Should we think of Krsna’s forms and pastimes while chanting japa? We should not do anything artificial. As Prabhupada has said, the chanting is not an artificial imposition on the mind. Prabhupada has recommended that if we just hear the chanting then the time will come when simultaneously we will think of the form of Krsna. To concentrate on the sound may seem routine. Of course, that is only our neophyte stage.

From Japa Reform Notebook by SDG

Download: 2009-12-19 - Kalachandji's Kirtan Group - 5 - Chi Yoga - Hari das - Hari Haraye Namaha.mp3

Someone wrote to me a couple of times about Pandu's recent posts on Planet ISKCON, typecasting them as "ritvik stuff". Here is my reply to them:

"You know the truth of religion, and you are speaking according to the principle that the destination intended for the perpetrator of irreligious acts is also intended for one who identifies the perpetrator."

- Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.22

It is a mistake to identify with any -ism. When someone has personal difficulties in their relationships with other persons or with an organisation, sometimes they may take shelter of a pre-packaged philosophical position. All -isms are fossilized thought. Although they may identify with that, we do not help them by identifying with it ourselves.

How many times have you been on sankirtan and you start to describe something, and a Christian says: "Oh, I know what that is, it's 'idol worship'", or some other stereotypical conception.

It would be a mistake for him to identify with an -ism such as ritvikism, and it would be a mistake for others to draw up battlelines by saying: "Oh, I know what this is - this is that", and casting Pandu in that role.

Pandu is having difficulty integrating his personal experience, his expectations, and his understanding of the ideals of the organisation.

If someone wants to address this situation, then my suggestion is that the "anti-ritvikism" people, whoever they may be, need to start by explaining exactly what happened with H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami's disappearance, the participation of H.G. Vakresvara Pandit, and the Child Protection Office ruling against him.

Instead of giving a public, reasoned explanation of that, "the organisation" responded to Pandu by using coercive methods. Everything has followed from there.

Call me a heretic, but I think that the issues around H.H. Bhakti Tirtha's disappearance pastimes and the participation of HG Vakresvara Pandit should by explained. I have not seen an explanation. What is the difficulty? Where is the brahminical response?

What are you advocating to me now? That I should also respond to Pandu with censorship, threats, ostracism? I think that someone should step into the obvious leadership vacuum around this issue and explore the issues around what happened at Gita Nagari, and the way it was handled.

Along with Pandu, I also think that an explanation is due. However, I'm not going to take shelter of any -ism as a result, and I'm not sure if that is what he is doing. But he has to maintain his integrity somehow in the face of the reaction to his requests for explanation...

Lock step conformity with the prevailing organisational mindset leads to Nazi Germany and 80's ISKCON. Sorry, but Planet ISKCON is not a propaganda piece - it's about real people having a real experience of Krishna Consciousness.

"Why give an explanation when you can use organizational pressure and name-calling to silence people" is an extremely dangerous position to adopt. If someone blows a whistle and there really is nothing to see, then just explain the situation transparently. When the response appears to be a massive shutdown of all dialog, it creates the impression that actually there is something wrong.

And Pandu, just be careful about how you present things, because "ritvik" is the new "commie", and the issue risks transforming away from what happened at Gita Nagari to how you are becoming a public exponent of a particular organizational ideology.

Oh yeah, and if you want to know why ritvikism arose as an ideology, you're looking at a microcosm of its birth right here. It's a reaction to this organizational dynamic.

Saturday 13th, February 2010. Today my alarm clock was Gaura Hari, over the phone. I was systematically being woken up by different calls, which happened to tie up with a perfect waking time in the morning. I was quickly over at Sakhi Rai’s, to drop off a vehicle. I loitered on the couch, talking with Alanath Prabhu and engaging in some solo study. Today was supposed to be a big celebration for Daniele’s birthday. It was also going to be a surprise birthday.

Most of the devotees were hidden upstairs, while a small, core group had a diversion birthday lunch with Daniele. Vraja-Kumari came up to us, with a big bag of presents and handed all of us one to give to Daniele. We all snuck out the front door and circled around the back. Tribi had an accordion and was leading the song. We came in, just as they were about to bring in the cake. The cake was made by Rajesvari Seva Mataji (if you would like a cake made Raja, she is a professional cake maker [this diary may or may not have been sponsored by Rajesvari’s cakes and therefore I must add this mention] ).

It was spectacular and spontaneous event. Daniele’s mother received a copy of Maharaja’s diaries while Daniele received a wonderful well wishing letter from Maharaja and a badge, painted by his Russian disciples, depicting the Govardhana lila. I leaned over someone’s shoulder, just to have a closer look at this intricate work of Bhakti. We waved our goodbyes to Gitanjali and Jahnava Mata also. They were flying back to Sydney, unfortunately missing the last show of the tour. We were going to miss them and hoped to see them in the near future. We all made our way back to our dens, to ready ourselves for the final day.

Sunday 14th, February 2010. People had been waking me up with phone calls, over the last couple of days, but today Dominik personally came and woke us up. We made our way to Sakhi Rai’s for one of the most memorable and intimate parts of the tours. Indradyumna Swami had asked us all to think up some memories so we could share them with everyone today. Maharaja had also asked us to focus on the present events of tour so my tired, tour brain found the two orders contradictory and I decided to opt for improvisation inspired by the Supersoul, as apposed to actually consciously analyzing my memories.

Maharaja started by sharing his highlights and statistics. He talked about all our new embellishments and other things on those lines. He asked the devotees to raise their hands if they were committed to going to Brazil and South America. I was sad to be reluctant, as last year, when he asked the same question, my hand flew up. I was surprised to see almost ninety percent of the hands very quickly rise. Everyone seemed pretty worn out because of the tour, despite the incessant flow of bliss, and I was encouraged to see that they would dedicate themselves for another wild and mystical adventure, after feeling the weight of the current endeavour.

Sri Prahlada added his part. He talked about all our breakthroughs, how we learned all sorts of new ways to improve the show and make it more viable for many years to come. Gaura added a few heart felt memories after that. Rajesvari and Sri Gandarvika shared similar experiences, struggling with the social life of the tour and then remembering the inner essence of what we were doing, giving them amazing personal realizations.

Only a few speakers went before Maharaja said “and now Maddy…oops, I mean the Mind.” I was trying to think up some memories, while the other spoke but now I was totally caught off guard. I slipped back to plan A and just let the Supersoul take the ropes. I tried to talk as thoroughly and humorously as possible, and I think for the most of it, it came out well. None of what I said was what I planned to say but Krsna let me say what was appropriate.

I was touched when Tulsi gave me a personal mention. The young, Ninja Brahmana, Manipuri was striding through life, with great blessings from Guru and Krsna so I was happy to have been a humble part of his undertakings for pleasing the Lord. If he again mentioned my name, at the gates of Vaikuntha, then maybe all my endeavours in life will be fruitful. It wasn’t soon after Tulsi spoke that the tears began to flow. It was like the stories in the Caitanya Caritamrta. Almost all the troupe were crying or glinting in the eyes. It was one heartfelt testimony after the next. On our last year’s memories it was a light, joking yet still intimate dealing but this was much more formal and direct - ripping at the core. Everyone was sharing their inner feelings from the tour, their loves and losses so to speak.

From the gurukuli girls, who were very fresh out of Mayapur, we saw a heart felt desire to be back in the Dham. They truly missed the holy place and considered Australia, Mleccha Desh, like hell on earth. For them, to live anywhere else other than the Dham, was merely a compromise and was only really worth it if it was for preaching. They felt unfortunate to be in a place so many others would see as a great opportunity.

There was a great sense of family from the tour group. The Australian tour really was like a big family. We were the approximate size of a single sankirtana party, in the days of yore, and there was so much spiritual emotion poring forth. The group was totally unique and the experiences that we shared were not on the mundane level. There was no need to ask anyone for forgiveness or talk out any problems because all envy was washed away. We were together to do this service and we had the common goal of pleasing Krsna and his great devotees. This was Prabhupada’s family and his gift to us all, in these fallen lands of outcasts. He scooped us up and gave us life. He made us red hot, like iron in the fire.

Alanath Prabhu gave a touching addition for the devotees of Australia. He had been there from the start, when there were barely even centres and devotees were harassed. Now, he was so happy that we had enough facility that, out of all places, Maharaja and his troupe would grace our country’s surfaces. Australia went from being a sinful place to a holy Tirtha, merely by Maharaja walking on the pavement, while conducting the harinam yajna. Thousands of people attended our shows, which Maharaja duly noted in his general statistics. Thousands took Prasadam and hundreds took books. They all heard Maharaja talk about the essential spiritual teachings and so many people were reached by our street kirtanas.

We finished off the whole thing, with a triple birthday. Dhira Mata, Mahavana and a local devotee, Rancor Prabhu, all shared candles on another of Rajesvari’s mystical cakes. We were all moving around as if in a dream. After all the love, gratitude and sharing, we still had to put it out again in a spectacular festival. It was difficult for us to follow Maharaja’s order and “focus”.

The whole function had taken far longer than it was scheduled for so we had to rush for our cars now. We jumped in one car, then someone told us to go to another and then I had to hop out of that one so I could drive another car. I looked at my gauges, and noticed a fuel light. Everyone was so frazzled, trying to wind back into reality, that I didn’t know how much they were observing. I told them, more than enough times, that I needed to fill up, just to make sure they wouldn’t forget it. We made our way, stopping at the first petrol station we could find. It was such a long distance away and when we arrived, the petrol station was closed. I was increasingly worried that the last show would end in the disaster of us running out of fuel on the side of the freeway. We came to the next petrol station, just on the outskirts of Ipswich, the town we were going to do the show in. It felt like the car was heaving now, as the last droplets of fuel were being sucked up. The petrol station was open and the scare was over.

The hall was sizable and nice, like most of the recent venues. We sat in the funny scented changing rooms and tried to reinitiate sanity into our minds. Everyone was off in fairy land and not much sense was coming of things. Maharaja entered the room in a bit of a rush. He was apparently meeting the Mayor of Ipswich and wanted to give him some signed books. He dabbed away many words of praise and thanks to the prestigious man, struggling to learn his name so he could write it down. He then dashed off, with his arsenal of gifts, enthused at the chance to preach the message of Bhakti to such a high society man.

Our Gita performance wasn’t the best that night. The venue’s stage sound was very quiet, not giving us our much needed mental impact and our minds were off in the clouds. I remembered Leichardt, our finale in Sydney, which had a similar mood but this was tenfold. I didn’t really feel awake until the kirtana. It was then that it half hit me; this was the last day of our tour. I reminisced all sorts of things, thinking them ever so significant at the time. I remembered from my childhood and all the way through my life, all the little things Krsna had arranged to keep me engaged and keep me on the path back home. It was an overwhelming feeling, brought on by the mercy of the tour, that I could clearly see Krsna, in my own life, pulling me away from the nasty world and setting me sail in the right direction. It was the nicest thing for me to receive from tour, that extended moment of reflection. After all the preaching we do, the best preaching is done on ourselves.

