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- Kurma dasa, AU: Yamuna Devi Recipe # 18 : Sweet Potato Salad in Maple-Lemon Vinaigrette (Shakarkand Salaad)
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Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 9, Chapter 13, Texts 7-9 titled "Maya, An equal opportunity employer" by Prahladananda Swami. Dallas, TX 2010-07-14 Text 9 TRANSLATION Maharaja Nimi continued: Mayavadis generally want freedom from accepting a material body because they fear having to give it up again. But devotees whose intelligence is always filled with the service of the Lord are unafraid. Indeed, they take advantage of the body to render transcendental loving service. PURPORT Maharaja Nimi did not want to accept a material body, which would be a cause of bondage; because he was a devotee, he wanted a body by which he could render devotional service to the Lord. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings: janmaobi more iccha yadi tora bhakta-grihe jani janma ha-u mora kita-janma ha-u yatha tuya dasa
"My Lord, if You want me to take birth and accept a material body again, kindly do me this favor: allow me to take birth in the home of Your servant, Your devotee. I do not mind being born there even as an insignificant creature like an insect." Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also said: na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagadisa kamaye mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaitukyi tvayi "O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You." (Sikshashtaka 4) By saying "life after life" (janmani janmani), the Lord referred not to an ordinary birth but a birth in which to remember the lotus feet of the Lord. Such a body is desirable. A devotee does not think like yogis and jnanis, who want to refuse a material body and become one with the impersonal Brahman effulgence. A devotee does not like this idea. On the contrary, he will accept any body, material or spiritual, for he wants to serve the Lord. This is real liberation. If one has a strong desire to serve the Lord, even if he accepts a material body, there is no cause of anxiety, since a devotee, even in a material body, is a liberated soul. This is confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami: iha yasya harer dasye karmana manasa gira nikhilasv apy avasthasu jivan-muktah sa ucyate "A person acting in Krishna consciousness (or, in other words, in the service of Krishna) with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities." The desire to serve the Lord establishes one as liberated in any condition of life, whether in a spiritual body or a material body. In a spiritual body the devotee becomes a direct associate of the Lord, but even though a devotee may superficially appear to be in a material body, he is always liberated and is engaged in the same duties of service to the Lord as a devotee in Vaikunthaloka. There is no distinction. It is said, sadhur jivo va maro va. Whether a devotee is alive or dead, his only concern is to serve the Lord. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. When he gives up his body, he goes directly to become an associate of the Lord and serve Him, although he does the same thing even in a material body in the material world. For a devotee there is no pain, pleasure or material perfection. One may argue that at the time of death a devotee also suffers because of giving up his material body. But in this connection the example may be given that a cat carries a mouse in its mouth and also carries a kitten in its mouth. Both the mouse and the kitten are carried in the same mouth, but the perception of the mouse is different from that of the kitten. When a devotee gives up his body (tyaktva deham), he is ready to go back home, back to Godhead. Thus his perception is certainly different from that of a person being taken away by Yamaraja for punishment. A person whose intelligence is always concentrated upon the service of the Lord is unafraid of accepting a material body, whereas a nondevotee, having no engagement in the service of the Lord, is very much afraid of accepting a material body or giving up his present one. Therefore, we should follow the instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu: mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi. It doesn't matter whether we accept a material body or a spiritual body; our only ambition should be to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Download: 2010-07-14 - Lecture - Prahladananda Swami - SB 9.13.7-9 - Maya, an equal opportunity employer.mp3 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:
