After the amazing Bhakti-retreat I headed off to Wellington, New Zealand. I had stayed in Wellington for one year in 2003. So, it was quite emotional to be back.
Gaura Yoga is the main hub around which all Krishna conscious activities in Wellington revolve. All other outreach centers around AU and NZ are based on this remarkable establishment. Gaura Yoga is not a temple. Rather it has the look and feel of a high-quality café. Yoga classes and seminars take place during the week and a three hour-long kirtan is held every Saturday, followed by a massive masterfully executed festival on Sundays. An average of 25 people attend each yoga night and 30 - 100 guests come to the Sunday programs (and these are paying guests wanting to hear about Krishna, not devotee staff).
Visnumaya devi dasi manages Gaura Yoga. Throng of pictures here.
I want to move to Wellington after finishing my PhD, so I spent most of my time looking for jobs while there. Lucky for me: there is currently a huge shortage of software engineers in New Zealand. I’m told it works something like this:
A while ago (during the .com boom) everyone in the world (and more than everyone in India) studied computer science even if they had no interest, talent or skill in the subject in hope of cashing in. However, now that the good times are over, suddenly no one in NZ is interested in computers anymore. CS student numbers have gone way, way down. Thus getting a job in academia is nigh on impossible at the moment. University departments are funded based on how many students they teach. Fewer students, means less money, which means no hiring of new staff. However, because no one is studying computer science, very few people are graduating with software qualifications (and even those that are, are mostly moving to the USA where salaries are much higher than in NZ). This leaves the NZ IT companies clamoring for every last software engineer they can get their hands on.
Most companies hire via various recruitment companies, so I got in contact with a number of these recruiters. They had a whole slew of companies they wanted to represent me to. However, they preferred to do this closer to the time of my actuall arrival. Nevertheless, I got three job offers from the different companies I interviewed with. So, I can pick my job.
Wellington, here I come!
By Bhakta-Chris
Reporting on June 7, 2007
Live from New Vrindaban
New Vrindaban is a pretty quiet place. One can step outside and hear peacocks rather than the freeway.
We try to lead a simple life, we try to think highly, and we sure have our fair share of excitement.
However, unlike most temples, outside of the Festival of Inspiration, we don’t get a lot of traveling sannyasis and happy swamis coming into the Dham.
Unless they pretty much come all at once, which is what is happening right now in the first week of June, 2007, as the Governing Board Council of the International Society of Krsna Consciousness, in other words, a who’s who of mind-body-soul dedicated preachers to Srila Prabhupada’s mission descends on our precious Dham for a very serious Meeting.
For this little bhakta, it’s the Big Time in many ways. One could spend all day dropping in dandavats.
In any case, let me share with you the fruits of one of my fulfilled-by-Krsna desires, which was the chance to have some personal association with the saints and scholars of our blissful society.
After returning from quite a vacation of harinama and sanga with HH Radhanath Swami in NYC, all of us brahmacaris were welcomed back with open arms and slaps on the back. It was time to “get back to the grindstone!”
For myself, this included taking down and putting up tents, cleaning out and setting up the Lodge space for the Meeting, and cleaning up the land around our guest cabins.
Real devotional service. Getting that taste of getting a list of menial yet important tasks to do, doing them quickly and efficiently (true Bhakti), with no spacing out, and lessons learned.
Then began my Marathon of Airport Pickups. My material body moving constantly at 80 MPH, with kirtans and Prabhupada and the occasional bloop into classic rock radio vibrating the eardrums.
The drive to Pittsburgh International Airport got shorter and shorter each time, as I learned, in the style of former race-car champion HG Caitanya Prabhu, to really hit those dirt-road curves with full abandon (unless I had a VIP in the passenger’s seat).
First up was HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami, who had to suffer through the delay of my being stuck in a gawker-delay traffic-jam on the freeway mere minutes from the airport.
I pulled up to the curb of the terminal, put the hazards on, rushed into the terminal to find him, rushed out, got chastised by a police officer, pulled the car further up the curb, and found Maharaj standing there with his bags.
His expression was grave. I was nervous and apologetic, but everything was transcendental.
On the drive back, Maharaj told me he hadn’t been to New Vrindaban in nearly thirty years. He would tell me later in the week that he was astounded how much the Dham had changed in appearance since he was there last.
Next up was the crew of scholars from Bhaktivedanta College at Radhadesh-HG Yadunandana Prabhu and HG Lila-Sukai Prabhu. These super-wonderful devotees are striving to stay on the cutting-edge of modern Vaisnava education, and we were blessed to have their input, wisdom, and humble natures with us throughout the week.
Passing a series of graveyards on Route 88, I tried to explain why Americans want to bury their deceased, and I tried to console my car-mates by saying that cremations are becoming more popular.
