gHari

And Aamageddon tired of it.

From Sri Krsna Samhita by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur:<blockquote>"This is a scientific consideration of truths regarding religious principles. Those who consider their own religious principles as real dharma and others' religious principles as irreligion or subreligion are unable to ascertain the truth due to being influenced by prejudice. Actually religious principles followed by people in general are different only due to the different qualifications of the practitioners, but the constitutional religious principles of all living entities are one. It is not proper for swanlike persons to reject the religious principles that people in general follow according to their situation". </blockquote>

But then, if we knew, we wouldn't be here to post anyway. Or would we? The Conehead

Some may think that getting beyond all these so many desires is impossible - and if we can fall again then why bother struggling again and again. I'll just give up; sit on my chariot and put down my bow and arrows. I think maybe we'll believe what we need to believe, to get us down the road. Maybe we'll believe both, to cover all the bases.

Therefore: OR PERHAPS: But when you're up to your neck in crocs, there's only one solution anyway:

If Prabhupada was a cartoonist .......

Well, yes, He hangs with us no matter where we are, our faithful forgotten friend. But we aren't interested - too busy enjoying being the lords of our worlds. So yes, He accepts us, but now we must accept Him. We can wake up in a moment, as Prabhupada says.

As it is. Out there for the world to find. Now that's sankirtana!

<a href=http://vedabase.net/sb/11/14/15 en target=new>SrImad-BhAgavatam (11.14.15)</a>:<BLOCKQUOTE>"O Uddhava! Neither BrahmA, nor SaGkara, nor SaGkarSaNa, nor LakSmI, nor even My own self is as dear to Me as you."</BLOCKQUOTE> <a href=http://vedabase.net/cc/antya/7/45/en target=new>CC Antya 7.45</a>:<BLOCKQUOTE>"Completely distinct from love of KRSNa in opulence, pure love of KRSNa is on the highest level. On the surface of the world there is no devotee greater than Uddhava.</BLOCKQUOTE> <a href=http://vedabase.net/cc/adi/9/13-15/en target=new>CC Adi 9.13-15p</a>:<BLOCKQUOTE>It is stated in the Caitanya-bhAgavata (Antya 3.255): prabhu bale Ami ye Achiye pRthivIte nizcaya-i jAniha purI-gosAJira prIte "SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu used to say, ‘I am living in this world only on account of the excellent behavior of SrI ParamAnanda PurI.'" The Gaura-gaNoddeza-dIpikA (118) states, purI zrI-paramAnando ya AsId uddhavaH purA. "ParamAnanda PurI is none other than Uddhava."</BLOCKQUOTE> <a href=http://vedabase.net/cc/antya/14/14/en target=new>CC Antya 14.14</a>:<BLOCKQUOTE>SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu's emotions exactly corresponded to those of SrImatI RAdhArANI when She met Uddhava. The Lord always conceived of Himself in Her position and sometimes thought that He was SrImatI RAdhArANI Herself.</BLOCKQUOTE> <a href=http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/1/87/en target=new>CC Madhya 1.87</a>:<BLOCKQUOTE>Just as SrImatI RAdhArANI talked inconsistently with a bumblebee in the presence of Uddhava, SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu in His ecstasy talked crazily and inconsistently day and night. PURPORT This unmAda (madness) is not ordinary madness. When SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu talked inconsistently, almost like a crazy fellow, He was in the transcendental ecstasy of love. In the highest transcendental ecstasy there is a feeling of being enchanted in the presence of the enchanter. When the enchanter and the enchanted become separated, mohana, or bewilderment, occurs. When so bewildered due to separation, one becomes stunned, and at that time all the bodily symptoms of transcendental ecstasy are manifested. When they are manifest, one appears inconceivably crazy. This is called transcendental madness. In this state, there is imaginative discourse, and one experiences emotions like those of a madman. The madness of SrImatI RAdhArANI was explained to KRSNa by Uddhava, who said, "My dear KRSNa, because of extreme feelings of separation from You, SrImatI RAdhArANI is sometimes making Her bed in the groves of the forest, sometimes rebuking a bluish cloud, and sometimes wandering about in the dense darkness of the forest. Thus She has become like a crazy woman."</BLOCKQUOTE>

