Friday, May 13, 2022
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Yorkville, Toronto

 

What We’re Not Missing

 

After delivering some classes on the Gita for the evening, to accommodate families that work during the day, Vallabha Hari and I took that stroll through Yorkville. The weather was just perfect. It hit twenty-three degrees Celsius. Every fragrant flower, bush, or tree is in full bloom. Lit evening lampposts reveal every colour that foliage provides.

 

“I am flower-bearing spring,” the Lord describes in the Gita.

 

People, too, are very much alive. It’s Friday. The work week is over. There are lots of seats and chairs to get comfy over the booze. People are loud; a feature of the drinking kind who are catching up on mundane katha (discussions). That’s what the café streets are like.

 

I asked Vallabha Hari if we could just pause, giving a break to my surgical leg. “I will chant my gayatrimantras on the bench.” During that four-minute session of attempted solitude, the obvious sounds of partying abounded. People were chattering. Glassware was clanging. Jazz music filled the ethereal background. Motorcycle engines were roaring.

 

As I rose up for the last leg, back home to the ashram, I remarked to Vallabha, “Prabhupada saved me from this night life stuff. How grateful we should be!”

 

He nodded. I guess that was the reason for the course we took – to see what we are not missing.

 

May the Source be with you!

3 km

 


 

The Kashmir Files Reflection: Tolerance at the cost of truth destroys both
→ The Spiritual Scientist

The Kashmir Files movie has shocked and enraged Indians — not only because such a horrifying ethnic cleansing occurred in our own country just a few decades ago, but also because the systematic brutality was allowed and concealed. Worse still, the reality was distorted by a nefarious nexus of corrupt politicians, inept law enforcers, negligent media and complicit intellectuals. The movie’s lack of any superhuman stunts makes the story all the more human and hard-hitting, thereby driving home the reality, gravity and brutality of events that happened to people just like us. Actually, such horrors have happened to people just like us, not just once but on many occasions across the world — given that extremist violence has been and continues to be a significant threat to humanity.

One criticism of the movie in some circles is that it may lead to stereotyping of all Muslims as fanatics, extremists or even terrorists. While that is a valid concern, how can that concern be actually addressed? By concealing the truth?

Truth

With regards to the issue underlying the Kashmir files, let’s consider some of the undeniable facts:
● A massive exodus of Kashmiri Hindus happened,
● The exodus was caused by an ethnic cleansing (irrespective of the exact number of people who were killed),
● The Kashmiri Hindus lived for a long time as refugees in desolate and even desperate conditions.
● In India’s mainstream media, the story of their tragedy and trauma remained untold and worse still was often downplayed, denied or even distorted.

Shouldn’t the telling of their experience be a valid concern, even a vital concern? While more may need to be done to avoid negative stereotyping of Muslims, at least something has been done by Bollywood — in fact, entire movies like My name is Khan have been dedicated to this theme. But what has been done to highlight, or even convey, the agony of the Kashmiri Hindus, who were the victims of the ethnic cleansing.

Sacrificing truth for tolerance’s sake?

Once it’s recognized that the truth was concealed, let’s analyze why this might have been done. There could be broadly three reasons:
● Malevolence: The people involved were evil and wanted to harm others or
● Incompetence: Those people just didn’t have the abilities or skills to do the right thing
● Ignorance: Those people didn’t know what was the right thing to do and they did what they thought was right, even if it wasn’t

Let’s consider which of these explanations apply to the denial of the plight of the Kashmiri Hindus. While a few may be malevolent and some may be incompetent, let’s adopt a spirit of charity and assume that they were largely ignorant: they genuinely thought that concealing the truth was the best way to avoid communal violence in India and even in the world at large.

Of course, the way the leftist intellectuals went about concealing the truth was not at all incompetent. The history was not just concealed but also distorted. The movie itself depicts the magnitude of the distortion: a young man whose own parents were killed in the ethnic cleansing thought that they died in just an accident — and he grew up to believe, or rather was (mis)educated to believe that the murderers of his family were actually freedom fighters, justified in the use of violence. In fact, a major plotline in the movie is his confusion and tension about what actually happened. And what resolved the tension? The truth; the carefully documented factual reports about events — the documentation is the basis of the movie’s name.

Depending on how history is told, victims may end up being remembered as the victimizers or at least as those who brought the victimization on themselves. And victimizers may end up being remembered as people who were wronged and who were justified in doing what they did. For example, during the Holocaust, Hitler’s propaganda machinery made many non-Nazi Germans believe that the Jews deserved whatever was being done to them — and that the Nazis were not just righteous in their actions but also glorious.

Thus, the attempt to conceal the truth, for whatever reason, ends up in the situation of ‘blaming the victim’ — making the victim believe that their actions were the cause of their victimization, not the victimizer’s vile actions. When ‘blaming the victim’ is used to explain away crimes such as an assault on a woman, the mainstream modern worldview finds it reprehensible; how much more reprehensible is it when an entire community is subjected to something similar?

The cause of intolerance

Intolerance, especially in the form of extremist ideology, is the enemy of humanity — it can attack humanity through many channels, be it through secular ideologies such as communism that left the USSR and China with a hundred million corpses or through religious ideologies such as Islamic extremism. Whichever be the channel through which extremism seeks to divide and destroy humanity, the point is that extremism needs to be curbed and countered.

Significantly, the Bhagavad-gita doesn’t categorize people based on religious divisions, certainly not religious designations as we see them today. It categorizes people based on behavioral and psychological characteristics into three modes: sattva (goodness), rajas (passion) and tamas (ignorance). Sattva is characterized by reflection before action, rajas by action before reflection and tamas by inaction or indiscriminately destructive action. These three modes exist in everyone, though their relative percentage varies from person to person. Depending on which mode is prominent in a person, that person is said to be in sattva, rajas or tamas.

Extremist violence is an especially toxic example of tamas. And one major reason for such violence is ignorance — or more specifically, in the language of the Bhagavad-gita, knowledge in the mode of ignorance (18.22). This paradoxical term underscores the situation where a person acquires knowledge in such a way that their increased knowledge simply reinforces their ignorance instead of removing their ignorance. How might this happen? When a person gains knowledge about only one particular point in a complex situation, they think they know what happened, but they only end up neglecting or rejecting other pertinent points — and rejecting it self-righteously or even arrogantly.

Consider a relatively innocuous example of such knowledge in the mode of ignorance. Suppose a child wants a toy, but his parents don’t get it — and the child concludes, “My parents don’t love me.” There could be a dozen other reasons why the parents didn’t get that toy for the child, maybe because the family needed other things urgently at that time. But the more the child sees other things being bought, the more the child’s knowledge ‘grows’ and reinforces his ignorant inference that his parents don’t love him.

A far more dangerous example of such knowledge in the mode of ignorance is seen in the mainstream strategy for dealing with extremism: its focus on Islamophobia instead of on Islamic extremism. Yes, it’s true that some people are stereotyped negatively in some parts of the world because they belong to a particular community. But does that mean the only reason for such stereotyping is that all of society is filled with judgmental people who are prejudiced against that community? And is the solution to such prejudice denying the acts of intolerance by any member of that community? Not at all, the actual solution is preventing acts of intolerance. When the fire is extinguished, the smoke will automatically go away. When the fire of Islamic extremism is dealt with firmly, the smoke of Islamophobia will automatically go away.

Tolerating intolerance spreads intolerance

Here, an argument is often advanced: “But the extremists are a tiny fringe. Why label an entire community negatively?” Agreed; considering that every fourth person in the world today is a Muslim, it’s entirely unreasonable to claim that every Muslim is an extremist — if they were, the world would be a far worse place. Still, there are several places in the world where the extremists are not the fringe; they are the mainstream. And the fringe can become mainstream in no time. As the Kashmir Files movie shows, violent terrorists were abetted by neighbors who turned informers, by priests who turned rationalizers and by housewives who actively aided in consuming, diverting or destroying the ration meant for the Hindu refugees, thereby starving them and compelling them to flee.

Extremism is like a cancer — if untreated, it can rapidly spread from the fringe of society to segments of society that we would normally never associate with extremism: segments such as children who are indoctrinated into becoming suicide bombers. Can the spread of such cancer be fostered by denying the truth — in this case, the truth of horrendous incidents of intolerance justified in the name of Islam? Not at all; it’s like arguing that cancer can be treated by denying its existence — that’s a suicidal strategy. To treat cancer, the exact areas where cancer exists have to be determined and those parts need to be rigorously treated while protecting and promoting the overall health of the rest of the body. Similarly, the key to fostering tolerance is twofold: disempower the intolerant and empower the tolerant. Neither of these is aided by concealing the actions of the intolerant. Such concealment takes away the impetus for the tolerant to stand up against the intolerant. If moderate Muslims don’t know what extremist Muslims have done — if they are taught to believe that allegations of extremism arise not from a grain of truth but from a smog of prejudice — then they will never even feel the need to stand up against extremists. And if extremists are allowed to get away with their violent actions, that will only embolden them further. Over time, such extremists will turn against people of their own faith, if those people disagree with them. Eventually, the moderates will become silenced and even co-opted in the cause of the extremists. Thus, concealing the truth about intolerance actually ends up empowering the intolerant and disempowering the tolerant. The sobering reality is that covering up intolerance by a group doesn’t help anyone — not even members of that very group. Indeed, tolerating intolerance spreads intolerance.

Consider several countries where Islamic extremists have significant political influence, if not absolute power. Such countries are characterized by persecution of not just non-Muslim faiths, but even Muslim denominations that differ from the ruling dispensation. Thus, Sunni Muslims are targeted in Shia Iran. The Ahmadiyya Muslims in pre-independence India chose to support the partition of the country and went to Pakistan. But there they are persecuted by mainstream Muslims — and many of them have sought and found refuge in India.

While much is made about Hindu-Muslim violence in India, the fact is that apart from a a few incidents of widespread riots, overall Muslims are far safer in India than in other parts of the world, including even in Islamic theocratic states. Though India has among the largest Muslim populations in the world, Shia-Sunni violence in India is almost non-existent.

The truth that can foster tolerance

It is the recording and repeating of the truth that is essential for empowering the tolerant and disempowering the intolerant.

How can the tolerant be empowered? By ensuring that they are exposed fully and frankly to the horrors of intolerance. Otherwise, they will not have sufficient impetus to resist and reject intolerance.

How can the intolerant be disempowered? By taking the existence and occurrence of intolerance seriously, not whitewashing or rationalizing it. And a part of taking intolerance seriously is taking into account the self-professed motivations of the intolerant. While their intolerance may have many causes including socio-economic and geopolitical, those causes alone don’t need to lead to extremist violence. The Kashmiri Hindus had sufficient socio-economic and geopolitical reasons to take to violence; they didn’t; instead, they sought education, employment and made a new life for themselves in other parts of the world. A large number of disaffected Kashmiri Muslims, whose plight certainly was not worse than that of the refugee Kashmiri Hindus, chose violence. If we want to get a full picture of why they chose this course of action, we need to consider what they themselves considered as a primary justification for violence. And their justification was religion.

The point is not to condemn a particular religion; the point is to recognize that at this particular point in history, extremism is expressing itself especially virulently through a specific channel, viz, namely Islamic extremism. The world’s failure to recognize Nazi intolerance darkened human history with the Holocaust; do we want that horrendous history to be repeated? It is the moral responsibility of everyone, whatever be their religion, to prevent Islam from being taken over by Islamic extremists. Rather than playing games with the truth in the vain hope that appeasement will pacify the intolerance, we need to see that truth is the precondition for tolerance.
To foster tolerance grounded in truth, we need to deal with both the channel and the source of intolerance. What does dealing with the channel of intolerance mean? It means recognizing where, when and how intolerance appears, and spreading awareness of such intolerance so that resistance to it can be galvanized. What does dealing with the source of intolerance mean? It means recognizing that intolerance arises frequently from an elitist, exclusivist mentality that derides, dehumanizes, demonizes and finally destroys others who don’t share that mentality.

