STARTING FROM RUPANUGA’S AND VANI’S HOUSE 12 NOON

It is getting closer to that magical time of the year when Their Lordships disappear for a few days and then triumphantly return to grace Their Rathyatra Chariot. Not to be outdone by last year’s performance, the Rath cart has been revamped since last year.

Gaura Nitai, Who gracefully lead the procession last year, are returning to bless our Festival again. The Rathyatra Festival Team (Malati dd, Radha Sundari, Ananda Tirtha & Braj Mohan, Vrindaban Pryia and Cakori Radha) all look forward to making this a memorable event. Right now, we are looking for vendors, kirtaneers and creative artists in particular.

Later on, other needs will be addressed, such as cooks, decorating the cart, garland making, flower purchasing, and a spectacular menu (cooked in ghee) for the Lord’s pleasure, etc all as offerings of love for the Lord.

Please stop by Malati ’s office or call 304-845-9591 if you would like to participate. Let us get New Vrindaban’s Rathyatra on the map!

On 15th of June, on the disappearance day of HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami, his disciples and Mayapur community devotees remembered with love Maharaja’s glorious preaching activities, his commitment to the mission of Srila Prabhupada, personal encounters, pastimes and instructions to his disciples. As it is hot in Mayapur, Shastra dasa, disciple of Bhakti Tirtha maharaj and program organizer, conducted the glorification and homages program in the community hall. After the guru puja and arthi, devotees walked to Maharaja’s Samadhi, which was beautifully decorated for pushpanjali. A variety of bhoga cooked with love by devotees was offered to Maharaja.

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Dharmasetu das: Torchlight Publishing, Badger, CA - When he published his Origin of Species, Darwin gave his adherents hope that the wonderful complexity of living organisms could be explained without appealing to an intelligent designer.

Just like you offer your devotion, respects, to guru. So that respect is offered to Krishna. Guru does not think that he is Krishna, but he collects the devotional services of the disciples to offer to Krishna. This is the process. We cannot approach Krishna directly. We should approach through guru. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasu sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. That is the injunction of the sastra, that one should approach the guru who can transfer the service from the disciple to the Supreme Person. So... Therefore the first offering is guru, vande gurun. Then guru creates many devotees.

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Friday the 12th was the last day of school for the international school and ashram boys so we decided to celebrate by distributing two pots of kitchuri prasadam. We took the ISKCON boat across the Ganga to a peaceful village near Navadwip with the constant sound of ecstatic kirtan. The boys did a great job of distributing the lord’s mercy to the eager recipients; smiling faces young and old enjoyed the tasty prasadam and the sound of the holy name. On the way back we stopped for a refreshing swim in the purifying waters of mother Ganga.

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Historical places from New Vrindaban. — A New Vrindaban-i farmközösség 1969-ben indult. Az elmúlt 40 évben sok fejlődésen ment keresztül. Ebben a videóban megnézhetjük a korábbi templomok helyszí…

ISKCON news recently gave a write up on Gopal Jiu Publications on the occasion of the 200th issue of Bindu with a very nice article. Check it out!

http://news.iskcon.com/node/2081

Before we start our chanting we can pray to the Lord for assistance with our Japa.....we can also remind ourselves about the quality and how we need to maintain that....I personally reflect on what I need to strengthen in my Japa and make a mental note before I start chanting.
I know some devotees like to make notes about their Japa, normally after their Japa session....notes that they can read over later and reflect on.
If we remain humble, realising that we can always make improvements in our spiritual lives, then we will give ourselves the best chance to make advancement.

The pure devotee of Krishna is an ocean of mercy because he bestows the unlimited benediction of Krishna's mercy upon the suffering humanity. Without any discrimination of who is fit and who is not fit, the pure devotee distributes the pure loving mercy of Lord Sri Krishna to everyone he meets. He does not remain a recluse only concerned with his salvation....

1968 June 18: "You should know that you are always with me. Because you are sincere servitor of Krishna and following my direction sincerely, so you are always with me. In future I shall try to keep you in my association."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 June 18: "Rest assured this Sankirtana Movement is specifically benedicted by Lord Caitanya for achieving all kinds of success. Stick to the principles seriously and faithfully, and there will be no difficulty."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 June 18: "Rathayatra day feast should consist of bhuni kitchari which you make by first frying the dahl and rice in ghee. Other preparations may be a fruit salad, sweet rice, puris, a chutney, and a vegetable which is neither wet nor dry."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1973 June 18: "Preaching means to increase our family members. Initiation means "to begin" not that when one is initiated a disciple becomes slack; rather upon initiation one begins spiritual life in earnest."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1974 June 18: "You are traveling widely and managing many projects. Krsna will give you stamina and intelligence provided you are sincere and remain strong spiritually by following the regulative principles."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 June 18: "I am always eager to hear that Gurukula is going well so be very vigilant that this program is just to the standard as I introduced it. There is no more important school in the world."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 June 18: "You have very carefully considered the candidates and had several interviews. I am especially concerned that second initiation not be taken cheaply and devotees who do not even rise early be recommended for brahmana."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1975 June 18: "Biological evolution is taking place on account of the soul's desire. It takes place because of infection. Krishna Consciousness is the vaccine for all the diseases (different forms of material bodies)."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1968 June 18: "You should know that you are always with me. Because you are sincere servitor of Krishna and following my direction sincerely, so you are always with me. In future I shall try to keep you in my association."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 June 18: "Rest assured this Sankirtana Movement is specifically benedicted by Lord Caitanya for achieving all kinds of success. Stick to the principles seriously and faithfully, and there will be no difficulty."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 June 18: "Rathayatra day feast should consist of bhuni kitchari which you make by first frying the dahl and rice in ghee. Other preparations may be a fruit salad, sweet rice, puris, a chutney, and a vegetable which is neither wet nor dry."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1973 June 18: "Preaching means to increase our family members. Initiation means "to begin" not that when one is initiated a disciple becomes slack; rather upon initiation one begins spiritual life in earnest."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1974 June 18: "You are traveling widely and managing many projects. Krsna will give you stamina and intelligence provided you are sincere and remain strong spiritually by following the regulative principles."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 June 18: "I am always eager to hear that Gurukula is going well so be very vigilant that this program is just to the standard as I introduced it. There is no more important school in the world."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1974 June 18: "You have very carefully considered the candidates and had several interviews. I am especially concerned that second initiation not be taken cheaply and devotees who do not even rise early be recommended for brahmana."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

1975 June 18: "Biological evolution is taking place on account of the soul's desire. It takes place because of infection. Krishna Consciousness is the vaccine for all the diseases (different forms of material bodies)."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

My pronunciation should be a plea, my utterance a cry. When will the day come when I will chant the holy name, addressing Radha and Krishna as persons and myself as a tiny entity, asking for Their mercy? I seem to have it backwards as I beat Them into shape, finish Them according to my speed and my control. I am not the controller of the Hare Krishna mantra, but it controls me. I run behind the mantra, chanting, “Krishna! Radha! Please let me serve You.” I am a servant of the name, not a cowherd rounding up cattle. This is what it means to chant the holy name in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street.

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami - June 18, 3:30 A.M.

I woke up at about 3:15 A.M. with a clear head. I’ve radioed Narayana and have begun chanting my japa.

4:40 A.M.

Early-morning japa log

I finished eight rounds. I rushed them a bit. The timing was about six minutes per round. I chanted them barely audibly, but kept my mind fixed on the mantras without daydreaming about other subjects. At the first round, I felt a little reluctant but then got into it and started punching them out. I can go on from here and do more. I was not into a deep meditation on Nama Prabhu but mostly counting and accumulating. I’m sorry for that. But I feel satisfaction in getting done in decent time and hearing the syllables in my mind, like a locomotive on a track. I was not up early crying to Nama Prabhu to take me in His arms. I was more leading away myself, in control of the yajna, watching the clock.

Japa essay

How can we let the name do the chanting and not be so forcefully in control ourselves? It’s a matter of surrender. You have to be in awe of the presence of the holy name and aware that the name is a person. You have to call out to Radha and Krishna and ask Them to come down. Treating Them like subjects of our chanting is not good. The names are the dominant things, not the chanter. I must call on Krishna and Radha, recognizing Their supremacy over me. I am a tiny person calling out for mercy. Krishna is willing to be present in all His majesty if I call to Him helplessly. But if I act like a big controller of the names, then I’ve got it backwards. The names should be controlling me. I can’t contain the holy name within a seven-minute segment as if it is my performance, with me the controller. The name is controlling me, and I am trying to hold on with my cries. That is how it should be. But I chant like a bully and push the holy names around. I control them, I make them fit into a space of a certain amount of seconds. My pronunciation should be a plea, my utterance a cry. When will the day come when I will chant the holy name, addressing Radha and Krishna as persons and myself as a tiny entity, asking for Their mercy? I seem to have it backwards as I beat Them into shape, finish Them according to my speed and my control. I am not the controller of the Hare Krishna mantra, but it controls me. I run behind the mantra, chanting, “Krishna! Radha! Please let me serve You.” I am a servant of the name, not a cowherd rounding up cattle. This is what it means to chant the holy name in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street.

Oh holy names,

please lead me.

Let me reach to You.

You are the Masters,

I am the caller;

You are the great objects,

I am the tiny subject.

I have been chanting

as if You are mere beads,

You are the Supreme Controllers,

and I have the need.

Let me worship You

as divine persons leading

and myself Your humble follower.

6:51 A.M.

It rained during the night and morning. The parking lot is filled with sheets of puddles. The sky is all gray, and no one is on the beach.

In his lecture yesterday, Prabhupada said we have to approach a person like Sukadeva Goswami or someone in parampara from him. Prabhupada included himself. “Whatever Krishna said, we are repeating from five thousand years ago.” It is not that the world has changed by scientific progress. The person we hear from must have seen the truth. How? Through the parampara. When creation took place, the spiritual sky was already there. The material universe has seven layers, each one ten times thicker than the one before. It is not easy to get out. The jivas are trying to get to Krishna, but they can’t go through the layers. But by the bhakti-lata-bija sewn by the guru, the devotional creeper grows until it pierces through the universes and goes to Krishna. But one has to hear from Sukadeva and the authorized parampara, not simply by jnana or mental speculation. One has to get a slight glance of mercy from Krishna. If we surrender to Krishna, He will give us protection from sinful reaction. Maya keeps us in her clutches unless we surrender to Krishna.

Maharaja Pariksit surrendered to Sukadeva. He surrendered at his birth. Krishna entered the womb and saved Maharaja Pariksit. So the question may be asked, “Why didn’t Maharaja Pariksit surrender to Krishna when he was cursed?” He was a young man and very powerful, he could have counteracted the curse by himself. But Krishna told him in the heart to accept the curse. Otherwise, the Srimad-Bhagavatam would not have been spoken.

8:30 A.M.

1

Poems praise God

like a bird building

a nest, like that

fat squirrel we just

missed (I think) with

our car.

We praise Krishna with

His names on our beads,

counting sixteen rounds

then stopping.

Poems praise God like

the music on the radio

in the car parked at the beach,

the man inside

reading the newspaper.

Poems praise God

outright, reading Brhad-

bhagavatamrta, the bhakti-sastras’

arguments against impersonal

samadhi as paltry whereas

internal devotional service is

sublime.

Chanting and hearing... the self

is a servant of God, he

massages the Lord’s feet,

his specific service.

Praise Him anyway you can

in your own voice according

to the authorized parampara

from Sukadeva to Pariksit.

2

We were riding in the rain

and I asked to hear you

read your poems.

You said you write them

to survive to do the duties

you have to do. You couldn’t

live without them.

Today you’ll read me four or five,

one is called “The Orange Man,” about

me. You said I might not like

it—“It’s very candid.” I said

I’d probably like it.

His poems will praise the Lord,

we all do that, we need to, it’s our

duty, to make a poem sing for

Krishna or it has no ultimate

meaning. We do it that way.

11:00 A.M.

Free write

We’re going to Mahahari’s for lunch. Two swami guests will be there. Mahahari and Yasoda are excellent cooks. We’ll stay for a while and talk. Devotees talk about all sorts of things—Krishna conscious philosophy, gossip, memories, mundane topics, the prasadam.

Free writing permits you to write something silly to get to the next sentence. Brhad-bhagavatamrta is in the midst of a long philosophical section on personalism versus impersonalism. It’s more interesting when it’s the pastimes of Gopa-kumara. He’s always deciding where he wants to go next. Why doesn’t he just got to Krishna Loka? He will, but not for a long while. I have another headache, and I’m trying to write through it, but maybe I should rest. You want to say interesting things about Krishna consciousness in your life and the lives of others. Gauravani is becoming a world-famous kirtaneer, respected by other nondevotee kirtaneers and other famous bhajana singers. He’s a great asset to Prabhupada’s movement. Yogis and impersonalists are taking up kirtana.

A headache stops you from flowing. It creates a block in your head. You want to write, but the pain predominates.

3:30 P.M.

My Dear Lord Krishna...

It’s hard to make a prayer to You today. Everything’s rained out—the baseball game at Yankee stadium, the U.S. Open golf tournament in New York. So I feel as if my prayer may be rained out. I can’t think of something to pray for. But I pray to come closer to You. That doesn’t depend on the rain. It’s a desire I have, rain or shine. It’s not just a mood that comes and goes. I pray to come closer to You. My headache has cleared for the time being, so I can think more clearly of my relationship with You.

At lunch, devotees talked about preaching, recruiting people to become initiated devotees in Krishna consciousness. Those who work at that surely become dear to You. I am not active in that field. But I still want to come closer to You and please You. Is it possible? Can I write myself to a more affectionate relationship with You? I want to do that. I want to say, “Krishna, You are my best friend. You have done more for me than anyone. I love You more than any other person.” I want to say those things and mean them. You are the most majestic, Great Being. But I want to feel friendly with You. I don’t mean presumptuously buddy-buddy, but somehow intimately friendly. The fact is, You are the closest person in my life. You uphold me, You keep me alive, You love me and care for me. So why should I not say You are my best friend?

