Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Vishvambhar das - SB 10.2.9 - Lord Balaram

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Here are the latest updates for   "Planet ISKCON" - 26 new articles H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Thursday 14 April 2011--Don't Be a Fool--and--Serving Krishna and Neglecting Work? ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana Kurma dasa, AU: Mothers Day Just a Few Weeks Away H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 6.5.14 Dress Like An Instrument 4-13-2011 Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Vishvambhar das - SB 10.2.9 - Lord Balaram Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: A picture from yesterday's program... Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: studying astrology Japa Group: While The Body Is Fit Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Tomorrow is Kamada Ekadasi Mukunda Charan das, SA: Ekadasi Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: GiveAway : Horton Brasses Bling Bling For Your Kitchen! H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 279—Poem for April 13 H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDS Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Varna ashram dependent on rural agricultural based communities H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Wednesday 13 April 2011--As the Ganges Flows to the Sea--and--Desire for Profit, Adoration, and Fame New Vrndavan, USA: Attention Vendors: Festival of Inspiration H.H. Sivarama Swami: Conversation with Bh. Razvan Bogdan on what consciousness actually is H.H. Sivarama Swami: Public Program on the meaning of Ramnavami in Nagyvarad Romania (English/Romanian) ISKCON News.com: GBC Releases Statement Re: Umapati Dasa Maddy Jean-claude Durr, New Govardhana, AU: Leading To Gaura Purnima and Sankirtana Saturday Toronto Sankirtan Team, CA: Softened hearts Toronto Sankirtan Team, CA: Jaipur - Vrndavan away from Vrndavan Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: The Incredible Shrinking City Mayapur Online: Sri Rama Navami Festival in Mayapur Gouranga TV: Gaura Purnima 2011 Sri Vrindavan Dham Japa Group: He Chants As A Watchman More Recent Articles Search Planet ISKCON Prior Mailing Archive H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Thursday 14 April 2011--Don't Be a Fool--and--Serving Krishna and Neglecting Work? A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(TM) Thursday 14 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: Don't Be a Fool Uploaded from Riga, Latvia Don't be a fool spending your entire life simply serving your temporary material body and the temporary material bodies of your near and dear ones. Instead you should as far as possible invest your energy in the eternal spiritual reality which underlies this material existence. This is real intelligence. So be intelligent. Do not misuse your most valuable human form of life, which is meant for realizing the highest truth. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Serving Krishna and Neglecting Work If a devotee serves Krishna and Krishna's devotees, but he does not serve the society and does not do his work well, is it considered to be bad or is it a part of his spiritual service? I.D. Answer: Serving Krishna is the Best Work If one waters the root of a tree, he is rendering the best service to the entire tree. Similarly, if one is properly serving Krishna under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, he is doing the best service for the human society, even if his service is not recognized by the material society. This does not mean that a devotee should neglect his ordinary work. Whatever a devotee does, is executed in a first class way because everything that he does is offered in love to Lord Sri Krishna. 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:   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana In our perfected state, may we one day adopt the mood of the residents of Hastinapura while taking darsana of Sri Krishna: "All their hearts were melting for Him on the pot of attraction. They looked at Him without blinking their eyes, and they moved hither and thither in perplexity." (S.B. 1.10.13)   • Email to a friend • •   Kurma dasa, AU: Mothers Day Just a Few Weeks Away Why not order some personally signed Kurma Cookbooks and DVD sets to gift your mother this Mothers Day. Mum can then cook lovely things from my cookbooks and invite you over for dinner. Win-win situation. This is the 11-disc 20-hour Kurma TV cookery show DVD compendium. Just add Mum, a couch and a cup of tea. I can get your orders posted to you, anywhere in Australia, in time for you to gift-wrap them. Orders: write me on kurma.acbsp@pamho.net   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 6.5.14 Dress Like An Instrument 4-13-2011 H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 6.5.14 Dress Like An Instrument 4-13-2011 H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 6.5.14 Dress Like An Instrument 4-13-2011 SB 06.05.14 Dress Like An Instrument 2011-04-13 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 6.5.14 Dress Like An Instrument 4-13-2011 Los Angeles SB 06.05.14 Dress Like An Instrument 2011-04-13 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 6.5.14 Dress Like An Instrument 4-13-2011 Los Angeles   • Email to a friend • •   Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Vishvambhar das - SB 10.2.9 - Lord Balaram http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ClassesAndBhajans/~3/zHvYLPHEhkY/792-Lecture-Vishvambhar-das-SB-10.2.9-Lord-Balaram.html Rupa Madhurya das, TX, USA: Lecture - Vishvambhar das - SB 10.2.9 - Lord Balaram Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 2, Texts 9 titled "Lord Balaram" given by Vishvambhar das.  SB 10.2.9: O all-auspicious Yogamāyā, I shall then appear with My full six opulences as the son of Devakī, and you will appear as the daughter of mother Yaśodā, the queen of Mahārāja Nanda. SB 10.2.9¡Oh, muy auspiciosa Yogamāyā!, Yo descenderé entonces como hijo de Devakī manifestando en plenitud Mis seis opulencias, y tú nacerás como hija de madre Yaśodā, la reina de Mahārāja Nanda. Dallas, TX 2011-01-25 Download: 2011-01-25 - Vishvambhar das - SB 10.2.9 - Lord Balaram.mp3 Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 2, Texts 9 titled "Lord Balaram" given by Vishvambhar das Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 2, Texts 9 titled "Lord Balaram" given by Vishvambhar das   • Email to a friend • •   Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: A picture from yesterday's program... Picture from yesterday's program off the phone...   • Email to a friend • •   Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: studying astrology When Hamsavatara Dasa first asked Srila Prabhupada about studying astrology, Srila Prabhupada dismissed it as unimportant. Later, when Hamsavatara Dasa told Srila Prabhupada that he wanted to study it for the sake of preaching, Srila Prabhupada enthusiastically endorsed it on those grounds. Memories of Srila Prabhupada DVD 47, Hamsavatara Dasa. (Available from www.prabhupadamemories.com)   • Email to a friend • •   Japa Group: While The Body Is Fit While the body is fit, there­fore, why should we not chant the holy name loudly and distinctly? If one does so it is quite pos­si­ble that even at the time of death, he will properly be able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith. Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.2.49 purport   • Email to a friend • •   Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Tomorrow is Kamada Ekadasi We had a nice suggestion to try to post the Ekadasi story the day before Ekadasi so it acts as a reminder that the next day is Ekadasi and it is available for reading on the blog on the morning of Ekadasi. So no promises...but we will try our best. So TOMORROW is Kamada Ekadasi and the story from the Varah Purana is as follows: Sri Sūta Gosvāmī said, "Oh sages, let me offer my humble and respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Hari, Bhagavan Sri Krishna, the son of Devaki and Vasudeva, by whose mercy I can describe the fast day that removes all kinds of sins.  It was to the devoted Yudhisthira that Lord Krishna glorified the twenty-four primary Ekadasis, which destroy sin, and now I shall recount one of those narrations to you. Great-learned sages have selected these twenty-four narrations from the eighteen Puranas, for they are truly sublime. "Yudhishthira Maharaja said, 'Oh Lord Krishna, Oh Vasudeva, please accept my humble obeisances.  Please describe to me the Ekadasi that occurs during the light part of the month of Chaitra.  