How to live a traumatic event as an opportunity

for growth and evolution (from the preface of Psychology of the Life Cycle book)

By Matsyavatara Dasa

The three key words in psychological help to terminal patients and their family members are: Welcoming, Assisting, Accompanying.

Welcoming means to make oneself available to the person, by opening one’s arms as well as one’s heart and mind.

Assisting means to operate gently, remaining always open to empathy, listening to the needs and the mentality of the person.

Accompanying means to walk by the person’s side rather than in front, sometimes even walking behind in humility and love, to encourage his or her progress. Accompanying is to gently coax the person towards his destination, with kindness and warmth, empathy, compassion and generosity.

In this book we will not discuss the case of patients who can recover to a state of physical health. We will rather focus on the assistance to patients in their terminal stage, from the perspective of the Bhakti-Vedanta psychology¹ that is certainly extremely valuable for the Western world, too. Our approach is holistic, free from the defect of fragmentation between medicine, psychology and spirituality.

I have been studying psychology for over 30 years, achieving specializations and exploring various Schools of thought, with particular attention to the classical Indian civilization, that created a very advanced Science of health (Ayurveda) and an important School of psychology (Upanishads, Vedanta, Bhagavad gita, Yogasutra and Puranas), very likely the first in the history of mankind.

This civilization, considered by many as the original culture of the world, is based on the Vedas, the most ancient texts known to mankind, universally appreciated and recognized by many as an authoritative source of physical and metaphysical knowledge, unifying the sciences of matter and spirit. This ancient knowledge, several thousands of years old, has been preserved, transmitted and renewed in time through the exegetic work of the various traditional Schools, and today it is highly respected in the West, too, amid a growing academic and scientific interest. It expresses a mature vision, characterized by advanced discoveries in the various fields such as medicine, philosophy, psychology, sociology, astronomy, mathematics, etc. It also offers surprisingly modern information and therapies that integrate the most cutting edge discoveries of contemporary science.

The Bhakti-Vedanta tradition offers information and methods that heal the individual on a global level, in all his/her anthropological aspects: physical, psychological and spiritual, substantially and effectively helping the development and the harmonious integration of personality, the tuning of the subconscious elements with the ego and the self. It offers an integrated, profitable and totally satisfying connection between sentiments and thoughts, intuition and reason, deep subconscious issues and operative rationality, up to the concrete and global experience of the visualization of the higher levels of reality (the self consciousness).

We will study the issue of terminal disease by considering not only the physical instrument (the body) but especially the psychological instrument, and the emotional blockages, guilt complexes and depressive states that often afflict those who are facing such an important step. We will also study the spiritual aspect not in an abstract, but with applications in the immanent reality of the individual.

Thus we will approach the person on an integrated way, in a wide and global perspective, including the rituals of physical and spiritual preparation to the transition, and the psychological needs of the patient to prepare for the “journey” of the soul after death.

The phenomena of birth and death have been analyzed by some great minds of the ancient and modern Western civilization:

“So-called birth is merely an old thing that takes a new form and clothing... The soul is always the same, only the form is lost”.

Ovid

"The doctrine of metempsychosis is neither absurd nor useless... Being born twice is not more astounding than only once".

Voltaire (1694-1778)

“Not the flesh is real – it is the soul that is real. The flesh is but ashes. The soul is the flame.”

Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

“The actions in previous lifetimes give the direction to the present lifetime.”

“The dreams of our present existence are the environment where we elaborate the impressions, the thoughts and sentiments of a previous lifetime...”

Lev Tolstoy (1828-1910)

“And calculating your life, you are the residue of many deaths....”

Walt Whitman (New York 1819-1892)

“I have no difficulty imagining that I have already lived through past centuries, and pondered over questions I was unable to answer. Therefore I had to be reborn because I had not been able to complete the task I had received”.

C. G. Jung (1875-1961)

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, Ph. D. in medicine and specialized in psychiatry, wrote several books about her experiences with terminal patients in hospitals. As we see in some of her most intense and moving pages, death is nothing but a sublime and sweet passage, and everyone of us can experience it in that way, leaving behind all regrets for this earthly life, the fear of detachment from loved ones, and the unknown that is waiting for us Beyond.

Brian Weiss, American psychiatrist, he is famous for his accounts of the amazing stories of his patients’ previous lifetimes, reconstructed by regression therapy. He uses techniques of spiritual psychotherapy to help the healing at physical, emotional and spiritual levels.

Raymond A. Moody, jr., American philosopher, physician and psychiatrist, studied Philosophy at the Virginia University, where he graduated in 1969. After teaching Ethics, Logics and Philosophy for three years at the North Carolina University, he started to study medicine and graduated at the Georgia Medical College. In 1975 he wrote a very famous book, “Life After Life”. Before him only Elizabeth Kubler Ross had presented the topic is a similarly rigorous way, sticking to simple experience as much as possible.

In the Bhakti-Vedanta tradition each science is considered as closely interconnected with all the other disciplines in an organic project of training and therapy. In this context, it aims at a larger vision of man and the world, necessary to develop a balanced and deeply conscious life.

Our discussion will not be a mere abstract description, detached from the personal character of the expounder and of those who may be using it. Above all, we want to offer a concrete perspective on life, and the best effect will be obtained when our suggestions will be received in the spirit of broadening one’s awareness through theoretical and practical learning.

We will discuss Bhakti-Vedanta psychology with comparisons and connections to Western psychology, and propose instruments for a better awareness which can help our daily practice and as well as the cure, assistance and accompanying of terminal patients. Not only for the patients’ benefit, but also for our own benefit: amazingly, the lessons on the subject of death are extraordinarily useful for personal development at large. In our case, success is death in a state of psychological well-being.

It is rightly said that, when teaching is done seriously, with competence and love, the teacher will learn and grow as much as the student. Similarly, one who assists and accompanies a dying person will have the opportunity to live an extraordinary experience of personal growth. Indeed, we cannot understand or plan life if we have not understood death.

Mrdanga Presentation.  Check out the competition at the end.

