New Vrindaban Bloggers

The latest topic amongst those in ISKCON addicted to debating is the annotation of Prabhupada’s books. For those of you not familiar with the specifics, I will not provide links because a.) I am too lazy to find and include them and b.) why disturb your mind about it when you were having a perfectly fine day without worrying about it already.

I stipulate I haven’t read the GBC resolution and don’t know their specific reasons for deciding to annotate Prabhupada’s books. I am speaking only from my own perspective on the topic and neither approve nor disapprove of their method of arriving at their decision.

My first impression on reading some of the feedback is that I think that half the opposing commentators or more don’t know what annotation is, ergo I include this definition:

Main Entry: an·no·ta·tion
Function:noun
Date:15th century

1 a note added by way of comment or explanation 2: the act of annotating.

One example would be like Srimad Bhagvatam class where after reading the verse and purport, the person giving class gives a critical analysis of what has been read. An oral annotation in other words.

My premise is that the only way that Srila Prabhupada’s books can be retained in their original version is through the use of annotations. Think of Shakespeare.

He wrote hundreds of years ago and since then the English language, being very fluid, has shifted. In order to understand not only what the now archaic words meant but the cultural context and nuance of how those words were used, one would need to do an extensive study of the culture of that time.

Fortunately, qualified scholars have already done this for us so when we get stuck we can read the annotations and continue to enjoy Shakespeare as he originally wrote it.

Annotations don’t change books, they clarify points in them. Shakespeare comes in both annotated and unannotated versions. Just because an annotated version of a book exists, doesn’t mean an unannotated version can’t also exist, so there is no need to worry an annotated version of SP’s books will replace the current ones.

As language morphs, the need to annotate will become greater if the desire is there to retain Prabhupada’s books in original versions. That may seem academic now, but will be a greater need as decades slip by.

Consider the word “gay” and how its meaning has drastically changed:

Main Entry:¹gay

Function:adjective

Date:14th century

1 a: happily excited : merry <in a gay mood> b: keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits <a bird’s gay spring song>2 a: bright, lively <gay sunny meadows> b: brilliant in color3: given to social pleasures; also : licentious4 a: homosexual <gay men> b: of, relating to, or used by homosexuals <the gay rights movement> <a gay bar>

Most would agree that the 4th meaning should now be put as the first, at least in America. If it were, the old Christmas carol “Deck the Halls Boughs of Holly” would need to be annotated in scholarly quarters so it was clear that the refrain “don we now our gay apparel” wasn’t understood to be an exhortation to dress in drag.

Consider this quote from Srila Prabhupada’s original Bhagvatam:

“The Lord was then married with great pomp and gay and began to preach the Congregational chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord at Nabadwipa.”

SB 1-1962: Introduction

Do we think that SP was saying Lord Chaitanya was a homosexual? Of course not, but an annotation would be in order to clarify it.

So I personally have no problems with the concept of annotating SP’s books IF it is done by devotees who have an understanding of the principles of Vaisnava philosophy.

Dr. Schambaugh, of the University of Oklahoma School of Chemical Engineering, Final Exam question for May of 1997. Dr. Schambaugh is known for asking questions such as, “why do airplanes fly?” on his final exams. His one and only final exam question in May 1997 for his Momentum, Heat and Mass Transfer II class was: “Is hell exothermic or endothermic? Support your answer with proof.”

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle’s Law or some variant. One student, however, wrote the following:

“First, We postulate that if souls exist, then they must have some mass. If they do, then a mole of souls can also have a mass. So, at what rate are souls moving into hell and at what rate are souls leaving? I think we can safely assume that once a soul gets to hell, it will not leave.

Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for souls entering hell, let’s look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Some of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, then you will go to hell. Since there are more than one of these religions and people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all people and souls go to hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in hell to increase exponentially.

Now, we look at the rate of change in volume in hell. Boyle’s Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in hell to stay the same, the ratio of the mass of souls and volume needs to stay constant. Two options exist:

1. If hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter hell, then the temperature and pressure in hell will increase until all hell breaks loose.
2. If hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until hell freezes over.

So which is it? If we accept the quote given to me by Theresa Manyan during Freshman year, “that it will be a cold night in hell before I sleep with you” and take into account the fact that I still have NOT succeeded in having sexual relations with her, then Option 2 cannot be true…Thus, hell is exothermic.”

The student, Tim Graham, got the only A.

Tough job: Volunteers needed for chocolate study

By Michael Kahn

LONDON (Reuters) - Calling all chocoholics: British researchers recruiting volunteers willing to eat a bar of chocolate daily for a year, guilt-free and all in the name of science.

