1. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s instructions in Sikastakam, “param vijayate Sri-Krishna -Sankirtanam” is the only motto of the Gaudiya math. 2. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna is the only enjoyer. Everyone and everything else is the object of his enjoyment. 3. Anyone who does not serve Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is ignorant and a killer himself. 4. To learn to tolerate is one of the most important responsibilities of those living in the math. 5. Rupanuga devotees offer all glory to the original source instead of depending on their own strength. 6. Those who perform assorted religious activities can not serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 7. Become united with one purpose and serve Hari. 8. Where there is discussion about Hari, that is a place of pilgrimage. 9. We are not pious, sinful or learned or ignorant, we are the carriers of the dust of the feet of the Supreme Lord Sri Hari and we are initiated by the mantra “kirtaniyah sada harih.” 10. My advice is, do not criticize others. Try to rectify yourself. 11. Our supreme duty is to serve the residents of Vraja who are afflicated by Krishna ‘s departure to Mathura. 12. A pure devotee knows that everyone is the spiritual master. Therefore, a pure devotee can be jagad-guru. 13. If we want to follow the path of true auspiciousness, we should give up the countless opinions of people and only hear the words of the vedas. 14. Whatever is auspicious should be desired. 15. An intimate devotee does not have any other desire besides serving the followers of Sri Rupa Goswami. 16. There is no other way of associating with transcendence besides hearing. 17. As soon as we lose the shelter of a protector, everything around us will become our enemy and attack us. Topics about Krishna spoken by a genuine saint are our only protector. 18. A flatterer can never become a guru or a preacher. 19. It is better to remain in millions of species like birds, beasts, insects and worms than become deceitful. One who is free from deceit receives auspiciousness. 20. Vaisnavism is the other name of simplicity. The servants of the paramahamsa Vaishnavas are simple; therefore they are the best brahmanas. 21. The only duty of the most merciful persons is to transform the degraded taste of people. If you can save even one person from the great force of MahaMaya, then that will be a greater act of philanthropy than opening millions of hospitals. 22. Those who have not learned to develop their propensity to serve the Supreme Lord from self realized souls, no matter how pleasing their association may be, it should never be desired. 23. Preaching without practicing is nothing but a ritual of karma-kanda. 24. If one just serves the Supreme Personality of Godhead and his devotees, his attachment to his household will diminish. 25. Our main disease is to collect objects that are not related to Krishna. 26. We have not come to this world to become an artisan of wood or stone, we are only peons of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy. 27. We will not stay in this world for a long time. Only if this body falls singing of the glory of Lord Sri Hari will our birth in this body be successful. 28. The only desired object in our life is to collect the dust from the Lotus feet of Sri Rupa Goswami, who fulfilled the desire of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. 29. This material nature, which is averse to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is an examination hall. Tolerance, humbleness, appreciation of others, etc., are favorable to develop our devotion to Hari. 30. In every birth one gets a father and a mother. But one may not get instructions for his ultimate benefit. 31. Although the activities of a devotee and the misdemeanor of a pseudo-devotee appear to be alike, there is a heaven and hell difference – like milk and limewater. 32. Those who mistake dishonesty to be honesty (or a crook to be saint) will fall into great difficulty, as a person who tries to cheat an iron-smith by supplying him bad steel. 33. As soon as we get to know the absolute truth, we should become fixed in it. Instead of wasting a single moment of time left, we should be engaged in serving Sri Hari. 34. Many people mistake ‘imitation’ to be ‘following’. These two words are not the same. To play the role of Narada in a play is ‘imitation’ but to follow the path of devotion according to Narada Muni is ‘following’. 35. He who is constantly absorbed in discussing about Sri Hari is a saint. One who is constantly engaged in serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a saint. One who in all his endeavors tries to serve Krishna is a saint. 36. If the Supreme Personality of Godhead Narayana offers Himself, something remains unoffered, but a devotee can offer the Lord completely. 37. Do not try to become a guru to become envious. Do not try to become a guru in order to become absorbed in material attachments. But if you become my unalloyed servant, if you have acquired my potency, there is nothing to fear. 38. A bonafide spiritual master is non-different from Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one cannot say that the spiritual master is the personal manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will not be able to utter the holy name of the Lord. 39. In order to teach us how to serve Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself appears as the spiritual master. 40. A living entity can not derive real benefit by reading hundreds of books or pretending to render devotional service according to his own ideas. 41. Being cheated by those who mislead people in the name of hari-katha has become a sort of religion in this age. 42. Someone will be able to understand the profound meaning of the impartial truth that is being spoken fearlessly after hundreds of lives or hundreds of yugas. Unless hundreds of gallons of hard-earned blood is spent, we will not be able to make people understand the truth. 43. The Lord does not accept anything offered by those who do not chant one hundred thousand names of the Lord each day. 44. Association is the principle impetus in human life to serve Sri Hari. Due to association of non-devotees, one gets material prosperity. Due to the association of devotees, the spirit soul gradually becomes absorbed in serving Sri Hari. This is the greatest shelter for a human being. Never become averse to that. 45. Whenever there are material difficulties, the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes the shelter and allows one to serve him. 46. As long as one has anarthas, one does not receive the good fortune of becoming a servant of Srimati Radharani. Those who discuss the transcendental pastimes of Srimati Radharani, the dearmost servitor of Sri Krishna, are sense gratifiers, covered enjoyers and prakrta-sahajiyas. 47. When anarthas will be removed due to chanting the Holy Name, then Krishna ‘s form, qualities and pastimes will automatically manifest from the name. There is no need to make an endeavor to artificially remember His form, qualities and pastimes. 48. All of you preach the message of Rupa Goswami and Raghunatha Dasa Goswami with great enthusiasm. Our supreme desire is to become the dust at the lotus feet of the followers of Sri Rupa Goswami. 49. Do not give up devotional service even if there are innumerable dangers, countless insults and endless harassment. Do not become disheartened that most people in this world do not accept the message of unalloyed devotional service. Never give up your devotional service and hearing and chanting about Krishna which is your everything. Always chant the Holy Name becoming more humble than a blade of grass and more tolerant than a tree. 50. We do not want to become great fruitive workers or religious leaders; all we want is to become the dust at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa Prabhu. That is our original identity. 51. We should never display any kind of aversion towards sankirtana-yajna which is perfect sacrifice, complete with the seven forms of sacrifice. If we have gradually increasing love for that, then everything will be accomplished and we will attain ultimate perfection. Just preach the words of Rupa and Raghunatha with enthusiasm and courage, with complete dedication to the followers of Sri Rupa. 52. If I stop preaching the unbiased truth due to fear that people will not like it, I am accepting the non-vedic way, rejecting the vedic way. Then I become an atheist and I lose my faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the personification of truth. 53. In this material world there are only two representatives of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the transcendental sound vibration of the Holy Name, and his eternally transcendental deity incarnation. 54. The deity is worshipped by the Holy Name – sentient is served through sentient. 55. For the pleasure of the Lord, His devotees call Him by His Holy Name to render service unto Him, not to fulfill their own desires. 56. The deity is the merciful incarnation of the eternal form of the transcendental Supreme Personality of Godhead of the spiritual sky (Vaikuntha). It is direct proof of the personal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vaishnavas do not imagine whether God is a person or impersonal. They are not idol worshippers. 57. Just as the purports of the vedas have been briefly described in the Brahma-sutra and the vedanta-bhasya, the conclusion and purport of the Srimad-Bhagavatam has been similarly described in a brief and accurate way. 58. Unless one studies Srimad-Bhagavatam under the guidance if a bonafide Vaishnava acharya, he will not be able to understand the real purport of the Brahma-sutra. Srimad Bhagavatamis the original commentary of Vedanta-sutra. 59. Sri Jiva Goswami specifically explained that Srimad-Bhagavatam is the original commentary of Vedantasutra. 60. The word “devotion” can not be applied to anything besides ‘Krishna ‘. ‘Krishna ‘ is the only subject of devotion. Brahman is the object of knowledge, Paramatma is the object of nearness, but Krishna is the only object of service. 61. Every word has a two-fold aspect; conveying a meaning based on knowledge and a meaning based on ignorance. The aspects of words that indicate something other than Krishna, Visnu or Sri Caitanya, conveys the mearning based on ignorance. In knowledge everything indicates Krishna and signifies Krishna. 62. What the ignorant masses understand about the ‘Krishna ‘ is not the real object of the word Krishna. In other words, ‘God’, ‘Allah’ and even the Sanskrit words ‘Isvara”, ‘Paramatma’ etc. only indicate a great energy coming out of Krishna. They do not indicate the total aspect of the word ‘Krishna ‘. 63. There is no work as auspicious as serving the spiritual master. Of all worship, the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the greatest. But the worship of the lotus feet of the spiritual master is even greater than the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unless this is firmly realized we can not understand what saintly association means; we cannot understand what the shelter of a spiritual master means; we cannot understand that we are dependent and he is our maintainer. 64. If we take shelter of the lotus feet of the spiritual master, we can become free from illusion, fear and distress. If we wholeheartedly beg for his mercy without any deceit then the spiritual master bestows all auspiciousness upon us.
