Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Abhaya Carana and the devotees from the Bhakti Tree in Newcastle regularly have preaching programs every week.
On Wednesday there’s a yoga night and on Friday a kirtan night.
Three days a week they cater to the Vegetarian Club at Hunter Valley University where each day a couple of hundred students taste wonderful prasadam.
With this question, I prefaced a juicy tidbit of gossip that I was about to share in a recent conversation with someone. I looked around as if furtively, moved closer to my hearer and dropped my voice. I don’t think I did any of this intentionally – it just happened because of my decade-long habit of public speaking.
Predictably, my hearer nodded their head earnestly to assure me about their ability to keep a secret and leaned forward to ensure that they didn’t miss even one drop of the juice in the tidbit.
As I opened my mouth, suddenly I had an epiphany. I felt as if I was seeing myself from overhead, and my hypocrisy lay exposed in front of me. Here I was asking my hearer whether they could keep a secret and I was immediately showing them that I myself couldn’t keep a secret. How? By willingly, even eagerly, speaking what was supposed to be a secret.
A rhetorical question becomes literal
Epiphanies often occur when we somehow see the common in an uncommon light. The question “Can you keep a secret?” is almost always a rhetorical question – the hearer hardly ever gives a negative answer. Rare are the souls who go into a confessional mode, admitting their inability to keep secrets.
Somehow, while verbalizing this question, I took it not rhetorically but literally and thereafter emerged the epiphany. Seen from a devotional perspective, the “somehow” needs to be replaced by “Krishna’s mercy,” especially when the resulting insight helps us move closer to him. The Bhagavad-gita (15.15) states that Krishna resides in the hearts of each one of us and from that strategic vantage point offers guidance.
Moving from the source of the epiphany to its content, I have heard, read, spoken and written about why we shouldn’t gossip. This epiphany helped me realize that my use of “we” was an expression of not just courtesy but also honesty. As a writer whose content is often didactic, I have trained myself to use “we” instead of “you” to avoid coming off as pedantic. While such courtesy is important, it struck me that even more important is honestly admitting that the “we” reflects reality: I am actually in the same boat as they are, struggling against similar human weaknesses.
In fact, a more honest expression would be to replace the “we” with an “I” – I don’t know for sure that my readers have the tendency to gossip, but I do know for sure that I have that tendency.
Why I shouldn’t gossip – and why I still do
Gossip can be simply defined as speaking about a situation to someone who is a part of neither the problem, nor the solution. What do I as a spiritual practitioner gossip about? Usually, it’s about what has happened to whom or who did what. Being a part of a spiritual movement means that we get placed in a social circle where the slips of others from the expected moral and spiritual standards become fodder for gossip.
The reasons to avoid gossip are many, ranging from the practical to the principled. The practical include “I will be taken to task by my spiritual guides if they come to know about my gossiping” and “If those I gossip about come to know about it, they will hit back at me in kind, or worse.”
The principle-centered include the socio-ethical “I should treat others as I would want them to treat me” and the spiritual “I don’t want to displease Krishna by doing what he doesn’t want me to do: offend his devotees.”
I have fought a long battle against the urge to gossip – and unfortunately it has been a losing battle. Still, whenever I have achieved some victories, they have been more due to the practical consequences than the principle-centered concerns. I have learnt the harms of gossiping the hard way. When I give in to the urge to gossip, I intend to speak just one bit. But frequently, what begins as a bit becomes a byte and maybe even a mega-byte. And more often than not, my hearers follow my example instead of their words. That is, they don’t keep the secret, as they had said they could – instead, they spill it, as they have seen me doing. Who knows, they may even be following my example ditto by prefacing their time under the high sky of gossip with the question, “Can you keep a secret?” And by a chain of Chinese whispers, the starting bit transmogrifies into a billion terra-bytes whose resemblance to the original bit may well take a billion years to discover. But the starting bit came from me, so I am held accountable, not just for that bit but also for all those countless bytes. And I end up with countless bites – the many complications that result from gossiping.
Despite having repeatedly learnt the lesson the hard way, why does the lesson still remain so hard to learn? Why do I still give in to the urge to gossip?
I don’t think that I harbor any strong malice towards anyone. Maybe I am being too charitable to myself here. Maybe the malice is hidden so deep inside the dark dungeon of my heart that I haven’t yet detected it. But wouldn’t it need to surface to make me gossip? Whenever I have introspected after a gossip relapse, I haven’t noticed any strong malice towards the objects of my gossip. What I have noticed is the craving to catch attention by showing that I was privy to a secret that the hearer didn’t know.
