A Divine Vision

“Being installed this day, do you following in the footsteps of your fathers and grandfathers cherish and protect us. With you taking the reins of government, we shall live more happily than we did under your ancestors. We seek not earthly comforts or the highest things in this life, for our only wish is to see Rama installed in the kingdom. There is nothing more pleasing to us than the installation of the highly energetic Rama on the throne.” (Citizens of Ayodhya offering benedictions to Rama prior to His installation as king, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand Sec 17)

The king of Ayodhya, Maharaja Dashratha, had announced that his eldest son, Rama, God Himself in human form, would be installed as the new king. On the day of the installation, Lord Rama travelled from His residence to the king’s, and the town citizens praised Him as He went by.

One of the first kings ever was Maharaja Ikshvaku. He was highly pious, considered the lord of earth. From him descended a long line of pious kings, of which Dashratha was one. Not having any sons, the king performed a great sacrifice which awarded him four sons, of which Rama was one. Dashratha’s favorite son from the outset, Rama was loved and adored by all. The king couldn’t wait until the day would come when Rama would succeed him on the throne. One day, after properly consulting the learned brahmanas of the kingdom, Dashratha decided the time was right to crown Rama as his successor.

We can understand from the above referenced verse that the citizens of Ayodhya were highly advanced devotees for they were given the opportunity to directly witness Lord Rama’s pastimes. In the modern day governments of the world, leaders of democratic nations are elected to their posts directly by the citizens. A simple majority vote is usually required to win office, meaning that even the most popular of leaders doesn’t enjoy universal favorability. In America, polling firms take daily tracking polls of a president’s favorability rating. As long as a president is approved of by at least fifty percent of those polled, he is considered to be popular. That still means almost half the population isn’t happy with the job the president is doing.

This was not the case during Lord Rama’s time. The people knew that the Lord loved them all equally and that He didn’t favor any one group over another as leaders do today. They all approved of Him. As a prince following the duties of the kshatriya order, Rama would have to punish people from time to time. Yet even those people couldn’t find any faults in Him.

“I do not find any such man in this world, even amongst great enemies, who, forsaken for heinous sins, can cite, even in His absence, any fault of Him.” (Lakshmana speaking to Kausalya about Lord Rama, Vm, Ayodhya Kand, Sec 21)

As stated previously, Lord Rama was born into a very auspicious family, which had a great heritage dating back many generations to King Ikshvaku. They were all extremely pious men who were dedicated to dharma, or religiosity. The citizens were well aware of the family history, but still they were the most pleased when Rama was to be installed.

The attitude of the people also represents the highest form of devotion to God. People who turn to God can be classified into one of four categories:

“O best among the Bharatas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me-the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita 7.16)

Most of us fall into either the first or second category. We ask God for things: “Please take away my pain. God, give us our daily bread. God, why am I in such distress?” Undoubtedly, it is always beneficial to us anytime we can think of God.. However, true love means wanting more for the person you love than you want for yourself. The citizens of Ayodhya didn’t want anything from Lord Rama. Instead they only wished to see Him happy, in the same way that a parent wants more for their children than they want for themselves. The citizens had completely renounced all worldly comforts. Their happiness was tied to God’s. Achieving this state of mind means one has perfected their life.

As it turned out, Providence would play its role, and Rama would be denied the kingdom on that day. Banished to the forest by his father, the citizens would have to suffer the pains of separation from the Lord for fourteen years. Fear not, for Rama would triumphantly return and fulfill the wish of his devotees. The lesson we take away from this is that God always hears us. If we truly love Him and always think of Him, then He’ll deliver us from any calamity.

The Lord of Earth

“It is accepted that the state is the representative of God. Therefore the state’s first business is to make citizens God-conscious. That is the state’s first business. Any state who is neglecting this duty, he immediately becomes unqualified to hold the state office, either he may be president or the king.” (Shrila Prabhupada)

A hot topic in the news a few months back was the collapse of the housing market. Five or six years ago, the government encouraged people to buy homes instead of just renting apartments. Even if people couldn’t afford to buy a new house, the government offered incentives to allow them to “live the American dream.” Congress forced regulated mortgage companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to lend money to people who weren’t qualified to receive the loans. The motive behind the move was to increase fairness and provide affordable housing. While their intentions may have been noble, the result was a complete collapse of the banking industry due to the nonpayment of these loans.

Beginning with the last president and continuing with the new one, the government’s policy is now to bail out these ailing banks by providing them money for their sustainability. As part of the process, the government is subsidizing the failed mortgages for the people who couldn’t afford to pay them. A well known stock trader, Rick Santelli, lashed out at the president on cable television.

“The government is promoting bad behavior!  How this, president and new administration, why didn’t you put up a website to have people vote on the Internet as a referendum to see if we really want to subsidize the losers’ mortgages or would we like to at least buy cars and buy houses in foreclosure and give ‘em to people that might have a chance to actually prosper down the road and reward people that could carry the water instead of drink the water.  This is America!  How many of you people want to pay for your neighbor’s mortgage that has an extra bathroom and can’t pay their bills?  Raise their hand.  (boos) President Obama, are you listening?”

News quickly spread about Santelli’s rant, and word finally reached the Obama Administration. The president’s press secretary, Robert Gibbs, told reporters that the president and others were laughing at Santelli’s anger and rage. Gibbs went on to say, “I think we left a few months ago the adage that if it was good for a derivatives trader, that it was good for Main Street.  I think the verdict is in on that."

Herein lies the flaw with today’s government and society in general. Rick Santelli and other derivatives traders are citizens just like everybody else. They have an equal right to the protections afforded by government. Most of today’s leaders, including President Obama, look at society in groups. They pit classes of people against each other by favoring one group at the expense of another. The law-abiding tax payers of the country did nothing wrong, and they have a legitimate gripe when they see their tax dollars transferred to people who made bad decisions.

According to Vedic philosophy, one should not be a king, a spiritual master, or a father, unless they can release their dependents from the cycle of birth and death. A leader’s job is to provide protection to all the people, and to impart spiritual knowledge on them. Protection should be provided to all the citizens equally, without favoring anyone. During Vedic times, the brahmanas were the only group that enjoyed preferential treatment. The priestly class of men were involved in pious activity, studying the Vedas, and performing sacrifices for the benefit of society as a whole. Voluntarily accepting an austere lifestyle, the kings would regularly give in charity to them, for a society requires an intelligentsia which can provide spiritual guidance. Aside from the brahmanas, a leader’s role is to administer justice fairly and equally.