Houston, TX
2009-01-03

(…continued from Part 1)

Pandavas Paradise is a 400 hectare (almost 1000 acres) retreat centre/nature reserve/temple situated in the Cerrado, the vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil. The Cerrado is known as the world´s most biodiverse savanna with about 10,000 different species of vascular plants, over 160 mammal species, 867 bird species, thousands of species of butterfly, and much more. Of course, the Cerrado covers a huge area (about 2 million square kilometers) and not all of those species of plant and animal species exist in Pandavas Paradise, but the huge biodiversity is obvious. It is estimated that in each hectare of Cerrado you will find about 400 different species of plants. Every time I visit I find so many new plants and animals that I hadn´t seen before. Everywhere I look I see so many different species living side by side. It gives me great opportunity to wonder at Krishna´s creation, and remember that this is just a spark of his splendor.

In Pandavas Paradise we have a lot of field arnica (the Cerrado endemic, Lychnophora ericoides, not the other arnica):

We pick some and use it to make tea. It is used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory. The bees like it too when it is in bloom:

Here are just a few of the other interesting species I photographed during a recent visit as I walked around the various trails:

This frog was sitting on the deck outside our chalet:

“…the most alluring illusory material energy is His smile. This great ocean of material creation is but the casting of His glance over us.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.1.31)

Pandavas Paradise has only been operational for three years and, for now, it is mainly used for retreats and festivals . I will write more later about how we plan to develop its other aspects – a bigger temple and a devotional community.

Listen to my croissants shatter.

There were some good questions also... a devotee asked if it's ok to chant even if you are commiting sinful activities or should we stop chanting japa. The answer was that we can never stop chanting and try our best to avoid unfavourable things in spiritual life. The most important advice is to continue chanting with attention, hearing the mantra and the purifying effects will certainly come and we will easily lose attraction for the lower taste...its simple and easy, but one needs to take it seriously.
A great inspiration for me was the question Advaita made in the Japa room - he asked how can he inspire others to chant the holy names... what can he do. The reply was the if he shows by example being a nice devotee and also making advancement others will for sure be interested in japa.
I have to tell you a secret...watching today the Maha abhiseka video of the Pancha Tattva Deities in Mayapur made me cry- I have never seen such wonderful Deities. Their standard is so high and I felt like being there...wow so blessed are the devotees who were bathing them. Gauura Purnima is coming and also this month my Gaura Nitai Deities are coming from Mayapur.

Krishna Priya dd was born and grew up in the doomed village Schmiegl in eastern Poland. There had been a hospital where thousands of people had left their bodies, infesting the village with ghosts. In the neighboring house to where Krishna Priya lived, a woman was constantly calling them up. As a result, her mother became haunted, her father was an alcohol addict. As a result, Krishna Priya from the early age of 7 started maintaining the family and doing the household at the same time. On the way to school children often threw stones at her. But she always took shelter of Mother Mary and Lord Jesus, spending hours in the local church, and was blessed with Their reciprocation.

At age 17 she moved to Antwerp, Belgium, where she promptly married and kept on working hard, wearing out her body. She bore a child, which was heavily invalid, especially mentally retarded. It was greatly aggressive from the beginning and often bit its own mother, as she carried her down the stairs, day by day. When it reached the age of eleven, it showed its mother the first affection. Due to the handicap, the child as it grew up continuously frequently passed liquid stool in its dipers, sometimes 4 times in a row as if to tease the mother, who had to change them and clean the child.

Krishna Priya, who was in close touch with the Lord, met the devotees of Krishna first when her child was about 13. Soon after her husband passed away. As a widow and single mother, she now dedicated herself more and more to Krsna consciousness. Upon receiving Bg she just read through the night profusely shedding tears, as all this information had been known to her since her childhood, but everybody considering her crazy she had been compelled to hide her understanding for herself.

Her first action was buying heaps of these books and rushing onto the street to distribute them to everyone in Antwerp. But the time was not ripe, Krishna made her understand, after she had come home crying, because nobody wanted a book. Soon after, however, mataji started distributing sweetballs and books on a daily basis on the street, and single-handedly run a weekly nama hatta program, besides serving countless Deities, who come to her one after another.

She has always prayed to suffer for others. Presently she is recovering from a heavy hip operation and is in constant pain. But her consciousness is with opening a big temple in Antwerp for expanding the preaching. Her courageous, complaintless suffering in itself is major preaching work to all the devotees.

Janmastami dasa, Antwerp, Belgium

It's taken a lot of energy to get everything out of the Albert St studio and bring the facility to the condition that the landlord wants. He has a $17k bond that I need to get back - I borrowed the money and need to pay it back.

In one week Param satya and Prem Yogi have gotten the place together at 40 Glenrosa Rd to continue the community. On Saturday we had our first Krishnafest. It was also a welcome back for Prem, who just got back from Mayapura, and a going away for Acyuta Bhava, who is going to help at The Loft in Auckland, New Zealand. We had 19 people for that.

Tonight we had our first yoga class. One person came - Ian, who lives in the next suburb and usually comes to atma on Mondays. Vinita came over to help out. We took prasadam and discussed Bhagavatam and science.

I took some photos of the place this evening, afterwards.

For the last three years we haven't had any chairs, now suddenly we have 16.

The dry bhoga (ingredients) used to live in a cabinet outside Govindas. Now they are in our kitchen.

Wow! This used to be my bedroom. Prahlad and I slept on the floor in here with a bookshelf and a table. Now it's a lounge for discussions and chilling out.

That's the guitar that Clemens left me. I've left it there for kirtan.

The entrance. Prem says it's "Zen".

Blankets and straps.

I shot some more, but they are still uploading from my phone.. maybe tomorrow.

Kurma Rupa dasa: Our March 2009 Care for Cows Newsletter has been posted. Please review it at your earliest convenience.

Navadwipa Mandala Parikrama started on 28th February. 1500 devotees have registered for Parikrama. On 27th February, parikrama devotees went on harinam procession to Janmastan and took a vow to perform Sri Navadwipa Mandala Parikrama.

On the first day, parikrama party set out in boats from Prabhupada Ghat to Pancanantala, Nrismhapally and halted for the day at Harihara Kshetra.

read more

With the blessings of Guru and Gauranga, I was able to make my maiden visit to Sridham Mayapur with my wife Santhini Swaropa DD along with other devotees of Shyamadesh.

It was an excellent, wonderful experience i underwent during our short stay of 4 days and was in full ecstatic mood throughout the period.

