Ratha Yatra is the festival of love. And its origin is steeped in the highest love of the spiritual world. Although, Srila Prabhupada made it so simple, so practical, so accessible, he was actually giving people entrance to participate with one of the deepest, most esoteric transcendental pastimes of the spiritual realm. That is Prabhupada’s mercy.

But we think nothing is happening and we go on making offenses and we go on committing sinful acts, but then ultimately that tidal wave is going reach the shore of the present moment and cause spiritual devastation. Like the mad elephant, in all the efforts we made to create our spiritual assets on the shore of life are just washed away, devastated by the tidal wave of our own reactions. So, there was a great lesson both collectively and individually that we must be very careful to take very, very seriously.

Anger could be used in God’s service too. Hanuman was very angry, but his anger was to help people. Sometimes a mother is angry with the child, “Don’t do this or I will punish you!” Now if anger is an outburst of uncontrolled emotion due to frustration that is very karmically entangling. But if anger is a tool to actually do things in a very effective way, then it is an asset in our life.

Sometimes in the service of others, we may act in an excited way. But we should be careful to do it in such a way that we do not hurt the heart of others. And if we do, we should ask forgiveness. But that is not offensive. Offense is when you deliberately try to avenge someone for what they have done to you. Or when we give in, when we give into our lower nature.

Srimad Bhagavatam Class (SB 5.5.15) by HH Radhanath Swami at ISKCON Gita Nagari on 06May2023 by Radhanath Swami

Narasimha Chaturdasi Festival Class by HH Radhanath Swami at ISKCON Gita Nagari on 4th May 21023 by Radhanath Swami

ISKCON Naperville Opening : Talk by HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj on 22 Apr 2023 by Radhanath Swami

The energy, prakriti is forever. It's just the various manifestations of them that are always changing. So, when we understand the underlying spiritual current that composes everything, and we understand how everything is eternal when it is recognized and utilized for an eternal purpose, because at the core of reality, everything is eternal. It's just the manifestations of the shapes and forms that are changed.

When one is in this state of consciousness, and that brahma-buta, transcendental state of consciousness, then we understand what is true bhakti or devotion. To live, to live in a spirit of harmony and seva.

Like a sunray gives us, gives off or releases such nice heat and light. But all that heat and light is only due to its origin, the Sun planet. And to the degree there's heat and light in a sunray, what is the comparison of the heat and light of the sun planet? So, we see in this world, people think qualities that mesmerize and attract people.