Next was HH Lokanath Swami, who shared Prasad and garlands with me, and with whom I tried to humbly explain the practice of Western kirtaniyahs spreading the Holy Name around via the medium of modern yoga studios.
As we pulled in to New V and to Maharaj’s cabin, I promised him it was spacious and luxurious. He smiled sweetly and said it was better to live simply, like a yogi in a cave. I’ll try to remember and imbibe that.
Last and certainly not least, was HH Devamrita Swami, whom I had wanted to meet for a while, being a big fan of his lectures. At the behest of all my all-star college-preaching ashram-mates, I inquired into the best and most innovative ways to meet the spiritual needs of all the lovely, intelligent students we meet and serve.
Maharaj didn’t reply with any fancy computer tricks, ultra-modern strategies, or jumping jacks. He simply said “Make sure the Prasad is first-class.” Thank the Lord we already got that covered.
Maharaj also regaled me with his experiences of living in Detroit for a short while, which he described as being somewhat hellish and primitive for someone of his upbringing, in avant-garde jazz ultra-hip Manhattan.
We agreed that in comparing John Lee Hooker with John Coltrane, the real winner is Krsna.
The surprise of this entire hullabaloo was that I was asked to be a secretary for one of the GBC Meeting Committees. I certainly didn’t expect to be allowed, by Krsna or by anyone, to enter into the hull of the great ship that is Lodge during this most important of times, but there I was, with some of ISKCON’s finest, carefully taking notes and expertly spacing out only at the least important times.
This was quite a privilege, to be able to see how this GBC functions and to hear the mixing and matching of the vital issues of the Society’s present and future.
The best was the intimate association, as part of the New Vrindaban Players, that we received from HH Bhakti-Marg Swami, as he molded us into sublime thespians for his production of the “Tenth Canto.”
Maharaj is highly unique, and wonderfully personal. He is intensely driven to put on a great show, and it has certainly rubbed off on this rag-tag bunch of devotees.
With only a few hours to show time, in front of Brijabasis and sannyasis alike, this actor has a lot of confidence that we will wow them to the rafters. (Stay tuned to Brijabasi Spirit for a full post on the experience of working with HH Bhakti-Marg Swami)
It was a week of thick, syrupy doses of honest-to-goodness mercy. May New Vrindaban always be blessed with such footprints marking the dust of each and every surface.
For this bhakta, it was an experience I didn’t feel worthy of having, but which nevertheless I relished to the fullest. I hope to do whatever I can for the future of ISKCON and Prabhupada’s mission, guided by the inspiration and guidance of these great souls. I could ask for little more.
From Evocative objects
“Human objects have a secret power for their owners. They can help you think better or in a new way. Or they can become such a powerful part of your life that you couldn’t imagine being without them.
“In an essay for New Scientist, linked to her latest book, Evocative Objects, MIT professor Sherry Turkle reckons that just asking yourself what they mean to you can unlock a rich stock of memories, associations and insights into your thought processes that you may not be able to get at any other way.
“For some, objects-to–think-with can prompt new and important ideas. These objects have no limits: they can be anything from a leather suitcase your grandfather gave you, your first car, a carved elephant, even the Sun or Moon. For others, they show us how far we have started to merge with our objects: a laptop that holds your whole life, or an asthma spray that helps you keep alive and well.
“My object is a brass pendant (see image) I wear round my neck. My French pen friend gave it me when I was 14. It’s heavy, circular and from West Africa. The design is curiously unsettling: round the edge, an outer circle contains a continuous wavy line, while in the inner part are two crosses either side of a triangle which has a sort of noose at the top. Inside the triangle is a human form naked to the waist, with its arms pushing at the sides of the triangle.
“Aside from the history I’ve given it by wearing since teenage, Turkle has inspired me to discover its true history. Among the few things I know about it: the brass is soft enough to be hand-carved, it does not easily become tarnished which should mean it contains more aluminium than some brasses.
“But does the triangle represent a man being hanged? Is it a ship carrying slaves from one continent to another? Perhaps the pendant is connected to witchcraft or fertility rituals? Is it intended to offer me protection from bad luck – or cast an evil spell?
“While I check out more about my evocative object, we’d love to hear about yours. So please tell us what the object is and what it means to you in the comments below (no more than 300 words please). You might want to let us know how it connects you to your past, present, work, the world around you or other people.”
New Green House for Srimati Tulasi Maharani:
Last week Parama Koruna Prabhu with the help of other devotees installed the new green house on the other side of the temple wall. Thanks to Prama Koruna Prabhu for collecting all the donations from devotees to buy the New House for Srimati Vrnda Devi.
SNANA YATRA
(THE BATHING CEREMONY OF LORD JAGANNATHA, HIS BROTHER
LORD BALADEVA AND HIS SISTER SRIMATI SUBHADRA).
