Reference to Vaishnava Literatures: Ishopanishad

Q. Kindly inform me on what basis we identify Krishna/Bhagavan Vigraha, which is sat chit ananda, with deity/archa which is made up of matter. I want to know the Gaudiya logic and appropriate scriptural backing.

Q. Is it by the mercy of Sri Krishna that those with Brahman realization are provided with `divine sunglasses', to see through His bright illumination to worship His personal feature?

It is by the combined mercy of Krishna and guru, wherein the guru is the conduit or the instrument of Krishna's mercy.

Q. In the Bhagavad-gita Krishna Himself says that He is 'aum', and in His impersonal feature He is Brahman. Why does ISKCON not give due regards to aum and impersonal Brahman, "nir vishesha shunya vadi"? [Editor's Note: This is part of the pranama mantra for Srila Prabhupada describing his mission to defeat the impersonalists]. Also, we have to be humbler than the grass, so why develop a superiority complex over other modes of worship of His potencies, which are He Himself (how can His potencies, lower or higher, be different from Him)?

Q. I have trouble in understanding the Bhagavad Gita purports to text 16 and 17 of 5th chapter.

Q. How would you explain the concept of "isavasya" given in Isopanisad?

I am not sure if you have some specific angle or point of clarification on this. The basic idea of 'isavasya' is to recognize the Lord's proprietorship over everything, since everything in the universe including all spirit souls (us!) are emanations from Him, and therefore conducting our life accordingly.

Q. I have a question that is bothering me. I went last year to see MATA AMRITANDAMAYI also known as AMMA. She is a big devotee of Lord Krishna, always speaks of Lord Krishna's glories. She has the same message to humankind that our place is with the Lord and that we have to go back to Lord Krishna. My question is, I have seen devotees of amma chanting "om nama shivaya". So I am confused. What is the difference between the maha mantra and this mantra?

I hope you would enlighten me on this.

Q. 1. What does Back to Godhead mean?

The Magazine of the Hare Krishna Movement is named "Back to Godhead", above the logo of the magazine these words are written:  Godhead is light. Nescience is darkness.  Where there is Godhead there is no nescience. Back to Godhead means back to the the light, back to the Supreme, back to The Absolute Truth where there is no darkness.

This phrase is taken from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.5.25 where it is stated: "tamasi ma jyotir gama".  "Don't stay in darkness. Go to the light." That is the Vedic injunction.

Q. I have always appreciated the morality in the four regulative principles, but I have not always kept them. I like the scriptures and I like studying them. I like the idea of chanting and devotional service. But for me, the chanting itself is often an absurd exercise in futility. Some days, I chant 16 rounds, some days none.

I like the idea of offering food before eating it. But for me, when I do it, it usually feels like a silly game, as if I would be playing with a children's toy tea set. I don't mean to be disrespectful when I am saying this, this is just how it feels for me.

Q. Does Krishna have a very specific plan for each living entity, and deviating from this plan causes one to be in maya?  I'm wondering mainly whether it's a very specific plan, all mapped out, with every other path being maya, and we do best by trying to discern it and adhere to it, or are there a few options?

Q. When one has a goal of becoming a mature sadhaka in Krishna Consciousness, what exactly should we think of?

Here are some preliminary thoughts on this wonderful question. In addition to keeping your devotional practices intact with fixed regularity, here are some specific qualities that a mature devotee will exhibit.