suchandra

Thanks ARJ for commenting on article by Abanti Bhattacharya, yes, although I usually don't call people "chick" because they see things differently and not like the enlightened paramahamsas, you're still right. This is basically what we also find in all the vedic books of knowledge, sinful living produces karma and at one point the karma appears, becomes manifest right in our physical situation. A religious leader of Buddhism should at least be aware of the basics what Lord Buddha preached, like ahimsa, non-violence and especially the killing of cows is very sinful and will finally bring all these so called materially advanced nations down. Going in the right direction is for example British Airways who ditched beef, although the Dalai Lama will not be very amused when taking a flight with British Airways - he must be instructed like this. Wednesday 14.05.08 British Airways takes beef off the menu to avoid offending Hindus Last updated at 16:37pm on 09.05.08 Add your view http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23483255-details/British+Airways+takes+beef+off+the+menu+to+avoid+offending+Hindus/article.do For decades the national dish has been a staple meal on the national carrier. But now British Airways has taken beef off the menu for economy passengers amid concerns about its "religious restrictions". BA's second-biggest long-haul market is to India, where the majority Hindu population do not eat beef because of their beliefs.

Then don't bother. Why do you want to understand everything? Internet forums are limited although we tend to always want to have everything in full. Important is anyway what Prabhupada is saying, hopefully this is clear and not confusing: Prabhupāda: Well, it is not my book; it is Krishna’s book. I am trying my best to present it as it is. That’s all. That much you can say my, but there is nothing mine. When they will read, then they will get. Nowadays in the Sixth Canto, Fourth Chapter, the soul and how the soul is covered, that is being described wonderfully. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. Vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām. It is written by the most learned Vyāsadeva, vidvāṁs, and sātvata-saṁhitām. How merciful he was. He is still living, Vyāsadeva. He is still existing. anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje lokasya ajānataḥ vidvāṁś cakre sātvata… Do you remember this verse? It is in the First Canto. Anartha. The soul has been embarrassed, the unnecessary things. Just like a man is within the huge garbage. What is his position? If… You have got your garbage car, so within that, if a man is pushed… Arrival Conversation with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Los Angeles, June 20, 1975

Thanks Beggar for asking these important questions, although you're not a follower of A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. For those who're followers: Srila Prabhupada is here! By reading his books, listening to his lectures, watching his films, reading stories about him, one can become Krishna conscious instantly. He is here instantly. Everything Srila Prabhupada did when he was physically present was for Krishna. He did everything perfectly. All that he teaches is perfectly from Krishna’s lips. There is no one that can do what Srila Prabhupada did. This is the first time in history that someone from India came to the West and successfully established worship of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. For those who're not followers of Srila Prabhupada, like Beggar prabhu, you can believe what you like. There's no "must" that you have to believe anything. When Prabhupada says, "these are directly Krishna's words", you can say, I don't accept this, I don't believe this. Prabhupada himself always taught, that the living entity, jiva-tattva has free will and can basically do what he wants. Your next question, if bringing up that Prabhupada says, " Well, it is not my book; it is Kṛṣṇa's book," if this is off topic and offending the thread? This the moderators of the forum can decide. They have the overview and the general idea how to properly run this forum. I'm only an insignificant member, not so important as you think. But again thanks for sorting me out and asking these questions, you're welcome!

When Prabhupada says, "Well, it is not my book; it is Kṛṣṇa's book.", you're saying, I don't understand this? Mhmm, difficult case of disorientation, rarely had this before. May be an exorcist could help in this case by redefining your conception of reality?

May be plugins can solve the situation and make Lord Sri Krishna appear in this forum. <embed src=" " type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425">

There're so many good points - take the hippies, the hippies of the sixties, they introduced such as organically grown food, vegetarianism, clean water, sense of family and much more like flowers what can be dovetailed with bhakti, but what the homosexuals except selfishness actually did something going? I would be thankful if there was something, but cannot find anything.

Nice calendar starting with Makara Sankranti, the sun's entrance into Capricorn. source: http://hinduism.iskcon.com/practice/402.htm The Year The Hindu calendar is based on lunar months corresponding to the phases of the moon. In one year there are twelve months of 29.5 days, accounting for a total of 354 days.The shortfall means that the date of each festival moves back 11 days each year. To rectify this, an extra leap month is added about once every three years. The Hindu calendar is therefore luni-solar, with a precise month and an approximate year. The year – starting with Makara Sankranti, the sun's entrance into Capricorn – is divided into two halves and six seasons. There are various ways of reckoning the New Year; most common is the day after the new moon in the month of Chaitra or, in Gujarat, the day after the Diwali new moon. Various eras are used for numbering the years; the most common are the Vikrami Era, beginning with the coronation of King Vikram-aditya in 57 BCE and the Shaka Era, counting from 78 CE. In rituals the priest often announces the dates according to KaliYuga, (see Kala: Time). For these three systems, the year 2000 corresponds to 2057, 1922, and 5102 respectively, though the last figure is subject to some debate. Above: The diagram shows the Hindu year, with months and the corresponding festivals. It is somewhat approximate, as the exact dates change yearly relative to the Gregorian calendar – with a month between the earliest and latest possible dates. A few festivals are determined by the sun alone, and their Gregorian dates are the same (or within one day) each year. The Month Within each month, there are two "fortnights," each consisting of 15 "lunar days." Although the solar and lunar days technically begin at different times, each solar day is ascribed one particular lunar day numbered from one to fifteen, either of the bright fortnight (waxing moon) or the dark fortnight (waning moon). Months average out to 29.5 days, so occasionally a day will be dropped. For example, in one month, the fourth day of the waxing moon may be followed by the sixth. There are two main calendars. In North India, the month generally begins with the full moon, in South India with the new moon. Festival days will still fall on the same day, or very closely, but the name of the month may be different. For example, Krishna's Birthday falls on the eighth day of the dark moon; in the North this is in the month of Bhadra; in the South in Shravana. The Week The week is divided into seven days, each corresponding to one of seven planets, exactly as in the West. No day is particularly special but each is related to a specific deity. For example, Monday is often associated with Shiva and Tuesday with Hanuman. Hindus may perform fasts and recite prayers to supplicate a particular deity on the corresponding day of the week. The Day The day usually begins at dawn, or just before, according to which astronomical and astrological systems are used. The day is divided into 15 muhurtas, each of about 48 minutes, and the night is similarly divided. Traditionally brahmanas chant the Gayatri mantra at sunrise, noon and sunset because these are considered particularly important times of the day. The first two muhurtas (about one hour) of the morning before dawn are considered most auspicious, especially for spiritual practices.

