Question: What is the need of rituals? Is it not enough to just think of God in the mind?
Answer: Rituals are the essential external means to think of God internally.
Rituals are not restricted to religion; they pervade all fields of life. Let's consider two worldly examples:
1. When we meet a stranger, the ritual of extending our hand and saying "I'm pleased to meet you" gives tangible, recognizable and appreciable form to our desire to express cordiality and warmth.
2. On a birthday, the ritual of blowing a candle and cutting a cake brings structure and verve to the celebration.
Many people would still find a birthday celebration jarringly incomplete without candle-blowing, although candle-blowing has no intrinsic connection with a birthday. If the ritual were intrinsically connected with the essence of an occasion, then how much more would it be necessary on that occasion? For example, bowing down or kneeling down in a holy place is a ritual to express our humility in the presence of the divine. Could we experience the same profound humility if we were to sit cross-legged, leaning backwards on an easy-chair with the head resting on the palms of the hand? Arguably not.
Let's analyze: what is the precise connection of the outer ritual with the inner essence? There's a dual connection: rituals are the means to both expressing the essence and experiencing the essence. The handshake helps express the essence of cordiality, the candle-blowing helps experience the essence of happiness, and the bowing down helps both express and experience the essence of humility.
Let's now consider another ritual: the repeated chanting of the names of God. The theistic wisdom-traditions of the world declare that God extends his presence to us through his holy names. For those with devotion for God, chanting his names is the ritual to express their devotion for him. And for those who don't yet have that devotion, chanting is the ritual to experience that devotion. Those who do away with the external ritual of chanting run the risk of making their attempts to internally think of God self-congratulatory and hallucinatory.
Why do some people want to do away with rituals altogether? Often they are disillusioned with rituals due to seeing them enacted heartlessly and perfunctorily. However, their blanket rejection of rituals generally backfires on them; it minimizes their access to the essence to a merely conceptual or superficial level.
How then can we reach the essence? By education about:
1. What the essence exactly is,
2. What the connection between the ritual and the essence is and
3. What the principles and techniques for connecting the ritual with the essence are.
By such systematic education, we will soon experience that the ritual of chanting is synonymous and synchronous with the essence of heartfelt devotion.
1971 October 12: "I am so much pleased you have got a nice place. I shall try to visit at my first opportunity. All these yogis are mostly bluffers. They have no substance, you can openly declare. Distribute my books very widely and these bogus yogis and swamis will vanish." Prabhupada Letters :: 1971
1971 October 12: "I have also apprehended a scandalous situation; so do things nicely and in consultation with others rectify the situation. All new matters should be consulted with all the members and a vote taken." Prabhupada Letters :: 1971
1973 October 12: "Wherever there are Deities there must be first class care, arati, bhoga, cleanliness, dressing, regular classes. If this is not possible, then better to travel. Just like I am an old man, but I am always traveling." Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
1973 October 12: "I am very satisfied on you and your good wife, so go on serving Krishna with greater enthusiasm. That will make me happy. Actually everyone one of you my disciples are good, and my task is to find out the fault in you." Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
1973 October 12: "The German devotees have impressed me by their enthusiasm so train them nicely. The Germans are very intelligent, and they will be the future preachers. So give them nice translations of my books and you will have tremendous success." Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
1973 October 12: "I am glad to hear of the success of Tripurari. Some say dhoti is an impediment. So if he can distribute 105 Gitas and 105 Sri Isopanisad in one day in dhoti, why not try for this in other places as well?" Prabhupada Letters :: 1973
1974 October 12: "Although Krishna consciousness is a simple process, the application may sometimes be difficult. Now you are one of my older disciples, so please try to follow the devotional practices I have given you. This is the simple formula for victory in our struggle against maya." Prabhupada Letters :: 1974
1974 October 12: "Before saving others we must first see that we ourselves are safe. Therefore associate with my disciples in one of our Krishna Consciousness centers. Krishna will give you the proper idea of how to spread Krishna consciousness." Prabhupada Letters :: 1974
Tonight my husband came home from work and went to pour himself a refreshing glass of Ziegler's Old Fashioned Apple Cider. Apparently "old fashioned" means "with a dead scorpion floating in it."