What is its name, and what are its glories?' "Lord Sri Krishna replied, 'Oh Yudhishthira, please listen to Me attentively as I relate the ancient history of this sacred Ekadasi, a history Vasishtha Muni once related to King Dilipa, the great-grandfather of Lord Ramachandra. "'King Dilipa asked the great sage Vasishtha, "Oh wise brahmana, I wish to hear about the Ekadasi that comes during the light part of the month of Chaitra.  Please describe it to me." "'Vasishtha Muni replied, "Oh king, your inquiry is glorious.  Gladly shall I tell you what you wish to know.  The Ekadasi that occurs during the light fortnight of Chaitra is named Kamada EkAdasi.  It consumes all sins, as a forest fire consumes a supply of dry firewood.  It is very purifying, and it bestows the highest merit upon one who faithfully observes it. Oh king, now hear an ancient history which is so meritorious that it removes all one's sins simply by being heard. "Once, long ago, there existed a city-state named Ratnapura, which was decorated with gold and jewels and in which sharp-fanged snakes would enjoy intoxication.  King Pundarika was the ruler of this most beautiful kingdom, which numbered many Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and Apsaras among its citizens. Among the Gandharvas were Lalita and his wife LalitA, who was an especially lovely dancer.  These two were intensely attracted to each other, and their home was full of great wealth and fine food.  Lalita loved her husband dearly, and likewise he constantly thought of her within his heart. Once, at the court of King Pundarika, many Gandharvas were dancing and Lalita was singing alone, without his wife.  He could not help thinking about her as he sang, and because of this distraction he lost track of the song's meter and melody.  Indeed, Lalita sang the ending of his song improperly, and one of the envious snakes who was in attendance at the king's court complained to the king that Lalita was absorbed in thinking of his wife instead of his sovereign.  The king became furious upon hearing this, and his eyes turned crimson with rage.  Suddenly he shouted, 'Oh foolish knave, because you were lustfully thinking of a woman instead of reverently thinking of your king as you performed your court duties, I curse you to at once become a cannibal!' "'Oh king, Lalita immediately became a fearful cannibal, a great man-eating demon whose appearance terrified everyone.  His arms were eight miles long, his mouth was as big as a huge cave, his eyes were as awesome as the sun and moon, his nostrils resembled enormous pits in the earth, his neck was a veritable mountain, his hips were four miles wide, and his gigantic body stood a full sixty-four miles high.  Thus poor Lalita, the loving Gandharva singer, had to suffer the reaction of his offense against King Pundarika." "Seeing her husband suffering as a horrible cannibal, Lalita became overwhelmed with grief.  She thought, 'Now that my dear husband is suffering the effects of the kings' curse, what is to be my lot?  What should I do?  Where should I go?'  In this way Lalita grieved day and night.  Instead of enjoying life as a Gandharvas wife, she had to wander everywhere in the thick jungle with her monstrous husband, who had fallen completely under the spell of the king's curse and was wholly engaged in terrible sinful activities. He wandered fitfully across forbidding region, a once-beautiful Gandharva now reduced to the ghastly behaviour of a man-eater. Utterly distraught to see her dear husband suffer so much in his dreadful condition, Lalita began to cry as she followed his mad journeying. "By good fortune, however, Lalita came upon the sage Shringi one day.  He was sitting on the peak of the famous Vindhyachala Hill.  Approaching him, she immediately offered the ascetic her respectful obeisances.  The sage noticed her bowing down before him and said, 'Oh most beautiful one, who are you?  Whose daughter are you, and why have you come here?  Please tell me everything in truth.' LalitA replied, 'Oh great sage, I am the daughter of the great Gandharva Viradhanva, and my name is Lalita. I roam the forests and plains with my dear husband, whom King Pundarika has cursed to become a man-eating demon.  Oh brahmana, I am greatly aggrieved to see his ferocious form and terribly sinful activities.  Oh master, please tell me how I can perform some act of atonement on behalf of my husband.  What pious act can I perform to free him from this demonic form, Oh best of brahmanas?' The sage replied, 'Oh heavenly maiden, there is an Ekadasi named Kamada that occurs in the light fortnight of the month of Chaitra.  It is coming up soon.  Whoever fasts on this day has all his desires fulfilled.  If you observe this Ekadasi fast according to its rules and regulations and give the merit you thus earn to your husband, he will be freed from the curse at once.'  Lalita was overjoyed to hear these words from the sage. "'Lalita faithfully observed the fast of Kamada Ekadasi according to the instructions of the sage Shringi, and on Dvadasi she appeared before him and the Deity of Lord Vasudeva and said, 'I have faithfully observed the fast of KamadA Ekadasi.  By the merit earned through my observance of this fast, let my husband be free from the curse that has turned him into a demoniac cannibal.  May the merit I have gained thus free him from misery.' As soon as LalitA finished speaking, her husband, who stood nearby, was at once freed from the king's curse.  He immediately regained his original form as the Gandharva Lalita, a handsome heavenly singer adorned with many beautiful ornaments.  Now, with his wife Lalita, he could enjoy even more opulence than before. "All this was accomplished by the power and glory of Kamada Ekadasi.  At last the Gandharva couple boarded a celestial airplane and ascended to heaven. Lord Sri Krishna continued, 'Oh Yudhishthira, best of kings, anyone who hears this wonderful narration should certainly observe holy Kamada Ekadasi to the best of his ability, such great merit does it bestow upon the faithful devotee.  I have therefore described its glories to you for the benefit of all humanity. There is no better Ekadasi than Kamada Ekadasi.  It can eradicate even the sin of killing a brahmana, and it also nullifies demoniac curses and cleanses the consciousness. In all the three worlds, among movable and immovable living entities, there is no better day'" Thus ends the narration of the glories of Chaitra-sukla Ekadasi or Kamada Ekadasi, from the Varaha Purana. This story was re-formatted for readability purposes. It is sourced from "Ekadasi: The Day of Lord Hari" 1986. HH Krishna Balaram Swami. Bhaktivedanta Institute Press. KAMADA EKADASI GVY: Kamada Ekadasi http://gvyayunosdeekadasi.blogspot.com/ sábado 7 de abril de 2007 GVY: Kamada Ekadasi 10 KAMADA EKADASI Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī dijo: Oh, sabios!, permitánme ofrecerles mis humildes y respetuosas reverencias al Supremo Señor Hari, Bhāgavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa el hijo de Devakī y Vasudeva que por su merced yo puedo describir el ayuno que quita toda clase de pecado. ¡Grandes sabios!, he seleccionado estas dos narraciones de los dieciocho Maha Puranas. Estos Maha Puranas son verdaderamente sublimes. Yudhisthira Maharaja dijo: ¡Oh, Señor Śrī Kṛṣṇa!, Oh, Vasudeva!, por favor acepta mis humildes obediencias. Por favor describeme el Ekadasi que ocurrió durante el mes de Caitra (Marzo - Abril). Cuál es su nombre y cuáles son sus glorias. El Señor Śrī Kṛṣṇa respondió: ¡Oh, Yudhisthira!, por favor escuchame a mi atentamente como Yo relato la antigua historia del sagrado Ekadasi, una historia de Vasistha Muni que una vez fue relatada al rey Dilipa el gran abuelo del Señor Ramacandra. El Rey Dilipa le preguntó al gran sabio Vasistha: ¡Oh, sabio brahmana!, Yo deseo escuchar acerca del Ekadasi que ocurrió durante el mes de Caitra por favor descríbelo a mí. Vasistha Muni replico: Oh, Rey!, tu inquisición es gloriosa. El Ekadasi que ocurrió durante la quincena de Caitra es llamada Kamada Ekadasi. Esto consume todos los pecados. Oh, Rey!, ahora escucha un incidente de una historia que tiene tanto merito que remueve todos los pecados simplemente por ser escuchado. Una vez, existía una ciudad llamada Ratnapura. El Rey Pundarika era el rey de este hermoso reino que numeraba muchos Gandharvas, Kinnaras y Apsaras entre sus ciudadanos. Entre los Gandharvas estaba Lalita y su esposa Lalitá, quien era una danarina especial. Estos dos eran sumamente atractivos para todos y su casa estaba llena de gran riqueza y fina comida. Lalitá amaba a su querido esposo y así mismo él