Planet ISKCON

Famous Iranian actress visits New Govardhana.
Kisori Devi Dasi: An internationally famous, multi award-winning Iranian actress recently visited New Govardhana along with an Australian-award winning film-maker, Faramarz-alKahder. Fatemeh Motamed-Arya, one of the most significant actresses of Iranian cinema, came to Brisbane in early December to attend an award ceremony. Fellow Iranian Faramarz, who now lives in Australia, decided to show Fatemeh the sights. He contacted his friends Mandakini devi dasi and Aravinda dasa, who are involved in the film industry, and have known Faramarz for 10 years. Fatemeh, nicknamed Simin, along with being a famous actress, is an activist in Iran for the preservation of culture and has spiritual and charitable inclinations. She carries around in her handbag a dainty little trinket box which has a cover picture of Radha-Krsna and is broad-minded about spiritualism. She is also very well-known in India and has rubbed shoulders with the Dalai Lama and the Iranian President. After having a lovely prasadam meal at Mandakini and Aravinda’s home, they visited New Govardhana and she was enchanted by it. Kirtana was going on inside the temple and they absorbed the peaceful atmosphere. Simin expressed a strong desire to return to New Govardhana and plans to return and rent a cabin on the farm for a few weeks. Movies Simin has starred in include, Here Without Me, Nabat, Tales and The Blue-Veiled.

By Mandakini devi dasi

Preaching Krishna Consciousness in a largely atheistic, impersonal and demigod worshiping society who shun organised religion is a special skill. Devotees in the province of Taiwan are yielding positive results with a well- established and easily digestible approach.

The pioneers in this field have determined that success will surely reach the inner core of the population with the regular distribution of lunch boxes, spiritual books and Harinama. However, particularly by offering Hatha-yoga classes, the devotees experience a high success rate and respectful reciprocation with the people. Divya Purusha dasa also makes tangible devotional inroads in this area by offering popular courses on Astrology twice a year.

Several yoga classes each week take place at the largest Iskcon centre in the country, which is located in Taichung. The practice is followed by melodious call and response Hare Krishna mantra meditation. Many participants move on to more involvement in spiritual life.

Presiding Deities Sri Sri Gaura Nitai oversee a group of enthusiastic devotees in a large, well-maintained fourth floor area of an office building which includes an impressive restaurant space.

The highlight of our trip to Taiwan was the visit to the local prison to minister to the convicts. One of the devotees, Payee (who spent a month at New Govardhana one year ago) works in the hospital there dispensing medicine.

Six hundred shaven-headed, grey-clad men filed into a huge auditorium and listened intently as dynamic temple president Jahnava devi dasi expertly delivered her very wise system of preaching, ‘in like a needle and out like a plough’. She was accompanied by Niranjana Maharajah and local devotees who soon had the inmates clapping and chanting.

Taiwanese devotees are most kind and welcoming and are always keen to hear philosophical discourses from overseas visitors.

Taiwan temple authorities are considering a group tour for at least 10 devotees to visit New Govardhana in the not too distant future. We look forward to their spirited association and offer them a very warm welcome.

Ekachakra Dham is Lord Nityananda's birthplace. ISKCON's new temple innauguration on the 14th of February, 2016 is an offering to Srila Prabhupada on ISKCON's 50th Anniversary.

The Museum of Sacred Art (MOSA) in Radhadesh, Belgium, has just published two lusciously illustrated books for devotees to feast their eyes on: “Illuminations from the Bhagavad-gita” and “Prabhupada Meditations.” The Gita-book is the fourth edition of the classic 1980 work by artist Kim Waters and Chris Murray, after the original by Harper and Row, and two in the 1990s and 2000s by Mandala.

