leyh

If one of the offences against the holy names is to instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name,does it mean that it is offensive for us to tell non-devotees about the maha-mantra and the principles behind chanting Hare Krsna?

Dearv talasiga: I'm sorry for the rather delayed response.I sometimes skim through the posts and I've only just noticed yours. Your kindness and encouragement is very much appreciated. Here I am on a little island in South East Asia, receiving mercy from yourself and other good souls from distant countries... I am sincerely grateful. [This message has been edited by leyh (edited 09-19-2001).]

Wow!What an absolotely inspiring dream.Did it take place after Srila Prabhupada left this planet?

Random: I have to declare that you are writing utter nonsense in the name of Srila Prabhupada. His Divine Grace did teach his disciples to call a spade but he never taught them to spout vulgarities like "s***" or "b*****" You are invoking Srila Prabhupada to justify your own vulgarity and that is so offensive.Now I think you're probably going to type out a sneering,sarcastic reply...but I sincerely request you to reconsider your attitude.Yours in the spirit of goodwill.Hare Krsna! [This message has been edited by leyh (edited 09-18-2001).]

Would anyone who have had nice dreams of Krsna or Srila Prabhupada like to share?

Dear Satyaraja dasa: The above words were written by me and not Suryaz. My answer to you is simply: "No Comments." [This message has been edited by leyh (edited 09-17-2001).]

jijaji: Could you please elaborate?

********************************************* Truth is, we all share these feelings, prabhus. Truly admitting it makes us evermore eligible for, and appreciative of, His causeless mercy in the form of Divine Grace. As Gaudiya's, we consider the personification and source of such unconditional Love to be none other than Srimati Radharani. Knowing this, we can take full shelter in Her, and that includes dovetailing emotions such as these with Her's. Krsna often infuriates Radha and Her loyal friends! In fact, they gang up on Him and His friends, always emerging victorious in the end. This is what bhakti is all about! The only problem, from our perspective, is the lack of purity in our expression of what Prabhupada called "spontaneous eternal feelings", due to our immersion in material conciousness. `Purification` is brought about by conciously associating with the Internal Potency (Sri Radha and Her girlfriends). Krsna conciousness is both the means and the end, but it is not possible without connecting with Sri Radhika, personally and/or impersonally, since we are the parts of Her whole. Of course, personally is always best, and that opportunity is ever available to us if we simply accept Her as our dearmost confidential friend and share all]/b] our innermost thoughts, feelings, etc. with Her. No formality or even `Godness` required, in fact it can interfere with much needed emotional honesty. Believe me, She can handle anything and will accept anyone-- REGARDLESS! She is the key to all of this and thus She can make the impossible happen in an instant! When Radharani accepts someone as a friend, She will never neglect or abandon them! Krsna is quite different and way more than we can possibly handle at our present level. Please turn to Swamini-Kisori and surrender everything to Her--the good, the bad, and the ugly. Only Radhika is the essence, and thus essential. She alone is enough, but without Her nothing else will prove effective for very long. If we try to pursue Krsna He will run us all ragged, eventually leaving each of us lost, alone, and bewildered. Learn how to cling to Srimati like a little girl might attach herself to an older sister. Look up to Her with admiration, as if She were your whole world, celebrating Her superiority and victories over Krsna. Join in the glorious chorus of Her girlfriends!!! That will be most pleasing to Krsna! Though He will surely test your fidelity for awhile, eventually He will accept you as Her's. Then, as you'll see, it's a `whole different ballgame`! JAI JAI SRI RADHE! valaya It was indeed a humbling experience, Maitreya.I can see your point about deep rooted resentment towards Krsna.In so many subtle ways,the ego is always plotting to sabotage one's spiritual life. I'm glad to hear I'm not alone... amanpeter,you seem to be very fond of Srimati Radharani.I have not really attached much importance to her in the past and that is probably why I am still so fallen.I've been reading Srila Prabhupada's "Elevation to Krsna Consciousness recently and in it,he writes: "We are Krsna's parts and parcels and have been created to give pleasure to Krsna. The chief pleasure potency is Radharani, and so Radha-Krsna are always together. Whereas the material energy is conducted by the external potency, Maya, the spiritual world is conducted by the internal potency, Radharani. We often pray to Radharani because She is the pleasure potency of Krsna. The very word "Krsna" means all-attractive, but Radharani is so great that She attracts Krsna. If Krsna is always attractive to everyone, and Radharani is attractive to Krsna, how can we imagine the position of Srimati Radharani? We should try humbly to understand and offer Her our obeisances, saying, "Radharani, You are so dear to Krsna. You are the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, and You are Krsna's beloved. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You. Radharani is very dear to Krsna, and if we approach Krsna through the mercy of Radharani, we can easily attain Him. If Radharani recommends a devotee, Krsna immediately accepts him, however foolish he may be. Consequently in Vrndavana we find that devotees chant Radharani's name more often than Krsna's. Wherever we go in India we will find devotees calling, "Jaya Radhe." We should be more interested in worshiping Radharani, for however fallen we may be, if somehow or other we can please Her, we can very easily understand Krsna. If we try to understand Krsna by the speculative process, we will have to spend many lifetimes of speculation; but if we take to devotional service and just try to please Radharani, then Krsna can be very easily realized. Radharani is such a great devotee that She can deliver Krsna."(Elevation to Krsna Consciousness,Chapter Five:Knowing Krsna's Energies) If I start screaming blasphemies again,I hope that somewhere in the dreamhe strength to counteract the blasphemies with a desperate:"Hare Krsna!" and "Jaya Radhe!" I am depending on their mercy. To anyone who may be reading this,I wish you steady progress in your fight with the enemy from within. [This message has been edited by leyh (edited 09-16-2001).]

