Sridas

You sure sound inimical of just about everyone but yourself. For one on such a platform that can criticise so many devotees no matter what level they are on you must be really elevated. You sound a lot like someone who never made it anywhere with anyone so you've resorted to insulting and dishonoring vaisnavas just to revel in the sound of the blowing of your own trumpet. Acharyas shine way beyond the scope of our petty judgements, When Srila Sridhara Maharaj read the newspapers it was said he extracted the Vedas from those mundane activities and controversy. Personally I believe they kick balls in the spiritual world, it's fun, especially when you've got devotee friends to do it with, I hear they are good sports. You can usually tell a good sport from an envious one. It all has to do with respect and offence. Generally most people sense the losers. I 'm sure there'll be a lot surprises in the spiritual world that is if we ever get there.

Just like Jesus and the money changers being driven out of the temple, Srila Sridhara Maharaj was disgusted by a certain revolt that was simmering at that time. Both Srila Sridhara Maharaj and Srila Govinda Maharaj are extremely mystical personalities, they knew that a division was brewing and had already experienced it in the Gaudiya Math then witnessed it again when so many Iskcon devotees brought their problems to his doorstep after the acharyas of those missions departed. SSM had also had trouble makers try to even take over his own Math, but many of his godbrothers came to support him and they were defeated. So it is understandable that he dispised those that were trying to undermine everything he had established. You don't know the details they were'nt pretty, he dealt with different situations differently. At another time an assasin was sent to kill him, altho he knew, SSM charmed that gunda with compassion, and the gunda ended up offering his dandavats and begging forgiveness which he gave and alot more. So you should be very cautious passing such judgement as you may just end up following the Dalai Lama back to the great zero. Srila Sridhara Maharaj wasn't interested in peace prizes, he was concerned to take sincere souls back home to their eternal loving relationship with our sweet Lord. If that meant he had to reveal some scoundrels in the process with a few harsh words so be it, they rejected his love when they rejected his wishes. As Srila Bhaktisiddanta Saraswati Thakur said "We are declaring totalitarian war against Maya". And maya comes in many subtle disguises cloaked in religious cloth to delude, divide and deceive the honest aspirants... Srila Sridhara Maharaj gave his life wholesale trying to harmonise the detracters with sweet and very wise katha, he was especially known for his unifieing nature. When those he was talking about stole deities, the wealth collected in his name, and tried to turn his own disciples against his will, it is understandable he resorted to stronger language knowing how much chaos and confusion these rascals can create. You have no idea of the battles he fought to protect the dignity of Gaudiya Vaisnavism from it's own internal collapse, so that we may get a chance to join Mahaprabhu's sankirtan movement.

References to the Koran are woven into one of Dewa's most popular songs, "Laskar Cinta," or "Warriors of Love." Dahni said he wrote the lyrics to beckon his fans into a loving Islam. "Hey there, all you lovers of peace," the song goes. "Watch out, watch out and be on guard -- for lost souls, anger twisting their hearts, for lost souls, poisoned by ignorance and hate. . . . Warriors of Love, teach the mystical science of love, for only love is the eternal truth and the shining path for all God's children everywhere in the world." Indonesian Sufi youth rising up against the jihardists. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/06/AR2006100601282.html

Everyones got strings of skeletons in their closet Mahaksa Unless they came from the other direction Vaikuntha that is. Unless you catch them before more rust sets in condition souls bin trying one skeleton on after another problem is they never fit comfortably Aye we're all pirates of the ole 'death star' matey We need a vaikuntha man or women or two

Okay I've got where you are coming from now, all the best with your aspirations to follow Srila Guru Maharaj. Just out of curiosity who gave you the Name Guruvani?

