Dear devotees,

From an old article of Rupanuga prabhu in the Back to Godhead magazine. Inspired by one of S. Prabhupada's unpublished essays.

In mrdanga playing power is good, endurance is great, but precision is king.

If you have power and endurance people will notice you. If you have precision you can become invisible - the kirtan will rock so hard that people will forget you're there.

And that's the goal.

To develop precision you need to practice with a metronome. It's a form of hasta-sadhana ("finger practice") that involves subordinating yourself to Krishna in His form of time (kalo 'smi). It can be hard on the mind, but that's what it's all about - conquering the mind and becoming a faithful and useful servant of the kirtan.

Mrdanga and Metronome from Sitapati das on Vimeo.

After I shot this video I had a realisation about muscle fibres. You see, I've been practicing with a metronome for 30 - 60 minutes a day, and my precision is pretty high. However, I've been noticing that while my power and endurance have been going up with my new physical training program, my precision has been disappearing.

Here's my theory as to why: the precision is not simply in the brain, it's also in the muscle fibres. High speed mrdanga playing uses reflex actions. These reflexes are stored in the muscle memory. As you add new muscle you need to retrain it to make it precise in mrdanga playing. So it's back to the metronome and hasta-sadhana for me, otherwise all this power and endurance is just for show.

The above picture was taken by Melbourne food photographer Peter Bailey at the conclusion of our photo shoot for my first book, Great Vegetarian Dishes a little over 18 years ago in 1990. Yes, it's been that long. If you seem to recognise that picture, you're not alone. You and the other 750,000 people who own a copy, including readers in Hungary, Italy and Iran, would know that it's on your dal-spattered back cover of the book.

Now cast your mind back 10 more years (ok, I know, some of you were not even born yet). The year is 1980, and the place is Malvern Road, Prahran, Melbourne. Downstairs are the Brown Gouge Dry Cleaners, and upstairs is an early incarnation of the now famous Gopal's Vegetarian Restaurant.

The manager at the time, Brihaspati, pulls me aside one day and suggests we should run some cookery classes, since my daily cooking is eliciting very favourable comments. Some of the guests have even asked for the recipes, he says. Remember, at this time I have not written any cookbooks, nor have I ever put on anything that vaguely resembles a cooking class.

I'm horrified with the suggestion. Me? In front of a crowd? I'm petrified; Public speaking was never my forte. I used to take sick days when school debating was on. But Brihaspati keeps nagging me about it. The clincher is this: he suggests we call the classes 'Cooking with Kurma'. That sounds appealing...

Not long after, the posters go up, the enrolments roll in, and we hold our first 6-week demonstration course, on a wednesday evening. 80 people are booked; it's a grand success....

We've held many more courses at all the different Gopals addresses since then - Flinders Lane, Elizabeth Street, and finally the current venue, 139 Swanston, opposite the Melbourne Town Hall. I've written books, done my TV shows, and hit the road. The rest is history.

Recently I received this letter from Linda, a loyal blog reader:

"I remember my 6-week cooking class with you at Prahran in 1980 like it was yesterday. Now my 25 year old daughter uses your cookbooks. How fast one lifetime goes by..."

In celebration of those heady years, I'm flying to Melbourne today and returning to Gopals for another class. Sort of like one of those ageing rock star things. There will even be groupies, apparently. Some of my early students are returning, taking the wheelchair access up to the top floor venue for one last fling.

The first of these all-inclusive hands-on Memory Lane cookery workshops, concluding with a grand feast, will be held this Sunday. I'm getting all teary just thinking about it.

This morning I worked on getting some samples together for the "English Tea" themed bridal shower.  I talked to the party favor organizer and she and I agreed that something citrusy would probably be the best way to go since the shower is in March and winter is citrus season down here.


After the Persimmon Cardamom Spice Jam was cooked, I had to pop open a jar of Persimmon Conserve to compare the two flavors.  Although made from the same fruit, the final products are completely different.  

1966 October 9: "Sitting under a tree in a Lower East Side park a Hindu swami and fifty followers repeated a sixteen-word chant for two hours yesterday afternoon. Repetition of the chant, Swami A. C. Bhaktivedanta says, is the best way to achieve self-realization in this age of destruction."


