atma

We're racist in a way that we put people of different color or country tied together. Indians are certain way, blacks are like that, jews, oh my God, whites feel superior, etc. Even between the races and countries you heard comments about skin color, between blacks they discriminate if they are light brown or really dark and they try to "bleach" the line. In India so many times I heard bengalis talking about the "blacks" from South India, or the intelligence of the Sardars, lack of manners of Marwaris, laziness of Bengalis...and it goes on in the devotee world too because we bring with us our conditioning. We have problems in Mayapur between foreigners and locals devotees, the French don't like Italians and we put all the Russians in the same group. We brand the individuals from where they come from or their skin. Put all in the same sack. In my work I see it all the time, the new manager is hiring only people of her race and everybody else is resenting it. When I deal with costumers I behave different with people depending on race because my conditioning tells me that with certain people I have to agree inmediately otherwise they may create a scandal. When I hear the assistant manager calling for "security to scan all areas" through the speaker I know without looking that he saw 2 or more black men entering the store and because he is racist he thinks all the blacks steal. I'm trying to raise my kids differently and they're much better than me in that aspect because in the devotee world you have the chance to mix with so many different races and countries from very little and you teach them we're all spirit souls. My mom always told me that she can tolerate anything from me except a black man (and in my country are hardly blacks because slavery was almost non-existent there). She is really racist and it took me a while to shake off that from me. My friends are Indians, Greeks, Latinos,and my black friend from Brazil, oh yeah some whites too. And Indians HAVE a problem with time, they relax too much, they eat very late and they're very racist. To be FAIR is the max there. Many devotees there told me that I won't have problem with my daughters'marriage because they look white and I won't have to give dowry, Marwaris would pay me to married them to their sons! I saw and heard indian devotees lamenting for the color of their daughter's skin. Too black, means more dowry, unless you get a white idealistic sincere boy that won't care about color and dowry. Jews got a very bad reputation and we brand all of them together. I guess they're intelligent so many of them joined the movement and went up the ladder so fast, many of them fell badly too. I got a few Jewish friends in the movement and they're quite nice, the women a little histerical and demanding but that can apply to most of the women /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif Until we become pure and see everybody as part and parcel of the Lord we'll make distinctions. Sad but true in the devotee world.

