krsna

Check out the new Flash movie about Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a Buddhist monk on death row for crimes he didn't commit: http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/downloads/tenzin.html Two years ago, Tenzin was arrested by Chinese authorities and sentenced to death. Time is running out for Tenzin -- his execution is scheduled for December of this year. But if the Chinese authorities think they can kill this innocent man without an international uproar, they are wrong. The Beastie Boys and Students for a Free Tibet have teamed up with Free Range on this Flash movie to show that the world opposes the killing. Check out the movie, take action, and spread the word: http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/downloads/tenzin.html Together, we can and will save Tenzin Delek's life.

Realization means you should write - by Srila Prabhupada Every one of you. What is your realization? You write your realization – what you have realized about Krishna. That is required. It is not passive. Always you should be active. Whenever you find time, write. Never mind – two lines, four lines, but you write your realizations. Sravanam, kirtanam. Writing or offering prayers, glories – this is one of the functions of a Vaisnava. You are hearing, but you have to write also. Then, writing means smaranam – remembering what you have heard from your spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada Los Angeles 1970

The Hanuman Chalisa sri guru carana saroj raja nija mana mukura sudhar, varanaun raghuvara vimala yasa, yo dayaka phala chara "Having cleaned the mirror of my mind with the dust from the lotus feet of my Guru, I sing the pure glories of Lord Ramachandra, who bestows the four fruits of life: religion, wealth, pleasure and liberation." buddhina tanu janike sumiraun pavana kumara, bala buddhi vidya dehu mohin, harau klesa vikara "As I know I am an ignorant fool, I meditate on the Son of Wind, Hanuman, and pray him to give me strength, wisdom and knowledge, purifying me from all defects and bad things." siyavara ramachandra ki jaya, pavanasuta hanumana ki jaya, umapati mahadeva ki jaya "All glories to Mother Sita, all glories to Lord Ramachandra, all glories to the Son of the Wind, Hanuman, all glories to Lord Shiva, consort of Parvati." jaya hanumana jnana guna sagara, jaya kapisa tihun loka ujagara, rama duta atulita bala dhama, anjani putra pavana suta nama "Glory to Hanuman, ocean of knowledge and good qualities. Glory to the lord of the Vanaras. His fame echoes through the three worlds. Glory to the divine messenger and servant of Sri Rama! He is known as Pavana Suta, son of the Wind and Mother Anjana, and his prowess is invincible." mahavira vikrama bajarangi kumati nivara sumati ke sangi, kanchana varana viraja suvesa, kanana kundala kunchita kesa "O Hanuman, you have unlimited courage and strength, you destroy ignorance and grant wisdom. Your complexion is golden, your hair is curly and you wear ear-rings." hatha bajur aru dhvaja virajai, kandhe munja janeu sajai, sankara suvana kesari nandana, tej pratapa maha jaga vandana "In one hand you hold the divine Vajra weapon, in the other you have the flag with your emblem. Your shoulder is decorated with the holy thread. You are the son of Lord Shiva and Mother Keshari. Your great prowess is famous all over the world." vidyavan guni ati chatur, rama kaja karive ko atur, prabhu charitra sunive ko rasiya, rama lakshmana sita mana basiya "You have the greatest wealth of divine knowledge. You are virtuous and intelligent, always ready to serve Lord Rama, and your greatest pleasure is listening to His glories. Rama, Laksmana and Sita always reside in your heart." suksma rupa dhari siyahin dikhava, vikata rupa dhari lanka jarava, bhima rupa dhari asura sanhare, ramachandra ke kaja sanvare "You appeared before Sita in a very small form, but you burned Lanka with a terrifying form and a killed the demons with a gigantic form. In this way you always serve Lord Rama." lae sanjivana lakhan jiyaye sri raghuvira harshi ura laye, raghupati kinhi bahuta badai, tum mama priya bharatai sama bhai "You brought the medicinal herb to revive Lakshmana, and overcome with joy Rama embraced you and glorified you, saying that He loves you as much as He loves His own brother Bharata." sahasa vadana tumharo yasa gaven, asa kahi sripati kantha lagaven, sanakadika brahmadi munisa narada sarada sahita ahisa "Sesanaga with his thousands mouths is singing your glories: with these words, Rama