"Planet ISKCON" - 32 new articles
H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Thursday 27 January 2011--Deep Sea Diving for the Ultimate Pearl--and--Who Pleases Lord Krishna the Most?A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(tm) Thursday 27 January 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. 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: Deep Sea Diving for the Ultimate Pearl Uploaded from Bhaktivedanta Ashram--Austin, Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA Texas USA What could be more ecstatic than diving deeply every day in the ocean of bhakti for the ultimate pearl of Krishna prema (pure love of Krishna)? The real purpose of our existence is to become more and more realized in our eternal loving relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of everything. We are not meant to remain selfish egotists forever battling it out in this material world on the conveyor belt of birth, death, old age, and disease. We are meant instead to be pure lovers of the Personality of Godhead relishing ever-increasingly ambrosial nectar in His ever-enlivening divine association. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Who Pleases Lord Krishna the Most? Our total existence consists of soul-spirit, intellect, mind (conscious and sub-conscious mind) and body. We also have money and materials. Let us see five types of mutually exclusive devotees as under: 1. He chants at least 64 rounds of mahamantra, which is basically a spiritual activity. 2. He does Bhagavad-gita preaching, after intense study. This is obviously an intellectual activity. 3. He manages the temple finance and accounts, which is primarily a mental activity. 4. He develops and maintains the temple garden, which is mainly a physical activity. 5. He offers a major donation for an upcoming temple, which is only a financial activity. These persons are either not interested or capable to do any other activity than the said activity. Who pleases Lord Krishna the most of these five persons? Mukesh Doshi Answer: Whoever Loves Krishna the Most? Whoever has more love for Krishna will please the Lord the most. In other words, it is the quality of one's service that is important, not the particular type of service. 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 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 •  •H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Wednesday 26 January 2011--Getting Ready for Our Next Lecture Tour--and--How to Make Guru's Order One's Life and Soul?A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(TM) Wednesday 26 January 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. 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: Getting Ready for Our Next Lecture Tour Uploaded from Bhaktivedanta Ashram--Austin, Texas USA We are back for an eight weeks break at our home base in Austin, Texas. There will be a Srimad Bhagavatam class every day from 7 am until 8 am. Plus there is a wonderful Sunday Love Feast program every Sunday afternoon starting at 4:30 pm, which includes ecstatic kirtan (congregational mantra meditation), a traditional arati worship ceremony, a Bhagavad-gita lecture, and delicious vegetarian feast of Krishna prasadam. Everyone is invited to attend our programs at 10700 Jonwood Way in Austin, Texas. Those outside of Austin can hear our lectures at: Link to High Definition Videos Link to Over 1,000 Lecture Audios We will be here until just after Gaura Purnima, the appearance day of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, departing on 26 March for Vrindavan, India. Our full schedule for 2011 is now posted at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/schedule We hope to meet you personally in 2011! Sankarshan Das Adhikari Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: How to Make Guru's Order One's Life and Soul? Everything I seem to hear or read about these days seem to focus on absolute dedication to the order of the spiritual master and performing devotional service according to his instruction and for his pleasure. The essence of spiritual life. Although I have so much to be grateful for still to have such single minded focus and heart felt dedication eludes me. What is required to make the instructions of the spiritual master ones life and soul? Thank you your servant Rukmini devi dasi Answer: Do Whatever He Says Dedication to guru's order is not theoretical. It is practical. So the answer to your question is very simple: Do whatever he says. 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 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
• Email to a friend • •H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami: 202“Drink! Drink! Drink!” The hospital nurse rose both her arms like a sankirtana dancer. Almost all doctors and nurses tell me to drink more water. The Muslim doctor said drink one and a half liters a day, but most of them say drink more than that. It is very important. There was a book, Your Body Is Crying for Water, which was extreme in the amount of water they said you should drink and the importance it is to your health. I usually don’t drink enough, according to the experts’ opinions. And swimming is also good for your health. But you have to be careful. Once I jumped with a group of big GBC men off a high steep embankment into the Ganges. Immediately, I was swept down the current and away from the shore. I panicked and began taking strokes back to the shore. I was breathing fast when I reached the bank and grabbed onto the shore. I climbed frantically up to shore. Once I dove into the Yamuna with good swimmers. The current was swift and carried us out into the middle. I kicked and stroked with all my strength to get back to the land. Rather than reach the land, I went under the bottom of a big metal pontoon. I got sucked under it, and couldn’t kick myself free. Finally I got loose and came up and out from the water. I was very afraid. Now I am more cautious about where I enter the water. Swimmers have drowned at Kaliya-ghat and similar places. Lord Caitanya liked to swim in the Ganges alone with Lord Nityananda. Once They were swimming and Lord Caitanya was shouting out, “I am He! I am He!” They reached the bank of a house where Advaita Acarya lived. Krishna played in the water with His cowherd friends. They would play sports and compete with each other and splash each other in the face. Krishna also played in the waer with the gopis and grabbed them like they were lotuses. When He was a small boy, Lord Caitanya used to duck under a brahmana who was saying his gayatri, and He would pull him down into the water. Many of these games had some element of mischief to them.