From <a href=http://vedabase.net/cc/adi/9/13-15/en>CC Adi 9.13-15p</a>:<blockquote>The Gaura-gaNoddeza-dIpikA (118) states, purI zrI-paramAnando ya AsId uddhavaH purA. "<B>ParamAnanda PurI is none other than Uddhava</b>." Uddhava was Lord KRSNa's friend and cousin, and in caitanya-lIlA the same Uddhava became the friend of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu and His uncle in terms of their relationship in the disciplic succession.</blockquote> From <a href=http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/2/78/en>CC Madhya 2.78p</a>:<blockquote><B>ParamAnanda PurI is said to have been Uddhava in VRndAvana</b>. His affections with SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu were on the platform of paternal love. This was because ParamAnanda PurI happened to be the Godbrother of the spiritual master of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu. Similarly, <B>RAmAnanda RAya, who is considered an incarnation of Arjuna and by some an incarnation of VizAkhAdevI</b>, enjoyed unalloyed fraternal love with the Lord.</blockquote>

"Right" means pleasing Krsna. Even when making mistakes, they are right. Apparent disagreements describe paradoxes on this plane or ortherwise complex ideas. Even Lord Caitanya thought that the real Sita was stolen by Ravana. Thus He was able to enjoy that overwhelming feeling of relief when learning that it was actually a fake Sita that had been kidnapped. So 'right' means "right with Krsna's desire". For example, grammatical errors is fine.

Ghastly devastation fills me. And they won't allow entrance to Westerners. Hah. Where is kali-chela-hunter when we need him?

The intimacy evolves: from feeling like nothing to feeling like a speck of dust at His feet, to feeling like His servant, to feeling like an equal as a friend, to feeling like His superior as a protective parent, to finally being so madly in love that we can't consider who is greatest - just like romantic lovers drowning helplessly in an ocean of love. He enjoys the more intimate relationships more. He doesn't need to be treated like God. He IS God.

Yes, He loves His devotees even more than His very Self. He feels He can never repay them for their love.

God explains in the Bhagavad-gita 7.7: " Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread ". We are the pearls; He is the thread .... and the necklace .... and in a sense even the pearls. Upon His EXISTENCE, we are strung - we have no independent existence. He .... just Is. It's a big big word, bigger than all the words on the internet together: <center> <H1>EXISTENCE</center></h1>

Existence.

