"Planet ISKCON" - 36 new articles
Sita-pati dasa, AU: Dawkins on Sex and Survival
- Physicist and computer scientist W. Daniel Hillis, quoted in the Edge's The Selfish Gene Thirty Years On special Note: My "Devotional Dawkins" series of posts is not designed to prove or even assert the factual correctness of either Dawkins' Darwinian narrative or the Vedic worldview narrative. Its purpose is to demonstrate that there are significant points of congruence between the two. Caveat Lector. And on with today's post...
- Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene According to the Vedic worldview, the body and the mind are material manifestations, and are inextricably linked and interdependent:
- Bhagavad-gita 15.9 The Vedic worldview explains that there is an "observer", who experiences the body and mind and is completely separate from the two. This observer is commonly referred to as "the living entity". Bodies and their attendant minds are produced by material nature:
- Bhagavad-gita 13.20-21 Commenting on these verses, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a 20th century commentator on the Bhagavad-gita explains (my emphasis to highlight points of congruence with Dawkins above):
- A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita As It Is 13.21 purport Congruent with Dawkins' view of the body as a machine which dictates the terms of existence, Prabhupada explains that the body and mind are produced by material nature, and that once within the material body the living entity is on the agenda of the material body. Dawkins explains that the agenda of the material body arises from genes, which are the mechanism by which the material nature creates various bodies. The agenda of the genes is survival by means of replication. This means reproduction of bodies which contain these genes. The primary agenda for the body therefore becomes gaining access to the resources necessary for the survival of the genes' survival machine, the body - namely food and shelter - and reproduction of the genes' container - the body. While the living entity in the body may feel that he wishes to preserve his own life, and I'm sure we all do, the genes, inasmuch as we can attribute motive to them as a means of narrating the situation, wish to preserve themselves - which means that they are happy for their survival machine to die, as long as they are able to continue in another body. As a result of this, we see that monkeys, when offered the opportunity with electrodes implanted into their brain will press a button to experience orgasm in preference to the activities needed for their continued immediate personal survival:
- John C Lilly, The Scientist: A Metaphysical Autobiography, p.90 The monkeys run the risk of dying due to this behaviour. We all want to live, and we usually act in such a way as to preserve our life. However, the genes in our body will continue to exist after the death of our body, if they can get themselves into another body, and this leads us to behaviours that ensure the survival of the genes, while "we" (meaning the particular combination of this body and the consciousness that experiences it) die. By the Vedic standard the living entity never dies, but this body will die. Prabhupada gives a number of examples of animals which are lured to their death by sex desire, such as an elephant that falls into a prepared trap in a path after being tempted by a female elephant. Sex desire is so powerful that it trumps self-preservation. Dawkins gives the mechanistic explanation of why this is so, based on the concept of the selfish gene, which is an application of Darwin's big idea, the single simple idea of reproduction, variation and natural selection - an idea whose power lies in its ability to explain so much from such a simple principle. Orgasm is usually associated with ejaculation, which is usually associated with reproduction opportunity. With two or three more vehicles (bodies), genes have increased chances of survival. Therefore, natural selection will over time filter out genes which create bodies with low sexual drive, as bodies with gene sets that produce higher sexual drive reproduce more (all other factors being equal), and thus spread those genes at the expense of the lower sex-drive producing gene combinations. The result is that reproduction will become and remain an intense driving force for the survival machines - the "sex desire that typifies and perpetuates material existence" in the Vedic worldview (actually, identification with that desire, technically). While in the body, the consciousness of the living entity is subverted by the agenda of the genes, in the Vedic worldview, or merely exists to serve the agenda of the genes in Dawkins' worldview, which does not contain the concept of a separate observer with a distinct agenda that can be subverted. As such, all human endeavours, such as language, art, science, and commerce, are Dawkins' "extended phenotype", genetic strategies that extend the influence of the genes on their future survival beyond the biological tissue of the survival machine (his self-nominated single greatest contribution to evolutionary biology, which I shall discuss in further depth in another post), or "material activities born of lust (rajo-guna)" in the language of the Vedic