Murali_Mohan_das

Not to find fault with Sripad Sagar Maharaja (or whatever your source is), but just how "new" are the nine islands of Navadvipa? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navadvipa

In his offering, Sripad Janardan Maharaja repeats his recent exhortation that we establish some sort of practical service connection with Sri Guru. I can't help but wonder if he has in mind how much time I spend on this forum, which might otherwise be better spent doing something useful.

I've asked Beggar to provide links on more than one occasion. He continues to ignore those requests. I pray to be more Vaishnava-like.

As you say, if we have any compassion, then certainly we mourn for all of those who have suffered, even as we try to keep in mind that all of our suffering is ultimately illusory (and a product of our past actions).

Ooops! I forgot to mention Jagadananda Prabhu's offering is included. Also, Indulekha didi and I were recently discussing Sripad Pusta Krishna Prabhu and his family. Yesterday, we were blessed by their association. Pusta Krishna Prabhu's offering can be viewed in part 2 at 48:50. While declaring himself a "Prabhupada man" (and who could doubt that?), Pusta Krishna Prabhu expresses that he cannot help but serve Srila Gurudev. All glories to all the merciful Vaishnavas.

I got to the Ashram a bit late (due to celebrating the commercial holiday of "Xmas" (sadly, not "Christmas"), so I missed Sripad Srutasrava's offering and the first part of Sripad Sarvabhavana's. Here's what I *did* get, though. *** Part 1: On the anniversary of the Divine Appearance of Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya Sri Srimad Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaja, though Sripad Srutasrava Prabhu's offering was not captured and only the last part of Sarvabhavana Prabhu's offering is included, this brief clip includes that and the first part of Kamal Krishna Brahmachari's offering (before the web-cam crashed and needed to be restarted). Continued in two more parts. Embedded: <embed style="width:400px; height:326px;" id="VideoPlayback" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-7258074053532573900&hl=en" flashvars=""> </embed> Link: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7258074053532573900&hl=en *** Part 2: On the festival day honoring the Divine Appearance of Srila Govinda Maharaja, as celebrated in Soquel, California, USA, the remainder of Kamal Krishna Brahmachari's remarks, Sripad Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaja's offering, as well as that of Sripad Pusta Krishna Prabhu are recorded in this "web-cam" video. Jai Gurudev!! Embedded: <embed style="width:400px; height:326px;" id="VideoPlayback" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=3507637556224062804&hl=en" flashvars=""> </embed> Link: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3507637556224062804&hl=en *** Part 3: After the spoken offerings of the assembled Vaishnavas, this clip depicts the subsequent Bhajan and Arati to their Lordships Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga Gandharvika Giridhari Jiu. While the audio is distorted at times, the elation of the attendees is plain to see. Due to the director's desire to participate more fully in the Guru Puja and pushpanjali offerings, this recording does not include those events. Embedded: <embed style="width:400px; height:326px;" id="VideoPlayback" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-4120447269069004790&hl=en" flashvars=""> </embed> Link: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4120447269069004790&hl=en

Yes, I've heard that. What's your point? Is it that Srila Sarasasvati Thakura was simply being polite? I stand corrected by Srila Prabhupada regarding who is more favorable (more favorable to *what* or to *whom*??). However by whom is a sincerely aspiring Vaishnava more likely to be misled (in the sense of being deceived), a "sahajiya" or an "impersonalist"? In that sense, isn't a sahajiya more dangerous?

Thanks for the Sanskrit lesson. My main objection is that you seem to be unwilling or too lazy to offer links to the sources of your citations. Is it really too much to ask for you to provide such links?

I see what you're saying now. I didn't get past the "just another impersonalist" jibe. My error. What theist says is true, no doubt, that we are advised to avoid the "impersonalists" lest we become confused. However Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur offered his *obeisances* (from a respectful distance) to a sadhu whom he considered to be a *sahajiya* (which must be "worse" than being an "impersonalist", don't you think?). Surely that example is instructive in terms of what mood is most favorable for us.

Thanks for your support, but, while Srila Gurudeva composed *a* (grammatically-correct) pranam mantra for our Srila Prabhupada, his is not the one used in ISKCON. Here is Gurudeva's pranam mantra for Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja. Note the absence of any mention of "nirvisesa" and "sunyavadi". From (page "vi"): http://scsmath.org/trove2/kirttanguide4th.pdf I'm retyping it because of diacritic issues (I don't think a standard font was used, or I could use one of the automated tools). ** namah om vishnupadaya krishna preshtaya bhutale swami sri bhaktivedanta prabhupadaya te namah gurvajnam sirasi-dhritva shaktyavesha sva-rupine hare krishneti mantrena pascatya prachya tarine visvacharya prabaryaya divya karunya murtaye sri bhagavata-madhurya-gita-jnana pradayine gaura sri-rupa-siddhanta-saraswati nishevine radha-krishna-padambhoja-bhringaya gurave namah I offer my humble obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is Krsna’s beloved associate and who came down to this plane from Goloka. Taking the order of his guru on his head, he is the Shaktyavesha (empowered) avatar of Nityananda Prabhu personified. He distributed the Hare Krishna mantra all over the Eastern and Western world, delivering and uplifting all fallen souls. He is the best of millions of jagat-gurus, because he is the personification of divine mercy. He has distributed the sweet nectar of Srimad-Bhagavatam and the transcendentalv knowledge of Bhagavad-gita all over the world. He is constantly engaged in exclusive devotional service to Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura, Srila Rupa Goswami, and Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. I offer my humble obeisances unto Srila Prabhupada, who is like a bumble-bee always tasting the nectar of the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha and Govinda. ***

I followed your link. Theist doesn't have any answers either. Just snap judgments.

