tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202100272024-03-06T21:58:42.085-08:00The Tree of My LifeI came to worship Krishna, but maya caught me, bound me up, and I became like a tree. In the form of a wood-boring insect, a woman entered my heart. In the form of fruits; sons and daughters grew on my branches. In the form of a bird, time made its nest. This tree gradually dried up. Then the forest fire of birth and death came. Wicked desire and false hope were 2 streams of smoke that arose. I called out, “I am dying! “Please, O Vaisnava gosai! Shower the water of your mercy on me and save me!”Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-80877484220457485912010-01-04T06:30:00.001-08:002010-01-04T06:32:20.973-08:00Regarding Disappearing Dhams<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziz9U7bKxLJZbLwKpc7L_90uUBuupJyoqj3v458pz4qxCxAXRChee8EPo-efEjgF8TOkMXV9wgIz9MS1obvEwNu-jxrdpS7jBq9JHiFaM5uMB1Cd0NiUTf54AVF8RhnAUdO0r/s1600-h/sunset+at+Kusum+Sarovar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziz9U7bKxLJZbLwKpc7L_90uUBuupJyoqj3v458pz4qxCxAXRChee8EPo-efEjgF8TOkMXV9wgIz9MS1obvEwNu-jxrdpS7jBq9JHiFaM5uMB1Cd0NiUTf54AVF8RhnAUdO0r/s400/sunset+at+Kusum+Sarovar.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422892305000779762" /></a><br />A devotee wrote us today:<br /><br />> In Navadvip Dhama Mahatmya, Bhaktivinoda Thakura makes a rather strong<br />> statement to the effect that the potency of all the holy dhamas gradually<br />> diminish as Kali Yuga progresses. You are aware of that statement, right?<br />> Just after that he states that only Mayapur Dhama remains (increasingly<br />> so) the only fully spiritually potent dhama.<br />><br />> I read the book several times over the years. But the implication just<br />> dawned on me recently; does it mean that it's less spiritually<br />> potent/purifying/beneficial to visit Jagannatha Puri and Vrindavana, and<br />> all the less so as time progresses?<br />><br />> Prabhupada does mention, as Kavicandra Swami quotes in his recent article<br />> on dandavats.com, something to the effect that as the sinful activity<br />> increases in Puri, it will no longer be a dhama...<br />><br />> Are we really to accept that as time goes on the potency of Jagannatha<br />> Puri and Vrindavana will diminish?<br />><br />> On the other hand we hear that the Dhamas are eternally potent. And<br />> Prabhupada decided to leave his body in Vrindavana, not Mayapur. Is it<br />> that Vrindavana was still potent when Prabhupada was around but that it no<br />> longer will be as time progresses? That seems to be what Bhaktivinoda<br />> Thakura is saying. What to make of his statement?<br />><br />> I'm considering to buy some property in Puri. Thus this issue is<br />> especially pertinent to me at this time: I don't want to go to Puri and<br />> get less and less spiritual benefit each time I visit as time moves<br />> forward. I just can't believe that's the case (and the same goes for<br />> Vrindavan.)...<br />><br />> What's your take on it?<br /><br />Our reply:<br /><br />Bhaktivinode writes this in in Navadvipa Dham Mahatmya, Parikrama Khanda 2.43-45:<br /><br /><br />kali-kāle tīrtha-saba atyanta durbala<br />navadvípa tīrtha mātra parama prabala<br /><br />In Kali-yuga, all holy places are extremely weak; only Nabadwip is supremely strong. <br /><br />prabhura icchāya sei tīrtha bahu dina<br />aprakaṭa mahimā āchila sphūrti-hīna<br /><br />By the Lord's desire, however, this tīrtha was invisible for a long time and its glories lay unrevealed. <br /><br />kalira prabhāva yabe atyanta bāḍila<br />anya tīrtha svabhāvataḥ nisteja haila<br /><br />When the influence of Kali-yuga increased, naturally the holy places lost their power.<br /><br />A few verses later, Bhaktivinode cites Mahaprabhu’s comments on how he will solve this problem. He says:<br /><br />navadvīpa-dhāma āmi kariba prakāśa<br />sei dhāme kalira bhaṅgiya viṣadāta<br />kīrtana kariyā jīve kari ātmasātha<br /><br />“I will manifest Nabadwip Dham and break the poison teeth of Kali by performing congregational chanting of the holy names. <br /><br />yatadūra mama nāma haibe kīrtana<br />tatadūra haibe ta’ kalira māyāya<br /><br />“As long as my name is sung, Kali will be controlled.”<br /><br />I suggest that the words “kirtana kariyā” are significant. Mahaprabhu states that he will manifest Nabadwip through kīrtana. Like Vrindavan, Nabadwip is to be found in the presence of any genuine bhakta. The Bhagavatam (1.13.10) recounts the words of Yudhisthir to his uncle Vidura:<br /><br />bhavad-vidhā bhāgavatās tīrtha-bhūtāḥ svayaṁ vibho<br />tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā<br /><br />“My Lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. Because you carry the Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all places into places of pilgrimage.”<br /><br />Srila Prabhupada makes a similar statement in his purport to Cc. madhya 7.129:<br /><br />========<br />“It does not matter whether one lives in a holy place like Vrindavan, Nabadwip or Jagannath Puri or in the midst of European cities, where the materialistic way of life is very prominent. If a devotee follows the instructions of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he lives in the company of the Lord. Wherever he lives, he converts that place into Vrindavan and Nabadwip. This means that materialism cannot touch him.”<br />========<br /><br />Based on the above it is clear that the dhama will be manifest wherever the holy names are present. A little caveat on that: Of course this means “present” where the names are properly chanted. Kali has ten arrows which he uses to attack the movement of Mahaprabhu. These are the ten offenses to the holy name. If those offenses are not present then the name will drive Kali out. On the other hand if they are present then Kali will enter even into the Dham and even into what appears to be Mahaprabhu’s movement.<br /><br />Puri and Vrindavan are both nitya-dhamas, eternal abodes. There is no question of them losing potency. However, they may be covered over and lost to mundane vision. This certainly seems to be happening with all the dhamas, save and except those places where the devotees are chanting the holy names.<br /><br />I’m pasting below a couple of statements regarding the non-different nature of Puri, Vrindavan, and Nabadwip:<br /><br />“One who understands the transcendental nature of Nabadwip and its surrounding area, where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu enacted His pastimes, resides always in Vrindavan.” Similarly, living in Jagannath Puri is as good as living in Vrindavan. The conclusion is that Nabadwip Dham, Jagannath Puri Dham and Vrindavan Dham are identical.” (Cc. madhya 22.132)<br /><br />Similarly Jagan-mata Sachi Devi, the mother of universe has stated: nīlācale navadvīpe yena dui ghara — Nilachal, Jagannath Puri and Nabadwip are two rooms in the same house.” (Cc. madhya 3.183)<br /><br />I hope that this is some help for you and that all is well for your bhajan.<br /><br />Hari Hari<br /><br />Das anudas,<br />Madhavananda DasMadhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-83486474087083169392010-01-01T07:22:00.000-08:002010-01-01T07:23:33.199-08:00Demons in the Guise of Devotees New LinkFor anyone who wants to listen to these lectures, please go to this new link:<br /><br />http://www.archive.org/details/DemonsInTheGuiseOfDevotees<br /><br />We had nearly 10 GB of downloads in 2 days to the old link, finishing off our limit with our Divshare account.Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-972618811344759662009-12-29T20:58:00.000-08:002009-12-29T21:57:48.569-08:00Demons in the Guise of Devotees<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEeTQrIJb3M7mjfycqdi6QXyqptlz6jZAxMNuvsrY5C_KPIoxELujKXTxtQI3etzOeCn7ZwDZ1bPn0L9VRk0vj4KXfQxC1SfuIRH8ozjUiGrkwt3V1TpIV54mcGXuSZhUR-Qw/s1600-h/Demon+Devotees.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 345px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEeTQrIJb3M7mjfycqdi6QXyqptlz6jZAxMNuvsrY5C_KPIoxELujKXTxtQI3etzOeCn7ZwDZ1bPn0L9VRk0vj4KXfQxC1SfuIRH8ozjUiGrkwt3V1TpIV54mcGXuSZhUR-Qw/s400/Demon+Devotees.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420900676786950034" /></a><br /><br />A sastric look at the problem of false gurus and materialistic persons donning the dress of devotees. This three part class given by Madhavananda Das in December 2009, offers some commentary on <span style="font-style:italic;">Sri Krishna Kathamrita</span> magazine issue 10 entitled, <span style="font-style:italic;">False Gurus, Institutions and the Holy Name</span>.<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" width="335" height="85" id="divplaylist"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=9856224-68f" /><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=9856224-68f" width="335" height="85" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-4636563647786949872009-08-09T23:01:00.000-07:002009-08-09T23:22:13.043-07:00Observing Janmastami<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqRlebSq2Wk4Y6d31SsR6Bd6qJoQyqSHXu6ueO8gVNWr96-mcyArnwFvwHPDX4De2epY4wJ_M2E-gxdz6PbqPGOLqlHSOjAl6J-FoSkUSLSISVq6T6dvPUTAPMeIeOpeEyujz/s1600-h/bindu_207_krishna.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqRlebSq2Wk4Y6d31SsR6Bd6qJoQyqSHXu6ueO8gVNWr96-mcyArnwFvwHPDX4De2epY4wJ_M2E-gxdz6PbqPGOLqlHSOjAl6J-FoSkUSLSISVq6T6dvPUTAPMeIeOpeEyujz/s400/bindu_207_krishna.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368216472885724322" /></a><br /><h1>Observing Janmastami<br /> <em>Notes from </em>Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa<br /></h1><br /><p>Texts 247 to 542 of the 15th section of <em>Hari-bhakti-vil</em><em>āsa</em> describe the glories of <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em> and how to observe it. The introduction to this section describes three reasons for observing the Lord’s appearance day: </p><br /><p><br /> <em>nityatvaṁ ca paraṁ tasya bhagavat-prīṇanān matam<br /> vidhi-vākya-viśeṣāc cākāraṇe pratyavāyataḥ </em><br /></p><br /><p>The observance of <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em> is accepted as a regulative principle in three ways: 1) the Supreme Lord becomes pleased when one observes it; 2) there are special <em>śāstric</em> injunctions requiring its observance; and 3) it is a fault to not observe it. (<em>Hbv</em>. 15.266)<br /></p><br /><h3>For Krishna’s Pleasure<br /></h3><br /><p>That the observance of <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em> pleases Krishna is supported with the following statement from the <em>Skanda Pur</em><em>ā</em><em>ṇa:</em><br /></p><br /><blockquote><br /> <p><em>prahlādādyaiś ca bhū-pālaiḥ kṛtā janmāṣṭamī śubhā<br /> śraddhayā parayā viṣṇoḥ prītaye kṛṣṇa-vallabhā<br /> prājāpatyarkṣa saṁyuktā śrāvaṇasyā sitāṣṭamī<br /> varṣe varṣe tu kartavyā tuṣṭyarthaṁ cakra-pāṇinaḥ </em><br /> </p><br /></blockquote><br /><p>For the pleasure of Lord Vishnu, even great kings like Prahlad Maharaja faithfully observed the vow of <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em>, which is very dear to Krishna. It is the duty of everyone to celebrate <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em> every year, on the eighth day of the dark fortnight of the moon in the month of <em>Śr</em><em>āva</em><em>ṇa</em>, when it is joined by the <em>Rohi</em><em>ṇ</em><em>ī-nak</em><em>ṣatra, </em>for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, who carries a <em>cakra</em> in his hand. (<em>Hbv</em>. 15.267-68)<br /></p><br /><h3>The Faults of Non-observance</h3><br /><p> Texts 269 to 282 of this section of <em>Hari-bhakti-vil</em><em>āsa</em> cite the <em>Vi</em><em>ṣṇu-rahasya Pur</em><em>ā</em><em>ṇa</em> describing various ghastly reactions that one will suffer by not properly observing the <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em> fast and offering special worship to Krishna on this day. A few examples:<br /> Eating on <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em> is equivalent to eating the flesh of a vulture, a crow, a hawk, or a human being. If one eats on <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em> they get the reaction of eating all the sins of the three worlds. If one eats even a tiny bit on <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em> they will be tortured by the Yamadutas after death.... Those who eat on <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em> take one hundred generations of their ancestors and one hundred generations of their offspring with them to hell... It is the duty of all devotees to celebrate <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em>, even with a very small budget, for the pleasure of the son of Devaki. One should not fail to celebrate Krishna’s appearance day, otherwise one will be forced to reside in hell for a <em>kalpa</em>. (Texts 270-272, 274, 282)<br /></p><br /><h3>Material Benefits<br /></h3><br /><p>Texts 283 to text 340 then go on to speak about the glories of following <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em> as collected from various <em>śāstric</em> sources. This section entices the reader with many material blessings. For example, <em>Hari-bhakti-vil</em><em>āsa</em> (Texts 283-284, 289-292) quotes from the <em>Bhavi</em><em>ṣottara Pur</em><em>ā</em><em>ṇa</em> regarding the benefits of observing this festival:<br /> [By observing <em>Śr</em><em>ī K</em><em>ṛṣṇa Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em>] one becomes free from the sinful reactions committed in seven lives. One gets good children, good health and great wealth.... One will not have to fear enemies, and will get sufficient rainfall and never have to suffer from drought. One will not have to fear natural calamities, hellish conditions, snakes, disease, or the attacks of rogues and thieves.<br /></p><br /><h3>Bhaktivinode’s Analysis<br /></h3><br /><p>In this connection it is interesting to note Thakur Bhaktivinode’s enumeration in the first chapter of <em>Caitanya-</em><em>śik</em><em>ṣ</em><em>ām</em><em>ṛta</em> of the various general motivations people have to try to please the Lord:<br /></p><br /><p>1) <em>Bhaya</em> — out of fear.<br /></p><p>2) <em>Āśā</em> — for satisfying material aspirations.<br /></p><p>3) <em>Kartavya-buddhi</em> — out of a sense of duty (literally, “a mentality of what should be done”).