Finding Krishna in Detroit 1969

                  Finding Krishna in Detroit 1969

                                                 from Mahananda dasa

ALACHUA, FLORIDA — Hare Krsna. Please accept my humble obeisances. Twenty years ago I started to write about my coming to Krsna consciousness in 1969. I don't generally like to write about myself, but if it will help others who might relate to the experience, then I will take the chance. Please forgive me for this indulgence.

Of course, some may also relish hearing something more about my beloved wife Hladini, whom many knew and loved, and who gave her life in Krsna's service in Liberia, Africa back in 1990. I will dedicate this effort to share our experience in her memory.

In 1969, before meeting the devotees, I was living in Detroit with my young wife Linda (later to be initiated with me as Hladini dd). At that time our lives were full of miseries and I had taken up the practice of reading different books of Zen, Taoism, and Eastern religion, in the hopes that somehow I would find some answers to my many questions. Most of the books didn't seem to help much. Then in a bookstore I found this paperback book about Krishna called The Wisdom of God.

I had never before in my life heard of Krsna or Hare Krsna nor had I ever seen a Krsna devotee, probably, because there weren't too many temples then--about 11 only.

Anyway, this book turned out to be about Krsna and was the 12 cantos of the Srimad Bhagavatam, condensed. While Linda slept, I read from this book with rapt attention every night and one night I read that one must surrender to Krsna to be happy or to find peace, or whatever.                                                            

Somehow, this stuck in my mind. At this particular time in my life, I was really suffering mentally -- all the drugs and dysfunctional turmoil in my life. I was crying and practically crawling the walls late at night because of extreme anxiety and distress in my life. Though I had a young and beautiful wife, a job and plenty of friends, I was extremely miserable.

This one particular night the pain and distress became so unbearable and I was completely at the "end on my rope." My life was a huge mess and failure and I had nowhere to turn. I knew something was over for me and I couldn't go on like this another moment.

                                                                                                                   

Just when I though I was about to fall down forever into a deep dark hole, I remembered those words that I had read in that book and I prayed with all my heart for Krsna to take me. I thought "Krsna take me, I surrender, whatever that means, I'm yours. I cant go on."

I soon fell asleep for the night and the next day I went downtown with Linda to work for Monkey Boutique, making leather sandals in a street fair on a main street in Detroit.

I probably had forgotten about the night before but apparently Krsna had not. Suddenly, I heard the name of Krsna being sung by Bhagavan das and his wife, coming down the street. He had on jeans, no shirt, held a guitar, and still had long hair because he was in Medical school at Wayne State University (besides having a Krsna program at his house).

This sound went straight to my soul, and my heart was immediately aroused. Bhagavan das's wife pushed her stroller over in my direction and handed me an invitation to come to their apartment and find out more about this wonderful chanting of Hare Krishna.

The next day I went to their apartment/temple right after work and was peeking in the window when Sadanandini came out and dragged me inside. They sat me down and gave me some wonderful food and stuck the newly published blue Macmillan Bhagavad-Gita in my hand.

Everything seemed perfect. The philosophy was exhilarating. The people seemed like family, and the food--wow! I felt like I was home. They also realized that I belonged there, without a doubt, and told me to go home and get my stuff and come back and live forever at the lotus feet of Krsna.

Home I went to try to tell Linda that I was going to change my life drastically. I informed her that I was going on Friday to live with these new people that I had found, and I hoped that she would agree .  Of course I wasnt going anywhere without Linda, the absolute love of my life,but my life had changed. It was crazy,until that week I had never heard of Krsna and here I was planning to give up everything and go live with them.

But I had no choice. There would never be anything for me in the world and besides, I had been at the brink of annihilation just a few nights before, and somehow, Krsna had actually saved me.

Somehow or other I persuaded her to go (or dragged her). But she agreed. So we crammed everything we could in the back of a U-Haul trailer and off we went down John Lodge Freeway, leaving everything else behind. Linda Lee had not even been to the temple yet or ever met any devotees or had ever heard of Krsna before a few days ago  from me. But still she was going with me.

So there we were, 50 miles an hour, rushing towards our destiny. Suddenly, the back doors of the trailer flew open and everything we owned went flying out, distributed along two miles of expressway--beds, clothing, wedding albums, fishing rods, and everything. After that everything is a blank in my memory, but somehow we made it to the temple, and laid our lives in sacrifice at the feet of Srila Prabhupada.

So there we were on Forest Ave in Detroit. The first thing that happened to us was that we were able to stop all drinking, smoking and drugs-- instantly!! Somehow we were released from the bondage. Of course, twice the first week I had to go out on the back porch and have one last embrace with my dear old friend, Marlboro, before we parted company for good.

