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- Australian News: Earthquake in Melbourne caused by Harinama Sankirtan Party
- Sita-pati dasa, AU: Mrgari the Musical
- Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Low Sugar Blues
- Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Strap It On!
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- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 3.14.10 Hog, The Modern Acharya
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- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 3.7.31 Identifying With Krsna's Desires
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 3.7.29 Regulate Your Life & Preach!
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 3.7.27 Performing Real Devotional Service Under The Shelter Of Srila Prabhupada
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 3.7.21-26 Seeing Everything In Relation To Krsna
- H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 3.7.12 Contributions Of Love
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The mainstream media are dismissing reports that the recent melbourne earthquake was caused by the Harinama Sankirtan party but we know the truth.
Inspired by Kadamba Kanana Swami the devotees in Melbourne hit the streets and spilled the Holy Names liberally across the city. Some passers by swooned and others were struck dumb by what they saw and only just move their arms enough to hold up their camera phones.
If you didn't beleive it before then let the evidence convince your eyes. Melbourne pushes the boundaries of the Grassroots Harinam Sankirtan tidal wave even further.
Soak up the bliss, listen with your eyes.
Share this story your way:
In 2000, while living in Wellington, New Zealand, I had the idea for a musical based on the story of Mrgari the hunter.
In a feverish state of inspiration I wrote and recorded it in three nights, we rehearsed it over two days, then performed it on a Sunday at our Krishnafest.
We had a live band, lead by Mahavan, performing the music, and the actors delivered their lines and sang the musical numbers.
Before leaving Wellington in 2001 I did a more elaborate recording of the final number of the production "The Touch of a Saint".
While shifting house today I found a copy of the "Touch of a Saint EP" and ripped it to mp3.
The first song of the musical "Mrgari the hunter", which introduces Mrgari to the audience, is not on the EP - it's lost to history. The version that we used for this production was stylistically influenced by Chuck Schuldiner, the founder of the band Death.
The second song is "What goes around, comes around". Narada Muni explains to Mrgari that leaving animals half-dead, as he has been doing, will result in karmic reactions.
In the chorus the dead animals on the stage arise and dance around Mrgari, singing "what goes around, comes around".
Wade Aukett, who played Narada Muni in the production sings on this version of the song, which we did at the same time as the Touch of a Saint recording.
The next song is Mrgari's response to this revelation: he has an existential crisis. He now knows that he cannot continue with his livelihood as a hunter, but doesn't know what will become of him.
This is expressed in the song "How will I survive?". I played Mrgari in the production and sang this song. I am singing in this recording of the song which sounds like a post-production demo, due to the presence of bass guitar. The opening piece is heavily influenced by Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime concept album. Probably the whole Mrgari the Musical concept was influenced by that album, actually.
Narada Muni responds to Mrgari with the song, "Trust in the Lord", which draws its lyrics from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and the Vedic mantra nityo nityanam, cetanas cetananam, eko bahunam yo vividhati kaman. The song ends with Narada Muni introducing the Hare Krishna mantra to Mrgari.
This version is sung by me, and is the original demo version that I recorded at night while my fellow ashram residents were sleeping. You can hear me trying to be quiet while singing and playing guitar. The original demo tracks were recorded using Acid Loops 1 through the built-in soundcard of a Dell Pentium.
The backing vocals are out of tune (it was just a demo so that the live musicians would know what to play / sing), but here I used the "ooohh / aaaah" idea that I got from Damien Caine - a musician friend of Vrajadhama and myself. We had recently visited him in Auckland and listened to some of his latest recordings. He is a consumate pop musician. Extremely talented.
The final song in the musical was the duet "The Touch of a Saint", where Narada and Mrgari traded verses, and sang the chorus together.
Narada's first verse was was inspired by the description of the mercy of Lord Caitanya in Caitanya-caritamrita Adi-lila 8.5 ("by the mercy of the saintly person, the lowest can reach to the highest goal") ; and the observation of Angira Muni that Narada Muni is like a "touchstone", a mythical stone that turns lead to gold ("by the mercy of the saintly person, the stone-like heart can turn to gold").
The next two verses, which belong to Narada and Mrgari respectively, are a direct translation into English of the first two verses of Bhaja hure mana, a Sanskrit song by Govinda das Kaviraja.
This recording was the one that I poured a lot of energy into. Wade, who played Narada Muni, sings Narada's first verse. Mahalaxmi dd, who went on to sing in the LA Temple Bhajan Band, sings Narada's second verse. Mrgari's verse is then sung by Wade.
