Most ISKCON Temples hold a Sunday Feast and invite everyone to come along to find out about Krishna consciousness, to take darsan of the deities, to have some prasadam and to associate with the devotees and to participate in kirtan. To increase your bliss here are some photos from the Sunday feast at Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha Mandir in Sydney ,Australia.
THE FOLLOWING IS A CLASS GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CARU SWAMI ON SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM, CANTO 3, CHAPTER 25, THE GLORIES OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE, TEXT 12 Transcription : Her Grace Ranga Radhika Editing : Ramananda Raya Dasa Audio-reference : Click here Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Maitreya uvaca iti [...]
Rajashree Chintak Behera is one of the brilliant exponents of the Odissi dance. Rajashree’s dance is marked by gaiety, lyricism and beauty. She is trained under Guru Durga Charan Ranbir and Guru Harihar Mohanty in the Odissi style of Late Guru Durga Debaprasad Das. She is a holder of Bisarada Purna in Odissi Dance from Akhila Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai, as well as a Master in Economics from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar.
Accolades
Widely acclaimed Solo Danseuse
Recognized as “A” grade Dancer by Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi
An ‘A’ grade artiste in DoorDarshan
Recipient of Govt. of India Scholarship (Junior and Senior), Department of Culture
Govt. of India Junior Fellowship in Classical Dance, 1993-1995
Major PerformancesIndia
Apna Utsav, New Delhi, 1986
Yuvs Utsav, Jaipur, 1988
Nritya Pratibha, New Delhi, 1988
Yuva Nritya Samaroha, Jodhpur, 1989
Ghungroo Dance Festival, Bhopal, 1993
Konark Dance Festival, Orissa, 1995
Barabati Nrityotsav, Orissa, 2005
Mukteswar Dance Festival, 2006
Dhauli Mahotsav, 2006
International Odissi Festival, Bhubaneswar, 2006
Abroad
Ethnic Center and Australasia House, Perth, Australia, 1987
China, 1989
North Korea, 1989
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 1990
Oxford, U.K., 1995
Sofia and Plovdiv, Bulgaria, 1998 and 1999
International Folklore Festival, Bulgaria, 1999
Budapest Farewell Festival, Hungary, 1999
Performance in Germany, 1999
International Odissi Festival, USA, 2003
Lecture Demonstration and Performance, Indiana State University, USA, 2002
Performances and Choreography of Dance Drama for Oriya Convention in Maryland and New Jersey, USA, 2002 and 2003
Press Comments
The Times of India (New Delhi)
“…Confident and with a powerful presence. Rajashree was almost a natural in portraying the Rudra Roop of Shiva. For her, the effort was greater in depicting the peaceful Shankar. She used to advantage her flexible body for greater dramatic impact, especially in the end when the chanting of ‘OM NAMAH SHIVAYA’ was casting a hypnotic spell on the audience…”
The National Courier 5 (Sofia, Bulgaria)
“…Mrs. Rajashree Behera who is one of the famous, youngest and gorgeous performer of Odissi and who had carved out a place for herself in the world of classical dance in India…”
Rajashree resides in Moscow, Russia with her husband, Dr. Subhakanta Behera (I.F.S.) and two children, Ananya and Amruta, and serves as a cultural ambassador of our country, trying to spread the Odissi Dance among the Russian dance lovers. She may be contacted at buini@yahoo.co.uk
1967 November 15: "We should never tolerate any insult to Krishna or His Representative. Anyway, forget the chapter, there is nothing to be lamented. If thousands like him come and go, we have to prosecute our real program - being sincere to Krishna and Krishna Caitanya."
1969 November 15: "Just like a rope comes down the well, we have captured the strong chain of disciplic succession coming from the highest platform. Captures it very tightly and we are assured of being delivered from the clutches of Maya."
1969 November 15: "Don't be worried about the clutches of Maya. For my disciples who are so kindly cooperating with me in the matter of my rendering service to my Spiritual Master, for them I am always ready to come back from Goloka Vrindaban, if they are not delivered along with me."
1970 November 15: "It is no use to learn Hindi or any other language, just try to learn to speak our Krsna Consciousness language very nicely. If you follow our regulations and always remain neat and clean, very soon everything obscure will become clear."
