Archive for December, 2007
Tuesday, December 18th, 2007
My India Diary-Part 3
Day 7 12/12 Delhi
Made it through 18 hours in 2-Tier AC Rajdhani Express goodness from Mumbai to Delhi. Daydreaming of wandering as a babaji through the mysterious haze of the Indian countryside begging for rice as the sun sits as a golden disc overhead, giving pleasurable darshan.
Back at ISKCON Delhi overnight, awaiting the arrival of the rest of our crew, including HG Mauricio Prabhu from our Athens, Ohio Dham, and his presence will be as sweet as a fresh rasagulla. This city is completely hellish, with exhaust fumes and untuned guitars from the Bina Music Shop fillinf my lungs and ears. The beauty of the temple, of the gaze of Sri-Sri Radha Parathasarathi is an oasis and soothing balm in the middle of millions seemingly wallowing in their own filth, internally and externally. The brahmacaris here are super fired-up for the Book Marathon (a truck with 5000 Gitas was pulling up just as we were), so at least Prabhupada’s mercy flows through the congested, noisy streets and avenues
Day 8 12/13 Delhi-Vrndavana
Today marked the auspicious arrival of our two leading superstars from Athens, Ohio Dham: Sriman Mauricio Prabhu and Srimati Jamie Prabhu. Mauricio is one of the most unique dancers in the history of sankirtan, and the Delhi brahmacaris couldn’t get enough of his groove. I told Mauricio he better be careful. He’ll end up prime minister or a big Bollywoo sensation before too long.
At breakfast I was blessed with the mercy of suddenly going all-out in eating with my bare hands rather than Western spoon-style. It was ecstatic. India is feeling more and more like home.
We spent the rest of the day visiting various sites in the mood of awe and veneration. The Lotus Temple, a Bahai place of worship close to ISKCON Delhi, where silent prayer is the modus operandi. Caitanya was nearly overcome with the urge to let out a big OM in the middle of this massive concrete flower, but he behaved himself. We also took a harrowing rickshaw ride to the Swami Narayana Mandir, of which the sheer size, audacity, and complexity provoked some vibrations of deja-vu and the like, but which left the assembled Vaisnavas a little cold in the feet. Even some folks from Switzerland that we met told us they were not exactly feeling any warmth in the soul from all the assembled gold. I personally got more benefit from observing the art of haggling with taxi wallas as performed by Caitanya on our way back to the Delhi temple.
After picking up the rest of our NV crew at the airport, we took a late-night drive to Vrndavana. We arrived at 3am, taking the dust of the Holy Dham on our heads.
O Krsna, I cannot imagine or remember the pious deeds I performed to earn the privelage of being here in Vrndavana now. Let me fully imbibe what is here for me to experience in love and devotion.
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Tuesday, December 18th, 2007
My India Diary-Part 3
Day 7 12/12 Delhi
Made it through 18 hours in 2-Tier AC Rajdhani Express goodness from Mumbai to Delhi. Daydreaming of wandering as a babaji through the mysterious haze of the Indian countryside begging for rice as the sun sits as a golden disc overhead, giving pleasurable darshan.
Back at ISKCON Delhi overnight, awaiting the arrival of the rest of our crew, including HG Mauricio Prabhu from our Athens, Ohio Dham, and his presence will be as sweet as a fresh rasagulla. This city is completely hellish, with exhaust fumes and untuned guitars from the Bina Music Shop fillinf my lungs and ears. The beauty of the temple, of the gaze of Sri-Sri Radha Parathasarathi is an oasis and soothing balm in the middle of millions seemingly wallowing in their own filth, internally and externally. The brahmacaris here are super fired-up for the Book Marathon (a truck with 5000 Gitas was pulling up just as we were), so at least Prabhupada’s mercy flows through the congested, noisy streets and avenues
Day 8 12/13 Delhi-Vrndavana
Today marked the auspicious arrival of our two leading superstars from Athens, Ohio Dham: Sriman Mauricio Prabhu and Srimati Jamie Prabhu. Mauricio is one of the most unique dancers in the history of sankirtan, and the Delhi brahmacaris couldn’t get enough of his groove. I told Mauricio he better be careful. He’ll end up prime minister or a big Bollywoo sensation before too long.