I played all the instruments on this recording, including a 12-string guitar that belonged to my fellow ashram inmate Svetadvipa, who now plays guitar in Sri Prahlad's Bhakti Bhajan band. Backing vocals were provided by a bunch of different people, including a real low voice by Mangala Vaisnava, and real high voices from Krishnaloka (and I think Guru Vani). The recording was done using Vrajadhama's Korg D16 multitrack recorder.
If I had the source tracks for this I would cut the first chorus to a single repeat, then change from half-time to single time underneath the breakdown, ala A-ha's Take on Me (did you ever notice that?).
There was a Spanish-language version of the musical ("El Toque de un Santo") that we recorded and performed in Peru. For that one I rented a rehearsal studio with a Marshall stack in it and used that for the Mrgari the hunter song, which was inspired by a live Judas Priest album that I was listening to at the time. I can't find a copy of that, maybe it will show up one day.
The last song on the EP (it's the third track, but conceptually the last one), is a song that we did for another musical - The Lifting of Govardhan hill. We sang this song (Maha-mantra + "Govardhan, Govardhan, Krishna's lifting you high - now we're safe and dry") on the night as we danced around a Govardhana Hill that was built by Triyuga while he was working on the Lord of the Rings films as a set piece and minatures builder. When he brought it up the stairs I swear it looked like a meteorite that he had dug up out of the ground.
This recording features different singers who were at Gaura Yoga at the time on each of the mantras. The first is Krishnaloka; the second is Wade; the third is a lady whose name escapes me now - she went to the UK; Krishnaloka returns for the fourth repetition; Param Satya sings after the first chorus; then Wade; then Guru Vani; then our mystery lady - whose name is on the tip of my tongue.
This was my swansong at Gaura Yoga in Wellington ("the Loft" at the time), and I wanted to capture the mood and personalities of the time.
The beat was supplied by Vrajadhama's Korg Electribe ES-1, which I was playing with at the time. Stylistically the song had a "round" type chorus, where the last word overlaps the first word of the next chorus, and a key change at the end.
What a day. What a low sugar day. I made stuff. Mixed results. Husband came home and told me not to go low sugar crazy. Etc.
Because I wanted my son to be full at lunch time, I warmed a skillet early this morning and began melting butter, to which I added a bit of sugar. Just a bit.
Caramelizing the sugar.
To the butter and sugar I added hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and cashew pieces. Plus a sprinkle of salt.
I turned the mixture out on a slab of butcher block to cool.
The boy was excited to find out this was going in his school lunch. The last time I made a version of this, I used pecans and a generous amount of sucanat and maple syrup. I was nervous how he would take this lower sugar version...
...and he loved it! Whew. He had a whole bunch for breakfast and I was happy to send him off to school with a full belly.
After dropping the kids at school and doing a little food shopping, I returned home to get some baked goods together and in the oven. This pumpkin pie has a whole wheat/coconut oil crust that isn't all that bad. The pie itself is fresh pumpkin (skin and all), a block of soft tofu, molasses, a smidge of sucanat, a pinch of salt and all those spices that make you think *autumn*...or *scented candle shop*. It tasted pretty meh but I think, after some fridge time, it is improving.
I thought I would get a jump on things and make some banana bread for soccer practice later in the week. I mixed buckwheat, spelt and whole wheat flour because, you know, going lower in your glycemic load should be a team sport! I also cut down the sugar by one third. Unfortunately, the bread was not done before I had to head out to my cupping appointment (does that make me sound like Ms. Goopy Gwyneth Paltrow or what!) so the loaves had a bit of concave pudding in the center. No matter. I just cut that part away and wrapped up the good stuff. The lower sugar banana bread passed the taste inspection by my kids, who had a few pieces throughout the afternoon. The pie, however, met mixed review. My daughter shunned it. My son ate it but told me he did so despite not liking it that much. And then he told me I should make two next time....one for me and one for everyone else. My husband had a slice for dinner and said it was good. But next time he will have it with ice cream.
Cross posted @ Horton Brasses Blog (under a different title 
).
My mother-in-law just left after a weekend visit, returning to her DC home. While staying with us, she and her husband admitted to feeling some kitchen envy for our new remodel. That being said, she is hesitant to tear out her 40 year old kitchen and trade up to something more contemporary. One of the things she doesn't want to part with: the copper functional strap hinges adorning her cabinets. They have definitely retained their classic beauty, despite the years.