Iskcon devotee saves man from drowning in the river.
‘I AM NOT A HERO, BUT I’m happy I was able to help somebody.’ Brave Filip Čargonja jumped into the river Sava and rescued a man who wanted to commit suicide.
(Translated automatically)
I’d like to talk to this man, I hope you will take advantage of a second chance for life, says Philip Čargonja, from Rijeka living in Zagreb
I sat on the stairs along the Sava. I put the glasses, drank in the sun and meditated. Suddenly I heard a 'plop’.
I thought someone threw garbage into the water. The bridge is noted laughing girl, but there was no panic and I thought someone was playing. But in the middle of the riverbed saw my leg to be fidgety. It was an older guy in a black suit, who did not bother to swim. I told him 'Come on, man, swim! Enough kidding! ’ I encouraged him, and when I realized that there is no intention to swim, passed me the creeps. His head is no longer out on the surface - recalled the rescue Filip Čargonja (34), from Rijeka to Zagreb address, filmography and a member of the Hare Krishna movement, which is January 27, around 15.50 hours bravely jumped into the cold river and rescued the man planned to kill himself. Since the river carried the man, so the Čargonja moved along the edge, and when he reached for his cell phone from confusion failed to think of the number of emergency. Seconds seemed to him like an eternity, a blessing in disguise is that the river is man dragged to his side of the coast.
There wife and son
- I was hoping I’d catch him at the railway bridge. But Sava was fast but is still floating. I took the bag, ran into the water to his waist and grabbed her arms to suit. His head was blue. I have not managed to completely get away because the big man and the coast is steep. I’m banging his chest, gave him mouth-to-mouth, but in vain. Clogged his nose and blew air is to breath. I held his tongue 15-20 minutes that is not choked and cried walkers on the bank to call an ambulance - recalled more Čargonja your venture. Soon came the doctors of the ambulance, the police, or the wife and son of the unfortunate man, a former defense attorney.
Life is precious
Čargonja is not considered a hero.
- I am pleased that I helped someone. At home they took me to the police because I was wet. His wife did not know what to think when she saw my wet clothes after I came home. And with this man I’d like to talk. I know that life can be so difficult that you can not see out, but I hope that this man take advantage of a second chance at life and realize how precious life is and a great opportunity for the development of the soul - concludes brave and humble Čargonja.
Source: http://goo.gl/QtRRAV

Of all the faiths in the UK, Hindus are the happiest, scoring well above the UK national average.

Michael Snyder reports, A new video has just been released in which Pope Francis very clearly expresses his belief that all of the major religions are different paths to the same God. He says that while people from various global faiths may be “seeking God or meeting God in different ways” that it is important to keep in mind that “we are all children of God”.

C.C. White - This IS Soul Kirtan!: The Maha Mantra (Reggae Style), and It's About Love* (Live) in Joshua Tree, at Bhakti Fest 2012.

And why only devotees who chant suddha-nama are worthy of service.

The post Bhakta Anton and Vrsabhanu dasa ask who one should accept as guru if one’s siksa guru doesn’t give diksa appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Bhakti Without Borders Producers to Attend Grammys.
Four people are set to represent Bhakti Without Borders, only the third kirtan album ever to be nominated for a Grammy, at the 58th annual Grammy Awards on February 15th. Main artist Madi Das – who duets on the album with eleven Vaishnavi co-vocalists – and producer Dave Stringer will attend as the Grammy nominees. They will be joined by KMA record label representatives Chaitanya Mangala and Kamal Vyas. With the exception of Stringer, who is a well-known kirtan artist outside of ISKCON, all are second generation Hare Krishna devotees. The award ceremony will be held at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, and will be televised live at 8pm ET / 7pm CT / 5pm PT on CBS. It will also be streamed online at live.grammy.com or through the GRAMMY Live app.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/qlc5iV

Four people are set to represent Bhakti Without Borders, only the third kirtan album ever to be nominated for a Grammy, at the 58^th annual Grammy Awards on February 15^th. Main artist Madi Das – who duets on the album with eleven Vaishnavi co-vocalists – and producer Dave Stringer will attend as the Grammy nominees. 