I just returned from the new Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Today was the first Sunday open to the public and I just went to check it out. While I still have reservations about the exterior, I was overall very impressed with the Cathedral as a whole. I made a point not to go during the mass time because I knew it would be very crowded, yet when I arrived it was still packed. The church made a special mass to handle this additional crowd. It was the fourth mass of the day. People were standing in line waiting, and the line stretched throughout the whole plaza complex. The arrangement was very nice because it was designed that everyone would be sheltered in the shade. When they let us in the enormous crowd flowed through very quickly. The Cathedral holds 3000 and the place was packed. One very nice feature was a glass wall on the outside grand plaza that paralleled the freeway. The glass was sound proof, and made a nice contrast. It overlooked the freeway system which was very busy and hectic, but from my vantage point above them on a hill, it was very peaceful and quiet. The grand plaza was 2.5 acres and included a nice garden with Mediterranean looking trees (reminded me of Italy), water pools and fountains, and sitting arrangements. I had read that the architect liked the freeway system which he said was like the rivers old cathedrals would be built next to. The glass wall contained all the names of the major donors for the cathedral and some nice etchings of flying angels. One donor I noticed was Arnold Schwarzenneger who donated for the massive bronze doors (by the way, I saw him bicycling past our Rathayatra carts last time). Another nice feature were the bells which were ringing. The main bell tower is 150 feet tall [from brochure]. Finally, I entered the Cathedral and participated during the mass. Because this was an additional (spontaneous) mass due to the overflow of people, Cardinal Mahoney asked the people if they wanted it in Spanish or English. It was mostly latinos in the audience, and by the crowd's reaction it was decided to hold a bi-lingual mass (but mostly it was in Spanish). I was impressed that Mahoney knew Spanish, and he was quite good. The first question he asked was if the people liked the cathedral, and everyone clapped in appreciation. The arrangement was very different because I'm not so used to people going so close to the altar. It was designed to have the congregation circling the altar so that they are facing each other (to be more communal). The nave stretched very long, starting from the altar and going back to the baptismal font. Some things I liked, the lamps were very unique with a triangle with a trumpet in the middle. This trumpet is where the sound came from, and I never saw a mike on the Cardinal. Also on the walls were very nice tapestries, and I really liked one of John baptizing Jesus. The organ was very large, but when they were playing the Spanish songs, the music sounded very Mexican, and other sounds were really heavy or sad. Before he finished mass, the Cardinal told us that we were welcome to visit the sanctuary and touch the altar and Jesus on the cross. This is very different for a Catholic church (at least from my time). The whole congregation walked on to the altar, and I touched the feet of Jesus. The deity was metallic and very big. The altar itself was solid red marble from Turkey. Really really nice. Below it were several gold angels. Also, the vyasasan (the Cardinal's seat) was very simple and artistic. It was funny, after the Cardinal left a number of people sat their kids on the chair and had pictures taken (it was very cute). Within the Cathedral were a number of relics including a massive door (I think) from the 1680s from Spain. It was really artistic and they are still restoring it and put more such items from the Getty museum. Also, there were different side altars for the Virgin. On my way out I left through the massive bronze doors. Combined the two doors weigh 25 tons, and have various incarnations of the Virgin Mary. I thought it was interesting that not only do the doors open, but also the door walls open up [its hard to describe]. Above the doors was a very, very different modern Mary. The deity is 8 feet tall, and stands on top of a moon with the sun rising above her head. To me when you look from the front it doesn't look ok. Her lips are too African, and she seems to have short short hair. Her nose is too Caucasian. They were trying to create a racially mixed Mary to reflect Los Angeles diversity. From the side she looks better because you can see her hair in a long braid (like a native American). The mausoleum was closed today but by the brochure it looks very nice with the stained glass and sarcophagus. In the brochure they are offering 1200 crypts and 5000 cremation niches for lay people to be buried. My question is I was always taught as a Catholic that you can't be cremated. That you are resurrected in the same body. Then how they accept cremation now? Outside Mahoney was greeting the people and I should have asked him but my friend didn't want to approach him. The rest was conference rooms, a café, gift shop, and the quarters for the Cardinal and the others. In the plaza they also are planning to hold mass for 6000 people. I thought it was a good place for the community to come together and it was a very nice experience. The time went by very fast.

I don't know how much of this is true....for me all politicians are crooked TWO TOUGH QUESTIONS: Question 1: If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had 8 kids already, three who were deaf, two who were blind, one mentally retarded, and she had syphilis; would you recommend that she have an abortion? Read the next question before scrolling down to the answer of this one. Question 2: It is time to elect a new world leader, and your vote counts. Here are the facts about the three leading candidates: Candidate A: Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with Astrologists. He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day. Candidate B: He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a quart of whiskey every evening. Candidate C: He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer and hasn't had any extramarital affairs. Which of these candidates would be your choice? Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt Candidate B is Winston Churchill Candidate C is Adolph Hitler And by the way, the answer to the abortion question: If you said yes, you just killed Beethoven. Pretty interesting isn't it? Makes a person think before judging someone. Remember amateurs built the ark -- professionals built the Titanic

Once walking in Navadwip, I saw in a shop the same deity of Lord Chaitanya in a smaller version. It was love at the first sight and I asked the shopkeeper from where he got it and he gave me the directions to the pottery shop. I got 2 of them, one very similar to the picture above and the other one Lord Chaitanya with Lord Jagannatha. Really beautiful. I had them for few years until some devotees from San Diego came to Calcutta and one of them who is a sculptor fell in love with them and begged me to give them to him because he wanted to make them in the West. They couldn't go to Mayapur to get them because at that time Mayapur was flooded and I gave them to him thinking I'll get them again in Navadwip. Somehow I didn't make it and I finished here in the West but maybe that devotee in San Diego makes them. I can't remember his name maybe Babhru prabhu knows about it. Gandharvika is the wife's name. I would love to have Lord Chaitanya again.

