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"Planet ISKCON" - 32 new articles - Ekendra das, Alachua, USA: Camels that Kick Suitcases and Krishna Who Plays Flutes
- H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Saturday 23 October 2010--Our Mission is to Save the World--and--Dealing with Anger Against ...
- Australian News: This weeks offering from Rasika's Indian Cooking Club: MMMmmm delicious
- Australian News: Govardhana Puja at Australia's New Govardhana Farm
- Australian News: Kurma shares the taste in Hare Krishna Valley
- Australian News: Viva le Harinama Revolution! The Sankirtan Crown is Returned to Brisbane Yatra: See the live video
- Bhakta Chuck, CT, USA: Friday Night Oxen #27
- Japa Group: It Was Good To Be Alert
- H.H. Sivarama Swami: Verse for Kartika
- Akrura das, Gita Coaching: SMART QUESTION COACHING
- Sita-pati dasa, AU: A saintly person has no friends
- Sita-pati dasa, AU: Grassroots Harinam Brisbane
- Sita-pati dasa, AU: "A saintly person has no enemies"
- Dandavats.com: 6th Issue of the 16Rounds Newspaper
- Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Atheist takes to dog
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 109
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: One Hundred Prabhupada Poems
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Sincerity
- H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: Free write
- Bharatavarsa.net: Book distribution seminar: Srila Prabhupada's challenge: devotee-preachers surpass yogis
- New Vrndavan, USA: Damodara Month,Damodarastaka(w/Translation) & The Glories of Offering a Lamp During Karttika
- Book Distribution News: Srila Prabhupada's challenge: devotee-preachers surpass yogis
- Madri dd, South Africa: Questions from me to the Vaisnavas
- ISKCON News.com: Bhaktivedanta Research Centre Saves Rare Literary Treasures
- Dandavats.com: TOVP Website Translations
- ISKCON News.com: ISKCON Celebrates Rama's Victory in Grand Style
- ISKCON Toronto, Canada: Happy Kartik!
- ISKCON News.com: Srila Prabhupada's Govardhana Parikrama Celebrations
- ISKCON News.com: Devotees a Unique Presence at Florida Homecoming Parade
- H.H. Sivarama Swami: Varsana dd asks "Should devotees keep dogs?"
- Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: Bill Clinton Becomes A Vegan
- Gouranga TV: 2010 Janmastami Newgoloka
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Used luggage isn't like used cars. There are no Certified Pre-Owned Models, only severely beat-up disaster relics that look like they fell out of airplanes, were viciously torn apart by wild dogs in the desert, slapped on the backs of camels by passing Tuareg salt caravan chieftains and dragged back into town, to be sold for 2.99 at Goodwill. After fruitlessly poking my nose in musty corners of thrift stores for the past couple of days, trying in vain to find a cheap, big, fat secondhand suitcase to take to India (which didn't fit the abovementioned, woebegone description), we plunked down on a Name Brand, Three Hundred and Sixty Degree Swivel Model suitable for packing a disassembled, homemade Jet-Air Stratocaster (courtesy of Stokakrishna Guitar Laboratories) wrapped in socks, sweaters, and Pilgrimage cloth. On clearance. Garish red stickers, on top of other stickers claiming to show the "actual price," always get me going. As we were driving away from Bargain Luggage Loka, we saw, at about twenty degrees from the horizon, just above the tops of the trees, the full moon brightly shining in the pre-twilight evening. Usually, when I see the moon while there's still plenty of light in the sky, it looks like a cute, round, faintly translucent cloud. This one looked like what it actually is—a big, shiny planet, worthy of as much or more respect as the red-and-green colored lights regulating the forward motion of automobiles. We waited at the stop light, patiently obeying red and green circles of light hanging from wires, but really our awe and respect was for the cool, bright whiteness of the Eye of God, the first full moon of Karttika, on the occasion of Rasa Purnima, when Krishna—the most gorgeous manifestation of the Supreme Being ever—made a little extra evening visit into the forest of Vrindavan to play his flute and dance. The entire human society is currently drowning deep in the dense darkness of delusion known as material consciousness. This is based on the false conception of considering the self to be the body. Instead of having a natural intuitive understanding of the reality that surrounds them, because of their having been grossly miseducated, they do not have...
