According to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, there are two kinds of impediments to devotional service. The first is an offense at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava. This is called vaisnava-aparadha. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu warned His devotees not to commit vaisnava-aparadha, which He described as the mad elephant offense. When a mad elephant enters a [...]

Well I feel that at times it is appropriate to apologise and this is one of them The posting made earlier this week directing to a set of clips by HH Sivarama Swami was actually run by a ritvik, this mistake was flagged by a vigilant devotee so a big Thank you. The link has been updated. I [...]

Recently I've gotten a few emails from old customers looking to replenish their Sabjimata stock. Sad that I've taken the store offline and living miles upon miles away from my home base, they want to my jam. Whatever I have left.

Laura was exhausted. By the drama, by the tension, by the pain of heartbreak. She wanted to be free, and she knew that God was the only one who could help her do that. She searched for Him, both in the temple – where devotees, thinking she was looking for their celibate monk Jaya Govinda, still gave her the cold shoulder – and in the church. “I need you now,” she beseeched Jesus angrily one day. “I need to know if you are God or not.”

You may have seen the latest ad campaign. Seeing people passionately assert and preach atheism has always baffled me. The idea that we die forever, that there is nothing more than this and that life ultimately has no spiritual value... they basically condemn themselves to complete NONEXISTENCE yet are very inspired and enthusiastic to talk about it. Maybe its just me, but it all seems a bit strange.

To logically prove or disprove God is very difficult – yet people fervently hold themselves to the atheistic viewpoint which provides no tangible benefit. This can only be out of some emotional issue and predisposition to deny God in any shape or form. No offence, but it almost seems stubborn and irrational.

Lets take out all the failings of religion. Lets forget all the hypocrisy and ritualism in the name of God. Lets forget all those fire and brimstone sermons aimed at inciting fear in the people. Lets forget our anxieties of everything that we'd 'miss out on' if God really did exist and we had to follow him. For a moment, lets just look at the world rationally as a neutral observer. Atleast as a working hypothesis, would it not be fair to assume there is some intelligence behind it?

Kancana-valli Devi Dasi: Several devotees have been working on a new website for Radhadesh temple to better serve the needs of the many different kinds of visitors to the site.

Jagabandhu Dasa: A few weeks ago, my good friend Raghavendu Prabhu joked about someone he knew being 'kicked out of the temple' for chanting "Nitai," because he had apparently begun to chant "tiny" instead.

It is said in CC Madhya 8.70: " 'Pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness cannot be had even by pious activity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only by paying one price, that is, intense greed to obtain it. If it is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay.'"

"Pure devotional love of God is unattainable without great faith, without intense eagerness to relish the nectarean pastimes of the Supreme Lord, and without a deep understanding of the esoteric truths of the scriptures." (from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Sri Sanmodana Bhasyam.)

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.

I seem to keep coming back to Chapter Four - Jnana Yoga; Transcendental Knowledge. There’s quite a bit of good here. Krishna does a lot of explaining and it’s definitely a good place to start. In the Padma Purana, Lord Vishnua glorifies the fourth chapter specifically. Must be important.

This verse, 4.7, is one of the more popular. It’s often pulled out for Sunday Feast classes on appearance days. I first heard it in 1994 or ‘95 in Philly for Nrsimhadeva’s Appearance Day.

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham

Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion - at that time I descend Myself.
-Srila Prabhupada

Whenever, O descendant of Bharata, dharma is diminished and unrighteousness is on the rise, at that time I myself manifest.
-Tripurari Swami

O Bharata! Whenever there is a decline of dharma and an increase in adharma, at that time I manifest My eternally perfect form in this mundane world.
-Narayana Maharaja

Indeed, whenever there is
    a decline of dharma,
    O Bharata,
And an emerging
    of what opposed dharma -
    at that time I send forth my Self.
-Garuda dasa (Graham M. Schweig)

From the translation of the first line, yada yada hi dharmasya, we immediately find a difference between the translations. I’ve said before that Srila Prabhupada’s Gita is more of an interpretation than a direct translation. This certainly isn’t a bad thing. A neophyte, for example, could read only the verses of all four of our translations and come away from the experience having learned more for Srila Prabhupada’s edition. He provides exposition and explanation within the verses, whereas the other translators give a pretty straight-forward translation.

Some folks will see this as a fault. Thankfully, there are alternatives for them. But for our purposes, it’s a blessing to have a variety to work with.

Srila Prabhupada translates yada yada as “whenever and wherever.” The others simply translate it as “whenever.” Even in his word-for-word, he glosses the first yada as “whenever” and the second as “wherever.” The word yada means whenever, but he is taking a liberty to further explain that it is also whenever.

The next word, hi, seems to have been left out of all of the translations. It means “assuredly” or “certainly.” Nothing like that appears in any of the verses. This is a mystery since I don’t really know Sanskrit. My best guess would be that Krishna is assuring Arjuna that what He is saying is true.

The line ends with dharmasya. The second line begins with glanir. This is actually one thought, split by the poetry of Bhagavad-gita. Dharmasya glanir, according to Srila Prabhupada, means “a decline of religious practice.” Tripurari Swami puts it to mean that “dharma is diminished.” Narayana Maharaja and Garuda dasa both translate it as “a decline in dharma.”

Dharma is a word often used, but rarely understood. On the surface, it means religious practices. But deeper than that, it means “spiritual duty.” Many Hindus will use it like “my dharma is to be a doctor” or some such silliness. Dharma does not equal job, dharma equals spiritual duty, or at the very least, religious practices.

The first two lines set up the verse. “Whenever there is a decline in the practice of spiritual duty….” The second line ends with bharata. Here, that is a name that Krishna calls Arjuna meaning “son of King Bharata.” King Bharata was the ruler and sort of founder of Vedic India. The term bharata was placed in different locations of the first part of the translated verse, depending on the style of the author. Both Srila Prabhupada and Garuda dasa keep it at the end of the second line. Narayana Maharaja and Tripurari Swami place it at or near the beginning.

Not only does there have to be a decline in religious practice, but there must be abhuyutthanam adharmasya, a rise of “irreligion,” as Srila Prabhupada coined. Tripurari Swami simply translates, “unrighteousness is on the rise.” Narayana Maharaja keeps with the Sanskrit terminology of adharma, the opposite of dharma.

Garuda dasa has an interesting angle on it. He translates the third line with “And an emerging of what opposes dharma.” What the other translators cover as a rise of unrighteousness or irreligion, he throws in a nearly personal touch. Something is in opposition to how it should be. It’s not just that things aren’t right, there is something knowingly making these things not right.