Now, I know most people are not running to the hardware store and clearing out the bins of strap hinges when it comes to updating their kitchen hardware. The majority of strap hinges tend to end up on barn doors and hope chests, bought by men who wear their Wrangler dungarees and plaid flannel shirts in a not so ironic way.
But does that mean you shouldn't consider these bands of hand forged stylishness for your remodel? Of course not! You are not a kitchen trend follower but rather a style setter. How many European bar pulls must be tolerated to spite the expression of individual personality in the kitchen?
Sure, not every application may suit the strap hinge. You may feel that a complete kitchen outfitted in strap hinges….or even the strap hinge's less lean cousin, the butterfly hinge….may be a bit too period for you. Still, you can use these traditionally styled, hand forged iron hinges to quirk up the joint–adding some visual interest to an otherwise standard and un-noteworthy space.
photo courtesy retrorenovation.com
This vintage Kohler sink photo should be added to the inspiration file of anyone contemplating a period kitchen remodel for an American farmhouse kitchen. The cast iron apron front sink is just one aspect of perfecting that early American look. Iron strap hinges decorate the cabinets and add beauty to the pared down decor of this functional kitchen.
An updated take on that same traditional style can be seen in this photo from Morgan Creek Cabinetry. All modern conveniences are on hand with a high end range and new fireclay apron front sink while keeping period inspired details like a beadboard ceiling and functional strap hinges mounted on the custom cabinetry.
The clean and modest kitchen of this British cottage rental has a neutral palette and limited cabinets. However, the pantry door adds charm to this otherwise staid space. The large strap hinges and iron knob elevates this cottage kitchen to the expectations of patrons by infusing it with a shot of authenticity amidst the contemporary utilitarian design.
This kitchen by Karin Blake, as it appeared in Architectural Digest, is a tableau of simplicity, classic Americana and modern design. A mix of inset slab front drawers and wainscot doors, the vintage style lab stools, farm table and windsor chairs all add to the smooth, seamless allure of a style indicating New England old money when, in fact, this home is Malibu new construction. One of the key details that makes this look work are the barn-style cabinet doors finished with forged iron strap hinges.
While a Karin Blake kitchen may not be in your budget, such a look is definitely attainable with stock cabinetry and the right hinges, of course! Whether your cabinets are inset, overlay or frameless, you can rock this designer look by either using real functional strap hinges or dummy hinges. And don't forget the other hardware to compliment your look. There are a variety of handles sized to create the perfect drama in your kitchen. At Horton Brasses, there are the oversized Suffolk Grips as well as the modestly sized Iron Grips.
And check out these matching knobs from Horton Brasses. Honestly, this stuff is not just for period kitchens! Imagine how appropriate these would look in some kind of industrial modern space. Like I said at the start of this post, ditch the European bar pulls, people! Nothing screams modern more than industrial. Just think lab coats and beakers and all that mad science that went on, marking a new era. Forged iron is not just barn. Below is a pic of a kitchen from 1966 that merges the suburban colonial look with modern stylings. This should definitely get you thinking outside of your forged iron box!
photo courtesy retrorenovation.com
The above picture is a great find for anyone with an older home and a budget. There are many ways to update a kitchen, but if you cabinets are in good shape, the most cost effective way involves soap and water and maybe a fresh coat of paint. Strap hinges were definitely more popular in decades past, but hopefully this post will have you embracing your older hardware with a style savvy gaze. Or, even better, taking on that full remodel with courage to add some spark to your kitchen with some well chosen accent pieces. Karin Blake would be impressed!
I just got back from a breakfast at the Australian Institute of Management where Susan Scott [website], author of the books Fierce Conversations and Fierce Leadership, spoke for an hour.
Here are my brief notes from the talk.
The Top Six "Best Practices" that stand in the way of creating a functional organisation
1. 360 degree anonymous feedback
2. Hire for smarts
3. Holding people accountable
4. Employee engagement programs
5. Customer-centricity
6. Legislated optimism
This is not the age of information.
This is not
the age of information.
Forget the news,
and the radio,
and the blurred screen.
This is the time of loaves
and fishes.
People are hungry,
and one good word is bread
for a thousand.
--David Whyte
Facebook and Twitter are symptoms of the need and desire for connection.
The conversation is the relationship.
