brajeshwara das

Yeah, I understand the whole mad cow disease, but the fact they have to advertise the cows they feed people were vegetarians is just incredible!

Can anyone else tell how they have dealt with this sort of thing and lessons learned? I think of Queen Kunti and the hardships of the Pandavas and of course this is minor in comparison. Just wanting to lear the best lessons from this.

Yes, but some debt has been paid, and some mercy is there if they can find it. I hope we can rejoice over this someday as fortune instead. They are Chinese and this happened right after the New Year, it is probably particularly inauspicious to them. Two other homes in as many days were robbed in the same complex, targeting Chinese since they keep a lot of money at home. My mother in law is very poor but frugal and helped us buy our home. If she hadn't that money likely would have been stolen as well. Dayal Nitai, may we all escape this world and sing the names of the Lord together.

My inlaws' home was burglarized this evening, my wife is understandably shaken, not from the loss of property (including her wedding ring) but the invasion. I'm not disturbed, but I'm afraid my condolences are too detached for this emotional time for her and her family. I found this by Srila Swami Maharaj: There is a Bengali proverb that how God works, that one man, a householder is praying to God, "My dear Lord, there may not be any theft case, burglary, in my home this night. Please save me." So one man is praying prayer, praying like that. Another man is praying, the thief, "My dear Lord, this night I shall commit burglary in that house. Please help me to get something." Now, what is Kṛṣṇa's position? (laughter) Kṛṣṇa is everyone's heart. So Kṛṣṇa has to satisfy so many prayers. The burglar and the thief and the householder, so many prayers. So Kṛṣṇa's adjustment... But He's still... That is Kṛṣṇa's intelligence, how He adjusts. He gives everyone freedom. And everyone is given facilities, but still He's in botheration. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises to his devotees that "Don't plan anything. You rascal, you nonsense, you don't give Me trouble. (laughter) Please surrender unto Me. Just go under My plan; you'll be happy. You are making plan, you are unhappy; I am also unhappy. I am also unhappy. (laughter) So many plans are coming daily, and I'll have to fulfill." But He's merciful. If a... Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs... [bg. 4.11]. It was funny that all yesterday and today I have been thinking of Jesus' teaching not to build your treasure on Earth where moths and dust corrupt, and theives break through and steal, but to build your treasure in the Kingdom of God. Then tonight there was a burglary where they broke all the material possesions of her materially poor family, ripped up all the furniture and every treasure was touched and stolen. My thinking turned to the Kingdom of God to give them comfort. I hope they can appreciate that. It feels like Guru had been preparing me for this, so much mercy is here, I just need to find the way to share it. Any advice is welcome.

A fewmovies I watched as a bramachari: Bicentenial Man - Robin Williams is a robot with a heart, where he tries to become human and evolve over time. At the end of the movie he is finally really human because he is biologically recognized by humans as human. My Godbrother and I walked away thinking these people know nothing, the key is that he was conscious and that was above being human. That consciousness came from somewhere, where was that? It was never explored in the movie. It could have been a really deep movie but instead was a body-worshiping fairy tale. Pinochio for the modern age. Arthur C Clarke was the auther, or maybe Iassic Asminov, I forget. The Matrix - really cool, reality is not what you think it is, everything is an illurion, you are a slave to the illusion, you must fight to be free. Once free you have to serve the highest good and free others from the illusion. You have to become a slave to the highest good, or ultimately the forces of illusion will kill you. There is the guy who would rather go back to the illusion because he would rather reign in hell than serve in heaven. I was very impressed by this at the time, I thought it was a great way to relate Vaisnava concepts to a modern society that didn't have the 'ears to hear' without special effects and 5.1 surround sound. Star Wars - Attack of the Clones - After an exhaustive sankirtan road trip vending food at a bluergrass festival, we went to see this, and though I have no real insight beyond the Guru/disciple relationships, ksatriya system, they did sport sikhas which we got a great kick out of, and Jar Jar reminded me of myself as a dreaddy hippy.

Yeah, Karna had a worm bore through his leg and didn't cry out lest to wake his Guru, or so I recall. That's the ksatriya mood, no?

