Virtual Istagosthi: H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 6.5.9 Pouring Water On Fire 4-8-2011

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H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Sunday 10 April 2011--Explosion of Bliss in Noida--and--Service to Man is Not Service to God?

ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhanu Swami

Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Memories of Laguna Beach

Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: First let them become free of sex desire

H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 6.5.9 Pouring Water On Fire 4-8-2011

Japa Group: Please Join The Japa Group

H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 275—Poem for April 9

H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDS

H.H. Sivarama Swami: Today’s darsan of Radha Damodara

ISKCON News.com: Bhaktivedanta Manor Primary: The Small School With A Big Heart

ISKCON News.com: ISKCON Hungary’s Vedic Science Research Center Reports Busy 2010

H.H. Sivarama Swami: My Brief Against Feminism

ISKCON News.com: Memorial to be Built for Jayananda Prabhu in Mayapur

H.H. Sivarama Swami: Sankirtan devotees ask what it means to put everything into your service and not hold back

ISKCON News.com: The Passing of Radhika Raman Das

ISKCON News.com: Call For International Protest to Save the Yamuna River

Dandavats.com: HH Dayananda Swami Maharaja

ISKCON News.com: New True Food Shoppers’ Guide Mobile Application to Avoiding GMOs

ISKCON News.com: Understanding (Not Burning) Holy Books

ISKCON News.com: A Day and Night of Brahma: The Evidence from Fossil Records

Dandavats.com: HG Lavanga Radhika devi dasi leave’s her body on Saturday April 9.2011

ISKCON News.com: Applications For Admission Now Open at Sri Mayapur International School

ISKCON News.com: Hare Krishnas Popularize Indian Vegetarian Cuisine in Houston

Kripamoya dasa, UK: Temple attacked

ISKCON Melbourne, AU: "What does my religion say"

ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Harinama Melbourne

Dandavats.com: HH Jayapataka Swami and Safari devotees visit Sri Vrndavana Dhama

Dandavats.com: The Life of King Kulasekhara – a great Rama Bhakta

Dandavats.com: La Vida del Rey Kulasekhara – un Gran Devoto de Sri Rama

Dandavats.com: My Brief Against Feminism

Dandavats.com: Sri Mayapur International School Admissions 2011

Dandavats.com: ISKCON Vrindavan starts Varnasrama College course

Hari Sauri das, Mayapura, IN: BRC quarterly newsletter #2 – January – March 2011

Bhakta Ryan, Brisbane, AU: Nrisimhadeva speed sculpting clip

Gouranga TV: Lecture – Vishvambhar das – SB 10.2.1-2 – Big Demons

Japa Group: Remain Awake & Chant With Devotion

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H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Sunday 10 April 2011--Explosion of Bliss in Noida--and--Service to Man is Not Service to God?
A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(TM) Sunday 10 April 2011 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, and His eternal consort, Srimati Radharani are enjoying transcendental pastimes in the topmost planet of the spiritual world, Sri Goloka Vrindavan. They are beckoning us to rejoin them. (Click on photo to see a larger image.) Our Mission: To help everyone awaken their original Krishna consciousness, which is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. Such a global awakening will, in one stroke, solve all the problems of the world society bringing in a new era of unprecedented peace and prosperity for all. May that day, which the world so desperately needs, come very soon. We request you to participate in this mission by reviving your dormant Krishna consciousness and assisting us in spreading this science all over the world. Dedicated with love to ISKCON Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, our beloved spiritual master, and to you, our dear readers. Today's Thought: Explosion of Bliss in Noida Uploaded from New Delhi, India On 8 April 2011 I was asked to speak on the topic of Know Who Are--Be Who You Are at our ISKCON center in Noida, India. It was a wonderful opportunity to share the nectar of Krishna consciousness with a super-surcharged audience. After sporting in the oceanic waves of Krishna kirtan for fifteen or twenty minutes, we then dove into the invigorating reservoir of hearing and the chanting the unlimited glories of Lord Sri Krishna and how to attain Him. So many wonderful questions came in that we did not have time to answer them all. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Kirtan Bliss in Noida, India http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Noida_Kirtan_Bliss.JPG Describing How to Realize Who You Are http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Noida-Bace-Lecture.JPG There's Nothing Sweeter than Krishna Bhakti http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Noida_BACE_Lecture.JPG Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Service to Man is Not Service to God? Thank you for the great session on 8 April in Noida. But I did not like one opinion of yours. You said that it is all rubbish to think that by serving mankind we are serving God. Are you 100% sure? If you are, than what is your opinion about Mother Teresa? Her whole life was devoted to the service of mankind and she has been declared a saint. I would be very happy if you are able to satisfy me with a proper explanation. Thanks and regards, Nikhil A. Answer: Remove the Boil. Don't Just Blow On It. It is not a matter of my personal opinion. It is a fact that just as we water the tree by watering it's roots, not by watering it's leaves and branches, in a similar way if we want to serve mankind, we must serve the people through loving service to God. The service that God has requested is that we deliver His suffering children back to their original home in the spiritual sky. If we simply serve the outer covering of the self, without serving the self within, we are not doing real service. Such service is only superficial, like blowing on a boil for temporary relief without removing it for permanent relief. If your friend's son has run away from home, he desperately wants his son to return. If you see that boy on the street and you give him some money so he can get something to eat, but you do not return him to his father, have you served his father by feeding that boy? No. You have the given the boy the facility to remain a little longer away from home. So if you really want to serve God, you must bring his lost children back to Him. Then your service to man will be real service to God. Otherwise, your service to man, although apparently good, will actually be a disservice. Vedic society is a fully rounded society in which all aspects of life are covered. A Vedic government makes sure that everyone is well fed, well clothed, and well housed and that everyone is happily employed according to their psycho-physical nature. This system of management is known as the varnashram system. And, most importantly in a Vedic society everyone is given full education and practical training how to utilize the human form of life for going back to home, back to Godhead. In such a situation, serving mankind by liberating them from the cycle of birth and death is the best service to God. By this one stroke all sufferings arising from birth, death, old age, and disease are immediately mitigated. So I hope that you will understand that the science of how to give permanent relief to all the souls entangled in the cycle of birth and death is not rubbish. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Transcendental Resources: Receive the Special Blessings of Krishna Now you too can render the greatest service to the suffering humanity and attract the all-auspicious blessings of Lord Sri Krishna upon yourself and your family by assisting our mission. Lectures and Kirtans in Audio and Video: Link to High Definition Videos Link to Over 1,000 Lecture Audios Lecture-Travel Schedule for 2011 http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/schedule Have Questions or Need Further Guidance? Check out the resources at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com or write Sankarshan Das Adhikari at: sda@backtohome.com Get your copy today of the world's greatest self-realization guide book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is available at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/store Know someone who could benefit from this? Forward it to them. Searchable archives of all of course material: http://www.sda-archives.com Receive Thought for the Day as an RSS feed: http://www.backtohome.com/rss.htm Unsubscribe or change your email address Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Daily_Thought http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=714185709 Copyright 2005-2011 by Ultimate Self Realization.Com Distribution of this material is encouraged. Simply we request you to acknowledge where it is coming from with a link to our sign up page: http://www.backtohome.com Our records indicate that at requested to be enrolled to receive e-mails from the Ultimate Self Realization Course at: This request was made on: From the following IP address:

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ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhanu Swami
Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.37 - In Kali-yuga - only bhakti works.

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Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Memories of Laguna Beach

Another post by Indresh.

Below are 4 pictures from ISKCON Laguna Beach. A while back I was in Anaheim on a business trip, had not touched my rounds, did not feel like doing them in the hotel and had a strong desire to go see Gauranga in Laguna Beach since it had been a couple of years.

I drove with my business clothes still on and took wonderful darshan. Gauranga and His devotees are merciful and a devotees asked me to do kirtan. Afterwards, a mataji came with a heaping plate of maha prasadam and although tempted I realized it may be a lot of the maha and there were other devotees and just took a bit. I got what I came for...darshan of the Lord.

As the sun sets I chant my rounds on the beach almost feeling my rounds got done too fast.

I loved the prasadam serving sign as well...simple...straight forward and things that make you go hmmmm :-)

A few weeks later I am back in Toronto and we are approached by an integrator from Laguna Beach of all places! Perhaps next time I will personally make that customer visit and get more darshan...

Gauranga!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his caring and merciful devotees.

Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Pic from phone...sorry it is a bit fuzzy.

Sri Pancha Tattva darshan. Sweet complete...

Rounds on the beach. I had to take a pic of the sunset. It seemed like the rounds were done in a jiffy.

it is fuzzy and blown up....but it is one of the 4 pics I took.

