suchandra

do you guys think that we are at the end of kali yuga?

According Srimad-Bhagavatam we are at the very beginning. Since Kali-yuga is described as being 432,000 earth years in length, with 5,000 years and more already passed, then the age of Kali-yuga has approximately 426,000 more years to go. On the other hand, yes, things look presently so terrible that one surely can ask this question, is the end near?

As posted by Suchandra:

Lord Siva is the best of all devotees.

Therefore all devotees of Lord Krsna are also devotees of Lord Siva.

Anyone who is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very dear to Lord Siva.

......................................................................

As posted by bgita67:

It makes absolutely no sense to me that Shiva's special purpose has to do only with material transations rather than anything else.

 

Please do not think that I believe Shiva is the supreme personality of godhead or anything like that.

 

Mythology should not be taken so seriously; it is here so that we can understand the more significant meanings of it and so that we can reflect on and thus love Brahman in any form we want to perceive it to be.

 

I do naman-smaranam of Shiva's names and Krishna's names. It's all the same thing.

 

.........................................................................

Bhaktajan's question: 'What is the purpose in Worship of Shiva according to sastra? I am ignorant of this! What attainment is Brahman? What are the pastimes of Lord Shiva? Do Shiva's Devotee aspire for his association, if yes Why does one seek the association of an ascetic who is performing private tapasya? Do we not disturb and cause an imposition upon Shiva by worshipping him?'

<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Thanks Bhaktajan, good points, for sincere Vaisnavas like yourself things look slightly different then when making statements in general about Lord Siva. Lord Siva did not appear in Caitanya lila as many others did and was rather known as having incarnated as Sankaracarya. So many great personalities appeared to assist Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu but not Lord Siva.

Lord Siva is an expansion of Krsna, but he cannot act as Krsna, nor can we derive the spiritual restoration from Lord Siva that we derive from Krsna. Lord Siva, in association with maya, has many forms, which are generally numbered at eleven. The essential difference is that Lord Siva has a connection with material nature, but Visnu or Lord Krsna has nothing to do with material nature. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.88.3) it is stated that Lord Siva is a combination of three kinds of transformed consciousness known as vaikarika, taijasa and tamasa.

When Agni, the god of fire gave Dasharath, the king of Ayodhya, a bowl of sacred sweet food to share among his wives so that they may have divine children, an eagle snatched a part of the pudding and dropped it where Anjana was meditating, and Pavana, the god of wind delivered the drop to her outstretched hands. After she took the divine dessert, she gave birth to Hanuman. Thus Lord Shiva incarnated as a monkey, and was born as Hanuman to Anjana, by the blessings of Pavana, who thus became Hanuman's godfather.

Siva incarnated as Durvasa - a Rudra form of Siva. Rudra is fiery and angry toward those that fall off the path of Dharma. Durvasa adopted a similar attitude and was quick to curse those he believed did not follow the path of Dharma. As an incarnation of Siva he could control and discipline his ten thousand discipline and teach them the real truth.

In the story of Rishi Durvasa and Ambarisha Maharaja, Rishi Durvasa was chased by the Sudarshana chakra of Lord Vishnu throughout the universe after offending the Lord's pure devotee Ambarisha.

The earliest religious activity in Nepal appears to have involved the Pashupata cult, and the worship of a local deity known as Pashupati, Lord of Beasts, who later became identified as Siva. Throughout Nepal’s history, Siva incarnated as Pashupati has been venerated as the protector and patron deity of the country. To this day, Pashupatinath is the principal Hindu temple and cremation ground in the Valley and one of the most sacred sites in Nepal.

(Nityananda Institute Nepal)

Siva incarnated as the brahmin Sankaracarya falsified the Vedas in the sense of Mayavada philosophy to entice the humans to atheism.

According to a legend in Devi Purana, Mysore was ruled by the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. Hence, the place was called Mahishuru (now Mysore), the city of the demon king Mahisha. Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Siva incarnated as Chamundi (also known as Mahishasuramardini) and killed the demon King on top of the hill. After killing Mahishasura, the Goddess resided on the hill top where she is worshipped even today with reverence and devotion.

Lord Siva incarnated as Lord Bhairav. "Bhairava" means terrifying, and Lord Siva in his fearsome aspect is called Lord Bhairav. He is pictured with blue or black skin, bulging eyes, and a mustache. He has a dog as his divine vehicle. He is usually associated with Tantra. Worshiping Lord Bhairav bestows victory over enemies, materialistic comforts, and success. The origin of Lord Bhairav can be traced to the legend of Siva and Sati.

This bronze statue in the Government Museum in Chennai represents the Lord Siva incarnated as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer. As he dances the universe into existence, he simultaneously crushes a demon, which symbolizes ignorance, underfoot.

Lord Siva incarnated as Vishnuswami and founded the Rudra sampradaya.

"From Vishnuswami's teachings I will accept two elements; the sentiment of exclusive dependence on Krishna and the path of raga-marga or spontaneous devotion."

Lord Siva incarnated as Sri Anjaneya. In Karimnagar district pilgrims perform Abhishekam to fulfill their vows and worship Kondagattu Anjaneya.

Sri Caitanya explained that on the order of Vishnu, Lord Siva incarnated as Adi Sankaracarya for the purpose of giving misleading interpretations of the Vedanta-sutras for the purpose of promoting atheism in Kali Yuga.

Furthermore, in the Padma Purana Lord Siva tells Parvati:

srinu devi pravakshyami tamasani yatha-kramam

yesham sravana-matrena patityam jnaninam api

apartham sruti-vakyanam darsayal loka-garhitam

karma-svarupa-tyajyatvam atra ca pratipadyate

sarva-karma-paribhramsan naishkarmyam tatra cocyate

paratma-jivayor aikyam mayatra pratipadyate

“My dear wife, hear my explanations of how I have spread ignorance through Mayavada philosophy. Simply by hearing it, even an advanced scholar will fall down. In this philosophy, which is certainly very inauspicious for people in general, I have misrepresented the real meaning of the Vedas and recommended that one give up all activities in order to achieve freedom from karma. In this Mayavada philosophy I have described the jivatma and Paramatma to be one and the same.”

Lord Caitanya admitted that Sankaracarya was an incarnation of Lord Siva, and it is known that Lord Siva is one of the greatest devotees (a mahajana) of the Bhagavata school. There are twelve great authorities on devotional service, and Lord Siva is one of them. Why, then, did he adopt the process of Mayavadi philosophy? The answer is given in Padma Purana, where Lord Siva states:

mayavadam asac-chastram

pracchannam bauddham ucyate

mayaiva kalpitam devi

kalau brahmana-rupina

"The Mayavadi philosophy is veiled Buddhism." In other words, the voidist philosophy of Buddha is more or less repeated in the Mayavadi philosophy of impersonalism, although the Mayavadi philosophy claims to be directed by the Vedic conclusions. Lord Siva, however, admits that this philosophy is manufactured by him in the age of Kali in order to mislead the atheists. "Actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead has His transcendental body," Lord Siva states. "But I describe the Supreme as impersonal. I also explain the Vedanta-sutra according to the same principles of Mayavadi philosophy."

