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Vigraha

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  1. This is the order how I see it 1 - Rasa, nitya siddha or eternal vigraha body<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> 2 - To the baddha-jiva dream state that possesses ethereal material vessels or bodies in the mahat-tattva or the material creation of three modes of nature (dream bodies including the ethereal body being covered by many biological types of bodies.)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> 3 - Impersonal Brahmajyoti or Brahma sayujya achieved after the great effort to 'free the mind' from active thoughts of self centred enjoying<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> 4 - Falling down from that already fallen state is inevitable because the nature of the soul is activity.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> 5 - Another attempt is given in the mahat-tattva to meet a pure devotee of Krsna and 'regain' the memory of ones eternal rasa or nitya siddha body, from which the dream state nitya-baddha consciousness originates
  2. Happy new year sreading the Hare Krsna mantra to all, make this a good year full of Krsna Conscious cheer, good well and mercy to ALL:pray:
  3. Do Not Violate Jagannath Culture and Tradition" - Puri King BY: DEBABRATA MOHAPATRA Nov 16, JAGANNATHA PURI, ORISSA — The scion of Puri Royal family, Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, has appealed to the ISKCON body not to violate the Jagannath culture and tradition by celebrating Rath Yatra untimely at different places in the country and abroad. The King's reaction came a few days after the priests and cultural enthusiasts here protested the seasonal deviation in celebrating Rath Yatra. They were piqued at ISKCON's proposed Rath Yatra to be observed on different dates, at various locations. Priests and locals under the banner of Jagannath Sena demonstrated in front of the Jagannath Temple and burnt the effigy of Srila Prabhupada, the Founder of ISKCON. The sena's national convener, Priyadarshan Pattanaik, gave a memorandum to the 12th century shrine Chief Administrator to take legal proceedings against the violators. Jagannath Sena's burning of the effigy evoked sharp reactions from ISKCON society members across the world. Krishna followers were hurt at the "insane" behaviour of the Sena activists. "The activists should not have burnt the effigy of Srila Prabhupada. This is an insane act by the Sena men. God will not forgive them," said an ISKCON devotee here. "This is sad that ISKCON has flouted Jagannath Tradition of celebrating Rath Yatra, which is celebrated on asadha sukla dwitiya that falls in June and July mostly," Dibyasingha Deb said. Last year also, Rath Yatra was celebrated on different dates by the ISKCON society at many places. "In fact we had sent letter to the Governing Body of ISKCON to stop untimely celebration of Rath Yatra on different dates. They had also pledged us to abide by the Jagannath tradition. But I don't know what went wrong this time," the Puri Maharaja said. "However, we have again sent letter to the body to stop such activities. Even we have asked the state government to take some action. If this does not yield any result, we may take legal action. But we will wait till the reply from the ISKCON body," Dibyasingha Deb said. Glimpses of Ludhiana Rath Yatra BY: BHAKTA KAPLISH <CENTER></CENTER> Nov 16, LUDHIANA, INDIA (SUN) — Lord Jagannatha Ratha Yatra festival concluded with great devotion and dedication in Ludhiana. About five Lakh devotees from India and abroad participated in this festival of chariot. The route of the parade was beautifully decorated and Sankirtan parties recited melodious kirtana. The six kilometer parade route was covered in eight hours. His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj, GBC and BBT Trustee, offered arati to the deities of Jagannatha, Baldev and Lady Subhadra. Mr. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh state of India, was the chief guest. <CENTER></CENTER> Among others who participated in the parade were His Holiness Vedavyasapriya Swami Maharaj, His Holiness Pravodha Nand Maharaj, HG Mahaman das (ACBSP), Zonal Secretary HG Vaiyasaki das (ACBSP), HG Makhan Lal Prabhu, (ACBSP), HG Sarvabhauma das, HG Mohan Rupa das, Temple President of ISKCON New Delhi main temple, HG Vidurpriya das, Co-Temple President ISKCON Ludhiana, HG Sakshi Gopal Das, Temple President, ISKCON Kurukshetra, HG Akinchan Priya das, along with devotees from ISKCON Chandigarh, devotees from ISKCON Vrindavan and ISKCON New Delhi, devotees from U.SA., Russia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, HG Bhaktivinode das, HG Krishan Kanti das, Ex-Temple President of ISKCON Chandigarh, and book distribution parties from New Delhi and Kolkatta. To see more pictures please visit our website. <CENTER></CENTER> <CENTER> Reconciliation? A Letter to Puri Officials BY: JAGABANDHU DAS Nov 15, FORT WHITE, FLORIDA (SUN) — Respected Venerables; Please excuse me. Sorry to bother you. I was very sorry to hear of the Sri Ratha-yatra scheduling disagreement which has taken place between the various sevaites of Sri Jagannatha Dev. If we consider the story from Srimad-Bhagavatam about Maharaj Amburish and the offense against his lotus feet by Durvas Muni, along with Lord Vishnu's advice to Durvas Muni: cannot the grave offense to Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his worldwide followers possibly become ameliorated by the earnestly appealed for forgiveness by the offenders, who voluntarily with profusely apologetic fervor might then escort the palanquin-carried murti of Sri Jagannatha Dev's universally- acclaimed, exalted and dearmost servitor Srila Prabhupada into the sanctorum of Sri Jagannatha Dev's own temple in Puri, for a maha guru-puja offering to His Divine Grace in the Divine Presence of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladev and Lady Subhadra, thereby giving hopeful opportunity for the offenders to become rectified and redeemed by recompense fulfilled? In this way, the global family of Sri Jagannatha Dev, regardless of particular specific institutional affiliation might become pacified and aspirantly re-united in concerted action for that one genuinely mutually beneficial aim of prolifically promulgating truly universal Love of Godhead throughout the world. To give dishonor, honors no one. Humbly, the lowly Jagabandhu das </CENTER>
  4. Srila Prabhupada - "We are not advocates of non-violence when there is aggression we must kill them". 22 June, 1973 Mayapur Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 10 June, 1973 and I have carefully studied the contents. After the shooting affair what precaution have you taken? Bharadraja is here and he gave report that the devotees were very frightened. I further understand that the attack was for the second time. Here in Mayapur there are reports of dacoity at least once, twice in a month surrounding our place. So we have now taken two guns under regular license from the government. . So when New Vrindaban has been attacked twice, thrice, why are you not keeping guns? We are not advocates of non-violence when there is aggression we must kill them. So I think you shall immediately arrange for guns and at least 10, 12 men should be trained up so when there is again attack you can properly reply the aggressor. So far as my health is concerned it is improving a little but at the same time another new symptom is developing. Yesterday all of a sudden I have developed eye trouble. They said it is conjunctivitis or something like that. The left eye is swollen and always weeping and I cannot see properly. Syamasundara came here and he also wants me to come to London for talking with some important men. I am thinking of going there by the first week of July but wondering what shall I do if some new symptom of my bad health threatens me in so many ways. But on the whole, if I go to London I think it will not be difficult for me to go to New Vrindaban. Sometimes by the 20th of August I could arrive because Janmastami will take place on the 21st. Just now I cannot promise taking consideration of my bad health. But if I at all go to London there is 90% chance of my going to New Vrindaban. In the meantime I shall be glad to hear from you what defense measures you have taken to protect the life and property of New Vrindaban. This is very important and you must take all steps. Actually the government should have arrested all the gang and punished them properly for their atrocious behavior on unarmed people. Is there an attempt to have the government punish the gang who are well known to your country? We just take measure against occasional attacks by criminals. Hoping this finds you in good health. Your ever well wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
  5. I have been studying ghost phenomenon now for a few years and have found that for them to effect a human being requires that human being to be weak minded or mentally disturbed. In fact most, nearly 95% of ghost haunting are actually owns own fears projecting outwards<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The problem today is, science can never prove with their gross materialistic instruments that ghosts exist, this is because all ghostly vessels that house a lost soul is ethereal matter and not gross matter. This is also why ghosts cannot influence us very much unless they are a Brahma bhuta, who are extremely powerful but extremely rare. Another rare type of ghost is actually in a biologial body and they are recognized by their webbed feet. They appear as a young child and have been seen even in Mayapur India on only two occassions in 40 years. The point is, a real ghostly haunting is very rare. <o:p></o:p> The fact is, most of us are haunted by our own lusty desires, fears and speculation of what others think of us. The mind is very powerful and can make you believe just about anything.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Be careful on this thread, most ghostly haunting are the demons of lust, anger, greed and fear within your own mind<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> In any case, if ones read the Srimad Bhagavatam, you will be protected from al ghosts, real or imagined.
  6. Puri priests up in arms against ISKCON <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> Puri priests up in arms against ISKCON Ratha Yatra dates burn an effigy of the Founder/Acarya<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The priests at Jagannath Temple here are again up in arms against the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), which, despite facing flak from different quarters last year, is again likely to celebrate Rath Yatra on different dates at various places in the country.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> A number of priests and cultural enthusiasts under the banner of Sri Jagannath Sena, a local cultural outfit, staged a demonstration in front of the world famous 12th century shrine on Tuesday protesting against the proposed untimely celebration of annual Rath Yatra by ISKCON authorities at different places, including New Delhi and Ludhiana. The angry priests even burnt the effigy of Srila Prabhupada, the Founder/Acharya of ISKCON. ISKCON is likely to observe Rath Yatra at different places in next couple of months, said some of the agitating priests.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Time and again the ISKCON society is flouting our tradition and norms. Last year too they did not pay heed to our protests and went ahead with celebrating Rath Yatra on different dates at various places in the country,” said Priyadarshan Pattanaik, the national convener of the Sena.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Even though Jagannath temples exist in every nook and cranny of the world, the Jagannath Temple at Puri is the real abode of Jagannath. And going by the age-old tradition, the annual Rath Yatra of the Lord is observed on asadha sukla dwitiya that falls in June and July in the Gregorian calendar,” Pattanaik maintained.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Expressing solidarity with the priests, Mayapurchandra dasa, a former ISKCON devotee from Italy said the Krishna followers should abide by the precept of Hindu religion and calendar. ” ISKCON should celebrate Rath Yatra on the same day as observed here. But burning the effigy of Prabhupada is condemnable,” Mayapurchandra said.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Priests reproached the Jagannath Temple administration for doing little to stop such practices by ISKCON. “The shrine authorities last time had promised to take legal action against the ISKCON authorities after the latter underplayed the warnings made by the former. But the Jagannath temple officials turned back from that promise. This bolstered ISKCON to observe Rath Yatra once again on different dates,” said an agitating priest, Somnath Khuntia.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Surprisingly, the temple Chief Administrator, Sailendra Narayan Sarangi, parried the issue saying “I have no idea about it”. He even did not reply whether he will take up the matter again with the ISKCON authorities. Temple PRO Laxmidhar Pujapanda said the Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb requested the ISKCON body to celebrate Rath Yatra on the same date, akin to Puri.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> We encourage ISKCON leaders, all disciples and followers of Srila Prabhupada to immediately express their outrage via petitions and personal complaints to Puri Temple administrators and officials. Please direct your letters, faxes and phone calls to the following individuals.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb Chairman, Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee Sri Nahar, Puri 752001 Phone 1: 91-674-2511166 Phone 2: 91-6752-222829 Fax: 91-674-513842<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> E-mail: gajapati@dte.vsnl.net.in Mr. Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, IAS Working Chairman Shri Jagannath Temple Office, Puri Phone 1: 91-6752-223002 Phone 2: 91-6752-222002 E-mail: jagannath@ori.nic.in<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Mr. Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, IAS Collector & Deputy Chief Administrator Shri Jagannath Temple Office, Puri. Phone (Office): 91-6752-222033 Phone (Residence): 91-6752-222034 Fax: 91-6752-223939 E-mail: dmpuri@ori.nic.in<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Sailendra Narayan Sarangi Chief Administrator, Jagannatha Puri Temple E-mail: sarangis@ias.nic.in<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> In a related story from ‘The Hindu’:<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Protest against proposed car festival by ISKCON<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Staff Reporter, THE HINDU<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Puri: A number of servitors of Jagannath Temple and cultural enthusiasts of Puri on Tuesday took to the street protesting the proposed car festival to be organised by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New Delhi on November 23.