Srila Prabhupada's Vyasasan arrived three days ago. It was shipped from Mumbai to Roshan in Los Angeles and he forwarded it to us. From the pictures it's obvious what a great job of delicate carving was involved. The craftsman was Ajit Mistry of Chowpatty. Ajit and his uncle Ranchodji produced all the wood work for Chowpatty temple as well as the altar for the ISKCON temple in Juhu.

“THE SCIENCE OF MEDITATION”

Lecture by Matsya Avatara Dasa

Naples, Castello Angioino, 20th December 2008

Conference “The Science of Meditation”

HARMONIC INTEGRATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE UNIVERSE

Another important factor in meditation is social integration: not in a corporate sense, and not even in a sense of caste. In this case, social integration means the ability to interact harmonically in a constructive and evolutionary sense, with all creatures - the vision that values each creature, birds, reptiles, fish, what to speak of human beings, potential fellow travelers from whom we can learn to progress in our development. In one sense, what we have described could be a part of the most important abstentions mentioned by Patanjali, non-violence, or ahimsa. 

Finally, the fundamental factor for an effective practice of meditation is spiritual tension, that irrepressible need in each human being to turn and follow ideality. Meditation cannot exist without this need to realize this ideality within ourselves.

The principles of freedom, justice and love cannot be stopped and everyone of us tends to realize them, so as much as we dedicate to develop our idealities, we become ecologic in our environment, we favor not only the persons with whom we live, but the environment in general, and we integrate with mankind and with all creatures. This ideality, that can initially be experimented sporadically with an inconsistent practice of meditation, should become the model of our entire life, constantly and daily, if we want to attain perfection in meditation. Perfection does not exist on the human level - we can have a tendency, a movement towards something, we can walk towards something, but we do not need to be afraid of acting, thinking that because we are not perfect, our actions will be imperfect. Our actions will be imperfect anyway, but if we start walking into the proper direction and we move towards perfection, each step will bring joy, that essential, inner joy that is full satisfaction, samtosha, contentment, tushti, that makes a person extremely tolerant and humble. The level of realization we have attained is not shown by our social position, by the flags we carry or by the colors of a uniform: it is shown by our humility and tolerance.

EMOTIONAL DETACHMENT AS THE KEY FOR A HIGHER PLEASURE

For this reason knowledge and wisdom must be transformed into emotional detachment, a detachment from what is not useful but damaging, that obstructs our evolution. The first level of detachment to be applied is to withdraw the senses from their objects (pratyahara), so that they do not become wild horses - we should not restrain them with violence and repression, but rather we should channel them in an evolutionary project that is functional to our inner growth. This renunciation is not brutal deprivation dictated by dogmatism or prejudice, rather it is attractive and effective abstention that we naturally apply in the moment when we experiment something higher.

The embodied souls can abstain from the enjoyment of the senses, although the taste for the sense objects remains. But if he loses this taste by experiencing a higher taste, he will remain fixed in spiritual consciousness. (BG II.59)

In Sanskrit, param literally means "higher" and drishtva "having seen": when we have developed a higher vision we can renounce a lower vision. We should not be afraid of inhibitions: some areas of the brain and some organs of the body are inhibited when we do something that requires our attention. This inhibition will certainly not prevent us from a journey of evolution, on the contrary it is something that we directly dominate and therefore we can manage in a sensitive and expert way, renouncing something inferior for the benefit of something superior. This act can be described as asceticism, in Sanskrit tapas, the ability to renounce with an act of will, a deliberate choice, leaving something inferior in order to obtain something superior. It implies an extraordinary consistency with a planning aimed at liberation from conditionings, and thus to the dissolution of all the virulent samksaras that condition the individuals, moving them with irresistible force. This benefit extends to all the guilt feelings or complexes that thrive in our unconscious and were created at some time in the history of our existence: their negative effects are dissolved and the individual becomes free from the prison where he was languishing.

Asceticism in itself does not exhaust the meaning of meditation, but constitutes an important component; it must be accompanied by prayer and right action, in other words by actions that are beneficial for all creatures, creating the least possible damage (ahimsa), for example eating only foods that were obtained with the least possible violence: grains, vegetables, pulses.

Thursday, May 7, Alachua, Florida – I settled down on my narrow bunk, people around me stacked in three tiers like immigrants in a Chinese city and beginning to snore. It wasn’t a five-star hotel, but ISKCON Youth Ministry’s Krishna Culture Festival Tour bus was definitely the way to travel. Soon the hum of the road would send me to sleep, and save for a bit of tossing and turning, I’d stay that way for at least half of our sixteen-hour journey.

Besides, a few nights away from my comfortable, stationary bed at home would be more than worth it. This was my first visit to Festival of Inspiration in New Vrindaban, West Virginia—an ISKCON institution and one of the most popular events of the year…

Read more here

Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member:

rasa108@gmail.com

ys

Rasa Rasika dasa

By Chandan Bhatia

Chand Kazi was the Chief Magistrate of Navadwipa. He was a devout & strict Muslim who was well versed in the Koran. As the Chief Magistrate of Navadwipa-Mayapur, he kept law and order for the Hussein Shah and was also the spiritual advisor of the Shah. He was a tyrannical ruler and the Hindus were oppressed in their religious practices.

1974 May 26: "This is most irresponsible and nonsensical. I never wrote or intended that he should leave you. Do not be bewildered. Go on chanting Hare Krsna and simply trust in Krsna as the dearmost friend."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

Balarama prabhuék csináltak egy videót, ami bemutatja hogyan lesz Darth Vaderből Krisnás…

1966 May 26:
"Saptami: Today I went to Dr. Mishra to dine with him. The expenditure was subway .30. Today Paul showed his crazy mind but he was sorry later on for his breaking the keertan performaces in the morning service."
Prabhupada Journal :: 1966

1969 May 26: "Regarding Rathayatra, this must be done at any cost. I may go or not go; that is not important. But Rathayatra Festival must be done."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 May 26: "Regarding the Gaudiya Mission, I have replied asking them the terms of cooperation. Let us see, although it is a hopeless business. Still, as you know, I never become hopeless in any case."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 May 26: "We have received the full set of paintings for the first volume of KRSNA book, and they are all very, very excellent. You are all being inspired just how to portray the Lord so everyone who sees will turn to become devotees - that is our aim."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 May 26: "Now I want that my GBC representatives shall travel extensively without stopping. Their job will be to see how things are going on, that the spiritual standard is maintained very high, to give encouragement to the devotees, like that."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1974 May 26: "This is a most irresponsible and nonsensical. I never wrote or intended that he should leave you. Do not be bewildered. Go on chanting Hare Krsna and simply trust in Krsna as the dearmost friend."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 May 26: "Though you have experienced difficulty, you are keeping faith in Krsna and the spiritual master. This faithfulness has pleased me very much."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1975 May 26: "There is so much work to do for spreading this Krishna Consciousness. Who will become attracted by such things as this? You should all spend more time reading my books very carefully and stop all this unnecessary manufacturing."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 May 26: "The Deity worship must be done very gorgeously. Have many varieties of first class ghee-cooked preparations. The L.A. standard is good, but still you should have a better standard."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

By Kurma Rupa dasa

Dear Friends, Jai Govinda! Our June 2009 Care for Cows Newsletter has been posted. Please review it at your earliest convenience

1966 May 26:
"Saptami: Today I went to Dr. Mishra to dine with him. The expenditure was subway .30. Today Paul showed his crazy mind but he was sorry later on for his breaking the keertan performaces in the morning service."
Prabhupada Journal :: 1966

1969 May 26: "Regarding Rathayatra, this must be done at any cost. I may go or not go; that is not important. But Rathayatra Festival must be done."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 May 26: "Regarding the Gaudiya Mission, I have replied asking them the terms of cooperation. Let us see, although it is a hopeless business. Still, as you know, I never become hopeless in any case."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 May 26: "We have received the full set of paintings for the first volume of KRSNA book, and they are all very, very excellent. You are all being inspired just how to portray the Lord so everyone who sees will turn to become devotees - that is our aim."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 May 26: "Now I want that my GBC representatives shall travel extensively without stopping. Their job will be to see how things are going on, that the spiritual standard is maintained very high, to give encouragement to the devotees, like that."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1974 May 26: "Though you have experienced difficulty, you are keeping faith in Krsna and the spiritual master. This faithfulness has pleased me very much."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1975 May 26: "There is so much work to do for spreading this Krishna Consciousness. Who will become attracted by such things as this? You should all spend more time reading my books very carefully and stop all this unnecessary manufacturing."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 May 26: "The Deity worship must be done very gorgeously. Have many varieties of first class ghee-cooked preparations. The L.A. standard is good, but still you should have a better standard."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

By Vijaya das

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.

After his first arrival in San Francisco in 1967 and his first aviation journey, Srila Prabhupada talked about how the houses of San Francisco looked like "little match boxes." We'd hardly started smiling when just then he said, "Just imagine how Krsna sees things."

