Murali_Mohan_das

Thanks, BhaktiK Prabhu. I had thought about posting Srilekha Didi's first report, but this one is even more nectarean! I was chatting on-line with a friend in Salt Lake City, and we both agreed that Mauritius and it's wonderful devotees would be a great place to visit. My friend, in particular, was enamored of the almost island-wide, free wi-fi internet access!

In a moving, sometimes serious, sometimes hilarious presentation on Krishna Consciousness, Sripad Srutasrava Prabhu begins by reminding us that it is not in our best interest to judge the Vaishnava. Embedded: <embed style="width:400px; height:326px;" id="VideoPlayback" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=889421361183878273&hl=en" flashvars=""> </embed> Link: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=889421361183878273&hl=en

http://www.theregister.co.uk<wbr>/2008/02/06/the_cult_of<wbr>_wikipedia/ *** Think of it as Wikipedia’s police department hotline. The "encyclopedia anyone can edit" includes a page where you can instantly alert the site’s brain trust to foul play. It’s called the "Conflict of Interest Noticeboard." If you suspect someone has rigged the system, using the encyclopedia to push their own agenda, this is where you turn. But there's a catch. One of the site’s leading administrators bears an extreme conflict of interest, but you can’t expose him from the Conflict of Interest Noticeboard. He created the Conflict of Interest Noticeboard. This administrator, Jossi Fresco, is a longtime student of Prem Rawat - formerly Guru Maharaj Ji - the India-born spiritual leader who styled himself as the "Perfect Master" and fostered a worldwide religious movement encouraging followers to call him "Lord of the Universe." ***

Yeah. You know those kooky scholars and their wacky theories.

One more little bit... The "time" factor. "Destiny" only has any meaning when we look at time as being linear. In the "eternal present", how can we talk of destiny?

Well, you asked for a specific answer. I don't see the answer as being yes/no--we do have free will or we don't. There are lots of useful analogies, though. I like the analogy of the cell in the body. The cell is somewhat independent, but it is part of an organic whole. A blood cell can exist for a short while outside of the body before dying--it can exist for a long while if it is frozen. If a cell is not serving the body, then it is struggling futilely. If a cell becomes cancerous, the white blood cells will neutralize it. We have infinitessimal free will. That means that it so small as to be almost insignificant. We are so conditioned by so many lifetimes of mundane experience. We are subject to so many mundane forces. Still, regardless, we ought to use our small bit of free will wisely. There is also the "butterfly's wings" phenomena. It is said that a butterfly flapping its wings in China can cause a Hurricane in the Western Atlantic. Sometimes, a very small action has a tremendous and unexpected effect, so, even though we are small, it behooves us to be mindful about what we say and do. That's not much, I know, but I hope it helps.

Here is Wikipedia's take:

OK, Prabhus! Thanks for the clarification. I can see how envy of Sri Krishna is never good. After all, it's what got us into our present mess, isn't it? Jai Sri Krishna! Ananta Koti Vaishnava Vrinda Ki Jai!!

Well, thanks. I guess the joke's just between the two of us now. Don't the Gopis get jealous of each other at times (while, at other times, they aren't jealous because Krishna is expanding Himself to dance with each of them)? Doesn't it lead to "transcendental competition"? Wasn't there a story here on Audarya recently about the flowering tree, Queen Rukmini, and Queen Chandravali (was it?)?

Please. Show some respect. The man has DIED--er, left his body.

I'm still confused. So, we should neglect people that are envious of Srila Prabhupada's service by calling them "rascals"?

Is that so? So, if Bhakta X is a very good book distributor, and Bhakta Y is envious of him, Bhakta Y can't work extra hard to become a better book distributor, thus dovetailing his envy?

So, you show your mercy by calling them rascals?

Sounds like they desperately need you there to straighten things out for them.

Of course, Beggar, I expect that, the next time a Sai Baba disciple blasphemes Srila Prabhupada, you will follow your own advice.

Fair enough. I have more than my own share of hypocrisy with which to contend.

Surrenderred my mind to whom? To an Audarya hypocrite who criticizes the Maharishi while presenting his own concoction?

That's it. People are eagerly cheated because they want to feel that they have something that others do not. It's a typical Western mentality. If something is freely available to all, where is their sense of exclusivity? Regarding Sri Chinmoy, he's an interesting soul. We used to live near his community in Queens, New York. My father was friends with one of his disciples (a musician who had played in "The Mahavishnu Orchestra"), and we used to eat at their "Annam Brahma" restaurant.

And some have the gall to divert people away from the feet of Sri Guru by promising salvation through books and a connection to Paramatma.

Happy Appearance Day, Beggar!!! Having the 1972 Dolphins remaining the only undefeated Superbowl champs must be the best present you ever received.

Srila Gurudev says the best way to correct somebody is with encouragement. "That is good, but this is *better*"

Srila Prabhupada tells it like it is. Some people can't handle that form of "truth". Some people need (or think they need) "truth lite", and nothing short of divine intervention will convince them otherwise. Take that Sai Baba admirer on the other thread, for instance. Some people, like the Maharishi and Deepak Chopra, are happy to oblige with "truth lite". They'll water down the message and add artificial sweeteners to make it more palatable. Not everybody can handle full-strength Prabhupada, the illusion-mutilator.

So true! I thought our "gupta Govardhan" here in Soquel was beautiful, but I've fallen instantly in love with that mountain range in Mauritius (and the beautiful devotees there, as well, of course). You know the Mexican government is also very pious (or certain elements, at least). When Srila Gurudev was in Mexico, he had a welcome from government officials and a police escort (two of whom took initiation during the 21st Tour, I believe).

Most of what we consider "truths" are relative, and not absolute.

Oooh! I actually hadn't gotten that far in the pictures when I started this thread. I was just so excited. Also, one of the contributors to this forum is a very intelligent transportation executive in Mauritius. I thought he might like to see Srila Gurudev.