Srila Prabhupada would not judge, but we should readily do so? What makes you think Kula hasn't studied PY? Perhaps he is just being modest (a quality not often found in you). While I certainly appreciate Theist, I wouldn't call anything he's written/said to be "final". I doubt he would either. He's more modest than that (and you). I asked some questions. Do you have answers for them?

You *do* have a point there. With all respects to Kula-ji (who very well could be a qualified Kshatriya), I've never much cared for the self-styled Kshatriyas. They remind me too much of the Blackwater mercenaries.

"Nava" means "new"??? I thought "Nava" means nine. I don't remember much of the Sanskrit that Kushakrata Prabhu tried to teach us, but I can still remember how to count: Eka Dvi Tri Chatur Pancha Shasha Shapta Asha Nava Dasha Ekadasha Dvadasha

Thanks, Kulapavana Prabhu. I wasn't going to comment on this thread until I saw all the "ditto-heads" echoing the plattitudes. It's so easy to be dismissive. It's so much harder to be appreciative. While I'm not familiar with PY's teachings, I've gone for a few very peaceful walks (including Japa walks) at the SRF lakeside shrine on Sunset Boulevard, in Los Angeles, and I watched my friends surf at "Swami's" near San Diego.

Hmmm...on the other thread, all the quotes are from the Kabbalah and such. None (that I saw) are from the Torah, Itself. Do all mainstream Jews accept the Kabbalah?

So very, very, very true!! If only this disease were limited to self-professed Jews and Christians!

I and I.

Good morning, Mahaksa Prabhu. Don't know if you noticed, but your embedded player got "munged". I've noticed that the Forum will do that if one edits a posting with an embedded player. To keep that from happening, I've had to repaste the HTML for the player when I edit the post. Merry Merry!! Happy Happy!

Didn't Sriman Mahaprabhu take Sannyas initiation from an "impersonalist" Guru? Is it that Paramahamsa Yogananda is an impersonalist, or that we have a limited understanding of his teachings? That's an honest question. I've not even read "An Autobiography of a Yogi". Besides, there are many persons who, for whatever reason, feel more comfortable approaching Divinity from the "impersonal" side. If they have some sincerity and devotion, then will they not eventually come to realize the Sweetness of the Supreme Personality? If we are smug and dismissive of the "impersonalists", doesn't that make us envious offenders?

Thank you for your patience, Alex-ji. Please forgive me my quibbles. Feel free to quote. I find the quotes interesting. If I had a better command of shastra (including the writings of Srila Gurudev and Param Gurudev), I would be best advised to limit myself to posting from it. Enjoy your visit with yor relatives. Truly, they are fotunate to have your association, as am I. My family waits for me, so I'd best head out myself. Nitai-Gaura-Premanande!

When compared to the current quagmire of misery, who can quarrel with a tsunami of joy and fulfillment?

Because I'm still foolishly trying to serve two masters. Why do *you*?

I've said any number of times that I see Srila Prabhupada as a general in a war taking calculated risks, knowing full well that there might be heavy losses amongst his subordinates. Any perception of Srila Prabhupada's mission having been a failure is a product of our narrow, limited vision. Srila Prabhupada spearheaded a wave that made "Hare Krishna" a household word and paved the way for all subsequent distributors of the Holy Name. As the first wave subsides and ebbs, another wave gains momentum to push even further inland and overflood the hearts of all.

Along the lines of simply accepting common wisdom without thoroughly examining it for ourselves, let me quote my own song from this past summer: Spontaneous by MM <table bgcolor="#000000" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><embed quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000" width="328" height="94" src="http://res0.esnips.com/escentral/images/widgets/flash/esnips_player.swf" flashvars="theTheme=silver&autoPlay=no&theFile=http://www.esnips.com//nsdoc/bab66d80-3c9e-468b-95c8-c251095d8bf2&theName=Maitreya - Spontaneous [DEMO]&thePlayerURL=http://res0.esnips.com/escentral/images/widgets/flash/mp3WidgetPlayer.swf"></embed></td></tr><tr><td><table cellpadding="2" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; padding-left:2px; color:#FFFFFF; text-decoration:none ; ; font-size:10px; font-weight:bold"><tr><td><a style="color:#FFFFFF; text-decoration:none " href="http://www.esnips.com/CreateWidgetAction.ns?type=0&objectid=bab66d80-3c9e-468b-95c8-c251095d8bf2"> Get this widget </a></td><td style="font-size:7px; font-weight:normal;">|</td><td align="center"><a align="center" style="color:#FFFFFF; text-decoration:none " href="http://www.esnips.com/doc/bab66d80-3c9e-468b-95c8-c251095d8bf2/Maitreya---Spontaneous-[DEMO]/?widget=flash_player_esnips_silver"> Track details </a></td><td style="font-size:7px; font-weight:normal;">|</td><td><a align="center" style="color:#FF6600; text-decoration:none" href="http://www.esnips.com//adserver/?action=visit&cid=player_dna&url=/socialdna"> eSnips Social DNA </a></td></tr></table></td></tr></table> How much of our lives is scripted? How much do we mimic what we see depicted? How many of my attitudes are truly mine? And how many slogans did I read on a sign? My exterior may look tough Though my heart is quite fragile Emotionally lame Though my mind is quite agile Sorry if I just can't stick to the script I try to be "normal" but my mind is flipped You might feel like whimsy [feeling] is a bit extraneous But I'm only really happy when I'm being spontaneous