Shakti-Fan

ANOTHER 'PRESENT' <table align="center" border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

THE ETERNAL 'PRESENT' for CHRISTMAS AND HANUKA <table align="center" border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was extremely uncoventional and controversial. It's clear that he was using a different definition of nitya siddha, same word with a different meaning.

North Shore Oahu, Hawaii, December 30, 2000 Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja: If one has realized this fact, that by these activities that I am doing, we cannot be happy, never. So to know how I can be happy, really, in this world and after this world, then he should go to very high-class of devotee, that is realized, knowing all the purports of the sastra. Gita, Bhagavatam and so on. And really observing himself, following all what has been told. So he should be expert in all the siddhanta of the Vedas, Upanisads, Bhagavatam. And secondly, he should have some realization of Krishna. If anyone is expert in all sastra, but has no realization of Krishna , he is not guru. After some time he may fall down. And if anyone, not knowing even so much sastra, but has realization of Krishna, really he is guru. But one thing more, he will be detached from worldly desires and attachments, he must be. If the guru is not detached from worldly things, he has no experience, he has not realized anything about Krishna, and he does not know all the Vedic siddhanta, really he is not guru. By his association, you cannot advance and have all these things. So guru should be like this. Fortunately, if you have a guru like this, detached from worldly matters, totally, always chanting and remembering in the line of Rupa Gosvami or Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And he knows all kinds of siddhanta, expert in all these things, what Krishna-tattva is, maya-tattva is, rasa-tattva is, bhakti-tattva, jiva-tattva, everything, he is expert. Only he can help you! Otherwise not. Anyhow if you don't have a guru, you are not initiated by such a guru, you are initiated by family guru or a guru who is not expert in vedas, no realization, not detached from worldly things and you are initiated by such a guru, but now you are realizing he cannot help you. I should have the help of any realized soul, having all the qualities, always chanting, remembering, expert in all siddhanta. And especially he should be what? Detached from worldly things. I should go there and I should take his help. He must give help. Regardless if disciple or not, always ready to help and give support. Better take him as diksa guru or siksa guru, both are like the same.

Paramahamsa: Srila Prabhupada, I remember once I heard a tape where you told us that we should not try to read the books of the previous acaryas. Amogha: That we should not try to read Bhaktivinoda's books or earlier books of other acaryas. So I was just wondering... Prabhupada: I never said that. Amogha: You didn't say that? Oh. Prabhupada: How is that? Amogha: I thought you said that we should not read the previous acarya's books. Prabhupada: No, you should read. Amogha: We should. Prabhupada: It is a misunderstanding....we are following the previous acaryas. I never said that.

Here Premaprayojana Prabhu gives an overview of a part of Jaiva Dharma, by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur ----Read This and Faint!

Beggar and I are discussing a side issue, whether or not anything in existence can be omnipresent without also being omniscient. As far as the guru issue is concerned, no one has ever put forth the idea that guru is omnipresent but he's not omniscient. Because if you accept that everything is conscious, it is a simple logical deduction that the infinite is both omnipresent and omniscient. Those who believe that guru is not omniscient don't turn around and then assert that he is omnipresent. That would be like saying, "he's in the heart of all his followers, but doesn't know their inner desires." If that were true then there would be caitya guru and "unconscious guru".

