February 12 2011 - Planet ISKCON - 45 new articles

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Here are the latest updates for   "Planet ISKCON" - 45 new articles ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Pre-Ratha Yatra Program Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Prahladananda Swami - SB 10.1.20 - Kalachandji study cards H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Saturday 12 February 2011--The World Needs an Abundance of Messiahs--and--Why Was I Not Attracted Earlier? H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 218 H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Poem, February 11th Bhakta Chuck, CT, USA: Friday Night Oxen #43 Akrura das, Gita Coaching: THE POWER OF GIVING Krishna Lounge, LA, USA: Kirtan FEB 10 2011 ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Lord Jagannatha's Come-Back... Krishna Lounge, LA, USA: Out of History & Into The Meaningful Future Krishna Lounge, LA, USA: On Desire, Buddhi, & Buddha ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: I don't want a Hindu temple Mukunda Charan das, SA: A Blissful Day At The Bhaktivedanta Hospital H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Photos–Ujjain Guru Seminar Oct 11th 2009 H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Photos–Ujjain Guru seminar Oct 7th 2009 H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Photos–Ujjain Guru Seminar Oct 6th 2009 Japa Group: Please Join The Japa Group Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Here, Now? H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Poem–February 10, 2011 New Vrindavan, USA: Nityananda Trayodasi: App. of Sri Nityananda Prabhu Mayapur Online: Nityananda Trayodasi Festival in Ekachakra Dhama Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Pump Be Pumping ISKCON News.com: ISKCON Kolkata Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Deity Installation Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: News Article: Hare Krishnas Explain Faith Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Today is Bhismastami ISKCON News.com: ISKCON Devotees Join UK Food Relief Program Toronto Sankirtan Team, CA: 2010 Marathon Flashback ISKCON News.com: Followers Leading the Way H.H. Sivarama Swami: A lady I will not name asks whether the wife is always meant to follow the husband even if he asks her for “subtle” sex despite having taken vows ISKCON News.com: Invitation to the Divine Name Retreat by Sacinandana Swami ISKCON News.com: The Holy Grails of Krishna Conscious Thought Mayapur Online: "Nectar of Srimad-Bhagavatam" launched Vraja Kishor, JP: The World’s Best Religion Dandavats.com: The glories of the Holy Name - video Gouranga TV: Mitrasena Dasa kirtan Sri Nandanandana dasa: The Absolute Truth: What or Who is It, by Stephen Knapp More Recent Articles Search Planet ISKCON Prior Mailing Archive ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Pre-Ratha Yatra Program Very important notice for all the devotees participating in the Ratha Yatra tomorrow. Attached is the Temple schedule that we are expected to follow to ensure that everything runs smoothly.   • Email to a friend • • Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Prahladananda Swami - SB 10.1.20 - Kalachandji study cards Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 1, Text 20, titled "Kalachandji study cards" by Prahladananda Swami. Dallas, TX 2010-12-13 Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.20 tatra gatva jagannatham deva-devam vrishakapim purusham purusha-suktena upatasthe samahitah TRANSLATION After reaching the shore of the ocean of milk, the demigods worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, the master of the whole universe, the supreme God of all gods, who provides for everyone and diminishes everyone's suffering. With great attention, they worshiped Lord Vishnu, who lies on the ocean of milk, by reciting the Vedic mantras known as the Purusha-sukta. PURPORT The demigods, such as Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, King Indra, Candra and Surya, are all subordinate to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Aside from the demigods, even in human society there are many influential personalities supervising various businesses or establishments. Lord Vishnu, however, is the God of gods (paramesvara). He is parama-purusha, the Supreme Being, Paramatma. As confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (5.1), isvarah paramah krishnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah: "Krishna, known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body." No one is equal to or greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore He is described here by many words: jagannatha, deva-deva, vrishakapi and purusha. The supremacy of Lord Vishnu is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (10.12) in this statement by Arjuna: param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan purusham sasvatam divyam adi-devam ajam vibhum "You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty." Krishna is adi-purusha, the original Personality of Godhead (govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami **). Vishnu is a plenary expansion of Lord Krishna, and all the vishnu-tattvas are paramesvara, deva-deva. Download: 2010-12-13a - Prahladananda Swami - SB 10.1.20 - Kalachandji study cards.mp3   • Email to a friend • • H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Saturday 12 February 2011--The World Needs an Abundance of Messiahs--and--Why Was I Not Attracted Earlier? A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(tm) Saturday 12 February 2011 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, and His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani are enjoying transcendental pastimes in the topmost planet of the spiritual world, Sri Goloka Vrindavan. They are beckoning us to rejoin them. Our Mission: To help everyone awaken their original Krishna consciousness, which is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. Such a global awakening will, in one stroke, solve all the problems of the world society bringing in a new era of unprecedented peace and prosperity for all. May that day, which the world so desperately needs, come very soon. We request you to participate in this mission by reviving your dormant Krishna consciousness and assisting us in spreading this science all over the world. Dedicated with love to ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our beloved spiritual master, and to you, our dear readers. Today's Thought: The World Needs an Abundance of Messiahs Uploaded from Bhaktivedanta Ashram--Austin, Texas USA A messiah is defined in the dictionary as someone who is a savior or liberator. There are many concepts of liberation in this world. People seek to be liberated from poverty, from disease, from political oppression, etc. But what most people fail to realize is that the only true liberation is liberation from death. Unless one is liberated from death he remains a slave. Although a person may think that he is free, death will come and take away everything. Therefore the true messiah or liberator is that person who liberates others from death. How do that? Anyone who surrenders fully unto the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna becomes liberated from death and then liberates others by making them Krishna conscious also. Srila Prabhupada stated in Mumbai, India on April 15, 1977 that anyone who is Krishna conscious is the messiah. What the world needs now more than ever is an abundance of such real messiahs who deliver people from the clutches of death by enlightening them in the science of Krishna consciousness. Sankarshan Das Adhikari His Holiness Vishnujana Swami Liberated Many Souls From Death http://www.backtohome.com/images/Visnujana_Swami.jpg Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Why Was I Not Attracted Earlier? Namaste, Gurudeva. If Krishna is so attractive, then why did I spend sixty years of miserable life before getting attracted to Him? Your disciple, Raju Answer: You Were Attracted by Krishna's Maya You have always been attracted to Krishna. Previously you were attracted by the glare of His material energy. Now you have been blessed with the understanding that there is something better than birth, death, old age, and disease. Therefore you have now become attracted directly to Him, who is the source of the material energy. Just see how fortunate you are! Now take complete advantage of this greatest good fortune by fully taking shelter of His divine lotus feet. By such attraction you will be delivered back to His eternal abode at the time of death. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Transcendental Resources: Receive the Special Blessings of Krishna Now you too can render the greatest service to the suffering humanity and attract the all-auspicious blessings of Lord Sri Krishna upon yourself and your family by assisting our mission. Lectures and Kirtans in Audio and Video: Link to High Definition Videos Link to Over 1,000 Lecture Audios Lecture-Travel Schedule for 2011 http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/schedule Have Questions or Need Further Guidance? Check out the resources at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com or write Sankarshan Das Adhikari at: sda@backtohome.com Get your copy today of the world's greatest self-realization guide book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is available at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/store Know someone who could benefit from this? Forward it to them. Searchable archives of all of course material: http://www.sda-archives.com Receive Thought for the Day as an RSS feed: http://www.backtohome.com/rss.htm Unsubscribe or change your email address Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Daily_Thought Copyright 2005-2011 by Ultimate Self Realization.Com Distribution of this material is encouraged. Simply we request you to acknowledge where it is coming from with a link to our sign up page: http://www.backtohome.com Our records indicate that at requested to be enrolled to receive e-mails from the Ultimate Self Realization Course at: This request was made on: From the following IP address:   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 218 www.sdgonline.org. Every Day, Just Write Volume I: Welcome Home to the One Big Book of Your Life [EXPLANATION OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS DAY’S WRITING: I am presently writing an autobiographical project. Because I cannot write it fast enough, I am not posting it daily. Instead I am posting a book called Every Day, Just Write. Ten years ago I wrote a book by that name. But it was heavily edited. What I am posting now is an unedited version, and it is very different than the edited edition, so I think it will be enjoyable to my readers.] November 20, 1996 3:40 A.M. I don’t like to disappoint readers by always complaining or by too much writing that I am not able to write, by too much “gremlin-fighting” that I’m no good. You get the impression that this writer is never able to write but always talks about it. What am I to do? If I write the truth now (yes, I mean the truth aside from the Absolute Truth, which I also do write down from the sastra but which I’m struggling to realize). Param-satyam. I have to say it again and again. At least I as a reader don’t mind, provided it is real. I am grieving somewhat inside, a spiritual, authorial bleeding. You mean because you haven’t chosen a more structured form, and because you think what you are writing can’t be published? Let me tell you, it could very well be published in one form or another as selected writings. Then we come to have faith in the process. For example, over these months I have been gradually developing the style of abbreviated words and longer sentences, dropping articles and using commas to keep going. This is all writing development and can be used when you do hit upon more of a structure. Freer writing to convey art-prose for devotees to read. We will have the best. I’m sorry I can’t do something more ordered, but that will come. Climbing this mountain as it appears before us. Can’t change the shape of it. Grip your hobnail shoes onto the rock surface, your pick onto rock-face, and go up and up. Hare Krishna. By His grace you can be lifted. Yesterday I thought of stopping this diary in favor of a memory project. But it seemed too self-centered, too much depending on memories of my life in ISKCON, and I couldn’t feel impelled to do it—whereas this daily meeting of what comes is more unavoidable. It’s here, and I must care for it or die, yes? Recalling the past doesn’t seem as important. Besides, I will do it at the end of December in a week with a partner in live sessions. I mentioned that the diary was going to be sacrificed. That thought came. The hatchet. Now we are back to faithful talks with one another. But it isn’t easy. Step-by-step. You feel confined by the repetitions of the same subjects: waiting for the mail to come, the weather. (But I’m not really tired of reporting. And don’t be worried that “somebody” won’t like to read it.) Of course they won’t like it. Remember Rksaraja writing that he wearied of me complaining of my lack of spiritual advancement and my lack of triumphs, so he went to another guru. They won’t stick with you. Those who do read what you have to say, starting with myself, want you to just open up. They give me assurances, just open up and write with abandon, write from your heart. But if they say that, then they cannot demand that it have a certain heart shape. Open and write a perfect novel or essay. No. If I open up, it’s just a little talk, then that’s the open. Please accept it. You’ve got your little thing. You got your life of K.C. Got two hours and got more right now to do things. I admit it. I will look a little at the Manah-siksa. But nothing works out so well. Just a little at a time is all I can take. So much depends upon reading under the lamp (the book 47 Ways to Stop Headache Pains says fluorescent bulbs are not good for you), so I read and I think I should not read too much. Ask M. to read to you. The thing is to stay out of fiction. But unless you enter fiction you can’t expand. Also I stay out of the formal essay, but devotees normally read preaching in that form. You can make a book of chapters on the topic of celibacy, or chanting, the things that would cheer people up. They would say, “He’s spending his time well as a writer. For this he can neglect other services. But not that diary-in-the-shed stuff.” Manah-siksa, Kerouac letters, what a mixture. You read J.K. letters just before going to bed, and J.K. was in a dream. He was trying to cultivate friends but didn’t do so well. Could you have dreamt of Krishna as God? You are to clear the decks for that action, but you say I can be helped by reading what authors write and think. Maybe this is all right, maybe without knowing it this is the best thing. It hurts, it hurts. The chairs, the merry. The Irish singers. I said, “What progress are you making in writing KC lyrics to Irish tunes? Can we have a Christmas concert?” Aniruddha said, “Yes, there will be one.” Then Krishna-katha from Belfast came by on business, and he saw our van. They weren’t supposed to know that I have returned. What do you expect, folks to come out demanding you to lecture? We can see you come and go to the shed. That’s all I do. And when karttika stops . . . but on the weekend, or one day a week, I promised a meeting. What can you give them in a meeting? I can read more C.c. or come up with some other topic. Some of the devotees have been practicing Krishna consciousness for almost twenty years. In class the other day I forgot the name of the great devotee who attained perfection by prayers. I said, “Prthu?” One of the non-scholarly mothers, who has two kids, said, “Ambarisa Maharaja.” She is a person much junior to me. So they can read the books as well as I can. Then what do you have to offer when you call for a disciple’s meeting? Prepare something in advance, something worth taking up their time. Say, “Folks, let us chant Hare Krishna. Folks, let us discuss the spiritual master and the disciple. Let us discuss a book like Vidagdha-madhava or Ujjvala-nilamani. Folks, let us talk of fall down and rise up.” Right now I can’t think of what I have to give them flowingly. You play the role of the mentor, but when you get down to it you don’t have something they haven’t heard of. They are submissive, you fool. Tell them something from which we can all benefit.   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Poem, February 11th www.sdgonline.org. Winter who spring shall kill is still with us. The neighbor said, “It is like spring.” And Bala said, “That’s called daydreaming” because it’s only February 11, and there shall be many days of snow and ice still, dirty snow piled up and ice piled up on the roadside. It doesn’t go away. I asked him will we have a program for Gaura-Purnima? He said, “I don’t know.” He said, “Do you want one?” “Yes I do,” I said. It falls on Saturday, March 16th the birthday appearance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Why not at least some singing and a little talk and prasadam? It doesn’t matter if the snow is still here, we could observe His birthday, the Immortal Force.   • Email to a friend • • Bhakta Chuck, CT, USA: Friday Night Oxen #43 Hello Everyone, …multi-team hitches… Click to view slideshow. There’s no question about it, when there was heavy work to be done, multiple teams of Oxen were called upon for the task.  Hitching multiple teams together helped to distribute huge loads, resulting in longer periods of work and less stress on the individual animals.  As you view the slideshow, you can truly see the massive amounts of work that these Oxen where expected to do. Most of these pictures are from the second half of the 19th century, in and around the lumber camps and quarries.  I suspect that these growing industries were financially lucrative enough to bring to bear the kind of resources to sustain such large teams. Next is a very nice video, posted by FNO friend Ralph on youtube,  of plowing and disc harrowing with multiple teams.  