constantemente pensaba en ella en su corazón. Una vez en la corte del rey Pundarika muchos gandharvas estaban cantando y Lalita estaba cantando solo, sin su esposa. Lalita canta el final de la canción inapropiadamente, y una de las envidiosas serpientes quien estaba atendiendo la corte del rey se queja al rey de que Lalita estaba absorbido en pensar en su esposa en vez de su soberanía. El rey entonces se volvió furioso de escuchar esto y sus ojos se tornaron rojos de rabia. Derepente él exclamó: Oh, tonto bribón!, porque tú estas pensando lujuriosamente en una mujer en vez de pensar en tu rey, yo te maldigo para que te conviertas en un caníbal. Oh, Rey!, Lalita inmediatamente se volvió en un feroz caníbal un gran demonio quien aparecería asustando a todos. Sus brazos eran 8 millas de largo, su boca era como una gran cueva, sus ojos eran como el sol y la luna y sus huecos de la nariz resamblaba enormes hoyos en la tierra, su cuello era una verdadera montaña y su cuerpo media 64 millas de altura. De ese modo Lalita, el amado cantante Gandharva tuvo que sufrir la reacción de su ofensa al rey Pundarika. Mirando a su esposo sufrir como un horrible caníbal Lalitá se volvió sumergida con dolor. Ella pensó ahora que mi querido esposo esta sufriendo los efectos de la maldición del rey qué es lo que va ha ser mi suerte? Qué podría yo hacer? Dónde podría yo ir?. De esa manera Lalitá esta dolida día y noche. En vez de disfrutar la vida como una esposa de un gandharva, Ella tenía que vagar cada sitio de la jungla con su esposo mounstro, quien había caído completamente de la maldición del rey. Viendo así a su querido esposo asi en esa terrible condición, Lalitá empezó a llorar. Por buena fortuna, sin embargo Lalitá fue al sabio Srngi un día. El estaba sentado en la cumbre de una hermosa colina llamada Vindhyaca. Acercándose a El, Ella inmediatamente ofreció al asceta su respetuosa reverencia. El sabio dio cuenta que ella estaba triste ante él y le dijo: ¡Oh, bellísima dama!, quién eres tú? y por qué te has venido acá? por favor dime cada cosa en verdad. Lalitá respondió: ¡Oh, gran Sabio!, yo soy la hija del Gran Gandharva Viradhanva y mi nombre es Lalitá. Yo camino en el bosque y me quejo por mi esposo, por que él ha sido maldecido y ha sido convertido en un hombre demoniaco. ¡Oh, brahmana!, yo estoy grandemente asustada de ver su terrible forma y su actitud pecaminosa. ¡Oh, maestro!, por favor dime como yo puedo ejecutar algún tipo de austeridad en beneficio de mi esposo. Qué actitudes piadosas puedo yo ejecutar para librarlo de esta terrible forma demoniaca? ¡Oh, el mejor de todos los brahmanas!. El sabio respondió: Oh virgen celestial hay un Ekadasi llamado Kamada que ocurre en la quincena del mes de Caitra. Esto comienza pronto, quien quiera que ayune en este día tiene sus deseos satisfechos. Si tú observas este Ekadasi de acuerdo con las reglas y regulaciones y que tú de ese modo ganas el que tu espodo podría quedar libre de la maldición. Lalitá fielmente observó el ayuno de Kamada Ekadasi de acuerdo a las instrucciones del sabio Srngi y en Dvadasi Ella apareció ante él y la Deidad de Vasudeva y dijo: Yo fielmente he observado el ayuno de Kamada Ekadasi por el merito ganado a través de la observancia de este ayuno permite que mi esposo pueda ser liberado de la maldición, en la cual lo ha convertido en un caníbal demoniaco. Podrá el merito que yo he ganado de esta forma librarlo de esta forma de miseria. Tan pronto como Lalita termino de hablar su esposo quien estaba parado cerca quedó libre de la maldición. El inmediatamente ganó su original forma como la de Gandharva Lalita, un grupo cantante celestial adornado con muchos ornamentos hermosos. Ahora con su esposa Lalitá, él pudo disfrutar más opulencia que antes. Todo esto estaba acompañado por el poder y gloria de Kamada Ekadasi. El Señor Śrī Kṛṣṇa concluyó: Oh, Yudhisthira!, El mejor de todos los reyes quienquiera que escucha esta maravillosa narración, ciertamente observa El santo Kamada Ekadasi el mejor de todo su talento como el mismo merito ganado de un devoto fiel. Yo he descrito de esa forma sus glorias a tí para el beneficio de toda la humanidad. No hay mejor Ekadasi que el Kamada Ekadasi. Esto puede erradicar los pecados de matar un brahmana y así tambien anula las maldiciones demoniacas y purifica la conciencia. En todos los 3 mundos entre los seres vivientes moviles e inmoviles no hay mejor Ekadasi que este, no hay mejor día. De esa manera termina la narración de las glorias de Caitra-Sukla Ekadasi o Kamala Ekadasi del Varatha Purana.   • Email to a friend • •   Mukunda Charan das, SA: Ekadasi Tomorrow is Kamada Ekdadasi.  Ekadasi is the special fast day observed by Vaishnavas on the 11th day of the waxing moon.  The best way to observe Ekadasi is to fast from food and water – nirjala.  This should be supplemented by hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, preferably throughout the night.  One should also minimize routine activity on this day (like washing clothes, shaving, shopping, doing business etc.).  There is a simpler standard of fasting that is permitted in the Hare Krishna Movement – refraining from eating grains or legumes on this day.  The enjoying propensity should also be minimized on this day.  Ekadasi is a day of austerity.  Here is the story of how Ekadisi came about. Krishna is aloof from His material creation.  This material realm has been created in such a way that it functions automatically according to guna (the modes of material nature) and karma (reactions to our activity in this world).  Those who defy God’s laws suffer under the Laws of Karma.  This is also called sin. The sum total of sin is represented by the Personality of Sin or Papa Purusa. Sin was getting stronger because of the general sinfulness of humankind. One day the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Narayana, was visiting Yamaraja’s abode.  He could hear cries of agony.  ’What is that?’ He asked.  Yamaraja explained, ‘These are the cries of the sinners being punished.’  Lord Narayana was concerned:  ’These are my children.  I should do something to relieve their suffering’.  The Lord, therefore, created Ekadasi – in the form of a very beautiful woman. It is explained that even the greatest of sinners could become free from sin if they observed Ekadasi.  The Hari Bhakti Vilasa (manual for Vaishnava behaviour) explains that  on Ekadasi one should fast, absorb oneself in thoughts of the Lord, serve and glorify the Lord. As a result of people observing Ekadasi, Sin was diminishing.  He approached Krishna in his emaciated condition.  Krishna said, ‘What is wrong?’  Sin replied, ‘You created me.  I am your son.  Ever since you created Ekadasi people are becoming free from sinful reaction.  Now I am dying.  Please do something so I can live.’  Krishna said, ‘Yes.  From now on all sins will enter into grains on that Ekadasi day.  Whoever eats grains on Ekadasi will accept the reactions for sins – even if he is sinless.’ Filed under: ISKCON, Spiritual Life, Yoga Tagged: a spiritual life, ekadasi, fasting, kamada ekadasi, vaishnava fasts   • Email to a friend • •   Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: GiveAway : Horton Brasses Bling Bling For Your Kitchen! This here is the Bakes Pull. There is also the Queslett, the Cup Pull and 2 kinds of knobs from the new expensive line! Plus, you have the rest of the HB catalog to choose from.   Are you remodeling your kitchen? Looking for the perfect hardware that only lots of money can buy? Now is your big chance to get your cabinets decked out in fabulousness without spending a dime! Horton Brasses is holding a giveaway contest for their fancy schmancy new line of hardware. This stuff is the Aston Martin of hardware! It’s big! And it kicks big ass! Seriously, the stuff is heavy duty amazing beautiful it’s an honor just to hold it in my hands good! Check out the contest. Spread the word around. Someone is going to win thousands of dollars worth of knobs and pulls (yes, there are appliance handles, too!) and you just might be the little internet fairy that sprinkles contest fairy dust around. Tell a friend, check back often to gawk at pictures of people’s interiors and….cast your vote! Read more about the contest… print   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 279—Poem for April 13 www.sdgonline.org. 4:46 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 13 Kaulini Mataji came by for pizza and ice cream and told us about the hospice in Vrndavana. Not many people come yet because it’s a big thing to leave your family and go to die in Vrndavana. They have a ‘back to Godhead’ room for the actively dying. She wants to go back and do it again, brave, compassionate soul. We talked about her son, the policeman, and how she is moving around now. That Tripurari Swami is taking over her house. She is also transcribing interviews of women disciples of Prabhupada recalling their memories of him. It was nice spending time with her. We get a chance to meet with devotees in Stuyvesant Falls because some live here or pass through and give us their association. When I got up at 2:30 A.M. it was raining hard against the roof as I chanted japa alone. Narayana came up and tended to my pain. I’m satisfied living this way in a little life of writing and reading. We’ll meet more preachers soon who are passing through and hear from then with respect. It is sadhu sanga in a life that is mostly solitary accumulating writings about my personal life. A poem just modestly tells of the routine passed here and the daily walk amid the daffodils, pansies and crocuses. The wild birds feed on seeds in our backyard, and Baladeva is growing plants and flowers. I pray to Krishna for His mercy and attention to my bhakti-lata.   