9 Stages of Devotion - AVA Tue. July 19, 7:30pm

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9 Stages of Devotion - AVA Tue. July 19, 7:30pmThu, 14 Jul 2005

09:14:51 -0700"Roberts, William NAVSEA" <william.roberts (AT) navy (DOT) mil>To:

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This Issues Topic of Discussion:

Nine Paths To Perfection!

Hari Bolo Friends of the Vedas!Please accept my respects. All glory to the

transcendental light of the Bhagavad-Gita as It Is!

The Next Gathering Of

The American Vedic Association’s Bhagavad Gita Discussion and Fellowship is:

3rd Tue: Jul-19-2005 Nine Paths to Perfection

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita As It Is Fellowship: "Nine

Paths to Perfection" - Some teach that we are flawed and will always be that

way so why try to become pure? Others expect their guru to inoculate them from

nonsense behavior and say it is the "Only Way". But the Vedas teach that there

are nine ways one can mature spiritually. 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

Meeting Address: 687 Villanova Road, Ojai, California 93023 (805) 640-0405

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ojai Valley News Prints Abridges Version of AVA Newsletter As Lead Editorial!

In the spirit of the season we submitted a short version of the last AVA

newsletter to the Ojai Valley News and in the July 6th, 2005 Wednesday edition

of the paper they printed it as the lead Editorial Page A-5. We are very

pleased that the OVN appreciates our work and have since received several

compliments from those who read that commentary. Thank You Brett, Lenny, Mike

and the rest of the OVN Staff! =>:-)

Ojai July 4th Vegetarian Food Booth Was a Great Success! Thank You All!

I would like to personally thank everyone who helped at the July 4th Vegetarian

Food Booth that was sponsored by AVA for the 15th year. Our booth was a

tremendous success! All day long people were extending their appreciation for

the wonderful healthy alternative to the usually carnival like food choices.

Many people were also impressed by the extraordinary low price of just 6$ for a

full meal that many had to take home to finish at dinnertime!

Mark your Calendars NOW for: Saturday, August 20 2005, 7:30 Janmastami!

“Janmastami” means: “The Appearance day of Lord Krishna” and it is the

biggest ALWAYS FREE event held by the American Vedic Association in Ojai. In

fact it has historically been the biggest free bash, high-spirited annual party

in the whole Ojai Valley! The evening is very much like a typical Tuesday

night AVA Bhagavad-Gita Gita Fellowship gathering but it runs at a much higher

voltage! We invite a highly

trained Gaudia Vaishnava Devotee to speak about Lord Krishna’s pastimes and

equally qualified musicians come to lead a melodious Kirtan. This is an

excellent time to bring questions about spiritual life for which you are

seeking straightforward authorized answers.

The program also includes everyone’s favorite part - a Tremendous

Vegetarian Love Feast! The evening ends with a beautiful video that sends

everyone home with transcended affections for Krishna, guaranteed to charm you

to sleep.

Janmastami is also traditionally an excellent opportunity to offer something

back to Krishna for all the gifts He has provided us during the rest of the

year. These need not be elaborate. Some step forward and volunteer to help

make arrangements for the event, while others are inspired to bring a small

vegetarian dish or a flower, which is then offered to the deity for His

satisfaction. The end result is a joyfully, cooperative, community event

that culminates in a tremendous Vegetarian Love Feast that satisfies the rascal

mind, enchants the heart, and sends the body waddling home with taste-bud bliss!

We certainly hope that each of you who have been appreciating this newsletter

will seriously consider joining us for this special event. If you have been

too shy to come out and meet us, this is a great time to do so because you can

fade into the crowd and participate without feeling like you are on a stage.

Reservations are not required so no need to use that as an excuse either!

However, for those of you who already know that you aren’t going to miss this

bash, our cooks appreciate it if you can let us know how many will be in your

party. We also recommend a light jacket, an open mind, and a hearty appetite.

