weallshineon

Thank you for your realizations and sharing

A thought provoking read - “The material world actually has NO ‘present time’ at all; there is only past, future time, that has the effect of decay, and impermanence. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> The creation of the Dreaming Universes, known as the mahat-tattva or material creation, is for those few Dreaming souls (less than 10% of all jivas) who choose to leave Gods Kingdom Goloka and do their own thing<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> This is the fact according to Srila Prabhupada who rejects the nonsense 'impersonal Brahmajyoti origin theory <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Yogis impersonally describe the impersonal Brahmajyoti to be our original state that is on the border, in-between the land and the ocean (meaning Goloka and the material world) This understanding is completely wrong and rejected by Srila Prabhupada <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> They do not understand the concept of the 'eternal present', where the full possible bodily expression and potential of the jiva is eternally found within the perpetual ‘present’ of Goloka that has no past or future - only the eternal 'NOW' exists there in endless devotion to Krsna.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> We, the Jiva tatastha (tatastha simply meaning we, the soul have the free will to choose) are expressed there as who we really are without the concept of past or future, that makes us imperishable in our endless body, ALWAYS within that realm of the perpetual ‘presents’. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The eternal present or the forever 'now' found only in Goloka. What is there, is ALWAYS there, meaning we are in Goloka now even though we are dreaming we are in the material creation of past and future that is devoid of any 'present'.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> It is there in Goloka or Krsnaloka our perpetual identity, personality and individuality is endlessly serving beautiful Krishna as our perpetual ‘svarupa’ body (nitya siddha), even if we sometimes forget that fact and 'dream' or 'think' we are in the material world.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The paradox here is no one never really leaves Goloka, they only dream, think and imagine they do by falling out of sync with the 'eternal present' and enter the dreams of Maha-Vishnu within His mahat-tattva creation.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The only thing that has changed is the ones awareness of 'eternal time' in relation to 'divided time' - hence it is not a division of consciousness, but rather a division of time, just like when the concept of mundane time changes while one is dreaming.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Actually when one again becomes aware of their eternal nitya-siddha body in Goloka and the eternal relationship they have with Krishna, it will be as if their baddha-jiva dream state, that has entered the dreams of the sleeping Maha-Vishnu in His mahat-tattva material creation, taking on a bogus identity of one of His material bodily creations, never existed. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> On return to the 'eternal present’, or simply waking up from dreaming in the mahat-tattva, it will be as if they never left because nothing has changed in Goloka.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> It is important to REALIZE that Goloka is a pure devotional place where perpetual loving service to Krsna, happens within the 'eternal present', devoid of past, future, decay and bodily absentees – every living entity is represented there by their permanent ‘svarupa’ body (Also known as the Siddha-jiva) of whom is them without beginning or end<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The material world, on the other hand, actually has NO ‘present’ at all; there is only past, future, decay, and impermanence. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The mahat-tattva is where the living entities can ‘sub-consciously’ project themselves and experience their own dreamed-up manifestation, created by their own thoughts and dreams. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> This secondary consciousness, which cannot exist or be expressed in bodily form in Goloka, is called the baddha-jiva. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Entering the material world therefore, is not a change of bodies, but rather a change of consciousness where the baddha-jiva is given bodily form by Maha-Vishnu in the restricted realm of past and future where the repercussions is a universe that is perishable and temporary resulting in the cycle of birth and death..<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> On the other hand, the ‘eternal present’ means exactly that ones body, service and position in Goloka, IS ETERNAL. This means ones ‘svarupa’ body is always in Goloka even if one is dreaming they are in the mahat-tattva. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Further more, the Impersonal Brahmajyoti or Impersonal Brahman is not a place where one goes; it is not some empty place or void, it is rather, a dormant state of bodiless consciousness the marginal living entities or souls, in the baddha-jiva condition, go. That is, after they have freed themselves from the ethereal and biological material bodies, provided by Maha-Vishnu FROM within his mahat-tattva creation. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> However, this place is also just a further dream state separate from the mahat-tattva the marginal living entity enters (as baddha-jiva dream manifestation) and is also a temporary state of consciousness one enters. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> This motionless individual inactive dreamless baddha-jiva consciousness within the impersonal aspect of the Brahmajyoti, can also be active or energetic in the mahat-tattva (material creation) <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> This nitya-baddha inferior self, or the secondary dreaming state of the marginal living entity, is actually a bodiless condition of the jiva until it is provided bodily form or a vessel for expressing their desires, provided by Maha Vishnu within his dream creation.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> This nitya-baddha bodiless consciousness is the inferior dreaming condition that all marginal living entities can activate if they choose to use their free will to ‘dream’ of self importance and indulgence. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada- "There are many energies, but they have been divided into three principal ones: the external energy, the internal energy, and the marginal energy. We living entities are the marginal energy. Marginal means that we may remain under the influence of the external energy or we may remain under the influence of the internal energy, as we like". From "The Journey of Self Discovery - His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> In other words, the marginal living entities secondary conscious projection is known as the baddha-jiva soul within the maha-tattva. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The marginal living entity actually has two aspects of consciousness; one is 'eternal form' of sat, cit, ananda, Vigraha or ones perpetual Krishna Conscious bodily form known as nitya-siddha, while the other is a non-Krishna conscious dreaming bodiless state called the nitya-baddha <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The nitya siddha body is imperishable and never fades away, due to being eternally established within the 'eternal present' of Goloka, while the other is a dreaming bodiless state that enters the mahat tattva and is given form according to desires of self interest.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The living entities, as their nitya-siddha body, are properly situated within the Lord’s internal energy as a perpetual bodily servant that is known as ones perpetual 'Svarupa'. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> When the marginal living entity misuses their independence and tries to act as enjoyers or lords; they are transferred to the material energy or mahat-tattva, not as their nitya siddha body, but rather, as a secondary dreaming consciousness called nitya-baddha.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Tatastha<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The Lord has three basic energies: internal, external, and marginal. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The living entities do not only belong to the marginal energy, they ARE the marginal energy or tatastha sakti that is embodied in their original full constitutional foundation, which is expressed as nitya-siddha in their innovative perpetual position. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Tatastha is another name for jiva tattva, marginal living entity, or jiva soul soul that also incorporates the jiva souls ability to choice the land or Goloka and the mahat-tattva or the ocean. The marginal living entity is therefore known as "tatastha sakti" <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The nitya-baddha consciousness is the result of the jiva executing and projecting its free will to ignore Krsna and chase their own plans of existence in the maha-tattva. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> When the baddha-jiva becomes frustrated with the mahat-tattva, and still denies their eternal existence with Krsna as nitya-siddha, he enters into a dormant inactive state of his own dreaming consciousness, that is known as the impersonal aspect of the Brahmajyoti. This state of dormant consciousness is ONLY achieved after being liberated from the mahat-tattva, which is really and factually the Impersonal aspect of the Spiritual Sky or Brahmajyoti, or their own individual consciousness. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> That means, although we are properly situated within the Lord’s internal energy in our ‘svarupa’ body eternally beyond mundane time and space, we always have the propensity to misuse our independence.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> This means we may choose to try and act as enjoyers or lords of all we purvey that immediately disqualifies us from being aware of our ‘svarupa’ body, and instead try to lord it over Krishna’s material energy that is under the jurisdiction of the sleeping and dreaming Maha-Vishnu.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada- "You are already in the spiritual sky, but you are simply covered. Just like the sun is already there. You are also already there…Try to understand. Actually we are not fallen therefore, at any moment we can revive our Krishna consciousness. ". Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture given in London, on July 30, 1971 <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada - "You are ever-liberated (nitya-siddha). The sky is always spiritual, but it is sometimes overcrowded with cloud, Actually, you are NOT conditioned (nitya-baddha). You are thinking. Just like in the dream that tiger is eating you. You were never eaten by tiger. There is no tiger. So we have to get out of this dream". (Lecture on Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.108--San Francisco, February 18, 1967)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada - "So to go to God or Krishna means you will have to acquire your original, spiritual body. The spiritual body is already there, but we are now covered by this material body". by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Homburg, Germany, June 22, 1974”<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> By Gauragopala dasa<o:p></o:p>

