Cremo and Sam
Toronto/Vancouver
Michael Cremo is the author along with Dr. Richard Thompson on writings that challenge the status quo including the self-admitted speculations of Darwin. “Forbidden Archaeology” and “The Hidden History of the Human Race” are books inspired by our guru that are premised by conspiracy theory justified. When you read these revealing texts, you’ll know what I mean. Why do people blindly follow anything that’s presented to them? Why the gullibility? Challenge or at least question before acceptance, be thoughtful.
That’s what’s nice about Cremo’s work, it stimulates independent thinking. He travels the world with his message and shakes up a paradigm that needs shaking. And he presents the facts with coolness and sobriety.
It’s unfortunate that I won’t be around for his talks. I’m off to Vancouver today and he’ll be moving about in the Toronto/Hamilton area enlightening people, ‘shaking a few trees’.
Cremo, whom I know devotionally as Drutakarma, came out with me for that chill out trek that I take in the morning. Conversation was light, we were just getting to know each other. In exchange, we asked, ‘Where were you born? Where did you grow up? What’s your ethnicity?’ and so on.
And so long… On the plane I go.
By providence I was moved from a middle seat to the isle and the young fellow two seats from mine was also moved from the middle row to the window. We hit it on. As he put it, it was meant to be. Sam Hing is a Toronto born guy of parents from Hong Kong. He was raised Catholic, and during mass he served as an “Well, you can’t say it anymore, an altar boy, because of the gender thing,” he said in a whisper. He is a strong spiritualist advocate and less so a backer or religion.
People do sometimes ask, “Is yours a religion?” This was a similar assumption made by Raymond, an early seeker to the movement in New York, when he asked, “In your religion…” Our guru, Srila Prabhupada, cut him off sharply.
“This is not religion, this is knowledge.”
In any event, Sam is a great guy who seemed to understand my lifestyle as a traveller, a sannyasi, a monk who likes to be out and about. We conversed about a troubled world and the lack of RESPECT (Aretha) and what that word means. ‘Re’ means ‘again’, ‘Spect’ means ‘look’. When it comes to spirituality it means to look again, to look harder and deeper and finally see your real self.
Our plane landed. Sam deplaned at Calgary, I flew on to Vancouver. I got accommodations at New Gokula Dham off of Marine Drive. Before sleep I read from a recent book by Achyutananda Das, “Blazing Sadhus”, with subtitle, “Or Never Trust A Holy Man Who Can’t Dance”. Here’s an excerpt form that book that put me happily to sleep:
“Someone asked, ‘Don’t we all become one with God?’
Prabhupada answered, ‘Nothing is separate from God; that’s alright. We are one in quality with God, but we do not ‘become’ God.’
The swami pretended to lick his hand and said, ‘It is like saying I am salty, so I am the ocean. This version is inadequate and ineffective. The potency is non different from the potent. The energy is non different from the energetic. The effective, immediate and ingredient causes cannot be less than the result. Yes?’”
May the Source be with you!
4 KM
Wednesday, October 9th, 2013
14 Oct 2013 – Ramacandra Vijayotsava
→ ISKCON Desire Tree
14 Oct 2013 – Appearance Day of Sri Madhvacharya
→ ISKCON Desire Tree
Lecture – SB 2.4.14 Lust Is Not The Greatest Friend 7/27/2013
→ Prahladananda Swami
SB 02.04.14 Lust Is Not The Greatest Friend 2013-07-27 Timisoara (Romanian) AKA A body according to our taste
KIRTAN – OCT 10th 2013
→ Krishna Lounge
Prime Time
→ travelingmonk.com
Yesterday I was invited to speak on national television. The popular talk show aired at prime time throughout Macedonia. The host was very gracious and we discussed the basics of Krsna conscious philosophy. Most important, I went into great deal about the importance of chanting Hare Krsna. As the program ended I repeated the mantra [...]
Food For Life in Navadwip Village 10/10/2013 (145 photos)
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Nabadwip (community development block) is an administrative division in Krishnanagar Sadar subdivision of Nadia district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Read more › The “Epic” Krishna Balaram Mandir in Vrindavana with its devoted residents (138 photos)
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Vrindavan meditation
This Vrndavana is so important, valuable. Why? Because anywhere you go in Vrndavana, there is the opportunity of hearing Krsna-katha. (Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture, 1.2.32, 11 November 1972, Vrndavana) Read more › Arrived safely in Coimbatore hospital and had our first treatment today
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Arrived safely in Coimbatore hospital
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Sangam at Prabhupada’s Palace at New Vrindaban
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit
“I have got ambition to construct there seven temples as follows 1. Radha Madan Mohan 2. Radha Govinda 3. Radha Gopinatha 4. Radha Damodar 5. Radha Raman 6. Radha Gokulananda 7. Radha Syamasundar”
Letter from Srila Prabhupada to Hayagriva, 1968
This will be the sixth Sangam at Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold, each with a different theme. Over the past few months, we have had several sangams, including a very fun Prabhupada Rasagulla Fest, commemorating when Srila Prabhupada came to New Vrindaban in 1974 and taught the devotees how to make rasagullas.
Goswami Remembrance Day
On this disappearance day of Raghunatha Das Goswami, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, and Srila Krishna das Kaviraja Goswami, the Brijabasis will pray for the mercy of the six Goswamis of Vrindaban so they can fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desire of building New Vrindaban as a holy place of pilgrimage in the west.
When- Tuesday October 15 2013
Where- Srila Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold
Special Guest Speaker- His Holiness Varshana Maharaja
5:45 PM Bhajan
6:00 PM Excerpt from a lecture by Srila Prabhupada
6:10 PM Stories & realizations shared by His Holiness Varshana Maharaja
6:45 PM Sharing from assembled devotees
7:00 PM Arotika for Srila Prabhupada
7:30 PM Prasadam
Fall Issue of Mayapur Sanga Released
→ Mayapur.com
It is a great pleasure to announce that the Mayapur.com team has released our Seventh edition of our newsletter entitled “Mayapur Sanga”. It is our desire to regularly update our guests and well wishers, pilgrims and devotees of the many ongoing projects and devotional festivals that take place in this magical land called Mayapur. We maintain […]
The post Fall Issue of Mayapur Sanga Released appeared first on Mayapur.com.
Presenting Krishna consciousness to thousands of people in Macedonia through national television (113 photos)
→ Dandavats.com
Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday I was invited to speak on national television. The popular talk show aired at prime time throughout Macedonia. The host was very gracious and we discussed the basics of Krsna conscious philosophy. Most important, I went into great deal about the importance of chanting Hare Krsna. As the program ended I repeated the mantra several times, realising that hundreds of thousands of people may be watching Read more › Remembering Hemalavanya Prabhu
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Hemalavanya Prabhu was born in 1957 in Hungary. Later his family had moved to Austria where he went to the school etc. I met Hemalavanya Prabhu in 1995 in Israel where he was serving as the police officer on Golan Heights. We became friends immediately and stayed close friends till his last day. He was […]
The post Remembering Hemalavanya Prabhu appeared first on Mayapur.com.
2013-09-14 Chetana Festival – Dare to be Different by Rukmini Mataji ISKCON Chowpatty
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2013-09-14 Chetana Festival – Dare to be Different by Rukmini Mataji ISKCON Chowpatty
“Kirtan is easy”? Westernized Kirtan?
→ The Enquirer
English: Promotional poster for Mantra-Rock Dance musical event
I’m not entirely comfortable with the idea often heard – “yoga/meditation is too difficult, so do kirtan.” Kīrtan is not an alternative to yoga/meditation – Kīrtan IS yoga/meditation.
Singing, dancing and music – these are peripheral parts of kirtan. The core of kīrtan is bhakti (pure love). Bhakti (the real thing) simply does not come from ahankara (ego). Engaging in kīrtan without expressing pure bhakti is not actually kīrtan. It is kīrtan-abhāsa – it “resembles” kīrtan. The kīrtan that is, genuinely, “yoga” is not the semblance of kīrtan – it is the pure thing, the real thing, śuddha-nāma-kīrtan.
Singing, dancing and playing music is fun and easy, sure – but is that “kirtan yoga”? Not exactly. The genuine article is produced by bhakti, and bhakti is produced from the śuddha-sattva – the purified soul. A soul is not purified without extreme endeavor.
Therefore real kīrtan is accomplished only after practicing extreme humility and self-sacrifice, and regularly, progressively hearing carefully about Krishna from someone who really deeply comprehends Krishna, and learning the meaning, deeply, of the Hare Krishna mantra – and meditating on that meaning with a purified heart while one chants.
The padma purāṇa states
ataḥ śrī kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grahyam indriyai / sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adah – “Krishna’s name (and so on) is not within the grasp of the senses. It can manifest from the voice of the chanter only when he or she has an attitude of purified love.”
Any kirtan will be fun, because singing and dancing is fun. But profound, earthshattering, destiny altering elightenment and utter transformation can be had when we cultivate kīrtan within a context of bhakti-sadhana – especially, japa of the mantra we are singing in kīrtan must be performed regularly. For this one must put in the hard work, sit in asana, do pranayama, release the extraneous thoughts (pratyahara), adopt the devotional identity in relation to the mantra (dharana), produce and contemplate the mantra repeatedly (dhyana) and become intimate with it (samadhi). The experience of kīrtan by one who regularly pracitces serious mantra-japa cannot be compared to the experience (or the results) of a person who does it because it’s easier, more fun, or more social than the “other yogas.”
Westernized Kirtan
Another comment I would like to make is about westernized kīrtan. From 1991-2010 I was in a band, “108″ which composed original bhajanas (devotional songs) in the hardcore punk-metal genre. I’m not a victorian or ultra-conservative. I know that it is quite possible to have a profound spiritual effect using any instrument and any genre.