Krishna delivers in the fourth line, tadatmanam srjamy aham, “at that time, I [Krishna] manifest myself.” The word atmanam means “self” (or in this case, Self). Srjami is glossed by all as “manifest,” though Srila Prabhupada uses “descend” in his verse. Garuda puts it as “send forth” rather than “manifest” or “descend.” I feel it’s an odd choice. “Manifest” is probably most proper, though “descend” is a bit more specific.

Within his purport, Srila Prabhupada again hits upon his use of the word “wherever” in the first line. He knew that while much of what he was bringing could be seen as strictly Indian that God, Krishna, was not an Indian God.

“It is not a fact that the Lord appears only on Indian soil. He can advent Himself anywhere and everywhere, and whenever He desires to appear. In each and every incarnation, He speaks as much about religion as can be understood by the particular people under their particular circumstances. But the mission is the same - to lead people to God consciousness and obedience to the principles of religion. Sometimes He descends personally, and sometimes He sends His bona fide representative in the form of His son, or servant, or Himself in some disguised form.”

One of the last videos of Sadaputa prabhu where he presents the Vedic point of view of creation together with Drutakarma prabhu

Fridays are always interesting. On Fridays, while many Torontonians lurch home from a tough week at work, looking forward to weekends filled with partying, sleeping and God knows what else, devotees have a special way of spiritualizing their weekends.

This Friday evening, February 6th, the Hare Krishna Temple will be celebrating the appearance of Lord Varahadeva, the boar incarnation of Krishna. Srimad Bhagavatam describes the wonderful pastime when Lord Krishna once assumed the form of a splendid, gigantic boar (Varaha) and dove to the bottom of the universal ocean to gently lift up Mother Earth on His tusks to the surface.

The schedule for the evening's program is:
6:00pm to 6:30pm - Arati
6:30pm to 6:40pm - Welcome & Announcements
6:40pm to 7:05pm - Class - HG Rupanuga das
7:05pm to 7:20pm - Offerings to Lord Varahadeva
7:20pm to 8:00pm - Prasadam
8:00pm to 8:30pm - Arati

Join us as we celebrate this wonderful pastime of Lord Varahadeva, the boar incarnation of Krishna!

The Panca Tattva Abhiseka of the Holy Name calls upon all pure devotee kirtana singers from around the world to attend the Fifth Annual hari-nama-sankirtana festival commemorating the installation of Their Lordships Sri Sri Panca Tattva!

Along with the special maha-abhiseka of the large Panca Tattva Deities this year, we will also hold 72 hours of nonstop maha-hari-nama-sankirtana for the divine pleasure of Sri Sri Panca Tattva and the inspiration of the worldwide community of devotees.

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1974 February 8: "Please come back and if you feel inconvenience, it doesn't matter whether from Indians or Americans, you can live with me because I am an Indian."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 February 8: "If Indians are bad then I am also bad, as I am an Indian. But they have accepted an Indian as their guru. So Indians are both bad and good according to the behavior."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 February 8: "A good example is better than precept. The brochure is precept, but if we don't follow the precepts ourselves then such advertisement is not good."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1972 February 8 : "Today I have signed an agreement for a large property in Juhu and I have paid Rs. 50,000 as earnest money. I shall have to pay another Rs. 1 1/2 lakhs 30 days after completion of the conveyance deed. That I have got."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1970 February 8 : "The purpose of World Sankirtana Party will be to establish a center in each and every city of the world. It should consist of members who can impress spiritual ecstasy into the hearts of people."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 February 8: "Our main business is to vibrate the Holy Name of Krishna everywhere. Musical training is not so important as it is to keep ourselves spiritually fit. If we are in spiritual strength, there will be no scarcity of money."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 February 8: "Sriman George Harrison has certainly done a unique service. He saw me four times and he was very submissive and devout and was not at all proud of his material position."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1969 February 8: "There is no question of imperfectness. This is a genuine movement for the total spiritual rejuvenation of human society. Every sincere boy or girl must immediately join with us in this movement."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

In ISKCON, traveling festivals are one of our main methods of outreach with devotees traveling cross-country to share their spiritual food, music and philosophy with others. So wherever you are, and whatever time of year it is, if you feel like attending a Hare Krishna festival – you’re likely to find one close to your location soon.

In his book Contemplative Prayer, Thomas Merton implores those in the life of prayer to not be afraid to go deep.

Moreover, he wants us to understand that for prayer to be truly genuine, we must express a sincerity, coming from the core of our heart, for God or Krsna to give to us what we truly need, rather that what we may merely want to happen.

How we pray is a clear reflection of where we stand spiritually, where we stand on the dividing line between selfishness and selflessness.

Merton does not mince words. If we are not receptive to God's true will and calling in our life through our prayer, then we are simply fooling ourselves, and treading water instead of swimming towards the most sublime goal.

He writes:

"Far from establishing one in unassailable narcissistic security, the way of prayer brings us face to face with the sham and indignity of the false self that seeks to live for itself alone and to enjoy the 'consolation of prayer' for its own sake. This 'self' is pure illusion, and ultimately he who lives for and by such an illusion must end either in disgust or madness" Our prayer must be intense, constant, and selfless. We must become an open vessel for the mercy of the Lord, no matter what form it may take. There is no ifs and or buts if we want to reach the platform of self-realization and return home"

***
Merton mentions one such example of those immersed in sincere prayer: The Desert Fathers of early Christianity. He describes these austere souls as not seeking mystic realization or political gain, but instead being only concerned with developing purity of heart and the control of their thoughts.

Their method: The chanting of the name of Lord Jesus Christ. This chanting also appears, Merton explains, in the traditions of Eastern Orthodox churches in nations such as Greece and Russia. Here is an excerpt Merton quotes from a traditional Orthodox text:

"Our glorious teachers, in whom liveth the Holy Spirit, wisely teach us all, especially those who have wished to embrace the field of divine silence (i.e monks) and consecrate themselves to God, having renounced the world, to practice hesychasm with wisdom, and to prefer His mercy with undaunted hope. Such men would have, as their constant practice, and occupation, the invoking of His most holy and most sweet Name, bearing it always in the mind, in the heart and on the lips."

Sounds familiar, hmm? Prabhupada often encouraged sincere Christians in his discussions that to chant the name of Christ is just as important as chanting the name of Krsna...."and thus You have hundreds and millions of names."

The Lord's appearance in the form of His Holy Name is as dynamic as His appearance in His many forms, always according to the desires of His devoted servants.

As I've discussed with devotees here, for someone who chants the name of Christ with full purity and sincerity, it can be expected they will fully revive their eternal relationship with Krsna in this form, and they will no longer suffer the pangs of anxiety.

The simplicity, austerity, and full-hearted prayer of the Desert Fathers can inspire even us who are living in the urban wastelands of the 21st Century even today. I know my own chanting has been inspired by reading their example.