Want to learn how to cook? Get thee to this web site www.kitchenreligion.com.au and joing Rasika's Indian Cooking Club. Get your own personal kitchen trainer. One you have stepped into the vortex of traditional Indian cooking you're swept away on a lifelong journey of learning, fascination, frustration, service and ecstasy which has no end. Rasika looks forward to sharing this journey with you soon. Here's this week's offering: 
Clockwise from the front . . . Green beans in Cashew sauce, Peach Chutney (OMK this was sooo good), Cauliflower Pakoras – so crispy and then sooo creamy!, Puris, water, hot milk, Orange Poppyseed Halava. This was to die for. The halava was just syrupy enough as you munched into it and that orange juice which flavoured it was punctuated by the orange zest I added. Actually the halava has inspired me to do an orange and sultana halava in the coming course. We'll certainly be doing a nice range of stone fruit chutneys now that summer is on us. They're truly divine. Catch up with you all soon. Your servant Visit Rasika's Cooking Club now at www.kitchenreligion.com.au Share this story your way:          
2:30pm Bhajans
3:00pm Drama performance
3:30pm Go Puja
4:00pm Class by H.H Janananda Goswami
5:00pm Govardhana Puja
arati and kirtan
maha feast Sponsorship: Feast – $1008 sponsored
Abhishek – $251
Flowers – $351
Sponsor the days worship – $108
Marquee – $700
Altar decorations – $308 Cick here to visit the web site and find out more Share this story your way:
On the weekend we held our second Vegetarian Cooking Retreat with Kurma dasa for this year. Twenty-two wonderful guests attended to learn the art of vegetarian cooking in the Bhakti-yoga tradition. Bhakti-yoga refers to the "science of devotion", and it is the form of yoga practiced in the Hare Krishna movement. In other words, we dedicate all of our words, thoughts and deeds for the pleasure of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Our guests learnt that the consciousness of the cook affects the meal, and that we should learn to dedicate the meal we are preparing for the pleasure of Krishna. The guests were all exceptional people, and it was a pleasure for the devotees at Hare Krishna Valley to host such a special group. The participants learnt how to prepare many of Kurma's favourite dishes and preparations, including home made paneer (Indian cheese), ginger & carrot soup and sweet and thick vermicelli (wheat noodles in condensed milk). As Kurma said at the beginning of the retreat, it was more like an eating retreat than a cooking retreat! 
We received some positive feedback from the guests after the retreat, an example of which is as follows:
"Hi Veda, Keshava and Manigriva – just a short note to thank you ALL so very much for making this weekend such a special time. I haven't stopped chatting to my husband and kids about what a fabulous experience the retreat was and how welcome we were all made to feel. I haven't felt so relaxed in ages (or laughed so much!) and to meet new people and join in such a wonderful cooking (and eating!) experience has been a gift which will be long remembered. Coincidentally, I have caught up with an acquaintance as well as friends of my niece and had a great time over meals sharing stories with them too! Thank you for opening your home and hearts – I can't wait to return some time again with my family/friends. Best wishes to you and thank you again for all of the work involved in hosting the retreat. Will look forward to seeing you again – Kerri Robbins~ Bells Beach Cottages " Click here to see more on the webs ite of Hare Krishna Valley Share this story your way:
In a tidal wave of devotion the Brisbane Harinam Sankirtan Party rightfully claim the Aussie Harinam Sankirtan crown. This is Krishna consciousness: 34 Devotees chanting and dancing in the streets of Brisbane City, Australia. Distributing Prasadam, and Srila Prabhupada's books, these devotees inspire and lead us all. Watch this video and see what is happening in Brisbane. Get out on the streets and tear up the town it is your bounden duty, your yuga dharma. This is where it's at, make no mistake. Make a plan to join a Harinam party as soon as possible, you will not be disappointed. Viva le Harinama Revolution! 
Go here and sign up Share this story your way:
Hello Everyone, I thought this was really precious. The willingness and sincerity of this little guy alone would be enough for me to want to give raising oxen a try  . 
Have a nice weekend, in service to the Oxen, Chuck Chant
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
       
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.
Viraha Bhavan #106
bhavatīm abhivādya cāṭubhir
varam ūrjeśvari varyam arthaye |
bhavadīyatayā kṛpāṁ yathā mayi
kuryād adhikāṁ bakāntakaḥ || O Ūrjeśvari, (Rādhikā, the goddess of the Kārtika-month)! I beg You with sweet words for this benediction: May Bakāntaka (Krishna, the killer of Bakāsura) be more kind to me, knowing me to be Yours! (Rūpa Gosvāmī, Utkalikā-vallarī 20.)
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These performance questions catch your blind spots, keep you on track and improve your habits. Become more focused, clear, creative, purposeful, aware and balanced.
There is magic in taking time to ask yourself the right questions that will pop out the right answers for you. At least monthly, if not weekly, spend about an hour and answer all of these questions. Be brutally honest with yourself. Once you have answered the questions, create a list of action steps for your next week or month. Do this process regularly and watch your life change.
Patterns, processes, procrastination, habits:
Where can I be more efficient in my life?
What 5 things have I been procrastinating?
What are my time wasters?
What excuses keep me stuck?
Problems, past, pain:
Where am I vulnerable?
Where do I hold myself back?
What am I afraid of?
What stresses me?
For what problems must I ask for solutions?
Perceptions and perspectives of myself and others:
What are the needs/desires of my boss or partner or family?
What is God's agenda for me?
What contacts or friends do I want to develop more?
What negative or limiting thoughts keep jumping into my mind?