In the sense that every disciple should represent their Gurudev and does everything on gurus behalf. Just as Srila Govinda Maharaj says, "He is gathering servitors to offer to Srila Guru Maharaj," you could say that this is permanent or eternal.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> After Srila Sridhara Maharaj left this world Srila Govinda Maharaj became the next acharya in his own right, he didn't remain ritvic at that point, just started taking his own diksa disciples. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Remaining ritvic permanently implies that he is continually making disciples who think their diksa guru is Srila Sridhara Maharaj. My wife was one of those who originally took that ritvic connection thru Srila Govinda Maharaj on the veranda, while Srila Sridhara Maharaj was next door in his room. She has always seen herself and been regarded as a disciple of Srila Sridhara Maharaj. Yet none of those who took initiation after Guru Maharaj left consider themselves diksa disciples of Srila Sridhara Maharaj. they see themselves as disciples of Srila Govinda Maharaj obviously. I think it is getting mixed up with the Prabhupadanuga thing, perhaps.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Still many of us still see ourselves as siksa disciples of Srila Gurudev Govinda Maharaj even tho we are formally Godbrothers. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p>

Gurvani, Those vaisnavas who supported Srila Govinda Maharaj are and were the minority, when he needed their help most, relatively few were there, in the light of the 6 billion humans that inhabit this planet. Even tho it came from the lips of Srila Sridhara Maharaj himself, that he was acharya, still the ones outside the Math were seeking pratista and guruship, not those faithful to Srila Govinda Maharaj serving inside-alongside of him and he has always been grateful for that confidence in him. He once told you could always tell the faithful to Srila Sridhara Maharaj by those who actually came to him and did hands-on service, not just lip service, basking in his limelight. They were there fullfilling his every service requirement, not just critics in the background, or free riders, and armchair philosophers claiming he's doing a good job...but! When it came to the bottom line they wern't in the there stoking the sacrificial flames. The same applies to Srila Govinda Maharaj's position now. Srila Govinda Maharaj fullfilled every service wish of Srila Sridhara Maharaj to the extreme, and he is eternally indebted to those that tangibly assisted and are continueing to tangibly assist that mission, preserving his dignified honor while others were trying to diminuish it. They know who they are and their service is its own sweet reward. They didn't need the external manifestation of a massive preaching mission to start with, and they still don't but they continue to build it...

Have fun up there mate Anyway I am trying to stay fixed in the observer position as if in a space station hovering above the earth and quite detached. The karma is just playing out and Krsna is in control.

I remember Srila Prabhupad observing from a plane how taking the oil from the earth will seriously effect the tectonic plates that need lubrication to move. If they don't, increased earthquakes will happen, makes perfect sense to me. Also the sages of old saw everthing in the environment as conscious including the earth itself. Nearly every indiginous culture communicated with local devas before disrupting a single tree, what to speak of mining whole mountains and siphoning the life blood of a planet.

In India the ladies pray to Katyayani for good husband not sure if it cuts both ways. <CENTER><TABLE width="100%" border=0></CENTER><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%"> <CENTER><TABLE width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top width="50%">As per ancient scriptures all the unmarried gopis in Vrindavana used to daily worship goddess Katyayani early in the morning after taking bath in the river Yamuna. Katyayani is another name for goddess Durga. The goddess is worshiped by preparing a doll made out of sand mixed with earth from the bank of the Yamuna. It is recommended in the Vedic scriptures that a deity may be made from different kinds of material elements; it can be painted, made of metal, made of jewels, made of wood, earth or stone or can be conceived within the heart of the worshiper. After worshiping, it is the custom to pray for some benediction. The unmarried girls used to pray with great devotion to goddess Katyayani, addressing her as follows: "O supreme eternal energy of the Personality of Godhead, O supreme mystic power, O supreme controller of this material world, O goddess, please be kind to us and arrange for our marriage with the son of Nanda Maharaja, Krsna". Also: Katyayani yantra is for couples who already love each other but are facing difficulties in being together such as parents' disapproval, interference by others, interference by those trying to keep them apart, not being able to get married to be together and other obstacles. A male can use this mantra for a girl and vice versa for success in love with auspiciousness and fruitful marriage. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Maybe you prefer not to have a Hare Krishna husband because you want your marriage and family life to be NORMAL by our western standards. Yes prabhu this is closer to the point! Not that some devotees don't get it right, I know lots that do, but generally marriage isn't the goal of life in Krsna consciousness, as we have vanapras and sanyas to follow after marriage if we can, and that can be a little daunting to the ladies, and the gents, many of them like the 'till death do us part' idea that is prominent in Christianity, as they naturally like the protection of a man's company. Sanyas is loathed in India, but still it is respected as most Indians know the sacrifice involved in voluntarilly giving up the comforts of family, hearth and Home after one has raised children, for the higher calling to develop further in ones spiritual life.. In truth when it comes to marriage and women's roles, fundamental Hindu dharma is closer to the Islamic codes than Christianity, if enacted responsibly it can keep the ladies well protected, but if abused it can be horrific. It seems in Christianity the ladies have far more equal standing after some hard fought battles to get that ground. I feel the Islamic and Hindu ladies are also engaged in that battle at present. Hopefully they can cut thru hundreds of years of archaic hard line suppression. Because it's the women who can change these unbending male egos if they play it right, it will in turn change the world.They say that behind every good man is a good woman, likewise a good woman can make a man good. The women generally have a natural serving propensity where as the guys tend to be domineering, and expect to be served. We are very fortunate in Krsna Consciousness because we have the supreme role models of our lordships Sri Sri Radha and Govinda to get some hints on how to understand relationships, in or out of marriage. Not that we can imitate, rather aspire to serve that ideal.

