Planet ISKCON

Discussion about the milk issue with Balabhadra das and members of the Hawaii ISKCON temple Part 2.

Discussions on the Milk Issue with Balabhadra das and members of the Hawaii ISKCON temple.

Discussions on the Milk Issue with Balabhadra das and members of the Hawaii ISKCON temple.

On a flight from Bangkok, Thailand to Paro, Bhutan, I found myself sitting next to David Silverberg. A geologist expert on the Himalayan region, David had been contracted by National Geographic to lead a group of travellers on a trip of Bhutan. A founding White House staff member for AmeriCorps under the Clinton administration and teacher at […]

Looking forward to the Kirtan Music Fest 22-24 March at beautiful Govinda Valley just outside of Sydney! www.govindavalley.com    

“There is also a planet of trees presided over by Aryama, who represents Krsna.”
   —Bhagavad-gita As It Is, first edition, purport to 10.29

Turning many heads at last year’s Ratha-yatra festival in Los Angeles was a colorful sight: a man on stilts and dressed as a tree, lushly adorned with leaves and branches. Apparently he is a well-known figure at Venice Beach. Spotting him, my godbrother Svavasa Prabhu, the president of the Los Angeles ISKCON temple, called out to me, “Look! The planet of the trees!” I was too late to snap a picture of the tree-man. But I picked up pictures of him and other “tree people” from the internet. Once, a few years before, in Long Island, I’d had a — well, I guess you could call it a chat — with a bold young fellow from Bangalore who proudly declared that since “the planet of the trees” was in the original edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the edition Srila Prabhupada had personally approved, at least he (that bold young fellow from Bangalore) had full faith that there really is such a place. So for those who would accord a special sacred status to “planet of the trees” and other such editorial errors (and for anyone else who might find such curious matters interesting), here you have them: images from… … . The Planet of the Trees! Please don’t get me wrong. The first edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is is a marvelous transcendental book, full of spiritual potency. So if that’s the edition you prefer, fine. In that case — if you’re sincere and honest about wanting to follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions — please buy it from the BBT. Hare Krishna.

read more

“There is also a planet of trees presided over by Aryama, who represents Krsna.”
   —Bhagavad-gita As It Is, first edition, purport to 10.29

Turning many heads at last year’s Ratha-yatra festival in Los Angeles was a colorful sight: a man on stilts and dressed as a tree, lushly adorned with leaves and branches. Apparently he is a well-known figure at Venice Beach.

Spotting him, my godbrother Svavasa Prabhu, the president of the Los Angeles ISKCON temple, called out to me, “Look! The planet of the trees!”

I was too late to snap a picture of the tree-man. But I picked up pictures of him and other “tree people” from the internet.

Once, a few years before, in Long Island, I’d had a — well, I guess you could call it a chat — with a bold young fellow from Bangalore who proudly declared that since “the planet of the trees” was in the original edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the edition Srila Prabhupada had personally approved, at least he (that bold young fellow from Bangalore) had full faith that there really is such a place.

So for those who would accord a special sacred status to “planet of the trees” and other such editorial errors (and for anyone else who might find such curious matters interesting), here you have them: images from… … . The Planet of the Trees!

Please don’t get me wrong. The first edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is is a marvelous transcendental book, full of spiritual potency. So if that’s the edition you prefer, fine. In that case — if you’re sincere and honest about wanting to follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions — please buy it from the BBT.

Hare Krishna.

read more

Every year I make my personal finances public. Attached is an accounting of my finances for 2012.

Every year I make my personal finances public. Attached is an accounting of my finances for 2012.

