I departed Russia on Oct. 5, after a weeklong festival on the Black Sea with 3000 devotees and after a few days of GBC meetings. By car I traveled three hours from Anapa to Krasnodar, and then by overnight train into Ukraine, arriving in Donetsk at 7 am. I know many who read this have no idea where these cities are. If you want to trace my travels, go to an atlas site on the Internet and look at the southwestern corner of Russia and the eastern side of Ukraine, above the Sea of Azov. My itinerary in Ukraine was Donetsk, then by car two hours to Luhansk plus nearby Alchevsk, and then back to Donetsk for flying to the capital city, Kiev.
In Luhansk I spoke about Lord Brahma’s description of life on the Vaikuntha planets (S. Bhag 3:15). The logic for your peacefully accepting this information is quite simple and clear: to understand a far-off place and its culture, you must consult an authority who knows. Just like above—most of you don’t know about those cities in Russia and Ukraine I mentioned. But if you consult your encyclopedia and atlas, then you will attain some understanding.
Relishing Lord Brahma’s guided tour of the spiritual world and Srila Prabhupada’s explication of it, I particularly let seven verses fascinate my mind.
In those Vaikuntha planets there are many forests which are very auspicious. In those forests the trees are desire trees, and in all seasons they are filled with flowers and fruits because everything in the Vaikuntha planets is spiritual and personal.
Where is the formlessness of which the impersonalists fantasize? In Vaikuntha everything is someone, and everyone has a form, personality, and devotional service. Even the impersonal Brahman is there—in a form. Material nature does not order the functions of nature in Vaikuntha; everyone functions in a direct relationship with the Lord. Therefore, for the Lord’s pleasure, the trees bear fruits and flowers year around. Indeed, the acarya’s explain that on the topmost Vaikuntha planet, Krishnaloka, when the cows eat the grass, then immediately the grass grows back even more lushly. And when Krishna, also named Madhava, enters the forest, then the already inconceivably beautiful forest redoubles its springtime attractiveness, especially since the spring season is also known as Madhava.
In the Vaikuntha planets the inhabitants fly in their airplanes, accompanied by their wives and consorts, and eternally sing of the character and activities of the Lord, which are always devoid of all inauspicious qualities. While singing the glories of the Lord, they deride even the presence of the blossoming madhavi flowers, which are fragrant and laden with honey.
The breezes in Vaikuntha are overwhelmingly fragrant, yet the inhabitants there choose to ignore the naturally perfumed air so they can concentrate their attention on the Lord’s service. In this way they show their pure devotional status. Those who always grant first priority to the Lord’s pleasure have the right to reside in Vaikuntha. Selfish sense gratification fades away in the presence of an opportunity to glorify the Lord. In Vaikuntha that opportunity is eternally ever-increasingly present. While they Vaikuntha devotees chant the Lord’s glories, they don’t want the intoxicatingly sweet breezes disturbing their focus.
When the king of bees hums in a high pitch, singing the glories of the Lord, there is a temporary lull in the noise of the pigeon, the cuckoo, the crane, the cakravaka, the swan, the parrot, the partridge and the peacock. Such transcendental birds stop their own singing simply to hear the glories of the Lord.
Note the inherent smooth-flowing cooperation among the Vaikuntha residents. Whether bird, bee, peacock, or a humanlike resident, all are devotees conscious of how the Lord will best enjoy. Unlike beginners in spiritual life who fight over who can perform a particular service for the Lord and the guru, the Vaikuntha-ites immediately, intuitively know how to coordinate their various devotional efforts. Therefore when the bees hum the Lord’s glories, the birds and peacocks defer.
Although flowering plants like the mandara, kunda, kurabaka, utpala, campaka, arna, punnaga, nagakesara, bakula, lily and parijata are full of transcendental fragrance, they are still conscious of the austerities performed by tulasi, for tulasi is given special preference by the Lord, who garlands Himself with tulasi leaves.
Welcome to a world free from envy. What a relief! Indeed, envy--the most dangerous terrorist attack--is the defining principle of material existence. First we envy the Lord, and then our envy fans out to everyone else too. In maya’s kingdom, the sociological basis is “Let me enjoy, while you suffer.” We become miserable when someone outshines us, and even plot to minimize that person. In Vaikuntha, however, envy is astonishingly absent. Every devotee, no matter what form and service, joyfully exalts the merit of other devotees. Therefore, the flowers of Vaikuntha, though divinely fragrant, recognize the special stature of tulasi, the Lord’s favourite.