Human beings being what we are, we all have our weaknesses. And one such weakness is that we often pay more attention to negative things about others than positive things. The urge to gossip exploits this human weakness among hearers to make speakers speak negative things.
Thankfully, bhakti-yoga offers a much more positive way to gain attention: speaking about Krishna. When we love him purely, we speak about him because we want him to be the center of our attention – and that of our hearers too. Still, till we come to that level of purity, we can spiritualize our need for attention by speaking about Krishna. And the bhakti tradition offers abundant Krishna-centered subjects for discussion.
Two questions to curb gossip
Relevant to the topic of gossip is the Bhagavad-gita’s (17.15) guideline for speaking: Speak words that are non-agitating, truthful, pleasing and beneficial. Gossip is definitely agitating. And though it may seem pleasing, it is pleasing to our lower side. This is the side that offers flickering titillation while depriving us of the lasting satisfaction that comes from our higher side. Our higher side is our core – the soul – that longs for purer, nobler joys – joys that culminate in an eternal loving connection with Krishna.
For resisting the urge to gossip, I find the last two points especially helpful when phrased as questions: Is it true? Is it beneficial?
Is it true? What we speak while gossiping is often what we have heard while gossiping from others, who too have frequently heard it in gossip. And stuff that comes in a tradition of gossip is usually dubious. In fact, over the years of studying and writing, I have come to know that even what we hear from seemingly reliable sources may be questionable. I am not talking about overt or covert media bias and other such distorting effects, though they too contribute to the unreliability. I am talking about the generic difficulty in precisely reconstructing events.
A few years ago, when a senior devotee was embroiled in a controversy centered on an alleged ethical lapse, I tried to find out what had actually happened. Two devotees, who are my close friends and whose intelligence and integrity I trust, gave me radically different accounts. By digging deep enough, I was eventually able to reconcile those accounts. But I hardly ever do that kind of investigation when I gossip about some similar issue.
A major challenge of living in this digital age is that anyone can gossip onto a blog and anyone from any part of the world can access it through the world wide web. While the Internet can be a convenient and valuable source of information, it can also be a morass of disinformation. Any information, especially negative information, about others from the net needs to be critically scrutinized.
Is it beneficial? Even when something is true, that doesn’t make it beneficial. Any form of education requires the structuring of information for proper assimilation. English teachers don’t speak to first-grade students controversies regarding usage of certain idiomatic words; they focus on teaching the basics of the language. Similarly, I while sharing spiritual knowledge don’t need to talk about controversies that aren’t relevant to those who are taking their initial steps in spiritual life.
It wasn’t easy for me to acknowledge the importance of ignorance. During my two decades in the movement, when I came to know of the lapses of some past leaders, I felt shocked, even misled: “Why was I kept in the dark about such things?” But over time, I have realized that there was no plot to blindfold me. The occasional moral lapses in the movement were just a reflection of the moral weakness of material existence itself and more specifically a reflection of the moral looseness of contemporary culture in which immorality has become pandemic. An epidemic can victimize even doctors if they become negligent. Will the medical staff in their discussions with patients dwell on such accidental casualties instead of the treatment’s process and success? No. Then why should I expect that kind of discussion from my spiritual guides? After all, they are like the medical staff in Krishna’s movement, which is like a spiritual hospital that offers the bhakti treatment for curing human self-centeredness.
And the treatment does work. The Bhagavad-gita (09.02) indicates that we can experientially verify the higher truths that it teaches. While I am still a long way from seeing Krishna or any such transcendental vision, I have nonetheless had some spiritual experiences. Many times have I relished many times extraordinary peace, illumination and fulfillment through absorption in Krishna. And I haven’t experienced anything similar in anything else, certainly not in gossip. Irrespective of what happens where to whom, Krishna still awaits me in my heart, beckoning me to savor his shelter. Instead of discussing how we can best attain his shelter, why should I discuss things that dishearten us in seeking that shelter?
To be sure, I am not recommending deliberate covering up of the truth. I am simply stressing that to be truthful I don’t need to tell sordid truths about others – all the more so when I am not ready to share unpleasant truths about myself. After all, I too am a struggling seeker, and I have my issues. The best way I can be truthful is not by washing others’ or my dirty linen in public, but by sharing the process that has enabled me to have my truest experiences – my experiences of my true identity.
