Audarya lila

Just thought I would add a quick word to this interesting discussion. I think that the siddhanta has been adequately presented by Jagadananda and Madhavanada prabhus and that they have done an excellent job presenting the relevant scripture to back their position. My input will therefore be more on a personal basis. I have been involved in Bhakti yoga since the late seventies and have had many up's and down's along the way. What I have found to be indispensible in my own spiritual life is service to vaishnavas. In my particular case several years ago I realized that reading books and attending occasional programs at temples or other places was not helping me advance properly. I don't want to get into a testimonial, but I will say that I finally realized that vaishnavism is all about relationships and that Krsna makes himself available through his devotees. For me, initiation is not at all about ritual or belonging to a society (that is not to say that one does not feel a bond to all other vaishnavas). This could not be further from the truth of the matter. Initiation is about a personal relationship between Guru and disciple. There is of course the external ritual side of the affair, but the substance is one of dedication and commitment. It is a most natural outcome of inquiry and submissive service. Initiation means that the Guru agrees to take charge of the sisyas life and guide him/her in their progress toward divinity. This is one aspect of the great substance behind the formal ritual. The other side of it is the willingness of the disciple to accept the disipline and instruction of the Guru as his life and soul. Paul talked about marriage and his vows and commitment. Some say that marriage is a formality and that the love that two people share is the important thing. While this is true, marriage does formalize the bond and declare it to others in society so that they know the intentions of the couple as well. It also puts the couples 'money where their mouth is' so to speak. Anyway, that's about all I have to say - I hope it is helpful to someone. My own personal experience is that I have to approach Krsna through his devotees. If anyone is serious about progressing in devotional service they should seriously search out a devotee who inspires them and then try their best to be of some service to them. That is my humble opinion. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

This is not what Chaitanya Mahaprabhu teaches. He teaches that one should respect all others and expect no respect in return. He does not discriminate and say 'respect devotees, but treat others as dirt'. This type of attitude will be detrimental to the goal of 'always chanting the Holy Name', which is only possible if we are truly humble and see ourselves and others in the proper perspective. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

I'll give you a different spin on this at the risk of offending the others who have spoken out here. I am a manager in a diagnostics firm and I have worked in the biotech business for the last 13 years. I firmly believe in being a good and honest person in all that one does and also in seeing the good in others. Because I have a nature which is to see the good in others I have been a successful manager and have been able to establish lasting and meaningful relationships with others. I always seek to apply the principles that Krsna teaches in Bhagavad-gita and I try to show others how to apply these principles as well. One thing to remember is that you are a devotee and you are called to help others, not simply see them as undesirable association. It is true that you will not want intimate association with gross materialists, but I have always found that I can bring a conversation into focus by judging a persons nature and readiness and then giving them some lessons in transcendence. This will take unlimted forms. For some you can speak very directly about Krsna, for others you will have to speak indirectly. No matter. If you can see everyone as related to Krsna you will find that corporate relationships will be very rewarding. I have pictures of Krsna in my office and I speak very frankly with some of my associates and with others I don't. Still, you are in the corporate world and you are a devotee - in that you are called to set the example. Did you know that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati was prepared to serve westerners meat in order to bring them to Krsna consciousness? You have to think outside the box of rules and regulations and learn to see every person as related to Krsna. If you do this you will not be harmed by associating with 'karmis' but they will be helped immensely. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Sushil, As I said above, Demons come in all colors, shapes, sizes, denominations etc. I live in the United States presently. I have been to India many years ago. I also lived in a muslim country for a year. You may have heard of it - the name is Malaysia. There are many hindu temples in Malaysia and the people get along with each other very well. I sold a set of Srimad Bhagavatams to a wonderful Mulim gentleman in that country. Fanatics abound and they are certainly not limited to people who call themselves Muslim. Violence and demoniac acts have been committed by both 'hindu' and 'muslim' alike in this on-going hatred. This is politics, not religion. Dear Karthik, I think when you get the folio you should look carefully through what Srila Prabhupada had to say about Allah. You may also want to look at how Sriman Mahaprabhu dealt with Muslims. I have not read the Koran, except in very small bits and pieces, so I cannot comment on your remarks other than to say that your characterization of Muhammad is certainly not found in that book. What I have read and from my exchanges with various Muslims I gather that their theology is not unlike Advaita theology. Probably the reason that so much emphasis is given to explaining the differences between Advaita vada and the various dualistic conceptions of Vedanta is precisely that the same scriptural cannon is used for the different belief systems. As the Koran is a completely different entity and is not a part of the Vedic scriptural revelation it does not get as much attention from the Gaudiya Vaishnavas. At any rate I am interested in developing love for Krsna and that includes all people. Haridas Thakur was a muslim and Rupa and Sanatana Goswamis were considered muslim based on their service within the muslim government. Yet they were not dismissed as being demons. Nor was the Chand Kasi. There are plenty of groups in the world that one can decide are demoniac and therefore engage in hateful thoughts and (eventually actions) toward. Here in America we have gangs, skin heads, neo-nazis, on and on and on - so many groups. Many of them thrive on hate of another group or ideology. Mahaprabhus movement is not about hate or vilification of others. It is about love of everyone and everything and giving the highest thing to the most unqualified. Lord Nityanada gave out his mercy to Jagai and Madhai, maybe if you two really think that Muslims are so bad and unqualified you should try to distribute the mercy of Mahaprabhu to them. Certainly this will be pleasing to the Lord. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Rati, Regarding the B.O.M. - did you read the information given at the web page that I provided the link for? The B.O.M. has been studied extensively over a very long period of time. The method is not based on the outcome of one 'biased' study. At any rate, whether you believe the 'science' or not is irrelevant. The main reason I brought it up in the context of the discussion is that there is really a very small window of opportunity in terms of days each month that a woman can actually get pregnant. Sex on days outside that window will never result in pregnancy. So if the idea is adopted that a couple wants to engage in sexual intercourse for the purpose of child bearing, then the sexual intercourse will be limited by the biological restrictions. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Rati, As far as anyone within the lineage of Bhaktisiddhanta saying that it is a vaidhi lineage I have my serious doubts. If someone did say this they are ill informed and certainly not representing the lineage. Here is a link that will clarify this issue properly for you and for any other Audarya fellowship members who are not clear on this issue. http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/saranagati/html/nmj_articles/raganuga-bhakti/raganuga-bhakti.html The method of natural family planning that the Catholic church is currently teaching has the most solid scientific basis and has had the most rigorous scientific testing of any method. It is called the Billings Ovulation Method. You can read about it at: http://www.woomb.org/bom/science/science.shtml Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Rati, I will assume that you have had quite a bit of exposure to Iskcon and Guadiya Matha and further more that your involvement with Gaudiya Vaishnavism most likely began due to this exposure. Therefore I think it is safe to assume that you know full well that they are followers of Rupa Goswami and are worshipers of Krsna, not Narayana. They are espousing the Raga marga, not vaidhi. That they don't adhere to the same practices that you do or those of your mentors is obvious, but that does not validate your obvious derogatory statements. The Sarasvata Sampradaya is a nice term and as you said it was coined by my spiritual master so I will certainly be happy to adopt such a nomenclature. The goal of the Sampradaya is not different than the goal of what you have called the traditional Gaudiya lineages. I am sure that you have thought about all of this deeply and your conclusions appear to be different than mine - that's fine with me. For the record though, since were talking about how to gradually become free from karmic influences, followers of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati place their emphasis in spiritual practice on Kirtan, not smaranam. Kirtan is primary in Kali yuga. The warning to not try to enter prematurely into higher topics is there so that one does not take up an imaginary process colored by material conditioning. At any rate, Krsna is not different from His Name and the emphasis on practice amongst those following the Saraswata line is Nama