embraced you. Even the Kumaras, Narada, Sarasvati cannot complete describe your glories." yama kuvera digapala jahante kavi kovida kahi saken kahante, tuma upakara sugrivahin kinha rama milaya raja pada dinha "Even Yama, Kuvera, the lords of the directions, poets and sages are incapable of fully describing your glories. You introduced Rama to Sugriva, causing him to become the king of the Vanaras." tumharo mantra vibhisana mana lankesvara bhae saba jaga jana, yuga sahasra yojana para bhanu, lilyo tahi madhura phala janun "By following your advice, Vibhisana became the king of Lanka: everyone knows this. You grabbed the sun, millions of kilometers away in the sky, taking it for a ripe fruit." prabhu mudrika meli mukha mahin jaldi landi gaye acaraja nahin, durgama kaja jagata ke jete, sugama anugraha tumhare te te "You crossed the ocean keeping Rama's ring in your mouth as a token for Sita. You could perform such a miraculous task because with your grace even impossible tasks become possible and even easy." rama duare tuma rakhavere hot na ajna vinu paisare, saba sukha lahai tumhari sarana, tuma raksaka kahu ko darana "You always guard the door of Sri Rama, and without your permission no one can enter. By taking shelter in you, all the joys of life are obtained, and one under your protection has nothing to fear." apana teja samharo ape tinon loka hankate kanpe, bhuta pisacha nikata nahin ave, mahavira japa nama sunave "Your radiance is supreme, and the three worlds tremble when you move. You are the supreme brahmachari, conserving your energy. By repeating the name of Hanuman, all the ghosts and demons are chased away." nashai roga harai saba pira, japata nirantara hanumata vira, sankata se hanumana churavai, mana rama vachana dhyana jo lavai "All diseases and sufferings are destroyed by the constant repetition of the name of Hanuman. One who meditates on him with his mind, heart and activities is saved from all difficulties." saba para rama tapasvi raja tina ke kaja sakala tuma saja, aur manoratha jo koi lavai soy amita jivana phala pavain "Rama is the Lord of yoga, and all your actions are dedicated to Him. By your grace, all desires are granted." charon yuga paratapa tumhara, hai parasiddhi jagata uyjiara, sadhu santa ke tum rakhavare, asura nikandana rama dulare "In all times, you are famous for your prowess and talents, your glories are spread all over the universe. You protect the devotees and the sages, you destroy the demons, and you are Rama's beloved." asta siddhi nava nidhi ke data, asa vara dina janaki mata, rama rasayana tumhare pasa, sada raho raghupati ke dasa "Mother Sita blessed you with the power to grant the eight spiritual perfections and the nine material prosperities, and Sri Rama gave you the power to heal. You are always His humble servant." tumhare bhajana rama ko pavai janma janma ke dukha visravai, anta kale raghupati pura jay, jahan janmen hari bhakta kahai "By meditating on you, one reaches Lord Rama, and eliminates the sufferings of many lifetimes. After death, your devotee will reach the abode of Rama, where he will always be a devotee of the Lord." aur devata chitta na dharai, hanumata sei sarva sukha karai, sankata harai mitai saba pira, jo sumire hanumata balavira "The other Devas do not care for the sufferings of the human beings: only Hanuman is the source of all joys, and by remembering him all sufferings disappear." jaya jaya jaya hanumana gosain, kripa karau gurudeva ki nain, yah satavara patha kara jaya chhutahin band maha sukha hoy "Victory and glory to lord Hanuman! O divine Guru, bless us with your grace. By repeating this mantra one hundred times, one is liberated by all problems and obtains unlimited happiness." jo yaha parhai hanumana chalisa haya siddhi sakhi gaurisha, tulasidasa sada harichera kije natha hridaya mahana dera "One who repeats this song with the glories of lord Hanuman obtains all the spiritual perfections. Tulasidasa, the eternal servant of the Lord, gives this promise in the name of Mahadeva, the lord of Gauri. O lord, may you always reside in my heart." pavanatanaya sankata harana mangala murti rupa, rama laskmana sita sahita hridaya basahu sura bhupa "O Son of the Wind, you destroy all difficulties. Your form is all auspicious, and you always reside in my heart together with Rama, Laksmana and Sita." siyavara ramachandra ki jaya, pavana suta hanumana ki jaya, umapati mahadeva ki jaya "Glories to Sita Rama, glories to lord Hanuman, son of the wind, and glory to Shiva Mahadeva, husband of Uma!"