When most of the world leaders are talking and struggling to make one

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Yesterday was our second sleepover/ mangal arati program. The experience can be nicely summarized as: "According to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu the preaching activities of the Krsna consciousness movement are anandambudhi-vardhanam, the ever-increasing ocean of bliss.
[SB 11.3.23] When I reached the temple at 4am I was happy to see that all the ladies had voluntarily put on saries and tilak. As the pictures reveal, they looked absolutely fabulous.

After all the dancing at mangal arati, at tulasi arati the devotees could not keep their feet on the ground as the ecstasy increased. Note in the picture below that the women also danced gracefully. The sleepover brings great joy to their parents also. Bhaktin Parijata told me that her mother can't stop asking her what she learnt at the temple. Others remarked that their parents are so happy that they have choosen a drug free path. They feel that the Krishna conscious movement is protecting their children from the vices of this world. All glories to Srila Prabhupada's teachings!!!

Bhakta Nitai who is pictured below chanting in dhoti and tilak has had his entire life transformed in a week since the program last Sunday. He managed to complete his tilak in time this Sunday and wear a dhoti and be punctual for mangal arati! He chants very clearly and is so inspiring. Last Sunday was his first encounter with japa. He chants the entire japa period from 5.30am to 7am sitting in one spot! All glories to Srila Prabhupada's touchstone process that he so mercifully gave to us even here in the southern tip of Africa.

In the group photo featured below are the blissful faces of those who attended mangal arati. During the week Nrsimhananda Prabhu, my husband who is kneeling closest to Srimati Tulasi devi and has been receiving SMS's from these devotees saying that they can't wait for the next program!! How attractive Krishna consciousness is that once tasting it so much of transcendental greed developes.

Date: February 26, 2009
Verse: Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.24.12
Speaker: HH Radhanath Swami

brahmovaca tvaya me ‘pacitis tata kalpita nirvyalikatah
yan me sanjagrhe vakyam bhavan manada manayan

TRANSLATION: Lord Brahma said: My dear son Kardama, since you have completely accepted my instructions without duplicity, showing them proper respect, you have worshiped me properly. Whatever instructions you took from me you have carried out, and thereby you have honored me.

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Krisna-völgy a lelki élet oázisa, de emellett Somogy megye egyik legfontosabb és leglátogatottabb turisztikai látványossága. A vendégek már a kezdetektől fogva elkezdtek látogatni bennünket. Később ezen a vonalon alakult ki a turisztikai osztályunk, és mostmár  évente  30 000 vendég látogat el hozzánk.

A leghatékonyabb hirdetési módszer az, ha az emberek az ismerőseiknek adják át egy hely jóhírét, és ez nálunk elég hatékonyan működik. De ezek mellett sokféle, általánosan bevált hirdetési módszert is alkalmazunk. Ennek egyik példája az, hogy rendszeresen kint vagyunk az BNV területén évente megrendezett “Utazás” turisztikai kiállításon, ahol 65,000 látogató szokott részt venni. Az idén saját standunk van. Itt néhány kedves barátom szervezi a megjelenésünket. Mivel szívemhez közel áll a farm turizmusa (és még szerveztem is néhány éven át), ezért vasárnap kilátogattam a rendezvényre. Az erkölcsi támogatás mellett hasznomat is vették, hiszen felvettem néhány videó snittet, amit a későbbiek folyamán használhatunk.

A kiállításon továbbra is divatos a wellness, kezd jobban előtérbe kerülni a kézműves foglalkozásokat is bemutató programok. Idén komolyan hirdették a Magyarországi, belföldi turizmust: “Itthon láss csodát!” szlogennel. A kampány másik eleme pedig a kulturális turizmus volt, amely nem csak a helyek látogasát volt hivatott hirdetni, hanem a helyszíneken zajló színes, kulturális programokat is.

Összességében egy jó kiállítás volt. Reméljük sok látogatónak keltettük fel az érdeklődését és sokakat vendégeinkként láthatunk majd közülük.

God's mercy is greater than God's law. -- Bhakti-tirtha swami

“At first I couldn’t believe it,” said Rijidatma Dasa. “The books, yes. But who would ever think the BBT would start monkeying with the Vaishnava Calendar?”

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madhuram

Our entire global society is in a perilous state because we have based our economic system on cheap petroleum and ever-increasing sense gratification. With the tremendous current crisis of economic recession, water and air pollution, global warming, and gargantuan masses of garbage accumulating all over the planet both in the ocean and on the land--we...

I’ll begin this with a prayer because it is about prayer: “My dear Lord Krishna, You are the Supersoul in everyone’s heart. From you come knowledge, remembrance, and forgetfulness. You are the well-wishing friend of every living entity. Thank You for kindly engaging me in this work. Please guide me so that my writing may be [...]

Today's Sunday Feast recording can be viewed by clicking the image below.

As a reminder, the recordings from our weekly live web broadcasts are stored on our new ISKCON Toronto Video Archive Blog.

1966 March 1:
"Received letter from Secretary of Indian Prime Minister. Disappointing. Saw the India office and Mr. L. L. Mehotra for extention passport. Still hopeful."
Prabhupada Journal :: 1966

1968 March 1: "This Maya will attack the body always, because the body itself is the source of all troubles. If anyone wants real happiness, he has to get out of the entanglements of this material body."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 March 1: "The real thing is that you are feeling alone, and because you are so to say, child, you have become nervous. Otherwise for a preacher there is no difficulty anywhere, irrespective of climate and conditions."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 March 1: "I was staying in Radha Damodara Temple in my room by closing the door, making it complete dark and running on the fan. I was never in trouble. So if one is determined to stay, things could be adjusted."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 March 1: "If we call for you and a party of nice kirtana singers, it means rupees 100,000. I am therefore training local boys and girls for kirtana and very soon we shall be out on world tour with this kirtana party."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1972 March 1: "Maintain to the highest standard and do not neglect for anything - rising early, cleansing, reading books, chanting, street Sankirtana, deity worship - then everything we try for will come out successful without fail."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 March 1: "Flood this famous seat of learning with our books and literatures. If we can convince the intelligent class of men of our Krishna philosophy then our success for changing the world is assured."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 March 1: "Instruct him to be always pure or suci. One's actions are not pure until the body is pure. By stressing all kinds of cleanliness habits, eventually one can become qualified to meet God face to face."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

For a change the few of us that live in the Welsh Valleys took a trip to Cardiff to the home of Yugala and Tina, here are some of the pictures           The class was given from the following verse: TRANSLATION I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My internal potency, [...]