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Rasa Rasika dasa Srimad Bhagavatam 11.25.17 - Whatever bestowed up on us by the spiritual master is his causeless mercy. This coming Sunday (October 17) is the last opportunity you will have to attend a Kurma Class in Sydney until next year. Here's the details: Govinda's Restaurant, Darlinghurst, Sydney, Morning Cookery Workshop, Sunday 17 October 2010. Details and Bookings. Grab a seat while you can... Here's some more recipes by my cooking guru, Yamuna Devi. Before attempting to cook any of her recipes, make sure you are aware of the difference between US measures and Australian/metric measures. See below* Omg! You can prepare this salad up to 8 hours before serving. Though it is light and healthy, it is also substantial and filling, perfect as a fall or winter salad. The maple-lemon dressing is barely sweet, pleasantly warmed by candied ginger. Cooking time: about 45 minutes, Preparation and marinating time (after assembling ingredients): about 1 hour, Serves: 6. 6 medium-sized sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds/1kg), washed but not peeled, 4 tablepoons maple syrup or honey, 3 tablespoons orange or tangerine juice, 3 tablespoons lemon or lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ cup olive oil, or 2 tablespoons almond oil and 6 tablespoons sunflower oil, 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh coriander or parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped candied or stem ginger, 3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into ½–inch (1.5 cm) cubes, Prick the potatoes with a fork in 2 or 4 places, then wrap in aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 400 F (205 C) oven for about 45 minutes or just until crushably soft. Cool, peel, cut into ½-inch (1.5 cm) cubes and places them in a large salad bowl. Alternatively, peel the potatoes, steam them, let them cool, and cube them. Combine the sweetener, juices, salt, cayenne or black pepper, oil, fresh herbs and ginger in a jar, cover and shake until emulsified. Pour the dressing over the potatoes, toss gently, cover and set aside, refrigerated, for 1-8 hours. Before serving, add the tomatoes, gently toss and serve on a bed of mixed greens. *Note that since Yamuna wrote her recipes using US measurements, the weights are in US with metric in brackets. More importantly, her tablespoons are US (15ml) whereas Australian/metric tablespoons are 20ml. So if you follow these recipes using metric measures, your tablespoons should be scant. Similarly, the US cup is 240ml as distinct from the Australian/metric 250ml cup. The same scant measuring should thus apply to Australian/metric cup users. The teaspoon is a universal 5ml. Recently, members of our Toronto Temple Council, along with Bhaktimarga Swami joined representatives from ISKCON Centres across Canada for the Annual Canadian Leaders Meeting in Wakefield, Quebec. In this video, HH Bhaktimarga Swami leads a rocking kirtan by the bonfire one evening. Video courtesy of Radha Krishna devi dasi.
Modern day science is based on evidence followed by rigorous tested research. The research, then, is reviewed for quality till it is finally published. Research is operationalized through statistical testing and modeling. This is true for most research if not all. Therefore statistical modeling occupies the most significant aspect in modern science and in fact determines the quality of the findings and evidence.
Statistics, at the fundamental level, tries to average out data and report trends etc. In one sense, statistics completely negates the concept of the supersoul. What we call "directive action" conducted by supersoul is called "random action" directed by chance or freak of nature. The unknown that the scientists cannot explain is easily "covered" up as chance or random. This unexplained mystery called "chance" or "random" event underlines all major theories of modern science from the Big Bang to quantum science. The universe just after the big bang explosion randomly combined to form heavy metals from gas form. Another example, through random mutation over time what was soup become cellular organism which later evolved into human beings. In quantum physics particles at the sub-atomic level randomly position itself in relation to the nuclei that can be measured only in clouds called the theory of uncertainty. So like this, the fundamental assertions of modern science of origins, life and creation are filled with stories that are founded on chance occurrences and random variations.
The vedic science, however, completely rejects such an idea. That which is taken seriously as knowledge- random chance-among modern scientists is actually seen as ignorance among the vedic seers. The Bhagavad Gita clearly indicates the position of the supersoul in relation to practical affairs. Nothing is random or by chance. The supersoul directs all actions, origins, life and creation. All good and bad things happening are grandly orchestrated by the supersoul. The supersoul cannot be seen with the naked eye. It is located in the region of the heart within every living entity (fauna and flora alike). The supersoul can be seen through yoga and meditation. The supersoul or Paramatma in sanskrit has blue color body with four arms, bedecked with jewels in His crown, chest. He has flower garland over His neck and different paraphernalia in all His four arms - as described by yogis and pure devotees who have seen Him. Realizing and seeing the supersoul is a goal of life for some. But for others, serving the supersoul in devotion is the goal.
