Doyal Gauranga dasa & Gadadhar Pandit dasa, NYC: Chana Masala!!!

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Here are the latest updates for   "Planet ISKCON" - 50 new articles H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Tuesday 22 February 2011--God's Secret Agent Kali Yuga Incarnation--and--How to Solve Loneliness Problem? Australian News: Earthquake: ISKCON Christchurch temple wrecked, deities smashed Doyal Gauranga dasa & Gadadhar Pandit dasa, NYC: The restless mind Doyal Gauranga dasa & Gadadhar Pandit dasa, NYC: Chana Masala!!! ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Vedic Village Video ISKCON Melbourne, AU: 12-hour Kirtan ISKCON Brampton, Canada: Appearance Day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Goswami - February 22, 2011 Kurma dasa, AU: La Trobe University Hosts Kurma Dasa ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: ISKCON is more than just a name to be used at whim. Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: In the News: Mantri takes over Iskcon's project, hikes prices Gaura Yoga, NZ: Mac course – beginners level ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Kesava Prabhu Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura on reform Japa Group: Japa - Kirtan Retreat Part 8 Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Subject : MacBook With Soup Spill Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Prahladananda Swami - BG 13.26 - Parrot Incarnation H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 228 H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): Poem, February 21 Dandavats.com: Reporting on the first day of the GBC meeting New Vrindavan, USA: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura - Appearance Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Paraprosdokians Ananda Subramanian, Iowa, USA: Classical answers to Classical questions from Classical science Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Saturday, February 19th, 2011 H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Friday, February 18th, 2011 H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Thursday, February 17th, 2011 H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Photos from the japa walk on the 15th of February, 2011 Dandavats.com: Live From Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir! HH Ramai Swami Mayapur Online: HH Romapada Swami lecture Transcription H.H. Sivarama Swami: Reporting on the first day of the GBC meeting including India’s phenomenal book distribution results and Pastoral Abuse Australian News: Find Out About The Appearance Day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Goswami Maharaj. Ananda Subramanian, Iowa, USA: Suvarnabhumi International Airport Thailand The Loft, Auckland, NZ: Soulfood The Loft, Auckland, NZ: Yoga Wisdom The Loft, Auckland, NZ: Sacred Chanting The Loft, Auckland, NZ: Our Cows Sri Prahlad, AU: Sri Prahlada kirtan at Qi Yoga March 5th Mayapur Online: Mayapur Currency Exchange Information ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu Gouranga TV: Lecture – Bir Krishna Goswami – Talking with TKG Academy Students ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhakti Visramba Madhava Swami Japa Group: Japa - Kirtan Retreat Part 8 More Recent Articles Search Planet ISKCON Prior Mailing Archive H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Tuesday 22 February 2011--God's Secret Agent Kali Yuga Incarnation--and--How to Solve Loneliness Problem? A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(tm) Tuesday 22 February 2011 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, and His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani are enjoying transcendental pastimes in the topmost planet of the spiritual world, Sri Goloka Vrindavan. They are beckoning us to rejoin them. Our Mission: To help everyone awaken their original Krishna consciousness, which is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. Such a global awakening will, in one stroke, solve all the problems of the world society bringing in a new era of unprecedented peace and prosperity for all. May that day, which the world so desperately needs, come very soon. We request you to participate in this mission by reviving your dormant Krishna consciousness and assisting us in spreading this science all over the world. Dedicated with love to ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our beloved spiritual master, and to you, our dear readers. Today's Thought: God's Secret Agent Kali Yuga Incarnation Uploaded from Bhaktivedanta Ashram--Austin, Texas USA Because of the profusion of false incarnations of God in this dark materialistic age of Kali, when the Supreme Lord appears in this age He does not present Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He instead presents Himself simply as a devotee of the Lord. In 1486 Lord Sri Krishna appeared in India as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Those who were highly learned in Vedic wisdom and advanced in transcendental realization could understand that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was indeed God Himself. But to curb down the charlatan pretenders He would not accept being worshipped as