The girl just asked a simple question about getting married, now you guys have just about mapped out her worst nightmare. Give it a break will you. Marriage is a serious challenge at the best of times, we all know that, but i know innumerable Krsna devotee marriages that have been total disasters and I've come to the conclusion there is no magic formula. I think if you both love God in your own way and there is respect for each other as a child or servant of God, it will go a long way to a successful union, keeping you both happy with each other, still there are so many other tangibles and hurdles to overcome but that's just par for the coarse. Mind you I'm no marriage councillor nor any of the others giving advice here. Regarding deity worship... it isn't imperitive to serve deities, many devotees choose not to, it's just a nice way to focus a families attention to a common centre especially kids because it is tangible. But you can grow with the Lord in your heart and teach your children that God is everywhere in every atom, in others hearts also whether they be Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim or atheist which can be a lot healthier than just limiting Him to one deity. This is a more advanced consciousness anyway. If he's open to the other concessions thats a lot to work with. Maybe with time your love for Krsna and your husband will melt his heart and he'll change when his fears are allayed. It takes time to understand the Lord in Deity form. Try not to be confused by so many opinions as well meaning as we all may be. Just try to sincerely pray to the Lord in your heart if you don't have a guru to guide you. And the answers will come to you, don't stress it. Hare Krsna

I'm fairly bankrupt on the insights account Bij, but if i can pass on anything my Lord and Master are giving, all credit goes to them. Really I am nothing without them. I occasionally hang out on the forums when I get some spare moments to share some Hari katha and draw my wayward thoughts, words and deeds to the centre, instead of entertaining the nonsense of the material dimention day and night. Yes! there is no doubt, we are all truly eternally indebted to His Divine Grace. I'm a little hesitant to speak this as it was revealed in confidence from Srila Swami Maharaj in his humility he never revealed it publicly, but the way i understand it is that he didn't wish to be criticised for airing such personal revelations in public, whilst he was walking amongst us. So I heard that when he was travelling on the Jaladutta across the Atlantic and he went into cardiac arrest, he told that he thought he would'nt make it to the other side, then he revealed that his friend the most beautiful Lord Sri Krsna came to him personally and massaged his heart to life. For any aspiring devotees I feel this is a wonderful testament of Faith that can help us all keep pushing on thru all adversity and seeming hoplessness. Always give in-Never give up. If the devotees don't lose hope thru all this misconception that abounds then The Tree of Mahaprabhu's Life no doubt has everything to offer this crazy mixed up world. <CENTER>ashlishya va pada-ratam pinashtu mam adarshanan marma-hatam karotu va yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah I know no one but Krsna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.</CENTER> <CENTER>All Glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu!</CENTER>