TOKYO 1972: <center> zrI zuka uvAca Atma-mAyAm Rte rAjan parasyAnubhavAtmanaH na ghaTetArtha-sambandhaH svapna-draSTur ivAJjasA [ SB 2.9.1 ] </center>[...] Karandhara: "SrI-zukaH uvAca--SrI Sukadeva GosvAmI said; Atma-- the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mAyAm--the energy; Rte-- without; rAjan--O King..." PrabhupAda: RAjan. Karandhara: RAjan--O King. PrabhupAda: It is address, addressing. Nominative is rAja and addressive is rAjan. Go on. Karandhara: ParasyAsya... PrabhupAda: Parasya. Karandhara: Parasya. PrabhupAda: Parasya. Yes. Karandhara: "Parasya--of the pure soul; anubhava-AtmanaH-- of the purely conscious; na--never; ghaTeta--it can so happen; artha-- meaning; sambandhaH--relation with the material body; svapna-- dream; draSTuH--of the seer; iva--like it; aJjasA--completely." PrabhupAda: AJjasA. Karandhara: "AJjasA--completely. Translation: SrI Sukadeva GosvAmI said: O King, unless one is influenced by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no meaning to the relationship of the pure soul in pure consciousness with the material body. It is just like the dreamer seeing his own body working." PrabhupAda: So, purport? Karandhara: "Purport. The question of MahArAja ParIkSit is perfectly answered as to how a living entity began his material life, although he is apart from the material body and the mind." PrabhupAda: It is a very important question. ParIkSit MahArAja inquired... Many people inquired that "How the living entity was with KRSNa, he became fallen in this material world?" Is not done? This question is raised? So this question is answered here, that "How the living entity who was with KRSNa became fallen down in contact with this material qualities?" So this is the answer. Read the translation . Karandhara: "SrI Sukadeva GosvAmI said: O king, unless one is influenced by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead..." PrabhupAda: It is simply the influence of the material energy, nothing. Actually he has not fallen . Another example given is given. Just like the moon is covered with scattered cloud, the passing cloud. You have seen. Everyone has experience. The cloud passes, and it appears that the moon is moving. Have you seen this? Devotees: Yes. PrabhupAda: Actually the moon is not moving. It is a mAyA, illusion. It appears that the moon is moving. But similarly, the living entity, because he is spiritual spark of the Supreme, it has not fallen. It has not fallen. But he is thinking, "I am fallen. I am material." That is the reason. He is thinking, "I am this body." Actually the body has no connection with me. That is experienced, that the body has no connection with the soul. The body is changing, dying. But I am the same. The same example, the moon: The cloud is passing over in different way. The moon is far away from the cloud, and it has nothing to do with the cloud, but it appears the moon is moving. [break] Try to understand. Have questions and answer. It is very important thing. Atma-mAyAm Rte rAjan. Except Atma-mAyA, the illusory energy... It is the maneuver or handling of the illusory energy of KRSNa. This illusory energy develops when we forget KRSNa. That's all. It is... In other words, this illusory identification of me with the body is simply due to my forgetfulness. We wanted to forget, we wanted to give up KRSNa and wanted to enjoy this material world. Therefore KRSNa is giving us... Just like when you play some part in a drama, if you feel that "I am king," then you can talk very nicely. And if you feel that "I am Karandhara," then you cannot play nicely king. Is it not? Feeling must be there. If you are playing the part of a king, then you must have the same courage and belief that "I am king." You have to forget that you are Karandhara. Then your part will be very nicely played. It will be appreciated. But if you think simultaneously that "I am Karandhara. I am taking, playing the part of the king," then you cannot play. So because we wanted to play the part of KRSNa, enjoyer, KRSNa is giving us chance that "You feel like Me."--"I am king. I am KRSNa. I am God." (laughter) All these rascals, those who are feeling like that, "I am master. I am king. I am KRSNa. I am God," they are all simply in that feeling only. That's all. And this feeling is created by KRSNa: "All right. You want to play the part of a king. I shall train you in such a way." Just like director means, dramatic director means, he creates a feeling. His direction is nothing but how to feel. Sometimes we played in our younger age Caitanya-lIlA. I introduced. And one big director, Amrtalal Chosa, he was just like grandfather. He was one of the, just like in England Shakespeare and others, big, big dramatic, well-known persons. This Amrtalal Chosa and Girish Chandra Chosa, they introduced in India theatric... So we called him to give us direction. He was giving us direction, and repeatedly he was telling that "You feel like that," especially to me. "You feel like that." So actually, when we played according to his direction, the audience were all crying. And we could not understand how they cried. We could not understand. On the stage when we played, it was so perfect that all audience were crying. Actually we saw they were smearing over their eyes with... But the whole thing is artificial, but the effect to the audience became so nice. So similarly, we are... Actually we have nothing to do with this material world, But we have been trained by the illusory energy in such a way that we are thinking, "I am Indian. I am American. I am this. I am that. I am brAhmaNa. I am zUdra. I have to do this. I have got so much duty," all these illusions, simply thinking. We have nothing to do with all this nonsense, but still, we are taking it very serious. "I have to do like that. I have to do like that. I am this. I am that." That's all. That is explained. Atma-mAyAm Rte rAjan: "Except the influence of that AtmA-mAyA, the illusory energy of KRSNa..." Atma-mAyA. Read. Atma-mAyAm Rte rAjan parasyAnu. Read it? Karandhara: ParasyAnubhavAtmanaH. PrabhupAda: ParasyAnubhavAtmanaH. Na ghaTeta artha-sambandha. There cannot be any relation at all. Na ghaTeta. Cannot be. Artha sambandhaH. Svapna-draSTur ivAJjasA. The very exact example is given, svapna-draSTuH. Just like a man seeing dream: "Oh, there is tiger, tiger, tiger, tiger! Save me!" He is crying. Another man is, "Where is tiger? Why you are crying? Where is tiger?" But he, in the dream, he is actually feeling: "The tiger has attacked me." Therefore this example is given, na ghaTetArtha-sambandhaH. There cannot be any meaning of this relationship except like a man dreaming and he is creating a situation. He is dreaming there is a tiger and he is creating a situation, fearful situation. Actually there is no cause of fear. There is no tiger. That situation is created by dream. Actually there is no tiger. Similarly we have created this material world and activity. People are running, "Oh..., sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh," identifying that "Oh, I am the manager. I am the factory owner. I am this, I am that. We have got his politics. We have to defeat such competitors." All these things are created exactly like that, svapna-draSTur ivAJjasA, just like a man is creating his particular situation simply by dream. That's all. So the answer is, when somebody asks you that "When