God. This is further described by Srila Prabhupada in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam, First Canto, Chapter 2, Text 16 as follows: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was God Himself according to the indication of the revealed scriptures, but He played the part of a devotee. People who knew Him to be God addressed Him as God, but He used to block His ears with His hands and chant the name of Lord Vishnu. He strongly protested against being called God, although undoubtedly He was God Himself. The Lord behaves so to warn us against unscrupulous men who take pleasure in being addressed as God. Those who declare themselves to be God or allow their followers to present them as God are the worst cheaters and must be exposed so that the innocent public will not be misguided. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Lord Caitanya, the Covered Incarnation http://www.backtohome.com/images/Caitanya.jpg Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How to Solve Loneliness Problem? Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus flower feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I have this problem of loneliness. All relationships feel too demanding for me. I should have only one thing to concentrate, not many. Now work is taking most of my efforts/energies, but I have problems with social relationships also there. I do not have courage or willingness to make any relationships. I avoid all social happenings. I just like to be in the forests and alone. I wish that would be possible, and I should not anymore do anything else. Life is somehow very difficult. What can I do to solve this problem? Sincerely, V.P. Answer: Cultivate Transcendental Relationships I understand that you find relationships too demanding and that you would rather either be alone in the forest or just concentrating on your work without being disturbed by relationships. But please try to understand that because you are part and parcel of Krishna you are meant to have a loving relationship with Him. Therefore if all you do is earn money and commune with the forest without reviving your lost relationship with Krishna, you will never be satisfied. Relationships only become frustrating when they are not favorable for our Krishna consciousness. Therefore the solution for your loneliness is that you must abandon or minimize as much as possible any of your relationships that are not helping your Krishna consciousness and simultaneously cultivate wonderful loving relationships with the spiritual master, Lord Sri Krishna, and His devotees. These relationships, when properly cultivated, are not too demanding. Indeed these relationships liberate us from all the miseries of material existence and qualify us at the time of death to go back to the original, pristine Vrindavan forest to live there in an eternal, fully blissful, all-cognizant wondrous existence of loving relationship with the inconceivably sublime Lord Sri Krishna and His incredibly amazing devotees. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Transcendental Resources: Receive the Special Blessings of Krishna Now you too can render the greatest service to the suffering humanity and attract the all-auspicious blessings of Lord Sri Krishna upon yourself and your family by assisting our mission. Lectures and Kirtans in Audio and Video: Link to High Definition Videos Link to Over 1,000 Lecture Audios Lecture-Travel Schedule for 2011 http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/schedule Have Questions or Need Further Guidance? Check out the resources at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com or write Sankarshan Das Adhikari at: sda@backtohome.com Get your copy today of the world's greatest self-realization guide book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is available at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/store Know someone who could benefit from this? Forward it to them. Searchable archives of all of course material: http://www.sda-archives.com Receive Thought for the Day as an RSS feed: http://www.backtohome.com/rss.htm Unsubscribe or change your email address Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Daily_Thought Copyright 2005-2011 by Ultimate Self Realization.Com Distribution of this material is encouraged. Simply we request you to acknowledge where it is coming from with a link to our sign up page: http://www.backtohome.com Our records indicate that at requested to be enrolled to receive e-mails from the Ultimate Self Realization Course at: This request was made on: From the following IP address:   • Email to a friend • • Australian News: Earthquake: ISKCON Christchurch temple wrecked, deities smashed Four or five hours ago another earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck New Zealand causing serious damage to the Christchurch ISKCON Temple. Unconfirmed reports describe the temple as being “in ruins” and say that with the exception of Srila Prabhupada’s murti the deities are smashed. The city center is widely damaged and the spire of the cathedral there has collapsed. Phone lines are down, and buildings are said to be in ruins. New Zealand police say there are reports of multiple