Receiving without Questioning and Cultivating appreciation 8/7/16- Sweden

**(Excerpted from a round of questions and answers in Nimaihuset, Sweden, May 2016)Question:

What is the purpose of Kali Yuga?

 Answer: I like this question because it forces us to be self-critical.

  prayenalpayusah sabhya

 kalav asmin yuge janah

mandah sumanda-matayo

 manda-bhagya hy upadrutah

 

Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

O learned one, in this iron Age of Kali men almost always have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed. (Sb 1.1.10)

That is one of the first verses in Srimad Bhagavatam which explains the effects of Kali Yuga. There it is stated that Kali Yuga in a way has come to wake the laziest, the "unintelligent", the "less sincere," those who have received the invitation of Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga and Dvapara Yuga but continue to pursue the idea of "I want this and that" (...) then the atmosphere of Kali Yuga becomes necessary to (hopefully) wake them up.

 Actually this is not exactly a very lovely answer, right? This means that there is another alternative as well. Srila Prabhupada used to say "learn either by listening or suffering; yet there are people, when suffering comes, who will not learn". This means that there is another opportunity. First of all, at the time of destruction of the material world you rest in Mahavishnu and then come back. The cycle begins again. Because God loves us regardless of our own stupidity, but He does not want to take away our free will.

 Another thing I would add is that we should not question the good intentions of the Lord towards us. Do not do that!, Do not let your mind do it! Because the moment you do it is like falling again and say, "God, you can sit in the chair of the accused?" And you feel yourself being in the position of Judge saying, "Be attentive my Lord because now I'll check." That should not do for any reason; the position to question the Creator's intention towards us is not for us. That destroys something inside us and creates a kind of artificial ego. It is that  very artificial ego which otherwise is very popular, among those who deny the existence of God, that makes us not only put God in the chair of the accused but remove Him as if He didn't even exist.
 The question about why Kali Yuga is perfectly answered in the Srimad Bhagavatam, I just wanted to branch out a little more, I only wanted to explain what happens when we allow our minds to question the good intentions of God. What if we ask ourselves whether we have the right to breathe? And if we do, who gave us that right? We have never paid for the air we breathe. How is it that we have the right to drink water? How is it that we have the right to eat a plate of food? After thinking about these questions the only thing left is to be grateful and say "thank you to whoever is responsible for it." You can call "the responsible" as you want, but you must recognize that he exists and be grateful to Him. That's what even the native tribes teach us. This is what we call the "United Nations of the Spirit" human beings united in the spirit of gratitude.

 Without a deep spirituality nothing can happen, nothing will change within us. That's what Krishna said: "Anything that is ingested without being offered to me is nothing but sin." Even the strictest vegan who does not offer their food to God is doing nothing more than eating sin. Even if we take water without having offered to God, we're just drinking sin. That is what the Scriptures teach us.

 Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude. Because, you know what comes after gratitude? Mirth. Without gratitude you can not have joy. So we plunge into depression, because we are not grateful. In modern society, one way or another, we have managed to put the mind above all things, but that has not produced very good results, rather it has turned our lives into a mundane, materialized and secularized life. So there can be no obedience to any higher authority, because the very principle of authority is questioned. Children often do that sometimes and question the authority of their parents, but as soon they have a problem or are even a little hungry, they are transformed again immediately and accept the authority provided they obtain food. Therefore, it is better to appreciate all that we have received without question and rather  receive it with deep appreciation.

 Jay Srila Prabhupada!

Your always well wisher,
 Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti

True renunciation - 7/31/16 From Ecuador

Message sent from Ecuador on July 24, 2016:

All glories to Srila Prabhupada,

 My beloved devotees, I hope you are very well in your respective services.

 I wanted to tell you that sending a weekly message to the whole community has been my custom for the past 15 years. However, this year we have not done it one way or another. This is a new attempt to recuperate the Sunday chat so as to connect with each of you.

There are three things you should never abandon in your spiritual practice: tapa (austerity), yagna (sacrifice) and dana (charity). Austerity is basic for the Age of Kali-yuga. Srila Prabhupada called it 'simple living and high thinking'. Sacrifice is expressed as the chanting of the holy names of the Lord, either in the form of japa or in congregational kirtan, in gatherings, or even writing about the glories of the Lord. Charity refers to creating temples with such a beautiful atmosphere that people do not want to leave them and return to the material existence of which we all came from. Places filled with sadhu sanga.

Everything that is done in the company of sadhus or devotees is a profound and beneficial purification. Sadhu-sanga is full of rasa, full of taste and appreciation for others. There may even be people in the world that we do not feel a natural appreciation for, but then they immediately become recipients of this special mercy. As the saying goes, "Lord, please give me your mercy when I least deserve it, because it is when I need it most." So we can constantly keep the desire to encourage all people in our environment, including both members of the spiritual community and those who are not.

 Similarly we have to learn to see the action in the inaction. We must learn the concept of detachment in the concept of attachment. This means that while we have a material body, and devotees are seeking detachment, we are placed in constant contact with the material energy. This is inevitable. In this way devotees must maintain temples and centers open in a practical and efficient manner so that people can learn more about spirituality; they have to participate in campaigns to address adverse ecological situations that may affect the people around them; They have to care for their health and their bodies so that it is in perfect condition while sharing the message of Sri Krishna to the world; They have to keep their families healthy and happy. They have to become excellent professionals in the areas defined by Srila Prabhupada that devotees should take action in, etc.

 Sometimes one feels a strong urge to give up all the material attachments and run away from them, but in that case, the real renunciation is the ability to fulfill your duties and responsibilities. For it is through this compliance that one qualifies oneself for transcendence. As soon as one abandons their independence and takes refuge under the protection of a Vaishnava, the same Vaishnava will give you responsibility to protect, which can only be executed with a mature approach and individual discernment. This responsible and careful attitude is completely healthy for the spiritual development of those who have been inspired by the Lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada.


 I ask you to reflect on these issues and share them with the members of your communities and families. Jay Srila Prabhupada!

With all my affection from Ecuador.Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti

The qualities of a servant of humanity 7/24/16- Miami Conference

My dear devotees, 

A servant of humanity has to be a servant of the family, which is the first social unit of the world that surrounds us. This includes the father, mother, the brothers and the neighbors and to all those who are close to us. 

A servant of humanity is like a subsidiary of love, and according to the place they live in, they are going to have different tasks, for example: if you arrive to a natural sanctuary and you realize that it is full of plastic garbage your service to humanity is transformed into collecting this plastic and to find a system for recycling to thus avoid that we suffocate in it. Promoting healthy food to the people around you through organic agriculture and permaculture is another great service to humanity. To convince people to live without the influence of chemicals and without letting ourselves be carried away by the culture of consumption is another service to humanity. To teach people to heal their lives through spiritual cultivation and becoming a doctor of the soul is a service to humanity. 

