krsna

<TABLE class=storycontent cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>Gore challenges US to ditch oil </TD></TR><TR><TD class=storybody><!-- S BO --><!-- Inline Embbeded Media --><!-- This is the embedded player component --> <!-- caption -->Al Gore sets his oil challenge to Americans <!-- END - caption --> <!-- end of the embedded player component --><!-- END of Inline Embedded Media --><!-- S SF --> The Nobel laureate and former US vice- president, Al Gore, has urged Americans to abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels within a decade. Mr Gore compared the scale of the challenge to that of putting a man on the moon in the 1960s. He said it did not make sense that the US was borrowing money from China to burn oil from the Middle East which then contributed to climate change. Critics say weaning the US off fossil fuels is not possible within a decade. <!-- E SF --> Mr Gore, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for his work on climate change, insists his goal is achievable and affordable. <!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=231 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg> We have a hundred years of infrastructure with trillions of dollars of investment that is not simply going to be made obsolete Robby Diamond, Securing America's Future Energy </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX --> "The answer is to end our reliance on carbon-based fuels," he said in a speech in Washington. "When you connect the dots, it turns out that the real solutions to the climate crisis are the very same measures needed to renew our economy and escape the trap of ever-rising energy prices." To secure this green revolution, Mr Gore said the single most important policy change would be to "tax what we burn - not what we earn". Green campaign? Mr Gore's speech elicited huge cheers from a packed conference hall near the White House, but whether his message is taken up in the presidential election campaign depends on how much the electorate warms to his vision, says the BBC's Warren Bull. Mr Gore said US presidential contenders Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain were way ahead of most politicians in the fight against global climate change. They appear to agree on the need for progress on green issues, says our correspondent. President George W Bush has often been criticised for not doing enough to tackle climate change. At the recent G8 summit of developed nations in Japan, he did move the US closer to a consensus on climate change, by agreeing to language which makes achieving 50% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 a G8 "vision". Cold turkey Electricity generated from non-fossil sources amounted to almost 28% of the total in 2007, according to US government figures, with most of that coming from nuclear power. Hydro-electric stations generated nearly 6% of US electricity needs and other renewable sources such as wind, solar and wood accounted for 2.5%. Burning coal provided almost half of US electricity last year. Mr Gore's ambitious plan would still rely on nuclear energy for a fifth of America's energy needs. Many see the goal as unachievable. Robby Diamond, president of a bipartisan think tank called Securing America's Future Energy, said weaning the nation off fossil fuels could not be done in a decade. "The country is not going to be able to go cold turkey," he told the Associated Press. "We have a hundred years of infrastructure with trillions of dollars of investment that is not simply going to be made obsolete." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Amazing how everyone here is totally blissful, happy and effulgent. Why?

BBT Ki Jai!!!

Scientists: Humans and machines will merge in future <LI class=cnnhiliteheader>Story Highlights Nick Bostrom says technology will let humans manipulate their own biology Ray Kurzweil predicts humans will be mostly non-biological by around 2030 Biotechnology, nanotechnology, robotics could merge mankind with machines LONDON, England (CNN) -- A group of experts from around the world will Thursday hold a first of its kind conference on global catastrophic risks. They will discuss what should be done to prevent these risks from becoming realities that could lead to the end of human life on earth as we know it. Speakers at the four-day event at Oxford University in Britain will talk about topics including nuclear terrorism and what to do if a large asteroid were to be on a collision course with our planet. On the final day of the Global Catastrophic Risk Conference experts will focus on what could be the unintended consequences of new technologies, such as superintelligent machines that, if ill-conceived, might cause the demise of Homo sapiens. "Any entity which is radically smarter than human beings would also be very powerful," said Dr. Nick Bostrom, director of Oxford's Future of Humanity Institute, host of the symposium. "If we get something wrong, you could imagine the consequences would involve the extinction of the human species." Bostrom is a philosopher and a leading thinker of transhumanism -- a movement that advocates not only the study of the potential threats and promises that future technologies could pose to human life but also the ways in which emergent technologies could be used to make the very act of living better. "We want to preserve the best of what it is to be human and maybe even amplify that," Bostrom told CNN. Transhumanists, according to Bostrom, anticipate a coming era where biotechnology, molecular nanotechnologies, artificial intelligence and other new types of cognitive tools will be used to amplify our intellectual capacity, improve our physical capabilities and even enhance our emotional well-being. The end result would be a new form of "posthuman" life with beings that possess qualities and skills so exceedingly advanced they no longer can be classified simply as humans. "We will begin to use science and technology not just to manage the world around us but to manage our own human biology as well," Bostrom told CNN. "The changes will be faster and more profound than the very, very slow changes that would occur over tens of thousands of years as a result of natural selection and biological evolution." Bostrom declined to try to predict an exact time frame when this revolutionary biotechnological metamorphosis might occur. "Maybe it will take eight years or 200 years," he said. "It is very hard to predict." Other experts are already getting ready for what they say could be a radical transformation of the human race in as little as two decades. "This will happen faster than people realize," said Dr. Ray Kurzweil, an inventor and futurist who calculates technology trends using what he calls the law of accelerating returns, a mathematical concept that measures the exponential growth of technological evolution. In the 1980s Kurzweil predicted that a tiny handheld device would be invented sometime early in the 21st century allowing blind people to read documents from anywhere at anytime -- earlier this year such a device was publicly unveiled. He also anticipated the explosive growth of the Internet in the 1990s. Now Kurzweil is predicting the impending arrival of something called the Singularity, which he defines in his book on the subject as "the culmination of the merger of our biological thinking and existence with our technology, resulting in a world that is still human but that transcends our biological roots." "There will be no distinction, post-Singularity, between human and machine or between physical and virtual reality," he writes. Singularity will approach at an accelerating rate as human-created technologies become exponentially smaller and increasingly powerful and as fields such as biology and medicine are understood more and more in terms of information processes that can be simulated with computers. By the 2030s, Kurzweil tells CNN, humans will become more non-biological than biological, capable of uploading our minds onto the Internet, living in various virtual worlds and even avoiding aging and evading death. In the 2040s, Kurzweil predicts non-biological intelligence will be billions of times better than the biological intelligence humans have today, possibly rendering our present brains as obsolete. "Our brains are a million times slower than electronics," said Kurzweil. "We will increasingly become software entities if you go out enough decades." This movement towards the merger of man and machine, according to Kurzweil, is already starting to happen and is most visible in the field of biotechnology. As scientists gain deeper insights into the genetic processes that underlie life, they are able to effectively reprogram human biology through the development of new forms of gene therapies and medications capable of turning on or off enzymes and RNA interference, or gene silencing. "Biology and health and medicine used to be hit or miss," said Kurzweil. "It wasn't based on any coherent theory about how it works." The emerging biotechnology revolution will lead to at least a thousand new drugs that could do anything from slow down the process of aging to reverse the onset of diseases, like heart disease and cancer, Kurzweil said. By 2020, Kurzweil predicts a second revolution in the area of nanotechnology. According to his calculations, it is already showing signs of exponential growth as scientists begin test first generation nanobots that can cure Type 1 diabetes in rats or heal spinal cord injuries in mice. One scientist is developing something called a respirocyte -- a robotic red blood cell that, if injected into the bloodstream, would allow humans to do an Olympic sprint for 15 minutes without taking a breath or sit at the bottom of a swimming pool for hours at a time. Other researchers are developing nanoparticles that can locate tumors and one day possibly even eradicate them. And some Parkinson's patients now have pea-sized computers implanted in their brains that replace neurons destroyed by the disease -- new software can be downloaded to the mini computers from outside the human body. "Nanotechnology will not just be used to reprogram but to transcend biology and go beyond its limitations by merging with non-biological systems," Kurzweil told CNN. "If we rebuild biological systems with nanotechnology, we can go beyond its limits." The final revolution leading to the advent of Singularity will be the creation of artificial intelligence, or superintelligence, which, according to Kurzweil, could be capable of solving many of our biggest threats, like environmental destruction, poverty and disease. "A more intelligent process will inherently outcompete one that is less intelligent, making intelligence the most powerful force in the universe," writes Kurzweil. Yet the invention of so many high-powered technologies and the possibility of merging these new technologies with humans may pose both peril and promise for the future of mankind. "I think there are grave dangers," said Kurzweil. "Technology has always been a double-edged sword." .................................................................................... Do you think technology will allow humans to transcend biology in the future? Would you be comfortable with altering your biology? Should humans try to reprogram their genetics? What do you think the future looks like for mankind and machines?