The Hare Krsna movement truly is a kitchen religion. At least for me the kitchen is a place where I can practically meditate and analyze our teachings, observe, and experience various steps in God realization. Today I tried to philosophically … Continue reading →

<h3><strong>Science is Great</strong></h3><p><span>Science is great! Science helps us understand the world, cure diseases, build great things like computers, mobile devices, skyscrapers, and jet airplanes. It is useful, fascinating and magical. Indeed, sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, as the physicist and science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke</span> <a href="http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Arthur_C._Clarke/">famously said</a>.</p><p>Moreover, additional benefits of science include wonderful inventions like coal-fired power plants, automobiles, and industrial farming, all allowing humans to do great things like <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/entire-rainforests-set-to-disappear-in-next-decade-585840.html">destroy the rainforest</a>, <a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-spm.pdf">raise the temperature of the entire planet</a>, and <a href="http://innovationwatch.com/extinction-the-causes-and-consequences-of-the-disappearance-of-species-by-paul-and-anne-ehrlich-random-house/">cause mass extinctions</a>, clearly undesirable side effects of science. However, science will surely be able to solve the problem it has created. Take the Toyota Prius, for example, a wonder of technology, a hybrid car that is extremely fuel efficient. While it still uses fuel like any other car, it is much better than the gas-guzzlers of yesteryear. So good that its “fuel efficiency” is <a href="http://fatknowledge.blogspot.com/2005/05/horses-vs-cars.html">close to that of a horse</a>. With a few more years of scientific advances, we will surely be able to make cars that run on nearly nothing, re-grow the rainforest and clone extinct species back into existence. So, science is great. Right?</p><h3><span><strong>The Horsemen Approach</strong></span></h3><p>Have you heard of the Four Horsemen? The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Horsemen_of_the_Apocalypse">Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquest">Conquest</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War">War</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famine">Famine</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death">Death</a>, are described in the last chapter of the Bible as harbingers of final judgement of God over all people. However, I’m not speaking of these horsemen. Rather, I’m referring to the self-styled Four Horsemen known as the torch-bearers of the “New Atheists” movement: Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens. These four scientists claim to represent critical thinking, knowledge and reason. Disagree with their thinking and you must be an irrational, delusional religious fanatic. After all, they represent science. </p><p>The most famous of the Four Horseman is Professor Richard Dawkins of Oxford University. A prolific author, Dawkins is best known for his book “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618918248/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=julianseidenb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0618918248">The God Delusion</a>”. He also occasionally gives <a href="http://www.richarddawkins.net/events">public lectures</a>. I remember hearing of one of his lectures a few years ago. </p><h3><span><strong>The Horseman Speaks</strong></span></h3><p>I was sitting in my office in the School of Computer Science at the University of Manchester, an office with narrow slits of windows letting in a little daylight, a building that is perpetually either too hot or too cold, having been designed with a monstrously over-powered air-conditioning system for the vacuum tube computers of years gone by. This building, the hallowed halls of learning, the zenith of Western Civilization, is not named after <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing">Alan Turing</a>, the famous scientist from Manchester who came up with a universal theory of computation. Instead, it is named after <a href="http://www.computer50.org/mark1/kilburn.html">Tom Kilburn</a>, the engineer who built the first stored program computer, highlighting the difference between science and engineering. Scientists come up with ideas, but it is the engineers that make them actually work and create technology. Engineering is applied science. </p><p><span>While sitting at my desk, Mikel, a friend and fellow PhD student, came in wearing a large backpack. I waited until he sat down and caught his breath, then asked him where he just came from. He explained he was at Oxford University for a public lecture by Richard Dawkins. I then asked what he thought of the lecture, expecting a rant about how Dawkins was brilliantly condemning religion, especially the Catholic Church. Mikel was a staunch atheists with a special axe to grind against the Catholic Church, an organization quite prominent in his home country of Spain. I enjoyed these rants, as they were quite entertaining and often led to interesting friendly arguments between the two of us.</span></p><p><span>Much to my surprise, however, Mikel said he was disappointed by Dawkins’ talk. Mikel explained that he was expecting Dawkins to make some good arguments for atheism, but instead the Professor was using emotional language and preaching like a Bible-basher. According to Mikel, Dawkins sounded as much as a religious fanatic, as the religious leaders he was speaking against with such “religious” fever.</span> </p><p><span>I remember this incident because it taught me of the insidiousness the Western materialistic scientific worldview. Matter is imbued with extraordinary secret powers. The material universe can come from nothing by magic, life can arise from matter by accident, and consciousness can arise from the brain by biochemical reaction. These claims are true, because, well, they just are.