krsna

"Faith. Hope. Change. Obama."

<CENTER> </CENTER>

http://www.prabhupadaconnect.com/Here_Comes_the_Sun_Slideshow.html

</NOSCRIPT><!-- </hs:realtracker> -->

Saranagati is fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s vision

<!-- the main section of the post goes here -->

Paving the Way on Unpaved Roads

By Yoginatha Dasa

May/June 2008

In British Columbia, Canada, some Hare Krishna neo-pioneers work to materialize an important aspect of Srila Prabhupada’s vision.

Vanamali seldom walks. Like most six-year-olds, she skips, spins, stoops, and joggles as she travels through her world on the trails and dirt roads of Saranagati Village in remote British Columbia. Her numerous trips, and those of others before her, have worn bare the path through the pine and fir forest from home to school.

Vanamali Dasi’s name means “servant of Krishna, who wears beautiful forest flowers.” She is a member of ISKCON’s “third generation,” children of the children of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples. She was born at home in Saranagati Village and is now being schooled there. The imprints of the devotees living here have formed the path she uses-shortcuts between houses, from houses to the temple, and to other special places in the forest like “the red bridge.”

Twenty years ago there were no trails. The valley now known as Saranagati was once a summer hunting ground for native Indians. In the 1930’s Chinese immigrants tried to raise cabbages and potatoes there. Then, in 1987, fueled by a passion to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desire for varnashrama, a group of devotees from Vancouver pooled their money and made a down payment on the land.

There were no homes, and there was no running water or electricity. There were a few deeply rutted roads, some broken gray fences from another age, and two thousand acres of raw, slightly rocky, alkaline landscape surrounded by trees. There was no good reason to think this land could support a varnashrama village. In fact, there was no known history of human settlement on the land. Yet it was here that neo-pioneers like Vanamali’s grandparents, citing slogans of self-sufficiency and simple living, decided to build our model community.

Unlike European pilgrims who reached their New World armed with physical fortitude and basic survival skills, the only skill I could bring from my childhood in the suburbs of Seattle and two years of college was how to strike a match. In 1987, abandoning all logic and common sense, I and others equally unprepared filled pick-up trucks with a few hand tools, some second-hand windows, and miscellaneous other implements. We then ventured blindly, foolishly, and enthusiastically into the cold and barren northland known now as Saranagati, burning with enthusiasm to serve our guru and his movement.

Prabhupada’s Vision

Before his passing, Srila Prabhupada spoke often about varnashrama-dharma, the Vedic social system designed to help everyone make gradual spiritual progress. It was clearly a spoke in the wheel of his missionary scheme.

“Our duty is that we shall arrange the external affairs also so nicely that one day they will come to the spiritual platform very easily, paving the way.… Vaishnava is not so easy. The varnashrama-dharma should be established to become a Vaishnava. It is not so easy to become Vaishnava. (Srila Prabhupada, Mayapur, India, 2/14/77)

Although none of us could precisely describe a “varnashrama community,” we felt certain of this: A band of well-intentioned devotees with a mandate to be Krishna conscious turned loose in the British Columbia wilderness, with private ownership of their homes and a share of the surrounding land, would in time manifest varnashrama. It was similar to tossing a handful of corn seeds into an abandoned, uncultivated field in the spring and returning in the fall hoping to collect a harvest-a useless technique I once tried.

What did happen?

Carrying five-gallon buckets of water down sloping icy driveways was a little disheartening after a lifetime of turning on faucets. Lying on your back in cold mud to fasten heavy metal chains onto the wheels of a truck stuck in a gooey road seemed more like stupid living than simple living. Clawing in the dirt to produce a few carrots and potatoes rather than going to the grocery store seemed like a waste of time. And spending a day in the forest cutting and loading firewood was so much harder on the back than flicking a thermostat.

I can still taste the sorry disappointment of planting my first spinach crop by squishing the seeds four inches into the soil-not knowing that I was sending them to a world of eternal darkness.

Despite these and countless other struggles, Saranagati still exists.

Was there a miraculous transformation of the landscape? By perseverance and the grace of God did the devotees turn a desert into Indraprastha, a heaven-on-earth, a glorious victory against all odds? Not exactly. We did establish gardens, a school, a temple, and twenty-five houses, ranging from rustic to elegant. And the happiness of our new life in the mountains somehow managed to win our hearts.

There is a primal satisfaction in being able to open your front door any time of the day or night and shout, “Jaya Radhe-Syama!” as loud as you wish without fear of censure from neighbors.

It is a relief to know that commuting to work means walking to the raspberry patch. Sleeping in rhythm with the seasons instead of the clock just seems right. Crystal-clear night skies with stars that blaze soothe the mind. The sprightly singing of birds has replaced the deafening groan of a giant urban machine.

These little pleasures made the burdens of “living without” seem trivial. But what about our original mandate? What about our mission? Have we established varnashrama? Have we come any closer to understanding what it is? Have we satisfied the desires of our Guru Maharaja?

A Symbolic Path

If varnashrama requires kings and brahmanas and is supposed to funnel grihasthas into the renounced order, then we have failed. And if varnashrama is meant to be a re-creation of an ancient social system with well-ordered divisions of work, then again we have failed. On the other hand, if the spirit of varnashrama is to create a simple, unadorned way of life that supports God consciousness rather than constantly challenging it; and if varnashrama is intended to offer a stable, secure, and unhurried environment, a place where, as Bhaktivinoda Thakura puts it, “spiritual life can be executed easily and automatically” (Kalpataru, Song 13), then Vanamali’s trail and the twenty-first-century village of Saranagati deserve a second look.