Could be that Vaisnavas are therefore not so much interested in Lord Siva, although Lord Siva says, he did everything on the order of Vishnu. At the same time Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement especially aims at defeating the Mayavada conclusion about the Absolute Truth. So to define a clear point of view when it comes to Lord Siva is not so easy.

This was rather clear that time will come that the non-Vaishnavas will instruct the Vaishnava institutions what is right or wrong - UK a nation based on Christian tradition paying for a Hindu school.

Ed Balls: Is Britain's first Hindu school divisive?

Monday, September 15, 2008, 02:12 PM GMT [General]

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/george_pitcher/blog/2008/09/15/ed_balls_is_britains_first_hindu_school_divisive

It will be interesting to hear what schools secretary Ed Balls has to say about Britain's first Hindu faith school, which opens today in Harrow. Balls was accused earlier this year of a "witch hunt" against the UK's 7,000-odd faith schools, accusing them of all manner of socially divisive practices and dodgy up-front fee charges.

Labour's attitude to faith schools has been inconsistent

That was calculated to be an appeal by Balls to the Labour left, sensitive as ever to anything that could be perceived as selection in education, as well as Gordon Brown's abandonment of Tony Blair's championing of faith schools.

But all of that might have seemed a good idea while faith schools were a euphemism for Christian and Jewish establishments – with perhaps a subtle implication thrown in that Muslim schools could be a breeding ground for radicalisation (intelligence reports have since shown that to be a nonsense).

Is Labour going to have an appetite for beating up on peace-loving Hindus at Harrow's Krishna-Avanti school, with its yoga, meditation and prayers in an outdoor amphitheatre? It might reek of Cherie Blair's approach to spirituality, when she wasn’t schooling her husband in Roman Catholicism, but Balls is unlikely to bring this Government's ardent secularism to bear on the relatively soft religious target of Hinduism.

That's strange, because to be consistent Balls should be highly critical of a school which will initially admit just one class of 30 primary pupils from the estimated 15,000 Hindu children in Harrow. A spokesman tells me that the school will admit children of other faiths if it is underd. Fat chance, I would have thought.

And nothing wrong with that. Religion has played a central role in education through the ages and Harrow’s Hindus will be well served in that tradition.

But it would be good to know that the school secretary's secular zeal is indiscriminately applied, rather than aimed principally as Christian institutions, which Labour's left despises. But fat chance of that too. No votes from the left in attacking Hindus, you see.

Faithbook home

Only Lord Jagannath can save from terror strike

By Anurjay Dhal

Last updated: 09/15/2008 22:48:28

http://www.odishatoday.com/Orissa/Only_Lord_Jagannath_150908-5574457634357.html

Bhubaneswar(Orissa): Only Lord Jagannath can save from the terror strike in any major locations of the eastern pars of Orissa. Thanks to the callous attitude of Police Headquarters in Cuttack and the Home Department in State Capital.

Besides Temple City, ITR Chandipur, Puri, one of the four Dhams in Hindu religion, makes for another one for the terror perpetrators. What steps the State taken to fight back?

In its e-mail, the Indian Mujahideen, an affiliated body of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) made copious mention of 'anti-Christian' activities in Orissa's Kandhamal district. It had also talked about Hindu organisations targeting minorities including Muslims in Gujurat and elsewhere.

Shocking fact was that, the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who holds the Home Portfolio, is now a days busy in election campaign to retain his supremacy in the coming Civic polls but he has no time to convey a meeting to review the situation.

Union Home Ministry has already alerted all States following serial blasts in National Capital, but no sign of alert has been witnessed since past two days in any part of the State. Though security was tightened in communal violence hit Kandhamal but no special measures have been taken to prevent a terror attack in other parts of the State.

Home Secretary TK Mishra , DGP Gopal Chandra Nanda and Intelligence chief Manmohan Praharaj are busying in discussion but no steps have been taken to fight back terrorists. These three elite class IAS and IPS officers are more or less busy to satisfy MHA over Kandhamal crisis as 10 Janpath is closing monitoring the situation. Who cares for common people? Asked a resident.

Since last two days, there were no reports of massive checking at all major locations of the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. Only the police preferred to use sniffer dogs to detect explosive materials at Jagannath Temple in Puri while the same was not followed either at Biju Patnaik Air Port or at City Railway Station. "We have alerted all our forces," these are few traditional sound bites of Home Secretary and DGP but alert means nothing.

City DCP Himanshu K Lal was spotted on Saturday night at City Railway Station few minutes after the serial blasts rocked New Delhi but after that he preferred to monitor the business from his officer.

The so-called smart Commissioner of Police, Bijay Kumar Sharma also did nothing for the twin cities. Vital top cop posts like DCP (Crime) and DCP (Security) are lying vacant. Specialized units like Bomb Disposal Squad, Quick Reaction Team, Technical Interceptors and Cyber Forensics are not available.

In regards to this evolution in discussion, mankind is not ready for full use of brain potential. Mechanistic man has made devices which can destroy the whole planet, what to say if irresponsible man understood the subtle science.

Thanks for these eye-opening infos, indeed as Annie Leonard highlights below, we are caught in a hamster wheel. But will people ever understand this message?

Challenging Materialism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqWddQWE6_s&feature=email

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqWddQWE6_s&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344">

Amma's interview with Alan Steinfeld

<param name="movie" value="

Britain's first Hindu faith school opens its doors, but head says it will 'not lead to racial divide'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1055858/Britains-Hindu-faith-school-opens-doors-head-says-lead-racial-divide.html

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 10:21 AM on 15th September 2008

Britain's first Hindu state school opened its doors for the first time today, with education chiefs denying it will fuel racial segregation.

The Krishna-Avanti primary school will serve only vegetarian food and incorporate Hindu music, Sanskrit lessons and exercise techniques such as yoga into its lessons.

It is operating in temporary classrooms until a new £10million campus is built on playing fields in Edgware, North London. The school will eventually have its own temple.

Chairman of the governors Nitesh Gor said he hoped more Hindu schools would open but denied it would cause an educational rift

Just 25 children are starting in the first year but when all classes are filled the joint primary and nursery school will accommodate more than 200.

A ceremony was held in June to mark the start of the construction of the Krishna-Avanti Primary School

Mr Gor, director of the I-Foundation - the Hindu charity which is backing the voluntary-aided school - said: 'We have been campaigning for a state Hindu school for decades.

'Now finally we have a place where parents can send their kids in the knowledge that they will be taught about their culture alongside the national curriculum.

'These kids are British and of the Hindu faith. We are simply offering them a normal education with a Hindu background.

'There's nothing sinister going on. Our critics would do well to wait and see how we get on before making wild allegations and assumptions that are not true."

The school has chosen not to admit children from all faiths because it says there are too few places to cater for all the Hindus.

There are at least 90,000 in the north London boroughs of Harrow, Barnet and Brent.

Mr Gor denied that the school would fuel racial segregation. However, some education chiefs say such schools could limit childrens' knowledge of other cultures.

Dr Jonathan Romain, chairman of Accord, a coalition of religious and non-religious groups, said: 'Some parents will feel reassured by a school that shares their faith and cultural background.

