By Niraj Bidawatka
krishna tvadiya pada pankaja panjarāntam
adyaiva me viśatu manasa rajahansa
prana prayana samaye kapha vāta pittau
kanthāvarodhana vidhau smaranam kutaste
This verse was one of the favorite verses of Srila Prabhupada. It is from the Mukunda Mala Stotra written by King Kulasekhara. In this verse King Kulasekhara prays to Krishna that, “Let me give up my life immediately because at the present moment I am conscious of you.”
Kulasekhara does not want to wait till the time of his natural death, because he apprehends that at the time of death his throat would be choked up due to excessive mucus caused by an imbalance of the three dosas (kapha – mucus, vata – air and pitta – bile).
“In such a disturbed state, wherein the body is under extreme pain at the time of death, it would be difficult to remember You, therefore let me give up my life immediately because at the present moment I am conscious of you and remembering you,” says Kulasekhara.
So the perfection of life is to remember Krishna at the time of death. It is said in the Bhagavad Gita (8.5) that one, who, at the time of death, leaves his body remembering Krishna, attains the abode of Krishna.
Now one may raise an important question, “Why do I need to go to Krishna planet?” The answer is, “To attain eternal happiness.” Krishna’s planet is eternal and full of spiritual and cognizant bliss. To put it in simple words, Krishna’s planet is full of happiness. The residents of Krishna’s planet are not subject to birth, death, old age and disease. As long as these four problems exist, we cannot remain blissful.
Moreover, the most important thing is that once we are transferred to that planet, we get the opportunity to associate with Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engage in His loving devotional service.
Therefore a devotee of Krishna is ready to leave his body at once because he is worried that he may not remember Krishna at the time of death. This is in stark contrast to the karmis (materialistic fruitive workers) who do not want to give up their body even when they are suffering acute pain at the time of death.
[This write-up is based on the teachings of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada]
The Hare Krishna Revolution 
Namaste,
is there any difference between going to Krsnaloka and going to the Christian Kingdom of Heaven which is also eternal and also full of happiness?
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No. There is no difference. The Kingdom of God is neither Christian nor Hindu. So your terminology “Christian Kingdom of God” is incorrect. The kingdom of God belongs to all living entities and not just the christians. So I suggest that you should do a “rethink” on the phrase that you have coined – “Christian Kingdom of God”.
The Kingdom of God is for those intelligent souls who are fed up off this miserable world and want to live a peaceful life full of eternal happiness. One can achieve that kingdom by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra.
So always chant
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
and go back to the “Kingdom of God”
The essential point is going back to the Kingdom of God – it doesn’t matter as to how you reach it. We are approaching that kingdom by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. There is no harm if you also adopt the same vehicle to reach that kingdom.
– Niraj Bidawatka
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Thanks for a nice reply.
So when a Christian seeks refuge at the feet of Jesus Christ who says “”I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”, he will reach the same goal or plane or place as Vaisnavas? Does it mean that Vaisnavism is one of many possible ways to reach the same goal? I ask just to find out what is the original viewpoint as the other day I heard that singing Hare Krishna “is the only way to reach God in these times”.
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You have to chant the holy name of God. That is the only way to reach the kingdom of God. Krishna is the name of Godhead. So why are you so apprehensive about accepting it? If you believe that any name of God can deliver you, why are you so apprehensive in chanting Hare Krishna. After all it is the name of God.
When Jesus Christ says, “No one comes to the Father except through me”, one should understand that no one can reach God without a spiritual master. So Jesus Christ is a spiritual master and no one can reach Krishna independently without approaching the guru. “Guru-tattva” is one – there is no difference between your guru and mine. Both of us may apparently be studying in two different schools but ultimately both the schools are “one and the same” because both of them are teaching the same curriculum. So without the guru (he may be Jesus Christ or he may be Srila Prabhupada), you cannot reach your Father, Krishna”
So what you heard the other day is correct – “chanting Hare Krishna is the only way to reach God in these times.” If you have some other name of God then chant that name. But you will have to chant some name of God. God has innumerable names. But if you don’t know any name of God, then you are always welcome to chant Hare Krishna, the official name of God.
– Niraj Bidawatka
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