We are working hard to bring you a new site that will fulfill all your download needs. Wait a few more days and get ready to download.

www.iskconmedia.com

Gopi Gita singing a Hare Krishna bhajan.  This is around 3am -- everyone is pretty tired!

2008-12-31
Dallas, TX

Download: 2008-12-31 - 16 - 12 hr Bhajans - Gopi Gita dasi - Hare Krishna.mp3

Már most sokan keresik, hogy mikor lesz az óraátállítás. Az ő örömükre:

A 2009 évi tavaszi (nyári) óraátállítás március 29-én lesz. Ekkor hajnali 2-kor 3-ra állítjuk az órát.

Szeretettel köszöntöm azokat az olvasókat, akik így találtak az oldalamra. Érdemes még itt időzni, mert sok érdekességről írtam már.

Karnamrita das: Every step a prayer giving thanks I still walk, every breathe a question when my love will awaken? At every moment life and death are precariously balanced-- we struggle to survive another day before our body’s demise.

Hemant Mallya: ISKCON DC Vaishnava Training and Education has started a weekly presentation of Bhagavad-gita As It Is through a weekly phone conference.

Care for cows: Our February 2009 Care for Cows Newsletter has been posted. Please review it at your earliest convenience.

Lord Caitanya's direct reasons for appearing on earth was to draw
people into constant meditation on the Supreme Lord. Therefore, when He
was a child, he repeatedly acted naughtily and thereby drew everyone's
attention. He chastised brahmanas who claimed He 'broke their
meditation' by distracting them. In reality, however, he was pulling
attention directly onto Him. On such occasions He would sometimes ask,
"Who are you meditating on?"

The Gita Coaching is a process of learning, renewal, application, and feedback that will help you develop the essential skills necessary to live the Bhagavad Gita. It is a step-by-step path for living with fairness, integrity, honesty, human dignity and spiritual intelligence. With a coach, you can actualize this spiritual, principle-centred approach for achieving your personal, spiritual and professional goals and solving all kinds of problems.

How Does A Coach Assist You?

- A Coach helps you to envision and clarify what and where you want to be
- A Coach holds you accountable to act on your highest priorities
- A Coach holds you responsible for taking action to create results
- A Coach helps you improve how you approach interaction with others and create a foundation of trust and mutual benefit

How Does Coaching Help You?

- Coaching helps you apply the process of deep understanding of other people to create interdependent and mutually beneficial relationships
- Coaching plugs you into the power of 1+1=3, helping you work with others to discover the best solution
- Coaching will help you release your potential by helping you make time for the things that renew and enliven you

Forming New Habits Takes Time

As your coach, I am committed to help you transform your life through the principles of the Bhagavad Gita. Coaching will help you become more effective by changing the way you approach yourself, your relationships, and your service.

This type of spiritual transformation requires more than a cosmetic change in techniques; it requires a change in habits - a process that takes time and accountability.

Coaching Lays A Comprehensive Foundation For Change

During the coaching process, we will work together to understand and develop spiritually-based habits of personal, interpersonal, professional and organizational effectiveness.

Long-Term Benefits Of Coaching

Gita Coaching is a learning and implementation process that will ensure that you are better able to internalize and practice the principles of the Bhagavad Gita.

Increased effectiveness in living the Bhagavad Gita will mean greater success in all facets of your life.

I will be your partner, invested in your success. I will help to support, guide and motivate you to apply the Bhagavad Gita principles to your life in a way that most probably you have not done before.

Draft schedule of Maharaja. May be changed or altered.

Current location: Gurgaon (after a short trip to Kanpur)

• 3 Feb: Ujjain
• 10 Feb: Mayapur
• 26 Feb: probably to Bangalore
• 8 Mar: Ujjain
• 15 Mar: possibly to China
• 23 Mar: probably to Bangladesh
• 15 Apr: London, and then on to USA? radha.vinod@hotmail.co.uk
• 12-19 Jul: confirmed European Retreat (Torrox, Spain)
  radha.vinod@hotmail.co.uk / bij_m@hotmail.com / Vinod.Vihari.BCS@pamho.net
• 1-8 Aug: confirmed North American Retreat (Vail, Colorado, USA)
  rupanugabcs@gmail.com
• 10-25 Sep: possible one-week Indian Retreat (Ujjain) to fall in this
  approximate period, either before/during/after Vyas Puja.
  Guesthouse.Ujjain@pamho.net
• 17 Sep: Vyas Puja + Glorification of Srila Prabhupada celebration day
  (Ujjain). Guesthouse.Ujjain@pamho.net

‘Because He is non different from Hari, the Supreme Lord, He is called Advaita, and because He propagates the cult of devotion, He is called Äcärya. He is the Lord and the incarnation of the Lord’s devotee. Therefore I take shelter of Him. Sri Advaita Acarya is indeed directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. His glory is beyond the conception of ordinary living beings.’

read more

Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama begins on 28th February and ends on 6th March 2009. Devotees who wish to attend the Parikrama can register on arrival in Sri dham Mayapur. If you do not wish to stay in parikrama campsite and would like to be back to ISKCON Mayapur on parikrama days for night stay, you should have confirmed accomadation with guest house reservations. The Parikrama fee is Rs.1700. You can pay the parikrama fee at the Parikrama registration counter.

read more

• Vízjelet szeretnék rakni néhány fényképre. Mac-re milyen megoldást ajánlanátok? #
• Túl korán kérdeztem. Még mindenki alszik. Így senki nem válaszol a kérdésemre. #
• Itt is elkezdett esni a hó. #

1966 Prabhupada Journal:
"Delivered one set of books to Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Posted one letter to the President.
Expenditure Busfare .30
Potato, Banana and apple - .73
One Estey Tape Recorder for $54.02
Guaranteed for 90 days.
55.05"
Prabhupada Journal :: 1966

1970 Prabhupada Letters: "There is no need of anything artificial. We do not want any false pretenders in numbers - but we want a single sincere soul."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1975 February 2: "Go ahead with obtaining Phd and become a learned scholar in the science of loving Krishna. This will be a wonderful credit for you and you will surely get recognition from Krishna for such an attempt."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 February 2: "Try you best to develop an ideal varna-asrama society to set a perfect example for the human society of how one can live very simply, chanting Hare Krishna and developing love for Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 February 2: "Book distribution is solid. Even if they do not read, simply by touching they are benefited. It is so much powerful."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1970 February 2 : "Sumati Morarjee, you will be pleased to know that I now have 24 branches and my Back to Godhead paper has increased in circulation and we are now printing 50,000 copies per month."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1968 February 2 : "Please incorporate our association in the U.N. In the future, we will have very great scope for introducing our Krishna Consciousness amongst the leaders of all the nations."
Letters :: 1968

1970 Prabhupada Letters : "Everyone says what their Mission could not do in 80 years time, we have done in three. So nobody can check this genuine movement of Krishna Consciousness by artificial means of bluff."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

By popular demand, here is my Bhagavad-gita Small Group Resource. It contains resources for a 20 week small group program based on Bhagavad-gita. It is suitable for small groups of 2-20 people.

Each week one chapter or half a chapter of the Gita is covered. Participants read the Gita during the week, then discuss it in a 60-90 minute small group meeting. Having a resource such as this takes the pressure off the facilitator of the group to come up with something each week. There is a structure and some basic material, and they simply have to facilitate discussion and answer questions that arise.

The purposes of this resource and the small group program around it are three:

• 1. To encourage participants to read the Gita in a systematic fashion
• 2. To encourage them to discuss it in a systematic fashion
• 3. To encourage the formation and transmission of values in addition to information.

The resource is licensed under Creative Commons 2.5 BY-SA, so you're free to use, reuse, modify, redistribute, even sell it, as long as you pass on the same rights to others, including giving your modifications away under the same license.

Please feel free to write me with feedback.

