Grab any newspaper today and marvel at the international delights which illustrates a welcomed return to the cold war. This time it involves not just two superpowers, the USA and Russia, but major new players including the timeless battle between Christianity and Islam. Here's some headlines from towards newspaper, The Guardian:

• Victorious Chavez promises action on crime and services as he sets sights on ruling beyond 2030 (Venezuela)
• West clash with Africa on war crime indictment: "Britain, France and the US are up against a united front of African and Muslim countries, backed by China and Russia, over the imminent indictment of Sudan's president
• As their country descends into chaos, Pakistani writers are winning acclaim
• Don't skin one up: addicts breeding hallucinogenic toads become largest target in Iranian drugs war.
  

Random fact: The UN Office on Drugs and Crime has estimated that more than 4 million of Iran's 70 million people are addicted to drugs.

I am often amused by the strange world of devotee life, the odd people we meet and the turn of events that at times makes you scratch your head, have I read something wrong, not listened misunderstood? I was reading several e-mails one individual noted that whilst their they had living in a temple they had [...]

Hare Krsna everyone. I hope you have had a very nice weekend and is prepared to start this week with lots of inspiration to chant the holy names of Krsna. This weekend in the Japa Room we discussed nice topics and they were related on how to overcome some obstacles in japa. Some of them were in relation to the best time to chant, then Rasa prabhu nicely quoted Srila Prabhupada, saying the brahma muhurta time is always the best...it's when we can be more influenced by the mode of goodness.
Another nice point we discussed was about how to get into the proper mood for chanting, then it was said that we should sing the mantra in order to clean inside while we are at the same time cleaning outside taking a shower, putting some tilaka so we can get prepared to chant. I tried this today myself and it worked. It usually takes about 3 or 4 rounds for me to concentrate but today it was more peaceful, thoughts were not so strong and I could chant more focused. Thanks to the Japa Room and devotees association.
I received this weekend some nectar in my email, it's from Srila Bhaktisiddantha Sarasvati Thakura, I hope you like it and that it can give you a wide view of the importance of the holy names.

1975 February 17: "Prepare seven dances from Caitanya Caritamrta for the Mayapur festival and seven dances from Krishna Book for the Vrndavana festival. When you come to India, I shall give you personal direction concerning these dances."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 February 17: "Don't try to manufacture some artificial process. The process I have already given. Now you simply have to follow it strictly and Krishna will give you all help."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1973 February 17 : "He has become deviated from the four basic principles therefore there must be another co-editor to replace him. He must be brought back to the standard immediately."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1969 February 17 : "Regarding reprinting of my letters, if it will not detract from your other important engagements you may do it."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1967 February 17 : "I want the house more than you. My only objection is that this is not regular. Why not make it regular now? What is the difficulty in getting the sale contract as suggested by me."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1974 February 17: "You should know the value of accepting a bona fide spiritual master is more than we can calculate. It is no mere formality."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1970 February 17: "In London there is some clashing between the police and our men. Probably there will be a great agitation then the whole world will know automatically the importance of this movement."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1968 February 17: "My only request is that you all sincere boys and girls, spread this Krishna Consciousness to every home, to every village and town, and to take this mission very seriously."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

Date: 14 february, 2009
Verse: Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.54
Speaker: Bhakti Caitanya Swami

Bhakti Caitanya Swami: Today is the appearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. So we will focus particularly particularly on him. First of all let us read the verse first.

indriyarthesu sajjantya
prasangas tvayi me krtah
ajanantya param bhavam
tathapy astv abhayaya me

TRANSLATION

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When my husband came home from Japan we celebrated by making gyoza (dumplings). Rasaraj, always eager to help in the kitchen, cut up veggies and helped cook the filling. My husband brought us donuts from Japan as an extra special treat. The glazed donut in the picture below has sesame seeds on it and was the best one out of the whole selection he brought home. www.doughnutplant.jp

sango yah samsrter hetur asatsu vihito ‘dhiya sa eva sadhusu krto nihsangatvaya kalpate

TRANSLATION

Association for sense gratification is certainly the path of bondage. But the same type of association, performed with a saintly person, leads to the path of liberation, even if performed without knowledge.

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Inspired by my readings of "Contemplative Prayer" and "Contemplation In A World Of Action" by Thomas Merton

In the opening chapter of Contemplation In A World Of Action, Merton speaks about the concerns of the monastic renewal occurring across the Christian world in the period following WWII.

He makes it clear that there are few sure answers on how to restore the monastic life in the Western world, saying that there must be a balance between a moderb updating of the institutional and the external structures, while keeping at the essence the focus on the internal spiritual development of the fortunate individuals who have taken to their calling from God.

Above all, he calls for a re-focusing on the engagement of the monk with the secular world in service, making sure that the new orders do not fall into the previous traps of becoming "retirement homes."

We face a similar process of monastic renewal in ISKCON, especially in North America, where a small but brave group of souls attempt to restore the peerless purity of brahmacari life in service to Srila Prabhupada.

In the three short weeks since I've been here at the Bhaktivedanta Ashram on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the feeling is strong that we are on the cusp of a real explosion of outreach and connection with the spiritual peoples of this concrete jungle.

We've even been inspired by the association of HG Ramesvar Prabhu, Prabhupada disciple and former BBT head, who said to us that the flavor and potency of our ashram fills his heart with the same mood of his glorious days with Prabhupada. We do all we can to live up to such lofty standards.

Merton's own insights into a healthy, vibrant monastic atmosphere parallel the mood we are trying to create, as individual renunciates and as a community. He writes:

"The charism of the monastic life is the freedom and peace of a wilderness existence, a return to the desert that is also a recovery of inner paradise. This is the secret of monastic 'renunciation of the world'. Not a denunciation, not a denigration, not a precipitous flight, a resentful withdrawal, but a liberation...The monk simply discards the useless and tedious baggage of vain concerns and devotes himself henceforth to the one thing that he really wants: the quest for meaning and for love, the quest for his own identity, his secret name promised by God"

In the wilderness of Manhattan, we echo in action Merton's pleas for the balance of the external and internal: a desperate, focused intensity on our sadhana, combined with traditional outreach such as book distribution and college outreach spiced with bold and aggressive progressive programs such as our Tuesday and Fridays "Experience Transcendence" community get-togethers, as well as spiritual newspapers and open mics.

Above all, inspired by the love and brotherhood represented by the brahmacaris of ISKCON Chowpatty under the guidance of HH Radhanath Swami, we strive to create the same bonds of care and intimacy, automatically attractive, just like Krsna, to anyone who wants to experience it.

Merton writes of community:

"The monastic charism is not, however, one of pure solitude without any community. It is also a charism of brotherhood in the wilderness...This closeness is understood as being, at least ideally, a very human and warm relationship...a grace of communion in a shared quest and a participated light...of special love and of mutual aid in the attainment of a difficult end...Monsatic work, obediance, poverty, chastity, are all in some way colored and tempered by the communal charism of brotherhood in pilgrimage and in hope."

It is essential and clear that, in this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, that if we don't restore and\or create the community of brahmacarya, then it will be quickly swallowed up the vagaries of attractions and attachments.

Merton also hits the nail on the head to the mood of our ashram when he writes:

"The new monastic communities will need to be much more democratic than in the past. The abbot will have to be a spiritual father, not a prelate, a police chief and a corporation president rolled into one. The monks will have to have much more initiative in running their own lives...The superior can no longer arrogate to himself the right to do all his subjects' thinking for them and make all their decisions for them."

In our own ashram, HG Yajna Purusa Prabhu gives us fully his heart and his wisdom in leadership, soft as a loving father but secure and strong enough in his own convictions to provide this ideal vision and to prevent it from coming out of balance. He lets us explore our own individual talents and capacities in service to Krsna whilst always making sure we never stray from our core.

As you may be able to understand, my inspiration in all this sharing of the soul of Merton is that his writings are clearly in line with the vision and mood of what I am experiencing now here in NYC, and with what we as a community are trying to do.

His vision is universal, mature, and dynamic, and holds no major conflict with Prabhupada's own vision of a powerful brahmacari force spreading Krsna Consciousness far and wide in the Western world. We simply and humbly walk in their footsteps.

Check out our website at www.krishnanyc.com

Hare Krishna !

All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga !

All glories to Srila Prabhupada !

All glories to all the Sankirtan devotees at all the timesÊ !

The chairman of a very large oil company visited ISKCON New Delhi and met His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj.

Maharaj spoke with him about ISKCON and our deeds. And inspired him to participate in ISKCON's book distribution - our most important activity.Ê He and from his oil industry; they gave order for twenty one thousand Bhagavat Gitas of ISKCON. This is result of preaching with references of the people.

with regards, your servant, rakesh uberoi new delhi in india.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also advised Vasudeva to preach about Krsna and thus liberate living entities. As a result, Krsna would very soon accept him as His devotee.