There were three bedrooms in the house with big beds in them and we were given one, while Bhagavan das and Jagadisa lived in the other two with their wives, Krishna Bhamani dd and Laxmimoniji.

I was dead serious about leaving my carnal life behind and giving my entire life to devotional service. Every day I would renew my determination to surrender fully, and every day I would experience the presence of a well-wishing, supernatural force helping me.

Each time I would pray fervently to be engaged more in devotional activities, Krsna would act in such a way as to reveal Himself more and more and I would be convinced again that He was there behind the scenes helping me.

                                               

Every day Hladini (her new name she got a few months later!) and I would go out on the streets of downtown Detroit and for 6 hours or more, march in double lines past Macy's and Nathan's Hot Dogs, singing our hearts out with the single hope of helping to inject that sound into the hearts of all the suffering people that surrounded us.

Sometimes we would go a few hours in the morning then back to the temple for lunch then out again for the entire afternoon of marching and singing. Hladini and others would walk along and offer the Back to Godhead magazines for 25 cents only. That would be the most you could usually get in 1969, but back then we were so humble and grateful to be able to do this service that it seemed like enough.

I remember one day Bhagavan, Hladini, and I, and practically the entire temple--maybe 15 of us--went out for the whole day and chanted and tried to collect lots of money because we needed to buy groceries for the Sunday feast.

When we got back to the temple we had this huge (?) bag with all of our collections for the entire day in it. When we counted it the grand total was $35. We were in bliss. Krsna had really blessed us! People who are relatively new to the movement will find this particularly amusing ... because nowadays I understand there are super-refined collectors who are quite capable of getting people all day to donate money and then come back to the temples with hundreds of dollars in one day.

I have never learned how to do this myself and actually in 40 years, I have never even "done" an airport. In the early days of the Krsna Consciousness movement, while Prabhupada was still here, my dear Hladini and I were so young and grateful to Krsna for our new lives that we approached people with a straw in our teeth and very humbly asked them could they please give a small donation to help increase our movement.

We were so happy then. Each and every time you saw another devotee you were flat on the ground offering your obeisances and then you jumped up and hugged your godbrother whom you truly loved. Also in the early days you were always chanting 24 hours a day practically. If you were not doing something else that required you to talk about your service or some verse in the Bhagavad Gita or some pastime about Krsna that you had just read, you were chanting like a madman.

Your eyes were closed tight and you had your finger of your other hand in your ear so that you could hear your own voice better (try in, it works). If you were standing in the prasadam line waiting, you never talked about who married who, or whatever--you chanted. You knew that Maya was waiting very attentively for you to let your guard down for a moment and as soon as you were slack, she would rush in and fill in the void that was left when you stopped chanting and began to fill your mind with all kinds of disturbances that were due to your very recently having left a life of only material activities.

You knew that Krsna was like a light and Maya was like darkness. As soon as the light of Krsna was turned off (you stopped chanting) then the darkness rushed in. Try it tonight. Go in the bathroom and turn on the light and then turn it off again and watch how quickly darkness will rush in. It was the same with Krsna and Maya. So you kept chanting.

                                                                                                       

Also, there was reading. I was particularly attached to reading Srila Prabhupada's books. I was so hungry for real knowledge, that every day I would hide somewhere or sneak off to the park so that I could read for hours. Then at night, Bhagavan and I would fight about the philosophy. So many doubts would come up in my mind and I would use poor Bhagavan to challenge the philosophy when those doubts would arise.                                                                             

                                                                                                             

I was thankful that he was such a qualified devotee and had a will and determination like iron, so that he would each time dispel my doubts and each time I would dive back into devotional service with renewed determination.

Hladini devi dasi and Lord Jagganatha

Usually after our debate and while everyone slept, he and I would still have many rounds to chant so that we would have to walk up and down the hallway softly chanting-- sometimes for an hour or two or more--until all of our rounds were completed.

So, Hladini and I passed our days in Detroit going out every day chanting, and asking people to please join in with us. If they couldn't join us, we would explain how they could chant at home......." Put aside a small amount of time each day (better if it's at the same time each day) where you can be alone and sit down with the sole determination to just chant and listen. You don't have to think about anything or adjust your mind in any way."

"The potency is just in the hearing," we would tell them...."The better you hear attentively, the better the effect will be. Just listen to each sound and syllable and when your mind wanders to other things (trust me on this one--it will) just gently bring your focus back to the sound. Maybe a half hour each day to start and be determined to repeat the process the next day and practice bringing your attention back and focusing on the sound."