Nrsimha Caturdasi Kirtan festival of Inspiration 2009 His Holiness Bhakti Marg Swami leading an amazing kirtan for Narasimha Caturdasi 2009. HH Radhanath and Devamrita Swamis dancing at Festival of Inspiration (FOI), New Vrindavan. Get on the High of …

On Monday Prahladananda Maharaja's disciples and well wishers celebrated Vyasa Puja in his honour.

Maharaja's disciples: Sarva Mangala, Tim, and other aspirants glorified Maharaja's ability to share Krishna consciousness with others and to inspire them to apply bhakti yoga in their lives.

Acintya Rupa, Prabhu, Sita-Rama-Laksmana, and Gopa Vrndesh shared their devotional insights into Maharaja's sustained and exemplary service to Srila Prabhupada's preaching mission.

You can see a slide show here.

Where is the happiness in this material world? There isn't any? The only happiness is getting out of this place and rescuing as many others as possible from this place. However, in spite of this we foolishly continue try to enjoy this material thinking that is a pleasurable place. This.................................... ================================================================== Thought...

At the moment ISKCON Brisbane is running an educational program in the weekends. Various members of the community are teaching different modules to the 22 course participants. This past Saturday I gave the first of the classes I am rostered to give, on the subject of "The Existence of God".

We discussed various objections to the existence of God from the course material.

Here's a recording of the class:

• The Existence of God (mp3, 29MB, 63 min)

Steve from Wellington, New Zealand wrote:

"This (Panir Steaks) recipe is why I'm a fan of yours. Many years ago I tried the Panir Steaks at our local Hare Krishna Higher Taste Restaurant here in Wellington. I liked them so much I asked about them and they referred me to your cookbook.

Consequently I've bought a couple of your cookbooks. My all-time favourite recipe is Rajma, which is also featured in a recent letter from a fan of yours.

This all got me thinking that you should run a poll of what is your readers' "Favourite Kurma Recipe". I don't know if its been done already, but if not, it could be useful. Or is there a clear cut winner that you have noticed over the many years of correspondence? Cheers Steve"

My reply:

Hello Steve. I have actually never conducted such a poll, but it's a good idea. So here goes...

Ok readers, it's time for a little feedback time. I know you're out there. I need to know the answer to this question: What is your favourite Kurma recipe?

If it's hard to narrow down just one, then you can send me your top three favourite Kurma recipes.

BY ISKCON NEWS WEEKLY STAFF Source: News.Iskcon.com Washington, DC – For the more than fifty ISKCON devotees who gathered here to attend the “Building Bridges” conference last month, there was good news and bad news. The bad news was that – judging by comments made by almost all of the conference’s esteemed presenters – the “good old [...]

Rajendranandana Prabhu goes to his Chinese-medicine doctor and finds a woman there reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. Some of the books were previously planted there by Rajendranandana and his wife Catura and some by other Sastra Dana devotees. Rajendranandana asks, “What are those interesting books?” This question makes the woman speak the sweetest glorification about the books and their author. When Rajendranandana tells her that the author is his spiritual teacher her excitment goes through the roof.

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami - May 25, 10:30 A.M.

My Dear Lord Krishna...

I’m writing to You an improvisation. I don’t have an essay or letter planned. But the first thing that comes to my mind is love, my desire to love You and to know that You love me. The scriptures tell me that You love me. My heart tells me that I love You. If I love You fully, You will take me to live with You eternally. I want to increase my love for You. Please help me to do that. There is no reason that I should not have unbounded love for You. I do not know You intimately yet. You have not granted me that right. But I already love You. Just as Rukmini devi fell in love with You before She even met You, just by hearing about You from Narada, I already love You. She heard descriptions of Your qualities from Narada Muni, and was so aroused in love for You that she boldly asked You to come and kidnap Her from marriage with Sisupala. I want to ask You in the same bold way to please shower knowledge of Your love for me upon me and for me to declare my love for You. I would like you to come and kidnap me from my connection to Maya devi, Your illusory energy, to come and take me to Your abode. I already know enough about You to have this love and to ask You to take me.

Rukmini Devi said that if You did not come and marry Her, She would give up Her life. I also declare that if You do noat show me that You love me, I will be as good as a dead person and have nothing to live for. I ask You to open the floodgates of love of God, which are contained in the Hare Krishna mantra, so that by chanting Your names, I can feel Your love for me. And then I want to reciprocate fully, chanting with a heart full of ecstasy. I don’t want to keep chanting mechanically or halfheartedly. As a baby, Your most beloved Srimati Radharani was not able to see. She had no eyesight. When She first saw You, then She gained Her eyesight, and Her heart was filled with love of You. I am like a blind baby hankering for a vision of You. I can see You in my Radha-Govinda murtis (Whom we bathed and shined just yesterday), and I want to get my full vision, just like a blind person seeing for the first time and appreciating Your appearance before me. Until I can hear Your names in the Hare Krishna mantra with full devotion, I am like a deaf man, and I do not want to remain like that. Please help me to hear You and appreciate Your presence in the sound vibration of Your names.

from the yellow submarine, my bhajana kutir #82→

Join us for Lilamayi’s meditation class, this Wednesday at the Loft. 6pm sharp. Followed by dinner.

She will introduce different techniques of mediation including Mantra Meditation. Ommm…

Food for Life Slovenia: We offer free accomodation, prasadam, local transport, covered health insurance, trasport costs from your home country to Slovenia and back and monthly pocket money. You would be serving up to 25 hours per week at Food for Life.

Rita Gupta: Srutakirti dasa became Prabhupada’s personal servant in August 1972. His service was to be by Prabhupada’s side twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. He traveled with Prabhupada for 2 ½ years, and around the world five times

Karunamayi Devi Dasi: If you are looking to buy a house in the valley and need accomodation or have a getaway or would like to live here, this is an opportunity for you to experience the majesty of Saranagati first hand.

Mithuna Das: The chief host of the workshop is HG Ravindra Svarupa Das ( GBC, ISKCON ); some other disciples of Srila Prabhupada expected to be in attendance are H H Chandrasekhar Swami, HG Suddha Jiva Das, and HG Bushara Das.

Parsada devi dasi: The Council for the Indian Secondary Certificate of Education (CISCE) released their final exam results recently and Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School (BGIS) students in the 10th and 12th grade had a 100% pass rate.

Dravida das: On May 14 at 3pm, the devotee said, he and his peers were busy preparing for a weekend festival when fifty to sixty terrorists burst into the temple, brandishing knives and iron bars.

By Dina Dayala dasa

Sesa Dasa, ISKCON's Minister of Education, cut the ceremonial ribbon and later said that it takes foresight and courage to invest in education in ISKCON.

The unlimited adventures of spiritual life are the means by which we can actually conquer death. By nature we are the eternal soul, so as these bodies gradually age and ultimately fall, we naturally move on to our next destination. We will all meet with this inevitable adventure, the next phase of our journey through life. Yet for most people it is a great unknown and a fearful conclusion.

To be ignorant of our eternal conscious identity places us in the hands of countless fears. Fear of survival, fear of feeding oneself, fears of maintaining our families, being loved or appreciated. Then, meeting frustrations throughout our personal lives we may even fear the idea of being an eternal person, someone who is held accountable for their actions. Finally there is fear of not being supremely independent, having to submit to a higher power.

Real adventure means to face all our fears and conquer them. Hiding away or trying to convince ourselves otherwise are symptomatic of cowardly behavior. To bury our heads in the sand only covers our vision of the truth, the ostrich is not out of danger, just the danger is out of his sight. Fear arises due to our becoming absorbed in the dreamlike condition of our material life. Whilst dreaming at night we become so engrossed that we fail to remember our bodies sleeping in the bed. Completely identifying with our dreamworld we forget our worldly duties and relationships. We may even experience being attacked by a tiger in our dream, running and screaming to escape. Yet, someone awake, watching our tossing and turning will not fear the tiger, for him it does not exist. Feeling concern, he may attempt to awaken us, thus relieving our distress. Upon awakening we immediately remember our actual identity and real life, the fears for the tiger now gone. Similarly, when we awaken from our material slumber we again become aware of our true spiritual identity and of our pure loving relationships on that platform. We remember that we have an incredible comrade known as Krishna, the original adventurous person and source of all fearlessness. With our consciousness of Krishna, our eternal friend and lover, finally restored, we once again taste the real adventure of the spirit. This rush of excitement of reuniting with Krishna through chanting his names, is so incredible that all other thrills appear insignificant.