[From the New York Times, October 9, 1966]

1968 October 9: "So the situation is not very favorable, but if somebody agrees to hear Bhagavad-gita continually for some time I am prepared to go and lecture. But not to take part in some political agitation."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1971 October 9: "One may think like that but I cannot allow you to leave. That is my inspiration. Those who have left the society I am always thinking of them. Especially for you there is no question of leaving."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971:

1971 October 9: "I am so pleased with you that you have done so nicely to your best capacity. That is required. Krishna is so kind that even a small leaf or flower offered to Him by the poorest man in the world, Krishna accepts such thing."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971:

1971 October 9: "The Vedas gives specific instruction how to swim over this material ocean but if the rascal does not take the instruction through the bona fide representative, the Spiritual Saster, then he becomes drowned."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971:

1972 October 9: "--STOP ALL NEGOTIATIONS. DO NOT PAY A FARTHING UNTIL CONVEYANCE EXECUTED. --BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 October 9: "He still owes about $20,000 to the Society's funds. Unless he pays it back as soon as possible, I cannot expect his business to be very profitable. Therefore I have always asked him to stop this business."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1974 October 9: "Yes, your paintings are offered to the Deities when they appear in our books or on the temple walls. Regarding asking me questions, yes you can ask, but unless it is sanctioned by me, you cannot act."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

Welcoming the Sacred Feminine in a Celebration of Diwali

Diwali program 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Free and open to the public

The Hindu-Vaishnav harvest festival of Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil and marks the start of the New Year. Small twinkling earthen lamps called “divas” are lit to welcome the feminine divine presence of Laxmi and her blessings of wealth and prosperity in an invocation of happiness for the year to come. Come add your voice to this joyful candlelit celebration as we chant the names of God in the ancient Indian call-and-response group worship practice of “kirtan.” Canadian vocalist Vrindavan Rao joins singer and harmonium player Gaura Vani and the sacred world music group As Kindred Spirits to invite us into a musical meditation of dance, healing, and connection with the divine.

Part of the new quarterly series of free interfaith programs in women’s spirituality, this experience offers a core practice of chanting that can be repeated at home or shared with a group. Come for this Diwali experience, and enjoy the wide array of other Crossroads offerings: Walk the labyrinth, participate in Centering Prayer, receive healing from a laying on of hands, or simply sit in the twilight of the nave listening to the harp and Native American flute music that accompany the labyrinth. The evening concludes with a brief time of night prayers in the Great Choir.

These quarterly offerings at Crossroads are designed to nourish the Sacred Circles community. Cathedral Crossroads is offered the last Tuesday of each month, and regularly features special programs of diverse spiritual practices and interfaith devotions.

Click here for more information on Cathedral Crossroads.

 Click here for directions and info.

My friend Rati is stirring up some much-needed talking points over in the Sampradaya Sun area of the interwebs. A few people are now openly discussing the fact that Srila Prabhupada said that no wages should be paid to temple residents/staff, etc.

A point was raised by Matsya das in his article “Salaries for Sudras” (a rebuttle to “Wages for Sages”)¹ that temples are monasteries. Monasteries do not pay salaries.

While writing the Prajalpa Retreat article for The Hing, I got to thinking “why aren’t the japa retreats at a temple? A monastery setting would be the perfect place to be spiritual, no?

Well, in the case of our Krishna consciousness movement, no. Temples are simply not spiritual places.

If you venture into a Buddhist or Catholic monastery, you suddenly feel this deep “energy.”² It’s heavy and thick and you can’t help but whisper and feel in awe of your surroundings.

But in many, many Hare Krishna temples, it’s chaos or there’s simply nobody there.

Sure, I realize that we basically have no brahmacaris. And the ones we do have are mostly over in India. Sannyasis too (maybe India pays them better). Why not spread it around?

Wouldn’t it be great if you’d enter an ISKCON temple and immediately were sent reeling, back on your heels, nearly floored with awe? Not awe for how dirty and rundown the place is. Not awe for how not a single devotee will acknowledge you (unless you’re Indian-bodied and have a fat wallet). But awe for Krishna. Awe for the devotion of the monks. Awe at how the whole thing makes you want to be a devotee too.

But sadly, at the present state, that cannot happen. The monks don’t really exist. The temples are simply whorehouses pimping out the deities with “puja thalis” and “maha kalasha.” The temple residents are temple employees because it seems like nobody will do service for the sake of bhakti.

And if this is brought up, you receive a chorus of “but prabhu, if we did not do this, how would we keep the temple open?” What that really means is “if we did not do this, how would I get paid? I’d have to get a real job!”

It’s amazingly simple and easy to not really care if some temple employee has to get a real job. And it’s getting easier and easier to not really care if they have to close a temple. Or even most of the temples. If they’re not spiritual places of pilgrimage (and I mean real spirituality, not this weird little spiritual materialism plague that’s infested most of North American ISKCON) let them close before they do any more damage.

