From www.recipes.iskcondesiretree.info – Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Diet department

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This is in continuation of the lectures given by our beloved Guru Maharaj in Abudhabi on the settlement of our various material accounts.

Part 1
Part 2

We should carve one thing in our mind. Everything is under the control of Krishna. Whether we like it or not, it is a fact. Because He is the supreme controller, if He allows, then only we can see and hear each other. In this age, it is so rare to come together to glorify Him. Day by day kali yuga forces are advancing very fast. In order to get out of the precarious situation we are in, very sincere attachment to Vedic traditions are required. The domain of Krishna is completely unknown to us. Our sincerity alone will give the peep into that domain.

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This is in continuation of the earlier post here, transcribing the wonderful lectures given by our beloved Guru Maharaj in Abudhabi during his recent visit here. Maharaj was insisting on the settlement of various material accounts without which it becomes impossible to increase our transcendence and to have a glimpse of the unknown spiritual domain. Maharaj sang the following beautiful verse glorifying Srimad Bhagavatam from Padma purana and explained the same.

namaami devam karunaa nidhaanam
tamaalavarnam suhitaavataaram
apaara samsaara samudra setum
bhajaamahe bhaagavata svarupam

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akīrtiḿ cāpi bhūtāni
kathayiṣyanti te ‘vyayām
sambhāvitasya cākīrtir
maraṇād atiricyate

SYNONYMS

akīrtim — infamy; ca — also; api — over and above; bhūtāni — all people; kathayiṣyanti — will speak; te — of you; avyayām — forever; sambhāvitasya — for a respectable man; ca — also; akīrtiḥ — ill fame; maraṇāt — than death; atiricyate — becomesmore.

TRANSLATION

People will always speak of your infamy, and for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.

PURPORT

Both as friend and philosopher to Arjuna, Lord Kṛṣṇa now gives His final judgment regarding Arjuna’s refusal to fight. The Lord says, "Arjuna, if you leave the battlefield before the battle even begins, people will call you a coward. And if you think that people may call you bad names but that you will save your life by fleeing the battlefield, then My advice is that you’d do better to die in the battle. For a respectable man like you, ill fame is worse than death. So, you should not flee for fear of your life; better to die in the battle. That will save you from the ill fame of misusing My friendship and from losing your prestige in society."

So, the final judgment of the Lord was for Arjuna to die in the battle and not withdraw.

Disclaimer: Bhagavad Gita As It Is, translation courtesy of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.Krishna.com. Used with permission.

"It is true that by practicing restraint of the senses by the yoga system one can get relief from the disturbances of desire and lust, but this is not sufficient to give satisfaction to the soul, for this satisfaction is derived from devotional service to the Personality of Godhead."

Narada Muni – Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.6.35

Disclaimer: The daily ‘Vedic thought’ are posted by Deepak Prabhu in the Yahoo Groups – Govindadwipa. All credits goes to him and the groups. Hare Krishna.

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"My dear Uddhava, the unalloyed devotional service rendered to Me by My devotees brings Me under their control. I cannot be thus controlled by those engaged in mystic yoga, Sankhya philosophy, pious work, Vedic study, austerity, or renunciation.

Lord Sri Krsna – Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.14.20

Disclaimer: The daily ‘Vedic thought’ are posted by Deepak Prabhu in the Yahoo Groups – Govindadwipa. All credits goes to him and the groups. Hare Krishna.

From www.recipes.iskcondesiretree.info – Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Diet department

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atha cet tvam imaḿ dharmyaḿ
sańgrāmaḿ na kariṣyasi
tataḥ sva-dharmaḿ kīrtiḿ ca
hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi

SYNONYMS

atha — therefore; cet — if; tvam — you; imam — this; dharmyam — as a religious duty; sańgrāmam — fighting; na — do not; kariṣyasi — perform; tataḥ — then; sva-dharmam — your religious duty; kīrtim — reputation; ca — also; hitvā — losing; pāpam — sinful reaction; avāpsyasi — will gain.

TRANSLATION

If, however, you do not perform your religious duty of fighting, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a fighter.

