“The path to love for Rama can only be found after one turns their back on worldly pleasures, like how the snake can only concentrate after having shed its skin, says Tulsi.” (Dohavali, 82)

rāma prēma patha pekhi’ai di’em̐ biṣaya tana pīṭhi |
tulasī ken̄curi parihareṁ hōta sām̐pehū dīṭhi ||82||

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His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada would often be asked the question, “Can you show me God?” After all, to have evidence for something we insist on sight. When checking the authenticity of pizza, we go off the taste. We know we are listening to Beethoven based on sound. The difference between a polyester shirt and a cotton one is determined by touch. A rose is in our vicinity through smell. Yet for having firm belief in the Divine, we insist on seeing. Prabhupada’s answer lines up with this verse from the…

“The nine different processes enunciated by Prahlada Maharaja, who learned them from Narada Muni, may not all be required for the execution of devotional service; if a devotee performs only one of these nine without deviation, he can attain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.23-24 Purport)

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Friend1: The dark age of Kali.

Friend2: Quarrel and hypocrisy.

Friend1: Everything upside down.

Friend2: Dharma becomes adharma and vice versa.

Friend1: In this age there is no other way…

Friend2: Except the chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Friend1: There seems to be great emphasis on that. Chanting. Either to oneself, japa, or out loud with others, sankirtana.

Friend2: The emphasis is there because of Kali Yuga. The conditions especially make…

“When something is arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should not be disturbed by it, even if it appears to be a reverse according to one’s calculations. For example, sometimes we see that a powerful preacher is killed, or sometimes he is put into difficulty, just as Haridasa Thakura was. He was a great devotee who came into this material world to execute the will of the Lord by preaching the Lord’s glories. But Haridasa was punished at the hands of the Kazi by being beaten in twenty-two marketplaces.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 3.16.37)

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Though it happens all the time, people are still surprised. On paper, it is no contest. One team had vastly dominated their opposition during the season. It wasn’t close. The other team is lucky to be in the final. They had to squeak by in their last…

“O sober Vidura, King Indra, his honor having been insulted, poured water incessantly on Vrindavana, and thus the inhabitants of Vraja, the land of cows, were greatly distressed. But the compassionate Lord Krishna saved them from danger with His pastime umbrella, the Govardhana Hill.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 3.2.33)

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From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, there is birth and death. Beginning and end. New life and then the exit for a subsequent birth. The hellish region represents the lower planetary system. The highest place is Lord Brahma’s abode. He lives for an inconceivably long time. A person who knows the length of his day has an actual grasp of time, which is known as kala in Sanskrit.

“By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together is the duration of Brahma’s one day. And such also is the duration of…

“O King Parikshit, when the gigantic body of Putana fell to the ground, it smashed all the trees within a limit of twelve miles. Appearing in a gigantic body, she was certainly extraordinary.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.6.14)

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The news media is interesting. They begin by building someone up. That someone is noteworthy for some reason. They excel in something in the public eye, like sports, entertainment, or politics. That person gets praised for their good work; at least as judged by the writers of news.

Later on, however, that same person is vilified. They messed up. They were caught cheating. Or maybe they got intoxicated one night and made disparaging remarks about a minority group. Perhaps their political leanings have been learned. Maybe they don’t like certain religions.

The same media that praised the person can’t wait to bring them down. They are quite…

“You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.47)

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You don’t have to change your occupation. You don’t have to run off to a forest. You are not compelled to shave your head and join a religious institution. Bhakti is at the very core of the soul, which is the essence of identity. Devotion to God the person is the original condition, and in material life that fact is forgotten. While a conversion in mentality is necessary, a wholesale change of behavior isn’t an absolute requirement. A simple change in nature of everyday activities, from unfavorable to favorable, can do wonders.

1. Working

Does anyone really like…

“People in the material world are very fond of the goddess of fortune, and they want her favor in the form of riches. They should know, however, that the goddess of fortune is inseparable from Lord Vishnu. Materialists should understand that the goddess of fortune should be worshiped along with Lord Vishnu and should not be regarded separately.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.15.3)

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Their murtis are popular and prevalent during Diwali time. The sweet and snack shops keep them in higher stock. The owners understand the nature of the season; people worship for particular things. Respect for traditions. Lord Ganesha removes obstacles from the path to success. Shri Devi, who is also known as Lakshmi, gives wealth and opulence.

There is more to Shri, however. She is a goddess, after all. Though prominently worshiped in the Vedic tradition, there is quite often a…

“Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Shri Krishna as they are given in the Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad-Bhagavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.” (Lord Chaitanya, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 7.128)

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Friend1: The four regulative principles.

Friend2: Do you know where they come from?

Friend1: Shastra? No gambling. No meat eating. No illicit sex. No intoxication.

Friend2: There are qualities associated with each restriction. Those qualities make up the foundation of religious life, what separates the human beings from the animals.

Friend1: What are those qualities?

Friend2: Honesty, compassion, cleanliness and austerity.

Friend1: Have you ever been to initiation ceremonies, where the people have to recite these principles in front of their guru?

Friend2: I have.

Friend1: You notice how they always tense up and forget one or a few?

Friend2: I do…

“At night, on the sun having set, Maruti [Hanuman] contracted his body. Becoming the size of a cat, he was a wonderful sight to behold.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.49)

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Find a remote area. A mountain is preferable. Lay down a deerskin rug. Sit in the lotus position. Fix your vision on the tip of the nose. Maybe repeat the sacred syllable “om” over and over. Do this continuously, day after day. The most important restriction during this period of time is abstaining from sex life completely.

“To practice yoga, one should go to a secluded place and should lay kusha-grass on the ground and then cover it with a deerskin and a soft cloth. The seat should neither be too high nor too low and should be situated in a sacred place. The yogi should then sit on it very…