"Obliged we have been, since good Rama capable of reading character, will be the lord of earth, and our protector. He is of a heart devoid of arrogance, and is learned, and righteous-souled, and affectionate to his brothers. Raghava loves us even as he does his own brothers." (citizens of Ayodhya, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda, Sec 6)

Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Krishna during the Treta Yuga, was set to be installed as the new king of Ayodhya by His father Maharaja Dashratha. The citizens of the town heard about this news and were greatly excited. They all loved Rama very much and they knew that He cared for everyone equally. A good leader provides protection for everyone and doesn’t play favorites. Since He was God Himself, He had perfect qualifications for becoming a monarch. Lord Rama specifically incarnated to show us the proper path of dharma, and to bestow His mercy upon all the people of the world.

Not only Rama, but all the kings descending from Maharaja Ikshvaku exhibited similar behavior. A leader’s duty is to create an atmosphere conducive to the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. Leaders today are themselves karmis, so they view artha, or economic development, as the primary mission in life. According to Vedic injunctions, the king, or leader of a country, is God’s representative in matters of administering justice and providing protection. Whether someone owns their own home, rents, or lives with family members, they are all equally entitled to the mercy of the Lord delivered through His representatives.

Lord Rama would regularly hold town hall meetings where people could question Him directly. No one was laughed at, and all the people were treated fairly. They knew He loved all of them, and they were loyal to Him in return. Today’s leaders would be well advised to learn from God’s example.

Life Is Meant For Austerity

"Then raising the vessel of ghee (clarified butter) to His head, He in accordance with the ordinance began to offer oblations to the flaming fire on behalf of the mighty deity. Then, having partaken of the remaining quanity of the ghee, Rama prayed for His own welfare, and meditated on Narayana. The son of the best of men with a collected mind, and restraining His speech lay down on a kusha (grass) bed together with Vaidehi (Sita) within the graceful dwelling of Vishnu." (Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda, Sec 6)

We live in an era of great comfort and luxury. Though people may think otherwise, the standard of living in America, and throughout the world for that matter, has greatly improved over the past hundred years. The economic problem is almost non-existent, with farmers persuaded by the government to not grow food. Our leaders are more focused on tackling problems such as childhood obesity and the perceived overconsumption of goods and services by the population in general.

When travelling on commercial airplanes, one of the magazines commonly found in the seatback pocket is Sky Mall. This magazine is a shopping catalog full of gadgets and gizmos, a showcase of the latest advancements in technology. All the products in that magazine are geared towards gratifying our senses. One place where we often look for improved sense gratification is in the area of sleep. Ironically, the Vedas prescribe that one shouldn’t sleep more than six hours if possible. This is in stark contrast to the eight hours prescribed by most health experts.

“One should not sleep more than six hours daily. One who sleeps more than six hours out of twenty-four is certainly influenced by the mode of ignorance. A person in the mode of ignorance is lazy and prone to sleep a great deal. Such a person cannot perform yoga.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 6.16 Purport)

Since we spend so much time sleeping, naturally we are looking for ways to increase the quality of it. Products such as the Sleep Number Bed from Select Comfort allow couples to set different firmness levels on their mattress so that each person can spend the night in the utmost comfort. In addition, regular blankets apparently aren’t good enough for us, so we shop for luxury items such as down comforters. Water beds are another popular phenomenon in the mattress industry.

These products are no doubt very innovative and could certainly prove to be useful. However, they don’t provide us real happiness in the end. If they did, then there would be no need for new products to come out. The fact of the matter is that our real problems have nothing to do with our material comforts. According to wisdom of the Vedas, man’s material sense urges can never be satisfied. Making little adjustments here and there to our material condition only further binds us in the mode of passion.

“My dear Uddhava, a person bereft of intelligence first falsely identifies himself with the material body and mind, and when such false knowledge arises within one’s consciousness, material passion, the cause of great suffering, pervades the mind, which by nature is situated in goodness. Then the mind, contaminated by passion, becomes absorbed in making and changing many plans for material advancement. Thus, by constantly thinking of the modes of material nature, a foolish person is afflicted with unbearable material desires.” (Lord Krishna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 11.13.9-10)

We get a new bed, but then we immediately want a better blanket. We get a new blanket, but then we immediately want new pajamas, and so on. The cycle never ends.

The Vedas tell us that this life is meant for understanding God. To understand God, one must perform austerities, known as tapasya. Tapasya is not any ordinary type of austerity, but it is geared towards releasing one from their bondage to material comforts, and thereby increasing their attachment to the spiritual world.

“Lord Rishabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one’s heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 5.5.1)

When Lord Rama was living in the kingdom of Ayodhya, His father, Maharaja Dashratha one day decided to install Him as the new king. Lord Rama was informed of this news one day before the date set for His installation. He was instructed by the brahmanas, the priestly class of men, to fast the night before the ceremony and to sleep on the floor on a bed of kusha grass. Rama was God Himself, but He willingly followed the advice of the brahmanas to set a good example for all of us. Religious rituals may seem to strange to us at first, but they all have a purpose.

Rama was the king’s eldest and most cherished son, so He was living in complete luxury. What need did he have to sleep on the floor? Yet He and His wife Sita both did so as a means of respecting God. When we receive good benedictions, it is incumbent upon us to remember that we are not the doers. All our fortunes are tied to God and to our karma. Narayana is God’s four-handed form existing in the spiritual world. Lord Rama was an incarnation of God, so He went along and worshiped Narayana, though in essence He was offering obeisances to Himself. By worshiping Narayana, the sleeping area was sanctified.

Now things wouldn’t go as planned the next day and Rama’s installation would have to be postponed by fourteen years, but that didn’t make a difference. The Lord was always committed to dharma, not for His sake, but because it serves as a guide for enabling one to make spiritual progress. Tapasya properly performed under the direction of a spiritual master never goes to waste. Through good times and bad, we must always remember the Creator. God showed us the proper means of penance and it is important for us to follow His example. The most basic form of penance we can perform is to abstain from the four pillars of sinful life: meat eating, illicit sex, gambling, and intoxication. By so doing, we will always remember God and be freed from our material attachments.

Gopi Jana Vallabha

“Gopi-jana vallabha, Giri-vara-dhari” (Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

This is a line from the poem called Jaya Radha Madhava, composed by Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, a great saint in the line of spiritual masters descending from Lord Chaitanya. Glorifying Lord Krishna and His principle devotees, this poem, turned into a song, was made famous throughout the world by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and today is sung daily in hundreds of temple throughout the world.