What key choices am I ready to make?
Prosperity:
How can I create another or larger or easier income stream?
In what areas do I want to receive more learning?
How can I be more productive and effective?
Where are some opportunities for me to give?
Principles and values:
What 3 areas in my life do I want to recommit to?
Where do I need to clarify my stand or position?
What deeds or actions need my forgiveness or acceptance?
What can I do to increase balance in my life?
What value is most important for me to express now?
Purpose, potential, passion, power, possibilities, path:
What are my deepest heart-felt desires, dreams and visions?
Where are my life purpose and goals unclear?
How can I experience a greater sense of meaning in life?
What new ideas are teasing me these days
Peace of mind, play, pleasure, pamper:
When do I feel greatest happiness in my life?
What can I do to have more fun in all areas of my life?
How can I get more stillness, solitude and peace in my life?
When you have completed the answers and the resulting action steps, ask yourself, "What am I missing? Is there anything else?" Use questions often. The subconscious mind is always answering. We must only practice asking and then listening.
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The saintly person is described in Bhagavad-gita 18.54 as samah sarvesu bhutesu - this means he or she is equally disposed (the "same") to all living entities. In Srimad Bhagavatam 7.1, King Pariksit asks how the Supreme Lord can be equal to everyone, and yet side with the demigods against the demons. The response that Sukadeva Goswami gives reveals that however you fix your mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whether affectionately or inimically, you get the same result. Even though Krishna "kills" the demons while fighting on the side of the demigods, the demons are actually benedicted by this, and achieve the same destination as the demigods. For example, Putana achieved the position of Krishna's mother in the spiritual world, even though she approached him with the intent of killing him. Srila Rupa Goswami therefore makes a distinction between what he calls pure devotional service, and the form of devotion practiced by Putana, even though they lead to the same result: anyabhilashita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavritam
anukulyena krishnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama "One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krishna favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service."
- Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.1.11 The title of the book "Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu" means "the nectarean ocean of devotion". Visvanatha Chakravarti has written a commentary on Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu called Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu-bindu, which means "a drop from the nectarean ocean of devotion". You can download a translation by His Holiness BV Narayana Maharaja from here. In this commentary Sripada Visvanatha explains the meaning of the term "favorable" in Rupa Goswami's definition of pure bhakti. "Favorable" means "executed with the desire to please Krishna". Everything pleases Krishna, including the verbal attacks of demons like Sisupala and the physical attacks of demons like Putana and Kesi - but some things are done with the desire to please him, and other things please him irrespective of the intent of the performer. Putana's devotional service is pleasing to Krishna, but is not pure because her intent is not to please Krishna. The other important point here is that after she attains liberation and the position of Krishna's mother in Goloka Vrndavan, the nature of her service changes. Her service as a mother in Goloka is favorable, in the sense of motivated by the desire to please Krishna, whereas her motivation prior to that was not to please Krishna. So pure devotional service is the same before and after liberation. Baladeva Vidyabhusana was the successor to Visvanatha Chakravarti. In his Bhagavad-gita commentary, entitled "Gita Bhusana", Baladeva explains that when the Lord kills someone with his chakra, the chakra not only kills the gross physical body, but also the subtle body. In the 15th chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Krishna describes the subtle body as the vehicle for both transmigration of the soul and karma, in the sense of both residual desires and reactions. So with the destruction of the subtle body the karma of the living entity is ended, and no rebirth in the material world takes place. The envy of the Supreme Lord that manifests as the inimical stance of the demon is found within the subtle body, according to Baladeva, but the original nature of the living entity is one of pure love of God. This is like a cloud covering the sun - when the cloud is removed, the light of the sun is revealed. So when the subtle body of the demon is destroyed, their original love of God is revealed, and their devotion again becomes favorable and pure. This line of reasoning seems to me to lead to the conclusion that indifference to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the only problem. Whether you are inimical or favorable to the Lord, His name, form, qualities, and instructions, you are headed to the same place. The role of the material energy is to give you a million other things to focus on, so that your meditation on the Lord, of whatever nature, can never become sustained.
I didn't make it this week, as we are shifting house at the moment, but 34 devotees went out last night for what looks to be an ecstatic harinam! Viva la revolución del Señor Caitanya!
That "a saintly person has no enemies" does not mean that no-one considers themselves to be an enemy of the saintly person. There are those who think of the saintly person: "This person is my enemy, and I am the enemy of this person". What it means it that a saintly person does not think of any person: "He is my enemy", nor does he or she think: "I am the enemy of this person". Contrast this with the mentality of the asura, the "unsaintly" person, who thinks: "He is my enemy". (Bhagavad-gita 16.14). A saintly person has no enemies, and never thinks this way of anyone. Recently I heard of one person who came under sustained attack from someone, who - it seemed - considered this person to be his enemy, and himself to be the enemy of this person. The response of the person was to say: "I am sorry that I cannot please him". If such a response is the genuine sentiment, then it is the laksana (symptom) of a sadhu (saintly person).
