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→ Devamrita Swami's Facebook notes

"Whenever you come, the earth moves," one of our Bhakti Lounge members in Wellington, New Zealand told me. No, he wasn't simply flattering me.

Though I change global locations rapidly, somehow I managed to be in Wellington each time in the past four weeks when a major earthquake struck.

The first time, a chilly (for New Zealand) Sunday, July 21, I was staying on the third floor of an apartment building. While amid the most vulnerable bathroom situation you can imagine, suddenly I felt and saw the building totter and sway, as if it had roller balls underneath the foundation.

What to do? 

What kind of world is this . . . I thought.

You can't even relieve yourself in peace!

Clad in only a thin cloth around the waist, should I run out of the flat, downstairs and outside in the cold? 

Chanting Hare Krishna, as the initial major shockwaves seemed to subside, I decided that if indeed I was to give up my body at that time, the cadaver might as well be clean. So completing my bathroom rituals, I showered while wondering what comes next—one never knows when earthquakes are truly over, when the worst has actually passed. 

The tremors continued for the next 24 hours. The Sunday festival programme at the Bhakti Lounge went ahead as usual, and Krishna's guests showed up as normal.

Now that I am earthquake experienced, I deeply sympathise with anyone who has shaken through one. But another?

After traveling overseas, a month later I arrived back in Wellington just in time to catch a repeat performance, August 16—this one stronger than before.

Though both hit the upper 6 range on the quake scale, Wellington, unlike Christchurch in 2011, incurred no human fatalities, injuries, or collapsed buildings. Tremors continued through the day and night, two exceeding 5 on the scale.

Srimad-bhagavatam (10.14.58) reminds us: "For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murari, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf's hoof-print. Their goal is param padam, Vaikuntha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step."

Where is safety in this world—maybe off the ground, in the air?

Consider this news reported a few months ago in the Times of India: 

During an Air India flight over the ocean from Bangkok to Delhi, with 166 passengers on board, the first officer (co-pilot), excusing himself from the cockpit for a bathroom break, decided to let a flight attendant (cabin crew member) occupy his seat at the controls. 

A few minutes later the Captain also left the cockpit, after giving the now two flight attendants in the cockpit instant lessons on how to fly. 

Leaving the flight attendants at the controls by themselves, the pilot and co-pilot retreated to the business class section of the cabin, reclined back, and went to sleep. 

Forty minutes into their snooze, one of the flight attendants at the controls shut off the autopilot by mistake, thereby plunging the aircraft into danger. Forced out of their slumber, the pilots rushed back to the cockpit. 

All four perpetrators—pilot, co-pilot, and the two flight attendants—were de-rostered and later suspended.

Welcome to the enjoyable, secure material world. 

The eternal Vrindavan
→ KKS Blog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 12 July 2013, Fuska Gouranga, Serbia, Seminar 3)

dancing-peacockWe must go to Vrindavan. There is no doubt about it. We must go. We must roll in the dust. We must taste the mahaprasadam. We must jump in the Yamuna.

“Oh, but is the Yamuna still there?”

Of course it is! On the spiritual platform, it is still there. It is only the external covering of the dham that can be affected by a dam in Dehli. The eternal Yamuna is there  eternally. The dham is ther eeternally. The dham cannot disappear no matter what human beings put on top of it. Even if we get the Vrindavan Hilton, it is still Vrndavan.

The Yamuna can never leave Vrindavan. Still, we would like the covering of Vrindavan to be as transparent as possible to the eternal Vrindavan.

But even if in the covering of Vrindavan there are so many irregularities now, underneath the eternal Vrindavan is unchanged and still there. Therefore we must go. We must go.

And don’t say, “Oh, where are the peacocks now?”

They are there. We just need the eyes to see them – the eternal peacocks , the ones that danced with Krsna, the ones that when Krsna played his flute danced so enthusiastically and so happily that Krsna bowed down before them like a musical performer. And then the peacocks gracefully presented him with a gift – one of their feathers, and Krsna accepted it and put it on his head.

That Vrindavan is there for us to see. It just depends on the purity of our heart. So now we can prepare and try to become purified so that when we go to Vrindavan, we can actually perceive the transcendental spiritual world.

