Badahari das singing the bhajan "Bhaja Bhakata Vatsala Sri Gaura Hari" -- traditionally sung for Bhoga Arati.  Mukunda Datta das playing the Mrdanga.

Dallas, TX
2008-03-05

A little while ago, I wrote an entry entitled “Questioning Srila Prabhupada.” This is the first toe-dipping into that arena.

The quote in question is from Bhagavad-gita 9.32:

O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth–women, vaisyas [merchants], as well as sudras [workers]–can approach the supreme destination.

What is actually being said is those that take shelter in Krishna can approach the supreme destination. That’s the whole intent of the verse.

Both Krishna (in the original Sanskrit) and Srila Prabhupada (in the translation) mention “women, vaisyas and sudras.”

In the original Sanskrit, it is a list: those of lower birth, women, vaisyas, also sudras. But in Srila Prabhupada’s translation the list is describing “lower birth.” He describes “lower birth” as women, vaisyas and sudras.

This, of course, is where the controversy is.

In no other Gaudiya-Vaisnava translation and commentary that I’ve seen is it translated as such. The verse is a great one. It is saying that love of God is available to anyone without discrimination. However, it also appears that Srila Prabhupada is discriminating against women, vaisyas and sudras, calling them “lower birth.”

To me, this term is not so much insulting as it is truthful. I have always taken it to mean “worse situation from birth.” Technically, the word “papa-yonayah” means “troubled womb.”

If someone is, for instance, born a black woman or in a working class family, it’s probably going to be a tougher life than someone born as a while male in a rich family. That’s just a fact. And technically, one would be a “higher birth” and the other a “lower birth.”

I don’t see this particular verse as Srila Prabhupada saying that “women are worse than men.” The real purport is that everyone is eligible, no matter your social status.

Like I said before, the original Sanskrit and every other translation avoids this confusion and does not claim that “women, vaisyas and sudras” are of a lower birth. But it does mention “papa-yonaya” - basically troubled families.

Why Srila Prabhupada chose to translate it this way is beyond me. While I don’t believe he was exposing a prejudice here, he certainly could have phrased it in a clearer way. After all, this is a very anti-prejudicial statement by Krishna.

Again, my take on it is that women, sudras, people from troubled families or pretty much anyone that’s going to get a crappy end of the stuck due to how they were born and where (black, gay, poor in a place that is prejudiced against them) is, by definition a “lower birth.” It’s not going to be an easy life because of the situation at birth.

“Lower birth” is a material designation, it has nothing to do with the spiritual (as this verse says). However, Srila Prabhupada’s choice to translate it like this could easily turn off women (right away) and workers/farmers when they figure out what “sudras” and “vaisyas” are. Someone could easily take this to mean that Srila Prabhupada is being prejudiced against them - and in his translation that appears to be so.

If he had translated it as it was in Sanskrit and as other acaryas and gurus in our line have translated it, it would be much clearer and wouldn’t require a long explanation.

For complete results and to send in your scores go to www.SankirtanNewsletter.com (password: wsnhome) Deadline for scores is the 15th of the next month.

New Zealanders commonly say, "Good as Gold." It is interesting that goodness is so nonchalantly equated with gold.
In an interesting twist on the importance of money, Srila Prabhupada has interestingly pointed out how worthless money actually is. He told us that one who has a lot of money feels that the money is his most prized possession, and his dearest friend. Yet that very same money, if lost and in the hands of the man's competitor, can be the very same man's worst and most hated and feared enemy.

read more

We are happy to announce that ISKCON Mayapur has produced full HD DVD of the most spectacular Maha Abhisheka of Sri Pancha Tattva 2009 with enlivening kirtans of HH Radhanath Swami, HH Loknath Swami and HH BB Govinda Swami. The Video is edited now and is sent to Singapore for silver disc.

This DVD is an offering of dedication to HH Jayapataka Swami and will be released during Maharaja’s Vyasa Puja ceremony(2-6 April 2009).

read more

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.34 -- Bombay, January 11, 1975

Ugy nez ki, hogy a notebookom bedobta a torolkozot. Talan winchester baja van. De lehet, hogy komolyabb.. Az anyagokat otthon archivaltam es a gep meg garancialis. Szoval azok megvannak.
De, ha valami komolyabb a gond, akkor
-ezen a winchesteren volt jo nehany napi video nyersanyag
-Nem tudok itt videokat szerkeszteni
-vasarnap prezentaciot kellene az 1000 fos vasarnapi programra osszeallitanom es a gepen volt minden nyersanyag…

De titokban azert remelem, hogy reggel majd beindul. Ugye nem tunik anyagi vagynak, ha arra vagyom, hogy beinduljon szegeny?

The following e-mail came to my inbox yesterday as part of a discussion between several devotees regarding Srila Prabhupada’s wishes for how initiations would be conducted after his disappearance. I haven’t seen any responses yet, but I found his point of view very relevant. It is reprinted here with permission. Hare Krishna.
……………….

From: Gary Lund (Gauridasa Pandita Dasa)
Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 10:40 PM
To: …
Subject: Re: Proper Initiation

Dear Goura Kesava & all Prabhus,

Please accept my respectful obeisances.
All glories to our jagat guru Srila Prabhupada!

The debate goes on. I’ve been watching on the sidelines this internet istagosthi and now I had to jump in. I will be short and to the point because I am typing on my iphone.

I was personally serving Srila Prabhupada back in 1977 when he first decided he was going to leave the planet. I heard him say that he wanted the ritvik initiation system for his movement after his departure. This is documented in the July 9th 1977 Newsletter to all Temple Presidents and G.B.C.’s. That letter was dictated from a July 7th 1977 Garden conversation which I heard. That is our sastra! That is specific. You say we must follow sastra; there it is. Is there anymore sastra after that date that would change anything?

We need the guru to explain the sastra to us; otherwise we will pick and choose whatever suits us and end up not following the real orders of the spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada warned us about ‘over- intelligence’ and I think that is what we have here. Instead of us trying to figure out how initiations should go on from (which) sastra we should instead try to figure out what our guru said and did. He had the ritvik system up and running for years before he left, physically and he wanted that to continue as he said on July 7th 1977. It’s on tape!