<br /></p><p>4) <em>Rāga</em> — out of genuine attraction for the Lord.<br /></p><br /><p>Bhaktivinode elaborates on these motivations:<br /></p><br /><p>Those who take to worship of the Lord out of <em>bhaya, </em><em>āśā</em> or <em>kartavya-buddhi</em> are not on such a pure level. Those who worship the Lord according to <em>r</em><em>āga</em> are real worshipers.<em>... Bhaya o </em><em>āśā nit</em><em>āsta heya — Bhaya</em> and <em>āśā</em> are extremely low class. When a practioner’s intelligence becomes clear, he gives up <em>bhaya</em> and <em>āśā</em>, and <em>kartavya-buddhi</em> becomes his sole motive. As long as <em>r</em><em>āga</em> towards the Lord has not appeared, the devotee should not give up worship according to <em>kartavya-buddhi</em>. From this sense of duty, <em>kartavya-buddhi</em>, two considerations arise: <em>vidhi-sam</em><em>āna</em>, respect for the rules, and <em>avidhi-parity</em><em>āga</em>, avoidance of those things contrary to the rules.<br /></p><br /><h3>Srila Prabhupada’s Instructions</h3><br /><p> His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada also instructed his followers to abide by the rules of the <em>janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī-vrata,</em> such as fasting. He wrote in his commentary on <em>Bhagavad-g</em><em>īt</em><em>ā</em> 11.54:<br /></p><br /><p>There are so many rules and regulations, and if one at all wants to understand Krishna, he must follow the regulative principles described in the authoritative literature. One can perform penance in accordance with those principles. For example, to undergo serious penances one may observe fasting on <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em>, the day on which Krishna appeared, and on the two days of <em>Ek</em><em>āda</em><em>śī</em> (the eleventh day after the new moon and the eleventh day after the full moon).<br /></p><br /><h3>Food Versus Prasadam<br /></h3><br /><p>As cited above, <em>Hari-bhakti-vil</em><em>āsa </em>[15.272] states that anyone eating even the smallest morsel on this day will have to go to hell. One may ask, then, why it is that Srila Prabhupada did not repeatedly stress this point, and why it is that that many <em>vai</em><em>ṣṇavas</em> serve <em>pras</em><em>ādam</em> to their guests on <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em>? Although forbidding the eating of food on this day, <em>Hari-bhakti-vil</em><em>āsa</em> does not describe any adverse reactions for persons who honor <em>pras</em><em>ādam</em>. Krishna states in <em>Bhagavad-g</em><em>īt</em><em>ā</em> (3.13):<br /></p><br /><p><em>yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ<br /> bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt</em><br /></p><br /><p>The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.<br />Prior to the section describing the glories and rules of <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em>, <em>Hari-bhakti-vil</em><em>āsa</em> already described that <em>pras</em><em>ādam</em> is not to be considered food. Like Krishna himself, it is always situated beyond this material world. <em>Hari-bhakti-vil</em><em>āsa</em> (9.403-404) quotes the <em>B</em><em>ṛhad-vi</em><em>ṣṇu Pur</em><em>ā</em><em>ṇa</em>:</p><br /><p><em>naivedyaṁ jagadīśasya anna-pānādikaṁ ca yat<br /> bhakṣyābhakṣa-vicāraś ca nāsti tad-bhakṣaṇe dvijāḥ<br />brahmāvan-nirvikāram hi yathā viṣṇus tathaiva tat</em></p><br /><p> Those foodstuffs and beverages that are offered to Krishna for his pleasure are transcendental and one should never try to distinguish them as eatables and non-eatables. Offerings to Sri Hari are transcendental, incorruptible, and non-different from Vishnu.<br /></p><br /><p>Honoring <em>pras</em><em>ādam</em> cannot result in any type of contamination. Rather, those who consider that Krishna’s remnants, which are non-different from him, to have sin in them, or that there is some mundane fault associated with honoring them, are great offenders. <em>Hari-bhakti-vil</em><em>āsa </em>further quotes the <em>B</em><em>ṛhat-vi</em><em>ṣṇu Pur</em><em>ā</em><em>ṇa:</em><br /></p><br /><p><em>vikāraṁ ye prakurvanti bhakṣaṇe tad dvijātayaḥ<br /> kuṣṭha-vyādhi-samāyuktāḥ putradāra-vivarjitāḥ<br /> nirayaṁ yānti te viprā yasmān-nāvartate punaḥ<br /></em></p><br /><p>O brahmins, those who have a perverted mentality, and think offerings to Sri Hari to be material, will suffer from leprosy, and reside in hell after losing their wife and children.<br /> As stated in <em>Hari-bhakti-vil</em><em>āsa </em>[15.282, quoted towards the begining of this article], it is the duty of all devotees to personally observe <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī. </em>To not do so would be neglecting the instructions of <em>śāstra. </em>However, understanding the following principle given in the <em>Utkala kha</em><em>ṇḍa</em> (36.19-20) of the <em>Skanda Pur</em><em>ā</em><em>ṇa,</em> many <em>vai</em><em>ṣṇavas</em> don’t hesitate to serve <em>pras</em><em>ādam</em> to their guests on <em>Janm</em><em>ā</em><em>ṣṭam</em><em>ī</em>:<br /></p><br /><p><em>aśucir-vāpyanācāro manasā pāpam-ācaran<br /> prāpti mātreṇa bhoktavyaṁ nātra kāryā vicāraṇā<br /></em></p><br /><p>Even if one is in an unclean state of body or mind, or engaged in irreligious acts, he should eat <em>mah</em><em>ā-pras</em><em>āda</em> whenever it is available to him. There is no need to deliberate on this.<br />— MD</p><br /><h4> Bibliography</h4><br /><p> — <em>Bhagavad-g</em><em>īt</em><em>ā As It Is</em>. English translation and commentary by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Bombay. 1995.<br /><br /> — Bhaktivinode Thakur. <em>Śr</em><em>ī Caitanya-</em><em>śik</em><em>ṣ</em><em>ām</em><em>ṛta. </em>Sri Chaitanya Math. Mayapur. Bengali. Gaurabda 420.<br /><br /> — <em>Gau</em><em>ḍ</em><em>īya-vai</em><em>ṣṇava-ka</em><em>ṇṭhah</em><em>āra</em>. Compiled by Atindriya Bhaktigunakara. Sri Chaitanya Math. Mayapur. 1960. Bengali.<br /><br /> — Sanatan Goswami. <em>Śr</em><em>ī Hari-bhakti-vil</em><em>āsa</em>. English translation by Bhumipati Das. Rasbihari Lal & Sons. Vrindavan. 2005.<br /><br />— Sanatan Goswami. <em>Śr</em><em>ī Hari-bhakti-vil</em><em>āsa</em>. Sanskrit with Bengali translation by Kanailal Adhikari. Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math. Mayapur. 2000.</p><br /><p><a href="http://www.gopaljiu.org/index.php?option=com_phocadownload&view=category&id=9:bindu-issues-181-210&download=212:bindu207&Itemid=70">This article is from Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu issue 207. The entire issue can be downloaded or read here</a></p><br /><p> </p><br /><p> </p>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-47380180766932921992009-06-24T03:59:00.000-07:002009-06-24T06:57:09.782-07:00NEW WEB SITE LAUNCHED BY GOPAL JIU PUBLICATIONS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgkz2VJAsij6k-t_oVJrm1Wl_n1-hUTGupZOubtwsxxKgVDB7wVPgdbcl5qaih6at3pPxWyz_Ye6J69pdxcFpBoLFgIQ8gUEZEWLhjHNnO7oA3Sf6DE-5tOkgY39Ad2cK5L_S/s1600-h/web_logo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 344px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgkz2VJAsij6k-t_oVJrm1Wl_n1-hUTGupZOubtwsxxKgVDB7wVPgdbcl5qaih6at3pPxWyz_Ye6J69pdxcFpBoLFgIQ8gUEZEWLhjHNnO7oA3Sf6DE-5tOkgY39Ad2cK5L_S/s400/web_logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350847705822119666" border="0" /></a><br />Gopal Jiu Publications is pleased to announce our completely new and reconstructed web site:<br /><br /><a href="www.gopaljiu.org">www.gopaljiu.org</a><br /><br />Desiring to serve devotees, scholars, and aficionados of Krishna-katha, gopaljiu.org now offers:<br /><br />1) Downloadable PDF extracts from all of our books and magazines<br /><br />2) Some complete books available for reading online<br /><br />3) Downloadable PDF articles<br /><br />4) Over 200 back issues of our free email magazine Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu<br /><br />5) A search engine accessing all the past issues of Bindu and other articles on the site<br /><br />6) Over 200 photos of Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Maharaja<br /><br />7) Over 250 MP3 audio recordings of Maharaja available for free listening or download<br /><br />8) Video lectures of Maharaja available for free viewing or download<br /><br />9) A calendar of upcoming Gopal Jiu Publications parikramas<br /><br />10) Facility to purchase all of our books and magazines online<br /><br />11) Reviews of Gopal Jiu Publications books and magazines from various senior devotees<br /><br />12) Immensely improved design and functionality<br /><br />And more...Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-50210020130532434562009-06-23T21:15:00.000-07:002009-06-23T21:17:53.910-07:00Gundicha Marjana Lecture<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbn-7BpQ8NpxokaaNp8Eow7JqHjHbtFjyoJBT44-4e4B9q8tnnDR9TWqCQxg10LySM-w0SWXWW1ao9wk8GrlWKhfdTPSGL_zIG37JOMBLORGjTWOIE6QM-3rFLQ07D85bwQ2c/s1600-h/snana-yatra_best.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbn-7BpQ8NpxokaaNp8Eow7JqHjHbtFjyoJBT44-4e4B9q8tnnDR9TWqCQxg10LySM-w0SWXWW1ao9wk8GrlWKhfdTPSGL_zIG37JOMBLORGjTWOIE6QM-3rFLQ07D85bwQ2c/s400/snana-yatra_best.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350743448526946530" border="0" /></a><br />Here is a lecture we gave last year in Puri on the inner meaning of the Gundicha Marjana festival and how this esoteric meaning applies to rituals and formality within all religious institutions:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/6178817-c17" onmousedown="'return" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span>http://www.divshare.com/do</span><wbr><span class="word_break"></span>wnload/6178817-c17</a><br /><br />-- The above photo is by Sudarshan Das Mahapatra from our upcoming issue of Sri Krishna Kathamrita magazine.Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-85002714359195174122009-06-19T05:03:00.000-07:002009-06-19T05:06:26.512-07:00Article on ISKCON News<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zzKA-QSf2HLUStJ9SjiWcg-mZ1JSv0mALaIOwWXfKOuidPMKm8_Xlp6hL80LMrN1gsmYUqhj8iwgNwdSl_leB9M_fa_tkOBeOc-xtsvCZoAWNiL7zxiPbiJY5P9y7G4qiOyn/s1600-h/kathamrita.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 201px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zzKA-QSf2HLUStJ9SjiWcg-mZ1JSv0mALaIOwWXfKOuidPMKm8_Xlp6hL80LMrN1gsmYUqhj8iwgNwdSl_leB9M_fa_tkOBeOc-xtsvCZoAWNiL7zxiPbiJY5P9y7G4qiOyn/s400/kathamrita.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349008843261434866" /></a><br />ISKCON news recently gave a write up on Gopal Jiu Publications on the occasion of the 200th issue of Bindu with a very nice article. Check it out!<br /><br /><a href="http://news.iskcon.com/node/2081">http://news.iskcon.com/node/2081</a>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-36143655187010536222009-06-03T07:19:00.000-07:002009-06-03T07:43:50.986-07:00Sri Guru Reciprocates in All RasasSrila Gour Govinda Maharaja used to tell us, "If you have not seen the svarup (spiritual form) of your guru, you have simply been cheated." Of course that does not mean that you are not getting mercy. In spiritual life, cheating is also a kind of mercy, because it makes us cry, thereby intensifying our bhajan.<br /><br />Realizing the svarup of our guru is the goal of the sadhakas, practitioners in our Gaudiya line. As Krishna says in the Gita, this realization is the topmost understanding -- raja-vidya; it is the most confidential -- raja-guhyam; but it must be realized -- pratyaksavagamam-dharmyam.<br /><br />I have seen many persons who have put forth various speculated ideas about the svarup of their guru. Personally, I've never felt inspired by such an approach. To me, it just seems to lack dignity and grace. No where have we ever heard of someone realizing the eternal identity of their guru through the process of mundane empiricism. "O he said this. That must mean... He liked this song... He installed these kind of deities mostly, therefore..." etc etc.<br /><br />Like Samba pretending before the rishis in Dwarka, I don't need to stuff something under my clothes to pretend that I'm pregnant. Thanks, but I prefer to wait for something real.<br /><br />The following article by Srila Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada was in our recent (203rd) issue of Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu. Therein he explains that Krishna, as Sri Guru will reciprocate with you, in any particular relationship your heart aspires for.<br /><br />Hari Hari!<br /><br />Das, MD<br />===================<br /><div class="photo photo_left"><div class="photo_img"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1918420&op=1&view=all&subj=87705079339&aid=-1&oid=87705079339&id=610885997"><img src="http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs090.snc1/4649_82115620997_610885997_1918420_6040506_a.jpg" alt="" /></a></div></div><div class="clear_left"><br />SRI GURU RECIPROCATES IN ALL RASAS<br /><br />Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur<br /><br />There are different ways in which different persons whose faculty of spiritual consciousness has been aroused judge about their own requirements. Every enlightened person is privileged to have a sight of Sri Gurudev in accordance with his particular mode of judgment. Sri Gurudev is that real entity who thus reveals himself to the view of enlightened souls in a variety of ways. Sri Gurudev is the daughter of Vrishabhanu (Sri Radha) in the madhurya-rasa (the spiritual humor of the sweetness of divine amour). Realized by the method of the rasa of parental affection, Sri Gurudev reveals himself as Nanda-Yashoda. In the rasa of friendly affection he is Sridama-Sudama. In the rasa of the devotion of servants to the master, the lotus feet of Sri Guru act as Chitrak-Patrak. The consideration of all these asrayas, devotees, about the visaya, Krishna rises naturally in the heart as one progresses in the service of Sri Guru. These subjects do not manifest themselves in the course of any artifi¬cial process. They are aroused spontaneously in the consciousness of fortunate souls on the appearance of the disposition for spiritual service of the divinity. We have no other function than the service of Sri Guru. By means of the adulterated consciousness of the material world it is not possible to discuss the eternal pastimes of Godhead that are inaccessible even to Shesha, Shiva, Brahma, and similar great personalities.