Planet ISKCON

05-09-2013 Bhagvad Gita’s Message, Vinolin and Prashna’s Home, Johannesburg, South Africa.mp3

In Literature, the 4th- 7th graders are learning the basic elements of a story through the plot diagram, which is map of a story’s structure. Fourth and fifth grades are reading the fantastical story The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, while sixth and seventh grades are reading the heartwarming classic The Incredible Journey. As students progress in their reading, they are adding details from their respective books to the storyline diagram.

BY SHANTHI RUPA DEVI DASI 

KUALA LUMPUR - More on Srimati Radharani

Gaura lila - Appeared as Gadadhara Pandit / Lord Chaitanya
Age: 14 years 2 months 15 days
Father: Maharaja Vrsabhanu;
Mother: Kirtida devi;
Grandfather (Paternal): Mahibhanu;
Grandmother (Paternal): Sukhada devi;
Grandfather (Maternal): Indu;
Grandmother (Maternal): Mukhara devi who is also young Yasoda and Radha's nursemaid;
Uncles (Paternal): Ratnabhanu, Subhanu, Bhanu;
Uncles (Maternal): Bhadrakirti, Mahakirti, Kirticandra;
Aunts (Maternal): Menaka-devi, Sasthi-devi, Gauri-devi, Dhatri-devi and Dhataki-devi;
Mother's sister is Kirtimati-devi, whose husband is Kasa;
Father's sister is Bhanumudra-devi, whose husband is Kusa;
Brother: (elder) Sridama;
Sister: (younger) Ananga manjari;
Husband (so-called): Abhimanyu;
Father-in-law is Vrkagopa;
Mother-in-law: Jatila;
Sister-in-law: Kutila;
Brother-in-law: Durmada;

Eight dearest friends - Asta-Sakhis:

Lalita;
Visakha;
Sucitra;
Campakalata;
Ranga-devi;
Sudevi;
Tungavidya;
Indulekha.

Rädhä Krishna Ganoddesa Dipika - Rupa Goswami

Rädhikä, Rädhä, Rädhäräni

Srimati Radharani appeared exactly two weeks after the appearance of Sri Krishna on the eighth day of the waxing moon of Hrsikesha (Bhadra) mase, at noon. She was found on a lotus flower by Vrashabhanu and his wife Kirtida near the village of Barsana, a few miles away from Nandagrama. It is said that Srimati Radharani first opened Her eyes only when Sri Krishna appeared before Her. Until that time Her eyes were closed.

Govinda Lilamrita, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami 11.124

"Radhika never was initiated, nor did She study or hear from a siksa guru, but still She became the teacher of the arts to all the Vraja Gopis, who astonish all the ladies of the three worlds with their skills and who give the highest satisfaction to Sauri, the ocean of all the arts!" 

Her Favorite Pets:

• Surabhi cows: Sunada, Yamuna and Bahula;
• Calf: Tungi
• Female monkey: Kakkhati;
• Parrots: Süksmadhé and Subhä;
• Swan: Tundikeri
• Doe: Rangini;
• Chakori bird (Himalayan partridge): Carucandrika;
• Elephant: Madhuri.

Srimati Radharani, wears dress made of Her youthful bluish modesty woven with syama colored threads, and also uttaria, which is red due to extreme attachment for the company of Krishna;

She is outwardly very clever and contradictory while at heart is submissive;

She has a complexion like a yellow campaka flower and lightening;

Her lips are reddish due to Her deep attraction for Krsna.

Her personal beauty is compared to kumkuma and Her friendship with Her associates is compared to sandalwood pulp. The sweetness of Her calm sobriety is compared to camphor. These three ingredients decorate the body of Srimati Radharani - kumkuma, sandalwood pulp, and camphor.

Srimati Radharani is the eternal consort of Lord Sri Krsna and the embodiment of His hlädini potency. She is known as mahäbhäva-svarüpini, the personification of the highest ecstasy of divine love. She is the internal pleasure potency of the Lord; the incarnation of love; the queen of Vrindavan; and the crest jewel of the gopis.