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> They were enraged over untimely celebration of the festival. Servitors burnt effigy of Srila Prabhupada, the founder acharya of ISKCON. Shouting slogans against the organisers, these servitors threatened not to allow the ISKCON followers to Puri.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Ratha Yatra is usually celebrated in the month of June and July. Since Puri is the real abode of Lord Jagannath, the festival timing should be followed by everyone in and outside the State. So celebrating Ratha Yatra on an unscheduled date is anti-Hindu,” said Priyadarshan Patnaik, national convenor of Jagannath Sena, a local outfit.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The State government and the Jagannath Temple Administration (JTA) should take action against ISKCON authorities and prevent organisers at New Delhi from celebrating the Rath Yatra. Reacting to the development JTA’s public relation officer Laxmidhar Pujapanda said Dibyasingh Dev, scion of Puri Royal family, had requested other State government not to allow celebration of Car Festival on any unscheduled date. Despite the protest last year, ISKCON had celebrated the car festival in New Delhi. It had evoked sharp reactions among servitors and other die-hard followers of Jagannath cult.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> However, Bhubaneswar unit of ISKCON had disassociated from the whole controversy. Chief of ISKCON, Bhubaneswar Golak Mohapatra said, “we are not part of the decision taken at New Delhi. We will follow the rituals of Jagannath Temple at Puri. We have even passed a resolution to this effect.” <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Dear Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb,<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> My respects to you. Jaya Jagannatha!<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> My name is Danavir Goswami, a member of ISKCON and disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> You may recall that a few years ago I organized the tour of Druze leaders that journeyed from Israel to Jagannatha Puri to meet you. They enjoyed their visit very much.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I have heard that under your jurisdiction an effigy of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was recently burned by those claiming to be followers of Lord Jagannatha. I find it almost unbelievable.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Millions of persons around the world, such as myself, had never heard of Lord Jagannatha before Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON movement brought the Rathayatra Chariot festivals to our cities. Now we worship Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra with great devotion and love. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada was a great devotee of Lord Jagannatha in modern history—how then could such a saintly person’s image be defamed in Puri itself? <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I do not suspect that you were a party to the effigy burning, however since this great atrocity has taken place under your supervision, I urge you to use your powers to the fullest extent to punish those who are responsible for the act. The world awaits your decision and action so that this heinous act is rectified. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> May Lord Jagannatha guide you and empower you to take the correct action in this matter. I will be very thankful to hear it and see it so that such a demoniac action is never performed again in Jagannatha Puri.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Wishing you well,<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Danavir Goswami<o:p></o:p> (Rupanuga Vedic College Inaugural President)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Rupanuga Vedic College/Polestar<o:p></o:p> 5201 Paseo, Kansas City, Missouri 64110<o:p></o:p> Tel: (407)413-9406, Fax: (816) 924-5640, Mob: (407) 407-575-7187<o:p></o:p> E-mail: danavir.goswami@pamho.net Website: www.rvc.edu<o:p></o:p> Skype: DanavirGoswami <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Hare Krsna,<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> In addition to the above numbers i have got the mobile number of the secretary of Gajapati Maharaj, Mr. Mohanty (00 91 94337315541). I called him up and showed my displeasure of whatever happened in Puri. You can call him up also. He also gave the fax number of the committee office (91 6752 220100). You can additionally fax on this number also apart from the above numbers.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Time to rise for Prabhupada.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> your lowly servant,<o:p></o:p> vibhava krsna das. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> by vibhavakrsna das on November 15th, 2008 <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> This can be turned into a positive opportunity to glorify Srila Prabhupada. If we organize a large group of devotees from all over India to travel to Jagganath Puri and have continuous Hari Nam it would surely attract attention of the media. Also leading life members could approach the media as well a their local politicians to protest this affront to Srila Prabhupada and his Iskcon movement. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I wish I was there in India to help. Don’t let this opportunity pass to make everyone know that we are all loyal to Srila Prabhupada and won’t tolerate this insult to our Founder Acarya<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Imagine if an effigy of the prophet Mohammad was burned. What kind of reaction would we expect from his followers? <o:p>The following is by Pusta Krishna das<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Dear Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, Dandavats. I was very saddened to hear the envious behaviour of some of the pandas which led to the burning of the form of His DIvine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad in front of the Jagannath Temple. By every standard, he was Lord Nityananda and Lord Chaitanya-devas personal emissary in this era of the Kali Yuga. The acts of your underlings therefore mark a most regrettable time. We know that Sri Jagannath will protect His beloved bhaktas. Such position is beyond appointment by any other people, who might profess closeness or proximity to the absolute Truth. The Truth rather will descend in His own way, at His own time, and cannot be stopped by any type of human politics. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Thus, I expect a rather severe reaction to come to those unfortunate souls who have participated in these acts, or who have supported them passively. It is the end of an era of dignity for the sevaites of the Holy Jagannath Temple in Puri. Throughout the world, the glories of Lord Jagannath have been proclaimed by ISKCON through the will of Srila Prabhupad. The first Rathayatra in the west was in San Francisco Golden Gate Park in 1967 and has taken place each year since then. I participated in the first Rathayatra in South Africa, and in many similar celebrations throughout the world. I led the kirtan of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra in July 1976 when the first Rathayatra went down the Fifth Avenue in New York City with Srila Prabhupad present which proclaimed the grand success of Srila Prabhupad’s preaching work in the West.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Lord Jagannath has graced Trafalgar Square in London and every major venue in the world. How can the pandas fail to see how the millions of Krishna bhaktas throughout the world have served Lord Jagannath so sweetly, affectionately, and sincerely? Never mind what day of the year, northern or southern hemisphere… how amazing all of this is by the grace of Srila Prabhupad! Who could fail to appreciate this? Only a stone-hearted person, that is who. Woe unto the misguided? Now, once one has offended a great vaishnava, there is only one way to amend this state, as exemplified by the example of Durvasa Muni and Ambarish Maharaj in the Puranas. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> One must go to the offended person and beg his forgiveness. Since Srila Prabhupad is now in Goloka Vrindaban with Sri Sri Radha Krishna, Baladeva and the eternal family of Sri Krishna, I suggest the final method for purging of false pride from the pandas and the faithful servitors of Lord Jagannath. Open the doors of the Jagannath Temple once and for all to bhaktas and visitors from around the world. Allow Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s family of devotee’s entry to have darshan of Lord Jagannath, Subhadra, and Baladeva. This can be the only way to appease His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, and to alleviate the envy that has overwhelmed the hearts of many pandas. This is no game. The very survival of devotion of these pandas rests upon this decision… otherwise they are doomed to be chased by Sri Sudarshan Chakra of Lord VIshnu, and will not be able to hide in any place, even Vaikuntha. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Otherwise, the world family of devotees must consider you and your fellow pandas as being quite irrelevant and a disturbance to the progressive path of bhakti. We are not dependent upon entry into the divine darshan hall of Sri Jagannath-deva for our bhakti to proceed, as we are all followers of the mood of Sri Chaitanyadeva who taught that service in separation is superior to union. Rather, the bhakti creeper of the pandas is now at risk of being cut-off thoroughly by maha-vaishnava-aparadha. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The prayers of such pandas cannot reach to Lord Jagannath Who will be deaf to such blasphemy, and the chanting to and decoration of the Lord’s form will not please such Lord who claims that there is no one more dear in this world than one who teaches saranagati to the bhaktas… His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad is foremost amongst such contemporaries. The choice is yours, bu t we shall carry on with our service to Sri Sri Guru Gauranga regardless of any decision by the panda sevaites of Sri Jagannath Temple. Rather, your devotion and its receipt by the Lord is at risk. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> With respect for your position,<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Pusta Krishna das Physician, Surgeon, and bhakta</o:p> The whole thing stinks of hypocrisy and arrogance!<o:p></o:p> What’s going on is obvious, the Puri Temple devotees and managers feel that ISKCON is taking over what they believe if their festival of Ratha-yatra. they are probably fearful that Lord Jagannath will be made more famous by ISKCON than their Puri festival (well, that already happened thanks to the humble causeless mercy of Srila Prabhupada.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> To understand how the Puri pujaris and managers felt about the 'new ISKCON kid on the block', just look at some ISKCON Temples reaction when Gaudiya math Temples started in there area, some ISKCON Temples even 'patented' the name Hare Krishna so the Gaudiya math could not use the term 'Hare Krishnas'<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The whole thing stinks of hypocrisy and arrogance! <o:p>I believe Bhakta Bob summed it all up 45 years ago, 'The times ar achanging' <o:p></o:p> <o:p>The Puri Preists should be honoured ISKCON is spreading the glorious of Lord Jaganath and ISKCON should be honoured that the Gaudia math is spreading in the West because that is ALSO Srila Prabhupada's credit</o:p></o:p>
  7. Puri priests up in arms against ISKCON <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> Puri priests up in arms against ISKCON Ratha Yatra dates burn an effigy of the Founder/Acarya<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The priests at Jagannath Temple here are again up in arms against the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), which, despite facing flak from different quarters last year, is again likely to celebrate Rath Yatra on different dates at various places in the country.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> A number of priests and cultural enthusiasts under the banner of Sri Jagannath Sena, a local cultural outfit, staged a demonstration in front of the world famous 12th century shrine on Tuesday protesting against the proposed untimely celebration of annual Rath Yatra by ISKCON authorities at different places, including New Delhi and Ludhiana. The angry priests even burnt the effigy of Srila Prabhupada, the Founder/Acharya of ISKCON. ISKCON is likely to observe Rath Yatra at different places in next couple of months, said some of the agitating priests.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Time and again the ISKCON society is flouting our tradition and norms. Last year too they did not pay heed to our protests and went ahead with celebrating Rath Yatra on different dates at various places in the country,” said Priyadarshan Pattanaik, the national convener of the Sena.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Even though Jagannath temples exist in every nook and cranny of the world, the Jagannath Temple at Puri is the real abode of Jagannath. And going by the age-old tradition, the annual Rath Yatra of the Lord is observed on asadha sukla dwitiya that falls in June and July in the Gregorian calendar,” Pattanaik maintained.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Expressing solidarity with the priests, Mayapurchandra dasa, a former ISKCON devotee from Italy said the Krishna followers should abide by the precept of Hindu religion and calendar. ” ISKCON should celebrate Rath Yatra on the same day as observed here. But burning the effigy of Prabhupada is condemnable,” Mayapurchandra said.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Priests reproached the Jagannath Temple administration for doing little to stop such practices by ISKCON. “The shrine authorities last time had promised to take legal action against the ISKCON authorities after the latter underplayed the warnings made by the former. But the Jagannath temple officials turned back from that promise. This bolstered ISKCON to observe Rath Yatra once again on different dates,” said an agitating priest, Somnath Khuntia.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Surprisingly, the temple Chief Administrator, Sailendra Narayan Sarangi, parried the issue saying “I have no idea about it”. He even did not reply whether he will take up the matter again with the ISKCON authorities. Temple PRO Laxmidhar Pujapanda said the Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb requested the ISKCON body to celebrate Rath Yatra on the same date, akin to Puri.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> We encourage ISKCON leaders, all disciples and followers of Srila Prabhupada to immediately express their outrage via petitions and personal complaints to Puri Temple administrators and officials. Please direct your letters, faxes and phone calls to the following individuals.