Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Japa Retreat by HH Romapada Swami at ISKCON of Central New Jersey, Jan. 2016 (video)
Srila Prabhupada: Lord Caitanya never tried to be the master of the holy name; rather He taught us how to be servants of the holy name. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 7.95-96 Purport)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/knE98w
On Fear.
Radhanath Swami: Fear is the most prominent human quality. Its either behind the scenes or very much in front motivating people in so many ways. Fear of disappointment, failure, disease, death, poverty – and the more you have the more you have to fear losing. But if we just pray to our mind to take shelter of Krishna, this beautiful cowherd boy who charms us into the realm of love beyond the temporary conditions of this world, then we become fearless.
When we recognize the beauty of God and love God, then we actually see that loving beautiful hand behind every situation. And that doesn’t make us hard hearted, it makes us very soft hearted on every level – body, mind and soul. It equips us to serve people in the highest most comprehensive way. Not only to resolve the suffering of the physical and mental state, but to help people to resolve suffering forever, so that they can see through the lens of truth that the soul is eternal and nothing can destroy it.
Even in this world, where there is danger at every step, our nature is to find complete shelter and complete happiness in remembering Krishna. In this age of Kali Yuga Krishna has made himself so available to everyone and anyone, whoever we are, by chanting the holy names. Krishna is non different from his name and He has given us complete love and shelter in his name. If we love God we will understand that even the fear will be an incentive to help us to love and to be instruments to help others to love.
Harinama at Byron Bay - January 2016 (Album with photos)
Byron Bay is a coastal town in the southeastern Australian state of New South Wales.
Srila Prabhupada: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu never considered the holy name of the Lord to be a material vibration, nor does any pure devotee mistake the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra to be a material musical manifestation. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 7.95-96 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/HYeJGT
Transcendental Dance in the Courtyard of Lord Shiva.
How is Lord Shiva and Durga considered the Father and Mother of the Universe is explained as follows. Since it is the glance of the Supreme Being over the energy of Durga, maya, which sets in motion the creation of the universes, Durga is therefore known as the universal mother. This is why when people speak of the material nature, it is always referred to as a female, as “she,” Mother Nature, and as the goddess. And the essence of Mother Nature is represented as Durga. She is united with her husband, known as Lord Shiva, who is then considered the father of the universe.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/8Bdqnn
2016 Japa Retreat at ISKCON of Houston with HH Romapada Swami.
I am glad to inform you that 2016 Japa Retreat with HH Romapada Swami will be held at ISKCON of Houston.
Conversation in Glasgow.
The post We are not vegans appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
“The Gateway Effect”
This computer science student from Saudi Arabia saw some of our English books on the table, said he was not very good with English, and then showed little interest.
However as soon as he caught sight of the “Perfection of Yoga”, staring back at him in his native Arabic, his eyes went wide in amazement, his jaw dropped open a bit, and he just had to have it! Then he suddenly seemed fascinated by the whole scene. And it was at that very moment that he changed his mind and insisted on getting some of the English books as well.
This phenomenon has happened so many times in various languages, that we’ve coined a term for it: The Gateway Effect!
Graham M. Schweig (Garuda das), a devotee and professor of religious studies, has been invited to write for the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Television Series entitled, “THE STORY OF GOD.” He will write six “discussion guide” essays covering the perspective of Hinduism (along with four other writers representing the other major traditions) to be posted on the program’s website that will guide the content for the series, a series produced by Morgan Freeman, et. al., a series to air in the U.S. and globally in 171 countries and 45 languages beginning June 2016.
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Source: http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/morgan-freeman-story-of-god-nat-geo-1201517341/
By Whitney Friedlander
TV News Editor
Morgan Freeman has been the voice of God. Now he will be the face of a series that explores our quest to understand the divine.
Freeman, who has frequently shared his own opinions on the subject, will host and exec produce Nat Geo’s “The Story of God.”
“The story of God is one of the greatest mysteries and most important ideas in the world,” said Freeman. “For me, this is a personal and enduring quest to understand the divine, and I am humbled by the opportunity to take viewers along on this incredible journey.”
Described as an “epic adventure and profoundly personal journey into the eternal mysteries of the divine,” the series will follow Freeman as he embarks on an epic exploration and intimate reflection on God, immersing himself in religious experiences and rituals all around the world, as well as becoming a test subject in scientific labs to examine how the frontiers of neuroscience and cosmology are intersecting the traditional domain of religion.