PURPORT

Although Vasudeva Vipra was a leper and had suffered greatly, still, after Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu cured him He instructed him to preach Krsna consciousness. Indeed, the only return the Lord wanted was that Vasudeva preach the instructions of Krsna and liberate all human beings. That is the process of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Each and every member of this Society was rescued from a very abominable condition, but now they are engaged in preaching the cult of Krsna consciousness. They are not only cured of the disease called materialism but are also living a very happy life. Everyone accepts them as great devotees of Krsna, and their qualities are manifest in their very faces. If one wants to be recognized as a devotee by Krsna, he should take to preaching work, following the advice of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then one will undoubtedly attain the lotus feet of Sri Krsna Caitanya, Lord Krsna Himself, without delay.

Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 7.148

Hare Krishna !

All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga !

All glories to Srila Prabhupada !

All glories to all the Sankirtan devotees at all the timesÊ !

The chairman of a very large oil company visited ISKCON New Delhi and met His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj.

Maharaj spoke with him about ISKCON and our deeds. And inspired him to participate in ISKCON's book distribution - our most important activity.Ê He and from his oil industry; they gave order for twenty one thousand Bhagavat Gitas of ISKCON. This is result of preaching with references of the people.

with regards, your servant, rakesh uberoi new delhi in india.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also advised Vasudeva to preach about Krsna and thus liberate living entities. As a result, Krsna would very soon accept him as His devotee.

PURPORT

Although Vasudeva Vipra was a leper and had suffered greatly, still, after Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu cured him He instructed him to preach Krsna consciousness. Indeed, the only return the Lord wanted was that Vasudeva preach the instructions of Krsna and liberate all human beings. That is the process of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Each and every member of this Society was rescued from a very abominable condition, but now they are engaged in preaching the cult of Krsna consciousness. They are not only cured of the disease called materialism but are also living a very happy life. Everyone accepts them as great devotees of Krsna, and their qualities are manifest in their very faces. If one wants to be recognized as a devotee by Krsna, he should take to preaching work, following the advice of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then one will undoubtedly attain the lotus feet of Sri Krsna Caitanya, Lord Krsna Himself, without delay.

Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 7.148

Dear Lord, unless one worships the lotus feet of great devotees, one will be conquered by the illusory energy, and his intelligence will be bewildered. Indeed, who has not been carried away by the waves of material enjoyment, which are like poison? Your illusory energy is unconquerable. No one can see the path of this material energy or tell how it is working.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5 Chapter 3 Verse 14

Just by seeing shaven-headed, sari-clad, tilak bearing devotees can begin to convince people that there is a goal greater than sense gratification - beyond sex and money.

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Vítání božstev

To receive the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master is indeed the rarest of all attainments. Therefore if one is somehow fortunate to receive this greatest of all blessings, one should very carefully guard this shelter as his most valuable possession. In this material world there are many envious persons who will try to convince the devotee to give...

It's really amazing that even in a place like Sri Mayapur dham that someone (i.e. me) sometimes feels like there is something missing. It really goes to show how the mind is so fickle and restless. I'm surrounded by the most wonderful devotees, the most beautiful Panca Tattva, getting opportunities to serve the devotees and the deities and still my mind can sometimes find excuses to feel unsatisfied. How unfortunate am I?

But I'm a big believer in looking at the positive and the positive in this case is that at least I recognize that I am an ungrateful rascal! :D That's at least a step in the right direction. That helps me to realize that I am in dire need of mercy. Recognizing one's utter disqualification, helplessness and dependence on Krsna is the vessel that is required to collect the mercy when it comes.

Also it goes to show how as devotees we need to realize that we are CONSTANTLY at war with maya. Maya is not just an object or situation, it is more often a frame of mind. I'm realizing my greatest maya is to not recognize and value the situations and lessons I'm learning now. Instead my mind is hankering and comparing and lamenting....a sure sign that I am not chanting with the attention and focus that I should have.

So that being said, I think I'm going to go take a walk in the beautiful cintamani laden land of Sri Mayapur dham and chant, chant, chant...

Last week I spent a few days at Pandavas Paradise (Paraíso dos Pândavas). My husband and I try to go there every couple of weeks to get out of the city and spend some time with the beautiful deities in their beautiful natural surroundings.

Here is one of the photos I took last week of the view from the simple wood chalet we stay in while we are there:

The area is well-known in Brazil for its “spiritual vibrations” and has become a hub for all kinds of spiritual seekers. It is on a bed of quartz crystals, at an altitude of about 1300m, and it is still quite unspoilt by modern, industrial agricultural methods.

When we are there we have more time and space and peace to reflect on spiritual subjects.

In the mornings we walk down to the small forest near the chalet to chant japa. There is a small stream there that makes a sweet and peaceful sound and we sit next to it and chant:

In the evenings we go to the temple where we have small deities of Gaura Nitai and Yoga Nrisimha:

There are no devotees living at Pandavas Paradise full time so the deities are only worshipped when we visit and during the retreats. My husband decorates the altar (with flowers that grow around the temple) while I set up the arati paraphernalia; sometimes he sings bhajan while I perform the puja and sometimes we swap. After the arati, we sit before the deities and sing the Maha-mantra together.

Here is a view through the window of the pujari room at sunset:

During the day we read, go for walks, bathe in the waterfalls… more in Part 2.

1970 February 16: "John Lennon and his wife were very kind upon me when I was staying at Tittenhurst Park as their guests. I have dreamt something very nice about John which I shall disclose in proper time."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1971 February 16: "Yes, progress of devotional service becomes choked up when there is offense to the Spiritual Master. So far I am concerned, you always have my blessings. Do not think otherwise."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1972 February 16: "We should not compromise in any way just to accommodate the public idea, but we can so tastefully present the real thing that we will change the people to accommodate us."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

All my problems become insignificant and I feel quite humbled in spirit after going on prasadam distribution on Skid Row. It's been a while since I've gone down there. But my existentialist psychology reading homework was saying that we can stay in our comfort zones and feel deep inner guilt for not trying to reach a higher potential, or we can suffer a bit of anxiety and try to reach for something higher. So as I was about to drive home to my comfortable apartment I felt a twinge of guilt seeing all the nice prasadam sitting there in the temple kitchen, awaiting hungry stomachs, so I grudgingly took a bucket of halavah downtown, feeling a bit of anxiety driving down there late at night.
There was a very slight rain, but there are always people outside on Skid Row.
Some nice men came and accepted some halavah, one was a deacon, speaking of the spirit of Jesus. Some people wonder and ask me how I feel safe going to Skid Row alone at night, but the funny thing is, some of the most spiritually minded, humble, grateful people I have met have been on Skid Row. Of course I have met people like that other places too, but there are many God loving people there. Sometimes a little argument breaks out, but then there is usually an attempt to make up - the people often bond together to try to work things out - there is a sense of brotherhood on the streets there.
I was tempted to take out my guitar and start singing, but since it's been a while, I needed to just warm up with the prasadam distribution for tonight. I drove to the next spot, and three people were sitting outside. One lady was coughing and shivering and I felt bad for not having a blanket or sweater and for worrying if I have enough stylish, cute clothes when this lady does not even have one jacket to stay warm for the night. One man said that they could go inside if they wanted to, but they were a bit delusional and seemed to not understand. One man said that his parents would not let him go inside because he had to go to school. I asked the lady if we could walk inside together, but she just put her head inside her shirt and stayed put.
Not only do the people need food, but they need love, and prasadam is the key that offers both.
I know we only have so much manpower, and there is only so much people can do, but it still saddens me that so much prasadam gets thrown away in the trash when there are many hungry people just a ten minute drive away on the freeway. It seems if there were about ten volunteers to help feed the people, no one would get burned out - each person could go once a week or once every two weeks. It's an austerity for sure - in all the years of going there, I don't think there was once a time when my mind did not resist - it's not exactly fun and games, but it is so very heart touching once you get out there, and it makes me think of Srila Prabhupada and his spirit and love for us. He did not even know us, but he loved us so much that he came across the ocean to bring Krishna to us. I wonder why I am so lazy and hard hearted that it's a struggle to once in a while get out of my comfortable home and go ten minutes away to bring hungry people some prasadam. Sometimes I am sad that I don't have children, but when I go there I realize that motherly love can be used and given in many ways - these people out there are like orphans in some ways - adult orphans, but orphans - who need love, need a home, need food, clothing, and someone to care. And above all, like everyone, they need an awakening of spirit, although many seem to be on that path over there.
Anyway, long story short, I just feel really foolish now for being in anxiety so much of the time for silly little things, when really, I have a home, a heater, a car, clothes, food, and knowledge of Krishna - what more could a girl want? Now it's time to get back on track and share more with others and give the heart what it really needs, spiritual happiness.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.6.15 - To always remember lotus feet of Krsna, always chant Hare Krsna Maha-mantra.