Krsna is the Absolute Truth because, unlike relative truth, He is Truth in all the three phases of eternal time. Time is divided into past, present and future. Krsna is Truth always -- past, present and future. In the material world everything is being controlled by supreme time, in the course of past, present and future. But before the creation, Krsna was existing, and when there is creation, everything is resting in Krsna, and when this creation is finished, Krsna will remain. Therefore, He is the Absolute Truth in all circumstances. If there is any truth within this material world, it emanates from the Supreme Truth, Krsna. If there is any opulence within this material world, the cause of the opulence is Krsna. If there is any reputation within this material world, the cause of the reputation is Krsna. If there is any strength within this material world, the cause of such strength is Krsna. If there is any wisdom and education within this material world, the cause of such wisdom and education is Krsna. Therefore Krsna is the source of all relative truths.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => KB 2: Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Krsna in the Womb

Sunday 1st March, 2009.

1966 March 1:
"Received letter from Secretary of Indian Prime Minister. Disappointing. Saw the India office and Mr. L. L. Mehotra for extention passport. Still hopeful."
Prabhupada Journal :: 1966

1968 March 1: "This Maya will attack the body always, because the body itself is the source of all troubles. If anyone wants real happiness, he has to get out of the entanglements of this material body."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 March 1: "The real thing is that you are feeling alone, and because you are so to say, child, you have become nervous. Otherwise for a preacher there is no difficulty anywhere, irrespective of climate and conditions."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 March 1: "I was staying in Radha Damodara Temple in my room by closing the door, making it complete dark and running on the fan. I was never in trouble. So if one is determined to stay, things could be adjusted."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1968 March 1: "If we call for you and a party of nice kirtana singers, it means rupees 100,000. I am therefore training local boys and girls for kirtana and very soon we shall be out on world tour with this kirtana party."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1972 March 1: "Maintain to the highest standard and do not neglect for anything - rising early, cleansing, reading books, chanting, street Sankirtana, deity worship - then everything we try for will come out successful without fail."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 March 1: "Flood this famous seat of learning with our books and literatures. If we can convince the intelligent class of men of our Krishna philosophy then our success for changing the world is assured."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 March 1: "Instruct him to be always pure or suci. One's actions are not pure until the body is pure. By stressing all kinds of cleanliness habits, eventually one can become qualified to meet God face to face."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

In this nice video Bada Haridas prabhu talks about the importance of using Japa beads and a bead bag.

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.

For the month of March and for this Gaura Purnima time of year, I’ve decided to tackle the chatur shloki. The chatur shloki are the four verses that pretty well sum up the contents of the Bhagavad-gita. If you’re only going to read four verses from Bhagavad-gita, these are the four to read.

Krishna tells Arjuna at the beginning of this tenth chapter to listen close, He’s about to drop some knowledge that’s even better than the knowledge he dropped in chapters one through nine. And Chapter Four is a tough act to beat.

But, of course, He lives up to His word.

Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 10, Verse 8

aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah

I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.
-Srila Prabhupada

I am the source of everything; all proceeds from me. Realizing this, the wise imbued with love adore me.
-Tripurari Swami

I am the source of both mundane and spiritual worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this well, engage in My bhajana with great joy in their hearts.
-Narayana Maharaja

"I am, of everything,
    the coming forth into being;
    from me everything
    is set forth into motion."
Mindful [of these words],
    they offer their love to me,
    the enlightened ones,
    being fully immersed
    in feelings of love.
-Garuda dasa (Graham M. Schweig)

In Sufism, there seems to be an expression, “everything is the God.” From my limited exposure to it, it’s said as a reminder that everything is happening according to God’s plan and that everything, material and spiritual, comes from God. The Bhagavad-gita has a similar idea (as is often the case).

The first line aham sarvasya prabhavo, is roughly “I am the source of everything.” The word aham simply means “I am.” In the Torah and the biblical book of Exodus, God refers to Himself as “Ehyeh asher ehyeh,” commonly translated: “The I am that I am.” This is basic stuff here. God is what He is. And what is He?

He is the source of everything.

Srila Prabhupada makes it clear that the word sarvasya is everything spiritual and material. Narayana Maharaja does the same by explaining that Krishna is “the source of both mundane and spiritual worlds.” Tripurari Swami sticks closer to the Sanskrit with “I am the source of everything.”

Garuda dasa’s poetical translation puts this first line as “I am, of everything; the coming forth into being.” This seems an odd way to put it. He seems to simply be listing the definitions of the words. “I am” is, of course from aham. The word sarvasya does mean “of everything.” And prabhavo literally means “the source” or “the source of generation” - from where everything comes. He seems to be saying that Krishna isn’t just the source of everything coming into being, He’s also the act of coming into being.

In his footnotes, Garuda dasa writes, “The coming forth into being: Translates prabhavah, as it is used in a cosmological context. The word is often translated as ’source’ or ‘origin.’”

Our second line, mattah sarvam pravartate, very literally translates as “from me, everything emanates.” Srila Prabhupada and Narayana Maharaja both translates it as “Everything emanates from Me.” Tripurari Swami, who translates pravartate slightly differently, puts it: “all proceeds from me.” And Garuda dasa, taking it a step farther has it as, “from me everything is set forth into motion.”

While we now have three different definitions for the verb pravartate, each brings with it a slightly different, but very complementary, understand of God. These different definitions are not at adds with one another.

As is often the case when translating poetry from another language, one line seems to run in and mix with the next. Such is the case here. The third and fourth lines have to be taken as a whole. This allows iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanviah to be translated in some interesting ways.

Most of us are familiar with Srila Prabhupada’s “The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.” Prabhupada translates the word bhajante in his word-for-word section simply as “becomes devoted.” But in his verse, he goes a bit deeper into it with “perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me.” Often he would remind us that devotional service to God is worship. Here is another such case.

Tripurari Swami takes a slightly different approach to bhajante. He defines is at “adore.” While he doesn’t specifically address this in his purport, he does write: “Spiritual love that knows no reason cares little for the Godhood of Godhead, yet it is this kind of love that brings one in touch with the fullest expression of the Absolute, the source of everything and its feeling, the Supreme God.”

Often, Narayana Maharaja will not translate certain words in his verses. The word bhajante is within “The wise who know this well, engage in My bhajana….” In his word-for-word section, he translates it simply as “worship.”