Strong men live longer Men need to feel needed, says a new study in Psychosomatic Medicine. Researchers at Yale University who studied 305 healthy couples found that married men lived longer and were less depressed if their wives depended on them as a source of strength. These men lived six years longer than men who depend on their wives as a source of strength may die earlier, researchers believe, because of the stress that comes from bucking the societal norm that says the husband is the pillar of strength. Also, these men may suffer stress from worrying about their wives dying and leaving them alone. The longevity of a woman seems unaffected by whether she is more depended on her husband, or vice versa, with one important exception. Women who are the source of strength for their husbands and who are childless tend to outlive women in other familial states. It could be that the "sheer burdens" of dealing with children and grandchildren take their toll on the women's life spans, researchers say. The Week Magazine

Todat I got in my hands the "Congregational Preaching journal" and there is an article by Angira Muni Dasa about what he learned from the Jehovah's Witnesses and how the congregational preaching works. Very interesting. I'll post tomorrow about it.

This has got to be one of the most clever e-mails that I have ever seen. Someone out there either has far too much spare time or is deadly at Scrabble. (Wait till you see the last one!) George Bush: When you rearrange the letters: He bugs Gore Dormitory: When you rearrange the letters: Dirty Room Evangelist: When you rearrange the letters: Evils Agent Desperation: When you rearrange the letters: A Rope Ends It The Morse Code: When you rearrange the letters: Here Come Dots Slot Machines: When you rearrange the letters: Cash Lost in em Animosity: When you rearrange the letters: Is No Amity Mother-in-law: When you rearrange the letters: Woman Hitler (Ha ha) Snooze Alarms: When you rearrange the letters: Alas! No More Zs A Decimal Point: When you rearrange the letters: Im a Dot in Place The Earthquakes: When you rearrange the letters: That Queer Shake Eleven plus two: When you rearrange the letters: Twelve plus one And for the grand finale: PRESIDENT CLINTON OF THE USA: It can be rearranged (With no letters left over, and using each letter Only once) into: TO COPULATE HE FINDS INTERN

What about the incident when Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati ordered to kill a snake? I think the difference is when "they are attacking"

What about the incident when Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati ordered to kill a snake? I think the difference is when "they are attacking"

A blind man enters a Ladies Bar by mistake. He finds his way to a bar stool and orders a drink. After sitting there for a while, he yells to the bartender, "Hey, you wanna hear a blonde joke?" The bar immediately falls absolutely quiet. In a very deep, husky voice, the woman next to him says, "Before you tell that joke, sir, you should know five things ..... 1 - The bartender is a blonde girl. 2 - The bouncer is a blonde gal. 3 - I'm a 6-foot tall, 200 pound blonde woman with a black belt in karate. 4- The woman sitting next to me is blonde and is a professional weightlifter. 5 - The lady to your right is a blonde and is a professional wrestler. Now think about it seriously, Mister. Do you still wanna tell that joke? The blind man thinks for a second, shakes his head, and declares, "Nah, not if I'm gonna have to explain it five times."

I just saw again after a long time, Braveheart, with a friend that never saw it before, both of us were crying like anything, but I'm writing here because I remembered somebody posted something about it some time ago and I came upon the holy basil question. My Greek friend told me that greeks don't cook with basil like italians because basil is considered 'holy'. They use it por purification and rituals in the churches and in their houses. Interesting. I love Braveheart.