I think you have all been most unappreciative of President Bush's achievements. Not just uncharitable but lacking in insight about the way the world works and what has to be done to maintain our way of life. President Bush has done a great job here in very difficult circumstances, and he does not get due credit.

Let's sketch the basics. We 1.5 billion in rich countries could not have anything like our affluent living standards, our good health standards, our security, indeed our cultural life if we were not getting far more than our fair share of the world's resources. We consume something like 17 times the per capita amount of things like
oil that the poorest half of the world's people average. Now that doesn't happen automatically. It has to be organised, and that takes a lot of difficult work. Billions of poor people in the Third World would rather not see their resources and their own labour used to produce wealth to ship out to enrich the corporations and the
supermarket shoppers in the rich countries.

So the first task is to make sure they don't see the situation as illegitimate. This is fairly easily done by the economists who explain that the only and the right way for things to be produced and allocated is by allowing the market to make the decisions. Or course markets always let the rich take everything, because they can outbid
the poor. If there's ever any grumbling about this the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO are on hand to let them know that if any government was silly enough to depart from sound market principles then they would get no loans, or assistance with their impossible debt, and they would be banned from exporting anything. They usually get the message and shape up.

Ah, but unfortunately there are always a few knucklehead governments and rebel groups which persist in wanting to devote their nation's resources directly to the improvement of their people's welfare rather than see them flow out to enrich others. These people often call themselves "nationalists" but of course we identify them as
subversives, insurgents, communists and/or terrorists. They do things like cut oil pipelines, wage civil war, sell drugs, and try to depose legitimate governments, and cause refugees and famines. Nice people in orderly rich countries despair at these
silly people who don't understand proper economics and seem to delight in beating each other up and disrupting sensible development.

So from time to time we have to take on the burden of straightening things out, banging a few heads together, supporting the correct faction with money and arms and getting rid of "uncooperative" governments, so that peace can be restored under governments that will rule properly. Sometimes we have to act pretty decisively to
restore order, in fact sometimes we have to smash the country to shreds and kill several hundred thousand people in the process, but as US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said when our sanctions killed an estimated 500,000 people in Iraq, it's worth it.

Look, people at the supermarket checkout counter don't understand how serious the situation is. If we can't go on getting oil at the rate we have become accustomed to those shelves will be bare. The stuff's getting scarce now. The Chinese are after it; that's why they're supporting murderous regimes in Africa without asking any
questions. Now you can't secure the stuff just by being nice and asking to buy some; you have to go after it strenuously and sometimes you have to throw a little weight around, or some other bastard will get it first. That's what geopolitics is about. It's
dog eat dog and devil take the hindmost out there. Most wars in history have been about grabs for resources. That's what The Great game in central Asia has been about and is about now. We have to secure our oil fields and we have to get safe routes for those long pipelines to sea ports, through foreign countries, some of which
don't like us much. We can't build them and we can't protect them unless we have military bases and unless we bribe or bully some of those regimes into doing what we want.

So can't you see that we had to take Iraq and Afghanistan. And what if Saddam had decided to stop trading oil in US dollars! GW and the team bit the bullet; they did what was necessary. And GW has been a great front man; he's taken the flak for a tough and dirty but crucial job. When everyone's criticising and you can't tell them
what you are really doing its best if the mess looks like a mistake made by a buffoon.

Yes of course they were clumsy. In the past they have pulled off most of the coups and assassinations and invasions neatly and quietly - got rid of Noriega, Lumumba, the Sandinistas, put in the Shah, supported our kleptocrat Suharto in Indonesia for 30 years, eliminated deviance in Haiti and Grenada (especially important that,
can't let the little ones get away with deviating (sets a bad example the rest might see they can follow) with not a grumble at home. Mind you they did stuff up a bit on Cuba and Venezuela.

So yes they did miscalculate in Iraq and Afghanistan but securing the empire is a difficult job, and it's a vital job. You cannot live in the way you have become accustomed, let alone have the 3% p. growth you insist on, unless we go on getting control of most of the dwindling resources and that means running those countries to our benefit not theirs. George and the Neo-cons have done it for you, in
difficult circumstances. I think their critics should just be a bit more understanding and appreciative. If you want to go on living with your too-big houses and your plasmas and your jet-away vacations, just quit the backchat and support your empire and those who secure it for you.

--

Ted Trainer
School of Social Work,
University of New South Wales,
Kensington. 2052. Australia.
02.93851871
Fax: 02 96628991
Email: F.Trainer@unsw.edu.au
Website: http://www.arts.unsw.edu.au/tsw/

Question: “What evidence is there that gays who limit their sexual association to a monogamous relationship purify themselves?”

Answer: “Because it is impossible to empirically determine that gay monogamy can have a purifying effect, the only evidence for it is merely the belief that it works.”

Pretend for a minute that you yourself are a homosexual devotee and in a monogamous relationship with another homosexual devotee. And then one day at a Sunday Feast, a skeptical “straight” devotee asks you in a non-threatening way how do you know that your monogamous relationship actually helps purify you, helps you become more sense-controlled? What would you say to him?

There are probably many answers—unlimited answers—you could give. You are excited about your relationship, and you thank Krishna for the opportunity to tell another devotee about your experience. You feel that gay monogamy has given you some greater connection to the devotee community, you feel you have a “home and hearth” to come home to just like the “straight devotees,” etc. In so many words, you finish narrating your personal experience and conclude that your monogamous relationship indeed purifies you and your partner.

But then the devotee asks you this question: “How do you know that it is not something else besides gay monogamy that is the cause of your gradual purification?” Just as you are about to say something, you realize that the question itself is not an easy one to answer. At that moment, numerous questions and thoughts begin to race through your mind:

“How do I know that the prasadam I am eating right at this moment is not responsible for my purification? How do I know that chanting Hare Krishna in the nagar sankirtana is not what is purifying my partner and me? How do I know that washing pots in the temple, or giving charity to the temple, or doing secretarial work in the temple office—all things my partner and I do regularly—are not what is actually purifying us?”

At this moment, you realize that any one of these authorized devotional activities can fully account for whatever genuine purification you have experienced. Even though you feel that your gay monogamous relationship must account for some portion of your advancement, you realize that all these other devotional activities could also account for all of it.

You ask yourself another question: “Could it be that all these devotional activities are purifying us despite ‘living in sin’?” As these thoughts and questions race through your mind, you realize that you are no longer sure of what to say.

This short narrative illustrates the problems with trying to empirically ascertain the effect of something or some activity not prescribed in the shastras. We can “feel” that something is right, or true, but our feeling does not necessarily make it so. The conditioned soul has four defects—commits mistakes, has imperfect senses, is prone to illusion, and has a propensity to cheat—and these defects frustrate our attempts to understand ourselves and the world solely through the processes of pratyaksha (sensory perception) and anumaan (inference). Because of these defects, determining the actual effect of practicing gay monogamy is highly problematic.

Indeed, it is not possible to empirically ascertain whether gay monogamy has any beneficial effect on those who practice it. Because gay monogamy is not recommended in the shastras, and because it is impossible to empirically distinguish any purification achieved through practicing gay monogamy from purification achieved through authorized devotional activity, the idea that gay monogamy is purifying is therefore grounded not in any objective fact but only on subjective belief. Objective evidence in favor of gay monogamy is non-existent. In other words, if we happen to believe that gay monogamy is purifying, that is because we are biased to believe that is so. Convictions stand alone as our sole evidence.

This explains why Srila Prabhupada said to his disciple Lalitananda that “I am very sorry that you have taken to homosex. It will not help you advance in your attempt for spiritual life. In fact, it will only hamper your advancement.” Yet Srila Prabhupada still recommended that he “try to render whatever service you can to Krishna. Even though you are in a very degraded condition Krishna, being pleased with your service attitude, can pick you up from your fallen state.” On this matter, Srila Prabhupada based his recommendation on shastra, not his own speculation.

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I turned 30-years-old on the 7th of February. This year it fell on Lord Nityananda's Avirbhava. It was a very special day, filled with Nitai's mercy. The highlight was an evening bhajan party at our 914 sq. ft. house, with over 50 devotees attending and chanting for over three hours. What a great way to turn 30!

