krsna

Srila Prabhupada in San Francisco and Beyond Early in 1967, several of Srila Prabhupada's disciples left New York and opened a temple in the heart of San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, home for thousands of hippies and "flower children" from all over the country. Within a short time, Srila Prabhupada's temple there had become a spiritual haven for troubled, searching, and sometimes desperate young people. Drug overdoses were common, and hundreds of confused, dazed, and disenchanted young Americans roamed the streets. Haridasa, the first president of the San Francisco temple, remembers what it was like. Haridasa: The hippies needed all the help they could get, and they knew it. And the Radha-Krishna temple was certainly a kind of spiritual haven. Kids sensed it. They were running, living on the streets, no place where they could go, where they could rest, where people weren't going to hurt them. I think it saved a lot of lives; there might have been a lot more casualties if it hadn't been for Hare Krishna. It was like opening a temple in a battlefield. It was the hardest place to do it, but it was the place where it was most needed. Although the Swami had no precedents for dealing with any of this, he applied the chanting with miraculous results. The chanting was wonderful. It worked. Michael Bowen, an artist and one of the leading figures of the Haight-Ashbury scene, recalled that Srila Prabhupada had "an amazing ability to get people off drugs, especially speed, heroin, burnt-out LSD cases -- all of that. Every day at the temple devotees cooked and served to over two hundred young people a free, sumptuous multi-course lunch of vegetarian food offered to Krishna. Many local merchants helped to make this possible by donating to the cause. An early San Francisco devotee recalls those days. Harsarani: People who were plain lost or needed comforting .. sort of wandered or staggered into the temple. Some of them stayed and became devotees, and some just took prasadam [spiritual food] and left. Just from a medical standpoint, doctors didn't know what to do with people on LSD. The police and the free clinics in the area couldn't handle the overload of people taking LSD. The police saw Swamiji [srila Prabhupada] as a certain refuge. Throughout lunch, devotees played the New York recording of Srila Prabhupada chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. The sacred sound reinforced the spiritual mood of the temple and helped to ease the tensions and frustrations of its young guests. [image]http://www.flashbacksixties.com/images/Avolon%20Unusual%20Posters/Krishna%20Comes%20West%[/image] Sunday, January 29, 1967 marked the major spiritual event of the San Francisco hippy era, and Srila Prabhupada, who was ready to go anywhere to spread Krishna consciousness, was there. The Grateful Dead, Moby Grape, Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service -- all the new-wave San Francisco bands -- had agreed to appear with Srila Prabhupada at the Avalon Ballroom's mantra-Rock Dance, proceeds from which would go to the local Hare Krishna temple. Thousands of hippies, anticipating an exciting evening, packed the hall. LSD pioneer Timothy Leary dutifully paid the standard $2.50 admission fee and entered the ballroom, followed by Augustus Owsley Stanley II, known for his own brand of LSD. At about 10:00 P.M., Srila Prabhupada and a small entourage of devotees arrived amid uproarious applause and cheering by a crowd that had waited weeks in great anticipation for this moment. Srila Prabhupada was given a seat of honor onstage and was introduced by Allen Ginsberg, who explained his own realizations about the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and how it had spread from the small storefront in New York to San Francisco. The well-known poet told the crowd that the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra in the early morning at the Radha-Krishna temple was an important community service to those who were "coming down from LSD," because the chanting would "stabilize their consciousness on reentry." The chanting started slowly but rhythmically, and little by little it spread throughout the ballroom, enveloping everyone. Hippies got to their feet, held hands, and began to dance as enormous, pulsing pictures of Krishna were projected around the walls of the ballroom in perfect sync with the beat of the mantra. By the time Srila Prabhupada stood and began to dance with his arms raised, the crowd was completely absorbed in chanting, dancing, and playing small musical instruments they had brought for the occasion. Ginsberg later recalled, "We sang Hare Krishna all evening. It was absolutely great -- an open thing. It was the height of the Haight-Ashbury spiritual enthusiasm." As the tempo speeded up, the chanting and dancing became more and more intense, spurred on by a stageful of top rock musicians, who were as charmed by the magic of the maha-mantra as the amateur musicians had been at the Tompkins Square kirtanas only a few weeks before. The chant rose; it seemed to surge and swell without limit. When it seemed it could go no further, the chanting stopped. Srila Prabhupada offered prayers to his spiritual master into the microphone and ended-by saying three times, "All glories to the assembled devotees!" The Haight-Ashbury neighborhood buzzed with talk of the mantra-Rock Dance for weeks afterward. Within a few months of the mantra-Rock event, devotees in San Francisco, New York, and Montreal began to take to the streets with their mrdangas (clay drums) and karatalas (hand cymbals) to chant the maha-mantra on a daily basis. In just a few years, temples were opening all over North America and Europe, and people everywhere were hearing the chanting of Hare Krishna. On May 31, 1969, when the Vietnam war protest movement was reaching its climax, six devotees joined John Lennon and Yoko Ono in their Montreal hotel room to play instruments and sing on John and Yoko's famous recording "Give Peace a Chance." This song, which included the mantra, and a hit single, "The Hare Krishna mantra," produced in September of the same year by Beatle George Harrison and featuring the devotees, introduced millions to the chanting. Even Broadway's long-running musical hit Hair included exuberant choruses of the Hare Krishna mantra. At the now historic mass antiwar demonstration in Washington, D.C., on November 15, 1969, devotees from all over the United States and Canada chanted the Hare Krishna mantra throughout the day and distributed "The Peace Formula," a small leaflet based on Srila Prabhupada's teachings from the Vedic scriptures. "The Peace Formula," which proposed a spiritual solution to the problem of war, was distributed en masse for many months and influenced thousands of lives. By 1970, when George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" -- with its beautiful recurring lyrics of Hare Krishna and Hare Rama -- was the international number-one hit song of the day, devotees in dhotis and saris, chanting the maha-mantra with musical instruments, were now a familiar sight in almost every major city throughout the world. Because of Srila Prabhupada's deep love for Lord Krishna and his own spiritual master, his amazing determination, and his sincere compassion, "Hare Krishna" had become a household word.