Living in India I lived with rats and mice very often, more or less I tolerated them and I tried to block the points of entrance and that worked when I lived alone in a house. In Mayapur I saw the biggest rats in my life, they are called bandicoots, they came into the house through the holes in the kitchen and the verandah left for the water to go out when you wash the floor. Easy work, block the holes, no more rats, ha, they started coming out through the TOILET. It was so disgusting, tired of going to the neighbours each time we needed to pass, we got the brilliant idea of changing the style of the toilet from Indian to western. It worked. We put metal screens in all the windows because they ate the plastic mosquito nets. No more problems with rats or snakes, yeah, I forgot to mention the snakes. In the beginning when I moved in that apartment, it wasn't complete and it didn't have doors or windows, just the main door, it was the first building in the middle of the rice fields and was a lots of wild animal life. The mongoose(s) kept the snakes at bay, but once one sneaked into the house and I didn't noticed until the maid lifted the curtain and there it was a poisonous krate just where my baby was playing. The gardener killed inmediately. Another occasion the gardener found almost 100 cobra eggs in the garden, he destroyed them. In another occasion I knew a big rat was in the kitchen and I couldn't find it, I called the gardener and he came out with this huge rat taking it from its tail and to my horror he just smashed it to death on the ground. We has jackals that during the full moons had meetings just outside my window, they howled all night. we had wild cats too, really big, maybe because they ate so many rats. In Calcutta I lived in one filthy building infested by bandicoots and mice, it was horrible and because I shared the apartment with 2 more couples and the brahmacarinis it was impossible to keep them at bay because we didn't have the same standarn of cleanliness. The last drop in my glass was when I was breast-feeding my baby on bed and one rat just came on the bed completely fearless. I freaked out and that night I put puris with rat poison on them and the next morning we found 11 of them dead everywhere in the house except my room. I felt bad for the killing but I couldn't risk my babies to be bitting by rats or mice. Tramps didn't work. In my neighbours's apartment they left the rats run freely (you know because of Ganesh), sometimes sitting in their living room I saw them running around, finally they got tired of them when the father was sleeping and one rat was chewing his hat, was winter and he put a hat to sleep. They never got the rats with tramps, one of the maids got them from the tail and just threw them out of a hole in the bathroom. Not a solution. That city is so dirty and so full of rats, many,many times on my way to the temple I saw dead rats on the street and the crows were eating their insides, really gross. Even at the temple were rats and few times I saw mice running on the deities. nobody did anything about it and drove me nuts. Tramps were useless. they never caught anything with them and cats were not available. Hardly saw a cat in Calcutta. Once for Janmastami the cooks prepared the offering, so many preparations, they went for the abhishek and surprise, surprise, when they came back to the kitchen a rat was eating from the bhoga, one of the stupid ladies still wanted to offered and i had to stop it. Really nonsense. I think that if there is a way to control the rats, by blocking access, having a cat, tramps, having everything clean and neat, etc, its fine but when they are out of control I'll protect my family first. What to do?

Living in India I lived with rats and mice very often, more or less I tolerated them and I tried to block the points of entrance and that worked when I lived alone in a house. In Mayapur I saw the biggest rats in my life, they are called bandicoots, they came into the house through the holes in the kitchen and the verandah left for the water to go out when you wash the floor. Easy work, block the holes, no more rats, ha, they started coming out through the TOILET. It was so disgusting, tired of going to the neighbours each time we needed to pass, we got the brilliant idea of changing the style of the toilet from Indian to western. It worked. We put metal screens in all the windows because they ate the plastic mosquito nets. No more problems with rats or snakes, yeah, I forgot to mention the snakes. In the beginning when I moved in that apartment, it wasn't complete and it didn't have doors or windows, just the main door, it was the first building in the middle of the rice fields and was a lots of wild animal life. The mongoose(s) kept the snakes at bay, but once one sneaked into the house and I didn't noticed until the maid lifted the curtain and there it was a poisonous krate just where my baby was playing. The gardener killed inmediately. Another occasion the gardener found almost 100 cobra eggs in the garden, he destroyed them. In another occasion I knew a big rat was in the kitchen and I couldn't find it, I called the gardener and he came out with this huge rat taking it from its tail and to my horror he just smashed it to death on the ground. We has jackals that during the full moons had meetings just outside my window, they howled all night. we had wild cats too, really big, maybe because they ate so many rats. In Calcutta I lived in one filthy building infested by bandicoots and mice, it was horrible and because I shared the apartment with 2 more couples and the brahmacarinis it was impossible to keep them at bay because we didn't have the same standarn of cleanliness. The last drop in my glass was when I was breast-feeding my baby on bed and one rat just came on the bed completely fearless. I freaked out and that night I put puris with rat poison on them and the next morning we found 11 of them dead everywhere in the house except my room. I felt bad for the killing but I couldn't risk my babies to be bitting by rats or mice. Tramps didn't work. In my neighbours's apartment they left the rats run freely (you know because of Ganesh), sometimes sitting in their living room I saw them running around, finally they got tired of them when the father was sleeping and one rat was chewing his hat, was winter and he put a hat to sleep. They never got the rats with tramps, one of the maids got them from the tail and just threw them out of a hole in the bathroom. Not a solution. That city is so dirty and so full of rats, many,many times on my way to the temple I saw dead rats on the street and the crows were eating their insides, really gross. Even at the temple were rats and few times I saw mice running on the deities. nobody did anything about it and drove me nuts. Tramps were useless. they never caught anything with them and cats were not available. Hardly saw a cat in Calcutta. Once for Janmastami the cooks prepared the offering, so many preparations, they went for the abhishek and surprise, surprise, when they came back to the kitchen a rat was eating from the bhoga, one of the stupid ladies still wanted to offered and i had to stop it. Really nonsense. I think that if there is a way to control the rats, by blocking access, having a cat, tramps, having everything clean and neat, etc, its fine but when they are out of control I'll protect my family first. What to do?

