Ajita Krishna Dasa: Quite a few atheists suggest that the universe could have created itself and therefore does not need a God as an explanation for its existence. The famous New Atheist Daniel Dennett makes this claim in his book "Breaking the Spell".

Satyahit das: Apparently some temples spend 1000's of dollars weekly on flowers for the deities which are shiped from Columbia. For a couple thousand dollars a permanet 1st class green house may be established for growing flowers, vegetables ,herbs, and all sorts of Krsna's gifts to us.

Dulal Chandra dasa: The once caring ’60’s generation now wiles away in their material comfort heaven, counting their 401Ks’ and planning on retirement in the Bahamas, all the while ignoring lost liberties, corporate and governmental corruption, and a environmental catastrophe that is destroying Mother Earth.

Only need a username and password to edit the BG tags for the portable version, please ask for it if you want to help.

http://www.iskcontech.com/portablegita

3 mins video howto:

http://www.pariprashnena.com/portablescreen.mov

A fanciful landlord once became very anxious to see the sun in a new-moon night sky. The flattering sycophants of the landlord said, "When you, our lord, desires, it must be fulfilled. We should set up in this world such an exemplary deed so that everyone will glorify you and follow the same example."

Flattering thus, one of the sycophants brought in a huge lantern and held it up towards the sky, saying, "Look here, my lord, can you see the sun?"

Two other sycophants then pleaded, "The sun cannot be seen in such a little amount of light from one lantern. Let us arrange for ten thousand candles and power lighting."

So even that was arranged for, as the landlord desired. Some of the scientific-minded friends of the landlord made an attempt to show the sun to the landlord with the help of powerful electric lighting arrangement. But all such efforts made by the scientists concerned were simply in vain.

Then a considerate person who was present there explained to the landlord that he could never see the sun in the night even if all the electric lighting arrangements in the world were assembled together -it would simply be a wastage of power, money and time. So, he must wait till sunrise to see the sun. Only with the help of sunshine can one see the sun. The sun can never be seen with the help of any other artificial light.

Explanation

Similarly, every attempt of the scientists, archaeologists, and other people under illusion, to see and realize the eternal form of the transcendental Supreme Lord, full of bliss and knowledge, with the help of so-called mundane knowledge acquired through material senses and speculative reasoning, is only self-deceiving.

As the sun can never be seen in the night even with the help of hundreds of artificial lighting arrangements, similarly, the constitutional form of Lord Sri Hari and the spiritual master and the Vaisnavas is never visible through hundreds of attempts with the help of so-called mundane knowledge acquired by the material senses of the living entities.

As the sun is visible only in the sunlight, realization of the truly constitutional forms of Lord Sri Hari, guru or the Vaisnava, will only be possible under their mercy. The spiritual master can not be assessed through a slighted understanding. Any living being conditioned under illusionary mentality can not make a proper assessment of Lord Krsna, the Supreme Controller of illusion and of the real Vaisnava who is conversant with Krsna Consciousness.

by: Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada

gauranitaidas.com

Istagosthi avatás előtt néhány nappal, 2008. május 6-án Budapesten. 3/3. rész.

Korábbi részek: 3/2. és 3/1.

• Csak az okoz szenvedést a lelki tanítómesternek, ha valaki az általa megfogadott szabályokat nem tartja be, vagy az is ha nem jár a reggeli programra vagy más kötelességeinek nem tesz eleget?
• A japázásról és az éneklésről.
• Hogyan tud a tanítvány személyes kapcsolatra törekedni a lelki tanítómesterrel?

Vyasa-puja post-kirtan lecture in New Vraja-dhama:

• The simple position of servant is the most relishable.
• The identity of “spiritual master” is only acceptable because it’s service that Krishna wants.
• We need to be reminded that we are an eternal servant and to reawaken the propensity to serve.
• The women in this movement are performing as much service, if not more, than great personalities in our tradition.
• This movement is created for Vaisnava seva.
• Srila Prabhupada glorified his disciples: he didn’t spare praise when it came to Vaisnavas.
• Even Prabhupada was astounded by the amount of books distributed and the service performed by the devotees.
• Krishna is judging the devotees by their service.
• There is no Kali-yuga under the shelter of Nityananda’s lotus feet: problem is that we don’t always stay there.
• Don’t judge whether someone is a big or little devotee, but how they’re serving Krishna.

the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda

This is a Japa Conference Call held on 10 May 2008.

To download the lecture, right click the download link and choose either “Save link as” or “Save target as”

This is a Japa Conference Call held on 10 May 2008. To download the lecture, right click the download link and choose either ldquo;Save link asrdquo; or ldquo;Save target asrdquo;

This year’s Vyasa-puja offerings in a pdf book form, plus the images from the book in a separate pdf document.

WASHINGTON: One way to beat the worldwide grain shortage is for meat-eaters to turn vegetarian, and the movement should start with US President George Bush, the Indian affiliate of the animal rights organization PETA has said.

read more

Sabjimata puts the "Om" back in "Shalom" with a totally kosher product line. What makes Sabjimata so kosher? There is not an ounce of treyf in my kitchen!

According to the Orthodox Union, rabbinical supervision is necessary to make sure contamination does not occur when cooking and processing food. However, the Sabjimata kitchen is a pure vegetarian kitchen; there is no contamination going on at Sabjimata's. I do, however, use dairy products (strictly cow milk ) so I would not go so far as to say that my jams are parve.

For more info on kashrut or to check out some links on Judaism and vegetarianism, visit The Jew and the Carrot.

The creation of Visrama-ghat.

Click on the image to view slideshow

See the new slideshow on the Vraja Project, and click the icon on the right for sponsorship details….and see below for new sponsors. Kattints a jobb oldalon lévő ikonra a Vraja Projekttel kapcsolatos részletekért.