The sole act of helping a small part of the universe to improve is a great service to humanity. Helping animals who suffer is a service to humanity. Become a vegetarian or vegan is entirely a service to humanity and the whole environment (it is said that each new vegetarian helps the world become a safer place). In other words, becoming an exemplary person who is faithful to their ideals is directly a service to humanity. 

The questioning and deepening in the aim of life and asking, "why are we in this world, and where should we direct ourselves", is also a service to humanity. Because human life is the great opportunity that we have to find answers to these questions. It is also a service to humanity each time one identifies a response to the essential questions of life and shares it with others, in the same way that if I have food and water it is my duty to share it with those who do not have it. In this way, knowledge about the wisdom of being, on love and on positive values such as compassion, appreciation, or etc. must always be shared. 

A service to humanity sometimes may not be recognized by others, that does not matter, because our Creator is always aware of all the efforts we make for the welfare of others. He knows everything that we think and speak and what to say of what we do. When we want to serve a plant we know that we must put water in its roots, we will not be able to cater to the plant by putting just a drop of water on each leaf, this will not give the desired result. Similarly, to serve humanity and to reach the perfection of life one must deepen in the singing of the names of the Infinite truth in the tradition closest to one's faith individually. 

This great process that is known as praise (or kirtan in Sanskrit) is the presentation of the soul before the Infinite, recognizing himself as a humble servant that requests to become an instrument of His love. This is a process that opens the channels of communication with Divinity, both upwards and inward. The connection with the Holy Names of God is the means that fills us internally to become intensely grateful to the Infinite, because any potential help that we can give to humanity does not come from us but from the Absolute that allows us to be part of His great symphony. That is why, through the singing of Holy Names I connect with the Infinite. I have more of a chance of becoming an instrument and servant of His love for humanity. 

This is what I learned from my spiritual master Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 

With all my affection,
Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti

Sri Krishna Janmastami message. From Colombia, 9/6/2015.

Krishna stu bhagavan svayam:

The avatars of God, like Sri Ramachandra and Sri Nrsimhadeva are all plenary portions and plenary expansions of Him, whereas Sri Krishna is svayam bhagavan, the personification of the six opulences in full and the Source of all. Lord Krishna is the Supreme Truth not divisible. He is the ultimate reality. He manifests in three aspects: Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan.

Isvarah paramah Krishnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam

"Sri Krishna Govinda is the manifestation of eternity, knowledge and bliss, He is the supreme controller. He has no source but is the origin of everything and the cause of all causes."

So when we speak of Sri Krishna we must be clear that He is the penultimate and can only be understood with love from the heart. Reason will take us to bankruptcy in this regard. We can only adore, admire and we beg for His mercy in this day of Sri Krishna Janmastami. We ask that You allow us to confirm this desire to reach Your abode and serve Your divine will. Since You, my Lord, You have been merciful and sent us Your dear devotee, our spiritual master Srila Prabhupada, who cares for us and make us Your devotees. Although obviously always we are all Your devotees, for You are the supreme cause of all causes.

My Lord, Your love is so great that You have a mission and an individual plan for each of us. The Krishna-tattva (knowledge of the Divine Personality) is something really incredible and very difficult to understand. The Vishnu Purana says that Bhagavan is defined as the one who possesses all opulences in full: He is the most beautiful, the most famous, richest, most powerful, the most knowledgeable and the most renounced. All these qualities are manifested in Sri Krishna at its finest.

In the dasa-mula Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur explains that Svayam Bhagavan Sri Krishna is Vrajendra Nandana, Sri Hari, to whom Brahma, Shiva, Indra and other demigods continuously offer their obeisance. He is the only Supreme Absolute Truth. Even Maha Vishnu, who pervades all universes as the Supersoul or Paramatma, is just a partial expansion of Lord Krishna. Thus Sri Hari Himself is the form of the Divine Reality called cid-svarupa. His effulgence is the color of a newly fresh rain cloud. He is called Radha Kanta, the beloved of Srimati Radharani.

Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita: "O conqueror of wealth (Dhananjaya)! There is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.." He also says: "I am the source of all worldly and spiritual worlds, everything emanates from Me, the wise who know this engage in bhajan (glorification) to Me, their hearts are absolutely thrilled for Me."

Lord Krishna is the Supreme Controller, all others are His servants, He makes us dance as He desires. He again says in the Bhagavad Gita: "He who knows that I am the ultimate enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the supreme controller of all the planets and the well-wisher and friend of all living entities, attains liberation from the bonds of identification with the material body." "I'm the only teacher, the only enjoyer of sacrifices, those who do not recognize Me when I appear in My transcendental body, will fall down and repeatedly go through the cycle of birth and death." "Oh Arjuna, My birth and My activities are transcendental, one who knows this truth will need not be born again in a material body and certainly come to Me."

The Katha Upanishad states:

nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam
eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman

"He is the Supreme head of all beings; He is the Supreme consciousness among all beings. The Supreme Lord satisfies everyone's desires and gives them everything they need."

And this is once again clarified in the Bhagavad Gita:

sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto
mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca
vedais ca sarvair aham ca vedyo
vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham
(Bhagavad Gita 15.15)

"I am in everyone's heart, and from Me comes remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. It's me who is to be known by all the Vedas. In truth, I am the compiler of Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas. "

brahmano hi pratisthaham
amrtasyavyayasya ca
sasvatasya ca dharmasya
sukhasyaikantikasya ca
(Bhagavad Gita 14.27)

"I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness."

Lord Brahma offered the following prayer to the Supreme Lord:

"Oh master of the entire universe, You are the one who should be glorified. Oh, Vrajendra Nandana, son of the King of Vraja, Your blue body which is like a newly fresh rain cloud is adorned with the brightness of Your yellow garments. You are decorated with dolphin-shaped earrings and have a peacock feather on Your head. Your face is radiant with uncommon splendor and around your neck is a garland made with different types of forest flowers and leaves. Under Your arms You have a stick to control the cows and a buffalo horn. The flute You wear under Your belt looks very beautiful and in Your loving and sweet hands you have remnants of yogurt and rice. You attract all with Your beautiful cowherd boy form. I simply bow down to You again and again because Your feet are as soft as the lotus and are marked with all auspicious signs!"

All these are different sentences that allow us to see Lord Krishna in His original form; who is the one who captivates everyone in His abode of Sri Vrindavan Dham.