"I promise you, after a week's time you will experience a result. The effect that you will experience will be that you will notice that your consciousness has risen higher--above things. Your perspective will change because your consciousness has been elevated to where you will see things differently --from a more purified perspective."

Also, if they were a little pious and advanced spiritually, we would tell them more..."Chanting Hare Krsna does not work because it relaxes the mind, or something similar. It works because Krsna, being absolute, is in His Name. When you hear His Name you actually experience contact with His presence, though imperceptible at this stage, all of which has a purifying effect on your consciousness."

"A little faith might be required to start the process but if a person is sincere and practices as I have described then the results will be there. Next week you will be saying "Wow, it does work" Go on, what have you got to loose.........."

So, Hladini and I passed our days preaching like that. I was so blessed to have such a pure soul as my wife. There is no fault that I could ever find in her. I never heard her once criticize another, nor complain about anything. She also had no idea how beautiful, both inside and out, she was. Her humility was only exceeded by her compassion for others.

Bhagavan dasa and I (with sign) on the streets of Detroit in 1969

           

Of course, now many remember her as such a great soul, and I don't have to go into much detail.

Gradually our ranks grew as we were all compelled by Bhagavan's determination and exceptional leadership to go out day after day and chant the Holy Name. Many new devotees joined us at this time, at a rate that was probably unique for ISKCON temples. Anyone who was around in those days knew that Detroit was a strong force in bringing others to devotional service.

I have to give some of the credit for our success, I suppose, to Bhagavan's expert abilities, but really, as I look back, I understand it was Krsna's mercy to us because we were so willing to surrender completely to trying to please His pure devotee. Also, the devotees back then were so sincere to help the suffering souls who had never experienced the nectar of devotion.

(to be continued)

Finding Krishna in Detroit 1969 --Part 2

ALACHUA, FLORIDA, USA — After being in Detroit for several months, Bhagavan das sent my wife and I to Chicago for a while to help open the first temple there on Halstead and Fullerton streets. Rudra das and his good wife Radhika where already there and they had rented an apartment to convert into a temple. Life there was so austere.

We had no heat or gas, and it was winter in Chicago when we arrived, and that "hawk," as locals called the wind off the lake, had no mercy on us. There was a big hole in the wall halfway up the stairs where a window should have been and it wasn't even covered with plastic. The only heat that we had was a little fireplace. We also cooked on this fireplace, having no money for gas for the stove.

                                                                                                                     
My wife was the cook and pujari in Chicago and every day she was cooking and caring for the Lord Jagannatha Deities. For those of you who don't know Them, they are forms of Krsna and His transcendental siblings that have been worshipped in Jagannatha Puri in India for centuries.

                                                                                         
Since we had Deities on the alter, Hladini would prepare very opulent 6 or 7 course feasts for them, I mean..... every day! Three meals a day!!! There were only 5 or 6 of us there during those first months and we sat down three times a day and had to eat opulent rich food every meal. I mean, they only cooked for the Deities and there was enough for the devotees to just eat Maha. This might sound to some like the spiritual kingdom, but after a while we started getting intoxicated from all the sugar and ghee. Everything was so opulent and rich.

We were all getting so attached to the taste sensations after a while and sometimes we even felt giddy and would roll on the floor laughing and goofing off. Between meals, we started to experience difficulties in our regulative, devotional lives, which one might expect from such young, inexperienced bhaktas eating so opulently. After some time I started feeling quite silly after meals and started to worry about my spiritual well being.

So I wrote a letter to Srila Prabhupada and explained the whole situation to him. I told him that if he would just tell me how to eat, then I would just follow his orders and everything would be fine again. I thought it would be just that easy.

Well, it wasn't. Srila Prabhupada wrote me back and said, "first decide how much you can eat. Then eat only half of that. then fill your belly one quarter full of water and leave the rest for air. This will make for good digestion. This will please me very much." When I have told devotees about this letter over the years many would say, "So you're the one who got that letter."

So here I had it--Prabhupada's instructions in black and white. All I had to do was follow them just like all the other instructions. Or so I thought. Actually, I had the worst time following those instructions. I was accustomed to just following his instructions and chanted my rounds, avoided carefully the forbidden activities, etc., and all was fine. But I just couldn't control my eating. Everything I was feeling, all the passion I brought with me from my crazy life, was dovetailed into the prasadam yajna.