HOW TO ADVANCE (This is based on the 12 Steps by AA.) Admit that you are powerless and that your life had become unmanageable.(I'm in maya and think myself to be in KRSNA) Believe that a Power greater than yourself could restore you to sanity.(KRSNA) Make a decision to turn over your will and your life to the care of God, as you understand Him.(KRSNA) Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of yourself.(Thorougly honest) Admit to God, to yourself, and to another human being the exact nature of your wrongs.(reveal your heart and mind to Guru) Be entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.(anartha-nivritti) Humbly ask Him to remove your shortcomings.(KRSNA carries what you lack and preserves what you have) Make a list of all persons you had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.(Apologize) Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Continue to take personal inventory and when you are wrong promptly admit it.(You're just a conditioned soul) Seek through prayer and meditation to improve your conscious contact with God as you understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.(Chant Hare KRSNA!) Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, try to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all your affairs.(Preach!)

No 1??? :confused:

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has filed genocide and war crimes charges against the Sudanese president. <!----> Omar Hassan al-Bashir with supporters in Khartoum <!----> Omar Hassan al-Bashir is accused of masterminding attempts to wipe out African tribes in Darfur with a campaign of murder, rape and deportation. Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has asked judges to issue an arrest warrant for al-Bashir to prevent the deaths of another 2.5 million people in Darfur from government-backed Janjaweed militia. It is the first time the ICC has charged a sitting head of state. The prosecutor said in a statement that al-Bashir "wants to end the history of the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa people. I don't have the luxury to look away. I have evidence". "His motives were largely political. His alibi was a 'counterinsurgency.' His intent was genocide," the statement said. However, Sky's Africa correspondent Emma Hurd said that as Sudan does not recognise the ICC, any arrest warrant that may be issued could result in nothing. She added that there were also concerns for peace negotiations. Sudanese support for the president "Al-Bashir's opponents inside Sudan are worried about what this may mean," she said. "They say this may mean justice for Darfur but may stand in the way of peace. "So it's a controversial indictment, it is certainly standing on the principle of the criminal court, but it may only complicate the issue in Darfur." In an interview before the charges were filed, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said he was "very worried" by the possibility of al-Bashir's indictment. "It would have very serious consequences for peacekeeping operations, including the political process," he told France's Le Figaro newspaper. "I'm very worried, but nobody can evade justice." Ten charges were filed: three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder. Judges are expected to take months to study the evidence before deciding whether to order al-Bashir's arrest. At the weekend, hundreds of Sudanese rallied in support of al-Bashir, who seized power in a 1989 coup. Many held up banners denouncing Mr Moreno-Ocampo. International experts estimate about 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been driven from their homes since rebels took up arms in early 2003, accusing the central government of neglect.

