atma

Ok, I'll go for it. I'll sit with my plate of spaggetti in front of the tv and watch the video. Comments later. I do like Aamir Khan from before, I think he is a nice guy.

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old man. He was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie. He gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer. Again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word. As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug. He gave him his biggest smile ever. When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy? "He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? He's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!" Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked, "Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected." Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally! Send this to people who have touched your life in a special way. Let them know how important they are. (I did!) Have lunch with God! And .......Thanks for touching my life.

One of my girls saw the movie and she said is really good. Should I waste 3 + hours of my time on it? I think theist saw it. What do you think? Any other opinion? I saw Memento again. I really like it.

Very nice and sweet story. Some of us came from very bad backgrounds and only for the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and His followers we are chanting the names of the Lord. I knew one devotee that was a butcher and other that killed people in a civil war and they are doing great as devotees. When I hear this stories I appreciate even more Srila Prabhupada who left Vrindavan to give His mercy to fallen souls like us.

Thank you Jayaradhe for your words to 'radharani'. I hope that she listens to you because is for her own benefit and you are telling her very frankly out of compassion for her.

I don't know why, maybe is intuition but Shashi remind me Talasiga.

I always took that passage like women in general prefer an agressive guy sexually, somebody that dominates them, feel like the guy is so smitten by her that he can't control himself and if you hear women talking, in general is like that. When the man doesn't show too much interest in sex the woman may feel ugly, fat, unatractive, etc. She may take it personal. Of course we are not talking of devotees here, where the goals are completely different. If you by chance see one of those dates shows on TV the all thing is about sexual attraction and how the women dress very provocative to seduce the men and how the guys go for it. I'm talking here about sex between consenting adults. See it in the context that Prabhupada is saying it too, about the story of King Puranjana and all the thing that is going on with sexual desires. The girl is chaste and Puranjana has to be agressive but both of them are in accord. Not to be misunderstood here, I'm sure that no woman will like an expert rapist but I always took Srila Prabhupada's words in the way I tried to explain above.

Why did you have to spoil my dream?

I'm going with Germany against Brazil just for the sake of sleeping next week. They're already out here planning how they'll celebrate. Some of my co-workers told me that Brazilian women scare them. I guess they are a little bit agressive.

I liked it too.Especially the part about the female being more gifted

Sometimes we do certain things or respond to people in certain way based on 'intuition'. Sometimes we're wrong. I think intuition has more to do with feelings and hunches and if something goes wrong we can't blame paramatma for it. Maybe we have those feelings coming from previous lives. Just pondering.........

Great to read Maharaja's trip in South America. I lived in Ecuador for more than 2 years and Cuenca has lots of nice people. Once we had a program there and we stayed in some hotel because wasn't a temple yet and we had the loudest kirtan in one of the rooms until they told us to shut up. The funny thing about that progran was that the TP's were in a funny mood and decided "no more dhotis and hindu stuff for the devotees", a few ladies were with saree. The visiting maharaja was very upset for this and called them "mormons" because they wore suits and ties. Next day we had a yagna for iniciations and a wedding and with the exception of the ones getting married, the initiates and me nobody else was with devotional cloth, I ended up helping Maharaja do the yajna. Guayaquil is so hot and humid that I don't remember wearing a sweater ever, we got a really nice house with pool included just outside the brahmacarini ashram, it was really convenient. One day I was alone at the temple because I was ill and I heard glasses falling arond the pool, I looked out of my window and I saw many iguanas basking in the sun, moving with their tails the glasses lefy by the devotees...Such ugly creatures (the iguanas). They have a park in the middle of the city where are so many of them that if you seat in a bench one may fall on your head! I swear, they are crawling all over the place and so many in the trees. I know the devotees have a nice building in the middle of Guayaquil and my friend Manjari is a great cook, I'm sure she contributed in those 25 preparations. Once we had the First Lady coming for prasadam, she really loved it. I didn't know HPS goes to those lands so far away. I remember him from Mayapur.