We came out to the lobby, for our last ecstatic goodbye. We stayed out late, trying to say long, heartfelt goodbyes to all our comrades but it was practically impossible. So much needed to be said and there were so many people who needed to hear it first. HH Indradyumna Swami subtly slipped off to his car. He said a few words to some devotees, closed the door and drove off. “His Holiness Indradyumna Swami, ki! JAI!” Everyone hit the deck, paying our obeisances on the open bitumen. We rarely had the opportunity to pay our proper respects in public to Indradyumna Swami, trying not to confuse the public, but now we were alone (but I don’t think anyone was really conscious of that at the time anyway).

We lost the group and took shelter of our GPS. We drove home, in the dark night. Over the next couple of days, most of the devotees would be going their separate ways. A large group would be flying, together, to India; some would be staying in Australia, making their way back to their different towns and cities; others back to Europe and Moscow; and HH Indradyumna Swami was continuing on, heading to America for another adventure, forever being the travelling preacher.

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Sunday Feast class given on 07-03-2010
Who am I?

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.22 - The revival of relationship (rasa) with the Supreme Lord will keep ones faith strong in the process of bhakti.

Aftershocks on Gaura Purnima critically damage the Santiago center.

The worldwide effort on behalf of Jayapataka Swami augments Mayapur's standard monthly goal of 10,000 books.

As negative media and public reaction greet the first formal talks between Pakistan and India since the Mumbai terrorist attacks of November 2008, could spirituality prove a more effective healing process?

Welcome to the live broadcast of Vaisesika das' seminar entitled, "Going the Distance in Your Krsna Consciousness".

Feel free to use the private chat window below the broadcast to ask questions to the administrators who will try to relay your questions during the class. The chatroom is private so other online viewers cannot see your questions. If you have any problems with the broadcast, feel free to message us in the chat window or leave a comment on this blog post.

Free live streaming by Ustream

4:04 A.M.

It was another bad night. I woke up at 9:30 from a dream in which I had lost my identity as a devotee. I was a student at Brooklyn College. My courses were all mixed up, and I had to go see the registrar. I was so upset from the change of identity that it took me while to remember that I was safe as a devotee and that my main service was writing the journal and chanting Hare Krishna and serving Prabhupada. I had moved my body to a different position in the bed, and I had to readjust myself. But I couldn’t get back to sleep. For the rest of the night I had short dreams and insomnia. But no headache. However, I got up from bed at 2:30 and at that time a pain came in my right eye, and I had to take medicine. Narayana came up and he gave me solace and we spoke, but I had to take more medicine. Then the headache went down. I’ve been chanting my rounds quickly but mechanically like moving the beads on an abacus. I feel it’s not my fault, it’s the fault of the pain, and I can’t control it. But at least I am moving my rounds speedily and paying attention to the sounds of the syllables. My mind is not drifting to other subjects. Quickly, quickly. The names are as good as Radha and Krishna themselves, and I take reassurance in that, but I can do much better. I will try to improve on my last four, but I don’t have high hopes. If only I could go deeper and meditate on the Divine Couple in earnest.

Your eye pain and
restless night present
troubles for japa.
You don’t blame yourself.
It’s a physical malady.
If your heart were free
you would swim in the
mantras and concentrate
more deeply. I know this
about you and so does
Krishna. The malady has
crippled you, but you
are still responsible to
say harinama from
the bottom of your heart.
Sickness is no excuse.
Brave soldiers fight
on through the thick of
the battle, carrying
the banner of victory.
As long as I can utter
the names I will
do so, and not beg
off in defeat.

Prabhupada Smaranam

These are pictures taken in a very big theatre hall in Paris. Prabhupada lectured for free admission and the place was packed. His French disciple Jyotir Mayi Devi Dasi is standing and doing the translating into French. This turned out to be an unruly affair. Some people even brought spray-can paints with the intention of spraying Prabhupada. At first the audience was quiet for his lecture except for a few hoots. Prabhupada based his lecture not on a Vedic scripture but on the first line from Saint John’s gospel of the Bible, “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God.” The lecture was eloquent and ecumenical and the audience was quiet. He spoke on brahma-sabda, the authority of hearing from the scriptures as the absolute truth. Prabhupada went on explaining the pramanas, or proofs, for truth as he spoke with the analogy of the statement in Saint John. But in the question and answer period, agitators started yelling. One man yelled out that Prabhupada was sitting on a raised seat above everyone else, and he shouted “Get down! Get down!” Prabhupada replied that the seat was reserved for one who spoke the absolute truth and he invited the man to come up and sit on the vyasasana and speak from the platform of the absolute. The man was baffled and couldn’t think of an answer. But a portion of the audience took up the chant “Get down! Get down!” Things were getting out of hand.

An African man mounted the stage and started addressing the audience. At first he seemed to be supporting Prabhupada’s right to speak, but then he contradicted himself and said Prabhupada shouldn’t speak. People shouted in agreement. The crowd was basically not interested in Prabhupada’s transcendental talk, and they wanted to talk on topics of nationalism and radicalism, and they interrupted Prabhupada’s speech. Prabhupada saw that further discussion was useless, and he called for another kirtana. The harinama with karatalas and mrdangas pacified the crowd. But after a while they became unruly again and Prabhupada ended the kirtana and closed the program. Some of the devotees were concerned for Prabhupada’s physical safety, and they formed a tight ring around him and escorted him off the stage to his car. In the car back to the temple, he said he said he would not sit on the vyasasana in public again.

We’re back to write of Krishna
the one Lord of violence and peace,
the Supreme Lord of all creation.
Yet inconceivably He is a cowherd
boy. I can’t understand it, but I
like it.

Our God is bucolic, He plays in
fields in His original form and
in His expansions He commissions
the work of gigantic cosmic
creation, maintenance, and destruction.

How can He be both? It’s the power
of His yoga-maya which makes
everything possible. He prefers
the Vraja scenes and says the
opulence of being almighty cripples
His ability to love intimately
His dearmost friends.

So you should acknowledge God
as great and pray to Him for
protection and be in awe of
His power, and even fear
His omnipotence.

But more so, you should
learn how to love Him
intimately as a friend.
It is not easy. And
yet Lord Caitanya has
made it relatively easy
by the chanting of His names.

The names bring you close
to Krishna in Vrndavana if
you follow a pure devotee
and attach yourself to a
particular service.

This is obvious but
not attainable in an
ordinary religious lifetime.
It takes rare mercy
and determined sadhana.

As you grow older you should
get better at it, but you
feel physically tired and
can’t do the vigorous
preaching you did as a youth
when you went to the local
newspaper office and
demanded they do
a story on your temple’s kirtana
and you went to the Boston
Commons and got hit on the
head by a bottle thrown
by a thug.

What can you do better in
your old age? Can you chant
better? I don’t think so.
I remember those vigorous
rounds pacing and sitting
up straight loudly jawing
and shaking your head.

What can you do now? You
can try to give a shortened lecture
but you remember less. You reach
for the heart. I remember a
priest said he lectured wanting to
convey his love to the audience.
That’s more than scholarship.
But do I have the love?

It is scary, growing older and
seeing the light diminish. You
seek comforts, but you want
assurance that you’ll attain
the Supreme. How can you dare?
Can you count on your earlier
investments? Be good,
be peaceful, be kind, speak
your mind. I don’t know how
to make you better at this
age. But you shouldn’t fade.

Search and find a way to go out
singing and serving others. Demonstrate
faith, speak faith, be
faithful. You must
think with nonspeculative intellect.

Tell about the time Lord Caitanya
chased after the sand dune,
and how He merged into the
Tota-gopinatha deity. Tell the
things you know. Don’t waste
your time watching movies.
I need to sleep but don’t
overdo it. Prepare for
death by living. But don’t wait

around for it. Be telling someone
about Krishna when it comes.

Excuse me sir, but you
have to go now. It’s too
late for anything additional.
You should have done it already.

Free write

Here are some people in the rain. The umbrella was a great invention. It took some ingenuity to figure out how to make it shaped like a cane so you could carry it around conveniently until it actually rained and then you opened it up. Maybe some early versions of the umbrella weren’t folded up, and you had to carry them always opened up. The real invention came when someone figured how to make it with ribs that can be folded up and conveniently carried. The one remaining defect of an umbrella is that when the wind blows too hard the umbrella will collapse inside out. But I saw on the weather TV channel that strong umbrellas can withstand gusts up to forty-five miles per hour before they tear or turn inside out.

The world’s greatest feat of umbrella making was done by Krishna when He was only seven years old. He lifted up the Govardhana Mountain (which was considerably bigger 5,000 years ago than it is today) and held it on the pinky of His left hand, turning it into an umbrella for the entire population of Vrindavana against a hurricane force torrent sent by King Indra. Everyone, all people and animals, fit under the umbrella and were dry and safe for seven days. By yoga-maya Krishna supplied the people with food and drink for those seven days. Indra was so frightened by the reversal to his attack that he called off the samvartaka clouds and stopped the rains. The people of Vrndavana have such an intimate relationship with their beloved Krishna that they couldn’t even believe it was He who lifted the hill. They thought Lord Vishnu did it as well as their own sticks. Another feature of the Govardhana umbrella was that everyone assembled informally and cozily together and the gopis were able to stand close to Him and intimately behold His beautiful features. Actually the cowherd men didn’t take it as a routine thing. When it was over they interrogated Nanda Maharaja as to Krishna’s identity. They said sometimes He acts like a little mischievous boy, but sometimes He kills a great demon and now we have just seen Him lift this great mountain. So who is He? Nanda referred them to the boy’s horoscope that Gargamuni had read at His birth. Gargamuni said He would be “as good as Narayana” in His power, so just accept that as your explanation for who my son is. And there will be plenty more wonders you will see. And yet He is just my son. And He can protect all of us. It is the wonderful feature of Vrndavana that Krishna lives with us and plays sometimes as a child and sometimes as the yoga-isvara. The men were satisfied with this explanation and by the grace of yoga-maya they mostly considered Krishna not as a demigod or God but as their dear most relative.

The painstaking work goes on in North Carolina, but it doesn't move fast enough for some.

The program switched to biodegradable serving ware two years ago, and now wants to take sustainability one step further.

The clinically depressed Baruthwaj had reportedly been attending services at ISKCON Phoenix.

The Marcellus Shale formation underneath Marshall County is believed to hold enough natural gas to fuel the nation for decades.

1968 March 12: "I am very pleased to hear about Krishna's new throne. I am anxious to come there and see it as well as you and all my students there who are carrying on so nicely even in my absence. Always remember I am always with you all so long you are executing Krishna Consciousness."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 March 12: "Householders may wear dhotis in the Temple. Outside the Temple they may wear American gentleman's dress, with Tilaka, flag, and beads. If they so desire, for ceremony, they can dress in dhotis for Kirtana."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 March 12: "This is willful violation of our rules and regulations. She cannot take charge. She may execute nicely wherever she is, I have all blessings for her, the door of Krishna Consciousness is always open. But to be in charge one must be completely above suspicion."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1970 March 12: "By the Divine Will of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura we are now combined together, although born in different parts of the world, unknown to one another. This is the way of Krsna transaction. So follow the path chalked out by our predecessors, and success is sure."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 March 12: "Krishna will give you timely a suitable place, don't worry. Our leader, Sanatana Goswami, was living underneath a tree, keeping His Deity hanging on the branch of a tree and still He was always engaged in the service of the Lord. So place or no place, we must go on with our preaching work."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 March 12: "If self-realized souls write something song about Krishna, that is perfectly from the transcendental platform, without any tinge of mundane influence or nonsense imagination. Unless someone comes from this category, his manufacturing some songs about Krishna will be misleading to himself and others."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 March 12: "Become determined to fix all your attention for seeing Krishna face to face by the Krishna Consciousness process and chant always this Hare Krishna mantra - than you shall qualify yourself for writing songs about Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1975 March 12: "Yes, you are right - all qualifications come if you simply surrender to the bona fide Spiritual Master. To take shelter of the Spiritual Master means to follow his instructions. So, you should be very careful to not deviate even a little bit from the order of the Spiritual Master."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

“O Queen of Vrndavana, O Radharani, Your complexion is like molten gold, Your doe-like eyes are captivatingly restless, a million full and brilliant moons wane before Your lustrous countenance, and a blue sari, having stolen the hue of a fresh rain-laden cloud, has enwrapped Your exquisite form. O Radha, You are the crest-jewel of all the dallying damsels of Vrndavana, fragrant and pristine like a budding jasmine flower. Your sublime form is adorned with priceless jewelry, and you are the best of all the charming and intelligent gopis. You are decorated with all wonderful excellences and surrounded by eight dedicated and beloved cowherd girls known as the asta-sakhis.