Thirty is kind of a big year for me. I felt like I was in my 20's forever. They just seemed that way to me. They were extremely monumental years, don't get me wrong. Giving birth to both my children, buying, running and then selling a restaurant, living in three different states, and 8 different houses during those years, getting initiated by my Gurudeva. And these are kind of the easy to document monumental events that happended in my 20's. Much more it was a progress of growing-up, finding the me inside, 'choosing' the life I chose, being an adult and taking responsibility for my actions, accepting the repurcusions of desicions, and finding my contribution to the world. The 20's were really turbulent for me at times. I felt trapped by motherhood at times, and it was extremely difficult raising two children under 2, with a husband in college who was also working a side job, and on a student's income, or should I say non-income. There were some tough years there. I felt insane at times, and I probably was.

Being 30 is a new decade. It's great. I'm still adjusting to the way it sounds coming off my tongue, when I say my age, but it feels so much better than being 20. I'm ready and here's what being 30 is to me.

30 is being confident in myself, saying what I need to say, and knowing my place.

30 is doing less, but doing more of that less.

30 is a third of my life, I hope.

30 is being an adult.

30 is not being scared of whoever is saying whatever about me.

30 is about being quiet in my soul.

30 is about remembering and treasurring friendships and everything they have done for me to get to here.

30 is being trust.

30 is letting go.

30 is knowing I'm not the showman running the show.

30 is loving being a woman, and not taking any women squelching crap.

30 is being satisfied on a deep level.

30 is being more empathetic. I've been through more, I walk on the ground, not on my high horse. I want kindness, and I want to give kindness. What is the world without it.

30 is being a giver.

30 is owning my accomplishments and being gratefully proud of them.

30 is feeling the wheels on life speeding up.

I hope this next decade of my life teaches me more, brings me closer to service to Guru and Gauranga, and expands my dreams. It's going to be an awesome time of my life. I can feel it.

Some time ago I got an interesting comment to one of my postings and as there was a link to their own blog I decided to take a look. What I liked was the simplicity and openness of thought with some fascinating insights. Each posting has been in some ways personal but inspiring revealing beep realisations [...]

I just realized that I haven't posted to my blog for about 6 weeks. So, here is a little update to keep my blog flame from dying out.

I was quite sick for most of the month of January. Mostly respiratory ills. The doctor finally said that I probably have adult onset episodic asthma. UGH! She said it means that I will be susceptible to the wheezing episodes whenever I get a cold or have seasonal allergies. I have never had breathing problems or wheezing in my entire life until now. It was very scary to lay down at night to sleep and start wheezing. I felt like i couldn't get enough air to my lungs and like i was breathing through a pillow :( My poor little Narada also had a bad cold with some very mild wheeziness (is that a word?). His doctor sent him home with a nebulizer for breathing treatments, which i also used on the doctor's advice.

My husband went to Japan for 10 days at the end of January. He didn't take any pictures...He says he had a great time and saw his family and many of the wonderful devotees there. And, by Krishna's arrangement he even saw his guru HH Kavicandra Swami, in Osaka. He brought us back some donuts from the Donut Plant in Tokyo. This is the same donut shop in NYC that makes pure vegetarian donuts and offers them to the Lord so that they are all prasadam when sold.

We had a wonderful celebration for Lord Nityananda's appearance day last week. I was so happy to not be sick anymore that i cooked a prep for the feast and went to the program at the temple. I hadn't been to the temple for a couple months due to illness.

Kapila is starting spring soccer in Mebane tomorrow. I'm so happy and relieved to find something close by for him. He's not interesting in playing any other sports so otherwise he would only have fall soccer.

I enrolled my baby for kindergarten this month. He will be five years old next month. I think I may cry when he starts school in August. I'm sure he won't cry.

Okay, I think that may be it for now. I will follow this post up with some recent pictures.

Toronto, Ontario

One of my favorite stories to do with the nature of service goes as follows:

Our guru’s assistant, Sruti Kirti, was embarrassed about something. He was always taken by the tremendous demonstration of love by the students of Srila Prabhupada. Wherever they traveled together devotees would chant, dance, cry, expressing emotions of attachment for their teacher. Sruti Kirti on the other hand felt inside a lack of this feeling.

One of Sruti Kirti’s services was to give regular massage to Prabhupada. He decided to put his position of self – pity before his guru.

“Srila Prabhupada, all these devotees have such love for you. It makes me feel so bad. I have none of this love. I have so much of your association and yet I don’t feel that this is there.”

During the massage Prabhupada said nothing. After his shower he called Sruti Kirti to the room and asked, “ Do you like serving me? “

“Yes, Prabhupada! Very much.” Answered Sruti Kirti.

“Then that is love. Everyone can do so many things…..singing, dancing, jumping up and down, but you are actually doing something. That is what love means- to do service.”

As I had someone read the passage I was receiving a much needed foot massage around the infected area. For the first time since the catfish encounter eleven days ago I could wiggle my big toe. It was happy.

This day I succeeded in walking a quarter of a block. The strain was a bit too much to bear. I had to return to the indoors and to bed.

1966 February 16: "Now I am anxiously awaiting your favorable reply. My Visa period will be finished by the end of March, 1966 and I will have to submit application for increasing the period at least a fortnight before."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1966

1968 February 16 : "I will simply cite one nice verse: 'Oh Lord! When will You be pleased with me and call me to the shelter of Your Lotus Feet which are soothing like the smiling beams of ten million autumnal moons?'"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1972 February 16 : "What do they know of boy or girl at such young age? A little girl asked, 'Father, when you were little, were you a boy or a girl?'"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 February 16 : "If he is shaky, how he can teach the children? Unless one is firmly convinced about Krishna Consciousness, I don't think the children will learn properly from such a person."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 February 16 : " Any deviation is the responsibility of the local GBC to rectify immediately. Within these Vaisnava standards which I have put forward lies the spiritual strength of our movement."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1972 February 16: "We should not compromise in any way just to accommodate the public idea, but we can so tastefully present the real thing that we will change the people to accommodate us."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1971 February 16: "Yes, progress of devotional service becomes choked up when there is offense to the Spiritual Master. So far I am concerned, you always have my blessings. Do not think otherwise."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1970 February 16: "John Lennon and his wife were very kind upon me when I was staying at Tittenhurst Park as their guests. I have dreamt something very nice about John which I shall disclose in proper time."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

rasa108@gmail.com

ys

Rasa Rasika das

Redesigning the Atma website (- that's the old one).

Here's the new logo, in progress:

Release early, release often, eh?

I'm not so handy with Inkscape, but I watched graphics avenger Andy Fitzsimon design the last blog header, so I picked up a few things. This one is looking pretty rocktastic.

Feel free to leave feedback, especially if you know what you're doing with inkscape and can give specific instructions.

By Matsya Avatara Dasa

It is time for science and religion to reconcile and complement each other; this is possible only by realizing the difference in fields of application and results of each discipline.

Prof. V.V. Raman defined science as the collective endeavour to understand the universe in a consistent and coherent way, based on reason, rationality and empirical evidence. By exploring the concept of multiverse, prof. Mann indicated thelogy and science as having different approches to address the question of what is reality; theology’s approach is teleology, a goal-oriented search for the scope of the universe, which the theologies of all traditions share; while science’s approach is ecbatology, that is the search for a necssity and/or chance for the universe as it is to emerge. The exploration of biophilic selection effects, that is life-friendly conditions, reveals that the universe seems fine-tuned for life; two possible explanations for this arise: the existence of a super-intelligent Agent, that is God, or the succession of similar attempts which sooner or later will lead to conditions conducive for live, that is a multiverse.

On the other hand the concept of transcendence in Vedic literature, is beyond space and time, as it is not a physical reality and is knowable only beyond the domain of facts and logic, specifically the domain of science. It seems therefore important to remember that scientific knowledge is basically what the human brain can make of the universe; as prof. Raman wrote, scientific objectivity is but collective subjectivity, while the universe is structured on different levels of information, ranging from a first order composed of physical and biological laws, to a superior order producing experience and reflection. The concept of consciousness, as explored by Dr. Sushant Sharma, comes to play a very important role in our understainding of reality. Alternative models of reality, as in Penrose’s quantum gravity model or in Vedanta and Yoga psychology, state that consciousnss is not a result of any mechanistic process, rather it is a symptom of the conscious living force that dwells in the body. Even the brain is treated as non-intelligent, rather it is but a computing instrument, a device that the consciousness uses to express itself.

The concepts presented by the speakers in this session, seem to address the question of what is life, and I would like to propose the exploration of such concepts also with the aid of basic views present in Vedic literature, such as the structure of reality on multiple levels (adhibautika, adhidaivika, adhiatmika) and consciousness as a fundamental attribute of the atman, the conscious, immortal living being and as the very foundation of any representation of reality.