'But everybody should also be aware of the impact this may have - limiting their children's knowledge of and interaction with children from other cultures, and also depriving other community schools of Hindu participation.'

A model of the school

Alistair McBay, of the National Secular Society, said: 'If you segregate people by religion you are also by definition segregating them by race. Doing this at a young age is going to condition children's friendships not just throughout school, but also throughout the rest of their lives.

Ejiro Ughwujabo, deputy head of St Mary's Catholic High School, in Croydon - which has a quarter non-Catholic pupil intake - said: 'The school must ensure that its pupils are taught about British culture and are educated about other faiths as well as their own.'

One full-moon night in the month of Vaisakha [April-May], Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to a garden.

The Lord, along with His devotees, entered one of the nicest gardens, called Jagannatha-vallabha.

In the garden were fully blossomed trees and creepers exactly like those in Vṛndavana. Bumblebees and birds like the suka, sari and pika talked with one another.

A mild breeze was blowing, carrying the fragrance of aromatic flowers. The breeze had become a guru and was teaching all the trees and creepers how to dance.

Brightly illuminated by the full moon, the trees and creepers glittered in the light.

The six seasons, especially spring, seemed present there. Seeing the garden, Srī Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was very happy.

In this atmosphere, the Lord had His associates sing the verse from the Gīta-govinda beginning with the words "lalita-lavanga-lata" as He danced and wandered about with them.

CC Antya 19.78-84

Declaration of bankruptcy in order to protect its assets and all other funding routes failed? Looks rather that the owners want premature pension. The Federal Reserve is now expected to try to help banks exposed to Lehman to use a wider range of collateral to borrow funds from the central bank: one good turn deserves another.

Lehman Brothers declares bankruptcy

Lehman Brothers, the 158-year-old Wall Street bank, has announced it would declare itself bankrupt after a weekend of rescue talks masterminded by Henry Paulson, the US Treasury Secretary, failed.

The end of Lehman Brothers, which owns an investment bank, a fund management business, and a $30 billion portfolio of real estate assets came as its larger rival Merrill Lynch agreed a sale of itself to Bank of America for $44 billion.

While the Merrill deal is expected to be widely perceived as a positive move, the collapse of Lehman, which controls $600 billion worth of assets, is forecast to send shock waves across the London and New York stock and debt markets.

The US banking giant said today that its customers would be able to continue to use their accounts normally and it will take a series of actions today that will should allow it to continue managing its operations, including paying staff wages.

Lehman Brothers said: "The board of directors ... authorised the filing of the Chapter 11 petition in order to protect its assets and maximise value".

Traders from all the major banks were ordered back to their desks on Sunday afternoon to calculate their exposure to a possible collapse of Lehman Brothers.

While the bank has widely been perceived as most vulnerable because of its substantial holdings of mortgage backed secuities, it was the US Treasury's refusal to bankroll a rescue that is seen as preventing other parties bailing out the bank.

US authorities had tried to secure a rescue deal for Lehman Brothers over the weekend.

Mr Paulson and Tim Geithner, president of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, had convened an emergency meeting in New York on Friday evening to try to convince other banks to bail out Lehman.

At the same time, the Merrill Lynch board, led by John Thain, agreed to be bought by Bank of America, the mortgage provider for around $29 a share, well above the $17.05 that Merrill Lynch stock closed at on Friday evening but well above the $97 they fetched in January 2007. It is understood that both boards have approved the all shares deal.

The deal will see Merrill Lynch, which has been dogged by questions over its mortgage-backed securities, protected by Bank of America's substantial current account, credit card and lending businesses.

American authorities had hoped to ringfence $85 billion worth of Lehman's real estate assets into one company which they wanted banks such as Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase to prop up with $35 billion of new capital.

Mr Paulson had hoped to persuade the banks to inject new money to prevent a fire sale of Lehman's assets, a move which could have triggered a fall in the value of their own securities.

At the same time, Mr Paulson had tried to sell off Lehman's investment bank to either Bank of America or Barclays. However, both walked away at the weekend after Mr Paulson refused to bankroll a possible bailout of Lehman with taxpayer funds.

On Sunday evening, Lehman Brothers, whose shares have fallen about 94 per cent over the year, was left in a vulnerable position.

Over the weekend, Lehman hired bankruptcy specialists in the event that all other funding routes failed.

The Federal Reserve is now expected to try to help banks exposed to Lehman to use a wider range of collateral to borrow funds from the central bank.

In addition, 10 major banks said they would pool $70 billion of their own money to create a borrowing facility. The 10 institutions, which include Citigroup, Credit Suisse Group, Deutsche Bank, could tap the pool to help them ride out the crisis.

In Midtown Manhattan, at Lehman's New York Heaquarters, employees were seen removing their belongings from the building ahead of the expected collapse of the bank.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article4755498.ece

Not so sure what Dr. Weil means by cleansing the mind. So far the cleansing of the mind is ceto darpana marjanam and works by applying the maha-mantra.

Everyone can join: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. By chanting this movement, by the vibration, gradually one’s heart, which is so contaminated that he is denying the existence of God, will be gradually simplified or clarified. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Just like the mirror, when it is overcast with dust, you cannot see your face nicely. But if you clear the dust you can see clearly. Similarly, our, this disease, denial of God, or “God is dead,” “There is no God,” “I am God,” “You are God,” such kinds of conception is due to covering of material dust on the mirror of our heart.

[Lecture at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, Dec. 24th 1969]

 

Cleansing the body and mind through an ayurvedic program

Dr. Andrew Weil, Special to The Sun

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/arts/story.html?id=c246b2b3-eee2-4e48-a0f0-8339fa4c2b3e

Published: Sunday, September 14, 2008

Q: I am considering undergoing the ayurvedic treatment called panchakarma for five days at an ayurvedic centre. Do you think this is worthwhile?

A: Panchakarma is an ayurvedic cleansing program for body and mind. Ayurvedic medicine, which originated within the ancient Vedic tradition of India, defines health as a body free of toxins, a mind at peace, emotions calm and happy, wastes efficiently eliminated and organs functioning smoothly. Panchakarma (literally "five works") is designed to restore health and wellness by cleansing the body of toxins with five methods: induction of vomiting, intestinal purging (with herbal laxatives), medicated enemas, nasal irrigation with medicated oils and bloodletting (traditionally with leeches or by cutting a vein).

In modern ayurvedic practice, people go to ayurvedic clinics, spas or resorts for panchakarma, where they eat carefully prepared food (generally bland and warming, like rice mixed with lentils), reduce physical activity and stimulation, and avoid exposure to cold. They sit in steam baths and get frequent vigorous massages with oil and herbal extracts, all designed to mobilize toxins and facilitate their elimination from the body. The ayurvedic doctor in charge of the facility prescribes the individual treatments and may suggest doing only one or two of the five methods, but, even so, the recommended time for panchakarma is 14 to 21 days. Less than a week is cutting it short.

Panchakarma is widely available in India (I underwent a 10-day version in Mysore a few years ago that focused on purging - I skipped the vomiting, enemas and bloodletting). In the United States, the foremost authority on panchakarma is Dr. Vasant Lad of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, N.M., and that is where I would send patients and friends to try it (www.ayurveda.com).