Lord Krishna is the sustainer of the gopis. Around five thousand years ago, the Lord personally advented on this planet and spent His childhood in Vrindavana, a town in India. There are three primary forms of God which are interchangeable: Krishna, Narayana, and Vishnu. They are the same one and only God, above any other demigod, but according to the Shrimad Bhagavatam and other major Vedic texts, Krishna is the original. It is similar to the concept of a single candle lighting many others. All other candles are the same in their potency, but the original candle still stands out. Krishna’s expansions are known as vishnu-tattva. His incarnations as Rama, Narasimha, Vamana, etc. are all as good as God Himself. In essence when discussing and comparing His various names and forms and their various potencies, it’s really a matter of a distinction without a difference. When Krishna came to earth, it was in His original form, and He came to give protection to His devotees, to kill the demons, and to enact pastimes for future generations to relish in.

The gopis were the cowherd girls of Vrindavana. Krishna spent His childhood living in a vaishya family. Vaishyas are the third division or caste of society and their duty is to run businesses and engage in cow protection. Nanda Maharaja, Krishna’s foster father, was a cowherd man as were the rest of the inhabitants of Vrindavana. The gopis were mostly married girls who worked all day as milkmaids and who managed household affairs. Most of them were married but they still spent all their time thinking about Krishna and His welfare. He was their life and soul. This is the mood of a pure devotee. We may have family ties and friendships during our lifetime, but our eternal relationship with God trumps all others. He is the only reservoir of pleasure, and those who realize this fact have made their lives perfect. As a child, Krishna and His friends would go out and play or they would take the cows out to the pastures, and the gopis would worry all day about Him. “How is Krishna doing? Is He alright? Is He having fun? When He comes home, we will serve Him nice food and make Him happy.” In this way, their minds were completely fixed on the Supreme Lord in perfect meditation like perfect yogis. They obviously weren’t yogis, for they were uneducated girls, but through their service, their activities were better than that of any yogi. There are 108 primary gopis, and for this reason the japa mala, or set of chanting beads, has 108 beads on them with an additional primary bead representing Krishna. If one thinks of the gopis while chanting on these beads, then he or she will gradually be elevated to the state of pure Krishna consciousness.

The gopis in Vrindavana actually descended from the spiritual world. The kingdom of God has many spiritual planets, with the primary one being Krishnaloka. Vrindavana actually exists there in its original form, and the same pastimes are occurring their eternally. The gopis that took birth in Vrindavana did so to as to allow the same pastimes to occur on earth for others to see and hear about. Many of the gopis were also great sages in their previous lives, during the advent of Lord Rama.

"The gopis who were gathered there were mostly all followers of the Vedas. In their previous births, during Lord Ramachandra’s advent, they were Vedic scholars who desired the association of Lord Ramachandra in conjugal love. Ramachandra gave them the benediction that they would be present for the advent of Lord Krishna, and He would fulfill their desires. During Krishna’s advent, the Vedic scholars took birth in the shape of the gopis in Vrndavana; as young gopis, they got the association of Krishna in fulfillment of their previous births’ desire. The ultimate goal of their perfect desire was attained, and they were so joyous that they had nothing further to desire." (Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, 1970-1-31)

Lord Rama lived by the principle of eka-patni, having only one wife in Sita Devi. Being God Himself, He was highly sought after by many others, but He didn’t want to break His vow, so He accommodated those people by allowing them to take birth in the future where they could have association with Him.

The gopis didn’t look for pleasure from material things. We all tend to seek after the material comforts of a nice home, money, a nice husband or wife, and good children. These certainly aren’t bad things, for they provide security and happiness. However, that is not ultimate aim of life. Family relations and money are nonetheless temporary, for one has to give them up at the time of death. If one wants permanent happiness, they need only look to God. The gopis didn’t pray for anything material, for they only wanted Krishna to be happy. They were the greatest renunciates without even knowing it. Most of us initially approach God for some personal benefit. One of our friends or family members may be suffering from an illness, so we pray to God to cure their ailment. Other times we may fall victim to some bad luck, and we pray to God to lift us out of our difficult situations. This type of worship certainly isn’t bad, for at least we realize that there is a God, a higher power who has greater control over things than we do. At the same time, God is not our order supplier. Everything that happens in this material world is a result of the laws of nature and karma. If we ask God for something and He doesn’t give it to us, that doesn’t mean He doesn’t exist. The dualities of happiness and distress, good and bad fortune all come and go of their own volition without us seeking them. Our real business is to love God for who He is and not for what He can supply us.

Jaya Radha Madhava is a very nice song to sing, for it puts us in a good place. We can immediately think of the beauty of Vrindavana and the wonderful pastimes that occur there. Following in the path of the gopis, we can do no wrong.

Equality

“Different living entities appear in different forms of dress, but according to the instruction of the Bhagavad-gita, a learned person sees all living entities equally. Such treatment by the devotee is very much appreciated by the Supreme Lord.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.11.13 Purport)

The recent election of Barrack Obama to the presidency of the United States was regarded worldwide as a landmark occasion. American has officially been a country for over two hundred years, but this was the first time in its history that a person of color, an Africa-American, was elected as president. Many thought that this day would never come, for they viewed America as a racist country. Yet, one is left to wonder whether Obama’s election was really that groundbreaking.

Black people have not been treated very well historically in America. During the country’s founding, most blacks weren’t even treated as human beings, but rather were slaves, owned and traded as property. The founding fathers struggled very hard with the issue of slavery while adopting the Constitution, eventually tabling the issue, allowing the process to continue. Slowly but surely however, slavery would meet its end, culminating with the Civil War during the early 1860s. However, even after the abolition of slavery, blacks were still discriminated against, especially in the Southern portion of the country, where they would periodically be lynched or harassed in other ways. This treatment continued for almost one hundred years, until the Civil Rights movement of the late 1960s. Due to this history of racism, many blacks felt that the country was forever doomed and incapable of electing a black person to any meaningful position of power. The election of Obama was redemption for them, offering a glimmer of hope that maybe people no longer made judgments about others based on their ethnicity or skin color.

On the surface it appears that progress has been made, but according to the Vedic teachings, it hasn’t. The central tenet of any religion, but especially the Vedas, is that we are not our bodies. One may then ask, “Well, if we are not our bodies, then what are we?” The answer in Sanskrit is aham brahmasmi, “I am a spirit soul”. Our souls are certainly enclosed inside of our bodies, but this body is constantly changing. The body we had as a child is completely different from the one we have as adults, yet we don’t mourn for the death of our childhood. In the same manner, a wise person doesn’t lament over the death of the current body, which is nothing more than clothing that is given up at the time of death and then replaced again in our next birth.