worldview. I call 100% congruence, with gratitude to Dawkins for providing a rational mechanistic explanation to colour in and support the Vedic perspective. H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 403:44 A.M.The days of the month are passing quickly, and summer will soon be over. We've settled into the house for over a month now, and my chanting routine is established. I'm as well-established as I was in the Yellow Submarine. This morning I woke up at 1:30 A.M. and had a headache, but I controlled it with medicine and went on with my chanting. I chanted silently in the mind, but swiftly heard the syllables within. It was a good session on the level that I'm presently at, and I can yearn for more, but I can't immediately accomplish more. Narayana said he would talk with me and help me to vary these japa reports so that they're not so much the same. I like to give instructions on japa, but I basically have to report on what I'm accomplishing each day, and that tends to be the same thing. I'm feeling satisfied because I've already chanted my 16 rounds, and they were done without interruption or distraction. I just heard and moved along, taking the two sections of the mantra, the Hare Krishna part and the Hare Rama part and joining them together and swiftly linking it to the next mantra and linking it to the next mantra, and so on. It forms a complete circle or rosary, and you go round and round. You don't feel bored or inattentive. You move to accomplish your numerical strength. You feel very peaceful in your room and enjoy the solitude and being with Krishna. In his essay on chanting, Aindra Prabhu wrote that japa is like being alone with Krishna in the union of Radha and Krishna in the kunjas, and sankirtana is like the group chanting in the rasa dance. So my japa felt like that this morning, alone with Krishna and feeling blessed. Alone with Krishna and Radha H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: RelaxingPrabhupada Smaranam
It is unusual to see Srila Prabhupada in such a laid-back position, his legs folded under him as he chews on a sugarcane. Prabhupada is usually very formal in his eating habits, eating only at scheduled times and sitting with the dish before him. It is a delight to see him chewing like a young Bengali boy on a raw stick of sugarcane. At this time his teeth were good enough for this exercise, and he appears to take great pleasure in the act. It shows he can enjoy himself in fun even while acting as Krishna's pure devotee. The act is also a healthy one. Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Bhajan - Anish - Hare Krishna
Anish singing a Hare Krishna bhajan. Dallas, TX Download: 2010-01-04 - 9 - Saha Home Program - Anish - Hare Krishna.mp3 H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Bhagavatam and Poem from a Prose Book1. 2. "Things ain't what they used to be. "I have a dearest letter, I traveled in a sannyasi van. "But sure, lots of trouble even "But I wasn't always right. Better to "Or better to turn the whole thing over to one 3. 4. H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Good AdviceHealing House
Shortly after Sara's meeting with Swami Rupa, Dan asked for another meeting with him. They hadn't met since Dan admitted his spiritual relapse, and he was eager to meet again. "I want to thank you for meeting with my wife," said Dan. "Your advice that she not nag me and not to worry so much about our retirement plans—but to trust in God—has really helped our relationship.” "I thought my talk with her was supposed to be confidential," said Swami Rupa. "You know a husband and wife can't keep much confidential from each other," Dan smiled. "But I'm really concerned about her telling you I'm a hunter and your remarks against hunting. That is a secret I keep from her." Dan then revealed to the Swami that he wasn't a hunter. "I go out hunting for two reasons," said Dan. "One is, it's my way to get away from the nagging and to spend time alone. But I don't actually shoot any ammunition or kill any animals." Dan told Swami Rupa that he was building up a gun collection as a financial investment. "That's my major retirement plan. She wants to put money in the bank, but we'll only get a little interest return on that. I'm buying expensive, valuable guns with the plan to sell them in the future. The gun lobby, the NRA, is one of the biggest lobbies in Washington. My guns are increasing in value every year. When I start selling them, we'll have a solid investment. So I shoot two birds with one stone, so to speak. I load my ATV on the back of my pickup truck, and I pack a kayak on top. I'm able to go deep into the woods, to my favorite lake, and I get some peace. When I am able to go to gun shows, I'm expert at picking out what are the best investments by my military and police experience. "This is a far out story," said Swami Rupa, truly surprised. "But there's just one thing missing. Your marriage is falling apart. You should take your wife with you on your so-called hunting expeditions. It's a perfect way to spend quality, even romantic time together. And ease her mind about the gun purchases. Tell her it's your financial investment plan. It will relieve her anxiety about the spending. You really owe that to her. You can sleep together in a tent by the lake and hear