Top 26 Things To Do When Time Is Plenty This article is classified "Real" Occasionally, when you are not dealing with lack of time, you are dealing with an excess of time. While rare, it can happen. So, enclosed below, are twenty-six ways to kill time. ***WARNING*** Do NOT attempt to unplug an atomic clock! ***WARNING*** 1) Organize. It never hurts to prepare for dealing with the lack of time. 2) Work. It never hurts to get money to spend for the next time time is plenty! 3) Clean dryer lint filter. This may be why you have soggy towels. 4) Buy postal stamps. Every time I need a stamp, I just thank myself for stocking up on them when I was killing time. 5) Write a Guide article. New field reporters accepted daily! 6) Stock up on weather forecasts. Instead of wasting a few hours looking for a weather forecast, why not stock up on them? They usually last for 3-5 days, if kept refrigerated. 7) Wax your automobile, if you have one. Preventative maintenance. 8) Clean your GuideNET Terminal. Preventative maintenance. 9) Remove arachnid webs from dwelling. They are known to annoy even the most unsanitary hitchhiker. 10) Grease your lunchbox hinges. Squeaky hinges ruin appetites. 11) Clean your air conditioner filter, if you have one. Allergies go bye-bye. 12) Spend a day pushing buttons in an elevator. 13) Learn CPR. You never know when your ticker will tick out. 14) Learn the Heimlich Maneuver. You never know when you'll bite your last bite. 15) Learn First Aid. You never know when you'll get a fatal injury. 16) Get a GuideNET Update. Preventative maintenance. 17) Ride the bus. Also good for killing money. 18) Give blood. H+ is in demand. 19) Cuddle your cat. Cats have feelings, too. 20) Shoot your clock. That will defiantly kill time. 21) Empty your rain gauge. Mine accumulated 4,000 centimeters one time. 22) Watch television. Educational programs spawn more and more time, though. 23) Read a book. You could actually LEARN something. 24) Dip into public baths. Look for signs that say "Swimming Pool". (Note: some hitchhikers should pay special attention to this suggestion.) 25) Observe vehicles traverse by. Watch out for city lawn mowers. 26) Organize your lint collection. 'nuff said.