</span></p><h3><span><strong>Science is True</strong></span></h3><p><span>Let us examine a few of the ideas of materialistic science. I was quite astounded when I first learnt of each of these, reacting with a “wow, I would never have thought!”</span></p><p>It is common knowledge that the Earth orbits around the Sun. The Earth as the center of the Universe is an archaic idea, an outdated concept, one that no one believes in anymore. Western scientists as far back as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_Copernicus">Copernicus</a> have discovered that actually the Sun is in the center and the Earth <a href="http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/retrograde/copernican.html">orbits around that</a>. </p><p>But not so fast. If we dig a bit deeper we learn that accepted wisdom is false. The Earth actually orbits around the gravitational center of the solar system. Large planets such as Jupiter and Saturn, pull on the Earth with their enormous gravitational force. This causes the central point of orbit to vary greatly. Indeed, it is almost <a href="http://mechanicalintegrator.com/?p=148">never being centered directly on the Sun</a>. We can go further still. Let us take into account that our entire solar system is orbiting around the galactic core, and our galaxy, in turn, is probably moving and orbiting in some undiscovered pattern around other galaxies. So, why do we believe one childish simplification of the structure of the universe (Sun is the center) in favor of another (Earth is the center)?</p><p>To <a href="http://our.ownpointofview.com/?p=1">quote Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi</a>:</p><blockquote><p>"Luke, you’re going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our <a href="http://www.obimomkenobi.com/2008/06/many-of-the-truths-we-cling-to-depend-greatly-on-our-own-point-of-view/">own point of view.</a>"</p></blockquote><p><span>There is more scientific “truth” that falls into this hazy realm, a realm of generally accepted scientific wisdom, a place of theories that no one has ever verified by observation and theories which are impossible to verify by observation.</span></p><p><span>One such hypothesis is the big bang theory. It proclaims to explain the origin of matter, time and space, but it seems highly unlikely that anyone will be able to stage an experiment to verify what actually happened at the beginning of the universe.</span></p><p>Then there is macro-evolution. A species is defined as a group of life-forms that <a href="http://www.pnas.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&amp;pmid=15851674">can interbreed producing fertile offspring</a>. Evolution claims that species evolve into other species, yet scientists have <a href="http://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&amp;action=view&amp;ID=867">never observed</a> any animal evolving into a new creature that no longer can interbreed with members of its previous species).</p><p>The last question we will tackle is the origin of life, and the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/026269221X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=julianseidenb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=026269221X">origin of consciousness</a>. How best to get to the bottom of these mysteries and know for sure? Could such a thing even be possible? Believe it or not, I see very good reasons to be optimistic about solving these conundrums.</p><h3><span><strong>Science is becoming more Scientific</strong></span></h3><p><span>Why do I see reasons to be optimistic? Two reasons, each converging on the other, as if seeking to merge in a wonderful fusion of spiritual and material knowledge.</span></p><p><span>On the spiritual side: we are rediscovering ancient spiritual knowledge that gives a detailed scientific account of life, the universe and consciousness. More on this a bit later on.</span></p><p>On the material side: some scientists are beginning to remove the blinders of materialism, considering that perhaps there might be more to the universe than just matter. Chinks are beginning to appear in the armor of the Western materialist worldview. People are beginning to realize that <a href="http://www.springerlink.com/content/k477132777n3660v/">money does not buy happiness</a>, unlimited economic <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/155963071X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=julianseidenb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=155963071X">growth is unsustainable</a>, and something as subtle as consciousness plays a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment">significant role in the laws of physics</a>. Scientists are realizing there is a great need for scientific research to answer fundamental questions such as: What is consciousness? How can we become more conscious? What is happiness? How can we become more happy?</p><p>In short, science is realizing that true science can and should be open to the <a href="http://pypacademymiami2011.wikispaces.com/file/view/BRADY+Eng.pdf">study of everything</a> and scientific spiritual knowledge is eagerly waiting to be rediscovered by open-minded scientists. Wonderful! </p><h3><span><strong>Vedas: Knowledge of Everything</strong></span></h3><p><span>I first came across the Vedic wisdom ancient India in the year 2000 while studying at the University of Southampton. I stumbled upon a university club dedicated to studying and applying the knowledge contained in the Vedas. “Veda” literally means knowledge, and the many books that encompass the Vedic literature indeed contain a great deal of knowledge.</span></p><p><span>One of the many pearls of timeless Vedic wisdom is that real spiritual knowledge should be scientific. The Vedas teach how to use scientific methods to study and understand spirituality. This was an intriguing proposition. I had always admired the rigor of scientific knowledge, and here was a way to apply that methodology to the big questions of life (who am I, why are we here, etc.)