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Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: First let them become free of sex desire
Laksmimani devi dasi:
Once Srila Prabhupada was speaking in his room in Mayapur, and he was speaking about how in Vaisnava culture you can always tell a person's position by the way they dress, and he was saying for example the brahmacari he wears a saffron cloth and the sannyasi also wears saffron, but because he doesn't have the piece in the back you can tell one is a renunciate, one is not. And the married woman she is wearing sindhur in the part of her hair and a widow is wearing white cloth, and then he said something about how a woman who parts her hair on one side, "That is another thing," he said. (laughs) And then he said "But our devotees, they always dress simply." And so then one mataji, one of my godsisters, she said "But Prabhupada, what happens if your husband gives you very nice silk saris. Aren't you supposed to wear them?" And Prabhupada's response was "You should wear them when your husband is around. Otherwise who are you trying to impress?" He said "Krsna's not impressed by silk saris." And so she made a face and Prabhupada looked, saw that, and he kind of said with his eyes "What's the problem?" And she said, well, she wasn't happy. So Prabhupada said "They should treat all women as mother. The men should treat all women as mother." And again this scowl kind of thing, so he looked at I think it was Pusta Krsna Maharaj who was there, and he said "Well Prabhupada, I think, you know that prayer where they say whenever I think of sex life I spit on it? Or I think, they think whenever I think of women I spit on it, they think that's what it means." So he said "They call them mother but they don't treat like mother." So Prabhupada thought for a second and he said "First let them become free of sex desire, then let them spit."
Memories of Srila Prabhupada, DVD 51. (Available from www.prabhupadamemories.com)

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H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 6.5.9 Pouring Water On Fire 4-8-2011

H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 6.5.9 Pouring Water On Fire 4-8-2011

SB 06.05.09 Pouring Water On Fire 2011-04-08
Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 6.5.9 Pouring Water On Fire 4-8-2011 Los Angeles
SB 6.5.9: Alas, your father is omniscient, but you do not know his actual order. Without knowing the actual purpose of your father, how will you create progeny?

SB 6.5.9: Hélas, votre père est omniscient, mais vous ne connaissez pas vraiment son ordre. Si vous ignorez le vrai dessein qu'il poursuit, comment pouvez-vous procréer?
SB 6.5.9: ¡Ay!, vuestro padre es omnisciente, pero vosotros no conocéis su verdadera orden. Si no sabéis cuál es su verdadero objetivo, ¿cómo vais a generar descendencia?

H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 6.5.9 Pouring Water On Fire 4-8-2011

SB 06.05.09 Pouring Water On Fire 2011-04-08
Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 6.5.9 Pouring Water On Fire 4-8-2011 Los Angeles
SB 06.05.09 Pouring Water On Fire 2011-04-08 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 6.5.9 Pouring Water On Fire 4-8-2011 Los Angeles

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

rasa108@gmail.com

ys

Rasa Rasika dasa

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H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 275—Poem for April 9
www.sdgonline.org.
6:08 A.M.
A Writer of Pieces
New format—I will begin with a poem written on the day of its printing. Then I will print random excerpts of books I have printed over the last 30 years. I hope this variety will be pleasing.
Poem for April 9
I hear the birds chirping
in the dark. It reminds me
of Radharani waking in the kunja
and reluctant to get up. But
She and Shyama run together
to Their respective homes so as not
to be caught by Their parents.
They make it just in time.
No one knows Their secret.
I hear the birds as I wave
incense before Radha-Govinda
and send Them on Their way.
I woke late and my
bones are lazy, I
barely can stand on
my creaky knees.
But the poem’s serendipity
to the dawn sparrows
stays in my mind.
Radha and Krishna are a Couple
Divine.
They are running in pre-dawn
dark just to escape social
shame, and my adhikara
to hear it is not in
question. It occurred
quite naturally as
my mind heard the chattering
from the boughs in
Stuyvesant Falls and
I’m grateful I remembered
the lila.

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H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDS
www.sdgonline.org.
From My Dear Lord Krishna: A Book of Prayers, Volume I (2009)
“I have been seeing on news shows the sad plight of millions of refugees in different parts of the world. Driven by wars from their villages, cities, and even nations, people have been split up and forced to live in poverty conditions in camps apart from their families. Even young children are forced by military aggressors to live apart from their homes and relatives, surviving pitifully as orphans of wars. It is testimony to the misery of living in the material world, where karma and evil afflict people with unhappiness. You do not want people to live under such conditions, but by misuse of free will, people inflict suffering upon one another. You do not want it, but You oversee the providence that people bring upon each other by disobedience to Your laws, caused by avariciousness and maliciousness.
“It is my good fortune that I do not live in a fugitive land. I have sufficient food, clothing and shelter. Although no country is free from the threat of terrorism and nuclear threat, I live in the United States of America, where there is relative military security and strength. But I have sometimes suffered adversities. My parents disowned me when I was twenty-five years old. As members of a religious institution, our communes have sometimes seen economic difficulties. On the whole, however, my life has been peaceful and secure.
“But it is on another level that I wish to address myself to You, about being a refugee. All people in the material world are living as refugees from their true home, the kingdom of God. According to Vedic scriptures, we have all come to this world in rebellion and estrangement from You. We want to act as God, not as servant of God, and so You have given us the opportunity to live in a world apart from You, just to experience our misbegotten desire. Living apart from You has not made us happy. In this material world, we have to suffer birth, death, disease and old age—conditions similar to that of a refugee in wartime. And when we die, our eternal soul has to transmigrate to another body and return to the material world for more refugee-living. We take on new parents, and we may even have to be born in a lower species for our sinful misconduct. We are indeed in a precarious condition.
“A person who is aware that he is living in a refugee condition outside the kingdom of God and who is making efforts to go back to Godhead is living a progressive life. He may still be a refugee, but he is acting in the right way, attempting to go back to Godhead. You protect such persons and give us assurance that You will provide what we lack and make up for our shortages. The crucial point is to become submissive to You once again. We must take up our constitutional position—that of Your eternal servant. The scriptures describe that conditioned souls are in the clutches of Maya, or the material energy. But Maya will let us go once we show love for You and engage in Your service. The bonds of life as a refugee will be broken, and we will be returned to our eternal family in the eternal world.”
From Memories (1997)
Remembering the Teachings about Transmigration in the Krishna Book: Chapters I and II.
“I especially remember reading the first chapter of Krishna book for the first time—the wonderful arguments Vasudeva offers to Kamsa to protect Devaki. He says, ‘Don’t be afraid of death.’ The soul goes from one place to another just as a caterpillar goes from one place to another on a plant. The soul is as steady as the moon in the sky. When the moon is reflected in a reservoir of water it might appear shimmering or broken, but it is whole in its place in the sky. I was thrilled to read it. Why, then, has it now become tedious? Why can’t we hear it with the same enthusiasm we felt when we heard it for the first time? Is it too much philosophy? Although there are higher and higher topics discussed in Krishna book, even to the summit of madhurya-rasa, that doesn’t make Vasudeva’s arguments relative or less important.
“Srila Prabhupada attended his last Mayapur festival in 1977. He kindly called me into his room once or twice. I had been his secretary in Bhuvanesvara just before he arrived in Mayapur, and although it was now someone else’s turn, I felt connected to him in an intimate way. Not only had I been his servant recently, but I had just been appointed editor-in-chief of Back to Godhead magazine. Prabhupada called me in and played me his dictation of the Tenth Canto’s discussion on transmigration. He left me with the impression that because we don’t understand that we will take another body in the next life, we don’t know how to live in this life.
“Similarly, Chapter Two discusses material nature, the body and so on, and it is done in the sweet setting of Devaki sitting pregnant on the floor of Kamsa’s prison while demigods appear to solace her. Sadaputa Prabhu has explained to us that such events take place in higher dimensions, and that ISKCON paintings are simplifications of the truth. Of course, the higher dimension is love of Krishna, and that cannot be depicted to its full extent.
“I remember and cherish that simple dedication to the Krishna book as Prabhupada presented it, and especially the keen desire we felt in the days when the Krishna book was first published to understand the philosophy and to preach it, both among ourselves and to the nondevotees. It wasn’t dry or tedious. We loved each example. We were like children reciting just so we could memorize it and grasp it for ourselves. Let me read Krishna book and remember the past to benefit my present. Reading the Krishna book with enthusiasm is called sravanam kirtanam vishnu-smaranam.”
From Spiritualized Dictionary (1997)
Concoct (v.)
“On the way to ‘concoct,’ I passed ‘e. e. cummings,’ ‘consumerist,’ and ‘confession.’ ‘Concoct: to boil together.’ It comes from the Latin for ‘to prepare:’ com, together + coquere, COOK.’
“Definitions: ‘1. To make by combining various ingredients; compound. 2. To devise, invent or plan.’
“These dictionary definitions give none of the thrust that we have picked up from Srila Prabhupada. The dictionary takes a neutral stance toward this word. It’s a little surprising because usually they give the usage along with the definition. Here, ‘concoct’ sounds like a fair business. You just put together different things. You throw something together in the kitchen.
“Prabhupada often had his own way of using words, and we have adopted most of them. In his vocabulary, ‘concoct’ has a negative connotation. Prabhupada used it to mean the unholy invention of someone’s fertile brain in where he doesn’t have the ability to understand, such as, ‘What is the origin of life?’ ‘What is the nature of the Supreme Being?’ Such “fertile brains” concoct their own philosophies by the ascending process.
“Prabhupada’s usage is usually derogatory. We can still hear him asserting, ‘He has concocted!’ That means he has speculated widely. He didn’t use a standard or an authorized plan but came out with whatever he could ‘from his fertile brain.’ Even worse, he’s proud of it. His brainchild. He thinks it’s an original idea, although there is really nothing original in this world. Everything is already existing in different permutations and combinations. It only looks new. A devotee prefers to stand by authority.
“One thing that we should understand, though, is that our dislike for concoction doesn’t eliminate our right for personal expression. We can combine colors in whatever way we like when we paint for Krishna, and we can combine foods in creative ways when we cook. There are standard combinations, but that doesn’t mean we can’t introduce personal expression. Even Prabhupada didn’t cook according to exact recipes and measurements. Rather, he put pinches of this, handfuls of that. He created his own combinations of spices and vegetables and offered them to Krishna. Similarly, we can express ourselves by creating our own combinations. Prabhupada combined Western money and ingenuity with Indian spirituality. That was certainly a new expression of Krishna conscious preaching and life. It was old wine in new bottles.
“‘Do not concoct’ does not mean ‘Do not be an individual.’ Spritual life is ever-fresh and new. It’s old, but it’s new. We are not against combinations and using our brains in service. What we are against is concocting things that don’t comply with the disciplic succession. That still leaves plenty of room for originality. We have to discover that in ourselves. That is the challenge for a creative person—to find within the expansive land of parampara a way to say something personal that satisfies the self, that is your fullest and most artful expression, or that is effective preaching. Such creativity will escape the taint of being a concoction because it’s an expression of siddhanta.”
From Journal and Poems, Book II (1985)
Radhastami at Gita Nagari
“Nineteen years ago on this day I received first initiation from Srila Prabhupada. This morning I gave the Bhagavatam class and spoke on the Brahma-samhita: premanjana-cchurita-bhakti vilocanena. Krishna can be seen in the heart of one whose eyes are anointed with love for Him. I repeated the few simple things I first heard from Srila Prabhupada about Srimati Radharani—that She is the best devotee because She loves Krishna better than others; She is kind; She is the Mother of bhakti; the spiritual master is Her representative. Every year I will be saying these same few things about Radha. If I like, I may say many more things, quote from Prema-vivartha and Krishna-karnamrta. (After class today a devotee offered me a collection of fifty sastric quotes about Radharani.) But those few things Srila Prabhupada said in 1966 will always be most important for me; they are vijnana, realized knowledge, because I heard them innocently and faithfully from Her pure devotee.”