Sunday, July, 1, 2007
Please come and enjoy this colourful occasion. Everyone will be able to bathe Their Lordships large and attractive forms. This festival has been practised for thousands of years. Lord Jagannatha was the earliest deity form of the Lord to be worshipped here on earth in this millennium. He is traditionally made of wood or clay and is always smiling broadly, as are Baladeva and Subhadra also. Their mood of happiness and benevolence is very charming. Please don't miss
this opportunity. The programme will start one hour earlier than the
Sunday Feast time, so the start for SNANA YATRA is 3.00pm SUNDAY.
The programme is as follows:
Everyone is welcome.
New Govardhana Community
If anyone would like to sponsor Snana Yatra Abisheka or
the Maha Feast ( Abisheka $ 201, Maha Feast $ 351),
please contact:
Ajita Das: ad@in.com.au ; Phone: 02-66726579, 0419645305
Govinda Caran Das: newgovardhana@aapt.net.au ;
Phone: 02-66726385, 0403874097
Only fifteen days now until I leave for America again. I will once again be travelling on the Hare Krishna Youth Bus Tour for eight weeks, criss crossing North America, assisting with festivals in over thirty cities and having plenty of adventures along the way!I had a wonderful time last year - it really changed me quite dramatically, dissolving some of the shyness and inhibition, that I felt had characterised me for a long time. Living with forty people on a bus for two months is an intense experience, and the relationships formed are priceless. What to speak of the satisfying feeling that comes from performing service as a team, in countless temples, from Toronto to LA. But I’ll really miss home too. This year, (unlike last year when a small group came from England) I will be going on my own…oh well, onwards and upwards.
I had a really nice day on Monday. I went into Central London with some of my best friends and we visited the V&A Museum.
I love the V&A - it’s an art and design museum but the range of artifacts housed there is quite amazing. There are all different departments, arranged by country and culture, and also those arranged by artistic medium (e.g. silverware, ironwork, marble sculpture). You can lose yourself for hours, just exploring the warren of corridors and staircases. Art is everywhere you look, from floor-
-to ceiling.
It’s always amazing and inspiring to look at these works of incredible craftsmanship, and imagine the worlds that surrounded them. Particularly in the South Asia department, looking at the exquisite sculptures, frozen yet animated;
or the intricately strung necklaces, heavy with precious stones - I find I can catch a glimpse into the opulence that once pervaded ancient India. I remember reading in the Mahabharata that someone had an average army which included 400 elephants - I can’t even imagine that many elephants in one place, at one time!
After the museum I made a quick stop at the temple in Soho, home of their beautiful Lordships Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara (the Lords of London).
photos by Sanatan
I grabbed some lunch at Govinda’s and ran down Tottenham Court Road to catch the tube to Waterloo. I waited to meet my mum outside the Royal Festival Hall, on the Southbank. The air was so balmy and the lowering sun glanced off the water and the glass of the building - I wish all days in London could be so beautiful.
A little later I went into the Queen Elizabeth Hall to watch Anoushka Shankar in concert.
She was playing her sitar with a group of amazing musicians - piano, flute, tabla and drumkit. It was such a great concert. The acoustics of the hall translated the sparkling sounds of the sitar so clearly and the musicians were a joy to watch. It’s always so wonderful to watch people perform together when you can see they’re really enjoying it. After the concert I spotted another of my favourite musicians - Nitin Sawhney, at the front of the hall. I suppose it’s a small world.
We walked back along the Millenium Bridge, the water now illuminated by the city lights; and as I took my last journey home on the tube for the next three months, I said a little farewell to London.
Above all ryvers thy Ryver hath renowne,
Whose beryall stremys, pleasaunt and preclare,
Under thy lusty wallys renneth down,
Where many a swan doth swymme with wyngis fair;
Where many a barge doth saile and row with are;
Where many a ship doth rest with top-royall.
O, towne of townes! patrone and not compare,
London, thou art the flour of Cities all.
from ‘In Honour of The City of London’ (in Old English)
by William Dunbar 1460-1522
The other day my parents and I went to the church flower show of our neighbouring village. ‘Aldenham’ used to be the name of the entire area, but now it only refers to this one little hamlet, so stereotypically English, with it’s village green surrounded by little cottages (with roses round the doors), and the old church standing tall in the centre. It’s all hidden from the main road, so driving in can sometimes feel like you’ve stepped into an episode of Miss Marple.
The flower show was interesting. I have grown up being taken to churches all over England - mostly due to my Dad’s passion for religion of all kinds! At Christmas time, we used to go to the carol service at our local church and in my secondary school years, I used to perform with the school choir in St Albans Abbey.
My sister and I even used to go to Easter arts and crafts workshops, run by our local church. I’m not sure quite what we made of all the Easter basket decorating - I remember once making a clumsy replica of the cave from which Jesus rose again and covering it with yellow primroses and hyacinths. They used to sing a song:
Roll the stone, roll the stone, roll the stone away…
Jesus died, now he’s alive, so let’s all celebrate!