one has become in contact with this material nature?" He has not become in contact. He is thinking by the influence of the external energy. Just like the same example: A man is dreaming; there is no contact with tiger. Actually he has no contact with that. Similarly, actually we are not fallen. We cannot be fallen. But we have created a situation that we are, become... Try to understand understand. It is very important point. We have simply created a situation. We have not created a situation, KRSNa has given us a situation. Because we wanted to imitate KRSNa, so KRSNa has given an opportunity: "All right. Imitate. You want to be imitation king in the stage. So feel like this. Play like this. Do like this. People will applaud. ‘Oh, a very nice king, very nice.' " That is the... So everyone in this material world, they are playing some part. They wanted, "I want to be prime minister.All right.I want to become very big business magnate.I want to be leader.I want to be a philosopher.I want to be a scientist." So all this nonsense, they are trying to play--KRSNa is giving him the opportunity: "All right." But it is a nonsense, all nonsense. Simple dreaming. Just like you are dreaming. Next moment when the dream is gone, everything is finished. No more tiger, no more jungle, no more... Everything is finished. Similarly, so long this body is continuing, I am thinking, "I am a responsible leader, I am this, I am that." But as soon as this body is finished, oh, these are (indistinct) gone. Sarva-haraz cAham. The death means... KRSNa says, "I am death. I take it away, all, everything. Gone." Now just think of our past life. Suppose I was a king or something like that. From BhRgu-saMhitA it was ascertained. They said--I do not know--that I was a big physician in my last life, very spotless character, no sins, like that. He explained me. So it may be. But actually I have no remembrance that I was a physician. So what do we know? I might have been a very big physician, influential physician, having a good practice, but where is all...? All gone. So this situation, our contact with matter, is just like dream. Actually we are not fallen. Therefore, because we are not fallen, at any moment we can revive our KRSNa consciousness. As soon as we understand that, "I have nothing to do with. I am simply KRSNa's servant. Eternal servant. That's all," immediately he becomes liberated. Exactly like that: as soon as you... Sometimes we do that. When the fearful dreaming becomes too much intolerable, we break the dream. We break the dream when it becomes intolerable. Similarly, we can break this material connection at any moment as soon as we come to the point of KRSNa conscious. "Oh, KRSNa is my eternal master. I am His servant." That's all. This is the way. Actually we are not fallen. There cannot be any fallen. The same example: Actually there is no tiger; it is dreaming. Similarly, our fallen condition is also dreaming. We are not fallen. We can simply give up that illusory condition at any moment. At any moment . So if you study all these verses very nicely, you get all this knowledge quickly. Now what is the purport? Come on. Karandhara: "The spirit soul is distinct from the material conception of his life." PrabhupAda: Yes. Distinct. Always distinct. Next? Karandhara: "But he is absorbed in such a material conception because of being influenced by the external energy of the Lord, called Atma-mAyA. This is already explained in the First Canto in connection with VyAsadeva's realization of the Supreme Lord and His external energy. The external energy is controlled by the Lord and the living entities are controlled by the external energy." PrabhupAda: KRSNa says, mAm eva ye prapadyante mAyAm etAM taranti te: [bg. 7.14] "As soon as one surrenders unto Me, he has no more illusion." MAyAm etaM taranti. Immediately. So people are conditioned, encaged. So many big, big words The MAyAvAdIs, they are undergoing austerities or penances just to become liberated. Yogis, they are also trying to become one. So many endeavors are going on. But the simple process is, as soon as you surrender, that you are not fallen, "It was illusion. I was dreaming. I am KRSNa's," finished. All gone. "I am KRSNa's. I am KRSNa's eternal servant. These are all nonsense"--he immediately becomes liberated. Just try to understand. Immediately, within a second. Liberation can be attained within a second, provided we abide by the order of KRSNa. Sarva-dharmAn parityajya mAm ekaM zaraNaM vraja [bg. 18.66]. This is the position. We are not fallen. We are thinking fallen. So we have to give up this nonsense thinking. Then we are liberated. There is no Is there any difficulty to understand? Just see how important this verse. It is already there, but you are not reading. Each verse, read every day carefully. Try to assimilate, understand, and you will get more profit, every day, hundred yards forward, hundred yards forward, yes. They are so important verses. How nicely composed by VyAsadeva. In two lines the whole thing is explained. This is called zAstra. In two lines. Then read the purport. Karandhara: "The external energy is controlled by the Lord and the living entities are controlled by the external energy by the will of the Lord. Therefore, although the living entity is purely conscious in his pure state, he is subordinate to the will of the Lord, being influenced by the external energy of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gItA also the same thing is confirmed, that the Lord is present within the heart of every living entity and all consciousness and forgetfulness of the living entity are influenced by the Lord." PrabhupAda: Yes. Because... Now, people may say that, "Why KRSNa within the heart gives one type of consciousness to one, and another type of consciousness...?" Because I wanted. I wanted to forget KRSNa, so KRSNa is giving consciousness: "All right, you can forget Me in this way." That is His kindness. Just like the MAyAvAdIs, the so-called yogis and karmIs, they wanted to forget. KRSNa is giving him intelligence. "All right. You forget Me like this." That's all. Go on. And if you want to again revive your relationship, KRSNa will give you intelligence. Buddhi-yogaM dadAmi taM yena mAm upayAnti te: "I shall give intelligence." So KRSNa is... Ye yathA mAM prapadyante [bg. 4.11]. As you want, KRSNa gives you facility. Go on. Karandhara: "Now the next question will automatically be made as to why the Lord influences the living entity to such consciousness and forgetfulness. The answer is that the Lord clearly wishes that every living entity be engaged in his pure consciousness as the part and parcel of the Lord, and thus be engaged in loving service of the Lord as he is constitutionally made. But because the living entity is partially independent also, he may not be willing to serve the Lord, but may try to become independent as the Lord is. The whole nondevotee class of living entities are all desirous of becoming equally as powerful as the Lord, although they are not fit to become so. The living entities are..." PrabhupAda: They will never be God, but we see so many persons. By the influence of the illusory energy they think, "I am God. I am God. I shall become God by pressing my nose like this, doing this." So this is going on. They will never be able. That is not possible. Otherwise, there is no