Italy’s ISKCON 50th anniversary celebrations commenced on November 25^th, 2015 with the planting of a sacred Banyan tree in the historical garden of Piazza Vittorio in Rome. The Bhaktivedanta Cultural and Educational Library donated the tree to the city of Rome on the occasion, which was auspicious as it was also the 500^th anniversary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s arrival in Vrindavana.

School to Work Program.
Damodara Pandit dasa: This year the Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula (Hare Krishna School in Australia) began a Careers Program for the Year 9 students. The program aims to provide direction and focus for senior students as they begin the transition from school to work. During term 4, 2015 the year 9 students had three lessons which introduced basic vocational foundations. Students were involved in discussions and presentations about the various types of vocations. The aim was to introduce a balanced vision for the students which combined spiritual wisdom with the dharmic and practical outlook needed for transitioning into responsible adult life. We had a few exemplary members of the community visit the class and present their own work-life / careers. All students completed an online vocational inventory or careers test. The results of these tests provide a basic understanding of the types of vocation students may be inclined towards. After completing the test all students had a personal consultation with our careers adviser about their personal direction. This information is compiled for future reference and follows up when choosing vocational educational training (VET) courses, work experience and academic pathways. The students were also guided in developing their own personal resumes. These resumes can be used by the students if they wish to seek holiday or after school work and will be expanded as students develop more skills and experience. The year 9 class also had a careers excursion where they visited the Kingscliff TAFE. The students had a personalised tour of the TAFE during their annual open day on November 19, 2015. Especially notable was the talks in the construction workshop, the motor mechanical workshop and the IT/design classroom. The partnership with the TAFE opens a number of VET and careers options for our students. Design workshop at Kingscliff TAFE. More here: http://www.krishnaschool.org/

Harinama in Mount Maunganui, New Zeland (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the Age of Kali, there is no religious principle except chanting Krishna’s name. It has been ascertained from all the scriptures that Krishna’s holy name is the essence of all mantras. (Renunciation Through Wisdom, 5.1 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/pWlBBx

The Vedas are compared to a desire tree because they contain all things knowable by man. They deal with mundane necessities as well as spiritual realization. The Vedas contain regulated principles of knowledge covering social, political, religious, economic, military, medicinal, chemical, physical, metaphysical subject matter and above all specific directions for spiritual realization. The real essence of Vedic literatures can be categorized into three headings:   Sambandha: Understanding the answers to the questions, "Who am I? Who is God? What is my relation with God?" Abhideya: The process of reviving our relationship with God Prayojana: The mature result: attainment of love of God.   Continue reading "The Antiquity of Vedic civilization
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Back To Godhead magazine Reaching Prison Inmates.
Hardik Kaswala: I am a second-generation Indian-American devotee. I was born in Gujarat state and raised in Atlanta. I have been in prison for almost 3½ years and have about 3½ years to go, unless I am paroled earlier.
I cannot express in words what BTG means to me and what impact this magazine has had on people’s lives in prison. There are so many testimonials of “BTG-lila” in prisons that I could give you. Here are just a few:
Once, a South American inmate started chanting and dancing when he saw my BTG and found out that I am a devotee. The other Latino inmates smiled and listened attentively as he told us how his old girlfriend in his native Uruguay was a devotee, how he went to the temple, ate prasada, etc. He told me, “You have a real good culture, real good religion.”
Another time, at another prison, another Latino inmate saw the BTG in my hands and immediately started chanting Hare Krishna and dancing in ecstasy. I hadn’t mentioned a thing, and we hadn’t even introduced ourselves to each other. He told me how he used to go to the Laguna Beach temple, how nice the devotees were, how he liked the programs and the food. He immediately took the BTG. Srila Prabhupada’s BTG has a transcendental life of its own.
Another time, I was moved into an open dorm, where I knew only one person out of eighty or so inmates. I had the BTG issue of Shri Pancha-tattva in Mayapur and another issue, which had His Holiness Shridhara Swami’s life story. I hadn’t even set my mattress and belongings down when a crowd of people immediately started picking up and looking through the BTGs, saying they wanted to read them. They felt a spontaneous attraction.
It seems that no matter what religion, viewpoint, opinions, background, experiences, culture, or knowledge a person has, there is something for everybody in BTG. I want to thank you and the staff Vaishnavas for writing and producing such an excellent, interesting, spiritually entertaining, and enlightening magazine.
Hardik Kaswala. Calhoun State Prison, Morgan, Georgia