“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.22)

Since most of us aren’t taught about the soul in school, we are falsely identifying with the body. Though it may be nice that a black person has been elected president, constitutionally such a person is no different than all the others who previously held the esteemed title of President of the United States. Sure their life experiences may have all been different, some enduring more discrimination growing up than others, but that is something we all deal with. The material world means a place full of miseries, dukhalayam. Every living entity is forced to suffer the fourfold miseries of life: birth, old age, disease, and death.

The Vedas declare that anyone who identifies with the gross material body is a mudha, or an ass. An animal has little to no intelligence, and is certainly not smart enough to understand the concept of the soul and changing bodies. The human being is unique in its ability to take in this information and use it for its benefit. However, if we continue to identify ourselves as black, white, man, woman, American, etc., then our intelligence is very limited. Real progress comes when we view everyone equally, as a spirit soul part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna.

“The Blessed Lord said: He who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present, nor longs for them when they disappear; who is seated like one unconcerned, being situated beyond these material reactions of the modes of nature, who remains firm, knowing that the modes alone are active; who regards alike pleasure and pain, and looks on a clod, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is wise and holds praise and blame to be the same; who is unchanged in honor and dishonor, who treats friend and foe alike, who has abandoned all fruitive undertakings-such a man is said to have transcended the modes of nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.22)

Since most people live on the material platform, the Vedas give different directions on how material life should be governed. They state that society should be divided into four classes based off of one’s qualities. Also, the time span of one’s life should also be divided into four stages or ashramas, each progressively leading one to spiritual perfection. This system, known as varnashrama dharma, is the code for managing society with the aim of helping everyone progress spiritually. So in this system, there are material designations such as those between men and women, brahmanas, shudras, vaishyas, etc. These are all material, but one can rise above them immediately by becoming a devotee of Krishna. The bhaktas, or devotees, are above any material designation. Since they have a pure love for Krishna, they are mahajanas, or completely spiritual beings following the original principles of religion.

Many examples of this fact can be found in the Vedas. When God came to earth as the pious prince Lord Rama, He wandered through the forest for fourteen years as an exile with His wife Sita and younger brother Lakshmana. During that time, the Treta Yuga, the varnashrama dharma system was adhered to, and those living in the forest were generally viewed as lower class living entities. Basically anyone not living in a normal house, except for the brahmanas, was considered uncivilized. Early on in His travels, the Lord and His family met the Nishada chief Guha. The Nishadas were a tribe living in the forests that were generally viewed as outcastes. However, Guha showed great hospitality to Rama and His family, and for this the Lord gave Him His blessings. Guha was a pure devotee and was rewarded with the opportunity to personally offer food and hospitality to God Himself. His caste was completely meaningless, for God viewed Him very favorably.

Later on, in another incident, the Lord teamed up with the Vanara king Sugriva. Vanaras were a race of monkeys with human-like characteristics. Rama helped Sugriva regain his lost kingdom by killing his brother Vali. Sugriva was very distraught after his brother’s death, and he blamed himself for what he viewed as a horrible deed. Bewailing thus, Sugriva begged forgiveness from Rama, stating that he was just a lowly monkey with very little intelligence. Now Sugriva was a great devotee, so he was by no means unintelligent, but he was referencing a generality that existed at the time. Since they were more monkey-like than human-like, the Vanaras were especially known for their animalistic tendencies, with one of them being their penchant for getting drunk off a certain type of honey. Yet again, God overlooked these stereotypes and looked at what was in Sugriva’s heart. As pure devotees, Sugriva and his Vanara army were given the opportunity to directly serve the Lord by helping Him battle Ravana and rescue Sita. The greatest of the Vanara warriors was Hanuman, Sugriva’s chief deputy. Considered Lord Rama’s greatest devotee, Hanuman is above is all material designations. He is completely spiritual, a great soul with immense strength, able to assume any shape at will. He uses his strength only to serve the Lord and for this reason he is still celebrated today.

To serve Lord Krishna properly, Lord Chaitanya recommended everyone to follow the mode of worship subscribed to by the gopis of Vrindavana. When the Lord personally came to earth around five thousand years ago, He spent His youth in Vrindavana as a cowherd boy, the son of His foster parents Nanda and Yashoda. The gopis, the cowherd girls of Vrindavana, were completely in love with Krishna, and they spent all their time thinking of Him. They weren’t high class yogis or Vedantists. They even openly declared themselves to be unintelligent, for women didn’t receive a formal education during those times. However, their pure devotion actually made them smarter than the greatest of scholars. Many of us go to God with some personal motive, either we want something or we want relief from some ailment. The gopis however just wanted to always be with Krishna, and to always love Him. This is the highest form of worship, and for this reason Krishna is eternally associated with His gopis, the greatest of them being Shrimati Radharani.

The lesson here is that if we want to make real progress as a society, then we should all become Krishna conscious. That will immediately afford us the opportunity to break free of all material designations. Though the performance of great Vedic sacrifices requires an expert brahmanas or priest, the process of devotional service is open to anyone.

“O son of Partha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth-women, vaishyas [merchants], as well as shudras [workers]—can approach the supreme destination.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.32)

Knowing this fact, we should all take up bhakti yoga, for that is the only path taken by all the great souls.

God is the Most Magnanimous

"O Lakshmana, do you together with me rule this earth. You are my second self; and this good fortune has taken possession of you as well. Do you, O Sumitra’s son, enjoy every desirable thing and the privileges pertaining to royalty. My life and this kingdom I covet for your sake alone." (Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda, Sec 4)

Every now and then God personally comes to earth to deliver His devotees, giving them protection from the asuras. According to Vedic teachings, since the beginning of creation, there has been an ongoing war between the daivas and asuras. The daivas are those who believe in God and the asuras are God’s enemies, the atheists. The atheists are very attached to sense gratification, taking this gross material body to be the be-all end-all. They view the daivas as a threat to their sinful way of life, thus they are always harassing them. The attacks of the asuras take various forms, sometimes they declare that God is dead, other times they say that He is impersonal and that we are all God, so we have no need to worship a Supreme Being. When they really feel threatened, the asuras revert to using force against the devotees.