Sudanese president charged with genocide <!-- google_ad_section_end --><!--endclickprintinclude--><!--startclickprintinclude--> <LI _extended="true">Sudanese president charged with genocide for campaign of violence in Darfur <LI _extended="true">Omar Hassan al-Bashir is first sitting president to be indicted for genocide <LI _extended="true">Sudan: Possible international prosecution stupid and malicious About 300,000 have died in Darfur, U.N. says; 2.5 million forced from homes<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!--startclickprintexclude--> <!--endclickprintinclude--> <!-- google_ad_section_start --><!-- CONTENT --><!-- REAP --><!-- PURGE --><!-- KEEP --><!--startclickprintinclude-->........ language=JavaScript type=text/javascript _extended="true">var clickExpire = "-1";.........><!--startclickprintexclude--> <!--endclickprintexclude--><!--startclickprintexclude--><!--endclickprintexclude-->(CNN) -- The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has filed genocide charges against Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for a five-year campaign of violence in Darfur. <!--startclickprintexclude--><!-- PURGE: /2008/WORLD/africa/07/14/darfur.charges/art.rally.afp.gi.jpg --><!-- KEEP --> About 1,000 Sudanese rallied in Khartoum Sunday against the possible charges. <!-- /PURGE: /2008/WORLD/africa/07/14/darfur.charges/art.rally.afp.gi.jpg --> ........ type=text/javascript _extended="true"> var CNN_ArticleChanger = new CNN_imageChanger('cnnImgChngr','/2008/WORLD/africa/07/14/darfur.charges/imgChng/p1-0.init.exclude.html',3,1);//CNN.imageChanger.load('cnnImgChngr','imgChng/p1-0.exclude.html');.........><!--endclickprintexclude-->They include masterminding attempts to wipe out African tribes in the war-torn region with a campaign of murder, rape and deportation. ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo presented his evidence against al-Bashir to the judges at the Hague in the Netherlands on Monday. The judges must now decide whether to issue the warrant, and it is widely expected that they will; the judges have approved all 11 of Moreno-Ocampo's previous submissions to the court. If issued, the warrant would make al-Bashir the first sitting president to be indicted by the ICC for genocide. In his request, Moreno-Ocampo says there are reasonable grounds to believe that al-Bashir bears criminal responsibility for five counts of genocide, two counts of crimes against humanity, and two counts of war crimes. The alleged crimes stem from a brutal counter-insurgency campaign the Sudanese government conducted after rebels began an uprising in Sudan's western Darfur region in 2003. The United States and much of the world has already characterized the campaign as genocide. The authorities armed and cooperated with Arab militias that went from village to village in Darfur, killing, torturing and raping residents there, according to the United Nations, western governments and human rights organizations. The militias targeted civilian members of tribes from which the rebels draw strength. About 300,000 people have died in Darfur, the United Nations estimates, and 2.5 million have been forced from their homes. Moreno-Ocampo says al-Bashir targeted three ethnic groups living in the region -- including the Fur group, for whom Darfur is named -- solely on account of their ethnicity. Al-Bashir bears responsibility, Moreno-Ocampo says, because he sat at the apex of the government. "For such crimes to be committed over a period of five years and throughout Darfur, al-Bashir had to mobilize and keep mobilized the whole state apparatus; he had to control and direct perpetrators; and he had to rely on a genocidal plan," Moreno-Ocampo wrote as background for arrest warrant request. Sudan's ambassador to the United Nations has already condemned the charges. "It is a criminal move that should be resisted by all," Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad said Friday amid reports that the charges were imminent. "We will resist it by all possible legal means." Mohamad accused Moreno-Ocampo of "playing with fire." In Khartoum, a crowd of about 2,000 people greeted al-Bashir, who seized power in a 1989 coup, when he arrived for an emergency meeting of his Cabinet Sunday to discuss the charges. When he saw the crowd, al-Bashir climbed onto a pickup truck and pumped his fist in the air, whipping the group into a frenzy. Some held signs saying, "You are joking... Ocamp-who?" and "Death to America." A high-ranking ambassador at the presidential palace called the possible prosecution stupid and malicious, and warned that the Sudanese people would see it as proof of a larger conspiracy against the country. In an exclusive interview with CNN's Nic Robertson at the Hague, the prosecutor said he had a responsibility to bring charges against al-Bashir. "The (U.N.) Security Council referred the case to me and requested me to investigate," Moreno-Ocampo said. Read a transcript of the interview "After three years I have strong evidence that al-Bashir is committing a genocide. I cannot be blackmailed, I cannot yield. Silence never helped the victims. Silence helped the perpetrators. The prosecutor should not be silent." In 2005, the Security Council cleared the way for possible war crimes prosecutions related to Darfur by the ICC, a permanent tribunal set up to handle prosecutions related to genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The court is based on a treaty signed by 106 nations -- excluding Sudan. <!--endclickprintexclude-->In addition to Sudan, ICC prosecutors are investigating offenses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and the Central African Republic. The attacks in Darfur over the past five years have followed a common pattern, Moreno-Ocampo's evidence says. Members of Sudan's armed forces, often acting together with the militias and under al-Bashir's command, singled out villages and towns inhabited by tribal groups. Troops and militia members shot and killed civilians, and sometimes the Sudanese air force was called in to bomb villages and towns in support of the ground forces, the prosecutor's evidence says. Residents who fled were often chased and attacked or left to fend for themselves in the wilderness, the evidence says. The attacks, it says, undermined the ability of the targeted groups to survive in Darfur. The destruction of their homes scattered entire communities, and the pervasive rape and sexual violence against girls and women -- who are often targeted when they are out collecting firewood or water -- has torn families apart. Watch how UNICEF is trying to prevent rape in Darfur "They are raping women, raping girls, raping in groups -- raping to destroy the communities," he told CNN. "Rape is a tool in the genocide -- the most important tool today." The chief U.N. humanitarian coordinator, John Holmes, said Friday that aid workers were already preparing for the effects of an arrest warrant against al-Bashir, making sure staff members are safe. Moreno-Ocampo said any attacks on peacekeepers would be another reason to bring al-Bashir to justice. The ICC has already indicted two men for Darfur crimes -- Ahmad Harun, Sudan's former minister of the interior who is now in charge of humanitarian affairs for the Sudanese government and militia leader Ali Kushayb -- but neither has been brought to justice. Once the ICC indicts someone, authorities in that person's native country -- or the country in which the indicted person is located -- have the power to detain the indicted person for trial at the Hague. Kushayb and Harun both remain in Sudan where they enjoy the protection of al-Bashir, Moreno-Ocampo said. Since they have not been arrested, the prosecutor says, it is unlikely al-Bashir will be -- and he says it will probably take a U.N. Security Council resolution for al-Bashir to be brought to justice. <!--endclickprintexclude-->Senior Sudanese government leaders have previously told CNN that reports of atrocities in Darfur are exaggerated. "Yes, there has been a war and some people have died, but it's not like what has been reflected in the media," Interior Minister Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid said last month

Who is actually worthy of knowing the most confidential knowlege (bhakti) of the innermost thoughts of God (KRSNA)???