The event is held in the flower gardens at the AVA property. Everyone is

graciously welcome!

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Nine Stages/Paths of Devotional Service

Let’s Pretend For a Moment…

You and a Forest Dwelling

Imagine yourself living deep in the woods a long time ago. On occasion, the

king’s squire ventured into the forest to check the surrounding area for

suspicious activity and when he did you sometimes had the opportunity to speak

to him about the kingdom where he came from on the far side of the meadow

grove. Back then, you knew very little about the king, but through the

information shared by the squire you could tell that his subjects loved him

dearly and everyone lived peacefully under his dominion. They felt guided by

his paternal wisdom and protected by the well-trained chariot drivers, mahouts,

archers and swordsmen sworn to his service.

Every day you toiled hard for your food. Sometimes you fended off wild beasts

that came to steal the roots, grains, and vegetables you had stored in clay

pots. Occasionally rogue gypsy thieves traveling aimlessly through the woods

came to your place and plundered your food and the few valuable things you

gleaned from the forest.

After awhile you got tired of this routine and you considered the benefits of

joining those who lived under the protection of the king behind the great walls

he built and maintained. So you decided to petition the king for residency.

At this point you could pursue your plan several ways, but for the purpose of

this illustration we will consider both the smartest and most foolish ways to

win the king’s favor.

Seeking the King

The proud, aggressive and stupid way to approach the king would have been to

march through the gates of the city into the center of town. There you stood

on your horse’s back and boldly demanded that the Great King come speak to you

about your desire to live under his protection. When he didn’t show up, you

increased the temper of your diatribe and threatened to have the king

dethroned. After that you declared your intention to coronate yourself as the

new royalty, seized the city for yourself, and made your own new set of laws to

be imposed on everyone.

Needless to say… this would be not only stupid, but also disastrous. If you

insisted on acting like a belligerent fool you would be treated as such. With

his military resources the king could have easily seized you and had you tried

as an enemy of the state. In most tales of this sort you would end with your

head ritualistically separated from the rest of your body!

But in this yarn, the king was so magnanimous that when he learned about your

childish shenanigans, he at first found them humorous and entertaining. But

later, when he realized he must do something about your defiant

insubordination, he was saddened. As a courtesy to his other subjects he knew

he was obliged to exile you back to the toils of the forest in order to protect

his loyal citizens from your disturbing silly nonsense.

A Smarter Way to Proceed

The other way to approach the Good King was to continue meeting with the squire

when he came to the forest and learn from him all you could about the King. He

could tell you about his language, habits, and personal preferences. By

listening closely you heard about (1) his many victories in battle and how

years ago he won the heart of the fairest lady from all the land. After

familiarizing yourself with all these things you could then seek out the

peasants who worked the land around the kingdom

and repeated (2) to them all the wonderful stories that the squire shared with

you. Many of these village workers were already familiar with the wonderful

conquests of their king, but because he was such an extraordinarily individual,

they always seemed to delight in remembering (3) his accomplishments over and

over again!

Eventually you befriended the neighboring serfs and in that exchange they became

anxious to learn more about the forest secrets. You responded to their

curiosity and served (4) them small gifts from the forest, like rare stones,

herbs, and root medicines. You developed a reputation for this and eventually

the King heard about it and wanted to meet you personally. So he invited you

to be his distinguished guest at the next harvest gala that he annually

sponsored for his loyal subjects.

When you met the King he was so impressed by your knowledge of the forest that

he proposed that if you agreed to assist the Squire in his forest patrol duties

he would compensate you nicely. You accepted the offer and began your direct

service (5) to the King.

Genuine Gratitude

Because of the King’s commission, you no longer had to toil so hard for food,

and the traveling rogues dared not exploit you any more. The more you thought

about how much you had grown since you had decided to get to know more about

the King, the more grateful you became. You genuinely felt like the universe

had reciprocated with you far more than your wishes could have ever imagined.