meaning of God. If everyone can become God, then there is no meaning of God. But by influence of... Just like karmIs are saying "I shall become millionaire. I shall become trillionaire. I shall become head of the state. I shall become prime minister." This struggle, this is another struggle: "I shall become God." This is another struggle. But it is illusion. It is illusion. So KRSNa gives them opportunity, some yogic success. Just like in India there is a rascal. He makes like that, and there is immediately some gold. And people become after him: "Oh, he is God. He is God." By producing a little gold, he becomes God. Another yogi, he gives immediately two rasagullA. So by producing two rasagullA, four annas' worth, he becomes God. You see? This is illusion. These rascals, they do not know that, "What is this rasagullA, two rasagullA? I can purchase from the market for four annas. So he is becoming God by four annas?" But they have no sense. "Oh, he is God. He can produce rasagullA." RasagullA I can produce in our kitchen. But they are so rascal. "Oh, wonderful." So the yogic siddhis... So KRSNa gives him some power of yogic siddhi and he thinks that "I have become God," and some flatterers, they also think, "Oh, you are God." The same dream. And as soon as death comes, everything finished, your Godhood and everything finished. Now becomes doghood, come to the stage of doghood. Again, another dream: "I am dog." First of all "I am God," then next stage, "I am dog." This is going on. Therefore Bhaktivinoda ThAkura said, keno mAyAr boze jAccho bhese': "Why you are being washed away by the waves of mAyA? Just fix up. Stand up." JIv kRSNa-dAs ei vizwAs korle to Ar duHkho nAi. You simply remain fixed up on this standpoint, that, "I am eternal servant of KRSNa." Then there is no more dream. And if you allow yourself to be washed away, KRSNa gives you facility, "All right, come on. Be washed away." Then? Karandhara: "The living entities are illusioned by the will of the Lord because they wanted to become like Him." PrabhupAda: Yes. Karandhara: "As a person thinks of becoming a king without possessing the necessary qualifications, similarly, when the living entity desires to become the Lord Himself, he is put in a condition of dreaming that he is a king. Therefore the first sinful will of the living entity is to become the Lord, and the consequent will of the Lord is that the living entity forgets his actual life and thus dreams of the land of utopia where he may become one like the Lord. The child cries to have the moon from the mother and the mother gives the child a mirror to satisfy the crying and disturbing child with the shadow of the moon. Similarly the crying child of the Lord is given over to the shadow of the material world to lord it over as a karmI and to give this up in frustration to become one with the Lord. Both these stages are dreaming illusions only. There is no necessity of tracing out the history when the living entity desired this, but the fact is that as soon as he desired such, he was put under the control of Atma-mAyA by the direction of the Lord. Therefore the living entity in his material condition is dreaming falsely that this is ‘mine' and this is ‘I.' The dream is that the conditioned soul thinks of his material body as ‘I' or falsely thinks that he is the lord and that everything in connection with the material body is ‘mine.' Thus in dream only the misconception of ‘I and mine' persist life after life. This continues life after life as long as the living entity is not purely conscious of his identity as the subordinate part and parcel of the Lord. In his pure consciousness, however, there is no such misconceived dream. And in that pure conscious state the living entity does not forget that he is never the Lord, but he is eternally the servitor of the Lord in transcendental love." PrabhupAda: That's all. Devotees: All glories to you SrIla PrabhupAda. (offer obeisances) Trivikrama: SrIla PrabhupAda? You were just saying that we are not fallen. Actually this is an illusion thinking that we are fallen . Yet I read... PrabhupAda: The same example. In dream I am not attacked by the tiger, but I am thinking, "Oh, tiger is there." It is simply dreaming condition. Trivikrama: But so many VaiSNavas are praying... PrabhupAda: So as soon as you understand that "This is not... I am not in contact with tiger. It is all a dream," then you are delivered. Similarly, as soon as you understand, "All this material condition of life we are simply dreaming; I am actually servant of KRSNa," then you are liberated. That is KRSNa conscious. If you keep in KRSNa consciousness, that "I am eternal servant of KRSNa," then you are liberated. Sa guNAn samatItyaitAn brahma-bhUyaa kalpate [bg. 14.26], KRSNa says. Immediately brahma-bhUtaH. Brahma-bhUtaH prasannAtmA na zocati na kAGkSati [bg. 18.54]. He has no more lamentation, no more hankering. SamaH sarveSu bhUteSu. He can see everyone on equal vision. Because he knows, "Here is also another living entity." He is not a Chinaman. He is a part and parcel of God. He is not a Christian. He is not a Hindu. He is simply thinking like that. So give him KRSNa consciousness. That is real benefit, to bring him to the original position. Yes? CintAmaNi: If, when we realize KRSNa, then we have no more desire, then how can we desire... PrabhupAda: You create desire. If you simply keep this contact with KRSNa, then there is no more any other desire than to serve KRSNa. That's all. Trivikrama: This feeling that we have, that we are fallen, that we are very fallen... PrabhupAda: That is also illusion. That is also illusion. You are fallen means you have got some certain desires except service of KRSNa. Therefore the conclusion is that if you keep yourself tightly in KRSNa's service, there is no question of falling down or there is no question of mAyA. You see? Devotee: Even at that state, still the body is affected by the modes of nature. We are experiencing desires. PrabhupAda: You are not experiencing. Your body is experiencing. You are feeling cold due to this body. You are not feeling cold. You are not feeling cold. Devotee: But I think I am feeling cold. PrabhupAda: You are thinking. That is illusion. That is illusion. Devotee: So rise above that. PrabhupAda: Yes. But not artificially, but this is the fact. You have to gradually rise to that platform. The fact is this. Just like when you are feverish, actually you are healthy, but it has come. So in the feverish condition you are thinking, "I am now feverish." But this feverish will not, condition, will not stay. You will come to the healthy stage. Therefore don't be disturbed with the feverish condition. Go on with your duty. Don't misidentify, "Now I have become feverish. Everything is finished." No. That is external. It has come; it will go. That is given in the Bhagavad-gItA. MAtrA-sparzAs tu kaunteya zItoSNa-sukha-duHkha-dAH [bg. 2.14]. Just like seasonal changes. Sometimes it is very hot, sometimes very cold, sometimes warm. So these are coming and going. So if there is some feeling of pain and pleasure, simply just tolerate it, but don't be absorbed in that thought. That's all. Therefore titikSava. The first symptoms of a saintly person is titikSava, tolerant. Tolerant. So go on reading, go on understanding. Everything will be clear. So next? There is kIrtana, or finished? (end)

