One, who is not, we see: but one, whom we see not, is:
Surely this is not that: but that is assuredly this.

What, and wherefore, and whence? for under is over and under:
If thunder could be without lightning, lightning could be without thunder.

Doubt is faith in the main: but faith, on the whole, is doubt:
We cannot believe by proof: but could we believe without?

Why, and whither, and how? for barley and rye are not clover:
Neither are straight lines curves: yet over is under and over.

Two and two may be four: but four and four are not eight:
Fate and God may be twain: but God is the same thing as fate.

Ask a man what he thinks, and get from a man what he feels:
God, once caught in the fact, shows you a fair pair of heels.

Body and spirit are twins: God only knows which is which:
The soul squats down in the flesh, like a tinker drunk in a ditch.

More is the whole than a part: but half is more than the whole:
Clearly, the soul is the body: but is not the body the soul?

One and two are not one: but one and nothing is two:
Truth can hardly be false, if falsehood cannot be true.

Once the mastodon was: pterodactyls were common as cocks:
Then the mammoth was God: now is He a prize ox.

Parallels all things are: yet many of these are askew:
You are certainly I: but certainly I am not you.

Springs the rock from the plain, shoots the stream from the rock:
Cocks exist for the hen: but hens exist for the cock.

God, whom we see not, is: and God, who is not, we see:
Fiddle, we know, is diddle: and diddle, we take it, is dee.

Sivarama Swami – Szilveszteri bhajan / Bhajans by HH Sivarama Swami

(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player is needed; works best with Firefox or Explorer; if you are using Google Chrome it will automatically play, so to not listen, mute your speakers.)

[February 12th was my 45th anniversary of moving into the temple as a single monastic (brahmacari) and officially taking up the process of bhakti, or pure devotional service. To honor my spiritual journey on the way to Krishna, I thought I would repost this 5 part series about my life before taking up Krishna consciousness and how it led to my existential crisis and spiritual search. Since these are blogs, I have greatly condensed the material.] Pattrica Ann Bailey stared mindlessly at the passing scenery as she sat in the moving train. She felt relaxed and glad to be away from Chicago and what seemed like a fixed future. In fact, the more miles away from the “Windy City,” the better she felt. While a fiercely independent and critically intelligent young woman, she couldn’t stand up to her mother Peg—still, after all these years! Patt (with two t’s please) had joined the Navy during the Second World War to escape her mom’s watchful eye, and even married, but then, after only a year she had to get a divorce. Her—now X—husband shocked her by revealing that he liked men better than girls and had no feelings for her. Thus, she was forced to return home in shame.

Although she had a very high IQ, Patt could be impulsive and over emotional at times. Thus her mom had never quite trusted her decisions, and was worried about her future. To “help” her daughter make a better choice in picking men, she invited a good looking, wealthy, navy captain over for dinner. He was nice enough Patt had thought at first and so they began dating. Before she knew it she was engaged, which she had agreed to do at the insistence of her mom. And the major problem was not only that she didn’t love him, but as she shared years later, “He was boooor-iiiiiing,” and Patt had a weakness for exciting men and doing fun things her mother didn’t approve of.

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“The life of contemplation in action and purity of heart is, then, a life of great
simplicity and inner liberty. One is not seeking anything special or demanding any
particular satisfaction. One is content with what is.”

Thomas Merton. The Inner Experience: Notes on Contemplation. William H. Shannon,
editor (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 2003): 66.

” Materially, everyone wants to satisfy his senses, and he wants God to be the order supplier for such satisfaction. The Lord will satisfy the senses of the living entities as much as they deserve, but not to the extent that they may covet. But when one takes the opposite way — namely, when one tries to satisfy the senses of Govinda without desiring to satisfy one’s own senses — then by the grace of Govinda all desires of the living entity are satisfied.”

Bhagavad Gita 1 32-35

If Vrindavana, whose great splendor eclipses the shining of millions of suns, moons, fires and lighting flashes, once shines in the heart, then the desire for wealth and a host of material benefits will not enter.

[Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-37 Translation ]

Please click here for more photos

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 2011, Prague, Czech Republic, Lecture)

When we are going through some very difficult situation in the material world, then we can really remember that this is not very nice place and we become fixed to going back to Godhead, “Yes, I am ready, I really want that now.”

However, one can only sustain the desire for going back to Godhead by being attracted to serving Krsna. Attraction to Krsna must manifest in attraction to serving Krsna.

If we are simply inactive and we appreciate Krsna’s glories then we are in santa rasa (neutrality). Prabhupada said the santa rasa is almost impersonalism therefore one must at least become dasyam (servitor), and engaged in service. We must take up some service for Krsna.

Whatever that service may be, one must take that very serious, “This service, I am doing for Krsna.” If we have service then we have spiritual life, then our attraction to Krsna will also develop. As a consequence of that service, we will also start to appreciate the name, fame and qualities of Krsna.

Our connection is the service.  When we forget to take on some practical service and we try to go into deep meditation of Krsna, it will not work.

