Recording of a lecture given in Vrinda Kunda India in November 2007:

[ download ] Network of Devotees

November is one of the darkest months in the year, but also one of lit candles and bonfires (not to speak of fireworks....). Maybe it is part of human nature to find ways to celebrate the changing seasons and to seek comfort in light and warmth.



We were certainly warmed by our November kirtan, which you can tune into below.

Gopal, who'd just been 'under the weather', and inspired by the rain, spoke from the Bhagavad-gita how self never change - in contrast to the changing seasons.

Short introduction.













Gopal chanted an invocation and continued with:

sri-krishna-chaitanya prabhu nityananda shri-advaita gadadhara shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

Talk 1.

Rasasthali chanted:

govinda jaya jaya gopala jaya jaya
radha-ramana-hari govinda jaya jaya
govinda govinda govinda govinda
gopala gopala gopala gopala

Talk 2.

Damodarashtakam followed by the Hare Krishna mantra, by Gopal.

This song is chanted in this month of Damodar (Kartik). Damodar means 'he who has a rope around his belly' and refers to Krishna as very young boy. Once Krishna's mother tried to catch him when he had been very naughty, and after much running, she finally caught him. She then tried to bind him with a rope to a large mortar so that he wouldn't escape, but her rope was two fingers too short. She then got another rope to make it longer. The rope was still two fingers too short. Then she got a third rope, a fourth rope, and on it went, but the rope was still two fingers too short...

Finally, she paused (completely stunned by this illogical sequence) and looked at him with bewilderment and love. At that moment, the rope was suddenly long enough, and she could tie him up. This is not a tale of child-rearing techniques, but rather that it is not really possible to bind God. The moral is that we can never 'tie him up' unless he allows us to, attracted by our love.

[We apologise to those who came to the kirtan but who were blown back by the Frankincense. It was just the last little puff which soon disappeared. We'll be more careful next time.]

A Bhagavad-gita megjelenési ünnepét egyenes adásban közvetítjük az egri központból 2007. december 7-én, pénteken 17 órától 20.30-ig

 

This week on Friday, Saturday and Sunday Sivarama Swami is doing Gita Jayanti yajnas in Eger, Budapest and Kecskemét. You will be able to watch live the yajna in Eger on the site on the

7th of December, Friday from 5 pm to 8.30 pm
Take part in chanting the entire Bhagavad-gita with Maharaja!

 

Last year’s yajna in Budapest

By Sastra Dana

December is the time of giving gifts. Are you wondering what to give to your friends, coleagues, business partners, relatives, and everyone else? Wonder no more. Give Srila Prabhupada's books to one and all.

Akrura das: Good leadership means getting results in a way that inspires trust in others. The means are as important as the ends. To get things done in ways that destroy trust is not only shortsighted and counterproductive; it's ultimately unsustainable.

Desire Tree International: No More Worries on Ekadasi Day! If you are not sure what to feed your children' If you are too busy to cook' If you are traveling' If you need quick energy food' If you just want a tasty snack' Then Desire Tree International's EKADASI BAR is for you!

Dhruva Maharaja dasa: Thus far we've completed 16 titles, totaling more than 36 hours reading time, and from 12/4 thru 12/31 all our downloads are on sale for HALF PRICE.

• Astrology shows where the modes of nature will throw a conditioned soul.

We finally solved the uploading mystery, which wasn't really such a mystery after all... so here are Ranchor's October kirtans, and some photos from the event. Sorry about the delay.

Invocation.

Chant 1:
jaya radhe jaya shri radhe, jaya radhe jaya shri radhe,
jaya krishna, jaya krishna krishna, jaya krishna jaya shri krishna.


















Chant 2:
krishna krishna krishna krishna, krishna krishna krishna he
krishna krishna krishna krishna, krishna krishna krishna he
krishna krishna krishna krishna, krishna krishna raksha mam
krishna krishna krishna krishna, krishna krishna pahi mam
rama raghava rama raghava, rama raghava raksha mam
krishna keshava krishna keshava, krishna keshava pahi mam

Chant 3:
krishna krishna hare hare
krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama
rama rama hare hare

By Karnamrita das

Nowadays devotees are often involved in some type of inter religious dialog where we try to connect with different groups to promote more religious understanding and acceptance.

In an attempt to have the lowest-tech site on the web, I bring you…

Classic ISKCON Music

Tired of sifting through my too-wordy blog to find my snarky reviews of Classic ISKCON Records & Tapes? Well now you can have them all in one lo-fi joint!

As you can see, the site is basically an archives of my reviews. Maybe in the future, I’ll have more stuff up there. I just got an email from someone about another someone who had a hand in recording some of the tapes. Could be interesting. But mostly, it’ll be reviews. This is a hobby and I’m doing it because nobody else seems to want to. Not complaining, of course. I do really enjoy it.

I gave a presentation at the WoMO 2007 workshop (co-located with the K-CAP 2007 conference). It, along with all my other papers, can be found in the publications section of this website.

You can view the research paper, the slides of my presentation, and an animated movie of my presentation (slides + audio). To view the movie click the image below to download (quicktime h.264):

The research gives an overview of ten different ontology engineering projects’ infrastructures, architectures and workflows. It especially focuses on issues regarding collaborative ontology modeling. The survey leads on to a discussion of the relative advantages and disadvantages of asynchronous and synchronous modalities of multi-user editing. This discussion highlights issues, trends and problems in the field of multi-user ontology development.