“The ambrosia of Your beautiful lips, red as the bimba fruit, is life-giving syrup to Krsna. O Radha, I am rolling on the banks of the Yamuna, my poor heart filled with anticipation, praying to You with all humility. I am guilty of being an offender, a rascal, a useless wretch–yet I beg You to kindly engage me in even the smallest service to Your lotus feet. O most merciful Lady, it will not become You to ignore this most distressed soul, for Your heart is always overflowing with compassion and love.”
-Srila Rupa Goswami Sri Prarthana-Paddhati

I don’t know what I was thinking. We went to Vrindavan during Janamastmi but didn’t book a hotel room. Its not that I didn’t try, I sent emails to book a room in the guesthouse or at least have someone suggest a hotel for us to try contacting but I never got a response. I thought that maybe I had lucked out like I did in Kolkata. I had emailed them, they didn’t email back but had a room booked for us anyway. No such luck. I remembered that a common belief among devotees is that if you get the mercy of Radharani, the Queen of Vrindavan, then you will have the privilege of staying in Vrindavan for more than three days. We weren’t even there one day, barely an hour and it seemed hopeless.

After some time my family, composed of my husband, father-in-law, Mom, Dad and my younger sister, lugged our bags to a hotel that said that they could only take us for one night as someone had the two rooms for the next day. Not even one day. Radharani wouldn’t let us stay for one day. My husband, sister an I walked around Vrindavan for an hour going from hotel to hotel asking if they could possibly give us two rooms for a week, or even one room for a couple days but we got turned down everywhere we went. People from all over India booked months in advance and it was painful seeing them just walk right past us, ask about their room and then disappear into the hotel. I felt bad for my sister. It was her third day in India and she was wandering around the dirty streets of Vrindavan in the heat and no sign of relief.

My younger sister is very pretty and what some might consider high maintenance, unlike me- a walking mess- she makes sure to be well-dressed and made-up before leaving the house. In our family she was always the one that stayed out of trouble, and I remember her always being very thoughtful of others. After all, she could have stayed with my parents instead of wander through the streets with us. Eventually she went back to the hotel and my husband and I search for an hour more. I considered taking my family to Agra and putting them up in a hotel there and I would stay in Vrindavan, even if I had to sleep in the streets. Even if I would have to sleep in the mucky gutters that line the roadside, I wouldn’t skip out on this adventure. We stopped at the Krishna-Balaram temple,
“Prema-Rupa, I need you to stay here while I continue looking.”
“No! I want to stay with you, why are you leaving me here?”
“Im going with my friend to keep looking and I need you to stay here and pray to Radharani.”
I sighed, “Are you sure?”
“Positive, I’ll be right back.”

I sat amongst a group of devotees in front of Sri-Sri Radha-Syamasundars altar, lively kirtan was being sung while we waited for the altar doors to open. I prayed to Radharani while chanting on my japa beads. Certainly She must know Im here, She wouldn’t neglet me, would She? Since my husband gave me Sri-Sri Radha Madanmohan in 2004, She has always been the one I turn to, the one I felt understood me best, the one I could depend on. I came all the way here just for Her. The altar doors open, the chanting exploded and people pushed their way to the front with their offerings of money, garlands and vegetables, eager to receive a little mercy. I slowly made my way to the front, my eyes focused on Her, oblivious to my surrounding. “Give me a sign,” I prayed, “a flower to fall, anything at all. I want to know you are listening.” I pleaded to Her my case. How I loved Her and wanted to serve Her. I told Her that having a hotel is not important to me, for Her, I could sleep in the streets but its my family’s first time here.

Nothing.

I told Her that I was willing to give up fancy saris for simple cotton ones if we could stay. That’s a big deal, I love sari’s. Im attached to every single one of them, even the rattiest dirtiest sari I hang on to until its completely shredded to pieces.

Nothing.

I begged and pleaded and bargained with no reply, “even if the pujari gave me a maha-flower, I’ll take that to mean something.” I held my hand out with the other devotees while the pujari handed out the flowers and tossed them into the crowd. My hand turned up empty. Slowly, people started to meander away. I pleaded with Visakha-Sakhi to convince Radharani to give me a little mercy, just a little. Radharani would listen to Visakha, right? They’re BFF’s She’s got to listen.

Nothing.

Then I got angry, “Okay Radharani, that’s how You want to be? Fine. I give you my attention, my love. I always make sure You get everything first. You get the fanciest dressing, my husband fusses at me about how long You take to get dressed and I always take up for You. I spent hundreds of dollars on You year after year, trying to give You the nicest, the best and I come to Your home and this is my treatment? Maybe I wont come back, is that what you want? Fine, be like that.”

Nothing.

Brokenhearted. I continued to silently pray, fingering my beads, still hoping for that sign. It had been four hours from when my husband left until he came back. He shook his head solemnly and we walked back to our hotel room without saying a word. We knew what this meant for us.

We got back to the hotel, my family was in their room, and my father-in-law was asleep on his bed. “This devotee is very well-known here in Vrindavan, he thought that if he came with me he could pull a few strings and get us a room, we walked by foot everywhere for four hours but everyone turned us down.” We lay in bed, my head on my husbands shoulder. I imagined my good-hearted husband walking around in the hot hot sun, “I know you prayed very hard for us, but maybe this is Krishna’s desire. My friend said that if he hears anything he will call me. But he doubts he’ll hear anything” We stared at the phone expectantly, the only sound was the whirring of the fan above us. We waited and waited but no one ever called. Maybe I didn’t pray hard enough, maybe I wasn’t sincere enough. Maybe God doesn’t care about what we want, about our desires, even if it is to serve Him. “Here is what I think we should do,” I whispered, “I think you should take our family to Agra and find a hotel for them there. They can stay there for the rest of the week….and I’ll stay here.”
“And what will you do here?”
“I just have to stay. Even if I have nowhere to stay, I just need to be here. I am determined to be here.” I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. The thought of my family and I not getting the mercy of Radharani was unbearable. I prayed one more time, I begged Her to not neglect me. I wanted the mercy so badly. Hot tears poured down my face as my husband tried to console me.

And then the phone rang.

Tonight, the ISKCON Toronto Blog will be broadcasting Vaisesika prabhu's first seminar live! Be sure to log on at 6:30pm EST to watch the seminar entitled, "Going the Distance in Your Krsna Consciousness: Dreams, Visions and Goals".

The Special series of Bhagvatam Classes "Overcoming Anarthas - Obstacles in Devotional Life" will also be brodcast live! The classes run from March 12 - March 15 at 7:45 - 9:00 am.

CALCUTTA’s Telegraph has got hold of an answer paper of a candidate at the recent UPSC examinations. The candidate has written an essay on the Indian cow:

“The cow is a successful animal. Also he is quadrupud, and because he is female, he give milk,but will do so when he is got child.He is same like God,sacred to Hindus and useful to man.But he has got four legs together. Two are forward and two are afterwards.

“His whole body can be utilised for use. More so the milk. What can it do? Various ghee, butter,cream, curd, why and the condensed milk and so forth. Also he is useful to cobbler, watermans and mankind generally.

“His motion is slow only because he is of asitudinious species. Also his other motion is much useful to trees, plants as well as making flat cakes in hand and drying in the sun. Cow is the only animal that extricates his feeding after eating. Then afterwards she chew with his teeth whom are situated in the inside of the mouth. He is incessantly in the meadows in the grass.

“His only attacking and defending organ is the horn, specially so when he is got child. This is done by knowing his head whereby he causes the weapons to be paralleled to the ground of the earth and instantly proceed with great velocity forwards.

“He has got tails also, but not like similar animals. It has hairs on the other end of the other side. This is done to frighten away the flies which alight on his cohoa body whereupon he gives hit with it.

The palms of his feet are soft unto the touch. So the grasses head is not crushed. At night time have poses by looking down on the ground and he shouts his eyes like his relatives, the horse does not do so.

“This is the cow.”

P.S.: We are informed that the candidate passed the exam.

Filed under: Cows and Environment, Jokes

From our friend Madhava Ghosh's blog "View From A New Vrindaban Ridge"

Later this year, a double-rigged crane will hoist a giant power turbine part way up One Penn Plaza, a black monolithic skyscraper next to Madison Square Garden. When the natural gas-powered generator on the 12th floor starts, it will not only produce some 6.2 megawatts of electricity — enough to power up to half the 57-floor building on a busy day — but it will also siphon off wasted heat and use it to help heat and cool the 37-year-old skyscraper.

With tenants defaulting and lenders withholding credit, this might not seem the opportune time for landlords to be getting into energy recycling. But Vornado Realty Trust, which owns One Penn Plaza and 27 other office buildings in New York City, is among the small but growing number of commercial landlords in the area that are installing the energy-efficient power stations known as cogeneration plants, or cogens for short.

Unlike conventional power stations, which let excess heat dissipate into the air as exhaust, cogens reuse that cast-off energy for heating and cooling. Given the improved efficiency, combined with government incentives and rising electricity costs, some landlords are now finding it cost-effective to install cogens and generate their own power.

The Related Companies, a large residential developer, recently installed a cogen at Manhattan Plaza, a huge 1970s housing complex in Midtown. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is constructing one at its new academic building, a futuristic structure designed by Thom Mayne. And the Durst Organization has installed a cogen plant at One Bryant Park, a new office tower near Times Square.

The appeal is simple: cogens help landlords lower energy costs. “You start to see savings on monthly bills right away,” said Clark Wieman, Cooper Union’s planning director. He said that the new generator would cost eight cents a kilowatt-hour, roughly half the cost of buying electricity from Con Ed.

For landlords, the assurance of on-site power also provides added comfort. “Backup power is another amenity we offer to our tenants,” said David R. Greenbaum, president of Vornado’s New York office division.

Cogens are also considered greener, because they lighten the demand on Con Ed’s older, dirtier plants and generate as-needed energy on location. Indeed, only 40 percent of each watt that Con Ed generates reaches the customer, according to Thomas W. Smith, the chief executive at Endurant Energy, the consulting firm managing the One Penn Plaza installation, mainly because much of it is lost when the electricity is generated.