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb Chairman, Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee Sri Nahar, Puri 752001 Phone 1: 91-674-2511166 Phone 2: 91-6752-222829 Fax: 91-674-513842<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> E-mail: gajapati@dte.vsnl.net.in Mr. Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, IAS Working Chairman Shri Jagannath Temple Office, Puri Phone 1: 91-6752-223002 Phone 2: 91-6752-222002 E-mail: jagannath@ori.nic.in<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Mr. Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, IAS Collector & Deputy Chief Administrator Shri Jagannath Temple Office, Puri. Phone (Office): 91-6752-222033 Phone (Residence): 91-6752-222034 Fax: 91-6752-223939 E-mail: dmpuri@ori.nic.in<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Sailendra Narayan Sarangi Chief Administrator, Jagannatha Puri Temple E-mail: sarangis@ias.nic.in<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> In a related story from ‘The Hindu’:<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Protest against proposed car festival by ISKCON<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Staff Reporter, THE HINDU<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Puri: A number of servitors of Jagannath Temple and cultural enthusiasts of Puri on Tuesday took to the street protesting the proposed car festival to be organised by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New Delhi on November 23.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> They were enraged over untimely celebration of the festival. Servitors burnt effigy of Srila Prabhupada, the founder acharya of ISKCON. Shouting slogans against the organisers, these servitors threatened not to allow the ISKCON followers to Puri.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “Ratha Yatra is usually celebrated in the month of June and July. Since Puri is the real abode of Lord Jagannath, the festival timing should be followed by everyone in and outside the State. So celebrating Ratha Yatra on an unscheduled date is anti-Hindu,” said Priyadarshan Patnaik, national convenor of Jagannath Sena, a local outfit.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The State government and the Jagannath Temple Administration (JTA) should take action against ISKCON authorities and prevent organisers at New Delhi from celebrating the Rath Yatra. Reacting to the development JTA’s public relation officer Laxmidhar Pujapanda said Dibyasingh Dev, scion of Puri Royal family, had requested other State government not to allow celebration of Car Festival on any unscheduled date. Despite the protest last year, ISKCON had celebrated the car festival in New Delhi. It had evoked sharp reactions among servitors and other die-hard followers of Jagannath cult.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> However, Bhubaneswar unit of ISKCON had disassociated from the whole controversy. Chief of ISKCON, Bhubaneswar Golak Mohapatra said, “we are not part of the decision taken at New Delhi. We will follow the rituals of Jagannath Temple at Puri. We have even passed a resolution to this effect.” <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Dear Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb,<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> My respects to you. Jaya Jagannatha!<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> My name is Danavir Goswami, a member of ISKCON and disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> You may recall that a few years ago I organized the tour of Druze leaders that journeyed from Israel to Jagannatha Puri to meet you. They enjoyed their visit very much.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I have heard that under your jurisdiction an effigy of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was recently burned by those claiming to be followers of Lord Jagannatha. I find it almost unbelievable.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Millions of persons around the world, such as myself, had never heard of Lord Jagannatha before Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON movement brought the Rathayatra Chariot festivals to our cities. Now we worship Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra with great devotion and love. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada was a great devotee of Lord Jagannatha in modern history—how then could such a saintly person’s image be defamed in Puri itself? <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I do not suspect that you were a party to the effigy burning, however since this great atrocity has taken place under your supervision, I urge you to use your powers to the fullest extent to punish those who are responsible for the act. The world awaits your decision and action so that this heinous act is rectified. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> May Lord Jagannatha guide you and empower you to take the correct action in this matter. I will be very thankful to hear it and see it so that such a demoniac action is never performed again in Jagannatha Puri.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Wishing you well,<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Danavir Goswami<o:p></o:p> (Rupanuga Vedic College Inaugural President)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Rupanuga Vedic College/Polestar<o:p></o:p> 5201 Paseo, Kansas City, Missouri 64110<o:p></o:p> Tel: (407)413-9406, Fax: (816) 924-5640, Mob: (407) 407-575-7187<o:p></o:p> E-mail: danavir.goswami@pamho.net Website: www.rvc.edu<o:p></o:p> Skype: DanavirGoswami <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Hare Krsna,<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> In addition to the above numbers i have got the mobile number of the secretary of Gajapati Maharaj, Mr. Mohanty (00 91 94337315541). I called him up and showed my displeasure of whatever happened in Puri. You can call him up also. He also gave the fax number of the committee office (91 6752 220100). You can additionally fax on this number also apart from the above numbers.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Time to rise for Prabhupada.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> your lowly servant,<o:p></o:p> vibhava krsna das. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> by vibhavakrsna das on November 15th, 2008 <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> This can be turned into a positive opportunity to glorify Srila Prabhupada. If we organize a large group of devotees from all over India to travel to Jagganath Puri and have continuous Hari Nam it would surely attract attention of the media. Also leading life members could approach the media as well a their local politicians to protest this affront to Srila Prabhupada and his Iskcon movement. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I wish I was there in India to help. Don’t let this opportunity pass to make everyone know that we are all loyal to Srila Prabhupada and won’t tolerate this insult to our Founder Acarya<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Imagine if an effigy of the prophet Mohammad was burned. What kind of reaction would we expect from his followers? <o:p>The following is by Pusta Krishna das<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Dear Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, Dandavats. I was very saddened to hear the envious behaviour of some of the pandas which led to the burning of the form of His DIvine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad in front of the Jagannath Temple. By every standard, he was Lord Nityananda and Lord Chaitanya-devas personal emissary in this era of the Kali Yuga. The acts of your underlings therefore mark a most regrettable time. We know that Sri Jagannath will protect His beloved bhaktas. Such position is beyond appointment by any other people, who might profess closeness or proximity to the absolute Truth. The Truth rather will descend in His own way, at His own time, and cannot be stopped by any type of human politics. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Thus, I expect a rather severe reaction to come to those unfortunate souls who have participated in these acts, or who have supported them passively. It is the end of an era of dignity for the sevaites of the Holy Jagannath Temple in Puri. Throughout the world, the glories of Lord Jagannath have been proclaimed by ISKCON through the will of Srila Prabhupad. The first Rathayatra in the west was in San Francisco Golden Gate Park in 1967 and has taken place each year since then. I participated in the first Rathayatra in South Africa, and in many similar celebrations throughout the world. I led the kirtan of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra in July 1976 when the first Rathayatra went down the Fifth Avenue in New York City with Srila Prabhupad present which proclaimed the grand success of Srila Prabhupad’s preaching work in the West.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Lord Jagannath has graced Trafalgar Square in London and every major venue in the world. How can the pandas fail to see how the millions of Krishna bhaktas throughout the world have served Lord Jagannath so sweetly, affectionately, and sincerely? Never mind what day of the year, northern or southern hemisphere… how amazing all of this is by the grace of Srila Prabhupad! Who could fail to appreciate this? Only a stone-hearted person, that is who. Woe unto the misguided? Now, once one has offended a great vaishnava, there is only one way to amend this state, as exemplified by the example of Durvasa Muni and Ambarish Maharaj in the Puranas. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> One must go to the offended person and beg his forgiveness. Since Srila Prabhupad is now in Goloka Vrindaban with Sri Sri Radha Krishna, Baladeva and the eternal family of Sri Krishna, I suggest the final method for purging of false pride from the pandas and the faithful servitors of Lord Jagannath. Open the doors of the Jagannath Temple once and for all to bhaktas and visitors from around the world. Allow Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s family of devotee’s entry to have darshan of Lord Jagannath, Subhadra, and Baladeva. This can be the only way to appease His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, and to alleviate the envy that has overwhelmed the hearts of many pandas. This is no game. The very survival of devotion of these pandas rests upon this decision… otherwise they are doomed to be chased by Sri Sudarshan Chakra of Lord VIshnu, and will not be able to hide in any place, even Vaikuntha. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Otherwise, the world family of devotees must consider you and your fellow pandas as being quite irrelevant and a disturbance to the progressive path of bhakti. We are not dependent upon entry into the divine darshan hall of Sri Jagannath-deva for our bhakti to proceed, as we are all followers of the mood of Sri Chaitanyadeva who taught that service in separation is superior to union. Rather, the bhakti creeper of the pandas is now at risk of being cut-off thoroughly by maha-vaishnava-aparadha. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The prayers of such pandas cannot reach to Lord Jagannath Who will be deaf to such blasphemy, and the chanting to and decoration of the Lord’s form will not please such Lord who claims that there is no one more dear in this world than one who teaches saranagati to the bhaktas… His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad is foremost amongst such contemporaries. The choice is yours, bu t we shall carry on with our service to Sri Sri Guru Gauranga regardless of any decision by the panda sevaites of Sri Jagannath Temple. Rather, your devotion and its receipt by the Lord is at risk. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> With respect for your position,<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Pusta Krishna das Physician, Surgeon, and bhakta</o:p> The whole thing stinks of hypocrisy and arrogance!<o:p></o:p> What’s going on is obvious, the Puri Temple devotees and managers feel that ISKCON is taking over what they believe if their festival of Ratha-yatra. they are probably fearful that Lord Jagannath will be made more famous by ISKCON than their Puri festival (well, that already happened thanks to the wonderful causless mercy and humility of Srila Prabhupada.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> To understand how the Puri pujaris and managers felt about the 'new ISKCON kid on the block', just look at some ISKCON Temples reaction when Gaudiya math Temples started in there area, some ISKCON Temples even 'patented' the name Hare Krishna so the Gaudiya math could not use the term 'Hare Krishnas'<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The whole thing stinks of hypocrisy and arrogance!<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p>I believe Bhakta Bob summed it all up 45 years ago, 'The times ar achanging' </o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p>The Puri Preists should be honoured ISKCON is spreading the glorious of Lord Jaganath and ISKCON should be honoured that the Gaudiya math is spreading in the West because that is ALSO Srila Prabhupada's credit and mercy on everyone including the Gaudiya and all Hindus in India and around the world</o:p>
  8. It's copied from here - http://namahatta.org/en/node/8448 I actually put it here to see what you and others thought of, I found it hard to follow, maybe you can respond to what 'you think' he is trying to say. It appears to me it is an Indian Hindu gentleman who wrote that respnse.