Yeah, but I'm finding the environment very friendly, I just need to try and see Krsna there, playing tricks on me and teaching me lessons, even when they are what not to do. Maybe those are the most important lessons of all. I'm sure that prabhu was honestly trying to serve. It makes me think in a way of Srila Sridhar Maharaj's interpretation of Judas and Christ (not saying the devotee was a judas at all): Srila Guru Maharaj: Do you know of Judas in the Christian teachings? Disciple: Yes, he betrayed Jesus. Srila Guru Maharaj: When Jesus was praying in the garden before his crucifixion, Judas approached him with the scribes and priests in order to betray him, identifying that Messiah with a kiss. Suddenly, Jesus cast his glance towards Judas in such an impressive way – he penetrated Judas. And Judas thought to himself, “I am caught, I shall be responsible for Jesus Christ’s demise,” but still Jesus’ vision to me was something more like: “I am exploiting you Judas. It is not that you are exploiting me, rather I am utilising you as a traitor to show the greatness of my life to the future world.” Jesus has already said (at his last supper), “Amongst these twelve disciples one will betray me.” He knew. Judas had been there then and Jesus had cast his glance towards Judas. Then later, when Judas came with the soldiers and scribes to the garden of Gethsemene to capture him, Jesus had cast his glance towards Judas once again and was thinking, “You think you are exploiting me for some money but I am exploiting you for eternity. You have to stand out as a sinful person against me, I knew you were a traitor, but I did not disclose you. I still took you within my group of followers knowing full well that I am exploiting you.” The look of Jesus was like that. Judas was crazed. He threw away the sack of silver. He ran to the authorities and said, “I have committed the worst sin, I cannot tolerate it!” Judas’ energy was drunk, his spirit was drawn. Just like in Jujitsu, when someone attacks the opposition with great force, but the opposition suddenly withdraws, causing the attacking person to fall on their face – Judas found himself in that sort of position. Jesus was exchanging love for betrayal. It was the sort of love that disarmed and sent Judas mad. “I treated him so wickedly, yet his look is not one of vindictiveness but of infinite gratitude. That sort of look Jesus cast upon me.” In the perfect vision, in the full-fledged consideration, every atom is helping the Pastimes of Krishna. Whether it is direct or indirect – and although it seems to be indirect at present – a deeper vision will reveal that it is coming towards direct service.

I think theist was saying it is Bhakta and Bhakta, a little humor. You guys are a team, nearly twins in your preaching of daiva varnashram dharma (I'm resisting shortening it to DVD from here on out )

Yep, saw it, wonderful film!

There are so many Deadheads in my Math, I'm sure in ISKCON too. The community was great that it opened up to any idea that wasn't outright violent. I did have one very bad experience though with a devotee on tour: I was at Star Lake in Pennsylvania 92 Summer tour, and a devotee came up to me and gave me a book, asked me if I would read it and I was very happy and said yes, of course, I would be honored. Then he asked for a donation. At the time I was begging literally for my own food, relying on the kindness of others just to exist. I was in a sort of agnostic renunciate trip, though I would work when necessary and didn't want to stop being ala mayavadis. I just wanted to dance with God at a Dead show. But the devotee took back the book, upset at me that I couldn't pay for it, and I was like 'man, he has no clue'. Ever since then I have always bought the books I would distribute from the temple and give them freely, and any donation that could be given was great. The books themselves are like the remnants of my purchase, and I just want the recipient to get the mercy. That prabhu I guess was used in Krsna's sevice in a way neither of us saw that day.

Yep, saw it, very nice. Reminded me of my bramachari days with our nonsense, they have soccer to sneak out for in this movie, I had Grateful Dead spinner dances

OK, I'm getting it, but can someone tell me how you can copy/paste from it with the diacritics intact? Is that possible?

Can anyone recommend any good transcendentally- focused movies? I know some will be totally opposed to the idea, but hey, I'm definitely not a surrendered soul and my wife wants to sit with me and watch a movie regularly. She isn't very inclined to spiritual life so I'd like some recommendations on movies that may be good just from a God-consciousness platform, to help open her heart up a bit. I doubt I'll get her to sit through a Hindi movie unless there is Bollywood-type dancing etc so please keepo that in mind. Anyway, I know it is nonsense but you have to start somewhere. I had blooped out for a long time, gotten married to a woman that wasn't on that trip, and can't really impose Krishna Consciousness forcefully on her. She is a good person and just needs some gentle encouragement.

Ah, memories! I better be careful or I'll come back as a bird.

Sure, understood.

Sorry Prabhu, I got what you and he were saying a bit mixed up: You'll notice this was what I thought he was saying, but it was a quote from you. This thread is getting too long to keep track of. BTW, speaking of cults, the CC has many instances where it says 'The cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu' and a swami I know would skip over the 'c' word when reading from the CC.

Ah, ok. Then I'll wait on your CC quote then

Thanks for the quote

Just to be clear, you are saying chanting the Maha Mantra makes the unwanted creepers stronger so we can identify them and pull them out? This makes sense to me because I know when I moved into bramachari ashram some tendencies that seemingly were gone became much stronger and I became aware that I has certain problems. It also makes me think of the analogy of boiling water, that the impurities come to the surface under the heat of devotional life.

I am just of a different opinion than you, that is all. You said anadi was wrong, and I disagreed. It wasn't hard to do at all. If it were anyone else I would have also made the same remark. It's not about you. I actually don't want an argument at all, but since anadi is just like the rest of us, sometimes wrong, sometimes right, I think it is important to show him due respect when appropriate.

CB-r, could you describe how you have seen?

This past weekend I asked about daiva varnashrama dharma from a more senior SCSMath vaisnava, and he said the mission is intended to be the Brahman section of society, per Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's misson. That Srila Swami Maharaj through necessity because of the scope of his mission and the challenges he encountered wanted the whole DVD system is understandable as you have said, and this harmonizes why the SCSMath mission and other Gaudiya Maths hasn't gone this way, being a much smaller missions with different dynamics. I knew there was harmony there, just didn't know where to look. Dandavats Prabhu!

What are the sure signs that you are being 'puffed up' and thinking you are advanced? What sorts of meditations do others use to minimize these feelings? I'm not claiming to feel this way, I'm arrogant but know I'm low and unworthy. But you never know, maybe I am puffed up. Would I know if I were?

Also moderators are really here to handle this sort of personal attack, is there really a need for this?