I don’t know You to sit down and talk with You face to face. But I can pray to You and recite Your names. Uttering Your names in the mahamantra is a very intimate way of being with You. You accept it that way if we utter the names with devotion. In the Bhagavad-gita, You state, “Anyone who is a friend in Me and worships Me is in Me and I am with him.” Something like that. And You state in Bhagavad-gita (5.29) that anyone who knows You to be “the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities attains peace from the pangs of material miseries.” That’s a statement of friendship. You say You are everyone’s friend and that whoever knows that attains peace from material miseries.

Therefore I want to come close to You because it is my right and it is Your desire. I have to earn the right to be close to You. I have to render You service. And I have to render service to Your devotees and be a friend to all living entities. That is the spirit You are looking for.

I fall short in being a friend to all beings, and this is one reason I cannot come closer to You. Yet I pray to improve in this. Even though I fall short in this, I still pray for closeness to You. Please allow me to earn intimacy with You. You can expand my heart. Make me a better devotee so that You will accept my personal service. Please be my friend.

from #106→

People in general always require a leader who can teach the public by practical behavior. A leader cannot teach the public to stop smoking if he himself smokes. Lord Caitanya said that a teacher should behave properly before he begins teaching. One who teaches in that way is called acarya, or the ideal teacher. Therefore, [...]

When did I lose you?
My heart echoes
with the song of the mockingbird
in this empty cavern.
The flutter of her wings
whispers in my ear
that you have gone.

When did I lose you?
My voice is hoarse
from calling your name
here in this ocean
of sand dunes
where I wander.
What I glimpse
amidst the dunes
is only a mirage
of a mockingbird
who flutters to the sky.
Her song echoes
in the cavern of my heart.

When did I lose you?

On Friday, June 26th, 2009 ISKCON Toronto will resume weekly Bhagavat Gita classes. Classes will start at 6:30pm and run until 9:00pm every Friday evening at the Toronto Hare Krishna Temple.

Gopi Gita dasi singing the bhajan "Sri Radhe Govinda".

Dallas, TX
2009-04-04

Download: 2009-04-04 - 4 - Gopi Gita dasi - Sri Radhe Govinda.mp3

Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 5, No. 11
By Krishna-kripa das 
(June 2009, part one)
Antwerp, Amsterdam, Wroclaw, and Leipzig
(Sent from Leipzig, Germany, on 6/18/09)

Highlights

A Prabhupada Story
Harinamas in Antwerp and Amsterdam
First Annual Wroclaw Ratha-yatra
Sunday Feast in Leipzig’s Mariannen Park
Spiritual Encounters
Insight from Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, Kadamba Kanana Swami,
Dhananjaya Prabhu, and Others
Personal Reflections

Where I Am and What I Am Doing

I left France, with many nice harinama adventures behind me, and the blessings of the devotees to return. I went by bus to Antwerp, where I did the Sunday feast lecture, other lectures, and many harinamas, and then onward to Amsterdam, for another Sunday feast lecture and more harinamas. Next I went to Leipzig, and took a day trip six hours each way by train to Wroclaw, Poland’s first Ratha-yatra, and returned to Leipzig for great kirtana, prasadam, and the association of Kadamba Kanana Swami. 

A Prabhupada Story

In Amsterdam, Dhananjaya Prabhu told us that one time Srila Prabhupada, although he wasn’t feeling well, agreed to see George Harrison, who had a recording which he wanted Srila Prabhupada to hear. The song was entitled “Krishna, Where are You?” George had written the lyrics and arranged the music, and Ravi Shankar’s sister, Laksmi, was the singer. Prabhupada said it was in the mood of the Goswamis, and that if George Harrison continued writing songs like that he would quickly advance in spiritual life.

[Curious about the song, I did a search on the internet, finding a couple videos with pictures of Krishna accompanying the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJCmAWdD18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkYltwdtEYU ]

Harinama in Antwerp

My friend Janmastami Prabhu, a disciple of Lokanath Swami, makes Antwerp a happy place for me. He’s been playing accordion for years, even before he met the Hare Krishna devotees, and he loves harinama. Last year we chanted in Amsterdam, but now he is back in Belgium, his home. Also here is Amita Krishna Prabhu, who I met in Chowpatty and again in Tirupati, who is a native of Antwerp, and loves Krishna kirtana andkatha. We went chanting in Antwerp, which like many European cities, is blessed with an abundance of cafes with seating on the sidewalk. We passed out many invitations to their upcoming Ratha-yatra.

One day we came across two young Oriental men who are Christian by faith. One had an interesting T-shirt that said on it, “Say Your Prayers.” My camera was temporarily not working, and they emailed me a picture they took for our party.

Harinama in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is full of tourists and a great place for harinama. The devotees do harinama on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. for two hours each day, and about ten or twelve show up. I tried to have additional harinamas Monday through Wednesday, but no one came except for a bhakta from Slovakia, also a guest, but he did book distribution most of the time. I made some halava with chick pea flour and rolled it into balls for distribution, and tried to go out each day for three hours, with invitations, sweets, and books.

First Annual Wroclaw Ratha-yatra

Although Indradyumna Swami’s festival tour has put on many Ratha-yatras in Poland, none of the three Polish temples had done a Ratha-yatra in their home towns until June 13, when the congregation of the Wroclaw temple put on their first Ratha-yatra. I heard about the festival last September and had been cultivating a desire to attend. As I was traveling the six hours by train from Leipzig to Wroclaw, I was thinking the journey to be an insignificant austerity to have the pleasure of once again dancing for Lord Jagannatha, Lord of the universe.

One boy on the train was favorably impressed by seeing the devotees at Woodstock in Zary, his home town, and recalled eating the rice and halava. I invited him to take a Polish book I brought for the occasion, but he declined saying he did not believe in God. I told him the story of what Ravinda Svarupa Prabhu once said to someone who did not believe in God, “Tell me about the God you do not believe in.” When the man described God as an angry person who takes pleasure in making people burn in hell forever for a finite number of a offenses, Ravinda Svarupa Prabhu replied, “I don’t believe in that God either!”

As I was trying find the location of the Ratha site, I met another young man who had seen the devotees at Woodstock. Since then, he became vegetarian and has been vegetarian for five years. Jananivasa KCS, one of my translators from the tour, told me that in the art school his friend attends in Wroclaw, half of the students are vegetarian, a high percentage, especially for Poland.

Both the  parade and festival were held in Rynek Square, a large rectangular area, surrounded by many cafes with outdoor seating. Because it was the first time the city gave permission, they were restrictive, and the Ratha-yatra could go round within the square several times for a couple of hours but not go into streets, however, since the square seemed to be the most happening place in town, that was not so much of a problem. Many of my friends from the Polish summer Festival of India tour were there, playing their characteristic roles as MCs, kirtana leaders, Jagannath pujaris, translators, chefs, and organizers. The whole festival seemed like a beautiful way to begin a summer of festivals in Poland, and both the devotees and the observers were very happy.

I saw one lady in a café holding her fork motionless in midair as she watched Lord Jagannatha and His associates pass by with their cart.

A friend saw two Polish men staring at the cart and the devotees from a café, leaving their ever present beer mugs idle, at least for some time. Officials did not let the devotees distribute invitations or books, but I did not learn that till the end so distributed about a dozen Polish Hare Krishna mantra cards to people whose smiles, glances, and photography, made their interest obvious, and all but two of the people accepted them. A few observers danced along to the kirtana at the stage show afterward, but not as many as sometimes.

The Deities were made just for this festival, being painted for the first time just three days before, and Krishna Ksetra Prabhu did their installation ceremony on their Ratha cart. I praised him later for demonstrating Deity worship as well as writing books about it. Consistent behavior of the leaders strengthens the faith of the people in general. For me it is interesting to see the variety of jolly smiles on the different Jagannatha Deities, expressing the varying realizations of those blessed to be allowed be vehicles for their appearance. I thank Madhai Jivana Dasa for the picture.

Siva, a resident of Bangalore, visiting Wroclaw for a few days for a Hewlett Packard convention, was very happy to come across Lord Krishna’s devotees and their Ratha-yatra procession. He is a worshiper of Balaji, the famed Krishna Deity, of Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, and he stayed with us six hours for the whole Ratha-yatra and stage show. He said he had once heard in an ISKCON temple it is very important to chant the “Hare Krishna” part of the mantra first, and not “Hare Rama”, and he couldn’t understand why the devotee was so forceful about it as Krishna and Rama are the same. I answered the best I could and suggested the Krishna Ksetra Prabhu, who has studied Vaishnavism from the academic point of view as well as the devotional point of view may give a better answer. Krishna Ksetra Prabhu stressed the important principle is the Krishna and Rama are the same, so it does not really matter the order it is chanted in the mantra, and he told the story of how Lord Caitanya advised His devotee, Murari Gupta, the unalloyed Rama bhakta, to change his allegiance to Krishna. Not wanting to displease Lord Caitanya nor forsake Lord Rama, He stayed awake the whole night in a state of despair. When he revealed his mind to Lord Caitanya, Lord Caitanya accepted his devotion to Rama, saying it was just befitting him, as he was the incarnation of Hanuman. Siva was happy with Krishna Ksetra Prabhu’s answer, saying he could tell he was an elevated person by how he answered the questioned. We parted ways inviting him to the Wroclaw’s Sunday feast, and promising to keep in touch by email.

Sunday Feast in Leipzig’s Mariannen Park

I have heard that in the early history of ISKCON, sometimes the devotees would hold the Sunday feast in the park. In Leipzig, the devotees do that even now, on sunny days in the summer.

They bring an altar and Deities of Srila Prabhupada, Gaura Nitai, and Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra, and well as Giri-Govardhan. They do the bhajana, kirtana, and lecture in the park, and if the weather remains good, the feast as well. One benefit of this is that passersby get a chance to see what a Hare Krishna Sunday feast program is like, and become attracted. The day I was there, at least five new people came for the feast.

In the picture above, you can see one onlooker watching from behind the pujari.

Another benefit of being in the park is there is more room to dance!

I thank Bhaktin Sasha for taking the above pictures. For more of her pictures of the Sunday feast in the park, go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/--iskcon--leipzig--/sets/72157619774882342/

Spiritual Encounters

David of Antwerp is doing a video on the spiritual search, and the local Hare Krishnas are featured in it. He explained that early in his life he was not interested in religion, but now it had become an important concern of his. In his search he has discovered one characteristic that religious people have which he appreciates. No matter what religion they are with they, be it Christianity, Buddhism, or Hare Krishna, they tend to keep their appointments, an admirable trait. Those who callously ignore promises to others frustrate him.

   A young man from Niagara Falls, Canada, noticed the Bhagavad-gita on display as I chanted in a square in Amsterdam. He told me he met the devotees in Antwerp and bought a small book because he didn’t have enough money for a big one. Now he came across Bhagavad-gita when he had enough money to buy it and so he did.

   A jolly middle-aged lady, who was accompanied by her sister of a similar age, did a few dance steps along with my singing. I gave them sweets and invitations which they accepted. They said they were Christians. After one of them commented on my happiness, we had a brief conversation in which I made the point that our real pleasure is to glorify God, which they also agreed with. They ended up praying for me and continuing in a happy mood.

   One young lady from Ukraine just enjoyed listening to our singing, and after ten minutes or so, we stopped and talked to her. She had enjoyed seeing the devotees in several places in Ukraine, such as Kiev and Dnepropotrovsk. I told her how I liked chanting in Ukraine, in both Kiev and Kharkov, because the people were so receptive, and how we have big festival every year near Simferopol, attended by four thousand people, and with three hours singing in the evening. Tomas introduced the Isopansad to her and she decided to buy it.

    One lady from Tennessee asked if she could take a picture of me. She was developing an interested in Hinduism and already had a copy of Bhagavad-gita. I mentioned how I appreciated from that tradition the idea that all creatures, even plants and animals of living souls, and deserving of respect. 

   On a flight from Cologne to Leipzig, the lady who had the seat in the same row as mine knew very little English. As she said she was from Cologne, I decided to show her the invitation to their temple’s Sunday feast, which tells a little about the philosophy on it. She asked if our group originated from India, and I said “Yes.” She took a book from her bag, and in the white space on the back of the back cover, she wrote down the details about our program and returned the invitation card to me. When leaving, I gave her my business card and asked her to write me if she attends the temple and to let me know what she thinks. Perhaps she will go and have a wonderful experience. The Deities are beautiful and the devotees are friendly, why not?

Insight from Lectures and Reading

Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, Yellow Submarine, #91: “There are so many valuable devotees who render their service to guru and Krishna without being heralded and given great attention. But Krishna loves them, and He has room for them in His heart. You don’t have to be a superstar to be appreciated by Radha and Krishna. Just render steady service, and you’ll be deeply appreciated.”

Kadamba Kanana Swami:

When we chant we feel something uplifting but not the full manifestation of what is there, Krishna Himself. So much mercy is there, but we do not all realize all of it. Vaishnavas meditate on all all-attractive, wonderful features of Krishna. When we serve Krishna, He reveals His attractiveness. Because Krishna manifests in the Deity, we can easily serve Him.

Many people are religious but not happy because they worship God out of fear. We do not spend our daily meditating on giving up bad qualities but rather meditate on positive activities in relationship with Krishna and find the bad qualities gradually disappear. Actually the greatest Vaishnavas, although thinking themselves fallen, glorify the greatness of the Lord’s mercy for He can easily deliver them. Bhaktivinoda Thakura talks about receiving an auspicious desire tree from our guru but not properly caring for it. By properly caring for it, we can make to bloom. Some punish themselves in the name of bhakti saying they have made the greatest blunder, and can never progress, but this is not a proper meditation. As we absorb ourselves more in Krishna’s service and pastimes, the more we experience the spiritual world.

Kadamba Kanana Swami asked his disciple to pose a question on the lecture and answer it himself, an interesting teaching strategy.

Dhananjaya Prabhu, Amsterdam temple president:

In Alalanatha, at a temple of Vishnu said to be millions of years old, there is an impression of Lord Caitanya in the floor, where the stone melted in ecstasy, when Lord Caitanya had offered prostrated obeisances before the Deity.

Narottama Dasa Thakura states that simply by accepting that the associates of Lord Caitanya are perfect, one can attain the service of Krishna in Vrindavana.

Shyamananda Pandita spoke Krishna-katha so nicely that atheists, agnostics, and blasphemers became moved by hearing his words, and became his followers.

