suchandra

"We are, we have become so foolish that…, that the lower animals than the human being, they have no economic problem. They are freely living. In the morning they do not care where they shall eat. But there is eating. No animal, no bird, is dying of starvation. Have you seen any animal or any bird has died out of starvation? And who is providing him? So they have no economic problem. The only this foolish, advanced, civilized man, under the name of so-called misusing the intelligence, which was given to him for realization of God, misusing for sense gratification, and therefore they are troubled. That is the whole problem. The world’s problem is due to this forgetfulness. Isad apetasya viparyayo ’smrtih. They have forgotten the protection of Krishna, God. They think that, “By this adjustment, we shall be able to protect.” Nonsense. It is not possible. Can you protect yourself from death? No. Then what is your protection? So this is the formula: bhayam dvitīyabhinivesatah syat. Dvitīya means that a, a secondary existence beyond God which is, in Bible, it is said, Satan and God. So this satanic mentality has made them under the control of material nature. Satanic mentality. What is that satanic mentality? That “I want to be God.” Always thinking falsely, “I am God,” or “Independent,” “I can do anything, everything,” “Whatever I survey, I am the lord of whatever I survey.” These foolish things are going on. So this is very nicely explained, and reference is given by Lord Caitanya that our whole difficulty, problems, anxiety… A similar verse is in Bhāgavata, another place, sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. Asad-grahat. Asat means non-permanent, which will, we shall not exist. Due to our absorption in that sight, asat, this matter… Just like this body: it will not exist. So giving too much stress on the bodily concept of life, they are sada samudvigna- dhiya, they are always full of anxiety. This is the cause. The foolish people, they do not know. Still, they are very much proud of education. Here is the cause, that because we have given too much stress on this false conception of life, therefore we are always full of anxiety. And as soon as I understand that “I am pure spirit soul, part and parcel of Krishna, the Supreme Lord. He is giving me all protection, and my duty is to love and serve Him,” then I am free. At once I am free. The simple formula. How He’ll give me…? He’s not poor man. He’s, He’s… What you are? Your human, human being, they are very few. If you compare with other animals, other living entities, you are most insignificant number. Your number is very little, especially for the civilized. If you search out a hole in your room, you’ll find millions of ants coming out. Even in your room you’ll find. You’ll be over-voted. So who is supplying their necessities? Eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. In the Vedic language we can understand that one singular entity… God is also a living entity. He’s not void. He’s just like a person, like you and me. But He’s so powerful. Eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. One single number, He is providing so many, innumerable living entities. So our business is… And the Bhagavad-gīta you’ll find, tesam satata- yuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham: [bg. 10.10] “I supply whatever he needs. Who is constantly engaged in Krishna consciousness, I supply it. I take the goods personally and deliver there.” Why should you be anxious? Krishna will take hundred pounds of flours, hundred pounds of rice, and deliver you. Just be Krishna conscious. In ordinary home you don’t find more than five pounds. You see in our stock, all hundred pounds." Srī Caitanya-caritamṛta, Madhya-lila 20.119-121 by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada New York, November 24, 1966 Full Lecture:http://causelessmercy.com/t/t/661124CC.NY.htm?i=1966

Chief Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger showers lavish praise on Advani Hindu-Jewish Leadership Summit opposes proselytization The World Council of Religious Leaders (WCORL) The Chief Rabbi said, “It is seldom that I go to somebody’s residence to participate in a reception. Our custom does not allow this. But, here, I came to Shri L.K. Advani’s residence, as if I were going to my own home. It is a debt that we owe to the leader. As India’s Internal Minister, he was the first Indian top official to visit Israel. He played a major and sustained role in furthering and cementing the relations between the two countries. We immensely value this gesture. Our people are greatly indebted to India. This is one country where Jews were never persecuted and enjoyed great hospitality. It is as a mark of gratitude that I am here, in this dinner, hosted in my honour.” The Opposition Leader’s residence became a meeting place for the religious heads of three major faiths in the world, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam. It was a pleasant surprise for everybody, Indian Muslim scholars and theologians met Israeli Jewish Rabbis on the night of February 6 to call for peace in West Asia at this dinner. RSS Sahsarkaryavah Shri Suresh Soni was also present at the dinner. The Chief Rabbi of Israel was joined by several senior Rabbis from European countries and Israeli Ambassador David Danieli. Muslim scholars from India included Prof. Akhtar-ul-Wasey, director, Jamia Milia Islamia, Sirajuddin Qureshi, President of India Islamic Cultural Centre, Wasi Ahmed Nomani, Jurist, Jameeluddin Iiyasi president of All India Imams Organisation and Umer Ilyasi, president, Sufi Sant Sangam. Highly respected leaders of the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha including Swami Dayananda Saraswati was also present on the occasion. Shri Bawa Jain, secretary general of World Council of Religious Leaders (WCORL), that organised the three-day Hindu-Jewish Leadership Summit said the conference would not have been possible but for the help of the Leader of Opposition. He recalled the sterling leadership qualities of the BJP leader and his tireless endeavour towards unity of religions, interfaith dialogue and peace among faiths. Shri Advani, in his brief welcome speech, emphasised the great Indian tradition of equal respect to all faiths. He said, the distortion of Indian secularism had reached a stage where, secularism has come to mean a state eschewing religion. The language of religion has a significant role in shaping the character of the state. It is not a state without religion, but a state that respects all religions, that is at the essence of secularism. The distortion and intolerance to religion have come because of the spell of Marxism on Indian political leadership, he said. The World Council of Religious Leaders and All India Movement for Seva effectuated the signing of a declaration between Hindu and Jewish leaders in New Delhi on February 6. The protocol of co-operation was signed between Chief Rabbi of Israel, Yona Metzger and Swami Dayanand Saraswati, convener of the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha in the presence of leaders of both the ways of worship.