This was the case many thousands of years ago, when a demon named Ravana had risen to power. A Rakshasa by birth, Ravana performed the severest of penances to gain the favor of the demigods. The devatas, or demigods, are God’s deputies in charge of running the material world. One of their prime duties is to grant material benedictions to those who please them. These boons are granted to anyone who properly worships them. Lord Shiva known as Mahadeva, or the great demigod, has a reputation for being easily pleased. Regardless of the person’s character, Lord Shiva will grant boons to those who pray to him and perform austerities. Ravana pleased not only Lord Shiva, but many other demigods. He received various boons, such as having ten heads, and being invincible in battle against any demigod. In his haste for acquisition of power, Ravana neglected to ask for immunity from human beings, thinking there was none who existed that could defeat him. Taking advantage of this oversight, the demigods went to Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Lord Himself, and asked Him to relieve their distress by ridding the world of Ravana.

The Lord kindly obliged and took birth as a human being by the name of Rama, the eldest son of the king of Ayodhya, Maharaja Dashratha. Ravana was not only very powerful, but he used his strength to harass the great sages living in the forests. During that time, the saintly people, the rishis, mostly lived in the forest, for that environment was better suited for their spiritual activities. Ravana and his band of Rakshasa demons went after these saints, killing them and then feasting upon their flesh. The atheists are always merciless, having no compassion even on the kindest of people. Lord Rama was born in a very famous family, known as the Ikshvakus. Not only were they all great kings, but they were terrific fighters, the highest of the kshatriya race. God specifically chose to take birth in this dynasty due its reputation and high standing.

When He reached an appropriate age, Lord Rama was set to be installed on the throne as the new king of Ayodhya by His father. Rama was eldest son and the most beloved of all the people, so the king desired very much to pass down the kingdom to Him. The news was spread throughout the city and everyone become very excited. When Rama was told of the news, He went to His younger brother Lakshmana and spoke the above mentioned verse. When God comes to earth, His closest associates come with Him. In Shvetadvipa, a planet in the spiritual world, Lord Narayana takes rest on Ananta Shesha, the serpent who holds all the planets of the universe on his unlimited hoods. Narayana is served by Goddess Lakshmi, His eternal consort. When the Lord took birth as Rama, Shesha and Lakshmi also took birth in the forms of Lakshmana and Sita respectively. From their childhood, Lakshmana was inseparable from Rama, for he would always follow his elder brother like a shadow.

When we devote ourselves completely to God, He recognizes our love and reciprocates. Being installed as the new king was the highest of honors bestowed on Lord Rama, but He made sure to include His younger brother. He never wanted Lakshamana to feel slighted in any way. Obviously Lakshmana was also very happy on this occasion and needed no consolation, but the Lord, out of His generous nature, told Lakshmana that the two would rule the earth together. Sometimes when one ascends the ladder of fame and fortune, the “little” people are sometimes forgotten. The new fame and celebrity can cause relationships with friends and family to change. But God always loves His devotees, no matter what. Lord Rama wanted to assure His younger brother that he would also enjoy all the luxuries associated with being king.

Even though God separates Himself from His devotees from time to time, they are never without Him. Lord Krishna had to leave the gopis of Vrindavana and later on He had to leave His friends Arjuna and Uddhava. Lord Rama was forced to abandon His wife Sita, who had done no wrong. Sometimes His duties require Him to follow a certain path, but He never forgets His devotees. They are always thinking of Him and He is always with them in spirit.

“The yogi who knows that I and the Supersoul within all creatures are one, worships Me and remains always in Me in all circumstances.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.31)

God is always looking to glorify His devotees first, thus this behavior on the part of Rama towards Lakshmana wasn’t very surprising. Lord Krishna delivered the message of the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, so as to give him everlasting fame as a great devotee. Hanuman was deputed to find the whereabouts of Sita and to destroy Lanka at the behest of Lord Rama. For this reason, he is loved and adored to this very day. Bhishmadeva’s devotion to Krishna was rewarded at the time of his death, when Krishna granted him the opportunity to give spiritual instruction to Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandava brothers.

“Krishna wanted the Pandavas to hear from Bhishma, who alone was able to give such great instructions even at the time of his death. So, Krishna likes to glorify His devotee.” (Shrila Prabhupada)

Though we may suffer through hard times or witness the calamities of others, we should never forget that God is nice. Any service rendered to Him never goes to waste.

The King of Kings

“The material defects of mistakes, illusions, cheating and sensory inefficiency do not exist in the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Lord Chaitanya, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi-lila 7.107)

Comment: What kind of God is Lord Rama if He betrayed His wife Sita by sending her to live in Valmiki’s ashrama?

Response: Lord Rama, the incarnation of God in the Treta Yuga, did indeed renounce His wife towards the end of His time on earth. The couple had ruled over Ayodhya as king and queen for many many years prior to Sita Devi being sent to live in the hermitage of Maharishi Valmiki, Rama’s great devotee and official biographer. Actions speak louder than words, and this act of the Rama’s may seem to be wrong on the surface, but we should understand that the Lord is incapable of committing mistakes.

When examining the Lord’s life and pastimes, we shouldn’t cherry pick certain incidents, while ignoring others. Rama was on earth for a long time and performed many heroic deeds, so we should study all His pastimes before we have the nerve to pass judgment. Beginning from the time prior to His advent and continuing through His last days on earth, the Lord was completely dedicating to serving the needs of His devotees. In fact, Lord Vishnu decided to come to earth in human form only at the behest of the demigods who were terrified of the Rakshasa demon Ravana. God is great and completely self-satisfied, so He has no need to do anything, but in order to please His votaries, He comes to earth from time to time to give them protection and reinstitute the principles of dharma or religiosity. Born in the line of pious kings known as the Ikshvakus, Rama was intent on maintaining the prestigious family traditions. His father was the very well respected Maharaja Dashratha of Ayodhya. Dashratha was often addressed as the “Lord of Earth”, for his fame and prowess was known throughout. In order to maintain the good name of His father, Lord Rama agreed to live in exile from the kingdom for a period of fourteen years. Dashratha had previously promised his youngest wife Kaikeyi any two boons of her choosing, so he couldn’t renege when Kaikeyi asked for Rama to be banished. The Lord was the eldest son of the king, and next in line for the throne. He easily could have thrown a hissy-fit, refusing to accept His father’s words, but He didn’t. He voluntarily accepted a renounced order of life simply to honor the good name of His father and His ancestors.