the eerie sound of the loons at dawn. It will bring you closer together. It will stop her whining. Here she is going off to yoga classes and you going 'hunting'—in two different directions. You could even consider going to yoga lessons with her." Swami Rupa had another idea. He knew a devotee of Krishna who was also an expert in conflict resolution. He had a master's degree in it. He had recently held a seminar with all the supreme court justices in India. They could consider going to see him to help them with their lack of communication. Dan took it all in. "Yeah. Maybe. I definitely think I will take her in about my secret of gun-buying and my hunting trips. It's too secretive. Thanks for the advice." A week later, Dan came by to see the Swami Rupa. He said things had improved very much at home. His wife said she didn't understand about investing in guns, but she trusted he knew what he was doing. They had a neighbor friend come and watch over their kids, and they spent a weekend camping in a tent. They told Bob and Janice that Dan wasn't actually hunting. Dan said the weekend in the tent was very intimate and affectionate. They planned to do it again. Swami Rupa was overjoyed, and his friendship with Dan became closer. Now if only he could get him interested in spiritual life again. ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Bhajan's Night - LIVE!!!!Live Video streaming by Ustream  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1965 August 14: "The ship started at about 11 o'clock in the morning majestically. On reaching the Bay of Bengal, there is tilting and little rolling and I felt sea sickness. There was vomiting tendency and dizziness the whole day and night."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1968 August 14: "The whole Srimad-Bhagavatam is full of philosophical discussions and we are prepared for that. But at the same time we are concerned mostly with the mass of people - therefore Hare Krishna kirtana is our life and soul."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1971 August 14: "I am sick since the last four days. The climate here in London is not at all suitable for me. There is no sunshine. Almost always there is darkness and rain. So it has affected my health."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1971 August 14: "Yes, we were saved by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Road. We shall always expect to be saved by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja Prabhupada. Whatever success we have had in preaching Lord Caitanya's mission all over the world it is only due to his mercy."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1971 August 14: "There are complaints against the GBC which is not very favorable. We require to hold this important meeting of the GBC to formulate the rules and regulations how things will be worked on."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1971 August 14: "I set up the GBC with hope that I shall get relief from administration of the mission but on the contrary I have become the center of receiving so many complaints. So it is not a relief for me, rather it is becoming troublesome."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1974 August 14: "Yes, I can be made President and Trustee of the Corporation as you have suggested. Now I want to make an International Trust Board for the whole Society. Make a draft and kindly send to me."  Srila Prabhupada's Letters1958 August 14: "They are continuously holding expensive conferences, meetings, summit talks etc. but because such attempts are being made without any relation of God, they are all manifold creations of the External Potency of the Absolute Truth."  Japa Group: Please Join The Japa Group
 Akrura das, Gita Coaching: GIVE MORE THAN YOU RECEIVEUltimately, what shapes the meaning and value of our lives is not what we get but what we give.  Bharatavarsa.net: Book distribution seminar: Book distribution in Czech RepublicOne summer day I began distributing the books of Srila Prabhupada at a square in a small south Czech Republic city. The third person I stopped was a lady and as I presented the books, I noticed an older man listening to us from a small distance. In our devotee-slang we call such people SPA (secret police agents), and because they are a disturbing element in book distribution, we try to avoid them. This man looked a bit crazy, due to his slow motion and special accent. He interrupted our conversation and asked how he could help me. Meanwhile the lady took the opportunity and left. A bit annoyed, I told him, I don't need any help and asked him to go on with his business. The man was persistent though, and inquired what I was actually doing there. Judging by his ways and appearance I concluded he must be one of the musty, bored and curious old men who are more or less obstructions for a book distributor and take away his valuable time and determination. So I briefly replied that I am a Hare Krishna monk from Prague and today I am distributing books about God here. To my surprise he didn't leave as I expected and further inquired about the books, so I told him that they are encyclopedias of spiritual wisdom and one costs 2.800 crowns (price for a book set in Czech, 16 books). Because he was a retired person who didn't look