A well-worn path trod by three generations of the same devotee family certainly symbolizes stability. We don’t yet know if Vanamali and her playmates will live up to the prophecy of being the first true Western Vaishnavas, but at least we have planted the seeds, and they have sprouted.

These children have not been tossed in the uncultivated fields of an impersonal institution or squished deep into the soil of gross materialism and electronic diversion. They are growing in the fertile land of Saranagati, where they can run free and breathe the fresh air. Here they come home to garden vegetables and kirtana. Their neighbors all wear tilaka and neck beads.

Time will tell if this is in fact the beginning of varnashrama as Srila Prabhupada desired it. Today, Saranagati is a wonderful place to pursue the inner life of Krishna consciousness. And if nothing else, if one day Vanamali’s children joyfully walk their mother’s trail, then a rare and precious forest flower may have indeed sprouted from the rocky Saranagati soil.

 

Returning Back Home, Back to Godhead. And how can we understand free will?

 

 

 

In Brhad Bhagavatamrta by Sanatana Gosvami, it is written that once, as Krishna and the cows were returning from the Vrndavana forest at the end of the day, a boy had just attained spiritual liberation and entered Vrndavana as a cowherd boy [sakhya rasa]. Seeing His long lost servant, Krishna embraced him and both of them fainted in ecstasy.

All of Krishna's other cowherd friends were astounded, thinking,

"What is this? Krishna has lost His senses by embracing this newcomer! How is it possible?"

Then, as all of the cowherd boys looked on astonished, Balarama came to Krishna's relief and somehow managed to rouse Him.

Then Krishna addressed His friend with great affection:

"Why did you stay away?

Why have you been living away from home for so long?

How was it possible for you?

How could you bear My separation?

You left Me, and you have been passing lives after lives without Me? Still, I know what trouble you took to return to Me. You searched for Me everywhere, and went to beg from house to house, and you were chastised by many, ridiculed by many, and you shed tears for Me. I know all these things. I was with you. And now, after great trouble, you have again come back to Me."

Srila Prabhupada – “Established means re-establish. It is already established. We have got different types of relationship. That is called svarupa-siddhi. Svarupa-siddhi. (Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture, December 7, 1974, Bombay)

Actually there is NO evolution of consciousness in regards to our original perpetual bodily identity and position because that svarupa body already perpetually exists ETERNALLY; we simply have to regain or recover the memory of who we really are.

We simply have to once again regain, recover, and re-establish the 'awareness 'of who we really are, that has always been there in Krsnaloka.

Prabhupada explained the original nature and position of the jiva soul that is understood by many devotees

Srila Prabhupada explains it very well for those who scrutinisingly study his teachings. He explains it very simply and compares our fallen state to our ‘dream’ consciousnesses while asleep in our material present body.

For those who delve deeply into the ‘origin of the jiva soul, Prabhupada has always given the clearest understanding.

Srila Prabhupada -"Originally pure Krishna consciousness exists, but because of misuse of marginal independence there is a chance of forgetting Krishna. From the state of pure consciousness, the false ego is born because of misuse of independence. We cannot argue about why false ego arises from pure consciousness. Factually, there is always the chance that this will happen, and therefore one has to be very careful." SB 3.26.23-24 pp.

Some get angry when they hear we ALWAYS have the free will to leave Krsnaloka and say –

“Herein lies the problem. By the above logic, the same fall can repeat again. You take all this pain being a Hare Krishna to get to Krishna, but per Prabhupada, it is always possible that you can fall again as you apparently have the independence to make that choice.

And people who have been quoting this "fall from Goloka" avoid the direct quote from Krishna about his "abode of no return".

Yes, that is right, but this can be easily understood

Here is a very, very crude example of free will and choice that all marginal living entities (jiva-tattva) have.

Lets say that you are walking down the street and come across a hot dump of dog stool with worms crawling around in it, now on seeing the hot stool, you have a choice, due to free will, to eat it, or ignore it.

Now we know (lets hope so) that you will ignore it, it would not even enter your mind to eat it.

This is also the same for the living entity in Krsnaloka, the majority of living entities as there nitya siddha body, see the material world or mahat-tattva as a stool house.

Therefore just as you in your present body see that 'worm filled hot stool', and ‘choose’ to ignore it, the living entities in Vaikuntha and Krsnaloka also choose to use their free will to ignore the material world.

That ability to choose is the eternal nature of the marginal living entities or jiva-tattva’s and this is WHY we are all ‘marginal living beings’. We are independent thinking individuals who can carve out our own existence, or 'choose' to always serve Krsna. This means we ALWAYS have the choice to eat Krsna prasadam and stay in Krsnaloka, or dog stool (go to the material world.

However, just like there are a very small minority of humans who see the hot stool as scrumptious and eat it, worms and all, there are also a small minority of living entities who choose to ignore Krsna and their 'svarupa' body they serve Krsna as, and come to the material world as their false ego (baddha-jiva).

The majority however, NEVER leave Krsnaloka unless it is to engage in Krsna’s sporting pastimes.

Actually if one understands this crude analogy, then we can understand how even those who have become purified and are now great devotee, NOW always see themselves as the most fallen because they have realized the way they had chose to leave Krsnaloka in the first place long, long, long ago.

