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Murali, I am duplicating an old post of mine in reply to you. Could you look up the reference Bhaktivinoda presents in his Tattva-sutra from sruti-sastra, as well as the Sanskrit for the vedanta-sutra reference? <hr> In reply to: -- in the commentary to this verse (Gaudiya Math edition of 1979), a verse of the Brahma Sutra is quoted in this connection, in which it is stated: Every object is endowed with two components, its intrinsic form (swarup) and its characteristic nature (pravriti). The form of the jivatma is knowledge (jnana) and its nature or inclination is love (anuraga). <hr> I find the following entries in my translation of the same: "In the Sruti-sastra it is said: "Eternity, knowledge and bliss are part of the soul's nature." In the Vedanta-sutra (4.1.3) it is said: "The wise know and teach the science of the soul." Could you provide the original Sanskrit from your edition to the reference from sruti-sastra? I would be interested. I wonder why there's no exact reference there, just a generic "sruti-sastra". Vedanta Sutra 4.1.3 reads as follows: Atmeti tUpagacchanti grAhayanti ca I cannot make the text you present out of this sutra no matter how much I try. Could you confirm if it is actually 4.1.3? Also the word "anurAga" does not appear anywhere in the Vedanta-sutra.

Found the following text at HoaxInfo: http://hoaxinfo.com/cokeacid.htm . <hr> Coke: A Toxic Substance? First Published October, 2000 There are two separate e-mail messages that have been merged into one. The first is about the need to drink water and the second is the dangers of Coke. To deal with the Coke contention I must say that it is a little hard to swallow all the enumerated "facts" tossed at you in this one. The e-mail states that many Highway Patrol cars carry Coke to "wash the blood off the highway". I couldn't find one shred of evidence that any Highway Patrol anywhere uses Coke for this purpose. If this works at all is probably due to the carbonation of the drink (in essence, it has scrubby bubbles). Club Soda would be a cheaper and better choice since it doesn't have a high sugar content. Ditto for Coke as laundry cleaner. Although any carbonated beverage can help remove tarnish (oxidation) including rust. That is because carbon dioxide when under pressure becomes soluble in water and the process produces carbonic acid. Carbonic acid aids in "reduction" which is the opposite of oxidation. Essentially, it reverses the oxidation reaction. Phosphoric acid can aid in this chemical reaction too, and is why Coke can be used for this purpose. However, I might add that Coke is not that good at removing corrosion from battery terminals as that corrosion is acidic and baking soda and water (a base) works far better. Perhaps we need a baking soda e-mail warning. If you drop a nail in Coke for four days as the e-mail says, trust me on this, you'll still have a (very sticky) nail after 4 days. Concentrated phosphoric acid may be able to dissolve a nail in that amount of time, but Coke has too little phosphoric acid to do that in four days. Ditto, a T-Bone steak which will be soggy, and possibly tenderized, but not dissolved. Nor could I find evidence that Coke drivers use Coke to "clean their engines over the last 20 years". Ask yourself, why would you want to put any fluid that has a high sugar content on your engine. Once the fluid evaporates all you'll have is a sticky residue that burns and creates carbon on the engine surface. There is little doubt Coke is acidic. I won't even argue the PH value given in the e-mail. But since a lemon has a PH of 2.2 and Coke has a PH of around 2.5 to 3.0 most lemons are even more acidic than Coke. Even grapes are highly acidic, but does that mean they are highly dangerous for human consumption. I might add that compared to stomach acid which a PH of about 1.4, and contains hydrochloric acid, Coke is definitely a weaker acid than what is in our stomach on a daily basis. Further, the carbon dioxide in Coke reacts with stomach acid to actually reduce it, so it might explain how carbonated beverages can help your stomach feel more settled. Citrus Cleaners have been touted for years as some of the best all-purpose cleaners. Does that mean that we should not eat another orange, lemon, or grapefruit because the citric acid can be used to clean our toilet bowl? Number 7 below has me the most puzzled. If you were trying to warn off all users of Coke because it does all these bad things, then why would you put a Coke recipe in for making a great gravy for ham? Perhaps you can take the aluminum foil you wrapped the ham in and clean your trailer hitch. What do you think? This is just a scare mail message that needs to go away. Do your part: Delete it. <hr> COKE No wonder coke tastes soooo good: 1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident. 2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days. 3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and.....Let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china. 4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with crumpled-up Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola. 5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals. Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion. 6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes. 7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, Remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy. 8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, And run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield. FYI: 1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its Ph is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. 2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for Highly corrosive materials. 3. The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years Still Want To Drink Up????????? <hr> Resources: Corporate Chemist responds to the reduction ability of Coke Faculty Member from Clemson takes on the issue of Coke in the stomach <hr>

