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Here are the latest updates for sricaitanyamahaprabhu.planetiskcom@blogger.com   "Planet ISKCON" - 41 new articles H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Sunday 14 August 2011--Our Great Hope for a Wonderful New World--and--Is Personal Contact with Guru Required? Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters Srila Prabhupada's Letters ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Balarama Purnima 2011 ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Thursday, August 11th, 2011 H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Tuesday, August 9th, 2011 Australian News: Mayapuris only Sydney concert so far… H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Monday, August 8th, 2011 Japa Group: A Humble State Of Mind Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: On Srila Prabhupada's going to the West H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.9.4 Lord Balarama's App. Day- Balaram Lilas 2001-08-03 H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – Lord Balarama's Appearance Day- Baladeva VS Demons 2006-08-09 Jayadeva das, USA: Krishna in the Heart Will Always Guide Us Hari Sauri das, Mayapura, IN: 2011 eurotour – Croatia H.H. Sivarama Swami: Skype conference with Russian disciples H.H. Sivarama Swami: All glories to Lord Balarama, the full moon who shines in the dark blue sky over Vrndavana Australian News: Balarama Jayanti @ Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha Mandir – Sydney Australia Giridhari das, Brasilia, Brazil: Top Brazilian News Group Publishes Article on Angry Birds Yoga Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter Japa Group: A Letter Of Appreciation ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Aniruddha Prabhu H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: More Pictures Radhadesh Retreat 2011 with His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami. ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Deity Welcoming Ceremony H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: Radhadesh Retreat 2011 with His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami (Day 5) Vraja Kishor, JP: Who is Balarama? Dandavats.com: Uniting Devotees: Balarama's Appearance ISKCON Desire Tree: Vaishnava Calender - Second month of caturmasya begins,Srila Prabhupada's Departure for the USA Australian News: Fill Up on Downloads at HareKrishnaCanberra.com Australian News: Radha Krishna Swing Festival – LIVE STREAM TONIGHT Gouranga TV: Evpatoriya Festival 2010 – Madhava Dasa Kirtan Kurma dasa, AU: Sambar Time ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Jhulan Yatra Day 4 Australian News: Sydney – Harinam Sankirtan is calling your names More Recent Articles Search Planet ISKCON Prior Mailing Archive H.G. Sankarshan das Adhikari, USA: Sunday 14 August 2011--Our Great Hope for a Wonderful New World--and--Is Personal Contact with Guru Required? A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course Sunday 14 August 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. Special Announcement: Connect With Other Members of this Course. Join this Conference: http://groups.google.com/group/sda_students Today's Thought: Our Great Hope for a Wonderful New World Uploaded from Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Austin, Texas USA Our great hope is that some day soon the entire world will become Krishna conscious so that all of this chaos and suffering will end. We know that anyone who takes to Krishna consciousness will be unlimitedly blessed. Therefore our lives are fully dedicated for making this wonderful process available to as many people as possible all over the world. We know that by Lord Sri Krishna's grace even the impossible can become reality. So with great hope we continue in our humble attempt to awaken everyone to Krishna consciousness. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Srila Prabhupada Interviewed by the Media http://www.backtohome.com/images/Prabhupada/sp_w_media.jpg Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Is Personal Contact with Guru Required? Hare Krishna, Gurudeva, Is it necessary that the spiritual master should maintain personal contact with the disciple? I think direct contact between the spiritual master and the devotee will help the devotee to understand more about Krishna and Krishna consciousness. Is there any difference between chanting the Hare Krishna mantra with Hare Rama first instead of beginning with Hare Krishna? I am asking because some people at the temple are chanting Hare Rama first. What are the bhajans (devotional songs) to be sung during mangala arati? Surendranathan Answer: Constant Contact with the Guru is Required The disciple must always remain in direct personal intimate contact with his spiritual master 24 hours a day through personal meeting, hearing his lectures, reading his writings, corresponding with him, rendering him personal service, and even more importantly by always remembering, meditating, and worshipping his orders as one's very life and soul and always trying to execute them to the best of one's ability. The authorized way to chant the Hare Krishna mantra is with Hare Krishna first. Kindly instruct the devotees that they should follow the authorized system and not try to concoct something new. At mangala arati, the first worship service of the day, we sing the pranam mantras to Srila Prabhupada, the Gurvastakam prayers, the panca tattva mantra, the Hare Krishna mantra, and then haraye namah, krishna yadavaya namah gopala govinda rama sri-madhusudana. 