Here it is:

• Bhagavad-gita Small Group Resource 1.0 (794KB, 55 page pdf)

Our CSA Policy

We make it convenient for you to pick up your share: For those of you that live reasonably close to the farm, we encourage you to come on one of three days to pick up your share. For those members who live further away, such as Flint, Lansing, south Ann Arbor, and the Metro-Detroit area, we will have a number of drop-off locations. We will arrange with each member a convenient way to get your weekly food share.

You can make partial payments: We most greatly appreciate the full cost of your share to be paid up front. However, if that is not possible, we will accept a payment of half down or 3–5 monthly payments of $100 each. All payment balances are due by April 1st. All payments are non-refundable. We also plan to eventually accept Credit Cards and Bridge Cards.

You can customize your share: Of course, we encourage our members to try their best to use up all the contents of their weekly share and to minimize any waste. However, you are welcome to give us a call to exclude items you cannot seem to use up or may not have any interest in using. As far as possible, we will provide you with more items that you prefer.

You can put a hold on your order: If you are leaving town, simply call us to place a hold on your order. For the number of weekly shares you miss while you’re away, we will credit you for the next season.

You can place special orders: Feel free to call us to request extra items for an event or special meal and we will add them to your next share. And if you need anything before or after your normal delivery or pick up time, call us so we can arrange to get it to you as fresh as possible.

We encourage you to try different foods: Vedic Village wants you to try all the wonderful varieties of vegetables, grains, beans, herbs, flowers, fruits and more that we plan to grow for you. Yes, maybe some of these foods you never knew existed. Others you may have heard about, but never tried. Well, one way we plan to encourage you to try these tasty foods is to include recipes with your weekly shares. In addition to this, when you arrange to visit the farm at lunchtime, we will offer you free of charge a delicious lovingly prepared meal that will most likely include some foods that may be new to you.

If you would like to donate your time, join our team, or have any questions, please either call or email us at (313) 823-3815 / tommilano108@yahoo.com. According to your inquiry, you may be put in touch with either one of our two vice presidents, Antariksa dasa and Navadvipa dasa. If you would like to contribute towards any of our projects, please make your check out to MISCOWP and send it c/o Adiraja dasa, 313 Newport, Detroit, Michigan 48215. You will receive a receipt within two or three days. We also accept payment by credit card. In closing, we would like to thank you again for your interest in the success of Vedic Village and we look forward to your participation. Hare Krishna!

Want to go on a boat cruise on the holy Ganga on the newly renovated ISKCON boat “Vasanta Puspa”, or “Springflower”? (much nicer name than “Mayflower”, isn’t it?). We had a joyful inauguration at the “Prabhupada ghat” on the 30th January, 2009. Featured guests were Umapati Swami, Pankajanghri and Jananivasa Prabhus, and also Nitaiprasad Prabhu and Devarsi Prabhu, who performed a glorious Ganga aratika in the middle of Mother Ganga. This was enchanted by Sastra Prabhu’s unique Harinama party Kirtan.

read more

Vasanta Pancami marks the beginning of spring season. The fields are full of bright yellow mustard flowers and nature is full in its bounty. In Bengal, new ventures are started and weddings take place. In Mayapur, deities are dressed in yellow coloured outfits and the altar is decorated with yellow marigold, orchid and other flowers. Small Sri Radha-Madhava were offered yellow flower outfits. Matajis are spotted in yellow dresses vibrating the mood of spring season.

read more

One who is situated in household life and who systematically conquers his mind and five sense organs is like a king in his fortress who conquers his powerful enemies. After one has been trained in household life and his lusty desires have decreased, he can move anywhere without danger.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 1 Verse 18

Hariboool

This is a slimmed-down version of a class I gave in March 2008 at the ISKCON center at Soho Street in London. One mistake: I say that “some girls” who wanted Bhisma to marry them asked his guru to oblige him to do so. In fact there was only one such girl—Amba. The other girls, her two sisters, married Bhisma’s half-brother Vicitravirya. In any case, my point concerning Bhisma’s personal integrity remains the same, as do my points concerning our own.

read more

Kesava, who is 10 and lives here, wrote a very nice prayer asking Gopala (who is his favorite form of Krsna in the picture) to help him chant more rounds and be attentive. That's a very important point that even child knows.
Rasa Prabhu nicely explained each topic giving us much attention and discussing each part of our prayer. A devotee wrote this question: "Should we increase the number of our rounds only when we feel we would still be able to fully concentrate?"
Nice question...I have thought about that many times but never asked...the reply was also very wise - good chanting produces more good chanting....also if we chant nicely we will naturally increase our rounds because we feel the taste for chanting.
I got a lot from these sessions and this will help me to chant during the whole week.
My personal prayer was more focused on being grateful to my spiritual master and asking him to always engage me in service to Sri Radha and Krsna.

At the present moment we are blinded by the fog of illusion. We don't know where we've come from. We don't know who we are or what is the origin of or purpose of our existence. We don't know what is our destination nor how to reach it. In short, we're a mess. We're in bad shape philosophically and psychologically. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead...

Who am I? I am a no one, no one important but I do believe in Krishna, Prabhupada and his movement. I am fairly new to Krishna consciousness in this life time its been around three years now I've had the honor of associating with the devotee's. In that time I have notice some things that I feel should not be over looked for a community thats trying to help others find their way back to Godhead.

I have notice that we have four regulation of no eating meat, no gambling, no intoxication and no illicit sex, But every where I see some of these principles being broken right in our community. I understand we are condition souls with many dirty things in our hearts "trust me I know" I am still praying that these impurities are cleansed from my heart, But what I don't get is when or who has decided that its fine to do these things openly in the community like nothing is wrong with it???? I know its hard to meet the standards but why on earth do we proclaim that there's nothing wrong with what I am doing?? Why are we changing the process to meet our needs? this is the first thing that contaminates all the religions of the world, The process says no chocolate so thats the process "NO CHOCOLATE" so if we have a chocolate addictions we should say " I am SORRY prabhu I have a problem please I wish to change and become better. I just need some time I know I am wrong, But instead we stand up proud-fully and proclaim I'm doing nothing wrong!!!! when Prabhupada ask about chocolate the devotee's at the time didn't give him the proper facts.
Now in the end we have to really ask ourselves is this really for Krishna pleasure or my own, because whether Prabhupada had all the facts or not! we are all addicted to this world and the so called pleasures of maya and thats a fact!!!
Are we really trying to get back to Godhead or just pretending? Do we really want to help people? Do we really want to serve? Or have we all become just another hypocritical religious process that points the finger at the rest of the world but never takes a look at ourselves?? And if that is the case! then as individuals isn't it time we change!! for our Guru for Prabhupada for all the pervious Acaryas for krishna and ultimately don't we owe it to all those lost souls in the world. To set the example, because if we don't then who will if we can't be real with ourselves be honest and admit we have a problem then how on earth are we going to help others???? we are a mess and a mess in denial is even worst then a mess willing to improve,grow and better it self! A mess thats proud to be a mess will only get dirtier but a mess in shame of being messy will eventually become clean.
So please ask your self are you proud and defensive about certain touchy subjects like chocolate and standing up in a roaring voice proclaiming I am right and Prabhupada's facts are wrong (on this matter).

So here is my honesty I eat chocolate once in a blue moon I am also addicted to Maya I am sorry, it is not acceptable and I wish to change please help me!!! "honestly" become a better person and a better devotee! The best I can do for now is keep it outside the community and work on the higher taste and hopefully i will lose taste for the lower ones.


So for the new devotees to come, for my daughter (just born) I ask for us to raise the standard for our community keep the nonsense out. Lets better ourselves lets help each other "please"
Your servant Ryan Lowseck

1968 February 1: "You are always engaged in Krishna's service is the greatest pleasure for me. Actually bodily I am not getting much strength, but spiritually I am getting much strength because my spiritual children are growing in spiritual stength."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 February 1: "Now you have got our books, so you can immediately start a center. I have always had a great desire to open a center there."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 February 1: "Make a small center immediately. Simply you have to sit down together as you have seen done in New York chanting Hare Krishna in the accompaniment of a beating drum."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

Today's Sunday Feast recording can be viewed by clicking the image below. As a reminder, the recordings from our weekly live web broadcasts are stored on our new ISKCON Toronto Video Archive Blog.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.46 - The exalted position of Vasudeva and Devaki.