Several pledges have already been made to sponsor a pavilion, and some smaller pledges have been made which, combined, will contribute to the sponsorship of one pavilion. Gracious thanks to the following devotees for their support of the Vraja Project:

Néhány pavilon már teljességében szponzorra talált, néhányan pedig kisebb adományokat adtak hozzájárulásként egy-egy pavilonhoz. Hálás köszönetünk a következõ bhaktáknak:

FULL SPONSORSHIP PLEDGES:

Abhirama Das (Hungary) 1 pavilion 5,000,000 Ft
Paramesvara Das (Hungary) 1 pavilion 5,000,000 Ft
Gadagraja Das (Hungary) 1 pavilion 5,000,000 Ft

No. 4: Varsana Pavilion

Anonymous Donor 1 pavilion 5,000,000 Ft

No. 5: Yamuna Pavilion

Anonymous Donor 1 pavilion 5,000,000 Ft

No. 6: Nandagram Pavilion

Egyed Atila & Family 1 pavilion 5,000,000 Ft

No. 7: Gokula Pavilion

B Dilraja 1  pavilion 5,000,000 Ft

PARTIAL SPONSORSHIP PLEDGES:

No. 8: Seva-kunja and Nidhuvana Pavilion

Srimati Devi Dasi & Sundarananda Dasa (Aust) $2,000 USD
Radha Shalini Devi Dasi (Aust) $2,000 USD
Anonymous Donor
(Note: This pavilion actually needs another $4000 to complete)

No. 9: Kamyavana

Gita Jayanti Proceeds and other donations

The Pope's chief astronomer says that life on Mars cannot be ruled out. Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space.

read more

Madhava in Mayapur takes on the golden complexion of Srimati Radharani…

Every day in Mayapur during Candan-yatra, Madhava sports a different color of candan. Expertly applied by pujari Kurma Caitanya prabhu, Madhava’s candan antics have become the delight of the residents of Mayapur, who eagerly await the opening of the curtains at daily darshan to see what mood He is sporting today. It brings to life Maharaja’s podcast entitled “The Colors of Prema” in January of this year (click here to listen).

Yesterday’s was the most stunning yet: a golden-complexioned Madhava drew cheers of joy from devotees, and His rainbow outfit was reflected on His legs and arms. Traditionally, Madhava’s flirt with color candan has been reserved for the final day, when He appears in His blue form. But this year Kurma Caitanya prabhu has dazzled everyone daily with his inspired expertise.

And, as usual, Nrsimhadeva’s smile grows wider and wider daily, culminating in the blissful abhiseka on Nrsimha-caturdasi…

Continuing the topic of Brahma’s manifestation from Canto 3:

• The supreme transcendence is present in matter, but unattainable through material consciousness.
• A change of consciousness is required if we are to perceive Krishna.
• When our consciousness is no longer inhibited by contact with matter, we will see the fully manifest form of transcendence.
• It requires a proper methodology to invoke the transcendental potency–that’s what the Krishna conscious process is.
• Spiritual subject matters only work through revelation; they cannot be conquered by an inferior material potency.

Want to attract birds to your garden? Then plan your menu, says the RSPB…

Tearing up crispy slices of toast and stale old crusts, spreading them out on the garden bird table then watching from the kitchen window as, one by one, a small feathery flock swoops in to peck and gulp, has always seemed a thrifty and altruistic pleasure.

Now, though, experts say that far from nourishing them, feeding bread to birds could do more damage than good.

“Bread doesn’t contain any of the vital ingredients birds need to breed and feed,” explains Val Osborne, head of wildlife enquiries at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). But they still fill up on it, then fail to eat food that would provide them with the nutrition they need to survive.

But while tossing scraps of bread to quacking ducks at the pond may no longer be considered a kindness, the good news is that there are plenty of household leftovers, from uncooked pastry to porridge oats, that you can still donate to your neighbourhood birds in good conscience. Indeed, for some birds, these scraps are an invaluable lifeline.

“We have seen a lot more goldfinches in gardens in the past year,” says Gemma Rogers of the RSPB, “and that’s largely to do with the fact that more people are putting out food.

“There’s no denying that we have a part to play in their well-being. The birds are really busy at the moment, constantly flying back and forth feeding their young, and they need energy.And during deepest winter when they can’t forage as easily, feeding them can make the difference between life and death.”

Sunflower seeds, leftover cake, jacket potatoes, millet, pinhead oatmeal, peanuts (as long as they are not salted or dry-roasted) and animal fats can all safely be given to birds.

“Don’t give them anything with added salt,” says Rogers, who adds that birds are also partial to a bit of cheese.

What sort? Camembert, cheddar, or do they prefer a nice piece of Stilton?

“I don’t think they mind, though it’s probably best if it’s a mild-flavoured cheese.

“The important thing is that it’s grated or torn into small pieces, because the birds are feeding their chicks at this time of year and they will struggle to swallow large chunks.”

What food you put out will also make a difference to the type of birds you attract. If you’d like to see the sleek inky plumage and hear the melodic song of the blackbird in your garden, it will help to put out some apple. Starlings and great tits, on the other hand, will flap hungrily to a stash of peanuts.

Of course, you can’t magic a bird out of thin air even with a pile of tempting food. But you can encourage species already in the vicinity into your garden and help them to breed by providing a steady food supply.

Any of the mesh feeders you can buy in shops are suitable to hang from a bird table or wall. Some are even contained inside a gnaw-proof metal cage to make them squirrel-proof, ensuring that the food you put in it will reach the right mouths.

A bird table with a rim, so that food doesn’t fall off it, and a drain so that it doesn’t become water-logged are also advised and, again, if squirrels are a pest you could fix an upside-down biscuit tin to the top of the post to prevent them clambering on to the table.