I thought I posted this in the parables threads but it came out here, took it from VNN. The following story from the Nrsimha Purana appeared in issue number 11 of Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu, the free fortnightly email magazine from ISKCON Gopal Jiu Publications. It illustrates the negative effects of pride, as well as the power of a chaste lady. SPECIAL POWER There was once a righteous brahmana named Kasyapa. He had mastered all of the scriptures and was expert in explaining them. Disinclined to performing another's duty, he was daily absorbed in the worship of Lord Narasimha and was always engaged in performing yajna. Every morning and evening he would offer oblations into the sacred fire and he would always show proper hospitality to the brahmanas and guests at his residence. His wife was named Savitri. She was a high-minded lady, was honored for her virtue, and she led a spotless life in service to her husband. Due to her chastity and devotion she was endowed with the power of knowing things beyond the range of the senses. GREAT BRAHMACARI There was also a wise brahmana named Yajnasharman living in the land of Koshala. He had a devoted and religious wife named Rohini who was endowed with all auspicious features and an unblemished character. After some time Rohini gave birth to a son. Yajnasharman performed all of the recommended purificatory ceremonies for his son as described in the Vedas. The boy was named Devasharman. When he was eight years old his father performed his sacred thread ceremony and engaged him in study of the Vedas. After Devasharman had mastered the Vedas his father died. At the death of Yajnasharman, both the son and the mother were grief-stricken. Devasharman performed the funeral ceremonies for his father according to the instructions of saintly persons, and then he decided to travel to different places of pilgrimage. Devasharman's fame as a great brahmacari gradually spread far and wide. He had no residence and was always wandering from one place to another. Maintaining himself by begging alms, he was always chanting Vedic mantras and performing sacrifices. Meanwhile, with her husband dead and her only son living as an ascetic, Devasharman's mother Rohini had no means of support and was suffering terribly. BURNT TO ASHES In the course of his wanderings, one day Devasharman came to the bank of a river, where he took bath. Spreading his cloth on the ground to dry, he sat in meditation. Just then, a crow and a crane came and suddenly flew away with his cloth. Seeing this, Devasharman became angry and shouted abuses at them. The birds then dropped the cloth on the ground, passed stool on it, and flew away. Devasharman looked at them with wrath, and immediately the birds burned to ashes. Surprised to see this, Devasharman concluded that there was no one in the world equal to him in penance. Proud of the strength of his austerity, Devasharman left the river to seek alms at a nearby village. He came to the house where the devoted wife Savitri and her husband Kasyapa lived. Devasharman came to their door and requested Savitri to give him alms. However, Savitri was just then serving her husband his mid-day meal. Although she saw Devasharman at the door, she remained silent and attentive to her husband. After her husband had eaten, she washed his feet with warm water. Only then did she come forward to offer alms to the brahmacari. Having been made to wait for so long, Devasharman was very angry. He glared at the devoted housewife again and again with red-hot eyes. Seeing his conduct, Savitri laughed and said, "O furious sage! I am not the crow or the crane that fell down dead on the bank of the river by the strength of your anger. If you want to accept alms from me you will have to behave properly." Collecting the alms given by Savitri, Devasharman quietly left that place. Walking back to the river, he again and again thought in his mind, "How it was that she had come to know of the death of the crow and the crane?" Leaving his begging bowl by the river, Devasharman returned to the village. After the devoted Savitri had finished her meal and her husband had gone out, the brahmacari came to her residence and said, "O blessed woman, please tell me how you acquired this mystic power of knowing things beyond the senses?" SAGACIOUS ADVICE That virtuous and devoted woman Savitri replied, "O brahmana, please listen attentively to the answer to this question. The mystic power that I possess is the result of careful and consistent observance of the prescribed duties of a chaste wife. Service to one's husband is the established duty of women. O high-minded one, I have always followed that duty. Indeed, I know nothing else. I have acquired this power because day and night, without questioning, I have given complete satisfaction to my husband, waiting upon him with love and devotion. "If you are interested to listen, I will tell you something else. Your father was a brahmana who lived on alms. You took lessons from him on the Vedas. When he died you performed his funeral ceremonies. Then, ignoring your aged and widowed mother, you came here. That poor wretched woman is now without any support while your sole interest is only to feed yourself! Your mother bore you in her womb. After you were born she nurtured you and brought you up with all love and affection. She did everything for you including cleaning your stool. You have deserted her and have been practicing austerities in the forest. O brahmana, aren't you ashamed? What do you hope to gain by wandering about in the forest? "Because of the suffering of your mother a bad odor is coming from your mouth. Whatever strength and power you have is only due to your father, who performed various samskaras in your life. "O evil-minded sinner! Just recently, for no reason, you have burnt to death two innocent birds. As a result of this all of your sacred baths, your visits to different holy places, and all your meditation and sacrifices have been in vain. O brahmana, that person who sees their mother in a poor and wretched condition lives in vain, whereas he who is full of regard for his mother and who always protects her with devotion gets all rewards in this world and hereafter. "You should immediately go to your mother and save her life. Her protection is your highest penance. Give up your anger, for it destroys all merits accumulated in this world and in the next. You should atone for the sin of killing the birds. O brahmacari, what I have spoken