Nevertheless you have to note that every object has a corresponding psychological-emotional effect. The psychological effect from the sound of a guitar is quite different from the psychological effect from the sound of a clay mṛdanga. The effect, for almost everyone, of hearing a guitar is to feel like rocking out, or hippying out, or whatever. The effect of hearing a clay mṛdanga – for example (or a vina or some other authentic Indian instrument) transports us out of our identity and puts us in an exotic mental and emotional space where it is far easier to realize that “I am not this body, I am a beautiful spiritual being with a specific exciting relationship to that gorgeous, enchanting being, Krishna” Therefore kīrtan with western instruments is not as beneficial as kīrtan with Indian instruments.
Reply to a comment elsewhere:
The clay mrdanga and bell-metal karatala is intimately associated, for centuries, with Kṛṣṇa-nāma kīrtana. The guitar and so on are assocaited with rock and roll. You don’t need pramana to know this, you need common sense. You also need just a slight understanding of how psychology works. Objects produce psychological effects due to their direct or indirect associations. Everyone can experience this first hand. Hearing the khol-karatala played by a person with expertise in the cultural heritige of that musical style, to accompiany ragas that are also of the similar cultural heritage produce an involuntary psychological stimulous that cannot be compared (for its value to the practice of bhakti yoga) to the psychological effect from hearing a snare drum and guitar, etc.
Sorry, prabhu’s – I’ve been there and done that. I was in 108. I know that spiritual effects can be accomplished using a guitar, drums, etc. I know that there is spiritual power and merit in the kind of thing 108 did. However, the effect of an Indian instrument played by a talented player skilled in the art of raga and tala sets the right upddipana for bhakti rasa especially in srngar-bhava. You can study the bhakti rasamrta sindhu to understand this pramana. To equate the spiritual power and merit of a guitar with the spiritual power and merit of a mrdanga and karatala played properly is an artifact of ego.
We are born in the west. Therefore we are attached to western culture. We have yet to realize that we are not these bodies. Our attachment to sounds and tastes etc. that are contemporanous and complimentary with our temporary illusory ego is an anartha.
There is also pramana for this by Viśvanātha Cakravartī but I forget the exact reference. He speaks of the importance of Tāla (tempos, beats) and Rāga (melodic phraseology) in evoking the bhāva that is conducive to śṛṇgar bhakti rāsa. Maybe someone who reads this knows what I am talking about and can clarify. My Gurudev, Dhanurdhara Swami references this frequently when he speaks, for the past few months.
This conversation has continued in Westernizing Kīrtana.
September Adventures
→ Mayapuris.com
Our Whereabouts & Festivities
in September
First of all..
Before telling you about what we have done and whats coming up, I would like to proudly announce that last month our Mayapuris group grew. She hasn’t debuted in a performance yet, but that’s because she is on the bench practicing her long Alaps,”Guuuuuuguuuugaaaga!”
Yes! It’s a baby! And it’s a girl!!
Her name is Naimi Sharanya Sheth
Congratulations to Vish and Vrinda!
in September
First of all..
Before telling you about what we have done and whats coming up, I would like to proudly announce that last month our Mayapuris group grew. She hasn’t debuted in a performance yet, but that’s because she is on the bench practicing her long Alaps,”Guuuuuuguuuugaaaga!”
Yes! It’s a baby! And it’s a girl!!
Her name is Naimi Sharanya Sheth
Congratulations to Vish and Vrinda!
Now prepare yourself for this months transcendental craziness
Krishna’s Birthday & Prabhupada’s too
Taken By:Krsna Katha Devi Dasi
So after this ecstatic event there has been many others, back to back actually.
We celebrated the famous Janmastami (Krishna’s Birthday) in Alachua Florida and soon after headed to the West Coast for Bhaktifest, where we reunited with many of our Kirtan friends and family. But let me not skip ahead so quickly because what was experienced in Alachua was most definitely a rarity.
The community comes together and creates something called “The Village of Vrindavan”. This village is the most popular attraction on the Krishna farm, where groups of people by the dozens go from tent to tent to see the replicas of the 7 main temples in Vrindavan. Since we don’t have the fortune to go to Vrindavan on this auspicious day, we try our best to bring Vrindavan to us. There are Pujaris (priests) at each temple to greet you with a smile and a sweet ball. The Village of Vrindavan opens up at 7 and closes 1 hour before midnight, when the main Arati (function) happens. Its a big Party and concludes with a midnight feast, where many Krsna Bhaktas taste food for the first time that day to break fast. They fast, then enjoy a warm meal in honor of Krsna’s appearance in this world a little over 5000 years ago.
It is an all day celebration followed with a half day celebration the next day. The founder of the Hare Krishna Movement, Srila Prabhupada, was born the day after Janmastami, so its basically a party…then an after party. The best feast of the year is served on Srila Prabhupada’s appearance day and lots of people like to go to the springs right after the noon feast. It has become a tradition. Dont you just love those type of traditions?
A Glimpse of Village of Vrindavan
Now are you convinced to come to Alachua for Janmastami?
BHAKTIFEST
Bhaktifest has definitely made its stamp in Joshua Tree National Park and quickly has become the most talked about Kirtan festival in the West, well except for the Festival of Colors in Spanish Fork Utah. That Festival is just insane, a most definite phenomenon where 80,000 people gather in just 2 days. Well anyways, back to California.
The name of Shyam was being uttered through out the whole festival. Mostly because a sincere servitor of Shyam (an intimate name of God), Shyam Das, passed away last year and he was a very influential speaker and teacher in Bhaktifest and at other important gatherings. He is a true bhakta and will always be lovingly remembered by all of us. So to honor his departure along with honoring the Bhakti tradition in Bhaktifest, we had rip roaring Kirtans whenever we could.
Some other things we did were: we had some nice jam sessions for Shiva Rea’s yoga class, joined other bands for their Kirtan slots, did street Kirtan, drank Ginger Beer in the pool, met new friends and Kirtan artists and had the honor of closing the festival with a rocking set, Mayapuri Style! here is a clip of thanks to Bond Graham:)
1.(Traditional Song in honor of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, The Founder of Kirtan)
2.(Reggae Hare Krishna)
Our friend Bill was able to edit in 3 different songs in this clip and here you get the crowds point of view of what the main stage is like in Bhaktifest:
Radhastami
We came back home then Celebrated Radhastami with our community which was ecstatically blissful. Its been a tradition (for who knows how many years now) that Vish’s father, Bhadra Prabhu, leads the evening Kirtan and makes all of us forget this material world by chanting the names of Radhe. Radhe is short for Srimati Radharani, who is the Mother of the Universe, The One Supreme Goddess where all other goddesses emanate from. Her compassion is immeasurable and on this day it is magnified even more, so being greedy for her mercy, especially on this day, is a wise thing to do that’s for sure
Taken By:Krsna Katha Devi Dasi
Festival of Colors: New Vrindavan
Then we packed our bags and flew into Pittsburgh and caught a ride to the Hills of West Virginia where the 2nd annual Festival of Colors was held. The land where this wonderful community of Krsna Bhaktas resides is known as, New Vrindavan Dham. The headliners for this event were: Nam Rock, Ananda Groove, Ghost Brothers and us!
3,000 attended and the weather was exquisite, a little dry, but exquisite.
We returned home on the earliest flight possible, which definitely isn’t our favorite but it turned out alright since it gave Bali and Vish time to settle in at home before they dove back into household duties and their University Studies. Oh, just in case you didn’t know, we are Gators. That means that everyone else is Gator Bait! hahaha just a joke..
(Bali and Vish got color mobbed as soon as they stepped in the Color Zone!)
Bloomington
Then after a week of home time, Vish, Goshi and myself flew into Bloomington, Illinois for an event on Saturday. The day before however, 90 ISKCON devotees gathered in a mansion and had some spiritual discourses with Govinda Prabhu, who is an elderly monk that was visiting from Radha Gopinath Mandir (A temple under the guidance of Radhanatha Swami located in Bombay, India). Vish lead the Kirtan and afterwards there was sumptuous food, of course.
Meet Goshi. (Vish and Goshi doing the classic indian pose while rocking the Maharashtrian style hats, you guys can make anything look good)
Saturday was an all day event with different Pujas, Abhishekams, dramas, classes and dances. The venue was super nice and we got to perform in front of 500 people in a professional theater with lighting and all.
Towards the end of our set the Mayor and Senator came on stage and danced with us, what a joyous ending that was.
(sound checking while 500 people waited outside)
Bay Area Tour “The Whirlwind Tour”
On our way back to Alachua from the Bay Area Vish named this tour, “The Whirlwind Tour”, because that’s what it felt like. Getting scooped up, twirled around Santa Cruz, San Jose, San Rafael, The City, then thrown back into our plane back home. Felt like One long day and night but it was filled with so much warmth, friendliness, Kirtan and Love, that it made the whirlwind feel like comforting breezes on a hot day.
The tour started with my late arrival to the airport, having Vish travel solo and to perform at Google alone.
What a bummer. But since he is super human then it didn’t even budge his flow. But yes, he arrived at Google, as in the same Google you tell your friends to search when you want to make a point, “Google It!”
At the event Vish told the employees,
” There are many dimensions, just like the World Wide Web. It’s another dimension that is present all around us but only accessible through the proper device. Similarly the spiritual dimension is omnipresent but not easily achieved except by the simple yet scientific process of chanting mantra. Hare Krsna”
I arrived late at SFO then waited an eternity for the rental car, well at least it felt like an eternity knowing that Vish and the Kirtaniyas were performing for a large audience at Rudra Mandir. My phone died so while i was in the plane i quickly wrote the directions on the back of my ticket and had to be stealth about it since it was time for take off,
“Shut off your phones” they reminded my neighbors, but i anticipated their arrival and hid my phone under my chadar and when they would walk away would continue writing the confusing directions. Gosh, driving in San Fransisco is no easy task, especially for a simple Alachua boy like myself.