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:   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1958 August 14: "I wish that a personality like yourself may accept the leadership. Responsible gentlemen who are managing all other affairs, must also take up the responsibility of this missionary activity as well then it will successful. I hope you will take the matter very seriously and do some practical service for the satisfaction of the Lord." Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1958 August 14: "They are very busy to bring peace in the world by continuously holding expensive conferences, meetings, summit talks etc. but such attempts are being made without any relation of God and they are all manifold creations of Maya, the External Potency of the Absolute Truth." Prabhupada Letters :: 1947-64   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1965 Saturday, August 14 : "The ship started majestically at 11 o'clock in the morning. On reaching the Bay of Bengal, the sea appeared like a big plate of water. It is a vivid example of God's Maya because it appears like something but factually it is something else." Jaladuta Dairy :: 1965   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1968 August 14: "The whole Srimad-Bhagavatam is full of philosophical discussions and we are prepared for that. But at the same time we are concerned mostly with the mass of people - therefore Hare Krishna kirtana is our life and soul." Prabhupada Letters :: 1968   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1971 August 14: "Yes, we were saved by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Road. We shall always expect to be saved by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja Prabhupada. Whatever success we have had in preaching Lord Caitanya's mission all over the world it is only due to his mercy." Prabhupada Letters :: 1971   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1971 August 14: "There are complaints against the GBC which is not very favorable. We require to hold this important meeting of the GBC to formulate the rules and regulations how things will be worked on." Prabhupada Letters :: 1971   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1971 August 14: "I set up the GBC with hope that I shall get relief from administration of the mission but on the contrary I have become the center of receiving so many complaints. So it is not a relief for me, rather it is becoming troublesome." Prabhupada Letters :: 1971   • Email to a friend • • Srila Prabhupada's Letters 1974 August 14: "Yes, I can be made President and Trustee of the Corporation as you have suggested. Now I want to make an International Trust Board for the whole Society. Make a draft and kindly send to me." Prabhupada Letters :: 1974   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Balarama Purnima 2011   Yesterday's celebration for Sri Balarama appearance day was one of the sweetest we've ever had. Here are some pictures of the festival.   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Today's Darsana "All souls were drowned in happiness because of the dancing of Sri Nityananda and Sri Gauranga. Seeing the dancing or even hearing about it melts the hearts of great atheists." (Nagara-kirtana by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura) Even seeing the darsana of the two Lords can melt the stone-like hearts of impersonalists while Their nectarean sight drowns all the devotees in pools of ecstacy.   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Thursday, August 11th, 2011 Oh My God, More Youth Seattle, Washington I have to say this about today, my time was tied in beautiful knots. I had anticipated trekking a few kilometres, oops - miles, I'm in America, but things came up. After setting up chairs, curtains, stage wings, to create a theatre atmosphere for the evenings Bha Ra Ta Program, along with helpful efforts of my assistant, Nirguna, I was going to go for a cat nap, then freshen up, and then go for that walk. But Krishna had another plan. The temple leader here in Seattle asked me to host 90 youth coming to visit the centre as part of a four day camping excursion. "Thanks for tidying up the temple", said the appreciative servant leader by the name of Nanda