The name Radha comes from the word arädhäna: One who can serve, who can worship, who can give respect, who really loves Krishna, who can render loving service.

Like Sri Krishna, Srimati Radha also has innumerable qualities, among which twenty-five are prominent:

1. She is sweet (madhura), that is, She is incomparably beautiful in appearance;
2. She is an ever-fresh youth;
3. Her eyes are restless and inclined to give sidelong glances;
4. She has a radiant, gentle and sweet smile;
5. She has beautiful lines, indicating auspiciousness;
6. She maddens Krishna with the fragrance of Her bodily limbs;
7. She is expert in the musical arts;
8. She speaks sweetly;
9. She is expert in making jokes;
10. She is very polite and modest;
11. She is merciful;
12. She is cunning;
13. She is expert in all duties;
14. She is shy;
15. She is always steadfast on the path of righteous conduct;
16. She is patient;
17. She is grave, so that it is very difficult to understand the import of Her mind;
18. She is fond of enjoying pastimes;
19. She is acutely eager to manifest the supermost excellence of mahäbhäva;
20. When the residents of Gokula see Her, their hearts immediately overflow with prema;
21. Her fame pervades the entire universe;
22. She is the object of affection for Her superiors (guru-jana);
23. She is controlled by the intense love of Her sakhis;
24. She is prominent among all Krishna's sakhis;
25. Kesava always remains submissive to Her orders.

No one is more dear to Krishna than Srimati Radharani. Srimati Radharani is not inferior to Sri Krishna in any way. It is Krishna Himself who enjoys Himself in two separate forms, as the enjoyer and the enjoyed. Krishna's beauty is so stunning that He Himself becomes enchanted by His own beauty. But if the beauty of Srimati Radharani were not greater than that of Sri Krishna, She could not enchant He who can enchant the whole universe. That is why She is called Bhüvan-mohän-mohini. She is the effulgence of Krishna, who is like the full moon (Krishnachandra). Sri Krishna is the sum total of all ecstasy, all beauty. He is the original reservoir of all wealth, prowess, and knowledge. So the greatness of Radharani, is beyond the limit of human knowledge, even beyond the limit of understanding of many liberated souls.

 

BY SHANTHI RUPA DEVI DASI

KUALA LUMPUR - More on Srimati Radharani from Sri Krsna and Subala

Concerning Her sixteen items of beautification, Subala says to Sri Krsna, "After bathing, Sri Radhika decorates the tip of Her nose with an effulgent jewel. She dresses in blue clothing, with a sash (nivibandhana) around Her waist. Her hair is plaited and She wears ornaments on Her ears. Her limbs are smeared with camphor, musk and sandal paste. She wears flowers in Her hair and a garland around Her neck. In Her hand She playfully carries a lotus flower. In Her mouth She has tambula, and on Her chin a dot of musk. She wears kajjala around Her eyes and on Her cheeks are muskpaintings of dolphins, etc. The bottoms of Her lotus feet are painted red and She wears tilaka on Her forehead."

Janmastami is the holiest day for Vaisnavas around the world and here at TKG Academy that feeling is no different. Students spent the week hearing about Lord Krsna’s pastimes and anticipating having Janmastami day spent at the temple helping the older devotees in seva. With freshly washed hair and clothing, tilak applied beautifully, the children made their way to Sri Sri Radha Kalachandji mandir with open hearts and helping hands to show Lord Krsna that even the youngest of the community are eager to please him, especially on his appearance day. Shortly after noon, the students of grades 2-8 gathered around to the front of the temple room to take turns reciting the story of Lord Krsna and the demon, Agasura accompanied by a flute player. Then home to rest and prepare for the evening celebration of the Lord Krsna with friends, families, and devotees.