As regular blog readers can see, the daily blog posts have fallen off the rail over the last month. A lot of that is my fault as there are many notes even from a couple of months back that I have yet to transcribe. My biggest regret is not blogging an offering on Srila Prabhupada's disappearance day.
Attending Guru Puja at Srila Prabhupada's home at ISKCON Toronto is always emotional and HH Bhaktimarga Swami leading chanting and hearing 10 offerings from sanyasis and Srila Prabhupada disciples still serving Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet is uplifting on such a day. I am fortunate that I can count my parents among those devotees at Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet and during the month of Damodar my father recited a prayer to Srila Prabhupada to keep him bound to Lord Damodar's lotus feet and I will be happy as long as my parents keep me bound to the lotus feet of Srila Prahupada.
The association, blessings and inspiration of that day/weekend come from two ends of a spectrum, Srila Prabhupada's disciples on one end and at the other end young devotees, most that were not even born when Srila Prabhupada perfomed his lila in Toronto and around the world. The inspiration and even potency comes from both ends since they encourage an offering to Srila Prabhupada.
Last year the offering as in the form of words. [click here]
This year the offering was not in the form of written words but in the form of what Srila Prabhupada desired most, transcendental book distribution. It has been a while since I posted about sankirtan, so this was our humble offering to Srila Prabhupada. Like Srila Prabhupada disciples and the new generation of devotees has inspired me personally to make an humble attempt to serve Srila Prabhupada, I hope that the following pictures and short comments may encourage others to join in Srila Prabhupada's marathon starting this coming weekend!
This was a long conversation but it ended up with this family taking over 40 books for Halloween distribution when kids come "trick or treating". He loved the concept of book distribution and gave us his contact details in hopes of participating more in future transcedental book distribution endeavors.
Two pronged attack but giving Srila Prabhupada's books to the youth is of the highest urgency.
My mom, Ashalata devi dasi preaching out of the Bhagavad-Gita. Book distribution is bliss.
We moved locations. This is Kishori convincing a mom to buy a book for her child. The potency of Srila Prabhupada's books being delivered to the youth.
Great association. Multi generational book distribution with Viky and Raj Prabhu.
I was just reading a beautiful essay by His Holiness Devamrita Swami titled, To Be a Lover.
In that essay, he quotes the below lines which is so memorable and motivating :
—
” In Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 17, Srila Prabhupada describes the love-potency of a purified devotee:
By the process of executing regulated devotional service, one is actually elevated onto the transcendental stage, beyond the material modes of nature. At that time one’s heart becomes illuminated like the sun. The sun is far above the planetary systems, and there is no possibility of its being covered by any kind of cloud; similarly when a devotee is purified like the sun, from his heart there is a diffusion of ecstatic love which is more glorious than the sunshine.
Mission impossible, or the only real way forward? An eruption from the heart more radiant than the sun? What would you be willing to do, so one day you could love like that?
“Only at that time is the attachment to Krsna perfect,” Nectar of Devotion continues. “Spontaneously, the devotee becomes eager to serve the Lord in his ecstatic love.”
—
And I was thinking that this is the result we must all hope to achieve. Surely, few of us, atleast me, forget this goal. With time in the movement, comfort and familiarity sets in and then my seriousness to attain the stage of pure love of Krishna, to return to His abode and make this my last life in the material world drops away. Ofcourse, chanting, temple visits and Prasadam is there but am I seriously with heartfelt sincerity and with full resolute aiming for the highest goal? Or am I just happy to have a religion that I understand and proud to be a part off, a sense of belonging?
To attain ecstatic love for Krishna one has to keep practicing the various items in devotional service with so much seriousness, with so much care, with so much guidance, with so much determination, with so much urgency. Only then can we be more radiant than the sun, make a difference to the world and finally attain the mercy of Krishna.
When we constantly and till our very last breath conduct the following activities with great enthusiasm : attendance at mangal aroti, chanting, temple services, book distribution, honouring and distributing prasadam, visiting places of pilgrimage, reading Prabhupad books, serving spiritual master, attending lectures, spending time with devotees, wearing tilaka and devotee clothes, painting devotional pictures, giving lectures at homes & universities, participating in kirtans, deity worship, making donations or even writing an essay, one must pierce the heart with the intention that he/she is very serious about getting to the platform of perfect attachment to Krishna. This thought and the above exercises will get Krishna opening all the doors for us to go back home, back to Godhead. He knows perfectly well how to make us a perfect lover. He is one Himself.