Sometimes I feel like such a classic preacher’s daughter. I saw this ad in the street and instantly started pontificating in my mind. ‘Be quiet!,’ the other, humbler side of me hissed. ‘You don’t have to give a running commentary on everything.’ But – it’s too hard to resist. So forgive me.
This reminded me of how much we all want love. We want it so much that we drive ourselves crazy, filling life with things that like a bad boyfriend, promise so much and deliver so little. Whether the sugar that we crave in search of real sweetness, or the the things we buy to attract more love, more beauty, more security. I know I’m not saying anything new. When the Beatles sang ‘Money can’t buy me love,’ the whole world nodded (and sang) along. I know it, so why does real love still seem so elusive?
The missing piece is service. In almost every spiritual tradition this conclusion is defined – to love another truly is to serve, expecting nothing in return.
It’s been a powerful realisation for me lately. I have been blessed to receive appreciation and admiration from so many, but it doesn’t satisfy my heart unless I feel that I am sincerely trying to serve others. Easy to say, hard to remember.
If you downloaded Damodarastakam for Kindle yesterday, try it again today. After using it a couple of times, I've reformatted it to force one verse per page, so there is no cutting of verses half-way through.
View it in Landscape orientation. On the Kindle 3 the following settings work well: second to smallest size font, regular typeface, large line spacing, default words per line.
You can get your Kindle to sing along by turning on "Text-to-Speech". His Sanskrit pronunciation isn't so pukka, but hey - he's a robot! (I'll make another one later with only English, so that you can get him to chant out loud to you).
We have a very sweet and staunch brahmachari monk from Bengal who agreed, with very little persuasion, to go for an eight km walk. For the most part, he's staying in the ashram building and doesn't get out to see the world too much. I thought to do him the favour to go down the "David Balfour Park" trail to get the out of door experience, the fresh air, and all of that. His services or daily chores keep him indoors mostly but I'm bent on imposing a little change. I also thought of the 'bad outside' world is something to confront. Not to shy away from it would be helpful. After all, we were just down a nature trail.
Sure enough, although he's been in the west for a few months, cultural conditioning is deep I found. Some amount of culture shock still did exist.
He laughed at the pampering of dogs. A number of dog sitters came down the trail. To my defense I would have said that in India, dogs are so neglected, they are let to stray and are pathetically diseased. He was amused to see some of the iron sculptures as we passed by the Brickworks. With a background in fine arts, I found the rustic renderings to be rather creative. I didn't say much about it.
I pointed out the rich colours of the trees, being autumn, but our dear monk devotee made a comment, "They are all yellow." It sounded as if it looked bleak to him.
In reality, the stroll and all he saw was somewhat a fascination to him. Here's the one thing that really got to me and where I had to respond. When he saw a man pick up his pet dog's stool (responsibly), he remarked, "In India, if you touch a dogs stool you will take bath immediately." I said, "If this were India (meaning this trail) you and I would be sliding on dog feces all the way along because no one cleans up after."
To say something redeeming about impressions, he did pick up on the kindness of co-walkers on the trail. I was glad to have him as my walking companion over any one else. He was chanting and started to see the good in the things around him. I think the walk did him good and I'm going to invite another young brahmachari the next day down the trail. His duties also keep him in the ashram for too long.
When I think about it I spend considerable time encouraging our ashram dwellers and community members to get out the door, meet people, perform sankirtan (public chanting), distribute books on spirituality, take care of your health. The message is, "Let's get out, get out, get out!"
If you are an outdoor kirtan enthusiast, you really must try the following, given the circumstances apply:
Find an urban river or a creek with a bridge structured over it, and if there's a good trickle of pedestrians taking advantage of its walkway, plant your kirtan party at the base of one end of the bridge, and chant away. At the Jaipur bridge from Calgary's downtown that connects to Prince's Park, our colourful chanting group positioned ourselves, where bridge walkers could clearly see us below in musical array.