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 16px; TEXT-ALIGN: center">Some gospel music anyone? Jesus Can Work it Out </TD></TR><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></TD></TR><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></TD></TR><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"> </TD></TR><TR><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></TD></TR><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; PADDING-TOP: 20px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"> That problem that I had (I had) I just couldn't seem to solve (to solve) I tried and I tried (i tried) kept gettin' deeper involved (involved) I turned it over to Jesus (Jesus) And I stopped worryin' about it (about it) I turned it over to the Lord and He worked it out Jesus can work it out That pain that would not move (not move) Had me prayin' in the upper room (upper room) That burden that I bore (I bore) Just wonderin' how much more (Much more) I turned it over to Jesus (Jesus) And I stopped worryin' about it (about it) I gave it over to the Lord He worked it out (Oh yeah) Jesus can work it out That habit that I had (I had) I just couldn't seem to break (to break) I prayed and I prayed Lord(I prayed) don't let it be too late (too late) I gave it over to Jesus (Jesus) And I stopped Worryin' about it (about it) gave it over to Jesus (Jesus) And I stopped Worryin' about it (About it) gave it over to the Lord and He worked it out (Oh Yeah!) He can (Work it out) He can work it out (Work it out) He can work it out (Work it out) While your're tryin' to figure it out? (Work it out) He's already worked it out (Work it out) How you gonna pay your rent (Work it out) All your money's spent (Work it out) A little just to buy some food (Work it out) Baby need a new pair of shoes (Work it out) Say you got a light bill due (Work it out) even got a gas bill too (Work it out) Telephone disconnect (Work it out) Waitin' til your next pay check (Work it out) Tell ya what you oughta do (Work it out) Jesus will see you thru He can work it out (Work it out) He can work it out (Work it out) He can work it out (Work it out) Jesus can work it out (Work it out) He can work it out (Work it out) Abraham had a son (Work it out) Issac was the only one (Work it out) Led him to a mountain high (Work it out) Boy gettin' ready to die (Work it out) Abraham said no word (Work it out) But from heaven he heard (Work it out) Abraham Abraham (Work it out) There you'll see a ram (Work it out) Didn't he, didn't he work it out (Work it out) Didn't he, didn't he work it out (Work it out) Didn't he, didn't he work it out Job was sick so long (work it out) Flesh fell from his bone (Work it out) Wife, cattle, and children (Work it out) Everything he had was gone (Work it out) Wife came runnin' to him (Work it out) Devil all in her eyes (Work it out) Job you sick so long (Work it out) Curse your God and die (Work it out) Job looked at the woman (Work it out) Looked up to the sky (Work it out) Woman you sound foolish (Work it out) Don't sound like my wife (Work it out) I don't have no doubt (Work it out) God's gonna work it out (Work it out) God's gonna work it out (Work it out) God's gonna work it out (Work it out) Oh I gave it over to the Lord and He worked it out (oh yeah!) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

War in Iran? I don't think so. Isn't Iraq and Afghanistan enough??? The name Iran is a cognate of Aryan, and means "Land of the Aryans":smash:

Stop using the friggin' "F" word (Forum)!!!