“Don’t leave food out for ages, because that’s asking for rats,” warns Rogers. “And don’t put too much out at once. Birds are like us - they don’t like old, mouldy food.

“The biggest mistake people make is to think birds are dustbins. They’re not. They can be quite fussy.”

Finally, a supply of water to drink and bathe in is always welcome, particularly in the summer months.

FEEDING THE BIRDS

Different birds have different tastes. Here’s how to attract some of your favourites species.

BLACKBIRDS

These popular garden warblers are keen on chopped-up apple; ground mix (a special bird food mixture containing sunflower kernels, raisins, sultanas, husk-free oats and flaked maize) which can be spread either on the bird table or directly on the ground.

BLUE TIT AND GREAT TIT

In the days of milk deliveries, the brightly coloured blue tit was often seen perching on the rim of a milk bottle, pecking at the foil top to get to the creamy milk beneath.

Little did the birds know, but this wasn’t a great move: blue tits aren’t able to digest lactose and drinking milk can give them diarrhoea.

Blue tits are particularly hungry - the average family eats 10,000 invertebrates before the chicks leave - but they can safely eat whole unsalted peanuts, peanut cake and sunflower hearts (husk-free sunflower seeds). Anything with fat in it is also good.

BLACKCAP

Named for the dark head feathers that make it look as if it has been turned upside down and dipped in a bottle of ink, this summer visitor is praised for its ‘full, sweet, deep and loud pipe’.

It thrives on peanut cake and fruit such as over-ripe strawberries or windfall apples.

ROBINS

The robin redbreast (along with song thrushes and dunnocks) loves grated cheese. Sunflower kernels are also advised if you want to attract this cheery bird to your garden.

GOLDFINCH

Oil-rich nyjer seed, otherwise known as thistle seed, is a magnet for goldfinches as well as redpolls and siskins.

Because it is very tiny, it needs a special kind of feeder so as not to slip out.

Gemma Rogers says: “Goldfinches are also drawn by teasels and thistles, which are becoming more common now that people no longer trim their lawns to within an inch of their lives.”

WRENS

“Wrens are ground-feeding birds and they like to forage,” says Rogers, “so it’s good to put food out for them in lower areas. They are one of the birds that seem to like cheese.”

They also adore crushed or grated peanuts.

COLLARED DOVE

Like pigeons and pheasants, doves feed on the ground, often in large and intimidating flocks (which puts off smaller birds, so beware). They like eating wheat and barley grains, and are partial to seed mixes.

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER

A rare sight these days: according to Mark Cocker’s Birds Britannica, there are only 27,000 pairs of this strikingly patterned bird spread across the country.

However, sightings have increased thanks to their liking for peanuts, often left out in bird-feeders.

They will also eat fatty food, particularly if it is smeared on tree trunks.

WASHINGTON: One way to beat the worldwide grain shortage is for meat-eaters to turn vegetarian, and the movement should start with US President George Bush, the Indian affiliate of the animal rights organization PETA has said.

Jumping headlong into the controversy that began with Bush’s misconstrued remarks about India’s role in the rise of food prices worldwide, PETA India has written a letter this week to the US President urging him to become a vegetarian and asking other compassionate Americans to follow his example.

How will kicking wealthy countries’ addiction to meat help feed starving people? PETA India’s letter points out that the world is already growing enough crops to feed every human being, but food that could be used to nourish starving people is instead fed to billions of chickens, pigs, and cows who are slaughtered for their flesh.

“In addition to being extremely cruel to animals, meat production is also staggeringly inefficient: It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of meat,” says PETA.

PETA, which stands for People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, also points out that although biofuel production is blamed for skyrocketing food prices worldwide, “humans’ wasteful addiction to eating animal flesh” is a far bigger culprit.

While 100 million tons of grain will be used to produce biofuel this year, “a staggering 760 million tons will be used to feed animals farmed who are destined for the dinner table,” according to the organization.

The India affiliate of the Virginia, US-based outfit said it has sent President Bush an easy-to-follow “Vegetarian Starter Kit” and a basket of tasty vegan foods “to help him embark on a healthy new diet.”

“Eating meat — more than anything else — takes desperately needed grain away from the world’s poorest people,” PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk said. “In light of the global food crisis, it’s the perfect time for President Bush to lead the fight against hunger by going vegetarian.”

Not that Bush is likely to follow the advice any time soon. The US President’s home state Texas is the nation’s leading cattle producer, and although a fitness fanatic — he works out almost daily — he is known to have a preference for meat. So have all US presidents in the past.

Despite the efforts of PETA, whose supporters include stars such as Pamela Anderson and Paul McCartney, and American Vegan Society (which was founded by Indian-American Jay Dinshaw) vegetarianism has made only slow inroads into the US, among the world’s largest meat-eating countries, and now under counter-attack from the likes of PETA for causing the world grain shortage.

The US has even had political party to espouse vegetarianism (American Vegetarian Party, founded in 1947), but it never took root, even as PETA itself was spoofed by an organization calling itself People for Eating Tasty Animals.

Only about 3 per cent of Americans (about 10 million) are vegetarian according to a 2004 poll, compared to around 30 per cent (400 million) in India.

India remains possibly the only country in the world where the question “Veg or Non-Veg?” is routinely posed to ascertain dietary preferences.

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.85.32-37 - Surrender everything to the Lord like Bali Maharaj.

Another festival kirtan

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

View Larger Map

Location: Corner of Eton St and Sleath St, Auchenflower
Date: Saturday 17th May
Time: 1 pm

There is one harmonious platform where all differences dissolve. This is participation in sankirtan, the congregational chanting of the Holy Names of the Supreme. It is the prescribed means for elevating the consciousness of the people in general. It benefits the performers and everyone who hears. It purifies the environment. It is 100 times more powerful than individual spiritual practice [source].

