Meditations on Transcendence

Beyond the Modes: Journey to True Nectar The spiritual journey requires understanding the subtle layers of the self: ego, intention, feelings, thoughts, and actions. Krishna consciousness teaches that these layers, when purified, lead one beyond the material modes of nature (gunas) into the realm of true nectar—divine bliss. **Ego (Ahamkara):** In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, "The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another, as the air carries aromas" (Bhagavad Gita 15.8). This indicates the pervasive influence of the ego. The first step in spiritualizing the ego is to recognize that we are not the doers. Ahamkara, the false ego, is the identification with the body and mind. To transcend this, we must see ourselves as eternal servants of Krishna, dissolving the false ego into our true identity as souls. **Intention (Sankalpa):** Krishna advises, "Abandon all varieties of dharma and just surrender unto Me. I s

Srila Prabhupada tirobhava tithi maha mahotsava ki jaya His divine grace name in his earlier asrama was 'Abhaya caran' which means fearless lotus feet. Whose lotus feet? this is addressed in the kirtan 'Bhaja hure mana, Sri Nanda Nandana, abhaya caranaravinda re'. The fearlessness is found at the lotus feet of son of Nanda Maharaja. Srila Prabhupada's mission is to help living beings of the world experience true fearlessness by developing bhakti at the lotus feet of Nandanandana Sri Krishna. All the higher attainments of spirituality like Prem, bliss, happiness, eternity are built on the foundation of 'Abhaya' or fearlessness. Fear is always due to the unknown. As finite entities when we see the vast world, there remains so much unknown and this causes fear. Fear is the primary destroyer of wellbeing. It corrodes at the most fundamental level and shakes up the whole foundation of existence. Fear also eats up our life span (ayur vyaya). In response to the Que