• Az asztrológia azt mutatja meg, hogy egy feltételekhez kötött lelket merre fognak sodorni a kötőerők.

Sivarama Swami leading kirtana on the 1st of December in Ireland, Inish Rath.

Here is a story:

Once a sage saw a scorpion floundering around in the water.

Well I must be looking rather tired as several people have said that I appear to need a rest and may be a small holiday, whilst my visit to the Manor last weekend given me some pause for thought.

It has been noted that I have not stopped for a while; my visits have been rushed affairs although this is probably a symptom of my life rushing from one place to another. This too I feel is reflected in my Japa which has also speeded up, this I noticed more as I sat listening to others a luxury I don’t have at home, so a need for a bit of a japa retreat is a feel much needed, poor Japa always relates to poor devotional and spiritual life.

One of the options was to fly over to New Zealand and visit some old friends but I have been strongly advised against such a trip which is a little sad but understandable and there is a far simpler and practical solution, although it also means visiting another country not to far way England.

There is already offers of engaging me in some loving service with the added bonus of lots of devotee association for a few weeks which is always priceless and much better than just a couple of days each month and my own company which is the norm.

Although the term holiday is a bit incorrect maybe a retreat or as one of the pastors I was talking too said maybe you’re in need of a long deserved sabbatical.

1968 December 5 : "Regarding my meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury, please arrange for this. We will talk on a religious basis and we may invite many respectable elites of the city to participate."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1970 December 5 : "One gentleman has offered us a small Temple in Vrndavana with room for about 20-25 men. It is in care of our friend. Please go there immediately and see it and do the needful."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1971 December 5 : "Upon the shoulders of you the leaders of this Movement falls the responsibility of saving this earth planet from the present dangerous position. So the work is in your hands. Let me be free now to translate books."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1971 December 5 : "MacMillan Co. should not change our Bhagavad-gita As It Is from our version. Examine the contract very thoroughly and consult. You may also send me a copy of the contract."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1972 December 5 : "Three years ago I asked Dai Nippon to print 20,000 copies of Back To Godhead and barely we could distribute them. Now your temple alone is distributing so many, so this is very, very encouraging to me."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 December 5 : "It is the perfect form of preaching. Follow the line laid down by Prahlada Maharaja and try to take every one back to home, back to Godhead. And this is done by distributing our literature."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 December 5 : " Thank you very much for increasing the book distribtuion. My Guru Maharaja was most pleased to see books distributed so continue to increase it more and more."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1973 December 5 : "We require men for India. Our programs there are important and there is a great need. I am requesting that you send at least one or two first class men from your zone. Kindly make arrangement for this."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

San Francisco, CA - The phrase "One Nation Under God" went on trial here today, as Kevin "Seamus" Hasson, President of the Becket Fund asked a federal appeals court to overturn a ban on saying the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. In 2005, atheist activist Michael Newdow had succeeded in convincing a Sacramento court to ban the Pledge in the lawsuit Newdow v. Carey because he found the two words "under God" offensive to his atheist beliefs.

read more

About four miles west of Katwa, in the rural Barddhaman district, is the small Bengali village of Shri Khanda, the birthplace of Narahari Sarakara Thakura. I spent one week there four years ago, for the annual mela that celebrates Sri Narahari Thakur's Tirobhav, his disappearance day, on this Ekadasi of the dark moon.

When i visited Sri Khanda it seemed caught between those golden times of Mahaprabhu's associates and modern times of West Bengal. The temple sevant and leading citizen of Sri Khanda, Nityananda Thakur, is the 18th generation from Narahari Thakur, if i remember correctly. He was 91 years old when i stayed at his home four years ago. He was in charge of the temples and a living descendent of the great mahabhagavatas and associates of Mahaprabhu, Narahari Thakur, his brother Sri Mukunda (the royal physician) and Mukunda's son, Sri Raghunandana Thakur. All three are mentioned in the Caitanya Caritamrita as major branches of Lord Caitanya's tree.

Sri Narahari Thakur was connected with many of Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Narahari Chakravarti Thakur writes in Bhakti Ratnakara: “Sri Narahari Thakur's glories are wonderful. In Vrindavana he was Madhumati, and his excellences were boundless.” Sri Lochan Das Thakur was a dear disciple of Narahari Thakur. In his Chaitanya Mangala he describes his gurudeva as follows: “Sri Narahari is my Lord. He has taught me transcendental knowledge, and I am under his influence in many other ways. His abundant Krsna-prema saturates his very being; its symptoms are clearly evident in his body. No one can understand the extent of his Krsna-prema. In his former existence in Vrindavana he was known as Madhumati, a dear gopi friend of Sri Radha who was a storehouse of sweetness. That very sakhi friend of Sri Radha appeared in the pastimes of Shri Gauranga during the age of Kali as Narahari, a storehouse of Radha-Krsna prema.”

Bhaktivinoda Thakura mentions Narahari Sarakar in his Gaura-Aroti song: “narahari adi kori chamara dulaya, sanjaya mukunda vasughosh adi gaya.” Narahari Thakur was a great singer as well as a poet. He wrote many poems and songs in connection with the pastimes of Gauranga and Nityananda. He wrote in Bengali and also in Sanskrit. One book of his Sanksrit songs is called Shri Bhajanamrita. A book of songs called Padakalpataru, describing intense separation from Shri Gauranga has also been attributed to him.