February 5. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Discouragement from Singhania. February 5, 1966.
Discouragement came to the plans Prabhupada had formed around the promise of support by Badampat Singhania through Dvaraka-vala, who wrote to express his dissatisfaction with the Seventy-second Street building:
“I am afraid that I cannot agree with your suggestion that you should buy a small house and erect something on top of it. Unfortunately, such a kind of proposal will not suit me. The temple must be a small one, but it must be constructed properly. I quite agree that you cannot spend a lot of money at present, but within the amount the government may sanction, you should build something according to the architecture of Indian temples. Then only will we be able to create some impression on the American people. This is all that I can write to you in this connection. I am grateful for you taking the trouble of writing me.”
Prabhupada did not take this letter as final. He maintained hope that Sri Badampat Singhania would still give money for the temple, if only the transfer of money could be arranged. He continued writing his godbrothers and other devotees, asking them to try to secure the government sanction. He maintained his same aspirations, even though his sole prospective donor had rejected his scheme of a cakra and dome atop a conventional two-storey building.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=5

Bhakti Vidyapurna Swami S.B.7.1.12 – Jan 31st 2016

Sorry, the loft is closed on Waitangi day, Monday 8th February 2016.

The post The Loft is closed on Monday 8 Feb appeared first on The Loft Yoga Lounge Auckland.

Because I speak in my own words, what I say often seems brand new or different than what you’ve heard before. I like this because it encourages people to think.

Sometimes what I say may seem different than what you’ve heard Śrīla Prabhupāda say.

I consider myself a grateful follower of Śrīla Prabhupāda, so I don’t intentionally say or teach anything that contradicts him. But, depending on your current idea of what Śrīla Prabhupāda said on a given subject, you may sometimes have to be willing to do a lot of thinking with an unbiased mind if you want to see that harmony for yourself.

You may well find this unnecessary, after all I am no one’s “guru,” but if so, I humbly request that you not express an un-investigated judgement of my supposed disharmony with Śrīla Prabhupāda. Just leave me as “undecided” and turn your attention to something more essential.

I humbly request that you not express an un-investigated judgement of my supposed disharmony with Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Even if you find it unnecessary to discover the harmony between my words and Prabhupāda’s, you will certainly find it necessary to discover the harmony between his words and his other words – because, like every guru, he often says things that appear to point in contrary directions.

To discover harmony in apparent contradictions, we have to  abandon the safety blanket of rushing to conclusions based on isolated quotes.

If you survey everything Prabhupāda said, in the context of when, where, why, and how he said it, and the context of his behavior and character – you will surely come to profoundly deep conclusions about his teachings. I think you would then find complex harmony in all his words and deeds, and (if you care to) would also discover how what I say is in service to and harmony with Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Vraja Kishor

www.vrajakishor.com

Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast

Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Gita 09.13 – Krishna’s attractiveness is original and inexhaustible appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 14 March 2009, Stockholm, Sweden, Lecture)

We encounter so much envy in the world. Envy is a major driving force which we really cannot ignore. We see different aspects of envy. There is the normal envy – the jealousy of a neighbour who wants what you have. But we also see a different kind of envy, like the example of a wolf and a lamb. It is not that the wolf wants anything that the lamb has. It is not like that! He is not envious of the possessions of the lamb at all, he simply does not want allow the lamb any existence because of his own feeling of dissatisfaction. The wolf takes it out on the weaker entity. The wolf has a feeling of hatred which comes from his own frustration, and he takes it out on someone else. People get married for similar reasons. Not all marriages are based on LOVE! Some marriages are simply there to take relieve frustration. Like that, envy exists in so many ways and in all kinds of relationships.