Question: When the world offers both pleasures and pains, why is the Bhagavad-gita so pessimistic as to call the world a place of misery? Answer: The Bhagavad-gita is not pessimistic, but realistic; the reality is that the pleasure-pain balance of the world is tilted heavily toward the pain side. We can get an insight into the pleasure-pain balance of the world by examining at the pleasure-pain balance of the body because we experience the world primarily through our physical body. We can analyze the pleasure-pain balance of the body using an acronym DIVE: Duration: The pleasures that the body can give us last only for a few minutes, as in the case of eating or mating. However, the pains that the body can give us can last for years, as the case of in chronic back problems or arthritis or terminal cancers. Intensity: The body is far more pain-sensitive than pleasure-sensitive. If we are lying comfortably on a comfortable cushioned bed, being massaged with soothing, soft hands, and we experience one pinprick, the intensity of that pain experienced in one part of the body supersedes the intensity of the pleasure experienced in all other parts of the body. Variety: The ways in which the body can give us pleasure are few, whereas the ways in which it can give us pain are many, even innumerable. The tongue can give us pleasure primarily by eating and singing, but it can give us pain by being bitten by the teeth, burnt by a hot food item or cut by the sharp edge of a fork or by becoming swollen or shrunken or ulcerous or dysfunctional due to a myriad variety of diseases. Extent: The bodily parts that can give us pleasure are few: primarily the external sensory organs like the eyes, ears and skin, whereas the bodily parts that can give us pain are many, nay, all. None of the internal organs like kidney or liver or spine can ever give us any pleasure, yet all of them can give us excruciating pain by becoming diseased in numerous ways. This analysis shows that the body’s pleasure-pain balance, and by extension the world’s pleasure-pain balance, is tilted heavily toward the pain side. The Bhagavad-gita’s essential message, though, is not pessimistic, but optimistic. It points to us the eternal spiritual world where as indestructible souls can reclaim our destiny of everlasting happiness. To ensure that we don’t miss out on that glorious destiny due to the futile hope for happiness in this world, it candidly proclaims the true nature of this world as a place of misery. Thus, the Gita’s initial pessimism is the essential cerebral jolt necessary to make us receptive to its message of ultimate optimism.
| Hare Krishna members on Tuesday protested outside Hungary’s Parliament against a new law that could strip them of their status as a recognized church.
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It’s relatively easy to love ideal people: those who have only virtues, no vices. And we do need to love them so that we develop the inspiration and aspiration to become ideal like them. However, as we live in a world where ideal people are few – even among spiritualists striving to become ideal, we will inevitably find ourselves in a social circle comprising many real people, those who have a blend of virtue and vice, as do we. If we reserve our love and service for a social circle of only ideal people, then we will stay waiting for the rest of eternity; such a circle doesn’t exist in the material world. If somehow we find such a circle, we ourselves won’t gain entry into it due to our not being ideal. In fact, even Krishna doesn’t reserve his love for ideal people alone; in the Bhagavad-gita (9.30-31), he declares his love for real people, those who are striving to become but have not yet become ideal, and urges us to love them too.
On the auspicious disappearance day of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Swami Prabhupada, we thank him for making the spiritual world that little bit more accessible to us; we pray to him that we may always fully appreciate the darsana of the Absolute Truth and that of His eternal associates.
A lecture given by H.H Kadamba Kanana Maharaja on 2nd December 2011, in Pretoria, South Africa jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda We’re reading from Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi lila, chapter 8, entitled, “The author receives the order of Krsna and guru,” text 79: sei likhi, madana-gopala ye likhaya kasthera puttali yena kuhake nacaya Translation: As a wooden doll is made to dance by a magician, I write as Madana-gopala orders me to do so. (Purport) (Invocatory prayers) To be the instrument of Krsna As a doll is made to dance…this marionette, the puppet on strings, is not dancing independently. It is said that in the same way, the pure devotee is the instrument of the Supreme Lord and the Supreme Lord from within the heart is dictating His desires through him. In that way this devotee is becoming an instrument, nimitta-matram bhava savya-sacin- as it is said in the Bhagavad Gita. Savya Sacin- to become the instrument of the Lord. That is the idea. To put false ego aside, to put false dreams aside, to put what we want to be aside or to put lamentation of all that we couldn’t get… to put it aside and to simply be what Krsna wants us to be. We should accept that and preach accordingly. Destiny somehow or other gives us a certain service and then we develop that service. The mind may come up with so many things- not satisfied, restless, disturbed…the mind is not our friend, it is stated and in the conditioned state, only the pure devotee, his mind becomes his friend. The mind is no longer in conflict, the mind is no longer pulling in another direction and the mind simply becomes purified. ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam, it is said by chanting Hare Krsna, the consciousness becomes purified. The consciousness is like a mirror and this mirror is simply reflecting Krsna or His desire in various ways. Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami was writing the Caitanya Caritamrta. How he was writing was inconceivable because the Caitanya Caritamrta is in a way a book full of quotes from different scriptures. It is therefore a book, which is not something which is written like on the top off ones head but it is a book that has a lot of work in it. A lot of work- by taking quotes here and there from different scriptures and it means the writer has to do hard work. One can also just write something that comes into the head but if one starts to pull in evidence from here and there then that is a serious book. So the Caitanya Caritamrta is like that, it’s a serious work but he was in his 90’s when he was writing it! So most people in their 90’s are like slowing down a little, the brain is no longer in such a good condition and Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami, in the last chapter of the Cc is writing like that; he is saying, “my memory is finished, my eye sight is gone, my hand is trembling so much, my body is full of disease…how am I writing? How is this possible? It’s not me who is writing, it’s the Supreme Lord who is dictating, dictating from within.” Caitya-guru, Srila Prabhupada explains, is the guru in the heart, Krsna who is acting as guru in the heart. In this way the pure devotee, he knows what to do, he knows from within. We cannot imitate because when we start listening to the heart then actually we are listening to our mind and how do you know what comes from the mind and what comes the heart? It’s very difficult. We say, ‘yes, yes we feel it,’ but later we realise that no, that was not Krsna, that was my mind. At the time when I got the message, I thought, yes, yes, this is Krsna’s desire but now I realise that it’s my mind. My mind is just pushing me through the three modes of material nature and in the three modes of material nature we desire to enjoy this and that. That is the mind and that will bring us suffering, it will bind us because the mind is the seat of the senses. The senses are connected to the mind so whatever we perceive through the eyes, the nose, the ears or the sense of touch, all that is connected to the mind. In the mind we store remembrances of previous experience. For so long no sense enjoyment and then we remember that, ‘actually the last time it wasn’t that bad, let’s have it again. Of course that is difficult then one has to struggle to try and get the same enjoyment again. So these are all being on the mental platform. To be the servant of the servant Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami was obviously another type of devotee. He was always thinking of Krsna. According to the Gaura- ganoddesa- dipika from Kavi Karnapura, which is a book that basically describes the ‘who is who.’ It describes who in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, what role they played in the pastimes of Krsna because after all, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna. So He has come back now as Caitanya Mahaprabhu then along with Him all His associates also come like that andvrajendra-nandana yei, saci-suta haila sei, balarama ha-ila nitai. That Vrajendra-nandana, the son of Vraja, the son of Nanda (Vrajendra means the controller of Vraja, Nanda Maharaja) has now appeared as saci suta, the son of Saci. And Balarama, He has come as Nitai. So Krsna and Balarama appear and along with Krsna and Balarama all the associates also appear. So we see that so many of the devotees with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu were also there with Krsna and then we can see who they were. So the Gaura- ganoddesa-dipika is saying that Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami was Kasthuri Manjari, one of the gopis described as nitya sakhis, or the eternal friends of Srimati Radharani. Of course it is known that Krsna is not only enjoying with Srimati Radharani but also with other gopis. But these nitya sakhis, they are performing austerities to become free from the desire to be embraced by Krsna so that their desire is only to serve Radharani and nothing else. Those are the nitya sakhis. So Kasthuri Manjari is one of these sakhis and they perform these austerities. Srila Jiva Goswami describes that they perform these austerities and then as a reward for their austerities they perform a bathing ceremony of Srimati Radharani, who was always in that mood of somehow or other serving Radha and Krsna, by serving Radharani. That actually is the mood of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s followers that, ‘I am not a great devotee, so what can I do to please Krsna? Here I am doing some service for Krsna but what does Krsna care about my little service in comparison to the service of His great devotees. Therefore better than trying to make my offering and say Krsna here is my offering, I’ll make my offering to assist a greater devotee and in that way Krsna will be more pleased.’ So that is the mood in Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement, to assist the greater devotee and not to just say, ‘out of the way! Here I am! I am serving Krsna!’ so that is our mood. One serves the spiritual master, one serves the vaisnavas, the senior vaisnavas and one thinks, ‘who am I? I am simply an assistant.’ That is important. It’s obviously in that where humility develops, in that mood of being an assistant and all assistants are assistants of Srimati Radharani, who is the topmost. So Krsnadas Kaviraja Gosvami comes in that mood now to assist Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu comes into this world then all these associates come and in the spiritual world, they are close servants. Rupa Manjari is Rupa Goswami. Rupa Manjari is the direct servant of Lalita. The most intimate servants are Lalita and Vishaka. It is said that they are members of the asta-sakhis and they are expansions of Srimati Radharani. So Radharani is serving Krsna in a particular mood but then She expands Herself into other forms that have a little bit different mood so that She can also serve Krsna in another mood simultaneously. Like that, it is going on. The service of the Goswamis The point is that Rupa Goswami is a real leader amongst all the devotees. Rupa Goswami is distributing service as an assistant of Lalita. So there is a whole heirachy, it’s not that everyone is in the spiritual world and walking around in the mood of, ‘I’m serving Krsna…’ and it’s all just ‘Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, Krsna…’ no, everyone is serving some other servant and service is given, not that service is taken. In this way everyone is given some service. There is incidental service, service that you do sometimes. That may be given just once, ‘do this service,’ ‘yes, thank you. Done!’ and then there is a fixed service, a service where one takes responsibility for a particular service. In that fixed service, there we are developing that service, improving the service. That is of a higher calibre. So we see that all the eternal associates of the Lord have a fixed service. So when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came into this world then we see that Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis also came and they came to write books, elaborating on the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu as they had heard it and then establishing these teachings based on conclusions of various scriptures. nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau, they took different things from so many scriptures and they found evidence of everything they had already heard from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So in this way they established all the conclusions of Mahaprabhu on the basis of scripture. Not that Mahaprabhu could have not done that Himself but He left it for them to do that, ‘okay you do that; this is the essence and you do that work…’ and then Jiva Goswami came and he was brilliant, absolutely brilliant! Such a learned person! Such a brain! So sharp that Jiva Goswami was defeating all other philosophers and clearly establishing vaisnavism based on Srimad Bhagavatam as the truth. And then Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami came… He appeared during the time that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was still on the planet but he never met Him because he was still a child at the time. Only later when he was grown up did he go to Vrndavana and he spent some significant amount of time in Vrndavana. Exactly how long, he’s not sure and in Vrndavana he resided in Radha Kunda and he became the assistant of Raghunatha das Goswami. So Raghunatha Goswami is interesting because he was born of a very, very wealthy family. It is said that at that time his father was having a monthly income of 1.2 million rupees. So if even today- 500 years later- you can imagine, incredibly wealthy! Inconceivably wealthy! And Raghunatha das just gave it up, he gave up everything, he gave up all that wealth and he became completely renounced and his renunciation was just inconceivable. He came to Jagannatha Puri and joined Caitanya Mahaprabhu there. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu placed him under the care of Swarup Damodara Goswami and Swarup Damodara Goswami was teaching Raghunatha, not in renunciation but in antaranga-seva. He was teaching him according to his eternal spiritual identity, which is for the very advanced devotees. So he was serving under Swarup Damodara, not in the consciousness of this external body but within the consciousness of a spiritual body. He was really there; it wasn’t like imagined therefore he was able to serve, always being in the spiritual world. On the material platform, he had no interest in anything material- zero interest. Not only had he renounced all the wealth of his parents but he didn’t want to bother with material things. So very simple clothes, whatever was lying around, whatever he was getting he took without any endeavour. Even for his meals he was begging at the Jagannatha temple. But then he stopped doing that and then he started taking from the charity booth. They have these holy places in India where they give out some free food. So he would just go there. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, “Swarup Damodara, what happened to Raghunatha? He used to beg in front of the gate, the lion gate of the temple.” He said, “ya, he gave that up because this kind of begging is in the mood of a prostitute who is always thinking, ‘maybe this one will be my customer, maybe that one will be my customer.’ And if one stands and begs, he is thinking, ‘maybe this one will give something…yesterday he came and he gave so maybe he’ll give again.’ One’s mind gets into calculating so he said Raghunatha das decided to give it up. So Raghunatha said, “better to take once a day from the charity booth and then finished.” Then after a while Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked again to Swarup Damodara, “Raghunatha has stopped taking from the charity booth, what’s he doing now?” “Oh, what Raghunatha das is doing now, he is taking whatever rice they have thrown out from the Jagannatha temple. Whenever there is the maha prasadam there is always too much rice and when the rice goes bad they throw it out and first the cows eat it but then after a while it gets so bad that even the cows will not take it. So Raghunatha is taking that and he’s washing it under the water until all the soft parts comes off and only the hard core remains and he eats that with a little salt.” Then that day, Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to Raghunatha das and He said, “oh, Raghunatha, what nectar are you having there?” and Raghunatha das said, “no, no, no, my Lord, no, no, no! This is not for You!” “But Raghunatha das what are you hiding from Me? You are having some nectar there!” Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Raghunatha, give me some of that…” “No, no, no….” but Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He is very powerful and Raghunatha das couldn’t stop Him. Somehow or other He snatched it and said, “mmmm! This is the best prasadam, the best prasadam I’ve ever tasted! Delicious!” Then Swarup Damodar arrived there and sort of came in between and said, “no, no, no, this is enough, enough! This is not for You, this is for Raghunatha.” So in this way we see how Raghunatha das performed his austerity but it was not austerity at all. He was simply staying free to be absorbed in the eternal, spiritual reality. Why bother with the material world and all the complexities? Just keep it as simple as possible and as pure as possible. Like he wanted to solve his eating problem very simple but at the same time he got maha prasadam! So like this, it was of the higher, spiritual calibre and at the same time very simple. So Raghunatha in this way was very fortunate. He became the intimate servant of Swarup Damodara Goswami and Swarup Damodara Goswami, he was the one who stayed in the final days with Caitanya Mahaprabhu so he knew everything about the special ecstasies that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was experiencing in His last days. The amazing symptoms of love of God, nobody knew about but people had heard about- not in detail- but they had heard that there was something extraordinary going on but nobody knew the fine details of it. But Swarup Damodara knew and he wrote it down in a diary. Then that diary was lost! My God! It was a written in a diary and the diary was lost but somehow or other, Swarup Damodara had told about this diary so many times to Raghunatha das that Raghunatha das remembered it. Raghunatha das was one of the very few so he was a treasure house of knowledge. Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami- the chosen one Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami, he lived in Radhakunda. It was Raghunatha das who had developed Radha kunda. With the wealth of some businessman, who was instructed from within to give his money to Raghunatha, he had used it to build all the ghatas and so on. Raghunatha was expert at handling money because of his family background. He had arranged for all these ghatas and now Radhakunda has all these stone slabs- the whole thing! Then, because Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami was there, he had heard everything from Raghunatha das Goswami. So, he knew that the vaisnavas knew it, that Krsna das Kaviraja knew it. And the vaisnavas knew that Krsnadas was very learned in the vaisnava books of the Goswamis because they knew that Krsnadas had come to Vrndavana and had been trained by Rupa Goswami and Jiva Goswami personally. Therefore he had not only studied the books but he had personally trained him. They knew that and they knew that he knew the secrets about the diary of Swarup Damodara Goswami and therefore they knew that he was the one to write about Caitanya Mahaprabhu although he never met Him! So he was the one who was chosen to write the Caitanya Caritamrta, which included the teaching and the life of Mahaprabhu and especially also the later part, describing to what extent love of God can go. And then one chants Hare Krsna and then one becomes mad with love of God. But what is this madness, how does it work? It is to do with intensity, not just a desire to be a devotee, not just a desire to serve Krsna but intense desire and everything else becomes insignificant, meaningless, forget it. Caitanya Mahaprabhu forgot everything else- everything else! It was only Krsna and it just became more and more intense. That of course is another subject matter. The Caitanya Caritamrta as a mirror But we can see that actually, the pastimes of Caitanya Mahprabhu are like staged by the Lord. When the Lord comes into this world He stages His pastimes like a road show and along with Him comes His associates and they are performing all this pastimes and teachings for us so that we can connect and that everything that we need is there, that everything that comes up in our spiritual life is being dealt with. In this way, a book like the Caitanya Caritamrta deals with everything that we encounter in our pursuits in spiritual life, it’s there. Everything that we come across is dealt with, is described. In that way, when we look at the Caitanya Caritamrta it’s like looking in a mirror and we see our own spiritual life in front of our eyes and how we performing. We can see how to move on, we can see where we went wrong, we can see what we are lacking, what pure devotional service really is. In this way we can find inspiration to become more serious. Being cooked on all sides The kanistha is a weak devotee. It is said kamala sraddha, he has weak faith, he doesn’t believe firmly that his happiness will come from only Krsna. He is thinking, “Yes, happiness comes from Krsna but there is also other things. So the kanistha will always hold on to other things but can’t give them up either. So this is the first fight; the first fight is that one has to cut with knowledge. One has to cultivate knowledge and when there’s knowledge, very sharp knowledge, then it cuts. So with this sharp knowledge, we cut this old, stale attachments- cut, one after another! And one has to cut more, step by step… Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami, is described as a wooden doll that is dancing in the hands of the magician. That means he is completely humble. Step by step one has to cut to become humble. One doesn’t get humble by a mood, ‘and now I’m going to be humble…’ I usually say that one can take super glue and put their hands together and they always stay together…it looks humble but it’s only superglue! That is really what it is. So one of the acaryas was saying that it is a journey and one has to pass by oceans, mountains, stars in the sky… and give them all up! So, big things, big attachments, one has to leave them. The big things, one has to pass by and let it go. Everyone has some big things in his life, big, so many big things are there and we have to do it. Of course in the beginning we have all these big attachments so the spiritual master will say, ‘yes, yes…’ We had a discussion about, ‘yes, yes’ it was a ‘yes, yes’ discussion. Someone came and said, ‘should I get married? Or should I stay single for life?’ Yes! ‘Should I take a job?’ Yes! ‘should I just surrender and just preach?’ Yes! ‘You’re saying yes to everything?’ Yes! ‘Then what am I supposed to do? Should I just do any of these things?’ Yes! ‘You mean it doesn’t matter?’ Yes! Whatever you do there will be austerity, whatever you do there will be austerity. You choose, you try… I went to the city of New York and you know, in New York you have everything! So in New York I saw a chapatti machine. Yes somewhere I saw a big machine cooking chapattis. That’s New York- you have everything! And it was interesting that at the top there was a container and they put in the flour in the machine and then some water and then (machine noise) it mixes it up and then cut and little balls come and they go through rollers and then perfectly round, flat chapattis come out. And then it goes on a hot disc and it gets roasted. Then after a little while the metal arm comes and the chapatti hits the metal arm and then it goes down a hole and then it goes down a slide and it turns and lands on a hot disc one level lower and now it gets cooked on the other side. So, you’re going to get cooked no matter what! Either this side or another side, but you are going to get cooked! Oh yes you are! Therefore the spiritual master knows, he knows that you are going to get cooked, he knows. And he can see, this one needs to be cooked a little more…so what to do, we just wait. He says, ‘yes…yes…’ ‘Shall I get married?’ Yes! ‘This marriage is too much!’ Yes! ‘Shall I move to another country?’ Yes! Everything is ‘yes’ because you will be cooked by the austerity that is in that situation. Yes, you can’t escape it; it’s there! ‘Shall I stay in Soweto? Shall I move to Pretoria?’ Yes, yes! If you get cooked in Soweto, you get cooked in Pretoria! No matter where you go you get cooked! Have you noticed? That is how it is. at one point you just say, ‘you know what, I had enough of this, I really had enough! No, no, I’ve said it many times that I’ve had enough but this time I’m not only saying it but this time I actually really had enough! I’m going to get serious about spiritual life!’ So this is what it takes to go from kanistha to madhyama- one has to be cooked! A kanistha has to be cooked like a chapatti! Sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other side until finally a kanistha says, ‘I’ve had enough! I’m going to get serious about spiritual life and then madhyama begins. When was is serious and one takes shelter of devotional service then one will apply himself very seriously to both acara and pracara- to behave like a devotee and to preach. And because we behave like a devotee and preach then we’ll get mercy, taste and inspiration very quickly. So a madhyama gets inspiration. Then uttama, to be completely uttama- an advanced uttama- means to be like Raghunatha das. To actually live in that eternal, spiritual relationship with Krsna, that comes by grace and you can’t jump to that. That you cannot do by determination. Some try to jump to that level by determination. No, that level comes by grace. When Krsna gives it, He gives. That day will come when Krsna desires. That comes by grace of guru and Krsna. So in this way we can see the progression and we can see how these eternal devotees are showing everything, all the stages of bhakti. And then the present spiritual masters are presenting it according to time, place and circumstances. In this way we are all the servants of the servants. We are servants of Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami when we are trying to explain the Caitanya Caritamrta, who is the servant of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is non-other than Radha and Krsna combined, showing the eternal nature of the spiritual world. This is how we are all servant of the servant. And otherwise, just be a chapatti! Any questions, any comments? Question: So if we are cooked anyway, it doesn’t make sense to get married or move to another country… Maharaja: Yes, it makes sense…if you marry a blue eyed blonde from America, beautiful and pockets full of dollars! Anyway, there are other countries and other varieties and yes you can handle all these things and why not… At the point when you come to surrendering, it really doesn’t matter. As long as you’re in the grhastha asrama and you’re not surrendered to Krsna and then your hope will be that this grhastha asrama is going to work out and is going to be full of wonderful experiences and so on is not happening. Well sometimes, a little bit, but most of the time it’s not and then the result is that you get frustrated. Then we think, ‘is this what I got married for?’ well there’s a few options and then we may think, ‘I’m going to dump this one and get another one.’ We can think like that but then again there’s so much trouble. So that’s all part of the frying process of being cooked. So ultimately, one day, a grhastha will have to come to the point and say, ‘actually, it really doesn’t work, I should just try and be a devotee and should just put my energy into being a devotee.’ And then when both of them are going to do that, then it’s okay and then suddenly the relationship starts to work better. And before that, it just doesn’t work. So it’s okay to be married, there’s nothing wrong there. Of course if you are all alone then you will save yourself a lot of time and a lot of money. You know, when you get married you need a lot of money and you have to work or somehow or other hustle to make some money. It takes effort. So you can save yourself all that trouble and walk around in orange. But that’s also austere because there you also get cooked. And for the one thousandth time…bang! clang! In the middle of the night some guy smashes the door and turns on the light just when you’re asleep. And then for the one millionth time, one brahmacari puts his alarm clock at 2 ‘0 clock and he doesn’t get up. And the damn thing keeps on beeping and beeping and it’s everyday!!! and when you feel, ‘I want a place of my own, just my own place, where I can do what I want, my place…God do I want it!’ Well when you come to that point then you know that as a brahmacari you are going to get cooked. And then you know that there’s only two options: either get married or take shelter of Krsna and get serious. So yes….anybody else? Question: Hare Krsna Maharaja, please explain this conditioned life and karma… (question inaudible) Maharaja: Karma is a factor obviously. Some people, by karma, they are more renounced and some people by karma are more inclined towards sense enjoyment. Some people in the last life were already brahmacaris and some people in the last life were you know, just having a party everyday. So yes, obviously, we bring some karma with us but it is stated that karma is only a factor in the beginning. This karma in the beginning makes a difference but if one is advancing then the karma does not make so much difference. Yes, a kanistha adhikari, one of the factors is karma but when we make karma too big then we think, ‘it’s all my karma, it’s destiny’ and then you begin to believe in astrology. And then you are going to an astrologer and he’s looking at your chart and then he begins to do calculations and says, ‘oh my God! Oh my God! Ya on September this year your whole life will change and then it will become very difficult for you and to maintain this asrama. You will meet your wife from last life in September. Yes, she will come and there’s not much you can do about it and I mean, what are you going to do? Tell me honestly? Think about it…but I’m telling you, in September, you are going to meet your wife from last life!’ So then you go like, ‘oh my God! oh my God! Listen to this prabhus! I went to an astrologer and you know wha5t he told me? He told me in September it’s going to happen to me, I’m going to meet my wife from last life…oh no! What am I going to do! What am I going to do! What am I going to do! Oh no, oh no, oh no!’ Look, my answer to that is, you married her last life, so don’t make the same mistake again- that’s one answer! (Laughter) Of course, I’m not speaking out against marriage but it doesn’t mean you have to do it again. But some people, astrology, it will control everything in their life. ‘oh it says on my chart! Oh now what can I do? I have to do.’ No, it’s up to you to choose and karma, that’s the astrology- it shows the karma. And when we think that astrology controls our life, the karma controls our life, then we have no faith in the power of Krsna consciousness. So the power of karma is there but the power of bhakti is greater than the power of karma. What can karma do? Prabhupada said that Krsna can kick out a million Rahus! Another question? Okay finished…finished with Rahu- an auspicious end! (Laughter) Srila Prabhupada ki, Jaya! Hare Krsna! 
(Kadamba Kanana Swami Govinda Valley, Australia, 2011) Lecture – S.B.3.25.27 
I was at the temple in France, where they had a TV with a video player but no antennae.I happened to be there for the world cup final in soccer, and it was the year that France was playing against Brazil. Can you imagine that was big – Brazil is huge and France were at home playing with Brazil! There were big TV screens all over the city and on big squares. Certain devotees would put on there jeans and sort of went for a japa walk a few hours before the match….okay, but some might have had tickets etc etc. But then they would have tried hard to have stayed at the temple for it: “It’s maya! It’s just maya! I’m not going to fall for it!” But then as the match was approaching, some devotees tried to get the TV going with the coat hangers and they couldn’t get it going. But anyway then they were at the match and suddenly at one point the city of Paris roared: “Gooaaaal!” Heavy news, one zero for France!………………………………So there it is, just get rid of your antennae. To start off just rip it out – done!
(Kadamba Kanana Swami Govinda Valley, Australia, 2011) Lecture – S.B.3.25.27
You can just see how we have formed habits. It is not on the TV these days but rather the phone. My god here we are on the phone again…..how much energy goes on the phone? Playing on the phone and making calls on there. So the phone is another thing or the internet – searching or looking as a guide or on the mail. If you are not on the TV than you are on the computer! And everyone knows why the TV is being used. TV is there for when you are zombied out and you can sit there and be totally passive…and let it come over you. Okay, go ahead but look at something Krishna Conscious if you can. The TV has been designed as part of a culture, which is meant to help you not think…and don’t think. So you can also listen to a lecture and do something that is Krishna Conscious. So this is kind of voidism, where you like to make everything void. There are lots of nice videos that you can watch, such as Prabhupada’s videos. You can invest in those things and make a whole collection. You can watch Prabhupada’s videos many many times, no problem. Every night you can watch the same one….there is no loss! Just like that you can start collecting KC videos and get rid of the antennae!
