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What do you call a person interested only in their own self realization? In other words a person interested only in chanting and reading with no real outreach?
"Simply put, it is my understanding that God is Love. We are eternal creatures and Krishna expanded Himself in order to enjoy an exchange of love with us jiva souls for all eternity in total bliss and knowledge. I think that's pretty far out!"
"Hari Bol David:
I am hardly a devotee at all, but I aspire to be able to chant at least 16 rounds someday (I'm not doing that many now), so I admire the fact that you are at that level, even if you slip up now & then. But in KC, it seems most…"
I am hardly a devotee at all, but I aspire to be able to chant at least 16 rounds someday (I'm not doing that many now), so I admire the fact that you are at that level, even if you slip up now & then. But in KC, it seems most…"
Retired senior citizen, Vietnam veteran, musician seeking the association of a devotee to accompany me on a year-long pilgrimage of all the Hare Krishna temples & farm communities in the USA, maybe playing some gigs along the way at coffee shops or…
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A FRIENDLY REMINDER :
MOHINI EKADASI
FASTING: FROM GRAINS.
BREAKING FAST : TUESDAY 5:27-9:24
Ekadasi Mahatmya
Once upon a time Lord Ramachandra asked His Guru Vashishtha,how to mitigate the great distress due to His separation from Sita.The great sage Vashishtha said, “O Lord Rama! There was pious and prosperous devotee of Lord Vishnu named Dhanapala who also lived in city called Bhadravati. This devotee of Lord Vishnu had five sons where one of his son Dhristabuddhi was most sinful. He was extremely wicked, ill natured, had bad friends,He was also fond of gambling and drinking wine.He was degraded from his position in caste society and the pious community and became an object of hatred .He started stealing for his survival.Once he was arrested for committing a special kind of theft. He was taken to the King who banished him from the kingdom for good.Dhristabuddhi went far away and entered into a dense forest. Within the forest he became so afflicted with hunger and thirst that he began to kill beasts and birds indiscriminately and ate their raw flesh. For many years Dhristabuddhi was always miserable and anxious, but one day, he arrived at the ashrama of the great sage and ascetic Kaundinya while wandering. With folded hands and great humility,he inquired how to get relief from his sinful activities through the atonement .The sage advised him to observe Mohini Ekadasi with all rule and regulations. Dhristabuddhi observed it with a great care.Soon he was relieved from all of his sins and got a devine body.Then Dhristabuddhi went back to God Head on the back of Garuda. Oh,Ramachandra, by observing Mohini Ekadasi, one conquers the illusion of material attachment.
Suggestion : Please take one time Ekadasi Prasadam only if you can not keep full day fasting. At night you may take a glass of milk. Thus, you can take advantage of your health once in 15 days.
Thank you,
Ys
Karunanidhi Das
Tuesday Varuthin Ekadasi
Fast-Breaking time : Wednesday
5:42 to 10:25 am
The most auspicious and magnanimous Ekadasi is Varuthini Ekadasi. Whosoever observes a complete fast on this sacred day has his sins completely removed, obtains continuous happiness, and achieves all good fortune. King Mandhata was liberated and many other kings also benefited from observing it, kings such as Maharaja Dhundhumara, in the Ikshvaku dynasty, who became free from leprosy resulting from the curse that Lord Shiva had imposed upon him.Whatever merit one obtains by performing austerities and penances for ten thousand years is achieved by a person who observes Varuthini Ekadasi.On the Ekadasi itself one should give up the following:gambling, sports, sleeping during the daytime, betal nuts and its leaf, spreading rumours, faultfinding, talking to the spiritually fallen, anger, and lying.On the Dwadasi the day after Ekadasi (the twelfth phase of the Moon), one should give up the following:eating on bell-metal plates, eating urad-dahl, red-lentils, or honey, lying, strenuous exercise or labour, eating more than once, any sexual activity, shaving the body, face or head, smearing oils on one's body, and eating in another's home.Lord Sri Krishna continued, "Whoever observes the Varuthini Ekadasi in this way becomes free from all sinful reactions and return to the spiritual abode.
Suggestion : If you can not observe full fasting, you can take only Ekadasi Prasadam --fruits, vegetables, and dairy products--at lunch. At night, you may drink one glass of milk. Thus,you can take advantage of your health by partial or full fasting on Ekadasi Day.
Thank you,
Ys, Karunanidhi Das
ISKCON Chicago
A Friendly Reminder:
Today is Kamada Ekadasi
Breaking of fast: Monday in between 6:04 and 10:36 AM
Kamada Ekadasi Mahatmya:
Once, long ago, there existed a city-state named Ratnapura. King Pundarika was the ruler of this most beautiful kingdom where many Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and Apsaraas were among its citizens.’ “Among the Gandharvas were Lalita and his wife Lalitaa, who was an especially lovely dancer. These two were intensely attracted to each other, and their home was full of great wealth and fine food. Lalitaa loved her husband dearly, and likewise he constantly thought of her within his heart.