The channel of intolerance can be dealt with by documenting historical truths about the emergence of intolerance. The source of intolerance can be dealt with by assimilating spiritual truths that can help counter an exclusivist mindset.

The two major religions of the world — Christianity and Islam — are characterized, at least in their mainstream versions, by an exclusivist ethos: “Our way is the only way.” This ethos doesn’t mean that everyone following that religion has an exclusivist attitude; some or even many practitioners of that religion may well be broad-minded as individuals. Nonetheless, exclusivism can act as a fertile breeding ground for extremism; once someone has come to believe, “Those who don’t follow my path are doomed”, they may well be manipulated by power-hungry leaders into believing, “Those who don’t follow our path can be destroyed or even should be destroyed.” This degeneration from exclusivism to extremism is a significant cause of most of the violence that the world has seen in the name of religion. In the medieval times, the Crusades were fought between Christianity and Islam. Even today, countries like Lebanon and Nigeria are witnessing inter-religious violence between these two exclusivist religions.

How can such exclusivism be countered? By fostering a more inclusivist ethos. One time-tested source of such inclusivism is Vedic wisdom. This ethos is embodied in the well-known aphorism: ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti “There is but one truth, though it is known by different names.” (Rg Veda 1.164.46) Echoing that theme, the Gita too offers an inclusive worldview which acknowledges the value and validity of different paths for different people (04.11). And a foundational aspect of this worldview is stressing the shared spirituality that defines our identity. The Gita explains that at our core, we all are spiritual beings. This understanding can uproot prejudice and foster an equal vision toward everyone (05.18). This equal vision is not a naive denial of the differences between people and their choices, be they secular or religions — it is a mature acknowledgement that the things that draw us apart are less defining than the things that draw us together. To bring about that unity and harmony, the forces that unite us need to be strengthened and the forces that divide us need to be weakened. In terms of the modes, this means sattva needs to be strengthened in individual human hearts and people in whom sattva is already strong need to be empowered. Sattva is manifest in moderation. If moderates from various paths can come together to have candid discussions and formulate tangible solutions, then that collaboration can be the strongest insurance against intolerance. Who knows, many who are presently intolerant may rise from tamas to sattva and become moderates. If not, they will at least be exposed and empowered, thereby substantially decreasing their capacity to spread their toxic influence to the rest of society. Over time, they will lose both their deadly powers: the power to destroy the targets of their intolerance and the power to corrupt the targets of their radicalization.

The world needs such an inclusive ethos if it is to challenge and counter extremism. The truth-telling that has begun with the Kashmir Files movie needs to extend to the spiritual wisdom that made Kashmir and India at large the arena for a rich and inclusive culture.

NASN April 2022 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
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By Mayapur Sasi dasa

For the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada this report contains the following North American results of book distribution for the month of April 2022. North American Totals, Monthly Temples, Monthly Weekend Warriors. Monthly Top 100 Individuals, Monthly Top 5, Cumulative Countries, Cumulative Temples, Cumulative Top 100 Individuals, Cumulative Top 5 Continue reading "NASN April 2022 – North American Sankirtan Newsletter
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Vrindavan Das Thakur Appearance
→ Ramai Swami

All glories to the Vyas of Chaitanya Lila, Srila Vrindavan das thakur, a dear devotee of Shri Chaitnaya Mahaprabhu and the disciple of Shrila Nityananda Prabhu, who wrote the Sri Chaitanya bhagawat, a book greatly treasured by all the vaishnavas.

All gloried to this auspicious day, on which Shrila Vrindavan das thakur took birth from the womb of Shrimati Narayani devi, the niece of Shrivas pandit and the recipient of Shri Chaitanya Mahraprabhu’s unlimited mercy. Shrimati Narayani devi would always be blessed with Mahaprabhu’s remnants, the leftovers after he had eaten, and once on Mahaprabhu’s instruction she danced and called out to Krishna in ecstasy at the tender age of 4.

Due to Vrindavan das thakur’s father’s untimely departure from this world, while he was still in his mother’s womb, Malini devi, the wife of Shrivas Pandit, brought Narayani devi and Vrindavan das thakur to her father, Vasudev datta’s home in mamgacchi, where he was raised with great love and affection and was cared for as a valuable jem, as stated by Bhaktisiddhanta in his commentary on Shri Chaitanya Bhagwat.

Thereafter, at the young age of 16, he took shelter of the lotus feet of Shri Nityananda Prabhu and is said to be the last disciple accepted by Nityananda Prabhu. While traveling with him and preaching, he was instructed to remain at Denur and continue preaching there, which he did and his deities of Shri Shri Gaur Nitai are still present at Denur, mercifully bestowing their mercy on all those who go take darshan of them there.

Later onward he also attended the first Gaur Purnima festival in Kheturi dham organized by Narottam das thakur, where he went with Shrimati Jahnava Ma, the eternal consort of Nityananda Prabhu. He continued preaching and authored the great book Shri Chaitanya Bhagwat, describing the wonderful pastimes of Sri Chaitanya dev, the life and soul of all the gaudiya vaishnavas.

His Shri Chaitanya Bhagwat has been glorified by Shrila Krishna Das Kaviraaj Goswami in the Chaitanya Charitamrita, where he has stated that Shrila Vrindavan das thakur has delivered everyone by writing this masterpiece.

He further glorifies Vrindavan das thakur, by stating that he is the incarnation of Shrila Vyasadev, as he has written this most glorious book. Shrila Vyasadev had written all the Vedas, Upanishads and the essence of all, Shrimad Bhagwatam, and by appearing again as Shri Vrindavan das thakur he has now written the Shri Chaitanya Bhagwat, which could not have been written by any ordinary human being and seems to have been spoken by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself through the lips of Shrila Vrindavan das thakur.

In this way Krishna das kaviraj goswami has offered humble obeisances to Vrindavan das thakur again and again. And following in his footsteps, on this auspicious occasion of his appearance, we pray at his lotus feet to kindly bestow upon us love for Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Shri Nityananda Prabhu.

←  Shuddha bhakata charana renu

Vrindavan Das Thakur Appearance
→ Ramai Swami

All glories to the Vyas of Chaitanya Lila, Srila Vrindavan das thakur, a dear devotee of Shri Chaitnaya Mahaprabhu and the disciple of Shrila Nityananda Prabhu, who wrote the Sri Chaitanya bhagawat, a book greatly treasured by all the vaishnavas.

All gloried to this auspicious day, on which Shrila Vrindavan das thakur took birth from the womb of Shrimati Narayani devi, the niece of Shrivas pandit and the recipient of Shri Chaitanya Mahraprabhu’s unlimited mercy. Shrimati Narayani devi would always be blessed with Mahaprabhu’s remnants, the leftovers after he had eaten, and once on Mahaprabhu’s instruction she danced and called out to Krishna in ecstasy at the tender age of 4.

Due to Vrindavan das thakur’s father’s untimely departure from this world, while he was still in his mother’s womb, Malini devi, the wife of Shrivas Pandit, brought Narayani devi and Vrindavan das thakur to her father, Vasudev datta’s home in mamgacchi, where he was raised with great love and affection and was cared for as a valuable jem, as stated by Bhaktisiddhanta in his commentary on Shri Chaitanya Bhagwat.

Thereafter, at the young age of 16, he took shelter of the lotus feet of Shri Nityananda Prabhu and is said to be the last disciple accepted by Nityananda Prabhu. While traveling with him and preaching, he was instructed to remain at Denur and continue preaching there, which he did and his deities of Shri Shri Gaur Nitai are still present at Denur, mercifully bestowing their mercy on all those who go take darshan of them there.

Later onward he also attended the first Gaur Purnima festival in Kheturi dham organized by Narottam das thakur, where he went with Shrimati Jahnava Ma, the eternal consort of Nityananda Prabhu. He continued preaching and authored the great book Shri Chaitanya Bhagwat, describing the wonderful pastimes of Sri Chaitanya dev, the life and soul of all the gaudiya vaishnavas.

His Shri Chaitanya Bhagwat has been glorified by Shrila Krishna Das Kaviraaj Goswami in the Chaitanya Charitamrita, where he has stated that Shrila Vrindavan das thakur has delivered everyone by writing this masterpiece.

He further glorifies Vrindavan das thakur, by stating that he is the incarnation of Shrila Vyasadev, as he has written this most glorious book. Shrila Vyasadev had written all the Vedas, Upanishads and the essence of all, Shrimad Bhagwatam, and by appearing again as Shri Vrindavan das thakur he has now written the Shri Chaitanya Bhagwat, which could not have been written by any ordinary human being and seems to have been spoken by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself through the lips of Shrila Vrindavan das thakur.

In this way Krishna das kaviraj goswami has offered humble obeisances to Vrindavan das thakur again and again. And following in his footsteps, on this auspicious occasion of his appearance, we pray at his lotus feet to kindly bestow upon us love for Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Shri Nityananda Prabhu.

←  Shuddha bhakata charana renu

A devotee can conquer Krishna through devotional service
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“Krishna is never conquered by anyone, but a devotee can conquer Him through devotional service. As stated in Brahma-samhita (5.33): vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau. One cannot understand Krishna simply by reading Vedic literature. Although all Vedic literature is meant for understanding Krishna, one cannot understand Krishna without being a lover of Krishna.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 4.137,Read More...
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Serving Guru Maharaja in Bombay, by Rasa Sundari Dasi
Giriraj Swami

Serving Guru Maharaja in Bombay from 1990 to 1992 was sometimes a real challenge, because we had hardly any facilities.

In the beginning there were only three of us, not even initiated then—Bhakta Juan, Bhaktin Manju, and myself, Bhaktin Flor.

Cooking was done on the second floor in a small kitchen connected to the Bhaktivedanta Institute. Guru Maharaja always took his prasadam in his office, and, as he liked hot chapatis, we were cooking them on the second floor and then running down the hall with them, one by one, to the office.

There were no mobile phones at that time, so lots of time was spent trying to find each other to get the messages through.

Serving Guru Maharaja in Bombay meant to be able to go with him to visit all those wonderful devotees who were present during Srila Prabhupada’s time—Mrs. Nirmala Singhal, Dr. C. P. Patel, Mr. P. L. Sethi, Srimati Sumati Morariji. They all received Guru Maharaja like a long-lost son who finally had come home.

Serving Guru Maharaja in Bombay meant witnessing how he gave himself fully to each and every person who wanted to see him—and everyone wanted to see him. He never showed any concern for himself, whether he had eaten, taken rest, or had any time left for himself.

Serving Guru Maharaja in Bombay meant being the lucky first three devotees that received initiation from him under the loving glance of Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihariji, and we became Vrindavan das, Janaki devi dasi, and Rasa Sundari dasi.

After our initiation, Guru Maharaja allowed us to collect guru-daksina in front of the restaurant. At the end of the day, when Vrindavan das told Guru Maharaja that because of his service, he had not been able to collect anything and so he had nothing to give to him, Guru Maharaja looked at him and said, “You need not worry about that—you have already given me your life.”

Serving Guru Maharaja in Bombay meant being able to see him many mornings on the altar doing the mangala-arati for Sri Sri Radha-Rasabihariji.

Serving Guru Maharaja in Bombay meant seeing him so expertly supervise the cleaning and maintenance of Srila Prabhupada’s quarters. He wanted us, the devotees, to do the cleaning and everything else there.