1974 November 15: "So many difficulties I had to face since I left my home but by Krishna's grace we are situated on a standard footing. So let us maintain this position and pray always to Krishna that we may not spoil what Krishna has given us."
1974 November 15: "When you understand you are a fool then you are a little intelligent. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to remain a fool, all Vaisnavas - not artificially but seriously - think themselves as foolish. The more we remain foolish, the more we remain eager for spiritual advancement."
1974 November 15: "To repeatedly offer obeisances to the Spiritual Master, this is very important. A disciple should offer dandabats, not namaskara. The more one becomes fixed up in Guru obeisances, the more one becomes advanced."
1975 November 15: " Do not adulterate or change anything. Memorize the purports of my books and then speak them in your own words, that is the process to preach Krsna consciousness. Then you will be the perfect preacher."
I was in the Himalayas in a place called Mcleod Ganj. Mcleod Ganj was the residence of the Dharamshala. Yes I was there and you had the Tibetan temple. There were many people looking at the temple and praying. A little bit down from the mountain there was a Tibetan library. It was a huge library….it was a very good library actually. Of course, with an overtone of Tibetan Buddhism and so on. It had many other books also. So they got young people from all over the world, going to that Library – it was a very powerful preaching tool.
Everyone would go to that library. In that library they were running courses! They have a lot people there doing the courses. There were little tea shops, which served Tibetan tea with butter and fresh hot Tibetan bread, in which early in the morning that was the place to be in the cold mountain weather. So they were all sitting there having some bread and Tibetan tea, and all these conversations. Then I overheard someone say to another person,
“Are you already going to the meditation courses?”
“Yeah, I am actually”.
“Are you going to the first or the second level?”
“I’m going to the first level”.
“Oh yes….yes. I remember when I used to do the first level, which was kind of difficult at first…isn’t it?”
That kind of conversation….I think you know the kind of conversation, because you don’t have to go all the way to Mcleod Ganj hear that kind of conversation. It’s basically showing off that it’s all status. Showing off to the neighbours as to who’s the best, who’s the greatest and when I heard that I thought:
“This is all fake! These people are not sincere. They are just doing it for status. They are not sincere in their spiritual endeavours”.
I was not impressed. So I kept on looking and, saw someone there who was dressed up as a medieval monk, but he was not celibate. So what is the benefit of that! All this hollow external spiritual life, that was missing in substance. I was not impressed, so I was looking for more sincerity, but then when I became confronted with the devotees that were bit too much on the other side! They were too serious! I mean they were so serious about spiritual life that it was kind of shocking me! It’s like:
“These guy are full on…….this is just a bit too full on. Wait a minute, it’s going too fast. I am not sure if they really want this.”
And I slammed on the brakes with all my sincerity, and then I realised that I am not as sincere as I thought I was, since they are more sincere than I am! That was a bit of a shock. So I left for a while to digest that, and then got more serious.
So it’s a fact that Prabhupada on the strength of his own sincerity brought people to sincerity, simply by his own bhakti; by his own example; by his own surrender. Everyone then felt:
“Alright, then I should also do something”.
It can be done, and it’s possible! Prabhupada is such a person who proved that in this day and age saints do exist! And it is possible. It’s not just something of the past!
Canal and N. Peters were the streets where the Festival of Chariots took place. It's a procession, so naturally walking is incorporated into it. The public locals and tourists, responded so well. As usual, as time progresses, participation swells.
Our rendez-vous point was at Washington Square Park. There, a great feast was served for all, exhibits and a stage show were high-lighted. Unfortunately a few items including our drama got transcendentally bumped-off the schedule as the colorful carriot and procession arrived late at the spot and a group of professional singers were needing their time to perform.
Our drama troupe decided to tunr what could have been a negative into a positive by wearing their costumes while chanting in the streets of the French Quarter, as an event in itself. Based on the success of the previous night we felt it was a win-win situation. Our group was talented and chipper enough to not feel wasted by engaging in the ultimate beneficial service through the spiritual feel good event of Hari Nama chanting. We only needed to be cautious near the mule and horses drawing the carriages. They respond wildly to the hand cymbals.