And in their place, there will always be a core group of dedicated devotees who are willing to preach, distribute prasadam and books. These are the devotees that hold the future of ISKCON and Krishna consciousness, not some well-paid GBCs. The temples may close, but Krishna consciousness is always open.

1. ”Wages for Sages” is such a cute term! It rhymes and therefore must be bonafide! Sort of like “Share Your Care.”
2. I swear, I’m not a hippie

The following is a letter from Tranakarta dasa to the devotees who are taking on the renovation of Bahulaban as a project.

Dear Devotees

Hare Krsna!!!
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First I would like to thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for what is happining in Bahulavan,New Vrindavan.

As you know it is a most Holy place due to the fact His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada walked all over these grounds, gave many lectures in the temple there and of course Bhagavat discourses were also given there.

Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to us were that better than expanding we take care of the devotees we have already made and establish the farm communities. Indeed he wanted to come back to America for this very purpose but Lord Krsna took him as his mission of establishing Lord Caitanya’s movement all over the world had come to a close. Now it is up to us to continue this great preaching effort. Srila Prabhupada has left us an ocean of devotional service. Whatever one can do to help this project will be most pleasing to Srila Prabhupada.

You should all realize what you are doing there is of utmost importance. It will be an example for the world how the Hare Krsna’s have made such a nice place of simple living and high thinking as their material world of sinful activities crumbles around them. They kill millions and millions of cows and they kill millions and millions of their own children so how can it not be tossed into destruction. Srila Prabhupada foresaw this and it will come to pass. That is why we must set an example of love and cooperation and make this project a success.

Adi Guru Prabhu has asked me to write some remembrances of Bahulavan when I was a young boy in New Vrindavan.

I am from Chicago and grew up in an catholic Italian family. My father owned a very famous Italian restaurant on the north side. When I was 16 he bought a farm north of Chicago. At that time I was seeking the truth asking Jesus to help me.

In october of 1972 I found a Krsna book in the woods of Lake Zurich. There are many details but to make a long story short I started chanting Hare Krsna.

Actually my dog led me to that Krsna book and he was the reason I wound up in New Vrindavan.

I was chanting the Holy Names for 6 months or so never knowing there was a worldwide movement going on and that Lord Krsna’s pure devotee was blessing the world with His Divine presence. One day I found out there was a temple in Chicago and headed right there.

I had long hair and the first day there the devotees took me on book distribution. They were doing BTG’S and my first day out I did 40 of them. I had been in real bliss chanting those months but when I distributed Srila Prabhupada’s books that day I was really feeling blissful. I knew it’s what I wanted to do but I felt I had to save some of my so called friends so I did not join right away.

One day I came to the temple and Kirtanananda Swami was there. He asked me what I wanted to do and I told him I wanted to join but I had a dog and I wanted to keep him. He told me to come to New Vrindavan and bring my dog. I liked the idea.

When I came to New Vrindavan my old car pulled up right in front of the temple in Bahulavan and died out never to start again. The devotees had to tow it out.

I moved up to the Vrindavan farm as I was a bramacari. My service was in Bahulavan working on construction there. I was working with Soma Prabhu who I remember as a sweet devotee. He may not realize to this day how he had an effect on me in my Krsna consciousness. He was and still is a wonderful devotee and my dear friend.

We used to walk from the Vrindavan farm to Bahulavan every day to do our service. I know the trail was called Agasura Trail but I always call it Prabhupada trail as Srila Prabhupada walked it. I hope one day the name will be Prabhupada trail for good.

Anyway I remember being on top of the barn in Bahulavan pounding nails and being in complete bliss as we took turns reading Krsna book. The whole atmosphere was Vaikunta. It was and will always be a most sacred place. I can remember the temple there and how powerful Radha Vrindavan Chandra stood beaming out their mercy upon all the devotees.

The devotees would cook outside in big pots and all would assemble for lunch prasad. Then a little kirtan and back to work pounding nails etc…

One night at the bramacari farm while asleep Srila Prabhupada came to me in a dream. It was a very powerful dream and I remember it like it was last night.

I was writing in a room when the door flew open. There was His Divine Grace effulgent as the sun coming toward me the whole room lit up. Srila Prabhupada grabbed me by the shoulders and stood me up and was hugging me. Then He started saying over and over again “thank you for helping New Vrindavan, thank you for helping New Vrindavan”. I started to exclaim “Prabhupada, Prabhupada, Prabhupada!!!”. Chanting Srila Prabhupada’s name in my dream woke up the other devotees who started shaking me “bhakta Tom, bhakti Tom” I remember a devotee name Gatravan Prabhu who was the one shaking me and he was joyful at the situation. I had never seen Srila Prabhupada in person yet but that wonderful night He came to me in that sweet dream.