  9. demigod worship versus vishnu-tattva expansions In a letter to Upendra dasa in Fiji, dated October 26, 1970, from Amritsar, India, Srila Prabhupada wrote: "Regarding worship of demigods, the whole Hindu society is absorbed in this business, so unless our preaching work is very vigorous it is very difficult to stop them." When I speak of Hindu "polytheism", I refer NOT to demigod worship, but to our doctrine of vishnu-tattva expansions. A friend in college, Victor, once said he thought God was "lonely," because He is a solitary and omnipresent Being who has no equal--because there's only ONE God, right? Victor said God may create humans for companionship, but this is similar to an old lady with cats as pets. Victor was obviously thinking in terms of the Judaic (monotheistic) conception of God. As Vaishnavas, we recognize that God can expand Himself into other Supreme Beings, yet still remain one: e.g. -- Radha-Krishna, Krishna-Balarama, Nitai-Gauranga, the Pancha-tattva, etc. The closest concept to our doctrine of God expanding Himself into other Supreme Beings, yet still remaining one (vishnu-tattva expansions) is the doctrine of the Trinity, which Jews and Muslims reject as disguised polytheism. In their 1990 book, Om Shalom: Judaism and Krishna Consciousness, Rabbi Jacob Shimmel even tells Satyaraja dasa (Steven Rosen) that because of belief in a Trinity, Christianity cannot be considered a truly monotheistic religion. I wonder what Rabbi Shimmel would think of the loving exchanges between Radha and Krishna! Dr. Klaus Klostermaier says that it is in the doctrine of the Trinity that the closest parallel to Radha and Krishna can be found. There's an old joke: "How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?" Answer: "Three, but they're really one." Back in 1988, a Jewish girl who had never visited a Krishna temple, asked me about the identity of Radha. What should I have told her? That we worship two Gods on our altar, and these two are "really one" ? Upon his first visit to a Krishna temple, and seeing Sri Sri Radha-Giridhari, my friend Aaron asked me, "Why do you have two Gods on your altar?" I pointedly asked my friend Prana-Krishna dasa (Dr. Frank Morales), a disciple of Srila Prabhupada's godbrother Sridhara Majaraja, whether we (Vaishnavas) are worshipping one God or two Gods. He replied, "We are worshipping one God divided into two persons, just as the Christians are worshipping one God divided into three persons." When I told Prana-Krishna dasa that I had asked the very same question to my friend Nityananda dasa (Bill Hiler) and couldn't get a straight answer from him, Prana-Krishna dasa replied, "That's because Prabhupada didn't focus on things like that." I don't know if Christians would ever refer to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as "Them" or "Their Lordships" (i.e., in the plural) as we do with the Deities (again, note the plural!), but Srila Prabhupada did favorably compare the doctrine of the Trinity with our doctrine of the Three Aspects of God: Bhagavan, Paramatma, Brahman. Muslims also regard the Catholic veneration of saints as idolatry and polytheism, and on the altars of ISKCON temples you see pictures of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura, the six Goswamis, the Tulasi plant, etc. I don't know how else to describe it, except to say that we're worshipping saints--these are all jiva-tattva living entities. Jews and Muslims consider it blasphemy to worship anyone other than God. For this reason, guru worship is also foreign to Judaism and Islam. No one worships Moses or Mohammed the way we worship Srila Prabhupada--as an intermediary between God and man, who suffers for the sins of his disciples, etc.--the Christian worship of Jesus is analogous here. In his anti-cult book, Where is Joey? Lost Among the Hare Krishnas, for example, author Morris Yanoff, a retired (secular) Jewish schoolteacher is disturbed at the thought of his grandson Joey worshipping another human being (Srila Prabhupada). A friend tells him, "If Jesus Christ were to return, don't you think a lot of people would be bowing down?" Madhavendra Puri dasa (Steve Bernath) told me that in 1986, when devotees held a Jewish - Vaishnava interfaith conference, none of the rabbis present would take prasadam -- because it was food offered to idols. On the other hand, Catholic clergy have defended devotees against charges of idolatry from Christian fundamentalists, and some of them have even compared prasadam favorably to the Eucharist. Dr. A.L. Basham, author of The Wonder That was India, says: "...the old-fashioned type of missionary was quite certain that Hinduism was the work of the Devil, and hence that it was very evil. It did all the things which Christianity, especially Protestant Christianity, said you shouldn't do, such as image worship and the worship of many gods. "Catholics were always much more tolerant of this sort of thing. Though he may be theoretically monotheistic, the simple Catholic will, to all intents and purposes, pray to quite a wide range of divinities, including the Blessed Virgin Mary and various important saints, often in the form of physical images. "But Protestant Christianity was founded on the basis that there is one God only, divided into three persons, and that worship of images is sinful. To the Protestant of the old-fashioned kind, this was a terrible thing to do, almost as bad as it was to a traditional Jew or Muslim. So the missionaries, I think, are largely responsible for the polytheism stereotype and the 'caste-ridden' society stereotype." Like Christians, Vaishnavas believe that souls in this world have fallen from grace, that this world is transitory, and that there is an inner conflict between one's carnal and spiritual natures. In ISKCON we find priests and monks with vows, the worship of consecrated images, belief in the incarnations of God, the veneration of saints and different divinities, the chanting of the holy names on beads of prayer, two monastic orders (bramachari and sannyassa), sacramental food, the use of holy water, candles, incense and ash, etc. Mahavishnu Swami recalls Srila Prabhupada at one time recommending devotees to investigate the structure and principles of the Roman Catholic Church as far as its applicability in ISKCON. However, Yasodanandana dasa relates an exchange between Srila Prabhupada and Tamal Krishna Goswami in Vrindavana, 1977: "Don't turn my ISKCON into another Gaudiya Math or the Catholic Church," instructed Srila Prabhupada. "Don't worry, Srila Prabhupada, we won't," replied Tamal Krishna Goswami. Srila Prabhupada would not have made either of these statements if he were not aware of the already existing similarities between these two great religious traditions. Again, when I speak of Hindu "polytheism," I am NOT referring to demigod worship, although Srila Prabhupada DID state (as recorded by Satsvarupa Maharaja in the Lilamrita) that demigod worship is higher than Christianity (and presumably Judaism and Islam as well), because if one is born within the Vedic system, he or she is more likely to become a worshipper of Lord Vishnu (i.e., a Vaishnava) than if one is born outside the Vedic system where knowledge of God is lacking.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
  10. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> August 28, 2008 - 5:36pm — Aniruddha dasa Melbourne Temple President Interesting to note... Another phenomenon in Melbourne worth mentioning, six out of the seven in the foreground of the picture at the top are second generation or gurukuli devotees. We have an interesting mix down under. August 29, 2008 - 11:24am — Vasu Murti (not verified) demigod worship versus vishnu-tattva expansions In a letter to Upendra dasa in Fiji, dated October 26, 1970, from Amritsar, India, Srila Prabhupada wrote: "Regarding worship of demigods, the whole Hindu society is absorbed in this business, so unless our preaching work is very vigorous it is very difficult to stop them." When I speak of Hindu "polytheism", I refer NOT to demigod worship, but to our doctrine of vishnu-tattva expansions. A friend in college, Victor, once said he thought God was "lonely," because He is a solitary and omnipresent Being who has no equal--because there's only ONE God, right? Victor said God may create humans for companionship, but this is similar to an old lady with cats as pets. Victor was obviously thinking in terms of the Judaic (monotheistic) conception of God. As Vaishnavas, we recognize that God can expand Himself into other Supreme Beings, yet still remain one: e.g. -- Radha-Krishna, Krishna-Balarama, Nitai-Gauranga, the Pancha-tattva, etc. The closest concept to our doctrine of God expanding Himself into other Supreme Beings, yet still remaining one (vishnu-tattva expansions) is the doctrine of the Trinity, which Jews and Muslims reject as disguised polytheism. In their 1990 book, Om Shalom: Judaism and Krishna Consciousness, Rabbi Jacob Shimmel even tells Satyaraja dasa (Steven Rosen) that because of belief in a Trinity, Christianity cannot be considered a truly monotheistic religion. I wonder what Rabbi Shimmel would think of the loving exchanges between Radha and Krishna! Dr. Klaus Klostermaier says that it is in the doctrine of the Trinity that the closest parallel to Radha and Krishna can be found. There's an old joke: "How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?" Answer: "Three, but they're really one." Back in 1988, a Jewish girl who had never visited a Krishna temple, asked me about the identity of Radha. What should I have told her? That we worship two Gods on our altar, and these two are "really one" ? Upon his first visit to a Krishna temple, and seeing Sri Sri Radha-Giridhari, my friend Aaron asked me, "Why do you have two Gods on your altar?" I pointedly asked my friend Prana-Krishna dasa (Dr. Frank Morales), a disciple of Srila Prabhupada's godbrother Sridhara Majaraja, whether we (Vaishnavas) are worshipping one God or two Gods. He replied, "We are worshipping one God divided into two persons, just as the Christians are worshipping one God divided into three persons." When I told Prana-Krishna dasa that I had asked the very same question to my friend Nityananda dasa (Bill Hiler) and couldn't get a straight answer from him, Prana-Krishna dasa replied, "That's because Prabhupada didn't focus on things like that." I don't know if Christians would ever refer to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as "Them" or "Their Lordships" (i.e., in the plural) as we do with the Deities (again, note the plural!), but Srila Prabhupada did favorably compare the doctrine of the Trinity with our doctrine of the Three Aspects of God: Bhagavan, Paramatma, Brahman. Muslims also regard the Catholic veneration of saints as idolatry and polytheism, and on the altars of ISKCON temples you see pictures of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura, the six Goswamis, the Tulasi plant, etc. I don't know how else to describe it, except to say that we're worshipping saints--these are all jiva-tattva living entities. Jews and Muslims consider it blasphemy to worship anyone other than God. For this reason, guru worship is also foreign to Judaism and Islam. No one worships Moses or Mohammed the way we worship Srila Prabhupada--as an intermediary between God and man, who suffers for the sins of his disciples, etc.--the Christian worship of Jesus is analogous here. In his anti-cult book, Where is Joey? Lost Among the Hare Krishnas, for example, author Morris Yanoff, a retired (secular) Jewish schoolteacher is disturbed at the thought of his grandson Joey worshipping another human being (Srila Prabhupada). A friend tells him, "If Jesus Christ were to return, don't you think a lot of people would be bowing down?" Madhavendra Puri dasa (Steve Bernath) told me that in 1986, when devotees held a Jewish - Vaishnava interfaith conference, none of the rabbis present would take prasadam -- because it was food offered to idols. On the other hand, Catholic clergy have defended devotees against charges of idolatry from Christian fundamentalists, and some of them have even compared prasadam favorably to the Eucharist. Dr. A.L. Basham, author of The Wonder That was India, says: "...the old-fashioned type of missionary was quite certain that Hinduism was the work of the Devil, and hence that it was very evil. It did all the things which Christianity, especially Protestant Christianity, said you shouldn't do, such as image worship and the worship of many gods. "Catholics were always much more tolerant of this sort of thing. Though he may be theoretically monotheistic, the simple Catholic will, to all intents and purposes, pray to quite a wide range of divinities, including the Blessed Virgin Mary and various important saints, often in the form of physical images. "But Protestant Christianity was founded on the basis that there is one God only, divided into three persons, and that worship of images is sinful. To the Protestant of the old-fashioned kind, this was a terrible thing to do, almost as bad as it was to a traditional Jew or Muslim. So the missionaries, I think, are largely responsible for the polytheism stereotype and the 'caste-ridden' society stereotype." Like Christians, Vaishnavas believe that souls in this world have fallen from grace, that this world is transitory, and that there is an inner conflict between one's carnal and spiritual natures. In ISKCON we find priests and monks with vows, the worship of consecrated images, belief in the incarnations of God, the veneration of saints and different divinities, the chanting of the holy names on beads of prayer, two monastic orders (bramachari and sannyassa), sacramental food, the use of holy water, candles, incense and ash, etc. Mahavishnu Swami recalls Srila Prabhupada at one time recommending devotees to investigate the structure and principles of the Roman Catholic Church as far as its applicability in ISKCON. However, Yasodanandana dasa relates an exchange between Srila Prabhupada and Tamal Krishna Goswami in Vrindavana, 1977: "Don't turn my ISKCON into another Gaudiya Math or the Catholic Church," instructed Srila Prabhupada. "Don't worry, Srila Prabhupada, we won't," replied Tamal Krishna Goswami. Srila Prabhupada would not have made either of these statements if he were not aware of the already existing similarities between these two great religious traditions. Again, when I speak of Hindu "polytheism," I am NOT referring to demigod worship, although Srila Prabhupada DID state (as recorded by Satsvarupa Maharaja in the Lilamrita) that demigod worship is higher than Christianity (and presumably Judaism and Islam as well), because if one is born within the Vedic system, he or she is more likely to become a worshipper of Lord Vishnu (i.e., a Vaishnava) than if one is born outside the Vedic system where knowledge of God is lacking.
  11. Added click -Heal the World 04:14 Added [TRANSLATED] click -Black Or White it doesn't matter if your Indian, Ameican, European, Chinese, Australian Aborigines, Africans
  12. Moscows version of ‘Square jaw’ 174 Views / EMail This Post / Print This Post / Home » Moscows version of 'Square jaw' <!-- end .post-top --><!-- the main section of the post goes here --> Gauragopala dasa: Hari Bol Prabhu’s here is the Moscows version of ‘Square jaw’ in the Video as told in ‘The pioneering Struggle Has Now Begun‘. We in Melbourne between 1972 to 75, were also treated EXACTLY just like this The public response and outrage on this Video of the devotees be harassed and even kicked reminds me so much of what happened in Melbourne nearly 540 years ago Such persecution can only help our Spiritual rights of all devotees all over the world.. It is the ’square jaw’s’ of this world that attracted the PUBLIC and media to be on our side. Also, it so wonderful to see the chanting of Hare Krishna going on in Russia Hari Bol! All glorious to the devotees and Srila Prabhupada Your fallen servant Gauragopala dasa Orthodox Russian Policeman is beating up Hare Krishna's <EMBED src="" width=425 height=344 type=application/x-shockwave-flash target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com" www.youtube.com http:></EMBED> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU0ROqup5FE&eurl=http://www.dandavats.com/?p=6228 convert this post to pdf. <!-- end .post-middle --><!-- the bottom of the post, the background graphic gets applied here -->
  13. Suchandra prabhu, he and his followers are best avoided, if they come to the temple show respect, be polite but avoid listening to their philosophy. They call them the 'hari bols bols' in New Zealand
  14. Isn't Buddhism the philosophy of athiesm because they teach the ultimate realization is to merge into a 'Void Nirvana' and cease their existence? Isn't Buddhism an impersonalist belief and the path of spiritual suicide because of te desire to end their individuality and become one with the 'universal energy'? Isn't Buddhism an out dated teachings meant for a past time and place and not relevent know that Lord Caitanya has come 500 years ago?