The last word, bhava-samanvitah, is the real nectar of this verse. Srila Prabhupada writes that the wise “worship Me with all their hearts.” He glosses it as “with great attention” in his word-for-word, but in his verse, he gives it heart. Following suit, Tripurari Swami puts it as “imbued with love.”

And Narayana Maharaja’s is very sweet. He writes that the wise “engage in My bhajana with great joy in their hearts.” In his word-for-word, it’s “filled with ecstasy.”

I greatly appreciate Garuda dasa’s translation of the Bhagavad-gita back into poetry, though sometimes I’m confused with his choice of words, after a bit of study, it all becomes clear. Here is such an example. What can be translated simply (albeit, coldly) as “having comprehended this, the wise ecstatically worship Me,” is “Mindful [of these words], they offer their love to me, the enlightened ones, being fully immersed in feelings of love.”

You can go through and pick out which English phrase corresponds with which Sanskrit word if you like, “the enlightened ones” is “budhah,” “immersed in feelings of love” is “bhava-samanvitah.” Something, however, still seems muddled. This is a clear example of undertaking such a difficult task as translating poetry to poetry.

His meaning here is that the “enlightened” ones are fully immersed in feelings of love. In turn, they offer that love to God. It is cyclical. Because they love God, they are enlightened. Because they are enlightened, they offer that love to God. God then immerses them in love and they then shower Him with love.

These verses have been translated, explained, purported up and taught in Sunday Feast lectures by everyone from the lowliest bhaktas to the most exalted gurus. There are many meanings within, as is obvious from reading the three very different purports from Srila Prabhupada, Tripurari Swami and Narayana Maharaja.

Because of this, there is a great deal of discussion of these topics. We are fortunate in this regard. An example of this fortune is this four-verse commentary by Srila B.R. Sridhara Goswami, a godbrother of Srila Prabhupada, contemporary of Narayana Maharaja and sisksa-guru (teacher) of Tripurari Swami.

His translations capture the mood of our Gaudia-Vaisnana philosophical line rather than a direct word-for-word recitation (though that is there too). You can read what he has to say, here.

I apologize for being so long-winded, but this isn’t something you sum up. As Narayana Maharaja translated, we should do this with “great joy” in our hearts. God isn’t someone to just study, He is someone to adore. This adoration immerses us in love of God. With this love, as Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport, we should proceed “with determination and firmness.” Our determination and firmness, our strength, is built upon our love of God and His love for us.

After maha-abhisek Pancha-tattva altar finally has a different backdrop (it is still to be compleated)

In an article in the NY Times i came across a couple of quotes written by the recently deceased Pulitzer prize winning author, John Updike.

Updike describes the facts of life as “unbearably heavy, weighted as they are with our personal death. Writing, in making the world light — in codifying, distorting, prettifying, verbalizing it — approaches blasphemy.”

In other words, Updike says that our mortality makes every other thing in the world-- whatever its apparent beauty, value or power-- seem superficial and facile, like trivial chatter. Think of this chatter as a kind of blasphemy against reality! Certainly to glorify this chatter is a kind of blasphemy!

How true, but how difficult to avoid it. Authors like Updike made his name and fame from it, and the rest of the world feed each other with it. It is practically the bread of life. To be indifferent to all of it (including the blah blahing most devotees enjoy) is a great achievment.

Greater yet than tolerating and being indifferent to this chatter, is to be attentive and active on a platform beyond it, on the plane of seva. To be jolly and cheerfully situated on that higher plane of divine service, of hearing and chanting, is possible only for a sadhu. I don't care what anyone's dress is or how articulate they may be. I am not impressed with their scholarship or renunciation or popularity.

I bow down only to those who are steadily situated on the plane of seva to sravanam and kirtanam. And i offer my respects to those whose hopes and prayers are to one day reach that plane. To all others, let me do my best to endure their petty blasphemy in a myriad of forms and appearances.

Here is another golden quote from Mr. Updike:

“Nature dangles sex to keep us walking toward the cliff.”

We are sexual puppets moving towards a cliff which happens to be our own death. Sex and death are intimate relations with each other. (For those who cannot see the connection, think of it another way: sex is the cause of birth, and birth is the cause of both sex and death.)

Our imaginations are the background score to this puppet play, filled with undelivered yet vivid promises of sex, drugs and rock and roll (choose your particular variation). Nature is the puppet master who moves us on the strings of the impressions in our minds. The false ego is the puppet master's faithful assistant who spins a personal web for each of us that blinds us and keeps us from seeing our soul and from seeing what lies just ahead.

As we finally approach the cliff in our forgetful play, fear appears and grasps us by the neck. We sense a bleak outcome and experience the anxiety of another impending death. 'Oh shit,' we say, 'I'm not ready to die.'

The rare ones who yell out to us in the puppet theatre before we walk off the cliff, shout: 'the house is on fire!' At their own risk, they warn us and try to awaken us. But these great souls are either marginalized as "freeloaders" or madmen, or are co-opted into plastic prophets by the chela priests of religion. Some of the best atheists are the clergymen and commissioners of the churches and temples of this world.

Unbearably heavy, this conspiracy of illusion, this play of puppets. To all who are sincerely trying to get off the stage and to help others too, i say: Sadhu, sadhu! Bravo! Well done! Jai to you! Send me your blessings!

Padmapani das: With deep regret, I admit that I messed up very badly and tragically. I was prescribed medication for back pain, cramping and spasms due to car accidents and I became addicted.

Jagabandhu das: Please rest assured that "starving" really will happen (and in the USA), starting with food shortages this summer when California cuts farming production by half because of years of severe drought.

Ananda & Malati: Six months ago, we put ourRadha-kunda house on the market: 220 square yards of land and a small house amidst a peaceful Vaishnava-community in a prime location, with a five-minute walk to the sacred ponds at the center of the village.

Murari Sevaka: You are cordially invited to ISKCON Murari Sevaka Mandir To Celebrate the Appearance of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Sunday, March 15th 2009

By Patita Pavana das Adhikary

At the time of pralaya the oceans exceed their limits. Yet a saintly man always remains steady, even under extreme circumstances.

Atma Organic Cafe: Hare Krishna! ‘ATMA Organic Café’ is a trendy Café and Restaurant being promoted by a couple of dedicated ISKCON devotees living in New Zealand (who are also professionals in their respective fields of the media and food industry).