fatalities. Early reports say the damage exceeds that of last years 7.1 magnitude quake. Please pray for the devotees and well wishers in New Zealand particularly those in the affected areas. So far there are no reports of injuries amongst devotees. A further report will be made as news comes to hand. Post Script: Eyewitness description of quake from NZ Herald News Facebook posts: “Its worse than I thought. Multi-story buildings flattened, people dead, temple will have to be demolished and worst of all the deities have been smashed beyond repair. City closed. Mayhem. Major quakes continue at random. smaller on rictar but closer to surface so damage many many times worse.” Share this story your way:   • Email to a friend • •   Doyal Gauranga dasa & Gadadhar Pandit dasa, NYC: The restless mind "The Restless Mind" In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna makes our relationship with our mind very clear when he says "For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy." It's tough language, born of the battlefield context of the Gita itself, but when we really think about it, it's so true. How often throughout our day do we find our mind providing us with incredible inspiration, only to soon drag us off on some adventure or daydream which takes us way off-course. We discussed how the practical power of the Gita helps to bring us off the "mental platform", or identifying too closely with our thoughts and mental impressions, which after all are only potential representations of who we actually are. We did a mindful guided meditation in which we attempted to step back and observe the flow of our thoughts, which we rarely ever do. Our realizations that we discussed showed us that the power of our mind and the health of our mind must be nurtured and respected, especially if we want to know our deeper, spiritual self. Of course, the power of mantra meditation is an excellent tool to make the mind our friend, and we once again talked about this wonderful practice, and invited everyone to join us on Thursday morning for our weekly meditation, to give our mind, body, and soul a powerful boost.   • Email to a friend • •   Doyal Gauranga dasa & Gadadhar Pandit dasa, NYC: Chana Masala!!! Chana Masala Ingredients (serves 4-6 persons) 1 tablespoon vegetable oil ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon mustard seeds ½ teaspoon asafetida 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 fresh, hot green chili pepper, minced 1 medium sized cinnamon stick 2 bay leaves 2 tablespoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 tablespoon chana masala 1 teaspoon chat masala/amchoor 1 cup crushed tomatoes/tomato paste 4 cups boiled garbanzo/chick peas Salt to taste 2/3 cup water Fresh Cilantro (for garnishing, optional) 1. Heat oil in a large skillet. 2. Add asafetida, bay leaves, ginger, chili & cinnamon and sauté over a medium heat until browned (3-5 minutes).Turn heat to medium-low. 3. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and chana masala. Stir for a few seconds. 4. Add the tomato paste/crushed tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes until browned lightly. 5. Add chickpeas and a cup of water and stir. 6. Add the amchoor, salt and lemon juice. 7. Cook covered for 10 minutes. 8. Remove the cover and garnish with cilantro.   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Vedic Village Video That's a very entertaining video featuring our Hare Krishna Security manoeuvring Lord Jagannatha's cart at the very beginning of it, followed by an overview of the Vedic Village down at the Catani Gardens.   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: 12-hour Kirtan Here comes another wave of nectar crashing down on the shores of Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir where... ...every word is a song ...every step is dance ...every day is non-stop kirtan!   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON Brampton, Canada: Appearance Day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Goswami - February 22, 2011 Tue Feb 22 is the appearance day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Goswami. Celebrations at the temple on Friday Feb 25th at 7pm...please come and enjoy kirtan, discourse on the pastimes of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada and a sumptuous feast. Born on 6th Feb 1874, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is the child that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura prayed to Lord Jagannatha for, wanting an able assistant to preach Krishna Consciousness. His divinity was evident from birth. When he was born, his umbilical cord was wrapped around his body like a brahmana thread. He was six months old when Lord Jagannatha had His Rathayatra festival in Jagannatha Puri. Lord Jagannatha’s chariot stopped outside of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s house for three days and Srimati Bhagavati Devi, Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s wife, took this opportunity to go up onto the chariot and present her new son to Jagannatha Gosvami. Immediately upon placing the child in front of Lord Jagannatha, the child grabbed Lord Jagannatha’s feet and a garland also fell from Lord Jagannatha onto the child. Upon hearing this, Bhaktivinoda Thakura knew this was the child he had prayed for, and so he gave him the name Bimala Prasada, the mercy of Bimala Devi. [In Jagannatha Temple in Puri, Lord Jagannatha’s maha-prasadam is offered first to Bimala Devi and then she gives it for public distribution. In the same way, Bhaktivinoda Thakura considered his son to be her mercy coming originally from Lord Jagannatha.   • Email to a friend • •   Kurma dasa, AU: La Trobe University Hosts Kurma Dasa My teaching year has begun. Here's some details of one upcoming class: La Trobe University, Melbourne will soon be hosting its 4th annual hands-on cookery workshop with Kurma Dasa. Places are limited! Hurry - only six weeks to go. Date: Saturday, 9 April 2011 Time: 9:30 am - 4:30pm Venue: Life Skills Cafe, La Trobe University, Bundoora Campus Bookings and enquiries: email Manoj latrobebhaktiyoga@gmail.com / phone 0430 1008 17   • Email to a friend • •   ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana It was a real 'wow!' moment when the curtains opened this morning and you will soon see why! Bhakta Prabhu, Bhaktiman Prabhu and Sri Yasoda Mataji really out performed on Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Ballabha and Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Maharani respectively. Their Lordships obviously wanted to look Their best on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja's Appearance Day. We should celebrate his Vyasa Puja everyday then. Would you vote it 'THE Darsana of the Month' too?   • Email to a friend • • Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: ISKCON is more than just a name to be used at whim. To be clear this article is being written by Indresh (Subhavilasa's son and not Subhavilasa das). ISKCON is not only Srila Prabhupada's creation but it is also Srila Prabhupada's body. In an article I wrote a few months ago http://www.radhashyamasundar.com/2/post/2010/11/wwpsp.html, I wrote about WWPSP..."What Will Please Srila Prabhupada?" This was a commentary on when dealing with the Hare Krishna movement, ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada and his devotees we should always ask "What Would Please Srila Prabhupada?" So sometimes when I see news articles, publications, blogs, etc., I ask myself would this type of activity and publicity please Srila Prabhupada? ISKCON is not a name to be used at whim or to be utilized as some sort of  profit making scheme. ISKCON is not simply a brand to be put on uniforms of hired employees or commercial schemes under the guise of "not-for-profit" corporations or charitable trusts.   It is not all about money and how big can it be built...Our mission is about changing lives and providing people this great gift that Srila Prabhupada has given us, so that they can go back home, back to Godhead. ISKCON is Srila Prabhupada's creation and Srila Prabhupada's body! If we can remember this and WWPSP than publicity and the public's image will reflect this. The ISKCON name which Srila Prabhupada personally chose and fostered with his lotus hands and vani must by synonymous with purity and bhakti.  Tomorrow is Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur's Appearance day and on that day we will remember his instructions to Srila Prabhupada in Radha Kund which drove Srila Prabhupada to create ISKCON. In that conversation Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Maharaj expressed his frustration with the "big marble temple" at Bhag Bazar and in fact told Srila Prabhupada that it would be better to take of all the marbles and sell them to print books. So this reflects the spirit of our disciplic succession for focusing on outreach and deliverance of the fallen souls and temples, adminsitration, assets, etc. part and parcel of that vision.    dasanudas, Indresh   • Email to a friend • •   Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: In the News: Mantri takes over Iskcon's project, hikes prices Conceptual picture of Iskcon Bangalore's planned amusement park The following article appeared  in a leading Banglore Newspaper.  You can read what was published in the free press. http://www.bangaloremirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News -City&sectid=10&contentid=201102092011020900225361d2b9a8a9 An excerpts from the article is below: The decision has left Poonam, who had long wished to move to the Garden City, furious. “The price of almost Rs 62 lakh was within my budget,” she said. “The name ISKCON spelt trust. The balconies of my flat were to command a view of the Heritage Tower and the Krishna Lila Park. The brochure, through which ISKCON announced the project, suggested that this was a way for patrons to contribute to the development of the park. What could have been better?” In September 2009, ISKCON-Charities, Bangalore had announced through its newsletter that it was offering flats to its members in the Phase II of the Gokulam India Heritage Township. Poonam was among 76 patrons who bought flats. She hastily arranged the Rs 3 lakh to pay for the registration, and came to Bangalore on December 9, 2009 to check out the project. She was briefed by Akilesh Baldota of Oysters Marketing, the sole selling agents of