That supersoul who is present in all beings within this creation is called Krishna. If we can understand who Krishna is in truth, then, we can be happy in all conditions of existential life. That is also my goal – to know and understand Krishna in truth and ultimately be happy in all conditions of life.
Hare Krishna One must be a pure devotee following the devotional process; then one can convert others to devotional service. - Srila Prabhupada If you want to love Krsna, then follow this — man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. If you love Krsna, then why you are diverting your attention? - Srila Prabhupada By Bhakta Hemant & Bhaktin Aditi One late Friday afternoon we received a call from Reverend Ntombe, the leader of one of the Methodist churches in Pretoria. He said, "I was told you are from a society that is giving books to libraries. Could you donate some books for our church library?" 1967 October 11: "Reject all idle talks. A Krishna conscious person must be seen by the ears and not by the eyes. In other words one should try to know the depth of realization of a Krishna conscious person." Prabhupada Letters :: 1967 1967 October 11: "Yes make BTG successful as planned and then you may proceed to London. Because you are so engaged I asked Kirtanananda to go to London on his way back but he did not like the idea and has gone back to New York directly without any reason." Prabhupada Letters :: 1967 1967 October 11: "He has deliberately disobeyed me by not going to London. Whatever he is now doing has no sanction. He appears to be out of my control and therefore I advise you not to follow his principles." Prabhupada Letters :: 1967 1967 October 11: "I wish to return on permanent Visa and before I go I wish to begin the printing of Gitopanisad. During the last two years I could not publish a single volume. It is a great defeat. Now I am prepared to sit down underneath a tree with one sincere soul and if we can make more publications I shall be free from all diseases." Prabhupada Letters :: 1967 1972 October 11: "I am writing this letter aboard the airship from Hawaii to Manila. I am reaching Manila on the 11th and Delhi on the the 14th so if need be you can see me in Vrndavana on the 15th. But you must now definitely act according to these following instructions." Prabhupada Letters :: 1972 1974 October 11: "The land will be purchased as I have already instructed. When the conveyance deed is prepared, and when I approve it, then I shall advise the bank to pay the amount before the Registrar. That is the way of payment." Prabhupada Letters :: 1974 1974 October 11: "I am very thankful for your cooperation. There is a great need for spreading Krishna Consciousness based on Bhagavad gita As It Is all over the world. And Vallabhacarya many times visited Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I wish very fervently that your Holiness may be present for the opening of our newly constructed temple in Vrindaban." Prabhupada Letters :: 1974 1974 October 11: "You are already trained up man, you can chalk out a program. So do not worry. We must run the Society on cooperation. Any discrepancy, that can be corrected. But a change of management - that is not good." Prabhupada Letters :: 1974 While travelling with Ekendra to the 24 hour kirtan in New Gokula, we listened to some rough mixes I've done for a live kirtan album I'm working on. Ekendra's van is totally pimped out with the massive subwoofer. I mean it has mad, ridiculous crazy bass. I noticed that the mix I had done didn't cut it with the other tracks he put on. I don't have a sub in my mixing setup at home, so I didn't notice it before this. I did notice, however, that the mrdanga sound wasn't good on the bottom end. The mrdangas that were used in the kirtans were not so good, so they didn't record well. This triggered me thinking, and I remembered a technique that I'd used before - one I got from an RnB producer. Here's what you do: 1. Copy the mrdanga bottom end track to another track. We'll call this track the "mrd sub" track. 2. Put a low pass filter on it, and roll off everything above 100Hz. 3. Switch it out of mix by assigning the output to null. 4. Create a new audio track. We'll call this the "sub bass" track. 5. Put a test oscillator (tone generator) on it, set to a sine wave. 6. Tune the test oscillator to the fundamental of the kirtan, using this chart of musical notes to frequencies. Obviously you should tune it down in the bass region, below 100Hz. 6. Put a noise gate on the oscillator channel. 7. Set the side chain on the noise gate to trigger from the mrd sub track. 8. Tune the noise gate threshold so that it only triggers when the bottom end of the mrdanga is struck. 