That's not going against vaisnava beliefs at all, there are some acharyas who believe any image including pictures are the same as deities and therefore should be worshiped, meaning they are not such a cheap thing, so if you don't have any then you won't commit any offence, that's one way of looking at it. Maybe you can have some private pictures that arn't displayed openly and possibly a photo album, how does he stand with Vaisnava literature being displayed in your home. Of course it's a little unreasonable if you can't have pictures of the spiritual master, surely there can't be any objection to that. Inter faith marriages can put a devotee at a disadvantage because other religions get a little uncomfortable with offering food also, which is really part and parcel of a devotees life. It can also stifle having devotee friends over for prasad etc. So many things have to be compromised. I always sympathize with the female devotee having to cook for a non-veg. husband. I have daughters who have been in this position and it really makes it hard for them, they would never cook or eat meat, but still it takes away from sharing the family meal. What do you teach your children. Even tho many of the Christian values are harmonized in Krsna Consciousness unless one is very open minded they will always doubt the validity of Vaisnavism. Then again if you can exemplify the ideals of Faith and Dedication given in the Krsna conception I think any reasonable man will find it hard to dispute. You sound like you have a heart connection, so you know what they say about love conqering all. I wish you all the very best and may Krsna be with you.

You know they're strange these political forums. I think if you relate to either right or left of worldly governments, both will confuse as they are a long way short of trustworthy. Both sides being a mixture of corrupt and exploitative values, far left and right of central interest, parading as champions of the people while the rest of the world looks on in disbelief. Of course the rest of the megalomaniacs controlling and ruling other nations are usually no better, they just come in different guises. So even when you get free choice to vote for your representives of the people, who is there to choose from? And if the people are so confused, how will they ever know the Truth in such a maze of misinformation and propaganda, or even relative truth about both parties ulterior motives, both subtle and obvious, its design is to confuse, frustrate and destroy confidence. If I had to back either I'm sure I'd be constantly depressed. Why bother giving any energy to them, as if they change things for the better. Having said that the fella in the photo above and N Korea's Kim Jong are serious contenders for the worlds most dangerous crims. What most Americans don't understand about these anti-parties is that they will sacrifice whole populations before they fold their hand. Life is cheap to them and they have nothing to lose. The worst enemy is the one that doesn't believe in the soul anyway, and doesn't understand life goes on where we leave off, so we are responsible for our crimes and our sinful activity.

We sometimes baulk at this word force because it tends to imply a movement going against our will, (which in reality is His anyway, but he gave it to us to play with) But perhaps if it were left up to us we would never budge from our entrenched bondage to this material sphere, and therefore the gentle Tsunami of Bhakti, the life force of Sri Chaitanya has swept into our procrastinating sleeping souls in the dead of night with His causeless swell of mercy. A little like a gentle push from a loving parent teaching their child to surf but once on that wave the child can see for themselves, "Oh what an exhilirating movement," and there is a whole ocean of them that just keep coming. Whereas the controlled misuse of force in the wrong hands creates a repulsive rejection of that will behind it. Therefore Srila Guru Maharaj descibes this wave of Bhakti as irresistable.

