gHari

But we already had the fall-vadis to lord over.

For my friends:

From an aesthetic viewpoint I admire the newest theory in that it at least makes an attempt to assimilate all the evidence at hand. But I would prefer the term daydream to package the proposal. There are currently four established camps in the clearing: 1) the innocent Fall-vadis , 2) the violent No-fall-vadis , 3) the timid Fall/No-fall-Daydreaming-vadis , 4) and of course, we will always have the original fence-sitting kakaka-vadis who occasionally just poke holes in the other established theories to vent their frustration with our crow/tal-fruit paradox. One needs some humor to cope with the impossible epic debate of the yuga. On the outside we surely appear like the blind men describing an elephant. In fact, on the outside, they likely have no idea how we get so worked up over a question they never even consider. But the mind's crocs keep us dutifully entertained in vicious battle, keeping it focussed on the eternal self. Stand and fight, O Mighty-armed!

Yes, you will notice that I said 'we' not 'you'. And I accepted my own chastisement before you pointed it out. My only partial conclusion on the origin to date has been the feeling that "If it feels like home, then is it not"? The words on the issue are far too complicated for me to reach any logical decisive position; and I will never accept half a hen. So I remain kakaka, "Kaka taliya nyaya".

The arrogant cynicism is simply unattractive, certainly not the attitude of truth. Our problem is that we are not honest enough to admit that we don't know. So we have to puff up like that frog in the well. Is it bigger than this? Is it bigger than this? Then BOOM. I'm really glad I went twenty years without discussing this stuff with others. Let them build their egos on their own time, and not waste mine.

