Candidasa Dasa: What To Preach In Public

[suchandra 1]

Surprise, surprise, ISKCON News is adressing so called hot potatoes, topics which easily can be interpreted as mundane politics, but at the same time surely match what Joe Public is also thinking. On the other hand, in order to adress such huge topics it would be good if one had mastered one's own homework and here ISKCON surely lags behind - all hat and no herd so to speak.

 

Opinion

 

The Myth of the Rising Cost of Food

 

By Candidasa Dasa on 26 Mar 2008

 

Image: Dudua Minio

 

The United States spends 35% (the greatest single amount) of its total $8 billion agricultural subsidies budget on “feed grains” for livestock.

 

<!--paging_filter--> The BBC has a feature on “the cost of food“. It shows how almost all types of food are getting more and more expensive. Drastically so!

What is happening here? Shouldn’t modern high-tech farming with its nitrogen fertilizers, pesticides and specially bred (and often genetically modified) high-yield crop varieties allow humanity to easy feed everyone on the planet? Hasn’t Norman Borlaug’s Green Revolution dramatically increased the amount of food the world can produce (e.g. doubling wheat yield between 1965 and 1970)? Haven’t exports of food increased by 400% over the last 40 years, promoting the distribution of foods from countries with lots of farmland to those without the capacity to grow lots of food?

The news reporters give two possible explanations of the rising cost of food (both bogus):

1. The world population is increasing. Soon 6 billion people now live on the planet and the number is expected to rise by 9 billion in 2050. Feeding more mounts costs more money. Moreover, with the rising wealth of countries like China and India the people in these countries consume more food. “To put it bluntly, rich people eat more than poor people”, says the BBC.
   
2. The increasing use of corn for biofuels (ethanol) is decreasing the amount of the crop that can be used for food. A lower supply coupled with increasing demand due to an increasing world population naturally leads to higher costs.

Makes sense, right? Wrong!

Sure, the world population is increasing, but so are yields of crops. Sure, the use of corn for fuel is increasing, but the increase in the cost of corn has been comparatively low compared with crops like rice, soya and wheat.

The real problem is shown, but not commented upon, in the original BBC feature, as well as in other news sources. It is the increasing consumption of meat.

 

 

 

The statistics show how producing meat is radically more resource intensive than producing vegetarian foodstuffs. But take a look back at the original article: the price of meat (and sugar) is not increasing very much at all. What is going on here? Why are all foods except meat getting more expensive, when meat is the single most expensive food to produce?!

One word: subsidies.

The United States spends 35% (the greatest single amount) of its total $8 billion agricultural subsidies budget on “feed grains” for livestock. The European Union spends a whooping $76 billion on food subsidies and 18% of it (the greatest single amount) goes to subsidizing beef production. So, between them, the EU and USA spend at least $16 billion on keeping the price of meat lower than it should be, given its true cost.

So, what to do?

It’s actually really simple: promote vegetarianism throughout the world and simultaneously eliminate subsidies on meat. Without subsidies meat will get so expensive that few people can afford it. Would you buy a Big Mac if it cost $34 a burger?

If a vegetarian diet is advertised as the logical, cheaper, healthier alternative, then people will naturally stop eating dead animals. That lowering of demand will make it more difficult to sell the quantities of meat which are currently produced. Farmers will be forced to switch from growing “feed grain” to producing “grain for human consumption”. This, I estimate, can result in a tenfold increase in the amount of available food. Enough to easily feed a world population of 60 billion!

(An added side-benefit would be a huge reduction in the number of people that get cancer, resulting in lower health-care costs and longer life-spans. Large-scale studies in Europe and the USA have proven without a doubt that meat eating causes many different types of cancer)

<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td> </td> <td valign="top"> Candidasa Dasa is studying towards a PhD in Computer Science at the University of Manchester's Bio-Health Informatics Group. You can visit his blog here: www.deltaflow.com

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[Kulapavana 0]

"The Myth of the Rising Cost of Food"

 

The title of this article is just plain wrong. Rising cost of food is not a myth, but a fact.

 

The article says: "The news reporters give two possible explanations of the rising cost of food (both bogus):" but fails to identify the real (in the opinion of the writer) reasons for rising food prices.

 

I would expect more from a PhD candidate.

[suchandra 1]

 

"The Myth of the Rising Cost of Food"

 

The title of this article is just plain wrong. Rising cost of food is not a myth, but a fact.

 

The article says: "The news reporters give two possible explanations of the rising cost of food (both bogus):" but fails to identify the real (in the opinion of the writer) reasons for rising food prices.

 

I would expect more from a PhD candidate.

May be we have to be a bit lenient towards young, aspiring Vaishnavas, the future of planet Earth. But agreed, your points are reasonable, and besides, put yourself in the central bankers' shoes. The nations of the world owe you trillions based on money you printed for the cost of paper and ink. The only way to protect this "investment" is to establish a thinly disguised dictatorship, using sophisticated methods of social and mind control and of course, somewhere here and somewhere there some slight price irregularities at the market. We have to be understandingly at this point. And isn't that covered by the teachings of Bhagavad-gita - learn to become tolerant and equiposed towards all those dualities of the material world and simply go on with devotional activities?