In Sri Khanda, there is a special five day festival to remember and glorify Narahari Thakur. Over a thousand pilgrims attend the mela, where Mahaprabhu is carried in procession, and many songs written by Narahari Thakur are sung by a few family members and local devotees who carry on his tradition of sankirtan. I could not follow the meaning, but the expression is very beautiful. I filmed this festival and have many hours of dv footage of the kirtans, processions, darshans and interviews with some of the surviving family members. I would like to make a documentary of this festival which has been annually celebrated since Narahari Thakur's passing. With most of the family descendants now living in Kolkata and disconnected from the bhakti line, and very few devotees left in Sri Khanda, i'm not sure how much longer the tradition will continue.

It is said that Narahari Thakur was the first of the associates to glorify Mahaprabhu directly in poetry and songs. Srila Lochan Dasa Thakura has written, “Before the sankirtan lila of Sri Gauranga began, many different ragas were written by Narahari which sang of Vraja-rasa, glorifying Radha and Krsna. Later he wrote songs of Gauranga Mahaprabhu."

Narahari Thakur was the only devotee who had the adhikara (right) to do Gaura-kirtana in Gaurasundara's presence. Ordinarily, if anyone would praise Mahaprabhu or chant his names in front of Him, Lord Caitanya would block his ears and call out: "Visnu! Visnu!" Narahari, however, enjoyed the special privilege of being allowed to sing about Mahaprabhu in his presence, in a unique and intimate mood, with sweet descriptions of his transcendental beauty.

Sri Narahari's disappearance is on the Krsna ekadasi (the eleventh day of the dark moon) in the month of Agrahayana. That corresponds to today or tomorrow (depending on which continent you are standing). An excellent time to sing one of his songs or remember him in any way.
Sri Narahari Sarkar Thakur ki jaya!

Life is very short; it can end at any minute. So there is no time to waste. As long we have the power to speak we must do everything within our power and, with God's help, beyond our power to bring about an all encompassing world-wide spiritual revolution. Mother Earth is crying in agony while the ever-increasingly overwhelming imbalance of the natural...

Dear Global Leadership Students,

I really enjoyed reading all of the papers. They were thoughtful and candid, and even humorous at times. I’d like to address a few of the points that cropped up in your reflections on your visit to New Vrindaban. I’ll try to keep my responses brief.

Student: “I still think the events of the 80’s and 90’s were beyond creepy, but I don’t think they define the religion.”

Thank you. Yes, the Movement allowed a lot of dumb and illegal things to go on. It is unfortunate and embarrassing. We were very naïve. Prabhupada had asked the devotees not to do anything that would embarrass the Movement. Most of these things happened in the 80’s and were brought to light in the 90’s. I think that devotees are working to right the wrongs and give people a better understanding of the Movement, but it will take a while.

Student: “One must remember that the Hare Krishnas follow Vedic law, and as such, their ideas on women’s roles in society are not exactly up to date.”

There has been, and perhaps still is, some confusion about the role of women because of the contradictory quotes found in Prabhupada’s writings. I think the role of women in the Movement has greatly improved since the 70’s. I don’t know what the official ISKCON position is or if there is one. I think Prabhupada himself broke the mold, so to speak, because he was the first to give brahman initation to women, making them priests. This was never done before.

Here in NV: the GBC rep is a woman; the temple had a woman president for a time; women sit on the executive and managerial boards; they give classes; the two gift shops, the health food store, and the thrift shop are all managed by women. I know several women who also successfully manage their own businesses outside the temple environment. In the devotee marriages that I know, the husband and wife view themselves as equals and share responsibilities of the household. Friendships and conversations do exist between men and women.

Student: “The devotees say you are ‘not your material body’ and ‘gender really is irrelevant,’ then why must men and women separate for kirtans?”

In the temple and in the presence of the monks, the women’s behavior is an indication of modesty, and should not be confused with being subservient. The Vedic understanding is that men have an obligation to protect the women, and women have an obligation to protect the men. Of course that “protection” should not be abusive, obsessive or paranoiac. But mutual protection is necessary to curb the tendency for promiscuous behavior which is blatant in the culture at large.

Student: “I could not understand why such a peaceful group of people would base so much of what they believe around stories of violence.”

The Krishna tradition is by nature peaceful, but it is not against violence per se. The Mahabharata and The Ramayana both describe monumental battles. Both books chronicle the victory of good (dharma) over bad (adharma). Krishna (God) actually treats everyone as a friend. So if someone approaches Him to fight, He will accommodate that person. If someone comes for enlightenment, He’ll enlighten. In whatever way you want, Krishna will reciprocate. Krishna’s activities are like a movie or a dramatic play. The drama creates some tension and conflict to get our attention, and the author will use that as a means to provide us with some food for thought.

Same student continues: “I felt the same way when I went to the farm for cow protection. (he protects the cows but his dog kills groundhogs).”

The Vedic injunctions allow one to use violence to protect one’s family, home and property. Balabhadra, in charge of that project, uses a dog to protect his garden from other animals. At our house, my wife tried having a vegetable garden but it was ravaged by deer and groundhogs. She gave up after two years. But Balabhadra’s lifestyle is more dependent on the land, and for him a vegetable garden is vital. The dog is their family’s assistant and is acknowledged as such. As everyone knows, living and working in the material world is not an easy proposition. So devotees have to utilize their intelligence in applying the Vedic understanding to their particular situation.

Student: “It (the slaying of Ravana) reminded me of something out of Lord Of The Flies or the KKK burning of the cross.”