<br /><br />I have been asked sometimes by different people why we do not give away the realized method of service to all. As for myself, I cannot understand how the condition of self-realized souls and that of novices may be supposed to be identical. It passes our judgment to understand how the service and realization of souls free from all defects can be practiced during the period of novitiate, which is full of many defects. If any person happens to belong to the order of self-realized souls he may kindly intimate to me the fact. I can then know about the specific nature of his realized self.<br /><br />— Sri Chaitanya’s Teachings. Edited by Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami. Sree Gaudiya Math. Madras. 1989. p 266.</div>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-5970232083602288082009-05-16T02:58:00.000-07:002009-05-16T03:03:00.790-07:00Giriraja's Rainbow Morning<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Rainbow Raj</span><br /></div><br />today we painted Giriraj with a rainbow colored face. In Oriya, the word for "rainbow" is "Indra-dhanu" (literally "Indra's bow"). So Giriraj is Rainbow Raj for two reasons: 1) Because of the colors on his face; and 2) Because he defeated Indra by protecting the Brijbasis from the onslaught of the samvartaka clouds.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVI_v7Nl6KrdEg3M_VJf4lnXdvt7jaK-wagcOmPchLpGQVPhZ-lQ5RO0enCjm7bmYC_sdD1RFq1ua6RUGYD_T4CiRgvH_s7mdK0hgzKIxohNtPOHxodBqAAkXyq7kLGEeZmHN/s1600-h/DSCN0010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVI_v7Nl6KrdEg3M_VJf4lnXdvt7jaK-wagcOmPchLpGQVPhZ-lQ5RO0enCjm7bmYC_sdD1RFq1ua6RUGYD_T4CiRgvH_s7mdK0hgzKIxohNtPOHxodBqAAkXyq7kLGEeZmHN/s400/DSCN0010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336359539861129618" border="0" /></a>The glowing tilak is not a Photoshop technique. It's the reflection of the light.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUJvVVATVPFQ90r86DaiBxR0QiSetKzZsw3wE427rFT4sb4UhxL4Jw7q-wd-UHXZw0vPNoFcExU87moNuTLMlOsnOdKfE7k6jT4nt-9zVqWlEx2B1GJvgU470zMLhM9gJuk0R/s1600-h/DSCN0009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUJvVVATVPFQ90r86DaiBxR0QiSetKzZsw3wE427rFT4sb4UhxL4Jw7q-wd-UHXZw0vPNoFcExU87moNuTLMlOsnOdKfE7k6jT4nt-9zVqWlEx2B1GJvgU470zMLhM9gJuk0R/s400/DSCN0009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336359538540105186" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3zEN2P9Pyw6mPQm_FIhQce2nmGvbCIjIj-4ftryUOF6eJilJ6M-nLP-msd3PoO7rXtHFs4PGmM_e2-MN4136fiUAYIkR20J8Zdg1ULY-rNuKf7sQD2smivQc8vMqZVtqf3qU/s1600-h/DSCN0008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3zEN2P9Pyw6mPQm_FIhQce2nmGvbCIjIj-4ftryUOF6eJilJ6M-nLP-msd3PoO7rXtHFs4PGmM_e2-MN4136fiUAYIkR20J8Zdg1ULY-rNuKf7sQD2smivQc8vMqZVtqf3qU/s400/DSCN0008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336359539650974306" border="0" /></a>Giriraja Maharaja ki jaya!<br /></div>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-63288902385938388142009-05-06T02:29:00.000-07:002009-05-06T02:31:25.570-07:00Volcanic Bhajan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RdaEpHT5mHXtikKct6jsarbfRJWs5LhMw4G5rIub8hYi_u_xTw9bTlwaONL_UH8Io-a5MB6nDbRL7evYfIR4L9Ab2NGZ7kxwqn45rQ1Nsk6UD7GT7iMfPZvPvDokPTslDR3T/s1600-h/volcano.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 103px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RdaEpHT5mHXtikKct6jsarbfRJWs5LhMw4G5rIub8hYi_u_xTw9bTlwaONL_UH8Io-a5MB6nDbRL7evYfIR4L9Ab2NGZ7kxwqn45rQ1Nsk6UD7GT7iMfPZvPvDokPTslDR3T/s400/volcano.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332641103942875906" border="0" /></a>"Udgirna" means, "erupting". We should deeply cultivate our bhajan in such a way that the pressure in our heart increases more and more, until it explodes like a volcano.<br /><br />Such eruption from the heart is real preaching in the line of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.<br /><br />Not that our bhajan, and preaching are like a fireworks display -- an artificial show that looks impressive, but lacks substance and duration.Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-54765895961254126852009-05-03T05:20:00.000-07:002009-05-03T05:38:00.196-07:00Bindu Hits 9 Years and 200 Issues<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMCCfi26WpsPcxVxXswSGQTpg0RF7hOp6_v7iNbwjzz8IRYlmDHfeC8AyeIqkCqVEpXjO3A976XLj-TfeVHqmhI88hYv2bs1C4oxZksukQFyjVRAxsuDZUTU5NXobJKb7667I/s1600-h/KK+Logo_Short.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 178px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMCCfi26WpsPcxVxXswSGQTpg0RF7hOp6_v7iNbwjzz8IRYlmDHfeC8AyeIqkCqVEpXjO3A976XLj-TfeVHqmhI88hYv2bs1C4oxZksukQFyjVRAxsuDZUTU5NXobJKb7667I/s400/KK+Logo_Short.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331576002033014898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Rama-Palatino; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-alt:"Times New Roman"; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1627421319 -2147483648 8 0 66047 0;} @font-face {font-family:Sanskrit-Palatino; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-alt:"Times New Roman"; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:decorative; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:justify; text-indent:8.5pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Rama-Palatino; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Rama-Palatino; color:black;} p.MsoPlainText, li.MsoPlainText, div.MsoPlainText {margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:justify; text-indent:8.65pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Rama-Palatino; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Rama-Palatino;} p.NpApprenamecopy2, li.NpApprenamecopy2, div.NpApprenamecopy2 {mso-style-name:"NpAppre_name copy 2"; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:5.65pt; margin-left:0cm; text-align:justify; text-indent:8.5pt; line-height:120%; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Sanskrit-Palatino; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Sanskrit-Palatino; color:black;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Here is the latest news with Bindu. My humble and sincere thanks to all of the kind vaishnavas who have supported this service over the years.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu, the free e-magazine from ISKCON Gopaljiu Publications, has just entered its ninth year of circulation, and has reached 200 issues distributed to its ever-growing list of subscribers.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Started in 2001 as a humble attempt to serve Srila Prabhupada and the preachers of the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu is especially meant for devotees who were interested in going deep into the tradition and literature of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Our policy from the beginning has been to simply focus on krishna-katha – no politics, exposes, revolutions, or institutional bashing or promotion. Tad-vag-visargo janatagha-viplavo – our conviction is that krishna-katha and krishna-nama automatically changes everything for the better. They are the ultimate solutions to all problems in this world. In the words of Srila Saraswati Thakur, “The person who determines that there is scope for reform of the world himself stands in need of reform. ... As soon as Krishna enters the listening ear, he clears up the vision of the listener so that he no longer has any ambition of ever acting the part of a reformer of any other person, because he finds that nobody is left without the very highest guidance. It is therefore his own reform that he is increasingly able to realize, by the eternally continuing mercy of the Supreme Lord.” <a href="http://www.gopaljiu.org/Bindu/Back_issues/Bindu177.pdf">[Read the complete article in Bindu 177]</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Bindu has featured many first-time translations, including stories and songs from little-known works, such as Sri Tilak Ramdas’ “Abhiram Lilamrta”, Yadunandan Das’ “Karnananda”, Jagadbandhu Bhadra’s “Gaura-pada-tarangini”, Gopijanavallabha Das’ “Rasika Mangala”, Krishnadas’ “Syamananda Prakash”, Jiva Goswami’s “Gopal Campu” and Padma, Nrsimha, Brahma-vaivarta and other Puranas.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Bindu comes out twice a month, on every ekadasi. Each four-page issue begins with an inspiring article from His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and nearly every issue includes something from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Thakur Bhaktivinode. Articles by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami are a common feature as well as contemporary articles by the Bindu editors.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Bindu is a free service. To subscribe, write to: minimag@gopaljiu.org</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Below are some of the kind words of encouragement about Bindu received over the last 8 years:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">I would like to subscribe to your publication. I looked at some back issues and enjoyed the contents very much. I have stopped looking at the ISKCON web sites except for our local site, because they are all obsessed with politics and nonsense. Your publication is very nice. We just need to chant together in a humble and loving frame of mind in order to solve all the problems. Thank you, prabhus.<br />-- Praharana Dasi, Toronto</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Your publication is an invaluable source of inspiration and important sastric reference. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Vaisesika Das, San Francisco</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Please include me in your subscribers' list for KK Bindu. I enjoyed the fourth issue very much. May all of your efforts be crowned with success, and may this meet you in the best of health and blissful spirits.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Tamal Krishna Goswami</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Your magazine is the best on the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Jayatam Jaya Sila Das</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">It<span style=""> </span>is my<span style=""> </span>great<span style=""> </span>happiness<span style=""> </span>to<span style=""> </span>see<span style=""> </span>that<span style=""> </span>instead<span style=""> </span>of joining the revolting political debates and fights continuously taking place amongst the vaishnavas of different groups, the sisyas of Gour Govinda Maharaja are peacefully engaged in distributing pure, universal<span style=""> </span>hari-katha without<span style=""> </span>propagating any institution in a sectarian way. You are doing a wonderful job for the pleasure of Sri Guru and Gauranga. I wish you all success in your service. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Peter Erdody, Budapest</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><a name="Start_here"></a><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">My sincere congratulations and gratitude for putting together a fine Gaudiya Vaisnava online publication that we can all feel proud of.<br />-- Vicaru Das, Editor, "Sanga"<br /></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Thanks for all this nectar.<br />-- Indradyumna Swami</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3.7pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Your Bindus are WONDERFUL!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Mahavegavati Dasi</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4.25pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">With great happiness I received your wonderful e-mail and devoured it immediately. The Krishna Kathamrita Bindu is simply ecstatic. Short, concise, thick with nectar, and fully authorized and in line with our glorious sampradaya as revealed by Srila Prabhupada. It is just what a preacher needs who wishes to inspire people. Please keep the good stream of nectar flowing!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Sacinandana Swami</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4.25pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4.25pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Thanks for the latest KK Bindu. As usual, it was nectarean and a pleasant ekadasi surprise for my wicked mind. I especially appreciate the non-partisan spirit of the publication. I can hardly read anything on the internet these days that isn't trying to promote, argue pro or con, or solicit. There is a place for that I admit. I have my opinions, too. But it's easy to forget our real business in life. At least I am reminded, by your kindness, on a bi-monthly basis. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4.25pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Sarva-drk Das, Denver</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4.25pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4.25pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4.25pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Aapko bahut dhanyavaada!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Dasarath Suta Das, Georgia</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4.25pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">I always look forward to receiving Krishna Kathamrita Bindu. It's just the right size and just the right substance -- so short that I can easily devote the time to it yet so juicy that a few drops go a long way. A newsletter with nothing but pure Krishna-katha -- so refreshing! This is the real need of the day. Thank you so much!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Jayadvaita Swami</span></p><p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Many thanks for a copy of the book, "Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu, Issues 1-17" which I have just finished reading. In fact, I was not able to take up any of my other works until I finished this book. I am happy to tell you that one can really have a taste of sindhu reading the said issues of the Bindu. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">One small suggestion: Can you start incorporating in each issue translation of a portion of a Vaishnava Sanskrit text not yet translated? Wishing you success in your venture.