Yes, let's look at Jaiva Dharma. As Babaji says, it will take many readings. Chapter 15 deals with the tatastha nature of the jiva. Babaji's two analogies of a large fish and of the shoreline of a river can be understood from their nature in our common worldly experience. A large fish can swim from this side of a river to that side and then back again, over and over. In one season the rivers swell up their banks and then in a drought, the waters recede. That is the nature of rivers and big fish who can defeat the river's current. The answer is in here surely, but it is hidden in time .... give it some time today: Vrajanatha humbly replied , "O master, your teachings and association has brought an upheaval in my thoughts. Now my heart understands how worthless the material world is. My heart yearns to take shelter of Lord Gaura's feet. In my mind there is one question: Who am I in reality, and why do I live in the material world? Babaji : Good. With this question you have made me fortunate. When his auspicious day comes, a soul places this question before all others. When you hear the fifth verse of Dasa-mula and its explanation, doubts will no longer live in your heart. "As sparks fly from a blazing fire, or rays of light fly from the sun, so the individual spirit souls come from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari. As the sparks and rays of light are at once different and not different from their source, so the individual souls are different and not different from Lord Hari. Lord Hari is the supreme controller. He is the master of the material world. The illusory potency maya is under His control. The individual soul is not like Him. Even when he is liberated, the soul is capable of coming under maya's control." Vrajanatha : That is a wonderful conclusion! I wish to hear the evidence the Vedas give for it. The words of the Supreme Lord (Bhagavad-gita) are worthy evidence by themselves. However, when they are supported by the words of the Upanisads, they are more easily accepted by the people in general. Babaji : These truths are revealed in many passages of the Vedas. I will recite one or two of them. Please listen carefully. In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (2.2.20 and 4.3.9) it is said: "As tiny sparks fly from a fire, so all individual souls have come from the Supreme." "A person has two places: the spiritual world and the place where the spiritual world meets another world. There is also a third place, a place of dreams. Standing between them, the soul sees on one side the spiritual world and on the other side the place of dreaming." This passage describes the individual souls (jiva-sakti), which can reside in either the spiritual or material worlds (tatastha). In the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.3.18) it is also said: "As a large fish in a river may go to one shore or the other, so a person may go to one world or another. He may go to a world where he is awake, or may go to a world made of dreams." Vrajanatha : How does the Vedanta philosophy define the word "tatastha?" Babaji : The place where a river's waters meet with the land of the shore is called the 'tata' . The 'tata' is then the place where water meets the land. What is the nature of this 'tata'? It is like the thinnest of threads that runs along the boundary of land and water. A 'tata' is like the finest of lines, so small that the gross material eyes cannot even see it . In this example the spiritual world is like the water and the material world is like the land. The thin line that separates them is the 'tata'. That boundary place is the abode of the individual spirit souls. The individual spirit souls are like atomic particles of sunlight. The souls can see both the spiritual world and the material world created by Maya. The Lord's spiritual potency, cit-sakti, is limitless, and the Lord's material potency, maya-sakti, is gigantic. Standing between them, the individual spirit soul is very tiny. The individual spirit souls are manifested from the tatastha-sakti of Lord Krsna. Therefore the souls are naturally situated on the boundary (tatastha) of matter and spirit. Vrajanatha : What is this 'tatastha' nature of the individual souls? Babaji : Standing between them, the soul can see these two worlds. The 'tatastha' nature of the souls refers to the fact that they must be under the control of one of these two potencies. The actual place of the 'tata' (shore) may change. <b.what be="" with="" water,="" and="" what="" was="" once="" covered="" by="" water="" may="" again="" become="" dry="" land="">. If he turns his gaze upon Lord Krsna, the soul comes under the shelter of Lord Krsna's spiritual potency. But if he turns away from Krsna and turns his gaze to the material potency, maya, then the soul is caught in maya's trap. That is what is meant by 'the soul's tatastha nature'. Vrajanatha : Does maya have anything to do with the nature of the spirit souls? Babaji : No. The spirit souls are completely spiritual. However, because they are atomic in size, the souls are not very strong. That is why maya can dominate them. However, in the soul's nature there is not the slightest scent of maya. Vrajanatha : I heard from my teacher that when it is surrounded by maya, the impersonal brahman becomes the individual spirit soul. When a small portion of the great sky is surrounded by the walls of a clay pot, it becomes the sky within a pot. In the same when the impersonal Brahman is surrounded by Maya, it becomes the individual soul. What does this mean? Babaji : That is just impersonalism (mayavada). How can maya have the power to touch the Supreme Brahman? If you say that Brahman has no potency, then how can maya even approach Brahman? The maya potency has no independent power. How can she have any effect on the Brahman? It cannot be said that the great Brahman becomes covered by maya and is then forced to suffer in different ways. That is not possible. If Brahman's spiritual potency is always awake and vigilant, how can the insignificant maya-sakti defeat her and proceed to create the individual souls from Brahman in this way? The Supreme Brahman is limitless and immeasurable. How can the limitless Brahman be broken into smaller souls in the same way the great sky is broken into the little skies within a series of clay pots? The idea that maya can have some effect on the Brahman cannot be accepted. Maya has nothing to do with the creation of the individual spirit souls. Although they are atomic in size, the individual spirit souls are superior to maya. Vrajanatha : At another time another teacher said that the individual spirit soul is a reflection of Brahman. As the sun is reflected on the water, so the Supreme Brahman, reflected on maya, becomes the individual soul. What does that mean? Babaji : That is also impersonalism. Brahman has no limit. Something that is unlimited cannot be reflected anywhere. The Vedas do not teach that Brahman is limited. This reflection-theory should be rejected. Vrajanatha : Another time a dig-vijayi sannyasi said that the individual spirit soul does not really exist. The idea of the individual soul is only an illusion. When the illusion is thrown far away, only the undivided Brahman remains. What does that mean? Babaji : That is also impersonalism. That idea has no root in the truth. In the Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.1) it is said: "Brahman is one without a second." Do