sandra

Why do we blame god for everything? Whatever happens to us is a result of our own deeds, whether past or present. So if i follow your reasoning... humans mess up and god has to sort things out all the time? Is god our order supplier? Like a father, God is stern.. why? Because he wants what is best for us.

And to enhance iron absoption, we best make sure we get enough vitamin C as well. I am allergic to citrus fruits (so i have to consume other fruits)... but citrus fruits are one of the best sources of Vit C for those not allergic to them.

Lord Krishna accepted a guru - so why not us? =) If you don't wanna risk it, approach Srila Prabhupada...the founder acharya.

about iron supplements. I am vegetarian too and the only supplement i take is a multi-vitamin tablet. I make sure my meals are varied : whole grains, salads, fruits, cereals, vegetables (example spinach: good source of iron!) and some dairy products.

Now i can make my own ghee! =)

It's the same as when you read Bhagavad Gita - you never get bored reading it over and over again. You actually hanker for more. It's as if you're discovering something new each time. When we were asked this particular question at the temple, i was unable to answer... and in doubt... I'm like: 'How can one choose?!' I couldn't digest that so that's why i asked for the devotees' comments... Thanks. Now i know i am not the only who thinks this way! =)

but i'm not looking for a date and i do not live in the temple. I was asking for some advice for a friend of mine who happens to be a temple devotee and who approached me for guidance. But i appreciate the thought. =)

Got the message! =)

I was really curious to know... as i can't find ghee anywhere where i live and thought maybe i could prepare some at home. =) I'll get the book.

So i got it all wrong! I read the story and probably got mixed up with another. Oh well... Thanks for posting it.

My apologies if i was quite tactless in the way i addressed or if i offended either you or vanamali with my comments. That wasn't my intention. Peace. =)

You didn't offend me at all! You're free to glorify the lord as much as you want. =)

The saying: Learn to walk first before running! Sound. So many people get all enthusiastic about KC (I've seen it!) and then stray from the right path... I sincerely consider myself unfit to be even the servant of the servant of the lord.. I'm so degraded really... so attached to my petty little life... but i have hope. Hope is a wonderful thing. A quote i especially like (very inspirational): Appeared on the website of the Brain Tumor Research Center at Duke University. It is credited to Ellen Stovall of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship: "With communication, comes understanding and clarity; With understanding, fear diminishes; In the absence of fear, hope emerges; And in the presence of hope, anything is possible."

Thank you for replying. =)

Ghee is clarified butter, right? Anyone know how ghee is manufactured or made traditionally? =)

I agree with you that we shouldn't treat 'others' as untouchables... =) I just think that there are nice ways to correct someone or simply advise than just being blunt and harsh (especially if they're deviating?) I don't really like hurting others feelings. I know she probably shouldn't have expressed her feelings like that on the forum but it's a good thing : we get to learn from our mistakes and that of others. But i wonder what's better holding stuff that eats you away or expressing them...? Peace. =)

Hiding emotions 'increases anger' New research has revealed that women who suppress their emotions can be left with even more angry feelings. The study by the University of Aberdeen looked at what happened when women deliberately concealed their anger. Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the investigation was conducted using three studies of male and female participants. "The results showed that the women in the study who had suppressed their anger reported feeling more angry, outraged, upset and disgusted than their male counterparts," said Dr Judith Hosie, co-author of the report. During the study the male and female participants were shown two emotional film clips. One group were invited to express feelings of anger whilst others were told to suppress any feelings. A third group were asked to switch any angry feelings with a happy memory. Swearing They were all then shown a second emotional film and allowed to respond spontaneously. When they did the women who had suppressed their emotions gave their feelings as being stronger, more angry and more upset. Many of these women said they felt more like swearing than males. And one of the key findings was the evidence of a "rebound" effect for emotion. "The subjective intensity of anger was increased in women by suppressing the expression of that anger," explained Dr Hosie. Health problems She said women in many cultures were under pressure to conceal their anger - leaving them more able to develop other strategies for regulating the emotion. Research also reflected that women benefit more than men from having anger substitution, rather than quashing their feelings. Psychologist Sandi Mann of the University of Central Lancashire, said concealing angry emotions - in both males and females - can have a bad effect on a person's overall health. "A lot of emotion is suppressed and the most common one is anger," she said. "Most would argue suppressing anger is bad for you and can lead to raised blood pressure and other associated problems, but actually expressing anger can also be bad for you." The best solution is to express the anger, but in a "healthy" way, she advised. "Having a shouting match is not a good idea but it might be that writing something down is just as effective. "But each person needs to find their own way of coping with anger - exercise can also be a positive way to work off anger." --- May i suggest chanting? =)

