Archive for October, 2007
Monday, October 29th, 2007
A Celebration of Radha-Kunda
“tat premedam sakrd api
sarah snatur aviskaroti”
If one simply bathes once within these holy waters, one’s pure love of Krsna is aroused
SRI RADHA-KUNDA APPEARANCE DAY CELEBRATION
Join HH Varsana Swami at beautiful Radha-Kunda for an evening of sweet celebration in the holiest of all holy places
Feel free to bring offerings of all types
PLACE: New Vrindaban-Govardhana Hill-Radha […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by bc
Sunday, October 28th, 2007
Kartik Nectar-How to Appreciate Sri Vrindavana
We apologize for the technical delays, but starting today, as we celebrate this most auspicious season of Kartik, keep it tuned to Nectar Flow for daily downloads of incredible lectures and kirtans from some of the most transcendental personalities in the universe.
We begin the Kartik Nectar series with a lecture from HH Radhanath Swami […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by admin
Sunday, October 28th, 2007
Reading About Writing
As more and more devotees are blogging, or on the verge of blogging, the following is a collecton of quotes that may pertain, even with the more relaxed standards of blogging:
The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.
- Mark Twain
By writing according to […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Madhava Gosh
Sunday, October 28th, 2007
New Vrindaban Deity Lore
by mrupa
This is some things about Deities in New Vrindavana. I’ve forgotten more than I remember I’m afraid. Maybe it will help someone else who knows it more and better. Its another longy though. You can use it or not as you think best.
ys rupa
(Editor’s note: this will be published in a few parts)
[…]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by mg
Sunday, October 28th, 2007
Mama Prathama Cala Bhasha
I am moving up in the world. Yesterday I got my first ever cell phone, or as they say in here mobile, or as my spoken sanskrit teacher says cala bhasa.
You would think that coming here to the holy dham one would decrease one’s dependence on such “artificial necessities,” not increase them.
But I guess everything can be used in Krishna service, at least that is the hope.
Earlier this year in California Radhantha Maharaj was speaking about how we can use technology as one could use one thorn to remove another thorn in thier foot.
But he explained that what often happens is that instead of removing the thorn you end up with two thorns in your foot. And then you need another thorn, and another, and pretty soon you have one hundred and eight thorns stuck in your foot. And then you think it is very auspicious because there are one hundred and eight of them stuck in your foot.
Hopefully this will not become another thorn in my foot.
Actually the reason I got the phone was to restart a Bhagavatam study group that I was leading by phone, so hopefully in the near future that will happen again.
If anyone is interested in joining just email me, gaurangakishore@gmail.com
And if anyone wants to give me a call my number is (91)9358136738.
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Gauranga Kishore Das
Saturday, October 27th, 2007
The Journey
………..Fifty some times
…………………body
…………..old………… has
…….This …….sun.……..jour
………….the ……..needed
………………around
It’s dawn!……………… […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Madhava Gosh
Saturday, October 27th, 2007
Damodar Prayers (An English Version)
Dearest Vaishnavas,
During Kartik I greatly relish singing daily this English song glorifying Lord Damodar, and this year I thought I might humbly share this poem with others who might not be familiar with this superb rhymed verse originally penned in 1990 by my godbrother True Peace, and sung at New Vrindaban during Kartik for several […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by mg
Friday, October 26th, 2007
Sunday School
Haribol everyone,
This Sunday at 1:00 pm I will be starting a Sunday School for children 3 years and up. I apologize for the long delay.
Ruci has taken on the new school and can no longer do her class, so I am trying to see if consolidating two classes will work. We will give it […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by mg
Friday, October 26th, 2007
Editorial Quandry
The following comment, was placed on the post titled
Confessions of the Prasadam Addict: Section 6 (final)
“His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktipada?!”
(the comment questions the use of this name in the article)
Thank you for pointing this out.
These articles were written in the 1970s.
That was his ISKCON approved name at the time. While it […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by mg
Friday, October 26th, 2007
Can You Say, ?Agitated Brahmacari??
With the brahmacari ashram becoming a novelty in ISKCON, and laxer standards for new brahmacaries, the reference in this post’s title may be too obscure for many, but the first generation devotees will recognize the old cliche. Perhaps the following article will shed some light on one causative factor:
Emotions Run Amok in Sleep-Deprived […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Madhava Gosh
Thursday, October 25th, 2007
Confessions of the Prasadam Addict: Section 6 (final)
In The Well
My dear readers, it is time to come to an understanding of the motivation behind these articles. We have attempted to be a little amusing and in this respect, there may have been a certain amount of success. But actually what we are trying to do is to describe the process of purification […]
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by jm
Thursday, October 25th, 2007
And now for something serious….
