Answer to Question :1 ( Pg 33 – Q.

7)

Jihvara lalase yei iti – uti dhaya

“That person who runs here and there seeking to gratify his palate and who is always attached to the
desires of his stomach and genitals is unable to attain Krishna.”

The abovesaid verse from Chainanya Caritamrita explains the issue highlighted by the protagonist Mr.
Prasad. It is clarified by Srila Prabhupada in his purport to Text 1 of Nectar of Instruction that if one accepts
prasadam only because of its palatability and eats excessively , he also fails pray to trying to satisfy the
demands of the tongue. Thus the urge of tongue remains uncontrolled and the incumbent continues to
be under the clutches of material energy.

In his Anuvritti explanation of Upadesamrita, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaj

Demands of the body can be further divided into three categories:

If one observes critically all the above demands of the body are in a straight line, indicating that there can
be one stop solution for the above. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaj Prabhupad explains
if one can restrain the demands of the tongue by limiting the activities to the eating of prasadam, the
urges of the belly and the genitals along with that of the tongue can be controlled.

Conclusion
The protagonist Mr. Prasad need to regulate the eating habits and shall construe or interpret that
prasadam should not be accepted because of its palatability or in excess. The control of tongue should
also be applicable while honouring prasadam, as excessive prasadam will create attachment towards the
material energy. Furthermore, if he continues this way there is a high possibility of him being controlled
by the urges of the tongue, which is injuncted by Srila Rupa Goswami. He also needs to introspect whether
he is accepting invitation of rich people for the purpose of receiving palatable food, then he immediately
needs a course correction to ensure that he complies with the purpose of text 1 in true spirit and letter.
To summarize Mr. Prasad should immediately stop taking excessive Prasadam and start controlling the
urge immediately.
Answer to Question No 2 ( Pg 34, Question No 11)

Dharmasya hy apavarhyasya
Nartho ‘rthayopakalpate
Narthasya dharmaikantasya
Kama labhaya hi smrtah [S.B. 1.2.9]

“All occupational engagement (dharma) are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be
performed for material gain. Furthermore, one who is engaged in the ultimate occupational service
(dharma) should never use material gain to cultivate sense gratification.”

Sri Suta Goswami describes proper human dharma in the aforementioned verses and which has been
corroborated by Sri Rupa Goswami in Text 2 of Nectar of Instruction, wherein the following six activities
are to be avoided:
1. Eating more than necessary or collecting more fund then required (atyaharah);
2. Overendeavouring for mundane things (prayasas);
3. Talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters (prajalpa)
4. Practicing scriptural rules not for spiritual advancement and/or rejecting scriptural rules and
regulations as per his discretion ( niyamagrahah)
5. Association with material people (jana sanghas)
6. Being greedy for mundane achievements (Laulam)

In the given case Late Shri Rahul Singh’s lifestyle clearly demonstrates that he was not able to avoid the
aforementioned six activities. Furthermore, even at the time of death he was entangled within the
material energy of the Supreme Lord. Thus he was not engaged in ultimate liberation, rather his activities
were objected around material gain for which at the time of leaving the body he was involved in enjoying
liquor and women.

Shri Rahul Singh’s endevaour to create awareness for the protection of rare endangered species of Panda
Bear was also for the purpose of satisfying his senses through extended sense gratification being social
instead of being personal. But the objective of such action inevitably indicates his strong urge to satisfy
his senses.

In BG (9.13), the Supreme Lord states that – “O son of Prtha, those who are not deluded, the great souls,
are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they
know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.”

When the individual jiva souls are under the control of the internal energy ( ahladini shakti) of the Supreme
Lord, their only engagement is the satisfaction of Krishna. This is the position of Mahatma. Shri Rahul
Singh in the given case was not able to even understand his true constitutional position. In fact, far from
being Mahatma, he is a cripple minded person engaged in satisfying their senses, sometimes expanding
their activities to do some good to others for the purpose of gratifying his senses at a
social/national/international level. Thus, in my view he should not be referred to as mahatma in the real
meaning of the term.