Hm. It had actions too 
I think these experiences have made me feel very at home in churches. When I was younger I always used to get excited about the ritual of lighting a candle, saying a prayer (to Krishna, how ironic) and putting 10p in the donation box. I still like doing it. With their high, arching ceilings and the jewel toned light from the stained glass windows, churches are designed to make people feel closer to God, and it does work. The space is a sacred one, no matter which God you believe in - and if you happen to believe that God is one with many names, like me, all the better.
So, I was a little surprised when we entered the church flower show to find that it had the theme of ‘Inn Signs’. Every flower display was themed on a local pub, and throughout the pews I could see empty beer bottles carefully placed as ‘decoration’. I even found one within inches of the main altar. I suppose with the religious upbringing I’ve had it’s somewhat of a visual oxymoron. Oh well. In the little booklet they gave us when we came in, it was supposed to be celebrating the ancient history of the patronage of local brewers to the church. It made me reflect on churches, and how much they were (or are) tied to spirituality and religion and how much they served more as a social centre - a place to meet before making merry…
Before we left, we had a quick chat with the vicar there - Rev. Alan Fletcher. He is a friend of the devotees at Bhaktivedanta Manor and visits whenever we have an open day or cultural evening. He was really pleased that we had come to support a church event and I think that perhaps our spontaneous visit that day will have positive repercussions to come. It’s so nice to see, in the political climate of the world today, people of faith just respecting and appreciating each other for also believing in God.
Amen.
yourself.
According to that great sastra Wikipedia, a well cultivated critical thinker:
There is a nice section in that article on overcoming bias, which begins by recognising that you have one.
The best use of critical thinking is sva-dhyaya, or self analysis.
If you want to change the world, change yourself.
Then speak from and of your experience.
The idea of every interaction is to be transformed, not simply to transform the world around us to accomodate our present state. We are placed into every situation to learn and to be changed.
That's the thought for the day.
Válaszok kérdésekre.
Letöltés (10:13) 4 MB
Answers to questions.
Download (14:44) 6.7 MB
BY CHAIRMAN HH BHANU SWAMI
Dear Members of ISKCON,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Below you will find the resolutions from our recently completed GBC meetings help in Sri Dhama Mayapura. Please excuse us for the delay. We will try to avoid it for next year.
For the second year in a row, we are including the “Whereas” section of the resolutions for you to read. The Whereas’s are meant to give the reasons for the resolutions. Hopefully they will give you a better idea of some of the rationale behind the decisions. (more…)
By Partha - sarathi dasaSo I took out my pocket Bhagavad Gita and started to read. Next thing I know I had 5 soldiers around me all huddle against a wall. They listened intently as I read a verse out loud and then asked if I had any books with me they could have.
By Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura (Translation by Sriman Kushakrata Dasa)
9. The rocks of Govardhana Hill are all precious gems. Some are sapphires, some emeralds, some rubies, and others crystals. These rocks provide the perfect backdrop for Lord Krishna’s pastimes.
10. If while walking on Govardhana Hill Krishna’s elder brother Balarama sees a series of golden stones, He thinks, "The daughter of King Vrshabhanu must have just now walked before Me," and He changes course to avoid an awkward situation. In the same way, if Sri Radha sees a series of crystals, She thinks, "Balarama must have just walked before Me," and She changes course.
11. If on Govardhana Hill, which is the best of Lord Hari’s servants, Sri Krishna sees a golden stone, He takes it to be His beloved. Similarly, if His beloved sees a sapphire, She assumes it is Her lover.
by ekendra@gopala.org (Ekendra das) at June 07, 2007 05:05 PM
The leader ordered one of the devotees to come up and do the same to Srimati Radharani. Kiranasa, newly initiated, refused to obey. Gang members began beating him terribly with both their rifle barrels and their fists. One of them began dragging him by his sikha jerking his head around and jokingly asking one of his friends if he would like to see some brains. The other gunman said, “What brains? They haven’t got any brains.” Still Kiranasa refused to harm Srimati Radharani.
Being forced to witness any second the murder of their Godbrother, Kuladri and Vipina Purandar stepped up to the altar. Gloating, the leader let them gently lift Srimati Radharani, one of them on each side. He ordered them to carry Her out into the center of the temple room and break Her up.
Of course, no devotee could do that. So looking at one another, they let their grip go while holding Radharani a few inches from the floor. She sat down very hard on the marble floor and fell forward.
It is described that the sound Srimati Radharani made when She hit the floor was so horrendous, so frightening, and so piercing that it totally unhinged the attackers. Terrorized out of their own wits they all ran off; even the ones who had gone up the hill to execute the prisoners suddenly ran away. In Her inconceivable compassion, Srimati Radharani had saved New Vrindavan and all the residents at the expense of Her own arca-vigraha. What a great example of how our compassion for each other should be willing to express itsself.