 

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya

śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ

āgamāpāyino 'nityās

tāḿs titikṣasva bhārata

 

O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed. BG 2.14

 

PURPORT

 

In the proper discharge of duty, one has to learn to tolerate nonpermanent appearances and disappearances of happiness and distress. According to Vedic injunction, one has to take his bath early in the morning even during the month of Māgha (January-February). It is very cold at that time, but in spite of that a man who abides by the religious principles does not hesitate to take his bath. Similarly, a woman does not hesitate to cook in the kitchen in the months of May and June, the hottest part of the summer season. One has to execute his duty in spite of climatic inconveniences. Similarly, to fight is the religious principle of the kṣatriyas, and although one has to fight with some friend or relative, one should not deviate from his prescribed duty. One has to follow the prescribed rules and regulations of religious principles in order to rise up to the platform of knowledge, because by knowledge and devotion only can one liberate himself from the clutches of māyā (illusion).

 

The two different names of address given to Arjuna are also significant. To address him as Kaunteya signifies his great blood relations from his mother's side; and to address him as Bhārata signifies his greatness from his father's side. From both sides he is supposed to have a great heritage. A great heritage brings responsibility in the matter of proper discharge of duties; therefore, he cannot avoid fighting.

[Kulapavana 0]

 

...put yourself in the central bankers' shoes. The nations of the world owe you trillions based on money you printed for the cost of paper and ink. The only way to protect this "investment" is to establish a thinly disguised dictatorship, using sophisticated methods of social and mind control and of course, somewhere here and somewhere there some slight price irregularities at the market.

 

Yes, that is the root cause of this problem. Dilution of the value of money through the central banks money printing policies (scam artistry). In this way they are constantly stealing from everybody, a little bit at a time. Inflation as it is called.

 

Not just the food prices are rising. Everything is becoming more expensive as a result of this racket of the central banks. And Srila Prabhupada did talk many times about the fiat money and the racket the central banks are running.

[suchandra 1]

 

 

I would expect more from a PhD candidate.

"PhD result: not quite there yet"

 

Candidasa Das, <small>Thursday, March 27th, 2008</small>: I had my PhD viva (final oral exam) a few weeks ago. After an incredibly grueling 4:40 hours the result is: “major corrections without the need for another examination”.

The examiners were happy with my performance in the viva, but they thought that the thesis had some major shortcoming which needed to be corrected before awarding me the title. They estimate about two months more work is necessary to make the corrections. Then I have to re-submit the thesis, pay a £250 “admin fee” and the corrected thesis gets sent to both examiners for review and approval.

This is somewhat of a disappointment, but it could have been a lot worse. At least I (kind of) passed the exam. Still, the grind goes on…

http://www.deltaflow.com/?p=442

[suchandra 1]

 

Yes, that is the root cause of this problem. Dilution of the value of money through the central banks money printing policies (scam artistry). In this way they are constantly stealing from everybody, a little bit at a time. Inflation as it is called.

 

Not just the food prices are rising. Everything is becoming more expensive as a result of this racket of the central banks. And Srila Prabhupada did talk many times about the fiat money and the racket the central banks are running.

Thanks Kula prabhu, the first member of a Vaishnava institution who can pronounce "central banker". Often this question is asked, are the Vaishnava institutions meanwhile part of this international banking cartel system or do they preach in the same spirit like for example Lord Jesus Christ, who didn't care of even risking his own life when driving out the money changers from the temple and saying, take these things away, stop making my Father's house a house of merchandise, a market place?

Now in 2008 we better understand what Jesus meant when saying, "You have made my Father's house into a den of thieves."

Somehow this preaching spirit of the Vaishnava institutions is missing, instead they preach that Jesus is the founder of a mleccha religion?

Or like here every lecture by our GBC starting with, "Europe's Vaishnavas should first of all find it necessary to put themselves through the painful process with the name Vergangenheitsbewaeltigung—that is, "coming to terms with the past,past" here referring to the period 1933-1945."

This could also explain why mysteriously the temples are suddenly indebted by 1 mio dollar.

[stonehearted 0]

 

Thanks Kula prabhu, the first member of a Vaishnava institution who can pronounce "central banker".

 

Man, is your experience limited!

[suchandra 1]

 

Man, is your experience limited!

Could be you're confusing me with HH Satsvarupa Goswami who says today, "Now I’m in Prabhupada’s shelter, believing in Krishna as God. But I have sinned. In recent months, I’ve worried and regretted, mostly over my loss of reputation. My widespread infamy. “For one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death.”

http://www.sdgonline.org/india.html

No, I don't feel so limited like HH SDG.

