Here in the USA today is Independence Day, a celebration of that day in 1776 when the US declared independence from Great Britain. It is a national holiday, and everything shuts down so that everyone is free to celebrate their independence. But are they really independent? As long as we are under the influence of three modes of............................... ===================================================================== Thought...

Oceans of Bliss is a selection of photos taken during the 24 Hour Kirtan Festival.

Welcome to ISKCON Beverly Hills, 153 N. Arnaz Dr. Certainly, if everywhere else, why wouldn't the Hare Krishnas be in Beverly Hills? I came out two weeks ago after leaving Athens and celebrating Ratha Yatra in Atlanta, GA. To my surprise the neighborhood is lovely and quite charming, even for a minimalist like myself. Here at the Arnaz Ashram, the devotees can be themselves and we have lots of fun. Pictured above are two of my godsisters, Krishna Priya and Dhanya. Both have been staying here at the house and doing lots of service.I've quickly resumed kitchen duties, cooking and preparing the finest in gourmet, vegan cuisine. Lately, I've been making Tempeh Reuben Sandwiches to the delight of the devotees. Since I am lacking in many other categories, I feel cooking is one of the best ways I can express my love and gratitude.
When the teacher is pleased, the students are ecstatic. There are so many wonderful people to meet in this world. Who will show up at our door next?

Sometimes there is a tendency among devotees (mostly new ones) to make a heavy distinction between “us” (members of ISKCON) and “them” (non-members of ISKCON commonly reffered to as karmis or demons). Prabhupada very clearly explains the difference between the two groups in the following purport: Actually there are two kinds of occupations. One occupation, in [...]

Fifteen years ago today my husband met the Hare Krishnas, giving up his prep school background and summers on Martha's Vineyard to move into the ashrama and begin his path of self realization.

I want to share something very auspicious that happened today while I was chanting on my beads.
My brother and I usually wake up at 5am to chant...today when I woke up he was already chanting and I felt more inspired to do it. When I was praying, I asked Krsna to give me association of the devotees and use me and my family as instruments for preaching. My brother never disturbs me while we are chanting but today I noticed he stopped his chanting and came to talk to me.
He said that he was chanting in the garden and a worker was passing on the street and asked him - "Are you praying? Is this a mantra? Everyday I go to work and I listen to this sound and I feel some peace...can you explain more about this mantra?"
That was all my brother wanted...to find an opportunity to preach and the Holy names gave him this chance. He got into the living room, picked a book from Srila Prabhupada and gave it to this man and told him - "The mantra is here on this page." The man took the book and went to work. I was amazed how the Holy names purify people just by listening.
In this case the Holy names made the preaching and maybe a new devotee. This is how Krsna works and this is the purpose of this Sankirtan movement...preaching KC through chanting, hearing and distributing prasadam.

Haribol

Aruna dd

1957: May 7

Kanpur

Sri Padampat Singhania,
Kamla Tower,
Kanpur

My dear Sri Padampat Ji,

In continuation of my yesterday’s letter, which I hope you have duly received by this time, and with reference to your request of submitting the way of powerful Mantra for broadcasting all over the world, I beg to inform you further that in every Mantra the prefix of Namah is generally added.

Just for example you said the other day Namah Sivaya. Now this Mantra is practically indicating the holy name of Lord Siva. Na means negation and Ma means false ego or Ahamkara. Therefore Namah means surrendering to the name Siva. In other words to accept the supremacy of Lord Siva means Namah Sivaya.

Therefore the conclusion is that in Mantra the name of the deity is unavoidably amalgamated. And in the Mantra the spiritual power, by the Rsis like Narada etc. is surcharged like the copper is electrified by magnetic force. The etymological alphabets are so surcharged with spiritual potency and as such all Mantra indicating the transcendental holy name of God or Godhead is to be understood in that way.

When we chant the Mantra as were presented by the authorities–the process helps communication with the personality of Godhead by the sound waves as we have now experienced in the material world of physical waves vibrations. The powerful Mantras have such potency if they are sounded in the right direction. And by chanting the Mantras only one can spiritualise the whole existence as heat can expand on the spherical objects.

Mantra Siddhi means complete liberation. Therefore, there is no difference between the holy name and Mantra. Man means mind and tra deliverance. That which delivers one from mental speculation is called “Mantra”. “Mantra Siddhi” is to transcend the gross and subtle mental plane. The same meaning is for ___

In this age all the Mantras that can help us reaching perfection up to the plane of Godhead–has been still more concentrated into the Harinama. We find therefore in the Brhannaradiya Puranam (38.126) a particular stress on Harinama which is stated as follows:

harinama harinama harinama eva kevalam
kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatir anyatha

The above statement is very important in the following manner. There are two different processes for acquiring knowledge. The one is Deductive Process and the other is Inductive Process. In the Deductive Process we deduce the conclusion from the statement of higher authorities whereas by the Inductive Process we make a research in the truth by our own imperfect knowledge and induce a conclusion.

Say for example if we want to know how man is mortal then we have to make a research in statistics of daily death occurrences. Rama dies, Syama dies, father dies, mother dies, he dies, she dies, etc. all these experiences may help us in the conclusion that after all man dies and therefore the conclusion man is mortal made. But the defect of this process of knowledge is that it may be that we have not seen a person who is still living even after some thousands of years.

As soon as we get this information the whole conclusion that a man is mortal–is at once changed and we have to say that some men are mortal. In this way the research work of scientific thought are constantly changing because the very research work is done by person who is himself a condition by the four principles of mistake, illusion, cheating and imperfection.

Therefore, the Deductive Process is more effective. Man is mortal we have heard it from very authoritative sources like the Vedas and we have accepted it. The Vedas say that stool is impure but the stool of the cow is pure. The Vedas say that bone is untouchable but the conchshell which is also a bone is perfectly pure.

For the common man the statements of the Vedas appear to be contradictory. But in spite of such contradiction, because we Hindus accept the Vedas as authority we accept cow dung as pure and allow it to be used even in the kitchen. So also we accept the conchshell. The conchshell is after all a bone of an animal but because it is accepted by the Vedas we allow conchshell to be used in the sanctified room of our family deity. If we examine in the physical laboratory or analyse it by chemical test we won’t find any difference between the stool of a man and that of a cow or the bone of an ox and that of a conch.

And yet the whole Hindu Muslim conflict, the whole struggle of Gandhi and Jinnah and the whole question of Kashmir problem in the UNSCO have arisen from this petty difference of bones only. In the Hindu temple the bone conchshell is already there but as soon as a Muhammadan throws a piece of bone of the ox in the temple–the whole trouble began, resulting in the partition of India and Pakistan.

