Dwayne

<form method="get" action="knowledge_searchm.php" name="form_search"> <input name="action" value="search" type="hidden"> <input value="1" name="x" type="hidden"> <input value="admin" name="l" type="hidden"> <input value="1" name="deptid" type="hidden"> <input value="0<:>0" name="category" type="hidden"></form><form method="get" action="knowledge_searchm.php" name="form">From Krishna.com. We often get these sorts of questions and the answer generally given is "Well, He's God, therefore He can be any color He wants to be." But this isn't so satisfying. With the same logic, the question "Why does Krishna descend to the material world?" could be answered "Well, He's God, therefore He can go anywhere He wants to go." I doubt that answer is going to take us back to Godhead since Krishna gives us the promise that one who understands His appearance and activities will never take birth again. (Bhagavad-gita 4.9) So my question also implies that since Krishna has a personality, wouldn't it be sensible for Him to have a reason for choosing to be a certain color? Maybe it is His favorite color. In other words, can we expect every single action of Krishna's to have some logic or reason, even if it is something silly or extraordinary according to His personality. Does Krishna ever do something without any real reason? The most satisfying answer I have found for this question is that the color of Krishna's body (krishna) is the color of madhurya rasa, the color of pure love. So can you confirm this and also perhaps elaborate if we have such information. *End of Question* Answer: Krishna is unlimited and His actions are indeed unfathomable by our limited intelligence. The limited living entity can never FULLY understand the unlimited, but we can understand to the extent He reveals Himself and empowers us to understand. Whatever we do know, we can know through the medium of revealed scriptures and saintly persons. As Krishna recommends in Bhagavad-gita 4.9 (http://vedabase.net/bg/4/9/en), it is important for us to understand the divine nature of His appearance and activities, but the process of such understanding is not through our mental exertion, but by hearing in Disciplic succession. (Bhagavad-gita 4.2 & 4.34 http://vedabase.net/bg/4/2/en, http://vedabase.net/bg/4/34/en ) Such hearing, with an attitude of submission, service and great faith, will enable us to actually understand (tattvatah) and thus go back to Godhead; theoretical or intellectual understanding will not. In the case of why Krishna descends to the material world, He does state some specific reasons (Bhagavad-gita 4.8 http://vedabase.net/bg/4/8/en) and there are further elaborate discussions on this topic (for instance see prayers by Queen Kunti, Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.30-35 http://vedabase.net/sb/1/8/) It is certainly important for us to be eager to get an insight into these reasons but equally important is the understanding that ultimately He is not bound by any of these reasons. As revealed in Prahlad's prayers and other places, the Lord actually appears for His own pleasure and to please His devotees. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.13 http://vedabase.net/sb/7/9/13/en) Even great mahajans like Bhismadeva admit that no one can fully understand Krishna's plans. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.9.16 http://vedabase.net/sb/1/9/16/en) Likewise, great devotees like Krishnadas Kaviraj Gosvami repeatedly state the impossibility of penetrating into the meaning of Lord Caitanya's pastimes. This is to say that we may not expect to be able to understand the logic and reason behind everyone of the Lord's actions; trying to do so would be presumptuous and also unnecessary. Devotees are happy to appreciate the fact that their Lord is completely independent & merciful, and simultaneously eager to understand the confidential reasons behind His actions as much as guru, sadhu and sastra reveal to them, which they fully accept without further doubts. As for the reason behind Krishna's having a bluish complexion, here is a very beautiful explanation given in Krishna Bhakti Ratna Prakasa by Raghava Gosvami wherein it is said: atha kaiscid uktam. yadi sva-prakaso lila-rasa-mayah paramatma-svarupas tasmin katham syama-varnatvam sarvatra prasiddham. yatha srutau rupam na vedyam na ca bindunadah ity adi. tad aha syamabhatvam vidhatte yat sarva-varno 'tra liyate nityam ca prabhavaty eva kalo 'smin naiva vidyate Translation: At this point some may ask: Why is it that the form of the Personality of Godhead, which He manifests only by His own wish, and which is made of the sweetness of transcendental pastimes, is famous everywhere for its dark complexion?" Part of the answer to this question may be found in the statement of the Sruti-sastra: "No one can understand even a drop of the Lord's transcendental form." Aside from this it is also said: "He eternally manifests the color syama, within which all colors rest. His complexion is not the material color black." _ Thus from the last verse we see it says "sarva-varno" which means that the colour syama is a special color, which is like a composite of all colours. And we notice that if we combine all colours we get a colour which is blackish, but not black. </form>

The GBC don't make empowered gurus. The point the GBC is involved is to make sure that the devotees who want to become Guru are qualified, and are not going to mislead disciples. This is important for keeping stability in the Krishna Consciousness movement and Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON.

Err, Buddha is mentioned as am avatar in Srimad Bhagavatam, which predates his appearence?

Probably because he wouldn't have been able to fufill his pasttime as a devotee if everyone had read previously that he's god..