I have been trying to speak to the GBC for 32 years now but so far my requests have fallen on deaf ears. They say they have no time every time every year I ask to attend their meetings to discuss this most important issue. Most of them are initiating on their own so you can imagine why they won’t discuss it. It might mess up their retirement plans. Profit, distinction and of course adoration.

If we leave it up to the new devotees to check out their gurus they will be misled. Then later if their ‘guru’ falls down they will probably be disheartened and leave KRSNA Consciousness altogether as so many have. That is why Srila Prabhupada most intelligently set up the ritvik initiation system for his movement.

If someone wants to be a diksa guru he or she must be able to deliver them back to Godhead. They must have full KRSNA prema. They must do this in their own temples; not Srila Prabhupada’s! That is Vaisnava ettiquette. Srila Prabhupada did not try to become a diksa guru in the Gaudiya Math. The self-efullgent acharya can attract the souls and build his/her movement from the ground up. That’s what Srila Prabhupada the acharya did; that’s what we need to do.

We’ve got guru fever. Sikas gurus we can and should be but diksa guru is one for ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada! It’s simple for some but complicated for the over-intelligent speculators. I hope this helped.

Haven’t seen you for many years since you were with Dristadyumna I’m Hawaii. Glad to see you are hanging in there but have faith in His Divine Grace; he’s there also if you let him.

Hoping this meets you and all the Vaisnavas well and advancing in KC Your servant, Gauridasa Pandita Dasa

Dear Aruna DD,

Trust this mail finds u in the best of everything. Just thought would drop in a mail and tell u things in general.

During the last month, I have visited ISKCON vrindavan two times, the latest of this trip happened last Sunday.
I just didn't have any plan to visit the temple and this Friend of mine had called and he tells me that u wanna go to Vrindavan and I don't know how but that yes automatically came out. this conversation happened at about 12.30 am.
At 1.45 am we started from my place in Gurgaon (a place 25 kms from New Delhi). We had planned that we should be on time for the Mangla Arati (which takes place at 4.30 am). Finally we reached there at 4.10 am just in time for the arati. I had thought that there will not be a lot of people in the temple, since its so early in the morning.

As I stepped in the temple, I knew I was wrong. There were so many devotees and every body had this blissful look on their face. 4.30 am the mangla aarti started, trust me on this I have never seem so many people at once dancing in Ecstasy. After the mangla arati, there was tulsi arati.
Post the arati's we were told about the program for the day, the books sales there were made on the day before, about the srimad bhagvatam class, about the fact that it was ekadeshi and about the temple darshan.

Then there was a small class on methodology of chanting, which I attended. the class was being taken by Narahari dasa, he taught us the methodology of how to chant. thereafter he just asked who all chants, and I raised my hand. He just looked at me and said that I will talk to you in the end, please wait on the side if you are not in a hurry (which I was surely not).

Meanwhile he attended to other people, I was just soaking in the environment and honestly I felt that may be I should be here and live in this temple. I don't know the reason why I felt like that.
Then I had a conversation with Narahari dasa, he asked me how frequently I chant and how many rounds, do Iread / study the Bhagavad Gita daily etc. I told him about you that I have this friend of mine who is a devotee. I try and read her blog on a daily basis, and I didn't like to miss it. I also told him that you had suggested that I should start with doing four rounds daily. I told him that I do it off and on and there is no regularity in my chanting, to which he said that you just need to make up your mind, decide and be firm on it. He asked that i should commit and I stick to the number of rounds that I commit for, so I happily committed to two rounds with a promise that I will review them dynamically and try to increase them. Thereafter, he took my personal details on a form, and he said that some body from the temple would get in touch with you (though it might take some time) and hand hold you towards understanding of the faith (that s what I took as a meaning, though he didn't literally say it). He then said that he had to leave for his chanting.

He left, and I was there in the temple premises for some more time. After that temple another aarti started (pardon me I have forgotten the name now). I attended all of it, at the end of the aarti the devotees took the parikrama / rounds around the temple three times singing and dancing to the name of the lord. It all seemed surreal to me, people dancing / singing / some of them crying and I thought that you being a devotee should also visit Vrindavan and be blessed. I pray that you get an opportunity soon. Subsequently, I had breakfast which was french fries and fried peas.

Then we left for Delhi and reached back home in two and a half hours. Since the time I have been back, the scene of devotees dancing / singing / crying continuously has been flashing before my eyes. I think finally the lord has given me the opportunity to serve him . Just wanted to share all this with you because you have been of great help all through, you have clarified so many doubts and helped me.

V

By Paramatma Dasi

On March 22nd and 23rd, in the Aula Magna of the Bhaktivedanta Foundation, took place the sixth Seminar of the CSB Counseling three years Course.

Dr. Andrea Boni (Anantadeva Dasa) and Dr. Priscilla Bianchi (Paramatma Dasi), respectively Coordinator and Director of Studies of the CSB Counseling School, spoke on the theme The Influence of Conscience on the Individual and on the Environment: Reality as a manifestation of our Desires.

The purpose of this Seminar was mainly to explain and prove how the individual's conscience models the reality around us, and how thoughts and desires, ideas and dreams, are at the base of physical events that show up in our life.

The human brain, explained Andrea Boni – who talked from a quantistic-scientific perspective – is programmed for our evolution. It is a sophisticated “instrument”, which is 1000 times faster than the fastest computer of the world and contains as many neurons as the stars in the Milky Way (about 100 billions). The human brain has an amazing plastic capacity, which allows it to remodel its synaptic structure depending on the experiences lived by the subject.

However our awareness of the information processed by the brain, is very little and there is a high risk to develop a narrow vision of reality, like the one of the frog in the well, as the ancient tail explains, retold by the speaker. With reference to it Dr. Boni talked about fragmentation and wholeness, considering cultural and social implications. But if all is relative, what is reality? Reality is connected to a superior order of things and mainly to conscience. Our reality consists of multiple, infinite possibilities; the one that “collapses” is the reality on which we will direct our attention. Among the various themes considered, a rather important one was the relation between observer (conscience) and observed, discussed also with the help of explanations and examples taken from the quantum physics and Patanjali Yogasutras. Conscience is the creator of reality, and the self (atman) is the protagonist of life, even if when it is embodied must deal with the archetypal forces of Nature (gunas), which determine its present and future situations. The final part of the conference held by Andrea Boni suggested the hints for the continuation of the complex and fascinating theme, carried on and integrated, on the following day, by Priscilla Bianchi, according to a phylosophical and psychological view.