Serving Guru Maharaja in Bombay meant watching him go almost every morning after mangala-arati to Srila Prabhupada’s quarters and chant his rounds there.

Serving Guru Maharaja in Bombay meant meeting and serving so many of his wonderful godbrothers and godsisters who had served together with him during Prabhupada’s times, and seeing the love they all had for him.

Serving Guru Maharaja in Bombay meant realizing that you are not this body, when after ten or twelve hours of intense service you fell on your bed, the body completely exhausted and the soul inside completely blissful, wanting to do more.

Serving Guru Maharaja in Bombay was one of the happiest times in my life!

Rasa Sundari Dasi
Giriraj Swami

My beloved disciple Rasa Sundari dasi just left her cancer-ridden body in Malaga, Spain. She was surrounded by devotees lovingly serving her and chanting the holy names, and I was present by video call during her last two hours. She left at the auspicious time of Deity greeting, which she never missed. Just before she departed, she opened her eyes, looked at a picture of me, smiled, and left.

Srila Prabhupada said that when a Vaishnava departs, we feel simultaneously happy and sad. We feel happy because we know that the Vaishnava has gone to serve Krishna, but we feel said because we will miss the Vaishnava’s association. That is how I feel, and that is how her dear husband, Vrindavan das, felt when I spoke with him.

Please pray for Rasa Sundari’s auspicious onward spiritual journey—back home, back to Godhead.

Thank you very much.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service,
Giriraj Swami

ISKCON RELIEF FOR UKRAINE — Week 12 Report
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By Kamala Priya Devi Dasi

Last week in the UK we welcomed eleven new Ukrainian devotees, four of them were children. One family was Krishnavedi dd with her two daughters who arrived in South London where they are now staying with a devotee family. She commented that she feels very welcomed and that she is very happy to have the status of a resident, as opposed to a refugee in Europe. She and her daughters attended harinama in central London and participated in the FFL distribution program. Her family, as well as many other Ukrainians, attended the regular Sunday Russian-speaking program. Continue reading "ISKCON RELIEF FOR UKRAINE — Week 12 Report
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Thursday, May 12, 2022
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Ramsden Park, Toronto

Podcast and No Cast

 

Matt Nash, from Welland, interviewed me for his podcast. It came clear in the interview that we were both raised Catholic. We both stepped back from our faith in order to explore other avenues, not necessarily religious. That is quite common for young folks in the developed world. The counter-culture of the ’60s grabbed my attention and I imagine some version of pop culture captured his fancy.

After my experimentation was complete (and that did involve walking and hitch-hiking), I took to bhaktiyoga, as taught by our guru, Prabhupada. For Matt, who explained his journey in brief, he went full circle and is back on track with spirituality. He loves kirtan.

I mentioned to Matt that I embraced the teachings of Jesus and then added Krishna. There is total compatibility.

Anyways, our Q and A ate up a delicious one hour. Naturally, he’ll go for an edit, but I hope not too much because the interview went well.

Another glory of the day was my visit to the hospital. Yes, I was due to see Doctor Backstein, the surgeon who operated on both my knees. A physio therapist assistant and the good surgeon himself were very pleased with my healing process. No crutch. No cane. No cast.

“He did 4 kilometers on foot,” declared the assistant after I told her. In six months I’ll go for another check up and then ask my pressing question to Backstein, “Do you think I could do another one of those marathon walks again?”

May the Source be with you!

2 km


 

The Lord always comes to the help of those who are devoted to Him
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The Kauravas are consumed by jealousy of the Pandavas, and lose no opportunity to cause them trouble. With a view to harming the Pandavas, Duryodhana sends sage Durvasa to them, telling him that they will have no trouble providing food to him and any number of people accompanying him. Akshayapatra The Pandavas have in theirRead More...
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ISKCON News Now Accepting Interns
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Join ISKCON News as a summer intern! We are now accepting applications for our summer intern program from June to August. Gain the real-world experience needed to develop and apply your knowledge and skills in the workplace. Apply to become an intern with us this summer to develop your writing and journalistic skills, to help […]

The post ISKCON News Now Accepting Interns appeared first on ISKCON News.

Our anchor
→ KKSBlog

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 25 February 2022, Simhachalam, Germany, Zoom Disciple Meeting)

We get swept up and busy with so many things happening around us. That is the time to go back to basics, Bhagavad Gita!

Bhagavad Gita is our anchor and it gives the transcendental perspective. We get swept away and busy with so many things happening around us. That is when we go back to basics, go back to Bhagavad Gita!

Watch the full lecture below or on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VSJpbuLpNE&t=762s

The article " Our anchor " was published on KKSBlog.

The beauty of Krishna excels that of thousands of cupids
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“The supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is described in the Brahma-samhita as cintamani-dhama, a place where all desires are fulfilled. The supreme abode of Lord Krishna known as Goloka Vrndavana is full of palaces made of touchstone. There are also trees which are called ‘desire trees’ that supply any type of eatableRead More...
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Hon. Governor of Kerala Inaugurates New Srila Prabhupada Book
→ ISKCON News

The Governor of Kerala state of India, honorable Shri. Arif Mohammad Khan officially inaugurated the brief biography of Srila Prabhupada titled ‘The Captain’ written by Toshan Nimai Das from ISKCON Pune on 4th May 2022. Written and presented on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the appearance of Srila Prabhupada, this book is based […]

The post Hon. Governor of Kerala Inaugurates New Srila Prabhupada Book appeared first on ISKCON News.

Sri Mayapura International School Welcomes You
→ ISKCON News

Here you will see everything you need to know about Sri Mayapur International School in one video. Set in ISKCON’s International headquarters in West Bengal, India, the city of Sri Dham Mayapur is rapidly developing according to Srila Prabhupada’s vision. Today it is a diverse spiritual community; one with growing needs for families including quality […]

The post Sri Mayapura International School Welcomes You appeared first on ISKCON News.

Sadhu Sanga Finally Returns
→ ISKCON News

After a two-year hiatus from the annual Sadhu Sanga Kirtan retreat, it is back! The Sadhu Sanga retreat is the offering of His Holiness Indradyumna Swami, one of Srila Prabhupada’s most distinguished disciples. This year’s event is a weekend of enthusiastic kirtan, world-class prasadam, and devotional classes which will take place Memorial Day weekend (May […]

The post Sadhu Sanga Finally Returns appeared first on ISKCON News.

TOVP Update on the Nrsimhadeva Wing Progress
- TOVP.org

In this video Braja Vilasa prabhu, TOVP Director of Development and Co-Chairman, gives us a detailed update on the Nrsimhadeva Wing progress, and shows us various aspects of the construction, now going on full-swing for the Grand Opening of the Wing in the Fall of 2023.

This scheduled opening of the completed Nrsimhadeva Wing will be another milestone for the TOVP, heralding the Grand Opening of the temple in 2024. At that time our beloved Mayapur Deities will all be relocated into Their new home and Their worship initiated on the highest possible level.

To facilitate the completion of Lord Nrsimhadeva’s Wing we humbly request every devotee to sacrifice some of their hard-earned income, even if they have already given to the TOVP, and finance this work and also honor the memory of His dear servant, Sriman Pankajanghri prabhu. Please give a donation of $25 or more or sponsor a Nrsimhadeva Brick, Prabhupada Medallion, Prabhupada Award or Prabhupada/TOVP Trophy.

Go to the Give To Nrsimha 2023 Fundraiser page or use one of the quick links below and make your donation today to open Lord Nrsimha’s Temple in 2023.

GIVE $10, $25, $51 OR MORE TO OPEN LORD NRSIMHA’S TEMPLE!

 


 

GENERAL DONATIONS

India: https://pages.razorpay.com/pl_ElxuouO7r7OvtA/view
U.S.: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2036619 (no fee)
Canada: https://www.paypal.com/ca/fundraiser/charity/3440882 (no fee)
Europe: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/TOVPEU
UK: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/TOVPUK
All other: https://m.tovp.org/generaldonation

NRSIMHA BRICK AND PRABHUPADA MEDALLIONS, AWARDS AND TROPHIES

All: https://m.tovp.org/nrsimha
Canada: https://tovpcanada.org/index.html

ALL INQUIRIES:

India: tovpinfo@gmail.com
U.S.: tovpfoundation@gmail.com
Canada: tovpcanada@gmail.com
UK/Europe: tovpuk@gmail.com
All other: tovpinfo@gmail.com

 


 

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit: www.tovp.org
Support: https://tovp.org/donate/
Email: tovpinfo@gmail.com
Follow: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
Watch: www.youtube.com/c/TOVPinfoTube
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Store: https://tovp.org/tovp-gift-store/

TOVP Bas Relief Panels Update
- TOVP.org

As we have already mentioned, 16.5 foot long (5 meters) wall bas relief panels will be located in the four corners of the TOVP Temple room.

Two panels have already been installed and are now in the process of painting: Krishna and Balaram and the cowherd boys, and the Pancha Tattva dancing with Their associates. In this short video we want to show you their current status.

 


 

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit: www.tovp.org
Support: https://tovp.org/donate/
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Apara Ekadasi and the TOVP, 2022 – May 25 (U.S.)/ May 26 (India)
- TOVP.org

Apara Ekadasi is observed on the 11th day of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight of the moon) in the Vedic month of Jyeshtha. It corresponds to the months of May-June in the Gregorian calendar. It is understood that by observing Apara Ekadasi vrata all the sins of the person will be washed away. This Ekadasi is also popular by the name of ‘Achla Ekadasi’ and gives divine and auspicious results. Like all ekadasis, the Apara Ekadasi is also dedicated to worshipping Lord Vishnu.

We encourage devotees to also take advantage of this auspicious day to contribute according to their means to the TOVP. Particluarly at this time we are focusing on the completion of the Nrsimhadeva Wing of the temple by 2023. Please consider giving $25 or more during the Give To Nrsimha 2023 Fundraiser for this purpose.

  NOTE: Apara Ekadasi is observed on May 25 in the U.S. (except for some parts of the East Coast), and May 26 in India. Please refer to your local calendar through www.gopal.home.sk/gcal.

  View, download and share the TOVP 2022 Calendar​.

 

Apara Ekadasi

from the Brahmanda Purana

Sri Yudhishthira Maharaj said, “Oh Janardana, what is the name of the Ekadasi that occurs during the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of Jyeshtha (May – June)? I wish to hear from You the glories of this sacred day of Hari. Please narrate everything to me”.

Lord Sri Krishna said, “Oh king, your inquiry is wonderful because the answer will benefit the whole human society. This Ekadasi is so sublime and meritorious that even the greatest sins can be erased by its purity.”

“Oh great saintly king, the name of this unlimitedly meritorious Ekadasi is Apara Ekadasi. Whoever fasts on this holy day becomes famous all over the universe. Even such sins as killing a brahmana, a cow, or an embryo; blasphemy; or having sex with another man’s wife are completely eradicated by observing Apara Ekadasi.

Oh King, people who bear false witness are most sinful. A person who falsely or sarcastically glorifies another; one who cheats while weighing something on a scale; one who fails to execute the duties of his varna or ashrama (an unqualified man’s posing as a brahmin, for example, or a person’s reciting the Vedas wrongly); one who invents his own scriptures; one who cheats others; one who is a charlatan astrologer, a cheating accountant, or a false Ayurvedic doctor.

All these are surely as bad as persons who bears false witness, and they are all destined for hellish punishments. But simply by observing Apara Ekadasi, all such sinners become completely free of their sinful reactions.

Warriors who fall from their kshatriya-dharma and flee the battlefield go to a ferocious hell. But, Oh Yudhishthira, even such a fallen kshatriya, if he observes fasting on the Apara Ekadasi, is freed of that great sinful reaction and goes to heaven. That disciple is the greatest sinner who, after receiving a proper spiritual education from his spiritual master, turns around and blasphemes him. Such a so-called disciple suffers unlimitedly. But even he, rascal though he be, if he simply observes Apara Ekadasi, can attain to the spiritual world.

