[Posted March 31, 2008]

In Search of Something

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

There must be something more...

NPR Mar 31, 2008 - KAREN MICHEL

Photographer Trains a 'Complicated' Lens on Teens

Bowman shot Patrick Roberts in his favorite alley in Lawrence, Kan. In the photo, Roberts is 19, with a cigarette dangling out of his mouth. Now, he's ready to graduate from college and that picture is on the cover of Bowman's book.

Roberts says he likes the picture but feels vulnerable now, reading the words he said then:

"The easiest thing about being a teenager is still having a sort of romantic perspective or outlook on the world: not being jaded or disillusioned; and knowing – hoping – that you have time to do what you want and to achieve what you want."

Roberts says he still believes what he told Bowman when he posed for the photo, with one correction:

"Maybe I was wrong that that's specific to being a teenager. I think you have to work hard, though, not to let yourself forget that feeling of having dreams and aspirations and knowing that there's nothing that can stop you." go to story

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Looking for direction

Showbottle Spiritualists Exposed A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
JOURNALIST: Let me ask you—I have my opinion, but let me ask you—why do you feel that the younger people today are turning more and more toward the Eastern-oriented religions? PRABHUPADA: Because your materialistic way of life no longer satisfies them. In America, especially, you have got enough for enjoyment. You have got enough food, enough women, enough wine, enough houses—enough of everything. But still you have confusion and dissatisfaction—more in your country than in India, which is said to be poverty-stricken. But you'll find in India that although they are poverty-stricken, they are continuing their old spiritual culture. So the people are not as disturbed. This shows that material advancement alone cannot give one satisfaction. If they really want satisfaction, people must take to spiritual life. That will make them happy. All these people—they are in darkness. There is no hope. They do not know where they are going; they have no aim. But when you are spiritually situated, you know what you are doing and where you are going. Everything is clear. more

Now is the time to enquire

excerpt from "In search of the Supreme Lord", Renunciation Through Wisdom

It is not the prime duty of human beings to try to relieve their present sufferings. The search in life is for that medicine—that panacea—which will cure the material disease altogether. This disease manifests itself in countless ways, such as birth, old age, disease, and death. The pious person seeks the association of saintly persons and follows the scriptures, and in this way he endeavors for his greatest good. The beginning of devotional service is the development of faith in the scriptures and the words of the saints. This faith destroys all unwanted desires in the heart and increases one's surrender to the Supreme Lord's will.

Innocent enquirers are known as jijñasu, "those who are inquisitive." These innocent enquirers are society's hope for the future. Most intelligent and innocent young children are inquisitive: they question their parents about many things and remember the answers. When these bright young boys and girls receive proper guidance from parents and teachers who can lucidly answer their queries, they easily understand each point and gradually develop fine brains. From among these intelligent souls, those who are especially pious begin to keenly enquire about God and other spiritual topics. Others, who pursue ignoble material knowledge, cannot become successful in life and end up beating the chaff. Those who are inquisitive about the self and the Absolute Truth, Brahman, quickly surrender to Lord Krishna and His devotees. Such surrender proves their good measure of piety brought over from their previous births. Beginning with fundamental enquiries about Brahman, they swiftly become elevated, understand the statement of Lord Krishna in Bhagavad-gita (14.27) that He is the basis of the impersonal Brahman, and begin to worship Him.

A person with meagre piety, however, can never become a devotee of the Supreme Lord. As the scripture states,

maha-prasade govinde
nama-brahmani vaishnave
svalpa-punyavatam rajan
vishvaso naiva jayate

"O king! A person with little piety can never develop faith in Lord Govinda, His mercy, His holy name, or His pure devotees."

Most householders desire material gain. Nowadays especially, everyone is feeling the pinch of poverty. The ordinary man thirsts for money solely to enjoy his senses. Once a person falls into the useless company of sense gratifiers, he spends his wealth on fineries, gold, and women. With more wealth, he seeks adoration and distinction, and along with these he gets mansions, cars, and so on. There is only one interest in this endeavor, and that is to enjoy the senses. Persons whose only goal in life is to gratify the senses were referred to earlier as the less intelligent fruitive workers, or karmis. If any among them happen to have some piety, then this select group will not merely fritter away all their time in titillating their senses, but will spend some time worshiping the Supreme Lord. Although these elite karmis do not associate with the pure devotees of the Lord, they call themselves spiritualists. Actually, they harbor the desire to gratify their carnal desires. They fail to comprehend that the Supreme Lord is known as Hrisikesha, "the supreme master of the senses." Sometimes a jñani (a seeker of knowledge) or a practitioner of mystic yoga will also worship the Lord, but they also are merely interested ultimately in sensual pleasures. The only way these adulterated devotees can become pure devotees is if they read Srila Rupa Gosvami's Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu. This book is an authority on the science of devotional service.

Sri Guru and Gauranga