In the last fifteen years, as the Indian agricultural fields and markets have been opened to the corporate genetically modified seeds of such companies as Monsanto and Cargill, a horrible phenomenon has also reared its head. Since 1993, over 150,000 farmers have committed suicide due to the economic, organizational, and spiritual grief created in the wake of the changes imposed upon traditional systems of agriculture in India by these ultra-modern corporations.
Who’s to blame? It’s a complicated problem, but some causes are becoming more and more clear: the debt-cycle imposed on these farmers because of the expensive GMO seeds and lack of steady output and income from said crops (or “A free resource available on farms became a commodity which farmers were forced to buy every year”) , the lack of government and public social support, and some even blame it on fallout from the “Green Revolution” that also tried a similar big-business approach to agricultural change and rejuvenation in the 1960’s.
For many of these farmers, to take their own life is the only way to get the attention of those who might have some say in changing the situation. Their startling example is yet more proof that the farther our hands get from the land, from Krsna’s land, the closer to victory the demonic forces in this world are.
Please check out these articles for more info on this devastating situation
Monsanto, Cereal Killer GM and Agrarian Suicides in India
Seeds of Suicide
The Suicide Economy of Corporate Globalization
What can you do? Actively participate in and support self-sufficiency agricultural projects, like the various ISKCON rural projects across the globe.
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Club 108
Thursday, October 25th, 2007
Jasmine Scented Autunm Nights
bhagavan api ta ratrih
saradotphulla-mallikah
viksya rantum manas cakre
yoga-mayam upasritah
Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full in all opulences, yet upon seeing those autumn nights scented with blossoming jasmine flowers, He turned His mind toward loving affairs. To fulfill His purposes He employed His internal potency.
This time of year here in Vrindavan the weather is quite pleasant, the days are warm and the evenings refreshingly cool. Perfect for nocturnal rendezvous in forests of Vrindavan.
Of course who can understand Krishna pastimes with the Gopi’s. Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead His pastimes are so exceedingly human like.
Queen Kunti prays:
gopy adade tvayi krtagasi dama tavad
ya te dashasru-kalilanjana-sambhramaksam
vaktram niniya bhaya-bhavanaya sthitasya
sa mam vimohayati bhir api yad bibheti
My dear Krishna, Yashoda took up a rope to bind You when You committed an offense, and Your perturbed eyes overflooded with tears, which washed the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me.
This verse is interesting because she is referring to Krishna’s lila of stealing butter and then trembling in fear of Mother Yashoda as being very bewildering, yet at the same time by using the word gopi she alludes to Krishna’s conjugal pastimes with the young gopis of Vraja which are much more bewildering to the conditioned soul.
In our conditioned state Krishna is covered by His “curtain of deluding energy,” but He displays His pastimes just for our sake and by hearing and by chanting about His transcendental activities we can gain relief from our material bewilderment of false bodily identification and thereby gain relief from the repeated cycle of birth and death.
bhave ’smin klisyamananam
avidya-kama-karmabhih
sravana-smaranarhani
karisyann iti kecana
And yet others say that You appeared to rejuvenate the devotional service of hearing, remembering, worshiping and so on in order that the conditioned souls suffering from material pangs might take advantage and gain liberation.
srnvanti gayanti grnanty abhisknasah
smaranti nandanti tavehitam janah
ta eva pasyanty acirena tavakam
bhava-pravahoparamam padambujam
O Krishna, those who continuously hear, chant and repeat Your transcendental activities, or take pleasure in others’ doing so, certainly see Your lotus feet, which alone can stop the repetition of birth and death.
No Comments » - Posted in Contributors by Gauranga Kishore Das
Thursday, October 25th, 2007
Midday Jappa
Hare Krishna
Midday Jappa sessions have begun at the RVC temple Monday-Friday 12:45 pm.
Some devotees chant and briskly walk as did Srila Prabhupada for exercise. All are welcome.
In addition Damodar prabhu is willing to offer yoga sessions twice a week, Mon/Thur, following the jappa period. Again all are welcome.
Any questions or suggestions please contact Kuladri […]