“Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.34)

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मन्-मना भव मद्-भक्तो
मद्-याजी मां नमस्कुरु
माम् एवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवम्
आत्मानं मत्-परायणः

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam
ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

“It is the majority opinion in whatever polling gets conducted. You could say that the participants are ashamed to respond in the negative. They don’t want the pollster to view them in some strange light. They don’t want to admit to their neighbors how they truly feel.

“But accepting the results at face value, we see that most people already agree to the concept of God. That is the basic acknowledgment when regularly visiting a house of worship. Sure, they may forget Him most of the time. To err is human. We make…

“As water on the root of a tree is automatically distributed to the leaves and branches, in Krishna consciousness, one can render the highest service to everyone—namely self, family, society, country, humanity, etc. If Krishna is satisfied by one’s actions, then everyone will be satisfied.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 2.41 Purport)

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1. My country of origin

As a child I did not really know about distinctions. I did not identify someone based on their skin color. It was not a homogeneous mixture of backgrounds in school, either, so there was plenty of diversity. I never once thought that someone with a funny sounding name was somehow different.

As I grow older, there are distinctions drawn. There is the tribal culture. My favorite sports team against yours. My religion as compared to what others follow. My preferred industry against what you do for a living.

“Being very much delighted and satisfied, those monkeys enthusiastic to see you arrived at the northern shore of the ocean.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 35.68)

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vindhyādutthāya samprāptāḥ sāgarasyāntamuttaram |
tvat darśana kṛta utsāhā hṛṣṭāḥ tuṣṭāḥ plavamgamāḥ ||

Friend1: I think one of the big problems in modern-day life is idleness.

Friend2: Why do you say that?

Friend1: From personal experience, mostly. I notice that on days where I am fully engaged throughout, with this task to complete and that, I am actually happier than on days when I have nothing to do.

Friend2: It seems contradictory, right? There is the popular song about everybody working for the weekend.

Friend1: Spend the time in the office in order to rest and relax at week’s end. It is something to look forward to. But if you have nothing to do, it ends up being…

“Prahlada Maharaja said: My dear King, the source of my strength, of which you are asking, is also the source of yours. Indeed, the original source of all kinds of strength is one. He is not only your strength or mine, but the only strength for everyone. Without Him, no one can get any strength. Whether moving or not moving, superior or inferior, everyone, including Lord Brahma, is controlled by the strength of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.8.7)

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श्री-प्रह्राद उवाच
न केवलं मे भवतश् च राजन्
स वै बलं बलिनां चापरेषाम्
परे ’वरे ’मी स्थिर-जङ्गमा ये
ब्रह्मादयो येन वशं प्रणीताः

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
na kevalaṁ me bhavataś ca rājan
sa vai balaṁ balināṁ cāpareṣām
pare ’vare ’mī sthira-jaṅgamā ye
brahmādayo yena vaśaṁ praṇītāḥ

Friend1: I know you have many instances in history. Prahlada Maharaja. Shankaracharya. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Friend2: What is…

“Although the Lord was present in Vaikuntha, He was present also in the heart of the brahmana when he was meditating on the worshiping process. Thus, we can understand that things offered by the devotees even in meditation are accepted by the Lord, and they help one achieve the desired result.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 10)

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It is a classic philosophical challenge. A good ice-breaker at a party, in fact. There will be variety of opinion. Not everyone will have the same response.

“If a tree should fall in the forest, with no one around, does it make a sound?”

One side jumps to respond:

“Of course it does. The presence or absence of witnesses does not invalidate a truth of nature.”

The other side is a little skeptical:

“Okay, we can reasonably assume that a sound results, but there is no…

“Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Krishna and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.7)

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तस्मात् सर्वेषु कालेषु
माम् अनुस्मर युध्य च
मय्य् अर्पित-मनो-बुद्धिर्
माम् एवैष्यस्य् असंशयः

tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu
mām anusmara yudhya ca
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mām evaiṣyasy asaṁśayaḥ

1. Cleaning up the environment

“Just look at the amount of plastic thrown out on a regular basis. I am sure you notice when you take out the trash. Sometimes it’s a twice-daily affair. I know that I am sick and tired of it. Wouldn’t it be great if you had a full day without creating any rubbish?

“Before you laugh at the idea, stop and think for a moment…

“O best among men, thus I was spoken to at that time by those greatly fortunate sages. O best among men, indeed for Your sake I have collected a variety of forest fruits which were growing on the banks of the Pampa Lake, O tiger among men.” (Shabari speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 74.17)

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मया तु विविधं वन्यं सञ्चितं पुरुषर्षभ।
तवार्थे पुरुषव्याघ्र पम्पायास्तीरसम्भवम्।।

mayā tu vividhaṃ vanyaṃ sañcitaṃ puruṣarṣabha।
tavārthe puruṣavyāghra pampāyāstīrasambhavam।।

There is someone you really care for. They mean a lot to you. They have done so much, even if they are unaware. Sometimes people can influence in the subtlest of ways. The teacher in school pushes you. They demand to the point that you hate them. Only until years have passed do you fully appreciate their influence.

Then there are those who set a good example. They…

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I will accept it.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.26)

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पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं
यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति
तद् अहं भक्त्य्-उपहृतम्
अश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

All four would be ideal. That is the recommendation of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Make this existence successful. Lament not over the past. Everything has changed, regardless. That over which you are concerned today will not remain the same moving forward.

Yajna is the Sanskrit word for sacrifice, and it is synonymous with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna. He is our intimate friend, since before anyone can remember. He has always been standing by, ready to guide us along the right path. A little sacrifice leads to…

“O King, at that time Arjuna, the son of Pandu, who was seated in his chariot, his flag marked with Hanuman, took up his bow and prepared to shoot his arrows, looking at the sons of Dhritarashtra. O King, Arjuna then spoke to Hrishikesha [Krishna] these words:” (Bhagavad-gita, 1.20)

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अथ व्यवस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा
धार्तराष्ट्रान् कपि-ध्वजः
प्रवृत्ते शस्त्र-सम्पाते
धनुर् उद्यम्य पाण्डवः
हृषीकेशं तदा वाक्यम्
इदम् आह मही-पते

atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā
dhārtarāṣṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ
pravṛtte śastra-sampāte
dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ
hṛṣīkeśaṁ tadā vākyam
idam āha mahī-pate

Friend1: You hear this lament sometimes, from the commentators. If there is a young athlete with star potential, expectations grow. Sometimes the loftiest, that they will break records set decades ago, and so forth.

Friend2: You know, a lot of times those athletes are able to meet that potential. Remarkable stuff. It’s interesting to see the discovery process, how scouts can accurately…

“Shrimati Kuntidevi has prayed to the Lord just to enunciate a fragment of His glories. All His devotees worship Him in that way, by chosen words, and therefore the Lord is known as Uttamashloka.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.8.44 Purport)

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1. Praising people

“That person you see standing there – a great guy. He would give you the shirt off his back. He is a professional, successful at the highest level of his field. Yet you wouldn’t know it by meeting him on the street. He is so humble. He doesn’t talk down to you. He treats you like a friend, as if he understands what you are going through.”

2. Criticizing people

“Did you hear what that coach said to a player? It happened over ten years ago, but that doesn’t excuse anything. The language, it’s really unacceptable. He has since apologized…