For those tasting the transcendental bliss of chanting Krishna's names, searching for ways to give others this treasure becomes an unparalleled adventure. To try and awaken others to their real existence and their true potential is certainly a risky challenge. It is so much an adventure that even Krishna himself, the original pure consciousness, takes on this pastime. Descending as Gauranga, Sri Krishna Chaitanya, he personally unleashes a great flood of love and compassion upon the world, unconcerned with our disqualification for such priceless jewels. Unable to tolerate seeing the self-inflicted frustrations and fears of the people, Sri Chaitanya brings the highest wealth of pure love and seeks that everyone takes. To become an instrument of divine love in the hands of the supreme lover, Sri Chaitanya, is an unmissable opportunity for extraordinary adventure. Without doubt there will be risks and obstacles in such an endeavor, yet these act to enhance the flavour of the love, a ever-increasing love of reciprocation between Gauranga and his devotee. To be such an instrument of love, compassion and knowledge means that we will receive more ourselves. It is in giving that we receive. A hosepipe does not create water, it simple delivers it. The more it sprays, the more passes through it. Similarly, Sri Chaitanya is the fountainhead of this pure love and compassion, which passes down through the medium of his loving devotees. By acing as their servants, we will have this very love and compassion flowing through us. That is a sensation which does not have a comparison in this world of temporary fixes.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

May 25 2009

Here’s a question about observing birthdays from someone who prefers to be anonymous:

“During Prabhupada’s time, was there anything special done on devotee’s birthdays — particularly temple/ashram brahmacharis/devotees. Anything like a festival/program/feast or glorification for that devotee on that particular day. What was Prabhupada’s mood regarding this. Did he offer any special mercy to you on your birthday? What is our standard today?”

Answer:

There was no special observation of regular devotees’ birthdays. We were always taught that the only birthdays that should be observed were that of the spiritual master and the Supreme Lord.

Sometimes Srila Prabhupada followed traditional culture and offered some bangles or ornaments to small children on their birthdays. When his son Brindaban Candra had a baby girl, Srila Prabhupada gave him one of his gold rings as a gift for the child.

In Folio also you can find a letter addressed to Sally Agarwal where Srila Prabhupada gives his blessings to her baby girl on her third birthday and says:

New York
19 November, 1965
65-11-19

My dear daughter Sally,
I beg to thank you for your kind letter of the 16th instant and I have noted the contents carefully. I am glad to learn that you had been to your parents house for a few days and now you have returned home. I am still more glad to learn that you are going to observe the third birthday of Miss Kamala Agarwal on Saturday next. On this occasion I should have presented her some ornaments but as I am a Sannyasi I can simply offer my blessing for her long life and good prosperity. She cannot now read otherwise at least I should have presented a set of my books. But you set aside one set of my books for her future reading when she will grow up a beautiful and educated girls with full god consciousness. …”

I know a lot of devotees like to observe the birthday of other devotees with a cake or some other observation. Personally I don’t have any enthusiasm for observing birthdays and I have been known to completely forget my own.

(more…)

I have so many things to tell you about my japa and the times I was caught by Krsna's mercy during this week. By the mercy of a vaisnava we can be touched deep in the soul.

“Like a great mountain, the Lord stands as the abode for all moving and nonmoving living entities. He is the friend of the snakes because Lord Ananta is His friend.”

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.8.30

Recently a snake was found and removed from the basement  of the CD building (originally known as the nursery building) when some things were being removed.  The immediate question was if it was a copperhead, the only poisonous snake in the New Vrindaban area. Here is a picture:

This snake is an immature black snake.  Here is a picture of a copperhead:

Key things about a copperhead is that most descriptions have them only up to 30-36″ (75 to 90 mm) long, which is smaller than the captured snake. Another is the triangular head typical of the pit viper family of snakes, and the coloration of the head is different than the rest of its body.

Beneficial snakes have a more diamond shaped head, as in the picture of the captured snake above. More mistakable for a copperhead is a juvenile black rat snake:

The duller coloration and the head are diagnostic.  Adult black rat snakes are all black, but as is seen in the photo of the captured snake, an immature one can still retain the juvenile patterning which does get it mistaken for a copperhead by those who have never seen a copperhead.

I have been here 35 years and only seen copperheads twice and that was away from buildings so they are a rarity. They are reclusive and live in rock faces away from people normally.

Rat snakes are extremely beneficial and help control the population of rodents.

Another snake that can be mistaken for a copperhead is a milk snake:

The difference is the red coloration and, again, the head.

Visitors to New Vrindaban  never see snakes if they stay in the temple area.  For the more adventorous who wander off the beaten path, only the lucky ones will ever catch a glimpse of a snake and then it is most likely to be a garter or black snake, both of which are beneficial and good to have around.

1966 May 25:
"In the evening there was meeting the attendance was about 18 heads. After the meeting there was consultations about incorporation of The International Society for Krishna consciousness."
Prabhupada Journals :: 1966

1969 May 25: "Here it is a very nice spot for developing our community project. There is sufficient land for building great temples and houses for devotees. There is pasturing land, and sufficient grass and vegetables for the grazing of cows."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 May 25: "In everything we do, devotion and sincerity are the real things. The procedure may not be very right - but the desire being sincere - the Lord accepts our offering."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 May 25: "You have asked some specific mantra. Srila Bhaktivinode says, 'When I chant Hare Krsna all my dangers are gone immediately.' So what other mantra can be more effective than Hare Krsna?"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 May 25: "Regarding using our Temple for marriage ceremonies for the Hindu community, we cannot take responsibility for marrying others who are not initiated by us."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 May 25: "We can never expect any kind of utopia, even in the spiritual world. Wherever there are persons there are bound to be differences. We should not expect any kind of perfect arrangement in this material world."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1974 May 25: "So I am glad that you are fully absorbed in your work and very concerned that it be executed just to my satisfaction in parampara standard. This is your perfection."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 May 25: "Temple presidents must be very careful on recommending gayatri initiation. After all, we are criticizing false cast brahmanas, if we ourselves are bogus brahmanas then our position is very bad."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1966 May 25:
"In the evening there was meeting the attendance was about 18 heads. After the meeting there was consultations about incorporation of The International Society for Krishna consciousness."
Prabhupada Journals :: 1966

1969 May 25: "Here it is a very nice spot for developing our community project. There is sufficient land for building great temples and houses for devotees. There is pasturing land, and sufficient grass and vegetables for the grazing of cows."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1969 May 25: "In everything we do, devotion and sincerity are the real things. The procedure may not be very right - but the desire being sincere - the Lord accepts our offering."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 May 25: "You have asked some specific mantra. Srila Bhaktivinode says, 'When I chant Hare Krsna all my dangers are gone immediately.' So what other mantra can be more effective than Hare Krsna?"
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 May 25: "Regarding using our Temple for marriage ceremonies for the Hindu community, we cannot take responsibility for marrying others who are not initiated by us."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 May 25: "We can never expect any kind of utopia, even in the spiritual world. Wherever there are persons there are bound to be differences. We should not expect any kind of perfect arrangement in this material world."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1974 May 25: "Temple presidents must be very careful on recommending gayatri initiation. After all, we are criticizing false cast brahmanas, if we ourselves are bogus brahmanas then our position is very bad."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 May 25: "So I am glad that you are fully absorbed in your work and very concerned that it be executed just to my satisfaction in parampara standard. This is your perfection."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.8.41 - Inconceivable mercy of Krishna and His pure devotee.

The Transfiguration

by Edwin Muir

She's being heralded as "the eighth wonder of the world" and the "common ancestor of all later monkeys, apes, and humans." She's Ida, and she's got most of the scientific world up in a hoot that her remains further give credence to the theories of macro-evolution.

It's interesting to note the fervor in which the mainstream press, or at least the tabloid portions of it, trump Ida as "the missing link." Of course, anyone with some research knows that finding a solid and consensual chain of remains of supposed primate ancestors to human beings still stands as elusive task. In short, there are a whole bunch of "missing links".

Ida doesn't prove anything, unless you like to base your reasoning with a good portion of speculation and a big dallop of flashy marketing.

Here's an excerpt from a piece on Ida from the Wall Street Journal:

"The discovery has little bearing on a separate paleontological debate centering on the identity of a common ancestor of chimps and humans, which could have lived about six million years ago and still hasn't been found. That gap in the evolution story is colloquially referred to as the "missing link" controversy. In reality, though, all gaps in the fossil record are technically "missing links" until filled in, and many scientists say the term is meaningless.

Nonetheless, the latest fossil find is likely to ignite further the debate between evolutionists who draw conclusions based on a limited fossil record, and creationists who don't believe that humans, monkeys and apes evolved from a common ancestor."

And here are a few more critical pieces on the finding:
Poor, Poor Ida
Scientists Doubt Ida Is Your Ancestor

Dear devotees,

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

For those of you interested in joining me in India in the Kartik time, the
following is my schedule.

October 25 start of Jagannatha Puri parikrama
October 29 travel to Mayapur
October 30 start of Mayapur parikrama
November 10 travel to Vrindavana
November 11 start of Vrindavana parikrama.
November 16 parikrama finishes

So you should arrive in Puri on the 24th of October at the latest, as the
parikrama will begin on the 25th.

The main part of the parikrama is in Mayapur. We will do the complete
Navadvipa Mandala Parikrama, probably over 9 or 10 days, coming back to the
temple every night.

You will have to arrange your own accommodation.

Hoping this meets you well.

