11 June 2011--We are flying now on a 2,000 mile flight from Mauritius to Johannesburg, South Africa. After leaving a place I like to recall the wonderful and enlightening Krishna conscious experiences I had at that place. No matter how much one grows in Krishna consciousness, there is always room to grow unlimitedly more, realizing even more about the transcendental Krishna science and how to present it more effectively to the suffering, illusioned souls of this world.

One nice realization was that while the natural beauty of Mauritius with its clean air, comfortable climate and beautiful scenery was certainly enlivening, it was even more enlivening to have the association of so many wonderful devotees of Krishna who reside there. We look forward to our return this coming December for another ecstatic week of Krishna consciousness in Mauritius.
 


Sankarshan Das Adhikari

The Beautiful Scenery of Mauritius is Enlivening...

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But the Devotees Are Even More Enlivening

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Question: How to Surrender and Get Initiated?

I am a regular reader of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. While reading the Dhyana Yoga chapter, we read the Lord describing about ways to attain Him via yoga. But personally, I found the purport where Arjuna says that he finds  himself unworthy for meditation very similar to my condition. In reply the Lord says that even transcendental to all these methods to achieve Him was to completely surrender unto Him. I want to ask you how do we surrender to Lord Krishna? What are the steps involved? I wish to be initiated some years later under a spiritual master. Therefore, what should I be doing presently and also in the coming years before I get initiated?

Your follower,
M.N.
 

Answer: Follow Theses Steps

I am very pleased that you have understood the necessity of surrendering to Krishna. The first step in surrendering to Krishna is to take shelter of His representative, the bona fide spiritual master, through the process known as initiation. Then by inquiring submissively from the spiritual master and rendering service unto him, all the transcendental truths regarding the science of Krishna will gradually be revealed to you..

To get initiated you must be solidly situated in chanting at least 16 rounds daily of the Hare Krishna mantra on japa mala beads. And you must strictly avoid illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication, and gambling, as well as only eating foods which have been offered to Krishna. If you will regularly associate with the initiated ISKCON devotees in your city, you will get inspiration and strength to follow these principles strictly.

And then when you have proven to your local ISKCON authorities your ability and willingness to remain fixed in chanting at least 16 rounds daily and strictly following the regulative principles, they will recommend you to the ISKCON guru of your choice (myself or one of my Godbrothers) who will then initiate you as his disciple.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari
 

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