From a Christian site: MISGUIDED MANTRA Hare Krishna Devotee Finds Christ By Michelle Wilson The 700 Club Rick McReynolds was deep into the Eastern religion when a former Hare Krishna spoke truth to him at a Christian concert. CBN.com – "I wasn’t sure there was a God, so it was basically just living for the day and just trying to stay high and having fun," says Rick McReyolds. That’s exactly the life that Rick led. After high school and a stint in the Air Force, Rick joined up with childhood friends to start a rock band. They named the band Time Machine. "We were into drugs pretty heavily, mostly pot and speed and acid," says Rick. "We didn’t want to grow up." Then the drummer of the band introduced Time Machine to a different kind of "high" – Hare Krishna. "Someone gave him the book, the Bhagavad-Gita, and he was reading from the book what it would be like to be 'Krishna conscious,' " Rick says. This new religion taught that the gods of other religions – including Jesus Christ – were merely manifestations of the creator of the world, Krishna. Who exactly is Krishna? As Rick explains, "He’s 13 years old, he’s got blue skin, and he’s really into peacocks. That’s God. That’s Krishna." Rick and the band fully embraced this transcendental Eastern religion. They even stopped doing drugs in order to go beyond the material world and become more Krishna conscious. "You’re supposed to chant [the Hare Krishna mantra] all the time, which is really like a drug," says Rick. They chanted the mantra every waking moment, studied the philosophies of Krishna, and practiced their music. If they had any doubts about their newfound religion, Beatle George Harrison’s conversion to Hare Krishna was the example they followed. "When he became Krishna conscious and that album come up, boy, I mean, we had that album," says Rick. "It really confirmed that, yeah, this is the truth and the fact that you could have that as part of your music." And so they began to write and perform songs about Krishna. They gave out books explaining Hare Krishna and food that had been offered to the idol. Rick was now deeply involved in reaching Krishna consciousness. There was no turning back. "I really wasn’t looking for something else. I thought I had found it," he says. "My whole dream was that our band, the Time Machine, and my best friends, that we would just go on a national tour for Krishna." It was at this time that an old friend invited Rick to a Christian concert. One of the band’s members was a woman who had left Krishna to follow Jesus Christ. "I went out of curiosity," says Rick. "It wasn’t because of some search that I was on, but it just didn’t make sense to me." For the first time, Rick heard the salvation message of Jesus Christ. After the concert, he wanted to meet this woman who used to be Krishna conscious. "As she walked up to me, I said, 'Hare Krishna.' And she goes, 'Oh, you’re a Krishna devotee.' And I said, 'Yes,' and told her my name. She said, 'Well, Rick, I don’t mean to offend you or hurt you, but that Krishna that you’re worshipping is the adversary; it’s the devil.' It was like a slap in the face." Then the woman began to share with Rick her testimony of how God saved her from the deception and darkness of Hare Krishna. "She said, 'Rick, I want to pray for you that Jesus will open your eyes and show you the truth.' I said, 'OK.' And so she prayed, 'Jesus, open Rick’s eyes and show him the truth.' I said, 'Jesus, come into my heart and fill me with Your love.' I was all by myself. As soon as I said that, I knew I did something right. I knew that it was the truth. I knew in my know-er that He is who He said He was. As soon as I prayed that prayer, it was just total peace and everything was going to be OK. I started singing, 'Jesus, come into my heart.' I had a little melody, 'Fill me with Your love. Fill me with Your love.' " And as simply as that, Rick says that Jesus Christ came into his heart. But turning from Krishna meant turning away from the band and his friends. I said, 'I’ve got to follow my heart. I know what I did is right,' Rick recalls. Rick began going to Bible study and devouring the Scriptures. That’s when he met a woman named Beth. "We started singing together," he says. They married and started living their lives totally for Jesus. Rick also led Time Machine’s drummer, the bass player, and their families to Jesus Christ. "There’s one God, one medium between God and man, the man Christ Jesus," says Rick. "You don’t pray that to think you’ll be heard for your many words. There’s no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood. It’s not saying some mantra." Rick and the band members put the false religion of Hare Krishna behind them. Because of their new relationship with Jesus, they formed a new band, Grace. "That’s really where it’s at. It’s God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense, the acronym of Grace," he explains. The band Grace stayed together for four years and recorded four albums. Eventually, Rick and Beth started a church. Today Rick and Beth are back on the road again speaking and singing about the life changing truth of Jesus Christ. "Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.' Truth isn’t some subjective thing. Truth is a person. It’s Jesus," says Rick.

