gHari

Srila Prabhupada: "Yes, that's a formality, because in my presence one should not become guru." He clearly gave the reason for the word, ritvik. Some ignored this statement, refused to acknowledge it and its implications, and then proceeded to build a house of cards atop a non-existent foundation. It has been all fantasy from the beginning, a Bizarro world bent on destroying Superman. Delusions die hard. Ritvik never was.

Luke 9:27 (King James Version) But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

Matthew 17 1And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. 10And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Thank you. That is an important piece, almost refined to perfection. This is my favorite, Max. It is you. It is Prabhupada. It is Paramatma. It is all that I love in this world. Please continue.

All chanting is good. A little "Nitai-Gaura" can change the day. Certainly 64 rounds reveals a different world than the 16 round world. One time is enough to realize this truth. Or perhaps it is just the desire to chant on and on that produces the wonderful effects. Certainly before we favour one opinion we must do 64 rounds - then there will be no debate about the magic of 64 rounds. But all chanting is good. A little "Nityananda-Gauranga" opens the eyes and lifts up the head. We are so fortunate, my friends.

Well we have the modes of passion and ignorance. Dying for more, more, now, now!, the rajo guna lusty person might be tempted to just put off turning to God until another life if they thought it all just goes on and on - party hardy today and worry about it all tomorrow. Similarly, to wake him up, the man in tamo guna needs the adrenalin boosting fear that eternal hell, fire and brimstone harbour for him.

I should have said that all temple devotees were effulgent. It was Srila Prabhupada's effulgence. He was the self-effulgent one.

Effulgent is not a mystery. The sun is effulgent. Can anyone not see that? In the seventies, everyone was effulgent.

Them's a lot of smart things that Guest guy said about chillin' the passions into the essentials as much as possible as life moves on. Ain't never too late to get smart. There is an ocean. It is an ocean of delight we cannot imagine. Throwing a Cadillac into that ocean does not even raise the water by one molecule. Taking a Cadillac out does not even lower the shoreline by a molecule. Swimming in that ocean is much easier if we don't have a lot of stuff to carry under our arms.

We don't know what might have befallen us had we not purified ourselves somewhat, improved our cooperation with Sri Krsna somewhat. It might have taken much more dramatic influences to direct us in the right way. That broken finger might have been a broken arm, our speeding ticket a disabling car crash. After weakening our obstinacy with devotional service, a destined stroke may need only become a bad cholesterol diagnosis from the doctor. Will we become whole? Certainly it is possible - we hear of Lord Caitanya and Lord Jesus both curing lepers, of the blind seeing, the dead coming back to life. But most certainly any infirmity is bound to become less debilitating and traumatic than it would be in a world without Krsna.

Save it for Al Qaeda, Don. This ain't the place for such shameful things.

Srila Sridhara Maharaja in the book known as Sermons (1) describes the slave mentality that is required to gain access to our highest fortune in the cit Kingdom of God. We all will likely view this as almost axiomatic. <BLOCKQUOTE>am evaisa vrnute tena labhyah: but there is a conscious land, and whoever is accepted by that land can enter it. Otherwise, by dint of one's own power, no one can enter that land. This point has been missed by the mayavadis. That is an independent element; the soil is independent. Matter is not independent, and the soul is 'independent' here in the material world. But the conscious world is made of supersoul - the very soil is independent. If the min-utely independent soul accepts that land, he can enter that land, otherwise not. There is such a land. So the question of becoming a slave must arise. The highest qualification within us is our acceptance of the slave mentality for the Absolute. This is the only way to be earnest for the association of the highest existence. We must be ready to accept slavery to its perfection, and then we will be allowed to enter into that domain. Otherwise, we have no hope. It is not very easy to embrace slave mentality - eternal slavery. Slavery is also our future prospect. Are you ready to think like this? You have to be so broadminded and hopeful that such a higher entity exists. Your hope and faith will have to be of such a magnanimous type to enter that land. You will sign the bond, the contract: "I am going to accept eternal slavery! I want to enter that land!" You have to search your fortune, and sign the bond of slavery: the association there is so high that even as a slave I want that association. I earnestly hanker for that sweet land where my meager personality can become a slave. Such intense faith is necessary, where all other experience, even knowledge, fails. Only faith can carry us there. Sraddha - faith in devotion to Krsna is the unit with which the whole structure has been constructed there. All is faith. The land of faith. There, faith holds autonomy. Everything moves through faith - no calculation, no robbing, no stealing, no cheating. This is automatic there in the land of faith. None of this nasty life. "I shall always be alert that I may not be cheated in the land of so many cheats; Here, I always have to be alert - I will be cheated, I will be cheated." That is a nasty life. So we must enter into a life where there is automatically no cheating, no calculation, and no reasoning. All are good - all are busy to give you something. Here, we are suffering from the opposite. But there, everyone is promoting you in your progress, pushing you towards your highest fortune. Such a land is there. To become a slave there is really to become a master. Whoever tends most toward slavery will be held by all as the head!</BLOCKQUOTE> The difficulty for many of us, however, is to accept another potentially fallible source as master. Unless we're seeking a free lunch, we need only do that when it is absolutely palatable, and only then. The genuine guru would not want it otherwise. Whether Jesus or Prabhupada, we seem to accept completely the instruction of some bona fide master - otherwise we'd have faded away long ago. Please do not abandon the mercy of Lord Caitanya, cbrahma, simply because you have found no person on the planet now in whom you can invest such complete faith. That is like throwing out the baby with the bath water - it is just not rational.