The festival in question commemorates the slaying of Ravana by Sri Rama in the pastime of The Ramayana. The burning of the effigy of Ravana celebrates the victory of good over evil. A devotee relishes this event somewhat in the same way Bob Dylan, in his song Masters of War, relishes the death and burial of a wicked man:

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave'
Til I'm sure that you're dead

The main difference is that a devotee doesn’t really hate or condemn anyone. While seeing Ravana burn, a devotee prays that the sinful elements in his own heart will also be burned up and destroyed. A devotee knows that even a wicked man like Ravana, who was chastised by God, is ultimately benefited and purified. So it’s totally inappropriate to compare the festival of the slaying of Ravana to Lord Of The Flies or the KKK burning of the cross, which are acts of fear and hatred.

Student: “The Krishna lifestyle provided stability to the unstable, spirituality to the skeptic, and love to the lonely.”

I can’t disagree with this statement. I also like the way it’s put; its rhythm and balance. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna explains that the material nature is endlessly mutable. We are eternal beings seeking happiness in a temporary realm. It’s a paradoxical situation. Before I joined the devotees, I was perplexed as to why people struggled so hard to get ahead. I thought, “Even if you’re successful, so what? Is that it?” When I was 20, I sat with a 40ish year old friend in a bar. He was lamenting. He was the editor and publisher of a magazine and he was hoping to be rich and established by 40. He was still struggling. He felt that providence had passed him by and that he was over the hill.

People are desperate to get wealth, sex and fame. Sometimes they compromise whatever principles they have to achieve their goals. But even if you are successful and become rich and famous, the material world is not necessarily going to deliver the happiness you want. There’s a certain allurement to material nature, and the conditioned living being is enamored by the prospects, but they can (and often will) vanish in an instant. It’s no surprise that when people begin to understand the dynamics of the material nature they feel a sense of instability. And yes, Krishna provides stability to the unstable.

Student: “In Judaism one is not supposed to worship anything other than God (and not the statues of Prabhupada and the deities) which may be why I had such a hard time with these two practices.”

I think the hardest thing to understand about Krishna Consciousness is Deity worship. It was for me. But if you look at any religious tradition there is a point where the ‘spiritual’ spills into the ‘material.’ In every religion the church, mosque, and temple (even though made of bricks and timber) is a sacred place or a house of God. The Jews pray at the Wailing Wall. They leave notes there for God. Also, in Juadaism the Torah is kept on the alter. And just as the devotees adorn the Deities of Radha and Krishna with crowns and elaborate dress, in many synagogues the Torah is also adorned with a crown and wrapped in beautiful cloth. And when the Torah is paraded through the congregation everyone wants to kiss the cloth in great reverence, and sometimes they even get on their knees. Some one may look at this and wonder “What are these people doing? It’s just a scroll with some ink on it, wrapped in a piece of cloth!” But the devotees won’t say that this activity is wrong. Actually, it is correct. This is the claim of the Hare Krishnas (as stated in Gita and Bhagavatam) – that God is non different then His scripture, His temple, His name and His form. God is manifested in the material realm through these, and by serving these manifestations of God, one serves God directly. Thus, the Deities, etc, are revered and worshiped.

As for the spiritual master, that person is an ambassador of God. When an ambassador goes to a foreign place, he brings the presence of his own country with him. And the way that ambassador is treated and honored is an indication of what the people think of the country (and its leadership) from which he comes. In such a mood is Srila Prabhupada honored and worshiped.

In closing, I would add that Krishna Consciousness is very deep. You can’t understand everything over night. It’s an ever unfolding adventure and a journey. It’s like going down a wild river or crossing over a mountain range. Don’t let it pass you by so easily. Devotees who have been around for 30 and 40 years are still learning. Lord Brahma, the creator of this universe who has been around millions upon millions of years, still can’t fathom the full extent of Krishna’s personality and powers. If you are inclined, I simply suggest that for this coming year you take some time and continue to study Prabhupada’s books, especially Bhagavad Gita. And chant and meditate upon the Name. Hare Krishna.

The song quoted in yesterday's post comes from the book Sharanagati by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur's. This song appears as the last song in the section explaining the six fold process of surrender. In the beginning stages of Krishna consciousness one must accept the basic things that are favorable and reject the basic things that are unfavorable.

Accepting the ekadasi vrata is one such thing that is very favorable for devotional service. In another, more well known song from this section Bhaktivinoda Thakur first describes the most favorable thing, the association of pure devotees, "Dust from the lotus feet of pure devotees is favorable for worshiping the Lord, service to pure devotees is itself the supreme perfection and the root of the creeper of divine love." Then he goes on to describe the benefit of such days as ekadasi and other days days connected with Lord Krishna, he describes them as the mother of devotion.

Ekadasi is a wonderful opportunity to put aside all the things that we think are important but are really not and just hear and chant about Krishna.

Traditionally one would fast from food and water and stay awake all night performing kirtan. These are the basic things that we think are important that really are not, along with so many other temporary engagements, like work, school, domestic engagements, etc.

Austerity is so very important. Krishna explains to Arjuna that there is no question of one becoming a yogi "unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification."

And on a more basic level there can not even be basic peace and harmony in society unless people are trained how to perform austerity. Srila Prabhupada mentions in the first Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam that the state must enact certain laws if it wants to bring about an actual change in society, and one of the things he mentions is "Two compulsory fasting days in a month, if not more (austerity)."