Listen, Oh king, as I describe to you further glories of this amazing Ekadasi. The merit attained by one who performs all of the following acts of piety is equal to the merit achieved by one who observes Apara Ekadasi:

Bathing three times daily in Pushkara-kshetra during Kartika (October-November); bathing at Prayag in the month of Magh (January-February) when the sun is in the zodiac of Capricorn; rendering service to Lord Shiva at Varanasi (Benares) during Shiva-ratri; offering oblations to one’s forefathers at Gaya; bathing in the sacred Gautami River when Jupiter transits Leo (Simha); having darshan of Lord Shiva at Kedarnatha; seeing Lord Badrinath when the Sun transits the sign of Aquarius (Kumbha); and bathing at the time of a solar eclipse at Kurukshetra and giving cows, elephants, and gold there in charity.

All the merit one gets from performing these pious acts is gained by a person who observes the Apara Ekadasi fast. Also, the merit attained by one who donates a pregnant cow, along with gold and fertile land, is attained by one who fasts on this day. In other words, Apara Ekadasi is an axe that cuts down the fully matured forest full of trees of sinful deeds, it is a forest fire that burns sins as if they were kindling firewood, it is the sun blazing before one’s dark misdeeds, and it is a lion stalking the meek deer of impiety.

Therefore, Oh Yudhishthira, whoever truly fears his past and present sins must observe Apara Ekadasi very strictly. One who does not observe this fast must be born again in the material world, like one bubble among millions in a huge body of water, or like a small ant among all other species. Therefore one must faithfully observe the sacred Apara Ekadasi and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Trivikrama. One who does so is freed of all his sins and promoted to the abode of Lord Vishnu.

Oh Bharata, for the benefit of all humanity I have thus described to you the importance of the holy Apara Ekadasi. Anyone who hears or reads this description is certainly freed from all kinds of sins, oh best of saintly kings, Yudhishthira.

Thus ends the narration of the glories of Jyeshtha-krishna Ekadasi, or Apara Ekadasi, from the Brahmanda Purana.

It is on Apara Ekadashi that Lord Trivikrama (Vamana) took away the whole universe from Bali Maharaja with His gigantic steps and blessed him by placing His lotus foot on Bali’s head.

NOTES:

  1. Pushkara-kshetra, in western India, is the only place on Earth where a bonafide temple of Lord Brahma is to be found.
  2. The Vedas declare, narah budbuda samah: “The human form of life is like a bubble in water”.

In water, many bubbles form and then suddenly burst a few seconds later. Thus if a person does not utilize his rare human body to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, his life has no more value or permanence than a bubble in water. Therefore, as the Lord herein recommends, we should serve Him by fasting on Hari-vasara, or Ekadasi.

In this regard, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada writes in the Srimad Bhagavatam (SB 2:1:4 purport) :

“The great ocean of material nature is tossing with the waves of time, and the so-called living conditions are something like foaming bubbles, which appear before us as bodily self, wife, children, society, countrymen, etc. Due to a lack of knowledge of self, we become victimized by the force of ignorance and thus spoil the valuable energy of human life in a vain search after permanent living conditions, which are impossible in this material world.”

Credits: This article has been used courtesy of ISKCON Desire Tree

 


 

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit: www.tovp.org
Support: https://tovp.org/donate/
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Save Earth Now! New Bhadra Purnima Campaign
→ ISKCON News

Today’s world is in disarray. Even the so-called educated class of society has no idea how to be happy, or how to do good for the world. Fortunately for us, the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya entertained this idea thousands of years ago. As a result of their thousand-year sacrifice, the enlightened sage, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, spoke Śrīmad […]

The post Save Earth Now! New Bhadra Purnima Campaign appeared first on ISKCON News.

The TOVP Giving To Nrsimha Fundraising Campaign Extended
- TOVP.org

With the success of the TOVP Giving To Nrsimha 12 Day Matching Fundraiser from May 3 – 15, the fundraising department has decided to continue the campaign through Nrsimha Caturdasi, 2023 under the name Give To Nrsimha 2023 Fundraiser. The entire Nrsimha Wing including the altar and interior is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2023, and extending the campaign will bring more needed funds for this purpose.

Our appeal to every devotee is to please give at least $25 for this purpose. Calculated from 25,000 donors, this would total almost ¾ of a million dollars.

We all adore Lord Nrsimhadeva, especially Mayapur Nrsimha who was so meticulously worshiped by His Grace Pankajanghri prabhu. He often said that Mayapur Nrsimha was installed for three purposes: to protect ISKCON, to protect ISKCON gurus and to protect ISKCON devotees.

Let us all come together and show our devotion, love and gratitude for Mayapur Nrsimha and His beloved servant Pankajanghri prabhu by completing the Lord’s new home in 2023. Even if you’ve already given a donation to the TOVP, give another $25 or more for this seva right now. Just click on the donation links below and make your sankalpa with the Lord.

But before you do that, please watch the video below, In Memoriam. This breathtaking, spellbinding and emotionally charged video will astound you. Your heart will be moved and your hairs stand on end. You will want to watch it more than once, maybe even five or six times. It will bring tears to your eyes and an outpour of love from your heart for this great servant of Lord Nrsimhadeva, Sriman Pankajanghri prabhu. (add the video at the bottom of the article)

Visit the Give To Nrsimha Fundraiser page today and make a donation, large or small, or sponsor one of the options mentioned above, or use the quick links below.

GIVE $10, $25, $51 OR MORE TO OPEN LORD NRSIMHA’S TEMPLE!

 


 

GENERAL DONATIONS

India: https://pages.razorpay.com/pl_ElxuouO7r7OvtA/view
U.S.: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2036619 (no fee)
Canada: https://www.paypal.com/ca/fundraiser/charity/3440882 (no fee)
Europe: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/TOVPEU
UK: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/TOVPUK
All other: https://m.tovp.org/generaldonation

NRSIMHA BRICK AND PRABHUPADA MEDALLIONS, AWARDS AND TROPHIES

All: https://m.tovp.org/nrsimha
Canada: https://tovpcanada.org/index.html

ALL INQUIRIES:

India: tovpinfo@gmail.com
U.S.: tovpfoundation@gmail.com
Canada: tovpcanada@gmail.com
UK/Europe: tovpuk@gmail.com
All other: tovpinfo@gmail.com

 


 

Mayapur Nrsimhadeva’s Most Beloved Servant Sriman Pankajanghri: In Memoriam

This breathtaking, spellbinding and emotionally charged video will astound you. Your heart will be moved and your hairs stand on end. You will want to watch it more than once, maybe even five or six times. It will bring tears to your eyes and an outpour of love from your heart for this great servant of Lord Nrsimhadeva.

 


 

TOVP NEWS AND UPDATES – STAY IN TOUCH

Visit: www.tovp.org
Support: https://tovp.org/donate/
Email: tovpinfo@gmail.com
Follow: www.facebook.com/tovp.mayapur
Watch: www.youtube.com/c/TOVPinfoTube
View at 360°: www.tovp360.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOVP2022
Telegram: https://t.me/TOVP_GRAM
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Krishna’s flute
→ Dandavats

“When the transcendental sound of Krishna’s flute is heard, the devotee’s anxiety to continue to hear that flute enables him to penetrate the covering of the material world and enter into the spiritual sky, where the transcendental sound of the flute enters the ears of the followers of the gopis. The sound of Krishna’s fluteRead More...
(This post has been viewed 12 times so far)

Boy George Performs at Bhaktivedanta Manor
→ ISKCON News

Famous singer Boy George, veteran pop group The Rubettes, devotees, and others performed their best hits at the Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Haveli to raise money for the ISKCON’s Inisrath Temple in Northern Ireland.     When Boy George was asked if he would take part in Bhaktivedanta Manor’s charity show in support of Inisrath Hare Krishna […]

The post Boy George Performs at Bhaktivedanta Manor appeared first on ISKCON News.

Sri Ramananda Raya’s Disappearance Day
Giriraj Swami

We shall discuss the conversation between Sri Ramananda Raya and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, ramananda-samvada, recorded in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Eight: “Talks Between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya.”

TEXT 1

sancarya ramabhidha-bhakta-meghe
  sva-bhakti-siddhanta-cayamrtani
gaurabdhir etair amuna vitirnais
  taj-jnatva-ratnalayatam prayati

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is known as Gauranga, is the ocean of all conclusive knowledge in devotional service. He empowered Sri Ramananda Raya, who may be likened to a cloud of devotional service. This cloud was filled with the water of all the conclusive purports of devotional service and was empowered by the ocean to spread this water over the sea of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. Thus the ocean of Caitanya Mahaprabhu became filled with the jewels of the knowledge of pure devotional service.

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

According to revealed scriptures, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself, the origin of all knowledge—perfect knowledge. Here, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the ocean of knowledge of the conclusive purports of devotional service, is taking the part of a student and asking questions, and He empowered Sri Ramananda Raya to give perfect answers. Thus, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is compared to an ocean and Ramananda Raya to a cloud that draws water from the ocean and then showers the water across the ocean as rain.

 TEXT 243

anyonye mili’ dunhe nibhrte vasiya
prasnottara-gosthi kahe anandita hana

TRANSLATION

Thus they met time and time again, sitting in a secluded place and jubilantly discussing devotional service by the question-and-answer process.

TEXT 244

prabhu puche, ramananda karena uttara
ei mata sei ratre katha paraspara

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked the questions, and Sri Ramananda Raya gave the answers. In this way they were engaged in discussion throughout the night.

TEXT 245

prabhu kahe,—“kon vidya vidya-madhye sara?”
raya kahe,—“krsna-bhakti vina vidya nahi ara”

TRANSLATION

On one occasion the Lord inquired, “Of all types of education, which is the most important?”

Ramananda Raya replied, “No education is important other than the transcendental devotional service of Krsna.”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Texts 245 to 257 are all questions and answers between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya. In these exchanges there is an attempt to show the difference between material and spiritual existence. Education in Krsna consciousness is always transcendental and is the best of all forms of education. Material education aims at increasing the activities of material sense gratification. Beyond material sense gratification is another negative form of knowledge called brahma-vidya, or impersonal transcendental knowledge. But beyond that brahma-vidya, or knowledge of the impersonal Brahman, is knowledge of devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Visnu. This knowledge is higher. And still higher is devotional service to Lord Krsna, which is the topmost form of education. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.29.49), tat karma hari-tosam yat sa vidya tan-matir yaya: “Work meant for pleasing the Supreme Lord is the best, and education that enhances one’s Krsna consciousness is the best.”

Also, according to Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23–24):

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
  smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
  sakhyam atma-nivedanam

iti pumsarpita visnau
  bhaktis cen nava-laksana
kriyeta bhagavaty addha
  tan manye ’dhitam uttamam

This is a statement given by Prahlada Maharaja in answer to a question raised by his father. Prahlada Maharaja said, “To hear or chant about Lord Visnu, to remember Him, to serve His lotus feet, to worship Him, to offer prayers to Him, to become His servant and His friend, to sacrifice everything for His service—all these are varieties of devotional service. One who is engaged in such activities is understood to be educated to the topmost perfection.”

COMMENT

This is the first in the series of questions and answers, and it seems appropriate in this environment of education, but as Srila Prabhupada says at the beginning of the purport, these questions and answers are meant to highlight the difference between the material and the spiritual. Material existence begins from the basic misconception that “I am the body and everything in relation to the body is mine.” More or less everyone is in this bodily concept of life. They strongly identify with the body and are deeply attached to things related to the body. And because they identify with the body, they think the goal of life is to give pleasure to the senses of the body. Whatever they do is more or less for the sake of the body.