Now I had a big dilemma. I couldn't just hold back my wild horses because prasadam was saving me. But also I couldn't ignore the fact that Srila Prabhupada had told me to eat half. What was I going to do? I was really stuck in duality! Soon I got news that Rupanuga was heading to New York to see Srila Prabhupada and had stopped in Detroit to take a break in his journey. When I found this out I took off immediately for Detroit. When I got there, Rupanuga allowed me to stow away in the back of the van that was taking him. I needed to see Srila Prabhupada real bad. I needed to get off the mental platform.

So off I went to New York to see Srila Prabhupada. But after all the trouble getting to New York City, they would not let me in to see him because I was a nobody (then too). Not to be outdone, I came up with a great plan. I would write Srila Prabhupada a letter, seal it, and slip it under his door. What could his over protective servants do about that? Then I would just depend on Krsna's mercy!

Feeling dejected I walked back into the temple room to lick my wounds and feel sorry for myself for my misfortune. All of a sudden, I thought I began to hear my name being called... "Where is Mahananda. Srila Prabhupada wants to see him right away in his room."

These words were still ringing in my ears as they marched me up the stairs and down to the end on the hallway in the Henry Street temple in Brooklyn where Srila Prabhupada had his quarters. Had he called me here because of what I had done in the hallway outside of the temple room that morning? Suddenly I was fearful that I was really in trouble!

This is what I had done. Right after he gave class in the main temple room, all of the devotees lined up on both sides of the hallway leading out, pressing their backs to the wall tightly so that Prabhupada could pass by on his way back to his room. Just as he got up to where I was standing, I saw a once in a lifetime opportunity to do something we only dream of or read about in the scriptures....I threw myself on the floor in front of him, blocking the narrow hallway and wrapped my arms entirely around those lotus feet and rested my head on top of his toes.

It seemed like I stayed there forever. Home at last, I must have felt. While staying there for several moments while everything and everyone was perfectly quiet and still (and maybe in a little shock), the one thing that I remember that occupied my mind was my surprise that he so kindly just stood there for the longest time and let me do what I considered the perfection of my life.

He and Krsna must have planned this, both knowing that it would take something extraordinary to purify someone such as myself. I had stayed there for as long as I needed to and no one said a word.....

As I stood there in his room remembering the incident in the hallway and wondering if I had done something terrible, my mind was quickly brought back to the present as they closed the door behind me, leaving me there in the room with Prabhupada...alone. After I offered my obeisances to him I stood there frozen, unable to speak. Srila Prabhupada asked my "What is the matter?" Still stuck on the mental plane I began to stutter and explain to him my dilemma about the food. I don't think I was making much sense.

He kept saying things back to me but all I could remember him saying was "You cannot commit sin by eating Prasadam." He said that twice, but I kept trying to get him to help me mentally figure out how to solve my conflict. I must have been there for a long time asking questions when finally he looked at me and said "Aroti is going on?" "Yes, Prabhupada" I stuttered. "Aroti is going on." "Just go to aroti", he said.

I guess I thought that he would help me more with all my mental stuff and he surprised me with his reply. I thanked him and left the room, not really understanding the significance of his simple instructions fully until years later when I would repeatedly get on the mental plane and each time would be able to get back on track and off the mental platform simply by engaging myself in some simple devotional activities, or would "just go to aroti."

Having seen my spiritual master, I rode back to Chicago in the back of the van chanting softly...

(To be continued)