Prabodhananda was an associate of Sri Caitanya, lived in the 1500's. He was Don't think life was all pure and sinless back then. If you read the verses above, it is plain obvious. <font color="darkblue">17.46. Even if they speak many intolerable insults, even if they kidnap my wife, even if they kill my dear children and relatives, even if they plunder my wealth, and even if they take my own life, the residents of Vrndavan will remain always dear to me. I will worship them always. 17.47. He who always torments others, is attached to others wives, harms everyone in many ways, acts sinfully, is blinded by greed and a host of vices, and stays in Vrndavana, is a glorious rising sun. O brother, do not become an owl blind to the sunlight and find faults in him.</font color> Then he says: <font color="darkblue">If you cannot see in this way, then hear the truth from the mouth of a bona-fide spiritual master, and always reflect on what he has taught you. Reside in Vrndavana, and one day the reactions to your past deeds will come to an end, and you will also taste the nectar of pure transcendental love.</font color> Sinful people will always be everywhere. However, if they go to Vrindavan, it is glorious and there they will be purified and become perfected. Whatever evil deeds they may do, that is an issue between them and Vrindavan, between them and Sri Radha and Krishna. Perhaps also between them and the local police officers. Of course, if you wish, you can go to Vrindavan and see faults everywhere. In this way your visit to the holy dham is spoiled, as you will be absorbed in mundane thoughts. In this way you will never attain siddhi. Rather try to see the merit in everyone, the good in everyone.

Bhagavad Gita 7.19 defines: <font color="darkblue">"After many births, one who has knowledge surrenders unto Me, understanding that Vasudeva is everything. Such a mahatma (great soul) is rarely seen."</font color> As far as I can recall, Gandhiji was very fond of the Gita and a very religious man. He chanted the mantra "Om sri rama jaya rama jaya jaya rama" throughout his life, for a total of 60 years. When he was shot dead in 1948, he fell to the ground chanting the names of Rama. On mahatmas, on one hand, Prabhupad says: <font color="darkred">"The Lord says that all are magnanimous because anyone who comes to the Lord for any purpose is called a mahatma, or great soul." (Bg 7.18, pp.)</font color> On the other hand: <font color="darkred">"The mahatma cannot be manufactured by rubber-stamping an ordinary man. His symptoms are described here: a mahatma is always engaged in chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. He has no other business. He is always engaged in the glorification of the Lord. In other words, he is not an impersonalist. ... One who is attached to the impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord, the brahmajyoti, is not described as mahatma in the Bhagavad-gita." (Bg 9.14, pp.)</font color> Again, below is prabhupad's rather elaborate translation of the famous "mahat sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh" stanza of the Bhagavata (5.5.2): <font color="darkred">"One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities. These personalities are impersonalists and devotees. Whether one wants to merge into the Lord's existence or wants to associate with the Personality of Godhead, one should render service to the mahatmas."</font color> The last quote is, in fact, a very surprising statement from Prabhupad, as otherwise we can find rather consistent critique of the impersonalists. I wonder what prompted him to write this, as the comments he makes don't t even appear in the translation itself. Keep in mind, the passage above is only a translation of the five words "mahat sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh". In the purport, he repeats the point: <font color="darkred">"There are two types of mahatmas -- the impersonalist and the devotee. Although their ultimate goal is different, the process of emancipation is almost the same. Both want eternal happiness. One seeks happiness in impersonal Brahman, and the other seeks happiness in the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As described in the first verse: brahma-saukhyam. Brahman means spiritual or eternal; both the impersonalist and the devotee seek eternal blissful life."</font color>