9. Tune the release of the noise gate to give your new mrdanga bottom end the resonance you want. 10. Roll off the bottom end of the original mrdanga track and mix with the new sub bass track. Voila, a new mrdanga bottom end - tuned to the kirtan and giving you lower end power. I still don't have a sub, so I can't really mix the kirtan well for that kind of listening environment; but with this technique in hand again, I can make moar good the recording. Postscript: You might notice that the Logic noise gate pictured above has a filter on it for the side chain. So you don't have to put a low pass filter on the mrd sub track if you're using Logic - just set the Noise Gate's "Side Chain High Cut" to 100Hz. www.sdgonline.org. 3:44 A.M. Namamrta by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: 'How to develop offenseless chanting. 'Repeated chanting brings one to the stage of offenseless chanting: "The chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is recommended even for persons who commit offenses, because if they continue chanting they will gradually chant offenselessly. By chanting the Hare Krishna mantra without offenses, one increases his love for Krishna. "Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura quotes this verse from the Padma Purana: Even if in the beginning one chants the Hare Krishna mantra with offenses, one will become free from such offenses by chanting again and again.…One becomes free from all sinful reactions if one chants day and night, following the recommendation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu." (Bhag. 6.3.24, purp.) The Bhagavatam also recommends offering prayers and glorification of the holy name. There are prayers such as the Namastaka by Rupa Gosvami and there are selected verses in Srimad-Bhagavatam that are appropriate. It is also recommended that one should develop a service attitude toward the Lord and this will help one to chant without offense. Under the guidance of a spiritual master the disciple is trained simultaneously to render service and at the same time to chant the Hare Krishna mantra. As soon as one develops his spontaneous service attitude, he can immediately understand the transcendental nature of the holy names of the maha-mantra. Finally, one should chant with submission and humility. This is also Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching: If one is interested in advancing in chanting Hare Krishna one should be humbler than the grass and more tolerant than the trees. One should not be very proud of his intelligence but should give all respect to others. In this way, one can chant Hare Krishna offenselessly. I woke last night at 9 P.M. with a headache, took medicine and went back to sleep. I got up from bed at 1:30 A.M. and began my chanting. I had an extra good experience in chanting this morning. Partly it stemmed from the inspiration of the quotation from the Namamrta that I used this morning. I could actually feel that by persistent chanting I am gaining benefit. I may not be able to feel the meditation on Radha-Krishna pastimes, but I can feel my constancy and determination in chanting early in the morning every day and doing it for many years. I have faith, as stated in the Namamrta, that even though I have offenses, I am doing the best thing to remove those offenses by constantly chanting Hare Krishna. I am on the path toward offenseless chanting. Chanting with constancy is a great virtue. Krishna will see that despite our imperfections we are sincerely trying and we never give up. He will gradually reward us our heart's desire. Our japa should be done with effort to improve, attentively hearing the holy sounds and staying alert as we accumulate our quota. How precious are these early hours spent with Nama Prabhu. I would not trade them for all the riches or honors of the world. www.sdgonline.org. # 55 Prabhupada, I read some poems by nondevotees before I start one to you. You might say, "What do you expect to find there?" I guess it's the humanness of Sharon Olds with her dying-of-cancer father. The hard times and striving for native music of Jimmy Santiago Baca who believes in a god of Chicanos. And the formal pieces of ancient Chinese. But you're right. They leave m,e and I'm alone to praise you. Best just to think of you as unique in a line of gurus in Brahma-Gaudiya sampradaya. You receive the sakti from Lord Caitanya. But generic descriptions of Guru and even the statements of the singular greatness— are not enough for me. I look for something from the heart. A bit of experience will suffice. It's up to me to hear very submissively, then any recounting will be good, and they can accumulate. You've said that you are giving us ecstatic attraction to Krishna. "Or else why would you all come each day to hear Bhagavatam? You are being purified." To recall any of your words in the right mood is all that I require. And to obey. You once said I