 

Prayers to Lord Balarama
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas

Text 28

Then, in Vraja, after five days, in the month of Bhādra (August-September), on the sixth day of the bright fortnight, when Mercury, five exalted planets, and the constellation Libra were on the horizon, at midday, as the demigods showered a beautiful rain of flowers and the clouds sprinkled drops of water, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, illuminating Nanda’s home with His splendor, was born from Vasudeva’s wife (Rohiṇī).

Text 29

Nanda performed the child’s birth ceremony and gave in charity a million cows to the brāhmaṇas. Then he called the gopas and observed a very auspicious festival with the music of many singers and instrumentalists.

Text 30

Coming there with Devala, Devarāta, Vaśiṣṭha, Bṛhaspati, and myself (Nārada), Vyāsadeva was pleased when Nanda washed his feet and worshiped Him in many ways.

Text 31

Śrī Nanda said: Who is this handsome boy, whose equal cannot be seen anywhere? How is it He was born after only five days (in the womb)? O great sage, please tell me.

Text 32

Śrī Vyāsa said: Nanda, you are very fortunate. This child is eternal Ananta Śeṣa. In Mathurā City He was conceived by Vasudeva in Devakī.

Text 33

By Lord Kṛṣṇa’s wish He was brought to beautiful Devakī. O King Nanda, you may see Him even though the great yogīs cannot.

Text 34

I, Vedavyāsa, have come here to see Him. Therefore, please show Him, the Supreme Person who is greater than the greatest and who now displays the form of an infant, to us.

Text 35

Śrī Nārada said: Then Nanda showed them the child Aannta Śeṣa. Gazing at the child in the cradle, Vyāsa, struck with wonder, bowed down, and spoke.

Text 36

Śrī Vyāsa said: O master of the demigods, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, O Lord who grants desires, obeisances to You! Obeisances to You, who are Lord Aananta Śeṣa! Obeisances to You, who are directly Lord Rāma!

Text 37

Eternal obeisances to You, Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, the maintainer of the earth, perfect and complete, effulgent and glorious, holding a plow in Your hand, and having a thousand heads!

Text 38

You are Baladeva, Revatī’s husband and the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead’s elder brother. You are armed with a plow. You are Pralambāsura’s killer. O Supreme Person, please save me!

Text 39

Obeisances! Obeisances to You, who are known as Bala and Balabhadra, and who carry a palm-tree flag! Obeisances to You, Rohiṇī’s fair-complexioned son dressed in blue garments!

Text 40

You are the enemy of Dhenuka, Muṣtika, Kūṭa, Rukmī, Kūpakarṇa, and Kumbhaṇḍa. You put an end to Balvala.

Text 41

You divided the Yamunā and dragged Hastināpura. You are the enemy of Dvivida. You are the king of the Yādavas and the decoration of the circle of Vraja.

Text 42

You are the killer of Kaṁsa’s brothers, a pilgrim who goes to holy places, the Supreme Master, and the teacher of Duryodhana. O Lord, please protect, please protect the world!

Text 43

O infallble Lord, O greater than the greatest, O Lord Ananta, O Lord whose fame is everywhere, glory, glory to You! Obeisances to You, who hold a plow and a club and are the master of the demigods, great sages, and regal serpents!

Text 44

A person who regularly reads or recites these prayers attains Lord Hari’s supreme abode. Even in this world he attains all strength. He crushes his enemies. For him are victory, wealth, and followers.

Text 45

Śrī Nārada said: After circumambulating Lord Balarāma and bowing down before Him a hundred times in the company of (the other sages), intelligent Vyāsa Muni, who was the son of Parāśara and Satyavatī, went to the Sarasvatī river.

- Garga Saṁhitā 1.10.28-45

Atten­tive Chant­ing Is Very Impor­tant
→ Japa Group


"I do appre­ci­ate that I per­sist patiently and that I’m able to con­trol my mind even when there is no nectarean taste in chant­ing. I’m just sug­gest­ing that if I could be alert and bring the mind back to hear­ing, then why not try to go fur­ther. All the author­i­ties say that atten­tive chant­ing is very impor­tant and leads to think­ing about Krishna’s form, activ­i­ties, qual­i­ties and pas­times. They must be right."