O Lord Krishna, please accept this scented paste made of musk the powdered tree-roots. O Supreme Lord, please accept this fragrant flower so dear to all the demigods and grown from a blossoming tree. O Lord Krishna, please accept this offering of ripe fruits, sugar-candy, svastika candy and other candies. O Lord Krishna, please accept this laddu, modaka, ghee, milk, molasses, honey, fresh yoghurt, and buttermilk. O Lord Krishna, please accept these betel nuts mixed with camphor and other things, which I offer to You with devotion. O Supreme Lord, please accept this beautiful avir powder made with sandal, aguru, musk and kunkum. O Lord Krishna, please accept this incense made by cooking the nectars of many trees, incense very dear to all the demigods. O Lord Krishna, please accept this splendid and auspicious lamp that destroys the terrible blinding darkness. O Lord Krishna, please accept this pure drinking-water scented with camphor and other fragrances, water that is the life of all living entities. O Lord Krishna, as an ornament for Your transcendental body please accept this garland of many flowers on a fine thread. O Supreme Lord, please accept these fruits, which are the seeds of trees, and which make one’s dynasty prosper. In this way, at that place, one should offer many appropriate things to Lord Krishna. The person following this vow should then devotedly worship the many deities there and then offer them all three palmfuls of flowers. 45 In this way one should worship Sunanda, Nanda, Kumuda, the gopas, the gopis, Sri Radha, Ganesha, Karttikeya, Brahma, Shiva, Parvati, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, the dik-palas, the planets, Sesa, Sudarsana, the liberated associates of the Lord, and all the demigods, and one should offer obeisances to them, falling to the ground like a stick. Then one should offer food and dakshina to the brahmanas. Then the person following this Janmastami vow should hear the chapter of scripture describing Lord Krishna’s birth, and then he should, sitting on a seat of kusa grass, keep an all-night vigil. At dawn he should perform his regular duties and then he should worship Lord Krishna. Then he should feed the brahmanas and then he should chant the glories of Lord Krishna. 49 Sri Narada said: When a person follows the Janmastami vow, fasts, and keeps the all-night vigil, what result does he attain? What is the sin one commits by eating on this holy day? O best of the knowers of the Vedas, referring to the Vedas, Vedangas and ancient Samhitas, please, please describe this. Sri Narayana Rsi said: If (in the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadra) even only a quarter of the astami is present at midnight, that day is considered Janmastami, the time when Lord Krishna was born. Because it brings victory (jaya) and piety (punya), this day is called Jayanti. A wise person should fast, follow the Janmastami vow, and keep an all-night vigil on this day. This is the most auspicious of all times. The demigods Brahma and knowers of the Vedas say this. One who fasts, follows the Janmastami vow, and keeps an all-night vigil on this day becomes freed from the sins of ten million births. Of this there is no doubt. One should not celebrate Janmastami on an astami mixed with the saptami. Even if the star Rohini (is conjoined with the moon) this astami is not considered Janmastami. Lord Krishna, the son of Devaki, was born on an astami unmixed with the saptami, an astami when the star Rohini was conjoined with the moon. When this most auspicious moment, an astami when the moon is conjoined with Rohini, is passed, a person who has followed the Janmastami vow should break his fast. When the tithi of Janmastami is over, one should remember Lord Krishna, worship the devas and asuras, and break his fast. Breaking the fast in this way is very purifying and destroys all sins. Breaking the fast in this way, an essential part of the fast, brings purification and the attainment of other results. The breaking of the fast should be performed during daytime. Otherwise, if the fast is not broken during the daytime, the results of fasting, following the Janmastami vow, and breaking the fast are all destroyed. One should not break the fast at night. The only exception is the Rohini-vrata, when the fast may be broken at night, but not at midnight. In the morning one should worship the brahmanas and demigods and then break the fast. All the saintly persons agree this is the best time to break the fast. Only in the Rohini-vrata is it not the best time. If one follows the Janmastami vow on a Janmastami when Mercury is conjoined with the moon, he will never again enter a mother’s womb. 63. If on a certain Janmastami the navami begins at sunrise and the moon is conjoined with Mercury or the star Rohini, that Janmastami is very auspicious. Such a Janmastami occurs perhaps in a hundred years. One who follows the Janmastami vow on that day delivers ten million of his relatives. Lord Krishna is pleased with His devotees that observe the fast of Janmastami, even though, because of not having sufficient wealth, they cannot perform the Janmastami vow. To one who follows the vow, worshipping the Lord with various articles and keeping an all-night vigil, Lord Krishna, the enemy of the demons, gives the result of following the Janmastami vow. A person who observes Janmastami in a way appropriate to his financial means attains the proper result, but a wealthy person who does not observe Janmastami in a way appropriate to his wealth does not attain the same result. A wise person should not break his fast during Janmastami or while the star Rohini is still conjoined with the moon. To do that is to destroy his past pious deeds and the transcendental result earned by fasting. Breaking the fast during the tithi of Janmastami destroys one’s pious deeds eight times over, and breaking the fast while the star Rohini is conjoined with the moon destroys one’s pious deeds four times over. Therefore one should be careful to break his fast when Janmastami and the star Rohini have passed. O best of