Nitai Gaurachandra damaged during a violent earthquake

A virgin girl dreamed that Sri Sri Nitai Gaurachandra, the Deities at our Christchurch[1] temple, where trapped. They wanted to go out into the world, to chant and dance with the people. The very next day, February 22nd 2011, there was a violent earthquake, and the whole city shook to its knees. The temple collapsed, the sringasana[2] tumbled, the marble altar jolted askew and the most beautiful Lordships, Nitai Gaurachandra, were suddenly thrown into the hard reality of fractured parts. The outstretched hands of Nitai were broken and scattered like dice across the floor. We always said that with His back arched and His head tilted towards the sky that Avadhuta Nityananda looked like He was out of this world. We thought that one day He would leave the altar and escape in His madness to preach. One has to die to live.

I was in Sri Dhama Mayapur at the time and though I wasn’t in Christchurch to experience the catastrophe the earthquake caused, those divine searching hands touched my heart. It was the month of kartik on the bank of the Ganges where I explained in detail to the brahmana shilpy (deity sculptor), Nimai Bhagavan Dasa, how I would like some Gaura Nitai murtis carved for the padayatra I was planning in New Zealand. We selected the neem wood and I stipulated that these deities should be fashioned in the mood of those most beautiful Christchurch temple deities. I gave him details about Nitai’s unusual posture and how it culminated in His eyes being ecstatically tilted and rolled back, as if He were about to fly. He said normally the tradition was to have the eyes of the deity addressing the jivas who took darsana. I said, “Never mind [that] just do it.”

The Lords’ desire to go outside in the world

When the typically hand crafted Indian tin trunk arrived in New Zealand, the distinctive ‘Indian-English’ phrase “God Idols Inside” caught my attention. I reflected on the Lord’s desire to be outside in the world. I couldn’t wait to free them so they could fulfill their dream as Golden Avataras. In no time we were caught up in a whirlwind impulse to take them out on kirtana, on a cart, in a boat –anything to satisfy their desire. I felt that I was being pushed by a strong force that had a hypnotic power over me. First, we had a small but significant inauguration ceremony. I saw their eyes open for the first time[3] right in front of Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra (caksunmilan). The ceremony was held at a significant historic site in New Zealand, called Waitangi, where a very important treaty was signed. The treaty stated that the black man (the indigenous people of New Zealand called the ‘Maoris’) and the white man both had ownership and sovereignty over the native lands of the country. On that sacred ‘marae’ or Maori temple I became obsessed with wanting to take Nitai Gaurachandra all over New Zealand. This was how the “G.O. – God’s Own New Zealand, from Down Under to Up Above” initiative took root as a steadfast desire. Immediately thereafter, in the summer of 2014, we launched a padayatra in the far north region of New Zealand. Several of us met at a very special place called Spirits Bay on the northern most tip of the country setting out on an incredible, spontaneous pilgrimage of 200 kilometers. After this “spirits” ran high and our party became intoxicated on chanting, dancing and feasting out on the road together. We could all feel the wild and driving push of Nityananda to reach all souls. Lokanath Swami once told me, “Padayatra is actually Nityananda’s programme.”

Sonow the die was cast and the whole of Aoteoroa (the Moari word for New Zealand) lay at our feet. I became overtaken with an idealistic and impractical vision of doing 108 padayatras in New Zealand alone. I felt like the fisherman who had touched Lord Gauranga while he was floating in a sea of ecstasy in Puri. The devotees were quick to bring me back to the reality that I was the only one enlivened with such madness. So it came to be my personal grandiose dream and “pie in the sky” padayatra amongst other devotees. It became a humble “pancake on the earth” offering to simply please my Guru Maharaja. I was humbled, and yet with my feet firmly on the ground.

Spirit South padayatra with Rasaraja the horse

The inauguration held was like the launching of a new ship. We smashed coconuts like champagne, squashed lemons under the iron wheels, initiated a big horse whose name transformed from Samson to Rasaraja, and called the beginning “The Kick Off”. It was my 60th birthday, and I had begged of my wife to consent to my walkabout for a complete year; thankfully she understood. We called the padayatra, ‘Spirit South’ because that was the direction I was heading and the inner meaning also struck. I was a struggling sadhaka dealing with the onslaught of the lower modes but wanting to make a shift. Pilgrimage is a great way to make a shift –it means letting go of the unwanted and moving forward with that which is only absolutely essential. One has to die to live.

Off I went with Rasaraja, a strong Irish gypsy horse, a rustically stylish 100 year old wooden cart through a mid-winter snow storm. I headed out alone, or should I say, Nitai Gaurachandra, Srila Prabhupada and I set the vessel’s compass for that far distant southern-most tip of New Zealand; from down under to up above walking from the Bluff to the Cape. Just getting down to the Bluff, the starting point, was a 600-800 kilometer trek through many mountain ranges, vast tracks of almost uninhabited country, crossing hundreds of braided rivers, through sylvan glades of native forest and open farmlands scattered with thousands of dairy cows. I was well aware that the season would slowly change which is why mid winter was a good time to leave since spring would come next. One must die to live. Things could only get better, but as the equinox winds kicked in, they held over New Zealand and we rode storm after storm heading south.

On the cart I carried a few hundred pounds of gear: cast iron pots for cooking on the open fire, a rugged canvas swag for sleeping in the outdoors (temperatures reached -10 degrees Celsius at times), several layers of clothing (which in extreme cold were worn all at once) and a tin trunk with deity paraphernalia and Prabhupada’s books for distribution. The solid iron wheels rattling along the road became a familiar hum like the strumming of a sarod[4], the clip clop of the hoof, as steady as a drum, and the tiny sweet bells dangling on the cart tinkled in the wind.

Krishna’s unbelievable reciprocation

I loved the spontaneity and excitement of the experience. I always felt that Radha and Krishna were alongside me and that Prabhupada was happy with my efforts. There were always people to help. I very quickly learned to see God within the hearts of all people. Krishna responded with unbelievable generosity. It was an incredible challenge, filled with the mystery of the unknown, heightened with risk and yet surrounded in the security of knowing my Lords and Masters were always there. They stretched my limited, well-sized faith, into an ocean of conviction that God Himself is ever present. He is a hands-on “Superman” Who works His magic into every moment. One gets addicted to the intoxication of witnessing the fix He injects into the bloodstream of His surrendered devotee. I felt far from fully surrendered, but whatever little steps I took He ran ahead and made all arrangements. All that way I just glanced at Them and would feel, “Yes, They are pacing it out, claiming Their detached ownership and sovereignty over New Zealand – the only real way to bring the black man, the white man and the yellow man together.”

Every day there were so many people who heard the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, saw the Lord, tasted Their prasadam, chanted the holy names, took Srila Prabhupada’s books or just wondered, “What the hell are these guys doing?!” Cities, towns and outback posts, tourists and locals, farmers and business merchants, priests and beggars, cats who ran, dogs who barked, birds who flew, beasts who bolted or danced alongside the ratha, all for the pleasure of Nitai Gaurachandra. I must have chanted “he govinda, he gopal” to thousands and thousands of cows who came right up to the cart for darsana.