To begin with, the urgency to become aware and to learn how to handle our inner processes is a must: this was explained by Priscilla Bianchi, who often referred to the Indovedic sources. The existance of universal and psychological laws driving our lives and creating physical reality is something we have to understand very clearly. Our mental images and contents determine reality around us and produce corresponding emotions.

Everyone attracts what is “connected to” with one’s own thoughts and desires; this is confirmed by the law of attraction, well known to the ancient vedic knowledge and commented by Priscilla Bianchi also by quoting Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita's wisdom. To modify the situations outside, we have to make a deep work inside us with an intense act of will. After going through the five categories of man’s needs (as explained by Maslow), Dr. Bianchi concentrated her speech on the six phases of will-power, enriching her explanations with stories and practical examples. The same as the morning before, many and various questions were asked by the audience that attended the Seminar with special attention.

The afternoon workshops centered on exercises of role-playing, visualization and group discussion, which helped a lot to improve students' ability to listen to themeselves and to others.

Next Counseling Seminar will take place on April 18th and 19^th, always in the Aula Magna of the Bhaktivedanta Foundation.

Sunday, 18th Jan, 2009. “Wake up boys.” The now familiar call of HG Vijaya Prabhu fills our ears. Me and Kanapati were crashed out. I was reminiscing Vijaya Prabhu’s class about being the most fallen, dealing with the false ego. I wasn’t feeling the ecstasy this morning. I was probably exhausted but I didn’t realise it at the time. I couldn’t get into that nectar of the kirtana this morning but I was into the class. HG Aniruddha Prabhu was speaking of Krsna’s forms in the Satya Yuga and Treta yuga. I tried to pose an intricate question, proving myself to be a hopeless jnani.

I rocked back to the ashram and the kulis were rolling in. We started up some kirtana. We were shortly distracted from our ecstatic melodies for some ecstatic van unloading. After this Domo sent us on another one of those quests…Vishnu, KC and I assembled as a Kuli Clan and we hit the neighbourhood searching out the ashram belonging to the Prabhu in the…grey area. Or in this case I think the colour is something like yellow. We were looking for Rupa, divine book distributor, but I suspected he was already on a jet plane before we even started our reckless search.

After doing a tour of the neighbourhood I hung out in the boys room for a while. Task master Domo was out. After this it was lunch time I suppose. We met up with some new Kulis, one’s name was Rupa, but not the Rupa we were after. After downing a cup of sweet rice for lunch, watching Brett talk some strange things and making young girl Varuni tell me about Krsna we hit the beach to dodge the heat (in more ways than one).

We hit the pier for some jump ins. I was well dressed in my robes. After a little jump in me and Kana were on the books, reading. He was stuck into Gita and I was working that sweet maha Bhagavatam. A man was curious and came over to ask. He was a bit into philosophy. We spilled a few taste teasers on what we were reading and where the temple was at. Most of our talk with him was on the topic of reincarnation, which seemed to be his thing.

After the cool down we picked up some instruments and had some laid back Lord praising in the ashram courtyard. After some warming up we hit the temple room to spice it up. I found myself on the good ole wampers clanging away that syncopated rhythm. When the kirtana was over we hit the deck for some obeisances, when I arose there was a mic in front of me. Someone caught me singing Nrsmha prayers in the courtyard I suppose and thought I volunteered to do it in the temple also. I don’t know how I went but I had a good time, always love singing that tune.

After some reading and sweet rice I came to realise that the kirtana we just had was only a teaser. We returned to the divine temple of Radha Balaba for another pumping kirtana. It was a fast rattle on the kartalas for me this time. Me and Vish, who was on drums, were doing some of that kirtana talk which is never done with words, only with gestures. KG was bringing the kirtana to full level. What a treat it was.

Speaking of treats, when we were done with kirtana the tour group was being called upstairs. I jumped out of my little Kuli bubble and back into the tour crew. HG Radhacaran Prabhu was showing us a sneak preview of his new book, not yet released, with many pictures of HH Tamal Krsna Goswami’s life events. It was a pool of nectar that went on for a good while. We bathed our eyes in the glories of a pure devotee at work.

I asked Prabhu if he had heard my father’s story of his experience with Tamal Krsna Maharaja but he was well acquainted with my father already. When my father was Temple President in New Gokul Tamal Krsna Goswami was scheduled to come. He asked my father to find a strategy to keep the kids busy in class. My dad opted for hot air balloons outside. Unfortunately the kids brought them inside and balled out tears when they lost them to the ceiling. So it didn’t exactly turn out so well. I was also crying at this time but I stayed outside at least (I was 4 when this happened). In relation to this Swami, my eldest brother Nitai received his first grains from HH Tamal Krsna Goswami and sucked on his finger.

After all the nectar I procrastinated some of the night away. You don’t get tired too early when you are on tour, which is a shame because you are usually lacking sleep. One of the twins, Lal was hanging about with me. He tried to explain as well as he could that I was like a brother to him or a cousin or some form of relation. Besides him being a Russian and a twin, I felt the same way. I hit the rack sack after this little warm moment.

A phone went off. This was a common occurrence in our room. Phones going off all night and all morning at all inappropriate times. All of us boys being to tired or too lazy to pick them up or hit the snooze buttons. This time though, it was my phone. It was Radha Balaba and Kamalaksi’s parents, wondering why their daughters had neglected to keep in touch. I decided to pass that message on the next day and hit the hay.

Monday, 19th Jan, 2009. I awoke. It doesn’t seem like HG Vijaya Prabhu is here. I was cheering that I didn’t wake up early…but then I realised I did because now my body clock was jammed. I struggled out of the slumber chamber. I sorted my self out and caught some Sri P class kirtana. I noted one Indian Prabhu clapping off time something crazy. After this it was class and Sri P was getting into the deep mellows of Krsna and his different flutes.