 By Mahat-tattva Dasa
30,000 copies are about to hit the streets of San Diego. Additional 5,000 are going to Los Angeles and several more thousands are going to a few other places in the States
Prabhupada: Unless one is atheist, how he takes to dog? Theist takes to God, and they takes to dog. That's it. Not only animal dog, but they associate with a human dog, two-legged dogs. There are four-legged, and there are two-legged dogs-human being, but dog. He is also like dog, although he has got two legs and they have got four legs. In the parks it is by law prohibited to take dog, but he is dog. He violate the dog's law. Therefore he is no better than dog. [break] ...defect of modern civilization -- they are keeping people as dog, and they want to make them human beings by law. They are thinking, "If we impose this law, things will be all right." But how things will be all right? If you keep them dog, how the things will be all right? So we are training from dog to humanity. That is our special activities. We do not keep them as dog. We bring them to become godly. Then things will be all right. Other so-called gurus, they keep the disciple to remain as dog. Please pay him, and he... Asirvada -- he will be all right. This is going on. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- August 7, 1975, Toronto
www.sdgonline.org.  2:46 A.M. From Namamrta by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: "When chanting, one must very distinctly pronounce the maha-mantra: "Chanting involves the activities of the upper and lower lips as well as the tongue. All three must be engaged in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The words 'Hare Krishna' should be very distinctly pronounced and heard. Sometimes one mechanically produces a hissing sound instead of chanting with the proper pronunciation with the help of the lips and tongue. Chanting is very simple, but one must practice it seriously." (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 17.32) On a lecture tape, Prabhupada humorously imitates slurred chanting and then says, "Not like that. It must be done with priti, with love." Indistinct chanting means you are not chanting with devotion. If you chant distinctly during your life, it is quite possible that even at the time of death you'll be able to chant with faith and love. While the body is fit, one should chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly. If one does so then at the time of death, which is so difficult for the body, he will be properly able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith. Chanting is a lifetime of practice to come to the standard. Indistinct chanting comes from gross neglect and is a form of inattentive chanting, one of the ten offenses in chanting the holy name. I woke at 11:30 P.M. and tried to get back to sleep. I finally got up from bed at 12:30 A.M. and began my chanting. It went all right until 1:45 and then I developed a headache, pain behind both my eyes. I took medicine for it but the headache didn't go down. Despite the impairment, I went on chanting regularly, at a good pace and with minimum distraction. The headache prevented me from putting myself fully into meditation on the meaning of the mantra, but at least I persisted and did not quit. I chanted quickly, and by 2:45 I had finished sixteen rounds. At 2:30 Narayana came up, and when I told him about my headache he advised me to take more medicine, which I did, but as of now the headache has still not gone down. Chanting with pain
prevents deep, easeful
meditation. You are
pressured in the forehead
and your mind is tense.
Despite the distraction
you fly like a damaged
airplane and complete
your mission to reach
the quota. With grit
and determination you
accumulate your rounds
at a steady pace
hoping Krishna will accept
it as sincere although
impaired. He knows
if you were clear you
would pay better
attention and reach
into your heart
with faith and devotion.
www.sdgonline.org. 
#66 "Srila Prabhupada, do I think I can
automatically tune in to you?
We ISKCONites do it all the time.
We end our phone calls,
'All glories to Srila Prabhupada.'
'Jaya Prabhupada' can be used to mean
'Thank you for the loan of 10 bucks.'
Or it can mean, 'I don't think much of you.'
"Ways to be with him: stand and move before
his murti during daily guru-puja,
play a tape of his lecture,
give money for the causes he recommended,
chant Hare Krishna with him in mind,
and especially be a preacher.
'If you want to please me…' "It's something you do anew each day.
You go to him and ask, 'Please be
my spiritual master.' Prabhupada agrees,
you learn from him. You do some service.
Each day is like the first time.
I vaguely remember the time he
saved lunch for me and put the plate on the
floor, and I bowed before him.
My recall of the night he initiated me
is dim.
But today is fresh. I will refrain from
harsh words and wishy-washy conclusions.
I will find him and
accept him as my spiritual master,
His Divine Grace
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada."
www.sdgonline.org. Now I offer a poem to
Krishna, the way Baladeva
offers a cooked meal to
Gaura-Nitai, but he is a
master chef and
I am a scribbler. If I can be sincere,
I may offer something He
will accept, something the
Vaisnavas will find pleasing. Do you truly mean what you say,
is it from your heart,
unmotivated except with the
desire to please Him? Krishna cannot be reached except
by receiving the dust of the feet
of His pure devotees. You
sincerely serve your spiritual
master. That will do it.
You have to work for Him,
as tireless and self-sacrificing
as possible. Tell others
about the glories of Krishna.
Chant His holy names
for yourself and for
the people who will hear.