Ortrun Gates: Hare Krishna! Please come and celebrate Gaura Purnima in the wonderful country setting of Gita Nagari. The schedule can be found on the website

Babhru das: Over the last few months I’ve been working on an essay bringing together the external evidence we have about Srila Prabhupada's internal life. It turned into a rather long piece, and it was great fun to write.

Urmila devi dasi: Suppose you could get modest women’s bathing clothes that are beautiful, comfortable, quick-drying, look great in the water or to wear anywhere. The style is very flattering and allows for unrestricted swimming.

Malati devi dasi: Hare Krishna, I require a female assistant beginning immediately (due to an unforeseen last minute situation, the person who was going to take on this service is not able to do so)

A wonderful dance on the 10 incarnations of the Lord set to live music of Jayadev Goswami's Das Avatar.

Houston, TX
2009-01-03

We’ve been making monthly visits to the East Village Temple and whenever we listen to the kirtans from there and talk to the devotees I’m always reminded of why. The devotees are doing so much to spread Krishna Kirtan within every nook and cranny of New York and to try and uplift the vibe of this city of enjoyment. (more…)

A step in the right direction...

As he attempts to steer the United States through the challenges posed by economic crisis and an inherited war, President Barack Obama may very well turn to the Bhagavad-Gita for leadership advice.

The 44th president was recently gifted his own copy by an old friend whose sister is a devout Krishna devotee and hoped that Obama " known for his embrace of multiculturalism " might find the Hindu sacred text inspirational.

The doctrine of “Intelligent Design” (in the sense of advocating specific divine intervention and opposing evolutionary theory) is not really supported by the metaphysical texts of the Vedas.

We can see that the universe is constructed in such a way that it functions automatically without the need for divine intervention. This is consonant with the Vedic statement: parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate, sva-bhaviki bala jñana kriya ca - the Supreme Lord has multifarious energies which carry out His will automatically, without the need for Him to do anything.

Maya, the material energy, is working automatically without His direct supervision - karya karana kartrtve hetuh prakritir ucyate - material nature is said to be the cause of causes and effects, in other words, of all material bodies, which are the cause and the effect of fruitive activity.

When we look at the different levels of physical phenomena, from the sub-atomic to the atomic to the molecular to the chemical to the supramolecular to the biological, we see that each successive level of phenomena arises as another level of complexity that is emergent from the massive repeated interaction of the simple principles that underlie it. The complexity of the universe, including biological life, is emergent, not imposed.

The universe’s construction is elegant in the extreme. Everything that we see around us today is the natural result of the underlying principles of the system. That is God's way of creating if there is one - everything done naturally and effortlessly on His part.

The idea that biological species require some special form of divine intervention breaks with this otherwise seamless structure of the universe. It actually makes God seem incompetent more than omnipotent. As an extraordinary claim it would require extraordinary evidence, which is not to hand. It is a hypothesis that is not necessary to explain speciation. The chemical intricacies that underlie biological processes are more or less understood. Many of the mechanisms of speciation have been demonstrated.

These are all to do with the development of material bodies. This is going on automatically under the direction of material nature - both according to the scientific version, and according to the Vedic version.

This is not to say that science has then done away with the all possibility of God’s existence. Science describes the nature and functioning of the closed system. However, it is unable to answer the question: “Is the universe self-manifest, or does it have a cause?”

Some persons will see in the structure of the universe a universal designer, one who creates the fabric of space-time with its inherent properties (dharma) which interact to cause the eventual emergence of the complex phenomena that support the biological experience of conscious living entities.

Other may say that they do not wish to entertain this hypothesis; however, they are unable to falsify it using science, as it remains outside the realm of the scientific method.

Some people will then argue that as such it is an invalid subject of any inquiry. This is unfortunate, for they have then elevated science and the scientific method to a new religious dogma that claims to have the absolute truth and that nothing else has any value or validity.

My main point is that the old school “Intelligent Design” aka Fundamentalist Creationism is not a hard and fast position. It is useful for explaining things to a non-scientific or pre-scientific audience. The Puranas have many creation narratives that fulfil this purpose. Someone who wished to advocate these as literal truth would have to contend both with modern scientific research, and the fact that the Puranas contain multiple creation narratives that differ in their details. Add to this the fact that virtually all religions of the world have a creation narrative as part of the whole: "Giving people a sense of their place in the universe, and a sense that we have concrete answers for them". Altogether this is not a position that I myself feel has great value in today's world.

However, the Upanishadic metaphysical presentation supports Theistic Evolution (as advocated by Francis Collins the leader of the Human Genome Project), which is more compatible with modern science.

The Upanishads especially address the question: "Is the universe self-manifest, or does it have a cause?" They also give valuable insight into the questions: "What is consciousness?" and "What is life?", two questions with which modern science struggles.

See also Bhakta Eric's post "Unintelligent Design" from July, 2008.

Empirical research about psychological perceptions of science and religion:

A person's unconscious attitudes toward science and God may be fundamentally opposed, researchers report, depending on how religion and science are used to answer "ultimate" questions such as how the universe began or the origin of life.

"On the other hand, people may have a generally positive view of science until it fails to explain the important questions. Then belief in God may be boosted to fill in the gap," she said.

The most obvious implication of the research is that "to be compatible, science and religion need to stick to their own territories, their own explanatory space," Preston said.

- God Or Science? A Belief In One Weakens Positive Feelings For The Other, Science Daily

Modern science is very powerful, within its domain of the physical. The Veda is powerful in picking up where science leaves off, in the realm of the metaphysical.

I am writing this sitting steps away from that Krishna
That Kanha whose lotus eyes are said to have been carved by Vishvakarma himself
Lotus eyes indeed! They look mesmerizing through Kanakadasa's window!
Feeling the breeze, hearing the melodious birds, leaves rustling

A conversation I overhear....





Radha: "Who taps on My door with one finger?"
Krsna: " O crooked girl, it is Madhava."
Radha: "Madhava is a name of spring. Has springtime come knocking on my door?"
Krsna: "Certainly not! It is the holder of the Sudarsana wheel"
Radha: "Potters hold wheels. Are you a potter?"
Krsna: "I am not. I am the person who holds up the entire world."
Radha: "The forked-tongue serpent king, Ananta holds up the world. Are you he?"
Krsna: "No. I am the person who crushes serpents."
Radha: "The bird-king Garuda crushes serpents. Are you he?"
Krsna: "No! I am Lord Hari!!"