It comes down to adding depth to the prayer of our chanting of the Holy Name. Going beyond our comfort zone. Jumping over our shadow. Letting our prayer, our chanting, act as our support while at the same time allowing it to change us exactly how we need to be changed in order to become pure servants of Krsna.

In these lean economic times, the progressive thought and now action makes it a reality that you can reap the benefits for bringing alternative energy into your home.

Click here to check out this article from Mother Earth News on tax credits for you and yours for bringing energy efficiency into your home.

Sastra-Dana, the US program that places donated copies of Srila Prabhupada’s books in public locations where they are properly kept and read, is now supplementing its main course with a lighter snack: its own full-color newspaper.

The Panca Tattva Abhiseka of the Holy Name calls upon all pure devotee kirtana singers from around the world to attend the Fifth Annual hari-nama-sankirtana festival commemorating the installation of Their Lordships Sri Sri Panca Tattva!

Along with the special maha-abhiseka of the large Panca Tattva Deities this year, we will also hold 72 hours of nonstop maha-hari-nama-sankirtana for the divine pleasure of Sri Sri Panca Tattva and the inspiration of the worldwide community of devotees.

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*”Lord Jagannath is famous for His Mahaprasadam. This is the way to worship Him by distributing His Mahaprasadam”* -Srila Jananivas Prabhu.

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Prague, Taichi akademie

Partha-sarathi Dasa, a Hare Krishna devotee from New York City, separated from the US Army on Monday, January 26, 2009. He held the rank of Sergeant First Class. Partha-sarathi enlisted in the Army in 1995 at age 17. He served in Bosnia in 1998, in Kosovo in 1999, and in Iraq for thirty-six months between 2003 and 2008.

Yesterday on 7 February 2009 we held the most auspicious initiation ceremony here at Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Austin, Texas USA, bestowing 1st initiation upon Shanti, who is now Guruvani devi dasi, and giving 2nd initiation to Jagannatha das, who is now a duly qualified Vaisnava Brahman. Our first birth is from our mother and father, and our second birth...

Just before they went to bed one night a mother told her daughter barely 6, "When the time comes to leave my body i want to do so in midst of kirtan." The daughter spontaneously hugged the mother and replied, "I will be the first to sing for you Amma." That mother is me and that daughter is my little girl. I do not know if she even understood the import of leaving the body, losing your mother,

Updating Facebook from Twitter

I have my Twitter account set up to update my facebook status. Instructions on doing this are available here: How To Sync Your Twitter and Facebook Status Updates.

To clarify: if you set your status in facebook using the twitter app, twitter will update. If you set your status in facebook using the normal facebook status update twitter will not update. When the twitter app is set up, twitter updates will update your facebook status. That's how I use it. I update twitter, and my facebook status updates.

Updating Twitter from Facebook

For Param Satya I needed to set it up in reverse - so that updating her facebook status using the normal facebook status update will update her twitter account (@paramsatya). A caveat here: don't set both of these up - for the obvious reason that you will create an infinite feedback loop and may destroy the universe.

You need this: How to Get Your New Facebook Status RSS Feed.

And use that feed with this: Facebook Status on Twitter .

Once you've done this twitterfeed will update your twitter account from your facebook status every half hour or every hour, depending on how you configure it on twitterfeed.

While I am caressing her trunk, Laksmipriya makes soft growling sounds. She makes me reflect back to the time which made me want to care for elephants the way they deserve to be treated. April 1st, 2006 was a day when I promised myself I wanted to make a difference in the life of an elephant. It was the day when our temple elephant Gulab Kali died and a day I'll never forget.

In 2008, a new Vaisnava training initiative was launched in the city of Sotchi on Russia’s Black Sea coast. Unlike many previous versions of bhakti-sastri curriculum (in depth classes on Gaudiya literature), the present course is based on interactivity and emphasizes practical application of knowledge as its main component.

What the punctuation in the title indicates: Quotation marks: Draping the word God in quotation marks indicates that we are first concerned with the signifier, not the signified. (Compare these two sentences: I am interested in God. I am interested in “God.”) Question mark: The mark of interrogation backstopping “God” points us next to questions concerning the concept or idea of God. What does it mean? Aren’t there many different meanings? Isn’t the meaning often vague or ambiguous?

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.6.9 -  Lord Nityananda is the original spiritual master.

If the selection above is hosted by YouTube then after the video plays there will be several links presented to other videos. ISKCON News Weekly has no control over the selections presented and is not responsible for their contents.

Please visit the ISKCON Toronto Blog for more details and to download a printable file with the recipe.

If the selection above is hosted by YouTube then after the video plays there will be several links presented to other videos. ISKCON News Weekly has no control over the selections presented and is not responsible for their contents.

Odissi Dance by Natyashakti - Gait to the Spirit. Filmed at New Govardhana Community NSW Australia by Soolaba for SMDoyle Video Production © 2009.

If the selection above is hosted by YouTube then after the video plays there will be several links presented to other videos. ISKCON News Weekly has no control over the selections presented and is not responsible for their contents.

1968 February 7: "He is very clever man to collect fund. He is proposing individual mantra and he is charging and allowing his disciples to enjoy life as they like. It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss."
iPrabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 February 7: "Why this mentality of suppressing the facts? Will you kindly let me know why you have suppressed so many facts? Don't you know the history?"

1969 February 7: "This is against the will of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I therefore request you to give me a plot of land within the precincts of Sri Caitanya Math."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

Human rights defenders and religious communities remain highly concerned that the Constitutional Council will approve and President Nursultan Nazarbaev will sign a controversial Law restricting religious freedom. Many provisions of the Law have been seriously criticised in a Legal Opinion from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

What is the relevance of the charming, dark-skinned, flute-playing god, Krishna today - outside the temple altar? Why would any one care to browse through miniature paintings of a cowherd, frolicking amidst bovines and beauties? Or driving a chariot in a mystical battle? Because Krishna gives us ethics (in the Bhagavad Gita), sweetness and unconditional love (Bhagavat Purana).

The headline says it all.

Some of you may be wondering why the silence here. The answer is that up until now, I have been working quietly behind the scenes.

Then there is Hridayanda's "apology". The only funny part about it is his self-description as "conservative":

Ironically, my own views on homosexuality are seen by the world in general as rather conservative and indeed those views often disappoint gay rights activists.

Really?? Which "world in general" would that be?

Being conservative is like being funny. If you're funny, you don't have to tell people you're funny. If you're conservative, you don't have to tell people you're conservative. If you're liberal, you don't have to tell people you're liberal. Like good jokes, people "get it" in terms of what you are pretty quickly. The fact that Hridayananda has to tell us he is conservative just goes to show that he's spent way too much time in the company of radical liberals and gay activists.