  15. 2. Minimises Srila Prabhupada The following comes from a talk by Narayana Maharaja: "A preacher is only a devotee of Maha Vishnu not Lord Caitanya. So I want to say that (if) your Prabhupada has given these things...only these things... and not beyond these things, then he was only the servant of Maha Vishnu, not of Krishna. A strange (wonderful) thing...fact...but from them who are ignorant. But those who are wise and have done initiation from any rasika Vaisnava, bhava bhakta of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who like Raya Ramananda, like Svarupa Damodara, like Rupa Goswami, like Raghunatha Goswami, and their generations up to Visvanatha Chakravati Thakura, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada and my Gurudeva .. (Note: Srila Prabhupada's name is conspicuous by its omission). Those who have given their heart to them and have realised anything... very little... they can realise these things." Srila Prabhupada often warned that there is a class of Vaishnava who consider preaching to be indicative of a lower stage of devotion: Prabhupada: "Vrindavan, there are so many dangers. All these babajis they are...'Oh, I am not going out of Vrindavana'. But he has got connection with so many women. So what is the use? Have you experience of this? He is attached to women and doing all sinful activities in Vrindavana. This is going on, manufacturing bidi, smoking bidi, in the dress of Rupa Gosvami, loincloth, big tilak, kanthi, and what is he doing? Bidi-making. Have you seen? Prithu-putra: I have seen some of them doing this,... Prabhupada: Not all of them. But they are also claiming they are on the stage of Rupa Goswami. We are preaching - we are lower stage. That is their opinion. We are preaching all over the world, we are in the lower stage. And because he has imitated the dress of Rupa Goswami - he is higher. This is going on. (Conversation, 28 January, 1977). Neophytes cannot appreciate preaching. This is why Srila Prabhupada says in Upadeshamrita - The Nectar of Instruction - on page 64: "Such neophytes, unable to appreciate the exalted service of the advanced devotee, try to bring the maha-bhagavata to their platform. We experience such difficulty in propagating this Krishna consciousness all over the world. Unfortunately we are surrounded by neophyte godbrothers who do not appreciate the extraordinary activities of spreading Krishna Consciousness all over the world. They simply try to bring us to their platform, and they try to criticise us in every respect. We very much regret their naive activities and poor fund of knowledge. An empowered person who is actually engaged in the confidential service of the Lord should not be treated as an ordinary human being, for it is stated that unless one is empowered by Krishna, one cannot spread the Krishna Consciousness movement all over the world". An ISKCON Sannyasi went to one of the Goswami temples in Vrindavan and he was chanting nicely in front of the deities when the pujari told him: 'In this life you keep preaching and in your next life you will be born in Vrindavana". When Srila Prabhupada heard this he told the sannyasi: "You should have told him that you are doing this puja very nicely, keep doing it and in your next life you will become a great preacher in ISKCON". 3. Critical of Srila Prabhupada's decisions and philosophy Although Narayana Maharaja glorifies Srila Prabhupada, it is the type of glorification that simultaneously manages to include explicit criticism. He routinely makes comments about Srila Prabhupada’s teachings and decisions, comparing them unfavourably with his own opinions. Previously he has objected to the names Prabhupada gave Deities such as Radha Paratha-sarathi, Radha London-isvara and Radha Paris-isvara. He has criticised the worship of Nrsimha. He criticised Srila Prabhupada for initiating women disciples into the Brahma Gayatri mantra. (Why? Are women unfit for Gayatri? Are they not as capable for preaching and Deity worship as their god brothers?) After doing this, he then insinuates that it was actually Srila Prabhupada who regarded his female followers differently. He criticises ISKCON’s Food for Life programme, the profuse distribution of free prasadam. (Why not distribute prasadam widely?) He states there is no Kalki avatar ( Does the Srimad Bhagavatam state this?) In many, many conversations, Narayana Maharaja has sought to promote himself by very gently relegating Srila Prabhupada. From one of Narayana Maharaja's books we learn that Srila Prabhupada's disciples must now find a rasika guru: "After the pure devotee leaves the planet his disciples must take shelter in a rasika guru." And where, precisely, can Srila Prabhupada’s followers find such an advanced guru? Might Narayana Maharaja himself be that guru? 4. Disturbing devotees Puri Maharaja, a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura Prabhupada, and thus Srila Prabhupada’s godbrother, also remarked that he himself knew quite well the spiritual master of Narayana Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Prajna Keshava Maharaja. He said that Keshava Maharaja never spoke of such topics. "So," Puri Maharaja remarked, "it is a mystery where Narayana Maharaja is bringing these rasika topics in from". Certainly not from Srila Prabhupada, as we have shown. Yet had there perhaps been some confidential interchanges between Narayana Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada? It seems not. When a senior ISKCON devotee asked Narayana Maharaja whether he had ever discussed any "rasika topics" with Srila Prabhupada, Narayana Maharaja confessed that they had never had such an interchange. He said that it was the policy in his own institution not to discuss such matters; they would instead speak of Dhruva Maharaja, Prahlada Maharaja, and the like. Narayana Maharaja has asserted to ISKCON leaders that he knows Srila Prabhupada better than they do, hinting at a confidential relationship. Yet this is undercut by his own admission that there were no confidential exchanges between him and Srila Prabhupada. So Puri Maharaja's pertinent question remains. The policy in Narayana Maharaja's own organisation is the same now as it was then. Even now, Narayana Maharaja's proclivity for openly discussing such topics, which seems to be increasing as time goes on, is viewed with disapproval and alarm by other senior leaders of his own institution. Keshava Maharaja told Narayana Maharaja not to initiate disciples as he was unqualified. Two other Sannyasis were chosen to initiate - but not Narayana Maharaja. Previously Narayana Maharaja had to be corrected by his guru when he spent too much time with members of other spiritual groups - particularly those who espoused a distinctly different philosophy and whose predecessors had been actively opposed to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura Prabhupada in the 1930s. After his guru left this world, Narayana Maharaja caused controversy amongst his godbrothers when he wanted to dress his guru’s murti (sacred image worshipped in the temple) as a gopi, a female maidservant of Lord Krishna. Where is the new philosophy coming from? Narayana Maharaja says in private that he has no taste for Bhagavad Gita, no attraction for Jagannatha Puri or Dwaraka, no interest in Rama or Narasimha. In India, one often hears gurus use such statements as an encoded way of disclosing their high level of advancement. Narayana Maharaja said: "Just before Swamiji departed this world... he said that since he was unable to give them (his western devotees) everything in the short time he was present here, he wanted me to give them further instruction on bhakti and to always help them in any way I could". It should be abundantly clear, why we cannot accept him at his own evaluation. The teaching that Narayana Maharaja feels inspired to bring to ISKCON has harmed many members of ISKCON by deviating them from Srila Prabhupada's direction and personal example. Even with his own godbrothers, who were ostensibly following the teachings of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura, Srila Prabhupada became extremely cautious about future cooperation with them after he discovered that two of them had been voicing their criticisms of him - to his disciples living in India. Some were even so bold as to attempt to initiate them as their own disciples! Srila Prabhupada, normally courteous when referring to his godbrothers wrote letters such as this one: On November 9, 1975, to Visvakarma Dasa: "Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 3, 1975 with the enclosed statement about (name deleted). So I have now issued orders that all my disciples should avoid all of my godbrothers. They should not have any dealings with them nor even correspondence, nor should they give them any of my books, nor should they purchase any of their books, neither should you visit any of their temples. Please avoid them". Narayana Maharaja should observe the conduct currently prevailing amongst Gaudiya Vaishnava institutions. He should not interfere with ISKCON, but let ISKCON minister to its own members in the manner taught by Srila Prabhupada. 5. Initiation In Narayana Maharaja's own Gaudiya Matha organisation - in any Gaudiya Matha for that matter - it is considered an outrageous breach of etiquette for an outsider to preach to the Matha's own members without the approval and cooperation of the Matha's leadership. Yet, Narayana Maharaja's world tours - for the past ten years - have always involved ISKCON members. Arrangements are made by former ISKCON devotees, at ISKCON congregational members' homes. His audience are ISKCON's devotees, congregation, and life members. In 1984, Narayana Maharaja said that in his institution if a member takes diksa (initiation) or siksa (instruction) from another Matha, he is asked to leave. Twenty years ago, when another Gaudiya Matha leader had begun reinitiating ISKCON members and drawing them from ISKCON, Narayana Maharaja stated with great emphasis, "No Vaishnava will do like that. This is avaishnava". Now, however, he seems to be committing the same acts that he once unhesitatingly condemned. We have premonitions of disaster when we see someone liberally initiate many unqualified people and then immerse those same people in a culture in which rasika topics are a central focus. In addition, Narayana Maharaja does not demand the same rigorous standards for initiation that Srila Prabhupada established. He initiates whoever comes. Indeed, we have heard accounts of children unknowingly being initiated; devotees who were already initiated but had gone to hear him speak; and newcomers he had known for barely ten minutes. What the value of this procedure is, I do not know. Narayana Maharaja finds fault with ISKCON and believes he is presenting something superior, yet he, like some other sannyasis of the Gaudiya Matha, seems to find himself continually dependent on ISKCON's preaching. As one of them candidly acknowledged recently, "We are all simply eating Swami Maharaja's (Prabhupada's) prasad". If Narayana Maharaja and his followers were to simply preach in towns where ISKCON is not established (not a difficult thing to do in Britain) and to confine themselves to reaching out to newcomers to bhakti, a lot would be accomplished. Instead, they continue to behave as they did at the London Rathayatra in 2007. They hired a hall along the chariot’s parade route and diverted many walkers to their own programme explaining: “The festival is over here!” Such childish antics do nothing for their reputation, but it is a fact that they are instigated by Narayana Maharaja and his predatory approach to disciple-making. Further evidence from Srila Prabhupada’s life - (An excerpt from Hari Sauri's Transcendental Diary) "This incident, which took place in Los Angeles, concerns Srila Prabhupada’s reactions to a small study group that had been set up to read and discuss certain sections of the newly translated Caitanya Caritamrita: ‘Radhaballabha told Prabhupada one devotee was reported to have said that the Gita was too bodily conscious and 'external' and that he became inspired only by reading about Krishna's confidential, internal dealings, especially those of the gopis in the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta. Srila Prabhupada was so disturbed by this news that the piece of fruit he held in hand never made it into his mouth. Abandoning breakfast, he went back into his darsana room and called for all the GBC men and sannyasis, as well as for several members of the study group. I told Srila Prabhupada that Sulocana had approached me yesterday in an excited and conspiratorial mood to tell me about the surreptitious meetings. He was quoting parts of Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta without, it seemed to me, understanding them, and had many misinterpretations of the text. He had cited some verses which he interpreted to say that in each relationship with the Lord there is something lacking which is found only in the next rasa. He indicated that they actually considered paternal affection inferior to the gopi-bhava platform because Lord Caitanya said that there is no higher way to serve Krishna than in the mood of the gopis. They were therefore concentrating on the gopis' lives very closely, for they exhibited the highest and most pleasing way to satisfy Sri Krishna. As I related the incident, Srila Prabhupada's anger flared. "Just see", he declared disgustingly, "Mother Yasoda is less than the gopis! This is their thinking. And they want siddha-deha!" Prabhupada was furious that such things could develop within ISKCON. By this time the men were in his room and for almost three quarters of an hour he strongly rebuked the group, angrily refuting its reasoning. He compared their exclusive focus on the gopis to "jumping like monkeys". Puranjana said their intention was to simply scrutinise the activities of the gopis and develop the same aspirations because this was recommended by Lord Caitanya. Prabhupada got even angrier. He was in no mood for being mollified. "You want to scrutinisingly study Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instructions, but why just the parts about the gopis? Why don't you scrutinisingly study where Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana, that His guru found Him to be a fool and told Him He was not fit for anything but chanting Hare Krishna? Why don't you scrutinise that part? First become a fool like Caitanya Mahaprabhu before jumping over like monkey!" Puranjana tried to reassure him that they were not attempting to imitate the gopis love of Krishna; they were simply studying the descriptions so that they could develop such desires. Prabhupada flushed, his top lip quivering. "First deserve, then desire! There is no question of desire unless one is actually liberated. Until that point you simply do whatever service you are given. So long as there is any pinch of material desire there is no question of desiring on the spiritual platform!" He said the intimate gopi-lilas were discussed by Lord Caitanya only among His three most confidential associates - Svarupa Damodara, Ramananda Raya and Sikhi Mahiti. Siddha-deha is for liberated souls - no one else. Sulocana said that they had thought it was all right because it was in Prabhupada's books, and they were only reading his books. Prabhupada told them that just because a drug store has every type of drug it does not mean that one can get them without prescription. The doctor prescribes according to the disease. He said that from the beginning stages of devotional service up to the highest rasas, everything is there in his books, but they are not all to be immediately studied. He ordered them not to hold any more meetings and to disband the 'club'. He directly linked this sahajiya tendency to our ISKCON devotees meeting with the babajis in Vrindavan, and he strongly criticised Jagannatha dasa (although he is not one of the study group) for even leaving his ears unblocked while the man spoke to him about so-called siddha-deha. After sending them out duly chastened, Prabhupada explained to us that this sahajiya philosophy means the preaching will be finished. "So try to save them," he advised the GBC men." CONCLUSION If a follower of Prabhupada's mission thinks that he can now follow a person who grossly offends Prabhupada and still continue to make spiritual advancement, he or she is living in a grand illusion. Although it may seem impertinent of me to cast aspersions on an elderly Vaishnava, claiming that his teachings will lead others into 'sentimental speculation and imaginative ecstasy' - Srila Prabhupada's own terms for misguided devotion - I think it’s only correct that I speak out. After all, it has been quite common in the past for senior members of the Gaudiya Math to slowly, almost imperceptibly, stray into sahajiya-ism under the influence of Radha Kund babajis with disastrous consequences for the united preaching mission of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. It was he himself who, in the 1930's gave the prophetic warning: "When our own men become sahajiyas, they will be the most dangerous..." After his disappearance it actually happened. I think we should be aware of maya in all her forms and not assume that because a Vaishnava is elderly and free from gross deviations, that automatically he is completely free from subtle tendencies. Such an attitude would be naive. I am not a manager in ISKCON or hold any posts in ISKCON, and am known as a liberal devotee; if anyone is interested in more detailed material, please feel free to contact me, Parasurama dasa, foodforalluk@aol.com <CENTER>See a video related to "Letter to my Friends" </CENTER>