sages, when the tithi of Janmastami and the star Rohini both end at midnight, a person following the Janmastami vow should break his fast on the third day from Janmastami. O Narada, one who eats during the midnight of Janmastami attains the sinful reaction of killing a brahmana. On a pure Janmastami (not mixed with the saptami) one should not eat even fruit or betel nuts, or even drink water. Eating these is like eating stool or cow’s flesh, or like drinking urine. What, then, can be said of eating rice? The wise say that night lasts for 9 hours and is bounded, at its beginning and end, by sunrise and sunset, which last for 48 minutes each. A person who on a pure Janmastami (not mixed with the saptami) follows the Janmastami vow and keeps an all-night vigil becomes free from the sins of a hundred births. Of this there is no doubt. A person who on a pure Janmastami (not mixed with the saptami) fasts but does not follow the Janmastami vow or keep the all-night vigil, attains the result of performing an asvamedha-yajna. He is freed from the sins performed in the infancy, childhood, youth, and age of seven lifetimes. One who eats on Lord Krishna’s birthday is lowest of mankind. His sinful reaction is like that of having raped his mother and murdered a hundred brahmanas. His pious credits of ten million births are at once destroyed. He become impure. He becomes unfit to worship the demigods or the pitas. At the end of his life he enters the hell called Kalasutra (the rope of time). As long as the sun and moon shine in the sky he is repeatedly (with constant new rebirths) devoured by giant worms with teeth sharp like spears. When his time in hell is over he rises to the earth, where he repeatedly becomes a worm in stool for sixty thousand years. Then he becomes a vulture for ten billion births, a pig for a hundred births, a dog for a hundred births, and a jackal for a hundred births. Then he becomes a snake for seven births and then a row for seven births. Then he takes birth as a human being, where he is unable to speak and where he becomes a leper, always suffering. Then he becomes a butcher and then a hunter of wild beasts. At the end he becomes a thief and a murderer, a man with no scruples. Then he becomes a washerman, then an oil-merchant, and then a professional brahmana, always impure at heart. If one is unable to fast he should feed a brahmana and give him charity equal to twice the value of the food. Or, he should chant mantras to Goddess Lakshmi a thousand times, or he should practice pranayama twelve times. Thus I have described, as I heard it from Yamaraja’s mouth, the fasting, vows and worship performed on Janmastami. Nectar from Hari Bhakti Vilas Tika Dikdarshini Tika of Sanatan Goswami and Gopal Bhatta Goswami on Janmastami: BHADRE BHAGAVATO JANMA DINE KARYO MAHOTSAVAH VISESENA MAHA PUJAM VRATA PURNENA VAISNAVAIH (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/246 from KALIKA PURANA Vyasadeva speaks) One should perform a festival on the birthday of Lord Hari, which falls in Bhadrapada (August - September) month. It is the duty of all Vaisnavas to fast on these days and to do specific great worship of the Supreme Lord. PRAHLADA ADAIS CA BHUPALAIH KRTA JANMASTAMI SUBHA SRADDHAYA PARAYA VISNOH PRITAYE KRSNA VALLABHA PRAJAPATY ARKSA SAMYUKTA SRAVANASYA ASITA ASTAMI VARSE VARSE TU KARTAVYA TUSTY ARTHAM CAKRA-PANINAH (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/267,268 from SKANDA PURANA) Great kings such as Prahlada had fasted on the most dear of day of Lord Sri Krsna named Janmastami, the birthday of Lord Krsna, to develop intense love for Krsna. One should certainly fast on such an auspicious day of Lord Krsna’s birth named Krsnastami every year to please Lord Sri Krsna Who holds a disk in His hand. YE NA KURVANTI JANANTAH KRSNA JANMA ASTAMI VRATAM TE BHAVANTI MAHA PRAJNA VYALA MAHATI KANANE (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/275 from SKANDA PURANA) Oh greatly intelligent, any person, even with knowledge of Krsna’s birthday (Janmastami), who does not fast, he takes his next birth as a snake in a thick forest. SAMPARKEN API YAH KURYAT KASCIT JANMASTAMI VRATAM VISNU LOKAM AVAPNOTI SO’PI PARTHA NA SAMSAYAH (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/295 from SKANDA PURANA) If someone fasts on Janmastami day, with devotion, he attains the abode of Lord Sri Visnu. TASYAM VISNU TITHAU KECID DHANYAH KALIYUGE JANAH YE’BHYARCAYANTI DEVESAM JAGRATAH SAMUPOSITAH (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/307 from BRAHMA PURANA Suta Gosvami speaks) This day (Janmastami day) removes all kinds of sins. Specifically in Kali-yuga, if someone fasts on this day, remains awake overnight and worships Lord Sri Hari properly, those people are worshipable. IDAM EVA PARAM SREYA IDAM EVA PARANTAPAH IDAM EVA PARO DHARMO YAD VISNU VRATA DHARANAM (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/312 from BRAHMA PURANA) Fasting on the day of Lord Hari is the most auspicious thing, the topmost austerity and the topmost meritorious action. SAMPURNA CA ARDHARATRE TU ROHINI YADI LABHYATE KARTAVYA SA PRAYATNENA PURVA VIDDHAM VIVARJAYET (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/370 from YAJNAVALKYA SMRTI) If on the eighth day of the dark fortnight at midnight there is Rohini constellation, on that day one should fast, but if it is combined with the seventh day, it should be given up in all circumstances. DVAU BHUTA SARGAU LOKE’SMIN DAIVA ASURA EVA CA VISNU-BHAKTI PARO DAIVA ASURAS TAD VIPARYAYAH (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/396 from AGNI PURANA and VISNU DHARMA) There are two kinds of living entities created. One is divine and the other is demonic. The devotees of the Supreme Lord Visnu are said to be divine personalities. Those who are not His devotees are addressed as demonic. I hope this standard set by Srila Prabhupada can be instituted even by GBC law as mandatory for all ISKCON temples, I know some devotees do not agree with this but how can they disagree with Srila Prabhupada and Krsna and the statements of sastra on this issue?