Enthusiasm for devotional service, faith in the process of devotional service, the treasure of patience in endeavoring to attain love of God, performing activities conducive to pure devotion, abandoning the company of worldly people, performing approved devotional practices--- I have never possessed these six devotional qualities. How then, shall I give up maya and worship Your lotus feet? O Lord Hari, in such a helpless condition surely will I obtain Your causeless mercy. O when, under the shelter of my spiritual master, will I call out to You with humble prayers? (Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura) Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Report on Attitude of Non-Resident Gujaratis http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp? ID=IE820040410090800&Page=8&Title=NRIs&Topic=0& AHMEDABAD, INDIA, April 11, 2004: This report appeared in the Newindpress.com and is attributed to Indo-Asian News Service. They are well versed in Hindu rituals and are proud followers of the religion. But some young non-resident Gujaratis (NRGs) are not willing to say the same for India. "I perform puja (prayer) every morning, and I know the Gayatri Mantra by heart. I am a proud Hindu but not a proud Indian," says Tejas Patel, 24, a London-based second generation NRG. "I can't imagine settling down in India." Agrees New York-based dentist Bhavna Patel. "We know the essence of Hinduism which has a broader perspective. In India, Hinduism seems to be mired in the slush of bigotry." Both Tejas and Bhavna are part of a 60-member delegation of NRGs on a visit here to celebrate the 60th birthday of Tejendra Prasad Maharaj, the sixth descendent of Lord Swaminarayan. The Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism has hundreds of thousands of followers in India and abroad. Of different religious sects, it perhaps has the largest number of NRI followers, mainly Patels from Gujarat settled in the US and Britain. The Swaminarayan sect's activities focus on the spread of Indian culture and religion among NRGs. Under the influence of the Swaminarayan sect, second generation NRGs aged 20-30 manage to keep many a vice at bay and follow religion ardently. Nirav Patel, a teenage high school student from New York, says: "In the past I was into wine, women and drugs, but they didn't give me the peace of mind that I get now from the morning puja. Hinduism is not only my religion but is my identity." Delineating Hinduism, Patel says: "Hinduism does not mean India alone. You don't have to be in India to practise your religion. We practise Hindu religion as a global citizen, the essence of Hindu shastra (or texts)," he says.

U.S. troops gear up for clash with cleric Soldiers were massing on the outskirts of Najaf for a showdown with Muqtada al-Sadr. AP 2004-04-14 02:52:55 NAJAF, IRAQ -- A 2,500-strong U.S. force, backed by tanks and artillery, massed yesterday on the outskirts of Najaf for a showdown with a radical cleric whose militia led a bloody uprising across the south, raising fears of an American assault on the holiest Shiite city. Meanwhile, U.S. officials uncovered four bodies, possibly those of private contractors missing since an attack on their convoy outside Baghdad amid a worsening string of kidnappings of at least 22 foreigners in Iraq. Iraqi politicians and ayatollahs tried to negotiate a solution to avert a U.S. attack on Najaf, which would outrage the country's relatively pro-U.S. Shiite majority and could turn what has been a limited revolt by a single militia into an outright Shiite rebellion. A military advance could also inflame Shiites in neighbouring Iran. The vehemently anti-U.S. cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, was holed up in his office in Najaf, shielded not only by gunmen but by the presence of the city's main shrine only metres away. He vowed to continue what he called "a popular revolution" to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq. "I fear only God. I am ready to sacrifice my blood for this country. But I call on the Iraqi people not to let my killing put an end to their rejection of the (U.S.) occupation," al-Sadr told Lebanon's Al Manar television station. U.S. commanders vowed to kill or capture al-Sadr, although officials suggested they would give negotiations a chance. "The target is not Najaf. The target is Muqtada al-Sadr and his militia," said Brig. Mark Kimmitt, deputy head of U.S. military operations in Iraq. "We will hunt him down and destroy him. We would prefer it not in Najaf or Karbala. We have very great respect for the shrines, for the Shiites." U.S. troops also detained a representative of al-Sadr for several hours in a Baghdad hotel. He said they apologized before setting him free. Hazem al-Aaraji -- who is also an outspoken anti-U.S. cleric -- was detained in the conference hall of the Sheraton hotel during a meeting of tribal leaders. His bodyguards tried to prevent the arrest but were pushed aside by about six soldiers. Hours later, al-Aaraji was set free.