Idle Talking Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura An Excerpt from Sri Bhaktyaloka Talking with one another is called jalpana or prajalpa. Nowadays in this world godlessness is so prominent that conversing with others means godless talk. Therefore it is not profitable for a practicing devotee to engage in jalpana. There can, however, be many kinds of jalpana in the cultivation of devotional service. They are all auspicious for the devotees. Srila Rupa Gosvami has written in his Karpanya-panjika-stotra: tathapy asmin kadacid vamadhisau nama-jalpini avadya-vrnda-nistari namabhasau prasidatam Devotees recite the purport of this verse in the following words: tathapi e dina-jane yadi nama-uccarane namabhasa karila jivane sarva-dosa-nivarana duhun-nama-sanjalpana prasade prasida dui jane “While chanting the holy name of the Lord, if a wretched person in his lifetime achieves namabhasa, or a glimpse of offenseless chanting, then all his faults are destroyed and Their Lordships become pleased with him.” Kirtana, offering prayers, and reciting the scriptures are all jalpana; but when these are performed with a favorable mood and devoid of material desire, then they are all cultivation of Krsna consciousness. Therefore the conclusion is this: All prajalpas that are unfavorable to Krsna’s service are adverse to devotional service. The practitioner should carefully give up prajalpa. There is no fault in the activities of the mahajanas. The mahajanas have respectfully engaged in prajalpa (favorable to devotional service), and this is our only duty. Sometimes puffed-up devotees advise that all types of prajalpa should be given up. But we are followers of Srila Rupa Gosvami; being followers of Rupa Gosvami we will always stick to the path shown by the sadhus who are following his instructions. In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, as quoted from the Skanda Purana, it is said: sa mrgyah sreyasam hetuh panthah santapa-varjitah anavapta-sramam purve yena santah pratisthire “One should strictly follow the easy path that the previous mahajanas have accepted. That path bestows great auspiciousness and is devoid of all misery.” Our mahajana’s path is that which was shown by Srila Vyasadeva, Sukadeva Gosvami, Prahlada Maharaja, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and His associates. We are not to leave aside that path to follow the instructions of new puffed-up devotees. All the mahajanas have respected that prajalpa which nourishes devotion to Hari. We will discuss this in the appropriate place. Godless prajalpas are impediments to devotional service. They are of many types. Useless talks, arguments, gossip, debates, fault-finding in others, speaking falsehoods, blaspheming devotees, and worldly talk are all called prajalpa. Useless talk is extremely detrimental. Practicing devotees should discuss topics of Lord Hari in the association of other devotees and remember Hari’s name, form, qualities, and pastimes in a secluded place without uselessly wasting time. In the Bhagavad-gita (10.8-9) it is said: aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah mac-citta mad-gata-prana bodhayantah parasparam kathayantas ca mam nityam tusyanti ca ramanti ca “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts. The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.” Also in the Gita (9.14) it says: satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah namasyantas ca mam bhaktya nitya-yukta upasate “Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” In this way the practicing devotee should cultivate unalloyed devotion. If they spend their days and nights uselessly talking with materialists, then the Lord’s instruction, “always chanting My glories,” will not be followed. In newspapers there is so much useless talk. For the practicing devotee to read newspapers is a great loss. But if there are topics about pure devotees described in the newspaper, then that can be read. After finishing their meal, mundane people normally smoke and engage in useless talk with other godless people. It is certainly difficult for them to become followers of Srila Rupa Gosvami. Reading novels is the same. But if one gets a novel with a story like that of Puranjana in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, then reading that is not an impediment, rather it is beneficial. Argument is a prajalpa that is adverse to devotional service. All the arguments of the followers of nyaya and vaisesika are simply godless quarrels. They do not yield any result other than wasting the mind’s strength and increasing one’s restlessness. In the Vedas (Katha Upanisad 1.2.9) it is said: naisa tarkena matir apaneya “This intelligence cannot be attained by argument.” The living entity’s proper discretion is eternally established in his natural intelligence. That discretion naturally flows towards the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. But by arguing about directions, places, mistakes, and illusions, the heart becomes tough. Then natural discretion no longer remains. By accepting the Vedic Dasamula instructions and arguing accordingly, one’s mind does not become wicked. What is good, what is bad-when such deliberations are based on the Vedas, that is no longer prajalpa. That is why in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 25.153) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given the instruction: ataeva bhagavata karaha vicara “Study Srimad-Bhagavatam very scrutinizingly.” Discussions to establish the knowledge of one’s relationship with the Lord are not prajalpa. Those who conquer the assembly by useless arguments do not reach any conclusion; therefore it is certainly one’s duty to give up such logician’s association. This is confirmed in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 12.183) by Sri Vasudeva Sarvabhauma, who said: tarkika-srgala-sange bheu-bheu kari sei mukhe ebe sada kahi ‘krsna’ ‘hari’ “In the association of the jackals known as logicians, I simply continued to bark a resounding ‘bheu bheu.’ Now, from the same mouth I am chanting the holy names ‘Krsna’ and ‘Hari.’” Those who are accustomed to discuss spiritual matters should remember the words of the Varanasi sannyasi as found in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 25.43): paramartha-vicara gela, kari matra ‘vada’ kahan mukti paba, kahan krsnera prasada “The atheists, headed by the Mayavadi philosophers, do not care for liberation or Krsna’s mercy. They simply continue to put forward false arguments and counter-theories to atheistic philosophy, not considering or engaging in spiritual matters.” Useless arguments arise from envy or pride, aversion or attachment to sense gratification, or foolishness or self-pride. Quarrelsome people also become intoxicated by useless arguments. While discussing topics of the Lord and His devotees the practicing devotee should always be careful to avoid useless arguments. Talking without reason about other people is extremely adverse to devotional service. Many people talk about others to establish their own reputation. Being envious, some people are accustomed to discuss others’ character. The minds of those who are busy in such topics can never be fixed on the lotus feet of Krsna. Talking about others should be rejected in all respects. But in the practice of devotional service there are many favorable topics that are faultless, even though they are about others. In order to completely renounce talking about others, one needs to live in the forest. The two different types of practicing devotees are the householders and the renunciates. Because the renunciates have no business whatsoever with sense enjoyment, they can give up talking about others in all respects. But because a householder is engaged in earning, saving, protecting, and maintaining the family, he cannot completely give up talking about others. It is best for him to live in a Krsna conscious family. When all ones material activities are related with Krsna, then even his unavoidable talk about others becomes sinless and a part of devotional practice in relation to Krsna. He should not talk about others in a way that is detrimental to anyone. He should talk about others only whatever little is necessary in his Krsna conscious family. He should not talk about others without reason. Moreover, when a guru enlightens his disciple on some topic, then unless he occasionally talks about others, his instruction may not be clear. When previous mahajanas have talked about others in this way, there is merit in such talk, not fault. As Sukadeva Gosvami said in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.1.3-4): nidraya hriyate naktam vyavayena ca va vayah diva carthehaya rajan kutumba-bharanena va dehapatya-kalatradisv atma-sainyesv asatsv api tesam pramatto nidhanam pasyann api na pasyati “The lifetime of such an envious householder is passed at night either in sleeping or in sex indulgence, and in the daytime either in making money or maintaining family members. Persons devoid of atma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children and wife. Although sufficiently experienced, they still do not see their inevitable destruction.” Although Sukadeva Gosvami talks about the materialists in order to instruct his disciple, he is not considered a prajalpi. Therefore such activities should be considered beneficial. Again, in order to instruct His own disciples, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu spoke about pseudo-renunciates in the following words from the Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 2.117, 120, 124): prabhu kahe, – “vairagi kare prakrti sambhasana dekhite na paron ami tahara vadana ksudra-jiva saba markata-vairagya kariya indriya carana bule ‘prakrti’ sambhasiya” prabhu kahe, – “mora vasa nahe mora mana prakrti-sambhasi vairagi na kare darsana “The Lord replied, “I cannot tolerate seeing the face of a person who has accepted the renounced order of life but who still talks intimately with a woman. There are many persons with little in their possession who accept the renounced order of life like monkeys. They go here and there engaging in sense gratification and speaking intimately with women. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “My mind is not under My control. It does not like to see anyone in the renounced order who talks intimately with women.” Unless one speaks in this way while instructing and while concluding a subject, there is no benefit for oneself or others. Therefore when the previous acharyas have personally set example and taught others, how will we be benefitted by acting contrary to their instruction? And if one discusses in this way the improper behavior current in a religious sect or amongst the general public, then such talk is not adverse to devotional service. Even if one sometimes talks about a particular person, there is no fault. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.14.29) Maitreya Muni, the foremost devotee, spoke about Vena Maharaja in this way: maitreya uvaca ittham viparyaya-matih papiyan utpatham gatah anuniyamanas tad-yacnam na cakre bhrasta-mangalah “The great sage Maitreya continued: Thus the King, who became unintelligent due to his sinful life and deviation from the right path, became actually bereft of all good fortune. He could not accept the requests of the great sages, which the sages put before him with great respect, and therefore he was condemned.” Sri Maitreya Rsi needed to speak about others in this way; he spoke to his audience to instruct them. This is not prajalpa. The practicing devotee normally discusses ancient history in the association of devotees. Occasionally they talk about nondevotees. Such talk is always auspicious and favorable to devotional service. But those who talk about others while influenced by devotional impediments like envy, hatred, pride, or distinction are offenders at the feet of Bhaktidevi. Debate arises only from a desire for conquest. It is extremely abominable. Fault-finding arises only from imposing one’s own bad habits on others. This should be given up in all respects. Speaking falsehoods is another form of useless talk. Worldly talk is completely rejected by renounced devotees. Householders may accept some worldly talk that is favorable to devotional service. If topics like archeology, zoology, astrology, and geography are devoid of God consciousness, they should be rejected. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.12.49-50) Sri Sukadeva Gosvami has said: mrsa giras ta hy asatir asat-katha na kathyate yad bhagavan adhoksajah tad eva satyam tad u haiva mangalam tad eva punyam bhagavad-gunodayam tad eva ramyam ruciram navam navam tad eva sasvan manaso mahotsavam tad eva sokarnava-sosanam nrnam yad uttamahsloka-yaso ‘nugiyate “Words that do not describe the transcendental Personality of Godhead but instead deal with temporary matters are simply false and useless. Only those words that manifest the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord are actually truthful, auspicious and pious. Those words describing the glories of the all-famous Personality of Godhead are attractive, relishable and ever fresh. Indeed, such words are a perpetual festival for the mind, and they dry up the ocean of misery.” Speech in the form of blaspheming sadhus is the source of great inauspiciousness. If one wants to attain devotion to Lord Hari, then he should make a vow like this: “In this life I will never blaspheme sadhus.” Devotees are sadhus. By blaspheming them, all one’s virtues are destroyed. By blaspheming the supremely pure Lord Mahadeva, Prajapati Daksa, the best of ascetics, met with severe inauspiciousness. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.4.46): ayuh sriyam yaso dharmam lokan asisa eva ca hanti sreyamsi sarvani pumso mahad-atikramah “My dear King, when a man persecutes great souls, all his benedictions of longevity, beauty, fame, religion, blessings and promotion to higher planets will be destroyed.” The conclusion of this essay is this: Whatever prajalpa is not favorable for devotional service should be carefully given up by Vaisnavas who are cultivating Bhakti. Amongst these instructions, the instruction to tolerate the urge to speak mentioned in the first verse-vaco vegam-is only a conditional urge. By giving up prajalpa, the urge to speak is permanently regulated. In order to pass one’s life without sin, one should not speak anything more than whatever little is necessary. One need discuss only whatever is auspicious for oneself and others. If one wants to discuss topics of others, it will simply be useless speech. Therefore in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.28.2) Lord Krsna instructed Uddhava as follows: para-svabhava-karmani yah prasamsati nindati sa asu bhrasyate svarthad asaty abhinivesatah “Whoever indulges in praising or criticizing the qualities and behavior of others will quickly become deviated from his own best interest by his entanglement in illusory dualities.”

