krsna

So we should associate by vibration, and not by the physical presence. That is real association. “(Lectures SB, 68/08/18) “It is sometimes misunderstood that if one has to associate with persons engaged in devotional service, he will not be able to solve the economic problem. To answer this argument, it is described here that one has to associate with liberated persons not directly, physically, but by understanding, through philosophy and logic, the problems of life.” (SB 3:31:48) “Paramahamsa: My question is, a pure devotee, when he comments on Bhagavad-gita, someone who never sees him physically, but he just comes in contact with the commentary, explanation, is this the same thing? Srila Prabhupada: Yes. You can associate with Krsna by reading Bhagavad-Gita. And these saintly persons, they have given their explanations, comments. So where is the difficulty?” (Morning Walk, Paris 11/6/74) “The influence of the pure devotee is such that if someone comes to associate with him with a little faith, he gets the chance of hearing about the Lord from authoritative scriptures like Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. This is the first stage of association with the pure devotee.” (Nectar of Devotion, (1982 Ed.), p146) “So although a physical body is not present, the vibration should be accepted as the presence of the Spiritual Master, vibration. What we have heard from the Spiritual Master, that is living.” (General lectures, 69/01/13) “These are not ordinary books. It is recorded chanting. Anyone who reads, he is hearing.” (Letter to Rupanuga Das, 19/10/74) “Krsna and his representative are the same. Similarly, the spiritual master can be present wherever the disciple wants. A spiritual master is the principle, not the body. Just like a television can be seen in thousands of place by the principle of relay monitoring.” (Letter to Malati, 28/5/68) “Narayana: So those disciples who don't have the opportunity to see you or speak with you... Srila Prabhupada: That he was speaking, vani and vapuh. Even if you don't see his body, you take his words, vani.” (Room conversation, 21/7/75)