This is going on we sign 'your servant' really? are you my servant or are you guru's servant first and foremost?

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"Become Devotee Or Remain Demon" 75/01/30 Hawaii, Bhagavad-gita 16.4 -extract: "Arrogance, pride, anger, conceit, harshness and ignorance -- these qualities belong to those of demonic nature, O son of Prtha." Prabhupada: dambho darpo 'bhimanas ca krodhah parusyam eva ca ajnanam cabhijatasya partha sampadam asurim ......... So if we desire to become something unlimitedly, Krsna can supply you your necessities unlimitedly. Ye yatha mam prapadyante. That freedom is there. If you want to remain as a demon, then Krsna will supply you all the ingredients, how you can flourish as a demon. Just like there was Hiranyakasipu and there was Prahlada. Prahlada was being supplied spiritual advancement of life, necessities, and Hiranyakasipu was being supplied for demonic status of life. So it is Krsna's pleasure that whatever you want, you can get it. You get all advantage by Krsna. If you want to become a demon, Krsna will supply you, "All right, you become a demon. You take whatever you want from Me." He will give you. Similarly, if you want to become a demigod or devotee, Krsna will supply you all the necessities. Now it is my choice whether I shall become a demon and whether I shall become a devotee. This is my choice. Krsna is equal to everyone. Samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu. Otherwise how He is God? If He is partial to somebody, then He is not God. He must be equal. He is equal to the devotee and non-devotee. Whatever the nondevotees want, Krsna supplies. And whatever the devotees want, Krsna supplies. But He is very much pleased with the devotee. Therefore, his supplies are very immediate, and the demonic supply, that will depend on his work, karma. It will depend on the karma. And devotee's supply, because this is bhakti, it is immediately there. That is the difference. Krsna says that. Ye tu bhajanti mam pritya tesu te mayi. There are millions of living beings. Some of them are devotees, and many of them are non-devotees. So Krsna is kind to the nondevotees also. Whatever he wants, He will give him. But the necessities of the devotee is the first consideration for Krsna. Ye tu bhajanti mam pritya tesu te mayi. That is Krsna's... As the devotee is only searching the opportunity, how to serve Krsna, similarly, Krsna is also very eager to serve the devotee. That is a reciprocation of devotional service. Now it is our choice whether we want to become a devotee or whether we want to remain a demon. That is my choice. Krsna says that "You give up this demonic engagement and surrender to Me." That is Krsna's desire. But if you do not agree with Krsna's desire, if you want to enjoy your own desire, then also, Krsna is also pleased, He will supply you the necessities. But that is not very good. We should agree to Krsna's desires. We should not allow our desires, demonic desires, to grow. That is called tapasya. Our desires we should sacrifice. That is called sacrifice. We should only accept Krsna's desire. That is the instruction of the Bhagavad-gita. Arjuna's desire was not to fight, but Krsna's desire was to fight, just the opposite. Arjuna ultimately agreed to Krsna's desire: "Yes," karisye vacanam tava [bg. 18.73]: "Yes, I will act according to Your desire." That is bhakti.

A heavy thunder breaks the deep lethargy within your head.... ...causing you to upstart suddenly, like a person who by force is awakened. Before you stands an enormous gate with an inscription that reads: "Through me the way into the suffering city, Through me the way to the eternal pain, Through me the way that runs among the lost. Justice urged on my high artificer; My maker was divine authority, The highest wisdom, and the primal love. Before me nothing but eternal things were made, And I endure eternally. Abandon every hope, ye who enter here."