In the French Quarter merchants and shoppers demonstrated participation through dance. When we diverted to one street we accidentally bumped into a Jewish wedding procession. Our drums blended into their horns and so it went for several blocks.
The chanting on this Sabbath evening will remain memorable for all those in the fire of singing and body movement. It's this chanting that takes centre stage to everything else including rituals and even eating the spiritual food. It is inclusive, joyful and rests on the bosom of Vedic wisdom. Yes, the king of knowledge is expressed in this most exuberant way,
Our small drama troupe was invited to New Orleans for their third annual Ratha Yatra. Travelling with me via air from Buffalo with stop-over in Cleveland was Dhruva and Yogendra, our two Nova Scotian monks, Sing Lung Wong, who is a lay member from our Toronto community and Nitai Priya, the receptionist at our temple.
The air was fresh after exiting from Louis Armstrong Airport. It was cooler than us Canucks had anticipated. We were treated to the local temple prasadam (sanctified food) and then set out for walking the French Quarter.
New Orleans is certainly a music town. You hear brass music in and outside venues. Brass and beer are the features of this birthplace of jazz and various forms of blues. It came to mind that jazz is really an expression of emotions rendered artistically. We say in Vaishnava (devotee) circles that Jagannath (a name of Krishna) is the master of the universe. Could we stretch it to say that God is the source of all sentiments and emotions and therefore we could call him Jagannath?
It was a thought.
It became evident to me that our tiny group of pilgrim tourists had musical abilities. With no determined or scheduled service outside of the morning talk from the Gita, we decided to drive back to the temple to pick up mridanga drums. Our two Scotia monks went to N Peters Street and we, with our vocals and tambourine, played and sang up a storm. People were so warmed up to it. It convinced me that the sankirtana (collective chanting) is well-received in this city that breaths out music. 24/7.
New Orleans, we love you...
Another thought came to mind as devotees of Krishna we never need to feel that sight-seeing is complete in itself, unless of course, we're speaking about tirthas (sacred places). We always have something to contribute wherever we are. We pick up some instruments and sit down somewhere and project out devotional songs.
In the course of a day there are situations to be happy about and to be grave about. Sadness should never fit into the picture.
I was glad to read about the vegetarian campaign going on at the U of Toronto. Posters read, "Why Love One and Kill Another?" with images of a puppy dog on one side and a piglet on the other. That's progressive thinking.
I was indeed feeling warm about this day being the Rasa Yatra of Krishna. His dalliance with the cowherd maidens is a celebration of the heart for devotees world-wide as is the anniversary of the marriage of two divinities, Tulsi and Salagram.
It's the full moon and you could visibly see it as serious clouds had passed by over Erie, one of the Great Lakes, where I'm accommodated with four actor devotees. Swans graced the sky and waves rippled against the beach where we tread.
My thoughts shifted to greater gravity when our conversation with Pundarik and Murli, our hosts, moved in the direction of a war between Canada and the U.S. two centuries ago. The old garrison, Fort Erie, is right near us.
I Became more pensive when I heard someone express dissatisfaction at another's service when in my mind I felt the performance was fine. Who's perception and who then is wrong? Such dualities of mind can be puzzling. You should always give the benefit of the doubt to someone and yet it might not always be stepping into the truth.
The beach is the place to deliberate. In the end the only reconciliation over such matters is determined by Divine Intelligence.
Yet more serialising of recipes by my cooking guru, Yamuna Devi! Before attempting to cook any of her recipes, make sure you are aware of the difference between US measures and Australian/metric measures. See below*
Fresh hot green jalapenos, averaging 2½ inches (6.5 cm) long and 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide, are available in most areas. If their skin has begun to turn red but is still shiny and firm, they are still quite usable. Smaller chilies are inevitably the hottest, especially serranos, but they are next to impossible to seed and stuff.
Use jalapenos or the conical fresnos (usually limited to California markets). Srila Prabhupada once commented to his servant-cook Srutakirti das. “Chili pakoras and fried chilies are cooling in hot climates; they actually reduce the body temperature”.
They are also recognized as appetite stimulators by inhabitants of the tropics. If you fancy hot foods, by all means give this dish a try on a full Vedic menu. Warn the unseasoned newcomer, and, depending on personal tolerance, allow 1 or 2 per person.