[stonehearted 0]

??? Now, there's a non sequitur. I was referring to your suggestion that no member of a vaishnava institution had ever uttered the words "central bank." In fact, the problems of central banks, and a laundry list of other such topics, have long been topics of discussion in ISKCON. I don't know what the heck that has to do with SDG's problems.

 

Have fun . . .

[Malati dasi 0]

Radhe Radhe

 

I agree with Kulapavana. I would expect more from a PHD student. His article was like something lifted from one of the first ISKCON's publications called ""Healthy, Wealthy and Wise" recipe book. Which undoubtedtly has very nice recipes and nice insights about the benefits of vegetarianism.

 

But that was like almost 40 years ago and the world of economics has changed in more ways than one. I appreciate your comments Kula and also Srila prabhupad's talk about fiat money etc, but the world of economics now is so much more complex that just about printing money or about fiscal policy.

 

From the papers, looks like the US is like heading for recession or something in that form. I have been reading the papers and it's just is not that simple. I will leave that to economists and leaders.

 

The problem with us is that we think we are the saviours of the world when we are very limited. I have a very simple life but I still can not cope with my sadhana!! I have to squeeze in my sadhan in my 24 hours. Of course if we are in that position where we can effect change then do so. Until then I'll try to make my small world become better. With that I mean my family, my children to become good citizens, my garden, my relation with people; being relatively honest, being accepting and not fanatics.

 

We have to chill out a bit!

[suchandra 1]

"In the morning if a fog, so God mercifully has asked sun, “Now give them some sunlight.” So we are enjoying. He is merciful. When there is sunshine you see the sinful man and the pious man, both enjoy. That is His mercy. When He bestows His mercy, it is for all of them, either you are sinner or you are pious. That is God’s mercy. Just like the cloud when it pours water, it does not make any discrimination. On the sea, there is also rainfall; on the rocks also, there is rainfall, where there is no necessity of rain. Therefore where is necessity of rainfall on rock? What is the use? There is no use. It is simply waste. So God also wastes: “All right, you take. You don’t require; you also take.” In the ocean there is no need of water, but when… The cloud pours water on the ocean also. Only on the land we can utilize, but God is so merciful, exactly like the raincloud, He is so merciful, where there is no necessity they are also getting rain, “Take rain.” That is merciful. Without any discrimination, whether you want or not want, “Take it.” That is mercy. You can show your mercy when there is scarcity water—you can bring some tanks of water from other places and put here—but how long you’ll do it? But when the God is merciful, He’ll pour rain so in large quantity that everyone will benefit. That is God’s greatness. You’ll have to spend so much money, labor, to bring a few buckets of water from other place. Beyond that, you cannot do anything. But God is so powerful, so great, that within a twinkling of, within a few minutes only, immediately He can overcast with cloud and overflood the whole tract of land. That is God’s greatness. You have to understand God’s greatness in that way. If the sinful, number of sinful men are great, God immediately starts one war, and within few years, all finished. Russia finished, America finished, everyone. That is greatness of God. In this way try to understand how God is great in every activity. In mercy He’s great, in cruelty He’s great. If He wants to show cruelty, He’s the greatest cruel. No discrimination, all finished. Never mind women, children or cats, dogs—all finished. That is cruelty, greatness of cruelty. Then there is greatness of mercy. So that is greatness. So you study, in God, the greatness, how great He is. At night you have so many lights for illuminate your city, home, and so many electric powerhouse going on, and God is so great that one sun—immediately, all light. There is no need of powerhouse, there is no need of matches, there is no need of this light, that light. Take sunlight. That is His greatness. And within a second. When night is going on, we have seen.

 

Hari-śauri: On the airplane.

 

Prabhupāda: Yes. Immediately sun comes out, all darkness gone. That is His greatness. Do that like that. Then you compete with God. Can you do it? Then how can you avoid God?"

 

Conversation LA, 1976

[stonehearted 0]

Hmmm . . . nice quotation, Suchandraji. Thanks. May every post in every thread serve to shed light on the topic under discussion.

[suchandra 1]

 

I will leave that to economists and leaders.

 

The problem with us is that we think we are the saviours of the world when we are very limited.

We have to chill out a bit!

Might be true - we're very limited, but what about Krishna's Holy Name?

Better not say that the Holy Name is limited and not a savior.

Assigning society's progression to materialistic economists and spiritually blind leaders?

Not so sure if Krishna agrees with this proposal in Bhagavad-gita, couldn't find such a verse yet.

If things look difficult, the solution is often easy - just start to believe in Krishna, His words and His great devotees.

Btw, what do you mean with, things are much more complex and cannot be solved by Krishna's mercy?

 

Antya-lila:

 

TEXT 55

 

yadyapi anya saṅkete anya haya nāmābhāsa

 

tathāpi nāmera teja nā haya vināśa

 

SYNONYMS

 

yadyapi—although; anya—another; saṅkete—by intimation; anya—that other; haya—is; nāma-ābhāsa—almost equal to the holy name; tathāpi—still; nāmera teja—the transcendental power of the holy name; nā haya vināśa—is not destroyed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura, the authority on the chanting of the holy name, said, “The chanting of the Lord’s holy name to indicate something other than the Lord is an instance of nāmābhāsa. Even when the holy name is chanted in this way, its transcendental power is not destroyed.