From Japa Transformations
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

a shift in consciousness
→ everyday gita

Verse 4.16: Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall be liberated from all misfortune.

The complexity and depth that surrounds karma (action and reaction) are once again highlighted today. As a follow up to the previous verse where we learned the importance of associating and learning from successful bhakti yogis, today's verse carries along in a similar vein. Specifically, it highlights exactly what we can learn from such personalities:

The art of performing actions.

That may sound a bit simplistic. After all, we could after all just observe and imitate the great souls, could we not? No! That's why Krsna states "Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is inaction." That's because some of us may forget that:

The outward action is a manifestation of the internal consciousness.

This is probably one of the most challenging paradigm shifts an aspiring yogi has to make - recognizing that externals alone mean little in the eyes of the Divine. It's the emotion and attitude which colour those actions that have true value.

This type of attitude shift is difficult to make on our own since many of us may not even know where to begin! After all, it can be hard to feel anything if we're just beginning. Such emotion and consciousness is something that can only be imbibed from those who truly feel gratitude and love for the Divine.

By being in their presence and hearing from them, our hearts start to open up. Like a lotus flower whose petals slowly unfurl in the moonlight, our hearts start to slowly soak in the consciousness of gratitude.

The value of such company can never be overstated and that's why the great Vedic text called the Srimad Bhagavatam states:

"The value of a moment's association with a lover of the Lord cannot even be compared to the attainment of heavenly planets or liberation from matter, and what to speak of worldly benedictions in the form of material prosperity..." SB 1.18.13

The performance of action is not about the results; it's about what the heart feels when performing those actions.

Beneficial For Many Others
→ travelingmonk.com

“Sometimes the children as soon as they see us they say, “Hare Krsna!” In Montreal the children, when I was walking on the street, all the children, the shopkeepers, the store keepers they said, “Hare Krsna!” If you practice yoga or meditate it may be beneficial for you, but this is beneficial for many others. [...]

Nitco Visits the TOVP
- TOVP.org

The super structure is rising from Mayapur’s golden dust as the momentum of construction steadily continues.

The time for considering finishing work has arrived and research is being done to identify suppliers of needed items. One such company is Nitco Limited. Established in Bombay in 1953, it has grown into one of India’s largest manufacturers of tiles. Members of the company’s staff recently visited Mayapur, including the Managing Director and owner, Mr. Vivek Talwar. After discussions with the art department and the TOVP’s own Managing Director, Sadbhuja Das, an exciting agreement was reached where Nitco will provide blue and gold tiles. A prominent area where these will be featured are the domes, renderings of the finished temple show popping blue domes with gold ornamentation.

This is a promising relationship. The staff at the TOVP look forward to cultivating new partnerships while accommodating the expanding needs of the project.

ECOV Board Meeting Minutes 8-10-2013
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

 

ECOV Logo 

ECOV Board Meeting Minutes 8-10-2013

Mission Statement: ECOV (Earth, Cows, Opportunities & Vrindaban Villages) is dedicated to cow protection, sustainable agriculture, self-sufficiency and simple living — all centered around loving service to Sri Krishna, as envisioned by the ISKCON New Vrindaban Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Participating Members of the ECOV Board of Directors:  Chaitanya Mangala, Madhava Gosh, Navin Shyam, and Ranaka

Advisors present: Jaya Krsna

Others present: Tapahpunja

1. G7G & SFTC projects

In general, Tapahpunja said that a lack of manpower and unusually heavy rains had prevented him from working on longer-term capital improvement projects, as he focused on basic growing and distribution operations.

Greenhouse:  Based on recent experiences with PVC-shell greenhouses being damaged by storms, he is cancelling the current proposal and will resubmit a new one for steel-framed houses.

Irrigation system: This is 90% complete, but its use has not been necessary with the heavy rains.

Drainage system: Tapa has not been able to work on this because of wet weather.

Bread oven: Some funds were spent on creating a design and constructing a shelter.  The project was moved to the backburner, due to labor shortage, however, the shelter is being used to cover other gardening materials, and the balance of funds were returned.

Pole barns: Designs for 2 structures at a cost of $42K were made, but there have been issues in negotiating with INV on what the barns will be used for.