Where did Nitai Gaurachandra go?

Every journey has a beginning, middle and an end. What was the greatest jewel unearthed by turning over the hard dirt of so much tapasya? A shock will come when I tell you. I had just completed a round trip of 1600 kilometers to the South and had gotten back to the starting point. It was a very quiet country setting where all that could be heard were birds and a lazy gentle stream chuckling; when in the early morning I realized that the most gorgeous coveted forms of Nitai Gaurachandra had disappeared from my sight and touch. As mysterious as their appearance, they just up and left me on a very lonely road bereft of their sweet, sweeter and sweetest association. After we had come what seemed like legions together, through thick and thin, storm and calm, mountain and sea, forest and desert, hardship and ease, amongst people or alone, and now, especially for my purification, they had gone – but that is another story to tell another time. Obvious from the external, the illusion appeared in the material, to be like an accident, with so many logical reasons why. But the real jewel was the inner spiritual vision that such a loss affords. When the lover of Krishna has been captivated by his most beautiful form in a private grove, Krishna suddenly disappeared just to increase her hankering and to intensify the mellow. This is the topmost point in gaudiya vaisnava siddhanta. One must die to live. A very close friend of mine commented, “This is a sign that Nitai Gaurachandra will now return to Christchurch.” Another friend consoled me with a positive viewpoint, “Oh, don’t worry, they have just jumped into your heart.”

A new beginning with ‘Spirit South – Going North’: less is more

How could I continue on from here? The answer was very simple and pure. When you lose the jewel, the setting of the ring has no meaning. There didn’t seem to be any reason to take the horse and cart anymore. The horse transformed into a red balarama mrdanga and the maha–mantra itself became the living force. ‘Spirit South’ took on a new identity, ‘Spirit South – Going North’ with the catch phrase “less is more”. It was a new beginning to walk on alone with next to no possessions. “One robe, one bowl” meant all I had to worry about, besides whatever little shelter and food was required to keep this simple pilgrim heading north. In retrospect, Krishna was kind. He took away everything, leaving only the bare essentials. It would have been too difficult to manage the horse and cart in the much more intensified traffic highways north of Christchurch. In fact, it would have been impossible. One has to die to live.

I found myself even being able to exercise the freedom of not having to ask for assistance. People throughout New Zealand seemed to recognize my complete dependence and they opened their hearts naturally. When you look like you can take care of yourself they leave you alone, but when you hang it out and leave room for Krishna to play a part, He seems to enjoy coming up with everything that is needed in very novel ways.

The media soon picked up on my story and followed me all the way, even though I was now without the grand presentation of a travelling temple. They seemed to welcome the simplicity and the uncomplicated message. After all, our deep tradition and philosophy holds in its essence the answer to all sociological, physiological, environmental and political problems. “Less is more” means less matter and more spirit. I found people everywhere merely overloaded with matter and screaming out to know about spirit. One has to die to live. There were 20-30 television interviews, newspaper and magazine articles reaching an estimate of 800,000 to 1 million people. More than a third of New Zealand’s population came to hear Krishna’s name and hear about Prabhupada’s 50th anniversary. After all, this is our family business. It was evident to me there is simply not enough salesmen and saleswomen in the marketplace, since everyone wants our product. It was always such a simple exchange, they would give me shelter and food and I would trade with highly valued spiritual knowledge assuring my new found friends that it is the subtle that moves the gross.

Practicing humility by being alone and vulnerable

Being alone and vulnerable meant I had to be very accepting of whatever situation Krishna put me in, and in a sense, the position of a transcendental beggar demands the practice of humility. It also enhances the ability to have a compassionate heart and to even be open to receive the gems of wisdom that others outside our faith are willing to share. After the subtle art of befriending my hosts with a genuine relationship, in a one-on-one loving exchange they could appreciate that this beggar, although free of possessions, had so much to give spiritually. I could feel the benediction of Sanatana Goswami giving me the mercy to share Krishna consciousness with the common people in an ordinary way and yet injecting some highly potent spiritual medicine.

In the last 45 years New Zealand’s family of devotees has grown significantly and has spread out throughout the country. There are now devotees everywhere, so I was able to take shelter in their homes, ashrams and small temples. They also seemed to benefit by having some fresh blood pass through. With those of the ‘outer’ family I would only stay “as long as it takes to milk a cow” and those of the inner family of devotees, 2 or 3 nights were enough to share and move on with good will. Their homes became like small sheltered ports for my small boat that was mostly out there roughing it out on high seas.

At my age, when this old body seems rightly fit to be taxiing on the runway of vanaprastha life, it is definitely good practice to take test flights to see if the wings will hold out for the big flight. We all have to move on alone, fully dependent on the winds of our faith. For many of us the ultimate flight for transcendence, the sannyasa ashram or the mood of exclusive dedication to Radha Krsna, seems to be still parked in the hangar. But some day, could be any day after 50. We may have to bring it out and wind up the motors if we are going to cross to the other world –the ultimate padayatra.

‘Spirit South – Going North’ continued on its destined path for another 1500 kilometers right up into the top end of the North Island. ‘Spirit South – Going North’ secondary meaning is the moving of the force from the lower chakras up to the higher chakras of the heart and consciousness. One has to die to live.

A significant element of change was the ethnic diversity as the currents converged into Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. In particular, the influence and cultural significance of the indigenous people of New Zealand, the Maoris, has been dominated and materially eclipsed by encroaching Western material influence. On the open road there was a lot of time for deep introspective thoughts and copious amounts of harinama sankirtana. Playing the red drum, putting up a beat good for walking and the constant steady repetition of the maha mantra played on the heartstrings. After 5 to 6 hours of chanting kirtana each day the soul was soaring and the body puffing like a steam train trying to catch up. It all came to an end too early. I could go on doing this forever. However, I was looking for a significant sign of auspiciousness that Krishna would indicate He was pleased.

Radha Krishna’s smile on the last day of my “hikoi”

It came on the final peninsula of land jutting out into the vastu’s[5] northeast extremity. There, on the last day, I met two very interesting travelers who asked me what I was doing. After telling them that this was the completion of my hikoi (Maori for walk) of the length of New Zealand, they exclaimed that on that very day they were just planning a similar walk; and had come here to get the spirit to begin. Coincidentally enough, one of them went on to say that in the summer of 2014 they had seen a Krishna party at this very same spot and that back then they were just completing a full hikoi of New Zealand. I stood up excited and said, “That was us!” Yes, we had now linked up with the journey we had begun in 2014. What an amazing situation to have occurred in such an isolated and spiritually revered location. I felt that this was Radha Krishna’s smile.