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H.H. Sivarama Swami: Today’s darsan of Radha Damodara

H.H. Sivarama Swami: Today’s darsan of Radha Damodara

H.H. Sivarama Swami: Today’s darsan of Radha Damodara

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ISKCON News.com: Bhaktivedanta Manor Primary: The Small School With A Big Heart

By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON News on 9 Apr 2011

One of the only ISKCON schools to remain standing in Europe today is struggling, but continues to push on with new ideas for growth, full of faith in its ideals. A 2008 Ofsted Report says “Relationships between adults and pupils are exceptionally good and as a result, pupils behave very well and their attitudes to learning are good.”

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ISKCON News.com: ISKCON Hungary’s Vedic Science Research Center Reports Busy 2010

By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON News on 9 Apr 2011

ISKCON Hungary’s Vedic Science Research Center (VSRC) recently submitted its annual report to the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Science Committee. It included many statistics about lectures given, videos made, and conferences attended in 2010.

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H.H. Sivarama Swami: My Brief Against Feminism
SRS: A very sober article on the dangers of feminism in our Krsna conscious society http://bit.ly/fFjkeh

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ISKCON News.com: Memorial to be Built for Jayananda Prabhu in Mayapur

By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON News on 9 Apr 2011

“Jayananda’s death is glorious," Prabhupada wrote. "He has left his body very wonderfully, and he has been transferred to Vaikuntha… Everyone should follow the example of Jayananda. I am very proud that I had such a nice disciple."

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H.H. Sivarama Swami: Sankirtan devotees ask what it means to put everything into your service and not hold back

H.H. Sivarama Swami: Sankirtan devotees ask what it means to put everything into your service and not hold back

Sankirtan devotees ask what it means to put everything into your service and not hold back
April 9th, 2011
“Be here now!”
[ 9:53 ]

H.H. Sivarama Swami: Sankirtan devotees ask what it means to put everything into your service and not hold back

“Be here now!”

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ISKCON News.com: The Passing of Radhika Raman Das

By Olessia Podtserob for ISKCON News on 9 Apr 2011

Radhika Raman Das (Paul Asanov) left this world on March 28, 2011, at about 12:00 Moscow time, in Vrindavan. The holy river Yamuna took him. Radhika Raman Das repeatedly became the best distributor of Srila Prabhupada's books in Russia, giving these great spiritual treasures to thousands of people

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ISKCON News.com: Call For International Protest to Save the Yamuna River

By Editor for ISKCON News on 9 Apr 2011

On March 3rd, a march started from Allahabad to New Delhi to draw the the public`s attention to the the issue of the pollution of the holy Yamuna River. Muslim and Sikh leaders, as well as the Indian Farmers Union have all joined the cause. The organizers are asking groups outside India to send supporting letters that could be presented to the Government of India.

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Dandavats.com: HH Dayananda Swami Maharaja
By Vraja-kumara das
I would like to take this opportunity to glorify HH Dayananda Swami Maharaja, who was until recently known as Abhay Prabhu, having fortunately taken sannyasa on the auspicious appearance day of Sri Ramanujacarya and becoming the 100th sannyasi in ISKCON

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ISKCON News.com: New True Food Shoppers’ Guide Mobile Application to Avoiding GMOs

By Contributor for truefoodnow.org on 9 Apr 2011

There is a new True Food Shopper’s Guide to avoiding genetically engineered (GE) foods. It is free, available to download, or as a mobile application for iPhone and Android.

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ISKCON News.com: Understanding (Not Burning) Holy Books

By Kripamoya Das for deshika.wordpress.com on 9 Apr 2011

We all have a favorite divine scripture, from whatever cultural and religious background we come. We live in changing times, times that do not seem to be treating religious scripture that well. Whether it is fundamentalists of any persuasion burning holy books, or the ‘New Atheists’ rubbishing them verbally or in print, nothing is sacred. Including, it appears, sacred literature.

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ISKCON News.com: A Day and Night of Brahma: The Evidence from Fossil Records

By Bibhu Dev Misra for ISKCON News on 9 Apr 2011

66 million years ago the dinosaurs were thriving on the earth. Today we can only find their bones and fossils in natural history museums. What happened to them? Scientists believe that 65 million years ago the earth went through a period a rapid death. In recent years paleontologists have suggested that these mass extinctions occur in a regular cycle.

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Dandavats.com: HG Lavanga Radhika devi dasi leave’s her body on Saturday April 9.2011
By Jaya Madhava Das
My beloved Russian wife Lavanga Radhika dd left her body this morning at 10:45 P. M. Moscow Time. It apparently was KRSNAs Mercy to her, as her body was beyond recovery. Please say prayer's for her, Im very sure Lord Sri KRSNA has wonderful plans for her

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ISKCON News.com: Applications For Admission Now Open at Sri Mayapur International School

By Gunacuda Dasi for ISKCON News on 9 Apr 2011

Sri Mayapur International School is now accepting applications for admission for the new academic year beginning on the 1st of August, 2011.

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ISKCON News.com: Hare Krishnas Popularize Indian Vegetarian Cuisine in Houston

By Contributor for indoamerican-news.com on 9 Apr 2011

The Houston Hare Krishna Temple’s vegetarian food booth, named “Art of India” by the Bayou City Art Festival organizers, was featured this spring at the prestigious, bi-annual festival held at Memorial Park on March 25-27. Festival-goers purchased 4800 samosas, 140 lbs of curried rice, 17 buckets of vegan BBQ “Tandoori” tofu, and 1325 glasses of mango lassis at the booth.

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Kripamoya dasa, UK: Temple attacked
Just a day or two ago Islamists raided the temple at the birthplace of Shrivas Thakur in Bangladesh. The altar deities were smashed, and the Bhagavad gita and other books of Srila Prabhupadas burned. May I ask my readers to kindly keep the devotees who live there in your thoughts at this difficult time.
I wrote last time of the need for understanding between those who hold different faith practices, and who read different holy books. The world is so interconnected now that the burning of even one holy book can result in reprisals in unexpected places. There may, or may not, have been a connection between this attack and anything that has happened recently, but it is best to assume that any act of religious provocation or violence will ultimately create repercussions somewhere.