 

Antya3.56

 

TEXT 56

 

daṁṣṭri-daṁṣṭrāhato mleccho

 

hā rāmeti punaḥ punaḥ

 

uktvāpi muktim āpnoti

 

kiṁ punaḥ śraddhayā gṛṇan

 

SYNONYMS

 

daṁṣṭri—of a boar; daṁṣṭra—by the teeth; āhataḥ—killed; mlecchaḥ—a meat-eater; hā rāma—“O my Lord Rāma”; iti—thus; punaḥ punaḥ—again and again; uktvā—saying; api—even; muktim—liberation; āpnoti—gets; kim—what; punaḥ—again; śraddhayā—with faith and veneration; gṛṇan—chanting.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“‘Even a mleccha who is being killed by the tusk of a boar and who cries in distress again and again, “hā rāma, hā rāma” attains liberation. What then to speak of those who chant the holy name with veneration and faith?’

 

PURPORT

 

This refers to an instance in which a meat-eater being killed by a boar uttered the words hā rāma, hā rāma again and again at the time of his death. Since this is a quotation from the Nṛsiṁha Purāṇa, this indicates that in the purāṇic age there must also have been mlecchas and yavanas (meat-eaters), and the words hā rāma, meaning “condemned,” were also uttered in those days. Thus Haridāsa Ṭhākura gives evidence that even a meat-eater who condemns something by uttering the words hā rāma gets the benefit of chanting the holy name that the devotee chants to mean “O my Lord Rāma!”

 

Antya3.57

 

TEXT 57

 

ajāmila putre bolāya bali ‘nārāyaṇa’

 

viṣṇu-dūta āsi’ chāḍāya tāhāra bandhana

 

SYNONYMS

 

ajāmila—Ajāmila; putre—unto his son; bolāya—calls; bali—saying; nārāyaṇa—the holy name of Nārāyaṇa; viṣṇu-dūta—the attendants of Lord Viṣṇu; āsi’—coming; chāḍāya—remove; tāhāra—of him; bandhana—the bonds.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“Ajāmila was a great sinner during his life, but at the time of death he accidentally called for his youngest son, whose name was Nārāyaṇa, and the attendants of Lord Viṣṇu came to relieve him from the bonds of Yamarāja, the superintendent of death.

 

Antya3.58

 

TEXT 58

 

‘rāma’ dui akṣara ihā nahe vyavahita

 

prema-vācī ‘hā’-śabda tāhāte bhūṣita

 

SYNONYMS

 

rāma—the holy name of the Lord; dui—two; akṣara—syllables; ihā—these; nahe—are not; vyavahita—separated; prema-vācī—a word indicating love; hā—“O”; śabda—the word; tāhāte—by that; bhūṣita—decorated.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“The word ‘rāma’ consists of the two syllables ‘rā’ and ‘ma.’ These are unseparated and are decorated with the loving word ‘hā,’ meaning ‘O.’

 

Antya3.59

 

TEXT 59

 

nāmera akṣara-sabera ei ta’ svabhāva

 

vyavahita haile nā chāḍe āpana-prabhāva

 

SYNONYMS

 

nāmera—of the holy name; akṣara—letters; sabera—of all; ei—this; ta’—certainly; svabhāva—the characteristic; vyavahita haile—even when improperly uttered; nā—do not; chāḍe—give up; āpana-prabhāva—their own spiritual influence.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“The letters of the holy name have so much spiritual potency that they act even when uttered improperly.

 

PURPORT

 

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura states that the word vyavahita (“improperly uttered”) is not used here to refer to the mundane vibration of the letters of the alphabet. Such negligent utterance for the sense gratification of materialistic persons is not a vibration of transcendental sound. Utterance of the holy name while one engages in sense gratification is an impediment on the path toward achieving ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. On the other hand, if one who is eager for devotional service utters the holy name even partially or improperly, the holy name, which is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exhibits its spiritual potency because of that person’s offenseless utterance. Thus one is relieved from all unwanted practices, and one gradually awakens his dormant love for Kṛṣṇa.

 

Antya3.60

 

TEXT 60

 

nāmaikaṁ yasya vāci smaraṇa-patha-gataṁ śrotra-mūlaṁ gataṁ vā

 

śuddhaṁ vāśuddha-varṇaṁ vyavahita-rahitaṁ tārayaty eva satyam

 

tac ced deha-draviṇa-janatā-lobha-pāṣaṇḍa-madhye

 

nikṣiptaṁ syān na phala-janakaṁ śīghram evātra vipra

 