Now the amazing trek was over. Nitai Gaurachandra had claimed ‘God’s Own from Down Under to Up Above’ with harinama all the way, Their desire had been fulfilled. On the return trip back south it was not by chance that we had been called upon to be the vehicle carrying the new marble deity forms of Nitai Gaurachandra, back down to the city of Christchurch. By some unbelievable mystical arrangement Nitai Gaurachandra were now returning to a brand new mandir. It will be a new temple with new Deities carved by the same shilpy, waiting to take up Their rightful position as the presiding Lordships with supreme ownership and sovereignty over the whole of New Zealand and more. I felt They Themselves had walked the distance taking us from ‘Down Under to Up Above’ and they had shown the ultimate realization by personal exchange. One has to die to live.

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the assistance of the following people who helped me on this journey:

My wife, Ramila dasi, who made it all possible by giving me her full support in so many different ways which enabled me to go out on padayatra for an entire year

Bhaka Brendan Dallimore, a particularly supportive devotee, who travelled with me for 2 to 3 months.

My daughter, Radha Bhavani, who spent many hours doing all the graphic design work to promote the padayatra.

Lastly all the devotees and sponsors who generously gifted their well-wishing prayers, bhoga, shelter, finances and various other resources.

[1] Refers to the New Zealand ISKCON centre, ‘Hare Krishna Cultural Centre Christchurch’.

[2] Altar where the deities reside

[3] During the installation of deities the second step is the opening of the eyes or netra unmilinam.

[4] a lute used in classical North Indian music, with four main strings

[5] A Vedic term used to indicate the northeastern direction (ishaan) as being auspicious

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31156

I have just hit a new level of realization of the phrase 'I lost my heart in Vrindavan'.

Question: Why do you please think that God has only one supreme or topmost form in your religion and this is the form of Krishna, when there have been great holy people and saints who worshiped God not in the form of Krishna. So will all others not go to God, or will they go to a God in the form they can comprehend? It’s very confusing.
Romapada Swami answers: It is not a personal, sectarian opinion that we claim the form of Krishna to be topmost, nor does Krishna belongs to any particular religious denomination. Krishna Himself declares that His form, that particular two-handed form which He exhibits before Arjuna is the topmost, there being nothing superior to it, (BG.7.7, B.G.11.52, B.G.11.53, and B.G.11.54) which indicates that all other forms are also included in this form. Similar conclusions are given in different scriptures such as Srimad Bhagavatam and Brahma Samhita, and vaishnavas accept this as such. This does not mean that His other forms are less important in a mundane sense of comparison. The Supreme Lord has unlimited forms, all of which are equally Absolute, and those who worship any of the bona fide forms of the Lord, as revealed in authorized scriptures, will attain Him in that particular form. Indeed there are many great saintly devotees, even within the Vedic tradition, who have worshiped Him in other forms, (including the Fish, Boar, Narasimha and Rama etc) according to their inner mood of devotion, and they attained the spiritual planet where the Lord presides in that particular form. All these devotees are equally respected, with no mundane envy or distinctions of superior or inferior, although often these devotees themselves speak of the superlative glories of the Lord in His original feature of Krishna.

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31161

Khonika Gope-Kumar: In several places of Srimad Bhagvatam, instructions are given on how to greet and treat someone who is less qualified, equally qualified and more qualified than us. In this article, I am quoting three important verses regarding this subject matter. The purports given by Srila Prabhupada are also worth reading. In summary,

Less Qualified:
1. Be compassionate
2. Be like a father

Equally Qualified:
1. Make friendship
2. Be like a sympathetic brother

More Qualified:
1. Be very pleased
2. Show the greatest respect
3. Serve him like a menial servant
4. If he is a teacher, spiritual master or older Godbrother, consider him to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead

The verses from where these principals are consolidated are as follows –

SB 3.29.17 — The pure devotee should execute devotional service by giving the greatest respect to the spiritual master and the ācāryas. He should be compassionate to the poor and make friendship with persons who are his equals, but all his activities should be executed under regulation and with control of the senses.

SB 4.8.34 — Every man should act like this: when he meets a person more qualified than himself, he should be very pleased; when he meets someone less qualified than himself, he should be compassionate toward him; and when he meets someone equal to himself, he should make friendship with him. In this way one is never affected by the threefold miseries of this material world.

SB 7.4.31-32 — [The qualities of Mahārāja Prahlāda] To respectable persons he acted exactly like a menial servant, to the poor he was like a father, to his equals he was attached like a sympathetic brother, and he considered his teachers, spiritual masters and older Godbrothers to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead…

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31163

[August 30, 1968, Montreal, Canada]

Now today is our Radhastami ceremony. So, so far Radharani, Radharani, today is the birthday of Srimati Radharani. Radharani is the pleasure potency of Krishna . Krishna is the Supreme Brahman. Just try to understand. Krishna is the Supreme Brahman. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan. So when param brahma wants to enjoy… that enjoying spirit is there in the param brahma. Otherwise we cannot have this enjoying spirit. Because we are part and parcel, therefore we have got that enjoying spirit, but that is materially contaminated. But the fact is there, because Krishna , He is enjoying. This enjoying spirit we have got also, but I do not know how to enjoy. We are trying to enjoy in the matter, in the dull matter. That is spiritual. So brahman sukhanubhutya. People are trying to feel what is brahmasukha, pleasure of brahmanubhava. That is not material pleasure. So many yogis, they have given up their family life, their kingdom, and meditating to achieve that Brahman pleasure. Actually, the idea is Brahman pleasure. So many brahmacaris, so many sannyasis, they are trying to achieve that Brahman pleasure, and in order to achieve that Brahman pleasure they are neglecting, they are kicking off all this material pleasure. Do you think that Brahman pleasure is ordinary, this material pleasure? To achieve a portion of Brahman pleasure, if they are kicking off all this material pleasure… don’t talk of ourselves, we are ordinary men. In the history we have got instances, that of Bharata Maharaja. Bharata Maharaja, under whose name this planet is called Bharatavarsa. That Bharata Maharaja was the emperor of the whole world. And as emperor he had his beautiful wife, young children. But at the age of twenty-four years, just young man, he gave up everything. All right. This is very old story, of course, but you know Lord Buddha. He was also a prince. He was also prince, not ordinary man, and he was ksatriya, and he was always enjoying with beautiful women. That is the palace pleasure accustomed in every, in Oriental countries, that in the palace there are many beautiful girls, they’re always dancing and giving pleasure to the kings and the prince. So Lord Buddha was also in such pleasure, but he gave up everything and began to meditate.