12 hot green jalapeno chilies, each about 2 ½ inches (6.5 cm) long, ½ teaspoon ground mustard, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon garam masala, 1 tablespoon chickpea flour, about 1 tablespoon plain yogurt, 1 cup ghee or vegetable oil for deep-frying.
Wash the chilies and pat them dry. With a sharp paring knife, make a cut from the top to the bottom of each chili, cutting halfway through. Carefully pry out the seeds and membrane, then wash the cavity under running water and pat dry.
Combine the mustard, turmeric, salt, cumin, garam masala, chickpea flour and enough yogurt to make a paste. Mix well. Spread the paste evenly into the cavity of each chili.
Heat the ghee or oil in a 1-quart/liter saucepan over high heat until it reaches 360 F (180 C) on a deep-frying thermometer. Fry the chilies 4 at a time for 2-3 minutes or until they blister and turn brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
*Note that since Yamuna wrote her recipes using US measurements, the weights are in US with metric in brackets.
More importantly, her tablespoons are US (15ml) whereas Australian/metric tablespoons are 20ml. So if you follow these recipes using metric measures, your tablespoons should be scant.
Similarly, the US cup is 240ml as distinct from the Australian/metric 250ml cup. The same scant measuring should thus apply to Australian/metric cup users.
A road to real heartiness we all must travel, climbing higher mountains on the way Home?
Is this the price I have to pay, to be an authentic lover?
In Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 17, Srila Prabhupada describes the love-potency pf a purified devotee:
"By the process of executing regulated devotional service, one is actually elevated onto the transcendental stage, beyond the material modes of nature. At that time one's heart becomes illuminated like the sun. The sun is far above the planetary systems, and there is no possibility of its being covered by any kind of cloud; similarly when a devotee is purified like the sun, from his heart there is a diffusion of ecstatic love which is more glorious than the sunshine."
Mission impossible, or the only real way forward?
An eruption from the heart more radiant than the sun?
What would you be willing to do, so one day you could love like that?
"Only at that time is the attachment to Krsna perfect," Nectar of Devotion continues. "Spontaneously, the devotee becomes eager to serve the Lord in his ecstatic love."
THE FOLLOWING LECTURE ON LORD KRISHNA’S PASTIMES IN VRINDAVANA IS THE FOURTH LECTURE IN A SERIES OF SEVEN, GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CARU SWAMI. Transcription : Rajat Prabhu Editing : Her Grace Hemavati Radhika Dasi Audio-reference : click here Actually when Krishna was going to Vrindavana riding on a cart on His mother’s lap, [...]
So far rigid regulations and rules are concerned, in the beginning, of course we do not find such opportunities to strictly follow but still we should not give so much attention for the regulations or strict rules and regulations but we must see how much a person is advancing in Krishna consciousness. That we have to see. And if we go on criticizing everyone oh…you are not doing this…you are not doing that…so many things according to Vedic culture…there may be so many things…but we are not concerned…as far as possible people should be given chance to develop Krishna consciousness. Srila Rupa Goswami one of the big acharyas, he says,
yena tena prakarena
manah krsne nivesayet
sarve vidhi-nisedhah syur
etayor eva kinkarah
- Nectar of Devotion
the first business is somehow or other people should be Krishna conscious so far rules and regulations are concerned if one takes to that line of activities Krishna consciousness then all things all regulations will follow just like a servant follows a master. If the master starts, the servant follows. Similarly these things rules and regulations…that will follow automatically. Because he has taken to Krishna consciousness, very soon he will become perfect pious man. This process will help you. Don’t be too much anxious that I am not in such a way …I am not in such a way…whatever way you may be…you just take to Krishna consciousness…very easy thing.
If you take this Krishna consciousness chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare very sincerely and regularly as far as possible by following the rules and regulations…this Krishna consciousness will help you to become a perfect and pious man very soon. Anyway if somebody takes to Krishna consciousness naturally and generally it will be found that he is becoming gradually perfect pious man, perfect knowledge man. This is the process.
1968 November 14: "There is a vast difference between initiated and non-initiated. One who becomes initiated is channelized to the authorities in the disciplic succession. One who is initiated is authorized and one who is not initiated is not authorized."
1974 November 14: "Your news of more publishing is very happy news. You are appreciating the chastisement of your Spiritual Master and Krishna will bless you. Six more books means you go further to Krishna six more steps. Now overflood Europe with books and your march will be followed by others."
