Bliss & Beyond

The author of this book ‘Bliss and Beyond’, HH Kratu Dasji Maharaj, was born on 5th July, 1944 in a village named Lachharas situated in Gujarat, India. He was born at maternal grandfathers home who were also from Vaishnava cultured family. The author have leadership qualities right from his childhood. He was the president of student union in Vakal High School, Mobha Road, Vadodara, Gujarat. After completion of his civil engineering from Vadodara, he went to United States of America and pursued Maters of Science from St. Louis University in 1972.

In 1968, he married Srimati Amrit Keli Devi Dasi who was also a religious women and surrendered to Lord Krishna. Both came in contact with ISKCON in 1970 and joined full time in Toronto ISK – CON Temple in 1974. In 1976 when they met Srila Prabhupada for the first time, Srila Prabhupada accepted them and gave his blessings. After an year they took initiation from Srila Prabhupada.

Working as a successful civil engineer in US and Canada, he never got influenced by western culture. Inspired by Srila Prabhupada, the author resigned his job and became full time devotee in ISKCON. He was busy day and night for preaching and id many responsible services. He was the director of congregational 1987, he became temple president in ISKCON, Vancouver. He also contributed as civil engineer in building Vancouver and West Virginia New Vrindavan temple.

After preaching long time in western countries, HH Kratu Dasji Maharaj came back to India in 1983 and started preaching in Gujarat. After returning from USA, he even travelled across the villages by bullock cart preaching and distributing Srila Prabhupada books. After that Maharaj continued his preaching activities in different parts of India and in 1997, he became temple president at ISKCON Sri Radha Parthasarathi temple in New Delhi.

In 2002, he was authorised as ISKCON initiating Guru and his preaching activities increased many folds. He travelled different countries even during difficult situations and changed the lives of many people. According to the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he keeps engaged himself in preaching activities all over the world. Though he considers staying at Vrindavana is the busy in spreading the message of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu everywhere. Every corner of this world and wherever he goes he makes that place Vrindavan.

He is enthusiastic in implementing different activities in preaching as instructed by Srila Prabhupada e.g., book distribution, san- kirtan, lecture on Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, serving Vai- shnavas, pandal programs, retreat etc.

He has also authored another book ‘Sadhu Sanga’ which is compilation of evidences and proves from scriptures as well as his life experiences to establish the importance of Vaishnavas.

Material world is full of distressful condition, as Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita "Duhkhalayam".

There are four main distresses: birth, death, old age and disease. Modern science has no solution to these distresses but Vedic science does. We all want to be happy, this is our common goal. Someone wants to be a doctor, a social servant etc for their own happiness but even after achieving these goals, due to many distresses they get depressed. This book aims to give you the real solution of all distresses and simple ways to become happy in any condition.

Misidentification of the soul with the body is the cause of all distresses. We are the soul and not the body. And being the soul, we are part and parcel of Lord Krishna. Being this part and parcel of Krishna we will be happy only if we serve Him. If you serve a dog, the dog will love you, if you serve God, God will love you. It's very simple. We get love by serving others. Similarly if you serve Krishna, He will love you, and if Lord Krishna becomes your lover, what will lack in your life. But we also have to know the best way to serve Lord Krishna. Srila Rapa Goswami says that easiest method of serving Krishna is through mouth and tongue. The function of our mouth and tongue is to speak. So we should speak about Lord Sri Krishna. And the easiest method of speaking about Lord Krishna is to repeatedly chant His Holy Name. It is strongly recommended in Kali-Santarana Upanisad that in this day and age the easiest method to serve Lord Krishna, is by chanting "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare". Thus, this book tells you how to become totally happy, peaceful and blissful.

**Contents and Sample Pages**