If anyone says that, ask where in Srila Prabhupada's writings it says that. When they can't answer, tell them to either back it up, or not say anything at all about your Daughter. It would be pretty insane if they said that though. But don't be upset if they suggest you bring your daughter along sometime, because after all, Krishna is so attractive and why would anyone hold out

"What do you need for an altar? The essentials are as follows: 1. Pictures of Srila Prabhupada and of the guru whom you plan to take initiation, if you have chosen one. 2. A picture of Lord Chaitanya and His associates. 3. A picture of Sri-Sri Radha Krishna." These are the essentials. I have copied this out of a small book called "Krishna Consciousness at Home" by Mahatma das. You can purchase this book from here if you desire - http://www.thekrishnastore.com/Detail.bok?no=373&bar= Here is a guide on what Tilak is about and how to apply it here.... http://www.harekrishnatemple.com/bhakta/chapter6.html Hope that helps... You won't need to be wearing Tilak to the temple though (when you go for the first time )

Are you chanting for benediction or for Krishna?

Yes, cheese is fine. But! Check to see if it includes rennet. Most rennet is made from animals, you'll want to be taking planet rennet or natural rennet. If it just says rennet, it's probably from animals. In New Zealand, almost all cheese is animal rennet, and they have specific vegerterian cheese which the devotees here buy.

I'm just repeating Srila Prabhupada and Srila Rupa Goswami's advice. I apoligise if i've made an offense.

No. But the point he's not all-attractive shows that he's not god.

God is all-attractive? Is Sai Baba all-attractive?

First you say it's stupid to give up association with Karmi's. Then you say that one shouldn't hang out with Karmi's. Then you justify it to make it ok. However you'll find that the justification isn't in the sastra. Srila Prabhupada recommends giving up the association of Karmi's, and taking the association of the devotees instead. Why not hang out with the devotees instead and talk Krishna Katha? Srila Rupa Goswami explains in the first text of Nectar of Instruction that one should control the urge to speak. The six vagas outlined here are the prerequities for controlling the mind and senses, so that one can make advancement in Krishna Consciousness. To be honest, you are correct - these people can make some small amount of advancement from your association. However, their association could cause problems for your Krishna Consciousness. So unless your making devotees, I would give them some Mahaprasadam and move on...

Krishna accepts food made with love and devotion. It's not like he's hungry, he only wants the devotion. So when you offer food that has no devotion, do you really think he'll want it? I wouldn't be praying he'd take it, I'd be praying he would protect me from the reaction I'd get for eating food full of Karmi consciousness..

That's correct. IMO when Christ says he's the son of god, it's in the same way that we are all son's of god..

That's right, he's an avatar of himself, coming as himself personally (rather than an incarnation from the purusa).

Different levels of consciousness. Not everyone is ready for Krishna just yet. But some people are, and they just don't know it - this is why book distribution is so important. For people who are ready, by meeting a devotee they can be pulled out of the tide of the modes and come to Krishna Consciousness. For those who aren't, just meeting a devotee and seeing and hearing about Krishna from a simple exchange can change there futures lives dramatically. Bhagavad-gita 7:3 - "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection"

http://vedabase.net/sb/1/3/23/en As to what other sampradaya think, I have no idea, I don't really see the relevance to us and our devotional service...

Maya is supposed to be attractive to the jiva. Krishna Consciousness is the higher taste though - Bhagavad-gita As It Is : 2.59 "The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness."

The only free will you have is to be with Krishna, or not to be with Krishna, weather to be under Yogamaya, or Mahamaya.

Different people, different standards. If you don't eat chocolate, just don't eat chocolate, don't get tempted because you see someone who is not following at the same level as you is eating chocolate. It's made by karmi's anyway. "A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world." NOI Text 1. These are simply the prerequisites for Krishna Consciousness. Controlling the urges of the tounge is very important, simply engage it in Krishna Prasadam instead, and feel satisfied!

There is a lot of different ideas going around about who Jesus the Christ was, for example : http://omjesus.net/ My personal understanding is that Jesus was a normal jiva, empowered by Krishna to preach. Jesus during his 'lost years' went to India (there is many books about this) and learnt vaisnavism. When he did return, he teached love of God, according to time, place, and circumstance. He is the spiritual master for the Christian faith, and only through him can they achieve liberation. However, due to the lack of parmpara, the teachings of Jesus have sadly mostly been lost in the Christian faith. The Bible is now for "personal intepretation", which is wrong imo.

It's not really strange that there are corrupt versions out there actually, if you consider there is over 500 versions of the Bhagavad-gita in English, and some of those are impersonalist. http://www.thekrishnastore.com/Detail.bok?no=3670&bar= I suggest ordering this book.

Why not go tell your local temple leader all the problems and fix the movement if you're always right? Rather than you know, complaining on the internet.

Krishna will not reveal himself to someone who still has material desires such as satisifying the tounge. You can talk all you like about Srila Prabhupada, but he is totally against meat eating and wouldn't agree with your practice. Practice what you preach and people will take you seriously, otherwise you are just cheating the people. Who follows a corrupt leader?

I don't think that random people would write books about a single encounter when already such great books were in production..