We were rushing after class to make a harinam appointment. I wasn’t even sure if it was going to happen. Just to be sure I had a quick breakfast, just 2 cups of warm milk. I didn’t seem to have time to fathom anything else. In the end I would have had the chance. It was taking a while to round the troop up (as always). I came out to see HH Indradyumna Swami in the driver’s seat of the boy’s bus. He must be keeping the seat warm for Domo it seemed.

I soon learned that Domo had other plans and that Maharaja was going to be driving us today! He and Gaura were playing with the GPS navigator. They kept calling it “Tomtom” who was our old navigating friend from Sydney but I kept suggesting to them from the back that it’s name was “Garmin”. I didn’t trust this impostor. It may have fooled Gaura and even Maharaja was playing along with it’s little games but I was not to be fooled. Gaura took Garmin into his car and was to lead the assault on maya.

Indradyumna Swami handed me all his paraphernalia to look after while he drove the chariot. I had his beads and his coat. I felt like the small boy with a pillow holding a king’s crown. The guys in front started snacking out. It had been a long wait now and my stomach was now informing me that 2 cups of milk was not sufficient enough to sustain me today. I was not a yogi in the forest.

We were off. We were lost. Garmin was getting us lost. I was butting in to Maharaja’s and Sri P’s conversations when they were claiming “Tomtom is getting us lost”. “It’s Garmin! Not Tomtom!” I would cry from the back. We were heading off to Toukey to advertise our last show. We had decided to add a final show to the tour, charging per head to see how it would run as an idea for next year. We were going to advertise by doing harinam in the town of the event and surrounding areas, like we always do. Were we going to make it to Toukey with Garmin leading the way? Only Krsna knew the answer to that one. Garmin, similar to maya was throwing his web of illusion over our party but, unlike maya, Garmin wasn’t fooling me.

We finally made it with a lot of extra time wasted. Garmin may have won this round but it was preaching time. Or was it? Where is everyone? This is a ghost town. The town was nothing more than a trendy beach spot with a single Woolworths and some dead streets to feed the hungry surfers. The surf wasn’t even up today so it was generally all dead through the sleepy town of Toukey. (Who knows how to spell Toukey?!)

Me and Mathuranatha went around store to store to place up posters. I thought this was a good time to juice up some sankirtana skills. I practiced being totally confident, totally polite and very much detached from the result. Strangely enough 90% of people took them. Those who didn’t take were generally sad they couldn’t oblige due to some silly laws. The girls even set some posters up in the butchers! I met one girl who had Krsna Conscious flatmates. The town was a lovely little fizzer and it was well drenched in harinam in under 20 minutes. It was time to find some other turf.

When we jumped back in the rocket ship Maharaja commented that it was his shortest harinam ever. On the way to the neighbouring village of Lourne Indradyumna Swami told Sri P to speak to him about Vrindavana. I had front row seats to the epic tails of Krsna’s usual day, which was far more exciting than my usual day! He talked how the animals would wait at the forest edge as Krsna would return home, the birds would fly overhead and spy on Krsna to bring back reports to the animals so they could live till the next day. He talked of Krsna’s evening activities at home, how Krsna would push codes to tell the venues for his midnight meetings and how after dinner Krsna’s uncles would take him to see theatre. Maharaja asked if they had Le Carnaval Spirituel play for Krsna.

We hit Lourne. It was sleepy but much more bustling in comparison to Toukey. Me and Mathuranatha finished posters in no time. Everyone was exhausted and hungry it seemed also. Maharaja took a quick nap while the harinam started. Me and Mathuranatha snuck off to have some chips after we had done our service. I needed SOMETHING, ANYTHING. I had the 2 cups of milk and a couple rolls I stole earlier but it wasn’t sufficing.

We snuck under the bank of the footpath facing the sea to stay out of sight. Mathuresvari caught us while she was on fliers and gave little chuckle. We caught Lal running off to the sea in his bathers. We met up with Vraja Kumari and Radha Valaba from the other poster party. They confessed to sneaking off to have ice creams after finishing their posters. They ran out on their end of town so we had some more to do if we so desired.

The harinam party was coming down to the beach so I took cover. I finished my chips, washed up and went to get some more posters. I rushed up to the box, Indradyumna Swami caught me and ordered me to help throw out fliers on the beach. I went to explain that I wanted to put some posters up. “Maddy don’t speculate. Start doing fliers” he said. I got the spiritual saucing. I wasn’t into the flier idea because they seemed well onto it and I am pretty clumsy at doing sankirtana and flier distributing in with a high density of distributors. Within no time Indradyumna Swami was in my ear again “what are you spaced out Maddy? Go up front!”

I zoomed up front, struggling in my aussie footwear. We dealt them out to the people and made great distance ahead of the party and so had to slow down. Near the end I met a man on the grass who wanted to take a whole bunch of fliers for his friends. He said they would definitely be interested in the show.

After all the sweet surrender it was picnic time in the park. I jerked some more Vrindavana Sanga out of Sri P, boo yeah milin that nectar! In the car there was a message on the phone for HH Indradyumna Swami. Prahlad was dictating it to him and I was overhearing. HH Bhakti Vidyapurna Swami, I think, was asking Maharaja if he wanted to go to Kasakstan with him. We were in close vicinity to New Nandagram farm on the way home but everyone was too tired to go there for a leg stretch. Maharaja was asking me something about the local…wildlife: “hey Maddy what are these flies called? Blow Flies?” I explained them to be plain old flies with no special name.

I smashed some reading in on the ride home. I was falling behind since Peat’s Ridge on my daily hour’s quota. We were racing our neighbouring van also, Gaura and Garmin were eating our dust. My mummy deary gave me a call just to check up on her long gone son. I explained the usual ecstatic stories as everyone is accustomed to read up on. Another day, another few harinams. Some more souls, not so many more souls, heard the holy names. We had HH Indradyumna Swami driving our chariot just like Krsna drove Arjuna’s and we all had a pretty full on day at the helm of the preaching mission of Lord Caitanya. Not even Garmin could make us miss that one.