Krishna and His cowherd boys played in the water in a game of piggy-back. One boy would get on the shoulders of another boy and would pair off with another two boys. The boys would try to unseat the boys who were riding on the backs of the other boys and become the winners of the game. Writer has a pen in his hand. He rested in bed, and now he should have some zest for expression. The Colorado River cuts deeply into the Grand Canyon. The Amazon may be the longest. The Yamuna and the Ganges are holiest, because Krishna played in the Yamuna, and Lord Caitanya and Nityananda played in the Ganges. The Saraswati is holy, and it meets with other holy rivers for the Kumbha-mela. There’s the Krishna river, and those who know India know numerous rivers, all of which are considered holy. Then there are ponds, also called kundas, like Radha-kunda, Krishna-kunda, Brahma-kunda, the Sarovara (which is good for digestion as well as spiritual benefits). There are many holy mountains like Govardhana and the Himalayas. There’s Mount Kailash, which is the place of Lord Shiva. Outside of India there are mountains like Mount Shasta and Mount Rainier and many peaks in the Rockies chain, and the Appalachian Mountains in the east of the U.S. These are associated with the spirituality of the native Americans, and some of the mountains are very ancient. In western Europe the mighty Alps grow, and in South America there are long chains of tall mountains, and in the Far East of the planet there are many mountains also. The tallest mountain is Mount Everest in the Himalaya chain, and they are making it easier to reach the top. But it still takes great courage, stamina and physical condition to be able to ascend Mount Everest. Beyond the view of these mountains there are mountains on higher planets like Mount Meru, which is inconceivably tall by ordinary standards. You could never “conquer” Mount Meru by Everest methods. But there are hills on earth that one can climb to the top of in one day. Lord Brahma is the engineer of the material planets. He works under the direction of Krishna. Some of the mountains are volcanic, and from time to time they erupt, causing great destruction to the landscape and even the population. Earthquakes come frequently on earth, killing thousands of people and destroying buildings. Sometimes even Lord Brahma and Lord Krishna are impressed at the power of the material nature. In the spiritual world there is constant play of delightful elements which cause no harm. There is song and dance and play, and intimate exchanges between Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His intimate liberated parts and parcels. Three-quarters of the living beings exist in the spiritual world, and, roughly speaking, one-fourth exist in the material world. The living beings in the spiritual world stay with Krishna eternally. The conditioned souls live outside the spiritual world and transmigrate in birth, death, disease and old age in various species of life. The spiritual world is the goal of the living being. He or she wants to go there and render service to Krishna. From our material paraphernalia we cannot imagine how blissful and secure it is to live in the spiritual world, especially Goloka Vrndavana. The spiritual world is fully revealed or described in the Vedic literature, but most of the conditioned souls do not believe in it. They are covered by the modes of passion, goodness and ignorance by which they identify themselves with the material body, which is just a covering to the real self, the spirit-soul. It is a great misfortune for the conditioned souls that they live in ignorance and suffer the miseries of the material world. Krishna doesn’t want His parts and parcels to suffer. He comes to this world and teaches the absolute truth, the relationship of the free spirit with the Supreme. He teaches in person and in the Vedic literature. He sends His representatives here to teach and help people become enlightened and end their suffering and take up their real position. Those who know about Krishna have the responsibility to help spread Krishna consciousness. Sometimes, when we think about it, it seems as if the odds are very much against us because there are so many conditioned souls. But we should not be discouraged. Krishna will help us, and He can change the minds of the living beings to bring them to their enlightened stage. The chanting of Hare Krishna is the easy method to bring souls to their right condition, and those who know about it must tell others about it and fulfill their responsibility as servants of Krishna. • Email to a friend • •ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Evening Class - Srutakirti PrabhuEvening class given on Wednesday, 26th January 2011 • Email to a friend • •H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Tuesday, January 25th, 2011If I Was Trapped
