So how will I know about anything that is transcendental ?

January 22, 2004

MESSENGER FROM VAIKUNTHA

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada

Question: Everything I know is based on my experience of this world. So how will I know about anything that is transcendental?

Srila Prabhupada: It is true that in our present state it is very difficult for us to per-ceive something transcendental. But it is also true that there is a way of knowing these things. If we have friends and relatives in a faraway place then a messenger will bring us their news.

Question: But the messenger does not come to everyone, does he?

Srila Prabhupada: Those who are not vis-ited by the messenger are very unfortunate. But there is one thing — you will see that the messenger will definitely bring the news to those who are really hankering for it.

Question: How will we recognize the messenger from Vaikuntha? How will we know which message is true and which is not?

Srila Prabhupada: If my prayer is sincere, then by the mercy of the omniscient God everything will be revealed. One who wants to be educated will only come to know an educated person by the kindness of the latter. The Supreme Lord, who is in my heart, will help me in every way; all I have to do is depend on him.

In this world there are two ways of gathering knowledge. One is to know things by experiencing them in this world. Another is to understand that the expe- rience of this world is incomplete and insufficient. Therefore, to gather the know- ledge that belongs to another world we have to completely surrender ourselves to a saint who has descended from that world and hear from him.

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— From page 93 of Prabhupada Saraswati Thakur. Mandala Publishing Group. Eugene, Oregon. 1997.