Maha Mantra means the great chanting for delivering the mind.

When He was contemplating how to propitiate Krsna and cause Him to descend, the following verse from Gautamiya-tantra came to the mind of Advaita Acarya:

tulasi-dala-matrena jalasya culukena va vikrinite svam atmanam bhaktebhyo bhakta-vatsalah

"Sri Krsna, who is very affectionate toward His devotees, sells Himself to a devotee who offers Him merely a tulasi leaf and a palmful of water."

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Adi 3.104

2 Feb 2009 is Sri Advaita Acarya's Appearance Day

For the past two weeks we've been learning cooking at Mayapur Academy. It's been such a wonderful experience especially because we got to learn from so many wonderful cooks. We learned to make kachoris, all kinds of sabjis, dahls, different rice dishes, koftas, and one of the highlights was getting Radha Madhava's personal "sweet cook" come in and show us how to make sandesh, rasmali, rasagullas and rasa kadambas! That was definitely a very sweet day and a very sweet lunch! :D

So, the culmination of these two weeks was that students had to cook a raj bhoga offering. A typical raj bhoga offering consists of 3 sabjis, rice, dahl, chapatis/paratas, raita/chutney, and a drink. Of course it is nice to have a savory and sweet but it wasn't required for us. Working in groups of two, students had an allotted 3 hours to complete this meal and were encouraged to make extra preps if they so desired. Of course, we were also encouraged to come in earlier to prep if we wanted to.

My dear partner, Yasomati, was feeling a bit under the weather and so a few days before, I was told that I could do it on my own if I wanted to. Never shy to back away from a challenge, I thought, "Hey, why not?!"

So yesterday, by Radharani's mercy, I was able to make 12 items: a cauliflower and potato sabji, a deep fried panir, eggplant and potato sabji, a steamed broccoli sabji, fried bitter melon, lemon rice, spiced yogurt rice, plain rice, mung dahl, paratas, cucumber raita, lemonade and a ladhu made out of nuts, orange rind and icing sugar.

All the dishes turned out pretty well, but in true Vrndavana Vinodini fashion, I under-salted the dahl and cauliflower/potato sabji. LOL...but like they say, better to under-salt than over salt. And...unfortunately we ALL didn't realize, but the yogurt that was brought turned out to be misthi dhai (sweetened yogurt), so my yogurt rice turned into a bit of a sweet rice and the raita was also a bit sweet! Actually everyone's raita or "salt lassi" ended up being sweet! Oh well...what to do... :D

The highlight was that we all got to serve our dishes to HG Pankajanghri and Jananivas prabhus and that was so sweet. They were so encouraging and giving us such personal feedback.

All glories to cooking! Prasadam ki JAI!

As I'm sitting at the computer a million thoughts are going through my head...this is what happens when you don't get a chance to write for a couple of days! Too many ideas. So...I guess I'll just write two posts today. :D

Lately I've been thinking a lot about compassion. As aspiring spiritual seekers we all strive to have compassion for one another. This is exemplified by Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada had so much compassion for all of us. But how can I, as a beginner on this path of bhakti yoga, develop even 1/1000000000 of that compassion?

One of the easiest ways is to do something that HH Sacinandana Swami often emphasizes and suggests that we practice. Every morning when you get up, thank Krsna for 5 different things. See the funny thing about gratitude is that it is something one has to practice for it to remain foremost in one's consciousness. Yes, we all feel gratitude for things but if you analyze it carefully, it normally doesn't last long. But if one actually practices feeling gratitude, by thanking Krsna everyday consciously for various things he is providing us with, then one starts to feel grateful for: 1. a much longer period of time and 2. one also starts to feel gratitude for small things.

So what does this have to do with compassion? It is only when we see and experience how fortunate we actually are and how Krsna is so nicely arranging things for us, that we begin to value these gifts. Then compassion can start to develop. For example, if you are blessed to have good friends and actually recognize and appreciate that, then it's easier to feel compassion for someone new joining your school/work/temple. On the highest level, when we value Krsna consciousness as the greatest treasure in our lives, then we naturally will feel compassion to those who may be suffering because they haven't been awakened to it.

I pray that I can keep my eyes open to the numerous gifts Krsna is providing me with and be his instrument to share it with others.

One of our guru's was once asked - "what do you have to give up to be a monk?". He immediately replied "just give up suffering!". It really was spot on. The monastic life is a simple, sublime and happy life, free of worry and anxiety.

Thats not to say, however, that there is no strictness. As monks we refrain from intoxication, meat eating, gambling, and maintain vows of celibacy. These principles allow one to become free from the dictates of the mind and senses, and allow one to function on the level of spiritual inspiration. Far from limiting the person, such principles help the person to develop the higher consciousness and awarness, to truly exercise free will in the consumeristic world we live in.

If a man was jumping off a cliff and a friend demanded "DON'T jump!" - that friendly advice (restrictive as it may sound) would significantly affect the mans ability to exercise free will in the future. Restriction is not opposed to a freedom. Such principles do not restrict ones opportunities for happiness in this life, but rather open up a whole new realm to discover.

Let’s face it life in the material world is a struggle. Whether one is in the darkest of ignorance trying to find their bliss at the bottom of a 40 oz. or whether one is attempting to reach that stage of  pure, unmotivated, uninterupted devotional service, struggle will indeed be there. In the material world we [...]

"In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure."

Also we can say that to succeed you should know that you need to fail often. If we know that we have to fail before we succeed, then perhaps the fear of failure can be removed, and we can actually look forward to failing because we will understand that every time we fail we are getting closer to our goal.

- Mahatma dasa, Alachua Florida

"If you stick to these principles with determination, you will be freed from all attachment to Maya, by Krishna's grace. The example is that when the sun is in the sky, then where is the question of darkness? Similarly, when Hare Krishna mantra is vibrating on your tongue, and you are hearing attentively, then your consciousness becomes clear, or Krishna consciousness, and there is no question of Maya or hazy consciousness."
Letter - Wednesday 2 August 1972

Searching for instructions by Srila Prabhupada on how regular home programs should be conducted, I came across this essay from Kripamoya Prabhu, published by ISKCON Communication Journal in January 1994 (article link).

I've read this article before and thought it had been re-published on namahatta.org already, but found that was not the case. Editing it for better online readability, I am surprised how many of our current problems Kripamoya Prabhu recognized and analyzed so much earlier in ISKCON's history. His recommendations not how to avoid, but how to deal with conflict and problems could help devotees deal better with many of today's issues, I think. Here's the essay's 'teaser' from the IC Journal:

"We all want to avoid conflict but life seems to thrust it at us in bucket-loads, so we might as well learn how to deal with it. Kripamoya Prabhu's study of the manifestation of conflict in Nama-hatta groups and the steps he recommends to remedy this, based on his considerable experience and research, is important for all devotees."

read more

Who am I? I am no one, no one important, but I do believe in Krishna, Prabhupada, and his movement. I am fairly new to Krishna consciousness; in this lifetime its been around three years now I've had the honor of associating with the devotee's. In that time I have noticed some things that I feel should not be overlooked for a community thats trying to help others find their way back to Godhead.

I have noticed that we have four regulation of no eating meat, no gambling, no intoxication, and no sex outside of marriage. But everywhere I see some of these principles being broken right in our community. I understand we are conditioned souls with many dirty things in our hearts—trust me, I know; I am still praying that these impurities are cleansed from my heart. What I don't get is when or who has decided that it's fine to do these things openly in the community, like nothing is wrong with it?

read more

Each week I select a verse from the Bhagavad-gita and compare/contrast four different translations. These translators all subscribe to the Gaudia-Vaisnava philosophy. This examination isn’t to prove one more superior to another, but to highlight the similarities and learn from the differences in ideologies.