that he could take even one of them, I was convinced that this mantra will work and he will leave. Then he said, "I will gladly take one encyclopedia." My jaw dropped. I started to wonder, "What is going on. Here is a soul, part of Krishna, who is very much eager for the books of Srila Prabhupada and the only obstacle is me. How absurd!" I felt terrible. This man gave a donation of 1.000 crowns on the spot, without even seeing the books, and the rest he bought within one hour. I invited him into the van, where I showed him and gave him all our books and spent about forty minutes in pleasant and friendly talk. This man turned out to be a nice person, interested in spiritual things with deep understanding of our philosophy. He very much appreciated our traveling life and the sublime mission of Srila Prabhupada. It was the first time that I have distributed all our books to one person, and, overwhelmed by bliss, I promised myself that I will never again judge people on the street according to external appearance, but rather will try to convey the causeless mercy of Lord Caitanya to all conditioned souls without distinction. Panca Tattva Dasa Bharatavarsa.net: Book distribution seminar: Book distribution in Czech RepublicOne summer day I began distributing the books of Srila Prabhupada at a square in a small south Czech Republic city. The third person I stopped was a lady and as I presented the books, I noticed an older man listening to us from a small distance. In our devotee-slang we call such people SPA (secret police agents), and because they are a disturbing element in book distribution, we try to avoid them. This man looked a bit crazy, due to his slow motion and special accent. He interrupted our conversation and asked how he could help me. Meanwhile the lady took the opportunity and left. A bit annoyed, I told him, I don't need any help and asked him to go on with his business. The man was persistent though, and inquired what I was actually doing there. Judging by his ways and appearance I concluded he must be one of the musty, bored and curious old men who are more or less obstructions for a book distributor and take away his valuable time and determination. So I briefly replied that I am a Hare Krishna monk from Prague and today I am distributing books about God here. To my surprise he didn't leave as I expected and further inquired about the books, so I told him that they are encyclopedias of spiritual wisdom and one costs 2.800 crowns (price for a book set in Czech, 16 books). Because he was a retired person who didn't look that he could take even one of them, I was convinced that this mantra will work and he will leave. Then he said, "I will gladly take one encyclopedia." My jaw dropped. I started to wonder, "What is going on. Here is a soul, part of Krishna, who is very much eager for the books of Srila Prabhupada and the only obstacle is me. How absurd!" I felt terrible. This man gave a donation of 1.000 crowns on the spot, without even seeing the books, and the rest he bought within one hour. I invited him into the van, where I showed him and gave him all our books and spent about forty minutes in pleasant and friendly talk. This man turned out to be a nice person, interested in spiritual things with deep understanding of our philosophy. He very much appreciated our traveling life and the sublime mission of Srila Prabhupada. It was the first time that I have distributed all our books to one person, and, overwhelmed by bliss, I promised myself that I will never again judge people on the street according to external appearance, but rather will try to convey the causeless mercy of Lord Caitanya to all conditioned souls without distinction. Panca Tattva Dasa Book Distribution News: Book distribution in Czech RepublicOne summer day I began distributing the books of Srila Prabhupada at a square in a small south Czech Republic city. The third person I stopped was a lady and as I presented the books, I noticed an older man listening to us from a small distance. In our devotee-slang we call such people SPA (secret police agents), and because they are a disturbing element in book distribution, we try to avoid them. This man looked a bit crazy, due to his slow motion and special accent. He interrupted our conversation and asked how he could help me. Meanwhile the lady took the opportunity and left. A bit annoyed, I told him, I don’t need any help and asked him to go on with his business. The man was persistent though, and inquired what I was actually doing there. Judging by his ways and appearance I concluded he must be one of the musty, bored and curious old men who are more or less obstructions for a book distributor and take away his valuable time and determination. So I briefly replied that I am a Hare Krishna monk from Prague and today I am distributing books about God here. To my surprise he didn’t leave as I expected and further inquired about the books, so I told him that they are encyclopedias of spiritual wisdom and one costs 2.800 crowns (price for a book set in Czech, 16 books). Because he was a retired person who didn’t look that he could take even one of them, I was convinced that this mantra will work and he will leave. Then he said, "I will gladly take one encyclopedia." My jaw dropped. I started to wonder, "What is