Often I heard devotees saying, what would you tell Prabhupada suppose you would meet him? "Why did you empower so many foolish people to ruin the lives of so many devotees?" However, when time passed by I learned to thank Srila Prabhupada for all this suffering he inflicted upon us through all of his NY leaders who happened to be his first disciples and whenever there is troubled condition, to think, “My Lord is so kind that He is purifying me. I am suffering from my past misdeeds. So, Krishna is so kind that He is purifying me, giving me little suffering. That’s all right. Therefore I must be obliged to Him.” And to offer more respectful obeisances to the Lord: “My Lord, You are purifying me.” If one lives like this, mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk, liberation becomes more easy. October 4, 1967 Delhi, India My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Your note along with Rayarama's is in hand and I am so glad to read it. Yes wait for the final decision of MacMillan & Co. & I quite agree with you. If they take up our work it will be very very good so let us wait for it. So you need not send manuscript until you hear final word from MacMillan. I am glad to learn that Kirtanananda Swami is now in N.Y. & that he looks very nice in midst of his glowing God-brothers. But he would have been looking more nice if he had stayed in London for a few days as it was settled here. Anyway I shall be very glad if Kirtanananda goes with Rayarama to London & opens a branch there cooperatively. He has got an introductory letter for a London lady. Immediate correspondence may be opened with her. Regarding Ambassador Nehru I am especially interested in him because he wanted to help me in getting my permanent visa. Please try to utilize him in some way or other to get this visa otherwise I am quite fit to return to your place. I am always anxious to be with you for the remaining days of my life, preaching Krishna Consciousness in the Western World. This time I shall go with the determination for my mission in the Western World & try & get me a permanent visa or immigration papers--whichever is easiest. I think you have my certificates in my apartment & you can utilize them. Two very important things are resting with you. First arrangement with MacMillan and second to get my permanent visa. You are very sincere and Krishna will certainly help you in this attempt. I have duly received the bank receipt along with the letter. Your ever well-wisher A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/IDG881/ Introduction In his purports to Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Prabhupada explained, “The Vidagdha-madhava is a drama of Lord Krsna’s pastimes in Vrndavana. Srila Rupa Gosvami finished this book in the year 1454 Sakabda (A. D. 1532). The first part of this drama is called venu-nada-vilasa, the second part manmatha-lekha, the third part Radha-sanga, the fourth part venu-harna, the fifth part Radha-prasadana, the sixth part sarad-vihara, and the seventh and last part gauri-vihara.” “In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (180) Sri Rupa Gosvami is described to be the gopi named Sri Rupa-manjari. In the Bhakti-ratnakara there is a list of the books Sri Rupa Gosvami compiled. Of all his books, the following sixteen are very popular among Vaisnavas: (1) Hamsaduta, (2) Uddhava-sandesa, (3) Krsna-janma-tithi-vidhi, (4 and 5) Radha-krsna-ganoddesa-dipika, Brhat (major) and Laghu (minor), (6) Stavamala, (7) Vidagdha-madhava, (8) Lalita-madhava, (9) Dana-keli-kaumudi, (10) Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (this is the most celebrated book by Sri Rupa Gosvami), (11) Ujjvala-nilamani, (12) Akhyata-candrika, (13) Mathura-mahima, (14) Padyavali, (15) Nataka-candrika and (16) Laghu-bhagavatamrta.” In the Caitanya-caritamrta, it is nicely described how Srila Rupa Gosvami came to write Lalita-madhava and Vidagdha-madhava. After being instructed by Lord Caitanya at Prayaga, Srila Rupa Gosvami had gone to Vrndavana. Then, later on, as he journeyed to Bengal, along with his brother, Anupam, he began to compose a drama about Lord Krsna’s pastimes in Vrndavana. Anupam died in Bengal and so Srila Rupa Gosvami could not accompany the devotees to Jagannatha Puri. After the delay due to the death of his brother, as Srila Rupa Gosvami traveled to see Lord Caitanya, he came to a village known as Satyabhama-pura, in the Cuttak district of Orissa. While resting in Satyabhama-pura, he dreamed that a celestially beautiful woman came before him and very mercifully gave him the following order. “Write a separate drama about me,” she said. “By my mercy it will be extraordinarily beautiful.” After having that dream, Srila Rupa Gosvami considered, “It is the order of Satyabhama that I write a separate drama for her. “I have brought together in one work all the pastimes performed by Lord Krsna in Vrndavana and in Dvaraka. Now I shall have to divide them into two dramas.” Absorbed in these thoughts, Srila Rupa Gosvami came to Jagannatha Puri, where he stayed with Haridasa Thakura. After seeing the upala-bhoga ceremony at the Jagannatha temple, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would regularly come to see Haridasa every day. Thus it is happened that, just after Srila Rupa Gosvami’s arrival, the Lord came there. The next day, Lord Caitanya introduced Srila Rupa Gosvami to all the devotees. At that time, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Advaita Acarya and Nityananda Prabhu, “You should both show Your mercy wholeheartedly to Rupa Gosvami. May Rupa Gosvami, by Your mercy, become so powerful that he will be able to describe the transcendental mellows of devotional service.” Thus Rupa Gosvami became the object of love and affection for all the devotees of the Lord, including those who came from Bengal and those who resided in Orissa. One day thereafter, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to see Srila Rupa Gosvami, the omniscient Lord spoke as follows. “Do not try to take Krsna out of Vrndavana, for He does not go anywhere else at any time. The Krsna known as Yadu-kumara is Vasudeva Krsna. He is different from the Krsna who is the son of Nanda Maharaja. Yadu-kumara Krsna manifests His pastimes in the cities of Mathura and Dvaraka, but Krsna the son of Nanda Maharaja never at any time leaves Vrndavana.” After saying this, Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to perform His noontime duties, leaving Srila Rupa Gosvami somewhat surprised. “Satyabhama ordered me to write two different dramas,” Srila Rupa Gosvami thought. “Now I understand that this order has been confirmed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. “Formerly I wrote the two dramas as one composition. Now I shall divide it and describe the incidents in two separate works, I shall write two separate invocations of good fortune and two different introductions. Let me think deeply about the matter and then describe two different sets of incidents.” These two books are the Vidagdha-madhava and the Lalita-madhava. The Vidagdha-madhava describes pastimes in Vrndavana, and the Lalita-madhava describes pastimes in Dvaraka and Mathura. After the four months of Caturmasya [sravana, Bhadra, Asvina and Kartika], all the Vaisnavas of Bengal returned to their homes, but Srila Rupa Gosvami remained in Jagannatha Puri under the shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One day while Rupa Gosvami was writing his book, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu suddenly appeared. As soon as Haridasa Thakura and Rupa Gosvami saw the Lord coming, they both stood up and then fell down to offer Him their respectful obeisances. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced them both and then sat down. The Lord inquired, “What kind of book are you writing?” He held up a palm leaf that was a page of the manuscript, and when he saw the fine handwriting, his mind was very pleased. Thus being pleased, the Lord praised the writing by saying, “The handwriting of Rupa Gosvami is just like rows of pearls.” While reading the manuscript, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw a verse on that page, and as soon as He read it He was overwhelmed by ecstatic love. “I do not know how much nectar the two syllables ‘Krs-na’ have produced. When the holy name of Krsna is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all the senses become inert.” When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted this verse, Haridasa Thakura, upon hearing the vibration, became jubilant began to dance while praising its meaning. one has to learn about the beauty and transcendental position of the holy name of the Lord by hearing the revealed scriptures from the mouths of devotees. Nowhere else can we hear of the sweetness of the Lord’s holy name. Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced Haridasa and Rupa Gosvami and left for the seaside to perform His noontime duties. On the next day, after visiting the temple of Jagannatha as usual, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara. They all went together to Srila Rupa Gosvami, and on the way the Lord greatly praised his qualities. When Haridasa Thakura and Rupa Gosvami saw that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had come with His intimate devotees, they both immediately fell down like logs and offered prayers to their lotus feet. After being seated, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “My dear Rupa, please recite that verse from your drama which, upon being heard, makes all people’s unhappiness and lamentation go away.” When the Lord persisted in asking this again and again, Rupa Gosvami recited that verse about the holy names of the Lord. When all the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, especially Sri Ramananda Raya, heard this verse, they were all filled with transcendental bliss and were struck with wonder. Everyone admitted that although they had heard many statements glorifying the holy name of the Lord, they had never heard such sweet descriptions as those of Rupa Gosvami. Ramananda Raya inquired, “What kind of drama are you writing? We can understand that it is a mine of conclusive statements. Svarupa Damodara replied for Srila Rupa Gosvami: “He wanted to compose a drama about the pastimes of Lord Krsna. He planned to describe in one book both the pastimes of Vrndavana and those of Dvaraka and Mathura. He began it in that way, but now, following the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he has divided it in two and is writing two plays, one concerning the pastimes of Mathura and Dvaraka and the other concerning the pastimes of Vrndavana. The two plays are called Vidagdha-madhava and Lalita-madhava. Both of them wonderfully describe ecstatic emotional love of God.” Srila Prabhupada, in a purport to Caitanya-caritamrta, has described the importance of this book, Vidagdha-madhava: “In the beginning one should very regularly chant Sri Gaurasundara’s holy name and then chant the holy name of Lord Nityananda. Thus one’s heart will be cleansed of impure desires for material enjoyment. Then one can approach Vrndavana-dhama to worship Lord Krsna. “Unless one is favored by Lord Caitanya and Nityananda, there is no need to go to Vrndavana, for unless one’s mind is purified, he cannot see Vrndavana, even if he goes there. Actually going to Vrndavana involves taking shelter of the six Gosvamis by reading the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Vidagdha-madhava, Lalita-madhava and the other books that they have given. In this way one can understand the transcendental loving affairs between Radha and Krsna. Kabe Hama bujhaba se yugala-piriti. The conjugal love between Radha and Krsna is not an ordinary human affair; it is fully transcendental. In order to understand Radha and Krsna, worship them and engage in their loving service, one must be guided by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and the six Gosvamis, Lord Caitanya’s direct disciples.” It must be said, however, that this book should only be read by those who are seriously trying to advance in Krsna consciousness under the direction of Srila Prabhupada. It is a great blunder to read Vidagdha-madhava and consider the loving exchanges between Lord Krsna and the gopis to be similar to the so-called loving affairs between men and women in this material world. This is nicely understood by reading the following conversation that took place in 1977 between Srila Prabhupada and some of his disciples. Prabhupada: Introducing as study book in higher colleges, universities, text book, then it will be what is the use, a so-called scholar having a Sat-sandarbha? And this has been failure. Our one Godbrother, he did. Simply he printed. It was not sold, and then it was mishandled, distributed like anything. Hari-sauri: What was that? Prabhupada: That Ananta Vasudeva, my Godbrother, he printed so many Gosvami literatures, but it was not successful. Satsvarupa: Even when I went to the convention in America, one convention, this woman professor, they were all excited. She has just translated Vidagdha-madhava. But she had no understanding. She was talking about what the rasa is and Radharani, but it’s all like psychology of sex literature. Prabhupada: That’s all. They say, “Sex religion. Religious perfection through sex.” That is their idea. That Rajneesh is doing that. Rajneesh?. Hari-sauri: Yes. Satsvarupa: Oh, yes. Prabhupada: And Freud also. Hari-sauri: All of them. Prabhupada: Ha hanta ha hanta visa-bhaksana. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said this sex is the more dangerous than drinking poison for person who are going to advance in spiritual understanding. And they are talking-“Sex is the way of perfection.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, ha hanta ha hanta visa-bhaksana apy asadhu. If one takes poison, that is criminal. So this sex indulgence in devotional life is more dangerous than poison-taking, criminality. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s. but the sahajiyas, they are taking that through sex their life. What Gosvami? Jayadeva Gosvami, Candidasa, they read, and they say, “Oh, through sex one can achieve the highest.” They publicly say in Vrndavana. “I am Krsna, and parakiya rasa. You have to select one woman who is not your wife, kept wife, parakiya.” Hari-sauri: I have seen one man. He comes sometimes to our temple dressed as a woman. Prabhupada: Yes, sakhibhekhi. Hari-sauri: Yes, I have seen him a few times. Prabhupada: Sakhibekhi. There are so many apasampradayas, thirteen at least in the counting by Bhaktivinoda Thakura: aula, baula kartabhaja, neda, daravesa, sani sahajiya, sakhibekhi. This sakhibekhi. Smarta, jata-gosani, ativadi, cudadhari, gauranga-nagari. These thirteen, fourteen apasampradayas. They are passing as Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s sampradaya. But they are the worst, rejected. Srila Prabhupada repeatedly taught us that the attraction that a man or woman feels for the opposite sex is a perverted reflection of the original love we all have for Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here, in Vidagdha-madhava, we experience pure love, devoid of all the inebriety that is found in mundane so-called love. So long as we hope to experience such love in our mundane relationships – so long we will remain disappointed and frustrated. Although filled with bitter experience, we can take hope from this great literature-that there is a realm of pure love far beyond this material world. For that reason, our aim should be to go back home, back to Godhead, as Srila Prabhupada always said. From the Jacket The Vidgadha-madhava is a dream of Lord Krishna’s pastimes in Vrndavana. Srila Rupa Gosvami finished this book in the year 1454 Sakabda. The first part of this drama is called Venu-nada-vilasa, the second part manmatha-lekha, the third part Radha-sanga, the fourth part venu-harama, the fifth part Radha-prasadana, the sixth part Sarad-vihara, and the seventh and last part gauri-vihara. One day while Rupa Gosvami was writing Vidagdha-madhava, Sri Caitanya Maha prabhu suddenly appeared. The Lord inquired, “What kind of book are you writing?” He held up a palm leaf that was a page of the manuscript, and when He saw the fine handwriting, His mind was very pleased. Thus being pleased, the Lord praised the writing by saying, “The handwriting of Rupa Gosvami is just like rows of pearls.” “Actually going to Vrndavana involves taking shelter of the six Gosvamis by reading the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhy, Vidagdha-madhava, Lalita-madhava and the other books that they have given. In this way one can understand the transcendental loving affairs between Radha and Krsna. Kabe hama bujhaba se yugala-piriti. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said: I met Rupa Gosvami at Prayaga, and became very attracted to him because of his exalted qualities,” Thereafter, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Praised Rupa Gosvami’s use of metaphors and other literary ornaments, and said that without such poetic attributes there is no possibility of preaching transcendental mellows. The Lord then requested all His personal associates to bliss Rupa Gosvami so that he would be able to continuously describe the pastimes of Vrindavana, which are full of emotional love of Godhead. From the Back of the Book Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Advaita Acarya and Nityananda Prabhu, “You should both show Your mercy whole heartedly to Rupa Gosvami. May Rupa Gosvami, by you mercy become so powerful that he will be able to describe the transcendental mellows of devotional service.” Thus Rupa Gosvami became the object of love and affection for all the devotees of the Lord, including those who came from Bengal and those who resided in Orissa. One day thereafter, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to see Srila Rupa Gosvami, the omniscient Lord spoke as follows. “Do not try to take Krsna out of Vrndavana, for He does not go anywhere else at any time. The Krsna known as Yadu-kumara is Vasudeva Krsna. He is different from the Krsna who is the son of Nanda Maharaja. Yadu-kumara Krsna manifests His pastimes in the cities of Mathura and Dvaraka, but Krsna the son of Nanda Maharaja never at any time leaves Vrndavana.” After saying this, Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to perform his noontime duties, leaving Srila Rupa Gosvami somewhat surprised. “Satyabhama ordered mo to write two different dramas,” Srila Rupa Gosvami thought. “Now I understand that this order has been confirmed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. “Formerly I wrote the two dramas as one composition. Now I shall divide it and describe the incidents in two separate works. I shall write two separate invocations of good fortune and two different introductions. Let me think deeply about the manner and then describe two different sets of incidents.” These two books are the Vidagdha-madhava and the Lalita-madhava. The Vidagdha-madhava describes pastimes in Vendavana, and the Lalita-madhava describes pastimes in Dvaraka and Mathura. <center>CONTENTS</center> <table border="0" cellspacing="15" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td width="80%"> Introduction</td><td> 7</td></tr><tr><td> Act one: Venu-nada-vilasa (Pastimes of flute music)</td><td> 17</td></tr><tr><td> Act two: Manmatha-lekha {The love letter}</td><td> 70</td></tr><tr><td> Act three: Radha-sanga [The meeting with Radha]</td><td> 132</td></tr><tr><td> Act four: Venu-harana (Theft of the flute)</td><td> 190</td></tr><tr><td> Act five: Radha-parasadana {Decorating Radha}</td><td> 250</td></tr><tr><td> Act six: Sarad-vihara [Autumn pastimes]</td><td> 323</td></tr><tr><td> Act seven: Gauri-tirtha-vihara</td><td> 392</td></tr><tr><td> Epilogue</td><td> 487 </td></tr></tbody></table>