One person was pumping the harmonium. Two were on mrdanga drums. One took to playing karatalas (hand cymbals), one struck repeatedly a tambourine, while all of us used our voices to chant the popular mantra Hare Krishna. It was a powerful presentation and a perfect venue with rocks, water, autumn bushes and trees as a natural setting. Ducks and geese came swimming towards us to hear us, and humans promenading were halted by what they saw and heard. Leaning at the edge of the bridges rail was our spontaneous audience. But the most astounding aspect of our devotional show was when Lyle came into the picture. Who is Lyle? Well, he introduced himself to us and said, "I'm Native, eh?" I stay at the home shelter. I've had it rough all my life, eh?" He looked a bit weathered, and had a deep scar on his left cheek. He abruptly left the rock where he sat to speak to us, and came back 10 minutes later with a gift. The gift was a tiny bouquet of wild flowers, hand picked, held together with a weed twine. He casually placed it in front of Gaura Chandra, our harmonium player, stepped forward to sip water from the Bow River in front of us, and then raised his arms in the beautiful ritual style. He returned to his rock, pulled out his harmonica and played with us, or tried.
If you ask me, Lyle stole the show. He demonstrated real bhakti, devotion, without having read anything about it. Bhakti is of course an innate thing, and after we took a break playing, and let him play solo, he terminated by saying, "You know we're all connected, there's no separation between us." We couldn't argue with him on that.
This touching encounter happened at the base of the bridge, the bridge called Jaipur Bridge, in Calgary. Somehow, Lyle showed us how to enhance our Thanksgiving.
Three Sisters are a tri-peaked mountain set east of Canmore. A local person describes them as guardians of the valley. To me they appear like three nuns standing at the threshold of a convent.
We are at the edge of the Rocky Mountains, you can't find a more heavenly place to talk about lofty things. Even though our Inn where our meetings are held are within a valley, our true purpose for coming together is to attain sangha (each other's company). Like minded, our group is. We are all not only from the same country, Canada, but we all have the same spiritual passion. This passion goes twofold. Each and everyone of our attendees carry a concern for his or her own destiny. We seek love for Krishna and liberation from this world. Our second passion is generated towards the world. We wish to share what we know about Vedic knowledge, which in truth, is meant for everyone. To share that wealth of information requires planning. On the second day of our gathering, our group representing fourteen official centres, big and small, are speaking on how to improve the guardianship of both our own individual souls and those of others who are seekers of the truth.
For those who come to this touristic area of mountains and wildlife, it is advised to be wild smart regarding elk, bear, coyote and cougar, to learn how to avoid encounters, and how to handle attacks. Similarly, we have our souls to protect from self serving agendas that come from within.
It seems the Three Sisters are there watching over us during our break period to remind us of how important guardianship is.
It was a long day yesterday and it included a great meal at the end, a grainless one. Traditionally every fortnight, we honour a fast from grains and also accept a turkeyless meal (it's Canada's Thanksgiving Day weekend, yet we are staunch vegetarians). The evening also included a talk I gave from the Gita, 9.26, at the Radha Madhava Cultural Centre. We acknowledge in this verse the type of food items acceptable to our Lord Krishna. Food of a sattvic (mode of goodness nature) is what is preferable. Veggies, fruits, grains, nuts, and lacto foods. The emphasis for offering food is on the intent, bhakti is a word that appears twice in the verse. What is bhakti? It is intense love, devotion.
For walking, my host, Gaura Chandra, an Italian born Krishna devotee, took me on a trail in the Monterey neighbourhood of Calgary's east end. Prairie breezes were low, but were there. A second trek was held in Canmore, a small city nestled in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of the Bow Valley. Meaningful meetings of the Canadian ISKCON AGM were conducted at the Ramada Inn. We discussed great topics, both fun and sensitive, such as working in the cohesive spirit, to education of sexual misconduct on the pastoral level. Another great meal was provided, reaching our tummies, and it had a definite thank you status. It was sattvic and flavourfully good. In the room next to us at a banquet wedding meat was served, offering a different kind of odour. Interesting juxtaposition!
Generally at this time of year, it does come to mind that thanksgiving needs to be redefined somehow.
The Wall Street Protest: In the past few weeks, I have been doing a dance in my mind and heart over how I feel towards this unlikely and unprecedented turn of events. I have gone from being quite eager to go down there and join them in their strange and colorful carnival, and I have also felt an equally strong desire to keep my distance.
Seeing the various life forms at the Calgary zoo, we had a chance to see where we were at at one time. Further more, as we left from one continental pavilion to the next, anywhere from Africa to South America, Asia and elsewhere, we also saw all the places we likely resided at in previous lives.