There are many hundreds of instances in Indian history that to realize the Brahman pleasure they gave up everything. They gave up everything. That is the way. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting something severe for realizing the supreme pleasure. That is called tapasya. So if, for tasting a little Brahman pleasure, all materialistic pleasures are to be given up, do you think that the Supreme Brahman, Lord Krishna , is enjoying this material pleasure? Is it very reasonable? This Krishna , He’s enjoying… laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam. Hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune are engaged in His service. Do you think these Laksmis are material women? How Krishna can take pleasure in the material women? No. This is mistake. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih. In the Brahma-samhita you’ll find that He expands His ananda-cinmaya-rasa, the mellow of transcendental pleasure potency. And these gopis are expansion of His pleasure potency. And Radharani is the center. Radharani is the center. So Radharani is not… don’t take that Radharani is an ordinary woman like we have our wife or sister or mother. No. She is the pleasure potency. And the birth of Radharani was not from the womb of any human being. She was found by her father in the field. While father was plowing, he saw one little nice child is lying there, and he had no children, so he caught it and presented to the queen, “Oh, here we have got a very nice child.” “How you got?” “Oh, in the field.” Just see. Radharani’s janma is like that. So this janma is today and Radha, this name is sometimes not found in Bhagavata. So the atheistic class of men protest this Radharani’s name is not in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. How this name came, Radharani? But they do not know how to see it. There is anayaradhyate. There are many gopis, but there is mention that by this particular gopi He is served more pleasingly. Krishna accepts this gopi’s service more gladly. Anayaradhyate. Aradhyate. This aradhate, this word, aradhyate means worshiping. From this word aradhyate, Radha has come. But Radha’s name are there in other Puranas. So this is the origin.

So Radha, so Radha and Krishna . Krishna is the enjoyer and He wants to enjoy. So He’s the Supreme Brahman. He cannot enjoy anything, atmarama, He can enjoy it in Himself. Therefore Radharani is the expansion of His pleasure potency. Krishna hasn’t got to seek external things for His pleasure. No. He is in Himself full, atmarama. So Radharani is expansion of Krishna . Krishna is the energetic, and Radharani is the energy. Just like energy and energetic, you cannot separate. Fire and the heat you cannot separate. Wherever there is fire there is heat, and wherever there is heat there is fire. Similarly, wherever there is Krishna there is Radha. And wherever there is Radha there is Krishna . They are inseparable. But He is enjoying. So Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has described this intricate philosophy of Radha and Krishna in one verse, very nice verse: radha-Krishna -pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktir asmad ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau. So Radha and Krishna is the one Supreme, but in order to enjoy, They have divided into two. Again Lord Caitanya joined the two into one. Caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna. That one means Krishna in the ecstasy of Radha. Sometimes Krishna is in ecstasy of Radha. Sometimes Radha is in ecstasy of Krishna . This is going on. But the whole thing is Radha and Krishnameans the one, the Supreme.

So Radha-Krishna philosophy is a very great philosophy. It is to be understood in the liberated stage. Radha-Krishna philosophy is not to be understood in the conditioned stage. But when we worship Radha-Krishna in our conditional stage, actually we worship Laksmi-Narayana. You have seen that picture, this viddhi-marg and raga-marg. Radha-Krishna worship is on the platform of pure love, and Laksmi-Narayana worship is on the regulative principles. So long we do not develop our pure love, we have to worship on the regulative principles. One has to become a brahmachari, one has to become a sannyasi, one has to perform the worship in this way, in the morning he has to rise, he has to offer. So many rules and regulations. There are at least sixty-four rules and regulations. So we shall introduce them gradually as you develop. So in the viddhi-marg, when you have no love for God or Krishna , we have to follow the regulative principles and automatically there is practice. When practicing. Just like you practice this mrdanga playing. In the beginning it is not in order, but when you become well versed in the practice, the sound will come so nice. Similarly, when we are engaged by regulative principles in the worship of Radha-Krishna , that is called viddhi-marg. And actually when you are on the love platform, then that is called raga-marg. So without viddhi-marg, if anyone wants to learn the raga-marg immediately, that is foolishness. That is foolishness. Nobody can pass M.A. examination without going through the regulative principles of primary schools and colleges. So therefore I do not, I mean to say, indulge in the discussions of Radha and Krishna so easily. Rather go on with the regulative principle at the present moment. Gradually, as you become purified, as you become on the transcendental platform, you’ll understand what is Radha-Krishna . Don’t try to understand Radha-Krishna very quickly. It is a very big subject. If we want to understand Radha-Krishna very quickly, then there will be so many prakrita-sahajiyas. In India there are prakrita-sahajiya. Just like Radha-Krishna dancing. Radha-Krishna has become a plaything. The painting Radha-Krishna , Krishna is kissing Radha, Radha is kissing. These are all nonsense. Radha-Krishna philosophy has to be understood by the liberated person, not by the conditioned soul. So we shall await for the fortunate moment when we are liberated, then we shall understand radha-krishna-pranaya-vikrtir. Because Krishna and Radha, They are not on the material field. Try to understand. This is Jiva Gosvami’s analysis, that Krishna is the Supreme Brahman. The Supreme Brahman cannot accept anything material. So Radha is not in the material field.

Now there is a very nice song. I shall sing if you can play on the harmonium. Yes. This is Rupa Gosvami’s song:

radhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite
gokula-taruni-mandala-mahite
damodara-rati-vardhana-vese
hari-niskuta-vrnda-vipinese
vrsabhanu-dadhi-nava-sasi-lekhe
lalita-sakhi guna-ramita-visakhe
karunam kuru mayi karuna-bharite
sanaka-sanatana-varnita-carite
radhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite

This song was sung by Rupa Gosvami. He is the real person, actual person, to understand Radha and Krishna . So he says, “All glories to Radharani.” radhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite. “She’s so dear to Krishna .” Krishna , everyone is trying to love Krishna , but Krishna is trying to love somebody. Now how great She is. Just try to understand. Everyone, the whole world, the whole universe, all living entities, they are trying to love Krishna . Krishna -prema. Lord Caitanya describes, prema-pumartho mahan. And Rupa Gosvami described that “You are distributing Krishna -prema.” So Krishna -prema is so valuable, but Krishna is after Radharani. Just see how Radharani is great. Just try to understand the greatness of Radharani. Therefore She is so great, and we have to offer our respect. Radhe jaya jaya madhava-dayite. How She is? Gokula-taruni-mandala-mahite. Taruni, taruni means young girls. You’ll see the pictures, they are all young girls. But of all the young girls, She is the most beautiful. She is enchanting to the young girls also. She is so beautiful. Gokula-taruni-mandala-mahite, damodara-rati-vardhana-vese. And She always dresses Herself so nicely that Damodara, Krishna , becomes attracted by Her beauty. Hari-niskuta-vrnda-vipinese. And She is the only lovable object of Krishna , and She is the “Queen of Vrndavan.” This “Queen of Vrndavan” you’ll find in Vrndavan, if you go to Vrndavan, everyone is worshiping Radharani. Rani means queen. They are always speaking, “Jaya Radhe!” Radharani. All the devotees in Vrndavan, they are worshiper of Radharani. Hari-niskuta-vrnda-vipinese, vrsabhanu-dadhi-nava-sasi-lekhe. And She appeared as the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, and Her companion, Lalita-sakhi and Visakha-sakhi, and the devotees. So on behalf of the pure devotees of Krishna , Rupa Gosvami is praying, karunam kuru mayi karuna-bharite. “Oh, my worshipable Radharani, You are full of mercy. So I am begging of Your mercy because You are so merciful, very easily You offer, bestow Your mercy. So I am begging Your mercy.” Karunam kuru mayi karuna-bharite, sanaka-sanatana-varnita-carite. Now somebody may say, “Oh, you are so great, learned scholar, you are so great saintly person, and you are begging mercy from an ordinary girl? How is that?” Therefore Rupa Gosvami says, “Oh, this is not ordinary girl.” Sanaka-sanatana-varnita-carite. “This girl’s description is possible to be made by great saintly persons like Sanaka-Sanatana. She is not ordinary.”