I too am Christian. I too am Vaisnava. Lord Jesus tells me to love God. Lord Caitanya tells me how. You may abandon the idea of hasty initiation, and that is likely wise, but you can never forget what you know now. It is Christ's mercy that you encountered this powerful Vaisnava preaching Juggernaut. It is the Holy Spirit that moved your feet to that place, at that time. He will not abandon you now. This is the method. So much can be gained simply by chanting the names of Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda-Gauranga. And the Hare Krsna mahamantra, there is no greater pleasure to be had. You know that truth, and wherever you go, that truth will dwarf all that you see. Guru or not, you will surrender to Krsna .... that is the message that Christ was sent to teach: the Kingdom of God is at hand, seek ye first the Kingdom of God - on earth as it is in Heaven. Yoga will facilitate that. The goal is the same, one strategy just more clearly defined, documented, and accessible. As far as being lorded over by another being: when we advance in dhyana (astanga) yoga we follow and if lucky, surrender to the Holy Spirit, aka Paramatma, aka caitya-guru. In that state, from that perspective will we see (without a doubt) the guru as His representative, the one through whom He speaks. We will only listen to Him, and if a guru is not representing Him, then we will not hear. It is to Krsna we surrender, through the external guru. It must not become a personality cult. Krsna remains always at the centre - the goal and the path. <blockquote>Luke 4 42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. 43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. 44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.</blockquote>

By Krsna association.

Lord Krsna defines His spiritual infrastructure in Bhagavad-gita 4.34: <center> tad viddhi praNipAtena paripraznena sevayA upadekSyanti te jJAnaM jJAninas tattva-darzinaH </center> tat--that knowledge of different sacrifices; viddhi--try to understand; praNipAtena--by approaching a spiritual master; paripraznena--by submissive inquiries; sevayA--by the rendering of service; upadekSyanti--they will initiate; te--you; jJAnam--into knowledge; jJAninaH--the self-realized; tattva--of the truth; darzinaH--seers. Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth. PURPORT The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. The Lord therefore advises us to approach a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself. No one can be a bona fide spiritual master without following this principle of disciplic succession. The Lord is the original spiritual master, and a person in the disciplic succession can convey the message of the Lord as it is to his disciple. No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders. The BhAgavatam (6.3.19) says, dharmaM tu sAkSAd bhagavat-praNItam: the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help lead one to the right path. Nor by independent study of books of knowledge can one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Such a spiritual master should be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige. Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination for spiritual understanding. Unless there is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual master will not be effective. One must be able to pass the test of the spiritual master, and when he sees the genuine desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. In this verse, both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. Not only should one hear submissively from the spiritual master, but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries. A bona fide spiritual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple. Therefore when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.

"Remember Me. Do not forget Me", even when at play. Krsna can dovetail all your attachments and pastimes for His purposes. The path leads to Sri Krsna. Walk it with a noble gait. http://vedabase.net/sb/10/2/30/en http://vedabase.net/cc/adi/7/98/en

Can creatures encaged in four dimensions speculate about the nature of the fifth dimension?