Lord Rama’s wife Sita, the most chaste and beautiful woman to ever have lived, insisted on accompanying the Lord for the duration of the exile period. Rama wanted very much to protect His wife from the dangers lurking in the woods, but she was up to the challenge, not wanting to live without her husband. Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana also insisted on following Him, for he was ever attached to his elder brother. In this way, Rama allowed both of them to accompany Him simply to satisfy them and not Himself. Later on, after Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, the Lord enlisted the help of the Vanara king Sugriva. Sugriva had lost his kingdom due to a dispute with his brother Vali. Lord Rama helped Sugriva regain his throne by killing Vali while the two brothers were engaged in battle. For a kshatriya, one belonging to the warrior caste, such an action was against the proper code of conduct. An enemy shouldn’t be attacked while engaged in battle with another. Yet Rama was more than willing to break this rule so that His dependent, Sugriva, could prosper. Once again, the Lord was acting in the interest of His devotees and not Himself.

After successfully defeating Ravana and reclaiming His wife, Lord Rama lived happily as the king of Ayodhya for thousands of years alongside Sita. However, one day one of the citizens had a gripe with Rama over the fact that He took Sita back after she had lived in the house of another, that being Ravana. According to the rules of propriety, such an act was prohibited. Upon hearing this, the Lord decided to send Sita to live with Valmiki Muni in the forest. This was in no way a slight on Sita, for she was a perfect devotee and wife. Ravana was never able to touch her, for she proved her purity through a fire ordeal. However, the Lord wanted to protect the good name of His father and His ancestors, so that is why He chose the course that He did. Rama wanted to set a good example for His fellow citizens. Unlike politicians of today who feel they are above the law, kings of the past wanted to be very pious. If they set a good example, then the rest of the citizens would follow and society would be peaceful.

The true fact of the matter is that devotees can never be separated from God. As long as one constantly has the Lord on their mind, thinking about Him, praying to Him, and singing His glories, then they are always with the Lord.

“…he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider verily to dwell in Me. Being engaged in My transcendental service, he attains Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.18)

When Lord Krishna personally came to earth some five thousand years ago, He also had to leave His closest consort, Shrimati Radharani. Though He grew up in Vrindavana with all the other cowherd boys and girls, His duties later in life forced Him to go to Mathura and subsequently to Dvaraka, where He played the role of a king. Radharani was forced to live in separation from the Lord, but we should understand that the two are always together. God and His immediate expansions Radha, Sita, Lakshmi, etc. are always with Him and that is why they are referred to as eternal consorts. Even Lord Chaitanya renounced His wife at a very young age to take to the sannyasa order of life so that He could preach the original Hare Krishna movement throughout India. Though renounced by her husband, Vishnupriya had her mind always fixed on the lotus feet of Shri Krishna Chaitanya and in this way they were never truly separated.

Atheists and other asuras love to find fault with Lord Krishna, Rama, and other forms of God, for they themselves are reprobates by nature and view God as a threat to their sinful way of life. Though Krishna and His devotees don’t bother them at all, these atheists still take any opportunity they can get to try to tear down the established principles and traditions of dharma as enjoined in the shashtras. These demons have always been around, for in the past they took the forms of Ravana, Shishupala, Kamsa, etc. It’s up to the devotees of the Lord to stand up to these demons of today by cutting their words with our sharp logic and reason. We don’t need any fancy weaponry, for our devotion and love for God is enough to defeat this enemy. Lakshmana dedicated his whole life to serving and protecting his brother, and we should follow in His footsteps. Lord Rama is our king forever and ever, and we will always love Him and His wife Sita.

The Inconceivable

“Just like Krishna is lifting the hill, then what is the difficulty for God to lift a hill if He is all-powerful? But as soon as they read it, that Krishna is lifting hill, they will take it as mythology. So when God shows that "I am God," that is mythology, and they imagine God. That is rascaldom. When God comes and shows His godly power, they take it as myth, mythology. And they imagine God according to your definition. Is that sanity?” (Shrila Prabhupada)

Comment: The scriptures shouldn’t be interpreted literally but should be looked at more for their inner meaning and symbolism.

Response: The Vedas, Mahabharata, and Puranas are all retellings of historical events that took place on this planet and others. Not only past events are covered, but even events that have yet to occur are discussed in detail in these wonderful books, such as the Bhavishya and Kalki Puranas. Since these books contain direct quotations from conversations between great personalities, demigods, and even God Himself, they must be taken literally. We shouldn’t try to imagine the true meaning behind someone’s quote, or even think that these events didn’t take place.

Conversations are conversations. When we talk with our friends in person, on the phone, or through email, they are exchanges of ideas and comments. Very simply put, what we say is what we say. We may go back and not like some of the things we have said, but it doesn’t mean that we didn’t say them. In the same way, the Vedic literatures have conversations between God and His associates, and also conversations between spiritual masters and their disciples. These conversations were specifically chronicled in written form for the benefit of current and future generations of man. The science of self-realization described in the original Vedas and the Vedanta-sutras can appear to be very complicated to many, for it has various aphorisms and postulates that neophytes will have trouble understanding. For this reason, the Puranas, Ramayana, and other great works contain those same teachings but told in the form of stories and conversations.

There are many instances described in the Vedic texts that may seem extraordinary to us. Lord Rama killing 14,000 Rakshasa demons all by Himself, Lord Krishna as a small child lifting a hill with just one finger, Gandhari giving birth to 100 sons…all these seem extraordinary to the common man, for we can’t fathom someone doing these things. God is great. This is the belief of people of all faiths. Yet the Vedas go one step further by trying to describe just how great He is. Of course, God’s greatness is inconceivable. His is described as paramam or Supreme because He possesses six opulences in full and simultaneously. We don’t know any single person who is the wealthiest, most beautiful, most famous, the strongest, the most knowledgeable, and the greatest renunciate at the same time. Yet Krishna possesses all of these attributes, and for this reason He is God. Just because we don’t know anyone capable of performing these great feats, we shouldn’t think that these incidents are merely fabrications of someone’s mind. These sages who composed the Vedic literature were all perfect souls. Having surrendered everything for the service of Krishna, they were given the divine vision to see all these things happen and then be able to write about them. The great Maharishi Valmiki described the events of the Ramayana before they even occurred.