Conclusion
A Mahatma, since he is not interested in any material activity, is free from material contamination.
However, a cripple minded person or Duratma, always engages in mundane activities – being a karmi,
yogi, jnani, nationalist, socialist etc, hence cannot attain the higher stage of mahatma. Hence, the
committee should reject the proposal to give Mr. Rahul Singh the title of a mahatma.
Answer to Question no 3 ( Page 34 Question 15)

Anyabhilasita sunyam
Jnana – karmedy anavrtam
Anukulyena krishnanu
Silanam bhaktir uttama ( Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu – 1.1.11)

“ Uttama Bhakti, or unalloyed devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna,
involves the rendering of devotional service in a way that is favourable to the Lord. This devotional service
should be free from extraneous motive and devoid of fruitive karma, impersonal jnana and selfish
desires.”

In the given situation, Dheeraj Kumar needs to understand that Bhakti is a process and not an end
in itself. Bhakti is a sort of cultivation following the process as specified by Guru and previous Acharyas.
As in every process of cultivation we need to be patient, in the cultivation of Bhakti we also need to be
patient in our approach. The nine processes of devotional services as mentioned by Sri Prahlad Maharaj
are as follows:
1. Hearing the name and glories of the Supreme Lord;
2. Chanting his name and glories;
3. Remembering the Lord;
4. Serving the lotus feet of the Lord;
5. Worshipping the deity
6. Offering obeisances unto the Lord
7. Acting as a servant of the Lord
8. Serving the Lord as a friend;
9. Surrendering oneself to the Lord

In order to attain perfection in Bhakti Yoga one has to perform the aforesaid services under the guidance
and direction of a bonafide spiritual master, without which bhakti will remain incomplete.

The incumbent in the given case need to perform devotional service :

In the given case, the incumbent is losing patience and with the loss of patience his confidence in the
devotional service and to Krishna is also dwindling, leading to material desires haunting him, gradually
moving towards the clutches of Maya. However, Dheeraj Kumar, as his name suggests, should be patient
and follow the instructions of spiritual master. Srila Prabhupad gives the analogy of a newly wedded girl
expecting a child from her husband. In the process she needs to be patient and need to have full
confidence in her husband, for her to get a child in due time provided her surrender to her husband is
complete and beyond doubt. Like wise in this case, Dheeraj needs to completely surrender to the Supreme
Lord, follow regulative principles in confidence, with enthusiasm and things will improve.

Conclusion
Engagement in the devotional service of the Lord is the life and soul of the living entity. It is the desired
goal and supreme perfection of human life. Hence, Dheeraj Kumar need to have complete confidence in
this path to enable him to attain his desired goal.
Answer to Question No 4 ( page 37 Question 33)

10 most important lessons which we can learn from NOI and their adoption in the society can remove the
causes of distress among the people:

1. NOI instructs us to control the urge to speak, the urge or demands of the mind and demands of
the body. Critical analysis of the crimes in the society will demonstrate that most of the crime,
including white collar crime, are on account of excessive urges to satisfy the senses. Reduction of
these three anavrittis can help us to be at peace and push us for spiritual upliftment. Regulated
urges on these three fronts can considerably reduce crime and can help our society to become a
better and safer place to live.

2. NOI condemns atyaharah which means eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than
required. Karmis labour to accumulate more and more wealth for future generations only because
they are completely ignorant about their future. As a result, they are stressed, unhappy and fail
to enjoy their present position, which leads to anger and lack of peace in life. Furthermore, the
modern day warfare between capitalist and communists is due to atyahara. Modern capitals are
busy in accumulation of wealth, and the communists being envious of their prosperity, want to
acquire their wealth in the grab of nationalism. Thus neither knows the solution to the problem
of equitable distribution of wealth, leading to conflict, unrest, exploitation and war. NOI can help
us to solve this issue by creating the value system where individuals don’t eat more than necessary
or collecting funds beyond their needs, whereby curbing consumerism and thereby increasing
internal peace and happiness.

3. NOI strictly instructs us to ensure we don’t overendeavour in mundane activities. Such actions
lead to rejection of the principle of higher thinking and simple living. Human beings started using
their intelligence to augment their material possession thereby increasing unwanted and
damaging things like slaughter houses, factories, brothels, liquor shops etc. If we follow the
instructions of NOI, we will promote simple living and high thinking thereby having time to inquire
into oneself and one’s existence which will lead to the journey towards Krishna Consciousness. Sri
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad gives an example of such a Karmi who accumulated
vast fortune for his son but after death, as per his karma, took birth in the house of a cobbler
located near the building constructed by him in his previous life and one day was beaten by his
former sons and grandsons with shoes. Thus, NOI gives us the knowledge to restrict us from
becoming slave of consumerism and regulate our desires.