Here are some verses from Prabodhananda Sarasvati's Vrindavana Mahimamrita. I'll type in the Sanskrit over the weekend and refine the translations where required. One who goes to Vrindavana to find fault in its residents will never attain siddhi, regardless of whether his observations are objectively speaking valid or not. The attitude is wrong. <hr> <font color="darkblue">1.13 If someone relates to me the faults of one of the moving or non-moving residents of Vrndavana, then how is his action different from cutting me with hundreds of sharpened swords, arrows and other weapons? The residents of Vrndavana are all as dear to the Personality of Godhead as His own life. If one is a little bit inimical to even a blade of grass in Vrndavana, then who will be able to rescue him from the horrible hell that awaits him? When will that rescue occur? 2.53 Neither hearing nor believing the account of the faults or virtues of all other living entities, considering all the residents of Vrndavana to be his superiors and bowing down like a stick to offer respect to them, free from all pride, completely penniless, and always shedding blissful tears of love for Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, a certain saintly devotee resides in the forest of Vrndavana. 2.71 Even if the residents of Vrndavana are violent hoodlums in disguise, or thieves who plunder one's money and wife, still, they who are learned and saintly do not see any fault in them. 3.51 When our mind spontaneously runs to the limitless nectar of Lord Krsna, then the supremely purifying realm of Vrndavana appears on this earth. However, if, with body, mind or words, we offend the moving and stationary residents of Vrndavana, we will not have the intelligene to see the truth. 4.53 O dearmost, supremely blissful Vrndavana, If I could see the splendour of your moving and non-moving residents with millions of transcendental eyes, if I could smell your sweet fragrance with millions of nostrils, if I could hear about your noble virtues with millions of ears, if I could wander through you with millions of feet, and if I could bow down to offer respects to you with many millions of heads and hands, I would still not be satisfied. 4.54 Vrndavana is the most exalted transcendental abode. If my ears hear about the faults of Vrndavana, I shall pierce my ears with a dagger. If my tongue speaks about these faults I shall happily cut out my tongue. If my eyes see them I shall put out my eyes. If my mind believes the account of Vrndavana's faults I shall give up my life. If my ears and other senses thus become like untouchable outcastes, I shall stay far away from them. 4.62 One who harms the residents of Vrndavana will suffer for a long time in hell. Because I can see this truth, I pray that I may always be devoted to the residents of Vrndavana. 4.63 The thieves who live in Vrndavana are cintamani jewels granting all the most exalted goals in life. Laksmi, Siva, and all the demigods aspire to touch them. 7.52 A self-realised soul always tastes the nectar of pure love for Lord Krsna. In his heart he sees the spiritual forms of all the moving and non-moving residents of Vrndavana, and he also sees his own original spiritual form. If you cannot see in this way, then hear the truth from the mouth of a bona-fide spiritual master, and always reflect on what he has taught you. Reside in Vrndavana, and one day the reactions to your past deeds will come to an end, and you will also taste the nectar of pure transcendental love. 12.76 I, who aspire to live in Sri Vrndavana, pray that my ears become deaf to hearing the faults of the residents of Vrndavana, my tongue dumb to speaking about them, and my intelligence blunt in thinking of them. 17.45. They who relish blaspheming Vrndavana's residents, they who will not glorify Vrndavan, and the fools who somehow think Vrndavana like other places, cannot attain eternal, blissful spiritual forms in Vrndavana. I pray that even in dreams I may never come near those sinful people, the lowest of men. 17.46. Even if they speak many intolerable insults, even if they kidnap my wife, even if they kill my dear children and relatives, even if they plunder my wealth, and even if they take my own life, the residents of Vrndavan will remain always dear to me. I will worship them always. 17.47. He who always torments others, is attached to others wives, harms everyone in many ways, acts sinfully, is blinded by greed and a host of vices, and stays in Vrndavana, is a glorious rising sun. O brother, do not become an owl blind to the sunlight and find faults in him.</font color>