The waves of prema Bhakti That universal wave is the most fundamental current. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmmo: The highest type of duty for everyone is yato bhaktir adhoksaje, that your attention, your submission will go to Adhoksaja, that unknown universal guardian. Ahaituky-apratihata: this submission is causeless and can never be opposed. The original vibration is forever existing. It is self-existent: none can have created that. It is eternally continuing. and none can oppose it that wave is irresistible. Try to identify your interest with that wave. That is bhakti, bhakti proper. This is the definition of bhakti: sa vai pumsam paro dharmmo; the highest duty of everyone, every soul, is this. That bhakti is adhoksaja. Your attention, your interest should be diverted towards the infinite, to the unknown, to the unknown quarter, up to the Nth degree. The mathematicians speak of calculating, continuing to the Nth degree. But this is beyond the Nth degree. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. What are its qualities? Ahaituki and apratihata. Ahaituki: No hetu, no cause; it is causeless. And that is eternal, apratihata; it can never be stopped. None can oppose it; none can give any hindrance to it. It is so forceful and continuous, forcefully continuous, that none can stop it. Such is the original vibration, and that is all sweet, all-accommodating, and all-embracing. So this is the advice of Bhagavatam and Mahaprabhu, and there we will find the wave of love, prema. This is most accommodating comprehensive. And fulfillment is given in that way: bhakti, prema-bhakti love. Without love, none can be, none can hold a dignified position. Everything else is defective only love is perfect. Justice is also defective. Justice comes to divide things between many; no unity results. This is the position of justice. But above that is the land of affection, the land of love, prema-bhumi. Love only can be the most comprehensive cause, it can accommodate or harmonize anything and everything. Love is the most generous, the most accommodating, and the most fulfilling. This is the conclusion of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, which has been conceived as the ripe fruit of the Veda. The ripe fruit of the Veda means that it is revealed truth. Revealed truth is that which does not originate from the experience of so many fallen souls, from their limited brains. No, it is coming from above, from the land of the eternally extended truth. And ripe fruit means it is in its full-fledged position, the highest conception of love. There we will find love, beauty, affection, mercy, charm. They are all similar, of the same taste and kind. Our soul must go to that land of love. This body will remain here. Our mind which is always seeking the limited happiness of this world will also be dissolved. They will all disappear. At present, the body and the mind are our property. But the inner factor, the soul that conscious unit which is within us can only be a member of that soil. Soul is our proper self, and these other things are all encasements. The mental system and the physical system are encasements, and they want this mortal world. That is their misconception.

Yeah lets see 'em try to bicker and find fault when the Holy Name is dancing on the tongue. The choice is ours. It's true the Lords Holy Name is like the stillness in the centre of this worldly hurricane. I remember GM saying when the wave of bhakti is flowing nothing can check it.

Dear Guest, What you are saying on the one hand can work both ways protecting from institutional sectarianism or fundamentalist party spirit, but at the same time can keep one from much needed and recommended association. Some look for spiritual association because they are weary of becoming an island unto themselves, no one wants to be lonely or isolated. Some devotees natures are naturally shy or back pushing, and can't relate to group, club, team anything this can be very healthy and beneficial to spiritual advancement. Yet at the same time they can be so sensitive, sometimes even bordering on paranoia that they never associate with hardly any vaisnavas at all, and this too can be detrimental as we are recommended to seek out higher association than ourselves for progressive advancement and to give checks and balances. So it can maybe be a built in mechanism for protection or a broken alarm bell that cuts off the very thing one may need. On the other end of the spectrum you have bombastic, gung ho personalities that are so in your face, that don't give you enough space to even think or pray privately without enforcing their neophyte sometimes ill founded beliefs down your throat, there seems to always be one or more in every crowd. But i think it's an individual call, because many realize that when you are around a beehive of dedication you have to get use to others husseling with fervor to serve their spiritual master. It's a sacrifice, and when a large variety of personalities live or serve together we have to learn to tolerate different natures that can even be uncomfortably competitive to our own. When the ingredients are favourable the subji comes out to everyones liking, too much hing and the atmosphere can get a little strained, but that doesn't mean we don't take prasad, or go to the festival. But all in all we want to be in Mahaprabhus sankirtan party, not watching it on the internet, singing and dancing in that self same spirit as the Lord Himself, in a co-operative sanga of service. Even He was surrounded by some extremely eccentric characters, rolling on peoples doorsteps begging them bhaja gauranga, kaha gauranga, laha gauranger nama, yei jana gauranga bhaje sei amara prana. Only in Bengal. But what if someone arrived unanounced on your doorstep half naked, pleading in song for you to come and meet this person we are singing about. What would you do? These choices may not be our ideal of absolute harmony because everyone is at different levels of development, and there will be times when sangas appear more like psyche wards than spiritual sanctuaries. Yet if we want regular congregational hearing, chanting and rememberance we may need to jump in the deep end. Regarding ra- rarring for my guru, many devotees quite naturally want others to taste the company or meet the one who they feel saved their life, and that can be shared and often times be more relishable around the disciples serving enthusiasm. Not that ones master and godbrethren are the only way, the truth and the life to make advancement, but rather come and try this because it works for me and others also are finding inner fullfillment thru this channell. So they are very keen to canvas on behalf of their beloved master and bring the suffering alienated population to a positive alternative to that which they may be experiencing in the vast spectrum of misconception out there. Many of them genuinely believe their sanga can give shelta from the storms, and they may be right on different levels. At the same time as you are alluding to, we must tread cautiously with care and attention to the quality of our association, that they are not offensive rumor mongers and gutter inspectors with ulterior motives, as this can be disastrous for the tender buds of our bhakti lata. We know India is riddled with wolves in religious cloth, and that has been exported to the world at large, but if you find good pious association that can also insulate us from being deluded by these wolves, foxes and other predators.