By contrast, the cogen at One Penn Plaza is expected to attain efficiency levels as high as 80 percent, according to Mr. Smith. That translates roughly into 2,800 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions that are offset each year. And the captured steam will replace a fifth of the centralized steam that now controls the temperature of the building.

“This is changing how buildings generate power, and helping the city alleviate a huge problem in getting power to buildings,” Mr. Smith said.

The technology behind cogenerators is straightforward. According to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a federal research center affiliated with the Department of Energy, power generators that recycle excess heat have been around since the early 20th century, mostly in giant factories. But in recent years, as high-tech Internet hubs and other power-hungry industries have strained the aging electricity grid, the demand for smaller, fuel-efficient cogens have grown.

Office buildings in Manhattan, which sit over gas lines, were a natural market. In fact, cogens were cited by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in 2007 as a key component of his ambitious blueprint to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030.

The Durst Organization, a prominent landlord in Midtown, leapt first. Its cogenerator at One Bryant Park, a glassy 54-story skyscraper rising at the corner of 42nd Street and the Avenue of the Americas, is scheduled to come online this summer. Durst expects the 4.6-megawatt cogen to power as much as 35 percent of the building during peak hours.

Last year, Related Companies removed nine parking spaces at Manhattan Plaza, a 1,689-unit complex on West 43rd Street, and installed two 350-kilowatt cogens, which it plans to turn on next month. Related, which pays for tenants’ utilities, expects to save $350,000 a year, and recoup its costs by 2012. “There should be no impact to the tenants,” said Nick Lanzillotto, an operations manager. “They won’t even know it’s happening.”

Related also installed cogens with microturbines, smaller versions of the conventional engine, at Tribeca Green, an apartment complex in Lower Manhattan.

While New York State offers a range of incentives through its Energy Research and Development Authority (Vornado, for example received a $2.5 million package for One Penn Plaza), the upfront cost can turn many landlords pale. Vornado’s plant at One Penn Plaza cost $18 million.

The steep price can make even well-endowed, green-minded places like Cooper Union hesitant. Instead of footing the bill for the cogen at its new academic building in the East Village, Cooper Union hired an outside company, Office Power, to build, own and operate the generator.

Cooper Union now wants a cogen in its landmark Foundation Building. “Earlier, the board did not want to spend on something that had not been proven,” Mr. Wieman said. “But we learned that the payback made sense.”

"If you always seek the shelter of the Lord's Name and His Devotees, you will always be protected."

I was really surprised because I have been writing about the holy names and I have said the same thing to so many people that I understood I was the only one who really needed to take shelter on the names much more than I am doing because maybe my heart is so affected by material desires that I dont take my chanting seriously, as much as I should and this makes me weak and my faith doesn't become that strong, I tend to be afraid of small things in life and my intelligence disappears.
So now I would like to share a beautiful verse from the Siksastakam that is able to bring us brightness and gives us the mood we need to have to chant nicely:

"Let there be supreme victory for the chanting of the holy name of Sri Krishna, which cleanses the mirror of the heart and exstinguishes the blazing fire of material existence. Sri Krishna sankirtana diffuses the soothing rays of bhava that cause the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities to bloom. The holy name of Krishna is the life and soul of all transcendental knowledge and increases the ocean of transcendental bliss. The holy name bathes and cools the body, mind and soul and enables one to taste full nectar at every step."

The other day I was listening to a class by HH Kadamba Kanana Swami who was talking about fall down and difficulty in Krishna Consciousness and that it is not that we give up but take time to reflect. As my own Guru Maharaja says it is only in Krishna Consciousness that we are actually for [...]

Lakshman (das) Vrindavan (IN): Holi !The one of most prominent festival in vraj ,which is heart of each and every vrajvasi .In this day Nandagram brahmans offer a beautiful flag to their lordship Sri Sri Krishna Balaram at Nanda Bhavan. Gloriefy the lord with Holi songs throwing dry color and do parikrama of nanda's palace.

Harinam

Thursday 11th, February 2010. We arrived, again, at Sakhi Rai’s for lunch. We found the yogis and Ananda practicing the newly embellished yoga performance. After they were done, the matajis began to practice their new dance steps. Maharaja returned, with a big smile on his dial. He had been shopping for Deity paraphernalia. While he travelled in a humble sannyasa fashion, his Deities travelled with all the glamour of Vaikuntha. This humble mood of service was one of the endless list of Indradyumna Swami’s exemplary qualities.

Maharaja checked on his developing acts. He was happy to see that the whole troupe was enthusiastic to improve their service. In the middle of the day, someone informed me of some previous show statistics. I found out that our last performance, in Redcliff, was totally booked out, online, a day before the show. People just couldn’t get enough of our Le Carnaval Spirituel! It was nice to hear this kind of news, especially at the end of the tour. The devotees were all working so hard and some of us could barely even sleep (or at least I was having difficulty).

Friday 12th, February 2010. My alarm that morning was a phone call from some random government agency (don’t ask). Today was our show in Logan. We met up at Sakhi Rai’s and then the convoy headed out. We all split up, to pick up different devotees, in different locations, while I had to park, waiting for the chaos to die down. I drove to the front of the convoy, pretending to lead the group, as if I knew where we were going. When I tired of my inflated ego antics and wanted to give the joke a rest, I tried to float back to the end of the line. For some reason, the devotees behind me wouldn’t let me fall back into file. I luckily caught them indicating early and took the correct turn, otherwise it would have been a seeming repeat of last year’s tour (ie me leading the way and getting everyone else lost).

We had an ishta gosthi in the hall. Madhava’s father had just come and fed us all sumptuous Prasadam. Maharaja was still emphasizing “focus”. “This is our second last show” he said, reminding us to hold on because the end was near. He also reminded us that Pratapana Prabhu and Mother Jai Sri were flying up from Sydney just to see the new additions to our show. This night was important to us. At the end of the meeting, Maharaja asked us if we had had enough to eat. It was a funny question but I think it was a subtle compliment to Madhava’s dad, who had spoiled us. “Maddy” said Maharaja. I perked up my head. “Have you had enough to eat?” I don’t know why he singled me out, either he knew how much I eat or I was looking a little extra sleepy. Whatever the reason, I responded with a clumsy nod.

The waves of people began to arrive at the front door. My family members, who managed to take some time off, also arrived. I found my father talking with Pratapana, reminiscing on old times. I called my older brother, Nitai, and I took him backstage. He’s a bit of a photographer so I had him take photos of all the troops. We strutted out some serious poses for all our facebook fans.

I bid farewell to my brother, as he went to watch the show, and I readied myself for the drama. Madhava had Dina Dayal deck him out in impressive makeup. I humbly asked, the great Ninja Brahmana, if he could also decorate me with such prestigious work. Dina Dayal was joyful to help and we had the best makeup of the tour. We marched out, with additional fuel for the false ego.

Earlier in the day, Kaushal had complained about the safety regulations of the hall. The devotees weren’t allowed to do work onstage without fully equipped working boots. The setup crew complied with the regulations but lost a lot of time in the process. I was curious why they were so harsh on footwear on such an open stage but we soon found out. Madhava stepped out, for his introduction. He perfectly executed his action roll, with full enthusiasm. All of a sudden, he nearly lost his footing. It was a noticeable stutter, not to be blamed on Madhava of course but we realized, over the course of the tour, that every stage is unpredictable. We all took lesson from this and tried to be extra cautious but for Madhava it took a blow out of his night.

To top off the disasters in the stage department, when I was meditating on our stage prop (the black box) I was dramatically off centre. Gaura Hari was the victim in this incident, having placed the box in the centre but then noticed the stage was marked at another point. He adjusted the box to the mark and then realized that the mark was off centre. We took our ending bow. Mangalavati had to improvise her bow because she had done her back. All the dance practice that the girls had been doing was very taxing on their body. All our bodies seemed to be falling to pieces. It looked like we would all only just survive the tour.

Very soon, after the Gita play, the matajis finally had the opportunity to present their new work. I heard a large cheer from the audience. It was a total hit. The crowds began to clap along to the music and applauded like anything. All the Matas came off with big grins on their faces.

I met up with my mother and brother, Rupa, and we walked to the car. My mother had made three trays of cup cakes to spoil the devotees. There was a big Prasadam feast and the hall staff were not happy. They kicked out the devotees, with their large pots of rice, noodles, spring rolls and everything else. We had a great meeting of Vaisnavas, out the front, filled with laughs, talk and some sorrowful goodbyes. My dear friend Marli had come again to see the show, with the help of directions that I sent by some texts. He was off to the blissful Dhams in India. I was still not sure if I would see the Dhams in the near future so I hoped that, by his prayers, I might soon be back in the merciful glance of Panca Tattva (Mayapur). Soon after, we packed in our vehicle and left for home.

I tried to follow Maharaja’s car home. He seemed to be taking some special route because my GPS was suggesting I stop following him almost since the start. I suspected either they were taking a better known road home or Maharaja had some plans for some midnight fun. I averted from the group and simply submissively followed our techno navigator just so I wouldn’t lose myself on the way back from Logan.

"Inspiration Explosion" Devotional Album Released | ISKCON News:


What do Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Hare Krishna, Indian Classical Music, Jazz, Club and Dub have in common? Inspiration Explosion - the new devotional music album from Hare Krishna jazz trumpet player Ekalavya Das and friends. The album features India's top classical vocalist, Ustad Raza Ali Khan. The theme of the album is: "Raising Consciousness Through Music".

The album was officially released on Sunday, 28th February, 2010 in Kolkata, India during ISKCON Kolkata's Gaura Purnima celebrations. It can be downloaded at www.IE-Music.com.

For information about booking the Inspiration Explosion band for concerts and festivals or for ordering bulk copies of the Inspiration Explosion album please contact Ekalavya Das at ekalavya@pamho.net or info@IE-Music.com.

This past weekend when we visited Prabhupada Village, Sandy Ridge North Carolina, I was wondering, "Looks like a sleepy laid back place, suitable for a retreat. What is there to see?" I decided I would go with an open heart and embrace whatever comes my way. But from the beginning to the end the journey was very sweet. Madhukari http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/20/81/ is a term that is used for

Dear Gurudeva,Please accept my humble obeisnaces, All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to your lotus feet.As I was talking to one devotee , I was thinking of your specific mission to spread compassion, love, and enthuse everyone to take up service. Many are of the opinion that LOVE is easy to come by. Anyone can teach living entities on how to care for and love each other they say. I have

3.49 A.M.

I had a bad night. I woke up about 9:30 P.M. with a headache and couldn’t subdue it. An hour later I still had the headache and more medicine didn’t work. For the remainder of the night I was in a light drowse with the headache. I had dreams, and a dream persona had headaches in him. I finally got up at 1:30 A.M., and surprisingly I felt better although a little tired. I began my chanting and it was pretty good, my main attention was to rapid chanting in accumulation of the mantras. I chanted them clearly with no distraction but attention to the syllables. I couldn’t connect them very well to the personalities Radha and Krishna although I occasionally glanced at the beautiful arca vigrahas on Their altar. But I took consolation in knowing that the names alone are nondifferent than the forms. So by chanting the sounds I was contacting the forms, and in a distant way, the activities and the pastimes of beautiful Radha and Krishna. Of course I have a long way to go.  Narayana came up, and we talked some friendly talk. It won’t be too long before we’ll be on the move again so I’m treasuring these last days of routine activity in the Yellow Submarine.  It was a stress yesterday going to see the doctor then the hospital for blood test and then the hospital for an x-ray of the chest. And today I go for the physiotherapy. I hope I’ll have time to get my writing done. But most of all is to finish those final minimum four rounds in good form. Chant each round as Bhurijana says, isolating it as the only one. I can’t do that exactly, but I’ll keep it in mind and chant one after another with devotion. Please help me Lord to chant with devotion.