to you is correct. If you are interested in ultimate happiness you should follow my advice." Having thus advised the son of the brahmana, the devoted wife fell silent. Devasharman then said to Savitri, "O blessed lady, please forgive me for the harm I have done to you by looking at you in anger. You have told me what is good for me. O righteous lady, after returning to take care of my mother, what duties shall I perform to attain the supreme goal?" TRIDANDI SANNYASA The devoted wife Savitri replied, "Listen carefully. I shall now tell you the duties that you have to perform. You should maintain your mother by begging, and you should also perform the prescribed atonement for the sin of killing the two birds. "In the land of Kosala there is a girl born in a brahmana family who is destined to be your wife. When you return home her father will offer her to you. You should accept her at that time. She will give birth to a baby boy who will perpetuate your family. punar-mrtayam bharyayam bhavita tvam tridandakah sa yaty asrama dharmena yathoktyanusthitena ca narasimha-prasadena vaisnavam padapapsyasi "With the passing away of your wife you should take up the order of tridandi-sannyasa. Provided you sincerely follow the disciplines of the sannyasa asrama, then by the grace of Lord Narasimhadev you will certainly attain the abode of Lord Vishnu. "Because you have inquired from me I have prophesized all of these things. If you do not have faith in my words then you may do as you like." The brahmana Devasharman said, "O devoted wife, I will immediately return to take care of my mother. O auspicious one, when I reach there I will do everything according to your advice." Having said this, Devasharman at once started for his home. There, free from anger and delusion, he maintained his mother with all care. He got married and was blessed with a son. When his wife passed away he took up the life of a wandering mendicant. He treated pebbles, stones, and gold on an equal level and by the grace of Lord Narasimhadev he attained the spiritual abode of the Lord. * * * One may ask how it was that the brahmacari was obliged to maintain his aged mother? Since he had devoted himself to religious pursuits and was strictly following the vows of brahmacarya, would he not be free from this obligation as per the following injunction of Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5.41? devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitnam na kinkaro nayam rni ca rajan sarvatmana yah saranam saranyam gato mukundam parihrtya kartam "Anyone who has completely given up all worldly relationships and has taken absolute shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, who gives us salvation and who alone is fit to be taken shelter of, is no longer a debtor or servant of anyone, including the demigods, forefathers, sages, other living entities, relatives, and members of human society." It should be noted, however, that this injunction of the Bhagavatam applies only to those persons who have taken full shelter of the Lord. Although the brahmacari Devasharman appeared to be living a highly pious life, his activities were still on the material platform. His objective was material piety through performing religious activities and visiting places of pilgrimage. He had not left home in pursuit of the Supreme Lord, nor had he sought out the association of transcendentalists, nor had he taken shelter of a bonafide spiritual master. Although he considered himself to be free from obligations to this world, because his pursuits were only external it was improper for him to abandon his religious mother. Since his activities were still on the material platform, the only fruit he received from them was an increase in his false prestige. This pride developed into anger, which then impelled him to kill the two birds. Devasharman had some faith in pious religious activities, thus he had karma-adhikara, or qualification for acting according to the Vedic system of religiosity. But he did not have faith in surrendering to the Lord, thus he was devoid of bhakti-adhikara, or qualification for performing krsna-bhakti. If those possessing karma-adhikara do not follow the principles of varnasrama-dharma then they become implicated in sin. For this reason the chaste and omniscient housewife advised him to return home. Krishna has instructed Uddhava (Bhag. 11.20.9): tavat karmani kurvita na nirvidyeta yavata mat-katha-sravanadau va sraddha yavan na jayate "As long as one is not detached from fruitive activity and material enjoyment, and as long as one has no faith in devotion to Krishna, beginning with the process of hearing and chanting His glories, one has to act according to the religious principles of karma or varnasrama." In the next chapter of the eleventh canto Krishna again says (11.21.2): sve sve 'dhikare ya nistha sa gunah parikirtitah viparyayas tu dosah syad ubhayor esa niscayah "Being fixed in the position for which one is qualified is virtuous. The opposite, accepting a position for which one is unqualified, is irresponsible and is considered impious. This is the definite conclusion." By acting according to his position in the Vedic system of varnasrama dharma, Devasharman gradually developed genuine detachment. He then took to the order of sannyasa and in the end achieved the spiritual abode of the Lord. -- Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu is published every ekadasi in PDF format, and is designed for those who want to go deep into the pastimes, philosophy, literature and history of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Bindu regularly features articles from previous acaryas such as Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode, Viswanath Chakravarti, Rupa Goswami etc., as well as new translations, research findings and contemporary articles. Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu is being produced in pursuance of the instructions of Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami, whose articles are also a common feature. Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu contains no politics, mundane solicitations or institution promotion or bashing -- only pure Krishna-katha. It is produced by ISKCON Gopal Jiu Publications, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. For information about obtaining your free email subscription to Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu, write to us at: katha@gopaljiu.org or visit our website: http://www.gopaljiu.org