Sangat sanjayate kama. I'm not suggesting what kind of association HDG should keep, but a rarefied, ultraliberal sanga would explain why there is this big-time disjunction between how he thinks the world in general sees him and how the world in general actually sees him. He shouldn't complain when both gay rights activists and the "world in general" see him as a gay rights activist.

And now for some theology (without which we couldn't call this site "siddhanta.com"):

[HDG] Clearly we please Krishna by renouncing all sinful activities and selfish desires, and I made this very clear to both parties in private conversations. In other words I offered blessings not for their sense gratification, but for the exact opposite: the giving up of any activity not pleasing to Krishna. I referred to them as "devoted souls" because I do not believe that a person genetically wired for homosexuality is necessarily "bestial" or "demonic" as some apparently feel.

There is a chapter in the Bhagavad-gita called the Divine and Demoniac Natures. It is chapter 16. Significant in this context is the "B" word--"birth":

The transcendental qualities are conducive to liberation, whereas the demoniac qualities make for bondage. Do not worry, O son of Pandu, for you are born with the divine qualities. BG 16.5 trans.

The fact is that people are born with certain natures, and, if we accept the version of the Gita, those natures can be classified as "divine" and "demoniac". It so happens that homosexuality is a sinful tendency, and being "genetically wired" for sinful activity is a consequence of merit and desire in a previous life. The body is called prarabdha-karma, it's a consequence of our acts.

So, yes, people are born with demoniac natures. The first step to overcoming one's own demoniac nature is to recognize it for what it is. If you are gay, then accept that you earned your nature. Devotees are there to help, but that help begins by admitting first there is a problem and that you are responsible for it. Devotees take great risks to help the ignorant get to this point. But rejecting this categorization is rejecting the Gita, and that rejection itself makes one an atheist.

This is not to say that homosexuals cannot transcend their sinful desires, but as with everyone else, transcendence first requires purification, and purification comes from following an authorized process, not just any process.

Within our soceity, there is some illusory idea that having limited amounts of sex (within marriage but not necessarily for procreation, or "gay monogamy" and never for procreation) is purifying. Some think that because limiting sex within a monogamous relationship is a kind of restraint, it should be considered austerity. And because some consider this an austerity, they also consider it purifying.

However, this is not true. Austerity can be in each of the three modes, and a peculiar characteristic of the mode of goodness is that some austerity or penance has the backing of shastra. Recently, for example, a former American TV star Suzanne Somers said on the Oprah Show (a popular American TV Talk Show) that she has had sex with her husband every day for the last three or four decades. (She is around 60 years old.) If having sex within marriage is somehow purifying (as HDG had claimed 4 years ago in his position paper on the matter), then how come, after 40 years of "doing it" daily with her husband, Suzanne Somers hasn't by now become Mother Theresa?

The reason is that dharmic acts also must have divine sanction. Not just any ritual, or custom, or action is purifying. At the end of the 16th chapter of the Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna that those who do not act according to scriptural injunctions are demons, and they cannot elevate themselves.

Then in the 17th chapter, Arjuna asks Krishna what is the state of people who do not follow scriptural injunctions, are they in goodness, passion, or ignorance? Krishna further characterizes the demoniac people in BG 17.5, and one of the characteristics Krishna mentions is that their austerities and penances are not recommended in the shastras.

However, Hridayananda is an outspoken consequentialist. As a consequentialist, he necessarily believes that no act can be ruled out as intrinsically sinful (or pious) since it must be judged on account of its effect, or consequence. But if fundamentally it is consequences that count (and the ability to anticipate consequences), then why can't factual purification roll along on its own without the direction of shastra?

Hridayananda, however, typically refers to the most abstract, highest kinds of scriptural injunctions, such as "always remember Krishna and never forget Him," as his scriptural pramanas. He will claim that the shastras are a part of the calculus in his moral reasoning. For him, these highest injunctions act as the divine guidelines on which a consequentialist moral framework can operate.

The problem that people who have a preference for abtractions face, however, is that besides being abstract shastra is also concrete. It has definite prescriptions and prohibitions, and those are always troublesome for people who prefer abstractions. Manu-smriti is quite explicit in its description of religious marriage, and religious sexual behaviors, as being between a man and a woman. Marriage, vivah-yajna, is a pennance, a sacrifice, that is recommended in the shastras for purification. Gay monogamy isn't. Hence, because Hridayananda's recommendation of "gay monogamy" is an austerity or penance not recommended in the shastras, it can be classified as being in the modes of passion and ignorance and therefore does not result in purifiation. In other words, the recommendation can be classified as being "demonic", in the sense that the word is used in the 16th and 17th chapters of the Gita.

Hridayananda, however, would counter that this is not true because his recommendation is for the sake of achieving a higher purpose, a transcendental state of life--to "always remember Krishna and never forget Him", as he says in his thesis. Yet how do we know that his recommendation will factually help someone achieve that higher purpose? How do we know that Hridayananda or whoever else makes such claims are not deluded or in illusion? The problem here, if you haven't already guessed, is that people who are conditioned souls, not liberated souls, are making such claims. And conditioned souls, of course, are subject to mistakes, illusion, imperfect senses and cheating.

The bottom line is that such otherwise questionable recommendations must finally rest on divine revelation for their authority. Especially where there is reason to believe that the standard shastras may be against such recommendations (as in the case with "gay monogamy"), the person making such a recommendation must make some claim to having some divine insight that ordinary souls do not have. Otherwise, without divine revelation, the new religious principle that departs from the standard shastras is speculation, in the modes of passion and ignorance, and therefore worthless.

To see how this works, Hridayananda is not alone in appealing to higher religious principles to justify a set of questionable purificatory rites and methods. Ironically, the ritvikists also use the very same appeal to higher religious principles to justify the ritvik system. To quote Krishnakant Desai in The Final Order:

The important point is that although the ritvik system may be totally unique, . . . it does not violate higher order sastric principles. It is testament to Srila Prabhupada's genius that he was able to mercifully apply such sastric principles in new and novel ways according to time, place, and circumstance. (Krishnakant Desai, "The Final Order", p. 31)

In defense of the ritvik system, we see here the very same kind of appeal to "higher order sastric principles" that Hridayananda himself uses. Yet here, as most ISKCON insiders would agree, the appeal is mistaken. But why is it mistaken? In the case of ritvikism, the final defense of ISKCON loyalists rested on ritvikism not being in line with the standard shastras and tradition. In the same way and for the same reasons (if we are to be consistent), then Hridayananda's own appeal to higher religious principles must also be mistaken.