4. NOI instructs us how to undergo devotional service by following the six principles namely :
a. To be enthusiastic;
b. To endeavour with confidence;
c. To be patient;
d. To act according to regulative principles;
e. To abandon the association of non devotees; and
f. To follow the principles of previous Acharya’s.
The aforesaid principles if followed by individuals even for materialistic living still will lead to
strong value based society. In every profession these six principles are the basics and lack of any
of them can not give us any success, irrespective of being material or spiritual.
5. NOI strictly promotes us to live following the regulative principles. Regulative principles condemns
the following:
a. Meat eating;
b. Intoxication;
c. Illicit sex;
d. Gambling.
Root cause of societal distress or value erosion is because of the above four. Behind every crime
or distressful condition lies any of the aforesaid four reasons. In India, some of the states have
brought statutes like Prohibition Act whereby intoxication has been prohibited in the state as they
have realized intoxication as one of the major reason for such crime since individuals in inebriated
state is nothing but a servant of the mind wherein all lusty narratives takes priority.however, such
statutes will not help unless individuals start correcting themselves from inside. NOI helps us to
lead a life following regulative principles, makes us realise the importance of association and
thereby prevents us from wrong influences.

6. NOI further directs one to give charity to devotees and accepting charity from them, thereby
building a loving relationship between individuals. In our society, we don’t give charity to people
but we give gifts. The moment “charity” gets replaced with “gifts’ – expectation starts coming into
the relationship. The scripture instructs us to give charity as per our capability and accept anything
in return which means there are no expectations. But in today’s world we give gifts and expect
similar or better gifts in return which makes the relationship more materialistic and obviously with
unfulfilled expectations the relationship starts becoming sour, thereby increasing enmity and
jealousy. However, if we follow the scriptural instructions by not expecting anything return
instead we are accepting what we are receiving, our relationship will become loving and more
fulfilling. Furthermore, there is no obligation on us at the time of charity and we are giving as per
our capability, thereby increasing love in the relationship and making the bond stronger.

7. NOI also directs that loving relationship between the indivduals and the society can be increased
by treating each other with prasadam. Prasadam means sanctified food. Instead of treating
unsanctified food leading to karmic reaction, NOI instructs to treat each other with prasadam. It
encourages to hold love feasts wherein people can eat prasadam which can cleanse their mind. It
also makes one feel humble and gratitude. The moment humility comes in, false ego starts
disappearing, leading to more loving and enjoyable relationship.

8. NOI also gives a clear instruction on whom to associate with which can be alternatively
interepreted to mean whom one should not associate with. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Goswami Maharaj Prabhupad explains that one should avoid association with the Atheists. The
following are the reasons why one should avoid association with the Atheists:
a. As they always oppose theistic movements thereby trying to pollute the mind on existence of
God;
b. They are engaged by political parties to promote materialism;
c. They propagate consumerism and destroy value culture.

Thus proper association within the society can create an environment of love and
engagement, making our life more fulfilling and adorable.

9. NOI also teaches us how to behave in the society which can promote love and peace instead of
hatred and envious attitude. NOI directs us the following:
 a. Love the Supreme God;
b. Befriend with the devotees;
c. Shows favour to the ignorant;
d. Rejects the jealous and demoniac.
Ultimate goal of life is to discover self to understand God and that is possible only through belief
and trust for the Supreme. Association of the devotees will help us to strengthen the belief and
the trust. Furthermore, it will also help us to induct the ignorant into this loving relationship with
God. NOI also instruct us to ignore the envious and the demoniac having no interest to discover
their constitutional position and engrossed in sense gratification. In a society which believes in
GOD and act towards serving the Supreme, is a better place to live in.

10. Last but not the least, NOI helps us to understand our condition compared with the body
affected by jaundice so much so that we can not relish sugar candy. We are so nescient that
we can not relish the nectar hidden behind the name of the Supreme Lord. Avidya has
perverted our ability to relish the transcendental palatable name, quality, form and pastimes
of the Lord. With regular chanting we can gradually remove the avidya and start enjoying the
bliss in the name of Krishna. In the material world everyone wants to be happy and although
their material attempts are baffled in every way but they can not understand their mistakes
due to their nescience. In the present confused state of humanity, Krishna Consciousness,
chanting of the holy name of the Lord – is the only way of setting the world aright.