Often, the largest, strongest and best trained pairs were used as the lead team, as less dominant Oxen, being herd animals, will more easily complete their task by following behind a strong leader. Songs from the Vedas and Scenes from the Sanctuary: Ox Plowing video Have a nice weekend, in service to the Oxen, ys, Chuck  Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare   • Email to a friend • • Akrura das, Gita Coaching: THE POWER OF GIVING Giving is powerful. Many people will attempt to prevent you from taking, yet no one can stop you from giving as much as you wish. Give, and you increase the value that flows through your life. Give of yourself, and you make yourself stronger. Every time you interact with someone else, you have the opportunity to give that person some kind of value. Whether it is a thing, or a thought, a gesture or a kind word, the most powerful gifts are those that come straight from the heart. Many will appreciate your gifts and some will not, but that is not the point. For it is the sincere act of giving, not how the gift is received, that brings value and goodness to your world. As you give more and more, you have more to give. As the joy of giving flows out from you, new richness fills your life. Each moment is an opportunity to engage the beautiful, loving power of giving. Give your best and you'll get even better. Ralph Marston   • Email to a friend • • Krishna Lounge, LA, USA: Kirtan FEB 10 2011   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Lord Jagannatha's Come-Back... Have you heard the talk of the village? At least the talk of the Vedic Village? It is Ratha Yatra tomorrow dear friends! Final reminder for all of us to welcome and greet Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Mayi out of Their temple on Their majestic parade by the esplanade. The St Kilda Festival is THE event to attend. Here is the program for the day. If you want further information you can visit the Festival of the Chariots Facebook page for a more interactive forum. Be there or be square!   • Email to a friend • • Krishna Lounge, LA, USA: Out of History & Into The Meaningful Future   • Email to a friend • • Krishna Lounge, LA, USA: On Desire, Buddhi, & Buddha The purpose of the intelligence is to give us the discrimination needed to align ourself with the Absolute Truth. One who is Buddha, one whose intelligence is awoken, will see morality as that thing which is inline with the Absolute Truth. To learn about ones spiritual nature is imperative. Mahat-Tattva:   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana We had a most fabulous darsana when the curtains opened this morning. Lively, vibrant colours to enliven the beginning of this weekend which promises to be phenomenal. Please conserve these blissful snaps for tomorrow also as there is a big chance that we won't be able to upload the darsana on Sunday; we will be extremely busy with the numerous preparations for Lord Jagannatha's Ratha Yatra. Well, that is another good reason to come down and see Lord Jagannatha and His royal entourage in Their full splendour at the St Kilda Festival. So here is this weekend's darsana.   • Email to a friend • • Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: I don't want a Hindu temple I don't want a Hindu temple. Our constitution is different. We want everyone. Krsna consciousness is for everyone. It is not a Hindu propaganda. People may not misunderstand. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Meeting with Devotees -- June 9, 1969, New Vrindaban   • Email to a friend • • Mukunda Charan das, SA: A Blissful Day At The Bhaktivedanta Hospital 12 March 2001, Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Mumbai I attended the Morning Programme at Radha-Giridhari Temple.  Prahladananda Maharaja gave me a garland during Tulasi Arati.  Savyasaci prabhu went to Mumbai to purchase some electronic equipment.  I cleaned Prahladananda and Bhakti Vidya Purna Maharaja’s room.  Prahladananda Maharaja said, ‘You are a good cleaner.  A gentleman and a scholar.’  I served him breakfast.  Then I performed my daily seva of washing the senior devotees’ cloth. Lunch was ecstatic.  I assisted Giriraja prabhu (one of the doctors at the Hospital) and Siksastakam prabhu (Radhanath Maharaja’s personal servant) with serving lunch to the sannyasis – Suhotra Maharaja, Prahladananda Maharaja, Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja, Niranjana Maharaja, Vaidhinatha prabhu and Radhanath Maharaja.  I was told to serve Radhanath Maharaja separately (‘special prashada‘ for his health).  Bhakti Vidya Purna Maharaja rebuked me when I served him, ‘When you serve with your wrist going that way, that is how you sere a dead man.  Serve this way!’  He grabbed my wrist and showed me the correct way of serving.  Giriraja prabhu disappeared.  I was left alone to serve the waiting sannyasis. The matajis sent me with the dal. Prahladananda Maharaja asked if that was the only preparation.  I scurried off to the kitchen, bringing back chapatis and several other preparations.  One of the preparations, some khichari, was for Radhanath Maharaja.  This was the first time I had the opportunity to offer Maharaja some personal service.  The meal ended with buttermilk (chaas) and the sannyasis gradually left their make-shift prashadam room. Mother Nama Cintamani and another Mataji arrived from Juhu Temple with a bouquet for Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja from His Holiness Giriraja Swami.  They also gave Niranjana Maharaja a bouquet and presented Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja with a garland from Radha-Rasabihari.  They also gave the convalescent sannyasis some maha-prashadam from Rasabihari.  They also had a garland, from Radharani’s hand, for His Holiness Radhanath Maharaja.  They had also brought a beautiful vase of flowers and a card for Radhanath Maharaja from Giriraja Swami.  Radhanath Maharaja was talking to his sannyasi godbrothers at the end of the hall.  The devotees all offered obeisances when Maharaja stopped by the kitchen.   Maharaja saw the garland that was intended for him and asked that it be sent to his room by someone.  Dwarkadisha prabhu’s wife said I should take the garland down to his room, along with maha prashadam from Lord Gauranga. Radhanath Maharaja was occupying a room in one of the wings of the hospital.  He had given strict orders not to be disturbed – even by the doctors.  Practically no-one could see him, unless he called for them.  And here I was, following Maharaja down the passage with garlands in both hands.  Maharaja seemed shy.  I think he could sense my nervousness.  He pressed the keys on the combination lock and pulled the latch in a dramatic manner…as if opening the door of a dungeon.  KLUNK!  He turned, half smiling half grinning.  I got the feeling that Maharaja did not like being in the Hospital.  I wasn’t sure what to do, so I offered Maharaja the garland.  He asked me to put it on the shelf.  I placed it next to another garland before pictures of Gaura-Nitai and Radha-Gopinath.  The room was decorated with pictures of Varshana, Madan Mohana and Radha Kunda. Maharaja opened his card from Giriraja Swami.  He pushed his reading glasses to the front of  his nose.  ’Can you read this?’ he asked.  ’Arjentaria’, I replied.  He corrected me, ‘Carpentaria.  That is where Giriraja Maharaja stays.’  I then gave Maharaja Radharani’s garland.  Since there was no string to tie the garland, Maharaja wound it around my neck and said, ‘Be careful with that.  There’s no string on it.’  I then presented Maharaja with Radha-Rasabihari’s maha prashada. Maharaja took a cake crumb and said, ‘You can have that.’  Maharaja placed his hand on my sikha, then embraced me.  I held his arm.  I felt there was hope in my life.  Maharaja asked, ‘Who brought these things?’  I told him that some disciples of Giriraja Swami, matajis from Juhu Temple, had brought them.  He said, ‘Please call them here.  I would like to thank them.’    I looked everywhere for them.  I even made several announcements on the Hospital intercom.  I eventually found them in the canteen. The matajis were delighted to have Maharaja’s darshan. Maharaja was curious to know how Giriraja Swami knew he was in hospital.  The ladies expressed their appreciation for association of Mother Yamuna, Mother Malati and Mother Vishaka at the Pune Yatra.  Maharaja mentioned that Mother Yamuna wanted to write a book about the early days of ISKCON with Srila Prabhupada.  He mentioned that she wanted to stop, however, because she felt unqualified.  Maharaja then cited the example of Krishnadas Kaviraja Maharaja who wrote the Caitanya Caritamrita at the provocation of the other devotees.  Maharaja then said, ‘To feel unfit.  This is Vaisnava.’  The ladies left. Maharaja said he would not meet me today as he had spoken so much already.  I offered him my obeisances.  Maharaja graciously said, ‘Thank you for your good service.’   I took his leave, marvelling at my good fortune.  Krishna had fulfilled my desire to offer Maharaja a garland.  And I had gotten my first opportunity to render personal service to him. In the evening, I served prashadam to the sadhus with Giriraja prabhu. This time there were no complaints.  I went down to the laundry with Satyavaan (one of the hospital-workers) to collect the sannyasis’ washing.  I got back just in time to see the second half of Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja’s ‘Vrindavan Parikrama’ slide-show.  Radhanath Maharaja smiled blissfully as he watched the slide-show.  The evening ended with a brief kirtan by Niranjana Maharaja.  All in all, it was a blissful day.   