We need to hold "fierce conversations" - conversations where we interrogate reality and describe reality without laying blame.
"What we do not make conscious arises later as fate" - Carl Jung.
Weak leaders are looking for agreement. Strong leaders are looking for truth - and there are more than one. (Even in an absolute sense this is true: ref SB. 11.9.31.)
Leadership is a behaviour, not a title.
On "Holding people accountable":
Accountability is an attitude - it's a choice. You can't mandate accountability - if you want to see it in your organisation you have to model it.
On "Hiring for smarts":
"We should take care not to make the intellect our god: it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality." - Albert Einstein.
My thoughts on Varnashram-dharma and economic technology, from a conversation elsewhere:
My understanding is that varnashram means essentially that each person should act appropriately and be treated appropriately. Each role should have the appropriate level of responsibility and authority, and the interaction of these roles creates the correct level of checks and balances. Each person should execute the role that corresponds to their guna, karma, and adhikara.
I'm not convinced that it relies on a particular economic technology, but that it can work in any technological situation. In other words, it doesn't rely on farming - in the sense that any organisation, whether a city preaching center, a city temple, or a business corporation, can be run according to these principles, irrespective of whether they have cows in the barn.
SB 03.14.10_Hog, The Modern Acharya_1989-11-28 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 3.14.10 Hog, The Modern Acharya 1989-11-28 Radhadesh
Only nine shopping weeks to Christmas!
Why not gift your loved ones a Kurma cookbook or two!
Or an 11-disc 20-hour Kurma TV cookery show DVD compendium.
I can autograph them for you, and post them to you anywhere in Australia.
Contact me now: kurma.acbsp@pamho.net
SB 03.09.22_Krsna Is The Supreme Controller_2002-04-21 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 3.9.22 Krsna Is The Supreme Controller 2002-04-21 Koln
SB 03.07.31_Identifying With Krsna's Desires_2002-09-25 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 3.7.31 Identifying With Krsna's Desires 2002-09-25 Radhadesh
SB 03.07.29_Regulate Your Life & Preach!_2002-09-19 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 3.7.29 Regulate Your Life & Preach! 2002-09-19 Radhadesh
SB 03.07.27_Performing Real Devotional Service Under The Shelter Of Srila Prabhupada_2002-09-18 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 3.7.27 Performing Real Devotional Service Under The Shelter Of Srila Prabhupada 2002-09-18 Radhadesh
SB 03.07.21-26_Seeing Everything In Relation To Krsna_2002-09-17 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 3.7.21-26 Seeing Everything In Relation To Krsna 2002-09-17 Radhadesh
SB 03.07.12_Contributions Of Love_2002-09-03 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 3.7.12 Contributions Of Love 2002-09-03 Radhadesh
SB 03.07.11_Seeing The Reality Of Material Misery_2002-09-02 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 3.7.11 Seeing The Reality Of Material Misery 2002-09-02 Radhadesh
(Click on picture to see enlarged vision) Dear Devotees, Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Guru Maharaja! Following the successes of the Malaga and Kandersteg Spiritual Retreats, we are pleased to announce that Guru Maharaja decided to hold the European Spiritual Retreat 2011 in Iskcon Radhadesh, Belgium. Radhadesh [...]
Dear Lord,
I no longer care if You are God, nor do I care if you have my ultimate welfare in mind. I simply relish hearing your activities, speaking them to others and contemplating them eternally. If there is ever a moment that I am attentive of Your name, I am also feeling some bliss. When I am ignoring the demands of my mind and simply engaging in your service I am also tasting something that is ever fresh. But mostly I am caught up in formalities and the cries of my rascal mind. Kindly take hold of the reigns of my mind, direct the wild horses of my senses and by my real intelligence. I have no hope without You as my chariot driver, as the arrows of my enemies engulf me like the darkness of the night sky. I am not asking for opulence or liberation, I am just asking for your maintenance.
Maintain this simple desire to hear, speak, remember and do some insignificant service for You Lord. This is more than I deserve but this is all I feel I can ask from You.
Your servant, Madhavendra Puri Dasa.
[Written: 10/10/2010]
Read original post: [http://maddmonk.wordpress.com/2010/10/19/spontaneous-prayer]
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Nrsimhadeva Prayers_2010-07-10
Bhajan – Nrsimhadeva Prayers – Video Dallas, TX
You're almost singing it aren't you? No? Well you must be less than 40 years old. I do get asked about my favourite things, food-wise, quite often. A nicely cooked khichari for breakfast would have to be one of them.