See paramparA in general: http://vedabase.net/sb/4/29/36-37/ See param: http://vedabase.net/p/param See parA (parā): http://vedabase.net/p/para parA (parā) ==== Lecture BG 18.67 AC Bhaktivedanta Swami [...] So if you want to understand KRSNa, then you have to take the life of devotion. And one who does not take to this life of devotion, he cannot understand KRSNa of KRSNa-philosophy, Bhagavad-gItA. It is far, far away. It is... My Guru MahArAja used to say, "It is just like licking the honey bottle." One may come to the bottle filled with honey, but simply by licking the bottle, what taste he will get? The honey must be opened. Then if you taste, you will know what is honey. Similarly, simply by taking Bhagavad-gItA and trying to understand it by so-called scholarship is licking up the honey bottle. That's all. There will be no taste. There will be no taste. You go on for many millions of years, licking up that bottle. You'll never understand. If you want to understand, then KRSNa says here: <center> tad viddhi praNipAtena paripraznena sevayA upadekSyanti te jJAnaM jJAninas tattva-darzinaH [ Bg. 4.34 ] </center> The same tattva. You have to approach a person who has seen tattva, tattva-darzinaH . So that tattva-darzI already explained. BhaktyA mAm abhijAnAti [bg. 18.55]. One can become tattva-darzI simply by devotional service. So for coming to the platform of devotional service one has to make some sacrifice. That is called tapasya . Tapasya means voluntarily accepting some difficult things. That is called tapasya. Therefore those who have not taken to that, those who have taken Bhagavad-gItA as a table talk, they cannot understand. Not Bhagavad-gItA should be preached amongst them. Therefore KRSNa is warning: idaM te na atapaskAya nAbhaktAya. IdaM te nAtapaskAya nAbhaktAya kadAcana: "Never describe, never described this Bhagavad-gItA." KRSNa said in the previous verse... People will not be able to understand. KRSNa says, sarva-dharmAn parityajya mAm ekaM zaraNaM vraja [bg. 18.66]. This simple fact cannot be understood by any man who has not undergone some austerities, penances, and who has not become a devotee. It is not possible. Therefore KRSNa is warning: "Don't speak to these nonsense. They will not understand." But a devotee of KRSNa tries to make them devotee. Because KRSNa, in the next verse, says, ya idaM paramaM guhyaM mad-bhakteSv abhidhAsyati [bg 18.68]. Mad-bhakteSv abhidhAsyati. Here, in this verse, it is said, nAbhaktAya: "Don't speak this truth of Bhagavad-gItA to the abhaktas," but if you can speak to the bhaktas... Ya idaM paramaM guhyam. ParamaM guhyam. It is the most confidential knowledge, most confidential part of Vedic knowledge. It is said in the beginning: sarva-guhyatamam. Sarva-guhyatamam: "most confidential." So paramaM guhyaM mad-bhakteSu. Because from the beginning it is simply said, "Only the bhaktas can understand." Therefore it should be preached amongst the bhaktas. Mad-bhakteSu abhidhAsyati, bhaktiM mayi parAM kRtvA mAm eva eSyasi, eSyati asaMzayaH. So this is another opportunity. Just create everyone, everyone, especially... Caitanya MahAprabhu said, bhArata-bhUmite manuSya-janma haila yAra: [Cc. Adi 9.41] "Anyone who has taken birth in this holy land of BhAratavarSa..." Janma sArthaka kari' kara para-upakAra. This is the injunction of Caitanya MahAprabhu, that "First of all, make your life perfect. Just try to understand what is KRSNa and what is Bhagavad-gItA and make your life practical in understanding BhagavAn and the bhakti." Janma sArthaka kari'. "Then go and preach all over the world." ParopakAra. Because the whole world is in darkness. They are too much materially congested. Their brain... Big, big professors, they say, "After death, there is no life." And they are going as teachers and professors. So especially in the western world, they are so much engrossed. So our request is, those who are actually intelligent: "Take to this KRSNa consciousness movement seriously, especially Indians, and try to preach all over the world." They are also hankering after it. And KRSNa says that simply by trying to preach the philosophy of Bhagavad-gItA as it is, then he become a great devotee of KRSNa. BhaktiM mayi parAm. ParA-bhakti. That parA-bhakti, already explained: <center> brahma-bhUtaH prasannAtmA na zocati na kAGkSati samaH sarveSu bhUteSu mad-bhaktiM labhate parAm [ Bg. 18.54 ] </center> ParA-bhakti . Na aparA. AparA means material, and parA means transcendental . ParA-bhakti. Without coming to the stage of parA-bhakti, one cannot understand KRSNa. So that parA-bhakti means one must be freed from all sinful activities. YeSAm anta-gataM pApam. Not ordinary man. YeSAm anta-gataM pApaM janAnAm, janAnAM puNya-karmaNAm. Those who are always engaged in pious activities, they cannot be engaged in sinful activities. By pious activities, constantly being engaged in pious activities... Then what is that pious activities? SRNvatAM sva-kathAH kRSNaH puNya-zravaNa-kIrtanaH [sB 1.2.17]. Simply if you hear and chant Hare KRSNa mahA-mantra, puNya-zravaNa-kIrtanaH, you become pious. Even you, you do not understand, if you simply engage. So the method is very simple. You can become pious and you can become free from all sinful activities. So <center> yeSAM (tv) anta-gataM pApaM janAnAM puNya-karmaNAm te dvandva-moha-nirmuktA bhajante mAM dRDha-vratAH [ Bg. 7.28 ] </center> Then he can surrender unto KRSNa: vAsudevaH sarvam iti sa mahAtmA sudurlabhaH [bg. 7.19]. These are the process, simple processes. You, we have to simply take it seriously. So therefore this KRSNa consciousness movement is prohibiting the four pillars of sinful life. What is that? Illicit sex life. Illicit sex life. And meat-eating. Meat-eating. Meats, fish, egg, everything. AmiSa. AmiSa-bhoja. Meat-eating. And intoxication. All kinds of intoxication. Not only liquor or LSD, but also tea, coffee, cigarette, everything. Illicit sex life, meat-eating, and intoxicant and gambling. These are the four pillars of sinful life. So we are advocating: " Please give up these four principles of sinful life and chant Hare KRSNa mantra, at least sixteen rounds. " You become situated in the transcendental position, and you can understand what is KRSNa and what is Bhagavad-gItA. Thank you very much. Hare KRSNa. [break]