Battlefield Bhajans Vol. 36

Dedicated to HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pretoria, South Africa

I arrived in South Africa and was greeted by the wonderful Pretoria devotees and off to the temple to have some of the best prasadam I have ever tasted.  After honoring prasadam it was off to a program at the university. The program was nice and I gave a talk about true happiness. Lots of nice questions were asked and the audience seemed to enjoy the talk.  I answered many questions afterwards. One girl asked about the nature of the soul, another asked how come there are so many wars in the world. I explained as best as I could and in the end distributed two small books to them.
The next day was Gaura Purnima, the Appearance Day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I gave morning class from the Sri Caitanya Caritamra and discuss about how Lord Caitanya has given us the process to attain pure love of God, and that our focus should be to give that process to all we met, regardless of caste, color, gender , etc.  All of us temple devotees decided to do a harinama and visit some of our ISKCON temples around the area. In Lenasia we had a very fired up kirtana and bhajans and in Soweto we were given audience of the most merciful Sri Sri Gaura Nitai Deities in South Africa. Soweto is an African township and HG Mahaprabhu has turned his home into a temple; making many people favorable.  After some wonderful bhajans we decided to head home to Pretoria to spend Gaura Purnima with the congregation at our base temple.
My time is South Africa is limited and I want to make the best use of this time. I spoke with the temple president about getting some books for African preaching and found out I would need someone to donate to be able to give the books away for free in the poor townships. After some debate with the devotees in charge of the books, I left went to my room and gave the last of my money for books. Anyhow, it’s not my money it’s Krsna’s and I was engaging it in His service, so I didn’t mind at all. The next day we did combined a harinama with Food for Life in the city. The turn out was great and devotees were happily singing, dancing, serving prasadam and distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. The country of South Africa is ready for an explosion of spiritual life, and I could see it in every person I talked with. Some dug deep into their pockets to find some laksmi to give. I never experienced how powerful Prabhupada’s books are combined with the harinama. When I would walk up to one person to explain about our books, a crowd of around ten people would gather around to hear about the books and ask if they can receive one. Overall, I felt the day was success over three hundred plates of prasadam distributed and over  one hundred free books.

Soweto, South Africa

We made arrangements to perform a harinama in a township called Soweto. It was my first time there and I really didn’t know what to expect. At first the harinama party lead by HG Braja Vallabha Prabhu started a slow melody and as we walked up and down the streets, more and more people came to the streets to greet the party. Before long, kids were following the harinama party, old women were dancing, old men, young kids , etc. It was truly amazing to see Lord Caitanya’s mercy entering the hearts as we went along the route. The devotees were all smiles and absorbed in the mood of giving the mercy to others. Some would distribute books, and others would just wave. I looked around the area and I noticed how happy everyone was to hear the Holy Name of Krsna. One old women came running out of her house to ask a devotee for a book. As we finished the harinama, I understood why Srila Prabhupada meant by stressing the need to preach to African bodied souls. On our way back to the temple, and reflected on the day. These townships are a great place to push the movement of Lord Caitanya.

Durban, South Africa

I was in the Jo’burg airport waiting for my flight and a man sat next to me, he asked if I was a bhuddist and I explained no. We began to have a very conversation and a few others gave their opinions and realizations. They were very favorable to Krsna consciousness. One man asked me for a book and a pulled out a few small books and explain that we are distributing these literatures all over the world for the benefit of man kind. Everyone took a book and gave a small donation. What a nice start to the trip. I was greeted at the airport by my god brother Vibhu Caitanya Prabhu. We caught up for a little bit and then he explained my schedule while visiting. That evening I went with him to a small group discussion on the Science of Self Realization. The group was small but very nice and they asked many nice questions about how to practice Krsna consciousness in our everyday life. The next day, I had a preaching program at an all African school. The group was about forty students, and they were so noisy, but as soon as the chanting started they settled down and really got into singing the maha mantra. I began my talk, and just gave a basic explanation about Krsna and Bhakti Yoga. They asked if anyone could practice Bhakti yoga and I explained, that of course. Just look at my two friends Gaura Dasa and Jamuna Devi Dasi, they are getting married. I used them as an example because Prabhu is in a white body and Jamuna is in a black body. The kids loved it and started laughing and yelling ooooo. It was pretty funny, but they clearly understood that this movement is for all races, all creeds, all genders.
The next day, I gave Srimad Bhagavatam class. The class was on devotional service. I used a few example and stories from Iraq to prove that one who engages in devotional service to Krsna, automatically has no fear in death. The devotees asked many questions and I attempted to answer them as best as I could. Later that day, I had another university program. This program was at Yadurani Devi Dasi’s school. There was only a few students there and I spoke on unlocking one true potential. The students enjoyed  some nice prasadam and we finished very late. The next day I again was asked to give morning class, and I again went with the theme of devotional service and how engage others in devotional service to Krsna. After class, I had two programs, one was at one university and the other was an evening program at a Bhakti Yoga Society. Both programs went every well. The day program was in a school for aspiring teachers. I spoke on true happiness and one boy was sitting in the front row. He was very interested and asked a few questions. After the program he said he didn’t even know there was a program. He was in the room surfing the internet and when everyone walked in, he was trying to figure out what was happening. He sat in the class and google everything about Krsna, Prabhupada and everything else he could think of. In the end he was favorable and expressed his desire to come again for the following weeks meeting. That evening I went to another bhakti yoga club. These clubs are very nice and this one was especially sweet. Students kept come in and we had a very nice discussion on the goal of life and how we can bring ourselves to a higher level of consciousness. The students asked many intelligent questions, about life, love, why I became a monk. Some came for the first time and had a favorable impression afterwards.
Today was my final day in Durban. I only had one class to give today, and that was a home program. I spent the day reading and spending time with new friends. That evening I spoke on Lord Caitanya’s pastime with King Pratruparudra. The point I was trying to convey was that by doing some service to Jagganatha, Lord Caitanya is very pleased on us and will bestow mercy on us.  The Durban Ratha Yatra is happening soon, and I wanted to encourage everyone to get involved and serve Lord Jagganatha in some way. We ended the evening with some prasadam and I headed back to the ashram to pack and get ready to head out the next day back to Pretoria. I was looking forward to getting back to Pretoria and seeing the devotee. In one sense I liked it there very much.  On the plane ride, I thought of how much Srila Prabhupada wanted to get this message to the masses of Africa, as well as other countries. These devotees that arranged all these programs have certainly understood this instruction of Srila Prabhupada.

