Archive for February, 2008
Friday, February 22nd, 2008
The Path of Yogamaya
by mrupa
Dropping down from the main road just in front of the old one-room school house next to the lagoon and across from the old forge, the first few yards of dirt road is both the beginning of the driveway to Mr. Snyder’s homestead along the top of the ridge, and the pathway to Vrndavana […]
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Friday, February 22nd, 2008
Mother Theresa: No Greater Love
No Greater Love is a compilation of quotes by Mother Teresa. This book was one of the few personal items I took from my Grandmothers apartment after she passed away. Yesterday I started reading it and was really taken by the beauty of her realizations …
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Friday, February 22nd, 2008
In Memory of Gita
Gita socializing with Lakshmi and guest jck Baldwin last May 2007
By this time, it was late in the evening and the middle of the night in the USA so I would not hear anything from parents until the next day. All day I was thinking about Gita and praying for him. On one hand, I was praying that he would pass fast and on the other hand, I did not want him to pass at all. You never want a family member to pass on who is dear to your heart, soul, and mind. Here in India it was Lord Nityananda’s appearance day, a very holy day and a good day to pray.
I was finally able to check my e-mail in the late afternoon and there was an e-mail waiting from Mom. I did not want to open it. I knew it was about Gita. I was right, he had passed, but he had a very good passing. He was blessed that he went quickly and his passing was not prolonged. I started crying again. Just writing this right now, I want to cry and I am starting to tear up just remembering reading the e-mail.
It was a blessing to have known Gita because he was such a sweet, kindhearted, and gentle soul. I know he has moved on to another good place in his journey. I just wished he had not moved on so soon. Whenever I would go into the barn, he was always so thrilled to see me. He loved to be petted, rubbed, and sometimes just hugged. He had the most beautiful soulful eyes. I felt I could fall into them and be comforted and healed. Gita always knew when you were sad and would try to comfort you in his own sweet way by trying to lick the sorrow out of you with his big sandy tongue.
Gita and Vraja did so much outstanding preaching. They touched so many hearts and minds and changed them for the better. I remember traveling all over the country with them and the affect they had on the public. Gita was always the sweet and gentle one of the twins. We always had to watch out for Vraja, he really liked to use his horns. We never had to worry about Gita misbehaving or scaring people with his size or horns. He was the perfect gentleman.
Gita’s full name was Bhagavad-Gita. Everyone who knew him will sorely miss him.
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Friday, February 22nd, 2008
Accepting One’s Constitutional Position
“That is the difference between a yogi and a bhogi. Bhogi, the bogus yogi, he is thinking how I will enjoy by my yoga process, and the actual yogi, he is thinking how the Supreme Lord will enjoy by this yoga process. He has transferred the account of sense gratification to the Lord, and He […]
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
Bhakta’s first khichari
For my new program with my dearest friend Shawn, live up on Roberts’ Ridge in Moundsville, WV, I decided to take a great plunge this past Wednesday night and make my first attempt at cooking khichari.
Being a cook is like being a good ol-fashioned, wizard-type magician. You combine certain material elements into a pot, and you use your skill, intelligence, heart, and chutzpah to create a result that spiritually alters the consciousness of those who taste the result.
I knew I was on the right track when the combination of vegetable oil, spices, and chilles frying up (or the chaunce as we call it in Hare Krsna World) emitted the same kind of lung-clearing fumes that I always relish in our temple kitchen.
The main battle came in boiling up the whole shebang. The pot was too big. The burner too small. The burner wasn’t even on for ten minutes before I noticed. But….boiling did happen.
The final result was exotically spiced with a nice intensity, but slightly undercooked. Still, it was tasty and edible and not grounds for food poisoning, and from the raging kirtans and spiritual discussions that followed the “poor man’s feast fit for a king”, it appears Krsna accepted this offering of love and devotion, and indeed, it became prasadam.
Best of all (or worst), our dear Russian cook Gaura Karuna decided to heat up the leftovers today for the devotees here in New Vrindaban as part of the lunch feast. I didn’t tell anyone I had cooked the funky mixture, but so far no complaints and no trips to the hospital. Til next time…beware! I will cook again!
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
Markine Bhagavat Dharma at Stanford
Well I finally made it to Stanford, it has been a long journey and no one is more surprised than myself to be here but some how I am here. I can only think of Srila Prabhupadas beautiful prayers at Boston Harbor.Markine Bhagavata-dharmaby His Divine G…
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
Thank You New Vrindavan Devotees
Gita With The Herd last Summer
“On February 16, we moved him again and he again surprised everyone and walked around. This time we made certain he was in the larger part of the geriatric barn and he eventually sat down in a good place. However, the next day, after Chaitanya fed him his grains, Gita collapsed. From that point, he struggled to get upright. When he couldn’t, Chaitanya came to get me and we both went to the barn to access what could be done. We realized that we needed to flip him to get him into a better position but the two of us would not be enough to do it. Then, Chaitanya went to the temple to see what help he could get. About forty-five minutes later, Chaitanya came back with six devotees to help flip Gita. We had four devotees on Gita’s legs and three at his head to make sure his head moved with his body. We expertly flipped Gita and he landed sitting up. We braced him with square bales and then he tried to eat the bales. Enthusiastically, all the devotees ran to him with hay to eat. The cows ran to the gate to see. Everyone was very happy at what appeared to be a miraculous recovery. Joy permeated the atmosphere. I was inspired and moved to see the selfless service of the devotees and their joy at Gita’s recovery.”
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
The Leaning Towers Of Pisa
The two pictures below are identical, regardless of how your mind interprets them. Cover one up at a time and look at them separately and you will see this is true. Take out your ruler and measure the margins around the tower within the image. You can verify they are the same.
Want an explanation? Click […]
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Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
This is very fun.
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Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
This is very fun.
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Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
Dean Ornish on Diet and Health
Check out this short video on the effect of diet on health. Dean Ornish is one of the leading proponents of the benefits of a low fat vegetarian diet.
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Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
Austere
Today’s Bhagavatam class (9.9.33) given by Nityo Dita Prabhu, focused on the discussion of destiny and austerity. He told the story about a devotee who once gave a reasonable donation to the Temple and later found out that some devotees had taken the …
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Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
Motivation
Bonus question (received from my wife’s niece):
Okay you brainiacs, here is a brain teaser for you. What nine letter word in the English language is still a word when each of the nine letters is removed one by one? Take a few minutes to try and come up with a nine letter word […]
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Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
A Little Taste of Frostburn 2008!
by Bhakta-Chris
This past weekend a group of intrepid Brajbasis (Nitai, Maha-Laksmi, Mandali, Caitanya, Kesava Acarya,Yaitza, Rasikananda, his pa Akhilananda, and myself) braved the sub-freezing temps and snow-covered ground of the average American winter to participate in Frostburn 2008, at Cooper’s Campground just outside of Slippery Rock, PA and the holy tirtha of Butler, PA.
The […]
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Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
Just “Chillin”
Sorry for not posting anything over the past few days, right now I’m just bumming off the neighbors wireless so I am at thier mercy, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t.We had a really ecstatic festival last night in honor of Sri Nityananda Prabhu….