PURPORT

Arjuna was a famous fighter, and he attained fame by fighting many great demigods, including even Lord Śiva. After fighting and defeating Lord Śiva in the dress of a hunter, Arjuna pleased the lord and received as a reward a weapon called pāśupata-astra. Everyone knew that he was a great warrior. Even Droṇācārya gave him benedictions and awarded him the special weapon by which he could kill even his teacher. So he was credited with so many military certificates from many authorities, including his adopted father Indra, the heavenly king. But if he abandoned the battle, not only would he neglect his specific duty as a kṣatriya, but he would lose all his fame and good name and thus prepare his royal road to hell. In other words, he would go to hell, not by fighting, but by withdrawing from battle.

Disclaimer: Bhagavad Gita As It Is, translation courtesy of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.Krishna.com. Used with permission.

We in Abudhabi were really fortunate to have the personal association of our beloved Guru Maharaj for three days last week. Maharaj encouraged all the devotees in the performance of devotional service and he gave very serious instructions to be remembered and practiced in our lives. We shall try our best to transcribe the lectures for the benefit of all.

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From www.recipes.iskcondesiretree.info – Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Diet department

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On a Sunday morning like any other, December 15, 1974, some seventy devotees ate breakfast at Schloss Rettershof. Between spoonfuls of hot halava and sweet yogurt, stories of the latest sankirtana adventures made the rounds.

Most of the sankirtana devotees had arrived the night before after another successful week of distribution. And after unloading their vans and taking showers, they had joined a tumultuous kirtana in the castle’s main hall and enjoyed many hours of ecstatic chanting and dancing. The next day, they would launch into the last week of book distribution and fund-raising before Christmas, usually the week with the biggest results of the year.

But the next morning, at eight o’clock, a well-dressed man in a dark coat knocked on the front door. He was the state prosecutor, Herr Schomberg, and he was not alone. Accompanied by eighty policemen, he entered the Schloss and presented an order of investigation. For the few hours, the police checked everyone’s identification and searched the building.

For many months, Schomberg had gathered apparently incriminating evidence of fraud and other illegal activities. An increasing number of citizens, doubtful that their donations were sent to India to feed the hungry, had been going to the police.

Around noon, the devotees were taken to the police headquarters in Frankfurt for interrogation. The officers took their pictures and fingerprints, and a judge accepted the prosecutor’s demand to freeze the Society’s bank accounts.

Srila Prabhupada was in Bombay when he received the news of the raid by telegram almost a week later. He was informed that bad publicity, not only in Germany but also all over the world, was marring the public image of his movement. Prabhupada asked Brahmananda Swami to fly to Frankfurt and give him a detailed report.

The accusations against ISKCON reflected the public’s irritation against ISKCON’s fund-raising methods, especially in connection to the food relief program in India. When Prabhupada received a letter from the Stockholm temple president describing the questionable methods used by the Swedish devotees, who had also been trained by Hamsaduta, he replied on January 6, 1975:

Regarding dishonest means being used, I have never advised or taught anyone like that. That is not my idea. This record distribution has caused havoc. It should be stopped immediately. I have also asked Hamsaduta to stop it. Book distribution is our real business. If we give them a record, they simply hear some magical sound and take it for sense gratification, but if they receive one of our books and read even one page, they get eternally benefitted.To Brahmananda Swami, he wrote:

Hamsaduta was giving stress to selling records using all tricks, by any means. The incident in Germany has caused havoc all over the world. It is hampering our reputation everywhere. I do not want this record distribution to continue. So, stop this record distribution immediately everywhere. And stress book distribution more and more.

As more and more devotees worldwide became aware of the disastrous consequences of dubious fund-raising methods, an internal debate flared up: whether or not the ends really justified the means. Rupanuga, one of the GBCs for North America who defended a straightforward approach, turned to Srila Prabhupada for guidance and received the following instructions:

Regarding the controversy about book distribution techniques, you are right. Our occupation must be honest. Everyone should adore our members as honest. If we do something which is deteriorating to the popular sentiment of the public in favor of our movement, that is not good. Somehow or other, we should not become unpopular in the public eye. These dishonest methods must be stopped. It is hampering our reputation all over the world.

