Planet ISKCON

The post July 12th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Kirtan by Nadia Mani Devi Dasi

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This talk is a part of the "Fascinating Mahabharata Characters" series. To know more about this course, please visit: bhakticourses.com

Lecture Podcast

Outline:

1. Krishna from Mathura sent message through Nanda to his loved one but not gopis - so sent special written message through Uddhava

2. Uddhava's declaration "I am Krishna's confidential servant" is not out of pride, but out of desire to reassure gopis - humility is not meant to detract from our service

3. Are Krishna's pastimes with the gopis confidential? No textual delimiters at the start of the tenth canto or at the start of the rasa-panchadyaya

4. Gita Govinda a devotional and musical super-hit for centuries without any aspersions of immorality

5. Victorian prudishness of Christian rulers of India imputed immorality on Krishna and Bengali bhadraloka had no persuasive answer

6. Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati cautioned against premature trespassing into tenth canto. Not phobia, but rational caution to protect from two misconceptions: presumptuous rejection or premature imitation

7. Prabhupada's usage of honorifics for Radha as 'Srimati Radharani' and Krishna as "Supreme Personality of Godhead"

8. Inconceivability in the Gita - attempt to change sarva-dharman parityaja (give up all religions) as sarva-'dharman parityajya (give up all irreligions)

9. Need philosophical conviction and devotional purification to move from reflection to reality

Answer:

Let’s first consider how unfair the whole battle was for Bhima. Due to Gandhari’s blessing Duryodhana’s body had become invincible, no matter how expertly or forcefully Bhima hit it. What was he supposed to do? Just let himself get beaten to death for no fault of his – all because his opponent had got a blessing for no virtue of his?

A “blessed” batsman

To grasp the unfairness of the situation, consider a rough cricket analogue: during a faceoff between a champion batsman and a champion bowler, suppose the batsman gets a “blessing” to never get out, even if he is caught, trapped leg before wicket, clean bowled, hit wicket or whatever else. What is the bowler supposed to do? No matter how well he bowls, there’s just no way he can win.

Suppose a batsman gets a "blessing" to never get out, no matter what. What is the bowler to do?

Fans with even a modest sense of fairness would be up in arms protesting the way the contest had been rigged against the bowler. But suppose no one protested. The poor bowler bowled the best spell of his life, got the batsman out several times and yet got no credit for it. Wouldn’t that be patently unfair?

That’s what happened to Bhima. He hit Duryodhana twice with such awesome force that the blow could have rent a mountain apart, what to speak of breaking a human frame apart. His achievement was like that of a bowler clean-bowling the batsman not just once but scores of times. And yet what did Bhima get for his feat? Nothing – leave alone victory, not even a crack on Duryodhana’s body.

How long could Bhima go on like this especially when Duryodhana was counterattacking and wounding Bhima? Among the many blows that hit Bhima, two of Duryodhana’s blows were so brutal that they would have instantaneously killed a lesser warrior. Though Bhima was badly injured by those devastating blows, he with superhuman fighting spirit maintained a stoic face, showing no weaknesses. His plight was like that of a bowler carted for six sixes in two successive overs. Actually, Bhima’s plight was a million times worse. Why? Because Duryodhana’s blows were wounding not just Bhima’s morale, but also his body. It’s something akin to the batsman’s shots hitting the bowler, thus rendering him less and less capable of bowling – while still being expected to go on bowling till death.

Can we really blame the battered bowler if he took the only way out of the carnage: bowl bodyline and get rid of the batsman, retired hurt? If we were being wounded like that, can we be sure that we too wouldn’t do something similar?

Understandably, Bhima took the only way out of the slaughter by hitting Duryodhana at the only place it hurt: his thighs. Just as bowling bodyline in normal cricket is unfair, so was hitting the thighs unfair in a normal mace-fighting battle. But when it was the only way to bring some fairness back into an unfair battle, would it still be blameworthy?

Honoring the spirit of the rule, adapting its letter

Rather than blaming Bhima for hitting that unfair blow, perhaps we need to give him credit for fighting fairly for so long, despite being sentenced to an eminently unfair contest. Bhima could have claimed justification for finishing the battle quickly with an early unfair blow:

1.     Maitreya Rishi had cursed Duryodhana that he would die due to the breaking of his thighs and Bhima could have claimed to simply be an instrument for fulfilling the sage’s curse.