<TABLE class=datetools cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Page last updated at 13:31 GMT, Saturday, 21 June 2008 14:31 UK <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=416 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=213> </TD><TD width=203></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=storycontent cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>India's elderly face growing neglect </TD></TR><TR><TD class=storybody><!-- S BO --> <!-- S IBYL --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=466 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom>By Tinku Ray BBC News, Delhi </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <!-- E IBYL --> <!-- S IIMA --> There are more than 70 million pensioners in India <!-- E IIMA --> In India's financial capital, Mumbai (Bombay), Laxmibai Laxmidas Paleja lies on a low cot with a thin sheet over her. She's 92 and very frail and there are obvious bruises on her face. She also has swelling around her eyes, nose and mouth. "My grandson and my daughter-in-law started abusing me. And they said, 'I'll kill you, I'll kill you'," she says. "I'm old. I couldn't defend myself. I was bleeding all over. I've got bruises all over my body. Then they just bundled me in a car and dumped me here at my daughter's house." Grandson Vinay Paleja denies the accusation. <!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=226 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> Laxmibai Paleja's face is covered in bruises </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA --> "No, I never touched my grandmother. She hurt herself and I don't know why she's making these accusations against us." While recovering at her daughter's house, Laxmibai Paleja says she now has nothing. She agreed to sell her land and gold to pay for medical treatment for herself and her son. But none of the money was used for the purpose, she says. The case will probably go to court, but getting to this stage takes a long time in India. Laxmibai Paleja may not even be alive by the time it is resolved. Rising abuse There has been a steady rise recently in reports of cases of elderly being abused, harassed and abandoned in India. Traditionally older people has been revered in India, signified by the touching of their feet by the younger generation. <!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=231 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg> They have to make up their mind if they want criminal action - but then they will have to forget their family ties Kewal Singh, Delhi police </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX --> Prime ministers and presidents have almost always been senior citizens. Joint family systems - where three or more generations lived under one roof - were a strong support network for the elderly. But more children are now leaving their parental homes to set up their own. Sociologists say the pressures of modern life and the more individualistic aspirations of the young are among reasons why the elderly are being abandoned or, in some cases, abused. Alarmed by what's happening to some of the elderly, the Indian government recently introduced a new law. The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Bill provides for up to three months' imprisonment for those who do not take care of their parents. Court orders will also be used to force children to pay maintenance for their elderly parents. HelpAge India is the biggest non-governmental organisation in the country which campaigns for the rights of the elderly. It recently launched a helpline in Delhi which has received hundreds of calls since its inception. The organisation's own research suggests nearly 40% of senior citizens living with their families are facing emotional or physical abuse. But only one in six cases comes to light, the study showed. Kewal Singh, of the senior citizens' cell at Delhi police, says it is not easy for parents to prosecute their children. "First they have to make up their mind if they want criminal action. But then they will have to forget their family ties," he says. "But if they want to maintain and retain those family ties, then the situation will be different. There's always a conflict between the law and emotions in these circumstances." Left to die The problem is not confined to India's cities. I travelled to the southern state of Tamil Nadu, to a town called Erode. Last year a 75-year-old grandmother, Chinnamal Palaniappan, was found on a rubbish dump just outside the town. She had allegedly been dumped there by her grandsons and died a few days later. Palaniappan's daughter, Tulsi, and her husband live in a one-room house with a thatched roof. <!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=226 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> The government is building more than 600 old people's homes </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA --> There are two beds, electricity and a government gifted free colour television. But it is obvious their home is the poorest in the neighbourhood. "My mother was living comfortably with us for a very long period and all of a sudden on one particular night she went mad and she kept on talking through the night," Tulsi says. "I got annoyed and told her not to shout or speak further. But she wouldn't stop. Suddenly I found her missing and heard she had walked out of the house. "We did not do anything, people have cooked up stories. My mother was mentally unbalanced," Tulsi insists. Law steps in Poverty and search for work are two main reasons rural elders are being left behind. So many of them have to rely on charities for food and medical help. There are more than 70 million senior citizens in India and the figure is set to grow to well over a 100 million in the next 25 years. Consequently, the number of old age homes is growing dramatically. The government has ordered the construction of more than 600 across the country. This is the first project of its kind undertaken by the government - a sign that it has already recognised the reality that more elderly people will need assistance in the future. The government also hopes the new law will act as a deterrent. But Matthew Cherian, chief executive of HelpAge India, says it is not going to prevent families from breaking up. "You're not going to get back to the joint family system. We have to get into more and more old age homes. "At HelpAge India, 30 years ago when we started supporting old age homes, everybody said this was a Western concept. Today everybody accepts this is not a Western concept, this is the reality." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hoof dust in the air, The flute’s song is floating there; Krishna’s coming home.<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O:P></O:P> by Sri Babhru das

No shmos in the parampara please!

"Pure devotional service in Krsna Consciousness cannot be had even by pious activities in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only by paying one price...that is, intense greed to obtain it. If it is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay." - Padyavali 14, CC Madhya 8.70 ------- Pay the price for the highest commodity. Do you have the moola (mantra)? Pure Holy Name?