There are so many disturbances and imbalances in our environment today, both externally and internally. Here in Brisbane we are under level 6 water restrictions, the most restrictive ever. In recorded history Australia has never known such a drought.

The world is groaning under the burden of materialistic consciousness. We must throw it off. Now, more than ever before, the world is in need of a revolution of consciousness. This sankirtan movement has come about just for bringing about such a revolution in a misdirected civilization.

Join us! :-)

The ocean of Krishna bhakti is so unlimitedly sweet and deep that there is no limit to how much you can relish it. Here in Kaunas, Lithuania we are diving deeply into that ocean. There are unlimited waves of ecstasy in that ocean and each wave is more amazing than the wave that came before it. The key to remaining always in this ocean is not allow...

Yesterday was an Ekadasi day. Ekadasi is Sanskrit for "eleven", and the ekadasi day occurs twice in each lunar month, on the 11th day after the full moon, and the 11th day after the dark moon. On these days Vaisnava devotees fast from grains and beans.

Sometimes it can be a challenge to arrange for something to eat. Last night Prahlad and I stayed over at the local temple, to wake the Deities in the morning. We got there at 6.25 pm and all the ekadasi prasadam was gone. Luckily we were able to go back into town to Atma and get something there. We had to go back anyway to drop Stefan off at the airport for his flight to Thailand, so it worked out well.

Julia and Suvilasa cooked. Julia has been influencing the cooking lately with her Spanish styles and some unique recipes that she got from her mother.

Here's the hovering aerial shot of the whole plate - salad, potato pie, subji, and quinoa patty. The secret to simple, healthy, and tasty prasadam is in the ingredients, the consciousness of the cooks, and the sauces.

Here's the salad. You can see a marigold in there. Sometimes we bring maha-marigolds from the temple or home and add them to the salad after it's been offered.

This is a quinoa patty with a tomato and coconut sauce.

Now this was interesting - it's some kind of vegetable pie made with a layer of sweet potato and a layer of potato. Tasted at least as good as it looks.

There was also a nice dessert, a confection of coconut, nuts, and fruit. I didn't get a picture of it, but it was awesome.

So we got to eat well, and after dropping Stefan off at the airport made it back out to the temple to take rest.

To relieve that "burning of the universe" feeling... here's something about what I've been up to.

On Tuesday night Prahlad and I dropped by the Shabazz School of Self Defense, run by local Master Warrior Ali Shabazz. Ali Shabazz is also known by the name Abhilasa dasa. In addition to being a student of martial arts traditions he is also a student of the ancient Vedic spiritual tradition, and was one of the youngest of the disciples of the great world teacher Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

I shot some video for the Master Warrior for his youtube channel, and Prahlad picked up some instruction.

Prahlad will continue with his instruction, as in the future he will either practice or teach it, or both.

Here are some videos of Master Warrior Shabazz in action:

Introduction to Shabazz Defense.

Shabazz defense against a straight punch.

Hundreds of devotees from across the world packed into ISKCON’s New Vrindaban temple in West Virginia this past Mother's Day weekend for a mega devotional chanting session, or “Maha Nama-Yajna.”

read more

From Srila Prabhupada’s conversations, Morning Walk, May 11, 1975, Perth:

“Rape means without consent, sex. Otherwise there is no rape. There was a rape case in Calcutta, and the lawyer was very intelligent. He some way or other made the woman admit, “Yes, I felt happiness.” So he was released. “Here is consent.” And that’s a fact. Because after all, sex, rape or no rape, they will feel some pleasure. So the lawyer by hook and crook made the woman agree, “Yes, I felt some pleasure.” “Now, there is consent.” So he was released. After all, it is an itching sensation. So either by force or by willingly, if there is itching, everyone feels relieved itching it. That’s a psychology. It is not that the woman do not like rape. They like sometimes. They willingly. That is the psychology. Outwardly they show some displeasure, but inwardly they do not. This is the psychology.”

So here we have a choice, to accept Srila Prabhupada’s view or to concoct our own ideas based on our imperfect senses.

Although Srila Prabhupada’s words seem clear enough, IMHO, I’ll risk describing some of my own thoughts and observations. Feel free to disagree if you’re so inclined. I would argue that a one of the traumatic effects of rape is due to the fact that there is some degree of physical pleasure, and this can create substantial internal conflict for a woman. Srila Prabhupada describes the general mentality of women in many places, but what we seem to be seeing in contemporary society appears something like a gradual blending or blurring of the sexes. Men are becoming effeminate and women are becoming masculine.

It is even hard today to talk of men and women, there is so much gender confusion. A few months ago I saw an article by one “transgender” person, explaining that there are more than twenty(!) kinds of genders today. For example, in addition to normal men and women, there are gays and lesbians, hermaphrodites, genderless persons, men who take female hormones, women who take male hormones, those who surgically change sexes, and various degrees of these transgender changes. Recently I saw in the news what they said was a man who got pregnant, although actually it was a person born as a woman who got most of a sex change but without removing her female organs. I refuse to call her a pregnant man, but she looked a lot like a guy with a big beer-belly, and there is (was?) indeed a baby inside.

So a person in the body of a woman may have some of the mentality of a man, and consequently she wants to be in a dominant position. That desire is grossly violated by rape, and indeed modern academics say that rape is more about power than sex. Although the sex gives some bodily pleasure for the rape victim, as Srila Prabhupada has said, the resultant feeling is a violation of one’s sense of independence, a theft of personal power, plus shame and confusion due to the pleasure. Trying to assert her power, fighting against a more powerful rapist, can cause the woman to be injured by the act, increasing her misery. If we can accept these points as true, then it also makes sense that more traditional women, who are accustomed to not having independence, would tend not to be as harmed by rape, either physically or emotionally.  Mother Draupadi comes to mind, so surrendered that Krishna personally protected her when her husbands did not.