There are a few more sentences that are very beautiful and we will remember them today:

"How astonishing is He, to whom Putana wanted to kill with smeared poison on her breasts, and instead saved her and gave her the position of a mother. Who could understand such compassion!? I take shelter in Him as there is nothing greater!" "How fortunate are Nanda Maharaj (the head of the cowherds) and the inhabitants of Vraja Bhumi, they have limitless fortune because the Absolute Truth, the source of all happiness, the Supreme Brahman has become their friend!".

Krishnaya vasudevaya
Devakinandanaya ca
Nandagopa kumara ya
Govindaya namo namah
(Canto 1 Chapter 8, taken from Srimad Bhagavatam)

I offer my respectful obeisances to all those who have come to Varsana Dham (Colombia) on this day to celebrate Sri Krishna Janmastami with us. This is a day entirely dedicated to Krishna-katha with great devotee association of Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaja who is visiting us today, the current acarya of Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math that came from the holy land of Navadvipa and graciously accepted the invitation to participate and so this festival fill our hearts with joy.

Today we are remembering and worshiping Lord Krishna with more intensity from Bhumi (our lodging in Varsana Dham) who was brought into this world by the mercy of Bhumi Mata (Mother Earth) and asked him to give us strength to continue serving and expanding the message that He Himself has brought so that we can take it everywhere. Being with You today in celebrating the festival of Sri Krishna Janmastami and tomorrow the appearance of Srila Prabhupada, I feel great joy and mercy.

Today is a day to further deepen, it is a day of consecration which delivers the testimony that Sri Krishna is the greatest friend of everyone who comes to our rescue. It is by His own mercy that we can offer some austerity and love today. Krishna is not happy when one fasts, he is happy with our attempt to make Him happy. The Vaishnava tradition of fasting can also be called "the fast of anticipation" because the devotees are so happy that they can not even think of eating and sleeping because Lord Krishna will appear at midnight; in that anticipation everyone is captivated and offer their austerities, their memories and their meditation on the Lord.

Devotees meditate on how Krishna appears in the world, on how He has come this far (Varsana, Colombia), they meditate on how Krishna is the sun, and how He is the taste of  water and how it comes to flood our lives with mercy alongside Srimati Radharani. Devotees meditate on how Sri Krishna manifests Himself as the origin of everything, that is something so great and wonderful that we could celebrate it every day, but we do so particularly today.

As we celebrate the appearance day of Sri Krishna We give special attention to Him, we make offerings. We offer a beautiful spiritual mission, a beautiful family and offer our fasting. We fast to please Sri Krishna. They are the symbols of divine love. Krishna always gives us what we need everything we eat during the year, all the air we breathe, what we get is because of  His mercy. So today we remember all of this with more intensity until midnight, which is when Vasudeva and Devaki receive the Lord in the prison cell at the palace of Kamsa. After that Vasudeva takes Krishna to Gokul carrying Him across the river Yamuna, who opens the passage to take Him there. There in Gokul,Vasudeva leaves Krishna the child at home with mother Yasoda. This beautiful story of the Lord leaves us completely enthralled to the point that it makes us dedicate our life to trying to please Krishna wholeheartedly.

We not only offer today this festival to the Lotus Feet of Sri Krishna, we offer our whole life, our preaching, our schools of yoga, our Ayurvedic centers, our eco-yoga villages, our gardens, our organic crops, our art form of painting and sculpture, foods prepared in our restaurants throughout the year, we offer the products we manufacture in "Spoon," everything we have and do. Indeed, we say that when a new devotee comes in the family, he becomes a doctor of the soul, receiving the maximum liability that exists which is becoming a well-wisher of the soul of others. This means that, from now on, he will try to help people in the world. That is the sacred tradition that Sri Krishna brings. To become a devotee means to become a well-wisher:

Om sarve bhavantu sukhinah
Sarve Santu niramayah
Sarve bhadrani pashyantu
Ma kashcid-duhkha-bhag-bhavet

That is the essence of the teachings of Lord Krishna, the joy for a devotee means to help others; a devotee does not want to see that others are in misery, a devotee does not want others to get sick, he does not want them to lose the perception of the wise assessment of the facts; a devotee rather wants everyone to have clarity of purpose in life and, of course, the devotee does not cause harm to anyone else. That is the main vow of all the devotees, not to cause misery to others.

Our spiritual master Srila Prabhupada, in his infinite mercy has given us the confidence to become doctors of the soul. This means that since we came into contact with Lord Krishna we will try our utmost to deliver the appreciation of the Lord to all the people around us. That's the medicine. Sri Krishna is healing. Sri Krishna is salvation. Sri Krishna is our refuge and our home. Sri Krishna gives us our true identity. Sri Krishna allows us to understand how to accomplish in life and so seek the satisfaction of reaching the perfection of life.

We know we all have to die, but we have the greatest opportunity to become sentient beings within creation and that is pure mercy that the Superconscious Lord has given us, Lord Krishna appears in our lives and gives us permission to become healers. How can we become healers? Simply delivering the medicine, the Maha Mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

It is difficult to imagine a mantra of the Divine Names can heal us and can remove all the pains of existence. It is hard to understand but it is reality, as Sri Krishna says there is no difference between Him and His name. So when we chant the Maha-mantra in the association of devotees we experience the Holy Name as the greatest medicine. While chanting the Holy Name the person may experience that there is nothing in the material world that compares, no drugs of any kind that can match or even all the money in the world or all the fame you can get will not give even a similar pleasure that the Holy Name can deliver.

Sri Krishna is the supreme enjoyer, whereas the devotee yearns to be enjoyed. The devotee feels the joy of pleasing Krishna. And How does He enjoy? Healing the sick soul, feeding those hungry for spirituality, sowing the organic seed of bhakti, giving justice to the oppressed of the material world. Krishna comes to end abusive demons and save the oppressed. He is everything and the solution for everything. While we are in the material world we will be surrounded by demons, those looking to enjoy without God at the center. We want to become the center and not want to take the medicine that Sri Krishna is so kindly giving us, so we are born again and again until we reached the point where we decided that we no longer want to continue being born and remaining spiritually sick. At that time we decide that we want to be close to the Lord of the heart.

This was the message that I wish to share with you all on this day on Sri Krishna Janmastami.

Sri Krishna Janmastami, ki jay!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Your always well wisher,
B. A. Paramadvaiti Swami

The moment you separate yourself from the Absolute you take shelter of the relative. 5/24/2015. Venezuela.

My dear devotees,

Accept my affection from Venezuela,

Today I want to share with you a few words about union with the absolute sweetness; we must give our heart and soul to the absolute dominion of love. That is the level of the Absolute. The world of love is beyond desires, longings and regrets. The world of love is a very fine dimension, whereas in that domain one can join with the sweet will of the Absolute. That is the key in this whole affair, unite your soul with the sweet will of the Absolute, which is always favoring devotion and the devotees.