SYNONYMS

 

nāma—the holy name; ekam—once; yasya—whose; vāci—in the mouth; smaraṇa-patha-gatam—entered the path of remembrance; śrotra-mūlam gatam—entered the roots of the ears; vā—or; śuddham—pure; vā—or; aśuddha-varṇam—impurely uttered; vyavahita-rahitam—without offenses or without being separated; tārayati—delivers; eva—certainly; satyam—truly; tat—that name; cet—if; deha—the material body; draviṇa—material opulence; janatā—public support; lobha—greed; pāṣaṇḍa—atheism; madhye—toward; nikṣiptam—directed; syāt—may be; na—not; phala-janakam—producing the results; śīghram—quickly; eva—certainly; atra—in this matter; vipra—O brāhmaṇa.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“If a devotee once utters the holy name of the Lord, or if it penetrates his mind or enters his ear, which is the channel of aural reception, that holy name will certainly deliver him from material bondage, whether vibrated properly or improperly, with correct or incorrect grammar, or properly joined or vibrated in separate parts. O brāhmaṇa, the potency of the holy name is therefore certainly great. However, if one uses the vibration of the holy name for the benefit of the material body, for material wealth and followers, or under the influence of greed or atheism—in other words, if one utters the name with offenses—such chanting will not produce the desired result very soon. Therefore one should diligently avoid offenses in chanting the holy name of the Lord.’”

 

PURPORT

 

This verse from the Padma Purāṇa is included in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (11.289) by Sanātana Gosvāmī. Therein Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī gives the following explanation:

 

vāci gataṁ prasaṅgād vāṅ-madhye pravṛttam api, smaraṇa-patha-gataṁ kathañcin manaḥ-spṛṣṭam api, śrotra-mūlaṁ gataṁ kiñcit śrutam api, śuddha-varṇaṁ vā aśuddha-varṇam api vā, vyavahitaṁ śabdāntareṇa yad-vyavadhānaṁ vakṣyamāṇa-nārāyaṇa-śabdasya kiñcid uccāraṇānantaraṁ prasaṅgād āpatitaṁ śabdāntaraṁ tena rahitaṁ sat.

 

This means that if one somehow or other hears, utters or remembers the holy name, or if it catches his mind while coming near his ears, that holy name, even if vibrated in separate words, will act. An example of such separation is given as follows:

 

yadvā, yadyapi ‘halaṁ riktam’ ity ādy-uktau hakāra-rikārayor vṛttyā harīti-nāmāsty eva, tathā ‘rāja-mahiṣī’ ity atra rāma-nāmāpi, evam anyad apy ūhyam, tathāpi tat-tan-nāma-madhye vyavadhāyakam akṣarāntaram astīty etādṛśa-vyavadhāna-rahitam ity arthaḥ, yadvā, vyavahitaṁ ca tad-rahitaṁ cāpi vā, tatra vyavahitaṁ nāmnaḥ kiñcid uccāraṇānantaraṁ kathañcid āpatitaṁ śabdāntaraṁ samādhāya paścān nāmāvaśiṣṭākṣara-grahaṇam ity evaṁ rūpaṁ, madhye śabdāntareṇāntaritam ity arthaḥ, rahitaṁ paścād avaśiṣṭākṣara-grahaṇa-varjitaṁ, kenacid aṁśena hīnam ity arthaḥ, tathāpi tārayaty eva.

 

Suppose one is using the two words halaṁ riktam. Now the syllable ha in the word halam and the syllable ri in riktam are separately pronounced, but nevertheless the holy name will act because one somehow or other utters the word hari. Similarly, in the word rāja-mahiṣī, the syllables rā and ma appear in two separate words, but because they somehow or other appear together, the holy name rāma will act, provided there are no offenses.

 

sarvebhyaḥ pāpebhyo ’parādhebhyaś ca saṁsārād apy uddhārayaty eveti satyam eva, kintu nāma-sevanasya mukhyaṁ yat phalaṁ tan na sadyaḥ sampadyate. tathā deha-bharaṇādy-artham api nāma-sevanena mukhyaṁ phalam āśu na sidhyatīty āha, tac ced iti.

 

The holy name has so much spiritual potency that it can deliver one from all sinful reactions and material entanglements, but utterance of the holy name will not be very soon fruitful if done to facilitate sinning.

 

tan nāma ced yadi dehādi-madhye nikṣiptaṁ, deha-bharaṇādy-artham eva vinyastam, tadāpi phala-janakaṁ na bhavati kim? api tu bhavaty eva, kintu atra iha loke śīghraṁ na bhavati, kintu vilambenaiva bhavatīty arthaḥ.

 

The holy name is so powerful that it must act, but when one utters the holy name with offenses, its action will be delayed, not immediate, although in favorable circumstances the holy names of the Lord act very quickly.

 

Antya3.61

 

TEXT 61

 

nāmābhāsa haite haya sarva-pāpa-kṣaya

 

SYNONYMS

 

nāma-ābhāsa haite—from the vibration of nāmābhāsa; haya—is; sarva-pāpa—of all reactions to sins; kṣaya—destruction.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura continued, “If one offenselessly utters the holy name even imperfectly, one can be freed from all the results of sinful life.