I know alot of devotees who pray openly and mentally in front of the deities. I'm one of them and I love every second of it. Lately I'm trying to surrender and I tell Govindaji to give the strenght to tolerate whatever comes in my life, this material world is so uncertain and don't know what is coming next. I also tell them (Radha-Krsna) how weak I'm and how benefitial is for me and the children to live near the devotees. And of course, I always ask please let me remember the beautiful faces of Radha-Shyam at the moment of death. Every day when I go to work I have the mercy to see Sri Sri Rukmini Dwarkadish and from outside I offer my pranams and pray for tolerance with dealing with the world and when I come back again I see them and thank them for my day and that I was able to make it. I pray in English, Sanskrit, Bengali and Spanish. At home I'm more open with the deities, at the temple I get struck by the beauty of their faces and all the paraphernalia and I just stand there thanking them for allowed me to have their darshan. I think my Catholic background helped me a lot, deities and prayers are part of my life from the very beginning and I thanks my grandmother for that. At this moment I'm praying to Srila prabhupada who is on top of my computer to somehow guide my grandma's soul in her journey to the spiritual world. Two months after she passed away I become a devotee and much was because I needed answers for her death. I don't know if I'm into group prayer so much separate of bhajans and kirtans, for me is easier on my own. But prayer in any language is fine with me and people get tremendous benefits from it.