Great to read Maharaja's trip in South America. I lived in Ecuador for more than 2 years and Cuenca has lots of nice people. Once we had a program there and we stayed in some hotel because wasn't a temple yet and we had the loudest kirtan in one of the rooms until they told us to shut up. The funny thing about that progran was that the TP's were in a funny mood and decided "no more dhotis and hindu stuff for the devotees", a few ladies were with saree. The visiting maharaja was very upset for this and called them "mormons" because they wore suits and ties. Next day we had a yagna for iniciations and a wedding and with the exception of the ones getting married, the initiates and me nobody else was with devotional cloth, I ended up helping Maharaja do the yajna. Guayaquil is so hot and humid that I don't remember wearing a sweater ever, we got a really nice house with pool included just outside the brahmacarini ashram, it was really convenient. One day I was alone at the temple because I was ill and I heard glasses falling arond the pool, I looked out of my window and I saw many iguanas basking in the sun, moving with their tails the glasses lefy by the devotees...Such ugly creatures (the iguanas). They have a park in the middle of the city where are so many of them that if you seat in a bench one may fall on your head! I swear, they are crawling all over the place and so many in the trees. I know the devotees have a nice building in the middle of Guayaquil and my friend Manjari is a great cook, I'm sure she contributed in those 25 preparations. Once we had the First Lady coming for prasadam, she really loved it. I didn't know HPS goes to those lands so far away. I remember him from Mayapur.

I forgot to add that psychologically the people who didn't choose anything and just looked at the answer are cheaters and are afraid of making choices because of unknown consequences. Not very good for a job interview or other things in life. I chose to give the car to my friend, I didn't want to born again to pay back, the old lady would die anyway and who wants more attachments in this lifetime

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night. You pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus: 1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die. 2. An old friend who once saved your life. 3. The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about. Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car. Think before you continue reading. This is amoral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application. You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect dream lover again. The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer. I love this, I may actually use it sometime for an interview situation. WHAT DID HE SAY? He simply answered: "I would give the car keys to my old friend, and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the woman of my dreams." Never forget to "Think Outside of the Box."

1) At lunch time, sit in your parked car and point a hair dryer at passing cars to see if they slow down. 2) Page yourself over the intercom. (Don't disguise your voice.) 3) Insist that your e mail address is: Xena-goddess-of-fire@companyname.com or Elvis-the-King@companyname.com 4) Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that. 5) Encourage your colleagues to join you in a little synchronized chair dancing. 6) Put your garbage can on your desk and label it "IN." 7) Develop an unnatural fear of staplers. 8) Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso. 9) In the memo field of all your checks, write 'for sexual favors.' 10) Reply to everything someone says with, "That's what you think." 11) Finish all your sentences with "In accordance with the prophecy." 12) Adjust the tint on your monitor so that the brightness level lights up the entire work area. Insist to others that you like it that way. 13) Don't use any punctuation 14) As often as possible, skip rather than walk. 15) Ask people what sex they are. 16) Specify that your drive-through order is "to go." 17) Sing Along at the opera. 18) Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don't rhyme. 19) Find out where your boss shops and buy exactly the same outfits. Wear them one day after your boss does. (This is especially effective if your boss is the opposite gender.) 20) Send e-mail to the rest of the company to tell them what you're doing. For example: If anyone needs me, I'll be in the bathroom. 21) Put mosquito netting around your cubicle. 22) Five days in advance, tell your friends you can't attend their party because you're not in the mood. 23) Call 911 and ask if 911 is for emergencies 24) Call the psychic hotline and just say, "Guess" 25) Have your co-workers address you by your wrestling name, Rock Hard. 26) When the money comes out of the ATM, scream "I Won! I Won! 3rd time this week!!!" 27) When leaving the Zoo, start running towards the parking lot, yelling "Run for your lives, they're loose!" 28) Tell your boss, "It's not the voices in my head that bother me, it's the voices in your head that do." 29) Tell your children over dinner. "Due to the economy, we are going to have to let one of you go" 30) Every time you see a broom yell "Honey, your mother is here." ___________