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDS www.sdgonline.org. From Dear Sky: Letters from a Sannyasi (1993) “Dear Old Lady Looking in the Window, “I was surprised to see you standing by the barred window. Do you remember the moment? I was the Hare Krishna devotee who came from America, and the devotees at the Santo Domingo temple were having a reception for me.  I was sitting on a chair in the front hall—they were having kirtana and performing arati, and you were looking in the window. I was surprised to see you. Your face was so very, very old, completely wrinkled, and although your mouth was closed, I could tell you were toothless. “The thought flashed through my mind that you were once a young woman, but now you’re so old that you’re not pleasant to look at. You yourself must be aware that you are at the end of your existence. It’s plain to see your body is reduced to nothing and nearly finished, like an old fruit or an old flower. You’re a walking reminder to everybody of what’s going to happen to them. “I remember you. When the foot-bathing ceremony was over, and the lecture was over, and the cheers were over, my impression of you was as strong as of everything else. You seemed curious about what was going on, and I wonder what your impression of us was. “I don’t know whether you were able to hear the translation of the speech. I was telling the devotees how fortunate we are to have received the Hare Krishna mantra and to be able to live in Prabhupada’s shelter.  That blessing could extend to you also, even at the fag end of your life. Any person, old or young, can come to Krishna consciousness. I know that just by hearing Hare Krishna it was good for you, and I hope that somehow you can embrace the chanting of Hare Krishna. That in your next life you can be happy in Krishna consciousness. Each one of us, as we come to that toothless, shriveled-up stage should count our blessings that we can hear from Prabhupada, whether  from inside the temple or by standing outside looking in. All glories to Prabhupada. All glories to the Hare Krishna mantra.” From Vandanam: A Krishna consciousness Handbook on Prayer (1999) Prayers in the Sastras “We will first consider praying by reciting uttama-slokas, or those excellent prayers given in the Vedic scriptures, especially Srimad-Bhagavatam. “A large percentage of the Srimad-Bhagavatam is taken up by prayers made by exalted devotees unto the Supreme Lord Vishnu in His various incarnations. A glance at the chapter headings shows us how frequently they occur: ‘The Prayers of Queen Kunti,’ ‘The Prayers of Bhismadeva,’ ‘Brahma’s Prayers for Creative Energy,’ ‘The Prayers Offered to the Lord by the Residents of Jambudvipa,’ ‘The Hamsa-guhya Prayers,’ ‘Prahlada Pacifies Lord Nrsimha with Prayers,’ ‘Gajendra’s Prayers of Surrender,’ ‘The Prayers of the Demigods for Lord Krishna in the Womb,’ ‘The Prayers of Akrura,’ and many, many shorter prayers contained within chapters. Are these prayers just literary devices created by the author Vyasadeva in order to convey the philosophy of Krishna consciousness? No, the prayers are transcendental records of thoughts and sentiments actually expressed by devotees at times when they adored the Lord in a personal darshan or when they were in danger or in samadhi of devotion. “They are therefore spontaneous utterings which are now selected and preserved for us in disciplic succession in the form of the Sanskrit Vedas. Less frequently, the Bhagavatam prayers employ already-existing verses which were recited by devotees, such as Daksa’s recitation of the Hamsa-guyha prayers or Brahma’s recitation of the Purusa-sukta prayers. But when Prahlada Maharaja was asked by the demigods to pacify the anger of Lord Nrsimhadeva, his actual words of prayer are what we find now in the Seventh Canto. Similarly, the prayers of Lord Brahma and Lord Indra, spoken in the mood of repentance, were actually spoken by them from the heart after they had attempted to defeat Lord Krishna and had been humiliated. “They are prayers spoken on the occasion, out of deep spiritual emotions and realizations—and they are directly inspired by the Lord. In fact, no one can make such beautiful and profound prayers unless he is directly empowered. When Dhruva Maharaja saw Lord Vishnu, Dhruva was so overwhelmed he couldn’t speak at all, but after Lord Vishnu blessed the boy with a touch of His conch, Dhruva spoke eloquent verses of praise. Prabhupada writes: ‘There are many instances in which even a small boy who was a great devotee of the Lord could offer excellent prayers in the choicest words for glorification of the pastimes of the Lord. In other words, without the development of fine affection and love, one cannot offer prayers to the Lord very suitably.’ (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.8.6) “That the Supreme Lord is the direct inspirer of uttama-sloka is declared by Him after His hearing of Lord Brahma’s prayers for creative energy: “‘O Brahma, the prayers that you have chanted praising the glories of My transcendental activities, the penances you have undertaken to understand Me, and your firm faith in Me—all these are to be considered My causeless mercy.’ (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.9.38) “Because the prayers of the Bhagavatam and other sastras are so well-spoken and realized, they convey the full teachings of Krishna consciousness, particularly the nature of the inconceivable Supreme Lord and how to approach Him in devotional service.’” From The Wild Garden: Collected Writings, 1990-1993 “When Lord Caitanya finished speaking to Srila Rupa Gosvami, He had to leave. He left by boat. Rupa Gosvami begged the Lord not to go, or at least to take him with Him. ‘No,’ Lord Caitanya said, ‘I asked you to go to Vrndavana and you are not far from there, so go there and write books. I will see you again in Puri.’ But Rupa Gosvami felt so much separation that he fainted. Then he went to Vrndavana. He felt separation from Krishna there and followed the empowering order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was the literary incarnation of Lord Caitanya, writing down all the inner meanings of His mood. He did that service rather than travel with Lord Caitanya. “Ah, me. Please let me have an assignment that brings me close to Prabhupada and the acaryas. I want to transform this world into Vrndavana. This road in the morning, the trees ahead—as brief as it is, as far away as it is from Vrndavana, it can promote thoughts of Krishna in Vraja. I can still picture walking down that lonely dirt path with a friend, stopping af­ter a mile or so and saying, ‘There is no place in the world out­side of Vrndavana where the sand is cintamani.’ Pointing to the yellow mustard flowers . . . I remember that now, here on a cold, unfriendly road. I walk toward the lopsided moon and rel­ish the cold and the talking to myself. Somehow I am meant to be here and to think alone, but without that contact with my friends, I would be way off the beam. “I dreamt of undergoing many hardships while living on a farm. It started out with me searching for my candana ball in my suci kit. Then there was no light and no mirror to see if I was applying the tilaka neatly to my forehead. The cows were wild and dirty. The man in charge assured me that when this new farm got organized in the future, I would be recognized for my spiritual qualities. “Out of this dream, where to go? Mentally stumbling, I splash my face with cold water. Can I wash those thoughts away with the shock of the cold water hitting my face? I am so far away from Vrndavana. “Remember how at the Krishna-Balaram Mandir guest­house the floor is made from Indian cement? There was no rug, and every time I moved the wooden chair at my desk, it made a loud scratching sound. I kept thinking I must be waking everyone up on that floor. What could I do? I tried writing anyway, and sometimes it worked, although I filled some pages with the sound of pigeons flapping their wings. I was trying to get beyond the externals, although I didn’t always succeed. “The sastras are vital to my life. They are the key to leaving behind my dreams and the pigeons and to entering the association of the Vaisnavas. I have so many unnecessary demands but one sincere moment with the sastras, or the sincere offering of dandavats, or the sincere recitation of pranama-mantras, can take me beyond those demands. “I will not be saved simply by returning to Vrndavana. I have to prepare myself to meet the same obstacles and probably new ones, and to practice deep, purifying sadhana. How can I engage my mind and senses in Krishna consciousness and awaken bhakti? “Improve the quality of prayer. Hardly an inch do I pray. Or maybe I pray and don’t credit myself for it. Krishna will decide if I am praying. “Then how much can I help myself? I recall a devotee asking Srila Prabhupada, ‘You say we should surrender to Krishna, but then you write, ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ So?’ “Srila Prabhupada replied: ‘How does one help oneself? By surrendering to Krishna.’ That’s the only way we can help our­selves. “This is not Vrndavana where I can write with the awareness in my heart and body and being that I am in that one special place. The advantage to my rest stop here at Gita Nagari is that I have to become more internal. Is Vrndavana within? Yes, Pennsylvania forces me to go within because I cannot just stay focused on how I took my walk on the back road and how I felt when a car passed me. There is junk and distraction in Vrndavana too, but it is totally different. If I could have had more presence of mind there, I could have written like a mad­man, noting down all the details. I would have captured many motes of Vrndavana dust on paper. I didn’t quite do it. I also have to go within in Vrndavana. “Outer Vrndavana doesn’t seem to tally with what we read in Krishna book. We need the guidance of a Vaisnava to under­stand it. It cannot be seen by mundane eyes, cannot be experi­enced by the mundane senses, cannot be felt by the mundane body. Sri Vraja Mandala can only be realized by the mercy of a Vaisnava . . . realized within the heart and mind of a devotee. “Head on in—pray to write truth as best you can. “Dear Srila Prabhupada, I place my head on the floor and pray by reciting your pranama-mantras first thing. Get me out of the dream-stuff. Please guide a sleepy-eyed person where to go. And now, face and mouth washed, sitting at a desk writing by reflex with a professed good intention, please tell a covered, frightened person what to write.”   • Email to a friend • •   Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Varna ashram dependent on rural agricultural based communities <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--> Gosh’s note: This is a good paper floating around to read and understand though I would take issue with the emphasis on raw milk. While homogenization is pretty artificial  Srila Prabhupada did  instruct us to pasteurize the milk in general. The whole” bring it to foam three times” thing. Besides the recent experience of Balabhadra getting deathly sick from drinking raw milk, it is also the vector for other diseases, including tuberculosis.  Dharmakala and her whole family got TB when she was a child and it was traced to the family cow and drinking raw milk. Another issue is with the idea that  Amish are successfully living on the land. While there are many that are, more than 50% of Amish no longer make the main source of their income off farming. Many of them do construction, logging, and crafts to survive.  This is largely due to the high cost of land and competing in an economy where food commodities are highly subsidized by the government. Establishing Varna ashram agriculturally based rural communities will require subsidization. From: Yogindra   NEED FOR DEVELOPING VRINDAVAN VILLAGES IN NORTH AMERICA ABSTRACT In 1949 Srila Prabhupada mentioned in a letter to Vallabhai Patel that his mission is divided into four movements: a) congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord, b) building the temples, c) spiritual initiation, and d) establishing a classless society based on god realization. Today in ISKCON we have in many ways fulfilled the first three movements. However, the fourth movement of establishing the classless society or Daiva Varnasrama culture remains largely unfulfilled. The purpose of this paper is to outline the need of fulfilling Srila Parbhupada’s desire of establishing the classless Daiva Varnasrama society in North America. In this paper, we have first presented Srila Prabhupada’s ideology on Varnasrama. As we proceed, we analyze the present situation in North America and provide the necessary steps required to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desire of re-establishing the varnasrama dharma for the betterment of the human society by establishing self sufficient farm communities. 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Srila Prabhupada’s Vision on Varnasrama As early as 1949, Srila Prabhupada described his mission in a letter to the Vallabhai Patel, the then Deputy Prime Minister of India, outlining four movements. The first was the “sankirtan” movement of chanting and philosophical discourse that was to be introduced all over the world. Then came the “temple entry” movement; organizing temples as centers of spiritual culture according to scriptures like Bhagavad-Gita. Thirdly, he described the “spiritual initiation” movement; a movement that would be conducted under strict disciplinary methods to enable to enable individuals to attain the perfection of human life. Finally, he described the “classless society” movement or the “Daiva Varnasrma” movement. In the last film footage of Srila Prabhupada we find him lying in his bed with H.H. Jayadvaita Swami holding a microphone close to his lips. Carefully choosing the words for what were to become his final purports, he explained exactly why we need varnasrama as follows: “According to the association of different natures, we get a body. karanam guna sangasya sad asad yoni janmasu. Therefore, we should always seek good association, devotee association. Then our life will be successful. If we live with good association, then we cultivate knowledge.  A man is known by his company. So if we have the chance of association with devotees, then our character, nature becomes better. By hearing, by discussing Srimad Bhagavatam, this rajo guna, tamo guna are subdued. Then sattva guna remains. nasta prayesu abhadresu nityam bhagavata sevaya. Then rajo guna, tamo guna cannot do us harm. Therefore, varnasrama dharma is so essential that people live in sattva guna. Tamo guna, rajo guna increases lust and greediness, and that implicates the living entity who exists in the material world in many, many forms. That is very dangerous. Therefore, they should be brought into sattva guna by the establishment of varnasrama dharma.” 1.2 Srila Prabhupada’s Vision on Varnashrama Education The following conversation between Srila Prabhupada and his disciples provides an insight to his vision of Varnasrama education: When it was suggested that the chanting of Hare Krishna was meant to replace varnasrama for everyone, Srila Prabhupada replied: Prabhupäda: Yes, it can replace, but who is going to replace it? People are not so advanced. If you imitate Haridäsa Thäkura to chant, it is not possible . . . the sahajiyä’s chanting will come. Just like our (name withheld). He was not fit for sannyäsa but he was given sannyäsa. And five women he was attached and he disclosed. Therefore varnasrama dharma is required. Simply show-bottle will not do. So the varnashrama-dharma should be introduced all over the world, and… Satsvarüpa: Introduced starting with ISKCON community? Prabhupäda: Yes. Yes. Brahmanas , Kshatriyas. There must be regular education. Hari-sauri: But in our community, if the…, being as we’re training up as Vasihnavas… Prabhupäda: Yes. Hari-sauri: …then how will we be able to make divisions in our society? Prabhupäda: Vaishnava is not so easy. The varnasrama dharma should be established to become a Vaishnava. It is not so easy to become Vaishnava. [Mäyäpura 14 February 1977] From the above, we can understand that the sankirtan movement as introduced