How delightful right? :D

For those of you who haven't caught the clue, I am in Udupi right now... enjoying the peace, catching up on my reading!

P.S: Maha-abhishek was so intense an experience that I cannot put words to it. Mercy? The word just doesnt cover it for Gauranga....

Several weeks ago I noticed a man at a check out line in a grocery store holding a meat package in his hand waiting for his turn with the cashier. It was heartbreaking to see that blood was dripping out from the package making a small puddle on the floor. This was the blood of a living, breathing cow who a short while ago was experiencing feelings and...

If you would like to contribute to our year-long "celebration" of Darwin's 200th birthday, please send your articles, editorials, or any other creative and informative pieces to nvclub108@gmail.com

Of course, as you may or may not have sensed, this "celebration" is a little tongue-in-cheek. We are imbibing Prabhupada's serious mood in exposing the fallacies of Darwinist doctrine, but hopefully we'll have a few laughs too, in order not to come off as too heavy-handed.

We'll be convincing, and hilarious too...hopefully, in service to the devotees looking to become more educated on this debate, and for newcomers interested in the Vedic paradigm.

In a mood of fair-and-balanced, here is a link to a website on the PBS Nova series Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial, in which both sides of the creationist and Darwinist debate are paired off in the context of the 2005 court case deciding whether intelligent design could be taught in the school districts of Dover, Pennsylvania.

The (false) ego, often thought to be the 'real self' is in a constant state of delusion, sometimes thinking he or she controls others, and in some cases this happens. Some heads of state 'control' millions of people. In addition to political and military control there is economic and intellectual control, sometimes over hundreds of millions of people. But this sense of ego meets with frustration and anxiety at some point, even if it has to wait until the moment of death.

read more

nectar

The past few days have just been....well....hot and pretty chaotic! Sri Mayapur dham is steaming as I write and unfortunately I haven't been coping so well with the heat. Most of the time I'm trying to get things done and instead I end up in my room under my fan taking naps! Definitely not the way I'd like to spend my last few weeks in the holy dham! :(

But a very dear friend of mine, Radha Sundari, shared a realization that she had which I very much appreciate. "Sometimes in the heat you just have to surrender to the fact that you might not get anything done!"

Being a person who is normally pretty active (I say normally because I can be very absorbed in my worship of Nidra devi at times!) I feel pretty useless especially now that the deity worship course has come to an end. Having been running on maximum potential for the past couple of weeks with barely any sleep, lots of excitement and lots of mercy, I feel like a blob at times.

However, I've been trying to utilize this time to become more reflective. Although the heat is slowing me down and is definitely taking a toll on my energy levels, at the same time its allowing me to spend more time with Radha Madhava/Panca Tattva/Nrsimhadeva and my own deities. I'm also getting more time to read and just reflect about what I want to do with my newfound knowledge, realizations and enthusiasm. I'm also getting to spend a lot of time with wonderful devotees that I've gotten the opportunity to meet.

Mayapur is home and the deities and the devotees are my family. I feel that more and more everyday. The mercy of Gauranga is so tangible and even when I feel like a useless incompetent blob, I've never felt happier in my life. So if it's hot and it needs to get hotter, let it be! I just pray that this Mayapur sun can melt my heart into a rich and tasty butter that my spiritual master can offer to Sri Sri Radha Madhava.

I cleaned up some papers today. Things had gotten out of hand. Instead of dealing with things item by item, I kept hitting the “delay” button. If you’ve ever played around with audio effects, you know what “delay” can do. You can make a single sound repeat once, or twice, or three times, or turn the dial [...]

"Human intellect is developed for advancement of learning in art, science, philosophy, physics, chemistry, psychology, economics, politics, etc. By culture of such knowledge the human society can attain perfection of life. This perfection of life culminates in the realization of the Supreme Being, Viṣṇu. The śruti therefore directs that those who are actually advanced in learning should aspire for the service of Lord Viṣṇu. Unfortunately persons who are enamored by the external beauty of viṣṇu-māyā do not understand that culmination of perfection or self-realization depends on Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu-māyā means sense enjoyment, which is transient and miserable. Those who are entrapped by viṣṇu-māyā utilize advancement of knowledge for sense enjoyment. ŚrīNārada Muni has explained that all paraphernalia of the cosmic universe is but an emanation from the Lord out of His different energies because the Lord has set in motion, by His inconceivable energy, the actions and reactions of the created manifestation. They have come to be out of His energy, they rest on His energy, and after annihilation they merge into Him. Nothing is, therefore, different from Him, but at the same time the Lord is always different from them.

When advancement of knowledge is applied in the service of the Lord, the whole process becomes absolute. The Personality of Godhead and His transcendental name, fame, glory, etc., are all nondifferent from Him. Therefore, all the sages and devotees of the Lord have recommended that the subject matter of art, science, philosophy, physics, chemistry, psychology and all other branches of knowledge should be wholly and solely applied in the service of the Lord. Art, literature, poetry, painting, etc., may be used in glorifying the Lord. The fiction writers, poets and celebrated litterateurs are generally engaged in writing of sensuous subjects, but if they turn towards the service of the Lord they can describe the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. Vālmīki was a great poet, and similarly Vyāsadeva is a great writer, and both of them have absolutely engaged themselves in delineating the transcendental activities of the Lord and by doing so have become immortal. Similarly, science and philosophy also should be applied in the service of the Lord. There is no use presenting dry speculative theories for sense gratification. philosophy and science should be engaged to establish the glory of the Lord. Advanced people are eager to understand the Absolute Truth through the medium of science, and therefore a great scientist should endeavor to prove the existence of the Lord on a scientific basis. Similarly, philosophical speculations should be utilized to establish the Supreme Truth as sentient and all-powerful. Similarly, all other branches of knowledge should always be engaged in the service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā also the same is affirmed. All "knowledge" not engaged in the service of the Lord is but nescience. Real utilization of advanced knowledge is to establish the glories of the Lord, and that is the real import. Scientific knowledge engaged in the service of the Lord and all similar activities are all factually hari-kīrtana, or glorification of the Lord."