 

BY SHANTHI RUPA DEVI DASI

KUALA LUMPUR - Artistic Qualities of Srimati Radharani. Excerpted from Brahma-samhita

• Singing
• Playing on musical instruments
• Dancing
• Theatricals
• Painting
• Painting the face and body with colored unguents and cosmetics
• Preparing offerings from rice and flowers
• Making a covering of flowers for a bed
• Applying preparations for cleansing the teeth, cloths, and painting the body
• Making the groundwork of jewels
• Covering the bed
• Playing on music in water
• Splashing with water
• Practically applying an admixture of colors
• Designing a preparation of wreaths
• Practically setting the coronet on the head
• Practically dressing in the tiring room
• Decorating the tragus of the ear
• Practical application of aromatics
• Applying or setting ornaments
• Jugglery
• Kaucumara - a kind of art
• Art of sleight of hand
• Preparing varieties of salad, bread, cake and delicious food
• Practically preparing palatable drinks and tinging draughts with red color
• Needleworks and weaving
• Playing with thread
• Playing on lute and small x-shaped drum
• Making and solving riddles
• Caping or reciting verse for verse as a trial for memory or skill
• Practicing language difficult to be answered by others
• Reciting books
• Enacting short plays and anecdotes
• Solving enigmatic verses
• Designing preparation of shield, cane and arrows
• Spinning by spindle
• Carpentry
• Engineering
• Testing silver and jewels
• Metallurgy
• Mineralogy
• Practicing medicine or medical treatment, by herbs
• Knowing the mode of fighting of lambs, cocks, and birds
• Maintaining or knowing conversation between male and female cockatoos
• Healing or cleaning a person with perfumes
• Combing hair
• Talking with letters and fingers
• Fabricating barbarous or foreign sophistry
• Knowing provincial dialects
• Knowing prediction by heavenly voice or knowing preparation of toy carts by flowers
• Mechanics
• The use of amulets
• Art of conversation
• Composing verse mentally
• Designing a literary work or a medical remedy
• Practicing as a builder of shrines called after him
• The use of lexicography and meters
• The art of concealment of cloths
• Knowing specific gambling
• Playing with dice or magnet
• Using children’s toys
• Enforcing discipline
• The art of gaining victory
• The art of awakening with music at dawn

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Sachinandana Swami Kirtan – Holy Name Festival – New Vrajamandala, Spain – Aug 24, 2013

Q: Why did lord Krishna not marry Radha?

To understand Radha correctly you need to somewhat understand the mysteries of “rasa” and “prema” – the ecstatic experience of spiritual love. Krishna and Radharani playfully married once, as children sometimes do. They did not really marry, however, because their love is more primal, profound, and unbounded than what wedded love facilitates. Wedded love is a very elevated type of divine union with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet in marriage the intimacy and spontaneity is not limitless. Some limitation is imposed by the sense of “duty” that husband and wife naturally acquire towards one another. This sense of duty is beautiful, but the highest type of love is even more beautiful. It is so profound that it requires no sense of duty – and flows absolutely spontaneously – breaking all things that stand in its path. Thus the pure transcendental love that Radha and Krishna enjoy on the highest level of bliss (paramānanda) expresses itself in the form of being paramours, not being husband and wife.

Q: How many wives did Krishna have? What was the names of his wives? How many sons did Krishna have? 

Krishna does not marry anyone or have any children.

However, Krishna’s first expansion, as the king of Mathura and Dvaraka does marry. This “Krishna” is slightly distinct from the original svayam-bhagavan Krishna, who never exits his Dhāma, Vṛndāvana. This first expansion of Krishna is known properly as Vāsudeva Krishna.

Vāsudeva Krishna first married Rukmini, and then married another seven goddesses, headed by Satyabhama. Jambavati is another prominent one of these original wives. A little while later, Vāsudeva rescued 16,100 ladies from their abduction into a harem, and then married them all. He personally lived with each of his 16,108 wives simultaneously.

We hear that he had 10 sons with each wife. I have seen lists of names for the sons only of the 8 original wives. The most famous are Pradyumna, Samba, etc. I am not sure if he also had many children with the thousands of other wives, nor am I sure how many daughters he had. When Vāsudeva Krishna departed from the earth, there was a terrible event that allowed almost every single one of his family members to leave the world at about the same time.

Q: Was Radha realy Krishna Aunti?

