Archive for September, 2007
Thursday, September 13th, 2007
Why The Amish Don’t Use Phones
The Amish aren’t opposed to technology per se. What they are into is community building — if you want to talk to someone, you talk to them in person. You talk to people who are near at hand, not far away.
The same underlying concept is expressed in the following long article that […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Madhava Gosh
Thursday, September 13th, 2007
Radhanath Swami arrives in London
I was hesitant to stay here in London for Maharaj’s visit, I just feel that I should be in some far corner of the world where Maharaj doesn’t have to look at my sinful face, but at the same time I always have a desire to be near Maharaj, even if it is just as a speck of dust at his feet.
I asked Govinda Prabhu and he recommended that I stay here in London for the initiations, then go to Italy with Maharaj for Radhastami and I even got permission from the school in Govardhan to arrive a few days late so that I could stay through Maharaj’s entire visit here in Europe. So After Italy I will come back here to London with Maharaj. Govinda Prabhu also suggested that while I’m in Italy I visit Slovenia and spend some time with the devotees there, and once back in London he suggested I spend some time at Soho Street temple with Jai Nitai Prabhu. I appreciated those suggestions as allows me to spend time with Maharaj and at the same time be connected through service.
After eager anticipation and a mostly sleepless night the day had arrived.
Towards the end of japa period myself and some of the other brahmacaris jumped in a car and headed out to greet Maharaj at the airport. The anticipation was building, more and more devotees arrived until there was nearly forty of us eagerly waiting.
It was about 8:30 by the time he arrived, which was actually 2:30 am Chicago time. I really felt bad for Maharaj, it was the middle of the night and after a long journey and here are all these people eagerly waiting for some inspiration, some nectar, a hug, a word, a glance.
Maharaj of course was very gracious as always. He smiled and tried his best to satisfy everyone with his affectionate glances. I was just trying to stay in the back hoping that Maharaj wouldn’t see me. I wished I could just be invisible so I could see Maharaj with out him having to see me.
As he walked through the crowed devotees came and offered him garlands and offered their respects.
Eventually the crowd followed Maharaj outside, as we walked I was speaking with one God brother and as we were speaking I had my arm around his shoulder. Somehow, I’m not sure exactly how, I looked up and Maharaj was walking right towards us. He embraced us both and gave me a little head rub. I was quite surprised.
In many ways the relationship with guru parallels the development of a married couples relationship. In the beginning it is all about the touches and the glances but as time goes on the relationship deepens, as you learn to serve and care about your partner rather than just seeing them as an object to enjoy, at least in theory.
Of course often times relationships never move beyond this initial stage, which is unfortunate because in this stage one does not really experience the satisfaction of a genuinely loving relationship based on service and sacrifice.
Sometimes I do reminisce about the honey moon days. I still remember just like yesterday the fist time I got to touch Maharaj’s feet, it was in Italy on the beach, we went swimming and when it was time to go Maharaj wanted to put on his shoes but his feet were all sandy so I quickly brushed his feet off with a towel, I didn’t actually even touch them directly.
Those are certainly fond memories, but even more fond are those lonely cold nights, serving the dieties in the dead of winter in New Vrindaban, walking up the hill to do the mangala arati at Srila Prabhupada’s Palace and then walking down to worship Govardhan.
The service in separation is what gives depth and meaning to the meeting. One’s service attitude determines the value of association with the sadhus.
This is a fundamental spiritual principle.
In Caitanya Bhagavata Lord Caitanya describes how His name is like an auspicious desire tree that can bestow all blessing but he says that he through His name He will destroy a person who is chanting but criticizing devotees.
I had a nice realization about this the other morning during japa period. As is often the case many devotees were falling asleep during japa, and many were not sitting properly, and as I was looking at the devotees I was criticizing them thinking how great I am because I can sit for an hour and half with a straight back and without falling asleep.
Then somehow I just saw the situation from Krishna perspective. Here is someone who is doing his best to chant, he may not be sitting properly, he may be falling asleep but despite his difficulties he is trying his best to cry out to Krishna and he is not criticizing anyone, and here is someone else who is not falling asleep but he is criticizing this very sincere devotee. Whose japa is more pleasing to Krishna?