The trial starting in June will explore whether compounds called flavonoids found in chocolate and other foods can reduce the risk of heart disease for menopausal women with type 2 diabetes, the researchers said on Monday.

“We are looking at a high risk group first,” said Aedin Cassidy, a biochemist at the University of East Anglia, who will lead the study. “We hope there will be an additional benefit from dietary intervention in addition to the women’s drug therapy.”

Previous studies have suggested dark chocolate is rich in the beneficial compounds linked with heart health but experts note the high sugar and fat content of most commercially available chocolate might cancel out some of the advantages.

A host of other research has also shown dark chocolate appears to lower blood pressure, improve the function of blood vessels and reduce the risk of heart attack.

This has spurred companies such as Hershey Co and Lindt & Spruengli to market specific products containing dark chocolate. Mars Inc has introduced CocoaVia, a line of dark and premium chocolates that plays up such health advantages.

Cassidy said her team will also publish findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showing that flavonoids found in soy and cocoa appear to have the strongest effects of the compounds in reducing risk of heart disease.

The next step will be recruiting 150 women past menopause with type 2 diabetes. The researchers will look at whether the compounds help reduce blood pressure, cut cholesterol levels and improve the condition of arteries.

Half the women in the year-long study will eat a super-charged chocolate bar containing 30 grams of flavonoids found in soy, cocoa and other fruits and vegetables. The others will get chocolate without the active compounds.

The researchers hope the study could have implications for the wider population if results show significant benefits from the isoflavones contained in soy and epicatechin found in cocoa.

This could help doctors tailor advice to patients on the type and amount of foods to eat to reduce heart disease risk — and it does not necessarily need to be chocolate, Cassidy said.

“If this trial works we will be able to give advice on a whole range of foods,” Cassidy said. “People won’t have to go around eating a specially designed chocolate bar.”

Some computer keyboards harbour more harmful bacteria than a toilet seat, research has suggested.

Consumer group Which? said tests at its London offices found equipment carrying bugs that could cause food poisoning.

Out of 33 keyboards swabbed, four were regarded as a potential health hazard and one harboured five times more germs than one of the office’s toilet seats.

Microbiologist Dr Peter Wilson said a keyboard was often “a reflection of what is in your nose and in your gut”.

During the Which? tests in January this year, a microbiologist deemed one of the office’s keyboards to be so dirty he ordered it to be removed, quarantined and cleaned.

It had 150 times the recommended limit for bacteria - five times as filthy as a lavatory seat tested at the same time, the research found.

The equipment was swabbed for bugs, such as those that can cause food poisoning like E.coli and staphylococcus aureus.

Dr Wilson, a consultant microbiologist at University College London Hospital, told BBC Radio 5 Live sharing a keyboard could be passing on illnesses among office workers.

“If you look at what grows on computer keyboards, and hospitals are worse, believe it or not, it’s more or less a reflection of what’s in your nose and in your gut,” he said.

“Should somebody have a cold in your office, or even have gastroenteritis, you’re very likely to pick it up from a keyboard.”

Which? said one of the causes of dirty keyboards was users eating lunch at their desk, with crumbs encouraging the growth of bacteria.

Poor personal hygiene, such as not washing hands after going to the toilet, could also be to blame, it said.

Cleaning techniques

Which? computing editor Sarah Kidner advised users to give their computer “a spring clean”.

“It’s quite simple to do and could prevent your computer from becoming a health hazard,” she said.

She said dust and food crumbs should be shaken out of keyboards and they should be wiped with a soft, lightly dampened, lint-free cloth. They should also be disinfected with alcohol wipes.

Research by the University of Arizona last year found the average office desktop harboured 400 times more bacteria than the average office toilet seat.

They also found that, compared to men, on average women have three to four times the amount of germs in, on and around their work area.

Source

(The following was submitted to the Brijabasi Spirit by a devotee who wanted to remain anonymous. It isn’t really suitable for that site so I offered to post it here for him.)

Dear All,

I wanted to share with you a few thoughts, and I begin with an excerpt from an article on Wikipedia:

“Magis (pronounced “màh-gis”) is a Jesuit phrase that means “the more”. It is taken from Ad majorem Dei gloriam, a Latin phrase meaning “for the greater glory of God”. Magis refers to the philosophy of doing more, for Christ, and therefore for others. It is an expression of an aspiration and inspiration. It relates to forming the ideal society centered around Jesus Christ.