these words of the Vedas mean that only Brahman, and nothing else, exists? If nothing but Brahman exists, then from where has this illusion come? Whom does this illusion bewilder? If you say this illusion bewilders Brahman, then you make Brahman a pathetic being. If you say this illusion bewilders something other than Brahman, then you contradict the idea that only Brahman exists. Vrajanatha : Another time a brahmana pandita of Navadvipa said that only the individual soul exists. In a dream he experiences material happiness and suffering. When he wakes up from the dream, he discovers that he is Brahman. What does this mean? Babaji : That is also impersonalism. Brahman has a dream and becomes the individual soul? What proof do they have for that? The scriptures give the examples of mistaking the glittering on a seashell's surface for silver and mistaking a rope for a snake, but these examples do not prove the impersonalist idea that Brahman alone exists. These words are only a great network of word-jugglery meant to bewilder the people in general. Vrajanatha : The individual soul is not created by maya. That I accept. Maya has the power to dominate the individual soul. That I understand. This is my question: Does the spiritual potency (cit-sakti) place the individual soul on the border (tatastha) of matter and spirit? Babaji : No. The cit-sakti is the full manifestation of Lord Krsna's potency. Whatever she creates is eternally perfect (nitya-siddha). The individual spirit souls are not eternally perfect. By engaging in the activities of devotional service (sadhana) they may become perfect (sadhana-siddha) and thus enjoy spiritual bliss exactly like that enjoyed by the eternally perfect (nitya-siddha) beings. The four kinds of gopi-friends (sakhi) of Srimati Radharani are eternally perfect beings (nitya-siddha). They are manifested from the form of Srimati Radharani, who is the cit-sakti Herself. All the individual spirit souls are manifested from Lord Krsna's jiva-sakti. The cit-sakti is Lord Krsna's complete potency (purna-sakti). The individual souls (jiva-sakti) are counted among Lord Krsna's incomplete potencies (apurna-sakti). From the complete potency complete and perfect things are manifested. From the incomplete potency all the individual souls, who are atomic fragments of consciousness, are manifested. Lord Krsna manifests different kinds of entities according to the different kinds of potencies He employs to create them. When He is manifested in His cit-sakti, He appears as Krsna and as Narayana, the master of Vaikuntha. When He is manifested in the jiva-sakti, He appears as Baladeva, His pastime form (vilasa-murti) in Vraja. When He is manifested in the maya-sakti, He appears as the three forms of Karanodakasayi Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu. In Vraja He appears in His original form, as Krsna, a form manifested by His complete potency. Appearing as Baladeva, He manifests His sesa-tattva (nature of Lord Sesa). In this way He manifests the eight kinds of services the eternally liberated associates offer to Him. Again in Vaikuntha He appears as Sesa-Sankarsana and manifests the eight kinds of service His eternal associates offer to Lord Narayana. Lord Sankarsana incarnates as Maha-Visnu. He becomes the resting-place of the jiva-sakti and appears as the Supersoul in the hearts of all the individual souls residing in the material world. All these individual souls are attracted to maya. As long as they do not attain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and take shelter of the Lord's spiritual hladini-sakti, they are defeated by Maya. Numberless souls are defeated by Maya and cast into Her prison. They are the followers of Maya's three modes. The conclusion is this: the individual souls are manifested by the jiva-sakti. They are not manifested by the cit-sakti. Vrajanatha : I have heard that the spiritual world is eternal and the individual spirit souls are also eternal. How is it possible for eternal things to be born, created, or manifested? If there was a time when they were not manifested and they only appear at a certain point in time, how can they be eternal? Babaji : The time and space present in the spiritual world is different from the time and space you experience now in the material world. In the material world time has three phases: past, present and future. In the spiritual world time is not broken in that way. There time is an eternal present. In the spiritual world things do not come into being. Everything exists in an eternal present. When we who living in the world of material time and space try to describe the spiritual world, we tend to say things like, "The individual souls were created,the individual souls were imprisoned by Maya", "the spiritual world was manifested", and "the individual souls are spiritual and were not created by maya". When we talk in these ways we certainly show how much we are influence by staying in this world of material time. As long as we stay in Maya's prison we cannot avoid talking in this way. That is why when we describe the individual souls or the nature of spirit we cannot avoid speaking in terms of material time. Therefore we tend to speak in terms of past and future. Therefore a person who tries to understand the spiritual world properly tries to speak in terms of an eternal present. Baba, logic cannot help us understand these things. Here logic should be rejected. Then you will be able to see the nature of spirit. When he forgets that he is eternally a servant of Lord Krsna, the individual soul enters Maya's prison. Originally all souls are Vaisnavas. However, they become two groups: 1. nitya-baddha (eternally imprisoned by Maya) and 2. nitya-mukta (eternally liberated). A human being bewildered by matter cannot describe these things. Still, a saintly devotee can attain the spiritual vision to see these spiritual truths directly. My words are inevitably influenced by matter. I will describe these things as far as I am able. My words will inevitably be imperfect. O baba, you will be able to see the pure spiritual truth. However, logic will not help you. Why will logic not help? Because logic is useless in grasping what is beyond the mind's understanding. I know you will not be able to understand this all at once. Still, the more you follow the spiritual path the more you will be able to see the difference between matter and spirit. Your body is material. All the body's actions are material. But the truth is that You yourself are not material. You are a tiny particle of conscious spirit. The more you understand that truth, the more you will be able to perceive your own identity and the truth that you are superior to the material world. You will not understand this merely by hearing me tell you about it. As you follow the path of regularly chanting the holy names of Lord Hari, these spiritual truths will gradually spontaneously appear before you . Then you will understand the spiritual world. As long as the mind and words are influenced by matter, try as one may one will not be able to touch the spiritual truth. The Vedas (Taittiriya Upanisad 2.4.1.) explain: "The descriptive power of speech fails in the realm of the Absolute Truth and the speculative power of the mind cannot achieve Him." My advice to you is: Don't ask anyone what they think of these conclusions. Experience them yourself. I can only give a hint about them. </b.what> <center> </center>