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ISKCON Melbourne, AU: "What does my religion say"
Yet another report from Bhakta Dasa, ISKCON Melbourne Interfaith Director:

Last Sunday the Hindu Community Council of Victoria presented the second session in a series of Inter-faith dialogue programs called:
Vedic Forum Q & A sessions" What does my religion say".

The venue was the Shiva Ashram at Mt Eliza and again Mandalaleshvara Swami Sankarananda and his Ashramites hosted the event with great hospitality and generosity.
The topic for this Forum was:
"How I found my path to God".

We had 5 guest speakers:Christina Ghobadi, a Buddhist; Nasirah Cavaney, a Muslim; Jan Becker, a Falan Dafa; James Suresh, a Christian; and Terry ..... a Baha'i.

Each shared their realisations and life path that lead them to their respective faiths. It was an uplifting, informative and inspirational afternoon.

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ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Harinama Melbourne

Join the Sankirtan Party which is inflaming the streets of Melbourne with the inextinguishable fire of Harinama Yajna!

Here is the Facebook link where you can find out exactly what they are up to these soldiers of Lord Gauranga's army; you can also attend the Harinama meeting on Saturdays at 10am in the Theatre Room!

Just as an appetiser: a

second part of the Harinama with Ramai Swami

of the second part of the Harinama with Ramai Swami.

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Dandavats.com: HH Jayapataka Swami and Safari devotees visit Sri Vrndavana Dhama
By Lakshman das
For several years now His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaja has been taking devotees to visit holy places after concluding the Gaura Purnima festivities in Mayapura. This year in Vrndavana dhama it has been our great privilege to welcome Maharaja and the safari devotees for a whole week of blissful sadhu sanga

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Dandavats.com: The Life of King Kulasekhara – a great Rama Bhakta
By Shyamasundara Dasa
The name of King Kulasekhara Alvar is well known to the followers of Srila Prabhupada. His Divine Grace used to relish with great ecstasy the Mukunda Mala Stotra written by this great saintly king. This stotra is commonly known in ISKCON as the Prayers of King Kulasekhara

Dandavats.com: La Vida del Rey Kulasekhara – un gran Devoto de Sri Rama
King Kulasekhara – Devoto de Sri Rama
El nombre de rey Kulasekhara Alvar es bien conocido por los seguidores de Srila Prabhupada. Su Divina Gracia utilizó la esencia con gran éxtasis en el Mukunda Mala Stotra escrito por este gran rey santo. Este stotra se conoce comúnmente en ISKCON como Los Rezos del Rey Kulasekhara.
Aunque su nombre es bien conocido, por la mayoría de los devotos, muy poco se sabe sobre Maharaja Kulasekhara. Ahora intentaremos remediar esta laguna presentando una sinopsis sucinta de su vida. Pero antes de que comencemos debemos contestar brevemente a la pregunta--
¿Quién son los Alvares?
Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.38-40 states:
"Mi estimado rey, los habitantes de Satya-yuga y otras edades desean con impaciencia tomar nacimiento en esta edad de Kali, puesto que en esta edad habrá muchos devotos del Señor Supremo, Nārāyaṇa. Estos devotos aparecerán en varios lugares pero serán especialmente numerosos en el Sur de la India. Oh, Maestro de hombres, en la edad de Kali aquellas personas que beban las aguas de los santos ríos de Draviḍa-deśa, tales como el Tāmraparṇī, Krtamālā, Payasvinī, el Kāverī extremadamente piadoso y el Pratīcī Mahānadī, casi todo será devotos puros de la Suprema Personalidad de Dios, Vāsudeva."

Los 12 Alvares son especialmente grandes devotos que aparecieron en el Sur de la India. No son jivas ordinarios sino son encarnaciones de los parshadas (parafernalia) del Señor Sri Krsna. La palabra Alvar del Tamil tiene el significado; "Inmersos en el Amor Divino" o "Hundido Profundamente en Extasis Divino."
Todas las Canciones Piadosas compuestas por los Alvares, son en alabanza del Señor Krsna y de Sus Avataras. La gran mayoría de estas composiciones está en lengua Tamil. Incorporan el conocimiento filosófico más alto de la Ciencia de Dios en todos sus matices (a saber sambhanda, abhideya, y prayojana) y son considerados por los seguidores del Sri Sampradaya (una de las cuatro Vaisnava Sampradayas) por ser tan buenos como los Vedas. Este Veda Tamil tiene 4000 composiciones y se conoce como el Divya-prabandha. Así, los acaryas de la Sri Sampradaya tales como Natha-muni, Yamunacarya, Ramanujacarya, Vedantadesika, y Viraraghavacarya aprendieron no sólo los cuatro Vedas en sánscrito sino también el Veda Tamil -- el Divya-prabandha. Estos 12 Alvares son así de enorme importancia en la Sri Sampradaya.
Los 12 Alvares y quién son encarnaciones y son otros detalles de su nacimiento:

Tamil Name Sanskrit Name Incarnation Date of birth

Poygai Saro-yogi Pancajanya(conch) 4202 BC

Pudatt Bhuta-yogi Kaumodaki(club) "

Peya Bhrantha-yogi Nandaka (sword) "

Tiru-Mazhisaippiran Bhakti-sara Sudarsan "