interesting read

The purpose of putting these Srila Gour Govinda Swami pages on sevamrta dot com is due to our relationship with HDG Srila Gour Govinda Swami during the 1990s, a relationship that has defined our very existence since then. To share, even just a little of the love and beauty of this rare vaisnava is the entire reason that www.sevamrta.com came into being in the first place. Srila Gour Govinda Swami gave such clear instructions regarding spiritual life amidst throngs of preachers that made little impact, and, dare I say it, made even less sense, in those days when understanding the goal of life was a consuming priority to so many of us. Nowdays the goal is a little different inasmuch as we are vainly and albeit humbly attempting to follow the path of Bhakti. Whilst following the path may be simultaneously easy and impossibly difficult, Bhakti Herself, as a process as well as a goal can be understood easily enough thanks to the mercy of HDG Srila Gour Govinda Swami, ki jaya! Download instructions: To download lectures please right click on the desired lecture link(s) and choose "Save Target As" from the resultant drop down menu. If you have a good enough connection a left click will permit you to listen to the lecture in whatever media player your system has as default player. Since the download is the same either way, if you have space on your hard drive you might as well download the lecture so you can share with friends. Feel free to contact us should you have any comments or requests. http://www.sevamrta.com/sggs.com/sggsapy.html http://www.sevamrta.com/sggs.com/lex.html This is a very nice site with good information

Thank you this is a good inspiring read

His Divine Grace Sucandra prabhu has made this thread very very clear - if your a buddhist then your an athiest and an impersonalist