Hostility, anger may be bad for male heart By VIRGINIA ANDERSON The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 05/24/04 Picture this: A man is losing his temper. He's screaming and turning red-faced. His eyes bulge, his forehead drips sweat. Or maybe he's in the corner brooding, feeling a little hostile. He thinks he's smarter than the people he works with. He never gets the recognition he thinks he deserves. Both displays of emotions — anger and hostility — may put men at risk of a heart condition called atrial fibrillation, a recent study of about 1,800 men suggests. Atrial fibrillation, in which the heart beats irregularly and too fast, plagues 2 million Americans. It can lead to stroke and heart failure; about 15 percent of people who suffer strokes have atrial fibrillation. The study, published in March in Circulation, is significant not only because it shows a possible risk factor for stroke, but also because it adds to research that shows emotions and how people handle them can put them at risk for major illnesses. The findings suggest that losing your temper might hurt yourself more than others, the study's lead author said. "Expressing anger in a highly dysfunctional way is detrimental to your health," said Elaine D. Eaker of Eaker Epidemiology Enterprises in Chili, Wis. The primary danger of the irregular, fast heartbeat of atrial fibrillation is a pooling of blood in the atria, the two small upper chambers of the heart. That can lead to clotting and possibly stroke. Yet atrial fibrillation is also a danger because it can stretch the fibers of the heart, explained Dr. John Beshai, a cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine at Emory University. Much as the extra movement of muscles in a gym causes targeted muscles to grow, the extra movement in the heart muscle caused by atrial fibrillation causes the heart to stretch. "That stretch over time can create changes," said Beshai. "The [heart] muscle gets thicker because you're working it." Big muscles might be coveted in some areas, but a large heart is not good. It can upset the heart's rhythm and raise blood pressure. The outcomes can vary from what Beshai calls "nuisance arrhythmia," or simply the uncomfortable feeling of one's heart pumping erratically, to, in rare cases, death. "It can precipitate heart failure," Beshai said. Treatment has typically included medication, such as beta blockers, or electrical shock to jolt the heart back into proper rhythm. While atrial fibrillation typically has been a malady of old age, doctors have seen a disturbing increase in the condition in younger men and women. A study published last year in Circulation predicted that the condition will be a "staggering burden" on public health and patients' quality of life if doctors and patients do not act to curb the trend. The number of hospitalizations in which the condition was listed as the first diagnosis among people 35 and older increased 144 percent from 154,086 in 1985 to 376,487 in 1999, according to the analysis of hospital discharge records. The number of hospitalizations in which atrial fibrillation was listed as a diagnosis jumped 190 percent from 787,750 to almost 2.3 million in the same 15-year period. The recent study was an analysis of 1,769 men and 1,913 adult children and their spouses from the original participants in the Framingham Heart Study, begun in 1948. The participants completed psychological surveys when their average age was 48.5, and they had no sign of heart disease. They were then followed for 10 years. Hostility, defined for the study as having a generally contemptuous attitude toward others, defensiveness and feelings that others take credit for things you have done, may affect atrial fibrillation more than anger, the study suggests. Men with higher feelings of hostility were 30 percent more likely to develop the condition, while men who scored high in anger had a 10 percent higher risk for developing atrial fibrillation than men without increased anger. Researchers aren't sure how the feelings cause the physiological changes. The study showed no increased risk of atrial fibrillation for men who rated high on Type A behavior, typically actions that show time urgency and competitiveness rather than anger and hostility. It also showed no increased risk of atrial fibrillation for women who feel angry or hostile. That could be because women and men do not express anger the same way, Eaker said. Heredity, a history of scarlet fever and an alcohol overdose also can be contributing factors in atrial fibrillation. Because the study did not address treatments, researchers need to follow up on Eaker's study to determine whether treatment for anger and hostility might lower the risk among men who have anger and hostility, she said. "From a scientific standpoint, we cannot conclude that if you control your anger, you reduce your risk," Eaker said. "We can't go out on that limb." Eaker did say, however, that counseling for anger and hostility is "certainly not going to be bad" if the displays of those emotions are detrimental to your health.

I'm not perfect myself or as advanced as many devotees here but that doesn't mean i take the process too cheaply and i don't think you are sahajiya! Sahajiya is a form of deviation from the real vaisnavism path. I didn't know myself until i came across this: http://www.iskcon.org/main/twohk/philo/roots/apasam/sahajiya.htm http://www.iskcon.net/milkocean/index.html More: Vaisnava sahajiya The fourteenth-century poet baru chandidas is believed to be the deviser and preacher of this creed, which he divined after coming in contact with a washerwoman named Rami. Later in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the creed, based on the Buddhist Sahajiya doctrine, started gaining ground. The followers of this doctrine believe themselves to be sahaja rasika (versed in sahaja) or travellers of the sahaja patha (simple path). The phrase sahaja patha here means love, which is human nature. The ultimate goal of a human being is to attain the self through love; and the Vaisnava sahajiya consider the body to be the best means for this. The ideals of the Vaisnava sahajiya are beauty, love and enjoyment. The philosophical doctrines and practices of the Vaisnava sahajiyas are different from those of the Gaudian Vaisnavas. The Gaudian Vaisnavas believe that all philosophy lies in the human body and they take the philosophy of love allegorically, not literally unlike the Sahajiya. The Vaisnava sajahiya instituted a diversified form of philosophy of love by mixing vaisnavism and the doctrines of radha and krishna in the name of Nimai and Nitaichand. Their philosophy incorporated the spiritual and the physical. According to Sahajiya philosophy, each man and woman has an inner and outer form. Thus a man has the outer form of a man, but his inner self is Krishna. Similarly, a woman has the outer form of a woman but her inner self is Radha. When the external forms unite physically, the inner selves attain the highest enjoyment. This is mahabhava or the enjoyment of sahaja. Deification of man is the basic principle of the Sahajiya doctrine. The Gaudian Vaisnavas look down on the Vaisnava sahajiyas because to the latter the philosophy of love or the worship of body is of great importance. This has distanced one sect from the other and has lowered the social dignity of the Sahajiyas. Even Chandidas himself was excommunicated from the Brahmin society. Despite this fact, the philosophy gained ground and became widespread. This is now recognised as an alternative means of worshipping God. A large part of medieval bangla literature is based on the Sahajiya creed. Among the people who wrote on this philosophy, Baru Chandidas is considered the best. His srikrishnakirtan depicts the basic principles of Sahajiya in a lucid manner. Many poets including Chandidas, who believed in the Sahajiya doctrine, composed verses on practices of the attainment of the self in an enigmatic language, known as ragatmika . (verses that consider pure love to be the attainment). Vaisnava sahajiya literature is of two kinds: one, based on padavali (lyrics), the other, based on nivandha (composition). Poets like vidyapati and rupa goswami are proponents of the padavali literature while Baru Chandidas and krishnadasa kaviraja are proponents of nibandha literature. The prefatory parts of many pieces by less famous figures impute the works to famous names such as Vidyapati, Chandidas, Narahari Sarkar, Raghunath Das, Krsnadas Kaviraja, Narottam Das, Rupa Goswami, Sanatan Goswami, Vrindavan Das, Lochandas, and Chaitanyadas. Some noted books of Sahajiya literature are Vivartavilasa (Akinchan Das), Anandabhairava, Amrtarasavali, Agamagrantha, Premavilasa (Yugalkishore Das), Radha-Rasa-Karika, Deha-Kadcha (Narottam Das), Sahaja-Upasana-Tattva (Taruni Raman), Siddhanta-Chandrodaya, Rativilasa-Paddhati, Ragamayikana, and Ratnasara. [sambaru Chandra Mohanta] In short, a sahajiya is a cheap and , i stress, pseudo devotee... And i do not think you pose as a big devotee, do you? =)

An extract from http://www.philosophy.ru/library/asiatica/indica/authors/bhaktivinoda/hc/hceng.html The churning of rasa Thus one reaches a state of perfection known as sthayibhava, or permanent emotion, which is also known as rati. Four bhavas combine to transform rati to rasa. The four bhavas are: vibhava, anubhava, sattvika, and vyabhicari (or sancari). Vibhava, the element that excites loving sentiment, has two subdivisions: alambana and uddipana. Alambana or the root is again of two parts: the visaya (subject) and the asraya (recipient). The devotee of Lord Krsna is the asraya, and Lord Krsna Himself is the visaya. Lord Krsna's transcendental beauty and qualities are known as uddipana or the impetus. Thus where there is alambana (the root relationship of the devotee and Krsna) and uddipana (the impetus of the realization of Krsna's form and qualities), lila and rasa can occur. Anubhava (the external symptoms of the internal permanent emotion) is what results from vibhava, or the effect of alambana and uddipana. When these emotions become more intense, they are transformed into sattvikabhava (loving emotions that cannot be checked). At this same time sancaribhava (emotions that set into motion the progress of rasa) come into play. Rasa is like a machine. Rati, or permanent emotion, is the axle of this machine. Once the machine starts moving by the combined energy of the four bhavas, the permanent emotion (sthayi-bhava) is then converted into rasa. The devotee, who is the asraya (like a shelter or container), becomes the relisher of that rasa. And that rasa is the Vraja-rasa or the spiritual mellow of Vrindavan. That rasa is the essence of everything, and is for the jiva the highest goal. The Vedas expound four goals - dharma, artha, kama, moksha; but in fact the pinnacle of all these perfections is rasa. The fully realized and perfected beings are entitled to taste that rasa. Elevation via the Hare Krsna mahamantra. Amongst the introspective jivas, he who is attracted to pure devotional service is the most evolved. The jiva can take up the path of bhakti only after he has accrued sufficient sukriti or piety from previous births. When such a jiva develops strong faith or sraddha, he comes into contact with a pure devotee spiritual master. By the grace of the spiritual master, he is initiated into the chanting of the Hare Krsna mahamantra the holy names of the Divine Couple. Though this jiva is blessed with sraddha, his desire for material gain poses an obstacle on his path of progress. The spiritual master graces the jiva with a disciplinary process suitable for overcoming this obstacle. Thus he gains spiritual strength from chanting. Chanting on Tulasi beads and meditating on a fixed number of holy names every day is the best form of worship, and will surely lead to success. Therefore, in the beginning, a little time should daily be spent in seclusion for full concentration upon the holy name. In degrees, as chanting increases, a more profound relationship with the holy name is developed, and the material impediments fall away. The path of bhakti features two important engagements, one of which is Deity worship, the other chanting and meditating upon the holy name. Although both engagements are expedient, chanting and meditating on the holy name is preferred by the more deeply serious devotees. Many elevated pure devotees at times chant aloud the holy names on their beads, and then at other times meditate upon Krsna's pastimes on the beads. The advantage of performing kirtan, or audibly chanting the maha-mantra on the beads, is that three kinds of devotional service hearing, chanting and remembering are accomplished simultaneously. Of course, all the nine limbs of devotional service reside in the holy name; of them, hearing, chanting and remembering are the best. Chanting automatically manifests the other limbs of devotional service, like .-sevanam, dasyam, sakhyam, atma- nivedanam, and so on. Thus the process of Deity worship is automatically accomplished by the devotee surrendered to the holy name. But the devotee attracted to Deity worship will have to acquire attraction for hearing and chanting in order to attain complete perfection in Krsna consciousness. Who is eligible to chant the holy name? Three kinds of jivas are captivated by external material phenomena: the gross materialists, the karmis and the jnanis. They are therefore extroverts all, chasing after false hopes for happiness in the realm of fleeting appearances. The gross materialist endeavors for sensual delights. The karmi aspires for ephemeral heavenly bliss in the hereafter. The jnani is wholly concerned with how to mitigate his existential suffering. After surpassing these stages, the jiva becomes truly introspective, seeking entrance into the realm of the internal spiritual energy. The introspective jivas are divided into three categories: kanistha, madhyama, and uttama (neophyte, intermediate, and advanced). The neophyte devotee rejects demigod worship and worships only Krsna, but with certain material motivations due to lack of sambandhajnana. Simple and naive, he is not offensive; he is just selfpreoccupied. Therefore, although such neophytes are not considered to be pure Vaisnavas, they are certainly to be accepted as Vaisnava-praya or resembling Vaisnavas. The intermediate or madhyama devotee is pure and is very firmly situated in faith. The uttama or advanced devotee is completely indifferent to material things and is fully surrendered to Krsna. The pure name avails Himself to those who have exclusive faith in Krsna. z Stepbystep advancement in hearing, chanting, and remembering The order of discipline (sadhanakrama) for realizing the identity of the holy name with the Lord is as follows. The devotee must in the beginning discard the ten offenses and simply absorb himself in the holy name by chanting constantly. He should distinctly pronounce the holy name and meditate upon the transcendental sound vibration. When his chanting is steady, clear and blissful, he will be able to meditate upon the Syamasundara form of the Lord. With chanting beads in hand, he should thus seek out the transcendental form of the holy name, which will appear when his vision is pure. Another method he may employ to see this form is to sit in front of the Deities, drink the beautiful sight of the Lord with his eyes and meditate upon the holy name. After reaching the stage where the holy name and the form of the Lord become one, he must then absorb the transcendental qualities of Lord Krsna into his meditation. Thus the holy name and the qualities of Krsna merge to become one through constant chanting. Next, he goes on to practice the remembrance of particular pastimes of the Lord. This remembrance, called mantradhyana mayi upasana, facilitates further absorbtion into the holy name. This lila-smarana or pastime meditation also gradually become one with the holy name, form, and qualities. At this point, the first rays of namarasa, or the transcendental mellow of the holy name, dawn on the horizon of perception. Chanting the name in great delight, the devotee sees Krsna surrounded by cowherd boys and girls under a desire tree at the Yoga Pitha. Progressively, the devotee's practice of lila-smarana intensifies to the point where he begins to meditate on the most confidential pastimes of the Lord known as the asta-kaliya- lila, or the eightfold pastimes of RadhaKrsna. When he reaches maturity in this meditation, rasa rises in full glory. The svarasiki process of worship Asta-kaliya-lila smarana is also known as svarasiki worship. In this stage of bhajana, one is awarded the opportunity to accordingly serve Krsna in the times and places of his pastimes. Now the devotee realizes the full grace of his spiritual master, who, in his eternal spiritual form (siddha-svarupa), guides the disciple to a sakhi (confidential gopi) who in turn introduces him into the pastimes of the Lord. Of all the gopis, Srimati Radharani, the daughter of King Vrisabhanu, is the most excellent. She embodys the highest spiritual sentiment, mahabhava. Serving Krsna under Her leadership is the supreme spiritual experience. The five main rasas or spiritual mellows are: santa (neutrality), dasya (servitorship), sakhya (friendship), vatsalya (parenthood), and sringara or madhurya (conjugal). Of these, sringara or conjugal is the highest. Devotees eligible to enter the conjugal rasa are the recipients of the special mercy of Sri Krsna Caitanya. In the conjugal rasa, Lord Krsna has many yutheswaris or female group leaders; but everyone prefers Srimati Radharani. She is the direct manifestation of Lord Krsna's svarupa-sakti or spiritual potency, and all the other vraja-gopis are Her expansions. She is the Absolute embodiment of all the rasas. It is therefore the goal of devotional service to enroll in Her yutha or group. Service to Lord Krsna in Vraja is impossible without first taking shelter of the vrajagopis. One should furthermore aspire to enter Srimati Radharani's camp and serve directly under Lalitadevi. When the material coverings are removed, the spiritual goal is acheived. As the devotee becomes disciplined in rasa, the gap between sadhana (practice) and bhajanasiddhi (perfection of worship) closes. Soon, the servitor's spiritual form begins to take shape. By the mercy of the yutheswari, he becomes easily overpowered by attraction to Lord Krsna. This strong spiritual attraction eradicates the gross and subtle material concepts of form that captured him when he turned away from Krsna. Thus the jiva gains entrance into Vraja in his original spiritual form. Up to this point, the jiva's progress in spiritual life can be framed in words. Beyond it, there are even higher stages of Krsna consciousness that are indescribable. These will be revealed by the grace of Krsna. The cultivation of the conjugal loving relationship with the Lord is the highest mode of service; by this, everincreasing Krsnaprema will be experienced. By adopting the bhaumavrajarasa, or the vrajarasa revealed on this material plane in Vrindavandhama, one becomes eligible to enter such conjugal love.Sri Ramananda Raya said, 'Therefore one should accept the mood of the gopis in their service. In such a transcendental mood, one should always think of the pastimes of Sri Radha and Krsna. After thinking of Sri Sri RadhaKrsna and Their pastimes for a long time and after getting completely free from material contamination, one is transferred to the spiritual world. There the devotees attain an opportunity to serve Sri Radha and Krsna as one of the gopis. Unless one follows in the footsteps of the gopis he can not attain the service of the lotus feet of Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja. If one is overcome by knowledge of the Lord's opulence, he can not attain the Lord's lotus feet even though he is engaged in devotional service." (Sri Caitanya caritamrita, Madhya 8.228230) The devotee who is inclined to cultivate the conjugal rasa must accept the form of a gopi under the guidance of a superior vrajagopi. One can become a gopi when eleven transcendental sentiments adorn the heart. They are: 1) sambandha (relationship), 2) vayasa (age), 3) nama (name), 4) rupa (form), 5) yutha-pravesa (entrance into a group), 6) vesa (attire), 7) ajna (instructions), 8) vasasthana (place of residence), 9) seva (service), 10) parakastha (excellence), 11) palyadasi-bhava (the mood of a kept maidservant). Five stages of consciousness are ascended in bhavasadhana The cultivation of these eleven gopi sentiments develops through five stages. They are: 1) sravana-dasa (the stage of hearing), 2) varana-dasa (the stage of acceptance), 3) smarana- z dasa (the stage of remembering), 4) apana-dasa (stage of application), and 5) sampati-dasa (stage of inheritance). Srila Ramananda Raya says, 'One who is attracted by the ecstatic love of the gopis does not care about the regulative principles of Vedic life or popular opinion. Rather, he completely surrenders unto Krsna and renders service unto Him.' 'In this liberated stage the devotee is attracted by one of the five humors (rasas) in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. As he continues to serve the Lord in that mood, he attains a spiritual body to serve Krsna in Goloka Vrindavan.' (Sri Caitanyacaritamrita, Madhya 8.220, 8.222) So saying, Srila Ramananda Raya instructs us to first attain the form and mood of a vraja- gopi in order to obtain service in the conjugal relationship. When a sadhaka devotee, having heard about Lord Krsna's pastimes, is attracted to the conjugal mellow, he should take further instruction on rasa from a realized, saintly spiritual master. This is called the stage of hearing or sravana-dasa. When the sadhaka devotee anxiously and eagerly accepts the conjugal mellow, varana-dasa commences. Then, by pure remembrance of the sentiments of rasa, he desires to practice them: thus he reaches the third stage, smarana-dasa. When he is able to perfectly invoke these sentiments of rasa, he attains apana- dasa or prapti-dasa. Finally, when he can separate himself from all his temporary material designations and is steadily fixed in that original spiritual identity for which he yearns, he has reached sampati-dasa: the inheritance of his spiritual identity. Bhajan from the stage of sravanadasa to smaranadasa. If, after having tested the disciple, the spiritual master determines that he is eligible to perform bhajan and serve in the sringara rasa, he then confidentially informs the disciple about his eternal spiritual form as a manjari in Srimati Radharani's camp, under the supervision of Sri Lalitadevi. The spiritual master teaches the disciple how to develop the eleven sentiments of the gopis, how to meditate on the asta-kaliya-lila, and how to properly be established in both. So that he may fully understand them, the sadhaka is shown his siddhadeha or spiritual identity, viz. his spiritual name, form, qualities, service and so on. The spiritual master also discloses who the parents of the sadhaka's manjariidentity are, at which house she was born, who her husband is, and so on. At this point, the disciple must spurn all Vedic religious pursuits and simply be a fully surrendered maidservant of Srimati Radharani, the camp leader; thereafter, the guru will reveal in detail the disciple's eternal service to Srimati Radharani in the asta-kaliya-lila. The sadhika (now a female sadhaki) embraces these revelations in varanadasa. He enters into smaranadasa when he actually remembers them for himself. In this way, the sadhaka prepares himself for spiritual birth as a gopi in Vraja. A digression on the subject of ruci But in the beginning the spiritual master and disciple must together sort out the disciple's natural inclination (ruci) for rasa. If the disciple finds his natural taste coincides with the identity indicated by the spiritual master, he should so inform his guru and embrace that identity as his life and soul. But if the disciple does not have a natural taste for the selected z identity, he must frankly reveal this to his spiritual master, who will give him another identity. If the disciple has a taste for the new identity, he should accept it. His inherent nature will then manifest itself. Ruci or taste is the natural devotional propensity born out of bhaktisukriti, or previous devotional service. It may therefore be long standing or only recently developed. But in either case ruci is natural to the soul. When this inclination is determined by the spiritual master, it must be confirmed by the disciple. If the inclination is not fixed, the spiritual master's instructions on rasa will not take effect. Those who are not attracted to the sringararasa, preferring dasya, sakhya or vatsalya, must likewise receive instructions from the spiritual master on these relationships in order to get the fruit of their devotion, or else return to a life of anarthas. The great devotee Syamananda at first was not aware of his own siddharuci or permanent devotional propensity; he was made to embrace the sakhyarasa or the mood of friendship. Later, by the grace of Srila Jiva Goswami, he attained his real position. If an inappropriate ruci is falsely attached to the sadhaka, it is compared to the gopiidentity's acceptance of a husband. But by the grace of his spiritual master, the sadhaka at last attains Krsna's service in the parakiyarasa or paramour relationship. Rasa comes to a full bloom only in the parakiya mood. The summit of Lord Caitanya's teachings is that the parakiya attitude is the permanent feature of the pastimes of the Lord, both in their appearance [when Krsna descends to Vrajabhumi] and their disappearance [into the invisible Vraja of the transcendental world]. The conjugal rasa is completely transcendental Sringararasa is totally devoid of even an iota of materialism. The transcendental jiva, in order to enjoy and exchange pure rasa, becomes a transcendental gopi and renders devotional service to the transcendental personalities of Sri Radha and Sri Krsna in the transcendental realm of Vrindavana. There is not the slightest tinge of the mundane man-woman relationship in Vrndavana. Only the purest essence of conjugal love is manifested in the perfected identity of the soul. And realization of this is available only from a pure devotee spiritual master. Other than by his grace, this inconceivable truth can never be understood. It is beyond the realm of speculation and pedantic scrutiny. Its realization is extremely rare.

Dear Mataji, If your concern is whether your feelings for Sri Krishna is right or wrong... then do pray to him sincerely... He will surely direct you on the path to follow... I will not advise you as who am i to do so? I'm human and humans are desillusioned. Appeal to Krishna and Radha and seek their guidance. Actually, I do not think it is a bad thing to be attracted to the Lord... Doesn't Krishna mean All-attractive... im no way does that mean we wanna seperate Srimate Radharani from Sri Krishna...? We all know they're inseperable! Isn't it mentioned in the BG that one may be a devotee in different ways: passive, active, as a friend, as a parent and lastly as a conjugual lover...? Isn't the "conjugual lover" mood considered the highest? I thought some acharyas actually expressed their love for the Lord in the mood of conjugual love... My sincere apologies to anyone on the forum whom i might have offended with my words... i just want to figure out why everyone's picking on her... Even if she's committing a blunder, there are others ways to correct a misdirected soul... and that's with gentle words and love! I do not think that telling her to keep it private or calling her names actually helps. We all commit mistakes. So do I.

What do you advise a devotee friend who is an initiated temple devotee about changing to grhastra ashram? I am at a lost as to what to tell her about moving abroad. My friend is confused about whom to approach. She's now 25 and wishes to get married in CA. She doesn't see who she could marry in Mauritius (homeland). She's been asking me for references. She feels uncomfortable about wanting to set up a home for herself. She's been dedicating most of her years to the temple and it is really dificult for a mataji to discuss such delicate issues... The temple devotees have advised her on the subject. In other words they told her to wait until they arrange for her marriage. Her Maharaj, Gopal Krishna, advised her to approach the temple devotees. But she's worried. For how long can she wait? The temple devotees have so much responsibilites already and she doesn't wanna turn into a burden for them. I'd really appreciate any devotee's advice.

