ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhakti Rasamrita Swami

PLANET ISKCON

 

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Here are the latest updates for   "Planet ISKCON" - 52 new articles H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Friday 6 May 2011--The Absolute Necessity of Initiation--and--Composition of Bodies in Spiritual World Dandavats.com: TOVP Donation list & Akshaya Tritiya: The Day of Giving Dandavats.com: Sponsorship details of Nrisimhadev App. day festival! Dandavats.com: Sri Sri Jagannath-Baladev-Subhadra Come To Live In Newly Donated Iskcon Centre In Tenali, Andhra Pradesh, India Dandavats.com: VIDEO: Initiation of B. College students by Kadamba Kanana Swami ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darshana H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 15.10 Sunday Feast- Why Walk To Hell When You Can Fly New Vrindavan, USA: Long-range Community Vision & Planning H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 15.5 Territorial Dogs H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 15.5 Sunday Feast- Frog Fumble H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 14.19 Transcending The Modes Of Material Nature H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 14.19 Direction Of Desire H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 13.26 Sunday Feast- The Loss Of A Movie Hero H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 13.26 Sunday Feast- Plastic Flowers In The Latrine H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 13.22 What Is Our Self Interest H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 11.36 Machine Gun Japa H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 10.11 The Weeds Of Our Hearts H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 10.10 Sunday Feast- A World Of Dis-Ease H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 10.10 Just Think Of Krsna H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 10.10 I Don’t Sew Garlands! H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 9.25 Sunday Feast- Demon’s Dream Vs. Vaikuntha Membership H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 9 Entire Chap 9 Overview H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 9 Entire Chap 9 Krishna’s Not At Fault H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.28 Gradual Elevation Through The Vedas H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.26 Merry Go Round Japa Group: Most Important Is To Always Chant H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Thursday, May 5th, 2011 Toronto Sankirtan Team, CA: I remember David Haslam, UK: Standardizing Training of New Devotees ISKCON News.com: Opening: North American Child Protection Office Director Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Review : The Jackson’s Store H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Wednesday, May 4th, 2011 H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.26 Backyard Ant ISKCON News.com: Akshaya Tritiya: The Day of Giving ISKCON News.com: New Prabhupada-book in Zulu ISKCON News.com: 2011 GBC Resolutions and Zonal Assignments ISKCON News.com: Prison Yoga Devadeva Mirel, Alachua, USA: Trend Alert! : Traditional Woods + Modern Nickel ISKCON News.com: Bhakti Tirtha Swami eBooks Have Arrived New Vrndavan, USA: May Newsletter H.H. Sivarama Swami: Tarit Krsna asks Akrura das, Gita Coaching: SIMPLE TEMPLE H.H. Devamrita Swami: When the Green Mango of Lifelong Practice Ripens Dandavats.com: Govindas (Dublin) Reviews: The banoffee pie and cheesecake are delicious! Akrura das, Gita Coaching: T-E-A-M Dandavats.com: WSN March 2011 - World Sankirtan Newsletter Mayapur Online: Juhlan Yatra 2011 - Preview ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Bhakti Rasamrita Swami Yoga of Ecology, Bhakta Chris, USA: Unnecessary Necessities Bhakta Chris, New York, USA: The Humble Musings Of The Manhattan Monk 5/5/11 Japa Group: New Improved Facebook Japa Group Gouranga TV: Harinama with Jayadev prabhu (Barnaul 2011) More Recent Articles Search Planet ISKCON Prior Mailing Archive H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Friday 6 May 2011--The Absolute Necessity of Initiation--and--Composition of Bodies in Spiritual World A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(tm) Friday 6 May 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: The Absolute Necessity of Initiation Uploaded from Bhaktivedanta Ashram--Austin, Texas USA Initiation means a solid commitment to follow the process of Krishna consciousness according to the authorized directions given in the Vedic literatures. In accordance with Vedic injunctions, it is a commitment to follow the bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession from Lord Sri Krishna. But can't God be approached directly without going through a spiritual master? We can surely approach Him directly through prayer and scriptural study. But as soon as we do that we discover that He is ordering us to become the devotee of His devotee in order to become His devotee. This is stated by Lord Krishna in the Adi Purana as follows: ye me bhakta-janh prtha na me bhakt ca te janh mad-bhaktnm ca ye bhakts te me bhakta-tam math My dear Arjuna, those who are My direct devotees are actually not My devotees, but those who are the devotees of My devotee are factually My devotees. Initiation is the most enlivening experience of being born again into your eternal transcendental existence. Our first birth is from our mother and father, but even animals get such a birth. To actually become a human being requires getting a second birth through the process of initiation. In this sublime rejuvenation of the immortal soul, the spiritual master becomes our eternal father and the Vedas become our mother. I was accepted as a disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami on 12 August 1971. This moment of my initiation was the turning point in my eternal existence that has restored me to who I actually am, the eternal servant of Krishna. If you would like to regain your actual identity, you also require to be initiated by the bona fide spiritual master coming in an unbroken line of disciplic succession from Lord Sri Krishna. Qualify yourself now for becoming initiated by chanting at least 16 rounds every day of the Hare Krishna mahamantra on japa beads, as well as strictly avoiding illicit sex, intoxication, meat eating, and gambling. Getting initiated will be the wisest decision you ever made in the vast sojourn of your eternal existence. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Two Spiritual Daughters Receive Pranam Mantra In Preparation for Initiation Kaunas, Lithuania--1 May 2011 http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Pranam.Mantra.JPG Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Composition of Bodies in Spiritual World My Dear Srila Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances to you First of all thanks a lot for guiding me in the right path. I have a question, kindly guide me. I understand that those living entities who reside on the sun planet have bodies made of fire. My question is: In spiritual world, what is the type of body possessed by the soul? Your humble servant S.K. Answer: Eternity, Knowledge, and Bliss Just as one cannot enter the fire unless he has a body made of fire, one cannot enter into Krishna's abode of eternity, knowledge, and bliss unless he has a spiritual body composed of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. This means that when a soul goes back to Godhead he regains his original body composed of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. 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 Sankarshan Das Adhikari on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SDASITE Thought for the Day on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Ultimate.Self.Realization 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 • • Dandavats.com: TOVP Donation list & Akshaya Tritiya: The Day of Giving By Vraja Vilasa das The TEMPLE OF THE VEDIC PLANETARIUM (TOVP) team thanks all our donors for their generous support. We are grateful for your commitment and spirit of giving. The capacity to donate online to the TOVP has been available for just a month, and already the response has been tremendous. Thank you for seizing upon this once-in-many-lifetime opportunity to construct such a magnificent and world changing temple

PLANET ISKCON

 

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Here are the latest updates for   "Planet ISKCON" - 40 new articles H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Thursday 5 May 2011--Dive into this Ocean of Bliss--and--Can God Create a Rock He Cannot Lift? New Vrindavan, USA: PALACE OF GOLD & PALACE ROSE GARDEN TO BE FEATURED ON CNN HEADLINE NEWS ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darshan H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Unfriendly White House Break In H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Transcendental Palmistry Japa Group: New Improved Facebook Japa Group Krishna-kripa das, Mayapura: Travel Journal#7.7: Tallahassee, Upstate New York, New York City Bhakta Chris, New York, USA: Your chance to support "Today We Have The Power" New Vrndavan, USA: Spring Cleaning Dandavats.com: Jhulan Yatra 2011 Dandavats.com: Bhakti Tirtha Swami eBooks Have Arrived / Subscribe to B.T. Swami’s Words of Wisdom Dandavats.com: Krishna Temple set to close on second temple site Dandavats.com: New Vrindaban’s Community Vision & Planning Team Dandavats.com: Govinda’s Buffet Looking for a Cook Dandavats.com: Birth, love, holiness - Birth in the Vedic culture Akrura das, Gita Coaching: HELPING PEOPLE SUCCEED ON THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 To Approach, To Approach, To Approach Krishna H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Marathon Of Book Disribution H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Lord & Enjoyer, That Is Just Natural H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 He Interested In Our Efforts To Please H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Distractions Given Up, Concentrate, Understand & Do For Krishna With Love H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 A Devotee Is Equipoised Due To Absorption In Krishna H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 6.47 Purfied Transcendental Experiences That Cleanse The Consciousness H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 6.5 Be Ready To Bruise Your False Ego H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011 H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Purify Intelligence Emotion & Serve With Love H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Artificial World Improvement H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 5.29 Aire Hare Krishna Crash H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): 300–Poem for May 4th H.H. Satsvarupa das Goswami (Ret.): OLD FRIENDS Akrura das, Gita Coaching: SIMPLE TEMPLE Subhavilasa das ACBSP, Toronto, CA: Toronto's Ajamila Das In the News in San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio Current) H.H. Sivarama Swami: Dhira Bhakta dasa, Gyongyosi Angel and B. Fernando ask questions H.H. Sivarama Swami: Remembering the appearance day of Gadadhara Pandita ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana Book Distribution News: One of the "fruits" of Grand Canyon SKP: Gouranga TV: (HD) Queensday Harinama Amsterdam 2011 Japa Group: Fixing On One Point Vraja Kishor, JP: Internal Purity? More Recent Articles Search Planet ISKCON Prior Mailing Archive H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Thursday 5 May 2011--Dive into this Ocean of Bliss--and--Can God Create a Rock He Cannot Lift? A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course(TM) Thursday 5 May 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: Dive into this Ocean of Bliss Uploaded from a boat on the Gulf of Finland Have you heard the news? We are celebrating like anything right now because the greatest victory in the history of the universe has now been won. Our greatest enemy, death, is now conquered. Come and dive with us into the ocean of immortal bliss and become deathless. You've got nothing to stop you except for your lack of faith. So throw off the shackles of faithlessness and dive into the ocean of bliss today. It's not difficult. All you have to do is unabashedly chant and dance the holy names of God along with us. You will taste the jubilation. Your eternal spiritual identity will be rejuvenated. Do not miss this greatest of all opportunities. Dive into this ocean of unlimited bliss right now. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Departure Kirtan--Riga, Latvia--May 3, 2011 http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Spring/Riga_Departure.JPG Answers According to the Vedic Version: Question: Can God Create a Rock He Cannot Lift? I have been asked two questions: 1.Can God create a rock that He can't lift? If God can't do this, then He isn't omnipotent, and if He can, then He still isn't omnipotent, because then there is something, that He can't do - i.e. lift the rock. 2.God is supposed to be omniscient (all-knowing), and humans supposedly have a free will. But how can humans have a free will, if God in advance knows what is going to happen? There can be no choice in any meaningful sense of the word, if there is only one possible outcome to each and every situation (that is the outcome that God has foreseen). When in the Srimad Bhagavatam He says that in the age of kali (Kali yuga) lots of bad thing are bound to happen how do we possess free will? A.M. Answer: Yes, and Then He Can Lift It The first question you have raised is one of the questions that is often used to express a classical issue known in philosophy as the omnipotence paradox. This paradox has vexed philosophers for many centuries. Wikipedia has defined it as follows: The omnipotence paradox is a family of