So I have always felt a duty to New Vrindavan with that dream always fresh in my mind over the years.

One day in Bahulavan while doing service Kirtanananda Swami came up to me and said he had bad news for me. I said what is it Maharaja and he told me my dog (a doberman pincher) had been shot by a neighbor down the road. He took me in his old pick up truck and drove me to the spot where my dog’s body lay in the driveway of some man’s house.

I picked it up, put in in the back of the truck and we drove off. Maharaja explained to me that when we come to Krsna He takes all our attachments away and that my dog would soon go back home back to godhead. In my heart I already knew this and accepted my dogs fate as Lord Krsna’s mercy.

As time went on many letters came from Srila Prabhupada stating His desire to distribute His books. Like ” if you want to please me in the best way, distribute my books, distribute my books, distribute my books”. Having already a taste for this great service I asked Kirtanananda Swami if I could go back to Chicago and distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. He could see I was sincere and he paid my way back on a Greyhound bus.

There in chicago I did books in the airport for many years. Srila Prabhupada called it “O’Hare Krsna airport”.

I pray one day we can also make Bahulavan a base for book distribution along with everything else.

Thank you for allowing me to write some things. All glories to your service.

Your Servant,
Tranakarta dasa

1 kg of muscle in 1 week.

I read it as the theoretical maximum on wikipedia, and the lady at the health food store today confirmed it as the "safe maximum weight gain or loss rate".

I got some more intelligence on how to do it today, but earlier I made a video about the breakfast I am using. This is science, kids, but not as we know it....

I've got one more week in Australia before I fly to New Zealand to face off with Tri-yuga. Of course, yoga's not about being competitive, and I don't do competition anyway - only decisive victory ;-)

I know a lot of devotees who have trouble keeping Tulasi Maharani healthy during the cold seasons of Northeast America. Our family has had that problem for many years.
Finally a solution!!!
If you don't already know, theres a wonderful light fixture on the market that is pretty cheap, reliable, and emulates the sun's rays so your Tulasi will be green and healthy through those cold months. Although it hasn't gotten that cold over here, its beginning to, and Tulasi Maharani is staying green and beautiful.
For about $150 you can get this Sunblaze T5 Florescent setup, thats what I have and it is working really well. This light uses only 96 watts!, and does not give off much heat. There are two types of bulbs, one is cool and one is warm. You can read up more on the website.
I hung it from the ceiling with chains and hooks that I bought for like $10 from Home Depot. Took me a long time to find the ceiling joists (I had to go into the attic) but when I did I screwed in the hooks. The light is pretty heavy so the guy from Home Depot recommended I don't use a toggle bolt, or it might rip out the drywall...I kinda already found that out the hard way...oops.

If its a cloudy, cold day, I keep this light on for 10 hours. I bought a timer and set it up . If its sunny and warm outside, like today, I put her outside.
I will update this when it gets really cold outside so we can see if it works. I hope.
If you have any questions, let me know through the comment section.
your servant,
Nama Rasa das
(previously known as Amul)

ps. All credit goes to Muralidhar Priya das from the 26 2nd avenue Brahmachari Ashram who informed me of this light and how to take care of Tulasi Maharani properly.

Ask three trustworthy devotees to point out your biggest blind spot as a devotee.

What can you do, in the next 10 days, to shed some light on this blind spot?

"Everyone should improve himself."
- Srila Prabhupada (SB 5.26.23 P)

By Janananda Goswami

In 1971 when Prabhupada made his only visit to this country he requested the wife of the then chief Indian minister to help him in building a “Temple like this”, showing her a sketch of a typical Vrndavana Mandir.

The Uddhava Gita

The other day i received a request to review the recent publication of the Uddhava Gita, the heart of the 11th Canto Srimad Bhagavatam, where Lord Krishna personally speaks to Uddhava just as He is about to depart this planet. These are the Lord's final instructions to us, his parts, who now find ourselves the unhappy residents on this troubled earth. These instructions are a continuation of Sri Krishna's penultimate teaching to Arjuna at Kuruksetra, a Bhagavad Gita, Part II. The Uddhava Gita gets its name from one of the Lord's dearest and most confidential associates who was sent from Mathura to Vrindavan as Krishna's personal representative to the gopis.