Once, at the court of King Pundarika, many Gandharvas were dancing and Lalita was singing alone, without his wife. He could not help thinking about her as he sang, and because of this distraction he lost track of the song's meter and melody. Indeed, Lalita sang the ending of his song improperly, and one of the envious snakes who was in attendance at the king's court complained to the king about that. The king became furious upon hearing this. Suddenly he shouted, 'Oh foolish knave, because you were lustfully thinking of a woman instead of reverently thinking of your king as you performed your court duties, I curse you to at once become a cannibal-- a great man-eating demon whose appearance terrified everyone. Seeing her husband suffering as a horrible cannibal, Lalitaa became overwhelmed with grief. She had to wander everywhere in the thick jungle with her monstrous husband. However, Lalitaa came upon the sage Shringi one day. He was sitting on the peak of Vindhyaachala Hill. Approaching him, she immediately offered the ascetic her respectful obeisance. The sage noticed her and said, 'Oh most beautiful one, who are you? Whose daughter are you, and why have you come here? '"Lalitaa replied, 'Oh great sage, I am the daughter of the great Gandharva Viradhanvaa, and my name is Lalitaa. I roam the forests and plains with my dear husband, whom King Pundarika has cursed to become a man-eating demon. What pious act can I perform to free him from this demonic form, Oh best of brahmaness?'
The sage replied: there is an Ekadashi named KAmadaa that occurs in the light fortnight of the month of Chaitra. Whoever fasts on this day has all his desires fulfilled. If you observe this Ekadashi fast according to its rules and regulations your husband will be freed from the curse at once. "'"Lalita faithfully observed the fast of KAmadaa Ekadashi according to the instructions of the sage Shringi, and on Devadasi she appeared before him and the Deity of Lord Vasudeva and said, 'I have faithfully observed the fast of Kamada Ekadashi. By the merit earned through my observance of this fast, let my husband be free from the curse that has turned him into a demoniac cannibal.
As soon as Lalitaa finished speaking, her husband, who stood nearby, was at once freed from the king's curse. He immediately regained his original form as the Gandharva Lalita. All this was accomplished by the power and glory of Kamada Ekadashi. At last the Gandharva couple boarded a celestial airplane and ascended to heaven."'
Suggestion: Please keep on chanting as much you can at least 25 rounds of Mahamantra on this Ekadasi day. Stay away from grains and beans. Try to observe half day fasting with only lunch of Ekadasi Prasadam—fruits, vegetables, and milk products—and drink one glass of milk in night. This way, you can take advantage of your health once in fifteen days on every Ekadasi.
Thank you,
Servant of servants of Guru and Gouranga
Karunanidhi Das
ISKCON,Chicago
Wish you a Happy and Blessed Birthday!
On this auspicious day, I am praying at the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Personality of God Head Sri Krishna to bestow His causeless mercy upon you.
In order to succeed in every aspects of your life, please go on chanting and read at least one page or a paragraph daily from Srilla Prabhupada’s transcendental books—starting from Science of Self Realization, or Bhagavad Gita-- without fail. Let this should be your firm determination and resolution from your Birthday itself.
Earnest & humble expectation from:
Karunanidhi Das
Servant of servants of Guru and Gauranga!
Hare Krishna dandvats, Prabhuji. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I do hereby wish you all the best in Krishna consciousness, Gauranga, Radhe Radhe, Hari Bol! Hare Krishna.
mām ugra-dharmād akhilāt pramādān
nārāyaṇaḥ pātu naraś ca hāsāt
dattas tv ayogād atha yoga-nāthaḥ
pāyād guṇeśaḥ kapilaḥ karma-bandhāt
May Lord Nārāyaṇa protect me from unnecessarily
māḿ keśavo gadayā prātar avyād
govinda āsańgavam ātta-veṇuḥ
nārāyaṇaḥ prāhṇa udātta-śaktir
madhyan-dine viṣṇur arīndra-pāṇiḥ
May Lord Keśava protect me with His club in the
devo 'parāhṇe madhu-hogradhanvā
sāyaḿ tri-dhāmāvatu mādhavo mām
doṣe hṛṣīkeśa utārdha-rātre
niśītha eko 'vatu padmanābhaḥ
May Lord Madhusūdana, who carries a bow very
śrīvatsa-dhāmāpara-rātra īśaḥ
pratyūṣa īśo 'si-dharo janārdanaḥ
dāmodaro 'vyād anusandhyaḿ prabhāte
viśveśvaro bhagavān kāla-mūrtiḥ
May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who bears
In shri Sankarshan Das ji we have the great opportunity to be engaged in loving devotional service of a bonafide devotee of Shri Krishna.May we pray to God for giving us the necessary 'Nishtha' i.e. complete surrender to His teachings and to follow it in action every day .
Hare Krishna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada ji!
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