Author Archives: Hansadutta das
Success and failure
A progressive devotee accepts everything as an impetus to advance in Krishna consciousness. A devotee’s premise is that the supreme sanctioning power is Krishna, and that nothing can take place without His sanction. Because Krishna is all-good and desires to … more
Loose screws
Anything that is not Krishna is not Krishna and will eventually dry up and fall away. Everyone is born with certain inclinations or propensities, and has to act on them. Just like Arjuna. He was a warrior, and his business … more
Information vs Revelation
We only know what we are told by higher authorities (author)—father, mother, teachers, political leaders. We accept such knowledge by association with others through application. Alone, without association, we cannot know anything. Directly, in and of itself, we always require … more
Seriously?
Reading the newspaper. The stories strike me as bizarre, but how would I make that obvious to “normal” readers? They take the news as seriously as we take shastras.
Prayer
If we want any kind of renunciation in life—material or spiritual—we must only pray to the appropriate authority for that. To put it another way, one must submit his application honestly and humbly. Of course it goes without saying, whatever … more
Changing perspective, not position
The devotees’ apparent move to associate by moving into the same geographical area is external only. They actually do not associate spiritually. Because association means on the basis of a common goal—service to Krishna. But they associate not for that … more
From the heart
There are two kinds of chanting of the Holy Name. One is mechanical, or forced by practice—sadhana—and the other is spontaneous welling up out of the heart automatically—just like two kinds of wells. One you have to force the water … more
Transparency in representation
The perfection of the part is in how it expresses the purpose of the whole. Every living being is an infinitesimal part of the whole living being (Krishna) and his individuality is perfected only in as much He allows the … more
Follow the heart
Krishna is chanting, and we are hearing, and thus realization takes place in the heart, not the head. The Holy Name descends from the spiritual stratum (Prabhupada), and therefore we do not actually chant, but we allow Krishna to manifest … more
What needs saying
If someone can articulate this basic message—that we’re not this body—illuminating it from a hundred different directions, that will be revolutionary. Because this is the basic platform of the whole thing. This is the pivot of material existence and repeated … more