when i have some sort of conversation with my deities, i feel much more better afterwards... I actually tell them about my personal fears, worries, hopes, desires, needs, etc... even what i need to do to satisfy them? Then, all you gotta do is wait for some sign... an inspiration... maybe a revelating dream? I'm like : "Krishna, i want this... but You decide if I really need this cause i do not know what is really Good for me!" So if i get it, I'm happy... and if i don't, I do not feel any regret as i know that Krishna's all-knowing and he only grants that which lies in our best interests... It's happened before that i had a doubt over something but once i expressed it to my Lord, it just cleared... See, for a while i didn't even had the will to fast on ekadashis - Sometimes i'll forget, sometimes i just didn't feel like fasting... I expressed that to my Lord... that i was surely falling down... And guess what? Last monday (28th June was ekadashi) a mataji i just met at the temple, phoned me to remind me that it was ekadashi... And i'm like, this must be a sign from Krishna! It does work - just a matter of faith... I dunno but maybe Krishna makes it so we come running to him for help/guidance? It is up to us: we either want him to take care of things for us or we want to manage on our own. I personally prefer the first option.

Cause i have the set at home... and i think i read a somewhat similar story... I don't remember the whole story... Just bits and pieces.. and I can't say the King specifically took her daughter to test the dying man. I think she just accompanied him, knowing how close her father and the dying man were...The dying man, i believe, was someone dear to the king... a holy man/priest even? Dunno, i kinda forgot...I know that it talked of the dying man's attraction to the king's daughter though. So, the moral of that story was that men, in general and even the best of them, being attached to the bodily conception of life (especially sex) are confronted with their own material desires, sort of, at the time of death...

A devotee once said that it was when The Lord lifted Govardhan Hill. Reason: All his associates, friends, relatives, etc were assembled with him at that moment. Any comments from the HK devotees here?