I got the car and followed the directions like a devout practitioner and made it to my destination fairly fast and with no detours. I grabbed my whompers and walked towards the building to hear Vijay Krsna chanting the names of Mahaprabhu on top of Vish’s intoxicating mridanga playing. Krsna Devata saw me and invited me to the front and I didn’t hesitate to listen and joined right in till the last beat.
It really was a pleasure to do Kirtan with our friends on stage and our friends in the audience. The wonderful thing about Kirtan is that, if the Kirtan artists have the right mood then the stage quickly dissolves and the feeling of a family unified through joyous prayer takes place.
(A short clip of Vish on guitar with the Kirtaniyas)
We enjoyed Prasadam afterwards then took rest for the next day of activities.
We ate breakfast with Lloyd then met KD for lunch at Radiance Cafe.
From there we met up with Micheal Bredan and did a Harinam Photoshoot at Golden Gate Bridge. My favorite part was when the bystanders started filming the Kirtan instead of their family and friends as they posed in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. Not that it was great because they filmed us instead of them, but it was great because I know now that they will have the Kirtan on their devices for as long as they live.
We headed directly to San Jose with only one stop for some lip balm and cough drops because of the change of weather. We arrived there during the yoga class and they fed us nice prasadam which was cooked earlier for Vaisheshika Prabhu’s birthday feast: Nutloaf, pokaras, mash potatoes with gravy and yummy chocolate chip muffins. How i remember those muffins dearly.
The temple room filled up as we began the Auspicious invocation. Vish sang a variety of bhajans with the Name Gopal since there were many young kids in the crowd. Afterwards he spoke about sweet pastimes of Krsna in Vrindavan as I decorated his story telling with some Bansuri. Vish seamlessly started to tell the pastime of how the Flute became the Mridanga. The crowd was enchanted and became even more so when he stood up and made the mridanga sound like an intricate flute.
After chanting and dancing for a couple hours we had to end because we are in the material world with many other responsibilities other than spending time with Krsna. But of course maybe one day we can all have that transcendental vision where we see Krsna at all times in whatever we do. That will be the day this material world becomes the Spiritual world, for all of us!
Anyway, we headed to David Estes house with a small crew and he showed us all of his studio gear and his awesome instruments. The Pakistani tabla was Vish’s favorite and my favorite was his comfortable couch. Prajna sang beautiful Bhajans and i woke up to her chanting, “Narayana Narayana Narayana Narayana!” I thought I woke up in Vaikuntha! Not my favorite place but definitely good enough, for sometime
We sang some more bhajans passed midnight then we really had to go because we had to drop off a friend all the way in Santa Cruz, then return to San Jose since we had a morning yoga class with Prajna near by.
We woke up and didn’t have time for breakfast so we brought it with us, thanks to Hamsa. Muffins, Doughnuts, Cupcakes and some Jamba Juice!
We arrived a little late so I dropped Vish off and looked for parking. I entered the yoga room and heard melodious guitar playing and singing as people slowly changed postures in unison. Quite hypnotizing the whole thing. But of course, By the end we had everyone dancing, which is the Origin of Yoga, Lord Shiva’s Dance.
We headed back towards Santa Cruz to Hamsa’s parents Hotel which is right by the beach. The water was freezing! But we got warmed up by a warm meal cooked by her mother. The prasadam was so good that we automatically took a 20 minute nap with no questions asked.
It was time for Sound check at the Cultural Center so we headed into the mountains up and down windy roads to pick up the organizer of the event, who worked really hard to make everything happen, she even got different types of flowers to add a sweet touch. Thank you Sumatiji!
We had an intimate crowd and took the chance to teach them how to play Kartals. Somehow we had the perfect amount of kartals and whompers for the whole room. We chanted and danced the night away then finished off with our rendition of “Give me Love” By George Harrison.
We Drove back to San Jose again for some short rest and woke up at 4am for an early departure out of SFO.
(Ironically there was a whirlwind device in front of our gate bidding us farewell)
So there you have it, Lets see what happens in October
& it don’t stop!
With Love and Joy, Kish
Travel Journal#9.18: North Florida and Ohio
→ Travel Adventures of a Krishna Monk
Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka, Vol. 9, No. 18
By Krishna-kripa das
(September 2013, part two)
By Krishna-kripa das
(September 2013, part two)
North Florida and Ohio
(Sent from New York City on October 10, 2013)
(Sent from New York City on October 10, 2013)
Where I Went and What I Did
During the second half of September, I spent a week and a half at Krishna House in Gainesville, chanting at the Krishna Lunch, a football game, the corner of University Avenue and 13thStreet, and the farmers market and giving a few classes in Gainesville and one in Alachua. The class in Alachua was on Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s appearance day (click hereto hear it), and some devotees liked a selection of his teachings which I shared (click hereto see them). Brahmatirtha Prabhu and I spoke a few words [click hereto see mine] at the Alachua Sunday Feast about Sadaputa Prabhu, known to the academic world as Richard L. Thompson, who wrote several books on science and spiritual knowledge, and who passed away five years before. Sthita-dhi Muni Prabhu, his secretary, who went on to get a Ph.D. in History of Science, kindly helped sponsor the feast in Sadaputa’s honor. Prema Sindhu Prabhu, who I knew from Tampa and Jacksonville, moved to Columbus a while back, and he invited me to come there and do a four-day seminar on “How to Increase our Taste for Chanting the Holy Name” for the final four days of the month, which will ultimately be put on ISKCONDesire Tree. That was a challenge for me as I prefer to give single classes rather than a series, and also I do not feel myself to be such a great authority. One good feature was I was able to recite some beautiful verses glorifying the holy name, and at least that was undoubtedly beneficial for all to hear. Some of these appear at the end of the “Insights” section of this journal. I felt victorious in Columbus because I went on harinama for two to three hours each day I stayed there, once traveling to Athens to further spread the mercy of the holy name.
For insights I have excellent quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s books, a quote from a poem by Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, some beautiful and practical devotional wisdom from Mahatma Prabhu, wonderful insights from Radha Jivan Prabhu from his life of devotional service, and notes by the senior and junior devotees giving classes in Gainesville, Alachua, and Jackonsville.
Chanting at University of North Florida
Dakota, who just met the devotees a few days before, spent five days at Krishna House following the Jacksonville Ratha-yatra. Afterward I drove him back to Jacksonville and introduced him to the devotees there. Amrita Keli dd engaged him in distributing flyers for our Jacksonville programs, and a couple of his friends, both singing majors, came by and chanted with us on the blanket before the Krishna Club meeting.
The three University of North Florida ladies in the foreground had never chanted the Hare Krishna mantra before. The one playing harmonium had never played before, but since she was studying singing and piano I taught her how to play the chords for the Prabhupada melody. Dakota, the young man, is pumping the harmonium for her and holding two mantra cards back-to-back so she and the lady on the right, also a singing major who took turns leading, could read the words. When Mit came by to play the drum, the kirtana ascended to a higher level.
Later Dakota got up and danced.
It was awesome to have such a wonderful kirtana with so many brand new people!
Thanks to Sonya, the girl sitting between Mit and the harmonium player in the first photo in the series above, for kindly taking the photos with me in them in addition to singing the response.
The girl who played the harmonium on the green came to our Krishna Club meeting, and enjoyed meditating on the sound of the kirtana there.
Tulasirani dd led the kirtana.
Although there were not as many people as on Radhastami, the previous week, it was still well attended.
Dorian, Jonah, Dakota, and I were the men who danced.
In the beginning, Mallory was the only girl dancing.
As before, Dorian was enthusiastic to do a kirtana after the prasadam, and at least ten people took part, almost all of them dancing, and it was truly beautiful to see.
We chanted Friday on the green.
You can see the devotees were really absorbed in it.
Here Rae Jeana, Krishna Club president, played the drum, and Dorian led with the karatalas.
A new girl, who was passing by and was on a spiritual quest, was happy to chant and read the Bhagavad-gita with us on the blanket.
We chanted 4½ hours on Friday, and Dorian was with us practically the whole time.
Chanting in Gainesville
I would chant daily for 2½ hours during Krishna Lunch. Days when Purusartha Prabhu would come out were always especially ecstatic. Among them Haridasa Thakura’s Disappearance Day was especially memorable as twelve people were chanting together on the blanket at one point.
We chanted at two farmers markets the second half of September, and Haridasa Thakura’s Disappearance Day again was the bigger day with at least sixteen people participating in some of it. Dakota was visiting us during that one, and he enjoyed dancing along with the kirtana.
One devotee girl, who was there with her family, enjoyed playing the shakers to the kirtana beat, even while playing with the hula hoop.
One young man played his own percussion instrument along with the kirtana.
The next week the stage band started early, so we had sing on the corner opposite the market.
Often while in Gainesville, I chant on Friday evening with the Alachua devotees at the corner of University Avenue and 13thStreet.
There are six University of Florida home football games each year, and devotees have been chanting in front of Gate 7 of the stadium for two hours before the games even before I moved to Alachua County nineteen years ago. I remember on one Radhastami, 36 devotees chanted at the football stadium! On September 21 there were fewer, but quite a mix of newer devotees and senior devotees, and children and adults.
Here a very little girl successfully distributes a devotional pamphlet.
Some of the fans, often drunk, dance with the devotees.
Here a devotee encourages the fans to chant the mantra.
Here two fans take turns holding the Hare Krishna maha-mantra sign.