Physical presence is immaterial. Presence of the transcendental sound received from the Spiritual Master should be the guidance of life. That will make our spiritual life successful. If you feel very strongly about my absence you may place my pictures on my sitting places and this will be source of inspiration for you. (SP Letter to Brahmananda and other students, 19/1/67) But always remember that I am always with you. As you are always thinking of me, I am always thinking of you also. Although physically we are not together, we are not separated spiritually. So we should be concerned only with this spiritual connection. (SP Letter to Gaurasundara, 13/11/69) So we should associate by vibration, and not by the physical presence. That is real association. (SP Lectures SB, 68/08/18) There are two conceptions, the physical conception and the vibrational conception. The physical conception is temporary. The vibrational conception is eternal.[...] When we feel separation from Krishna or the Spirirual Master, we should just try to remember their words or instructions, and we will no longer feel that separation. Such association with Krishna and the Spiritual Master should be association by vibration not physical presence. That is real association. (SP in Elevation to Krishna Consciousness,(BBT 1973), Page 57) Although according to material vision His Divine Grace Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarsavati Thakura Prabhupada passed away from this material world on the last day of December 1936, I still consider his Divine Grace to be always present with me by his vani, his words. There are two ways of association - by vani and by vapuh. Vani means words and vapuh means physical presence. Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not, but Vani continues to exist eternally. Therefore, one must take advantage of the Vani, not the physical presence. (SP in CC, Antya 5 Conclusion) Therefore we should take advantage of the Vani, not the physical presence. (SP Letter to Suci Devi Dasi, 4/11/75) I shall remain your personal guidance, physically present or not physically present, as I am getting guidance from my Guru Maharaja. (SP Room Conversation, Vrindavan, 14/7/77) It is sometimes misunderstood that if one has to associate with persons engaged in devotional service, he will not be able to solve the economic problem. To answer this argument, it is described here that one has to associate with liberated persons not directly, physically, but by understanding, through philosophy and logic, the problems of life. (SP in SB 3:31:48) I am always with you. Never mind if I am physically absent. (SP Letter to Jayananda, 16/9/67) Paramananda: We're always feeling your presence very strongly, Shrila Prabhupada, simply by your teachings and your instructions. We're always meditating on your instructions. Shrila Prabhupada: Thank you. That is the real presence. Physical presence is not important. (SP Room Conversation, Vrndavana, 6/10/77) You write that you have desire to avail of my association again, but why do you forget that you are always in association with me? When you are helping my missionary activities I am always thinking of you, and you are always thinking of me . That is real association. Just like I am always thinking of my Guru Maharaja at every moment, although he is not physically present, and because I am trying to serve him to my best capacity, I am sure he is helping me by his spiritual blessings. So there are two kinds of association: physical and preceptorial. Physical association is not so important as preceptorial association. (SP Letter to Govinda Dasi, 18/8/69) As far as my blessing is concerned, it does not require my physical presence. If you are chanting Hare Krishna there, and following my instructions, reading the books, taking only Krishna prasadam etc., then there is no question of your not receiving the blessings of Lord Chaitanya, whose mission I am humbly trying to push on. (SP Letter to Bala Krishna, 30/6/74) 'Anyone who has developed unflinching faith in the Lord and the Spiritual Master can understand the revealed scripture unfolding before him'. So continue your present aptitude and you will be successful in your spiritual progress. I am sure that even if I am not physically present before you, still you will be able to execute all spiritual duties in the matter of Krishna Consciousness, if you follow the above principles. (SP Letter to Subala, 29/9/67) So although a physical body is not present, the vibration should be accepted as the presence of the Spiritual Master, vibration. What we have heard from the Spiritual Master, that is living. (SP General lectures, 69/01/13) Devotee: ...so sometimes the Spiritual Master is far away. He may be in Los Angeles. Somebody is coming to Hamburg Temple. He thinks 'How will the Spiritual Master be pleased?' Shrila Prabhupada: Just follow his order, Spiritual Master is along with you by his words. Just like my Spiritual Master is not physically present, but I am associating with him by his words. (SP SB Lectures, 71/08/18) Just like I am working, so my Guru Maharaja is there, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Physically he may not be, but in every action he is there. To serve master's word is more important than to serve physically. (SP Room Conversation, Vrindavan, 2/5/77) So that is called prakata, physically present. And there is another phrase, which is called aprakata, not physically present. But that does not mean, Krishna is dead or God is dead. That does not mean, prakata or aprakata, physically present or not present, it does not matter. (SP Lectures SB 73/12/11) So, spiritually, there is no question of separation, even physically we may be in far distant place. (SP Letter to Syama Dasi, 30/08/68) I went to your country for spreading this information of Krishna Consciousness and you are helping me in my mission, although I am not physically present there but spiritually I am always with you. (Letter to Nandarani, Krishna Devi and Subala, 3/10/67) We are not separated actually. There are two - Vani or Vapuh - so Vapu is physical presence and Vani is presence by the vibration, but they are all the same. (SP Letter to Hamsadutta, 22/6/70) So in the absence of physical presentation of the spiritual master, the Vaniseva is more important. My Spiritual Master Sarsavati Goswami, may appear to be physically not present, but still because I try to serve his instruction, I never feel separated from him. (SP Letter to Karandhara, 22/8/70)