Be a preacher. Tell people Krishna is above
the modes of nature. He has His own
eternal body full of bliss
and knowledge. He is unknown
except for the rare, pure devotees.
They are sincere.
They truly love Him.
They keep their vows and
promises, try to reach
new heights. They have no hidden agenda,
and they are never envious
of other living beings.
They are sincere. They are not hypocritical or deceitful,
They are genuine, they sincerely
regret. Krishna is pleased with
them. As for Krishna Himself, He is
always sincere, except when
He's playing a trick. He is true to His word, He rescues
His devotees, He supplies what
they lack and preserves what they
have. He is the most
magnanimous, truest friend
of every soul, giving them
the chance to approach Him and
go back to Godhead.
He's true to His word.
He sees the good.
He only seems to cheat
the gopis, He's actually
increasing their love for
Him when He's away.
But He cheats the demons
because they try to cheat
Him, and if He wants
to cheat you, no one
can do it better than Krishna. He's the best person in all the
worlds, desiring the welfare
of all His parts and parcels
and giving them the easy method
to reach Him. I pray to be sincere
and banish my duplicity.
Even if I cannot offer
something great, let it be
my best, my authentic love.
www.sdgonline.org. 
I turned at random to Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto Three, Chapter 22, Verse 6: "It is my good fortune that I have been able to see you, for you cannot easily be seen by persons who have not subdued the mind or controlled the senses. I am all the more fortunate to have touched with my head the blessed dust of your feet." Svayambhuva Manu is speaking to the brahmana sage Kardama Muni. This is the ideal relationship between a king and a brahmana. The sage has praised the emperor, and now the king is acknowledging the superior position of the brahmana. The perfection of this life can be achieved simply by touching the holy dust of the lotus feet of a holy man. The parampara system of disciplic succession is very important as a means of spiritual success. One can become a mahat, or great soul, by grace of his mahat spiritual master. In Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura's Gurvastakam, he states that simply by satisfying the spiritual master one can achieve the supreme success in life, but if in spite of executing all ritualistic activities one cannot satisfy the spiritual master, then he has no access to spiritual perfection. Lord Caitanya spoke the Siksastakam prayers and made brief commentaries on them. The first verses are about the glories of the holy name, and the last one is spoken in the mood of Radharani. "Let Krishna tightly embrace this maidservant who has fallen at His lotus feet, or let Him trample Me or break My heart by never being visible to Me. He is a debauchee, after all, and can do whatever He likes, but He is still no one other than the worshipable Lord of my heart." (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 20.47) He then elaborates on Radharani's feelings that She loves Krishna whether He shows Her affection or kills Her by giving Her unhappiness. Sometimes, She says, Krishna gives up the company of other gopis and is controlled, mind and body, by Her. Then He manifests Her good fortune and gives others distress. But because He has the propensity to cheat, He sometimes takes to the company of other women and indulges in loving affairs with them right in front of Radharani. This gives distress to Her mind, but still He is the Lord of Her life. Then She says, "I do not mind My personal distress, I only wish for the happiness of Krishna, for His happiness is the soul of my life. However, if He feels great happiness in giving Me distress, that distress is the best of My happiness." (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 20.52) Radharani says, "If Krishna is attracted to the beauty of some woman, but He's unhappy because He cannot get her, Radharani falls at her feet, catches her hand and brings her to engage her for His happiness. She then quotes about a chaste wife, which is told in three of the Puranas: "The wife of a brahmana suffering from leprosy manifested herself as the topmost of all chaste women by serving a prostitute to satisfy her husband. She thus stopped the movement of the sun, brought her dead husband back to life and satisfied the three principal demigods [Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesvara]." (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 20.51) Prabhupada, when he was known as Swamiji in 1966, told this story to me to convince me to continue my job at the welfare office. I had become dissatisfied that I could not sit in Swamiji's presence during the day like the other boys because I had a fulltime job. I could only see him in the morning for the Caitanya-caritamrta class, then at lunchtime, and then when I got off from work in the evening. I decided to resign from work. I asked my supervisor, Mr. Rice, for a resignation form. When it asked for a reason for resignation, I wrote, "To study Bhagavad-gita with my guru." They knew in the welfare office that I was a member of the Hare Krishna group because I shaved my head with sikha and wore a Jagannatha deity around my neck. But they were surprised when I took it this far. I happily went over to Swamiji's apartment, where he was sitting with a few young men, and told him I had resigned. He did not respond with pleasure. And then he told me the story of a man–who he described as "old and ugly"—who wanted a particular prostitute but could not afford her. She was a very expensive call girl. The man's wife was so chaste to him she went to the prostitute and asked her to go to her husband. The prostitute laughed at her and said, "Do you know how much I cost?" When the faithful wife did not have enough money to pay for the prostitute, she began to personally serve her. Eventually the prostitute was satisfied and agreed to have sex with the woman's husband. She then told her husband, who happily went to see the prostitute. Swamiji then said, "Whatever you might judge about the morality of his wife, you have to admit that she was loyal and chaste." That's all he said.