With commentaries and purports by two of the greatest vaisnava acaryas, Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, this new volume of the 11th Canto by Touchstone Media is a gold mine for serious devotees. By serious, i mean those devotees who have "seen it, heard it and done it" in terms of material dealings, and who are now on the cusp of proper detachment. Those who do not seek fame, glory or profit from bhakti (as most kanistha adhikaris are apt to do, without admitting it to themselves or others), but rather, those who are tired of the endless ego games and who are thirsty for inner peace and humble service to the Lord are the rare, truly qualified readers of such transcendental literature.

I know Isvara Das, the publisher of Uddhava Gita, from Vrindavan. He has been a prolific independent producer of important vaisnava texts over the last decade. Isvara prabhu has single-handedly published a body of work that contributes much to our Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta.... filling the lacuna created by the BBT, who instead of producing new works or adding useful compendia to Srila Prabhupada's vast literary output, have been busy attacking the founder-acarya's original translations with editorial revisions bordering on (or even surpassing) the offensive.

The Uddhava Gita by Touchstone Media is unlike some of the BBT's works in this regard. It is not just dedicated to Srila Prabhupada but serves him by presenting the words of two great previous acaryas without alteration or self indulgence. It is stylistically based on Prabhupada's books, presenting the original Sanskrit verses from the Bhagavatam, Roman transliterations, English translations, and complete commentaries by Srila Cakravarti and Sarasvati Thakurs. It also contains glossaries of terms used and a general index. It is 820 pages.

Thankfully, this translation of the 11th Canto is refreshing in its conspicuous absence of arrogant purports by Hridayananda Das written and published during the great zonal acarya epoch in Iskcon. That era produced a translation that was polluted with grandiose statements about the soon-to-be-fallen zonal gurus of Iskcon. The BBT has probably removed the most egregious content from those volumes, but i still remember my discomfort in reading the commentaries and i refused to accept them as a companion to Prabhupada's Bhagavatam. It is indeed sad that even the highest things, such as this 11th Canto, considered the Crown on the Head of Sri Krishna, can be made temporary hostages of darkness. This publication remedies some of the shame and disgrace done in the name of Srila Prabhupada by offering a transparent translation of the commentaries by Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur.

In the first chapter, Srila Sarasvati Thakur tells us, for example, in a purport to the 32nd verse:
"Those who are averse to Krishna and who are full of anarthas are always busy lording it over material objects. They spend their days accomplishing the three objectives of life— religiosity, economic development, and sense gratification. Their only aim is to enhance their duration of life, as well as their glories and beauty. Because Avadhuta Mahasaya did not display any such behavior, King Yadu asked him the reason for his wandering about in this way. In reply, the avadhuta said: 'Rather than accepting these twenty-four entities that are observed within this visible world as the means of my enjoyment, I have accepted them as my instructing spiritual masters, giving up the conception of accepting something and rejecting something else. I do not live like an ordinary human being, who is driven by mental speculation and thus bereft of the service of a spiritual master. I travel in this world under the shelter of my fixed intelligence. With a desire to surpass all anarthas and to always render loving service to the Supreme Lord, I have taken shelter of these twenty-four spiritual masters.'”

A few verses later, in verse 44, the avadhuta tells the King:
"O King, a saintly person is naturally pure, free from all contaminations, well behaved, and a benefactor of all human beings. Just by seeing, touching, or hearing such an exalted soul, one is purified just as one is cleansed by bathing with pure water. A saintly person, like a holy place of pilgrimage, purifies all those who meet him, because he is always engaged in chanting the glories of the Lord. "

And Cakravarti Thakur comments on this verse:
"Now the lesson to be learned from water is being described. Water is by nature pure and cooling. It is considered to be affectionate toward everyone. Water is sweet. Saintly persons are also sweet by nature and they purify all living entities by instructing them about devotional service. Saintly persons should behave as the well-wishing friend of everyone, just like water. Devotees purify everyone, just as water purifies everything by its contact."

A real devotee is a well-wishing friend of everyone. Like water, he or she is affectionate, pure and cooling towards all. What matters to a devotee is what is pure, not what is popular. Where we find real affection, real humanity, real purification is where we find a real devotee.

Without the company of such devotees, no amount of mental, intellectual or quasi-spiritual assets have any true value. Without having such association, we can only feel deep sadness and separation. We can try our best to hear from such saintly persons via these books and the recordings of pure devotees. This is our only source of hope.

The spiritual ocean that is Bhagavad-gita is thus expanded in the ocean of the Uddhava-gita. True to form, the Lord always glorifies his devotees as He instructs them. Thus, we can praise the unexcelled good fortune of both Arjuna and Uddhava, the extremely confidential friends and direct disciples of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. And pray to get more and more opportunity to drop all remaining pretense so that we can receive these profoundly pure teachings and they will act on our hearts. Books such as Uddhava Gita and the original Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972) give us this chance.

