Priitaa

Hare Krishna devotees are followers of the founder acaraya Srila Prabhupada, therefore we are not interested in your opinions but rather the knowledge and instructions of this fully realized pure devotee (Prabhupada). I am sorry some Hindus take offense that we are not them, tho I also tend to think of the old days when many of us were meat eaters, pot smokers, some worse - none of you would want us at that time. But Prabhuapda did, and so here we are. Now that he has purified us, suddenly everyone wants us. But in truth no one would've taken the time or trouble back then to have given us mleccas help, inspiration, & practical facility for change. Therefore no offense is intended (tho you sure do sound angry that you can not claim us as part of your birthed religion), but we are not Hindus and nothing you say will change our mind. If you have some need to view us as Hindus, go ahead. Good luck to ya. By the way, have you distributed any books lately to the nondevotees to reveal Krishna to them or do some form of daily service and preaching as Prabhupada instructed, and do you follow all four of those regulative principles, and do you chant on japa beads every day, and try to think of Krishna every moment, lived in an ashrama and/or live your entire life for Krishna? If not, you are practicing something different then we are. The argument will arise we that we don't *always* do these things and are fallen. Yes, we are, but we admit it and take it on our head - we dont try to change our teachings when we can't meet up to the standards ourselves. Well most don't, but now we get into another topic. ha Anyway...... wishing you well.

Me three! Back in 1973. /images/graemlins/smile.gif /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Just a few quotes from my web page, and then I'll shut up. LOL (Well, I make no promises on that. ha!) ---- Prabhupada: No. Hinduism practically we do not recognize because this word "Hinduism" is not mentioned in any Vedic literature. It is a foreign term. The Muhammadans, they called the inhabitants of India as "Hindus." From that word, it is has come to "Hinduism." Otherwise, we don't find that word in any Vedic literature. "Hinduism" is a foreign term, it is not a Vedic term. ---- "So here Krsna came to establish this fact, that "You are neither Roman, nor Indian nor brahmana nor sudra. You are My eternal servant. Therefore give up all this nonsense identification." Sarva-dharman parityajya. Because due to your wrong identification, you have created so-called "isms:" Hinduism, Muhammadanism, nationalism, this "ism," that "ism." This is all nonsense. This is the understanding of religion. Whatever we have created with the bodily concept of life, they are all nonsense. The real religion is that "I am eternal servant of Krsna." That is real religion." Srila Prabhupada lecture, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.6, May 24, 74, Rome Italy ----- God is neither Christian nor Hindu nor Muslim. God is God. There may be angles of vision to approach God, but God is one. Therefore our attempt is that you become God conscious. Don't be limited by Christianism or Hinduism or Muhammadanism. So our formula is explained in the Srimad Bhagavatam. We have got the copies there. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje: "That is first-class religious system by which the followers become a lover of God." This is the, our formula." ~ Srila Prabhupada speaks to La Trobe University, Melbourne , July 1, 74 ---- "If one advocates the Hindu religion, the Muslim religion, the Christian religion, this religion or that religion, there will be conflicts. History shows that followers of religious systems without a clear conception of God have fought with one another. There are many instances of this in human history, but systems of religion that do not concentrate upon service to the Supreme are temporary and cannot last for long because they are full of envy. " SB 6. 16. 41 ---- "It should be noted that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu never acknowledged the stereotyped caste system by birthright; rather, He strictly followed the verdict of the sastras in the matter of one's svarupa, or real identity." ~ S.B. 1.2.13 Purport --- "People are after dharma, artha, kama and moksa. Generally they perform religious activities to achieve some material gain, and they engage in material activities for sense gratification. After being frustrated in material sense gratification, one wants to become liberated and become one with the Absolute Truth. These four principles form the transcendental path for the less intelligent. Those who are actually intelligent engage in Krishna Consciousness, not caring for these four principles of the transcendental method. They at once elevate themselves to the transcendental platform which is above liberation. Liberation is not a very great achievement, to say nothing of the ritualistic performances in religion, economic development or the materialistic life of sense gratification. Devotees do not care for these. They are always situated on the transcendental platform of the brahma-buta stage of self-realization." SB 3.2.36 <font color="purple">AND THE HOLY NAME AS MERE ESCAPISM?? </font color> This shows me he does not have proper or clear understanding of our teachings. Tho I can tell him and if he is stubborn or shut down he will not hear, but anyhow someone might, thus: "One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities, does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." This is the benediction of Lord Vishnu, Krsna. After giving up his body, a devotee returns home, back to Godhead....." Bhagavad-gita 4.9 --- "It was due to Ajamila's glorifying the holy name of the Supreme Lord that he was not punishable. The Visnudutas explained this as follows: "Simply by once chanting the holy name of Narayana, this brahmana has become free from the reactions of sinful life. Indeed, he has been freed not only from the sins of this life, but from the sins of many, many thousands of other lives. He has already undergone true atonement for all his sinful actions. If one atones according to the directions of the sastras, one does not actually become free from sinful reactions, but if one chants the holy name of the Lord, even a glimpse of such chanting can immediately free one from all sins. Chanting the glories of the Lord's holy name awakens all good fortune. Therefore there is no doubt that Ajamila, being completely free from all sinful reactions, should not be punished by Yamaraja." Srimad Bhagavatam 6.2, chapter summary ---- .....I dont have the quote on hand (tho can get it if no one else has it), but Prabhupada tells the story of the nondevotee who is working and the Bhakti yogi (devotee) who is working. They are both doing the same work, but one is chanting while the other is not. Therefore, the activity 'appears' the same to the human eye, but the devotee is getting out of the material world with his world, whereas the other is becoming more entangled. In any case, no where does Prabhupada say dont work, just sit around and chant and "escpae." Another misunderstanding. Oh, here is a helpful quote on that topic: "Here is, sitting, Sri Gosvamiji. He's coming from Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. So all these six Gosvamis, they were not inactive. They were always active. As we are active in the karma, karmi life, so bhakti life is also activity. It is not sitting down idly or gossiping. One must find out some job to serve Krsna. That is bhakti life. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam. Sevanam means activity. Sevanam does not mean sit down idle, inert. No. As soon as seva... Seva means activity. One has to preach, one has to write, one has to do this, do that, cook, offer the prasadam, everything. Seva, activity.