So the lesson is that we should not treat Radharani as ordinary girl, or Krishna as ordinary man. They are the Supreme Absolute Truth. But in the Absolute Truth, there is the pleasure potency, and that is exhibited in the dealings of Radha and Krishna . And Radha’s expansion all the gopis, and Krishna is the Supreme Lord.

Thank you very much. Chant Hare Krishna .

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31166

Setting a Good Example

We should concentrate on training the children up in Krsna consciousness, not so much formal academic educationa little reading, writing, mathematics, that’s allbut more by giving them facility to follow the examples of the older devotees in the regular Krsna conscious program.

Letter to Satsvarupa dasa, February 16, 1972

Let the children associate with the elders as much as possible in the routine Krsna conscious program.

Letter to Aniruddha dasa, February 16, 1972

The best way to train the children is by letting them associate with their elders in the regular schedule of devotional practices.

Letter to Satsvarupa dasa, February 28, 1972

By the good association of their parents and other older members, they will become nicely fixed in Krsna consciousness.

Letter to Satyabhama-dev das, February 28, 1972

Simply by associating with the elderly members, the children will learn everything. The quality of the elderly members must also be exactly to the standard of excellent Vaisnavas. Otherwise, the children learn by example, and they will be very easily misguided if their senior godbrothers and godsisters are themselves neglectful.

Letter to Satsvarupa dasa Gosvam, July 1, 1972

The basic principle of a Krsna conscious teacher is that he teaches by example.

ei malakara khaya ei prema-phala

niravadhi matta rahe, vivasa-vihvala

The great gardener, Lord Caitanya, personally eats this fruit, and as a result He constantly remains mad, as if helpless and bewildered.

Purport: It is the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to act Himself and teach the people. He says, apani acari’ bhakti karila pracara (Cc., sdi 4.41). One must first act himself and then teach. This is the function of a real teacher. Unless one is able to understand the philosophy that he speaks, it will not be effective. Therefore, one should not only understand the philosophy of the Caitanya cult but also implement it practically in one’s life.

Cc., sdi 9.51

Students learn even when no formal instructional attempts are being made. All learners, not just young children, only need to see the behavior demonstrated by their teacher to spark the natural tendency to imitate a superior. In the Vedic system, therefore, the teacher is called acarya. Within this word is acara (activities), for acting properly is the first principle for a teacher, especially one in the line of Lord Caitanya.

Srila Prabhupada: Leader means they should behave in such a way so that by following them, others will be benefited. That is leader.

Conversations, Vol. 10, Los Angeles, July 9, 1974

When used purposefully, teaching by example, or modeling, can be a powerful teaching tool. Many things are learned better through observation and imitation than through verbal explanations and instructions.

Awareness of Example

We have all learned our native language and most of our attitudes, values, and social behavior without having had any systematic instruction. In fact, the examples we have seen have influenced us more powerfully than the verbal instructions we have received.

With this in mind, we can consider that any behavior a teacher exhibits constitutes teaching; teaching does not only take place while deliberately instructing students. Teaching by example goes on at all times. This places great pressure on teachers to live up to their ideals.

If students observe discrepancies between what is demanded and what is actually allowed, they will behave according to what is allowed. For example, students will obey the teacher for the first few days if they are told to do their seat work quietly and on their own. If it gradually becomes clear, however, that the teacher does not intervene in any way when students do not work quietly or when they copy from one another, they will see that the teacher does not mean what he says. They will often become disobedient.

This points again to the need for teachers to be aware that the only requirement for teaching to take place is that a student sees behavior modeled before him.

What is Learned from Example?

Exposure to a teacher’s example can result in either or both of two responses by the learner: imitation and inference.

Imitative learning

In imitation, a student observes his role model’s behavior and then imitates it on his own. Often this is used as a teaching technique, as when students observe their teacher performing a task (such as counting mantras on one’s fingers) and the student is asked to repeat the process on his own.

Unfortunately, unplanned and sometimes undesirable imitation also occurs. Students often pick up distinctive expressions, speech patterns, or gestures that their teacher uses, whether or not the teacher uses them consciously. Students also take cues from their teacher in learning how to react in ambiguous situations. If a teacher responds to student embarrassment with tact and sympathy, students will tend to follow suit. If, however, a teacher reacts with insensitive sarcasm or ridicule, students will probably laugh and call out taunts of their own.

Inferential learning

Besides imitation, observation also produces inferential learning. The learner observes the role model’s behavior, and, on the basis of these observations, makes inferences about the role model’s beliefs, attitudes, values, and personal qualities. Here the learner makes inferences about why the role model is behaving a particular way or about what type of person the role model is. This is also called incidental learning because it involves acquisition of information in addition to, or instead of, what the role model is trying to convey.

For example, suppose a teacher calls on a student to go to the blackboard and write the Sanskrit and English to a Bhagavad-gita verse. The teacher serves as a role model by the way he reacts to the student’s mistakes. One teacher points out that there is a mistake and asks the student to look at his work again to try to locate the error. Another teacher informs the student of his mistake and then calls on someone else to go the board and correct the problem. Both teachers are teaching the sastric content, but the inferential learning acquired by the student called to the board, and by the rest of the class in this situation, will differ with the two teachers.

In the first case the students may learn: “The teacher is friendly and helpful. It is safe to make a mistake. You will have a chance to correct yourself if you can do so, or you’ll get some help if you can’t.” In the second teacher’s class the students may learn: “You better be ready to perform when you get called to the board. The teacher wants to see the problem done correctly and he has limited patience with anybody who can’t do it right. If you know the answer, raise your hand and try to get called on to go to the board. If you’re not sure, try to escape the teacher’s attention so you won’t get embarrassed.”

What inferential learning might take place as a result of the following conversation with Srila Prabhupada?

Devotee: But isn’t that not good because the politicians nowadays, when they are running their campaign, they say so many lies to the public, that “When I am elected I will do this and I will do that.” They pay off so many people in order that they can become elected. So always the good persons also have to cheat in order to get in position, but usually the . . .