If we think that these incidents are just mythology, then we lose our ability to understand God. In actuality, we can never truly understand God for His is beyond our comprehension. However, through faithfully studying the scriptures under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, we can start to understand Him to some extent. The Lord and His spiritual master must be approached in a humble manner. We all at some point in our life have prayed to God for something. “Please God give me this, give me that, make sure my family is healthy, etc.” The understanding that God is great is something inside of us, part of our core. If we challenge Him, or start thinking that His scriptures are mere mythology, then we are cheating God. We may cheat our friends, coworkers, or enemies and be able to get away with it, but cheating God never pays. He knows and sees all, so if we cheat Him, we are only cheating ourselves. The Bhagavad-gita is probably the most famous Vedic literature, detailing the conversation that took place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra between Lord Krishna and Arjuna some five thousand years ago. There are many high scholars and philosophers who have commented on the Bhagavad-gita, all with the purpose of advancing their own opinions. Many of them have postulated that the events of the Gita actually never happened and that we should study it simply for its symbolism. The ultimate conclusion of the Gita is that people should surrender unto Krishna or God and become His devotee. The flowery language that precedes that is all meaningless unless one comes to the proper conclusion as stated by the Lord Himself. Those who extract any other meaning from the Gita are only cheating God. He has given us such a nice book for us to learn from, so we shouldn’t dishonor Him by making false conclusions.

The Vedic literature should be heard from devotees, otherwise we become prone to believing some of these false theories put forward by mental speculators and pseudo-yogis. Shukadevi Goswami, Vyasadeva, Narada Muni, etc. are all great devotees who presented these works in a mood of devotion. The various quotes and teachings found in the Vedas should also be understood in the proper context. One can pull out quotes to buttress their positions, but these statements should be understood with the full context presented at the same time. For example, there are many conversations in the Vedas where women are criticized for having various shortcomings. However, these faults don’t exist in people who are great devotees, be they men or women. The material world is full of dualities, so any mundane argument will naturally have a counterargument. There may be different teachings presented due to time and circumstance and the ability of the people at the time to grasp Vedic wisdom, but the end goal is always the same. The purpose of the Vedas is to present everything in relation to Krishna, who is the Supreme Absolute Truth. Since He is completely spiritual, mundane dualities don’t exist when discussing topics relating to Him.

It is natural that occasionally certain statements in the Vedas will rub us the wrong away. However, just because we might not agree with them at the time, doesn’t mean that the Vedas are at fault. When we were younger, our parents prohibited us from taking part in many activities. These rules and regulations angered us very much and we thought our parents were in the wrong for imposing such restrictions. However, as we got older, we not only realized that our parents were correct, but we started imposing the same rules on our children. In the same way, the Vedas represent perfect knowledge. The rules and regulations prescribed are those coming down from God Himself, so they cannot be faulty. We may disagree with them, but that is our problem, not God’s. If Krishna or one of His associates say something, we must accept it as fact.

The great founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, summarized all of the Vedic teachings in his numerous books and recorded lectures. One simply needs to consult his teachings in order to gain a firm grasp on the Vedic tenets. Since he was a pure devotee, his explanations and commentaries are perfect. We may not agree with everything in the beginning, but if we continue reading and stay connected with Prabhupada, then we will become perfect devotees.

Good Fortune

“…Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities…” (Lord Krishna speaking to Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.47)

We all know certain people who seem to be luckier than others. No matter what the situation, things always seem to work out for them, while for others the opposite situation is true. No matter how much effort they put in or how hard they try, things always go wrong for them.

In the 1980s there was a popular children’s television cartoon show by the name of Inspector Gadget. The show focused on the crime fighting escapades of the main character, Inspector Gadget, who was sort of a bumbler. He had all these special gadgets at his disposal to help him fight crime, but he never knew how to operate them properly. Each episode had a similar story line: the villain, Dr. Claw, had some elaborate scheme hatched up and Gadget was deputed to try and stop it. However, he would always be led astray, going completely down the wrong path. Gadget always had his niece Penny there to help him. She would always manage to solve the mystery along with help from her dog Brain, and then give the credit to her father. In this way, Dr. Claw’s plans were always thwarted, leaving him to utter his famous phrase at the end of each show, “I’ll get you Gadget!”

In the sport of tennis, the most prestigious tournament is Wimbledon. Occurring annually in London, it is the title coveted by all tennis players, for it has a rich tradition associated with it. World number one Roger Federer, who many consider the greatest player of all time, has won Wimbledon six times, while fellow player Andy Roddick has never won it. The two have played against each other in the final round of Wimbledon on three separate occasions, with Federer winning every time. In the 2004 final, it appeared that Roddick had Federer’s number. Playing very well and taking the opening set, he had Federer on the ropes. In Wimbledon and the other three Grand Slam tournaments, the first player to win three sets wins the match. Towards the end of the second set, Federer was up 6-5 with Roddick serving to force a tiebreaker. In tennis, players alternative service games in a set until one player wins 6 games leading by 2. If the score reaches 6-6, then they play a twelve point tiebreaker to determine the winner of the set. Roddick was two points away from forcing a tiebreaker when suddenly, one of Federer’s shots hit the net chord and dribbled over, giving him a set point. Federer would win the next point to even the match at one set all. Roddick still played tough though, as he was leading in the third set when all of a sudden it started raining. Federer regrouped during the rain delay and rallied to win the third set and eventually the match.

In the 2009 Wimbledon final, the two met again, and this time it really looked like Roddick was going to win. After winning the first set, Roddick went up 6 points to 2 in the second set tiebreaker. The first player to win seven points leading by at least two points wins a tiebreaker. With four set points in hand, it seemed for sure that Roddick would take a commanding lead in the match. However, Federer rallied and pulled off a miracle by coming back and winning the tiebreaker, leveling the match at one set all. Roddick would continue to hang tough, as the two played an epic fifth and deciding set. In most Grand Slam tournaments, players don’t play a tiebreaker in the fifth set. This means that play continues until one player has a lead of at least two games. The two duked it out, until Federer finally won 16-14, making it one of the greatest tennis matches ever to be played. Once again Roddick came up short. In tennis, if a player can regularly hold serve, meaning win the games in which they are serving, they have an excellent chance of winning. Roddick not only held serve regularly, but he didn’t lose serve for the entire match until the very last game. He played the match of his life, and STILL lost.

Now obviously being successful in tennis or other sports requires more than just luck. However, the lesson we can take away from these examples is that we are not the doer. As much as we may think ourselves to be the cause of actions and results, we are not. Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His energies are responsible for making the world go around. Our karma also plays a role, determining our future fortunes and misfortunes.

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.27)

This is the central tenet of the Vedas. When Krishna incarnated on earth as the pious prince Lord Rama, He underwent many hardships. Things always seemed to go wrong for the Lord, with His father exiling Him from the kingdom and His wife being kidnapped by the demon Ravana. As bad as things got, the Lord and His younger brother Lakshmana always remained steady. In the Ramayana, the two brothers make many references to the fact that destiny and fate control everything and that we are not the doers. If a higher power is in charge of everything, then we have no reason to overly lament over bad times or to overly rejoice over good fortune.