The inhabitants of Vaikuntha travel in their airplanes made of lapis lazuli, emerald and gold. Although crowded by their consorts, who have large hips and beautiful smiling faces, they cannot be stimulated to passion by their mirth and beautiful charms.
“Impossible! Something better than sex? I can’t believe it!” Materialists know of no higher thrill. Just for the sake of that itching sensation, they will slave night and day—even fight the whole world. Self-imprisoned by their own bodily conception of life, they see no question more relevant for long-range planning than, “Is there sex after death?” Such lifelong miserly indulgers should merrily note that material nature will certainly again grant them their licentious outlet, birth after birth—but probably not in a human body. In Vaikuntha, however, there is no sex. Prabhupada explains that although the couples do enjoy each other’s company, they are so absorbed in bhakti-yoga that the beautiful spiritual bodies of the opposite gender cannot captivate their attention. Because the spiritual atmosphere is surcharged with Krishna consciousness, so-called sex pleasure has no standing.
The ladies in the Vaikuntha planets are as beautiful as the goddess of fortune herself. Such transcendentally beautiful ladies, their hands playing with lotuses and their leg bangles tinkling, are sometimes seen sweeping the marble walls, which are bedecked at intervals with golden borders, in order to receive the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Why sweep and dust the palaces in Vaikuntha? No dirt exists there. Yet the eagerness to attract the mercy of the Lord abounds; for that reason only, the Vaikuntha ladies lovingly clean the marble walls of the palaces. At the top of the spiritual world, in Goloka Vrindavan, Mother Yasoda thinks that because her son Krishna has been playing all day, His body, decorated with the dust of Vraj, needs a bath. Moreover, after such energetic sporting with his fellow gopas, she thinks He surely must be famished. Of course, no material dirt or fatigue exists in Vaikuntha. Yet, out of maternal love, Yasoda-mayi is eager to care for Krishna, and Lord Krishna even surrenders to her maternal protection.
Always compassionate, Lord Brahma, the head of our succession of discipleship, expresses profound dismay at the self-created problems of those imagining they have higher priorities in life than hearing about the spiritual world.
It is very much regrettable that unfortunate people do not discuss the description of the Vaikuntha planets but engage in topics which are unworthy to hear and which bewilder one's intelligence. Those who give up the topics of Vaikuntha and take to talk of the material world are thrown into the darkest region of ignorance.
Brahma’s compassion descends through the chain of masters and students down to us. Consequently, rather than remaining aloof from the problems of the tiny speck known as Earth, the devotees work hard to spread awareness of the unlimited spiritual world. Let us always cherish that responsibility, and discharge it as best we can, according to our ashram capacity.
What is an obvious, telltale symptom of the material disease plaguing the world? The crazed denizens of this globe love to expend their short lifespans in talking about everything except what they should discuss.
Economics, yes!
Politics, yes!
Sports, yes!
Sex and the City, yes!
The spiritual world, Vaikuntha?
Don’t bother us with such antiquated religious mythology . . . !
Be practical--we have no time!
In Ukraine, on October 9, devotes drove me the short distance from Luhansk to Alchevsk. Although only a small city of about 100,000, Alchevsk has a nice, small ISKCON temple. Sixty devotees had gathered there to embarrass me . . . they had found out the date of my Vyasa Puja. Later you will find out the significance of my telling you all the details of this visit to Alchevsk.
Forming lines from the car on the street around to the back of the building and inside, chanting and dancing in kirtan, they showered flowers upon my lowly self. The temple room was festively decorated with balloons, flowers, and a big banner hanging from the ceiling saying “We love you, Maharaja.” They did guru-puja, I spoke, we had kirtan, and then they all came forward with gifts. As each one presented a gift, I reciprocated with prasada, in the form of fruit. Please note that the average salary in Ukraine is the equivalent of only one-hundred US dollars per month. I will never forget seeing all these devotees give donations equaling five, ten, and even twenty US dollars. My heart was profoundly imprinted.
Next, a huge cake was placed in front of me, with my name written on it. For the next half-hour I distributed big chunks of this delicious cake to all the devotees, as they exuberantly crowded around the vyasasana. Then they staged a three-act play, accompanied by song and dance. A written translation of the script was placed in my hand so I could follow the plot.
After a kirtan, I departed—awed by the Ukraine ISKCON bhakti. And now for the shocking fact: of the sixty joyous devotees who staged such a tearfully ecstatic celebration in that small city . . . only one . . . was my initiated disciple . . . ! Just see the depths of spiritual wealth and Vaisnava mutual love possible in Srila Prabhupada’s movement!