Dear devotees,

Please accept my best wishes. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The last time I wrote I was in Aravade at the Deity installation. The grand procession was on the Friday night, and during it Lokanatha garlanded me with a garland of 50 Rupee notes, which I think walked around with for the whole evening, much to the amazement of many of the locals. When they saw me garlanded in that way many of them offered obeisances, which of course tends to happen when one is a sannyasi, but now it seemed more were doing so, and I wondered if it was the special garland!

Then the Saturday was the installation of Radha Gopala, and Sunday was a special public programme with a number of the major local politicians attending. The Finance Minister from the Maharastian state government was there, and I gave a talk in which I asked the people gathered, about 5000 or more, if they would like it if the government gave some money for the temple. The people were very enthusiastic about that. Then the minister got up and said they will give one crore of Rupees (more than $200,000)!

I think they had already decided to give that donation before I spoke, though.

On Sunday we installed Deities of Viththala Rukmini. Viththala is a form of Krishna Who was worshipped by the saint Tukarama, who was a disciple of Lord Caitanya referred to in Caitanya-caritamrita:

tatha haite pandarapure aila gauracandra
viththala-thakura dekhi’ paila ananda

“From there Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to Pandarapura, where He happily saw the temple of Viththala Thakura.” (Caitanya-caritamrita Madhya Lila 9.282)

In his purport Srila Prabhupada says: “The city of Pandarapura is situated on the river Bhima. It is said that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu initiated Tukarama when He visited Pandarapura, and thus Tukarama became His disciple. Tukarama Acarya became very famous in the Maharashtra province, and he spread the sankirtana movement all over the province. The sankirtana party belonging to Tukarama is still very popular in Bombay and throughout the province of Maharashtra. Tukarama’s book is known as Abhanga. His sankirtana party exactly resembles the Gaudiya-Vaisnava sankirtana parties, for they chant the holy name of the Lord with mrdanga and karatalas. The Lord Viththaladeva mentioned in this verse is a form of Lord Visnu with two
hands. He is Narayana.”

One of the chief priests from the Viththala temple in Pandapura came for the installation, and led the whole procedure. He was a very friendly fellow and somehow took a liking to me and would periodically come and talk with me in Marathi, which is somewhat similar to Hindi, and I would try to understand him and reply in my broken Hindi, which he appreciated.

There is a special practice in Maharastriya that when sadhus or special guests are honoured at a programme, the hosts put turbans on them, and this is what happened with us. But putting on a turban is not a small job, and maybe these men were also not expert at it, and we found them pulling the cloth around our heads really tightly, and one of them, when he tucked some cloth in under the bottom of my turban, scratched my head with his finger nails. There is still a scab on my forehead from the wound.

There are some photos of this part of the programme included with this report.

The next morning I flew from Kolhapur back to Bombay and then to Calcutta, and the Temple President of our Juhu temple kindly arranged for a devotee to come to the Bombay airport with some prasadam for me. It was another amazing feast, of exotic prasadam. Devotees are very nice.

I landed in Calcutta at 8pm that evening (the 9th) and was met in the airport by Saci Kumar and Isvara Puri, two of my disciples from South Africa, and we drove very slowly back to Mayapur, arriving there just after
midnight.

Mayapur is a very amazing place. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes: “Sri Caitanya’s incarnation, however, is most uncommon. By His mercy, a serious person, though filled with offenses, can quickly obtain love of God. When someone calls out the names of Nitai and Caitanya, Krsna prema comes looking for him. Offenses do not hinder his progress, and he soon sheds tears of ecstasy out of pure love of God. By the mercy of Lord Caitanya, all the offenses quickly flee away, the heart becomes pure, and love of God fully
blossoms. Because people in Kali yuga commit unlimited offenses, which are difficult to check, there can be no means of deliverance other than Gauranga’s name. Therefore, in Kali yuga, I see no alternative to Sri
Gauranga. This is also the proclamation of the scriptures.

“As Sri Gauracandra appeared in Navadvipa, it is therefore the crest jewel of all holy places. Offenders are the object of punishment at other holy pilgrimage places, but in Navadvipa dhama they are purified. The example is the two brothers Jagai and Madhai, who committed great offenses yet still received Nitai and Gaura. What to speak of other places, at Vrndavana the offenders are punished. But a person who has committed hundreds of offenses can easily receive the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu and overcome those
offenses in Navadvipa dhama. For this reason, sages endlessly praise Navadvipa of Gaura mandala.”

I have to take part in the GBC meetings, which started on the 12th, but that meant I had a couple of days to reflect on my experiences here in previous years before things really got started.

I first came to Mayapur in 1976, on my first visit to India. India was a completely different place in those days. We arrived at night and I took rest on a single chadar on the plain concrete floor. The only water supply
was a hand pump by the front gate, and we used that for bathing, washing clothes and drinking. Needless to say we all got sick, and it became quite chronic.

One of the devotees was passing stool in a field nearby and a man came up to him with a knife and demanded his watch, right in the middle of him dealing with his call of nature. It was dramatic!

The kirtanas were amazing, and I was always in the middle of them. One evening Visnujana, the famous kirtana leader, was singing for the evening arati and all the devotees were completely wild in ecstasy, but the next morning he had disappeared, and has never been seen since then.

Every mosquito bite became septic and swelled up like a balloon and left a horrible sore, the scab of which would immediately be eaten by the flies that were so aggressive that you couldn’t swat them away. If you succeeded they were back before you could swat them again.

Still it was an amazing experience, and Srila Prabhupada was there, so that made up for all the austerities. Chanting japa was so easy. We all found we could chant the whole day and never felt tired or distracted. Such is the nature of the holy dhama, particularly Sri Mayapur Dhama.

But this time I was here for the GBC meetings, and that is a very serious responsibility. Every year the GBC Body meets in Mayapur in February/March time, and then in Bombay in October, and considers some of the very important subjects facing the movement. So far we have had 4 days of the meetings, and perhaps the most important thing to be discussed has been the new Temple of the Vedic Planetarium.

There are still some permissions needed before we can begin construction, but the project leader Ambarish prabhu (Alfred Ford) told us that as soon as the permission are through we will be able to start in 60 days. All the plans are done, and he is going to contribute some millions of dollars to start the construction.

Otherwise, Mayapur is beautiful and the conditions are wonderful, and one can feel the presence of Lord Caitanya everywhere. Srila Prabhodananda Sarasvati prays:

“Creating great tidal waves in the ocean of mercy, splendidly dressed in wonderful saffron garments as glorious as the sunrise, and glowing with the nectar of pure love of Krsna, may the wonderful and handsome moon of Lord Caitanya, which has risen from the milk ocean of Saci’s womb, enter the sky of your heart.

“Chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, His own holy names which bring auspiciousness to the world, His hand trembling with love as He touches the knotted string about His waist to count the number of names, His face bathed in tears as He comes and goes, eager to see His own form of Lord Jagannatha, and bringing great delight to the eyes of all, may the golden form of Lord Hari protect you all.

“Uprooting the dense darkness in the hearts of the entire world, making the nectar ocean of the bliss of pure love of Krsna overflow its shores without limit, and cooling this universe tormented by the threefold miseries, may the splendid moonlight of the moon of Lord Caitanyacandra eternally shine within your hearts.”

At the end of the meetings I will write more. In the meantime I will post a couple of classes I have given, over the next few days.

Hoping this meets you well.

Your servant,

Bhakti Caitanya Swami

"The scientific discoveries of the material world can also be equally engaged in carrying out His order. "

- Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.36

On the 200th anniversary of his birth, the Church of England apologised to Charles Darwin [link via wikipedia]

Good Religion Needs Good Science
by Rev Dr Malcolm Brown, Director of Mission and Public Affairs, Church of England

The trouble with homo sapiens is that we’re only human. People, and institutions, make mistakes and Christian people and churches are no exception. When a big new idea emerges which changes the way people look at the world, it’s easy to feel that every old idea, every certainty, is under attack and then to do battle against the new insights. The church made that mistake with Galileo’s astronomy, and has since realised its error. Some church people did it again in the 1860s with Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection. So it is important to think again about Darwin’s impact on religious thinking, then and now – and the bicentenary of Darwin’s birth in 1809 is a good time to do so.

Theories raised moral questions

But if Darwin’s ideas once needed rescuing from religious defensiveness, they may also now need rescuing from some of the enthusiasts for his ideas. A scientist has a duty to the truth: he or she is called to be fearless in discovering the way the world works. But how a scientific theory is used, and the ways in which ideas can be deployed politically or ideologically, are the responsibility of a less easily defined constituency. 'Darwinism' has become something bigger than Darwin’s own theories, and raises many moral questions. This doesn’t make the church of the 1860s right to have attacked Darwin, but it does suggest that the question is deeper than deciding whose side you would have been on in that historic debate between Samuel Wilberforce, Bishop of Oxford, and Darwin’s supporter, Thomas Huxley.