From Moses to Mahaprabhu By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura If the reader carefully considers, it will be found that the spiritual science gradually evolved from ancient times and became more simple, more clear and more condensed. The more impurities arising from time and place are removed, the more the beauties of the spiritual science brightly shine before us. This spiritual science took birth in the land of kusha grass on the banks of the Sarasvati river in Brahmavarta. As it gradually gained strength, this spiritual science spent its childhood in the abode of Badarikashram, which is covered with snow. It spent its boyhood in Naimisharanya on the banks of the Gomati river and its youth on the beautiful banks of the Kaveri river in the province of Dravida. The spiritual science ayyained maturity in Navadvip, on the banks of the Ganges, which purifies the universe. By studying the history of the world, it is found that the spiritual science reached its peak in Navadvip. The Supreme Absolute Truth is the only object of love for the living entities. Unless one worhips Him with attachment, however, the living entity can never attain Him. Even if a person gives up all affection for this world and thinks of the Supreme Lord, He is still not easily achieved. He is controlled and attained by transcendental mellows alone. These mellows are of five types - shanta, dasya, sakya, vatsalya and madhurya The first mellow, shanta, is the stage in which the living entity surpasses the pains of material existence and situates himself in transcendence. In that state there is a little happiness, but no feeling of independence. At that time the relationship between the practitioner and the Lord is not yet established. Dasya rasa is the second mellow. It contains all the ingradients of shanta rasa as well as affection. "The Lord is my master, and I am His eternal servant". This type of relationship is found in dasya rasa. No one cares much for any of the best things of this world unless they are connected with affection. Therefore dasya rasa is superior to shanta rasa in many ways. Sakya is superior to dasya. In dasya rasa there is a thorn in the form of awe and reverence, but the main ornament in sakya rasa is the feeling of friendship in equality. Among the servants, one who is a friend is superior. There is no doubt about it. In sakya rasa all the wealth of shanta and dasya is included It is easy to understand that vatsalya is superior to sakya. A son gives more affection and happiness than any friend. Therefore in vatsalya rasa we find the wealth of four rasas. Although vatsalya rasa is superior to these other rasas, it appears insgnificant before madhurya rasa. There may be many secrets unknown between father and son, but this not the case between husband and wife. Therefore, if we deeply consider, it will be seen that all the above-mentioned rasas attain perfection within madhurya rasa. If we go through the histories of these five rasas, it is clearly understood that shanta rasa was seen in the beginning days of India. When the soul was not satisfied after performing sacrifices with material ingredients, then transcendentalists like Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanat-kumara, Sananda, Narada and Lord Shiva all became detached from the material world, situated in transcendence and realized shanta rasa. Much later, dasya rasa manifested in Hanuman, the servant of Sri Ramachandra. That same dasya rasa gradually expanded in the northwest and manifested in a great personality named Moses. In the age of Dvapara, Uddhava and Arjuna became the qualified authorities of sakya rasa. They preached this rasa throughout the world. Gradually tha rasa expanded up to the Arabian countries and touched the heart of Mohammed, the knower of religious principles. Vatsalya rasa manifested throughout India in different forms at different times. Among the different forms, vatsalya mixed with opulence crossed India and appeared in a great personality named Jesus Christ, who was a preacher of Jewish religious principles. Madhurya rasa first shone brightly in Braj. It is extremely rare for this rasa to enter the hearts of conditioned souls, because this rasa tends to remain with qualified, pur eliving entities. This confidential rasa was preached by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the moon of Navadvipa, along with His followers. Till now, this rasa has not crossed beyond India. Recently a scholar from England named Newman realized something about this rasa and wrote a book about it. The people of Europe and America have not been satisfied with vatsalya rasa mixed with opulence as preached by Jesus Christ. I hope, by the grace of the Lord, in a very short time they will become attached to drinking the intoxicating nectar of madhurya rasa. It has been seen tha any rasa that appears in India eventually spreads to the western countries, therefore madhurya rasa will soon be preached throughout the world. Just as the sun rises first in India and gradually spreads its lights to the West, the matchless splendor of spiritual truth appears first in India and gradually spreads to the Western countries.