What does it mean to
chant with devotion?
You’ll concentrate and realize
you don’t have much time
left. You move close to
harinama and recall
fondly all the years you
have been close to them,
in temples and campgrounds,
in solitary rooms. You
recall your sincere efforts
and the sound vibration’s echoing
in your ears, running in your
pulse. You chant with devotion
when you think of Prabhupada
and how he gave you the names
in the storefront and in every
place since then, your
dependency and loyalty to him.
The spiritual master gives the names,
and you give them back to him,
trusting They are Radha and Krishna
and bringing you out of this
world of misery and pain.
To chant with devotion you
share it with others in
the sankirtana movement of
Caitanya Mahaprabhu
you pray to be a preacher
of Nama Prabhu.

Prabhupada Smaranam

I had already arranged to transfer from being Prabhupada’s servant to being his library party leader, but I was enjoying my last days as his servant. The Ratha-yatra in Melbourne was a gala affair. There were three large carts, and the parade was led by a Scottish bagpipe band. Prabhupada decided to walk with the parade the whole way. He wore a yellow knit hat and flashy silk sannyasa clothes. He draped a wool white chadar over his right shoulder. He wore a huge many-colored garland that went down almost to his feet. It was very intimate walking close beside him and playing karatalas for the whole length of the parade. Madhuvisa Maharaja, the leader of ISKCON Australia, was right beside him, and I travelled a step beside. The crowd was packed in close around Prabhupada, and many people accompanied him and the carts through the streets. The devotees had hired two security guards, and they were karate experts wearing gloves with no fingers and one of them had a black eye. They hovered close to Prabhupada and gave a simultaneously ominous and secure mood to the atmosphere. Everything was really packed in close. The crowd did not keep neat lines of distance from Prabhupada, and many of them drifted in close beside him as we marched the long parade route. Prabhupada sometimes played karatalas and raised his arms in the air. He kept singing the mantra loudly. There were no unpleasant incidents, but it was all rather close knit and a bit disarrayed as a parade.

The procession finally stopped at a kind of warehouse and there Prabhupada delivered a Ratha-yatra address to a noisy gathering. Prabhupada finally went home and rested for the afternoon. The best part of the day for me came in the late evening. Prabhupada called me and Pradyumna into his room to give him a leg massage while he lay in bed ready to go to sleep after the long day of marching and energy expanding. He was quiet and the room was dark and silent. Suddenly he said to me, “You were dancing very nicely today.” I almost jumped for joy to hear him say those words, and I loved dearly for them. He soon drifted off to sleep, and I drifted off to ecstasy in the next room.

Baladeva das is not up yet,
Narayana is chanting japa,
and I am writing a poem
about Krishna.  But I don’t
know Him well.

I know the stories I’ve read
how He travelled all over India
and found Brahma-samhita and
Krishna-karnamrta in palm leaf copies
in temples and how He ripped out a page
from the Kurma Purana to prove to
the devotee of Rama that the real
Sita was not kidnapped.

I believe all the stories I read, and
I treasure them and try to remember
them so I can speak them in lectures
and not be dumb before an
audience. I’m afraid that will
happen. I write how Krishna travelled
with Lord Nityananda and stopped at Remuna and heard about Saksi
Gopala and heard about Ksira-chora Gopinatha
and attracted such great crowds that they gauged out big holes
in the roads just to see Him.
He accommodated them by raising His
hands and shouting, “Hari!”

But when He could,
He escaped the crowds and
went alone where He could
chant the Lord’s names in
solitude. But He was not
meant for permanent solitude.
He was meant to meet
people and convert them
to Vaisnavas. That was His
magnanimous mission.

Sometimes alone and sometimes
with crowds, He never grew
tired or sleepy or hungry,
He kept going, whether
travelling on foot or talking
in the gambhira. He was
not a mortal human being like
you or I who gets sleepy
even in the middle of
praising Him.

I love the Lord, but I’m
low powered and weak.
I can barely sit up and
move my pen. I listen
to Eric Dolphy wailing
on his alto sax and
that helps to keep me
going, but the body
continues to wear down.

Help me Lord, to raise praises
to You in youthful verse.
I don’t want to peter out.
Give me themes or at
least excerpts of Your pastimes.
I know your answer.
I just
have to keep hearing Your pastimes,
and I’ll be supplied. There is
no shortage. I can tell of the
time You and Lord Nityananda stopped at the house of a man
who offered You wine and
You and Lord Nityananda jumped in the
Ganges and swam
away shouting, “I am He!”
You swam to Advaita’s house
on a heavy current of the Ganges
and punished him for speaking
like a Mayavadi, and he loved
to be beaten by You although
his wife protested, “Leave
him alone. He’s an old man!”
I remember hearing of these
incidences and love to tell
them as long as I can keep
my eyes open and my pen
hand moving. That won’t be
forever. I fear one day I won’t be able to make comprehension
and no one will read the
poem. Does it matter?
It does to me. I think I
may please You the way I
do when I like to do something in Your
service. Please let me
keep it up for many years,
cohesive and making sense
and even music. Soon enough
I won’t be able to
utter another word. So in
the meantime please give
me fresh and clear
intent: You are the
glorious one, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
and we are all Your krishnera-nitya-dasa.

By Malati Devi

Due to a forceful winter, there is a lot of “getting ready” needed before the opening of New Vrindaban’s Pilgrimage Season, which kicks off with Festival of Inspiration (May 7,8,9th).

Our wonderful landscaper, Matreiya das, is an aging trooper who could use the help of a couple younger folks.

Time frame is as soon as possible. Depending on the duration of your commitment, you will receive room, board, basic needs plus free attendance to Festival of Inspiration.

Experience in landscaping is nice but not a requirement. A valid driver’s license would be helpful, but not a “must.” What is a “must” is that you are willing to follow the regulative principals and go shoulder to shoulder alongside Maitreya. You can count on learning a few things and pleasing Their Lordships, Radha Vrindaban Chandra as well as seeing the results of your seva unfold.

References required. Depending on location, travel assistance may be available.

Contact: servingkrisna@aol.com or 304-845-9591 and ask for Malati dasi or Bhaktin Rita.

What were Keds executives thinking when they released these?

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.20 - A devotee is never alone, they are always with Krsna, the ultimate shelter.

Many Christians are fasting this month for Lent, but the powerful practice is found in many traditions.

Length: 9:45

Free write

This picture shows Bharadraja holding up a Back to Godhead magazine and giving a short speech to the folks who had gathered to watch at a distance at the Boston Commons. We would sing for about a half hour and then a devotee would give a short talk. Shortly after this picture was taken a rowdy rushed from the crowd and punched Bharadraja in the stomach. Bharadraja had the wind taken out of him, and he crumpled up, although he uttered the words “Hare Krishna”. Several devotee men immediately grabbed the assailant and turned him over to the police. We charged him with assault and the case went to court. The rowdy’s lawyer said that Bharadraj had provoked the man with “inflammatory speech.” The judge then heard Bharadraja’s version. The judge was still for a less than a minute and then he said “I don’t think this man is capable of inflammatory speech.” He sent the assailant to thirty days in jail. But it wasn’t the last of assaults on devotees.

This is a picture of night sankirtana in downtown Boston in 1970. The Broadway musical “Hair” was showing at the theater in Boston. “Hair” was a musical about what hippie life was like in the 1960s and the very last scene ended with the entire cast singing the Hare Krishna mantra. The devotees took the opportunity to stand right outside the theatre and chant Hare Krishna to the exiting theatre goers who had just heard “Hare Krishna” sung in the theatre. The devotees would distribute handfuls of burning incense and hold out conch shells asking for donations. The crowd was in a good mood having just heard the Hare Krishna mantra and when they saw the nontheatrical authentic version of Hare Krishna chanters it warmed them up. Devotees would usually collect forty of fifty dollars within a few minutes and thoroughly enjoy themselves chanting in such a heart-warming atmosphere.

Parasuram das: Gaura Purnima Festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor included a stage program. This year the Gurukulis organised the festival themselves. They performed two wonderful devotional dramas. "Lord Caitanya meets Chand kasi" and "Nimai's young adventures".

By Vijaya das

Many devotees are now returning from India after their pilgrimage to the holy dhama. Srila Prabhupada wanted the sankirtan devotees to go to India to get inspiration and then go back to their countries with greater strength to spread the sankirtan movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member:

rasa108@gmail.com

ys

Rasa Rasika dasa

1966 March 11: "Panchami. I went to the Paragon Book Gallery. Total 10 sets, add 35 new sets, total 45 sets. Transfer to old stock 25 sets, balance 20 sets. Taken today 4 sets, balance 16 sets new stock. This 16 sets new I shall take at a time when I next need them."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1966

1967 March 11: "I am thankful to you all for encouraging me in my humble attempt to preach the message of Srila Prabhupada in this part of the world.In the matter of permanent Visa will you kindly send me a certificate in personal letter as President and Acarya of the Gaudiya Sangha in the following words and oblige."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1969 March 11: "He is now so much busy in so many ways. In the absence of BTG printing, I gave permission to print some outside work, to get money, but that does not mean we should stop our own work and print something on our press which is against our principles."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 March 11: "Relishing the transcendental sweetness of Krishna Kirtana is only possible when one is actually advanced, towards perfection. In the conditioned stage, we chant Hare Krishna mantra officially without any attachment and try to finish the rounds as soon as possible."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1974 March 11: "We are coming in disciplic succession from Bhaktivinoda Thakura and you are coming in family succession from Mahatma Sisir Kumar Ghose, so if we combine together in preaching the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, it will be a great benediction to the human society."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 March 11: "At the moment everyone is sudra. The Krishna Consciousness movement is meant to create actual intellectuals to guide society. The process if very simple. If the Varnasrama College is started, I am sure the chaotic condition of human society will be completely settled up."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 March 11: "In the beginning if we start a Varnasrama College to teach internationally students from all over the world to learn to be educated as brahmanas, as Ksatriyas, as vaisyas, as sudras, by quality and work, that will be the basic principle of Krishna Consciousness."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1975 March 11: "I have just completed a world tour visiting Hong Kong, Japan, United States, South America, Mexico, London, and now Tehran. I will be leaving for Bombay and then Calcutta and from there to Mayapur for Gaura Purnima. I would be happy to see you there if you are able to come."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

Giriraj Swami and Indradyumna Swami initiated 8 devotees - some with first initiation and some with second initiation.  This is the entire ceremony.  

You can also purchase the DVD.  $15 + $5 shipping (US, $15 shipping for international orders).

Dallas, TX
2010-03-09

Download: 2010-03-09 - Giriraj Swami and Indradyumna Swami Initiation Ceremony.mp3

You are an eternal servant of Krsna, sat-cit-ananda - eternal, full of knowledge and bliss.

You are dear to Krsna, otherwise why He would make so many arrangements so you may go back to Him.

He wants you to come back to Him at least 10 times more than you want it.

He has everything except your love, so He wants you back.