Such great devotee, like many today who were previously from meat eating families, have now understood, by the dent of their Krsna Consciousness, how they had foolishly chosen to ignore Krsna and come down to the stool house of the material world.

The question remains, if you see hot wormy dog stool in your present body, would you eat it?

The free will to choose is always there in Krsnaloka.

All glorious to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu

Sri Isopanisad 13 Purport:

Srila Prabhupada – “The human form of life offers one a chance to get out of this entanglement simply by re-establishing the lost relationship between the living entity and the Supreme Lord”.

Makes sense. A place of no return. Once inside no one leaves, or wants to leave for that matter. How could maya entice us there in Krsnaloka?

We made our 'bad' choice somewhere else, in the 'tatastha' region of the Lord, wherein we chose not to accept the 'free' entry into eternal submission in Krsnaloka, but rather we chose to enter in the material world instead.

Don't Kill My Soul

Go on kill me if you like,

But 'don't kill my soul' with your hype.

Don't make me forget KRSNA the Supreme,

Or you'll just make me wanna scream!

Hare Krsna!

krsna das

Nature is always there to remind us of our utter and total dependence upon the mercy of the Lord. We experience these droughts in society and on an individual level from nature as a reminder that we must re-form our consciousness and remember and acknowledge the Lord's supreme position.

 

We are presently living on a planet that is in almost complete rebellion against God consciousness. Stockpiling karmic debt faster than than the national debt. "The s*** is about to hit the fan,"***** as the common saying goes. The safest place will be to keep one's head upon the floor before the feet of the Lord.

*****

Meaning:

Messy and exciting consequences brought about by a previously secret situation becoming public.

Origin:

This expression alludes to the unmissable effects of s*** being thrown into an electric fan. It appears to have originated in the 1930s. I can't say better than 'appears' as the earliest citation of it that I can find is in the 1967 edition of Eric Partridge's A dictionary of slang and unconventional English:

Partridge lists the phrase as Canadian, circa 1930, but as he gives no supporting evidence we have to go by the 1967 date, although it is undoubtedly earlier.

Other, more polite, forms of the phrase, involving eggs, pie, soup and 'stuff', can certainly be dated from the USA the 1940s. For example, Max Chennault's Up Sun, 1945:

I've found that all my studies and practices have brought me to a place that I have never experienced before. My Schizophrenia has allowed me to bring a new light to my mind and I can see things much more clearly now.. It feels like a great awakening for me.. I can speak to all the Deities within Sanatana Dharma that I personaly know and have them all working together. I'm not sure how to define Enlightenment in Hinduism..

Anyone have any thoughts?

(...lyrics taken from a popular song)

I can see clearly now the rain (maya) has gone

I can see all obstacles (anarthas) in my way

Gone are the dark clouds (illusions) that had me blind

It's going to be a bright, bright sunshiny(KRSNA Conscious) day

I think I can make it now the pain (Material existence) has gone

And all of the bad feelings (lust, anger, greed,etc...)have disappeared

Here is the rainbow (KRSNA's sign)I've been praying for (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna,...)

It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day

Look all around there's nothing but blue skies

Look straight ahead nothing but blue skies

(Only KRSNA, the Blue Boy Playing the Flute)

I think I can make it now the pain has gone

And all of the bad feelings have disappeared

I can see clearly now the rain has gone

It's gonna be a bright, bright

Sunshiny day

Instead of inventing new definitions of diksa, we should simply try to understanding the REAL MEANING of diksa (upanayana) as it is given in our tradition. Of course diksa is more than just the ceremony, but without that formal ceremony there is also no diksa.

"You each be guru," he said. "As I have five thousand disciples or ten thousand, so you have ten thousand each. In this way, create branches and branches of the Caitanya tree."

(Srila Prabhupada, Mayapur GBC meetings 1976)

Chanting Without Diksha

I have one question:

 

What is the value if someone is chanting the Holy Name and he or she is not initiated (received mantra diksa)?

 

Some devotees say that the only benefit of such chanting is preparation for diksa, and that real connection and chanting is not possible if one do not receive mantra diksa?

 

For example, I am reading many vaisnava books and chanting the Holy Names, associating with devotees and following the regulative principles for more then a decade. My wife is also devotee and we are practicing chanting and reading together, but we are not initiated ( no diksa).

 

By Mahaprabhu's mercy I preached to many devotees in our area and some of them have become initiated within ISKCON and some in other Gaudiya organisations.

 

I see that this divine process is an eternal activity, but some devotees say to me, "What are you waiting for - you must hurry, you never know how long you will live and without diksa there is no real connection with Lord!"

 

I was (and still am) in contact with several spiritual masters and advanced devotees and getting inspiration (siksa) from them. I was never interesting in "institutional consciousness", but in finding a bona-fide devotee, in whatever institution or place he may belong. Could you please give me some advice on this matter of taking diksa?

 

Did Jesus give diksha to his 11 chosen disciples/ zonal acaryas at the Last Supper (who did not betray him)?

After the passing away of Haridasa Thakura, the Lord Himself took his body on His lap, and He danced with it in great ecstasy.

Nama Acharya Srila Haridas Thakur

Haridas Thakur is known as Namaacharya Haridas.

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeard he chanted the holy names of the lord and all that heard them became Namaacharyas.

Haridas Thakur was empowerd to set the perfect example of surrender to the holy name. His faith and devotion to the chanting of the holy name is unparrelled. He has said that simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become free from all misery.He has shown us that those who are actually servants of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu must seriously distribute this chanting all over the world to render the greatest benefit to human society. Of course, animals and other lower species are not capable of understanding the science of Krsna, but if even a small number of living beings take it seriously, by their chanting loudly, all living entities, including even trees, animals and other lower species, will be benefited.