Time is running out for all of us. Therefore, we should approach Krishna.

If we existed before this creation, and we will exist after the annihilation, that means that we have nothing to do with this cosmic manifestation.

Janmastami (LOK) Prabhu:

In “Suddha-bhakati,” Bhaktivinoda Thakura mentions observing Vaishnava holidays with care and attention. Similarly in “Guru Vadanam,” Narottama Dasa Thakura mentions one must bow down to the guru with great care and attention.

Direct smaranam is when we remember the form of the Lord, and indirect smaranam is when we remember Krishna as the taste of water.

In the beginning faith is the driving force in our spiritual life. When we reach the stage of ruci [taste], rati [attachment] is the driving force, and at prema [love] love itself is the driving force.

If we chant Hare Krishna, while trying to give up offenses, we will experience devotional service to be a happy experience.

Amita Krishna Prabhu:

Lord Caitanya is our only friend because He has the medicine to cure our disease.

The best service to help others is to give the holy name.

Lord Caitanya told Srivasa Thakura that by not disturbing my kirtana when your son died, you purchased Me, but still, next time you should tell Me.

Initially some people may reject the sankirtana, but if we persist, we will break through the resistance.

If your religion is for real, you can spread it by changing the people’s hearts. Other methods, such as politics, are bogus. 

If people come to understand that the Hare Krishna movement has relevant contributions to knowledge of religion, politics, medicine, and family relationships, they will appreciate us.

Mother Bhagavati:

When I prepare to give a lecture, I always listen to lectures by Srila Prabhupada’s disciples because they often illuminate aspects of the purport, which I completely miss.

Knowledge is to know the living entity, the material nature, and the Lord who controls the other two.

Chanting Hare Krishna offensively is like taking a shower with dirty water.

Q: How can we explain that Krishna’s quality of nirguna does not mean He has no qualities?

A: We have qualities and we emanate from Krishna, so Krishna must also have qualities.

Personal Reflections

I served out the Sunday feast in Amsterdam. After serving, I ate alone as the others were finished and on their way. It reminds me of long ago, before doing the book tables at the Alachua feast, when I would have the same experience—sitting, and eating alone. Now, as I did then, I pray to Krishna, who always remains when our other friends go, and who we can thus realize is our supreme friend—always ready to pay attention to us, as we pay attention to Him.

The temple president in Antwerp invited me to give a series of lectures on the holy name, and I did four, but after that I decided I would rather hear the realizations of my friends, Amita Krishna and Janmastami Prabhus. You have to be really advanced to be able to give so many lectures to the same people without hearing them speak as well. For me it seems artificial.

When I chant japa while traveling, I tend to worry about my different travel connections. Noticing that I began preaching to myself , “Listen to the Krishna’s names, and He will made your travel connections work out.” I think that helped both my chanting and my traveling to go smoother.

As I took the train from Leipzig to Wroclaw, I noticed in the all small East German towns I passed, the tallest building was always the church, reminding us of a day when religion was given more importance.

-----

"If even a candāla [dog-eater], simply out of curiosity, sees the Lord on the cart, he becomes counted as one of the associates of Vishnu." (The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9)

Dear devotees and friends,

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

I am now in the Altai Mountains, a 5 hour drive from Barnaul in south-central Siberia. We’re having the annual West Siberian summer festival in a beautiful holiday resort, right next to a major river, so everything is very picturesque and pleasant. The only problem is that the weather is cold and wet, and in many countries you’d think that it’s winter rather than almost midsummer.

I last wrote from Tomsk, at the end of May. We spent a few days there and had our usual preaching programmes, and one interesting thing we did was take part in the annual potato planting ritual. The devotees have acquired some land for developing a semi-rural community, about 15 minutes drive from
the city. It’s a very nice place, with good land, and already a number of devotee families are in the process of building houses there.

Every year in Russia, on the last weekend of May, people go to their farms or dachas and plant the season’s first potatoes, and the devotees were doing that also. They planted about a hectare of potatoes, and asked me to come and take part. I’m really from a city background, and I don’t know if I’ve ever planted anything before in my life, but here I went down the ploughed land, following a devotee who was digging holes for the potatoes, and I placed the seed potatoes in the ground. It was an interesting experience, and the devotees seemed to appreciate it.

There’s a photo of me and Carudesna prabhu, the Regional Secretary, in the photos section, and you’ll see that we’re both wearing karmi clothes, and you might wonder why. The reason is that the Russian Orthodox Church has started a campaign against the devotees living there, and we want to cause as little of a stir as we can whenever we go there. Therefore the devotees never go there in devotional clothes, and they asked me not to also. The blue track suit I’m wearing in the photo is actually my sleeping clothes which I wear every night, but on this day I had them washed especially so I could take part in the potato planting programme.

From Tomsk we moved on to Kemerovo, a city about 2 hours drive away, where ISKCON has been active for many years. There’s a small temple there, but this time the devotees rented a small holiday resort for our programmes, and we met morning and evening for kirtana and class in a beautiful hall in the main building. They have also got some land, further outside the town, for developing a rural type community.

While there we discussed with the main yatra leader, Laghu Hari prabhu, about having a japa retreat in January, in the same holiday resort. It will take place from the Russian Christmas Day, January 7th, till January 9th, and we will invite devotees from all over Siberia to come and take place.

Yes, in Russia they don’t accept December 25th to be Christmas Day. January 7th is the day for them, and it’s a national holiday for everyone, whereas December 25th for them is just another working day.

On June 2nd we drove to Novokuznetsk, which translates as “New Iron Worker”, and industrial town nearby. On the way we stopped in Leninz Kuznetsk at the house of my disciples Vasudeva and Devaki for a morning programme, and then June 3rd was going to be Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi.

The Ekadasi was nice. We had Guru Puja and Srimad Bhagavatam class in the morning, and then Gaura Arati and Bhagavad Gita class in the evening, plus I had to give some darshans, but otherwise we just chanted. Usually I have so many things to do during the day, but this day I had made up my mind to focus on the holy names, and if possible do 64 rounds. Due to the kirtanas and classes I had to give I wasn’t able to reach 64, but still it was nice to focus on the Hare Krishna without major distraction.

One devotee had written to me just before Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi, asking: “What was Srila Prabhupada’s view on Nirjala  Ekadasi, as He did not stress it to his disciples. How come we fast Nirjala if Prabhupada never stressed it? Please tell us the benefit of fasting for Nirjala and if it is necessary.”

This question comes up from time to time, and even I had written once to Giriraja Maharaja asking him of his personal experiences with Srila Prabhupada in this regard, and he confirmed that Srila Prabhupada didn’t
observe Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi any differently from how he observed other ekadasis. He said: “‘Example is more important than precept,’ and Srila Prabhupada never set the example for us to observe Nirjala Ekadasi. Further, when the Nectar of Devotion first came out, Mother Yamuna asked Srila Prabhupada if we should ‘remain fasting throughout the night and continuously chant the glories of the Lord,’ as stated in NOD. Srila
Prabhupada replied, ‘No. We have too much service.’”

I even remember myself when Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi was first practiced in England. It was in about 1979, and we found on that day that some of the devotees were fasting completely, and we were surprised by that. They explained that if one has broken ekadasi during the year then if one follows this ekadasi without eating or drinking, then it makes up for the broken ones.

We have seen in sastra that there are statements to that effect, in some of the so-called “Ekadasi” books, although often it seems that the sastric references quoted there are more on the karma kandiya side, telling of different material benefits that will be there if one follows the different ekadasis. When Srila Prabhupada was present there was no mention of these ideas, and rather it seems that if devotees broke ekadasi when he was present he expected that they observe it properly the next day, dvadasi.

On the other hand Srila Prabhupada did emphasize chanting and hearing more on ekadasi days, so personally I like to take the opportunity once in the year to do so, while at the same time being ready to do what I consider my main service, which is to speak the philosophy and Krishna katha in general. Otherwise as far as I can see it is not important to observe Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi in the way so many devotees do, particularly if other services are minimized for the day.

On June 5th we drove to Barnaul, which is perhaps the most developed of any yatra in West Siberia. There are perhaps 400 practising devotees there and they’re very active. We went on harinama with about 100 devotees on Saturday night, and apparently they do this every Saturday evening. They even have a police escort of about 3 or 4 men on foot, and a couple of cars which block the road when the party crosses it. In Russia sometimes devotees are quite frightened of coming out in public and wearing devotee clothes or openly
doing devotee activities, out of fear of the police and city officials, but in Barnaul ISKCON is accepted as a major religious/social organization, and given a number of important privileges.

On June 8th we drove to Biisk, as small city about 2 hours drive from Barnaul, and we did a programme with the devotees there in their small centre. There were about 35 devotees present, and we had kirtana and talked about Lord Caitanya’s sankirtana movement.

Then on June 9th I flew from Barnaul, first to Moscow and then to Riga in Latvia, to take part in a festival there with Indradyumna Maharaja. We held Rathayatra in Palanga, the main holiday resort town in neighbouring Lithuania, and observed Maharaja’s Vyasa Puja there.

Unfortunately Maharaja was sick, and was not able to lead any kirtana, but he gave two very nice classes.

I have always admired Maharaja very much, and he is kind enough to take an interest in my life in Krishna consciousness, so I wanted to express this in an offering to him on his Vyasa Puja day. Here is the offering:

Dear Indradyumna Swami Maharaja,

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

I have been waiting for this occasion for a long time now, and it has finally come - the opportunity to express my gratitude to you for all the help and kindness you have given me over the years, and to also glorify you for your outstanding qualities and qualifications as a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, and as my senior Godbrother.

First of all I want to mention some things about our personal relationship. It began in mid-1973, when you came as the sankirtana leader of the French yatra to the London Rathayatra in July 1973. We were also doing some book distribution around London and the UK and we thought, what will these French devotees be able to do? They won’t be able to deal with the English people as well as we do.

But you and your team proved us completely wrong. You were distributing at least twice as many books as us and showed us another dimension of book distribution.

We met in person one evening in the Bury Place temple in London. I was the treasurer, and was in the process of counting some money, when I felt I needed to use the toilet. I quickly went out and was back within a couple of minutes, to find you standing in the office, looking at the money I had left sitting on the table.

You told me “Bhagavan prabhu (the then GBC of France) would be very angry if you left this laksmi lying around. Anyone could have stolen it.”

Of course it shocked me a little, but I understood that you were right, and took your instruction to heart to be more careful with Krishna’s Laksmi.

So from the beginning of our relationship you gave me guidance, and you’ve continued to do that over the years, directly and indirectly.

I remember when I was Temple President in the Sri Sri Radha Radhanatha temple in Durban, South Africa. One time I was feeling very frustrated with the situation there, and wanting a way to get out of the service. I was
walking around the temple moat chanting and thinking about the challenges I was facing, particularly with one very politically minded devotee, and you just walked up to me and asked if you could become the Temple President!

I immediately took it that you had been directly inspired by Lord Krishna to save me from my predicament, and accepted on the spot. Perhaps you saved my life!

While you were Temple President you developed the book distribution in amazing ways, getting devotees out on the streets every day who I thought would never go out to do books. Such is your potency.

Then at that time you began the Durban Rathayatra, which is one of the most successful Rathayatras outside India. Just see your transcendental vision and foresight!

You have given me many instructions over the years, and recently you’ve been encouraging me strongly to establish a web site with classes of mine on it. I kept getting emails from you about this every few days, and I was trying to get it organized, but it was coming slowly. I felt too embarrassed to tell you that it was “just now coming” and so hesitated to reply each time you wrote.

But the main thing I felt then, as I have felt many times before, is that you actually care for me, and want to help me become some proper type of servant of Srila Prabhupada.

I know many of our Godbrothers, and have nice relationships with many, but that type of personal concern and care is only there from a few, and you are one of them. I want you to know that I appreciate that very much, and I pray that you will continue to keep looking over me and guiding and correcting me forever.

Your qualities are many and are outstanding. Like Prahlada Maharaja you are very dear to Lord Nrsingadeva and He is always protecting you from difficulty and danger in your devotional service. Like Lord Nityananda you understand the mission of Lord Caitanya and are fully dedicated to giving His mercy to the fallen conditioned souls. Like Srila Prabhupada and our previous acaryas you are able to distill the essence of the Vedic scriptures and present the message perfectly for the benefit of the devotees. Like Laksmi devi you are always serving the lotus feet of the Lord with perfect care and attention. Like Srimati Radharani Herself you are willing to do anything for your beloved Krishna, and find no price too high to pay for His pleasure. Like Haridas Thakura you are constantly absorbed in chanting Hare Krishna and giving the holy names to everyone.

Another very merciful thing you have done recently is give me Giriraja. You always have Him with you, and in your heart, and now you have given Him to me. He is here with me witnessing this wonderful occasion directly today, and I’m sure He’s very happy that you are being worshipped and served so fittingly.

There are so many things to say, and not enough time, but today I pray at your lotus feet that you will keep giving your kind association to me, so that one day we can serve, with Giriraja Maharaja, together in Goloka
Vrindavana.

Your most fallen servant,

Bhakti Caitanya Swami

The Rathayatra was very nice, with about 200 devotees participating from all over the Baltics, including even Estonia. The next morning I drove to Riga airport and then flew back to Barnaul, and drove for 5 hours to where we are now, near a town named Gorno Altaisk, in a beautiful holiday resort.

The only problem is the resort is designed for summer use only (there are holes in the walls of the house I’m staying in), and the weather is wintery right now. This morning it was about 3 degrees, and at the most it is meant to be about 13, and the wind is howling outside and sometimes rain is falling. Today I have a cold so our devotee doctor Sudama Vipra prabhu a disciple of Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja, as ordered me to stay inside, so I won’t be continuing my seminar on the Demons in Krishna’s Vrindavana Pastimes.

However tomorrow I’m hoping to participate. I’ll let you know what happens shortly.

Hoping this meets you well.

Your servant,

Bhakti Caitanya Swami

"It is so much better to chant early in the morning, when the mind is calm and the atmosphere is quiet. It’s the best time of the day to chant. You’re usually alert and awake for an early-morning burst. The mind is willing to go along with attentive chanting for a stretch. It seems the later the morning gets, the less your potency. The brahma-muhurta hour is recommended as the best time for spiritual duties."