It is so easy to be a devotee in places like Mayapur with wonderful kirtanas, beautiful deities, nice prasada, hundreds of devotees,etc, that's why I appreciate even more the devotees in the West where is so much sense gratification and there are so many who are very fixed in their bhakti yoga. I see it here in the community, there are some nice devotees who are really gentle and they give nice association. Others are trying and still others like me who are on the side just trying not to watch too many movies or forwarding too many jokes. Wherever you're try to see the bees not the flies and if there is not one to give you the honey give your association to them and in that way they won't be flies anymore. I met many indian devotees of different maths and they do have their scandals, only they keep it in private or they cover up everything. India is becoming very fast the way Mira Nair portrays them in movies like 'Monsoon Wedding'and 'Fire'. They don't have many divorces because for women is very difficult to go back to the father's house and in that way they tolerate infedility, abuse, etc. They still know how to serve a guest though. Abortion is rampant everywhere in India and I know a few indian ladies from brahmana families who had abortion. Really sad. I met so many cultured, conservative Indian families and I was quite dissapointed, the tales are terrible, as I said before, they keep it under the carpet. Keep the wife for the family name and have a few mistresses around. Lot of illicit sex in all kind of families in India. BTW, Gauracandra, I had association with many Australians and they are the nicest people, really easy going and very good hearted, of course they have problems with divorce and illicit affairs but they are really good people. I like them. Good luck Krsnas with your search, I agree with Gauracandra that a small community will be the best. What community in Karnataka you are talking about it?

I'm sure that I read it in one of the books for deity worship that you can't offer rice without ghee to the Lord. Maybe in the Ayur veda said something too.

I didn't see USA vs Germany because my brazilian neighbours woke me up last night with all the screaming after the second goal against England and I ended up watching the rest of the match. The Brazilians are so fast. Too tired to watch USA match, woke up when the match finished. I'll just watch the finals and put ear plugs for the next Brazilian game. If the Brazilians win the Cup we'll be having samba around the block for a while.

A couple goes on vacation to a fishing resort in northern Minnesota. The husband likes to fish at the crack of dawn. The wife likes to read. One morning the husband returns after several hours of fishing and decides to take a short nap. Although she isn't familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat. She motors out a short distance, anchors, and continues to read her book.Along comes the game warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside her and says, "Good morning, Ma'am, what are you doing?Reading my book," she replies, thinking isn't that obvious?You're in a restricted fishing area," he informs her."But officer, I'm not fishing. Can't you see that?""Yes, but you have all the equipment. I'll have to take you in and write you up.""If you do that, I'll have to charge you with rape," says the woman."But I haven't even touched you," says the game warden."That's true, but you do have all the equipment." MORAL: Never argue with a woman who reads. It's likely she can also think.

Tonight while I was walking in the neighborhood I saw one of my kids talking with her devotee friends and she stopped me and very angry told me: "tell him to shut up because he is not listening to me", I sent her home instead of fighting her battles with the boys and at home before going to bed she asked me: "Is Srila Prabhupada racist?", I told her no and asked her why she asked that and she told me that one of the boys was saying: "Prabhupada was racist because he said all the black people were monkeys in their previous life and the women are less intelligent". I assured her that Srila Prabhupada saw all of us as parts and parcels of Lord Krsna and many people said "Prabhupada said" that were never told by Him but in anycase about women are less intelligent that is only in the material platform and that Srila Prabhupada always gave his mercy, encouragement and service to all the girls that came to this movement. He had Himavati giving lecture in the pandals programs in India, Jamuna leading kirtan in front of thousands of people and I gave her other examples. Then she said: "why they have us in the back of the temple room if we're all equals?", well,is not like that in all temples, depends in the authorities, in Mayapur one side is for the ladies and the other side is for the men, no problem at all. I told her that sometimes men have problems controlling their senses and they can't see women as mothers and they prefer to put the "problem" in the back of the room. Like that we had a long conversation, she told me that her teacher told her that women are smarter than men because now in college women are a mayority (I don't know how true is that). My conclusion was that in this lifetime we got these women's bodies with all the blessings and courses that come with it and we should try to trascend all this material designations, we have limits because of the body and we should become devotees of the Lord and never take birth again. Her conclusion was that she doesn't want to go to college because she wants to become a preacher and she'll be in front of the deities for every aratik and darshan and she will stuck up for the women and children because women and children come first. So for this summer the new program is to read Bhagavad-gita and Bhagavatam otherwise how can she become a preacher. Tomorrow I'll read to her from Prabhupada's letters about devotee women and I want them to know the philosophy very nicely so they can shut up non-sense boys that think they know it all just because his father is guru and GBC

USA 2, Mexico 0. I'm going to have a ball at work teasing the Mexicans I didn't see the match, just watched the news in the morning, I don't know how boring it was but the goals were beautiful. My brasilians neighbours waked me up now with all the screaming, what is going on there?