 • Email to a friend • •Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Industrial Milk Offsets – A Way to Achieve Sustainable Cow ProtectionDraft Ver. 1.3 – Pancharatna dasa, November 13, 2010 There is no getting around it. For dairy farmers to be competitive in today’s market, practically every cow that enters their farm will leave for the slaughterhouse. Only by selling their newborn male calves and older cows (generally around 12 years old – with an average of 8 years left to their lives) to meat producers can they afford to sell milk at current market prices of about $1-2 per gallon wholesale. In a protected cow farm the cost per gallon of milk would be at least six times the cost of industrial milk (more later on how this is calculated) When we buy industrial milk we should always remember that the price we are paying has been subsidized by the blood of the cows that have produced that milk and their offspring. What is a devotee of Krishna to do? Of course, the best option would be to only purchase milk and milk products from protected cows. Unfortunately, this is rarely available today even if we are willing to pay the real cost. Another sensible solution is to simply become vegan and forego milk products altogether, except for what we need to offer to Sri Krishna and that daily cup of hot milk Srila Prabhupada recommends. Again, for a variety of reasons, many devotees find this option unsatisfactory. There is a third option — industrial milk offsets. These are just like the carbon offsets purchased by environmentally conscious consumers to offset the excess carbon produced by their regular consumption (driving a car, using electricity, etc.). The goal is to neutralize the negative effects of using carbon producing energy by supporting positive carbon reducing activities like planting trees, building windmills, etc. In the same way, devotees of Krishna can offset the disastrous effects of cow slaughter connected to the milk they purchase by contributing towards cow protection the amount they should have paid for those products had they been produced by protected cows. For example, a typical vegetarian family will consume nearly 3 gallons per week of milk in the form of both milk and milk products (yogurt, cheese, butter) with a weekly cost of about $20. If all those products were purchased from a protected cow farm, the cost would be nearly $70 (we’ll get to our calculations soon). So, to offset the negative effect of the meat industry’s subsidies, the difference of $50 (in cash or kind) is contributed to a cow protection development program. The industrial milk offsets system accomplishes two important goals. First industrial milk offsets can enable the development of a viable protected cow products market, by investing in protected cow farms which can replace the commercial products. Secondly, it prepares cow loving consumers to pay the real price of their treasured milk products as they become available from protected cow farms – without paying any more than they are already. Now for the calculations. Basically, to keep a guaranteed supply of milk a farm needs to breed one cow every year (well taken care of cows can give milk for several years, but the supply nearly always drops off after the first year). To keep this going the farm needs to maintain 20 animals altogether, breeding each cow no more than two calving cycles (we don’t want the herd to grow unmanageably). Statistically, 10 (50%) will be male, 4 (20%) will be milking cows in different years of lactation, 3 (15%) will be heifers, too young to breed and 3 (15%) will be retired cows. Altogether this family of cows is expected to give about 7 gallons of milk per day. Currently, in the New Raman Reti Farm in Florida, where I live, it costs about $1000 per year to take care of a cow. This includes hay, grains, minerals, veterinary care, worming, hoof trimming, pasture maintenance (fence repairs, water tanks, fertilization, mowing), tractor maintenance and diesel fuel. This does not include any carrying costs for the land required (about two acres per cow), capital costs for barns, etc., or any payment to the volunteers who look after them. A milking cow would require about $500 a year more for special feed, etc. So, altogether the cost of maintaining 20 cows and milking four of them, in NRR would be $22,000 per year which works out to be about $8.60 per gallon of milk. In a private farm, where the farmers are supporting themselves through protecting the cows and growing agricultural products, we have to add the land and infrastructure costs and the personal income needs of the farmer while subtracting the value of the manure and income from agricultural products (vegetables, etc.). This is a difficult number to estimate but at a minimum, we should calculate the labor cost at $30 per day for milking and looking after the herd. This adds an additional $4.30 per gallon or just under $13 per gallon total. This is assuming that the rest of the income requirements of the farm are met through agricultural products (products grown with ox power should also fetch a premium amongst the cow loving community). Naturally, there are many variables that can affect all of these costs. For example, abundant rain would offset the need for purchasing hay as would the growing of fodder crops with ox power. Still, the mathematics is inescapable. If it costs nearly $1 -2 per gallon (current wholesale prices) to produce industrial milk by using factory farming techniques and forgoing the care and protection of 90% of the cows involved than the real cost per gallon, if those same cows were protected, must be in the range of $12-$14 minimum. Of course, it’s a big step to go from paying an average of $3 to $12 per gallon or from $80 per month to $280 per month. Naturally, protected cow milk products are going to be more valuable and thus less consumed. That’s why, at our New Raman Reti Save the Cow program we recommend starting off contributing whatever you can (and cutting back on industrial dairy products where practical). Contributing to cow protection can, of course, take many forms including a vacation and spending time donating labor at a devotee farm with cows, educating others about milk offsets, etc. Just imagine if all the members of ISKCON were to adopt a policy of industrial milk offsets. Within a short time, there would be sufficient funding to invest in startup protected cow farms with an already primed and developed market for both their dairy and agricultural products at their real costs. Just as if everybody went carbon neutral by purchasing carbon offsets it could save our environment, purchasing industrial milk offsets is the most sustainable and progressive way at this time to expand cow protection. Filed under: Cows and Environment         • Email to a friend • •Krishna-kripa das, Mayapura: Travel Journal#6.24: Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Albany, GainesvilleDiary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 6, No. 24