ISKCON. After finding all to her liking, she registered for a flat. “I had to raise registration money by selling a few personal items, because I did not have that kind of liquidity. I even paid an extra Rs 250 per sq feet as high rise charges, because I wanted a flat on the 21st floor. I was to have a magnificent view of the theme park and the Heritage Tower as well,” she said. For nearly a year thereafter, she heard from neither ISKCON-Charities nor Oyster Marketing. Every time she called, she was told all was well. In October last year, she was shocked to receive a letter from Mantri Developers. “The letter just stated that the project will now be called Mantri Serenity and that the price would go up by 10 per cent. If I wished to withdraw my booking, ISKCON would refund my money. I had no information from ISKCON, nor did they return my calls or emails. Finally, I managed to speak to Akilesh and he confirmed that Mantri would be developing the project.” She was also told that her flat would now be on the 17th floor, never mind the high rise charges she had already paid, and she learnt that the new design would not give her the view for which she had agreed to buy the property in the first place. “I called everybody from Mantri Developers to ISKCON to Akilesh, but I only got the take-it-or-leave-it attitude. They can always sell my flat for a much higher price. When I spoke to Madhu Pandit Dasa, president of ISKCON, Bangalore, he offered me a 2-bhk apartment in the first phase for Rs 46 lakh as a compromise. This is nothing but fraud,” said Poonam.   • Email to a friend • •   Gaura Yoga, NZ: Mac course – beginners level   • Email to a friend • •   ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Kesava Prabhu Srimad Bhagavatam 11.31.7-10 - A learned person sees everyone with equal vision & has compassion for all living entities. panditah sama darsinah.   • Email to a friend • •   Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura on reform The world stands in no need of any reformer. The world has a very competent person guiding its minutest happenings. The person who finds that there is scope for reform of the world, himself stands in need of reform. The world goes on in its own perfect way. No person can deflect it but the breath of a hair from the course chalked out by Providence. When we perceive any change being actually effected in the course of events of this world by the agency of a particular individual, we also know that the agent possess no real power at any stage. The agent finds himself driven forward by a force belonging to a different category from himself. The course of the world does not require to be changed by the activity of any person. What is necessary is to change our outlook on this very world. This was done for the contemporary generation by the mercy of Lord Caitanya. It could be known only by the recipients of His mercy. The scriptures declare that it is only necessary to listen with an open mind to the name of Krishna from the lips of a bona-fide devotee. As soon as Krishna enters the listening ear, He clears up the vision of the listener so that he no longer has any ambition of ever acting the part of a reformer of any person, because he finds that nobody is left without the very highest guidance. It is therefore his own reform, by the grace of God, whose Supreme necessity and nature he is increasingly able to realize by the eternally continuing mercy of the Supreme Lord.   • Email to a friend • •   Japa Group: Japa - Kirtan Retreat Part 8 In the final part of the retreat, Sacinandana Swami discuss's the elements of successful kirtan.   • Email to a friend • • Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Subject : MacBook With Soup Spill Remember this post? Well, I just got this message in my FB inbox: I purchased a Macbook on eBay last week from a company that sells broken laptops for parts/repair. This particular one was listed as functioning, but with no returns or guarantees. Anyway, when I received it, I noticed that the hard drive had never been wiped out. The bookmarks in Safari led me to your blog, and I was able to deduce that this computer must have belonged to you. Are there any files that you need that I could send you? I carelessly deleted the pictures folder when I first got the computer because it was running slowly, but it then dawned on me that I should try to figure out who the computer originally belonged to before wiping it clean. I am sure I could probably recover the files if necessary. Let me know if you need anything or have any questions… I am a trustworthy person and have no intention of snooping through your personal files, but I will help you anyway I can if you need any files off of the computer before I reload Mac OS. Thanks! -Robert Lesson learned: Never trust a Genius! Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to have a public listing for your FB account. Tagged: macbook, soup spill   • Email to a friend • •   Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Prahladananda Swami - BG 13.26 - Parrot Incarnation Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Chapter 13, Text 26 titled "Parrot Incarnation" given by Prahladananda Swami.  