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Yours affectionately, Professor Samaresh Bandyopadhyaya, Head of the Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture, University of Calcutta</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4.25pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Your wonderful writings have been so inspiring to devotees all around the world. I can truly say I have always looked forward to every new presentation. My own copies have been marked many times. I have shared them with so many other devotees. Somehow each time they have appeared it has been so timely. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Bhakti Tirtha Swami</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4.25pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 4.25pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Someone recently directed me to your site and it is encouraging to see this kind of preaching continuing some years now after Sri Gour Govinda Maharaja has departed.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Swami B.V. Tripurari</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 5.65pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">I heartily approve the spirit of this message.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="NpApprenamecopy2" style="margin-bottom: 7.1pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Jagadananda Das (Jan Brzezinski), Toronto<br /></span></p><p class="NpApprenamecopy2" style="margin-bottom: 7.1pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">I’m a journalist from the “Economic Times”, Bangalore edition, trying to be a vaishnavi. I have always loved “Krishna Kathamrita Bindu” and the excellent books you publish. “Krishna Kathamrita Bindu” and “Mathura Meets Vrindavan” are so good. I repeatedly tell stories to people from them while preaching. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">-- Chandni Raj, Bangalore<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-bottom: 5pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-87589780020728985972008-12-26T19:20:00.000-08:002008-12-26T20:55:30.747-08:00Vaishnava Marriage and Bhakti<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozoO-bmTEbbbqHCBgLreRE8R67a4MH-SVUdHGiUq_Bp-xvLVDLbJFK6rCxpTuSxX9WjT4RoOCl3bmGCU6GrqvfHF5Rt4ypkZjZ7NtHJTzup8hGLWXrQtzuDLwSDbKpWYmxIVm/s1600-h/father-of-bride-400.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozoO-bmTEbbbqHCBgLreRE8R67a4MH-SVUdHGiUq_Bp-xvLVDLbJFK6rCxpTuSxX9WjT4RoOCl3bmGCU6GrqvfHF5Rt4ypkZjZ7NtHJTzup8hGLWXrQtzuDLwSDbKpWYmxIVm/s400/father-of-bride-400.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284321963208527074" border="0" /></a><br />A recent talk in Mayapur discussing topics including:<br /><br />* The purpose of <span style="font-style: italic;">Vaishnava</span> marriage<br /><br />* Why mothers are due more respect than fathers<br /><br />* Are the <span style="font-style: italic;">sannyasa</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">brahmacari</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">ashrams</span> necessary for <span style="font-style: italic;">bhakti</span>?<br /><br />* Jiva Goswami on how <span style="font-style: italic;">varnashram</span> can cover <span style="font-style: italic;">bhakti</span><br /><br />* Readings from an article by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta discussing how in Vaishnava marriage neither the husband nor the wife are the servant of each other, rather both are serving together for the pleasure of Krishna.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/6176358-5f4"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Click here to listen</span></a>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-73288987306133365362008-12-26T07:22:00.000-08:002008-12-26T20:43:32.969-08:00Bhajan in Separation<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HkJVysghYr80rQFDJ7VU_ncc8muhNmZMqszRFA91-P6S1HVjDPPg5bKT0j60vBP4azwBQWXuKL7FbJrIUaHFvQQkpJVe1cVyiKPz0_2eiaxRxaDxob6A0toRlDFlenr7O-nD/s1600-h/Govardhan2008+220.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HkJVysghYr80rQFDJ7VU_ncc8muhNmZMqszRFA91-P6S1HVjDPPg5bKT0j60vBP4azwBQWXuKL7FbJrIUaHFvQQkpJVe1cVyiKPz0_2eiaxRxaDxob6A0toRlDFlenr7O-nD/s400/Govardhan2008+220.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284300543550321810" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Govardhan Retreat 2008</span><br /></div><br />For the last few months, Krishna Kund and I have been traveling and giving talks. We just got back to Bhubaneswar (whew!) where we hope to catch our breath before our upcoming Puri parikrama/retreat beginning on the 22nd of January.<br /><br />From November 27th to December 3rd we attended the Govardhan Retreat, which was a deeply moving experience. HH Sacinandan Maharaja spoke on the topic of the process of obeisances given by Sanatan Goswami in his book <span style="font-style: italic;">Sri Krishna Lila Stava</span>; Bhurijan Prabhu spoke about the trials and difficulties experienced by Srila Sanatan Goswami; Mother Jagattarini gave dramatic readings from sections of Rupa Goswami's <span style="font-style: italic;">Vidagdha Madhava</span>, and we gave a series of talks about <span style="font-style: italic;">bhajan</span> in separation. There were about 6 hours of intense <span style="font-style: italic;">hari-katha</span> per day along with hours of <span style="font-style: italic;">kirtan, bhajans</span>, tasty healthy prasadam and wonderful association.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/playlist/458364-76c">Recordings of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Bhajan in Separation</span> seminar </a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcchJ-x6GBzWh-wXnadteTEq_idAkMs-s0LDfEa0nJupnDH8XJWVd6YnpHdqqxnTMFHStbyA9bmOxAlHBLEsS2v8LzieL1_5UBZ7lMcKNeSjLwXeoDmZowdS_OaIlyJW3gr0WO/s1600-h/Govardhan2008+330.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcchJ-x6GBzWh-wXnadteTEq_idAkMs-s0LDfEa0nJupnDH8XJWVd6YnpHdqqxnTMFHStbyA9bmOxAlHBLEsS2v8LzieL1_5UBZ7lMcKNeSjLwXeoDmZowdS_OaIlyJW3gr0WO/s400/Govardhan2008+330.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284299828072521106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blue cows at Govardhan Hill</span><br /></div><a href="http://vihe.org/giri/glimpsesretreat.htm"><br />Pictures from previous Govardhan Retreats</a>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-29846369872972674792008-10-13T08:19:00.000-07:002008-10-13T08:37:39.154-07:00Voting and Vaishnavism<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Rama-Palatino; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-alt:"Times New Roman"; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:justify; text-indent:8.65pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Rama-Palatino; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Rama-Palatino; color:black;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">There is a lot of discussion right now, especially in <st1:country-region><st1:place>America</st1:place></st1:country-region>, about the latest presidential election. In a recent issue of Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu we put together a collection of statements from Srila Prabhupada regarding his mood towards voting in secular circles. As always, Srila Prabhupada's attitude is purely Krishna conscious. I also found it very detached -- he was asked several times if he wanted his followers to vote or not, -- he repeatedly replied that the choice was up to them. For brevity, I’m only posting some of the most relevant quotes below. To see the complete article in issue 185 <a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" href="http://gopaljiu.org/Bindu/Bindu_back_issues.htm">click here.</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.65pt;"></p><blockquote style="font-family: times new roman;"> <o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Rama-Palatino; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-alt:"Times New Roman"; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:justify; text-indent:8.65pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Rama-Palatino; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Rama-Palatino; color:black;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Rama-Palatino; color: black;">Because of the importance of the </span><st1:place><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Rama-Palatino; color: black;">Krishna</span></st1:place><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Rama-Palatino; color: black;"> consciousness movement, people should be </span><st1:place><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Rama-Palatino; color: black;">Krishna</span></st1:place><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Rama-Palatino; color: black;"> conscious and should not vote for anyone who is not </span><st1:place><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Rama-Palatino; color: black;">Krishna</span></st1:place><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Rama-Palatino; color: black;"> conscious. Then there will be actual peace and prosperity in the state. When a <i>vaisnava</i> sees mismanagement in the government, he feels great compassion in his heart and tries his best to purify the situation by spreading the Hare Krishna movement. (Purport to <i>Bhag. </i>6.2.3)</span></blockquote> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.65pt; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <blockquote style="font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">We don’t very much like this so-called democracy. What is the value of this democracy? All fools and rascals. They vote for another fool and rascal and he becomes prime minister, or this or that. That is not good for the people. We are not for this so-called democracy because they are not trained. (Lecture in London, 24 July 1973)</span></blockquote> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.65pt; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <blockquote style="font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The first teaching of <i>Bhagavad-gita </i>should be taken by the persons who are going to be elected in the government service. The public should be aware of this. If somebody comes to canvass for votes, you should first inquire, “Have you have read <i>Bhagavad-gita</i>? Mahatma Gandhi read <i>Bhagavad-gita</i>. Why shouldn’t you? Do you know what is <i>Bhagavad-gita</i>? If so, then I will give you my vote. Otherwise, get out.”... It is a great necessity that government men must study <i>Bhagavad-gita</i>. Otherwise, don’t give them vote. (Lecture in Bombay, 22 March 1974)</span></blockquote> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <blockquote style="font-family: times new roman;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Devotee: Some of our devotees should run for office.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.65pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.65pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Prabhupada: No. If you can make the people <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> conscious, then everything will come automatically. If they vote for a <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> conscious person to be president and prime minister, then everything will be saved. So that means you have to create <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place><st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> consciousness movement. The government is still under the control of the public. If the public becomes <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place> conscious then naturally the government will be <st1:place>Krishna</st1:place></span> conscious voters. Then everything will be right. That should be one of the aims of the conscious. But that is up to the public. (Lecture in Bombay, 6 November 1970)</p></blockquote> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.65pt; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <blockquote style="font-family: times new roman;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.65pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Educate the people. “Don’t vote for the rascals. Just try to understand who is the real man, who is the real leader. (Morning walk conversation in Los Angeles, 11 December 1973)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Interviewer: Do you think most of the Hare Krishna members will participate in the election in November? Do you think they will register and vote?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Prabhupada: Personally I never give votes.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Interviewer: Will they follow your example and not vote?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.65pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.65pt;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Prabhupada: I do not know, but our principle is that I vote for this man or that man if there is some spiritual benefit. That is our point. (Interview with the religion editor of the Associated Press in New York, 16 July 1976)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <span style=";font-size:100%;color:black;" >I have never given vote. Since we have got this <i>sva-raj,</i> Indian independence, as soon as the vote question comes up, I go away. I think, “Why shall I give this nonsense person my vote? None of them are liked by me.” So I avoid it. I don’t believe in it. (Room Conversation in Bombay, 8 January 1977)</span></blockquote><span style=";font-family:Rama-Palatino;font-size:11;color:black;" ></span>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-16677671016370186742008-09-05T22:18:00.000-07:002008-09-05T22:23:45.204-07:00Giriraja's Flower Crown<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqQnpZKivW4kv0_EqILYkaCRqsEDZUhA8zRuTb3MIdL4khtOnAY6CNOAFIEqRoLI-OfjwBlE0G-4kansE1mpGQgEaE1EdkWCw-yYmIYv4g195bJ7MkYRUQgm9ELNts33Vk9Bp/s1600-h/Giriraja_470.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqQnpZKivW4kv0_EqILYkaCRqsEDZUhA8zRuTb3MIdL4khtOnAY6CNOAFIEqRoLI-OfjwBlE0G-4kansE1mpGQgEaE1EdkWCw-yYmIYv4g195bJ7MkYRUQgm9ELNts33Vk9Bp/s400/Giriraja_470.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242774484707832354" border="0" /></a><br />This morning Giriraja received 25 different types of flowers in his worship (Orissa is a good place for puja). Aside from his garland of parijata (called gangasuri in Orissa) and gardenia (called sugandha-raja, "king of good fragrance" here) Giriraja was also offered a small crown made of jui flowers, small fragrant flowers that are dear to Srimati Radharani.