related paradoxes addressing the question of whether the existence of an omnipotent entity is logically possible. The paradox states that if a being can perform any action, then it should be able to create a task it is unable to perform, and hence, it cannot perform all actions. Yet, on the other hand, if it cannot create a task it is unable to perform, then there exists something it cannot do. As long as one remains a mental speculator one will continue to be vexed by this paradox. But when one awakens to the transcendental self-realization plane the paradox evaporates. The answer is that there is an omnipotent entity who can do absolutely anything, even if it is logically impossible. What is the proof? Lord Sri Krishna has demonstrated such omnipotency in His transcendental pastimes. For example, being all-powerful there is no one that can bring Him under their control. But yet we see that Mother Yasoda was able to bring Him completely under her control when she bound Him with ropes. Your second question is also puzzling to the mental speculators. How can one truly have free will if God knows what he is going to do? In this connection one need only become aware that from the absolute perspective there is no such thing as past, present, or future. In other words, there is nothing you can do that you have not already done. Your free will is to decide whether you want to remain in the realm of relativity as a slave of birth, death, old age, and disease, or whether you want to be a liberated soul relishing an eternal life, full of bliss, and knowledge in the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually even though you are not aware of it, you are already in that transcendental existence. Now you simply must awaken from the dream of relativity and fully realize who you are and where you are by fully surrendering yourself to the Lord. 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 Sankarshan Das Adhikari on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SDASITE Thought for the Day on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Ultimate.Self.Realization 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 Vrindavan, USA: PALACE OF GOLD & PALACE ROSE GARDEN TO BE FEATURED ON CNN HEADLINE NEWS http://www.newvrindaban.com/newsevents/240-palace-of-gold-a-palace-rose-garden-to-be-featured-on-cnn-headline-news-.html New Vrindavan, USA: PALACE OF GOLD & PALACE ROSE GARDEN TO BE FEATURED ON CNN HEADLINE NEWS   This May and June, the Palace of Gold and the Palace Rose Garden will be featured on CNN Headline News.  The five-minute interview with Damodar dasa, Vice President of Guest Services in New Vrindaban Community, will air approximately 50 times in over 875,000 homes in the Pittsburgh, Laurel Highlands and Ohio Valley regions.  The interview was conducted by Comcast Newsmakers, whose guests include federal and state legislators, local elected officials and nonprofit organizations.  Comcast Newsmakers is seen on CNN Headline News by Comcast subscribers. “The Palace of Gold is being featured due its international and historical significance,” said Damodar.  “The Palace Rose Garden is being featured due to the extraordinary beauty of the rose varieties, as well as the fact that this garden blooms three times a year from June through September.”      Last year, the Palace of Gold received over 15,000 visitors from around the world.  “The Palace was a labor of love,” explained Damodar.  “It was built by young Hare Krishna devotees as an offering for their teacher or guru, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of the modern Hare Krishna movement.”     • Email to a friend • •   ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darshan "Whether you are a householder or a sannyasi, constantly chant 'Hari! Hari!'. Do not forget this chanting, whether you are in a happy condition or a distressful one. Just fill your lips with the hari-nama." (Sri Nama in Gitavali by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura) While taking darshana from The Lord and His associates, we should always remember that we are never seperated from Him as long as we keep taking shelter from His Holy Names. Pray to The Lord and ask Him to purify our desires...so that one day, all we desire is to be with Him while serving Him with the utmost love and affection.   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Unfriendly White House Break In H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Unfriendly White House Break In BG 7.25: I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My internal potency, and therefore they do not know that I am unborn and infallible. BG 7.25: Yo nunca Me les manifiesto a los necios y poco inteligentes. Para ellos estoy cubierto por Mi potencia interna, y, por lo tanto, ellos no saben que soy innaciente e infalible. BG 7.25: Je ne Me montre jamais aux sots ni aux insensés ; par Ma puissance interne [yoga-maya], Je suis pour eux voilé. Ce monde égaré ne Me connaît donc point, Moi le Non-né, l'Impérissable. BG 07.25 Unfriendly White House Break In 2004-05-22 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 7.25 Unfriendly White House Break In 2004-05-22 Radhadesh. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Unfriendly White House Break In   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity BG 7.25: I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My internal potency, and therefore they do not know that I am unborn and infallible. BG 7.25: Yo nunca Me les manifiesto a los necios y poco inteligentes. Para ellos estoy cubierto por Mi potencia interna, y, por lo tanto, ellos no saben que soy innaciente e infalible. BG 7.25: Je ne Me montre jamais aux sots ni aux insensés ; par Ma puissance interne [yoga-maya], Je suis pour eux voilé. Ce monde égaré ne Me connaît donc point, Moi le Non-né, l'Impérissable. BG 07.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity 1993-01-23 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 7.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity 1993-01-23 Radhadesh. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.25 Not Interest In Eternity Knowledge & Eternity   • Email to a friend • •   H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Transcendental Palmistry H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Transcendental Palmistry BG 7.