Suta. "Maharaja, there are a group of Sikh students coming." "Sure, I'll be happy to look after them." I asked Mitra to team up with me in the presentation that we made. He brought his home made slide guitar, composed of a medium sized crushed tomato can, some wire, some scrap wood, and some bent discarded metal. Mitra demonstrated playing his craft to the accompaniment of the maha mantra. The students got a kick out of that. I did the bulk of the talking and left a space for questions. One question came up whose answer resonated well with the youth group. "What does the knot of hair on the back of the head represent?" Asked a girl. "This is called a sikha, and it signifies that we agree to follow Krishna, and that He takes to any which way He feels is best for us. Now you are known as members of this Sikh community. Sikh means follower, that implies you take direction from God and/or His representatives." The students were happy that we shared this common ground terminology, concluding that we are all not that much different than each other in our spiritual pursuit. 0 Km   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 People by the Mountain Morton, Washington Walking on or around Mount Rainier, brought some responses from locals. Nothing out of the ordinary, but here were some reactions. The most asked question I get asked in my travels was posed four times in the last four days. "Are you Buddhist?" And perhaps the next most asked question which goes across the board anywhere in the world came up, "Can I take a picture of you?" One slow motorist on his way down the mountain rolled down his window and remarked, "You're in better shape than I am!" An elderly cyclist with a firm look on his face, delivered, "God bless". A middle aged woman stopped her vehicle to offer local blueberries, bless her heart. The most interested person was a Cambodian with his Korean wife. He asked the classic question, "Are you Buddhist?" My answer, "No, I am a Krishna monk. We believe in Krishna who is the speaker of Bhagavad Gita. He teaches about the soul, worship and devotion." He was so charged up to put it in his words, "I really want to meet a master." I don't think I disappointed the man, but I did do what most of us Vaishnavas do, invite him to our nearest temple, which is Seattle. I presented more philosophical dialogue and gave him books to read. I do hope I will see him again, perhaps in Seattle when we perform the next day. Not to do with road responses, but more so with an email message, someone got back to me with a really enthusiastic letter about his walking ventures. He calls himself 'Walkabout' and asked if I had heard of the Peace Pilgrim. It's good to know there are others out there who have a passion for walking and a passion for talking about it. 18 KM   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Tuesday, August 9th, 2011 Up High Mount Raineer, Washington "For some early visitors the power of the waterfalls suggested spiritual connections. They named it after Narada, after a powerful sage of Hindu mythology who acted as a messenger between human and divine realms." (About Narada Falls) Thus reads the plaque next to a glorious waterfall which has a depth of 168 feet. It's nice to see Narada Muni memorialized here in the state of Washington. Our bus crew of young men and women who have read of the sage since their early childhood were rather surprised to see one of their heroes honoured in this obscure place. Rainier, which has an elevation of 14,000 feet possesses all the dynamics of a mountain. There's plenty of snow on top. We ascended it about halfway by bus, and then descended from there by foot. What a thrill the white stuff was for our Floridians on board, some had never seen snow before. Tourists drove up to experience the phantasmagoria, the vista. They were able to see marmots, deer, blue jays, eagles, bears, squirrels, and now they saw monks. Mahatattva, the San Diego brahmachari and I are attired in our usual saffron cloth. It looks great against the white and green mountain backdrop. We took our descent by way of road, and tourists were clicking their cameras like crazy, including us in their days adventure. What a radical adjustment it was going from high and dry 90 degree Fahrenheit weather a week ago in Mexico to the chill and dampness and half the temperature up in this mountain in Washington state. Regarding weather, when we were ready to set out in the morning, one of the young guys on the bus had just awoken. He got up, stood there looking a little groggy, peering through the bus window. He asked, "What's the weather like?" and while he was standing there just a few inches away from the window pane, I volunteered to answer, "Why don't you just check it out on the internet?" I teased. 