<br /><br />Hari Hari!Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-47969036439668357022008-09-04T20:28:00.000-07:002008-09-04T21:29:24.387-07:00The Christian Version of Jiva Jago<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrAE86cu0aAB0cfIhKlM5nHhlQDo8nAWZ3Aj0Y_xQrD1TEvAh9-a2WlcKvHW8a6VEI_zTACx0O3Os8VbSUSVyEmRENWBB5wtiddCyba5FOg7hMjpzPxbV5gyyy6ZU-82bm-wl/s1600-h/missionaries.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrAE86cu0aAB0cfIhKlM5nHhlQDo8nAWZ3Aj0Y_xQrD1TEvAh9-a2WlcKvHW8a6VEI_zTACx0O3Os8VbSUSVyEmRENWBB5wtiddCyba5FOg7hMjpzPxbV5gyyy6ZU-82bm-wl/s400/missionaries.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242377394359169170" border="0" /></a><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-style: italic;">I recently got a copy of an old rare book called, </span>Hymns of the Early Church<span style="font-style: italic;">. It was published in 1913 and is a compilation translated from various Greek and Latin sources and other early material from the Christian church. The following poem reminded me of Bhaktivinode Thakur's </span>Arunodaya kirtana<span style="font-style: italic;">. (See some excerpts from the English translations at the end of this text):</span><br /><br /><br />Wake, awake to duty!<br /><br />See, the morning light<br /><br />Falls with radiant beauty<br /><br />From the arms of night.<br /><br />Claim the hours before thee<br /><br />For the tasks of life,<br /><br />Thousand calls implore thee<br /><br />From the din of strife.<br /><br />Listless minds are dreaming,<br /><br />Idle hands are still;<br /><br />Evil hearts are scheming<br /><br />Purposes of ill.<br /><br />See the hands that beckon,<br /><br />Hear the call of right;<br /><br />Thou with God must reckon<br /><br />Up, and toil and fight!<br /><br />Through the hours of morning,<br /><br />At the height of noon,<br /><br />When the light gives warning<br /><br />Night approaches soon:<br /><br />Do the task with gladness<br /><br />Which the hours present;<br /><br />Who can tell the sadness<br /><br />Of a day mis-spent?<br /><br />Day by day declineth,<br /><br />Time is getting hoar;<br /><br />Soon yon sun that shineth<br /><br />Sets for evermore.<br /><br />Ah, the City glorious,<br /><br />Where they need no sun,<br /><br />Ah, the band victorious,<br />And the glad "Well done"!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Excerpts from Bhaktivinode's Arunodaya kirtana:</span><br /><br /><br />Shri Gauracanda is calling,<br /><br />“Wake up! Wake up, sleeping souls!<br /><br />How long will you sleep<br /><br />in the lap of the witch maya?”<br /><br /><br />"With every rising and setting of the sun,<br /><br />a day passes and is lost.<br /><br />Why do you remain idle and not serve the Lord of the heart?<br /><br /><br />This temporary life is full of various miseries.<br /><br />Take shelter of the holy name as your only business.<br /><br />To penetrate the darkness of ignorance and bless everyone's heart,<br /><br />the holy name has risen like the shining sun"Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-57315721502995526972008-09-03T06:48:00.000-07:002008-09-04T23:46:13.447-07:00Janmastami in KendraparaFor the second year in a row we observed Janmastami in Kendrapara Orissa at our ISKCON nama-hatta center. It's actually more than a center it is well known in the area as the Sri Sri Radha Nikunjabihari temple. Kendrapara is a rural and traditional Orissan town. It is close to the small village of Choti, the ancestral home of Thakur Bhaktivinode. The Thakur also resided for some time in Kendrapara where he was the first headmaster of the Government High School. Bhaktivinode Thakur's original deities of Sri Sri Radha Madhava have been temporarily residing in Kendrapara for the last few years.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxe7aT78xNQdRPvVxTEbcElqQZYz5vy8cMD_29p3wBNAc9emn-hdwsZA9VXseQeKcZEajs_dzSyyoEa0ibQ_i6l_KkNTDhRyUiQx94Cjo7WsQDq5M1kHNxpSoQ8bKiGFqifGhr/s1600-h/Janmastami_08+005_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxe7aT78xNQdRPvVxTEbcElqQZYz5vy8cMD_29p3wBNAc9emn-hdwsZA9VXseQeKcZEajs_dzSyyoEa0ibQ_i6l_KkNTDhRyUiQx94Cjo7WsQDq5M1kHNxpSoQ8bKiGFqifGhr/s400/Janmastami_08+005_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241792076340003346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Radha Madhava in their new outfit on Janmastami night</span><br /></div><br />One of our favorite aspects of Janmastami in Kendrapara is the traditional Oriya bhajans. Aside from the ecstatic 24 hour maha-mantra kirtana, there are other bhajans going on simultaneously (in a separate place) most of Janmastami night. Those bhajans are mostly Oriya devotional poetry, songs that due to the language barrier very few Gaudiya Vaishnavas outside of Orissa are aware of. Even though it is very rich in bhakti and rasa, Oriya Gaudiya literature is relatively unknown outside of Orissa, even amongst Bengali and Vrindavan Vaishnavas.<br /><br />Navaghana Das sang a nice song from the medieval book "Mathura Mangala", by the devotee Bhakta Charan Das.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://madhavananda.diinoweb.com/files/My%20Music/Yasoda%27s%20Fear.mp3">Click here to listen to the song and translation:</a></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJH8gD6TgUadxhCy0oLBwAm7ZTb8VTbH31z_SP95HOviHVyRChLbjsQWfBsZ2lkj9gzUP1AXeMARbqH_lGmjBxmXL0s8O0tZ0tl2_0oLdstrEXlRbPxHC93EdvDTl7rzvd7XVB/s1600-h/Janmastami_08+004_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJH8gD6TgUadxhCy0oLBwAm7ZTb8VTbH31z_SP95HOviHVyRChLbjsQWfBsZ2lkj9gzUP1AXeMARbqH_lGmjBxmXL0s8O0tZ0tl2_0oLdstrEXlRbPxHC93EdvDTl7rzvd7XVB/s400/Janmastami_08+004_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241797443199243378" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Janmastami bhajans in Kendrapara</span><br /></div>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-82703014277143002482008-08-26T23:35:00.000-07:002008-09-04T23:47:22.973-07:00The Meaning of Shivaratri<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jnt3nI_7eqWyojg3SvYCC-4zG9iHowzTaXUwZMqrtSGprFP8Q7toYqPCTg4q7RqXfyg3pjCp9GrcLLTWSiUS0Rg82x9LwLpY0fiUVO_dZD10gQdS_8A_iPHp1jJY7E1dSJ2l/s1600-h/Siva_Deity+Puri.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jnt3nI_7eqWyojg3SvYCC-4zG9iHowzTaXUwZMqrtSGprFP8Q7toYqPCTg4q7RqXfyg3pjCp9GrcLLTWSiUS0Rg82x9LwLpY0fiUVO_dZD10gQdS_8A_iPHp1jJY7E1dSJ2l/s400/Siva_Deity+Puri.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239089213502937666" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Above picture is a small deity of Lord Shiva near the Tota Gopinath Temple in Puri</span><br /><br /><br />Dhirama Das Prabhu wrote and asked: Prabhu is it possible to know what is Shivaratri? <br /><br />Our reply:<br /><br />Here are a few notes from an article we plan to print in the next issue we make of <span style="font-style:italic;">Krishna Kathamrita</span> about Lord Shiva (no date is yet fixed, it will likely be a few years away). <span style="font-style:italic;">Hari-bhakti-vilasa</span> mentions Shivaratri as a festival observed by Vaishnavas:<br /><br />==========<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">siva-ratri-vratam krsna-caturdasyam tu phalgune<br />vaisnavair api tat karyam sri-krsna-pritaye sada</span><br /><br />On the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Phalguna (February-March), for the pleasure of Lord Sri Krishna, a <span style="font-style:italic;">vaisnava</span> should always take a vow to fast on this day. (It is called Shivaratri, or the night of Lord Shiva.) <br />- <span style="font-style:italic;">Gautamiya-tantra</span> quoted in <span style="font-style:italic;">Hari-bhakti-vilasa </span>14.187.<br />==========<br /><br />Why devotees observe worship of Mahadeva on this day is also described in the same section:<br /><br />==========<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">yani kanyatra lingani sthavarani carani ca<br />tesu samkramate devas tasyam ratrau yato harah<br />sivaratris tatah prokta tena sa hari-vallabha</span><br /><br />On the night of the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Phalguna Lord Shiva enters into whatever <span style="font-style:italic;">siva-lingas</span> are present on this earthly planet. For this reason, this day is called <span style="font-style:italic;">Shivaratri</span>. For this reason, this day is very dear to Lord Sri Hari. - <span style="font-style:italic;">Nagara khanda</span> of <span style="font-style:italic;">Skanda Purana</span> quoted in <span style="font-style:italic;">Hari-bhakti-vilasa</span> 14.200.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">sri krsne vaisnavanam tu prema-bhaktir vivardhate<br />krsna-bhakti-rasa-sara-varsi-rudranukampaya</span><br /><br />The loving devotion of the <span style="font-style:italic;">vaisnavas</span> for Lord Krishna greatly increases by the mercy of Lord Shiva who distributes the essence of <span style="font-style:italic;">krsna-bhakti-rasa</span>. - <span style="font-style:italic;">Hari-bhakti-vilasa</span> 14.203<br />==========<br /><br />In the beginning of the 34th chapter of <span style="font-style:italic;">Krishna Book</span>, Srila Prabhupada describes that devotees sometimes observe Shivaratri and sometimes they don't:<br /><br />==========<br />Once upon a time, the cowherd men of Vrindavan, headed by Nanda Maharaja, desired to go to Ambikavana to observe the Shivaratri ceremony. The <span style="font-style:italic;">rasa-lila </span>was performed during the autumn, and after that the next big ceremony is Holi, or the Dolayatra ceremony. Between the Dolayatra ceremony and the <span style="font-style:italic;">rasa-lila </span>ceremony there is an important ceremony called Shiva-ratri, which is especially observed by the Saivites, or devotees of Lord Shiva. Sometimes the Vaishnavas also observe this ceremony because they accept Lord Shiva as the foremost Vaishnava. But the function of Shivaratri is not observed very regularly by the <span style="font-style:italic;">bhaktas</span>, or devotees of Krishna. Under the circumstances, <span style="font-style:italic;">Srimad Bhagavatam </span>states that Nanda Maharaja and the other cowherd men "once upon a time desired." This means that they were not regularly observing the Shivaratri function but that once upon a time they wanted to go to Ambikavana out of curiosity. <br />==========<br /><br />The next Shivaratri is on the 23rd of February 2009.<br /><br />Hari Hari!<br /><br />Das, MDMadhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-84719174404214874382008-05-22T21:31:00.000-07:002008-09-04T23:48:27.499-07:00Reforming the Reformer<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpdSfcr-qZXTqSEhdQYWlkzCUbql7BOnF1LyY1K6J5FhyphenhyphenURW8H16j_6kwJByRvRYf54thAI03C9ruKftk2V-q7d1bvWlULKoZ-o2w5-mZ_1CGANpFqHJwypPpnY0UKiL7-tFt/s1600-h/Bhaktis7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpdSfcr-qZXTqSEhdQYWlkzCUbql7BOnF1LyY1K6J5FhyphenhyphenURW8H16j_6kwJByRvRYf54thAI03C9ruKftk2V-q7d1bvWlULKoZ-o2w5-mZ_1CGANpFqHJwypPpnY0UKiL7-tFt/s320/Bhaktis7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231419340692260578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada</span></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><p><i>In the following article excerpted from Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu issue number 177, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur describes Krishna consciousness as the only genuine reform process. He says that anyone who takes shelter of any other process to reform society is in need of reform themselves. -- MD</i></p></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><p>The world stands in no need of any reformer. The world has a very competent person for guiding its minutest happenings. The person who determines that there is scope for reform of the world, himself stands in need of reform. The world goes on in its own perfect way. No person can deflect it even the breadth of a hair from the course chalked out for it by providence. When we perceive any change being actually effected in the course of events of this world by the agency of any particular individual, we must know very well that the agent possesses no real power at any stage. The agent finds himself driven forward by a force belonging to a different category from himself. The course of the world does not require to be changed by the agency of any person. What is necessary is to change our outlook on this world. This was done for the contemporary generation by the mercy of Sri Chaitanya. It can only be known to recipients of his mercy. The scriptures declare that it is only necessary to listen with an open mind to the name of Krishna from the lips of a bona fide devotee. As soon as Krishna enters the listening ear, he clears up the vision of the listener so that he no longer has any ambition of ever acting the part of a reformer of any other person, because he finds that nobody is left without the very highest guidance. It is therefore his own reform, by the grace of God, whose supreme necessity and nature he is increasingly able to realize, by the eternally continuing mercy of the Supreme Lord.<br /></p></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:85%;">-- From <i>The Harmonist</i>, May 1932, issue number 11. Article originally titled, "Sree Chaitanya in South India". Pages 325-326.<p></p></span><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Comments</span><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><p>Krishna says we should act according to our sva-dharma. He says if we try to do someone else’s work (even if we can do better) then we are putting ourselves into danger. For us, “sva-dharma” is following guru’s instructions. If guru tells us to create a revolution, then we must. If guru tells us to be an authority and instruct others, then we must. However, if we don't have such sanction then we have no right to self-appoint ourselves as judges and jihadis against whoever we deem to be offenders. Padma Purana says if we don't act according to sastra we will simply create a disturbance. And what is the sastric injunction?</p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><p></p><blockquote><i>aśraddadhāne vimukhe ’py aśṛṇvati<br />yaś copadeśaḥ śiva-nāmāparādhaḥ</i></blockquote></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><p>Preaching to those who don't have faith or who are reluctant to hear from you is an offense to the holy name.