Taking Shelter (again) Of Krsna

ALACHUA FLA, USA — In the beginning when we first came to Krsna consciousness 43 years ago, there was a clear-cut distinction between what was material life, or maya, illusion, and what wasn't. Maya was seen as everything in our lives up to that point-- our many sinful habits, our ignorance and bodily consciousness, our unending longings for a variety of sense enjoyment, and of course our determined forgetfulness of God. What wasn't maya was the temple, devotional service, Sankirtan, prasadam, hearing and chanting, reading the Bhagavad-gita and describing the glories of Krsna, and associating with our beloved godbrothers, and of course following in the footsteps and instructions of a genuine pure devotee. This distinction seemed then like black and white. But as the years passed, these obvious distinctions faded into subtleties that were much more difficult to discern. As the more obvious influence of passion and ignorance slowly diminished because of the strength of our devotional service, the tricks of maya became more subtle. The distress of our long ignorant life of passion and longings had caused great pain and had been more than enough reason to surrender to our new life of devotional service. That was also true of the indolence and lethargy of ignorance. The miseries produced by the influence of these two modes were certainly a clear-cut impetus for taking shelter of Krsna in our new regulated devotional life, and for our seeking protection from the many miserable reactions to our sinful lives. But the further we progressed in devotional service, the more subtle became the illusory allurements. When we first joined Srila Prabhupada in 1969, it was very easy to engage in Krsna consciousness. All you had to do was be at the temple. 24 hours a day there were devotional activities going on and all you needed to do was join in. We understood from Srila Prabhupada that Krsna consciousness was just like a light. When we engaged in hearing or chanting, the light of Krsna consciousness was on, like when we come into a room and flick on the switch and all of the darkness is immediately driven out of the room. But when we stopped chanting or hearing then immediately maya would rush in, filling the void just as darkness rushes in, filling the room when the light switch is again turned off.                              So we were always trying to fill up our whole day with regulative devotional service, while all the time chanting continuously. All the devotees carried schedules outlining every minute of their days and were constantly trying to find the time to fit in another half hour of reading, etc. We were convinced that a devotee, even a neophyte, could be engaged 24 hours a day in transcendental activities through this practice of regulated devotional practice. This was shown by Srila Prabhupada when he organized the temples in America and implemented the regulative devotional principles to be followed by his disciples within the temples. We rose at 4 AM. and immediately after offering obeisances to Lord Krsna and Srila Prabhupada, we would clean our body (a regulative principle) because we were going to visit the Deities. Therefore, our showering was for the purpose of pleasing Krsna and during our bath we would chant the Holy Name. After bathing, we would apply tilak all over our body, and while doing so would chant the different names of Krsna. Then we would dress ourselves nicely in clean devotional dress, wanting to satisfy the Deities by appearing before Them with very clean clothing. This devotional attitude and following of different regulative principles helped the neophyte devotee to continually keep his mind on Krsna. Next, we would travel to the temple for the purpose of worshipping the Lord and, upon arriving, would offer our humble obeisances to our blessed guru, to Krsna, and to all of the assembled Vaisnavas there. When the curtains would open, we would bow down and recite various prayers to please Krsna and to beg His mercy. During aroti, we would look at the Deity and dance for Him and watch the different things being offered to the Lord by the pujari. All these activities fixed our mind on Krsna for the whole duration of the aroti, and after aroti there were more devotional prayers and there was Tulasi worship. This was all performed under the direction of the devotional regulative principles, and all these activities were purifying for the bhakta. Between these different activities there would sometimes be a slight pause, and we would chant the Holy Name constantly to keep our mind fixed on Krsna. After Tulasi puja, there were more prayers and worship, followed by two hours of japa, or the chanting of the Holy Name. During this time, there was no socializing with others and the devotee attentively concentrated his mind on hearing and training the mind to stay fixed on the transcendental sound vibration. And this was just the beginning of the day. It hadn't even become daylight yet. The whole day was like that---every minute filled with devotional activities with no time for maya. All the devotees had a single purpose. Everyone just wanted to help Srila Prabhupada push on this movement. But nowadays it is not so easy as "back in the day." Without so many organized activities during the day( except in the morning and evening) at the temple to inspire  us to engage in devotional service, our idle minds become fertile ground for frivolity, or worse. Surrounded in our daily lives by many subtle forms of maya we again can fall prey to material consciousness. In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna explains to us that because we are too much attracted to sense gratification and material opulence, we are becoming bewildered and are not resolving with determination to surrender to Krsna in full devotional service. If we allow ourselves to gradually fall asleep again and forget about this proposal of surrendering to Krsna, the Supreme Personality, by complete surrender, humility, and submissiveness to the bona fide pure devotee, and remain hovering on the mental platform, then we will again be subjected to birth, death, disease, and the awful miseries of growing old. If we foolishly abandon the shelter of Srila Prabhupada and again rely on our own abilities of speculative analysis for gaining "knowledge", and the false renunciations of impersonalism, or seek shelter of non-devotional processes of counseling, relationship training, new agey philosophy and seminars, etc., then we are going to gradually disqualify ourselves from achieving our goal of love of God. Affectionately,                                                                      Mahananda das

Srila Prabhupada's vyasasana... Alachua Janmastami 2012

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Krsna is so attractive

 Oh blessed, blessed Lord,
Oh blessed Prabhupada,
Hear my humble plee.
Except for you, no one is found
who cares enough for me,
and satisfies my heart with love,
Dear Lord, unconditionally.

Now my entire life is nothing
but a list of names
of those who've given me
but a hint of love
to follow soon the pain.

Please, my dear Lord, take my hand,
my heart, whatever
I may own is Yours.
And still You will remain
my Lord, forever, unconditionally.

your worthless servant mahananda dasa

We are the limbs of Srila Prabhupada's Body.