God has planned  the absolute welfarew for you, but you want to separate yourself from His will and obtain relative welfare and trying to turn make it absolute. God is sweet and has a sweet will and included you in that sweet will. But you must surrender to His sweet will. Surrender to the Absolute from the depths of the heart. You must understand that only by developing love for the Absolute will you obtain  an absolute well being and positively it is waiting for you and it is the very thing you're looking for.

The Absolute wants your absolute well-being, because you are absolutely part and parcel of Him, but because you possess the absolute function of free will (as you are part and parcel of the Absolute), then you should exercise your absolute power to decide. Decide whether "I want to get in touch with the Absolute, I want unite with the Absolute, I want to embrace the sweet will of the Absolute, and I do not want to use my mental faculties to separate myself from the Absolute." Because the moment  you separate yourself from the Absolute you take shelter of the relative, but relation to the Absolute only has one goal. In love, the goal is one.

That person who is immersed in the material plane and tries to change course and heads toward the absolute center, is known as a devotee. And when a conflict exists between those who insist on staying in the area of the relative and take possession of it, and those who want to go to the absolute spiritual levels then the Lord Himself descends from the center of everything and actively protects His devotees.

That is the special mercy of the Absolute towards those who have surrendered to His sweet will. And for those who are struggling to surrender to the will of the Absolute and become devotees, preaching is the essential tool to nurture spiritual life. Srila Prabhupada established the Sunday celebrations as the most traditional form of preaching in the West. In any place where devotees live there must not be one closed temple on Sundays. You can not afford that. That's a warning!  I have heard that there are churches without Sunday feast and that is serious. It was established by Srila Prabhupada himself, and that worries me. It may be that we can not require all devotees of the community to participate in the Sunday celebration, for they too can be busy organizing various festivals and programs during the week. But we need to recognize that hosting a Vaishnava gathering is a great honor and gives the highest degree of joy.

At these festivals there can be no shortage of prasadam. If there is not a lot of chefs who can do many different preparations, then there must be at least a delicious paella or kitri or upma, super sweet and lots of it, that's the minimum. Another option is that these devotees and grhasta community can cook at home and take different preparations to the temple. So you can make a variety of prasadam preparations for the festival. We just need to make meetings and all the devotees of the community (the temple and those who live outside the temple) are allowed to actively participate. Cultivate this family tradition with love and trust. They should make a list of chores and tasks to organize the party, before, during and after. It must be ensured that everything is very clean once the festival is over, in order to continue services the following morning. More festivals means more joy and more joy means more Vaishnava family, which means more work, more service, more devotion and more self-control, or less maya. It is all mathematical, a plan of salvation in loving service "The Sunday Festival of Spritual Love".

Of course, that does not mean that every night the temples can't have a mini party of preaching, where there is a class on the Bhagavad Gita, followed by kirtan and prasadam is distributed. The association of the Vaishnava means sacred instructions, kirtan and prasadam. In addition, we have many materials to introduce to people, all of them are introduced in the middle of the party. That way each guest can find the way they like to worship and serve God. That is our struggle, to spread the glories of the Supreme Absolute Lord and spread love to all souls for this movement which leads us to separate ourselves from the relative and surrender to His sweet will.

I leave you with a big hug and thank you from the heart to all those who are putting the effort to keep these beautiful Sunday festival of love going. Share this message with all the members of your community.

Jay Srila Prabhupada!

Your always well-wisher,
B.A. Paramadavaiti Swami.

Sri Balarama Purnima 8/10/2014. From Bulgaria.

These two are one and the same identity. They differ only in form. Lord Balarama is the first bodily expansion of Krishna, and He assists in Lord Krishna's transcendental pastimes. (CC Adi 5.5.)

My dear devotees,

Please receive all my affection on this day of Sri Balaram Purnima. Today we are celebrating it in Bulgaria and then I will be traveling to Venezuela and Colombia, and stopping by Frankfurt to meet with Purushottama Prabhu and celebrate together.

  This Balaram Purnima day is pretty significant to me. I took sannyas three times in my life, the first time was in a dream I had with Srila Prabhupada, where he gave me the renounced order. The second time was on the day of Sri Balaram Purnima, when in 1978 I received the sannyas order of my spiritual brothers who were in charge of the mission of Srila Prabhupada in Brazil. Then in 1984, I had the opportunity to hear the beautiful sannyas mantra from the lotus lips of Srila Sridhar Maharaj and with this I had the fortune to receive the traditional order of sannyasa in the line of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada.

On this day, I pray for the protection of Sri Balaramji and I ask Him to give me permission to renew this contract of the heart. This is a great responsibility to represent Srimati Radharani, Sri Balaramji, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, my spiritual masters and all the Guru - parampara and the great spiritual family. To serve as a sannyasi is not the most important, but serving with love is. Anyways, the sannyasi ashram is so beautiful. It translates into the constant sacrifice of personal privacy to be always open to the needs of those who are seeking God.

The sannyasi ashram is quite severe, because with discipline you get the chance to serve. The sannyasi ashram is the gift of Srila Prabhupada to develop more dedicated service. People like sannyasis because they feel they can rely on them. It is really difficult to count on any person in this world, but someone who is trying to follow in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and constantly preaching, builds trust. It is a great fortune to have contact with those who are trying to establish places where you can practice spiritual life. Srila Prabhupada gave us this fortune to us, it is difficult to measure.

Today we can see that there are thousands of places that keep the doors open for the thirsty souls of truth so they can come and practice Krishna Consciousness. Therefore I am very grateful to the Vrinda family, especially the sannyasis and maharanis who have given much of their energy and love into the wonderful projects offered to the Lotus Feet of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada used to quote the slogan of the Indian Railway System which was "The wheels have to keep moving".We can say that "The doors of the temples and the hearts of the devotees must remain open forever", because closed doors means there is no refuge for the souls who seek it.

On this day, 30 years after the origin of this beautiful spiritual Vrinda family and 36 years after I entered this ashram, I express my deepest appreciation for every day that I have received, for each person with whom I have had the opportunity to associate with and I pray for this to continue for the rest of my days in the spirit of fortunate and humble sankirtan devotees. When I first got to know the mission of Srila Prabhupada, I immediately went out to the streets of Europe to preach, there were many hard years. So, as a beggar of love, our sankirtan was begging people to acquire the books of Srila Prabhupada.