The four Gitas are:
-Bhagavad-gita: As It Is by Srila Prabhupada (1972 edition)
-Bhagavad-gita: It’s Feeling and Philosophy by Tripurari Swami
-Srimad Bhagavad-gita by Narayana Maharaja
-Bhagavad-gita: The Beloved Lord’s Secret Love Song by Garuda dasa (Graham Schweig)

Though I’m hardly qualified to do so, I dissect each translation, sometimes interjecting my own unsolicited commentary. More on this can be found here.

In the second chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna the warrior has just surrendered to Krishna, God. He is requesting Krishna to teach him everything he needs to know.

This verse, 2.13, is a basic verse. It’s one of the most referenced and quoted. But it’s also one of the most difficult to realize. The second chapter as a whole is full of stuff like this. It’s the building blocks of spirituality, but even the great gurus and masters struggle with these realizations.

Two verses prior, Krishna explains to Arjuna that a wise person does not lament either for the living or the dead. In this verse, He explains further.

dihino ’smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati

As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.
-Srila Prabhupada

Just as the embodied soul experiences changes of body, such as childhood, adulthood, and old age, so similarly it will acquire another body after death. Wise persons are not deluded about this.
-Tripurari Swami

Just as the embodied atma passes from boyhood to youth to old age, similarly, after death, he passes into another body. An intelligent person is not bewildered by the birth and death of the body.
-Narayana Maharaja

Just as the embodied
    while in this body
    passes through childhood,
    youth, and old age,
So also the embodied
    attains another body -
    the wise person
    is not bewildered by this.
-Garuda dasa (Graham M. Schweig)

Krishna is setting up an analogy. It is understood that we are not the body, that we are spirit souls. We are the soul, we have a body. And just as we experience our bodies changing from a baby all the way to an old fellow, we will also experience a new body after this one dies. This is reincarnation, one of the core beliefs in many spiritual philosophies.

The first line dehino ’smin yatha dehe is one of the few lines of Sanskrit that I have memorized. I have a lot of trouble with learning a language and very little sticks. This, however, has stuck (well, the first line of it).

All four translations match up here. “(Just) as the embodied soul…” Narayana Maharaja uses the Sanskrit term atma, which means soul. Garuda dasa, however, continues “Just as the embodied while in this body.” It seems a little awkward, but the Sanskrit and the other translations, except Narayana Maharaja’s supports that, though less awkwardly.

It does seem redundant to restate that an embodied soul is in a body. That is why both Srila Prabhupada and Tripurari Swami slide that restatement into the next line, kaumaram yauvanam jara.

These three words are simply “from boyhood to youth to old age.” Only Tripurari Swami translates yauvanam to adulthood. While other Sanskrit sources and dictionaries translate this as “youth,” it does get the point across. We don’t go straight from youth to old age, though in the eyes of the elderly, I’m sure it seems like we do. Time flies….

The second half of the verse is the target of the analogy. As Garuda dasa has put it: “So also the embodied attains another body.” The term praptih, which ends this third line, is glossed as “achievement” by both Srila Prabhupada and Narayana Maharaja, though neither of them use it in their verses. Instead, they both use the word “passes,” as in “passes into another body.” Tripurari Swami glosses praptih as “acquiring.” Garuda dasa uses “attains.”

The slight variations in meaning between “achieve,” “pass,” “acquire,” and “attain” are too minuscule to break a sweat over.

Garuda dasa, whose version of the Gita attempts to follow the Sanskrit as much as possible, is the only translator to not mention death. The original Sanskrit verse does not mention death at all. But our other three translators clarify that it is “at death” or “after death” when the soul acquires another body. Though we may not like to hear this, we are going to die. But when we die, we will receive another body.

With the analogy complete, Krishna adds: dhiras tatra na muhyati. As Tripurari Swami puts it, “Wise persons are not deluded about this.”

Dhirah is a commonly used term describing a person. Sober, thoughtful and wise were used by our authors. Srila Prabhupada chose “sober” for his word-for-word rendering, but went with “self-realized” in his verse.

The Sanskrit doesn’t mention self-realization here. It only notes that a wise or sober person is not bewildered by this idea of changing bodies. Srila Prabhupada takes it a step farther, as he often does, interpreting the verse rather than providing a straight translation. In his purport, he again translates dhirah as sober.

A self-realized person is wise and sober, though not all wise or sober people are self-realized. But either way, they are all na nuhyati: not bewildered by this change.

All of the translations, except Tripurari Swami’s use “not bewildered.” He uses “not deluded,” just as his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada used in his word-for-word (though wound up using “not bewildered” in his verse). Narayana Maharaja uses “not confused” in his word-for-word, though chose “not bewildered” in his verse translation, as does Garuda dasa.

The commentary of Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, as provided by Narayana Maharaja, sums up this verse very well:

The following point may be raised: Since the atma is associated with the body, the body will also be an object of our love. Furthermore, those who are related to the body, such as sons, brothers, relatives, grandsons and so on, will also be the objects of our love, so when they die we will certainly feel grief.

Sri Bhagavan [Krishna] speaks this sloka [verse] beginning with dehinah, in answer to this. “The jiva [soul] in the body attains boyhood; at the end of boyhood he attains youth, and at the end of youth he attains old age. Similarly, at the loss of the body he attains another body. Just as one does not grieve at the end of boyhood and youth, wish are objects of love due to their relationship with the atma, similarly one should not grieve for the body itself, which is also an object of love due to its relationship with the atma, when it is lost.

If a person grieves when he attains old age at the loss of youth, then he also feels happy when he attains youth at the loss of boyhood. Therefore, you should feel happy because when Bhisma and Drona [Arjuna's relatives] lose their old bodies they will attain new ones.

Lord Caitanya's indirect reasons for appearing on earth was to detach
people from everything material. Therefore as a child, he trashed many
items, especially in his mother's kitchen. Vrindavana Das Thakura
describes the phenomenon and why it occurs in Caitanya Bhagavat.

DURLABHA MANAVA JANMA
by
BHAKTIVINODA THAKUR

1.
durlabha manava-janma labhiya samsare
krsna na bhajinu — duhkha kahibo kahare?

Born in this rare human body, I did not worship you.
Now Lord I am left lamenting. Who shall I tell this to?

2.
’samsar’ ’samsar’, ko’re miche gelo kal
labha na koilo kichu, ghatilo janjal

My time passed in wordly pursuits, without the slightest gain.
My one and only profit was pure anguish and pain.

3.
kiser samsar ei chayabaji pray
ihate mamata kori’ brtha dina jay

This world has no more meaning than a magical display.
Caught up in it with no purpose, my life passes away.

4.
e deho patana ho’le ki ro’be amar?
keho sukha nahi dibe putra-paribar

When at last I drop down dead, what will I then possess?
How then will friends and family afford me happiness?

5.
gardhaber mata ami kori parisram
ka’r lagi’ eto kori, na ghucilo bhram

Why do I work just like an ass each and every day?
Despite my hard endeavour still in darkness I do stay.

6.
dina jay micha kaje, nisa nidra-base
nahi bhavi — marana nikate ache bo’se

Wasting my days in useless work, losing my nights in sleep.
Never seeing that by my side, death does his vigil keep.

7.
bhalo manda khai, heri, pari, cinta-hina
nahi bhavi, e deho chadibo kon dina

Dressing myself so carefully, eating just as I choose.
Living carefree I cannot see that soon this body I’ll lose.

8.
deho-geho-kalatradi-cinta abirata
jagiche hrdoye mor buddhi kori’ hata

In truth I am always anxious, to maintain me and mine.
Ever perplexed by pressing woes, crushing my heart and mind.

9.
hay, hay! nahi bhavi — anitya e saba
jivana bigate kotha rohibe baibhava?

Alas, alas, for my poor plight; unheeding of my death.
What in this world will still be mine after my final breath?

10.
smasane sarir mama podiya rohibe
bihanga-patanga tay bihar koribe

Then this body will lie quite still in the cremation ground
Jackals and crows, ants and worms, will soon gather around.

11.
kukkur srgal sab anandita ho’ye
mahotsava koribe amar deho lo’ye

They will then be in ecstasy, enjoying a great feast.
This body will be a festival, for every bug and beast.