For instance, at the gorilla section, our small contingent of devotees made connections with those hairy boys and girls, despite the pane of glass between us. One ape with powerful arms rapped his knuckles against our barrier which gave me the opportunity to mirror his move and leaving a half an inch of glass between us smacking our knuckles together. And as I chanted to him, I looked into those mischievous and restless eyes and I imagined myself being in that body. I was there before. Moving on to the North American wildlife section, we leisurely made it to the cougars, when one came rather close with a narrow double fence distancing us. He was agitated. Maybe hungry. I felt that same hunger before.
When we came upon the three Mongolian camels, my ticket donour, Gaura Chandra, noted how those three guys with their two humps were instantaneously drawn to the saffron colour of my robe. They ran towards me, no one else. Were they projecting into their future perhaps? Will they become confirmed monks wearing such garb? Who's to say?
There's something adorable about each of the creatures we viewed, and I guess that's the reason for the attraction. We had visited something familiar, we were looking at me, a mirror.
The Bhagavad Gita states that we (our souls) channel through different bodies. The text endorses that our future senses will be grouped around the mind and our state of consciousness. And what we admire today could be our preoccupation when we die, which could determine our next life. The same Bhagavat philosophy makes it clear that someone was a human and then became an animal because of his state of mind at death, as in the case of King Bharat, who became a deer. Our goal should be to end this vicious cycle of repeated birth and death. The message is that we attempt to steer our consciousnesses toward thoughts of the Divine.
"Devotee Care, South Africa" opened its new Bhaktivedanta Care Centre, a Hospice-styled Care facility for the ISKCON community. This valuable service, inspired by and based on the model of the Vrindavan Hospice, is a multi-level building designed for assisting devotees in their final days, preparing them for their journey back to Godhead.
When one’s mind and senses are attracted to sense objects for enjoyment, the mind becomes agitated. As a result of continually thinking of sense objects, one’s real consciousness almost becomes lost, like the water in a lake that is gradually sucked up by the big grass straws on its bank.
Steamed potatoes with fresh garden mint (spearmint and 'chocolate' mint) and sour cream, Southern-style Jambalaya rice with red cabbage, cauliflower, toasted cashews, roasted red peppers, freshly picked garden greens (radicchio, spinach and oak lettuce) green chilies and Spanish smoked paprika, alongside cumin-scented carrots, zucchini and sweet potatoes.
Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member:
One of the recommendations for advancing in devotional service is the observance of Kartika Vrata (special devotional practices) especially in Vrindavana, India, or at some holy place, but anywhere that we worship Krishna during the Vedic month of Kartika, or Damodara, which corresponds to October-November. It began yesterday on the full moon and continues to the following full moon. As the next month of Margashirsha represents Krishna, [Bg 10.35] this month represents Shri Radha, who is the feminine compassionate aspect of Krishna. Shri Radha is considered the best devotee of Krishna, and she is both Deity and ideal of devotion for Gaudiya Vaishnavas. We try to please Radha, and our gurus who represent her, to obtain the favor of Krishna, which means engaging in His devotional service eternally. Our aim is not so much to obtain Krishna, but love of Krishna, or prema, because wherever prema exists, Krishna lives! Thus by the grace of the Divine Couple, Shri Radha and Krishna, Radha's month is considered like a special sale, where the ordinarily very difficult ideal of pure devotion, becomes easily available for a small price. Ours is truly a path of mercy, though as much as possible we also follow the recommendations in the scriptures for our daily spiritual practices.
Devotees from ISKCON Washington DC are using the "idiot box" intelligently; to spread the words of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna. Global TV Network hosts a weekly show titled "Facets of Religions in India," with approximate 1.5 million viewers.
Jack, a political science PhD from San Diego, is an avid reader of our magazine, 16 Rounds To Samadhi. To read the magazine go to www.16rounds.com. To subscribe, go to www.16rounds.com/subscribe. Your subscriptions help print and distribute this free publication.
Parasuram das: On the 12th of October the Padayatra cart will travel out form Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir on itÕs 25th silver jubilee journey the plan is to distribute 50 000 small books over the month of Kartik and tonnes and tonnes of Prasad to the Vraja basis. The books have already arrived in Vrindavan from Bombay
The auspicious month of Kartik is for Urja Vrata - that time of the year when devotees around the world encourage one another to make some vows for Krishna's pleasure - do a little extra.