“The Lord says in Bhagavad-gétä (18.55), bhaktyä mäm abhijänäti yävän yaç cäsmi tattvataù: “One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service.” Prahläda Mahäräja ultimately instructed his class friends, the sons of the demons, to accept the process of devotional service by preaching the science of Kåñëa consciousness to everyone. Preaching is the best service to the Lord. The Lord will immediately be extremely satisfied with one who engages in this service of preaching Kåñëa consciousness.” (Purport SB: 7.6.24)
Sadhana:
Chanting: up early, chanting all my rounds before Mangala Arati.  On Sundays, we strive for 64 rounds.
Reading: reading one Chapter of SB and one chapter of the BG. We should absorb ourselves in studying in Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Solkas: I am still finding verses that I find inspiring and memorizing, then on Sunday and offer to my Lords for Their presence.
Sankritan: BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!

I am still trying to figure out how to distribute books in this country. Crime is very high here, so I always have to be on alert
Maha big: 13
small: 71

Our new life has started, and I have to admit that it is very different from I pictured. I still can’t believe I have left the US military and am not engaged full time in Lord Caitanya’s sankritan movement. Please bless me that I will never take the devotee or Krsna for granted, nor will I ever leave ISKCON.

Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada,
Partha-sarathi dasa

If dedicated transcendentalists are compared to swans, it should come as no surprise that committed materialists are likened to crows.

Today HH Jayapataka Maharaja was on his way to Juhu ISKCON temple and during his vehicle ride dictated the following report about himself through a phone call. Shiromani mataji was repeating Guru Maharaja’s words as I took the notes.

“My right side of the body is not fully paralysed but temporarily paralysed and weak. Initially my right hand no feeling and now there is a little feeling as a result of acupuncture, massage and occupational therapies.

read more

Srila Prabhupada has told us that we must become transparent via media to Krsna and the disciplic succession. We have also heard that a guru takes on the sinful reactions of disciples. But Krsna burns up our sinful reactions.
It is said in the Brahma Samhita, 5.54

yas tv indragopam athavendram aho sva-karma-
bandhanurupa-phala-bhajanam atanoti
karmaei nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajaa
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

read more

Ebben a részben egy néhány másodperces betekintést nyerhettek az egyik előadásba. Elengedgetetlen a prasadam képek bemutatása is. Majd meghallgathatjátok Maharani mataji tapasztalatait, aki egy konferencia miatt ma utazott vissza Magyarországra.

My Hawaiian Homeboy, Shiva das, writes:

Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes the rain fall.
Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes the sun rise.
Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes the different bodies
Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes computers
Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes space shuttles
Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes robots
Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes apple pie a la mode
Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes Seinfeld
Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes Beethoven's 5th Symphony
Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes the insane beauty where I live

"Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes" is my new worshipful God, because not only is it the cause of gravity, weather, and snowflakes, but also anything else in our world that appears to be the product of intelligent planning -- no matter how complex -- because "scientists" say God should have no place in our efforts to understand how this world functions. After all they are our betters cuz they're so smart, so we should all accept their word for it because they say so, and theyz smarter thin us dum peepil. -- thanks for the enlightening discourses, keep em coming!

I think that last part is tongue-in-cheek...

Here's my reply:

Your conclusion of "Interaction of material elements operating under natures laws makes" is my new worshipful God" does not follow from the premises.

Understanding that the interaction of material elements under natural laws manifests the things we perceive, the question then becomes: where does material nature come from? And who sets the laws? And what is it that experiences the perception of them?

This is the topic of Vedanta-sutra and its natural commentary Srimad Bhagavatam:

Merely to understand the physical mechanisms by which things operate is not a complete explanation. Even scientists acknowledge this. Science recognizes the need to understand the origin of the universe in order to have a complete understanding of reality.

Last word to Sri Krishna:

Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being different from the analytical study of the material world [Sāńkhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.

- Bhagavad-gita 5.4

Here's a bonus video. It's a guerilla video featuring a rapping Dick Dawkins (Professor Richard Dawkins) which plays on the "scientists think they are so much smarter than us common people" meme:

Rapping scientists rock. My personal favorite is the fly MC Hawking.

There will be an open meeting to discuss the Radha Vrndavana Candra Temple Library.

The history, location, facilities, management and its functioning as an asset for both devotees and guests are the agenda topics.

The meeting will be held on March 30, Tuesday evening at 6 pm in the main prasadam hall.

Prasadam will be served after the meeting.

All interested devotees are encouraged to attend.

Anyone with a proposal is encouraged to put it in writing and bring it to the meeting.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Interview -- March 9, 1968, San Francisco

Ajita Krishna das writes:

The foolish person thinks that nature is working automatically, but such an atheistic theory is not supported in the Vedic literature. Nature is working under the superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, and we also find here that the sun shines under the direction of the Lord, and the cloud pours forth showers of rain under the direction of the Lord. All natural phenomena are under superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu.

- Srimad Bhagavatam 3.29.40 purport

What is being described here is not how things are going on, but rather who is ultimately responsible for doing it. It's not an empirical explanation, but a metaphysical one.

Science is concerned with how things happen. It describes the mechanisms.

A problem arises when an explanation of who is ultimately in control and responsible as the prime cause (janmady yasya) is confused with an explanation of how things are done.

When this happens religionists will see an explanation of a mechanism as an atheistic attack on the existence and supremacy of the Supreme Being, and scientists will come to see their explanations as doing away with the necessity of God!