by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu based on the chanting of the holy names and the performance of devotional service to Lord Krishna, is not meant to replace varnasrama as a means of societal organization. Rather the varnasrama dharma should be established in society as a supportive measure to help individuals become Vaishnavas. In Sri Bhaktyaloka, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura also confirms that Lord Caitanya did not reject varnasrama for social organization. After quoting Bhagavatam 1.2.8 – dharmaù svanuñöhitaù puàsäà viñvaksena-kathäsu yaù / notpädayed yadi ratià çrama eva hi kevalam – the Thakur explains: “The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.” From this one should not conclude that Sri Chaitanya Mahäprabhu has ordered us to discard varnasrama dharma. If that had been the case, then He would not have instructed all living entities through His pastimes of completely following the orders of grihastha and sannyäsa. As long as one has a material body the system of varnasrama dharma must be followed, but it should remain under the full control and domination of bhakti. Varnasrama dharma is like the foundation of one’s supreme occupational duty. When one’s supreme occupational duty is matured and one achieves his goal, then the process is gradually neglected. Again, it is also abandoned at the time of death. 2.0 PRESENT SCENARIO IN NORTH AMERICA The general population in North America, especially in the United Sates is living in a very fragile state of economy. This economy dwells on the supply of oil and automobiles. Reduction in the supply of oil increases the price of fuel for automobiles which in turn increases the price of all essential commodities such as food items, etc. Srila Prabhupada has explained in several places in Srimad Bhagavatham that drilling oil is the propensity of demons. The situation in the cities has become so intense that sometimes the devotees have to work 80 hours a week to pay off their debts and live a decent life. This creates an unfriendly atmosphere for practicing devotional service and also living a healthy family life. If a devotee works more than 80 hours a week it can be understood that his / her devotional life is under threat. This is especially true when the devotee has to associate with non-devotees in the place of occupation. Moreover, many devotees are forced by the current economic situation to get indulged in occupations that involve the violation of four regulated principles such as working in grocery stores and restaurants that sell meat products and alcohol. There is a great need to find an alternate atmosphere that provides the devotees with sufficient amount of time and opportunity to practice devotional service. It is to be understood that we may not be able convert the devotees living in the cities into overnight farmers. However, we can create an appreciation for an alternative lifestyle that involves self sufficiency and healthy devotional life. 3.0 SRILA PRABUPADA’S VISION OF RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Srila Prabhupada expressed his desire to establish Krishna Conscious, self-sufficient communities and villages.  He also gave instructions to make existing villages Krishna Conscious.  So far, ISKCON has become very successful at city preaching and large numbers of the populace have taken up to the chanting of the holy names sincerely, thus adapting their lives to the principles of Krishna consciousness. However, the establishment of a society based on the traditional village lifestyle has been neglected. Although one can still advance in Krishna consciousness living in the cities, the degraded influences of urban life place serious constraints on the progress most devotees can make. ISKCON must recognize the need to re-establish, develop, and maintain the ideals of village-based communities. Initially, perhaps only a few will want to take it up, but without it, Srila Prabhupada’s mission in four phases or “movements”, and ISKCON’s preaching programs, remain incomplete. The following are but a few selected quotes supporting the need to remain in the villages: “Actually, everyone should be engaged to produce food, but the modern set-up of civilization is that few people are engaged in producing food, and others are eating. They are offering… They are artificially getting money.” [Conversation 25/7/73 London] “Clever means that he must stay in his own land. He should not be cheated by the paper and go to the city.” [Conversation 25/7/73 London]   “Gandhi’s program was very nice, village organize so that they may not come to the city and help the capitalists. Remain satisfied in the village.” [Conversation 12/9/76 Vrindavan] “So this Krishna consciousness movement is trying to revive the original, constitutional position. So one of them, in Krishna consciousness movement, is village organization, as you are trying here.”  [Lecture 15/7/76 Gita Nagari] 3.1 Desired Relationships between City Temples and Farm Communities Srila Prabhupada wanted that we should have farms supporting our city temples. In this way, people living in the cities can be shown the right path of living a simple Krishna conscious lifestyle. Srila Prabhupada predicted that many people will be attracted to Krishna consciousness in his following statements: “It is very good that the farm will be providing foodstuffs for both the farm and the temple in Paris. That is wanted. The farm program should be: grow your own food, produce your own milk, cloth and everything and chant Hare Krsna.”  [Letter to Bhagavan 14/11/75] “Regarding Ahmedabad Centre, we must have a place there… (it is) one of the most opulent and important cities of India. We have to organize in the neighboring village… Now, our next program will be to organize farming land to set an example to the whole world how people can be peaceful, happy, and free from all anxieties simply by chanting Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and living an honorable life in Krishna Consciousness.” [Letter to Kartikeya Mahadevia 19/10/75] 4.0 INITIAL STEPS FOR PROMOTING FARM COMMUNITIES 4.1 Educating Cow Protection In North America once the cow stops producing milk it is sent to the slaughter houses and the flesh of the cow is generally in great demand. This is largely because people are not generally educated in the benefit they can derive from not sending the cows to the slaughter houses. For instance, if people are educated about how cow dung can be used to improve the fertility of the soil they may not want to slaughter the cows. It has recently been discovered that the direct milk from the cow is much more nutritious than the processed and pasteurized milk available in the markets. Although the sale of raw unpasteurized milk is banned in the United States there is no harm in educating the masses regarding the benefits of raw milk. ISKCON can promote education on the need for cow protection not just to the devotees but also to the general masses by having seminars in colleges and universities on cow protection. 4.2 Promoting Organic Farming The ISKCON farms in North America can be used to provide a good infrastructure for building organic farms. Cow dung and cow urine can be used as manures as an alternative to chemical fertilizers. These farms can sell their produce in ISKCON organic farm stores setup in the cities. In this way the farm communities can have a source of revenue other than collecting donations directly or through book distribution. The Amish community have been very succesful in growing crops and sustaining themselves just by farming and selling their produce.  This success can be easily replicated. The following is a conversation between Srila Prabhupada and his disciple: “Pusta Krishna: Sometimes the argument is put forward that in places where there is no sufficient food and shelter and things like this, these problems should be solved first before the problem of spiritual life. Prabhupada: Yes. Why don’t you solve? There are so many land. Come here and grow food. Grow fruit. That is … That is the desire of Krishna. Annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg 3.14: All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties.] Produce food and eat sufficiently, be strong, and chant Hare Krishna. That is our philosophy.” 