SFTC:  Tapa mentioned that he plans to ask for a grant to rebuild the fence and gazebo at the Teaching Garden.

2. Deity milk product offerings

Most of what the Deities are offered is coming from local milk.  INV has plans to purchase 2 more cows to increase production.  INV is requesting ECOV to continue subsidizing Ananda Vidya’s time on the project, which averages 6 hrs/week.

3. Reusable metal water bottle distribution

A sign to be displayed at the outlets is just about ready.  The lassi barn is not currently open, but when it does open, bottles will be available there as well.

4. Auction fund

Gosh is about to buy $1K worth of pavers at a discount price (for the G7G cabin and other projects).

5. Grain storage

The project is just about finished.  A motor needs to be purchased to power the augur that will transport the grain into the bins.

The purchase of grain will be discussed at the next joint board meeting.

6. Prototype cabin

The unit still needs insulation, a sink and flooring.  Pavers that Gosh will be purchasing will be used for the floor.  A grand opening celebration is scheduled for October 5.

7. Srila Prabhupada’s Palace cow pasture fence

Installation of a wooden fence is almost complete. Plans are to paint it next year.

8. Palace renovation

INV is advertising for a Project Manager for Srila Prabhupada’s Palace renovation.

9. Bahulaban projects

Pink building demolition is just about complete and utility building stabilization is about to begin.

10. Temple/Lodge foundation plantings

Gosh has found a devotee, Brikhasanga, to work on these.

11. Proposal: $7K to cover overage for 2013 trees and berries budget

WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to continue its efforts to make New Vrindaban land agriculturally productive.

RESOLVED: The Board authorizes an additional $7K for the 2013 trees and berries budget.

12. Proposal: $15K for second cabin at G7G

The project was put in pipeline status.

13. Guidelines for promotional materials

The Board discussed that what we sell at our promotional booth should reflect our values and mission, even if that increases the expense and decreases the profit we earn.

For example, wooden and gourd cows, organic cotton t-shirts printed with non-toxic dyes, and generally hand-made crafts rather than mass-produced Chinese imports.

14. Grant request:  $12K for Gopal’s Garden School

WHEREAS: The ECOV Board wishes to continue its support of a school in the New Vrindaban community.

RESOLVED: The Board grants up to $12K to Gopal’s Garden school   for the 2013-2014 school year, based on the assumption that INV will match this amount, and on condition that the school produce a quarterly newsletter (September, December, March & June) highlighting activities at the school and including pictures of the students.

15. Replacement for Rafael

The immediate need is to find someone to manage the Deity flower garden and trees & berries projects while Rafael is away from October through April.

 

Sunday, August 18th, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

We All Were Hippies

San Francisco, California

The JFK Blvd runs through Golden Gate Park, the route for the 47th Annual Ratha Yatra, the Festival of Chariots. This is a milestone. Approximately that long ago hippies (young with flowers in their hair) danced in circles around Swamiji and his faithful followers, the Hare Krishnas. To be more precise it was 1967, the summer of love, when San Francisco was the world hotbed of free and alternative thinking. "Turn On," "Be Grooving," and "Let It All Hang Out," were cliched to the max. At the top of the hill (Hippy Hill), our guru, Srila Prabhupada, known affectionaly as Swamiji drew the crowds to take them to a higher consciousness.

During today's chariot parade, I was personally or physically thrown back to that precious time when leading the chanting kirtan. The crowds came, some of them from that era I'm sure, but in general more diverse in age. At one point I walked the great grand-children of Anavadyangi, a personal student of Srila Prabhupada.

It was with some dismay that the route to the standing point of the parade was my only walking for the day. My guess is a mere 4 kilometres. But yet a sweat was worked-up. It happened to be a sun-filled day.

Our local drama trope, with Sing Lung added on did stupendously on the stage. We got everyone off their feet and having at the story's crescendo. It was a rewarding feeling after putting the hours in its direction and the actor's hard physical output.

There was warmth and kindness from all in those expressing their appreciation.

I will not fail to mention the joy in the heart when seeing a group of middle-aged guys beating at their djembes just outside the festival's zone. The principle drummer constantly threw in this "Govinda Jaya Jaya". The other drummers were focused and reverent in the practice of their mystical beats.

It was heart-warming, just heart-warming.