If not, then Hridayananda must supply one of two kinds of evidences - concrete support from standard shastras (which he does not have) and not just the most abstract verses, which can be interpreted to support any cause, or he must stake some claim that he is the recipient of some special, divine revelation. Otherwise, the reasonable conclusion is that Hridayananda's recommendation is as speculative as the ritvikists' recommendations.

It is interesting to note that ritvikism and Hridayananda's "gay monogamy" (which is part of a broader "gay liberation movement" within ISKCON) both rely on a preference for abstraction over the concrete. This preference is simultaneously a preference for speculation, and that is a sign that as a society we are still very much infected by the modes of passion and ignorance. Without a substantial return to the mode of goodness, ISKCON will continue to endure such disturbances.

sruti smriti puranadi pancharatra vidhim vina
aikantiki harer bhaktir upathaiyavia kalpate

"Devotional service that ignores the shrutis, smritis, puranas, and pancharatras creates a disturbance in society."

This is exactly what we have in ISKCON today: speculative "devotional" systems coming one right after another and creating disturbances one right after another.

read more

There are songs of Thakura Narottama Dasa, one of the acaryas in the Gaudiya-sampradaya, composed in simple Bengali language. But Thakura Visvanatha Cakravarti, another very learned acarya of the same sampradaya, has approved the songs by Thakura Narottama Dasa to be as good as Vedic mantras.

- from Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.20

.... also ....

The prayers of Narottama Dasa Thakura, this sound is above the material platform. It is directly from the spiritual platform. And there is no need of understanding the language.

It is just like a thunderburst. Everyone can hear the sound of thunder--there is no misunderstanding. Similarly, these songs are above the material platform, and they crack like thunder within your heart. There is so much depth of meaning in Narottama dasa Thakura's prayers.

- Srila Prabhupada

There are songs of Thakura Narottama dasa, one of the acaryas in the Gaudiya-sampradaya, composed in simple Bengali language. But Thakura Visvanatha Cakravarti, another very learned acarya of the same sampradaya, has approved the songs by Thakura Narottama dasa to be as good as Vedic mantras.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 1.10.20

In my location, 9 Feb is the anniversary of Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura's Appearance

There are songs of Thakura Narottama dasa, one of the acaryas in the Gaudiya-sampradaya, composed in simple Bengali language. But Thakura Visvanatha Cakravarti, another very learned acarya of the same sampradaya, has approved the songs by Thakura Narottama dasa to be as good as Vedic mantras.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 1.10.20

In my location, 9 Feb is the anniversary of Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura's Appearance

There are songs of Thakura Narottama dasa, one of the acaryas in the Gaudiya-sampradaya, composed in simple Bengali language. But Thakura Visvanatha Cakravarti, another very learned acarya of the same sampradaya, has approved the songs by Thakura Narottama dasa to be as good as Vedic mantras.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 1.10.20

In my location, 9 Feb is the anniversary of Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura's Appearance

There are songs of Thakura Narottama dasa, one of the acaryas in the Gaudiya-sampradaya, composed in simple Bengali language. But Thakura Visvanatha Cakravarti, another very learned acarya of the same sampradaya, has approved the songs by Thakura Narottama dasa to be as good as Vedic mantras.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 1.10.20

In my location, 9 Feb is the anniversary of Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura's Appearance

The time concept of modern archeology, and modern anthropology in general, resembles ihe general cosmological-hisiorical time concept of Europe's Judeo-Christian culture. Differing from the cyclical cosmological-historical time concepts of the early Greeks in Europe, and the Indians and others in Asia, the Judeo-Christian cosmological-historical time concept is linear and progressive. Modern archeology also shares with Judeo-Christian theology the idea that humans appear after the other major species. The author subjectively positions himself within the Vais nava Hindu worldview, and from this perspective offers a radical critique of modern generalizations about human origins and antiquity.

This morning the Bhaktivedanta Academy Choir performed an original song written by Mother Mrgaksi, founder of The Little Vaisnavas.  Performing in the choir were three of Mrgaksi's grandchildren. The kids did a great job. I have no idea if my own little Vaisnavas understood what the heck they were singing, but they looked cute and happy performing.

The terms from this vocabulary are used as image upload categories,
where each category is a separate container for uploaded images.

The terms from this vocabulary are used as image upload categories,
where each category is a separate container for uploaded images.

The terms from this vocabulary are used as image upload categories,
where each category is a separate container for uploaded images.

The terms from this vocabulary are used as image upload categories,
where each category is a separate container for uploaded images.

Hare Krsna everyone. I hope your week has been blessed by the Lord and you have been able to chant nicely. Today I got so many nice inspirations from devotees and wanted to share them here.

1968 February 7 : "If some of my selected followers form a Kirtana party and have an extensive tour all over the world I am very much hopeful of being successful . We shall consult together. "
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 February 7 : "Regarding your proposal for opening a center in London: I am prepared to go there at any moment. Even I do not mind the severe cold."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 February 7 : "Man proposes, God disposes. I do not know what is Krishna's desire, but I have chalked out my program. Pray to Krishna that He may give me strength to render some service to you and humanity at large."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1975 February 7: "It is the mercy of Krishna that you are getting fair warning of your nearing death. You must be very careful and always praying to Krishna that you will not forget Him at the time of dying."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975:

1975 February 7: "Everyone has to die sometime. Take advantage of this advance notice, consider it a blessing and prepare yourself to go back to home, back to Godhead."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975:

1969 February 7: "This is against the will of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I therefore request you to give me a plot of land within the precincts of Sri Caitanya Math."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 February 7: "Why this mentality of suppressing the facts? Will you kindly let me know why you have suppressed so many facts? Don't you know the history?"

1968 February 7: "He is very clever man to collect fund. He is proposing individual mantra and he is charging and allowing his disciples to enjoy life as they like. It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss."
iPrabhupada Letters :: 1968

Corriverton, Guyana

Rama Lila, my sponsor to Guyana, was telling about the early days, which were very tough. It was the early 1980s before he was married when he, along with a handful of monks, lived as ascetics in their own makeshift home made of branches. When it rained, everything inside got wet. The morning bath was in the creek in the region of crocodiles. Rama Lila himself would fell select trees and then chop them for firewood for cooking purposes. Gas for cooking was too costly. Humble beginnings! Now there are temples and ashrams!

While walking there is always much time to think. I thought of some of the people who approached me during the jaunt. One woman explained that her husband left her and she firmly believed that it was a “black magic” endeavour induced by her mother-in-law. She wants him back and so all I could do was offer my prayers and even suggest that I could talk to him if he was willing.

Another boy, sixteen, told me the doctors had given him until May to live. He is suffering from leukemia and wanted to know how he could put a closure to life, peacefully. My prayers go to him.