was good at that. You also said people leave their wealth to their pet dog and at death they will think of the dog: "They will become infected with his germs and become a dog in next life." Then, Prabhupada, you made a wonderful connection—"Think of Krishna and at the time of death you will go to Krishna." I hear with faith and a spark as if for the first time. www.sdgonline.org. Bhaktivinoda Thakura's songs change from lament at being a sinner to intimate association with the bodies of Radha and Krishna. And he writes of Gauranga's kirtanas. He moves from one mood to another, sometimes before you know it, but he is always yearning and proclaiming pure Krishna consciousness. I cannot honestly write like him. It would be sheer imitation. I write from my place. I hear Baladeva chanting his japa on the floor below. It is not so loud, but it interrupts my writing. I am trying to write a spiritual poem. Mary Oliver writes—Is the wind through the pines, especially in autumn, saying nothing at all, or have I just not learned its language? That is a kind of spiritual poem. I want to write something of Krishna standing in a clearing in the woods, wearing a yellow cloth and twirling a lotus. The way He looked when the wives of the yajnic brahmanas came to bring Him a feast and surrender their lives to Him. I want to dare to write of Radha and Krishna, say when They were playing dice and arguing over who has won. And the sakhis are laughing. I want to make prayers like the speakers in the Bhagavatam who teach their disciples not to be angry with the nondevotees but engage them in acts of devotional service. Or speeches that teach us we should not waste our human lives in sense gratification because that will entangle us in rebirth in the material species of life to suffer birth, death, disease and old age. I don't want to think it's too repetitious to chant and sing the Hare Krishna mantra for hours, but rather I want to be able to chant with deepening meditation and absorption in the transcendental sound vibration. I want to feel love for my spiritual master and serve his order. I want him to be pleased with me because I know Krishna will then be pleased with me. I want to be able to tolerate my bodily pains and my mental dissatisfaction and rise to a superior consciousness where I am actively trying to please Krishna despite my impairment. Not to feel sorry for myself. I'd like to be able to appreciate Bhaktivinoda Thakura's songs while writing my own in a deep and pleasing way. But for now… www.sdgonline.org. Free Write I turned at random to Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 5, Chapter 5, verse 15: "If one is serious about going back home, back to Godhead, he must consider the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the summum bonum and chief aim of life. If he is a father instructing his sons, a spiritual master instructing his disciples, or a king instructing his citizens, he must instruct them as I have advised. Without being angry, he should continue giving instructions, even if his disciple, son or citizen is sometimes unable to follow his order. Ignorant people who engage in pious and impious activities should be engaged in devotional service by all means. They should always avoid fruitive activity. If one puts into the bondage of karmic activity his disciple, son or citizen who is bereft of spiritual vision, how will one profit. It is like leading a blind man to a dark well and causing him to fall in." Bhagavad-gita says one should not disrupt the minds of the ignorant. They should be encouraged not to refrain from work but to work in the spirit of devotion. This is a call for the devotee to become a compassionate preacher. He should not be angry at the materialists for their foolish behavior but should behave like an older brother toward them. Vidura was compassionate to Dhrtarastra even after he committed so many abominable activities and let his sons persecute and fight against the Pandavas. When the war was over and Dhrtarastra had lost everything and was living at the mercy of his former enemies, Vidura went to him and strongly advised him to be detached from material life. He did this out of kindness. A preacher should not ignore the plight of the nondevotees and allow them to go on their path to hell. He should take the chance and approach them (even at the risk that they may be disturbed) and advise them to engage in devotional service). This may sometimes require great tact and creative intelligence. The preacher should make Krishna consciousness so attractive, by positive speaking, and distributing prasadam, festivals, temple worship, seminars etc. that the nondevotee is made to consider Krishna consciousness in his own life. Rsabhadeva tells his sons one should not neglect one's own sons or disciples or become angry