Now this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t act. It’d be very easy to just say, “Well, I don’t have any control over anything, so I’m just going to stop all of my activities altogether.” The key is to act without attachment to the results of our actions.

“Be steadfast in yoga, O Arjuna. Perform your duty and abandon all attachment to success or failure. Such evenness of mind is called yoga.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.48)

The easiest way to do this is to perform everything for the pleasure of the Lord. Acting only to please Him and to make Him happy, we free ourselves from the effects of karma. Happiness and sadness, distress and relief, these are the dualities of material nature that come and go. We should rise above them by directing our actions towards pleasing the Supreme Lord Krishna. If we become attached to Him, then His wife, the goddess of fortune, will see it to that we always have the proper means at our disposal to carry out our service. Often thought of as the giver of wealth, she actually provides good fortune to us so that we may use it properly. Goddess Lakshmi is always serving the Supreme Lord in the spiritual world, so she bestows her blessings on those people who will act in the same way. By sincerely taking to devotional service, we can be assured of always having good luck.

Everlasting Fame

“Oh Hanuman! Your magnificent glory is acclaimed far and wide all through the four ages and your fame is radiantly noted all over the cosmos.” (Hanuman Chalisa of Tulsidas)

Social networking websites have greatly increased in popularity. It seems that everyone has a MySpace, Twitter, or Facebook page. These sites make it very easy to connect with other people quickly and to share information and thoughts.

Of all these sites, Facebook has stood out as the premier social networking engine. Facebook allows you to upload pictures of yourself, describe your hobbies and interests, and make friends with a large network of people. Instead of having to contact all of your friends individually, you can just update your Facebook profile and broadcast updates about yourself to all of your friends. Your friends in turn can post responses to you or to your “wall”, creating a message board like atmosphere.

The popularity of Facebook lies in its ability to make anyone famous. We all want to be noticed and to matter. When something good happens to us, we immediately can’t wait to tell our friends. When we are sad, we take comfort in the soothing words and advice from our well-wishers. Similar to how the news media follows every move of celebrities, Facebook allows others to follow our every move. In this way, we can achieve fame and notoriety without ever having to leave our homes.

This fame and notoriety is no doubt very pleasing to us, but it has a very short duration. We are all destined to give up our current bodies at the time of death, and when we do, we give up our fame as well. From studying Vedic literature, we can see that the best way to have everlasting fame is to become a devotee of Krishna, or God. When we sincerely love God and devote ourselves to Him only, then He will automatically give us all the fame that we crave. There are many examples of this principle holding true, with four in particular that stand out.

When God advented as Lord Rama many thousands of years ago in Ayodhya, as part of His pastimes, He suffered through many trials and tribulations. One ordeal He endured was the kidnapping of His wife Sita by the demon Ravana. Though a prince and son of a great king, Lord Rama was serving His exile period in the forest at the time, so He had no army with which to attack Ravana and reclaim Sita. Instead, He enlisted the help of Vanaras, or human-like monkeys, which were dwelling in the forest. The foremost of the Vanaras was Lord Hanuman. Hanuman was a great devotee of Lord Rama and he played an integral part in helping the Lord defeat Ravana and rescue Sita. In reward for his devotion, Lord Rama blessed Hanuman and granted him the boon of remaining on earth for as long as the Lord’s story was still told and His glories still chanted. Hanuman had no desire for this fame, but the Lord granted it to him anyway. Hanuman is still worshiped to this day and his name is synonymous with love and devotion for Lord Rama.

When Lord Krishna personally came to earth some five thousand years ago, there was a great war that took place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra between the Pandava and Kaurava families. Lord Krishna was very fond of His cousin Arjuna, the leading warrior for the Pandavas, so He acted as Arjuna’s charioteer and guide. The great grandfather of both families,  Bhishma, was one of the leading fighters on the Kaurava side. Bhishma was eventually defeated by Arjuna in battle. While he was lying on the ground, his body pierced throughout with arrows, Lord Krishna instructed Yudhishthira, the eldest of the five Pandava brothers, to go to Bhishma and receive spiritual instruction from him. Bhishma was a great devotee of the Lord, and had his mind concentrated on Krishna while he was lying on the battlefield about to die. The Lord knew this and thus wanted Yudhishthira to question such a great devotee. The Lord could have taught Yudhishthira Himself, but He preferred to have Bhishma do it. God is always glad to give fame to His devotees. As much as His devotees like to please Him, the Lord prefers to give His devotees all the fame and glory.

Maharishi Valmiki, the great sage and author of the Ramayana, incarnated some four hundred years ago in India as Goswami Tulsidas. Tulsidas was a great devotee of Lord Rama from birth, and he dedicated his whole life to worshiping and writing about the Lord. His book, the Ramacharitamanasa, is revered to this very day. Tulsidas had no desire for fame or fortune. He wrote only for himself so that he could put his love for Lord Rama into words. The Ramacharitamanasa is the story of Lord Rama written as beautiful poetry in the mood of pure devotion. From reading his books, one will find that Tulsidas was one of the most humble and kind people to ever have lived. Because of his pure devotion, the Lord guaranteed him everlasting fame. His Ramacharitamanasa is today a staple in the homes of all Hindus in India. It is publicly recited during the auspicious times of the year relating to Lord Rama. Tulsidas’s poem praising Lord Hanuman, known as the Hanuman Chalisa, is equally as popular and is memorized and recited daily by millions of Hindus as well. All glories to Tulsidas.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, made the name Krishna known throughout the world. Instructed by his spiritual master to preach the teachings of the Vedas in English to the western world, Shrila Prabhupada came to America on a steamship from India in 1965. In the twelve years that followed, he authored almost one hundred books and started a worldwide movement dedicated to serving Lord Krishna that continues to this very day. Though the swami left this material world more than thirty years ago, he continues to teach through his books and recorded lectures. He is worshiped as the spiritual master in hundreds of temples throughout the world and in the homes of devotees. He also had no desire for fame and fortune. His only desire was to make the world love Krishna even more than he himself did. Krishna recognized this devotion and thus made him one of the most famous saints to ever have lived.

These are just some of the examples of famous devotees. In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna to “declare it to the world that My devotee shall never perish.” So let all devotees of the world unite and spread the glories of Lord Krishna on Facebook and every other social networking site. This will be most beneficial to us, for it will give us everlasting fame. If we love Krishna and are truly devoted to Him, then He will surely make all our wishes come true.