Ultimately, we all need to subordinate our pursuit of knowledge to our purpose; otherwise that pursuit can sabotage our purpose. No one can know everything about just one small thing such as, say, an atom or even a subatomic particle. Then I certainly can’t know about everything that’s happened in Krishna’s worldwide movement. My purpose in coming to Krishna’s movement is not to know what’s gone wrong with whom where, but to know how I can stay right on the path to Krishna.
The Bhagavad-gita (04.11) states that Krishna reciprocates with us according to our desires. Just as he is reciprocal, so too is his movement. If I look for controversies in Krishna’s movement, I will find them and find them often more than what I might find outside his movement. If I look for Krishna in his movement, I will find him too and find him far more easily than what I might find outside his movement.
Caution in discussing true things is required also because of the importance of confidentiality in bhakti. The medieval-saint Rupa Goswami indicates in his bhakti guidebook Upadeshamrita (text 4) that speaking our heart confidentially and hearing others share their heart confidentially are integral to affectionate relationships. And affectionate relationships are foundational to bhakti, which centers on relating not just with Krishna but also with those who love him – and those striving to love him. So, if a devotee-seeker has privately shared with me some personal issue, by gossiping about it, I violate the trust of that devotee and decrease my trustworthiness as a candidate for close relationships.
Don’t prey on others – pray for others
While fighting the urge to gossip about the challenges other devotees are going through, I have found prayer immensely helpful. Once during a conversation when I realized that I had got sidetracked into gossip, I tried to get back on course by saying, “Let’s pray for them.” And it changed the whole mood from condemning to commiserating. Instead of perversely enjoying others’ misery, as in a horror movie, we focused, like a medical team, on the bhakti-yoga treatment, praying that it help the troubled devotee.
Sadly, I haven’t been able to tap the power of prayer much while fighting gossip. The attitude about the objects of gossip becomes so negative that it is tough to shift the mental gears and pray for them. Gossip makes me into a predator who feasts on others, more specifically on their lower side that has caused their lapses. Over the years, I have understood that deep, transformational prayer can’t be treated as a switch we turn on or off at our convenience. It needs to be cultivated by tilling the soil of the heart with a devotional disposition towards Krishna and his devotees.
I also try to use my daily journaling in my battle against gossip. If I gossip about someone, I try to write positive things about them and pray for them – and of course pray for myself, that I may break free from the clutches of gossip.
Certainly, all negative talk about others is not gossip. There are times when we may need to speak such things to caution others about potential dangers on the spiritual path. But such cautionary talks require constant vigilance. On several occasions, I started speaking with a cautionary intention, but unwittingly ended up with a predatory disposition. I have a long way to go in my battle against gossip.
“So can I”
When I got the epiphany about my hypocrisy, I didn’t think of all this – it came later during sustained reflection. At that time, I just stopped the relapse into gossip by saying, “Let’s discuss something more positive.” My hearer surprised me with their self-control and sensitivity: self-control in not insisting that I share the secret, and sensitivity in not pointing out that my use of “us” was incorrect – the discussion on that topic had been a monologue by me alone.
Will I be able to avoid gossiping in future? So many times have I initiated an unnecessary discussion with the question “Can you keep a secret?” that it has become an unconscious tool for grabbing attention. I doubt whether I will be able to stop myself from asking that question. If I can’t, then I have come up with a contingency plan, a second line of defense – something that can reinforce this epiphany by stressing the literal aspect of the question.
Next time, if I verbalize the urge to gossip by asking, “Can you keep a secret?” and get the predictable affirmative response, I hope and pray that I will be able to stop that urge by my own affirmation: “So can I.”
The post “Can you keep a secret?” appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
The conqueror of the world, Pṛthu, gratefully bowed his head to receive the orders of the world’s all-powerful teacher, Hari. Amazed by the affection shared between Pṛthu’s and Hari, Indra felt ashamed of what he had done, and bowed to touch the emperor’s feet in apology; but Pṛthu had completely abandoned all his anger, and embraced Indra, performer of one hundred sacrifices.
Pṛthu then turned his attention to worshipping the All-Attractive Soul of All, with ever increasing devotion dedicated to Hari’s lotus-like feet.
Finally, Viṣṇu turned to depart. Petrified by the immanent departure of his beloved Hari, the emperor could not say a word. He stood completely still with tightly folded hands and tears pouring from his eyes as he engulfed his inner heart in Hari.
Seeing this with his lotus-petal-eyes, Hari could not bear to leave. His affection for his dear devotee detained him.