The more you dwelled on this realization, the more whole you felt. To

accommodate that feeling, you made a special place along the forest edge

overlooking the meadow. You went there every morning for a few minutes and

watched the sun rise as you sat and gave thanks (6) for your newfound good

fortune.

As your friendship with the King grew, he became fascinated with all the unusual

things you gleaned from the forest, and one day he instructed you to bring him

some of the rare geodes, nodules, swan flower honey and exotic flora you had

told him about. You were honored to do this service for the king and set off to

fulfill the instructions (7) of the King the next day.

When you returned to the weald, you realized how easily the King arranged to get

whatever he wanted by dispatching his very capable military to seek it out and

take it. The next day he visited your meadow-sitting place, you further

understood that it was not the geodes that the King was interested in, but the

bourgeoning friendship that had developed between the two of you that spawned

his small requests. It then became clear that the reason why the King was so

loved was because he treated all his subjects with the same type of kindness

and appreciation you had experienced. As you considered these things you felt

genuinely honored to know such a great King that inspired you to not only do

your duty to him as a king, but to serve as a dear friend (8).

The next time you met the King and delivered the forest treasures, you confided

in him that due to your advanced age, you felt it was time to retire from

worldly affairs. You informed him that you intended to convey your dwelling to

him as a forest outpost for the military. You also told him how much you

appreciated the generosity and kindness he had provided everyone which was

evident throughout his kingdom. Based on that observation, you surrendered

everything (9) you had to the King, and he agreed to allow you to wander

unencumbered, throughout his Kingdom, with no responsibilities, to be provided

for freely by his loyal subjects, for the remaining days of your life.

Deciphering the Analogy

By now the analogy of this tale should be obvious. The first way of

addressing the king illustrates how a proud man approaches God. He has some

preconceived idea of what God looks like and then arrogantly demands He show up

when he is called for just like a pet dog. When that doesn’t happen, the man

who believes he is equal to God (the atheist) belligerently asserts that God

doesn’t exist. Then he goes grossly defiant even further and declares himself

to be God, regardless of the fact that just one small grain of sand under the

eyelid will bring him to his knees.

It never occurs to this type of irreverent pubic nuisance that if he can’t even

get an audience with the local governor, whom he can recognize, how could he

possibly expect to see God when he doesn’t even know what He looks like and is

far harder to win an audience with?

Show Me God!

Nearly everyone has struggled with the desire of wanting to see God. But those

who are properly trained in Vedic knowledge realize that the eyes are quite

inadequate for understanding things properly. That is because they are

limited, imperfect, and easily misled by illusions. Besides the obvious

mechanical shortcoming of the eyes, the 1st half of the story also illustrates

the psychological reasons why it is absurd for a dependent person to demand

anything from an independent person. Yet despite these obvious truths it is

quite vogue for realists to declare that God does not exist simply because they

cannot see Him.

Instead this parable suggests a more intelligent way to discover who God is

based on the nine progressive stages of devotional service. What learned

transcendentalists’ know is that we are in no position to demand to “See”

anything, what to speak of expecting God to reveal Himself to us when we are

acting like a snotty brat! Instead they realize the prudence in acting in such

a way that attracts God to want to see us!

That is the principal behind the smarter way of meeting the king. The nine

processes of devotional service that attracted the affection of the King, were

first taught by the child-saint Prahalada Maharaja thousands of years ago.

The wonderful thing about these nine processes of devotional service is that by

adopting just one them, a person will quickly acquire all the results obtained

after thousands of years of austerities practiced by the Jnani and Astanga

yogis! But even more astonishing, unlike these other two yoga disciplines,

Krishna personally guarantees that the spiritual progress made via Bhakti yoga

will never be lost!

“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on

this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.” -Bhagavad-Gita

Gita As It Is, Chapter 2 “Contents of the Gita Summarized” Text 40.

Nine Stages Identified by the Child Saint Prahlada Maharaja

The following itemized list will clarify exactly what the nine stages of

devotional service are and each of the historic personalities that perfected

their life by adopting that particular step.