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt. BG 7.1: La Suprema Personalidad de Dios dijo: Ahora oye, ¡oh, hijo de Pṛthā!, cómo mediante la práctica del yoga con plena conciencia de Mí, con la mente apegada a Mí, podrás conocerme por completo, libre de dudas. BG 7.1: Le Seigneur Bienheureux dit: Maintenant écoute, ô fils de Pṛthā. Voici de quelle manière, pleinement conscient de Moi dans la pratique du yoga, ton mental à Moi lié, tu Me connaîtras tout entier, sans plus le moindre doute. BG 07.01 Transcendental Palmistry 2004-10 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 7.1 Transcendental Palmistry 2004-10 Houston home program. H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – BG 7.1 Transcendental Palmistry   • Email to a friend • •   Japa Group: New Improved Facebook Japa Group Dear Facebook Japa Group members, Facebook is upgrading all old groups to a new format and unfortunately it could mean "The Japa Group" will be archived and all the members are lost. I have decided to create a new group simply called "Japa Group" and I am gradually adding all the current members from the old "The Japa Group". IMPORTANT: If you want to join as a new member, please visit http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_214059835280229 and click the join group button - this will save me alot of time as there is 2,500 members in the old group to be added. For those who were accidently added to the new group - please accept my apologies - you can visit at the above link and easily leave the group if you desire. The improved format has many new features including group chat and document sharing etc. NOTE: The new group does not affect http://japagroup.blogspot.com - this notice is ONLY for Facebook members. Yours in the service of Lord. RRD   • Email to a friend • •   Krishna-kripa das, Mayapura: Travel Journal#7.7: Tallahassee, Upstate New York, New York City Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 7, No. 7 By Krishna-kripa das (April 2011, part one) Tallahassee, Upstate New York, New York City (Sent from Amsterdam on May 4, 2011) Where I Was and What I Did I went to Tallahassee to attend the Gita class, the Ratha-yatra, a prison program, and a Sunday Feast. I think their Ratha-yatra was better than last year. Then, after a day in Gainesville, and a few words of farewell, I went to Albany, New York, via New York City, to make kofta balls, pakoras, and mango lassi for my sister’s fiftieth birthday, and then to Stuvyesant to see and serve Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami for a couple days. Then in New York City, I did harinamas, three hours a day, almost every day. While in the Bhakti Center in Manhattan, I took notes on inspiring lectures by Srila Prabhupada, Radhanath Swami, and some of the enthusiastic senior and junior devotees of the Bhakti Center, and I think you find a lot of great realizations among them. Itinerary Amsterdam: April 30–May 6 Rotterdam: May 6–8 Antwerp: May 8–11 Cologne: May 12–13? Munich: May 14–15 Simhacalam: May 16 Munich or Simhachalam: May 17 London: May 18–May 27 Birmingham:  May 27–30 Belfast: May 30–June 12 London: June 12 Stonehenge: June 21 Scandinavian Ratha-yatras: July 8–16 Prague Ratha-yatra?: mid July Lithuanian Festival?: last week in July Czech Padayatra?: usually 4th week in July Poland Woodstock: August 1–6 Croatian Harinama Tour: rest of August Kirtana-mela, Leipzig: August 29–September 4 Kharkov, Ukraine: September 6–beginning of Ukraine Festival Ukraine Festival: second full week of September Boston Ratha-yatra and Prabhupada festival: September 17–18 New York: September 19–23? Philadelphia Ratha-yatra: September 24–25 Albany: September 26–30? Florida, Arizona, Nevada: October–December Tallahassee Ratha-yatra In Tallahassee our Ratha-yatra is our participation in the Springtime Tallahassee parade. This year I surrendered a little more than usual by chopping potatoes for the feast and printing invitations to our lunch program and Bhagavad-gita class, if only at the last minute, so we would have them for the Ratha-yatra and the harinama afterwards. I took a city bus most of the way from the copy shop to the start of the parade, fearing I would be late, but I still got there in plenty of time. The great thing about Tallahassee is that the Ratha-yatra is just half the event. The rest is a harinama through a very crowded street festival. There were many policemen at that street festival, and although any one of them could have stopped our chanting party, none of them did. I felt that Lord Caitanya was really protecting us. After the parade, was the wonderful feast cooked by Daru Brahma Prabhu with help from Nama Kirtan Prabhu. I am always impressed by the taste, variety, and reliable of the prasadam at the event. Both the Ratha-yatra and harinama were better this year because Kaliyaphani Prabhu made sure the devotees stayed in lines and danced in an organized pattern. Just a little bit of organization goes a long way to making a better presentation. I felt Garuda Prabhu’s hand painted pictures of Krishna enhanced the beauty of the cart, but others felt they were too unorthodox. The funny thing for me was I just read the Ratha-yatra pastime in the Sri Caitanya-caritamrita that very morning, and amazingly enough, I happened to remember that pictures were one of the items decorating the original Ratha-yatra carts in Puri: “Everyone was astonished to see the decorations on the Ratha car. The car appeared to be newly made of gold, and it was as high as Mount Sumeru. The decorations included bright mirrors and hundreds and hundreds of camaras [white whisks made of yak tails]. On top of the car were a neat and clean canopy and a very beautiful flag. The car was also decorated with silken cloth and various pictures. Many brass bells, gongs and ankle bells rang.” (Cc. Madhya 13.19–21) One could argue that perhaps the pictures in Puri were smaller, relative to the size of the cart, and that we might adjust for next year, but the idea of pictures as decorations appears authorized according to Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami. I was surprised that some of the Florida State University students did not even know about Springtime Tallahassee, probably the largest parade in their city, until hearing about it from me. One such student was a girl who had come to my table and began attending our lunch program, having learned about it from me. She came to the parade, enjoyed watching it, and even joined with the devotee girls and danced in the harinama afterward, later telling me she had a great time. I sent her some videos of devotees dancing on harinama which she also liked. Although we, as devotees, know many varieties of naturally enjoyable devotional activities, so few people take up our invitations to try them. I felt happy that on my last visit to Tallahassee this spring, at least one student accepted my invitation to participate in our Ratha-yatra and thus got to taste another level of transcendental happiness. Farewell Gainesville Although I spent one day in Gainesville in April, I think I should say a few words of appreciation for Kalakantha Prabhu and the devotees there. Gainesville is my official home, and I stayed there about two months this cold season. Just since December at least five new devotees have begun chanting japa and regularly attending programs, and it is just so very inspiring to see. Almost everyone has a really great service attitude, and there is a lot of attraction to kirtana. One day the last week I was there 28 devotees came to their mangala-arati [morning service], and another day I counted 15 devotees at the evening