http://www.thevirtualchurch.com/home.html

Glimpse inside the virtual church Haribol,it's time for Kirtana! The preacher, congregation and prayers will be real enough. Only the building will be virtual - but this 3D church could be a taste of things to come. Virtual worship This is the view inside what's believed to be the first virtual church, due to be launched next month as part of a scheme to reach people who would not normally step inside an actual church. The rafters, pulpit, altar and pews look real enough, in a cartoon-ish way. But the preacher and members of the congregation will actually be real, connecting via the web to each other to take part in real services. The church, to be known as the Church of Fools, is being created for the Christian website Ship of Fools, which last year ran a virtual reality gameshow based on Noah's Ark. People will choose a pew to sit in, introduce themselves to other worshippers through speech bubbles, sing a hymn, listen to the sermon... Simon Jenkins Website editor Simon Jenkins says: "Some websites help people meditate and pray, but no one has built an interactive 3D church environment before - complete with gothic arches and hard wooden pews." A real-life vicar will control the actions of a cartoon double, including welcoming the flock, announcing hymns and preaching. "In different parts of the world, the congregation, too, will log on and become cartoon characters - and see each other on-screen," says Mr Jenkins. "They will choose a pew to sit in, introduce themselves to other worshippers through speech bubbles, 'sing' a hymn, listen to the sermon, chat to each other afterwards, perhaps pray together. " The congregation will also be invited to donate - a collection will be taken via SMS billing. Although an unofficial move, the virtual church may well receive approval in the church hierarchy. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has called for the church to become more "mission-shaped" by adopting new forms of worship, which could include new ventures such as "café churches". Real parish But the Church of Fools could be an indication of how churches could develop. For instance, the diocese of Oxford is currently recruiting a "web pastor" to establish its own virtual church - "i-Church" - which will be considered a parish church in its own right. A congregation of online volunteers Its intention is to appeal to people who cannot get to church, people who do not want to go to a church building, or those for whom going to church on a Sunday is not enough. The format of the i-Church has not yet been decided, but the Reverend Richard Thomas, director of communications for the Oxford diocese, says unlike the Church of Fools, it will not have cartoon graphics. "We don't want any animated bells and whistles," he says. "We want to focus on real human relationships that are based in a real community, rather than media-driven interactivity." When the Oxford church is functioning, members will probably communicate with each other through web chat or instant messaging. Services may be held in video, but the details are yet to be decided.

DESTINATION SOUTH AFRICA What others have to say.... Film maker HH Bhakti Charu Swami has approached the author to adapt his book for part of the epic film "Abhay Charan." "Riddha Dasa has been able to kindle the fading memories of the pioneers in the isolated fascist South Africa of the time. The Stories of Rsi Kumar Swami and Ksudhi dasa Brahmacari are very moving; they were to be the first ISKCON devotees to travel and preach in South Africa to help establish Sri Caitanya's movement. Throughout, Riddha Dasa is able to keep Srila Prabhupada's mood focused. There are many personal testimonies like that of Pusta Krsna Swami, who relates very interesting memories, as well as Srila Prabhupada's visit. The photographic inserts are very historical, and the Significant Events 1975-1996 are unique. A book not to be missed." HH Jayadvaita Swami "This book, Destination South Africa, is a pleasure to read. I especially appreciate the care Riddha Dasa has taken to glorify the devotees who served Srila Prabhupada in establishing and pushing Krsna consciousness forward in South Africa. By making this history known to us, Riddha Dasa has done a great service." HH Bhakti-tirtha Swami Co-GBC for ISKCON South Africa. Author of: Leadership For An Age Of Higher Consciousness, Spiritual Warrior, The Beggar, & Spiritual Warrior II "Although Srila Prabhupada only visited South Africa once, the actual visit was preceded by a background of intrigue, owing to the nature of the former South African government. Riddha Dasa Adhikari has gone to great lengths with this labour of love to research and present the unique circumstances surrounding Srila Prabhupada's visit to the southern tip of Africa ... Riddha Dasa is uniquely placed to write this book having been instrumental in the very foundation of ISKCON in South Africa" HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami Author of My Memories of Srila Prabhupada and many other books "Narrations like the one described in this book, recording the trials Srila Prabhupada and his followers went through to establish Krishna consciousness in South Africa, are especially relishable, as we see at close focus how the pure devotee performs extraordinary activities even through inexperienced followers."