Hearing no sound of departure, Pṛthu opened his eyes to see what was going on, but could not see anything through all his tears. Wiping away the tears an incessantly delightful vision came into focus: The Supreme Person still stood before him! Viṣṇu had suddenly ceased his ascent into the heavens, and his feet now touched the earth. Dizzy with emotion by seeing Pṛthu’s affection, he stumbled slightly as he landed, and steadied himself by placing his hand on Garuḍa, who had extended his shoulder to catch him.
The conqueror of the world, Pṛthu, gratefully bowed his head to receive the orders of the world’s all-powerful teacher, Hari. Amazed by the affection shared between Pṛthu’s and Hari, Indra felt ashamed of what he had done, and bowed to touch the emperor’s feet in apology; but Pṛthu had completely abandoned all his anger, and embraced Indra, performer of one hundred sacrifices.
Pṛthu then turned his attention to worshipping the All-Attractive Soul of All, with ever increasing devotion dedicated to Hari’s lotus-like feet.
Finally, Viṣṇu turned to depart. Petrified by the immanent departure of his beloved Hari, the emperor could not say a word. He stood completely still with tightly folded hands and tears pouring from his eyes as he engulfed his inner heart in Hari.
Seeing this with his lotus-petal-eyes, Hari could not bear to leave. His affection for his dear devotee detained him.
Hearing no sound of departure, Pṛthu opened his eyes to see what was going on, but could not see anything through all his tears. Wiping away the tears an incessantly delightful vision came into focus: The Supreme Person still stood before him! Viṣṇu had suddenly ceased his ascent into the heavens, and his feet now touched the earth. Dizzy with emotion by seeing Pṛthu’s affection, he stumbled slightly as he landed, and steadied himself by placing his hand on Garuḍa, who had extended his shoulder to catch him.
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 26 April 2015, Radhadesh, Belgium, Vyasa Puja Morning Lecture, Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya Lila 24.124)
Question: Are there any scars from one’s past sense gratification – drug, sex abuse or other previous impious activities – which cannot be changed in this life?
It may be that certain drugs have burnt out the brain quite a bit so some people may have a handicap because of that. Sure, if we misuse the body or the mind then we can get some damage from that and then for the rest of our life, we have to live with it. It may be an added austerity but not an obstacle for getting Krsna consciousness, as Krsna consciousness is available to everyone.
But if we damage our brain very much then that creates lots of problems – we all know of people who are unfortunately having a lot of additional issues. But even if that is the case, even if we have created some bad karma, still we have no alternative but to carry on. Even if we are limping on the spiritual path, even if we are jumping on one leg, still we have to continue on the spiritual path, even if it is on crutches, carry on and then one can be glorious.
Just like our Bhakti Raghava Swami, somehow he lost his leg and since then he walks on crutches but of all the swamis, he is the one who went on foot to Tirupati, India, for darshan. He went up the mountain with his crutches. I went with a car and met him as he came up on his crutches.
So even with crutches, one can stay on the spiritual path and then one becomes glorious; more glorious! So, a handicap can actually turn into an impetus for a greater glory because if you overcome it and just carry on then that handicap makes you great! In that way, even scars can become auspicious in Krsna consciousness.
So, it is not that we carry with us some terrible inauspiciousness that we created which will always be a source of depression in our spiritual lives, ‘If only I had not taken so many drugs then I would be able to chant Hare Krsna…’
No! We can chant Hare Krsna and if we have a disease by which we cannot chant Hare Krsna then we can hear Hare Krsna or we can mentally chant Hare Krsna and if our mind does not work, then we can somehow or other look for mercy because there is always a room for mercy!
A beautiful day to be beside the seaside especially when you have the opportunity to see Lord Jagannatha on his rath-cart ready to pour his mercy on all those fortunate soul’s walking along the promenade.
Brighton rathayatra, one of the most unique and one of the most sweetest, many books were distributed along with many plates of prasadam kindly provided by the Food For Life team.