 

Antya3.62

 

TEXT 62

 

taṁ nirvyājaṁ bhaja guṇa-nidhe pāvanaṁ pāvanānāṁ

 

śraddhā-rajyan-matir atitarām uttamaḥ-śloka-maulim

 

prodyann antaḥ-karaṇa-kuhare hanta yan-nāma-bhānor

 

ābhāso ’pi kṣapayati mahā-pātaka-dhvānta-rāśim

 

SYNONYMS

 

tam—Him; nirvyājam—without duplicity; bhaja—worship; guṇa-nidhe—O reservoir of all good qualities; pāvanam—purifier; pāvanānām—of all other purifiers; śraddhā—with faith; rajyan—being enlivened; matiḥ—mind; atitarām—exceedingly; uttamaḥ-śloka-maulim—the best of the personalities who are worshiped by choice poetry or who are transcendental to all material positions; prodyan—manifesting; antaḥ-karaṇa-kuhare—in the core of the heart; hanta—alas; yat-nāma—whose holy name; bhānoḥ—of the sun; ābhāsaḥ—slight appearance; api—even; kṣapayati—eradicates; mahā-pātaka—the resultant actions of greatly sinful activities; dhvānta—of ignorance; rāśim—the mass.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“‘O reservoir of all good qualities, just worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the purifier of all purifiers, the most exalted of the personalities worshiped by choice poetry. Worship Him with a faithful, unflinching mind, without duplicity and in a highly elevated manner. Thus worship the Lord, whose name is like the sun, for just as a slight appearance of the sun dissipates the darkness of night, so a slight appearance of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa can drive away all the darkness of ignorance that arises in the heart due to greatly sinful activities performed in previous lives.’

 

PURPORT

 

This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.1.103).

 

Antya3.63

 

TEXT 63

 

nāmābhāsa haite haya saṁsārera kṣaya

 

SYNONYMS

 

nāma-ābhāsa haite—even on account of nāmābhāsa; haya—there is; saṁsārera kṣaya—deliverance from material bondage;

 

TRANSLATION

 

“Even a faint light from the holy name of the Lord can eradicate all the reactions of sinful life.

 

Antya3.64

 

TEXT 64

 

mriyamāṇo harer nāma

 

gṛṇan putropacāritam

 

ajāmilo ’py agād dhāma

 

kim uta śraddhayā gṛṇan

 

SYNONYMS

 

mriyamāṇaḥ—dying; hareḥ nāma—the holy name of the Supreme Lord; gṛṇan—chanting; putra-upacāritam—though spoken for his son; ajāmilaḥ—Ajāmila; api—also; agāt—attained; dhāma—the spiritual world; kim uta—what to speak of; śraddhayā—with faith and reverence; gṛṇan—chanting.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“‘While dying, Ajāmila chanted the holy name of the Lord, intending to call his son Nārāyaṇa. Nevertheless, he attained the spiritual world. What then to speak of those who chant the holy name with faith and reverence?’

 

PURPORT

 

This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.2.49).

 

Antya3.65

 

TEXT 65

 

nāmābhāse ‘mukti’ haya sarva-śāstre dekhi

 

śrī-bhāgavate tāte ajāmila——sākṣī”

 

SYNONYMS

 

nāma-ābhāse—simply by a glimpse of the rays of the holy name; mukti—liberation; haya—there is; sarva-śāstre—in all the revealed scriptures; dekhi—I find; śrī-bhāgavate—in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; tāte—to that; ajāmila—Ajāmila; sākṣī—witness.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“Because of even the faintest rays of the effulgence of the Lord’s holy name, one can attain liberation. We can see this in all the revealed scriptures. The evidence appears in the story of Ajāmila in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.”

 

Antya3.66

 

TEXT 66

 

śuniyā prabhura sukha bāḍaye antare

 

punarapi bhaṅgī kari’ puchaye tāṅhāre

 

SYNONYMS

 

śuniyā—hearing; prabhura—of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; sukha—happiness; bāḍaye—increased; antare—within the heart; punarapi—still; bhaṅgī kari’—as a matter of course; puchaye tāṅhāre—inquires from Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this from Haridāsa Ṭhākura, the happiness within His heart increased, but as a matter of course, He still inquired further.

 

Antya3.67

 

TEXT 67

 

“pṛthivīte bahu-jīva——sthāvara-jaṅgama

 

ihā-sabāra ki prakāre ha-ibe mocana?”

 

SYNONYMS

 

pṛthivīte—on this earth; bahu-jīva—many living entities; sthāvara—not moving; jaṅgama—moving; ihā-sabāra—of all of these; ki prakāre—how; ha-ibe mocana—there will be deliverance.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“On this earth there are many living entities,” the Lord said, “some moving and some not moving. What will happen to the trees, plants, insects and other living entities? How will they be delivered from material bondage?”