Read from here, on, and on: http://vedabase.net/cc/madhya/2/57/en CC Madhya 2.57 : In this way various ecstatic emotions evolved, and the mind of Caitanya Mahāprabhu filled with anxiety. He could not escape even for a moment. In this way, because of fierce feelings of separation, His patience began to totter, and He began to recite various verses. CC Madhya 2.58 : "'O My Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, O friend of the helpless! You are the only ocean of mercy! Because I have not met You, My inauspicious days and nights have become unbearable. I do not know how I shall pass the time.' CC Madhya 2.59 : "All these inauspicious days and nights are not passing, for I have not met You. It is difficult to know how to pass all this time. But You are the friend of the helpless and an ocean of mercy. Kindly give Me Your audience, for I am in a precarious position." CC Madhya 2.60 : In this way, the Lord's restlessness was awakened by ecstatic feelings, and His mind became agitated. No one could understand what course such ecstasy would take. Because Lord Caitanya could not meet the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa , His mind burned. He began to ask Kṛṣṇa about the means by which He could reach Him. CC Madhya 2.61 : "'O Kṛṣṇa , O flute-player, the sweetness of Your early age is wonderful within these three worlds. You know My unsteadiness, and I know Yours. No one else knows about this. I want to see Your beautiful attractive face somewhere in a solitary place, but how can this be accomplished?' CC Madhya 2.62 : "My dear Kṛṣṇa , only You and I know the strength of Your beautiful features and, because of them, My unsteadiness. Now, this is My position; I do not know what to do or where to go. Where can I find You? I am asking You to give directions." CC Madhya 2.63 : Because of the various kinds of ecstasy, contradictory states of mind occurred, and this resulted in a great fight between different types of ecstasy. Anxiety, impotence, humility, anger and impatience were all like soldiers fighting, and the madness of love of Godhead was the cause. CC Madhya 2.64 : The body of the Lord was just like a field of sugarcane into which the mad elephants of ecstasy entered. There was a fight amongst the elephants, and in the process the entire field of sugarcane was destroyed. Thus transcendental madness was awakened in the body of the Lord, and He experienced despondency in mind and body. In this ecstatic condition, He began to speak as follows. CC Madhya 2.65 : "'O My Lord! O dearest one! O only friend of the universe! O Kṛṣṇa , O restless one, O only ocean of mercy! O My Lord, O My enjoyer, O beloved to My eyes! Alas, when will You again be visible to Me?'" CC Madhya 2.66 : The symptoms of madness served as an impetus for remembering Kṛṣṇa . The mood of ecstasy awoke love, disdain, defamation by words, pride, honor and indirect prayer. Thus Śrī Kṛṣṇa was sometimes blasphemed and sometimes honored. CC Madhya 2.67 : [in the attitude of Rādhārāṇī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu addressed Kṛṣṇa :] "My dear Lord, You are engaged in Your pastimes, and You utilize all the women in the universe according to Your desire. You are so kind to Me. Please divert Your attention to Me, for by fortune You have appeared before Me. CC Madhya 2.68 : "My dear Lord, You attract all the women of the universe, and You make adjustments for all of them when they appear. You are Lord Kṛṣṇa , and You can enchant everyone, but on the whole, You are nothing but a debauchee. Who can honor You? CC Madhya 2.69 : "My dear Kṛṣṇa , Your mind is always restless. You cannot remain in one place, but You are not at fault for this. You are actually the ocean of mercy, the friend of My heart. Therefore I have no reason to be angry with You. CC Madhya 2.70 : "My dear Lord, You are the master and the life and soul of Vṛndāvana . Kindly arrange for the deliverance of Vṛndāvana . We have no leisure hours away from our many activities. Actually, You are My enjoyer. You have appeared just to give Me happiness, and this is one of Your expert activities. CC Madhya 2.71 : "Taking My words as defamation, Lord Kṛṣṇa has left Me. I know that He is gone, but kindly hear My prayers in praise: 'You are the satisfaction of My eyes. You are My wealth and My life. Alas, please give Me your audience once again.'" CC Madhya 2.72 : There were different transformations of the body of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu : being stunned, trembling, perspiring, fading away of color, weeping, and choking of the voice. In this way His whole body was pervaded by transcendental joy. As a result, sometimes Caitanya Mahāprabhu would laugh, sometimes cry, sometimes dance and sometimes sing. Sometimes He would get up and run here and there, and sometimes fall on the ground and lose consciousness. CC Madhya 2.73 : When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was thus unconscious, He happened to meet the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently He got up and immediately made a tumultuous sound, very loudly declaring, "Now Kṛṣṇa , the great personality, is present." In this way, because of Kṛṣṇa 's sweet qualities, Caitanya Mahāprabhu made different types of mistakes in His mind. Thus by reciting the following verse, He ascertained the presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa . CC Madhya 2.74 : In the attitude of Rādhārāṇī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu addressed the gopīs: "'My dear friends, where is that Kṛṣṇa , Cupid personified, who has the effulgence of a kadamba flower, who is sweetness itself, the nectar of My eyes and mind, He who loosens the hair of the gopīs, who is the supreme source of transcendental bliss and My life and soul? Has He come before My eyes again?'" CC Madhya 2.75 : Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then began to talk like this: "Is Cupid personified present with the effulgence and reflection of the kadamba tree? Is He the same person, personified sweetness, who is the pleasure of My eyes and mind, who is My life and soul? Has Kṛṣṇa actually come before My eyes ?" CC Madhya 2.76 : As the spiritual master chastises the disciple and teaches him the art of devotional service, so all the ecstatic symptoms of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu — including despondency, moroseness, humility, restlessness, joy, endurance and anger — instructed His body and mind. In this way, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed His time. And on, and on .....</blockquote>