5.0 CONCLUSION In this paper, we have made a small attempt to present Srila Prabhupada’s idea of Varnasrama dharma. Today, we are living in a world where economic collapse, natural calamities, and deteriorating climate are very much evident. The expansion of the intensity of human greed is fast destroying the amount of tranquility involved in our daily lives. This expansion is supported by television programs, cinema, billboards, consumerism, and many other such elements of our so called human society. By following Srila Prabhupada’s foot steps we can re-establish and facilitate farm culture to induce the required tranquility to practice devotional service in a very conducive atmosphere. Filed under: Cows and Environment   • Email to a friend • •   H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Wednesday 13 April 2011--As the Ganges Flows to the Sea--and--Desire for Profit, Adoration, and Fame A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(TM) Wednesday 13 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: As the Ganges Flows to the Sea Uploaded from Riga, Latvia Just as a river is flowing constantly to the sea, the devotee's heart is always flowing closer and closer to Krishna. In this connection Queen Kunti has prayed as follows: tvayi me 'nanya-visay matir madhu-pate 'sakrt ratim udvahatd addh gangevaugham udanvati O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else. --Srimad Bhagavatam SB 1.8.42 In this way Krishna consciousness is never stagnant. It is ever-increasing, dynamic, and ecstatic. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Sunset over the River Ganges Mayapur, West Bengal, India http://www.backtohome.com/images/Ganges-Mayapur.jpg Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Desire for Profit, Adoration, and Fame My dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to You! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Our past acaryas have mentioned that there are 3 weeds that grow well along with bhakti (due to nama aparadha) and choke the devotional creeper: 1. Desire for profit 2. Desire for adoration and worship 3. Desire for name fame, fame, distinction, prestige.. Like lust, anger and greed, can the above bad qualities also be used in Krishna's service in order to become purified? Or should a devotee try to cut them out completely from the root? Your servant, Bhaktivinode das Answer: Only for Krishna, Not For Ourselves For Krishna's sake we can desire unlimited profit. If we can acquire millions and billions of dollars, we can use this to push forward the Krishna consciousness movement. But we should not collect a penny for our own sense gratification. For ourselves we should accept only what is necessary to keep body and soul together and nothing beyond that. We want to see that everyone adores and worships Krishna, but we should not desire any adoration or worship for ourselves. In this way all name, fame, distinction, and prestige should be offered to Krishna. It is natural that someone who preaches the glories of Krishna all over the world will become famous. Such fame should only be utilized for awakening the fallen, conditioned souls to Krishna consciousness. It should never be utilized for one's sense gratification. If it is thus misused, the preacher will lose his Krishna consciousness and fall back down again into material existence. Srila Prabhupada taught us by his ideal example how not to be carried away by fame. Whenever he was glorified for his amazing accomplishment of spreading the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world, he would never accept the credit for this. He would always say that it was by the mercy of his Guru Maharaja and that if he had any credit at all, it was only that he always obeyed his spiritual master's instructions. 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:   • Email to a friend • •   New Vrndavan, USA: Attention Vendors: Festival of Inspiration You are invited to participate as a Vendor at Festival of Inspiration 2011. May 6, 7 & 8th (set up allowed on the 5th) New Vrindaban, WV We welcome Prasad vendors, informational booths, publications (ISKCON related), devotional paraphernalia and clothing, arts and crafts, children’s items, educational material, etc. Vending will be outdoors. You can bring your own pop-up or secure a space under our tent. Vendor fees are assessed according to what you are want to sell but they are very reasonable. Information only booths are without charge (unless you need tables, chairs, lights, & electric). There will be several hundred attendees of all ages. Please contact Govinda Mohini dd for futher details or to sign up: 304-845-9591 orservingkrishna@aol.com   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Sivarama Swami: Conversation with Bh. Razvan Bogdan on what consciousness actually is H.H. Sivarama Swami: Conversation with Bh. Razvan Bogdan on what consciousness actually is Conversation with Bh. Razvan Bogdan on what consciousness actually is April 13th, 2011 Conversation with Bh. Razvan Bogdan on what consciousness actually is Why does the soul become conditioned and why does Krsna create the source of souls suffering. [ 12:51 ] H.H. Sivarama Swami: Conversation with Bh. Razvan Bogdan on what consciousness actually is Why does the soul become conditioned and why does Krsna create the source of souls suffering.   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Sivarama Swami: Public Program on the meaning of Ramnavami in Nagyvarad Romania (English/Romanian) H.H. Sivarama Swami: Public Program on the meaning of Ramnavami in Nagyvarad Romania (English/Romanian) Public Program on the meaning of Ramnavami in Nagyvarad Romania (English/Romanian) April 13th, 2011 [ 44:33 ] H.H. Sivarama Swami: Public Program on the meaning of Ramnavami in Nagyvarad Romania (English/Romanian)   • Email to a friend • •   ISKCON News.com: GBC Releases Statement Re: Umapati Dasa By Editor for ISKCON News on 13 Apr 2011 Mayapura, India, April 13---The GBC released a statement today officially dated Feb 28, 2011, regarding the status of Umapati Dasa.   • Email to a friend • •   Maddy Jean-claude Durr, New Govardhana, AU: Leading To Gaura Purnima and Sankirtana Saturday Thursday 17th, March 2011.             Thursday was an unusual day indeed.  We were called in for an emergency cooking spree, because Krsna Dasa and Manoj were off in France with Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu (the jam man).  Narottama and I rushed down to the kitchen and hurriedly made our humble offering.             I found myself roaming in the day, searching out the leftover students in Radhadesh.  I knocked on the Jenassens’ door, hoping to find Nimai.  Vinod Mataji gestured yonder and suggested they were all down at the gosala.  I was a little confused why but I went down to investigate.             I found Nimai, Kumari and Santusa.  They weren’t visiting the cows but were in the storage shed.  They were dragging out tall, bright vehicles; three mini rathayatra carts.  After quick inquiry, I found out that there was going to be a children’s drama and they were to utilize these strange vehicles.  I now found myself cooperating in the awkward task of escorting these constructs through the narrow labyrinth of the Guest House, with the final destination of the Community Hall.             After lunch, I was back at Nimai’s crib.  We had made some play-by-ear plans to pick up Partha Sarathi Prabhu in the afternoon and now we had to make sure they actually fell through.  We found ourselves in a last minute rush, bouncing around Radhadesh, on an epic quest to find the available vehicle.  We ran like the wind and made quick chat with many folk.  Finally we ended up with a huge nine seated transport van, although we were hoping for something smaller (and cheaper).             Partha Sarathi was already burning in the sankirtana fire when we picked him up.  While waiting for his hour train connection, in Brussels, he distributed books nonstop in the train station.  He sat with Nimai in the front seat, speaking Krsna katha, while I threw over little droplets of prajalpa from the back seat.  We made it back to the Castle and Partha did his usual rounds of the complex – encouraging the devotees wherever he saw them, mentally prepped everyone for Sankirtana Saturday.  Finally we retired to our illustrious abode to rest up for the days to come.   Friday 18th, March 2011.             It was the first time in a while that I could actually sit in on one of Partha’s morning classes.  Normally I was either in Vaibhava class or I was cooking the breakfast, hearing it all from the kitchen.  Partha filled his class with encouraging stories and fired everyone up to go out and spread Lord Caitanya’s mission.  He stuck to a point in the purport, about watering the root, and concluded that this was best done by spreading the mercy to the conditioned souls of Kali-Yuga.             We were prepping up for Sankirtana Saturday but it was also going to be Gaura Purnima tomorrow, which obviously needed some of our time and consideration.  In the morning we went to the forest and collected loads and loads of vines.  Santusa Mataji had asked us, on behalf of the altar decorating crew, to collect them so we could make the whole altar into Jharikanda forest.  We were barely in the forest and we had already collected enough vines to decorate all three alters, more than ample for our humble facilities. Before lunch, Nimai and I transported the abhiseka base, a large lotus-like construction, made of steal and fiberglass.  This was a perfect way to work up an appetite and a sweat.  We had our traditional lunch katha with Partha, like we did when he used to live in Radhadesh, delving through many topics, technical and esoteric.  Gopal Hari Prabhu was also present, which helped spice it up, adding some spiritual scholarly compliments to the mix.             After lunch we were off to the temple room.  Rick Prabhu gave us a whole load of decorations and small scaffolding; Naro and I were to decorate the temple room.  We spent a few hours sweating it out and putting all sorts of things up.  I was bouncing up and down the scaffolding like a chipmunk and Naro was throwing things up to me whenever I asked.  It reminded me of my job on power lines but it was all now for the service of the Lord.             I showered up (there is a fair bit of dust up there, tucked on top of those awnings) and came back for HH Prahladananda Swami’s class.  He was telling lovely stories of the Prabhupada days and book distribution.  One time he mentioned was when Srila Prabhupada sent him to open a center.  He arrived and found he was living in a park, with a sannyasi and his servant.  All the sannyasi would give them to eat was two chapatis (and some apple chutney).  They would cook chapatis all day and distribute them to hippies and then be rewarded at the end with only two.  Finally he was asked to join the Radha Damodara party instead and had to leave this other arrangement.  He made his way, with no money, to the town that the party was located.  He had no idea where they were and had to search them out.  Finally, when he found them, they gave him some prasadam.  He was a little confused when they gave him six chapatis and instructed him to eat them all, as he was conditioned to think that everyone in ISKCON must only be eating two chapatis (with some apple chutney).  Naturally he ate all the chapatis up, hungry from travelling and felt the mercy from Krsna in a new fashion.             We snuck off to bed after the class, happy and inspired by the enthusiasm of the early devotees, and the fact that we could eat a little more in our modern sankirtana movement.  Tomorrow was the appearance day of the Golden Avatar, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and tomorrow was yet another Sankirtana Saturday.  Lord Caitanya’s mood was being imbibed on his anniversary, and all the devotees were going to hit the streets, distributing a little more than just chapatis.   Read original post: [http://maddmonk.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/leading-to-gaura]       Subscribe: [http://maddmonk.wordpress.com/subscribe]   • Email to a friend • •   Toronto Sankirtan Team, CA: Softened hearts 2 weeks ago, we (Gaura Shakti Kirtan band) had the good fortune to assist Bhaktimarga Swami (www.thewalkingmonk.org) on a presentation of his world-famous "9 devotions of Bhakti Yoga" workshops in Hamilton, Ontario, at the Shanti Yoga studio. The workshop focuses on helping reacquaint newcomers to Bhakti with this ancient and timeless art and science of devotion to the supreme, explained in very easily understood language, covering the whole gamut. Bhaktimarga Swami takes care to very intelligently implement Prabhupada's "do not disturb or agitate" when presenting the science of Krishna consciousness. Some attendees were well-acquainted with the process of Bhakti Yoga already, others had been introduced to Bhakti Yoga elsewhere, but there were many who were completely new to all this. When interacting with those who may never have been exposed to Bhakti Yoga before, one has to be very very careful. The least one wants to do is to drive that individual even further from Bhakti, from awakening their dormant Krishna consciousness. However, the imperative necessity is that one can never dilute the philosophy or present half-truths. To most of us conditioned living entities, the truth sounds really really harsh, and we will do anything in our power to avoid hearing such truth, and if we hear it somehow, we may do our best to run away from accepting it, or from the person presenting such truth. But Bhaktimarga Swami's mastery over presenting this truth was self-evident, when at the end of the workshop, one lady, without being led in any overt manner to the books, spontaneously came up, offered a generous donation and took a copy of the Bhagavad Gita As Is Is home with her. Her heart had been softened by attending the workshop and she could sense that if this beautiful human being, this monk, who is so strict in his practice, can be so kind and loving to strangers, and if he lives his life by the principles in that book, then there is something really valuable inside that book. And when this idea was presented to Bhaktimarga Swami, what did he say? He said "Oh, all those people were so kind and generous, they just opened their hearts, and I had to do nothing". And one could tell he meant it!   • Email to a friend • •   Toronto Sankirtan Team, CA: Jaipur - Vrndavan away from Vrndavan I had not been out on street for a few days and we had been fasting all day for Lord Ramcandra's appearance. So mind was at it's 'uncontrolled' best but somehow Krishna helped and a nice lady stopped. She had almost gone into the subway but she stopped and turned back to speak. She was from Jaipur and we started talking about Govinda dev, Govindaji - the main dieties from Jaipur that are actually dieties from Vrindavan that were moved there. So I showed her the Bhagavad gita and explained about Lord Ram's appearance day. She said she already knows everything about Gita and I then handed over the Isopanishad saying "I am sorry i under estimated you. You should read the Upanishads." I invited her to our temple and so she took it feeling happy that she was getting it on Lord Ramcandra's appearance day.   • Email to a friend • •   Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: The Incredible Shrinking City Click here to read the full debate from the New York Times Census data released last week showed that Detroit's population had plunged 25 percent over the last decade. From 2000 to 2010, 237,500 people left the city, which from 1920 to 1950 was the fourth largest in the country. Although Detroit's numbers are startling, a shrinking city is not a new phenomenon; indeed the loss of population is a fairly common trend in the once-thriving industrial cities in the Midwest. But as swaths of city neighborhoods turn into vacant land, what can done about them? Are there ways to bring them back to life?   • Email to a friend • •   Mayapur Online: Sri Rama Navami Festival in Mayapur “So Ramacandra’s life, God’s activities, pastimes, if we hear, that means we are associating with Ramacandra. There is no difference between His form, His name, His pastimes, and Himself. He’s absolute. Therefore either you chant the holy name of Rama or you see the deity of Rama or you talk of His pastimes transcendental pastimes, everything, that means you are associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. read more   • Email to a friend • •   Gouranga TV: Gaura Purnima 2011 Sri Vrindavan Dham Gaura Purnima 2011 Sri Vrindavan Dham Gouranga TV: Gaura Purnima 2011 Sri Vrindavan Dham Link: http://gouranga.tv/?p=2585   • Email to a friend • •   Japa Group: He Chants As A Watchman He chants as a watchman does his rounds, guarding the property, happy in his duties, guarding to make sure his voice utters only the name. And with his watchman’s searchlight he constantly pierces into the darkness of the wandering mind. As a watchman, he does his rounds. From Japa Reform Notebook by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami   • Email to a friend • • More Recent Articles H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – NOD Ch 34- Lord Rama’s App. Day- No One Cries When Dhruva Dies H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 4.7 Lord Rama’s App. Day- Sunday Feast- The Chicken The Better Scientist H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – Lord Rama’s App. Day- Understanding The Mellows Of Ramayan ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Candrasekhara Prabhu

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