Guest guest Posted August 26, 2002 Report Share Posted August 26, 2002 Saturday, August 31 SRI KRISHNA JANMASTAMI CELEBRATION 2:30 ? 4:00 PM Maha-harinama on Newbury Street 6:00 ? 7:00 Bhajan & Lecture by H.H. Niranjana Swami 7:00 ? 7:45 Arati/kirtan & Jhulan Yatra 7:45 ? 8:00 Announcements 8:00 ? 8:45 Bhajans by Viryavan & Co. 8:45 ? 9:15 Multimedia Krishna Quiz 9:15 ? 9:30 Bhajans 9:30 ?10:30 Abisheka and Bhajans 10:30 ?11:30 Deity Paraphernalia Auction 11:30 ?12:00 Bhajans 12:00 ?12:45 Arati/kirtan 12:45 Feast Volunteers and donors are still desired. Volunteer seva begins Thursday morning and goes through Sunday's festival. If you are interested in helping or contributing, contact Premananda dasa. Sunday, September 1 10:30 AM - 2 PM SRILA PRABHUPADA'S VYASA PUJA 10:30 ?10:45 AM Bhajans 10:45 ?11:45 Homages 11:45 ? Noon Puspanjali Noon - 12:45 Arati/kirtan 12:45 Feast There will be NO Sunday Feast program in the afternoon. SUMMER FESTIVAL SEASON IS UNDERWAY Saturday, August 31 6:00 PM Sri Krishna Janmastami Sunday, September 1 10:30 AM Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa Puja Friday, September 13 6:00 PM Sri Radhastami Saturday, September 28 Srila Prabhupada's Arrival in the USA If you would like to sponsor any of these festivals, please contact Premananda dasa. REMINDERS REMINDERS REMINDERS REMINDERS REMINDERS REMINDERS *Chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare *If you shop on-line, you can have part of your purchases donated to the temple. See www.iGIVE.com, and register ISKCON of New England as your charity of choice (our ID number is 14277). Sign up for IGIVE.COM between now and September 30, then make your first on-line purchase within 45 days, and ISKCON will earn an additional $5.00. VAISHNAVA CALENDAR, AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2002 (dates and times for Boston) August Saturday 31st Sri Krishna Janmastami (fast until midnight) September Sunday 1st Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa Puja (fast until noon) Tuesday 3rd Annada Ekadasi (break fast September 4 from 5:12 - 7:18 AM) Tuesday 10th Appearance of Srimati Sita Thakurani (Advaita Acarya's consort) Wednesday 11th Lalita sasti Friday 13th Sri Radhastami (fast until noon) Monday 16th Parsva Ekadasi (fast until noon for Sri Vamanadeva 's appearance; break grains fast September 17 from 8:10 - 9:34 AM) Tuesday 17th Appearance of Sri Vamanadeva Appearance of Srila Jiva Gosvami Wednesday 18th Appearance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (fast until noon) Thursday 19th Disappearance of Srila Haridasa Thakura Saturday 21st Sri Visvarupa Mahotsava Acceptance of sannyasa by Srila Prabhupada Third month of Caturmasya begins (fast from milk) Saturday 28th Srila Prabhupada's arrival in the USA at Commonwealth Pier ================================================================ The Rescue (Conclusion) The spiritual master will test the disciple's sincerity to receive his/her blessings. Lord Krishna demonstrates in the pastime of finding Sandipani Muni's son that the disciple should be prepared to take on inconvenience and face opposition in the effort to serve Sri Guru. Krishna jumped into the ocean and killed a demon. He went to hell for the service of his spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada wrote to a disciple that he was accepting disciples very liberally, though in Kali-yuga, there is a warning against accepting many disciples. But Srila Prabhupada, out of his compassion for the suffering of others, wanted to give as many sincere souls as possible the chance to come out of the ocean of birth and death, "The spiritual master accepts the sinful activities of his disciples from the first initiation. I may give initiation very easily, but what can I do? I am prepared to go to hell for service of Lord Caitanya." Just as Lord Krishna went to hell to deliver Sandipani Muni's son, Srila Prabhupada was prepared to go to hell for the sake of the conditioned souls. "A pure Vaisnava can go to the hell for serving Krishna, but he is not aspirant for his personal comfort." We should, of course, use discretion in the application of Srila Prabhupada's instruction. A PURE devotee can go to hell to serve Krishna because s/he has the realization (SB 6.17.28). narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati svargapavarga-narakesv api tulyartha-darsinah "Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord." An aspiring devotee should not fanatically attempt to follow orders obviously beyond his/her capacity. If a devotee is uncertain of the validity of a particular instruction, the disciple should humbly request the spiritual master for a fuller understanding. The disciple may also wish to consult the scriptures and other recognized saintly persons before endeavoring on a particularly strenuous order. For Lord Krishna, however, no request from Sandipani Muni is difficult to fulfill. Sandipani Muni was so pleased with Krishna and Balarama. When They returned his son, Sandipani Muni blessed Them with the ever-fresh knowledge of the Vedas. This is the reciprocation between guru and disciple. Great benedictions are not cheap. Even in our own experience, we see that a student must go to school for many years from kindergarten through post-graduate to be recognized as especially learned. That student must pass many tests. Full spiritual realization will take many years of sincere endeavor and study, and there will be many tests. But one should not feel discouraged. The ordinary student experiences the benefit of worldly knowledge being acquired during years of testing. Similarly the spiritual student will gain deeper and deeper insights as s/he is trained and tested under the spiritual master's direction. As one's knowledge progressively develops, so will one's happiness. Eligibility for the blessings of Sri Guru Krishna explains that anyone can gain the benediction of the spiritual master by which one overcomes the ocean of birth and death. Ordinary and sinful people such as ourselves are eligible (Bg 4.36): api ced asi papebhyah sarvebhyah papa-krt-tamah sarvam jnana-plavenaiva vrjinam santarisyasi "Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries." mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te 'pi yanti param gatim "O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth-women, vaisyas [merchants] and sudras [workers]-can attain the supreme destination." The blessings of the spiritual master destroy all karma (4.37): "As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities." Conclusion - the soul's deliverance The conditioned soul is purified by knowledge of Krishna's transcendental nature and activities. Such knowledge is acquired by performing duties and sacrifice under the guidance of the spiritual master. When the spiritual master is satisfied, the Lord Himself delivers the disciple (Bg 12.6-7): ye tu sarvani karmani mayi sannyasya mat-parah ananyenaiva yogena mam dhyayanta upasate tesam aham samuddharta mrtyu-samsara-sagarat bhavami na cirat partha mayy avesita-cetasam "But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Prtha-for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death." The metaphor of the ocean of birth and death in these verses combines the images of Krishna's rescuing of Sandipani Muni's son. This pastime of Sandipani Muni's daksina vividly illustrates Lord Krishna's teachings in the Fourth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita in understanding the central place of the spiritual master in delivering transcendental knowledge about the Lord to the disciple. By humble inquiry before and service to the spiritual master, the Lord is pleased. When the spiritual master is satisfied, Sri Krishna claims such a soul as His own devotee (Adi Purana). ye me bhakta-janah partha na me bhaktas ca te janah mad-bhaktanam ca ye bhaktas te me bhakta-tama matah "[Lord Krishna told Arjuna:] Those who are My direct devotees are actually not My devotees, but those who are the devotees of My servant are factually My devotees." The spiritual master gives the disciple knowledge to overcome attachment to the ocean of birth and death and develop attachment to the Lord. The disciple looks upward, praying for the Lord's mercy, and Lord comes to rescue the disciple. Srila Prabhupada concludes his purport to Bg 4.36, "In the ocean, however expert a swimmer one may be, the struggle for existence is very severe. If someone comes forward and lifts the struggling swimmer from the ocean, he is the greatest savior. Perfect knowledge, received from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the path of liberation." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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