</span> </p><p><span>The Vedic wisdom explains the mystery of conscious as follows.</span></p><blockquote><p><span>“O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all this universe, so does the living entity, one within the body, illuminate the entire body by consciousness.”</span></p><p>- <a href="http://vedabase.net/bg/13/34/">Bhagavad-Gita 13.34</a></p></blockquote><p>That is the basis of scientific spiritual teachings. The body only functions when there is consciousness, without consciousness there can be no life. At the same time, the conscious entity is a separate thing from the material body. Some interpretations of quantum mechanics lead to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199753814/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=julianseidenb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0199753814">similar conclusions</a>.</p><h3><span><strong>Happiness, proof in the pudding</strong></span></h3><p>Everyone wants to be happy. The United States of America was founded on the promises of the right to the “<a href="http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/">pursuit of happiness</a>.” Yet it offers no clue on how someone might go about finding happiness. Indeed, that is one of the great mysterious of life. What will make me happy?</p><p><span>It turns out that happiness is one of the key factors in the scientific approach to spiritual knowledge. The Vedic knowledge explains a step-by-step process for finding happiness, happiness with a very distinct flavor, happiness unlike any previously experienced, happiness that is, quite literally, out of this world.</span></p><p><span>Here is a quote from a Vedic scripture on the topic of happiness.</span></p><blockquote><p><span>“Some say that people will be happy by performing pious religious activities. Others say that happiness is attained through fame, sense gratification, truthfulness, self-control, peace, self-interest, political influence, opulence, renunciation, consumption, sacrifice, penance, charity, vows, regulated duties or strict disciplinary regulation. Each process has its proponents."</span> </p><p>- <a href="http://vedabase.net/sb/11/14/10/">Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.10</a></p></blockquote><p><span>All the persons I have just mentioned obtain temporary fruits from their material work. Indeed, the meager and miserable situations they achieve bring future unhappiness and are based on ignorance. Even while enjoying the fruits of their work, such persons are filled with lamentation. </span> </p><blockquote><p>O learned Uddhava, those who fix their consciousness on Me [Krishna], giving up all material desires, share with Me a happiness that cannot possibly be experienced by those engaged in sense gratification.”</p><p>- <a href="http://vedabase.net/sb/11/14/12/en">Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.14.12</a></p></blockquote><p><span>This quote acknowledges various approaches to attaining happiness, ultimately recommending the approach of fixing one’s consciousness upon Krishna, Krishna being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, universally revered throughout the Vedic literature. The happiness experienced during this practice of “Krishna Consciousness” is markedly different from the happiness experienced through so many other activities. Here we have a scientific hypothesis: happiness in Krishna Consciousness is distinct from the happiness experienced when pleasing the senses.</span></p><p><span>“Hold on!” you might say, “happiness is a subjective experience, not something that can be objectively measured. Science only deals with things that are objectively measurable.” True enough, but consciousness is an entirely subjective experience, and that is exactly what we are trying to study here. We have to cast off the shackles of materialistic science to make progress is this exciting new field of spiritual science. Just because something is not objectively measurable does not mean it does not exist, and certainly does not mean we should not endeavor to study it. Otherwise, if we neglected to study anything new and unknown, how could we make any progress?</span></p><h3><span><strong>Process</strong></span></h3><p><span>So how does one make process in this exciting realm where science and spirituality coalesce? The Vedic wisdom suggests an approach.</span></p><blockquote><p>“Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.”</p><p>- <a href="http://vedabase.net/bg/7/1/en">Bhagavad-Gita 7.1</a></p></blockquote><p><span>Here Krishna is speaking in the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita. He is explaining a scientific yoga process for understanding His nature. This process is more than just physical exercise. Yoga is a complete system for self-realization where the physical yoga postures are only one small part of the routine, there to make the practitioner fit to dive deeper into the complete system, culminating in complete absorption in the spiritual energy, resulting in full consciousness of Krishna beyond any doubt. So, at the end of a systematic process we have scientific proof.</span> </p><p><span>The process Krishna mentions involves integrating Krishna consciousness into everyday activities, aligning them with Krishna’s desires. Krishna recommends, reading about him, chanting of special Vedic mantras, contemplating the spiritual science and ultimately dedicating all one’s actions for a spiritual purpose. At the end of the process, the result should speak for itself.</span></p><p>As the Nobel Prize winning quantum physicists <a href="http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1932/heisenberg-bio.html">Werner Heisenberg</a> has famously said: </p><blockquote><p><span>“The first gulp from the glass of the natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you.”</span></p></blockquote>