2.     Bhima could even have claimed that he had vowed to break Duryodhana’s thighs for having obscenely exposed those thighs to publically humiliate Draupadi – and that he had to do whatever it took to fulfill his vow.

That Bhima did not take recourse of any of these reasons at the first possible opportunity demonstrates his respect for for the spirit of fair play. But the battle had been rendered unfair not because of his action, but even before he took any action.

Krishna implemented part A of the emergency plan when he persuaded Duryodhana to cover his private parts while going to see his mother. And then he told Bhima to implement part B of that plan by hitting Duryodhana’s vulnerable thighs.

Their battle was not like a normal mace-fighting battle to which the standard rules applied. Duryodhana had brought something extraneous into the battle – his mother’s protection in the form of an invisible invincible armor.  That extraneous factor so totally tilted the scales in Duryodhana’s favor that to re-balance the scales Bhima too had to bring something extraneous – Krishna’s protection in the form of an action plan to bypass that armor. Krishna implemented part A of that emergency plan when he persuaded Duryodhana to cover his private parts while going to see his mother. And then he told Bhima to implement part B of that plan by hitting Duryodhana’s vulnerable thighs.

Yes, that kind of blow was unfair in a normal wrestling battle, but what was normal or fair about a wrestling battle in which one player couldn’t win, no matter how well he fought? Understandably, such an abnormal battle couldn’t be played by the normal rules if there was to be any hope for a fair result.

As Krishna later said, there was no other way Bhima could have won – and so he had to take the only way available.

Although World Cup host Brazil is still reeling from a 7–1 loss to Germany on July 8^th, football fever still grips the country as the World Cup barrels towards the final. “Football is the most important thing amongst things that don’t have any importance,” says Sri Krishna Murti. “It’s nice entertainment, but it’s not going to change anyone’s life.” For the ISKCON devotees, however, the World Cup was life-changing.

“As if their Gods fell into the dust.” This was my first reaction seeing the videos and photos of the devastated faces after the Brazilian football team’s 1-7 loss to Germany.  "What’s the big deal? Wasn’t it just a game?”

On July 7, 2014, girls from Senior Girl Scout Troop 733 from Alachua, Florida were invited to meet with Samuel Mbae Ragwa, Governor of the Tharaka-Nithi County in Kenya. The girls were invited to share details about their project focused on reducing barriers to education for girls and young women around the world.

I couldn’t let this week go by without saying a few words of appreciation for Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi who has just passed on, aged 89. I met him once, some years ago in London, and he was the father of a friend of my wife who is from Winnipeg, Canada.

My knowledge of him is sketchy, but I do know that he was a teacher of Judaism and brought invigoration to dispersed congregations around North America. Together with Arthur Waskow he created a movement of small groups known as Ruach Havura, whose practise of Judaic liturgy and ritual was creative, experimental – and apparently effective. Many people owe their renewed appreciation for the Jewish culture to his outreach.

After escaping the Nazi threat in 1941 he discovered a USA where Judaism was somewhat accommodated and on the decline. By singing in English, using theatre and alternative forms of presentation, he rekindled interest in spirituality and tradition but in a way that took modern thought and artistic expression into consideration.

When I read his book: “The First Steps” in which he described the key factors of Jewish belief and practise, I knew that he was someone who loved his tradition, but that wanted others to appreciate it too. It was no surprise to me to discover that he was also associated with the Lubavitcher tradition, since outreach is one of their key activities.

Interestingly for me, due to his influences in America and the counter-culture times, he started something called the Jewish Ashram, and was also very favourable to meditation, even chanting the Hare Krishna on occasion. Shalom.

Arrival and Bhajan evening

After a quick visit to London from Sweden, Kadamba Kanana Swami arrived in Amsterdam in anticipation for three big programs in the first week of July. After arriving on Thursday evening, Maharaj gave the Srimad Bhagavatam class on Friday morning. Friday is traditionally the day for the ‘Dinner Club’ and bhajan evening, and Kadamba Kanana Swami was happy to join in and enliven us with his expert singing.

Jaya Radha-madhava

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Srimad Bhagavatam 5.13.17

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Firday Bhajan Evening

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Harinam on Saturday

On Saturday, Kadamba Kanana Swami gave the Srimad Bhagavatam class where he talked about household life and how king Rahugana was instructed by the sage Jada Bharata about it.

