Spiritual FAQs

Q. I thought that Sampradaya applies only to those initiated in disciplic succession (according to BG AS IT IS). For eg. I am not initiated in the ISKCON sampradaya at present. But I don’t think that it would be right if I claim to be part of the sampradaya. My question arises due to the fact that even though Srila Bhaktivinod Thakura is not the initiating guru of Gaura Kishora dasa babaji maharaja but still he appears in our sampradaya. Actually Gaurakishora dasa babaji maharaja is disciple of Srila Bhagavata Dasa Babaji who is a disciple of Srila Jagganatha Dasa Babaji (the spiritual master of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakura).

A. One can be considered to be part of a sampradaya if one receives instructions and faithfully adheres to those instructions according to the sampradaya. Initiation into the sampradaya is a formalization of the acceptance of the teachings and instructions of that sampradaya. In our particular disciplic succession, the lineage is traced by the source of primary instruction that one receives. Another way of saying the same thing is that our disciplic line is a siksa line, not a diksa line. You most certainly can be considered part of the sampradaya if you receive instructions from Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. He is your primary siksa guru and others may also be guiding you very nicely in your spiritual progress. This is what constitutes being part of a sampradaya. At some point in time diksa will formally connect you with the disciplic succession, but you may very well be presently part of this sampradaya by taking primary instruction from Srila Prabhupada’s books and teachings.

Q. If someone say’s even Hitler was vegetarian but he created so much havoc. How can one support the argument that vegetarian food results in pleasant thoughts.

A. You have asked a question about Hitler’s vegetarianism, yet obviously he did not `have pleasant thoughts’. Certainly one can do one thing that induces the quality of goodness, and fifty other things that induce ignorance and passion. What will prevail, or which mode is likely to predominate? Fifty to one, ignorance and passion will prevail. Vegetarianism is not everything in determining disposition, in other words.

Q Why did Arjuna, a great devotee of the Lord approach Lord Indra a demigod for help? Does this not contradict the teachings of Srila Prabhupada that intelligent men worship only Krishna?

A. My reply will be a two part response. First, bear in mind that the message of Bhagavad Gita and the message of Srimad Bhagavatam are describing unalloyed devotion to Krsna as the ultimate goal. This is the highest teaching and the means of the highest attainment of life. While this is true, the Mahabharata is presenting another important lesson of life, namely the principles of ethics and morality which should guide human society, whether one is an exalted unalloyed devotee of Krsna or not. Everyone should be ethical and moral, and these instructions are found in Mahabharata. The reference of Arjuna seeking weapons from the demigods adds to the grandeur of the figure of Arjuna, who was a most exalted friend of Krsna. Because of that dearness to Krsna, he had the capacity to even travel from the earthly planet to the svarga loka region, etc. What I am indicating here is that there are two levels of instructions which we find in scriptures. One level is describing the highest possible attainment, the other is describing the religious principles which should guide our life. You should not become confused when you read various literatures and find that there are different levels of instructions or teaching-by-example exhibited by great devotees. The second part of my answer has to do with the exalted nature of Arjuna. Because Arjuna was Krishna’s unalloyed devotee, therefore whatever Arjuna did was exclusively in the line of service to his master and dear friend Lord Krsna. On the other hand, if someone less qualified than Arjuna were to go to the demigods for divine astras, their purpose would not be the same. They would want to do this for name and fame, or for influence, of for some personal aggrandizement. That is not the case of Arjuna, given his exalted and pure devotion to Krsna. Therefore his activities are not subject to the same defects that others might be subject to, even when performing the same activities.

Q. Why do you call this theology a science?

A. Krishna consciousness is a science because it has to do with observable reality; it is not based on blind faith.
One can perceive the reality of Krishna consciousness by following a method similar to the scientific process: hypothesis, experimentation, and conclusion. Here’s an overview:
1.    Reality is not reducible to mathematical equations. Those equations fail to account for two aspects of reality: consciousness and complex biological forms.
2.    Reality includes consciousness, which falls into two categories. In one category is Krishna, or God. In the other category are we finite conscious souls.
3.    Point 2 cannot be proved by empirical methods of investigation.
4.    Point 2 can be proved when the soul becomes aware of his higher cognitive functions.
5.    The process of Bhakti yoga is an experiment in which the body and mind are the apparatus, and in which rules of behavior are necessary (but not sufficient) conditions for success.
6.    To practice Bhakti yoga requires guidance from a spiritual master who is Krishna’s pure representative.
7.    Bhakti yoga centers on chanting Krishna’s name, which is spiritually identical to Him. Chanting thus puts one directly in touch with Krishna, purifying one’s consciousness. When one’s consciousness is purified, Krishna reveals Himself.
8.    By bringing the soul into personal contact with Krishna, the process of Bhakti yoga enables one to understand reality at the deepest level.

Q. Bhishma Pitamah, knew that Krishna is the Supereme Lord. Then why he could not stop the Kauravas to fight the war, the result of which he knew in advance?

A. If you read Mahabharata carefully you will find at so many places, Bhishma is giving advice to Dhritrashtra, who was the king and if he wanted, he could have stopped the war. But Dhritrashtra never listened to him because of his blind attachment to Duryodhana.

He had to fight on behalf of Dhritrashtra because he had taken the vow that he will fight for whoever is ruling Hastinapur.

And Lord put Bhishma in this situation to show the world that whoever takes the side of irreligion, no matter who he is will be destroyed.

Q. Krishna spoke Gita to Arjuna in the battlefield. How other pandavas got inspired from this? Did they hear what Krishna was speaking to Arjuna?