Nara and Narayana, who were saved from the slaughterhouse, are doing very well with their preliminary training in the yoke. In this video, Balabhadra das gives a few pointers on how to train a young team to the yoke.

Nara and Narayana, who were saved from the slaughterhouse, are doing very well with their preliminary training in the yoke. In this video, Balabhadra das gives a few pointers on how to train a young team to the yoke.

BY SANTI VARDHANA CAITANYA DASA

PHOTOS BY MULAKARANAM DASA

 

UPDATES FROM KUALA LUMPUR

6/2/2013 1.26pm

HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami has unfortunately contracted shingles.

The Doctors at Mawar Specialist Hospital are at loss what to do because it would 
need a strong dosage of antiviral drugs to counteract the resistant bacterias of the shingles. 
They are afraid it would worsen the liver sclerosis. 

They are already giving the antiviral drugs. However they are concerned about the liver sclerosis.
Therefore, they had advised that we use traditional medicines or even prayers simultaneously.

Today Maharaja went to Mahkota Hospital in Malacca for liver check up and met
a liver specialist. According to the liver specialist, Maharaja's liver is 10% damaged due to auto immune hepatitis. Auto immune hepatitis is a form of immune disorder whereby the body's own immune cells attacks the liver cells. This progressively damages the liver daily and the doctors have to prescribe immuno-suppressant drugs  in order to suppress the immune cells from attacking the liver cells. 

Unfortunately, by doing so, it would lower the immune system of Maharaja's body. Any form of sickness could create damage to Maharaja's health. The liver specialist has confirmed that without administering this drug the liver would be completely damaged within a year.

Therefore, the Doctors are looking from all angles to see what is best for Maharaja to recover from all these complications.

We humbly request all devotee to please increase your prayers and hold kirtans in your respective temple for Maharaja's health.

What is shingles?

What causes shingles?

BY SIMHESVARA DASA

18/1/2013 2.44pm

18/1/2013 2pm

The two hour angioplasty operation was successful.
The major block was cleared and Doctors placed a stend
and few other blocks were also cleared.

Maharaja is conscious and responding well to devotees. 
He will be monitored for next six hours and will rest at
Mahkota Specialist Hospital Malacca. Tomorrow, HH will be 
transferred back to Mawar Specialist Seremban to continue 
medication for liver sclerosis. 

17/1/2013 9pm HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami Maharaja will be taken to Mahkota Hospital in Malacca tomorrow morning at 7am for angioplasty operation.

 

17/1/2013 5.51pm

HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami Maharaja had a massive heart attack at 4 PM. His condition is critical now.  Simheswara Prabhu has to decide whether to bring Maharaja to the Temple or send Maharaja for the Angioplasty operation.

 

BY SIMHESVARA DASA

17/1/2013 1.11pm 

I had just visited HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami Maharaja. Maharaja is better now. HH is speaking and breathing is with a bit of problem. Dry cough. Plan is to do angioplasty on one or more blocks.

 

 

In the collection that is Classic ISKCON Records, there have been a lot of strange practices that went into making these records. From incredibly shoddy recording to bizarre disorganization, it’s been very difficult to figure out not only what was released, but who released it and when.

The Mayapur LP covers all of these bases. And though it’s far from the most disorganized release, this one has me absolutely confused.