Money collected for feeding people in India should be collected under the name ISKCON Food Relief. Not any other name. And every farthing of that money must be sent to India, or better yet, buy food grains there and ship them here and we will distribute.

From the "Srila Prabhupada and His Disciples in Germany" by HG Vedavyasa dasa

Disclaimer: The article is posted in the Yahoo Groups – Govindadwipa. All credits goes to the group and their services. Hare Krishna.

"There is no death like infamy, there is no enemy like anger, there is no sin like criticizing others, and there is no intoxicating liquor like delusion."

Narada Purana 1.7.54

Disclaimer: The daily ‘Vedic thought’ are posted by Deepak Prabhu in the Yahoo Groups – Govindadwipa. All credits goes to him and the groups. Hare Krishna.

yadṛcchayā copapannaḿ
svarga-dvāram apāvṛtam
sukhinaḥ kṣatriyāḥ pārtha
labhante yuddham īdṛśam

SYNONYMS

yadṛcchayā — by its own accord; ca — also; upapannam — arrived at; svarga — of the heavenly planets; dvāram — door;apāvṛtam — wide open; sukhinaḥ — very happy; kṣatriyāḥ — the members of the royal order; pārtha — O son of Pṛthā; labhante— do achieve; yuddham — war; īdṛśam — like this.

TRANSLATION

O Pārtha, happy are the kṣatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets.

PURPORT

As supreme teacher of the world, Lord Kṛṣṇa condemns the attitude of Arjuna, who said, "I do not find any good in this fighting. It will cause perpetual habitation in hell." Such statements by Arjuna were due to ignorance only. He wanted to become nonviolent in the discharge of his specific duty. For a kṣatriya to be on the battlefield and to become nonviolent is the philosophy of fools. In the Parāśara-smṛti, or religious codes made by Parāśara, the great sage and father of Vyāsadeva, it is stated:

kṣatriyo hi prajā rakṣan
śastra-pāṇiḥ pradaṇḍayan
nirjitya para-sainyādi
kṣitiḿ dharmeṇa pālayet

"The kṣatriya’s duty is to protect the citizens from all kinds of difficulties, and for that reason he has to apply violence in suitable cases for law and order. Therefore he has to conquer the soldiers of inimical kings, and thus, with religious principles, he should rule over the world."

Considering all aspects, Arjuna had no reason to refrain from fighting. If he should conquer his enemies, he would enjoy the kingdom; and if he should die in the battle, he would be elevated to the heavenly planets, whose doors were wide open to him. Fighting would be for his benefit in either case.

Disclaimer: Bhagavad Gita As It Is, translation courtesy of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.Krishna.com. Used with permission.

Dear Satsangis,

Hare Krishna!! All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Guru and Gauranga !

Today Friday May 29, 2009 is the Wedding Anniversary of Bhakta Surya Prakash G.R and Bhaktin Kamini Prakash.

We request all the Vaishnavas to bestow their blessings on the occasion of this Anniversary.

Join us to beg at the lotus feet of Guru and Krishna and request their causeless mercy and choicest blessings on this couple, to have many more wonderful and blissful years of Krishna Conscious life.

Yours humble servants,
Ruby & Saravana.

In Bhagavad Gita verse 9.13 Lord Krishna says,

"O son of Prtha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible."

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From www.recipes.iskcondesiretree.info – Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Diet department

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Hamsaduta eventually sent $ 20,000 to construct the food distribution pavilion in Mayapur, but that was only a drop in the bucket compared to the total collection. Hamsaduta had other plans besides printing books and purchasing the Schloss. He planned to buy a remote farm and develop a self-sufficient community based on the varnasrama system. He feared a world war and economic chaos in the near future and wanted to be prepared. When Srila Prabhupada sensed that Hamsaduta was diverting too much attention in this direction, he cautioned him

Yes, we must invest our money in books and land, but there will be no collapse as you have anticipated. Everything will be adjusted by the grace of Krishna. From my own experience I have seen when first-class rice was selling at 8 np. per kg, and now that is being sold at Rs. 8. That means it is 64 times higher, but still people are eating, and the man who lives in care of the footpath he is also eating. So the man in care of the footpath, and the man on the 30th floor of the skyscraper, they are living, and still the inflation is going on. Man-made laws cannot work any rupture in Krishna’s plan. Better let us remain now under Krishna’s shelter fully dependent, and we shall remain unaffected by all the man-made difficulties.