The quote above from the early translation of SB 1.15.51 certainly does not refer to any impersonalism, brahmajyoti or anything like it when describing the "ultimate goal of life", Samprayanam, "back to Godhead". We must have some honesty otherwise we just clasp the air. A few slokas earlier, Srila Prabhupada translates about this destination of the Pandavas (back to Godhead): "This abode of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, cannot be attained by persons who are absorbed in the material conception of life. But the Pāṇḍavas, being completely washed of all material contamination, attained that abode in their very same bodies.".

Remember when you were young? You shone like the sun! Shine on you crazy diamond:

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/11/06/india.girl/index.html [...] When Lakshmi was born into a poor, rural Indian family, villagers in the remote settlement of Rampur Kodar Katti in the northern state of Bihar believed she was sacred. As news of her birth spread, locals lined up for a blessing from the baby. [...]

EARLY PRABHUPADA: Without entering into the details of these, we may take it for granted that fear of being destroyed and killed is an outcome of our association with material nature while in reality we are one with the transcendence. As such we have nothing to fear nor to be destroyed. The body is destructible but the spirit is not. The living entity in the darkness of the Absolute Truth, wrongly identifies with the material nature or "Maya" and concludes himself to be destructible. This causes his fear of being destroyed while actually he is not to be so. Forgetfulness of the Almighty Father is the cause of such misidentification. Intelligent persons therefore should approach to the bonafide spiritual master and accepting him to be nondifferent with the Lord, will devote himself cent per cent in the transcendental service of the Lord. This is what we mean by going "Back To Godhead."

It might appear that initially Srila Prabhupada adopted the slogan meaning back to a God-centered life, then realized that it did lead to the Kingdom of God and therefore the expression filled out to encompass all that is good for the living entity, the path and the destination. Yet, still somewhere in the back of my mind I remember seeing the words emanate first from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami.