Encounters with Visvambhara Prabhu of the Mayapuris
Visvambhara Prabhu of the Mayapuris happened to be in the temple room at Krishna House in Gainesville when I came down for our evening kirtana, so I invited him to sing. He was waiting for a ride, but said he would sing until his ride came, which happened to be after the half-hour kirtana was over. The Gauri Arati kirtana is always lively in Gainesville with usually between seven and fifteen devotees, and it was extra lively with Visvambhara singing.
It just got better and better, and the Nrsimha prayers at the end were really dynamic.
The next morning about 5 a.m. as I was in the line for security at the airport, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter Visvambhara again. He was enroute to San Francisco where he was doing two programs each day, beginning with a kirtana at Googlethat very day. He explained his awesome schedule of traveling Friday through Monday to different cities to do kirtana, attending classes in religion at University of Florida Tuesday and Thursday and teaching mrdangaon Wednesday. He said his university classes are from 3 to 6 p.m., ending just before the Gaura Arati, and I encouraged him to chant at least once a week when he is in Gainesville, and he was agreeable.
Although he does kirtana with many amazing personalities all over the world, he surprised me by saying his favorite kirtana was one he did with me alone at Krishna Lunch at the University of Florida. He sang, and I played the only beat I know on the drum, and we sang the same tune for the whole time. He said, “It did not go anywhere, nor did it have to go anywhere.” He says people ask him to teach them how to play many tunes on the harmonium and many beats on the drum, but actually one does not need such variety. The holy name is sufficient!
I told him I was invited to give a seminar on a getting a taste for chanting the holy name, and I asked him what he would say if he were to give such a seminar. He smiled broadly and thought for awhile and he told how at one gathering of devotees, he saw many senior devotees seriously chanting on beads with concentration, and how Radhanath Swami had a tear in his eye, and just being in that presence increased his conviction about the holy name. When I spoke in the evening, I discussed how by association with great devotees we can gain taste for the holy name, and used this example from Visvambhara.
Chanting in Columbus
While we were chanting at Ohio State, a young man asked if we were Hare Krishnas and what we believed. I said, “Yes. We understand there is one God. All living creatures are part of Him. Human life is special because we can develop our relationship with Him by chanting His names, especially the Hare Krishna mantra.” Then I gave him a mantra card. He said last Saturday he was in Gainesville and heard some Hare Krishnas chanting at the football game. I smiled and said, “I was one of them and that card I just gave you is for our Hare Krishna center there!” Perhaps by making him meet the devotees in two cities in the same week, Krishna is trying to give him some special mercy.
Prema Sindhu Prabhu, who invited me to Columbus, Prema Vilasa Prabhu, Nitai Gauranga Prabhu, Jagannath Prabhu, and I went on harinama before the Ohio State football game for over two hours. I think the Ohio football fans are even more wild than the Florida ones. Prema Vilasa Prabhu, although he likes harinama, had never been to a football game harinama, considering the event with all the drunken revelers to be scary, but he had a great time and is thinking of inviting other devotees to the game harinamas in the future. At least three fans took extensive video of us, one who was an acquaintance of Jagannath Dasa Prabhu, being a regular attender at the temple programs.
I do not always go on harinama on Sundays. I do in Newcastle but do not in Gainesville, but I think it is best to go out every day, and so before the Columbus Sunday feast, we chanted from the temple, through the university, to the front of Ohio State Student Union, where we sat down on the sidewalk, facing High Street. Different people were attracted, many taking pictures. One girl named Kristen, who often attends the temple Sunday program, took a little video (http://youtu.be/5taAzBBdHoY):
Three young Afro-American boys on their bicycles looked suspiciously at the oatmeal cookies we offered them, and one of them cautiously took one but did not eat it, and they rode off. Later they came back, each grabbing two or three cookies! I guess the cookies passed their taste test.
The last ten minutes we were in front of the Union, a young man sat on the wall separating the lawn from the sidewalk and listened intently. When we packed up to go, we gave him a cookie. He told us his name was Alex, and he was very familiar with Hare Krishna from his childhood in Sochi, Russia. He recalled the friendliness of the devotees, the joy of the chanting, and the taste of the prasadam, and he was happy to encounter them again. We invited him to the Sunday and Thursday programs at our Columbus center, and I hope he comes. Jagannath told him of a regular attender from Ukraine, also named Alex, to encourage him to come.
When Tulasirani dd heard I was going to Columbus, she encouraged me to do harinama at Ohio University in Athens, an hour and a half away, saying that the students are nicer there. The devotees have done college programs there for years, although not at present, and that is how she met the devotees. I asked Jagannath and Nitai Gauranga Prabhus, the two devotees living in the Columbus temple, about going to do harinama in Athens, and they also thought the students are nicer there, and Nitai Gauranga Prabhu kindly agreed to drive us. We settled on Monday, which turned out to be both Ekadasi and my fifty-fourth birthday. I made coconut burfi flavored with fresh mint for distribution to both the devotees and the students. In Vedic culture, traditionally people give gifts on their birthdays to purify their births rather than receive gifts, and when I have an opportunity, I make sweets to give away, as I was able to do this year.
We did find the students to be more friendly in Athens, and we ended up distributing four books by chanting for 2½ hours with books and sweets on display. About fifty sweets were also distributed. Many people took pictures of us.
One girl named Mary was especially happy to see us, and she asked the boy she was with to take pictures of us, some with her in them. I asked Nitai Gauranga Prabhu to give her the garland he was wearing as she seemed the most enthusiastic person we were likely to encounter that day. She told me that she would keep the garland her whole life.
It seemed very rare indeed that someone would say that. I told her that because the garland was spiritual, if she did keep it her whole life, it would retain a pleasant fragrance. She also asked when we would be coming back to visit her school, but the devotees had no idea. After the harinama as we were walking back to the car, we met Mary again, and she was still wearing the garland. She said she had been smelling it from time to time all afternoon. When we first met Mary, she had passed up the coconut sweet having just eaten, but now she was willing to take one and liked it.
Turns out Mary was also interested in yoga, like many people who are on the way to Krishna.
We met a middle-aged man toward the end who was very happy to see Hare Krishna devotees and asked if we were from New Vrindavan. He knew the names of many devotees who had lived there years before including Bhaktipada, who was formerly in charge, and the man had visited there himself and been impressed with Prabhupada’s Palace.
All in all, we felt good that we went to Athens, despite traveling 3 hours to stay for 2½, and I think that now the Columbus devotees will go there more often.
I enjoyed my visit to Columbus, having daily harinama partners to chant with and the association of people interested in increasing their taste for chanting the holy name. Thanks to Prema Sindhu Prabhu, Prema Vilasa Prabhu, Naveen Krishna Prabhu, Jagannatha Prabhu, and Nitai Gauranga Prabhu, and all the others who facilitated me there.
To see the 94 pictures I took, but did not include in this blog, click on this link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103872792410945983719/TravelJournal918?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCIuAkPfZy67TzQE&feat=directlinkThe first 32 pictures are included in this blog and may look familiar but not those that follow.
Insights
Srila Prabhupada:
from Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.16.18–19, purport:
“Whenever we see Krishna, He is always full of ananda [spiritual bliss] in all circumstances. No one can make Him morose. Atmaramaya:He does not need to search for external enjoyment, because He is self-sufficient. Santaya:He has no anxiety. One who has to seek pleasure from other sources is always full of anxiety. Karmis, jnanisand yogis are full of anxiety because they want something, but a devotee does not want anything; he is simply satisfied in the service of the Lord, who is fully blissful.”
from Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.16.41, purport:
“If one advocates the Hindu religion, the Muslim religion, the Christian religion, this religion or that religion, there will be conflicts. History shows that the followers of religious systems without a clear conception of God have fought with one another. There are many instances of this in human history, but systems of religion that do not concentrate upon service to the Supreme are temporary and cannot last for long because they are full of envy. There are many activities directed against such religious systems, and therefore one must give up the idea of ‘my belief’ and ‘your belief.’ Everyone should believe in God and surrender unto Him. That is bhagavata-dharma.”
from Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.16.43, purport:
“The members of human society who strictly follow the principles of bhagavata-dharmaand live according to the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are called Aryans or arya.A civilization of Aryans who strictly follow the instructions of the Lord and never deviate from those instructions is perfect. Such civilized men do not discriminate between trees, animals, human beings and other living entities. Panditah sama-darsinah: [Bg. 5.18] because they are completely educated in Krishna consciousness, they see all living beings equally. Aryans do not kill even a small plant unnecessarily, not to speak of cutting trees for sense gratification. At the present moment, throughout the world, killing is prominent. Men are killing trees, they are killing animals, and they are killing other human beings also, all for sense gratification. This is not an Aryan civilization.”
from Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.16.44, purport:
“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced this chanting of the holy name five hundred years ago, and now through the Krishna consciousness movement, the Hare Krishna movement, we are actually seeing that men who are considered to belong to the lowest class are being delivered from all sinful activities simply by hearing the holy name of the Lord.”