Srimad Bhagavatam 5.13.18 – Cutting Through Household Life

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In the afternoon, we went out on the streets for some serious dancing and singing of Hare Krsna. Kadamba Kanana Swami led our dancing party through the streets of Amsterdam for almost two hours.

On Sunday, Kadamba Kanana Swami left Amsterdam to attend the Sunday feast in Cologne, Germany. He returned on Monday evening again to Amsterdam. On Tuesday morning, Kadamba Kanana Swami gave the morning class on Srimad Bhagavatam.

Jaya Radha-madhava

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Srimad Bhagavatam 5.13.20 – Royal Life style

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House program at Gita Govinda’s 

On Friday afternoon, we arrived in the lovely home of Gita Govinda located in Rotterdam. She invited Kadamba Kanana Swami to attend this home program and it was also her birthday. She invited all of her family members to attend the program. The house was amazing, the bhajans were very inspiring, the prasadam was heavenly and all the organizers were very expert in making us very comfortable. The bhajans were powerful and Kadamba Kanana Swami spoke in Dutch on general aspects of Krsna consciousness. Afterwards, we all joined in to relish the nice foodstuffs that were prepared. There was nasi, salad, drink, cake and fruits. We had a great time talking to all the guests and it became very late before we hit the bed. The next morning, after staying overnight in the house of Gita Govinda, we prepared to leave for the next festival: The Ratha Yatra festival in Den Haag.

Bhajans and Talk (dutch)

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Video by Astasakhi. View the video on her channel.

Ratha Yatra in Den Haag

On Saturday morning, it rained like anything and when we arrived in Den Haag it was still pouring down. But the prediction was that it would clear up later in the day, so with bright spirits the parade commenced through the streets of Den Haag. Halfway through the parade, the sun starting shining. It was as if Jagannatha was happy with our efforts and awarded us with some sunshine. Jagadananda prabhu lead the singing in the first half of the procession and Kadamba Kanana Swami took over for the second half. With the expert guidance of the police and volunteers, the procession arrived at the festival square after two hours where the next part of the programs continued.

At 17h30 we made way again for Amsterdam, happy and fulfilled.

Video by Astasakhi. View the video on her channel.

Sunday program in Amsterdam

On Sunday, (6 July) Kadamba Kanana Swami led the Sunday program at the Amsterdam Hare Krsna Temple. First, he sang bhajans for an hour and afterwards, he spoke on topics from the Bhagavad-gita. The talk was well received and Kadamba Kanana Swami really got into it. Check out the class because it was really enlivening, “Thirty-nine billion! You couldn’t spend it if you wanted to…”

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Video by : Asthasakhi from the Netherlands. View video on her channel.

Early on Monday morning, Kadamba Kanana Swami left Amsterdam to visit the Serbian Summercamp and this weekend, he is at the kirtan festival in Villa Vrindavan, Italy.

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Photos from Harinam, House Program, Ratha Yatra Den Haag, Sunday Feast Amsterdam

From the disappearance of Nila Madhava to Rathayatra.

The post Pastimes of Lord Jagannatha appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

From S Ramchandran

Based on  the Gita daily article Chapter 15, Text 19 
Knowledge of Krishna’s position stimulates submission and his disposition stimulates affection

Why do you say in your reply that "But can we love Krishna steadily throughout our life? Is this not a doubt. If your heart is full like Mirabai's, why resort to knowledge, gyan, or any holy scripture/book ? By the very act of thinking, will Krishna not sit into our minds and hearts ? Once Krishna sits inside us, the very moment no external worldy subject can affect ? because what is affected is our consciousness, our feelings, our inner soul, our thoughts, our mental processes...all these of course are taken over by Krishna when we utter his name in intoxicated bliss...

Why are you saying "..We may feel some devotion for him sometimes, but such sporadic feelings ..... Because when those devotional feelings weaken"

How can devotion be 'sometimes'/temporary or sporadic?  if we forget everything for a minute and think of Krishna and take his name, surely Krishna will come rushing in like a Tsunami and innundate our entire being inside out. In turn this will make us blind to worldly affairs. As I see it knowledge has no place in pure Bhakti. yes knowledge is required if Bhakti is diluted....

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