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired from Haridasa Thakura how he was to benefit living entities other than humans, Srila Haridasa Thakura replied that the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is so potent that if it is chanted loudly, everyone will benefit, including the lower species of life.

The twentieth branch of the Caitanya tree was Haridasa Thakura. His character was wonderful. He used to chant the holy name of Krsna 300,000 times a day without fail.

There is no end to the transcendental qualities of Haridasa Thakura. He was so exalted that Advaita Gosvami, when performing the sraddha ceremony of his father, offered him the first plate.

Haridasa Thakura is exceptional for his forbearance because although he was beaten with canes in twenty-two marketplacesby the demons, nevertheless he was tolerant. Similarly, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, although he belonged to a most respectable brahmana family, was exceptional for his humility and meekness.

Sanatana Gosvami later described the glories of Haridasa Thakura.

It is understood that Advaita Prabhu, at one time, was in His own paternal house at Santipura. Haridasa Thakura frequently used to meet Him. Coincidentally, therefore, he was also there, and upon the birth of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu both of them immediately began to dance. But no one in Santipura could understand why those two saintly persons were dancing.

On the maha-prakasa day, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced Haridasa Thakura and informed him that he was none other than an incarnation of Prahlada Maharaja.

When Haridasa Thakura and Rupa Gosvami saw that all the devotees were accepting prasada and chanting the holy name of Hari, they both were greatly pleased.

Namacarya Haridasa Thakura, the authority on the chanting of the holy name, said, "The chanting of the Lord's holy name to indicate something other than the Lord is an instance of namabhasa. Even when the holy name is chanted in this way, its transcendental power is not destroyed.

Namacarya Haridasa Thakura continued, "If one offenselessly utters the holy name even imperfectly, one can be freed from all the results of sinful life.

As Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this from Haridasa Thakura, the happiness within His heart increased, but as a matter of course, He still inquired further.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu derives great pleasure from glorifying His devotees, and among the devotees, Haridasa Thakura is the foremost.

The transcendental qualities of Haridasa Thakura are innumerable and unfathomable. One may describe a portion of them, but to count them all is impossible.

No one can describe all the qualities of Haridasa Thakura. One may say something about them just to purify himself.

Haridasa Thakura constructed a cottage in a solitary forest. There he planted a tulasi plant, and in front of the tulasi he would chant the holy name of the Lord 300,000 times daily. He chanted throughout the entire day and night.

The village of Benapola is situated in the district of Yasohara, which is now in Bangladesh. Benapola is near the Banagano station, which is at the border of Bangladesh and may be reached by the eastern railway from Shelda Station in Calcutta. Haridasa Thakura, being the acarya of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, is called Namacarya Haridasa Thakura.

From his personal Example we can understand that chanting the Hare Krsna mantra and becoming highly elevated in Krsna consciousness is very simple. Without difficulty one can sit down anywhere, especially on the bank of the Ganges, Yamuna or any sacred river, devise a sitting place or cottage, plant a tulasi, and before the tulasi chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra undisturbed.

Throughout the entire day and night, he would chant the sixteen names of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. One should not, however, imitate Haridasa Thakura, for no one else can chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra 300,000 times a day. Such chanting is for the mukta-purusa, or liberated soul. We can follow his example, however, by chanting our prescribed number of rounds of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra on beads every day and offering respect to the tulasi plant. This is not at all difficult for anyone, and the process of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra with a vow before the tulasi plant has such great spiritual potency that simply by doing this one can become spiritually strong. Therefore we request everyone to follow Haridasa Thakura's example rigidly.

Chanting rounds does not take much time, nor is offering respects to the tulasi plant difficult. The process has immense spiritual potency. One should not miss this opportunity.

In the days of Haridasa Thakura, all the brahmanas worshiped Narayana in the form of the salagrama-sila. Therefore begging alms from a brahmana's house meant taking krsna-prasada, which is transcendental (nirguna). If we take food from the house of others, such as karmis, we shall have to share the qualities of those from whom we take alms. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took prasada in the houses of Vaisnavas. This is the general process.

Aspiring Viasnavas are advised not to take food from anywhere but a Vaisnava's or brahmana's house where Deity worship is performed. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, visayira anna khaile dusta haya mana: if a devotee takes alms or food from the house of a karmi who is simply interested in money, his mind will be unclean. We must always remember that a devotee's life is one of vairagya-vidya, or renunciation and knowledge. Therefore all devotees are warned not to live unnecessarily luxurious lives at the cost of others. Grhasthas living within the jurisdiction of the temple must be especially careful not to imitate karmis by acquiring opulent clothing, food and conveyances. As far as possible, these should be avoided. Devoteess whether grhastha, brahmacari or sannyasi, must practice a life of renunciation, following in the footsteps of Haridasa Thakura and the six Gosvamis. Otherwise, because maya is very strong, at any time one may become a victim of maya and fall down from spiritual life.

We can clearly see how a Vaisnava delivers a fallen soul by a transcendental trick. A prostitute came to pollute Haridasa Thakura but he took it as his duty to deliver the prostitute. As clearly demonstrated here, the process of deliverance is very simple. With faith and reverence the prostitute associated with Haridasa Thakura, who personally treated her material disease by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Although the prostitute had an ulterior motive, somehow or other she got the association of a Vaisnava and satisfied him by occasionally chanting in imitation, "O my Lord Hari, O my Lord Hari."