Here’s my small video, this is true bliss and the best way to spend a Sunday by the sea, enjoy
Hare Krishna
Preaching in Mongolia - On The Road (7 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: After a day in Ulaanbaatar we took to the road to spread the message of Lord Caitanya for the first time in Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of Mongolia. The 9-hour drive, often on dirt roads, took us through some of the most beautiful countryside we had ever seen. We witnessed first hand the nomadic lifestyle so common to the people of Mongolia. The evening program in Kharkhorin proved once again that chanting Hare Krsna is the universal process for self-realization in this age of Kali.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/wyTVzc
Hare Krishna! Advanced Child Protection Training Seminar: Another Bold Step Towards Happy Children
With around 117 participants from more than 30 ISKCON centers across the country, the training brought home the message very clearly that ISKCON, as an organization, is now seriously working towards creating safer environments for children, be it in temples or in schools. Thus we had participants who represented not only ISKCON schools but also temples and devotee congregations. A unique aspect of the training program this time was the collaboration of the ISKCON Ministry of Education and the Child Protection Office, which was very apt since a holistic education can be provided to a child only in a protective environment and only through planned and expert educational programs we can assure a protective environment.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19800
Hare Krishna! Pandava sena Alumni – God on trial (video)
A real life courtroom drama based on a debate of the existence of God. This year the PS Alumni have made a production that attracted thousands of viewers to take part and dive deep into the jury for this jaw-dropping drama. Since time immemorial, theists and atheists have debated on the existence of God all over the world. PS Alumni tackled this age old debate via a court room drama production. Prepare to have the concept of science and religion changed forever! Questions Answered – Who is God? – How can God be good if there so much suffering? – Who are you? – How can your scientifically prove God exists? – Disproving the Big Bang Theory. – And all other aesthetic questions
Watch it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19797
Ratha Yatra in Brighton, UK (Album with 38 photos)
When love increases for the holy name of Lord Krishna, then automatically our hesitation for chanting and dancing ends. As chanting the holy name and dancing on the holy name are non different from Krishna.
See them here: https://goo.gl/btqKTK
Hare Krishna! The Self: Who are we?
Urmila Devi Dasi : A very interesting way of envisioning the relationship between the jīva, mind, body, and the world has been explored by Dr. Richard Thompson (1947- ). He presents the material world as a kind of computer simulation, with the bodies of living beings like the characters seen in a role playing game. The subtle body consisting of mind, intelligence, and false ego acts as the interface much like computer mouse and keyboard, with the self as the one desiring and willing.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19793
An Amazing Story!
Srutakirti: We were on an airplane from Mexico City to Caracas and Prabhupada started taking his puffed rice, puffed rice and peanuts. He ate for about 10 minutes or so, and then he just looked and said, “OK.” So I moved the puffed rice over and I gave half to Paramahamsa, the other half I had in front of me. After a few minutes, there was this stewardess, she was walking down the aisle and she stops right in front of us and she reached over, put her hand in my plate and grabbed a handful of puffed rice and threw it in her mouth. She says, “Oh, this is wonderful. What is it?” I said, “Puffed rice.” She said, “Why are you eating this?” I said, “We have our own diet and we’re vegetarian.” She said, “Oh, is there anything else I can get you?” I looked at Prabhupada and he looked at me, he said, “Hot milk.” She said, “Fine.” So after about 10 minutes she comes back with three plates. She left and I turned to Prabhupada, I said, “Prabhupada, that’s amazing, isn’t it?” Prabhupada said, “No, women, they have a natural propensity to serve.” Of course, I was thinking it was amazing that she took Prabhupada’s mahaprasadam right off of my plate. Somehow or other, she got what all of us were mad after was Prabhupada’s remnants. So when I travel, it’s always one of my favorite stories. One day I was giving class and I told this story, and after class a devotee boy came up to me and he said, “That’s an amazing story. Can I tell you a sankirtan story?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “We would go out to the villages far from all the cities in Brazil in different places. You have to go by four-wheel drive. One day we were in the rain forest really far away from everywhere, and we found this village and we did our Harinam. Then we began going door to door to distribute books. Then I went to this one house and I knocked on the door and a woman answered and tried to distribute books. As soon as she saw me, I was in dhoti and kurta, and she invited me in. I went in, and I started seeing that there were pictures of Krishna on the wall and she had an altar, she had Deities,” and he was so surprised. Then he said, “You’re a devotee,” and she said, “Yes, yes. It’s so wonderful to see a devotee here.” And he said, “How did you become a devotee?” She said, “Well, the first time I met devotees was I met Prabhupada on an airplane. I was a stewardess.” So this was the woman, it was 10 years later from that time after she took the mahaprasadam. Then she met devotees again and got a book and that was it. That was the beginning of her spiritual life. Just seeing what Prabhupada has done, it’s mind-boggling to understand how Prabhupada has made devotees, and it just goes on and on.