From Bhajana Kutir #105

Mahasrnga Das: Governor of Andhra Pradesh India, His Excellency N. D. Tiwari released a book titled 'End of Modern Civilization and Alternative Future' by Dr Sahadeva dasa at a function held in Hyderabad yesterday.

Paravara das: Please see photos of first Polish RathaYatra in Wroclaw - one of the main cities in Poland. One of the Participants was Trivikrama Svami and Krsna Ksetra Dasa. The festival was wonderful and Lord Jagannath made the weather just perfect. We hope You will Enjoy the photos.

By Anupama Devi Dasi

The Sri Mayapur International School's holistic approach to education engages the body, mind, intelligence and words of devotee children from all over the world. It prepares them to fulfill their life's purpose spiritually, at the same time providing internationally accepted skills, training and academic education

Dear BBT--

I know you are not a person, but an organization that publishes stuff. Nevertheless, please hear my plea.

Please make the BBT art calendar, particularly the Ekadasi/variant date thing, more user friendly.

I have blown too many Ekadasis because of my own user error in reading the calendar. Here's a suggestion. How about highlighting the Ekadasi day and the variant date? Or how about marking the variant date right on the two boxes instead of some calendar small print footnote which, in my advanced age, find difficult to read.

Sure, there are online resources for finding out the correct date, but that would mean I would have to go on the computer...and anyone who knows me even a little bit knows I am hardly on this thing, what with being such a busy mom and all.

Who really likes the variant date thing? Pretty much no one who is subject to it's rule. I'm not asking you to change the phase of the moon for me but just the calendar layout.

Sincerely,
Fastingthewrongday V. Dasi

Inspired by the "Nectar of Devotion" lecture series given by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada from October 20-November 13, 1972 at the Radha-Damodara Temple in Vrndavana, India

All of these lectures are available for download at ISKCON Desire Tree.

Let me set the scene...

It is autumn in Vrndavana. The clouds have broken in the rainy season, a natural metaphor of the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu that has broken through to the Western world.

Prabhupada describes it thusly in the "The Description of Autumn" chapter of Krsna book: "As clouds sometimes clear, even in the rainy season, and sometimes the moon, stars and sun become visible, so even in this Kali-yuga there are sometimes advantages. For example, sometimes Lord Caitanya’s Vedic movement of distributing the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra is heard. People seriously eager to find real light should take advantage of this movement instead of looking toward the light of mental speculators and atheists."

Surrounded by a transcendental gaggle of his young, eager,confused, and very sincere disciples from the mleccha-lands, the acarya, the best friend, the magnificent personality that is Srila Prabhupada expounds on the basics of Krsna Consciousness, laying the literal foundation for the worldwide spreading of his mission for the benefit of all living entities.

Thanks to the minor miracles of modern recording technology, we, as his disciples and grand-disciples and so on, have the unique situation of having the sound of the acarya, the words of the acarya, and the presence of the acarya available freely at our fingertips and eardrums at any given moment.

These are my humble reflections on these timeless and priceless lectures, the words of Srila Prabhupada, the parampara passing through him and in him, to us now and forever.

Lecture #1
10-20-72

Srila Prabhupada knows that his young disciples, those his spiritual master has sent to him to help him fulfill his mission, are raw and prone to easy and heavy misjudgement and misunderstanding.

So, although he is speaking from the very exalted platform of the Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu by Srila Rupa Goswami, which has been translated by Prabhupada, who like Srila Vyasadeva is very kind to the ignorant masses, into The Nectar of Devotion, we are really here in Krishna Consciousness 101, and we should relish every moment.

This is our chance to stand on the firmest ground, to build the strongest foundation, simply by our attentive and respectful hearing.

Rupanugas...Who is the personality behind this foundation? It is Srila Rupa Goswami. Prabhupada says our aim of life must be to serve the mission of the acaryas. By this service, in its many dynamic forms and expressions, we actually associate with Rupa Goswami and all the acaryas personally

Another brick in the transcendental wall of our foundation is the association of the devotees, the cypher and medium through which we gain the opportunity for loving service exchanges wherein this personal association of the acaryas lies, waiting to bear its fruit.

Siddhanta...the conclusions of the acaryas are the lighthouse of clarity in the dark sea of the Kali-Yuga. Prabhupada says to the assembled Vaisnavas:

"Those who are advanced devotee, they know siddhänta, the conclusion. In the Caitanya-caritämåta, therefore, it has been advised, siddhänta baliyä citte nä kara alasa ihä haite krsna läge sudrdha mänasa [Ädi 2.117]

If you neglect siddhänta, conclusion, given by the äcäryas, then you will misunderstand Krsna. Krsna, therefore Narottama däsa Thäkura says... These are the evidences. Narottama däsa Thäkura, such an exalted äcärya, he's teaching us, "Don't try to understand yugala-piriti, the love affairs between Rädhä and Krsna, concoctedly, by your own concoction." No.

You should first of all try to serve the Six Gosvämis, rüpa-raghunätha-pade haibe äkuti, how they are directing. Just like this Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu. Srila Rüpa Gosvämi is not teaching in the beginning the loving affairs of Rädhä-Krsna. No. He's training, first of all, the reader, the devotee, how to become first of all pure devotee."

If we jump, we shall fall...fall right off the cliff. Prabhupada warns his young disciples, he warns us, that we shouldn't take off the training wheels until we know how to balance ourselves, until we know how to ride the bike of Vaisnava etiquette, until we have real, honest, active faith in the siddhanta of the acaryas.

We cannot re-establish our relationship with Krsna artificially, or as Prabhupada reveals by metaphor, we cannot force the sun to rise. It is revealed gradually, with proper training. Svarup-siddhi, our natural position, is revealed gradually.

Prabhupada also knows that some of his young disciples are still impressionable to the impersonalist gobbly-gook they discovered in their psychedelic journey to the promised land.

Similar to the "stay high forever" rhetoric of the 2nd Avenue days, Prabhupada relates that the impersonalist may shoot into the effulgence like a rocket, buoyed by his austerities, but like the rocket, unless it finds a planet to land on and engage, one cannot float forever. One must come back down.

Whether its psychedelic seasoning or millions of lifetimes of cold-cave austerities, without Krsna in the center, the results are not permanent. The fruits eventually become dry, spoiled, and rotten.

Prabhupada is very careful to make clear that artificial bhajan invariably leads back to sense pleasure. It does not lead to Krsna. If we jump, we will fall down.

***

Our training ground is our preachings. Our college classrooms. Our bhakti-vrksa gatherings. Our festival delights. Our subway book distributions. Every inch of the globe stands ready to be used to rescue our faltering excuse of an civilization to the feet of the acaryas.

Prabhupada's encouragement is simple but completely rock-solid. We should just try to preach this message, and the more strength we will get to go on further and further, reaching more and more people, entering into newer and uncharted territories.

This is the best welfare activity for everyone. Better than political rallies, petitions, and seditions. The welfare it gives is free and real.

It hits the soul, like a Trane refrain, and brings the love so lacking, filled in its void by a hatred, a collection of aparadhas, that sears the very idea of our actual identity, of the peace and self-realization that is our eternal birthright.

Anyone who is preaching the message of Lord Caitanya is most, most dear to Krsna. It is His desire, His will, and His greatest pleasure that we preach the siddhanta of the acaryas to our fellow uncovered devotees and covered-over devotees, whomever we know and whomever we will meet.

And preaching is not difficult. We are simply to establish that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Isvarah paramah krsna. We must become sincerely convinced and then we can also convince others.

Prabhupada says the test of advancement of our sincerity as we build our foundations in Krsna Consciousness, is to experience oneself as different in mood, thoughts, and actions from the karmis, jnanis, etc.

If we walk down the street, and we feel different from those around us, if we don't desire the mundane that surrounds us, then we are pushing through. The rainy season is beginning to clear, and the sunlight of the Supreme Lord is beginning to shine through

(Of course, if we walk down the street, and we feel different from others, yet don't feel proud or superior because of it, then that is a further, higher level of advancement)

Another example is our willingness to give up the non-essential comforts in our life (Speaking from the brahmacari side is the clear realization that we don't require furniture) to find the better engagement.

Letting go of our lesser tastes makes room for the higher tastes. It makes room for the real bricks, the real spiritual cement we have to have in place to survive and thrive as the servants, the personal associates of the acaryas.

Lecturing from the Caitanya Caritamrita in Maypura on 25 March 1975, Srila Prabhupada said this:

vande gurun isa-bhaktan
isam isavatarakan
tat-prakasams ca tac-chaktih
krsna-caitanya-samjnakam
[Cc. Adi 1.1]

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2009. májusában Radha Krisna prabhu és Manorama das részt vett az amerikai West Virginiában található New Vrindabani Festival of Inspiration rendezvényen. Az ittlétünk alatt videók is készültek. E…

Connaught Waters, Epping Forest, Essex, England, 18 June 1964 (my mother's birthday). Young Kurma, aged 11 (yes, I once had hair).

Step aside, Harry Potter.

Enough is enough. It is time now to take a strong stand against the material civilization which will, if it continues unabated in its program of deluding the entire humanity by promoting the false bodily conception of existence, continue transforming this planet into an ever-increasingly disordered and nightmarish disaster area. We must speak out strongly...

Professor and Friend

Toronto, Ontario

While I moved southbound on Yonge St. on foot, a young couple stepped out of the shop just in front of me, now also going south. the man of about thirty and of south east Asian origin noticed me, gave a 'hello' and whispered something in his 'woman's' ear. they both smiled and carried on walking. Minutes later, he turned around and told me, "You did my mundana when I was one" ('mundana' is a head shaving ceremony done in the Hindu tradition as a rite of passage when one enters into childhood and sheds babyhood).

"Are you sure I was the priest that cut your hair?" I questioned.
"Yes, I'm sure. My father told me much later on," he said.
"Well, I see that it all worked out well. You have a good crop of hair on your head (laughter). When did I do this? Do you recall?"
"It was supposed to be in '81", he said.
"When you have children, you know where to go", I said.

We parted with additional laughter. Moving on to Union Station where subway, commuter and regular trains all meet I coincidentally bumped into Professor Joseph T. O'Connel and wife, Catherine. Prof. O'Connell asked if I'm on any walking marathons these days. He had just come from New York and while on 5th Avenue, accidentally ran into the Chariot Festival which is quite the electrifying event.

I do hold him in great honour. During our great struggle in earlier times to establish the authenticity of Krishna Consciousness in the west, as a scholar of religious studies, Prof. O'Connell would speak eloquently on behalf of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition in the '70's', when the public became curious and often times suspicious of surging religions like ours.

Prof. O'Connell once wrote, "In my judgement, it is indeed fortunate for these individuals (followers) and for the society in which they live that there has been available this outwardly exotic but inwardly authentic and well-rounded way of communal life."

10 KM

Amazing Grace

Toronto, Ontario

Shyam accompanies me in early dawn walks. Being from Israel, he finds it cool here. He's all bundled up. For me, it's perfect. With the sun out, I was thrown a thought, "do we deserve it this good? This perfect weather?"

I recall a comment made by a monk senior to me when I had just made that bold decision to try life in the ashram (monastery). He said, "You get what you desire and what you deserve, you get two D's."

I had to think about that. An individual has aspirations for the future. They could be healthy or harmful aspirations. Then, karmically, we receive punishments or rewards based on our behaviour from the past. The current and the past impact us to the point where the future becomes determined.

So we have a situation where we are reeling back and forth from negative to positive 'karma' and then there is another principle called 'grace'. It's something we have not deserved nor perhaps desired. It appears to be an unearned favour. It's grace or mercy that gets many of us through this nasty whirlpool of good and bad.

Sometimes we must beg for this grace. Let me correct myself. It might be a good idea to always beg for grace.

7 KM

The Sri Mayapur International School\'s holistic approach to education engages the body, mind, intelligence and words of devotee children from all over the world. It prepares them to fulfill their life\'s purpose spiritually, at the same time providing internationally accepted skills, training and academic education. SMIS immerses students in an alternative educational system that balances traditional, eternal spiritual values and contemporary international academics. This equips students to follow a Krishna Conscious lifestyle whilst pursuing a career in commerce, science, academia and other disciplines.

by Prana dasa Hare Krishna School in Auckland has a position vacant for a qualified and motivated devotee educator. Our school is a Primary school catering for students up to 12 years of age. We have a current school roll of 86 students and is rapidly increasing in size. The successful applicant will have experience in teaching primary level students up to twelve years of age. Personal specifications include dependability, flexibility and adaptability. You must be able to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of primary school curriculum and how to meet the needs of the learner

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.9.30-31 - One should approach a bona fide Guru to achieve the highest perfection in life.

As we were studying about Chapter 6: How to Discharge Devotional Service in the Nectar of Devotion, the class reached a discussion on the worshippable rivers like Mother Ganga and Yamuna. The discussion found its way to the topic on being able to see the dham. Seeing the dham requires the mercy of Gopisvara Mahadev who is the gatekeeper of the dham and also that of the Vrajavasis. The question

The ISKCON Farm power point presentation presented to the Governing Body Commission of ISKCON at their Mayapur meetings in February 2009 can be viewed HERE

The notion of eternal damnation always baffled me. One shot to decide your destiny forever? What if you make a mistake? What if you get influenced by bad company? What if you die early trying to have a good time at university? I guess you could say in each of those situations you did have a choice, but the punishment still seems extremely disproportionate. In this world of unlimited distractions, temptations and allurements, every spiritual practitioner knows it’s a minefield – wouldn’t God be a bit more understanding?

It’s difficult to picture the Perfect Being, subjecting His own dear creation to extreme torture and suffering for eternity. The most incredible thing about this persecution is that it has nothing positive or progressive coming from it – He just tortures you again and again and again. Forever... it doesn’t stop. You can understand why people would be put off. Furthermore, there are so many unanswered questions and loose ends. What happens to a baby who is born and then dies without making any conscious decisions or actions: heaven or hell? What about someone who is mentally ill and cannot make rational choices: heaven or hell? If it’s a one life game, it definitely looks as though God has stacked the deck in favor of some.