“From our present position, the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be personally seen as the Deity in the temple. The Deity of the Lord is not different from the Supreme Lord. Because we cannot see the Supreme Lord with our present blunt eyes, the Lord has kindly consented to come before us in a form we can see. Therefore the Deity in the temple should not be considered material. By offering food to the Deity and by decorating and serving the Deity, one gets the same result that one derives from serving the Lord personally in Vaikuntha.”
from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta,Madhya 8.300, purport:
“Being the eternal servant of Lord Ramacandra, Hanumanji has been respectfully worshiped for many hundreds and thousands of years. Here even Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu set the example in showing how one should offer respects to Hanumanji.”
from Sri Isopanisad, Verse 1, purport:
“The human race should take the Vedic wisdom ofSri Isopanisadand not quarrel over material possessions. One must be satisfied with whatever privileges are given to him by the mercy of the Lord. There can be no peace if the communists or capitalists or any other party claims proprietorship over the resources of nature, which are entirely the property of the Lord. The capitalists cannot curb the communists simply by political maneuvering, nor can the communists defeat the capitalists simply by fighting for stolen bread. If they do not recognize the proprietorship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all the property they claim to be their own is stolen. Consequently they will be liable to punishment by the laws of nature. Nuclear bombs are in the hands of both communists and capitalists, and if both do not recognize the proprietorship of the Supreme Lord, it is certain that these bombs will ultimately ruin both parties. Thus in order to save themselves and bring peace to the world, both parties must follow the instructions of Sri Isopanisad.”
from Sri Isopanisad, Verse 2, purport:
“Factually, no one has to do anything more than render devotional service to the Lord. However, in the lower stages of life one cannot immediately adopt the activities of devotional service, nor can one completely stop fruitive work. A conditioned soul is accustomed to working for sense gratification — for his own selfish interest, immediate or extended. An ordinary man works for his own sense enjoyment, and when this principle of sense enjoyment is extended to include his society, nation or humanity in general, it assumes various attractive names such as altruism, socialism, communism, nationalism and humanitarianism. These "isms" are certainly very attractive forms of karma-bandhana(karmic bondage), but the Vedic instruction of Sri Isopanisadis that if one actually wants to live for any of the above ‘isms,’ he should make them God-centered. There is no harm in becoming a family man, or an altruist, a socialist, a communist, a nationalist or a humanitarian, provided that one executes his activities in relation with isavasya, the God-centered conception.
from Sri Isopanisad, Verse 3, purport:
We are given this human form of life not to work hard like asses, swine and dogs but to attain the highest perfection of life. If we do not care for self-realization, the laws of nature force us to work very hard, even though we may not want to do so. Human beings in this age have been forced to work hard like the asses and bullocks that pull carts.
Hridayananda Goswami:
from a letter to Bhaktin Amy:
“Prabhupada once wrote to me that we do not engage in mental speculation but we can engage in philosophical speculation. He gave this example. In the Gita, Krishna says, ‘I am the taste in water.’ To speculate WHETHER this statement is true or not is mental speculation. If I accept Krishna’s words, and try to grasp HOW it is true, that is philosophical speculation, and I won't get busted!”
Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
poem for September 17:
“Today’s drawing shows four
bhaktas dancing and
chanting with upraised arms.
Two are facing forward,
and two move to the side.
Mundane dancers can't
feel the happiness
these men experience. They
are beyond the modes
of nature. It's a liberated
dance done in love of Krishna.”
bhaktas dancing and
chanting with upraised arms.
Two are facing forward,
and two move to the side.
Mundane dancers can't
feel the happiness
these men experience. They
are beyond the modes
of nature. It's a liberated
dance done in love of Krishna.”
Kalakantha Prabhu:
There are many “gurus” who will take your material opulence, but not so many that will take your sinful reactions.
Two of the mahajanas, the great Vedic authorities on religious principles, namely Prahlada Maharaja and Bali Maharaja, were descendents of the great atheist, Hiranyakasipu, which shows that a person from any background can become a great devotee.
Pururava was wise in that he took responsibility for his own uncontrolled senses and did not blame his wife, Urvasi.
comment: by Tulasirani dd: It is good for men to make a plan how they will maintain their family if they choose to get married in the future, even if they are satisfied as brahmacaris now.
comment by Radhika Nagara Prabhu:
Kalakantha Prabhu has created a wonderful program with his forty year’s experience whereby people can take up Krishna consciousness at their own rate. I hope you can take full advantage of it and become inspired to spread Krishna House to all the cities of your country.
Mahatma Prabhu:
Saintly qualities are always interesting to discuss because they are so rarely seen.
Narada wanted Daksa to ask him to be forgiven for the offensive words Daksa had spoken to Narada so Daksa would be open to hear about bhakti.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura said that one who has love for God loves others. A humble person is compassionate because he does not want to cause others harm on his own account. He develops forgiveness.
Cleanliness helps develop God consciousness.
It foolish not to practice humility thinking because you do not feel humble it would be artificial and that you will become humble by your spiritual practice. It is like thinking that you do not want to take a shower artificially until by your spiritual practice you develop the quality of cleanliness.
We blame others for causing us to feel in a certain way, when in fact if we did not have certain needs, the others would not caused us to feel that way.
If you have many needs, you will definitely suffer.
In spiritual life, we have to monitor our qualities and see if we are developing the divine qualities of saint.
In an Amish community a man killed two daughters not his own and then killed himself. The parents of the girls who were killed came to the man’s wife saying they forgave her husband, and that if she was inconvenienced by not having her husband, she could live with them.
You have to realize that you are holding on to resentment, resentment is not holding on to you.
Q: How can we forgive?
A: I have a seventeen-hour seminar on forgiveness but here are some ideas:
If you think that what the person did to you is unforgivable, then you will never be able to forgive them.
If you do not forgive the person, it will harm you physically, mentally, and emotionally.
If you did the same thing the person did to you, you would want to be forgiven.
One writer said if you understand the secret history of the suffering of any individual person, you would not be bear any enmity to anyone.
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that when we receive the fruits of our karma, we then blame our karma.
Patanjali advises to counteract envy by acting in the opposite way, as the well-wisher of the person you envy.
Q: Why do we have to practice these saintly qualities?
A: For millions of lives we have practiced just acting just the opposite. We can engage our nature in Krishna’s service but not our demonic qualities.
You may take the medicine for six months and see no result and stop. When you see the doctor in a year, he asks how you are. You say you are still sick and you stopped taking the medicine after six months because you saw no result, and he says that if you had taken it for a year you would be cured.
You are attracted to hearing about Krishna because you a spirit soul. You are attracted to chanting Hare Krishna because you are a spirit soul. You find that material happiness does not completely satisfy you because you a spirit soul.
We cannot be Krishna conscious without the association of devotees, even those we do not like. It is helpful to see how each devotee is engaged in devotional service.
Do not criticize people. Everyone has many faults, but it does not help you to criticize them.
One writer says that when you criticize someone it says more about your need to criticize than it does about the qualities of the person.
If I see something bad in someone, that discourages me, but if I see good qualities, it inspires me. So even just considering your own state of consciousness it is better to praise than criticize.
In my forgiveness workshop we have people praise those people they have difficulty forgiving. Sometimes it is difficult, but it does improve our opinion of the person and improve our relationship with the person also.
Where there is love, there is surrender. If we love Krishna, we will automatically surrender to Him.
If you were God, would you change your life? Is everything about your life perfect the way it is? You would change a few things, wouldn’t you? That is the difference between us and God. God does what He likes.
Everything is connected to Krishna. Only we are not because of our consciousness.
Q: What about the material activities we have to do in addition to our devotional activities?
A: You should link all your activities to Krishna, then you will have no material activities.
Q: Some devotees say I should just chant and do my service and my mind will clear up. Others say I have to work on it.
A: I learned from going to japaconferences, from the Buddhists, and other sources, when you are in your mind, you are not in your heart, and when you are in the heart, you are not in your mind. So try to be in your heart when you chant japa. Try to feel Krishna. Srila Prabhupada said you can feel Krishna in the holy name.
You can talk to your conditioned side.
It is always better to focus on what you want than to focus on what you don’t want.
One teacher says you should always aspire for something beyond what you think you can achieve. Then you can come to a higher level.
Instead we think, “I am not Radhanath Swami. I am just a fallen Alachua devotee. What can I achieve?” Thus we limit ourselves.
I have some bad news. What ever challenges you have in this life, if you do not resolve them, you will still them in your next life.
If you realize your mind was programmed by you in the last life, you can start reprogramming your mind now.
Once a devotee, maybe twenty-four years old, who had a wife with a one-year-old son wanted to take sannyasa. Srila Prabhupada asked the man to consider what effect that would have on his wife and son, and said that a devotee does not like to do anything that harms anyone.
Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami teaches his brahmacaris to become grhasthas. That accomplishes two purposes: the men who want to get married learn the nature of women and how to deal with them and thus become better husbands, and the men who think that is all too much can stay brahmacaris.
We do not have to act on the crazy ideas that appear in our mind. In the mode of goodness, those negative thoughts have no energy.
The macho husbands who tell their wives who are emotional, “Just get a hold of yourself,” are actually not self-controlled. Rather the husbands who patiently listen to their wives are actually self-controlled.
According Maha-samhita, a brahmana never berates himself.
A person who is self-pitying is like a person who falls in the mud, and just lies there, and says, “I fell in the mud, I am so unfortunate; it is so muddy; the mud even smells,” instead of getting out of the mud, and taking a shower, and going on with life.
A devotee told Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami, “I cannot forgive this devotee. What should I do?” His reply was “Forgive him because it is pleasing to Krishna.”
One person who trains counselors said, “The most effective counseling is a supportive spiritual community.”
Vallabha Sena Prabhu:
Narada realized that he could not instruct King Pracinbarhi directly so he told him a story about a king just like himself so he could realize his mistaken program of life. This is one strategy we can also use in our outreach.
Narada taught the king it is not sufficient just to aspire to heavenly enjoyment in the next life, rather one should endeavor for an eternal situation in the spiritual world.
Before I met the devotees, I hitchhiked all over America looking for the ideal situation for ultimate happiness, but no place was perfect.
from different Prabhupada disciples on a Following Prabhupadavideo:
Five boys from brahmana families in Vrindavan took initiation from Srila Prabhupada at the time of Krishna-Balarama installation ceremony. That was a great victory of Vaishnavism over Brahmanism.