For spiritual practice, the early morning
quietness, calm, lack of fruitive action
more than quantity, time’s has a quality
like fragrant gold and pure magic
morning facilitates hearing, contemplation.
Like a blanket, darkness accentuates sound
we better hear the holy name, Hare Krishna
mind is less active, the newness of the day
at any age the morning is our excited youth
full of potential, promise, highest aspirations.
Houston ISKCON 50 (Album with photos)
It’s beginning! Did you know about ISKCON 50???? A huge milestone…
See them here: https://goo.gl/O7yBau
Varnasrama series.
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Varnasrama series from Turkey.
The post External practices are favourable to internal consciousness appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
The President of Colombia received the Bhagavad Gita.
Hare Krishna! The Rare Gift supported by Cooperation & Collective Management
Bhakti Caru Swami : (Class given 9/12/2015 at Dallas) The purport of the verse is that even Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu — He is God himself, Krsna Himself — He felt, alone, unable to do this task. He felt. So this is the position. You are cooperating; therefore I am getting the credit. Otherwise alone what could I do? Ekaki amara nahi paya bolo. Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself wanted our cooperation. He is God, Krsna. And therefore cooperation is very important thing. Nobody should think that “I have got so great ability. I can do.” No. It is simply by cooperation we can do very big thing. “United we stand; divided we fall.” This is our…. So be strong in pushing on Krsna consciousness, and Krsna will help. He is the strongest. Still, we must be combined together.
Listen to it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19790
The post Indradyumna Swami in Mongolia appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.
Hare Krishna! Body & Soul (audio class)
Narayani Devi Dasi: One of the main teachings of the Bhagavad-gita is the distinct difference between the body and the soul. We will compare the nature of both and how this understanding can help us achieve a better quality of life and ultimately complete self-realization. The body is a machine, like a motor car is a machine. I am within this body as the driver is within the motor car. So, the first thing is to understand that that I am not this body and I am not this mind. I am a spirit soul. I have projected my identity onto this temporary material body and material mind, but I am eternal.
Listen to it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19784
Harinama at Coolangatta - 13 September 2015 - ISKCON New Govardhana - Sri Sri Radha Govardhanadhari (Album with photos)
See them here: https://goo.gl/KLfglj
Effects of Tolerance
Sudarshana Devi Dasi: When people trouble/irritate us, give us pain, speak with us angrily, our normal natural tendency is to retaliate. The golden words, “No counteraction is the best counteraction”, gets evaporated from our hearts and all we want to do is to take the judgement rod in our hands and punish the people who offend us. But if we introspect ourselves, how many times were we peaceful after such retaliation? Did it do any good to us or the people who offend us? The answer is always a “No”. It only caused us more pain and suffering, and made others more and more inimical to us. So neither do we progress spiritually or materially, nor do we help other souls to go close to Krishna.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19781
New video - “How to satisfy everyone” from LightOfGodhead
Flow of the video:
1. Sharing: How each of us are serving someone or the other.
2. Though we are situated in our natural position of serving, why we are not always satisfied?
3. Real satisfaction comes in serving Krsna/people in relation to Krsna.
4. Sharing: Some examples of how devotees were satisfied serving Krsna.
5. Why by serving Krsna we feel satisfied?
6. Analogy: By watering the root of the tree, we satisfy all the parts of the tree.
Watch it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=19777
And then, the day finally came. It was inevitable.
There seemed no way to become a true Hare Krishna without it.
It happened in an empty bathtub, in the bathroom of that small house on the San Diego temple property. Wielding the electric razor was a latin teenage brahmacārī with a Krishna ponytail that would reach down to his knees when he untied it – one of the guys from the greyhound bus that had come on the tour with Inside Out, Quicksand, and Shelter. We stepped into the tub wearing “gamcha,” Indian equivalents of towels.
I looked down at the whiteness of the porcelain.
He clicked on the razor and set to my head.
Clusters of hair fell reluctantly. Each bunch that came off my head removed another bit of my former identity – and sent it to cling to my feet, as if desperate in the final throes of hopelessness.
It was exhilarating. There was no turning back. Now I was 100% committed, and there was no way to hide it.
I was bald.
I had a Krishna pony tail.
I was a Hare Krishna.
Guṇagrahi Swāmī, the man in charge of that same greyhound bus, had given me permission to shave up and dress in saffron. So, when I stepped out of the tub I changed into the orange-pink Hare Krishna robes.
And the transformation was complete.