 

Antya3.68

 

TEXT 68

 

haridāsa kahe,——“prabhu, se kṛpā tomāra

 

sthāvara-jaṅgama āge kariyācha nistāra

 

SYNONYMS

 

haridāsa kahe—Haridāsa replied; prabhu—my dear Lord; se—that; kṛpā—mercy; tomāra—Your; sthāvara-jaṅgama—nonmoving and moving living entities; āge—previously; kariyācha nistāra—You have delivered.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “My dear Lord, the deliverance of all moving and nonmoving living entities takes place only by Your mercy. You have already granted this mercy and delivered them.

 

Antya3.69

 

TEXT 69

 

tumi ye kariyācha ei ucca saṅkīrtana

 

sthāvara-jaṅgamera sei hayata’ śravaṇa

 

SYNONYMS

 

tumi—You; ye—what; kariyācha—have executed; ei—this; ucca—loud; saṅkīrtana—chanting; sthāvara-jaṅgamera—of all living entities, moving and nonmoving; sei—they; hayata’—there is; śravaṇa—hearing.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“You have loudly chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and everyone, moving or not moving, has benefited by hearing it.

 

Antya3.70

 

TEXT 70

 

śuniyā jaṅgamera haya saṁsāra-kṣaya

 

sthāvare se śabda lāge, pratidhvani haya

 

SYNONYMS

 

śuniyā—hearing; jaṅgamera—of the living entities who can move; haya—there is; saṁsāra-kṣaya—annihilation of bondage to the material world; sthāvare—unto the nonmoving living entities; se śabda—that transcendental vibration; lāge—touches; prati-dhvani—echo; haya—there is.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“My Lord, the moving entities who have heard Your loud saṅkīrtana have already been delivered from bondage to the material world, and after the nonmoving living entities like trees hear it, there is an echo.

 

Antya3.71

 

TEXT 71

 

‘pratidhvani’ nahe, sei karaye ‘kīrtana’

 

tomāra kṛpāra ei akathya kathana

 

SYNONYMS

 

prati-dhvani nahe—that sound vibration is not an echo; sei—they; karaye kīrtana—are chanting; tomāra kṛpāra—of Your mercy; ei—this; akathya kathana—inconceivable incident.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“Actually, however, it is not an echo: it is the kīrtana of the nonmoving living entities. All this, although inconceivable, is possible by Your mercy.

 

Antya3.72

 

TEXT 72

 

sakala jagate haya ucca saṅkīrtana

 

śuniyā premāveśe nāce sthāvara-jaṅgama

 

SYNONYMS

 

sakala jagate—all over the universe; haya—there is; ucca saṅkīrtana—loud chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra; śuniyā—hearing; prema-āveśe—in ecstatic emotional love; nāce—dance; sthāvara-jaṅgama—all living entities, nonmoving and moving.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“When loud chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is performed all over the world by those who follow in Your footsteps, all living entities, moving and nonmoving, dance in ecstatic devotional love.

 

Antya3.73

 

TEXT 73

 

yaiche kailā jhārikhaṇḍe vṛndāvana yāite

 

balabhadra-bhaṭṭācārya kahiyāchena āmāte

 

SYNONYMS

 

yaiche—as; kailā—You have performed; jhārikhaṇḍe—in the forest known as Jhārikhaṇḍa; vṛndāvana yāite—while going to Vṛndāvana; balabhadra-bhaṭṭācārya—Your servant Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; kahiyāchena āmāte—has said to me.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“My dear Lord, all the incidents that took place while You were going to Vṛndāvana through the forest known as Jhārikhaṇḍa have been related to me by Your servant Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya.

 

Antya3.74

 

TEXT 74

 

vāsudeva jīva lāgi’ kaila nivedana

 

tabe aṅgīkāra kailā jīvera mocana

 

SYNONYMS

 

vāsudeva—the Lord’s devotee named Vāsudeva; jīva lāgi’—for all living entities; kaila nivedana—submitted his appeal; tabe—at that time; aṅgīkāra kailā—You accepted; jīvera mocana—the deliverance of all living entities.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“When Your devotee Vāsudeva Datta submitted his plea at Your lotus feet for the deliverance of all living entities, You accepted that request.

 

Antya3.75

 

TEXT 75

 

jagat nistārite ei tomāra avatāra

 

bhakta-bhāva āge tāte kailā aṅgīkāra

 

SYNONYMS

 

jagat nistārite—to deliver the whole world; ei—this; tomāra avatāra—Your incarnation; bhakta-bhāva—the mood of a devotee; āge—previously; tāte—therefore; kailā aṅgīkāra—You accepted.

 

TRANSLATION

 

“My dear Lord, You have accepted the form of a devotee just to deliver all the fallen souls of this world.

[Malati dasi 0]

Babhru: Hmmm . . . nice quotation, Suchandraji. Thanks. May every post in every thread serve to shed light on the topic under discussion.

Good on you Babhrudasji!

 

 

To Suchandra

I hope you see my point. I'll borow the words of Gandhi because he said it better than me. "Be the change you want to see in the world."

