ISKCON—Pittsburgh

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has given us a priceless gift. We are obliged to him. To render loving service to his holy lotus feet is our only chance to fulfill this obligation. For so many births we have been subject to death, disease and old age (a most awkward position for pure spirit), and he has picked us up.

As for our present life, we had been worshiping the very action which would have insured our continued bondage to this miserable material world-intoxication, illicit sex, meat eating and gambling. But for His Divine Grace, these would constitute our very life. Of course we rationalized our behavior and even became self-righteous about it. But as Krsna says (Bg. 6.6) "For he who has conquered his mind it is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be the greatest enemy." Can we conceive of a worse hell than to be a constant companion of our worst enemy, our own mind?

But verily this was our position before the causeless mercy of Krsna directed His pure representative, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, to our shore to teach the message of Lord Caitanya, "Forceful and bold." Chant Hare Krsna, and you will acquire a higher taste. Why serve the temporary atomic when you are meant to serve the eternal infinite (Lord Sri Krsna)? And simply His sincerity, His loving kindness and His determination have forced open our eyes.

ISKCON-Pittsburgh