Planet ISKCON

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

Holy Name Festival in Nueva Vrajamandala, Spain (95 photos) Read more ›

The post September 9th, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Thanks to Srila Prabhupada the Raha Yatra Festivals are taking place in all major cities of the world and distribute like this the mercy of Lord Jagannath to thousands of participants! Jaya Jagannath! Read more ›

Panama Ratha Yatra with Vaiyasaki Das and the Kirtan Explosion Band (25 photos) Read more ›

Bir Krishna Goswami leads bhajan 02/09/13 (4 min video) Read more ›

Bhakti Vijnana Goswami is one of the leaders of ISKCON in Russia and is working tirelessly towards establishing a large new temple in Moscow. He was a brilliant graduate student, attending chemistry classes at Moscow State University before he meet devotees in 1977. In spite of heavy opposition from the state he decided to serve full time in the mission of Srila Prabhupada. He tirelessly preaches and gradually has made large number of devotees in Russia and surrounding former states of USSR Read more ›

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.

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

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

Piyush says, “It is the first Bhagwad Gita in the world written in mirror image. I wrote the epic in my own hand writing in two languages, Hindi and English. One can read all the 18 chapters and 700 verses in front of a mirror.” Read more ›

The Griffith University Multi-Faith Centre held an awards evening on Tuesday, 30 July 2013, celebrating the success of the High School and University teams and entrants in making it to the finals of the 2013 'Many Faiths, One Peace' film competition. Read more ›

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.

New Govardhana's WWOOFing aims to provide volunteers with first-hand experience in organic and ecologically sound growing methods. WWOOF volunteers generally do not receive financial payment. The host provides food, accommodation, and opportunities to learn, in exchange for assistance with farming or gardening activities Read more ›

I am one of many Americans who was raised Christian. At first I wanted very badly to feel a connection with the God of the Bible to make my mother proud. However, deep down I knew this was not the right path for me. The more I studied the bible the more I would worry Read more ›

The fear of death haunts all living beings. This fear actuates the many intricate adaptations for self-preservation among nonhuman beings as well as the elaborate plans for self-defense among humans.

Sadly enough, all these arrangements are ultimately futile, because nothing can save us from the cruel clutches of death.

Moreover, acknowledging this fear often erodes, even evaporates, the joy of living by keeping our thoughts constantly in the scary shadow of death. To avoid becoming paranoid, we subconsciously neglect and forget the inevitability of death. But despite our denials, death grinds on relentlessly, reducing our dreams to debris by it ruthless march in one brutal moment.

If neither acknowledging nor denying the reality of death helps, what helps?

Only enlightenment helps.

Enlightenment catapults us to the spiritual level of reality that is beyond the jurisdiction of death. The Bhagavad-gita (02.24) helps us understand that we are spiritual beings, souls, who can’t be destroyed by any of the things that destroy everything material. We are meant for an eternal life of love with Krishna. By progressive spiritual illumination, we realize ourselves to be indestructible. This realization sets off a wondrous event in our heart – the slow but sure death of our fear of death.

When we train ourselves to live at the spiritual level by practicing devotional service, this training improves our life even at the material level – we may not live longer, but we live better. Rather than living in pursuit of illusory enjoyment in the arena of fear and death, we live for enlightened fulfillment in the arena of selfless devotional service to Krishna and all his children. We make the best contribution in this life while progressing towards the best destination in our afterlife.  What can be a better way to live?

***

02.24 - This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.

Iskcon devotees find success in intrducing SP's books in the 26th Moscow International Book Fair. 07/09/2013 Read more ›

How do we persevere in perfecting japa in face of our disqualifications.

These pictures were taken on August the 27th 2013 in Mayapur's Iskcon Temple during the installation of the murti of Srila Prabhupada. This murti is now being worshiped by the ashram boys with a very high standard. Jai Srila Prabhupada! Read more ›

04-09-2013 BG 9.2 The King of Education, Prema Sakti Devi Dasi’s Home, Johannesburg, South Africa.mp3

Devotees of Krishna do not miss any opportunity to glorify the Lord, even in the most unusual places like a police station! Read more ›

Mahadevi Dasi, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, while on pilgrimage in the Ganga distributes transcendental books to all the people she meets there. Read more ›

Real Value

Society sees value in many different way’s however more and more we see that value of individual’s is seen either in their academic prowess or financial success; indeed never before have our children been tested to such an extent as they are being now.

