vanamali

anyway, you can do an "altered" vegetarian atkins using green lentils and very little rice, but it's difficult

I've always been told (my many people) that if the left eye flickers, you are going to get money soon. If either eye flickers, something important is going to happen. ~Jai Sri Krishna

Ramen So-called "vegetable soups" Yogurt (like dannon) in individual cups Jello Cakes (even if egg-free may contain gelatin) Instead of Ramen, try Maggi (the Indian version) there are several non-veg and several veg flavors, but I don't think they contain gelatin I once had a dream I was eating a chocolate cake and someone came up to me and said "You know there's beef in that!" Jai Sri Krishna! ~JoAnna

Hari steals what was His to begin with May He take my heart for Himself with full force This is the goal in life

You know something? I came to this forum thinking association with other devotees could be a form of "virtual satsang" I am now realizing that the only thing you guys can do is argue about the details of religion. You guys are addicted to intellectual-philosophical elements, but not in a good way. There's always some argument going on in this forum. If you are really comfortable with yourself and your religion, you don't feel the need to critisize others, because you do not feel threatend when others believe differently than you. If the situation here doesn't improve, I will have to stop coming here, because this is not satsang, in fact, quite the opposite. All love and respect to you all, Vanamali ~Om Sri Venkateshaya Namah ~Om Sri Krishnaya Namah

Actually the only 100% Hindu country is Nepal. Interesting /images/graemlins/blush.gif)

Don't think! The time is right for You To walk amidst the shadows, beneath The fullness of the autumn moon. Don't think! The mind hides from You Behind tattered garments of faded silk Saying "I am not Yours, I am not Yours "She is Yours. My dwelling place Is far below the dust of this earth!" This is truth. But don't think! Every night the truth is reborn Don't hide yourself from Him, sister You are not a creature of this world If you want to be truly humble Leave your groveling at the appropriate time Leave the soiled garments of yesterday's body Remember who you really are ~vanamali

My Heart- My heart, sit only with those who know and understand you. Sit only under a tree that is full of blossoms. In the bazaar of herbs and potions don't wander aimlessly find the shop with a potion that is sweet If you don't have a measure people will rob you in no time. You will take counterfeit coins thinking they are real. Don't fill your bowl with food from every boiling pot you see. Not every joke is humorous, so don't search for meaning where there isn't one. Not every eye can see, not every sea is full of pearls. My hart, sing the song of longing like the nightingale. The sound of your voice casts a spell on every stone, on every thorn. First, lay down your head then one by one let go of all distractions. Embrace the light and let it guide you beyond the winds of desire. There you will find a spring and nourished by its waters like a tree you will bear fruit forever. From Divani Shamsi Tabriz by Rumi

JALAL AL-DIN RUMI Love Dogs One night a man was crying, Allah! Allah! His lips grew sweet with the praising, until a cynic said, So! I have heard you calling out, but have you ever gotten any response?" The man had no answer to that. He quit praying and fell into a confused sleep. He dreamed he saw Khidr, the guide of souls, in a thick, green foliage. "Why did you stop praising?" "Because I've never heard anything back." "This longing you express is the return message." The grief you cry out from draws you toward union. Your pure sadness that wants help is the secret cup. Listen to the moan of a dog for its master. That whining is the connection. There are love-dogs no one knows the names of. Give your life to be one of them. By Jalal al-Din Rumi

Shankaracharya wrote bhajagovindam and govindashtakam, and even Hanumanji is considered an incarnation of Lord Shiva. I think this guruji is an auspicious sign and will help in your devotion Congratulations

My grandmother recently passed away, and during the time before her death she would talk to her parents (they have been dead for a very long time). She would always ask "when are my mom and dad coming back to pick me up?" Really, I am looking foreward to death, hopefully the Lord will finally come to me. Her parents are the people she missed most in life, especially her mom. But for me it is my Venu Gopala, and I'm sure he will come when the time comes.

Tonsured hair can be sold for $ so that is also a donation, but I don't know if it is usually put in hundi or not.

We will correct someone, and if still they want to continue with what they are doing than fine, no we don't do like the islamic terrorists do, "If you don't follow us, we kill you". ---------------- This is the precicely TOLERANCE I am talking about! Only thing that bothered me was when previous poster said "Shirdi Sai Baba... Ewwwww!" that was kind of weird for me. Anyways, I'm sorry to have made such a big stir!!