Marverlous point sweetie pie

http://www.goveg.com/environment.asp

Instant Karma goin to get them YEAH ITS GONA BE BIG

The Bhaktivedanta Manor is Leaving ISKCON BY: MR. PATEL Aug 18, WATFORD, ENGLAND (SUN) — Respected devotees of Lord Shree Krshna! Please accept my Namste, All glories to you, your family and His Divine Grace. I have been privy to topics and emails discussed by the Patron Council at Bhaktivedanta Manor. The Patron Council is a board of "patron donors" that has been making the final executive and directive decisions for the Hare Krishna Temple in Watford for many years working in close cooperation with Srutidharma das and Pranabandhu das. I want to inform the devotees worldwide of what I see as some serious deviations of the decisions made by the Council Members. The Patron Council of Bhaktivedanta Manor has decided to legally separate the Temple from ISKCON. In the very near future, the Bhaktivedanta Manor will become an independently owned and privately managed Charitable Trust, with no legal obligations to ISKCON, Srila Prabhupadaji and GBC, and this is giving me a serious pain in my heart. I want to write this email because I hope that with this knowledge the GBC and the true followers of Srila Prabhupadaji can do the necessary to keep this beautiful and dear Bhaktivedanta Manor the way Prabhupadji wanted it. This information has been given to me by some Members of the Patron Council in the strict confidence; I know it is accurate beyond any doubt. Below is an email written by one Patron (Mr. Sanjiv) about their plans for keeping Mr. Gauridasji as a shadow Temple President, not accepting CPO/ISKCON decisions. Some more documents will follow in the next few days. I must remain anonymous for fear for my family. Sincerely Mr. Patel ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Agarwal Sanjiv K s.agarwal@imperial.ac.uk 2008/8/4 RE: CPO Official Decision Patrons Council -Bhaktivedanta Manor Respected Ashok prabhu PAMHO.AGTSP. I have read your document with immense interest. I bow down to your amazing enthusiasm to fight for justice and support the Manor. With reference to CPO, I totally share your views and have started making my enquiries very discreetly. I personally would like to go full blast but it would just be wise and in the best interest of our beloved Gauri prabhu to act with calm only in terms of waiting for the right time to strike. Please be very careful that expression of our feelings at this time might weaken the subsequent appeal process. I have decided to wait till the appeal process is over and then take apart the whole structure/procedures/policies etc apart after that. We can join hands/resources/time/intellect in doing that. May be we can discuss directly if you wish so. You can either email me on: s.agarwal@imperial.ac.uk or call me on my mobile [ number deleted ]. Regarding your questions about the situation of the Manor, we have been discussing these issues in detail either in the patrons council meeting or otherwise. How would you feel if there are discrepancies between the alleged presentation and actual evidence? I have been thru the testimonies and Gauri prabhu's response in detail personally- I do not think we need to worry about this aspect. How the Team Manor would support the leader in the light of so called tarnish image? We are supporting Gauri prabhu and we should all just echo that mood Even if his sentence is reduced, the interim president would run the affairs in meantime and how he/she would feel during or at the end of the term? The interim president knows that he is interim. He should not really be attached to the position Do you feel the sentence would be reduced? Yes if not abolished altogether What about salary and other benefit? We are in the process of finding a way forward, pls bear with us. What duties he would perform in the interim period? We have a lot of projects at the Manor, he has immense contacts, we would like him to project manage them as a consultant What, if any; risk Manor would face in short term and long term? Need to be evaluated How would you mitigate those risks? Stay together as a unit and have faith in Krishna. Could he be effective leader? Who? If you are talikng of Gauri pr - HE has been for last 6 years of course he wiill be. Would any key players in Manor feel aggrieved, against of him or put road blocks? How would the management deal with those issues? Yes, there are always obstructions and obstacles in the path, some of which we are already aware and some not. They will be seen as challenges and we have a strategy for this which we can not discuss on the open forum Any potential legal implication arises? Not a huge amount, but we have exceptional people like Vinay pr who always has an answer. What would be effect on brand name 'Bhaktivedanta Manor- Home of Lord Krishna? We can dwell on that later. Is Manor as an entity, non compliant with laws of land like employment, tax laws, companies act and so on. I do not think so, if you feel so pls let us know we will be delighted to look into it. What would be effect of shadow president? Rotating chair than shadow president.Works well in Chowpatty. Hope this answers some of your questions. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANY STEP WHICH WOULD JEOPARDISE GAURI PR'S APPEAL PROCESS. Hare Krishna ys Mr.Sanjiv Agarwal, M.S., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.S.(Urol.) Consultant Urologist, Hammersmith, Charing Cross and St.Mary's Hospitals, Hon.Senior Lecturer Imperial College School of Medicine The Bhaktivedanta Manor is Leaving ISKCON, Part 2 BY: MR. PATEL Aug 19, WATFORD, ENGLAND (SUN) — Respected devotees of Lord Shree Krshna! Please accept my Namaste, All glories to you, your family and His Divine Grace. Today I submit some more pertinent documents regarding the regime of fear that rules the Bhaktivedanta Manor with an iron fist. Again, I must remain anonymous in fear for my family. Sincerely, Mr. Patel This should form the basis of discussions tomorrow (I can only join at 9.30PM). I would suggest that we ask for modification in the decision based on the above clause of either 1. reduction in the duration (which I think is unlikely to succeed) or 2. Removal of the point 2 from the decision (re classes and kirtan). We then go to appeal. Ashok prabhu's point about getting a written apology from GBC is a very valid one because they have to take the responsibilty of the consequences of this decision. We cannot and should not be left to bear the consequences alone. I know you have more pressing work to do for the next 24 hours but I want to raise this now so people get enough time to ponder over this. Any one except local community, TP, local GBC can put our case forward: ? HH SRS, GBC chair etc (see the clause above) We as a group have to always stick together and we will. I remain really privileged to be part of this elite, highly intelligent group of individuals ys Mr.Sanjiv Agarwal, M.S., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.S.(Urol.) Consultant Urologist, Hammersmith, Charing Cross and St.Mary's Hospitals, Hon.Senior Lecturer Imperial College School of Medicine. 2. Investigation It is rather sad affairs. You should have now known on weakness of the process and the system. I read the manuals .The CPO, I do not doubt ability of devotees who tirelessly render services for CPO. My issue is with the process itself. If anybody is found guilty after due process then the person should pay adequate penalty and awards to victim. Reading the email from CPO to Gauridasa, I feel that all these meeting, long hours and pain is wasted. The manual states the circumstances one can appeal. We should have demanded as I suggested as trustee of the Manor not as supporter of Gauridasa the opportunity to examine the process. I do not accept the arguments like it is power by GBC and nobody can question. You as a trustee have public interest to ensure and maintain Tone of The Tops. Hiring and firing is part of this. The million $ question is how one know that the process is followed through and could be measured against some standards. I suggested in my previous email that some of you should pay visit here and see the evidence in person and then decide objectively. I was happy to pay the expenses of this end. I guess I may be in minority to think like this. You're trustee. It is your responsibilities to ensure to maintain the integrity and tone of the top. It has nothing do with personalities. Remember, Manor enjoy great deal of tax break of the donations. You're representing public interest. Your rule of thumb must be persuasiveness rather then convincing. Neither have I known what quality control system CPO has nor standard to measure against off. Some of you find this difficult to understand but let me write some standards in plain English. The entire investigation should be measure against following standards I developed using my professional expertise in this field. I do not wish to bore you with lengthy verbiage but I hope you would get feel of it. One day we may provide training on this. General Standard: Training: what type of training is provided to investigators? How competent investigators are? What professional qualifications do they possess? What investigation undertaken outside ISKCON? Independence: Are investigators are independent of victims, plaintiff, defendant, body or organization? Whom they report? How they remunerated? Who pays them? Has any of them work or associated with any victim or defendant in past? Professional Due Care: Is investigator failed to do that ordinary prudent person do based on evidence? Any bias? Any misrepresentation of material fact? Reckless disregard of truth? Field Work Standard: Planning: How the investigation was planned? Was time line and budget set? How and whom notice was served? How nature, timing and extent of investigation were determined? Who determined that? Was adequate resource afforded in terms of time and money? Control: What controls like policies and procedure is used to base this investigation? In another