Bhaktivedanta Purports Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.22

1966 February 28: "Engagement with the First Secretary of Permanent Commission of Nepal State to the United Nations at 2 pm. Saw the First Secretary Mr. Kedar P. Kairala and it is hopeful. He will let me know very soon. Expenditure: Bus fare .30"
Prabhupada Journal :: 1966

1969 February 28: "There is no possibility of receiving perfect knowledge without approaching a self-realized Spiritual Master coming down in disciplic succession. The mental speculator cannot deliver the right knowledge."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 February 28: "If we finish 15 tapes in a month, it comes to about 300 pages per month. Therefore, we can calculate that every two months we produce one book or, in every year we produce six books."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 February 28: "We wish to print at least sixty books, so it will take ten years. Under this process, the time allowed is quite reasonable. Anyway try to process the work in the above way and let me know how far it is feasible."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 February 28: "By the by, I may inform you that we require many pairs of Deities, but the Vrindaban manufacturer is very slow. Will you kindly take the trouble to find out someone in Jaipur who can supply us such Murtis regularly."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 February 28: "The future preachers of the Krishna Consciousness Movement must learn to be suci, absolutely pure in all respects. Your country will become so much degraded that they will appreciate if we are revolutionary clean."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 February 28: "We have to daily sharpen our intelligence by reading and discussing and preaching to others. You cannot expect that even the great saintly persons are free from thoughts coming and going."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 February 28: "The best remedy is to discuss amongst yourselves regularly all our books in classes, then these doubts will be killed. Without reading books it becomes hackneyed and such obnoxious ideas trouble us."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

The cooking has begun. I am trying to get it together for selling on Sunday while simultaneously keeping a five year old and a three year old off the disabled list. Everyone knows kids are made of rubber...and milk. Which is my son's remedy of choice when his sister just elbowed him in the eyeball while stomp jumping on packing bubbles.

O Lord, those who practice yoga only for sense gratification must suffer punishment both in this life and the next: from death, who will not release them, and from You, whose kingdom they cannot reach.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.87.39

Spoken by the Personified Vedas

From the "The Times of India", Jaipur, 28/02/2009

"... every rung goes higher, higher..."
Often the west is described as an "instant sense gratification" culture and being born in the west, a monk's life poses some interesting challenges. Monastic life is usually meant to be practiced in peaceful settings like cloistered walls as seen in European countries, Temples as seen in Asia or other gatherings of ascetics in different cultures. In each system the monk's goal is to go deeper into understanding his lifestyle as well as presenting it to the general masses. Each monk is encouraged to study, learn and digest the lessons learned, and then present it according to his capacity.
For me, the gift of easily making friends with others has been a great strength, and for those inclined to asceticism, I serve as an ice breaker, a person who tries to show the lifestyle in practice. To accomplish this means to be where people are but my true goal isn't to recruit monks; rather I want to develop deep friendships with others who are truly loving their life choices. If during that course of human interaction I meet persons interested in my lifestyle I serve as a small guide toward this lifelong decision into monasticism. Yet I am awed by some friends I know who spend a lot of time in nature hiking and exploring all she has to display from God's unfathomable art room. The level of friendship I want to develop with people is one of genuine respect for each person's calling as well as the humility to learn for such persons principles they live by.
The world in itself requires deeper and higher journeys in whatever one may do. To be a successful anybody means to act with deeper love and enthusiasm in that field. For monks, or devotees of Krishna in general, our goal is to develop unalloyed love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At first one may have the needed faith to "begin" the bhakti yoga process which leads to association of others who have similar interests, some on the same level, some newer in understanding and others advanced on the path. From association one begins to act more seriously which then causes unwanted desires in the heart to weaken and ultimately disappear, leaving one fixed in his determination and develop a deeper taste attachment and ultimately pure unalloyed devotion.
I am traveling at the moment with four other students and the task of presenting this philosophy purely that I am not only speaking, but more importantly acting properly as shown by my predecessors. More specific details will come as our journey to learn and share Krishna Consciousness with all.

Having pictures of deities in the car comes with many responsibilities, generally they are greeted in a very respectful manor, many are curious and many interesting conversations have arisen, Some have brought flowers, food and drink for them. The plus side for me also means that when away from home I can still offer my food [...]

Krsna Ksetra prabhu, Anuttama prabhu, Saunaka Rsi prabhu, Ranchor prabhu, Radha Krishna prabhu and Krishnasharan prabhu, Merudevi dasi, Villa Vrindavan and plenty of Italian prasadam

The biggest event on most ISKCON devotees’ calendars – the Gaura Purnima festival at Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir in Bengal, India – kicked off this February 24. Traditionally, Gaura Purnima honors the birth in 1482 of Sri Chaitanya, the founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

Kolkata-On Sunday February 15th, more than six thousand people participated in the "Prema and Bhakti Sammelen," an all-day forum in honor of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, India's 16th Century saint and avatara.

At its recent annual general meetings in Mayapur, India, ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission approved Yadunandana Dasa as a candidate for sannyasa, the renounced order of life. Yadunandana is the principal of Bhaktivedanta College, a Vaishnava school accredited by the University of Wales, Lampeter, and located in the rural Ardennes region of Belgium.

1966 February 28: "Engagement with the First Secretary of Permanent Commission of Nepal State to the United Nations at 2 pm. Saw the First Secretary Mr. Kedar P. Kairala and it is hopeful. He will let me know very soon. Expenditure: Bus fare .30"
Prabhupada Journal :: 1966

1970 February 28: "If we finish 15 tapes in a month, it comes to about 300 pages per month. Therefore, we can calculate that every two months we produce one book or, in every year we produce six books."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 February 28: "The future preachers of the Krishna Consciousness Movement must learn to be suci, absolutely pure in all respects. Your country will become so much degraded that they will appreciate if we are revolutionary clean."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1969 February 28: "There is no possibility of receiving perfect knowledge without approaching a self-realized Spiritual Master coming down in disciplic succession. The mental speculator cannot deliver the right knowledge."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 February 28: "We wish to print at least sixty books, so it will take ten years. Under this process, the time allowed is quite reasonable. Anyway try to process the work in the above way and let me know how far it is feasible."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 February 28: "By the by, I may inform you that we require many pairs of Deities, but the Vrindaban manufacturer is very slow. Will you kindly take the trouble to find out someone in Jaipur who can supply us such Murtis regularly."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 February 28: "We have to daily sharpen our intelligence by reading and discussing and preaching to others. You cannot expect that even the great saintly persons are free from thoughts coming and going."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972