Srila Prabhupada In Line with Srila Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakura BY: RADHAVALLABHA DASA Jul 11, USA (SUN) — I was very glad to read Abhay Caran Prabhu's article, "Falling From the Spiritual World". Not that knowing that I came from the brahmajyoti is more important to me than knowing that I have to go to the spiritual world. But I appreciate his bold endeavour to rectify a common misunderstanding. There is something called guru-parampara, a spiritual succession of teachers that preserves and preaches the message of God. The guru's coming in that succession may be different from each other in details concerning, e.g., external appearance of Vaisnavas (beard or no beard), ways of preaching (adjusting to time, place, circumstances), use of language ("obeisances" or "pranams"), etcetera. But the origin of the souls will not be different because one person happens to be a devotee in America and another person is a devotee living in India or elsewhere. And it is not that the jivas in Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura's time fell from the brahmajyoti and now, 100 years later, they fall from Goloka Vrindavana. To my understanding, nowadays' ISKCON is the only branch of Gaudiya Vaisnavism that propagates the idea of souls falling from the spiritual world. Without compiling a book of quotes and just to keep it simple, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja Prabhupada would be philosophically disconnected from his guru, Srila Prabhupada Sarasvati Thakura, who maintained the conception of jivas coming from the tatastha-sakti and chosing to enter either the spiritual world or material world by their free will. Abhay Caran Prabhu already gave nice evidence for the souls to come from the brahman effulgence, or tatastha-sakti of the Lord. This is the conclusion of all our Gaudiya Vaisnava Acaryas, and being a most qualified Acarya, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada taught the same conclusion, although in certain circumstances he might have presented siddhanta in an apparently different way, according to his audience. To clarify my point for the readers of this article, if Srila Prabhupada said that the jivas never fell from the spiritual world and at some other instances he seemed to have said that the jivas did fall from the spiritual world, there may be an appearant contradiction. But if -- starting with Srila Prabhupada's own guru -- the general conception of the Gaudiya Vaisnava Acaryas is that the jivas came from the tatastha-sakti, then why do certain devotees oppose these acaryas and promote the misconception of falling from Vaikuntha? Why not see Srila Prabhupada through the eyes of the parampara, rather than cutting Srila Prabhupada off the parampara by presenting him as having different teachings than the previous Acaryas? Let's maintain Srila Prabhupada's dignity of being a true representative of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya. Respect him as an Acarya being in line with the previous Acaryas, and do not disrespect the previous Acaryas by indirectly saying "they are wrong because our Prabhupada is right". "Tatastha has both the power of associating with temporal as well as eternal planes. Souls who have got their stations at Tatastha have got free will. Each of the individual souls by exercising his free will can abuse or purposely use his independence. He has got two different directions. He may choose one of these for his stage. When he is in an enjoying mood and considers himself identical with the predominating Object or the Absolute he is said to be fallen, and when he shows an aptitude for serving the Transcendental Predominating Object, he is freed from the clutches of limitation and is eternally associated in serving the Predominating object. The souls in the Tatastha position are not one, but many in number. They are not to associate themselves with unalloyed Cit-sakti or unalloyed Acit-sakti or Maya-sakti. In Tatastha position souls do not show any activity but they are found to be in an indolent state." (From Immanent and Transcendent by Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura) Your servant, Radhavallabha dasa

Please help me to get the hell outta here!

Bhakti means love, priti or prema. Devotion is needed not only rules.

"Transition” by Kaumadaki dd Transition comes And life moves on – A sunset here, And there, the dawn. (Kaumadaki dd left her body July 3,2008)