Vic DiCara was gone. All my nicknames were gone, they couldn’t apply to this new being. The only name that now fit was Bhakta Vic. And even that would soon have to go.
I looked out the bathroom window into the yard to see short, round Umāpati Swāmī exiting the temple’s side door and climbing the steps on the outside of the building, leading up to the men’s ashram.
Now I was just like him.
His head was bald, my head was bald.
He wore saffron colored robes, I wore saffron colored robes.
He was a Swāmī – a fully dedicated devotee, and I… well not quite yet. But soon! I hoped that Guṇagrahi Swāmī or someone else might make me a Swāmī, and give me one of those awesome staffs. I expected I might have to wait for two or three years.
Then I would be perfect.
The post Daily Darshan – September 14th, 2015 appeared first on Mayapur.com.
Mangala Arati – Balaram Jayanti 2015 – 29.08.2015
Preaching in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: “Maharaja, if you wear the traditonal clothes of Mongolia for your first few days in our country you will gain the sympathy of our government who granted you a special visa,” said the temple president of Ulaanbaatar. “The people will also appreciate,” he continued, “and be inclined to hear the message you have brought.”
See them here: https://goo.gl/OgqwTj
Pṛthu would ask, “What is the practical difference between a person who bases their identity on an externalized, false self, and a person who bases their identity on you, the internal root of their self?”
Having already explained that people with externalized self-concepts exhaust and frustrate themselves with external endeavors, Viṣṇu now explained the fruits obtained by the others. “Those who see me as the eternal essence of their root identity,” he said, “develop sincere interest in me, and great adoration for me. This gradually fills their hearts with satisfaction and peace.
“Their inner satisfaction makes them completely lose interest in external attractions. Their broadened minds see equal value in everything, which brings them into unity with the completely placid state of spiritual oneness.”
“Why do they see everything as being of equal value?” the emperor would ask.
“They attain this beautiful vision,” Viṣṇu explained, “because they know the soul to be the origin of everything in this world – every object, every perception, and every action. Thus everything seems equally valuable, for everything is based on their soul. Yet they also realize that all these things are extrinsic projections from the soul, who can only glance at them from afar. Therefore everything seems equally worthless.”
Viṣṇu recapped his message, “The placid state of spiritual oneness arises when you become indifferent to good and bad. You will become indifferent to good and bad when you are illuminated by the knowledge that everything good and bad is nothing but your soul projecting consciousness into extrinsic identities, activities, and objects that flow incessantly from the fascinating qualities of external nature. You will become illuminated by this knowledge when you bind your heart to me as the root of your very identity.”
The emperor felt a surge of inspiration to strive for this. Viṣṇu cautioned him that it need not involve giving up his important duties as a protector of others. “O Hero,” he said, “You should see everything and everyone as a reflection of me, and serve and protect them all! Your senses and mind should experience the same value in pleasant and unpleasant things and people, regardless of whether they seem to be superior, average, or inferior!”
“What will become of a king who dedicates himself to protecting the people?” Pṛthu might wonder.
“One who truly protects his subjects,” Viṣṇu replied, “receives a sixth of the credit for their good deeds; but one who merely taxes without truly caring for his subjects receives the discredit for all their foul deeds. To truly protects and not exploit his subjects, a leader follows the moral principles established by great philosophers, and helps his followers do the same. The world quickly comes to adore such a person, and all perfections place themselves within his grasp.”
Pṛthu looked at Viṣṇu with eyes that overflowed with grateful love. Viṣṇu looked back at him with the same vivid affection. “O Indra of Mankind,” Viṣṇu said, “I am difficult to captivate by sacrifices. I am not easily attained by self-sacrifice either. And I am merely neutral towards those whose consciousness is neutral towards everything. But I am completely captivated by people who protect others in this manner, as you do so well. Your wondrously affectionate character has captivated my heart. Ask a benediction from me, anything you like. Please.”
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 27 June 2015, New York, USA, Bhagavad-gita 9.33)
Question: You mentioned the shooting incident. I am curious to know how this specific experience affected you in a personal way, if it is not too personal to share?
I will keep it simple. I do not want to speak about the material side of it, you know, the conspiracy, who pulled the trigger and all that. That is for the tabloid newspaper so we leave that out. I could see that the ultimate cause of all this was Krsna, so I did not get into the mood of who did it! It was Krsna who sent this to me.