I pray to all the assembled vaishnavas that I may somehow be in state of consciousness that is pleasing to my spiritual master while I am in his association.
From the airport Maharaj went straight to the hospital, he will spend a good portion of the day there on routine checkups. The first public program is an initiation on Saturday, over fifty devotees will be taking initiation.
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Gauranga Kishore Das
Wednesday, September 12th, 2007
Krishna Consciousness Is Not A Formula
“The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in bhakti yoga. All other yogas are but means to come to the point of bhakti in bhakti-yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga; all other yogas are progressions toward the destination of bhakti-yoga. From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of bhakti-yoga is a long way […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Madhava Gosh
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
New Vrindaban 24 Kirtan Recordings
New Vrindaban 24 hour kirtan festival recordings are now available here.
A big thanks to Hari Bhakti prabhu for his wonderful service of recording and uploading these amazing kirtans.
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Gauranga Kishore Das
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
Vaisnavi Retreat: For Women By Women
October 5th, 6th, and 7th In New Vrindaban Dhama
Rejuvenate yourself amidst scenic fall foliage in New Vrindaban for a weekend with distinguished Vaishnavi’s featuring:
Discourses, Seminars, Workshops, Interactive Presentations
Courses in Shastra, Yoga, Massage, Health, Healing
Healthy Prasad prepared with love
Campfire Bhajans & Satsang
Intimate morning with Srila Prabhupada in His Palace.
Hosted by your servant, Malati devi dasi
$151 includes […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by mg
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
We will never forget.
As I was in the process of writing today’s post I noticed the date, 9/11.
What, if anything, does this mean for devotees?
I remember back in 2001 when people were putting up signs and bumper stickers on their cars, “We will never forget.”
According to Time magazine Britney Spears’ performance at the MTV music awards got more news coverage than the anniversary of 9/11.
We should not be surprised that people have practically forgotten, Yudhistira Maharaj stated that the most amazing thing in the world is that people see everyone around them dying yet they somehow believe that they will not die.”
People must forget about death because unless they forget about death it impossible to enjoy sense gratification. And in modern civilization we have so many ways to forget about death but death has not forgotten about us.
As devotees our motto should be, “We will never forget.”
We will never forget that this material world is a place of suffering.
We will never forget that for everyone who takes birth death is certain and that for everyone who dies birth is certain.
We will never forget that we must also die someday.
We will never forget that there is no real happiness in this material world.
We will never forget the truth of our identity as spirit souls.
We will never forget that causeless mercy of guru and Gauranga.
We will never forget the divine pastimes of Shri Shri Radha Govinda.
“May the pastimes of Sri Krishna reduce the miseries existing in the material world and nullify all unwanted desires. The pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are like sikharini, a blend of yogurt and sugar candy. They overpower the pride of even the nectar produced on the moon, for they distribute the sweet fragrance of the concentrated loving affairs of Srimati Radharani and the gopis.”
Srila Rupa Goswami
Caitanya Caritamrita Antya Lila 1.128
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Gauranga Kishore Das
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
Environmentalist Posers Eat Meat
Activists take Al Gore to task on his diet
By Philip Sherwell
He may be the hero of the environmental movement for his crusade against global warming but Al Gore is about to be targeted by animal rights activists over his carnivorous contribution to greenhouse gases.
Al Gore has come under fire for failing to highlight […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Madhava Gosh
Monday, September 10th, 2007
Club108 Newsletter (Volume 1 - Issue 1)
Click on the Image to see full size image… Enjoy!
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Arya
Monday, September 10th, 2007
World Holy Name Day
Monday, September 17th, the day Srila Prabhupada arrived in America, has been designated as “World Holy Name Day”. Either on this day, or on the following weekend (September 22-23), devotees are requested to make an extra effort to spread the holy names.
The New Vrindaban community will be taking part by holding an all-day kirtan on […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by cd
Monday, September 10th, 2007
A Chicken Goes Into a Bar
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Madhava Gosh
Monday, September 10th, 2007
Spiritual Regression
Chaitanyananda Prabhu was kind enough to let me stay at his house the night before I had to leave and give me a ride to the airport, which saved me an extra hour and half and a lot of extra hassle. He also took me to the Sandwich Mandir for darshan of Krishna Balaram and vege “cheese steak” sandwiches.