Madhurakavigal Madhurakavi Kumuda-Ganesha 3103 BC

Nammalvar Parankusa Visvaksena 3102 BC

Kulasekara Kulasekara Kaustabha-mani 3075 BC

Peri-y-alvar Visnu-chitta Garuda 3056 BC

Andal Goda-devi Bhu-devi 3005 BC

Tondaradipodi Bhaktanghri-renu Vaijayanti-mala 2814 BC

Tiruppani Munivahana Srivatsa mark 2760 BC

Tirumangai Parakala Sarnga (bow) 2706 BC

Observamos que según las tradiciones de la Sri-Vaisnavas que los Alvares aparecieron entre los años 6200-4700, pero los eruditos modernos dicen que aparecieron alrededor de los siglos 7º-9º d.C., hace aproximadamente unos 1300-1100 años. Aceptamos la tradición de Sri-Vaisnava. Después de todo, estos mismos eruditos por motivos políticos también dicen que los Aryans; invadieron la India en el año 1200 A.C. (1900 años después de los acontecimientos que ocurrieron el Mahabharata). Que la tradición de que el Kali-yuga que comienza en el año 3102 A.C. es un mito, y así los acontecimientos del Mahabharata y del Ramayana que ocurrieron antes de este tiempo son también un mito. Así, el Señor Krsna y el Señor Rama son también mitos si debemos aceptar a los eruditos mundanos. Los eruditos mundanos ven generalmente la tradición védica como mítica e intentan constantemente acortar la cronología védica. Nosotros categóricamente rechazamos las opiniones de estos Indologistas.
Con esta breve introducción sobre los Alvares continuemos con la descripción de la vida de Kulasekhara Alvar. Maharajaa Kulasekhara nació en la familia real del reino de Travancore (mitad meridional de la provincia moderna de Kerala en la India Suroeste). Los gobernantes de la tierra no poseyeron el reino, estaban solamente como vasallos y ministros del Señor, que era el Dueño Real. La Deidad Adorable del rey y de la gente de Travancore era, y sigue siendo, Ananta-Padmanabha Swami (situado en Tiruvanantapuram moderno cerca de la extremidad meridional de la India). Los reyes de Travancore venían antes el Señor por lo menos dos veces por día y rendían obediencia al Swami, Sri Ananta-Padmanabha. El rey entonces le daba sus informes al Señor de la su administración diaria del país, ya que él era solamente el administrador. (Esta tradición del Maharaja de su visita al Señor Ananta-Padmanabha Swami de Travancore ha llegado hasta nuestros días, aunque el rey no tiene ningún poder político verdadero en la Republica de la India moderna.) Tal era la calidad piadosa y santa de la línea antigua de reyes védicos entre quienes Maharaja Kulasekhara apareció.
El padre de Kulasekhara Alvar, Dridha-vrata Maharaja, se dice que no tuvo hijos, una condición muy seria para un monarca. Él rogaba y adoraba con gran intensidad al Señor. Después de que el Señor Narayana estuvo contento le bendijo con tener un hijo santo. Pronto después de eso en el 27º año de la edad de Kali, esto es en el año 3075 A.C., en el año cíclico del Brhaspati Samvatsara llamado Prabhava, en el mes Tamil de Masi (equivalente al mes solar de Kumbha cuando el Sol está en la constelación de acuario -- actualmente alrededor del 13 de febrero al 15 de marzo.), cuando la luna estaba en el naksatra de Punarvasu (igual que Sri Rama, esto tiene gran significado para la vida de los Santos como está atestiguado), en la ciudad de Tiruvanjikkalam, de la tierra de Kolli (Kerala), y en la dinastía de Chera, apareció el niño Kulasekhara, una chispa espiritual de la gema de Kaustuba (Kaustuba-atma) que el Señor Sri Krsna usa como colgante en su cuello.
Educaban al príncipe Kulasekhara en todos las artes de la guerra y del gobierno, así como en el resto del aprendizaje tradicional de los cuatro Vedas y Shadvedangas, etc. Así entrenaron al niño para ocupar la alta estación de Rey de la dinastía Sera. Cuando su hijo tuvo la edad, Dridha-vrata coronó a Kulasekhara mientras que el rey el padre se retiró al bosque para perseguir vida espiritual imperturbada como se recomienda en los sastras para los reyes santos.
Kulasekhara era un ksatriya de gran valor y fue buen rey no sólo de la tierra de Sera sino también de las tierras vecinas del Pandyas y del Cholas. Su administración interna estuvo sin defectos y caracterizada por la virtud, la justicia, la paz y la felicidad; la sensación débil fuerte y el débil fuerte. Bajo su ojo afilado (realzado por una red de espionaje elaborada) y cuidado vigilante él alimentó a la gente y era la personificación de la magnanimidad.
Sin embargo, mientras que aparecía que el rey poseía tan muchas buenas calidades materiales en abundancia él, desafortunadamente, estaba de hecho espiritual oculto. Rey Kulasekhara, como cualquier hombre del mundo, se consideraba gobernado e, independiente siendo, es decir, no dependiente o gobernado por Dios. Sin embargo una porción plenaria de la santa Kaustuba-mani, del rey Kulasekhara hizo a la parte del rey mundano que se entregara a sus sentidos.
Aunque totalmente mundano y alcanzado por la ilusión de la monarquía, el Señor Sri Krsna tenía otros planes para su sirviente Kulasekhara. Por la misericordia inmotivada del Señor Sri Krsna, el rey Kulasekhara comenzó a sentir una profunda transformación gradualmente en su sentido, así las cualidades de rajas (pasión) y de tamas (ignorancia) del Rey, se transformaron totalmente en cualidades sattvica (bondad). Como consecuencia del predominio de la cualidad de la bondad, sattva guna, las opiniones espirituales comenzaron a surgir. Él comenzó a estimar el mundo y sus preocupaciones en su valor verdadero. Él comenzó a reconocer que era en el mejor de los casos vanidad y fastidio del espíritu. Agregado a estas rumias filosóficas en la naturaleza efímera del mundo y de los placeres y sufrimientos el rey fue bendecidos con visiones de la Naturaleza Verdadera del Señor. Estas bendiciones hicieron de él, un hombre reformado y regenerado. Se registra en la tradición que el Señor envió a su comandante en jefe, Visvaksena de Sri Vaisnava, a Kulasekhara Alvar para administrar él personalmente el Panca-Samskara [el sacramento quíntuplo que constituye la iniciación del Vaisnava: el usar del urdvapundra (Vaisnava Tilak), dasyanama (nombre espiritual), dharana mudra (que califica con símbolos de Visnu--Sankha-Cakra), mantra (el canto de un mantra específico de los Vaisnavas), y yaga (el proceso del sacrificio y de la deidad que se adorará por el discípulo)] así como iniciado él en los misterios del Vaisnavism.
Asi, siendo bendecido por la misericordia inmotivada del Señor, Kulasekhara entró en éxtasis y tubo a menudo las visiones espirituales y las realizaciones profundas que él registraría bajo la forma de canciones piadosas. Estas canciones se convirtieron en parte del divya-prabandha. Él ahora veía todo con la visión espiritual purificada y desarrolló un sentido muy fuerte de separación. Él también deseó viajar a Srirangam y tener darshan de Señor Ranga-natha Quien vive en Ananta-sesa-naga y está asociado con el Señor de los Bhaktas. Él diariamente condenaba su posición mundana de rey y languidecía en llanto por la añoranza espiritual, de ir al Santo Tirtha de Srirangam donde él se entregaría. Él suspiraría a veces, añorando visitar la Santa Capilla de Tirumalai y para tener darshan de Sri Venkatesvara Svami. Él suspiraría a veces para ir a otro Tirtha, y a otro, y a otro, y en cada lugar se entregaría para siempre. Tal era su estado de ánimo, una clase de mal de amor divino había establecido dentro de él.
Puesto que él sentía engrilletado (trabado) tan firmemente al trono como un hombre estrangulado en la horca, él no podría encontrar ninguna felicidad en su esplendor y abundancia reales. Para aliviar su sufrimiento y sed espiritual él invitó a los doctos panditas brahmanas, a hombres sabios y a los sabios a su capital. Con ellos él examinó y estudió cuidadosamente, todos los Vedas, el Vedanta, los 18 Puranas y los 18 Upa-puranas, los Itihasas (Mahabharata y Ramayana), y todo el Dharma Sastras. De hecho, él y sus compañeros sagaces navegaron de manera feliz a través del extenso océano de la literatura védica. Y mientras que el Rey Kulasekhara escribió las mejores perlas de la sabiduría y las encadenó en una guirnalda (mala) de poemas llamándola el Mukundamala, que es existante en estos días. Srila Prabhupada estaba especialmente encariñado con este poema y cantaría a menudo un verso en particular:
krsna tvadiya-pada-pankaja-panjarantam
adyaiva me visatu manasa-raja-hamsah
prana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaih
kanthavarodhana-vidhau smaranam kutas te
"Oh Señor Krsna, en este momento dejó que el cisne real de mi mente entre en los vástagos enredados de Sus pies de loto. ¿Cómo será posible que le recuerde a la hora de mi muerte, cuando mi garganta será tapada con la bilis y la mucosidad?"
De todos los sastras Kulasekhara Alvar eligió el Valmiki-Ramayana para su lectura diaria, porque se dice eso:
"Cuando el objeto de Los Vedas apareció como el hijo de Dasaraha, el Veda por la inspiración de Valmiki, apareció como el Ramayana."
Sri Rama fue para el Rey Kulasekhara Alvar no una leyenda o alegoría mitológica, sino sin excepción un dios encarnado en esta tierra, como el salvador de almas--el mismo Señor de quien las escrituras hablaron. Kulasekhara fue así encantado con el sentido espiritual que él vivió y respiró los pasatiempos de Sri Rama y los sentía como que estaba siempre fresco y palpable en el presente, como se verá pronto.
El guru del Rey diariamente le recitaba el Ramayana. Una vez, en el curso de la recitación diaria, a la cual él fijó con esmerada atención devota, en este pasaje:
"Allí dos veces siete mil gigantes estaban
Con impío corazón y mano cruel:
Aquí Rama estaba, por la virtud conocida:
¿Cómo puede el héroe luchar solo?"
Al oír la línea "¿Cómo puede el héroe luchar solo?" el amor y la dedicación de nuestro Rey Santo para su Señor Sri Rama estallaron en un frenesí. Él se levantó y ordenó inmediatamente a su ejército que marchara con él donde estaba la lucha de Su Señor Sri Rama solo y desamparado (o él pensó así, espiritualmente estaba siendo transportado). Con una voz agitada él gritó:
"
Mi Rama está luchando solo en el campo de batalla. Dejó a Su hermano Laksmana para que protegiera a mi madre Sita. Sri Rama va sin ayuda a hacer frente al ejército de 14.000 demonios. Mi Sri Rama está en peligro. ¡Si él fueron contrariamente con él, qué consecuencias terribles! ¿Con nuestras espadas y arcos bien armados, cómo puede él estar necesitando de los héroes para ayudarle?, ¿Su Bhakta, irá y le guardará sus flancos, aunque él tiene Su ardiente Cakra y Su concha Sonora? ¡Aprisa, soldados valerosos, en marcha! "
"¿Qué, tiene nuestro Soberano que está tan enojado? " pensó ansiosamente los hombres y los ministros del Rey Kulasekhara." ¡Oh, Destino, cómo calmarlo! ¡Cómo traerle a sus sentidos! ¡Oh dioses! ¡Cómo rescatarlo de sus cruzadas imposibles, quijotescas, y de curso enfurecido!" Investigaron entre sí mismos con gran agitación, y entonces golpearon sobre un dispositivo--Enviarían secretamente un partido antes del rey, con la instrucción de volver y de encontrarse con el rey y con su ejército del lado opuesto mientras que él estaba en su avance. Debian fingir que eran gente que venía del campo de batalla en donde Sri Rama luchó, y darle al rey las noticias que Sri Rama había ganado la batalla sin ayuda, matando a todo el ejército vil de 14.000 Rakshasas; y retorno de la seguridad de Sita, y ésto:
"Cuando Sita miraba sobre Su Señor,
Sus enemigos matados, los santos restaurados,
En el orgullo y el éxtasis incontrolados
Ella lo abrazó en Su Cariñoso Pecho."
Ramayana 3.30.39