It's always dry in me mate, but i have some wonderful mentors to endlessly draw from, their well overfloweth. i'm told the more one churns.... maybe that's yearns, the more it returns. Sri Bhakti rasamritam has no circumferance.

diparchir eva hi dashantaram abhyupetya dipayate vivrita-hetu-samana-dharma yas tadrig eva hi cha vishnu-taya vibhati govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami The light of one candle being communicated to other candles, although it burns separately in them, is the same in its quality. I adore the Primeval Lord Govinda who exhibits Himself equally in the same mobile manner in His various manifestations. May y'all find the sweetest devotional company you can.

You may have already heard this extra ordinary account of tears that can drown the whole world in an ocean of suddhamrita. If there is such a word. This experience was once related to a few of us over our dinner table whilst accomodating Maharaj in our home down in Oz. We were as dumbstruck as he explains his own condition after receiving from SSM, when it was related to us, just to give an example of the potency of revelation being transmitted soul to soul, just how such katha has the capacity to illuminate. Inspiring story guest, if only we would all wake up and have the braveheart to do what we should whilst passing thru this world. May all obstacles be removed from the path. "So if Chief Weeawa's tears can purify a river in a dream, imagine what Mahaprabhu's tears can do!" Whoehhh!!!!! beware you are entering sacred waters! Lotus Eyes — Lotus Tears Gadadhar — Mahaprabhu's Ecstatic Correlative — By Bhakti Sudhir Goswami ...as Gadadhar sings the songs of the Bhagwat, tears cascade from his eyes like a shower of flower offerings, washing the words from its pages... Srimad Bhagavatam is God — in book form, cherished as the crème de la crème of Veda, extracted by spiritual intelligentsia (sarva vedanta saram yad). The introduction includes a solemn yet optimistic declaration: Krishna has returned to his domain along with Dharma, spiritual knowledge et al. Under the influence of the modern age that ensues, Kali Yuga, all spiritual insight will be lost. But now the brilliant sun of this Purana has risen illuminating the path back to Godhead (with eighteen thousand rays, verses). Preparing his own dazzling garland of Bhagwat sun rays (Bhagavata Arka Maricimala), Bhaktivinode Thakur concludes with an astonishing revelation: "While I fear it may be viewed as conceit, I must reveal how this compilation came about. Once while I was in deep meditation upon the Bhagavatam I beheld a divine vision. Mahaprabhu's second self, Swarup Damodar Goswami, appeared and empowered me: ‘Compile one thousand verses of the Bhagavatam, distill the essence — the cream of the cream of the cream.' Providing a theme, he delivered a lucid explanation of the first three verses according to Vaishnava theology (sambandha, abhhideya, and prayojana tattva)." Srila Sridhar Maharaja contemplated a similar compilation proposing to further condense the nectar into three hundred verses. To understand his intent, and qualification to realize the same, some background is necessary. In this connection I once asked Srila Guru Maharaja about a famous conversation of Srila Prabhupada and Acyutananda. When His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada returned to India from his successful preaching campaign, establishing the worldwide Krishna consciousness movement, surprisingly some Godbrothers were not eager to receive him. He was however, enthusiastically received with a grand reception organized by Srila Sridhar Maharaja and his Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math along with one other math. With kirtan the math members escorted Srila Prabhupada and disciples to Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math from the Nabadwip Dham train station stopping at the other temple along the way. They held a grand celebration full with pomp and circumstance. All the sannyasis and brahmacharis looked beautiful swaying to the kirtan in unison, uniformly marching like a band of saffron warriors. Prabhupada's senior disciple Acyutananda noticed the mood after arriving at Chaitanya Saraswat Math was by contrast toned down and intimate. Formality was minimal, favoring affectionate dealings. Acyutananda wondered whether his perception was one of style or substance. He asked Prabhupada who clarified: "The first math's emphasis is on quantity, whereas Sridhar Maharaja emphasizes quality. I want that our society will have both — the superior quality of Sridhar Maharaja, in quantity." Beyond the public lectures, Acyutananda inquired further about Srila Prabhupada's private Bengali talks with Srila Sridhar Maharaja. Prabhupada revealed, "I offered him the presidency of ISKCON. He declined — he is keeping things within. He has very high realizations about Krishna and Mahaprabhu. They are so deep, if I were to tell, you would faint!" What he meant is worth clarifying. Srila Sridhar Maharaja offers his own explanation: "By 'faint' he means, we will be unable to maintain consciousness in that plane (ya nisa sarva bhutanam tasyam jagarti samyami)." Alternately, we will disconnect from the world around us. Mahaprabhu's ecstatic trance was so deep, his existence was barely traceable in the physical plane. At last it was not discernible at all, completely vanishing