“God is arguably the most important topic of our time,” said Lori McCreary, Freeman’s producing partner at Revelations Entertainment and an executive producer on the series. “National Geographic’s unprecedented inside access will allow us to explore the global mystery behind God and religion. With Morgan as our storyteller, we’re going to produce a visually stunning and thought-provoking series that will spur meaningful conversations about God and faith, by believers and nonbelievers alike.”
The series will also include Freeman’s own opinions on the matter, as he ponders and shares his personal reflections from the back of a taxi leaving the Vatican or hiking through the Guatemalan jungle on the way to an abandoned Mayan temple.
“We’re partnering with Revelations Entertainment and the talented, multifaceted Morgan Freeman to produce an epic and very personal journey to understand mankind’s religious devotion,” said Courteney Monroe, CEO, National Geographic Channels. “Blending science, history, anthropology and personal experience, we’re harnessing the power of the National Geographic brand and our unparalleled global reach to tell a meaningful and awe-inspiring story of religion and spirituality, across disciplines and faiths.”
“The Story of God” will be produced by Revelations Entertainment for National Geographic Channel. For Revelations Entertainment, Freeman, McCreary and James Younger are executive producers. For National Geographic Channel, Michael J. Miller is executive producer; Kevin Mohs is vice president, production and development; Alan Eyres is senior vice president, programming and development; and Tim Pastore is president, original programming & production.
“The Story of God” is slated to air in 2016 on National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Mundo in the U.S. and globally in 171 countries and 45 languages.
January 13. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
By Satsvarupa dasa Goswami.
On the same day he wrote Mr. Hartman, Prabhupada received a letter from Sri Padampat Singhania, the director of the very large J.K. organization in India. Prabhupada had written Sri Padmapatji for financial support, and this reply gave him hope. Not only was the Singhania family fabulously wealthy, but its members were devotees of Lord Krishna. My dear Svamiji, I have gone through your letter. I am very glad to know your idea of erecting a Sri Radha-Krishna temple in New York. I think the proposal is a good one, but the following are the difficulties … Mr. Singhania pointed out two difficulties. 1) He had to get government sanction to send money and foreign exchange to America. 2) Mr. Singhania doubted whether with this small amount of seven lakhs [$110,000] that Prabhupada was asking a temple could be built in New York. He said he was thinking of a temple, a nice construction with Indian-type architecture. For this he would have to send a man to America. These were the two difficulties, “otherwise your idea is very good.” Srila Prabhupada and Mr. Singhania had a basic disagreement. A magnificent temple in New York would cost many millions of dollars to construct. Prabhupada knew, of course, that if Padmapat Singhania wanted, he could provide millions of dollars. But then how would he get so much money out of India? Prabhupada therefore again suggested that they only spend seven lakhs. “After purchasing the house,” he wrote, “we can build another story upon it with a temple dome, cakra, etc.” Prabhupada had his own line of reasoning:
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4
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Bhakti Vidyapurna Swami S.B.6.18.74 – Jan 10th 2016
Letter from Mr. Singhania
Gita verse-by-verse study Podcast
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The post Gita 08.19 – Recognizing our lack of control over the destructible material imples us to direct our consciousness to the eternal spiritual appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.11—who should chant, why they should chant, and how they should chant.
“How should we chant? We should chant continuously, following the ways of the great authorities. And what does it mean to follow the ways of the great authorities? Here Srila Prabhupada refers to Srila Jiva Gosvami, who has quoted the Padma Purana that there are ten offenses to be avoided while chanting the holy name. It is important for us to know these ten offenses and to make a conscious effort to avoid them. In the beginning we may not be aware of the offenses, and we may chant and get great benefit, but eventually we will have to come to the stage where we are aware of the offenses and make a conscious effort to avoid them. Then we come to the liberated stage of chanting, when one really relishes. And beyond the liberated stage of chanting is the stage where one has pure love for God, Krishna, and at that stage one swims in a fathomless ocean of divine ecstasy.”