The great diplomat Chanakya Pandita pointed out that one moment of time is more valuable than wealth equivalent to millions of gold coins, because the wealth, if lost, can be regained, whereas time, is lost, can never be regained; it is irrecoverably gone.
Time is not only irrecoverable, but also unstorable. We can choose whether to spend our wealth or not; we cannot choose whether to spend our time: with every passing moment, it is unavoidably spent. We cannot choose whether to spend time, we can only choose how to spend it.
Before choosing to take up any activity that involves a substantial amount of time, one way to ensure a wise choice is to ask this self-probing question: If someone would ask me to spend a substantial amount of money on this activity, would I be persuaded to do so? If not, then should I be persuaded by my mind to spend something even more valuable than money on this activity?
1974 November 14: "We have a great responsibility to present Krishna's words without any change. You have heard what I am speaking so you just speak what you have heard and it will have potent effect. This is the power of parampara."
1970 November 14: "It doesn't matter whether the priestly class accepts or not. When my Guru Maharaja introduced this system, even the inner circle of disciples of Bhaktivinode Thakura protested but my Guru Maharaja didn't care for it."
1975 November 14: "My Guru Maharaja said, 'I wish by selling the marbles in the temple I could publish and distribute books.' Now by his mercy he is giving me the facility for doing both - constructing so many marble temples and distributing so many books."
1975 November 14: "Now we have to revive this Aryan civilization and rectify things. Our mission is to have Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu applauded all over the world. Param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. That statement must be fulfilled - that we want to see."
1975 November 14: The Westerners have good brains, but no good leader. Now the Krsna consciousness movement will provide them good leader if they take it seriously. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prediction."
The Brijabasi Spirit now has its own Fan page on Facebook for the convenience of our readers who prefer to have everything there. Gotta keep up with the times.
We have an ongoing desire for anyone wanting to write for the Brijabasi Spirit. So much is going on in New Vrindaban and each person has an individual experience of that which we would like you to share.
Professional writing ability not essential and we can help with ideas or light editing if you want. Regular reports from various departments, recipes, synopsis of classes, guests stories, unfolding natural events, festival reportage — these are just a few ideas.
Current residency in New Vrindaban is not a requirement. We have a category called “The Old Days” and anyone can write their memories from a time spent living here or as a visitor. Or recount a story they heard from a current or previous resident. The Holy Dham has no geographical boundaries.
The fact that mistakes were made in New Vrindaban in the past is well documented and widely disseminated — we don’t need to add to that body of work. So we do request that stories and articles be of the category of the swan, positive and enlivening.
We don’t do straight up essays but will do discussions of philosophic nature if they actually happen in New Vrindaban.
We don’t do controversy. The internet is rife with places for weighing in on controversial topics we want the Brijabasi Spirit to be a safe haven.
Please contact Madhava Gosh if you feel moved to contribute.
Srila Rüpa Gosvami has given a definition of auspiciousness. He says that actual auspiciousness means welfare activities for all the people of the world. At the present moment groups of people are engaged in welfare activities in terms of society, community or nation. There is even an attempt in the form of the United Nations for world-help activity. But due to the shortcomings of limited national activities, such a general mass welfare program for the whole world is not practically possible. The Krishna consciousness movement, however, is so nice that it can render the highest benefit to the entire human race. Everyone can be attracted by this movement, and everyone can feel the result. Therefore, Rupa Gosvämi and other learned scholars agree that a broad propaganda program for the Krishna consciousness movement of devotional service all over the world is the highest humanitarian welfare activity.
How the Krishna consciousness movement can attract the attention of the whole world and how each and every man can feel pleasure in this Krishna consciousness is stated in the Padma Purana as follows: "A person who is engaged in devotional service in full Krishna consciousness is to be understood to be doing the best service to the whole world and to be pleasing everyone in the world. In addition to human society, he is pleasing even the trees and animals, because they also become attracted by such a movement." A practical example of this was shown by Lord Caitanya when He was traveling through the forests of Jharikhanda in central India for spreading His saìkértana movement. The tigers, the elephants, the deer and all the other wild animals joined Him and were participating, in their own ways, by dancing and chanting Hare Krishna.