Rupa, Ravin and I took to walking the beach at a point. What a pleasant relief for the feet but not for long! As I was half-walking/wading, I accidentally stepped on a foot-long, dead catfish. The scales clung on to my foot which I swiftly kicked off. It was painful! After two hours, my right foot, inflamed, terminated my walking for the day. For the rest of the evening, I lay bed-ridden, with a constant uneasiness. I didn’t want to conclude my walk of Guyana in this way, but destiny dictates as always.

25 Km

By Radhaprema Devi Dasi

The official opening of the temple in Aravade is set to turn the usually quiet bucolic village into a buzzing, spiritual wonderland, with thousands of cosmopolitan devotees from all over the world descending to engage in the festival, unarguably a first for this pastoral land.

Monday, 5th Jan, 2009. We were still up from the night before. We stopped at some petrol station in Brisbane for a recharge. Me and Sadhu were making an official video clip for our tour crew sound track of Transcendence. We came back from Byron Bay pretty tired but also with a full bladder. This became a decent complication when the light wasn’t working in the bathroom. We tried to exchange it with others but found it was specifically confusing. We tried to use a lamp in a power socket. Sometimes the simplest things in life are the most difficult. All is well that ends well though and so it did and so we went to sleep.

I awoke late, naturally. It was another Gujarati feast which included home made yogurt and some delicious subji. I felt like I was flying around India again like I had done less than a year before. We quickly departed for Sakhi Roy’s for some cup cakes… “Why are there so many cakes in this house?” I thought. After some rejuvenation, some re-cake-eration and whatever else, we headed out. It was Gold Coast time!

I dropped into the temple to pick up my crew. It was me, Sadhu, 2 Manipuris and Lal Krsna (one of the Brothers). I drove in the lead and made my own way there. I arrived in Surfers Paradise (dubbed Sufferers Paradise) a little earlier than the rest. I parked where I normally parked for the New Govardhana weekly harinams. Each week we used to do a harinam in Byron Bay and Surfers Paradise. I took the boys into town, past the tallest residential building in the southern hemisphere.

I took a detour from the main track to show them our centre, second floor of the Trust House (programs on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Friday night Gurukuli Bhajans. [advertisement]). I always liked to see the different Krsna Conscious projects around the globe and also liked to share them with others. The boys seemed to like the little spot we had going and once I took them to the next most important point in Sufferers Paradise. We rocked up at Govindas Restaurant. It was looking as flash as ever. At this time I made some calls to actually find out where the harinam party was and how long I would be waiting. They were still twenty minutes out and eventually they started on the other end of Surfers?!

Before we headed off for harinam I caught up with my Kuli friends Bhisma (or Big Bishi [my little brother was called Little Bishi]) and Kalindi Bindi. I talked to Kalindi about the Kuli Mela due in Aus for 2010. Jasmin was passing the idea that I could be one of the main organisers for the project and I was seeing what Kalindi had to say about this. She was totally confused and thought that Jasmin was talking about a “Madhu” not me “Maddy”. As per the usual I was mixed up for some other random guy (this happens to often??).

Enough said and done we were off for harinam. Or were we? I had lost my twin. As per usual it was waiting on the twin. He had gone to the car to fetch a spare set of kartalas. The boys were calling me on the phone from the harinam party at the same time, exclaiming “we need kartalas!”. Eventually Lal manifested and I “lightly” encouraged him to move faster.

We caught up and the brass symbols started up. The sound was awesome. I was looking out for my local friends who normally commented on our tiny harinams and was ready to boast. The harinam was large, had a sweet sound, was colourful and was totally organised. It was impressive to bring such a thing into the grey and confirmative Sufferers Paradise.

Indradyumna Swami called me to the front. I was appointed to keep the harinam party out of the “illegal” zones. Technically it was illegal to do such activities in the whole of the Gold Coast but in this case, there were more sensitive areas. The main spot was anywhere near the Centro Mall. This was the heart of Sufferers but it was also harinam bombed some time in the golden days. The populace were deeply Krsna scarred and so we had to be sensitive.

I was on all decks. Calling down flier distributors, redirecting the whole harinam party from the front. I was very much a part time kartala player in this whole thing as my roll as local informant took more emphasis. Gaura called me “Fearless Leader”, I called myself the “Fearful Leader”. It was my job to be totally paranoid at every point. I was rushing across streets and everything just to keep the devotees from stirring up enough public distress from the merchants to call in the fuzz.

We circled on the opposite side of the mall till we came to the beach front. This was another sensitive spot and it was camera surveillance (like most of the sensitive spots on the Gold Coast). If we were moved on by the police they could threaten us with a 24 hour ban from Gold Coast with a risky $800 fine per head if we returned in the time frame. It would also make any other harinam attempts in the future a lot more difficult. I had all the matajis withhold fliers and Gurudeva was on my case until I reassured him we could proceed in only a few meters.

When it was time to presume flier distribution I saw in the distance something big and blue. There were 3 police officers coming down the board walk. I was ready for a harinam shut down and I was pressuring the anxious ladies on fliers to withhold until the heat had passed. As soon as the uniforms passed the whole of Sufferers was bombarded with our advertisements. It was happy sailing for the most of it after this. We kept the same route and did the circuit again.

On the second round I stopped with Gaura at an Aussie tourist store. Gurudeva wanted a cap. We were trying to pick out the most novel hat that he might wear including a pink hat with a kangaroo illustration. We picked up the merchandise and then rejoined the ecstatic harinam.

We came back around on the beach for a second round of harinam. I considered taking the party down the boardwalk and then quickly changed my mind. To onlookers this would have looked a little strange, doing circles. Eventually I was signalled that harinam was over and it was time for lunch. I offered to take them faster way past the police station, as a joke. The party was in agreement. I told all the matajis to hold back handing the fliers out in front of the station but I didn’t catch everyone. Isabella passed one straight to an off duty police officer stepping out of the station. The evidence was in his hand now.

Later someone told me that someone dropped a watermelon on the devotees car from a block of units. Domo had already been to this police station to lodge a complaint. While he was in there one of the local merchants was phoning the station exclaiming “The hares are in town!”. After all the anxiety we had no lash back from the local law enforcement for our illegal street procession and our illegal flier distribution. This is a sure sign that the people loved it and there were only those few loose complaints.

I signalled Sri P and he finished the harinam off and we crossed the road to Centro, the place we had been statically avoiding the whole day. I led the devotees through, and back out the back to Govindas (why am I always getting lost?). The exhausted harinam crew was ecstatic to honour prasad and raid the lasi fridge. I took the time to talk to Garuda, from the usual New Govardhana harinam crew about the massive harinam that went down. It was a lot in comparison to our usual 3 or 4 member harinams.