In an introduction to panchakarma published by the institute, Lad explains that the particular therapies recommended depend on your constitution and disorder.

Based on my experience in India, I'm not sure that it's possible to undergo authentic panchakarma here. (For one thing, it requires the services of many therapists per client, and labour costs here would be prohibitive). I suggest consulting Lad or one of his associates at the Ayurvedic Institute to check out the program you're contemplating and the practitioner who will supervise it.

The views expressed in this column are the author's. Readers are advised always to consult their doctor for specific information on personal health matters. The naming of any product or therapy in this column does not represent an endorsement by The Vancouver Sun.

Readers who wish to ask Dr. Weil a question may do so by visiting his website, www.drweil.com, and clicking "Ask Dr. Weil" and then "Ask Your Question." Because Dr. Weil receives so many questions, it is impossible for him to personally respond to every query. If your question is selected, look for Dr. Weil's response in a coming Q&A article.

"Ask Dr. Weil" does not provide specific medical advice and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other health-care professional. You should always consult your physician to discuss specific symptoms and conditions.

A man who just died is delivered to a local mortuary wearing an expensive, expertly tailored black suit.

 

The female blonde mortician asks the deceased's wife how she would like the body dressed. She points out that the man does look good in the black suit he is already wearing.

 

The widow, however, says that she always thought her husband looked his best in blue, and that she wants him in a blue suit. She gives the Blonde mortician a blank check and says, 'I don't care what it costs, but please have my husband in a blue suit for the viewing.'

 

The woman returns the next day for the wake. To her delight, she finds her husband dressed in a gorgeous blue suit with a subtle chalk stripe; the suit fits him perfectly.

 

She says to the mortician, 'Whatever this cost, I'm very satisfied. You did an excellent job and I' m very grateful. How much did you spend?' To her astonishment, the blonde mortician presents her with the blank check.

 

'There's no charge.' she says.

 

'No, really, I must compensate you for the cost of that exquisite blue suit!' she says.

 

'Honestly, ma'am,' the blonde says, 'it cost nothing. You see, a deceased gentleman of about your husband's size was brought in shortly after you left yesterday, and he was wearing an attractive blue suit. I asked his wife if she minded him going to his grave wearing a black suit instead, and she said it made no difference as long as he looked nice, so I just.....

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

'switched the heads!'

Morticians usually are very money oriented and live in great opulence - "nothing is surer than death". Hard to believe that this female blonde mortician didnt charge at least 2000 dollars for this trick.

<table style="" border="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td style="border: medium none rgb(236, 233, 216); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">

 

 

 

The wonderful Hindu invasion of ISKCON Melbourne

 

 

</td></tr></tbody></table>

Devotees celebrate Janmastami 2008

 

Indian Hindus are populating ISKCON Temples in the West in a way never seen before over the last 42 years. This is happening all over the world at a massive rate and is not a phenomenon as some suggest.

 

 

It was reported that on Janmastami the above mentioned Melbourne temple collected 370,000 dollars from all these guests ("The ISKCON Temple I visted for Janamastami collected 370,000 dollars in one day that goes towards a second bigger Temple in the pipe works"). However, when reading below what is happening with all this Laxmi one has to question if this is really helping the Sankirtan movement?

Hello everyone,

Om shanti.

Let us think logically can god be omnipresent?

If god is present in me and you then what is the requirement of taking Avatars:confused:

If calling someone a donkey or an ass is offensive how can you do the same to the supreme:crazy: .

It's almost like scolding him rather than praising him:( ?

 

 

Since the material world is created to fullfill the jiva's desire to imitate God, everything in the material world is made in such a way to serve this purpose.

Therefore the conditioned souls can never perceive God's omnipresence and God appears as Avatar.

From sastra we learn that Krsna is conscious about everything what is happening in the lives of unlimited jivas and like pic below is immediately helping his devotees. Logically this can be called omnipresent.

Very true. Imitating is not following. It may be innocent in the beginning like a child learning to write imitates the teacher. It become sinister when someone tries to imitate the teacher in terms of having a similar mood and realization and bluffs others into seeing him for more than is.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of just ordinary graft of position. No one needs a brahmin or pujari to approach the Lord.

 

Each soul is a priest, each body a temple, and has the Lord's permission to approach Him within himself, on the altar of the heart.

 

IMO it is mandatory that at some stage of our spiritual life we come to understand this.

 

Oranganized religious practice is good because it brings one to this realization. However it becomes a prison house for the further development of the soul if it fosters a dependence upon itself as the only means of approaching and knowing God instead of showing the new aspirant the nature of his freedom.

It should be pointed out from whom present Vaishnavas are actually taking siksha. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja has adopted this concept of prioritizing teaching (siksha) over formal ordination (diksha) as a sign of relationship and a marker of disciplic succession. Therefore the relationship for example of Srila Jagannath Das Babaji was more significant in Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s life than Bipin Bihari Goswami, who was his diksha-guru.

• “It's a fact, as Kurma dasa writes, that this system of voted-in gurus is nonsense. Of course, Kurma prabhu is trying to make out that Srila Prabhupada’s original program, which he thinks is synonymous with the current Rtvik system, should be put in place now. That’s where he and I have a different understanding. I don’t think you can introduce a system that has no verification in sastra.”
  
  

• Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.24 Purport - The Activities of Maharaja Priyavrata:
  "Sometimes we are criticized because although I am a sannyasi, I have taken part in the marriage ceremonies of my disciples. It must be explained, however, that since we have started a Krsna conscious society and since a human society must also have ideal marriages, to correctly establish an ideal society we must take part in marrying some of its members, although we have taken to the path of renunciation. This may be astonishing to persons who are not very interested in establishing daiva-varnasrama, the transcendental system of four social orders and four spiritual orders. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, however, wanted to reestablish daiva-varnasrama. In daiva-varnasrama there cannot be acknowledgement of social status according to birthright because in Bhagavad-gita it is said that the determining considerations are guna and karma, one's qualities and work. It is this daiva-varnasrama that should be established all over the world to continue a perfect society for Krsna consciousness. This may be astonishing to foolish critics, but it is one of the functions of a Krsna conscious society."
  
  
  
  
  Srila Prabhupada's Vyasapuja Lecture, August 22, 1973, London:
  
  
  "I'm sometimes criticized by my Godbrothers that I have become a marriage-maker, because a sannyasi does not take part in a marriage ceremony, but I get my disciples married. This is also unique in the history. So they criticize me that I have become a marriage-maker. But they, they do not know why I take this risk. I have got many disciples, they are married couples, but all of them, husband and wife, they are helping this movement. Here is Bhagavan dasa, he's also married man, children."
  
  
  
  
  Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Satsvarupa, September 20, 1968:
  
  
  "In your letter of the 17th instant, you have very frankly inquired from me about householder life, especially in the matter of sex relationship. A sannyasi is not supposed to be asked about anything sexual. But still, because you are so much dependent on my instruction, so I must give you information as far as possible. Married life is not for sex indulgence. The principle of marriage is on the background of getting good children. So the householder is allowed to have sex life once in a month, just after the menstrual period. The menstrual period prolongs at least for 5 days, so after this 5 days, one can have sex life provided he desires to get a child. And as soon as the wife is pregnant, no more sex life, until the child is born and is grown up at least for 6 months. After that, one may have sex life on the same principle. If one does not want more than one or two children, he should voluntarily stop sex life. But one should not strictly use any contraceptive method and at the same time indulge in sex life. That is very much sinful. If the husband and wife can voluntarily restrain by powerful advancement of Krishna Consciousness. That is the best method. It is not necessary that because one has got wife, therefore you must have sex life. The whole scheme is to avoid sex life as far as possible. And if one can avoid it completely then it is a great victory for him. Married life is a sort of license for sex life on condition of raising children. So you should try to understand these principles of married life and use your discretion. You should not imitate great personalities like Bhaktivinode Thakura, but you must follow His footprints. But it is not always possible to have the same success as great personalities like Bhaktivinode Thakura achieved. So in all circumstances you should try to follow the footprints of authorities but never to imitate them. Unless Jadurani develops a better health and strength, I do not advise her to become pregnant. I think you will understand the instruction as I have given and try to follow it as far as possible."
  
  
  
  
  Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Sacisuta, July 5, 1969:
  
  
  "Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated June 23, 1969, and I have carefully gone over the contents. I am so pleased to learn that you are feeling very nicely in Buffalo temple and you are working hard and sincerely to push on this sublime movement of Krishna Consciousness. Regarding your question about marriage, the thing is that as I am a sannyasi, I am not concerned with family life, but because I want to see my disciples very happy in Krishna Consciousness, therefore, those who are feeling some sexual disturbance are requested by me to get themselves married."
  
  

• Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Gaura Hari, September 24, 1971:
  "At your recommendation I have gladly consented to accept Guy as my duly initiated disciple. His letter and beads are enclosed herewith. Also enclosed are three sacred threads duly chanted by me as well as four papers with Gayatri mantra for the four devotees you have recommended for second initiation. You should secure the tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra from Makhanlal in Seattle. Let each devotee hear the tape privately, one at a time, and through the right ear. They should have the paper in front of them and hear and repeat each word. Beforehand you can show them how to count on the fingers, and beforehand hold a fire yajna and get the threads on the boys' bodies."
  
  

• Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Vaikunthanatha, Sardia, April 4, 1971:
  "Even though you have had no gayatri mantra, still you are more than brahmana. I am enclosing herewith your sacred thread, duly chanted on by me. Gayatri mantra is as follows:
  
  
  [TAKEN OUT]
  
  
  Ask your wife to chant this mantra and you hear it and if possible hold a fire ceremony as you have seen during your marriage and get this sacred thread on your body. Saradia, or any twice-initiated devotee, may perform the ceremony.
  
  

• Srimad Bhagavatam 4.8.54 Purport - Dhruva Maharaja Leaves Home for the Forest:
  "Those who are not actually in the line of acaryas, or who personally have no knowledge of how to act in the role of acarya, unnecessarily criticize the activities of the ISKCON movement in countries outside of India. The fact is that such critics cannot do anything personally to spread Krsna consciousness. If someone does go and preach, taking all risks and allowing all considerations for time and place, it might be that there are changes in the manner of worship, but that is not at all faulty according to sastra.
  Srimad Viraraghava Acarya, an acarya in the disciplic succession of the Ramanuja-sampradaya, has remarked in his commentary that candalas, or conditioned souls who are born in lower than sudra families, can also be initiated according to circumstances. The formalities may be slightly changed here and there to make them Vaisnavas
  ."
  
  

• kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa
  
  
  abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah
  
  
  ye 'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah
  
  
  sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah
  "Kiratas, Hunas, Andhras, Pulindas, Pulkasas, Abhiras, Sumbhas, Yavanas and members of the Khasa races, and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, for He is the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him."
  Anyone can be purified if he takes shelter of a pure devotee and molds his character according to the pure devotee's direction. Then, even if one is a Kirata, Andhra, Pulinda or whatever, he can be purified and elevated to the position of a maha-paurusya
  ."
  
  

• “I don’t think you can introduce a system that has no verification in sastra.”
  
  

Suchandra

 

Namaste

 

What text is that passage from that you quoted in Sanskrit?

 

It makes absolutely no sense to me that Shiva's special purpose has to do only with material transations rather than anything else. You say that a non-Vaishnava who worships Shiva becomes more and more materially attached. Ask a Shaiva if Shiva has made him/her less attached over time. Shiva has the appearance of an ascetic (someone who is not attached). With his third eye he disintegrated Kama (sensuality, pleasure) which happens to represent our most primal desire. I'm not seeing this "Shiva makes us attached" idea and I'm not buying it.

 

One of Shiva's 108 names is Aumkara. This means that he is the form of Aum. That means he is Brahman. Another one of his 108 names is Sanatana (Eternal) and this is also one of Krishna's 108 names.

 

Take a look at what's in the Shwetashwatara Upanishad about Shiva:

 

Passage 4:15 says that we are all one in Shiva. Passage 4:16 says that Shiva is the Supreme One, hidden in the hearts of all, encompassing the universe, and frees us from bondage.

 

Please do not think that I believe Shiva is the supreme personality of godhead or anything like that. The Rigveda equates Agni with what we now call Brahman. The Ganapati Upanishad says that Ganesha is Creator, Preserver, Destroyer, Brahman, and Sat-Chit-Ananda. Also in the Rigveda it says that there is one true reality (ekam sat) and that the sages explain it in many ways. I believe that Brahman, as the Upanishads claim, is actually without form, names, and attributes. Just as the Self takes the shape of the body it is in, I believe that also Brahman takes on the name, form, pasttimes, significances, etc of the god or goddess that the individual perceives it as. They're all valid and all the same. None is superior to any other. Mythology should not be taken so seriously; it is here so that we can understand the more significant meanings of it and so that we can reflect on and thus love Brahman in any form we want to perceive it to be.

 

Touching dollar bills, kissing them, and desiring more and more of them will keep a person attached to wealth. But looking within your heart and filling your mind with Lord Shiva will help free you from attachment.

 

No disrespect for you as a devoted Vaishnava is intended at all.

 

I do naman-smaranam of Shiva's names and Krishna's names. It's all the same thing.

 

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

I was refering to Lord Siva as so magnanimous that he grants his followers what ever they desire. One of his names is 'Ashutosh' or one who is easily pleased. Once a devotee of Lord Siva, Vrikrasura requested for an unusual benediction from Lord Siva, that whomever he would touch, that person's head would fall off. Even though Lord Siva knew that such a benediction was not good, he considered the devotee's good quality and that he had worshiped him, and granted him the benediction. Later Vrikrasura tried to touch Lord Siva's head and was tricked by Lord Visnu into touching his own head. But this reflects the attitude of Lord Siva. If a devotee has a good quality, he magnifies it and ignores the bad qualities. He is the most beloved personality, he is universal.

I did not meditate on them for material benefit but for mental peace. I cannot decide which mantra to settle on so I am wondering if I can chant both. Is this possible? I heard that one must settle on one mantra.

It seems that the yuga-avatar, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, says, one hasn't necessarily settle on one mantra, He rather says, "no hard and fast rules for chanting the Holy Names".

Text 2

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-shaktis

tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah

etadrishi tava kripa bhagavan mamapi

durdaivam idrisham ihajani nanuragaha

(Sri Siksastakam)

O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krishna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.

Well I am trying out different Mantras right now. When I chant Hare Krishna (I have been doing it in the last three days), all my focus keeps going to Siva. Is there anything wrong with this? I can't help it.

 

And sorry if I'm getting on your nerves by asking so many questions

I would say if this is your spontaneous mood this is very nice, Lord Siva, who is neither avatara nor avesa nor in between them, possesses almost eighty-four percent of the attributes of Lord Krsna.

ksiram yatha dadhi vikara-visesa-yogat

sanjayate na tu tatah prthag asti hetoh

yah sambhutam api tatha samupaiti karyad

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

"‘Milk changes into yogurt when mixed with a yogurt culture, but actually it is constitutionally nothing but milk. Similarly, Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, assumes the form of Lord Siva [sambhu] for the special purpose of material transactions. I offer my obeisances at His lotus feet.’

What has to be understood is vaisnavanam yatha sambhuh: Lord Siva is the best of all devotees. Therefore all devotees of Lord Krsna are also devotees of Lord Siva. In Vrndavana there is Lord Siva's temple called Gopisvara. The gopis used to worship not only Lord Siva but Katyayani, or Durga, as well, but their aim was to attain the favor of Lord Krsna. A devotee of Lord Krsna does not disrespect Lord Siva, but worships Lord Siva as the most exalted devotee of Lord Krsna. Consequently whenever a devotee worships Lord Siva, he prays to Lord Siva to achieve the favor of Krsna, and he does not request material profit. In Bhagavad-gita (7.20) it is said that generally people worship demigods for some material profit. Kamais tais tair hrta jnanah. Driven by material lust, they worship demigods, but a devotee never does so, for he is never driven by material lust. That is the difference between a devotee's respect for Lord Siva and a non-Vaishnava's respect for Lord Siva.

The non-Vaishnava worships Lord Siva, takes some benediction from him and becomes more and more materially attached. This attitude is rejected by the Vaishnavas. Because Lord Siva is a great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he loves all the devotees of the Supreme Lord. Lord Siva told the Pracetas that because they were devotees of the Lord, he loved them very much. Lord Siva was not kind and merciful only to the Pracetas; anyone who is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very dear to Lord Siva.

Depends on who you ask or what is the source of your information.

 

 

Also we have the phenomenon that people are changing their conviction.

There seems a constant need of change in peoples' minds for trying out something else. Keep in mind how they welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem as a king, shouting ‘hosanna to God in the highest’ and laying palm leaves in his path and then a week later these same people were calling for him to be crucified and the murderer Barabbas released. Have things changed today?

No, this is how this world is made, and as long we identify we the material energy all this will repeat itself.

My feelings expressed are directed to kali-yuga priests who consider themselves intermediaters between man and God. My belief is this is outdated.

Well spoken and as Ananda Svarupa dasa says, "the problem is that in ISKCON and other control-oriented organizations they have promoted only ONE concept of guru, or the uttama liberated guru, thus imitating Srila Prabhupada’s exalted position".

• From a lecture on the Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.1, Bombay, November 13, 1974:
  There is a
  parampara
  system, as it is described in the Bhagavad-gita, Fourth Chapter:
  evam parampara-praptam imam rajasayo viduh
  [bg. 4.2]. So our business, conscious people, our business is very easy. Because we don't manufacture ideas. We take the idea and the words delivered by the Supreme Person, Krsna, or His incarnation, or His representative. His representative does not say anything which the master does not say.
  Representative is very easy. You can become representative of Krsna if you do not interpret Krsna 's words in your whimsical way
  . Krsna says,
  mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya
  : [bg. 7.7] "There is no more superior authority than Me." And if you take it as it is, and if you speak to the people that "There is no more superior authority than Krsna,"
  then you become guru. You become guru. You don't change. Then you become guru
  . Caitanya Mahaprabhu has instructed this.
  Amara ajnaya guru haya tara' ei desa
  [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. His, He was preaching. So He was preaching everyone, from country to country. Of course, He did not go outside India. Within India. And He was instructing that "You learn from Me and teach your people within this village, within this country."
  Amara ajnaya guru haya tara' ei desa
  [Cc. Madhya 7.128].
  Ei desa
  means "this country, or this place where you are living." Then?
  amara ajnaya guru haya
  .
  You become guru. So one may think that "I am illiterate. I have no education. I am not born in very high family. How I can become guru?" So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that "It is not very difficult."
  yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa
  [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Bas. You become guru. You simply speak whatever Krsna speaks. Then you become guru.
  So anyone who does not speak what Krsna has spoken, he's not guru. He's a rascal. He cannot be guru. He is guru who speaks only what Krsna has spoken. This is the sastric injunction.
  
  
  <center>
  sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah
  
  
  avaisnavo gurur na syad vaisnavah sva-paco guruh
  </center>
  This is the definition of guru
  , that one brahmana, born in brahmana family and very educated, mantra-tantra-visaradah, very expert in reciting Vedic mantras... That is the duty of brahmana, veda-mantra. So
  mantra-tantra-visaradah
  . But avaisnava, if he's not Vaisnava, or if he's not follower of the instruction of Visnu or Krsna,
  avaisnavo gurur na syat
  , he cannot become guru. And
  vaisnavah sva-pacah. Sva-pacah
  means the dog-eater. That is considered the lowest of the mankind, dog-eaters, means
  candala, bhangis
  . He becomes gu..., he can become guru. How? If he's Vaisnava, he is devotee of Visnu or Krsna. So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu... That is His mission.
  
  
  <center>
  yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa
  
  
  amara ajnaya guru haya tara' ei desa
  
  
  [Cc. Madhya 7.128]
  </center>
  So if we simply take the words of Bhagavan and preach, then it is very easy for us to become, each and every one, to become guru. Not to exploit. No. But to give knowledge
  . And what is that knowledge? What Krsna has spoken. That's all. So even one is not very learned scholar, Sanskrit scholar, everyone has got this ear. He can hear from Krsna and Krsna's representative and assimilate what is spoken by Krsna, and he can repeat the same.
  Then he becomes guru
  . That is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He said,
  
  
  <center>
  bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
  
  
  janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
  
  
  [Cc. Adi 9.41]
  
  
  </center>
  To become guru means para-upakara
  . People are in the darkness, so they have to be enlightened. That is the Vedic injunction.
  Uttisthata jagrata prapya varan nibodhata
  .

Cleverly staged and just at the right time to cover up that India's agriculture/ economy is taken over by the super rich globalization elite - the Rupee devaluated to almost nothing to accel the sellout of India's ressources and the majority of Indians left in poverty.

Such disputes as below were often staged in the past and are nothing new. One may ask why people still fall on this?

SOUL SEARCHING

Exorcising India's demons

http://www.bangkokpost.com/140908_News/14Sep2008_news013.php

Sunday September 14 2008

Like in many parts of the world, India falls victim to its tiny but vocal and violent minority of fanatics who have no qualms about disrupting the lives of the majority by claiming the moral high ground

IMTIAZ MUQBIL

For all of India's economic development, it still has a long way to go to rise above the cultural, social and ethnic divisions that are so vehemently fanned and inflamed by its home-grown fundamentalists and politicians.

When India markets itself on the global stage, it touts its long history and heritage, ancient civilisation and vast melting pot of cultures, castes and creeds.

It also presents its vast population as a source of brainpower and a major driver of economic growth.

But in recent weeks, India's fundamentalist Hindu groups have been put on the defensive as the country has confronted the reality of its social and communal demons.

It was Hindu against Christians in the Orissa state, Hindus against Muslims in Kashmir, and Hindus against Hindus in Maharashtra.

Websites and chatrooms buzzed with religion-bashing hate mail, proving that in spite of globalisation and economic progress, large segments of the population remain stuck in a feudal mindset.

This time, however, it was the Christian groups who decided that enough was enough and that it was time to get the moderate Hindus to confront their own fanatic groups such as the RSS, the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Encouraged by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's description of the anti-Christian rampage in Orissa as a national shame, they minced no words in unleashing a counter-attack, winning support from the millions of the country's moderate Hindus who see their own fanatics as being no different from the Muslim extremists more commonly associated with violence and terrorism.

In media interviews and on nationwide talk shows, Christian bishops reminded the people of India that Hindu fanatics were responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, the rampage against the Sikhs following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by one of her own Sikh bodyguards, and the massacres of Muslims in Gujarat, for which the chief minister himself is suspected of culpability.

For the first time, the bishops used the T-word, accusing the Hindu fanatics of spreading terror and terrorising the Christians.

Referring to well-publicised remarks in 2002 by the chief minister of Gujarat state in which he had called the anti-Muslim rampage a ''laboratory experiment'' that could be expanded nationwide, one of the bishops said, ''If Gujarat was the laboratory, then Orissa is the factory.''

Rajiv Bajaj, host of the RKB Show, one of the most popular talk shows on the Indian cable TV channel Sahara Samay Mumbai, noted that Christians have built schools and hospitals throughout India, often in remote parts of the country where even the government has no money.

He also pointed out that most of India's educated elite have graduated from Christian-established schools and colleges.

''So what have they done to deserve this?'' he asked. ''Are we living by mob rule or the rule of law?''

Mr Bajaj said that the violence was triggered allegedly in response to the killing of a Hindu Swami by a group of people, about four of whom happened to be Christians.

Be that as it may, he said, ''Why take it out on the entire community rather than allow the rule of law to take its course only against those individuals?''

Representatives of Christian groups who appeared on his talk show noted that the government's inability, or reluctance _ or both _ to act was part of the problem.

One bishop said a group of Christians had told him that the police had simply told them to flee, which was the only way the police apparently could help save them.

When the rampage began, the state's chief minister came under fire for not allowing human rights and relief workers into the area, but an Indian politician known to be at the forefront of the Hindu fundamentalist movement was granted entry, the bishop claimed.

Mr Bajaj also probed the deeper insecurities that prompt these kinds of emotional, irrational reactions.

''I am a Hindu myself,'' he said. ''Hinduism is a strong, ancient, rich tradition. Are we so insecure about our identity and heritage that it should lead to this kind of mindlessness? First, the Sikhs, then the Muslims, now the Christians. Where does it end?''

Seeking to downplay the impact of Christian missionaries targetting vulnerable low-caste groups in India for conversions, one bishop noted that in spite of Christianity's nationwide presence, the ratio of Christian population has remained steady over the years, at about 2.3% to 2.5 %.

Reaction to the live talk show was also a mixed bag.

Mr Bajaj said while many of his viewers were sending messages of support, he was receiving a lot of hate mail too.

At the time of writing, another controversy was raging in Maharashtra, where members of India's most famous acting family, the Bachchans, were being taken to task by the state's Hindu fundamentalist political party over allegedly insensitive references to the use of the state language, Marathi, as opposed to the national language, Hindi.

It was a trivial issue, but the mobs were at it again, this time threatening to burn down theatres showing films featuring members of the Bachchan family.

As in in many parts of the world, India falls victim to its tiny but vocal and violent minority of fanatics who have no qualms about disrupting the lives of the majority and claiming the moral high ground.

The central message emerging, however, is for the otherwise silent majority of middle-roaders to take up the cause.

The Christians have clearly indicated that they are not going to take it any more.

Other minorities also need to rise to the occasion, in India and worldwide.

Globalisation, fanaticism and fundamentalism do not mix, regardless of caste, colour or creed.

Is there a fasting practice that one can do?

There're many different kind of fasting and basically it depends on the individual situation. Not to eat sweats is also a kind of fasting. For me it came out that I shouldnt eat after 4 pm, it is a much better overall physical well being. This is also a kind of fasting, but with the goal to improve spiritual life and not a type of fasting what makes me weak.

When reading through the Vaishnava calendar it says so often, fasting till noon. So just to follow all these fastings on the Vaishnava calendar is surely the best and sufficient.

I agree.

 

Then there is this statement from CC.

 

 

 

I know how I hear the term properly initiated but it may not be the way Prabhupada meant it.

The Vedas say there're three ways to gather knowledge. When reading text below it seems like global Vaishnavas are presently fooled into pratyaksa, direct evidence, if it works, do it and anumana, inductive knowledge: "It may be like this". However it says, best is sabda, to listen from authority and act accordingly.

The conclusion that came out for present Vaishnavas is to follow pratyaksa/anumana, to make decisions that seem to work immediately and sound reasonable on the platform of direct experience and hypothesis, if it works, lets do it like this.

Prabhupada's books are taken into account but when it comes to questions like initiation, accepted with reservation.

Often we hear, we have to follow the tradition, what is the traditional situation in historical accounts of Vaishnavism. Don't know if this is sabda?

"There are three kinds of evidence: pratyaksa, anumana and sabda. Pratyaksa means "direct evidence." Direct evidence is not very good because our senses are not perfect. We are seeing the sun daily, and it appears to us just like a small disc, but it is actually far, far larger than many planets. Of what value is this seeing? Therefore we have to read books; then we can understand about the sun. So direct experience is not perfect. Then there is an anumana, inductive knowledge: "It may be like this"-hypothesis. For instance, Darwin's theory says it may be like this, it may be like that. But that is not science. That is a suggestion, and it is also not perfect. But if you receive the knowledge from the authoritative sources, that is perfect. If you receive a program guide from the radio station authorities, you accept it. You don't deny it; you don't have to make an experiment, because it is received from the authoritative sources.

Vedic knowledge is called sabda-pramana. An other name is sruti. Sruti means that this knowledge has to be received simply by aural reception. The Vedas instruct that in order to understand transcendental knowledge, we have to hear from the authority. Transcendental knowledge is knowledge from beyond this universe. Within this universe is material knowledge, and beyond this universe is transcendental knowledge. We cannot even go to the end of the universe, so how can we go to the spiritual world? Thus to acquire full knowledge is impossible."

Isopanisad, http://www.harekrishna.com/col/books/RP/ISO/tea-veda.html

Many years ago my ancestors converted to another religion. But they still observe many of their previous traditions. We have a Kuldevi Maa called Dasha (Momai) Maa. Does this mean that our previous religion was Hinduism? And who is Dasha Maa an avatar of?

Dasha Maa

There's also Ashapura Maa, Amba Maa, Bahuchar Maa, Charmunda Maa, Harsiddhi Maa, Khodiyar Maa, Hingraj Maa, etc. Looks like different aspects of Durga Devi, the wife of Lord Siva.

Siva's female consort is known under various names as Uma, Sati, Parvati, Durga, Kali, and Sakti. The divine couple, together with their sons - the six-headed Skanda and the elephant-headed Ganesa - are inhabiting the Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas as well as the Mahesa-dhama on the border of the material world (Devi-dhama) and the spiritual world (Vaikuntha or Hari-dhama).

 

The original father, Krsna, says, aham bija-pradah pita: "I am the seed-giving father." That pita (father) is Lord Siva, Sambhu, and material nature (goddess Durga) is considered the mother. By their sexual union are all conditioned souls inserted into the material nature. The impregnation of material nature is wonderful because at one time innumerable living beings are conceived. Bhago jivah sa vijneyah sa canantyaya kalpate (Svetasvatara Upanisad 5.9).

 

Siva is the original material male and Durga the original material female. Durga is expansion of internal energy and Radharani is the quintessence of internal energy. In that sense Durga is expansion of Radharani.

http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/siva.htm

 

Bahuchar Maa

Khodiyar Maa

Arti for Dasha Maa

from iskcontech.com:

Since we are celebrating Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s appearance day today we wanted to share with you all the ebooks we have been uploading recently at the ISKCON Media Vedic Library.

Here they are:

• Sri Ammaya Sutra
  
• Apasampradayer Svarupa
  
• Baul Sangit - Songs of the Madman
  
• Bhagavad arka marici mala
  
• Sri Bhajana Rahasya
  
• Bhakti tattva viveka - Deliberation on the True Nature of Devotion
  
• Sri Bhaktyaloka
  
• Sri Brahma Samhita
  
• Sri Sri Caitanya Siksamrta - The Nectarean Instructions Of Lord Caitanya
  
• Dalaler Gita - “The Song of the Broker”
  
• Sri Dasamula-niryas
  
• Dasa Mula Tattva
  
• Devadas
  
• Explanation of the Maha-mantra
  
• From Moses To Mahaprabhu
  
• Sri Gauranga Lila Smarana Mangala Stotram
  
• Gita Mala
  
• Gitavali
  
• Sri Caitanya – His Life & Precepts
  
• Sri Godruma - Candra - Bhajana - Upadesa
  
• Sri Hari Nama Cintamani
  
• Jagannatha Mandir
  
• Jaiva Dharma
  
• Sri Sri Kalyan Kalpa-taru
  
• Keno Hare Krsna Nam - “Oh Why While Chanting Hare Krsna…?”
  
• Sri Krsna Samhita
  
• Letter to Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura
  
• Mama Mana Mandire
  
• Sri Sri Navadvipa Bhava Taranga
  
• Notes On The Bhagavata
  
• Panca Samskara - The Process of Initiation
  
• Prema Pradipa
  
• Sri Siksastaka
  
• Sri Sanmodana Bhasyam
  
• Saranagati - Surrendered to the Lord’s Shelter
  
• Svalikhita Jivani - Autobiography
  
• Sva-niyama-dvadasakam
  
• Sri Tattva Sutra
  
• Tattva Viveka - an analysis of Western Philosophies
  
• On Thakura Haridasa
  
• Vaisnava siddhanta mala

There are books by other acaryas too.

Have fun.

http://library.iskconmedia.com

We may only create 'new' life-forms by modifying existing life-forms. There is absolutely no way to create (new) life directly from dead-matter.

 

Regards

Hackers claim there’s a black hole in the atom smashers’ computer network

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article4744329.ece

Mike Harvey and Mark Henderson

Hackers have broken into one of the computer networks of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

A group calling itself the Greek Security Team left a rogue webpage describing the technicians responsible for computer security at the giant atom smasher as “schoolkids” — but reassuring scientists that they did not want to disrupt the experiment.

The hackers gained access to a website open to other scientists on Wednesday as the LHC passed its first test, sending its protons off on their dizzying journey through time and space, close to the speed of light.

The work of the scientists was not derailed and insiders scoffed at claims that the hackers were “one step away” from the systems controlling the experiment itself. The engineering team completed four days of scheduled work in the first 24 hours but what physicists are really waiting for is the big bang machine’s first collisions.

Apart from being wide of the mark from a scientific point of view, fears that the LHC might bring the world to an end this week were in any case premature because it was never going to smash any particles so early on.

This week’s successful start-up means that that should now happen sooner than expected, perhaps as early as the first week in October.

Doomsayers take note: there is still a slim chance that a microscopic (and harmless) black hole will be created, but only once the accelerator starts colliding protons together at close to its maximum energy.

The hackers appear to have targeted the computer system of the Compact Muon Solenoid Experiment, one of the four detectors that will be analysing the progress of the experiment.

James Gillies, a spokesman for CERN, the European Laboratory for Network Collision, home of the LHC, said: “We don’t know who they were but there seems to be no harm done. It appears to be people who want to make a point that CERN was hackable,” he added.

CERN officials are now confident that the collider will have started experiments to generate new physics well before world leaders visit on October 21 to inaugurate the project.

Many countries will send their heads of state or government to the event: President Sarkozy of France, President Couchepin of Switzerland and President Köhler of Germany have the date in their diaries, and either President Medvedev of Russia or Vladimir Putin may attend.

The British Prime Minister, however, has apparently decided to skip the opportunity to be publicly associated with black holes. Responding to a query about whether Gordon Brown would be there to celebrate the passing of the Apocalypse, Downing Street told The Times “to call back nearer the time”. Describing the CERN team’s progress, Mr Gillies said: “There is a 31-day schedule before the first high-energy collisions, and on Wednesday they did Days 1 to 4.”

On Wednesday night, one beam was circulated around the LHC’s ring about 300 times, and on Thursday, the anti-clockwise beam was fired around the accelerator for half an hour so it could be “captured” and made to travel in neat, compact pulses.

Protons make about 11,000 laps per second, which means 20 million circuits have been achieved. The next crucial step is likely next week, when the captured beams will be fired in opposite directions, and crashed into each other inside the four huge detectors.

A couple of weeks later is the real moment of truth. The LHC’s superconducting magnets will be fired up to 70 per cent of maximum power, producing proton beams with an energy of 5 teraelectronvolts (TeV) — 5,000 billion electrovolts — and crashing them together. “That’s where the new physics starts,” Dr Gillies said. It is possible that scientists will start accumulating the evidence that could prove supersymmetry, the hypothesis that all particles have a twin.

The plan next year is to ramp it up to its maximum energy of 7TeV. The accelerator will then be providing results that should shed light on some of the central questions in physics.