You belong to Him.

You are meant to please Him.

You are meant to be happy with Him.

So you have an amazing worth.

If you are dear and important to God, who is the Supreme Person and your very source, what more self-worth do you want?

My witch hazel has finally bloomed. Some years it blooms as early as January but before this year it has always bloomed in February. It needs several sunny days above freezing and we never had that this year in February even though that is normal. It is always exciting to look forward to its blooming because it marks the beginning of a new horticultural year, and most years it is a spirit lifter in the dead of winter. Fragrant too.

The other thing that didn’t happen in February was any tree pruning. In the past, energy permitting, I have gone out in February and done fruit tree pruning but with all the snow, that would have been difficult this year, and my macho younger self that may have bulled through it anyway is but a distant memory.

It is still time in March to prune but best to get it done before trees break dormancy and we are now having a string of well above average temperature days where you can almost see the snow melting in front of your eyes and if this continues it will be a narrow window to prune in.

This is complicated by my physical limitations where I only have a little energy and don’t really accomplish all that much in a given day. There is practically unlimited trees to prune around NV given that restriction. If anyone is interested in doing some pruning let me know and we can go out and do some.

I have also made commitments to individuals to help them, besides the trees I have myself. Once April arrives so will a lot of trees, berries, and fragrant perennials so even if the weather turns cold again, I won’t have time for pruning.

I have some odd jobs to do around the garden to make life simpler when the season hits, so I have been getting out in the good weather and getting some stuff done.

Today I am going to strip some old rotting mesh wire off a still good frame that is no longer useful in its current condition. It is like a low table we have put plants on while waiting to transplant them, something I recycled from I can’t remember where. Unfortunately it has about a zillion staples on it so it will take some time, but once the wire is removed I am going to reinforce the frame and use it as a portable cold frame, just throwing some plastic, old windows or floating row cover over it to bring some greens on early and then as a season extender in the fall.

I also have received some 2 oz. and some .55 oz floating row cover I can use for the same purpose without a frame but cold frames are nice.

One thing about having a garden is there is always something to do.

“Prabhupada: And the bulls are being killed. Why they should be killed? Engage them in tilling the field. They will have occupation. And the man also will have occupation. There is immense land. So there will be no question of unemployment. And the machine, it works hundreds of men’s labor and hundreds of men become unemployed. So unemployed means devil’s workshop.”

Room Conversation with Scientists — July 2, 1974, Melbourne

Filed under: Cows and Environment

I want to thank Tapapunja prabhu for organizing a stellar event for the visiting students (both college and high school) and some of their teachers. The day here included four break out sessions (lead by Jamuna dd, Jayasri dd, Rupanuga and Tapapunga), tours of the Palace by Bhakta Tom, a performance by Devananda and myself, and topped off with a fantastic feast.

The visitors came from all over the country as part of The Ignatian Solidarity Network’s spring Teach-In. The three day Teach-In was hosted by Wheeling Jesuit University with the focus on environmental justice and sustainability. (Hummm, maybe we could start hosting stuff like this.) Tapapunja was one of the speakers there and he inspired 55 students and teachers to make the drive up to New Vrindaban this last Sunday.

After the feast, I met with visitors in the lobby and gave them this inquiry: “Please offer a brief reflection of your visit. How were the presentations, the food, and the overall schedule of the day? Your comments will help us improve our presentations. Thanks.” Some told me they really appreciated their time here, while others gave the written responses below. Some suggested room for improvement. Overall, the devotees’ concerted effort made a lasting impression on the group. Kudos to all involved.

The preaching events and festivals are certainly the life of New Vrindaban. There will be at least two other student groups coming in April and one in May.


***

The music session was wonderful and I learned so much. The talk on food was interesting as well. I loved the tour of the Palace. It was beautiful. The food was delicious and all the people were so kind and informative. The only ‘complaint’ I have is that the group sessions weren’t organized well. Groups should have been informed when to switch.


***

The schedule of the day worked out really well. My friends and I loved the tour of the Palace (very informative). The food was excellent.

***

I thought it was very interesting to learn about the Indian culture and different religions. I had a lot of fun. Thank you.

***

I thought the tour of the Palace was very neat. For the short amount of time we had, it was cool to still be able to learn about the spiritual cooking, the music and the Palace. The food was excellent. I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for your hospitality.

***

Wow! I had no idea what to expect when we signed up to come out. It was far and away an amazing experience. Everyone was so welcoming. The tours, presentations and food were all great.


***

It was educational. I learned a lot, and the atmosphere and all the music had a very tangible energy.


***

We were lost in one room for three sessions, but I loved the place and the people. Namaste.

***

Peaceful. Prayerful. Inspirational!

***

This was a wonderful experience. As a fellow resident of WV I feel empowered by knowing we share the beauty and spirituality of this wonderful land.

***

I came here unaware of the scale in which the Hare Krishna foundation was established in the area. It was truly a highly enjoyable day.


***

It is something wonderful to witness when a stranger opens his home to us - this is God welcoming us. To hear unfamiliar sounds crafted into music – this is God speaking to us. To taste unimaginable spices from the work of many hands – this is God sharing with us. Hare Krishna – many thanks.

Jaya Madhava Das: Your friend Jaya Madhava Das sent you the following video from CNNBC: "Glenn Beck Attacks Dandavats.com Prabhu's."

By Kaisori Devi Dasi

We are looking for expressive, meditative, or intriguing photos taken by talented photographers that explicitly or implicitly depict the theme(s) above and bring out aesthetic or intellectual elements both of Krsna consciousness itself and of the photographer's own spirituality and quest for self-realization.

During Gaura Purnima festival, free prasada was served during the entire festival period,thanks to the continuous support of worldwide devotees. This has become a festival tradition and we desire to offer our devotees free prasada for Mayapur Summer Festival also. This is our first Mayapur Summer Festival and we wish to make it happen for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada, who wanted to have at least 3 or 4 big festivals in Mayapur. The sponsorships for Prasadam distribution are invited.

read more

• Pe

Mysticism is dying, and taking true religion with it. Monasteries have dwindled. Contemplative orders have declined. Our religious leaders no longer preach the renunciation of the world; our culture scoffs at the idea. The closest most Americans come to real asceticism is giving up chocolate, cappuccinos, or (in my own not-quite-Francis-of-Assisi case) meat for lunch for Lent.

This, at least, is the stern message of Luke Timothy Johnson, writing in the latest issue of the Catholic journal Commonweal. As society has become steadily more materialistic, Johnson declares, our churches have followed suit, giving up on the ascetic and ecstatic aspects of religion and emphasizing only the more worldly expressions of faith. Conservative believers fixate on the culture wars, religious liberals preach social justice, and neither leaves room for what should be a central focus of religion — the quest for the numinous, the pursuit of the unnamable, the tremor of bliss and the dark night of the soul.

Yet by some measures, mysticism’s place in contemporary religious life looks more secure than ever. Our opinion polls suggest that we’re encountering the divine all over the place. In 1962, after a decade-long boom in church attendance and public religiosity, Gallup found that just 22 percent of Americans reported having what they termed “a religious or mystical experience.” Flash forward to 2009, in a supposedly more secular United States, and that number had climbed to nearly 50 percent.

In a sense, Americans seem to have done with mysticism what we’ve done with every other kind of human experience: We’ve democratized it, diversified it, and taken it mass market. No previous society has offered seekers so many different ways to chase after nirvana, so many different paths to unity with God or Gaia or Whomever. A would-be mystic can attend a Pentecostal healing service one day and a class on Buddhism the next, dabble in Kabbalah in February and experiment with crystals in March, practice yoga every morning and spend weekends at an Eastern Orthodox retreat center. Sufi prayer techniques, Eucharistic adoration, peyote, tantric sex — name your preferred path to spiritual epiphany, and it’s probably on the table.

This democratization has been in many ways a blessing. Our horizons have been broadened, our religious resources have expanded, and we’ve even recovered spiritual practices that seemed to have died out long ago. The unexpected revival of glossolalia (speaking in tongues, that is), the oldest and strangest form of Christian worship, remains one of the more remarkable stories of 20th-century religion.

And yet Johnson may be right that something important is being lost as well. By making mysticism more democratic, we’ve also made it more bourgeois, more comfortable, and more dilettantish. It’s become something we pursue as a complement to an upwardly mobile existence, rather than a radical alternative to the ladder of success. Going to yoga classes isn’t the same thing as becoming a yogi; spending a week in a retreat center doesn’t make me Thomas Merton or Thérèse of Lisieux. Our kind of mysticism is more likely to be a pleasant hobby than a transformative vocation.

What’s more, it’s possible that our horizons have become too broad, and that real spiritual breakthroughs require a kind of narrowing — the decision to pick a path and stick with it, rather than hopscotching around in search of a synthesis that “works for me.” The great mystics of the past were often committed to a particular tradition and community, and bound by the rules (and often the physical confines) of a specific religious institution. Without these kind of strictures and commitments, Johnson argues, mysticism drifts easily into a kind of solipsism: “Kabbalism apart from Torah-observance is playacting; Sufism disconnected from Shariah is vague theosophy; and Christian mysticism that finds no center in the Eucharist or the Passion of Christ drifts into a form of self-grooming.”

Most religious believers will never be great mystics, of course, and the American way of faith is kinder than many earlier eras to those of us who won’t. But maybe it’s become too kind, and too accommodating. Even ordinary belief — the kind that seeks epiphanies between deadlines, and struggles even with the meager self-discipline required to get through Lent — depends on extraordinary examples, whether they’re embedded in our communities or cloistered in the great silence of a monastery. Without them, faith can become just another form of worldliness, therapeutic rather than transcendent, and shorn of any claim to stand in judgment over our everyday choices and concerns.

Without them, too, we give up on what’s supposed to be the deep promise of religious practice: that at any time, in any place, it’s possible to encounter the divine, the revolutionary and the impossible — and have your life completely shattered and remade.

"The anti-science crowd use smoke and mirrors to distract as many people as possible, but the rest of us need to listen to the science and keep our eyes on the prize — reversing greenhouse gas emissions trends as quickly and rapidly as possible."

Click here to read, learn, and decide
From Climate Progress

Auckland, New Zealand

I met 44 year old Hemi, a warm and friendly maori (native) gentleman who is working distributing advertising leaflets to the public. He immediately recognised Srila Prabhupada's books. He already has the Gita and others but has not yet read them. He gave a donation and took 2 small books. He is working the same side of the street as me; he's been doing so from 9 until 4:30 every day for over two weeks to promote the School Uniform Shop he is working for.

A while later I meet him again. "What is a monk?" he inquires. I said, "We discuss scripture, do service, study and celibacy." Hemi used to attend the Mormon Church and told me of his being put on probation for not sticking to the "rules" eventually leading to him being asked not to come back. We talked about dealing with sin. I referenced some verses on lust from Bhagavad-Gita focusing on 2.59, and explain the practicality of Bhakti yoga.

Later he beckons me over; he's been meditating on what we discussed earlier. He had attended many churches throughout the years and was unimpressed by the knowledge they had to offer. He was spiritually tired but is now eager to read his copy of the Gita.

We again went on sankirtan. During one exchange I see Hemi waiting across from me. I chastise him jokingly for being in "my" zone and ask if he'd like to do my job. He takes it seriously and agrees. We get a mixture of books from my box and I inform him of the 'printing' price. Then I tell him to chant this certain mantra in between meeting people and he repeats the holy name line by line.