Alex, This is perhaps a tangent but when I read about purifying japa I thought I needed to share this with you. India Divine have some inexpensive CDs of MP3 versions of a very sweet recital of Srila Vrindavan dasa's Sri Caitanya Bhagavata. I just returned from listening for four hours at the grocery and laundromat. It is a very very purifying experience ... not at all unlike japa. I could listen 24 hours a day - it is very precious. Lord Caitanya's pastimes are so purifying. This is a little money you will never ever regret parting with. Eat rice for a week and spend $10 on your future. gHari

"The grossly materialistic demons are so completely bereft of spiritual knowledge that although at every moment they perceive the transience of the material body, all their activities center on the body. They are unable to understand that the soul within the body is the permanent and essential substance and that the body is mutable and temporary. Becoming first enamoured of then deluded by vivartaväda (the theory of evolution), they conclude that the entire cosmic body also lacks a Soul. Since the fallacious theory they apply to their own physical existence leads them to reject any research into the existence of a soul residing within the body, they fail to perceive the presence of the Supersoul within the gigantic body of the cosmic manifestation. They falsely conclude that the body is everything, that there is nothing beyond it; similarly, they think that the material creation, which is the universal body, is factually governed only by the laws of nature. Any discussion on this subject is invariably put to premature death by their insistence that nature is the be-all and end-all. The more intelligent among them carry this discussion a little further and postulate that impersonalism is the quintessence of everything. But far beyond this realm of manifest and unmanifest material nature is the transcendental and eternal state. The atheists, however, are characteristically unable to believe in its existence".

