krsna

"Don't Take Krishna Lightly" Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.42 Bombay, December 10, 1974 listen It is because of My supremacy that the wind blows, out of fear of Me; the sun shines out of fear of Me, and the lord of the clouds, Indra, sends forth showers out of fear of Me. Fire burns out of fear of Me, and death goes about taking its toll out of fear of Me. Srila Prabhupada: mad-bhayad vati vato 'yam suryas tapati mad-bhayat varsatindro dahaty agnir mrtyus carati mad-bhayat [sB 3.25.42] The ultimate, mrtyus carati mad-bhayat . So bhaya, bhaya means fearfulness. Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat. In the previous verse the Lord Kapiladeva said that "If anyone wants to get out of this fearful situation..." Bhayam tivram nivartate. Atmanah sarva-bhutanam bhayam tivram nivartate. We are always fearful. Material life is not very happy life because we are always fearful. That's a fact. Nobody can say, "No, I am not afraid of anything." That is false. Everyone is afraid of something, everyone -- bird, beast, human being, everyone, bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat -- because we have got absorption in the second category of life. Second category means this bodily conception of life, dvitiya abhinivesa. I am thinking at the present moment that "I am this body." Everyone is thinking. Therefore, when there is fear of destruction of this body, we become very much afraid, perplexed. We have seen in Los Angeles. There was earthquake, and all the neighborhood, women especially, began to scream, fearful, "Now death is coming." So everyone is afraid. This is the material nature, ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna, four things, material wants: eating, sleeping, fearing, and defending. So Krsna said that if you want... Kapiladeva and Krsna the same. Krsna has many form. Kapiladeva is one of the form, avesavatara. There are many incarnation. Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam there is a list of different avataras, and the conclusion... Lord Buddha's also name is there. Kikatesu bhavisyati, sura-dvisam. So Lord Buddha's name is there, and Jayadeva has also given his poem Dasa-vidha, Dasavatara-stotra. In that Dasavatara also, Lord Buddha's name is there: kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira jaya jagadisa hare. So Vaisnavas, they know, by the grace of Krsna, how many avataras are there. They do not accept therefore any bogus avatara. Some rascal will say that "I am avatara." The Vaisnava will not accept. Tasmat sastra-vidhanoktam. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that sastra-vidhanoktam, karyakarya. We have to accept and reject according to the sastra, not that any bogus man comes and says that "I am avatara." That is not acceptable. The Vaisnava will not accept. A foolish man may accept; that is a different thing. So certainly, the Supreme Personality has got many avatara, but each avatara has, has been mentioned in the sastras, different avataras. So Kapiladeva is avatara. Therefore He is saying, "Me," mad-bhayat . Mad-bhayat. So mad-bhayad vati vato 'yam. These are the very strong sources of fearfulness. If there is cyclone, it is very fearful. It is going on very nicely, but if it is a big cyclone, then it is fearful. So there is necessity of cyclone also. There is necessity of scorching heat. There is necessity of rainfall. So there are different directors and officers, and they are all servant of Krsna. Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta says, ekale isvara krsna ara saba bhrtya [Cc. Adi 5.142]. The only master, supreme master, is Krsna, and all others, they are bhrtya, servant. The demigods, the demigods, they are all servants of Krsna. Demigods there are: Surya, Candra, Vayu, Varuna, and Brhaspati, so many, thirty-three crores of demigods. They have got different planets. But all of them are servants of Krsna. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [bg. 9.10]. The modern so-called scientists, they say, "There is no demigod. There is no God. This is all natural function." That's all right. Nature is working. But nature is matter. Matter cannot work without the direction of the living being. You cannot say matter works independently. That is not possible. Everything is... Just like here it is said... Now we have got experience in the beach. There is always big, big waves. That water is also dull matter, and the air pushing the dull matter, water, and there is big, big waves, and it is dashing on the earth. These things are going on. So they say it is nature's work. But nature is not independent. We get this information from authoritative sastra. Here Kapiladeva says that... There is high wind. That is due to the command, mad-bhayat vati vatah. High wind is there. Sometimes there is breezy, very nice, sometimes very high wind. So there is direction. You cannot say that it is automatically happening, no. There is direction. Krsna says that mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram: [bg. 9.10] "Under My superintendence, prakrti, nature..." The scientists, they say nature is working wonderfully, but after all, nature is not under your control. That you have to accept. You may defy Krsna, or God, but you cannot defy the natural, nature's activities. You are subordinate. But because we do not know the background of nature, therefore we think that "Nature is working. There is no God." But that is not fact. Nature is working under the direction. This is theism. One who knows. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that these natural, I mean to say, ingredients, prakrti, jada-prakrti, or material nature, five elements, ksitih, apam, tejas, marut, vyoma, this marut, vayu, and tejas, this sunshine, ksitih, apam, tejas, and water, the seas and oceans, the land, vast land, ksitih, apam, tejas, marut, vyoma, then sky -- they are different manifestation of Krsna's external energy. They are not independent. There are many sastras. Therefore one has to consult the sastras. In the Brahma-samhita it is also said, "The material nature is very powerful." Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka: [bs. 5.44] "The material nature is so powerful that it can create, srsti, sthiti, it can maintain, and it can destroy also." Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana: "It is so powerful, it can do that." Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka. But how the material nature is working? Chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga [bs. 5.44]. The material nature is working just like shadow. Shadow. If you have got this real hand and there is shadow, if you move your hand, the shadow of the hand also moves. Similarly, this material nature is working in touch with the spirit soul. Just like big pilot is flying in the sky -- we have got experience -- but it is not independently flying. There is the pilot. He is pushing the button, and it is flying. A big car, big machine, big factory -- without touch of spiritual touch, there is no question of moving. We have got this practical experience. Where is the evidence that, without the touch of spirit soul, that machine is moving? Is there any evidence? Then how you can say that without God, the whole universe is moving? There is no evidence. We have no such experience. Then how you can say that without the direction of God, the material nature can move? There is no such experience. And from the evidences of sastra... Here it is said, "The wind is blowing, the water is moving, the sun is giving scorching heat, everything, all under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Not only that, direction, but it is said, bhayat . Bhayat . Bhayat means if the respective directors or agent of different material elements, if they do not work properly, then he is punished as the master punishes the servant. Mayadhyaksena [bg. 9.10]. When Krsna was present, there was Giridhari. Giridhari, He lifted the mountain, Govardhana Hill. Govardhana-dhari. So Nanda Maharaja was arranging to worship the Indra, Indra-yajna. There are different kinds of yajna. But Indradeva was little proud that he is all in all. Everyone thinks... If he is in power, then he tries to give some trouble to others. Similarly, all the demigods, they are, if they are not satisfied, they will give you trouble. Similarly, the Indra-yajna was there, but Krsna said to His father, "My dear father, there is no need of Indra-yajna. You better worship Govardhana Hill. He is symbolic representation of God because the cows, they get their food, grasses. So better you make this Govardhana-yajna." So first of all, Nanda Maharaja was not willing, but out of the affection of Krsna... That is devotee, that Krsna... Devotees of Krsna, they are acting always in love for Krsna. So Nanda Maharaja changed his idea of worshiping Indra. Rather, on the contrary, all the ingredients he collected, he worshiped the Govardhana Hill and stopped Indra-yajna. So Indra became very much angry, and he sent the vicious cloud, and whole Vrndavana was inundated by flood. And Krsna showed that "Your power is not even competent to compare with the finger of My hand." Therefore He lifted the Govardhana Hill with the finger of His left hand and saved all the people of Vrndavana. Then Indra came to worship Him. These things are there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. So everyone is servant. Everyone is servant. You do not... You, you can perform yajnas for ordinarily, but if you keeps, if you be simply under the shelter of Krsna, you do not require to perform different demigod yajnas, deva-yajna. That is not required. The example is given that if you pour water in the root of the tree, you do not require to pour water in the branches, in the twigs, in the flowers, in the fruits. It is automatically done. If you supply food to the stomach, then you do not require to feed the eyes, hands, legs, separately. There is no need; neither it is possible to give separate, I mean to say, food, materials for nourishing the different parts of the body. One place is sufficient. Similarly, if we worship Krsna, the source of everything, the root of everything... Aham adir hi yajnanam, devanam, deva-yajna. So Krsna says that you don't require to perform different yajnas. That is not possible in this age especially. It requires large amount of wealth to perform such yajnas. Nowadays people are suffering for want of sufficient food grains, and in the yajna tons and thousands of mounds of food grains are offered in the fire. That is good. But there is no food grains; there is no ghee. That is not possible in this age. Therefore yajna is not possible. The... You can perform very easily the sankirtana-yajna. Then everything will be performed. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah [sB 11.5.32]. Those who are intelligent person, they can perform yajna, sankirtana-yajna. This is recommended in this age. Other yajnas is not possible. Krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam yajato makhaih [sB 12.3.52]. Tretayam. Yajna performance was very prominent in the Treta-yuga, at that time. But at present moment it is not possible. Dhyana-yajna, dravya-yajna, jnana-yajna, and sankirtana-yajna. So in this age, sankirtana-yajna is recommended. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah [sB 11.5.32]. Sumedhasah means those who have got good brain. And it is so easy, anywhere you can perform. Any part of the world, you assemble together. Sankirtana means bahubhir militva, by intermingling various persons. Just like we are doing here sankirtana-kirtana and sankirtana. Kirtana means alone, and sankirtana means in the assembly of many others. That is called sankirtana. So that is recommended, that many persons, you sit together. There is no need of even instrument, but because Lord Caitanya introduced this khol, karatala. Otherwise this clapping is sufficient. So it is very easy, sankirtana-yajna. You sit down familywise, all the family members. If you perform sankirtana, Hare Krsna maha-mantra, with the clapping of hands, that is sankirtana-yajna, very easy to perform. But people will not do that. Instead of performing sankirtana-yajna in the evening to become free from all fears of life, they will go to the restaurant, to the cinema and other places, talking unnecessarily in clubs, societies, waste their time. This is going on. This is modern education. This is modern civilization. They are not aware of the tivram bhayam, the most fierceful situation of birth, death, old age, and disease. This is the opportunity, the human life, how to get out of it. The means are there. But we are so fools. We are so foolishly educated in the name of modern civilization that we neglect all these things and we place ourself in the waves of the material nature. Mayar bose, jaccho bhese', Khaccho habudubu bhai. We are being carried away by the waves of this material nature, and we have submitted to the laws of material nature. And therefore we are subjected to birth, death, old age, and disease. And not only birth -- there is no guarantee what kind of birth next life. So we should not misuse this... Labdhva sudurlabham idam bahu-sambhavante manusyam [sB 11.9.29]. We should not waste our this valuable life, human form of life. We begin our this evolution. First of all, the world is covered with water. Pralaya-payodhi-jale dhrtavan asi vedam **. Now, still, three-fourth of this earthly planet is covered with water. In the beginning, the whole earthly planet was covered with water. Gradually, the water is drying up, and the land is coming. Then we are calculating, "This is Asia. This is America. This is Europe." Land is coming out. And gradually land, land, land, land -- there will be only land, no water. That means destruction. When there will be no water and scorching heat, the whole earthly planet will be ablaze and everything will be burned into ashes. Then again there will be rainfall, and everything will be mixed up, and then again there will destruction. This is going on. Bhutva bhutva praliyate [bg. 8.19]. And similarly, our position with this body. This will be also dissolved again. This nice form you have got, I have got, but when it will be finished, this is finished forever. We are not going to get any more. You will get different body, not exactly this body. It is bubble. One bubble lost, that is lost forever. That is lost forever. But we are so foolish, we are thinking, "This is permanent settlement, permanent settlement." This is called ignorance. There is no question of permanent settlement. Temporary under the... Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [bg. 3.27]. Under the laws of nature we are getting different types of bodies, different types of opportunities. And it is going on. But we are spirit soul; we are not this material body. So we must have sense and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to save ourself from this material condition of life, repetition of birth, death, old age, and disease. And if you think, when Krsna says that "You surrender unto Me. I will give you protection"... So because we are foolish, we think Krsna as ordinary human being. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [bg. 9.11]. Because we are mudhas, rascals, we think that Krsna is a person like us. Manusim. Krsna is very kind. He comes to be visible by us exactly in the same way as we are. Manusim tanum. But we think, when Krsna comes, "Oh, He is a man. He is a man like us. God is different." Avajananti mam mudhah. Because we are mudhas. Param bhavam ajanantah. So they do not know what is Krsna. Therefore when Krsna demands, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [bg. 18.66], we foolish people, we think, "Oh, it is too much. Krsna is so proud that He is commanding us that 'You surrender unto Me.' Oh, I am not so fool. I am not going to do that." This is the position. Mudha. Because mudha, they are taking Krsna as ordinary human being. Because He is so kind He comes as human being and gives you the right information, right instruction. But we are so rascal that we do not accept it, do not accept it. That is our misfortune. Those who are fortunate enough, they accept Krsna. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [bg. 7.19]. That fortune comes not so easily -- after struggling, after associating with Vaisnavas, with devotees, after cultivating knowledge for many, many births. So we should take this chance. We should not be foolish. Don't be foolish, mudha. Just surrender to Krsna and execute Krsna's service, what Krsna says. Do that; you will be saved. You will be saved from these clutches of maya, repetition of birth and death. Even if you fall down, if you do not be able to execute devotional service fully, still, you will get next change as a human being. Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate [bg. 6.41]. You will get again chance of this human body. But if you don't take Krsna consciousness, then there is no guarantee. You can become next life a cat, dog, tree, or anything, according to the infection and quality. But if you become Krsna conscious and if you give even little service to Krsna, your next life as human being is guaranteed. And that is not ordinary human life, but sucinam srimatam gehe. Tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi [sB 1.5.17]. Narada Muni said that "If one engages himself in devotional service out of sentiment, it doesn't matter. Still, if he does some service to Krsna, then he is gainer. And one who is very practical, does not take to Krsna consciousness and take to material activities and thinks that he is very advanced, there is no gain." He is under karma. According karma, he will get body. But a Krsna conscious human being, even though he is unable to execute properly, even if he falls down, his human life is guaranteed. His human life is guaranteed. And that life in a rich family and in very nice purified family, sucinam. Sucinam means purified family, nice brahmana, Vaisnava family. Or srimatam. Sri means opulence, those who are possessing opulence, means big mercantile family, big rich family, or big nice brahmana Vaisnava family. You get again chance. Just like the children of these Krsna conscious members, from childhood they are getting. Our this boy, Mr. West, he is getting chance to worship Krsna. So this is sucinam srimatam gehe [bg. 6.41]. And how he is satisfied. There are so many children in our Krsna consciousness movement. From the very beginning of life they have got chance for chanting Hare Krsna, attending mangala-aratrika, taking prasadam, and reading the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita. Life is successful. Just see. So we are after giving chance to the bewildered persons, mislead person, materialistic person, to take up this Krsna consciousness movement, and their success is guaranteed. Because Krsna says, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami [bg. 18.66]. If you think Krsna is ordinary person, how? Therefore Krsna says that "Don't think Me that I am ordinary person. Under My direction the wind is blowing, the sea is working, the sun it heating, and the so many things are going on." Mayadhyaksena prakrtih [bg. 9.10]. "Don't take Me so slightly." Everything is explained. Now it is our business to accept it or not accept it. Thank you very much. (end) >>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974