The flight from New York was fairly uneventful. As we were about to take off I realized that there were some empty rows, I quicly settled into one of the empty rows hoping to get some good rest. Then to my dismay another passenger had the same idea and sat on the other end of the row. I couldn’t believe it. I guess she figured that this seat was better than having people on both sides of her. So much for my plan to get some sleep.
Upon arrival I took a bus from Heathrow to Watford, the bus ride wasn’t too bad other than the fact that it cost 9 pounds which is about $20 these days. Deva came and picked me up from there. We got to the Manor just as the Friday evening youth bhajan program was ending but just in time for prasadam.
I decided to stay with some of my Gurukuli friends instead of at the Manor, it was tough choice 42″ flat screen TV, PS3, X-box, and Wii or Mangala Arati at 4:30 am everyday. It was a tough decision but I made the sacrifice and decided to head over to Bimala, Kap, and Dayal’s place.
Saturday was pretty uneventful. My very good friend, Sanaka, came over and we hung out for bit, it the evening we went over to Deva’s.
Sunday was Brighton Rathayatra. Brighton is a hip town on the southern coast of London. I got a ride with Sanaka and his wife Hari Priya. Due to a large accident on the highway we had to take the scenic route, which was cool becuase I got to see the English country side, although we did end of missing the majority of the parade. It was still fun. I got to chant some really nice japa on the beach, and hang out with some good friends, Murrari Gopal and Bhakti, whom I hadn’t seen yet.
I guess that’s about it, I’ll probably head over to the Manor sometime today.
Unfortunately Radhanath Maharaj changed his schedule, he was supposed to arrive on the 8th, but now he is supposed to arrive on the 14th, the day after I leave.
I’m tempted to change my ticket to catch his visit here, I did already tell him that I’d see him here, so he may be expecting me, and if I change my ticket then I could probably also go to Italy with him for Radhastami. Which would be really fun because on my previous two long trips to India I was with Maharaj in London and Italy.
But I also know that it is not possible to relive those experiences. Things are different now. Part of my attachment to going to Alachua was an attempt to recapture my previous relationship with Maharaj, when Maharaj would give me so much attention, baby me, hold me by the hand, and never chastise me. When spiritual life was easy, I just go everywhere with Maharaj. It is almost like a kind of spiritual regression (a return to earlier, especially to infantile, patterns of thoughts or behavior, or stage of functioning).
Although the trip to Alachua was great in many ways I realized that things will never be the same as they were before, which is good, because now I am able to serve Maharaj but there is still that infantile side of me that wants to be dependent and infantile, I guess it is a kind of spiritual lazziness. What ever it is I just want ot be around Maharaj.
But I have my service. Maharaj has already told me to “Go to Govardhan.” What am I waiting for? Classes begin October 1st, I can still get a little more of Maharaj’s association before I go to Govardhan, once there I probably won’t see him very much. Service first. But I need more mercy. Mercy comes by following the instructions.
Here are a few pictures from Brighton Ratha Yatra.
Blue skies in London are quite a special occasion, and they usually don’t last for more than a few minutes.
Brighton Beach, England finest. It’s not quite Venice but it was still a good place to chant japa.
By the end the day Bimi was getting a little out of control so Sanaka had to break out the leash to restrain him.
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Gauranga Kishore Das
Sunday, September 9th, 2007
Prasadam Addict: Section 2
(Second in a series of five or six continuing articles (Sections) as taken from old Brijabasi Spirits, from the 1970s)
Adventures inPrasadam Land:
In one sense, New Vrindaban never changes. Radha Vrindaban Chandra are always here, Kirtanananda Maharaj is always telling us to give up our sense gratification, surrender to Krishna and get to work. The same old […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by jm
Sunday, September 9th, 2007
Caloric Restriction Extends Life
‘To be too fat is not very good for spiritually advanced life. Rather, one should reduce because if one becomes fat it is an impediment to progress in spiritual understanding. One should be careful not to eat too much, sleep too much or remain in a comfortable position. Voluntarily accepting some penances and difficulties, one […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Madhava Gosh
Saturday, September 8th, 2007
Moving to ISCOWP Web Site
Hare Krsna!
All cow protection and related information from ISCOWP will now be concentrated at:
ISCOWP Website We have been in the process of improving the site. Check it out!