Austerity is the basic principle of success in spiritual life, and material life. In the secular world it is called delayed gratification. It is recognized that the people who are the most successful and happy have the ability to delay gratification for a higher purpose.

The human body does not malfunction if it does not eat for one day. Actually as Srila Prabhupada goes on to explain in that same passage fasting acts “very favorably on the general health of the citizens.”

But unfortunately we are in Kali Yuga and people are hardly able to perform even the most basic austerities but what ever extra austerities one can perform and what ever extra hearing and chanting one can accomplish will bring one step closer to Krishna.

Ekadasi is a special opportunity to boldly re-affirm our identity as spirit soul eternal servant of Krishna, and declare a revolution against the tyrannical rule of the mind, senses, and false ego.

"I refuse to be any more a slave of the sensuous inclinations of the mind and body!"
-Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

Here are a few idea's for increasing hearing and chanting.

Chant extra rounds. (25, 32, 50, 64, 192)
Read the entire Bhagavad Gita, just the english, or chant the entire Gita in the original Sanskrit.
Read the entire first canto of Bhagavatam. (english only)
Kirtan. Invite some friends over or just by yourself, loudly glorify the Lord by chanting His all auspicious names. Chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra or sing whatever prayers inspire you from the Songs of the Vaishnava acaryas song book.

Those are just a few ideas, there are unlimited ways to be absorbed in Krishna consciousness. Have fun.

Five weeks. Chowpatty, Vrndavana, Mayapur, Puri, and back to Chowpatty. HH Radhanath Swami's Vyasa-Puja, which in India is an event. This is not just a journey of the body and mind, it is a journey of consciousness. Pray I come back ready for much more of this sublime thing called devotional service. And best of all, stay tuned. The blogosphere lives in India, and I will be letting you live vicariously through me, if you want me to....

I get a complimentary copy of USA Today delivered to my hotel room each day.

Yesterday's edition carried an article entitled "Hospitals marshal resources to wipe out MRSA:

A recent federal report on the growth of "superbugs" — deadly bacteria resistant against most antibiotics — has renewed public attention to how hospitals are faring in their decades-long war. Hospitals across the USA have been stepping up their fight against all types of infections, especially superbugs that have been found to be more common and more deadly than previously believed.

I've written before on antibiotic resistant bacteria, and since I've been doing all this research and thinking on medical paradigms, I've something more to say.

If you want to realize small, incremental gains, then you focus on your behaviour and your attitude. You "redouble your efforts" and "boost morale".

However, if you want to realize a substantial change then you need to focus on your paradigm.

What the approach reported in USA Today fails to realize is that we are creating MRSA and other superbugs with our present approach to medicine, health, and wellbeing.

The current medical paradigm is based on the "germ theory" - the idea that germs cause disease. This, however, is not true.

Let us say that the two of us are standing together in one place. We are surrounded by germs, such as flu-causing viruses. You might even have the flu, and be breathing out air laden with these viruses. However, the mere presence of these germs does not in itself make me sick. My system has to be susceptible to the germs in order for them to be able to act to make me sick.

We are surrounded by bacteria and viruses all the time, but we don't always get sick, and we don't all get sick. The real cause of sickness is a combination of the presence of germs, and the susceptibility of the body to sickness.

Modern conventional medicine has an intense focus on eliminating germs using antibiotics. The negative effects of this are three-fold:

• 1. An undue and exclusive emphasis on the germs results in failure to encourage people to repair the problems in their body that have allowed the germs to take effect. As a result people develop unhealthy lifestyles which promote weakness in the body.
• 2. As antibiotics are routinely prescribed for everything and even for nothing ("just in case") the body is further conditioned to operate in a weakened and drug-reliant state.
• 3. Germs invariably mutate to adapt to the antibiotics, with the result that when they encounter drug-reliant, weakened immune systems they have a devastating effect.

While searching for a good source for Cesium, I stumbled across The Wolfe Clinic. I rang and spoke with a lady there, and then read some of Dr Wolfe's articles, especially "Reclaim Your Inner Terrain". I find his analysis to be extremely lucid and insightful. It is also pulls together many of the threads that I have been researching of late, and many of the intuitive realizations I've had through the years - have a look at these two articles from last year, for example).

I don't take antibiotics. I advise you not to take them either. I used to make a joke that anyone who takes antibiotics is a "race traitor" because they weaken the strength of the human race through doing so. It's actually a fact.

Rather than taking antibiotics, I believe the best approach to take is one of having a healthy lifestyle, which means maintaining the body in an alkaline state. This doesn't mean eating a few fruits and vegetables each day. Since the environment is so polluted, and the alternative to maintaining health is to undergo intense therapies such as invasive surgery or chemotherapy, you shouldn't be surprised that maintaining your body's natural defenses entails a radical lifestyle change.

Cleanliness in the mode of goodness is cleanliness to a level that is considered fanaticism by the majority of people today. Similarly, maintaining your body's defenses involves acting a way that most people today would consider to be fanatical. But consider this - with cancer, diabetes, ADHD, and many other chronic and acute illnesses and disorders on the rise - who has things in perspective, and who is flowing downstream by following the path of least resistance?

The other evening I saw a show on the History Channel about Hippies.

It was very interesting to see the US of the 60s, and to contrast it with the US of the 21st century that I find myself in.

Watching the show made me remember intensely Vaiyasaki Prabhu's book "Radha Damodar Vilasa", detailing the transcendental pastimes of Sri Sri Radha Damodara and their servitors H.H. Visnujana Swami and H.G. Jayananda Prabhu.