22 Km   • Email to a friend • • Australian News: Mayapuris only Sydney concert so far… Kirtan with THE MAYAPURIS & SRI PRAHLADA 15 October · 19:00 – 22:30 Location Manly Youth Centre Kangaroo St Manly NSW The Mayapuris only Sydney concert! THE MAYAPURIS & SRI PRAHLADA When: Saturday 15TH October 2011 Time: 7.00pm – 10.30pm Where: Manly Youth Centre, Kangaroo St Manly Fee: Early Bird $40 paid by 8th October Full Fee: $50 Bookings: 9977 4725 Online Bookings available www.manlyyoga.com.au 7.00 pm Sri Prahlada 8.00pm Savouries, Sweets & Chai Stalls Open 8.30pm The Mayapuris info@manlyyoga.com.au www.manlyyoga.com.au www.sriprahlada.com/ *** Please bring your own cushion. Share this story your way:   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Bhaktimarg Swami: Monday, August 8th, 2011 Down Highway 5 Portland, Oregon The only walking I did today was with my arms, I did a careful plucking of blackberries across the road from a Walmart. I took the task as a service to the bus crew. We had a great morning sadhana (spiritual workout) while the bus was in motion on Highway 5. At that time we were driving through areas of history through the state of Oregon. When Europeans settled in the area from 1840 – 1860, 320,000 of them in fact, they fought and found a last frontier, Oregon. Mormons, gold seekers and others took to the Oregon trail. The famous Donner party expedition challenged their first severe winter. Many died and the balance resorted to cannibal dinner. That's extreme, but who are we to judge, not being subjected to the circumstances of the time? But back to the morning program. As facilitator, I divided up this morning's verse, 5.51, from the book Bhagavatam. After reading it's purport, I asked the young men on the bus to pick a theme from what I just read, and to speak on their topic for 3 minutes. They took turns, and so we went about it in this interactive way. Everyone contributed. Here was a list of benefits the boys came up with as feedback on this approach: It made me think It helped me for public speaking I had to think philosophically It kept me awake It helped me to be sharp and to not repeat what someone else said It forced me to focus I perceive some of these boys as future leaders. Their three minute dissertation and follow up remarks were indicative of leadership material. One comment made by Godbrother Mitrasen, after the presentations were over, was a quote from Lal Tzu. "The best leader goes unnoticed. The second best is loved by all. The third best is feared, and the fourth is hated." The conclusion is, according to Tzu, is that best type of leader is that when everyone thinks that they are doing things themselves. 0 KM   • Email to a friend • • Japa Group: A Humble State Of Mind Hare Krsna dear devotees. Today we had a very nice feedback from devotees in the session of the Japa Room on mayapur.tv - everyone was sharing how they improved their chanting by slowing down and being able to concentrate more and hear the mantra. Others recorded themselves to check how they could improve Japa and some read the mantra while chanting with good results. To make your japa better it's necessary to take action and do something about it - not only know what you can do but also apply the knowledge you know to make your chanting more concentrated and offenseless. Another amazing topic brought by Rasa Rasika prabhu was that we have to put our heart....our soul into chanting - don't do it mechanically because the Lord is attracted by our devotion and our love. This will make our chanting connect us to the Lord easier. The last topic and the most important I liked was the humble state of mind we should have so we can chant constantly. Here is one of the verses we discussed and that inspired a lot the class. I perpetually worship Sri Nityananda, the root of the tree of krishna-bhakti, who wandering around in Bengal approached the door of every home. With upraised arms he exclaimed: " O Brothers! Please constantly chant the holy names of Hari. If you do so, I will take the responsibility to deliver you from the ocean of material existence." Sri Nityanandastakam by Srila Vrindavana Das Thakura May you have a blessed week of chanting. your servant, Aruna devi   • Email to a friend • • Bharatavarsa.net: Bhakti Vikasa Swami: On Srila Prabhupada's going to the West (14 Aug 2011 is the 46th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada's departure for the USA) Prabhupada: And in my horoscope there was written there, "After seventieth year this man will go outside India and establish so many temples." Tamala Krsna: Really? Prabhupada: I could not understand. "What is this, that I have to go outside India? That is not..." And Guru Maharaja foretold. He told my Godbrothers, Sridhara Maharaja and others, that "He'll do the needful when time comes. Nobody requires to help him." He told in 1935. And after all, this was true(?). Guru Maharaja told. And in the beginning, first sight, he told, "You have to do this." >>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation -- June 17, 1977, Vrndavana   