So an impartial mundane student who will enter into the research work of such bone affairs in the annals of Indian History–surely he will come to the conclusion of unrestricted obedience to the words of the Vedas or that of the Koran or that of the Bible that lead to all sorts of Jehad and crusade. As a matter of fact the so called intelligent persons of the modern age have taken the shelter of secularism on the strength of past unfortunate religious feuds. This is another type of nonsense.

Therefore in the present age respect for Deductive Process is dwindling whereas respect for Inductive Process is increasing although we know so far the Inductive research is concerned the process has not been successful. The conclusion is that we have lost our faith in the traditional Vedic knowledge handed down from the Guru to Chela or from the father to the son, although such system of Deductive Knowledge from the authority is the most perfect form of knowledge.

The ultimate truth which is far beyond the reach of our imperfect senses can never be known by such inductive research work. The imperfect senses could not even measure the distance of the physical product The Sun or the Innumerable stars in front of us–and what such imperfect senses can make a research in the Mantras which are purely spiritual affairs.

We have to accept the Mantra and its potency from the Vedic source and follow the practice and principles only to arrive at reality of truth. Research work by imperfect senses is practically a revolt against the established truth. Let us therefore accept the Vedic injunction of Brihannaradiya Puranam

I have already mentioned about this Mantra in my previous letter and I beg to confirm it further that the Name “Krishna” even up to the foreign words like God and Allah, if they at all aim at the Supreme Personality–then the Name is as much holy and potential as perfect is the Supreme Lord–because in the Absolute Realm or Spritual Nature everything is identical with everything as all of them are qualitatively spiritual and therefore pure, eternal, liberated and perfect.

For all practical purposes if we systematically preach to chant the holy name of Godhead, I think no body even the religious fanatic will take objection to it. Every human being has a conception of the supreme truth. That conception is presented in some concrete shape. If therefore the Mussulman or the Christian denies to chant the name of Rama or Krishna we may ask him to chant the name of Allah or God respectively and I think therefore there will be no objection even by the Buddhists if we simply ask them to chant the name of Lord of Buddha in the systematic way.

The systematic way means to avoid the ten different offences in the process of chanting, which are all philosophical truths.

If by such propaganda of chanting the holy name, the filthy atmosphere of jealousy, bickerings, selfishness, falsehood and so many other affairs of the modern age–can be avoided, and if by such chanting the complete process of self-realisation can be achieved–is it not our duty to do this service by combined force.

In this age of quarrel and fight everything has to be done by combined force to achieve ready success. As the topmost person of a group of large scale industries, your good personality knows better than me how combined forces and diverse energies make the particular industry a successful establishment.

In the same way we have to combine the different forces of Sociology in men, money, intelligence and field work to make the spiritual movement a grand success. If we do not do that we shall be failing in our duty to serve the complete whole.

No partial service or temporary benefit can lead us to perfection. The world is mad after such temporary benefit and partial service and it is our duty to change the face altogether by an authorized spiritual movement.

The other day I was very glad to hear your ideas about it and in our next meeting I wish to say some thing about it as I have realised.

Hope you are well.

With my regards.

Yours sincerely,
Goswami Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta
Editor–”BACK TO GODHEAD.”

BBT Demands Royalties Payment from “Shastra Sharers”

LOS ANGELES - The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International announced yesterday that devotees wishing to cite scriptural references during classes, campus lectures and even home programs will have to begin paying usage fees.

“What this amounts to is thievery,” says BBT International legal spokesperson Clarence Richards “Do these people really believe it is right to quote copyrighted scripture during these lectures without the express written permission of the BBT International? It’s stealing.”

Click here to read on…

How can you motivate myself to do the things you put off with continual procrastination?

Get clear about what would be great about completing them!

Write down what the best thing about having completed this task will be.

Add lots of detail.

The more detail you add, the more real and inspiring your goals will become!

If you don't like this, try it anyway. You might find it useful.

If you can see how you could use this tip, if it sounds useful, and if you feel it could be for you, take some action today!

Here is one devotee’s personal realizations:

“This weekend I attended the 24 hr kirtan in New Vrindavan. From the very beginning of this festival I was trying to compare it to a previous experience only to come up with a blank. I also tried to compare it to some monumental occasions in secular or pop culture like (please forgive me) Woodstock, the advent of the internet, and so many other events. As you can guess the comparisons (at least those that were mundane) all came up short and extremely inadequate…”

Read more at:

inadequate analogies

Here is another’s:

“I and my wife went to New Vrindaban this weekend. I will try to sum it up in one word — BLISSFUL!

“It was one of the best kirtans i have ever heard. The tempo was always on the high with devotees dancing. My favorite kirtans were by Niranjan Swami, Radhanath Swami and Sivarama Swami. They were great. All the Florida and New york devotee kirtans were exceptional too. Overall it was endearing to the heart and joyful to the soul…”

Read more at:

24 Hour Kirtan Festival ki jay!

Videos and MP3s of the of the kirtan are being posted:

“Well the New Vrindavan 24 Hour Kirtan Festival is over. For those who were there, it was an experience that will be remembered for the rest of time.

“Our friend Sri Ram recorded the entire 24 hours (talk about endurance) so as soon as we receive the files from him, we will put them up for your listening pleasure…”

See and hear at:

24 hour kirtans

Gundica Marjana
Cleansing the temple of Sri Sri Radha Govardhanadhari.
Saturday, July 4, 2008. 

All are welcome to participate cleansing the Lord’s temple with  Vaishnavas.

We will start the day at 10am.

Please bring cleaning paraphernalia if you have any.

Gundica Marjana Ki ! Jai !

Please contact Gaura Shakti Devi Dasi for more information:

 gaurashakti@exemail.com.au; Phone: 02-66722773, M: 0415276757

Gundica Temple (in Jagannath Puri, India) cleaning by Lord Caitanya, an incarnation of Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead.  This festival is celebrated on an annual basis when the impurities and dirt in the temple are removed.  The Founder of the Hare Krishna Movement, His Divine Grace A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada established this festival in the West and Worldwide. 

Excerpted from: Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya -lila, chapter 12, by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT 1
sri-gundica-mandiram atma-vrndaih
sammarjayan ksalanatah sa gaurah
sva-citta-vac chitalam ujjvalam ca
krsnopavesaupayikam cakara

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu washed and cleansed the Gundica temple with His devotees and associates. In this way He made the temple as cool and bright as His own heart, and thus He made the place befitting for Lord Sri Krsna to sit.