The conclusion is that associating with a Vaisnava, chanting the holy name of the Lord and offering obeisances to the tulasi plant or a Vaisnava all lead one to become a transcendental devotee who is completely cleansed of all material contamination.

According to external vision, Haridasa Thakura belonged to a Mohammedan family. Nevertheless, because he engaged himself in performing the yajna of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, he became a regularly initiated brahmana.

<CENTER>

As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.33.6):

yan-namadheya-sravananukirtanad

yat-prahvanad yat-smaranad api kvacit

svado 'pi sadyah savanaya kalpate

kutah punas te bhagavan nu darsanat

</CENTER>Even if a devotee comes from a family of dog-eaters, if he surrenders to the personality of Godhead he immediately becomes a qualified brahmana and is immediately fit to perform yajna, whereas a person born in a family of brahmanas has to wait until completing the reformatory processes before he may be called samskrta, purified.

Raghunatha dasa, who was the son of Hiranya Majumadara and was later to become Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, when he was a young boy engaged in study. He made time to to see Haridasa Thakura daily.

Naturally Haridasa Thakura was merciful toward him, and because of the merciful benediction of this Vaisnava, he later attained the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's lotus feet.

While Haridasa Thakura was staying under the care of Advaita Acarya, he was afraid of the behavior of society in Santipura, Navadvipa, which was full of exceedingly aristocratic brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas. Haridasa Thakura was born in a Mohammedan family and was later recognized as a great Vaisnava, but nevertheless the brahmanas were very critical of him. Thus Haridasa Thakura was afraid that Advaita Acarya would be put into some difficulty because of His familiarity with Haridasa Thakura.

Sri Advaita Acarya treated Haridasa Thakura as a most elevated Vaisnava, but others, like Ramacandra Khan, were envious of Haridasa Thakura.

Of course, we have to follow in the footsteps of Advaita Acarya, not caring for people like Ramacandra Khan. At present, many Vaisnavas are coming from among the Europeans and Americans, and although a man like Ramacandra Khan is always envious of such Vaisnavas, one should follow in the footsteps of Sri Advaita Acarya by treating all of them as Vaisnavas. Although they are not as exalted as Haridasa Thakura, such Americans and Europeans, having accepted the principles of Vaisnava philosophy and behavior, should never be excluded from Vaisnava society.

<CENTER>

The Passing of Haridasa Thakura

</CENTER>Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya has said; "Brahma Haridasa Thakura gave up his body with the consent of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the Lord Himself personally performed the funeral ceremony and carried the body to the sea. He personally entombed the body, covered it with sand, and erected a platform on the site. After taking bath in the sea, He personally begged prasada of Jagannatha from shopkeepers and distributed prasada to the assembled devotees."

By using the words tomara avatara ("your incarnation"), Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirms that Haridasa Thakura is the incarnation of Lord Brahma. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that advanced devotees help the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His mission and that such devotees or personal associates incarnate by the will of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord incarnates by His own will, and, by His will, competent devotees also incarnate to help Him in His mission. Haridasa Thakura is thus the incarnation of Lord Brahma, and other devotees are likewise incarnations who help in the prosecution of the Lord's mission.

As He described the transcendental attributes of Haridasa Thakura, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu seemed to possess five mouths. The more He described, the more His great happiness increased.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bathed the body of Haridasa Thakura in the sea and then declared, "From this day on, this sea has become a great pilgrimage site."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave this benediction:

"Anyone who has seen the festival of Sri Haridasa Thakura's passing away, anyone who has chanted and danced here, anyone who has offered sand on the body of Haridasa Thakura and anyone who has joined this festival to partake of the prasada will achieve the favor of Krsna very soon. There is such wonderful power in seeing Haridasa Thakura.

At Purusottama-ksetra, or Jagannatha Puri, there is a temple of Tota-gopinatha. If one goes from there to the sea, he can discover the tomb of Haridasa Thakura still existing. Every year on the date of Ananta-caturdasi there is a festival to commemorate the passing away of Haridasa Thakura. At the same place, three Deities of Nityananda, Krsna Caitanya and Advaita Prabhu were established about one hundred years ago. A gentleman named Bhramaravara from Kendrapada in the province of Orissa contributed funds to establish these Deities in the temple. The management of the temple was under the Tota-gopinatha gosvamis.

This temple was later sold to someone else, and this party is now maintaining the seva-puja of the temple. Near this temple and the tomb of Haridasa Thakura, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura constructed a small house, called Bhakti-kuti. In the Bengali year 1329 (A.D. 1922), Purusottama-matha, a branch of the Gaudiya Matha, was established there. in the Bhakti-ratnakara it is stated:

Haridasa Thakura is mentioned here as the most learned scholar, parama-vidvan. Actually, the most important science to know is the science of getting out of the clutches of material existence. Anyone who knows this science must be considered the greatest learned person.

Anyone who knows the temporary situation of this material world and is expert in achieving a permanent situation in the spiritual world, who knows that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is beyond the jurisdiction of our experimental knowledge, is understood to be the most learned scholar.

Haridasa Thakura knew this science perfectly. Therefore, he is described in this connection as parama-vidvan. He personally preached the importance of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, which is approved by the revealed scriptures.