By Krishna-kripa das (December 2010, part two)
Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Albany, Gainesville (Sent from Gainesville, Florida, on January 25, 2011) Where I Went and What I Did For the Christmas break, I decided to attend the Vyasa Puja (appearance day [birthday] ceremony) for my initiating guru, Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, which was held in Govinda's Restaurant in Philadelphia. We also did two harinamas there in Philly, including a spontaneous additional one happening because the enthusiasm of the devotees. On Sunday in Philadelphia temple, they celebrated Gita Jayanti, and devotees shared realizations about Bhagavad-gita. My Godbrother, Caitanya-candrodaya Prabhu, who was visiting from Ireland, had rented a car, and after Vyasa Puja, we drove to New York, where we did harinama and saw the Hare Krishna tree in Tompkins Square Park and original Hare Krishna temple site at 26 Second Avenue. Next we drove to Boston, where Niranjana Swami, who originally invited me to live in the New York temple back in 1979, was doing an evening program with lots of chanting. The next day, Caitanya Mangala Prabhu (Charles Sullivan), a longtime Boston resident and a Facebook-friend of Caitanya-candrodaya, took us on a tour of where the Jaladuta, the boat Srila Prabhupada came to America, originally landed at Commonwealth Pier, and where Srila Prabhupada wrote a beautiful poem about his mission of distributing Krishna consciousness in America. We also saw the sites of the two previous Hare Krishna temples in Boston and the famed universities, Harvard and MIT. I brought my harmonium, and we chanted a little at every place. Next we went on to Albany where I stayed with my relatives for Christmas, and Caitanya-candrodaya stayed with Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami and his health care assistants. After Christmas, I returned to New York to do harinama and to attend two more programs with Niranjana Swami. The roads were so snowy on the trip there, Caitanya-candrodaya abandoned the attempt to drive me and put me on the train at Hudson, a train delayed three times because complications arising from the snow. On New Years Eve, I returned to Gainesville hoping to go on harinama with a lot of my friends, but at least was able to go to on harinama with a few of my friends. I thought more people realized how great a day New Years Eve is for harinama. People are in a jolly mood and are much more willing to participate. The holiday spirit, and probably the alcoholic spirits, break down barriers. I share lots of great realizations from Niranjana Swami, and some as well as from other devotees. Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami Vyasa-Puja Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami spoke nicely to a group of perhaps twenty-five or so followers on the second floor of Govinda's Restaurant on December 18. I recall a greater attendance in 2008 when I was there. In 2009, I was in Mayapur. This year some devotees came from Gitanagari, Boston, and Queens, but I was the only one from Florida. He told the story of his buying the three volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam personally from Srila Prabhupada, and how Srila Prabhupada was later pleased when he inquired about Srila Vyasadeva's despondency after writing so many Vedic literatures. He also told how because he was a typist for Srila Prabhupada, he heard all the Bhagavatam stories before the other devotees, and he would eagerly sharing them when he gave class. Once, in Srila Prabhupada's presence, he was telling how Krishna would feed the monkeys so much butter they could not eat any more, then He would tell His mother that her butter was no good and that even the monkeys would not eat it. He was surprised to see the broad smiles of all the devotees, until he turned and saw Srila Prabhupada's oceanic smile. After the Vyasa Puja lecture, there was only time for four offerings, one each by Haryasva, Haridas, Bhakti Rasa, and myself. I said I was impressed that during the week I visited him he was always sitting in his chair at 2:30 a.m. chanting on his beads, despite the infirmaties of old age and his chronic headache condition, showing by his example that importance of that instruction. Also I was amazed that he took half an hour out of his afternoon to talk with my relatives, although they do not have a serious interest in Krishna consciousness. Bhakti Rasa read a couple nice poems accompanied by music. Despite Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami's physical challenges he delivered a good talk and participated in the kirtana later, and took prasadam with the devotees. An audio recording of the lecture is on his web page at:
I decided to try for a harinama the night before the Vyasa Puja ceremony we had for Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. I was very happy that five of my godbrothers came out along with three Philadelphia devotees making a party nine strong. Caitanya Candrodaya, Bhakti Rasa Prabhu, and I had chanted together for three days in Newcastle, England, in June, and it was nice to be together in a new place. Mother Anindita, the Philly temple secretary, made cookies for us to distribute, and although there were not so many people on the streets and we did not stay out more than an hour because of the cold and some people liking to take rest early, still we distributed over sixty of them. I would tell the people we were giving out cookies for Christmas, which made it is easier to distribute them. Many people happy to see the devotees, especially the young people. Haryasva Prabhu, the manager of Govinda’s restaurant, who I remember being the most enthusiastic of the brahmacari dancers when I lived in the Philly temple in the mid-1980s, was very happy to be out on harinama again. I hope he will come out more often in the future. Ganga dd, although she could not come as she usually does, kindly lent me her car so I could take the instruments and devotees from the temple downtown for the event. Amazing for me was that we did another harinama the next day, after the Vyasa Puja event. This time we had eight devotees, four devotees from the previous day, including Navin Shyam Prabhu who would chant with me every week at University of Florida in Gainesville while working on his masters degree and in Nabadwip while doing bhakti-sastri. Amit, who also came out twice, is involved in our club at U. Penn., where he advised us to chant, as students had not yet completed finals and still populate the campus. Many of the students were happy to see us, although it was clear, that for many, it was their first encounter with devotees. We found a popular student hangout and chanted there for some time. Some of the students danced along with us. The devotees all were happy to go out chanting, although because of the cold, we did not stay out long. It is good to go out regularly just so the devotees remember how nice it is. In Philadelphia temple they have a buy-one-get-one-free sale on Bhagavad-gita to encourage people to buy Bhagavad-gitas as gifts in this Christmas season. From 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. a group of fifteen or so devotees chanted all the verses of the Gita in English. I came for the end of the eighteenth chapter. Gita Jayanti is always Ekadasi, and it is too hard to chant my extra japa quota and the Bhagavad-gita both. Sraddha dd asked me to give a class on the Gita. I shared key themes and favorite verses, but lost my notes, so I cannot share them. After that individual devotees spoke: Jahnava dd (formerly Janice from San Diego): If we speak Krishna-katha [words by and about Krishna], we will automatically speak words that are “truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others” as Krishna recommends in Bg. 17.15. Dr. Nair: “In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.” (Bg. 2.40) That devotion service is an eternal credit is a great solace. Bhakta Israel: Everything I was searching for was in Bhagavad-gita. What Krishna is saying is timeless. It is like Krishna is speaking to us now, just like he was speaking to Arjuna. Ganga Varuni dd: We all have our own battles in our lives. Our challenges are not as severe as Arjuna’s, to fight his relatives, but they nonetheless seem serious to us. We can choose to fight our own battles, and Krishna will support us. We just have to accept what Krishna said as he said it, and present it to others. We have to transcend ideas of political correctness. Bhaktin Saumya: People in general say as long as you do good, that is all that is required, hinting that worship of God is not necessary, but Krishna contradicts this in Bg. 9.30 when He says even if you do bad by accident, if you are fixed in the determination to please Him, you are still a saint. In fact, he says that such a person quickly becomes righteous. Bhakta Aravind: There are so many ideas of dharma, if one studied them to find the ultimate one, he would be confused. Krishna makes it clear what is the dharma. For Christmas, I brought my relatives doughnuts from the Hare Krishna-owned Doughnut Plant in Manhattan, Wonder Bars (Krishna.com's line of prasadam fruit-nut bars), and a few Krishna related books: The Hidden Glory of India, Diary of a Traveling Preacher, Prabhupada Nectar, and The Twenty-six Qualities of a Devotee. I also made prasadam waffles with strawberry sauce for breakfast on Christmas dayt. My sister, and her friend, Victor, gave me socks and gloves, which really came in handy for my harinamas the next week in New York. My mother gave me dried figs, one of my favorite treats. Because of burning out on my relatives habit of tasting things I am cooking before they are offered to Krishna, I finally took the trouble of explaining to my mother that our desire to enjoy things without offering them to the Lord is the root cause of our residing in the material world, where people put their own selfish desires in the center. Until we perfectly understand that the Lord is the enjoyer of all our activities, we have to accept birth after birth in this world, and miss attaining the kingdom of God. Tasting the unoffered food, therefore, although appearing to be a minor detail, is a symptom of a philosophical misunderstanding, one so severe that it prevents our entry into the spiritual world, a place where all the residents agree that the Lord is the original enjoyer of all our offerings. It was a little heavy, but I was glad I said, even if only from the philosophical