</p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><p>Mahaprabhu taught if someone has faith in us and requests our opinion, we should speak. But if they don't have faith and don't ask, better be silent. Before Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and Prakashananda Saraswati, Mahaprabhu was quiet until they asked for his opinion. Only after they requested him, did he speak, and then he spoke like a bullet -- no compromise.</p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><p>If we are conditioned souls then we are not the seers we are the seen. We cannot say who is good or bad. We should do whatever Krishna has given us to do.</p> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><p>If we found out that some temple presidents were stealing money, how many devotees would respect them? Now what if we discovered they were also having illicit sex with others wives? What if we found out they had killed brahmanas, had even killed cows, and broken deities and temples? Who would respect such persons?</p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><p>But what if these rascals were eternal associates of the Lord, and those heinous acts were their service to the Lord? What if their names were Jaya/Vijaya-Hiranyakasipu/Hiranyaksa-Ravana/Kumbhakarna?</p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><p>What about someone who supported Duryodhan and tried to kill Krishna, Arjuna and the pandavas? Could we accept him as a leader, a great devotee, a mahajana?</p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><p>What if his name was Bhishmadev?</p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><p>We are not the seers.</p></span></p> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-size:11;color:black;" ><p>As for me, I’m not going to start distributing guns for the revolution, until Krishna or his representative appear before me and give clear instructions to do so. As for the many Don Quixote’s in this world, let them battle with their windmills; my personal role in the reform movement is doing what I’ve been instructed to do. -- MD</p></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r6_LI2JB-p9fRy1BNSE7Q28lUP9ZGXDUZtxgCp5A0EWDcCNxqiein-m4b4mb7MKCIM0aYkG-ThrfoXEk0gxGp43aoGdvCw5jaKdQQiJUh_TY6d8sV7s4bFlA7fgAddNUYRe9/s1600-h/Don+Quixote.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r6_LI2JB-p9fRy1BNSE7Q28lUP9ZGXDUZtxgCp5A0EWDcCNxqiein-m4b4mb7MKCIM0aYkG-ThrfoXEk0gxGp43aoGdvCw5jaKdQQiJUh_TY6d8sV7s4bFlA7fgAddNUYRe9/s320/Don+Quixote.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231314202052854354" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-size:11;color:black;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></div></div>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-29491529770618422982007-09-16T21:09:00.000-07:002008-09-04T23:53:55.714-07:00Sadhana and CharacterThis morning's meditation.<br /><br />It is said:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">sādhu-saṅge kṛṣṇa-nāma ei mātra cāi<br />saṁsāra jinite āra kono vastu nāi</span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br />"Other than sadhu-sanga and the name of Krishna, nothing else is needed to cross over the ocean of birth and death."<br /><br />The holy name is not dependent on anything, even sadhana. It is effective at any time and any place. It is not that it will only act if chanted a certain number of times or at a certain time of the day.<br /><br />Similarly, sadhana is not an absolute requirement in getting the mercy of sadhu-guru. Mahaprabhu blessed the animals in the Jarikhanda forest, and Narada Muni blessed the hunter Mrigari. What sadhana were they doing to justify getting such mercy?<br /><br />What then is the necessity of having strict daily practices in our sadhana?<br /><br />What we do affects our consciousness. Similarly, our consciousness makes our character. Therefore maintaining strict daily sadhana will build our character and thereby give us qualification for getting bhakti.<br /><br />As Aristotle said: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-67615470236693799212007-09-14T05:44:00.000-07:002008-09-05T00:07:20.645-07:00Kirtana is Not for Our Prestige<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IwP_D11dhvn-bzeH1l8XE2bVCV4UAvxXw8UrFvnLqwTV3TeptN4p2S5FCksc51kOnkI8sHwg_p0ETggfH5M82oOiyLn3Sl5xPsYIth3ghkhgEo4mDLZb-qUFBrKVcP0nkkni/s1600-h/SGGS_draw2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IwP_D11dhvn-bzeH1l8XE2bVCV4UAvxXw8UrFvnLqwTV3TeptN4p2S5FCksc51kOnkI8sHwg_p0ETggfH5M82oOiyLn3Sl5xPsYIth3ghkhgEo4mDLZb-qUFBrKVcP0nkkni/s320/SGGS_draw2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231668083220167746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The following is a poem that we recently wrote for our Guru Maharaja's </span>Vyasa-puja.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Kīrtana Udeśya Pratiṣṭhā Nāhi</span></span><br /></div><div style="font-family:arial;"><div style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span></span></div> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >A circus of devotion<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 153);font-family:verdana;" >- - - - </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >guru-bhakti</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" > on my sleeve<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Proclaiming, “I’m </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >sat-śiṣya</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >”<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 153);font-family:verdana;" >- - - -</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >But mere costumes don’t succeed<br /><br /></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >The sun will not be revealed<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 153);font-family:verdana;" >- - - -</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >by the glow of my torchlight<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Krishna’s chosen son, self-effulgent and so bright</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 153);font-family:verdana;" >- - - -</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Obvious without my self-appointed jihad</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" ><br />Our legs and the ground,</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" > sei mata sāra<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 153);font-family:verdana;" >- - - -</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Forever-blind boy, first glimpse of a star<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Your pleasure is the ointment to see<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 153);font-family:verdana;" >- - - -</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >deha prema-dhana</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >. Yours, eternally</span> <span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" ><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">śríla gurudeva seva-prārthī,<br /></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-family:verdana;" >Madhavananda Das and Krishna Kund Dasi<br />===================</span> </span> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Some devotees have asked us about the meaning of this poem. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">kīrtana udeśya pratiṣṭhā nāhi</span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span></span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This title is in Oriya language: <span style="font-style: italic;">"kīrtana</span>, or glorification is not for our prestige" </span><o:p style="font-weight: normal; font-family: verdana;"></o:p><br /></p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" ><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A circus of devotion</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- - - - guru-bhakti on my sleeve</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Proclaiming, “I’m sat-śiṣya”</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">Displaying one’s devotion for the sake of self-prestige is distasteful. Many persons speak about how rare it is to find a bona-fide guru and simultaneously often advertise themselves as the disciple of such a guru.<br /><br />However, our Guru Maharaja used to say that it is more difficult to find a bona-fide disciple than it is to find a bona-fide guru. There is a Bengali </span><span style="font-size:100%;">saying</span><span style="font-size:100%;">: <span style="font-style: italic;">guru mile lakhe lakhe śiṣya mile eka</span> -- "There are thousands and thousands of bona-fide gurus, but it is very difficult to find even one bona-fide disciple."</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">But mere costumes don't succeed</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br />Just dressing up as a disciple won't give me success. Another meaning of succeed is "successor". With that meaning, we could say, "just posing or dressing as a disciple doesn't make one a successor or inheritor of the guru's transcendental wealth.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" ><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The sun will not be revealed</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> by the glow of my torchlight</span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" ><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:100%;">Krishna's representative, Sri Guru is not revealed by the sensory activities of a conditioned soul.</span><br /><br /><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ></span></p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Krishna's chosen son, self-effulgent and so bright </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br />Sri Guru is revealed by Krishna, through the guru's own self-effulgence.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" ><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Obvious without my self-appointed jihad</span><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Genuine service means acting according to the instructions of guru and Krishna without adding to or subtracting from them. Receiving such an instruction, one has <span style="font-style: italic;">adhikāra </span>or qualification to act. Krishna says in <span style="font-style: italic;">Bg.</span> 3.35:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇah para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">sva-dharme nidhanaṁ śreyah para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ</span><br /><br />It is far better to act according to the order we have received, even though faultily, than to do another's duties even if perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one's own duty is better than engaging in another's duties, for to follow another's path is dangerous.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">If we take it upon ourself to reveal the position of Krishna's representative (or try to coerce others into accepting what we see as his position) we are subtly saying that we are also on a very high platform. Such self-appointed "preaching" is like that of the Islamic fundamentalists who take to terrorism in the name of defeating the "heretics", and spreading their faith. They call this "jihad", today's common meaning of which is "holy war".</span></span><o:p></o:p><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" ><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Our legs and the ground, sei mata sāra</span></span> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal">In his article entitled, "Associates of Sri Chaitanya", (printed in the magazine, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sadhu-sanga the Birthplace of Bhakti</span>) Srila Saraswati Thakur writes:<br /></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">"The cognitive faculty of the individual soul can have no ground to stand upon unless the divinity Himself condescends to be the legs as well as the ground on which he is to stand to function at all. This function of the divinity is performed by the guru."</span><br /></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal">We have no cognitive ability to perceive Krishna or guru. We have no ability to do anything spiritual without the help of Krishna. Understanding this, Krishna comes in the form of Sri Guru, who is thus both our legs and the ground. How does Sri Guru provide this function? "<span style="font-style: italic;">sei mata sāra</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Cc. ādi </span>12.10) -- his instructions are the essence of our spiritual life.<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" > </span></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Forever-blind boy, first glimpse of a star</span></span> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal">Our Guru Maharaja described how all the conditioned souls in this world are blind. He said that we are not the seers, the seer is Sri Guru and our position is to be the seen. He described how this blindness or conditioned nature has been there so long the date of its origin cannot be calculated. Without the mercy of Sri Guru that blindness will never go -- in that sense it is "forever".<br /></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal">He often told a story about a blind boy, who, based on his limited sense perception, thinks that there is no such thing as the sun (or that he can understand the sun with his senses). We are such eternally blind persons, proud and foolish, thinking that we understand the nature of the sun, even though we are blind. However, by the mercy of Sri Guru, even such a proud blind boy, can begin to get a glimpse of the sun (a star).<o:p></o:p></p> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" ><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Your pleasure is the ointment to see</span></span> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal">"The ointment to see" is ecstatic love<span style="font-style: italic;">: premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti </span>(<span style="font-style: italic;">Brahma-saṁhitā</span> 5.38). Pleasing the guru through faithfully serving his instructions is the way to get that ointment.