  16. http://www.matchlessgifts.org.uk/galleryharinm2.html A Letter to my Friends BY: PARASURAMA DASA Jun 26, UK (SUN) — In 1996, my two daughters returned home from a devotee’s house and asked me the question, “Did Srila Prabhupada only teach the baby stuff?” They were young then, but still had not been spared the insinuating remarks that Srila Prabhupada, his books, teachings, life example, and of course all those who followed him, were somehow insufficient; that they now required to be further complemented by additional spiritual guidance from a more knowledgeable person who had now appeared on the horizon. Back then, I felt obliged to write something to defend the good name of our founder-acarya. I again feel its time to put pen to paper. There has been a marked increase lately in the bullying tactics of the followers of Narayana Maharaja. Under the banner of ‘one love,’ and ‘one family’, Narayana Maharaja’s followers disrupted our Hari Nama party in London last month. Our Saturday night chanting in the West End was led by Ratanavali Dasi, a young woman who was left feeling insulted and intimidated when dozens of Narayana Maharaja’s followers surrounded her, rudely stopping her singing. And again last Saturday we were targeted. Love has foundations in respect and free will, not in bullying and sloganeering. Several of my devotee friends have recently asked me my view on other Gaudiya Vaisnava organisations and their leading preachers who visit this country and initiate disciples. Sometimes they are confused because at first it appears that these preachers are offering the same message and type of instruction that Srila Prabhupada gave. Sometimes it is even mentioned to them that Prabhupada gave the ‘ABC’ of Krishna Consciousness for the beginnings of his mission and now these other preachers are here to give us more advanced knowledge that will complete our understanding of Krishna. My response is to direct my friends to Srila Prabhupada's very clear instructions. They are usually quite surprised to read how relevant Prabhupada’s words are for the very questions that now exercise them. It is perhaps a sad fact, but many people who already claim to follow Srila Prabhupada have only ever read small portions of the Srimad Bhagavatam and have never read Caitanya Caritamrita at all. It is no wonder, then, that their understanding of Srila Prabhupada's emphasis on various subtle issues is extremely vague. Srila Prabhupada taught the process of how we could all revive our dormant loving relationship with Radha and Krishna and he did so in just such a way as to moderate the human tendency towards extremism both in thought and practice. Every few years or so within the Hare Krishna movement there are a minority of individuals who tend to swing towards philosophical extremes of one sort or another. It’s more a human phenomenon than something that can be attributed to a divine origin. But it happens, and we have to deal with it through careful discussion. Correspondingly, it becomes necessary to re-present Srila Prabhupada's instructions on various issues in order to restore balance. Now is one such time. To give everyone access to what I personally consider to be essential reading, I have reproduced here extracts from books, discourses, letters and conversations; all of which make Srila Prabhupada's sense of caution in devotional life abundantly clear. His words are just as relevant today as when he first wrote them, since he speaks of subjects that never become dated. Unfortunately, the human tendency to deviate from the clear path of spiritual life is also something that occurs right throughout history, in surprisingly similar ways, and so he writes about these things too. Srila Prabhupada’s comments on philosophical misunderstandings within Vaishnavism, spiritual weakness, and obstacles along the spiritual path, although spoken many years ago about situations in India, or in the lives of his young western followers, are completely relevant and timely today. Although I offer my obeisances at the feet of all Vaisnavas, I feel it most important that the truth is heard by all, no matter if it is unpalatable. An international mission for Vaisnavism is a unique achievement in the history of world religion. It is not a fluke that happened by chance or an accident. Srila Prabhupada's success was the result of a very deliberate and carefully balanced presentation of spiritual instructions. He has proven his credibility in that monumental achievement while others have yet to do anything even remotely comparable. Common sense therefore suggests that all other Vaisnava preachers are to be assessed by how much their emphasis, mood, and strategy compares with that of the world-teacher, Srila Prabhupada. I hope the following will allow the reader to understand our founder-acarya and his purposes better. I have grouped the following excerpts together under headings that indicate facts that the quotes illustrate. For directness and clarity, these are the main points I hold to be important: 1. That Narayana Maharaja's emphasis and basic message differs greatly from that of Srila Prabhupada and indirectly fosters a tendency towards cheap sentimentality in the name of devotion (sahajiya-ism). 2. That in an effort to promote his own convictions, Narayana Maharaja has, at first inadvertently, and more recently quite openly, minimised the position of Srila Prabhupada. 3. That in his preaching, and as a direct result of the above, Narayana Maharaja has countered several of Srila Prabhupada's important preaching points and criticised several of his decisions. 4. That, even through this may not have been his original intention, Narayana Maharaja's preaching almost exclusively to ISKCON devotees and temples and congregational groups, unnecessary constitutes an unwarranted and unhelpful interference in the work of the ISKCON movement. 5. That Narayana Maharaja has gone from being a spiritual supporter and friend of ISKCON some years ago, with an avowed intention not to initiate anyone affiliated with ISKCON, to a stage where he is openly declaring his animosity to his close followers, and in his bid to become the successor to Srila Prabhupada, indiscriminately offering initiation to even new congregational members whom he hardly knows. This he does without any consultation with any ISKCON authority. 1. Sahajaya-ism Narayana Maharaja's singular emphasis upon raganuga-sadhana, a type of devotional practise reserved for those who have already reached a high level of bhakti, is directly opposed to the instructions given by Srila Prabhupada, who warns that such an emphasis will result in sahajiya-ism. Narayana Maharaja's talks in Vrindavan present a study in contrast. He gives extended discourses about the confidential pastimes of Radha Krishna and the gopis. Such talks are given to anyone who may be present, including the newcomers. Did Prabhupada ever dwell on these topics at length or make them the basis of his preaching? Quite the contrary, Prabhupada stressed the fact that Lord Caitanya Himself would discuss such subjects only behind closed doors and only with one or two of His most advanced followers. Yet it is not uncommon to hear even newly initiated followers of Narayana Maharaja speaking freely on these topics. How can we expect them to do otherwise, given the example set by their guru? One may ask: 'If devotees prematurely take interest in topics of Krishna and the gopis, what harm will come? Isn't Krishna-katha pure and purifying?' Srila Prabhupada has answered this doubt. He explains that since the loving affairs between Krishna and the gopis resemble material exchanges between boys and girls, one's own lust may actually increase by concentrating on such topics, and thus one's spiritual advancement may be checked. He says: "When one is liberated and hears of Lord Krishna's and Radha's loving affairs, he is not inclined to have lusty desires. One mundane rogue once said that when the Vaisnavas chant the name 'Radha, Radha', he simply remembers a barber's wife named Radha. This is a practical example. Unless one is liberated, he should not try to hear about the loving affairs between Radha and Krishna. If one is not liberated and listens to a relation of the rasa dance, he may remember his mundane activities and illicit connections with some woman whose name may also be Radha. In the conditioned stage one should not even try to remember such things. By practising the regulative principles, one should rise to the platform of spontaneous attraction for Krishna. Then and only then, should one hear about the Radha Krishna lila. Although these affairs may be very pleasing to both the conditioned and the liberated souls, the conditioned soul should not try to hear them". (Caitanya-Caritamrita, Madhya 8.255, purport) Srila Prabhupada has encouraged all of us to hope that, in spite of our present disqualifications, we will one day be worthy of being called 'Rupanugas', genuine followers of Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Raghunatha Das Goswami, amongst the earliest followers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the leaders of the earliest Gaudiya-Vaishnava community. Narayana Maharaja not only says that to be a real Rupanuga, one must be in madhurya-bhava, the sentiment of Lord Krishna’s consorts, but he also teaches that one must have the guidance of a 'rasika Vaisnava' to cultivate that state of bhava. This formula for becoming a follower of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, as given by Narayana Maharaja, contains two main ingredients: One must be situated in madhurya-bhava, and one must have the association of a rasika Vaisnava. In the first place, Srila Prabhupada would not have devotees spend time contemplating such matters as their rasa with Krishna until they were first qualified to do so. 'First deserve, then desire'. Moreover, according to Srila Prabhupada, becoming a preacher of Krishna Consciousness is both the means and the method of becoming a follower of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha. Only by preaching Krishna Consciousness can we enter the mood of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, and only by Their causeless mercy, given in reciprocation with our service, do our hearts become purified of anarthas, or ‘unwanted contaminations’. This is what we learn from association with Srila Prabhupada. By associating with Narayana Maharaja, on the other hand, one is let to believe that real spiritual advancement is based not on preaching but rather on the practice of raganuga-sadhana. There is another notable difference between the presentation of Narayana Maharaja and that of Srila Prabhupada. Narayana Maharaja hints at his spiritual identity in relationship with Krishna. He says that to be in the line of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, one must be situated in madhurya-bhava. Narayana Maharaja has commissioned a set of paintings, one of which depicts Radha and Krishna together in a grove. Each of four companion paintings depicts an attendant manjari. Narayana Maharaja's followers meditate upon him as one of these manjari maidservants - a copy of the painting that is supposed to picture Narayana Maharaja's manjari form is seen on their altars - and they cultivate their desire to join him in a similar mood. Furthermore, Narayana Maharaja has publicly announced his opinion that Srila Prabhupada is also a paliya dasi (maidservant) of Srimati Radhika. There is an implication here that Prabhupada's followers can qualify to serve their own guru in his eternal form only if they are trained by a proper guide (such as Narayana Maharaja). This issue brings to light two fundamental differences. The first, as we have seen, is that Narayana Maharaja hints at his relationship with Krishna, something Srila Prabhupada never did. The second is that Narayana Maharaja stresses that only one situated in madhurya-bhava can ultimately be considered a true follower of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha. Prabhupada, on the other hand, emphasises that anyone who gives his life to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is a follower of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, regardless of his rasa. The more we take pains to avoid offences in chanting and the more we become energetic in broadcasting Krishna's message everywhere, the more we become eligible for higher development in spontaneous devotion. As Srila Prabhupada said, 'The way to develop the gopis' love for Krishna is to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world'. What is the mood of the gopis? They were prepared to do anything, sacrifice anything, to please Krishna. Since Krishna is most pleased when His devotee is pleased, we should therefore work selflessly to please Krishna's dear devotee and representative - Srila Prabhupada. Since Krishna and Srila Prabhupada are especially satisfied by preaching, we should preach selflessly and tirelessly as Srila Prabhupada himself did. Srila Prabhupada said on June 23, 1976, "First of all try to rectify it, and then talk of svarupa (one’s eternal identity) Where is your svarupa ? Simply wasting time. A man is diseased, he's thinking, "When I shall be cured I shall eat, go to this hotel, I shall eat like this". First of all cure, and then talk of eating this and that. Svarupa , when you are cured, that is svarupa . So long you are not cured, what is the use of talking svarupa ? First business is cure yourself. Anartha-nivrtti, that is anartha-nivrtti. Then svarupa will come". The issue is not whether one can go outside ISKCON for siksa - spiritual instructions - or not. The issue is whether one can go for siksa to a person who quite blatantly speaks differently from Srila Prabhupada. He expressed concern that: "If they say one thing different, that will create havoc". Srila Prabhupada was not sectarian. If he thought any of his godbrothers - those initiated by the same guru - or other Gaudiya Math sannyasis were more qualified than his disciples, he would have gladly appointed them as acaryas in ISKCON. The differences that set Narayana Maharaja apart from Srila Prabhupada are so significant and bear such far-reaching implications as to make it impossible for sincere and faithful followers of Srila Prabhupada to intimately associate with him. What does Rupa Goswami say? In the Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 16, the following statements sound almost like a forecast of the present problem: "Spontaneous love of Krishna as exhibited by the Vrishnis and the denizens of Vrindavana is eternally existing in them. In the stage of devotional service where regulative principles are followed, there is no necessity of discussing this love, for it must develop of itself at a more advanced stage". What does Bhaktivinode Thakur say? “Rasa is not a part of sadhana. Therefore if somebody says: ‘Come, I will teach you rasa’, then it will be his wickedness or foolishness. Rasa is not the subject of knowledge but of taste. Srila Bhaktivinoda became extremely grave and he answered; "It is not helpful for a conditioned soul to meditate upon the asta kaliya lila (the eight daily pastimes) of Sri Sri Radha Krishna because one who is unqualified will commit aparadhas". According to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur there are two features of Lord Caitanya's personality. Audarya and Madhurya. Preaching is Audarya (magnanimity) and Raga Marga is Madhurya (conjugal feelings). No one can relish Madhurya without Audarya. This point is very well described in Sri Navadvip Dham Mahatmya in Chapter 18. Lord Nityananda tells Srila Jiva Goswami: "One who is qualified in madhurya-rasa worships Gauranga in the form of Radha and Krishna. As Radha and Krishna have combined in one form as my Gauranga Raya, Their pastimes do not appear to be manifest in His form. When the worship of Gauranga in dasya-rasa reaches full maturity in the heart of the living entity, madhurya-rasa naturally develops in his heart. At that time one's worship of Gaurahari qualifies him to worship Radha and Krishna in Vrindavan". Worship of Gauranga in dasya rasa is preaching. We are not advised to imitate Gauranga's internal feelings but we are advised to serve Him in dasya. This will qualify us for Madhurya rasa.