Of course, if some rascal takes these facts as permission to commit rape, ignoring the many, many prohibitions against illicit sex stated in Srila Prabhupada’s books, then he is sure to go to hell. Our duty in relation to women is to give them protection for their own good and for the good of society, although modern women often don’t want it. So they go out alone and sometimes get raped. Considering that they consciously put themselves at risk of rape, this can also be a reason for saying they want to get raped, in the same sense that a father sees his son run across a busy street and angrily accuses him of wanting to get hit by a car. Of course the boy doesn’t actually want to get hit by a car, but still he takes the risk, which can be said to be a desire for the consequences.

A sense of relief may also be felt due to the expenditure of sinful reactions, “I have committed a terrible sin in the past, and now finally I am being punished.” As Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita 10.38, “Among all means of suppressing lawlessness I am punishment…,” so one may expect that there is some pleasure even in punishment.

I hope that helps, but nobody should put any of it in Srila Prabhupada’s books unless he said it himself. Hare Krishna.

Please read this post on Communication and Intention before continuing here.

This morning I was finally able to articulate what has provoked rage in me over resolution 311.

Here is the logic of the resolution:

Premise A. (explicit in resolution) We have external PR issues.

Premise B. (explicit in resolution) We have internal cultural issues.

Premise C. (implicit) X

Premise D (implicit) Putting annotations in Srila Prabhupada's books is the clearly the best way / the only way to fix this.

Premise E. (implicit in resolution, explicit in Praghosa prabhu's comment - comment #6 here) We are qualified to annotate Srila Prabhupada's books.

Premise F. (implicit in resolution, explicit in Praghosa prabhu's comment - comment #6 here Any downsides to annotating are outweighed by the benefits.

Conclusion: Let's annotate.

Premise D, "annotation is the only way / the best way", has not been demonstrated, nor has sufficient due diligence been shown by the GBC on that or Premise F, "the downsides".

Premise E, "we are qualified to do it", is a cause for alarm in itself. Praghosa prabhu says:

It would seem entirely appropriate for sincere followers of Srila Prabhupada to be the ones who give the definitive explanation on any statements that might, or are being misconstrued by others.

Three things to that, accepting it as true:

1. which sincere followers of Srila Prabhupada, with which take on his teachings?
2. I don't like to have to call your qualification into doubt, here, but out of duty (and based on previous GBC performance) seriously - are you really qualified to do that?
3. Explain all you like in another book, but why change Prabhupada's book?

And this leads on to mystery Premise C, which is what grabs my gut and forces me to speak on this.

Premise C is:

Srila Prabhupada's preaching in his books is the cause of these problems

Devotees intuitively grok this in the resolution. Witness the gut reaction push-back of Pandu, who immediately comes back with (paraphrasing) - "Prabhupada's preaching isn't the problem, it's your leadership".

I also spoke to this point when I said: "It's not Prabhupada's statements but the devotees' behaviour that is the root cause."

Now, to be liberal, what the GBC is probably trying to say is:

"Public perception of what Srila Prabhupada said is contributing to our PR issues.
Devotee misapplication of what Srila Prabhupada said is contributing to our internal cultural issues."

However:

1. The resolution appears to take aim not at devotee understanding or public perception, but at Srila Prabhupada's statements;
2. The resolution is not justified or explained;
3. Vocal support from the community is coming from devotees who openly state their opinon that the resolution is good because Srila Prabhupada's statements are in fact the problem;
4. People are freaking out apart from this about the creation of "the power to annotate" and its potential for misuse, especially with no evidence of managerial competency or due diligence around it;
5. Premise D - "this is the only / the best way" has not been discussed with the alternatives that were considered presented and the reasons for their dismissal documented;

Due to these factors the impression that Srila Prabhupada's statements are in fact considered the cause is reinforced.

I have already stated that I agree that public perception is always an issue in preaching. You are necessarily presenting something new and different to people. So preaching, or relevant communication must be there.

My point again is: why not write books that create faith in people, and draw them to Srila Prabhupada's books?

If you have don't have sufficient spiritual potency to do that, then I am sorry, but I have no faith that you are qualified to do meta-commentary in his book.

About the internal cultural issues, the GBC need to own that. Even if you weren't in when it failed miserably to provide leadership and protection to the society, you still have to own it.

Here in Australia the government recently formally apologized to the indigenous people of Australia for its treatment of them [newspaper article]. Many of the people in the government weren't in it when these things happened, but they still apologize because they are in it now, and it's the same government.

Yes, we know you had no experience in leading any kind of organization, much less a society. Yes, we know you were young. Yes, we know you weren't even in a position of power at that time.

However, you are now the GBC and you have to own it. Just like the Catholic church had to own the responsibility for inaction during the Holocaust [newspaper article].

You are the post. You take the hit - don't try to pass it on to Srila Prabhupada.

I would like to see more articles like Sesa prabhu's article on "Premature Transcendence"
A Personal Reflection on Virtue and Values in the Krsna Consciousness Movement. This is the kind of brahminical leadership that we need, working down to a local level, to effect the internal culture changes that are necessary.

I restate my point - without ideal devotees, no amount of annotating is going to make a difference to these two issues, Premise A and Premise B. With ideal devotees, no amount of annotating is necessary.

One of the problems with the MacBook is that of overheating, it mainly is down to the way I use my laptops rather than using a desk I prefer to place it on my lap. This has not been a problem for the other computers I’ve used but is a major problem for the MacBook.

A number of other MacBook users have also had a similar experience, especially when video streaming or having several applications open, I have also experienced the MacBook on a number of occasions shut itself down or become amazingly slow. Yes I have tried using a desk but this does not work well as I cannot find a position I find easy to use. So have invested in a notebook cooler, which has solved the problem.