After the big feast we rounded the troops off and went back to base. I dropped the boys at the temple and then me and Sadhu spent some time to brain storm our way home. After a few loops around the block, some confusing ideas of where we were from both parties, we made it to our illustrious abode. We rested up, found out the code for the wireless and then slowly made our way off to bed for the upcoming day of festivities.

Tuesday, 6th Jan, 2009. I rolled out of bed as late as possible. I sat on the computer proof reading some Sri P magic. Someone once told me that good writers are terrible editors. Is it then an insult that people ask me to proof read things? Here I am helping another edit their material and all the while I was receiving complaints that my diaries needed editing. Ironic?

After another breaky session we rocked over to Sakhi Roy’s. Indradyumna Swami was sitting at the table with some of the crew, taking their breakfast. “Maddy sit and have breakfast” said Maharaja, indicating for me to have a seat. I was put on the spot. Only days ago I was just a background boy on the tour. Now I was being called by my personal nick name. I was being asked to join the nights of the square table. I had to resign the offer unfortunately. I felt like Durvasa Muni must have felt after taking his bath near the Pandava’s ashram, feeling full after Krsna honoured but a morsel of food.

After a little kick back time I was off to the temple. I bumped into Jaya Vijaya Prabhu. He was talking to Dina about doing some training. Jaya Vijaya teaches Tai Kwon Do in Brisbane. He also hosted my little broth while he was staying in Brisbane for some trade training. It seemed Dina Dayal was going to stay at Brisbane and do some intensive training with him after tour. The two spiritual warriors. Jaya Vijaya was putting HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami’s concept of “Spiritual Warrior” to its most literal example.

I rounded some of the troopers and we took off down to the Gold Coast early again. Sadhu questioned my sense of direction as he could see me driving away from Sufferers Paradise. I pretended I didn’t know the way (which was usually the case) and surprised him when I made my way to our venue in a neighbouring part of the Gold Coast City.

I was receiving texts from my friends in New Govardhana. They were waiting for a harinam party to arrive in Surfers but were becoming more and more impatient. They ended up arriving at the venue to “associate” (hang out). It was Craig (now Krsna Gana Prabhu) and Gaura from New Zealand. It was a great little reunion for me, staying in the ashram with Craig and not seeing Gaura since I had been in NZ. They left after some fun to head home for their pizza party. The Woodford survivors were being treated to a pizza pacification.

Besides the special guests from New Govardhana we also had HH Prahladananda Swami passed through on his way down to the farm from Brisbane. I was rushed off to Twin bomb Sufferers with Lal and Braja. After this I went window shopping for the tour’s lighting. I checked out a lot of places but due to the chrissy party season there wasn’t even a spare light bulb for us to replace one that blew up at Byron Bay. It was hanging over the book table and the explosion cost me a higher taste sale.

The show was an epic show up of devotees. It was otherwise one of our smaller gatherings. It was also like a granule reunion with heaps of Kulis from New Govardhana Gurkul and other places. There were also a few familiar faces from Mayapur including Sucih Prabhu, Abhaya, and the kulis I saw there from NG including Ksana, Malika and little Kalindi and Muki Man. Mohini also showed up. She had been on the tour for a lot of our first leg in Sydney.

After the crowd of friends had shown up the celebrity rolled in. Half of my family rolled up and from their car stepped HH Makunda Goswami. Obeisances were laid and I was very happy to see him. Just before tour I was visiting him weekly to do the humble task of bringing him some prasad just to score the darshan. Otherwise I had seen him frequently over the years as he stayed in our house and a cottage my father built for him and otherwise tended to like staying in the New Govardhana region. He had just recently moved into his new location on a fresh house on New Govardhana Farm.

The show was one of my most nervous shows. Even more than the first show we had in front of 800 people. I was in front of HH Makunda Goswami and my family. These were some of the very few people that had known me through all my stages of life. I could feel constant monitoring from their direction of every little move I made. I had been waiting the whole tour to show off “The Mind” to my family and had been excluding it from the diaries for the first part of the adventures just to keep it fresh for the performance for the New Govardhana crowd in the Gold Coast. Makunda Maharaja had even asked me before the show who I was in the play and I told him he would have to just see it.

After the show it was a rush on the book table. The devotees were getting in there and soaking up some more nectar. Gurukulis were getting stuck into it and buying up some literature preferring philosophy over stories. My little brother Bhisma appeared behind me with the youngsters from NG, including Goky and Gaura (who I hardly got to greet in all the commotion that subsided). Bish (Bhisma) was trying to give me a donation for the program. I forcefully thrust him a Krsna book and told him to march up to Indradyumna Swami and have him sign it. I knew he deserved the mercy and had more than payed for it.

After a bit I saw my mother talking with HH Indradumnya Swami. I marched over to hear what was going down. She thanked him for looking after her boy. He was a little confused who that was until I popped my head in. He then started to praise me in front of my mother telling her how I read 2 hours a day of Srila Prabhupada’s books (which was not true). I was shocked to hear this and signalled from behind his back to my mum that it wasn’t true. Either he was egging her on or someone had told him some miss information.

After this I returned to the book table. I was approached by HH Makunda Goswami we talked a bit about the show and how he was in New Govardhana. He slipped me his low down on the show as I insisted he go over to talk to Indradyumna Swami about it all. After he left to talk with Indradyumna Swami I had some words with his personal servant Madan Mohan Prabhu. He opted to help me out in India if I needed anything and I told him I would see him in Mayapur for Gaurapurnim.

I returned to the book table to talk to Gaura Hari. I questioned him why Indradyumna Swami was telling my mum I was reading 2 hours a day. “Oh yeah he asked me how much you read and I told him 2 hours” he said. The crowd lingered on late into the night. It was down to sat sanga with all the devotees yakking away as they typically did. I took off to see if I could get in the way of the pack up crew. Me and Sadhu were running all over the venue trying to touch each others feet.

After it was all said and done it was time to hit the road. I nearly took Sri P’s bag thinking he had left it behind, but really he hadn’t left yet. After Sri P recovered his valuables and the boys jumped in the chariot, we took off back to brissy. We found ourselves on the freeway with no fuel?! All of a sudden the petrol stations had all but vanished. I was taking random exits looking for ones that were still open at 11pm but was having no success. I spent about half an hour driving slowly next to the freeway on side roads watching my fuel meter drop dangerously low. After doing 50ks bellow empty (my car is supposed to last 40k bellow empty) we find a petrol station.

“Ice creams boys?” I said, trying to compensate for the epic journey. Just to dampen the spirit’s a little more I found that the petrol station was only selling fuel at this time of the night. This was the first petrol station I had ever seen doing this. I felt maybe this was some karma for trailing Domo around a couple nights before late with no fuel. Whatever it was, it was not cool because petrol stations should sell ice creams at 11pm. It is a sensible business concept. In the end we settled for sweet memories of the show and made our way back to Brisbane City. It was success for our second show on the Brisbane leg.