All the books, dvds and other media produced by Touchstone Media can be accessed and purchased at www.touchstonemedia.com

It's a Tuesday tradition six years running here on the campus of Ohio University. The world famous Vegan Cooking Workshop! In case you need to catch up, here's a couple of movies we made about it last here (made by yours truly and made by HG Sri-Kishore Prabhu-ji)

Balarama welcomed everyone warmly to the Mediterraean feast (falafel, pitas, tabouli, red pepper hummus! and baklava straight from Mother Yasoda's kitchen), and also promoted our weekly meditation discussions by saying that "everyone needs a little meditation to fight the fear being imposed on us by the amero."

Fight the power! Here's some pics...






The Master Chef, The Iron Yogi.




Garrison ponders it all


Quickly devoured

This phenomenon is something that materialists would like to put on the back
burner. Yet thousands have already been displaced and dispossessed due to
flooding from global warming.

read more

Process of birth (Explained by Lord Kapila):
(Continued...)

Deriving its nutrition from the food and drink taken by the mother, the fetus grows and remains in that abominable residence of stool and urine, which is the breeding place of all kinds of worms.

Bitten again and again all over the body by hungry worms in the abdomen itself, the child suffers terrible agony because of his tenderness. He thus becomes unconscious moment after moment because of the terrible condition.

Owing to mother's eating bitter, pungent foodstuff, or food which is too salty or too sour, the body of the child incessantly suffers pains which are almost intolerable.

Placed within the amnion and covered outside by the intestines, the child remains lying on one side of the abdomen, his head turned towards his belly and his back arched like a bow.

(To be continued...)

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3 Chapter 31 Verses 5-8

 

One of the nice things is that I have a diversity of clients groups, from young adults with learning difficulties to primary school children.

The other day I took one of my little ones out to a place called SNAC (Special Needs Activity Centre) in Neath. He was quite taken with one of the young girls their and followed her around joining in the activities being undertaken.

The talk got to who each one had come the young girl looked at my young charge and declared in a loud voice “why’ve you come with your GRANDDAD” HA! What can you say?

In many ways I guess taking into account my age I could be classed as being old enough to be a granddad, interesting my young charge neither corrected her nor told her who I was but changed the conversation by stating what a strange head she had as it looks like a triangle.

One of the many reasons why working with the very young is a delight.

Krpakara dasa: What we see is not whats there Conditioned by lust and greed we do but stare A life thats lived in deaths embrace All because the truth we cannot face The body is but shallow and trite We cannot make it ever right So bewildered so confused Those in knowledge are bemused Take this chance in human form Understand our spiritual norm

Karnamrita das: We are "cheta" or consciousness-- marginal energy of Krishna, which means we are a product of our association. We have freedom to choose how to be influenced--who to cooperate with, but the choice to be in matter restricts and hides our nature.

Ananta Govinda dasa: Spanning 3 CD's and 40 hours of narration, thousands of copies of Sri Caitanya Bhagavata have been distributed since 2001. Following the successful production of the narration of Sri Caitanya Bhagavata, by the request of many Vaisnavas we have ventured into production of the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita.

The morning’s Srimad Bhagatam lecture was given by G…

The following are lectures given by H.H. Bhakti Charu swami on the 2nd anniversary of Pandava Sena and a special a class given to Pandava Sena and IYF Girls wing at Surat.

The following are lectures given by H.H. Bhakti Charu swami on the 2nd anniversary of Pandava Sena and a special a class given to Pandava Sena and IYF Girls wing at Surat.

1967 October 8: "The movement which I have started will fulfill the desires of those who are actually anxious to have bonafide spiritual guidance. Others simply exploit the sentiment but they can not deliver the real thing."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1967 October 8: "I am very glad that you two are good combination. Always remain rigid in service of Krishna. Discharge of Krishna Consciousness is our primary objective. All other relationships should be faithful to this principle."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1971 October 8: "Yesterday we had a meeting at the University of Nairobi; the newspaper report: 'impeccable showmanship was matched by unimpeachable philosophy as 2,000 undergraduates listened to Acarya Bhaktivedanta Swami.'"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1972 October 8: "I will be in India up to April then I can go to South Africa, or if you like, to Australia. My immediate program is one month at Radha Damodara Temple where we shall be holding class on the Nectar of Devotion."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 October 8: "I may be coming to New Delhi by the second week of November, so if possible you may try to see me there. We are conducting a large pandal from November 9th-18th at LIC Grounds, Connaught Circle."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1974 October 8: "I wanted all my experienced disciples should manage the whole institution without any personal ambition. The preaching program of the Gaudiya Math institution has become smashed on account of personal ambitions."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 October 8: "So whatever is done is done. I shall request you all not to be personally ambitious. I shall do everything in my power to fulfill your personal ambitions, but that can only be done in due time when you are fully trained up."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