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, November 2015, Vrindavan, India, Video Interviews)
When the living being turns away from Krsna then suffering begins. Happiness only exists in the relationship with Krsna so when we turn away from Krsna, we begin to suffer. Then Krsna has also added a little suffering, he added some sand-in-the-sweet-rice. Why is this so? Because Krsna loves living beings dearly and Krsna is more eager for living beings to go back to the spiritual world than the living beings are themselves. Therefore Krsna cannot wait, so sometimes he puts a little sand-in-the-sweet-rice just so that when we take sense gratification, we come to the understanding that maybe sense gratification is not worth it – it will not let us go back to the spiritual world! So ultimately, the elevated liberated souls see even suffering as the mercy of Krsna.
When Going Gets Tough Then Tough Gets Going.
Papayyapalem is one of the oldest villages in Chirala region and our 46th village in a row. It was located at a mere distance of 2 km from the Bay of Bengal. It is said that in bygone ages it was a part of a big prosperous city and there are rumors that in many parts of the village there are still hidden treasures of gold and silver ornaments. But presently the village presents a picture which is in stark opposition to the old one with open drains and thorny bushes. Even the temples are in a neglected state, covered in dust. The general population is made up primarily of farmers, building laborers, and men who work in town factories, etc. Almost every house has buffalos. It is very rare to see a household have cows. The main crops are paddy and ground nuts.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/WJQrHH
Krishna Prema Mayi performed by Badahari das (7 min video)
1) Radha is made of pure love for Krsna and Hari is made of pure love of Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter. 2) Radha is the treasure of Krsna and Hari is the treasure of Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter. 3) Radha pervades the life-force of Krsna and Hari pervades the life-force of Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter. 4) Radha is totally melted with Krsna and Hari is totally melted with Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter. 5) Radha is situated in the body of Krsna and Hari is situated in the body of Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter. 6) Radha is fixed in the heart of Krsna and Hari is fixed in the heart of Radha. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter. 7) Radha wears cloth of blue color and Hari wears cloth of yellow color. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter. 8) Radha is the Mistress of Vrndavana and Krsna is the Master of Vrndavana. Life’s greatest wealth is Radha and Krsna: my eternal shelter.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/0UKtZY
Why do you, devotees of Krishna, dance while you chant?
Sundar Nitai Dasa: Day 11 Surfers paradise, Gold coast, Queensland, Australia.
Every evening the devotees have been going for Harinama on the main street here in surfers paradise.
So many people tell me how they love the chanting and dancing when I meet them.
Today, two young men from a local convenience store were watching me as I was reading while sitting on the bench.
When they got a lunch break they approached me and asked “what is the reason behind the chanting and the dancing, why do your group do that? ”.
I explained “We are signing the names of God, Hare Krsna, this is the way we connect with God and show the world how to connect with God.
This is the universal religion accepted by most major faiths and thought by all prominent prophets.
That is, to chant the names of god and you will be saved.
Some examples I gave were;
Muslims; recite 99 names of Allah five times a day in the direction of mecca.
Christians; Pray our father who art in heaven ‘Haloed by thy name ’, meaning the name of god is sacred or 'Haloed’.
And the Buddhists also so have their chant for connecting with the supreme.
Most faiths accept this principle of calling upon the name of God to be connected.
So we are doing the same thing”, I explained simply.
“Ok, that makes sense, but why signing and dancing, the prophets don’t recommend singing and dancing ”.
“Have you ever been in love ?”'I asked.
“Yes”, one of them replied.
“So when the girl calls you back or acknowledges you, don’t you feel very happy almost like singing and dancing without even thinking about it.
Maybe you even skip down the street singing her name in joy and anticipation of your next meeting.
No one told you to do it, it just happened naturally, right?”.
“Oh yeah, that is true, i know that feeling ”, he said, as if he was in love with a girl at present.
“So these people are connecting with god/ Krsna and they are feeling His reciprocation and are very happy and excited.
So naturally they sing and skip down the street in happiness, sharing their excitement with others. It is a natural thing !.No one has to tell them to do it, it is a natural progression of their relationship with God /Krsna.
Does it make sense ?’'I asked.
’'yes ! that makes sense, thank you for your explanation”, he said appreciatively.
They had more very interesting questions too.
But that is all for now!
Sankirtan Yajna ki! JJJJJAAAAIIII
HARE KRSNA!
All glories to Sri Guru! and Sri Gauranga!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
The post Daily Darshan : January 12th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.