What is the hidden deeper meaning of Gundica-marjana, the cleaning of the Gundica Temple? Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told some of the associates of the king, the king's guru Kasi Misra, the head pujari, and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, "I want to do Gundica-marjanam." In previous years, the King would tell some of his servants, "Go and clean the temple." But what could they do? They could sweep, but not with love and affection.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took the service. He first garlanded all of the Vaisnavas present, He put tilaka on them, and He gave them each one broom and one water pot. Then, headed by Sriman Mahaprabhu Himself, all the devotees went to the Gundica Temple while performing kirtanas: Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare; Jaya Jagannatha Jaya Jagannatha Jaya Jagannatha Jaya Jagannatha, Jaya Baladeva Jaya Baladeva Jaya Baladeva Jaya Baladeva, Jaya Subhadra Jaya Subhadra Jaya Subhadra Jaya Subhadra. In this way they were all doing kirtana while carrying their brooms and pitchers.

All other persons looked on and wondered, "What new thing is going on? They are all totally mad. Why the brooms and jugs?" Some were laughing, and some were in wonder, and some were looking on very gravely.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates had gone to the temple by the medium of sankirtana. Once there, they all began to clean the temple, and with their brooms they collected many very big stones and and stone chips. What is the deeper meaning of “big stones”? Aparadha – Vaisnava-aparadha (offenses to Vaisnavas) and nama-aparadha (offenses to the holy name). When this was done Sriman Mahaprabhu threw them out of the temple – out of the "heart" temple. What did He throw out? Vaisnava-aparadha and nama-aparadha.

Don’t commit these aparadhas. Be careful regarding Vaisnava-aparadha, guru-avajna (ingratitude and disrespect towards Sri Guru), sastra nindanam (blaspheming Vedic literature) and the rest of the ten kinds of offenses to the holy name. Be also careful to avoid dhama-aparadha (offence to Lord Krsna’s holy abodes like Sri Vrndavana, Sri Navadvipa and Sri Jagannatha Puri); and also avoid the anarthas explained by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in his Madhurya Kadambini: svarupa-brahma, asat-trsna, hrdaya-daurbalya, aparadha, laya, viksepa, and all others.* [see endnote 1]

Srila Rupa Gosvami has written in Sri Upadesamrta,

vaco vegam manasah krodha-vegam
jihva-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah
sarvam apimam prthivim sa sisyat

["A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world." (Upadesamrta, sloka 1)]

atyaharah prayasas ca
prajalpo niyamagrahah
jana-sangas ca laulyam ca
sadbhir bhaktir vinasyati

["One's devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too entangled in the following six activities: (1) eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) over endeavoring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters; (4) Practising the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krsna consciousness; and (6) being greedy for mundane achievements." (Upadesamrta, sloka 2)]

Moreover,

trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih.

["Thinking oneself to be even lower and more worthless than insignificant grass which has been trampled beneath everyone's feet, being more tolerant than a tree, being prideless, and offering respect to all others according to their respective positions, one should continuously chant the holy name of Sri Hari." (Siksastaka, sloka 3)]

You will have to give up all bad habits, but I know that you cannot. We are very fallen. Who can follow these verses? Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Svarupa Damodara, Sri Raya Ramananda, Sri Brahmananda Bharati, Sri Paramananda Puri, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Advaita Acarya, Sri Pundarika Vidyanidhi, Sri Vakresavara Pandita and others like them. They can do so.

First take shelter of your Gurudeva, and following him, take the shelter of all the pure devotees in his line – those in the guru-parampara. Call out to them, "O Svarupa Damodara, O Ramananda Raya! Please give me your shelter, I am dying." Call out in this way, while always weeping.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was acting as an acarya; He was doing the cleaning Himself and then teaching others. Some so-called guru may say, "I don't do it, but I tell my disciples, "You should chant at least 64 rounds." His disciples cannot ask him, "How many rounds do you do?" They fear, but any very bold disciple may ask, "How many rounds are you doing? And in what mood are you doing them?" That bogus guru, that kan-guru, will not be able to reply, but a real guru can say, "Oh, I try to do 64, sometimes more then that."

By His own behavior Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches all of us that we should especially try to give up pratistha, false pride. He Himself is Sri Krsna and Srimati Radhika; yet, when a Gaudiya bhakta was putting water on His feet and then drinking that water, He appeared displeased – though He was pleased. He told Sri Svarupa Damodara, "Oh, this Gaudiya; what is he doing? I will go to hell. In front of the temple deity – not deity, but the deity's simhasana (throne) – he is washing My feet and drinking that water. I will certainly have to go to hell."

Sri Svarupa Damodara at once pushed that boy, took him out of the temple and told him, "You have done very well. But others should be careful and therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was externally angry, just to teach others. Anyway, I will ask Him to be merciful to you. Wait here and I will call you." He returned and said, "O Mahaprabhu, that person was quite ignorant and foolish. He does not know anything, so please be merciful to him."

Sriman Mahaprabhu told Srila Jagadananda Pandita, Sri Svarupa Damodara, and others who were distributing mahaprasada after the cleaning of the Gundica Temple, because He knew the devotees liked sweets, "Give sweet preparations to all the Vaisnavas, and to Me only give laphra." Laphra means mixed boiled vegetables. Mahaprabhu Himself acted in this way, so don’t think, "Good preparations should be given to me, and the other, less tasty dishes should be given to others."

To give us practical instructions, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu cleansed the temple twice. His second cleansing was more thorough. The idea was to throw away all the stumbling blocks on the path of devotional service. He cleansed the temple with firm conviction, as is evident from His using His own personal garments for cleaning. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to see personally that the temple was thoroughly cleansed to the standard of clean marble. Clean marble gives a cooling effect. Devotional service means attaining peace from all disturbances caused by material contamination. In other words, it is the process by which the mind is cooled. The mind can be peaceful and thoroughly cleansed when one no longer desires anything but devotional service.

Even though all dirty things may be cleansed away, sometimes subtle desires remain in the mind for impersonalism, monism, success and the four principles of religious activity (dharma, artha, kama and moksa). All these are like spots on clean cloth. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also wanted to cleanse all these away.

By His practical activity, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu informed us how to cleanse our hearts. Once the heart is cleansed, we should invite Lord Sri Krsna to sit down, and we should observe the festival by distributing prasada and chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to teach every devotee by His personal behavior. Everyone who spreads the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepts a similar responsibility. The Lord was personally chastising and praising individuals in the course of the cleaning, and those who are engaged as acaryas must learn from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu how to train devotees by personal example. The Lord was very much pleased with those who could cleanse the temple by taking out undesirable things accumulated within. This is called anartha-nivrtti, cleansing the heart of all unwanted things. Thus the cleansing of the Gundica-mandira was conducted by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to let us know how the heart should be cleansed and soothed to receive Lord Sri Krsna and enable Him to sit within the heart without disturbance.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also cleansed the Nrsimha temple inside and outside. Finally, He rested a few minutes and then began dancing. All around Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu all the devotees performed congregational chanting. The Lord, just like a maddened lion, danced in the middle. As usual, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced, there were perspiration, trembling, fading, tears, jubilation and roaring. Indeed, the tears from His eyes washed His body and those before Him. In this way Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu washed the bodies of all the devotees with the tears from His eyes. The tears poured like rains in the month of Sravana. The sky was filled with the great and loud chanting of sankirtana, and the earth shook from the jumping and dancing of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu always liked the loud chanting of Svarupa Damodara.