Quoting Bhaktisiddhanta, Shree Prabhupada has said about the comparison between Vasudeva Datta and Jesus Christ, that Vasudeva Datta was millions of times more advanced than Jesus Christ. Prabhupada makes the distinction between Jesus and a Vaishnava in terms of their generosity and self-sacrifice by saying that a Vaishnava is prepared to risk everything to save the conditioned souls whereas Jesus was not. "Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur gives the following commentary on this verse. In the Western countries, Christians believe that Lord Jesus Christ, their spiritual master, appeared in order to eradicate all the sins of his disciples. To this end, Lord Jesus Christ appeared and disappeared. Here, however, we find Shree Vasudeva Datta Thakur and Shree Haridas Thakur to be many millions of times more advanced even when compared with Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ relieved only his followers from all sinful reactions, but Vasudeva Datta is here prepared to accept the sins of everyone in the universe. So the comparative position of Vasudeva Datta is millions of times better than that of Lord Jesus Christ. A Vaishnava is so liberal that he is prepared to risk everything to rescue the conditioned souls from material existence. ShreeVasudeva Datta Thakur is universal love itself, for he was willing to sacrifice everything and fully engage in the service of the Supreme Lord. "Srila Vasudeva Datta knew very well that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the original Personality of Godhead, Transcendence itself, above the material conception of illusion and maya. Lord Jesus Christ certainly finished the sinful reactions of his followers by his mercy, but that does not mean he completely delivered them from the pangs of material existence. A person may be relieved from sins once, but it is a practice among Christians to confess sins and yet commit them again. By getting freed from sins and again engaging in them, one cannot attain freedom from the pangs of material existence. A diseased person may go to a physician for relief, but after he leaves the hospital he may again be infected due to his unclean habits. Thus material existence continues. Srila Vasudeva Datta wanted to completely relieve the conditioned souls from material existence so that they would no longer have an opportunity to commit sinful acts. This is the significant difference between Srila Vasudeva Datta and Lord Jesus Christ. It is a great offense to receive pardon for sins and then commit the same sins again. Such an offense is more dangerous than the sinful activity itself. Vasudeva Datta was so liberal that he requested Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to transfer all offensive activity upon him so the conditioned souls would be purified and go back home, back to Godhead. This prayer was certainly without duplicity." (Cc, Madya 15.163 purport) Prabhupada writes, "Regarding your questions on Christianity, we are not very much keen to engage them in argument because for the most part they are sentimentalists and have no philosophy, therefore they become fanatics or dogmatists, and this type of person we cannot change. (Letter to Dasarha 1977 March 4 Bombay) In a conversation Shree Prabhupada makes further accusations that the Christian theologians are rascals. Candanacarya: "Yesterday I made the acquaintance of a theologist, a professor from the University of Montreal. He said that the Roman Catholic presentation of Christianity is that God came to share the suffering of man." Prabhupada: "That is another rascaldom. Why God should share the sufferings of man?" Candanacarya: "I asked him this, and he said, 'So that man would accept more as reality, suffering.'" Prabhupada: Very good theologian - a rascal number one." (Los Angeles, Dec. 15, 1973) Prabhupada writes: "Regarding Aquarian Gospel of Lord Jesus The Christ, I have taken some stray extracts just to support our views, but we don't give any importance to that book. (Letter to Tamal Krishna, 14 Sept. 1969) Also Prabhupada has written: "Regarding your question about Lord Jesus Christ, we accept him as saktyavesa avatara. Lord Buddha is in the same category also. Lord Buddha is mentioned specifically in Srimad-Bhagavatam as incarnation of Godhead, and yet Vaishnavas do not accept his philosophy, which is classified as atheism. Similarly, even if we accept Lord Jesus Christ as saktyavesa avatara, it doesn't mean that we have to accept his philosophy. But we have all respects for him without fail. Regarding books like Aquarian Gospel or even the Testaments, we cannot accept them as authorities because sometimes it is learnt that the words are not actually spoken by Christ, but they are so set up by the devotees." (Letter to Hamsaduta, Nov.2, 1969) Chapter 24 of the "Aquarian Gospel" states, "In Puri, Jesus asks the Brahmins about caste. The Brahmins explain that according to the shastra, the Brahmins came from the mouth of Parabrahma, the kshatriyas from the arms, the vaishyas from the thighs and the shudras from His feet. Their compilation has a history; they are not eternal like the Vedic knowledge. Therefore, although they have their arguments and reasoning, they are not very sound and transcendental. As such, modern people advanced in science and philosophy, deem these scriptures unacceptable. (Cc Adi. 17,169 purport)