He didn't have to ask me directly to keep my job. I got the point. Some of the other boys murmured that they could get jobs too, but I knew that they had no intentions of doing so. I immediately went back to Mr. Rice and told him that I had changed my decision and that I wanted to keep my job. He accepted me back. From then on I felt like a very responsible son to Swamiji and to the movement, and I saw my job as devotional service—turning over my entire check to the Swami (except for the rent money for my apartment, which I then opened to share with the devotees). I worked at my job responsibly and wrote two essays for our mimeographed Back to Godhead magazine about how working at the job was "karma yoga."
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 1, 1973, and I am very glad to hear from you the wonderful news of travelling party in England. I think the people of that place are becoming more and more inclined for this Krishna Consciousness movement, they are inviting you to stay at their houses, they are taking books, becoming sometimes devotees -- all of these are very encouraging signs to me. If you simply go on in this way, stopping in every village and city of England-Scotland, or if there are other places like Ireland, simply stop for some time, distribute books and hold Sankirtana procession, answer their questions, give some leaflets or small informations freely, distribute prasadam wherever possible, at least some small thing, and if there is genuine interest being shown, then request the townspeople to arrange some engagements for speaking in their schools, or in someone's home, or a hall, like that. In this way remain always without anxiety for destination and comfortable situations, always relying only on the mercy of Krishna for your plan, just go on preaching His message and selling His books, wherever there is interest. We shall not waste time if there is no interest or if the people are unfriendly, there are so many places to go. But I understand from your letter that practically everyone is taking some interest. That means you are presenting the thing in a very nice manner, they can detect that here are some persons who are actually sincere and nice, let me hear them, let me purchase one book. So I can understand that it is not an easy matter to travel extensively over long periods of time without proper food, rest, and sometimes it must be very cold there also, and still, because you are getting so much enjoyment, spiritual enjoyment, from it, it seems like play to you. That is advanced stage of spiritual life, never attained by even the greatest yogis and so-called jyanis. But let any man see our devotees working so hard for Krishna, then let anyone say that they are not better than any millions of so-called yogis and transcendentalists, that is my challenge! Because you are rightly understanding through your personal realization this philosophy of Krishna Consciousness, therefore in such a short time you have surpassed all the stages of yoga processes to come to the highest point of surrendering to Krishna. That I can very much appreciate, thank you very much for helping me in this way. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Prabhavisnu -- Bombay 3 January, 1973 (Text D:3735925) ------------------------------------------- ------- End of Forwarded Message ------
Hare Krishna to You All, Today, Friday, 22 October, is Sarat Purnima, Damodara Month Begins Damodar astak will be chanted everyday morning after gurupuja and in the evening at 8:30 pm All community devotees are invited to visit the temple everyday morning and evening for one month to chant Damodar astak prayers. We may try doing some austirities, every austerity and every spiritual activity we perform in this month will have 100 times more effects. Hare Krishna **************************** 'In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as Damodarastaka, which has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata and which attracts Lord Damodara.' (SriHari-bhakti-vilasa 2.16.198) (1) namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupam, lasat-kundalam gokule brajamanam yasoda-bhiyolukhald dhavamanam, pardmrstam atyantato drutya gopyd (2) rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam, karambhoja-yugmena stanka-netram muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha- sthita-graivam damodaram bhakti-baddham (3) itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde, sva-ghosarh nimajjantam akhyapayantam tadiyesita-jnesu bhaktair jitatvam punah prematas tarn satdvrtti vande (4) varam deva moksam na moksavadhim va na canyam vrne 'ham varesad apiha idam te vapur natha gopala-balam sada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih 5)idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilair vrtam kuntalaih snigdha-raktais ca gopya muhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam me manasy avirastam alam laksa-labhaih (6) namo deva damodarananta visno prasida prabho duhkha-jaldadhi-magnam krpa-drsti-vrstyati-dinam batanu- grhanesa mam ajnam edhy aksi-drsyah (7) kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yadvat tvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau ca tathd prema-bhaktim svakam me prayaccha na mokse graho me 'sti damodareha (8 )namas te 'stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne tvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamne namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai namo 'nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam 1) To the Supreme Controller who possesses an eternal form of blissful knowledge, whose glistening earrings swing to and fro, who manifested Himself in Gokula, who stole the butter that the gopis kept hanging from the rafters of their storerooms and who then quickly jumped up and ran in retreat in fear of Mother Yasoda but was ultimately caught – to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances. 2) Upon seeing His mother's whipping stick, He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yasoda bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, who is bound with His devotee's love, I offer my humble obeisances. 3) Those superexcellent pastimes of Lord Krsna's babyhood drowned the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. To the devotees who are attracted only to His majestic aspect of Narayana in Vaikuntha, the Lord herein reveals: 'I am conquered and overwhelmed by pure loving devotion.' To the Supreme Lord, Damodara, my obeisances hundreds and hundreds of times. 4) 0 Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for liberation, nor eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon. My only prayer is that Your childhood pastimes may constantly appear in my mind. 0 Lord, I do not even want to know Your feature of Paramatma. I simply wish that Your childhood pastimes may ever be enacted in my heart. 5) 0 Lord, the cheeks of Your blackish lotus face, which is encircled by locks of curling hair, have become reddened like bimba fruit due to Mother Yasoda's kisses. What more can I describe than this? Millions of opulences are of no use to me, but may this vision constantly remain in my mind. 6) 0 unlimited Visnu! O master! O Lord! Be pleased upon me! I am drowning in an ocean of sorrow and am almost like a dead man. Please shower the rain of mercy on me; uplift me and protect me with Your nectarean vision. 7) O Lord Damodara, in Your form as a baby Mother Yasoda bound You to a grinding stone with a rope for tying cows. You then freed the sons of Kuvera, Manigriva, and Nalakuvera, who were cursed to stand as trees, and You gave them the chance to become Your devotees. Please bless me in this same way. I have no desire for liberation into Your effulgence.  0 Lord, the entire universe was created by Lord Brahma, who was born from Your abdomen, which was bound with a rope by Mother Yasoda. To this rope I offer my humble obeisances. I offer my obeisances to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani and to Your unlimited pastimes.