<CENTER>

As stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.24):

iti pumsarpita visnau

bhaktis cen nava-laksana

kriyeta bhagavaty addha

tan manye dhitam uttamam

</CENTER>There are nine different processes of devotional service to Krsna, the most important being sravanam kirtanam--hearing and chanting. Haridasa Thakura knew this science very well, and he can therefore be called, technically, sarva-sastradhiti. Anyone who has learned the essence of all the Vedic scripture is to be known as a first-class educated person, with full knowledge of all sastra.

After the passing away of Haridasa Thakura, the Lord Himself took his body on His lap, and He danced with it in great ecstasy.

<CENTER>Nama Acharya Srila Haridas Thakur Ki Jaya

</CENTER>

In essence diksha is becoming born into the world of spirit through transcendental knowledge and realization of that knowledge. In this way diksha can be seen as a process of total transformation of the consciousness, of one's very being.

 

This process may be symbolized by a religous ceremony like a fire sacrifice or water baptism for the Christians. Almost all groups have their brand of ceremony. But the ceremonies are one time outer events that help mark the inner intent of the pupil to submit to the ways of the inner kingdom of God.

 

The submission itself along with the continued process of transformation that follows is the real diksha.

 

Confusing the ceremony itself for the real diksha is something like mistaking the glass for the water.

Is Bhakti Predestined?

Question:

Was it pre-destined when I was born that I would one day become associated with ISKCON and do all these spiritual activities? If yes, then why do we preach?

Won't people destined to join ISKCON join it, and those not destined to join ISKCON not join it?

If no, then does it mean that joining ISKCON is outside the influence of destiny?

<TABLE class="Panel ViewArticlePanel"><TBODY><TR><TD class=Heading colSpan=2>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=Details><HR align=center width="100%" SIZE=1>By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur

</TD></TR><TR><TD>

Sri Krishna is one without a second: He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Although transcendental to material qualities, Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, possesses expansive, immense potencies inconceivable to mundane perception.

Innumerable contradictory qualities simultaneously existing in Sri Krishna is nothing uncommon or wonderful.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna, whose form is eternal, fully conscious and blissful, is not perceivable by mundane faculties but can be realized only by transcendental unalloyed devotional service.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna is the Supreme Absolute Truth, beyond the influence of time and space.

Although transcendental to matter and spirit, Sri Krishna expands through His diverse energies as the cosmic manifestation, consisting of both matter and spirit, for His pastimes.

Sri Krishna's transcendental potency is not a separate principle, it is identical with Him.

Sri Krishna being supremely independent, is never affected by His creation, although He is the cause of all causes.

Sri Krishna is the complete Absolute Truth. (The cosmic manifestation or annihilation does not change His fullness.)

Devoid of any material need and desire, Sri Krishna performs His transcendental activities only due to His causeless mercy.

The individual living entities are eternally subordinate to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna and are subject to His rules.

These individual souls are eternal (beginningless and endless being), part and parcels of (the jiva-sakti) of Sri Krishna.

Although constitutionally conscious and blissful, the living entities are certainly different from the supreme living entity Sri Krishna, who is the eternal Absolute Truth and Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The seers of the truth have established three views regarding the living entity and the Supreme Lord, namely (a) oneness, (b) difference, and © simultaneous oneness and difference.

There cannot be a mistake in the scientific evidence of transcendental revelation. So, all these (three) views are in complete agreement.

The constitutional nature and character of the living entity is (transcendental) knowledge and love.

Love of Godhead is the natural and auspicious function of the living entity. When that love is directed toward objects of material existence it becomes the source of all miseries.

Miseries arise from attachments to material existence.

Cessation of unwanted miseries brings one to the platform of liberation where the constitutional position (as servant of Krishna) is realized.

The material attachments of the living entities result from their minute independence, awarded to them by the mercy of Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna is endowed with material qualities whose transformation results in the evolution of many details of this unlimited cosmic manifestation.

Matter being unconscious, cannot act by itself. When activated by consciousness (spirit) it begins to work.

Those living entities who are averse to Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are imprisoned in variegated bodies by the external energy, maya.

The external energy is without beginning or end because it is the divine energy of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna.

Time is a form of relation between the conditioned souls and the external energy.

The external energy constitutes the accommodation, which is known as space.

Conditioned by matter, the living entity mistakes sense gratification as bliss and material existence as the transcendental abode due to association with matter.

To become free from these delusions one should discriminate by transcendental knowledge of the Absolute Truth.

The spiritual world is transcendental - beyond mundane sensual perception.

The mundane senses, sense objects, the feelings derived from their contact, and the mind -- all these are 'material' in existence, due to the conditioned state of the living entities.

Bhakti is unalloyed full attachment to Krishna, the transcendental Lord.

According to the situation of the living entities (i.e. conditioned or liberated) devotional service is also understood to be in two stages (phala: end, fruition. upaya: means, regulative).

Spontaneous love of God is independent, unalloyed and constitutionally the nature of the living entity and therefore does not have any other limbs.

Cultivation of favorable devotion and retraction from sense gratificatory activities are the two limbs of regulated devotion.

The nine processes of devotional service, beginning with hearing and chanting, are the means by which one can develop such favorable devotional love for Krishna.

The body is the chariot. The mind is the charioteer, the senses are the horses. Driving this chariot back home (toward Krishna consciousness) from the path of sense gratification by the help of transcendental knowledge and proper engagement of everything i n devotional service is known as pratyahara (retraction).

Transcendental knowledge is the cause of liberation and mundane materialistic knowledge is the cause of bondage.