A M wrote:
"I came upon your nice web site while doing a Google search. One thing I cook up quite often when I'm tired, or just in the mood for simple, good food is khichari. I agree with what you say on your web site about it being one of the most economical, simple, and nutritious meals to prepare. But I am used to making khichari with rice and dal only. I have seen khichari made with lots of veggies. Could you send me a recipe?"
My answer:
Well you know you can just add any vegies you like to khichari and it really shines. My favourites are peas, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, tomato, sweet potato spinach and my favourite, broccoli. Here's a recipe of mine:
Hearty One-pot Melange of Mung Beans, Rice & Vegetables (Khichari)
Khichari (pronounced "kitch-eri") is such an important dish for vegetarians that I have included a different recipe for it in each of my cookbooks. The flavoursome, juicy stew of mung beans, rice and vegetables is both nutritious and sustaining. It can be served anytime a one-pot meal is required You can practically live on khichari, and in fact, some people do. I eat it accompanied by a little yogurt, some whole-wheat toast, lemon or lime wedges and topped with a drizzle of melted ghee. Bliss! Serves 4-6.
½ cup split mung beans, washed and drained 6 cups water 1 bay leaf 1.5cm (½-inch) chunk ginger, chopped fine 1 small green chili, seeded and chopped ½ teaspoon turmeric 2 teaspoons coriander powder 1 cup Thai rice, or other long grain rice of your choice 1 packed cup each broccoli, potato cubes and quartered Brussels sprouts, or vegetables of your choice 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped 1½ teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons ghee or oil 2 teaspoons cumin seeds small handful curry leaves ½ teaspoon yellow asafetida powder ½ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves wedges of lemon, some chilled yogurt, and extra ghee for serving
Bring to a boil in a saucepan the mung beans, water, bay leaf, ginger, chili, turmeric and coriander, then reduce to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, for about 15 minutes, or until the beans start to break up.
Add the rice, vegetables, tomatoes and salt, increase the heat, and stirring, bring to a boil, then return to a simmer, covered. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10-15 minutes, or until the rice is soft.
Season: heat the ghee in a small saucepan over moderate heat. Sprinkle in the cumin seeds, fry until a few shades darker, and add the curry leaves - careful, they crackle. Sprinkle in the yellow asafetida powder, swirl the pan and empty the fried seasonings into the khichari. Stir the seasonings through, then return to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes or so, or until the rice is fully swollen and soft. If you desire a moist khichari, add a little boiling water now.
Serve: fold in the fresh coriander, and serve the khichari piping hot with a drizzle of warm ghee, a big bowl of karhi and/ or the accompaniments suggested above.
Nevada, USA — Clean air mandates pushed the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to start developing renewable energy technologies. But the benefits of energy security and independence are what finally converted many military leaders into believers.
"Renewable sources make us less vulnerable," said Joe Sikes, director of Facilities Energy for the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense. "Our goal is to take advantage of all available resources."
In combat zones, the Army is exploring mobile solar and wind generators to replace fuel trucks, which are frequent targets for insurgent attacks. More than 1,000 Americans have died while delivering fuel in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years. The DoD hopes renewable energy can make military bases energy-independent and, ultimately, immune from threats to the utility grid.
Congress in 2007 gave the DoD marching orders to draw 25 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. After President Obama called for 20 percent by 2020, the DoD established a Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan, which targets improvements in greenhouse gas emissions, waste management and energy efficiency.
Some say a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard would increase the likelihood of achieving these goals. Others want an energy bill that permits the Army and Air Force to secure Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) beyond the 10-year cap in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) so more investors will consider utility-scale projects.
"To meet those goals and achieve energy security, this is the time for public officials to step up and make sure this fledgling market has long-term success," said Karen Butterfield, director of federal accounts for SunPower Corp., which has developed the largest utility-scale solar arrays on federal property.
As a policy matter, the military has officially embraced the idea of becoming the federal government's testing ground for renewable technology.
"The DoD can go on to serve as an early customer, thereby helping create a market, as it did with aircraft, electronics and the internet," Dorothy Robyn, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment, said during a House Armed Services Committee in February.
The military is in various stages of planning for hundreds of megawatts of renewable energy projects, including a 15-MW solar PV array a Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. It will be the largest solar installation on federal property and supply 25 percent of power needs at the base.