Sincerity. How would you define it as it applies to a devotee's purpose, motivation and integrity?

Why does Srila Prabhupada always appears ever-fresh, brilliant like the sun and amazingly effulgent???

The Business of Guru Deliver the same knowledge as Krishna gives "Almost everyone. Ninety-nine point nine percent people, they want to become happy within this material world. Therefore they are poor, very, very poor. And the mahatmas, they give the knowledge that 'This is not life. This is a temporary platform.' Asasvatam, duhkhalayam asasvatam [bg. 8.15]. This is confidential knowledge. You are trying to be happy... Suppose Brahma. He lives for many millions of years. Still, it is duhkhalayam asasvatam. That life is also temporary. What is millions of years' duration of life in comparison to the eternal life? So beginning from Brahma down to the small ant, whoever is within this material world, it is to be understood their understanding is very poor. And the mahatma, being kind upon these poor souls, they deliver the same knowledge as Krishna gives. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam.. [bg. 18.66]. This is guru's business. Do not manufacture anything. There is no question of... There is no need of manufacturing anything. Simply you speak to the suffering humanity the same thing which Krishna says. Saksad bhagavata uditam. This is the business of guru." (Srila Prabhupada lecture, Vrndavana, August 11, 1974)

Thanks:pray:

Krsna Prasadam BY: HAREKRSNA.COM <CENTER> Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. </B></CENTER> May 29, CANADA (SUN) — A four-part series on the glories of Sri Krsna Prasadam. Spiritual vegetarianism can be viewed from various angles. Some practice karma vegetarianism in order to avoid the karmic burden that results from causing suffering to other living entities who are killed simply in order to satisfy the senses. The Vedic understanding of dharma puts vegetarianism in the context of civilized human society, wherein the practices of different classes of people are regulated according to varna and asrama. While some individuals may be expected to eat meat, others are strictly forbidden from eating meat except under the most dire of circumstances. In all cases, the protection of cows is of absolute importance. Here in the West, one of the most popular motivations for vegetarianism is health and fitness. While all these approaches to vegetarianism produce certain benefits, Krsna Conscious vegetarianism is on the topmost platform. The devotee of the Lord is naturally vegetarian because he only takes the remnants of foodstuffs that have first been offered to Krsna - and Krsna is the Supreme Vegetarian. <CENTER><TABLE borderColor=#cc9933 cellSpacing=0 borderColorDark=#990000 cellPadding=20 bgColor=#fffbea borderColorLight=#cc9933 border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top> So anyone who is chanting Hare Krsna, he is in samadhi. Anyone who is cooking for Krsna, he is in samadhi. Anyones who is typing for Krsna, he is in samadhi. Anyone who is working in the field for Krsna, he is in samadhi. Because his consciousness is that "I am doing here for satisfaction of Krsna." Anukulyena krsnanusilanam. Anusilanam , cultivation of Krsna knowledge favorably, not unfavorably. Then it is perfection. Bhaktir uttama. Anukulyena. Anyabhilasita-sunyam. When you cook, if you think, "Oh, this nice thing is being cooked. I shall eat it very nicely," then it is not Krsna. But while cooking, if you think, "Let me do it very nicely so that Krsna will taste it," it is Krsna consciousness. The same thing. Activities is the same, but the consciousness is different. That is samadhi. So samadhi is not very extraordinary thing. One has to become simply serious and sincere to Krsna. Then he is in samadhi. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita..." Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam, 06-13-69, New Vrindaban </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER> "No India, of India, don't talk of India. Talk of the philosophy. If there is no devotion, Krsna does not accept anything, either in India or in your country. It is not... Krsna's not obliged to accept anything costly because it is very tasteful. Krsna has many tasteful dishes in Vaikuntha. He's not hankering after your food. He accepts your devotion. That out of... Bhaktya, tad aham asnami. Bhaktya upahrtam, real thing is devotion. Not the food. Krsna does not accept any food of this material world. But He accepts only the devotion. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati, tad aham asnami bhaktya upahrtam. "Because it has been offered to Me with devotional love," that is required. One who has no devotional love, from his hand... Therefore we do not allow anyone to cook who is not a devotee. Krsna does not accept anything from the hands of a non-devotee. Why should He accept? He's not hungry. He does not require any food. He accepts only the devotion. That's all. That is the main point. So one has to become a devotee, not a good cooker. But if he's a devotee, then he'll be a good cook also. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. Automatically he'll become a good cook. Therefore one has to become devotee only; then all other good qualification will automatically be there. And if he's a nondevotee, any good qualification has no value." Srila Prabhupada Conversation, 02-27-72, Mayapur <CENTER></CENTER> "A good example of how we commit sins unknowingly is cooking. In the Bhagavad-gita (3.13) Krsna says that His devotees are freed from sin because they eat only the remnants of food that has been offered to Him. But, He says, those who cook for themselves eat only sin. The difference between cooking here in this temple and cooking in some ordinary house is that our cooking and eating are relieving us from sin, while the cooking and eating of a nondevotee are simply entangling him more and more in sin. The cooking appears to be the same, but this cooking and that cooking are different. Here there is no sin because the food is being cooked for Krsna. Anything you do outside the field of Krsna conscious activities entangles you in the modes of nature. Generally, you are being implicated in sinful activities. Those who are a little more cautious avoid sinful activities and perform pious activities. But one who performs pious activities is also entangled. If a man is pious, he may take birth in a family that is very rich or aristocratic, or he may be very beautiful or get the opportunity to become very learned. These are the results of pious activities. But whether you are pious or impious, you have to enter into the womb of some mother. And that tribulation is very severe. That we have forgotten. Whether you take birth in a very rich and aristocratic family or from an animal womb, the pangs of birth, old age, disease, and death continue. The Krsna consciousness movement is meant to give you an opportunity to solve these four problems--birth, old age, disease, and death. But if you continue to act sinfully and eat sinfully, then these miseries will continue." Laws of Nature, Chapter 1 <CENTER></CENTER> "To practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga one should, under the guidance of an expert spiritual master, follow certain principles: one should rise early in the morning, take bath, enter the temple and offer prayers and chant Hare Krsna, then collect flowers to offer to the Deity, cook foodstuffs to offer to the Deity, take prasadam, and so on. There are various rules and regulations which one should follow. And one should constantly hear Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam from pure devotees. This practice can help anyone to rise to the level of love of God, and then he is sure of his progress into the spiritual kingdom of God. This practice of bhakti-yoga, under the rules and regulations, with the direction of a spiritual master, will surely bring one to the stage of love of God." Bhagavad-gita 12:9 Purport Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

Why don't Hare Krishnas eat meat? Hindus believe that animals are children of Krishna, created by God with a soul. Therefore, to eat an animal is an affront to God. Moreover, it's bad for your consciousness: Because the slaughter of animals is violent, when you eat meat, fish or fowl, you are subjecting yourself to more violent thoughts and, perhaps, violent behavior. In Hinduism, cooking is intertwined with spirituality. Hare Krishnas believe they are cooking for the pleasure of God. They never sample the food they are cooking, since it must be offered to Krishna first. Moreover, Hindus believe that food absorbs the consciousness of the cook. If you are angry and elbow deep in the lentils or kneading dough for chapattis (unleavened bread), Hindu philosophy claims that your emotions are transferred to the food — and then to the person who eats the meal. It is one reason monks don't go to restaurants, because it raises the question, "Whose consciousness are you eating today?" ------------------------- Who cooks for you? Do you ever stop and think about the 'consciousness' of the cook that you are eating?

Chapter Sixteen, Text 9 '...the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world.'