The Prison House Analogy

If I say that "this prison operates under the superintendence of the President of this country", this statement is:

• a) True
• b) Not contradicted by explanations of the working of the prison that do not involve the President personally

In fact, that last statement is pretty much the argument put forward as to why Visnu is hardly mentioned in the original Vedas, and Indra gets all the props. Who do you expect to see more of in the news (aside from election times): the President, or Britney Spears?

The Srimad Bhagavatam itself says:

There is no direct engineering by the Lord for the creation and destruction of the material world. What is described in the Vedas about His direct interference is simply to counteract the idea that material nature is the creator.

- Srimad Bhagavatam 2.10.45

The Supreme Lord is ultimately responsible for everything going on here, but He's not personally and directly responsible. In terms of personifications this distinction goes to one of his subordinate saktis, Durga.

This material nature, which is one of My energies, is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, producing all moving and nonmoving beings. Under its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.

- Bhagavad-gita 9.10

"God does it" - appropriate and inappropriate application

So to say that "God does it" is a metaphysical statement about ultimate causality (janmady yasya yatah). However, it is not an empirical explanation about the mechanisms by which something is done.

On the grounds of metaphysics it can be used as an authoritative statement. It has little value as an empirical explanation, however, and when it is used as such, it causes problems:

Explanations of things like the mechanism of gravity become heretical - "Gravity? Blasphemy! It's God who makes the planets rotate around the Sun!".

Empirical explanations of phenomena that produce solid experimentally verified predictions are then seen as "disproving" the existence of God: "We no longer need God in our model".

As science advances, the more religion is played as an empirical explanation, the more it will come under attack. It comes to represent pre-scientific ignorance, rather than the deep and powerful metaphysical system that it is.

The necessity of Science and Religion

We live in an age of guided missiles and misguided men. Science can describe the fluid dynamics in a turbulent flow of a cool stream on a hot summer's day, and also the trajectory of a bullet as it penetrates the skull of a small child caught in crossfire. However, it can't tell us the meaning of these things.

Good Science without Good Religion is like a blind man - extremely powerful, but with no idea where it's going. Good Religion without Good Science, on the other hand, is like a lame man - aware of what we are, where we come from, and what it all means, but without the tools to create a favorable material environment. Also, religion without science easily becomes superstition and dogma. Science without religion can become dogmatic also.

It's always healthy to admit that there are some things that we as yet don't know, and the most that we can say about them at this stage with certainty is: "Ultimately, God does it".

An correspondent writes:

Many people clamor for an "alternative narrative." But to be honest with you, I don't see the point. First of all, science is filled with unsolved mysteries for which there are many contending theories. We don't think of it like this but before Darwin's time there were many theories of how life evolved on earth. Darwin's theory just had a persuasive power that swept the field. Because we've lived with evolution so long we are accustomed to having this kind of royal theory enthroned. But dethroning evolution doesn't mean we need a new emperor. It just means we can revert to the democracy that science has always hailed. It would return it to the status of most scientific inquiry: That a few people putting forward competing theories that lots of others disagree with.

Secondly, I fail to see the logic as to why it should be beholden on us to present an alternative theory. If I can substantially prove that A plus B does not equal C, why should society run around saying "Until you prove what A plus B actually equals, we're just going to say it equals C anyway."? Why can't we just be honest and say we don't know what A plus B equals? The argument by theists is generally that science has ruled out discovering what A plus B equals from the onset. A plus B equals G-O-D. But from the onset Science has ruled out any reference to G-O-D. Perhaps Quantum Physics will change that, but until it does, let's just be honest and say science has failed to discover what A plus B equals. Who knows, maybe opening up the field will create the space for enough ingenuity and inspiration that people will come up with a more accurate answer as to what A plus B equals.

David Jorm writes me separately, and his letter answers the points of the first correspondent:

Interesting to read what you recently said on your blog about science
promoting the doctrine of evolution with the same dogmatic fervor as religious zealots push their scriptural version of events. You're correct, the scientific community does rally around the established theory as the point of truth. As Kuhn points out in "The structure of scientific revolutions", this phenomenon is a natural outgrowth of using the scientific method to develop knowledge. If one wishes to add bricks to the wall, it must be done by fitting in with the layers which underlie them. Scientific revolutions come about when one knocks down the entire wall. This cannot be done simply by picking the bricks out from underneath it one by one, but by simultaneously presenting a complete new theory which can supplant the dominant one. This is where the "intelligent design" movement fails. It picks holes in evolution, but does not present such a complete alternative theory. Science needs a working theory, so evolution is the only game in town.

Additionally: Science is all about describing the physical mechanisms by which things take place, using simple principles and natural processes. Previously the answer to everything that was not understood was "God does it"

God makes the rain fall.
God makes the sun rise.
God makes the different bodies

(In monotheistic religions it was "God", in pantheistic ones, including part of the Vedic tradition, it was "the Gods")

To propose any other explanation was at one point considered heretical and scientists were persecuted by religious authorities.

Today we know that the universe operates according to systems built up from simple principles. This is not to say that we have done away with God, for wherefrom does the universe come, with its simple principles?

As the astronomer Carl Sagan put it: "If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you have to start by making the universe"

However, simply saying "God does it" can no longer by used either as a replacement for a mechanical explanation for a natural phenomenon, or as a "proof of God's existence".

March 25, 2:40 A.M.

Early-morning japa log

I slept all right, but when I woke, I still had that pain in the right eye. I also had a pain in the top of the head. I took two kinds of medications and skipped listening to the Bhagavad-gita in the bathroom. I got up at 2:00 A.M. I don’t know if I’ll be able to chant my rounds. But I’m sitting in my chair ready to go at 2:40 A.M.

3:37 A.M.

I experienced considerable pain, and it didn’t diminish. But I persisted in chanting eight rounds. I chanted them silently. The head pressure was a distraction to paying attention to the mantras. On a scale of ten, the pain was seven. I chanted at an average of under seven minutes per round.

6:29 A.M.

Yesterday I wrote twelve pages. Today I will not be able to write so many because I still have a headache, I’m way behind on my japa rounds, and Paramatma dasa is coming for a visit. Yesterday afternoon I wrote my prayer for today, so at least I have that. Right now I could do some free writing with random sentences, but will it be worthwhile?