into higher reality. Invisible — except for souls of the stature of Bhaktivinode Thakur. Srila Sridhar Maharaja gives the example of tossing a flower into the current of the Ganges. The flower disappears, carried away by the current. But if we run along the bank, moving at the speed of flow, we can keep pace. Such souls as Bhaktivinode Thakur, through deep penetration (internal heart flow), enter a current of Lila achieving immediate experience: the spiritual equivalent of space time continuum (kabe gauravane suradhuni tate 'ha radhe ha krsna' bole). Additionally, when it is said "devotee's faint" it does not mean they become unconscious in the ordinary sense. Rather the intensity of awareness of the higher plane causes a perceptual disconnect from this plane resulting in fainting. Higher substance descends, according to its own necessity, eclipsing lower experience (adhoksaja). This is the preferred method of descent of revealed truth (tasyaisa atma vivrnute tanum svam). Mahaprabhu's physician associate Mukunda entered a trance while offering medical advice to a Muslim king. As they sat on a veranda, a servant shaded the king with a peacock-feathered fan. Enthralled by the peacock feathers, Mukunda's remembrance of Krishna produced a deep state of ecstasy. Increasingly oblivious to surroundings he fainted. Returning to external consciousness, he attempted to conceal his devotion, saying he suffered from epilepsy. Srila Sridhar Maharaja's answer includes the inverse: it is so high and deep one can only penetrate according to capacity, but a glimpse of the Infinite is so intense, one will be unable to maintain consciousness and be forced to return to this plane (yanra yata sakti tata pathare santare). Once, late in the afternoon in Nabadwip, at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, I approached Srila Sridhar Maharaja with an unusual request. In a relaxed atmosphere, amid hearing mail and news, with Srila Govinda Maharaja by his side, I referenced his talks with Srila Swami Maharaja. "What is it about those talks that would make one faint?" Srila Govinda Maharaja laughed. Hearing Srila Govinda Maharaja laughing, Srila Guru Maharaja inquired why. Govinda Maharaja explained, "Goswami Maharaja wants to hear something that will make him faint!" He then explained in Bengali. Srila Guru Maharaja laughed. Srila Govinda Maharaja surveyed the catalog of things that make one faint, suggesting Guru Maharaja recite his sloka about Gadadhar Pundit. The one he intended for the introduction to establish the theme of his Bhagwat verse compilation. The mood shifted dramatically — Srila Sridhar Maharaja intoned: nilambhodi tate sada sva viraha ksepanvitam bandhavam srimad bhagavati katha madiraya sañjivayan bhati yah srimad bhagavatam sada sva nayanasru payanaih pujayan goswami prabaro gadadhara vibhur bhuyat mad eka gatih On the sands of the blue ocean in Puri, feeling deep separation from himself (Krishna), Mahaprabhu is consoled by his friend Gadadhar (Radharani). As one nears death, suffering the loss of a beloved, Gadadhar tries to resuscitate Mahaprabhu by supplying the intoxicating wine of Krishna-katha to drown the agony of separation plaguing his heart. As Gadadhar sings the songs of the Bhagwat, tears cascade from his eyes, like a shower of flower offerings, washing the words from its pages. My only goal is to enter that current of devotion flowing from the divine heart of that best of Goswamis — Gadadhar. Doing my best to offer dandabat, I staggered off the veranda. Descending a few stairs, I stepped out of view, my head pressed against a stone wall for support. Eyes closed, I tried desperately to hold remembrance of that glimpse of higher reality. Suddenly sounds of the environment intruded. Again I was engulfed by the world of sense experience ("Till human voices wake us, and we drown.") By the divine grace of Srila Sridhar Maharaja, such an astonishing conception was projected on the mirror of my conscious self — so beautiful, luminous — it penetrated the layers of dust and ego, covering my heart, providing a momentary glimpse into his conceptual domain. I returned to find Srila Sridhar Maharaja and Srila Govinda Maharaja sitting peacefully, engaged in light conversation. This was not a memorable experience for either of them. Apparently they had been doing this together for the last forty years! As Srila Govinda Maharaja recalls, "Sometimes Srila Guru Maharaja would share a sloka jewel the way a boy tosses you one of his favorite marbles." Only these gems are consciousness embodied (cintamanis carana bhusanam angananam). Srila Sridhar Maharaja: "The scriptures (slokas) are an objective posing of the subjective. Actually they want to be preached. We shall offer ourselves as carriers to become their instruments (hrdaye pravesa)." Srila Sridhar Maharaja would jest that he couldn't complete the work because he was an "ease lover" (ananda lilamaya vigrahaya). He later revealed the only person he felt qualified to complete this task, in terms of spiritual heart and depth, is Srila Govinda Maharaja: Srila Sridhara Maharaj likens it to lava overflowing from the heart in molten erruptions of divine love, luvvva as he would play on his own words jokingly Prema dhama devam eva nami Gaura sundaram cascading from his lotus eyes burning the imprints of his feet in the stone offering a gift of mercy and rememberance for all posterity