One of the other problems has been finding a set of speakers for the iPob that is good quality and reasonably priced, for those who know me will be aware that I like to have lovely bhajans playing as I fall asleep this especially helps to focus the mind as when I wake up the lovely names of Krsna are being sung just right to get you in the mood for the morning chanting.

I have found a lovely Technika Clock Radio for iPod, the sound quality from this budget device is amazing, and with sleep and wake up functions I can listen to the lovely bhajans on my iPod without having my computer on the entire time lovely. Included is a small switch to change from BST to GMT without the time consuming need to change time, a double alarm and remote.

 

Finally all the people I know who have an iPhone have had them unlocked to use on more practical networks, this is an own goal for apple, this along with the reported problems with supply which is helping the roomer of a new 3^rd generation phone on it’s way. Both O2 and Apple stores report that they cannot meet supply demands with the likes of Blackberry offering a 3G handset on more than one network, and the likes of LG and Samsung developing and offering touch screen handsets again on more than one network troubled clouds could be gathering for the iPhone

So it is interesting that Apples logic of using one preferred supplier has been ignored in Australia, this actually is more practical the wider choice of networks means that individuals could be convinced to by the iPhone many would be are put off by high network tariffs.

It appears that something has gone wrong with Apples marketing and as many analysts predicting a collapse in sales of the iPhone many are watching to see what announcements will be made in the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference this especially as Steve Jobs reportedly wishes to sell 10 million iPhones by the end of the year although as we all know Apple always has a knack of surprising everyone.

 

 

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours talking with one of the members of my Sastric Advisory Committee. He is an editor at my work and spent a number of years studying to be a rabbi. He did some editing for me on my recent op-ed piece on ISKCON News (which explains the difference from my normal voice).

During our discussion he made an interesting point.

A characteristic of an adolescent phase of maturation is to consider that the only effects of an action or a communication are those that you intend.

The other side of this is to always consider that the consequences of an action or communication necessarily reflect the intent behind it.

This is important, because I am about to lay down some smack, and I want to preface it with this.

The consequences of the announcement of resolution 311 are not necessarily the intent of the GBC. They are the very real consequences, but they may well be unforeseen ones. This is the interpretation that I am giving them, and that's part of my argument as to why the GBC is unqualified to annotate Prabhupada's books based on their ability to predict the consequences of doing so, which is the philosophical justification implicit in the resolution.

Vaisnavas are liberal and they give people the benefit of the doubt. Witness my recent interaction with Madhava Ghosh prabhu. He could have responded to the error in my commentary by saying: "Clearly you are an idiot, clearly you have evil intentions, clearly you are blinded by your puffed up pride..." or so many other things that would have resulted in a Daksa-yajna blood bath. Instead he gave me the benefit of the doubt, and as a result it became the basis for a loving exchange.

That is Vaisnavism.

My outspoken opposition to resolution 311 is a necessary duty in our society. Someone has to present the samsaya, doubt, and purva-paksa, opposing argument. This is a society, remember - not a cult. As a citizen of the society I have my civic duty. This is political participation, Vaisnava-style.

In this last week we've had complete control of the skies. It feels like the heady days of the opening months of World War Two, when the Luftwaffe had free reign over Western Europe. We've been able to strafe resolution 311 on the ground repeatedly with no opposition. This is a result of the GBC not having properly planned and executed this resolution.

However, I imagine that behind the scenes brahmanas are being engaged to fashion anti-aircraft brahmastras to defend resolution 311 and take us down.

The arguments that we are articulating and talking points that we are giving provide the framework for the GBC to prepare its justification and its response. This kind of analysis should have been done beforehand, but that's all right, because it is being done now in a transparent fashion through respectful dialog.

If I were in the administration, right now I would be firing my policy implementation strategy advisors. Of course, I'm not in the administration, and the current administration should probably be acquiring some, since they apparently have none. Policy implementation strategy advisors are wonks who tell you how to introduce something like resolution 311 strategically.

As a ksatriya you are of course blinded by the brilliance of your strategic initiative. I mean, if it weren't clearly the best thing, in fact the only way, you wouldn't be doing it, would you? Happens to me all the time when I'm leading in my small area of activity [see here].

However, you need detached brahmanas who can consider different viewpoints, and will give you advice on the best way to proceed on communicating the justification of your initiative to others. They consider and predict the response of the stakeholders of the organization.

These guys would have provided resolution 311 with some air cover.

To keep the brahmanas detached you have a separate team that works on Policy Analysis. These are the guys who should have produced the papers laying out the justification and opposing considerations for resolution 311, which the GBC should right now be laying on the table.

You have to acquire these guys, meaning acquire their advisory capacity, rather than hire them, because brahmanas don't work for pay. As soon as you're paying them, they have to tell you what you want to hear.

For my op-ed piece on ISKCON News, I acquired the advice of Krishna-kirti prabhu, who is very good at analysis. And as y'all know - Krishna-kirti is not in the business of telling Sita-pati what he wants to hear. :-)

Back in 2000 I was working at Local Government New Zealand as the Network Administrator. LGNZ is a strategic think tank, and there were policy analysts working there. They would produce reports and analysis of policy and provide this to Local Government who would then use it as input for their decision-making.

To make good decisions you need processes like this. To be credible as leadership in a society you need to be able to show that this is how you operate.

As H.H. Hanumat-presaka Swami told me: to know what to do you can do one of three things - consult a pure devotee, consult a relevant smrti-sastra for the time and place, or failing the presence of either of these consult with seven brahmanas.

Meta-commentary over, back to the issue.

I've been planting a few culinary herbs over the last month. The ground has become cooler, the heat of summer is over. Along with Sydney's ample rain, all have contributed to perfect growing conditions.

My father's patio is a bricked area, so I've once again started to plant in pots. I'm quite comfortable with this method.