Srila Prabhupada: Therefore we have stopped our political activities. It is not good. It will hamper our spiritual understanding.

Devotee: Because we will also have to do that.

Srila Prabhupada: If you want to dance, you cannot be shy. There is a Bengali proverb, nate vase gunthana tana. You understand Bengali? No. “When you are going to dance . . .” A girl, or a lady was supposed to dance on the platform, on the stage, and when she came, she saw thousands of people. Then she drew her veil, what is called, gunthana, became little ashamed. “So you are going to dance. What is the use of veiling yourself?” So similarly, when one takes part in politics, if you don’t take all the tactics of politics, then you cannot gain ground.

Conversations, Vol. 10, Paris, June 14, 1974

Inferential learning goes on whenever students observe their teacher. Teachers rarely try to teach the information that students are inferentially learning; nevertheless, students learn by observing them.

What might a student inferentially learn from the following conversation with Srila Prabhupada?

Srila Prabhupada: No, no, no. Sama-darsinah means there is no distinction between sin and virtue. That is sama-darsinah. As soon as you see, “This is virtue, and this is sin,” it is not sama-darsinah.

Guest: Virtue and sin become the same in sama-darsinah.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. That is sama-darsinah.

Guest: In other words, the sin does not remain sin any longer.

Srila Prabhupada: That is another thing. But he has no vision that “This is sin, and this is virtue.” That is sama-darsinah. As soon as you make distinction, you are not sama-darsinah.

Guest: In another interpretation, in . . .

Srila Prabhupada: You may interpret in a different way. Sama-darsinah, this is plain word. Sama-darsinah means there is no difference, that’s all.

Guest: But sama-darsinah equals sama-darsinah. The sin and virtue are the same.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, that is sama-darsinah because here it is said clearly, vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmana. A brahmana, learned brahmana, and vinaya, very humble. That is the sign of goodness. Vidya-vinaya-sampanne . . . gavi hastini suni ca. runi ca means dog. Now he is seeing a dog and a learned brahmana same. Dog is supposed to be sinful, and this learned brahmana is supposed to be virtuous. Therefore his vision, the virtuous and the sinful, the same. That is sama-darsi.

Guest: I think that they have made many mistakes in writing of the slokas.

Srila Prabhupada: That’s all right. Now you are finding mistake with Vyasa, so who can talk with you?

Guest: No, but, but . . .

Srila Prabhupada: Please excuse me. Please go out. Please go out. Don’t trouble. You are finding faults with Vyasa.

Guest: We only want you to be understood here.

Srila Prabhupada: [shouting]. I am not sama-darsinah! I don’t say I’m sama-darsinah! I don’t say, sama-darsinah. So you say sama-darsinah. Samadarsinah.

Guest: You should be sama-darsinah.

Srila Prabhupada: But I am not in that stage. I say because you don’t surrender to Krsna, you are sinful. That is my darsana.

Conversations, Vol. 10, Allahabad, January 18, 1971

Factors Affecting the Influence of the Teacher

Aside from external, situational factors, the effect a teacher has upon his students varies according to the personality and behavior of the teacher himself. And, of course, with the depth of his Krsna consciousness. Students will tend to imitate a teacher whom they admire and respect, and they are likely to adopt his attitudes and beliefs. Students are less likely to imitate a teacher whom they dislike or do not respect – especially in adopting that teacher’s beliefs. In addition, much undesirable inferential learning will occur from the observation of such teachers, but relatively few desirable modeling effects are likely.

Here is a conversation with Srila Prabhupada revealing some of his mood and Krsna conscious personality that won the hearts of his disciples and caused them to follow his path.

Advaita: Swamiji, last night our window was broken. Was that maya striking?

Srila Prabhupada: Huh?

Advaita: Kids broke the window?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Maya is always striking. Why do you take only a window? Why do you compact maya in the window? She is without window, within the window. Maya is not only, I mean to say, limited to a certain extent. The whole world is maya. Jagan mithya. The whole universe is maya. Only that part is not maya where chanting Hare Krsna is there.

Devotees: Haribol. Hare Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada: As soon as there was some slacking in Hare Krsna the maya struck. (Laughs.) Yes. Yes.

Govinda dasi: Swamiji?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. You are asking at the last moment. You are very much careful about time.

Govinda dasi: Oh, I didn’t know.

Srila Prabhupada: No, you ask me.

Govinda dasi: No, I won’t ask.

Srila Prabhupada: No, no, no, you ask. Yes. Yes.

Govinda dasi: Could you describe Krsna’s pastimes as cowboy whenever He goes out in the morning with the cowherd boys?

Srila Prabhupada: You have no experience here in your country. Have you got any experience? But in India we have got experience how in the morning the cowboy takes some food from the mother and with the cows he goes to the field. The cows are let loose on the grazing ground. They are enjoying, and this cowboy is sometimes singing. The flute, Krsna’s flute, is because He is cowboy. The cowboys still play with that flute. In India you’ll find.

Conversations, Vol. 1, New York, April 11, 1969

What inferential learning do you think took place through this simple incident?

Students will readily accept instructions from a teacher whom they admire. Teachers, therefore, should keep themselves Krsna conscious and develop the qualifications of a devotee. The twenty-six qualities of a devotee are as follows:

Such qualified devotees will certainly attract the admiration and surrender of everyone.

Srila Prabhupada: Tell them, “Chant Hare Krsna!” You should chant, they will chant. You should behave yourself very strictly on discipline and they will follow.

DVARAKANATHA: It seems that we must become humble. We must become servants to them in the sense that we do everything that we can to facilitate their service. Then when they see we are surrendering to our service, they will surrender to us.

Srila Prabhupada: Very good idea. Example is better than precept. You should all be personal examples, and they will do that. If you do not practice, if you simply force them, that will not be good.

JAGADYSA: The teachers are setting a good example in that way.

Srila Prabhupada: Then the children will follow. You rest assured.

Conversation with teachers in Dallas, July, 1975

Ways of Teaching by Example

Demonstration

The most obvious use of modeling occurs in a deliberate demonstration. In Gorakhpur, Srila Prabhupada once descended from his vyasasana to demonstrate to a disciple how to properly wash a floor with water and a cloth. He often entered the kitchen himself to teach his disciples how to cook and clean. In the early days in San Francisco, he personally taught Mukunda and Jivananda the mantras and basic mrdanga beats.

In teaching specific skills, especially to younger students, a demonstration is the method of choice.

Modeling Krsna conscious thinking

Teachers should regularly think aloud when making decisions and solving problems so that students can hear them model their Krsna conscious thinking processes.

This can be done with real decisions and problems the teacher faces, as well as with lessons in the curriculum. In giving directions about how to do seat work or homework, for example, and in dealing with students who are having difficulty, teachers can verbalize each step of their thinking process. Verbalizing will help students see the way the problem is approached. It will also help them see the answer as a logical conclusion following a chain of reasoning, rather than as something that the teacher just knew and that the student must commit to memory.