I also made some small plans but last night on the very first evening I wasn't sure how to find the strength or ability to keep up my one tiny vow of trying to give a book a day. So I remembered Vishaka mataji's comment in a Bhagvatam class earlier this year. She explained that the strength to execute the vow comes from the vow itself. She further explained how when we are fasting even though we can't imagine going without food but the vow of fasting gives us strength.
So 9.30pm last night with my hands full and a few books on top of my hands, I had little hope of keeping my little promise but then Krishna reminded me of her nectar words and I prayed for help. So 2 girls stopped but didn't agree to take a book. Then when I gave up and started walking home, I saw a young Thai girl walk on my side so I mustered up courage to ask her. After a little conversation about how she doesn't like yoga, she revealed she was a Budhist and wanted to learn meditation. I started to show her CNBH and she rummaged her purse for a small donation. I felt a wave of excitement realizing its true, Krishna gives us the strength to even keep the small promises for his service through the shelter of his devotees and their words. So call your friends, make plans for service, discuss your vows and seek shelter of devotees to find the strength to keep them. Don't be afraid, you don't have to do it on your own strength.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972: The best welfare activity is spreading this Krishna consciousness movement. So it was entrusted to the, to all Indians. Any Indian who has taken birth as human being; it is the duty of him to spread Krishna consciousness. But anyway, although there is only one Indian, (laughter) you follow, and, and spread this message extensively. After this ūrjā-vrata, you'll also spread this Krishna consciousness
Hare Krsna dear devotees. I would like to share with you another amazing text from Harinama Cintamani by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur.
The only method or means (sadhana) in this age is the holy name of the Lord. The only goal (sadhya) to be attained in this age is Krsnaprema. Even in the stage of perfection, the name is not given up but is chanted all the more, for it is intrinsic to the activities of prema. Indeed, the name is not different from the Lord: it is the very embodiment of prema. If the means is the end, then the end and the means never contradict one another. If process is identical to the objective, then it is easy for the jivas to attain the desired goal of life, Krsnaprema. By the mercy of His holy name, Krsna easily delivers the jivas in the age of Kali.
I hope you have a blessed week, full of realisations on chanting.
The dream destination of material existence - 'eternal rest' is advertised enmass and so much money is invested in here. I saw an advertisement (refer picture) in the subway where Globe & Mail gets all trendy by saying 'Eternal rest is just a few clicks away' Ooooo all easy, sounds so convenient and nice.
But what is the Bhakti yogi's yearning 'tathā prema-bhaktiḿ svakāḿ me prayaccha
na mokṣe graho me 'sti dāmodareha'. Eternal rest or as yogis call it - Moksha is not the dream of a devotee. We pray daily during the month of kartik O Dear Lord Damodara, please grant me the gift of prema Bhakti, same as you granted to Nala kuvera, I do not desire moksha.
Our humble prayer is for eternal engagement in Krishna consciousness - that is why we are specifically called Hare Krishna 'movement' where there is the individual Jiva soul, Supreme lord and eternal activities to increase the love exchange. Hence we chant 'Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare' begging Krishna for eternal engagement in devotional service. So let us please beg for more and more service during the month of kartik by chanting more and more. Materialists make so many plans for 'eternal rest' let's make plans for eternal engagement, not just engaging ourseleves but all those people who are busy planning for 'rest'. Let us engage everyone through the power of Sankirtan.
We are singing it this Saturday at the Damodara program, so I'll try to get you a more up-to-date recording. This one is from 2009 - but the Kindle and pdf versions of the words are fresh.
I bow down to Damodara, the form of full joy,
eternity and wisdom, within Vrindavan.
Whose shining earrings swung as he so swiftly ran
from mother Yashoda who caught that naughty boy.
Captured by Yashoda, crying repeatedly,
he rubs his reddish eyes with his trembling hands.
On his conchlike neck his necklace shakes as he pants.
I bow down to Damodara, bound but by bhakti
Thus bathing Gokula in a great lake of bliss;
he shows love defeats him, devoid of reverence.
Conquered only by those in complete confidence,
I offer him unlimited loving praises.
(4)
varam deva moksam na moksavadhim va
na canyam vrne 'ham varesad apiha
idam te vapur natha gopala-balam
sada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih
I beg not from you Lord, who can grant any boon,
even liberation or life in your abode.