  17. Nice understanding on this secret of all secrets about our origin? <o:p></o:p> The entire creation of Lord Krsna is simultaneously one and different as taught by Lord Caitanya. <o:p></o:p> Every living entity that is a so-called ‘spark in the effulgence of the Brahmajyoti’, actually has an interminable and timeless Svarupa body within the ‘eternal present’, even though it may appear the living entity is in or even originates from the impersonal aspect of the Brahmajyoti. <o:p></o:p> Could it be both ides of the argument are right??<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada however, took it further in his 1972 letter to the Aussi’s by saying everyone’s ‘Svarupa’ is also in place and always has been there within that ‘eternal present’ of Goloka. What he means when he says we all originate from Goloka, is only there in Krsnaloka we find the full nitya-siddha-svarupa’ potential of all marginal living entities that has actually always been there. Even though it appears to many devotees like Srila Sridar Maharaj and Srila Narayana Maharaj and their disciples and grand disciples, that we all originate from the impersonal Brahmajyoti effulgence, it is obvious that even before that, we ARE with Krsna in His pastimes in Goloka Vrndavana. <o:p></o:p> The idea that the jiva soul's originate in it’s self has flaws because the jiva’s have no origin and were never created and certainly did not originate from a ‘unadorned expanse of consciousness’ in the Brahmajyoti. As Prabhupada says, before that we were with Krsna <o:p></o:p> This understanding is beyond the concept of time and really is inconceivable to our material conditioning. <o:p></o:p> However, it is very clear Srila Prabhupada’s understanding of this is way more advanced than what his Gaudiya matha Godbrothers, their disciples and grand disciples are offering to the world in their teachings. <o:p></o:p> Clearly, Srila Prabhupada disagrees with them by saying that basically our svarupa body is constantly, continually and endlessly there in Goloka due to the absents of past and future in a devotional reality we know as the 'eternal present' Therefore, that IS our eternal constitutional position where we are always serving Krsna, even if we imagine we are in the material creation or further imagine, think or have the dreamless dream of ‘thinking’ we are a impersonal spark or a plain inactive sheet of individual consciousness in the Brahmajyoti, as Srila Sridar Maharaj etc teaches. <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada - "This material creation is the spirit soul's dream, all existence in this world is the dream of Mahā-Viṣṇu. The real, factual platform is the spiritual world, but when the spirit soul wants to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is put into this dreamland of material creation. 4.29.83.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada - “Everything happening within time, which consists of past, present, and future, is merely a dream. This is the secret in understanding in all the Vedic literature.” SB. 4.29.2b.
  18. Srila Prabhupada – “Forgetting Krsna, the living entity has been attracted by the external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory energy [Maya] gives him all kinds of misery in his material existence.” CC. Madhya 20.117. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “By the grace of Krishna, we have complete freedom. Because the Lord is kind to us, we can live anywhere, either in the spiritual sky or in the material sky, upon whichever planet we desire". Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi Lila 5.22, Purport Srila Prabhupada – “However, misuse of this freedom causes one to fall down into the material world and suffer the threefold miseries of conditioned life". Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi Lila 5.22, Purport Srila Prabhupada – “The living of a miserable life in the material world by dint of the soul’s choice is nicely illustrated by Milton in Paradise Lost. Similarly, by choice, the soul can regain paradise and return home, back to Godhead.” Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi Lila 5.22, Purport <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada - “Only the purified soul can attain the perfection of associating with the Personality of Godhead in complete bliss and satisfaction in his constitutional state. Whoever is able to renovate such devotional perfection is never again attracted by this material world, and he never returns.” Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.31 <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada: - “Our separation from Krishna is like that. We dream this body and so many relationships with other things. First the attachment comes to enjoy sense gratification. Even with Krishna desire for sense gratification is there. Srila Prabhupada: - “There is a dormant attitude for forgetting Krishna and creating an atmosphere for enjoying independently. Just like at the edge of the beach, sometimes the water covers, sometimes there is dry sand, coming and going. Srila Prabhupada: - “Our position is like that, sometimes covered, sometimes free, just like at the edge of the tide. As soon as we forget, immediately the illusion is there. Just like as soon as we sleep, dream is there”. <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada: - “We cannot say therefore that we are not with Krishna. As soon as we try to become Lord, immediately we are covered by Maya". <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada: - “Formerly we were with Krishna in His Lila or sport. But this covering of Maya may be of very, very, very, very long duration; therefore, many creations are coming and going". Letter to Madhuvisa 1972 <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada: - “Due to this long period of time, it is sometimes said that we are ever conditioned. (Nitya-baddha) But his long duration of time becomes very insignificant when one actually comes to Krishna consciousness (reviving ones nitya-siddha memory)”.Letter to Aniruddha, dated November 14, 1968 <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada: - “Just like in a dream, we are thinking very long time, but as soon as we awaken, we look at our watch and see it has been a moment only. Just like with Krishna’s friends, they were kept asleep for one year by Brahma, but when they woke up and Krishna returned before them, they considered that only a moment had passed”. Letter to Aniruddha, dated November 14, 1968 <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada: - “So this dreaming condition is called non-liberated life (nitya baddha), and this is just like a dream. Although in this material calculation it is a long, long period, as soon as we come to Krishna consciousness, (realize our nitya siddha eternal body) then this period is considered as a second". Letter to Aniruddha, dated November 14, 1968 Srila Prabhupada: - “For example, Jaya and Vijaya. They had their Lila with Krishna, but they had to come down for their little mistake. They were given mukti, merging into the Brahma-sayujya (Impersonal Brahmajoyti) after being killed three times as demons. This Brahma-sayujya mukti is non-permanent”. Letter to Aniruddha, dated November 14, 1968 <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “…We are eternally conditioned (nitya-baddha), but as soon as we surrender to Krishna do we then become eternally liberated? (nitya-siddha)…” You are not eternally conditioned (nitya-baddha). You are eternally liberated (nitya-siddha) but since we have become conditioned (nitya-baddha) on account of our desire to enjoy materialistic way of life, from time immemorial, therefore it ONLY appears that we are eternally conditioned (nitya-baddha)’ Letter to Aniruddha, dated November 14, 1968, <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – "This is maha-bhagavata nitya-siddha. And sadhana-siddha means those who are put into this material world, by the association of maha-bhagavata, if he tries, follows, then he can also become maha-bhagavata or nitya-siddha, because originally EVERYONE is nitya-siddha. <o:p></o:p> nitya-siddha krishna-bhakti ‘sadhya’ kabhu naya zravanadi-zuddha-citte karaye udaya <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – "Every living entity originally nitya-siddha, but somehow or other, just like Jaya-Vijaya, fell down in this material world, and he was delivered also, both of them were delivered". Srila Prabhupada – "So although you have fallen in this material world, and suffering the pangs of material existence, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [bg. 13.9], on account of accepting this material body, still, Krishna personally comes, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata [bg. 4.7]. This is glanih, discrepancies. We are living this material existence, this is not real life. Real life is to become maha-bhagavata”. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada: “Each and every living entity is originally attached to a particular type of transcendental service, because he is eternally the servitor of the Lord”. - Srimad Bhagavatam 3.9.11, purport <o:p>Srila Prabhupada – “"Because he falls down from Brahma-sayujya (impersonal liberated condition in the Brahmajyoti), he thinks that may be his origin, but he does not remember that long, long, long, long ago before that even, he was with Krishna". Letter to Australian devotees 1972 under Madhudvisa Swami Srila Prabhupada – “Anyone, even in this world or spiritual world, he has got the propensity of coming down from Vaikuntha by misusing his little independence. .., that if you become president, you are secure”. (Lecture, Atlanta, March 2, 1975)</o:p>
  19. Quote: <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #666666 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 3ex; BORDER-TOP: #666666 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 3ex; BORDER-LEFT: #666666 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #666666 1px solid" bgColor=#e0e0e0>Originally Posted by bhaktajan And he says that the origin of the soul is a bright light! So in-conceivable! </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Quote: <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #666666 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 3ex; BORDER-TOP: #666666 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 3ex; BORDER-LEFT: #666666 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #666666 1px solid" bgColor=#e0e0e0>Originally Posted by Kulapavana In case you forgot: That 'bright light' from which we come from is Krsna. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Srila Prabhupada – “Existence in the impersonal Brahman (the bright light) is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness. Those who are in the Brahman effulgence (bright light), they are also in the fallen condition. So there is no question of falling down from a fallen condition”. - Letter, June 13, 1970. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “"Because he falls down from Brahma-sayujya (impersonal liberated condition in the Brahmajyoti also known as the 'bright light'), he thinks that may be his origin, but he does not remember that long, long, long, long ago before that even, he was with Krishna". Letter to Australian devotees 1972 under Madhudvisa Swami <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “The original home of the living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the spiritual world.” 4.28.54 <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – "In the spiritual world both, the Lord and the living entities live together very peacefully. Since the living entity remains engaged in the service of the Lord, they both share a blissful life in the spiritual world". (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.28.54, purport) Srila Prabhupada – "However, when the living entity, misusing his tiny independence, wants to enjoy himself, he falls down into the material world.’ (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.28.54, purport) <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “Every living being, out of many, many billions and trillions of living beings has a particular relationship with the Lord eternally. That is called svarupa. By the process of devotional service, one can revive that svarupa, and that stage is called svarupa-siddhi–perfection of one’s constitutional position’. Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita as it is <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “We are also expansions of Krishna’s form. These jivas, the living entities… Krishna is expanding in two ways, svamsa and vibhinnamsa. Svamsa means Vishnu. One extension, expansion, is just directly He Himself. And another expansion is separated from Him. That separated from Him (marginal) we are’. Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture 1.3.1-3 — San Francisco, March 28, 1968 <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “Anyone, even in this world or spiritual world, he has got the propensity of coming down from Vaikuntha by misusing his little independence. .., that if you become president, you are secure”. (Lecture, Atlanta, March 2, 1975)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “Similarly, we have got an eternal relationship with Krishna, either as father or as lover or as servant, like that. So that is self-realisation. When you will be perfect in love, in loving Krishna, then in what status of life you will love, that you will under–…That will be revealed. That is called svarupa-siddhi”. (Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture, December 7, 1974, Bombay)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “You have got original relationship with Krishna. Nitya-siddha krishna-bhakti. . (Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture, December 7, 1974, Bombay)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada - “The original home of the living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the spiritual world. In the spiritual world both, the Lord and the living entities live together very peacefully. Since the living entity remains engaged in the service of the Lord, they both share a blissful life in the spiritual world. Srila Prabhupada – “However, when the living entity, misusing his tiny independence, wants to enjoy himself, he falls down into the material world.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.28.54, purport)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “Everyone has dormant Krishna-bhakti — love for Krishna — and in the association of good devotees, that love is revealed. As stated in the Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya 22.107)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> All descriptions of the marginal living entity as spiritual spark, atoms, molecules, or rays of sunshine in the 'bright light' or Brahmajyoti are also further clarified by Srila Prabhupada. Here he explains that originally (And in a permanant state of originality)all living entities have a constitutional bodily source as clearly described below -<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna, the impersonal Brahman is the expansive effulgence (bright light) of His transcendental body, or that Paramatma is His all-pervading plenary expansion as the Supersoul". Sri Isopanisad Mantra Twelve Srila Prabhupada – “They cannot understand that Krsna has an eternal form of perfect bliss and knowledge and that they also have an eternal spiritual identity” Srila Prabhupada’s Sri Isopanisad Mantra Twelve <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “Within this effulgence (bright light) there are innumerable spiritual planets, and they are known as the Vaikuntha planets. Each and every Vaikuntha planet is many, many times bigger than the biggest universe within the material world, and in each of them there are innumerable inhabitants who look exactly like Lord Visnu.” (Bhag. 1.14.36) <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “These inhabitants are known as the Maha-paurusikas, or persons directly engaged in the service of the Lord. They are happy in those planets and are without any kind of misery, and they live perpetually in full youthfulness, enjoying life in full bliss and knowledge without fear of birth, death, old age or disease, and without the influence of kala, eternal time.” (Bhag. 1.14.36)<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “We can again revive our brightness and shine with the Supreme Person. As the sun and the sunshine, they are together shining, there is light, similarly, when we are again posted in our own constitutional position, Krsna (Vigraha) is LIKE the sun and we are shining particles, (Also vigraha which means eternal form) then our life is successful. ” Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.35 – Hawaii, January 28, 1974 <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “This is confirmed in all Vedic literature. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. So, as we are also persons, individual living beings, we are persons, we have got our individuality, we are all individual, similarly the Supreme Truth, the Supreme Absolute, He is also, at the ultimate issue He is a person. But realization of the Personality of Godhead is realization of all the transcendental features like sat, cit, and ananda, in complete vigraha Gitopanisad by Srila Prabhupada Part Two <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “The living entities are not without spiritual senses. Every living being in his original, spiritual form has all the senses, which are now material, being covered by the body and mind. Activities of the material senses are perverted reflections of spiritual pastimes.” Sri Ishopanishad, Verse 11 <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “These are the secrets of the Acharyas. Sometimes, they conceal the real purpose of the Vedas–explain the Vedas in a different way. Sometimes, they enunciate a different theory just to bring the atheists under their control.” Cc. Madhya, 25.42 <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “The word varnam refers to the luster of one’s original identity. The original luster of gold or silver is brilliant. Similarly, the original luster of the living being, who is part of the sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha [bs. 5.1], is the luster of ānanda, or pleasure. Ānandamayo bhyāsāt. Srimad Bhagavatam 8.24.48 <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “Every living entity has the right to become ānandamaya, joyful, because he is part of the sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha [bs. 5.1], Krishna. Why should the living being be put into tribulation because of dirty contamination by the material modes of nature? The living entity should become purified and regain his svarūpa, his original identity” Srimad Bhagavatam 8.24.48<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “So when someone asks, when did we come into contact with the material nature?” The answer is that we have not come into contact. By the influence of the material energy we THINK that we are in contact”. Tokyo in 1972 Srila Prabhupada<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “Actually we are not fallen. We cannot be fallen. We have simply created a situation. Rather, we have not created a situation; Krishna has given us a situation. Because we wanted to imitate Krishna, Krishna has given an opportunity: “All right. You want to imitate? You want to be an imitation king on the stage’- Tokyo in 1972 Srila Prabhupada <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “In the Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta the nitya-baddha condition of the marginal living entity is clearly described. In the following quotes - ” <o:p></o:p> Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “My dear Rūpa, please listen to Me. It is not possible to describe devotional service completely; therefore I am just trying to give you a synopsis of the symptoms of devotional service” Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 19.137 <o:p></o:p> Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went on to explain the jiva’s fall down and being covered within the mahat-tattva (material creation) only. <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ‘the ocean of the transcendental mellows of devotional service is so big that no one can estimate its length and breadth. However, just to help you taste it, I am describing but one drop. In this universe there are limitless living entities in 8,400,000 species, and all are wandering within this universe”. “Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 19.138- 142<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada – “The length and breadth of the living entity is described as one ten-thousandth part of the tip of a hair. This is the original subtle nature of the living entity. If we divide the tip of a hair into a hundred parts and then take one of these parts and divide it again into a hundred parts that very fine division is the size of but one of the numberless living entities. They are all cit-kaṇa, particles of spirit, not matter. If we divide the tip of a hair into one hundred parts and then take one part and divide this into another one hundred parts, that ten-thousandth part is the dimension of the living entity. This is the verdict of the chief Vedic mantras. [Lord Kṛṣṇa says:] ‘Among minute particles, I am the living entity.“ Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 19.138- 142<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The Impersonal feature of Brahman cannot exist as an independent effulgence because factually that effulgence IS the marginal living entities surrounding Krishna and His unlimited Purusha expansions, just as the rays of the sun surround the sun. (Analogy only, never to be taken literally because our original perpetual position is sat, cit ananda VIGRAHA) <o:p></o:p> Only in the external realm outside the devotional active personal Vaikunthas and the central Goloka-Vrndavana planet, does ones forgetfulness of Krishna automatically cause the manifestation of the impersonal aspect of the Brahmajyoti. <o:p></o:p> This dreaming like departure from Vaikuntha is the marginal living entities bodiless consciousness that is made up of thoughts, dreams and desires of self importance and grander. <o:p></o:p> Such ‘awareness’ is expressed as a living individual spark of jiva consciousness that is often referred to as an atom or molecule living as individual sparks of light particles within an effulgence that is part of a collective that appear like individual rays of sunshine, which is the external impersonal aspect of Brahman, Brahmajyoti or Spiritual Sky. <o:p></o:p> This consciousness projection is not like the impersonal projection we experience in the material worlds, the baddha-jiva has all the substance of the marginal living entity and is a real feature; therefore, each individual is 10,000 th the size of a tip of hair in our dimension of awareness. <o:p></o:p> In this condition outside the active personal devotional Vaikunthas, the jiva tatastha can exists in both the material creation, or after becoming material exhausted and frustrated, they can enter the impersonal aspect of the Brahmajyoti. <o:p></o:p> Dreamingin the mahat-tattva or being dreamless and dormant in the impersonal characteristics of the Brahmajyoti are both cases where the marginal living entities are ‘consciously’ no longer aware of Krishna and His eternal pastimes or their Svarupa body in Krsnaloka. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> They have no memory or recollection of their own endless Krishna Conscious svarupa body that is perpetually situated in Vaikuntha. Therefore, just as in the absents of light there is darkness, similarly we find that the rebellious bodiless ‘dreaming’ consciousness, or lower self of the marginal living entities, are unable to see the transcendental ‘svarupa’ body they really are. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Therefore their existence is now described by the Vedas outside the divine realm of Vaikuntha, as particle of non-differentiated character due to the marginal living entities forgetfulness of Krishna and their own Svarupa body that is endlessly serving Krishna within the eternal 'PRESENT' realm beyond mundane material time of past and future that has no 'present'.
  20. Something all of us should read and understand. Yes, some just messaged messaged me to write 'we all want more posts by theist.
  21. Actually, You are in Goloka now, just realize it by looking within your own heart with personal prayer, serving the pure devotees and Chanting Hare Krsna So what is the secondary nitya baddha consciousness and what relationship has it with the Impersonal Brahmajyoti or Brahman? <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> The Impersonal Brahmajyoti or Impersonal Brahman is not a place where one goes. It is also not some empty place or void, it is rather, a dormant state of bodiless consciousness the marginal living entities or souls develope in the baddha-jiva condition. It is a state of dormant dreamless consciousness they develop or attain due to austerity, achieved once they free themselves from the ethereal and biological material bodies, provided by Maha-Vishnu FROM within his mahat-tattva creation. <o:p></o:p> In fact, this state of individual consciousness we call the impersonal Brahmajyoti, is just a further dream state that is separated or liberated from the confines of the bodily vessels of the mahat-tattva. The marginal living entity ‘consciously' develops their secondary baddha-jiva dream manifestation due to giving up being 'aware' of their Krsna Conscious nitya siddha body in Goloka.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> However, the baddha-jiva can only develops an 'inactive' state of their consciousness only after being ‘active’ within the mahat tattva and fed up with expressing themselves through corresponding subtle (ethereal) and gross (secular) material vessels provided within the mahat tattva. The impersonal Brahmajyoti is just a further individual dream state separate from the mahat-tattva that the marginal living entity can ‘consciously’ further develop as an additional ‘imaginary reality’ their secondary baddha-jiva can further dream-up.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Even though this 'baddha jiva' consciousness is real and discribed as 10,000th the size of a tip of hair, it is actually a conscious projection state that enters the mahat tattva or later on becomes an individual spark of the collective impersonal Brahmajyoti that is also a temporary 'inactive' state of consciousness the sub conscious baddha jiva dream state imagines while forgetful of their their nitya siddha body serving their Lord and Master, Lord Krsna in Goloka.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Just as the marginal living entity projects an 'active' baddha jiva state, expressed through corresponding vessel provided within the mahat tattva. The baddha jiva can also project an ‘inactive’ individual consciousnessthat is actually non-different from the impersonal Brahmajyoti. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The impersonal Brahmajyoti is made up of unlimited ‘dormant’ baddha-jivas all of whom have an ‘eternally original’ bodily form in Goloka<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Once the baddha-jiva has achieved the difficult liberation from the mahat-tattva’s ethereal and biological vessels, and attained an unnatural motionless, inactive, dreamless, painless conscious state of a 'plain sheet of consciousness', that actually IS the impersonal state of their dormant Brahmajyoti consciousness, they foolishly believe is eternal and their origin.<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> They do not understand that this ‘dormant conscious state’ is also only temporary and that long, ago before that they were in the mahat tattva. And long, long, long before being in the mahat tattva, they were aware of their eternal bodily REAL self in Goloka. <o:p></o:p> So is is clearly explained here the baddha jiva will eventually fall from their inactive state of ‘impersonal Brahnajyoti consciousness’ and again can become active or energetic in the mahat-tattva (material creation), provided with bodily vessels by Maha-Vishnu’s representatives. This nitya-baddha inferior false self, or the secondary dreaming state of the marginal living entity, is actually a bodiless condition of the jiva until it is provided bodily form or a vessel for expressing their desires, provided by Maha Vishnu within his dream creation.<o:p></o:p> This nitya-baddha bodiless consciousness is the inferior dreaming condition that all marginal living entities can activate if they choose to use their free will to 'dream' of self importance and indulgence that will immediately place their ‘awareness’ (not as their eternally situated Svarupa or nitya-siddha body), within the mahat tattva or material world. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada - “You are already in the spiritual sky, but you are simply covered. Just like the sun is already there. You are also already there…Try to understand. Actually we are not fallen therefore, at any moment we can revive our Krishna consciousness." Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture given in London, on July 30, 1971<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> "You are ever-liberated (nitya-siddha). The sky is always spiritual, but it is sometimes overcrowded with cloud, Actually, you are NOT conditioned (nitya-baddha). You are thinking. Just like in the dream that tiger is eating you. You were never eaten by tiger. There is no tiger. So we have to get out of this dream". Lecture on Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.108--San Francisco, February 18, 1967<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> "Actually we are not fallen therefore, at any moment we can revive (Regain, re-establish, wake up from the dream, remember who we really are as a body eternally in a state of originality) our Krishna consciousness. As soon as we understand that (my svarupa body is always in Krsnaloka), "I have nothing to do with (the material world and its bodily vessels my sub-conscious fallen nitya-baddha condition is housed in). I am simply Krishna's servant. Eternal servant. That's all". Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture given in London, on July 30, 1971
  22. Srila Prabhupada – “This material creation is the spirit soul's dream. Actually all existence in the material world is a dream of Mahā-Viṣṇu, as the Brahma-saḿhitā describes –<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> “This material world is created by the dreaming of Mahā-Viṣṇu. The real, factual platform is the spiritual world, but when the spirit soul wants to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is put into this dreamland of material creation”.<o:p></o:p> 4.29.83.http://vedabase.net/sb/4/29/83/en<o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> The full eternal potential of the living entity is ALWAYS nitya-siddha. However, the dream secondary sub-consciousness state of the living entity, activated when one is NOT Krishna Conscious, is called the jiva-baddha or nitya-baddha consciousness. This is supported by the following comment from Srila Prabhupada - Srila Prabhupada –“When the living entities desire to enjoy themselves, they develop a consciousness of duality and come to hate the service of the Lord. In this way the living entities fall into the material world." Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.53<o:p></o:p>
  23. What is EKADASI and how important is it?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" /><o:p></o:p> By Abrennan <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Ekadasi is a Sanskrit word for number 11. <o:p></o:p> Ekadasi means the 11th day of each half of the month in the Vedic lunar calendar. So there are two Ekadasi days in each month on the Vedic calendar. One is in the first half of the month whilst the moon is waxing, or growing. This is known as the bright fortnight. <o:p></o:p> The second is in the second half of the month whilst the moon is waning, or shrinking. This is known as the dark fortnight. <o:p></o:p> Ekadasi has been set-aside for us to observe a fast to please Krishna and is a special day for devotees. Srila Prabhupada asked us to fast on Ekadasi by avoiding eating grains and beans, anything made from them or anything that has them in it. This means avoiding bread, pasta, lentils, rice, as well as beans and preparations made from bean flour. <o:p></o:p> When observing Ekadasi we should think of it as part of our devotional service. The fast does not need to be extreme and you don't have to starve yourself. Some of us may be able to offer a full fast as their Ekadasi sacrifice, avoiding all foods, and drinking only water or juice, but not everyone can do this. <o:p></o:p> Srila Prabhupada said we can observe the fast by avoiding food with grains and beans and eating only light foods. We should not overdo our fasting. Fasting should cause buoyancy of feeling and not tiredness or fatigue. We should only practice as much fasting as our capacity allows. <o:p></o:p> We fast on Ekadasi in order to minimize the demands of the body so we can engage more of our time in the service of the Lord by chanting or performing some other devotional service. <o:p></o:p> The best thing to do on these fasting days is to remember the pastimes of Krishna and to hear His Holy name being sung and chanted. <o:p></o:p> In the book, "Nectar of Devotion" Srila Prabhupada tells us the purpose of Ekadasi is to increase our love for Krishna. On the day of Ekadasi, we should plan to chant more rounds and read more devotional literature. If possible, we should spend more time with devotees at the temple. <o:p></o:p> So as we can see Ekadasi is a time for us to step back from our normal routine and take stock of our spiritual lives. It is a time for us to increase our practice and to put a little more effort into our devotional service. <o:p></o:p> Of course, you should always plan ahead and have a few Ekadasi recipes up your sleeves to impress your friends and to offer to Krishna. You can get a head start with recipes at Krishna.com. <o:p></o:p> Strawberry Dreamer Drink<o:p></o:p> Ekadasi Cream of Broccoli/Spinach Soup<o:p></o:p> Water-Chestnut-Flour or Banana-Flour Halavah<o:p></o:p> Quick-and-Easy Sauteed Potatoes
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