Srila Prabhupada in Mumbai, 1970 - 1977 (31 min video)
One of the best movies from Srila Prabhupada’s life! All the videos about Srila Prabhupada are transcendentally beautiful but this is particularly nice!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/BXSPmZ
By Abeer Saha Yoga is a state of existence that can be practiced in love, in work, in wisdom, in meditation, in happiness, and even in weakness and despair. Some teachers even insist that yoga is better practiced from a place of suffering, because life's challenges make us yearn for something higher, something that will bring us out of our misery, and yoga certainly enables to do that. On some level, yogi or not, we all are faced with "Arjuna moments" as we move along our path in life. In our own moments of despair, by turning to the pages of the Bhagavad Gita, or another inspired text, or an authentic guru who shares our love and trust, with sincerity, we too can, "in all circumstances, be a yogi." Continue reading "Yogi Blues: The Bhagavad Gita & The Yoga of Despair
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Bhavnagar Rathayatra 2016 (Album with photos)
Taken by Vaman Das at Bhavnagar on Sunday, January 10, 2016. Bhavnagar is a city in the Bhavnagar district of the Saurashtra region of the Gujarat state of India.
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45th village bead of Gavinivaripalem strung in the offering garland.
Gavinivaripalem is a panoramic village amidst lush green farms, huge pond, simple dwellings, two temples and caressed by a gentle breeze coming from the ocean. It’s relatively a new village formed with just a few families choosing to settle there just a few decades ago. Now it’s flourishing with about four thousand population, huge arable land, lovely cows and many buffaloes. The main crops grown here are paddy, peanuts, corn, ragi, pulses and many varieties of vegetables.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/oESudQ
January 12. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
By Satsvarupa dasa Goswami.
A Letter to the Landlord On January 14, 1966, Prabhupada decided to write the owner of the building, Mr. A.B. Hartman. He explained how his plans had been upset, and he proposed a new plan: Now the Prime Minister Mr. Lal Bahadur Shastri is suddenly dead, and I am greatly perplexed … As there is now great difficulty for getting money from India, I am requesting you to allow me to use the place for the Institution For God consciousness, at least for some time. The house is lying vacant for so many days without any use, and I learn it that you are paying the taxes, insurance and other charges for the house although you have no income from there. If, however, you, allow this place for this public institution, you shall at least save the taxes and other charges which you are paying now for nothing. If I can start the institution immediately, certainly I shall be able to get sympathy locally, and in that case I may not be required to get money from India. I am also requesting that your honor become one of the Directors of this public institution because you will give a place to start the institution. A.B. Hartman wasn’t interested.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=4
Question: I heard that the highest topmost form of pleasure or bliss for the jiva is to see Sri Radha and Kṛṣṇa enjoying. But in the rasa dance, the mood is different. There the jiva is enjoying with the Lord. So which is higher or more pure?
It is not different. The mood of rāsa-līlā is not different from the mood of enhancing the enjoyment of Śrī Rādhā and Krishna.
The highest pleasure in the rāsa-līlā is to see Krishna dancing with Rādhā.
Now think about it practically and with your whole intelligence. What is more delightful, to see a lone flower on a shelf, or to see the flower surrounded by leaves and arranged so nicely with other flowers? Is a jewel more beautiful by itself, or when set in gold and surrounded by similar gems? Usually the beauty is enhanced when it is surrounded by similar beauty that pays homage to it by putting it in a central position. This is the service done by the devotees during rāsa-līlā.
Mañjarī is a word that many people use very often these days when discussing these things. But this is the meaning of the word “mañjarī.” It means “many flowers clustered together.” Many flowers clustering together is even more fragrant and beautiful than a lone flower.
The devotees cluster together to provide more beauty and pleasure to surround Rādhā and Krishna and thus enhance their own beauty and pleasure.
The highest pleasure is to see Krishna dancing with Rādhā. Yes, but not passively in some type of śānta-rati. We will do something in that scene.