MADHUDVISA: This boy is Yugoslavian, and he has done some translating of your Isopanisad into Yugoslavian. So he is wondering if it is possible to spread Krsna consciousness in Yugoslavia?

Srila Prabhupada: Everywhere possible.

MADHUDVISA: But these countries are all under Communist rule. It is very difficult in those countries.

Srila Prabhupada: Not difficult. Nothing is difficult. For the time being it is difficult but in due course of time it will be very easy. Now who knew that in Europe and America or all over the world Hare Krsna will go on? Bon Maharaja left the field; others left the field. You see? Other swamis came. They talked all nonsense, yoga, this and that, nose pressing, eyes pressing — they are all finished. Now Hare Krsna is going on. Now people, the nose-presser and eyes-presser, they are no more important. Is it not? Eh? Now our men go and challenge these rascals. And in New York they did it.

Conversations, Vol.10, Melbourne, July 2, 1974

Modeling beliefs

The strength of a teacher’s beliefs about particular subjects is sometimes demonstrated by how much time and emphasis he assigns to that subject. Such teacher behavior (e.g., more time or more excitement) will subtly communicate to students what the teacher considers important.

Preaching, book distribution, prasadam distribution, and many other focal points of ISKCON became so, not only because of Srila Prabhupada’s direct words, but because his attitude toward them was expressed by his behavior. He was thrilled when books were produced, translated, and distributed. He said that book distribution gave him life. He showed pride in his disciples’ bold preaching attempts in Communist countries, and he insisted that even inimical guests take prasadam before leaving his company. Teachers naturally model the way they think about a subject, so they should become aware of what they are communicating to their students.

What beliefs can you infer from the conversation below?

Srila Prabhupada: There is one bead bag lying for three hundred years there. Whose? He has taken initiation. He does not know where is the bead bag? Just see.

Karandhara: On the heater there’s someone’s beads.

Srila Prabhupada: So I saw it was lying in the bathroom. Then I brought it here, and it’s still lying unused. Whose it is?

BHAGAVAN: It is mine.

Srila Prabhupada: You are so forgetful?

BHAGAVAN: No, I was looking for them.

Srila Prabhupada: Why? Why did you . . . ?

BHAGAVAN: I left them on your bathroom door, I think.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Hmmm. So this kind of leadership will not make any solution, if you do not know what is the real goal.

Conversations, Vol.10, Paris, June 13, 1974

Modeling curiosity and interest in learning

By the very nature of their service, teachers are committed to learning. This commitment should come across in their classroom behavior. They should model not only a specific interest in curriculum subject matter, but a general commitment to learning and knowledge.

One important situation in which teachers can show their commitment to learning is in responding to students’ questions, especially the spontaneous questions that a student may ask. Questions from the class are a sign of interest in the topic. They indicate that a student is thinking. Spontaneous questions also indicate a “teachable moment,” when students are open to learning.

Devotee: Swamiji, if all things here are a reflection of what is perfect in the spiritual world, then shouldn’t hate and frustration and despair and prejudice also appear in the spiritual world?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes.

Devotee: Does it?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes.

Devotee: Aren’t they bad?

Srila Prabhupada: But that frustration has no disappointment. (Laughter.) That is the beauty. Just like Lord Caitanya is manifesting that spiritual frustration, “Oh, Krsna, I could not see You.” He’s jumping into the sea in frustration. But that frustration is the highest perfection of love. Yes. Everything is there. But without inebriety. You are very intelligent boy. I thank you. Yes. Yes.

Conversations, Vol. 1, New York, April 11, 1969

As questions are expressed, teachers should respond in a way that shows questions are not viewed as threats, but are welcomed and valued. The question can first be acknowledged or praised: “That’s a good question, Krsna dasa. It does seem foolish that we’d leave Krsna in the spiritual world.” Then the teacher can attempt to answer the question or can refer it to the class for discussion: “How about it, class? Why would a soul leave Krsna instead of staying in Goloka Vrndavana?”

The teacher can also reinforce curiosity and interest in learning through the asides and comments made in passing during class conversations. Without belaboring the point unnecessarily, the teacher can get across to the class that he regularly studies the Srimad Bhagavatam, appreciates how sweetly the Deities appear, and participates in and appreciates other transcendental pursuits (“Last night I read in the Bhagavatam . . . ,” or “I can’t get the Deities out of my mind since I saw Them this morning”). A teacher thus makes his students aware that he thinks carefully about his life and shows evidence of an active, inquiring Krsna conscious mind.

Socialization through modeling

Teachers socialize their students through modeling. That is, they shape the values, attitudes, and behavioral standards that their students adopt. Students’ ideas about appropriate behavior and about how they should look upon themselves and others are affected by what they see when they observe their teachers. If you wish your students to become gentle and concerned, you must model gentle and concerned behavior.

Srila Prabhupada: Where is that girl, Saradiya? Here is a nice girl. You see. And where is your husband? Oh, why are you so skinny?

SARADIYA: Prabhupada, he just got over jaundice. In Bombay.

Devotee: In Bombay he had jaundice.

Srila Prabhupada: Oh. So give him sugar candy water. Bring in the morning. You know sugar candy? Soak sugar candy at night in a glass, and the first business in the morning you should take that glass of sugar candy water.

SARADIYA: He is doing all that now.

Srila Prabhupada: Ah. And he should not at all take ghee. No fat preparations. And if possible secure papaya, raw papaya, green, and boil it. These are medicine for jaundice. He is inside this room? He has come back?

Conversations, Vol. 3, Vrindaban, October 15, 1972

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31171

Kids - Srimad Bhagavatam Sloka and Kirtan Recitation from ISKCON Mira Road (Playlist of brief videos)

Find them here: https://goo.gl/HRkpF7

An Ocean of Gaura Premamrta-krpa" - An elaboration on Srila Rupa Goswami's Sri Upadesamrta.

This wonderful book in two volumes has been compiled by H.G. Srimati Mataji (Vrindavana) and her team. 

To download Click here

The eternal constitutional nature of the living entity is pure love and devotion to Krishna. The origin of this pure unconditional love is the pleasure giving potency hladini shakti, Srimati Radharani. Though hidden deep within the heart of the Lord, She manifests Herself as Krishna's eternal consort. Only She can completely satisfy and attract the all attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead by Her unsurpassable pure love, which is called mahabhava.

Srimati Radharani is the compassionate nature of the Lord and She is represented by the spiritual master. One cannot approach Her directly but must go through the spiritual master, who is Her most confidential servant. Therefore I offer my humble obeisances to my spiritual master His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. By his mercy only can I approach the Divine Couple Sri Sri Radha and Krishna . The mercy of the spiritual master is delivered through his divine instructions. I pray these instructions be carved into my heart as an emblem of service to his lotus feet.
Srimati Radharani is an ocean of divine qualities and She brings pleasure to the Lord in an infinite variety of ways. So captivating is Her love for Him, that Lord Krishna appeared, also as a hidden incarnation, to taste that special love which belongs to Her alone.