Mr. Armani may as well have been chanting a mantra on the lips of many in the fashion business lately. Not as euphonious as om shanti shanti, the words “IndiaEmergingMarket,” run together, seem destined to produce inner bliss in the minds of designers seeking new brand frontiers.

Although no one seems able to gauge the size of India’s prospering classes (the most common figures assert that India’s middle class numbers 200 million — a number that the writer Shashi Tharoor, among others, derides as being predicated on ownership of a bike), there is no arguing with the country’s 9 percent annual growth rate.

In cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and New Delhi, malls are being built almost faster than call centers and IT campuses. What is significant about this is that until now, Western luxury brands were restricted to selling their goods in stores in the lobbies of high-end hotels. All that will change next month when the five-story 320,000-square-foot Emporio mall opens in an upscale residential neighborhood of South Delhi.

Like shopping destinations everywhere, the Emporio mall will feature the requisite spa and Nobu-style Japanese restaurant. It will also have 34 Indian designers among its tenants. More important, it will offer brands like Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Cartier, Paul Smith and others that have been slow to break into the lucrative South Asian market. And it will have Armani’s first Indian store.

“We obviously see India as an important emerging market of the future,” said Robert Triefus, Armani’s executive vice president for global communications. Armani will add stores in Mumbai and Bangalore within the year, Mr. Triefus said, exporting chic silk shantung dhotis to the land of Gandhi and hand-loomed khadi cloth.

In the SB 12.3.51 it's stated that just by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become so pure that he becomes free from all the contamination of the material world and goes back home, back to Godhead.

"The Holy names of Krsna are transcendentaly blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it's Krsna Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Krsna's name is complete and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It's not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Krsna Himself. Since Krsna's name is not contaminated by any material qualities, there is no question of it being involved with maya. Krsna's name is always liberated and spiritual, it's never conditionated by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Krsna and Krsna Himself are identical." Padma Purana

Lord Nityananda just ask us to do one thing - chant the Holy names, because inside these 16 words we have everything....the key to our successful spiritual life.

Haribol.

Aruna dd

A BTG article once referred to declaring one’s dependence on God. One of the six symptoms of surrender is to always feel dependent on the mercy of the Lord.

I mentioned that the ISKCON NA press release was getting some mileage in the Hindu press - this article points out that it might not be too hard to do:

You would think a press release about a German Nazi war criminal named Johann Bach being caught in the jungles of Goa after trying to sell a stolen 18th-century piano would be worth double-checking.

Nonetheless, the press release has been regurgitated on the front pages of the Deccan Herald and the Indian Express and inside the Telegraph, citing Perus Narkp, “the intelligence wing of the Berlin-based German Chancellor’s Core (sic)”, as the source.

Read more at Reuters.

Lecture given by Gunagrahi dasa Goswami on Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 7, Chapter 10, Texts 36-38. The video starts with about 2min 30sec of the end of Guru Puja kirtan. The lecture covers preaching in ways that attract people to Krishna Consciousness. Some devotees share their initial reaction to meeting the devotees for the first [...]

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Date: Saturday, 5th July, 2008
Location: Corner of Franklin St and Hunter St, Herston
Time: 2 pm

Please note the time: 2 pm.

The Climate Change Harinam series continues. We will chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and dance in every single one of Brisbane's 150 suburbs.

This Saturday we are in Herston.

Please remember that we also have a weekly harinam on Fridays leaving at 4.30 pm from Govindas at 55 Elizabeth St, in the city.

Last weekend we had a one week hiatus, in order to attend the wedding of Mitul and Neesha, and do the Brisbane Yoga Festival.

We are an anachronism - out of our time. We don't fit into the current frame of reference, we jar the world view. While we make attempts to do so gently, we challenge the underpinning paradigms of the current civilization - we challenge the value structure with our own.

We are not interested in being absorbed or becoming an accepted part of it. We want to supercede it, to subsume it. However, we don't want to do this through force, but through voluntary participation of the people.

What we have to offer is indeed a higher taste, a superior way. And when people are given the chance to experience that, it acts.

Growing up in New Zealand I saw the Hare Krishnas dancing in the street. I didn't understand it, and I remember one time even mocking them with some friends (in good humour, of course). However, they did not rely on my understanding or appreciation to continue, and the Holy Name did not rely on my understanding or appreciation to act.

We must go out as a duty, every week, everywhere.

See you in the street! :-)

When everyone thinks of themselves, they end up all alone.

Being selfish together is not a common mission, whether you are a couple or a community.

Bhaktin Sue from U.K. shares an interesting report on preaching the glories of Sri Mayapur during London Rathayatra. Sue had put up a stall to invite people to visit Mayapur and has distributed 600 leaflets, 400 pictures and 250 calling cards. Sue visited Mayapur a month ago and felt that it is her service to enthuse many people to visit this holy dhama and be recipients of mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. She worked closely with Kishan prabhu making posters, calling card and setting up a stall during London Rathayatra.

read more

LIBERATING THE LIBERATORS

It is interesting that the US and UK style themselves as “liberators” of Iraq. Subtly implied in this euphemistic term is the assumption that we are ourselves already liberated, in a position to bestow our happy state on others. And that is surely a commonly held assumption in the West. We view ourselves as having the most progressive and free societies. But how true is this?

A popular newspaper columnist recently wrote a book about globalisation in which she described it as the “onward march of the human rights culture.” As one country after another eagerly embraces the Western ideals of capitalism and the free market, then along with Coca-cola, McDonalds and pop music, they inevitably imbibe the West’s underlying values such as democracy, liberality and tolerance.

Junk culture aside that sounds like a good enough thing. Who can complain as the fanatical theocrats and ‘ethnic cleansing’ despots are swept away by the all-engulfing tide of the free world? But it begs a question. Where is it all going? The West may enshrine progression and liberality, but what are we progressing toward? If we are to be truly liberal, then what is the evil from which we must be freed?

Perhaps it is obvious — oppression, denial of the basic right to practice the religion or politics of choice, denial of education or employment, and so on. What all that adds up to is that we want to be happy, to be free or liberated from unnecessary suffering.

On the face of it, the West promises just that. Certainly it is striving in that direction. But has it properly identified the real impediments to lasting happiness? Even if we free ourselves from the oppression of every tyrannical regime on Earth, it seems we still face some pretty oppressive problems.