Gunagrahi das Goswami Health Update: Maharaja is following a very strict daily regimen of herbal remedies and other bodily treatments. He was in very good spirits and eager to hear all the good wishes and news of the devotees. Although he looked great and was feeling optimistic about life, he has been experiencing some discomfort from the tumor near his spine. He is supposed to experience the healing impact of the treatments after about two months. So for now the tumor has not changed much. Once again it is uncomfortable to walk and spend long periods of time sitting up.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/1QR6qU

Beholding the unlimited opulence of Krishna and feeling dwarfed by the manifestation of other Brahmas, our universes Brahma felt like a rabbit amidst many elephants. I love what Brahma says, 'There are people who say, 'I know everything about Krishna.' Let them think in that way. As far as I am concerned, I do not wish to say very much about this matter. O my Lord, let me say this much. As far your opulences are concerned, they are all beyond the reach of my mind, body and words.' [SB 10.14.38] The 'Law of Contrast' is very important for all of us. Thinking of those greater than our self can help us to realize our true position, as tiny and insignificant. We all have a little bit of 'Isha' or controlling power, yet in comparison to the many powerful people on this planet what is our position? Then there are the devas, and the Supreme Isvara, Lord Shri Krishna. We are never the doer, but have to be empowered to do any even simplest thing'what to speak of large accomplishments? We may appear great or devout to others and have influence, power, bhakti, wealth, education, good looks etc, yet as devotees we have to remember that whatever opulence or Krishna consciousness we have been blessed with are given to us for service, not for any selfish purpose. We are all on the path of realizing this fact: We are givers or servants, not takers or masters. Continue reading "Which Brahma are you?
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So Srila Prabhupada gave us the perfect example from which to follow and this year I pondered having a small Sunday feast program, putting into action rather than just talking.
Planning is the key and having little experience I decided on simplicity.
A poster in the window and a poster on the local community notice board.
Program is simple, kirtan, prasadam and a small talk from The Gita
And a small preparation of the house, and dressing the deities ready and a beautiful flower decoration.
Three people who have been studying the Gita with me came and two turned up after reading the poster, although I’m not to good at kirtan somehow it was nicely received and with encouragement each person attending had a small go at leading.
Simple prasadam, their was plenty so more than one helping was had.
Discussion was lively not what I had planned but that was alright, before you knew it three hours had passed.
The plan is to hold one every month to start, going to fortnightly then weekly.
Their was one piece of feedback and it wasn’t a surprise to me, I was nervous about coming as their is no women in the house; I had noted and already acknowledged that house programme and Sunday feast is easier if their is one or two mataji’s
But I remain hopeful that it will become a vibrant place of association.
And as always I’m open to suggestions and thoughts.
Hare Krishna

By Jahnu Das

Hare Krishnas don’t have to believe in God. We know who God is, what He looks like, what He wants, why and how He created the world and who and what the soul is. This info is available in the Bhagavad Gita. Bhagavad Gita is the only book in the world in which someone claiming to be God, describes in detail about Himself, the soul and Nature and how they inter-relate.

Also, we don’t have to believe in Evolution or Darwin’s theory, as there is no empirical evidence to support that theory. In fact, Darwin’s theory is pure speculation and wishful thinking.

“We must concede that there are presently no detailed Darwinian accounts of the evolution of any biochemical or cellular system, only a variety of wishful speculations.” — Franklin Harold, Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Colorado State University, in an Oxford University Press text.