point of view, so she could understood why it bothers me so much. I only make such points every few years, otherwise it would create too much tension. I distributed prasadam twice at the Quaker meetinghouse in Albany (coconut sweets and oatmeal cookies), and I played a wise man from the East in the Christmas drama. I found they sing hymns the last Sunday in the month, for the half hour prior to their hour of silence, a new feature not present in my youth, and one more consistent with the Vedic idea of the best dharma being the congregational glorification of the Lord. I spoke briefly in the meeting about the universality of chanting the glories of the Lord and how we can experience that it brings spiritual pleasure to the soul. I recalled that the Christmas caroling that we did in my Quaker youth was a joyful experience, and mentioned how I like the Hare Krishna practice of singing morning, noon, and evening. I praised the Quakers for increasing the glorification of the Lord in their service by adding the half hour of singing monthly. The singers in the meeting were especially happy with my words and my presence. New York Harinamas and the Book Marathon I emailed the devotees who came on our October harinama in Tompkins Square Park, and told them I would be in New York on the Monday before Christmas and would like to do harinama. We settled on 5:00 p.m., which turned out to be the time we arrived from Philadelphia. Mother Ekayani and Bhaktin Michaelle agreed to come. While putting our belonging in the ashram, we met Ananda Vidya Prabhu, who had just come back from selling over twenty Bhagavad-gitas and other books at the subway stations. He decided to come with us and bring some Chant and Be Happy books to distribute. We chanted to Tompkins Square Park, as my friend, Caitanya-candrodaya Prabhu, who was visiting from Europe had never been to that place with its sacred Hare Krishna tree, where Srila Prabhupada and his devotees began chanting regularly in October of 1966. I was surprised to see that in New York the parks are open to midnight, while in London they close at dusk. Just as we got to the park, a lady donated to us six bags of dried fruit and nuts. After visiting the park, which was not very crowded, we went toward St. Marks Square. At one point a girl, who was hanging out with some friends, yelled at us from across the street, “You guys sound great.” And she and her friends, some guys and girls, danced with the devotees for some time. Michaelle, in particular, swung some of the girls around in circles. At one point, my hands were too cold to play the instruments, so Ananda Vidya took over, and I distributed books. Somehow I ended up distributing four books for five dollars. I had a desire to distribute some books during the Prabhupada Christmas marathon, but I never actually got around to do it, but by the mercy of Krishna and Ananda Vidya, I did participate in the marathon after all. For me, the best experience was when I saw a cab driver waiting at a stop light. While looking at the devotees chanting and dancing, he smiled brilliantly. I approached him, saying that the book explained what we were doing, and he took it and gave a three dollar donation. One math major at NYU was intrigued with the harmonium, and we let him jam with it for a while. He liked the Beatles and was eager to get the Chant and Be Happy. Everyone had a great time on the harinama which lasted for two hours, and Michaelle told me she was so inspired she is thinking of organizing some more herself. The week after Christmas, I did five harinamas in New York City, a place where there are always people on the street. My favorite day was when I did two harinamas in one day, went out on book distribution, and attended a kirtana and lecture by Niranjana Swami, one of my main instructing spiritual masters. Let me tell you about it: The classes in the Bhakti Center were all about distributing Srila Prabhupada's books, and many devotees were going out for five or six hours a day. Even new devotees, like Rasaraja Prabhu, who has not been initiated even a year, were regularly distributing twenty softbound Bhagavad-gitas. The enthusiasm was so great, even I decided to go out for one hour one day, although I usually do such a bad job, I do not like to go out. I ended up staying out almost an hour and a half, and I distributed four Perfection of Yogas, two in English and two in Spanish. I did enjoy trying to convince the people about the literature, although just a few took it, and then, just the smallest books. I met one sincere person who was looking for such literature, and that was a special bonus. Immediately, upon returning from book distribution, we did a harinama for almost an hour, just before Niranjana Swami's evening program. Later, during the prasadam after his lecture, one girl told us she received the email about the program but forgot all about it until she us chanting at St. Marks Place! Niranjana Swami led kirtana for almost two hours and also talked about perfecting our chanting of the holy names. Devotees were so enthusiastic from the program that seven of us went out on an hour-long harinama after prasadam which concluded the program at 9:45 p.m! One devotee in the party had a shirt with the whole mantra printed on the back, and one of the ladies in the party encouraged a favorable group of people walking behind us to sing along with the mantra and so they did! Bhakta Alex attempted to distribute a book to almost everyone he met. Bhaktin Ika took some pictures and put them on Facebook:
Jagadish Chaitanya, Bhaktin Ika Danielson, Bhaktin Michaelle Kalinowski, and Krishna-kripa Das Three friends and I had a great time doing harinama New Year's Eve in Gainesville. As soon as we started, three girls wanted us to sing for their New Years video, and so we did. We invited them to dance along, and one of them did. Then we gave them mantra cards, and the one who danced, sang the response for ten minutes. Two guys came by, and she gave mantra cards to the guys and told them to sing along. When they asked about who we were, she excitedly told them about our Krishna lunch program. Everyone was in a joy mood the whole evening, and many uttered names from the mantra and danced. Adi Karta Prabhu came out with his accordion and amplifier and really added a lot to the party. New Years Eve one of the best days for harinama because people are in a jolly, festive mood. I hope I can convince more of my Gainesville friends to come out next year! Insights from Lectures
program at Bhakti Center in New York: It is beneficial to talk about our purposes in chanting in order to keep them mind. Prabodhananda Saravati likens the senses to serpents but says that the effect of mercy of Lord Caitanya, the chanting of Hare Krishna, is to break the fangs of these serpents. Srila Prabhupada would quote the verse that says devotion, direct experience of the Supreme, and detachment occur naturally as a result of bhakti, just as pleasure, nourishment, and freedom from hunger come with each bite of food. You do not have to ask anyone, “Is my hunger going away?” Srila Prabhupada explained the importance of using analogies by using the analogy of seeing the moon moving through the branches of the tree. Chanting Hare Krishna is pleasurable, but we must understand the ultimate goal, spiritual perfection. If we want the chanting of Hare Krishna to be at the center of our lives, we must cultivate the state of consciousness advised by Lord Caitanya, one of humility and tolerance. If one wants to realize the ultimate benefit of chanting he must hear the truths about the holy name from the Vaishnavas. To get Lord Caitanya’s mercy we must chant without blaspheming any living entity. We must respect everyone. Piyari Mohan was telling me that Tamal Krishna Goswami asked Srila Prabhupada the difference between calling a spade a spade, faultfinding, and blaspheming. Srila Prabhupada said to say to you, “You are insignificant as a fig is calling a spade a spade. Faultfinders are like flies looking for filthiness while bees look for nectar. Blasphemers manage to find a fault when a person only has good qualities. from a New Jersey home program: Our dealings with others, devotees and nondevotees alike, affects our consciousness. We do not change hearts. We turn peoples’ attention toward Krishna, and He changes their hearts. Faith in the devotees, faith in the holy name, etc., are necessary to advance. Only the pure devotees can be peaceful because they have no material desire. As long as the two witches of bhukti (sense enjoyment) and mukti (liberation) are haunting us, we cannot taste the sweetness of devotional service. Visvavanatha Cakravati Thakura says it is essential to hear about the pastimes, instructions, and qualities of the Supreme Lord in the association of devotees from the beginning of sraddha to the end of Krishna prema. Faith is the only currency for purchasing the holy name. If we wish to distribute Krishna’s name, we must eager to offer the people's faith to Krishna. Lord Nityananda does not consider a person’s material qualifications but the presence of a little faith. Srila Prabhupada was also accepting just a little faith. In a lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.16, he told his disciples, “I have given you your faith.” Srila Prabhupada appeals in the Gita, if you can’t accept Krishna as the Supreme Lord, at least theoretically accept Krishna as the Supreme Lord. Srila Prabhupada’s selflessness awakened faith. His only aspiration was to awaken and to nurture faith. When Haridas Thakura heard the glories of Ananta Sesa from the snakebite physician, he went unconscious in spiritual ecstasy, thus increasing the faith those who witnessed him. The physician showed all respect to Haridas, understanding his spiritual position. Later an envious brahmana feigned ecstasy, rolling on the ground. The physician, understanding the pretense, hit the brahmana, who stopped his act and ran away. We should protect people’s faith by giving instruction and by our own proper action. Lord Caitanya says if one worships Me but neglects My servant, such worship cuts Me to pieces. If a sannyasi blasphemes an innocent person, he falls down, and his piety perishes. Lord Caitanya says, “I will personally deliver anyone who chants Krishna’s name and does not blaspheme others.” Speaking on the “sadhavah sadhu-bhusana” verse, Srila Prabhupada said, “A sadhu never does anything to provoke enmity in another.” Sometimes a people may become angry hearing a sadhu due to a material attachment, but the sadhu does not intend that. Jiva Goswami makes the point that because a kanistha-adhikari does not know how to respect others, he is useless as far as practical preaching work is concerned.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says one who proudly considers himself a Vaishava, a devotee of the Lord, yet is not merciful to others attains only the three-fold miseries but not devotional service. Q: Is staying at a certain stage too long detrimental in our devotional service?
Q (by me after the program): It seems to me that it would be best for me to do whatever will create faith in the greatest number of people.