Radharani is the daughter of Vṛṣabhānu and Kīrtidā. Krishna is the son of Yaśodā and Nandā (Vāsudeva Krishna, a little different, is the son of Devakī and Vasudeva). There may be some distant relationship which would make Rādhā and Krishna some type of cousins, but if that is the case, I am not aware of it. So far as I know there is no family relationship between Rādhā and Krishna, and certainly Radharani is not Krishna’s aunt. That is rather preposterous.

We should mention that Krishna’s mother, Yaśodā has so much motherly affection for Sri Rādhā that she treats her exactly like her own daughter, you can say, exactly like her own “Daughter-in-law.”

Q: Why is Krishna blue in skin color?

Blue is a word that is moderately useful towards describing the transcendental color of the Supreme Personality Śrī Krishna. Here is a more elaborate and accurate description: imagine a mountain of dark-blue sapphire. It would be almost jet-black. Now imagine the sun rising behind that mountain. That is something to give a clearer idea of the color of Krishna. Very black, but with a blue brilliance.

If you understand how light produces color, it will make clear sense why Krishna is so black. Black is the color that attracts light absolutely, and no light bounces off a black object. Krishna is all-attractive. Therefore he is black, every energy is completely attracted to him and never departs from him.

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The impersonalist perceives the presence of the Lord in water by its taste, and the personalist also glorifies the Lord for His kindly supplying tasty water to quench man’s thirst. That is the way of perceiving the Supreme. Practically speaking, there is no conflict between personalism and impersonalism. One who knows God knows that the impersonal conception and personal conception are simultaneously present in everything and that there is no contradiction. Therefore Lord Caitanya established His sublime doctrine: acintya bheda- and abheda-tattva – simultaneous oneness and difference.

Bhagavad Gita As It Is 7.8 purport

Off The Road

Scarborough, Ontario

I landed in Toronto and was faced with wetness – rain all day. Rushing down the 401 Highway, my trusted driver, Nikil, with his family, and I, made it to Milligan Park in Scarborough for their first annual Chariot Festival. This event reenacts a procession held in the ancient city of Puri, India. The major highlight of this colourful event is once again, the chanting of the maha mantra.

I was really impressed by the cultural performances, most notably by a group of young girls who went on line to learn mrdanga drum beats. They went to practice, then to form a band as a solid team. Then, four young guys from the same community came forward to present a two man flute, one man violin, and one man mrdanga drum recital. It was purely instrumental and no less devotional. The tone, the mood, created that atmosphere of peace and the willingness to serve.

Perhaps of all instruments, the flute when played well is the most soothing of all to the mind. I’m not sure, but it’s just a personal opinion, or if it will ever be a debate left to public opinion. Speaking impartially, I would say, and I have mastered none as far as instruments are concerned, that would be my assessment. Perhaps science and brain scans could possibly verify this point.

The Chariot Festival was completed and I was whisked away to a post Krishna birthday event in Richmond Hill. The Bhadra family posted their 24th annual program, in which I was asked amongst other devotional obligations to say something of my current walk through the Prairies. Whenever I have the chance, I attempt to bring the audience to the road with me. I tried to express the self romanticization of the pilgrimage. It is an adventure and people do get inspiration. It’s my duty to share in this.

My lamentation for this day, however, is that time did not allow for me to do any walking, except to cross the street.

Here is a short definition of ‘pilgrim’ in the publication, The Devil’s Dictionary, by Ambrose Bierce.

“A Pligrim: A traveller who is taken seriously.”

0 KM (Sounds terrible, I know.)

Address The Fib

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

This was a rest day before embarking on a weekend flight to Toronto for a Chariot Festival in Scarborough. My marathon has not ended, I’ll be back on Highway 13 by Tuesday.

Relaxing it was, however, you do no favour to your feet by leaving them totally idle. They are on a roll, they want to move, so I treat them to the trails in a Saskatoon suburb at Jean Avant Pond. You follow a stream of water that feeds the man made pond and surrounding landscape. I am thankful that such places exist as pedestrians and runners are exclusive here. Even cyclists would find it hard to be accommodated here.

As a monk, swami, I have the other obligation to fulfill after putting aside what appears as recreational activity, walking. I oblige as a teacher in Bhakti Yoga in the home of Kasyap and Panchami, the couple who have spearheaded the Festival of Inspiration in Saskatoon for three consecutive years now. I had the pleasure to facilitate a 9 Devotions Workshop. A perfect numbered 2 dozen participants came to interact in this open hearted program.