I would like very much to find a guru, but I live in Kansas. Here there is a famous kriya yoga master who takes disciples, but he is the only person I know of. I would like very much to find a Sri Vaishnava guru- but even I'm not picky in this respect. I would like someone who focus on the Bhakti Yoga aspect, so this kriya yoga master, though very good, perhaps is not the one. I am an admirer of Pujya Prema Pangurang. Someone like her would be wonderful, but such wonderful people are few and far between. I think my Guruji will come to me when I am ready, but anyway if you have some suggestions please let me know.

Please do read about Him, and if you get the chance to visit Him at Tirupati, don't miss the chance. He is a self-manifested murti, and the experience of being in His presence at Tirumala is much different than being in the presence of His murti elsewhere.

I didn't realize yesterday was Earth Day until last night, but I had been thinking about Bhumi Mata all day for some reason. I love her quite alot. What a great devotee of the Lord At Vaikuntha she is Bhumi Devi, consort of lord Narayana At Dwarka she is Satyabhama, wife of our beloved Lord Krishna (such a fiery passionate one, is she not!) And she has also taken birth as a shining star of bhakti shining through the darkness of Kali Yuga- Sri Andal. Andal is one of the twelve Alwars- writing in Tamil she composed Thiruppavai and Nacciyar Thirmoli. I give you here a short biography from www.ramanuja.org LIFE OF ANDAL The life of Andal is remarkable in its romantic simplicity. A devout brahmin named Vishnucitta lived in Villiputtur, a town near Madurai. His daily duties included procuring Vishnucitta discovering Andal. One morning, as he went about his business, he discovered a baby girl lying under a tulasi plant in his flower garden. Having no family of his own, Vishnucitta felt it was God's grace that gave him this child and named her Godai, or "gift of Mother Earth." Filled with joy, he took her home and raised her as his own. Godai grew up in an atmosphere of love and devotion. Vishnucitta doted on her in every respect, singing songs to her about his Beloved Krishna, teaching her all the stories and philosophy he knew, and sharing with her his love of Tamil poetry. The love Vishnucitta had for his Beloved Lord intensified further in his daughter, and before long she was passionately in love with Lord Krishna. Even as a child, Godai made up her mind to marry none but the Lord of Brindavana, and refused to think of any human being in similar terms. She imagined what it would be like to be His bride, playing the role of His beloved, enjoying His presence. Unknown to her father, she adorned herself daily with the flower garland he prepared for the Lord at the temple. After admiring her reflection and thinking of herself as His ideal bride, she would put the garland back for her father to take to the temple and offer to the Lord. One day, Vishnucitta noticed a strand of Godai's hair on one of the garlands. Shocked and saddened by this desecration of what was meant only for the Lord, he scolded Godai for her misuse of the garland and discarded it. He carefully prepared a new one and offered it to the Lord, begging His pardon all the while. That night, the Lord appeared to Vishnucitta in his dream and asked him why he discarded Godai's garland instead of offering it to Him. He told Vishnucitta that He missed the scent of Godai's body in the flowers, and that He preferred them that way. Would he please continue to give the garlands once worn by Godai? Overcome with emotion, Vishnucitta awoke and cried tears of both joy and remorse. It dawned on him that his daughter was someone whose love of God was so intense and pure that even he had not comprehended its extent. Her spiritual greatness was such that the Lord Himself wished to share her presence. From this day on, she became known as "Andal", the girl who "ruled" over the Lord. Andal blossomed into a beautiful young woman as she came of marriageable age. When asked to marry, however, she stubbornly refused, saying that she would only agree to marry Sri Ranganatha, the Lord at the great temple town of Srirangam. Vishnucitta despaired, wondering what was to become of his daughter. One night, Lord Ranganatha appeared in his dream and asked that Andal be sent to Him in all her wedding finery. Simultaneously, the Lord appeared before the priests at Srirangam and asked them to prepare for the coming of Andal. Vishnucitta once again was filled with both joy and sadness; joy that his beloved daughter would attain her goal, but sadness at losing her at the same time. He made all the wedding preparations and arranged for Andal's journey in a palanquin to Srirangam. Andal waited with excited anticipation as the wedding party approached Lord Ranganatha's shrine. As they entered the temple, she jumped out of the palanquin, unable to restrain herself any longer. Running into the temple sanctum, she embraced Lord Ranganatha and disappeared in a blaze of glory, having joined her Lord. She was only fifteen at the time. Andal is now one of the best loved poet-saints of the Tamils. Pious tradition reckons her to be the veritable descent of Bhumi Devi (Mother Earth) in bodily form to show humanity the way to His lotus feet. She is present in all Sri Vaishnava temples, in India and elsewhere, next to her Lord, as she always desired. (Utsava murthi of Lord Sri Venkateswara with Sri Devi and Bhu Devi- Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams)