By all looks, this is an album that contains a live recording of a Hare Krishna Festival. That festival probably took place in Mayapur. The word “Mayapur” is on the front cover, and on the back there’s a blurb in four different languages that talks about the Mayapur festival. It explains that nobody in this recording was a professional musician.

The label of the record itself gives us a little more information, stating: “Live recordings of a Hare Krishna Festival.” Side one is simply entitled “Part I,” while side two is labeled as “Part II.”

So it seems pretty straight forward. Someone took a microphone and a tape recorder to the Mayapur festival, made some field recordings, maybe touched them up a bit, and then cut a record.

But that’s not actually what’s on the record. The recordings are three tracks of Srila Prabhupada. Two are definitely from the studio, while the last one could be live (or it could simply be in a bigger studio with more devotees).

Getting back to the confusion, I have no absolute idea which record label released this. The record definitely comes from Germany, and in Germany there were two ISKCON-based record labels. One was called Hare Krsna Records, which mostly released recordings made by Hansadutta das. The other was called Radha Krsna Productions, and it mostly released music by Acyutananda das. That said, both labels were somehow related and released at least one identical record (the Hare Krishna Festival, which I’ll reconvert soon, I promise).

The blurb on the back cover alludes to Hare Krsna Records. The center paper label makes no claim to either organization. However, the etching on the runout groove of the vinyl (called the matrix) is: RKP-1006. If true (and I believe it is – mostly because I have to believe in something), that would make this Radha Krsna Productions’ sixth record – and probably their last.

The Music

Side A
1) Hare Krishna Mantra

Side B
1) Sri-Sri Gurv-astakam
2) Jaya Radha Madhava

The first song, which takes up all of the first side, is the same recording featured on the first Krishna Consciousness record, released by Happening Records in 1966 (which I will get to soon enough). This was the only other time (as far as I can tell) that it appeared on vinyl. The second side contains two songs, the first of which is a fairly famous version of “Sri Sri Guru-astaka.” Both of these songs appear on the Hare Krishna Classics & Originals CD released in the 90s.

The last song is “Jaya Radha Madhava,” but it’s no version I’ve heard anywhere before. It’s not any of the BBT CDs, nor on any of the “Vintage Series” CDs. It’s also not been released on any other vinyl records as far as I can tell. This is a very sweet version with a full congregation of devotees chanting along.

You can listen to samples below:

Wild Speculation
As with most of the Classic ISKCON Records, we’re left with zero details about the recording, pressing and distribution of this release. In actuality, none of it makes any sense. Here’s both a record cover and label that appear to contain recordings of the Mayapur Festival. Yet, when you drop the needle, you’re blessed with Srila Prabhupada instead. How this came about is anyone’s guess.

My speculation is this: The devotees, perhaps in 1976 or so, decided that it would be nice to release a record of field recordings from the Mayapur Festival. Thinking that nothing could possibly go wrong, they threw together an album cover, got a bunch of labels printed and then went to record the festival. Along the way, somehow something went horribly wrong. Maybe the devotee tasked with pushing the [REC] button spaced out. Maybe it was recorded, but somebody misplaced the tapes (ie, “spaced them out”). Maybe the sound quality was so horrible that it was rendered unlistenable. Whatever the reason, the music they wanted to appear on this record wasn’t available.

So rather than trash a thousand (or more? less? who knows!) covers and labels, they decided to fill it with Srila Prabhupada. Listening to it, I can tell that they must have had the master tapes (or a good copy thereof) in their possession. The first song sounds great, especially considering it’s the oldest of the bunch. The second and third sound even better. With these in hand, they then sent thirty-three minutes of mono music to the pressing plant. And what we have now is a Srila Prabhupada album, half of which had been already released, in a record cover claiming that it was a stereo recordings of the Mayapur Festival. Surprise!

The Archival Process
This was one of the easier records to work on. My copy of it is VG+ on the Goldmine Scale, and while it’s got its fair share of pops and clicks, it sounds pretty good. You’ve got to understand that I’m archiving, not restoring. The difference is that while I am doing my best to fix the many, many tiny pops and clicks, it’s simply not possible to fix them all. While I can assure you that this particular record has never sounded better, I also have to remind you that it has been sourced from a 35 year old chunk of vinyl that has gone through the hands of who knows how many people (apparently including someone named Werner Wilde who thought it a good idea to put address stickers on his records). You will still hear some pops and clicks. The only way to really avoid that is to acquire the master tapes and do a full restoration.