12.
je deher ei gati, ta’r anugata
samsar-baibhava ar bandhu-jana jata

Thus ends my beloved body, with house and family.
And all that I proudly possess, will all but dust soon be.

13.
ataeva maya-moha chadi’ buddhiman
nitya-tattva krsna-bhakti korun sandhan

Be wise then and abandon now, your worldly illusion
Seek out at once the only truth; Krishna’s pure devotion.

1975 February 1: "Your Bhagavad-gita study aids seem alright. The thing is, you must see that the meaning of the verse is in no way altered or changed. Simplification is alright but do not change anything."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1969 February 1 : "As soon as there is a slackness on our part Maya can take Krishna's place in our heart. Otherwise, if Krishna is seated always, maya has no opportunity."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 February 1 : "Besides attending class, you should always read the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Then I can surely recommend to the draft board that you are a very serious student of Bhagavad-gita under my supervision."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 February 1 : "If they are actually serious to receive instructions from Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita, they absolutely must read Bhagavad-gita As It Is. If they want some nonsense there is nothing we can do to help them."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

Vrndavana dasa: Yes Padayatra has returned to Guyana with a big bang and Bhaktimarg Swami! It will parade along the beautiful coast of Demerara from Stratspey to Cummings Lodge.

1969 February 1: "Make a small center immediately. Simply you have to sit down together as you have seen done in New York chanting Hare Krishna in the accompaniment of a beating drum."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 February 1: "Now you have got our books, so you can immediately start a center. I have always had a great desire to open a center there."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1968 February 1: "You are always engaged in Krishna's service is the greatest pleasure for me. Actually bodily I am not getting much strength, but spiritually I am getting much strength because my spiritual children are growing in spiritual stength."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1966 February 1 :
"It is arranged today by phone that the Universalist Church will allow house for holding meeting on every Wednesday evening from 7/30 to 9 pm.
Expenditure - Busfare .30"
Journal :: 1966

Even if one is liberated, he nevertheless accepts the body he has received according to his past karma. Without misconceptions, however, he regards his enjoyment and suffering due to that karma the way an awakened person regards a dream he had while sleeping. He thus remains steadfast and never works to achieve another material body under the influence of the three modes of material nature.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 1 Verse 16

Even if he goes from forest to forest, one who is not self-controlled must always fear material bondage because he is living with six co-wives--the mind and knowledge-acquiring senses. Even householder life, however, cannot harm a self-satisfied, learned man who has conquered his senses.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 1 Verse 17

This is the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise, and his endeavours will know perfection. PURPORT The Lord clearly explains here that this is the substance of all revealed scriptures. And one should understand this as it is given by [...]

Holi festival is one of our best festival in New Vraja-dhama.

I have uploaded  148 photos to our flickr account. Check it here. 

I have video also.

—-

A régi, angol blogomat átirányítottam ide. Viszont a google képkeresője gyakran hivatkozik az ott lévő Holi fesztiválos képemre. Most berakom ide is, hogy az átirányítás után is megtalálják. Feltöltöttem az eseményről készült összes képem: itt megnézheted. Erről már korábban kétszer is írtam, illetve videót is töltöttem fel. Azokat meg itt meg itt olvashatod.

Two weekends of retreats in Springbrook - yoga and kirtan. There was a lot of art as well. I shot some photos of it. Missed a lot of good ones, but got some...

Alice's painting of Krishna

Prahlad's "Vaikuntha Gatekeeper"

Prahlad's "Hare Krishna City"

Prahlad's "Portrait of Prahlad & Sitapati"

Prahlad's "Jagannatha, Baladeva, Subhadra, Krishna, and Dustara Rama"

Community Supported Agriculture
Families and Farms Working Together to Support
Healthy Food, Land, and Communities

Why join Vedic Village CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a partnership between community members and growers. To join a CSA, members pay an annual fee upon enrollment for a weekly allotment of fresh produce throughout the growing season. It’s like a subscription to fresh food! Each week, CSA members come to the farm or a designated pick-up spot for a share of fresh produce. By joining, you help to support a small local farm, and provide your family with fresh, organic, bio-dynamically grown produce. We are committed to providing you with a wide variety of tasty, healthy, seasonal vegetables and fruits, and to making the farm an educational, fun and inspiring place to visit!
A “share” is designed to provide a family of four with enough produce for one week, over a 21-week period, from early June through late October. A half share contains about 40% less produce. CSA members also receive a 10% discount off all additional purchases at our farm store, including flowers, seeds, garden tools, pottery, baked goods, Vedic milk products, and any other items that we carry. Shares can be picked up at the farm, or at a designated location, Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday, from 3:00–6:00 pm.

What can I expect to get in my CSA share?
You will receive a wide variety of vegetables and fruits throughout the season. We aim to fill each weekly box with 8–12 different items including salad greens, cooking and juicing greens, root vegetables, other vegetables, herbs, and occasionally, fruits. Typically, each share (or box), will weigh 10–15 lbs. Members have the opportunity to “pick-your-own” produce, like berries, herbs, flowers, or pumpkins, right from our gardens. Shares typically include the seasonal vegetables outlined in the chart, and more.

Lettuce (available from June-Oct)
Melons (Aug-Sept)
Okra (July-Sept)
Onions (July-Sept)
Peas (June-July)
Peppers (July-Sept)
Potatoes (Aug-Sept)
Tomatoes (July-Sept)
Turnips (Sept-Oct)
Summer Squash (July-Sept)
Winter Squash (Sept-Oct)

Beans (July-Oct)
Beets (June-Aug, Oct)
Broccoli (July-Oct)
Cabbage (July-Aug, Oct)
Carrots (July-Oct)
Cauliflower (Aug-Sept)
Corn (Aug-Sept)
Cucumbers (July-Sept)
Eggplant (Aug-Sept)
Greens (June-Oct)
Herbs (June-Oct)

*Note: Within each category of produce, there are often many varieties. For instance, “greens” may include kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collards, beet leaves, dandelion, etc; “beans” may include string, pole, yellow wax, bush, etc; potatoes may include Russet, sweet, redskin, purple, fingerling, etc; and we plan to grow at least seven kinds of tomatoes and peppers, four kinds of corn and ten kinds of herbs. Because you may find some of the produce you receive from us new and different, we plan to offer you recipes and nutritional information with each share.
Starting with our first season, we also plan to establish fruit and nut tree orchards, blueberry bushes, grapes, asparagus, strawberries, and honeybee hives.

Our volunteer policy:
WE LOVE VOLUNTEERS and look forward to meeting you! Individuals or groups are welcome to come out to the farm as volunteers to learn (or teach) hands-on about organic farming and help out on the community farm. All are welcome to volunteer, including supervised children and students fulfilling community service hours. Volunteers can assist with a variety of farm tasks such as caring for the oxen, cows, goats and other farm animals, and planting, harvesting and weeding. There are also projects for those with food preparation, construction and retail skills.
You’re welcome to visit the farm any day you would like, from 9am to 6pm. If you’re interested in volunteering, please call first to let us know when to expect you. Every day at noon, we offer a free vegetarian lunch. If possible, coordinate your farm visit so we can share a meal together.

Why would you want to join a CSA?
End of year evaluations from CSA member surveys have three overwhelming themes:
Quality of food is superior to store-bought.
Joining with the farmer in the growing process improved their lives.
Families (even children) ate more vegetables when they became involved with the farm experience.

For your convenience: Share pick-ups at the farm, or one of our Metro-Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint, Lansing and Chelsea designated pick-up locations. Offered three days each week—Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday between 3:00-6:00 pm—starting June 9!
Expected Harvests of Vedic Village Produce*
If you would like to donate your time, join our team, or have any questions, please either call or email me at (313) 823-3815 / tommilano108@yahoo.com. According to your inquiry, you may be put in touch with either one of our two vice presidents, Antariksa dasa and Navadvipa dasa. If you would like to contribute towards any of our projects, please make your check out to MISCOWP and send it c/o Adiraja dasa, 313 Newport, Detroit, Michigan 48215. You will receive a receipt within two or three days. We also accept payment by credit card. In closing, we would like to thank you again for your interest in the success of Vedic Village and we look forward to your participation. Hare Krishna!