It was not just a freak incident. There were people who were trying to get rid of me and that was really what was going on. And I sort of thought, ‘What is wrong with me that people want to get rid of me? Why is that? What did I do?’ I started thinking about that. Of course, whoever resorted to means of shooting someone in the back is not a person of good character. That is quite obvious. I might possibly call him a bit crazy; someone who goes to such an extent. But still, what did I do to agitate this crazy man to that point!? I had to ask that question, ‘What is it in me that caused this?’
For a long time, I had been the leader of our temple in Vrindavan; I was in charge for a long time. Everyone who needed to buy something had to come through me and I had got used to it; I had all the strings and I had gotten used to it. I tried to be reasonable. I thought that was how I should be. I thought that I should be reasonable with people. So I tried to be kind of what I thought is reasonable, to be what is commonly accepted to be reasonable. But you know, what is your criteria for what is reasonable!? It is not so easy to determine.
So I attempted to be reasonable with everyone because I was controlling so many facilities. People would come all day and ask, “Can I use this, can I have that or can I do this?” And I had to decide. So I tried to be reasonable but it was by my criteria and maybe it was not always reasonable to others and people were left dissatisfied and I could see that I needed to change. I had to stop the impersonal attitude and become more personal and more sensitive to people. You cannot just leave some one completely dissatisfied to the point where it just begins to fester and like ferment inside. I could see that I had to change, and become more sensitive and try to satisfy everyone.
So I changed, something changed. I am more conscious of it and trying to be more conscious of it. So even when someone wants something crazy, I try to deal with it in a personal way whereas before, I would have just said no. At the same time, it forced me to be humble for a while. I got reduced by the whole experience – I lost my power, lost all power and I could barely lift my arm for two years before I could function. So I was reduced, thrown back on myself and it also gave me some time to sort of look more at what was inside.
Was life so much about all the external achievements!? You know, your identity becomes so mixed with your achievements – I had done all these things therefore I had control of all this and that. Then I had nothing left – no money, no car, no energy and just reduced. I have always been someone with lots of energy so in whatever I do, I just throw all my energy at it. So if you take everything away, no problem, just with my energy I will be back, I am that kind of a person, you know, a high energy person. But at that time, even my high energy was gone. I had nothing except what was inside, that was all.
So I was forced to have a real good look at what was inside; the love I had inside, and I realised that it was not that much. It was less than I thought I had; I did not have that much. So it forced me to deeply reflect, which was beneficial. I would not be here and I would not be doing what I am doing now if that incident did not happen. Now I try to live a life not for myself but for other people, and give as much as I can, and I do not think I would have been able to do that in the same spirit as I am doing it now, without having gone through that experience. Anyway a very serious aspect; a very serious topic…
Gopal’s Garden Preschool, headed by New Vrindaban residents Sundari Devi Dasi and Mercy Mack, has been filled with action packed projects and fun this summer.
Starting in March of this year, the preschool began with Sundari Devi Dasi and Mercy teaming up to build a healthy and interactive place to bring their children during the daytime. Eventually, the other mothers in the community joined to support, and now there are all together 6-8 students who come regularly throughout the week.
Gopal’s Garden Preschool days include bhajan and prayers with a little dancing if the mood is right. Then they continue with playing, snacks, and indoor activities such as finger painting, coloring, and learning projects. Sundari Devi also introduces Vaisnava songs and stories towards the end of the school day before they go outside to play.
The outdoor activities include sandbox, swing set, and field trips out beyond the preschool.
During this summer semester, the children got to participate in devotional and festival projects such as making Ratha Yathra Jagannath cart and holding a pushpa abhisek for Radha Krishna.
Sundari and Mercy believe the Preschool has been a great success so far and they have had a great time putting it together. The two mothers try to teach everything with a Krishna conscious aspect to it which makes each day very special, creative and innovative. They both feel Krishna brought the two of them together to satisfy Prabhupada’s wishes for the devotee children to be cared for properly. As Srila Prabhupada mentions in a Letter written in 1972, “…If children are allowed to play just like Krishna was playing with his cowherd boyfriends, then little ABC, then see the deity and have arati, then take little prasadam; in this way if they are always diversified, they will be always jolly and become fixed-up devotees at young age. And small children, they learn better these things from their mother and women in general.”
Gopal’s Garden Preschool will commemorate in November for a sweet graduation to congratulate the children for participating in this first year’s projects! Details will be provided on the New Vrindaban website.
Both teachers thank Srila Prabhupada for all of his wonderful books and teachings he made available to pass on to the this next generation.
“We hope and pray our efforts please Srila Prabhupada!!” – Sundari and Mercy