For half an hour he tries giving passersby the books instead of the advertising material. I watch his exchanges; he looks funny in his uniform (which advertises a shop that sells uniforms) but he is confident.

After 30 minutes I approach him. He chants Hare Krishna with a smile on his face. He remembers the whole mantra after having heard it only once. It was difficult for him and no books went out, but he was ecstatic nonetheless. Because of his lack of knowledge of what the books were about, he wasn't sure how to present them. He vowed to read his Gita before coming to Krishnafest at The Loft (our urban yoga lounge) this Sunday. I got his number and later sent him a text message, thanking him for his help. I also wrote: "I hope u gt som nice realisation from the books." He replied,

"I feel like a new lease of life has presented itself to me, a direction of certainty and opportunity, keep in touch."

Srila Prabhupada, his books, and his book distribution Ki! Jai!

Your servant, Jayadeva Kavi dasa

Second article from Hari Sauri on Prabhupada's 1975 visit to Melbourne...

Here's the last of my unpublished pics. (unless I find some more!) from Melbourne 1975. Srila Prabhupada came in mid-May and installed what were then the largest brass Deities in ISKCON and in fact, the largest brass Deities ever cast in Bengal--Sri Sri Nitai Gaura. It was a brilliant event because along with Their Lordships' appearance, ISKCON Australia also revealed to the world its new headquarters at 197 Danks St. Albert Park. A beautiful 2 acre property that started off as a stately home, became a Christian Brother's college and then a Heritage-listed monument, and finally a Hare Krishna temple.

The first of a couple of nice articles by Hari Sauri regarding Prabhupada's visits to Melbourne...

In 1973 Srila Prabhupada had promised to attend the Melbourne Rathayatra. We had built two new rathas, but the main factor in attracting him to come was the prominence of the small Australian yatra in the book distribution listings. Inspired by Buddhimanta prabhu, the Australians were leading the world in their attempts to spread Krsna consciousness and Srila Prabhupada therefore promised to attend the 1973 Rathayatra. Unfortunately he got sick in India and had to cancel.

He flew into Melbourne on June 25 1974 for his fourth trip to Australia with his secretary Satsvarupa Das Goswami. This time he only visited Melbourne whereas for his first three trips he had visited Sydney as well.

The Rathayatra on June 29 was glorious and Srila Prabhupada, after joining up with the rathas in the main city square, walked the whole route, terminating at the Royal Exhibition Gardens.

By Gargamuni das

I cannot possibly put into words the loss I feel with the passing of Padmanbha Prabhu. Before he moved to Germany at the end of 1983, he lived on this side of the Atlantic, in a place called New England. Some 27 years after his move, his departure from this world has sent shock waves to everyone who knew and loved him.

Deity

We beg to inform all the devotees that Sriman Grahila Prabhu, disciple of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, husband of Guru Seva dasi and father of Smt. Nitai dasi, has just left his body at 07.47 AM under very auspicious circumstances in Sri Mayapur Dhama.

After a restless night symptomized with rapid breathing Grahila prabhu left on this auspicious day of Papamocani Ekadasi surrounded by a room full of well-wishers,

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Wednesday 10th, February 2010. I drove to Sakhi Rai’s in the middle of the day. We were supposed to be on time and were told that “Maharaja will be waiting for you.” This information was hardly the case when we arrived. We were thinking that we were late but it was some time before we left. We were following Gaura Hari to Redcliff. There was a four car convoy. Gaura and I pretended to race up the freeway and we lost track of the group. We were supposed to be following Niti but we made our own way.

Gaura took the exit to Redcliff and I just managed to follow him. The rest of the convoy managed to miss the exit and the whole group was in disarray. When we arrived in the township of Redcliff and Gaura Hari asked some locals where the hall was. We soon made our way there, before the rest of the convoy arrived. We had a similar situation last year, when I was leading a group, but the people I asked didn’t even know of any halls. One local Gaura asked, suggested she could help him find Woolworths (nothing but a local supermarket). When we parked at the venue, it was only an hour until the show!

We came into yet another prestigious looking venue. Vraja Dham Prabhu was scheduled to film some of our acts so he could make some internet advertising for next year. Dina Dayal and the Manipuris were soon bouncing around the stage in full swing. We were backstage, calling each other on the internal intercom, until the staff members asked us to desist. Soon Maharaja came in and he anxiously set out three plates of Prasadam from his own personal supply. The Manipuris missed lunch and Maharaja was expressing his concern for them by feeding them his own food.

The show was going on smoothly, the only problem was some unscheduled applause and laughter, from the middle row. I could tell that it was a person with a mental disability, who was becoming overly excited at all the amazing sections of the show. Besides the distraction there were no ill feelings. It almost made us laugh, while we were standing before the large crowd.

I had some stray rounds so I decided to go down the back stairs to find some quiet time. I achieved the exact opposite of my desire; while I was sitting on the stairs I heard some distressful cries coming from below. I found a large group of people, cautiously crowded around a room. Maharaja was present and was looking very concerned. What seemed to have happened was that a man was having a negative reaction to some drugs that he had taken. He had snuck his way in the back door and had collapsed. The distress of the material world was clearly visible. Surely he had no plans to be like this when he started his endeavour for sense gratification but now he was helpless. Maharaja made sure the, now, large group of people had the situation handled and then we left the scene.

Madhava and I exited out into the front lobby earlier than usual. We beat the crowds from the audience and the other devotees. We had some conversation with a small group of assembled Vaisnavas before the waves of people exited the hall. We waited at the door, saying goodbye to the seemingly endless supply of people. There were hundreds of brightly lit, smiling faces. Even the staff members of the hall were taking photos with us. The night faded away and we stayed in the hall for some time longer. I sat with Mitch, local bhakta from Brisbane; Simon, our epic chariot driver of the Melbourne leg; and Simon’s mother. Simon’s mother was thrilled with the amazing presentation of Bhakti and gave us some nice feedback.

As if finding the hall was confusing, the return trip home was just as confusing. Cars were leaving the hall from all directions. We had no idea who we were supposed to be following but we just took a hunch. A small group of us pulled into a petrol station, hoping to regroup, and that just seemed to mix up the driving order even more. Finally it looked like we were heading in the right direction and we made our way, safely, back home.

Seismic shockers are to be expected, but planet seems to be more active in the last couple of decades.

The government embarks on a $4 billion campaign to treat the heavily polluted waters of the revered river.

Icelanders sought divine intervention to rescue their nation from a man-made situation -- the financial crisis that has shaken this once-prosperous nation.

According to statistics, more than 50 percent of the adult population in the U.K. is deficient in vitamin D.

Voters in Switzerland have rejected a proposal to introduce a nationwide system of state-funded lawyers to represent animals in court.

Interfaith forum is the first of its kind in Africa.

The south Indian state mixes Christian values and public policy.

Although I began this blog with the full intention of describing how wonderful is the process of advancing in devotional service from my perspective, many readers have remarked that it’s overly negative. In fact, the theme of this blog is in describing my journey, and I’ve stuck to that even though it’s not been nearly as smooth and ecstatic as I expected. Although it may not be as inspiring to some people, I still think it has value.

But why must I be negative, peope ask. I don’t see it that way. To advance in any endeavor, obstacles must be overcome. What is an obstacle for one person may not be an obstacle for another, and visa versa. My challenge is that so far I have found that the men acting as gurus in Iskcon are a huge drain on my inspiration, enthusiasm, and hope for advancement in Krishna consciousness. There’s not much I can do about that externally; but it feels like they have some sort of psychic tentacles reaching into me, and I need to get them out. My writing here is a way of doing that.

I can appreciate them as aspiting devotees, but my spiritual connection is through Srila Prabhupada. Before my so-called initiation, I reluctantly accepted their version that serving them was the key to coming closer to Srila Prabhupada, but at least for me that has proven false. My initiation felt more like betraying my relationship Srila Prabhupada, and I am still struggling to recover from that mistake.

I could probably coexist peacefully even with these men posing as gurus, but they don’t allow it. They’ve labeled people like me as heretics and enemies. When I go to an Iskcon temple and someone asks me who is my guru, I’m obliged to lie. I’m not permitted to say Srila Prabhupada is my guru, and if I formally enter into a guru-disciple relationship with him, I expect I may be banned outright. At least I would have to pretend it didn’t happen.

Sometimes it’s said that one can be Srila Prabhupada’s disciple by following his instructions, but in Iskcon culture that does not hold true. For example, last year I debated with an anti-rtvik crusader, and when I did not find his arguments at all persuasive, he posted a series of derogatory e-mails about me to the “Prabhupada Disciples” PAMHO e-mail group. Because he is recognized as a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, he could do that, but I was not permitted to answer in my defense. It was only a few weeks earlier that he told me that following Srila Prabhupada makes me his disciple, but then he quickly proved the real value of that idea in Iskcon. I wonder if he noticed the irony.

This is the kind of stuff that has been going on in my interfacing with Iskcon devotees lately. A few weeks ago I remarked on a Facebook status update that my predominant feeling about my initiation in the six years since has been regret. One local mataji responded saying that attitude would destroy me. I countered by questioning her judgement based on the fact that she was worshipping a guru who, as a somewhat elderly sannyasi, had tried to have sex with his disciple, who was married to another disciple, after several years of manipulating her life based on his lust. (http://www.chakra.org/announcements/persDec26_07.html). That’s so spiritially abusive that it seems almost unreal. Being or accepting such a person as guru strikes me as a gross insult to the guru parampara. This was the same man who directly asked Srila Prabhupada on May 28, 1977, how initiations were to be conducted after his disappearance and was answered “Officiating Acarya,” a.k.a. “Rtvik.” Yet he went on to be a zonal acarya instead, which put him in a position to accept his crush as a disciple. He and his GBC/guru peers concealed Srila Prabhupada’s answer to the May 28 question for many years (the Lilamrta version is vastly different from the various transcriptions), undoubtedly because it stood as a threat to their desire to enjoy the role of guru. Even the tape itself was apparently doctored, as revealed in a professional forensic analysys commissioned by the GBC. How anyone can trust these people is beyond my comprehension.

Then in the past week one devotee took it upon himself to harrass me. I posted to the PAMHO Free Forum a link to the petition for the release of the rest of Srila Prabhupada’s audio recordings, which prompted a personal response from the Bhaktivedanta Archives. Then somehow this other devotee, who had harrassed me before before in e-mail, in the comments here, and in an online devotee forum. This instance was similar to the others, with his telling others that I’m just like a barking dog and should be ignored. As it turned out, I figured out that ignoring him was the only way to make him go away.

So I have so many people like this always trying to intrude on my sacred relationship with the man whom I’ve accepted as spiritual master and whom I believe intended to accept people like me. It is highly offensive to me, and sometimes it makes me angry. All I want to do is cultivate my relationship with Srila Prabhupada and with Krishna, being accepted in their temples, and not have people trying to force me to do it their way. For me, putting my spiritual life in the hands of another man is very difficult to do, but I trust Srila Prabhupada. I do not trust these other men at all, and I think there are more than enough reasons why.