I'm reading Srila Prabhupada's letters and I think theist will appreciate this one very much: "....I am still more glad to learn that you are going to observe the third birthday of Miss Kamla Agarwal on Saturday next. On this occasion I should have prepared her some ornaments but as I am a sannyasi I simply offer my blessings for her long life and good prosperity, She cannot now read otherwise at least I should have presented her a set of my books. But you set aside one set of my books for her future reading when she will grow up a beautiful and educated girl with full God consciousness. I am obliged to your good daughter for awarding me a good degree as 'SWAMI JESUS' which is actually a great honor for me." (SPL to Sally, 19th November, 1965)

I like the one to Krsna devi: "now I see that in our society the girls are more intelligent than the boys." "...So I am especially proud how my householder disciples are preaching Lord chaitanya's mission. This is a new thing in the history of the sankirtana movement. In India all the Acharyas and their descendants later on acted only from the man's side. Their wives were at home because that is the system from old times that women are not required to go out. But in Bhagavad-gita we find that women are also equally competent like the men in the matter of Krsna consciousness movement. Please therefore carry on these missionary activities, and prove it by practical example that there is no bar for anyone in the matter of preaching work for Krsna consciousness.(SPL to Himavati. December 20th,1969) Srila Prabhupada is the perfect acharya who gave the mercy to everybody, including "Jennifer".... "Regarding the disturbance made by women devotees, they are also living beings. They also came to Krsna. So consciously I cannot deny them. If our male members, the brahmacaris and sannyasis, if they became steady in Krsna consciousness, there is no problem. It is the duty of the male members to be very steady and cautious. This can be done by regular chanting like Haridasa Thakura did. Whenever there is a young woman, we should remember Haridasa Thakur and beg his mercy to protect us, and we should think that this beautiful gopis are meant for the enjoyment of Krsna. It is a dilemma for our society that we cannot deny these girls, and at the same time they are a great dangerous allurement to the young boys. Yes. as you say, I necer think in terms of Indian or American regarding my students. I take you all as parts and parcels of Krsna." (SPL to Gargamuni Swami, 29th September,1975) I think that it is very clear that less or more intelligent is the material side because spiritually we're all equal.

"We are Vaisnavas. We are not concerned with male or female position in life. That is simple bodily concept of life. It is not spiritual. Whether one is male or female, it doesn't matter, simply chant Hare Krsna and follow the four regulative principles and your life will be perfect." (SPL to Jennifer,15th February,1975) "Now I see that in our society the girls are more intelligent than the boys." (SPL to Krsna Devi, 17th February,1970) "I am so much pleased to receive your letter dated Hrsikesa 22, 484 Caitanya Era and I am so glad to learn that our London temple is very, very well managed under your supervision. Kindly continue this standard of temple management-that will make me very happy." (SPL to Yamuna, 16th September, 1970) "...So far as girls or boys lecturing in the morning, that doesn't make any difference. Either girl or boy devotees may deliver lecture if they choose to do. We have no such distinction of bodily designations, male or female...". (SPL to Syama dasi, 21st October, 1968) "Regarding lecturing by women devotees: I have informed you that in the service of the Lord there is no distinction of caste, or creed, colour, or sex. In the Bhagavad -gita, the Lord especially mentions that even a woman who has taken seriously is also destined to reach Him. We require a person who is in the knowledge of Krsna, that is the only qualification of a person speaking. It doesn't matter what he is. Materially a woman may be les intelligent than a man, but spiritually everyone is pure soul. In the absolute plane there is no gradation of higher and lower, If a woman can lecture nicely and to the point, we should hear her carefully. That is our philosophy. But if a man can speak better than a woman, the man should be given first preference. But even though a woman is less intelligent, a sincere soul should be given proper chance to speak, because we want so many preachers, both men and women." (SPL to Jayagovinda, 8th February, 1968) "....Jadurani has now become a nice preacher. I have report from Satsvarupa that she gives lectures very nicely. If we open a pavillion I shall take Jadurani also at that time so she will deliver nice lectures...." (SPL to Mahapurusa, March 28th, 1968) "regarding your question, yes a woman can certaintly reach the perfectional stage of devotion to Krsna. And the gopis of Vrindavan are the best example of this. They are simple cowherd girls and Lord Caitanya has praised their worship of Lord Krsna as the highest form of worship. Krsna consciousness is trascendental to all such mundane considerations as if one's body is male or female. This is the meaning of spiritual: Krsna consciousness is beyond the limited body idea." (SPL to Krsna devi, 2nd November, 1969)