suchandra

And watch out for computers.... "Just like I gave you one example: the computer machine. It can work for thousands of men. So thousands of men means the thousands of men must be unemployed. And especially in your country, they are taking advantage of this machine because the salary is If you want to pay to the worker, a big, big salary. So they want to save. They are taking machine, and they think they will save money, so many workers. But the workers are becoming unemployed. The government has to give them welfare. The government will tax. That’s all. Government will not give money, welfare, from government’s pocket. The government will increase your taxation. So you are…, you stop payment by importing some machine, now you have to pay that money to the government. This is called entanglement. This is a crude example. I don’t say that you stop all this business, but the material world is like that. You want to solve something; instead of solving, you’ll create so many problems. This is material life. Because our life is not meant for solving problems and creating problems. Our life is meant for understanding God. Then everything is all right. But that you have given up." Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.5.22-34 by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Los Angeles, May 27, 1972, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva’s Appearance Day

Well yes, once again TIME magazine foolishly promotes mayavada philosophy. The Vaishnavas should in return explain them what actually is Buddhism and at least target to globally establish that Buddhism means to stop killing the cows. from: http://www.essentialspirit.com/archives/151 H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama Time Magazine’s Most Influential Leader Filed Under Tibet, Commentary | Posted on May 4, 2008 His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has been named Time Magazine’s most influential leader in the “Leaders and Revolutionaries” category. Deepak Chopra’s essay that accompanies the distinction notes, He and his people have struggled all their lives with the audacity of hopelessness. Oppression and exile are their daily bread. Yet the Dalai Lama, 72, remains calm in the face of cruelty. What does he think of the human race? “We are the superior species on Earth but also the biggest troublemakers,” he once told me. In the Leaders and Revolutionaries category, His Holiness edged out: 2. Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister 3. Barack Obama, U.S. Senator and Presidential Candidate 4. Hillary Clinton, U.S. Senator and Presidential Candidate 5. John McCain, U.S. Senator and Presidential Candidate 6. Hu Jintao, President, People’s Republic of China 7. George W. Bush, U.S. President 8. Jacob Zuma, African National Congress Chair 9. Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysian Politician 10. Kevin Rudd, Australian Prime Minister The other categories and the “winners” in those categories are: Heroes and Pioneers: Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie, actors and human rights activists Scientists and Thinkers: Michael Bloomberg, New York City Mayor Artists and Entertainers: Lorne Michaels, creator and producer of Saturday Night Live Builders and Titans: Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo CEO

As there's a saying, "a blind uncle is better than no uncle", the different Vaishnavas groups should gradually understand, that other Vaishnava groups are not lower than the conditioned souls but always above. This understanding is presently lacking. For example ISKCON and ritviks. ISKCON considers the ritviks lower than the sinful karmis by passing resolutions of banning ritviks from ISKCON temples. What they don't consider by this policy is that they themselves degrade their position of authenticity when fighting kali-yuga. Just like parents. As soon the children of these parents find out that their parents do not agree with each other - even very small kids - they immediately play their parents off against each other with most clever psychological tricks. And that's what's happening in the temples, the temple servants are meanwhile in the position to even get paid for performing puja. When the cat's away the mice do play. What next, the paid personnel will sometimes succeed to get control of the temple and kick out the owners. And turn the whole thing into what? A business, a museum, a Hindu social/welfare center etc. - degrading spiritual advancement by using the name of Vaishnavism. Disunited Vaishnavism to open the floodgates for kali to enter.

It surely can happen that a spiritual master accepts newcomers as disciples and puts faith in them that they would become spiritually situated, but it so happens that these devotees fall away. The guru who once accepted these souls as disciples still has to some how or other stick to them and cannot just reject them and thus indicate that it was all fatally wrong to initiate these individuals. When it comes to relate to worldly issues, the spiritual masters instructions are not always conclusive. This is Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's point about relative and absolute. For example, during Srila Prabhupada's preaching years, American women were much more resigned to dependance under men then they are nowadays. A lot of women, especially those in third world countries still remain entirely depending on men by force of culture or religion. Regardless of socio-religious ideals, the fact remains that in modern times men cannot be fully trusted to uprightly protect women or to consistently provide their livelihood and especially their spiritual education. Therefore quite naturally women will feel the need to become socially, financially, and religiously independent. Independent women are in no way blocked off from practicing essential Krsna consciousness, and in many examples independence from spiritualy weak men has been encouraging to their spiritual welfare.

Meanwhile the development for example the past thirty years is like that, that the global varna-sankara population became very powerful and in this way it is hard to say who is more degraded - they're in fact all degraded and in the same way in great need to get spiritual knowledge to understand what is the soul and next, to wake up their sleeping souls by transcendental sound vibration. The Vaishnavas have to understand that the great responsibility about the future of planet Earth rests upon their shoulders and each and every lack of united preaching force immediately increases the spreading of the opposite - material attachment and sinful activity.

Good points, learning how to walk. Could be added, for those who know how to walk, learn to follow. You might call learning to follow = learning to walk, but when Krishna sends His representative to give us knowledge it should be clear that Krishna's representative explains things in such a way that nobody has to stumble - it is clearly explained for all classes of sincere men to understand. Interesting point below, bhakti starts when your heart is tuned to follow. Our mind says, no, this has to be changed. Just like Indians, they are so ashamed about the violence in Bhagavad-gita, they want it changed - it is all allegory - "there was no battlefield". Without being able to actually follow the acarya and accept his words as they are, there is no question of bhakti. Or like HG Sriman Amara prabhu is suggesting, "Prabhupada's books are a disgrace". http://www.chakra.org/discussions/BMMay05_08.html "So bhaktyā anuvṛtyā. Anuvṛtyā means following. Not that I have become more than my guru, I can invent something. No. Bhakti means, sādhu-mārgānugamanam. You have to follow the sādhu, the ācārya. That is bhakti. Bhakti does not means that I am so learned I can manufacture something. That is rascal. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. That is bhakti. You have to become servant of the servant of the servant of the servant. Not that at a point you become suddenly very learned scholar, and you do not remain a servant, but you want to become a master, to dictate the guru. That is rascal. That will not help us. Here it is said, bhaktyānuvṛtyā. Bhaktyā, bhaktyā, bhakti means sevā. Bhaja sevayā. When bhakti, bhajata sukti. Bhaja means sevayā. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā [Bg. 4.34]. So we have to understand this bhakti-yoga by bhaktyānuvṛtyā, not otherwise. Not that I am very learned scholar, I can give a different interpretation and… No, that is not bhakti. Bhaktyānuvṛtyā vitṛṣṇayā dvandva-titikṣayā ca." Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.14 by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Vṛndāvana, November 2, 1976

Thanks Indulekhadasi, your devotional service actually uplifts the whole forum and makes clear that we're all parts and parcels of Krishna. Meanwhile I'm sure that our Western governments will solve that bee problem, may be it takes some time but finally they succeed. To solve the puzzle how to turn planet Earth into a Krishna-centered Vaikuntha society - this can only happen by Krishna's mercy. Since this mercy was already given we just have to be patient and chant Hare Krishna. Yes, since the Vaishnavas couldn't yet install a perfect global network of cooperation we still have to send our kids to karmi schools. This should be changed as soon as possible. The Vaishnava leaders have to become more sincere and turn this world in a nice place where Vaishnavas are welcomed. This should be our only request. 5.3.2008 4:10PM 1.1 Million Bee Colonies Dead This Year ... Analysis: What We've Learned to Date About Colony Collapse Disorder <!--More [+]--> Del.icio.us newsvine stumble What is share? By Kim Flottum <table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="110"> <tbody><tr><td> </td> <td> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> The information provided here was generated by a survey conducted by the Apiary Inspectors of America. They took the survey in January and February this year, and in the process, gathered information from 18% of the colonies in the U.S. The survey found that about 35% of all the colonies in the U.S. died last winter. Of those that died, 71% died of natural causes, 29% from symptoms that are suspect colony collapse disorder. Doing the math that comes to at least 10% of all the bees in the U.S. last year died of Colony Collapse Disorder. I believe that is a significant number of colonies. Unfortunately, the survey had to be conducted early on to get numbers to congress and the surveyers weren’t able to count the bees still under snow banks in the north. Now that the snow has mostly melted, the losses there have been found to be staggering, but it’s not known yet what proportion, if any, died of CCD. In any event, the losses now are estimated, by my survey this week anyway, to be, instead of 35%, closer to 44% of all the U.S. bees died last winter. Again, doing the math, that comes to 1.1 million colonies, just shy of what’s needed for almond pollination next spring. Hmmmm.... This survey, conducted by the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) in collaboration with the USDA-ARS Beltsville Bee Lab was done to not only count dead beehives, but to help determine the distribution of various bee parasites and pathogens. Preliminary results from this survey reveal: Nosema (a gastrointestinal disease) levels tended to be higher in colonies collected from CCD-suspect apiaries Average varroa mite-infestation levels over all sampled colonies were approaching critical levels (9.5 mites/100 bees), but levels did not differ between colonies in CCD-suspect and non-CCD suspect apiaries. Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) was found in 9 of the 11 states sampled, and in 47% of all sampled colonies. The last of these finding begs the question, "What should beekeepers do who are or suspect their colonies are infected with IAPV?" To answer this question a review of both published and the most current data from multiple research efforts is in order. What do we know about IAPV as of May, 2008?What is IAPV's linkage to CCD? As published in September 2007 (Cox-Foster et al, Science, 2007) Among pathogens, IAPV is the most consistent indicator of CCD Kasmir Bee Virus (KBV), Nosema apis, and Nosema ceranae are also indicators of CCD Additional "stress" factors may be needed to activate IAPV No cause and effect between IAPV and CCD was demonstrated [*]How many strains of IAPV exist in the US? At least two strains, or "families", of IAPV are present in the United States (Journal of Virology, in Press) One lineage is most prevalent in apiaries from the eastern and northwestern U.S. and probably was present before importation of Australian bees into the US in 2005. The second strain is more frequent in sampled colonies from the western U.S. This strain matches more closely to several isolates sequenced to date from Australian package bees. The strain of IAPV found in Israel that defined this newly described species, is distinct from those in the US and Australia. Extensive variation in the genetic sequence of the virus suggests that the virus is rapidly changing in the U.S. or has been present as multiple lineages for some time. [*]What happens to IAPV infected colonies? On-going research in Israel and the U.S. supports the assertion that IAPV can impact adult bee health and result in rapid mortality of infected bees. Not all colonies with IAPV are in poor health Some colonies that have IAPV can "clear" their infection to below detectable levels over time; this is perhaps due to resistance in these colonies to either varroa and/or viruses [*]How can IAPV be transmitted? IAPV can move from uninfected to infected colonies within an apiary While not demonstrated for IAPV, other bee viruses (DWV, SBV, BQCV) can be brought to colonies on forger pollen loads, suggesting an outside reservoir for some bee viruses (Singh, et al, poster at Eastern Branch ESA, 2008, from PSU) IAPV has been detected in non-apis bees in the vicinity of IAPV positive colonies in 2007. (Singh, et al, poster at Eastern Branch ESA, 2008, from PSU) [*]How widespread is IAPV in the US? As of Fall, 2007, IAPV was found in at least 19 states; and thus, the virus is widespread. IAPV has been present in the US since at least 2002 (Chen and Evans, 2007). IAPV seemed to have a more limited distribution in 2004 than at present (Cox-Foster et al 2007). Considering all these factors, undue concern over IAPV detection is not warranted. While IAPV's role in colony losses remains a priority in ongoing research, we do know that high levels of other common bee viruses, such as KBV, DWV, and ABPV, have also been linked with certain incidences of high colony mortality or decline in worker numbers. We also know that nearly all bee colonies are infected with at least one type of virus and that all these viruses are potentially pathogenic.

Ok agreed, they're learning, just read a note by ISKCON diksa-guru Srila Satsvarupa Goswami who says, posted 04 May 2008, "Now I can't publish without peer approval. My statements of authenticity may be banned. That's because I have been deemed an untrustworthy writer." Yes, this looks like they're learning.

Yes, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja gave permission to 2 of his disciples to initiate as ritviks in his presence. These new disciples were then Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja's disciples. Good point you mention this. Coming to "You are comparing apples and oranges." Considering that ISKCON caused so much pain and suffering to thousands of ex-members, it is very strange and deformed that still they keep such an instructive know-it-all mentality to teach what is wrong and what is right. Looks rather like an inveterate and obstinate policy of dangerous cults.

You also seem to be insistant in the same way when it comes to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja, "he never mentions in his writings that he intends to introduce some new way of initiating people or new way of parampara to go on." What you're saying is that even when a spiritual master like Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja doesn't appoint a successor this doesn't mean anything, we go on with what we heard is the tradition? Since this understanding is identical with present GBC policy it should be clear that this is a rebellious mentality. Rebellious mentality like we see it everywhere mentioned whenever things are described in sastra as "glanir", deviating behaviour. The reason why Krishna appears in this world, could be that this is your ulterior motive, to cause Krishna to appear and correct the deviants. Since this is Krishna's main concern to keep the parampara system working perfectly and deliver the fallen souls it should be clear that any messing around is most sinful and as we see, ISKCON didn't learn anything from the past 30 years. Prabhupada also mentions the term "rebellious" quite often. Could be that this is our real problem.

It should be also clear that the term "guru" doesn't say anything. In Hinduism anyone is a guru - father, uncle, teacher, priest, doctor, relative, etc. etc. When Prabhupada said "you become a guru", he just said, become learned and teach the people about Bhagavad-gita. Since Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja did not appoint anyone, Prabhupada followed his example. Why not? Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja had lots of disciples born in Vaishnava families, but still, he didn't appoint anyone.

Would look better if you say, "according my subjective point of view Prabhupada actually asked 11 of his leaders to make an experiment and sit on the vyasasana as full fledged diksa-gurus". There're meanwhile too many people who don't accept your version of, "it is proven - Prabhupada empowered them to be his successors and initiate their own disciples."

It is questionable to consider that Prabhupada would have told these 11 to accept disciples and at the same time he knew that from these original 11, 9 would fall down. To think Prabhupada could not have known this and all the chaos happening due these fall downs is something like pulling Prabhupada down on the level of a defective conditioned soul. Then there is the term inefficiency - also Narayana Maharaja is using this term, apparently a guru is not fallen, but nothing happens, he can't impart bhakti-lata-bija to the disciple. To think that Prabhupada would have installed such a system where people cannot know anything unless they take a high risk to work with it, just doesn't make sense. Prabhupada's greatest concern always was to introduce a 100% secure, corruption free system. Lord Caitanya, He Himself didn't take up the position of initiating guru, but entrusted others like Haridas Thakura, the six goswamis etc. So unless one is not properly entrusted by superior authority why to exact that newcomers have to take a risk? Vaishnavism just doesn't go along with taking a risk.

Freudian slip, you just expressed what you really consider happened to the lives of thousands betrayed ISKCONites, meanwhile ex-ISKCONites? In fact the "guru-fiasco" mentioned above, in Europe, this ravaged since the very day Prabhupada left this world, people here haven't seen anything else. But this one cannot mention, like SDG bemoans above, "Now I can't publish without peer approval. My statements of authenticity may be banned. That's because I have been deemed an untrustworthy writer."

You need better quality?

No, nothing misunderstood, btw, HH Satsvarupa Goswami says something similar, things aren't easy these days. SDG, posted April 24, 5:03 A.M. Going to the eye doctor today. Nitai-Gauranga said what I wrote in Search for the Authentic Self, the hundred ways I fake it and discourses on seeking authenticity, was powerful theologizing, and he thanked me for writing it in 1996. I sought it as a struggle. Wearing a Hagar shirt and khakis and Nike shoes for the doctor visit. It's just for a checkup, my lens prescription may be too weak. Certainly handwriting is disintegrating, almost illegible, down to tiny scriggles on the page. I used to write legibly, with large loops that a typist could read. In discussing authenticity, I mentioned the fear of the institution's disapproving of my openness. It was a minor concern back then, but it has become a major issue. Now I can't publish without peer approval. My statements of authenticity may be banned. That's because I have been deemed an untrustworthy writer. I wrote some sexually explicit lines in a book that was censored. Now everything I write has to receive a "no objection" stamp. Other ISKCON writers are not under this surveillance. I'm living with it. In 1996 I saw authenticity from many different angles. It is certainly important in writing. Simply put, it means being truthful. You write the absolute truth and your honest response to it. You are not a flaky person. 5:22 P.M. At 6:30 P.M. I take a few grapes. Trying to lose weight. Down to 162.5 pounds. My legs are not strong, and of course my ankles are wobbly, the left one half crippled. Otherwise things are not so bad except for frequent headaches. Malati wrote me and said I should not feel pressured to attend the Festival of Inspiration if it impacts my health. She said she wanted her Godbrothers to attend but didn't want to "pressurize" anyone. That was sweet and considerate. I probably won't attend the festival because it would bring on headaches. My heart beats fast, tachycardia. I wear eyeglasses. I have no teeth, full false dentures. And what to speak of my mental deficiencies? Lost boldness to preach, lost power of memorization. My introversion, I'm convinced, is not a weakness or deficiency. I'm just one of those persons who gets his energy by going within, not by outward contact. So that's nothing to be ashamed of. But you should occasionally break it by being outward. Chant your rounds and read his books. With tachycardia, you don't have to do much physical exercise; your heart is already pumping at a jogging rate. How does Krishna look upon you? He loves all jivas. He wants us to come to Him, and sometimes forcibly breaks our material attachments. He loves us. He loves me. And my spiritual master is never displeased with any member. He forgives me my trespasses (as I forgive those who trespass against me). I pay so much attention to myself, absorbed in my fears and worries (such as fear of the cold, etc., in our January visit to Vrindavana). The monkeys jump on your back and in an instant steal your glasses... -->QuoteEnd-->

There're quite a lot of pics where Sri Krishna is counseling Arjuna..

Yes, what the world population is expecting from the Vaishnavas is that things are clear and plain, the power of illusion dissipated. Something like, Krsna surya sama, maya hoy andhakar Yaha krsna taha mayar nahi adhikar Krsna is like the sun and maya, illusion is like darkness. Where the Krsna sun is present, there can be no question of darkness; the power of illusion is dissipated.

No, this is what is stated in his book, "The True Concept Of GuruTattva". You might call it, "That's what you claim", but isn't this what actually happened? Then why you're trying to make it look like a claim?

Although Srila Narayana Maharaja says in his book "The True Conception Of Guru-Tattva", that there was nothing wrong with the 1936 guru program of the Gaudiya-matha, he also says, a guru is a bona fide guru when he's a kanistha adikari. But you should note, "he cannot give you bhkati-lata-bija". But, "always remember, he is still a real guru, but you also might decide to change him". (The True Conception Of Guru-Tattva) source: http://www.download32.com/true-conception-of-sri-guru-tattva--pdf--i21807.html Q: Unless the guru is an uttama-adikari can he give the bhakti-lata-bija? Can a kanistha-guru or madhyama-guru also give this? Srila Narayana Maharaja: A kanistha cannot give. Never. Only a madhyama-adikari can give it. A madhyama-uttama-adhikari is capable of giving the bhakti-lata-bija. Q: Do you mean that such a guru is an uttama-adhikari who has come down to the level of madhyama-adikari? Srila Narayana Maharaja: He is a madhyama-adhikari who is a t the stage of madhyama-adhikari. Like the first stage of Narada (when he was the son of a maidservant in his previous life) or Sukadeva Goswami, or the second stage of Narada; One who is at their stage can give bhakti-lata-bija. Q: But is kanistha or lower level madhyama able to give it? Srila Narayana Maharaja: A kanistha cannot. But a madhyama-adikari who knows the siddhanta and has served his Gurudeva, attaining some realization, is capable of giving. If the seed of bhakti is there in him, then he can give the seed of bhakti. If he does not have bhakti himself, how can he do this? Q: If someone has a guru who cannot give the bhakti-lata-bija, then is that to be accepted as real initiation? Srila Narayana Maharaja: No, he should be changed. It is not real initiation. Bhaktivinode Thakura says that when a bhakta, a devotee, is thinking and contemplating his own situation and is asking himself, "What has my Gurudeva given? Nothing is going on. I am endeavouring to practice so much, and I am praying, but nothing is coming." Then he should realize that he has not received so much. The guru is not qualified. Then he should change his Gurudeva and accept at least a realized madhyama-uttama vaisnava as his guru. Otherwise he should not change.

Below it is suggested that one should only use original Laxmi conch shells for worshipping the Deities. source: http://www.navaratna-museum.info/Shells.html WORLD CLASS IMPORTANT & SACRED NATURAL ONJECTS <hr> Sacred Vedic Shells <hr> Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya RARE LAKSHMI CONCH SHELL (sinistral turbinella pyrum) Conch Shells which spiral to the right are very rare and considered especially sacred, the right spiral mirroring the motion of the sun, moon, planets and stars across the sky. Also, the hair whorls on Buddha's head spiral to the right, as do his fine bodily hairs, the long white curl between his eyebrows and the conch like swirl of his navel. The Lakshmi Conch shell is a sacred manifestation of Supreme Goddess Lakshmi, and is most effectively used to bath a genuine Gandaki vajra-kita Shalagram Shila (ammonite from Gandaki River in Nepal having chakra cut by Vajra-kita worms 140 million years ago). The TOP picture showing a genuine Lakshmi Conch with a genuine Shalagram Shila is one of a kind. VERY RARE PHOTO. Normal Shank (left) and sacred 'Valampuri' Dakshin Conch Over the last 30 Years we have been looking for the truth about the fabled Lakshmi Conch Shell (sinistral turbinella pyrum). They are so rare that only a few temples in India have them. We only found several, one in Pashupati Nath Temple Museum, and one in the London Museum of Natural History. In fact they are the same kind of Shank or Conch shell that we bath the Sri Murti with but they open on the right side (opposite of normal). When shell collectors refer to the reversed Shank as “left-handed” or "sinistral turbinella pyrum," the Indians call the “valampuri” right-handed, because they orient it with the apical spire downwards and the aperture or siphon (mouth) uppermost and, consequently, on the right side of the shell. Note: there are many species in Conch family, but in India "Shank" always refers to the normal smooth white conch shells. They alone are called "Shank" --- and it is ONLY such a shell, if it opens on the right side, that is a real Lakshmi Shank. No other right-sided shell is ever Lakshmi Shank (sinistral turbinella pyrum). QUESTION: Most ISKCON temples have "Lightning Whelks" on the altar. I have heard from some that this is an accepted exception but I have very serious doubts. Any information about other kinds of sea shells besides conch shells. Maybe you could write a detailed article on the subject and I could circulate it to pujari types in ISKCON who should know the truth. REPLY: Shastra says "bone" is impure, BUT, Conch Shell (Indian Turbinella Pyrum) is super-pure, even to bathe the Deities. Even Lakshmi Devi and Her Lord Narayana carry one in Their hand. Shastra doesn't say ANY SHELL or EVERY SHELL is pure, it's only Indian Shank (Turbinella Pyrum) that is pure. And these come in two types, normal left side opening AND special right side opening (Valampuri Dakshin-varti Turbinella Pyrum). Both are ruled by Goddess Lakshmi. It is not required to have right-side opening. Left side (normal) opening Shank is perfect for puja. And Lakshmi Shank is even better than perfect. It is said by Conchologists that only one Lakshmi Shank is found among 1,000 normal Indian Shanks. And ALL Indian shanks are pure and auspicious. BUT common Lightning Whelk (busycon contrarium), with no internal formation and no ridges in the conch cavity - is a bogus non-pure shell. And as you mention so many temples use this non-conch shell, and they're doing puja with an impure non-conch shell simply because they have been hoodwinked by con men. It is embarrassing that temples use the wrong shell. And in many temples they openly display the fact that they have been cheated on a bogus Conch. And worse, they tell the public that they have a REAL Sri Lakshmi Conch, even though that is untrue. Fact: The left side opening OR the right side opening Turbinella Pyrum Indian Conch - with 3 to 7 ridges in the conch cavity, and special internal structure is the ONLY Shank that is Vedic. The normal left-side opening Conch is very low price, even less than the bogus ones (Lightning Whelk), and only the Indian Shank is correct for puja. Genuine Valampuri Lakshmi Shank Turbinella Pyrum Conch shells sell by the gram. Normal size is about 60-120 grams. Depending on quality and number of ridges in the conch cavity they sell for between Rs. 1,000 up to Rs. 3,000 per gram. This means that a genuine Lakshmi Shank can be had for a few thousand dollars ONLY. So no one has any excuse to use a non-conch shell. Everyone can use either a $2 normal Shank OR a $2,000 Lakshmi Shank. BUT, USE A SHANK, ONLY!.

Well, the last person Srila Prabhupada talked to was Srila Narayana Maharaja and in that conversation Srila Prabhupada calls his own disciples monkeys. This conversation was recorded, was in Hindi and has been translated into English. But then Narayana Maharaja said to Jayadvaita swami that the 11 are to be worshiped as rati keli: assistants of Srimati Radharani and also equal to Jesus Christ. No doubt, when Prabhupada says his disciples are "monkeys", it must be true, agreed, but, it is doubtful that monkeys are fit to be worshiped as parampara gurus assisting the gopis. Jesus absorbs sins, that is diksha, Narayana Maharaja says quit Jesus and replace him with monkeys who can now absorb your sins? No wonder that people are getting confused with all these new terms like "guru fiasco", "fallen acarya" and "suspended spiritual master".

Good points by Rojas and thanks Theist, for quoting SB 3.20.26, looks like there's nothing new, everything started as soon in this universe the lights went on. Thursday, December 21, 1967 San Francisco, Calif. My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Your handwritten letter of 12.18.67 is a great pleasure. Your handwritten letter is more valuable than type written. Regarding Damodara's plight, we are very sorry but we must always expect that some of the weak soldiers may fall down in a fight waged against the great Maya external energy of Krishna. The sex attraction is very great in the material world. But in the spiritual world it is different. From Srimad-Bhagavatam we know that the opposite sex namely the female members of Vaikuntha are many many times more beautiful than they are in the heavenly planets. Their hips and attractive smiles cannot stimulate sex urge passion of the man or male devotees. In the Vaikuntha planets the opulence is very great and yet they are all engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. It is very difficult to conquer over the influence of Maya, but who firmly fixed up in Krishna Conciousness cannot be a victim of Maya. Anyway, we cannot stop our fighting with Maya, neither we can expect that all our soldiers will remain unhurt. You know Arjuna's son Abhimanyu was killed in the battle in which Bhismadeva was a party. Fight Krishna's cause sincerely and you will be gloried with victory.

Hopefully such pics will not become unknown soon.

Could be that Prabhupada would have dealt with it differently today 2008, altough he wouldnt have changed that it is tamasic bondage. At that time it was something new and no one knew that it would become an epidemic and today millions have come out gay and lesbian. Around 1967 when the hippie movement started, the hippies were not gay. So when they also started the gay movement at the beginning, there were lots of people who immediately agreed when Prabhupada said it is perverted lust, something which cannot be changed into sattvic character and without becoming situated in sattva-guna, goodness, you cannot become situated on the spiritual platform of bhakti-yoga. In fact the hippies didn't like the gays. Hippies were more focused on natural living and they agreed when Prabhupada said it is not how nature made us. But as the age of kali proceeds people cannot understand it. And as Srimad-Bhagavatam predicts at the end of this age people will be so degraded that there will be no more Vaishnavas on this planet. And they will argue the same way, "why do you see anything wrong with this?" SB 12.2.18: Lord Kalki will appear in the home of the most eminent brahmana of Asambhala village, the great soul Visnuyasa. SB 12.2.19-20: Lord Kalki, the Lord of the universe, will mount His swift horse Devadatta and, sword in hand, travel over the earth exhibiting His eight mystic opulences and eight special qualities of Godhead. Displaying His unequaled effulgence and riding with great speed, He will kill by the millions those thieves who have dared dress as kings. SB 12.2.21: After all the impostor kings have been killed, the residents of the cities and towns will feel the breezes carrying the most sacred fragrance of the sandalwood paste and other decorations of Lord Vasudeva, and their minds will thereby become transcendentally pure. SB 12.2.22: When Lord Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears in their hearts in His transcendental form of goodness, the remaining citizens will abundantly repopulate the earth. SB 12.2.23: When the Supreme Lord has appeared on earth as Kalki, the maintainer of religion, Satya-yuga will begin, and human society will bring forth progeny in the mode of goodness. SB 12.2.24: When the moon, the sun and Brhaspati are together in the constellation Karkata, and all three enter simultaneously into the lunar mansion Pusya at that exact moment the age of Satya, or Krta, will begin.