Out of curiosity I checked how A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami comments on the topic of sat-cit-ananda in his purports on CC Adi-lila 4th chapter. I assume he draws the contents mainly from Bhaktivinoda's Amrita Pravaha Bhasya and Bhaktisiddhanta's Anubhasya here, as is done throughout his purports. Some excerpts of interest follow. <hr> <font color="darkred">"Each of the three divisions of the internal potency -- the sandhini, samvit and hladini energies -- influences one of the external potencies by which the conditioned souls are conducted. Such influence manifests the three qualitative modes of material nature, proving definitely that the living entities, the marginal potency, are eternally servitors of the Lord and are therefore controlled by either the internal or the external potency." CC. Adi 4.62, purport "Aside from the parents of the Personality of Godhead, all the other paraphernalia of His existence are also essentially a manifestation of sandhini-sakti, or a transformation of visuddha-sattva. To make this more clear, it may be said that this sandhini-sakti of the internal potency maintains and manifests all the variegatedness of the spiritual world. In the kingdom of God, the Lord?s servants and maidservants, His consorts, His father and mother and everything else are all transformations of the spiritual existence of sandhini-sakti. The existential sandhini-sakti in the external potency similarly expands all the variegatedness of the material cosmos, from which we can have a glimpse of the spiritual field." CC. Adi 4.65, purport "The activities of the samvit-sakti produce the effect of cognition. Both the Lord and the living entities are cognizant. Sri Krsna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has full knowledge of everything everywhere, and therefore there are no hindrances to His cognition. He can have knowledge merely by glancing over an object, whereas innumerable impediments block the cognition of ordinary living beings. The cognition of the living beings has three divisions: direct knowledge, indirect knowledge and perverted knowledge. Sense perception of material objects by the mundane senses, such as the eye, ear, nose and hand, always produces definitely perverted knowledge. This illusion is a presentation of the material energy, which is influenced by the samvit-sakti in a perverted manner. Negative cognition of an object beyond the reach of sense perception is the way of indirect knowledge, which is not altogether imperfect but which produces only fragmentary knowledge in the form of impersonal spiritual realization and monism. But when the samvit factor of cognition is enlightened by the hladini potency of the same internal energy, they work together, and only thus can one attain knowledge of the Personality of Godhead. The samvit-sakti should be maintained in that state. Material knowledge and indirect spiritual knowledge are by-products of the samvit-sakti." CC. Adi 4.67, purport "The product of the hladini-sakti is love of Godhead, which has two divisions -- namely, pure love of Godhead and adulterated love of Godhead. Only when the hladini-sakti emanates from Sri Krsna and is bestowed upon the living being to attract Him does the living being become a pure lover of God. But when the same hladini-sakti is adulterated by the external, material energy and emanates from the living being, it does not attract Krsna; on the contrary, the living being becomes attracted by the glamor of the material energy. At that time instead of becoming mad with love of Godhead, the living being becomes mad after material sense enjoyment, and because of his association with the qualitative modes of material nature, he is captivated by its interactions of distressful, unhappy feelings." CC. Adi 4.68, purport</font color> <hr>

I am quoting from what I wrote: <font color="darkblue">Sri Jiva further describes the function of samvit in Bhagavat Sandarbha (117) as being the energy of both knowledge and ignorance (saMvid eva jJAnAjJAna-zaktiH). This indicates that there is a need for a dual interpretation of the concept, one in the context of sac-cid-ananda that functions under the direct shelter of the inner potency of the Lord, and another in the context of existence in the material world. This dual interpretation is supported by Jiva (BS 117): atra kramAd utkarSeNa sandhinI-saMvid-dhlAdinyA jJeyAH | tatra ca sati ghaTAnAM ghaTatvam iva sarveSAM satAM vastUnAM pratIter nimittam iti kvacit sattA-svarUpatvena AmnAto'py asau bhagavAn sad eva saumyedam agra AsId ity atra sad-rUpatvena vyApadizyamAnA mayA sattAM dadhAti dhArayati ca sA sarva-deza-kAla-dravyAdi-prAptikarI sandhinI | tathA saMvid-rUpo?pi yayA saMvetti saMvedayati ca sA saMvit | tathA hlAda-rUpo?pi yayA saMvid utkaTa-rUpayA taM hlAdaM saMvetti saMvedayati ca sA hlAdinIti vivecanIyam | "Thus in a sequence of superiority sandhini, samvid and hladini are understood. As all pots are made by a pot maker, similarly whatever exists is the outcome of a cause. In the scriptures (Chan. Up. 6.2.1) it is said that Bhagavan exists on account of His own nature: 'O gentle Sir, in the beginning only He existed.' His destroying and creating, bestowing and preserving existence at all places, all times and all circumstances, is caused by sandhini. Through samvit, He knows and causes others to know. Through hladini, the foremost of all, He rejoices and causes joy, thus it is considered." Thus it can be understood that certainly the aspects of existence, awareness and joy exist in all living entities, in as much as the living entities exist, are aware of anything or experience any feelings. However, the question that demands our attention is whether the faculties of sat, cit and ananda, which were outlined by Krishna Das earlier on (CC 1.4.64-65, 60) in the context of that which is under the auspices antaranga-sakti, exist inherently in the jiva who resides in the material world. It is clear that the sandhini-aspect of the eternal associates of the Lord exists as their spiritual form, the samvit-aspect exists as their cognizance of a particular relationship with the Lord, and the hladini-aspect exists as their jubilant emotions for the Lord. Do these qualities exist inherently in the baddha-jiva?</font color> If the jivatma unites with a certain form of svarupa-sakti, how can there remain a difference between the body and soul of the mukta at that time?