going on. Here is a soul, part of Krishna, who is very much eager for the books of Srila Prabhupada and the only obstacle is me. How absurd!" I felt terrible. This man gave a donation of 1.000 crowns on the spot, without even seeing the books, and the rest he bought within one hour. I invited him into the van, where I showed him and gave him all our books and spent about forty minutes in pleasant and friendly talk. This man turned out to be a nice person, interested in spiritual things with deep understanding of our philosophy. He very much appreciated our traveling life and the sublime mission of Srila Prabhupada. It was the first time that I have distributed all our books to one person, and, overwhelmed by bliss, I promised myself that I will never again judge people on the street according to external appearance, but rather will try to convey the causeless mercy of Lord Caitanya to all conditioned souls without distinction. Panca Tattva Dasa Book Distribution News: Book distribution in Czech RepublicOne summer day I began distributing the books of Srila Prabhupada at a square in a small south Czech Republic city. The third person I stopped was a lady and as I presented the books, I noticed an older man listening to us from a small distance. In our devotee-slang we call such people SPA (secret police agents), and because they are a disturbing element in book distribution, we try to avoid them. This man looked a bit crazy, due to his slow motion and special accent. He interrupted our conversation and asked how he could help me. Meanwhile the lady took the opportunity and left. A bit annoyed, I told him, I don’t need any help and asked him to go on with his business. The man was persistent though, and inquired what I was actually doing there. Judging by his ways and appearance I concluded he must be one of the musty, bored and curious old men who are more or less obstructions for a book distributor and take away his valuable time and determination. So I briefly replied that I am a Hare Krishna monk from Prague and today I am distributing books about God here. To my surprise he didn’t leave as I expected and further inquired about the books, so I told him that they are encyclopedias of spiritual wisdom and one costs 2.800 crowns (price for a book set in Czech, 16 books). Because he was a retired person who didn’t look that he could take even one of them, I was convinced that this mantra will work and he will leave. Then he said, "I will gladly take one encyclopedia." My jaw dropped. I started to wonder, "What is going on. Here is a soul, part of Krishna, who is very much eager for the books of Srila Prabhupada and the only obstacle is me. How absurd!" I felt terrible. This man gave a donation of 1.000 crowns on the spot, without even seeing the books, and the rest he bought within one hour. I invited him into the van, where I showed him and gave him all our books and spent about forty minutes in pleasant and friendly talk. This man turned out to be a nice person, interested in spiritual things with deep understanding of our philosophy. He very much appreciated our traveling life and the sublime mission of Srila Prabhupada. It was the first time that I have distributed all our books to one person, and, overwhelmed by bliss, I promised myself that I will never again judge people on the street according to external appearance, but rather will try to convey the causeless mercy of Lord Caitanya to all conditioned souls without distinction. Panca Tattva Dasa Caitanya Mangala, CA, USA: KulimeLA 2009: The DVD – Now Available at Krishna.com!
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 | Established in 1993 by ISKCON guru and GBC Sivarama Swami, Krishna Valley is a sustainable farm community of the kind that ISKCON founder Srila Prabhupada encouraged devotees to establish all over the world. |
Dandavats.com: Congressman Harry Mitchell greets Hare Krishna along with Namaste
By Prayag Narayan Misra
After his speech, he was offered blessed garlands from Hare Krishna temple which he gracefully accepted and wore it during the photo opps
ISKCON Melbourne, AU: ISKCON Gives Children a Reason to go to School
Saturday and Sunday feasts are large-scale affairs, right?
SBS Dateline recently featured the gravity force kitchen designed by Madhu Pandit Prabhu, a devotee engineer in Bangalore.
The project was also covered by Live Mint and the Wall Street Journal.
'Launched in 2000 by Iskcon, the Akshay Patra Foundation, named after a Sanskrit word for abundance, initially began by feeding 1,500 children in five government schools on Bangalore's outskirts. The response was overwhelming and in six months, there were requests to expand the scheme. So, new kitchens were set up with support from companies, individuals and foundations.
Today, the foundation feeds 830,000 children everyday, mostly from poor socio-economic backgrounds, in 4,500 government-run or aided schools, in 14 centres across five states. The operations are overseen by a team of more than 60 volunteers.'
In poorer areas where children can get food by attending school rather than by going out to work, attendance rates have risen exponentially.
MBA students at Harvard Business School are using prasadam distribution from the Bangalore gravity force kitchen as a case study in time management.