<TABLE class=storycontent cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>What is karma? SB 10.24.13: Lord Krishna said: "It is by the force of karma that a living entity takes birth, and it is by karma alone that he meets his destruction. His happiness, distress, fear and sense of security all arise as the effects of karma." </TD></TR><TR><TD class=storybody><!-- S BO --> <!-- S IIMA --> Sharon Stone with the Dalai Lama <!-- E IIMA --><!-- S IBYL --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=466 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom>WHO, WHAT, WHY? The Magazine answers... </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <!-- E IBYL --> Sharon Stone claims the earthquake in China is the result of bad karma for its treatment of Tibetans. Is her definition - "when you are not nice, bad things happen to you" - correct? Radiohead sings of the "karma police", called in to arrest those who upset Thom Yorke: "This is what you get when you mess with us." And Boy George warbles about a "karma chameleon", in a toxic relationship because he's not "so sweet" anymore. Cause and effect, see. Actions have consequences. <!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=231 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX --> And Sharon Stone, a convert to Buddhism, has claimed - to much criticism - that the earthquake that killed at least 68,000 people in China was bad karma for Beijing policy in Tibet. "I thought, is that karma - when you're not nice that the bad things happen to you?" she mused at the Cannes Film Festival. Karma is an important concept for Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs. Translated from the Sanskrit, it means simply "action". Because karma is used in a number of ways and contexts - even among different branches of Buddhism - this can be confusing. Dhammadassin, a teacher at the London Buddhist Centre, says that Stone's take on karma is common - glossed over as an outcome that is the result of something done in the past - or even a past life. <!-- S IIMA --> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=226 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> Chinese mourn the dead and missing </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <!-- E IIMA --> "This reduces the enormously complex matter of causes and their effects to a question of retribution meted out for unspecified previous actions," she says. But the law of karma states that it's the motive behind one's actions that affects the outcome of that particular act. "So an intentionally ethical action - for example to promote kindness, generosity, contentment - is more likely to have positive, beneficial consequences. An intentionally unethical one - to promote self-aggrandisement or greed - will be more likely to have unhelpful, even harmful consequences. Unhelpful, that is, for the positive well-being of either the doer or the recipient or both." In a complex world, it's too simplistic to expect that a positive intention will always have a positive outcome as many factors are involved, she says. Poetic justice The idea of moral causation has long been held in India, but the doctrine of karma was formulated and explained by the Buddha, a spiritual teacher thought to have lived about 2,500 years ago. Some believe that he was a human who became enlightened; others that he was a god. <!-- S IBOX --> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=231 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <!-- E IBOX --> His teachings hold that whatever comes into existence does so in response to the conditions at the time, and in turn affects what comes after it. Sangharakshita, the Briton who founded the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order in 1967, explains this with the following example in his book Who Is The Buddha? "Rainfall, sunshine, and the nourishing earth are the conditions from which arises the oak tree, whose fallen leaves rot and form the rich humus from which the bluebell grows." Dhammadassin says that despite its simplicity, this example reflects the inter-connectedness of our world, "in which our views, attitudes, opinions and intentions all have a part to play in creating our actions and their consequences". And what many call karma is actually closer to the idea of poetic justice, she says. Nor do Buddhists believe karma is the only cause - others are: inorganic or environmental factors, such as the weather organic or biological factors, like bacteria or viruses psychological factors such as stress and transcendental or spiritual factors (such as the sometimes powerful galvanizing effect of spiritual practice) "The earthquake in China or the cyclone in Burma have much to do with environmental factors," says Dhammadassin. "To invoke karma is more to do with our desire to nail things down and find someone to blame. But that's not ours to do." <HR> Add your comments on this story, using the form below. Sharon Stone's comment is the idiotic New Age equivalent of fundamentalist Christians' ignorant statements that Aids is God's retribution for homosexuality and pre-marital sex. Ben, Edinburgh It's worth noting that the earthquake affected areas heavily populated by Tibetans as well as Chinese. As a supporter of the Tibetan cause I find it unconscionable that the deaths of innocent Chinese people could be attributed to negative karma. These people are not complicit in the actions of the Chinese government and do not deserve hardship and suffering any more than the Tibetan people. Whilst I commend Sharon Stone for her concern, her comments are ill-judged and insensitive. I'm afraid she has a poor grasp on the concept of karma as well as the demographics of the region affected by the earthquake. My thoughts go to all the Tibetan and Chinese families in the region affected by this tragedy. Terry Bettger, London To begin with, Buddha did not formulate the doctrine of Karma. It is much older than the Buddha and is primarily a Hindu idea. Being a Hindu himself, Buddha (like Mahavira before him), only reiterated this idea. Secondly, karmic effects are believed to be felt not only by individuals but also communities as a whole. It is "reap what you sow" but is still a very complex matter. Sriram Rao, Bangalore, India Karma as a notion is a loaded term as it presumes a divine definition of what is good or bad and assumes to be aware of your intention of said act. Seeing as the Chinese believe what they do in Tibet is right, how can they receive bad karma because of it? Sam People are always entitled to their opinion, but opinions, particularly religious ones that have no evidence to back them up, are often dangerous or offensive to people. It's no more provable than if I claimed it rained yesterday because the Invisible Flying Spaghetti Monster was angry with me because I didn't finish all of my pasta-based dinner. Ryan Hawthorne, Brighton Sharon Stone is now an authority on Eastern philosophy? As Socrates said: "I am the wisest man in Athens not because I know anything but because I know that I know nothing." Success in one field automatically makes people assume that they should be an expert in another. I like Tiger Woods who, when asked the (yawn) question about representing his race, said "I am a golfer". I suspect that his dignity and intelligence is not copied often enough by other (bigger yawn) celebs. Mark G, Brussels, Belgium By Sharon's definition, people who practised slavery should have been destined to hell thousand times - but it never did happened. Prasad, Indian working in UK Karma relates to one of Christ Jesus' teachings in parables in which he said "What you sows is what you reap". If you kill you shall be killed. If a nation destroys the nation shall be destroyed. If you cheat you shall be cheated. If you tell lies against your neighbour, someone will tell lies against you. If throw a stone up, it comes down to you in the same manner. Karma is like an earthly magnetic force that obeys the force of gravity. Uzoma Ugoji, Barking, Essex It's disappointing to hear that karma is so diluted by (to paraphrase) people, places and feelings. It sounds very much like it's simply comparable to luck. Wiccan beliefs have roots in a similar system too, and being pagan it likely pre-dates most of the listed religions. Personally I find the direct decision/consequence meaning to be more spiritual. If you want proof of a "god" at work, what more do you need than something bad happening to someone who has done bad things? Paul, London, UK To hear karma explained by a Buddhist makes it seem an even emptier concept than what I'd picked up myself. Aim to do good/bad things and it's more likely that positive/negative things will happen, but it's all complex so you can't be sure. Take away the childish view of ethics and karma goes by another name - "the blinking obvious". Daniel, London </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Our dear friend Yasoda, your son sometimes comes to our houses before the milking of the cows and releases the calves, and when the master of the house becomes angry, your son merely smiles. Sometimes He devises some process by which He steals palatable curd, butter and milk, which He then eats and drinks. When the monkeys assemble, He divides it with them, and when the monkeys have their bellies so full that they won’t take more, He breaks the pots. Sometimes, if He gets no opportunity to steal butter or milk from a house, He will be angry at the householders, and for His revenge He will agitate the small children by pinching them. Then, when the children begin crying, Krishna will go away. When Krishna is caught in His naughty activities, the master of the house will say to Him, ‘Oh, You are a thief,’ and artificially express anger at Krishna. Krishna will then reply, ‘I am not a thief. You are a thief.’ Sometimes, being angry, Krishna passes urine and stool in a neat, clean place in our houses. But now, our dear friend Yasoda, this expert thief is sitting before you like a very good boy.” Sometimes all the gopis would look at Krishna sitting there, His eyes fearful so that His mother would not chastise Him, and when they saw Krishna’s beautiful face, instead of chastising Him they would simply look upon His face and enjoy transcendental bliss. Mother Yasoda would mildly smile at all this fun, and she would not want to chastise her blessed transcendental child.