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – SB 2.9.4 Lord Balarama's App. Day- Balaram Lilas 2001-08-03 SB 02.09.04 Lord Balarama’s App. Day- Balaram Lilas 2001-08-03 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.4 Lord Balarama’s App. Day- Balaram Lilas 2001-08-03 Radhadesh SB 02.09.04 Lord Balarama's App. Day- Balaram Lilas 2001-08-03 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.4 Lord Balarama's App. Day- Balaram Lilas 2001-08-03 Radhadesh   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Prahladananda Swami: Lecture – Lord Balarama's Appearance Day- Baladeva VS Demons 2006-08-09 Lord Balarama’s Appearance Day- Baladeva VS Demons 2006-08-09 Lecture – Lord Balarama’s AppearanceDay- Baladeva VS Demons 2006-08-09 Portland Lord Balarama's Appearance Day- Baladeva VS Demons 2006-08-09 Lecture - Lord Balarama's AppearanceDay- Baladeva VS Demons 2006-08-09 Portland   • Email to a friend • • Jayadeva das, USA: Krishna in the Heart Will Always Guide Us I was sitting here reading a PDF version of "Heart and Halo" (a collection of discoures given by His Divine Grace Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaja) and just came across this paragraph: "The day in which we do not find any saint, or have any discussion about the real purpose of life, the inner life, the inner substance, that day we are the loser. Be conscious of that. In all respects, in any way possible, mind your own lesson, mind your own interest, find your own self. Be unmindful towards the external world and circumstances and dive deep into the reality, the inner world. Find your inner self and the inner world where you live, where your inner self is living. Try to find your Home, to go back to God, back to Home. Your energy must be utilized for going Home, and not for wandering in the other land, the land of death. Try to avoid the land of death at any cost; always try to find the eternal soil, that soil to which you belong. Try to understand what is your Home and why it is your Home. Home comfort: what does it mean? It means our birth-place – the place where we are born." After what I posted last night regarding the topic of death, I found this to be quite pertinent and a direct message from Krishna sitting within my heart.   • Email to a friend • • Hari Sauri das, Mayapura, IN: 2011 eurotour – Croatia After Amsterdam I headed off for Zagreb. I was somewhat what impressed that Shiphol airport, although pretty chaotic in its older design had some nice facilities to while away transit time My impression of Amsterdam overall is good-it seems to be a city where facilities for people have been emphasized over things. People-friendly and not just another money-is-everything industrial complex. I spent 3-4 days in Zagreb Its a nice temple but pretty quiet in the weekdays. I gave a few SPLB seminars on ‘Association’ and was impressed with some home-grown organic produce they were selling. Sundarananda prabhu, the temple president, told me that they have some other land where they are starting to do a bit of farming, although they don’t have any cows yet. From Zagreb  headed out to Rijeka on the coast. I had visited it for the first time last year and was happy to do a few programs there again this visit. Its a nice city, and our location is very central, right across the road from the main city square and the opera house Considering that most devotees in the area are working (only one devotee actually lives in the temple) I got an enthusiastic reception with at least a dozen devotees attending my classes Zagreb and Rijeka though were mainly stopovers for the main event, a summer camp in Lika   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Sivarama Swami: Skype conference with Russian disciples On alternate healing, wearing sarees, following the 4th principle and sticking to our vows, the glories of Lord Balarama and quoting the acaryas in class. (Russian/English)   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Sivarama Swami: All glories to Lord Balarama, the full moon who shines in the dark blue sky over Vrndavana   • Email to a friend • • Australian News: Balarama Jayanti @ Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha Mandir – Sydney Australia All around the world devotees of Krishna are celebrating the Birth of Lord Balarama, the brother of Lord Krishna. Balarama is an expansion of Lord Krishna and his mercy should be sought by all. Tonight at Sydney Temple we celebrated the last day of Julan Yatra and the appearance of Lord Balarama. Everyone came along and enjoyed the talks and kirtan, that satsang and the prasadam. A wonderful time was had by all. Oh and here’s the photo’s! From Balarama Jayanti – Sydney – 13 August 2011, posted by Antony Brennan on 8/13/2011 (97 items) Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher Share this story your way:   • Email to a friend • • Giridhari das, Brasilia, Brazil: Top Brazilian News Group Publishes Article on Angry Birds Yoga Globo is Brazil’s top media conglomerate. In their Internet Portal, G1, they published an interview with me about my essay Angry Birds Yoga with a “front page” link. You can see the article (in Portuguese, naturally) here: http://g1.globo.com/tecnologia/noticia/2011/08/brasileiro-usa-game-angry-birds-para-ensinar-ioga.html. This article generated a flurry of other articles in different media outlets and professional blogs (and over a thousand hits on this blog on the day it was published!).     • Email to a friend • • Madhava Ghosh dasa, New Vrndavan, USA: If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter “Essential truth spoken concisely is true eloquence.” Chaitanya Caritamrta Adi 1.106 “Matra laghava matram putrotsavah” translation: “”If I could shorten something by even half a syllable I would be as happy as if I just had a son born to me”" Jiva Goswami from Hari Namamrta Vyakaranam (the Sanskrit Grammar of the Holy Name) “Brevity is the soul of wit.” Shakespeare "Be brief, brother, be brief" Anonymous "I have only made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter." Blaise Pascal, (1623-1662) Lettres provinciales. “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” Marcus T. Cicero (106-43 BC) (This is arguable, it is attributed to many including Pascal, Twain, Voltaire, Hemingway (though this has been proven wrong), T.S. Eliot, and Proust. Pascal (1623-1662) seems to get the most love for this (but in French, so see alternative translation above) and since he is older than the more modern writers it might be safe to assume the others were quoting him, but I went with Cicero, because he is the oldest of them all and maybe Pascal was quoting him. Good writers borrow, great writers steal :-) ) "Sorry for the letter, i didn't have time to write a postcard." George Bernard Shaw “Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.” Henry David Thoreau “You know that I write slowly. This is chiefly because I am never satisfied until I have said as much as possible in a few words, and writing briefly takes far more time than writing at length.” Karl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855) “It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book.” Nietzsche “No one who has read official documents needs to be told how easy it is to conceal the essential truth under the apparently candid and all-disclosing phrases of a voluminous and particularizing report.” Woodrow Wilson "If you want me to give you a two-hour presentation, I am ready today. If you want only a five-minute speech, it will take me two weeks to prepare." Mark Twain “The more you say, the less people remember. The fewer the words, the greater the profit.” Felelon I ran across this collection of quotes somewhere, added a couple, and posted. I then thought  that I had done some other posts in the past about writing which I occasionally dig out and send to people interested in writing.  I thought this might be a good one to add to that list, but then thought further in how to save myself the time of looking for those articles so I  gathered them  together and put them on a Page that has a link in the header of my blog. Anyone interested can see them here: About Writing Filed under: News, Ramblings or Whatever   • Email to a friend • • Japa Group: A Letter Of Appreciation From time to time I get messages and feedback about the Japa Group website. Today I received one of those messages from a 55yr old devotee - name truncated for privacy reasons. This website has inspired such an old (55) aspiring devotee! I live 2 hours from the nearest temple so this keeps me intouch with the "work" of Krishna around the world. Keep up the good work and chanting your rounds - it makes a difference. BV I hope you had a good week of quality chanting of the Holy names.   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Daily Class - Aniruddha Prabhu Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.11 - A spiritual master is mandatory to explain us the essence of all Vedic scriptures including Srimad Bhagavatam.   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: More Pictures Radhadesh Retreat 2011 with His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami. Sent by His Grace Nayabhirama Prabhu For more pictures : Click here / Click here 2 / Click here 3   • Email to a friend • • ISKCON Melbourne, AU: Deity Welcoming Ceremony   Sri Rama Dasa Prabhu had a very nice ceremony to welcome his exquisite Sri Sri Gaura Nitai Deities on the 11th August. Here's a slideshow.   • Email to a friend • • H.H. Bhakticharu Swami: Radhadesh Retreat 2011 with His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami (Day 5) Share/Save   • Email to a friend • • Vraja Kishor, JP: Who is Balarama? Balarama – cc adi 5 sarva-avatārī kṛṣṇa svayaḿ bhagavān   tāńhāra dvitīya deha śrī-balarāma 4	Kṛṣṇa is the source of all incarnations, selfsame Godhead.	His second body is Śrī Balarāma.