Your ever well wisher,

Bhakti Caitanya Swami

Meditation rightly defined is what Rupa Goswami called Krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita or what Srila Prabhupada called Krsna consciousness (See Prabhupada Lilamrta, chapter 18). In it purest form, being Krsna consciousness, means seeing Krsna everywhere. On the 22nd of December 1969, in Boston, Srila Prabhupada said this: Sastra-caksus: "You should see through sastra. Don't try to see by these eyes." These are, what is the value of this eye? They are conditioned in so many ways. You don't believe the eyes. See through the sastra, through the spiritual master, through the sastra.

read more

Hare Krishna.

Earlier this week, the anti-rtvik crusader Gaura Kesava Prabhu submitted a few messages deriding me on the PAMHO conference “Prabhupada Disciples.” The subject lines were “Bhakta Pandu Hypocrite” and “Immature Bhakta Pandu.” Needless to say, the content of the e-mails was not at all nice, and I do not believe his criticism accurately reflected my view. Naturally I was horrified. To make matters worse, I am not normally free to post messages there, so he was able to condemn me and misrepresent me unopposed. Mother Malati graciously said a few words on my behalf, but there was not much she could say since we are not that well acquainted and she presumably does not know my view on the initiation issue.

When I found out that my responses to Gaura Kesava’s accusations were not being distributed to the Prabhupada Disciples conference members, I obtained permission from the moderator to address the group. I don’t know if my message will be approved, but here it is below:

—–Original Message—–
From: Paul Howard [mailto:paul108@...]
Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 2:00 AM
To: ‘Prabhupada Disciples’
Subject: cooperation instead of conflict

Dear Disciples of Srila Prabhupada,

Hare Krishna. Please accept my most respectful obeisances. All glories
to Srila Prabhupada.

I saw a few days ago some messages sent to this conference deriding me,
so I requested to submit a few words in my defense. I beg your pardon
for this intrusion, but please hear what I have to say.

Last year in a meeting at my local temple, our GBC twice described the
“rtvik” proponents as “enemies of ISKCON.” It made me feel responsible
to understand the issue, so I examined the relevant evidence with an
open mind and found the rtvik view most convincing. I could also see
how others may disagree, depending on how the evidence is weighed along
with other factors.

Despite the unfortunate social risk, I entered the debate to test my
understanding and see if I had missed something. Gaura Kesava made some
good points, but when I didn’t find his arguments persuasive, he became
angry with me. Recently he has been personally attacking me with cruel
words and misrepresenting my views in this conference where I am not
free to respond. His e-mails recently reached a level of harassment and
bullying that is way outside regular etiquette, what to speak of
Vaisnava etiquette, so I finally set my e-mail program to reject
anything from his address. An extreme measure but better than
retaliation.

All along I’ve been saying that it is very disturbing to me when
Krishna’s devotees treat each other as enemies and fight. I feel it
weakens Srila Prabhupada’s movement immensely, and my own preaching is
seriously hampered. I’m sure you all know how detrimental it is to
offend devotees, and that doesn’t just mean pure devotees. It’s a big
problem, and to solve it we have to give up our pride for the sake of
our common goal. I’ve been trying to convince both rtvik supporters and
devotees favoring the predominant system that respect and friendship are
paramount. Despite our differences, the most important thing is that we
all chant Hare Krishna and avoid offenses as much as possible. How are
we going to bring peace to the world if we can’t even establish it among
ourselves?

I surely do not want to harm ISKCON; I’m trying my best to make it
stronger. Both initiation systems have some merit and supporting
evidence, and both could function together within ISKCON if each devotee
is permitted to choose according to his or her faith. Everyone would
benefit as a major cause of Vaisnava aparadha would stop. Think of how
much Krishna would be pleased with us. Imagine if devotees fighting
over this were to come together and work cooperatively for Srila
Prabhupada’s mission, what we could accomplish. That is my goal and my
dream, which I am trying my best to make a reality. I pray for your
blessings. Hare Krishna.

Sincerely, your servant,
Pandu das

This is a bhajan that is close to my heart and I find myself singing it a lot The devotee has made it so beautiful in this youtube clip I thought it was well worth sharing with you all: Srimati Radharani

Sacinandana Swami Vyasa Puja 09

We will be closed over the long weekend, from the 29th May - 1st June.  Your hard working volunteer staff are having a weekend retreat!  See you on Tuesday 2nd June!

What do we do when we are completely overwhelmed by the quagmire of material existence and it appears completely hopeless that there is no way out of our dilemma? Sometimes all of our best efforts are insufficient to resolve our predicament. All we can do in such a situation is put ourselves completely at the mercy of Lord Krishna and let Him do whatever...

I said that I focused completely on the audio engineering last night, but that wasn't completely true. I also did a little chimpta playing.

The chimpta is the "musical fire tong" - it's a fire tong that has been adapted to a musical instrument by the addition of small cymbals. In kirtan it plays a single, half, or quarter note beat in the same time as hand claps. It is useful to get people clapping, and it really drives the beat and gets the kirtan to the next level rhythmically.

That's me on the right playing the chimptas and doing the mixing. There is an awesome shot on the inside cover of Jai Uttal's CD Shiva Station of one of his band members striking a totally rock pose with a chimpta. Classic.

In Janardana's kirtan you can hear me playing it starting at 6:46. Listen to the original mix (Mix 1), rather than the reduced metal mix, because you can hear more clearly what I am going to describe.

At 6:46 you hear me open the chimptas and start. I realized that the sound was overbearing, so I changed technique to reduce the level. You can hear this at 6:55. The initial technique I used was to grasp the chimptas in the middle. This creates a sound with a pronounced attack and a loud cymbal ring. I switched to holding it at the top. This requires more energy to play, because your hand is further away from the fulcrum, but produces a sound with less attack and more sizzle.

In the reduced metal mix the chimpta practically goes away because of this approach.

by Parsada devi dasi The Council for the Indian Secondary Certificate of Education (CISCE) released their final exam results recently and Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School (BGIS) students in the 10th and 12th grade had a 100% pass rate. Ramachandra Gaire, who graduated from 12th grade, was first in the Mathura district in the highly-competitive science stream with 92% overall average. Other 12th graders who received excellent scores between 85% and 90% were Rahul Gupta, Nikhil Mehta, Madhava dasa Javeri and Shivam Yadav.

We have finally resolved the problem with our Sunday Feast recordings!

The 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 ISKCON Toronto Video Archive Blog.

The album cover of Anvil's seminal "Metal on Metal". Watch the Anvil documentary. It's a touching tale of courage, camaraderie, perseverance, and metal!

I've remixed Janardana's track. I changed the EQ on the room mic to bring the cartals right down.

This is mix 3. If you compare it to mix 1 [available here] you'll find that it doesn't have the same "live" feel to it. However, if you bring the volume down on each mix until you can only hear one element you'll find that with mix 1 that element is the cartals, and with mix 3 it's the main vocal.

Cartals are easily the loudest thing in any kirtan. In this particular recording there is only one pair of cartals, but they still dominate. Cartals produce high frequency sound, which requires less energy to propagate. With low frequency sound you are moving more air, so you need more energy to get equivalent volume. With high frequencies you're moving less air, so a small thing will produce a big sound.

On Saturday night a guest found our place by the sound of the cartals from the street. Other sounds die off quickly as their energy is expended - cartals carry. Listen as you approach a street harinam. All you can hear from most distances is cartals. It's only when you are really close that you can hear the singing.

Further to the points about dynamics yesterday, check out this video by Jared Falk over at freedrumlessons.com - Dynamic Drumming: Drumming with Groove. In it he explains that beginners will drum without dynamics for at least a year or two before developing feel. In the meantime they are unable to modulate the dynamics of their playing. Players of other instruments, such as cartals, are in a similar situation.

Unfortunately, many cartal players in ISKCON never develop the ability to play dynamically. They play at one constant volume - "too loud". This is because there are so many players who never develop the ability to play dynamically, and everyone is copying everyone else. Too loud cartals do not sound good, they sound familiar. Once you get used to them they evoke memories of previous kirtans and experiences that you've had. When I started listening to the recent 24 hour kirtan webcast from Birmingham at first the excessive cartals detracted from my listening experience. Then after some time I found myself enjoying the immersion in a familiar sonic environment. It wasn't the sound I was enjoying, but the familiarity.

Listen to descriptions by people who are unfamiliar with cartals and kirtan. This will give you more of a perspective devoid of the enculturation and habituation that takes place as loud cartals become an integral part of your life experience. People often describe it as "ringing bells". That's what it sounds like. People ringing bells.

Players who can play dynamically are rare, and are regarded as "awesome". As Owsinski mentions in his book "How to Make Your Band Sound Great", the audience can't put their finger on why, but they know it rocks the kirtan and it makes the kirtan group sound tight.

To reduce the cartals in this recording I've had to reduce the frequency range that contains the chorus. The cartals washed out a lot of this anyway, so there wasn't much to begin with.

Aindra's "Vraja Vilasa" albums were hailed at the time of their release as "his best recordings ever" by at least one 30-year veteran of kirtan that I know. One of the things that Aindra did with that album was reduce the 'metal on metal" of the cartals. He did this by compressing the heck out of the ambient mics, which also reduced the mrdangas. The effect for me is an over-compressed sound that lacks dynamics and is fatiguing to listen to for long periods. However, you do experience a (mostly) live kirtan liberated from excessive metal on metal.