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Photos–Ujjain Guru Seminar Oct 11th 2009 View Full Album Play Full slideshow   photos by Subhananda das BCS   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Photos–Ujjain Guru seminar Oct 7th 2009 View Full Album Play Full slideshow   Taken by Subhananda Das BCS   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Photos–Ujjain Guru Seminar Oct 6th 2009 View Full Album Play Full slideshow photos by Subhananda Das BCS   • Email to a friend • • Japa Group: Please Join The Japa Group Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member: rasa108@gmail.com ys Rasa Rasika dasa   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1966 February 11: "Today the following letters were posted: The Morning Telegram The Times Mirror Co. NBC Radio Station Master WOR Radio Station Master WNYC Radio Station Master There was no response to Hari Kirtan this evening but I alone executed the Kirtan ceremony with my tape recorder till 10 pm." Prabhupada Journal :: 1966   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1967 February 11: "This evening we had very successful performance of Kirtana and discourses at the Himalayan Academy. I think our popularity in this part of the country is increasing. Arrange for such Kirtana programs in New York. Wherever we get opportunities we must perform such Kirtana." Prabhupada Letters :: 1967   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1967 January 11: "I wish that each and every Branch shall keep their independent identity and cooperate by keeping the Acarya in the centre. On this principle we can open any number of Branches all over the world." Prabhupada Letters :: 1967   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1967 February 11: "In April 1967 there will be a great World Exposition and millions of people will gather there from all parts of the world. We have to prepare literatures and we have to draw the attention of the university students as our members." Prabhupada Letters :: 1967   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1967 February 11: "As you are feeling my absence so I am feeling for you. But we are all happy on account of Krishna Consciousness either here or there. May Krishna join us always in His transcendental service." Prabhupada Letters :: 1967   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1970 February 11: "Sankirtana is our life and soul, and if we execute this transcendental business in all earnestness, then there will be no difficulty in any way. We should not pray to Krishna anything except to ask to engage in His service. If we are engaged in His service then automatically everything will be revealed." Prabhupada Letters :: 1970   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1970 February 11: "I can follow that Visnujana is very much needed in London but he is much needed in Los Angeles also. The majority of advanced students are in London, so why they should be lacking to train and enthuse the new brahmacaris?" Prabhupada Letters :: 1970   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1973 February 11: "Go out for street sankirtana and distribute my literature for the cripple minded masses. Whatever you do should be done with wholehearted enthusiasm and strict adherence to chanting sixteen rounds and following the four basic principles." Prabhupada Letters :: 1973   • Email to a friend • • Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Here, Now? by Nimai Pandit Filed under: Jokes   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Poem–February 10, 2011 www.sdgonline.org. They are saying the weather will be warmer this weekend, in the 40’s, too warm for snow. He massaged my body expertly as he learned at the Lotus Palm School. And when it was done I had a headache, and my neck was out of place. “This sort of thing happens.” Krishna dictates the course of events, and I joined my friends for a Mexican meal. It is up to Him what happens, and I trail behind with little comments of faith. In the future you could starve to death. He said it is the least painful way to go. But I said what about Procarbazine[?], that could make your hair fall out but then bring you back to normal life. He said he wouldn’t do it. I said I would.   • Email to a friend • • New Vrindavan, USA: Nityananda Trayodasi: App. of Sri Nityananda Prabhu On February 16th is Nityananda Trayodasi - the appearance day of Lord Nityananda. Lord Nityananda Prabhu appeared as Lord Chaitanya’s principal associate for spreading the congregational chanting of the holy names of God. He especially spread the holy names of Krishna throughout Bengal. He is considered an incarnation of Lord Balarama, Krishna’s elder brother. Nityananda Prabhu appeared in the village of Ekachakra, in West Bengal, India, around 1474. In the Caitanya Caritamrita and other scriptures He is declared to be the avatar of Lord Balarama, the direct expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. As a child He was called Nitai and had a close circle of friends. Together they used to imitate the pastimes of Krishna and His associates. All the adults of Ekachakra were fascinated by this unique little boy, and they loved Him as their own. Seeing His total absorption in Krishna and the avatars of Vishnu, they suspected that He might be some sort of incarnation Himself. He was relentless, day after day enacting a different pastime, and did it so skillfully that His neighbors wondered, “How is it that He is so talented? How does He know the stories so well? No one has explained all these details to Him.” On one occasion, one of the boys dressed as Akrura and took Krishna and Balarama away from Vrindavana on the order of Kamsa. Nitai cried in grief, feeling the separation of the cowherd girls who loved Krishna with their whole being. Tears of love flowed from His eyes. His acting was so authentic that it made all who watched question whether He was merely acting or in some way experiencing the part He played. This was true whether He was playing Krishna, Balarama, or even Vamana and other Incarnations of the Lord. When questioned, Nitai would respond: “They are My own divine pastimes, and I am allowing you to see them.” Among His most convincing roles was that of Lakshmana, the brother of Rama, which intimated His divine identity as Balarama. For His first twelve years, Nityananda Prabhu stayed in Ekachakra and shared loving pastimes with His neighbors.   • Email to a friend • • Mayapur Online: Nityananda Trayodasi Festival in Ekachakra Dhama Devotees from Sri Ekachakra dhama, Lord Nityananda’s birthplace are happy to invite worldwide devotees for Nityananda Trayodasi festival, to celebrate the appearance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. This year, a grand three day celebration has been planned with nagar Sankirtan, parikrama, bhajan, lectures on pastimes of Nityananda Prabhu, drama and spiritual movie show, culminating with the santi yajna, maha Abhishek to Sri Gaura-Nitai on the Nityananda Trayodasi day. read more   • Email to a friend • • Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Pump Be Pumping It was 18 degrees (-8 C) this morning at 11 am but the sun was bright and powerful causing the pump on my solar water heater to be doing its thing. Free hot water today. Our normal high for today is 40 degrees (5 C) but we won’t be seeing a temperature above freezing until Saturday. Since the start of December we have had consistently colder than average weather. We have had some snow but mostly it has been pretty calm. We see reports of huge storms but they have been going north or south of us. It is actually going to be a dry winter if this keeps up, though we have had snow cover almost continuously. A normal winter we get some snow then it melts, then we get some more. Even in January the January Thaw is normal, though this was the first year I can remember that we didn’t get one. Actually, we never have normal weather — every year is different and rarely follows “average”. Averages are calculated over decades and hold pretty true but any individual year invariably varies from it. Last fall for instance, we didn’t get a killing frost until the end of October with the average first frost being Oct 7th. Which was fine for all the greens and late stuff in the garden like Brussels sprouts but didn’t really help the tomatoes because once temperatures start going below 50 degrees (10 C) the compounds, one of which is called (Z)-3-dexenal, that give tomatoes their flavor degrade and they start tasting like store bought tomatoes. And it does get cool in October, even if it doesn’t frost. I like to plant rye on the beds after cleaning them up but until the tomato plants frost they are still full of moisture and hard to deal with. Once they frost they dry down and become brittle so it is easier to get them out of the cages I use for support and not so heavy to carry. By the time I got the cages cleared off and the beds rototilled so I could plant the rye, it was well into November which usually is fine but then December came in cold and hard, the 11th coldest on record, and with snow cover so I don’t know how well established the rye got, it seemed like it was just sprouting out of the ground so I don’t know how much biomass it will accumulate in those beds. Most of the beds I got in a little earlier and they look lush and green. I spread compost and then plant the rye so fertilizing is out of the way for the spring. I till the rye in and that gives a lot of organic matter for the biotic life in the beds to chew on. As the saying goes, “Decaying organic matter is the engine that drives soil fertility. I just got my seed order from Berlin Seeds, an Amish business nearby in Ohio. I got some buckwheat to use for green manure on empty beds for the summer and for next fall I got some of what they call N Vest Ground Breaker Plus, which is a mixture of Austrian winter peas, a deep tap rooted radish, and some forage turnips. These are all things that will do well late into the fall, with the peas accumulating nitrogen from the air. They winter kill but leave a lot of organic matter on the soil for cover and when the radishes decay the roots leave deep channels in the soil, ergo the “Groundbreaker” part of its name. Or so they say. Sounds good in theory so will be interesting to see how it goes and the effect it will have on the 2012 garden. Filed under: Cows and Environment   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON News.com: ISKCON Kolkata Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Deity Installation By ISKCON News Staff for ISKCON News on 11 Feb 2011 Between February 11 and 13, ISKCON Kolkata celebrates the 40th anniversary of the installation Sri Sri Radha Govinda at the Albert Road center. The deities will be offered a new altar made of teak wood and decorated with 24 carat gold.   • Email to a friend • • Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: News Article: Hare Krishnas Explain Faith Mohanasini Lightfoot dances to the Hare Krishna mantra. Students gathered on Feb. 2 for an Interfaith service. The Magis Lounge was home to music, dancing, vegetarian food and a spiritual discussion lead by Hare Krishnas on Feb 2. Hare Krishna is a branch of Hinduism that was founded in 1966 and based in traditional Hindu scriptures. University Ministry interfaith coordinator Sam Bradley organized the visit by the New Orleans Hare Krishnas. The group is working in conjunction with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, an organization that seeks to inform people about the religion. Despite the fact that many of the students knew very little about the Hare Krishna devotees going into the event, discussion leader and Hare Krishna Darrell Martin said that he didn't find it hard to explain the ideal of his faith because of his Christian background. "All of these philosophies are connected to the same path," said Martin, who converted from Christianity after a stint in the army in 1972. Martin, whose spiritual name is Duibhudba, said during the discussion that he does not seek to convert members to become followers of Hare Krishna, but merely to open up people's mind to a new way of thinking. One part of the Hare Krishna philosophy that he wanted emphasize was the detachment from material goods. "Krishna consciousness is based upon the soul, not the body,"said Martin. Martin continued by explaining that this mindset was an important part of the realization that the soul was eternal. In order to help introduce some of the concepts of Krishna spirituality, Martin helped lead the group in a musical celebration. Students in the Magis Lounge were encouraged to play various percussive instruments and chant a traditional Hindu mantra. Though many students felt uneasy at first, Bradley said it wasn't long before everyone felt comfortable. "It was pretty energetic," Bradley said, when describing the atmosphere in the room. "At first they didn't know what to make of it, but after a while everyone got into it." The rest of the article can be found at: http://www.loyolamaroon.com/hare-krishnas-explain-faith-1.2464440   • Email to a friend • • Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Today is Bhismastami Today marks the appearance of Bhismadeva.   He was born Devavrata and was the heir-apparent to the throne. He gave up his heirship but also vowed to be celibate for life in order to not have any children that would dispute title to throne. This vow was made to the wary fisherman father of Satyavati, the maiden which the King Shantanu (Devavrata's father) wished to marry.    Because Devavrata had sacrificed so much and taken such a solemn oath, it was decalred that henceforth he would be known by the name Bhisma. In additions the loving father, King Shantanu gave him a boon that Bhishma would die only when he wished. This boon has great significance as to when and how Bhisma leave his body at the end of the Mahabharata. So today we can pay our respects to the great leader, warrior and celibate, Bhismadeva and honour his value of duty, truthfulness and cleanliness that Bhismadeva maintained to his last breath. Lord Krishna and the Pandavas did indeed pay this honour and respect to Bhismadeva even in the final days as Bhismadeva lay on a bed of arrows in the battlefield.   May the code of truth and duty light our Krishna Conscious path.   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON News.com: ISKCON Devotees Join UK Food Relief Program By ISKCON News Staff for chakra.org on 9 Feb 2011 For many years Hare Krishna Food for All, the Kingscross, UK prasad distribution team, has worked together with a local Catholic church to benefit the homeless community. Four days a week ISKCON devotees deliver cake and biscuits to a church in Camden, North London for 300 people.   • Email to a friend • • Toronto Sankirtan Team, CA: 2010 Marathon Flashback Its been over a month since Prabhupada Marathon 2010 concluded but we are still feeling the after effects of the marathon! It was indeed a special time so we thought of sharing the video prepared by Keshav Prabhu for the Devotee Appreciation Day on January 8th. Hope this brings back some wonderful memories and inspires us for a more special 2011!   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON News.com: Followers Leading the Way By Sarah Coddington for Auckland Stuff on 10 Feb 2011 Professional soccer player John Howie gave it all up to pursue a life as a Hare Krishna. He is originally from Scotland and was playing for the Melbourne George Cross soccer team. He was so intrigued by the group that he became a vegetarian, following the Hare Krishna principal of karma and not harming a living animal.   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Sivarama Swami: A lady I will not name asks whether the wife is always meant to follow the husband even if he asks her for “subtle” sex despite having taken vows A quote referred to in my answer “When a man and woman are married according to religious principles, there is no sin in their touching and talking with each other; rather, this touching and talking is beneficial because of the scriptural sanction. There is, however, no provision for illusory activities other than the execution of reciprocal duties. If they are illusioned by each other and they engage in activities other than prescribed duties, then that is called stri-sanga and purusa-sanga, or association with the opposite sex. For those who are engaged in worshiping Krsna, such association yields inauspicious results.” Bhaktyaloka   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON News.com: Invitation to the Divine Name Retreat by Sacinandana Swami The Divine Names Retreat will be held from April 22nd-28th, 2011, in Radhadesh, Belgium. There will be an additional "Building the Retreat Culture through a Teacher Training Program," which will be held for one day, on April 29th. If the selection above is hosted by YouTube then after the video plays there will be several links presented to other videos. ISKCON News Weekly has no control over the selections presented and is not responsible for their contents.   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON News.com: The Holy Grails of Krishna Conscious Thought By Keshava Krishna Das for ISKCON News on 11 Feb 2011 Where do the jivas come from? What is his svarupa? These highly intriguing questions are induced by an inbred curiosity befitting man’s on-going quest to wrestle with the inexplicable. Having not yet reached spiritual perfection – svarupa-siddhi – devotees too sometimes channel lively intellectual energies into affirming what could otherwise be, acintya – or inconceivable.   • Email to a friend • • Mayapur Online: "Nectar of Srimad-Bhagavatam" launched In the late 1960s, while Srila Prabhupada was translating and commenting on his monumental edition of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, he conceived of writing a book which would contain the essential teachings of the Bhagavatam as he was not sure how long he would remain manifest on this planet. He then composed a summary study of the most celebrated portion of the Bhagavatam, the Tenth Canto, and entitled it Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He often referred to it as the “Krsna book”. read more   • Email to a friend • • Vraja Kishor, JP: The World’s Best Religion Bhagavad Gita 8.28   Image via Wikipedia Now we come to the final verse of the eighth chapter of the cream of all the Upanishads, the Gī topaṇiṣad, Bhagavad-Gita. Kṛṣṇa enunciates this verse as a recap, a summary of the theme he has developed since beginning to focus on the path of Bhakti-Yoga (the devotional path) in the beginning of Chapter Seven. So this one verse compresses all the wisdom of the entire 7th and 8th chapter. Please hear it with reverence and care! vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva dāneṣu yat puṇya-phalaḿ pradiṣṭam atyeti tat sarvam idaḿ viditvā yogī paraḿ sthānam upaiti cādyam Our Prabhupada translates: A person who accepts the path of devotional service is not bereft of the results derived from studying the Vedas, performing austere sacrifices, giving charity or pursuing philosophical and fruitive activities. Simply by performing devotional service, he attains all these, and at the end he reaches the supreme eternal abode. Before undertaking the honor of attempting to elucidate Prabhupada’s commentary on this verse, I beg your full attention