Our movement is an incarnation of KRSNA Excerpt from a lecture by HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada KRSNA Will Save You From Envious Demons And Enemies So in this age, Kali-yuga especially, demoniac, everything, demons, godless. Demon means godless. Indrari. Demons means Indra, or indrasya ari. Ari means enemy. Indra is demigod. And his enemy, that is demon. Indrari. Just like when you go to preach Krishna consciousness, you have got so many enemies. They do not act directly, but they are very much envious: “What these nonsense are chanting Hare Krishna?” You see? They want to disturb. Just like we have to close this door because the demons will disturb. You see? So demons means enemy of the demigods, enemy of the devotees. Those who are God conscious, those who are abiding by the orders of God, they’re demigods. Demigods means they’re also God, but subordinate to God. They don’t say, “I am God.” No, a Vaisnava will never say so. He knows that “I am eternal servant of God.” Therefore demigod. Otherwise, their qualification is godly. So indrari-vyakulam… Indra. Indra is demigod. He’s the king of the demigods. So indrari-vyakulam. When people become very much disturbed by this demonic government and demons… So dharmasya glanir. Dharmasya glanir means discrepancies in the matter of executing religious principles. Just like in Russia, you cannot chant Hare Krishna mantra. What to speak of chanting in the street, you cannot chant even in private. That is their law. So that law is coming gradually everywhere, godless. In China, I’ve heard, anyone teaching about God or next life, he’ll be shot. Is it not? So your country is still very nice because you are not shooting Krishna conscious people, but there is possibility. Demons are increasing. Demons are increasing. But don’t be afraid. Krishna is there. Just like Krishna’s mother and father were so much harassed by Kamsa. But at the end, Kamsa was killed by Krishna. So we may be harassed for the time being, but Krishna will save. This is Saranagati. Avasya rakhibe krsna visvasa palana. The Saranagati means, surrender means that “Krishna will save me. I’ll not do anything against the devotional service. Even there is torture…” Just like Prahlada Maharaja. He was tortured by his father. Krishna’s mother was tortured by her brother. Not outsider. So the demons are so rascal, they don’t care for son, sister, mother. No. “As soon as it is against my personal sense gratification, I must finish this.” But be sure that Krishna will save. We have got so many instances. As Prahlada Maharaja was saved by Narasimhadeva from the hands of his father, Hiranyakasipu; Devaki was saved, Vasudeva was saved from the hands of Kamsa; so you will be also saved. Because there is promise in the Bhagavad-gita: kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [bg. 9.31]. Krishna says, “Make it a declaration throughout the whole world that anyone who is My devotee, he’ll never be annihilated. He’ll be protected. I’ll give him protection.” Samo ‘ham sarva-bhutesu. Samo ‘ham sarva-bhutesu na me dvesyo ’sti na priyah. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita that “I am equal to everyone. Nobody is My enemy, nobody is My friend.” Ye tu bhajanti mam prityä. “But those who are devotees, engaged twenty-four hours, I give them special protection. I give them special protection.” So the demons will be there, and they will always give trouble to the demigods, or the devotees, but you don’t stop your function, devotional service. Don’t be afraid of the demons. Indrari-vyakulam lokam mrdayanti. This mrdayanti means “giving protection”. Take Shelter Of KRSNA's Name Incarnation So this sankirtana movement, Hare Krishna movement, is also incarnation of Krishna. Nama-rupe avatara. Krishna can become incarnation in sound form also. Not even a physical form. Physical form also there; everything is there. But especially this age, Krishna is incarnated in His name. The name of Krishna is not different from Krishna. So nama-rupe krishna-avatara. So Krishna is already there. The whole world is now demonic, anti government, anti-God, anti-matter. So the incarnation has already come. Those who will take shelter of this incarnation of Krishna’s name, they will be never annihilated. Take it for granted. Yes. Krishna’s name and Krishna, no difference. That is omnipotency. Omnipotency means everything is Krishna’s energy. So the same potency in the energy and the energetic. This is omnipotency. God is omnipotent; He can give you protection when you take shelter of His name. Because His name is nondifferent from Him. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. Näma-krishna. Nama cintamanih krsnah, purnah suddho nitya-mukto ‘bhinnatvan nama-naminoh. Don’t think this Krishna’s name is less efficient than Krishna. No. Purna. As Krishna is perfect, similarly, this name is also perfect. Purna suddhau. As Krishna is pure, without any material contamination, apapa-viddham, no, nothing sin, sinful can affect him… You have read it in the Isopanisad. Just like sunshine. Infection cannot infect sunshine. Some disease can infect you, me, because we are less potential. But it cannot infect the sum. Rather, the sunshine will sterilize the infection. So anything infectious, anything sinful, cannot infect Krishna. Rather sinful activities in touch with Krishna will become purified. This is the process. Krishna gives all protection to the devotee There are many instances. Just like Prahlada Maharaja, you can see. Prahlada Maharaja is standing, and his father is being killed before him. This is sinful. Can you tolerate? Suppose if somebody comes to kill me, and you will see and laugh? You’ll do, will you do that? Why? That is sinful. So here Prahlada Maharaja is seeing. Prahlada Maharaja is not protesting, “Why you are killing my father?” No. He’s seeing. So why Prahlada Maharaja is worshiped? Why he has become a mahajana, authority? You can say, “Oh, he’s a most sinful. He has seen in his presence, his father is being killed, and he did not protest.” You can say so. But because it is in connection with Krishna, Prahlada Maharaja is the most exalted devotee. He’s not sinful. … So Krishna is so powerful that even in the ordinary ways it looks sinful, but if it is actually done for Krishna’s sake… The same thing, Arjuna. He was thinking that “Killing of my family members, it is sinful.” He argued with Krishna. Therefore this Bhagavad-gita is there. He was simply arguing that “I’ll not fight. I’ll not kill my grandfather, my teacher, my brother, my nephews, my brother-in-laws. No, no, I am not going to… It is sinful.” But at the end he did it, because he understood, “Oh, it is for Krishna. All right. I shall take all the risk. That’s all right.” So for Krishna, the devotee takes all the risk of life, similarly, Krishna gives all the protection to the devotee. Don’t be afraid.

Guru makes you humble in the present "I am very pleased that you are doing nicely, but don't be proud. Always remain humble, meek, that 'I am nothing. I cannot...' That will be nice. And if you think, 'Now I have become liberated. I can chant and dance.' No, don't think like that. Just like even Caitanya-caritamrta author, he says, purisera kita haite muni se laghistha: [Cc. Adi 5.205] "I am lower than the worm in the stool." Jagai madhai haite muni se papistha: 'I am more sinner than Jagai-Madhai.' In this way... That is not artificial. A Vaisnava must think like that, that 'I am rotten. I have no value.' Don't be proud. Then the things will go on nicely. And as soon as you become proud, then maya -- 'Yes, you are God. Come on. I will kick you on your face. Come on.' These rascals becomes God, and the maya kicks on the face, and they think that they have become God. Don't become like that. Always remain humble servant and you will be happy." (Srila Prabhupada lecture, Detroit, August 3, 1975)

One Sincere Soul 11 November, 1967 My Dear Brahmananda, I have read your statements regarding opening centers. I am not in agreement with Mr. Altman that we are expanding very thinly. In my opinion, a single sincere soul can maintain a center. You know I started the center at 26 2nd Ave. alone. I took the risk of 200.00 dollars per month for the rent. At that time there were no assistants. Mukunda was at that time a friend but there was no responsibility for him for maintaining the center. Gradually Kirtanananda and Hayagriva joined but they did not take any responsibility. Still I was maintaining the establishment simply depending on Krishna and then Krishna sent me everything—men and money. Similarly, if a sincere soul goes out and opens a center in any part of the world Krishna will help him in all respects. Without being empowered by Krishna, nobody can preach Krishna Consciousness. It is not academic qualification or financial strength which helps in these matters, but it is sincerity of purpose which helps us always. In this way you will follow my example as I did in the beginning at 26 2nd Ave. That is preaching, cooking, writing, talking, chanting everything one man’s show. I never thought about the audience. I was prepared to chant if there were no man to hear me. The principle of chanting is to glorify the Lord and not to attract a crowd. If Krishna hears nicely then he will ask some sincere devotee to gather in such place. Therefore, be advised that thousands of centers may be started if we find out a sincere soul for each and every center. We do not require more men to start. If there is one sincere soul that is sufficient to start a new center. Your ever well-wisher A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

It's gonna happen folks: gas is going through the roof, soon gas will be sold at $500 a gallon and you'll all be sorry for being gas addicts. Shame on you!