Let memories of Gopala be ever bestowed,
for what other favour offers such great fortune?
(5)
idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilair
vrtam kuntalaih snigdha-raktais ca gopya
muhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam me
manasy avirastam alam laksa-labhaih
Your dark, crimson hued curls encircle your face,
lovely like a lotus, with lips of ruby red;
kissed by Yashoda; within my mind be seated.
A billion other boons could not grant such grace
(6)
namo deva damodarananta visno
prasida prabho duhkha-jalabdhi-magnam
krpa-drsti-vrstyati-dinam batanu
grhanesa mam ajnam edhy aksi-drsyah
O Damodara, Ananta, O almighty Vishnu,
I fall down prostrate, pray be pleased upon me.
Blinded and sinking in a sea of misery,
grace me with your glance that I shall ever see you.
(7)
kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yadvat
tvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau ca
tatha prema-bhaktim svakam me prayaccha
na mokse graho me 'sti damodareha
Dear Damodara, the sons of Kuvera you saved,
while a baby, by breaking the trees they became.
As you granted them prema, pray grant me the same,
I want not salvation, your love alone I crave.
(8)
namas te 'stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne
tvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamne
namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai
namo 'nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam
I bow down to the bright rope that binds your belly,
within which the cosmos is completely contained.
To your beloved Radha I bow yet again,
and to you the hero who plays wonderfully.
“IKEA stores, like Chihuahuas and cilantro, provoke extreme reactions.”
Have you read Laura Collins’ New Yorker piece on IKEA? Highly recommend, although the full version is not yet available online. Subscribe, suckas! Cause the New Yorker is one of those rare print mags that actually contain lots of print! Check out my reaction to it here and leave your feedback on the culture of disposable design. XO
Each week we will post a question to a panel of about two dozen clergy, laity and theologians, all of whom are based in Texas or are from Texas. They will chime in with their responses to the question of the week. And you, readers, will be able to respond to their answers through the comment box.
According to the survey, more people believe in heaven than hell. That's perhaps not surprising. Most of us like the idea of heaven more than hell.
But the report also showed that people who believed in both were more satisfied with their jobs, strove for excellence and found meaning in their work. This is how the report framed this discovery:
"The majority of people who absolutely believe in Heaven and Hell are always or often motivated by their faith to pursue excellence, which certainly would please most organization owners. This relationship is strongest among those who absolutely believe in Hell."
So, what does this say to you? Why would it be that a strong belief in heaven and hell are a motivating factor in people's lives?
NITYANANDA CHANDRA DAS, minister of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Dallas
The report illustrates that those who have recognized that there are metaphysical consequences for one's actions and decisions are more likely to be mindful and focused in their endeavors.
I find that this mindfulness is even more prevalent for those who understand consequences that are dealt with in this life are due to actions of previous lives. Thus, when difficulty approaches, the intelligent do not blame others, such as society and ultimately God.
Rather, such a mindful person blames themselves realizing that by God's powerful law of karma one is completely protected to only suffer only those circumstances that are actually due to oneself. Not a blade of grass can move without the sanction of God.
4:24 A.M. Poem for October 11 After a year Madhavendra Puri had a dream in which Gopala appeared to him and said His body was still hot. He ordered Madhavendra to go to Jagannatha Puri and get sandalwood to cool His body. Madhavendra was delighted to carry out the order and he started out on [...]
From In Praise of the Mahajanas and Other Poems (1983) "A Current Events Lecture to Young Boys on the Subject, 'The Threat of Nuclear War.'" "First we gave them the simple science, that held their attention best. Uranium is loose like jelly, and they shoot the neutrons splitting, a pound of it explodes to a [...]
4:34 A.M. Poem for October 10 When Lord Caitanya went on His way to Jagannatha Puri He stopped at Remuna and told the story of the Gopinatha Deity. Once, Madhavendra Puri traveled to Vrndavana where he came upon the hill known as Govardhana. While sitting beneath a tree an unknown cowherd boy came up to [...]
From My Autobiography The autobiography is a work-in-progress. I have already written about my pre-Krishna conscious memories and my career in ISKCON. Now I am writing about the books I have written. Because writing is so important to me, telling about the books is part of my life story. Now I am writing about a [...]