El desconocido secreto del partido por consiguiente por adelantado apresurado, por supuesto, al rey espiritual cautivado, y a girar alrededor en una cierta distancia, encontró al rey que marchaba encendido en un paso enojado, y se dirigieron a él con las buenas noticias de la victoria de Sri Rama y del encuentro feliz con su consorte querida. Al escuchar esto la Alegria del King fue inexpresable. Por supuesto, en su entonces humor de delirio espiritual, él creyó su cuento, y volvió a casa con ellos.
La recitación diaria del Ramayana al rey se atendió como de costumbre; y cada acontecimiento importante que fue leído, celebrado con grandes ceremonia, pompa y júbilos, y tomó la murti de Sri Rama (engarzado en el templo del palacio y diaria y elaboradamente era adorado) en la procesión a través de las calles de la ciudad con gran fervor; terminando con el banquete suntuoso de los brahmanas de Sri Vaisnava y de la aristocracia espiritual y con la distribución de la caridad, el etc. que sabía el temperamento peculiar del rey, y sus susceptibilidades espirituales agudas, que lo llevaron a la etapa de bhava del amor extático de Dios, el lector del Ramayana (gurú del rey) la ejercitó con precaución. El gurú alargaba la lectura y se extendía cuando los acontecimientos de la vida de Sri Rama, donde Sri Rama era feliz; y pasaba rápidamente y levemente, cuando la vida de Sri Rama y Sus Compañero, estaban en peligro, temiendo al fin que el rey se emocionara y encendiera más allá de los límites de la razón ordinaria.
Un día sin embargo, obligaron al gurú a permanecer ausente, pues el otro sector lo llamó a otra parte. Él dispuso que su hijo le leyera la recitación diaria para él. El hijo estaba inconsciente del fervor espiritual sublime del Rey; y él leyó por igual, tanto lo bueno como lo peligroso de texto, o sea que siguió todos los pasos del Ramayana igualmente. Y el incidente del rapto de Sita por el vil Ravana lo leyó. Inmediatamente, este episodio encendió el fuego de la imaginación del King, que provocó su cólera, y su entusiasmo estalló rapidamente:
"Debo marchar inmediatamente a través del océano," él gritó, "reduciré Lanka a las cenizas; mataré a su gobernante, Ravana, con todos sus amigos y parientes; rescataré a mi madre que llora Sita; y me uniré con mi padre Sri Rama."
Mientras que él deliraba en éxtasis espiritual, él se levantó, se armó, hizo una propuesta para que marchara su ejército, y llendo adelante llegaron a la costa, mirando hacia Lanka, se metió en el agua sin un pensamiento de las consecuencias calamitosas que este acto conllebaba, y las consecuencias de tales actos al parecer impetuosos e irracionales. Se adelantaron a los ministros y a los demás con ansiedad y pavor, y con gran maravilla de una manera brillante miraron ansiosamente los movimientos del Rey. Eran así que deslumbrado y confundido que no podían incluso pensar cómo aconsejarlo contra sus impulsos testarudos, ni atreverese a moverse para evitar que él actuase en esos impulsos. Puesto que no podrían pensar en cualquier cosa, decir o hacer en este momento tan crítico, miraron fijamente simplemente. Mientras que miraban fijamente, el rey se había hundido ya en el mar, y estaba con el agua al cuello, resuelto a nadar la larga extensión del océano para ir, más allá, y alcanzar las orillas opuesta en la ciudad de Lanka.
Todo el rato la deidad de Sri Rama, que estaba instalada en la capilla del hogar del rey Kulashekara, miraba el curso de los acontecimientos completamente. Ahora, este hecho había asumido un aspecto crítico, y no había ninguna alternativa, él debe ahora aparecer por sí mismo. Así, pensaba el Señor Sri Rama, y como el rey estaba a punto de nadar hacia Lanka en el delirio de su éxtasis espiritual, él vio antes él la vista encantadora de Sri Rama que se acercaba a él, con su estimada consorte Sita que se aferraba en su brazo poderoso. Dirigiéndose a su sirviente el devoto Kulashekara, Sri Rama habló:
"¡Oh mi fiel sirviente, escucha! Hemos vuelto victorioso del campo de batalla. Nuestros enemigos todos han fallecido. Nuestra consorte ilustre que hemos rescatado. Tu empresa para ayudarnos es imposible, y se ha satisfecho tu deseo. Permítenos que todos vuelvan a la ciudad. Déjeme levantarle y llevarlo a la orilla, apenas como las almas son levantadas y llevadas por nosotros del océano de Samsara, a las orillas más allá de Vaikuntha."
Así diciendo, Sri Rama, cargó con el rey su fiel sirviente, y lo llevó hacia la orilla y le acompañó hasta la ciudad y desapareció de la vista.
Los pobres ministros, que eran responsables de aconsejar al rey, estaban preocupados profundamente y llenos de ansiedad en cuanto a cómo podrían satisfacer su deber de ayudar al rey a manejar los asuntos del estado de una forma agradable. Pensaron:
"Nuestro rey está enfermo, su enfermedad es lo divino; ¿cuál es la curación para esta enfermedad divina? Diagnostiquemosla. Bien, ahora encontraremos la causa. Es la asociación con lo sagrado y lo santo--el Sri Vaisnavas--eso ha traído al rey a este mal estado. Procuremos alejarlo de tal association."
El rey quien, en los días previos se encontraba suspirando y estaba decidido a ir a Srirangam para quedarse a vivir allí para siempre, ahora estaba serio. Él pidió que se hicieran las preparaciones para retirarse y salir de su reino y unirse al Reino de Dios.
Los ministros pensaron: "Una vez que el rey esté allí, él nunca regresará. La asociación con la santidad allí es incluso peor que la de aquí. Las asociaciones irrestibles abundan allí, nos dejaran idear un plan para que sirva de contraste al Rey. Él está así porque quiere unirse a los hombres santos--el Sri Vaisnavas--que él mira sobre ellos como poseido de Dios; y estando así pues, digno de la primera adoración, o digno de la adoración incluso antes de Dios Mismo."
Con estos pensamientos los ministros tramaron el plan siguiente. Siempre que el rey lo dejara saber que él estaba a punto de irse para el tirtha de Sriranga, los ministros tenían un grupo de Sri Vaisnavas que venían a la ciudad en peregrinación y que habían venido a partir de una capilla santa o de otra. El rey pospondría así su viaje por este hecho.
En el curso de tiempo, los ministros encontraron que su plan demostró ser un caso del "todos estarían sometidos al fuego santo" por ahora la corte del Rey, su palacio, sus apartamentos privados así como todos los lugares públicos quedó saturado con la influencia de los Sri Vaisnavas, y eran los propios ministros los que habían causado esto. El rey no prohibió a devotos el acceso libre y la familiaridad; él los veneró y los adoró literalmente según la prescripción de los Sastras que "un Vaishnava incluso adorando una vez llevaría tanta recompensa como adorando al Señor durante 60.000 años."
Los ministros materialista, encontraron a los santos devotos como un fastidio y estaban en un dilema sobre qué a hacer. Si intentaron detener al Rey de ir a Srirangam, tuvieron que sufrir trayendo a los devotos santos al reino--pero sus números llegaban a ser inmanejables; y si intentaron suprimir la raíz de la dolencia divina del Rey--la asociación de Vaisnavas--el rey renunciaría simplemente a su reino y saldría.
Mientras que recapacitaban sobre este problema llegaron a la conclusión sobre lo qué parecía ser un magnífico plan. "Supongamos que podríamos por algún medio calumniar a esta gente vil frente a la mirada del Rey. Entonces él se despertaría ciertamente de su falsa ilusión de creer que éstos son hombres santos. Si los que el rey piensa que es santo se demostrara verdaderamente que es impíos entonces hay un buen cambio para apartar al rey de su camino." Con estos pensamientos idearon el plan siguiente: Los ministros arreglon secretamente el hurto de un collar valioso usado para adornar a las Deidad Personal del Rey, Sri Rama. Se echaría en falta y se le comunicaría al Rey. Él llevaría a cabo una investigación. ¿Y quién serían los criminales? Seguramente esa gente aparentemente santa, que es guardiana y guardianes de las joyas, los pujaris que la adoraban diariamente a la deidad en el favor del Rey y que están por lo tanto constantemente usando la joyería.
De acuerdo con su plan el collar fue robado y un informe fue hecho al Rey que los Sri Vaisnavas que tenían la custodia del departamento de la Deidad eran los culpables y estaban conforme para probarlo y castigarlos. El rey lo oyó todo pero en las últimas palabras, el respondió en alta voz:
"¡Escuche! Oh usted ministro, los amantes de Dios son incapaces de robar. Es imposible que incluso la noción del vicio entre en su pensamiento, que no decir de hacer algo malo en la acción. ¡Observad! Puedo jurar lo que digo. Para probar esta verdad de mi convicción y probar la falsedad de sus acusaciones contra estos inocentes devotos, deje un recipiente, con una cobra venenosa viva encarcelada en ella y traigamela a mí. Meteré mi mano en ella." El mandato fue obedecido inmediatamente. Entonces antes la corte amontonada el rey dijo: "Si estos bhaktas son rectos en pensamiento, palabra y acción, no puedo ser mordido por esta cobra; pero si son torcidos, déjele que me muerda y me mate." Y diciendo esto el Rey metió su mano en el recipiente de muerte, pero la retiró ilesa.
Pusieron a los ministros para que probaran. Colgaron sus cabezas. Era inútil, ellos pensaron, para esquivar y y salvarse del rey, que era demasiado para ellos. Se arrodillaron a sus pies, confesaron su truco, trayeron el collar y lo pusieron antes él con miedo y respecto. Maharaja Kulashekara los perdonó, pues Sri Rama perdonó, al vil Kakasura, el cuervo que había atacado a Sita--porque era discípulo de Sri Rama el Rey--y al perdonarlos los puso a todos como sirvientes de los Sri Vaisnavas.
"No más detención mia con estos ministros" viles intrigantes; el rey pensó para sí, " Me disgustan ellos. ¿Por qué solamente ellos? Soy estoy cansado del mundo entero. Preferiría saltar en el fuego que la compañía con los brutos que se apartan de Dios." Así resuelto, el rey santo Kuleshekara decidió partir en ese momento y dejar su reino. Él instaló sobre el trono, a su hijo Dridhavrata (llamado después de su padre magnífico). Entonces acompañado por su hija--se registra quién, él, era un amsa divino de Nila-devi--fue a su, corazón, el centro eterno, la capilla de Srirangam. Al llegar allí él le dio a su hija en unión a Señor Ranganatha Mismo y seguió allí dedicado durante muchos años al servicio del Señor y de Sus devotos. Él, en los intervalos, emprendería peregrinajes a otros divya-deshas tales como Tirupati, Ayodhya, y Chitrakutam, etc.
En su éxtasis espiritual él compondría espontáneamente las canciones que han llegado a nosotros en lengua Tamil como el Divya Prabandha llamado Perumal Tirumozhi, un trabajo que contiene 103 (105?) composiciones. Perumal es un título con el cual nuestro santo es distinguido, particularmente reconocimiento de su disposición única del corazón--la sensación de dolor cuando Sri Rama sufría, y felicidad cuando Sri Rama era feliz. El Rey Kulashekara cantó (Perumal Tirumozhi, 10.7):
Qué me hace Rey no es la corona
qué los hombres fijaron en mi cabeza;
Sino Rey, cuando el Rey de Reyes hace
de Mi Corona Sus Pies de Lotos.
En los últimos días del Rey Kulashekara se dirigió a la capilla de Nammalvar en Tirunagari cerca de la actual Tinevelli. De allí él fue al lugar santo llamado Brahmadesa Mannar-Koil y seguió estando allí por algún tiempo haciendo servicios a la Señoría la Deidad, Raja-gopala-swami. Allí a la edad de 67 años él volvió al mundo espiritual.
_________________________________________
Referencia:
Govindacharya, Alkondavilli, 1982 (reimpresión), Las vidas santas de los Alvars o Santos de Dravida, Bombay: Instituto de investigación de Anantacharya Indological.

