In a lecture Srila Prabhupada gave in Los Angeles, he explains that Sankar had studied all the Vedas by the time he was eight, and that he is an incarnation of Lord Siva: “The impersonalist school, amongst them, there are very, very learned scholars. Sankaracarya himself, he was unique scholar. At the age of eight years only, he studied all the Vedas. And not only he studied, he became a critical student, sankaracarya. He was incarnation of Lord Siva; therefore nobody can be compared with him.” (Los Angeles, 2 February 1968)

The eleventh canto, seventh chapter, thirty-seventh verse of Srimad Bhagavatam reads: “A sober person, even when harassed by other living beings, should understand that his aggressors are acting helplessly under the control of God, and thus he should never be distracted from progress on his own path. This rule I have learned from the earth.” (This was said by the avadhuta brahmana to Maharaja Yadu as related in the “Uddhava Gita.”

Keith Ward, an Oxford Professor and leading world theologian, has recognized what he calls “Dvaita Vedanta.” In his recent book “Religion and Human Nature,” he recognizes Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is. He is probably the first leading western theologian to set the value of Vaisnava philosophy alongside the more accepted Sankarite writings on impersonalism.

Vraj lore has it that Radharani held up her sari to protect Raghunatha dasa from the burning sun, and that her perspiration muddied the ground she was standing on, leaving her footprint as proof of her appearance there.

(The following article was posted in the “Inner Voice” column of the Hindustan Times, one of India’s largest English language daily newspapers, on 2 August 2004.) Choice can be misused. This is the source of pain and frustration for all beings and the cause of environmental degradation. The more we attempt to exploit the resources of material nature, the more we become entangled in complexities. Exercising intelligent choice is now mostly in the domain of abuse, as what we choose to love is often the source of the problem. We want what seems best; what most satisfies our seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling and tasting. We even justify bowing down to those who promise to bring us the desired results. The Bhagavad-gita reminds us that “one who is able to withdraw the senses from sense objects, as the tortoise withdraws its limbs within the shell, is firmly fixed in perfect consciousness”. Permanent happiness for all depends on a knowledge of, and relationship with, the transcendent God, and not upon a multiplicity of gods or devatas whose satisfaction and pacification is no more than that of a human player in a chess game. When Yudhishir, disguised as Kank, was playing chess (the game originated in India) with Maharja Virat, the latter informed him that the great demigods treat humans like pawns. If we put our faith in such uncaring, gaming beings, our situation is tenuous and desperate. Reciprocation with higher beings is not assured. But with the supreme God, mutual interchange is guaranteed. “As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Partha” – this is the promise in the fourth chapter of the Gita. So let’s simplify our lives. As child Krishna told Nanda, Indra is not absolute in awarding good results to anyone. Even Indra ultimately pays tribute to the Almighty God. (The write is emeritus member of the ISKCON governing body commission)

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura recommends that we become humble by practicing the following meditation: “The earth, which is always visible to me, is the expansion of the lotus feet of my Lord, who is always to be meditated upon. All moving and nonmoving living beings have taken shelter of the earth and are thus sheltered at the lotus feet of my Lord. For this reason I should respect every living being and not envy anyone. In fact, all living entities constitute the Kaustubha gem on My Lord’s chest. Therefore I should never envy or deride any living entity.” (excerpted from the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 12.11.24)

In a conversation, one devotee said Krsna is benevolent and material nature is not. Srila Prabhupada replied by saying, “No, material nature… Just like you don’t care for government. Then you be controlled by the jail superintendent. That’s all. You’ll be controlled. You cannot be free. But if you deny directly the control of the government then you must be controlled by the criminal department, by force. This is your position.” (18 January 1974, Hawaii)

It’s been said that the sound of one’s own name is the sweetest sound in the world. Even a Srimad Bhagavatam verse indicates who our dearmost object is. “It is only by contact with the self that one’s vital breath, intelligence, mind, friends, body, wife, children, wealth and so on are dear. Therefore what object can possibly be more dear than one’s own self?” (10.23.27 – Lord Krsna speaking to the wives of the Brahmanas)

In “Sri Bhaktivinoda Vani Baibhava,” page 13, translated by Bhumipati dasa, the question is asked, “What is the harm if one does not worship Sri Visnupriya?” The answer: “If one gives up the worship of Visnupriya, one cannot claim to be a devotee of the Lord.”

For one engaged in pure devotional service, such as core ISKCON activities, or being in the true spirit of core ISKCON activities, there is no need to engage in other forms of ritual, penance, meditation, or `spiritual strivings.’ A nice verse and purport in Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad Bhagavatam explains this nicely: It is in the 2nd Canto, Seventh Chapter. The text is number forty-eight. This is Srila Prabhupada’s translation: “In such a transcendental state there is no need of artificial control of the mind, mental speculation, or meditation, as performed by the jnanis and yogis. One gives up such processes, as the heavenly King, Indra, forgoes the trouble to dig a well.” And this is his purport: “King Indra of heaven is the controlling deity or demigod for arranging clouds supplying rains in the universe, and as such he does not have to take the trouble to dig a well for his personal water supply. For him, digging a well for a water supply is simply ludicrous. Similarly, those who are factually engaged in the loving service of the Lord have attained the ultimate goal of life, and for them, there is no need for mental speculation to find out the true nature of God or His activities. Nor do such devotees have to meditate upon the imaginary or real identity of the Lord. Because they are factually engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, the Lord’s pure devotees have already achieved the results of mental speculation and meditation. The real perfection of life is, therefore, to be engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.”