WISE RIVER, Mont. — The trees spanning many of the mountainsides of western Montana glow an earthy red, like a broadleaf forest at the beginning of autumn.
Temperature Rising
Trees at Risk
Articles in this series are focusing on the central arguments in the climate debate and examining the evidence for global warming and its consequences.
Justin Gillis is taking questions on climatic threats to the world's forests and the implications for the earth's future. He will respond next week on the Green blog.
But these trees are not supposed to turn red. They are evergreens, falling victim to beetles that used to be controlled in part by bitterly cold winters. As the climate warms, scientists say, that control is no longer happening.
Across millions of acres, the pines of the northern and central Rockies are dying, just one among many types of forests that are showing signs of distress these days.
From the mountainous Southwest deep into Texas, wildfires raced across parched landscapes this summer, burning millions more acres. In Colorado, at least 15 percent of that state's spectacular aspen forests have gone into decline because of a lack of water.
The devastation extends worldwide. The great euphorbia trees of southern Africa are succumbing to heat and water stress. So are the Atlas cedars of northern Algeria. Fires fed by hot, dry weather are killing enormous stretches of Siberian forest. Eucalyptus trees are succumbing on a large scale to a heat blast in Australia, and the Amazon recently suffered two "once a century" droughts just five years apart, killing many large trees.
Experts are scrambling to understand the situation, and to predict how serious it may become.
Scientists say the future habitability of the Earth might well depend on the answer. For, while a majority of the world's people now live in cities, they depend more than ever on forests, in a way that few of them understand.
Scientists have figured out — with the precise numbers deduced only recently — that forests have been absorbing more than a quarter of the carbon dioxide that people are putting into the air by burning fossil fuels and other activities. It is an amount so large that trees are effectively absorbing the emissions from all the world's cars and trucks.
Without that disposal service, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would be rising faster. The gas traps heat from the sun, and human emissions are causing the planet to warm.
Yet the forests have only been able to restrain the increase, not halt it. And some scientists are increasingly worried that as the warming accelerates, trees themselves could become climate-change victims on a massive scale.
"At the same time that we're recognizing the potential great value of trees and forests in helping us deal with the excess carbon we're generating, we're starting to lose forests," saidThomas W. Swetnam, an expert on forest history at the University of Arizona.
While some of the forests that died recently are expected to grow back, scientists say others are not, because of climate change.
If forests were to die on a sufficient scale, they would not only stop absorbing carbon dioxide, they might also start to burn up or decay at such a rate that they would spew huge amounts of the gas back into the air — as is already happening in some regions. That, in turn, could speed the warming of the planet, unlocking yet more carbon stored in once-cold places like the Arctic.
Scientists are not sure how likely this feedback loop is, and they are not eager to find out the hard way.
"It would be a very different world than the world we're in," said Christopher B. Field, an ecologist at the Carnegie Institution for Science.
It is clear that the point of no return has not been reached yet — and it may never be. Despite the troubles of recent years, forests continue to take up a large amount of carbon, with some regions, including the Eastern United States, being especially important as global carbon absorbers.
"I think we have a situation where both the 'forces of growth' and the 'forces of death' are strengthening, and have been for some time," said Oliver L. Phillips, a prominent tropical forest researcher with the University of Leeds in England. "The latter are more eye-catching, but the former have in fact been more important so far."
Scientists acknowledge that their attempts to use computers to project the future of forests are still crude. Some of those forecasts warn that climate change could cause potentially widespread forest death in places like the Amazon, while others show forests remaining robust carbon sponges throughout the 21st century.
"We're not completely blind, but we're not in good shape," said William R. L. Anderegg, a researcher at Stanford University.
Many scientists say that ensuring the health of the world's forests requires slowing human emissions of greenhouse gases. Most nations committed to doing so in a global environmental treaty in 1992, yet two decades of negotiations have yielded scant progress.
ISKCON Vidyadan - Kerala tried out on a sample basis, a one-hour class, 'Power of Habit - How to overcome Bad Habits' on a secular school-student mass containing Hindu, Christian and Muslim boys and girls on the 8th October 2011, in Irinjalakuda (IRJ) of central Kerala, South India
With great sadness in our hearts we inform the Vaisnavas that our Bengali Godbrother Purnachandra left this world in Vrindavan on the Ekadasi night, Oct 7th. His cremation was done at the Yamuna on the very auspicious Paksavardhini Mahadvadasi day. When I was Temple President of Krishna Balarama Mandir, he was the Vice President and Head Pujari.