A letter was sent at once to Srila Prabhupada describing what had happened and the damage done to Sri Sri Radha Vrindavan Chandra. He replied that Their Lordships should be repaired and returned to the altar for worship. In an extreme state of shock, the devotees moved Radha Vrindavan Chandra out of the temple and up to Kirtanananda’s cabin. There was no question in the minds of the devotees other than to care for Their Lordships and regain Their darshan: their life and soul.
For five days Radha Vrindavan Chandra stayed in the cabin being worshiped and repaired, and new traveling cloaks were made for Them for Their return to the temple.
Meanwhile, Bahulavan began looking like an armed encampment. Sandbag pillboxes sprouted up all around the property, both on the ground and on top of some of the one-story buildings. Two devotees who had had extensive military experience were recruited to teach the men marital arts and how to shoot. Devotees were assigned to sleep in the temple room vestibule with a sawed off 12 gauge shotgun. They had orders to shoot first and ask questions later if someone tried to force an entry. There was even a serious suggestion to ring the temple room in numb-chucks so weapons would be on hand in case of another attack.
The atmosphere was like that of a body with the heart torn out: anxiety, fear shock, and guilt were palpable elements in the ether. Almost no one could stand to be in the temple room emptied of Radha Vrindavan Chandra’s merciful presence for very long. Various devotees began taking on austerities to both apologize to Radha Vrindavan Chandra and to thank Them for Their protection. Some gave up a favorite or opulent type of prasadam (which in those days of near starvation was a great sacrifice). Some vowed to add an extra round of japa to the basic sixteen each year for many years afterward.
The Friday evening after the attack, Sri Sri Radha Vrindavana Chandra came down from the cabin to Their altar in a procession for the evening arotike. Kirtan started as usual, but when Sri Vrindavan Chandra came down the stairs and mounted His altar, the devotees began responsively and joyously chanting only His Name over and over in a near riot of happiness and relief. But that was almost minimal compared to the reception of Srimati Radharani as She came down the stairs in Her traveling cloak, Her face radiant with Her compassionate glance for all the devotees. In spontaneous unison the devotees began chanting “RADHE! RADHE! RADHE!” over and over again at the top of their voices. Unwilling and unable to stop, they were literally beside themselves with their overriding joy of reunion and thankfulness.
The great change in the Personal sweetness and beauty of the features and faces of Sri Sri Radha Vrindavan Chandra are dated from the time of Their triumphant return to Their altar. Pictures of Their Lordships from the time of Their installation at Vrindavan Farm up until that incident are vastly different from the pictures of Them since after the attack until Their move up into Their present temple room and Deity house.
Unlimited affection, gratitude and glories to Sri Sri Radha Vrindavan Chandra, all Their devotees, and the mission of Their New Vrindavan.
P.S. In spite of the gang members being apprehended, brought to trial, and identified by eyewitnesses, all were set free by the judicial system of the time.
Many years later Mankumari met a man in a wheelchair while she was on sankirtan for New Vrindavana. She was wearing street clothes and doing what was popularly called the pick—wherein the people you approach can’t tell at all easily that you are a Hare Krishna or that the movement is what they are donating to. Yet the man recognized her as a devotee instantly and was very eager to discuss something with her.
During their conversation, he revealed to Mankumari that he had been one of the members of that gang that had attacked the temple. And he felt his present invalid condition was his reaction to that violence.
Going to Pittsburgh to the liver doctor today. Going to drop a guest at the airport on the way.
GBC group remnants- blueberry cobbler today, apple cobbler the other day.
The first thing a devotee ever said to me was. “Take some spiritual food, make spiritual advancement just by eating.” Sounded easy enough.
I was reminded about this because I heard a devotee speaking Dutch on the phone and that is where I first talked to devotees and took prasadam. I met them at a club they used to use a room at one night a week at, and they invited me to a Sunday feast which was at some school out in the suburbs.
I was actually at the what I believe was the first Sunday feast held in the first temple that opened in Amsterdam. It was a canal or two down Dam Straat from Dam Square, and one block over then down a side street, across from a laundromat, I think. They had just moved in and not fixed it up yet.
There are 5 levels of realization, the lowest being annamaya, the realization that everything is food. Apparently, I am still stuck on that level, as that seems to be the most actively pursued path, getting mercy by taking remnants.
Hanging out with the devotees who do all the work to keep the event running smoothly when they are chilling out taking prasadam after finishing the serveout isn’t the same glow of satisfaction as having done the service yourself, but I seem to derive some vicarious joy from it, so did.