Indeed so great is the pressure that a failure to achieve what is seen as a minimum result makes many feel that do not have any value within society; this is magnified when looking at my own client group who will never achieve what the UK government now sees as a minimum standard.

Does that mean they have no value within society?

Ok! They will always need a little help with everyday living skills, simple tasks may take some time to process but does that mean they have no intrinsic value?

Well for me anyone who holds such a view shows indeed their lack of either compassion or education for each one has had a skill, some have amazed me with their gardening skills, some with their woodwork skills and some who have the ability to make people smile no matter how glum the day is.

Each has a unique special skill that you cannot measure in an exam.
We see that even those who recruit from the academic groups are questioning the qualifications given that the individual has simply remembered the answers but increasingly it is reported has little practical understanding of the subject matter or inability to show practical use of the subject matter.

We see that within the devotee society we have slowly moved away from seeing the beauty and skills from each person who come engaging them nicely in there are of expertise and allowing some lateral development of bhakti; leaning more on offering courses and putting emphasis on academic achievement.

The disease of our age means we are starting to loose our appreciation for the individual looking more at pieces of paper and certificates or financial success; little realizing that we all have a place in society and without these differences society itself fails to function.

However if we look closely at those who have been the most successful at bringing people to a full understanding of God Consciousness (Krishna Consciousness) there is an interesting notation; No matter what faith those most effective have not gone through any apostolic training, indeed those who were the driving force in preaching namely women were until recently excluded from this.

Indeed most revivalist religious movements have been by those who have not gone through a traditional training course but have based their teachings on the word of god as it is; the greatest example is Srila Prabhupada/Prahlada Maharaja simply by hearing from authority and reading inspired many to turn away from a materialistic life and take up an extraordinary life of dhakti.

Indeed let’s take a close look at ISKCON the greatest movers within the society have studied personally, taken good association and understood the need for devotional service; they have by their enthusiasm encouraged and shown practically how this brings immense happiness. These individual’s have helped over the years to increase those practising Krishna Consciousness.

I am not saying scrap all courses their a waste of time, NO!
We see as this society becomes obsessed by exams that in order for certain sections to progress and take up bhakti we need an academic line run by academic individual’s and in many ways this will validate Krishna Consciousness in the wider society.

But we also need to engage those who are not academic, but who are able to bring Krishna Consciousness alive and inspire others they too should be given every opportunity.

Looking at my client group given the current set up they would never ever be able to get even first initiation; and I concur that this is wrong both morally but also for the wider society it simply means we have socially excluded a section based on our bias prejudice.

Given that for example one client, having asked about the small Radha Krishna pictures in the car understood the need to offer a flower to their Lordship’s and to chant the holy names of Krishna; he also encouraged others. On our last day he gave me some sweet instruction make sure you always offer a nice flower to Krishna; simple indeed, could he be given initiation based on this? No! first this course then may be.

We here that in many ways there is an understanding that we are no longer in an emergency situation; that we can now put into place all these things it’s good for society; but I will say hang on put the breaks on, lets look at those who have moved to an academic religious structure we see that their membership is reducing compared to those who have an more open self realization religious structure especially those who allow members to share openly their realizations.

Both academic and non academic can co-exist if the ultimate aim is to create devotees so all sections of society becomes engaged; we cannot reduce bhakti to a tick box exercise or force square pegs into a round hole.

Mentor-ship offers so much as long as we can use it to look at the individual, develop an individual spiritual progression plan encouraging them step by step by step; seeing and giving initiation based on sincerity and practical following.

Lay preachers not academic preachers

practical practitioners of Krishna Consciousness not artificial conformation.

ISKCON has benefited greatly from their academic resources in the form of it’s academic devotees; but has benefited even more from the sincere efforts from those who have understood and given their all in seva