A great robber dies and goes to hell. He has done something great for the nation, he is therefore offered to choose in national hell. There he finds that there is a different hell for each country. He goes first to the German hell and asks: What do they do here?" He is told "First they put you in an electric chair for an hour. Then they lay you on a bed of nails for another hour. Then the German devil comes in and whips you for the rest of the day." The man does not like the sound of that at all, so he moves on. He checks out the USA hell as well as the Russian hell and many more. He discovers that they are all more or less the same as the German hell. Then he comes to the Indian hell and finds that there is a very long line of people waiting to get in. Amazed he asks "What do they do here?" He is told "First they put you in an electric chair for an hour. Then they lay you on a bed of nails for another hour. Then the Indian devil comes in and whips you for the rest of the day." But that is exactly the same as all the other hells - why are there so many people waiting to get in?" Because there is never any electricity, so the electric chair does not work, someone stole all the nails, and the devil used to be a public servant, so he comes in, punches his time-card and then goes back home..." /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

Ain't this the truth? Teaching Math in 1950: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit? Teaching Math in 1960: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit? Teaching Math in 1970: A logger exchanges a set "L" of lumber for a Set "M" of money. The cardinality of set "M" is 100. Each element is worth one dollar. Make 100 dots representing the elements of the set "M." The set "C", the cost of production contains 20 fewer points than set "M." Represent the set "C" as a subset of set "M" and answer the following question: What is the cardinality of the set "P" of profits? Teaching Math in 1980: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20. Teaching Math in 1990: By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the Logger makes $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees? There are no wrong answers. Teaching Math in 2000: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $120. How does Arthur Andersen determine that his profit margin is $60 Teaching Math in 2010: El hachero vende un camion carga por $100. La cuesta de production es.............

As Stonehearted put it so nicely: "but watch out for any true believers on either side" What a bunch of fanatics, both sides, they put me completely off in everything. Take it from somebody that saw all the politics and know the people from very close. Dirty politics to the max. Just chant Hare Krsna and be peaceful.

I didn't hear about Kirtanananda but what was funny to hear during Ratha Yatra was about Bhavananda getting married to one of Tamal Krsna M's disciples. A sexless marriage, he needed a domestic partner. Not that I care for any of this people, just sharing the gossip /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif

Got me thinking.... Kripalu told me to do this.., Guruji told me to do this, Vishnupada told me this,,,etc, etc. If we feel good everything is fine.

OK, I got it now.

When Prabhupada was the only guru the movement expanded enormously, now with many gurus and most of them pushing their own agendas with the disciples following them it seems stagnant. No offense intented, just some observation.

A woman was walking along the beach when she stumbled upon a Genie's lamp. She picked it up and rubbed it, and lo-and-behold a Genie appeared. The amazed woman asked if she got three wishes. The Genie said, "Nope...due to inflation, constant downsizing, low wages in third-world countries,and fierce global competition, I can only grant you one wish. So...what'll it be?" The woman didn't hesitate. She said, "I want peace in the Middle East. See this map? I want these countries to stop fighting with each other." The Genie looked at the map and exclaimed, "Gadzooks, lady! These countries have been at war for thousands of years. I'm good but not THAT good! I don't think it can be done. Make another wish." The woman thought for a minute and said, "Well, I've never been able to find the right man. You know, one that's considerate and fun, likes to cook and helps with the housecleaning, is good in bed and gets along with my family, doesn't watch sports all the time, and is faithful. That's what I wish for ......a good mate." The Genie let out a long sigh and said, "Let me see that freakin' map!"

I was downtown today and I stumbled across the Cathedral the Catholic church is building in Los Angeles. I was VERY disappointed. It officially opens up in about 3 weeks to the public so I only had a chance to view the exterior. I went down and walked around. Because you see the cross you realize it is a church, otherwise it just looks like a big warehouse building. It is blocky, square, brownish. The newspapers have been putting articles for the last few weeks and said they spent $165 million dollars and I'm wondering where all the money went because even though I didn't see the inside the exterior was very plain. I spoke with one of the security guards and in the beginning he said he likes it, but when I prompt him that I didn't like it he said he too likes it better in the old style. He did say that the inside is better. That I will have to see when they open to the public. For me its not that it is modern or anything, it is just plain ugly.

That's why you follow guru, shastra and sadhu to distinguish right from wrong. You don't let your mind guide you. It could be your worst enemy.