Following in the footsteps of my guru and a chain of teachers with origins as far as can be imagined, the aim is to help persons in transitioning to a finer dimension. By the end of the session we are meant to be feeling lighter and our view on the world, brighter. The biggest block to any transformation of this type is simply the ego. The ego is steeped in the misconception that I am this body. This, of course, is the ultimate fib.

I am not this body, but I am spirit.

8 KM

"The chanting and hearing is essence. Even when dealing with a practical problem, Srila Prabhupada was seeing it and soon speaking of it in absolute terms. Chanting especially promotes this: leave everything aside and chant the holy name. Then we can take up even our most demanding preaching duties in this world with vigor and endurance."
From Japa Reform Notebook
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

Accidents, diseases, atrocities – when we see such tragedies befall people around us, we may become fearful: “What if something like that happens to me? Why do such things happen?”

To help us overcome such insecurities, Gita wisdom strengthens us with philosophical insight and devotional inspiration.

The Gita’s philosophical insight is that whatever happens to anyone is due to that person’s past karmic deeds, from either this life or previous lives. Though we may not know the exact correlation between specific actions and their corresponding reactions, the broad understanding of the causal connection between action and liberation is heartening. It liberates us from resentment and fills us with hope – no matter how bleak my present, I have the power to shape a bright future by making wise choices.

The Gita’s devotional inspiration comes by understanding that Krishna doesn’t stand aloof, but stands abreast – ready and eager to help us. The Bhagavad-gita concludes with the proclamation (18.66) that Krishna protects us from all sinful reactions if we just accept that protection by surrendering undeviatingly to him. He grants us strength to face whatever karmic reactions come upon us. He gives us the wisdom to make the right choices, no matter how complex and confusing the consequences of our past karma. To receive what he is offering us, we need to tune our consciousness by cultivating his devotional remembrance and harmonizing our will with his will.

When we thus surrender to Krishna, making wise choices no longer appears to be a solitary struggle; it becomes an empowering exercise for building our willpower muscles by tapping the power of Krishna. The strength coming from this exercise enables us to progress through life’s reversals with the supreme confidence that whatever karma may get us to, Krishna will get us through.

***

18.66 - Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

 

The Saturday after Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-puja, more first and second generation devotees had the opportunity to offer homages to Srila Prabhupada.

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PHOTOS

In the material energy, the principal manifestations are eight, as above mentioned. Out of these, the first five manifestations, namely earth, water, fire, air and sky, are called the five gigantic creations or the gross creations, within which the five sense objects are included. They are the manifestations of physical sound, touch, form, taste and smell. Material science comprises these ten items and nothing more. But the other three items, namely mind, intelligence and false ego, are neglected by the materialists. Philosophers who deal with mental activities are also not perfect in knowledge because they do not know the ultimate source, Krishna.

Bhagavad Gita As It Is 7.4 purport

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BY SHANTHI RUPA DEVI DASI

KUALA LUMPUR - "When Srimati Radharani first saw Krishna, She suddenly became conscious of all transcendental happiness, and the functions of Her different limbs were stunned. When Lalita, Her constant companion, whispered into Her ear, the holy name of Krishna, Radharani immediately opened Her eyes wide. (Nectar of Devotion, pg 259)

"One day, in a joking mood, Krishna informed Radharani, 'My dear Radharani, I am going to give up Your Company.' Upon saying this, He immediately disappeared, and because of this, Radharani immediately fell down upon the ground of Vrindavana. she had practically stopped breathing, but when She smelled the flavor of the flowers on the ground, She awoke in ecstasy and got up.