God is simultaneously the cause of the world in every sense and yet distinct from and transcendental to the world. The example given is of a spider and its web. The material of the web comes from the spider's body, so in a sense the spider may be taken as the material cause of the web. Yet again the spider and the web are always separate and distinct entities. While the spider never "is" the web, at the same time because the spider's body is the source of the web, the web is not different from the spider.

Canada set for mass seal hunting Previous seal hunts have provoked international outrage The largest single seal hunt in half a century begins in Canada on Monday. The government is allowing more than 300,000 seals to be killed this year, many of them in a 36-hour mass cull. The hunting of young seals for their fur almost stopped off Canada's east coast 25 years ago in the face of international outrage. Animal rights groups are hoping to sway international opinion against the hunt, but Canadian officials say it is now both humane and necessary. The seal hunt in Newfoundland and Labrador withered 25 years ago as brutal images of men clubbing infant seals horrified the world. THE CULL Up to 350,000 baby harp seals to be killed this season Preliminary culls started at the beginning of April 2,500 men and 150 trawlers to gather for intensive 36-hour phase of cull on 12 April Up to 10,000 seals to be killed per daylight hour Killing of "whitecoat" seals - aged up to 12 days - banned Seal cull: Your comments The US banned imports of seal products in 1972 and the EU followed suit a decade later with a ban on white pelt imports, taken from the youngest babies. As a result, the Canadian government reduced quotas for seal hunting to as low as 15,000 annually - mainly for meat and local handicraft. But with fur again in fashion the hunt is back. Last year Canada increased the quotas again, allowing a million seals to be killed over the next three years. It is now being conducted under tighter regulations and most seals are now shot, not clubbed, but the number of animals expected to be taken this year will be the highest in decades and once again it is drawing international attention. Hard to convince At the weekend, Canadian Natural Resources Minister John Efford said many claims made overseas about the hunt are simply wrong. He says the hunt is more humane than ever while the seal population is exploding and commercial fish stocks in the region are vanishing. But the BBC's Ian Gunn in Vancouver, Canada, says against images of dying seals that can be a hard argument to make convincing. The Canadian tourism commission admitted last week they are keeping an eye open for an international backlash should the protests gather strength. Officials estimate there are 5.2 million harp seals in the north Atlantic currently. Guidelines 'ignored' Far from being endangered, the seals are responsible for the depletion of cod stocks, they say. Society girl Paris Hilton joins the campaign Animal rights groups accuse officials of "attempting to scapegoat seals" for their own fisheries mismanagement. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw) also says government guidelines on humane hunting methods are being ignored. "We filmed and witnessed seals being skinned alive right in front of us," Ifaw activist Rebecca Aldworth told Reuters news agency last week. "We saw live seals being dragged while conscious across the ice with boat hooks, we saw stockpiles of dead and dying seals, it was really horrific." Another group, the US-based Humane Society, is taking full-page adverts in prominent American newspapers to urge for a travel boycott on Canada. They also designed shirts reading "Club Sandwiches Not Seals".

