(The following article was posted in the “Meditations” column of the Hindustan Times, one of India’s largest english language daily newspapers, on 3 February 2003.) SCIENCE HAS more monopoly on taste than McDonalds. Only knowledge burgeoning from the non-Vedic viewpoint satisfies. So the existence of God cannot be proven. Or can it? Many scientists say no, but others, like Patrick Glynn, say yes. Glynn, a Harvard Ph.D, former nuclear physicist who worked for the US Defense Department, is a scientist who feels that out-of-body events are indications that what we don’t see may still exist. His popular book, “God the Evidence”, purports to prove God exists. Many instances o? out-of-body experiences have been recorded by surgeons. Such doctors claim proof that unconscious, totally sedated patients, could, on awakening, recall exact readings of instruments. These dials were well outside each patient’s angle of vision ? which usually constituted little more than the operation theatre’s ceiling. Of course their eyes were closed hence they couldn’t seen anything. They remember floating above their bodies and noticing all that went on. Doctors say these instances are “proof” that life is distinct from the body. Indirectly, this indicates the presence of the soul or atma (which, according to Random House Webster’s and the OED, is now an English word ? hurrah!) Such notions aren’t necessarily consistent with spiritual knowledge. We’re informed that believers and non-believers will eternally exist (Bhagavad Gita, 16.6). In the year 1601, Sir Francis Bacon wrote nature had to be “hounded in her wanderings” and “made a slave”. The aim of the scientist, thought Bacon, was “to torture nature’s secrets from her.” Some transcendentalists fear that science professes to be the exclusive and irrefutable path to truth, bound by the commandment “thou shalt think only materialistically.” It has been construed by sages that the Gita is a combination of devotion and science. In other words, religion without philosophy is often blind fanaticism. We’d like to think that Adam and Isaac (Newton) both held the same apple, but few scientists would agree. However, some, including Albert Einstein, have felt that the unknown features of science constitute God. They believe that the yet-to-be-discovered aspects of nature and the “reason” for the shape and colour of certain crystals, fauna, flora, and other material constituents, are all God’s handiwork. One hopes that by scrutinising study of the Gita that material scientists may come to know how we can communicate with the spiritual world of God. (The writer is emeritus member of the ISKCON governing body commission.)

We often hear that preaching is the essence. Here’s a quote from Srila Prabhupada (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.2.36-37/purport) that supports this statement: One who is interested in his own salvation is not as advanced in Krsna consciousness as one who feels compassion for others and who therefore propagates the Krsna consciousness movement. Such an advanced devotee will never fall down, for Krsna will give him special protection.

In “Light of the Bhagavat,” Srila Prabhupada uniquely illustrated how Krsn is “everything” by showing how nature is Krsna. For example: “Attracted by electricity throughout the sky and driven by forceful winds, clouds gradually cover the surface of the earth to satisfy the needy people by supplying water, which is the substance of their life. The clouds bestow rains upon man as the mercy of the Lord, who is always kind to the needy living being.”

Like it or not, argues journalist Thomas Friedman, the era of globalization is upon us. Somewhat naively, Friedman, as well as leading Cambridge economist Amartya Sen (author of “Development as Freedom”), think that there IS a way forward. In their opinion, globalization can be beneficial if its perpetrators make serious attempts to preserve local cultures, religions and customs.

Even though he didn’t recommend reading Vedanta Sutra, Srila Prabhupada often quoted the first verse from it, athato brahma jijnasa: “Now, in the human form of life, one should inquire about Brahman, the Absolute Truth.”

On a morning walk in Delhi, Srila Prabhupada referred to various “conquerors” of India who have since disappeared: “In India the Mohammedans came. They ruled over. Where is the Moghul? The Englishmen came. Where they are? Everything gone. Pasyann api na pasyati. This is called vimudhatma. That is going on. The material civilization means ahankara-vimudhatma. By false egotism they are bewildered and rascals.” (March 25, 1976)

The terrorists who attacked the two World Trade Center Towers in New York City on September Eleventh are said to have been trained from childhood about their destination. They had been convinced that dying by killing “the enemy” would land them in a Paradise with access to many beautiful women and unlimited intoxication.

According to Vaisnava linguists, Srila Narottama das Thakura and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur wrote many songs in poetic, somewhat simplified, Bengali, that conveyed many important Vaisnava attitudes. Regarding Krishnadas Kaviraja’s “Caitanya Caritamrta”, it is said that people could learn Bengali just by reading this book in the original language.

What we call beauty is sometimes thought to be enigmatic. What’s beautiful within one culture can be ugly in another, and vice versa. But the Supreme Beauty of Krishna is seldom challenged — although I did once hear a BBC TV news reporter refer to Radha London Isvara as “hideous.” The “all-attractive” feature of the Absolute is real beauty. When our senses become purified, all seeming beautiful objects become lifeless and unattractive compared to the ultimate beauty of the Lord. In the purport to the Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.11.26, Srila Prabhupada writes, “And those who are artists, overtaken by the beautiful creation, should better see to the beautiful face of the Lord for complete satisfaction. The face of the Lord is the embodiment of beauty. What they call beautiful nature is but His smile, and what they call the sweet songs of the birds are but specimens of the whispering voice of the Lord.”

Many of us have heard about the ten thousand years of prosperity in the early part of Kali yuga. One place this prediction is found is in the Brahma Vivarta Purana, texts 59 and 60: “For 10,000 years of kali such devotees of mine will fill the whole planet. After the departure of My devotees there will only be one varna [outcaste]. Devoid of My devotees, the earth will be shackled by kali. Saying this Krishna departed.”