chanting. I remember, perhaps eight years ago, when only two or three attended the morning program, and I could not convince anyone to chant with me in the evening. I want to thank Kalakantha Prabhu, his wife, Mother Jitamrita, the director of the lunch program, Hanan, and the director of the academic program, Mother Ali Krishna, and the many assisting devotees, for all the work they have done to maintain and expand the program in recent years. As last year, several devotees from the Krishna House program took initiation this April. It is so inspiring to see Krishna consciousness expanding in America. Keep up the good work. New York Harinamas Almost every day we did three hours of harinama in New York City. For a period of three consecutive days we had six devotees chanting each day. One of those days was extra special. One devotee said it reminded him of his days as a brahmacari [celibate monk doing fulltime service]. One lady said it was the best sound she had heard in a while. She gave a $5 donation and then another $5 when I gave her a Gita. She works as a DJ and wanted to get some of our music to play. One man who was listening for some time said that he regularly came to our restaurant on 55th Street back in 1980, and mentioned he had not seen us around recently. Many people stopped and took pictures. Bhakta Dan Bellen is one of the most enthusiastic devotees I know as far as harinama is concerned. He is almost always ready to go out. I found out that he returned to New York from Vrindavana, after five months in Aindra Prabhu’s 24-hour kirtana party, on the very same day I returned to New York from wintering in Florida and Arizona. I suggested we do a harinama at 7:30 p.m., a good two and a half hours afterward his flight arrived, to give him time to take prasadam and have a nap, but he was delayed and arrived from the airport at 7:30 p.m. He was so enthusiastic about harinama that he went out with me and a couple others on harinama for an hour and a half, after a 16-hour flight spanning ten and a half time zones, without having a bite to eat or a nap. That really blew my mind! It is rare to see such dedication to harinama! I noticed that there is a possibility that if we do harinama leaving the Bhakti Center after their Sunday feast program, there is a chance of getting their congregational members, who do not often have opportunities to do harinama, to come join us. The first week we had sixteen devotees and then the second week, ten devotees, on that Sunday afternoon harinama program, and I am hoping they can maintain it in my absence. Visiting Satsvarupa Das Goswami During my two-day stay I found Satsvarupa Das Goswami to be in much stronger health than after his December bout with pneumonia, but not quite as strong as before that. He used to walk three laps around the neighbor’s backyard and now just does two and is quite tired afterwards. He is very excited about his present writing project, an autobiography. He told me he took inspiration from Mark Twain’s biography, which had just recently come out, since his will stipulated it be published one hundred years after his death. Mark Twain had difficulty with the standard cradle to grave telling of one’s life and had thus developed another strategy: write what you feel inspired to say about your life, and when that inspiration wanes, write about something else, and beyond that, also include some material from the present, interspersed throughout the whole work. Thus Satsvarupa Maharaja is writing his autobiography a little each day, in the way Mark Twain suggested. Narayana Kavaca Prabhu, who is on the sannyasa list, feels I should also be on the sannyasa list, since my lifestyle resembles that of a sannyasi to a certain extent, and thus he asked Satsvarupa Das Goswami what he thought about that. He said that he thought it was a good idea. I am planning to write a couple of my siksa gurus about that, but I have procrastinated doing that so far. In at least a couple ways, I do not think I am mature enough to be a sannyasi. And not even considering those ways, I am sure sannyasa would be a mixed blessing, like everything else in the material world. Bhakti Rasamrita Swami made the point at the European brahmacari conference that sannyasa is more something that is conferred upon one and not sought after. Srila Prabhupada’s example was not to rush into sannyasa [although he was supremely qualified], even when his guru appeared several times in dreams. Narayana Kavaca Prabhu kindly also made sure had appropriate luggage for traveling and a camera, as my previous one died. When I visit Satsvarupa Das Goswami, his servant Baladeva Prabhu cooks, and I do the dishes, which suits both of us just fine. I also get to serve Maharaja his meals and read to him while he eats, and go on with him on his walks. My Sister Karen’s Fiftieth Birthday Party I decided to make whatever my sister liked for her fiftieth birthday, and she chose kofta balls, eggplant and broccoli pakoras, and mango lassi. When I cook I always play the Badahari CDs which I gave her because she likes mellow music. I also included in the meal some spinach and panir [fresh cheese] which I know she likes and which I engaged Baladeva Prabhu, my guru’s cook, in making. Cooking at my relatives is always a test of my patience. You have to worry about cats jumping on the table and snuggling against your leg, and you always have to warn your helpers not to taste anything before it is offered, even though after twenty-nine years you think they should know by now. Karen, a mental health counselor, had clients the whole day and did not return till almost 8:30 p.m. She was happy dinner was ready on time, perhaps the first time ever. I suggested that if dinnertime was always 8:30 p.m. then dinner would probably be on time more often. People liked everything, but Baladeva Prabhu’s spinach dish was clearly superior. I am just not so expert in spicing everything that it comes out first-class. Sweets are the only thing I am good at. My family appreciated my meal and my coming home, and I always appreciate sharing prasadam, one of Srila Prabhupada’s most accessible gifts to humanity. Insights from Lectures Srila Prabhupada: Second birth is from the spiritual master who is the father and the Vedic knowledge who is the mother. Brahmanas do not charge anything for teaching, but they can accept charity. Similarly we do not charge anything. Students would beg door-to-door and give the result to the guru. If one does not understand Krishna, one’s education is useless. Scientists are all sudras, and therefore they accept one teaching for sometime, and then they realize it is useless, discard it, and accept something else. Everything is there in Bhagavad-gita. We just have to accept it as it is, and then this world will become like Vaikuntha, the spiritual world. Without cow’s milk there is no civilization. You will not have the thinking capacity for having higher knowledge. Just a pound [two cups] or even half a pound [one