Nothing in scientific method contradicts Christian teaching

Darwin was, in many ways, a model of good scientific method. He observed the world around him, developed a theory which sought to explain what he saw, and then set about a long and painstaking process of gathering evidence that would either bear out, contradict, or modify his theory. As a result, our understanding of the world is expanded, but the scientific process continues. In science, hypotheses are meant to be constantly tested. Subsequent generations have built on Darwin’s work but have not significantly undermined his fundamental theory of natural selection. There is nothing here that contradicts Christian teaching. Jesus himself invited people to observe the world around them and to reason from what they saw to an understanding of the nature of God (Matthew 6: 25–33). Christian theologians throughout the centuries have sought knowledge of the world and knowledge of God. For Thomas Aquinas there was no such thing as science versus religion; both existed in the same sphere and to the same end, the glory of God. Whilst Christians believe that the Bible contains all that we need to know to be saved from our sins, they do not claim that it is a compendium of all knowledge. Jesus himself warned his disciples that there was more that he could say to them and that the Spirit of truth would lead them into truth (John 16: 12–13). There is no reason to doubt that Christ still draws people towards truth through the work of scientists as well as others, and many scientists are motivated in their work by a perception of the deep beauty of the created world. Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that scientific theories can be overtaken in their turn even as old ideas prove to have an enduring quality. Most of us get by with some version of Newtonian physics and understand little of Quantum Theory. Newtonian ideas suffice for most of our everyday needs – but we now know that we can’t push them too far as there is plenty that they do not adequately explain.

Reaction now seems misguided

Darwin’s meticulous application of the principles of evidence-based research was not the problem. His theory caused offence because it challenged the view that God had created human beings as an entirely different kind of creation to the rest of the animal world.

But whilst it is not difficult to see why evolutionary thinking was offensive at the time, on reflection it is not such an earth-shattering idea. Yes, Christians believe that God became incarnate as a human being in the person of Jesus and thereby demonstrated God’s especial love for humanity. But how can that special relationship be undermined just because we develop a different understanding of the processes by which humanity came to be? It is hard to avoid the thought that the reaction against Darwin was largely based on what we would now call the 'yuk factor' (an emotional not an intellectual response) when he proposed a lineage from apes to humans.

But for all that the reaction now seems misjudged, it may just be that Wilberforce and others glimpsed a murky image of how Darwin’s theories might be misappropriated and the harm they could do (see the section Darwin and the Church). Even if they were blind to the future, it remains that the legacy of Darwin (rather than Darwin’s own achievements) has had a shadow side.

Social misapplication of Darwin

If evolution is continuing, and humanity as we know it is not the final summation of the process, it is not difficult to slip into a rather naïve optimism which sees the human race becoming better and better all the time. Despite our vastly expanding technical knowledge, even a fairly cursory review of human history undermines any idea of constant moral progress. Humanity’s advance in terms of technical prowess and achievements has not, to most people’s eyes, fully liberated us from our burdens. Christians believe that all of us are constrained by sin and that only through the death and resurrection of Jesus can we move beyond what constrains us, to a fuller and more human way of living. But Christians are not the only ones who are sceptical of the idea that evolution means moral progress.

Natural selection, as a way of understanding physical evolutionary processes over thousands of years, makes sense. Translate that into a half-understood notion of 'the survival of the fittest' and imagine the processes working on a day-to-day basis, and evolution gets mixed up with a social theory in which the weak perish – the very opposite of the Christian vision in the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55). This 'Social Darwinism', in which the strong flourish and losers go to the wall is, moreover, the complete converse of what Darwin himself believed about human relationships. From this social misapplication of Darwin’s theories has sprung insidious forms of racism and other forms of discrimination which are more horribly potent for having the appearance of scientific “truth” behind them. Darwin’s immense achievement was to develop a big theory which went a long way to explaining aspects of the world around us. But to treat it as an all-embracing theory of everything is to travesty Darwin’s work. The difficulty is that his theory of natural selection has been so effective within the scientific community, and so easily understood in outline by everybody, that it has been inflated into a general theory of everything – which is not only erroneous but dangerous.

Capacity to love consistent with Darwin

Christians will want to stress, instead, the human capacity for love, for altruism, and for self-sacrifice. There is nothing here which, in principle, contradicts Darwin’s theory. Humanity has acquired the capacity to reflect, to imagine, and to reason from what is known to what is not yet known. Some animals may have these features in a very rudimentary form, but the human capacity is so much greater as to be effectively unique. It is our capacity to imagine other people as more than bodies, but as persons, which marks us out. It is that, above all, which has enabled the human mind and will to achieve so much. And if this capacity – which we can characterise as the capacity for love – is consistent with Darwin’s ideas of natural selection, it suggests that our capacity as a species to act in ways which appear to be against our personal interests has, paradoxically, enabled us to survive as “fitted” to our context and environment. So the pseudo-Darwinian reductionism, which elevates selfishness into a virtue and celebrates power and dominance, is not only a misunderstanding of Darwin but may even contribute to human decline by eroding those aspects of being human which have given us such a natural advantage. Even the more sophisticated versions of 'Social Darwinism', which interpret all human behaviour in terms of the struggle for dominance and the maximisation of genetic advantage through the generations, risk presenting us with an image of being human which makes us slaves to some kind of evolutionary imperative, as if we are programmed in ways we cannot over-rule. But the point of natural selection is that it is precisely by being most fully human that we demonstrate our fitness. And being fully human means refusing to abdicate our ability to act selflessly or lovingly and to challenge thin concepts of rationality which equate “being rational” to material self interest. It is vital that Darwin’s theories are rescued from political and ideological agendas that are more about controlling human imagination and unpredictability than about good science.

Discerning where culture threatens Christianity

All that I have said so far will remain contentious in some circles. Some Christian movements still make opposition to evolutionary theories a litmus test of faithfulness and – the other side of the coin – many believe Darwin’s theories to have fatally undermined religious belief and therefore reject any accommodation of one by the other. Why should this be?

The Church of England in 1860 was already facing challenges to its former pre-eminence. Freethinking and non-conformist Christianity were confronting the power of the established church – and then came Darwin. These were nervous times for Anglicans, and when worldly power is thought of as God-given, threats to power are perceived as attacks on God. What was true for Anglicans in 1860 is largely true for all kinds of Christians today, although (depending where you are in the world) the threat may be perceived to come from radical Islam, secularism, consumerism or atheism. The cultures within which Christians try to be faithful are widely seen to be hostile, at least in some respects, and discipleship means, at some level, standing against some social trends. The problem for all Christians is discerning where the surrounding culture is really a threat and where it is compatible with our understanding of God. Because “science” has been widely regarded as offering a total theory of everything; because some scientists have encouraged this claim; perhaps because we all know how reliant we are on scientific ideas which we barely understand and which make us nervous of our ignorance; and perhaps because the churches have not been good at equipping people to see God at work in the contemporary world – for all these reasons and others, a parody of science has become a focus for certain forms of social unease. In so far as the practice of science has its hubristic side, there is a case for science to answer. In so far as 'Social Darwinism' has diminished our sense of being human and being in relationships, there are real problems to address. But first it is important to recognise that the anti-evolutionary fervour in some corners of the churches may be a kind of proxy issue for other discontents; and, perhaps most of all, an indictment of the churches’ failure to tell their own story – Jesus’s story – with conviction in a way which works with the grain of the world as God has revealed it to be, both through the Bible and in the work of scientists of Darwin’s calibre.

Rapproachment between Darwin and Christian faith

At a university in Kansas, I asked a biology professor how he coped with teaching Darwin’s theories to students whose churches insisted that evolution was heresy and whose schools taught creationism. “No problem,” he replied, “the kids know that if they want a good job they need a degree, and if they want a degree they have to work with evolution theory. Creationism is for church, as far as they’re concerned. Here, they’re Darwinists.” Perhaps he was over-cynical. But he was also pointing to young lives which could not be lived with integrity – the very opposite of how Christians are called to live. There is no integrity to be found either in rejecting Darwin’s ideas wholesale or in elevating them into the kind of grand theory which reduces humanity to the sum of our evolutionary urges. For the sake of human integrity – and thus for the sake of good Christian living – some rapprochement between Darwin and Christian faith is essential.

Charles Darwin: 200 years from your birth, the Church of England owes you an apology for misunderstanding you and, by getting our first reaction wrong, encouraging others to misunderstand you still. We try to practice the old virtues of 'faith seeking understanding' and hope that makes some amends. But the struggle for your reputation is not over yet, and the problem is not just your religious opponents but those who falsely claim you in support of their own interests. Good religion needs to work constructively with good science – and I dare to suggest that the opposite may be true as well.