Excerpts from early Bhagavatam purports:<blockquote> The Lord is reciprocally respondent to His devotees. When He sees it that a devotee is completely sincere in getting admittance in the transcendental service of the Lord and thus becomes eager to hear about Him, the Lord acts from within the devotee in such a way so that the devotee may easily go back to Him. The Lord is more anxious to take us back into His Kingdom than we can desire. Most of us do not desire at all to go <B>back to Godhead</b>. Only a very few men want to back to go <B>Godhead</b>. But any one who desires so to go <B>back to Godhead</b>, Sri Krishna helps such sincere devotee in all respects. No body can enter into the kingdom of God unless one is perfectly cleared of all sins. The material sins are products of our desires to lord it over the material nature. It is very difficult to get rid of such desires. Women and wealth these two items are very difficult problems for the devotee making progress on the path of going <B>back to Godhead</b>. Many stalwarts in the devotional line fell a victim of these allurement and thus retreated from the path of liberation. But when one is helped by the Lord Himself the whole thing becomes as easy as anything by the Divine Grace of the Lord. They have nothing to compete with the materialist because they are on the path of <B>back to Godhead</b> where there is everything eternal full and blissful. This life is meant for ending the miseries of material existence of hard struggle for life and going <B>back to Godhead</b> which is our eternal Home. Such devotees of the Lord are equally honoured like the Lord because they do the most confidential service of the Lord in delivering the fallen souls of the material world, whom the Lord wants to go back to home <B>back to Godhead</b>. In the Bhagwat Geeta the Personality of <B>Godhead</b> has declared it that any one who may know the principles of transcendental birth and activities of the Lord in fact, will go <B>back to Godhead</b> after being relieved from this material tabernacle. Therefore the Kings interest is to guide all subjects back to the kingdom of God and hence the activities of the citizens shall be so coordinated that they can at the end go back to home, <B>back to Godhead</b>. According to Manu the great author of civic codes and religious principles, even the killer of an animal is to be considered as a murderer because animal food is never meant for the civilized man whose prime duty is to prepare himself for going <B>back to Godhead</b>. n the Bhagwat Geeta the Lord says that all His acts even His appearance and disappearance in and out of the material world are all transcendental and one who may know this in perfect order shall not take his birth again in this material world but he would go <B>back to Godhead</b>. If, therefore, one is absorbed in the thoughts of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, he is sure to go <B>back to Godhead</b> without any doubt. This is confirmed in the Bhagwat Geeta (Bg. 8.5–I5) it is said there as follows:— "One who quits his material body by remembering Me, he attains transcendental nature after his death. In other words such good soul becomes as much liberated as the Lord is freed from all material conditions." SB 1.15.32:<BLOCKQUOTE><CENTER><FONT COLOR=RED>Nisamya bhagawat margam samstham yadukulasya cha Swah pathaya matim chakre nibhritatma yudhisthirah. </CENTER> ENGLISH SYNONYMS Nisamya—deliberating, Bhagawat—in the matter of the Lord, Margam—the ways of his appearance and disappearance, Samstham—end, Yadukulasya—of the dynasty of King Yadu, Cha—also, Swah—the abode of the Lord, Pathaya—on the way of, Chakre—gave attention, Nibhritatma—lonely and alone, Yudhisthirah—the king of the name. <B></FONT> TRANSLATION Just hearing about Lord Krishna's returning back to His abode and on understanding of the end of Yadu dynasty's earthly manifestation, Maharaj Yudhisthir decided alone for going back to Home <B>back to Godhead</b>.</b></blockquote> Maharaj Yudhisthir trained up his grandson Maharaj Parikshit equally qualified like him in the matter of state administration in terms of the king's obligation upon the citizens and thus Parikshit was enthroned on the seat of Maharaj Yudhisthir prior to his departure for Supreme place <B>back to Godhead</b>. SB 1.15.51:<BLOCKQUOTE><CENTER><FONT COLOR=RED>Yah sraddhaya etad bhagwatprianam Pandoh sutanam iti sampra yanam. Srinoti alam swastayanam pavitram Labdha harou bhaktim upaiti siddhim </CENTER> ENGLISH SYNONYMS Yah—anyone, Sraddhaya—with devotion, Etad—this, Bhagwatprianam—of those who are very dear to the Personality of <B>Godhead</b>, Pandoh—of the Pandu, Sutanam—of the sons, Iti—thus, Samprayanam—departure for the ultimate goal, Srinoti—hears, Alam—only, Swastayanam—auspiciousness, Pavitram—perfectly pure, Labdha—by obtaining, Harou—unto the Supreme Lord, Bhaktim—devotional service, Upaiti—gains over, Siddhim—perfection.<B></FONT> TRANSLATION The statement of the departure of the sons of Pandu for the ultimate goal of life back to home <B>back to Godhead</b> is full of auspiciousness and perfectly pure. Any one who therefore, hears this narration with devotional faith do certainly over gains devotional service of the Lord, the highest perfection of life. </B> PURPORT Srimad Bhagwatam means narration about the Personality of <B>Godhead</b> and that of the devotees of the Lord like the Pandavas and others. Such narration of the Personality of Gohead and devotees are Absolute in themselves and as such to hear about them with devotional attitude means to associate with the Lord and constant companionship of the Lord by the hearing process of Srimad Bhagwatam helps one to attain the highest perfection of life namely to go back to home <B>back to Godhead</b> without failure. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports of the Fifteenth Chapter First Canto in the matter of The Pandavas Retire Timely.</b></blockquote> One can achieve the ultimate success of going back to home <B>back to Godhead</b> if he is favoured by the Lord by sending His true representative. As soon as a true representative of the Lord is met with by a devotee of the Lord, he is assured a guarantee for going <B>back to Godhead</b> just after leaving the present body. This, however, depends on the sincerity of the devotee himself. The Lord is seated at the heart of all living beings; and as such he knows very well the movements of all individual persons. As soon as the Lord finds it that a particular soul is very eager to go back to home back <B>Godhead</b>, the Lord at once sends his bonafide representative to such sincere devotee. The sincere devotee is thus assured by the Lord for going back to Godheed. The conclusion is that to get the assistance and help of the bonafide spiritual master, means to receive the direct help of the Lord Himself. From the early Gita purport to verse 9.28: It is clearly mentioned here: mäm upaiñyasi, “he comes to Me,” back home, <B>back to Godhead</b>. There are five different stages of liberation, and here it is specified that the devotee who has always lived his lifetime here under the direction of the Supreme Lord, as stated, has evolved to the point where he can, after quitting this body, go <B>back to Godhead</b> and engage directly in the association of the Supreme Lord. From early BTG: The man having forgotten himself as the son of <B>Godhead</b>, has forsaken his real constitutional nature. He