So I've done something with this track to reduce the cartals. It's a compromise, because it destroys other elements of the live kirtan. However, it's all in service of the vision: "Better than being there". Ideally, however, we'd have good control of the dynamics in the kirtan by people who are aware of their playing. One way to get this is to record yourself and critically analyze your performance afterwards. I've found that to be invaluable in developing my own musicianship, whether it's timing, tone, pitch, or dynamics.

Here's the remixed track:

• Janardana's track Mix 3 (mp3, 13:58, 18MB)

Calgary, Alberta

YOU CAN CHANGE

When you are a sannyasi (monk) in the tradition of India, you could get spoiled rotten with the delicious meals offered to you. In the suburb housing development called Monterray, I am hosted by a Fijiian couple, Radha Madhava, Swasti and their two daughters. Their idea is to kill the swami with kindness. At each meal (3 a day) a feast of prasadam is provided.

I must insist on two meals. The number of preps offered are about an eight course for dinner and lunch. I must insist on a 50% cut down. Of course, their generosity is all done out of love. Like anything, one can go overboard in the love department just as much as we hear about excess hate in the world. At least the food is in excess. My tummy can only handle so much. Better that we churn out some food for the needy (which this family does).

I read with interest an article about the confessions of Canada's former leader of the Ku Klux Klan who renounced his abhorrent views. In the eighties, James McQuirter, KKK orchestrator in Canada, was very active in denouncing anyone non-white. For his setting 'hate' fires by burning crosses and drumming up allies of intolerance, McQuirter eventually got arrested for murder conspiracy.

What's interesting is while he was in prison, he had a change of heart. He now looks at his past with shame and disgust. He explains that he is a living example of someone who can change.

The story is encouraging for anyone who wishes to give up bad habits. We can change!

11 Km

Meeting Mormans

Calgary, Alberta

“You are on your mission, aren’t you?” I asked Elder White a young man of the Morman faith. Clad in white shirt, tie, and smart suit White answered with an as a -matter -of -fact “I am”. The Morman from Utah don’t have to travel too far north to come to Calgary.

I had spotted the clean cut man, “unmistakably a Morman,” I thought while walking with others in a north-east suburb of the city. He had heard of Krishna and of a gorgeous Krishna temple in Spanish forks, Utah, U.S.A.

He asked about Krishna beliefs and values so I conveyed the answer and added what I knew of the Morman, the church of the Latter Day Saints. By now his mission companion joined us. Elder Willkie introduced himself and asked about the origin of “Hare Christian’. Out of innocents he mispronounced the word “Hare Krishna”.

He also asked about the colour of my robes. ‘’The saffron is reserved for monks in the renounced order. It stands for peace and freedom,” I said.

The two Elders, who were rather young , maintained a very respectful disposition towards us .The exchange was mutual. In the few past years I have heard our leaders in meetings express their appreciation for the social management of the Morman system. For instance one of the appealing aspects of that communities’ way of doing things is having their young men on a two year mission where they visit people’s homes to present their view of life and persuade people to join their membership. Another attractive feature I admire is the care given to their children and the arrangement of marriages, house and career.

In any event my walking companions and I had a rather pleasant encounter with two young chaps on the spiritual path.

In the evening I facilitated another workshop on the nine devotion at the yoga passage on the 11th avenue. People had great stories to tell regarding their life.

12 Km

Seemantini writes:

"My brother has resolved to give up eating eggs after seeing this hidden camera video footage exposing shocking animal abuse at a southern California egg factory farm."

Watch and learn.

Be Like the Bird...

I used to have a recurring dream of flying. I would soar here and there, and whenever danger presented itself, I would simply flap my arms, rise vertically like a helicopter, lift off and fly away elsewhere. There was a tremendous feeling of complete detachment from my dream-life's reverses, and a total sense of freedom.

In one sense, the pains and pleasures of this life are like a dream, not because they do not exist, but because, like a dream, they are temporary. When this dream-like lifetime is over, and we start afresh in a new one, the activities of this life, which, like a dream, fade from memory over time, will be as insignificant as those of experienced in a dream.

This quote of Victor Hugo reminded me of that oft-experienced dream.

"Be like the bird that, passing on her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing that she hath wings." - Victor Hugo

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami - May 24, 4:17 A.M.

I had a peaceful night’s sleep but woke up at 3:15 A.M. By my usual set ideas, I became anxious that I got up “late” and would be behind in my japa. Dr. Nitai-Gaurasundara has told me repeatedly not to be anxious about rising at 3:00 or even 4:00 A.M. He said I shouldn’t worry that I will manage to get my rounds done during the day. So I’m trying not to think that I’m up late now and that it doesn’t matter if I don’t chant eight rounds before 5:00 A.M. I may not be able to give make a report in the japa log, but I’ll have to let that go. So far, I’ve chanted two rounds. I’m feeling wide awake, with no headache and in good spirits. Narayana-kavaca just came up and helped me. He was in very good spirits. He’s very dedicated. I’m very thankful for his presence.

Early-morning japa log

I’ve chanted four rounds now. My timing is good. My mind has wandered a little bit to other things, but no so bad. My chanting is at an audible whisper. Chanting is the most valuable thing, and I know it. I will get my quota done by the end of the day. Narayana said he would come up and chant with me if I needed help, but I think I can do it alone. I think I can still be your japa coach by encouraging you on the importance of chanting, and of chanting early in the morning, at least as early as possible. We will go to the beach soon and so some more chanting there. And I think I’ll stay awake. I’m encouraging myself not to be depressed by this so-called late start. I’m paying attention to the syllables of the names, calling to Radha and Krishna in my own way. This is my life, as given to me by Prabhupada since the earliest days, and I will never give it up.

Japa essay

Japa is the life and soul of the devotee. The bead bag is his constant companion. He’s always chanting whenever he has a spare moment. But it’s best to chant a lot of rounds consecutively, not to chant one or two here and there at spare moments. It is good to save time for chanting lots rounds at a time. That way you build up momentum and concentration. We will do that this morning. Its fun chanting and hearing the rounds roll off your tongue, putting aside all other subject matters. It’s a quiet, solitary activity, and one that is to my liking. I think of myself like Thoreau out at Walden Pond, spending his time by himself, being content with it. In my case, I’m content with being with the Lord in His holy names. Lord Caitanya has given it to us as a major method of overcoming maya in the age of Kali. It is so simple, it is so natural, it is so easy. Seeing that we cannot perform more difficult yajnas in this present age, Lord Caitanya has given us this easy method, and if we cannot do it, then we are lost. I can do it. I am doing it. You can do it, too. It is the japa yajna. It is best to save time somehow or other in your busy day and not do it while driving your car or riding your bicycle. That’s why early morning is a good time, but if you cannot spare it then, then do it in the afternoon when you save some time for it. But a good block of reserve time is essential. During that time, you should create an environment in which you’re not being bothered by your children or your work worries. Even worse is externally dividing your time between chanting and other duties. Be determined to find a time in the day which is your japa time and carry it out faithfully every day. Steady performance of this routine will bring you good results. It does not exactly matter whether it is early in the morning or later in the afternoon, as long as it is a time of peace and uninterrupted chanting. Strive to find that time and carry it out for Krishna’s sake and for our sakes. It’s too important to be neglected.

6:47 A.M.

The sun has gone behind the cloud. But there are more cars and people out than on any day this season so far. It’s Memorial Day Sunday. An Asian family is asking an old man whether they need a fishing license and where they can get one. He’s out with a big pale collecting aluminum cans from the trash pails for resale.

Narayana and I were talking some more about my writing and how it is aimed for the devotee audience, which limits its sales. He encouraged me by telling me the pastime of the verse Rupa Gosvami wrote based on what Lord Caitanya was singing during the Ratha-yatra. Only Rupa Gosvami and Svarupa Damodara could understand the song that Lord Caitanya was singing. Lord Caitanya went into ecstasy when He saw the verse that Rupa Gosvami wrote, based on the song He was singing. Rupa Gosvami had hidden it in his thatched roof, but Lord Caitanya found it.

There is another example of a verse that only three persons could understand. It is spoken by Radharani, lamenting that She could not see the Lord of Mathura. The verse She spoke later came out of the mouth of Madhavendra Puri and was also understood by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. No third person knew the esoteric meaning of the verse. So, you don’t have to become a bestselling author to become a successful writer in Krishna consciousness. These are exceptional examples. Prabhupada said every home should have a Krishna Book. But the main point is if Krishna is pleased by your writing, all your desires will be fulfilled. You should not write with a desire to become a famous author. Krishna will see to that.