words, if one can not have policies and procedure then one can not determine the effectiveness of control. The investigation is like an assurance whether the control is working or not. Evidence: Must be both competent and sufficient to afford an opinion. Competent means it must be relevant to objective. Personal observation has higher weighting then hearsay. On other hand 3rd party evidence has higher weighting than hearsay. Sufficient means enough to afford opinion based on persuasiveness rather than convincing. Reporting Standards: Opinion: Is it based on evidence or circumstantial evidence? How the sentence is determined? Any guidelines on sentencing? Is any peer review exists before an opinion? What is qualification of peer reviewer? How the work papers maintained? What is the process of access and rights of work papers? Disclosures: Are all the facts in totality disclosed? What are the guidelines on disclosure? Can injured party sue the entity or body on defamation of character? Consistency: What quality control system CPO has so it renders opinion with same consistency in all case without any exception. Reading the main body of the text from CPO director, two types of appeal is sited. I think one which is to do with process appears to be the correct ground. Regrettably I did not read in the ground of appeal by Gauridasa. To summarize, the TP must meet the highest standards in all respect and provide leadership to lead effective team at Manor. The person must pass through all due diligence and standards. Any stakeholder could initiate an investigation but Manor should have 110% confidence in the investigators that they would meet, at minimum, aforementioned standards. Otherwise people life would be ruined. I can not support by any way or means if there are serious shortcomings by either of these two. Otherwise, 110% unflinching support not sure what is worth of. <CENTER> Patron Council Meeting Minutes 05 June 2008 @K.C.'s </CENTER> Attendees: Gauri, Pranabandhu, Srutidharma, Nila Madhava, Syamasundara, Rameswara, Harivamsa, Vinay, Kamlesh, Vinod Krsna, KC, Sanjay Gadhvi, Hitu, Dr Sanjiv, Dilip prabhus 1. New Gokul a. Gopal Rajas - increased from 59 to 73. Quota for increase was 38. b. Discussion to take place regarding the financial maintenance and upkeep of New Gokul c. Quotas for forthcoming period: NMD - 1, PBD/SDD - 5, Rameswara - 3, Vinay - 1, Kamlesh - 1, Vinod Krsna - 1, KC - 2, Sanjay - 1, Syamasundara - 1, Hitu - 1, Sanjiv - 0, Dilip - 1, Gauri Pr - 2, Harivamsa - 1. d. ISKCON Goshalla Ltd is beinf formed. 99% owned by ISKCON, 1% in trust for ISKCON. Syamasundara Pr to meet with accountants and Rameswara and discuss implications/practicalities. e. Substantial donors should receive a special exclusive gift f. Bhumi Puja - keynote speech from UK Chief Inspector of Schools - Mrs Gilbert, Navin Krsna - i-foundation, Naina Parmar - headmaster, Peter Hamilton - governor. Mechanics of event are underway. 2. School update - presented by Rameswara 3. Frank Ward's book a. Sanjay Gadhvi, Radha Mohan, Nainesh and Hitu to meet Frank Ward and discuss marketing. 4. Finance Committee Meetings a. Concern by Ashok raised that finance committee meetings are not happening according to his understanding of nature and frequency b. PBD -apologises for not providing sufficient notice prior to meetings c. PBD - Feels it is not necessary for all departments to be present at meetings. The major departments should meet, it is not necessary for smaller departments to be there. Smaller department heads should be called in as required. d. PBD observes that required members have been abroad on important business in previous sessions contributing to lower than expected attendance e. Finance committee should formulate a policy and present it to the PC for ratification f. Financial monitoring is nevertheless much better than in the past, with monthly scrutiny by Rameswara & Kamlesh, and monthly finance reports being produced by PBD and team for scrutiny. g. April finance and YTD figures presented to PC. Proper system being established so that gift aid claims can be made on cash donations. 5. Janmashtami new layout a. Entrance to be moved to the Goshalla - between barns b. Main tent to be moved to the adjacent field c. Construction work will be continuing d. Generators will power the main tent etc so excessive load is not placed on the Manor's main supply. e. Vegetarianism and climate change are big themes at the moment and should be incorporated in Janmashtami presentations 6. Warehouse a. Keys to be obtained on 16th June b. Running costs, charity rates to be assessed c. Mezzanine floor required i. List of offices to move ii. Barn storage includes Janmashtami & theatre storage which will need to be housed iii. Senior Management to identify which areas can move iv. Evaluation of when Central can move v. On 16th - senior managers and temple devotees to conduct puja ceremony. vi. 8pm Wed 25th June Dhirubhai and Pritesh to be invited to the warehouse to assess construction possibilities