1. HEARING (sravanam) the last seven days of his life Maharaja Pariksit heard

attentively from Sukadeva Gosvami the 18,000 verses of the Srimad Bhagavat

Purana. (The Squire heard about them from the King.)

2. CHANTING (kirtanam) Sukadeva Goswami (spoke the Bhagavatam to Maharaja

Pariksit) (When you glorified the king to the peasants you were chanting the

glories of the king.)

3. REMEMBERING (Vishnu smaranam) Prahlada Maharaja never forgot Krishna despite

constant tortures from his father- Hiranyakashipu (You recalled the king’s

extraordinary personality)

4. SERVING THE LORD'S LOTUS FEET (pada sevanam) Laxmi, the Goddess of Fortune,

is always engaged in serving the lotus feet of the Lord. (You served the king

by serving him with small forest gifts)

5. DEITY-WORSHIP (arcanam) Maharaja Prthu used all of his royal possessions in

order to offer them in pure devotion to the Lord. (You served the king directly

when he commissioned you to patrol the forest.)

6. PRAYING (vandanam) Akura offered prayers to Krishna when he was traveling to

Vrndavana in order to see Krishna. (Your prayer was the morning introspection

you did everyday at the sitting place on the edge of the meadow.)

7. EXECUTING ORDERS (dasyam) Hanuman, the intimate servant of Ramacandra

executed all of Sri Ramacandra's orders despite all kinds of difficulties.

(You brought the king beautiful and rare objects from the forest on his

request.)

8. SERVING AS A FRIEND (sakhyam) Arjuna was so close to Krishna that the Lord

offered Himself to become his chariot driver and serve Arjuna and his brothers

in various ways. (You and the king fraternized as friends.)

9. COMPLETE SURRENDER (atma nivedanam) Bali Maharaja gave Sri Vamanadeva his

entire kingdom, his possessions as well as his own body, although his own

spiritual master was against it. (You gave the King your hermitage and relied

on the charity of his subjects when you retired.)

The Vedas also acknowledge the extraordinary example of the great king Maharaja

Ambirisha who performed all nine processes of devotional service as confirmed

by the following reference:

“Maharaja Ambarisa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of

Krishna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in

cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by

Krishna or about Krishna. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Krishna,

Krishna’s temples and Krishna’s places like Mathura and Vrndavana, he engaged

his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged

his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasi offered to the Lord, and

he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasada. He engaged his legs in

walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down

before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a

day. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisa never desired anything for his own sense

gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various

engagements related

to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be

completely free from all material desires” - Srimad Bhagavata Canto 9.

Liberation, Chapter 4 “Ambarisa Maharama Offended by Durvasa Muni” - Verses

18-20

For a more formal understanding of the nine stages of devotional service, we

invite the reader to directly consider the teachings of Pralada Maharaja for

oneself. These teachings are recorded in the Srimad Bhagavat Purana Canto

7. “The Science of God”; Chapter 5 “Prahlada Maharaja, the Saintly Son of

Hiranyakasipu.” Vs. 23-24.

Click here to go straight to that text-->: <http://vedabase.net/sb/7/5/23-24/en>

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Vegetarian Cooking!

We are happy to see how nicely the AVA congregational members are

improving their Vegetarian culinary skills! Adopting a diet that allows

other creatures to live their lives peacefully is a tradition that extends way

back to both Vedic as well as Buddhist traditions. One would think that all

serious transcendentalists would understand this simple principal, but that is

unfortunately not always the case.

Instead, some are more interested collecting tuitions for weekend seminars than

in teaching what is actually advised in the Vedas because it drives away the

insincere cash paying customers that are only looking for something cheap and

shallow.

Instead of avoiding the dilemma of converting to a Vegetarian diet,

consider coming to an AVA meeting and learn how to cook wonderful Vegetarian

foods using herbs and spices that not only taste good, but make eating a

tremendously fulfilling experience! Cooking is done prior to the AVA meeting.