I visited my parents before going to Vrindavan to see Srila Prabhupada. My mother asked if there was anything she could give me for Srila Prabhupada. I asked her if there was anything she would like to give him. She suggested she could make some guava jam as we had many fruit trees on our property. I agreed and so she did. I gave the jam to Prabhupada’s servant. For two days he was looking for me as Prabhupada wanted the name and address of my mother she he could write her a thank you letter. In the letter, he said that it was the best jam he received and it was like his mother used to make for him. He said not worry for your daughter and that he was making sure she was nicely engaged in the Lord’s service. I was amazed that despite all the things happenings regarding the Krishna Balarama temple installation ceremony, Prabhupada had time to reciprocate with my mother.
One devotee was told to start a gosala [a place where cows are kept],and he did not have any money so he sold his Seiko watch and bought two cows, and that was the beginning.
Once after playing a Hare Krishna tune on the harmonium, Prabhupada said, “This is the way to please Krishna, to chant Hare Krishna in different melodies.”
Prabhupada honored prasadam alone 99% of the time, and you could see he was really doing it as an act of worship, meditating on the prasadam being nondifferent from Krishna.
Prabhupada would tell us many times that we could learn from nature. He would know the Latin names of the trees in the botanical gardens and know their medicinal uses.
Once I decided to collect the dust from Srila Prabhupada’s feet, but I noticed that when Srila Prabhupada walked his feet did not make an impression in the grass like his disciples did.
My son spent more time with Srila Prabhupada than I did. He would sneak in Prabhupada’s window, and take prasadam with him, or sleep under his bed.
Srila Prabhupada said, “Nothing happens accidentally. . . . You do not see the cause. . . . Why do they go to the college? Why not accidentally get a Ph.D.?”
Srila Prabhupada liked us to keep the doors and windows closed during the initiation ceremony. He did not think that the smoke was very harmful.
Srila Prabhupada preached to one newspaper reporter for forty-minutes how you are not the body, but a servant of Krishna, despite the general inquiries of the reporter. The reporter wrote an article half a page long on page two of the Melbournenewspaper The Age. Prabhupada liked it so much he asked for ten or twelve copies to show to his life members in India.
Radha Jivan Prabhu:
Householder life is not just for fun but is a life of responsibility. That is why it is given when one is mature. It is meant for sacrifice.
Household life is not easy. There is a joke. A mouse was found dancing at a tiger’s wedding. One of the tigers inquired from the mouse why he was present there. The mouse replied that the tiger was his brother, and he wanted to attend his brother’s wedding. The tiger replied, “No, that cannot be. You are a mouse, and he is a tiger.” The mouse replied, “No, it is a fact. Before I was married, I was a tiger.”
A devotee begins to understand that because the Lord has parental affection for him, He will make of kinds of arrangements to take care of him.
Whatever strength we have is given 100% by one person, and that person is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. As we advance we get glimpses of this. When we chant Hare Krishna in this consciousness it is very pure.
About 70 or 80 years ago, there was a young sadhu who was chanting at Kusuma sarovara. One beautiful young lady bathed naked in the river before him, and he was attracted to stare at her breasts. He soon got an eye disease. He went to several doctors but none could cure him. He became introspective and decided that because he was dressed as a sadhu but he acting out of lust that Krishna was punishing me. He asked the most prominent sadhu in Vrndavana at that time, Priya saranji Maharaja, for some atonement. He gave him a couplet that said, “Cut my neck, or put a sword in my heart, O Lord, I will only say, ‘Thank you, very much.’” When the young sadhu embraced that understanding, his eye began to heal.
Bhaktisiddhanta Saravati Thakura says, “Patience, humility, and respect for others, are our real friends for Hari-bhajana [the glorification of the Lord].”
The most challenging in household life is attachment.
Give your activities to the world, and give your heart to the Lord.
The situation created by the leaders at Krishna House where you do not have to worry about your material needs is meant so you can focus completely on your spiritual life and get some realization that can benefit you the rest of your life.
The greatest loss in life is the loss of faith.
One sadhu was sitting with some devotees. One bold girl asked the sadhu whether his beard was better or the beard of her goat was better. The sadhu told her he would answer her question later. At the time of his death he sent for the girl who since become a woman. He said, “Remember the question you asked me years ago? The answer is my beard is better than your goat’s beard.” The woman asked, “Why did you wait so long to answer?” The sadhu replied, “I could have fallen away from my spiritual practice at any time. In that case, the beard of your goat would have been better.”
Even to make a little endeavor for spiritual life is a rare benediction.
Usually when we come to Krishna consciousness, we feel some relief from material existence, but then we end up performing our devotional activities in a ritualistic way.
Although Vasudeva Maharaja, Krishna’s father, was a powerful warrior, he acted like a brahmana when pacifying his cruel brother-in-law, Kamsa.
Krishna is very shy to show us what He is doing for us, but behind the scenes He is always making arrangements for His devotee.
The materialists may not be able to appreciate the how our spiritual practice is benefiting us, but we should appreciate it and maintain ourselves on the spiritual plane.
Pure Krishna consciousness will attract people whether we like it or not. Srila Prabhupada was a single person, but because of his pure consciousness, so many people were attracted by his chanting.
There is a pastime of Tukarama. He was returning from bathing in the river when he passed beneath the window of a Muslim man who spit water from his mouth on Tukarama’s head. Without frowning or looking up, Tukarama returned to the river to bathe again in order to be clean to worship his deity. The same thing happened 100 times. On the final time, the Muslim man came down from his apartment and offered prostrated obeisances before Tukarama, and admitted to trying to test him, and he asked Tukarama how he was able not to be become angry. Tukarama said, “Today I took 100 baths before worshiping my deity, by your mercy alone. Otherwise, I would have not.”
If you do not follow strictly, you will not experience any result, and then you may give up your practice, and thus lose your opportunity.
Due to our past activities, we are not so inclined to Krishna, but if we continue our practice, our attachment to Krishna will definitely manifest.
Rohini Kumara Prabhu:
I know a lady who chanted 108 rounds a day at Radha-kunda for many years, but she does not do that anymore.
Bhima’s plate is 18 feet across. Madhavacarya is said to have found Bhima’s club.
God can come up and slap your face, and if you are an atheist, you will still say there is no God.
Amrita Keli dd:
The great thing about the practice of Krishna consciousness is that you can experience it now.
Namamrita Prabhu:
You can turn your back on the sun, but that does not mean it is not there. In the same way, we can turn our back on God, but He remains.
Research show that persons who are addicted to pornography have their brains overstimulated and have to completely restrain from it to normalize their brain function.
Lust must be curbed as soon as possible before it blocks our self-realization.
It is said that 70 drops of blood are required to produce a drop of semen.
Celibates generally are more joyful and have greater strength, vitality, and intellect than those who have sex regularly.
Celibates generally are more joyful and have greater strength, vitality, and intellect than those who have sex regularly.
The right way to have sex is within a relationship centered on dharma.
Q (by Sankalpa dd): Sometimes marriages break up over differences in how strictly one limits sex in marriage.
A (by Kalakantha Prabhu): The most important thing is to understand that is not something to break up over. The couple has to come to a mutual agreement and gradually increase one’s strictness. It is a matter for the husband and wife to figure out. The whole point is to minimize and gradually reduce sex life.
A (by Kalakantha Prabhu): The most important thing is to understand that is not something to break up over. The couple has to come to a mutual agreement and gradually increase one’s strictness. It is a matter for the husband and wife to figure out. The whole point is to minimize and gradually reduce sex life.
Comment by Tulasirani dd: I went to the gynecologist for a checkup for the first time in years, and had to fill out an extensive form, asking questions like how many abortions have you had, how many sexually transmitted diseases have you had, etc. Some questions did not even had a choice for celibate people to answer. I felt so thankful to Srila Prabhupada that I was saved from so many calamities. I shared some of my thoughts with my gynocologist, and she ended up taking one of Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Omkara Prabhu:
Vaisesika Prabhu marvels that The Nectar of Instruction brings us from controlling the tongue to living on the shores of Radha Kunda. He also describes that the tongue is like a rudder that directs where we go.
Hanan:
Once I worked with an insurance company in Israel, and some thieves stole a lot of money from the company, but they were discovered and chose to make a deal with the company to return the money and not involve the police. Thus as an employee I found myself carrying thousands of dollars from the bank to the office. I found when I was carrying the suitcase full of money, I was thinking of myself as a special person. No one else was carrying so much money. I dreamed of taking the money and going back to India with it. But when I delivered the money, I was again an ordinary person. That is our situation in this world. Whatever we have, we have only temporarily, and our thrill of possessing it is a temporary pleasure.
A scientific study was done where they asked people their favorite kind of ice cream and paid them to come and eat their favorite ice cream. People very happily came for a few days, but after awhile they stopped coming. They had had enough. Thus they demonstrated the truth that sense enjoyment does not satisfy the soul.
Dhrtarastra was blinded by envy of the Pandavas, so he discriminated between the Pandavas and his own sons. Duryodhana was blinded with greed to enjoy the Pandavas property.
I knew intellectually that Krishna would take care of me, but still I was always afraid. Then Krishna made an arrangement to convince me that He really would take care of me. I was in Mayapur, and a Bengali friend and I went to visit Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja’s bhajana kutira. We heard there was a sadhu over a hundred years old there, and we wanted to see him. We found him resting on his bed, and very peaceful. We asked him for his blessings, and he said, “May you be able to chant like Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja.” A pujari came with a plate of prasadam for him.I saw after a life of devotional service, the old sadhu was peaceful and happy, and that his needs were being taken care of. From this experience, I gained faith that if I dedicated my life to serve Krishna that in the end Krishna would take care of me, and so I increased my service.
On the singles records they had in the past, they would put a popular song on one side which you would buy the record for, but then there would be a not so popular tune on the back that you would not be eager to hear. The material world is like that.
Giving fully to Krishna is more important than what we actually give him.