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Dandavats.com: My Brief Against Feminism
By Narada Priya devi dasi
The question about whether women should become initiating spiritual masters or not has been raised. Some speculate about what to call her-- "Maharani", instead of "Maharaja"? "Jaya Guru devi", instead of "Jaya Gurudeva"? Hearing all this, I am thinking, "Why change anything? Didn't Srila Prabhupada say not to introduce anything 'new'? Prabhupada didn't make women sannyasis while on the planet, so why should he favor female diksha guruship?"

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Dandavats.com: Sri Mayapur International School Admissions 2011
Gunacuda Dasi: Sri Mayapur International School is now accepting applications for admission for the new academic year beginning on the 1st August 2011. The school takes students aged between 3-18 years of age and provides both spiritual and academic studies

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Dandavats.com: ISKCON Vrindavan starts Varnasrama College course
Bharat Chandra (das) BRS (NC VAD Ministry - IN): PRABHUPADA: So therefore this varnasrama college is very essential. ... So in our India, in a place like Vrndavana, Naimisaranya, like that, many people will come, if varnasrama college is established.

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Hari Sauri das, Mayapura, IN: BRC quarterly newsletter #2 – January – March 2011
BHAKTIVEDANTA RESEARCH CENTRE
A project of ISKCON Mayapur
110A Motilal Nehru Road,
Kolkata 700 029, WB India
PH: 91 33 4065 / 2475 5216
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
ISSUE #2, January – March 2011
“Mission for Manuscripts”
Welcome to the second BRC quarterly newsletter. It marks an exciting new phase of our program – the search for ancient manuscripts and rare books, particularly on Gaudiya Vaisnavism.
It has been our ambition from the BRC’s inception to go out in the field and see what works can be salvaged, preserved, and disseminated for the edification of the world at large. Our aim is to get manuscripts donated, or at least be given access to digitally capture them.
“Cultural Ecocide”
The rapid loss of India’s great storehouse of wisdom, passed down for thousands of years via carefully copied manuscripts, is of great concern, both within India and abroad.
In January 2011 at the Jaipur Literary Festival, noted Prof. Sheldon Pollock, a renowned scholar of Sanskrit and Indian literary history and general editor of Harvard’s Murty Classical Library,
warned that in literary terms, India is on the verge of what he termed a “potentially cataclysmic cultural ecocide.”
Giving the keynote address he said, “It is now entirely legitimate to ask, if within two generations there will be anyone in India who will have the capacity of reading Indian literature produced before 1800. I have a feeling that that number is slowly approaching a statistical zero.’
Of India’s ancient languages, it is only classic Sanskrit that is not endangered. Prof. Pollock’s concern is over the loss of the treasury of literature that already exists and has been preserved over thousands of years. The scholar, who teaches at Columbia University, says he has become gravely concerned over 40 years of coming and going from India.
“Over the 35 or 40 years coming to India…it’s been the same in classical Assamese, it’s the same in Bangla, it’s the same in Gujarati, Marathi, Oriya and all the way down the long list,’ he said.
Srila Prabhupada expressed the same sentiments in 1972 when he instructed his disciples to go to Birnagar, the birthplace of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and photograph the original writings of the Thakura.
Srila Prabhupada with Lalita Prasada Thakura, Guru dasa, Shyamasundara in Bir Nagar in 1972
[To: Acyutananda-12 June, 1972]
“I have asked Yadubara to come there to Birnagar from Bombay for photographing all of the manuscripts in the possession of Lalita Prashad Thakura page by page very completely before it is too late. The pages are in very decrepit condition, so best thing is to request Lalita Prashad if we may take care of them by treating them against insects and storing them in a tight, dry storage place where they may be preserved for future generations of Vaisnavas to see the actual handwriting and words of such great saintly persons.
“Treat this matter very seriously and thoroughly, and take all precautions to protect this wonderful boon of literatures forever. Yadubara may photograph every page, never mind Bengali or English or any other language, and later we shall see where to send the copies to different places.”
These statements have provided our inspiration to try our humble best to protect our Vaisnava heritage for future generations.
Until now funding has not been sufficient for us to launch the program. However by the grace of ISKCON Mayapur administration, particularly Naru-gopal prabhu, the Mayaypur CEO, we have been given the use of a vehicle for a three months pilot program.
We also received generous donations from HG Srutadeva prabhu (playing harmonium)
HG Nrsimhadeva prabhu (Australia)
and from many congregational devotees in Dubai- Revathi, Snehal, Jyoti, Hema, Vishaka, Rekha, Suguna, Rajan, Jagadeesh and Narayanan via HG Vinoda Kumar prabhu
to buy a semi-professional camera, a Canon Powershot G12 with which to record the manuscripts. Its not possible to travel with a scanner but the digital cameras available nowadays are easily up to the task and more suitable in many ways because they are less intrusive on the manuscripts.
Types of manuscripts
There are three main types:
1) tree bark, like this one at our BRC library in Kolkata
2) palm or tal leaf, which is usually the oldest and rarest kind. This one was donated recently
It was part of a batch of 20 that were found floating around in the big Mayapur flood of 2000 and were rescued by a local man. Most were ruined but a few survived and we recorded them for posterity.
3) a variety of different types of paper, such as this cotton based sheet at Halisahar Caitanya Doba mandira
February 2011 – ‘Mission for Manscripts’ begins
Our research team consists of Smt. Bharati Roy and her assistant Ashish.
Janakaraja, Bharati and Ashish at Caitanya Doba, Halisahar
Bharati began working with ISKCON scholars in the early 1980s, doing extensive research for the Institute for Vaisnava Studies (IVS) headed by Garuda dasa (Dr. Graham Schweig) in Bengal and Jaipur, and also translation work for various individual scholars. She has worked for the last year as the BRC librarian but field research is where her heart is. As she told us at the inception of the manuscript program, “I am boiling with enthusiasm!”
They began their work in their home town of Halisahar, which happens to be the birthplace of Srila Isvara Puri, the spiritual master of Lord Caitanya. The temple of Caitanya Doba is said to be the actual site of his appearance.
The mahant of the temple is Sri Kishori Baba. He was friendly and only too happy to give us access to his small but precious collection of manuscripts. Bharati and Ashish photographed 16 different works over two visits. You read about this visit on my second last posting of February 18 2011 on this blog.
From there, in 17 days they visited another ten places and photographed almost 112 manuscripts, shooting nearly 7,000 images. They visited libraries, sripats, mathas and private owners.
As well as photographing the manuscripts they also filled out an information sheet on each place recording Deities, custodians, number of mss, and other relevant information for the use of students and scholars in the future.
Here’s a few of the places visited so far:
Krishnanagara
This is Smt. Manasi Raya, widow of late Ashimananda Raya of Krishnanagara and descendent of the royal family there.
She is holding a palm leaf tal mss of the Markandeya Purana.
This is the only mss remaining from a large collection, since her predecessors thought their old collections to be useless and thus threw them in the Ganga. This one was preserved as a family heirloom. Such occurances are becoming increasingly common and that’s why we are acting now as Srila Prabhupada said “before it is too late.”
Manasi mataji also had a very old printed Srimad Bhagavatam with some nice illustrations in it which we estimate to be at least 150 yrs. old. You can see the damage caused by insects on the left cover.
Sripata of Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura, Denuda in Bardaman
On the altar is a wood and glass box containing a mss that is said to be the original Caitanya Bhagavat by Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura.
With it there is a thin strip with what the owners claim is the handwriting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself.
We were allowed to photograph these from the outside of the box because, following an attempt to steal it by a young man disguised as a Hindu sadhu, the box was sealed and even the current pujari can’t open it.