This is my life, or at least part of it. My spiritual life at home is very nice, peaceful, and happy. But these self-appointed and voted-in gurus are a big obstacle to me, and moving forward includes getting their influence out of my life. I also feel like I should be free to attend and serve at the temples Srila Prabhupada established. I think he would want that. Ignoring the gurus won’t make them go away, so here I am writing and working through my issues with a little hope that a few more people will understand. Hare Krishna.

P.s. Please forgive any typing errors; I’m using thumbs on a BlackBerry.

Play a vital role in staging the Festival of Inspiration.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.18.19 - In the material world there is nothing worth hanging on to.

The nice thing is developing bringing Krishna Consciousness in the schools within my local region, this has been an effort of several years but by the mercy of Guru and Krishna it has slowly evolved to the point were it is becoming difficult to balance work and preaching due to the increasing demand. One of the [...]

The attention of the world may have turned to other things, but there's still so much to do.

Bhakti Raghava Swami's newsletter on varnasrama

3:55 A.M.

I woke up with a headache at 9.30 P.M. but subdued it. I then got up from bed at 2 A.M. My chanting has been in the mind but with clear pronunciation. I’m hearing each syllable of the holy names and getting some feeling for them. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna. They are names of Krishna and Radha, and you have to pay attention to them and be aware of what you’re doing. This is the most important part of the day. You’re calling on your Lords. My chanting was fast, and I’ve chanted twelve rounds already. The depth of the ecstasy of chanting is fathomless, and you have not gone deep yet. You play in the waters and at least stay submerged and attentive to what you’re doing. But there’s so much further to do. You have to be aware and cry. You have to be aware of the preciousness of the Nama Prabhu and approach Him with your whole heart and soul. Anything short of that is superficial. I know I have not reached the goal.

Diving deep, you
aspire for it,
but stay in the shallows
of the Names.
At least pay attention
to each passing mantra
and the meaning of the
syllables, Hare, Krishna, Rama.
You are calling to Radha
then calling to Krishna, then
calling to Radha then
calling on Krishna.
If
I can just meditate in
devotion to the sounds
I’ll be saved from
distractions
and merged in highest love.

Prabhupada Smaranam

This is a picture of a pleasant visit Prabhupada made with his devotees to his godbrother Srila Sridhara Maharaja at his matha in Navadvipa. To get there we had to take a ferry. It was a motor run boat and was raised just a few inches above the water. It carried our car and a few others. As we crossed the quiet Ganges a few full-sized porpoises rose from the water and cruised right next to the ferry. As we landed on the other side a man boarded and frightened me by holding a just-severed goat’s head in my face. I was terrified and disgusted as the man laughed in my face.

Srila Sridhara Maharaja’s matha was located on a pleasant few acres with palm trees and a temple. We went to his room which was located on a second floor tower. He was not feeling very well as he sat in his chair holding a pole. He was tall and spoke fluent English. We disciples of Prabhupada were introduced to Sridhara Maharaja. I was introduced as the manager of the gurukula in Dallas and Maharaja encouraged me. After introductions, the two sadhus began to converse intimately in Bengali. Jayapataka Maharaja later told as they were talking on intimate points about Prahlada Maharaja and Hiranyakasipu. Jayapataka Maharaja said much of the discussion was over his head but that was very philosophical and interesting. We then bathed in the Ganges and honored a very nice prasadam feast. Pradyumna das who was on the far right on the photo (with his little son, Aniruddha) corrected me on where to place the tilaka marks on my fore arms. We stayed over night at the ashram, observed mangala arati the next morning before the Radha Krishna Deities and then prepared to leave. In the group photo we took before leaving, I am standing directly next to Sridhara Maharaja on his right. Prabhupada is standing surrounded by Hari Sauri and Jayapataka Maharaja.

 

1.

Krishna seems far away from me,
but actually He’s close.
It’s just that I don’t care to
be with Him in divine loving
service. It’s a pity.

Why am I so indifferent?
He is the most attractive person,
the source of all protection, and
He can give me eternal youth.

I don’t understand why I don’t
love Him more actively.
My love is like flameless red coals,
hot but not blazing. I want
to be with You in prayer and
active service.

I have lost the taste for preaching
and worshiping Him. Please
Lord, bring me back, wake
me up to the fact that I
need You desperately, that without You
I will soon perish and
have to enter into another
material body for suffering the four
fold miseries.

Why can’t I be wise at
seventy years old? Why am I
occupied with trivialities?
I want to cry out to You,
and I’m starting to do
it now in this poem.

Lord Hari, four-armed
and two-armed lover
of the gopis, friend of
all living entities, so
great we can’t estimate
You, but we can offer You
a leaf or water
or fruit in devotion,
and You will be
pleased.

2.

As Lord Caitanya, Nrsimhananda Brahmacari
meditated and made You a road
of jewels in his mind. Prabhupada
says the road of jewels in the
mind was as good as actual jewels,
just devotional service is what counts.
And then You went to Rama-keli
and hundreds and thousands of
people followed You. The Muslim ruler asked his secretary
what was Your influence. The
secretary played as a diplomat
to protect You and said,
“Oh he is just a mendicant.
Just a few people follow
Him. Don’t disturb Him, there
is no profit in it, only loss.”
And he warned You the Muslim
ruler might get jealous so You
ought to leave.

The pastimes of Lord Caitanya are
as interesting as the lila of Krishna
in Vrndavana. Pure devotees have
eternal bodies as gurus, and
they also have eternal identities as
females in Vraja and
as males in Caitanya lila.
I want to enter a body
and mindset where I think
of You always and chant
Your names. I want my
devotion to blaze.

Can I help myself with a
poem, with a simple song
of recitation of Your glories?
And what else do I have
to do? Do I have to go to
Trinidad to give lectures?
Do I need to read more
in my master’s books
and help people in Krishna
consciousness?

Let me come alive and in these
last years. I don’t want
to die before I’m dead. I want to love You
with intensity. I want
to be a genuine bhakta. I pray You’ll help me
more quickly to that
direction to cry out
and be with You.

Free write

These are pictures of the ISKCON artists working in Boston in 1970. Bharadraja is painting Lord Caitanya taming the wild beasts in the jungle by His chanting of the holy names. Murali-dhara is touching up a picture of four-headed Lord Brahma in Satyaloka. The devotees hadn’t been painting so long, but they were learning by working. This was a favorite policy of Prabhupada’s: A book distributor would learn how to sell books by doing it, a manager would learn on the job. The artists made mistakes and were awkward at first, but they would work so hard and constantly that they would quickly learn. Prabhupada didn’t even like the idea of their studying the great masters in painting. They should just paint by their own abilities. Prabhupada had introduced paintings as illustrations for his books. He initially asked Jadurani to paint dozens of pictures of Krishna’s pastimes for his Krishna book. Some of the paintings were obviously beginners work, but he saw some sincerity in them and he published them. Gradually the artist group became efficient in a realistic style of figures painted according to the way they were described in the scriptures, literally.

They worked in a rather large area on a second floor with lots of windows. About six painters could work at one time, with lamps clamped to their canvases. They’d listen to Prabhupada’s lectures or bhajans of him singing while they painted, and they considered their lives blissful. Working on the Press in separation from Prabhupada while he toured the world produced intense dedication. The painters felt dedicated. During this early time I was the manager of the painting department. I didn’t have many duties. I assigned the pictures, managed the personnel and my main job turned out to be how to restrain the devotees from working too much. Painting was a service that gave the painters great enthusiasm, and they worked all day and night, and I had to tear them away from their canvases. They were in a mood of painting in a marathon spirit, and Prabhupada encouraged it.  When the paintings were completed and used in the books the originals were put in simple frames and hung in the temples. Prabhupada personally gave instructions by mail as to how  exactly the characters should be painted.  Arjuna should not wear a mustache, Radharani’s feet should not show, as a sign of Her modesty. And he liked bright colors. Jadurani kept painting men with long curly hair below their shoulders. Prabhupada had a hard time curing her of this habit. He wanted the hair only down to their shoulders. Prabhupada declared the paintings were “windows to the spiritual sky” and were worshipable objects, like Deities.

We should know that if we chant one maha-mantra and actually listen to it—hearing it—we have done something wonderful and our life is already successful. Focused chanting is actually the clearing stage of japa (namabhasa) and the scriptures are full of glorification of such chanting…

Over the past few months, the Hare Krishna Community at ISKCON Toronto has seen an encouraging growth in the Sankirtan efforts. Sankirtan is the form of sharing bhakti or Krishna Consciousness with the public through books and outdoor kirtan. This has been due to the inspiration of Vaisesika das, who in his previous visits to Toronto has empowered and inspired devotees to go out on the streets and become ambassdors of good will!

Vaisesika das will be joining us in New Remuna Dham, again for an extended weekend of Sankirtan bliss from March 12th to March 15th! During his stay, there will be a variety of programs including special Bhagavatam classes in the morning from 7:45am - 9:00am on Overcoming Obstacles in Krishna Consciousness, a seminar on importance of Goal Setting, a Bhajan and Pizza night and much much more!

Vaisesika das will also be taking the devotees out on the streets on Saturday on a fun Sankirtan experience. He will also be giving a very special Sunday Feast Class and will lead us in an ecstatic 8pm arati! Please mark your calendars and come out for this extended weekend of bliss!

For more information about the seminars, please visit the New Sankirtan blog or click on the image to see the full schedule!

We look forward to seeing you at these events!

From an email:

INFORMATION EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW………………………
Blood Clots/Stroke – They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue

I will continue to forward this every time it comes around!

STROKE:Remember the 1st Three Letters…..S.T.R.

My nurse friend sent this and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree.

If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks. Seriously.

Please read:

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall – she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) .she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening

Ingrid’s husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital – (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today.. Some don’t die they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this…

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke…totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remember the ‘3′ steps, STR . Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today.)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke ——– Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another ’sign’ of a stroke is this: Ask the person to ’stick’ out his tongue… If the tongue is ‘crooked’, if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.

I have done my part. Will you?

Filed under: Health

The Right Questions

Toronto, Ontario

"Excuse me, sir," said the man at such a time (3 a.m.). I stopped.

"Thank you for treating me like a person," he went on as he reached out for a handshake.

I reciprocated and was poised to listen. He carried on speaking.

"I'm a homeless person for a couple of hours..."

"Oh, for a couple of hours? And you want some money to spend for a couple of hours until you're no longer homeless?" I smacked with some sarcasm. "No thanks," I added.

As I walked away at his reputed sleeze section of Yonge St. and chanted on my meditation beads, I thought the guy to be at least a portion honest, admitting to not being full time "homeless". I also began to think, "Wouldn't it be nice if he could just ask the right question?"

Instead of "can you spare a little change?" perhaps we could revert to something that could bear more substance. Questions such as "What is life all about? Why am I here? Who am I really?" would be true refreshing inquiries.

If all we really crave for in life is a beer, drugs, a coffee or wearing cool jeans, we are missing the point. If our questions circle around such trivial matters, what good do we hope to achieve?

I suppose one of the most gripping set of questions that are meaningful came from Sanatan Goswami, a government person who turned monk. He approached with all humility the great Chaitanya expressing openly that he was learned, well-read, established, well-off, but he didn't know his true identity. He started asking relevant questions seeking answers that would make a transformational difference in his life.

Some of the part and full-time homeless as well as home owners might do well to explore the right questions to ask and eventually through the mature response gain hope and look at the world from a different perspective.

5 KM