A. Bhagavad gita was especially spoken for Arjuna to inspire him to fight because it was he who kept his weapons aside and desired not to fight. We do not hear that other Pandavas also kept their weapons aside. He was put into that illusion temporarily so that message of Bhagavad gita can be given to whole world. And people like us can take advantage of it at any part of our life, learn how to work on behalf of Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna and become Krishna conscious like Arjuna became after hearing Bhagavad gita.

Q. Was the main reason behind Mahabhararta war  sense gratification? Pandavas wanted their due right in the kingdom from Kauravas? Then why Krishna Arjuna/Pandavas to fight for this material gain?

A. According to Vedic injunctions there are six kinds of aggressors: (1) a poison giver, (2) one who sets fire to the house, (3) one who attacks with deadly weapons, (4) one who plunders riches, (5) one who occupies another’s land and (6) one who kidnaps a wife. Such aggressors are at once to be killed and no sin is incurred by killing such aggressors.

Fight wasn not based on sense gratification but to establish religion. The activities which Duryodhana performed to usurp the kingdom were not religious at all like….

*Feeding poisonous cake to Bhima,

*Trying to burn Pandavas alive in Lakshyagraha,

*Arranging gambling match and making Shakuni play on his behalf to win everything from Yudhisthar who was not good in playing the game.

* Trying to disrobe Draupadi in an assembly full of men.

*Not returning Pandavas kingdom even after when they returned from forest although he had promised to do so before they went into exile.

For a kshatriya, kingdom to rule is must. He cannot live by begging. That is the reason Pandavas proposed, give just five villages but Duryodhana even denied that.Then war was inevitable.

Q. Was the main reason behind Mahabhararta was sense gratification? Pandavas wanted their due right in the kingdom from Kaurvas. Then why Krishna Arjuna/Pandavas to fight for this material gain?

A. According to Vedic injunctions there are six kinds of aggressors: (1) a poison giver, (2) one who sets fire to the house, (3) one who attacks with deadly weapons, (4) one who plunders riches, (5) one who occupies another’s land, and (6) one who kidnaps a wife. Such aggressors are at once to be killed, and no sin is incurred by killing such aggressors.

Fight wasn not based on sense gratification but to establish religion. The activities which Duryodhana performed to usurp the kingdom were not religious at all like….

*Feeding poisonous cake to Bhima,

*Trying to burn Pandavas alive in Lakshyagraha,

*Arranging gambling match and making Shakuni play on his behalf to win everything from Yudhisthar who was not good in playing the game.

* Trying to disrobe Draupadi in an assembly full of men.

*Not returning Pandavas kingdom even after when they returned from forest although he had promised to do so before they went into exile.

For a kshatriya, kingdom to rule is must. He cannot live by begging. That is the reason Pandavas proposed, give just five villages but Duryodhana even denied that.Then war was inevitable.

Q. What are the three Planetary systems and how do they work? – R Bhatia

A.  There are three planetary systems, triloki: the higher planetary system, the middle planetary system, and the lower planetary system.

Bhagavad gita 14.18….

Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the abominable mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.

There is an upper planetary system, consisting of the heavenly planets, where everyone is highly elevated. According to the degree of development of the mode of goodness, the living entity can be transferred to various planets in this system.

The mode of passion is mixed. It is in the middle, between the modes of goodness and ignorance. A person is not always pure, but even if he should be purely in the mode of passion, he will simply remain on this earth(MIDDLE PLANETARY SYSTEM) as a king or a rich man. But because there are mixtures, one can also go down. People on this earth, in the mode of passion or ignorance, cannot forcibly approach the higher planets by machine. In the mode of passion, there is also the chance of becoming mad in the next life.

The lowest quality, the mode of ignorance, is described here as abominable. The result of developing ignorance is very, very risky. It is the lowest quality in material nature. Beneath the human level there are eight million species of life—birds, beasts, reptiles, trees, etc.—and according to the development of the mode of ignorance, people are brought down to these abominable conditions. Or they will go to hellish planets (LOWER PLANETARY SYSTEMS)

There is an opportunity for men in the modes of ignorance and passion to be elevated to the mode of goodness and also beyond the three modes, and that system is called Krishna consciousness. But one who does not take advantage of this opportunity will certainly continue in the lower modes.

Q. Explain the diffenece between: Sastras(scriptures), Vedas, and the Upanishads, with examples.

A. Shastra…..

Shastra is a broad term and include any book which has codes and conduct given by God. These are like law books for man kind to follow like a citizen of country has constitution of the country to follow.

Any person who has taken birth as human being should study scriptures as any one who is part of country should know the laws made by country.

Shastras include Vedas and Upanishads.

Vedas….

The original source of knowledge is the Vedas. There are no branches of knowledge, either mundane or transcendental, which do not belong to the original text of the Vedas. They have simply been developed into different branches, They were originally rendered by great, respectable and learned professors. In other words, the Vedic knowledge, broken into different branches by different disciplic successions, has been distributed all over the world. No one, therefore, can claim independent knowledge beyond the Vedas.

Formerly there was only the Veda of the name Yajur, and the four divisions of sacrifices were there specifically mentioned. But to make them more easily performable, the Veda was divided into four divisions of sacrifice (namely Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva), just to purify the occupational service of the four orders.

Upanishads….

The Upanishads are considered to be the topmost part of the subject dealt in the Vedic Literature.

There are 108 of them, like Ishopanishad, Mundaka Upanishad, Samveda Upanishad, and Chhandogya Upanishad.

The Upanishads are parts of the four Vedas, and the Vedanta Sutra is the cream of the Vedas. And to summarize all these Vedic writings, the Bhagavad Gita is accepted as the cream of all Upanishads and the elementary explanation of the Vedanta Sutra.