Eating grains on Janmastami 426 Views / EMail This Post / Print This Post / Home » Eating grains on Janmastami <!-- end .post-top --> <!-- the main section of the post goes here --> By Payonidhi das Unfortunately some devotees and dear friends have not understood that one should not eat grains on Janmastami and on other apperance days, now this has never seen to be a problem in Europe to understand. But here in the US we have seen this, is a practice in some temples. Srila Prabhupada has clearly stated ekadasi prasadam is to be served on Gaura Purnima and Janmastami, but some devotees seem to either ignore these instructions to not know the proper standard. Srila Prabhupada has clearly stated not to eat grains on Janmastami and Gaura Purnima, that the temple management at however chooses to serve grains to the devotees too is a serious mistake based on Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and that of scripture, I at least want to warn devotees as I have done before to please not eat grains on Janmastami and Gaura Purnima: Srila Prabhupadas has clearly stated: “So far the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya is concerned, I have written a full suggestion to Montreal, in which the main points are that we should all observe strict fasting up till moonrise, and at that time, an offering is made to Lord Caitanya of Ekadasi foods, fruits, peanuts, milk, and so forth. Then, on the next day, Friday the 15th, a full-scale feast is held to celebrate His Advent Day. On the 14th, chanting, reading of Srila Bhaktivinode’s book, Life and Precepts and Caitanya Caritamrta, Introduction to Bhagavatam, may be held all the day in the Temple.” (San Francisco, written 12th March 1968 letter to Balai) “Lord Caitanya’s Appearance day falls on March 22 (1970), that is on a Sunday. The devotees should fast until evening, when there is a ceremony and offering of a small amount of Ekadasi preparations. The next day, the devotees should celebrate amongst themselves with a small scale feast. You may hold the celebration open to the public on the following Sunday. The preparation to be offered specially on this occasion is bhuni kichri: Fry equal parts dal and rice in ghee and massala. Add two times water as dal and rice, and add vegetables (if you use more ghee, use less water). Cook it until it is dried and the rice is soft.”(Letter to Krishna dasa. 18th February 1970. Los Angeles.) “P. S. No feasting in the evening of Caitanya’s birthday. Fasting all day till evening moon rise. Then take Prasadam like Ekadasi. Next day you can have full swing feasting. On the birthday if can take a procession of Kirtana on the street it is very nice.” (Post Script to Letter to Rayarama dasa. September. Unknown place unknown date Ref: 91-05-14.) Adjusting the program for preaching (feasting): “You can take quotations from the above mentioned books, and have discussions. Fasting should be continued up to evening, then you may have food like on Ekadasi, fruits, milk, etc. On the next day you may observe festival. Janardana consulted me and said he thinks Sunday feasting would be best, so you may do that if you like. Or you may do both days, as you feel best.”(Letter to Mahapurush. 7th March 1968. Regarding Gaura Purnima) “We performed Lord Caitanya’s Birthday ceremony, not very gorgeously, but amongst ourselves, and Govinda dasi cooked very nice Ekadasi foodstuffs. The next day I expected some big ceremony but it couldn’t be performed. (Letter to Purusottam. 6th March 1969. Hawaii) For example, the scriptures state fasting from all grains and beans on Janmastami should be followed the same way one follows Ekadasi. Srila Sanatana Goswami supports this statement in his Digdarshini Tika where he states, “Just as one follows the rules of fasting on each Ekadasi, the same rules should be followed for fasting on Janmastami.” In the Bhavisya Uttara Purana, Vyasadeva quotes Lord Krsna instructing King Yudhisthira thus, “Everyone past the age of eight, whether they be Brahmana, Ksatriya, Vaisya, Sudra, woman, widow, or following a different faith, have to fast on My appearance day.” The Skanda Purana states, “All sages and saintly kings like King Prahlada have fasted on Lord Krsna’s appearance day, year after year.” The Agni Purana states, “When the Rohini