1975 November 14: "So-called scholars and saintly persons have misguided the people by unnecessarily making different interpretations of the divine instructions. That is the cause of the ruination of India's culture."
Gita Coaching helps clients learn to become their own coaches.
In order to achieve your end goal, you need to set performance goals: what do you need to be able to do in order to achieve the end goal.
The end goal is the inspiration, the performance goal is perspiration.
What is the performance level needed to achieve the end goals?
Coaching creates more choices about what you can do to achieve your goal.
For example, you can ask: What could you do – if there were no constraints?
Instead of being a powerful coach, Gita Coach creates a powerful cooperative relationship with you, working together on releasing your potential and achieving your goals.
The power of a question does not reside in the question itself, but in its impact on you.
Gita Coaching is a relationship of new possibilities.
Imagine a relationship where the total focus is on you, on what you want in your life and on what will help you achieve it. Imagine a relationship with a person who is even more committed to what you want in your life than you are.
The coaching relationship is one of trust, confidentiality and safety.
You are naturally creative, resourceful and whole.
The BBT Considering Printing a Third Edition of Teachings of Lord Caitanya
The BBT is considering printing a third edition of Teachings of Lord Caitanya and we’d like to hear your thoughts.
A Brief History
Two editions of Teachings of Lord Caitanya were published during Srila Prabhupada’s lifetime. Both received his approval. For the first edition, published in 1969, Satsvarupa Maharaja was the transcriber and first editor, Rayarama Dasa the final editor.
Hayagriva Prabhu felt the first edition of the TLC was rough, so in 1974, with Srila Prabhupada’s approval, he worked on a second edition. He extensively revised the TLC in consultation with Nitai Dasa and others in the BBT’s Sanskrit department. Diacritics were added along with a selection of verses from the Caitanya-caritamrta, the TLC’s sourcebook. References were added for quoted verses, and Sanskrit and Bengali spellings brought up to the academic standard Srila Prabhupada wanted for his books. In addition, Hayagriva Prabhu lowercased many words that had been capitalized following an archaic standard Srila Prabhupada had discarded in 1969 in a conversation with his Back to Godhead editors.
The bulk of Hayagriva’s work went into editing the text for smoother reading and concision, and in general doing all the things Prabhupada’s editors did on his other books.
But while this second edition was greatly improved in all these ways, the English was revised entirely from the published text of the first edition without the benefit of the original manuscripts, which had by then been lost.
Some devotees have complained that the 1974 TLC lost some of the flavor of Srila Prabhupada’s original language, which was clear in the first edition. Dissatisfaction with the second edition has led some devotees to purchase the first-edition TLC, from sources outside the BBT. Yet both editions were edited before the Caitanya-caritamrta was published. This means that both have errors that could have been avoided if the editors could have crosschecked with the Caitanya-caritamrta.
The Third Edition
It seems that a third edition of the TLC is called for. Dravida Prabhu has now painstakingly produced one. This third edition restores much of the flavor of Srila Prabhupada’s original language and combines that with the proper Sanskrit editing, diacritical marks, verse references, and other improvements introduced by Hayagriva Prabhu. In this new edition, numerous mistakes have been corrected as well, and pieces of text lost in the second edition have been restored. (On the pages following this letter, Dravida Prabhu has provided specific examples of the types of corrections he has made and has explained them.) Additionally, the third edition of the TLC will restore Govinda Dasi’s black-and-white illustrations, which Srila Prabhupada very much liked.
How to See the Revision
Before the BBT proceeds with the printing of this third edition, we are interested to hear your comments. You can see an explanation of the types of changes made as well as download the entire manuscript of the 1974 edition with all the proposed changes clearly marked at www.bbtedit.com/TLC-Revision
To comment please use the “Your Feedback” box on
the www.bbtedit.com website or write us at editorial.decisions@pamho.net. We will be accepting feedback on the TLC revision until January 1, 2012
SKUDAI - ISKCON Skudai had wonderful Damodara programs through out whole month starting from 13 Oct 2011 till 10 Nov 2011. In total 2512 lamp were offered to Lord Damodara for whole month. This auspicious month gives us the opportunity to approach non devotees and preach to them how to celebrate Deepavali in right manner and preach about Krishna Consciousness as well. Below are the few programs that I like to share with you.