SB 10.13.01 The Good Puppeteer 2011-12-07 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 10.13.1 The Good Puppeteer 12-7-2011 Dallas, External Pastimes SB 10.13.01 The Good Puppeteer 2011-12-07 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.13.1 The Good Puppeteer 12-7-2011 Dallas, External Pastimes
SB 10.12.40-44 Figuring Out 10th Canto 2011-12-06 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 10.12.40-44 Figuring Out 10th Canto 12-06-2011 Dallas, External Pastimes SB 10.12.40-44 Figuring Out 10th Canto 2011-12-06 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.12.40-44 Figuring Out 10th Canto 12-06-2011 Dallas, External Pastimes
Gita Jayanti- Ch 2 Summary CH3-17 Overview 2011-12-05 Lecture – Gita Jayanti- Ch 2 Summary CH3-17 Overview 12-5-2011 Dallas Gita Jayanti- Ch 2 Summary CH3-17 Overview 2011-12-05 Lecture - Gita Jayanti- Ch 2 Summary CH3-17 Overview 12-5-2011 Dallas
SB 10.12.39 Eligibility Comes From Appreciation 2011-12-05 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 10.12.39 Eligibility Comes From Appreciation 12-5-2011 Dallas SB 10.12.39 Eligibility Comes From Appreciation 2011-12-05 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.12.39 Eligibility Comes From Appreciation 12-5-2011 Dallas
1968 December 13 : "Take full advantage of this opportunity and perfect yourself in Krishna Consciousness. This is my request to all of you. Please continue to be very sincere and Krishna will give you all facilities to return to His Spiritual Abode."
1969 December 13 : "Your decision not to publish this article is correct. What will people in general understand about Radha-Krishna Lila? Understand Krishna first. Read our Bhagavatam. The purports are there."
1970 December 13 : "Kali Yuga is the fallen age undoubtedly. Keep yourself brave and fit to face the situation with faith in Krsna and the Spiritual Master. Let us do something tangible."
1972 December 13 : "We are not after so many centers, but we want to make pure devotees of Krishna, that is all. Better one temple with sufficient strong men than many temples with few strong men."
1972 December 13 : "Make big, big propaganda. Attract the public to hear our views and plans. You have got the best brains, now cooperate to place this Krishna Consciousness movement at the front of all others, that is my request."
1972 December 13 : "Real acting art is catching the ears. Emphasis should be given to the words of Bhagavat, they are spiritual and will have powerful effect. Now go on with your work and try to do something wonderful."
1972 December 13 : "These things are going on, that I know. So how I can answer your question from here? Of course, my authorities and so-called officers, they sometimes order in such a way that everything becomes topsy-turvy."
1973 December 13 : "This sentimental idea of peaceful life in seclusion is not approved by me. It is all concoction. We must stay together and vigorously preach the Krsna Consciousness philosophy to the world. That is the real spirit of Lord Caitanya's Movement."
BG 05.29 Sunday Feast- Dead Intelligence 2011-12-04 Lecture – Bhagavad Gita 5.29 Sunday Feast- Dead Intelligence 12-4-2011 Dallas, Evolution BG 05.29 Sunday Feast- Dead Intelligence 2011-12-04 Lecture - Bhagavad Gita 5.29 Sunday Feast- Dead Intelligence 12-4-2011 Dallas, Evolution
CC Adi 07.012-13 What Is A Goswami 2011-12-04 Lecture – Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 7.12-13 What Is A Goswami 12-4-2011 Dallas, Varnasrama CC Adi 07.012-13 What Is A Goswami 2011-12-04 Lecture - Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 7.12-13 What Is A Goswami 12-4-2011 Dallas, Varnasrama
THE FOLLOWING LECTURE ON SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM, CANTO 3, CHAPTER1, QUESTIONS BY VIDURA, TEXT 7-8, WAS GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CARU SWAMI ON 19 MARCH 2008 IN ISKCON UJJAIN, INDIA. Click on the pictures to discover the Treasure House Of India’s Spiritual Wisdom as presented by ISKCON Founder Acharya A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. Transcription : [...]
nickthejam: In an alternate universe.
Srimad Bhagvatam 1.5.17 - By watering the root of the tree whole tree gets nourished. Disappearance day of His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja.
Cooking with Kurma Classes & Workshops Australia-wide 2012 
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Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gradually some of the people are beginning to understand what you’re up to, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Some of these big demons in America especially, they are beginning to understand that you are the most dangerous personality in the world to them. 
SB 10.12.35-38 Krishna All Good 2011-12-03 Lecture – Srimad Bhagavatam 10.12.35-38 Krishna All Good 12-3-2011 Dallas, Humor SB 10.12.35-38 Krishna All Good 2011-12-03 Lecture - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.12.35-38 Krishna All Good 12-3-2011 Dallas, Humor
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( Bela Szandelszky / Associated Press ) - Hungarian born Canadian Krishna monk Sivarama Svami stands in front of the Parliament building while members of Hungary’s Hare Krishna community hold a protest against the country’s new relegious law in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011. The new religious law, due to take effect in 2012, will strip them of their status as a recognized church. Dozens of small churches in Hungary fear loss of status due to new politicized law on religion By Associated Press, Updated: Tuesday, December 13, 12:05 PMBUDAPEST, Hungary — Hare Krishna members on Tuesday protested outside Hungary’s Parliament against a new law that could strip them of their status as a recognized church.
Hungary’s church law taking effect Jan. 1 grants official status to 14 Christian churches and Jewish congregations but forces all others to submit a new registration request and gain approval from a two-thirds majority of lawmakers.“We are representing a billion Hindus worldwide who are wondering why they have to prove themselves again to the Hungarian government,” said monk Sivarama Svami, from the Krishna Valley farm in central Hungary. The protest included two cows from the farm.
Previously, churches needed only to register with a local court, which did not have the option of rejecting applications.
The church law has been harshly criticized by human rights advocates, policy experts and opposition groups, who see it as another attempt by the government led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban to ensure political control over many institutions earlier considered at least nominally independent.
Sivarama Svami said the Krishna community has already applied to retain church status, but state officials could not say when parliament would consider the more than 70 similar requests made so far.
The government said the new law was needed to filter out business enterprises operating under the guise of religious groups.
“Neither communities nor individuals are under any constraints in the practice of their religion in Hungary,” said Bence Retvari, state secretary at the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice. “The real objective of this law is to regularize the system of state subsidies and tax benefits, which was being abused.”
Retvari added that provisions have been made to allow some churches reclassified as religious associations to continue receiving state funds for the social services they provide, such as schools, soup kitchens and homeless shelters.
“We did not want to alter Hungary’s varied religious life,” Retvari said, but to redefine the church-state relationship in terms of tax benefits and funding for institutions. ( Bela Szandelszky / Associated Press ) - A Hungarian Krishna monk stands with a cow in front of the Parliament building while members of Hungary’s Hare Krishna community hold a protest against the country’s new religious law in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011. The new religious law, due to take effect in 2012, will strip them of their status as a recognized church.