Srila Prabhupada gives the example that if you are performing a mathematical calculation and you make a mistake in the first step, then even if you perform all the other steps perfectly, you will likely stray further and further away from the actual answer or solution. If we begin from the mistaken premise that “I am the body,” even if everything else we do is perfect in terms of the body, because we made the most fundamental error in the very first step, we will end up further and further away from the actual goal.

The body itself is full of miseries. As soon as we accept a material body, we accept the miseries of birth, death, old age, disease (janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi), and so many others (tapa-traya). Everyone wants relief from these miseries, but as long as they are in the body—in the bodily concept of life—although they may adopt some measures that may give some temporary relief, ultimately they cannot escape the miseries of material existence, and often the remedies they accept are more troublesome than the troubles they are meant to address.

That is the basic situation in material life, but because of maya, people are not aware of their actual position. Maya has two potencies: one throws us down, and the other covers us. Because we are covered, we think we are happy, even though any sane or sober person can see that we are not, that we are always subjected to various types of miseries. But because of the covering potency of maya, we think we are happy. Of course, things are getting so bad that it is becoming harder and harder to maintain the illusion of happiness, but even then, if you ask, “How are you doing?” most people will say, “Fine.”

Srila Prabhupada gives the example of a patient in a hospital. He has suffered a severe trauma and has tubes attached all over his body; his arm is in a cast, his leg is in traction; he has so many contraptions around him meant to counteract the suffering. But if you ask him how he is, he will say, “I’m okay; I’m doing good.”

That is our position, and when one becomes a little sober and actually realizes his or her position, he or she will try to make a solution, to get out of the material miseries, the bondage of material existence. He or she will inquire, as Sanatana Gosvami inquired of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, ke ami, kene amaya jare tapa-traya?—“Who am I? Why do the threefold miseries always give me trouble? How can I get relief?” That is the beginning of human intelligence. Until we come to make such inquiry, we are engaged just like animals—eating, sleeping, enjoying sense gratification, and arranging for shelter and defense.

When one actually inquires, as Sanatana Gosvami did of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, one is considered to be a human being. And in answer to the question “Who am I?” Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu replied, jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’: “The constitutional position of the living entity is to be an eternal servant of Krishna.” Krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’ means that we are servants of Krishna even after liberation.

Between the karmis, who work to earn money and spend it for gross and subtle enjoyment, and the bhaktas, who understand that they are eternal servants of Krishna and engage in devotional service—in between the karmis and the bhaktas are the jnanis. Because the jnanis recognize the miseries of material existence and want to escape them, they are more elevated than the karmis, but because they do not have knowledge of Krishna or of the living entity as the eternal servant of Krishna, their approach is negative. They think, “I am an individual and am suffering, so if I give up being an individual I won’t have to suffer. I have desires and by pursuing them I suffer, so I will give up desire. I have thoughts and my thoughts lead to misery, so I will give up thinking. I have feeling and my feeling leads to misery, so I will give up feeling.” They want to negate their individual existence—no more feeling, no more thinking, no more desiring, no more working—and to merge and become one with God.

Ultimately, the principle is the same. The karmis want to become the chief (just like now there is so much competition to see who will become the president), and the jnanis, the impersonalists, also want to become the chief—by merging and becoming one with the Supreme. But the real solution is to become the servant of the Supreme (jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa). That is real knowledge. Therefore Sri Ramananda Raya says that other than knowledge of devotional service, which is the constitutional activity of the living entity, there is no real knowledge. The rest is illusion. And Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that material education makes one more and more foolish, because it is based on the body. To identify with the body is foolish, and mundane education, which reinforces the bodily concept of life and ultimately teaches one how to earn money and enjoy the body, makes one more foolish. The only real knowledge is knowledge of devotional service.

Before I met Srila Prabhupada and the devotees, I had been seeking. And when I met Prabhupada, I understood that he was the teacher for whom I was searching. And I surrendered to him. Without surrender, one cannot get knowledge. We see in the Bhagavad-gita that it was only after Arjuna surrendered that Krishna began to instruct him. Arjuna said,

karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah
  prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah
yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me
  sisyas te ’ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam

“Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.” (Gita 2.7)

Krishna immediately assumed the position of teacher and chastised his disciple:

asocyan anvasocas tvam
  prajna-vadams ca bhasase
gatasun agatasums ca
  nanusocanti panditah

“While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.” (Gita 2.11)

First is surrender. Without surrendering to an authority, a spiritual master, one cannot get transcendental knowledge.

tad viddhi pranipatena
  pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
  jnaninas tattva-darsinah

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.” (Gita 4.34) Pranipatena means “by offering obeisances”—by surrendering.

So, I surrendered to Srila Prabhupada, and after serving in the Boston temple for some months, I got a letter from him: “I enclose a letter from your father, which will speak for itself. From this letter it appears that you are a good scholar with a good background in your education. So if you wish to make further progress in your educational career, that will be a nice asset for our Krishna consciousness movement.” Srila Prabhupada continued, “You have a taste for psychology and divinity studies, and this is very nice. Of course, our Krishna consciousness movement is on the line of divinity, and we have got so many books about the science of divinity.” Srila Prabhupada used the word divinity. Religious studies had not really begun or become very popular yet, but there were schools of divinity. Finally, he concluded, “I like the idea that you should make a thorough study of all theological schools, and in the future if you can explain our Krishna consciousness movement as the post-graduate presentation of all theological theses, it will be a great accomplishment.”

When I received the letter, I was unsure how to proceed. I did not want to go back to the university, but I knew that the order of the spiritual master was the first and highest consideration. Still, I wasn’t sure if Prabhupada was giving me an order or just offering an option. I consulted my temple president, and he also couldn’t say. So, we concluded that I should write and ask Prabhupada directly. I wrote, “If you are instructing me to pursue my studies, then I will gladly do whatever you say, but if you are giving me the choice, then I would rather stay in the temple with the devotees and worship the Deities and go out for sankirtana.” A week later I heard back from Srila Prabhupada. “Yes,” he wrote, “there is no need of any further education. . . . When Lord Chaitanya was discussing with Ramananda Raya who is the best-educated man, the answer was that a person who is Krishna conscious is the topmost educated man. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja stated before his father that one who has taken to Krishna consciousness is the best-educated man. I think therefore that in all circumstances you should steadfastly continue your Krishna conscious engagement, rather than joining any more universities.”

Now we shall proceed to the next question and answer.

TEXT 246

“kirti-gana-madhye jivera kon bada kirti?”
“krsna-bhakta baliya yanhara haya khyati”

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then asked Ramananda Raya, “Out of all glorious activities, which is the most glorious?”

Ramananda Raya replied, “That person who is reputed to be a devotee of Lord Krsna enjoys the utmost fame and glory.”

PURPORT

The greatest reputation a living being can have is to be a devotee of Krsna and to act in Krsna consciousness. In the material world everyone is trying to be famous by accumulating a large bank balance or material opulence. There is a steady competition among karmis attempting to advance in a wealthy society. The whole world is turning in accordance with that competitive mood. But this kind of name and fame is temporary, for it lasts only as long as the temporary material body exists.

COMMENT

It may not even last that long. For years, Bill Gates was reputed to be the richest person in the world, and then one year it was announced that the owner of Ikea was the richest. Then there was a whole confusion—was he or wasn’t he? After a few days the statement was retracted: “Actually, much of his wealth is in the names of trusts; it is not his.” So, Bill Gates was back on top. Then there was a controversy over which is the tallest building in the world. For years it was the Sears Tower in Chicago. Then someone built one in Kuala Lumpur that, with its tower on top, was higher. In Chicago they continued to advertise the Sears Tower as the tallest building in the world, though, because they did not count the tower on the other building. And in Kuala Lumpur they advertised their building as the tallest in the world. There is always competition for reputation.

People want to be famous. Movies stars, sports heroes, rich people—all are famous. But the fame attached to being rich or glamorous lasts only as long as the body.

One of the founders of industry in the United States was Henry Ford, and he became one of the richest men in the world. Later, his great grandson Alfred Ford came to meet Prabhupada. Inevitably, the young man must have thought, “I am the great grandson of Henry Ford.” When he met Prabhupada, the first thing Srila Prabhupada said was “So, you are the grandson of Henry Ford?” “Yes.” “And where is Henry Ford now?” Prabhupada’s statement immediately took the young man off the bodily platform. Yes, where is he now? That’s a good question. Is he an ant or a worm in stool? We don’t know where he is now.

At best, one’s fame will last only as long as one’s body. And then we don’t know where we will go or what we will be. We are under the stringent laws of material nature.

purusah prakrti-stho hi
  bhunkte prakrti-jan gunan
karanam guna-sango ’sya
  sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

“The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species.” (Gita 13.22)

Prabhupada remarked that people are worrying whether their children and grandchildren will have gas to drive their cars, but parents are not thinking that they may become cockroaches in the back seat of the car. The son may be driving a big car while the father is in the back in the body of a cockroach. The fame that is attached to the body is short-lived—very short-lived. At most it lasts as long as the body, and often not that long.

Therefore Ramananda Raya says that one who is reputed as a devotee enjoys the utmost fame.

PURPORT (continued)

One may become famous as a brahma-jnani, an impersonalist scholar, or one may become a materially opulent person. In either case, such reputations are inferior to the reputation of Krsna’s devotee. In the Garuda Purana it is said:

kalau bhagavatam nama
  durlabham naiva labhyate
brahma-rudra-padotkrstam
  guruna kathitam mama

“In this Age of Kali, the fame of one who is known as a great devotee is very rare. However, such a position is superior to that of the great demigods like Brahma and Mahadeva. This is the opinion of all spiritual masters.” . . .

The Garuda Purana similarly states:

brahmananam sahasrebhyah
  satra-yaji visisyate
satra-yaji-sahasrebhyah
  sarva-vedanta-paragah

 sarva-vedanta-vit-kotya
  visnu-bhakto visisyate
vaisnavanam sahasrebhya
  ekanty eko visisyate

“It is said that out of thousands of brahmanas, one is qualified to perform sacrifices, and out of many thousands of such qualified brahmanas expert in sacrificial offerings, one learned brahmana may have passed beyond all Vedic knowledge. He is considered the best among all these brahmanas. And yet, out of thousands of such brahmanas who have surpassed Vedic knowledge, one person may be a visnu-bhakta, and he is most famous. Out of many thousands of such Vaisnavas, one who is completely fixed in the service of Lord Krsna is most famous. Indeed, a person who is completely devoted to the service of the Lord certainly returns home, back to Godhead.”

COMMENT

Because we identify with the body, we identify ourselves as residents of the planet Earth. Actually we are not the body. We are spirit souls, meant to get out of this material world and return to our real home with Krishna. But we identify with the body and consider the Earth—or the United States, or California, or Los Angeles, or this neighborhood or street—to be our home. And we are very worried what the people think of us. Sometimes we don’t want to be too open about being devotees, because we don’t know what people will think of us, and what they think could affect our material advancement or the congeniality of our social interactions. So we are very careful how we present ourselves, so that people think we are okay, that we are like them—not different.

But the total population of living entities is much greater than the population in our neighborhood or city or state or country or even planet. There are living entities—people—everywhere. And most of them are in the spiritual world. The whole material creation is just one fourth (ekamsa) of the kingdom of God. This one fourth is the prison house. We are the prisoners, and we are desperately trying to impress the other prisoners so they will think that we are like them. “We are as criminal as you are. We are as ignorant as you are. Don’t think we are any different from you.” We want to fit into that society. We are not thinking of the real population, the liberated souls who are outside the prison, that they are the people whom we should really be trying to impress—not the criminals, the fools and rascals.