Hrdyananda Swami stopped by the house on a walk, and Vidya asked him where his danda was. He explained that due to increased security at airports, it has become onerous to take it on a plane. She asked him where it was, and he said it was at a place he has, that it was safe and happy, and that a neighbor comes in everyday and feeds it.
Now that is the kind of swami Vidya likes, one that makes her laugh. 
I am surprised how low key and mellow the scene at the temple where the GBC meetings are held is. Not the crowd of camp followers I was expecting, so it seems a conducive atmosphere for a productive session.
BY PAYONIDHI DASA
Jun 4, MARYLAND, USA (MON) —
1. We are put to test and trial in this world. Only those who attend the kirtana of the devotees can succeed.
2. Every spot on earth where discourses on God are held is a place of pilgrimage.
3. Possession of objects not related to Krsna is our main malady.
4. Let me not desire anything but the highest good for my worst enemies.
5. As dalliance with the body in luxury increases, so wanes the spirit of service of the Lord.
6. Those favored by God find their paths set by thorns. (more…)
India Trip 2007
Cow Products.JPG | Holi.JPG | Local Residents.JPG | Local Traffic.JPG | |||
Mad Max.JPG | Nandagram.JPG | New Friend.JPG | On the Way.JPG | |||
Pot Hole.JPG | Radharani's Palace.JPG |
This article published today by the Forum 18 News Service reports that local authorities in Kazakhstan have ordered the members of the Hare Krishna community near Almaty to destroy their temple and other buildings within the next ten days.
Guru Maharaja felolvas mulatságos hírdetéseket a Budapest Anno címû konyvbôl.
Letöltés (2:17) 1 MB
Continuing reading from Caitanya-caritamrta about Lord Caitanya’s travel to Vrindavana.
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In an article that I wrote earlier this year I discussed the abolition of habeas corpus in the United States:
The fundamental right of habeas corpus, or the guarantee of judicial oversight of the executive branch of government through the right to a trial, has been written out of law by sleight of hand, effectively doing away with 9 of the amendments of the US Constitution. Non-US citizens have already been detained in transit through the US and on streets in foreign countries and held without trial and tortured. This has now been made "legal", and extended to allow any US citizen to have their citizenship stripped from them arbitrarily and "legally" subjected to the same.
At the moment at home we are in chapter 7 of the First Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, "The Son of Drona Punished". This chapter gives an interesting lesson in some of the issues surrounding the idea of habeas corpus and its arbitrary suspension.
Drona's son Asvattama acted in an improper manner. He performed a criminal act completely against all Vedic standards of conduct. As such he was disqualified by his karma from holding the office of a brahmana. The different offices (varnas) are determined by activities (karma) and qualities (guna). However, since varnasrama is a social structure there is also an external structural component.
It is the duty of the administrators of society to synchronise the external structural component, "the official organizational chart", with the reality of the situation (the actual qualifications and activities of the people).
Confucius refers to this in his Analects as "the rectification of names" - "Let the ruler be ruler, the minister minister, the father father and the son son" (Analects, XII, 11) If every citizen took on the responsibility of acting in accordance with the natural principle that defines her social position, then there would always be harmony.
So in the case of Asvattama, Arjuna and others refer to him as brahma-bandhu, "the son (or friend) of a brahmana". He is a relative of a brahmana.
Now they are trying to decide what to do with him. Arjuna has vowed to kill him, and in doing so he has made a mistake.
You see, contrary to an earlier assertion by Phanisvara das, and a commonly-held misconception, birth is not irrelevant in a varnasrama society. As we've previously discussed, Dronacarya was more ksatriya by nature than brahmana, as evidenced by his interaction with King Drupada, his choice of wife (the twin sister of Prince Krpacarya), his occupation (martial guru), and his eventual demise (leading an army on a battlefield). However, because he was born in a brahmana family, he became officially a brahmana.
Although his family line was morphing to a more ksatriya role in society, it was still officially a brahmana line, therefore Asvattama is afforded the protections afforded to the brahmana class.
Therefore he is not to be killed under any circumstances.
If you study the Manu Samhita you will notice that graduated punishments are prescribed for different infractions, depending on the class of the offender.
The maximum punishment for a brahmana is banishment. When everyone else is to be put to death, the maximum penalty for a person of the brahmana class is to be banished from the kingdom, with all his property intact. A King is not permitted to kill a brahmana, or even to take his possessions away from him.
There is a very good reason for this. Brahmanas are responsible for overseeing the managerial power structure. In the case of King Venu, they removed him from office for his misbehaviour (the equivalent of modern impeachment).
In the case of Asvattama, by guna and karma, qualities and activities, he is not a brahmana. However, he is one by birth. Although he has been called, correctly, brahma-bandhu, or a relative of a brahmana, this in itself is sufficient to afford him brahminical protection status.
The correct course of action for this person is to banish him from the kingdom, in order to realign the social structure. In this way many kingdoms sprang up around Bharat-varsa in remote times.