With warm regards,

Adiraja dasa
President MISCOWP

Anish singing a Hare Krishna bhajan.

2008-12-31
Dallas, TX

Download: 2008-12-31 - 15 - 12 hr Bhajans - Anish - Hare Krishna.mp3

Prague, Taichi akademie

================================================================== Thought for the Day--Sunday 1 February 2009 ================================================================== Dedicated with love to you, our treasured readers, and to ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Our purpose is to help everyone awaken...

MANDIRE MA - MARGAM GAMA: Step Out Of The Temple And Come Into The Street - This Time, Please, No Excuses!

(first published as a marathon inspiration article in the e-magazine of ISKCON Slovenia)

A sunny Saturday morning in northern Slovenia lures us into new challenges, fresh adventures, mysterious incidents and unbelievable exploits. I have a meeting scheduled back in the temple immediately after lunch. Govinda Datta Prabhu and myself sit into the car and drive out of the garage. The phone beeps. A message. A question bothers me: "Should I look at it now or later? Let me do it later." We drive through the left curve, and then the right curve. I hear the voice, "Look at the message. It is important." I delay. We reach the place of distribution. We stop at the parking lot in front of apartment blocks and shops. We lift the trolleys full of books out of the car, putting them in a starting position. We agree about the time and place allotted for distribution. We need to finish earlier because of the meeting in the temple, and we agree to meet at the car at one in the afternoon. Wait a minute, that message. I finally take a look into the phone. The meeting is rescheduled for 19:30 in the evening. A short shock and some quick breathing. Then, with a determined voice: "Govinda Datta Prabhu, a change of plan. We got the mercy of the Vaishnavas. We can prolong the distribution for one more hour. Let us meet at two o'clock."

What have Srila Prabhupada and Krishna prepared for us that day? Let us see.

We separated quickly. I did not come very far. Most of the time, I circled around the car, at a distance of one, two, three, fifty or one hundred meters. The people were returning from their Saturday shopping, carrying bags full of things they need and they don't. Food only for the body. What about the soul? All they lack is food for the soul. They get that from me. Some customers came readily, and others I served according to their personal needs, no commission for delivery. Krishna was sending me clients with a great need and a magnanimous heart, so the first batch of Srila Prabhupada's books was soon out of the trolley. In one hour. Amazing. By the mercy of Panca-tattva the impossible becomes possible. And by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada even more impossible feats become possible. The books were jumping into the laps of the souls. Time for plan B. A fresh batch of 25 books of Srila Prabhupada, only the Bhagavad-gitas and the Srimad-Bhagavatams, First and Second Canto.

A pizzeria over the street. A few guests sit in the garden. Although it is cold, they are persistent with their cool cigarettes. I park the trolley. With a quick step I rush to the car close nearby, to stop it from escaping. Better catch it than run after it. The gentleman sitting in the car was a bit surprised to see me waving from a distance, signalling to him to wait for me. We made a sensible deal and said goodbye to each other. He stepped on the accelerator and I imitated him, so much that my shoes squeaked. I passed the guests sitting in the garden who were almost swept away by my speed. I made a sign that we shall meet soon, and entered the pizzeria. I stopped at the serving desk, breathed a deep breath, put the books on the desk, politely greeted everyone and asked about the boss. This boss was different, he himself was baking the pizzas and he was not available. The waitress advises me to come back later, after one o'clock.

"Then I could offer the books to you," I suggest. Surprisingly, she took them without too much argument, and I got a blessing to show the books to other guests as well. That is laudable, they rarely allow us to disturb their customers. As I stepped through the door into the garden, I turned to the right. Two pleasant middle-aged ladies were sitting at a table, obviously not feeling too warm. Immediately they accepted my company. They drank their coffee and smoked.

As I was introducing the books to them, they turned out to be very openminded. We were very philosophical. We studied human existence from all angles, and arrived at a common conclusion that life is a thorny journey. It pricks us more than pampers. But there is a solution. If we surround ourselves with Srila Prabhupada's books, we will not feel the pricking anymore. One of the ladies has even read the Bhagavad-gita already, but unfortunately not the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. No wonder she did not understand anything. "This is the original Bhagavad-gita," I was enthusing her. I asked, "Where do you find water that is most clean?" I served an answer myself: "At the source."

I continued with the explanation: "The kind old man you see here on the picture (I show her the picture of Srila Prabhupada), is the 32nd teacher in a continuous chain of spiritual masters. From him, you get positive energy, knowledge directly from the source. It comes straight from the power plant right to the user, without any interruptions. In that way you get the full benefit. In the Bhagavad-gita, you can find everything you need to know to cope stress, to grow your inner strength, all about self-control, about yoga, meditation, self-realization and even when someone makes you angry, people say the Bhagavad-gita helps. You surely never get angry, do you?" "Who doesn't," they retort. "With this book, you will get angry less or even not at all."

The lady who read the Bhagavad-gita before was already quite enthusiastic about the authentic edition. They both listened attentively and with great interest. I continued with the multi-practicality of the book, using a small catalogue. "You can use the Bhagavad-gita in your profession (I show the photo of a businessman in the catalogue), or in your spare time (I move my finger to the photo of a sportsman). Do you have any spare time?" "Well, sometimes a bit." "Or, you can use the book for relaxation (I point my finger to the meditator in the catalogue). And if you wish, you can also quit smoking. All of this and much more." Now the two of them were enraptured. "How much does it cost?" "Well, today, for you, only a small donation to cover the cost of printing." "How much is that?" "The usual price is this much, today only that much. How much can you give from your heart? A bit of the culture of the heart that we have all forgotten about. From one heart to another." One of the ladies had an original reply: "From the heart I would give a lot, but I have to look into the wallet." She did not have enough and the whole deal went to naught. Luckily Krishna saved the situation and sent the lady to the ATM. In the meantime I spoke with the second lady. Thank God that the ATM had some money inside, and the first lady received the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Now came the second ladies' turn.

"And how much could you contribute?" She wanted to keep up with her friend and she also gave a heartfelt donation. She also received a matchless gift. We wished each other all the best on our spiritual and material journeys through life, and I turned around to meet other fortunate souls. To get some fresh air, I made a circle around the pizzeria, and then looked at my watch. It was ten minutes after one o'clock. This is the right time to meet the boss. As I stepped into the pizzeria again and orientated myself, I checked who is baking the pizzas. What did I see? I looked again, knowing that the boss was male. I stared at the figure from the back. Is this not a female form? Did the boss change his gender in the meantime? The waitress dispels my confusion: "Unfortunately the boss has left."

What to do? Obviously the mercy waits for someone else. "Can you please call the baking lady for me?" The waitress is lukewarm, "She will not be interested, I am sure." "Call her nevertheless, please." And she comes with a smile on her face. I ask her whether she likes to bake pizzas. She nods with joy. I direct her attention to the books. She already knows about yoga and she even heard of the Hare Krishnas. Unfortunately she has no money. How to proceed? I propose various solutions. She paces back and forth. Whenever she turns back to me, she tells me something pleasant. "Impossible today. Come later. Come some other day. Will you be here tomorrow?"

Now another waitress comes to her job in the pizzeria. We quickly involve her as well. It all hangs in the air. "Today, we're sorry, nothing." Then finally I say the crucial words: "What you can do today, do not delay for tomorrow." The baking lady admits: "You have convinced me." She puts down her apron, tells the waitress to wait a bit with new orders. She takes the keys of her car and drives to the ATM. In the meantime, the second waitress looks at the books. Ten minutes to the end. I have only one more Bhagavad-gita. Who will be the winner? With neckbreaking speed, the baking lady returns and gives a donation for the books. Now all three of them stand together. The first waitress gets the second place, the baking lady is in the middle on the winner's stair, and the second waitress earns the third place. It is exactly 13:58 and the second batch of books is finished. Two more minutes to breast the tape. One, two, three, I jump over the street back to the car. All is well that ends well. By the mercy of Guru, Krishna and the Vaishnavas altogether 50 big books of Srila Prabhupada were distributed. Eternal glory to Shri Krishna Sankirtana!