If someone came and told you that everything you hold dear, everything you believe in, everything you thought you knew, all your values, all you hopes and aspirations, all your love for wife, kids, family, friends, and society, in fact, the entire foundation of your life – it is all wrong, it is all an illusion – you’d probably think that that someone was on drugs or belonged in a mental institution.

In this modern day and age of relativism and liberalism, it is more or less a no-no to know the Absolute Truth. You are allowed to know with certainty such things as science and technology, but if you claim that you have ascertained the original, genuine knowledge of religion from God Himself, if you profess to know God and the real meaning of life, you are immediately dismissed as a deranged fanatic.

All religions claim the same thing, comes the invariable response.

Lets examine this typical response of modern man. You see, it is actually quite foolish. First it is asserted, that everyone says so. Then the fact that everyone says so, is used to negate what is being said.

If everyone says the same thing, the logical thing to assume is that there must be something to it. Not that everyone says the same thing, so therefore it must be false. How does that make sense? Where is the logic? In fact, you would expect all religions to say basically the same things, because all religions are different cultural expressions of the same Absolute Truth. Surely, the details may vary, but if all religions are differently conditioned expressions of the same truth, you’d expect they would mention the same basic principles.

And that’s what the Vedic version teaches us – that all religions are derived from the original religion from God Himself. If this is indeed so, it stands to reason that it can be investigated and verified. If it is a fact, it must be discernable. Otherwise it is just some belief, some speculation. And that is how religion is generally judged in modern society – some fanciful speculations and beliefs.

Then again, if there is a supreme entity – that which is known as God – it is a perfectly logical to assume that He has given a process by which He can be known. But in the climate of the contemporary culture that at present rules the world, it is very unpopular to claim to know the original explanation from the Supreme Himself. How can you make such an outrageous claim, comes the response… nobody knows the Absolute Truth. It cannot be known.

So where does this strange idea come from that the Truth cannot be known? It comes from people, of course. It is something the majority of the population is brought up to believe in. But it makes no sense. If there is an Absolute Truth, if there is a God, if there is an ultimate purpose to life, of course it can be known for certain. Why? Because God, being the almighty, omnipresent, all-knowing Supreme, surely He can verify Himself beyond doubt.

And if there is no God, if everything is indeed relative and material, then it cannot be verified. By definition, you can’t prove a negative. That’s the funny thing about life – if God exists, it can be known for sure, but if God does not exist, it is not possible to know for certain. Note, this is not my opinion, I’m merely stating a an indisputable fact – if God exists, it can be known, because then God can verify His own existence. And if He does not exist, then it cannot be known. It’s as simple as that.

Note how the propaganda-machine tells us the exact opposite. It calls religious people believers, and atheists are called unbelievers. How misleading is that? As an atheist you believe in something that cannot be verified. But as a theist you believe in something that, at least theoretically, has a chance of being verified.

Thus it can be concluded that it is a an intellectually superior position to believe in God, rather than the opposite. The first assumption, that there is a God, has a chance of verification, whereas the second position, that there is no God, cannot be verified.

But if you dare point out these things – even though they are indisputable facts – you are met with a wall of resistance – no, no, nobody knows the truth. God is merely a fairy tale. To believe in God is no more different than believing in tooth-fairies and Santa Claus. That’s what we are told.

What we can learn from this, is that society is not ruled by benevolent forces. What kind of society will educate it’s population in something so obviously false? So if you know the truth and you want to inform people about it, you are up against a massive wall of resistance.

Krishna says:

Now hear, O son of Prtha, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt. (Bg 7.1)

I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge, both phenomenal and numinous. This being known, nothing further shall remain for you to know. (Bg. 7.2)

A video by Balarama Nityananda.