 

 

Kind regards, anyway

Pranams

 

 

[stonehearted 0]

Actually, good on Suchandra. I think that excerpt was a gentle way of chiding me for posts that don't really shed light on the topic of the thread. I created a digression with my remark about central banks, and I feel he was calling me on it. I appreciate that, and the gentle way in which he did it.

 

I'm not sure Suchandra proposes that everyone do nothing but chant the holy names (which I agree would certainly change the environment in so many ways). I think he's just reminding us that the holy names are the real solution.

 

I think preaching vegetariansm, ahimsa, environmental conscoiusness, social justice, etc. are good, perhaps even necessary. But they're adjuncts to the real business we have, which is instilling and cultivating faith in Sri Krishna sankirtan in as many hearts as we can. My sense is that Suchandra gave the quotations he did with this in mind.

[suchandra 1]

 

Babhru: Hmmm . . . nice quotation, Suchandraji. Thanks. May every post in every thread serve to shed light on the topic under discussion.

Good on you Babhrudasji!

 

 

To Suchandra

I hope you see my point. I'll borow the words of Gandhi because he said it better than me. "Be the change you want to see in the world."

 

 

Kind regards, anyway

Pranams

Thanks Malati and Babhru prabhus for taking the time to post at audarya fellowship.

Mahatma Gandhi was also quoted by Prabhupada.

 

He serves as a great example that when you act in this material world, when you're the cause for an action, you're also responsible for this action. In other words you're forced to accept the result of your action. And finally this is what happened to the Mahatma.

 

What Vaishnavas do, they don't actually start any change in the world on their own but simply carry out what is coming from Krishna Himself through the bona fide parampara system. In this way they don't become implicated in the law of action and reaction like Mahatma Gandhi but remain aloof from the laws of nature which are binding us.

 

Even bondage to so called good results is after all bondage and leads to be rewarded by taking birth again. And if we are able to again take up the path of bhakti so easily like right now is rather uncertain.

 

Remember, even demigods are presently lining up to take birth here in this terrible kali-yuga, because in heaven the material pleasures are so intense that actual devotion to the Lord doesn't take place.

 

Bhutva bhutva praliyate. Again, take birth, this business will go on. And ultimately, when the whole universe is annihilated, then again we take shelter in the body of Maha-Visnu and live for, in that way, without any body, for many millions of years. Again, there is creation, and then again given chance. "All right, take another chance. Be Krishna conscious."

 

The topic of resultant karma, the path of Mahatma Gandhi, is rather complex.

 

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The differentiation among varieties of life and their suffering and enjoyment is explained by some to be the result of karma. Others say it is due to nature, others due to time,

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Godhead, is no longer liable to the results of karma, good or bad. SB5.19.24 TEXT 24 na yatra vaikuṇṭha-kathā-sudhāpagā na sādhavo bhāgavatās tadāśrayāḥ na yatra

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5. Causelessmercy - Ebook - Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 5 - 11

consequently for the devotee the results of karma, jñāna and yoga become very insignificant. Therefore only the devotee is on the platform of tattva jñāna, not the others. Of

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6. Causelessmercy - Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker...

Now when we speak of karma, or result of karma, there must be somebody who will judge. Just like one has stolen something, and the magistrate is judging the karma, the criminal

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7. Causelessmercy - Ebook - Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 4 - 23.2

Thus the wives of the denizens of the higher planetary systems did not very much appreciate the results of karma, jñāna and yoga. SB4.23.28 TEXT 28 sa vañcito batātma-dhruk

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</small>8. Causelessmercy - Ebook - Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madya-lila - 15.4

Consequently they enjoy and suffer the results of karma. However, if a conditioned soul ... attain liberation and transcend the results of karma. Since everyone can be liberated

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9. Causelessmercy - Ebook - Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 4 - 24.4

subject to attraction by the results of karma or jñāna. What interest then can he have in the benedictions of the demigods, who are subject to the laws of birth and death?

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10. Causelessmercy - Garden Conversation - June 23, 1976, New Vrindaban

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But in all cases, one should give up the result or fruits of labor; this means to employ the result of karma for some good cause. In summary, to reach the Supreme Personality of

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12. Causelessmercy - Ebook - Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 6 - 14.1

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13. Causelessmercy - Ebook - Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madya-lila - 1.1

There are discussions of the process of karma-tyāga (the giving of the results of karma to the Supreme Personality of Godhead), and the practices of mystic yoga and philosophical

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14. Causelessmercy - Ebook - Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 8 - 7.1

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15. Causelessmercy - Ebook - Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 6 - 11.1

A karmī s possessions are achieved as a result of karma, but those of a devotee are arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead just to facilitate his devotional activities.

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working hard and tasting all results of karma, when one is not satisfied, then he comes to the platform of knowledge. Knowledge means inquiry What I am? Why I am frustrated? Why I

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He thus becomes more and more entangled in the results of karma, and thus he is forced to act impiously. His witnesses are the sun during the day and the moon during the night.

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18. Causelessmercy - Ebook - Sri Caitanya-caritamrta - Madya-lila - 19.7

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