Here's a project by a friend. Instant Sadhu. www.freeheart.inrena.org

I wonder if either of you (Muralidhar & Audarya) read the essay I drafted together. I propose a dual solution through examining sat, cit and ananda from two perspectives, namely their influence under svarupa-shakti and in this world.

Ananta Samhita is mentioned in other texts as well, such as Advaita Prakasa. Sridhar Maharaja probably means to say Sattvata-samhita, as that is the text to which the quote is attributed in the Gaudiya Kanthahara, along with Muktikopanisad. However, I cannot locate any such text in the Muktikopanisad. Does anyone have any notes on Sattvata-samhita? tIrthAzramavanAraNya-giri-parvata-sAgarAH sarasvatI bhAratI ca purI nAmAni vai daza gabhastinemir vArAhaH kSamit-tRparamArthinau turyAzramI nirIhaz ca tridaNDI-viSNu daivataH bhikSur-yAyAvaro viSTho nyAsI-rAbhasiko muniH viSThalalo mahAvIro mahattaro yathAgataH naiskarmya-paramAdvaitI zuddhAdvaitI jitendriyaH tapasvI yAcako nagno raddhantI zuddhAdvaitI bhajanonmukhaH sannyAsI maskarI klAnto niragnir-nArasiMhakaH auDalomi-mahAyogi-zruvAk bhavapAragaH zramaNo'vahUtaH zAntas yathArho daNDi-kezavau nyastaparIgraho bhakti-sAro'kSrI janArdanaH urdhva manthi-tyakta-gRhAv-urdhvareto yatoSTha-dhRk viraktodAsInau tyAgI siddhAntI zrIdharaH zikhI bodhAyano trivikramo govindo madhusUdanaH vaikhAnaso yathAsvo vai vAmano paramahaMasakaH nArAyaNa-hRSIkesI parivrAjaka-maGgalau mAdhavo padmanAbhaz cauDupako bhrAmI vaiSNavaH viSNu-dAmodarau svAmI gosvAmI paramogavaH bhAgavato hyakiJcanaH santo niskiJcano yatih kSapaNko 'viSaktazcordhva puNdro muNDi-sajjanay nirviSayI harerjano zrautI sAdhu bRhad-vratI sthaviras-tat-paro paryaTakAcAryau svatantradhIH kathyante yatinAmAni prathitAni mahItale aSTottara-zatAni tu vaidikakhyAni tAni hi

Ramananda Samvada. Not only those verses, the entire eight chapter. Suryaz, you should register, then you can edit all those typos you make.

Obviously he wasn't given the original, old manuscript. brahma-saMhitA, karNAmRta, dui puGthi pAJA dui pustaka laJA AilA uttama jAniJA "Brahma Samhita, Karnamrita, two books He acquired, and returned with them, knowing them to be excellent." (CC 1.1.120) bahu yatne sei puGthi nila lekhAiyA "With great care, He had that book copied." (CC 2.9.241) Probably some scribe at the temple copied it for Him. He wasn't traveling around with scribes, only Balabhadra was traveling with Him at this time.

LPT says it was written by Krishnadas Junior. It is rather certain that such a book does exist, but this in itself does not make the claim into a fact.

Where did you get "Sangita Nataka" from? Ramananda Raya wrote "Jagannatha Vallabha Natakam", Prabodhananda wrote "Sangita Madhava". I think you are mixing them up.