"Devotee Care, South Africa" opened its new Bhaktivedanta Care Centre, a Hospice-styled Care facility for the ISKCON community. This valuable service, inspired by and based on the model of the Vrindavan Hospice, is a multi-level building designed for assisting devotees in their final days, preparing them for their journey back home, back to Godhead
Back in the humble beginnings of 1973, there were barely 100 people to celebrate Janmashtami at the Manor, with Srila Prabhupada offering the first beautiful arati to Radha-Gokulananda and leading the devotees in encircling the Deities, dancing and leaping in kirtan
"The Krishna consciousness movement is based on this principle: Chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra at every moment, as much as possible, both inside and outside of the temples, and, as far as possible, distribute prasada. This process can be accelerated with the cooperation of state administrators and those who are producing the country's wealth. Simply by liberal distribution of prasada and sankirtana, the whole world can become peaceful and prosperous." (SB 4.12.10)
Praghosa dasa (ACBSP): I inform you that if you want to relish the pastimes of the Lord freely, you can listen to them on the prabhupadavani.org website. The following stories are made available by Amal Bhakta prabhu: Caitanya-Caritamrta, Lord Caitanya conquers the Kazi, Lord Caitanya appears as Lord Krsna, The appearance of Lord Krsna, Appearance of Lord Jagannatha, Trials and Triumphs of Haridas Thakhura, Jagai and Madhai redeemed, Let there be a temple (Prabhupada Lilamrta), A Second Chance (the story of Ajamila). Do not miss this opportunity
Abhinanda das: The representative of the GBC in the region approved a project of the future ashram, which was done by his disciple from Novosibirsk Achintya-priya Prabhu. Wishing success to the construction site, Gopal Krishna Goswami went to his disciples in Ivanovo
Anasuya Devi Dasi: Spread the word! We offer a wonderful opportunity to serve in the Radhadesh Publication Service as a translator, editor and/or graphic designer. The beauty of this service is that you do not have to physically live in Radhadesh in order to be part of this vibrant community. We provide accommodation in Radhadesh for your spiritual breaks in accordance with the level of your commitment and availability of the Guesthouse and dormitories
Madhavi Kirti devi dasi: The aim of the Congregational Development Ministry is to assist all kinds of community groups within ISKCON—Nama-hatta, Bhakti-vriksha, Counselor groups, Sunday Schools, Prison Preaching, Youth Preaching, and any other group or gathering broadcasting Srila Prabhupada's message—for the purpose of expanding this movement and training the members of ISKCON
A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course Wednesday 12 October 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. For Transcendental Association Connect With Other Members of this Course. Join this Conference: http://groups.google.com/group/sda_students Help Popularize Our Message By Liking Today's Thought on Facebook: Today's Thought: Take Shelter of Krishna's Holy Name Uploaded from Kaunas, Lithuania Take shelter of Krishna's holy name as your only business, and your heart will be overflooded with a non-ending stream of amazingly sweet transcendental realizations. Just go on chanting, go on chanting, go on chanting as much as possible. You will taste the sweetest nectar and gradually as your heart becomes more and more purified, God will become more and more visible to you. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Super Ecstatic Farewell Kirtan 10 October 2011--Riga, Latvia http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Fall/Riga_Farewell.JPG Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Should I Give Up Material Studies? Dear Gurudeva, Please accept my humble obeisances. I am studying in a college in secondary pre university. But the problem is that I have lost interest in studying the material subjects like science and mathematics and my mind is always in thought of Krishna and His teachings such as the Bhagavad-gita. So what should I do? Should I give up reading the material subjects or not? Your servant, Kowsthub Answer: Offer Such Studies in Krishna's Service It will be helpful for your future life in Krishna consciousness if you will continue and successfully complete your studies. Therefore, even though such studies are very dry and uninteresting for one who has gotten the higher taste of Krishna consciousness, you should take such studies as an austerity to be executed for the pleasure of Krishna and dutifully do your best in such studies. 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 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:
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When we go back to Godhead will we remember our life in the material world?
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