“The roots of the phrase are ascribed to St. Ignatius‘ exercise of doing more for God. He would encourage people around him during his time by asking: ‘What have I done for God? What am I doing for God? and What MORE can I do for God’  “

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magis)

The term magis was used in another article I read that seemed to resonate with the mission we should be creating for New Vrindaban. Here is an excerpt from that article:

“Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a Jesuit paleontologist, biologist and philosopher, described in many of his writings that there is a spiritual connection between humans and their earthly surroundings since God created both, and that in honoring the environment, we honor God. This is reflected in the following passage by de Chardin in his book, The Divine Milieu:

“At the heart of our universe, each soul exists for God, in our Lord. But all reality, even material reality, around each one of us, exists for our souls. Hence, all sensible reality, around each one us, exists, through our souls, for God in our Lord.

“In Planet U: Sustaining the World, Reinventing the University (see Suggested Readings), M’Gonigle and Starke point out that universities have an opportunity to set a new agenda for ecological progress and “to create diverse models of local and global innovation.” Jesuit campus communities have already begun to meet that challenge by creating action agendas to care for their “material reality” and by educating students on how to live eco-friendly lifestyles.

“It is important to acknowledge the steps taken by Jesuit schools to contribute to a healthier earth, but in striving for the magis, there is a need to do more and better with the work already begun since healing the planet will take some time.”

(from http://office.ajcunet.edu/connections/display.asp?issue=55&article=1)

As we move into what we hope and pray will be a new era of prosperity for New Vrindaban, it would appear to be incumbent upon us to create a vision and a corresponding mission statement that reflects our desire to “contribute to a healthier earth” while “striving for the magis” or the higher good. We need to hold as a core value the desire to attain eternal transcendence while simultaneously translating and conveying the benefit of such attainment into meaningful work to create a more just and perfect society and a healthier earth. While we fully realize that life on this plane of existence can never be completely perfect, let us strive to create a semblance of perfection on earth by our sincere endeavor. That is the indication of Rama raja, the kingdom of God on earth.

We need to be able to say to our members, guests and supporters, “While we are striving for to please Krishna, we are also working to create a more perfect society. We are striving to “contribute to a healthier earth.” And we are setting a “new agenda for ecological progress.”

This, I believe, will be an integral part of the fulfillment of our earthly mission, and the service entrusted us by our spiritual preceptor, Srila Prabhupada.

Yesterday I talked of the dead, today, keeping to the theme, I speak of the dying.

Premavatar is visiting New Vrindaban for the temple presidents/GBC meetings and I was taking him on a tour of the winter barn, more commonly referred to as the Big Barn. Several cows that are unable to make the 5 mile walk to the summer pasturing grounds at Bahulaban stay at the Big Barn for the summer. There we came across one of them dying.

When I first looked at her, I thought she was already gone but upon closer examination saw she was still clinging to life, even moaning very softly a bit.

Premavatar chanted some very clear mahamantras for a while. While he was chanting, she stopped moaning and listened. When he stopped, she again moaned, Perhaps it was my imagination but I thought I heard some gratitude in her vocalization.

I will check on her early this morning and see if she is still in her body. Any devotees wishing to go chant to her, I am sure she would appreciate it. I heard that Brkasanga has been reading Srimad Bhagvatam to her, but mostly she is dying alone.

I don’t know her personally, but she must be close to 20 years old. Balabhadra has the last dairy calves born in New Vrindaban before a moratorium on breeding was instituted in the early 90s, and they are 14-15 years old so she has to be older than that.

Why would we keep cows like her around even if they aren’t giving milk?

“There will be more water for gardening, and it will be moist, and then produce fodder for the animals and food for you. And animal gives you milk.

“That is Vrndavana life. And they are absorbed in this so-called opulence. Krsna has taken birth. They are bringing so many nice, pleasant foodstuff, very well-dressed and ornamented. These are description.

“In the morning we were reading. How they were happy, the inhabitants of Vrndavana with Krsna and living and cows. That I want to introduce.

“At any cost do it and…Don’t bother about big, big buildings. It is not required. Useless waste of time. Produce. Make the whole field green. See that. Then whole economic question solved. Then you eat sumptuous. Eat sumptuously.

“The animal is happy. The animal even does not give milk; let them eat and pass stool and urine. That is welcome. After all, eating, they will pass stool. So that is beneficial, not that simple milk is beneficial. Even the stool is beneficial.

“Therefore I am asking so much here and…, “Farm, farm, farm, farm…” That is not my program — Krsna’s program. Annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg. 3.14].*

“Produce greenness everywhere, everywhere. Vrndavana. It is not this motorcar civilization. If it has taken in his brain, then it is to be understood that he can do this plan. He’ll be able.”

Conversation Pieces — May 27, 1977, Vrndavana

*”All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajïa [sacrifice], and yajïa is born of prescribed duties.”

http://www.hulu.com/watch/18243/the-simpsons-apocalypse-cow#s-p1-so-i0