Farm opening is not very essential, but if you can do it conveniently, then do it. The varnasrama system is for convenience sake in the material world. It has nothing to do with spiritual life. Acceptance of varnasrama means a little easy progress to spiritual life, otherwise it has no importance to us. For example, all my European and American disciples have no varnasrama position, but spiritually, because they have followed the rules and regulations and also my instructions, their advancement spiritually is being appreciated by everyone. Always remember that varnasrama life is a good program for material life, and it helps one in spiritual life, but spiritual life is not dependent upon it.

Until this time, Hamsaduta used to consult Srila Prabhupada about all his moves. But his recent streak of success, plus Prabhupada’s expressions of unreserved satisfaction with him, seemed to make him over-confident. He now made a series of dubious moves on his own. Later, when Prabhupada began to receive letters from several concerned devotees, he chastised his disciple:

Why did you close Edinburgh without asking me? Don’t do anything whimsically without consulting me.

I made the GBC to give me relief, but if you do like this, then where is relief? It is anxiety for me. This is the difficulty: as soon as one gets power, he becomes whimsical and spoils everything.

I am not in favor of closing even a small temple. It is not a plaything to close a temple or to start a temple. When we open a temple, we are inviting Krishna. So you can’t say to Krishna, ‘Go away.’ You have no feeling what are the ideals of a temple.

It is a great offense. Before opening a temple, it must be considered a hundred times, and after opening, it cannot be closed. It must be maintained.

Prabhupada wrote this letter on September 12, 1974. Two weeks later, he received a report from Hamsaduta, written before Prabhupada’s letter, giving reasons for his actions. Prabhupada replied immediately:

Regarding the closing of the temples, no temple can be closed for any reason. You have done a great mistake. I am sending you a copy of a letter I have written in this connection. We have to consider very carefully before opening a center, and once opened, it cannot be closed. It is disastrous. What you have done is not at all allowed. I am very disappointed that you have done this. Even you did not consult me. Why?

Now you want to purchase a farm, but can you manage? Why are you closing all the temples and then opening a farm? Do you have sufficient men to maintain a farm? Why are you purchasing a farm?

Three days later, Srila Prabhupada received two apologetic letters from Hamsaduta. Prabhupada then instructed him what to do:

Regarding Edinburgh temple, yes it should be re-opened. Worship in the temple means to personally call Krishna, and He personally comes, therefore the arrangement must be there for the temple worship to go on nicely before opening any temple. In Vrindaban there are many dilapidated, important temples started by the Gosvamis, but still they are not closed. They are becoming debtor and debtor, and the temple building is practically falling down, but still the Deity worship is going on somehow or other. This is the principle.

In Germany you have to follow the same principle. Once opened it cannot be closed. Somehow or other you have to manage to continue the temple worship. That is the devotional cult. If they are closed and it is impossible to re-open, then what can be done? If there is no Deity, then it doesn’t matter. If possible, re-open the Hamburg temple and transfer the Deity again and worship. A center without a Deity can be closed, but to close a center with a Deity is a great offense. The Deity is not an idol; it is Krishna. We cannot say to Krishna personally, ‘Now go away.

But no matter how disappointed Srila Prabhupada was, he didn’t forget Hamsaduta’s valuable service, and he thanked him for his efforts.

I am glad to hear about the Gita sales and the publishing of the new books. Therefore I have appointed you as BBT Trustee: to publish the German editions of our books as much as possible. I quite appreciate that one main center may remain there and from there the preaching may go on, but no attempt may be made to open a new center without being confident that it will go on. Strictly this principle should be followed.