The Bhagavad-gita explains that through the process of reincarnation, the spiritual being is given repeated chances to evolve his consciousness to perfection over time. Whatever good or bad the soul experiences in this world is ultimately an educational program aimed at refining his understanding about the self and the real purpose in life. In this way, the concepts of Karma & Reincarnation help one understand the unlimited compassion of the Perfect Being, in the midst of whatever life situations one may be currently experiencing.

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami - June 17, 3:41 A.M.

I woke up at 3:30 A.M. with my head a little foggy. I radioed for Narayana and began my chanting.

4:45 A.M.

Early-morning japa log

I took two meds for my headache. Narayana suggested I lie down and not chant and let the meds kick in. But I was stubborn and insisted on chanting my eight rounds. I chanted in the mind, with my mouth moving. Despite the inconvenience, I kept my mind fixed on the syllables of the names without diverting much to other thoughts. I kept a good speed, mostly under seven minutes per round. I even chanted a couple of rounds in under six minutes. My whole attention was fixed on the accumulation of the rounds and the speed. It was a kind of call to Krishna to help me chant my rounds without being affected by the headache. I wished for the headache to go down. It didn’t increase, it just remained. We’ll have to see whether I’m good enough to go to the beach, but I’ve chanted my eight rounds, with time left for more chanting before Narayana comes up at 5:30 A.M. I was a chanting man and did not lament over my pain.

Japa essay

You have to make your decision when to lay back and not chant because of pain and when to go ahead and take the chance. Today I risked it and went ahead because of the importance of the early-morning rounds. It is so much better to chant early in the morning, when the mind is calm and the atmosphere is quiet. It’s the best time of the day to chant. You’re usually alert and awake for an early-morning burst. The mind is willing to go along with attentive chanting for a stretch. It seems the later the morning gets, the less your potency. The brahma-muhurta hour is recommended as the best time for spiritual duties. Devotees who have fulltime jobs should try to make the sacrifice of going to bed early at night so they can get up early. But it may be that they cannot do it because they get tired later on the job. Still, the earlier, the better. Little children and the wife may still be asleep, and you have a clear stretch to be alone with Nama Prabhu. Or husband and wife can both make a pact and be up early for the sacred yajna. A temple room in your house and deities are helpful, or at least an altar with pictures as an aid for concentration. Srila Prabhupada used to chant rounds after his very early morning translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He would chant before his morning walk. Before the sun rises, before the birds start chirping and the car engines start revving, in the still of predawn, chant the holy names.

In my bhajana-kutir

before Radha-Govinda

I start my daily japa.

There’s no one stirring in the house,

the only sound, my own vibration.

I reciprocate with Nama.

My head is clear

or almost clear,

I pray for clarity

and push on with the beads.

The numbers rise,

a headstart feeling.

Your heart is calm,

your mind is clean.

6:40 A.M.

I’m in the yellow submarine. We didn’t go to the beach because of my headache.

Yesterday I heard Prabhupada lecture about the combination of Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadeva Goswami. He said if the disciple is foolish and/or the spiritual master is foolish, then their coming together is useless. But if the disciple is fit and the spiritual master is fit, then there can be spiritual progress. Maharaja Pariksit was cursed to die within seven days, and the sages advised him to sit at the Ganga and hear from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sukadeva Goswami was selected to speak to him. Maharaja Pariksit attained perfection by hearing. He also asked relevant questions. Sukadeva Goswami attained perfection by speaking. Prabhupada advised that we not hear from a cheap speaker. Nowadays, there are so many bogus Bhagavatam speakers who hold imitation bhagavata saptahas, or seven-day recitations of the Srimad-Bhagavatam in imitation of Maharaja Pariksit’s seven days. The professional speakers go at once to the rasa lila, which they are unqualified to speak on. The audience is also unqualified and wants to hear about Krishna’s dancing with the gopis. They think that Krishna is an ordinary lover, and His activities support their own mundane exploits. They don’t like to hear the pastimes of Krishna killing Kamsa because it’s too close to their own position of being a demon killed by Krishna. So they jump to the rasa dance.

But we should hear the Bhagavatam seriously from a bona fide speaker. The defect is that we think we have seven million years to live. Sukadeva Goswami at least was given notice that he had seven days, but we may not even have seven minutes to hear. We don’t know. So we should take our hearing very seriously.

People don’t know that they have to die or where they will go in their next life. This education is missing. But Maharaja Pariksit was aware of his predicament. He said to the assembled sages, “Let the snakebird or whatever magical thing is coming come and kill me. But you go on chanting the glories of Lord Vishnu. If I have to take birth in my next life, let me be a devotee of Krishna. Let me be kind to all living entities.” Maharaja Pariksit’s hearing from Sukadeva Goswami was successful, and he went back to Godhead within seven days. But the modern-day professional speakers and their motivated audiences can go on hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam for seven months or seven years without making any change in their life. Prabhupada said he knew of a famous Bhagavatam speaker in Bombay who told his audiences that they could just go on living peacefully in household life without making any changes, and things would be all right. They didn’t know that nobody can actually live peacefully in the material world. They had to give up their material lives, like Maharaja Pariksit did. But the people like to be flattered that they can go on living in family life without any change, so they support the big Bhagavatam speakers by giving them donations and honoring them as if they were great sages. Devotees in the Krishna consciousness movement should hear Srimad-Bhagavatam in the mood of Maharaja Pariksit and be prepared to change their lives and become servants of Krishna, being aware that their lives could end at any minute.

8:30 A.M.

1

A little poem is all

I ask, a fellow from Staten Island.

A little verse I could

offer to Krishna without

embarrassment.

He’d take it as a simple

sonnet? No, a humble,

more colloquial thing

from a man who loves

colloquial verse

but who wants to please

his Lord. Is it possible

that we can reach Him

with less than Bach

or Handel or Bengali

bhajanas?

I just want to say I love

You in a simple way

like blowing a single trumpet.

I just want to be myself.

2

“My Old Flame” is a torch song

with no place in the Vedic

pantheon.

We turn to our own song in

our heart, a poem-song

made of words, not melody

but we borrow from the world

where worldly emotions pour

forth. We borrow and hope

to transform them into

transcendental forms.

Krishna’s the judge if He’ll

accept it. It’s all we

know to offer. A sad

song, a love song,

a word-lament of

our own embracing.

3

A mild morning with a headache.

You can still sing to Krishna

in a fifteen-line poem.

We’re meant for that and wouldn’t

give it up for the world.

Our chance to praise the

cowherd boy with oft-

used words.

Try again to avoid cliche

because, after all, His pastimes

are repeated again and again.

So why can’t we say we love Him

and mean it, at least in

small measaure from a

small heart, say, “Govinda,

You’re the lover of the gopis.

Be with us today”?

10:30 A.M.

Free write

I’ve had a headache ever since I woke up this morning at 3:15 A.M. For pain, it’s number 2 on a scale of 1 to 5. I have continued to write through it. I can’t just leave my pages blank. It prevents me from reading Under Dark Stars, which just came from the printer. I read fifty-seven pages so far. It’s a “crazy” book, but I like it. I announced in the Introduction that it’s a novel with no plot but with lots of characters. The prose keeps grabbing you and leadng you along to turn the pages, and there are plenty of interesting poems. I don’t know how it will be received by the conventional ISKCON readers, but I don’t regret publishing it. It’s a trip. It received peer-approval by a respectable, broad-minded devotee. I’d like to read more of it, but I can’t right now.

About all I can do is sit back in my chair and be patient. I’ve already taken medicine. Dhanurdhara Swami is at Sastra’s for a week and said he’d visit me regularly. But I had to ask him to come over only once every few days because I can’t take more than that. He’s very interesting, but I get strained.

Free writing is permissible, but you have to be Krishna conscious. That includes a lot of territory. I don’t cover much territory in my life, but I can always think of Krishna. “Always remember Vishnu; never forget Him.” These two orders form the basis for all human behavior. How can you always remember Krishna? One way is by chanting His names. Another way is to be always rendering Him some service. Even if that service involves financial or managerial or legal or family duties, if it’s actually service to Krishna, it counts as remembering Him. Dhanurdhara Maharaja is often lecturing on the instructions of Krishna, remembering Him. He also writes. I also write but sometimes say something that’s not exactly Krishna conscious. It’s a reflection on my life or something that’s happening, and I try to soon connect it to Krishna. Talking about Krishna should come naturally to a devotee, not forced or “artificial.” You should actually be thinking of Him. That’s the meaning of the saying, “Always think of Vishnu; never forget Him.” It means you live in Krishna, and your thoughts are always directed in that way. It means one is a pure devotee, and his beloved is always on his or her mind.

Under Dark Stars appears to contain thoughts that are not strictly Krishna conscious. But they are written by a devotee having fun. He’s not far from Krishna, and in the next paragraph he hits the target of Krishna bullseye. You have to give it slack when you read it.

As I write this, heavy motorized lawn equipment starts up in the backyard. Just what I needed. It will probably continue for hours. My head pressure mounts. I can’t free write what I want. What do I want? A pastime of Krishna? His personal pastiems are confidential, and you have to read nine cantos of Srimad-Bhagavatam before you reach them in the Tenth Canto. And in the middle of the Tenth Canto are His pastimes with the gopis, the most confidential of all. One should be interested in all twelve cantos of the Bhagavatam and not reject a chapter. But Prabhupada wrote Krishna Book early in his career so his readers would have Tenth Canto pastimes without delay. One of my Godbrothers told me that his favorite pastime was Krishna subduing Kaliya. Most of the rasika acharyas favor the rasa dance chapter.

3:00 P.M.

My Dear Lord Krishna...

I’m writing to You after finally subduing a day-long headache. One might say I should pray to You for relief from headaches because then I could become an active lecturer and traveling preacher, and that would increase my service to You. But I don’t want to do it. You have sent me these headaches for Your reasons, and I don’t want to interfere with Your providential arrangement. I want to endure what You have sent and make the best of it, even if it makes me inactive and an invalid.

Given this situation of being outwardly inactive, what is it that I ask of You? I ask to become a better servant and devotee. I don’t think I can realistically ignore my pains and go out and travel and lecture. So I have to internally develop my devotion to You by my stay-at-home bhajana. This entails better japa, reading, writing, hearing lectures and contemplating, praying. I need to improve my sadhana in ways like these. I need to work at this and find taste in it. When I don’t have headaches, I should be doing these things.

They are not lightweight things but heavy yajnas (sacrifices). Take japa, for example. It requires concentration and stamina. If you’re going to do extra rounds beyond the minimum quota, it requires determination. It requires care to do them attentively and with nonmechanical devotion. Reading requires keeping awake and maintaining intellectual rigor. You have to keep bringing your mind back to the subject matter, like a good university student. Writing, for me, requires letting yourself be free and also going deep into personal and philosophical/devotional issues. All these activities can only be done when I am headache-free, so I must use my time efficiently when I am clear.

I pray to You to give me the strength and direction to perform this sadhana. That is my prayer. Let me not regard these activities as unimportant or inactive, but let me value them and pursue them as all I have to offer You.

When I do get a break in health, let me take the opportunity to travel and lecture, and let me dare to do it sometimes even when there is no break in health. But mostly I will be content to live within my limits. Even as I write this prayer, I am feeling the return of my head pressure, so I have to rest and live in a way that I take care of my body as a priority. I cannot push it beyond its limits. This stay-at-home sadhana can be a full, satisfying life if I pursue it according to my capacity and with Your blessings. I can please You in this way.

I ask You for the will power to perform my duties in the time allotted me and to be thankful for whatever time You give me. You are kind to accept my offerings of study and chanting, and I pray I may continue them without diminishing or weakheartedness. Let me be lionhearted like Maharaja Pariksit in his last seven days; let me be ecstatic like Raghunatha dasa Goswami despite his severe bodily austerities. Let me be myself and serve You to Your satisfaction.

from #105→

1966 June 17: "Chaturdasi. In the evening Mr. Goldsmith hanged the notice on the door to be so remained for 15 day in terms of the Law. It is expected that the incorporation will take place sometimes after the 6th July 1966."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1966

1968 June 17: "We want some facilities for presenting our formulas to the different nations of the world. If the United Nations hear the basic principles of our Movement, they will feel obliged to get this enlightenment."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1970 June 17: "I am simply an instrument in the hands of my Spiritual Master. I do not know how far I have got the capacity to carry His order, but I may say that I have a sincere desire to do it."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1971 June 17: "Try especially to distribute our literatures. These books are so much potent that anyone who reads them is sure to become Krishna Conscious. So we want to make propaganda in that way."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1972 June 17: "Now you all leaders must become very much responsible and do the work that I am doing to the same standard. If there is any forgetfulness everything will be spoiled in time."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 June 17: "There is nothing that can stop the Sankirtana Movement because it is the will of God Himself, Lord Caitanya. We should just be determined to carry out our mission against all opposition, demons, nuclear war, whatever."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1973 June 17: "Preach all over the world that the only way to be saved from collective and individual devastation is to take to the chanting of Hare Krsna. Always chant Hare Krsna and seek Krsna's protection."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1975 June 17: "Any position we remain in, we must have full dependence on our spiritual life. This will maintain our spiritual strength. And if we maintain our spiritual strength, then anywhere we live, we live under the protection of Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

The BBT has a lot of valuable stuff—books, manuscripts, letters, photos, paintings, audio, videos, and more, some of it in the Bhaktivedanta Archives, some of it elsewhere. A lot of it is in digital form, some of it not.

Following the model for an Open Archival Information System, the BBT has begun a “Digital Repository” project.

Among its purposes:

• To put all the BBT’s stuff (as far as possible) into an up-to-date digital form, with suitable “metatags” to help in finding things.
• To archive all the stuff in one digital repository—one digital “box” (of course with backups).
• To keep all of Srila Prabhupada’s books in digital files we can supply to printers for publishing or use for ebooks and other formats.
• To provide a free, open-source, up-to-date replacement for the Folio VedaBase, both online and for personal computers (Windows, Mac, Linux, and so on).

read more

1973 June 17: "There is nothing that can stop the Sankirtana Movement because it is the will of God Himself, Lord Caitanya. We should just be determined to carry out our mission against all opposition, demons, nuclear war, whatever."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

Yashoda Singh: New Remuna Dhama, ISKCON Toronto, would like to extend a warm invitation to devotees around the world to experience our 37th Annual Festival of India (Ratha-Yatra) on July 18-19, 2009!