If you would like to receive web updates, contact us at: iscowp@earthlink.net
Read the current ISCOWP newsletter in PDF by clicking the link: ISCOWP News Volume 17 Issue 2
The paper version was mailed out Friday to all donors.
In the previous Update Letter we mentioned that we were having some difficulty with the garden, read all about it at this link:
See you at: ISCOWP Website
Your servant,
Balabhadra das
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Balabhadra das
Saturday, September 8th, 2007
Mother Teresa: Crises of Faith or Ecstasy of Separation
Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.— Mother Teresa to the Rev. Michael Van Der Peet, September 1979
Recently there was an article published in the September issue of Time about Mother Teresa’s ‘fifty year crisis of faith.”
Her letters seem to portray a deep lack of faith and deep felt absence of the presence of God.
Lord, my God, who am I that You should forsake me? The Child of your Love — and now become as the most hated one — the one — You have thrown away as unwanted — unloved. I call, I cling, I want — and there is no One to answer — no One on Whom I can cling — no, No One. — Alone … Where is my Faith — even deep down right in there is nothing, but emptiness & darkness — My God — how painful is this unknown pain — I have no Faith — I dare not utter the words & thoughts that crowd in my heart — & make me suffer untold agony.So many unanswered questions live within me afraid to uncover them — because of the blasphemy — If there be God — please forgive me — When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven — there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives & hurt my very soul. — I am told God loves me — and yet the reality of darkness & coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul. Did I make a mistake in surrendering blindly to the Call of the Sacred Heart?
Of course the media took advantage of this to try and discredit a person who is revered as a saint by millions of people.
To give some credit to the author he does conclude the article on a positive note. He acknowledges that love is an action rather than a feeling, and that real love is often times expressed in the absence of the feeling.
Kolodiejchuk thinks the book may act as an antidote to a cultural problem. “The tendency in our spiritual life but also in our more general attitude toward love is that our feelings are all that is going on,” he says. “And so to us the totality of love is what we feel. But to really love someone requires commitment, fidelity and vulnerability. Mother Teresa wasn’t ‘feeling’ Christ’s love, and she could have shut down. But she was up at 4:30 every morning for Jesus, and still writing to him, ‘Your happiness is all I want.’ That’s a powerful example even if you are not talking in exclusively religious terms.”
This is what we find in her life, an incredible dedication to the service of the Lord, despite the separation and apparent emptiness that she felt. That is love.
If this brings You glory — if souls are brought to you — with joy I accept all to the end of my life.
— to Jesus, undated
But understandably the article comes short of revealing the depths of love in separation and the intensity of humility experienced by a pure devotee.
Srila Rupa Goswami defines love as when there is all reason for the dissolution of love but the love remains intact. Krishna tested the gopi’s love in the fire of separation. Their love which was like pure gold was proven completely pure and despite burning for over a hundred years in the fire of separation their love only shown more brightly.
Krishna disappeared from the Gopis and from all the residents of Vrindaban and yet for over one hundred years they remained faithful to them, thinking only of His welfare and thinking themselves most unfortunate and unqualified to have Krishna’s association.
In Brihad Bhagavatamrita Sanatana Goswami describes pure love of God (prema) as the mother of humility (dainya mata).
He will become humble and he will feel the pure love felt by the great devotees. There he will search for the person loved by the great souls whose voices there are filled with calls of “Alas! Alas!” and whose hearts are burned by great sufferings. . . .None of them are ever satisfied. The many varieties of the thirst of their love for Krishna, which is the mother of humbleness (dainya mata), always increase.
He goes on to further describe the mood of the Gopis in separation from Krishna.
. . .Although each gopi is most dear to the Lord, and although they all experience the many ecstasies of enjoying pastimes with Him, the gopis do not think the Lord loves them. Each gopi thinks: “When will I be fortunate to be the least of Krishna’s maidservants?”
Lord Caitanya in the mood of the separation of Srimati Radharani also expressed similar emotions.
O Govinda! Feeling Your separations I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.I know no one but Krishna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.
I guess it is possible that Mother Teresa was just a miserable depressed old lady but judging by her dedication to her service and by the way she was able to transform peoples lives I believe her letters are expressions of humility due to her deep and profound love for the Lord.