I opened this particular posting to see how it played out, and must admit I was a little disappointed that some devotees responeded with anger and sarcasm rather than calmly clear his misconceptions point by point - while simultaneously I can see why its hard to take someone seriously who goes to a Vaisnava forum in order to advocate Muslim religion. (Seems thats a way to put down our religion.) His sincerity of purpose (for posting here) does raise its head. Numbers 3 and 5 from the original poster reveal material - not spiritual interests, and number 4 simply does not have supportive evidence to back it up, so was not a good idea to type it as one of his "proofs" of Muslim as a better path. In any case, he will hear what he is open to hearing, and so I offer my web page with quotes from OUR spiriutal teacher who clearly has stated, repeatedly, we are not Hindu's and do not practice Hinduism. Also, we do not believe in the caste system (Prabhupada has also said that repeatedly), etc., etc. If one is going to come here and tell us what we believe, please first read of what we actually do believe, because simply being stubborn and insisting we are still Hindu is just plain silly, which is why no one has taken you seriously - because we follow Prabhupada's teachings only and not Hindu teachings, not Western teachings, and not Muslim teachings or misunderstandings of what they think are our teachings. With that said I leave you. Here is my link, for those who want to know the truth: Diff Between Hinduism and KC http://www.geocities.com/priitaa108/difference_between_hinduism_kc.htm Good luck! Also not a Hindu guest. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks prabhu! Thats a good start. I dont really see the bridge tho, but then again, I dont know how to read space photo's. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

The pics do not show on this site, and no longer show up on the original site (they were moved, but even with a search, I could not get there). I'd like to save these to hard drive, possibly put them in the 'links' section of one of my . Does anyone either have these photo's or know how to locate them on the new site where they say they have moved? They say its possible but I aint havin' no luck. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

The biggest trick of the mind is to give it permission to 'wander' around. For example, we tell ourselves since we are thinking about Krishna conscious philosophy, even tho we are hitting it up from every angle we can think of plus more, and driving ourselves crazy in the process, we convince ourself since it is Krishna consciousness that makes it ok. Sure its not as bad as total nonsense, but as long as we give ourselves permission to mental specualte, then our minds will wander and be miserable. However its true that the mind can not be controled only be mere will power. It requires 'immersing' the self in the Maha Mantra, coupled with surrender to the guru, devotional service, and reading shastra attentively (in other words, here too we do not allow the mind to 'wander.') We must be willing to change our lifestyle and make ALL aspects of it within Krishna consciousness, or at least as many as practically possible.