ISKCON News.com: Should ISKCON Devotees Observe Chaturmasya?
 | Is it a fast strongly recommended by our scriptures, or just an excuse to grow a beard? Is it an important spiritual process or just an unnecessary ritual? Should ISKCON devotees observe it? And if so, how? |
ISKCON News.com: Prema Hara: Distributing Divine Love of Kirtan
 | Released on March 3rd, Prema Hara's debut album, "Sweet Surrender," is almost achingly beautiful. The soaring male and female vocals interlace with dazzling artistry, and draw spiritual emotion from the listener. |
ISKCON News.com: Summoning the Spiritual With Just Enough Cowbell
 | If ever there was a time for a group of former Hare Krishna adherents to come to New York to make their way as a band, it would be now. Thanks to groups like Animal Collective and its peers, the shamanic impulse is as alive as ever in indie rock. The embrace of Eastern spirituality is at an apex. |
ISKCON News.com: Biblical Plagues Were Real (And Could Happen Again)
 | The ten plagues recounted in the Biblical book of Exodus may have actually occurred, according to scientists featured on a National Geographic Channel miniseries. |
ISKCON News.com: For Many Muslims, Start of Ramadan Stirs Up Centuries-old Debate Between Science and Doctrine
 | For American Muslims, the start of the holy month of Ramadan means reflection, fasting from sunrise to sunset, community - and a bit of confusion. |
ISKCON News.com: Only Universal Truth Can Change Our World
 | Students form non-profit organization dedicated to finding, defining and spreading world-unifying, universal truth. |
Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: New York Professionals Learn To Cook Up A Veggie Storm
For the busy New York City professional, it's difficult to imagine finding the time to cook, never mind whipping up a healthy and delicious vegetarian meal. But recently many have found that a balanced meat-free, home-cooked diet may not be so far out of their grasp.
The answer lies in Manhattan, where vegetarian cooking classes offered twice a week at the Bhakti Center—a spiritual educational facility based on the principles of Bhakti Yoga—are drawing ten to fifteen people per two-and-a half-hour session.
Teacher Divyambara Dasi, who has been practicing Bhakti yoga for twenty years and cooking for just as long, expects students to be able to cook their own dishes at home after only four classes. This is no cooking demonstration—it's a hands-on experience, designed for maximum learning.
"I begin each class by introducing each dish we're going to make and the main ingredients we're going to use in a very visual, interesting way," Divyambara says. "For example, I will say, 'Today we're going to cook quinoa.' Then I will show it and my assistant, who is a certified nutritionist, will explain how it is the grain richest in protein. Or I will say, 'Today we'll be cooking a zucchini dish,' and I'll explain how it's a good summer vegetable—cooling, refreshing, and easy to digest."
Divyambara then splits her students into teams of two and has them cook a full six-course dinner. Each team focuses on a different dish—rice, vegetable, bread, drink, salad dressing, or dessert. They begin by reading their recipes, all of which are quick to make, nutritionally balanced, and promote long and healthy lives—there's no refined products like white flour or white sugar, no fried food, and very little dairy.
Next, Divyambara spends some time at each team's separate station to supervise them and explain step by step what they need to do.
"Many of my students have never used the kitchen at all—some don't even know how to boil water or cut up vegetables," she says. "But I'm right next to them and show them everything, they do it, and they pick it up quickly."
Once in a while, amid the flurry of cooking, Divyambara will ring a bell, and everyone will stop what they're doing and go quiet.
"I'll say, 'Okay, rice team! Tell us and show us what have you done so far,'" she explains. "In this way, by first reading about the recipe, then cooking it themselves, and finally explaining how they did it, they learn and retain a lot. What's more, each team also becomes familiar with the different steps involved in the dishes the other teams are making."
Divyambara has two reasons to ask her class not to taste anything while they're cooking: one is purely hygienic, while the other is in preparation for blessing the finished meal. In the Bhakti tradition, she explains, we ask God to bless our food. She then chants Sanskrit prayers, and welcomes her students to offer their own prayers according to their faith. Sometimes she invites students—such as, on one occasion, a Jewish Rabbi—to say the main prayer.
