. Sunday was Blu Bird Wholefood Market, prashadam distribution, followed by a simple Sunday Programme at the Vedic City project. Rupa and I went out on Sakirtan again, this time to Clear Water Mall. We took some AFB’s and made our way back to Krishna’s Vedic City. Rupa spoke, and the last of our guests left by around 7pm.

Monday, giving out kichari to my friends at David Krut, admin and a talk at the University of Johannesburg 11am-2pm. The talk was very nice as there was a good turnout of intelligent, spiritually inquiring youth. We then chatted with the devotee students and Nandarani, at Nandarani’s office. I bought some soya burgers and we had burgers and salad, and a cold drink. Went on facebook for a while and posted some e-mails. This morning we chanted from 5:30 for two hours, performed some worship and conducted a little class (this is our routine when we don’t have markets). I made some important calls and went online to see if there was any news of the consignment of books I ordered from America and received a call from Steve Newman, the accomplished guitarist and fellow yogi (we are going to have lunch at the ashram on Friday). I went to the market at 9:45 with Gaura Shakti, returned around 1pm, mooched around the hood a bit, went online, uploaded photos, chatted to Emina and now I am finishing this blog. Hare Krishna.

 

Prodigals And Favourites

‘The secret of success in understanding the intricacies of knowledge of the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is the causeless mercy of the Lord. Even in the material world, the father of many sons discloses the secret of his position to the pet sons. The father discloses the confidence unto the son whom he thinks worthy. An important man in the social order can be known by his mercy only. Similarly, one must be very dear to the Lord in order to know the Lord’

(His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.32 purport)

Krishna does not envy any living entity. If that is the case, then why does Krishna appear to have favourites? Prabhupada gives the analogy of a king. A king takes care of all the citizens, but has very familiar and loving dealings with his own family members. Similarly, Krishna loves and takes care of all living beings, but has an intimate relationship with His devotee. The potential for that sweet, intimate relationship of love, with Krishna, is there for all living beings. In the Bible it is said: God helps those who help themselves. Jesus Christ also explained this situation in his parable, ‘The Prodigal Son.’ The son (or living entity) could live in foreign lands with swine and prostitutes (the material world); or return to his father’s estate (the Kingdom of God) and be part of the family again.