I have archived this record in both lossless FLAC (level 8) and as high quality MP3s (320kbps). For most, the MP3s will do just fine.

Just click on the button and it’ll take you to a page where you can download the zip file. Then open the zip file with WinZip (or whatever program you use to open zip files). Add to your MP3 library or burn it to a CD-R. Easy as pie!

Technical Information:

Media Used:
Vinyl LP from my personal collection.

Audio Equipment Used:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon w/ acrylic platter and Speedbox II
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M Red
Preamp: Bellari VP-130 w/ Sovtek 12AX7LPS Vacuum Tube
Soundcard: Roland Edirol UA-1EX USB external soundcard

Software Used:
Audacity 2.0.1 on Linux Mint 14 (recorded at 24bit/96kHz)
Gnome Wave Cleaner 0.21-17 (click/pop removal)
Gnac 0.2.4 (to convert file to 16 bit FLAC level 8 and 320kbps MP3)

Artwork:
Scanned at 300dpi with Epson v500 Scanner
Edited and Restored Using GIMP Image Editor 2.8.2

The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, in partnership with the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, is addressing the need for custodianship of pilgrim sites within India. They have begun the Bhumi Project, an endeavor aimed to create awareness regarding the effects of pilgrimage on the environments of holy refuges. In November, I attended a conference on this subject as the representative of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. Many pilgrimage towns were represented for a weekend of discussions centering on planning the environmental sustainability of these revered sanctums.

Spiritual havens in India attract millions of visitors each year as they offer their obeisances to treasured deities and honor sites of worship. Grand festivals glorifying significant gods are auspicious milestones in the calendars of many. Attendance is welcomed and the festivities abound with joy.

However, while each step of a parikrama and each esteemed celebration are invaluable tributes, the aftermath of such glorification remains the responsibility of the local communities. Considerations such as green energy, trash disposal and recycling are among the many topics needing attention to ensure that the environmental impact on these respected places of homage is contained.

Since the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium will be a prominent feature in Mayapur and the surrounding areas, the management and planning officials of the project have assumed the responsibility of stewards of the local communities. Several progressive technologies will be employed in the new temple, the most exciting being one which will harness the natural power of Mother Ganga. Called a hydrokinetic turbine, the system is simple technology and easy to build. It has a proven history of successful installations worldwide on slow running rivers and canals. An area of the Ganga has been found which is deep enough and has enough speed to accommodate the needs of this small device. The turbine will float like a boat in the river and a single installation will produce approximately 75 kilowatts per hour. This translates into producing nearly half of Mayapur’s daily 4000 kilowatt consumption in 24 hours. Additionally, the hydrokinetic turbine is safe for the aquatic life and natural habitat in the river due to its slow rpm, open structure and silent operating.

Building a spiritual city is a huge undertaking requiring the dedication and forethought of many. The directors of the ToVP recognize the duties of their positions and work tirelessly to commemorate the sanctity of Mayapur in thought, word and deed.

For more information on the Bhumi Project, please visit bhumiproject.org.

As I’m getting ready to pitch into Side Two of the Mayapur LP, I’ve also decided to start a Facebook Page for Sit Properly.

Rather than updating this blog every time I have something to say, I’ll post it on Facebook. This will keep you good people in the loop as to how the digitization of each Classic ISKCON Record is coming along.

Take a gander to your right and you’ll see the Facebook Like Box. Click it and it’ll take you to our page.

This will cut down on the frivolous and random posts on the blog, allowing the music to be the focus. And that’s the point.

Haribol!

Eric

9 March at 09:00 until 11 March at 14:00 Chant-Fest is a retreat-festival experience which awakens your inner-soul and touches your heart through blissful devotional chanting and dancing. Re-kinder your love with the divine through soul-stirring, heartfelt sacred Kirtan-Chants with a wonderful line-up of local and international Kirtan & Yoga artists as we explore different […]

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