Even if you have a hundred people reading what you have written, that is a substantial number of readers. Dostoevsky never wanted to write anything that was mediocre. He only settled for the highest achievement he could make in his literary artistry. He lived a life of extreme poverty because he depended only on his writing for income. He never wrote “pot boilers,” but now, hundreds of years later, he is widely read and is considered one of the greatest Russian authors. One may ask what good it does one to leave a legacy and have only posthumous fame. But if writing is done in service to Krishna, a lasting legacy after one’s death is worthwhile for one’s own purification and for preaching to the people of the future. The main thing is to write as best as one can without compromise and with all honesty.

Radha Govinda (above) after worship by Satsvarupa Maharaja and Narayana-kavaca (below)

from the yellow submarine, my bhajana kutir #81→

By Patita Pavana das

If I was asked my opinion of the “Luckiest Man Alive” , I would cast my ballot in favour of Shriman Hari Sauri das. As Shrila Prabhupada’s personal servant for a number of years, through both encouragement and chastisement, he repeatedly qualified himself as a recipient of the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord’s pure devotee.

• Dhamesvara Gaura Dasa $674.00 
• Esekiel Jaggernauth $400.00 
• Advaita C. D & Sita T. DD $279.00 
• Sadhvi DD $261.50 
• Rupanuga DD $216.83 
• William C. McGahey $201.00 
• Laksmi P. DD & Brhad B. D $200.00
• Jnana Bhakti Dasa $200.00 
• Randy & Kripa Mayi DD $153.00 
• Vamsi Dasa’s family $116.00 
• Yamunapati D & Jaysri DD $101.00 
• Anonymous $100.00 
• Feda Dapic $64.00 
• Justin Connor $62.00 
• Vraja Vadhu DD $60.00 
• Pedro Claudino $60.00 
• Dharni family $51.00 
• Krishnamurti Dasa $50.00 
• Ravi & Sangeeta Wahi $50.00 
• Anonymous $50.00 
• Balai Devi Dasi $42.00 
• Jiten Patel $42.00 
• Rosa Wallace $40.00 
• Kanka Devi Dasi $25.00 
• Krishna Soppa $21.00 
• Bhakta Kevin $18.00 
• Bhaktivedanta M. Library $16.01 
• Nitin & Jayshri Patel $11.00 
• GRAND TOTAL: $3,564.34

The other day I was reading a very interesting quote on desire, an interesting subject as we all have them and they are difficult to control at times. I decided as the person posting had not explained there own realization that I would ask. But I also was pondering for myself the point of unfulfilled desire [...]

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 5, No. 9b
By Krishna-kripa das
(May 2009, part one, section b)
Nrsimha Caturdasi Festival, Simhachalam, Germany
(Sent from Paris, France, on 5/24/09)

The Nrsimha Caturdasi Festival at Simachalam

Prahlada-Nrsimha, Simhacalam, Germany.

The Nrsimha festival at Simhachalam, our farm in southeastern Germany, was attended by several senior devotees, the most prominent being Sacinandana and Kadamba Kanana Swamis, and many of them shared valuable realizations with us, which I will pass on to you in the course of this issue.

Another high point was a truly beautiful abhiseka of the awesome Prahlada-Nrsimhadeva Deity there.

Prahlada-Nrsimha abhiseka.

Outside they had an abhiseka of a small Nrisimha Deity for kids.

There was so much kirtana (chanting) and katha (telling of pastimes and philosophy), all well attended, that it was truly inspiring.

Another interesting event was the swinging of a small Deity of Nrsimhadeva, something I had never seen before.

Young devotee swings small Nrsimha Deity while pujari fans with a rare black camara.

One evening, the pujari (priest) brought the small Nrsimhadeva Deity out to circumambulate the temple. He ran at such a quick pace, I could hardly keep up. Each night of the four-day festival, some devotees stayed up till mangala-arati doing bhajana in the temple. Many friends I knew from Germany, Czech, the Poland festivals, and the Mayapur Bhakti-sastri were there, and it was nice to have their association again. Even Vijaya Prabhu came from America. While there I planned a series of harinamas for Vienna, got invited back to a nama-hatta program in Slovakia for later in the summer, and got both an invitation and a ride to Zurich. All and all it was a wonderful event, and I recommend the all devotees spend at least one Nrsimha Caturdasi at Simhachalam in their life. Who knows, they may become addicted to it, like many of the devotees there.

There are hundreds of wonderful pictures of the festival shared by Gauranga Das at http://picasaweb.google.de/gaurangaji/NarasimhaCaturdasi2009 and http://picasaweb.google.de/gaurangaji/NarasimhaCaturdasi2009II .

Inspiration from Lectures

Bhakti Bhusana Swami dances in ecstasy.

Bhakti Bhusana Swami:

Whatever Krishna does, He carries to the extreme. He is the sweetest son, the dearest lover, the most ecstatic devotee with unparalleled loving ecstasies, and so as Lord Nrsimhadeva, He is the most ferocious lionlike personality.

Prahlada Maharaja accepted the throne only as a facility for benefiting the conditioned souls. At the end of Srila Prabhupada’s life, his Godbrothers encouraged Srila Prabhupada to give up management and think of Radha-Krishna, but he did not agree, as he was in the mood of Prahlada Maharaja, wanting only to benefit the conditioned souls until the end of his life.

Sacinananda Swami smiles blissfully as he plays the karatalas.

Sacinandana Swami:

Caitanya Mahaprabhu especially relished hearing the Dhruva pastime and the Nrsimha pastime from Gadadhara Pandit at Tota-gopinatha. Whenever Gadadhara Pandit would finish reading either of them, the Lord would eagerly appeal to him to recite it again.

If we want to attain Krishna, we can never give up in the face of obstacles. This attitude is there in both the beginning devotees and the most exalted pure devotees, the gopis.

Lord Nrsimha’s laugh is so fierce that Hiranyakasipu had to close his eyes.

Once in a city in Germany, a man emerged from a bar, opened up his shirt, assumed a fighting stance, and rushed toward the harinama party, intending to finish them off. We changed the song to “namas te narasimhaya.” Then one strongly built Turkish gentlemen attacked that man before he reached the party, punishing him so severely, we had to appeal to the Turkish gentleman, “Please stop, after all, he did not actually hurt us, he just made us change our melody.”

There are external obstacles and internal obstacles. How often does someone try to attack us? Is it not more often that we are attacked by lust, greed, and anger? Thus our internal enemies are more of a problem. Thus we appeal to Lord Nrsimha to appear in our heart and vanquish our internal enemies. Once such prayer is Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.8:

“I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimhadeva who is the source of all power. Oh my Lord, who possesses nails and teeth, which are just like thunderbolts. Kindly vanquish our demonlike desires for fruitive activities in this material world.”

Many devotees who have recited this prayer for months report that in fact the Lord did free them from such impurities. Bhaktivinoda Thakura recommends begging Lord Nrsimha for the benediction of being able to worship Radha and Krishna in Navadvipa. Lord Nrsimha, who has vatsalya bhava for those who take shelter of him, will affectionately grant His blessings in that way. ‘Vatsa’ means ‘calf.’ ‘Vatsalya’ means having affection for a dependent like a cow does for its calf.

Kadamba Kanana Swami swings Prithu Prabhu.

Kadamba Kanana Swami:

The people of India have a great taste for performing austerities, with hopes of attaining the Lord’s mercy, purification, and blessings. In that spirit, I come here to this remote temple [Simacalam] every year.

We have to accept the arrangements that the Lord makes for our benefit, although they are very hard to surrender to. After I had recovered from being shot in 1995, when I first came before Lord Nrsimha, I was a little fearful. We pray to be free from our material desires, but the means the Lord uses to accomplish this may not simply waving a wand; it may be a very heavy experience. I am still even now learning many lessons from that experience in 1995.

In one sense, there is no difference between Lord Caitanya and Lord Nrsimha. One name of Nrsimha is Nrsimha Caitanya. This entire age is touched by Lord Caitanya. By Lord Caitanya’s smile, people are developing an interest in spiritual life. This interest is not coming from themselves. All avatars are also touched by Lord Caitanya. There is one last thing that only Caitanya can remove from our heart. It is for the benediction of the removal of that final obstacle, I am praying to Lord Nrsimha-Caitanya both for myself and for all of you.

Mother Dina-sarana, GBC of Germany:

The Lord shows His mercy by giving us a really hard time. In this way, we develop our devotional character more so than if He just waved his hand and freed us of impurities. The Lord is interested in removing those little things that we think are insignificant compared to our Krishna consciousness and our preaching, those things that we are always trying to hide. If we are determined to go back to Godhead, Krishna is determined to make sure that no defect remains within us.

Prahlada’s affection for the Lord was so great that even in the face of His most fiercesome incarnation ripping apart Prahlada’s demonic father’s body, he was still situated in his eternal affection for the Lord.

Kripa-moya Prabhu:

I like to talk about surrender to Krishna. I like to associate with people who have surrendered to Krishna. I like to distribute books about surrender to Krishna. I like to dress as someone surrendered to Krishna. But I don’t like to surrender to Krishna. That is my problem.

Two years ago my doctor told me I had cancer, and it made me look at my lack of surrender much more seriously.