Verse 36 of Brahma Samhita: <font color="darkblue">yad-bhAva-bhAvita-dhiyo manujAs tathaiva samprApya rUpa-mahimAsana-yAna-bhUSAH sUktair yam eva nigama-prathitaiH stuvanti govindam Adi-puruSaM tam ahaM bhajAmi "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is praised with the hymns of the Vedas, to whom the hearts of people are filled with emotion, and who thus certainly attain the greatness of the form, seat, carriage and ornament."</font color> The word being used is "samprApya", "to completely reach", "to completely obtain". Sri Jiva comments: <font color="darkblue">atha tasya sAdhaka-cayeSv api bhakteSu vadAnyatvaM vadann ity eSu kaimutyam Aha yad-bhAveti | yathA samAna-guNa-zIla-vayo-vilAsa-vezaiz cety Agama-rItyA nitya-tat-saGginAM tat sAmyaM | "How munificent is the Lord towards His practicing devotees (sadhakas)? This is being explained. The scriptures tell how they attain similar form, qualities, habits, age, pastimes and clothes as His eternal associates."</font color> This verse hardly yields support to the interpretation of the latent form of the soul becoming manifest.

The verses you cited describe how the self is beyond matter, and how when one realizes this, he attains brahma-darshanam, in other words, he realizes the self as nondifferent from brahman. Very much akin to the passage I quoted from Brihad Aranyaka above. I fail to see how either of them are relevant to the point being discussed.

Can you cite some relevant references, please? I'd love to look them up.

Brihad Aranyaka, second Adhyaya, fourth Brahmana has only five verses. I read through the entire fourth Adhyaya, but could not find a verse relevant to the discussion at hand. Could you refer me to something more specific please? The fourth adhyaya (4.2.4.) had a classical "neti neti" presentation, which was interesting to note. <font color="darkblue">sa eSa neti netyAtmAgRhyo na hi gRhyate 'zIryo na hi zIryate 'saGgo na hi sajyate 'sito na vyathate na riSyaty. "He (Atman) can only be described by No, no! He is incomprehensible, for he cannot be comprehended; he is undecaying, for he cannot decay; he is not attached, for he does not attach himself; he is unbound, he does not suffer, he does not perish."</font color> The theme in many Upanishads is the introduction of the all-pervasiveness of Brahman through statements such as "The sun, it is only that, Brahman. The earth, it is only that, Brahman." If we wish to cite verses from such passages, we must also then conclude that jada-prakriti is sat-cit-ananda.

Here are some interesting references from Bhaktisiddhanta's Vivriti-commentary on Sri Siksastakam in regards to Brahman being Sat Cit Ananda. <font color="darkred">"Learned scholars of the absolute truth have described the supreme non-dual substance known as advaya-jnana-vastu in three different stages. When that non-dual substance is realised exclusively by knowledge, or in others words through the function of the cit potency, it is referred to as Brahman. When realised through the combined functions of the sat and cit potencies, it is referred to as Paramatma, and when realised through the functions of all potencies sat, cit, and ananda, that supreme truth is referred to as Bhagavan."</font color> Can you cite some references about the jiva's being a particile of Brahman? Gita says "mamaivamsa jiva-loke...", Mahaprabhu says they are of tatastha-sakti.

Everyone in this world must act, and action brings about bondage, unless done in a spirit of detachment. Everyone is forced to act. Sleeping, eating, recreation and so forth should all be done in a balanced way with a view to keep the body, mind and soul conveniently together in pursuing the higher aims of life. It is a good idea to try to focus on the positive aspects of spiritual life. One who seeks good will not be overcome by evil.

Can you cite some, please?

Thanks Mayur! Please convey greetings from Madhava.

It is him. As far as I am aware of, the account presented by Lalita Prasad Thakur about him in the letter you cited is not accurate.

Though I agree that the letter cited from Lalita Prasad Thakura is surprising, I don't think Prabhupad was practically speaking any less in presenting himself as a pure devotee and so forth. "Yes, whoever you tell the chant to, it is effective. You have heard it from me and my disciples, similarly I have heard it from my Guru Maharaja, and so on, and on. Because you have heard it from a pure devotee of the Lord, therefore it is transmitted from you to another." ============ REF. Letter to: Andrea Temple -- Los Angeles 6 March, 1968

What I found intriquing in their presentation is that while they speak much of how all the religions of the world are founded by prophets trained by the Elohim (the extraterrestials), while they frequently mention Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, one finds no mention of Hinduism anywhere. http://www.rael.org http://www.rael.org/int/english/philosophy/keys/body_keys3.html http://www.rael.org/int/english/philosophy/messages/body_messages4.html They do quote Gandhi on occasion, but beyond this, no mention of the Hindu tradition. What a peculiar observation.