a) Pain to her due to burn injuries and subsequent pain in the treatment process, b) Pain of her parents to see their daughter lying in this condition and undergoing the tough phase.

Very often we look at our material problems with material solutions. I know that in my personal experience with my material education and conditioning, I am always at fault.

Once when Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur Maharaj was in Calcutta, a business man who used to regularly give some contribution to Gaudiya mutt, came for darshan of the Deities. When he came he saw that two brahmacaris in the temple were having a fight lifting some chairs in the course of the fight.

I found the following nice poem in Maharaj's diary. It is actually written by H G Dravida prabhu, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, who played a major role in finishing the last three cantos of Srimad Bhagavatam after Srila Prabhupada left the planet. This poem talks about the "fall" and "redemption" of the soul.

CONSTANT REMEMBRANCE OF LORD IS THE ONLY ANTISEPTIC METHOD BY WHICH ONE CAN FREE ONESELF FROM THE INFECTIOUS CONTAMINATION OF THE MATERIAL QUALITIES.

Prabhupad in one of his lectures was stating that, "a spiritual master who is actually spiritual master, he can know, he knows the pulse-beating of the disciple,

We all want to do welfare activity by giving Krishna consciousness to others. This is the topmost welfare activity as described in Srimad Bhagavatam. In spite of doing this welfare activity, we end up in most cases that our genuine efforts to convince the living entities do not prove fruitful.

Many people think that this human life is meant for enjoying. They falsely consider that there is no life after death. Ignorant of the consequence of their actions in this life, they continue to act whimsically. This concept of no life after death, is very much prevalent in the western world.

A rich man had three sons. As he grew old, he decided to give his property to the son who would value the wealth he had earned. He called his three sons and gave them each five grains of rice. He told them that he would ask for these grains at the end of 5 years and he would give his property to the son who would value these grains the most.

The Lord, who can distinctly see the minds of others, perceived Brahma's distress and said to him: "Cast off this impure body of yours." Thus commanded by the Lord, Brahma cast off his body.

"Those who engage in the culture of nescient activities shall enter into the darkest region of ignorance. Worse still are those engaged in the culture of so-called knowledge."

After 6 months of sincere and austere devotional service unto the Lord, Dhruva Maharaj is blessed with the vision of Krishna and the Lord also mercifully touches Dhruva's head with His conch-shell.

Miseries and Happiness exists only for the Body and Mind. Factually the pure spirit soul does neither experience happiness nor miseries on account of dualities of material nature. But when the spirit soul is conditioned by the modes of material nature it experiences happiness or distress.

"Because of the loss of his wife, the kulinga bird lamented with tears in his eyes. Meanwhile, following the dictations of mature time, the hunter, who was very carefully hidden in the distance, released his arrow, which pierced the body of the kulinga bird and killed him."

"In former times there were many fools like you who did not conquer the six enemies that steal away the wealth of the body. These fools were very proud, thinking, "I have conquered all enemies in all the ten directions." But if a person is victorious over the six enemies and is equipoised toward all living entities, for him there are no enemies. Enemies are merely imagined by one in ignorance."

"Everything is maya prabhu, why are you working like a donkey just for some money which is also maya ?"

Last week I had invited a friend of mine to a satsang programme at home. This friend has a different view and started telling me that I am doing a wrong thing by practicing this Krishna consciousness. His preaching was like this "We are in an alien non believer's country.

Couple of days back Prabhuji had written a thought provoking mail on obedience to Spiritual master. Today while going through the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam, I came across the following verse in Srimad Bhagvatam Canto 4, Chapter 8, verse 71, which describes how Dhruva Maharaj,

In the name of advancement we are killing ourselves and our only ray of hope is Srila Prabhupada who has given us the nice way to come out of this suicidal situation. We should come to the pages of Srila Prabhupada's transcendental literature and save ourselves from this precarious situation.

Advancement in spiritual life depends wholly and solely on the level of our surrender to the spiritual master. To the degree we are obedient to his orders, to that degree we will be saved from the material tabernacle.

While reading Srila Prabhupada's book I came across a very nice realization that destiny cannot be changed. But in spite of our destiny, if we try for Krishna consciousness, we can achieve spiritual success.

Once Prabhupada was on the morning walk in Los Angeles along with his disciples. Prabhupada usually walks very briskly with his head held high. His body and face was glowing effulgently because of his complete transcendental position. One 17 year old young bhakta was also accompanying him.

"Engaging your minds, your words, your bodies and the results of your occupational duties, and being always open-minded, you should all render devotional service to the Lord. According to your abilities and the occupations in which you are situated, you should engage your service at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with full confidence and without reservation. Then you will surely be successful in achieving the final objective in your lives."

In the school days, children always find that some subjects are very uninteresting and hence very difficult to study. But, if it so happens that an expert teacher comes and handles the subject, the same subject which seemed so difficult and uninteresting suddenly becomes very simple, easy and interesting for the child.

Inspite of this dissatisfaction we continue to be materially engrossed and we seek the permanency in this material situation, totally covered under illusion.

In our day to day lives we meet so many kinds of living entities. It may so happen that during our first few meetings with some people, we might have had some bad experiences with them.

"After sitting on your seat, practice the three kinds of breathing exercises, and thus gradually control the life air, the mind and the senses. Completely free yourself from all material contamination, and with great patience begin to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

"The great sage Narada overheard this news, and understanding all the activities of Dhruva Maharaja, he was struck with wonder. He approached Dhruva, and touching the boy's head with his all-virtuous hand, he spoke as follows."

"My dear boy, whatever has been spoken by Suruci, your stepmother, although very harsh to hear, is factual. Therefore, if you desire at all to sit on the same throne as your stepbrother, Uttama, then give up your envious attitude and immediately try to execute the instructions of your stepmother. Without further delay, you must engage yourself in worshiping the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

As living entities, we are all inclined to hear news in the media and also from our neighbours and friends. The majority of the news is about distresses, diseases and accidents in some part of the world. This makes us morose. The news of the success of another living entity makes us envious.

It was ratha yatra time once again in Trivandrum and Parasalla, where we had been exactly a year back to have a wonderful experience of our first ratha yatra in India. And this time it was even more wonderful with many interesting incidents happening during the yatra.

"The duty of human life is to solve all the problems of life, but instead people remain attached to family affairs and duties. Although they forget death, death will not forget them. Suddenly they will be kicked off the platform of a peaceful family life. One may forget that he has to die, but death never forgets. Death comes always at the right time".