Honouring Krsna Prasadam, Part 4 BY: HAREKRSNA.COM <CENTER> </CENTER> Jul 08, CANADA (SUN) — A four-part series on Srila Prabhupada's instructions for honouring Krsna prasadam. <CENTER>Taking Prasada</CENTER> <CENTER><TABLE borderColor=#cc9933 cellSpacing=0 borderColorDark=#990000 cellPadding=20 bgColor=#fef9f9 borderColorLight=#cc9933 border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top> "There is this specific statement in the Padma Purana: “A person who honors the prasada and regularly eats it, not exactly in front of the Deity, along with caranamrta [the water offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, which is mixed with seeds of the tulasi tree], immediately can achieve the results of pious activities which are obtained through ten thousand performances of sacrificial rites." Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER> There are many Vedic injunctions for the process of taking prasada: One should take prasadam in a peaceful state of mind. The body and dress should be clean and fresh. Five parts of the body should be damp (from washing): two hands, two feet, and the mouth. The householder may wear rings on the fingers, and should cover one's head. One's clothing should not be damp, and shoes should not be worn. The man's sikha should be properly tied up. It is best to sit in a clean and spacious place, preferably on an asana, with the legs crossed rather than spread out. One should be facing east or north, and should avoid eating while sitting in a vehicle. Meals should not be taken at the sandhyas (sunrise, noon and sunset), and one should not eat before performing sandhya vandana (chanting Gayatri) or morning puja. Don't take food until the previous meal has fully digested. Tamala Krsna: "It's a great offense if you offer someone prasadam and they refuse. Prabhupada: Yes. That means I am not accepting you as intimate. And if he accepts, then you cannot deny his friendship." Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, 07-10-76, New York According to formal protocol, those of similar rank should sit together in the same row. The senior-most person should be given all respects, and should be permitted to finish first before others finish and rise to go. As soon as one person rises, the meal has ended and others in the row should not continue eating. The senior person may also choose to sit separately, so as not to disturb or be disturbed. Mahaprasad is non-different from Krsna, therefore prasada should be honored, not eaten. One should never consider mahaprasada to be ordinary food preparations. Before taking, one should first glance over the prasada and offer respects, remembering that prasadam is the mercy of the Lord. One should ask Krsna's permission to eat, reciting the Prasada Sevaya prayer (sarira abidya-jal). One may also recite the Jayadhvani prayers and according to Hari Bhakti Vilasa, one should chant the Gayatra mantra then chant one's mula mantra seven times over the prasadam. (See link below for prasada prayers.) The householder should serve prasadam as follows: First, guests should be served, particularly those who are spiritually qualified persons, such as sannyasis. Next, one should serve the elders, married daughters, pregnant women, sick persons and children. The grhasta should also feed tied-up cows and horses before taking his own meal. An initiated Vaisnava should serve another initiated Vaisnava. The server should be clean and peaceful, performing his duties quietly and efficiently. Loud noise and frenetic activity should be avoided. One should serve prasada with the right hand. Neither the server's hands or the utensils should ever touch the plates or hands of those who are eating, as this will contaminate the server and utensils. If this happens, hands and/or utensils should be washed before serving resumes. Serving vessels should not touch the feet. The server should in no way contaminate the prasada or utensils by touching his mouth, feet, hair, lower body, nor should he yawn, sneeze, etc. Prasadam should be served onto a plate, and the plate should not be kept on one's lap. Preparations should be carefully dropped onto the plate in a free area, and spoons should be used to serve most items, except sweets, water or dry items. Foods should be taken from the plate, not received directly into the hands and placed in the mouth. One should sit quietly while taking prasada, not discussing material affairs. Those seated together should not touch one another while eating. One should only use the right hand to place foodstuffs in the mouth. Avoid making unnecessary noises while eating. One should tear large items with the fingers of the right hand, not with the teeth, then small pieces should be placed in the mouth. One should avoid eating with the left hand, which is contaminated due to other uses. The householder and his wife (or others who are serving) should be last to eat, and should stop taking prasada themselves whenever necessary in order to attend to guests (or wait until others are finished to begin taking themselves). When guests finish a portion, they should quickly be offered more of it, and should be permitted to have all they wish. All persons in a group should be offered the same items. The food should be served while still hot, if possible. Guests should never be left with an empty plate except at the end of the meal, or when they have exclaimed they can take no more. The server may describe the wonderful qualities of a preparation as he offers it, to encourage the guest to eat more. While the server encourages guests to continue eating sumptuously, one should not overeat. Excessive eating causes discomfort, sickness, and decreases the lifespan. It interferes with one's devotional activities, causes one to be unregulated, and generally encourages sinful behaviors. Too much sense gratification, over-dependence on another's mercy, and artificial standards of living are detrimental to spiritual advancement. It is said that one should fill half the stomach with food, one quarter with water, and one quarter with air. The order of foodstuffs eaten is also important. The Hari Bhakti Vilasa states that one should begin by eating a little sweet food, then take salty and sour items, and then pungent and bitter items. Different customs are followed in different regions of India. In Bengal, for example, it is the custom to take bitters first, and end the meal with sweets. Generally, liquid foodstuffs should be taken at the beginning and end of the meal, and solid foods should be taken in the middle. "Caritamrta is obtained in the morning while the Lord is being washed before dressing. Scented with perfumes and flowers, the water comes gliding down through His lotus feet and is collected and mixed with yogurt. In this way this caritamrta not only becomes very tastefully flavored, but also has tremendous spiritual value. As described in the Padma Purana, even a person who has never been able to give in charity, who has never been able to perform a great sacrifice, who has never been able to study the Vedas, who has never been able to worship the Lord-or, in other words, even one who has never done any pious activities-will become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God if he simply drinks the caritamrta which is kept in the temple. In the temple it is the custom that the caritamrta be kept in a big pot. The devotees who come to visit and offer respects to the Deity take three drops of caritamrta very submissively and feel themselves happy in transcendental bliss." Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9 One should drink water out of a cup or vessel, using the right hand and not touching the lips to the vessel, particularly if others might drink from it. Water should not be drunk directly out of the hands. While drinking, water should not be allowed to drip onto the prasadam, which then becomes ucchista (contaminated leftovers). After finishing the meal, one should take the plate (if disposable) in the right hand and discard it. All food remnants remaining on plates and in serving dishes are ucchista, and may not be mixed in with other, un-offered foods, or returned to the kitchen, or in any way be re-offered to the Lord. <CENTER></CENTER> Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. <CENTER><TABLE borderColor=#cc9933 cellSpacing=0 borderColorDark=#990000 cellPadding=20 bgColor=#fef9f9 borderColorLight=#cc9933 border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top> <CENTER> Prasada-sevaya from Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Gitavali 1) bhai-re! sarira abidya-jal, jodendriya tahe kal, jibe phele bisaya-sagore ta'ra madhye jihva ati, lobhamoy sudurmati ta'ke jeta kathina somsare 2) krsna baro doyamoy, karibare jihva jay, swa-prasad-anna dilo bhai sei annamrta khao, radha-krsna-guna gao, preme dako caitanya-nitai </CENTER> "O brothers! This material body is a place of ignorance, and the senses are a network of paths to death. The senses throw the soul into this ocean of material sense enjoyment and, of all the senses, the tongue is most voracious and uncontrol-lable; it is very difficult to conquer the tongue in this world. O brothers! Lord Krsna is very kind to us and has given us such nice prasada, just to control the tongue. Now let us take this prasada to our full satisfaction and glorify Their Lordships, Sri Sri Radha and Krsna and, in love, call for the help of Lord Caitanya and Prabhu Nityananda." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER> <CENTER>After Prasada</CENTER> <CENTER></CENTER> <CENTER>Organizing Prasadam at New Vrindaban, c. 1970</CENTER> <CENTER><TABLE borderColor=#cc9933 cellSpacing=0 borderColorDark=#990000 cellPadding=30 bgColor=#fef9f9 borderColorLight=#cc9933 border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top> "Regarding prasadam, leftovers should always be taken if they have not spoiled or if they have not been touched by diseased persons. We should never waste Krishna prasadam. Best thing is to cook only what is required and then give each person what he wants. That is the Vedic system, that the people sit in rows behind their plates and servers pass down the rows and put a very small portion of each foodstuff on each plate, unless there is some objection by a person then nothing is given. Then if anyone wants more, the servers pass up and down the rows continually and give more if anyone requests. In this way nothing is wasted and everyone is satisfied." Srila Prabhupada Letter to Kirtiraja, 11-27-71 </B> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER> "No, food which has been offered should never be put back into the refrigerator with the unoffered foods, or brought back into the kitchen. You should prepare as much as can be consumed, and after offering, nothing should be put back in the refrigerator, or kitchen. Refrigerator should always be very cleansed and pure. Everyone should be careful to make only as much as they can eat; they cannot keep any leftovers in refrigerator. I know this is a practice in your country, but in the temples or at homes of any Krishna Consciousness persons, a person should not indulge in such unclean habits. If there is any food extra, that should be kept separately; and if there is a separate refrigerator, not within the kitchen and not having in it any unoffered foods, then you may have such special refrigerator for leftover prasadam. But it cannot be kept within the same refrigerator as the unoffered, unprepared foods. That cannot be." Srila Prabhupada Letter to Aniruddha, 06-16-68 "The eating area must be thoroughly cleansed with water, since the area has become impure by the act of eating. One thing is that you should keep everything very clean. That is the first business. Every room should be as clean as a mirror. The prasadam room should be immediately cleaned after taking prasadam, otherwise you are inviting rats." Srila Prabhupada Letter to Mukunda, 10-20-73 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. <CENTER></CENTER> At the temple or at large feasts, servers usually collect all the plates and utensils at once. In small settings, however, one should dispose of their own plate when the meal is finished, or wash it outside of the kitchen. Afterwards, one should wash the hands and rinse the mouth. One should not sleep, bathe or engage in strenuous activity directly after a meal. Being over-active may cause the blood to flow away from the stomach to other areas, thus interrupting the digestion process. After taking prasada, one should maintain a peaceful mind so the body can properly digest and process the nourishment. This time is well spent remembering the Lord, chanting His Name and discussing the Lord's pastimes with associates.