The Australian coriander seeds (above) took a while to sprout, but they all appear very healthy. I'll thin them out soon. Thinning out means pulling out plants that are growing too close to other ones, by the way.

And talking of thinning out...!!! Those mustard sprouts (above) are rather congested. I just sprinkled in seed, knowing full well that almost every single mustard seed always sprouts.

Actually I will just shave off the greens when they get a little bigger, use them in salad or soup, and then dig the rest back into the soil. Great, nitrogen-rich fertiliser for my next planting.

Fresh fenugreek, known as methi, is wonderful in Indian breads. Or I could put it into salads. I was just experimenting with it, but it's a healthy crop.

The seeds for these herbs were in my spice cupboard - I use them in my cooking. I wanted to start off my growing season with sure-fire sprouters. Nothing worse than seeds that never pop their heads up.

Plus also, I planted them all at the correct phase of the moon. I find that very significant and important. Moon phase planting is a well-known and ancient art. Farmer's Almanacs have all the information.

For me, growing herbs and cooking are powerful ways of keeping the mind peaceful; and in the case of gardening, getting in touch with Mother Earth, even in a plant pot, is both grounding and uplifting.

There will be more on GBC Resolution 311 later--much later. But right now, this is news:

A divided 4-3 California Supreme Court ruled today that marriage as the union of husband and wife is unconstitutional under the California constitution. The narrow majority ruled that there is a fundamental constitutional right to same-sex marriage, and that creating civil unions as an alternative for same-sex couples amounted to a violation of the state equal protection clause. (Full text of decision available here.)

(Via IMAAP)

In the wake of a similar court-orderd redefinition of marriage in Massachussets, religious organizations have experienced significant hostility from the state goverment there--the most notable case being the closure of Catholic Charities adoption services, Boston, as the state required that Catholic Charities must not discriminate against homosexual couples seeking to adopt.

So, this is the second state where such a ruling has occurred, in an election year, no less.

Will this have an impact on ISKCON in California, which has a much larger presence there than in Massachussets? Perhaps, perhaps not. In all of the United States, there are little more than 800 devotees living in approximately 50 temples. It may be that ISKCON in North America is too insignificant to matter. But if we are significant enough, then the lesson of Catholic Charities in Boston is something we should study closely.

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Check out these bog posts to a few angles of vision of the FOI.

Rough notes from a Radhanath Swami Mother’s Day lecture:

From the big Saturday night packed house event:

Festival of Inspiration 2008 Nama-Yajna « Hare Krishna.

Impressions of a visitor:

A New Vrindavan Morning

Impressions of a resident:

VedaBase Hint: Copying Large Quotes

and

New Vrindaban Festival of Inspiration 2008

Okay these were from last year but …

Bhajans

If you know of any other links to posts about the 2008 Festival of Inspiration, please let us know.

Recently I got an order from an attorney named Erin Englebrecht from Encinatas, CA. She had this to say about my site:

While at the festival in West Virginia, I decided to conduct an unofficial poll.  I asked married people in my age group what do they attribute to their marital success.  The answers were frightening.

Watch the slideshows from Nrsimha Caturdasi and Vyasa Puja!

Nrsimha Caturdasi

Vyasa Puja

A talk with the English-speaking devotees visiting New Vraja-dhama for the festival.

In this fiery and funny talk, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman weighs in on what's wrong with the way we eat now (too much meat, too few plants; too much fast food, too little home cooking), and why it's putting the entire planet at risk.

(picture credit: cow, nuke)

The cow today is like a nuclear bomb. It is the new holocaust, threatening to destroy us all.

In the United States alone every year 10 billion animals are killed for food. If you lined them all up, they would reach the moon and back five times! With that many living entities being killed there is simply no way they can be treated ethically. Doing so also results in the second highest contribution to global warming in the world (after energy production, but ahead of transportation and residences).

In this excellent presentation at the TED conference Mark Bittman reinforces much of what I talked about in the King Corn post. It is a really compelling presentation on the importance of local food (Locavore = person who only eats local food; is the new word of year), importance of eating organic food (although it isn’t a cure-all) and the importance of eating less meat, less junk and more plants (eating plants is what makes us healthy).

He also talks a bit about the history of food. About how we got into the sorry state of far too much meat-eating we are in today.

Here is the video of the talk (much recommended!)

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada speaks in a morning walk conversation about how the position of vaishnavas is the same regardless of their social status or the type of service they render.

This Sunday, the Hare Krishna Temple will be celebrating Nrsimha Caturdasi, the appearance day of the half-lion, half-man incarnation of Lord Krishna during our weekly Sunday Feast. Festivities will begin at 6:00 pm and will include kirtan (jubilant spiritual chants), a grand abhishek (Vedic bathing ceremony) and wonderful prasadam (vegetarian feast). We are happy to welcome a very special guest, H.G. Atmarama Das, a renowned musician who will enthrall everyone with his wonderful guitar-accompanied kirtan during our celebrations. There will also be a special presentation during the program in honour of this special occasion of the appearance of Lord Nrsimha!

Festival Schedule to be posted soon!

Please join us at the Hare Krishna Temple to take part in the festivities this weekend! If you have any questions and/or comments, please feel free to write to us at toronto@pamho.net.

Check out this video.

He doesn't go far enough from the spiritual perspective but his comparison of eating meat to nuclear holocaust is pretty compelling.

The simple truth is that our civilization is on the brink of destroying itself, and unless alot of people make some serious changes we are going to be in some serious trouble.

The other consequence of animal slaughter that Bittman didn't discuss was the social consequences of such genocide.

Gorge Bernard Shaw summed it up nicely,

"We are the living graves of murdered beasts,
Slaughtered to satisfy our appetites.
We never pause to wonder at our feasts,
If animals, like men, can possibly have rights.
We pray on Sundays that we may have light,
To guide our footsteps on the path we tread.
We're sick of war,we do not want to fight-
The thought of it now fills our hearts with dread,
And yet - we gorge ourselves upon the dead.