has misidentified himself with everything non-godly and therefore manipulates a material existence conducted by the mind and the six instrumental senses. He is concerned only with his material coverings of gross body and the subtle mind but cannot see either himself or his so-called numerous fellowmen. This is what we mean by Nescience which is darkness. The man having designated himself with the relation of his vehicular body and the finer elements of mind and ego etc., like the motor-car driver who has identified himself wrongly with the motor-car itself, has manufactured a civilization which is self contradictory and self denial. His so-called rationality having not gone far above the rationality of the lower animals, he laments at the death of his fellowmen or at the loss of his own things which he has never witnessed by real experience. This is what we mean by Nescience which is darkness. He slightly feels only and that after the death of his fellowmen that the body loses something that moves it just like the driver moves the motor-car, but still due to the darkness of Nescience he never concerns himself with the driver of the body but takes care superficially only for the body or the mechanical car. In the darkness of Nescience he is fully amazed with mechanism of the gross body just like a boy who is amazed with mechanism of the motor-car, but he hardly tries to understand that without a driver any amount of astounding mechanical arrangement of the motor-car or that of the human body, it cannot move either of them even by an inch. This is what we mean by Nescience which is darkness. The defect of the present day civilization is just like the above. This is actually the civilization of Nescience or illusion and has, therefore, civilization been turned into militarization. Every one is fully concerned with the comforts of the body and everything related with the body and no body is concerned with the Spirit that moves the body although even a boy can realise that the motor-car mechanism has little value if there is no driver of the car. This dangerous ignorance of humanity is a gross Nescience and has created a dangerous civilization in the form of militarization. This militarization which, in softer language, is nationalization, is an external barrier to come to an understanding of human relation. There is no meaning in a fight where the parties do fight only for the matter of different coloured dresses. There must be therefore an understanding of human relation without any consideration of the bodily designation or coloured dresses. "<B>Back to Godhead</b>" is a feeble attempt by the undersigned under the direction of His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada, the celebrated founder and organiser of the Gaudiya Math activities—just to bring up a real relation of humanity with central relation of the Supreme Personality of <B>Godhead</b>. That there is a great and urgent need of a literature like this is keenly felt by the leaders of all countries and the following statements will help much in the procedure. Some time back a bold statement by the Metropolitan of India in the form of Moral and Spiritual Re-armament movement, was published in the Hindusthan Standard, in which the reverend Bishop declared that "INDIA GUIDED BY GOD CAN LEAD THE WORLD BACK TO SANITY." The President of the United States of America in a message to the Senate stated that "the underlying strength of the world consists in the moral fibre of citizens. A programme therefore of moral re-armament for the world cannot fail, to lessen the dangers of armed conflict. Such moral re-armament, to be most highly effective, must receive support on a world wide basis." The Ex-president of the United States of America Mr. Herbert Hoover sent a message in a citizen's meeting in New York which included the following words. "What the world needs today is to return to sanity and moral spiritual ideals. At the present moment, nothing so concerns mankind." Some 236 members of the British House of Commons jointly affirmed that spiritual principles which are common heritage of all people, are more fundamental than any political or economic issue. They also strongly affirmed that there is urgent need to acknowledge the sovereign authority of God in home and nation to establish that liberty which rests on the Christian responsibility to all one's fellowmen and to build a national life based on usefulness, unity and faith. Sir Stafford Cripps the Lord Privy Seal of Britain in a meeting of Christians sometimes in the month of September 1942, said that the Kingdom of God would be accomplished through the Divine Power of love and he declared that "the tasks before us are, first so to conduct ourselves as individual Christian that in spite of the difficulties of our surroundings, we may work towards the establishment of the Kingdom of God throughout our country and the world and second, so to influence and change our social-economic and political environments as to encourage both ourselves and others to take to the Christian way of life." The horrors of the war are pinching every one and all in the world and a statement of Mr. Windel Wilkie after his return from Russia, will tell the story of all other countries in the world. He stated that "Five million Russians have been killed, wounded or missing. At least sixty million Russians are slaves in the Russian territories controlled by Hitler. Food in Russia this winter will be scarce, perhaps worse than scarce. Fuel will be little known this winter in millions of Russian homes. Clothing except for the army and for essential war workers has nearly gone. Many vital medical supplies just do not exist." What is true for the Russian people is also true for other people, as we Indians are feeling the same scarcity, the same want and the same disgust. The disgust of the war is well summarized by the Foreign Secretary of Britain Mr. Anthony Eden who said that "this time we have to finish the job properly. We will not tolerate this business every twenty years. When the job is finished we must see that they cannot start it again. That is the will of the nation and the united nation." <B>The Archbishop of Canterbury in his recent broadcast in London said, "In every quarter of earth men long to be delivered from the curse of War and to find in a world which has regained its peace, respite from the harshness and bitterness of the world they have known till now. But so often they want the Kingdom of Heaven without its King. The kingdom of God without God. And they cannot have it." "OUR RESOLVE MUST BE BACK TO GOD. We make plans for the future for peace amongst the nation and for civil security at home. That is quite right enough and it would be wrong to neglect it. But all our plans will come to ship-wreck on the rock of human selfishness unless we turn to God. BACK TO GOD, that is the chief need of England and of every nation."