Those who want to learn this tremendous skill are advised to contact us 36 hours

prior to the AVA event so we can tell you what we will be cooking, and when, so

you will be able to join us at that time! :-)

Pubic Engagements?

As the AVA newsletter continues to find new audiences some have asked

about the possibility of bringing the subjects we discuss into other

gatherings. If it is possible to schedule those requests we will be happy to

do so as part of our service to the community. For this purpose AVA has

compiled a list of contemporary subjects that we have essays, books, charts,

graphs, and in some cases, videos, to augment our presentations. For more

information about scheduling an engagement to learn more about the Vedic

Siddhanta (Conclusion) please contact us directly.

Suggest A Subject?

Many of the subjects we cover in the AVA newsletter come from questions

or subjects that are only vaguely commented on by other sources. If you have

a subject you would like us to address, please send that in to us and we will

consider it for a future AVA topic. Simple questions are also addressed at the

Bhagavad-Gita fellowship for the benefit of all those who attend.

Vedic Authority

What makes the AVA program different from all other contemporary sources of

transcendental learning is that we rely on the methodical, thorough and

scientific way the Vedas portray the world we live in. The Vedas are so vast

and unlike any other literature known to man, they are often criticized as

confusing and esoteric. But this is because the secret of the Vedas can only

be unlocked by one who has been properly trained how to “decode” them. Although

that sounds like an exhausting study, it is actually quite easy if the candidate

is willing to accept instructions from a good source. In fact, the path of

Bhakti (Loving Devotion to the Supreme Lord in His Personal Form) is so

powerful that the essences of all the Vedas become automatically realized to

that soul who surrenders to the Personality of Godhead and engages in

devotional service to Him.

“A person who accepts the path of devotional service is not bereft of the

results derived from studying the Vedas, performing austere sacrifices, being

charity or perusing philosophical and furtive activities. Simply by performing

devotional service he attains al theses and at the end he reaches the supreme

eternal abode.” - Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Chapter 8 “Attaining the Supreme”

Text 28

To grow transcendentally requires a reliable authority like the Bhagavad-Gita.

(The torchlight of knowledge, Bg. 10.11) One is free to reject Vedic authority,

but the consequences of doing so returns one to the world of speculation,

conjecture, flawed empirical analysis, and a plethora of silly ideas about what

spiritual life is from psychologists, therapists, self declared gurus,

charlatans, and carpetbag religionists to name just a few.

Back Issues of AVA Newsletter

All of the subjects that we have already covered in 2005 have also been included

on the list that follows the feature article. If you would like a digital copy

of a past AVA newsletter let us know and we will be happy to forward it to you

for your further erudition.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hoping this meets you in good health, happy spirits and enthusiastically engaged

in the service of Lord Krishna.Your Servant,

mayesvara dasa (md @ jagannatha.com)AKA: William Roberts* Director

American Vedic Association

Dispel the Darkness of Ignorance With the Torchlight of Knowledge! - Bg. 10.11

687 Villanova RoadOjai California, 93023(805) 640-0405 ava @ jagannatha.com*

William Roberts is the founding director of The American Vedic Association. He

began studying Vedic philosophy in 1973 and assimilated the works of eminent

Vaishnava saints while living in India for several years. He became and

ordained Brahman priest under the tutelage of the world-class authority on

Bhakti Yoga, HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. The American Vedic Association is

currently sponsoring the Free Bhagavad-Gita Gita Fellowship gatherings held on

the first and third Tuesday of every month. For more information call: (805)

640-0405 Or Contact: william.roberts @ jagannatha.com

Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Discussion Fellowship

Every 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the MonthSanskrit, Mantra, Kirtan, Prasadam!