Gauranga Tal Mandira, Navadwip
This temple also has a glass box on its altar
and within is a mss of the Srimad Bhagavatam written on tree bark by Srila Gadadhara Pandit.
With it is another tal said to be comments written by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself (hence the name of the temple).
Haribol Kutir Navadwip
While not exactly mss, these original printer’s bloc maps are important artefacts nonetheless.
Gauramanadalabhumi
Lord Caitanya’s travels around Bharat varsa
They were created and used by Haridasa Dasa the scholar who discovered the mss of Sri Krsna Lila Stava by Srila Sanatan Goswami after it had been missing for approx. 300 years. These maps were printed in Haridasa Dasa’s book Gaudiya Vaisnava Abhidhana in the 1940s. They depict the travels of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu around India, and also all the important holy places in Gauramandalabhumi.
Our researchers found them lying on a heap of garbage when they visited the matha. Now because of their intervention they are being kept carefully in the temple. We were allowed to photograph many mss. here also.
Srikhanda Chittaranjan, Pathagar
Some places do value their heritage and here’s an example of some well kept manuscripts that we were allowed to photograph. Here’s Sri Uttam Sengupta, the librarian of Srikhanda Chittaranjan Pathagar, Bardhaman where the trust of Narahari Sarkar Thakura’s Sripata has donated these mss.
Sripata of Srinivasa Acarya, Yajigram
Likewise in Yajigram, where the ISKCON administered Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust has done renovation work
we found some well preserved mss for our records.

Santipur Sahitya Parishad, Santipur
This is Sri Susanta Matt the Secretary of the Sahitya Parishad Santipur.
He was happy to allow us to photograph many of their mss. Of course not all the mss are of Gaudiya Vaisnava works, there are many on various other methods of worship, nyaya etc. and here we found some copies of various works by Sripad Sankaracarya.
We photographed some because Srila Prabhupada said in Juhu Bombay in 1976 that we should establish a library of all the works of the acaryas, including Sankaracarya. When I expressed surprise because Lord Caitanya warns in Chaitanya Caritmrita that anyone who reads Shankara’s bhasya is doomed, he told me, “No, we can read to know what is their arguments, to defeat them.”
The above are just a few of the places visited.
After this intensive work Bharati and Ashish, under careful guidance of our new head librarian Acyuta prabhu, spent the month of March at the BRC library in Kolkata building up a catalogue of the materials. All the information gathered will be entered into our new website and library software in the coming months. Thus everything will be made available for researchers to take advantage of.
The mss program has recommenced on April 1 for one month and the results of that will be reported in our mid-year newsletter.
Gaura Purnima festival in Mayapur
The festival this year drew over 5,000 ISKCON devotees just for the Navadvipa parikramas, who went out in four separate parties-English speaking, Russian, Hindi and Bengali.
As well as this, at least a million pilgrims came to Mayapur for the main festivities.
The BRC had a booth set up in the temple courtyard through the three weeks of GBC meetings and festivities. On March 18 evening a new powerpoint presentation was shown on the main stage to approx. 1,000 devotees. Several devotees were inspired to immediately give cash donations for the project. We would like to thank them for their support:
Bhusaya dasa – Australia
Haresh – Mumbai
Radha Radhya dasa – Germany
Ajamila dasa – Malaysia
Chandan Bhatia – India
Girish M. – Bangalore
Nitya Sevaks membership – WE NEED TWENTY GOOD SOULS

Join us on this great adventure!
During the festival we launched our new membership program Nitya Sevaks. This is designed to provide the Rs. 70,000 we need every month to keep our operations going. Twenty good souls regularly donating small amounts will ensure the BRC can continue its work. Here’s the scheme:
11 donors giving $1 a day-$31 per month
5 donors giving $2 per day - $62 pm
2 donors giving $5 per day - $155.00 pm
2 donors giving $10 per day – $310 pm
So far three Nitya Sevaks have signed up. WE NEED SEVENTEEN MORE.
Would you like to be one of them? If so, please contact us by email:
hari.sauri.acbsp@pamho.net
janakaraja.acbsp@pamho.net
iskconbrc@gmail.com
Gita Bhavan Guest House
Don’t forget, when you are in Kolkata you are invited to stay in our guest house which adjoins the library. We have clean, modern amenities with air conditioning and wifi and your support will help further the library’s progress,
That’s the news for the first quarter of 2011. Thanks for your time and thanks for your support.
Hare Krishna
Hari-sauri dasa – Director/Editor

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Bhakta Ryan, Brisbane, AU: Nrisimhadeva speed sculpting clip

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Gouranga TV: Lecture – Vishvambhar das – SB 10.2.1-2 – Big Demons

Gouranga TV: Lecture – Vishvambhar das – SB 10.2.1-2 – Big Demons

SB 10.2.1-2: Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Under the protection of Magadharāja, Jarāsandha, the powerful Kaḿsa began persecuting the kings of the Yadu dynasty. In this he had the cooperation of demons like Pralamba, Baka, Cāṇūra, Tṛṇāvarta, Aghāsura, Muṣṭika, Ariṣṭa, Dvivida, Pūtanā, Keśī, Dhenuka, Bāṇāsura, Narakāsura and many other demoniac kings on the surface of the earth.
SB 10.2.1-2: Śukadeva Gosvāmī dijo: Bajo la protección de Magadharāja, Jarāsandha, el poderoso Kaḿsa comenzó a perseguir a los reyes de la dinastía Yadu. Para ello contó con la colaboración de demonios tales como Pralamba, Baka, Cāṇūra, Tṛṇāvarta, Aghāsura, Muṣṭika, Ariṣṭa, Dvivida, Pūtanā, Keśī, Dhenuka, Bāṇāsura, Narakāsura y muchos otros reyes demoníacos que poblaban la superficie de la Tierra.
Lecture – Vishvambhar das – SB 10.2.1-2 – Big Demons
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Japa Group: Remain Awake & Chant With Devotion

The best way is to hear yourself chanting the actual names, Hare Krsna mantra. This is the way to chant without losing attention. One’s mind should be fixed on the sound. As Prabhupada has written, the mouth should move. One should not slur Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. He should not fall asleep while chanting in his so-called bhajana. As Krsna advises Arjuna in practicing yoga, “Wherever the mind wanders due to its restless and flickering nature, you have to drag it back.” So this applies to our chanting. You have to chant with attention. Remain awake and chant with devotion.

From Japa Reform Notebook
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

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