I read that book from cover to cover and made its mood my life. One thing that I realize about it, however, is that you cannot simply imitate the activities that are described in there and get the same results. Watching this show I could understand clearly why, and why the methods and activities described in Radha Damodar Vilasa got the results that they did, at the time they did.

The show is available on DVD

On my layover in LA airport, I browsed the latest issue of the New Yorker magazine. It had an interesting article on Faith Church, a megachurch in New England.

From the magazine's website:

In this issue of the magazine, Frances FitzGerald writes about Faith Church, in New Milford, Connecticut, and its charismatic pastor, Frank Santora. “Megachurches are rare in New England—there are less than a dozen in the region—but there are more than twelve hundred and fifty of them across the country,” FitzGerald writes.

This is interesting because it's a megachurch in a region where megachurches are not common. Something like this can help to shine a light on someone who has understood the underlying principles and how to apply them in a different setting, rather than someone who has simply aped the same actions in the same settings, with the same results.

In the article Rick Warren and Bill Hybels, two pioneers of megachurches and the "Seeker Sensitive" approach, are cited as influences on Faith Church Pastor Frank Santora.

The Seeker Sensitive approach is to take into account the people that you are dealing with, and adapting your initial presentation to them.

I assert that Srila Prabhupada is himself a pioneer of this approach, and that if we had captured this earlier, we would be much further along than we are.

Being in LA I couldn't help thinking about Srila Prabhupada's desire for the New Dvaraka temple. He told the devotees to leave the chairs in the main temple, and put the marble floor temple and Deities where the prasadam room is. Instead the devotees pulled all the chairs out.

I remember when we started to push to have chairs for the Sunday Feast in Brisbane. One old-timer said: "But people like to sit on the floor. It's exotic. That's why people join up."

No, you're just a hippy.

What people think when they have to sit on the floor (if they don't think that it's weird and uncivilized), is that it is "a novelty". That means that it's something different and interesting, sure, but it also means that: "it's not something that I could do all the time."

The last thing you want to do is condition your contact with people on this. Contemporary preachers know that today we need to spend three or four days a week with someone to help them make the paradigm shift.

The beginning of spiritual life means to sit and to hear:

For beginning you have simply to give submissive aural reception. That is the first beginning. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih.

- Srila Prabhupada, Conversation May 31, 1974

sthane-sthithah - to sit still (SB 10.14.3). If you don't facilitate people to do that, then why are you surprised if no-one takes to it or advances through the process to bhajana-kriya? People practice the hatha yoga postures - the yoga asanas - for years in order to be able to sit (asana) comfortably without the assistance of a chair.

Back in the 60s and 70s when you had huge numbers of young people looking to do anything and everything completely differently from the way it was done before, "rejecting the system", sitting on the floor was attractive, at least to them. That was not the case among the older generation of responsible persons, whom Prabhupada also wanted to reach. Today it is not the case in general.

Srila Prabhupada saw through the situation of the time. Srila Prabhupada was not conditioned by his cultural setting, as some people have mistakenly thought. He was sensitive to it.

Am I advocating having people sit on chairs? Is that what this is about? We have 40 chairs at Atma Yoga, and four couches. We sit on those chairs and couches with up to 200 people, six days a week. But that's a detail. It's an important one, but it's still a detail. The point is to change the mode of thinking to match Srila Prabhupada's. He was angry when he found out that the chairs had been pulled out in Los Angeles. That's not seeker sensitive, and he was.

It's not about "compromising". It's about understanding what we are actually about, and not fanatically accepting or rejecting things.

If we had started with the chairs back then, and understood the mood and method, how much more developed would we be now in our ability to effectively deliver Krishna Consciousness in a time, place, and person sensitive fashion?

That's the key to the megachurch "success formula" - understanding the difference between the mutable trappings of form and the unchangeable essence of the teaching and practice, and sensitively adjusting the former while remaining faithful to the latter.

Coming soon to the internet is a new concept to improve your chanting....Japa Junkies is a realtime discussion group that will be meeting once every week.

The process for improvement is set out in 10 stages - a new stage will be discussed every week using a realtime audio chatroom that is easily downloadable and free.

Japa Junkies is set to start in January 2008 - keep a lookout for details.

Lizzie from Melbourne asks:

"We hear a lot these days about the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids in promoting longevity and limiting the likelihood of sudden heart attacks. Many nutritionists recommend that people should eat two meals of fish a week or, at least, take fish oil capsules. I just can't take fish oil capsules! Are there any vegetarian alternatives?"

My reply:

Yes, it seems we need omega-3. Fish oils supplies it adequately. But I don't want to eat fish oil either.

Omega-3 fatty acids have traditionally been supplied in the diet by deep water fish, unrefined vegetable oils, green leafy vegetables, sea vegetation and through free-range animal meats.

Unfortunately with the industrial revolution, and consequently, the mass refinement of foods, delicate Omega-3's are either destroyed, transformed to toxic compounds in processing, or purposely removed to avoid spoilage of shelf-dated foods. The most abundant source of animal derived Omega-3 comes from cold water fish.

The most abundant source of vegetable Omega-3 comes from flaxseed oil. While it is possible to derive Omega-3 in the diet from fish or flax, there is a foundational difference between the types of Omega-3 supplied by each source.