for a few more minutes as I outline the overall meaning of this verse. There are many paths to get to the absolute goal of self realization. Kṛṣṇa outlines the several most significant of these spiritual paths though the chapters of Bhagavad Gita. The path of devotion to Godhead, however, bhakti-yoga, holds a paramount place of importance. Bhakti yoga, perhaps, is not so much a “path” to self-realization as it is the actual vehicle of self realization. There are many roads I can take to get to the grocery store, but if I don’t have a vehicle, none of them will actually get me there. Similarly there are so many paths to get to God-realization / self-realization – but without the vehicle of bhakti (devotion), none of the paths are effective! This is not a sectarian statement or an attempt to champion one form of spirituality over another so much as it is a reliable fact borne out by logical common sense. Given: The absolute truth is infinite. Given: Our current powers of perception and comprehension are not infinite, they are finite. Conclusion 1: Therefore we cannot gain god-realization by our own powers. Given: Nothing is beyond the limit of that which is infinite Conclusion 2: Realization of god is possible, not by our own powers, but by the arrangement of the infinite only. The final conclusion drawn from the above is that God can only be realized when s/he wants to be realized. When God wants to be realized, s/he makes the impossible possible and makes us capable of comprehending what is beyond finite comprehension. The question might then be, “Why would God not want to be realized?” The answer is simple and natural. You do not want to reveal your intimate secrets to a person you don’t trust. We reveal our intimate secrets only to those how love us sincerely and have our best intentions in mind. It is not foolish to ascribe personal attributes and psychologies like this to the absolute. If such psychology did not exist in the absolute in some form it would not exist in us, who are separated parcels of the absolute. This is why many sources of wisdom say, “Know thyself, understand God.” The main point is that realization of God is not possible without God’s willing revelation of his infinite being. God is willing, fully willing, eager actually, to reveal himself fully and intimately to us – and is simply waiting for us to be truly and purely interested in obtaining that full understanding of the Personality of Godhead, which arises as a result of developing love for Godhead. Therefore it is the purest of logic to conclude in a most non-sectarian and unbiased manner that without bhakti (devotion, love for Godhead), no progress can be made whatsoever on any spiritual path. This is why elements of bhakti such as prayer and worship are integrated into other paths such as religion, philosophy, and yoga. The most direct path to god-realization, then, is the one which focuses most purely and fully on cultivating love and devotion to Godhead. The terminology denoting this path is “bhakti-yoga.” The question might now come up, “What then is the point of having any other spiritual path?” The point is that not everyone, in fact relatively almost no one, is really ready to embrace Godhead so directly, purely and wholeheartedly as the path of bhakti-yoga enjoins. Therefore other paths are meant to prepare the greater bulk of the masses to gradually purify their selfish ego, the force which detracts from the interest in selfless divine love. The many paths of self-realization are meant to gradually qualify a person to take to the path of pure devotion, bhakti-yoga. After thousands of lifetimes of cultivating progress in ethics, morality, religion, science, philosophy, yoga, and strict meditation finally one takes a birth where one is able to directly embark upon the path of bhakti-yoga. Another question may be, “If a person jumps to the path of bhakti too soon, will they then fail – lacking the pre-requisite qualifications required by first completing all the previous stages of spiritual paths?” Kṛṣṇa speaks this verse to directly answer this question. He says, What you get from studying philosophy, From performing religious rituals, From enduring rigorous austerities, From giving in charity, And even from being religious for mundane reasons… The bhakti-yogi realizes all these results, And surpasses them! By attaining his or her supreme, original nature In my own supreme abode. In summary, every other spiritual path depends on the bhakti sprinkled into it’s mixture – but bhakti stands alone, a self-sufficient path requiring nothing outside herself. This really is not just a summary of Chapters seven and eight, it is a summary of the whole Gita. And since the Gita is a summary of all the Upanishads, which are themselves summary elucidations of the entire Veda – this fact is actually a summary of the entire Veda. Prabhupada’s Purport   Image via Wikipedia Thank you so much for giving your full and careful attention to this flawed attempt of mine to express the meaning of the Verse. I would like to keep ahold of your thoughts for a few moments more, as we examine the commentary on this verse of Bhagavad Gita given by our Srila Prabhupada. The first word in the verse is vedeṣu – “by studying the philosophy of the Veda.” Prabhupada elaborates on this path, and ascribes it to life’s first aśrama – the brahmacārī aśrama. He says: One has to study the Vedas under the guidance of the spiritual master and undergo many austerities and penances while living under his care. A brahmacārī has to live in the home of the spiritual master just like a servant, and he must beg alms from door to door and bring them to the spiritual master. He takes food only under the master’s order, and if the master neglects to call the student for food that day, the student fasts. These are some of the Vedic principles for observing brahmacarya. After the student studies the Vedas under the master for a period from five to twenty years, he may become a man of perfect character. Study of the Vedas is not meant for the recreation of armchair speculators, but for the formation of character. Next, Prabhupada comments on the words yajñeṣu and dāneṣu – “by ritual and charity.” These are the primary spiritual paths meant for life’s second aśrama, gṛhastha aśrama: After this training, the brahmacārī is allowed to enter into household life and marry. When he is a householder, he has to perform many sacrifices so that he may achieve further enlightenment. He must also give charity according to the country, time and candidate, discriminating among charity in goodness, in passion and in ignorance, as described in Bhagavad-gītā. Next, Prabhupada comments on tapaḥsu – “by undergoing austerity.” This is the primary spiritual path for life’s third aśrama, vānaprastha aśrama: Then after retiring from household life, upon accepting the order of vānaprastha, he undergoes severe penances — living in forests, dressing with tree bark, not shaving, etc. By traversing all the aforementioned spiritual paths, one becomes fit to enter life’s fourth and final aśrama – the sannyāsa aśrama – which follows complete renunciation and cultivation of scientific philosophical understandings (jñāna-yoga). By carrying out the orders of brahmacarya, householder life, vānaprastha and finally sannyāsa, one becomes elevated to the perfectional stage of life. Some are then elevated to the heavenly kingdoms, and when they become even more advanced they are liberated in the spiritual sky, either in the impersonal brahmajyoti or in the Vaikuṇṭha planets or Kṛṣṇaloka. This is the path outlined by Vedic literatures. The sanyassi’s engage in the type of meditation and yoga outlined in the Sixth Chapter of Gita, and referred to again here in the Eighth. By this they can elevate themselves to various posts. This is a recap of what we have learned in this chapter. One significant thing to learn here is that all of the paths of spiritual life are wrapped into the varnāśrama dharma social system. It is significant to understand that this social system is not important and not required for any person who can take wholeheartedly and directly to the spiritual practices of Bhakti Yoga. This social system is only important for individuals who cannot do so. Even individuals who can take directly to bhakti-sādhana may not be able to do so constantly throughout every stage and condition of their lives. At such times even a bhakti yogi may recourse to the second-tier of their spiritual lives and take shelter of this religious social system: varṇāśrama-dharma. Our Prabhupada expresses  this  now, in what is one of my all-time favorite of his quotes: The beauty of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, is that by one stroke, by engaging in devotional service, one can surpass all the rituals of the different orders of life. By taking directly to loving Kṛṣṇa, one eliminates any need for any other method of spiritual progress. Thus for the devotees, there really is no such thing as castes and stations of varṇa and aśrama. This is why traditionally the bhakti-yogi in a realized state enters a lifestyle loosely called bābājī where he does not wear any caste designation like a sacred thread or any symbol of station such as the saffron of a sanyassi. In modern times, since the predecessor of our Srila Prabhupada – HDG Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada – an alternative has arisen where the bhakti-yogi does adopt caste and station symbols – taking sacred thread and saffron/staff of sanyassa, etc. According to what I understand, this alteration to tradition was made for two valid reasons, (1) To counteract the misuse of the brahmana caste and the sanyassa ashrama by putting truly spiritual persons into these stations; and (2) in preparation for spreading Bhakti-Yoga to a worldwide venue, with very little previous development in the various preparatory spiritual paths – who would therefore often require support from a religious social backdrop. Nevertheless, the designation of oneself as a “devotee” is far, far, far, far more important than the designation or non-designation one may adorn as a shudra, vaishya, kshatriya, brahmana, or brahmacari, grihastha, vanaprastha, or sannyasi. My personal conviction is that when this truth is not fully embraced, there is a distasteful distortion of priority and emphasis which infects the otherwise pristine bhakti-yoga movements in this world currently. My śikṣa-guru Aindra Das “Babaji” was pressed to conform to the ISKCON “varnashrama-dharma” social norms and conventions. He completely resisted and refused. He refused to wear clothing designating any ashrama or varna, and when interrogated by social authority figures he declared himself to be “A brahma-astra vana-yassi” – Braha(cari),( Grih)astha, vana(prastha), (san)yassi. This is one of the many reasons I love him and respect him as a guru. My even more prominent śikṣa and dīkṣa guru, HH Dhanurdhara Swami, wears saffron, a sacred thread and is a brahmana and a sanyassi. However, I have not observed, ever, that he deeply identifies with any of these superficial designation to any level commensurate with his self-identity as a servant of his guru, Srila Prabhupada, on the path of unadulterated Bhakti Yoga. In my humble opinion therefore, both approaches are honorable. But to deeply identify as something other than a devotee, even if it has a Sanskrit name, is a deep illusion. Let’s return to Prabhupada’s commentary. The words idaḿ viditvā indicate that one should understand the instructions given by Śrī Kṛṣṇa in this chapter and the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. One should try to understand these chapters not by scholarship or mental speculation but by hearing them in association with devotees. Chapters Seven through Twelve are the essence of Bhagavad-gītā. The first six and the last six chapters are like coverings for the middle six chapters, which are especially protected by the Lord. If one is fortunate enough to understand Bhagavad-gītā — especially these middle six chapters — in the association of devotees, then his life at once becomes glorified beyond all penances, sacrifices, charities, speculations, etc., for one can achieve all the results of these activities simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If I understand what the Gita is saying, I will become liberated as a bhakta. How to understand it? Not like a scholar pulling it apart as if he were superior to the knowledge, a laboratory teacher dissecting a lowly frog. No! I can only understand the Gita, which contains infinite wisdom, when the Gita itself reveals itself to me. Therefore only by studying the Gita with my heart wide open can I really know and absorb it’s meaning and impact. What is the real meaning of Gita? The real meaning is, the ultimate duty and nature of every living thing is to be absorbed in a loving relationship with Godhead. The Gita presents this message most directly in chapters 7-12, which are the central chapters. One keeps one’s most valuable possessions deep in his private quarters, surrounded by doors, walls and locks on all sides. Thus the primary message of the gita is protected in it’s middle chapters. Finally, Prabhupada says: One who has a little faith in Bhagavad-gītā should learn Bhagavad-gītā from a devotee, because in the beginning of the Fourth Chapter it is stated clearly that Bhagavad-gītā can be understood only by devotees; no one else can perfectly understand the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā. One should therefore learn Bhagavad-gītā from a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, not from mental speculators. This is a sign of faith. When one searches for a devotee and finally gets a devotee’s association one actually begins to study and understand Bhagavad-gītā. By advancement in the association of the devotee one is placed in devotional service, and this service dispels all one’s misgivings about Kṛṣṇa, or God, and Kṛṣṇa’s activities, form, pastimes, name and other features. After these misgivings have been perfectly cleared away, one becomes fixed in one’s study. Then one relishes the study of Bhagavad-gītā and attains the state of feeling always Kṛṣṇa conscious. In the advanced stage, one falls completely in love with Kṛṣṇa. This highest perfectional stage of life enables the devotee to be transferred to Kṛṣṇa’s abode in the spiritual sky, Goloka Vṛndāvana, where the devotee becomes eternally happy. This is an enumeration of the nine stages of progress in bhakti yoga. 1.       First one requires “faith” – which is an open heart. 2.       Next one requires “Guidance” – so the open heart leads one to learn the path of bhakti – revealed in Bhagavada Gita and other places – under the guidance of those who are more experienced on that path. 3.       “Practice” – Under guidance, we actually study the Gita and put it into practice. 4.       “Purification” – as a result of this practice, all the obstacles which block self-realization begin to dissolve 5.       “Fixation” – When the main bulk of our obstacles are dissolbed our study and practice of bhakti becomes very deep and sincere, it therefore becomes fixed and unshakable. 6.       “Taste / Relish” – By studying and practicing bhakti with deep sincerity we relish great spiritual bliss. 7.       “Addiction” – we desire to taste that bliss always and everywhere. 8.       “Bhava” 9.       “Prema” – in these two stages, “one falls completely in love with Kṛṣṇa.” As a result, we attain the 10th stage, the goal, which is to be with Kṛṣṇa, face-to-face in his most intimate setting, Goloka Vrindavana. This is the sum and substance of the Eighth Chapter, the entire Gita, all the Upanishads, all the Vedas, and thus the entire human pursuit of happiness. Thank you so much for entertaining my extremely long discussion on this verse.   • Email to a friend • • Dandavats.com: The glories of the Holy Name - video By Parasuram das In England we are not blessed with good weather, not blessed with a good football team, not blessed by religious culture, but we are blessed with great Harinams, and lots of Harinams. In London there are up to three Harinams daily. See you on the streets   • Email to a friend • • Gouranga TV: Mitrasena Dasa kirtan Mitrasena Dasa kirtan   • Email to a friend • • Sri Nandanandana dasa: The Absolute Truth: What or Who is It, by Stephen Knapp Scientists agree that all time, all history, and all creation start from a single point. And that point would have to be the ultimate or Absolute Truth. So what exactly is the Absolute Truth? How do we go back through time and space to find the original source of everything? Even if we research the Bible, the Koran, the Jewish writings, or even the Sikh, Zoroastrian, or Buddhist texts, we will find limited information on what is the Absolute Truth. And forget about depending on modern science, they are still searching and have many varying theories to offer.  Fortunately, the Vedic texts of India have always been a guiding light to provide knowledge of what is the Absolute Truth. For example, the second verse of the Vedanta Sutras (1.1.2) clearly explains, “The Absolute Truth is that omniscient, omnipotent, all-merciful Being from whom proceeds all things (origins, sustenance, and dissolution).” This is similar to the Aitareya Upanishad (1.1.2) which states, “He (the Supreme Person) created this entire material world.” Herein we start to understand that the Absolute Truth is a person, the Supreme Person, who is all-powerful, fully merciful, and the origin and source of everything. Thus, the single point from which all time, history, and creation originate is this Supreme Person, God. Actually, this is only logical because material nature is inert. It cannot be the cause of its own creation. Thus, a living brain is behind the great plan for this manifestation. Seeing how everything is wonderfully arranged in this material world for its continued existence, we should understand that a living brain, a person, is the cause of this development, just as a building cannot develop and build itself. The Aitareya Upanishad (3.11) goes on to explain, “He saw, and His power sent forth the creation.” The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.22) continues, “He is the Lord and controller of everyone.” The Vishnu Purana (1.3.2) also explains that all creative energies that act in the process of creation, maintenance, and annihilation are the natural characteristics of the Supreme Truth, just as heat and light are the natural energies of fire. Therefore, we can understand that everything in the cosmic creation emanates from this Absolute Truth, and even after its annihilation the material energies again enter the same Absolute Truth.1 The definition of this Absolute Truth is presented in the Vishnu Purana,2 that He is the all-pervasive, all-increasing, changeless soul of all. Furthermore, He is one without a second, without whom