What is not mentioned is that the summum bonum of material life events are creating our next body. Why Emotional Memories Of Traumatic Life Events Are So Persistent http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509152307.htm ScienceDaily (May 11, 2008) — Emotional memories of traumatic life events such as accidents, war experiences or serious illnesses are stored in a particularly robust way by the brain. This renders effective treatment very difficult. Researchers at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich have now successfully tracked down the molecular bases of these strong, very persistent memories. The expression “post-traumatic stress disorder” is once again constantly on everyone’s lips in relation to those returning from the Iraq war or survivors of catastrophes such as the tsunami. This is not a new development, since it always occurs when people experience extreme situations. It is known that emotional memories of both a positive and a negative kind are stored by our brain in a particularly robust way. Consequently they have a very large effect on our behaviour and, in the case of adverse memories, they can place considerable restrictions on the way we go about our lives. As a result, we avoid places, smells or objects that remind us of the traumatic experience, because they may trigger severe anxieties. Isabelle Mansuy, Professor of Cellular Neurobiology at ETH Zurich and of Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences at the University of Zurich, and her research group have now shown that the enzyme calcineurin and the gene regulation factor Zif268 decisively determine the intensity of emotional memories. For the first time, this has enabled the regulatory processes at the synapse, which are important for emotional memories, to be linked to the processes in the cell nucleus. Mice as an ideal model system The generation of very persistent memories in the shortest possible time needs molecules in the brain that are not only activated rapidly but which also efficiently control the signalling pathways of long-term information storage in the brain. This is why the protein phosphatase calcineurin, which was already known to have a negative regulatory effect on learning and memory, was a very promising candidate for the Zurich researchers. The researchers used mice as the model system because their learning processes are very similar to those in humans, and established behavioural tests already exist. In their experiments, the researchers conditioned the mice to associate a sugar solution with nausea. This association persists for many months. The mice avoid the sugar solution during this period. However, their aversion can be overcome slowly through intensive training. Mansuy explains that “Emotional memories are not simply erased. Oppressive negative memories need to be actively replaced by positive memories.” She says it is important at the same time to understand that the negative memories do not disappear, they merely slide down in a kind of priority list and are outweighed by the newly learned positive memories. Mansuy says “This process is not final and absolute, since the priority list can change again.” Karsten Baumgärtel, a post-doctoral researcher in Mansuy’s group, stresses that this is a big difference between emotional memories and learned knowledge. “It is entirely possible for facts to vanish completely from the memory, whereas in extreme cases emotional recollections remain stored for a whole lifetime. Active intervention is necessary to reduce the priority level of negative memories.” Reduced calcineurin activity Studies of the amygdala, that part of the brain which is important for emotional perception, showed reduced activity of the enzyme calcineurin in conditioned mice compared to mice in which no association with nausea had been generated. Because calcineurin is a negative regulator of learning and memory, its activity needs to be reduced to enable strong memorisation. To gain more evidence about the role of calcineurin in the memory process, the researchers used transgenic mice in which they were able to selectively activate or deactivate the enzyme in nerve cells of the brain. Mansuy explains that “This selective activation and inactivation in nerve cells is important because calcineurin is an enzyme that occurs in many cells. For example it also plays an important part in the immune defence system.” As the researchers expected, inactivating calcineurin strengthened the memory of the association between sugar solution and nausea, whereas the memory was weakened by increased calcineurin activity. The researchers were also able to demonstrate that the period of time needed to suppress the negative memory by a purely positive memory could be prolonged or shortened respectively by this intervention. Regulation processes in synapses and the cell nucleus Inactivating calcineurin also causes increased expression of the gene regulator Zif268 in the amygdala. Zif268 is responsible for regulating a wide variety of important genes that play a role in the signal processing of memories and learning. Simulating this increased expression of Zif268 in transgenic mice intensified memory in a similar way to the inactivation of calcineurin. This is the first occasion on which it has been possible to demonstrate this magnitude of functional relationship between the activity of an enzyme in the synapse and that of a gene regulation factor in the cell nucleus. Mansuy and Baumgärtel stress that the purpose of their research is to gain a fundamental understanding of the molecular relationships, but that it is not associated in any way with a direct clinical application in the near future. However, Mansuy explains that: “In the past, the origin of many diseases was unknown and they were regarded as a punishment from God, and at that time those who were affected went to the priest. Nowadays we understand the mechanisms underlying them and can treat these illnesses. We hope that our research has made a small contribution to enabling the same situation also to apply in the future to psychological traumas or brain diseases with memory weakness such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and strokes.” <hr> Journal reference: Karsten Baumgärtel, David Genoux, Hans Welzl, Ry Y Tweedie-Cullen, Kyoko Koshibu, Magdalena Livingstone-Zatchej, Céline Mamie & Isabelle M Mansuy: Control of the establishment of aversive memory by calcineurin and Zif268. Nature Neuroscience 2008 May;11(5):572-8. Published on-line on 20 April 2008. doi: 10.1038/nn.2113 Adapted from materials provided by ETH Zurich. Original article written by Nicole Kasielke.

Here's the problem, Bhaktivedanta Archives considers, "Prabhupada's books". But nobody is forced to accept below - in this world, like Beggar, everyone has the freedom to reject such statements. Causelessmercy - Arrival Conversation - Los Angeles, June 20, 1975 Well, it is not my book; it is Kṛṣṇa's book. I am trying my best to present it as it is. That's all. That much you can say my, but there is nothing mine. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa <small>http://causelessmercy.com/t/t/750620AR.LA.htm </small><small></small>

Thanks yes, this is present Vaishnavism, fighting about the status of Prabhupada's books - you say they cannot initiate people into the path bhakti-yoga? Please go on begging and find out!

Lord Jesus preached for only three years and is being worshiped since 2000 years and it will go on. We shouldnt degrade Vaishnavism into a primitive 3rd world belief and say, gurus like Srila Prabhupada are no more existing, you only make it with a living guru. Srila Prabhupada says his books will be giving the divyam jnanam (diksha) for 10,000 years. That is the real source of "divyam jnanam" i.e. "diksha" and that is the source of the actual "initiations." The ceremony is only formality. Many folks are confusing form v substance - Prabhupada's books, lectures, letters are giving the diksha, the divyam jnanam, the substance, the source of divyam jnanam. So far people have failed to tell us what is their source of diksha i.e. the divyam jnanam? When being asked what is your current source of the divyam jnanam (diksha), they have none. Vani is giving the divyam jnanam, that is the source of the diksha, then they say it is only shiksha? When did Srila Prabhupada say his books will no longer contain divyam jnanam after his physical presence? This is all making it up to fit mundane interests. He never said that his books would stop to have divyam jnanam.

But who is actually doing this in public, mocking others beliefs? Instead we find fair discussions of mega church pastor Ted Haggard and figure head of the global atheist movement Richard Dawkins. <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uokV7UdGW_s&hl=en&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425">

Srila Prabhupada says his books will be giving the divyam jnanam (diksha) for 10,000 years. That is the real source of "divyam jnanam" i.e. "diksha" and that is the source of the actual "initiations." The ceremony is only formality. Many folks are confusing form v substance - Prabhupada's books, lectures, letters are giving the diksha, the divyam jnanam, the substance, the source of divyam jnanam. So far people have failed to tell us what is their source of diksha i.e. the divyam jnanam? When being asked what is your current source of the divyam jnanam (diksha), they have none. Vani is giving the divyam jnanam, that is the source of the diksha, then they say it is only shiksha? When did Srila Prabhupada say his books will no longer contain divyam jnanam after his physical presence? This is all making it up to fit mundane interests. He never said that his books would stop to have divyam jnanam.

Brilliant point, I see homosexual couples as setback in evolution and somewhat psychologically stuck in uncurable egotism. It's all about egoistic personality disorder. Yes, it's a disease we all as society of affluent dilapidation have to pay for.

Right, since it says that Lord Caitanya always considered Vallabha acarya as His friend, this was something totally different, rather category of internal spiritual disput and never to be mentioned as a mundane controversy what has to be rectified like a material good and bad affair. Similar with the differences among the gopis. Differences, however, exist not only between different rasas, but within the same rasa as well. There are left-wing gopis and right-wing gopis. The gopis headed by Chandravali always take the side of Krishna, while those who are in Srimati Radharani's group always take Her side to the extreme. Some devotees hold that the Yamuna is the topmost place of worship, while the group headed by Sri Rupa places greater emphasis on Radha-kunda. But this cannot be presented as controversial subject matter. In fact it is like the 10th canto which is forbidden to present to newcomers or readers of BTG who first of all have to become situated above sinful living. Was Prabhupada able to pacify Sumati Morarji? Guess Prabhupada always disavowed that his leaders became more and more "expert" to constantly back him up against the wall by clever means. Why was it neccessary to write such a loaded article, except to instigate trouble?

That again, only the strongest survives - India has no submarine and feels disadvantaged? Looks like they are already in negotiation with the Russian arms dealer lobby but need some media support to justify the expenditure of taxpayer money. Hopefully the Moscow temple project is again having some profit. "[17] Hindu community of Moscow signed a letter asking for the place to worship. But more important the Russian defense minister Sergey Ivanov was on visit to India at the time and signed a contract for a sale of Russian aircraft carrier for almost 700 million dollars (INS 'Vikramaditya' = ex-Gorshkov). Its Russian name was subsequently changed for Vikramaditya (the Indian prince and Krishna worshiper). Luzhkov hesitated for a while but then granted building permission again." source: http://www.cesnur.org/2005/pa_falikov.htm http://www.pakistanidefenceforum.com/lofiversion/index.php/t52979.html May 9, 2008 China's submarine progress alarms India By Siddharth Srivastava http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JE09Df02.html NEW DELHI - Recent reports about China's nuclear-powered submarine and naval capabilities are raising concern in New Delhi. It has also drawn attention to India's failure to effectively implement an elaborate naval expansion plan that stands significantly delayed. According to reports, commercial satellite images indicate that the Chinese are building a massive strategic naval base on Hainan island, in the South China Sea, south of Hong Kong. This confirms suspicions of several Asian nations since 2002 about the underground submarine base. A reputed British daily has described the base as a "vast, James Bond-style edifice capable of concealing up to 20 nuclear-powered submarines and which will enable China to project its power across the region". Nuclear submarines can remain under water longer than conventional diesel-electric submarines and are thus difficult to detect. They are also capable of firing nuclear warheads. Refusing to confirm or deny the base, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, "There is no need for the Western countries to be worried, or concerned, or make any irresponsible accusations. We have a vast territorial sea. It is the sacred duty of the Chinese army to safeguard our security on sea," he said. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defense Minister A K Antony have said that all steps are being taken to protect India's security interests and sea lanes. In a more detailed reaction, India's navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said India has been aware of the base and would like to avoid a situation where it faces the prospect of a large number of nuclear submarines in its neighborhood. "Though India is not worried about Beijing building a strategic naval base on Hainan Island in the South China Sea, it is concerned about the numbers. Nuclear submarines have long legs [traversing anywhere between 7,000-15,000 kilometers] it is immaterial where they are based," Mehta said. The latest reports will only deepen the already heightened China focus of India's ongoing US$50 billion defense modernization exercise. This week, India tested for the third time the 3,500 kilometer-range Agni III ballistic missile that would be capable of hitting Beijing and Shanghai. New Delhi has said that the Agni III is now ready for induction. China's capabilities are of course far advanced, with its missiles capable of hitting over 11,000 kilometers. India has been developing a ballistic missile defense program as well. With India and China sharing the same strategic space in the Indian Ocean region, Indian defense experts view China as a long-term military threat, instead of Pakistan. China is already beefing up bilateral ties with Pakistan, via involvement in projects such as the Gwadar port in Balochistan province, Sri Lanka and Myanmar to deepen its hold over the inter-linked complex energy-security picture in the area. Quest for a nuclear submarine Although India possesses air and land-based nuclear delivery platforms in the form of ballistic missiles (Agni, Prithvi) and fighter jets (Mirages), an undersea platform such as a nuclear submarine, the third leg of a nuclear triad, is absent. The Indian navy's nuclear experience is limited to a nuclear submarine leased from Russia from 1988-91. Given the huge volumes of oil movement between the Persian Gulf and the Malacca Strait towards North Asia, the Indian navy has been looking to plug the deficiency. China reportedly possesses five nuclear submarines and is looking to double the fleet. Not to be left behind, Pakistan is looking to equip its Agosta submarines with Babur cruise missiles. India is planning an initial fleet of three nuclear submarines. India's indigenous Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV), a nuclear-backed ballistic missile submarine project, began in the 1970s. Trials of the ATV are supposed to begin next year. This year, India underlined its submarine missile launch capabilities by test-firing the K-15, code name Sagarika. But, given India's notoriously delayed defense programs, no one is sure when or whether the K-15-integrated ATV will actually be delivered. However, India is due to receive its first leased nuclear submarine, capable of firing such missiles, from Russia. This is a 12,000 ton Akula-II class nuclear-powered attack submarine, which was commissioned following a $650-million secret pact. Reports say New Delhi recently begun quiet discussions with Moscow for a second advanced Akula-class nuclear submarine. Powering the seas With significant delays now expected in acquiring aircraft carriers - the Admiral Gorskov from Russia and the two that are being indigenously developed - other options are being aggressively probed. India has a long way to go before it can match China's arsenal. Efforts are thus focused on an effective deterrence. A key difference from an earlier Indian obsession of indigenous development has been co-opting foreign partners with developed expertise and also allowing the private sector increased play. India has taken possession of the 36-year-old warship USS Trenton (re-christened INS Jalashwa) with a 16,900 gross tonnage. Trenton is the first-ever warship for the navy from the US and the second-biggest that India now possesses after the aircraft carrier INS Viraat Recently, New Delhi announced a submarine-launched supersonic missile, a modification of the India-Russia BrahMos cruise missiles, a capability limited to advanced nations such as the US, France, Russia and a few more. Antony said trials of the underwater missiles are awaiting the necessary platform that will be identified soon. Ship and land-launched versions of the BrahMos are being inducted into the navy and army, while the air versions are being currently developed. The state-controlled Defense Research and Development Organization is also undertaking a joint development project with Israel Aerospace Industries for a surface-to-air-missile using it from land and ship. Last year, the construction of the highly advanced Scorpene submarine began at the upgraded Mazgon Dock (Mumbai) under a $3.5 billion deal for six such French submarines. The Indian navy is gearing to bring in 40 new warships over the next 15 years. The government plans to invest over $12 billion in this. Given government encouragement to the private sector to play a role in defense, India's largest engineering and construction firm, Larsen and Toubro (L&T), has announced plans to build defense warships at its proposed shipyard-cum-port facility in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. L&T has been keen to bid for Project 75 and 76 of the Indian navy that entails the production of 24 underwater vessels valued at $14-16 billion to meet challenges across the Indian Ocean region. Ramping up the arsenal is being backed by strategic moves. The massive Malabar naval exercise held last September in the Bay of Bengal is a case in point. Navies of the US, Australia, Japan, Singapore and India participated. India has established a listening post that reportedly began operations early last July in northern Madagascar, a large island off Africa's east coast. The station is India's first in the southern Indian Ocean and is significant due to the increasing oil traffic around the Cape of Good Hope and the Mozambique Channel. Siddharth Srivastava is a New Delhi-based journalist.

http://www.shriradharaman.com/ Thanks Cbrahma, excellent points. Well, could be that people are somehow often unneccessarily in a fighting spirit, see debate below. Symptom of having accumulated too many sinful karmas? Richard Dawkins vs Josef Al-Khattab <!-- begin content --> Posted On: Mon, 2008-05-12 02:07 by SITAPATI Prabhu http://www.atmayogi.com/node/765 <center> <embed src=" " type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></center> I give the point to Richard Dawkins in this excerpt from "The Root of Evil?". Here he speaks with New York-born Joseph Cohen, child of a secular Jewish family who moved to Palestine as a Jewish settler, only to convert to Islam and move to Gaza with his family as Josef Al-Khattab. The thing to bear in mind is that in public debate you are speaking primarily to the public, not to the person you are debating. The goal is to win public opinion to your viewpoint, and all rhetorical devices are utilized with this aim in mind. Richard Dawkins is speaking to the Western public who are the intended viewers of his documentary. Al-Khattab, on the other hand, appears to be speaking with other fundamentalist Muslims in mind. His comments will win approval and favour from them for being "preaching it as it is", however, they are unlikely to influence the public that Dawkins is chasing. If Al-Khattab had spoken with Dawkins' audience in mind he might not have provided Dawkins with such a clear cut example of the "demon of religious extremism" that Dawkins' metanarrative rests on. The editor of a documentary will always have the power to selectively edit and contextualize, so anyone with an opposing viewpoint is at a disadvantage. Still, there are things you can do to more or less play into their hands. At the same time, Khattab is unconcerned with influencing Dawkins' audience. He is simply interested in restating his position forcefully. Unfortunately Dawkins' presentation rests on characterizing religion as forceful and unreasonable. Full respect to Khattab for being hardcore and representing without any self-doubt. This is probably the mentality you need to survive when you live in a city under siege inside an occupied land, however I don't recommend this approach for preachers living inside Western societies. Instead I would recommend using a more rational approach that acknowledges Dawkins' valid concerns, and extends them further. Choosing to speak on divisive social and cultural issues is not a good idea. Dawkins' angle relies on the fear of Western populations of the clash of cultures - of foreign cultures which fanatically insist on retaining their values as they come into contact with other cultures. The Vedic paradigm is one of cultural assimilation, rather than one of rigidly promoting a static culture. This ability to adopt and adapt to local culture has lead to the rich Vedic tradition with its plethora of forms of religious and cultural expression. In his book Krishna Samhita Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura explains the Daksa Yajña as the recounting of the assimilation of the worship of Lord Siva into the Vedic civilization. At the time that it was happening Daksa represents an Aryan who is "racist" - he won't have any Deity of an aboriginal black race get a share of the sacrificial offering. However he is suitably punished and the moral of the story is - "Siva is in" (conveniently rendered as a white Deity now, with the ash on him). At the beginning of Krishna Samhita and throughout its narrative, Bhaktivinode Thakura writes that he is speaking especially to fit within the framework of Western academics, and he apologises to the followers of Siva, who, he points out, is glorified in the Bhagavatam as the greatest devotee of Visnu. We should remember that while it is an offense to consider the demigods to be equal to or independent of Visnu, it is also wrong to be offensive to the demigods, who are all devotees of the Lord. The point here is that we do not have to proselytize on unpopular or incompatible cultural issues, but neither do we have to cede that "anything goes". Hindus and Muslims lived alongside for generations by respecting each others right to live within their own boundaries according to their cultural tradition. At the same time a lot of our presentation does rely on challenging culture - a prime example is meat-eating. However, we are able to do this on the basis of rational explanation, in addition to scriptural injunction. Scriptural injunction is interpreted as cultural tradition by those who do not accept the same, or any scriptures. When speaking to an audience we should take into account their valid pramana, or source of authority. For modern Western audiences this means anumana, or reason. Demonstrating the value of scripture using reason is effective to such an audience. Flatly demanding that they accept another pramana will look like fanaticism to them. As Srila Prabhupada put it, succinctly: "Religion without philosophy is fanaticism". For example, Srila Prabhupada while discussing devotees' clothing with the public would give rational explanations, and would make it clear that devotees adopted this mode of clothing because they rationally understood and accepted it and wanted to do so - not because they were under duress to do so. Nor is anyone under any duress to accept it if they do not want to. While we can agree with Dawkins that cultural inflexibility is the cause of severe problems in the flattening world of the 21st century, there are still some things that are more favorable than others, according to the Vedic science of consciousness - especially an analysis according the Vedic understanding of the three modes of material nature. Scripture is not unreasonable. It is reasonable as far as reason goes, and it goes further. It does not do away with reason, it leaves reason behind. So we are willing to sit down and rationally discuss it, without resorting to rabid slogan-reciting and childishly blocking our ears. At the same time, we would like the freedom to live the way that we want to live, and to offer the opportunity to others to adopt our modes of lifestyle, if they wish. What could be objectionable about that? Key Points: Participate in the meta-narrative ("Yes, how different cultures and faith traditions interact is a concern in a globalized world") Be prepared to establish and defend your positions using the pramana of your audience (Use rational explanations and quote statistics for Westernized audiences)These two points demonstrate to the audience that your faith is not irrational in its nature, and that you are not using it as a psychological crutch because you can't interact with other people as a normal human being. Avoid being boxed in on cultural issues (Remember that culture is a supporting element for spiritual practice - if your audience has no spiritual practice, there is little point trying to establish supportive elements) Public presentation means giving people enough that they can digest it and move forward with interest and enthusiasm (Don't try to give people the entire philosophy and value system in five minutes)

New Dvaraka vyasasana at EBAY http://cgi.ebay.com/Srila-Prabhupada-New-Dwaraka-Garden-%20Vyasasana_W0QQitemZ170205042672QQihZ007QQcategoryZ208QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcm%3Cbr%20/%3EdZViewItem The Starting bid was: US $15,000.00 The Buy It Now price is: US $19,500.00 The description of the product is: This unique treasure can now be yours. The original upholstery and wood work is unaltered and in excellent condition. The dimensions are: 34inch x 26inch x 43inch, so it can easily be accommodated into your home or temple. Srila Prabhupada sat on this garden seat and gave darshan and lectured to influential personalities like: Dr. Gerson, Dr. Stillson Judah, Dr. John Pore--Chairman of the Religion Dept. of U.S.C., Dr. Crossley, Dr. Wolfe, and others. Just imagine owning this historic, worshipable relic and investment. Don't delay, partake in the bidding or click on the the "By-It-Now" button to make it become yours immediately. Free delivery within the United States. A picture of the Vyasasana is given, as well as a picture of Srila Prabhupada sitting on that Vyasasana

I'm also very thankful about Indulekhadasi's contributions for enlightening the global Vaishnava community and for the upliftment of people in general.

Thanks Shivaduta, since your name is messenger of Lord Shiva, you might consider that Lord Shiva is the greatest? Indeed it says, vaishnavanam yatha sambhuh: "Lord Siva, is the greatest"!

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JE08Df04.html South Asia May 8, 2008 Public water, privately bottled profits By Raja M MUMBAI - India's fast-modernizing society, benefiting from economic growth of close to 9% a year, is caught up in a conflict over access to a basic resource - water - that is pitting Coca-Cola and rival bottlers of the stuff against villagers and others who want their activities more tightly regulated. The country's bottled water industry, part of a US$100 billion global business, has been growing at triple the pace of the economy as a whole. As consumers take advantage of portable potables, residents in drought-prone areas feel their needs are being shunned and officials warn of over-exploitation of ground water resources. On April 7, more than 1,500 villagers defied a police cordon and marched to Coca-Cola's bottling plant in Mehdiganj village, Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh state, demanding that the company immediately shut down its bottling plant. In January, the New Delhi-based Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) advised Coca-Cola to shut a bottling plant in the drought-stricken state of Rajasthan. India's Ministry of Water Resources has ranked 80% of ground water resources in Rajasthan as "over-exploited" and nearly 34% resources as "dark/ critical", the gravest ranking across the country. Millions of people, both in rural and urban India, suffer from inadequate or no tap water supply. Even parts of the movie-stars' residential area of Juhu in Mumbai, the country's financial capital, get a mere two hours of daily water supply. The city's Virar suburb gets 45 minutes. So bottled water is much in demand by residents - even though the businesses profiting from the sales are thriving from access to public water sources. Not just bottlers are involved. In south India, thousands of fuel trucks converted to be water carriers sell ground water to households and establishments at about $10 for 5,000 liters. More than 13,000 tankers carry water drawn from farmland surrounding Chennai, according a social activist R Srinivasan. He estimates a $148 million tanker industry is cashing in on Chennai's acute water scarcity. The story is replicated across India, including in New Delhi. Rising demand for commercial water coincides with plummeting ground-water levels, which dropped by up to eight meters (26 feet) in the first seven years of Coca-Cola's operations in India, from 1999 to 2006, according to India Resource Center, an activist group, citing data from hydrograph monitors of the government's Central Ground Water Board. Ironically, the 500-page TERI report that urged closure of the Rajasthan bottling plant was commissioned by Coca-Cola in 2006 to study allegations of pesticide residues in its products. TERI found no pesticides in water samples in six bottling plants it studied, but its findings on water stress vindicated water protesters and stunned Coca-Cola executives, who have not contradicted the findings. Of the six Coca-Cola plants surveyed in the study, three are in areas suffering increased stress on groundwater. An undated statement on the Coca-Cola India website states that the TERI report confirms that the company meets Indian regulations, while acknowledging that the report identified some areas "where we can do better". "As a result, we are strengthening our plant siting requirements, our monitoring capabilities for both rainwater harvesting and wastewater treatment and our guidelines for source protection and operating in water scarce areas," the statement said. The site says Coca-Cola, which reported a 19% jump in global first-quarter net income to $1.5 billion, directly employs about 6,000 people in India and indirectly creates employment for more than 125,000 people. Its Indian operations comprise 25 wholly company-owned bottling operations and another 24 that are franchisee-owned. Coca-Cola gets 70% of its net operating revenue from outside the US, with growth led by Eurasia, in which the company groups India with the rest of the landmass east of the European Union to the Pacific, excluding China and Southeast Asia. Eurasia's 16% growth last year in unit case volume of the company's products, including water, was the fastest pace of Coca-Cola's six geographical groupings, according to its web site. Net operating revenues in Eurasia grew 24% in 2007, a pace matched only by Latin America, and operating income growth of 38% was more than double the company's overall worldwide increase. Coca-Cola is just one, if the most prominent given its international stature, of thousands of brands in India's $445 million packaged water industry. "Whatever figures you come across in the bottled water business would be underestimated," says Chandra Bhushan, associate director of the New Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment that campaigns to protect ground water resources. Bhushan, writing in the fortnightly Frontline publication in 2006, said companies earn extraordinary profits by selling water at 10 rupees (24 US cents) or more per liter after a production cost of 25 paise, or 0.25 rupee per liter. The water is drawn mostly from public sources. Following publication of his article, the Indian government formulated a draft policy to regulate commercial extraction of ground water, Bhushan told Asia Times Online. Two years later, the policy is yet to see daylight. Bhushan estimates total annual bottled water consumption in India had tripled to 5 billion liters in 2004 from 1.5 billion liters in 1999. Global consumption of bottled water was nearing 200 billion liters in 2006, he says. The anti-bottling protests in India echo increased concern in Europe and the United States over the proliferation of bottled water, including the creation of billions of soon unwanted plastic containers. As in India, protests in North America focus on the source of the packaged water and how bottling companies are grabbing what is seen as publicly owned water then selling it back to the self-same public. Up to 40% of bottled water comes from the same source as tap water, but is sold back to consumers at hundreds of times the cost, says the website of the North American "Think Outside the Bottle" campaign. "PepsiCo responded directly to our key demands by agreeing to print 'Public Water Source' on its Aquafina label. Coke has refused to follow suit," said Sara Joseph of the Boston-based Corporate Accountability International that runs the "Think Outside the Bottle" campaign. Aquafina is the top-selling bottled water brand in the United States). Joseph said the campaign had "numerous Asian allies, particularly in India where many communities are directly affected by Coke's practice of siting bottling plants in drought-prone areas". Think Outside the Bottle seems to have created a template for similar anti-packaging water movements globally, with its campaign mobilizing students, religious groups, restaurants and municipal leaders to cancel bottled-water contracts and support better municipal water supply. "The campaign appears to be taking a toll on bottled-water sales," Joseph said. Denting the $11.7 billion water-bottling industry in the US, the world's largest, mayors in cities such as San Francisco and Seattle have banned the purchase of bottled water for government offices and public functions. A similar mindset change seems to be dawning in Europe. The London Evening Standard newspaper ran a "Water on Tap" campaign in April to have tap water available for drinking in city restaurants and bars. The tabloid reported getting support for its anti-packaged water campaign from the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the mayor's office, leading restaurants and chains such as Starbucks, Costa Coffee and McDonald's. Following growing pro-tap water consciousness, bottled water sales in Britain dipped 9% in the year to March 08, estimates London-based retail analysts TNS. Economists at the California-based Pacific Institute that estimated the $100 billion value of the global industry, ask why consumers are readily paying for bottled water typically costing a thousand times more per liter than high-quality municipal tap water. "Are consumers willing to pay this price because they believe that bottled water is safer than tap water?" Pacific Institute experts ask. "Do they have a real taste preference for bottled water? Or is the convenience of the portable plastic bottle the major factor? Are they taken in by the images portrayed in commercials and on the bottles?" Bottled water fills a void created by government failure to address basic services, Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute writes in its World Water report. "In many parts of the world, tap water is not available or safe to drink," writes . "In these regions, the failure of governments to provide basic water services has opened the door to private companies and vendors filling a critical need, albeit at a very high cost to consumers." The institute reasons that governments should tap into spending on commercial water by consumers to secure funds to provide safe water at fraction of the cost. Gigi Kellett, US national director of the Think Outside the Bottle campaign, argues that demand for bottled water is due to industry creating "a market by casting doubt on the quality of tap water, when in fact bottled water is subject to far less scrutiny and often comes from the same source". Acceptance of the supposed purity of bottled water is being undermined in India by the government Health Department's warning of pesticides and contaminating organisms being present in some bottled products. The notion that commercial products taste better has also taken a knock from Decanter, a British magazine, which last December featured top wine tasters testing unmarked samples of water from 22 brands, along with tap water from utility company Thames Water and water from the Decanter office water cooler. The Decanter panel ranked serviced tap water third in the list, above the world's leading brand, Evian (15th), and the world's most expensive bottled water 420 Volcanic (18th) and Bling H20 (22nd out of 24 brands tasted). 420 Volcanic sells at $99 a liter, and Bling H20 (in Swarovski crystal-studded bottles) at $79 a liter. Decanter editor Guy Woodward said the tasting test exposed the "outrageous" prices of mineral water. Whatever the price of bottled water, people in India appear willing to pay for the commercial product while turning their backs on the country's ancient methods of cooling and purifying water. Stored in earthen pots, for instance, it is not only refreshingly cool and tasty but is said to become bacteria-free. Yet the common summer sight of water matkas (earthen pots) in public offices and spaces is giving way to upturned plastic drums dispensing packaged water. But not even a severe water shortage in the national capital has moved the central government to regulate excessive ground water extraction by business corporations. To the contrary, the state government of Uttar Pradesh arrested 2,000 farmers in the drought-stricken Bundelkhand region in April 6 for "stealing" water from a public canal. Raja M regularly drinks water from taps in various cities and towns across India, and as yet reports no lethal side effects.) (Copyright 2008 Asia Times Online Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing .)

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HH Romapada Swami highlights the importance of presenting controversial spiritual subject matter properly. Sumati Morarji: "I had a firm belief in your mission of spreading the message of Shri Krishna all over the world, but reading the above extract of your lecture I was very much disappointed since therein you attempted to portray an incorrect image of Shri Vallabhacharya."[...] How to present controversial subject matters? Vallabhacharya’s criticism on Sridhar Swami’s commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam source: http://www.romapadaswami.com/?q=node/2894 Summary: "One should be a lamb at home and a lion in the chase." This is a phrase which Srila Prabhupada sometimes used to epitomize the character of a vaisnava. [srimad-Bhagavatam 1.12.22] Unfortunately, Srila Prabhupada regretfully remarked that the devotees were often behaving in reverse, or "a lion in the home and a lamb in the chase", i.e. being more kind, tolerant, etc in dealings with others than one was with fellow devotees! Cultivating proper manners in dealings with the public, while preaching KC'ness, or extending ourselves in a missionary spirit [see purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.22], can be challenging at times. There are so many ideas floating around in the spiritual marketplace that one needs to be quite discriminating as to HOW to address a particular mentality whereby the desired result will come: acceptance of the teaching of pure devotion and developing pure character. Often our own character or our achar will be more compelling than the words we choose to speak while preaching, or even the issues which we choose to address. In the passage below, taken from Hari Sauri's Transcendental Diary, you will find Srila Prabhupada expertly weaving his way through this delicate behavior. By his example, he is showing the principle of satyam bruyat priyam bruyat. This phrase is often taken to mean that in the material world only palatable truths should be spoken, and unpalatable truths should be carefully avoided. Herein, Srila Prabhupada demonstrates a slightly different take on this: "satyam bruyat priyam bruyat. They speak only the satyam, although it may not necessarily be priyam." Applying this principle is a very delicate area of speaking on behalf of the disciplic succession that one should be VERY careful to apply with subtle discrimination. [Note that Srila Prabhupada supported the message of his disciples, but then privately corrected his disciples to be more discreet when presenting such controversial matters in his BTG publication in the future, especially when they are likely to clash with the sentiments of the life members.] Reading Assignment a) August 6, 1976 -- New Mayapur Although he was due to depart in mid-afternoon, Prabhupada decided to answer a long letter from Sumati Morarji, the owner of Scindia Shipping and patron of Srila Prabhupada's first voyage to the West. She expressed considerable dissatisfaction with a recently published article in Back to Godhead, Vol. 10.8, which summarized a lecture Srila Prabhupada gave about the qualifications of a guru. In it he referred to the exchange where Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu criticized Sri Vallabhacarya for claiming that a commentary he had written on Srimad-Bhagavatam was actually better than that of the ancient commentator Srila Sridhara Svami. Since Sumati Morarji is a devotee in the Vallabhacarya sampradaya, she expressed shock and pain to read the article. She felt Srila Prabhupada's comments were provocative and highly objectionable. "I had a firm belief in your mission of spreading the message of Shri Krishna all over the world, but reading the above extract of your lecture I was very much disappointed since therein you attempted to portray an incorrect image of Shri Vallabhacharya, based on hearsays. Time has been changing and when we present the image of our ancient Acharyas, to the public today, great responsibility rests in us in preserving their greatness and not in tarnishing them." "Every Acharya is great in his own way and no Acharya is greater than another. Each had come to this world to perform one's duties and every Acharya has done so in the best possible way." She was disturbed enough that she said she could give wide and adverse publicity against ISKCON, but she did not feel that that would serve anyone's interest. She ended with a request that things could be amicably resolved. "I sincerely trust that your goodself will take my observations in the proper perspective and spirit and publish your clarifications with a view to remove any misunderstanding which may have been created in the minds of the readers of Back to Godhead." http://www.romapadaswami.com/?q=node/2317 Concerned that Sumati Morarji not carry any misunderstandings of his statements Srila Prabhupada sent her a lengthy reply. He began by saying he was sorry to hear that she was agitated by the BTG article. He explained that his editors did not know the principle of satyam bruyat priyam bruyat, that in the material world only palatable truths should be spoken, and unpalatable truths should be carefully avoided. Nevertheless, he confirmed the fact of the incident as related in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. He explained that just as she was irritated by criticism of Vallabhacarya, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was also agitated by Vallabhacarya's criticism of Sridhara Svami, who was accepted as the original commentator of the Srimad-Bhagavatam long before Lord Caitanya's day. "Perhaps you know that there is an edition of the Srimad-Bhagavatam by Krsna Sankar Sastri 'abhinavah sukah' Vedantacarya, Sahitya-tirtha, Sribhagavata-sudhanidhi, from Ahmedabad. In his book he has given almost all the important commentaries on the Bhagavatam as follows: 1. Sridhar Svami 2. Sri Vamsidhara 3. Sri Gangasahaya 4. Srimad Viraraghavacarya 5. Srimad Vijayadhvaja Tirtha 6. Srimad Jiva Gosvami 7. Srimad Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura 8. Srimad Sukadeva 9. Gosvami Sri-giridharalal (Vallabhacarya Sampradaya) 10. Sri Bhagavat- prasadacarya, etc ... Among all commentaries, Sridhar Svami's is given the first position. This parampara has existed for a very long time." Srila Prabhupada gave evidence that although this system was accepted in Lord Caitanya's time, Sri Vallabhacarya violated it by not accepting Sridhara Swami's commentary as preeminent. "I am enclosing herewith some photocopies of the important verses from the original book Caitanya Caritamrta that specifically deal with the subject matter. These verses are from Antya lila, Chapter 7, entitled 'Lord Caitanya meets VallabhaBhatta'. I would like to draw your attention to verse 113 on page 55 where Vallabha Bhatta says: 'In my commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam,' he said, 'I have refuted the explanations of Sridhar Svami. I cannot accept his explanations.' "Moreover, verse 114 states: 'Whatever Sridhar Svami reads he explains according the circumstances. Therefore he is inconsistent in his explanations and cannot be accepted as an authority.' "Vallabha Bhatta's declaration certainly agitated Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Consequently, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu remarked sarcastically that He considered that anyone who did not accept the svami (or Sridhar Svami) as an authority was a prostitute. Prabhu hasi kahe; but he smiled and said this jokingly, because they were friends. "Although this point is very controversial, it is not based on hearsay, as you have stated, but it is authoritatively documented by the Caitanya Caritamrta. As you have written in a friendly spirit, I do not wish to discuss this point further. If you will kindly take a little trouble to read this chapter 'Lord Caitanya meets Vallabha Bhatta' you will understand the whole situation. Actually Vallabha Bhatta should not have criticized Sridhar Svami, because even now Sridhar Svami is very respected. Even authorities like Sri Jiva Goswami and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura mention in their commentaries, svami caranat, as we have learned it from the lotus feet of Sridhar Svami. So when Vallabha Bhatta criticized Sridhar Svami, Caitanya Mahaprabhu criticized Vallabha Bhatta strongly. This is a fact, but this does not mean that Vallabha Bhatta and Caitanya Mahaprabhu were inimical. Vallabha Bhatta honored Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as a superior. Sometimes Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would chastise Vallabha Bhatta and sometimes He would favor him, because this was their relationship. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would never refuse the occasional invitations of Vallabha Bhatta. "Everything will become clear if you kindly read this chapter with attention. For example, we see that two lawyers in the courtroom may fight vigorously about a law point, but upon returning to the law library, they talk and embrace like friends. So you should always remember that we have no ill feelings towards Vallabha Bhattacarya. We have full respect for him, so there is no harm if these facts are discussed in the society of devotees. Devotees always humbly offer respect to everyone, but when there is a discussion on a point of sastra, they do not observe the usual etiquette, satyam bruyat priyam bruyat. They speak only the satyam, although it may not necessarily be priyam. "I hope you will understand the whole situation. If you still have any doubts, I shall be glad to hear from you and shall try to satisfy you to the best of my ability. I am presently not in very good health, nonetheless I hope this meets you well." Prabhupada was not happy that the editors of BTG had printed a controversial topic and said they should be more careful. He said they should be more discreet in what they publish and not disturb people who are friends of ISKCON. He explained that many of our life members in Bombay are followers also of Vallabhacarya." HH Romapada Swami is author of Spiritual Economics (click will move to the next slide) <embed src="http://krishna.terapad.com/resources/3490/assets/videos/spiritual.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="360" width="480">

This sounds all so sad, gas chamber thoughts etc. Would be nice if band below could make a stopover at AncientMariner's place. New Vrndavana Accordion Ensemble Reunites New Vrndavana Accordion Ensemble Reunites for North American Tour April 11th, 2008 NEW VRNDAVANA, WV — The New Vrndavana Accordion Ensemble announced their first tour in decades Monday at a rehearsal in the Guest Lodge as a throng of fans crowded near the legendary Palace of Gold. Five of the original ensemble members led the Sunday feast program with a live performance of its hit "Within Vrndavana's Woods and Groves." The be-robed ensemble officially broke up in 1992, most of the members pursuing solo careers. The New Vrndavana Accordion Ensemble plans to play temples, prasad halls and some festivals in a North American tour beginning May 9 for New Vrndavana's Festival of Inspiration. Some confirmed cities on the tour include Gita Nagari, Murari-sevaka, New Goloka, New Talavan, New Raman Reti, New Govardhana Hill, New Kusum Sarovara, New Jagannatha Puri, New Dwarka, Saranagati Dham, Bhaktivedanta Cultural Center, and several Festival of India Dates. During the ensemble's short, but exciting career, they rose to fame not only in America, but also in Japan, signing a two-cassette tape deal with Pony-Cannon Records. A short tour of Japan, starting at the New Gaya Dham court yard, is in the works. If all goes as planned, the triumphant return of one of the most influential Hare Krishna accordion ensembles of the late 80's may also be followed by a new studio album, industry insiders say. It was originally reported that New Vrndavana's choir, The Krishna Chorale, would also be reuniting to open for the accordion ensemble on tour, but blamed "artistic differences" in their failure to get back together. However, sources close to the Chorale report that "it would be a cold day in Patala-loka before the Krishna Chorale would open for those damn squeeze-boxers." Ticket prices for the North American leg will range from "doing a little seva" to $25. A portion of the tour's proceeds will go to AccordionAid, an anti-poverty organization that provides slightly used accordions to temple residents.