constellation was present on Janmastami day, all learned sages from the time of Satyayuga, Tretayuga and Dvaparayuga, had fasted on Janamastami day to please Lord Krsna.” In the Brahma Purana it is stated, “For those who properly fast on the correct Janmastami day, Kaliyuga cannot influence them.” In order to please Lord Krsna, one must fast from grains and beans throughout the entire day and night of Janmastami, until the proper break-fast time arrives. Only then one should accept prasad consisting of grains and beans. As stated by Lord Brahma in the Brahma Purana, “When the Janmastami tithi and its Rohini Naksatra ends (next morning), then only one should consume grains to break the fast.” The Yagnavalkya Smruti supports Lord Brahma’s statement, stating the following, “Only when both–the tithi and the–Naksatra timings of Janmastami have ended, then only one should break ones fast. There is no other way than this.” In the Vayu Purana it is stated, “If one desires to become free from all sin, he or she should accept some rice Mahaprasada of Lord Jagannatha (or other grains of Mahaprasadam) on the day after Janmastami day.” Lord Brahma instructs Narada in the Visnu Rahasya, “Anyone who eats grains on Janmastami day becomes filled with all categories of sin performed in the three worlds, and takes birth as a snake in the forest.” Based on what instruction of Srila Prabhupada is grains even served to guests on Janmastami? But my main concern is that devotee don’t eat grains on Janmastami as it is highly inauspicious. Hita Harivamsa who was a disciple of Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami was rejected by him as he refused to fast on Ekadasi and Janmastami from grains, we surely should not follow this line of the sahajiyas and due to ignorance eat grains on Janmastami, the result will be very bad. His grace Deenabhandhu Prabhu made a comment also that other vaisnava groups will see this as a deviation in ISKCON if eating grains on Janmastami is permitted, I surely agree. But the real concern is for those devotees that eat grains on Janmastami. Please stop eating grains and feeding devotees grains on Janmastami Vows, Worship, and Fasting on Sri Janmastami Sri Janmastami-vrata-pujopavasa-nirupana Chapter Eight: Sri Brahma-vaivarta Purana Sri Narada said: Now please tell me of the vow of Janmastami, which is the great vow of vows. Please tell me the result attained by following the ceremony of Jayanti-yoga. O great sage, what sinful reaction does one meet by not following this vow or by eating on that day? What pious result does one attain by fasting on that day? O Lord, please describe the result of following this vow, including the rules governing the day before the fast, and breaking the fast on the following day. Sri Narayana Rsi said: On the saptami (seventh day) and on the day after the fast (the navami or ninth day) one should eat havisya (rice and ghee) only. On the day of Janmastami (the eight day) one should rise at dawn. O brahmana, one should rise early, bathe, perform his morning duties, and be determined to follow the vow and the fast for the pleasure of Lord Krishna. O brahmana, by bathing and worshipping the Lord during the eight day (Janmastami) of the month of Bhadra (August-September) one attains the result of bathing and worshipping the Lord for a manvantar. If on this day one offers only a little water to the pitas, he attains the result of performing sraddha at Gaya for a hundred years. On that day, after bathing and performing his regular duties, a wise person should arrange for a maternity-room, place in it water, fire, and an iron sword, post guards,…… place many things there, place there an instrument for cutting the umbilical cord, have a midwife there,… … place there, O Narada, sixteen articles for worshipping the Lord, eight fruits and candies,… … the eight fruits and candies being jatiphala, kakkola, pomegranate, sriphala, coconut, jambira, kusmanda, and manohara,… 13 … and the sixteen articles for worship being a sitting place, garments, padya, madhuparka, arghya, water for achaman, water for bathing, a bed, fragrances, flowers, food-offerings, betel nuts, ointments, incense, lamps, and ornaments,…… wash his feet, put on clean clothes, perform acamana, say the word ’svasti’, sit on the seat,…