At breakfast I was blessed with the mercy of suddenly going all-out in eating with my bare hands rather than Western spoon-style. It was ecstatic. India is feeling more and more like home.
We spent the rest of the day visiting various sites in the mood of awe and veneration. The Lotus Temple, a Bahai place of worship close to ISKCON Delhi, where silent prayer is the modus operandi. Caitanya was nearly overcome with the urge to let out a big OM in the middle of this massive concrete flower, but he behaved himself. We also took a harrowing rickshaw ride to the Swami Narayana Mandir, of which the sheer size, audacity, and complexity provoked some vibrations of deja-vu and the like, but which left the assembled Vaisnavas a little cold in the feet. Even some folks from Switzerland that we met told us they were not exactly feeling any warmth in the soul from all the assembled gold. I personally got more benefit from observing the art of haggling with taxi wallas as performed by Caitanya on our way back to the Delhi temple.
After picking up the rest of our NV crew at the airport, we took a late-night drive to Vrndavana. We arrived at 3am, taking the dust of the Holy Dham on our heads.
O Krsna, I cannot imagine or remember the pious deeds I performed to earn the privelage of being here in Vrndavana now. Let me fully imbibe what is here for me to experience in love and devotion.
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Monday, December 17th, 2007
College Class In Comics Is No Joke
By Lisa Cornwell
Associated Press
As a fine arts graduate student in the early 1980s, Carol Tyler felt she had to hide her interest in cartoon drawing from teachers. An art form associated with comic books and comic strips wasn’t considered college material.
Now a professional cartoonist and graphic novelist, Tyler began teaching the University of Cincinnati’s […]
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Monday, December 17th, 2007
a slideshow
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Monday, December 17th, 2007
I guess every three months I will post something.
This is a picture of a picture of HH Radhanath Swami. Soon I hope to post pictures and stories of my recent travels and study of Yoga(asana) on the East coast over the past month. The picture has its origin in my life on the very day that I left New Vrindaban for my December travels. A close friend sent me a gift package with a yoga bag, a bead bag, some organic candy and this picture of Maharaja which was nicely framed. As I left the mail man came and he had the package! It was a nice blessing while I hit the road alone and nervous as to what laid in store. Maharaja so lovingly(tolerating my quick turns and singing out loud) accompanied me for the last thousand miles of travel. Im in Philly now sweating to Bikrams Yoga and chilling with my brother. Ill head back to New V on Saturday after a short trip to see the family in DC area. I now have a laptop computer so I have little to no excuse for not writingwithin from now on. Keep a look out!
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Sunday, December 16th, 2007
Radharani has passed on
Radharani with her head on pillow. Gita, Shyama and Asha watching over her. Thursday evening.
One thing that really touched me in her passing was how Gita interacted with her. When ever Gita would sit down he would sit down right in front of her in her line of sight. He was a calming influence on her. He was like a meditating sage/old man giving comfort to an old friend during their illness. Asha and Shyama were also very good to Radharani. They would sit next to her or very close by. When I went to check her for the last time I knew that she had passed just by how Gita was acting. He had this look on his face saying “Radharani is no longer with us; she has gone on to a higher place”. She was not moving at all, usually when I would go to check on her I would be talking to her so her ears and eyes would move to hear and see me. I went over to her just to make sure that she had passed. I petted and stroked her like I usually do and there was no response at all. She was not as warm as she usually was. I knew for sure she was no longer with us. So I went over to Gita who was sitting right in front of her and petted him and thanked him for taking such good care of her. After I went out and closed the gates I called Mom and told her that Radharani had passed and if she could please let her adopter know of her passing.
Radharani was with the group that walked up from Gosh’s and decided to come live with us instead of returning to the big barn.
Submitted by Lakshmi Devi
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Sunday, December 16th, 2007
Tesla Coil
From xkcd.
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Saturday, December 15th, 2007
Sri Sri Radha-VrindabanChandra
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Saturday, December 15th, 2007
Deepak Chopra Launches Indian Mythology Graphic Novel
Krishna is coming to America and the devotees aren’t going to be able to stop him much longer by trying to confine Him to little islands of self righteousness.
In the easier said than done category, I have mentioned the movement needs a good cartoonist.
Someone sees a market for cartooning on a theme that could be […]
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Saturday, December 15th, 2007
My India Diary-Part 2
Day 5 12/10 Radha-Gopinath Mandir
Mellow today. Pretty sore from doing the quick-jig with Shyamsundar during kirtan yesterday. Caitanya even got quite a welt on his head. Indian traffic-jam kirtan. Dangerous business. One has got to be greedy in the good way to floing yourself mind, body, and soul into such ecstatic displays of athleticism.
Cracked open Sri-Caitanya Mangala by Locana Dasa Thakur. Downright enchanting so far to this hard heart. Also began Spiritual Warrior IV by Bhakti-Tirtha Swami. As always, practical, real, and dripping with compassion. For example, he writes “we should never think that God has left us alone without any help or guidance and without anyway to get us out of our maya or our problems….the true spiritual warrior can never be captured by excessive anxiety because of his or her constant absorption in giving and recieving love.”
Jagannath Kirtan Das is a great devotee here from Vancouver, always happy to see western faces. We discussed “The Great Change” that looms upon this Planet Earth and he related to me his realization that it really doesn’t matter which part of the military-industrial-media complex is most nefarious. None of these little demons is actually in control. It’s Krsna who is really running the show, and by fearing and dwelling on those who pretend to be in control, we are reflecting our lack of faith in Krsna’s personal concern for the sake of all Earthlings.
We also spoke about self-sufficency and how it’s an eternal need of the living entity, not dependent on external circumstances like global warming, etc. Modern culture is non-Vedic culture and is nothing new. We truly fight the power by letting Krsna pervade our heart and then giving that gift to all others.
Day 6 12/11 Train to Delhi
Currently riding the Rajdhani Express to Delhi. 18 hours. Not anything like a nightmare, though plenty of weird dreams. No bombs going off. No smells other than the usual Indian odors. Still, you don’t realize until coming to India what luxury we have in the West. It’s better to realize that austerity is the true wealth of the universe.
HH Candramauli Swami spike in Bhagavatam class in Chowpatty today of life in Krsna consciousness, and of the extra, less-spoken tolerance of the uncomfortable, challenging situations that Krsna places us in to purify us. It is in these situations that the art of devotional service to Guru and Gauranga can develop more and more fully.
I also recieved a lot of encouragement from HG Mahamuni Prabhu, a famed book distributor and preacher who had been on the Radha-Damodar Traveling Sankirtan Party. In his great radio voice, he instills confidence in being an ambassador of Krsna, in being all-attractive, and in being the best because we are giving the best. Keep it simple, he says. Chanting dancing feasting.
As I relate just now to a nice disciple of HH Narayana Maharaja on the train, we make it too complicated with philosophical arguments and too many fine points on what to do/what not to do. All we must do as preachers is give the Holy Name, maintain our own sadhana, and fill bellies with expert prasad. Be open, be friendly, be vessels of Gauranga’s mercy. There is nothing finer and I fall at the feet of all Vaisnavas who are expert in the flooding of this mercy on this beautiful blue globe.
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Friday, December 14th, 2007
Merry Giftmas and Happy Mallidays
Talking Jesus Action Figure Sells Out At Walmart
If you were planning on getting a Talking Jesus Action Figure this Christmas (or whatever) you’re almost out of luck. Walmart has completely sold out of the toy and Target.com has “very limited supply,” according to the manufacturer’s spokesperson, Joshua Livingston.
“We feel blessed that the […]
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Thursday, December 13th, 2007
Cultural Clash In England Leads To Death
by Syamasundara dasa
Farm Manager
Bhaktivedanta Manor
Gangotri went down in September 2006 after our bull jumped on her back.
At the very first instance we called our local vet and followed all the
recommendations he directed.