The mercy of the holy feet of the Vaisnavas By Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada Those who are fit possess an abundant power of devotion. They are strong. I should not apply myself to finding out the shortcomings of the Vaisnavas, condemning service to Lord Visnu or seeking to establish my own point of view by neglecting the method that may enable me to serve the Lord and His devotees. No language can describe the havoc that is wrought in human life by such arrogance. I make this submission with all humility: "Kindly refrain from merely imitating the conduct of the Vaisnavas and please always follow their line of thought." There is no relationship for us other than with the devotees of Visnu. Relationship with other people can only aggravate the desire for sensuous gratification. Many years have now passed over me one by one. I at last realise that there is no other help for me than the mercy of the holy feet of the Vaisnavas. Every one of my acts is worthy of contempt. Yet I pray to those who look upon me from above that, if they consider it allowable for me to follow their conduct and teachings, they enable me to no longer have a contemptible attitude. I pray to them to kindly impart to me the strength and fitness needed in order to communicate their power to those who are unintelligent, ignorant and devoid of all strength. He who serves Lord Hari counts himself as the least of all entities. He is lifted to the highest order of the Vaisnavas when he can feel himself the last of all. He can then proclaim the message of the highest devotion to Lord Hari. "The best of all people deems himself to be less than all others." Such is the great dictum. Even those of low birth can know God It is necessary for the best person to scrutinize his own ineligibility. Why should a person be anxious to pry into the defects of others when he does not seek to scrutinize his own conduct? Is this the disposition of a Vaisnava? On the other hand, even those who are low in the scale of service may attain the higher level. Let us remember the verse: "What to speak of people who listen to and remember the instructions of the spiritual scriptures with care, even those of low birth* - women, sudras, hunas, savaras and the birds of the air - can know God and prevail over His deluding power if they follow the conduct of the devoted servants of the Lord, who covers all the worlds by His wonderful strides" (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.7.46). *papa-jivah literally means sinful or inauspicious living beings. In Kali-yuga this includes almost every last human being. ( Hey, bro that includes me too, honest to God, man! I come from a one of a clan of them low lifers who some how or other landed in a Hare Krishna Temple! ) Vaisnavas cannot be understood even by the wise "The acts and expressions of the Vaisnavas cannot be understood even by the wise." The devotees are attached to the Lord, who pervades the worlds with His wonderful strides. Let us not be misled by appearances. Many people have been liable to mistake the pebble for the pearl, the snake for the rope and evil for good by relying on appearances and thus falling victim to delusion. It is only when a person allows himself to fall into the clutches of self-delusion that his senses show their eagerness to supply him with the cravings incidental to the phenomenal world because he supposes himself to be an inhabitant of the same.We should carefully consider how we will be delivered from being exploited like this by the deluding energy. "The Slave Mentality " Adopting the mentality of a lord in order to compensate for our present inadequacies will never bring us relief. Nor will it bring us relief to avoid what certain hasty observers have been pleased to dub "the slave mentality " of the devotees of God. Such modes of thinking accelerate our march towards the inferno by plunging us into the course of sensuous indulgence.

Process is wonderful "Don't think I have played something wonder. No, it is not my wonder. The process is wonderful, the process itself. You have to simply accept; then your life will be successful. It is not that 'Bhaktivedanta Swami has brought this.' They say. They give me the credit. That is my good fortune also. Secret of success But actually I am just like a peon. I have brought, but I am delivering it without any adulteration. That may be my credit. And if you take it without any adulteration and practice it, then your life is successful. This is the secret of success. Chant, dance, take prasadam, live very happily, and look very brilliant, and next life go to home, back to Godhead." (Srila Prabhupada lecture, Detroit, August 3, 1975)

D'ont Do It! :smash: :smash: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: PLEASE