Who the hell is "D" ? Your Matta?

<o:p></o:p>

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja Glorious Deaths Los Angeles, California: June 8, 1998 [part 2][The following is a first-time-published excerpt of a darsana held on June 8, 1998 in Los Angeles, California:] [Devotee:] My mother recently died, in September. I was not able to place Tulasi leaves in her mouth, but I did hold a ceremony, and we read passages from the third and sixth cantos of Srimad Bhagavatam. I surrounded her dead body with Tulasi leaves. I didn't put the leaves in her mouth – just all around her. I didn't see her get cremated. I'm just wondering, is she going to be okay? She did come to me in a dream, and she said, “This is wonderful. Everybody looks like Krsna. Thank you.” I'm just wondering, is there any chance for her spiritual advancement in spiritual realm of Vaikuntha? Is there any chance that she is in Krsna-loka, or what? [srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] I will tell a story about this: There was once a king who had thousands of sons. Those sons were killed – burnt to ashes – as a result of committing a great offense to a sage. Thousands of years later, there was a good son born in that dynasty. He served Krsna, and he was therefore able to bring the Ganges from the Himalayas to the place where his ancestors had been burned to ashes. Although only a very little part of his ancestors´ bones remained and were touched by the Ganges, his ancestors were at once liberated and went to Vaikuntha. Tulasi is not less powerful than the Ganges – she is more powerful. Whether your mother was alive or not, if Tulasi’s leaves touched her body, she will be quickly liberated. She told you in your dream, “I am happy,” so it is alright. You have done so much for her. Also, Srimad-Bhagavatam is even more powerful than Tulasi. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the embodiment of Krsna Himself. If one word of the Srimad-Bhagavatam has touched her ears, certainly, no doubt, she has been liberated [Devotee:] It doesn´t matter whether she was alive or dead at that time? [srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Either way. The soul does not die. We have so many examples of this conclusion. Once, after a certain person died, he became a ghost. He was taken by the Vaisnavas, by mantra, within a bamboo stick, to a place where there was a recitation of Srimad-Bhagavatam for seven days. After seven days, he was liberated. Don't have any doubts in this regard. If anyone takes Tulasi or applies tilak even one time in his entire life, or if he has chanted, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare,” willingly or unwillingly, he will be liberated. If one has not uttered the holy names “Hare Krsna,” but by chance he heard the chanting from far away – “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare” – he will be liberated. Suppose he heard many devotees passing through a road. Suppose he had been sleeping there, and at that time the devotees were passing by and chanting, “Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna,” but he could not hear the chanting fully. Suppose he only heard the last word,´ Hare,´ or not even `Ha´, only `re´. Still, he will be quickly liberated. The holy name is so powerful. Muslims do not utter the holy name Rama, but if they see a hog they say, “Harama, harama.” Harama means ‘abominable’ [*See Endnote 1]. In the word ‘harama’ is the word ‘Rama,’ and first is ‘ha’, which in Sanskrit means ‘oh’, or ‘alas’. Taking the spiritual meaning, this means, ‘Oh Rama!’ Krsna easily hears this and thinks, “He is calling Me: ``Ha Rama.`` Krsna will then come and liberate that person. His name is so powerful; it is so powerful. This cannot be realized by modern science, because modern science is atheistic. Even if someone has no belief, and he hears the holy name once in his entire life, that name will do its work. More Questions and Answers [Question:] Are all other rasas (relationships with Sri Krsna) within madhurya-rasa (the relationship with Sri Krsna as lover)? Does madhurya-rasa contain all the other relationships? In madhurya-rasa, does one taste the other rasas? [srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Srimati Radhika sometimes rebukes Krsna as a friend would do. She may say to Him, “Oh, massage my feet,” as friends might say to each other. Sometimes She may serve Krsna better than a mother would do. Sometimes She serves Him so much better than the best of servants (like Hanuman or others like him). And sometimes She serves as a beloved. No one can serve Krsna as She does; every mood is in Her – that is madhurya-rasa. Sometimes Krsna and the gopis gamble; this is a type of play among friends. Sometimes the gopis clap to congratulate Srimati Radhika on Her victory. They call out, “Oh, Radhika has defeated Krsna!” At that time, Madhumangala and other cowherd-boys say, “Oh Krsna, let us leave now; otherwise You will have to become their servant, and then they will very quickly take Your flute and crown and everything else. So let us leave