"You are all the limbs of my body. Unless you cooperate, my life will be useless." letter to Brahmananda, 7/17/68

Taking Shelter of the Hearing Process.

          from Mahananda dasa

Recently on an online forum one member there expressed his confusion over the conflicting ideas in Iskcon circles about the soul's fall. He sincerely asked..."Hare Krsna Iskcon says we fell from Vaikuntha, but there are many devotees that say we never been there! because nobody can fall from Vaikuntha. So I am confused. Then where are we coming from? Then 'Back home, back to godhead' has no meaning! Is there anyone who can clear this out? thanks!"

Is there actually anyone who can "clear this out" for him? it is  confusing when one hears different conflicting ideas about the same subject, especially for a "young" devotee starting out in Krsna consciousness.  Some have given very elaborate arguments to support their idea that we didn't come from Krsna Loka and have been here forever. These ideas are more than a little discouraging. But if you understand the real process of receiving transcendental knowledge you can be safe from these many pitfalls that lie on your path, such as hearing from the wrong source.

Religion and transcendental knowledge are enunciated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead exclusively, and cannot be manufactured in the teeny brains of the logicians and scholars. Transcendental knowledge does not manifest in our brains. It manifests on the lips of the Supreme Godhead and is passed down through realized souls who add and subtract nothing, and all that is required is to hear submissively from such souls.

Therefore, to be safe, just hear about the soul's position from Srila Prabhupada whose explanation is empowered by Krsna and above mistakes, because in the Absolute realm there is no difference between Krsna and His name or His instructions or transcendental philosophy, and the pure devotee who repeats them. In the post below this one I have given Srila Prabhupada's authorized lecture on the subject. Just understand from his words and you will be safe from the influence of logitians and speculators, whose words will only further bind you to this material world. See The Soul's fall below by Srila Prabhupada.

                                                             
                                                                                                  