An even larger 500-MW solar plant is planed for the Army's Ft. Irwin base in California. SunPower Corp. will develop the Luke AFB project near Glendale, Arizona. The company installed the previous record-holding array in 2007 with 14-MW at Nellis AFB near Las Vegas.
"There is definitely growing interest" by the military, said Monique Hanis, a Solar Energy Industries Association spokeswoman. "We're actively engaged with the military right now."
Karl Gawell, executive director of the Geothermal Energy Association, has also noticed an increase in military interest for utility-scale projects.
"It's a total shift in priorities. The Defense Department has made a fundamental shift in looking at renewable energy," Gawell said. "And it's not just because the commander in chief ordered it; they've decided how fundamental it is to achieving the military's own mission."…
Read full article here.
Filed under: Cows and Environment 
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
Prahladananda Swami singing the Nrsimhadev Prayers.
Dallas, TX
2010-07-10
Download: 2010-07-10 - 6 - Prahladananda Swami - Nrsimhadev Prayers.mp3 
(queries info@mantralingua.com) and answering Kavi Candra's question on increasing attachment to the Deities.
and an outline of Hungary's new political situation and how its likely to affect us.
Why women in ISKCON are obliged to overdress and cover themselves up as if seeing even a little of their skin will make men fall down
Conversation with B Ankur.
The mood of the gopis, accepting food from non-devotees and so on.
How nice it is when devotees are thinking about and asking help to increase their service to Krsna.
Political landscape, Ombudsmann, 1% report and projections, Eger/Debrecen restaurant progress and excellence awards to…..
www.sdgonline.org. 
3:35 A.M.
Namamrta by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:
'One develops a taste for chanting by chanting'
"Once one has attained the spiritual platform, it is material service that actually becomes disgusting. For example, if one chants Hare Krishna throughout his life, he will not grow tired of the names, but if one chants a material name over and over he will soon become disgusted. The more one chants the names of Krishna, the more he becomes attached." (Krishna Consciousness: The Matchless Gift)
In the Upadesamrta, text 7, it is stated that the holy name is like sugar candy. But the tongue of an ordinary person is afflicted by the jaundice of avidya (ignorance) and can not taste anything sweet. But the wonderful thing is that the medicine for this jaundice is to carefully chant the sweet names every day and then a natural relish will awaken within his tongue and his disease will gradually become destroyed at the root. For so many lifetimes and for so many years within this lifetime we did not know the sweet chanting of the holy names. We experienced the satiation and disgust that comes from too much material pleasure. In his songs Bhaktivinoda Thakura often describes a man in old age who is no longer able to enjoy material pleasures which he pursued in his youth. His body and mind no longer finds pleasure in sense gratification. But better later than never he takes shelter at the lotus feet of Krishna, chants the holy name, and finds bliss. The chanting of Hare Krishna in the presence of a pure devotee is so nice that within this lifetime I immediately developed a taste for it. By the strength of the vow and by the nature of the sweet chanting my attachment for it has grown, and I will never give it up. I pray that the taste will increase more and more.
I got up from bed before midnight and began chanting my rounds at twelve. At first they were slow but I pulled out of that slough and began chanting rapidly. It was good. My consciousness was concentrated on the accumulation of the rounds and I chanted all sixteen by 3:30. It was good to be alert and to keep my mind off other things while chanting the Hare Krishna mantras.
Chanting produces a taste
for chanting. It becomes
an indispensable part of
your life, you cannot
bear to go without chanting
early in the morning. Prabhupada
said of his 1 A.M. rising
and writing his books, "This
is taste." Similarly, this is
taste which drives me to
go around the beads for sixteen
rounds without letup,
building the strength and
relishing the sounds, and
when I am extra fortunate,
contemplating on Radha and
Krishna who stand together
on the altar and play in
Their pastimes in my mind.
www.sdgonline.org.
# 63
I've got the photos ready to travel,
3 x 5 color prints.
The one on top shows me holding
a red, tassled umbrella over you
in the blue sky of Mayapur morning.
It looks like the rain has stopped.
Ravindra-svarupa is carrying a small video camera.
Jayapataka Swami is looking out to lands
you might want him to buy.
I can tell this picture is 1974
because of your bamboo walking cane.
I'm concentrating to hold the umbrella
steady and just right over your head.
I'm wearing a Prabhupada T-shirt
which I usually don't wear.
You are striding, quickly,
your mouth turned down,
not speaking to us.