You just can't help being honest Bij, so many feel the same thing when hearing divine revelation from such a God realized Mahatma, and who, at the same time can express this adhoksaja plane with such authority and sweetness for which he is renouned. We have been advised to hear from such souls with open subservience so that transcendental reality... Absolute Truth will be happy to grow and play in our heart, to let the inconceivable become conceivable, via the vehicle of Sraddha, thereby purifying our consciouness and changing our hearts forever. guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya, ar na koriho mane asa sri-guru-carane-rati, ei se uttama-gati, je prasade pure sarva asa It's obviously most valuable to follow the directions of these glorious souls. Travelling where the saints have trod, as then we are not likely to tread on the myriad land mines that are scattered thruout this material world. What to speak of the nectar to be shared from service to their divine instructions. If you are fortunate to get access to Srila Guru Maharaj's discoarses on Cd or DVD, there are so many revelations therein, where he describes this Adhoksaja plain in depth. Very enlightening, sharing some of his own personal experience in intimate company. Dandavat pranams to your interest Prabhu Yours in Guru vaisnava seva

Anything and everything is possible, the more you put your theories... hopes... wishes.... aspirations out in the ethers, the more they have a chance of coming down to this material zone. Of coarse already we see world leaders having summits in the balmy tropics like Bali, Fiji, Thailand etc. totally out of character in tropical attire, bedecked with garlands, floating around like stunned mullet in a pampered mood of honor, and obvious relief from their usual ridged robotic defencive business as usual attitudes. But it doesn't take long before they spring right back in to their political profiles, like chameleons. Back to rule the world. Maybe as vaisnavas the most we can do is invite individual polies to some of our major festivals, hoping by increments, their visits may filter back into the political system.