Engagement of everything in Krishna's service is the cause of liberation and pseudo-renunciation is the cause of bondage.

If one is not fully free from sense gratification, the cultivation of devotional practices will not award transcendental love for Krishna, although there will be no downfall.

To the extent of freedom from sense gratification, one can perform pure regulated devotional service, which turns into 'bhava' bhakti which will ultimately bloom into love for Krishna.

Revealed scriptures are the rays of transcendental knowledge.

Rules and regulations are for regulating the ignorant conditioned souls; those who have attained their constitutional awareness are not limited by such conditions.

Unalloyed devotees of Sri Krishna are not to be limited by the conditions of scriptural rules because their activities are based on spontaneous attachment which is transcendental to rules and regulations.

Self-realized devotees of Krishna, due to attainment of knowledge of their constitutional position, are beyond the codes of varnasrama.

A selfless performance of activities for the welfare of ignorant people doesn't create impediment in devotion.

One should perform devotional service according to one's acquired nature and qualifications.

The original affinity of the living entities for Sri Krishna, when degraded and misdirected toward others results in bewilderment of consciousness and material attainments.

Among realized knowledge and inference pertaining to the conclusion of it, Srimad-Bhagavatam is the highest because it is transcendentally scientific and is the shelter of all conclusions.

Lord Sri Chaitanya, who has manifested as a universal acharya, makes other preceptors non-existent.

(In the absoluteness of the teachings of Lord Chaitanya, other acharyas are absolved.)

Unalloyed love toward Sri Krishna, compassionate affection toward others and dovetailing everything in the material existence in the service of Krishna, constitute the cream of religious principles as far as the essence-seeking transcendentalists are concerned.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Devotee -"Is a pure devotee eternally liberated and if so is he at any time a conditioned soul?”

 

 

 

 

Prabhupada –“We are eternally conditioned (nitya baddha), but as soon as we surrender to Krishna do we then become eternally liberated (nitya-siddha)? You are not eternally conditioned (nitya baddha). You are eternally liberated (nitya-siddha), but since we have become conditioned on account of our desire to enjoy materialistic way of life, from time immemorial, therefore it only APPEARS that we are eternally conditioned (nitya baddha).

 

Because we cannot trace out the history or the date when we became conditioned, therefore it is technically called eternally conditioned. Otherwise, the living entity is NOT actually conditioned (nitya-baddha).

 

 

 

 

A living entity is always pure (nitya-siddha). But he is prone to be attracted by material enjoyment and as soon as he agrees to place himself in material enjoyment, he becomes conditioned (nitya-baddha), but that is not permanent.

Therefore, a living entity is called on the marginal state, sometimes this side, sometimes that side.These are very intelligent questions. And I am very glad that you are putting such intelligent questions and trying to understand it. It is very good”. Letter to Aniruddha dasa, Los Angeles 14 November 1968

Note -Prabhupada says here to try and understand, where as in another letter to us Australian devotee on another occasion he said “Don’t waste time with the crow-and-tal-fruit logic” I have always prefered the 'try to understand' instructions from Prabhupada.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm tring to understand, but with my teeny material intelligence, and this is not at all adviseable by the great spiritual and scrpitural authorities in our Vaisnava line.

To whom do we turn for shelter in order to get a clear, clean and crisp answer about our original descent into this material world?

Can something so axiomatic, primordial and quitessential about the nature of our existence (How the hell did we get here in the first place, bro?)

(1+1=3?) be left to mere conjecture, speculation and surmise?

 

There's gotta be a better way!

 

How about approaching someone who actually knows the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

Digging for "oil"...... in the Vedabase

-August 1976 Tehran, IRAN

Prabhupäda: Yes. In this universe only Brahmä has got four hands. Nobody within this universe. And Visnu also. In this brahmäëòa, in this universe, there is a planet where the ocean is of milk. Here, just like salted water. There are many oceans. Ocean of oil, ocean of ghee, ocean of milk. The ocean of oil, you have got experience in this planet. Within the earth you are getting some... Your civilization depending, your motor car civilization is depending on that ocean of oil.You are getting oil and lavishly spending it. Stock is supplied by God. Your material advancement will be finished if the stock is not supplied by the Lord. So these foolish men, they do not know. They think that "Without God we can live." Who has created the ocean of petroleum within the earth? Is it possible for human being? (laughter)

-1969 N.Y April

This contemporary civilization is so proud of its independence, but actually it is so much dependent on oil. If the oil supply is stopped, then what will these rascal scientists do? They cannot do anything. Let them try to manufacture oil in their test tubes, enough oil to run their civilization on. BTG 1974

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>The secret of Vanuatu's happiness

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><!-- S BO -->

<!-- S IBYL --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=466 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom>By Huw Cordey

BBC, South Pacific

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<!-- E IBYL -->

The South Pacific country of Vanuatu has been voted the happiest place in the world so what makes its inhabitants such a happy lot?

<!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=226 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> Not having to worry about money - the secret of Jean Pierre's happiness (photo: James Mair)

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->

Jean Pierre John is living the dream. That popular fantasy of owning one's own island, complete with swaying coconut palms, coral sea and tropical forest, is his for real.

On the island called Metoma, in the far north of Vanuatu, Jean Pierre can look around and truly say that he is master of all he surveys.

This single fact would put Jean Pierre in an exclusive club, you would think, one made up of billionaire businessmen, royalty and rock stars.

But Jean Pierre is none of these things. In fact, he could not be more different.

On Metoma, Jean Pierre and his family live in thatched huts.