No Compromise! "If I were to desist from lecturing about the Absolute Truth due to fear that some listeners may be displeased, I would be deviating from the path of Vedic truth and accepting the path of untruth. I would become one who is inimical to the Vedas, an atheist, and would no longer possess faith in Bhagavan, the very embodiment of truth. He who compromises is finished." Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada

"Almost every sect of Christianity is a perversion of its essence, to accomodate it to the prejudices of the world." William Hazlitt, English essayist. The Round Table, "On the Causes of Methodism" (1817). ------------------------------ What has happened to the KRSNA Cociousness Movement's pure essence of the founder/acarya? Has it fallen down to the prejudices of 'modernity'?

<TABLE class=datetools cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD> Saturday, 21 June 2008 05:01 UK <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=416 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=213> </TD><TD width=203></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=storycontent cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>India baby girl deaths 'increase' </TD></TR><TR><TD class=storybody><!-- S BO --><!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=226 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD> There is a cultural preference for male children in India </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA --><!-- S SF --> The number of girls born and surviving in India has hit an all time low compared to boys, ActionAid says. A report by the UK charity says increasing numbers of female foetuses were being aborted and baby girls deliberately neglected and left to die. In one site in the Punjab state, there are just 300 girls to every 1,000 boys among higher caste families, it says. ActionAid says India faces a "bleak" future if it does not end its practice of cultural preference for boys. <!-- E SF --> Girls 'condemned' ActionAid teamed up with Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to produce the Disappearing Daughters report. More than 6,000 households in sites across five states in north-western India were interviewed and statistical comparisons were made with national census date. <!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=231 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibtbg> The real horror of the situation is that for women avoiding having daughters is a rational choice Laura Turquet, ActionAid </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX --> Under "normal" circumstances, there should be about 950 girls for every 1,000 boys, the charity said. But it said that in three of the five sites, that number was below 800. In four of the five sites surveyed, the proportion of girls to boys had declined since a 2001 census, the report said. The research also found that ratios of girls to boys were declining fastest in comparatively prosperous urban areas. ActionAid suggested the increasing use of ultrasound technology may be a factor in the trend. The document says that Indian woman are put under intense pressure to produce sons, in a culture that predominantly views girls as a burden rather than an asset. It says many families now use ultrasound scans and abort female foetuses, despite the existence of the 1994 law banning gender selection and selective abortion. The charity also blames other illegal practices - such as allowing the umbilical cord to become infected - for the growing gender imbalance. "The real horror of the situation is that, for women, avoiding having daughters is a rational choice. But for wider society it's creating an appalling and desperate state of affairs," Laura Turquet, women's rights policy official at ActionAid said. "In the long term, cultural attitudes need to change. India must address economic and social barriers including property rights, marriage dowries and gender roles that condemn girls before they are even born. "If we don't act now the future looks bleak," Ms Turquet said. Some 10 million female foetuses have been aborted in India in the past 20 years, the British medical journal the Lancet has said. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Deus Ex Machina A deus ex machina (Latin IPA: de:us eks ma:khina (literally "god out of a machine") is an improbable contrivance in a story. The phrase describes an artificial, or improbable, character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a situation or untangle a plot (such as an angel suddenly appearing to solve problems, or the entire story having been just a dream one of the characters was having). Wikipedia After hundreds of devotees have signed an online petition against GBC Resoluton 311, including many senior devotees and disciples of Srila Prabhupada, and the issue became a hot topic on several devotees' blogs, the directors of the BBT decided to keep Srila Prabhupada's books as they are and not to add footnotes or annotations, or change them in any way to make them more palatable to today's educated audiences.