here right away” All relationships are in madhurya-rasa, and that is why it is best among all rasas. If you do not ‘pay’ something for this, you cannot develop all these moods. Your heart is the daksina (donation given by the disciple at the time of receiving initiation). By giving your heart, you can realize these moods. If you have no faith, if you do not regularly hear hari-katha, and you are not paying daksina, these moods will not enter your heart. [Question:] Do you think that it is a noble attempt to live separate from society and technology, and to be self-sufficient? We have our own land and everything is produced there... [srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] We should make our entire environment conducive to bhakti. This is okay. We should create our environment so that we can chant and remember Krsna. We can take help from technology. If you are not using technology, like airlines to go here and there, water lines, electricity, gas lines, and building materials, how will you maintain yourself? You will have to use some of this, but that is helpful. Make a sacred environment for bhakti. [Question:] I guess the idea would be to create an environment where a society of devotees can learn to live independently from cities and industry. [srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja tried very hard to do this, so why did most of the devotees leave that environment? They were bound to give it up. Sometimes Krsna comes, or His associates come, and they make an environment like this, but after their departure, slowly, slowly, slowly, maya comes. You can try and make an environment that will be helpful for you. [Question:] She was born on Ratha-yatra day. She is so lucky. She has graduated recently from a very big American university – Duke University. [srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] She is very qualified. [Question:] She is very qualified. She is an artist. [srila Narayana Maharaja:] That is why she is grave. [Turning to the young lady:] But you will have to take admission in our university, where we have studied – Haridasa Thakura University. You know Srila Haridasa Thakura? [Question:] Yes [srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] We have been admitted there, and we have learned something there. If you are admitted to that university, your knowledge will be complete. Srila Haridasa Thakura never read ABCD or anything like that. He was only engaged in chanting and remembering Krsna, and he realized all essential truths. He realized the nature of this entire world, of Svarga (heaven), of Vaikuntha, and of Goloka Vrndavana, as did Sri Narada Gosvami. I am happy to meet you. [*ENDNOTE – From Srimad-Bhagavatam 9th Canto, translations and purports by Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja Prabhupada: “Following the instructions of the great sage Aurva, Sagara Maharaja performed asvamedha sacrifices and thus satisfied the Supreme Lord, who is the supreme controller, the Supersoul of all learned scholars, and the knower of all Vedic knowledge, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But Indra, the King of heaven, stole the horse meant to be offered at the sacrifice. King Sagara had two wives, Sumati and Kesini. The sons of Sumati, who were very proud of their prowess and influence, following the order of their father, searched for the lost horse. While doing so, they dug into the earth very extensively. Thereafter, in the northeastern direction, they saw the horse near the asrama of Kapila Muni. "Here is the man who has stolen the horse," they said. "He is staying there with closed eyes. Certainly he is very sinful. Kill him! Kill him!" Shouting like this, the sons of Sagara, sixty thousand all together, raised their weapons. When they approached the sage, the sage opened His eyes. “By the influence of Indra, the King of heaven, the sons of Sagara had lost their intelligence and disrespected a great personality. Consequently, fire emanated from their own bodies, and they were immediately burned to ashes. PURPORT The material body is a combination of earth, water, fire, air and ether. There is already fire within the body, and our practical experience is that the heat of this fire sometimes increases and sometimes decreases. The fire within the bodies of the sons of Sagara Maharaja became so much hotter that all of them burned to ashes. The fire's increased heat was due to their misbehavior toward a great personality…They were killed by the fire of their own bodies because of insulting a great personality. “… The great and saintly king Bhagiratha brought the Ganges, which can deliver all the fallen souls, to that place on earth where the bodies of his forefathers lay burnt to ashes. “Because the sons of Sagara Maharaja had offended a great personality, the heat of their bodies had increased, and they were burnt to ashes. But simply by being sprinkled with water from the Ganges, all of them became eligible to go to the heavenly planets. What then is to be said of those who use the water of mother Ganges to worship her?”]