Honouring Krsna Prasadam, Part 3 BY: HAREKRSNA.COM <CENTER> </CENTER> Jul 07, CANADA (SUN) — A four-part series on Srila Prabhupada's instructions for honouring Krsna prasadam. <CENTER>Preparation and Cooking</CENTER> <CENTER><TABLE borderColor=#cc9933 cellSpacing=0 borderColorDark=#990000 cellPadding=20 bgColor=#fef9f9 borderColorLight=#cc9933 border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top> "The devotee should not be anxious about cooking food; whatever is available in the forest or in the city among the fruit and vegetable groups should be offered to the Deity, and the devotee should be satisfied eating that. He should not be anxious to have very palatable dishes. Of course, wherever it is possible, one should offer the Deities the best foodstuffs, prepared within the category of fruits and vegetables, cooked or uncooked. The important factor is that the devotee should be regulated (mita-bhuk); that is one of the good qualifications of a devotee. He should not hanker to satisfy the tongue with a particular kind of foodstuff. He should be satisfied to eat whatever prasada is available by the grace of the Lord." Srimad-Bhagavatam 4:8:56 Purport </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER> While preparing and cooking foodstuffs, all focus should be kept on performing activities in such a way that they will be most pleasing to the Lord. The kitchen is considered an extension of the altar, and all activities carried out there should be done accordingly. Work in the kitchen should not be considered 'social time'. Always avoid prajalpa (nonsense talk) while cooking, and keep in mind that one's consciousness directly affects the quality of foodstuffs being prepared. Rather than chat with others, listen to Krsna bhajans or one of Srila Prabhupada's lectures. Do not lust over bhoga (unoffered food stuffs), wishing to sample preparations or thinking ahead to when prasadam will be distributed. Even after offering, do not bring prasadam back into the kitchen for eating it. If necessary, take a small meal or snack before cooking, so your appetite will be dulled. Many new devotees find it difficult to cook without tasting or smelling the foodstuffs, because they were so used to testing the balance of ingredients when cooking for themselves. Regardless, tasting the bhoga while cooking should never be permitted. Trust the recipes, your cooking intuition and a good service attitude, and you can rest assured the preparations will be very palatable. Avoid the mental agitation of hoping the devotees find the dishes desirable and delicious. Remember that you are cooking the meal not for yourself or for the devotees, but for the pleasure of Krsna. If bhoga falls on the floor and touches someone's feet, it cannot be offered. As previously said, cleaning the kitchen is extremely important and should be done constantly and thoroughly all throughout the cooking process. Once the offering has been placed on serving dishes, the kitchen should be cleaned up to the greatest degree possible before the cooks go off to the program. <CENTER>Cooking Paraphernalia</CENTER> <CENTER></CENTER> <CENTER>Rolling Chapatis</CENTER> <CENTER><TABLE borderColor=#cc9933 cellSpacing=0 borderColorDark=#990000 cellPadding=30 bgColor=#fef9f9 borderColorLight=#cc9933 border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top> "It is luxurious. (break) ...the ata dough. So after it is cooked... They have got ghee. That ball soaked in ghee and the dal, it is so nice when taken. That is called bati. Very quickly made. And after eating, with that ash the two or three utensils, mean the lota and the plate, they'll cleanse it very nice and walk away. And that food is sufficient for twenty-four hours. Within twenty-four hours he will not be hungry and feel very strong. The two things. And you can cook anywhere without any difficulty. In India, especially in village, you can get so many dried cow dung. So fuel is ready. The ata is packed up. And ghee in a pot. That's all. How simple life. Simply they'll sit down where there is water, and they'll take water. Then everything is arranged. No hotel. Or even there is no ata, they keep their own ghee, homemade, pure. Ata can be purchased anywhere in the village. There is no need of carrying ata." Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, 04-29-77, Bombay </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER> Srila Prabhupada commented occassionally on the matters of kitchen facility and paraphernalia. When discussing facilities for a particular temple, he referred to having two separate kitchen facilities, one being pakki and the other kachi. In other words, one kitchen whould be ‘expert’, and the other a simpler facility. Srila Prabhupada said that one who is self-sufficient may use simple utensils like banana leaves and clay cups. In the following purport, he described the paraphernalia one might find in a proper Vedic home: "The walls of the house were made of first-class marble, decorated with valuable jewels. There was no need of light, for the household was illuminated by the rays of these jewels. The female members of the household were all amply decorated with jewelry. PURPORT:It is understood from this statement that the opulences of household life were exhibited in valuable jewels, ivory, first-class marble, and furniture made of gold and jewels. The clothes are also mentioned as being decorated with golden filigree. Everything actually had some value. It was not like the furniture of the present day, which is cast in valueless plastic or base metal. The way of Vedic civilization is that whatever was used in household affairs had to be valuable. In case of need, such items of value could be exchanged immediately. Thus one's broken and unwanted furniture and paraphernalia would never be without value. This system is still followed by Indians in household affairs. They keep metal utensils and golden ornaments or silver plates and valuable silk garments with gold embroidery, and in case of need, they can have some money in exchange immediately. There are exchanges for the moneylenders and the householders." Srimad Bhagavatam 3:33:17 Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.