Hey Shivaji, all this xxx rasa sastra of krsna's most intimate rasa lila,does it get rid of mundane sex desire in the heart-bhava roga?>

The following quotes serve to illustrate the ABSOLUTE need for taking the guru's initiation on the science of krsna-bhakti: sarva-desa-kala-dasaya janera kartavya guru-pase sei bhakti prastavya, srotavya "It is therefore the duty of every man--in every country, in every circumstance and at all times--to approach the bona fide spiritual master, question him about devotional service and listen to him explain the process." Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 25.122 One should always remember that a person who is reluctant to accept a spiritual master and be initiated is sure to be baffled in his endeavor to go back to Godhead. One who is not properly initiated may present himself as a great devotee, but in fact he is sure to encounter many stumbling blocks on his path of progress toward spiritual realization, with the result that he must continue his term of material existence without relief. Such a helpless person is compared to a ship without a rudder, for such a ship can never reach its destination. It is imperative, therefore, that one accept a spiritual master if he at all desires to gain the favor of the Lord. The service of the spiritual master is essential. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 1.35, purport This relationship [with Krsna] is established by connecting oneself with the bona fide spiritual master who is the direct representative of Krsna in disciplic succession. The connection with the spiritual master is called initiation. From the date of initiation by the spiritual master, the connection between Krsna and a person cultivating Krsna consciousness is established. Without initiation by a bona fide spiritual master, the actual connection with Krsna consciousness is never performed. The Nectar of Devotion The Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.6) quotes the following injunction from the Visnu-yamala: adiksitasya vamoru krtam sarvam nirarthakam pasu-yonim avapnoti diksa-virahito janah "Unless one is initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, all his devotional activities are useless. A person who is not properly initiated can descend again into the animal species." Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 15.108, purport If one wants to learn the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one must take lessons from a realized soul. One should not proudly think that one can understand the transcendental loving service of the Lord simply by reading books. One must become a servant of a Vaisnava. As Narottama dasa Thakura has confirmed, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: one cannot be in a transcendental position unless one very faithfully serves a pure Vaisnava. One must accept a Vaisnava guru (adau gurv-asrayam), and then by questions and answers one should gradually learn what pure devotional service to Krsna is. That is called the parampara system. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 7.53 Unless one inquires about his own self beyond the body and the mind, all his activities in human life are total failures. Therefore out of thousands and thousands of men, one may inquire about his spirit self and thus consult the revealed scriptures like Vedanta-sutras, Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. But in spite of reading and hearing such scriptures, unless one is in touch with a realized spiritual master, he cannot actually realize the real nature of self, etc. Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.1, purport In his previous life, when Naradaji was impregnated with spiritual knowledge by the grace of the great sages, there was a tangible change in his life, although he was only a boy of five years. That is an important symptom visible after initiation by the bona fide spiritual master. Actual association of devotees brings about a quick change in life for spiritual realization. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.6.5 Even for a king like Maharaja Pariksit there was need of a spiritual master for guidance. Without such guidance one cannot make progress in spiritual life. The spiritual master must be bona fide, and one who wants to have self-realization must approach and take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master to achieve real success. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.3, purport The principle of accepting a spiritual master ... is essential. Even for one who takes to devotional service, it is most important. Transcendental life begins when one accepts a bona fide spiritual master. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, clearly states here that this process of knowledge is the actual path. Anything speculated beyond this is nonsense. ... without the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, one cannot progress in the spiritual science. Bhagavad-gita As It Is 13.8 A student is to be considered perfected when he understands the identity of the holy name and the Supreme Lord. Unless one is under the shelter of a realized spiritual master, his understanding of the Supreme is simply foolishness. Teachings of Lord Caitanya One who is not taught by a bona fide spiritual master cannot understand the Vedic literature. To emphasize this point, Lord Krsna, while instructing Arjuna, clearly said that it was because Arjuna was His devotee and confidential friend that he could understand the mystery of Bhagavad-gita. It is to be concluded, therefore, that one who wants to understand the mystery of revealed scriptures must approach a bona fide spiritual master, hear from him very submissively and render service to him. Then the import of the scriptures will be revealed. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 7.48, purport [One should] approach a bona fide guru who is the representative of the Lord following the parampara system. No one should try to squeeze out his own meaning by imperfect mundane knowledge. The guru, or the bona fide spiritual master, is competent to teach the disciple in the right path with reference to the context of all authentic Vedic literature. He does not attempt to juggle words to bewilder the student. The bona fide spiritual master, by his personal activities, teaches the disciple the principles of devotional service. Without personal service, one would go on speculating like the impersonalists and dry speculators life after life and would be unable to reach the final conclusion. Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.37, purport No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders. The Bhagavatam says: dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [sB 6.3.19]--the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Bhagavad-gita As It Is 4.34, purport Sometimes less intelligent men ask whether one has to approach a guru to be instructed in devotional service for spiritual advancement. The answer is given here--indeed, not only here, but also in Bhagavad-gita, where Arjuna accepted Krsna as his guru (sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam). The Vedas also instruct, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] one must accept a guru for proper direction if one is seriously inclined toward advancement in spiritual life. The Lord says that one must worship the acarya, who is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (acaryam mam vijaniyat). One should definitely understand this. In Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that the guru is the manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, according to all the evidence given by the sastra and by the practical behavior of devotees, one must accept a guru. Aditi accepted her husband as her guru, so that he would direct her how to advance in spiritual consciousness, devotional service, by worshiping the Supreme Lord. Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.16.23, purport The Lord reveals His identity gradually to one who has unflinching faith, both in the spiritual master and in the Lord. After this, the devotee is endowed with mystic opulences, which are eight in number. And above all, the devotee is accepted in the confidential entourage of the Lord and is entrusted with specific service of the Lord through the agency of the spiritual master. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.39, purport We can speculate for many births, for many years, and yet not be able to understand the ultimate goal of life. Therefore the sastras all advise that we search out a guru. The word guru means "heavy" or "weighty." One who has much knowledge is heavy with knowledge. One should consider the bona fide guru in this way, and one should not think, "I know everything. Who can teach me?" No one can say such a thing, for everyone needs instruction. Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.10) further quotes: ato gurum pranamyaivam sarva-svam vinivedya ca grhniyad vaisnavam mantram diksa-purvam vidhanatah "'It is the duty of every human being to surrender to a bona fide spiritual master. Giving him everything--body, mind and intelligence--one must take Vaisnava initiation from him.'" Madhya 15.108, purport Mr. O'Grady: Is it possible to arrive at this understanding of God alone? Srila Prabhupada: No. Therefore we have cited this verse: tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. The word abhigacchet means "must." It is not possible alone. In Sanskrit grammar this is called the vidhi-lin form of a verb, and this form is used when there is no choice. The word abhigacchet means that one must approach a guru. That is the Vedic version. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita you will find that Arjuna was talking to Krsna, but when he saw that things were not being resolved, he surrendered himself to Krsna and accepted Him as his guru. The Science of Self-Realization "One should taste the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam in the association of pure devotees." PURPORT: The Srimad-Bhagavatam can only be recited by one who has unflinching faith in the lotus feet of Krsna and His devotee, the spiritual master. One should try to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam from the spiritual master. The Vedic injunction states: bhaktya bhagavatam grahyam na buddhya na ca tikaya. One has to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam through the process of devotional service and by hearing the recitation of a pure devotee. These are the injunctions of Vedic literature--sruti and smrti. Those who are not in the disciplic succession and who are not pure devotees cannot understand the real mysterious objective of Srimad-Bhagavatam and Srimad Bhagavad-gita. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 22.131, purport "How could one have knowledge of devotional service and detachment without the help of such [spotless] devotees" PURPORT: There are many inexperienced persons who advocate self-realization without the help of a spiritual master. They decry the necessity of the spiritual master and try themselves to take his place by propagating the theory that a spiritual master is not necessary. Srimad-Bhagavatam, however, does not approve this viewpoint. Even the great transcendental scholar Vyasadeva had need of a spiritual master, and under the instruction of his spiritual master, Narada, he prepared this sublime literature, Srimad-Bhagavatam. Even Lord Caitanya, although He is Krsna Himself, accepted a spiritual master; even Lord Krsna accepted a spiritual master, Sandipani Muni, in order to be enlightened; and all the acaryas and saints of the world had spiritual masters. In Bhagavad-gita Arjuna accepted Krsna as his spiritual master, although there was no question about the necessity of accepting a spiritual master. The only stipulation is that the spiritual master should be bona fide; i.e., the spiritual master must be in the proper chain of disciplic succession, called the parampara system. Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.7.39, purport In the Adi-lila Purana there is the following statement by Lord Krsna Himself, addressed to Arjuna: "My dear Partha, one who claims to be My devotee is not so. Only a person who claims to be the devotee of My devotee is actually My devotee." No one can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. One must approach Him through His pure devotees. Therefore, in the system of Vaisnava activities, the first duty is to accept a devotee as spiritual master and then to render service unto him. The Nectar of Devotion The best way to establish our relation in transcendental sweetness is to approach [Lord Krsna] through His recognized devotees. One should not try to establish the relation directly; there must be a via medium which is transparent and competent to lead us to the right path. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.22, purport [For devotional life] one must first become a servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord (dasanudasa). Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised, and He also showed by His own example, that a living entity should always desire to be a servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna, the maintainer of the gopis (gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasadasanudasah). This means that one must accept a spiritual master who comes in the disciplic succession and is a servant of the servant of the Lord. Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.11.24, purport In the spiritual world there are five kinds of relationships with the Supreme Lord--santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya. ... These five relationships in the material world are distorted reflections of the original pure sentiments, which should be understood and perfected in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master ... a conditioned soul must ultimately approach a bona fide spiritual master and try to understand perfectly the material and spiritual worlds and his own existential position. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi. 1.56, purport The human form of body is actually meant for jivasya tattva jijnasa, enlightenment in knowledge of spiritual values. Therefore, one must seek shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta: [sB 11.3.21] one must approach a guru. Who is a guru? Sabde pare ca nisnatam (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.3.27): a guru is one who has full transcendental knowledge. Unless one approaches a spiritual master, one remains in ignorance. Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.10.10, purport The serious candidate must accept a bona fide spiritual master in order to be trained scientifically. Because the senses are material, it is not at all possible to realize the Transcendence by them. Therefore the senses have to be spiritualized by the prescribed method under the direction of the spiritual master. Easy Journey to Other Planets The stage of pure devotion is attained by sincerely serving a pure devotee of the Lord. The first condition of devotional service to the Lord is therefore to be a servant of a pure devotee, and this condition is fulfilled by the statement "reception of the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee who has also served another pure devotee." That is the way of pure disciplic succession, or devotional parampara. ... Lord Sri Krsna is the property of His pure unconditional devotees, and as such only the devotees can deliver Krsna to another devotee; Krsna is never obtainable directly. ... The conclusion is, therefore, that one should be more serious about seeking the mercy of the devotee than that of the Lord directly, and by one's doing so (by the good will of the devotee) the natural attraction for the service of the Lord will be revived. Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.23, purport