WOW This is a tough one. After reading some of your posts, I am very moved. I make no promises but I run a healing egroup where some devotees pray, others do other things, but its for all sorts of conditions. First, here is the web page which explains what its all about (and how to make a request). http://www.geocities.com/priitaa/distant_healing.htm And here is the group addy for anyone interested in joining to assist. (Just for the record, this is a Prabhuapda group. With that said, peace please.) Krishnas_Distance_Healers To the first poster, we make no promises. For some, its just nice to have others praying for them to be able to remember Krishna if they are meant to pass over. In lesser cases, some just want prayer for peace of mind or to be able to chant better. Others want it for specific medical conditions. Since there has been a surge of devotees getting into reiki and similar types of energy healing, I created this group to dovetail it to serve the devotees. But the group is not where you 'request a healing.' You can do that thru the web site (first link posted above). The purpose of the group is for devotees who don't live in temples (or do!) and often complain they have no devotional service to do, they miss the old days where they did so much, or whatever, to have a place they can serve in this simple manner. Anyone can pray! Anyhow, I haven't posted about my site etc in quite a while, and wasn't going to, but after reading your post I felt obliged to at least let you know this is out there. The choice of course is yours, and whats right for one person is not necessarily for another. Good luck and Hare Krishna.

Oh yes, that IS a very nice site. Thank you. I've saved it to my fav places.

WOW, I go from having zero calendars to a three! /images/graemlins/smile.gif Thank you. And thanks for letting me know its tomorrow. I don't like it when I find out last minute.

Haribol prabhus, I lost my link to a Vaisnava Calender. Does anyone know if its tomorrow? Also, does anyone have a good calendar link? Thanks!

I had no idea I was missed! Thank you everyone. :::blushing:::

Actually such questions aren't really so bad. The reason? Because the western definition of religion often means to do something with regularity, like once every Sunday to think of God, forget Him the rest of the week. /images/graemlins/smile.gif Therefore many have lost interst in what passes for religion in kali yuga, whereas the word "spiritual" means to interweave God in the tapestry of your life -- in every corner and thread you can. So that's how they generaly view it anyway, and really, that's pretty darn good for the times we are in. It also indicates they are sick of false religions and are seeking something real. Its an opportunity to share sublime Krishna consciousness with them.

Ya know, I haven't read that web site thoroughly, but I tend to agree with the second poster - the only bad chanting is no chanting. Which is not to minimize some of the points like poor pronounciation. Yet if they are trying, we should not fault find with them, cuz its hard to see our own faults and easy to see others. The story comes to mind of the man who was illerate holding the Gita upside down, considering himself unworthy, but Lord Krishna viewed him very highly! If someone skips a sylable of the Holy Name, so what? Certainly I dont encourage it, but if they are thinking fully of Krishna in their mind and heart, and trying "their" best, only Krishna knows. As for this speed chanting, Prabhuapda chanted both fast AND slow. Its not a race. In this age of kali we tend to think fatser is better. No. Attentiveness is better. If one needs to go fast OR slow for attentiveness, fine, but no one can climb inside their head and know what their needs are. Regarding clickers lol I didn't even know devotees still used them. In any case, while I think they are (sometimes) silly, if it gets someone to chant, why criticize? To encourage them to switch to beads, yes, but lets not put anyone down. /images/graemlins/smile.gif And there are even some who have jobs in offices or must ride the bus or something else, and can't be seen chanting on beads, so they use clickers to get their japa done. We simply do not know what the details of each indiviudals life involves, and so lets us try to encourage whatever they 'can' do. That's my two cents. I could be mistaken, and this is just according to 'my' understanding so far. Haribol!