Let there be light is an English translation of the Hebrew יְהִי אוֹר (or yehiy 'or). Other translations of the same phrase include the Latin phrase fiat lux, and the Greek phrase γενηθήτω φώς (or genēthētō phōs).<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The phrase comes from the third verse of the book of Genesis in the King James Bible:<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. <o:p></o:p> 1:2 - And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. <o:p></o:p> 1:3 - And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. <o:p></o:p> 1:4 - And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Thank you bart, your realizations have encouraged me to try and understand

The Three Gunas<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> Guna: a constituent, strand, or dimension of prakrit<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The Gunas, whose natures are pleasure, pain, and indifference, <o:p></o:p> (serve to) manifest, activate and limit. <o:p></o:p> They succesively dominate, support, activate, and interact with each other. <o:p></o:p> Sattwa is buoyant and shining <o:p></o:p> Rajas is stimulating and moving <o:p></o:p> Tamas is heavy and enveloping. <o:p></o:p> They function for the sake of purusha like a lamp <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Sattwa - Samkhya: accounts for thought and intelligibility, experienced psychologically as pleasure, thinking, clarity, understanding and detachment. Classical Yoga: - when sattwa (purity, illumination through comprehension) predominates, consciousness manifests itself as prakhya - vivacity, illumination, mental clarity and serenity.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Rajas - accounts for motion, energy and activity. Experienced psychologically as suffering, craving and attachment. Classical Yoga: - when rajas (energy) predominates, consciousness is pravritti - active and energetic, tense and willful.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Tamas - accounts for restraint and inertia. Experienced psychologically as delusion, depression and dullness. Classical Yoga: - when tamas (obscurity, heaviness) predominates, consciousness is sthiti - inert, punged into a state of repose and torpor<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> As the three primary qualities of phenomenal nature (prakriti) and of embodied consciousness, the concept of the three gunas has had great influence, becaming a basic concept running through Hindu culture.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> An analogy can be made with the gunas and the yin-yang polarity of Chinese thought. Sattwa clearly represents Yang, Tamas Yin, and Rajas has qualities of both. The three pillars or columns of the Kabbalistic tree is another example, although the correspondence is less clear. Both the central column of Balance and the right-hand column of Mercy would represent Sattwa, while the column of Severity on the left combines Rajas and Tamas.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>