This is at a home program at Lavangalatika's house. Dallas, TX 2010-12-13 Bhagavad-gita As It Is 13.26 anye tv evam ajanantah srutvanyebhya upasate te 'pi catitaranty eva mrityum sruti-parayanah TRANSLATION Again there are those who, although not conversant in spiritual knowledge, begin to worship the Supreme Person upon hearing about Him from others. Because of their tendency to hear from authorities, they also transcend the path of birth and death. PURPORT This verse is particularly applicable to modern society because in modern society there is practically no education in spiritual matters. Some of the people may appear to be atheistic or agnostic or philosophical, but actually there is no knowledge of philosophy. As for the common man, if he is a good soul, then there is a chance for advancement by hearing. This hearing process is very important. Lord Caitanya, who preached Krishna consciousness in the modern world, gave great stress to hearing because if the common man simply hears from authoritative sources he can progress, especially, according to Lord Caitanya, if he hears the transcendental vibration Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. It is stated, therefore, that all men should take advantage of hearing from realized souls and gradually become able to understand everything. The worship of the Supreme Lord will then undoubtedly take place. Lord Caitanya has said that in this age no one needs to change his position, but one should give up the endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth by speculative reasoning. One should learn to become the servant of those who are in knowledge of the Supreme Lord. If one is fortunate enough to take shelter of a pure devotee, hear from him about self-realization and follow in his footsteps, one will be gradually elevated to the position of a pure devotee. In this verse particularly, the process of hearing is strongly recommended, and this is very appropriate. Although the common man is often not as capable as so-called philosophers, faithful hearing from an authoritative person will help one transcend this material existence and go back to Godhead, back to home. Download: 2010-12-13b - Prahladananda Swami - BG 13.26 - Lavanga's House - Parrot Incarnation.mp3   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 228 www.sdgonline.org. 9:48 A.M. EXPLANATION OF THE TEXT: At present I am working on an autobiographical project. The writing of this project goes slowly, and I cannot write enough to print it every day. Therefore, I am posting daily a book called Every Day, Just Write. A book by that title was printed many years ago but it was heavily edited. I am now posting the unedited edition, which is fresh reading, and I am confident my readers will like it. So please note that this journal is telling of things that happened in 1996, and it is not a journal of my present day’s activities. Presently I am quietly writing my autobiographical text, and when it is finished I will print it. Every Day, Just Write, Volume I: Welcome Home to the One Big Book of Your Life November 23, 1996 12:08 A.M. Seek balance. You might like to do everything at once but can’t. Such as write structured book intensely; be peaceful yet excited in life; not get headaches; read books to learn about health and coping with illness, and yet avoid reading all non-KC books; travel but stay in one place; chant extra, read extra, and so on. But writing to find oneself is always valuable. When you write this way you sacrifice options such as more polished or structured presentation. This is what you get: repeated attempts throughout the day at the truth you seek. Up and down with the cycles. Sometimes you complain, “We are getting nowhere in hundreds of pages. We are wasting our precious weeks.” But at other times you know this is best. Because it helps you. If it helps you it ought to help others. Local courier delivery people said they would come out last night with a package. Madhu has their home phone number. I took rest and expected to find package outside my door at midnight. But it wasn’t there—hallway cold and empty. So I went back to reading Cc. I prepared a whole lecture for a disciples’ meeting on the four suggestions offered by Ramananda Raya which were each rejected by Lord Caitanya. I have noted down a condensed Sanskrit phrase to describe each of the four suggestions: 1) Varnasrama; 2) Krsnekarmapana; 3) svadharma tyaga; 4) jnanamisra bhakti. The principle that was accepted by the Lord was jnanasunya bhakti, hearing from self-realized devotees about Krishna.­ Now I haven’t forgotten my building up conviction toward increased japa. It will fill up a feeling of void or a “something missing.” But it will be an increased endeavor and bring the risk of taking me out of a more relaxed mode which is favorable for my recuperation from headaches. Samika Rsi wrote me and suggested the following behavior for the chronic illness state:­ “Please take more slow, natural, positive steps when you take any stressful situation. Do only what you feel you can handle in a relaxed way; a positive looking forward attitude. If it still bothers, step back and try another time,” The “something missing” may be health, and I have to face my limits. Accepting it can be sweet. Don’t think of it negatively, as void. But one doesn’t want to underendeavor either. It’s a fact, thirty-two rounds would bring a “strain” to daily life. But favorable stress is also positive, meeting the challenge of life. Srila Prabhupada states that Krishna consciousness and easy going life don’t go well together. Do what you can, not what you can’t. I recall Saint Therese and even Saint Teresa of Avilla saying they couldn’t do certain devotional acts because of illness—and also because of the limits of being women and not being able to preach as missionaries the way men could.