Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

Hari Hari,

see Srimad Bhagavatam 10, Brahmavaivarta Purana 4, Garga samhita, Brhad Bhagavatamrta, etc. etc. Other books by acaryas about Vrindavan, some online:

http://www.vrindavan-dham.com/texts.php

Residents of Vrindavan: http://www.vrindavan.de/vrindavana.htm

i be posting many quotes and articles from our different acaryas about Goloka and the activities there on my blog in the near future .if you want to receive the information you can give me your email i keep u updated.
http://leagueofdevotees.blogspot.com/

One thing ISKCON dont speak much about, is that the activities begin, for the bhakta, already in this very life. The association with Krishna, and all his friends, starts already now, and at death they only continue.
I.e. the activities are subtle, and not in a gross material body. There is no gross material planet called "Krishnaloka". It exists on a subtler plane, and we already have access to subtler planes. Spiritual existence simple means no material body anymore. We dont have to drag it around. There is no puff of smoke, and after death we find ourself in a new dreamland of Vaikuntha. But there is a transition on the subtle plane.

If we do not have association of Krishna at the time of death, we will also not attain it by the process of death. Death is not a process of liberation. It is just that this material body, and all its functions, stop to work. Like pulling the plug. Therefore we have to acquire access to and situate ourselves on the spiritual plane in this life, and now, before death. Otherwise we are sure to get rebirth.

Now, there is one detail. Since we cannot get full access to the spiritual plane while embodied, we get a helper. It is that we take birth wherever Radha and Krishna and their friends have their plays in this world. So we will get another biological body. You have to be nitya-siddha to enter the spiritual realm, so by association with Radha and Krishna and all their devotees, we make the final transition. Since spiritual relationships are by association only, this is needed. And this also explains why we have to obtain bhakti from someone who already have association with Radha and Krishna. We cant get it from a book.

[quote][cite] Prisni dasi:[/cite]

Now, there is one detail. Since we cannot get full access to the spiritual plane while embodied, we get a helper. It is that we take birth wherever Radha and Krishna and their friends have their plays in this world. So we will get another biological body. You have to be nitya-siddha to enter the spiritual realm, so by association with Radha and Krishna and all their devotees, we make the final transition. Since spiritual relationships are by association only, this is needed. And this also explains why we have to obtain bhakti from someone who already have association with Radha and Krishna. We cant get it from a book.[/quote]

So associating with Krishnas name, His Deity form, the sastras with a pure devotees commentaries, and devotees are not sufficient?

it isnt that associating with Krishnas name, His Deity form, the sastras with a pure devotees commentaries, and devotees are not sufficient..
they are all different stages of advancing to the final achievement of prema(loving service unto krsna)..
all of the ones mentioned above (and many more aspects of bhakti unmentioned here) are just like study and practice.. hence the name sadhana..
by regular practice and regular chanting"sravanam(listening to the holy name we chant), kirtanam(glorify Him through his nama japa)".. one purifies himself..
and its only because of mercy that the holy name reveals unto a really sincere sadhaka, his siddha svarupa.. and depending on theis svarupa the soul practices manasi(mental) bhakti(smaranam).. under the guidance of a nitya siddha being.. and if at the time of death.. one fortunately fixes his concentration on Krsnas lotus feet.. he is at once transfered to that planet in which Krsna is performing pastimes.. to practice associating with Krsna as per their original rasa.. and only then are allowed to associate with Krsna in Goloka...

regarding life im goloka..
brahma samhita states as follows..

I worship that transcendental seat, known as swetadvipa where as loving consorts the Lakshmis in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Krsna as their only lover; where every tree is a transcendental purpose tree; where the soil is the purpose gem, all water is nectar, every word is a song, every gait is a dance, the flute is the favorite attendant, effulgence is full of transcendental bliss and the supreme spiritual entities are all enjoyable and tasty, where numberless milk cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk; where there is eternal existence of transcendental time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the space of half a moment. That realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realized souls in this world.

i am no fit person to speak on this matter.. for further reference please read brahma samhita.. as translated and commented upon by srila prabhupad..

i beg for forgiveness..

hare krsna..