nothing can exist.3 The Svetasvatara Upanishad (6.1-5) goes on to explain that God is the ultimate cause of all causes. It is He, the Supreme Person, who pervades the whole world with His consciousness and power. He is the controller of time, through which the creation itself unfolds. It is He who sets the creation in motion and then rests peacefully, after uniting the individual jiva souls with the principles of matter. He is the primal cause of the universal creation and propels the living beings toward their material desires. He is the one reality without a second, beyond matter and time. He is beyond the perception of our senses but can be perceived through the eyes of devotion. He is immortal and the monitor of every living being as the Supersoul in the core of everyone’s heart. Knowing Him in this way can lead one to final liberation from the material energy. The Svetasvatara Upanishad (6.8) gives further information about the nature of God and describes the Supreme as having nothing equal to or greater than Him. Through His various potencies He manifests His parts and parcels–the individual living beings–who are all situated differently within His energy. Later on in verse thirteen of the same chapter we find it said, “The Supreme Lord is eternal and the living beings are eternal. The Supreme Lord is cognizant and the living beings are cognizant. The difference is that the Supreme Lord is supplying all the necessities of life for the many other living entities.” The point that God is one only is repeated in the Svetasvatara Upanishad (3.2), “Truly God is One; there can be no second. He alone governs these worlds with His powers. He stands facing beings. He, the herdsman [meaning Sri Krishna], after bringing forth all worlds, reabsorbs them at the end of time.” Herein we get an additional hint of who is this Supreme Person. We find He is called the “herdsman,” which is a clear reference to His pastime of being a cowherd boy. This is none other than Lord Sri Krishna. And this manifestation of His material energy is considered to be only one of His innumerable pastimes. The Kurma Purana (1.5.1-3) relates that there are innumerable names for the Supreme Person. He is named according to His qualities and activities. “Because He is not born of any prior person, he is called Svayambhu (self-born). Since He is the goal of men, he is called Narayana. Because He is the remover of samsara (the cycle of repeated birth and death), He is Hara. He is called Vishnu because of His all pervasiveness. He is called Bhagavan because of His perfect knowledge of everything. He is called OM because of His protectiveness of all. He is called Sarvajna (omniscient) because of His knowledge of everything. He is called Sarva because he is identical with everyone [spiritually of the same quality but infinite in quantity].” And, as we find elsewhere, the name of Krishna means the one who is attractive to everyone, who can provide the greatest pleasure. In the Vedic classic Bhagavad-gita (7.6-7)  Lord Krishna is quite clear about being the Absolute Truth, wherein He says, “Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for certain that I am both its origin and dissolution. No truth is superior to Me. Everything rests on Me as pearls are strung on a thread.” Also (9.5), Krishna explains that He is the maintainer of all living beings and the very source of creation. In the four most important verses in the Bhagavad-gita (10.8-11), Sri Krishna explains, “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.”  Even the Rig-veda (1.22.20 & 21), one of the oldest of all Vedic texts, establishes that there is no higher truth than Lord Vishnu, Krishna. “The supreme abode of Lord Vishnu, or the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu, is spread all around like the sunlight in the sky. Great demigods and saintly persons always see that supreme abode, recognizing Him as the highest truth. Spiritually awake souls learned in transcendental understanding glorify the Lord and make that abode more brilliant.” Srila Jiva Gosvami also presents a common verse that is found in three Puranas, namely the Padma Purana, Linga Purana, and the Skanda Purana, which states, alodya sarva-shastrani / vicharya cha punah punaha / idam ekam sunishpannam / dhyeyo narayanah sada: “By scrutinizingly reviewing all the revealed scriptures and judging them again and again, it is now concluded that Lord Narayana is the Supreme Absolute Truth, and thus He alone should be worshiped.” The Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavat Purana) (10.85.4) also specifically relates how Lord Krishna is, “the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who manifests as the Lord of nature and the creator of nature [as Maha-Vishnu]. Everything that comes into existence, however and whenever it does so, is created within You, by You, from You, for You, and in relation with You.” The Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.24.19) goes on to describe how the material nature, time, and Maha-Vishnu, all come from Krishna, who is the Absolute Truth. Furthermore, it is explained that the entire cosmic creation is caused by Lord Krishna, and the material manifestation is an effect of His energy.4  Sanatana Gosvami has also concluded, as related in the Chaitanya-caritamrita,5 “Both the material and spiritual world are transformations of Krishna’s internal [spiritual] and external [material] potencies. Therefore Krishna is the original source of both material and spiritual manifestations.”  The three main categories of these energies of the Lord are explained in the Vishnu Purana (6.7.61-63). These are the spiritual potency, by which the spiritual world is manifested; the individual living beings, which belong to the marginal potency since they can enter the spiritual strata or be subject to bewilderment in the material energy; and the third energy is the material potency, which is filled with ignorance and exhibited when the living beings become godless or instilled with the desires for fruitive activities. It is this darkness which covers the living being with forgetfulness of his true spiritual position. Thus, the living beings exist in numerous forms and species while in the material creation. Through these energies, all aspects of the spiritual and material worlds are manifested. In this way, we can understand that not only does everything come from the Supreme Being, but nothing can exist without Him. The  Vishnu Purana (1.12.69) goes on to explain that the nature of the Supreme Being Himself is sat-chit-ananda-vigraha. This means the personal form of God is eternal and full of pleasure and knowledge. Thus, he is beyond all material influences. However, the living entities, being part of the Supreme in quality, can also experience this eternal pleasure and knowledge to a lesser degree once they regain their eternal spiritual position. 6 Thus, whatever we see in this material world is but an expansion of the different energies of the Supreme Person.7  It is He who is the Supreme Being and Creator of all. This is why the Brahma-samhita (5.1) explains that, “Krishna, who is known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes.” This is also why Krishnadas Kaviraja further explains in his Chaitanya-caritamrita (Adi-lila, 1.3), “What the Upanishads describe as the impersonal Brahman is but the effulgence of His body, and the Lord known as the Supersoul is but His localized plenary portion. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna Himself, full with six opulences. He is the Absolute Truth, and no other truth is greater than or equal to Him.” The Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.28) specifically relates Akrsnas tu bhagavan svayam,@ which means that out of all the various avataras of God, “Lord Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in person.” All other incarnations or avataras are but plenary portions or portions of the plenary expansions of the Lord. In this way, we can understand that the ultimate philosophical conclusions, as presented in the above Vedic references, and by various spiritual authorities, is that the Absolute Truth is a person, known in the Vedic literature as Sri Krishna. It is He who manifests the material creation through His various forms and energies. Many more verses that establish this are found in the Bhagavad-gita, Brahma-samhita, as well as various Puranas and other Vedic texts written by many spiritual masters and teachers that verify this point.  CHAPTER NOTES 1. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya.lila, 6.143 2. Vishnu Purana, 1.12.57 3. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 24.72 4. Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.9.31 5. Chaitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.150 6. Ibid.,  Madhya-lila,  6.153 7. Ibid., Adi-lila, 7.120 purport, quote from the Vishnu Purana   • Email to a friend • • More Recent Articles H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Friday 11 February 2011--The Attractor of the Attractor of Cupid--and--Bhagavad-gita at Start of Battle? Japa Group: Inattention Is The Main Door H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 4.31.4 Process To Learn Concentration H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 4.31.2 Eternally In The Back Of The Line H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 4.30.50-51–31.1 Insignificant Religious Sex

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