cup] of milk is sufficient. Now they are interested in dog protection. They are willing to spend millions of dollars for dog protection, but they have no interest in cow protection. Lord Caitanya wanted everyone to become guru—a real guru, not a false guru. We require many millions of gurus to enlighten the masses of people. There is no need for education. We just repeat what Krishna has said. The instruction is already there. We just have to speak it. Radhanatha Swami [from a recorded lecture to ashram brahmacaris]: Srila Prabhupada would always tell us that no external force can stop the sankirtana movement. But when there is disunity among the devotees within the movement, that is the greatest disturbance and the only impediment. The most important thing is to strive for purification by following the four rules and chanting Hare Krishna daily. Without this, even if we are very nice to each other, there will be no spiritual potency. We must follow Lord Caitanya’s teachings, headed by humility and tolerence. If one has these qualities, then will there be arguments over selfish details, which are 99% of all arguments? In this age of Kali, there is quarrel over the most trifling occurrence. Lord Caitanya, as the avatar for the age, has come to bring unity, purity, and love in place of quarrel and hypocrisy. To the degree that we want respect, we will become quarrelsome. And we will create enmity with others. The two greatest enemies are (1) not following the principles and chanting and (2) demanding respect. We should know each day maya will send us reasons to be proud and reasons to disrespect others. We must be ready to fight this. We should understand our spiritual relationships are much, much deeper than any superficial disagreements and thus we should not take such disagreements very seriously. If someone is treating us unfairly, we should consider it the mercy of God, and respond with love and respect. Thus Krishnadasa Kaviraja says we should wear this verse about humility and tolerance around our necks, strung by the thread of the holy name, and if we do that, the influence of the material energy can never overcome us, because the holy name brings us to the transcendental plane. The string keeps the necklace with you, and thus it is most important. Generally most quarrels are based on misunderstanding. The advanced devotee knows this verse is the key to our success in chanting the holy name. If no one disrespected us we would not have the opportunity to practice humility. If no one causes us affliction, we would not have the opportunity to practice tolerance. Thus we should be grateful for such opportunities to practice Lord Caitanya’s most sacred instruction. When we come together to chant the glories of the Lord, we forget all our insignificant differences. The unity in the kirtana exposes our disunities as insignificant. Maya can thus make us more strong and empowered if we take shelter of this instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Do you understand how sacred our relationships are? We should not allow other things to separate us. Our serving our guru together and chanting together are so important they render all else as insignificant. If we neglect to practice this instruction, we do not only cheat ourselves of our own purification, but we cheat humanity of the opportunity to encounter the real spirituality that their lives require and which there are missing. We must address each other as Prabhu and not use nicknames to minimize each other. Living in an ashram is difficult because you always have to remember that you are the servant of the servant. If you are living alone, you can have any state of consciousness you want, but not if you live in an ashram. Thus for those who take is seriously, it is a great boon to live in the ashram. The programs are not ours. We are just assisting with them. Even if we are the leader, we are just assisting by playing the role of the leader. If people offer us respect, we should see that because I am serving my spiritual master, I getting respect. I am just collecting respect on his behalf. When go out the people may respect us as God’s respresentative, but when return to the ashram we are just another brahmacari. We clean the floor and toilet like everyone else, and sit on the floor like everyone else. This is good for us. Through this practice of humility and tolerance, we become empowered to preach. Comments by Dauji Prabhu: Radhanatha Swami always makes that point that when people see that we are united, then they will be inspired to change their lives. The real challenge is to tolerate being falsely accused. Comment by Vasudeva Prabhu: When we quarrel, we become implicated in hypocrisy, because we are teaching people how to live a godly life, but not acting that way. Bhakta who wished to remain anonymous: Tolerating does not mean keeping something bottled up, but to talk about the problem with someone so you can get past it. Radha Vallabha Prabhu: I never heard a satisfying explanation of Sita’s banishment to the forest at the end of Ramayama until I heard one given by Bhakti Tirtha Swami toward the end of his life. Bhakti Tirtha Swami explained that Lord Ramacandra was so intent on teaching ideal leadership that he was willing to give up that which was most to him [Sita] to show how the leader being willing to sacrifice everything to benefit the citizens, even the most lowly among them [who had criticized Rama for accepting Sita back after she stayed with Ravana]. After we have a revelation of our own insignificance that inspires us in devotional service, our false ego does everything to make us forget it. Lord Ramacandra is very much concerned about establishing dharma but Krishna appears not to be so much so, because he was showing the extent of His pastimes as the independent Supreme Lord. I remember a kirtana in 1997 with Lokanatha Swami that was so wonderful we all left as changed people. There was another kirtana with Sacinandana Swami in Boston that was so intoxicating that Maharaja had to take a break in the middle during which he appeared like an inebriated man. Although I was a visitor and did not know anyone in the temple I felt I connected with people in a deeper way than I do with 90% of people. Ghanashyam Prabhu: War arises from the polluted consciousness of individuals, and therefore purifying our own consciousness will help us reduce war, and the purer our own consciousness, the more we can help others. If we could actually see how we suffered in our many previous lives, then we would take the path of liberation more seriously. The alternative to taking direction from the spiritual master, the saints, and the scriptures, is to rely on our own minds, which have shown themselves to be fallible in the past, and are thus a bad bet. Preaching means giving people the opportunity encounter Krishna’s instructions. Krishna gives people this opportunity through His devotees. The whole plan of the Lord is that He wants to engage in loving relationships with the individual souls. Gaura Govinda Maharaja asked his listeners why they came there to hear about Krishna while others did not. Many devotees proposed different answers, and then Maharaja explained the answer, simplicity. A simple person can understand he does not know the truth, and when someone speaks the truth, therefore, he is willing to hear. Maharaja was asked the source of that simplicity, and he explained it is a natural quality of the soul. The opposite of that simplicity is not complexity but duplicity. Dauji Prabhu: “But for one who takes pleasure in the self, whose human life is one of self-realization, and who is satisfied in the self only, fully satiated — for him there is no duty.” (Bg. 3.17) This is the qualification for one who is able to perform jnana-yoga. The difficulty is that many people in the beginning of spiritual life think they are on this platform when in reality they are not. Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that one who is not advanced and who takes to this process has renunciation like that of a monkey. The monkey eats very simply, has no residence, wears no clothes and so appears to be very renounced but at the same time has relationships with many female monkeys. Karma-yoga is better than jnana-yoga because we are accustomed to performing so many activities before coming to spiritual life it is difficult to stop this all of a sudden. According to Baladeva Vidyabhusana, the karma-yoga in Chapter 5 of Bhagavad-gita is niskama-karma-yoga [without selfish desires]. The foundation of Krishna consciousness is to understand that we are the servant of the servant of the Lord. If we do not understand this, then even though we may appear to be a great leader, we will come crashing down, and the sound will be heard all over the world. Then we will not stay around the devotees anymore because we will be too embarrassed. The great souls, Bhaktisiddhana Sarasvati Thakura and Srila Prabhupada, although playing the role of gurus, saw themselves as serving their disciples by giving them knowledge. In material life we try to control others more and more, and in spiritual life we try to serve others more and more. If you love everyone, they will love you, but unless you can see everyone’s relationship with Krishna, you cannot love everyone. Why do we think that we are the doer? Because we are thinking we are the body. Our ignorance is so deep rooted that although we hear repeatedly that we are not the body, we still foolishly identify with the body. We must practice yoga the whole life to be successful. Karma-yoga means you do activities that you like to do, but because of developing transcendental knowledge, you give the results to Krishna. When I was teaching mathematics, I would come to the temple and give regular donations, and I felt so purified and relieved when I did so. When we are doing service for our own personal enjoyment we will not enjoy such peace of mind as we do when we do services for Krishna. Our time is a precious thing which we cannot get back. Therefore we should not work hard for material gain at the expense of our spiritual life. You have been spending hours working on a garden, carefully tending to all the plants, but one elephant can destroy all your work in a moment. In the same way, an offense to a great soul, one who has taken shelter of Krishna, can destroy all the benefit of many hours, days, or even years of spiritual practice. If we do a spiritual activity, and we do not feel the benefit of it, then we are doing it mechanically. If you have a child, you will have to spend 24 hours a day just to serve the child. In the Ramanuja sampradaya the married men would spend the week in the temple and the weekend with their wives and children. One man skipped going home on the weekend. The mother-in-law complained to Ramanujacarya, so Ramanujacarya told the man to do his duty and spend the weekend at home. When he went home, he chanted the whole day and even at night when he was laying down with his wife. He was unable to engage in the act of procreation. His mother-in-law again complained to Ramanujacarya. Ramanujacarya inquired from the man who explained that he felt uncomfortable engaging in the act of procreation because he felt the Supreme Lord Narayana was present. Hearing this, Ramanujacarya told the man it was time for him to enter the next ashram, vanaprastha, retirement from household life. Do your work but in a spirit of devotion, is the message of Bhagavad-gita. You may appear to be doing really well externally, and then all of a sudden you go away. Nobody sees you anymore. This is because something else was going on in your mind other than just devotional service. Therefore, it most important to be honest with yourself, and it is not so important what other people think of you. “I want to do every to elevate all the people around me”: This is the mentality of one who has grasped the understanding that he is a servant of the servant of the Lord. Hari Prasada Prabhu: It is the trickery and the humility of Lord Caitanya that He presented Himself as a jiva soul [like us] and protested being called God Himself. When Lord Caitanya was praised for His tears of ecstasy, He claimed it was just imitation. If He really had love for Krishna, how could He live apart from Him in this material world? We get a glimpse of selfless love in this world, but it is temporary whereas love for God is eternal. If we really absorb ourselves in devotional service, then at the very least, we will learn a lot about ourselves. If you are running from your problems, you may be running, but you are carrying a heavy burden. Even if people go away, they cannot escape the fact they have experienced something beyond the ordinary, and Krishna likes to remind them of that. Q: Can you explain hope against hope? A: The mountain I am trying to climb is insurmountable, but I am completely confident that Krishna is making arrangements for my success, and therefore I will be successful. Bhakta Peter: I always knew there was a God, and when I became burned out on material life, I naturally began to search for God. I was talking to someone yesterday whose house burned down. He was sitting on the steps wondering what to do. We are so fortunate, if something happened to our ashram, God forbid, we have many centers in this world we could move to. If you feel bummed out, you can always come and see the deities, and you can pray to them and get inspiration. You can clean the temple, listen to a lecture, and see the deities, and you become calm and peaceful. When I first tasted prasadam I was stunned. Whenever I came to the temple, I thought about the taste of the prasadam. If I have a question, I find I hear a lecture or read a passage that answers it. Q: You can say if you are bummed out you can see the deities, but someone else get a beer or a shot of heroin. What do you say to that? A: From those things there is only a temporary happiness. Comment by Adi Purusa Prabhu: In the Judeo-Christian tradition, there is a story that a goat herd boy prayed to God, “I would like to fix Your broken shoes and remove the lice from Your hair.” Moses reprimanded him, “God does not have broken shoes and lice in His hair.” The Lord then corrected Moses, saying He was pleased by the boy’s desire to serve Him. ----- yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāḿ tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā “By giving water to the root of a tree one satisfies its branches, twigs and leaves, and by supplying food to the stomach one satisfies all the senses of the body. Similarly, by engaging in the transcendental service of the Supreme Lord one automatically satisfies all the demigods and all other living entities.