"One night, Srimati Radharani was talking in a dream. “My dear Krishna”, She said, “please do not play any more jokes on Me! Please stop! And please don't touch my garments either. Otherwise I shall inform the elder persons, and I shall disclose all of Your naughty behavior. She was talking like this in a dream. She suddenly awoke and saw some of Her superiors standing before Her. Thus Radharani became ashamed and bowed Her head" 

Relationship between Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani

The relationship between Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani (maya-mrgam) indicates yogamaya in this context since Radharani is Krishna’s hladini-sakti, His original internal pleasure potency. Because Krishna is Madana-mohana and Radharani is Madana-mohana-mohini, therefore mrgam means Krishna is like a deer that is controlled by the beautiful Radharani. Sri Radha always performs puja to bind Krishna because She cannot live without Him. Due to Radharani’s aradhana, or worship, Krishna never leaves Vrndavana. He runs through the forests of Vrndavana (anvadhavat), playing with His friends and cows and engaging in amorous pastimes with His most desired object (ipsitam), Srimati Radharani.

All the gopis love to hear Mother Yasoda sing about the glories of Krishna. Radharani is especially keen to hear Krishna’s pastimes, but She is particularly attracted to the Damodara pastime. Charmed by Damodara’s mood of surrender in agreeing to be bound by Mother Yasoda’s love, Sri Radha longs to have that same exchange with Krishna. She desires to express such intense love for Krishna that He will also agree to be bound by Her love. Appreciating this mood of  Mother Yasoda to enhance Her own feelings for Krishna, She resolves to experience this same reciprocation of love. ”(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.9.20, purport.)

Radha-Damodara thus refers to Radharani’s mood of intense attraction for this pastime between Damodara and Mother Yasoda. In celebration of this mood of love, She performs Katyayani vrata in the month of Kartik to receive the benediction to enter into this intimate relationship of loving exchange. By performing this vrata, Sri Radha is willing to undergo any austerities so that Krishna will agree to be bound by Her love.

According to Vedic civilization, during the month of Kartik unmarried girls are required to worship goddess Durga and perform austerities in order to get a good husband. In KRSNA book, the unmarried gopis perform Katyayani vrata to get Krishna as their husband. They eat only havisyanna—a bland kichari prepared by boiling mung dahl and rice together without any spices—to purify the body before enacting a ritualistic ceremony. After taking bath in the Yamuna River, they worship a deity of goddess Durga with sandalwood pulp, garlands, incense, lamps, fruits, grains, and twigs of plants. After worship, they pray for the benediction to become the wives of Krishna. (KRSNA, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, chapter 22)

Jiva Goswami has written that Srimati Radharani always performs austerities simply to bind Krishna more and more with Her love. Because without Krishna She cannot even bear to live. It is due to Sri Radha’s aradhana, or worship, that Krishna never leaves Vrndavana. Gaudiya Vaisnavas consider Radharani to be the presiding Deity for the month of Kartik, which, significantly, is also called Damodara. Srila Rupa Goswami, in his Sri Utkalika-vallari, proclaims Radharani as Kartik-devi, the goddess of  Kartik.

The Hari-bhakti-vilasa proclaims, “O learned brahmanas! Lord Damodara becomes very pleased if during the month of Kartik one worships a Deity of Radhika solely for Her pleasure.” (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 16.95) For this reason, Vaisnavas perform austerities in the month of Kartik to please Sri Radha. They consider Kartik as the month of Radha-Damodara because of the following pastime in the Uttara-khanda of the Bhavisya Purana.

“Once in the auspicious month of Kartik, Krishna came late for a rendezvous with Radharani in Her kunja. In loving anger, Sri Radha looked at Krishna with frowning eyebrows. Using some golden vines, Radha then tied a rope around Sri Krishna’s belly to punish Him for not showing up as promised. Krishna said He was late because Mother Yasoda kept Him home for a festival. Seeing Her mistake, Radha quickly untied Her beloved Damodara.” (Radha Kunda Mahima Madhuri, by Mahanidhi Swami, page 50)

Radharani’s desire to bind Krishna with Her love is fulfilled in this pastime. Therefore, Vraja Vaisnavas worship this Damodara who is bound by Radharani’s love. Of course, Krishna is already famous as Damodara from His childhood. In fact, just as Krishna is eternal, so is His Holy Name. He is always known as Damodara, although it appears that His name comes into being as a result of the pastime with Mother Yasoda. Damodar also means one who is bound with ropes of love by his mother.

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