• ۩ ‎• ۩ ‎• AVA Schedule 2005 • ۩ ‎• ۩ ‎•

Date/Event Meeting Subject

January

1st Tue: Jan-04-2005 Vows, Resolutions & Austerities

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"Vows, Resolutions, Austerities" - How sacred is your word? Is it OK to make

vows then break them? Are austerities like meditation, mantras or yoga

important? If so why and which types? Find Out! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

3rd Tue: Jan-18-2005 You Are NOT Your Body!

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship: "You

Are Not Your Body!" -Transcendentalists know they are NOT their body but there

is much dispute among themselves as to what we then are. Some suggest energy,

but energy cannot love. Some say Love, but love implies something to be loved.

Find out how the Vedas resolve this conundrum at AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always

Free!

February

1st Tue: Feb-01-2005 Defrocking Religious Phobias

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"Defrocking Religious Phobias" - Is religion an emotional fantasy perpetuated

by uneducated, superstitious losers? How can we distinguish between Godly,

Inspired acts and crass self deception? Are all sacred scriptures obsolete? Is

it even possible to figure this out on our own? Hear the Vedic Version at AVA.

7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

3rd Tue: Feb-15-2005 Primordial Valentine

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

Primordial Valentine! - We all seek affection, but the perfection of affection

can only come from a perfect source. All Avataras advise that restoring our

lost relationship with God is both our highest duty and reward, but just how

does one go about doing that? Find out at AVA! 7:30pm Tuesday. 640-0405

Always Free!

March

1st Tue: Mar-01-2005 What To Do; What Not To Do & Why!

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship: "What

to Do; What Not To Do & Why"- Some say you will instinctively know right from

wrong when you face it. Others sing; "Don't Worry-Be Happy", while still others

say there is nothing to be done! This advice may sound good, but does it make

any sense? Find out at AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

3rd Tue: Mar-15-2005 Who Is Lord Caitanya?

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship: "Who

Is Lord Caitanya?" - In 1486 Lord Caitanya appeared just as the Puranas

predicted. He taught that God can be fully realized simply by reciting his

sacred name, dancing ecstatically, and eating blessed vegetarian food. To

acknowledge the appearance day of this magnanimous incarnation of God, the AVA

program will include a documentary, a video about His life and teachings along

with a wonderful feast, divine music and great dialogue. 7:30pm 640-0405 Always

Free!

April

1st Tue: Apr-05-2005 Are You An April Fool Being Cheated?

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship: "Are

You An April Fool Being Cheated?" - Con-Artists win the "Confidence of those

they intend to cheat by offering something too good to be true to someone too

foolish to notice. Cheaters sell imitation quality to those who are too cheap

to purchase the real thing. Therefore this world is referred to as the land of

the: "Cheaters and the Cheated." Don't be

fooled by the rhetoric of carpetbag gurus. Learn how to see through their con at

AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

3rd Tue: Apr-19-2005 Carnivorous Environmentalist = Kleptomaniac Security Guards

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita as It Is Fellowship:

"Carnivorous Environmentalist = Kleptomaniac Security Guards!" - Vedic culture

thrived for thousands of years without destroying the sanctity of the air,

water and earth, but it was also an agrarian society of Vegetarians. They

understood the scientific connection between the slaughter of innocent animals

for food, violence between nations and the preservation of the ecosystem. You

can too at AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

May

1st Tue: May-03-2005 Is Knowledge Necessary, Useful or Just Plain Irrelevant?

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship: "Is

knowledge Necessary, Useful or Just Plain Irrelevant?" - Must you be smart to

realize your full spiritual potential? If not, then are the realizations of

the great prophets that are preserved in sacred literature irrelevant? How can

we know anything for sure, and what distinguishes the important from and mundane

distractions. 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

3rd Tue: May-17-2005 What Is Om & Why Vibrate That?