They have no electricity or running water, no radio or television, and their only mode of transport is a rowing boat, which pretty much limits them to trips to the neighbouring island.

On top of that, they have little money and few opportunities to make any.

No money?! Suddenly their island life does not sound all that glamorous. But here's the thing, the Johns really are happy.

This may sound surprising but living on their island they want for nothing.

Local produce

All the family's food comes from on or around Metoma. Coconuts, yam, and manioc - their staple diet - are all grown on the island and then, of course, there is a sea full of fish to harvest.

<!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->

And if fish protein gets boring, there is always the occasional fruit bat, from a colony that roosts on the island.

Indeed, food is so easy to gather that the family appears to have a lot of relaxation time.

When the Johns do have money - perhaps when they sell one of the few cows they own - they will buy soap powder and kerosene for their lamps.

But if not, they are just as happy to make do with island solutions - sticks which can be crushed to make soap and coconut oil in place of kerosene.

Some useful items are even washed up onto their island - buoys from boats are cut in half to make bowls and old fishing nets are recycled as hammocks.

It may sound like a Robinson Crusoe existence, and in many ways it is, but the Johns are not castaways. They live on Metoma out of choice.

It is not as if they have not experienced some of the trappings of a more modern world.

<!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=226 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> The Johns are the real McCoy: one happy family (photo: James Mair)

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->

Jean Pierre grew up on one of Vanuatu's larger islands and still makes the occasional visit. His eldest son, Joe, even went to school in the nation's capital.

In fact Joe, a very easy-going 28-year-old, had recently returned to Metoma to live full time and he told me that the only thing he missed was hip hop music, but that it was a small price to pay for living on the island.

No money worries

Jean Pierre had not heard that Vanuatu had been voted happiest country in the world but, when I told him, he nodded in a knowingly happy sort of way.

So what is his secret of happiness?

"Not having to worry about money," he immediately replies, while picking his nose in an uninhibited way.

If you asked the same question in the UK, you would probably get the same response. The only difference is that, in Jean Pierre's case, it means not needing any money, rather than having bundles of it.

We can all repeat the mantra "money can't buy you happiness" until we are blue in the face, but deep down, how many of us in the West really believe it to be true?

But I can see that Jean Pierre's happiness is more than just a question of money. It also comes from having his family around him, and there is undoubtedly an enormous respect between them.

Absence of materialism

His children - and this includes those of adult age - do anything their father asks, not out of coercion but because they genuinely want to please.

Forget the Waltons, the Johns are the real McCoy: one happy family.

While talking to Jean Pierre, I find myself wondering whether he is the most contented person I have ever met.

But he is keen to know whether I am having a good time on his island too. Every day he asks me if I am happy. When I tell him things are great, his eyes light up and he replies in pidgin, "Oh, tenkyu tumas."

Whether happiness can truly be measured is a debatable point, but there is no doubt that Metoma - or indeed Vanuatu as a whole - has the ingredients to encourage a greater sense of happiness.

The twin pillars of a classically happy life - strong family ties and a general absence of materialism - are common throughout this island nation.

The simple things in life, it seems, really do make you happy.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Baby Steps Towards Krishna

Originally uploaded by Nanda Sunu

In his purport to the Hare Krishna maha mantra Srila Prabhupada has compared chanting the the holy names to genuine crying by a baby for its mother. It is interesting how much our relationship with Krishna can be compared in so many ways to the relationship between mother and child.

Mother and Child

My sister Kisori gave birth to her first son (Holden) 2 months ago. It is very interesting to see how the total dependence of him on her brings such a deep feeling of love and care. Holden is just learning how to make sounds and it makes Kisori so happy. His little gurgling noises don't make any sense, but his innocence and effort to communicate makes it so special.

posted by Nanda Sunu dasa

<!-- </hs:element16> --><!-- <hs:element20> -->

 

<!-- </hs:element20> --><!-- <hs:element21> -->

<!-- </hs:element3> --><!-- <hs:element4> -->

<!-- </hs:element4> --><!-- <hs:element5> -->

Bhakta Moustafa (sincere local devotee)

<!-- </hs:element5> --><!-- <hs:element6> -->

Bhakta Ahmed in daily meditation on the Holy Names of Krishna

<!-- </hs:element6> --><!-- <hs:element11> -->

<!-- </hs:element11> --><!-- <hs:element12> -->

<!-- </hs:element12> --><!-- <hs:element16> -->

<!-- </hs:element21> --><!-- <hs:element22> -->

Famous Egyptian journalist reading Arabic Bhagavad-gita As It Is

<!-- </hs:element30> --><!-- <hs:element31> -->

<!-- </hs:element33> --><!-- <hs:element36> -->

<!-- </hs:element36> --><!-- <hs:element24> -->

Students enjoying prasadam<!-- </hs:element24> --><!-- <hs:element13> --><!-- </hs:element13> --><!-- <hs:element37> --><!-- </hs:element37> --><!-- <hs:element40> --><!-- </hs:element40> --><!-- <hs:realtracker> --></NOSCRIPT><!-- </hs:realtracker> -->

On the Dvadasi morning at the appropriate time after sunrise with a knock-out breakfast (breaking your fast from grains and beans) with kichari, pasta or a bowl full of gulabjamums???

Even our great predecessor acarya Srila Prahlada Maharaja had to face all kind of perilous incidences.

 

 

:pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray:

O Lord Narasimha, I take shelter of You, please save me at every step!