The fame of a devotee goes beyond this planet. Narottama dasa Thakura glorifies the spiritual master that his fame is spread throughout the three worlds (ebe yasa ghusuk tri-bhuvana). That is real fame. It is not dependent on the body or on the recognition of ignorant fools. And it extends beyond the material world to the spiritual planets, to the Lord and the pure souls who live with Him. “But what about the famous people here?” one may question. “The political leaders and intellectual giants—what about them? They are famous.” The Bhagavatam says that people who are not God conscious are like bigger animals that are praised by smaller animals. Such a statement might sound harsh, but if you identify with the body, you are an animal.

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
  sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
  janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah

“One who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus, bile, and air, who assumes his wife and family are permanently his own, who thinks the land of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of pilgrimage as merely the water there but who never identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships, or even visits those who are wise in spiritual truth—such a person is no better than a cow or an ass.” (SB 10.84.13)

Srila Prabhupada used to say that if a dog is thinking, “I am a bulldog,” and if a man is thinking, “I am a British man,” what is the difference? Both are on the bodily platform. So, the famous people of this world, who are praised in this world, if they have no spiritual consciousness, are nothing more than bigger animals being praised by smaller animals.

sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih
  samstutah purusah pasuh
na yat-karna-pathopeto
  jatu nama gadagrajah

“Men who are like dogs, hogs, camels, and asses praise those men who never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krsna, the deliverer from evils.” (SB 2.3.19)

And after all, what is the significance of an animal? The lion is the king of the jungle, and the other animals are afraid of him—“The lion! The lion!” But what does it amount to? It has no significance, being king of the animals in the jungle.

We want to be famous in human society, and actual human society means God-conscious human society. Without religion, without God consciousness, there is no difference between a man and an animal (dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah).

Now we come to the next question and answer.

TEXT 247

“sampattira madhye jivera kon sampatti gani?”
“radha-krsne prema yanra, sei bada dhani”

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, “Of the many capitalists who possess great riches, who is the topmost?”

Ramananda Raya replied, “He who is richest in love for Radha and Krsna is the greatest capitalist.”

PURPORT

Everyone in this material world is attempting to acquire riches to satisfy the senses. Actually no one cares for anything other than acquiring material possessions and maintaining them. The wealthy are generally accepted as the most important personalities in this material world, but when we compare a material man of wealth to one wealthy in devotional service to Radha and Krsna, the latter is found to be the greatest capitalist. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.39.2):

kim alabhyam bhagavati
  prasanne sri-niketane
tathapi tat-para rajan
  na hi vanchanti kincana

“What is difficult for the devotees of Lord Krsna, who is the shelter of the goddess of fortune? Although such devotees can obtain anything, O King, they do not desire anything.”

COMMENT

Sri Bilvamangala Thakura prays,

bhaktis tvayi sthiratara bhagavan yadi syad
  daivena nah phalati divya-kisora-murtih
muktih svayam mukulitanjali sevate ’sman
  dharmartha-kama-gatayah samaya-pratiksah

“If I am engaged in devotional service unto You, my dear Lord, then very easily can I perceive Your presence everywhere. And as far as liberation is concerned, I think that liberation stands at my door with folded hands, waiting to serve me—and all material conveniences of dharma [religiosity], artha [economic development], and kama [sense gratification] stand with her.” (Krsna-karnamrta 107)

By engaging in devotional service, devotees are offered every facility, including liberation. Yet they are so satisfied in devotional service that they do not desire anything else—only more service.

A devotee is satisfied in the service of the Lord, whereas materialists are never satisfied; they always want to increase their material acquisitions. Some decades ago John Paul Getty was the richest man in the world. A newspaper reporter interviewed him: “You are the richest man in the world. You have everything you could possibly want. Can you give us your philosophy of life in one word?” He said, “Yes—‘More.’” He always wanted more. That means he never had enough. He was always in want.

“You have everything money can buy,” the reporter continued. “When you are alone—when there is no one around—what do you think about?” And he replied, “I think about how to pay the bills.” The same principle—the big animal and the small animals. The small man is thinking, “How to make the payment on the car? How to make the payment on the house?” and the big man is thinking, “How to make the payment on the multi-billion-dollar acquisition.” The consciousness is the same.

A devotee is satisfied in the service of the Lord, so he is the richest. He has what he wants, whereas others, who always want more, are poor—always in want. The devotee has the treasure of love for Radha and Krishna within his heart, whereas others look for treasures outside of themselves, treasures meager and mundane in comparison.

There is a story about Emperor Akbar. Although a Muslim, he was open to Hindus, and among the Hindus in his court was the great singer Tansen. Akbar thought, “Tansen sings so beautifully, but what about his teacher? I wish I could hear him sing.” Tansen’s teacher was Haridasa, a saintly person who lived in Vrindavan. But he sang only for Krishna; he wouldn’t sing for the king. So the king disguised himself as an ordinary person and accompanied Tansen to Haridasa’s hut. According to one version, when Akbar heard the beauty (both spiritual and material) of Haridasa’s voice, he was overwhelmed and removed a royal pendant that was concealed under his cloth and threw it on the floor in front of Haridasa. Witnessing this, Haridasa knew that Akbar was the emperor.

Akbar wanted to reward Haridasa. “I can never repay you for this,” he said, “yet I want to give you something—whatever you want, whatever is in my power to give.” Haridasa took him a short distance to the Yamuna River and asked him to repair the cracks in the steps of the ghat. The emperor replied, “I could give you anything you want, and you are asking me just to repair some cracks in the steps?” Haridasa said, “Put your face in the water and see what is there.” The emperor put his eyes in the water to look at the steps beneath the surface, but by Haridasa’s mercy he was able to see the actual feature of the Yamuna River and the spiritual Vrindavan. He saw that that ghat was made of cintamani stones, spiritual gems more precious than anything the king had ever seen.

When the king raised his head from the water, he looked at Haridasa and said, “With all the wealth in my treasury, I cannot do what you have asked.”

Our standard of wealth and riches in the material world is so poor. Once, when Srila Prabhupada visited Hong Kong, the devotees arranged to receive him at the airport with a Rolls Royce. At the press conference that followed his arrival, a reporter said, “You are supposed to be a spiritual person. Why are you riding in a Rolls Royce?” In response, Srila Prabhupada cited a verse from the Brahma-samhita (5.29):

cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-
  laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
  govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor, who is tending cows, yielding all desires, in abodes built with spiritual gems, surrounded by millions of purpose trees, and always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune.” Srila Prabhupada said, “I come from the spiritual world, where everything is made of cintamani gems, which are more precious than gold and diamonds. Even if my disciples had received me in a solid gold car, it would not have been good enough, but because that was the best they could do, I had to accept it.” After Srila Prabhupada related this story to me, he looked at me and remarked, “What else can you say to such people?”

Although what Prabhupada told the reporter was spoken in an ironic way, it illustrates the point that this world of death (martya-loka) is not opulent. Matter is all so gross—even gold, platinum, and diamonds. Diamonds are just coal, compressed coal. All matter is dead. It has no life, and it can never satisfy the soul. Therefore Srila Prabhupada wrote, “One who has tasted the beauty of the Supreme Lord Krsna, in the course of his advancement in Krsna consciousness, no longer has a taste for dead, material things. . . . When one is actually Krsna conscious, he automatically loses his taste for pale things.” (Gita 2.59 purport)

Soon after I joined, I wrote Srila Prabhupada about the great gift that he had given us, the gift of Krishna consciousness. And in the same letter about the topmost educated man, he wrote, “I am so pleased to learn that you have taken Krishna consciousness as the most valuable gift. One who can understand this is not an ordinary living entity but is the most fortunate.”

TEXT 248

“duhkha-madhye kona duhkha haya gurutara?”
“krsna-bhakta-viraha vina duhkha nahi dekhi para”

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, “Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?”

Sri Ramananda Raya replied, “Apart from separation from the devotee of Krsna, I know of no unbearable unhappiness.”

PURPORT

Concerning this, the Lord states in the Vedic literature:

mam anaradhya duhkhartah
  kutumbasakta-manasah
sat-sanga-rahito martyo
  vrddha-seva-paricyutah

“A person who does not worship Me, who is unduly attached to family, and who does not stick to devotional service must be considered a most unhappy person. Similarly, one who does not associate with Vaisnavas, or who does not render service to his superior, is also a most unhappy person.”

There is also the following statement in the Brhad-bhagavatamrta (1.5.44):

sva-jivanadhikam prarthyam
  sri-visnu-jana-sangatah
vicchedena ksanam catra
  na sukhamsam labhamahe

“Out of all kinds of desirable things experienced in the life of a living entity, association with the devotees of the Lord is the greatest. When we are separated from a devotee even for a moment, we cannot enjoy happiness.”

COMMENT

The real life of the living entity is devotional service—jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa. Devotional service can be executed in the association of devotees. Without the association of devotees there is no happiness, because there is no chance to hear and chant about Krishna. Such a so-called life is worse than death. Therefore Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati prays, kaivalyam narakayate. Kaivalya, merging into the impersonal Brahman, is worse than hell, because at least in hell you can preach—chant and hear the glories of the Lord—whereas in impersonal Brahman there is no devotional service, and there is no happiness. It is worse than hell.

That is the vision of a devotee. His life is devotional service, and devotional service is performed in the association of other devotees. He needs the association of devotees; he is addicted to the association of devotees, and if he doesn’t have it, it becomes very painful. As Srila Prabhupada said, “Instead of thinking, ‘Unless I have a drink, I will go mad,’ one should think, ‘Unless I associate with a sadhu, I will go mad.’ When we can think in this way, we will become liberated.” (TLK 24)

Unfortunately, in the bodily concept of life, as the verse in the purport says, one who is unduly attached to family is bound to suffer, because in the end family members are bound to be separated. Death will separate us from all our mundane attachments (mrtyuh sarva-haras caham), and even apart from death we may be separated by other circumstances. Therefore we should transfer our attachment to devotees, sadhus.

prasangam ajaram pasam
  atmanah kavayo viduh
sa eva sadhusu krto
  moksa-dvaram apavrtam

“Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.” (SB 3.25.20)

The Lord said, “A person who does not worship Me, who is unduly attached to family, and who does not stick to devotional service must be considered a most unhappy person.” Without the association of devotees, one can neither take to devotional service nor continue in devotional service.

krsna-bhakti-janma-mula haya ‘sadhu-sanga’
krsna-prema janme, tenho punah mukhya anga

“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krsna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Krsna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.” (Cc Madhya 22.83)

Prahlada Maharaja was born in a family of demons, but because he had the association of Narada Muni while he was in the womb, he became a devotee. And he could not live without the association of devotees, so he preached to his demonic classmates and got them to chant and dance and become devotees. Sometimes Prabhupada’s followers go to a new place where there are no devotees, but they cannot stay there unless they make devotees. They just cannot live without devotees.

Today I received a phone call from a devotee in South Africa, Ajita Krishna dasi. She had been living in one of the South African townships, or ghettos, but it became too oppressive for her. She wanted to move to a community of devotees, but somehow it didn’t work out. Then she met a very pious, very good, wealthy lady who owned a large estate in the Knysna forest, which the lady had developed as a resort with many chalets. The lady is originally from England, and as a youth, as she made her way by land and sea to South Africa, she was robbed in Kenya. In desperation, she went to a Catholic church for help, but she was turned away. Then, by chance, she happened upon the Hare Krishna temple in Nairobi and spent three months there. She got the association of devotees, and although she did not become a proper devotee herself, she came to harbor a dream that the chalet at the bottom of her property would one day be used as a Krishna temple. So, when she met Ajita, she offered her a place to stay for free. And now Ajita has a perfect situation—all facilities, natural beauty, and no expenses. Wealthy people own and rent houses in Knysna to be near the beautiful beach and forest. But there is one problem: there are no devotees there. Ajita will have to make them—or meet them.