Yes, seeker, I regretted that comment very much afterwards (realizing you may have been inadvertently lumped into a dump), but I was unable to remove it. Krsna works in mysterious ways indeed. I was trying to write a statement that was totally ridiculous and then by substituting the word religion in it show just how silly Dawkins' rejection of Krsna is. I should have used a more universally acceptable axiom like 2+2. Actually atheism is like not accepting the 2+2 of religious science. He hasn't taken the first step .... enroll in the course.

Surely you didn't believe for a moment that Dawkins opposes Quantum Theory. I assumed I wasn't dealing with idiots. His rejecting of Quantum Theory without understanding it or performing the experimental proofs would be as foolish as his alleged rejection of religion under the same circumstances.

It's likely not true. I said it to make a point.

Without studying it or doing any of the defined experiments, Dr. Dawkins says he doesn't accept quantum mechanics. That is not science. Substitute the word 'religion' for 'quantum mechanics' and his arrogance is revealed.

The scriptures are actually not created. They emanate from the mouth of God when He breathes. It is that sound of reality that manifests as the Vedas, the scriptures within space and time, from time to time, in every universe, in every cosmic manifestation that appears then disappears forever across eternity. We must understand who God is to know how it is that He is in existence before man. He Just Is. That is, there was never a time when He did not exist, and it is upon His unique existence that everything and everyone else exist. He says "There is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread". So you see, that anything exists is only possible because He exists. Think of God in this way and soon you will come to know of His greatness in your life, and learn to understand what life really is. It is a treasure you will savour your entire life. "As pearls are strung on a thread" - the thread, this is God.

Dreaming preachers: your articles will have more power if you first indicate that the following quote is from Srila Prabhupada. You must make it clear which words are his and which words are yours. Too often it is unclear. Giving a reference after a quote is not as powerful as before, because when we read the quote we don't know how much credibility we must afford the quote. Your own comments and conclusions drawn for Prabhupada's words MUST stand out very distinctly. You must not cheat the readers, if only unconsciously. Fool them once, and you have lost a little credibility forever. Fool them too many times, and they just won't listen at all. More than once I have been reading along assuming it was more of Prabhupada, only to discover a few sentences later that I am reading speculation. Whether it is right or wrong, I treat speculation or logical deductions differently; one is absolute truth, the other a hypothesis. Try using the BLOCKQUOTE to distinguish quotes. The format is "< less-than" BLOCKQUOTE followed by "greater-than >" and at the end of the quote the same thing with a preceding slash like /BLOCKQUOTE. It should work anywhere on the internet if you are copying and pasting your pieces.