I pray to my spiritual master to let me keep doing it for the rest of my life. In my time of sankirtan I only worried about visiting different places to be able to offer the books of Srila Prabhupada to others. But at some point I began to emerge intense feelings of concern for the temples and devotees. I myself was surprised by these feelings. A few days after that, I was sent to Denmark to take over the temple there.
Everything Sri Krsna does is perfect. Our desire is that everyone really can know about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and (hopefully) you can join this movement, because this union creates a wonderful fraternity where service becomes a real pleasure. Service to the devotees and their association bring us entirely closer to the Lotus Feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Dancing in the kirtan with devotees is the introduction to the rasa dance with Krishna in His transcendental abode. But for this we need the protection and mercy of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the force that gives us Sri Balaram and the constant association with Vaishnavas so we can continue to dance well together eternally in sankirtan with Gurudeva Atulananda with Harijan Maharaja and all of you. The Sankirtan Movement is completely mystical and the constant inspiration of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the centerpiece. He is Srimati Radharani's appearance in a very hidden manner that is full of complete mercy.

My dears, on this day of Sri Balaram Purnima I wish you all that, independent of your capabilities and limitations, to always remain steadfast and constantly keep your faith and positive attitudes towards all. I also pray especially on this day to Srila BB Tirtha Maharaj, one of the star sannyasis that is a part of our Guru - parampara who is always showing us to follow the path of devotion to the last moment of our lives. Only by the mercy of the Vaishnavas those things are possible. And of course, what would the reason be to dance here if there were no eternal dance waiting for us in the spirit world? There is, and there we will go someday if the Vaishnavas are merciful to us. The whole universe is dancing and it is inviting us to dance with Krishna eternally.

That's the secret invitation of Sri Vrindavan that has become visible in Navadvip by the Grace of Sri Caitanya. And it will be expanded worldwide by the grace of Srila Prabhupada and all of you. For all of you, whether grihastas, children, brahmacaris, sannyasis, you are all representatives of Srila Prabhupada fulfilling their momentous duties. You are all representatives of this transcendental dance.

Again once more I pray to Sri Balarama so that all of you stay spiritually healthy and happy and that by His grace itself, we can stay under the shelter of the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada.
Jay Sri Balarama!
Jay Sri Nityananda Prabhu!

Your always well wisher,

B. A. Paramadvaiti Swami

Guru Purnima. 07/13/2014. Italy

Dear devotees, receive all my affection from Italy on the day of Guru Purnima.

Today is a special day to remember the light of Srila Prabhupada. That light of Srila Prabhupada is my life and soul. Guru is the one who takes care of me and guides me. The universal principle of the spiritual master is also manifested through the siksa-gurus who teach and care for me daily. We celebrate all of them today on the day of Guru Purnima.

In our lives we make a mistake that often becomes a risk: we easily appreciate the famous, the rich, the important people, those who have things that we do not. We like to take pictures with them, because if I'm with someone important, I also acquire importance. It's like saying "look, I'm in this photo with Vandana Shiva," or with Doctor Krapula. They are important people and I want to be important too. :) The problem is that the minute you start to feel important, you immediately stop being important.
Why do I say this?

Because it is not the main focus, the famous Guru who travels everywhere and has many disciples ... the guru who has many followers and since he is significant I also want to take a photo with him. No, the main principle is the focus of that Guru who guides you every day, who cares for your spiritual life, the teacher with who gives life to the spiritual life experience.

Guru Purnima is the celebration of Guru - tattva. It is the celebration of the manifestation of the original spiritual master. If  I perform Guru puja and that is where my service ends then I have made a big mistake, because I should include in my worship my siksa gurus too. I must attend and serve he who is instructing me. Parents who guide their children in spiritual life are also gurus.

Guru Purnima is the celebration and worship of all Gurus, it is not just Diksa-Guru Purnima. This is the day to recognize and appreciate who is taking care of me, those who are my guardians, my well-wishers. To identify those who sacrifice for me and I do it for them. Merchants created Father's Day and Mother's Day as a way to make money, but in reality both parents should be celebrated on a daily basis not just one day in the year. Therefore, Guru is not only the initiating Guru, but all those who are guiding and protecting me.

This is a complex issue. You can not simply throw some flowers, give a cookie, and give a donation and go...We are accustomed to look for the easy way out, but it's not that simple. Proper application is the exact opposite. Put yourself in my place, for example:

-My Guru is not on this mundane plane, he left it several years ago. I have many pictures of him and I can say: Jaya Gurudeva, but the photo is not going to say anything. I have memories of Prabhupada, having experiences with him and that hits me emotionally, but what also hits me is the face of a devotee who is passing time very badly in their life or to see a child suffer. What do I mean? The principle of Guru, the principle of Guru-tattva is based on the real relationship that I have with the people around me.
Having a Spiritual Master means recognizing that I am not only a disciple and follower of my initiating spiritual master, but of the people who are caring and guiding me daily. It is in daily contact where Guru resides. One meditates that Guru is above all and it turns out that the Guru is also next to you in the form of the people crying around you but yet you will not pay attention because you're too busy looking at the sky, meditating on your diksa - Guru and offering flowers while you kick the Guru that is right in front of you.

Why do I say this? Because I want you to have a broader view. Perhaps it is not easy to digest.

For me, my Guru is sitting in front giving me a lot of instructions through the devotees. The practical application of the principle of the Guru - tattva is very demanding, because one can not be spaced out and escape Guru, you can not be lazy. Thereofore, if everyone around you is a manifestation of Guru, that means you must be alert. This is very important.

At this moment I remember Srila Bhalti Ballabha Tirtha Maharaj, who is one of my Siksa - Gurus, and he is currently with one foot in this world and one foot in the spiritual world, and he is physically surrounded by his beloved disciples in Calcutta who are constantly singing for months, knowing that Gurudeva can leave at any time and not return.

Once, Srila Tirtha Maharaj described some of the types of disciples, with some humor. Of the ones I remember, one was "always" the disciple who receives an instruction from the Guru and instantly said "why always me"? Another type of disciples is like an "arrow", who receives a service from Sri Guru and says "Yes my Gurudeva, as you order" and he shoots out like an arrow, but then he never returns. Another is the "passes on the charge", whom the Guru says, "My dear disciple, please this is urgent" and the disciple says "Yes" and then goes to another devotee and says "Gurudeva says to do this, it's very urgent "So, Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaj laughed at some of the reactions of the disciples and he taught us very deeply to become good disciples.

The time of the departure of the spiritual master is very strong. Devotees know that their Guru is leaving before their eyes, it's very painful. Putting it in a mundane example today: it's like living in slow motion  and being able to see the goal that defeats the other team in a football game, it is so slow that you hardly see the movement but you know how it will all end.

It is a very strong feeling. A very strong emotion. Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaja told my spiritual brothers: "Your Guru has left, now you surrender to the Truth" Sure, some resented that and felt that he was saying that they were not surrendered, but Srila Sridhar Maharaj was instructing them that now without the physical presence of the Guru they should further deepen themselves to the truth and give even more to really have love and devotion that is obtained by the grace of the Guru.