Lord Sri Krishna spoke eighteen chapters of the science of Bhakti-yoga to Arjuna, including Hatha-yoga and Jnana-yoga, but finally Krishna said, “Don’t worry - you do this, and I’ll take care of everything else.” So the books are there and at first one should read the books, but when he becomes interested and wants a deeper understanding, then naturally he will feel the necessity to come forward and get individual guidance from the current link of the bona fide disciplic succession. One might try to establish the superiority of Sastra over everything else and conclude, “Srila Prabhupada might have said this and that, so many things - but actually his books have the final say.” But doesn't the direct prescription which is tailored to the circumstances takes precedence? Just like when you go to see a lawyer, he doesn’t hand you the full set of lawbooks and say, “Here’s your solution - plunge into studying the judicial code.” Rather, he applies the knowlege of the lawbooks specifically applicable to your particular case. Only with this expert knowledge you can have customized details which lead to advancement. This kind of customized details were revealed to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kuruksetra. Srila Prabhupada: "Yamarāja is one of the GBC of Krishna. Yes. As we have got twelve GBC’s, similarly Krishna has got GBC’s. Now, svayambhūr nāradah śambhuh kumārah kapilo manuh prahlādo janako bhīshmo balir vaiyāsakir vayam [sB 6.3.20] That twelve men are authorized to preach Krishna consciousness. So we have to follow. Mahājano yena gatah sa panthāh. Therefore we have created these GBC. So they should be very responsible men. Otherwise, they will be punished. They will be punished to become a śūdra. Although Yamarāja is a GBC, but he made a little mistake. He was punished to become a śūdra. So those who are GBC’s, they should be very, very careful to administer the business of ISKCON. Otherwise they will be punished. As the post is very great, similarly, the punishment is also very great. That is the difficulty. You can see from this example, Vidura. He was immediately punished. He did little mistake at Mandhūka… Because the Rishis, the Munis, they will curse. Dealing is very… Even Yamarāja is not taking. (reads:) “He was to play the part of so-called śūdra for years, being cursed by Mandhūka Muni. He was the incarnation of Yamarāja, one of the twelve mahājanas, on the level with such exalted personalities as Bhīshma, Nārada, Brahmā, Nārada, Śiva, Kapila, Bhīshma, Prahlāda, etc. Being a mahājana, it is the duty of Yamarāja to preach the cult of devotion to the people of the world as Nārada, Brahmā and other mahājanas do. But Yamarāja is always busy in his plutonic kingdom, punishing the doers of sinful acts. Yamarāja is deputed by the Lord to a particular planet some hundreds of thousands of miles away from this planet.” That is mentioned. He has got a different planet, where the criminals are taken away after death, and he gives the judgment, what kind of body he will have. And not like the theosophists’ thinking, “Now I have got human body - it is permanent settlement.” No, that is not permanent settlement. According to one’s work… Work means all sinful acts. Without Krishna consciousness, anyone who acts, he acts sinfully. There is no doubt of it. Because he is acting for sense gratification, and sense gratification means almost 99.9% all sinful activities. Duskrtinah. It is very risky job. Unless you act in Krishna consciousness… Yajñārthe karmano ’nyatra loko ’yam karma-bandhanah [bg. 3.9] This is the stringent law of the nature, that you have to act only for Yajña, for satisfaction of Krishna or Vishnu. Otherwise, you will be entangled. And who is serving Krishna? Nobody is serving Krishna. So everyone is being entangled. This is the material world." Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.15 by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Geneva, June 4, 1974 full lecture: http://causelessmercy.com/t/t/740604SB.GEN.htm?i=1974

Thanks so much - just the right words for saying goodbye to this topic!

Thanks so much for always finding the right words! Prabhupada said something similiar to Bali Mardan! 4 October, 1969 Tittenhurst Park, Ascot, Berkshire, England My Dear Bali Mardan, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your nice poetry. These words are very appropriate for my Guru Maharaj. Your sentiments and nice words are worthy to be offered to my Guru Maharaj. I am quite unfit for such words. Whatever I am doing, it is due to the work of my Guru Maharaj. Actually, He is the power behind me, and I am only instrument. But anyway, I very much appreciate your understanding of the Krishna Conscious Movement, and I wish to publish this poetry in Back To Godhead. I am also very glad to learn that now you have got a house also. It is all Krishna’s Grace that so quickly you have established a center in Japan, which I cherished for a long time. Please convey my blessings to Sudama and keep me informed of your activities regularly. I am sending herewith a copy of a photograph recently taken by Gurudas, and I hope you will like it. Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Enclosures: 1

Good points, instead of trying in detail to understand how it feels when you swim, why not just do it and swim? Additionally, only then others will really understand when we speak about swimming. As soon realized Vaishnavas speak about the spiritual body everyone is satisfied, why - because they have attained what they talk about. Others might go on speculating and quoting from this sastra and that sastra for ever..........

Go on with the good work prabhu - sometimes people have to be forced to become happy.

I choose that headline coz I thought it would attract new members - but again bet on the wrong horse. Everything is judged as to comfort the expectance of the Council of the Elders. And so it goes.

Thanks Mohan prabhu, but your points were quite ok, no need to apologize. My mistake was to present it as theory and not as fact. Why it kept my busy - well in this part of the world environmental activists still see nuclear reactors as an enormous threat and now they come to know that there's a huge nuclear reactor right in the center of the Earth and we sitting on it and orbiting through space. A grotesque creation for pointing out that although we're so dependent, so much at the mercy of nature, still human beings do nothing but to day and night score off each other. Something like castaways on an island who beat each other and making their shipwrecked lives an even worse misery instead of helping each other and working together. What more proof does humanity need that there's no place for such kind in the spiritual world? I mean except the devotees.

<st1:place><font]>When reading, oḿ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaḿ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate that the Complete Whole is perfect and complete - there can't be anything missing. If there would be no spiritual bodies of the presently conditioned souls in Vaikuntha, there would be definitely something missing. But how can there be something missing in the Complete Whole? Doesnt make sense. <st1:place></st1:place></font]></st1:place>

A Jagannath Ratha-yatra in Baghdad By Dvarakarani Devi Dasi, October 07, 2007 These are U.S. troops. The soldier facing the camera, weapon in hand, is Partha-sarathi dasa. Besides engaging the enemy his mission is to hold a Ratha-yatra festival in Baghdad. His dilemma—what to do for prasadam? His solution—Ratnabhusana dasa and the New Dwaraka cookie baking crew. So far Ratna has sent three batches of 1,800 cookies each to Partha to distribute to the troops. Along with the cookies Partha has received deities of their Lordships Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra, and other devotional items. Jai Srila Prabhupada! The response from the troops has been so uplifting. The Mercy of the devotees is far reaching. Here are some excerpts from some letters that Ratna received from these troops in Iraq: “Thank you so much for all this…. that is so far out that you all took the time out to help me. Things have been very intense here, almost took a round the other day but Narasimha is here next to me, everywhere I go.” “Our center is growing at the moment, 10 devotees have been made. They are chanting rounds and following the 4 regs all by Krishna’s and your mercy.” “I lost a soldier recently and the amazing thing was that he did so much service for Krishna without knowing. He bought dry fruit, incense etc. And the amazing thing was that he ate like 50 of the last batch of cookies. When we packed his stuff up I found a card I have given him in his helmet… it said Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare… and I was told before he died he yelled Krishna.” If you would like to join the troops—the Cookie Prasadam Troops that is—please write to Ratnabhusana dasa. All donations no matter how small are welcome. (Ratna’s e-mail address is: isanahratna@)

People are bewildered - but we shouldnt give up hope! http://news.iskcon.com/us_family_tries_life_without_toilet_paper

Iskcon devotees on clean Ganga mission Imran Khan, Patna, Oct 3: Five devotees belonging to the religious sect Iskcon are on a mission to help clean Ganga, which is held sacred by Hindus but is today a polluted river."We have started a drive to create awareness about pollution. Our motto is to revive the long lost glory river regarded as the most sacred of rivers by the Hindus, Mahavishnu Swami Maharaj, an Iskcon devotee from Britain one of the five members of the clean Ganga mission, told here. Iskcon is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The five devotees are currently on journey from Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh to Mayapur in West Bengal on the water route to create awareness about river pollution. They began their journey Sep 11. The Iskcon devotees said they took up the journey, as they were worried about the filthy condition of the riverbanks and the dumping of garbage and flow of untreated sewage waters into the Ganga. "We came across around 110 corpses floating on the river till our journey to Patna. We also came across around 100 animal carcasses," Maharaj said. Another member of the group, Rukmini Raman Das, from Columbia said they had distributed pamphlets and booklets to people livingnear different riverbanks during the journey to urge people to clean the river." It is a challenge for all of us to save the river," she said. The team is also making a film on its journey.In Patna alone, about 29 drains discharge 190 million litres of sewage into the river every day, according to a study by an environmental scientist of the Patna-based A.N. College. Ganga water has been declared unfit for drinking and even for a holy dip. Testedsamples of the water have revealed a high presence of cauliform bacteria."Garbage is dumped into the river, contributing to the growth of the bacteria," a scientis said. Latest research has pointed out that the level of pollution in the holy river has reached an alarming proportion and the Ganga water is not only unfit for drinking and bathing, it has become unusable even for agricultural purposes. According to an estimate, during its 2,510 km-long journey from Gaumukh to the Bay of Bengal, nearly one billion litres of untreated sewage gets disposed into the river, which, according to legend, was brought down to earth by King Bhagirath. Despite spending over Rs.15 billion on the Ganga Action Plan since its inception in 1984, the river still remains polluted. The second phase of the project, which will start next year, includes setting up of sewer lines in eight cities of Garhwal that fall in its path.

That's what I hear quite often, become tolerant, don't behave sectarian, articles like below go in this direction. God, Krishna, Allah: Tolerating them all Ryan Brownell Issue date: 10/3/07 Person 1: "So what do you believe?" Person 2: "I believe that an all-knowing, invisible God created the universe and sent Himself as His own son to Earth to die for the sins of all humanity, only to rise from the dead three days later." Person 1: "You have no idea what you are talking about. Everyone knows that an invisible Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe after drinking heavily and that pirates are divine beings." Person 2: "Your logic is flawed. I think you are stupid." In the above conversation, both parties feel the other's beliefs are ridiculous, and rightfully so. After all, logically, one being cannot be two, and anyone who saw "Pirates of the Caribbean" knows that pirates are anything but divine. Too often, religious intolerance puts up barriers that hinder intellectual growth through open discussion. Let us take a quick overview of the beliefs of these two religions. According to the Bible, a virgin gave birth to a boy, Jesus, who had all the powers of God and actually was God himself in human form. All the while, this invisible God was still in his intangible kingdom on a different plane of existence. Jesus performed many miracles and was later killed, only to rise from the dead. According to "The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster," there is an invisible and undetectable FSM that created the universe after drinking heavily. All evidence supporting evolution was made by the FSM to test the faith of its followers, or "Pastafarians." Also, the book says that pirates, the original Pastafarians, were divine beings whose reputation has been smeared by Christian theologians and Hare Krishnas. A major goal of religion is to bring others into the body of its believers. To answer a question many readers may have, yes, I am a Christian, and no, I do not have an agenda, nor am I trying to convert anyone through this article. All I am attempting to do is invite anyone with a strong religious belief, or lack thereof, to be open to religious debate. It is unlikely that you will convince someone to make a life-changing decision to believe what you do without being respectful and tolerant of what he or she already believes. This is why "street corner evangelism" is so unproductive. Tolerance, according to dictionary.com, is "a fair, objective and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc. differ from one's own." In laymen's terms, to be tolerant is to have the ability to completely disagree with peoples' beliefs but still respect them as human beings. A good friend of mine is a follower of Ásatrú, or Norse Paganism. We have openly expressed our views on religion to each other. Though I believe that his beliefs are incorrect, as I am sure he would say about mine, I still consider him a good friend and do not change my behavior around him because of his beliefs. I have often told people that I am a Christian only to have them look at me as though I had an arm growing out of my head. The freedom of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment is a great thing, and I suggest it be used to its fullest potential. I urge you, if someone tells you they worship a Flying Spaghetti Monster, Jesus Christ, the Easter Bunny or Chuck Norris, accept them as a human being, even if you do not accept their words as the gospel truth.

What might be sometimes forgotten is that, how does Krishna see this material world and our conditioned situation from His point of view? We always tend to see things from our angle of vision, but isnt it we use our material eyes and our material brain which tell us that we are far away from the spiritual world. Krishna who is present in even each and every atom, why should we think that He sees things as we are? At least it should be clear that for Krishna there's no such thing as time and space. Krishna is completely beyond time and space. anadir adir govinda sarva karana-karanam He is anadih, without beginning. Krishna is situated beyond the limitations of time and space. Yet he is also adih, the source of everything. In the Vedanta-sutras, the absolute truth, Brahman, is defined as janmadyasya yathah - "From whom everything emanates." In the Gita Krishna also confirms this as follows: aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah "I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts."

Somehow this mood is also missing - ISKCON leaders to rejoice of having found "a sheep that was lost". So he told them this parable: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.'

It says, "Another letter of solidarity for the protesters was signed and released by a group of religious heads comprising Sikh, Hindu, Jewish and ISKCON leaders." Indian leaders back Myanmar monks' movement New Delhi, October 02, 2007 A group of India Parliamentarians including former Prime Minister VP Singh and Nirmala Deshpande, on Saturday expressed their solidarity with the protesting monks in Myanmar and demanded the release of all political prisoners including noble laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi. The group of 10 MPs, from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and cutting across party lines, released a signed letter on Saturday to register their indignation about the ongoing political developments in neighbouring Myanmar. The letter was released under the aegis of the 'Indian Parliamentarians Forum for Democracy in Burma (IPFDB).' About a dozen protesters including a Japanese photojournalist have been killed by the Junta till now. The letter said that the IPFDB expresses "solidarity with the monks, nuns and the people of Myanmar. We would like to appeal to all concerned, that the political leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, are released and the process for establishing democracy be started soon." Another a letter of solidarity for the protesters was signed and released by a group of religious heads comprising Sikh, Hindu, Jewish and ISKCON leaders. "We, the religious personalities of different religions and sects express our strong support and solidarity with the nonviolent, peaceful demonstrations by Buddhist monks and nuns and the people of Myanmar for democracy and freedom," they said. The religious leaders also demanded the release of political prisoners. The CPM and the CPI have also condemned the killings of unarmed protesters and called upon the UPA government to come out in support of the people of Myanmar.