bhajana. Regarding the once a month sex issue I will offer this. My wife and I went to an educational series given through the Catholic church on fertility and pregnancy. It was some time ago so I don't remember all the details, but it was really quite good. Couples are taught to track a woman's two periods. One is the menstraul cycle, or the well known 'blood' period. The other is referred to as a mucous period. It is only during the mucous period of a woman that pregnancy if possible. This lasts for approximately 5-7 days. The results of studies with couples who monitored their periods and engaged in sex at different times during their 'mucous' period were quite astounding. Depending on the time and the consistency of the mucous the child will be either male or female. The studies showed a 98% rate of proper sex prediction! I can't remember at which stage the female was the outcome and which, the male - but it had to do with the consistency of the mucous which starts out very thin and slimy and progesses toward dryer and stickier. At any rate, if a couple monitors their cycles properly they will know when to engage in sex if their aim is to produce children. The Catholic church is teaching this monitoring method to provide a means of sexual indulgence that will not result in off-spring without the use of profilactic devices. According to the data and the method taught, couples can engage in sexual relations every other day. They must obstain during the 'period' cylces and two days after the end of the mucous cylcle. This amounts to the ability to have sexual relations about 8 times per month. What I found facinating about the whole affair was that the Catholic church teaches that sex should be for the purpose of expressing love between married partners AND for the procreation of children, yet they go to lengths to provide the knowledge necessary to engage in sex such that procreation is an impossibility! Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Muslims are not demons, this is a very dangerous mentality to have. Demons come in all sorts of dresses and with all sorts of labels attached to them. Will you judge a person on the basis of his religious affilitation? On the color of his skin? On the basis of gender? These are all external considerations. If you look deeper you may find that the concept of 'demon' is present within your own mind and the way in which you go about your own life. Demon means to be averse to God and to not see God in everyone and everything. Demon means to have a seperate interest from God based on selfishness. Where is the demon? Where is the deva? These two opposites exist within us all. The fact that we are in the material world, unless we were sent here to do the bidding of Krsna, is indicative of our demoniac nature. If we weren't averse to Krsna we would not be here. From what I have seen, the goal of the devout Muslim is to dedicate him/herself to serve God completely. To die to the world and live in service. This is not different than the goal of the Hindu. The nomenclature and the rituals performed in pursuance of the goal differ, but the essence of the pursuit is the same. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

There is no doubt that aversion is the flip side of attraction - just the opposite side of the coin. The healthy method of spiritual attainment is dedication to Krsna in all we do. I have said this before on another thread at another time, but I do really believe that the preaching against family life and family relationships has resulted in very disfunctional individuals who have spent very much time trying to follow the path laid out within Iskcon in general. It leads to real problems not just in terms of unhealthy attitudes toward sex or the opposite gender, but toward human relations in general. The Gaudiya ideal is quite different actaully. We see that family life and attachment to the seemingly mundane are the norm in Vrndavana life. The difference is that Krsna is always in the center of everything there. That is the proper adjustment that needs to be made by progressive spiritualists. How can you do anything but love your wife and children if you see them properly in relation to Krsna? On the other hand, if anyone sees their family relations as their own and they don't see them in relation to Krsna then it becomes a mundane affair. It may look like love, but it is really lust because Krsna is forgotten. Anyway, I agree that there was certainly an unhealthy outcome to the preaching within Iskcon that focused so much energy on painting an ugly picture of sex life and denigrating anyone and everyone who wore any other color than saffron. But from a practical point of view, if we are serious about becoming Krsna conscious, we should strive to see Krsna everywhere and place him as the beneficiary of all of our actions and interactions. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Karthik_v, I have read your questions on this thread regarding sex life and the restrictions given by GV acharyas (of the Sarasvati lineage). I have a couple of comments that are related to this part of this discussion and they relate to things said in various posts. First and foremost it should be understood that Iskcon or any other spiritual institution are formed to promote spiritual life and to help spiritual aspirants to live a progressive life that will lead to transcendence of materially conditioned life. So the basic premise is that we are spiritual by nature and that our natural function is in relation to the Supreme spiritual being as an unconditional servant. All of the rules and regulations, both positive and negative - do's and don'ts - are meant to awaken us to our real nature. There are so many quotes in scripture that tell us that a life directed toward sensual pursuits is a misplaced life. Here is one: na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir artha-maninah (S. Bhag. 7.5.31) "Those whose minds have been polluted by mundane sense-pleasure, and who hold respect for sense-enjoyers addicted to external mundane pleasures - they cannot know of the glories of Lord Visnu, the exclusive refuge of those desirous of attaining the supreme goal of human life." So if we go a little deeper, which is what we are called to do in order to pursue a truly spiritual life, we will see that what we are actually after - rasam, sundaram - the fullest satisfaction, cannot come from dharma, artha, kama or even moksha. This is the conclusion of the Srimad Bhagavatam. All of these four goals in life amount to a life of seperate interest. The bhakti sastras inform us that the positive side is a life of dedication to Krsna, where our every act and thought is meant for his pleasure. In light of the above, and also understanding that Krsna says that he is that sex life which is governed by regalative principles, it is not unreasonable to conclude that sex which is meant to please Krsna by generating off-spring for the purpose of imparting divine life unto them is truly pleasurable, because it is pleasing to him. As devotees our constant aim is to think of Krsna and perform acts which are pleasing to him. These are some of the philosophical underpinnings to giving an instruction to regulate sex life in pursuit of pleasing Krsna and why Srila Prabhupada has given this type of instruction as a universally applicable instruction. I do not agree with your assessment that the reason for the high rate of failed marriages within Iskcon is a direct result of artificle repression of the sexual urge. You have been married for seven years, surely you are aware that marriage is about much , much more than sex life. I have been married for 15 years and I can tell you that, from my perspective at least, a good and meaningful marriage will result when both parties are fully committed to helping each other reach their highest potential and are willing to make sacrifices in order to make the marriage work. Real love is born of sacrifice and, unless one is prepared to give up selfish intersts for the good of the family and marital relations, marriage is destined to fail. I have seen many marriages fail and I do not know of a single one where it was due to artificial repression of the sensual and mental urges. So the real question for any sadhaka in any act is 'who am I doing this for?'. When the answer is Krsna, then we are making progress. This is the simple test to be placed in all circumastances for all times. The verse from the Bhagavad-Gita that you quoted regarding articial renunciation while still dwelling on the objects of the senses within the mind is a very pertinent sloka to the overall discussion. What is not inferred by this verse is that one should therefore engage his senses without restriction. But a good and honest question is,'how do I get to the ideal from my current position?' Currently I am conditioned and I have mental and sensual urges that are pushing me toward certain types of selfish and binding actions, how will I make tangible progress toward the goal? The first thing is that one has to be sure what the goal is. After that, some honest assessment is of one's current state is necessary. Association of sadhus is a must for anyone who truly wants to transcend the mind and senses. So, if one accepts the goal, then finding proper association is a must. Then sincerity of purpose is key. Krsna says that maya answers to him. If we truly want to serve Krsna he will help us and he will direct maya to help us as well. When Krsna gave Arjuna the instruction to control the mind Arjuna gave the solution to the problem in his subsequent question. He said, 'To control the mind, oh Krsna, seems more difficult than to stop the wind with my arms' (this is paraphrased so don't blast me on not giving a perfect literal translation). So, what is the answer? The answer is that we cannot control the mind and senses on our own effort, but when we call on Krsna as Arjuna did saying,'oh Krsna please help me.' then we will ultimately be successful. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Here is a nice link that discusses this issue in great detail. Leyh, if you read this article the apparent contradictions will be resolved for you. http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/saranagati/html/vishnu_mjs/jiva/jiva.html This article is very thorough. But beyond the siddhanta presented therein, I think the overall message for all of us is that how and when we became conditioned and what was our former state are all somewhat irrelevant. More important is understanding our goal and acting accordingly. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Jagatji, I guess this is the crux of the difference between what you call the classical position and that of the Gaudiya Matha - Srila Bhaktisiddhanta reasoned that if one actually has the desire that the other desires which cloud the heart (anarthas) will necessarily be absent. In other words, his opinion and that of those following his direction, is that a symptom of that desire will necessarily be absence of mundane desires. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