Srila Prabhupada is calling, "Come out on sankirtan! In every town and village, it's a worldwide marathon. Do you know it's time to wake up all the conditioned souls who are sleeping in the lap of maya, forgetting life's ultimate goal!" Prabhupada is calling, "Please come and preach with me! Distribute books and you'll be happy, just try it and you'll see!"

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Begging for the mercy of the holy name, Hari-Guru-Vaishnava-Bhagavata-Gita dasa dasa anudasa, Lomancita dasa

Doughnuts must be the height of comfort foodiness. I get so many requests for recipes, like this one:

Ritika from Panama writes:

"I need to know how can I make doughnuts. Please send me recipe as my hubby likes a lot. Will be grateful."

My reply:

Here is a recipe from my first cookbook 'Great Vegetarian Dishes'. A friend's grandmother from Tuscany, Italy, parted with this recipe for doughnuts (Bomboloni). Serve them hot at afternoon tea for a delicious treat.

Italian-style Lemon Doughnuts

PREPARATION TIME: a few minutes DOUGH RISING TIME: 2 hours FRYING TIME: 5 minutes each batch YIELD: 15 - 20 doughnuts

4 cups plain flour 3/4 cup (185 ml) caster sugar pinch of salt 75g butter, softened and cut into pieces 3 teaspoons fresh yeast dissolved in 2 tablespoons warm water finely grated rind of 1 lemon ghee or oil for deep-frying

Sift the flour into a bowl and stir in 1/3 cup of sugar and the salt. Mix well. Make a well in the centre and add the butter, the yeast water, and the lemon rind. Mix well, adding enough lukewarm water to form a soft dough.

Knead until smooth, shape into a ball, and cover with a damp cloth. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down with your fist.

Roll the dough into a long rope and cut into 15 or 20 even-sized portions. Roll each into a smooth ball. Place on a buttered baking sheet and let rise in a warm place for another hour. The balls should double in size.

Heat ghee or oil to 180°C/355°F in a wok or deep pan and very carefully lower 3 - 4 doughnuts at a time into the hot oil. Deep fry, maintaining a constant temperature, for about 5 minutes, turning often until the doughnuts are dark golden brown. Drain and dredge in the remaining sugar. Serve hot.

MANDIRE MA - MARGAM GAMA: Step Out Of The Temple And Come Into The Street - This Time, Please, No Excuses!

(first published as a marathon inspiration article in the e-magazine of ISKCON Slovenia)

A sunny Saturday morning in northern Slovenia lures us into new challenges, fresh adventures, mysterious incidents and unbelievable exploits. I have a meeting scheduled back in the temple immediately after lunch. Govinda Datta Prabhu and myself sit into the car and drive out of the garage. The phone beeps. A message. A question bothers me: "Should I look at it now or later? Let me do it later." We drive through the left curve, and then the right curve. I hear the voice, "Look at the message. It is important." I delay. We reach the place of distribution. We stop at the parking lot in front of apartment blocks and shops. We lift the trolleys full of books out of the car, putting them in a starting position. We agree about the time and place allotted for distribution. We need to finish earlier because of the meeting in the temple, and we agree to meet at the car at one in the afternoon. Wait a minute, that message. I finally take a look into the phone. The meeting is rescheduled for 19:30 in the evening. A short shock and some quick breathing. Then, with a determined voice: "Govinda Datta Prabhu, a change of plan. We got the mercy of the Vaishnavas. We can prolong the distribution for one more hour. Let us meet at two o'clock."

What have Srila Prabhupada and Krishna prepared for us that day? Let us see.

We separated quickly. I did not come very far. Most of the time, I circled around the car, at a distance of one, two, three, fifty or one hundred meters. The people were returning from their Saturday shopping, carrying bags full of things they need and they don't. Food only for the body. What about the soul? All they lack is food for the soul. They get that from me. Some customers came readily, and others I served according to their personal needs, no commission for delivery. Krishna was sending me clients with a great need and a magnanimous heart, so the first batch of Srila Prabhupada's books was soon out of the trolley. In one hour. Amazing. By the mercy of Panca-tattva the impossible becomes possible. And by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada even more impossible feats become possible. The books were jumping into the laps of the souls. Time for plan B. A fresh batch of 25 books of Srila Prabhupada, only the Bhagavad-gitas and the Srimad-Bhagavatams, First and Second Canto.

A pizzeria over the street. A few guests sit in the garden. Although it is cold, they are persistent with their cool cigarettes. I park the trolley. With a quick step I rush to the car close nearby, to stop it from escaping. Better catch it than run after it. The gentleman sitting in the car was a bit surprised to see me waving from a distance, signalling to him to wait for me. We made a sensible deal and said goodbye to each other. He stepped on the accelerator and I imitated him, so much that my shoes squeaked. I passed the guests sitting in the garden who were almost swept away by my speed. I made a sign that we shall meet soon, and entered the pizzeria. I stopped at the serving desk, breathed a deep breath, put the books on the desk, politely greeted everyone and asked about the boss. This boss was different, he himself was baking the pizzas and he was not available. The waitress advises me to come back later, after one o'clock.

"Then I could offer the books to you," I suggest. Surprisingly, she took them without too much argument, and I got a blessing to show the books to other guests as well. That is laudable, they rarely allow us to disturb their customers. As I stepped through the door into the garden, I turned to the right. Two pleasant middle-aged ladies were sitting at a table, obviously not feeling too warm. Immediately they accepted my company. They drank their coffee and smoked.

As I was introducing the books to them, they turned out to be very openminded. We were very philosophical. We studied human existence from all angles, and arrived at a common conclusion that life is a thorny journey. It pricks us more than pampers. But there is a solution. If we surround ourselves with Srila Prabhupada's books, we will not feel the pricking anymore. One of the ladies has even read the Bhagavad-gita already, but unfortunately not the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. No wonder she did not understand anything. "This is the original Bhagavad-gita," I was enthusing her. I asked, "Where do you find water that is most clean?" I served an answer myself: "At the source."

I continued with the explanation: "The kind old man you see here on the picture (I show her the picture of Srila Prabhupada), is the 32nd teacher in a continuous chain of spiritual masters. From him, you get positive energy, knowledge directly from the source. It comes straight from the power plant right to the user, without any interruptions. In that way you get the full benefit. In the Bhagavad-gita, you can find everything you need to know to cope stress, to grow your inner strength, all about self-control, about yoga, meditation, self-realization and even when someone makes you angry, people say the Bhagavad-gita helps. You surely never get angry, do you?" "Who doesn't," they retort. "With this book, you will get angry less or even not at all."

The lady who read the Bhagavad-gita before was already quite enthusiastic about the authentic edition. They both listened attentively and with great interest. I continued with the multi-practicality of the book, using a small catalogue. "You can use the Bhagavad-gita in your profession (I show the photo of a businessman in the catalogue), or in your spare time (I move my finger to the photo of a sportsman). Do you have any spare time?" "Well, sometimes a bit." "Or, you can use the book for relaxation (I point my finger to the meditator in the catalogue). And if you wish, you can also quit smoking. All of this and much more." Now the two of them were enraptured. "How much does it cost?" "Well, today, for you, only a small donation to cover the cost of printing." "How much is that?" "The usual price is this much, today only that much. How much can you give from your heart? A bit of the culture of the heart that we have all forgotten about. From one heart to another." One of the ladies had an original reply: "From the heart I would give a lot, but I have to look into the wallet." She did not have enough and the whole deal went to naught. Luckily Krishna saved the situation and sent the lady to the ATM. In the meantime I spoke with the second lady. Thank God that the ATM had some money inside, and the first lady received the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Now came the second ladies' turn.