The book sales are very encouraging, increasing, increasing. It is very good news. Thank you, I want this. Record selling is temporary. Even George Harrison’s record sales do not continue for a long time. But, a book sold becomes a permanent matter for enjoyment. We read the scriptures again and again, and it is still fresh. When there is time, I go on reading my own books.

From the "Srila Prabhupada and His Disciples in Germany" by HG Vedavyasa dasa

Disclaimer: The article is posted in the Yahoo Groups – Govindadwipa. All credits goes to the group and their services. Hare Krishna.

SYNONYMS

sva-dharmam — one’s own religious principles; api — also; ca — indeed; avekṣya — considering; na — never; vikampitum — to hesitate; arhasi — you deserve; dharmyāt — for religious principles; hi — indeed; yuddhāt — than fighting; śreyaḥ — better engagement; anyat — any other; kṣatriyasya — of thekṣatriya; na — does not; vidyate — exist.

TRANSLATION

Considering your specific duty as a kṣatriya, you should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles; and so there is no need for hesitation.

PURPORT

Out of the four orders of social administration, the second order, for the matter of good administration, is called kṣatriya. Kṣat means hurt. One who gives protection from harm is called kṣatriya (trāyate — to give protection). The kṣatriyas are trained for killing in the forest. A kṣatriya would go into the forest and challenge a tiger face to face and fight with the tiger with his sword. When the tiger was killed, it would be offered the royal order of cremation. This system has been followed even up to the present day by the kṣatriya kings of Jaipur state. The kṣatriyas are specially trained for challenging and killing because religious violence is sometimes a necessary factor. Therefore, kṣatriyas are never meant for accepting directly the order of sannyāsa, or renunciation. Nonviolence in politics may be a diplomacy, but it is never a factor or principle. In the religious law books it is stated:

āhaveṣu mitho ‘nyonyaḿ
jighāḿsanto mahī-kṣitaḥ
yuddhamānāḥ paraḿ śaktyā
svargaḿ yānty aparāń-mukhāḥ
yajñeṣu paśavo brahman
hanyante satataḿ dvijaiḥ
saḿskṛtāḥ kila mantraiś ca
te ‘pi svargam avāpnuvan

"In the battlefield, a king or kṣatriya, while fighting another king envious of him, is eligible for achieving heavenly planets after death, as the brāhmaṇas also attain the heavenly planets by sacrificing animals in the sacrificial fire." Therefore, killing on the battlefield on religious principles and killing animals in the sacrificial fire are not at all considered to be acts of violence, because everyone is benefited by the religious principles involved. The animal sacrificed gets a human life immediately without undergoing the gradual evolutionary process from one form to another, and the kṣatriyas killed on the battlefield also attain the heavenly planets as do the brāhmaṇas who attain them by offering sacrifice.

There are two kinds of sva-dharmas, specific duties. As long as one is not liberated, one has to perform the duties of his particular body in accordance with religious principles in order to achieve liberation. When one is liberated, one’s sva-dharma — specific duty — becomes spiritual and is not in the material bodily concept. In the bodily conception of life there are specific duties for the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas respectively, and such duties are unavoidable. Sva-dharma is ordained by the Lord, and this will be clarified in the Fourth Chapter. On the bodily plane sva-dharma is called varṇāśrama-dharma, or man’s steppingstone for spiritual understanding. Human civilization begins from the stage of varṇāśrama-dharma, or specific duties in terms of the specific modes of nature of the body obtained. Discharging one’s specific duty in any field of action in accordance with the orders of higher authorities serves to elevate one to a higher status of life.

Disclaimer: Bhagavad Gita As It Is, translation courtesy of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.Krishna.com. Used with permission.

"The sun is naturally warm, the moon naturally cool, the earth naturally tolerant, the wind naturally restless, the saints naturally grave, and the ocean naturally deep. Similarly, Krsna is naturally controlled by love."

Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami – Sri Govinda-lilamrta

Disclaimer: The daily ‘Vedic thought’ are posted by Deepak Prabhu in the Yahoo Groups – Govindadwipa. All credits goes to him and the groups. Hare Krishna.