Where did we begin our karma and when and why?
Answer by Radhanath Swami: I will answer briefly because this is the very long explanation but i.e. certain point in our existence as part and parcel of Lord Krsna. We have given free choice to either serve Krsna and love Krsna or to exploit what is the property of Krsna. When you made that choice you have given entrance into the material creation. And in the very beginning at the don of our existence in material creation we began to perform activities in the realm of exploitation and then our karma begins. Sometimes we exploit in a pious way and we get good karma. Sometimes we exploit in an impious way and we create bad karma. But Srila Prabhupada rarely would become very specific in regard to this question of our origin in this material creation. In fact generally when devotees would ask him he would very purposely answered in an indirect way. Generally when people would ask him this question he would say the problem is you are in Maya. Now how you got here its not so important what’s important is to get out. The Scriptures explain in specific detail how we come here. But Srila Prabhupada he would say if you are drowning in an ocean and someone comes to throw you a life preserver while sitting on the boat and says- come, I will pull you up to the boat and you say- wait! first I want to know when I fell on the ocean and why I fell on the ocean. Mean while there is sharks surrounding you ready to eat you alive. In the same way the shark of death is ready to devour us. It is not so important to understand why and how we came but it’s essential to hold on to the life raft and to get out. How our karma began through perhaps millions and millions and millions of births it has developed but the point i.e. of concern now is you have the opportunity to be free from all karma now. Krsna says in Gita- Abandon all varieties of religion, abandon all varieties of speculation and just surrender to Me. I shall protect you from all sinful reactions of whatever you have done, whenever you have done.
Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. In this way you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this. So guru maharaj put all the emphasis on the here and now. Here is the life raft the association of devotees, the Holy Name, his transcendental books which teaches us how to live in such a way today by which can get out. And as far as he was concern the only real subject matter of any importance in regard to our origin in this material existence is that we misuse our independence exactly when, exactly how is not important. So what is important is we have misuse our independence? And why is it so important because we are still misusing our independence. So let us utilizes this independence for Krsna and become librated from the cycle of birth and death because you see theoretically we can explain these things but you will not understand it until you Back Home Back to Godhead. Ha… So therefore our concern is- you Back Home Back to Godhead and understand that realization and not put so much effort on trying to theoretically understand what we can’t understand. Is that answers question? So chant Hare Krsna Be Happy. Go Back Home Back to Godhead. You may have been worm, you may have been snake, you may have been reptile, a bird, a pig, a human being, a Mataji so many things. This is anything wrong with Mataji now you are brahmachari matajis are devotees you know all devotees we were so many things, we don’t care for any what we been we are concern with where we are going. Where been in this life. We are not concerned. Jagai and Madhai sinful didn’t matter when they took to Krishna Consciousness they became pure, pure than the pure. Doesn’t matter what we have done, where we come from all that matters is where we are going. So take Krsna. Lord Nityananda prayed in this way. Take Krsna. The only price is that you accepting with faith. Hare Krsna.

The Yogi’s Wager.
A servant of a very rich man came before his master one day and told him of an interesting yogi he had seen in the river. The servant said that this yogi claimed he could stay in the water all night in the middle of the river without any outside heat. The yogi was willing t take a wager with anyone to prove that he could do it. When the rich man heard this, he decided to wager against the yogi. So the bet was made to see whether the yogi could stay in the water all night. The yogi went into the water, and the rich man and his servant went home. The next day word came that the yogi had successfully stayed in the water all night. The rich man went out to see the yogi, and indeed he was still standing in the water. Therefore by all rights the rich man had lost the wager. But then a friend of the rich man said, “Wait! See that light?” He pointed to a small flame far away in a temple. The rich man’s friend said, “By his mystic power, this yogi has been using the heat of that light to keep warm in the water. So he shouldn’t be paid, because the bet was that he would stay in the water without taking any heat.” Taking advantage of this word jugglery, the rich man said, “Yes I’m not going to pay you. You’ve tricked me.” Then the rich man and his servant went back to the house. The rich man asked his servant to quickly cook him a nice breakfast, but after waiting for some time, the servant had not produced anything. The rich man expressed his impatience, but the servant replied, “Please wait. I’m cooking.” The rich man waited, but it got later and later and no food was brought. When he demanded food from his servant, the servant only replied, “I’m cooking. It’s going to be ready soon.” Finally the rich man became angry and walked into the kitchen. “What is this cooking?” he demanded. And there he saw that the servant had a very strange arrangement for cooking. He had a very small fire on the ground an a tall bamboo tripod to hold the pot he was supposed to be heating high near the ceiling. Obviously, the small flame would never be able to reach the pot to heat it. “What do you think you’re doing?” demanded the rich man. “Well,” said the servant, if you claim that the yogi was keeping warm in
the water by that light, then I am also cooking.“ The man could understand that his servant was dissatisfied with the outcome of the wager with the yogi. And so he went and paid the yogi the wager.
MORAL: If you practice Krishna consciousness "part time” you can’t expect to be “completely cooked”. If the fire of purification you apply is too far and weak won’t be able to separate the impurities and create a nice ghee for Krishna :-)
To watch this parable in video: https://goo.gl/jzzZP3