Srila Prabhupada was and is omniscient in the sense that everything he needs to know is revealed to him by Krsna, or his expansion Nityananda Prabhu. Here we see him in his humility. He is posing as a madhyama adhikari guru for instructing purposes but actually he is an uttama adhikari. Akhanda guru tattva knows everything. Whether the person who appeared in Calcutta in 1896 and was the son of Gour Mohan De, actually knew or knows everything is a different question. Remember he was an shakyavesa avatar of Lord Nityananda. The spreading of Krsna Consciousness all over the world was a very mystical event. When Srila Prabhupada told that man in New York in 1966, "I have 108 temples all over the world, but this is just seperated by time", do you think that he was just practicing positive thinking?

I will have to concur with this explanation. If someone takes disciples and then returns to sinful life then it shows that he was never qualified and therefore not bonafide to begin with.

Omniscience is Lord Paramatma. Guru is linked to Paramatma, so omniscience can be claimed. This is from the absolute viewpoint; seeing the guru as saksadhari, directly Hari. Seeing the guru as an individual person is the relative conception. The entire phenomena is inconceivable, so it is nothing to argue over. When we argue about this we just quibble over semantics. The problem is that often times the semantical debate becomes a debate about supposed differences between gurus. There are differences between individual gurus, but guru is one. Krsna is the real guru. If He's behind everything then He is certainly behind the bonafide guru. The real guru is Krsna's devotee so He maintains what His devotee has and provides what His devotee lacks. The pure devotee guru knows everything that he needs to know about the advancement or lack of, of his disciple. If we don't have this faith then we cannot proceed on this path.

Can you be more specific about your question? What exactly do you disagree with?

You're living in the past Swaupa das Sleeper-Vadi. Fifty per cent of the non-Indian members of the non-Iskcon Krsna Consciousness Movement are former Iskcon members. Almost all the others had at least some contact with Iskcon or Srila Prabhupada's books before joining a non-Iskcon Gaudiya society. Any one who goes to India at festival time can verify that Iskcon is now in the minority amongst westerners and Russians etc. Every day devotees leave Iskcon and affiliate with Gaudiya Math derived missions in this big world of ours but visa versa is almost unheard of. For the most part this phenomena has plateaued, except when Iskcon gurus falldown or are caught in scandals, but this is not so infrequent. In Alachua, The Tennessee farm and in other North American Iskcon centers devotees who are initiated by non-Iskcon gurus are accepted and do key services. I'm sure that this is true in other places as well. Many of these devotees were previously initiated by Iskcon gurus, despite the GBC laws. Your fighting to keep the cat in the bag but he's been out for a long, long time. The bottom line is that Srila Prabhupada made statements that were both pro and con about his godbrothers. It is the pro statements and the absurd policies of the GBC including the OOP that have in a combined way led to what amounts to a large exodus from Iskcon to other Gaudiya Missions.

Roger, that's an affirmative. I didn't see a fireball or anything so I don't think I hit him. I think he's out of range, maybe out on book distribution. over.

I'm taking fire but I don't think I'm hit!

You don't get it. When you see the absolute conception of guru you think that it negates the relative consideration. That's why it is said that spiritual life is a razors edge. Harmony and balance are synonymous. Such balance takes practice and with addition of grace. But ultimately, Krsna says, "I am the acarya, "See Me in him." This is the absolute conception of guru. "Of course, there is also a specific vision of guru, from whom I can get the maximum immediate help." This is the relative conception of guru, they are only mutually exclusive in your mind. There is nothing further that anyone can say, except for more details. But this is the truth coming from Srila Sridhar Maharaja. You have become conditioned by some of your association to attack an idea based entirely on the source of that thought and that it is the real reason that I brought this up. I laid out the bate and you took it. This is exactly the reason the Sleepervadis and Fallvadis attack Srila Sridhar Maharaja's explanation of the origin of the soul. Such irrational thought does not constitute loyalty to one's guru but rather it is the most kanistha, neophyte fanaticism. It leads to party spirit and it ruins the entire atmosphere. I think when you really have the time you should go back and carefully look at the posts and counter posts on this thread. Meanwhile we are wasting time while we are again being attacked by a squadron of Sleepervadi Zeros!

Roger, Prabhu, I see him. I'm going to lock and load, and take evasive action, I'm going to dive to 5k ft. Roger Prabhu, Beginning dive. Over

You see it as evading the question because no one can apply the above principle for you, you have to do it yourself. But the problem for all of us is that we are not really following trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna amanina manadena... Srila Prabhupada,