I would think that Babhru could help you to ascertain the identity of the devotee with the frog. I live quite a distance from San Diego, but I remember during one feast there that the devotee in question was wandering around with bhakta Kermit. I think he has a web page, I remember at one time reading some of his material on the web - he does a lot of different voices. He came by where I was sitting with my wife and kids and he was keeping the kids quite entertained. I assumed at the time that he must be a resident of San Diego and a regular at the temple, that's why I think that Babhru can help with his identity. He may not look at the 'clean jokes' section of this forum so you might want to slip in the question on the 'who is Srila Prabhupada' thread. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Thank you Bhimasena for that wonderful description of how you are relishing chanting the holy name. You are indeed an inspiration. Gaura Hari Bol! Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

The line of Srila Bhaktisiddanta Saraswati follows closely his teaching on the matter of revelation of one's spiritual identity. His line of reasoning and the practice that he advocated was that one will realize his svarupa in the syllables of the Holy Name. He advocated keeping Raganuga bhaki high above our heads. Why? The idea was that he did not want to propagate a material, imaginary thing. He advocated the concept of first deserve, then desire. So his practical program was to practice sadhana and chant under the guidance of Sri Guru and when one comes to the stage where his/her anarthas are cleared then some clear conception can come. Srila Prabhupada is he who strictly follows the lead of his Guru Maharaja and who is showing the way to actually enter into divine life. It is not a cheap thing. If we really want to know the svarupa of our Guru Maharaja we should be practicing with full determination and chanting unceasingly - from wherever and whatever the mind wanders to - bring it back to Krsna. When our bhajana reaches the stage of nistha - being firmly fixed - then we will begin to experience divine life. So, to say, "I want to know who my Guru Maharaja is" is a nice sentiment - but he has already given you everything necessary for discovering this - now it is up to you how much you will apply yourself, how much do you really want to know? Srila Prabhupada gave everything to his disciples, nothing is lacking - that much I know. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Beemasane, If you are still coming here to read messages I would like to suggest a small book called Sri Guru Parampara written by my Guru Maharaja. He explores some of the issues that you are seeking clarity on in that book. Jagat is a veritable wealth of information and knows a lot about the history that you are seeking to understand. My prostrate obeisances unto you once again, and I beg for your forgiveness for having offended you. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Babhru, I think I need to enroll in one of your classes on english and how to properly convey one's message. I unwittingly offended your god brother in my attempt to share my own limited realization on who Srila Prabhupada is. Having read through my messages I can see how it could be thought of as an attack on his intentions and his standing in bhakti. This could not have been farther from my mind. This is a very important lesson for me because my words failed to convey my meaning, or intentions properly. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Beemasena, Please accept my humble obeisances and forgive my offenses. I did not mean to offend you and I don't feel we have any differences worth fighting about. I am not trying to get into your personal life. I cited some aspects of your personal life that you have shared on this board as an example of how more details are necessary than a name or a few personal details to really know someone. This was just an example of why I personally think it is not an area of academic research that will end in anything meaningful in terms of practical spiritual practice to try to gain an intellectual understanding of the spiritual identity of one's spiritual master. My belief is that it will be revealed when we are qualified and that at that time it will have definite spiritual value. I am honestly very sorry that you find my opinion on this issue to be offensive. My opinion is my own and I have already stated that I am well aware of the fact that it is not shared by everyone. Please accept my heartfelt apology to you, Beemasane. I was honestly not trying to invade your privacy and my intent was never to judge you or your motivations - honest. I have enjoyed all of your posts and I would be most unhappy if I was the cause of your leaving this forum. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Babhru, Now that made me laugh!! Very nice story. I lived in Hawaii (Maui) for about a year and found that it rained quite often. One could speculate that such frequent and heavy rainfalls could lead to roof damage and eventually cause a downpour on the inside. Just thought I'd add that since were talking speculation here. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Beemasane, You have a very nice agenda. I looked at your user profile and found that we had each posted a total of 126 times on this board - another commonality! I want to add to this discussion a little. I assume that you were referring to Narayana Maharaja when you said that a senior vaishnava has spoken and that you are referring to his comments regarding the spiritual identity of Srila Prabhupada. I have a somewhat related question to yours, if yours indeed refers to this revelation, or comment, of Narayana Maharaja. My question is: why when Drstadyumna Prabhu asked the question about Srila Prabhupada did Narayana Maharaja respond that he knows who he is but that he will only reveal such when he completely surrenders with body, mind, words, ego...? Why was it alright to reveal that Kesava Maharaja is Vinoda Manjari and Bhaktisiddhanta is Kamalanayana Manjari and the identity of all the other stalwarts in our line mentioned in his talk without the pre-qualification of surrender, but Srila Prabhupada's identity can only be revealed to the questioner upon exhiting said requirements? Of course Narayana Maharaja did say enough to ascertain that his revelation is that Srila Prabhupada is _______ Manjari. I still don't see how a name where the blank is above will change anything. I know your name is Beemasena and that you have some children and a bird and that you like puppets but I still don't really know you - yet! Anyway, I don't find that this type of talk is for me, personally. I am no doubt much further away from anartha nivritti than your humble self and I am quite content at this stage to focus my attention on chanting. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Beemasane, Glad to give it a break. No I am not telling you or anyone what to do or who to speak to. I encourage association with advanced vaishnava's. I'm not sure how you interpreted my post to mean that you can't associate with the devotees you mentioned. I am a disciple of Tripurari Swami's. I have been associated with the Sankirtan movement since 1978. I try my best to share my thoughts and feelings and to represent my Guru Maharaja on the internet to the best of my ability. I wasn't pointing a finger at you or anyone. I was merely stressing a point about the lineage were are in and what the teaching of the lineage is. I'm not a beatles fan but I am a believer! Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Dear Beemasane, I did not mean my comments as a personal affront to you or anyone else. I was merely pointing out that Srila Prabhupada faithfully followed his Guru Maharaja in this line and he often answered questions regarding the higher section with an answer such as, 'why don't you go there and find out'. If we are not on an advanced level in terms of our practice and realization how will information regarding the eternal identity of Srila Prabhupada help us? I agree with Jagat that some will speculate and some may misrepresent, and if we don't know, we will not be able to ascertain what is the truth of the matter. Is it a bluff or does someone have actual realization? My point is that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta did not encourage speculation of this type, in fact his whole emphasis was placed on chanting offenselessly and serving Sri Guru. The thrust of his preaching was to follow closely this program and progress properly through the various stages. When we are advanced enough Krnsa will reveal what we need to know. He placed his emphasis on revelation and that the revelation will come when the adhikara is there for it. Jagat is right that this stance was at odds with many within the Gaudiya community, but if we look closely at what he was trying to do, I personally feel that this was an important step that was necessary to reform the lineage. I know that not everyone agrees with that, but that remains my opinion. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta placed great emphasis on honesty and practice and he also placed enormous emphaisis on not jumping ahead - his conclusion being that real spiritual experience will be spoiled if one tries to reach into a plane for which he is unqualified. His thesis was that the whole thing will become mundane then. The jist of my comment is really that for followers in the line of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta this type of speculation is contrary to the entire thrust of his emphaisis and teaching. His teaching is that if you really want to know then practice with full determination and undivided attention, when your free of the contamination of matter and the anarthas that crowd the heart - then revelation will come. Until then, simply hearing someone say something will have no actual benefit. When Srila Prabhupada was asked about the Nikunja yuno... stanza of Visvanatha Cakravarti this is what he had to say, "The prayers offered by Visvanatha Cakravarti to his spiritual master have a special significance. His spiritual master was one of the assistant gopis, so the prayer was offered like that. On the whole, the spiritual master is an agent of Krishna. But either he is assistant to the gopis or assistant to the cowherds boys." I also don't wish to offend anyone, but I do feel that followers of Srila Prabhupada should be true to the lineage as presented by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Just because logic reason and argument cannot be used to prove the existence of the soul, it does not follow that no one knows of it's existence. I may have experiences which are very real and subjective which I cannot prove to anyone. That does not negate those experiences or relegate them to belief rather than actual experience. The proof of the existence of the soul comes to any sincere seeker through divine revelation. Gauracandra has rightly said that the soul is spiritual and that no measuring device which is material can reveal it to us. So what is the qualification to actually see the soul? The perciever must have spiritual eyes. How to develop spiritual eyes? Chant Hare Krsna will sincerity and concentration. Cry out like a child crying for its mother. Krsna has ears and can hear his babies crying. He will reveal himself. This is the best process for realizing the existence of the soul. Yoga practices and general meditation can also help to give one experience of him/herself beyond the everyday experiences of the mind and senses. So in the material sense the soul cannot be proven to exist, but if one is willing to experiment with his/her own consciousness - it is possible to gain some awareness of the soul. your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Hari Bol Bhaktashab, I think it best to ask Tripurari Maharaja himself what his position is regarding Iskcon. Back in the mid-eighties he was told that if he wished to maintain his relationship with Sridhara Maharaja he would have to leave Iskcon. He did so, although he remains a faithful disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Regarding what Iskcon's position is with regards to him I really couldn't say. As you know Tripurari Maharaja was a member of Iskcon for many years and has many friends and associates who remain within the institution. There may be a formal 'Iskcon' position or not, I am not aware of it is there is one. I am associated with one of his god brothers who is a very well respected Iskcon member and he very much appreciates the efforts of Tripurari Maharaja to spread Krsna consciousness. He is reading from the new edition of Bhagavad-Gita and he has had very warm and enthusiastic things to say about it. Sorry if this doesn't help or answer your questions in a satisfactory manner, but that is what I know about the questions asked. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa

Sorry Tarun, I have to disagree with you on the polygamy issue. You cited Kennedy, Clinton etc. as examples of polygamy being natural, I would rather say that these 'men' are examples of the unnaturalness(if that is indeed a word) of it. They certainly are examples only of individuals who are driven by lust to engage in extra-marital affairs. These are rather men who should have no wife at all becuase they have shown themselves to be disrespectful and to view womn as objects of their sense gratification rather than as devotees of Krsna. We certainly have to take time, place and circumstance into consideration when discussing this type of issue. The times at hand are such that women are no longer kept at home as slaves and servants without any education. Women are as educated as men in modern society. Women can, and do, lead independent lives and don't require 'protection' from a male who wishes to subjugate them. I am married and I can say that not only would I not have the proper time to really care for another wife, I do not believe it would be good psychologically, or in any other way, for me to have multiple wives. I barely have enough time to really care for my wife and children as it is. I have been married for over fifteen years so I am not speaking theory here. I do have some practical experience of what it takes to have a meaningful marriage and the sacrifice necessary to raise children. Another reality is that marriages fail at an alarming rate because men and women are ill prepared for the sacrifices necessary to have a meaningful and lasting marriage. Iskcon men or devotees in general, in my opinion, are no different. In fact, Iskcon has a horrible record when it comes to faithful, meaningful marriages. So, in reality, the question would have to be asked - who is it that is Krsna conscious enough to maintain multiple wives? And why would they choose to do so? There are some good examples of devotional marriages, but from what I have seen, they are few and far between. Your servant, Audarya lila dasa