4 KM

Thursday, August 15th, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

Moving On

Los Angeles, California

A concrete man-made water way is what gave space for the Ballona Bike Trail, a route that Dhananjaya and I had now become partially familiar with. It looks like we were not the only ones aware of this quiet getaway. We shared in this secret with a coyote who non-chalantly prowled his way (a portion of its length opposite to the river to us.) I Tried to gain his attention, "Hey Dude!" but he wasn't in the least phased. Frankly I was happy he was just there. His very presence seemed to defy or transcend the human infrastructure around him.

The other day, I had the same feeling when at pre-dawn an opossum was making its journey at post-party time on the San Diego beachfront. For him the party just began as I followed his quiet footsteps from dumpster to dumpster. He was apparently doing his rounds.

For those of us who are fortunate to live the lifestyle in the monastic order, rarely a day goes by where we can ignore sastra, the written wisdom, wherever we go. In reflection on today's Bhagavatam verses I was asked to speak on the final message of Chapter 11, Canto 7, regarding the Vedic four social orders. The Vedas convert the four social human types based on a person's psyco-physical make-up. What I attempted to emphasize was that spiritually we are all equal, as servants of Him. Materially we are all distinct and simultaneously complimentary to each other.

Complimentary or not, I did mutually get on well with a guy at the LA Airport waiting for a flight to San Jose. He calls himself a skipper or a sailor who is well-travelled and works on boats. He was neighbours to Crosley, Stills, Nash & Young and helped them get their yacht adrift in those days. A firm believer in conspiracy theories, he clearly pointed out at the CNN screen in front of us and declared that tv tells no truth.

He expressed that he really liked what I was doing as a roaming monk, hitting trails on foot and meeting people. On a recent ocean voyage he took ninety boy scouts for an adventure. I asked about the outcome.

"They're today's kids, hooked on gadgets and know little of the outdoors. About a dozen caught on. It's a shame, really."

10 KM

Janmastami Sponsorship Opportunities
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!


Sri Krishna Janmastami, one of the biggest festivals of the year is just around the corner! Lord Krishna's Birthday will be celebrated in a grand fashion on Wednesday, August 28th from 6pm to midnight, stay tuned for more details about the festival program. We’re always committed to make our festivals better each year. In order for this to happen we need support from the community. There are many sponsorship opportunities available for this year, please see below for details or contact Satyabhama devi dasi for more information. We hope to see you soon! 


10.41 – Krishna is better than the best that the world can offer
→ The Spiritual Scientist

“I will miss so much pleasure if I devote myself to Krishna.” This feeling may check us while practicing spiritual life, especially its regulative principles.

Gita wisdom overturns this fear by declaring that we will miss far more pleasure by not devoting ourselves to Krishna. The Bhagavad-gita (10.41) indicates that the attractiveness of everything attractive is but a spark of Krishna’s all-attractiveness. This implies that Krishna’s pleasure-giving potency is far greater than the pleasure-giving potency of everything else, for he is the source of the pleasure-giving potency of everything.

Why then do we feel that worldly things are more pleasurable than Krishna?

Because our spiritual awareness that enables us to connect lovingly with Krishna is covered under lifetimes of materialistic conditionings. Though we are souls meant to rejoice in eternal love with Krishna, our conditionings have trapped our consciousness at the material level, thereby making spiritual happiness inaccessible.

So Krishna gives us the vision to see how he cares for us even at the material level, as the Gita (15.12-14) outlines. Over time when we understand philosophically and experience practically how Krishna loves us even when we don’t love him. Thus, we gradually develop faith in his assurance that devoting ourselves purely to him gives spiritual happiness far greater than the best material happiness.

When we take a leap of faith and sacrifice a few material pleasures for Krishna’s pleasure, we see for ourselves that we have not been losers but have been gainers. The enjoyment we have lost is drop-like, but the fulfillment we have gained is oceanic.

Once the conviction that Krishna is better than the best that the world can offer takes root in our heart, then worldly temptations lose their charm. And we march steadily and swiftly back to him.

