Inquiries into the Absolute: Digest 64

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Digest 64, July 22nd, 2003

 

Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja

 

*** You are welcome to send in your questions to HH Romapada Swami at

iskcon_dc with the word "Question" in the subject. ***

 

Where should we desire to go?

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Question 1:

 

Where should we desire to go to? Some say to desire Goloka Vrndavana,

and some say not to desire to go anywhere. I am really confused.

 

Answer:

 

Pure devotees of Krishna do not desire anything for themselves. They

simply desire to serve Krishna, from whichever place that Krishna wants

to send them to. They do not make conditions that they will serve Krishna

only if He will give them liberation and take them to Goloka.

This is however a very, very advanced and pure stage of devotion. In our

beginning stages of devotion, it is wonderful to desire to leave this

illusory material world and go back to Godhead, to Goloka Vrndavana. Such

an aspiration gives impetus for progress. This strong desire will help us

overcome the pulling of other kinds of desires in the heart.

 

Everyone has desires, even among spiritualists. The jnanis want liberation

and yogis want mystic siddhis. But as long as one desires something for

himself/herself apart from Krishna, one cannot be peaceful. When a devotee

wants to go back to Godhead, not simply to get out of the difficulties of

the material world, but to become pure and serve Radha and Krishna, then

this is not a selfish desire. It is the pure nature of the soul to want to

enjoy with Krishna, by serving Him.

 

As our relationship with Krishna is revived and grows stronger and

stronger, service to Krishna becomes more important than going to Krishna's

abode, because it is through devotional service that we are connected to

Krishna. The pure devotee actually feels Krishna's presence everywhere.

Therefore we say that pure devotees like Prabhupada carry Vrndavana in

their heart. Srila Prabhupada left Vrindavana and came to New York City!

But his consciousness was always in Vrndavana. Until we come to such a

stage of constant connection with Krishna, we are recommended to cultivate

the desire, even greed, for `going back to Godhead'.

 

 

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----- Festivals over the next week ------

Jul 22 2003, Tuesday The incorporation of ISKCON in New York

Jul 24 2003, Thursday Ekadasi Kamika (Break fast 05:03-09:51) (Fast)

 

*** NOTE: All times are for Washington D.C, USA, EST ***

For festival information for your city please go to http://www.iskcondc.org and

click on 'Calendar'

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** A brief biography of His Holiness Romapada Swami available at

:http://www.prastha.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/renderphilo.pl?ndx=2

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into the Absolute

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