Maybe this is coincidence (or not!) but today while reading, I bumped into this quote by Prabhuapda which in essence sums up and answers all of your (first posters) questions. /images/graemlins/smile.gif "So it does not require any high education, high birth, or great riches, or to become very beautiful. Nothing required. Beautiful or not beautiful, everyone can become Krsna conscious. There is no impediment. Educated or not educated, it doesn't matter. Rich or poor, it doesn't matter. Ahaituky apratihata. The devotional service, bhakti-yoga, is without any cause and without impediment. Ahaituky apratihata. And if we attain that stage, then yayatma suprasidati: then atma, the soul, will be fully satisfied. So it does not require much education, much wealth. From any status of life one can practice this, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [bg. 18.65], these four things only." ~ Bhagavad-gita 16.11-12 -- Hawaii, February 7, 1975 Clear, isn't it? /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Haribol prabhu, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. In your post I feel your pain. It is not easy to say exactly what is the problem from a post, and even here, a variety of possibilities arise. So I may mention more than one but not to think it is cast in iron. /images/graemlins/smile.gif These are just ideas and could be mistaken ones. First I'd have to ask if you have been like this all your life. If you have always found yourself disgusting, ugly or worry that you have more bad thoughts than anyone else, you may first want to look into that as a medical and/or psychological issue. Some that appear as psychological issues, aren't. They react like one, but are biological. For example, in ADD and ADHD, when the synapses don't quite connect, they cause a person to act out in varoius ways, or turn it inward, to get depressed, etc. Lately its been discovered that Tyrosine and flax seed oil (etc) have helped this conditation drastically because it makes the "connection" for the brain synapses. People with depression and even with migraines often have a problem with the synapses and their relationship to serotonin. So you see, what may appear psychological may not be. However if it is, that should be looked into as well. You'd be surprised tho what a good mineral pill and B vitamin complex could do! This concerns me too, that there is more going on in the health areas than your spirutal life having problems, tho indeed it does stem over. All the more reason to get it checked out and treated, if necessary. Yes, either way is bodily concept, but also either way is extreme. Try not to go one extreme or the other, and try to hit it in the middle. Dont freak out if you think of your body too much or too little in the process cuz no one is perfect at it, but just take shelter that this can be a "gradual" process and dont try to rush yourself. Rushing can result in fall down. Just be who you are, whether you like who you are or not is not the issue, just be yourself and from that point only, can you make advancment anyway. So just relax and do what you can. /images/graemlins/smile.gif While this is true, maybe you just need more engagement. If the mind is kept busy, it doesn't even have the time to think these varoius thoughts. Physical labor (toawrd God or guru, etc) appropriately balanced with study of shastra and chanting can sure keep one busy, if you want it to. You simply need to stop thinking of yourself so much. To think too much of yourself, even negative, is still putting a lot of energy and attention onto yourself. Hardly any devotee is perfect in behavior anyway, we all make mistakes, and should not use it as a excuse/reason to not preach. If someone doesn't like you, so what? You'll probalby never see them again. LOL Tho I do understand you dont want them to think poorly of the devotees and our movement. Just do your BEST, then detach from the results, good or bad, detach. Now if you are just untrained in preadching that is different and therefore should wait before going out into the world and preach. And its a rough thing to do, so should be blanced with some time back at the temple, etc., reading Krishna book or something blissful. And eating a litte maha. Again, balance! No one has nothing to offer, you may just need to look around inside yourself to find it. Also by this question and your list, you appear to be young to me and so most when young aren't really sure what they can do yet. Also, its a time to get trained in something, not always to know all ready such things. Thats why its natural to go off to college, etc. However, it is better to go off to the temple if they would be willing to actively HELP you figure out what your talents are, and you DO have talents. But if they can't, there are many places online you can take skill tests for example, or try to find what your intersts are, then dovetail them in Krishna's service. Join the club. /images/graemlins/smile.gif Not everyone fits in the mold. I was never good at book distrubtion, tho I can cook a "basic" meal at home, I am no great cook. haha I have never done well in groups like working at the temple, and my stamina, even when young, was not as powerful as most, so while they were getting glorfied for hard work, well I was not looking for glorification but I surely was looked down on at times. But I do not lament and dont even care about that anymore. I would not mention it excpet maybe it will help you. Now I have my own online business and do some really cool thing in it. ha My nitch turned out to be more internal. I can write, I can do other things I rather not mention here (only cuz then everyone wants me to do this for them and I am so overwhemled with work now I just can't), etc. You are not a finished product yet, and your skills may be different from your friends! Give yourself credit, you may be a more creative person, an artist of one sort or another. This can be anything form the obvious (painting, drawing, molding clay, etc) to the less obvious (beading, sewing, making pottery, writing poetry/song lyrics/stories glorifying Krishna - including childrens books or comics, and other things I can't think of at the moment you maybe should look into). Dont close the door to the possibilities that can help the real you come out just cuz you dont fit the mold. You're not alone and like you, many just dont speak up about it so you have no idea really of how much compnay you have! Well yeah, you've gotten way to mental about it. lol But you dont need to be even more hard on yourself, but LESS. Just see where being hard on yourself has lead! Lighten up. Learn to forgive yourself. I bet you would forgive anyone else who came to you with this problem, and want to reach out and help them, so learn to forgive yourself. Let go, then move on. And learn to laugh. We all have to laugh even at ourselves, and as we do, the pressure lifts. Our energies rise. We feel better and can move on. Its been scientifically proven that laughter can be significantly healing too. Kirshna has a sense of humor. When's the last time YOU laughed? /images/graemlins/smile.gif And maybe a few B vits cuz if for no other reason, you are increassing stress which in turn eats up B vits. Wishing you well. Hare Krishna.