We all gather around you
because you are a pure devotee of Krishna.
You have brought us to Lord Caitanya's land.
Another photo I picked even though
I'm not much visible in it.
I like the look on your face.
Handsome profile, you looking up
at an old castle in France,
I can guess by the surroundings.
You traveled there by car,
your cadar is wrinkled and dhoti too.
You hold a small bouquet of roses.
You look up appreciating some architecture
with an innocent gaze, studying it,
eyes shining, refined look.
Even in such a candid, small moment
I see you are a pure devotee of the Lord,
engaged in His service. Maybe this castle
could be used as a place of worship
by your children
and Radha and Krishna installed here.
www.sdgonline.org.
Before you get sleepy,
write a poem.
Cozy in your slippers,
slip in a poem before the
opportunity is lost.
You can always say something
about the holy names.
They make your chin
twitch. Hurry up, before
your eyes get heavy.
Drink some water,
reach into yourself.
Find Krishna in your heart.
You are alive only
because of Him. Your
own soul is in the body
because He wills it.
It will not stay there
forever. It has to
move on soon.
Where will you go?
Some beautiful place?
More suffering?
You don't know.
Krishna is in charge.
He is making things happen
and you are bringing your
little input into the
equation.
Prema pumartho mahan.
The goal of life is to
love Krishna. He is the
master and the lover.
He is the father and the mother
and the best friend and
the greatest force.
He is moving me.
He is the mystery.
He lets you sleep
and wake. Because
of Him you sit at
the table for lunch
with and appetite
and another day
goes by.
He is changing the season into
deep autumn. His energy is
moving the clouds across the sky and
causing the planets to spin in
space.
He monitors my head pain
and speaks to me through the
scriptures telling me that
if I chant the holy names
at death I will end my
cycle of birth and death.
He is giving me the faith
to believe it and the strength
to yearn to love Him.
www.sdgonline.org.
I turned at random to Canto 6, chapter 3, text 24: "Therefore it should be understood that one is easily relieved from all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name of the Lord and chanting of His qualities and activities. This is the only process recommended for relief from sinful reactions. Even if one chants the holy name of the Lord with improper pronunciation, he will achieve relief from material bondage if he chants without offenses. Ajamila, for example, was extremely sinful, but while dying he merely chanted the holy name, and although calling his son, he achieved complete liberation because he remembered the name of Narayana."
In the assembly of Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami's father, Haridasa Thakura confirmed that simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one is liberated even if he does not chant completely inoffensively. A smarta-brahmana present did not believe that one can achieve liberation in this way, but the truth of Haridasa Thakura's statement is supported by many quotations in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Simply uttering the holy names is sufficient. The power of chanting the holy name was proved by the liberation of Ajamila. When he chanted the name of Narayana, he did not precisely remember the Supreme Lord. Instead he remembered his own son. At the time of death Ajamila was not very clean; indeed he was famous as a great sinner. Furthermore, one's psychological condition is completely disturbed at the time of death and in such an awkward condition it would have been very difficult for Ajamila to have chanted clearly. Nevertheless, Ajamila achieved liberation simply by chanting the name of the Lord. The chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is recommended even for people who commit offenses because if they continue chanting they will gradually chant offenslessly. It was Lord Caitanya who quoted the verse, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam. "If the members of the Krishna consciousness movement strictly follow this recommendation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, their position will always be secure."
Every year Jagadananda Pandit traveled to Nadia to give solace to Saci Mata and tell her of the activities of Lord Caitanya. Jagadananda also visited the other devotees and gave them Jagannatha prasadam. One year Advaita Acarya gave a sonnet that he had written to Jagadananda to deliver to Lord Caitanya. The sonnet offered obeisances to the Lord and then said. "Please inform Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is acting like a madman, that everyone here has become mad like Him. Inform Him also that in the marketplace rice is no longer in demand." The sonnet also had some other equivocal statements which were difficult to understand. When Jagadananda delivered the sonnet to Lord Caitanya He said "That is his order" and then fell silent. Svarupa Damodara Gosvami inquired from the Lord what is the meaning of the sonnet. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Advaita Acarya invites the Lord to come and be worshiped, and to perform the worship he keeps the Deity for some time. After the worship is completed, he sends the Deity somewhere else. I do not know the meaning of this sonnet, nor do I know what is in Advaita Prabhu's mind." Hearing this all the devotees were astonished. From that day on Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's emotional state changed markedly. His feelings of separation from Krishna doubled in intensity. As His feelings of separation in the ecstasy of Srimati Radharani increased at every moment, the Lord's activities both day and night were now wild, insane performances. He spoke like a madman holding Ramananda Raya by the neck and He questioned Svarupa Damodara thinking his to be His gopi friend. He repeatedly asked, "Where is Krishna? Where is Krishna? Where is Krishna?"