When Ravana came to kidnap mother Sita and she saw him, she took shelter of Agni. The fire-god covered the body of mother Sita, and in this way she was protected from the hands of Ravana. The fire-god, Agni, took away the real Sita and brought her to the place of Parvati, goddess Durga. An illusory form of mother Sita was then delivered to Ravana, and in this way Ravana was cheated when he kidnapped the false Sita. The original Sita went to the abode of the fire-god. When Lord Ramacandra tested the body of Sita, it was the false, illusory Sita that entered the fire. At that time Agni brought the original Sita from his abode and delivered her to Lord Ramacandra. -CC. Madhya: 204, 205, 206

Indeed the truth of sastra shall conquer all.

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The 10 Defenses Against Committing the 10 Offenses <HR style="COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message --> “Ten actions… to protect one from the tendency to make offenses” that originally appear in Srila Sacidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s Harinama Cintamani. The 10 Defenses 1. Serve those who serve the Lord, don’t criticize them out of envy or false ego. 2. Worship Krishna as the “source of all spiritual and material worlds”, “the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities.” Show respect to demigods like Lord Siva or Ganesh and personalities like Hanuman as exalted devotees of Lord Krishna. 3. Show full respect to the spiritual master in thoughts, words and actions, considering him to be a representative of the Lord. Carry out the orders of the spiritual master with enthusiasm and attention to detail. 4. Honor (and study) the scriptures as the instructions of the Supreme Lord (dharmam tu saksad bhagavat pranitam) with the desire to understand how they are correct (not if they are correct). 5. Have faith that the Holy Name is not a mundane sound vibration, but is in fact transcendental sound, descending from the (pure) spiritual platform. 6. Have faith in the explanations and glorification of the Holy Name given by guru, sadhu and sastra. This knowledge is given by those who have experienced the glories of the Holy Name, and who have “seen the truth.” 7. Root out the desire to commit sins. A sin is an action that is not connected to the Supreme Lord; something done for the gratification of the senses. Acting only for the pleasure of the material body brings you further from practical realization of your factual identity as an eternal spirit soul (separate from the temporary material body). 8. Give up ritualistic pious activities. Transcend feelings of duty and obligation and perform all activities for the pleasure of Krishna. 9. Discuss the glories of the Holy Name with servants of the Lord who will relish hearing about it. 10. Chant attentively, absorbing your full consciousness in the transcendental vibration of the Holy Name. Also one who cultivates the four qualities of humility, tolerance, pridelessness, and respect for others will be protected from committing the ten offenses.