Srila Prabhupada says the Sixth Canto, Part One, is one of the three most important Bhagavatam volumes as it teaches, “By calling out to the Lord in complete desperation to be saved, you can get a second chance and perfect your life.

Why does Krishna come so many times? Because we need to be reminded so many times.

Sridhara Swami, the original Bhagavatam commentator, had a personal Deity of Lord Nrsimha. Prabhupada’s sister also had a Deity of Nrsimha.

When Mr. Nair expired, Srila Prabhupada said, “In Kali-yuga, Lord Nrsimha is still dispensing with demons in the form of the heart attack.”

We must become complete absorbed in the Lord’s pastimes, and then we can forget our previous life in this world.

Once Srila Prabhupada was so absorbed in the pastime of Nrsimha that his disciples were performing, that when Lord Nrsimha leapt out of pillar he showed genuine surprise, although intimately familiar with the story.

Sanda and Amarka asked Prahlada how he was unaffected by their attempts to kill him. He replied innocently. How is it that poison who my mother’s [Laksmi’s] sister [as they were both born from the milk ocean] would hurt me? How is it that falling on my mother’s [Bhumi’s, the wife of my Lord Vahara’s] lap could harm me? How is it possible my father’s tongue [the sacrifical fire is considered to be the tongue of Lord Vishnu] could harm me?

Sacinandana Swami:

There is a temple in your heart. It is dusty due to neglect. Cry out to attain the Lord of the heart. That is what we can learn from Prahlada-Nrsimha lila. First we see the Lord in the heart, and then we see Him outside.

Mother Rasajna Prabhu:

One of the things Srila Prabhupada liked most was to see performances. After seeing the “Krishna Kidnaps Rukmini” play, Srila Prabhupada made these comments which his servant related to the players: “Finally my disciples are taking this seriously. This is better than reading in my books because it sticks in the mind.”

Mother Lakmimani Prabhu (right) helps
remove garland during abhiseka.

Mother Laksmimani Prabhu:

Prabhupada had a Nrsimhadeva side to him, anger for the protection of his devotees.

Srila Prabhupada had complete faith that our hearts would change and the world would change by the power of the holy name.

Sometimes we forget the Prabhupada and Nrsimhadeva are protecting us.

Kripa Moya Prabhu:

Guru Dasa once returned from India as Srila Prabhupada’s servant. He said Srila Prabhupada suggested to go on harinama wearing Nrsimhadeva masks. He said that it would catch on, and everyone would want to get the Nrsimha masks and the devotees could sell them.

Kadambda Kanana Swami:

Yasoda would tell Krishna the Nrsimha-lila as a bedtime story. Krishna would smile when Yasoda got to the part where Nrsimhadeva ripped out the intestines of the Hiranyakasipu.

I have seen many Nrsimha temples but none where Lord Nrsimhadeva manifests His presence so fully as here at Simhachalam.

Why not just worship Krishna? After all, so many demons attack Vrndavana, and Krishna protects the residents very nicely.

Laghu-bhagavatamrita states, “Of all the incarnations, Rama and Nrsimha are different, in that they have all six opulences fully.”

The Lord is so softhearted that as Lord Nrsimha he becomes terribly angry when His devotee is cruelly tortured. Thus His ferocious anger is actually a manifestation of his supreme softheartedness toward His innocent devotee.

The evening kirtana was so lively and the devotees so enthusiastic, Kadamba Kanana Swami kept it going to 9:30 p.m., when the feast was finally served. High points of the feast were an excellent well-spiced curd sabji and sweet rice.

Kripa Moya Prabhu:

One day is not enough to pay attention to Lord Nrsimha. At least a week is required. Then we will be inclined to take His protection and our relationship with Him seriously.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura once expressed that he had come to give the love the gopis have for Krishna, but he had to spend all his time cutting down the jungle of Mayavada and sense gratification, so he could not give what he originally intended.

Srimad-Bhagavatam is a different book every time we pick it up, because we see it from a new level of realization.

I deal with congregational preaching in England, and there was one man who was successful chanting, reading Bhagavad-gita, and not eating meat or eggs. Unfortunately fishing was his only contemplative activity, and he was only succeeded in giving it up for six months. One time he went fishing as before, except now he felt very bad about it. Once he sensed he had a catch, and began to reel it in, feeling very guilty. But after reeling it in, he found it was not a fish at all, but a plastic bag with something in it. On closer inspection he found that something was a very waterlogged copy of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. The man decided that this was a sign from Krishna that he should take his spiritual life more seriously.

We tend to practice Krishna consciousness while avoiding relationships at the same time, often because of bad experiences in material life.

Srila Prabhupada once said that the hardest thing is to give up sense gratification, but even harder is to give up sense gratification and to preach, and even harder than that is to give up sense gratification and to preach in the association of others who are giving up sense gratification and preaching. Thus the hardest thing is to be part of a spiritual movement.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati once said, “Ninety-nine percent of our spiritual advancement comes from bowing down.”

Sacinandana Swami:

A new devotee once asked Srila Prabhupada, “What do you feel when you chant Hare Krishna?” Srila Prabhupada answered, “I feel no fear.”

There is a point in your spiritual life when you consciously perform your activities desiring only a relationship with Krishna.

One comes to think, “Alas! Why have I served the illusory material energy for so long? Krishna! I am Your servant! Ever since I left the shelter of Your lotus feet, my life has been completely devastated!”

If you offer this prayer, Krishna fortifies your heart and weakens maya’s influence, so you can progress fearlessly.

One carload of devotees came 15 hours by car for the Nrsimha festival here. You really turned toward Lord Nrsimha! Congratulations!

When I am spiritually weak, I criticize everything, but now, after yesterday’s Nrsimha festival, I am appreciating the good qualities of all the devotees.

In Cologne, Kadamba Kanana Swami was asked, “How do I come to another level of my spiritual life?” He answered simply and profoundly, “You have to make a sacrifice for Krishna.” This can be a simple sacrifice. Even just focusing on hearing each word of a single Hare Krishna mantra, one can immediately experience a higher taste.

If we are offended, first we are shocked. Then we meditate on what was said. Then we feel bad that we are thinking about the offense and not thinking about Krishna. Then we act with rage against the culprit. Then we forget about it. But something remains, a kind of resentment, that sometimes lasts one’s whole life, and which keeps us from serving Krishna. Therefore, we should avoid offending others, and seek forgiveness if we have done so, by admitting to them that we were wrong and we are sorry.

Sacinandana Swami on Gaura-lila:

Upon seeing Isvara Puri in Gaya, Lord Caitanya exclaimed, “My visit to Gaya is perfect because of seeing you. Compared to the potency of seeing a holy place, the potency of seeing a Vaisnava is hundreds of times greater. All My ancestors are now delivered.”

When Isvara Puri came unexpectedly to Lord Caitanya’s for lunch, Lord Caitanya fed him all that he had cooked for Himself, saying He would cook again if necessary. Unseen by anyone, Laksmi entered the kitchen and cooked another lunch for Lord Caitanya.

The power of blessings is much greater than our own endeavor. The desire to serve the Lord is given by one who is strong in that desire. If we simply accept the words of the guru and act accordingly, we can come to experience the power of blessings. Our difficulty is that we have so much faith in our own activities, that it is difficult to appreciate the power of blessings. To get the blessings one must simply understand that water flows from a higher position to a lower position. Thus we have to get down as low as possible. Narada Muni is a great of example of the power of the blessings of the bhaktivedantas. Let us consider how we can attain blessings in our own life. We attain blessings by pleasing the one who gives the blessings.

This devotee named Kancipurnam would serve his Deity by fanning him everyday. He was so intimate with the Deity, he would talk to Him as a friend. Once a friend of Kancipurnam wished to know whether he would go back to Godhead at the end of this life, and he asked Kancipurnam to inquire from the Deity. The Deity replied, “Yes.” After that Kancipurnam decided he would ask the Deity the same question about himself the next day. The Deity told him he would not go back to Godhead. He was curious why his friend would go and not him, so he asked the Deity. The Deity said that your friend served My devotee, but you only served Me. The very next day, Kancipurnam left his Deity and his village and went to Sri Rangam, and disguised, he faithfully served a great devotee for many months as a menial servant. Finally the Lord arranged a rainstorm drenching his disguise so he had to wear his former attire while it dried, and thus he was detected. He took it as the Lord’s mercy, and returned to his former service. For this story we can learn that service to the devotee is superior to service to the Lord.

Kadamba Kanana Swami:

Prahlada is famous for having attained perfection by remembering or constantly meditating on the pastimes the Lord. Prahlada, whose name means ‘form of complete happiness,’ regularly forgot himself in the overwhelming happiness of his devotional meditation. We call out to Nrsimhadeva for protection, but Prahlada never did that. Instead, he accepted whatever happened as the Lord’s mercy.

So soon as we speak of Krishna as all-attractive, the idea of relationship must be there. In the beginning, it is not clear what is our service in relationship with Krishna, but in the course of time, it becomes clear.