Even I have my own little story. In Mauritius we had a patron, Mr. Gowtum Teelok, who was actually a friend of Srila Prabhupada’s. His family owned sugar plantations, and they held important positions in the government. Mr. Teelok had a second house on the seaside, and he was always inviting me to come and spend time there. So finally I went, with one other devotee. Although it was on the ocean, with a garden with plants and flowers and palm trees, to me it was like a desert. There were no devotees or Deities, so it was dry, like being in a desert. So I stayed for a few hours and then shifted to the temple.

In general, we need the association of devotees, and in particular, we may have special relationships with specific advanced devotees—our spiritual masters and perhaps some dear friends. And when we feel separation from some particular devotee, we feel acute pain. Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was the most advanced devotee, one of the Six Gosvamis, but after Rupa Gosvami left this world, Raghunatha dasa felt so much separation that he wrote in a poem that Govardhana Hill, which he loved so much, had become like a python, and that Radha-kunda, which he loved as Srimati Radharani, had become like the gaping jaws of a tiger. There was no happiness for him, even in his beloved Govardhana Hill and Sri Radha-kunda.

Narottama dasa Thakura also lamented in separation from Lord Chaitanya and His associates. He wrote that, being unable to bear their separation, he would smash his head against the rock and enter into fire.

pasane kutibo matha anale pasibo
gauranga gunera nidhi kotha gele pabo

“I will smash my head against the rock and enter into the fire. Where will I find Lord Gauranga, the reservoir of all wonderful qualities?

se-saba sangira sange je koilo bilas
se-sanga na paiya kande narottama das

“Being unable to obtain the association of Lord Gauranga accompanied by all of these devotees in whose association He performed His pastimes, Narottama dasa simply weeps.” (Prarthana, Saparsada-bhagavad-viraha-janita-vilapa,“Lamentation Due to Separation from the Lord and His Associates,” 4–5)

Such separation cannot be compared to material separation. In time, material separation dulls, and one gradually forgets. One may even drown oneself in other things—another person or some pursuit—to replace or forget the lost loved one. But in devotional service separation is not like that. In devotional service our relationships are based not on the body but on the eternal relation between the soul and the Supreme Soul. The relationships are eternal and continue even after death. Thus Narottama dasa Thakura sings, cakhu-dan dilo yei, janme janme prabhu sei: “He who has opened my eyes with transcendental knowledge is my lord birth after birth.” And in service, that separation becomes blissful.

Once Srila Prabhupada established himself in America, he was with the devotees all the time. First he had only one center, in New York City, and there he was always with them. Then some devotees went and opened the second center, in San Francisco, and when Prabhupada went there it was very hard for the New York devotees, because they were used to seeing him every day. And when Prabhupada went to India, it was even more difficult—for all of them. But he wrote to one disciple, “Please be happy in separation. I am separated from my guru maharaja since 1936, but I am always with him so long I work according to his direction. So we should all work together for satisfying Lord Krishna and in that way the feelings of separation will transform into transcendental bliss.”

This is the mystery of separation in Krishna consciousness. Although externally there is separation and lamentation, internally there is association and bliss. The real thing is the soul, and association on the spiritual platform is based on the soul—and the Supreme Soul—and is not limited by the body or time or space. What Ramananda Raya said is certainly true—the most intense pain is separation from a pure devotee—but at the same time, the pain of separation can serve as an impetus in one’s devotional service, and when one becomes more absorbed in devotional service, the feelings of separation transform into transcendental bliss. One experiences meeting even in separation. Thus Srila Prabhupada often said that although he had been separated from his guru maharaja for so many years, he did not feel that they were apart, because he was connected to his guru maharaja by service, by following his instructions: “I have written in the first publication of Srimad-Bhagavatam, ‘The spiritual master lives forever by his divine instruction and the disciple lives with him.’ Because I have always served my guru maharaja and followed his teachings, I am even now never separated from him. Sometimes maya may come and try to interfere, but we must not falter. We must always follow the chalked-out path laid down by the great acharyas, and in the end you will see.” (SP letter, November 25, 1973)

In general, we need the association of devotees to be happy. But among so many devotees, we may have a special relationship with a particular devotee, like Raghunatha dasa Gosvami had with Rupa Gosvami. Then even in the association of other devotees we may feel separation from that one particular devotee with whom we have that special relationship. But even that separation can be reconciled through service.

“There are two ways of association—by vani and by vapuh. Vani means words, and vapuh means physical presence. Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not, but vani continues to exist eternally. Therefore we must take advantage of the vani.” (Cc “Concluding Words)” Further, by following the instructions of the spiritual master and previous acharyas, we become eligible to go back home, back to Godhead. And in the end we all will meet in the spiritual world, in service to Krishna. As Srila Prabhupada said, “We will have another ISKCON in the spiritual sky.”

Sometimes, because we are still affected by the bodily concept of life, we don’t see each other from the purely spiritual point of view. We identify with the body and have material desires, and naturally we want our desires to be fulfilled by the people around us—who may be devotees. And when our desires are not fulfilled, we may find fault or complain about those devotees, or we may look outside the association of devotees for satisfaction. And our desires may be subtle. We may want affection, appreciation, friendship, fellowship. These are natural human wants. And when we expect these things from devotees and don’t get them, we may feel frustrated and may find fault and complain, and we may even look for society, friendship, and love elsewhere.

In pure devotional service, we want only to serve and please Krishna—and His devotees. Although Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’—we are the eternal servants of Krishna—He stated further, gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah: “I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna”—not directly the servant. That is our actual position. We are servants of the servants of Krishna. How, then, can we place demands on our masters? The other devotees are our prabhus, our masters. How can we place demands on them, even in subtle ways, for our own gratification? We are meant to be their servants, and in that mood our relationships become very congenial.

Once, when there was some dissension or disagreement among the devotees, a disciple asked Srila Prabhupada, “What can we do to improve our relationships?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “If each devotee thinks, ‘I am the servant of the servants, there will be no problem.’” Unfortunately, to some extent we still have that conditioning that we want to be the master, and we want the other devotees to serve us and give us what we want. But gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah; we are servants of the servants of the servants of Krishna. We should not place any demands on our masters—that is not pure devotional service.

After Nrsimhadeva killed Hiranyakasipu, He offered Prahlada, “You take any benediction you want.” And Prahlada replied, “I don’t want anything from You. By constitution You are my master, and by constitution I am Your servant. We have no other relationship. If I wanted something from You in exchange for my service, I would not be a servant; I would be a businessman. I do not want to do business with You, to take some reward from You in return for my service.”

He said, “If a servant does service to get something in return, he is not a real servant, and if a master gives something in return in order to maintain his prestigious position as master, he is not a real master.” A real master doesn’t give anything except pure devotional service—more service. And a real servant doesn’t ask for anything except more service. That is the only exchange—nothing else.

Prahlada said to Nrsimhadeva, yas ta asisa asaste na sa bhrtyah sa vai vanik: “One who desires some material benefit in exchange for devotional service cannot be Your pure devotee. Indeed, he is no better than a merchant who wants profit in exchange for service.” (SB 7.10.4)

asasano na vai bhrtyah
  svaminy asisa atmanah
na svami bhrtyatah svamyam
  icchan yo rati casisah

“A servant who desires material profits from his master is certainly not a qualified servant or pure devotee. Similarly, a master who bestows benedictions upon his servant because of a desire to maintain a prestigious position as master is also not a pure master.

aham tv akamas tvad-bhaktas
  tvam ca svamy anapasrayah
nanyathehavayor artho
  raja-sevakayor iva

“O my Lord, I am Your unmotivated servant, and You are my eternal master. There is no need of our being anything other than master and servant. You are naturally my master, and I am naturally Your servant. We have no other relationship.” (SB 7.10.5–6)

In the mood of pure devotional service, our relationships are very congenial, with Krishna in the center. In the bodily concept, each one of us wants to be the center. I keep myself in the center—“I,” “me,” and “mine.” In the spiritual concept of pure devotional service, Krishna is the center and we all are His servants, but not direct servants—servants of the servants. When we serve in that mood of pure devotion, Krishna is pleased and His servants are pleased—everyone is pleased. And each of us automatically becomes happy and satisfied. We just have to keep Krishna in the center; then everything else will follow.

yatra yogesvarah krsno
  yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir
  dhruva nitir matir mama

“Wherever there is Krsna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.” (Gita 18.78)

Hare Krishna.

Are there any questions or comments?

Maha-sakti dasa: Going back to the earlier part of your lecture, about Prabhupada in the early days, his mission was to destroy impersonalism and voidism (nirvisesa sunyavadi). Back then, many of us were hippies and were into the idea of satiating our senses. And Prabhupada was talking about these impersonalists, who were trying to merge and refrain from desire. We were wondering, “Who is he talking about? Maybe they are in India, but in America we don’t have that experience.” In America back then everyone was into enjoying their senses and sense gratification, especially with free love. And that hasn’t changed much. In the New Age movement there is a big emphasis on not repressing your senses. “Engage your senses. Don’t restrain them, because that is artificial. Engage them, because that is the real path to understanding who you are and attaining happiness.”

I guess the question pertains to some degree to ourselves as devotees, because although there’s no ambiguity about the process, there may be a moment when we start to feel unhappy or unfulfilled—“Devotees are not giving me what I want.” So, how do we live a healthy, happy spiritual life without feeling “I am not getting what I want; I am feeling repressed,” with anger and so many things coming up in the mind—lust, anger, and different things? How do we grow as a society and attract new people, show that this is the right way of life and one can be happy at the same time?

Giriraj Swami: Do you have any ideas? I am sure you must have thought of it.

Maha-sakti dasa: I know that this is the right path. We may just need to learn how to relate to Vaishnavas more in the right way. In a sense, we are very new, and maybe we haven’t yet learned how to be a Vaishnava society. Rupa Gosvami talks about revealing one’s mind and that kind of thing, and I don’t think we are quite there yet, because if we were, maybe our mood would be a little more joyful. We would enjoy the service more than we actually do right now. So, maybe it is a matter of time—and continuing the preaching spirit. I don’t know.

In reality, we are not repressing our senses at all. We are really engaging our senses. With constant festivals, we are constantly glorifying devotees and different incarnations of Krishna, and we are always taking prasada. So, there is no question of repression. But still there is the problem that lies within, as you mentioned. There is the residual karma that seems to bother us, and that is the question—how devotees can deal with that within the society and not feel that they have to go outside in order to take care of that issue.

Giriraj Swami: Somehow I think of late 1969 or early ’70 in the Boston temple. Tamal Krishna Goswami had come for the first time. He was a legend from the West Coast, and Brahmananda Prabhu from New York, who was the legend on the East Coast, drove up to meet him. In the evening, after we had a little prasada—perhaps hot milk and puffed rice with peanuts—we were all standing in line to wash our plates in the sink, and Brahmananda Prabhu said to Tamal Krishna Goswami, “Everyone wants love, so if we just love each other, everyone will get what he wants and everyone will be happy.” It sounded logical and sensible—and true.

The only catch is that to really love someone, you have to be pure. Otherwise, what passes as love, as Srila Prabhupada said, is actually lust. For example, a boy tells a girl, “I love you,” and the girl tells the boy, “I love you,” but actually it is not love; it is lust. And if either partner does not get from the other what he or she wants, the relationship breaks. When we become more advanced, more pure in heart, we can actually serve with love. Love isn’t just a sentiment. It is a process that manifests in service. And to cleanse the heart (ceto-darpana-marjanam), we have the chanting of the holy name—offenseless chanting of the holy name. That will cleanse the heart, and that will create the type of relationships that we want.