Remember Sri Guru Every Day, Every Moment Our Gurudeva's forms are manifold. If he did not manifest himself in various ways, then who else would protect us? That person whom my Gurudeva has accepted as his own i s my saviour. I do not want to see the faces of vile persons who criticize my Gurudeva or who support those who criticize him. They are the cause of all inauspiciousness. The very instant I deviate from or forget the lotus feet of Srila Gurudeva, who is continuously attracting me to his lotus feet, at that very moment I am unquestionably deprived of the Truth. Upon such deviation, I became engrossed in contemplating countless scarcities. I hurry to bathe in a holy place, and I become busy protecting myself from the cold. In this way I chase after activities other than service to Srila Gurudeva. My Gurudeva constantly protects me from dvitiya-abhinivesa, becoming absorbed in activities separate from the interest of Bhagavan. If I do not remember my Gurudeva at the beginning of each year, each month, each day, and at every moment, I will surely fall further away from the path of bhakti. Consequently, I myself will wish to be recognized as guru, and the sinister contemplation of how others will worship me will invade my mind. This alone is dvitiya-abhinivesa. We have not assembled here to perform guru-puja just for today, but to begin performance of it at every moment, forever. Sri Gaurasundara is Krsna Himself who came to this Earth as jagad-guru, the spiritual master of the whole world, and spoke Siksastaka. May the mahanta-gurus (exalted, manifest gurus) and all great Vaisnavas who are surrendered to their lotus feet, impart all aspects of the teachings of Siksastaka to us. May they deliver us from our calamitous situation. My Gurudeva Appears to Me Everywhere Our spiritual masters (asraya-jatiya guru-varga) are the abodes of love. They appear to us in different forms to bestow their mercy upon us. They are reflected in all objects and in every entity. Indeed, they are the special manifestations of Srila Gurudeva, he who imparts divya-jnana, transcendental knowledge. The object of love, Krsna (visaya-jatiya) , is one half of the equation, and the abode of love, Sri Guru (asraya-jatiya) , is the other half. Their combination results in a complete whole through vilasa vaicitrya (wonderfully variegated pastimes). Sri Krsna is the complete manifestation of the object of love, and Srila Gurudeva is the complete perception of the abode of love. When the transcendental reflection of asraya-jatiya tattva falls upon any conscious being, he is to be understood as a manifestation of my Gurudeva. Gurudeva is that person whose behaviour at every moment instructs us that our entire life is meant for serving Bhagavan. That very Gurudeva is reflected in the heart of every living being and is situated in every entity as asraya-jatiya tattva. cuta-priyala- panasasana- kovidara jambv-arka-bilva- bakulamra- kadamba-nipah ye 'nye parart ha-bhavaka yamunopakulah samsantu krsna-padavim rahitatmanam nah ["O mango, priyala, jackfruit, asana and kovidara trees! O trees of jambu, arka, bilva and bakula! O amra, kadamba and nipa trees, as well as all other plants and trees growing along Yamuna's shores whose lives are devoted to benefiting others, we have lost our minds in the agony of separation from Sri Krsna, so please tell us where He has gone." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.30.9)] Sri Krsna disappeared from the rasa-sthali (the place of the rasa-lila), and the gopis, who are eternally liberated souls, approached each and every living entity in search of Him. Did the gopis simply depend upon the knowledge acquired through their senses to find Him? We receive the opportunity to hear about these subjects from our Gurudeva. The variegated transcendental pastimes of Nanda-Govinda, Yasoda-Govinda, Sridama-Sudama- Govinda, Citraka-Patraka- Govinda, Vamsi-Govinda, Go-Govinda and Kad amba-Govinda are accounts of the rasa-laden pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda. If a person is blessed with the darsana of Sri Guru in his heart, or if he makes a place in his mind where Sri Guru can wander, then such pastimes are revealed in his heart. The one and only way to attain service to the Complete Being is to worship that person who, by his every activity, encourages us to serve the Complete Being. Our Gurudeva's image, reflected in many different ways, constantly manifests newer and newer lessons for us. My Gurudeva manifests in various repositories and, upon seeing their attitude of service to Bhagavan, I pray that I may spend thousands and thousands of lifetimes serving Sri Hari in their association, and that my aversion to serving Him, which has prevailed for millions of lifetimes, is finally destroyed. Everyone is Advancing Except Me Once I went to Mangala-giri in South India to establish the sacred impressions of Sriman Mahaprabhu's footprints. A devotee amongst us raised this doubt: "When I first came to the matha, I noted the character of the matha residents and their attachment to serving Bhagavan. This impressed and inspired me and I cherished a high aspiration to be like them. But now, the standard I once envisioned attaining has lessened considerably. I am engrossed in various mundane thoughts such as thinking about the many brahmacaris who have turned to their homes and entered household life." In reply I said, "I cannot say that they have left hari-bhajana just because they have returned to their homes. In fact I see each and every one of those brahmacaris as amazing Vaisnavas and that their Vaisnava qualities and devotion for the Lord have increased manifold. What a wicked atheist I used to be, but my wickedness substantially abated in their association. I see that I am averse to Bhagavan, but they all are engaged in hari-bhajana. By the mercy of Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, I have come to know this verse: vaisnavera nindyakarma na pade kane sabe krsna bhaje tinha ai matra jane ["Gossip about Vaisnavas indulging in abominable activities should never enter my ears. I should only see that all persons are serving Krsna."] From my perspective, everybody is advancing in hari-bhajana, and this universe, which was created by Bhagavan, is prospering in every respect. Everyone except me is receiving spiritual benefit. You have become restless without due reason, and because you are intensely eager to serve Bhagavan you want the devotees who left to also be increasingly keen to engage in hari-bhajana. They are, however, engaged in hari-bhajana. Still you are dissatisfied and want their exuberance to serve their beloved Lord to increase a million-fold. My heart, on the contrary, is meager and unable to accommodate the magnitude of their bhajana of Sri Hari. They exemplified living according to an astonishingly high ideal. The only person who is incapable of performing hari-bhajana is me, because I busy myself with finding faults in others. How, then, can I ever make progress?" Enthusiastic to Find Faults Who finds faults in the Vaisnavas? Those who depend on their senses to acquire knowledge. Their senses - the eyes, ears, nose and so forth - are their sole support; hence external objects deceive them. In other words, those who are averse to hari-bhajana find faults with the Vaisnavas. When a person tells me that someone has stopped chanting his harinama, I think, "He must have become highly elevated at heart as a result of so much chanting. This is why he has left the path of bhajana, which is the sole source of one's welfare, and become engaged in other activities. Only a rich man is so content that he does not care to earn more." In Srimad Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavan says: "na me bhaktah pranasyati - My devotees never perish or face misfortune." api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah samyag vyavasito hi sah ["If even a man of abominable character worships Me with single-pointed focus, he is still to be considered a sadhu because he is rightly situated in bhakti." (Bhagavad-gita 9.30)] ksipram bhavati dharmatma sasvac-chantim nigacchati kaunteya pratijanihi name bhaktah pranasyati ["He quickly becomes virtuous and attains eternal peace. O Kaunteya, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes." (Bhagavad-gita 9.31)] Can anyone who is one-pointed and unflinching in his performance of hari-bhajana ever become degraded? They have doubtlessly attained full auspiciousness. Our attitude, however, is defective, and this is why we do not attain our own auspiciousness. para-svabhava- karmani na prasamsen na garhayet visvam ekamakam pasyan prakrtya purusena ca ["Sri Bhagavan said: Do not criticise or praise the conditioned nature and activities of others. View this world as a combination of material nature and souls who have an enjoying propensity, both based on the one Ultimate Reality." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.28.1)] If I depend on my sense-perception for information I will remain deprived of service to the Lord, who is beyond the perception of the senses (adhoksaja), and of Srila Gurudeva. I have not attained my own welfare, but still I meditate on the auspicious behaviour of others, and although I myself am full of shortcomings, I am enthusiastic to find faults in others. If I ever began to really focus on my own welfare, would I have time to obse rve another's imperfections? krsneti yasya giri tam manasadriyeta diksasti cet pranatibhis ca bhajantam isam susrusaya bhajana-vijnam ananyam anya- nindadi sunya-hrdam ipsita-sanga- labdhya ["One who chants Krsna's name just once is a neophyte devotee (kanistha-adhikari) . One should consider him to be his family member and silently respect him. One who, fully understanding the principle of diksa, has accepted initiation from a qualified guru and performs bhajana of Bhagavan in accordance with Vaisnava conventions is an intermediate devotee (madhyama-adhikari) . One should respect such a devotee who is endowed with the correct understanding of reality and illusion by offering him pranama and so forth. One who is adept in the science of bhajana as described in Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vaisnava scriptures, and who performs exclusive bhajana of Sri Krsna, is a maha-bhagavata devotee. Due to his undeviating absorption in Krsna, the pure heart of such a devotee is free from faults such as the tendency to criticize others. He is expert in bhajana, meaning that he mentally renders service (manasa-seva) to Sri Radha-Krsna's pastimes which take place during the eight segments of the day (asta-kaliya- lila). Knowing him to be a topmost devotee whose heart is established in the particular mood of service to Sri Radha-Krsna for which one aspires, and who is affectionately disposed towards oneself, one should honour him by offering dandavat-pranama, making relevant inquiry and rendering service with great love." (Upadesamrta, verse 5)] Our lives are short. Last year we gathered here to worship Srila Gurudeva. Since then, those who received the mercy of Bhagavan have departed from this world. However, for the purpose of finding faults in others and to show an example of the absence of trnad api sunicena, we are in this material world absorbed in sense gratification. This lightest tendency to find faults in others is completely absent in Srila Gurudeva. At the same time, his sole function is to kindly point out our hundreds and thousands of faults, which are the cause of our misfortune. May we not lose sight of this quality of Srila Gurudeva. If I live for one more year, then I will absorb myself in the service of Gurudeva at every moment from today onward and give up my tendency to criticize others. I will not say, "I am valorous, scholarly and a gifted speaker; he is foolish, ignorant and cannot express anything." On the strength of exclusive absorption in hari-katha, I will not foster an attitude of aversion to Bhagavan, and thus I will become truly benefited. Sadhaka and Siddha are Not the Same asa-bharair- amrta-sindhu- mayaih kathamcit kalo mayatigamitah kila sampratam hi tamce krpam mayi vidhasyaci n aiva kim me; pranairvrajena ca varoru vakarinapi ["O Varoru (girl with beautiful thighs), I am passing my time with the sole hope of being able to serve You. If You withhold Your mercy, what value to me are this life, the land of Vraja, and Sri Krsna, the enemy of Baka?" (Vilapa-kusumanjali , verse 102)] Some people ask me, "Why don't you give siddha-pranali (the identity of one's eternal relationship with Krsna)?" However, I cannot understand how a sadhaka and a siddha can be on the same level. How can one in the stage of sadhana that is full of anarthas cultivate the activities of sadhana that is free from anarthas or that of siddhi (the stage of perfection)? If someone is siddha, self-realized, and he mercifully reveals his svarupa to me, then only can I come to know his eternal constitutional form. In madhurya-rasa Srila Gurudeva is Varsabhanavi (Sri Radha). According to a person's eternal nature, he will see that same Sri Gurudeva as a certain absolute reality (vastu). One in the mood of a parent sees him as Nanda-Yasoda. ; one in the mood of a friend sees him as Sridama-Sudama and one in the mood of a servitor sees him as Citraka-Patraka. The truth of who is visaya and who is asraya appears in the heart of one who remains engaged in service to Srila Gurudeva. This truth does not manifest in the heart by an artificial means. When the tendency to serve arises in a fortunate soul, this truth automatically appears in his heart. We are not obliged to serve anyone other than our Gurudeva. The nature of nitya-lila (Krsna's eternal pastimes with His devotees), which even Sesa, Siva, Brahma and others cannot conceive of, will never be realized by one whose consciousness is polluted with mundane conceptions. I offer my obeisances unto the lotus feet of you all, my guru-varga.