Quack doctors flourish in places where people are mostly uneducated or do not have much exposer to scientific worldview. The quacks claim to have all the requisite skills to cure a patient. He dons the dress of a doctor; display medicinal books and also flaunt some fake degrees to convince people that he is indeed a qualified medicinal practitioner.
Just like quack doctors there are clan of quacks who masquerade as spiritual gurus. Such quack gurus too don the saffron robe of a sannyasi, memorize few verses and advertise themselves as God’s representative.
Just by buying a book of medicine and studying it on its own a person cannot become a medical doctor. Similarly just by reading books of Vedas and without being trained in any authorized sampradaya one cannot become a spiritual guru. There are four sampradayas or chain of disciplic succession descending from important acharyas or spiritual preceptors – Sri sampradaya (main exponent Ramanujacharya, it originated from Goddess Lakshmi), Brahma sampradaya (main exponent Madhvacharya, it originated from Lord Brahma), Rudra sampradaya (main exponent Vishnu Swami, it originated from Lord Shiva), Kumara sampradaya (main exponent Nimbarka, it originated from Kumaras, Lord Brahma’s sons)
To become a doctor one needs to join a government authorized institution and need to be trained by a qualified teacher, similarly to become a guru one needs to be part of these authorized institutions and be trained. It is mandatory for a guru to receive scriptural knowledge from a bonafide spiritual practitioner in a disciplic succession – srotriyam brahma – nistham.
A quack doctor is never able to diagnose the disease correctly and so his prescription fails to completely cure the patient. Many times because of wrong treatment patient even dies. An unauthorized spiritual guru too fails to provide correct solution to the diseased souls as he is unable to comprehend the true purpose of the Vedic literature. Vedas exhort all to inquire for the higher spiritual goals – athato brahma jijnasa – and not get bogged down by the flickering pleasures of this material world which is anyway temporary. However fake gurus dole out tons of misinformation claiming it to be the message of sacred books and engage the gullible people in mundane activities of amassing wealth and striving for position and power in this ephemeral world.
Before visiting a doctor we make sure that the doctor is genuine, his degrees are authentic and he has got it from a recognized university. So if we are serious about our spiritual life then before accepting anyone as our guru we have to make sure that the gentleman’s credential isn’t fake and he has been trained in an authorized spiritual university which is part of the 4 sampradayas.
And along with this we should be cautious about the gurus overall conduct. Whatever he speaks should be as per the scripture and should be in line with the teachings of the renowned spiritual seers. A genuine guru lives by the scripture and preaches by his own exemplary example.
Human life is utterly precious; it gives us an opportunity to get reunited with the Supreme Lord. So we should be extremely cautious in selecting a guru, a representative of God, because a guru unites us with the Supreme Lord. And he can do so only if he himself is having sublime relationship with the Lord.

(Purushottam Nitai Das is a member of congregation at Iskcon Kolkata. He blogs at http://krishnamagic.blogspot.co.uk/)