The Glories of Offering a lamp during Karttika Text 99 In the Skanda Purana it is said: "When one offers a lamp during the month of Karttika, his sins in many thousands and millions of births perish in half an eye blink." Text 100 It is further said: "Please hear the glories of offering a lamp during pleasing to Lord Kesava. O King of brahmanas, a person who offers a lamp in this way will not take birth again in this world." Text 101 "By offering a lamp during the month of Karttika one attains a pious result ten million times greater than the result obtained by bathing at Kuruksetra during a solar eclipse or by bathing in the river Narmada during a lunar eclipse. Text 102 O Tiger of sages, for a person who thus offers a lamp burning with ghee or sesame oil, what is the use of performing an asvasmedha-yajia? Text 103 "Even if there are no mantras, no pious deeds, and no purity, everything becomes perfect when a person offers a lamp during the month of Karttika. Text 104 "A person who during the month of Karttika offers a lamp to Lord Kesava has already performed all yajnas and bathing in all holy rivers. Text 107 "The ancestors say: When someone in our family pleases Lord Kesava by offering to Him a lamp during the month of Karttika, then, by the mercy of the Lord who holds the Sudarsana-cakra in His Hand, we will all attain liberation." Text 108 It is further said: "By offering a lamp during the month of Karttika one burns away a collection of sins as big as Mount Meru or Mount Mandara. Of this there is no doubt. Text 111 "A person who offers a lamp during the month of Karttika attains a result that cannot be obtained with even a hundred yajnas or a hundred pilgrimages. Text 112 "Even a person addicted to all sins and averse to all pious deeds who somehow offers a lamp during Karttika becomes purified. Of this there is no doubt." Text 113 "O Narada, no sin exists anywhere in the three worlds that will not be purified by offering a lamp to Lord Kesava during Karttika." Text 114 "A person who offers a lamp to Lord Krsna during Karttika attains the eternal spiritual world where there is no suffering." Text 120 "As fire is present in all wood and may be extracted by friction, so piety is always present in the offering of a lamp during the month of Karttika. Of this there is no doubt. Text 121 It is further said: "O King of brahmanas, when someone offers Him a lamp on the full-moon day of the month of Karttika, Lord Krishna, finding that He does not have sufficient money to repay that gift, gives Himself in exchange for that lamp. Text 124 In the Padma Purana it is said: "One who offers a steady lamp to Lord Hari during the month of Karttika enjoys pastimes in Lord Hari's splendid spiritual world. (found in the Padma Parana of Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa, spoken by Satyavrata Muni in a conversation with Narada Muni and Saunaka Rsi) 
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 1, 1973, and I am very glad to hear from you the wonderful news of travelling party in England. I think the people of that place are becoming more and more inclined for this Krishna Consciousness movement, they are inviting you to stay at their houses, they are taking books, becoming sometimes devotees -- all of these are very encouraging signs to me. If you simply go on in this way, stopping in every village and city of England-Scotland, or if there are other places like Ireland, simply stop for some time, distribute books and hold Sankirtana procession, answer their questions, give some leaflets or small informations freely, distribute prasadam wherever possible, at least some small thing, and if there is genuine interest being shown, then request the townspeople to arrange some engagements for speaking in their schools, or in someone's home, or a hall, like that. In this way remain always without anxiety for destination and comfortable situations, always relying only on the mercy of Krishna for your plan, just go on preaching His message and selling His books, wherever there is interest. We shall not waste time if there is no interest or if the people are unfriendly, there are so many places to go. But I understand from your letter that practically everyone is taking some interest. That means you are presenting the thing in a very nice manner, they can detect that here are some persons who are actually sincere and nice, let me hear them, let me purchase one book. So I can understand that it is not an easy matter to travel extensively over long periods of time without proper food, rest, and sometimes it must be very cold there also, and still, because you are getting so much enjoyment, spiritual enjoyment, from it, it seems like play to you. That is advanced stage of spiritual life, never attained by even the greatest yogis and so-called jyanis. But let any man see our devotees working so hard for Krishna, then let anyone say that they are not better than any millions of so-called yogis and transcendentalists, that is my challenge! Because you are rightly understanding through your personal realization this philosophy of Krishna Consciousness, therefore in such a short time you have surpassed all the stages of yoga processes to come to the highest point of surrendering to Krishna. That I can very much appreciate, thank you very much for helping me in this way. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Prabhavisnu -- Bombay 3 January, 1973 (Text D:3735925) ------------------------------------------- ------- End of Forwarded Message ------
Dear Vaisnavas,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I was wondering if anyone can tell me if Srila Prabhupada advocated the worship of Yasoda Damodara in his physical presence. I heard that he said it is not necessary to put Yasoda Damodara and that we can offer lamps to Sri Sri Radha Damodara.