<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" > <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">deha prema-dhana. Yours, eternally</span></span> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal">Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu prayed to Krishna, "<span style="font-style: italic;">d</span><span style="font-style: italic;">eha prema-dhana</span> -- please give me ecstatic love for you" (<span style="font-style: italic;">Cc. antya</span> 20.37). Service to guru is everything. A sincere disciple's prayer is to get that service. The only payment we want for our efforts is <span style="font-style: italic;">kṛṣṇa-premā</span>. If we obtain that <span style="font-style: italic;">prema</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">prema bhakti yāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa yāte</span>) then our ignorance will go and we can truly say that we are eternally the servant of our guru (<span style="font-style: italic;">janme janme prabhu se</span>).<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">śríla gurudeva seva-prārthī,</span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Desiring that service of Srila Gurudeva, this poem was composed.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <span style="font-size:78%;">-- Above drawing of Srila Gour Govinda Swami by Anuradha Dasi</span><br /></div>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-1156828514661396082006-08-28T22:00:00.000-07:002006-10-17T02:42:46.350-07:00Hide Your Guru<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/1600/Sadhu.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/400/Sadhu.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:Balaram;">Hide Your Guru<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <p style="text-align: center;" class="Author"><span style="font-variant: normal ! important;font-family:Balaram;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">By Madhavananda Das<br /></span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left;" class="Author"><span style="font-style: italic;">The following article was something that we wrote for issue number 16 of </span>Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu.<br /><span style="font-variant: normal ! important;font-family:Balaram;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 14.15pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >In <i>Hari-bhakti-vilasa,</i> verse 2.147, Srila Sanatan Goswami quotes <i>Sammohana-tantra:</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5.65pt 0in 0.0001pt 22.7pt; text-indent: -11.35pt; line-height: 12.2pt;"><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >gopayed devatam istam gopayed gurum atmanah<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 5.65pt 22.7pt; text-indent: -11.35pt; line-height: 12.2pt;"><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >gopayec ca nijam mantram gopayen nija-malikam<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 12.2pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >One should hide one’s <i>ista-deva,</i> one should hide one’s guru, one should hide one’s <i>mantra, </i>and one should hide one’s <i>japa-mala</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in; line-height: 13.3pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Wise persons keep their valuables in a confidential place. Similarly, an intelligent <i>sadhaka</i> does not advertise his or her guru, nor do they broadcast themselves as disciples of their guru. Considering themselves as low, fallen, and unfit to be considered disciples, sincere devotees do not want to advertise who their guru is. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt; line-height: 13.3pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami has illustrated the mood of a devotee and disciple:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5.65pt 0in 4.25pt 31.2pt; line-height: 12.2pt;"><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >jagai madhai haite muni se papistha<br />purisera kita haite muni se laghistha<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 5.65pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 12.2pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >I am more sinful than Jagai and Madhai and even lower than the worms in stool. (<i>Cc. adi </i>5.205)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Similarly, Thakur Bhaktivinode has stated:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 12.2pt;" align="center"><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >garhita acare, <span style=""> </span>rahilama maji’,<br />na karinu sadhu-sanga<br />laye sadhu-vesa,<span style=""> </span>ane upadesi,<br />e bada mayara ranga<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4.25pt 11.35pt 5.65pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 12.2pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Remaining absorbed in abominable activities, I never kept company with sadhus<i>. </i>Now I adopt the garb of a sadhu and act out the role of instructing others. This is <i>maya’s</i> big joke. (<i>Saranagati</i> 7.3)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Although Thakur Bhaktivinode had so much association with elevated <i>vaisnavas,</i> including his <i>siksa-guru </i>Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaja, he did not flaunt that. Rather, he considered that, <i>na karinu sadhu-sanga</i> — “I have never had association with sadhus”. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >The essential principle in being a disciple is to follow the order of the guru. Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami has described:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4.25pt 0in 4.25pt 39.7pt;"><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >acaryera mata yei, sei mata sara<br />tanra ajna langhi’ cale, sei ta’ asara<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 5.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >The order of the spiritual master is the active principle in spiritual life. Anyone who disobeys the order of the spiritual master immediately becomes useless. (<i>Cc. adi</i> 12.10)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51pt; text-indent: -11.35pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Similarly, it is stated in the <i>Raghu-vamsa:<br /><o:p></o:p></i></span><br /><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >sa susruvan matari bhargavena<br /> pitur niyogat prahrtam dvisad-vat<br />pratyagrhid agraja-sasanam tad<br /> ajna gurunam hy avicaraniya<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4.25pt 11.35pt; text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Being ordered by his father, Parasuram killed his mother, Renuka, just as if she were an enemy. When Lakshman, the younger brother of Lord Ramachandra, heard of this, He immediately engaged Himself in the service of His elder brother and accepted His orders. The order of the spiritual master must be obeyed without consideration. (verse 14.46, quoted in <i>Cc. madhya </i>10.145)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode has described that there are two types of disciples, the <i>antarmukha-sisyas</i> and the <i>bahirmukha-sisyas</i>. <i>Antarmukha </i>literally means “inward-facing”. It refers to someone who is introspective. <i>Bahirmukha </i>literally means “outward-facing”, and refers to someone who is absorbed in external things. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Antarmukha-sisyas </span></i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >are desirous of bringing pleasure to their guru. Their focus is on following the guru’s instructions. The <i>antarmukha-sisyas</i> practice <i>gopayed gurum atmanah</i>. They keep their guru and their relationship with him confidential. An <i>antarmukha-sisya</i> is not interested in advertising himself as a disciple of his guru, but prefers to follow the guru’s instructions. His meditation is to try to understand what will please his guru. The <i>antarmukha-sisya </i>is <i>anartha-mukta-avastha,</i> he is free from <i>anarthas. </i>His vision of guru is known as <i>sevya-darsana. </i>He sees that guru should be served and pleased.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Bahirmukha-sisyas</span></i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" > are disciples who practice the opposite of <i>gopayed gurum atmanah</i>. They are absorbed in advertising their guru and in making a show of themselves as being big or intimate disciples. Such a disciple is also known as <i>guru-giri,</i> or one who makes a business out of guru and one’s relationship with guru. They are not absorbed in the inner intention of guru. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur has described persons who act on such an external platform as <i>dharmadhvajis</i> (“religion flag-wavers”), meaning those who make a hypocritical or pretentious show of religiosity. <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt; line-height: 13.1pt;"><span style=";font-family:Rama-Palatino;font-size:11;" > </span><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Following the logic of <i>atmavan manyate jagat</i> (everyone thinks like I do), the <i>bahirmukha-sisyas </i>consider that their guru thinks like they do. Because they are motivated by the desires for fame and adoration they think that their guru also wants such things. The <i>bahirmukha-sisyas </i>are <i>anartha-yukta-avastha, </i>they have <i>anarthas, </i>material desires, in their hearts. Because of those <i>anarthas </i>they only see guru in terms of their own pleasure. This vision is known as <i>bhogya-darsana. </i>They think that making a big show of devotion will impress their guru and enable them to come close to their guru. Their idea of <i>guru-bhakti </i>is to loudly proclaim to the world, <i>amar guru jagad-guru </i>— “My guru is the best or the only one and any other guru is lesser.” They think that such publicizing will please their guru. Neglecting or minimizing their guru’s instruction regarding the worship of </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >, the <i>bahirmukha-sisyas </i>place more emphasis on worshiping their spiritual master. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt; line-height: 13.1pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >In the histories of all the major religions of the world it is commonly seen that the followers prefer to worship the guru, prophet, or founder rather than follow the instructions of that prophet to worship the Lord (who is unseen and unknown to them). Srila Prabhupada addressed this topic on a morning walk in </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Bombay</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" > on </span><st1:date year="1974" day="29" month="3"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >29 March 1974</span></st1:date><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" > when some devotees mentioned to him that some of the followers of Swami Narayan were chanting the name of their guru instead of </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >’s name:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 5.65pt 11.35pt 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Devotee:</span></b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" > In </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >England</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" > they are chanting, “Swami Narayan,” not “</span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >”.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Prabhupada:</span></b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" > Just see.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 0.0001pt;"><b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Indian man (1):</span></b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" > No, they are also <i>Krishna-bhaktas</i>.<br /><b>Devotee:</b> How are they, if they are chanting Swami Narayan’s name?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Indian man (1):</span></b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" > They actually work for the </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" > only, and they...<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Prabhupada:</span></b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" > No, no. </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" > recommends <i>sastra, harer nama, harer nama, harer namaiva kevalam</i>. So why they should chant “Swami Narayan”? ... In the <i>Bhagavad-gita</i> it is said, <i>satatam kirtayanto mam </i>— </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >. Why should one chant any other name? </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" > says <i>satatam kirtayanto mam</i>. Hare Krishna. Not any other name.... But they are chanting “Swami Narayan.” They’re saying Swami Narayan is better than </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >. What kind of preaching is this? ... This is nonsense. People will go to the temple and the preacher will say that Swami Narayan’s name should be chanted....<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Indian man (2):</span></b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" > Swami is their guru and Narayan is God, so both, Prabhupada and </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >, Prabhupada and </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >, Prabhupada Krishna...<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Prabhupada:</span></b><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" > But that does not mean they should chant [like that]. Just like, we are not instructing our disciples to chant my name, “Bhaktivedanta Swami, Bhaktivedanta Swami.” No. They’re chanting Hare Krishna. <i>hari-tvena samasta-sastrair uktah</i> — “Guru is respected as good as </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >.” But that does not mean I shall teach them to go and chant my name, “Bhaktivedanta Swami, Bhaktivedanta Swami, Bhaktivedanta Swami.” What is this? We are teaching, “Chant Hare Krishna.” <i>Harer nama, harer nama</i>... <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 4.