Bhaktin Amy:
from a comment during a class I took no other notes on:
“When I’m having difficulty accepting or understanding a point, Hridayananda Goswami said that rather then wondering if the point is true, accept it as truth and commit to understanding how it is true.”
Krishna-kripa das:
selections on the holy name quoted during seminar on increasing taste for chanting:
“One has to learn about the beauty and transcendental position of the holy name of the Lord by hearing the revealed scriptures from the mouths of devotees. Nowhere else can we hear of the sweetness of the Lord’s holy name.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita,Antya 1.101)
“The answer to your second question is that when one becomes accustomed to inoffensive chanting, then his fruit is that he is promoted to the stage of pure Love of Godhead, or prema.This premais the perfectional stage of consciousness and the most blissful by very far.” (Srila Prabhupada in a letter to Sivananda, Los Angeles, December 4, 1968)
[Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, reciting Rupa Goswami’s verse:] “I do not know how much nectar the two syllables ‘Krish-na’ have produced. When the holy name of Krishna is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all the senses become inert.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita,Antya 1.99)
“When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted this verse, Haridasa Thakura, upon hearing the vibration, became jubilant and began to dance while praising its meaning.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita,Antya 1.100)
“The mystics derive unlimited transcendental pleasures from the Absolute Truth, and therefore the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is also known as Rāma.” (Padma Purana,quoted in Bhagavad-gita As It Is, verse 5.22, purport)
“The name of Krishna is purely spiritual. There is no knowledge as great as that of the name, and no practice of austerity or meditation, no result of spiritual activity, no form of renunciation, no act of sense control, no pious act, and no goal that can match it. The name is the supreme liberation, the supreme destination, and the supreme peace. The name is eternal life itself. The name is the supreme devotion and the supreme intelligence. The name is the supreme love and the supreme remembrance. The name is the soul’s reason for existence. The name is the lord of the soul, the most worshipful object, and the supreme guru.
“These high praises are verified by the realizations awakening devotees gain as they practice chanting, and so they come to have deep conviction in the holy name.” (Agni Purana)
“These high praises are verified by the realizations awakening devotees gain as they practice chanting, and so they come to have deep conviction in the holy name.” (Agni Purana)
“Those who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate the essential value of this age of Kali. Such enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga because in this fallen age all perfection of life can easily be achieved by the performance of sankirtana. [the congregational chanting of the holy name.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.36)
-----
jivana anitya janaha sar,
tahe nana-vidha vipada-bhar,
namasraya kori’ jatane tumi,
thakaha apana kaje
“This temporary life is full of various miseries. Take shelter of the holy name as your only business.” (Bhaktivinoda Thakura, “Udilo Aruna,” verse 6)
Krishna Tech: Kṛṣṇa VS Kåñëa–Balarama Font Macros Converter for Word
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas
Kṛṣṇa’s holy name is transcendental. Therefore it is not surprising that it remains transcendental, even when altered by the font conversion process. When pasting on the web a text with Balarama font the name Kṛṣṇa becomes Kåñëa. That is not too bad as one of Kṛṣṇa’s names is Kanhaiya. However when words such as Śrīla become Çréla and other words are sometimes very hard to figure out, it becomes frustrating. However there is a simple solution that will allow you to maintain all your files formatting. Keeping all your Bolds, your centered text, italics, and everything in between. It is Macros, by using macros one can changes the Balarama diacritic characters to the correct corresponding unicode characters that remain readable one the web and can be seen in most fonts. This also means that searching become easier to use as well.
The macros that I was able to put together can be found here. https://pastee.org/qhp8a It also works on your footnotes as well.
Notes:
If you have a file that has footnotes it will convert it and save it as is. If it the files does not have footnotes it will say error and you can choose end or debug. Press end and save or save as and you are done.
Do not use files that have fonts that are similar to the diacritics in Balarama but have different corresponding letters to the diacritics letters. I think Tamal is ok, It seems like the all corresponding letters that are converted are the same as the Balarama font
14.05 – We are compelled to do as we choose to desire
→ The Spiritual Scientist
“Am I really free?” We may get this situation when we try to change ourselves for the better and realize how difficult it is, realize how easily we tend to relapse to old habits and attitudes.
The subject is complex with many nuances, but a general answer is: We are free to choose our desires, but having done so, are compelled to act according to those desires. Here’s an example.
Imagine a vast ocean with three currents going in three different directions. Suppose a boatperson is trying to navigate the way through such an ocean. Once a boatperson chooses a particular current, its force pushes and drags the boat. Our situation is similar – we are souls in the ocean of material existence, the human body is like the boat for navigating the ocean and the three modes of material nature are like the three currents. The Bhagavad-gita (14.05) indicates that the modes bind all living beings, no matter how powerful they may be. These modes propose different kinds of desires. Once we choose a particular desire, the mode that induced the desire takes control of us just as the current takes control of the boat that enters into it. Of course, a determined and skilled boatperson can resist the current and choose a different trajectory. Similarly, if we are determined and skilled, we can resist the dominant mode and act differently.
The heart of the determination and the skill is the humble devotion that enables us to take shelter of Krishna, who resides as an infallible shelter beyond the range of the modes. When we anchor ourselves to Krishna through bhakti-yoga, he becomes our guarding and guiding anchor for resisting the current and making wise choices – choices that set us free to progress towards real happiness.
Please Join The Japa Group
→ Japa Group
Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world...simply send me an introduction message and I will be happy to make you a member:
rasa108 ::_::{.at.}::_:: gmail dot com
ys
Rasa Rasika dasa
Just follow Krsna
→ KKS Blog
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, August 2013, Abentheur, Germany, Hamsaduta Seminar Part 1)
Sri Lalita speaking to a swan (from the Hamsaduta), “O tilaka of the saintly devotees, taking the path famous in all the worlds by which hard-hearted Akrura quickly took away the ocean of handsomeness that rules the young gopis’ life, go to the city of the Dasarhas ”
It is natural that we go the path that Krsna went. That is the only path! The only path interesting to us is wherever Krsna went. There we will go; we follow Krsna! Krsna consciousness is so simple – not difficult! Just follow what Krsna did, follow where Krsna went, read about it and hear about it!
And each time when we make an effort in that direction, to hear about Krsna etc., as we read many times in the scripture, “May the Lord walk on the path of my eyes. May the Lord walk on the path of my ears.” We have heard that many times. So in this way, let us somehow or other, follow the path that the Lord went. That is it.
It is not that Krsna consciousness is something where we take a decision [imitates a devotee with new confidence], “You know, I’m convinced! I’m totally convinced! Prabhupada has got the truth and I know it and I’m convinced! Therefore from today on, I’ve decided that I’m going to be Krsna conscious. It is a little of an adjustment but I’m going to be Krsna conscious. I’m really going to be Krsna conscious.”
Just be Krsna conscious by following the path of Krsna. Following the path of Krsna is what will make us Krsna conscious. It is so simple; it is not complicated. We simply have to follow him (Krsna). Let’s have a look, let’s hear about it.
Every Day
→ travelingmonk.com
Every day we do the same thing; get up, shower, have a morning program and go on samkirtan. It’s been going on like that for 40 years, to be exact. But we never become bored, tired or satiated because it’s devotional service to the Lord and always new and fresh. And it always will be! [...]
Kirtan at the Darshan Room
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas
Eligibility to go Beyond Varnasrama Dharma, October 6, Dallas
Giriraj Swami
Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 22.62.
‘sraddha’-sabde — visvasa kahe sudridha niscaya
krishne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krita haya
TRANSLATION
By rendering transcendental loving service to Krsna one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. Such confident, firm faith favorable to the discharge of devotional service is called sraddah.
PURPORT
Firm faith and confidence are called sraddha. When one engages in the Lord’s devotional service, he is to be understood to have performed all his responsibilities in the material world. He has satisfied his forefathers, ordinary living entities, and demigods and is free from all responsibility. Such a person does not need to meet his responsibilities separately. It is automatically done. Fruitive activity (karma) is meant to satisfy the senses of the conditioned soul. However, when one awakens to Krsna consciousness, he does not have to work separately for pious activity. The best achievement of all fruitive activity is detachment from material life, and this detachment is spontaneously enjoyed by the devotee firmly engaged in the Lord’s service. —Cc Madhya 22.62
HH Devamrita Swami Vyasa Puja Offerings
→ simple thoughts
Every year HG Candidasa Das puts together and co-ordinates the offerings of the disciples and well wishers of my Guru Maharaja HH Devamrita Swami.
This years offerings are available online here:
http://devaswami.com/writings/from-disciples/vyasa-puja-offerings-2013
As always I am inspired by the amazing outpourings by my God Family if only my words were so inspiring but for what it’s worth this is my simple offering:
Hare Krishna
Please Accept My Humble Obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
Dear Devamrita Swami Maharaja
Another year and another opportunity to write a small offering and again I stare at a blank page wondering what to write, words appear inadequate how does one express their feelings given all that you have done for each one of us.
The patience and tolerance shown
The words of guidance that often appears to fall on un-listening ears
Get you remain their willing and encouraging, caring and inspiring.
I remember how you challenged me all them years ago over nursing the body asking what is the benefit; they still will suffer and eventually leave their body; I remember you asking what about the soul?
You made it more personal, to the point? What are you doing to help the suffering of the soul?
Seeing your example the care of looking after the spirit soul, and seeing this reflected in your humble disciples in their actions and words.
Tolerating my irrationality, my doubts, answering each e-mail with a few words which always inspires and encourages; giving me shelter and taking me as a disciple even their showing the greatest compassion a name that reminds me of the most important weakness of mine to help focus my mind.
The simple words of thank you appears weak inadequate, my wish is may I have more of your association and loving care; but more important that your words of advice remains ever present in my mind and heart.