Seems like he never introduced worship of baby Krishna like Vallabha Sampradaya does. Also did Srila Prabhupada install any Laddu Gopal Deities? [different subject.]
I would also like to know where to find footage of Srila Prabhupada during Iskcon's first Kartik. Is it in the 'Following Prabhupada' series?
Looking forward to your enlightening responses.
Thank you.
Hare Krishna.
By Madhava Smullen on 22 Oct 2010  | The BRC is preserving many rare and out of print treasures, including a copy of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's personal diary, and a handwritten copy of the Madhya lila of Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita dating back almost 400 years.
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 By Mandakini devi dasi
The Temple of The Vedic Planetarium would like to announce that they have now translated their website into Russian! We had such a positive response of viewers that we decided to start adding language options to the site. Spanish is being worked on and Hindi will be next.
By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON News on 22 Oct 2010 | | ISKCON temples and organizations all over the world celebrated the ultimate victory of good over evil this October 16th to 17th, with unique festivities centered around Lord Ramachandra's defeating the evil king Ravana and rescuing his wife Sita Devi.
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As many regular spiritualists of the Hare Krishna tradition know, the month of Kartik begins today! The natural charms of autumn are enhanced by the season of Kartik: the lunar month that falls across October and November.
This month is described as especially dear to Krishna, and sincere spiritualists keep it sacred through acts of devotion and vows of austerity aimed at increasing their spiritual strength and drawing closer to Krishna.
At the Hare Krishna temple, every Sunday Feast during this very special month will be highlighted with sublime festivities. Of note, we will collectively sing the Damodarastakam prayers, which celebrate one of Krishna's most endearing pastimes.
The month will also feature amazing festivals and the opportunity for us to dive deeper in our spirituality! We hope you can join us every Sunday at the Hare Krishna temple during this auspicious month.
As a special treat, you can view a wonderful animation of the Damodarastakam prayers (complete with lyrics and translation) below:
By Sadhudasa Anudasa for ISKCON News on 22 Oct 2010  | Srila Prabhupada Govardhana-parikrama and the Srila Prabhupada Gokula-pilgrimage aim to unite all of Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON members and followers with the members and followers from all sister Gaudiya-vaishnava institutions.
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By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON News on 22 Oct 2010  | About 300 devotees from the Alachua and Gainesville ISKCON communities, joined by UF students and other friends of Krishna, danced and chanted blissfully in the one-hour parade all the way to downtown Gainesville.
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From our friend Madhava Ghosh at his blog View From A New Vrindaban Ridge Click here to watch a short video from the former President talking about his change in diet
Bill Clinton became a vegan, lost 24 pounds, healing himself by not ingesting any cholesterol. Former US President Bill Clinton recently confirmed that he is indeed eating a mainly vegan diet. In the interview, the former president explains the reason behind his decision to go vegan. "I'm trying to be one of those experimenters," said Clinton. "Since 1986, several hundred people who have tried essentially a plant-based diet, not ingesting any cholesterol from any source, has seen their bodies start to heal themselves — break up the arterial blockage, break up the calcium deposits around the heart. 82 percent of the people who have done this have had this result, so I want to see if I can be one of them." Clinton decided to adopt the diet in the early part of May 2010. While he does occasionally eat fish, the former president otherwise follows a strict vegan diet. What made him go vegan? Clinton has read many books on the topic, including books by T. Colin Campbell, Caldwell Esselstyn and Dr. Dean Ornish. Although losing weight was a benefit of the dietary change, the choice to go vegan was about more than just losing weight. With time, Clinton could become the most outspoken proponent of a complete vegan diet.
2010 Janmastami Newgoloka
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