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship: "What

is Om & Why vibrate that?" - Vibrating the sacred syllable "OM" has become very

fashionable at many public meditations and group gathering. But how many

people know where that tradition comes from and why that particular sound

vibration is so special? Find out the definitive answer to that question at

AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

June

1st Tue: Jun-07-2005 Distinguishing Good From Evil

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"Distinguishing Good from Evil" - Some teach "Love What Is" & "There Is No

Right or Wrong". Buts some of Plato's greatest work revolved around

distinguish right from wrong. When multi-cultural beliefs are amalgamated,

determining what is ethically correct can get very

complicated. Find out how there is no moral ambiguity for the student of the

Vedas. 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

3rd Tue: Jun-21-2005 Derailed by Silent Meditation

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"Derailed By Silent Meditation" - If meditation is not what you think, then

what isn't it? Don't be derailed by mind games, guided rumination and upright

sleeping. Discover the simplest and most rewarding process of mediation handed

down by the sages for this millennium at AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

Half Year MARK 2005

July

1st Tue: Jul-05-2005 No-One Is Independent!

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"No-One Is Independent!" - As a child we are taught to "Question Authority &

Think for Oneself", but regardless of how hard we try none of us have control

over the outcome of our efforts. Find out what the ultimate determining force

is in regards to all our endeavors at AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

3rd Tue: Jul-19-2005 Nine Paths to Perfection

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship: "Nine

Paths to Perfection" - Some teach that we are flawed and will always be that way

so why try to become pure? Others expect their guru to inoculate them from

nonsense behavior and say it is the "Only Way". But the Vedas teach that there

are nine ways one can mature spiritually. 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

August

1st Tue: Aug-02-2005 Huge Ancient Rolling Temples!

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship: "Huge

Ancient Rolling Temples" - For thousands of years the people of Orissia India

have celebrated a great festival with huge 50ft tall rolling temples on a base

with 16 wheels taller then a man. That pageantry and drama has come to the

West in the form of "Rathayatra" (Festival of the Chariots) and you are

invited. Get The Details at AVA. 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free.

3rd Tue: Aug-16-2005 Liberation is The Booby-Prize!

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"Liberation Is The Booby Prize!" - So many people talk about attaining Nirvana

or Liberation from material miseries. But according to the Vedas, merging into

the impersonal void is not the ultimate goal. The real goal is abundant loving

exchanges. Find out more at AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

Appearance Day of Lord Sri Krishna! - Fri: Aug-20-2005 6:30

۩ ‎Sat: Aug-20-2005 Appearance Day of Lord Sri Krishna!

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"Krishna's Appearance Day!" - You've been reading our zany advertisements all

year, now it's time to come out and join in this exotic annual spiritual party

celebrating the appearance of Lord Krishna! The festival includes great music,

discussion, video, and of course the best vegetarian love feast you could

possibly imagine! Don't miss this exciting event and, as usual, it's

Serif" color="#000000" size="2">always Free! 6:30pm 640-0405

September

1st Tue: Sep-06-2005 Hogs, Dogs, Camels & Asses

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"Hogs, Dogs, Camels & Asses" - The Vedas warn that we should not waste human

consciousness living like the animals. Instead we should use our God given

intelligence to restore our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord and return

Back to Godhead, our proper residence. Find out how at AVA. 7:30pm 640-0405

Always Free!

3rd Tue: Sep-20-2005 "Materialistic" Fanatic

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"Materialistic Fanatics" - One of the things we all share in greater or lesser

degrees is an addiction to our material condition. Some are fanatically

attached to the mundane, while others know it is an illusion but can't seem to

sidestep its influence. Find out how to get untangled at AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405

Always Free!

October

1st Tue: Oct-04-2005 Prodigal Sons Know Everything, Adults Surrender

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"Prodigal Sons Know Everything, Adults Surrender" - We have all observed how

proud an adolescent can be. Some mature into sober adulthood and get a good

education, while others retain their childish pride and insist they: "Don’t

need-nuthin-from-nobody." Find out if you are you a spiritual adolescent at

AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

3rd Tue: Oct-18-2005 Party-Yoga or Hedonism?

