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atma

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Everything posted by atma

  1. atma

    A man's heart

    It's neither a threat nor a promise, just REALITY.
  2. atma

    A man's heart

    Hey, RandOM and Maitreya dadas, be careful what you said. BEWARE! Don't tempt maya.
  3. A man and a woman were involved in a terrible car accident and both cars were totaled. They climbed from the wreckage and the woman stood in awe. "Our cars are demolished, yet we walk unharmed. This must be a sign from God that we are to be best friends for the rest of our lives" she spoke wisely. "I agree completely, ma'am," the man replied. The woman stepped closer to examine the damage and noticed something shiny within her car. Reaching in, she pulled out an unbroken bottle. "this bottle of wine wasn't even cracked. I think this is another sign that we are to drink a toast to our new friendship." That's great idea, miss," the man answered taking the bottle from her. He popped the cork and drank his share. "I'm sorry. How rude of me. Would you like some?" "No thanks," came the reply. "I'll just wait on the cops to get here."
  4. What is the quickest way to a man's heart? Through his chest.
  5. About the point how the karmis will view these incidents, they'll see how dysfunctional as a society we stand, that's it. They know already, how many scandals and incidents over the years published all over the world. Any new person get turn off just seing the women in the back of the temple room. In India, the ladies come and go straight to the front in front of the deities. Even in Mayapur they divide the temple in half for the matajis to see Sri Sri Radha Madhava better. Women on the right, men to the left. BTW, RandOM dada, I think I'm your bahen or bon (younger sister in Hindi and Bengali), not your didi. Younger sisters get really protected by the older brothers.
  6. Jagat, still I don't want my posting in VNN. Anyway, today is a new day and things are looking good. Last night, taking a nice bubble bath and relaxing like anything, finally I understood why I'm going through all this. For the last 20 years I was always depending in a temple, now I'm completely on my own. I'm living outside the property, paying my bills, first time in a karmi job, when I joined I was just 17, first year in college. Never needed to work. I did work hard as a devotee, did lots of sankirtan and selling of different kind of paraphernalia. Now if I go to the temple, chant japa and do seva is because I want to, not because I have to please somebody. How many times I went to the program because of pressure, how many times I chanted because I have to finish a number. It was becoming stale. Now is my choice, I don't have any kind of pressure to do anything spiritual and I can continue developing my relationship with the Supreme Lord because I desire it. Whatever happened in my personal life, is a close chapter. I got my kids that are really nice and survivors. I spent 15 years of my life in India that I don't regret a bit. So many memories, experiences and blessings. While I was there, I counted my blessings every day. How many times I looked out of my window and saw so many families living on the pavement. Every day I met lepers, homeless, destitutes, thousands of people with so many miseries and I was always grateful that I did have a roof on top of me, health, food and desire for living. There I was last night taking my bath and I realized that I was so fortunate to be able to do that. Maybe here in California is something that you take for granted but for billions of people is a luxury. I got a nice apartment, a good roommate (an Indian lady that was afraid to tell me that her problem is that she drinks tea!!) I got a job and good friends (doesn't matter that most of them are not devotees). The kids and I are in good health. I have no money at the moment but I have no debts (that is a big blessing here in America). I live in a nice location, the weather is wonderful, love the Sun, I can go to the beach anytime I want to. I can take darshan of their Lorships any moment, I live just half block from the temple, have prasada anytime that I want to. The fridge is full and life goes on. Still I think that the devotees should implement a social system in that way more people will remain. Maybe in the future I can be part of helping to do that. Actually when I met the devotees I was in my first semester of Social Services. I continued for 2 more years even after initiation but in the end I decided to do the greatest service doing full time sankirtan. I believe that every experience is for the best, always something good comes out even from a bad situation. Sometimes we have to go through rough situations but in the end we emerge stronger. I have no doubt that our situation will improve and with the blessings of all of you out there (vaishnavas or not), will continue in our path of self-realization, trying to get love for Sri Sri Radha-Krsna (our only shelter).