**

Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013
→ The Walking Monk

Her Second

Los Angeles, California

Svavas has been the Krishna community leader here for many years. After I settled in at the sannyasi quarters of the LA community he showed me a copy of "Newsmax" August issue with a picture of First Lady Barbara Bush wearing a shawl from India. Draped around her shoulders it read in Devanagri script, "Hare Krishna." We were both delighted by Barbara's fashion statement.

My main reason for a rare visit to the City of Angels (It's just not on my regular trail) was to award brahman initiation to a Cleveland woman residing in the community. Hari Lila, was a super fan of George Harrison when she got internet-connected with Ramachandra of London Ontario, running a website of the legendary Beatle. One thing led to another and Hari Lila eventually, through the initial boost of George's devotional music, jointed the Krishna community here.

Hari Lila had earned this post of privilege on the strength of her sincerity and commitment. Svavas mentioned that she's earned it.

It was a pleasure to meet Rick, her father, a Lutheran, who came to the fire ceremony of his daughter. She was given new additional mantra to chant as part of the job description and that was followed by a planned walk on Ballona Bike Trail, through the heart of Culver City, a path she daily cycles as physical output. Her Dad came along as well as other friends.

The expression of wheels that takes to religiously is her down-time from kitchen and temple duties. Overall I'm very happy for her for having so many encouraging friends. "We love her," said one senior female devotee.

To her credit she has wrapped around her heart the Mahamantra, "Hare Krishna" and has mad it her life-line.

10 KM

Visit To New Dwaraka Dham Los Angeles August 14th-15th







Empower yourself with the simple principles of life taught by the Gita
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Mundane wranglers have taken advantage of Bhagavad-gita to push forward their demonic propensities and mislead people regarding right understanding of the simple principles of life. Everyone should know how God, or Krsna, is great, and everyone should know the factual position of the living entities. Everyone should know that a living entity is eternally a servant and that unless one serves Krsna one has to serve illusion in different varieties of the three modes of material nature and thus wander perpetually within the cycle of birth and death; even the so-called liberated Mayavadi speculator has to undergo this process. This knowledge constitutes a great science, and each and every living being has to hear it for his own interest.

Bhagavad Gita As It is Preface

The ground of our consciousness
→ KKS Blog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 26 February 2013, Vrindavan India, Caitanya Caritamrta Seminar, Part 1)

Balaram_Appearance

 

Balaram holds the plough. He prepares the ground, the ground of our consciousness. He ploughs our consciousness. He engages us in service. He takes us, pulls us out of our conditioned state and engages us in service.

And then we join in this amazing pastime of transforming people - just transforming their lives! This is the secret – to become the instrument and to pass on the mercy. Then prema (love) will come.

It Is A Relationship
→ Japa Group

"Sometimes we think of chanting as a process, which it is. But more than a process, it is a relationship — our relationship with Krishna. We are in the material world because we have turned away from Krishna. We have come here to try to enjoy in imitation of Him, or in competition with Him. And when we realize that we cannot be happy trying to imitate God or take His place — when we realize that we have turned away from Krishna, who is our best friend and well-wisher, and we actually regret having turned away from Him and want to rectify our relationship with Him, the first — and best — thing we can do is to make the effort to chant His holy names with attention. So, it is really our relationship with Krishna in the form of His holy name that we are trying to develop."

From Reviving our relationship with Krsna
by Srila Giriraj Swami
Lecture 14 May 2013

Join us for the celebration of Balarama Appearance on Tuesday August 20th @ 7:00pm
→ ISKCON BRAMPTON'S BLOG

Balarama Appearance Day 2013 Celebrations


Descent of Balarama

Whenever Krishna appears in the material world, He is accompanied by His associates and paraphernalia. Five thousand years ago when Krishna descended into the material world, He was first preceded by Baladeva. Only after Baladeva give His mercy did Krishna descend, such is the intimate relationship between Krishna and Baladeva.

When Baladeva appeared as the seventh child in the womb of Devaki, she could understand that this was a divine child and this made her all the more concerned about His safety. Even Kamsa could sense His potency and he became fearful, thinking he may have been tricked by the prophecy that he will be slain only by the eight child of Devaki. At this time Krishna instructed Yogamaya, His internal potency, to transfer the unborn child from the womb of Devaki to that of Rohini, one of the other wives of Vasudeva, who was hiding from Kamsa in the house of Nanda Maharaja in Gokul.