good article on taking care of those creatures dear to Krishna

BECOME A LAW ABIDING CITIZEN OF GOD Prabhupada: Religious principles cannot be manufactured by anyone within this universe. It is the codes or laws given by God. That is religion. That means we have to know who is God, what is His desire, and we have to abide by that. Just like a good citizen means he knows the government and the government laws and he abides by them. Therefore, the duty of the state, the father, the teacher, everyone who are guardians—they should teach their subordinate how to become faithful to God. This one qualification will make him perfect. That is not being done. Everyone is godless mostly, and therefore there is a chaotic condition. Nobody is abiding by the supreme law. Everyone is creating his own law. That is the trouble. So our Krsna consciousness movement is meant for making the human society law-abiding citizens of the laws given by God. So that is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Krsna, God, is giving, “You do like this.” If we do like that... Or take even the Bible. If we follow strictly, then we become happy. So, am I right or wrong? What is your opinion? Guest:You are very right in saying this because we cannot solve any problems. The problems keep on multiplying. When we solve one problem, there are twenty ahead of us. Prabhupada: Our first problem is, because we have got this material body, eating. Everyone must eat. So Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani: “If there are sufficient food grains, then both man and animal become happy.” Therefore our first religion is to produce food grains sufficiently to feed everyone. This matter has been entrusted to the vaishyas. They should produce sufficient food and give protection to the cows for sufficient milk. Then the whole human society and animal society will be happy. But we are disobeying the orders or the rules given by God. Instead of producing food, we are producing motorcars, motor tires, motor parts. And so many other things. And therefore people are starving. The manual labor is being misused. We are disobeying the orders of God. Therefore we are unhappy. I have seen all over the world there is enough space for producing food grains. And if we actually produce food grains, we can maintain ten times of the present population of the whole world. There is no question of scarcity because God has created everything complete. There cannot be any defect in the creation of God. We have created these defects on account of our disobeying the orders of God. God never said “motorcar-ad bhavanti bhutani.” He never says that. But instead of producing food grains, we are producing so many unwanted things. In every country so much energy and resources are engaged for preparing war materials. And that means there must be war. And you must be killed; I must be killed. "You will kill me; I will kill you." That’s all. So this Krsna consciousness movement is meant for raising the human society to the real platform of human society, not to keep them in the animal platform. Try to understand God and love Him. This is the substance of the Krsna consciousness movement. (Conversation with Srila Prabhupada Mar.1,1975)

I'm the one in the middle:

False pride,false ego of 'I' the doer 'I' the maker of'my' own destiny has to be totally eradicated so that the KC mood of 'I' am simply a tiny beggar of prema at the lotus feet of Sri Guru and Sri Gouranga. ============================================= And underestimate the problem, the effects of lifetimes of conditioning to forget Sri Krsna. Our overestimation of ourselves is directly linked to our underestimation of God. The pride and pomp of waking early, following the regs, meditating on God, et cetera need to be eradicated. Showing us as impotent insignificant powerless specs is certainly one way to defeat our delusions of grandeur. Then we will appreciate and cherish the mercy, the pleasure and privilege of being allowed to rise early with the birds to listen to the names of Lord Sri Krsna and Rama. -=======================================

...Good news for Cows by Kanva das Posted April 20, 2004 Please visit http://vnn.org/publication/PB0404/PB14-8594.html It is just too bad that we couldn't have farm projects like this one. I probably would not have ever left Iskcon, if the farm mangers and leaders of Iskcon could take of me and others as this devotee takes care of his cows...

Surgery 'makes you sound young' A growing number of patients are having this surgery Doctors in the United States are offering patients voice lifts to help them sound younger. The surgery involves plumping up the vocal cords to turn old shaky voices into strong clear ones. The technique has previously only been used on people who have lost their voices through injury or disease. But doctors say it is becoming popular with patients who have already had plastic surgery and want to sound as well as look younger than they are. "There are people who pay $15,000 for a face lift and as soon as they open their mouth, they sound like they're 75," said Dr Robert Thayer Sataloff of the Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia. "The wobbles, the tremors, they're what we recognise as things that make a voice sound old." Vocal cords Surgeons can make the voice sound younger by bringing the vocal cords closer together. This is done by injecting collagen or similar substances to plump the vocal cords up. It can benefit people like politicians and teachers who need to have a strong voice that carries Dr Leroy Young "The surgery brings the vocal folds closer together either by injecting a material through the mouth fat or a bone like substance or collagen or by making a little incision in the neck and implanting a little piece of gortex to bring all of the vocal fold tissues closer together," said Dr Thayer Sataloff. "Either one of those techniques will take a voice that is soft and breathy and give it strength and solidity that makes it sound more believable and younger." Doctors said the technique could be particularly helpful for people who use their voice in their careers. "It can benefit people who may be getting toward the end of a singing career," said Dr Leroy Young of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. "It can benefit people like politicians and teachers who need to have a strong voice that carries," he said. "I'd say caveat emptor for the professional singer but if you're a teacher and you don't want to sound like Marlene Dietrich, it's something to consider."