eka-i svarūpa dońhe, bhinna-mātra kāya
ādya kāya-vyūha, kṛṣṇa-līlāra sahāya 5	The two are one being,  separated	Balaram assits Kṛṣṇa's play as the original source of expansions
sańkarṣaṇaḥ kāraṇa-toya-śāyī
garbhoda-śāyī ca payobdhi-śāyī   śeṣaś ca yasyāḿśa-kalāḥ sa nityā-   nandākhya-rāmaḥ śaraṇaḿ mamāstu 7	Sankarshana; Vishnu lying on the causal ocean;	Vishnu lying on the universal ocean; Vishnu lying on the milk ocean; Shesha… these are the portions and parts of Nityananda Balarama   To whom I surrender.
śrī-balarāma gosāñi mūla-sańkarṣaṇa
pañca-rūpa dhari’ karena kṛṣṇera sevana 8	Balarama Goswāmī is the original Sankarshan	He takes five forms to serve Kṛṣṇa.
āpane karena kṛṣṇa-līlāra sahāya
sṛṣṭi-līlā-kārya kare dhari’ cāri kāya 9	He himself assists Kṛṣṇa's play	In four other forms he assists the play of creation.
sṛṣṭy-ādika sevā, — tāńra ājñāra pālana
‘śeṣa’-rūpe kare kṛṣṇera vividha sevana 10	Three of those forms carry out Kṛṣṇa's orders to create.	The fourth, Shesha, renders various other personal services in the creation.
tāńhā ye rāmera rūpa — mahā-sańkarṣaṇa
cic-chakti-āśraya tińho, kāraṇera kāraṇa 42	Balarama, named Maha Sankarshana,	Is the shelter / origin of spiritual energy (cit-shakti). He is therefore the cause of all causes.
ṣaḍ-vidhaiśvarya tāńhā sakala cinmaya
sańkarṣaṇera vibhūti saba, jāniha niścaya 44	Six varieties of opulence, and everything spiritual,	Know for certain that it is all the power of Sankarshan / Balarama.
‘jīva’-nāma taṭasthākhya eka śakti haya
mahā-sańkarṣaṇa — saba jīvera āśraya 45	Living beings are an energy called "borderline spiritual."	Maha-Sankarshan is the shelter / origin of all these living beings.
yāńhā haite viśvotpatti, yāńhāte pralaya
sei puruṣera sańkarṣaṇa samāśraya 46	The one from whom the universes come, and into whom they return…	Sanskarshan is the shelter/origin of that personality.
sarvāśraya, sarvādbhuta, aiśvarya apāra
‘ananta’ kahite nāre mahimā yāńhāra 47	He is the shelter of everything, the most amazing, and unsurpassable in power. Even Ananta cannot speak fully of his greatness.
vṛṣāyamāṇau nardantau
yuyudhāte parasparam   anukṛtya rutair jantūḿś   ceratuḥ prākṛtau yathā 138	Playing like bulls, roaring	Fighting each other   Imitating the sounds of animals   They (Kṛṣṇa and Balarama) used to play like ordinary boys.
kvacit krīḍā-pariśrāntaḿ
gopotsańgopabarhaṇam   svayaḿ viśrāmayaty āryaḿ   pāda-saḿvāhanādibhiḥ 139	Sometimes, when tired from playing	Krishna would have Balaram lay his head on the lap of a cowheard boy And personally massage the legs and feet of his elder brother.       • Email to a friend • • Dandavats.com: Uniting Devotees: Balarama's Appearance By Giriraj Swami Today is the appearance day of Lord Balarama, the Personality of Godhead who is the first expansion of Lord Krsna, the original Personality of Godhead. As Krsna states in the Bhagavad-gita (4.7), "Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself."