suchandra

As a Westerner, I'd be interested in knowing what the purpose of posting this was for? It certainly reinforced my opinion that Prabhupada was nothing more than a male chauvinist who would have fit right in with the patriarchal workings of Catholicism. In fact, he more than anything else has made the whole Krishna movement distasteful for me.

May be you surfed to the wrong place, this forum is a meeting place for people who consider A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami as bona fide teacher of vedic knowledge.

Paint your whole city pink and there're no more crimes....wonder how the governing major could convince the city council to use tax money for this idea? Or does the city council owns the only paint shop of Patna ?

Indian City Painted Pink To Boost Residents' Morale

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7005205501

October 17, 2006 11:11 a.m. EST

Mary K. Brunskill - All Headline News Staff Writer

Patna, India (AHN) - Authorities in eastern India are trying to boost the morale of residents of crime-ridden Aurangabad by painting the city pink. Officials said Monday they planned to finish the paint job before October 21, the day of Diwali, the Hindu festival of light.

Officials say Aurangabad's two million residents are complaining about poor quality of life and depression due to the city's high crime rate. Aurangabad is located in Bihar, one of the poorest states in India, and is plagued with killing, extortion, kidnapping and inter-caste wars.

Officials say the idea was inspired by Jaipur, known as the pink city of India.

Arvind Kumar Singh, a senior government official overseeing the work, tells Reuters, "Only a few buildings [in Jaipur] bear the pink color. Aurangabad will actually be the country's real pink city."

Local businessman Santosh Kumar says, "The town does not seem to carry any of its past look and we feel happy about it."

Nice trial, let's see what the Supreme Lord of the Universe - Lord Jagannatha says to this proposal..

Bush Sets Defense As Space Priority

U.S. Says Shift Is Not A Step Toward Arms; Experts Say It Could Be

By Marc Kaufman

Washington Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, October 18, 2006; Page A01

President Bush has signed a new National Space Policy that rejects future arms-control agreements that might limit U.S. flexibility in space and asserts a right to deny access to space to anyone "hostile to U.S. interests."

The document, the first full revision of overall space policy in 10 years, emphasizes security issues, encourages private enterprise in space, and characterizes the role of U.S. space diplomacy largely in terms of persuading other nations to support U.S. policy.

"Freedom of action in space is as important to the United States as air power and sea power," the policy asserts in its introduction.

National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones said in written comments that an update was needed to "reflect the fact that space has become an even more important component of U.S. economic, national and homeland security." The military has become increasingly dependent on satellite communication and navigation, as have providers of cellphones, personal navigation devices and even ATMs.

The administration said the policy revisions are not a prelude to introducing weapons systems into Earth orbit. "This policy is not about developing or deploying weapons in space. Period," said a senior administration official who was not authorized to speak on the record.

Nevertheless, Michael Krepon, co-founder of the Henry L. Stimson Center, a nonpartisan think tank that follows the space-weaponry issue, said the policy changes will reinforce international suspicions that the United States may seek to develop, test and deploy space weapons. The concerns are amplified, he said, by the administration's refusal to enter negotiations or even less formal discussions on the subject.

"The Clinton policy opened the door to developing space weapons, but that administration never did anything about it," Krepon said. "The Bush policy now goes further."

Theresa Hitchens, director of the nonpartisan Center for Defense Information in Washington, said that the new policy "kicks the door a little more open to a space-war fighting strategy" and has a "very unilateral tone to it."

The administration official strongly disagreed with that characterization, saying the policy encourages international diplomacy and cooperation. But he said the document also makes clear the U.S. position: that no new arms-control agreements are needed because there is no space arms race.

The official also said the administration has briefed members of Congress as well as a number of governments, including Russia, on the new policy. The public, however, has not learned much about it: The policy was released at 5 p.m. on the Friday before Columbus Day, with no public announcement.

The National Space Policy follows other administration statements that appeared to advocate greater military use of space.

In 2004, the Air Force published a Counterspace Operations Doctrine that called for a more active military posture in space and said that protecting U.S. satellites and spacecraft may require "deception, disruption, denial, degradation and destruction." Four years earlier, a congressionally chartered panel led by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld recommended developing space weapons to protect military and civilian satellites.

Because of the political sensitivities, several analysts said, the Pentagon probably will not move forward quickly with space weapons but rather will work on dual-use technology that can serve military and civilian interests. But because many space initiatives are classified, Krepon and others said, it is difficult to know what is being developed and deployed.

Some of the potential space weapons most frequently discussed are lasers that can "blind" or shut down adversary satellites and small, maneuverable satellites that could ram another satellite.

The new Bush policy calls on the defense secretary to provide "space capabilities" to support missile-warning systems as well as "multi-layered and integrated missile defenses," an apparent nod toward placing some components of the system in space.

The new document grew out of Bush's 2002 order to the National Security Council, with support from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, to assess the nation's military and civilian space policies. The review has already led to a major shift in emphasis at NASA, away from research and unmanned exploration to returning Americans to the moon and then sending them on to Mars.

Some sections of the 1996 Clinton policy and the Bush revision are classified. There are many similarities in the unclassified portions, and the NSC and the Defense Department emphasized that continuity. But there is a significant divergence apparent in the first two goals of each document.

Bush's top goals are to "strengthen the nation's space leadership and ensure that space capabilities are available in time to further U.S. national security, homeland security, and foreign policy objectives" and to "enable unhindered U.S. operations in and through space to defend our interests there."

Clinton's top goals were to "enhance knowledge of the Earth, the solar system and the universe through human and robotic exploration" and to "strengthen and maintain the national security of the United States."

The Clinton policy also said that the United States would develop and operate "space control capabilities to ensure freedom of action in space" only when such steps would be "consistent with treaty obligations." The Bush policy accepts current international agreements but states: "The United States will oppose the development of new legal regimes or other restrictions that seek to prohibit or limit U.S. access to or use of space."

A number of nations have pushed for talks to ban space weapons, and the United States has long been one of a handful of nations opposed to the idea. Although it had abstained in the past when proposals to ban space weapons came up in the United Nations, last October the United States voted for the first time against a call for negotiations -- the only "no" against 160 "yes" votes.

The U.S. position flows in part from the fact that so many key weapons systems are now dependent on information and communications from orbiting satellites, analysts said. The U.S. military has developed and deployed far more space-based technology than any other nation, giving it great strategic advantages. But with the superior technology has come a perceived vulnerability to attacks on essential satellites.

The new policy was applauded by defense analyst Baker Spring of the conservative Heritage Foundation. He said that he supported the policy's rejection of international agreements or treaties, as well as its emphasis on protecting military assets and placing missile defense components in space. He also said that he liked the policy's promotion of commercial enterprises in space and its apparent recognition that private satellites will need military protection as well.

The issue of possible hostilities in space became more real last month when National Reconnaissance Office Director Donald M. Kerr told reporters that a U.S. satellite had recently been "painted," or illuminated, by a laser in China. Gen. James E. Cartwright, the top U.S. military officer in charge of operations in space, told the newsletter Inside the Pentagon last week that it remained unclear whether China had tried to disrupt the satellite.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::....::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::.. ::..::..::..

ISKCON IMPHAL: Workshop on landmine free world held by Radhamohan Das.

Workshop on landmine free world held </B>

The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Oct 17: More than eighty per cent civilians are injured due to anti-personnel landmines and sixty per cent of the anti-personnel landmines are planted by armed non-state actors.

Making the above observation in his speech, Dr B Kurvey, coordinator Indian Campaign to Ban Landmines, further said that Indian army planted more than 10 lakhs landmines along the Indo-Pak border however the government of India does not use anti-personnel landmines for internal conflict.

He was giving his speech in the one day regional workshop on `landmine free world and Geneva call with special reference to IED blasts` at State Guest House today. The workshop was jointly organised by Indian Institute of Peace and Disarmament and Environmental Protection, Nagpur and Manipur Committee for Social Concerns, Imphal.

The keynote address was given by RS Jassal, local coordinator of the workshop. The chief guest of the inaugural function Justice WA Shishak released two books ? Human Rights and Atrocities by Dr SP Rajkhowa and History and Historiography of Manipur by Prof Gangumei Kamei. The Justice also released a photograph of KNO leader signing the Deed of Commitment at Geneva on 9th August.

Dr Rajkhowa of Guwahati University Law Faculty, Dr Nabakanta, gynaecologist, Dr Lougri Ao from Nagaland, Radhamohan Das from ISKCON and Father MC George, director Don Bosco Society made presentations from different angles including legal, humane and spiritual. The discussion was moderated by Dr Lala, Manipur Red Cross Society.

Dr Rajkhowa pointed out that anti-personnel landmines did not have much of military utility and rather causes immense sufferings to the civilians. He said that altogether 158 countries have voted for the resolution on landmines and only 17 countries voted against it.

He added that India happens to be one out of the 17 and is one among the 13 countries producing landmines. He also observed that more groups should come forward and sign the Geneva Deed of Commitment like NSCN-IM and KNO.

Dr Nabakanta, in his presentation, pointed out that "it is very insulting to humanity and the people of India that a democratic country like India should be selling landmines". Stating that the conditions of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) victims are very deplorable, the doctor said that people should be careful and not turn Manipur into `another Cambodia, another killing field`.

I agree

 

In my opinion, life-long Brahmacarya is not so important as following the four regulative principles and chanting. Everything else is secondary.

Below Prabhupada says, two ways, step by step or using the elevator, both lead to the top floor - but as Prabhupada explains, bhakti-yoga - using the "elevator" by serving a pure devotee of the Lord - is recommended.

http://causelessmercy.com/t/t/720822SB.LA.htm?i=1972

 

...But there are two kinds of training process. One process is scheduled: tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena ca damena ca [sB 6.1.13] Undergoing

tapasya, austerity, brahmacaryeṇa… Brahmacaryeṇa means

controlling sex indulgence or sex impulse. Brahmacarya means

practically no sex life. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena, damena [sB

6.1.13], by controlling the senses, by controlling the mind. Tyāgena,

by giving up in charity. So there are gradual process, but there is

another process. Another process means this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Either you practice in this way… Just like if you want to go up, there

are two vehicles or process. You go step by step, one step after

another. Suppose you have to go one hundred steps. So you have to

go step by step. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena [sB 6.1.13],

practicing. The another process is… (someone making tapping

sound) (aside:) Why you are making this sound? Stop it. Another

process is the lift. You go by step by step or take the process of lift.

Within a second, you come up.

So the bhakti-yoga process is like that. Bhakti-yoga process means

if you take to this process, then immediately, very quickly, within a

second, you come to the top floor. Otherwise, you have to go by

step by step, one step, two step. Although both the process leading

to the target, to the topmost floor, the one is very slow and the

other is very quick, immediate. Just like another example: if there is

fog. You have got experience in your country, sometimes there is

fog. You cannot see even a person one yard off from you. So there

are so many processes to take precaution in the fog. But somehow

or other, if the sun is little strong, immediately, the fog is over. So

similarly, to purify ourself… This is the purification process,

austerity, penance, controlling sex life, controlling the mind,

controlling the senses, giving in charity whatever you possess,

everything regulated. This is one process. And the other process is

this bhakti-yoga.

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt satām

[bhāg. 1.2.17]

Simply by this process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, hearing about Kṛṣṇa.

This is, we were discussing. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu, simply by

hearing. Abhadreṣu, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, all the dirty things within heart,

being almost cleansed, you come to the stage of goodness. There

are three stages, three platforms—ignorance, passion and

goodness. So simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa, you are promoted

immediately to the platform of goodness. And as soon as you come

to the platform of goodness, then, tadā, at that time, rajas-tamo-

bhāvāḥ. Because there are three platforms: ignorance, passion and

goodness. So you have come to the point, to the platform of

goodness, means that you have passed over the other lower stages.

If you have come to the college, that means you have passed your

school stages. It is to be understood. Therefore we offer sacred

thread. The idea is one who has become Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has

already passed the stage of becoming a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means

to come to the stage of goodness. That is brāhmaṇa. Kṣatriya means

to remain on the stage of passion. Vaiśya means to remain on the

stage of mixture, passion and ignorance. And śūdra means to

remain on the stage of ignorance. There are four divisions of the

three modes. So when we come to the stage of becoming a devotee,

that means we have already passed all these lower stages. Tadā

rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ [sB 1.2.19]

So what are the symptoms of goodness? Kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye.

Lusty. Lust and greediness. The whole world is moving by lust and

greediness. This is the stage of ignorance and passion. Those who

are embarrassed with the lower qualities of material nature, they are

embarrassed with two things: lust, not satisfied; and greedy, and

lobha. “Give me more, give me more, give me more.” “Give me…”

Anything, he’s not satisfied. The whole world, you see… They,

sometimes they think that “If I get my income, say, one thousand

dollars, I will be satisfied.” But as soon as he gets one thousand, he

wants one hundred thousand. If he gets one… Just like in your…

Everywhere, all over the world, the worker class, they are given

increment, but again they undergo strike, “More, more wages, more

wages, more wages.” So… But as soon as they get more money… Not

only… Here in these Western countries, then they’ll utilize it for lust.

Lust and greediness. That’s all. They do not know how to utilize

money. That a millionaire is so lusty that… I have seen in Paris. They

are going to some clubs. What is the business in that club? Old men,

they are going. So lusty that they enter the club by paying fifty

dollars, and then there is young women and wine, and that is their

pleasure. Lust, kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. One thing, one side, they

are not satisfied, even they have got millions of dollars, “Still I want,

still I want, still I want.” This is one side, greediness, lobha, and the

other side is lust. This is called kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye.

So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious means immediately—that is the test—

immediately he will become free from lust and greediness. If he’s

not free from lust and greediness, he is making a show; he’s not

Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the test. If one is actually advanced in Kṛṣṇa

consciousness, then these two symptoms will be visible in his

character: no more lusty, no more greediness. He should be

satisfied with one wife or one husband. Why hankering after others?

That is lusty. That means it is not on the stage of Kṛṣṇa

consciousness; it is in the material platform. These are the test.

Therefore we advise our students, “Voluntarily, you try or you

become free from these things: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating,

and gambling.” Because indulging in these four things, you’ll remain

in darkness.

So voluntarily you have to try to give up these bad habits, and at the

same time, to maintain yourself on the platform, you have to chant

sixteen rounds: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This is the process.

Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye [sB 1.2.19]. Then

the result will be this: ceta etair anāviddham. Because they are,

māyā is attacking you with these… Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama

māyā duratyayā [bg. 7.14]. Guṇamayī. Guṇa means these qualities,

the three modes of nature. The material nature is guṇamayī.

Guṇamayī means involved or full of these three modes of material

nature, guṇamayī. Maya means… Just like golden. It is smeared with

gold or it is gold, you can…, you can say golden. Golden means it is

made of gold or it is covered with gold glittering. Similarly, this

māyā, this material nature, is made of these three modes of nature,

sattva, rajas, tamas. Therefore it is called guṇamayī.

Guṇamayī… Another meaning of guṇa is rope. Just like you have

seen rope. There are three layers, they are twisted very strong, and

such rope becomes strong. So similarly, these three guṇas, these

three modes of nature, are twisted like rope, and we are bound up.

You cannot get out. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā

[bg. 7.14] If your hands and legs are tied with such rope, then it is

very difficult. Similarly, we are all bound up. We are declaring

freedom, and so many things, nonsense, we are speaking, but we

have forgotten that we are under the grip of this māyā. Immediately,

you can be overcome by māyā. Māyā is so strong.

So therefore by this process,

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt satām

[bhāg. 1.2.17]

naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu

nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā…

[sB 1.2.18]

This is the process. Nityam, daily. Or twenty-four hours. By studying

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or associating with devotees, bhāgavata-

sevayā… Bhakti, bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī.

Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bhagavaty uttama-śloke,

bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī, devotional service becomes strong and

fixed up. Simply by this process, hearing. There is no necessity of

education or Ph.D. degree. Simply God has given you these ears and

you hear, śṛṇvatām. Hear about Kṛṣṇa from realized soul. This

process will make you to be situated on the platform of goodness,

and as soon as you are promoted to the platform of goodness, that

means you have already surpassed the other two platforms—means

ignorance—and the symptom will be… That is clear here. The

symptom is that the two things, lust and greediness, will not disturb

you. You haven’t got to take certificate from anyone, “Just give me

certificate that I have become a Kṛṣṇa conscious.” You take your

certificate yourself, see yourself, whether you are free from lust and

greediness. That’s the certificate. If you are confident that “I am free

from lust and greediness,” then I am making progress. Otherwise,

(chuckles) I am again in the same, no progress. This is test.

This is test. If we want to cheat others, that is a different thing, that

“I have become very advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” That is

another thing, cheating. But you test yourself by this process,

whether you are free from lust and greediness. This is the test. Tadā

rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ [sB 1.2.19] And when you become free from

these two things, lust and greediness, tadā, ceta etair anāviddhaṁ

sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. Ceta, consciousness, not being attacked by

these two nonsense things, ignorance and passion… Ceta etair

anāviddham. Viddham means piercing. They are always piercing,

pinching, pinching. “Come on, come on.” They are always pinching.

But if you are actually situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, these things

will not pinch you. Tadā, ceta etaiḥ… Because everything is in the

heart. Whole thing is cleansing the heart.

So heart is being pinched. “Here is… I am beautiful boy,” “I am

beautiful girl. Why not come?” So this is pinching. So if you are

actually situated on the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not fully, a

little advanced, then these things will be visible. Tadā ceta etair

anāviddham. And when you stop, when you are able to stop this

pinching in your heart by these two modes of material nature,

passion and greediness—tadā ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve

prasīdati—prasīdati, then you become joyful. That is the stage of

joyfulness.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

[bg. 18.54]

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. When you have come to this

status, joyful, no more pinching by these two modes of material

nature, joyful, that is called brahma-bhūta stage, the platform of

liberation.

So the next stage is brahma-bhūta. So brahma-bhūta stage means

na śocati na kāṅkṣati. No more hankering, no more demanding. Na

śocati na kāṅkṣati. Because here the business is we hanker after

something which we do not possess, and if we lose something

which we possessed, then we lament. This is our business. Some…

First of all, we possess. Then, by nature, we lose it. When it is lost,

then we cry. So these two things are material position, na śocati…

But when you come to the brahma-bhūta stage, spiritual platform,

then these two things will be absent. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ

sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Then you will be able to see everyone on the

spiritual platform. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ [bg. 5.18] Then you are

learned. You are seeing the cats and dogs and a human being, a

learned man, because you don’t see the dress, outward covering,

tabernacle, but you see, “Here is a spirit soul, part and parcel of

Kṛṣṇa.” That is universal brotherhood. Not by passing resolution

with the United Nations and fighting. That is not possible. You have

to come to the stage of spiritual platform; then there is question of

love, brotherhood, equality, fraternity, otherwise, all bogus

propaganda. It’s not possible. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ

labhate parām [bg. 18.54]. Then real, pure devotional service

begins. Then we become completely fit to serve Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa

accepts your service at that time.

This is the process, but if we follow the rules and regulations given

by spiritual master, śāstra, then gradually, gradually… Therefore we

should be very careful. We should be very cautious that māyā may

not attack us. Because she is always ready to attack. Rajas-tamo-

bhāvāḥ. Even in goodness also, māyā, there is māyā. Therefore in

the material platform, even goodness is not pure. Therefore there is

another stage, which is called śuddha-sattva. Goodness is sattva,

sattva-guṇa. There is another stage, transcendental stage, which is

called śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vāsudeva-śabditam. That

is called vāsudeva stage, and in the vāsudeva stage, Vāsudeva,

Kṛṣṇa, appears. You can see Kṛṣṇa. Not that a rascal inviting

everyone, “Come on. I shall show you God, I shall show you God,”

and some rascals are going there to see God. God is not so cheap.

One has to qualify himself to see God. These are the processes.

 

October 15, 1968

Seattle, Washington

My Dear Mukunda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your two letters dated Nov. 8, one addressed to Jayananda, and I am pleased to note the contents.

So far Mr. George Harrison is concerned, he promised to call Dayananda, but he has not done so. Therefore I think it is not probable to meet him. It doesn't matter, let us grow slowly but surely. Let us try our best to spread this Krishna Consciousness movement with sincerity. And Krishna will give us all facilities. After all, it is Krishna's business. We are simply servitors. Our sincere desire is to serve Him and this is our bona fide position.

Krishna says that we should give up all engagements and be seriously in Krishna Consciousness and surrender unto Him. We believe in this philosophy and we try to follow the principles and we instruct others also to follow the same path. That is our bona fide position. We are representative of Krishna because we present Krishna's order as it is. And therefore we are bona fide representative.

If somebody inquires whether we are as good as Krishna, the reply is that it does not matter. We may not be as good as Krishna, and that is also not possible anyway. Krishna is great and we are minute particles. So how we can become as good as Krishna? This is false theory of the Mayavada philosophers. But we sincerely serve Krishna, we are sincere servants of His Lordship, and we present things as presented by Krishna, and that is the test of our bona fide position and our bona fide presentation.

So don't be worried, do your best and success or failure does not matter. Krishna is absolute, so there is no such thing as success or failure in Krishna Consciousness, or in other words, there is no question of failure in Krishna Consciousness, whatever we do it is success. Whatever one may do in the material world, if he is even Rockefeller, it is all failure, defeat, because it will not exist beyond this body. He does not know that next life I may be dog or cat.

But whatever service we can do for Krishna, even if somebody is not able to execute fully Krishna Consciousness, whatever amount of service he does it never goes in vain. It will eternally remain. And it will act. Even somebody does small amount of service, and not even very willingly, still, he is assured to get human body in next birth, and chance to execute some service further.

So there is no question of failure in Krishna Consciousness. It is only success. Krishna says, My devotee is never vanquished. So we must try sincerely, that's all.

[Text missing]

I always curse myself why I had entered into this mundane family life where every moment I have to suffer from material pain which I don’t want to suffer. But it is only the will of Krsna , I am serving with a purpose. Once Krsna is satisfied with my service I will automatically be liberated from this material life.

 

Hare Krishna Srimanta, thanks for posting, yes, you're making an important point - many people surely think the same way, why am I born into such a materialistic society?

Srila Prahlada Maharaja a great mahajana and pure devotee of the Lord explains in Srimad Bhagavatam why he was born in such a demoniac family, having Hiranyakasipu the biggest demon of all as father, who actually wanted to kill the child Prahlada:

While the world community of Vaishnavas considers it as important to split into more and more competing fractions, Kali-yuga has an easy game to spread out like epidemic in the land of religion, INDIA.

Of course, same with India's cow-slaughter world championship - Hindus blame the 300 million Muslim Societies to be the actual demoniac force within the country. Any suggestions if the Muslims really behave like that kind of vermin - low-class kali-chelas - wherever they proliferate in such huge numbers:

India: Child abuse cases report

There are approximately 2 million child commercial sex workers between the age of 5 and 15 years and about 3.3 million between 15 and 18 years They form 40% of the total population of commercial sex workers in India 80% of these are found in the 5 metros 71% of them are illiterate 500,000 children are forced into this trade every year

Source : www.cry.org

* Prostitution is widespread, with an estimated 2.3 million prostitutes in the country, some 575,000 of whom are children. (US Dept of State, Human Rights Report, 1999)

* According to ILO estimates, 15% of the country's estimated 2.3 million prostitutes are children. (US Dept of State, Human Rights Report, 1999)

* Recent studies indicate that of the estimated 9,000,000 prostitutes working in India, some 30% or 2,700,000 are children. A further 10% reported that they had started their 'career' in prostitution before they were 18 years of age. A large number of these children are trafficked from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal. (ECPAT International, A Step Forward, 1999)

* One quarter of prostitutes are minors. (CATW 1999)

* 25-30% of prostitutes are children. An estimated number of child prostitutes is 400,000. (ILO-IPEC, Mainstreaming Gender in IPEC Activities, 1999)

* There is a growing pattern of trafficking in child prostitutes from Nepal. According to one estimate, 5,000 to 7,000 children, mostly between the ages of 10 and 18, are drawn into this traffic annually. NGOs in the region estimate that some 6,000 to 10,000 girls are trafficked annually from Nepal to Indian brothels and a similar number are trafficked from Bangladesh. (US Dept of State, Human Rights Report, 1999)

* Women's rights organisations and NGOs estimate that more than 12,000 and perhaps as many as 50,000 women and children are trafficked into the country annually from neighbouring states for the sex trade. (US Dept of State, Human Rights Report, 1999)

* 30% of India's 1 million prostitutes are girls below the age of 16 years. (SPARC, The State of Pakistan's Children, 1999, citing "Child Prostitution Increasing in Indo-Pak", The Frontier Post, 25 November 1998)

* A survey by the Central Social Welfare Board of India indicated that the population of Nepalese women and child victims of commercial sexual exploitation in Indian brothels would be between 70,000 to 100,000 of which 30% were below 18 years. (ILO-IPEC, Usha D. Acharya, Country Report: Nepal, October 1998)

* Over 100,000 child prostitutes are estimated to be in India's major cities. (June Kane, Sold for Sex, 1998)

* Over the last decade, 200,000 Bangladeshi girls were lured under false circumstances and sold into the sex industry in nations including Pakistan, India and the Middle East. (CATW Fact Book, citing Tabibul Islam, "Rape of Minors Worry Parents", IPS, 8 April 1998)

* Every year between 5,000 and 7,000 Nepalese girls are trafficked into the red-light districts in Indian cities. Many of the girls are barely 9 or 10 years old. (CATW Fact Book, citing Soma Wadhwa, "For sale childhood', Outlook, 1998)

* 27,000 Bangladeshi women and children have been forced into prostitution in Indian brothels. (CATW Fact Book, citing "Women Forced into Indian Brothels", CWCS, June 1998)

* 200,000 Nepalese girls under 16 years are in prostitution. (Penelope Saunders, "Sexual Trafficking and Forced Prostitution of Children", 29 October 1998)

* 40,000 Nepalese girls under 16 in Indian brothels are forced into prostitution. (Penelope Saunders, "Sexual Trafficking and Forced Prostitution of Children", 29 October 1998)

* 20% of the child prostitutes in India come from Bangladesh and Nepal. (BNWLA, Salma Ali, Country Report on Trafficking in Children and their Exploitation in Prostitution, October 1998, citing a research publication by Dr. K.K. Mukherjee of India)

* 300,000-500,000 children are engaged in prostitution. (CATW Fact Book, citing Rahul Bedi, "Bid to Protect Children as Sex Tourism Spreads", Daily Telegraph (London), 23 August 1997)

* 15% of prostitutes in India are under the age of 18 years. ("Innocence Sacrificed on Tourism Altar", ECPAT Bulletin, October 1996)

* A 1996 survey published in India Today magazine estimated there are between 40,000 and 50,000 child prostitutes in the country, activists now say that figure might have jumped to about 250,000. ("Children For Sale", Asia Week, 1 March 1996)

* Conservative estimates say some 300,000 children are involved in the sex industry. ("Six foreigners charged in India child sex case", The Nation, 18 October 1996, reprinted in ECPAT Bulletin, October 1996)

* Between 2,000 and 5,000 children are sent across the border to India for prostitution every year. (Kota Neelima, "Young sex workers are costly commodity", ECPAT Bulletin, July 1996)

* An estimated 400 sex workers came from Bangladesh every month and about 5,000 came from Nepal every year. (Kota Neelima, "Young sex workers are a costly commodity", ECPAT Bulletin, July 1996, citing Indrani Sinha of SANLAAP India)

* 500,000 girls work as sex workers. (UNICEF, Atlas of South Asian Children and Women, 1996)

* The average age of the Nepalese girls entering an Indian brothel is said to be 10-14 years, some 5,000 to 7,000 of them being trafficked between Nepal and India annually. (UNICEF India, Richard Young, "Understanding Underlying Factors", Child Workers in Asia, January-June 1996)

* Every year 5,000 to 7,000 Nepalese girls are trafficked to India. An estimated 40,000 to 45,000 of these girls are in Bombay brothels and also nearly an equal number of them are in Calcutta. (Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Action, The Flesh Trade Report, 1995-1996)

* Nepalese social workers estimate the number of Nepalese girls and women working in Indian brothels at about 200,000, and believe that between 5,000 and 7,000 new Nepalese end up in Indian brothels every year. (Human Rights Watch/Asia, Rape and Profit, June 1995)

* There were an estimated 400,000-500,000 child prostitutes in 1991. (Human Rights Watch)

* Half of 100,000 girl prostitutes between 10-14 in Bombay are from Nepal and kept in brothels against their will. (Penelope Saunders, "Sexual Trafficking and Forced Prostitution of Children", 29 October 1998)

* In Bombay, India, at least half of the city's 100,000 prostitutes are believed to be Nepalese girls. (ILO-IPEC, Usha D. Acharya, Country Report: Nepal, October 1998)

* The number of Nepalese girls and women engaged in prostitution in Calcutta exceeds 27,000, in Delhi it is more than 21,000, in Gorakhpur it is 4,700, and in Banaras it is 3,480. (ILO-IPEC, Usha D. Acharya, Country Report: Nepal, October 1998)

* 10,000 Bangladeshi children are in brothels in Bombay and Goa, India. (CATW Fact Book, citing "Human smuggling from Bangladesh at alarming level", Reuters, 26 May 1997, citing Trafficking Watch Bangladesh)

* Approximately 20,000 or 20% of women in prostitution in Bombay are under 18 years of age. (CATW Fact Book, citing Robert I. Freidman, "India's Shame: Sexual Slavery and Political Corruption are Leading to an AIDS Catastrophe", The Nation, 8 April 1996)

* A NGO states that the number of children in flesh trade is increasing by 8-10% every year ("The Young and the Damned", The Week, 4 August 1996, reprinted in ECPAT Bulletin, July 1996)

*10,000-12,000 Bangladeshi children are thought to be employed in the brothels of Bombay and West Bengal. (An Alternative Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, submission to the UN CRC, 1997, citing UNICEF, The Progress of the Nations, 1995)

* About 45,000 Nepalese girls are in the brothels of Bombay and 40,000 in Calcutta. (CATW Fact Book, citing UBINIG, Trafficking in Women and Children: The Cases of Bangladesh, 1995, citing women's groups in Nepal)

* A report of the Central Advisory Committee on Child Prostitution, published in May 1994 says that 12 to 15% of the prostitutes in Mumbai, Delhi, Madras, Calcutta, Hyderabad and Bangalore are children. It is estimated that 30% of the prostitutes in these cities are aged below 20 and nearly half of them had become commercial sex workers when they were minors. 86% of the prostitutes come from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Conservative estimates put the number of children in India suffering commercial sex abuse at 300,000. ("The Young and the Damned", The Week, 4 August 1996, reprinted in ECPAT Bulletin, July 1996)

* Dr. I.S. Gilada, General Secretary of the Indian Health Organisation(IHO), estimated in various studies conducted between 1985 and 1994 that there were between 70,000 and 100,000 prostitutes in Bombay, 100,000 in Calcutta, 40,000 in Delhi, 40,000 in Pune, and 13,000 in Nagpur. (Human Rights Watch/Asia, Rape and Profit, June 1995)

* There are over 200,000 Nepalese prostitutes. (ILO-IPEC, Mainstreaming Gender in IPEC Activities, 1999)

* 200,000 to over 250,000 Nepalese women and girls are already in Indian brothels. (CATW Fact Book, citing Soma Wadhwa, "For sale childhood", Outlook, 1998)

* 20%-30% of commercial sex workers in India have been trafficked from Nepal. (World Vision, David Westwood, Child Trafficking in Asia, 1998)

* The Indian Social Welfare Board estimates that there are 500,000 foreign prostitutes in India of which 1% are from Bangladesh. And 2.7% of prostitutes in Calcutta alone are from Bangladesh. (CATW Fact Book, citing CEDAW Report: Bangladesh, 1 April 1997)

* 30,000 Bangladeshi women are in the brothels of Calcutta, India. (CATW Fact Book, citing "Human Smuggling from Bangladesh at alarming level", Reuters, 26 May 1997)

* 2.5% of prostitutes in India are Nepalese, and 2.7% are Bangladeshi. (CATW Fact Book, citing "Devadasi System Continues to Legitimise Prostitution: The Devadasi Tradition and Prostitution", Times of India, 4 December 1997)

* 160,000 Nepalese women are held in India's brothels. (CATW Fact Book, citing SANLAAP India, Indrani Sinha, "Paper on Globalization & Human Rights")

* At least 2,000 women are in prostitution along the Baina beachfront in Goa. (CATW Fact Book, citing Frederick Moronha, India Abroad News Service, 9 August 1997)

* Every day, about 200 girls and women in India enter prostitution, 80% of them against their will. (CATW Fact Book, citing CEDPA and PRIDE, "Devadasi System Continues to Legitimise Prostitution: The Devadasi Tradition and Prostitution", Times of India, 4 December 1997)

* The brothels of India hold between 100,000 and 160,000 Nepalese women and girls. (CATW Fact Book, citing Gustavo Capdevila, IPS, 2 April 1997, citing Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Special Report on Violence Against Women)

* There are more than 100,000 women in prostitution in Bombay, Asia's largest sex industry centre. (CATW Fact Book, citing Robert I. Freidman, "India's Shame: Sexual Slavery and Political Corruption Are Leading to an AIDS Catastrophe", The Nation, 8 April 1996)

* There are an estimated 50,000 devadasis in the country. (ECPAT Newsletter, No.15, January 1996)

* India, along with Thailand and the Philippines, has 1.3 million children in its sex-trade centres. (CATW Fact Book, citing Soma Wadhwa, "For Sale: Childhood", Outlook, 1998)

* Nepalese social workers estimate that the number of Nepalese girls and women now working in Indian brothels at about 200,000 and believe that between 5,000 and 7,000 new Nepalese end up in Indian brothels every year. (Human Rights Watch/Asia, Rape and Profit, June 1995)

* Nepalese girls as young as 11, 12, 13 years old have been trafficked into India to work as prostitutes. (Will Dunham, "U.S. grapples with 'modern-day slavery'", 1 September 2000, reprinted in Stop Trafficking Archive, September 2000)

* In India, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu are considered "high supply zones" for women in prostitution. Bijapur, Belgaum and Kolhapur are common districts from which women migrate to the big cities, as part of an organised trafficking network. (CATW Fact Book, citing Meena Menon, "Women in India's Trafficking Belt", 30 March 1998, citing the Central Social Welfare Board)

* Human Rights Watch reported that the practice of dedicating or marrying young, pre-pubescent girls to a Hindu deity or temple as servants of god, devadasis, continue in several southern states, including Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Devadasis may not marry. They are taken from their families and are required to provide sexual services to priests and high caste Hindus. Reportedly, many eventually are sold to urban brothels. (US Dept of State, Human Rights Report, 1999)

* India is one of the favoured destinations of paedophile sex tourists from Europe and the United States. (CATW Fact Book, citing "Global law to punish sex tourists sought by Britain and EU", The Indian Express, 21 November 1997)

*The trafficking of girls from Nepal into India for the purpose of prostitution is probably the busiest 'slave traffic' of its kind anywhere in the world. (CATW Fact Book, citing Tim McGirk, "Nepal's Lost Daughters", 27 January 1997)

* India's child sex industry is the second largest in the world after the Philippines. ("Six foreigners charged in India child sex case", The Nation, 18 October 1996, reprinted in ECPAT Bulletin, October 1996)

* There could be a few hundred thousand Bangladeshi girls in various houses of prostitution in India. (Brother Jarlath de Souza, "Trafficking in Children: Bangladesh", Child Workers in Asia, July-September 1996)

* Most child prostitutes in the cities hail from the surrounding rural areas, although considerable numbers are trafficked over longer distances. (UNICEF India, Richard Young, "Understanding Underlying Factors", Child Workers in Asia, January-June 1996)

* Nepal appears to be the most significant, identifiable source of child prostitutes for Indian brothels. Thousands of Nepalese females under the age of 20 have been identified in India by various studies. (UNICEF India, Richard Young, "Understanding Underlying Factors", Child Workers in Asia, January-June 1996)

* In 1994, however, the Government of India estimated that 30%of all prostitutes in six major cities were below the age of 20 and that almost 40% of these prostitutes entered the profession before they were 18 years of age. Anecdotal evidence provided by social workers in Calcutta, Bombay and Delhi supports these figures. The existence of a stable child population among the prostitutes of these cities seems to be a certainty. (UNICEF India, Richard Young, "Understanding Underlying Factors", Child Workers in Asia, January-June 1996)

* Of 1,000 red-light districts all over India, prostitutes are mostly minors often from Nepal and Bangladesh. (CATW-Asia Pacific, Trafficking in Women and Prostitution in the Asia Pacific, 1996)

* Districts bordering Maharashtra and Karnataka, known as the 'devadasi belt', have trafficking structures operating at various levels. Many are devadasis dedicated into prostitution for the goddess Yellamma. In one Karnataka brothel, all 15 girls are devadasis. (CATW Fact Book, citing Meena Menon, "The Unknown Faces")

http://www.kharams.com/pages/products.html

"The following questions and answers are taken from "Vedic Cosmography and Astronomy" by Dr. Richard L. Thompson (Sadaputa dasa) which was published in 1989 by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (used with permission). Sadaputa dasa is a founding member of the Bhaktivedanta Institute, the scientific branch of ISKCON.

[From Chapter Eight - Questions and Answers]

Q: Using radar and lasers, scientists have recently obtained very accurate estimates of the earth-moon distance. This distance is about 238,000 miles. How do you reconcile this with Vedic calculations?

A: According to surya-siddhanta [see footnote], the distance from the earth globe to the moon is about 258,000 miles. This is in reasonable agreement with the modern value.

Q: The Vedic literature says that the moon is higher than the sun. How can this be?

A: In Chapter 22 of the Fifth Canto, the heights of the planets above the earth are given, and it is stated that the moon is 100,000 yojanas above the rays of the sun. In this chapter, the word "above" means "above the plane of Bhu-mandala". It does not refer to distance measured radially from the surface of the earth globe. In Section 4.b we show that if the plane of Bhu-mandala corresponds to the plane of the ecliptic, then it indeed makes sense to say that the moon is higher than the sun relative to BhU-maNDala. This does not mean that the moon is farther from the earth globe than the sun.

For example, if point A is in a plane, B is 1,000 miles above the plane, and C is 2,000 miles above the plane, we cannot necessarily conclude that C is further from A than B is.

<CENTER></CENTER

</CENTER>

Why do you think that Big Bang expansion is impossible? Big Bang expansion is said to have taken place approx 14 billion years ago. Universe is expanding at present. Then, why is it so difficult to believe that it was expanding 14 billion years ago?

Nobels Fredspris 2006

Nobel's Peace Prize 2006

Nobel Peace Prize (prize money 2 millions US dollars) for introducing interest economy in Bangladesh - interest rates of 15%? Hard to believe that this is the key for peace - lending money to the poorest of the poor against interest? What happens if someone, mainly families, can't repay, indebtedness increases due interest rate? In Vedic Civilization there's no such thing as payment of interest - people pay 20% taxes from what they produce and thats it, no freeloaders who make a fortune out of the hardship of the poor and even get awarded with a Nobel Price for Peace. Looks rather like a clever coup of the Wall Street finance sharks....

"Muhammad Yunus, "Banker to the Poor": Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty"

"Nobel Peace Prize, http://www.nobelpeacecenter.org/index.php?page=news&id=122 for Yunus's Grameen Bank has provided 3.8 billion dollars to 2.4 million families in rural Bangladesh, small micro-loans at interest rates of just 15%."

http://www.namaste-direct.org/"Today, more than 250 institutions in nearly 100 countries operate micro-credit programs based on the Grameen methodology, placing Grameen at the forefront of a burgeoning world movement toward eradicating poverty through micro-lending."

"The system gives the poor small loans to start up businesses."

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A809772E-ABCE-4988-9731-11A613692464.htm

Your example of Hiranyakasipu is a very extreme form of tapasya, is it not?

Of course if you are a devotee on par with Yamunācārya then you don’t require to practice brahmācārya separately.

No, wrong, tapasya just means discipline nothing more and nothing less just discipline. Since there're are lots of demons who also follow celibate discipline in order to reach their materialistic goals, celibacy in itself is no spiritual activity, although celibacy when used in the service of the Lord becomes part of your devotional service, just like material arrows became a very important spiritual items of Arjuna's devotional service on the battlefield of Kuruksetra. But the very same arrows used by the opponents remained material - even evoking the transcendental wrath of the Lord. You dont have to be a "Yamunacarya" in order to understand that the celibacy of a Catholic priest is not the same as celibacy used by brahmacari in the service of a pure devotee spiritual master of the Lord. Although the rule for chanting the maha mantra is, no illicit sex - 4regs, celibacy in itself is not a devotional activity but also a very common tool used by the demons. Following a mayavadha guru by observing the vow of celibacy wont bring you back home, back to Godhead,

or is it for you all one and the same? You say you're a bhakta?

I read that actually it is impossible for a man to practice complete celibacy as there are nocturnal emissions once a month in men.

As long you consider that you're this physical body this might be true - when you come to the realization that you're not this body by awakening your sleeping soul and actually experience spiritual happiness within your soul things change and you wont find "nocturnal emissions once a month in men". Just try - it is scientific - to chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare and your live becomes sublime!

BTW, are there any Vaishnavas around? This Harry ("Produce evidence to support your statement" ), is he a Vaishnava or what is his believe?

http://causelessmercy.com/t/t/760412SB.BOM.htm?i=1976

You relate brahmacarya with tapasya, personal endeavor of discipline, undertaken to achieve a goal, discipline in general, discipline like Hiranyakasipu performed when he stood on the tip of his toes with his hands raised for thousands of years this is called tapasya.

Brahmacarya when related to the path of bhakti-yoga, Srila Prabhupada explains, no requirement to practise brahmacarya separately because this kind of pleasure becomes naturally abominable - but only when one becomes devotee. And of course your spiritual master has to be bona fide in order to experience genuine actual spiritual happiness when serving such a pure devotee.

"[...]By some artificial bodily exercise one can control the senses. That is called yoga. But one who becomes directly a devotee, his sense control is automatically done, if he is devotee. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt [sB 11.2.42]. If one is devotee, then he does not like anything material.

And the sex enjoyment is the topmost pleasure in this material

world. So naturally one who is devotee, he doesn’t require to

practice brahmācārya separately—paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate—because

sex pleasure may be very nice in this material world, but when one

gets a sense of spiritual pleasure, then this pleasure becomes

abominable. It is said by Yamunācārya,

yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor

nava-nava-dhāmany (udyataṁ) rantum āsīt

tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame (smaryamāne)

bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca

“Since I have begun to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness and getting

relish, then, since then, when I think of…,” bata nārī-saṅgame, “sex

pleasure with woman, I spite on it and my mouth becomes curved,

‘Eh,’ like that.” [...]

Samaveda-Samhita

Text converted to Unicode (UTF-8).

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to facilitate word search.

For a comprehensive list of GRETIL encodings and formats see:

www.sub.uni-goettingen.de/ebene_1/fiindolo/gretil/gretdiac.pdf

and

www.sub.uni-goettingen.de/ebene_1/fiindolo/gretil/gretdias.pdf

<!------------------------>

REFERENCE SYSTEM:

ārcika | prapāṭhaka | ardha | daśati | verse | line

1 1 1 01 01 a

sāmaveda saṃhitā

kauthuma śākhā

pūrvārcikaḥ

chanda ārcikaḥ

āgneyaṃ kāṇḍam

prathamaḥ prapāṭhakaḥ . prathamo 'rdhaḥ

1 1 1 0101a agna ā yāhi vītaye gṛṇāno havyadātaye .

1 1 1 0101c ni hotā satsi barhiṣi .. 1

1 1 1 0101a tvamagne yajñānāṃ hotā viśveṣāṃ hitaḥ .

1 1 1 0102c devebhirmānuṣe jane .. 2

1 1 1 0103a agniṃ dūtaṃ vṛṇīmahe hotāraṃ viśvavedasam .

1 1 1 0103c asya yajñasya sukratum .. 3

1 1 1 0104a agnirvṛtrāṇi jaṅghanaddraviṇasyurvipanyayā .

1 1 1 0104c samiddhaḥ śukra āhutaḥ .. 4

1 1 1 0105a preṣṭhaṃ vo atithiṃ stuṣe mitramiva priyam .

1 1 1 0105c agne rathaṃ na vedyam .. 5

1 1 1 0106a tvaṃ no agne mahobhiḥ pāhi viśvasyā arāteḥ .

1 1 1 0106c uta dviṣo martyasya .. 6

1 1 1 0107a ehyū ṣu bravāṇi te 'gna itthetarā giraḥ .

1 1 1 0107c ebhirvardhāsa indubhiḥ .. 7

1 1 1 0108a ā te vatso mano yamatparamāccitsadhasthāt .

1 1 1 0108c agne tvāṃ kāmaye girā .. 8

1 1 1 0109a tvāmagne puṣkarādadhyatharvā niramanthata .

1 1 1 0109c mūrdhno viśvasya vāghataḥ .. 9

1 1 1 0110a agne vivasvadā bharāsmabhyamūtaye mahe .

1 1 1 0110c devo hyasi no dṛśe .. 10

1 1 1 0201a namaste agna ojase gṛṇanti deva kṛṣṭayaḥ .

1 1 1 0201c amairamitramardaya .. 11

1 1 1 0202a dūtaṃ vo viśvavedasaṃ havyavāhamamartyam .

1 1 1 0202c yajiṣṭhamṛñjase girā .. 12

1 1 1 0203a upa tvā jāmayo giro dediśatīrhaviṣkṛtaḥ .

1 1 1 0203c vāyoranīke asthiran .. 13

1 1 1 0204a upa tvāgne divedive doṣāvastardhiyā vayam .

1 1 1 0204c namo bharanta emasi .. 14

1 1 1 0205a jarābodha tadviviḍḍhi viśeviśe yajñiyāya .

1 1 1 0205c stomaṃ rudrāya dṛśīkam .. 15

1 1 1 0206a prati tyaṃ cārumadhvaraṃ gopīthāya pra hūyase .

1 1 1 0206c marudbhiragna ā gahi .. 16

1 1 1 0207a aśvaṃ na tvā vāravantaṃ vandadhyā agniṃ namobhiḥ .

1 1 1 0207c samrājantamadhvarāṇām .. 17

1 1 1 0208a aurvabhṛguvacchucimapnavānavadā huve .

1 1 1 0208c agniṃ samudravāsasam .. 18

1 1 1 0209a agnimindhāno manasā dhiyaṃ saceta martyaḥ .

1 1 1 0209c agnimindhe vivasvabhiḥ .. 19

1 1 1 0210a āditpratnasya retaso jyotiḥ paśyanti vāsaram .

1 1 1 0210c paro yadidhyate divi .. 20

http://www.hare-krishna.org/articles/370/1/Duties-of-GBC-and-Guru-in-ISKCON/

 

A nice article by Prahladanandan Swami, but still he fails to address the root cause of the problem. According to him, the improper functioning of GBC is the cause of the problems. But according to Prabhupada, the problem is the gurus themselves who became gurus in the first place. I will post the quote sooner.

Good points by the chief of SAC (ISKCON's Sastric Advisory Council), HH Prahladananda Swami, ISKCON'S gurus arent above the three modes of material nature and have to be controlled by the Governing Body Commissioners (GBC), just one little questions remains, why it took them 30 years to find out, whereas new bhaktas said the same again and again years ago?

From ISKCONNEWS.net

Moishe had a wife named Gitel, who nagged him mercilessly.

From morning until night, she was always complaining about something.

The only time he got any relief was when he was out buying and selling junk and scrap metal with his old mule.

One day, when Moishe was negotiating a deal, his Gitel brought him lunch. Moishe drove the mule into the shade, sat down and began to eat.

Immediately after saying his broches (blessings), she began nagging him again.

Complain, gripe, nag, nag; it never stopped. Suddenly, the old mule lashed smack in the back of the head, killing her dead on the spot.

At the funeral, the Rabbi noticed something rather odd. When a female mourner approached Moishe, he would listen, then nod his head in agreement; but when a male mourner approached him, he would listen, then shake his head in disagreement. This was so consistent, the Rabbi decided to ask him about it.

After the funeral, the Rabbi asked his old and dear friend why he nodded his head in agreement with all the women, but always shook his head in disagreement with the men.

Moishe said, "Well, the women would come up and say something about what a good person my wife was, or how she was such a good cook or devoted wife, so I'd nod my head in agreement."

"And the men?" the Rabbi asked.

"They wanted to know if the mule was for sale."

by Kurma at October 05, 2006 07:02 PM

Thank you for your comments. However you have not given any evidence to support your above statement.

Sorry, I assumed that you (spiritual circles) know NOD and therefore didnt post the source,

http://nectarofdevotion.com/5/en1

Thus a Vaishnava automatically becomes a brahmana. This idea is also supported by Sanatana Gosvami in his book Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which is the Vaishnava guide. Therein he has clearly stated that any person who is properly initiated into the Vaishnava cult certainly becomes a brahmana, as much as the metal known as kamsa (bell metal) is turned into gold by the mixture of mercury. A bona fide spiritual master, under the guidance of authorities, can turn anyone to the Vaishnava cult so that naturally he may come to the topmost position of a brahmana.

 

So here we find that becoming a Vaishnava doesnt require to separately strive for varna/ashram qualifications like celebacy, renounciation, this or that - it is automatically achieved simply by surrendering our lives to Krishna. And as Prabhupada confirms at the end of the purport:

"You may be perplexed as to how one can give up all kinds of religious forms and simply surrender unto Krsna, but such worry is useless."

Of course this requires acceptance of a bona fide spiritual master.

Without being guided by a real bona fide spiritual master you might consider brahmacarya as spiritually important, however, Buddhists, Mayavadhis, Monists, Nihilists, Shivaites, Catholic priests - all have this brahmacarya ashrama.

Damodar`s earthly remains consigned to flames at Radhakunda </B>

The Imphal Free Press

Vrindavan, Oct 4: Bhaktivedanta Institute`s International director, Damodara Swami Sripad Maharaj also known as Dr. Thoudam Damodar Singh was placed in samadhi at ISKCON`s Gopal Deva Mandir Complex in Radhakunda with love and great reverence at about 1 pm .

Damodara Swami left this material world at about 12:15 am on 2nd Oct. at Bhaktivedanta Institute, Kolkata , said Prasad Das who is leading one of the Garuda Buses spreading Science and spirituality to Colleges and Universities Nationwide.

"I have experienced the most painful existence-the separation of my Guru Maharaj" he further added. "Maharaj`s mood was changed, he hardly had time to listen to Manipuri nat sankritan,however the last few days he spared enough time to listen and explained to me with all his hearts", said Vrajendra Das all in tears who was serving Maharaj since the last seven years full time.

"He was fine till 9 pm that day, at about 11:30 He wake me up and told me that his hand was itching, I put ice then suddenly his eyes closed and he left, I called many doctors till 2 am, none came" lament Prabhu Brajapati Das secretary to the Maharaj who was with him at his last moment.

Maharaj was to arrive at Imphal yesterday, however he was flown to Vrindaban from Kolkatta via Delhi due to unavoidable situations. He was placed at rest besides his spiritual master`s Prabhupada Samadhi and floral tributes were paid by thousands of devotees from all over the world. He was later taken for mangala arti and then for Vrindavan Parikrama with a grand Kirtana. He was later brought to Radhakund and placed in Samadhi.

It may be mentioned that Sripad Damodar Maharaj was born at a small village Toubul in Bishenpur, Manipur on 9th December 1937.He met his spiritual master His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founder acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness while he was undergoing his Ph.D in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Irvine, California, USA . Prabhupada later trained him in Vedanta studies and later instructed him to prove the existence of God scientifically and appointed Sripad Maharaj the International Director of Bhaktivedanta Institute for the purpose and work on the unification of Science and spirituality. "Prabhupad instructions became his heart and soul" recalls Dwijamani Das, Ph.D Kurukshetra University. "Sripad Maharaj`s work attracted thousands of intellectuals all over the world who inquire about the absolute reality", said Dr. Sudipto Gosh Asst. Prof. IIT Kharagpur.

In a grand and impressive smadhi amidst chanting of Hari Nama Mahamantra, thousands of his disciples from far away countries like USA, England, France, Indonesia, Australia, Russia apart from centers of Mumbai, Delhi, Bhubaneshwor, Chandigarh and other ISKCON centres of India, paid their last respects to their Spiritual Master Guru Maharaj here at Gopal Deva Mandir Complex, Radhakunda,

Leading Manipur ISKCON development council members headed by Bhakti Vyasa Tirtha Swami along with a large number of devotees of ISKCON Manipur arrived here. "The relationship between a Guru and disciple is enternal, he is always with us" said Isana Das.

Later at 6 pm this evening, a program was held glorifying His Holiness Sripad Maharaj at ISKCON Vridavan. Later a meeting was called to discuss Maharaj`s wishes and how to fulfill it.

CM joins condolence for Swami<!EpnHeading11End>

Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 04: With a deep sense of shock over the loss of one of the most illustrious sons of Manipur, condolences continued to pour in over the sad and sudden demise of His Holiness Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Maharaj even as last rites of the internationally renowned spiritual leader was performed at Radhakund of Vrindavan according to his last wish today afternoon.

Expressing his condolence after three days of the demise of Swami, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh in a condolence message addressed to ISKCON Mani Mandir president Ajit Das said 'I am shocked to hear the sudden demise of Shri Guru Maharaj Bhaktiswarup Damodar Swamiji at Kolkata'.

Although the well wishers and others from Manipur tried their best to bring Swamiji to Imphal for the last darshan, we could not do so due to various factors beyond our control, Ibobi said, adding that on his demise we lost forever one of the eminent scholar, a great spiritual leader, who stood for peace, communal harmony and world brotherhood.

The Chief Minister also prayed for Swami's soul to rest in peace.

Although the last samadhi of Swamiji had been performed at Shridham Radhakunda at Vrindavan this afternoon where Bhaktas coming from all over the world pay their last respect to their spiritual Guru, many ISKCON Devotees and well-wishers including the students of Bhaktivedanta Institute Mission Higher Secondary School also offered their Pushpajali to the Guruji during a religious function held at Mani Mandir of ISKCON here today.

Tourism and Rural Development Project of ISKCON (Toubul), ISKCON Nature Cure Hospital and Yogic Ashram (Langol), Shri Shri Govindajee Dhup Arati Marup (Imphal), Touryatrik Kala Vikas Sangha Nata College (Imphal), Manipuri Manoharshai Sabha (Imphal), Cultural Forum Manipur, Prajapita Brahma Kumari Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya, Rural Area Development Centre (Bishnupur), Youth Un-employed Development Organisation (Lamphel), RKCS Museum of Arts and Crafts (Keishamthong), CPI Manipur State Council and Director of Art and Culture Dr Kh Sarojini Devi have also condoled the death of Damodara.

 

The following essay may also be helpful in understanding the importance of practicing brahmacari.

 

 

There's no need of practising brahmacari in this age - remember, acceptance of sannyas is even forbidden. Instead, spiritually inclined children, the future preachers are of importance. This world is in great need of powerful devotees and NOT neophyte brahmacaris! So many advanced devotees are waiting to take birth on earth and spread the yuga-dharma with great force!

According to the Vedic system, therefore, before a child is conceived, the garbhadhana-samskara is performed. This ceremony molds the mentality of the father in such a way that when he plants his seed in the womb of his wife, he will beget a child whose mind will be completely saturated with a devotional attitude. At the present moment, however, there are no such garbhadhana-samskaras, and therefore people generally have a lusty attitude when they beget children. Especially in this age of Kali, there are no garbhadhana ceremonies; everyone enjoys sex with his wife like a cat or dog.

In that case, the husband and wife should chant at least fifty rounds before going to sex.

Diti was so lusty that she forced her husband to copulate at a time which was inauspicious, and therefore the demons were born to create disturbances. In having sex life to beget children, one should observe the process for begetting nice children; if each and every householder in every family observes the Vedic system, then there are nice children, not demons and automatically there is peace in the world.

"Automatically there is peace in the world", since we believe in reincarnation what is the actual meaning of a child with a "devotional attitude" - it is of course a soul who practised bhakti-yoga in the past and takes birth to make further advancement. Or, an advanced devotee who simply wants to take birth to teach Krishna consciousness, because there's a great need of powerful preachers on earth. In either case - ISKCON was and still is a movement which is known of treating its children like at the very end of the chain - sannyasis, GBCs, TPs, brahmacaris etc. come first, devotees who have begotten a "devotional attitude-child" move out after having served ISKCON for years, find a shelter, start to work and depend on a karmi-job because the BBT charge when selling books is as such that no family can be properly maintained. Then they are asked when they visit that temple where they served selflessly for years as brahmacari and brahmacarini to donate 50% of their income otherwise they are not really welcome. Now lets see this scenario from Krishna's point of view, would He allow highly advanced devotees to appear in such a place? Never! Highly advanced souls only take birth when they are welcomed with wholeheartedness and given all Vaishnava facilities from A-Z. Not that the facilities are given to sannyasis who never mastered ideal family live, have somewhere divorce-kids, or people who have some very easy to replace administrative function (GBC) and consider themselves as important.

To further demonstrate that double standard morality of treating children a quote how ISKCON cows have to be treated.

1) Minimum Cow Protection Standards ISKCON Law 507

 

Not Allowed

· 1) Animal Acquisition

Procuring or breeding of a cow for the purpose of supplying milk without any plan for the care, training and engagement of offspring.

· 2) Lack of land and funds for animal care. Failure to provide sufficient land, cowherds, and funds to support the cow and/or offspring for their whole live.

So, here it says, not allowed for Vaishnavas to keep cows without the guarantee to maintain them appropriate to the species for their whole live (15 years).

Time to introduce such guide-lines for Vaishnava children and not waste more time, arent 30 years not enough?

Swami Damodara to be cremated at Brindavan </B>

The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Oct 3: The lifeless body of Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami scheduled to arrive in Imphal today from Kolkata will not be brought to his native land as his corpse will be flown directly to Brindavan/Radhakund to enable performance of Samadhi ceremony at the earliest.

Swami Damodara, an important functionary for the ISKCON died due to a BP stroke at his Kolkata residence in the wee hours yesterday and his dead body was scheduled to arrived in Imphal today.

Development during last night regarding condition of the Swami`s dead body compelled the ISKCON authorities to alter the earlier decision, an ISKCON statement said citing reason for their inability to bring back Swami Damorada`s dead body to his native land.

Swami Damodara`s dead body have to be flown in to Vrindavan/Radhakund in Uttar Pradesh for performing Samadhi rites as per Swami`s desire.

According to Sastra, the body should be in good condition while placing in the Samadhi and in order to responsibly and properly fulfill the expressed desired of the His Holiness regarding his Samadhi ceremony, the body has been taken to Vrindavan for Samadhi ceremony at the earliest, the ISKCON statement said and appeal all the disciples, devotees, vaishnavas, friends, well wishers from all the religious traditions who are working with His Holiness for bringing lasting peace in Manipur, to understand this decision.

In the meantime, the Imphal ISKCON temple is organizing a special prayer session as a part of the Samadhi ceremony of Swami Damodara tomorrow which will begin at 11am.

On the other hand, condolence messages pour in from various religious and civil society organisation saying Swami Damodara`s demise is a loss for the people of Manipur.

In a condolence message, the United Committee Manipur described Damodara Swami as a man of peace and integrity, who had also strongly opposed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

In another condolence message, Zeliangrong Rachapriak Phom said Swami Damodara death is an irreparable loss for the whole world.

The centre for Organisation Research and Education (CORE) has deeply condoled the death of Swami Damodara. Describing the demise of Swami Damodara as an immense loss to the society, the release recalled his imcomparable dedication towards Lord Krishna and his followers. He was a man who was driven by the philosophy of integrating Science with Religion to prove that God is the Supreme person, the release continued.

Sharing the grieve of the family members and followers, the release concluded that even though Swami Damodara is no more his works will always be remembered.

Condolence messages are also coming from the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, All Manipur Senior Citizen`s Welfare Association, Shri Shri Govindaji Temple Board, the Janta Dal (United), Manipur Pradesh and the Dharma Rakshak Samiti.

ISKCON's Swami Damodara passes away, condolences pour in<!EpnHeading1End>

Pall of gloom descends, mortal remains to arrive today from Kol<!EpnHeading1End>

Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 02: Governing Body Commissioner of ISKCON and International Director His Holiness Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami Srila Sripada passed away at his Kolkata residence in the wee hours today sending shockwaves across the world.

He was 69. Announcing the passing away of the spiritual leader in a statement, temple president of ISKCON, Imphal, Ajit Das said Swami breathed his last at 2 pm today at his Kolkata residence Shree Ram Nagar, VIP Road, Kolkata-700059 due to the arrangement of the Lord, Sri Sri Radhakrishnachandra.

<TABLE cellPadding=5 width=240 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE class=capbox width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>A file photo of Swami Damodara </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Fondly called Swami Maharaj, Damodara was undergoing treatment of the injuries suffered in the August 16 terror attack at Mani Mandir here.

Ajit Das, a close disciple, informed that Damodara complained of slight ache on his injured left hand before breathing his last at around 2 am today.

Though the ISKCON devotees at Imphal could not say the exact cause of Swami’s death, they speculated that it could be a result of the injuries suffered in the terror attack at ISKCON temple on Janmasthami Day.

They, however, informed that Swami was discharged from Apollo Hospital, Kolkata about ten days back.

As news of his death spread, a large number of mourning devotees and well wishers started pouring in at the ISKCON temple premises here even as a group of Bhaktas began performing Kritans since early morning amid tearful scene.

Villagers of Toubul, the birth place of Swami also joined the mourning.

If Swami’s death is the result of the August 16 attack, then he is the seventh victim to have died from the terror blast.

On that fateful day, four persons including two minor boys were killed and over fifty devotees including Swami himself and some foreigners were injured in the bomb attack.

Later on two more persons including a girl succumbed to their bomb injuries.

Meanwhile, a team of ISKCON devotees from Imphal including Imphal temple president Ajit Das flew to Kolkata today.

Before leaving Imphal, Ajit told The Sangai Express that a meeting of all senior functionaries of ISKCON would be held at Kolkata to decide whether Swami’s last rites would be conducted either at his home State or at other sacred places.

However, before his death Swami had expressed his desire that his last rites be performed at Radha Kunda, Ajit disclosed.

The whole matter would be discussed during the meeting before arriving at any decision conclusively, he added.

Ajit said that contrary to the Hindu’s practice of cremation, ISKCON’s top priests like Swami Damodara are buried after deaths.

On the other hand, ISKCON devotees at Imphal have made the necessary preparation for holding a Guru Puja wherein they would offer floral tributes and Arati to the body of Swami at the temple premises here tomorrow.

Swami’s mortal remains would be brought by a flight tomorrow at 2 pm, they said, adding that a short mourning procession might be taken out on the streets of Imphal.