  7. In India you get a lot of pirates movies. Any new movie coming out here, within a week you get it in India in CD, DVD and cassette, They call it 'camera print'. Somebody here sneak a Camcorder in the cinema and they send the print to Asia. I saw lots of movies that way, renting from the local 'Blockbuster" in India. If I really liked I bothered a few months later to go and see it in the big screen. The same people that provide the cable, has this free channels where they show the latest English and Hindi movies. Cable there is really cheap, around $2 a month. Anyhow, I'm rumbling about this because I remembered the director S. Kubrick and his movie "Eyes Wide Shut", one night in the local cable they showed it. I knew about the controversy about the B.Gita sloka in the middle of an orgy and when I saw it I found it really interesting. In the middle of all that maya, with all the masked characters, you heard that beautiful Sanskrit Sloka saying that the Lord will descend whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice and a predominant rise of irreligion. My impression was that they were trying to give hope in the middle of so much inmorality. I never saw the rest of the movie because after that they cut it off and never bothered to see it again.
  8. RandOM dada: I'm learning from my mistakes. Not hard feelings here. I have to learn to shut my mouth. Simple. [This message has been edited by atma (edited 07-01-2001).]
  9. I don't think I like the idea of what I wrote here posted in VNN, Jagat you really took 'liberty' doing so. Next time would you please ask? Now I'm going to get all kind of nasty letters from the ex because he has his own version of things. I won't let this became a Jerry Springer show. With reason I was aprehensive with revealing my heart. It was stupid.
  10. I was looking in Jayaradhe's website and there she has a very nice posting about the Reliquary of St. Theresa of Avila. That made me remember about this Christian saint whose body is in Samadhi in Goa. I can't remember his name. Is St. Xavier? Anybody knows? I remember that they wanted to move his body to another location and when they opened the coffin they found that the body was intact.
  11. What can you expect from corrupt politicians? Jayalalita, Karunanidhi, and most of the politicians in India they get into politics to grab as much money as they can while they're in power. Same situation in Latin America, Africa and other parts of Asia. Even in Europe and over here. Corruption to the max. The ksatrias of Kali Yuga.
  12. I think that JNdas should send us badges saying "Audarya Fellowship", to recognize each other in the Ratha Yatras or other festivals. I'd been remembering that great saying: Men are like.....mascara They run at the first sign of emotion. After my emotional posting, wasn't so much response from the guys Continuing the saga of mistreatment to women, yesterday I was walking to my job (only 4 blocks away), when I heard my name. A lady that I couldn't recognize was calling me from a car. It happened that 10 years ago she stayed in my place in India for a few days (one of the hundreds that passed through my house, sometimes I though that I was living in Howrah Station). To make it short, she was married, husband completely abused her, and when she left no body helped her. She has nothing to do with the devotees anymore. Sometimes she comes in the neighborhood because she has to come for the children, her ex- husband lives in the community. She was telling me that she wonders why she wasted so many years of her life in this movement. Very sad. Again, can we blame her for feeling that way?
  13. Not the lead character. But there is this Gigolo robot who gives pleasure to women and goes with the little boy for a while (not for sex).
  14. Just came back from the movie, took 4 kids with me. They hate me! They said it is the most boring movie they ever saw. For me was great, I slept the second half, a really good nap. I agree with Random that 'Teddy' is kind of funny. Save your $$$. [This message has been edited by atma (edited 06-29-2001).]
  15. Thank you so much to Satyaraja, Jagannatha and Jaya Radhe for their kind words and support. It takes so little to make a person feel good. We may go to San Francisco Ratha Yatra, JR, will you be there? Thanks again. Atma.
  16. atma