I have a very few disciples in Africa, and so one particular one I was telling that I wanted to be a preacher, and I sent him to Mayapur to study Bhakti-sastri. There he developed a desire to study Sanskrit. What was he going to do? Teach Sanskrit in Africa? After I while, I relented. While studying, he got involved in translating English into his local African language. Then I understood, knowledge of Sanskrit would help in translation work. He was destined to be a translator, and thus, a great asset to the preaching.

We meditate on the Lord, and Lord reciprocates. By committing to a particular service, we increase our meditation, and Krishna increases his reciprocation. Every moment we are experiencing Krishna in some way or other. Second initiation is the beginning of our serious meditation, thinking, “How can I be what the Lord and His devotees desire?”

In Jaiva Dharma, Bhaktivinoda Thakura mentions that Raghunatha Das followed the path of spontaneous revelation, and Gopal Guru followed the path of conscious contemplation, as far as attaining their eternal spiritual identities was concerned, and thus there is support for both paths. Srila Prabhupada taught us our spiritual identity would be revealed by Krishna in an advanced stage.

Real compassion can be there if one has a superior experience, and therefore to be compassionate, we actually have such an experience.

Q: How to determine our particular service for Krishna?
A: It is not all propensity or trying out different things. It comes automatically, but before that, one should cultivate a service attitude, otherwise we will end up cultivating material desires.

Q: How did you accept the position of guru?
A: Jayadvaita Swami thought of the idea that I could initiate disciples on his behalf, and yet take full responsibility for taking care of them. He argued that for pushing on this movement on, I should do it. It was tried in that “rtvik-like” way for six months, and the GBC decided that if one’s guru orders one to accept disciples then, although it is not permitted by etiquette that one initiate in one’s guru’s presence, that it would be acceptable.

Sacinandana Swami on Gaura-lila:

Raghunatha Dasa Goswami was incredibly grateful to Lord Caitanya for giving him both freedom material life and gift of Krishna.

Raghunatha Dasa Goswami would speak four hours daily on the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. It is my goal that when I am old and can do less other service that I may speak the pastimes of Lord Caitanya for four hours a day and leave my body chanting “Gaura! Gaura!”

We already have a TV in our heart. We do not need to purchase one. It is now broken, but Krishna consciousness is the repair process. When repaired we can see the divine pastimes of the Lord on the TV in our heart.

Lord Caitanya advised Raghunatha Dasa Goswami to always speak of the names and qualities of Krishna.

When our mind is thinking of other things than Krishna, we begin to enter the material world. When we speak of other things, we more deeply enter the material world, and when we do things unrelated to Krishna, we most fully enter the material world. Spiritual life means reverse this process, first engaging the body, then the speech, and finally the mind in devotional service.

Lord Caitanya wanted us to chant at fixed number of rounds. Why? If we want to establish a relationship with someone, we must deal with the person consistently. If you deal with Krishna in such a way that one day you have time for Him and another day you don’t, what will He think? Therefore we must chant a fixed number of rounds to show Krishna that we care about the relationship.
“Nibandha” means to bind together. We bind our thought and lips together. When both are together chanting becomes more powerful. Having affection for your practice helps with this.

Perfection in devotion to Krishna is already within. Bhaktivinoda Thakura used the analogy of a flower first budding, and then blooming.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura recommended japa be chanted only loud enough for you to hear. Srila Prabhupada echoes this in Nectar of Devotion when he says, “uttering the maha-mantra (Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare) very softly, only for one's own hearing, is called japa.”

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says the gift of the garlands to devotees by Lord Caitanya when they were returning to Bengal signifies a gift of the holy names, which are strung on a chain of love.

Q: How can we constantly talk about Krishna?
A: This state is not artificially produced but comes by our spiritual advancement. Still we can find devotees who like to hear about Krishna, and then talk with them about Krishna. Then after that, begin enlightening the people in general about Krishna. At the very least, you will be benefiting yourself. Try to bring the conversation to Krishna in a natural way. If you think of Krishna, it will not be artificial to talk about Him, but if you do not think of Krishna, then such talks will seem artificial.

After hearing this I shared a nice Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakura quote on the value of the chanting the holy name with devotees who I thought would appreciate, and it was a very rewarding experience.

Sacinandana Swami:

Sankirtana means both that the chanting is done in congregation and that it is complete. Complete means that we engage each one of our assets in the Lord’s service.

When you hear about Krishna, Krishna becomes bound to you, but only with a thin thread, when you meditate about Krishna, Krishna becomes bound to you by a rope, but if you engage in Krishna sankirtana, Krishna becomes bound to you with an iron chain which He does not break.” --Brhad-Bhagavatamrita.

Brhad-Bhagavatamrita also talks about lila-kirtana, but superior to that is nama-kirtana.

Through the glorification of Krishna we will naturally become personally interested in Krishna.

Longing for Krishna is very important. One analogy given is “The cataka bird always prays for the cloud, regardless of whether it showers rains or throws a thunderbolt.”

I can see that many of you have appreciated the love and affection of Lord Nrsimha at the festival this year. Please come again next year.

When Sacinandana Swami said that, it echoed my own feelings. I have been able to appreciate Nrsimhadeva and His rather ghastly destruction of Hiranyakasipu in a philosophical way for some time, but at this festival, I was more able to see Lord Nrsimha as the affectionate protector of Prahlada, and indeed, all devotees who chant His glories and bow down before Him. Thus for the first time really, I felt some glimmer of love for Lord Nrsimha, the affectionate protector of His devotees, and one of the Lord’s more extraordinary incarnations.

---

om namo bhagavate narasimhaya namas tejas-tejase avir-avirbhava vajra-nakha vajra-damstra karmasayan randhaya randhaya tamo grasa grasa om svaha; abhayam abhayam atmani bhuyistha om ksraum

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Nrsimhadeva, the source of all power. O my Lord who possesses nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demonlike desires for fruitive activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.18.8)

OK, you've waited long enough.

Here's a rough mix of the first kirtan, which was a sound check / crowd warm up number. Janardana is leading this one.

There was some feedback through the harmonium mic early on in the piece, which was picked up also in the room mic and the SM57 on the top end of the tabla. I used a channel EQ on each of these tracks to remove it. It's from around 92Hz down, peaking between 86 and 92Hz. I used the analyzer to find it, then heavily EQ'd this part of the spectrum. I then used automation to turn the EQ on as the feedback hits, then off as it passes. I stopped it pretty quickly when it actually happened. I must have been raising the harmonium, either through its input gain, or output to PA (using the input pan); noticed it happen; and backed off immediately.

I got the idea for this particular "fix-it-in-the-mix" technique from a Youtube video by Bob Katz, author of Mastering Audio: The Art and Science. The video is "Bass Frequency Surgery".

Here's a screenshot of the EQ settings:

And of the automation (click for larger view):

See my previous post for a list of the mics used. There are two mrdangas as well as the tabla in this - they are coming through the room mic only.

And here is the track:

• Janardana Kewin - Tribute to Birmingham 24hr Kirtan (mp3, 18MB, 13:38)

OK, I'm off to hang upside down in my closet for a few minutes before I go to work...

This is just the Hare Krishna bhajan sung by Kalindi Dasi at the Global Sacred Music Celebration hosted by the Unity Church of Dallas. 

Dallas, TX
2009-03-29

Download: 2009-03-29 - Global Sacred Music Celebration - Kalachandjis Temple Kirtan Band.mp3

We were invited to perform at the Unity Church of Dallas for a "Global Sacred Music Celebration".  This was quite an event.  We were honored to be the first performance.  

0:00:00 - Introduction
0:09:00 - Hinduism - Kalachandji Temple Kirtan Band
0:17:40 - Budhism
0:21:20 - Islam
0:26:50 - Native American (Peru)
0:31:40 - Judaism
0:41:04 - Christianity - Dance - Ordered Steps Production
0:46:56 - Baha'i
0:54:50 - Christinity - JD Martin & Jan Garrett
1:04:42 - Christianity - Unity Choir
1:09:04 - Christianity - Jan Garrett
1:13:52 - African Traditions
1:22:40 - Conclusion

Dallas, TX
2009-03-24

1967 May 24: "An important negotiation is going on in respect of purchasing a very nice house for the ISKCON H.Q. in New York. So I may not start in the beginning of the Second week. I hope this will not cause any inconvenience."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1967

1970 May 24: "I am so glad that you remember the auspicious day in 1944 when I started my Back to Godhead magazine. I think in the first issue you wrote some article. It is a great pleasure to remember those days of cooperation."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 May 24: "Bhakti Saranga Goswami presided over the meeting in which our revered Kesav Maharaja participated. On account of my selecting Goswami Maharaja, Sripada Tirtha Maharaja (then Kunjababa) and Bon Maharaja also refused to accept my invitation."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 May 24: "We have got now 30 centers, and in each center the devotees are going to the streets and selling Back to Godhead at the rate of 100 to 400 copies daily, and the price is $.50 per copy which is in Indian exchange Rs. 3.50."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1972 May 24: "In India, the independent and self supporting method does not apply. Bombay is the headquarters and all other centers shall send their funds for centralizing in Bombay."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972