It is service that is our saving grace. It is through that service that Krsna is saving us, by his mercy. 

Written and posted by Dhirabhakta Das on behalf of Vicaru Prabhu using a small outline sent:

Vicaru Das
Bhaktivadanta Manor
UK

It is always amazing to be given the opportunity to be a part of a traveling sankirtan book distribution marathon team.

Myself, Sutapa Das and Gurudas Das travelled the length and breath of the UK: Sheffield, Manchester, Durham, Sunderland, Ipswich, Norwich, Bury St Adman and Lincoln.

Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in the severe cold, freezing rain and wind was at time’s very difficult especially as few wanted to stop and talk, but despite this Sri Caitanya’s sankirtan movement pushed on in their mission to distribute these books; we went to Sunderland for several day’s and due to the severe weather no books were taken.

Rather than being despondent and fried we simply continued on our mission moving to Durham town centre there we met many intellectuals in this university and historical town; now you can see I stopped several university students who all took a Bhagavat Gita expressing great gratitude and thanks: “thank you very much to stop us and give us these books”

They were so inspired and pleased to receive these books that they sent me these picture’s that they later sent to me via e-mail.

Our aim was to inspire mostly educated student’s to take and read Srila Prabhupada’s books; due to our diligence and perseverance two pallets of books were distributed.

The greatest service we can all take part in.

Hare Krishna
Your Humble Servant
Vicaru Das

“How is it that someone could be so much in love with so many people yet at the same time so detached? In the same sentence she expressed how much she loved her children and her grandchildren, and yet she was so completely detached. That is possible when one is completely dependent on Krishna. Pallika devi mataji entrusted her own soul to Krishna, and she entrusted the souls of all those she loved to Krishna. In that state she was happy and fearless.” —Radhanath Swami
Giriraj Swami
Radhanath Swami

One thing that comes from doing a lot of community preaching is that you get recognized and approached; sometimes it’s a little difficult if say I’m with a client. Recently I’ve been asked to come to several new groups to myself and also asking if I plan to put on a Diwali Celebration again this year.

At times it’s because the individual is struggling in life and want some advice of a spiritual nature so I try to take the time out no matter how busy; on occasions I’ve had to make arrangements to meet over a drink.

On occasions due to my presence on the internet via my blog many have e-mailed me with questions and their struggles in devotional life, on occasions I’ve been able to meet the person, other times I’ve been able to hook them up with a local devotee, on occasion’s their has been an opportunity to distribute books.

Last year just before being admitted to hospital I had been stopped by numerous individual’s who felt that they could no longer continue in the society feeling they didn’t have a place or felt forced to conform ; indeed I had several e-mails waiting for an answer one was substantially long it took me nearly an hour to read through.

So I used the analogy of a round peg in a square hole, some disagree with this analogy but when I summed up the conversations it came down to this; they had a desire or expectation and felt that the society didn’t allow that con-straining them forcing them into a mould. Many were put off by the emphasis on courses and exams, there is nothing wrong with this many enjoy but if your not very academic this is a sure fire way to make them run to the door.

What I noticed was that they were missing out on one vitally important ingredient to have a health devotional life and that is up-building association and a service that engages them on both a emotional and physical level.

As we talk there is one question, why do I travel so far every month; what do I gain out of it?

Fantastic association, the opportunity to do a varied amount of service and most important encouragement for me personally without encouragement things are difficult. Indeed several have asked me to write about my nursing and how it’s given me many varied opportunities to share love of Krishna.

Several of them had heard of the mentor-ship system and sadly had dismissed it feeling it was a way to force them to conform, spend money on courses rather than seeing it as a positive thing to do in order to make a greater progress in devotional life.

Perception and Perspective

And so after spending much time listening, answering questions and finding out more about the person I spoke to it occurred to me that we need more mentors, from varied backgrounds and that it allows us to get to know the person as an individual then tailor a spiritual plan based on their strengths.

As I tell those who speak to me, there is many opportunities, many services, many different and diverse people; it’s not always going to be perfect yes there is going to be struggles but sticking with it brings the greatest of rewards.

After all ask yourself if their wasn’t the greatest pleasure and benefit then what would be the point of my traveling so far?
And so when stopped, e-mailed or asked for me personally it’s an opportunity to engage and encourage even if at time’s I may not agree with their point of view but knowing what they are feeling and thinking gives the greatest chance of helping.

Great mentor-ship allows this to happen.

Great mentor’s mean’s giving our most valuable asset our time.
And this is one valuable lesson I’ve learned that either with the community group’s, client’s, individual’s I’ve met or have contacted me giving them my time, being non-judgmental and on occasions agreeing to disagree brings the greatest rewards when you see them individual remaining in the greatest society found here in the material earth.

It has been over three years since the first of the big earthquakes struck Christchurch and the city is still pulling down damaged buildings and constructing thousands of new ones. I have been told that it will take at least 10 years for the city to get completely back on its feet.

Extended Version