Back to Godhead Magazine #57, 1973

Who am I? Where did I come from before birth, and after death where am I going? What is this universe? Is it chaotic madness, or does it follow a plan? Why must I die? Grow old? Feel pain? Is there real happiness here? Or is it somewhere else? Who is God? Does He exist at all?

In 1944, on the order of his spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founded Back to Godhead magazine to present the most confidential and illuminating knowledge of the ancient Sanskrit Vedas, which contain sane, understandable answers to all these questions. His Divine Grace has received this transcendental knowledge, through a chain of disciplic succession, from the creator, maintainer and destroyer of all the universe-the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna. Lord Krsna is so great and powerful that one cannot approach Him directly, just as one cannot approach even the rulers of this tiny mundane earth. Nor can one gain knowledge of Him by theorizing or speculating about His transcendental position. But by approaching His pure devotee-one who already knows Him-it is possible to understand Him to some extent.

Actual love of Krsna is natural to everyone, but it is beyond the realm of the temporary body and mind. Therefore to understand Krsna one should accept guidance from an expert spiritual master fully conversant with scientific knowledge of Krsna. Back to Godhead connects one with Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, through the teachings of His pure devotee. By reading Back to Godhead and chanting the great mantra for deliverance-Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare-one can gradually attain the platform of complete knowledge in love of God and the blessings of unending, blissful peace.