Make A Smart Turn
Burnaby, British Columbia
Whatever the route, there’s always going to be an intersection. I purposefully try to avoid street lights and busy corners where I’m forced to stop. I prefer to coast along on foot without hindrance. I don’t like to interrupt the flow. Eventually, and inevitably though, there has to be a stop (or an Arret, as the sign reads in Quebec).
Life is so much like this type of walking. I found out myself from doing three treks across Canada, if it’s not a street light, a dead end or a cul de sac, it will certainly be an ocean to arrest you. We’ve got three of them, the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Arctic.
The good thing about stopping is that it sets off a moment of reality, puts you on to a different mood, a new train of thought. This could be healthy, and I like to parallel this to life. Of course if you don’t stop at the light, you could turn into a pizza.
I had the great opportunity today to look at two separate instances of teenage boys who hit a cross roads in their life’s soujourn. You don’t have to go far back to process your own past, as an adolescent, when you struck a brick wall and you were forced to think things over and make big decisions. You pondered, should I go right, left, forward or in reverse? It’s still clear in my nostalgic head the imagery of Oz’s cowardly lion who read the sign that said, ‘I’d turn back if I were you.’ Most decisively it has to be determined what’s forbidden territory and what is safe.
I once took a bus trip through the foothills of the Himilayas on route to Deradun, when our bus stopped at a river. There was no bridge. The driver decided that the river was dried up enough to cross. Despite puddles of water and potholes everywhere. It was a rough crossing.
Back to the teenagers at their intersection: I tried my best to build a human sensitive bridge so they could cross over or jump over the hurdles. I offered some practical advice and encouraged them to have their spirituality take the lead. It was a good exchange. Move ahead! Watch where you go! Stop! Make a smart turn!
15 Km
Curb Apparent Evil
Vancouver, British Columbia
A frost spread itself over the ground's surface leaving a white sparkle effect on grass and road. I did hear a coyote yelp. It was the time of Brahma Muhurta, the moment before dawn, when I took to trails under the Skytrain and elsewhere. The environment spelled out 'ominous' until I interacted with humans. The morning rolled out a series of upheavals.
It began with meeting Raghunatha, who had been jumped upon and attacked by a half crazed drunk person. Raghunatha had just returned from the hospital when the incident happened after last evening's amazing time of chanting. From here on on the hour, concerns and reports came to me of inauspicious goings on. It appeared to be full moon reactions so I could surmise. One of our courageous women in the community here responded to hearing of the multiple mishaps to individuals by saying 'kirtan!'. She was implying that loud and hard chanting, the kind that penetrates through the walls of madness, will bring some resolve and peace. I did not follow the news to the world events today for sure, as far as individuals were concerned I sensed a heap of mind snapping occurrences, which were all too coincidental to be true. According to the Vedas, the moon does have incredible impact on the mind and therefore it is a time when it's at its fullest for us to hold tight on to the mantra, literally, means mind's subduer.
A small group of us stormed the downtown at the Robson and Granville area of trumpet and drum and melodic voices. Hey, the sun shone, and people smiled to the cheerful sound.
10 Km
Mantra and Moon
Vancouver, British Columbia
A trumpet, two mrdanga drums, a pair of hand cymbals, some clapping and powerful voices permeated the ether at Vancouver’s hip strip, on Commercial Drive. Our kirtan chanting party moved joyously up and down the street, delivering the great mantra of deliverance. As we passed by cafes, restaurants, hair salons, chic clothing shops and such, the occupants inside looked as if responding to a happy tremor.
From there we moved to Unity Yoga, a center off of Commercial Drive, where twice a month, bhakti yoga takes the stage. The scheduled event drew a full crowd, 30 people or so, who took well to our message of the Gita, from 2.17. Done for the first time was a choreographed dance to the chant which involved every human being in the room. The mood was just a carry over from our joy on the street and I hoped that the same contagion had rubbed off on all those who had tended the event.
Given that we entered into a full moon period and an eclipse in the early morning, kirtan was a powerful counteracter to such inauspicious luminary occurrences. After a fruitful day at the temple, the street, the enchanting program at Unity Yoga, I layed down to rest, and as my eyelids got heavy, I reflected on the magical image I saw this morning while on that early morning stroll. It was 4 AM Pacific Time, and the moon was practically like the yoga room – full. I entered the temple for morning kirtan, and then exited at 5:20 AM to view that ball in the sky once again. By now, his eyelid closed on him to over half his circumference. He looked sleepy, as I was.
Let coyotes and wolves howl and let Rahu the dark planet, swallow the moon, but let the kirtan resound and make the world shine.
9 Km
Let’s Move
Burnaby, British Columbia
There’s time to be mobile and time to be still, but too much of either one seems to throw most people off balance.
An acquaintance of mine here in Burnaby described to me, “I’ve dug myself into a deep deep hole, it’s hard to get out.” My friend, Bill, was saying that he had been depressed for weeks; it’s clinical depression. I offered him the opportunity to walk with me. He agreed, but not so happily. We took to a walk by a community garden area and then tread along on some waste land, and then some regular retail shopping mall strip. The scenery was not too exciting, although BC has some of the best nature esthetics in the world, but that wasn’t important right now.
The walk, the mobility of muscle, the oxygen and especially the talk, all contributed to ‘coming out of the blues’. I was happy to see Bill’s transformation. It was day three since I was trying to crowbar Bill out of his lodge. Well, he made it and he felt better for it. I’m not a therapist, but a type of sadhu (holy person) who likes to be on moving legs at certain times of the day. To Bill, I urged, “please try this prescription every day.”
The wind moves, but not always. It also sleeps. Cars moved and passed by us, but they need their break too. Much of the world stops at nightfall and picks up again at daybreak. Some living entities do it in reverse and are on a night shift. At the ISKCON property in Burnaby, the tiny mole moves and builds his mounds, then he goes to sleep. There is also something called a vole on these temple grounds that are very mobile. So everything moves and also has a tendency to stop. In most cases, movement is the healthiest situation.
Dr. David Frawley wrote a book called, “Arise, Arjuna” about getting active, coming alive, doing one’s dharma, and paying heed to the words of Krishna. First Krishna talked to Arjuna and then he encouraged action. Because they were friends, the talk was natural, and because they were friends, they ended up moving together.
Let’s move, but with some decent breaks.