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"Party Yoga or Hedonism?" - Bhakti yoga doesn't require entangling your limbs

or staring at your nose. It's more equivalent to a galactic party where life

is celebrated with intimate friends from all over the universe. Get with the

program and take up Party-Yoga at AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

November

1st Tue: Nov-01-2005 Vedic Understanding of Universal Time & Creation

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship:

"Vedic Understanding of Universal Time & Creation" - The Vedas provide a

detailed description of universal time and a scientific explanation of how the

entire creation began with a sound vibration. Discover how the archaeological

record seems to confirm the Vedic version of Genesis at AVA. 7:30pm 640-0405

Always Free!

3rd Tue: Nov-15-2005 The Non-Judgment Myth

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship: "The

Non-Judgment Myth" - A lot of people plea: "Don't be judgmental!” But what

does that really mean? At AVA you will learn how to make wise non-prejudicial

decisions, and avoid the trap of claiming aloofness, while your senses rage out

of control and make all your decisions for you! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

December

1st Tue: Dec-06-2005 All Faiths Equal Sophistry

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship: "All

Faiths Equal Sophistry" - It is poor discretion that leads one to claim that

"All religions are the same." They may share some characteristics like all

schools do, but a junior college is not the same as Harvard University! Learn

spiritual discrimination at AVA! 7:30pm 640-0405 Always Free!

3rd Tue: Dec-20-2005 Gods "Prayer-Order" Warehouse?

American Vedic Association Bhagavad-Gita Gita As It Is Fellowship: "Gods

Prayer Order Warehouse?"- There is only one legitimate thing that is devotee of

God would ever request. Everything else springs from selfish ignorance and

spiritual immaturity. If you don't know what that simple request is then find

out at the next AVA meeting. 7:30 pm 640-0405 Always Free!

C/o William Roberts / mayesvara dasa : AVA Director (805) 640-0405

-----Why This

Newsletter Was Sent To You & the AVA PurposeThis newsletter is being sent to

you because someone felt you might have an interest in the “Science of Self

Realization” as it is explained in the Vedic literature of ancient India. It is

posted only twice a month and its primary purpose it to remind the American

Vedic Association congregation to attend the bi-monthly Bhagavad-Gita Gita

Appreciation Gathering that is held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month.

The material presented in this newsletter is based on the conclusions of the

Vedic Literature as understood by India’s foremost authorities on that subject

namely: Lord Brahma, Maharaja Pariksit, Narada Muni, Madhavacarya,

Ramanujacarya, Krishna Dasa Kaviraja, Narotama Das Thakur, the Six Goswamie’s

of Vrindaban, Bhaktivenode Thakur and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to name just a

few. The purpose of this correspondence is to help readers properly explain

Sanskrit terms, clarify misunderstandings about Indian Theology, and make the

Vedic conclusion more accessible to the common Western mind.

Questions are always welcome and may be integrated into future newsletters. It

is our hope that you will find the content to be informative and meaningful.

It is also an invitation for to consider joining us at one of our bi-monthly

Bhagavad-Gita Gita as It Is meetings if you happen to be within a reasonable

driving distance from Ojai, California, USA.

Must Say No?

Most people are familiar with the Biblical advice given in the Sermon on the Mount:

“Give not what is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before

swine. Lest they trample them under their feet, and turn against and rend* you.”

- Bible, Matthew Chapter7, Text 6. (*rend = tear you apart violently.)

This is not only a common theme found in all great Scriptures, but even secular

teachers have no interest in trying to explain something to a defiant student.

Therefore if you prefer not to receive any further information about the Vedas,

AVA events, or the process of spiritual growth honored by the great sages of

ancient India, then simply request us to remove you from our mailing list and

we will lament seeing you go when we do.

“Bewildered by the modes of material nature, the ignorant fully engage

themselves in material activities and become attached. But the wise should not

unsettle them, although these duties are inferior due to the performer’s lack of

knowledge. “- BG 3.29

Thank you for your patience!

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