</b> And lately Sir Francis Younghusband while speaking at World Congress of Faiths said that, "that now religion is everywhere attacked brutally, we, look to India the very home of religion for a sign." Sir Francis pleaded that India, by her example might show the world how religion can be the most potent of all uniting forces in the conduct of human affairs." Sir Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan the great Hindu philosopher addressing a crowded public meeting in Calcutta recently, observed: "At a time like this when there is poverty, malnutrition of body and mind, when many people do not know what it is to have a cooked meal, or to lie on soft bed, when millions of homes turn into homes of hunger and prisoners of poverty, religious men will have to address themselves to the task of removing them." "Today the world was noisier, more controversial and violent. There was more hope and more uncertainty, more aspirations and more frustration. And the years that intervened (from the last war) showed the bankruptcy of any spiritual value. The Versailles Treaty, the League of Nations, and the Disarmament Conference failed because they had not the back ground of public opinion to sustain them. This war, when it would be won, would prove to be the breeding ground of other wars if the peace was not saved. It could happen only if powerful nations ceased to take pride and glory in their possessions which were based on labour and tribute of other weaker nations. This perhaps was what Sir Harcourt Butler meant when he said that the principles of Hinduism contained the essential elements for the saving of world civilizations." In another meeting the same philosopher pointed out, "We have to defeat tyranny in the realm of thought and create a will for world peace. Instruments for training the mind and educating human nature should be used to develop a proper social outlook without which institutional machinery was of little use." These psychological movements of the leaders of all countries—combined with the orders of my Divine Master Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada has led me to venture to start a paper under the above name and style "<B>Back to Godhead</b>" which implies all the words that we may intend to say in this connection. India has been politically subjugated so to say for the last one thousand years but very few have been able to exploit her spiritual resources up till now which are measured unlimited by the spiritual masters. Politically India may ask all so-called foreigners to quit the shores of India but spiritually she did never ask any body to do so nor she will do so even now. She will rather invite all the so-called foreigners to come and exploit the spiritual resources of India's advancement and this transcendental exploitation will not only enhance the glory of India but will also enrich the glory of the whole world for unity, faith and humanity. It may not be out of place to mention herein that His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswaty Goswami Prabhupada, just before his departure from this mortal world, wrote me a letter from Puri dated the 3rd December, 1936 directing me towards my duty in fulfilling His mission in the world for propagating the religion of Divine Love as propounded by Lord Chaitanya. In course of writing that letter, He wrote the following lines amongst other things. "I am fully confident that you can explain in English our thoughts and arguments to the people who are not conversant with the languages of other members." "This will do much good to yourself as well as your audience." "I have every hope that you can turn yourself a very good English preacher if you serve the mission to inculcate the novel impression to the people in general and philosophers of modern age and religiosity." And when I was consulting my well wishers and friends who are able to help me in this great adventure, all of them encouraged me in this connection. His Grace Sripad Bhakti Saranga Goswami Moharaj the Preacher-in-charge for the Western countries appointed by His Divine Grace who has recently returned from London preaching work to his headquarter, very kindly sent his blessing from Sri Nityananda Gaudiya Math in his letter dated the 15-3-43 in the following words amongst other things:— "I know that His Divine Grace used to admire your intelligence and it was His earnest desire that the world outside be benefitted through your writings in English." Under the circumstances since 1936 up to now, I was simply speculating whether I shall venture this difficult task and that without any means and capacity; but as none has discouraged me including late Prof. Nishikanto Sanyal and Spd. Vasudev Prabhu (now Puri Moharaj), I have now taken courage to take up the work. Late Prof. Sanyal used to encourage me always by publishing my articles in his "Harmonist" and sometime back he wanted to give me the charge of the paper which I could not accept due to personal considerations. But at the present moment my conscience is dictating me to take up the work although the difficulties are not over for the present situation arising out of War conditions. I wish that every one who is enlightened and educated of all nationality, may take active interest in this periodical publication for wide circulation as this paper will contain only the transcendental messages of the great savants of India and specially of Lord Chaitanya, the <B>Godhead</b> Incarnate Who descended for the deliverance of all fallen souls in the present age. My duty will be simply to repeat in the "<B>Back to Godhead</b>" just like an interpreter what I have heard from and what I have been ordered to deliver by my great spiritual master H.D.G. Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada. Nothing will be manufactured by me by my mental concoction. Such words will descend as Sound Transcendental and when they are given proper serving reception by the aural channel, surely they will act like medicine to carry all back to home and "<B>Back to Godhead</b>." It is proposed that at least part by part issues of this literature shall be published every year and the subscription is fixed up at Rs. 6/- per annum in India or fifteen shillings per annum abroad. The writers of this paper will be mostly those who have dedicated their lives, resources, intelligence and speeches for the service of the Absolute Personality of <B>Godhead</b> and for the welfare of all entities. The readers will therefore derive the highest amount of benefit by their association if they will simply sacrifice a little time for the service of <B>Godhead</b> as will be directed in this paper from time to time. Surely they will go <B>back to Godhead</b> and the present rotten world will be transformed into the Kingdom of God as they will learn to acknowledge the sovereign authority of God in home and outside. The subject matters delineated in the pages of "<B>Back to Godhead</b>" may seem to be very dry in the beginning as the messages are from a different sphere altogether but still we have to give attention to the messages if we really mean to cure the disease of Nescience and go "<B>Back to Godhead</b>." Sugar-candy is never sweet to those who are suffering from the disease of the bile. But still sugar-candy is the medicine for bilious patients. The taste of sugar-candy will gradually be revived if the bilious patient goes on taking sugar-candy regularly for the cure of the disease. We recommend the same process to the readers of "<B>Back to Godhead</b>." <B>Godhead</b> is One without a second and all living entities are His eternal subordinate transcendental servitors. Realisation of this transcendental relation, will be the attempt of this paper and therefore there is no bar for any one in the world irrespective of colour, creed and nationality, to go <B>back to Godhead</b>. Abhay Charan De, Editor and Founder. </blockquote> Sril Sridhara Maharaja also used terms similar referencing Vraja, the Kingdom, Vaikuntha.

There is only one path.

Jesus was glorious without the parlor tricks.

I went to Mexico and South America. Maybe I'm Jesus? If I am, then I didn't go to India. Yet. Please seek the Kingdom of God, remove your burden and live the life everlasting.

Two days off work .... and all this nectar! I am one happy boy. Thanks for bringing this eyewitness jug back to us, Eminem. <img src=http://canoeparts.ca/KINGDOM/Dhanvantari.jpg>

Wow! Fasting looks safer. Tomatoes and honey - I never would have guessed. I just thought it was grains and beans.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali There are several beliefs regarding the origin of the holiday. The most repeated version is that Hindus celebrate Diwali to mark the time when Lord Rama achieved victory over Ravana. Some also view it as the day Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura or in honor of the day Bali went to rule the nether-world, obeying the order of Vishnu. In Jainism it marks the nirvana of Lord Mahavira, which occurred on Oct. 15, 527 B.C. It is also a significant festival for the Sikh faith. In India, Diwali is now considered to be more of a national festival, and the aesthetic aspect of the festival is enjoyed by most Indians regardless of faith. ----------- It seemed to me to be firecracker day and New Years bundled up but as we see above maybe there was or there is some underlying religious sentiment; although one questions three religious schools all owning it. Yet whatever causes us to drown in the mercy of remembering God ... has to be a good thing. So, thanks for the Hari bol, Tirisilex.

I noticed when working in Mexico and Colombia that Christmas was a very joyous celebration everywhere compared to my home Canada where it has all but died. I am not surprised to see neither of them on this black list. I'm a little surprised to see 1 in 3 Canadians screwed up. I guess I've got my work cut out for me here.

Max, perhaps typing the lyrics might help some of us not quite so hip. Ain't nothing you can do to make me stop luvin' the madman.

You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometime, you just might find You get what you need.

So it is the opinion of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu that: CC Madhya 15.107 : "Simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa once, a person is relieved from all the reactions of a sinful life. One can complete the nine processes of devotional service simply by chanting the holy name. : "One does not have to undergo initiation or execute the activities required before initiation. One simply has to vibrate the holy name with his lips. Thus even a man in the lowest class [ caṇḍāla ] can be delivered. : "By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one dissolves his entanglement in material activities. After this, one becomes very much attracted to Kṛṣṇa , and thus dormant love for Kṛṣṇa is awakened. : "'The holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa is an attractive feature for many saintly, liberal people. It is the annihilator of all sinful reactions and is so powerful that, save for the dumb who cannot chant it, it is readily available to everyone, including the lowest type of man, the caṇḍāla . The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is the controller of the opulence of liberation, and it is identical with Kṛṣṇa . When a person simply chants the holy name with his tongue, immediate effects are produced. Chanting the holy name does not depend on initiation, pious activities or the puraścaryā regulative principles generally observed before initiation. The holy name does not wait for any of these activities. It is self-sufficient.'" : Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then finally advised, "One who is chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is understood to be a Vaiṣṇava ; therefore you should offer all respects to him." : Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then turned His attention to three persons — Mukunda dāsa , Raghunandana and Śrī Narahari — inhabitants of the place called Khaṇḍa . : Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu , the son of mother Śacī , next asked Mukunda dāsa , "You are the father, and your son is Raghunandana . Is that so? : "Or is Śrīla Raghunandana your father and you are his son? Please let Me know the facts so that My doubts will go away." : Mukunda replied, " Raghunandana is my father, and I am his son. This is my decision. : "All of us have attained devotion to Kṛṣṇa due to Raghunandana . Therefore in my mind he is my father." : Hearing Mukunda dāsa give this proper decision, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirmed it, saying, "Yes, it is correct. One who awakens devotion to is certainly the spiritual master ." Therefore I can only conclude that my spiritual master is His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Isn't it.

You were there? I think perhaps some kind of prejudice leads to such brash statements. Does it matter enough to lie about? Nothing matters that much.

The head gets so big And I know it all And they, well they know nada 'n' I ain't talkin' Advaita. I just know that they're Well they're just nowhere Apasiddhantic fallen mayik country Joe. That's when I just Hate them so. I sublimate all the anger From all that fun I've foregone To search and not to find - Seems I've lost my mind. But I can hate them, And spurn them and cast Aspersions, contempt, dissent, Aparadha abound around - And drown in my misery Not alone. So there!

To me 'highest form of service' means the selfless service of the gopis. That's what I thought this was about from the outside of the thread. Book distribution is glorious, but please don't count the money, count the books.