She also evokes a feeling of gratitude by asking God to bless not only the meal and the cooks, but everybody else who contributed to the meal—the cows who gave the milk, the farmer in Peru who provided the quinoa, the truck driver, and the shopkeeper.
Finally, everyone sits down and eats together. "Because we've been consciously cooking together as an expression of love," says Divyambara, "It's a very beautiful atmosphere, and a very bonding experience.
During the last session of every month, Divyambara takes her class on a shopping excursion to the nearby health food and Indian grocery stores. "There are many spices and ingredients in the cooking that they're unfamiliar with," she explains. "Most of them don't know what asafoetida is, for instance. So I show them how everything looks and smells, what is good quality and what isn't."
Most of Divyambara's students are not vegetarian when they begin her classes, and are doubtful that they could sustain themselves on a meat-free diet, even if they wanted to. So Divyambara's ultimate intention for her classes is for them to go home with an exceptional experience of a tasty vegetarian meal, and knowledge of how to prepare it.
"One woman told me when she came in, 'Please forgive me, I don't know anything—I mean anything,'" says Divyambara. "But in her first class, she made an amazing dish. Then she made the same thing for her boyfriend at home, and it turned out amazing again. It was the first time she had cooked anything on her own. She told me how empowering it felt to be confident that she could actually cook for herself and be a healthy vegetarian."
But for the New York professionals who attend them, Divyambara's classes are more than just learning how to cook. There's a great sense of community, people connecting with one another, and spiritual nourishment. "I love the whole experience of teamwork," commented Donna LeBlanc, a bestselling author and life coach for CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. "And the food tastes so magical. I swear that God enters it!"
"What you're doing is more than just cooking," said a PR professional for a major company. "It's bringing people together on a higher level."
Former students—who now number over 150—are keen to keep experiencing these things, even once they have completed the four-session program. So when some expressed this desire to Divyambara, she began to invite them to come and cook together again on one Sunday every month, and to invite their friends to come and eat.
"As in the classes, I split them into teams, and each team focuses on making a different dish," Divyambara explains. "I am still there to guide them, but I have less of an active role, as we cook dishes they are already familiar with. The amazing thing was, the first time we did it, I was sure it would take at least three hours for the eight students to cook for the forty people that came. But in two hours, they had finished everything and left the kitchen completely clean!"
The food and the event was a success, as people bonded and students from different groups got to meet each other.
Divyambara hopes to make the monthly meet-ups a steady program, with possible plans to branch out to various locations around the city.
"I hope we can continue connecting with people and growing this community," she says.
Read more: http://news.iskcon.com/node/3020/2010-07-31/new_york_professionals_learn_to_cook_up_a_veggie_storm#ixzz0vNsqnIh9
H.H. Sivarama Swami: Balanuja dasa asks
Whether the devotees playing instrument in kirtana or bhajana who can’t sing along get benefit from the maha mantra.
Gouranga TV: Bhajan – Mukunda Datta das – Yashomati Nandana
Bhajan – Mukunda Datta das – Yashomati Nandana 
Japa Group: I Strive To Improve
My mind didn't wander much to other things, but I wasn't chanting with a fervor that's desirable for japa-yajna. I strive to improve, I strive to improve.
From Bhajan Kutir #38
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TABLA - FUENTES - FONTS
- SOUV2P.TTF - 57 KB
- SOUV2I.TTF - 59 KB
- SOUV2B.TTF - 56 KB
- SOUV2T.TTF - 56 KB
- bai_____.ttf - 46 KB
- babi____.ttf - 47 KB
- bab_____.ttf - 45 KB
- balaram_.ttf - 45 KB
- SCAGRG__.TTF - 73 KB
- SCAGI__.TTF - 71 KB
- SCAGB__.TTF - 68 KB
- inbenr11.ttf - 64 KB
- inbeno11.ttf - 12 KB
- inbeni11.ttf - 12 KB
- inbenb11.ttf - 66 KB
- indevr20.ttf - 53 KB
- Greek font: BibliaLS Normal
- Greek font: BibliaLS Bold
- Greek font: BibliaLS Bold Italic
- Greek font: BibliaLS Italic
- Hebrew font: Ezra SIL
- Hebrew font: Ezra SIL SR
Disculpen las Molestias
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Dandavats
Conceptos Hinduistas (1428)SC
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