"And how much could you contribute?" She wanted to keep up with her friend and she also gave a heartfelt donation. She also received a matchless gift. We wished each other all the best on our spiritual and material journeys through life, and I turned around to meet other fortunate souls. To get some fresh air, I made a circle around the pizzeria, and then looked at my watch. It was ten minutes after one o'clock. This is the right time to meet the boss. As I stepped into the pizzeria again and orientated myself, I checked who is baking the pizzas. What did I see? I looked again, knowing that the boss was male. I stared at the figure from the back. Is this not a female form? Did the boss change his gender in the meantime? The waitress dispels my confusion: "Unfortunately the boss has left."

What to do? Obviously the mercy waits for someone else. "Can you please call the baking lady for me?" The waitress is lukewarm, "She will not be interested, I am sure." "Call her nevertheless, please." And she comes with a smile on her face. I ask her whether she likes to bake pizzas. She nods with joy. I direct her attention to the books. She already knows about yoga and she even heard of the Hare Krishnas. Unfortunately she has no money. How to proceed? I propose various solutions. She paces back and forth. Whenever she turns back to me, she tells me something pleasant. "Impossible today. Come later. Come some other day. Will you be here tomorrow?"

Now another waitress comes to her job in the pizzeria. We quickly involve her as well. It all hangs in the air. "Today, we're sorry, nothing." Then finally I say the crucial words: "What you can do today, do not delay for tomorrow." The baking lady admits: "You have convinced me." She puts down her apron, tells the waitress to wait a bit with new orders. She takes the keys of her car and drives to the ATM. In the meantime, the second waitress looks at the books. Ten minutes to the end. I have only one more Bhagavad-gita. Who will be the winner? With neckbreaking speed, the baking lady returns and gives a donation for the books. Now all three of them stand together. The first waitress gets the second place, the baking lady is in the middle on the winner's stair, and the second waitress earns the third place. It is exactly 13:58 and the second batch of books is finished. Two more minutes to breast the tape. One, two, three, I jump over the street back to the car. All is well that ends well. By the mercy of Guru, Krishna and the Vaishnavas altogether 50 big books of Srila Prabhupada were distributed. Eternal glory to Shri Krishna Sankirtana!

Srila Prabhupada is calling, "Come out on sankirtan! In every town and village, it's a worldwide marathon. Do you know it's time to wake up all the conditioned souls who are sleeping in the lap of maya, forgetting life's ultimate goal!" Prabhupada is calling, "Please come and preach with me! Distribute books and you'll be happy, just try it and you'll see!"

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Begging for the mercy of the holy name, Hari-Guru-Vaishnava-Bhagavata-Gita dasa dasa anudasa, Lomancita dasa

On Sunday, January 25, 2009, Toronto's brand new kirtan yoga band debuted at the Hare Krishna Temple.  "Gaura-Shakti", a Toronto-based kirtan troupe, led an evening of sacred mantras and devotional chants (kirtan) performed in a call-and-response style. 

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.45 - The Supreme Lord and all other living entities are conquered by love.

1969 January 31: "Our first meeting on Houston Street, it was all arranged by Krishna. That was a favor shown to me by Krishna. So Krishna sent you to me, and therefore our meeting was the desire of Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1973 January 31: "So far the court case is concerned, I shall be interested to hear the outcome. So you may keep me informed. But always remember that Krsna is the Supreme Controller of all that be."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1975 January 31: "If someone wants the blessings of Ganesa in order to get large amounts of money for Krishna's service, then it is alright, but they must send me at least $100,000 dollars monthly - not less."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

• Ismét feltörtem az iPhoneom. Ez mindig olyan élmény, mintha a következő generációs iphone béta tesztelője lennék. But back to the original. #
• Krisna-tudat Magyarországon 2008-ban. Videós beszámoló: http://tinyurl.com/bv27d4 #
• Egy jó vega szakácskönyv. Ajánló: http://tinyurl.com/abkghq #
• Elképesztően izgalmas videó.
  Élet a víz alatt: http://tinyurl.com/662545
  Most nem megyek bele, hogy teremtés vagy evolúció az oka ezeknek… #

Just as the sweet fragrance of musk perfume is not different from the substance musk, just as moonlight is not different from the moon, and just as the beautiful blossoms of a tree are not different from the tree, in the same way Sri Radha is not different from Lord Krsna.

from Stavavali of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami

31 Jan 2009 is (among other observances) Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami's Appearance Day

Akrura and the kids:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cvcRFwuCM_0&feature=channel_page

Pandava: House for rent across from Dallas Temple. 5426 Parry ave Dallas 75223, 3 bedrooms, one bath, central air, wood floors, big yard surrounded by devotees

Krishna Kathamrita Magazine: Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu is free of politics and institutional bashing or promotion. Just simply nectarean Krishna Katha! You can read or download it.

Restraining forces (against ISKCON for example) will always exist just
as there always have been and always will be atheists. Our success is
not stomping them out of existence, but 'handling' them intelligently.
Even on the subtle, intellectual plane, people are trying to undermine
Srila Prabhupada and his movement. ISKCON must use intellectualism to
counter these attacks.

The Washington D.C. based Institute on Religion and Public Policy – one of the world’s best respected advocates for freedom of religion and belief – has condemned the Kazakhstan government’s January 27 deportation of ISKCON leader Bhakti Bringha Govinda Swami.

The ISKCON-produced Le Carnaval Spirituel is now in the second year of its Australian tour. Many devotees spend months in advance advertising in regional newspapers, television and radio for the upcoming shows. A group of twenty-six devotee artists from around the world come together to deliver a performance that is a thrill for the mind, senses and soul.

His Holiness Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami and a three piece devotional band toured in the northern and central part of Taiwan for a week last December. ISKCON Taiwan's Bhakti-yoga Cultural Center organized the tour entitled "The Magic of Sound" to promote kirtan yoga in Taiwan. The band successfully performed seven times in various venues and in front different types of audiences.

Eighteen-year-old Giacomo Soresi glanced surreptitiously over at the girl he’d sat next to in class for the past five years, his heart beating fast. Once he had been a little boy, flipping through the mysterious book full of strange script and beautiful pictures his father’s colleague had given him – a book called Bhagavad-Gita As It Is. And at exactly the same time, young Laura Pipitone had been singing her heart out to an LP her big brother bought from a Hare Krishna devotee on the street. But back then, Giacomo didn’t know about that “coincidence,” or the many others to come that meant his destiny was inextricably entwined with hers.

What do yoga, spiritual music, and Hare Krishna have to do with Barack Obama? At first blush, not a whole lot. Sure, Obama carried around a Hanuman trinket for some time, as indicated by Time Magazine. But there's no direct evidence -- as far as we know -- that our new president has a penchant for boogying down with eastern rhythms.

Pune, India this year. With over 5,000 devotees attending from India and abroad, festivities stretching over four days, and a host of special guests including Radhanatha Swami, Chandramauli Swami, Bhakti Visrambha Madhava Swami and Bhakti Charu Swami, it was the city’s biggest Rathayatra yet. But most exciting for many devotees was the rumored fifth special guest – Jayapataka Swami.

By The Institute on Religion and Public Policy

On January 27, 2009, the religious leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, US citizen B. B. Govinda Swami, was deported from the airport of Almaty while attempting to enter Kazakhstan. The officials have given no explanation.

1969 January 31: "Our first meeting on Houston Street, it was all arranged by Krishna. That was a favor shown to me by Krishna. So Krishna sent you to me, and therefore our meeting was the desire of Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1975 January 31: "If someone wants the blessings of Ganesa in order to get large amounts of money for Krishna's service, then it is alright, but they must send me at least $100,000 dollars monthly - not less."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1971 January 31 : "I wish to request you to come and live with me but you have already said that will not be possible. So your help to my book fund is very much welcome. I shall always pray for your higher spiritual life."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1966 January 31
"Today I met two Foundations Carnegie Corporation of New York & Russel Sage Foundation. To contact again tomorrow by phone. Expenditure. Busfare .30"
Journal :: 1966

1972 January 31: "Whatever you can do to turn the minds of the people towards Krsna Consciousness, that is very much appreciated by me. You are intelligent boy, you can decide how."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972