By Ananda Tirtha das

The second day of the GBC meetings opened with a presentation by the Law Book Committee. Aniruddha Prabhu presented the progress of the committee in revising the current law book which contains constitutional principles, action orders, rules of order, administrative guidelines and governing law. The committee is working to classify and update the new law book for ease of use. A major highlight of their work has been the creation of a searchable wiki with the last ten years of GBC Resolutions and previous version of the Law Book.

Have added new hyper-links to several YouTube accounts that I find inspirational, hope that you all enjoy them too. Also their is an added link in ISKCON spiritual masters to HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, again very inspirational. Some lovely classes and kirtans can also be found of his via ISKCON melbourne, included are the links. ISKCON Melbourne official [...]

The second day of the GBC meetings opened with a presentation by the Law Book Committee. Aniruddha Prabhu presented the progress of the committee in revising the current law book which contains constitutional principles, action orders, rules of order, administrative guidelines and governing law.

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In his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.32 Srila Prabhupada writes, "Undoubtedly Bhagavad-gita was spoken by the Lord on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra just to encourage Arjuna to fight, and yet to complete the transcendental knowledge of Bhagavad-gita, the Lord instructed Uddhava. The Lord wanted Uddhava to fulfill His mission and disseminate knowledge which He had not spoken even in Bhagavad-gita.? Chapters 7-29 of the Srimad Bhagavatam?s 11th Canto are known as the ?Uddhava Gita."

Date: February 12, 2009
Verse: Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.52
Speaker: Bhakti Dhira Damodara Swami

brahman duhitrbhis tubhyam
vimrgyah patayah samah
kascit syan me visokaya
tvayi pravrajite vanam

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Feb 14,2009, SBG 3.23.53 etavatalam kalena vyatikrantena me prabho indriyartha-prasangena parityakta-paratmanah

TRANSLATION: Until now we have simply wasted so much of our time in sense gratification, neglecting to cultivate knowledge of the Supreme Lord.

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this is a cover from Bob´s Great inspiration, i…

Oh dear...

A 'fraud' bigger than Madoff
Senior US soldiers investigated over missing Iraq reconstruction billions

In what could turn out to be the greatest fraud in US history, American authorities have started to investigate the alleged role of senior military officers in the misuse of $125bn (£88bn) in a US -directed effort to reconstruct Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. The exact sum missing may never be clear, but a report by the US Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) suggests it may exceed $50bn, making it an even bigger theft than Bernard Madoff's notorious Ponzi scheme.

Full story on the website of the UK's Independent.

My comment: Absolutely criminal.

GOOD DOGMA UNITES, BAD DOGMA SEPARATES 7:26pm
One of the reasons i became a devotee of lord Krishna was the a ability of standing firm to the Bhakti process while seeing other paths as part of krishna's plans to help everyone out of this mess we put ourselves in, depending where ones consciousness is. After talking to many other persons on other paths for over two weeks now I know why I hated Religions in the first place and why I never wanted to be apart of them. This is the only process that can explain other processes of the world, in a way that is logical and commonsensical. What I've heard in the last week in a lot of other paths is the inability to explain why other processes exist without putting them down and trying to rip them apart. Even trying to find the commonness between us like compassion for all, Karma and for some reincarnation, the most I get is you're the devil trying to convert us [christians] there's nothing in common between "my" buddhism and "your" Hinduism [Buddhism] "like i own Hinduism" There are some people willing to listen and talk on other groups but usually they become over shadowed by the others who are not so into finding a common understanding between us. This to me was an experiment on other paths and where people are at in their beliefs. Not much has changed!!! This view is the Bad dogma I have always hated in religions, everyone has to accept a Dogma, but the Dogma that can unite, is one that is in accordance with all the scriptures of the world not including the satanic scripture. And a Dogma that causes separation, alienation, hatred and disunity is one that has nothing to do with any of the scriptures of the world. I have a better understanding where most religious people are at now. And all i can say is thank you Krishna for allowing me to see your words.

raja-vidya raja-guhyam
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyaksavagamam dharmyam
su-sukham kartum avyayam


TRANSLATION

This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed

================================================================== Thought for the Day--Monday 16 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...

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.6.14 (cont.) - To get nourishment from Lord Caitanya's shower of mercy we need to let go of our material attachments.

Bhagavad-Gita As It Is 13.1-3

On the morning of Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Kadamba Kanana Maharaja gave first initiation to Bhaktin Lovela, who serves in Melbourne temple's single women's ashram.

 
Still immersed in meditation on Lord Nityananda following His Appearance Day, Maharaja extended Nitai Mahasaya's mercy to his new disciple, and gave Lovela Prabhavi the name Guna Mani Nitai dasi. Please also give your blessings for her continued progress in spiritual life.

Here is a brief extract from Srila Prabhupada's purport to Nitai Guna Mani Amara:

This is a song by Locana Dasa Thakura, almost a contemporary of Lord Catanya Mahaprabhu. He has got many books on the life and precepts of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So he is saying that Lord Nityananda is full of good qualities, guna-mani. Guna mani means the jewel of all good qulities. So nitai-guna-mani amar nitai guna-mani. He is repeatedly uttering that Lord Nityananda is the reservoir of all good qualities. Aniya premara vanya bhasasilo avani. And on account of His spiriual qualities, He inundated the whole world by the flood of love of God. It is by His kindness people feel what is love for God.

You can also see a slide show of the yajna.

Wikipedia entry on Charles Darwin.

We’ve just instituted a new policy in our home. The computers go off at seven pm. Right now it’s 6:49, so this is going to be short. Emails are a cold form of communication. Face to face, we can say almost anything to people we like, and even give them a slap, “What the hell’s the [...]

Dear well wishers,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I am happy to announce that HH Bhaktimarga Swami has been discharged from the hospital. He has been sent home to continue his treatment. Saturday was the best day he has had since the catfish incident. The healing process is still slow.

Last night he had a restful sleep, the first one since the incident. He will be giving class tonight at the Toronto temple, though we have not worked out all the logistics of how to get him to the temple room.

The issue now is that the infection is now in the bone of his foot and the recovery of which will take some time.

Please continue to pray.

your servants,
Remuna dd and Krishna Chaitanya dasa,
Secretaries to HH Bhaktimarga Swami

namo narayanaya, krsne matir astu

1968 February 15: "I am servant of the servant of Krishna, and because you are all sincere servants of Krishna, I am your servant. I shall be glad to stay wherever like me to stay."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1967 February 15: "We should not ask Krishna to give us a house - let Krishna give us when He likes. We should only wait for Krishna's mercy and not jeopardize the hard earned money."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1968 February 15: "Regarding apartment: we are mendicant, we can adjust things in any kind of place. I shall stay in any place hell or heaven, if it is approved by you."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

Two of my biggest role models here in Sri Mayapur dham are HG Pankajanghri prabhu and HG Jananivas Prabhu. I'd like to talk about HG Jananivas prabhu today. I've been meaning to write about this for a long time now because there is something that I witness Prabhuji do every morning that really touches my heart. As you may or may not know, HG Jananivas Prabhu is the head pujari for Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir. He has been doing this service steadily for over 30 years. That being said, Prabhuji is probably one of the most humble people I have ever had the good fortune of meeting in my life. See, being humble implies action. It's not static state of being. But oftentimes, at least for me, to understand how one can show humility in action is very difficult. I feel so grateful that there are devotees like HG Jananivas Prabhu who demonstrate so naturally through their actions what it means to be humble.

Every morning after darshan aarti guru puja is performed. Everyday, the guru puja is performed by a senior devotee to the accompaniment of a very ecstatic kirtan. And everyday, I see Jananivas prabhu acting as a helper to the devotee who is doing the guru puja. Prabhuji will pour the acamana water into the hand of the devotee offering the worship (this is done between offering each article of worship), he will hand all the articles of worship to the devotee and after each article is offered, he will receive it. He does this with such attention and love and one can see he truly enjoys this service.

I find this so instructive. As the head pujari, HG Jananivas prabhu could easily be offering guru puja, offering aarti to Radha Madhava or Panca Tattva, but instead he actually likes taking the position of a humble servant.

I beg and pray that this impression remains forever carved in my heart and that I may also follow in his glorious footsteps of showing humility in all my actions.

This is something that I have a lot of experience with. As someone who is fortunate to make garlands every morning, I get to experience blissful anxiety almost everyday.