Have we lived before? Krishna says to Arjuna: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot. (Bhagavad-gita 4.5) We cannot even remember all that happens in this one lifetime. We forget, because we are changing our bodies. A grown man cannot remember what he said or how he acted on the lap of his mother, because his body has changed. We say we are growing, but actually we are changing bodies. This is explained in Bhagavad-gita (2.13): As the embodied soul continually passes in this body from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. We are bewildered, because we accept different types of bodies. When a man is sleeping, his gross body is lying in bed, but he accepts a subtle body in his dream and completely forgets his gross body. Although sleeping, he dreams that he is awake, and he acts with the body that he has concocted in his dream. Material existence is like that. Constitutionally, we are pure spirit souls, and we have nothing to do with material bodies, but under the spell of maya (illusion), we have accepted bodies for sense gratification, and we act in so many ways, forgetting our real identity. As a man lies in bed dreaming, we are lying in the lap of material nature, forgetting our real self. The difference between God and the minute living entity is that God does not change His body; therefore He never forgets. Whereas our bodies are changing at every moment, and therefore we are full of ignorance. Krishna does not change; therefore, He is full of knowledge. He says in Bhagavad-gita (7.26): I know everything that has happened in the past, everything that is happening now, and all things that are yet to be. I also know all living entities, but Me no one knows. Death exists only for the body. For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, once having been, does he ever cease to be. That which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul. (Bhagavad-gita 2.20) Is there life after death? The Soul Lives Forever Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita (2.12): Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. Both God and the living entities are individuals. They existed in the past; they exist now, and both God and the living entities will exist as individuals in the future. The Body is Always Dead The living being is not a creation of matter. The living being is the force who brings the material world into being, in the same way that the architect or engineer is the living force who brings the ingredients together to construct a building, and the tailor is the living force who puts cloth together to make a shirt or pair of pants. The living force brings the material body into existence. The material body is not the living being; but the living being is within this body, spreading its influence all over the body through the medium of consciousness. Consciousness is the symptom of the presence of the soul. Spirit and matter are categorically two different substances. One is conscious, whereas the other is not. Matter has no consciousness; it is inert, and it is therefore called the inferior energy of the Lord. Matter has no power to take shape independently, no more than a building has the power to take shape independently. An engineer brings the ingredients together and gives them shape. Similarly, the body, which is a combination of inert elements such as earth, water, fire and air, does not take shape automatically. It is the living force, or soul (jivatma), that combines the material ingredients and gives them shape according to the soul's desires. Transmigration of the Soul The soul develops different kinds of bodies. There are 8,400,000 species of life or different kinds of bodies. There are different styles of clothing in the department store, and we purchase a suit of clothing according to our capacity to pay for it. If we have a good capacity, we shall buy a good suit. If not, we shall have to go to the Salvation Army or thrift shop and purchase used clothing. Similarly, there are high-grade and low-grade bodies. The human body marks the high point of the soul's evolution, or transmigration, through the lower species of life. The body is described in the Bhagavad-gita as a dress of the eternal spirit soul. There it is said: As a person puts on new garments, giving up the old ones, similarly the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones. This is called samsara, the cycle of birth and death. dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara As the embodied soul continually passes in this body from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change. (Bhagavad-gita 2.13)

So who the heck am I? Many people might answer by defining themselves in terms of their body, occupation, family or locality. Actually we have no real identity in relationship with any of this temporary matter. We are eternal spirit soul, loving servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. This body is merely one of millions we pass through during our sojourn in this material world.