­ Each time I write I discover something, more reality, more facets. Yesterday afternoon, the thirty-two rounds attempt was my new secret. This morning my life’s secret is accepting limits of semi-invalid life, which may include not committing myself to the thirty-two rounds vrata. But I ought to try to eliminate sleepy rounds. I may try to gradually increase. See if you work harder and more vigorously whether you get adverse conditions in head. If not, go forward. But I won’t push myself all of sudden to thirty-two.­ I must admit that being free of headaches is a very high goal for me. I actually had it for the last seven days. So let’s capitalize on it; that is, let’s try to keep it up. It will give me important self-confidence. If I need to go easy in order to keep free of headaches, then do that. Taste sweetness of “easy” life with awareness that if I can maintain it, I will increase the stress level gradually.­ 3:38 A.M. What you could say by reflection was said. But one has to keep writing. Then you have to go off into space or thin air and it may not be so cogent. Airplanes distress. You allow words to come and never mind the­ looks of the folks who read. You are your own reader first. Help yourself, self-help. That seems very important for me this morning. If writing helps then it succeeds. Same with other functions. Of course, I may not always know what helps or what I need. I accept that I am servant of Krishna and need to serve Him. Need to work to please Him. (I want to help Him manage the transcendental cows, that is a lust, mentioned in Nectar of Devotion.) Krishna doesn’t need your help, but He is very willing and eager that you think like that—”I want to help Krishna in His pastimes.” But it is a very rare soul who is qualified to assist the gopis in making arrangements for Radha and Krishna in the groves of Vrndavana. Serve and satisfy your spiritual master in His mission to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world. That is helping myself, working for self-interest.­­­ But … does it feel good? Does it help your health? Your mental peace? Sometimes not. We used to say stridently, ”To hell with your peace and your mind and your physical health! Just work for Krishna!” But that has brought abuse. People have been tangibly hurt by inexpert and contaminated preachers and leaders. So dear preacher-self, dear big disciple of your spiritual master, if you’re going to take charge of my body, mind, and soul, I wan t to know how are you actually taking care of me? Get the point? KC has to be realistic, loving and bring results we can perceive as well as those which are from sastra but we can’t perceive them. Don’t act blindly. Act with knowledge and realization. Writing self-helps. Then why not just keep charts like they suggest in the chronic illness healing book? Because I know I am not this body. And why not just write more art like Marcel Proust and Junior Slingers? Because I am not art for art’s sake. I want to serve my spiritual master. You type like a horse pulling the load, in the tracings, the old horse nodding his head as he works, trodding through the cobblestone streets beaten by the master, “Hey! Hey! Giddap!” I am running along and forget from one moment to another who I am and what is my truth. I run on under the whip­.   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): Poem, February 21 www.sdgonline.org. Donna Lee, fast music— it snowed last night turning dirty snow all white “give a luster of mid day to objects below,” and the heavy plow trucks crash by under our window. Bala will go out and shovel in the afternoon. The Every Day, Just Write episode was good, about how free writing over weeks helps you to know who you are, is helpful to you even if readers don’t understand. Joe Lovano played a tribute to Bird very soft and smooth but like the mentor. He sped it up as Bird did and the fingers moved. I’m staying indoors behind in my rounds and writing because I was sleepy early in the morning. Now I’m catching up like Lovano, making up for lost time. I may be able to do a segment of Krishna conscious autobiography before the day is over. These are all self obvious truths, and I tell them simply because I have nothing else to smite you with. Please be gentle with the verse and versifier, he is growing old and needs to take it easy and without rebuff.   • Email to a friend • •   Dandavats.com: Reporting on the first day of the GBC meeting By Sivarama Swami Audio report about the first day of the GBC meeting including India’s phenomenal book distribution results, Pastoral Abuse, Vedic Planetarium, cow protection and more...