Along with with allopathic treatments from our local vet we have also
administered a range of alternate treatments which include […]
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Thursday, December 13th, 2007
Pleasure and Pain
IN YOUTH,
the absence of pleasure is pain.
In old age,
The absence of pain is pleasure.
-Henry Addington, British prime minister (1757 – 1844)
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Wednesday, December 12th, 2007
Dreaming of Skating
“Just like your America is the richest country. Do you think there is happiness, there is no fighting, there is no disease, there is no death? No. Everything’s there as it is in other countries, poverty-stricken countries. So you cannot avoid. The birth… Krsna says, “Birth, death, old age and disease, these are your problems.”
“Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi […]
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Tuesday, December 11th, 2007
Radharani is passing
Gita, Shyama and Asha are holding a vigil for her right now and every night Gita sleeps right next to her. I have done everything I could to minimize her pain and make her as comfortable as possible.
Here is the correspondences Mom and I have been having with Radharani’s adopter, Vaninatha dasa.
December 5th:
Dear Vaninatha,
Hare Krishna!
I believe Lalshmi wrote you a note that Radharani’s lump on her leg had gotten larger and her shoulder and leg seemed somewhat swollen. She was also having difficulty keeping up with the herd. At that point, we put her in the geriatric barn so she could easily get her food and water. We called the vet, but he only today answered our call and will come tomorrow afternoon. Since she was put in the geriatric barn, the swelling went down and she was getting around well, but just yesterday Lakshmi found her on her side unable to get up. She was lying on the side which has the leg with the lump. We thought that she could not use the leg well enough to push up. We managed to get her to sit up and she was doing fine. Then this morning Lakshmi again found Radharani down on her side unable to get up. She was shivering (it has been very cold here in the 20s and 30s). Lakshmi managed with help of two other devotees to get Radharani up and they covered her with blankets. Later in the day she was found down again. She was then braced by putting hay bales by her side to support her. A few hours ago, Lakshmi found Radharani with her head down and weak. She was still sitting up because she was braced by the hay bales.
We feel there must be something else going on in her body besides the lump on her leg which the vet had previously said was most likely a calcium deposit.. Lakshmi is feeling it is a possibility that she may leave her body in the night as she seemed very weak. We gave her Jamuna water and we have Prabhupada chanting on continuous play in the geriatric barn. Gita, Shyama, and Asha are in the barn with her.
We wanted you to know this latest development as we know you are a loving and concerned adopter. We will let you know how her health progresses.
Your servant,
Chayadevi
December 8, 2007 :
Dear Vaninatha Prabhu,
Hare Krishna!
The vet came and said Radharani had a stroke. He feels that at her age this may be just too much for her. A year ago the vet analyzed that she was anywhere from 23-25 years old in cow years. That would be 115+ in human years. Either she will have another stroke or she will get better and get up. He gave us some medicine to give her, but although we are giving it to her it does not seem like she is getter stronger. Gita has been watching over her along with Shyama and Asha. They are all sitting around her and a tape of Prabhupada singing is playing.
We will keep you updated.
Your servant,
Chayadevi
From: Richard M. Boyden \(Vaninatha dasa brahmachary\)
To: Lakshmi devi Dove
Cc: boydgood@hotmail.net
Sent: 12/8/2007 5:50:34 PM
Subject: Radharani…………
Dear Lakshmi, All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Please accept my respects. It sounds like Radharani, the cow, is getting old and will have a hard time making it through the winter. That is not a problem. She has given her life for helping Krishna’s devotees spread the word about Srila Prabhupada’s mission, so she knows fully well that she is on the way to Goloka Vrindavana. She is happy and we should all be happy also. The most we can do at this point is to keep her comfortable and content. That is what CFC does, apparently. Even if they feel there is no hope, they keep trying something so the cow feels loved and comfortable. I think that is important–that the cows always feel content.
My best wishes to all.
Yours sincerely,
Vaninatha dasa (Richard Boyden)
December 10:
At this point she is very weak and we don’t really know how she manages to breath. She is completely lying down with her head on a pillow and for the last few days she is not eating or drinking. Srila Prabhupada is continuously singing on the CD which we can hear from our houses which are on both sides of the barn.