Back to Godhead

Edited and Founded Under Direct Order of
His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhakti-Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada
by Goswami Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta

Delhi, Wednesday 20th June, 1956

One who desires to go back to one's eternal home and back to Godhead may adopt the following recognised and authoritative devotional activities in order to train oneself to be eligible to enter into the transcendental realm, the eternal kingdom of God. No body returns from the kingdom of God to this material world of threefold miseries. In the Bhagwat Geeta the process of going back to Godhead is stated as follows:--

"Bhaktya, Mam, Abhijanati,
Jaban, ja, cha, Aham, Tat twata,
Tato, Mam, Tat twata Jnatwa,
Vishate, Tad, Anantaram.

Synonym

Bhaktya= By devotional service only. Mam= Me, Abhijan ati= one can know Me perfectly or conclusively. Jaban= As I am, Ja= What, Cha= And, Aha= I, Tattwata= Scientifically, Jnatwa= Knowing, Visphate= Enters, Tad= That, Anantaram= After.

Translation

Only by devotional activities one can know Me perfectly and conclusively as I am and what I am. Thus knowing Me scientifically and after that scientific knowledge one can enter into My kingdom.

Purport

This entrance is interpreted by the empiric philosophers as merging into the identity of Brahma. But this explanation is unacceptable regard being had to the fact that the process recommended for this entrance is 'Bhakti,' or devotional service. The process adopted by the empiric philosophers for merging into 'Brahman,' is called 'Jnana' or culture of empiric knowledge. Therefore this entrance is not meant for merging into the Supreme. This entrance means to enter into the kingdom of God personally with individual identity without any spiritual suicide adopted and recommended by men with poor fund of knowledge. Such men with poor fund of knowledge may go on speculating for thousands and thousands of years and yet they cannot attain the stage of scientific approach for entering into the kingdom of Godhead. The kingdom of Godhead is not a myth but it is situated far beyond the boundary of material cosmos, one can know it by the process of devotional service only.

No materialistic thinker can expect to know scientifically the essence of the Lord's name, fame, form and pastimes by mundane speculation. The essence of the Lord's transcendental Name etc. becomes revealed to the devotee with the progress of devotional service. There are stages of such devotional service and we beg to state below the preliminary process as primary activities in that great non-fallible procedure.

The details of the main principles may sometimes differ as set by different Acharyas (authorities) but the main principles as they are, do not differ. In the details of such activities, there may appear some different formularies or formalities, but the main principles of devotional worship called by the name Archan, are all the same everywhere. The principle of accepting initiation from a bonafide spiritual master, the first thing in the matter of devotional service, is always the same. Shrila Rupa Goswami, the highest authority in the spiritual science, recommends herewith ten kinds of spiritual activities as the first lot of exercise. These codes are to be observed by the devotee intending to engage himself in devotional service.

One may not misunderstand the meaning of transcendental service. There is distinct difference between material service and transcendental service although both of them are observed as one and the same by the common man. Every individual living entity is constitutionally meant for service. He is eternally the servitor of the Supreme Lord but somehow or other when he comes in contact with material nature, his service is exploited by the material nature as the service of a prisoner in the jail is exploited by the jail authorities. Service in the jail is not only exploitative but also troublesome not suiting the constitution of the particular man. In the same way service of the material world is not only troublesome for the servitor but also it is unsuitable for the constitution of the living entity. Transcendental service is encouraging, satisfactory and suitable to the very constitution of the living being. The taste is created by the practical method recommended by the authorities of revealed scriptures and they are as follows for the primary beginners.

(1) To accept the shelter of the lotus feet of the spiritual master expert in devotional activities.

(2) To get oneself initiated in the art of worshipping Shri Krishna and thereby to learn from the spiritual master all the details and philosophy of the spiritual Science.

(3) One should conclusively accept a spiritual master after knowing him fully well because one has to abide by the orders of the spiritual master in full surrender and in full faith.

(4) To follow the footprints of the previous acharyas who had attained perfection in the spiritual science.

(5) To become sincerely inquisitive to enter in the science. After formal initiation from the spiritual master the neophyte devotee must make sincere inquiries in the matter of spiritual progress.

(6) Anything, which may be pleasing to the senses of the neophyte devotee but is hindrance in the way of spiritual progress -- must be at once given up for the service of the Lord.

(7) To live, if possible, in some such holy place as Dwarka, Vrindaban etc. or on the bank of the holy river such as the Ganges or install the deities at home and live there.

(8) To accept only as much wealth and assistance of men as it will help one to perform nicely the ceremonial duties of devotional service -- the source of realising the Personality of Godhead.

(9) To observe as far as possible all the specific dates of spiritual importance such as the Janmastami day, Sree Ramnavami day, Ekadashi days, Dolpurnima day, Nrisingha Chaturdashi day, and dates in which advent and disappearances of saintly persons have taken place.
(To be Contd.)

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Notice.

The Editor has since changed
his residential address as follows:--
Goswami Abhay Charan
Bhaktivedanta
1797, RaniBagh Extn.
P.o. Shakurbasti -- Delhi
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GEETOPANISAD

The mystery of Bhagwat Gita was disclosed to Shri Arjuna. One who, therefore understands the Bhagwat Gita in the line of Parampara (disciplic succession) of Arjuna -- can only enter into the spiritual secret of it. "Geetopanisad" is explained in that light of disciplic succession with all the reasons and philosophy of practical life.

Out of many editions of the Bhagwat Gita, hardly there is one which is not attempt to explain it by the editor's own imagination. Empiric philosophers think that any one is competent to give his own imaginative explanations. But such speculative interpretations belong to a level of experience produced by one's qualitative nature. The words of the Personality of Godhead are, however, transcendental to such level of mundane experimental thought.

Here is an attempt, perhaps for the first time, to present the Bhagwat Gita in the non-speculative Parampara system through the various successive Acharyas. The whole book is written in 1600 pages. It appears in four parts and is offered at Rs. 4/- per part. Secure a set of this book and try to reach the transcendental positions of the Absolute Truth.

The price of the book may be deposited with the Allahabad Bank Ltd., Chandni Chowk, Delhi-6, for credit of "Goswami Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta's publication." A/c.

HINDI CHAITANYA CHARITAMRITA

The highest perfection of spiritual realisation was preached by Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by his practical life, precepts, philosophy and mode of preaching the universal cult for benefit of all sections of people. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's transcendental activities are preserved in the living words of Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita by Kaviraj Shri Krishna Das Goswami, with various authoritative quotes from all the revealed scriptures.

The whole thing is now translated into Hindi from word to word in 2000 pages. It is already in the Press for publication purposes. The complete series will cover about 32 parts each containing 64 pages (10" X 7 1/2") for sale at Re. 1/- per part.

Those who will deposit Re. 25/- in advance will get the whole series of publications, without further payments. This concession price includes the cost of dispatching charges. The price (Rs. 25/-) may be deposited with the Allahabad Bank., Ltd., Chandni Chowk, Delhi for credit of "Goswami Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta's Publication." A/c.

[Please note: The articles in this series have been typed from copies of the original manuscripts which are sometimes unclear. As far as possible, every attempt has been made to reproduce them without change.]