Spiritual food experience By Sian Briggs http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22518801-5005384,00.html October 02, 2007 01:06pm Govinda's Hare Krishna Food For Life Restaurant Weekdays: Lunch, 11.30am 2.30pm; Dinner, 3.45pm 6.30pm. Sunday: dinner, 6pm 7.30pm 200 William St, Northbridge. Phone: 9227 1684 The bill - $8.50 for one The bang for the buck - Curry, rice, chutney, pappadum, salad and halava with custard $7 - Lassi $1 - One pakora 50c The meal - How’s this for a bargain? Seven bucks scores you a mountain of a meal a plate of rice, curry and chutney, a pappadum, a salad and even a halava and custard for dessert. As would be expected for a multi course meal costing under double digits, it’s no frills, but snaps where they are due it’s good. In fact, the curry, of the yellow vegetable variety sorry, meat lovers, you’ll need to get your animal protein elsewhere is hearty and flavoursome, packed with potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini and enough spices to make your mouth sing. A splash of chutney adds enough zing for chilli phobes like me, still undoing years of damage from being brought up on a bland British diet of meat and yorkshire pud. To the average Singh, however, it would have about as much heat as an igloo. The halava is a highlight; hot, sweet and buttery, it’s packed with plump sultanas, topped with creamy custard and literally melts on the tongue. On the flipside, the monster sized potato pakora lets the team down with a coat so tough my canine teeth could barely tear through it. The crowd - You don’t have to shave your head and don an orange robe to score a cheap as chips curry from the Hare Krishnas everyone from blue rinsed grandmothers to spoon smashing toddlers get a fix of the all you can eat feast. Students and hippies mix it with tradesmen and middle managers, who bark orders into their mobile phones as HK founder Prabhupada smiles serenely down from a giant mural above. The service - In a word, humbling. Just like the old school camp days, you slide your tray along a production line and hope those ahead don’t snaffle the fresh batch of pappadums. The guy doing the serving is as smiley as Buddha himself, despite working up a sweat splitting duties between ladling curry and putting cash through the till. But why wouldn’t he be; here, patrons are trained to take their dishes to the kitchen, scrape them down and stack them neatly after they have finished their meals. The ambience - Despite being set on busy William St, there’s a sense of calm and ease at Govinda. A steady stream of patrons keep the restaurant close to full capacity, but the colossal serves of food keep the mouths full and the chatter low. Few linger long here it’s the place to go for curry in a hurry. In a word Surprising. Value: 5/5 Food: 4/5 Ambience: 3/5 Service: 3/5

This is not accepted by the most infuential Bible researchers (Watchtower Society, worldwide 60 mio publications per week), they say in the Bible we find the word ne'phesh but this ne'phesh is also used for living entity as a whole, it is not clearly defining the term soul as distinct from the material body. Additionally, the term "immortal soul", is nowhere to be found and as you say, was added as the term pneuma by the Greece philosophers like Socrates and Platon who also introduced the term psy khe', living entity as a whole, wholistic, holistic, but also not as an eternal soul who resides within a material body. And even those who consider that the Bible does use the word soul to refer to the immortal life, it does not clearly refer to that we exist eternally. This understanding is crucial, because the ultimate state of a person's eternal soul depends on whether one has a relationship with Jesus Christ, others, the heathens, are dead and gone when leaving their present bodies. Since this is what we know about Christianity, heathens are finished forever after this lifetime, how can they have read in the Bible about the immortality of the soul? Be sure, they haven't! In sum that is were we are today, 2007 - humanity is still totally bewildered about what actually is the soul, constitutional position, qualities, how the soul becomes covered by the subtle elements, how the soul becomes liberated. Instead it is rather quite like that what modern scientists call the stupid stone age people were more advanced in understanding what are the qualities of the soul than humanity today, who considers advancement in terms of fancy cars, rocket driven airplanes or being a billionaire at the age of 30.

Why a joke, it's hard to assume that the Egypt family who adopted Moses when he was an infant taught him Hebrew, remember the Hebrews were kept as slaves by the Egypts and considered as enemies. The Bible devotes but a few sentences relevant to the subject of Moses' sense of his identity, and they are indirect. We are informed that Pharaoh had decreed that all new-born male Hebrew children be drowned. When Moses was three months old, his mother placed him in a basket, which she left among the reeds of the Nile. He was found there by Pharaoh's daughter, and was brought up in the royal palace from the time he was weaned (Ex. 1:22;2:3-10). We learn that: Some time after that, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his kinsfolk and witnessed their toil. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his kinsmen. He turned this way and that and, seeing no one about, struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, he found two Hebrews fighting, so he said to the offender, "Why do you strike your fellow?" (Ex. 2:11-13)(*)

Using William Shakespeare's vocabulary in Hamlet: "Fact is: these people have so much blood on their hands they could never clean it up."

Dear Mystic Seeker, it is ok that you say that the chosen people should not be privileged and Jesus considered all the people as God's eternal children. To find out what Jesus actually taught would have required the tape recorder to be invented and even then the translators would be still arguing about the true meaning of this word and that word, e.g. the word "soul" or "immortal soul" is not found in the Bible. So we have to depend what Jesus taught in that way, what is revealed within the hearts of his followers today. Similiarly the mother tongue of Moses was Egyptian, when he spoke to the Hebrews, how could they properly understand?

This question was actually once discussed - since the GBC appointed diksa-gurus, is the GBC legally responsible for the damage when a so called "certificated spiritual master" falls down and leaves for good? The answer is to be read in the small print, the GBC passed a resolution that in case a "guru" falls down it is only the disciple who is responsible.