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >— Srila Prabhupada morning walk, </span><st1:date year="1974" day="29" month="3"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >29 March 1974</span></st1:date><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >, </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Bombay</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt; line-height: 13pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Although the <i>antarmukha-sisyas, </i>who follow the instructions of guru, get the full blessings of guru, the <i>bahirmukha-sisyas </i>do not get the proper result. In this connection Srila Jagadananda Pandit has written:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4.25pt 0in 4.25pt 31.2pt; line-height: 11.9pt;"><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >gorara ami gorara ami mukhe balile na cale<br />torara acara gorara vicara laile phala phale<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 2.85pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 11.9pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >It is not enough to repeatedly advertise that one is a devotee of Mahaprabhu by saying, “I am Gaura’s! I am Gaura’s!” Rather, those who follow the practices taught by Mahaprabhu are understood to get the results of being the Lord’s follower. — <i>Prema-vivarta </i>8.6<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt; line-height: 12.9pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Sometimes we see that bona fide spiritual masters allow themselves to be advertised in order to preach. However, this is done in service to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Such personalities are not materially desirous of receiving prestige from their disciples. The <i>daksina,</i> gift, that the guru wants is <i>jnana-sandesah — </i>the sincere search for spiritual knowledge (<i>Bhag. </i>11.19.39). <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt; line-height: 12.9pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >As the ideal guru, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us how to please the spiritual master. Mahaprabhu instructed His followers:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2.85pt 0in 5.65pt 45.35pt;"><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >yadi ama prati sneha thake sabakara<br />tabe Krishna-vyatirikta na gaibe ara<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 4.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >If you really love me, then you should love My instructions: Don’t think of anything but </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >. Don’t utter any name but </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >. (<i>Caitanya-bhagavat madhya </i>8.27)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Understanding that his spiritual master is always with </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >, the <i>antarmukha</i>-<i>sisya</i> knows that by chanting </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Krishna</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >’s name he will come closer to his guru. In the <i>Vamana-kalpa</i>, Lord Brahma explains:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4.25pt 0in 4.25pt 11.35pt;"><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >yo mantrah sa guruh saksad yo guruh sa harih svayam<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 4.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >One should understand that the <i>mantra</i> one has received from the guru is identical with the guru and that the guru is identical with Lord Hari. (cited in Srila Jiva Goswami’s <i>Bhakti-sandarbha, anuccheda </i>237.8)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Srila Rupa Goswami has described:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 4.25pt 0in 4.25pt 14.15pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><i><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >atha guroh sri-pada-dvandva-bhaktim <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 11.35pt 4.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:10;" >The holy name gives devotion to the <i>guru</i>. (<i>Padyavali</i> text 24)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Historically, the <i>sadhu-samaja,</i> the society of saintly <i>vaisnavas,</i> has never been impressed with mere external shows of devotion. They are moved, however, when they see the genuine <i>vaisnava </i>humility and other good qualities that have manifest in a devotee due to that devotee’s dedication to the instructions and <i>bhajan</i> given by guru (<i>guru-nistha</i>). Hence, introspective devotees prefer to keep their guru hidden and glorify him by exhibiting exemplary behavior. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt; line-height: 13.6pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >For some devotees, pushing their guru is an easy way to avoid facing the reality of their own lack of advancement. They want respect, and they think it is easier for them to get it by broadcasting themselves as a disciple of a great personality than for themselves to manifest the qualities of a <i>vaisnava</i>. However, this kind of cheating mentality will never attract the attention of saintly persons<i>.</i> They are not impressed with whom we have taken initiation or instructions from. Rather, they want to see what is our own level of realization.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt; line-height: 13.6pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >Since such neophytes equate the showing of respect to themselves with the showing of respect to their guru, when they become chastised or fail to receive the honor and recognition they want, they accuse the devotees, “You have offended my guru!” In this way, Kali, the personification of this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, is able to enter the movement of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and cause dissension, distracting them from their real business of chanting and distributing the holy names.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.15pt; line-height: 13.6pt;"><span style=";font-family:Balaram;font-size:11;" >So Srila Sanatan Goswami’s instruction <i>gopayed gurum atmanah — </i>“One should hide one’s guru” — is advising devotees to go deeper in their relationship with guru by basing that relationship on following the instructions about service and <i>bhajan</i> that their guru has given.</span><span style="font-family:Balaram;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-1154194318928163552006-07-29T10:28:00.000-07:002006-07-29T11:00:52.666-07:00Bitches Always Bark and Witches Always Howl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/1600/moon3.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/400/moon3.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><span id="mem"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i>It's been several months since I posted any blogs. I intend to start doing so regularly again. Beginning with the following poem that I wrote for a friend recently who has been having troubles with some critics at their office. I thought some of you might also like it.</i></span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Bitches always bark,<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >and vicious witches always howl.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Donkeys always chew the chewed,</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >and never think of how.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >How they came to be,</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >and who they are,</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >and what's the meaning of it all.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" ><br />Our life is meant for contemplation,</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >something higher and profound.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Pleasure can be had by all,</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >men, women, birds, and beasts.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >What distinguishes the humans</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >is potentiality for peace.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Animals will always fight</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >backbite n seek limelight:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >"BIG DOG ON THE BLOCK".</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >A wise person, like the Moon</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >is steady n illuminating.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Not like flashy shooting stars</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >that come and go so fast.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Don't pay heed to barking dogs</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >vicious witches and the like.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >Let your short life's caravan go on,</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >live life for yourself my friend</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >-- and don't ever compromise.</span>Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-1138541274073807212006-01-29T05:19:00.000-08:002006-01-29T05:41:47.723-08:00Addendum to "The Housewive's Lament"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/1600/Radheeee%20Syama.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/400/Radheeee%20Syama.1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Krishnarati Dasi in North Carolina sent us the following Krishna conscious addition to the Housewives Lament:<br /><br />One day I was walking<br />I heard a rejoicing<br />I saw a happy woman<br />The picture of bliss.<br />In her hands were some beads<br />and these were her words<br />So fortunately I didn't miss:<br /><br />"O life was a toil,<br />And love was a trouble<br />Beauty did fade and riches did flee<br />But when Krishna appeared<br />He burst maya's bubbles<br />And now everything's sweeter<br />Than I could wish it to be!"<br /><br />(Apologies for that not-quite right-rhyming!)Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20210027.post-1138540773282426752006-01-29T05:03:00.000-08:002006-01-29T05:38:05.753-08:00The Housewife's LamentMahashakti just sent us this. This material world is definitely not a very nice place.<br /><br /><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:180%;" >The Housewife's Lament </span><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">by Vera Johnson<br /><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/1600/Old%20British%20Cleaning%20Picture.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/320/Old%20British%20Cleaning%20Picture.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />1. One day I was walking,<br />I heard a complaining,<br />I saw a poor woman<br />The picture of gloom.<br />She gazed at the mud<br />On her doorstep ('twas raining),<br />And this was her song<br />As she wielded her broom:<br /><br />/Chorus:<br />/"O life is a toil,<br />And love is a trouble,<br />Beauty will fade<br />And riches will flee,<br />Wages will dwindle<br />And prices will double<br />And nothing is as I<br />Would wish it to be."<br /><br />2. "There's too much of worriment<br />Goes to a bonnet,<br />There's too much of ironing<br />Goes to a shirt.<br />There's nothing that pays for<br />The time you waste on it,<br />There's nothing that lasts us<br />But trouble and dirt.<br />/Chorus:/<br /><br />3. "In March it is mud,<br />It's slush in December,<br />The midsummer breezes<br />Are loaded with dust.<br />In fall the leaves litter,<br />In muddy September<br />The wallpaper rots<br />And the candlesticks rust.<br />/Chorus:/<br /><br />4. "There are worms on the cherries<br />And slugs on the roses,<br />And ants in the sugar<br />And mice in the pies.<br />The rubbish of spiders<br />No mortal supposes,<br />And ravaging roaches<br />And damaging flies.<br />/Chorus:/<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/1600/Advert%20For%20Jeye%27s%20Disinfectants.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/320/Advert%20For%20Jeye%27s%20Disinfectants.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />5. "It's sweeping at six<br />And i's dusting at seven,<br />It's victuals at eight<br />And it's dishes at nine.<br />It's potting and panning<br />From ten to eleven.<br />We scarce break our fast<br />Till we plan how to dine.<br />/Chorus:/<br /><br />6. "With grease and with grime<br />From corner to centre,<br />Forever at war<br />And forever alert.<br />No rest for a day<br />Lest the enemy enter,<br />I spend my whole life<br />In the struggle with dirt.<br />/Chorus:/<br /><br />7. "Last night in my dreams<br />I was stationed forever,<br />On a far distant rock<br />In the midst of the sea.<br />My one task of life<br />Was a ceaseless endeavor,<br />To brush off the waves<br />As they swept over me.<br />/Chorus:/<br /><br />8. "Alas! 'Twas no dream -<br />Ahead I behold it,<br />I see I am helpless<br />My fate to avert!"<br />She lay down her broom,<br />Her apron she folded.<br />She lay down and died<br />And was buried in dirt.<br />/Chorus:/<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/1600/Women%20Pounding%20and%20Cleaning.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5088/2020/320/Women%20Pounding%20and%20Cleaning.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">PHOTO CREDITS<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Picture one:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Advertisement For Jeye's Disinfectants. </span><br />From the British Library<br />Medium; Print on paper<br />Genre; Leaflet<br />Printer; Unknown, British<br />Circa 1870<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Picture two:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Advertisment for Goddard's Cleaning Materials</span><br />From the British Library<br />Medium; Print on paper<br />Genre; Leaflet<br />Printer; Unknown, British<br />Circa 1800s<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Picture three:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Women pounding and cleaning rice in Madras</span><br />From the British Library<br />Photographer; Nicholas and Curths<br />Circa 1870Madhavananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11067266134383406539noreply@blogger.com0