Only the Omega-3 derived from vegetable sources such as flaxseed oil has been found to be dietary essential. That is, all forms of Omega-3 can be formed in the body once vegetable Omega-3 is ingested. This is good news for vegetarians. In other words, it is not necessary for vegetarians to resort to consuming animal meats or fish oil supplements to obtain the health benefits of nutritionally required Omega-3.

So unrefined, fresh, organic flaxseed oil is the easiest and best source for a vegetarian. Flaxseed oil contains more Omega-3 than any other source at a whopping 55%. Citing the potential for lower blood lipid levels of Omega-3 in vegetarians, the American Dietetic Association has taken the written position that "it is recommended that vegetarians include a good source of ALA in their diet." The Association goes on to list flaxseed oil as the richest source of ALA.

I am asked about Omega 3's often, and a while ago I blogged an answer to a similar question. A reader in West Virginia sent me this excellent advice:

"For a fraction of the cost of flaxseed oil, you can buy actual flaxseeds and grind them yourself in a little spice or coffee grinder. Flax oil is never fresher than immediately after grinding. Purchased oil should be in a dark container and kept refrigerated, as omega 3's go rancid faster than other oils, accelerated by light and temperature.

Additionally, you get the fibre from the seed, which has its own set of benefits. Flaxseeds are 40% oil.

We add it to soups and oatmeal porridge. It does have a slight taste, but ignorable. It adds fat feel to the taste.

Low cooking of ground flaxseeds in a bit of water creates an eggwhite substitute, though the heat may have an adverse effect on the omega 3's.

Omega 3's are also known to help with mild depression and post partnum depression.

In a more traditional setting, the straw of the flax would be used to make linen, and a flax field in bloom is beautiful, a sea of blue flowers."

Here's a complete rundown... more...

By Candra dasa

After having a substantial discourse with one of my favorite senior godbrothers, friend and disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Chandra Shekar das and I labored over the future prospects of IPM (ISKCON PRISON MINISTRY)

My business trips to the US double as KC reconnaissance missions. On each trip I scope out regions, the culture, and the state of affairs, all with a view to reinvade the US with the Krishna Consciousness that it exported to the rest of the world in the 60s and 70s.

I have a new category "Cultural Learnings of USA" where I will be posting some of my observations.

Madhava prabhu leading kirtana on the 1st of December in Ireland, Inish Rath.

Ok guys, before I start this, I have to ask… 65 of you have downloaded the Hamsadutta double LP. That’s a LOT. I warned you… why didn’t you listen?!

Well clearly you like punishment, so let’s round out the Hamsadutta-centric Hare Krsna Records catalog with the final installment…

HKR #1003 - Hare Krsna Festival

This is, by far, the second most available ISKCON record on Ebay, etc. Radha Krsna Temple [produced by the famous George Harrison… he was in the Beatles, you know, he gave us a house!] being the first.

However, there is naturally some weirdness about this release. Hare Krsna Records wasn’t the only label to release this. Radha Krsna Productions, also out of Germany, also released this. Why? I have no idea.

Now, just who is Radha Krsna Productions? Again, no idea. Both covers are identical, save for the address in the bottom left corner.

Radha Krsna Productions clams this to be their 4th release (RKP #1004). I have three of their other releases (1001 and 1005… 1003, a possibly a Srila Prabhupada double LP, is on the way… I don’t have and can’t find #1002).

Anyway, back to HKR #1003/RKP #1004… The aptly titled Hare Krsna Festival. Germany, where all of the Hare Krsna Festival records come from, must have been a happening place around 1974. Clearly, they were always having festivals! Every single record released by them at that time was called Hare Krsna Festival!

And yes, this once again has Hamsadutta waling and moaning throughout it. Maybe you guys like that. Never heard it? Well, here’s a fine example… (it’s really short, so even Rati & Dwija can download it!)
15 Seconds of Hans

But let’s get to the record.

Side One

1) Vande Ham - Fifteen or so minutes of a nice kirtan lead by Hamsadutta. Harmonium, mrdanga and kartals. The assembled devotees and Hamsadutta’s own improvisation accompany him.

Side Two

1) Tulasi Prayer - Led by a female, probably Hamsadutta’s wife, Himavati. This is the same exact recording that was on the Hare Krsna Festival 7″ HKR #2001.

2) Jaya Radhe Jaya Krsna - Led by Hamsadutta. This is the same exact recording that was on the Hare Krsna Festival 7″ HKR #2003.

3) Vande Ham - Led by Hamsadutta. And this is the same exact recording that was on the Hare Krsna Festival 7″ HKR #2002.

Side two of this LP is just a rehashing of stuff that was released on 7″’s. Side one, however, seems to be a new recording. You really have to question what was going through their bald little heads while releasing these records. Also notice, on the label, how Hamsadutta has credited himself with writing all of the songs. “Hans Kary”… pretty bold, eh?

Ok, So that does it for the entire Hare Krsna Records label. A label dedicated to preserving the moaning and waling of Hamsadutta das for generations to come.

If you’re curious (and I know you are), here’s a rundown of their catalog:

Hare Krsna Records
12″ LPs
- 1001 - Hare Krsna Festival
- 1002 - Hare Krsna Festival Part II
- 1003 - Hare Krsna Festival
- 1004 - The Beautiful Hare Krsna People Double LP (Rereleased #1001 & #1002)
7″ Singles
- 2001 - Hare Krsna Festival
- 2002 - Hare Krsna Festival
- 2003 - Hare Krsna Festival Amsterdam

You’ve made it this far, I guess I better give you the link so you can download it.

And for next Ekadasi, I promise, no more Hamsadutta, ok?