Wow, thats got to really hurt, as george castanza would say. So you made it clear shasrically that all my buddhist friends are nothing but atheists, I suppose they better start chanting Hare Krsna

Nice realization, your cool? I just spent an hour reading all your posts, I think your a dear devotee of Lord Krishna

With the festive season coming up, Temples all over India and the World are becoming security conscious as reported in the media <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> In some places, up to 100,000 Hindu’s and guests visit these Temples on the big day. <o:p></o:p> Don’t forget to put guards out the front and back of ALL Temples to check everything as recommended! <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>

In the 1950s, the then Soviets become frustrated with the American pushing into South East Asia and gave China the Atom Bomb to scare off the Americans.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Now with the Americans transporting Georgian troops from Iraq to Georgia and Israel training Georgian troops and providing weapons. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Wouldn't it make sense to the Russians to secretly provide nuclear weapons to Iran? The Russians are already building the nuclear reactor there?<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> If I was in the Russian Government that’s what I would do. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Stuff all the Russian businessmen who depend on western markets to make money. I think many Russian military men are sick and tired of seeing their homeland suck up to the Americans. Maybe they will be clever and give Iran the BOMB.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Lets face it, when it does happen, and unfortunately, it will (unless of course the devotees of Krishna work together in what we know as the real world to stop it), War will be inevitable.

Reading this is a breath of fresh air, there is so much mundane speculation on this forum at the moment. GET BACK TO THE NECTAR OF SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM WHICH IS THE CREAM OF ALL THE VEDAS

Shouldn't ISKCON also address this serious problem where devotees can have so many wives? How long can ISKCON tolerate such lusty behaviour?? The media has polluted so many western devotees. Also, the influence of Television and Movies, video games, computers, heavily saturated with advertisements, where women are treated as objects for self-gratification (extended selfishness) has creep in and weakened so many ISKCON devotees over the years, especially the householders who sadly have the T.V. or Computor as their alter instead of Radha and Krsna and Srila Prabhupada. Also what ever happened to seeing a women or a child's material body as containment where a spiritual entity resides instead of something to use as an extension of our own selfish lusty sense gratification. Understanding this is the highest level of human and spiritual rights. We have to learn to serve and carefully nurture ALL others spiritual needs and not exploit, abuse, molester and assault them to satisfy our own frustrating itch!!! Unfortunately, most of the second generation of children of the first generation have been lost to the glitter of western technology and temptation. Why? Because their parents and devotee mentors were not free from the bad habits of their youth, even though they have been devotees for years. It just goes to show that imitating advanced devotees with the shaved heads and show of reciting slokas and leading wonderful kirtans, will only last if it comes from deep, deep within the heart of total conviction. Not even the majority of the original chosen eleven imitating gurus were convinced, what to speak of the rest of us. Prabhupada says we must be convinced; we must believe and NOT just hold our breath to pass the test of time as some are doing. Unfortunately, most have failed and today ISKCON is no longer attracting the youth of the world in the West as it did 40 years ago. In fact if it wasn't for the Indian community, ISKCON would be in great trouble. Now in 2008, the 40-year novelty has well and truly worn off and the mirror of what ISKCON is supposed to be, is now becoming clearer. Not just on the surface that was mostly imitation in the early days, but underneath as well that will make ISKCON real and unbreakable. Destruction can only come from within, never from without. So because the imitation could not last in the 1980s and 90s, it revealed where most of us were really at and how un-advanced we really are. ISKCON can and is using such failure to hopefully bring about a more mature, caring gossip free ISKCON devoid of imitation, immaturity, emotional, psychological, physical and sexual abuse (meaning women within marriage as well). As Prabhupada has said, 'If we are SPIRITUALLY intelligent, then such failure WILL be the pillar of ISKCON’s future success' of again attracting young Western boys and girls AS WELL. <!-- / message --><!-- edit note -->

We thought the world was flat 500 years ago, personally there needs to be more evidence. The world heats and cools in cycles. The amount of fuel fumes in the air and plastic in the sea doesn't help, but is there something else also going on? The world is not going to be destroyed by nuclear weapons or climate change soon because there is still 427,000 years to go before the human race sees the last days or the apocalypse