We want to create a culture of service, vaisnava-seva. Even before deep love develops, we can create a culture of service and follow Vaishnava etiquette. Proper etiquette guides our relationships and makes our interactions more congenial. In Vedic culture people’s roles are defined, as is the behavior appropriate to each role—how to relate to others. It was mentioned in the quotation in the purport that one who does not serve a superior is a most unhappy person. In essence, there are three different relationships—a subordinate to a superior, an equal to an equal, and a superior to a subordinate. A subordinate should sincerely serve a superior, the superior should affectionately guide the subordinate, and equals should be friends. And we should carefully avoid the contaminated forms of those relationships, in which the subordinate is envious of the superior; the superior exploits the subordinate; or the equals, instead of having genuine, open friendship, feel proud of themselves.

So, we want to develop a culture of selfless service and proper etiquette. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that there are different levels of conversion. The first level is spiritual or religious, but the cultural level may take longer. Devotees may quickly grasp the fundamental spiritual principles—“I am the eternal servant of Krishna”—but it may take longer to understand and adopt the culture of service. And it has become even more difficult now, because with so much influence from the West, the sublime culture that existed in India is rapidly deteriorating. And the Indians who come to the West become further influenced by Western ways. So, we do not see the Vedic or Vaishnava culture in practice as much as before.

We are in Kali-yuga, and it is getting worse. But we need that Vaishnava culture, and we need spiritual purity. The main thing is purity of heart, and that comes from the process of devotional service, especially from offenseless chanting and hearing about Krishna and serving Krishna’s devotees.

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann
  asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krsnasya
  mukta-sangah param vrajet

“My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (SB 12.3.51)

Maha-sakti dasa: And reading, too, is important. We have been reading today.

Giriraj Swami: Indeed. Reading, which comes in the category of hearing, teaches us who we are, who Krishna is, what the material world is, what the spiritual world is, and what our relationships are. It teaches us what the goal of life is and how to attain it. Reading is most important, and Srila Prabhupada advised that we should read for one or two hours every day.

We are in the age of Kali. Kali means “quarrel.” In the age of Kali people quarrel over the smallest thing. They make such a big thing out of a small thing.

Practically, I always feel that there are two things that can help devotees appreciate other devotees. The first is preaching. When you go out and meet people, you see the difference between the people you meet and the devotees, and you appreciate devotees more. Unfortunately, devotees don’t preach so much anymore. Most are grihasthas who live outside of temples, and not many are actively preaching. But if you go out and meet people and speak to them and see what kind of reactions you get, what kind of people you are dealing with, you come to appreciate devotees more.

The other way is to be separated from devotees for some time. You may end up in the beautiful Knysna forest without devotees. Then you appreciate devotees.

It is very important that we have good relationships. If we have strong sadhana—hearing and chanting—and loving relationships, we will grow and prosper. But if our relationships are poor and our sadhana is weak, we will tend to disintegrate.

Devotees are very nice. Sometimes we have to speak strongly to distinguish between the devotional creeper and the unwanted weeds, so we can grow and flourish. Otherwise, devotees are chanting, and they are serving. They are the best people in the world.

Hare Krishna.

[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Ramananda Raya’s disappearance day, June 1, 2008, Camarillo, California]

Mukunda
→ Dandavats

“It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita that the purpose of Vedic knowledge is to find Krishna. And it is said in the Brahma-samhita that it is very difficult to find Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by systematic reading of the Vedic literature. But He is very easily available through the mercy of a pureRead More...
(This post has been viewed 23 times so far)

Ramananda Raya Disappearance
→ Ramai Swami

The Gauraganoddesadipika (120-124) states that Ramananda Raya was Arjuna in his past incarnation.
He is also considered to have been an incarnation of the gopi Lalita, although in the opinion of others he was an incarnation of Visakha devi.
He was a most confidential devotee of Lord Caitanya.
Lord Caitanya said, “Although I am a sannyasi, My mind is sometimes perturbed when I see a woman.
But Ramananda Raya is greater than Me, for he is always undisturbed, even when he touches a woman.”

Only Ramananda Raya was able to act in this way, no one should imitate him.
Unfortunately there are rascals who imitate the activities of Ramananda Raya.

In Lord Caitanya’s final pastimes, both Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara were always engaged in reciting suitable verses from Srimad Bhagavatam to pacify the Lord in His ecstatic feelings of separation from Krsna.

When Lord Caitanya was about to leave for South India, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya advised him to meet Ramananda Raya for he declared that there was no devotee as advanced in understanding the conjugal love of Krsna and the gopis.

While touring South India Lord Caitanya met Ramananda on the bank of the Godavari.
There they had a long discourse in which the Lord took the role of a student and Ramananda Raya instructed the Lord.

Lord Caitanya concluded these discourses by saying, “My dear Ramananda Raya, both you and I are madmen, and therefore we met intimately, on an equal level.”

Lord Caitanya advised Ramananda Raya to resign from his government post and come back to Jagannatha Puri to live with Him.
It was Ramananda Raya who tactfully arranged a meeting between Lord Caitanya and King Prataparudra of Orissa.

The ideal yogi concentrates his attention on Krishna
→ Dandavats

“It is by great fortune that one comes to Krishna consciousness on the path of bhakti-yoga to become well situated according to the Vedic direction. The ideal yogi concentrates his attention on Krishna, who is called Shyamasundara, who is as beautifully colored as a cloud, whose lotus-like face is as effulgent as the sun, whoseRead More...
(This post has been viewed 4 times so far)

Devprayag Yatra in Himalayas
→ Dandavats

By Chandan Yatra Das Devprayag Yatra Himalayas The holy timeless village of Devprayag is in Himalayas in Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand state. It is situated on the road that leads towards Badrinath Dhama. At Devprayag is a unique confluence (sangam) of two celestial rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi Rivers that both form the mainstream flowRead More...
(This post has been viewed 13 times so far)

Nrsimha-lila, Bhakti SF, San Francisco
Giriraj Swami

Giriraj Swami read and spoke from Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.19.

“My Lord Nrsimhadeva, O Supreme, because of a bodily conception of life, embodied souls neglected and not cared for by You cannot do anything for their betterment. Whatever remedies they accept, although perhaps temporarily beneficial, are certainly impermanent. For example, a father and mother cannot protect their child, a physician and medicine cannot relieve a suffering patient, and a boat on the ocean cannot protect a drowning man. Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.19

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.19 (Right-click to download).

The Holy Name Heals All Wounds
→ Seed of Devotion

My alarm rang in the dark morning. Immediately, a heavy weight lodged in my gut. While I showered and got dressed and walked out the door, the weight only became heavier and heavier. 

I drove to work in the twilight, the headlights from my car still lighting up the road. That's when the dread really kicked in - facing the reality that I would soon be entering my office, preparing my classes for the day... and then teaching. 

This semester I had started my new job of teaching Freshman Composition at my alma mater, Santa Fe College. This was my dream job, the position I had been dreaming about, praying for, and working very hard to be qualified for for years. 

And there I was, morning after morning, dread settling upon me in heavy, oppressive sheets of tar. 

It made no sense. My students were kind and respectful. I loved teaching my content. The environment of my college is uplifting. My colleagues are inspiring. My supervisor believes in me and supports me. In fact, the woman who hired me was MY Freshman Composition teacher fifteen years prior. I loved every minute of attending Santa Fe College, and on a completely objective level, the dread I was experiencing made no sense. 

Then why? Why

I began to realize: past teaching experiences. 

I taught first grade, middle school, and high school in New York City in various full-time capacities. Being a teacher (and simultaneously taking graduate classes at times) is all-consuming. But teaching middle school? The experience can eat you alive. 

I taught middle school full-time for almost two years. The first year was challenging but ultimately inspiring. The second year... let's just say that I could feel myself being mashed up while being eaten alive. This is no secret - that year was a tough year for almost every teacher, student, and even the principal. The most difficult part for me was the experience of disrespect I received from the students, no matter how many books I read in order to manage a classroom, how much advice I received from other teachers, the principal, instructional coaches, and more. I tried everything. A method would work for a couple hours, maybe a couple days, and then the chaos would set in again.

Duty-bound to finish the year, I would wake up to my alarm in the dark morning. Sure enough, the dread would settle into the pit of my gut in that first moment of consciousness. While I brushed my teeth, showered, and rode the subway to work, the dread would make its way into every fiber of my being.  

The helplessness and hopelessness began to permeate my life. I wore my glasses and dark clothing often in a subconscious desire to hide and dissolve. 

The only relief was to drown myself in grading and planning, but the disrespect and lack of self-discipline from 12, 13, and 14-year-olds was eating away at my sense of value as an educator and self-worth. Why put all this time and energy into planning a lesson that would fall apart within the first five minutes because students would start chatting and chatting and chatting to each other, or throwing pencils, or making dismissive comments about the text or the activity, or would refuse to follow a direction, or (worst of all) be mean to each other, or whatever? Of course I had heard it a million times to not take what they said and did personally. They're middle schoolers, what can you expect?

But I could not teach. These students were a difficult bunch, as confirmed by every other teacher and supervisor of the school. The negative behavior spread like a virus, infecting even the nicely behaved ones. Besides, the school itself was in disarray.  

By the time the school year ended, we were all so very, very done. 

I felt like a shell of an educator, wondering if I would ever be competent enough or strong enough or good enough to teach again. I considered leaving education, but deep down I knew it was my dharma (occupation) in this lifetime, and so I shouldered on. And of course, I knew that teaching middle school was simply not a fit for me. I needed to teach adults. 

So there I was, three years later, teaching (young) adults in my dream position, and that dread and self-doubt and and exhaustion was coming back to haunt me. 

I was at a total loss.

Then, on YouTube I discovered a recording of the 99 Names of Allah (Asma-Allah). I was entranced. I read a comment on this video that said, "I play this on my way to work and I don't even know exactly what's being sung at each moment but I feel more peaceful after."

Huh. 

Of course, I understand the power of  the holy name and how it can give peace and love to the heart and soul. I've experienced this countless times in my own tradition of singing and chanting the Hare Krishna mantra as well as other powerful prayers. That said, I've also experienced this kind of peace and fulfillment with the Asma-Allah, especially while I dedicated myself to memorizing the 99 Names. 

So I tried it. 

I played the recording on my way to work. 

One twilit morning, over and over again, I played the recording and sang what I could recall. The names of Allah filled my car and I was bathed in peace and courage. 

Then, in soft and gentle tones, I chanted the Hare Krishna mantra.  

I did this two times on my way to work, maybe three, and the dread dissolved forever. 

Did I have "dumpster fire" days where so much went wrong because I was on a steep learning curve? Yes. But I was no longer battling a foe that kept getting resurrected from my past. I dealt with the current reality of being human and making mistakes. They were fair fights.  

Will the dread return, maybe next semester? 

Maybe. 

But now I know what to do. Or rather, I know who to turn to.  

The holy name dissipated the darkness and lit up my heart. So often we struggle with past demons and patterns and impressions, seemingly endless cycles of pain and hurt and sadness and anger and violence and destruction. And while doing the needful to get the healing we need (such as therapy, etc.) is essential, ultimately there's no way out of those patterns by only fighting them on a material level. The only way out is to take shelter of a higher principle, to take shelter of the Lord. And the easiest way is to call out His name. 

My thanks go out to that commenter on YouTube. You showed me that the holy name is like medicine - it works even if we don't know or understand how it is healing our hearts. 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare