New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday – 11/20/2014
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

New Vrindaban Bahulaban Barn Cows 1970

 

This week’s challenge: Many people will be enlivened to know the building in this photo is currently undergoing a major renaissance. Can you identify it, what purposes it’s served over the years, and possibly the era this photo was taken?

Extra credit: Can you ID any of the Matajis in the foreground?

What to do: Post your guesses on the “who, what, when, where & why” in the comment section at the Brijabasi Spirit website.

 

Ratha-yatra, November 16, Laguna Beach
Giriraj Swami

Lord-Chaitanya-at-Rathyatra“During the Ratha-yatra festival, Lord caitanya manifested the mood of Radharani wanting to bring Krishna back to Vrindavan. He would pull the chariot and that emotional process was pulling Krishna back to Vrindavan. In a way we want to install Krishna in our hearts. This body is compared to a chariot, so just as Lord Jagannatha was placed on a chariot at Ratha-yatra, we also want to place Lord Jagannatha or Krishna on the chariot of our hearts. But, in order to do that we have to cleanse our hearts.”

Kirtan, Laguna Beach
Ratha-yatra Talk, Laguna Beach

True Authority, According to Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī
→ The Enquirer

This is a translation of Tattva-sandarbha 10 & 11, with “my” comments inset. Please think about the implications of excluding “Statements of Scholars” and “Tradition” from śabdha-pramāṇa and the significance this has on 95% of what is most often spoken on contemporary disscussions of śāstra (like Bhāgavatam classes or public lectures).

~ ~ ~ ~ = ~ ~ ~ ~

People have four flaws, beginning with misperception.

The four perceptive flaws are (1) misperception (bhrama), confusing one thing for another, (2) delusion (pramāda), believing in our misperceptions, (3) dishonesty (vipralipsā), hiding or ignoring evidence of the flaws in our misperceptions, and (4) perceptual ineptitude (karaṇāpāṭava), the foundation of misperception.

Therefore, our ability to ascertain the veracity of anything is limited, particularly in regard to things of a spiritual nature which are, by their very nature, beyond the boundaries of normal perception. For that we certainly require assistance from the uncommon words of the Veda.

All the numerous ways of trying to know reality can be classified as a particular blend of the these three fundamental strategies: 

1) Empirical perception (pratyakṣa) 
2) Logical deduction  (anumāna)
3) Expert instruction  (śabda)

“Empirical perception” involves many forms of direct measurement (pratyakṣa) as well as indirect observation of the remote effect one entity exerts upon another (ceṣṭā).  

“Logical deduction” involves many forms of extrapolation. Some examples are comparisons (upamāna), probabilities (arthāpatti), inferences (abhāva), and inclusions (sambhava).

“Expert instruction” means to receive valid information from someone who is an expert authority on a subject. However, this does not deserve to be a separate category unless the expert authority ascertains veracity on the basis of something other than empirical perception or logical deduction. For example, statements of scholars (ārṣa) seem like “expert instruction,” but it is relegated to Perception or Deduction if the scholars base their instruction primarily on their own empiricism or logic. Tradition (aitihya) is similar. Many people may accept an idea for a very long time, but this sort of authority is differentiated from “expert instruction” and relegated to the other two categories if the source of the tradition is someone’s perception or deduction.

If “expert instruction” does not originate from empirical observation or logical deduction, where does it originate? Śrī Jīva explains…

The beginningless and perfect words of the Veda are self-manifest and communicated to all people through paramparā.

Knowledge (“Veda”) is inherently contained within objects manifest by Viṣṇu, it simply takes a very developed and clear intellect to perceive all the knowledge inherent in the universe. The clearest, most developed intellect, in the person of Śrī Brahmā Jī, makes exactly such perception and then expresses his understanding in words, thus putting Veda into a spoken form accessible to those with less superhuman intellect. Brahmā’s explanation becomes inaccessible to the intellects of humans at certain points in history, which is when Vyāsa reconfigures Brahmā’s Veda into a myriad of Veda, Upaniṣad, and Purāṇa.
The Veda grants accurate knowledge of all things, worldly and transcendent. Therefore the ultimate basis upon which we can ascertain the validity of a statement is the Veda, in all places, at all times, and for all subjects both wondrous and common.

“Logic and argument cannot prove or disprove transcendent things.”

— Vedānta Sūtra 2.1.11

“Argument is not capable of determining things that are beyond comprehension.”

— Mahābhārata Bhīṣma.5.22

“Such knowledge is born from Śāstra.”

— Vedānta Sūtra 1.1.3

“The Śruti is the ultimate root of the veracity of all concepts.”

— Vedānta Sūtra 2.1.27

“The Veda is the only eye through which anyone — human, ancestor, or god — can see the Supreme and come to understand the ultimate objective and means.”

— Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.20.4


Ekadasi at Radha Gopinath Mandir
→ Ramai Swami

IMG_1043IMG_1045

On every Ekadasi, many devotees from Radha Gopinath Mandir, Bali, gather at the temple.

They chant extra rounds, do more kirtan, hear Bhagavad-gita and some even stay awake all night to observe the Ekadasi vrata.
Lord Krsna told Yudhisthira, “One who observes Ekadasi just once earns ten times more merit than a person who gives a thousand cows in charity to a brahmin.” IMG_1047IMG_1044

Appreciations from guests (Iskcon, Dallas) Our good friend Woody…
→ Dandavats.com



Appreciations from guests (Iskcon, Dallas)
Our good friend Woody Winn, a teacher at Brewers High School, a public school in Fort Worth always holds Krishna dear to his heart. He is a wonderful Christian teacher who engages his students in a 3 week study of the sacred philosophical text, the Bhagavad Gita. Last week we had a superb visit with 40 of his students.
http://goo.gl/0DNqlh

A visit to ISKCON temple in Denpasar, Bali (Album 28 photos) All…
→ Dandavats.com



A visit to ISKCON temple in Denpasar, Bali (Album 28 photos)
All glories to the all-blissful holy name of Sri Krishna, which causes the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties, meditation and worship. When somehow or other uttered even once by a living entity, the holy name awards him liberation. The holy name of Krishna is the highest nectar. It is my very life and my only treasure. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 4.71 purport).
http://goo.gl/SzjeP5

Thailand 2014 Nov, “Nitay-Gauranga Harinam yatra”…
→ Dandavats.com



Thailand 2014 Nov, “Nitay-Gauranga Harinam yatra” (50 photos)
Chanting the holy name is the chief means of attaining love of Godhead. This chanting or devotional service does not depend on any paraphernalia, nor on ones having taken birth in a good family. By humility and meekness one attracts the attention of Krishna. That is the verdict of all the Vedas. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 4.71 purport).
http://goo.gl/Y33czu