Most beautiful is to see them surrounded by so many dancing gopīs, surrounded by music played by so many beautiful girls, and so many flower arrangements and so many fruits and drinks, and so much beautiful clothing and decoration and cosmetics, and such a beautiful forest, with such beautiful flora and fauna and moonlight and breezes. The mood in rāsa-līlā is to augment the beauty of Rādhā and Krishna’s dance. To be a part of what facilitates that atmosphere in which Rādhā and Krishna dance is the greatest thrill, the highest bliss. It might mean being a butterfly or a deer. It might mean playing vīṇā or karatāla. It might mean actually getting up to dance, and batting eyelashes with Krishna. It is all the same in essence. It is all about enhancing the thrilling romantic atmosphere that Rādhā and Krishna enjoy.
No one is trying to “enjoy.” Everyone is trying to augment Krishna’s enjoyment, which is done by augmenting Rādhā’s beauty and desirability.
No one tries to take what is Rādhā’s. Nobody in Vṛndāvana wants such things. The people who want such things may be here and there, but at least they are not in Vṛndāvana. Even Candrāvalī does not truly wish to compete with Rādhā. She only wants to make Rādhā’s dance with Krishna more precious and passionate. She only wants to inspire Rādhā to strive to be the very best that she can be for Krishna.
The jīva never interacts with Krishna without the medium of Krishna’s śakti. Jīva itself is Krishna’s śakti, but is a small and dependent śakti – “taṭastha.” It requires a more powerful śakti to assist it’s interaction with reality. In the external world this śakti is Māyā-devī. In the internal realm, it is Yogamāyā-devī. The jīva always aspires to augment Krishna’s enjoyment of his primary śakti’s, not by trying to replace them but by adding its individual beauty and ingenuity and passion to theirs.
Nowhere is this seen more vividly and beautifully than in the attempts of the various gopīs, nitya and sādhana siddhas alike, to create an incalculably gorgeous and delightful atmosphere and arena for Rādhā and Krishna to dance and play in.
Vraja Kishor dās
vrajakishor.com
Question: You’ve said, “in love, the pleasure comes from humility.” Can you explain this more thoroughly?
My Answer: Non-humility means to feel that the self is of central importance. The self, however, is a very dependent entity, so to put it in a central position is unnatural and stressful because it is like putting a weak beam as the support of a house. It is very stressful, and subject to frequent collapse.
Humility is natural and therefore not stressful but joyful. Humility means taking the self out of central importance. This removes the distress. Removal of distress brings a sublime pleasure, because it removes obstacles to experiencing the ānanda inherent in existence itself.
Humility is not just stress-relief, it is also positively delightful in its own right because it fulfills the fundamental need of consciousness: to experience something worth being conscious of. The beloved provides that experience.
Love and humility are not two different things. Love is intensified humility. Love is hyper-magnified humility.
Love takes the self out of focus and brings the beloved sharply into focus. It inspires us to act without consideration for our own happiness, to act for the happiness of the beloved. It grants us the mokṣa / liberation of losing the “self,” but without losing our individuality and motivation. So our expressions and endeavors do not lose any intensity or passion, but they lose all their limitations and smallness. So love is the most thrilling thing – the most concentrated form of bliss, sandrānanda.
Question: The soul is searching after the real, eternal lover. It wants to love Kṛṣṇa, to attain real love without separation. What about this desire ? Isn’t it a selfish desire? If so, is it not on the level of pure, Uttam Bhakti, which is unmotivated?
My Answer: Pure love is not “without desire” or “unmotivated.” That is a misunderstanding, or an unclear expression. Pure love is without extraneous desire, without ulterior motive.
Śrī Rūpa Goswāmī defines love as being anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam, not abhilāṣa-śunyaṁ (without desire or motivation). How could anyone say that love is without desire!? Love is full of desire. Śrī Rūpa describes the primary quality of love as being a desire (anukūla), specifically it is the expression (anuśilana) of a desire for pleasing Krishna. “anukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśilanam bhaktiḥ.”
Śrī Rūpa says pure love is desire, but is anya-abhilāṣa-śunyam – completely free from any other desires. The prefix anya- is important. Added to abhilāṣa it means ulterior motive, other desire. Love is the desire to please the beloved, and it has no other desire or motive.
Actually Śrī Rūpa doesn’t say anyābhilāṣa, he says anyābhilāṣitā. This -tā means that the basic quality of the love is that it has no ulterior desires, but occasionally, desires that are self-oriented can appear when they are not central. For example, if one’s life is threatened, one might desire survival. For example in such a situation, one could feel the need to survive so that the beloved will not be inconvenienced or saddened. Śrī Rūpa used this suffix to indicate that such self-oriented desires are also not antithetical to pure love.