Recently,I had a very frightening dream in which I screamed at someone (I don't know who):"I DON'T CARE FOR KRSNA OR FOR HIS ASSOCIATES!" I woke up feeling worried by this dream.Why would I scream such blasphemy in my dreams? The only reason I can think of is that its because I am a fallen soul. May Krsna and His associates have mercy on me...

My point exactly. However,I feel that in fighting these demons,a Krsna conscious person should be doing it on the spiritual and not the material platform.Thus,a Krsna Conscious person would dedicate the fight against these demons to Krsna and not to the country or political party.In the Bhagavad Gita,Krsna informs Arjuna: "O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me."(Bhagavad-gita 9:27) However,for many people,the coming struggle against terrorism has become a nationalist thing ---my country v.s the bad guys.But the devotee should know that ultimately we do not belong to any nation or political party.We belong to Krsna.

It is written in the Srimad Bhagavatam (11.5.41): "Every human being born in this world is immediately indebted to the demigods,the great sages,ordinary living entities,the family,society,and so on.But a person who surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord and engages fully in His service is no longer indebted to anyone. In other words,he has no obligations to fulfil except executing devotional service." Maybe fighting those demonic terrorists for Krsna (and not for America or any other country or political party) should be the attitude of a Krsna Conscious person.

'To be engaged in Krsna consciousness,one should realize, "I am Krsna's.I am not this matter.I am not of this nation or of this society.I do not belong to this rascal or that rascal.I am simply Krsna's."' (The Path of Perfection by His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,Chapter Five --- Determination and Steadiness in Yoga) [This message has been edited by leyh (edited 09-15-2001).]

The following is a very inspiring prayer by the late Catholic monk and poet Thomas Merton (1916-1968): MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. ("Thoughts in Solitude"© Abbey of Gethsemani)

Hare Krsna!

Kali Santarana Upanishad (Upanishad No. 103 of The Krishna Yajurveda) At the end of the Dvarapa Yuga, Narada Muni approached his father, Lord Brahma and asked him, "How can I overcome the evil influences of the Kali Yuga (the Age of Quarrel and Hypocrisy)?" Lord Brahma replied, "It is through the utterance of the names of the Purusha (the Enjoyer), Lord Narayana, that one is rid of all evil effects." He added, "Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare." The above collection of sixteen names is destructive of the baneful influences of the present dark era, the Kali Yuga. Beyond this, there is no other means to liberation in any scriptures. It is destructive also of the veil of ignorance of the jiva which is invested with the sixteen kalas beginning with prana and ending with naman when the transcendent Brahman manifests itself in all its glory, even as the radiant region of the solar disc shines forth brilliantly with the vanishing of the clouds. Sage Narada concluded by saying, "O Lord, hearing the further eulogy and the narration of details of more benefits, it is quite appropriate that no special rule be followed in the matter of muttering this sacred name, which can be done at all times whether in a clean or even an unclean state. Salutations to thee." - Thus the Upanishad.

Glad you liked it...

I wonder what God would say to a terrorist when he/she leaves his/her body...The following is an imaginary conversation between God and terrorist. Terrorist:I've served you faithfully and well,Lord.I have sacrificed my life for you. God:Why? Terrorist:So I can come to your heaven and enjoy forever! God:There's where you got the equation wrong,son.Heaven is for selfless people. Terrorist: But I've selflessly laid down my life... God:So that you can enjoy eternal life?Isn't that being selfish? Terrorist: (momentarily stumped)But...but... God:But what? Terrorist:I...have waged war on your enemies,Lord!I have wrecked destruction upon them!Doesn't that count for something? God:No. Terrorist: Why not?? God: Because I have no enemies. Terrorist: But I was taught... God: You were taught wrongly. [This message has been edited by leyh (edited 09-13-2001).]

Random...there is an ocean of difference between genuine Islam and the pseudo-Islamic fanaticism that terroists use to justify their cowardly attacks.

Dear amanpeter: Thanks for the advice.In the Narada Bhakti Sutras, Narada Muni advices: "One should not indulge in argumentative debate."(Narada Bhakti Sutras,Sutra 74)Its a waste of time arguing with someone like Satyaraja dasa.I am completely mystified by his anti-Prabhupada sentiments,but somehow,I don't feel like solving this mystery....

Dear Maitreya: I think I know what you mean From now on,its going to be "No Comments" as far as Satyaraja dasa is concerned.

You're totally missing the point.

Devotee: Then a Krsna-conscious leader has to be like a father? SP: Yes. That quality was personally exhibited by Lord Ramacandra. He treated His subjects like His own sons, and they treated Lord Rama as their father. The relationship between the king and the citizens should be like that between a father and his sons. Devotee: The chastisement tha the king gives... SP: That is out of love, not enviousness. Chastisement means correction. If a citizen is accting wrongly, he has to be corrected. This is actually Krsna's business in human socity: to chastise the miscreants, to give protection to the godly personls, and to establish the true principals of religion. This is the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the world and we have to execute His mission. Gradually, Krsna conscious devotees have to take the posts of leadership and correct the whole human society. Srila Prabhupada's punishment is that of chastisment...not terrorist acts like suicide bombings and hijacking planes. I think there is no difference between a person who is truly Allah Conscious and one who is truly Krsna Conscious.

Dear JRdd: All the best with your painting!I hope you will produce a nice painting dedicated to peace and of course to the source of peace,Krsna "O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me." (Bhagavad-gita 9.27)

amanpeter: I think you're right...Srila Prabhupada was always preaching spiritual answers for material problems. Just imagine Srila Prabhupada having a conversation with one of those fanatical terrorist leaders...