The reason for this is simple. Imagine if Arjuna here sets the following precedent:
"As King, I unilaterally declare that you are not a brahmana. You have disqualified yourself by your actions. Therefore all brahminical protection is revoked from you. You will now be put to death."
He allows any king to unilaterally declare someone a non-brahmana and put them to death. It would be the end of the whole Vedic social structure. This power would undoubtedly be abused by an unqualified King, such as King Venu, for their own nefarious ends. In the name of dealing with an individual case it removes a structure that exists for protection of the whole society.
This is essentially what has happened with the change of the habeas corpus law in the United States. The "King" has been given the power to unilaterally revoke protection from a citizen by declaring them a non-citizen and removing all legal protection from them.
Not correct.
Claudette Vaughan recently interviewed me for the excellent website Abolitionist-Online - a Voice for Animal Rights
Here's the rest of the interview.
Claudette: "What’s happening in your world? Are we going to see another TV program from you?"
I continue to teach cookery classes as my main interest in life. I conduct classes all over the world, around Australia, and here in Perth, in cooking schools, colleges, peoples' homes and my home. Perhaps there will be another TV series also. And there will be more cookbooks. I'm planning to commence work on one very soon.
Claudette: "What is spiritual food to a Hare Krishna devotee?"
Way back in 1966, Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna Movement, himself a wonderful cook, showed us how to hold regular 'Love Feasts' every week. He said that such feasts for the public should become an important part of the Hare Krishna movement. "Vegetarian food offered to Krishna becomes spiritual", he said, "and whoever eats the food - called prasadam - receives great spiritual benefit."
So cooking can actually be yoga - bhakti-yoga - "the yoga of love".
One of the main elements of bhakti-yoga, is the preparation of sacred foods, foods fit for God. For thousands of years, priests in temples throughout India had prepared divine vegetarian offerings for the Supreme Being, known by names such as Krishna and Rama. These offerings were saturated with love and devotion.
The Sanskrit word 'yoga' carried the meaning of "connection," {the English word "yoke", referring to the brace that oxen wear to plough the fields, comes from Yoga}.
Specifically the connection refers to that which exists between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. That connection has now been broken, and yoga is a means for re-establishing it.
The idea of spiritual food is based on ones consciousness, on love. It is not a mechanical thing. If we love someone, we want to do things for them, and a very common thing that people do for those they love is to cook for them.
Practitioners of bhakti-yoga prepare offerings for God, Krishna, in this same spirit of love. This love is manifested at every stage of the cooking process - from the purchasing of the ingredients to the final offering of the sacred meal to the object of one's devotion.
Claudette: "Tell us your understanding of why a cow must be protected?"
All animals must be protected, and especially the cow. Just like our mother provides us her breast milk when we are babies, and nourishes us, the cow also provides her milk freely for humans to partake of. By nature's arrangement, under normal conditions (not in today's ghastly factory farm hell), the cow will provide much more milk than her calf can drink. This residual milk is for the human beings to use.
Killing cows is like cutting the throat of our mother - a horrible crime.
Claudette: "What did Srila Prabhupada say when asked if it is necessary to follow certain eating habits to practice spiritual life?"
Srila Prabhupada told us that real spiritual life means purifying our existence, physically, mentally and intellectually, and ultimately pleasing God.
It is hypocrisy to think one can practice spiritual life and at the same time pollute or bodies and minds by the heinous murder of our brothers and sisters. How will the father be pleased if we kill our brothers and sisters, God's intellectually less-developed children? Without pleasing God, we can make no spiritual advancement.
Claudette: "What did Srila Prabhupada say when asked to interpret the Christian “Thou Shalt Not Kill” commandment?"
Prabhupada spoke to numerous clergymen, Bishops and priests and never compromised on this point. He explained that "Thou Shalt Not Kill" not only refers to humans, but to all creatures, especially the more sentient animals.
Furthermore, in Melbourne he explained to the Reverend Gordon Powell, head of the Scots' Presbyterian Church, that even being a vegetarian was not enough, since there is still some karma even in killing vegetables. Best, he said with a grin, that we should become 'prasad-arians', and only eat sanctified vegetarian food.
Claudette: "“Do Unto Others.” How do you interpret that Kurma das?"
Would we like to live in horribly cramped conditions, and finally transported in trucks, slipping on our own excrement, then executed, our throats cut, and our blood drained out?
Would we do it to our children, our loved ones? To our pets?
We talk endlessly of those that lost their lives in The Holocaust yet every day millions of animals similarly lose their lives in hellish slaughterhouses. And we lament war, which is a direct karmic result of animal slaughter, yet we gorge ourselves on the dead.
If we don't want pain to befall us, stop killing other creatures.
Claudette: "What about people who slaughter for a living. What is a Krishna devotees views on that?"