For example, figures given by the charity Mind show that three in ten people in the UK suffer from a mental illness. Every day of the year twenty of them commit suicide. Alcoholism is rife, with 40,000 people a year admitted to hospital for alcohol-related illnesses, out of which 5000 of them will die due to that problem. As for America — 30,000 US citizens took their own lives during 1997. The Journal of the American Medical Association recently reported that the numbers of Americans being treated for depression between 1987 and 1997 more than tripled from 1.8 million to 6.3 million, while those taking antidepressants doubled. Then there are the crime figures…

Clearly, something is going wrong somewhere. It seems that the advance of technology and modern amenities is not making us happier. In fact a recent UN survey polled a large number of people in many countries around the world, trying to determine who were the happiest. Way down the list came the US and the UK, along with other Western countries. Top, perhaps surprisingly, was Bangladesh, where the average person consumes some thirty times less resources than his American counterpart.

India’s ancient Vedas have much to say about this. They would first of all question whether increasing access to resources means more happiness. Indeed, it is said that the more we have the more we will want. It simply feeds our lust and greed. The Vedic ideal is “simple living, high thinking.” Keep our needs to a minimum and concentrate on a higher, spiritual reality.

Lust, greed, anger, envy and illusion are the true oppressors we all face. Even the oppression of tyrants can be traced to these agents, as they drive despots everywhere. And which of us can say we are free of them ourselves? But as long as we are not then can we say we are truly liberated?

The Vedas define liberation as a state of ineffable peace and inner joy. Are we peaceful as we view the barrage of consumer advertising that daily assails our senses, urging us to buy more and more? Are we happy when we realise we simply cannot afford the things we think we need? How does it make us feel when we see others who have those things?

The founder of the Krishna movement, Srila Prabhupada, coming as he was from a peaceful Indian village, and bearing the spiritual messages of the Vedas, looked with astonishment at Western society. “It is madness,” he declared. “A mad pursuit of a mirage of happiness, an illusion that you will never grasp.” His message was simple. We are all eternal parts of the Supreme Spirit, blissful by nature. Shift your focus away from material things and onto this truth and you will find the happiness you seek

Of course, the secular ideologies of the West, and increasingly the whole world, take no account of spirit. It is little more than rampant materialism dressed in the smart clothes of progress. Sooner or later we have to wake up to the fact that it is a progression toward insanity. Far from advancing human rights, it is robbing us of our rights, of our birthright to be peaceful and happy, a right that is being utterly overwhelmed by a tidal wave of sensual allurements that promise much and deliver little. Is that what we want to bestow upon the world?

Krishna Dharma

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.87.25 - The six kinds of bogus philosophies.

1968 July 4 : "If we can change the materialistic nature of the tongue, by changing of taste and vibration, then automatically the other senses become purified. As such we should try to chant and eat Krishna prasadam as much as possible."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1968

1969 July 4 : "I know there are many Sanskrit scholars in Germany, unfortunately I have no practice to speak in Sanskrit. But I am not going to Germany as a Sanskrit scholar - but to deliver the message of Krishna Consciousness."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1969

1970 July 4 : "My principle is that where my other Godbrothers cannot preach I shall go there. On my behalf you should follow this principle, also. Now combined together do some real service to the cause of Lord Caitanya."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1971 July 4 : "Here things are going on very nicely and just this week forty new devotees were initiated. So the stock of japa beads I brought with me has been depleted. I would like that more beads be sent immediately by air."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1971

1973 July 4 : "This is very welcome news, that all obstacles are cleared in the way of building our temple at Vrindaban. Similarly in Bombay we have been victorious and gained overwhelming new popular support."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1973

1975 July 4: "So, you begin the work, and money will come to you by the grace of God. Don't worry, just finish the buildings as soon as possible and somehow or other money will come."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 July 4: "You should be able to sell at least four lakhs of Rupees worth of books per month. You must also keep proper account. Not a single farthing should be wasted. I will see the accounts personally when I return."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

1975 July 4: "The money sent to you is on loan basis. All money is BBT money and must be paid back by you to the BBT account. You can pay back conveniently. We shall help you - but you must pay back."
Prabhupada Letters :: 1975

In Bhaktyaloka, Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes:

“If one takes shelter of the holy names with humility, then by the mercy of the Lord – without prayasa – all knowledge of the Absolute Truth that should be known awakens within the heart of the simple devotee. This knowledge is never attained by independent prayasa.”

All the participants, spectators, and llamas themselves will be much more comfortable this year. We have until the fall to complete the other phases of this building 1) enclosing it in glass sides 2) hooking up electrical 3) building stage and sound 4) laying down some sort of floor. It will be a great facility for Diwali, during which everyone, westerners and Indians alike, do the Ras and Dandiya Garba folk dancing.

I was thinking....what possible reasons people could give to not become Krishna Conscious, below are 10 reasons I could think of....feel free to add more if you can think of any - Hare Krishna

1. Do you have evidence…?
2. I cannot eat meat…not for me man!
3. No intoxication…I don’t think so.
4. Ok…I can take no meat eating and no intoxication but no illicit sex… you gotto be kidding me!
5. I already have another religion.
6. I thought I was God?
7. Get a life dude…there is no such thing as God – we came from monkeys!
8. I don’t have the time for this
9. All pathways lead to the same goal.
10. It is my own GIANT FALSE EGO!

Recently I started keeping track of the google searches performed by people who ended up at my blog. It's not as big brother as it sounds. Sitemeter allows me to keep track of how many visitors I have a day as well as how they found my blog. When visitors make their way to my pages via a google search, I can then click to see what exactly they were searching for. Rarely are they actually looking for me, but hopefully, once they found me, they have fun at my site.

Here are some of the more recent google searches which have landed people at planet Sabjimata. Basically, it is pretty predictable--seekers of flower jam recipes and prospective picklers of asparagus looking for some tips. June Taylor's been a real ally in getting me hits. My favorites are definitley #21, which came all the way from the U.K., and #35, which I simply can't figure out. My disappointment must pale in comparison to theirs since I am sure they had to sojourn on, beyond the Sabimata pages, in order to seek out their required information. Hopefully #34 came away satiated. And #5, #8 and #22 surely had no where else to go! And #65...I'm just now coming!