I think Gujus and Jews are probably brothers... but that's silliness. To address the original post, I too found Lord Krishna through Jesus Christ, basically because I feel most comfortable in a relationship to God as Beloved (even as a young child) but this type of bhava is not at all encouraged in modern protestantism. So I pleaded with Jesus to help me and... long story short... he revealed Himself to me through Lord Krishna. This is not a theological statement that Jesus = Bhagavan Sri Krishna. I don't know... it's none of my business, nor do I wish to make it my business. Anyway, I don't have any baggage having to do w/Christianity, except for, yeah, the 700 club scares me a little, and I don't know that Jesus would be all that happy with some of the things they say.

I don't know, but... Lord Hari is like a dark cloud, so if your chanting is drawing rain, then you are very lucky indeed! Megha shyamam peeta-kauseya-vasam srivatsangam kaustubhot bhacetangam punyopetham pundarikayathaksham vishnum vande sarva lokaikanatham Om Sri Venkateshaya Namah! Om Sri Krishnaya Namah!

If I could make a wish I think I'd pass Can't think of anything I need No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound Nothing to eat no books to read Making love with you, has left me peaceful warm inside What more could I ask There's nothing left to be desired Sometimes all I need is the air that I breathe and to love you All I need is the air that I breathe yes to love you Just to have you now All I need is the air that I breathe You're all I want Peace came upon me and it breathes in me Don't sleep silent angel don't you sleep Sometimes all I need is the air that I breathe and to love you Just to have you now All I need is the air that I breath yes to love you All I need is the air that I breathe you're all I want

Can be enhanced by TALKING to your kids, rather than letting the TV converse with them all day. /images/graemlins/smile.gif The funniest thing to me is those talking story books which allows parents to have as little contact with their children as possible. Ah, modernity!

Well, due to the creativity of some transaliterators "Math" is sometimes spelled "MUTT" even in India. Either way it either seems to have algebraic or canine connotations. It's not the orig. poster's fault, though. I can't believe you said that, friend! Somebody comes to you and says "I want to join a Gaudiya Mutt, I want to grow closer to Lord Krishna" and you say "Heh heh.. you said mutt!" in an all too Beavis-and-Butthead like manner. Jeez Louise! Funny, guys. ~Vanamali

Are we talking about Ammachi of Kerala? I've never met her, but I would like to very much. Krishna can come to one in many forms (ideally, all forms!) and sometimes, you know, I really need a hug from Him, but you know, I do not have the courage to ask Him straight out. So a hug from such a luminous personality as Ammachi is a very valuable thing indeed.

I know I'm sorry, and I'm not even sure what's going on!

Have it your way, Mister "Useless and Dangerous"

I know how much you guys like Radharani, so I have written this poem. It is not written well, but then I am not a poet, but just a mad woman with words spilling from the mouth. I bow to the Lotus Feet of Lord Krishna, may he excuse me if I make any offense. The effects of Separation A thousand gopis wander In utter bewilderment Where has Krishna gone? In His absence they imitate Him Reinacting His heroic deeds Standing in His tri-bhanga pose Speaking like Him Moving like Him Becoming Him Radha is angry with Krishna He is utterly bewildered Where has Radha gone? In Her absence He imitates Her Sobbing and sighing in frustration Burning in the fire of Love Speaking like Her Moving like Her Becoming Her Krishna has gone to Mathura Radha is sad and bewildered Why has Krishna gone? In His absence She imitates Him Turning weeping into laughing And mourning into dancing Playing the flute He left behind Speaking like Him Moving like Him Becoming Him Krishna has gone to Mathura But someone still wanders Vrindavan forest Playing the flute All the gopis gather round Her Gazing at Her with tender smiles Eyes filled with loving tears Touching the arms that once held the Lord For Them She is Him For Her They are Him They have all become Him