That is it in a nutshell. Love hurts; that separation is unbearable. And finally we start to feel our reality. http://vedabase.net/cc/adi/4/108/en

All I could find, but it's not the verse: http://vedabase.net/sb/4/30/29/en

Who is he? ..... http://www.atmatattva.com/atdas.htm http://www.atmatattva.com/

We each have three things that are eternal: Krsna, our self, and our devotion to Krsna. Hold onto any one of them at death or in traumatic situations and the others will be there. This enforced detachment has clearly been a boon for you, zara. Seeing it all in this perspective has shown your growing maturity and advancement on the path. No doubt Sri Krsna is pleased with the result. Falling in love takes time. You have time.

This poster reminded me of the late Jaya Radhe dasi who would at times post just to see our reaction to fictional scenarios.

What passes for logic in that camp speaks volumes about their conclusions. It is like being bewildered by the old childhood joke: <B><center>The more you study, the more you know. The more you know, the more you can forget. The more you can forget, the more you do forget. The more you do forget, the less you know. The less you know, the dumber you are. So, why study? </center></b> And when some rational person points out the clear flaws in their logic, the oversights are quickly swept under the carpet, and we proceed to operate under sheer emotion. Is this the quality of sincerity required to attract the heart of Sri Krsna? I guess the truth is: it doesn't matter what they 'think', for it was all simply pretense from start to finish.