The Soul's Fall

How we love to use our logic and mental abilities to understand the truth about things. Until now, we knew no other process to receive knowledge.   Understanding the position of the jiva soul within the material atmosphere can be confusing.To hear the following lecture on this topic is so enlightening.   To submissively hear from the realized soul will gradually adjust everything. THE SOUL'S FALL By Srila prabhupada Sri-suka uvacha atma-mayam rite rajam parasyanubhavatmanah na ghatetartha-sambandhah svapna-drastur ivanjasa      Sri Sukedeva Goswami said: O kings, unless one is influenced by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no meaning to the relationship of the pure soul in pure consciousness with the material body. The relationship is just like a dreamer's seeing his own body working, ---Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.1 Many people inquire, "How did the living entity, who was with Krsna, fall into the material world?" That question is answered here (in this verse) .   The living entities' condition is simply the influence of the material energy; actually he has not fallen. An example is given: The moon appears to be moving when clouds pass in front of it. Actually the moon is not moving. Similarly, the living entity, because he is a spiritual spark of the Supreme, has not fallen. But he is thinking, "I am fallen. I am material. I am this body." The body has no connection to the soul. We can experience this. The body is changing, dying, but I am the same. The idea that we have a connection with the body is due to the handling of the illusory energy of  Krsna. That illusory energy develops when we forget Krsna. In other words, our illusory identification with the body is simply due to our forgetfulness. We wanted to forget-- we wanted to give up Krsna and enjoy the material world. Therefore, Krsna is giving us the chance. For example, when you play a part in a drama, if you feel, "I am king, " then you can talk very nicely. And if you feel, "I am Karandhar, " ( referring to a disciple sitting in the audience) then you cannot play the part of a king so nicely. The feelings must be there. If you are playing the part of a king, you must believe you are the king and have his courage. You have to forget that you are Karandhar. Then you can play the part very nicely, and the audience will appreciate. But if you think simultaneously, " I am Karandar, and I am playing the part of a king, " then you cannot play.   So because we wanted to play the part of Krsna, the enjoyer, Krsna is giving us the chance---"You feel like me!" The feeling that "I am master, I am king, I am Krsna, I am God" is created by Krsna: "Alright, you want to play the part of King. I shall train you in such a way." The director of a play tries to create the feelings within you for the part that you are playing. In my younger age I played in a drama about Lord Chaitanya. Our director, Amrital Bose, repeatedly said, especially to me, "Feel like that." So when we performed under his direction, all the people in the audience were crying. The play was artificial, but the effect on the audience was so nice. Similarly, we have nothing to do with the material world, but we have been trained by the illusory energy in such a way that we think, "I am Indian, " "I am American, " "I am Brahmin, " "I am sudra, " "I am this, " "I am that, ""I have to do this, " "I have to do so many duties." These are all illusions. We have nothing to do with all this nonsense, but still we are taking it very seriously:" I have to do like this. I am this. I am that."  That is explained here in this verse. Atmamayam rite rajan parasyanubhavat-manah: "Unless one is influenced by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no meaning to the relationship of the pure soul in pure consciousness with the material body" The example is given of a man dreaming, "Oh, there is a tiger, a tiger! Save me!" He is crying. An awake man observing may say, "Where is the tiger? Why are you crying?" But the dreaming man is actually feeling, "The tiger is attacking me." Therefore this example is given: na ghatetartha--sambandhah. there cannot be any meaning of the relationship of the soul and the body except that it is like a dreaming man creating a situation. He is dreaming there is a tiger, and he is creating a fearful situation. Actually there is no cause of fear.   There is no tiger. The situation is created by a dream. Similarly, we have created the material world and material activities. People are running around--"Oh, I am the manager. I am the factory owner. I am this. I am that. We know his politics, we have to defeat our competitors." All these things are created just like a man creates a situation in a dream-- svapna--drastur ivanjasa.  So when someone asks, "When did we come into contact with the material nature?" The answer is that we have not come into contact. By the influence of the material energy we THINK that we are in contact. Actually we are not fallen. We cannot be fallen. We have simply created a situation. Rather, we have not created a situation; Krsna has given us a situation. Because we wanted to imitate Krsna, Krsna has given an opportunity: "All right. You want to imitate? You want to be an imitation king on the stage. So feel like this. Play like this. Do like this. People will applaud--"Oh, a very nice king!" Everyone in the material world is playing some part. "I want to be prime minister" " I want to be very big business magnate." "I want to be a leader." "I want to be a philosopher." "I want to be a scientist." They are trying to play all these nonsense parts and Krsna is giving the opportunity--"All right." But these things are all nonsense. Simply dreaming. When you dream, the next moment the dream is gone, and everything in the dream is finished. No more tiger. No more jungle. Similarly, as long as the body continues, I think, "I am a responsible leader. I am this, I am that." but as soon as the body is finished, these ideas are gone.   "Krsna says, mrityu sarva-haras ca-ham: 'I am death. I take everything away.' Just think of our past life. Suppose I was a king or something like that. From the Bhrighu-samhita it was ascertained that I was a big physician in by last life, with a spotless character, no sins. I don't know.   It may be. But I have no remembrance that I was a physician. So what do we know? I might have been a very big influential physician, with a good practice, but where is it all now? All gone! So our contact with matter is just like a dream. We are not fallen., therefore at any moment we can revive our Krsna consciousness. We become liberated as soon as we understand "I have nothing to do with matter. I am simply Krsna's eternal servant." Sometimes when a fearful dream becomes intolerable we break the dream. Similarly, we can break the material connection at any moment as soon as we come to the point of Krsna consciousness. "Oh, Krsna is my eternal master. I am His servant." That's all. That is the way. Actually, we are not fallen. We cannot be fallen. The same example: Actually there is no tiger; it is dreaming. We are not fallen. We can simply give up that illusory condition at any moment.   So if you study all these verse very nicely, you will get all this knowledge quickly. Now(Prabhupada says to his disciple), What is the purport? [A disciple reads:] "Maharaja Pariksit's question as to how a living entity began his material life, although he is apart from the material body and mind, is perfectly answered. The spirit soul is distinct from the material conception of his life, but he is absorbed in such a material conception because of being influenced by the external energy of the lord, called atma --maya. This has already been explained in the First Canto in connection with Vyasadeva's realization of the Supreme Lord and His external energy. The external energy is controlled by the Lord and the living entities are controlled by the external energy."  [Prabhupada continues] Krsna says mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te: "As soon as one surrenders unto Me, he has no more illusion." People are conditioned, encaged. Mayavadis, or impersonalists, undergo austerities and penances just to become liberated. Yogis also try to become "one." So many endeavors are going on. But the simple process is that as soon as you surrender you are not fallen. "It was illusion. I was dreaming. I am Krsna's." By thinking in this way, one becomes liberated . immediately, within a second.   Liberation can be attained within a second, provided that we abide by the order of the Supreme, or Krsna. Sarva--dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. This is the position. We are not fallen. We are thinking that we are fallen. So we have to give up this nonsense thinking. Then we are liberated.   Is there any difficulty in understanding this point? Just see how important this verse is. (To his disciples) It is already there, but you are not reading. read each verse; read every day carefully. Try to assimilate, understand, and you will get more profit--every day, a hundred yards forward. They are such important verses. How nicely composed by Vyasadeva! In two lines the whole thing is explained. This is called shastra. Read the purport.   [The disciple reads:] "The external energy is controlled by the lord, and the living entities are controlled by the external energy--by the will of the Lord. Therefore, although the living entity is purely conscious in his pure state, he is subordinate to the will of the Lord in being influenced by the external energy of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gita (15.15) also the same thing is confirmed; the Lord is present within the heart of every living entity, and all the living entity's consciousness and forgetfulness are influenced by the Lord."   Prabhupada: Now people may ask, "Why does Krsna within the heart give one type of consciousness to one and a different type of consciousness to another?" That is His kindness. I wanted to forget Krsna, so Krsna is giving the appropriate consciousness: "All right, you can forget Me in this way." The ordinary materialists (karmis), the mayavadis, the so-called yogis wanted to forget Krsna. So Krsna is giving them intelligence: "All right. You forget Me like this." And if you want to revive your relationship with Krsna, He will give you intelligence. Dadmi buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te "I shall give you intelligence to come to me" Ye yatha mam prapadyante. As you want, Krsna gives you facility..   (to disciple) "Go on reading".   [Disciple reads] "Now the next question automatically made will be why the Lord influences the living entity to such consciousness and forgetfulness. The answer is that the Lord clearly wishes that every living entity be in his pure consciousness as the part and parcel of the Lord as he is constitutionally made; but because the living entity is partially independent also, he may not be willing to serve the Lord, but may try to become as independent as the Lord is. All the non devotee living entities are desirous of becoming equally as powerful as the Lord, although they are not fit to become so."   Prabhupada: The living entity will never be God, but we see by the influence of the illusory energy many people think, "I am God, " or "I shall become God by pressing my nose like this" This is going on. But they will never be able to become God. That is not possible. If everyone can become God, then there is no meaning of God.   Karmis (fruitive workers) say, "I shall become a millionaire I shall become head of state I shall become prime minister" They struggle to attain these things.   And for yogis to think, "I shall become God" is simply another struggle. It is illusion. Krsna may give them some yoga success. In India there is a yogi who makes gold appear. And people are after him--"Oh, he is God, he is God" By producing a little gold, he becomes God.                                                                          Another yogi makes two rasagullas [sweets] appear. So by producing two rasagullas, four cents worth, he becomes God. You see? This is illusion. I can purchase two rasagullas from the market for four cents, so he has become God for four cents. People think, "Oh he is God. He can produce rasagullas." They have no sense. I can produce rasagullas in our kitchen. But they think, "Oh, this yogi is wonderful." So Krsna gives a person some power of yogic siddhi, or perfection, and the person thinks, "I have become God." And some others think "Oh, you are God." Such yogis are in the same dream as the karmis. And as soon as death comes, everything is finished--your Godhood and everything, finished. Now comes doghood. And another dream, "I am dog." First of all "I am God, " then "I am dog." this is going on.  Therefore, Bhaktivenode Thakura has said, (miche) mayar bose, jaccho bhese': "Why are you being washed away by the waves of maya? Just stand up." (Jiv) krsna-das, ei biswas. korle to ar duhkho nai. "Simply stay fixed on this point: ' I am the eternal servant of Krsna' Then there is no more dream." And if you allow yourself to be washed away, Krsna gives you facility: "All right, come on, be washed away." Then? [Disciple reads] "The living entities are illusioned by the will of the Lord because they wanted to become Him. Like a person who thinks of becoming a king without possessing the necessary qualifications, similarly, when the living entity desires to become the Lord Himself, he is put is a condition of dreaming that he is king. Therefore the first sinful will of the living entity is to become the Lord, and the consequent will of the Lord is that the living entity forget his actual life and thus dream of the land of utopia where he may become one like the Lord. The child cries to have the moon from the mother, and the mother gives the child a mirror to satisfy the crying and disturbing child with the reflection of the moon. Similarly the crying child of the Lord is given over to the reflection, the material world, to lord it over as a karmi and to give this up in frustration to become one with the Lord .Both these stages are dreaming illusions only. There is no necessity of tracing out the history of when the living entity desired this. But the fact is that as soon as he desired it, he was put under the control of atma--maya by the direction of the Lord. Therefore the living entity in his material condition is dreaming falsely that this is "mine" and this is "I." The dream is that the conditioned soul thinks of the material body as ' I ' or falsely thinks that he is the Lord and that everything in connection with that material body is ' mine' Thus only in dream does the misconception of ' I and mine ' persist life after life. This continues life after life, as long as the living entity is not purely conscious of his identity as the subordinate part and parcel of the Lord.   In his pure consciousness, however, there is no such misconceived dream, and in that pure conscious state the living entity does not forget that he is never the Lord, but he is eternally the servitor of the Lord in transcendental love.   Prabhupada: Thank you very much.