1968 June 17: "We want some facilities for presenting our formulas to the different nations of the world. If the United Nations hear the basic principles of our Movement, they will feel obliged to get this enlightenment."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1966 June 17: "Chaturdasi. In the evening Mr. Goldsmith hanged the notice on the door to be so remained for 15 day in terms of the Law. It is expected that the incorporation will take place sometimes after the 6th July 1966."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1966

Dina Dayala dasa: The Bhakti Shastri course encourages students not only to memorize the contents of Srila Prabhupada’s books but also to digest the philosophy and practically apply it.

1970 June 17: "I am simply an instrument in the hands of my Spiritual Master. I do not know how far I have got the capacity to carry His order, but I may say that I have a sincere desire to do it."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1971 June 17: "Try especially to distribute our literatures. These books are so much potent that anyone who reads them is sure to become Krishna Conscious. So we want to make propaganda in that way."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1972 June 17: "Now you all leaders must become very much responsible and do the work that I am doing to the same standard. If there is any forgetfulness everything will be spoiled in time."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1973 June 17: "Preach all over the world that the only way to be saved from collective and individual devastation is to take to the chanting of Hare Krsna. Always chant Hare Krsna and seek Krsna's protection."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

Antardwip das: Spiritual Overload! Try to catch these super live broadcasts coming up on www.iskconlife.tv!

1975 June 17: "Any position we remain in, we must have full dependence on our spiritual life. This will maintain our spiritual strength. And if we maintain our spiritual strength, then anywhere we live, we live under the protection of Krishna."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

By Chandan Bhatia

Antardwipa: “Antar” means ‘secret’ and ‘dwipa’ means ‘island’, and this island is where Lord Krishna revealed His internal secret feelings about His future appearance as Lord Caitanya

Hare Krishna! My name is Rita, and I am a new resident of New Vrindaban Dham. My service is to be the Temple Lobby Hostess. I enjoy this service very much. I greet guests when they arrive and give informal tours of the temple room. I point out some of the beautiful features of the temple room, such as the stained glass ceiling and hand-woven tapestries. I then introduce guests to the Deities, and tell some of the lilas that have taken place right here in New Vrindaban. My goal is to make the guests excited about and interested in Krishna Consciousness.

I also escort guests around the property, especially in the afternoon, when the altars are closed. I take guests to see the peacocks, Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold, etc.

I always try to get the guests to fill out a “Community Guest Book” form, so that they will be added to our mailing list. People on our mailing list receive regular e-mails regarding New Vrindaban news, festivals, and other events.

I also encourage guests to take home Prabhupada’s books. If guests promise to chant every day, I give them a free set of japa beads –- their promise is the payment.

When necessary, I also sweep the temple lobby and re-stock the temple book display.

I enjoy this service very much. I meet so many interesting people! I intend to write regular reports about who I am meeting. Here is the first edition.

I met a couple from Ohio this week, and the husband and wife were both absolutely delightful. He had met a devotee at his college in 1970. He made a small donation — fifty cents was all he had. In return, the devotee gave him a card with the Maha Mantra. He took the card home and chanted for about five minutes, but then started giggling and stopped.

He told me that although he never chanted again, it was always in the back of his mind. Recently, he decided to pursue Krishna Consciousness again. He purchased a copy of KRSNA Book. He said he had to read it three or four times to “get straight who is who and get all the relationships right. That was the hardest part.” During our conversations, I was very impressed with how much he had understood from KRSNA Book.

KRSNA Book awakened his interest in spirituality. By Krishna’s arrangement, he purchased and read multiple books by Prabhupada’s disciples, without realizing the authors are associated with Prabhupada’s movement. When I asked him what interested him about these books, he said confidently, “I am interested in transcendence.”

Recently, he purchased japa beads and has been chanting at home. His wife asked him how he knows the Maha Mantra works. He told her, “Because I can feel it working. The first time I chanted, it was very intense. It was like Krishna was welcoming me back — like if you take one step toward Krishna, he will take ten steps toward you. That is the only intense experience I have had. Now the chanting is more steady.” I felt very blessed by Krishna to hear this pastime.

His wife was absolutely wonderful. She is a devout Catholic, so I had the opportunity to share with her the non-sectarianism of Krishna consciousness. She was extremely respectful toward Krishna consciousness, even though she is very happily situated in the Catholic Church. In fact, she was wonderful.

I explained to them Vrindavan and New Vrindavan are non-different, and that all the spiritual benefits that can be gained from doing pilgrimage to Vrindavan can be gained from doing pilgrimage to New Vrindavan. The husband looked thoughtful. He said, “I hadn’t thought of this as a pilgrimage before.”

She chastised him mildly, saying, “You didn’t think of it as a pilgrimage? I thought of it that way.”

Thank you for reading this report. Hare Krishna!

For many weeks now, I have been battling writer's block. I have been whirling through many adventures, but I find myself at a loss for how to convey the movements of my heart to the public.

"Such a basic commitment should not waver, even though one does not feel he is making progress spiritually by his daily chanting. We realize that we have a mountain of dirty things to chip away at, so it is no surprise that a lifetime can go by of steadily chanting and still unwanted things remain in the heart. That is not a reason to abandon the only chance one has for eradicating the dirt."

Bhajana Kutir #104

jnana-vairagya-yuktena
bhakti-yogena yoginau
ksemaya pada-mulam me
pravisanty akuto-bhayam

The yogis, equipped with transcendental knowledge and renunciation and engaged in devotional service for their eternal benefit, take shelter of My lotus feet, and since I am the Lord, they are thus eligible to enter into the kingdom of Godhead without fear.

One who actually wants to be liberated from the entanglement of this material world and go back home, back to Godhead, is actually a mystic yogi. The words explicitly used here are yuktena bhakti-yogena. Those yogis, or mystics, who engage in devotional service are the first-class yogis. The first-class yogis, as described in Bhagavad Gita, are those who are constantly thinking of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna (link). These yogis are not without knowledge and renunciation. To become a bhakti-yogi means to automatically attain knowledge and renunciation. That is the consequent result of bhakti-yoga. In the Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter (link), it is also confirmed that one who engages in the devotional service of Vasudeva, Krishna, has complete transcendental knowledge and renunciation, and there is no explanation for these attainments. Ahaituki—without reason, they come. Even if a person is completely illiterate, the transcendental knowledge of the scriptures is revealed unto him simply because of his engagement in devotional service. That is also stated in the Vedic literature. To anyone who has full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the spiritual master, all the import of the Vedic literatures is revealed. He does not have to seek separately; the yogis who engage in devotional service are full in knowledge and renunciation. If there is a lack of knowledge and renunciation, it is to be understood that one is not in full devotional service. The conclusion is that one cannot be sure of entrance into the spiritual realm—in either the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence of the Lord or the Vaikuntha planets within that Brahman effulgence—unless he is surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. The surrendered souls are called akuto-bhaya. They are doubtless and fearless, and their entrance into the spiritual kingdom is guaranteed.

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.43 (link)

Rural Output

Brampton, Ont.

Our visiting Sanyasi (monk) has been Bhakti Ragahva Swami, perhaps one of our very best examples as an ascetic. He is extraordinarily passionate about the need for establishing economic stability through agrarian living. The swami spends considerable time in Cambodia, not far from tourist attraction Ankor Wat. I understand he is planting seeds in the hearts of those who would consider planting seeds in the ground. Most of the congregation are immigrants from India working in business or professional capacities. But they were listening. It was not a case for deaf ears. What does filter trough their minds is, “how can I possibly think of becoming a farmer, or even a gardener?”

It is a fact that few people think of becoming or leading a life in rural glory and giving themselves a good physical exercise with the earth, wind, fire, water, snow, space. As a statistic 1% of Canadians are found to be operating farms.

So what is the use in talking up the “Ghandi, Weave your own cloth”, way of life? Bhakti Ragavha swami is trying to set us up for disaster preparedness. Sustainable communities is a daring and bold step into progressive life. Chances are that when we see a wholesale breakdown of modern society’s system then people will spring into action as you may not survive otherwise.

While walking with an Isralie companion through usual bustling art gallery district of Toronto I wondered, “what if it all crumbles due to a retardation of economic flow?”

As a monastic person you have little to lose but in a more philanthropic mode what will happen to everything else?

10 KM

So Natural!

Caledon, Ontario

On the previous night a program for Bhakti-yoga was cancelled. Our new following in Scarborough (east Toronto) was renting a space with another spiritual organization but the group became somewhat jealous when they saw members of their group gravitating to our sessions. The end result, our going there weekly is no more.

Everyone Likes Bhakti!

What was original today was a retreat at the Hart House farm where Devadatta was an instructor for a yoga class while I taught a workshop in Bhakti-yoga. Our twenty registered guests had a great time. They especially scored well in their composing prayer and poetry. They also had an incredible knack towards remembering details of friends newly-made and relaying those details before our group. Where it went really awesome was during Kirtan time. Chanting and dancing were activities that were relished beyond description.

The food rated high. To our surprise our cook, Shyama Mohini came up with a Kheer made from Soy milk mixed with vermicelli noodles. It became our dessert. The only stumbling block was a nature walk when the mosquitos forced our group to change direction. Otherwise, yes, everyone loves Bhakti. It comes so natural.

10 KM

Canada / U.S.

Toronto, Ontario

After a flight from Columbus to La Guardia, then a cab to the John F. Kennedy airport in New York catching a flight to Toronto and waiting in line at Canada customs. I was ready for my legs to hit the ground. Whew! The sun shone. Great! I asked my pick up person, Devadatta to drop me off for a break from machines so eastward bound I go on St. Claire Avenue.

A road construction crew was busy at re-enforcing the street car rail lines. The city has several street car lines especially running east-west. As a toddler our guru, Srila Prabhupada., living in Kolkata and looking at the tram car system got the idea to stand on the tram rail line, hold a stick that would reach up to the perambulator power line and then be able to move him just like the street car. So it is recorded in his biography. It gave me a laugh.

There is a marked difference between the two countries, Canada and the U.S. The U.S., a determined free way shopper culture leaves Canada lagging a bit behind in this area. Canada is a preserved multi-cultural experience whereas the U.S. is more of a national melting pot. The U.S. is louder and says what’s on it’s mind where as Canada is a bit more reserved and conservative. These are just obvious observations.

Deep down inside we are all spirits. To our detriment we rubber-stamp our souls as American, Canadian, Hindhu, Christian, man, woman, etc. But we are none of these identities, we are spirits!

10 KM

From a recent presentation by HG Radha-Krsna Prabhu at New Vrindaban Dham

This is a excellent and very detailed of the specific wonders and efforts that have made New Vraja Dham a real fulfillment of Prabhupada's vision for Vedic village life.

Istagosthi Notes - May 12, 2009

The visiting devotees from New Vraja Dhama (NVD) in Hungary presented a lot of information about their community, what it does, and how it works.

A total of 25 devotees attended the Istagosthi. There were a number of other options also scheduled at the same timing (a pizza "party" for all the festival workers), so attendance was down a little.

New Vraja Dhama (NVD) is also known as Eco Valley or Krsna Valley and is tucked in Hungary in the middle of Austria , Croatia , Romania and more. Hungary is a very small country about ½ the size of Mumbai. There are 2 temple, 1 in the capital and the farm project (New Vraja Dhama). There are 10 other centers around Hungary . There are about 1000 congregational members.

In Hungary there are 11 Eco villages (according to the standards set by the University there). Of these 11 villages only 2 are sustainable in the 3 areas of Environmentally, Socially, and Economically, one of which is New Vraja Dhama (NVD).

In NVD the temple building is in the center of all the other buildings. And Radhe Shyam are the Center of the Center. Everything in NVD is considered to be the abode of Radhe Shyam, so everything is kept up to a very high standard of cleanliness - the buildings, the surroundings, the grass, the trees, the cow barn are considered like the altar. Even the cow barn looks like you could eat off the floor. The devotees express their love and devotion through offering opulent flower garlands, more than just jewelry.

NVD has 550 acres, 800 different types of trees in the forest. The housing area is made up of apartment buildings with 6 flats in each building.

The temple is in the middle and there is a road called "The Milky Way" which leads to the goshala. There are 130 devotees living directly on the property and these devotees are all fed from the vegetable garden and the orchard. They have 150 beehives and sell a lot of honey. The Missionary Grhastra Community is to establish Varnashrama.

The land was purchased in 1993 and the main building constructed from 1993 to 1996. The Housing Area was developed next and The development of agriculture began in 1995 with $15,000.

About 130 devotees live on the temple property itself (40 couples, 20 children and 30 bramacaris) and another forty live in the nearby village. There are 11 Divisions of Activities with 44 different Departments. The 11 Divisions are: Education, Book Distribution, Social Care, Devotee Supplies, Eco Valley , Tourism, NVD Controlling (Administration - book keeping and preaching), Agriculture, Temple , Development (construction) and Business.

They use fructose and honey and no sugar. They do have to buy their butter to make ghee. But they cook only their own vegetables for the Deities (Radhe Shyam) and they use wood to cook.

There is a handicraft studio. The Social Care and Health Care is especially for the children, elders, mothers, and those will long term diseases.

When babies are born, they are offered to the Deities on the altar. Everything belongs to Radhe Shyam.

Each and everyone is engaged from the youngest to the oldest. There are only 4 children in the gurukula right now.

They have severe winters (almost like at New Vrindaban), they get snow for about 5 to 6 weeks. And their frost average is from the Beginning of November to the beginning of May. There do not have so much rain there

One of the biggest festivals is the Harvest Festival and also the Killing of Ravana. The children go collecting bhoga from the householders to bring to the Deities for Their Feast.

When visitors first see the goshalla they think it is a temple. It is called the Palace of the cows. The goshalla is pristine clean. Even the temple lawyer said he wanted to be born as a cow in that barn. Srila Sridhara Swami came and chanted his rounds with the cows.

The cows are milked by hand. There are cows with no babies that have been giving milk for 2 or 3 years before they even had a baby (about 2 to 3 liters per day). Every wedding ceremony includes feeding the cows chapattis, carrots and apples. The cows give over 3500 gallons of milk (per year?)