In this way Balarama was born in Gokul under the protection of Nanda Maharaja. Garga Muni the venerable kulguru (family priest) of the Yadu dynasty revealed to Rohini that the child she was carrying was indeed that of her husband Vasudeva. At the time of the name-giving ceremony he named the child Rama, one who gives all pleasures. Referring to the immense strength of the child, Garga Muni predicted that He will also be known as Balarama (bala meaning strength). Since He was forcibly attracted from the womb of Devaki to that of Rohini, He was also be called Sankarshana. As the son of Rohini He was known as Rohini-nandan and as the elder brother of Krishna He was also called Douji.

BALARAMA APPEARANCE DAY PROGRAM INCLUDES:
7:00pm - Guru Puja
7:15pm - Gaura Aarti
7:45pm - Nrsinghadeva prayer
7:55pm - Announcements
8:00pm - Pastimes & Glories of Lord Balarama by Her Grace Kamala Gopi Devi Dasi
8.45pm – Pushpanjali & Closing kirtana
9:15pm - Announcements & SRI BALARAM MAHA FEAST
9:45pm - Honouring of Prasadam

You are welcome to bring some nice flowers from home to offer for Pushpanjali to Lord Balarama.
 
SPONSORSHIPS AND DONATIONS:
“If anything is donated to a devotee of Lord Vishnu in the name of Lord Vishnu, the charity is said to be pure and the only solution for liberation." [Hari Bhakti Vilasa,11.64,Skanda Purana]

MAHA PUSHPABHISEKA (Flowers etc.)                  $51
SRI BALARAM MAHA FEAST (Food, Drinks etc.)     $251
Please contact Mother Krsna Smaran for sponsorship of this festival.

For more information on how you can serve on festivals, please contact Prema Gaurangi Devi Dasi (premagaurangi.jps@hotmail.com)

Nitai’s Pizza and Pasta
→ Ramai Swami

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Nitai’s Pizza and Pasta is an organic vegetarian restaurant run by Dhrumila das and his wife Nitai Carana devi dasi. Although situated in a busy area of Denpasar, the menu is not of local food style. The ingredients are totally vegetarian and organic. Along with pizza and pasta they serve breads, cakes, biscuits, energy health bars and much more.

Dhrumila says that a lot of their business comes from orders for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and business functions. They are open six days a week and on Sunday they take a well earned break and go to the Jagannatha Gauranga temple. Dhrumila and Nitai Carana are a young couple and are newly initiated disciples of Kavicandra Maharaja.
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Noticing the Qualities (Gunas or Modes) of Nature
→ Karnamrita.das's blog

Author: 
Karnamrita Das

(this blog is recorded on the full page: quick time player needed; works best with Firefox or Explorer)
The modes in action photo TA0498_zps6d8319cb.jpg

There are many modern and ancient ways to describe the subtle building blocks, or constituents, of the material world for different purposes. However, looking through the lens of the Bhagavad Gita, we find a perspective of the physical world which is most helpful for yoga, or spiritual practice. While many people are at least casually familiar with the ancient Chinese concept of yin and yang, the Gita's outline of the gunas, or modes/qualities/karmic-blueprints of nature, will be more helpful for those interested in understanding their material conditioning for making spiritual advancement. The Gita devotes a whole chapter to giving us a basic template for noticing the gunas in our life, and in subsequent chapters goes into more detail. This knowledge is so powerful that it is considered the best of all knowledge regarding the material world, by which even great sages have attained perfection (BG 14.1-2)

To understand exactly what the gunas are, we need to understand some basic yogic philosophy. The metaphysic of the Gita is that our true identity is spiritual--we are eternal consciousness, an atomic fragment (atma or soul) of serving disposition, or a spiritual particle of God. Our intrinsic nature is to serve or cooperate with our Source, the Supreme Whole, revealed to be Krishna--the speaker of the Gita. The world of matter is foreign to the soul, as a confining spacesuit is confining to a human being. In order to function in this realm of matter we are given physical bodies with unique characteristics built by various combinations of the gunas, further limited by additional laws of Nature, such as time and space. The Sanskrit word guna, means rope, or a type of binding force created as a manifestation and instrument of a soul's karma, or reactions to work from previous lives.

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