Our Gurus are calling us from everywhere, spiritual brothers, the souls looking for Krishna, all of them are our examples, they are our masters and we serve them. It is pure mercy. Additionally, these teachers complain if one is not active in spiritual life, they call for your attention to focus on their service, that is mercy. That is the service of the spiritual master, to educate the disciple. So we appreciate all those who are educating us. The worst is a teacher who does not say anything to the disciple and then the disciple can fail in their attempt and the Master says nothing.

When you are a new devotee you do everything that the Guru says. Gurudeva says "come here" and the devotee goes. Gurudeva says, 'Do this, do that "and the devotee does. Gurudeva says:" Do not do this" then the devotee does not. Thus, it is a beautiful stage, one is a neophyte, even a little silly, because you make many mistakes. But once one is practicing Krishna Consciousness for many years things change. The Guru no longer tells the devotee all he has to do at all times, giving the devotee more space to develop their own criteria, then comes the hard part, because the devotee should reflect and meditate very much at this point, "I do, as I do .. ." This is a more advanced stage. Where everything becomes more spontaneous, where it is assumed that you know everything you need to know and must apply and test your judgment. Where the surrender should be deeper. Because the World of Surrender, those only truly surrendered enter.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj used the phrase, "Die to Live." If you wish to live in the eternal platform, then you must die at the egotistical level, the whims, the love of money, laziness. To live in the world of Devotion you must be free of all selfishness, lust, indifference, and greed. Srila Sridhar Maharaj also said that in the spiritual world everything is greater than oneself. Therefore it is said that in the spiritual world one should walk with a humble head as to not offend all those entities that are serving the Supreme. We should follow the path of devotional service everyday. That is what we must learn. Therefore, Guru Purnima is not a celebration of a day in the year. It is not something so easy and so cheap.

Understanding the importance of the spiritual master in our life is to see Sri Guru and Krishna in all the people around you every day of the year and to serve them as if they were the same Sri Guru and Krishna.
Because if you do not attend the Master in practice, then it is useless. It means you are not anything. If the service is being well ran, then it becomes Guru - puja. Service that is not centered is not Guru - puja.

What you do to the Spiritual Master should be done with the best of intentions of perfection. The path of Bhakti is not mediocre. The path of Bhakti is a divine gift, which one must become responsible and dutiful in. And if one has failed to develop spontaneous devotion, then one should maintain it as their ideal and dedicate yourself to fulfilling your service in the best way, every day. At least your services should be fulfilled. Do not be a "chichipato" as they say in Colombia. There they also say, "This guy does not even fulfill his birth years", confirming that there are people who do not accomplish things at all. Rather, one must become very reliable. It is very important to comply with the 4 regulative principles. Complying with your devotional activities with the chanting of the Holy Name and preaching. It is important to comply with each other ... Comply, comply with and enforce. Only after complying,  spontaneity can be developed.

This day of Guru Purnima we celebrate it as a participatory party, not a slacker party. To become an active part of the service in specific things is Guru - tattva. Specifically in daily sacrifice, such as controlling of the senses, in service, in collecting Lakshmi Krishna, in the study of the Scriptures, in the care of the Deity, in the nourishing yourself by prasadam ... only to realize that concrete Concrete sacrificing with an understanding that Sri Krishna and Guru are represented by all people.

You must remember that when you are going to do sankirtan your own spiritual master is there in the street and it is he who connects others with the temple.How is this? Because the soul in search is showing you what you have to do, that soul is giving you service. It's amazing that those who are looking for the truth also show you the truth ... and you're also searching for Truth. And it even may be that he has more of a yearning for the another truth than you and they help you remember the reason for your own forgetfulness that which is from habit.

My dear, we must work with dedication for the cause, with the realization that I'll never be a spiritual master because I am very fallen and insignificant, but still studying with the masters and learning from them. I was in the school of Srila Prabhupada and there is much expected from me, because Srila Prabhupada himself taught me that.

So, if I am invited to speak or someone asks me questions I must address them on behalf of Srila Prabhupada, if I didn't I would be a traitor. To advance spiritually one must be prepared to deliver what he received from his spiritual master, and if you're not sure what has been given to you, then read his books and associate with advanced devotees who sing his glories.

To end this Chat I want to comment on something very interesting. We are working with a few Internet groups who support certain pioneer projects financially. These projects must be submitted with all your personalized details. Name of the manager of the project, where it is, budget, materials, development time, etc., etc.. Even a farm project may present different related projects such as hosting spots for volunteers, collective kitchen, conference room, etc, etc.. You can also include projects such as editing a particular book, the production of a film or a musical recording. I urge you to seize this opportunity and to submit everything you would like to apply for the respective project.

You can do this by collecting information and documentation and sending it to the Office for review. They inform them if you need something and then present it to legally organize it. Please meet this request as soon as possible, including all the technical details: the local project bank account, etc.. Please send all requests to Pancatattwa Prabhu.

I wanted to share this so that we can improve our service offerings to the spiritual master in this day of Guru -purnima.

Thanks for reading this message
Jay Srila Prabhupada!

Your always well wisher,
B. A. Paramadvaiti Swami.

It's not for understanding, it's to pray for that mercy. New York 05/04/2014

                                                         Conference.
Dear devotees

King Bharata was extraordinary and his dynasty practically established the Vedic culture as one of the most important. India was called Bharata varsa in the past. An example of an incredible ruler is Ranti Deva who sacrificed so much for the welfare of others.

Practically, today, the rulers have no ideals. That is the reason why they have no solutions to the world. They do not have any examples to give or ideals, which is why this world is totally lacking in guidance and clarity. So, we must have ideals and define what is right, what we want to do in life.
I ask devotees: What are your goals? What do you do for a living? And in general, they do not have good answers.

This is worrisome, because in life you have to know what to do, perhaps someone does something motivated by impulses, three steps here, three steps there, after six steps take four back, and then you come to a halt. Vedic culture teaches that you have to know what you want. For example, in the Vedic culture accepting a spiritual master is essential. It is something you do, but of course it is not an obligation. Nor is it a requirement that a ksatriya warrior becomes a Brahmin priest. This step is not imaginary, it is real and tangible, it's a natural progression stage. It's like when you go on a road. There are many paths, but if one does not reach the destination, then you did not take the right path.

The steps in spiritual life are like the rungs of a ladder. These steps in spiritual progress are as real as the view of the road. People who do not accept an authority think that there is neither a road nor a destination, so for them there is no origin, cause, road or destination. We came to this world and are only dedicated to engaging the senses. People pass life in sense enjoyment, and if they get good karma they obtain good looking ladies. In this way one thinks that the senses are real and worship them with various efforts. So life goes on never wondering Why were we born and what are we here for?