Yours Humbly
Dhirabhakta Das
Polyfest
→ simple thoughts
The Food For All band took to the stage last Saturday at the famous Half Moon, for a sold out gig in honour of a wonderful devotee and singer Maharani Devi or as the world knew her Polystyrene, singer with X-ray Specs.
Maharani left her body a few years ago due to cancer, but she had a great positive effect on millions of young people. She kept her spiritual life always at the forefront of her life, she is greatly missed by so many
your servant Parasuram das
HH Devamrita Swami visits Bhaktivadanta Manor
→ simple thoughts
It was with great delight that my Guru Mahraja HH Devamrita Swami came and gave class at Bhaktivadanta Manor which was warmly received and as always inspirational:
It was also an wonderful time having my Guru Maharaja lead Kirtan
The temple president Sruti Dharma Prabhu took the time to show Maharaja the George Harrison Garden:
It was also a special day as the deities here at Bhaktivadanta Manor wearing their new outfits made by over 200 devotees that attend the Manor co-ordinated and directed by one amazing mataji; high praise was given by HH Devamrita Swami who suggested that may be she should become a GCB member:
Their was also a special cake made for her amazing contribution given by the head pujari:
Enjoy
Meaning of Initiation
→ Servant of the Servant
In life, always, there are two things (1) form and (2) substance. In other words form represents the external act or ritual and substance represents the inner meaning behind it. Ideally the inner meaning should drive the external word, act or ritual. Otherwise the act in itself has little meaning.
Today in ISKCON, whatever little I have seen, initiation is taken seriously by aspiring devotees only up to when they get it. Of course, I don’t want to generalize but there is this tendency also among devotees today. They practice Krishna consciousness seriously to the point of initiation and then after initiation, spiritual life becomes hackneyed. But real spiritual life begins after initiation. Also, I have seen initiation is seen as a social status symbol within ISKCON and devotees have a sense of air around them. Such behavior actually is contradictory to the inner meaning of initiation.
Once initiated, the devotee actually must become more humble and tolerant and in fact aspire to seriously take the position of servant of the servant even if it is difficult. But initiated devotees (even so called senior devotees) lack the mental discipline to reject all forms of adoration, profit and distinction (materialistic qualities) thus beginning the road for downfall. So yes initiation is a serious commitment externally to practice our sadhana and internally to remain humble servants in the hands of Guru and Krishna.
Below is a transcript from a lecture about initiation given by H.H.Radhanath Swami. He captures the idea very nicely.
We should know that initiation in itself doesn't mean anything. Real initiation does not mean getting a name, sitting in front of a fire, and throwing some grains in the fire. That is not initiation. There are many people who get initiated who never got initiated…not really! It’s not something cheap. But in Kali Yuga everyone wants something cheap.
Prabhupada said don’t try to keep your guru like your dog. Don’t think your guru is just a picture to put on the wall and say this is my guru. It’s the way most people are. What does initiation mean? It means the willingness to surrender your life to following the instructions of the guru. If you are not willing to do that, initiation is a farce. It means nothing. Then we should never encourage anyone to get initiated unless they are living a life sincerely to follow the instructions. It is better to remain a congregational devotee without an initiation.
Getting initiated means following the four regulative principles strictly, if you are not following the four regulative principles strictly in this sampradaya and get initiated, it is a farce. It means nothing. If you are not willing to chant 16 rounds everyday it’s a farce! It means nothing! It’s a show bottle! It’s nonsense! We are not concerned with such show bottle nonsense cheap things. We are concerned something with substance. You are not going to back to Godhead because you are initiated. You are going back to Godhead because you surrendered to Krishna through surrendering to his pure devotees through the parampara and part of the process of that surrender is to accept initiation but it is not the end of itself.
To initiate means to begin - its beginning a higher realm of surrender if you do it right. If you don’t do it right it does not mean anything. If you are not willing to put your own ego aside to hear from the words of your guru and follow, then forget about initiation.
Initiation means a formal vow that I am going to put my ego aside and I am going to humbly follow you throughout my life with faith and if someone is actually living according to that principle then he will make real spiritual advancement and whatever spiritual advancement you make all of those connected to you will share the benefits from your spiritual advancement and eventually you will become a pure devotee – definitely! And at that time all of your descendants and all of your forefathers will be liberated for so many generations.
- H.H.Radhanath Swami, lecture - Uttara Mother In Krishna Consciousness
Today in ISKCON, whatever little I have seen, initiation is taken seriously by aspiring devotees only up to when they get it. Of course, I don’t want to generalize but there is this tendency also among devotees today. They practice Krishna consciousness seriously to the point of initiation and then after initiation, spiritual life becomes hackneyed. But real spiritual life begins after initiation. Also, I have seen initiation is seen as a social status symbol within ISKCON and devotees have a sense of air around them. Such behavior actually is contradictory to the inner meaning of initiation.
Once initiated, the devotee actually must become more humble and tolerant and in fact aspire to seriously take the position of servant of the servant even if it is difficult. But initiated devotees (even so called senior devotees) lack the mental discipline to reject all forms of adoration, profit and distinction (materialistic qualities) thus beginning the road for downfall. So yes initiation is a serious commitment externally to practice our sadhana and internally to remain humble servants in the hands of Guru and Krishna.
Below is a transcript from a lecture about initiation given by H.H.Radhanath Swami. He captures the idea very nicely.
We should know that initiation in itself doesn't mean anything. Real initiation does not mean getting a name, sitting in front of a fire, and throwing some grains in the fire. That is not initiation. There are many people who get initiated who never got initiated…not really! It’s not something cheap. But in Kali Yuga everyone wants something cheap.
Prabhupada said don’t try to keep your guru like your dog. Don’t think your guru is just a picture to put on the wall and say this is my guru. It’s the way most people are. What does initiation mean? It means the willingness to surrender your life to following the instructions of the guru. If you are not willing to do that, initiation is a farce. It means nothing. Then we should never encourage anyone to get initiated unless they are living a life sincerely to follow the instructions. It is better to remain a congregational devotee without an initiation.
Getting initiated means following the four regulative principles strictly, if you are not following the four regulative principles strictly in this sampradaya and get initiated, it is a farce. It means nothing. If you are not willing to chant 16 rounds everyday it’s a farce! It means nothing! It’s a show bottle! It’s nonsense! We are not concerned with such show bottle nonsense cheap things. We are concerned something with substance. You are not going to back to Godhead because you are initiated. You are going back to Godhead because you surrendered to Krishna through surrendering to his pure devotees through the parampara and part of the process of that surrender is to accept initiation but it is not the end of itself.
To initiate means to begin - its beginning a higher realm of surrender if you do it right. If you don’t do it right it does not mean anything. If you are not willing to put your own ego aside to hear from the words of your guru and follow, then forget about initiation.
Initiation means a formal vow that I am going to put my ego aside and I am going to humbly follow you throughout my life with faith and if someone is actually living according to that principle then he will make real spiritual advancement and whatever spiritual advancement you make all of those connected to you will share the benefits from your spiritual advancement and eventually you will become a pure devotee – definitely! And at that time all of your descendants and all of your forefathers will be liberated for so many generations.
- H.H.Radhanath Swami, lecture - Uttara Mother In Krishna Consciousness
Hare Krishna
8 year old Jude cycled 62 miles from Oxford to London promoting cow protection and ahimsa milk (2 min video)
→ Dandavats.com
8 year old Jude cycled 62 miles from Oxford to London for the Ahimsa Dairy Foundation, promoting cruelty-free milk production. Read more › A new day and an other parikrama to Vrindavana’s beautiful and sacred Mansarovar, Bhandirvan, and Baelvan (62 photos)
→ Dandavats.com
Bhandirvan where Radha and Krishna were married by with Brahma as the priest, Mansarovar, a lake made of Radharani’s tears and Baelvan where Goddess Laxmi performed tapasya to enter into Raas-lila. Read more › Bliss in Union Buildings, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa with Iskcon devotees from all over the globe (29 photos)
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Our 3rd annual Chariot festival big success with loads of new faces. It wouldn't have been possible without your support and blessings. Read more › GITA COACHING INFO ON PREZI
→ Gita Coaching
VIEW WITH FULL SCREEN. CLICK ON ARROWS AT THE BOTTOM.
Lovers of Krishna chant His Name in the houses and streets of Moscow (49 photos)
→ Dandavats.com
"Glory to the Sri Krsna sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious."
Siksastaka Read more › And here is Mr Kapoor and the brahmana doing puja
→ SivaramaSwami.com
The chokers in question
→ SivaramaSwami.com
The power of mantras: inspired me to buy Syama a choker
→ SivaramaSwami.com
Devotees and John Lennon (birthday today) in his newly aquired Tittenhurst Park in Ascot (63 photos)
→ Dandavats.com
"John and his wife were very kind upon me when I was staying at Tittenhurst Park as their guests. I always prayed for them to Krsna for understanding this great movement. Please inform him this message on my behalf. I have dreamt something very nice about John which I shall disclose in proper time. In the meantime, please ask him to cooperate with this movement as you are doing, and he will be very happy."(Srila Prabhupada letter to George Harrison, February 16, 1970) Read more › Festival of colors, Holi in Italy’s beautiful Villa Vrindavana, an oasis of peace (39 photos)
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Beautiful Villa Vrindavana, an oasis of peace. Hare Krishna
Read more › Preaching Program in the University and Book Distribution by Iskcon Nairobi Vaishnavas (37 photos)
→ Dandavats.com
SKCON Nairobi has been actively promoting the ideals of Krishna consciousness since 1973, through college programs, a vibrant Sunday feast with Sunday School for the children, book distribution, and harinam sankirtana. There is an active congregation of 350 devotees. Find the Nairobi temple on Facebook as ISKCON Nairobi. Read more ›