The example you specifically brought up was the desire to attain love. How could this be considered an ulterior motive? It cannot. It is integral to the love itself to desire it. Such desires to love Krishna, meet Krishna, please Krishna are in no way anyābhilāṣa. Saying so is equivalent to describing a girl who loves her lover but has no interest in meeting him, seeing him, etc. What sort of love is that!? If she has no desire of coming into a position that could please and delight her beloved, does she really have love for him?
Love is desire – desire to please the beloved. The desire to attain the beloved and attain deeper love for the beloved is integral to love itself, not antithetical to it.
Even if there is some self-interest in it, “I want to be happy by gaining the supreme love,” still this is not antithetical to uttama-bhakti. Every individual has self-interest as a intrinsic result of being a distinct self. We cannot be rid of self-interest without being rid entirely of our individual existence as a distinct self, ātmā. But if we rid ourselves of individuality, who will be the lover and who will be the beloved? Prahlād Mahārāja clarifies that we cannot kill our inherent motive for self-interest, but we can realize that the true root of ourselves is Viṣṇu and therefore our ultimate self-interest is in pleasing him. “na te vidhu svārtha-gatim hi viṣṇum.” So, wanting to be happy by loving Krishna is not outside the realm of pure devotional service, it is an important part of the realization of what inspires a person to fully dedicate themselves to loving Krishna.
In summary, love is desire, and therefore desires that motivate one to please the beloved are positive, helpful, important parts of devotion. They are not at all antithetical to pure devotion, uttama-bhakti.
Vraja Kishor dās
www.vrajakishor.com
12 Mahajan Series- Lord Brahma Nand Dulal Prabhu 2016 01 10 Sunday Feast ISKCON Chowpatty
A Letter to the Landlord
WHAT IS ONE ACTION YOU COULD TAKE THAT WOULD IMPROVE YOUR LIFE? As I contemplate my upcoming talks with the title, "Facing Death to Live More Fully Today?", I have realized that this is more of a workshop than a lecture. My talk can't just be words, but has to be an extension of my heart and how I live my life. That, and the empowerment from above/within, will give my words the power to connect to the audience. I have to speak to each person in the assembly.
What I have done in preparation is to make a list of the most important practices and actions that I have found to be essential for living a life worth living and being able to not only remain on the path of bhakti, but also continue to make advancement our whole lives--or to not be simply coasting on our past service and enthusiasm (which is so easy to do!). I also can't possibly cover all the points I have listed, so it is turning into at least two talks which I see as only a preparation for a series of workshops where the participants actually do exercises to put these points into practical action.
Podcast:
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The post Gita 08.18 – Matter becomes unmanifest, but material form is destroyed appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
The Higher Taste restaurant in Wellington has been operating for many years with various cooks and management.
Last year four devotee chefs came from India to raise the standard of the menu, especially in the matter of “a la carte.”
This has proven very successful and popular with the customers.
Recordings of the Siksastakam Seminar given by HH Kadamba Kanana Swami in Mayapur, at the Kirtan Academy, are available below.
You may listen online by clicking the “play” button or to download, right-click on a title and save-target-as.
KKS_Mayapur_11Dec2015_Siksastakam_Part1
KKS_Mayapur_12Dec2015_Siksastakam_Part2
KKS_Mayapur_14Dec2015_Siksastakam_Part3
KKS_Mayapur_15Dec2015_Siksastakam_Part4
Colonel Nicholson, as played by Alec Guinness
Lately I’ve had occasion to recall Bridge on the River Kwai, a classic film from the 1950s. The film concerns a fictional Colonel Nicholson, a British officer in World War II, a man of determination and courage, who is confined with his officers and men in Burma in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. Nicholson rallies the spirit of his men by leading them in building a bridge critical for the Japanese supply line, but he becomes so obsessed with the project that he loses sight of the interests of his country.
The film has nothing to do with Krishna consciousness, but sometimes when we ask ourselves why people do the things they do, the complex figure of Colonel Nicholson may provide a helpful psychological model.
Theme from “Bridge on the River Kwai”
The post Remembering Colonel Nicholson appeared first on Jayadvaita Swami.