There is absolutely no worse occupation to have than being a slaughterman. The destiny of a butcher is beyond description.
Claudette:"Is it possible to liberate an animal from their lot in life?"
Animals who are allowed to live out the terms of their natural life will naturally progress upwards, gradually, over many lifetimes. If we give them spiritually sanctified food and expose them to sacred sound, they will be liberated from their animal cycle.
Claudette: "How does factory farming fit with Krishna consciousness? Isn’t that a contradiction in terms?"
'Factory farming' is an oxymoron. Krishna Consciousness means a God-centred life in harmony with natural laws. Factory farming breaks all the natural laws and brings ruination upon all.
Claudette: "Have we all lost our religious reverence, respect and love for all life forms in the “ordinary” world Kurma das?"
Unfortunately this is the tendency, yes. According to the ancient Vedic Sanskrit texts, this age is called Kali Yuga. It is the final 432,000 year season, the Winter Age if you like, in the ever-rotating cycle of the four seasons of the universe.
Symptomatic of this time is a decline in Godliness, and a decline in following (God's) natural laws. As a direct result, we suffer in many ways due to breaking these laws. We defile and pollute our living place, this planet, and wonder why things become so unpleasant.
Lack of water, environmental catastrophes, disease and poverty, unrest and war are all a direct result of disobeying the laws of nature.
If we want to revive our respect and love for each other and for our fellow creatures, we must revive our connection with God, and naturally we will again become soft-hearted, non-violent, compassionate and loving, our natural position.
Bharatanatyam dancing performed to the Govindam prayers by Apple records. This was filmed April 2007 at the Durban, South Africa Hare Krsna Festival.
This is part 3 of 3 of BB Govinda Swami chanting the Maha Mantra at the Hare Krsna festival on Durban Beach, South Africa.
Part 2 of Govinda Swami chanting the Maha Mantra at the Hare Krsna Festival at Durban beach, South Africa.
Vishnujana Maharaj was one of those devotees that made the difference. By his humility and dedication made tasting the Holy Name a reality for thousands, and still he is!!!
Jagannatha M. das & son Arjuna.
I just wanted to highlight a blog from the excellent Atma-Yogi site run by Sita-Pati Prabhu
By Braja Sevaki Devi DasiThe Karasai district Hakimat demanded that all the "illegally constructed buildings" situated on this land including the temple of the Society for Krishna Consciousness and the cowshed be demolished in 10 days.
HH Bir Krishna Swami: Some people picture the meetings as a time that the GBC gets together and decides gleefully how to control the movement and the people in the movement. Actually management in this day and age is a real sacrifice and in and of itself is not an extremely joyful experience.Dear Prabhu's,
Please accept my humble obeisances, All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Five days a week devotees undergoing Brhamcari Training in Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir go for book distribution in the local trains. Often they meet people who are hostile and challenging and some times when they make announcements these opposing elements shout back and try to disrupt the distribution. Some of the devotees are new and often find the situations overwhelming, but at the same time when they take shelter of Lord Krishna, things suddenly turn about in amazing ways. Here we present an account by Pancha Pandava Prabhu:
Once I was distributing 'Krishna the reservoir of Pleasure' in the train. I got down on one station in front of a juice stall and began adjusting the books in my bag. Suddenly a tall, well-built man with a burly moustache and pan in his mouth emerged behind the counter. "Arre bhai, (Oh sir!) Please stop. Let me see what you are giving out"
"These are books based on Bhagavad-gita and Sramad-Bhagavatam," I replied.
"I know, I know," he said and spat out a mouthful of red pan juice. "You people are doing lot of prachar (preaching), everyday I see many like you coming and distributing these books. OK show me this book," he took a book from my hand.
"Very nice, very nice, how much does it cost?"
"Ten rupees," I replied.
"What! TEN rupees for just three pages! What will I get in a book of such a small size? And to pay TEN rupees for it. No, no."
"Sir, don't go on the size of the book. This book has the knowledge to take you to the highest destination."
"How?"
"Just like if you want to go to Uttar Pradesh (by his accent I could make out that he belonged to a Indi speaking area), how big is your train ticket? Hardly 5 inches, but it takes you across 3000 miles. Similarly this book may appear small but it has the power to take you back to Godhead, to the spiritual world where we can live an eternal life with Lord Krishna. So don't go upon the size of the book. The book is small but the knowledge it gives is the greatest."
"Yes, yes," he nodded, "what you are saying makes sense. Here are your ten rupees and thanks for the ticket.
Your servant Murari Gupta DAS
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Currently, I have received lectures by H H Bhakti vikas Swami on book distribution seminar. They r posted on http://rgl.amieo.com/Default.aspx?tabid=337 (u need to login to view).
You may also send some lectures.
Your servant Vaishnava seva dasa