A devotee wants to climb up to the maximum point of its achievement and a devotee knows that the maximum of achievement that exists is in a world of  dimension where you can no longer climb any higher. One can climb to the modalities. One can climb by Karma -yoga, dhyana -yoga, you can climb even by  mystic yoga, but in bhakti there is no longer scales, only mercy. In the world of bhakti one progresses by mercy, not ambition, nor complying with only certain techniques.

In bhakti there are no scales, there is only the abyss and into the abyss, when you reach the top, you say, I have reached the top of everything. Then you hear a voice that says, no, you have not gotten anywhere yet. How have I not gotten anywhere yet? I'm above all, everything is under me.

Arriving at the door of bhakti one asks and 'Now, what do I do here?' I feel like I'm missing something, but how is that possible? I reached the top and I'm still not fully realized. There's a special mystique in bhakti. When you get to the top and still do not feel fully realized, an invitation from bhakti comes and that invitation is to: jump.

"But where is the land? If I'm going to jump I may fall." Relax, here we will pick you up. Who will pick me up? Where is the security? Do not worry. Jump no worries just jump. I have ground under my feet, I'm fine, until you reach the top. You came to the dimension of faith and the dimension of faith, there is no one to assure you anything. The only thing that guides you is the star of a sincere heart and encouraging comments of the Lord's bhaktas.

They tell of the world that goes beyond the analytic visibility, beyond that which can be cut and measured, beyond illusion, beyond the abuse, beyond back-slapping and falsehoods.
Back in the world of bhakti, where we are invited, everything is governed by the same rules of divine love, and that is where you should be living. This goes against everything I've known to date. They have always told me to be secured  and now they tell me to leave all safely. Lord Krishna Himself practiced this. He says to abandon all religion ...

- Lord Krishna, how do you ask me this?
Krishna says, when there is a predominance of irreligion, I appear there to establish the religious principles and then He says: Abandon all religion?

Lord Krishna , you confuse me so. How can I understand such a thing?
We were always taught about patterns and steps.
Karma- kanda clearly teaches that every action produces a result, that a specific activity brings a specific consequence, certain aspirations can lead you to experience different things.
And now You tell me : Everything you've accomplished, abandon it. I struggled to get things, and now I have to leave it! Imagine. What is love? Love is the opposite of the rational, the opposite of what we've tried to do.

Are all our efforts were in vain? No. I had to pass them, deal with them, to abandon them.
But how is this? I worked so hard to earn fame, I won money , I won a job, I earn so much and now I have to abandon it all? and what do I get in return? Disqualified, too inquisitive :)

But how is this, you can not even ask questions? You can ask questions but it will benefit you more if you start practicing the answers you have been given.

Start experimenting with your own realization, that reasoning fails better to act with dedication to the ideal, the goal. You are your own warranty. You have to experience the same with the Krishna's name. And listening is the beginning of the process.

What to listen to? The invitation bhakti. There is a very special thing and this is the reason why we are here. If one has not reached the top of which I am speaking, one can leap and accept the bhakti path now. It is needless to reach the top of Dhyana and Karma -yoga to reach Bhakti. Bhakti is greater than Karma Yoga and Dhyana. Krishna clearly says : "To know Me, bhakti is the only way, nothing more."

He recommends Karma and Dhyana for certain stages, but he himself says : "You will not know Me like this" So the biggest thing about this, is that you with your karma or your sinful activities, the lowest of the lowest, you can still leap into Bhakti. You can leap into Bhakti and surrender to the will of Krishna.

Do you know that Krishna has a plan for you ?
Do you know that God has personal expectations of you?
Do you know he is on a quest for his lost servant?
Do you know that all things that happen everyday are delicately arranged by God?

Your food , your happiness, your experiences, the ability to walk, hug, decide, sharing, helping and serving. God is very, but very aware of you. And at the same time of all others. No soul is forgotten by God. And one who understands this sees no difference between souls.

The Bhagavad Gita (6.29) says:

sarva-bhūta-stham ātmānaḿ

sarva-bhūtāni cātmani

īkṣate yoga-yuktātmā

                                                                    sarvatra sama-darśanaḥ

"A true yogī observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized person sees Me, the same Supreme Lord, everywhere."

Then the following verse (6.30):

yo māḿ paśyati sarvatra

sarvaḿ ca mayi paśyati

tasyāhaḿ na praṇaśyāmi

sa ca me na praṇaśyati

"For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me."

This is the invitation of Sri Krsna.

Your invitation is the Bhagavad Gita. Each verse is filled with hope. So one who preaches or teaches others about the Bhagavad Gita is giving hope to the world. What to say in a world where we are all basket cases. Krishna comes and tells you, you have another chance. You 're not a lost cause for me. We do not deserve another chance, but for the purpose of the divine we do.

When all the world judges us and punishes us, Krishna comes in the form of his mercy. So in this way we can realize the infinite love of God for his children. It is not for understanding, it's to pray for that mercy. And I 'm looking for it and I wish you all of do the same with your own efforts.

Thanks for joining .
This is the message I wanted to share with you today.
Thanks to Srila Prabhupada for this Chat .
Srila Prabhupada ki jay .

Your always well wisher,
B. A. Swami Paramadvaiti .

The following October is the anniversary of our 30 years of pilgrimage in Braja Mandal Dhama . A great festival will be developed under the guidance of our Gurudevas Srila Paramadvaiti Maharaj and Srila
Atulananda Acarya. Register to be part of this important event in our spiritual family: www.vrindakunja.org / brajmandal "

The Invitation From Cali Mandir 6/16/11

 Conference from Colombia.

Dear devotees
Accept all my love from Cali Mandir,
Shortly traveling to visit the devotees of Ecuador.

Today I want to reflect on something that we do not question very often, but is a basic part of life, especially in spiritual life. We could start this conference with a very simple question but substantial: What is your goal? If we think a bit about it, we realize that is not a question we think of very often. Even, we can see that the leaders of society, rulers, etc. They do not have very clear goals for their life, or if they do, they are completely misdirected. They are not like the ideal rulers of the Vedic times such as, King Bharata, Yuddhistir Maharaj, Ranti Deva, among others. Currently there are very few examples of such correct and exemplary rulers, if any. That is why the world is completely without guidance and clarity in their life goals. So, we ourselves must have well defined care of our ideals and identify what we want to do with our lives and act accordingly.