    GREAT WISDOM

    Then why're you trying to argue with me?
  17. All this time who is been there for support?, separate for 1 devotee, they're all 'outsiders'. Who is been driving me around, getting clients for business, making contacts, a person that everybody criticizes because she is not from "prabhupada's family". Who has opened her house and invited lots of her friends for me to have astrological consultations and make some money? From the 'devotees' point of view, a prostitute and meat eater. Who are the ones who prayed for me in their church meeting? The gays. What are the devotees doing to me now? Talking bad because I'm single and too friendly for their standards. They see sex everywhere. Their problem, not mine. It hurts though that devotees are not up front, I'm very honest, and if something bothers me, I say it. I hate misunderstandings. People talks bad, I go to the person and try to clarify things. I thought I had a friend, but that person is avoiding me like a have the plague or something. I prefer thousands times that somebody tell me that I don't like your association for this and that reason, or plainly I don't like you than just do like nothing happened and you don't exist anymore. Anyhow, I'm learning a lot, experiences don't come easy. Break my heart though that the devotees are so indiferent to another's feelings. Serious doubts about letting my kids growing up in this environment. Don't feel like going back to the family because even though they're pukha karmis, they're really nice. The girls may think that is OK to eat meat, smoke and sex if they're really caring people. The 'devotees' didn't care. Maybe I said too much, but I had to let it out. [This message has been edited by atma (edited 07-11-2001).]
  18. One of the things that irritates me the most in this 'society' is the treatment of women and children. Inmediately comes to my memory this very nice and dedicated lady, who lived in Mayapur from 1973 when hardly anything was there. She did so much austerity and service and was a great cook. She cooked for Sri Sri Radha Madhava for years. After many years of living of living in celibacy with the husband, they decided to have a child. Bhavananda ordered them to go out of Mayapur for procreation because was the holy dham (they went to an hotel in Navadwip -like there is not holy too). Anyhow, she got two beautiful boys, continued her service to the deities and when the first building in the grihastha area came up, BAnanda gave them one of the aparments because of so many years of service. After Bhavananda left, the husband decided to have an studio in Calcutta (he is an artist) and trained many bengalis to reproduced famous paintings and sell to the devotees when they were coming for Festival. Everything looking good. Wife and kids in Mayapur, he used to come in the weekends from Calcutta and do his pujari and Samadhi services. One day to surprise him on his b-day she showed up in Calcutta with the kids and found him in bed with another woman! He decided to go with the other woman and left his wife and kids abandoned in Mayapur, without any money and protection. He moved to Hong-Kong. This lady tried to survived with whatever little she had, selling few paintings, making bread, cakes, etc. The temple management decided to take the apartmen from her because Bhavananda gave them the apartment and he wasn't around anymore and she didn't need it because she didn't have a husband and she could put the kids in the gurukula. They moved her from her house and gave her a room. She did put the kids in the gurukula and didn't have to pay for it because she was cooking for the school. When the kids got molested and she took them out, she had no source of income. She started selling even the shelves from her room, books, anything to survive. On top of that their visa run out and she has to come out with the money for tickets to go somewhere. Somehow, selling the last painting left to one Maharaja that cheated her, she got the money. All this time she was still hoping that her husband would come back to them. Even she did the Katyayani Vrata! For one full month she eat once a day rice and dalh boil together without any spice or salt, to bring the husband back. It was almost time to leave India and she was completely disappointed with the devotees but still chanting all her rounds, going to all the programs and doing service. On the train to Delhi she met this 'karmi' man and they become friends. I forgot to mention that some authorities told her that she'll never have a chance to get another husband because she was over 40, ugly and with 2 kids. Somehow they changed addresses with the guy and to her surprise when she was in England this man showed up in the Manor and asked her to marriage him! She accepted because the situation in England didn't improve, a single woman with 2 kids and no money is not welcome anywhere. Now for the last 10 years she is been living in Austria with this 'karmi' that is a nice husband and father for her kids. They have 2 more children together. Should we blamed her because she went away? Should we blamed the 'devotees' that didn't help her out in her moment of need/ Another story; this American family with two children moved to Mayapur. After 2 years doing service, the man decided to leave, he just took off one fine day and left wife and kids in a foreign country, without money. The management decided that she was 'dangerous' because she didn't have a husband anymore. Make her life hellish. That woman didn't have anything to eat. Somehow with some people's help, she went to England and now she is living outside with a 'karmi' that he is taking care of the kids and her. The husband is here in California, married again, doing service for a temple and like was OK to leave the family stranded in India. I know that many of you can come out with stories like that, it just break my heart.