A Golden Opportunity to Serve Collectively Excerpts from a lecture delivered by: Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada in the Sarasvata Assembly Hall, Sri Caitanya Matha, Mayapura Saturday, 9.00 pm, on the 28th day of the month of Magha (January) 1931 om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah Today I have an opportunity to worship my Sri Gurudeva. Last year, also, I had the good fortune of worshipping him, and today that auspicious occasion has come again. By the mercy of Bhagavan, I had the fortune of being able to serve Srila Gurudeva for another year. If Srila Gurudeva had wanted to deprive me of service to him, I would not have survived this past year. Since I have been granted this one year, I must again, today, contemplate whether I have properly taken advantage of that opportunity and served him accordingly. Srila Gurudeva said that we shall collectively engage in the service of Bhagavan. He used the word quote, "we" which means he was not referring to one person alone. Many persons egotistically profess, "I am Bhagavan's exclusive servant" or "I have been selected to perform a particular service to Him because no one else is qualified to do it." But Srila Gurudeva's words issue from a heart melted with loving compassion: "Come! Let us forget our tendency to block each other's spiritual progress; this is violence. Service to Bhagavan is superior to all else." By saying "superior to all else" he is not implying, "No one can do this service but me; I will not allow anyone else to do it." My Srila Gurupadapadma' s nature contains no such violence. Humbly Praying for Help "Bahubhirmilitva yat kirtanam tadaiva sankirtanam - sankirtana means congregational chanting." Glorification and prayers are included in sankirtana. From an external perspective, one who offers stuti (Vedic prayers) holds a lower position than the object of the prayers. A third party however, can best understand the glories of a person by hearing his prayers. Real humility of trnad api sunicena Sri Gaurasundara explained that to genuinely call out for Bhagavan, one has to more humble than a blade of grass (trnad api sunicena). We cannot cry out for someone until we have accepted our own insignificance in relation to that person. We beg for assistance when we are forced to acknowledge our helplessness. Whenever we find ourselves incapable of completing a task on our own, we are left with no choice but to seek another's help. Alone I cannot complete a task that requires five people to accomplish. Sri Gaurasundara has instructed us to genuinely cry out for Bhagavan, which means He has urged us to solicit Sri Bhagavan for help. This we have heard from Srila Gurudeva. However if I cry out to Him with the intention of involving Him in service to me, or if I petition Him for the purpose of accomplishing any task, my cries lack the real humility of trnad api sunicena. Real humility is never found in an external show of humility, which is actually mere duplicity. Calling out to Bhagavan in the mood of being His master, expecting Him to obey like a servant, is ineffective. He does not hear such a call because He is supremely independent and fully conscious. Consequently, He is not controlled by anyone. Until a person's egoism establishes roots in sincere, non-duplicitous humility, his prayers will not reach Bhagavan, who is fully independent. A person who is more humble than a blade of grass may cry out to Bhagavan, but unless he is endowed with the qualities of patience and tolerance, his calling out will still not bare fruit. If we show impatience by hankering after our own interests, our behaviour is in direct opposition to the mood of trnad api sunicena. Properly call out to Krsna If we are fully confident that Bhagavan is the Complete Being, and that our calling out to Him will never result in scarcity, we will not experience any dearth of patience. But if I become greedy, intolerant and restless, and if I remain adamant that I will accomplish my task on the strength of my own ability and competence, I will not be able to call out to Bhagavan in the true sense. If we are excessively vain, we cannot properly call out to Him. And also if we try to annihilate our real self-interest, then we will not be able to cry out to Bhagavan properly. Often, I think that I am obliging Him by my prayers, and therefore I engage in other activities in which I don't need to ask for His help. This mentality also indicates the absence of tolerance. We therefore require a guardian to save us from such tendencies until we become qualified to sincerely pray in the mood of trnad api sunicena. His shelter and support are necessary to shield us from such unfavourable inclinations. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says: "asraya laiya bhaje, tanre krsna nahi tyaje, ara sabe mare akarana - one who performs bhajana under the shelter of personalities who are the abode of love for Krsna, is not neglected by Krsna; everyone else lives in vain." We are Incompetent to Proceed Without a Bona Fide Guru Serving the lotus feet of Srila Gurudeva is our foremost necessity. In this world, we even need a guru to perform karma (material activities), to acquire jnana (knowledge) or to fulfill any anyabhilasa (desires not connected to serving Krsna). The guidance of such worldly gurus engenders insignificant results, which are the antithesis of the results bestowed by the lotus feet of a bona fide guru. Srila Gurudeva is the source of our genuine welfare. The very moment we become bereft of his mercy, diverse worldly desires manifest in our hearts. And if the vartma-pradarsaka guru, who is the first to tell us about spiritual life, does not tell us how we should take shelter of the lotus feet of Srila Gurudeva, we may end up losing the gem in hand. Nama-bhajana (chanting Krsna's names) is the sole method of performing bhajana, and it is the only method Srila Gurudeva confers upon us. Consequently, our responsibility is to worship his lotus feet at the beginning of each year, that is, every guru-puja. Srila Rupa Gosvami says: guru-padasrayas tasmat krsna-diksadi- siksanam visrambhena guroh seva sadhu-vartmanuvarta nam [The first four limbs of sadhana-bhakti are: to accept the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide guru, to take diksa and receive instructions on service to Krsna from him, to serve him with intimacy and affection and to follow the path of the sadhus, under his guidance." (Bhakti-rasamrta- sindhu 1.2.74-75)] In a realm that is concealed and mystifying, it is impossible to proceed by depending on one's own multitude of competencies. Just as it is impossible to foresee the future or making plans for the future on the strength of one's own ability, similarly, mundane conceptions cannot help one penetrate or attain the supra-mundane realm. My senses have experience something of the time that has already passed, and therefore I have knowledge of it, but I remain ignorant about the future. In the same way, our current senses are incapable of informing us about that realm that is complete and inconceivable. Our eyes can only see a few miles into the distance, and our ears can only hear words spoken nearby. If we depend on our own competence to proceed in such a realm, we will never reach the far end, the Ultimate Reality. Such an attempt is likened to Ravana's efforts to build a stairway to heaven. Construction may begin, but it will eventually crumble to the ground. It cannot exist in a void where no support is present. Similarly we desire to ascend to that unknown realm, and we try to do so on the strength of our own competence, but we always fail. Furthermore, if we consider an ordinary mortal who is laghu (spiritually impotent and not at all grave) to be guru (weighty with potency), we face failure. We will have to recognize who is guru and who is laghu. A guru is engaged in service to that Complete Entity whom all real gurus honour as their sole object of worship. This does not refer to a guru (teacher) of sitar or physical exercises. Such a guru cannot save one from the clutches of death. gurur na sa syat sva-jano na sa syat pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat daivam na tat syan na patis ca sa syan na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum ["That guru is not a guru, that father is not a father, that mother is not a mother, that demigod is not a demigod and that relative is not a relative who cannot protect us from the clutches of death, cannot bestow eternal life upon us and cannot protect us from ignorance, because of which we are deeply engrossed in this material worl d." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.18)] Ignorance is the sole reason a person falls into the clutches of death; a person with knowledge does not. All the education in the world is immediately dispensable for one who becomes mad or paralysed or who meets with death. Unless we are searching for the ultimate truth, we tend to become unconscious, or devoid of real consciousness. When we are impelled to enjoy our senses, like the tongue, hands, legs, arms and genitals, we are enchanted and then deceived. It is therefore imperative upon us to remember Srila Gurupadapadma at the beginning of each year, each month, each day and at every moment, for he can protect us from all such deception.

<CENTER>MAY WE ALWAYS REMEMBER</CENTER><CENTER> By Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad</CENTER><CENTER> </CENTER>Shri Krishna Chaitanyadeva is the Supreme Teacher of all teachers of this world and the ideal possessor of intelligence that is the highest of all. It should be our only duty to constantly chant those words regarding the cleansing of the mirror of the heart of which He speaks in His Eight Precepts (Shikshastakam). We are only the bearers of the Transcendental World. We shall never in any way hesitate to offer every honour and facility, for which they are eligible, to all persons of this world. We must pray to all for the boon of aptitude for the service of Krishna. We shall come across many persons in this world, possessing an endless variety of characters, disposed or hostile to the service of Krishna. But we should not slacken in our loving service of the Lord of our hearts and should offer due honour to all persons. We will have opportunities, as we approach different persons in all parts of the world with the vendor's bag of the discourse of Hari, to see a good many sights, to hear much, and to seek to derive much benefit from our experience. May we never forget that all entities of this world are essentially protégés of the Lotus-feet of Shri Guru for helping the expansion of His service. May we always remember that all excellences must only be prepared to wait with the utmost eagerness on the particle of dust of the Lotus-feet of my Shri Guru; otherwise they are merely the mirage devised by the deluding potency for our ruin. I wish to remind those friends of mine who are proceeding to the West for preaching the words of Shri Chaitanya, the two precepts of my Master Shri Rupa: (1) “The constant endeavour for cultivating relationship with Krishna of a person who, being free from all mundane affinity, enjoys the entities of this world, having due regard to the propriety of each case, in pursuance of his purpose, is called the proper kind of renunciation.” (2) “The abnegation, by persons desirous of liberation, of entities that have an affinity with Hari in considering their mundane nature, is termed renunciation possessing little real value.”

Harmonist: Bring together all bad elements into perfect harmony.

Words of the acaryas, ever-liberated souls have wonderful effect on our conciousness!