The following are lectures given by H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami on his recent visit to Surat (Gujarat)

The following are lectures given by H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami on his recent visit to Surat (Gujarat)

1974 October 8: "Where is the question of conspiracy? I am training some of my experienced disciples how to manage after my departure. But if you people say 'I am the Lord of all I survey,' - that is a dangerous conspiracy."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

The following are the lectures given by H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami on his recent visit to Surat (Gujarat)

The following are the lectures given by H.H. Bhakti Charu Swami on his recent visit to Surat (Gujarat)

At present the focus of the maintenance team's efforts to develop the Lords' temple is on Radha-Ballabha's garden and Prabhupada House.

Christian Prabhu has donated and installed a turf lawn beside the Lords' fountain, and Daniel Prabhu is nurturing Their flower garden by watering and discouraging pests.

Michael Prabhu is re-painting the Deities' paraphernalia room, and will soon to begin preparing Srila Prabhupada's original bedroom (now a darshan room) for renovation. It will then serve as a library and sitting room for guests to Prabhupada House. Other devotees are busy re-painting the House's first and ground floor foyers. The wall decorations and woodwork will also be restored, and the stairway that Srila Prabhupada used in 1975-6 will be re-carpeted.

Since the original carpet carries dust from the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and his senior disciples - like Tamala Krishna, Jayapataka, Devamrta, Bhakti Caru and Vedavyasa Priya Maharajas to name a few - Bhakta Prabhu hopes to frame up sections to offer as special prasadam to Melbourne devotees.

October 9 2008

Speaking of diets, in March of 1977 I left Srila Prabhupada’s party and returned to Australia. Prabhupada made me the GBC there the following month.

Sometime in late April I came down with malaria. It was a reoccurrence of a couple of bouts I had in India in 1976. The medicine I had been given there only suppressed the malaria bug but didn’t flush it out of my system. So I spent five days in the Adelaide tropical diseases hospital with a cracking headache and no appetite. When I came out I was noticeably thinner.

In late May all the GBCs were called to Vrndavana. Srila Prabhupada’s condition had worsened and he had rushed back there from Rishikesh. He wrote his Will on May 23 and the GBCs were told to ask any questions they had and get them clarified. I was out on traveling sankirtana in Australia and didn’t get the message until a few days later.

I immediately flew to Delhi and arrived in Vrndavana on May 29. By that time the immediate crisis had passed and Srila Prabhupada seemed to improve. Some of the GBCs were already leaving by the time I arrived at Krishna Balarama Mandir. Having spent so much money to get there, and naturally keen to have His Divine Grace’s personal association again after two months absence, I decided to remain in Vrndavana for two weeks.

By that time Prabhupada’s daily routine had completely changed from when I was on the party. He needed 24 hour assistance and someone had to be with him at all times. Physically he was drastically debilitated and spent most of the time lying down.

Tamal Krishna Goswami, Upendra prabhu and Ksira-chora Gopinath (who took sannyasa a few days after I arrived and became Bhakti Charu Swami) made a roster, and I was assigned a two hour afternoon spot.

 The first day there then I went up onto the back section of the roof where Srila Prabhupada was lying down on a cot resting. When I came by his side Prabhupada glanced over at me.

“In Australia you are reducing?” he asked.

I missed the meaning. “Reducing Srila Prabhupada?”

“Yes, in Australia you are reducing?” he repeated.

Then I understood. He saw that I was noticeably thinner since I had left his party. Despite his own condition he was immediately concerned about my health.

“Oh, yes. I had a bout of malaria recently,” I explained, “But I am also eating less as well.” I added the last bit because I thought he would be pleased to hear that I was cutting down on my eating.

For good reason. On November 27, 1976 on this very same spot, I had made the biggest mistake of my life:

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Ajit Mistry poses in front of the new Vyasasan his workers have carved for the Prabhupada Murthy in Utah. Ajit's uncle Ranchodji carved the Altars in the Juhu ISKCON temple which opened in 1978. He eventually retired and Ajit runs the business. He did the wood carving work for Chowpatty temple in Mumbai.