Pictures by Ananta Vrindavan
This is Krishna Consciousness. Please look carefully at these photos and at the people in them. There is no equivilant in the material world to these devotees and the actions they undertake. Reviewing these pictures should bring a tear to your eyes for these devotees are distributing the cure for the real disease which all humanity is suffering.
If there are angels they are here, singing and dancing and distributing the analloyed love from the storehouse smashed open by Lord Sri Caitanya and his associates. Scroll down and see the kings and queens of Kirtan showing us all how it is done.
Join a Harinam now, or start your own. There is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way.
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The Mantra Really Helped
Toronto, Ontario
I spoke to a friend on the phone which bore good news, He had been wrongly accused of sexual misconduct with one of his students, a child. He was without a job for 2.5 months from his teaching after the allegation was made. Come this last September he was reinstated. This was the happy news.
I asked him how he felt during the time of suspended work and in answer he expressed a few things. First of all he offered his thanks for my prayers while he went through the difficulty and secondly he said that since being accused by a fellow teacher he sees the world differently. While speaking I felt his pain.
There is nothing more grave a crime than when an adult abuses a child or a minor. Pedophiles and the like are a sticky lot. One's heart must go out to the innocent victim. Perhaps equally as painful is what an adult goes through when wrongfully charged with such allegations. It meant for my friend a loss of trust in people, loss of sleep, affecting his health. If he didn't have his good wife as support he might not have weathered the storm. My friend expressed that the incident did cause him to increase his mantra meditation. To some degree he went more inward. That was a consolation. That really helped him.
We all know of the many reports of child abuse that goes on, on a daily basis. We may hear less of false charges laid on adults accused of such offenses. "One thing is for sure", I thought while on my daily walk passing by some kids enjoying at the playground, "suffering is a large component of this world which we often impose on each other. It is shared with pleasure."
When pain comes do we know how to contend with it? I'm so glad that my buddy of thirty years or more was able to take shelter of the Hare Krishna mantra. I guess what really made the difference was the backing of family, friends, and the mantra.
5KM
Fitness for the Soul
Toronto, Ontario
I don't know too many swamis who follow sports. I certainly don't. My minimal involvement within the last five years to do with sports has been hands on participation in volley ball with the summer youth bus tour and I also confess to serving the ball a few times with some young men in Mayapura, India. I swim and regularly walk.
But get this, the Toronto football team, the Argonauts, are taking yoga. Yes, it's a fact some of those big sportsmen are stretching their stiff limbs. I've been encouraging our own young monks from Halifax to routinely do yoga workouts for longevity sake. Good health means better and extended service. I suggested to Nitai Rama the head monk, "Why not teach yoga courses promoting them as yoga for men? It could bring in a small income as well."
I have found that just a few stretches can bring about agility and allow a person to perform the days' tasks better. Even pranayama (breath exercises) is great for bringing out alertness. You have probably seen image of a group of monks who are lulled to sleep in the wake of a talk by their master. Some good respiratory work-out for just a few seconds before sitting down to listen can do wonders to combat sleepiness.
I walked down a ravine today to see virtually hundreds of people engage in walking and exercising and breathing in the good autumn air. This is admirable. If only they could add onto their physical agenda some true spirituality, then we can boast of a well-rounded program.
The point is that sound body and sound mind are for the purpose of the soul's smooth journey back to Godhead. Our soul is not meant for staying in this world but for moving on.
I would like to see a few renowned sports heroes rise to the occasion of following the path and become ideal role models. That could help the world substantially.
8KM
While our acaryas glorify the exemplary personalities from scripture famed for their successful or failed attempt---Junior Haridasa's suicide after disappointing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sati's suicide due to the dishonor shown her husband, and Raghunatha Dasa Goswami's repeated attempts at suicide due to being unable to bear the pain of separation from Lord Caitanya---they are rare and exceptionally advanced personalities whose behavior is not to be mimicked by those who are emotionally and mentally disturbed by the pangs of material life
2010 Janmastami Newgoloka
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