DESTINATION SOUTH AFRICA Chapter 6 (excerpt) S rila P rabhupada F inally A rrives 5th October 1975 Durban Airport: without warning, Srila Pranbhupada requested Riddha dasa to help him stand up high on his seat; he then began to address the crowd and gave a speech... amazingly, his speech turned into a ten minute talk on the Bhagavad Gita We flew together on the aeroplane from Mauritius to Durban. The flight originated in Perth although we boarded in Mauritius. The flight was filled with many South African rugby players who had been in Australia because there had been a match of some sort. Srila Prabhupada and I were sitting together. He was quiet and radiantly dressed in his . cloth; I was in my Western dress with my British cap which I always wore on arrival into the South African airports to be inconspicuous to the authorities. We were in a non–smoking section of the plane. There were some rowdy men drinking and smoking behind us. I requested the stewardess to please ask the men to refrain from smoking as this was a non-smoking section of the plane. The men ignored her request. When I began to ask the stewardess a second time, Srila Prabhupada quietly said to me: “ We must tolerate, otherwise, what is the difference between us and them!” He then said: “ Don’t be an ordinary common man .” It was a lesson that I will never forget, even though I still have much work to do in the tolerance department.

HEALTHY ADVICE By good behavior and freedom from envy one should counteract sufferings due to other living entities, by meditation in trance one should counteract sufferings due to providence, and by practicing hatha-yoga, pranayama and so forth one should counteract sufferings due to the body and mind. Similarly, by developing the mode of goodness, especially in regard to eating, one should conquer sleep. By practice, one should avoid eating in such a way that other living entities will be disturbed and suffer. Since I suffer when pinched or killed by others, I should not attempt to pinch or kill any other living entity. People do not know that because of killing innocent animals they themselves will have to suffer severe reactions from material nature. Any country where people indulge in unnecessary killing of animals will have to suffer from wars and pestilence imposed by material nature. Comparing one’s own suffering to the suffering of others, therefore, one should be kind to all living entities. One cannot avoid the sufferings inflicted by providence, and therefore when suffering comes one should fully absorb oneself in chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. One can avoid sufferings from the body and mind by practicing mystic hatha-yoga. (SB 7.15.24) One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me-he is very dear to Me. (Lord Krsna BG 12.13-14)

Approach a Bona Fide Spiritual Master From Jayadvaita Swami Posted April 12, 2004 Bhagavad-gita 4.34: tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah "Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth." Concerned about the integrity and fidelity of this translation? Is "self-realized souls"— in the plural— a deviation? You might be interested to see how Srila Prabhupada paraphrased this verse in an essay entitled "Interpretations of Bhagavad-gita." The essay appears in the VedaBase, where it is dated "circa 1948." Unlike every published edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the essay is unedited. Here's that paraphrase: "It is therefore stated in the Bhagavad-gita that one who actually wants to have an access to the essence of Bhagavad-gita must himself engage in the service of a bona fide spiritual master by full surrender. In that position only, one can make bona fide enquiries regarding the Bhagavad-gita, and in that posture only, the self-realized spiritual masters impregnate the submissive disciple with the knowledge of Gita, because they have already seen the Truth of it." "Self-realized spiritual masters." Plural. Hare Krsna. Website This message also appears on the following web page: http://www.krishna.com/newsite/main.php?id=242 Interested in the differences between the first and second editions of Bhagavad-gita As It Is? You'll find more than 150 examples at this address: www.krishna.com/newsite/GitaRevsExplained.html Thanks and appreciation from dipika.org to our sponsor and host, There you'll see the published versions side by side with the text of the original manuscripts. And the graphic format of the web helps you see at a glance what the revisions are and where they're coming from. For anyone who has concerns about the editing of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, this is a must-see. Subscription And Copyright Information This is an "information-only" conference, not a discussion conference. The only person who can post texts to it is me. (Queries and comments may be sent to me privately.) The conference is public. If you are a member of the PAMHO e-mail system, you can join or leave it on your own— no need to send a request to the Sysop or to me. E-mail users who are not on PAMHO can join or leave the conference by sending me a request at <jayadvaita.swami@pamho.net>. The First and Second Editions of Bhagavad-gita As It Is are © 1972, 1983 by The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Except where I have included quotations from non-BBT sources, the rest of this message, and of the conference as a whole, is © 1999-2004 by The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. All rights reserved. Hare Krsna.