with them when they fail, but one can see everyone as one's sons or a person in need of instruction. I am writing this after a breakfast of corn muffins. While I honored prasadam Saci read into an intense section of Antya-lila where Lord Caitanya has a dream that He is seeing Radha and Krishna in the rasa dance. When He wakes He sees Radha and Krishna everywhere. He goes to the temple of Jagannatha and sees Lord Jagannatha as Krishna in Vrndavana. A woman from Orissa climbs on His shoulder and onto the Garuda stambha to have a better look at Lord Jagannatha. Lord Caitanya considers her fortunate to be so eager to see Lord Jagannatha. But the incident breaks His mood and He now sees Lord Jagannatha as at Kuruksetra with Baladeva and Subhadra. He becomes morose and goes home and sits on the ground tracing His fingers on the earth. These readings will have more of Lord Caitanya in the mood of Radharani in separation from Krishna. The author says these emotions and manifestations are inexplicable but he asks the reader to listen with faith. If you do so you can attain—what does he say—love of God? I hope to keep writing spiritually. I wrote a poem saying I can't imitate Bhaktivinoda Thakura but I want to write a spiritual poem. I then wrote some stanzas of pastimes and personal realizations. Everyday you try to put it on the line. I mentioned Bhaktivinoda Thakura again and the nature of spiritual poetry as I can express it. I am just a little-leaguer in spiritual emotions and poetry but I can push and try to make spiritual poems. The idea is to push and practice. Some will come out better than others. You lost many manuscripts that you wrote before you met Prabhupada. You finally threw your collected creative writing into the incinerator at 26 Second Avenue, thinking it was all false ego. I wish I had them now. Now you have many manuscripts worth saving for the future, even after your death. Many instructive books for the next generation to read. I did them as best I could. Now I write a daily journal with sections that can be compiled into books. This is some sample text. This blog is not the most Hare Krishna in content these days, but as I wander the Hare Krishna/Iskcon web–namely Planet Iskcon, Chakra and Dandavats–I am surprised to see *nothing* about Srila Narayan Maharaja and the fact that he is *dying*. Since my husband helped found Iskcon Resolve with the help of his grandfather's long term friend, Arnold Zack (okay, that is so tacky-name-dropping but hey, this is an appropriate time for it!), I am saddened to see that after 9 or so years of this ombudsman/mediation office being in place, there has not been any progress made between the Iskcon camp and the Narayan Maharaja camp. At least not publicly. It is not my place to get into the details of who did what to whom in what year, etc. I personally don't care. But I do find the silence on the Iskcon internet presence odd. Death can come at any time and Maharaja has been blessed with a very long life. Others are not. I hope there is some plan in place to clear the air between Maharaja and Iskcon before it is too late. And I hope that, as great and not so great devotees continue to pass from this world, Iskcon is inspired to make amends. To be the bigger fish in the very small pond of Vaisnava community. Tripurari Swami *cough cough*. By Indradyumna Swami Life on the festival tour in Poland this summer was austere - the cramped living facilities, the long hours, and the hotter-than-normal weather - but our three hundred devotees kept their spirits up all the way through. Many said that it had been our best tour, as proved by the largest crowds ever (queries info@mantralingua.com) and answering Kavi Candra's question on increasing attachment to the Deities. Class given on Sunday 10-11-2010 Srimad Bhagavatam 11.25.15 - The person in the mode of ignorance. Isodyan – a new guest house in Mayapur with all modern facilities is coming up, adjacent to Vamsi bhavan. Isodyan bhavan construction began on the auspicious day of Nityananda Trayodasi, in the January 2010. The piling work is almost over and the basement construction has begun. This guest house will have a total of 140 rooms, with four types or categories of rooms – 97 rooms of 230 sq.ft, 33 rooms of 400 sq.ft, 2 rooms of 360 sq.ft and 8 rooms of 700 sq.ft rooms. read more
Namabhasa is called the clearing stage because it clears or purifies the heart of all sins. This is the intermediate stage where one hears the holy name attentively; carefully avoids offenses; and chants the holy name with determination and enthusiasm. Although not perfect, namabhasa is very beneficial because it leads to pure chanting and krsna-prema. From The Art Of Chanting Hare Krsna by Mahanidhi Swami Dusshera, Bhaktivedanta Manor.
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