We started our book distribution marathon early this year. We've got Indradyumna Swami's troupe arriving in the last week of December so we're compensating for that. Here's some stories from Sukanthi Radha via Rasanandini.

Brits in St. Kilda

In the days leading up to Prabhupada's marathon, Sukanthi Radha Mataji was distributing books in St Kilda. A sincere disciple, she has followed Devamrta Maharaja's desire that she preach clear across the globe from Manchester England, to New Zealand and Australia.

One evening Sukanthi struck up a conversation with a fellow countryman, a middle-aged Englishman. He told her he had been working in Singapore but had been made redundant. So now he and a workmate had come to Australia to holiday. Although he wasn't particularly interested in her books, nevertheless Sukanthi gave the gentleman one of Srila Prabhupada's Srimad-bhagavatams.

Just then the man's friend joined them, and the Britisher passed the book on to him. The friend was quite responsive to the brihad-mrdanga (Prabhupada's press). He immediately asked Sukanthi 'Would you like a donation?' Then, generously handing her $50 from his pocket, he walked off!

Now Sukanthi offered the Brit two books in response to his friend's donation. At the same time, the Englishman had been infected with his friend's giving mood, and matched him by pulling another $50 donation from his pocket!

Reminded of talk of his daughters waiting in England, Sukanthi suggested he give the books to them. Srila Prabhupada's books may return to Britain well before Sukanthi Radha!

The Sankirtana Remedy

During the first week of the marathon, Sukanthi was distributing books outside Crossways in Swanston St. She caught the attention of an elderly Australian man and began to talk with him. Brian showed some interest in Prabhupada's books. After confessing that he was having trouble sleeping, he became enthused by Sukanthi's suggestion that he try yoga techniques to solve his problem. She handed him a Srimad-bhagavatam.

However, Brian only offered $5 in return. He said didn't have any cash but would give her more when he got some later in the day. Although Sukanthi could see he was carrying other notes in his wallet, she gave him the book. She knew she could cover the $5 publishing shortfall with donations from more generous souls.

However the Bhagavatam created its change of heart in Brian. He did return, asking Sukanthi, 'What other books do you have?' So she showed him a Bhagavad-gita and a couple of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust's small books. 'How much should I give?' he responded.

Sukanthi smiled, 'Give as much as you can.' 'Is $20 OK?' the man asked.

Thinking how chanting would solve all his material problems, insomnia included, she passed Brian a Crossways card and taught him the maha-mantra:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

So armed, he went happily on his way; his devotional life rekindled in the fire of sankirtan yajna.

1968 December 4 "So far as singing Christian hymns, if others sing, it is very nice. We are directly approaching Krishna for the highest benediction of eternal devotional service so we do not require to sing hymns."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 December 4: "Don't be worried. Whatever calamities happen we should take it as Krishna's blessings, as a token punishment for our past misdeeds. By Krishna's Grace everything will be all right."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 December 4 : "Something offered to the Lord resumes it's spiritual quality. Anything which reminds one of Krishna is spiritual, and anything which makes one forget Krishna is material."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1972 December 4 : "Lord Caitanya led civil disobedience movement against the government because they used show of force to stop Him. So if there is force to stop this sankirtana movement, that much we must protest."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1972 December 4 : "Why MacMillan cannot give us permission for printing Bhagavad-Gita? There is huge demand for books in India. They must allow us to print here or immediately send 20,000 copies to India. We can sell all."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1973 December 4 : "Now my special request is that you strictly follow the four regulative principles. Nor should you neglect the Ten Offenses. Just chant Hare Krishna in this way, and you will feel yourself advancing in spiritual life."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1973 December 4 : "The denial of entry caused a commotion amongst the people so the President of Kenya verbally said he was issuing a letter with permission for myself to enter. You may get the letter published in India."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1973 December 4 : "Regading Government loan, we have already invested twenty lakhs so they may loan us at least 1 crore. Do it carefully. If we construct a very attractive hotel many tourists will come just like Holiday Inn."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

Mivel minden a Teljes Egész szerves része, a kezdő tanítvány lassanként megérti az Isopanisad himnuszait,

Everything being a part and parcel of the Complete Whole, the neophyte student will gradually realize the hymns of Isopanisad

By Sankirtana Das (ACBSP)

In October a group of about 25 students, along with their professors, visited New Vrindaban. For their fall project, the students broke into groups of three and each group was assigned a devotee to interview and to write a paper on their devotee’s Conversion Experience.

Chennnai, Oct. 31: A group of Catholic priests wedded to the liberation theology are meeting next week to discuss ways to overcome casteism which they say has taken deep root in the Catholic church in Tamil Nadu. "Dioceses, parish councils and educational institutions are riddled with casteism and Christian dalits are discriminated against," says Father X.T. Selvaraj, one of the organisers of the conference.

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POPE Benedict XVI has criticised modern-day atheism, saying it led to some of the "greatest forms of cruelty and violations of justice" ever known. In his second encyclical, Benedict also critically questioned modern Christianity, saying its focus on individual salvation had ignored Jesus's message that true Christian hope involves salvation for all.

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After the war with the Ravana was over, there were many casualties on the side of Lord Rama. Many monkeys had perished.

MOSCOW: The Russian capital will soon have a second Krishna temple. Sergei Zuyev, vice-president of the Centre of the Krishna Consciousness Societies in Russia, told a gathering of Russian Indologists on Thursday that the construction of the temple will start next year.

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