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.31.14)   • Email to a friend • •   Bhakta Chris, New York, USA: Your chance to support "Today We Have The Power" "Today We Have The Power" is a dynamic and thought-provoking documentary by my friend and fellow monk Christopher Timm. You can click here to check out the trailer and the fundraising page to help him get his project on the move. Click here to check out the film's website Today We Have The Power is a feature documentary that delves beneath the mayhem and madness of the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle, examines the economic and social issues that brought people to Seattle, and then dives into the spiritual crisis at the root of the problems. The goal of this film is to facilitate conversation about the connection between activism and spirituality that many people have come to see as essential for our societies progressive evolution. For one week in 1999 the sight of Seattle police brutally attacking ordinary American citizens that came to protest the World Trade Organization transfixed the world. The story most people remember is that a peaceful protest was disrupted by a small band of masked anarchists intent on violence, forcing the police to intervene. Ten years later, people still don't know why unprecedented numbers of people from all walks of life came to protest the WTO. Ten years later most people still don’t know what the WTO actually is. The blasts of tear gas, rubber bullets and shattered windows may have obscured the reasons for the protests, but the reasons for the clash have not gone away: denigration of human life, species extinction, environmental destruction and social decay remain the heavy tolls we pay for the way we have gone about globalization. Now in 2011, the Seattle protesters seem like prophets, as the effects of globalization continue to take their toll on our world. But still missing in the public discussion is the strong belief held by many that at the real problem—and the solution to it—is not an economic or political issue, but a spiritual one. Today We Have the Power challenges us to consider the deep spiritual issues at the core of these events. The film achieves this by drawing out the spiritual angle from the people engaged on all sides of the Seattle WTO protest event, who reiterate and expand upon the eternal spiritual truth best expressed by Mahatma Gandhi: You must become the change you wish to see in the world. The film features interviews with David Korten, Norm Stamper (former Chief of Police in Seattle), Mike Moore (former Director-General of the WTO), Vandana Siva, Jagadish Bhagavati, John Zerzan, Tom Goldtooth, Sister Catherine Pinkerton, Radhanath Swami and many more. About the Kickstarter Funding We are inches away from launching the film. We need this funding to do post production, including sound and color correction, as well as for graphic design work for the film and its promotional materials. Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing fund raising platform. That means if we don't make our goal of raising 11.5k in this month we don't get anything! Anything raised beyond what we are shooting for will go to help create a buzz about the film. So please contribute, stay tuned, and help to spread the word! Thanks again for checking us out. Project location: Manhattan, NY   • Email to a friend • •   New Vrndavan, USA: Spring Cleaning Typically spring brings us out of the darkness of winter, shining it’s light on many things that we didn’t or couldn’t tend to in the colder, dormant months. In spring, we clean our houses and sometimes we do a personal physical cleanse through fasting and diet. We clear the clutter (toxins) out of our bodies, homes and minds. I personally have had many devotees approach me with their deep concerns for creating real community. I would like to invite all residents of New Vrindavan and surrounding areas to partake in a Spring Cleaning to clear and remove stagnant energy and create a refreshing, rejuvenating atmosphere in New Vrindavan. If you choose, here are some ways you can participate: · Create the intention to clean up and clear out. This could be done by simply writing down your intention and posting it where it will catch your attention (fridge, bathroom mirror, etc.) so you can reflect on it and see how to initiate some actions to clear. · Attend the daily chanting of the Nrsingha Kavaca prayers. This will be happening between May 1st and June 18th at the morning and evening programs. It will culminate at the 24 hour kirtan, a final release to the Holy Names. · Clean up the environment of clutter. This could range from cleaning your own home, room, car, etc., to cleaning the temple and/or the surrounding temple areas where stagnant energy has accumulated. · Find positive and effective ways of communicating and resolving issues. When circumstances don’t go the way we expect them to, rather than complain to others, find straight forward means to clear any upset. Some strategies might be: ? working to directly resolve the issue with the other person. ? asking for a mediator if needed. ? looking to have everyone’s needs considered and met. ? considering the impacts our complaints have on ourselves and the larger community. · Pray to increase our awareness and consciousness in removing stagnant, negative energy, the old, conditioned habits that are not in our highest good or benefit. Spring is about new growth. So, how about it? All in favor, jump in the Spring Cleaning mood and set your intentions for the next 48 days. Let’s see how much of a difference we can make by aligning our thoughts, words and deeds in clearing a space to create a NEW New Vrindaban, where all Devotees Care. Thank you for your concern and participation. Your servant, Sukhavaha dd   • Email to a friend • •   Dandavats.com: Jhulan Yatra 2011 By Saranagati dasi Each year the Mayapur Vaisnava Youth organize the Jhulan Yatra festival for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Madhava under the guidance of H. G. Jananivas Prabhu and H. G. Pankajanghri Prabhu. The festival runs for five days and this year will herald the 25th Anniversary in Mayapur. It has become one of the highlight festivals of the year