The Harvest Festival is the biggest festival of the year and they harvest the grain and grind the grain and offer the first chapatti to Govardhana. Everyone helps.

They produce 8 different kinds of grains, mostly for bread and chapattis.

They have 2 tractors and produce 10 times more grain than they need. There are 8 acres put aside just to cultivate with the oxen which provides enough for the entire community for the whole year. They also produce the grains for the animals.

All the houses are very colorful. They have rabbits, fox, 11 deer and some ground hogs. They deal with some animals by putting bottles in the soil with the top part sticking out. (Cruelty free animal control).

They do not produce anything for the outside market. They just try to produce enough for the devotees.

They grow more than 50 types of vegetables. They began by producing 80 to 100 differently types, including 40 different types of tomatoes. The cooks and pujari department gives a list to the garden about which vegetables are the best for cutting, peeling and storing for the winter and then the garden department tries to grow these things. They now only produce 5 different types of tomatoes that fit these qualifications. They grow cooperatively. They are working to provide for other temples.

The produce for the festivals are separate. They get 30,000 tourists and they are paying $6 - $7 to enter and go on a guided tour.

There are two separate types of tours - a 45 minute tour of the temple. Group tours last from 1.5 to 2.5 hours and care cultural programs for 100 - 120 guests. AT the end of the program everyone passes by the altar and they explain who is there and how their life is centered around the Deities. There is a peacock fan and they ask everyone to make a wish and fan Radhe Shyam (karma kanda).

Also in their website they ask tourists to bring some fruits and or flowers and they have a huge plate on the altar. Everyone sits down for a bhajan, then a pantomime or Bharanatium dance, a short 5 - 10 minute class. Then the guests are invited to dress up (as devotees) if they like or they can pray. So, they give them dhotis and saris and some play kartalas or whompers and at the very end they stand up and even dance.

For this they pay $15 - 20 per person, not including prasadam. Everyone is charged for prasadam. This is one set meal for prasadam, and 1 plate is usually enough. They don't feel preached to.

The "Bucsu" Festival for non-devotees - 6 to 8,0000 people. It is a 3 day Festival. They pay to come and spend 2 to 3 days. In the main tent 500 people with many different programs. There is a handicraft village at the Goshalla.

The Reality Show where guests get to experience "being" a devotee. The 1^st room they go into is they are dressed in devotee clothes with Tilak and bindi and they are explain the importance of wearing these clothing. 2^nd room - what is mantra meditation, ½ to 1 round together. 3^rd room - give them ready made dough and they make a puri and they fry it. 4^th room - Guests offer the puri and then told they can eat their puri.

They make sure they give everyone a receipt because the government agency sends representatives to check (in incognito).

They hire a train so people can go around the whole farm easily. Tourists are not allowed to visit the housing area.

They make a prasadam tent which is 1000 square feet.

There are 3 levels of Eco - Consciousness:

Preach to the scientists

The Indians - Living in harmony with the body - pure veg food - do not use any chemicals, yoga, mantra meditation

The Society

The Environment - Develop Eco - Ethics culture can be sustainable.

Living in a way that is in harmony by understanding our own Nature.

Scientific, Educational, Cooperative, representation and lobbying and communication

Scientific level - all fields of activity - Societal - (2 ministries), preventative, environmental protection, nature conservation, agriculture, Land Management, Water Management, Waste Management.

3 Main Results

1. International and cooperation - between Hungary and India (Ministries) on the governmental level.

2. Conferences for Ecological Sustainability. Signed cooperation with 6 universities. We can tutor students on the farm. Universities sending students to farm. They spend 2 to 3 months at the farm for practicum.

3. Ecological Workshops in Universities. They set the up and devotees give the lecture.

They have a Botanical garden with 800 types of trees and 1000 different plants, 109 species of birds.

There is a rain water collecting lake.

Lord Shiva's temple is in the Dhama. Also Srila Prabhupada's Samadhi. There are 650-700 Holy places all around the Farm (Varsana, Nandagram, Brahma ghat and Kaliya ghat.

- little hills and lakes), How Vrindaban manifests in NVD. They will be holding their first International Parikram.

Plans for the future

1. To expand the housing area and standardize the houses using straw bale on the outside.

2. Eco Portal - They applied for a grant to construct a research and educational center a conference room for 50 people which can be divided into smaller rooms. It will also have a library and offices.

3. Ayurvedic Clinic for everyone. Health care. Indian doctors to come for 6 months to volunteer and train up others.

4. Sewage system - the roots of reeds break down the waster water. A reep plantation which doesn't smell. Everything works by gravity.

5. Bamboo plantation and Energy plantation.

Questions and Answers: They use 8 acres of crops to feed 150 people year round. They need to have proper storage, a root cellar. Their root cellar is 3 times larger than the prasadam room and is divided into 3. The 1^st part is the Root vegetables, the middle section is for the canned fruits, and the 3^rd section is all the other fruits. (Cannot mix everything because certain gases make the other food spoil.

How do they can? They made 4,500 (5 liter - 1.5 gallon) bottles of canned fruits and veggies.

The canning arrangement is from the 1^st of April until October 31^st. Two times per week each devotees on the farm (except those with very specific services) goes into the garden for 1.5 hours in the morning. Currently there are about 60 devotees doing this. The matajis stay in the temple room and listen to a Prabhupada lecture which they are cutting vegetables.

By the main kitchen there are huge vats where everything is cooked. There are gas stoves and woks. Huge pots fit into one wok. They boil the empty bottles and then keep them hot, then add the cooked fruits and veggies and turn the bottle upside down and a vacuum is created, which keep the supplies fresh. They make fruits and jams and vegetable preserves.

There are certain grains that cannot be grown. They cannot grow rice. So for self-sufficiency that have investigated what grains people used during the World Wars and that is what they are planting. They are changing their rice eating habit. Rice acts to cool the body. The hung grains will heat the body. The breed house has spinach and leafy greens in April.

Due to the climate, they start the first veggies in mid June until October. Later on there are some pumpkins and squash.

According to research the grains that will works are Kasha (t) Barley, Amaranth.

No one lies in the temple, everyone lives around the temple Everyone goes to Mangal Arotik and yet there are different stages - pregnant matajis or diseased persons and those with different services sometimes dont' for 2 to 3 days. Just making sure there is an effort, but sometimes cannot come because of children. But the effort is there.

Eco - ethics - social part - there is a whole slide show (1.5 hours), just on this aspect of the community. The rules and regulations of the community are much more than just 4 regulations and 16 rounds and reading SP books. The eco-ethics is a mutually accepted shared ethics and morals that both individuals and the Community accept. This is the basis of everything working together as a whole unit

There is a value system - devotees through these morals and ethics - which is what your life is based on. If your value system is different than this community may not be for you. It is not for everyone. Not everyone can be a missionary or doctor.

Some Grhastra devotees work outside - the Bramacaris all live at the temple.

The main principles of not forcing anyone express to stay. People are encourages to leave if they don't fit in. Joining into a system - Joining a temple community or a village. Who do we want to join????

A place for everyone and everyone in their place. They came together to work on this. Joining the system. How to join ISKCON Hungary. Membership. There are many opportunities even for "nondevotees." : Supporter, sponsor, volunteer, and missionary. The last two can stay in the temple''To join the temple there is a 6 weeks Bhakta program which guests pay for which teaches the culture of how to behave. If they can't afford to pay they can stay for 3 months to work for free stay. This is based on Sri Upadeshamrta.

After this you can apply for a 1 year course. If accepted you can do missionary work - sankirtan, etc for 6 months. Here they get training on the Bhagavad-gita. After 1 year training, the encourage people to go out and start their own lives.

Next there is a 4 year course which is a correspondance course - An approved BA in Vaisnava Theology..

You figure out the nature of a person and engage them accordingly. Bhakta Astrix, music, Sanskrit, Astrology, and Sad dharsha. After the 7^th year is over, they have been in the movement for years. They can get initiation anytime in that time period if they are interested, or not. They understand what they are doing and why they are there.

There is a personal Interview with each candidate and 90% of them are encouraged to go outside. They are the supporters, sponsors and congregation. ISKCON was good at making enemies with their own people.

With this system everyone knows the expectations in the beginning. They want to give their lives. They reconfirm their commitments over and over and re-apply. We always try to convert the bad experiences into good learning.

Two times per week in the morning for 1.5 hours, devotees go out to the garden. 80 % are coming from the cities and everyone is encouraged to go out in the garden. This is not so easy but it is emphasized. V

There is an internal education system - the Istagosthis are compulsory to attend.

There is a policy for Grhastras that each can apply to the Administration - head of the farm apply for a grant to expand or start a garden in their own home. The farm is giving the money to the grhastras and they promise to give 10% of the crops to the devotees for free.

Devotees experiencing that they are saving money by growing their own food.

This grant money is for developing, not for maintenance. The grhastras are eager to develop. In the very beginning theywere given some seeds, some greed beans, which grow extremely easily. And then they all became fired up in gardening. Wh didn't want to have a garden.

There is also a financial pushing that if a department does not send someone to the garden (because they have a specific other service), that Department is then responsible to pay to the temple for their employees that have not gardened. This is an incentive for the Department heads to send everyone.

When we look at New Vrindaban we see that you have everything. You have a Holy Tirtha where SP graced this place by his personal presence. You have many devotees who heard SO personally. You all just need to come together. These Istagosthis are great to come together and to figure it out together. You need to figure it out inside our your community.

You have the biggest potential - there are many parts working you just need to figure out what are your next steps.

You have everything. You have much more opulence than you can measure. You have Land, cows, devotees, community.

AND you have lots of bad experience. You have the experiences and the solutions among all of you. Please do not wait for anyone to come to tell you what to do.

Keep having Istagosthis and start working on cooperation. That cooperation will resolve everything here. You will be the most flourishing in the whole world.

You have everything. We would like to encourage you to come together as much as possible. Do the brainstorming work. List all that Srila Prabhupada told you personally. List all the facilities you have. You will see that nothing is missing.

What is going on here?? We never had Srila Prabhupada's personal association in Hungary . Someone brought him a watermelon from Hungary . That is our only direct contact with Srila Prabhupada.

You have all the knowledge. Just don't wait. Sit down maybe for 12 days or 2 weeks straight. You could have a whole structure and plans to go forward and very soon you could have more that we have.

Most Srila Prabhupada disciples are old. You can do it right now in your lifetime. Just start doing it.

Siva Ram Swami has encouraged you all not to depend on him. But he is the driving force and all the success is because of his strong and firm commitment to fulfill Srila Prabhupada's desire. He also tried in UK and moved to Hungary . Poverty was so high that it could work. There are 12 centers in Hungary - what will happen after Siva Ram leaves. He is trying to address that issue right now.

One Yatra President fulfills Srila Prabhupada

S mission. WE have many center leaders, but we have One Mission and One Goal. Cooperation. His vision is so broad that SPM is always asking for advice. He is training us up.

Start having One Vision - not 2 or 3. Come together and work together and just do it.

Don't wait for someone to come new and say follow me. Just do it.

We are going in that direction.

It is a matter of respect. The basis of our success is that we respect the Individual, the environment and have all respect towards Krsna. If respect is there you can make it. If is is not - you won't make it.

Encouraging for me to see that an entire group of people are coming together. None of the managers are there???

How old is the oldest child in Hungary ? 21 who moved with the mother when she was 5 and went to the gurukula and got married and has a daughter.

The Amish people are doing this. They send their children away if they back in 2 year, they are welcome, if not they do not come back. Some Amish do this (not all).

So many communities that can learn from New Vrindaban's mistakes. Try to see the elements that would be proper to apply in our Vaisnava culture.

How many independent people come together???

No private agreements. When someone builds a house - that is considered to be a loan to the community. They are paid back to them if they ever leave the community. If the value has increased, they are paid back. Not like an investment - But they never own the land, it is just given to them for use but it belongs to ISKCON.

1. Rural lifestyle

2. Pilgrimage - tourism.

How to balance these two. Challenge how the 2 can work together.

On the 12th of June, 1968, Srila Prabhupada nicely explained the word 'sannyasa' by breaking the word into sanskrit syllables: "This is Sanskrit word, sat-nyasa. This is sannyasa. Sat means the Supreme, the Absolute Truth. And nyasa means renounced. One who has renounced everything for the service of the Supreme, he is called a sannyasa. Sannyasa does not mean a particular type of dress or particular type of beard. Sannyasa means you can become a sannyasi even with your, this coat-pant. It doesn't matter, provided you have dedicated your life for the service of God.

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Marjorie from Texas writes:

"What is the difference between Allspice and Mixed Spice?"

My reply:

This is a good question Marjorie. Mixed spice is a sweet spice combination, usually containing cinnamon, nutmeg, maybe some cloves and maybe mace and allspice.

Allspice is also known as pimento. Pimento is also a name for the small red chilies, also called pimiento, that are commonly pickled and stuffed inside olives. So there is sometimes a confusion. Allspice berries (also known as pimento) are what we are talking of here.

Pimento is an essential ingredient of Jamaican cooking and the essential ingredient in jerk sauce. The wood was first used to smoke jerk in Jamaica to produce the characteristic flavour. Nowadays the berries serve as a good substitute.

Dried pimento berries look like larger, browner versions of whole black pepper, but have a very different, unique flavour. Pimento is also a good home remedy for upset stomach in which case it is either chewed or crushed up and used to make tea. It is used in the preparation of bean dishes, not only because of its excellent flavour but because it is believed to reduce the flatulence caused by beans.

Pimento was discovered in Jamaica by Spanish explorers in 1509. The name originates from the Spanish 'pimenta' (pepper or peppercorn). Most people call the tree 'pimento' and the berries 'allspice'. Because the pimento berry has the flavour and aroma characteristic of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper all combined in one spice, it is called allspice.

Pimento is used in sauces, pickling, cakes and curry powders.

Here's loads more information...

H H Sri Giriraja Swami Maharaj Performed Guru Puja To Srila Prabhupada. Sura Dasa Prabhu and Naikatma Dasa Prabhu lead ecsatic kirtans at New Dwarka Temple, Los Angeles, CA USA on August 24, 2008

This material existence is a bewildering quagmire for those who have not realized the source and purpose of their existence. If we do not know why we exist, how can we have a meaningful existence? We cannot. All we will be able to do is invent a so-called meaning and try to live happily in the bubble of our dream world. But all bubbles eventually burst................... ================================================================== Thought...