However, it's certainly a different kind of blissful anxiety when you only have 1 1/2 hours to dress Radha and Krsna! Whew! It's like a marathon. It is only by the blessings of the devotees, in particular HG Pankajanghri prabhu, that I somehow managed to finish in time! I took the advice of my dear godsister, and experienced pujari, HG Krtamala prabhu who told me "Don't panic and keep your eye on the time." So, I decided to allot time to do different things: 20 minutes to dress Krsna, 20 minutes to dress Radharani, 20 minutes to add all the flower ornaments and pin up the fabric and garlands, 30 minutes to make Krsna's garland and then 20 minutes to wrap things up, fix whatever had to be fixed and clean up.

Here's the result:

By Mayapur.tv

The Mercy of Pancha-Tattva Within Everyone's Reach. Six fancy cameras have been installed in the temple room with a high-speed internet connection. A broadcasting/mixing room has been constructed and a film crew have come from the UK to film around the campus

I have recently been inundated with questions on my view about both HH Narayan Maharaja and on the ritvic issue. I don’t have a view simply put. These things are for me a distraction to devotional life to become embroiled in who is right; who’s wrong means less effort is being put in following my own guru [...]

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)

This week, our verse is taken from the last chapter. It’s one of the final instructions to Arjuna from Krishna. Srila Prabhupada entitles this chapter “The Perfection of Renunciation.” However Narayana Maharaja and Tripurari Swami call it “Moksa Yoga” and “Yoga of Freedom.” In this chapter we find that surrendering to God is actual freedom. And this verse explains that through surrendering to God, we gain true freedom from religion. It’s pretty intense.

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.
-Srila Prabhupada

Forgoing all religious injunctions, take exclusive refuge in me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
-Tripurari Swami

Completely abandoning all bodily and mental dharma, such as varna and asrama, fully surrender to Me alone. I shall liberate you from all reactions to your sins. Do no grieve.
-Narayana Maharaja

Completely relinquishing
    all forms of dharma,
    come to me
    as your only shelter.
I shall grant you
    freedom from
    all misfortune -
    do not despair!
-Garuda dasa (Graham M. Schweig)

This was the first verse that I was to memorize when I moved into a temple. I got the English down without too much of a struggle, but the Sanskrit was tough and it took me about a month of daily recitation for much to stick. Today, twelve or thirteen years later, I still know the first two lines. The third line is completely wiped from my Kali-yuga memory, but the last line, with the fun-to-say word “moksayisyami” and the fun-to-quote “ma sucah” is still there. Plainly, I cannot memorize stuff very well. I’m surprised that I’ve retained as much of this as I have.

The first line, sarva-darman parityajya, is translated as “abandoning (or forgoing) all dharma.” Now, to me, it’s sort of impossible to translate from a language while still using bits of that language. And while Srila Prabhupada and Tripurari Swami accommodate this idea, Narayana Maharaja and Garuda dasa both stick to the word “dharma.”

All here agree that parityajya means to abandon. Srila Prabhupada and Narayana Maharaja both use that word specifically. Tripurari Swami uses “forgoing,” and Garuda dasa uses “relinquishing.” They all basically mean the same thing.

Also, all agree that the first word, sarva, means “all.” But with dharman, we get some difference. This isn’t surprising since dharma can mean a slew of different things. Srila Prabhupada’s seems to be the most bold here. He tells us to “Abandon all varieties of religion….” Tripurari Swami’s seems a bit more specific with “Forgoing all religious injunctions….” But in Narayana Maharaja’s and Garuda dasa’s, their use of a Sanskrit word in their translation seems odd.

Narayana Maharaja’s edition adds quite a lot to the verse: “Completely abandoning all bodily and mental dharma, such as varna and asrama….” He not only uses dharma, but also varna and asrama. In his case, that’s fairly forgivable since his audience is not the neophyte. He’s writing for folks who already have an understanding of these words. Also, in his very long purport (like in Srila Prabhupada’s and Tripurari Swami’s) he fully explains the verse.

Garuda dasa’s use of the word dharma is, to me, troubling. “Completely relinquishing all forms of dharma….” Certainly translating dharma in such a collegiate book would be controversial. His footnote for this verse simply states: “Forms of dharma: Translates the plural form of dharma.” Now, his job isn’t to explain every aspect of the Gita. He is simply a translator. His short explanation of the Gita as a whole, in the back of the book, sheds no more light onto the subject.

This verse’s second line, mam ekam saranam vraja, also shows some difference, but ultimately, they are in concert. Srila Prabhupada and Narayana Maharaja are the most closely related. Srila Prabhupada’s “just surrender unto Me” and Narayana Maharaja’s “fully surrender to Me alone” both cover the same ground. Tripurari Swami has it as, “take exclusive refuge in me.” While I don’t agree with how he has decapitalized “me,” I do appreciate “refuge.” Garuda dasa’s “come to me as your only shelter” also is very nice. The more strict translation of saranam as “surrender” could be carelessly taken the wrong way. This certainly isn’t the fault of Srila Prabhupada or Narayana Maharaja - in both of their purports this is cleared up.

Narayana Maharaja adds Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s translation of “take exclusive shelter in Me.” Srila Prabhupada explains, “with faith and love, one should surrender unto Him [Krishna].” This isn’t submission or coercion. This isn’t a surrender after being defeated by guilt or so-called “fear of God.” This is surrendering through love. This truly is taking “shelter,” taking “refuge.”

The third line and a bit of the fourth, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami, is translated by Srila Prabhupada, Tripurari Swami and Narayana Maharaja in nearly identical ways. Both Srila Prabhupada and Tripurari Swami translate: “I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction,” though Tripurari Swami makes “reaction” plural. Narayana Maharaja puts it, “I shall liberate you from all reactions to your sins.” It’s basically the same, though he specifically mentions “liberation” and glosses moksayisyami as “shall free” rather than “deliver.”

Garuda dasa, again, seems to vague-up the translation. He has it, “I shall grant you freedom from all misfortune….” While “freedom” would be a great word to use if he also used the word “surrender” earlier in the verse, his use of the word “misfortune” is odd. Throughout the Gita, we learn that misfortune comes from reaction to our “sins.” Now, in Sanskrit, there really isn’t a word for what we in the west know as “sin.” It’s not that we believe sinful actions don’t exist, it’s just a different understanding of “sin.”

I was raised with the idea of “original sin” and have talked about that a long time ago here. Because of this upbringing, I’m no fan of the word “sin.” However, in this verse, Krishna is not attempting to use guilt or fear to get us to surrender to Him. He simply states “I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction.” The key word here is “reaction.” It’s clear that He is speaking of our karma. This would naturally include not only our “bad” karma, but also our “good.” But here He specifically uses papebhyah, glossed by all as “sinful reactions.”

Though I’m no fan of the word “sin,” I am less of a fan of the use of the word “misfortune” in its stead. Though it is not the point of the verse, it makes it clear that it is not simply “misfortune,” it’s not that some crappy accidents keep happening to us, it’s a reaction for the things we have done. God will deliver us from our own evil (to use a biblical expression) if we take shelter in Him alone.

The last phrase ma sucah, is comforting. Srila Prabhupada and Tripurari Swami both translate it “do not fear.” Narayana Maharaja chose “do not grieve,” and Garuda dasa uses “do not despair.” These are interesting takes on it. Grieving and despair are essentially fear.

Visvanatha Cakrabarti Thakura, in his commentary (as given by Narayana Maharaja) sums this up in a really nice way:

“Ma suchah means, “Don not grieve for yourself or others. I am bound by My vow to carry the burden of freeing any person like you from all his sins and deliver him from the cycle of birth and death. If such a person fixes his mind upon Me, completely giving up all his [dharma] and remains happily situated having surrendered to Me, I am also bound to carry the burden of providing him with the means ot achieve Me. What more can I say? I am even ready to accept the burden of maintaining his material life, as I stated when I spoke ananyas cintayanto mam (Gita 9.22).

“Do not grieve by thinkng, ‘Alas! I have placed such a heavy burden on my Lord and master!’ There is absolutely no labor involved in accepting this burden for Me….”

Srila Prabhupada puts it in much simpler terms, “The particular words used here, ma suchah, ‘Don’t fear, don’t hesitate, don’t worry,’ are very significant. One may be perplexed as to how one can give up all kinds of religious forms and simply surrender unto Krishna, but such worry is useless.”

He quoted a verse from Srimad Bhagavatam saying that "Only those who show compassion to others can go to spiritual world". This means that when we care about others, showing compassion to them our hearts are opened, we develop bhakti and service towards others and also our spiritual life is protected. I also remember one saying from Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that we should chant and serve the vaisnavas. This is another fact that service is one of the main things that goes with japa. Our japa needs to go with service, being eager to please devotees and our spiritual master and this surely will satisfy Srila Prabhupada. Association in this case is very very important, because it makes us grow together, gives us the opportunity to see others necessities and show compassion...besides that we can also learn from them.