1) beach plums
2) how to make khandvi
3) pickling asparagus
4) june taylor jams how to
5) sabjimata
6) how to make rose petal jelly
7) june taylor
8) sabjimata jams
9) asparagus pickle
10) lilac jam recipe
11) where can i buy gooseberries
12) chickasaw plum
13) robert festino
14) waldorf doll, san francisco
15) june taylor jam
16) khandvi recipe
17) rose petal jam
18) flower jelly
19) labels i can print out at home for strawberry jam
20) peony blossom jam recipe
21) dinner customary for hindu
22) devadeva dasi
23) rose petal jelly
24) violet jam
25) best peach jam
26) june taylor jams how to
27) how to make khandvi
28) pickling asparagus
29) beach plums
30) organic rose petals
31) erin englebrecht
32) spelt chapati recipe
33) edible flowers
34) organic strawberry jam best
35) flower makingrose-organdy cloth
36) gluten recipe
37) strawberry picking in pa state college
38) how to pickle asaparagus
39) rose petals jam to buy
40) buy rose petal jam
41) elizabeth post mirel's 1973 book "plum crazy"
42) bernard goetz
43) how cornflakes are made
44) strawberries u pick pa
45) rose petal jam ayurveda
46) human made jam
47) plum jam june taylor
48) "lambs quarter" & "use"
49) you pick farms alachua county
50) rose petal jelly for sale
51) halava
52) where to buy flower petals to cook with
53) best strawberry for jam
54) meditation martinsburg wv
55) additive to make u eat
56) gluten free chapatis
57) where to buy gooseberries
58) ekadashi canola oil
59) mulberry season lasts
60) i am making mulberry jam
61) gluten free buckwheat muffin
62) mulberry jam
63) mulberry syrup recipe
64) pennsylvania organic buttermilk
65) things that are made in florida that you can eat that are only made here



If I could add any "key words" to the list, I would definitely put my pre-Hare Krishna name out there for anyone from back in the day who wants to find me. DANA BIALOW. Now I exist, in my pre 1997 nomenclature, for all to google. What else would make a good key word search to get people looking at my blog?

1) home made jam
2) the perfect gift
3) what to get for christmas
4) mail order jam
5) artisinal jam
6) vegan jam
7) karma yoga
8) on sale
9) free
10) food porn

One devotee, Bhakta Leon Prabhu, recently moved here from London. Upon his arrival he gave me a very thoughtful gift, a book, "The little Flowers of St. Francis" translated by Raphael Brown. The book was written by a monk in the order of St. Francis about 100 years after he disappeared from this world, and it was a compilation of many different stories and anecdotes about the life and teachings of St. Francis

Leon told me that one time he heard Radhanath Swami tell this story, which was in the book, in one of his lectures. The whole book is really inspiring, the extant to which he lived by the ideals of God consciousness are really astounding, especially the incredible austerities he performed.

Leon also gave me a beautiful picture of Radhanath Swami.

One day at St. Mary, St. Francis called brother Leo and said: "Brother Leo, write this down."

He answered: "I'm ready."

"write what is true joy," he said. "A messenger comes and says that all the masters of theology in Paris have joined the Order, write, that is not true joy. Or all the prelates beyond the mountains-archbishops and bishops, or the King of France and the King of England, write that is not true joy. Or that my friars have gone to the unbelievers an have conerted all of them to the faith; or that I have so much grace from God that I heal the sick and I perform many miracles. I tell you that true joy is not in all those things."

"But what is true joy."

"I am returning from Perugia and I am coming here at night, in the dark. It is winter time and wet and muddy and so cold that icicles form at the edge of my habit and keep striking my legs, and blood flows from such wounds. And I come to the gate, all covered with mud and cold and ice, and after I have knocked and called for a long time, a friar comes and asks: 'Who are you?' I answer, 'Brother Francis.' And he says: 'Go away This is not a decent time to be going about. You can't come in.'

"And when I insist again, he replies: 'Go away. You are a simple an uneducated fellow. From now on don;t stay with us any more. We are so many an so important that we don;t need you.'

"But I still stand at the gate and say: 'For the love of God, let me come in tonight.' and he answers: 'I won't. Go to the crossiers' Place and ask there.'

"I tell you if I kept patience and was not upset-that is true joy an true virtue and the salvation of the soul."

Bhakta Matt Morreale, the CEO of Yoga Maya Films, interviewed Akrura dasa about Gita Coaching.

Matt: You have been travelling over the past few years around Europe teaching the Gita Coaching Course. What countries did you visit and what was the response?

Akrura dasa: I visited Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Serbia and Slovenia. I also had a course in London two times. In Greece we had a TV programme called ‘Holistic Success’. We had live phone calls from people. We presented a few short films, sang some bhajanas and told a few stories. In Belgium, we had a presentation about how Gita Coaching relates to Prabhupada’s teachings. It was attended by 20 devotees.

In Italy, we had a presentation for leaders, with 12 devotees. In Croatia and Slovenia, we had full three-day course, with over 30 devotees attending. In Croatia, we visited two cities, Zagreb and Split, and in both places we had over 30 devotees attending.

Matt: What were the highlights of your visits?

Ad: It was the positive response of the local devotees and especially participants. They had been very active and very enthusiastic, at least several of them. What I expect from students the most and what I would like to see after the course is actually the follow-up. If some of them start coaching others and continue developing their coaching skills. In Split, Croatia, which is an the Adriatic coast, the response was very good. In Slovenia they also wanted to create their own coaches (personal development assistants) and we were discussing this with the temple president.

I had an unusual coaching session with one devotee that showed me how devotees have the potential and the capacity to solve their own problems. A devotee came to me with a particular problem, I was listening to him and I was thinking shall I give him advice or ask him questions. I decided to ask him to try to be his own consultant. I said, “Imagine that you are an expert in these kinds of issues. What would you tell this guy which is you?” Then I walked out and I left him with a pen and paper for about 5 minutes. I came back and saw that he was smiling. He had written down five ideas and looked happy. He said, “I’ve got some ideas. I think these can be worked on but somehow until now I couldn’t resolve this”.

Then I said, “That’s very nice. Thank you for doing this exercise, but that’s not all. Now go back to your old identity, to your old self and give me your best excuses why each of these solutions they cannot be implemented. And I walked out again. I came back in a few minutes and he was laughing uncontrollably. He was almost delirious. He realized how he sabotages himself daily.

I told him, “You see, your whole life is here and you can choose to be the solution one or the sabotaged one. And he was laughing even more. He was so happy and amazed by his realization. He had a great revelation.

I left that particular temple to visit some other places and I visited the same temple on my way back to London. That devotee was still so happy, engaged in service. So this was one of the best things I experienced in my travels. He helped himself. I just created the environment.

Matt: What do you see as the future of Gita Coaching?

Ad: My desire is that we have at least one fired-up coach in each ISKCON temple and there are over 150 ISKCON temples around the world. This means that I have a lot of work to do, to help train a lot of coaches, and I have great hopes for this because more invitations are coming from various ISKCON centres. The next Gita Coaching Course will be in New Mayapur, France, in October this year (2008). Interest in coaching is growing and I would like to serve devotees who are able to give this course, train other coaches and most importantly, coach devotees.