Like carrion crows, we live and feed on meat,
Regardless of the suffering and pain
We cause by doing so, if thus we treat
Defenceless animals for sport or gain,
How can we hope in this world to attain
The PEACE we say we are so anxious for.
We pray for it, o'er hecatombs of slain,
To God, while outraging the moral law
Thus cruelty begets its offspring - WAR"

Chandan bhatia: A beautifully decorated Palanquin carrying Their Lordships Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra was paraded through the streets of Canberra City.

So many of us have heard of, and even follow closely, the experiences of Partha-Sarathi das in Iraq. Most of us haven't met him, but he has an impact on our lives nonetheless.
He inspires. Simply by being the person that he is and doing the things that he does the way he does it, he inspires. Is it not amazing that we have a devotee out in Iraq, facing death everyday, and yet remaining fixed at the lotus feet of Krsna? In such a fearful situation he puts all his faith in the holy name and just gets on with it. And he's made a couple of devotees while doing it!

I've never met him. I've seen him several times with Kadamba Kanana Swami at our Durban Rathayatra, but my husband shared a room with him last year at Rathayatra (before we were married or had even met) and was just blown away by his humility, his devotion and just the great guy that he was.

I got in touch with him this morning. I think its important that as devotees we let each other know how much they are appreciated. Its a big and important part of our vaisnava culture. In it he replied, "Thank you so much for the letter. It was very nice to read, even if the words best suit some other devotee. It is still hard for me to really grasp that I am some sort of inspiration. I am just a normal guy doing a service. unlike many other devotees in ISKCON."

And that's just it...he is just doing a service...but it's the way in which he's doing it and the people's lives that he's changing while doing it.

"For me being in Iraq is neither an austerity, nor is it a hellish condition. It is a place I ended up somehow or other, a place where I can freely give the message of Sri Caitanya to so many souls. It is not about the insurgency, it is not about supporting the current government of America. It is about following in the footsteps of great devotees and giving our hearts to all we meet. To me it is what I owe Srila Prabhupada. He gave up so much to save us. he endured so many obstacles. I am not a pure soul, I a struggling like any other soul in the material world. But by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada he has given me the gift of devotional service. To keep it to myself is miserly."
Partha-Sarathi das
19 April 2008; Iraq

ISKCON has many preachers who have preached fearlessly in the past and preachers who are fearlessly preaching right now. In South Africa alone, devotees like my Guru Maharaj, Partha-Sarathi das Goswami, Riddha Prabhu, Ramanujacarya...faced so much trouble establishing Krsna Consciousness in a country riddled by apartheid; Sarvabhavana prabhu and so many others who risked their lives to distribute books; Indradyumna Swami who faces so many obstacles with his Festival of India, and those who just go on and on preaching despite the price they pay with their health. And no doubt there are many, many more fearless warriors that I have not mentioned or even heard about.

Srila Prabhupada has spiritual soldiers and warriors that he can surely be proud of.

Thank you, to all of you, for showing us how its really done :)

P.S Check out Partha-Sarathi das's website www.battlefieldbhajans.com

Ez a legtermészetesebb kérdés, korunkban mégsincs bátorítva és megválaszolva. 2/2. rész.

Lecke a Srimad Bhagavatam 3.8.18. verséről 2008. május. 14-én Kecskeméten. 2/2. rész.

• Ha megfelelő lemondásokat végzünk, könnyen választ kaphatunk az élet nagy kérdéseire.
• Úgy tudjuk megoldani a valódi problémáinkat, ha menedékre lelünk a valódi anyánknál és a valódi apánknál.
• A modern tudománnyal egy részét tudjuk meg a valóságnak, a teljes kép ezzel a módszerrel nem érthető meg.
• Mit jelent egy vaisnava számára a szülőhazája?
• A kudarcok megszabadítanak a félreértéseinktől?

Bhagavatam class today from New Vraja-dhama (in English with Hungarian translation):

• Sri Prahlada’s appeasing Lord Nrsimhadeva.
• The perfection of Krishna consciousness is complete when one is accepted by the Lord.
• Prahlada draws from Nrsimhadeva the mood of parental affection.

• Whatever perfection one has attained through various bonafide means, still that perfection is not complete until Krishna personally reciprocates.
• As long as the material body is present, one is carrying something from the past.

"The sacrifice of the name is the highest yajna, which destroys the contamination of Kali-yuga. In order to please Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I offer this sacrifice of the Holy name."

nama cintamani-rupam
namaiva parama gatih
namnah parataram nasti
tasman nama upasmahe

"The Holy Name is a beautiful transcendental touchstone - it is the supreme goal. There is nothing higher than the Holy Name. I therefore worship the Holy Name."

By Tattvavit Dasa

Seven devotee children celebrated a special day of their own in Germany with twenty of their school friends and their friends' family members on a Sunday in May at Goloka-dhama, in Abentheuer. The event was organized so that the devotee children could have a Vedic version of their Catholic friends' First Communion ceremony.

Krishna dasa: In 2006 a film, "The Universal Teacher," appeared on the market. Therein was a sequence of video recordings on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura which were represented as originals. But, upon seeing it, many devotees expressed doubts if it was authentic.

By Bhurijana dasa

Krsna and Balarama continued to watch as the calves ate grass and drank water. Krsna approached one calf, massaged the calf's face and limbs, hugged the calf, and said in the calf's ear, "Do you want to go to your mother?

Seven devotee children celebrated a special day of their own in Germany with twenty of their school friends and their friends' family members on a Sunday in May at Goloka-dhama, in Abentheuer. The event was organized so that the devotee children could have a Vedic version of their Catholic friends' First Communion ceremony.

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