In the performance of a sacrifice, there are seven transcendental means to obtain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead:. (1) by sacrificing valuable things or eatables,. (2) by acting in terms of place,. (3) by acting in terms of time,. (4) by offering hymns,. (5) by going through the priest,. (6) by offering gifts to the priests and. (7) by observing the regulative principles. However, one cannot always obtain the Supreme Lord through this paraphernalia. Nonetheless, the Lord is affectionate to His devotee; therefore when Mahârâja Nâbhi, who was a devotee, worshiped and offered prayers to the Lord with great faith and devotion and with a pure uncontaminated mind, superficially performing some yajña in the line of pravargya, the kind Supreme Personality of Godhead, due to His affection for His devotees, appeared before King Nâbhi in His unconquerable and captivating form with four hands. In this way, to fulfill the desire of His devotee, the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifested Himself in His beautiful body before His devotee. This body pleases the mind and eyes of the devotees.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 3 Verse 2

By Svavasa das

40 years ago this June, Srila Prabhupada personally installed the beautiful deities of Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarakanatha with his own hands. He would often teach his disciples the process of Deity worship, by lovingly worshiping these small Radha Krishna deities himself.

Simhachalam

I seem to be falling into this pattern of seeing and hearing or seeing and reading about the same topic on the same day, kind of reinstating a point. My daughter picked out something for me to read to her and i found that it was about Jayadev Goswami, author of Gita Govinda. I have these Amar Chitra Katha comics that i used to read as a young girl. I got them bound and carried them from India as

Today is the most auspicious appearance day of Lord Nityananda. Lord Nityananda is Balarama, the brother of Lord Krishna who descended when Krishna appeared as Lord Caitanya to assist Lord Caitanya in His pastimes of delivering the fallen, conditioned souls of this world. He is most merciful upon those who are sinful, and bestows transcendental bliss...

The glass walls for five sides of the Prabhupada Pavilion have been installed. They are very impressive. Photos show them from different angles. We're looking forward to inaugurating the Pavilion as a Performing Arts Center on Shiva Ratri Day, February 21st.

On Saturday evening (6:00pm to 9:00pm), a very special festival will be taking place as we celebrate Lord Nityananda's Appearance Day! Lord Nityananda is considered identical with Balarama, the elder brother of Lord Krishna. He is regarded as being like the elder brother of Lord Chaitanya and always served Him in any way. With HH Bhaktimarga Swami in attendance, festivities will be highlighted with a "dramatic" display of Lord Nityananda's pastimes and qualities! It will surely be a festival not to be missed!

Meat-free menus are to be promoted in UK hospitals as part of a strategy to cut global warming emissions across the National Health Service. Read all about it...

1969 February 6: "Poet Tagore became very popular in the West by presenting his Gitanjali which is full of Vaisnava sentiments. We have immense literatures. These should all be presented to the Western world."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1973 February 6: "This taking of sannyasa should not be an excuse for becoming irresponsible. Sannyasis have great responsibility to become fearless preachers of our Krsna Consciousness movement."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1969 February 6: "I have sent six boys and girls, neither elderly nor very conversant with Vedic philosophy but by their character, behavior, and devotion, they are attracting many people in London."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

I was listening to the following podcast:

Darrel Rhea: Marking During an Economic Meltdown

The title is deceptive. It is more about analyzing a market or activity holistically and reinventing it to taking into account the complete picture. With a complete view of all the factors, motivations, desires, side-effects and intentions, one can transform into a truly customer focused organization.

Darrel Rhea gives example how he helped do this for Apple Retail Stores, Electrolux Kitchen Appliances, the Australian Tax System and Hospital Stroke Treatment.

How about we think about the classic Sunday Feast in this way? In New Zealand the Sunday Feast has already been adapted and reinvented to a certain extent to make it more accessible to newcomers, but without changing any of the core values of Krishna Consciousness. But more can always be done to improve it even further.

(Learn more about the “Krishna Fest” as it is in Wellington, New Zealand: Gaura Yoga - Festivals)

Think of the usual kind of person that might attend a Krishna Conscious center: curious, wary, ignorant of any kind of philosophy, averse to ritual, averse to religion, proud, attached to the opposite sex, not able to sit on the floor for long periods of time, short attention span, self-conscious (unless intoxicated), concerned about spending too much money and concerned about the environment (although not actually doing much about it).

So, using that picture of the typical guest, how would you reinvent the Sunday Feast with a fresh outlook, unencumbered by past traditions? Things that might be changed: name, time, music, types of events, sequence of events, physical layout of the room(s), decoration of the room(s), devotee numbers, devotee dress & accessories and devotee language & attitude.

Please leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

Hrimati dasi: From our humble beginnings when we lived and operated out of a bamboo hut with a single cow in a small barn next to it, we have now expanded for the sake of Gopal Soft Toys production and our cows.

Rohini devi dasi: For now, I offer mouth watering burfies made with local, creamy organic milk, and several varieties of cookies, and I am hoping to expand the repertoire in the near future.

Kasisvar das: Tribhuvanesh Das is well-known for his melodious tunes of Hare Krishna maha-mantra, which became famous as a part of The Laksmi Nrisimha Travelling Sankirtan Tour of HH Indradyumna Swami.

By Rasananda das

The mangala arotik prayer selected by the Acarya of ISKCON, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is Sri Gurvastakam - Eight Prayers glorifying the Spiritual Master by Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur.

The roaring kirtana, offering feast to the Deities with special preparations is our simple mode of celebration, and there is no special other program, this is standard, and that is our festival.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Yamuna -- Los Angeles 17 May, 1970

Received this letter from DM who attended both my classes at Sticky Rice Cooking School last week.

"Dear Kurma, Thank you for the wonderful whole experience and taste sensation of sumptuous, exquisite Indian feasting.

My taste buds are awakened, my being is clearer. You asked me which day I preferred. The first day! On the first day I ate of the food of God's table, food as I had never before tasted. At the same time I knew I am eating God, as the Creator and giver of the food.

I believe the food to be enhanced by the participation and balance of energies between the males and females. Hence, there was more creativity, fire, co-creating and intention by all in this divine food.

My pathway through life is now enhanced with pure vegetarian spice infused, healthy food. I am presently designing my first sustainable home with 3 acres of native flora and fauna, and organic fruit and veg. Blessings, DM."

Mukunda Datta das singing a Hare Krishna bhajan.

2008-12-31
Dallas, TX

Download: 2008-12-31 - 19 - 12 hr Bhajans - Mukunda Datta das - Hare Krishna.mp3