BBT turns down GBC recommendation, will not add "explanations" to Prabhupada's books Submitted by jswami on June 19, 2008 - 11:35pm. About editing Today the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust released this statement. The ISKCON Governing Body Commission has recommended to the BBT trustees that we insert endnotes or appendices into Srila Prabhupada’s books to explain statements Srila Prabhupada makes in Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.25.41, 4.25.42, and 4.26.26 concerning a woman’s attitude towards the aggressive advances of a man and towards a man who is “expert at rape.” The GBC has also recommended that the endnotes or appendices explain “other such statements.” The BBT directors, at their annual meeting in June of 2008, considered these recommendations and decided to turn them down. The directors have in fact discussed the relevant issues at length during several BBT meetings over the past few years. We have listened to opinions from concerned devotees and nondevotees. And additionally we have sought and received written advice on these issues from a selection of senior devotees, both male and female. The directors have considered several suggested approaches to the issues, including deleting or revising the controversial passages, adding footnotes, adding appendices, publishing free-standing explanatory inserts, publishing separate books of commentary, and doing nothing at all. As a result of our deliberations, we decided that the best approach would be to set up a site on the web where readers can go to get a better understanding of statements from Srila Prabhupada’s books that may be controversial, contrary to prevailing social norms, or otherwise difficult to comprehend or digest. As we reprint Srila Prabhupada’s books, we plan to include on the copyright page a brief note directing readers to that site for guidance on such matters. This web site was already in development long before the meeting at which the GBC passed their resolution. Addressing these issues on a website offers the following advantages, among others: It allows us to include explanations from several different viewpoints, not just one. It gives the authors space to write at whatever length they feel they need. It keeps Srila Prabhupada’s books free from editorial intrusions. It avoids needlessly highlighting statements that many readers may not find disturbing. It spares us from having to publish “official explanations” for statements about which even Srila Prabhupada’s leading disciples and followers have divided opinions. It saves us from the danger of publishing in Srila Prabhupada’s books an explanation with which he himself might disagree. It keeps us from embarking on the treacherous path of “explaining” more and more of Srila Prabhupada’s controversial or potentially controversial statements. We foresee that Srila Prabhupada’s followers will eventually write many books of commentary to directly explain and elaborate upon the teachings found in his books, and we welcome this. We see the website as an initial step in that direction. In this letter we also wish to respond to the specifics of the GBC’s recommendation. The GBC’s resolution gives three reasons for their recommendation. Two are these: “Some of Srila Prabhupada’s books contain sentences [like those cited] which when taken in isolation may be considered derogatory to and offensive against women.” “Some people who read such statements may consider them to be derogatory or offensive, may misunderstand what Srila Prabhupada actually means, and may not want to further read those books, notwithstanding the many other beneficial statements in them.” Regarding these two reasons, we recognize that Srila Prabhupada’s books sometimes make statements that some readers may consider offensive—offensive to women, to science and scientists, to democratic ideals, to other Gaudiya Vaisnavas, to scholarship and scholars, to homosexuals, to pacifists, humanitarians and philanthropists, to people of various nations or races, to followers of various spiritual or supposedly spiritual paths, to individuals widely revered as saints or incarnations of God, and much more. And we recognize that such statements may discourage some readers from reading further. Nonetheless, we think that adding notes or appendices to explain what Srila Prabhupada intended would be unwise, and potentially disastrous, especially if the purpose of the explanation were to soften the impact of Srila Prabhupada’s words, to explain that he “didn’t really mean” what he appears to have said—that is, not just to explain but to “explain away.” The GBC’s remaining reason is this: “Some ISKCON devotees may have used these statements out of context as an excuse to offend, neglect and abuse women.” We agree that this is true. But we believe that providing guidance and instruction on such matters is the responsibility of the GBC and ISKCON’s leaders, not the BBT or its editors. And we believe that Srila Prabhupada’s books are the wrong place for his followers to insert corrective guidance on morals, ethics, or proper attitudes and behavior. We think that annotating Srila Prabhupada’s books to keep ISKCON devotees from going off track is simply a bad idea. We are concerned, also, that the GBC has asked us to insert endnotes or appendices to explain not only the statements they quoted but also “other such statements as determined by the BBT.” That is not a road we think it wise for us to set off on. Once we get started, where does it end? In conclusion: We do not intend to add anything to Srila Prabhupada’s books, or subtract anything, or change anything Srila Prabhupada says, to make his controversial or potentially controversial statements more acceptable to readers or less vulnerable to misuse by ISKCON devotees. We believe that this would be unwise, contrary to our prescribed duties, and potentially disastrous. We also strongly urge whoever our successors may be to preserve Srila Prabhupada’s books intact and reject all proposals, however well intentioned, for softening the impact of his words.