We want to help leaders of ISKCON but we also want to help any devotee who is serious, who wants to take responsibility for the mission and who wants to be excellent in various areas of his or her life.

Matt: So what happens after your courses? Do you keep in touch with the students and are they actually applying what they learn?

Ad: I do keep in touch via email, Skype, on the phone to see if they are still interested in applying what they have learned or in learning more. For me, the main work happens after the Gita Coaching Course. I am happy to report that devotees in one of centres I visited are very serious, at least 4 or 5 of them, to have a team of coaches who will be continuing coaching other devotees and developing more of their skills. They will also be coaching each other.

For me, follow-up is actually where things really happen. The course is just the beginning, the foundation for the long-term work and the beginning of the exciting process. Coaching is not just an event, but a process of personal development and continuous improvement in all areas of your life.

Matt: Great, thank you very much!

Ad: It was my pleasure.

A devotee has pointed out a recent change in Srila Prabhupada's Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (change marked in bolded text):

CC.Adi Chapter 1 Intro.

Version before 1990:

    "The direct disciple of Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami was Srila
Narottama dasa Thakura, who accepted Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti as his
servitor. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura accepted Srila Jagannatha dasa
Babaji, who initiated Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who in turn initiated
Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji, the spiritual master of Om Visnupada Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, the divine master of our humble
self."

Recent version:

    "The direct disciple of Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami was Srila Narottama
dasa Thakura, who accepted Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti as his servitor.
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura accepted Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji,
the spiritual master of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who in turn accepted
Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji, the spiritual master of Om Visnupada Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, the divine master of our humble
self."

Just one word changed, and the consequences are enormous.

To begin with, this very passage had historically been quite a stickler in the ritvik debates. Ritvikists have used it to prove their doctrine of posthumous initiation. They say that use of the word "initiate" and the 100 year gap between Srila Narottama Das Thakura and Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura together prove that posthumous diksha can take place. If it cannot be demonstrated that "accept" and not "initiate" is the specific word that Srila Prabhupada selected, then it is likely that someone consciously made this change to defend ISKCON against ritvikism. Even if it is the case that it was just another editorial decision, it would be very difficult to dismiss this accusation. Hence, the credibility of the updated work necessarily acquires a stigma of being tainted by editorial ambition, which necessarily hurts the credibility of the work itself.

Unless it can be shown that there had been some mistake made in the editorial chain -- from transcription, through editing, through proofreading, through typsetting and, perhaps, printing, such that the word chosen by the editor is clearly the word the author had selected, then the editorial change is morally wrong.

Such a change goes beyond the mandate of editing (which is to as far as possible preserve the author's own way of presenting his own ideas) and becomes a kind of authorship in its own right. If SP used the word "initiate", then some other word used in its place without the permission of the author is an improper change. Why? Because whatever SP meant by it, this is the way SP chose to express it. Changing the way an author expresses his ideas without the author's permission necessarily means the editor is choosing to express an idea in some different way. In such a case, the editor breaks free of one of the constraints that makes an editor an editor--a duty to preserve the author's voice. Whenever that happens, the editor is no longer an editor. He has become an author.

read more

Dear Devotees: Remember, the Rathyatra Festival date is less then two weeks away, Saturday July 12th!

The Rath Cart is getting ready for transport to NV. Akhilananda Prabhu is very attentive to details for the pleasure of Their Lordships. The dimensions of the canopy when fully up will be 28 feet tall, the over-all cart will be 18 feet long and 11 feet wide when the decorative additions are included. Garua Nitai will be here as well, adding to the transcendental pleasure of all.

We will need a Decoration Crew early Saturday morning up by Rupanuga’s to put up garlands, balloons, and other festoons. Our wonderful community cooks are invited to make offerings at various stops during the parade for His pleasure.

Balabhadra Prabhu of ISCOWP has volunteered to provide the ropes that will pull the Chariot. Akhilananda will need the help of four strong men-folk for the “heavy -lifting” of getting the Chariot ready. It is slated to arrive on Thursday, July 10th to allow plenty of time for preparations.

I want to offer sincere thanks to Sankirtan Prabhu for his donation towards the Festival. A compete list of expenditures which can be sponsored is available upon request, but a partial list includes the following items that can be sponsored by generous hearted donors who will receive many blessings for doing so:

The Feast
Ghee
Vegetables (bhoga)
Fruits (bhoga)
Flowers
Ballons
Helium
Fireworks
Miscellaneous Decorations for the Rath Cart

Devotees are invited to contact Malati’s office and volunteer for various personal service to Lord Jagannath during the Rathayatra Festival or make a personal financial donation towards Festival expenditures. 304-845-9591 Thank you!

Our school is growing, Now there are about 200 students. There is a mix of devotee children and village children. Many come every morning for guru puja and man come for the noon arotika. If anyone would like to sponsor a student please contact me. The cost is minimal. If you wold like to make a big offering that would help to build a proper school building..

Lauren from Port Macquarie New South Wales, wrote:

"Dear Kurma, thanks for your website. It is very good reading. I was wondering about whether coconut oil would be a good item to add to my kitchen cupboard. I have heard good and bad things about it, and I am confused. What do you think?"

My reply:

"Hello Lauren, here's some interesting information about the coconut and it's products. I think you will find it enlightening".

Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which is known for being anti-viral, antibacterial and anti-fungal. Coconut oil is also being used by thyroid sufferers to increase body metabolism, and to lose weight. Virgin coconut oil is also used for making natural soaps and other health products, as it is one of the healthiest things one can put on their skin.

At one time coconut oil received negative press because of its high level of saturated fat. However, modern research has shown that not all saturated fats are alike and that the fatty acids in coconut oil, the medium chain triglycerides, do not raise serum cholesterol or contribute to heart disease, but are in fact very healthy.

Also, some negative studies done on coconut oil in the past was done on hydrogenated coconut oil, which has been altered from its original form. Other studies have clearly shown that traditional Asian cultures that eat significant amounts of coconut in their diet do not suffer from modern diseases seen in western cultures that promote a low-fat diet.

Longitudinal section through a coconut (left) and plan view of stone (right): 1- thin, yellow-brown, watertight outer skin (exocarp) 2 - thick, fibrous middle layer (coconut fiber, coir, mesocarp) 3 - hard inner layer, the stone (endocarp) 4 - white, oily copra layer, 1 - 2 cm thick (solid endosperm) 5 - cavity filled with coconut milk (liquid endosperm) 6 - embryo, 7 - "eyes" (3 germ pores set in pits)

Much research on the nutritional and medicinal benefits on coconut oil has surfaced in recent years. Much of that research has been done by Dr. Mary Enig. Dr. Enig has classified coconuts as a "functional food," which provides health benefits over and beyond the basic nutrients. She has specifically identified lauric acid as a key ingredient in coconut products:

"Approximately 50% of the fatty acids in coconut fat are lauric acid. Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid, which has the additional beneficial function of being formed into monolaurin in the human or animal body.