Damodara program in Permas Jaya Tamil School
The program was held on 9/11/2011. We were started the program at 9.00 am. There are 270 students and 20 teachers in this school. All gathered in school canteen. The headmistress (Mrs Tilakavathi Rasaiyya) is really a nice person and welcomed us very humbly. I have gave my speech for 15 minutes explaining about Lord Damodara and the benefit of showing ghee lamp on this month. After that, the school head mistress delivered her speech. According to her, this is the first time she came to know about Lord Damadora story. She appreciated our society and our teaching. She also attracted with our bhajan group & the instruments. She requested us to have more programs in this school for children benefit. After the speech, all the students and teachers chant and repeat Maha Mantra for few times and sing together with Bhajan group by clapping hands. After that, the HM started to offer ghee lamp, follow by teachers and students. We have distributed light prasadam (kesari, and biscuits) to all as per requested by HM. But she agreed with our plan to give heavy prasadam in future seems she has better understanding about our movement now. Sathish prabhu gave the Damodara CD and pictures for all the teachers afterwords. We were also donated (free distribution) more than 100 small books for primary 4, 5 and 6 students and chaired by Kalia Krishna prabhu. Besides that, the teachers and students bought 13 Bhagavad Gita from us. The most interesting part was the students used their pocket money given by their parents to buy food used to purchase some books totaling RM321. This incident really shocked us and made us realize how the souls are hankering for right source to deliver them. That was great of Srila Prabupada books. I've personally appreciated Sathish prabhu for his arrangement to obtain the permission from HM, sponsor the prasadam and ghee lamp.
Damodara program and Deepavali Open House in Saleng, Senai
The program was held on 7/11/2011 in No 28, Jalan Pancasilla 8, Taman Pancasilla, Saleng at 7.00pm. This wonderful program was sponsored, planned and arranged by Subramaniam pr in a non-devotee, Kannuva. We had nice decoration by putting camp outside the house and so on. More than 80 non devotees participated who is staying surrounding and offer ghee lamps to Lord Damodara. I have used this opportunity to deliver the class for 45 minutes explaining about Lord Damodara, ISKCON, four regulative principle , and our real Sanatana dharma and Hinduism as well. All of them listened very attentively & participated in nice bhajan lead by Raja prabhu. After the ghee lamps offering, all of them were fed by nice prasadam cooked by Sadasivam prabhu. We garlanded the house owner and thanked him for allow us to have this program in their house. In future, we plan to have a palanquin festival in this Taman where majority are Indian, some people and came and participated to honor our invitation.
A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course Monday 14 November 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: Keep the Teachings Pure uploaded from New Delhi, India Transcendental knowledge originates with Krishna, the original spiritual master, and has been carefully passed down throughout the ages from the spiritual master to his disciple, who then becomes a spiritual master and passes the knowledge on to his disciples, etc, etc. If anyone along the chain does not transmit the knowledge purely, the chain of disciplic succession is broken, and the knowledge is lost to that line of succession. Therefore it is the duty of all those who receive transcendental knowledge from a bona fide spiritual master to purely pass it on to those who are willing and eager to hear it. Maintaining the pure teachings as they have descended without blemish from Krishna through the disciplic succession is the greatest welfare work that one can render for the deliverance of the human society from all varieties of suffering conditions. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Srimad Bhagavatam Class--Punjabi Bagh, India 13 November 2011 http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Fall/New.Delhi_PB1.JPG http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Fall/New.Delhi_PB2.JPG Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Why is Death Life's Most Critical Moment? Dear Gurudeva, Namaste. I would like to humbly ask the following questions: What makes the moment of death the most critical time in one's life? Is it the moment of critical change for a person, a change for the better or worse in one's continuing evolution? Yours in yoga Janardan Mali Answer: Everything is Tested at the Time of Death. The time of death is the time of transition when one either passes into another material body or attains his original spiritual form. This depends on his state of consciousness at the time of leaving his body. Death can be compared the final exam in a university course. If you pass the exam, you graduate. If you fail the exam, you have to repeat the course. Failing to remember Krishna at the time of death means having to take another material body and again suffer birth, death, old age, and disease. And remembering Krishna means to attain an eternal existence, full of knowledge, and full of bliss in the transcendental spiritual sky. 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. 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Whether it is bad that she naturally thinks about Krsna’s form or pastimes while chanting japa.