I am happy to present the first issue of the New Raman Reti School newsletter for the 2008-2009 school year; which will continue to be published on a monthly basis.Thank you all for your participation in our beginning of year ceremony. It was great to have Srila Prabhupada in his murti form and so many devotees present as we celebrated the beginning of what I believe is going to be a wonderful school year.I am convinced that the long-term growth and development of the New Raman Reti community is dependent on the continued success of our school. As I look beyond this year, we are going to have to start investing resources now to ensure that we can meet the needs of our burgeoning child population. Now is the time to start thinking about how we would like to see the New Raman Reti School develop. Your input is essential, so I am asking for your help. Over the next week or so think about what you would like to see for our children now and in the future and how New Raman Reti School can be a part of that. Please share your thoughts and ideas with me. I can be reached by phone: +1386-462-2886 or email:david.aguilera@gmail.com. Thank you.Your servant,Visvambhara dasDirector The newsletter is available at:http://www.newramanretischool.org/

That's Kurma's Kotara Kooking, by the way. Anyone googling the Ku Klux Klan will end up here, but hey, more traffic is always welcome.

Kotara is a suburb adjoining Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. If you read my blog regularly you'll know that I taught a cooking class there a few days ago, and I did promise you some pics.

My camera gave up its air of life just before the weekend, so I conducted the class without one. Luckily our attendees were avid paparazzi, so we have vision - plenty with me in - since your's truly was not taking the shots.

I feel a bit sea-sick looking at this picture. Our cabin crew were listening (not listing) intently as I gave my preamble to the class, entitled “The Upmarket Vegetarian”. After handing out the printed class notes, I introduced myself and allowed everyone to do the same; then I spoke about the menu for the day, explaining all about the origins of the recipes, any relevant history, botany and geography, and general culinary tidbits.

The first recipe cooked was the remarkable Hot, Sweet Sour and Spicy Eggplant Pickles from my second cookbook Cooking With Kurma. It's always a winner, and is very dramatic when it cooks. Here I'm sprinkling in the ground, dry-roasted cumin at its steamy grand finale.

We cooked up a batch of Fragrant, Tomato-laced Karnataka Hot & Sour Toor Soup (Rasam), Classic South Indian Lemon Rice with Fresh Coconut & Cashews, and made some fresh panir cheese from lovely rich organic unhomogenised milk.

Several tastings of the cheese were offered: fresh, warm and raw chunks drizzled with extra-virgin oilive oil, sea salt and lemon juice, and then pan-fried sweet-chili panir mini-steaks.

The majority of the fresh cheese was used for our Savoury Fresh Cheese Balls in Creamy Tomato Sauce (Malai Kofta). We kneaded and brayed the warm cheese till it was smooth, then folded in chopped roasted almonds, salt and pepper, a little hing and chopped sultanas and fresh coriander. Here they are, one of two whole platefuls from 8 litres of milk, ready to shallow-fry and submerge in our cream-infused sauce.

A Fresh Garden Salad was assembled, consisting of assorted salad leaves, fresh basil, asparagus and grape tomatoes, blanched and sauteed vegetables and a delightful tahini and honey infused lemon and oil dressing.

After whipping up a batch of South Indian Coconut Chutney with first class frozen shredded coconut we made our Coconut and Rice Flour Crepes Stuffed with Potatoes (Masala Dosa).

I always like to direct the plating-up of lunch. Presentation is important.

Dessert was Saffron-scented Rice Pudding (Chaval Ksira), served with Cream, Fresh Mangoes and Strawberries.

Every once in a while, even people who may be partial to psychology and psychotherapy apprehend that there is something basically wrong with it.

Tonite I had plans to meet Jackie at the Union Street Farmers Market in Gainesville.  First, however, I was going to take my kids to hit the persimmon tree outside Dreamer's Garden.  

Here is a REALLY interesting animated video, it was compiled for anyone wanting to know how the money system works in the world.  It is a real eye opener and will give you some insight into why things are such a mess in the world economy at the moment.  It also offers some thought provoking alternatives. 

[This is from a recent email]

Dear Maharajas, Prabhus, and Matas, please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

First of all, I would like to thank Hari Sauri Prabhu for bringing this
issue to the attention of a more general audience. How we transmit not only
Srila Prabhupada's (SP's) transcendental teachings is important, but what
policies we employ for SP's teachings will also likely be employed for the
writings of present and future sadhus among us. What is good for the goose
is good for the gander.

read more

My husband picked up his new specs today.  Do you think they make him look more or less like Sita-pati?  I'm voting less, although I think the resemblance is, quite frankly, chronic.  Even my husband agrees.

By the European Leaders

Listen to the discussion that took place in Radhadesh on the 5th of October amongst the European leaders concerned whether it is in the interest of the integrity of ISKCON, or in keeping with the instruction of Srila Prabhupada, that members of the movement be given salaries.