Monolaurin is the anti-viral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal monoglyceride used by the human or animal to destroy lipid coated viruses such as HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, various pathogenic bacteria including listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and protozoa such as giardia lamblia. Some studies have also shown some antimicrobial effects of the free lauric acid."

As a "functional food," coconut oil is now being recognized by the medical community as a powerful tool against immune diseases. Several studies have been done on its effectiveness, and much research is currently being done on the incredible nutritional value of pure coconut oil.

More information...

Enjoy these two new videos from the New Vrindavan 24 Hour Hare Krishna Kirtan. Visvambhar heats up the mood with a beautiful tune then Acyuta Gopi takes over with a spine tingling kirtan.

We just noticed that YouTube now allows you to view the video in high quality. There is a small link underneath the “Views” number that says “watch in high quality”. Make sure you click that so you can see all the people in full detail! You will need to leave GauraVani.com and watch the video on YouTube’s site in order to see this feature.

Visvambhar

View it in High Quality on YouTube.

Acyuta Gopi

View it in High Quality on YouTube.

Watch all of our videos on our YouTube Channel.

Partha-Sarathi das

For those that don’t know, I am submitting a request when I return to be released from my commitment to the Army. I beg everyone to pray for me that this will happen. The Lord always listens to His devotees prayers. below is the letter:

I have been a practicing member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) since 1998. On 15 April 2005, I accepted formal vows and took spiritual initiation into the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, which is an ancient spiritual tradition. The vows I accepted consisted of no engaging in illicit sex, no eating of any meat, fish, or eggs, no consumption of any intoxicants (including caffeine), and no gambling. Additionally I vowed to chant sixteen rounds of prayer (1728 prayers) on rosary type beads. I was also awarded the sacred thread of a brahmana (priest). After my wife left me in June 2005, I started to concentrate more on spiritual life.  In November 2006, I was given permission by my spiritual teacher to accept the saffron cloth of a brahmacri (celibate student). As a brahmacri, I have decided to also accept a life long vow of celibacy with the understanding that it is my duty to preach this message to whomever I met.The vows I have accepted require me to spend a minimum of two hours daily to complete my prescribed prayers and spend a minimum of two hours studying scripture. In additionally as a brahmana, I also perform worship of Deities. Due to the strict following of these vows, this often leaves me to sleep for three to four hours daily. As a strict follower of Krsna, I am also required to fast twice a month for twenty four hours. Taking all this into consideration, I decided that my life would be best served as monk, strictly living in a temple and dedicating my life to educating others about God.

Partha-sarathi Chanting Japa

As a brahmana, I am required by scripture to preach this message of Krishna Consciousness and the chanting of the Maha Mantra; Hare Hare Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama to everyone I come in contact with regardless of race, creed or gender. Army regulations state that there will be no proselytizing of any single religion, faith or practice. The fact that the Army restricts me from following my scripture puts me in the middle of a dilemma. Should I break my vows, and what is expected of me from the scripture or should I knowingly violate and disregard regulations concerning proselytizing, and be charged under Article 92, Failure to obey an order or regulation of the UCMJ. To be very honest, I will choose to follow my scripture over the military, after all the military will not help me go back to Godhead. I feel that it is best for the US Army to release me so not cause a situation which could bring unnecessary attention to me and the US military.

As a Hare Krsna devotee, I am required to maintain a strict vegetarian diet, while deployed to Mosul in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 07-09, I was unable to be provided with adequate and nutritious meals. The US military’s idea of a vegetarian diet consists of food cooked in the same oil as meat and cooked in the same pots as meat. The salads are prepared using the same utensils as those used to prepare meat products. In any given time you can find in a military dinning facility salad’s and cooked vegetables prepared with meat or animal products. While yes, when not in a combat zone, this is not an issue, it is an issue when out training and participating in Mission Readiness Training Exercises, National Training Center Rotations and deployments such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Bosnia etc. The military does provide Soldiers with meals, but the Army cannot sustain my strict vegetarian diet, even the Vegetarian MREs are made with eggs, rendering them useless to someone like myself. In addition, this can present a concern for the safety of not only me, but also the safety of my Soldiers. As a Sergeant First Class in the US Army, I am entrusted with safety and wellbeing of any Soldiers that I am placed in charge of. This is an obligation I take very serious.

According to the scriptures that are followed in this spiritual tradition, the association you have will help to form and develop your characteristics. The Army is for the most part not a place for a person striving to become a monk. We all know that everywhere you go, there are talks of sex, and even as I write this I have individuals telling me to give up these vows and get married and be a “normal” person. In the Bhagavad-Gita it is clearly stated that in order to develop saintly qualities, one must be in the constant association of saintly persons. As mentioned earlier, I have accepted vows to practice renunciation and extremely strict spiritual vows; does the Army really want a soldier or leader that is always tired from lack of sleep and proper diet? I personally feel it is a major concern not only for my safety but especially for the safety of those I am chosen to lead in today’s conflicts.

I have served honorably in the US Army for thirteen years, and never asked anything of the military. My non-commissioned officer evaluation reports and my awards and decorations speak for themselves and can attest to the service I have given my country, and the US Army. I originally decided to submit this packet in November 2006, but the then Command Sergeants Major  and our present Squadron commander, requested me to postpone submitting it due to the Squadron’s upcoming deployment, feeling I was a valuable asset to the Squadron’s mission. I had no hesitation and agreed to put my dream on hold to help ensure that Soldiers in Iraq had good leadership to look to during combat operations. For over ten years I have justified my military service and my spiritual practices. I have lead a double life, but I can no longer justify it. I feel it has come to a point in my life to move forward and accept in my heart my calling as a monk and servant of God.

I am writing this request to explain my reasons for requesting a Chapter 5-3, Secretarial Plenary Authority or “Once in a Lifetime Opportunity” Chapter. According to AR 635-200, this provisional is for those Soldiers who desire to leave active duty. Soldiers may qualify for discharge under this provision if the military service is interfering with a Soldier’s religious practices. I have clearly explained this in the above main body of this letter. The military has taught me about honor. I feel submitting this request is the honorable solution to this. I would feel if denied I would be a liability to Soldiers. Today’s Soldiers, fighting in today’s conflict need leaders who are focused on the mission at hand. To be very honest, my focus is else where and because it is I am a liability to Soldiers I have been chosen to lead.