Then, my dear, I ask you: What are your goals? What do you want to do with your lives? Do you have any response to that? If there is no clear answer, it is very worrying, because one must know what to do with his life. If not we will just bedriven by the impulses of the senses to the rhythm of the modes of material nature: three steps here, three steps back and forth, then six to the other side, four back and ... and we end up standing without knowing where to go. In that sense, the Vedas are very clear because we are taught that we should know what we want. We learn about who we are and where we go (or should go), Vaishnava culture teaches us that  by the very important fact of accepting a spiritual master. It is the key issue. It is not an obligation, but it is what makes the whole process become real and tangible. So we shall go for the safe route.

Spiritual life is like a grand staircase, which has many steps and each step we move steadily towards Sri Krishna. Each step in spiritual progress is so real and deepens when guided by someone connected with Krishna himself. People who do not accept an authority to progress the ladder or who think that there is no path, no destination, are completely lost. For them there is neither origin (cause), path, destination. Or in other words ... have no purpose in life.
But if life has meaning then we must strive to remember forever. Do not come into this world to dedicate yourselves to please the senses. Neither come to spend enjoying life, exploiting pretty girls or boys ... or just enjoying the money. Why did we come for? To serve :) Now, let's identify the process step by step ...

1. The beginning is simple, the first step is to become a moral person. What does this mean? It means becoming someone honest. If someone is not a honest person their consciousness is rather low. People are very suspicious today, so honesty is our best tool to protect ourselves from Maya Devi. Would you invite to your home someone who is not honest? Would you accept someone dishonest to approach your family? Most likely not. So morality and honesty are so important. Follow the 4 principles that Srila Prabhupada left us because they are the basis of honesty. Srila Prabhupada said that these four principles will help us to become true human beings ... Imagine, we have a human body but we act like animals. Just follow the 4 principles and ensure that human consciousness is protected. Move forward from the 4 principles on,not back.

We must strive every day to discard the lie and choose truth. By discarding the cruelty and choose mercy. By choosing to discard the dirt and accept purity. By becoming honest and responsible. That's the first step: to recognize that we must become honest and responsible.

Then comes:

* The jump

After starting the process of becoming responsible, the devotee begin to crave more steps forward in the spiritual life. Qualify for the service. Sure, a devotee does not want to scale for material achievements,they do not become karmi, jnani or yogi, the devotee wants to be qualified to receive even more mercy ... one comes to the world of Bhakti  by mercy and the sincere desire to surrender. That's where we have to take a big leap. Because in the world of Bhakti there are no more steps ...
In the world of Bhakti there is only a great leap.

After reaching the bottom of the stairs, to the top of the mountain, one may think that it's all over and one already got what he wanted, but where is the proof that is the end but only the true devotee (sincere and devoted) recognizes ... The devotee realizes that he has reached the top, but that's not all, you still need something more, that's the mysticism of Bhakti. When the devotee reaches the top (after having climbed step after step with hard work and dedication, faithfully following the trail left by the spiritual master) he receives a special invitation:

Here Krishna says, "Jump!" Jump to where? To the unknown. That's where the mind begins to question: But as I jump I see nothing, there is only emptiness. If I'm going to jump I will fall down.
 Krishna says: be calm, just jumps,,. Than I'll pick you up. . Uff, but the mind does not like the proposal, she thinks, "If I jump who will help me? I do not see security in this ..." And Krishna again insists: Do not worry about anything, just jump!, But the mind (rather insistent) makes us think: Now I have ground under my feet and I have even reached the top after so much effort, why should I jump ? As Krishna says: "You've only come to the dimension of faith and in this dimension there is no one to assure you nothing. The only thing I can guide you is the sincere star within your heart  and the encouraging comments of bhaktas of the Lord, they speak of the world that lies beyond the analytical view, beyond material calculations, beyond evil falsehood ... the world of bhakti is governed by the laws of God's love. Look beyond the material which can only see abyss, but the heart feels guided by faith and trust "Even after such a clear message from the Lord Himself, the mind still is hesitating and thinking," This goes against everything I've known so far, all my life I learned to seek security and now I leave everything I see that I have security with ... " And Krishna patiently again insists:

Sarva dharma parityaya
Mam ekam saranam vraja
Aham tvam sarva papebhyo
Ma mokṣayiṣyāmi sucah
Very clear, He says:
Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me, fear not ...

Here, the mind is confused and goes further to argue philosophically: But Lord Krishna, how do You ask this? First you say that when there is a predominance of irreligion You appear to establish the principles of dharma and now You say to leave all religion? You confused me enough!, How can I understand it? I learned to always be under the safe haven, even the karma-kanda clearly states that such sacrifice leads to such a result, this exercise brings such a result, this aspiration takes you to experience such a thing ... but now You say: Whatever you've achieved abandon ... I fought so hard to get all this and now I have to leave!

So, my dear, we can see that love is irrational. It makes no sense and you better not seek logic, because we will not find it. The world of love comes by surrender and sincerity, facilitated by the causeless mercy. The mind keeps thinking: Will all my efforts be in vain? But Krishna says: "No, not in vain, you went through all that to be able to give it all up". "How is this (still wondering)?, Work as hard  as possible for everything, I had the recognition, knowledge, I have learned and gained so much and now I have to abandon what I have acquired? What do I get in return?"

And Krishna says: "Disqualified, very inquisitive!"
"How so, disqualified? (Still and still insists)? I can not even ask questions?"
And Krishna says: "Here there are no questions here there is only capacity to hear" "And what do you hear?" (Not easy to be persuaded) Krishna says: "You hear a bhakti invitation, the invitation of love from the heart" When we think we've reached the top, we received the invitation to give ourselves in bhakti and we maintain the confidence that Krishna will receive us. But that invitation could only be accepted by a sincere heart that understands that everything we receive has been handled by Krishna and there is absolutely nothing that is beyond His control ...

This invitation is not visible to the material eyes. The materialist view can only see insecurity and chaos, while the heart is able to perceive the invitation to the open and wonderful dynamics behind what appears uncertain. Sri Krishna himself recommends karma and jnana in the Bhagavad Gita, but at the conclusion of His message He says: you can practice for certain stages, but if you know me, you will do it only by bhakti, with wholehearted devotion. That's the most wonderful mercy ... because despite our karma, despite our sinful activities, despite having committed the lowest errors, we can jump into the world of bhakti and surrender to the will of the Supreme.

Therefore, we must be clear about what we talked about in the beginning: remember, what is the goal of our life. And what is it? It is to give ourselves completely to the service of Sri Krishna, accompanied by and serving the Vaishnavas. If you do not have that as the clear aim of your life that which you fight for every day, then the senses are going to relocate and dance to ignorance, passion and material goodness.

With these words I end the chat today
I send you all my affection.
Jay Srila Prabhupada!

Your always wisher,
Swami B. A. Paramadvaiti.