I guess no one has heard of PIA. So here's a link. Scroll and read the reviews. Shes very talented and her music, very moving. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000034CJ5/002-6132013-6147226?v=glance What I did was type into a search engine the words "PIA Pacifica" or "PIA Maagical Eclipse," (her CD's). After clicking on the link I then scrolled down just to read all the various reviews. Fabulous!

I was looking for a certain post I had just read but lost, and ran into yours. I must say, it pulled at my heart strings. There are many in your situation too. Have you tried and do a search there? Online has been my saving grace because while I live near a temple, my health gets in the way of attendence. So I am almost in a similar situation regardless! Association is important. Check around and I'm sure you can find some chat groups, etc. You can email me if you like. Good luck! And - always remember Krishna, never forget Him. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Its hard to give an answer because there are many possibilities. There have been some who rubbed their eyes hard (or the other extreme of VERY relaxed eyes) and thought they saw something. While others, people who don't even meditate, have suddenly had OBE's, NDE's, etc. So why not this? Yet, if what you saw was something impersonal, like geometric colors, at best I would "speculate" it might be something in your arua, a chakra, or connected to the higher planetary systems but not Krishnaloka. Really who wants that? I mean, its fun, and "far out," but it still leaves one stuck in the cycle of repeated birth, death, disease and old age. Therefore one must get past that and meditate on the TRANSCENDENTAL Form and NAME of Lord Sri Krishna. Haribol!

That last post was by me. Thought I had all ready signed in and guess I had not. Sorry.

Thanks for the very very beautiful and huge pictures. /images/graemlins/smile.gif I'd be honored to sign such a paper. After all, they've come a long way from when they wouldn't even let us in the front door even if we told them we are devotees. Understand, much of that was due to letting the Britts in previously, who next did their best to destroy their worship and the Vaisnava religion.

Yup, that was always my understanding of his teachings too. This is a nice quote to read. Thanks.

Do you think we really sent a space-craft thru the rings of Saturn? Are those "crisp, clear" pictures genuine? If we didn't go to the moon, how could we have gone to Saturn, which is further away? Feedback anyone?

While I agree many other types of verses are quoted out of context by the ......... they like to call themself traditionalists but they are not following Prabhuapda's tradition. Anyway, maybe you consider me a feminist, but I do not consider myself one. And most of those women quoted above, I know many -- they are not feminists. For example, Bibhavati who Prabhupada told it was perfectly fine as a woman to work, is so subserviant to her husand many have wished for years she would speak back to him, but seldom does that happen. Yet by reading her quote, some might say, "Oh, she is a feminist." Not at all. To know a bit of the history of the women in our movement is important for understanding why women who are not feminists may make comments that appear to be. A man can speculate but just ask some of the women, if they even have the self esteem left to speak up, what they have been put through. I would explain more but am rushed for time. Anyway, I think I made the point. We're not our bodies, we're spirit souls. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

I don't know if you are male or female, which helps a little but ultimately doesn't matter. Check your thyroid. Women are more inclined to have this, but men get it too. Thyroid problems often result in a large amount of hair loss. Look into dried green tea tablets and/or Evening Primrose oil. This blocks the male hormone that causes male pattern baldness, but women get that too. It might even be included under the category of alopecia, but there, I'm not sure. Hope this helps! /images/graemlins/smile.gif