I lived for five consecutive years in Ireland, and it was a very wonderful time. That was my most prolific painting time. I wrote volumes of Every Day, Just Write and lectured once a week and mixed with the devotees. But it was basically a hermit’s life in a peaceful country. It ended with a bang and a whimper, and am afraid I’m not really welcomed there anymore.

Life in California was good. Aghari Prabhu supported me. He built me a wonderful cabin admist the forests and the mountains. That was also isolated living, and I wrote books. Aghari gave me counseling, and we became good friends. I was so isolated, I even grew a beard. Some senior ISKCON men came out to see how I was actually doing. They concluded that I was relatively harmless and that I should be left alone.

After some blissful years there, Aghari and a few others decided that we should all move to Mexico and start a community there. That was a mistake. At first we had a lively group who were working together, but eventually they began to disagree. Some of the Americans found they had to go back home to get jobs to support themselves. The community dwindled down to only a very few persons, and I finally left too.

I came to Delaware, and Sastra has given me a house to stay in. Things are working out pretty well here. In Mexico, I had no headaches. That was extraordinary. But I didn’t do much of anything there. In Delaware, I became more active, working hard on A Poor Man Reads the Bhagavatam and seeing more people. Coincidentally, I started getting headaches again. That has kept up to the present day. That compromises the othewise satisfactory life I’m following here. I mainly live for the website, concentration on japa, and now the added spice of poems. I make my minimum quota of appearances at ISKCON festivals and gatherings, and I receive visitors. I make my prayers, and I’m very happy that we post the writings every day. And apparently we have many visitors to the site. Dattatreya reads sastra to me three times a day, and that’s a treat. I mix with him and Baladeva and sometimes Sastra and Prahlada and Mahahari, our Delaware neighbors. On rare occasions, Mahahari invites us to his house for sumptuous prasadam. Otherwise, Baladeva cooks wonderfully here at the house. I like my quiet life in the yellow submarine.

Charlie Parker

Legendary Bird is the all-

time great in pioneering jazz.

His alto is the Roadrunner whom

no one can catch up to.

He led a tragic life on

heroine and died too young.

He spawned a generation of

disciples.

Salt Peanuts

With Dizzy, telegraphic

codes, rapid notes ripped

through, twosome.

He’s wirey, wired,

burning the candle at both ends

no one can play the notes

as rapidly. Dizzy reaches highest

notes in fast-some.

Telegraphic: “Salt Peanuts.”

“Hot House” is a sweet ride the twosome again

trumpet and alto.

Bird paces himself and slides out so many

notes you can’t count them.

His horn is fluid.

The trumpet is his friend,

Parker-like in this

medium blues. Rolling

on a carnival ride

sweet and swift.

“Koko” is fast beginning with

trading the alto and trumpet.

Bird digs in like the

robin in the grass. He’s

so sure and deft, can’t

stop for no one, rippling

tones and superspeed,

accomplished beat.

What can you say?

He’s the boss. Plays

to love, loves to play.

“Koko” is a playful

piece.

“Anthropology” begins with the

trumpet muted fast again and

Bird picks it up masterfully

connecting line to line seamless

seems he’s got the masterpiece

up his sleeve. Squeeks sometimes

just to make it more interesting.

Why does he call it “Anthropology”?

No one knows. It’s man-

study, rapid study of the

human species in jazz

story.

Symphony for Improvisers

Don Cherry leads a band

of wild improvisers. No

set melody, just pleasant

chaos.

Cherry’s rapid notes lead us

down a road uncharted,

vibes, bass, tenor of Pharoah

Sanders is wild abandon.

A symphony for improvisers,

perfect title for this piece.

A grand orchestra of unplanned

themes. Jazz in the ‘60s.

Each one contributing on his own

with rapid drum solo the only

beat. Cherry’s playing like

a classical trumpet on top

of staccato bass notes.

You have to be restless to like this;

it’s not “Home on the Range.”

It’s exploring space and time

to see what you come up with.

All together now,

not figured out beforehand

but a harmony of

newness.

Wild world music

blended with some

wisdom of modern jazz.

11:00 A.M.

My dear Lord Krishna...

I’m waiting int he car outside the doctor’s office while Baladeva is getting his treatment. You are with me in the car. That may sound spooky, but it’s natural. You are with me everywhere. Two women are outside talking and smoking cigarettes nearby. They disturb me. I want to be alone with You for now. I want to contemplate Your glories and Your personhood. I’m getting a headache as I write this, and that doesn’t help either. But You are with me, and You give me comfort.

You are the Lord of all the universes. Who is such a fool that he doesn’t seek Your shelter? We have so many sastras in which to find You and be with You. I want to take advantage of them. Please help me to read. Help me to think of You just by sitting and being with You. Encourage me to chant Your names.

In Vraja, Your home quarters, You are at Your happiest and most perfect. All the gopis and gopas love You more than they love their own lives. They will do anything to please You. That is the place I aspire to. But first I must clear myself of all my unwanted things (anarthas). I am hearing of Your pastimes and becoming attracted to You. My material desirs are diminishing. That is only natural, because my body is becoming older and I cannot squeeze much pleasure out of it. But material desires stay even with the old man in subtle and gross forms. I have to work hard with my remaining strength to become pure. It is not easy. It is easier to remain complacent and waste my precious months and years.

I need holy inspiration to improve. That comes from You. And it comes when I make the effort. I must not be ease-loving in my last years but strive, as in the example of my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. He wants to see me making the effort at sadhana bhakti up until the very end. Then, through his blessings, I can attain You.

So I am sitting in the car with You, waiting for Bala and thinking of You. My body feels discomfort in the head, but my spirit rests in You. More and more, I am getting to know You and want to be with You. I write to You as a way to communicate and induce my love for You. It is a gift You have given me. Let me write to You in earnest and make it something that others can benefit from. Let them read my letters to You and agree they are sincere.

I will end this one now and wait for my friend. The world is empty without You. When I connect with You, I am alive and my spirits rise. You are Krishna, my beloved, and the Lord of my spiritual master. Let me worship You and contribute to his mission.

sdgonline.org: the yellow submarine, my bhajana kutir #21 →