  19. 1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may no follow. Do not walk beside me, either. Just leave me the hell alone. 2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and a leaky tire. 3. It's always darkest before dawn, so if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it. 4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted. 5. No one is listening, until you fart. 6. Always remember you're unique. Just like everyone else. 7. Never test the depth of the water with both feet. 8. It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a bad example. 9. It is far more impressive when others discover your good qualities without your help. 10. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments. 11. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. 12.If at first you don't succed, skydiving is not for you. 13. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. teach him how to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day. 14. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it. 15. Don't squat with your spurs on. 16. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything. 17. Some days you are the bug, some days you are the winsshield. 18. Don't worry, it only seems kinky the first time. 19.Good judgment comes from bad experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. 20. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it in your pocket. 21. Timing has an awful lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance. 22. A close mouth gathers no foot. 23. Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together. 24. There are 2 theories to arguing with women. Neither one works. 25. generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your mouth is moving. 26. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it. 27. Never miss a good chance to shut up. 28. We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.
  20. While rummaging through the boat's provisions, one of the men stumbled across an old lamp. Secretly hoping that a genie would appear, he rubbed the lamp vigorously. To the amazement of the castaways, a genie appeared and said that he could only deliver one wish, not the standarn three. Without giving much thought to the matter the man blurted out, "Make the entire ocean into beer!" The genie clapped his hands with a deafening crash, and inmediately the entire sea turned into the finest brew ever sampled by mortals. One of the men on the boat looked at the one whose wish had been granted. After a long tension filled moment, he spoke: "Nice going moron! Now we're going to have to piss in the boat!"
  21. Thanks Maitreya for your concern. Atma.
  22. I really hope that Gauracandra was joking or sarcastic went he wrote the things above. The beauty of this movement is that we all know at least teorically that we're spirit souls, WE ARE NOT THIS BODY. All that homogeneity is based in the bodily conception of life. We're all together in this path because we want spiritual life and that's why so many diverse people is atracted to it. How can you suggest to cut the membership? Have you seen how many people comes to the temple lately? Less and less. Actually we have no numbers. We're nothing in quantity and still we mistreat people and send them away, like we're millions of Hare Krishnas and we can afford to lose people. Where is the compassion and love for all living beings. Aren't we parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord? Is not the Lord in your heart in my heart too and everybody's else? One senior devotee was telling me how went she was living in Oregon, she saw the interaccion of the mormons. If somebody new arrives in the area they make a point to help that person and family out in every sense. Job, house, schools, etc, etc. The person feels welcome, apreciated and care for. Who will want to leave a church like that were they care for you? On the contrary over here, they mistreat you and at best show indiference. "Everything is karma, prabhu". In the name of karma, we become very cold and impersonal. So sad, the impersonals that worship a personal God. More to say but again no time.
  23. I really want to say so many things but today I have no time.
  24. I have to say that I know many gays that are really nice and caring people, somehow, mostly because of abuse during childhood they turn out homosexuals. I have gays and lesbians friends and they're really there for you when you need support. On the contrary many male 'devotees' are very cold and rude against women because they don't want to be branded as 'attached' to the opposite sex. They became very impersonal and cold hearted even with their own families just to cover up their own desires. From my experience in the few months, 'karmis' and complete strangers are been nicer to me than the so called devotees. I'm talking in general here, I'm not branding everyone together, but is been quite disappointing theresponse from the 'religious' people and the'irreligious' are the ones giving moral support.
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