Vanguard

I don't understand why Jesus would need a guru even if he is a Satyavesh avatar. Jesus primarily preached in the middle east, outside of India, where disciplic succession matters were nearly as big a deal. Christians worship Jesus as the son of God. Muslims revere Isa (Jesus) as being a prophet (who they contend was not killed on the cross). Neither ask this question about disciplic succession. Since Krsna accepts Guru to set an example, and disciplic succession wasn't an intended example to set with Jesus in particular, it doesn't matter.

I REALLY want to learn Hindi and Sanskrit. I need computer programs, and the names of very good instructional textbooks. The textbooks at my local college are "home-made" and quite bad. I need help!

A non-devotee friend passed away recently. What can we do as aspiring Vaishnavas? Is there some kind of bhajan/archana ceremony to do for them? I've heard there is something to do, like offer Krsna prasad to their picture or something to this effect, but I never got the details, so I am posting here.

"I worship that transcendental seat, known as Çvetadvépa where as loving consorts the Lakñmés in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Kåñëa as their only lover; where every tree is a transcendental purpose tree; where the soil is the purpose gem, all water is nectar, every word is a song, every gait is a dance, the flute is the favorite attendant, effulgence is full of transcendental bliss and the supreme spiritual entities are all enjoyable and tasty, where numberless milk cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk; where there is eternal existence of transcendental time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the space of half a moment. That realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realized souls in this world."

BG 10.23 Of all the Rudras I am Lord Siva; of the Yaksas and Raksasas I am the Lord of wealth [Kuvera]; of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of mountains I am Meru.

I meant Waikiki. But even Hanauma Bay is sadly getting like that. Everywhere else is great.

I lived in Hawaii in various times. The 1980's was simple and beautiful. Now, you go to the heavily used beaches, and you can't even see in front of you underwater. So yes, people hear of a beautiful place, they go there, and people tend to mess it up badly since it's the material world. Hawaii is still beautiful, but it's getting built up, beaches overused, and more and more expensive to live. Going within is a great thing, but if you're really disturbed by your city, maybe it's best to consider another place, but at the same time realizing no place can make is really happy except the state of Vrindavan that can exist inside us should we choose to surrender.

Very good point. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Beautiful work, prabhuji. Very good service to Srila Maharaj.

Would priests at a Hindu temple give brahmin threads to westerners?

I believe there were also Cochin Jews during Lord Caitanya's time.

When Srila Prabhupad (Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj AND Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur) left the world, both ISKCON and Gaudiya Math had big problems. I've heard people (senior devotees with positions of authority) from other missions state emphatically and proudly that once their acharya is gone, their mission will prevail since they have learned from the mistakes of ISKCON and Gaudiya Math. But these problems are inevitable. In fact, Krsna Himself arranges it to be so, to separate the wheat from the chaff -- to weed out those with institutional krpa or even self krpa, as opposed to those with Guru krpa.

You can give them money, but make them chant Hare Krsna for their money.

If this guy wants to follow you around like a mad elephant, that's his problem. I'm assuming this is happening in your temple community. If he does this in front of other so called devotees, and they just sit there and do nothing about it, then maybe it's a good sign that you need to move on.

Nobody said anything about not giving anything to the temple or to Krsna consciousness. However, if one is to have children, you can't expect them to subsist solely on food and bread. They need to be educated, whether if they want to make families of their own, or preach full time. “Regarding Srinivasa Svarupa it is very pleasing to hear that this Indian boy wants to surrender his whole life to Krishna. There is no harm if he finishes college and gets his degree. If possible, he can live in the temple and attend the university daily. At any rate, he should carefully follow all the regulative principles and associate with his fellow devotees as much as possible. The university is well known for demonic association, but if he is able to keep up his devotional practices and protect the creeper of devotional service, then he may complete his degree. I think there is more advantage in Bir Krishna remaining fully engaged in his temple duties than in going back to college. What would be the practical benefit of such degree?” Srila Prabhupada letter to Bhakta Das, April 13, 1974 (Bombay) “So far as your course at the Temple University is concerned, [Ravindra Swarupa was studying for his Ph.D. at Temple University] that is the best platform for introducing our philosophy to the serious persons. And if they become sincere to learn the highest topics of subject matter or transcendental knowledge from us, that will be the perfection of their education. If you must read some other books of philosophers, even they are Mayavadis, as a sideline we can speak about them as comparative study. Otherwise our main aim is to study and preach Bhagavad-Gita and Lord Caitanya. Our purpose is to teach our own philosophy. Do not lose sight of that purpose or become distracted by other things. I have also made one book about other philosophies of your western philosophers, but I did not make compromise.” Srila Prabhupada Letter to Ravinda Swarupa das

If Buddha is the 9th incarnation of Krsna, is the thousand armed Avalokitesvara manifestation of Buddha (supposedly the embodiment of compassion) widely considered to be an incarnation of Vishnu?

Investing is not gambling, but ultimately, it depends on the mood of your activities. Day trading might be considered a form of gambling, but regular investments? Nah.

/tip Pankaj_dasa 100000 bank

You can ask that same question of EVERY religion after Sanatan Dharma. Why did Jesus preach "Christianity"? Why did Krsna appear as Buddha and why was Buddhism made? Why was Judaism created? Not everybody can accept Sanatan Dharma on a halfway sincere level. People from all religions, believing in God and following some code of ethics, can jump to Vaishnavism.

Shrila Prabhupada during a Room Conversation, August 14, 1971, London: Prabhupada: No. We are recommending "Chant the holy name of God." So if you have got the holy name of God, you can chant that. Prabhupada: Anyway, if one chants Allah or Jesus Christ, we have no objection. We don't say that you stop it. We say that you chant the holy name of God. If that name is of God, you chant. Srila Haridas Thakur was born in a Muslim family, and he is known as the Namacharya, when he became a Krsna bhakta and chanted maha mantra day and night. Unfortunately, most religions get tainted over time, and now the most visible form of Islam is the radical wahhabi'ism.

You have to study, and you need to find out who is the best professor. Srila Prabhupad was a chemist and/or pharmacist during his grhasta days, so I'm sure chemistry would have been easy for him. I find it to be a very tedious subject.

Do you really love him ? Or do you love the idea of him ? I think Shiva prabhu's post is the most useful of the whole lot. There's not much I can say aside from the fact that I too was in this situation years and years ago (so-called "love at first sight"), and I can tell you that when you see someone who is the epitome of everything you look for in a person surface/physical wise, the mind will then go hard at work. The mind will work hard to accentuate every good quality and downplay the bad, all in a bid to create the western conception of romantic beautiful love. "Oh! I've found the one!" the mind will proclaim loudly and joyfully. You may even feel euphoria of some kind. I'm not against meeting someone and falling in love with them as opposed to Indian arranged marriages, but at the same time, realize that we're mostly in love with outer, physical traits mainly, and love itself. Talk to this guy, but proceed with caution. Do NOT get your hopes up. Speak to him for a long period of time as if he was your brother.

sva-dharma nidhanam sreyah, par-dharmo bhayavahah "Do not be too ambitious. Keep your position firm and try to advance slowly." Never try to lead an unnatural, fanatical, puritanical life. With some prasadam and sadhu sanga she will gain sukriti and eventually be brought to Krsna. Not going to the beach, park, or occasional movie is severe overkill. This was recommended by fanatics during the 1980's. Many of the brahmacharis and grhastas who tried to follow like this either gave it up quickly, or blooped trying. 99% of grhastas that I know do these things that you mentioned wanting to do, and I do NOT see it compromising their spiritual life.

I argued that what if jesus was just a fony, a david hassleoff of the old rome time, he of course replyed with a ready reharsed answere. Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (or any prominent Gaudiya Vaishnava acharya for that matter) has never blasphemed Jesus Christ. On the contrary, Jesus Christ is widely known as a Satyavesh avatar of Sri Krsna. Many devotees of Krsna also have a photo of Jesus on their altar or somewhere in their home. I am seeing two problems here (and please don't take my words as criticism, but rather as advice gleaned from experience); first, your attitude toward different religions doesn't seem to jive with Sanatan Dharma and Vaishnavism. All forms of worship of God are accepted. As I said before, the acharyas had great reverence for Jesus. Remember the words of Srila Haridasa Thakur, who considered the chanting of Vishnu and Allah's names to both have great spiritual potency. The other problem is that perhaps you're not getting enough educated sat sanga from older, more well-read devotees, otherwise you'd have heard exactly what I was telling you months and months ago. Always read the books of Srila Prabhupad and other acharyas. If the devotees in your area are not being helpful teaching you the right siddhanta, seek out the sincere helpful devotees anywhere you can. Now let's get back to the problem at hand. You met a nice Christian, who just happens to have no reverence for Sri Krsna or Sanatan dharma. He doesn't seem to be a hostile person, but this is just how people are taught; that their religion is the one true faith, and every other is bogus. Be compassionate with him. Teach him through your good example. Even if he is 20 years your elder, then you must take a position similar to Prahlad Maharaj. Does he ever explain WHY reincarnation and karma is not real? Does he ever quote out of the bible where it says Jesus is the ONLY path? If he hasn't said this, or provided a proper answer, INQUIRE! Most smartass athiests can have a Christian holy roller like your friend sobbing like a schoolboy within 5-10 minutes of a debate. You don't want to be quite like that, but keep it in mind. Don't try to make combat with this fellow, don't even liken it to a lila where Mahaprabhu defeated Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya. Be gentle like Prahlad, have FAITH in Sri Sri Radha Govinda and Shastra, and READ books especially where Srila Prabhupad speaks about Christianity, and you wont have this conflict anymore.

Hold your nose and vote Bush. If you intend on voting that is. I think Kerry's a fraud, but there's no way I'd ever vote for Bush. This whole 2004 American Election is all about picking our poison. Who is the better Menendez brother? They're both evil! The multinational corporations have their tendrils too deep into capitol hill. Even if a relative maverick like Nader, Dean, or Kucinich was elected, they'd end up pretty much doing exactly what George W would do unless they wanted to end up like JFK. So take your abuse and "shove it" as she says. "Shove it" or "(Eff) off"? Again, it's a simple matter of picking your poison.