Money, is it the root of all evil and no real sadhana? Money, get away Get a good job with more pay and you're okay. Money it's a gas Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash. New car, caviar, four star daydream, Think I'll buy me a football team. Money get back I'm alright Jack keep your hands off my stack. Money it's a hit Don't give me that do goody good b**@~!%t I'm in the hi-fidelity first class travelling set And I think I need a Lear jet. Money it's a crime Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie. Money so they say Is the root of all evil today. But if you ask for a raise it's no surprise that they're giving none away. Artist (Band):Pink Floyd

] This is krsna das when he was a baby; he wasn't so sincere or serious then as he didn't get up early in the morning...

Murti of Vedanta Deshika This is a piece from Sri Vedanta Deshika (1268-1387) and it appears in the Sishyakrityadhikara section of the Srimad Rahasyatrayasara, one of his most important works. The qualities required of the good disciple: Six Essential Qualifications for a Good Disciple 1. The disciple should have the highest devotion for his preceptor. 2. The wise disciple spreads the good name and fame of his preceptor to others. 3. The good disciple takes care of the guru’s property and his posessions. 4. The good disciple protects his guru’s teachings with a view to transferring them to a worthy disciple of his own. 5. The good disciple is always grateful to his guru. 6. The good disciple leads a pure life untainted by wrong habits and practises. Indeed, he should have the eight virtues of the soul spoken of by the sage Gautama: Compassion, Patience, Contentment, Purity, Earnest Endeavour, Noble Thoughts, Absence of Greed, Absence of Envy.

Is that not the real question : to be a real disciple would automatically mean you have a real Guru. Can there possibly be real bona-fide disciples of un-bona-fide real Gurus?

Obama and Arjuna: the Hanuman Connection By Vyenkata Bhatta Dasa on 9 Jun 2008 Image: Brooks Kraft / Corbis for TIME Amongst the things that Barack Obama carries for good luck are a bracelet belonging to a soldier deployed in Iraq, a gambler’s lucky chit, a tiny monkey god and a tiny Madonna and child. <!--paging_filter-->Barack Obama, Democratic candidate for President of the United States of America, has been compared to a number of great men before him. The charismatic young politician has been likened to president John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln, as well as to civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. But here's one that the mainstream media is not likely to catch: it seems Barack Obama has something in common with Lord Krishna's dear friend and devotee Arjuna. This Time Magazine White House Photo of the Day reveals that "amongst the things that Barack Obama carries for good luck are a bracelet belonging to a soldier deployed in Iraq, a gambler’s lucky chit, a tiny monkey god and a tiny Madonna and child." Monkey god? Is the small brass statue that Obama considers a luck charm, in fact a deity of Hanuman -- a powerful demigod and dedicated devotee of the Supreme Lord? Maybe. To be fair, the Time caption did not elaborate, it is hard to make out much detail in the photo, and there is a divine being in some Chinese Buddhist sects also known as a "monkey god." In any event, one can't help but think of the famous description of Arjuna given in Bhagavad-gita: "At that time Arjuna, the son of Pandu, seated in the chariot bearing the flag marked with Hanuman, took up his bow..." (1.20) Vaishnava commentators have expressed the significance of the Hanuman emblem on Arjuna's chariot. "The emblem of Hanuman on the flag of Arjuna is another sign of victory," Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to this verse, "because Hanuman cooperated with Lord Rama in the battle between Rama and Ravana, and Lord Rama emerged victorious." In carrying his little Hanuman deity with him wherever he goes, could Obama be following in Arjuna's mighty footsteps? Of course, as interesting as the connection may be to Hindus, the devoutly Christian Obama would probably not view the little statue as anything more than a lucky trinket. Still, in an increasingly pluralistic America, it might not hurt Obama to keep his mind -- and pocket -- open to the possibilities.

Amazing pilgrimage by the subtle mind...no jet lag! Thanks