The second issue of the 16Rounds to Samadhi newspaper is printed! 20,000 copies are waiting to be distributed all over the San Diego and Los Angeles areas.

The printing cost was $1,983.10. To make a contribution towards covering this cost click the “contribute” button:

Sinai is a new devotee from San Diego.

Sinai: My boyfriend and I went to buy groceries at People’s in Ocean Beach and he picked up a book from the Sastra Dana book rack there. He said I should read that book. I guess he had read a book before so he told me I should read this one and that it is very interesting. So my first book was The Higher Taste. I read it and thought it to be pretty cool. I let one of my friends borrow it. After he read it he said that he now understood why I became a vegetarian.

I needed some kind of support as at that time my family was against me being vegetarian. They were telling me that I needed to eat meat. I told them that I didn’t and told them to read this book. I also let my sister borrow The Higher Taste and she became vegetarian.

I kept going to People’s and eventually picked up another book from the same rack. It was a different book. I don’t remember the name of it. It was pretty much talking about reincarnation…

Sastra Dana: …Beyond Birth and Death?

Sinai: …yes, Beyond Birth and Death. Yes. So I read that one too and thought it to be some pretty crazy stuff. I kept reading the books.

One day I went to Fashion Valley. There I met Balarama. He gave me a copy of The Journey of Self Discovery. I always keep it with me, just to remember how I got started with Krishna consciousness. Balarama was excepting donations for the book and I gave him five bucks. Later on I found out its cost was nine dollars so I put a few more dollars in the donation box as I felt kind of bad. Balarama invited me to come to the Krishna Lounge and I liked it. I thought it was a pretty cool environment. He then gave me another little flyer to come over to the temple. I came and I really liked it. Then I just kind of got hooked on it and ever since I’ve been coming to the classes and keep reading the Bhagavad-gita. I also try to help around the temple a little bit, whatever I can do to try to help.

• A few pictures of our rack at People’s Coop in Ocean Beach:

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.9.29 - Human life enables one to understand the Absolute Truth.

“The Economy Is Still at the Brink,” warns Sandy Lewis and William Cohan in a full-page op-ed piece in the Sunday Times of June 7. With the coverage and mayhem of a shotgun blast, the authors let loose at the President’s remedial programs and advance their own remedies. Periodically the text balloons into sections of [...]

"Losing faith in the chanting is another thing. Such a basic commitment should not waver, even though one does not feel he is making progress spiritually by his daily chanting. We realize that we have a mountain of dirty things to chip away at, so it is no surprise that a lifetime can go by of steadily chanting and still unwanted things remain in the heart. That is not a reason to abandon the only chance one has for eradicating the dirt. It is important to keep the other parts of the vow made at initiation, the promise to follow the four rules—no intoxication, no meat eating, no gambling, and no illicit sex. If these promises gradually drop away, then it will be hard to cling to the one promise of chanting in isolation in a life that has become totally materialistic. But even if all that remains is the chanting, one should cling to it like a lifesaver in the ocean and not drop it, thinking that one is too offensive or too sinful to chant."

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami - June 16, 3:09 A.M.

I had a peaceful night and woke a quarter to three with a clear head. I’ve just radioed Narayana and started my japa.

4:21 A.M.

Early-morning japa log

I did eight rounds in under six minutes per round. I chanted mostly in my mind, with a slight whisper. I read in Caitanya Bhagavata that Haridasa Thakura chanted a section of his three hundred thousand rounds silently. When he chanted loudly, the people outside his cave could hear the chanting and benefit. Also, the trees and grass could hear. But he did chant a section of his rounds just in his own mind. So I have that precedent. I chant in a whisper because it’s easier on my body, and it enables me to go faster. My mind didn’t wander to other topics but kept fixed on the sound vibration of the mantra. That much I can honestly say. As for tears in the eyes and standing of hair on end, there is none of that. So my heart must still be steel-framed. But I enjoy the chanting and feel that I am doing it with devotion. I believe that Krishna and Radha must be hearing my whispered cries, because I am chanting for Their pleasure as well as my own benefit. The timing was very efficient, and I did it without any special effort. It just came out that way.

Japa essay

On winning the NBA championship, basketball star Kobe Bryant said, “I feel as if a huge monkey has been lifted off my back.” When I finish my daily quota of japa, I feel as if a monkey has been lifted off my back. Of course, it is a guaranteed thing that I will finish my vow every day. But until it is completed, I am not relieved. Prabhupada has given us the sixteen-round quota, and it must be done. It is a pleasure to be able to complete the quota and keep that bond with him every day. It makes you feel successful in your personal commitment to him. Sometimes some of the later rounds are not done as well as the beginning rounds. There is a touch of getting them out of the way. But sometimes that doesn’t happen, and you go strong through the whole quota. That is best. The concept of completing a solemn vow every day is very good for one’s sadhana. And chanting some extra makes you feel good. You feel clean and honest, and you wouldn’t have it any other way. It must be done, even if you have a headache and some of the last rounds are of poor quality.

Initiated devotees who don’t complete their sixteen rounds are missing out on spiritual life. Krishna forgives them, but they have let themselves down in a basic way. Once a devotee who was not chanting anymore told me that he took the vow when he was only nineteen years old, and he did not feel responsible for a decision made at such a young age. But that is not the right attitude. There may have been a risk involved in taking a lifelong vow at a young age, but one should feel responsible for it and not take it as an immature decision. You came before Krishna with an innocent and open heart and made the promise, and He accepted it. Life is short enough, and not that much changes in growing from nineteen to twenty-nine to thirty-nine and so on. At least not that much changes in a vow made to God, although much may change externally in one’s worldly affairs.

Losing faith in the chanting is another thing. Such a basic commitment should not waver, even though one does not feel he is making progress spiritually by his daily chanting. We realize that we have a mountain of dirty things to chip away at, so it is no surprise that a lifetime can go by of steadily chanting and still unwanted things remain in the heart. That is not a reason to abandon the only chance one has for eradicating the dirt. It is important to keep the other parts of the vow made at initiation, the promise to follow the four rules—no intoxication, no meat eating, no gambling, and no illicit sex. If these promises gradually drop away, then it will be hard to cling to the one promise of chanting in isolation in a life that has become totally materialistic. But even if all that remains is the chanting, one should cling to it like a lifesaver in the ocean and not drop it, thinking that one is too offensive or too sinful to chant.

I chant my rounds

as daily vow.

It’s not so hard to

find two hours

when you have decided

it’s a must.

Two hours out of twenty-four

as a promise made

long ago to the spiritual master.

“I can do it, I will do it,” is the required resolution

to complete a task

of sustaining holy utterance.

I may not be doing

much else in my spiritual life,

but I keep this vow

with faith. It’s Kali Yuga’s

antidote to hopelessness.

7:01 A.M.

It’s always cloudy at the beach, never a sunrise. I didn’t listen to a lecture by Prabhupada yesterday. I hunger for his latest speeches so I can repeat them. He has been lecturing that worship of Krishna should be taken up by everyone, regardless of motive. In the Brhad-bhagavatamrta, the bhakti-sastras are completing their condemnation of the impersonalists. They say there are thousands of statements in the sastras that prove the Supreme is a person and that the jivas are His eternal fragmental parts. There is no substantiation that after liberation, a jiva merges with the Supreme and becomes equal in all respects with the one impersonal Brahman. The Bhagavatam states that those who merge with the brahmajyoti eventually fall down from that position and have to take birth again in the material world. They become bored in the brahmajyoti because there is no personal relationship or activities. On a morning walk in Mayapur, Prabhupada said that if we had to choose between standing alone in the agricultural field or going to Calcutta, we would finally go to Calcutta, because we seek activity. The bhakti-sastras state that even demons attain liberation, so how can it be more exalted than bhakti? Only bhakti brings us real liberation, which is to join with Krishna and His entourage in the spiritual world and never come back to the material world of repeated birth and death. This is stated in the Bhagavad-gita: “One who knows the nature of My appearance and activities does not at the time of death come back to this material world but joins Me in My eternal abode” (Bg. 4.9.). The bhakti-sastras soundly defeat the impersonal scriptures, and Gopa-kumara gives up the desire for liberation and aspires to be a bhakta. He has met up with many different opinions in his traveling through the universe, but by steadily chanting his Gopala mantra, given to him by his spiritual master, he remains steady in his resolve to worship Madana-gopal in Vraja. By steadily chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, we will also weather the storms of differing opinions, and even survive falldowns to maya. Chanting Hare Krishna purifies us of all misconceptions and sinful activities.

9:00 A.M.

1

Poetry is real,

it’s sport and special,

like a treat.

We saw a sunrise weeks

ago, since then it’s been

foggy, but poems grow

on trees in the fog, too.

Krishna is the object of the

best poetry, when He is

praised by His devotees in

uttama-sloka.

Devotees can even please Him

from positions without

great skill if they put aside

other works and desire only

to serve Him.

Best poems capture love of

the Supreme in a simple

way straight from the heart.

Krishna says He lives only in the hearts

of His devotees, and they live only

in His heart—even devotees

of His devotees are dear to Him.

So poems have to hit the mark

of pure bhakti without

jnana and karma to be

appreciated by the Lord, and

that’s not easy.

2

I sit in silence, wondering

if I’ll ever reach pure

devotion for Bhagavan.

It’s very rare, and you have to

work at it many years and lifetimes,

ecstatic symptoms manifest on

the body.

I work on my japa in a

mechanical way, praying for something

better. It may come, I don’t know.

If I could sacrifice my comforts for

His service and celebrate His

victories in sastras, I might

have a chance.

I sit in silence, wondering if I’ll

ever reach Him. He knows me

through His pure devotee. I have

a chance there if I can please

him. I’ll try to finish my life

in his service, following his basic

commands and living up to them

and remembering his sweetness

in gratitude.

Oh Prabhupada, please don’t

leave me, accept my little efforts

and give me strength to

please you.

11:00 A.M.

Free write

Dhanurdhara Swami is coming to lunch today. Friendly hugs, friendly talks. You write what comes to your mind. Free writing becomes a chance for something new. I’m reading the old EJWs, where there is much writing from what’s happening in a quiet life. No hesitation in having something to say. Being in the yellow submarine seems harder. I turn on the television, then turn it off. I read a few pages in EJW Vol. 56, Does It Give You Peace of Mind? Why did I give it that title? A big legal case on abuse in gurukula was just getting started. Who knew how long it would drag out and what changes it would mean and how much money it would cost ISKCON? Worries reach even me in Wicklow. The legal world reaches its long arm into the cult. Summer life goes on quietly.

Tell your truth. Your little secrets. “If you could see me now.” The world of sports. The great athletic heroes. The ordinary people struggling to get by. The Hare Krishna people, trying to have an influence. I received a letter from a lady devotee who reads what I write about japa. She writes about japa too and wants me to read it. Nama Prabhu generates interest among devotees. They want to chant better, share their experiences. This is boiling the milk, preaching to those who are already practicing. It’s needed.

A headache has begun, but I want to keep writing. There’s a pain in the front of my head, and I’ve taken a med. Krishna is alive and well in the spiritual world and in every atom of the material world. Baladeva Vidyabhusana dasa is in Vrndavana and loving every moment of it. I asked him yesterday, “What shall I pray for?” He said, “Pray for me.” I said, “I already prayed for you.” He asked that I pray he could go beyond following his schedule in Vrndavana, which was scratching the surface. He wants to go deep. Greedy fellow. He’ll get what he wants. I wrote yesterday that I wanted to experience Vrndavana while staying in the yellow submarine. Is it possible? You’d get headaches wherever you go. A correspondent recommends I take a vitamin supplement, eight pills a day. It sounds like too much. I’ll handle them with fewer, yet I don’t get complete reflief. You should say your gayatri now. The phone is ringing.

4:00 P.M.

My Dear Lord Krishna...

I’m writing to You with a clear head. I thank You for giving me this day my daily bread. By that I mean literally the fine breakfast and lunch prepared by Narayana-kavaca and the clear, cognitive consciousness to face the world. Dhanurdhara Swami approved of my style of life, living quietly in one place and writing my journal, which is posted on the website. I’m pleased that he approved. It hints that maybe You approve, too, if Your devotee approves.

I’m praying to You another thanksgiving. I thank You for the just-published Under Dark Stars. It’s wild but good, I think. I hope You like it. I thank You for my evening snack and for Dattatreya reading to me while I honor the prasadam. I thank You for the medication that quells my headaches.

I thank You for the training I’ve received, mainly from Prabhupada’s books and lectures, training in Krishna consciousness. This knowledge of bhakti is the most important thing in the world, but it is rare that people come in contact with it and accept it. You have brought me in contact with my spiritual master and given me the faith to accept him as my guru and accept his orders as my vocation. I’m very grateful for this. I’m thankful that I’ve imbibed the basic instructions of the bhakti-sastras, coming as guru, sadhu and sastra.

I thank You for being who You are, Govinda, the cowherd boy, the lover of the gopis, especially Srimati Radharani. You are lovable and beautiful in Your all-attractive spiritual form. You are also the most powerful person and can subdue any army of enemies. You possess the six qualifications of Bhagavan—fame, beauty, wisdom, strength, riches, and renunciation—and You possess them to an unlimited degree. I am proud to have such a supreme, all-attractive person as my Lord.

I thank You for accepting the services I have rendered in ISKCON and for forgiving me for my wrongs. You have been very kind to me in protecting my relationship with Srila Prabhupada.

I thank You for generating, maintaining and destroying the universes according to Your divine plan. You are the supreme controller, and everything that happens is willed by You as providence. I am thankful that all things are working under Your control and that not a blade of grass moves but that You make it happen. I feel secure that You are at the helm.

I am thankful for the little and big things You do in this world. I do not understand Your workings, but I have faith in them. Your works are not to be understood but accepted; You are the supreme great, the supreme mystic, and my position is to worship You and serve You.

Please accept my gratitude and make it strong and sincere. I never want to second guess You or doubt Your behavior. Please let me be a steady servant of Your servant and always be grateful to You for what You do for all of us, Your parts and parcels, and especially Your devotees.

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