10 Km
To hear the answer, click here 
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE…..HARE KRSNA WE JUST WANTED TO PRESENT A WISH LIST FOR THE DEITIES FOR CHRISTMAS JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE THEM ON YOUR SHOPPING LIST. - HANDKERCHIEFS
- BLUE WASH CLOTHS (FOR WIPING THE ALTER)
- DARK COLOR DISH TOWELS FOR DRYING DEITY DISHES
- JEWELRY FOR YOUR PARTICULAR DEITY
- PLATE COVERS (WE USE CLOTH NAPKINS FOR COVERS AND A SET OF 3 MATCHING IS IDEAL)
- MULTI COLOR/ PRINTED WASH CLOTHS FOR DEITY BATHING
- WHITE CROCHET YARN FOR MAKING GARLANDS
- SCISSORS
- 2 small fan forced heaters
- Rosewater
- Small pots for Deity cooking
- BROOMS
- COB WEB BRUSH WITH LONG HANDLE FOR CLEANING ALTER TOP
- LAMPS 1′-2′ SIZE LAMPS TO PLUG IN TO THE GENERATOR WHEN THE ELECTRICITY GOES OUT ON THE ALTER
- TAPE DECKS FOR ALTERS AND KITCHENS, PREFERABLY WITH MP3 CAPACITY
- Good quality Iron
- EXTRA WIDE IRONING BOARD COVER FOR DEITY IRONING BOARD
- POTHOLDERS
- Knives…large and small for Deity Kitchen
- Hand held knife sharpeners
- Electric, ceramic knife sharpener
- ANYTHING ELSE YOU FEEL IS NEED FOR THEIR LORDSHIPS SERVICE
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSOCIATION AND SERVICE RVC TEMPLE SERVANTS 
To hear the answer, click here
 By Parvati Devi Dasi
In Vrndavana, December 6, 2011, we observed the 12th annual recitation of the celebrated Sanskrit verses of the entire Bhagavad Gita as it Is in our temple courtyard with more than 500 avid devotees and guests, while thousands of others passed through getting the benefit too
 By Kesava Krsna Dasa
Many times devotees try to reconcile this essentially Christian concept with Vedic understanding, but end up writing lengthy explanations that do not always satisfy the curiosity. This is because it is mostly incompatible with the truths of Bhagavad-Gita, for it has to be broken down in a simplified manner to give a satisfactory and brief explanation
Bhakta Matty: To honour the life and contribution to the world that George Harrison had made, a festival was held in St' George's Hall in Liverpool on the 5th December 2011. Many artists performed his music and the Radha Krishna Temple joined in chanting Hare Krishna and catered a sumptuous vegetarian fest for all!
How would you like to have your name, birthday and secret wish captured in a yantra or mandala that you can then use on your business card, or as your logo, or just to carry around for good luck? Now you can. Using the ancient systems of geomancy, magic squares and numerology you can have a digital file ready for printing on clothing, hanging in your room, on business cards or jewellery that you can carry around. Some have even used their SOUL YANTRA as a tattoo! Priya has studied the ancient schools of Vedic numerology and Pythagorean systems for over 28 years and now uses these two systems to not only provide a complete reading, but also capture your unique number vibrations inside a geometric signature or personal yantra that can be used as a talisman or company logo. Check out the Facebook page by clicking here Click here to see the web site
Please sign and share this petition we need we need 15000 more signatures immediately By Sivarama Swami Dear Devotees. The new “Church Law” in Hungary will take away ISKCON Hungary’s church status as of January 1st requiring us to re-apply for the same next year. However the government has not provided any legal stipulation for the society’s continued ownership of Krsna Valley’s lands in the interim period until we are again re-registered. In short we risk losing Krsna Valley with no pasture for our cows or land to grow our food. I therefore request that you sign the online petition-link below and forward this message to as many people who would also petition against this injustice. Please click the following Link and sign the online petition: http://www.peticiok.com/krisna Thank you. Sivarama Swami. The Krishna-devotees in Hungary are known for their exemplary religious practices, dedication to distributing knowledge of eternal spiritual values and pure, exemplary lifestyles; their efforts and achievements in assisting underprivileged people, as well as in fighting environmental problems and promoting sustainability are also well known and valued worldwide. Their Krishna-valley farm has brought hundreds of thousands of tourists and more international recognition for Hungary. We are urging the Hungarian Parliament to make sure their lands, monks and sacred cows are protected, and their invaluable services to the society are uninterrupted.
Festival of the Holy Name – Indradyumna Swami – Jaya Radha Madhava
A daily broadcast of the Ultimate Self Realization Course Tuesday 13 December 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: Seekers Beware of Bogus Gurus uploaded from Mauritius Nowadays on this planet the spiritual seeker is bombarded by an overwhelming profusion of spiritual masters to choose from to guide him on his spiritual enlightenment path. Unfortunately almost all of them are bogus because they do not guide their students to the highest truth, which has been so clearly been elucidated in the sublime Vedic wisdom. Instead of teaching their disciples how to become servants of God, they teach them that they are in fact God, which is a complete delusion. To teach that every individual living being is God is a round about way of teaching atheism, because if everyone is God, there is no Supreme God. Therefore the spiritual seeker is advised to only accept as his spiritual master that guru who is teaching him how to become a pure devotee of God. Sankarshan Das Adhikari Diving Deep into the Nectarean Mellows of Kirtan Flaq, Mauritius--11 December 2011 http://www.backtohome.com/images/2011-Fall/Mauritius-kirtan-Flaq.JPG Answers by Citing the Vedic Version: Question: Chanting Extra Rounds for the Dear Ones? Thank you for guiding us through this difficult path of material ocean. Question: Many times within our devotees we request each other to pray for us, especially if any crucial event is happening in our life. And I have heard that prayers for others works faster then prayers for our own self. How true is this ? Is it that when parents pray for their children it is more effective compared to their karma in material world? I normally chant one or more rounds with intention of welfare for my dear ones, i.e. 17th or more rounds. I would like to know, is it right ? Aspiring to serve, R.V. Answer: Chant All Rounds for the Dear Ones Why only the 17th round and beyond? You should chant all of your rounds for the benefit of the dear ones. And who are the dear ones? They are your family members. And who are your family members? Because we are all God's children, our family members are all the living beings scattered throughout the entire universe. And what is beneficial for the living beings? There is only thing that is truly beneficial for them, and that is to awaken their dormant Krishna consciousness. So if you want to chant rounds to benefit your dear ones, you should chant all of your rounds to awaken the dormant Krishna consciousness in the hearts of all living beings. The propriety of this desire is confirmed by Sri Prahlada Maharaja in this prayer: svasty astu vivasya khalah prasdatm dhyyantu bhtni ivam mitho dhiy mana ca bhadram bhajatd adhoksaje veyatm no matir apy ahaituk May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all envious persons be pacified. May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga, for by accepting devotional service they will think of each other's welfare. Therefore let us all engage in the service of the supreme transcendence, Lord Sri Krishna, and always remain absorbed in thought of Him.--Srimad Bhagavatam 5.18.9 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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Hare Krishna dear devotees!
Here is the updated venues for the Book Distribution Marathon 2011!
The Weekend Warriors team are up for visiting towns all over London. Please feel free to contact me if you want us to visit your local town. So far this is our schedule for the month. Each event runs from 11am to 4pm.
Sat 3-Dec-11 Ilford (Town Hall, 128-142 High Road, Ilford, IG1 1DD) Kingston (The Bentall Centre, Wood Street, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 1TP) Edgware (The Broadwalk Centre, Station Road, Edgware, HA8 7BD)
Sat 10-Dec-11 Sutton @ Town Centre Wood Green @ Vue Cinema, Hollywood Green, 180 High Road East Ham @ Maha Laxmi Temple 272 High Street North Uxbridge @ The Pavillions Shopping Centre, 18 Chequers Square
Sat 17-Dec-11 Wimbledon (Tesco Metro, Centre Court Shopping Centre, 4 Queens Road, London, SW19 8YD) Ealing (Ealing Broadway Centre, Body Shop, 56 The Broadway, Ealing, W5 5JN) Stratford (Wilkinson 102, The Broadway, Stratford, E15 1NG) Upton Park
Sat 24-Dec-11 Ealing (Ealing Broadway Centre, Body Shop, 56 The Broadway, Ealing, W5 5JN) Edgeware (The Broadwalk Centre, Station Road, Edgware, HA8 7BD) Stratford / Barking
Your Servant
Sacinandana Karuna das 07535 211 555 sachinkotak108[at]gmail.com
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