That was a powerful statement. My computer was not powered up to record it at the time, but I recalled it two and a half weeks later, and wrote it down. I was thinking I had some faith to share, but he could see from his point of view, that I have to gain a lot more faith to really be able to benefit people, so that appears to be my direction for the coming year. Studies show that reading electronic books is 10% slower than reading ordinary books of paper, so that is more reason to buy books. Yajna Purusa Prabhu: When I did the marathon in Boston, seeing the happiness of Madhava, the head cook, who was cooking for the pleasure of the sankirtana devotees, really touched my heart and inspired me. There is nothing more inspirational than taking a break from sankirtana and reading Srila Prabhupada's Bhaktivedanta purports. Caitanya-candrodaya Prabhu: The Vedic idea is that religion comes before sense gratification and economic development, but in the west we think the sense enjoyment and economic development come before religion. You will never become pure if you use religion for your sense gratification. If we are not completely pure, we will not enter the Bhagavatam and the Bhagavatam will not enter our hearts. We encourage people to follow the regulations prohibiting sinful activity because it is required to attain a higher state of consciousness, not just because we like to repress people. I can understand I am falling away from dharma when I judge a devotee because of his past activities rather his desire to go back to Godhead. If we trust people, we empower people, and they go on to empower others. But if we do not trust people, we can end up disempowering them, or in other words, making them feel that they cannot represent Srila Prabhupada or Lord Krishna. You have to have faith in the association of devotees to attract others into that association. Srila Prabhupada gave only one lecture on the Tenth Canto and thousands of lectures on the others cantos. Knowledge is important for our conviction in spiritual life. You may experience a loss of taste at some point. That is very common, but if you are fixed in knowledge, you will continue and progress. "Jagannathastaka" was written by Sankaracarya. In puja we offer the five elements beginning with ether, with the blowing of the conch shell. Someone asked Jananivasa what substance the deities were made of, and he replied that it depends on what your heart is made of. If you are materialistic, the deity is made of material elements, but if you are spiritually realized, the deity is the fully spiritual Supreme Personality of Godhead. Merging into the brahman is a very bad deal. In the material world, at least we can offer something to Krishna, however imperfect it may be, and thus can have some relationship with Him, but that facility is not existing when one's consciousness is fixed brahman. Ether is not merely the three-dimensions of space that we know. You have to be very advanced in self-realization to explain Mayavada philosophy without becoming contaminated by it. If you understand the limitations of sense perception and interference, it will change your life forever. The “Bhisma Parva,” consists of the instructions of Bhimadeva, is the largest section of the Mahabharata. Bhisma makes the point that a logician can always be defeated by a greater logician, and thus logic cannot reach the ultimate truth. Therefore we have to accept knowledge from authorities who have direct experience of the truth. Dualities, such as that which we want and that which we do not want, are so natural it is difficult to imagine a state that is beyond dualities. We must follow a path that can give us a realization of transcendence. Attaining peace is an initial result of a spiritual practice. Kaustuba Prabhu: Tolerance is a qualification necessary for spiritual understanding. To give up family, possessions, enjoyments, etc. is easier than giving up one’s false conception of himself. One has to pray really hard to enter into the association of the Lord within in the heart, and being alone on sankirtana [distribution of Srila Prabhupada's books] is a great opportunity to be inspired to do that. If you are fortunate, you can bring people into that association with the Lord, and benefit them. In Vrndavana on parikrama, some children were teasing us and causing commotion, and some of the devotees were agitated. Mother Srimati asked us not to be disturbed saying, “They are just testing our determination to hear.” We did as she said and soon after the children left us alone. When I was preparing to go on book distribution, I would prepare like an athlete preparing for a big game or a priest preparing for a Vedic ritual. If your mind is well prepared, entering into the arena of book distribution is an exhilarating experience. Gadadhara Pandit: We must become free from the disease of material contamination to taste the nectar of Krishna consciousness. If we are able act ideally with the devotees in our association, then and only then, can we have an impact on society. Lord Siva showed ideal Vaishnava behavior in the arena of the Daksa sacrifice by tolerating being insulted in an assembly of all the most important people in the universe. Sometimes we dream that we will attain a situation where there are no provoking situations, but that is not a reality. Even if you become a leader or a guru, Krishna will send just the right person to help you remove the last traces of your material attachments. How to please the Lord? It is simple. We do not have to be an intellectual to understand it. Just spread Krishna consciousness to others. Bhakta Mauricio: Disciple is based on the word discipline, and discipline is based on obedience. Our claim to be advanced has no meaning unless we are obedient to the guru. Radhanatha Swami makes the point that to think that you cannot do something is a manifestation of false pride because it implies that when you do something which you think you can do, that you are thinking that you are the doer. If a pure devotee accepts what you are doing as [devotional] service, then it becomes [devotional] service. Notes Mauricio took on a class by Niranjana Swami: The force was the purity of Srila Prabhupada's desire. Not that he was yelling do it do it. There was nothing sweeter than the conviction that we were doing something for Srila Prabhupada. If I did not get that opportunity to push pass the limits of his body to do something to please Srila Prabhupada, I would have really missed out on something very valuable. Comments by Brahma-tirtha Prabhu: In the early days, there was no one who did not perform austerities. In retrospect, we could have done austerities more intelligently, but the austerities were good. We learned different things, like “never go out as Santa Claus in a Jewish community, especially if you look Jewish.” Karen [my sister, teacher of mindfulness]: Stop before resentment begins. ----- pātrāpātra-vicāra nāhi, nāhi sthānāsthāna
“In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity, the members of the Pañca-tattva distributed love of Godhead.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 7.23)  • Email to a friend • •Dandavats.com: First Varnasrama Regional Office opens in Sri Mayapur
On Thursday, January 20, 2011, the ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry (IDVM) for India opened its first Regional Office in Sri Dham Mayapur during an official inauguration ceremony attended by a small group of devotees |
jueves, 27 de enero de 2011
Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: Industrial Milk Offsets – A Way to Achieve Sustainable Cow Protection
PLANET ISKCON
By Bhakti Raghava Swami
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