“Desiring to understand the glory of Radharaṇi’s love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels when She realizes the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Srimati Saci-devi, as the moon appeared from the ocean.” (CC Adi lila 1.6)

Everything about Srimati Radharani is attractive to Krishna . She is the topmost devotee of the Lord. By studying Her transcendental qualities, and cultivating a desire to serve Her, one can begin to understand how to become a devotee. Sri Krishna , the Supreme Personality of Godhead desired to know Her profound mood, and thus appeared as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Lord Caitanya is our Istadeva. Anything we hear about the ultimate goal of human life, pure love of God, originates in Him. Lord Caitanya is immersed in the mood of Srimati Radharani and by serving Him one can taste a particle of Her divine qualities and love for Krishna .

Obeisances to the transcendental qualities of Srimati Radharani.

Oh, Srimati Radharani, epitome of sweet,
I pray to Your kindness for shelter at Your feet.
You are freshly youthful, with a fragrance sublime,
and Your restless eyes search for that cowherd divine.

You light up the worlds with Your smile so bright,
Your impeccable speech is a blissful delight.
Auspicious lines marking Your face, hands and feet,
with Your meek humble nature all pride You defeat.

Your singing and joking is transcendental play,
in performing Your duties there is never delay.
You are shy and calm yet cunning and grave,
and the path to Vrndavana You respectfully pave.

In Goloka You are the reservoir of loving exchange,
accepting whatever Your friends may arrange. 
You're controlled by their love, which is deep as the sea,
and famous as the most submissive devotee.

Affectionate to Your elders chief damsel of Vraja,
wearing Your qualities, like a gem-studded corsage.
By Your love You control the Lord’s tender heart
as He changes His color and yearns for Your part.

All glories to the auspicious qualities of Srimati Radhrani. I pray to meditate upon them and thus become their servant.

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31179

Dear Friends PLEASE HELP!!! For some time now I have been concerned for the freedoms and safeties of my fellow Hare Krsna devotees in Bangladesh, who are trying to exist peacefully in a socio-political context which is extremely fractious, volatile and imminently inflammatory. I have become aware of isolated incidents of extreme physical attacks on individual priests and small gatherings during their worship practices. Such attacks have been enacted by thugs portraying themselves as Islamic extremist fundamentalists.

A few of the recent fatalities perpetrated on Bangladeshi Hindu priests in this style have made the mainstream media. I understand that legal actions and convictions have often not followed such incidents due to fears and biases within and political pressures upon, the enforcement and judiciary systems. In some respects I am reluctant to put this out since the last thing I want is to contribute to any generic anti-muslim rhetorics or non-specific media fuelled anti-muslim paranoia.

Since, however, I accept the following as a factual situation, with innocent lives in immediate jeopardy I have decided it over-rides my misgivings. Please take a few moments to read this candid report which I received this morning. I have chosen not to edit the english so as not to mask the authenticity of the voice:

“Please try to do publish strong news on that and let me know where you putted this Bangladesh media was not publishing the truth as follows the incident happened

Dear Journalistic Brothers, Take our cordial greetings and congratulations on behalf of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Bangladesh. You are the mirrors of our society and conscientious soldiers for authentic investigation. You are the prideful allottee for global amelioration of Bangladesh. Beloved Brothers, ISKCON, an apolitical religious organization which is believed in nonviolent Vaishnavism introduced by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and mainstreamed in Sanatana Dharma, is known to you. It is immensely felicitated to the sober-minded and brilliant people throughout the world till this half century. Its extension and progression in Bangladesh is also incremental. However, regretfully truth is that an unthought-of attack was transacted while program was occurring in ISKCON Sylhet divisional Temple situated at Kajalshah adjacent to Osmani Medical Hospital on last 2 September, 2016, Friday at approximate 1:40 pm. Which has come out differently hiding the real fact to the newspapers and other medias. It grieved and mortified us extremely. The real fact is that, on that happening day, a religious competition named ‘Bhaktivedanta National Students Competition’ under ISKCON Bangladesh was undergoing on its divisional stage housed for kiddie and juvenile contestants since 9 am at Jugaltila ISKCON Temple at Kajalshah in Sylhet. There, the attendance was about a thousand devotees from four districts of Sylhet division. Approximately at 1:40 pm after Juma Prays, after attacking announcement from Kajalshah Mosque northed to our temple and Bhatalia Mosque from south-east cone and Lamabazar Nayapara Mosque and uniting about two thousands of people carrying homespun weapons and by barricading the roads eastwards and southwards to our temple, attacked us. They threw brickbats and stones focusing the temple from three sides.We were mazed at the sudden happenings. A heartrending scene was visualized inside the temple. Tears of the sky of child and women were heavy. At that time, protection to them had become our main responsibility. Under the circumstances, we closed our gates of west and north-east sides. As criminals did not enter inside the temple because of boundaries around the temple, we were saved from an appalling, diabolic massacring. But, some shop adjoining to the northed gate and arrival buses from afar placed amidst the temple were vandalized. Its loss amount is about 30-40 lacs. Regarding the fact, it has ducked the brutal incidents of 1971, 1990 and 2001. Thirty people along with children, women and pedestrian were bloodied and wounded by hit of brickbats and rubbles thrown by the raider.Dear Journalist Brothers,While civility, humanity and catholicity is growing up throughout the world, at that time in our country, by rumouring fake news through mosque mike and unifying bigoted general Muslims, they are attacking the innocent saints, women and kiddies. Sylhet ISKCON Temple has been attacked in same contrivance, as happened in Ramu, Matijheel. Now, we are very anxious about our security. How will we be escaped from such rumours and fanaticism? Dear Journalist Brothers, We are intimating the kind attention of honourable Prime Minister of Convocation of Bangladesh Government and Home Minister and relavant Authorities with the help of yours. And, we are claiming for undertaking precise legal provision concerning this fact and obliged thereby. On behalf of Nabadwip Dwija Gauranga Das Brahmachari President ISKCON Sylhet Vice- President, ISKCON Bangladesh.”

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31183

The miracle of forgiveness : Much has been written in spiritually themed literature, Vedic scriptures and Prabhupada's translations, and personal growth/self-help books about forgiveness. As a young person and devotee I had no idea how important forgiveness could be. It was only after years of introspection and prayer that I personally understood how important it was for me to forgive important persons in my life and myself.

The topic came up in my reading of the last few days, and I wanted to share some of my thoughts about it. I have done much work with forgiveness - with my parents, for how I was raised, and for myself, for my many personal failings and what I should or should not have done. I looked at all my significant relationships in as much honesty as possible, and also considered that I may have some anger toward Krishna, and my guru, Shrila Prabhupada.

I did find some anger toward Prabhupada and I had a long talk with him to uncover it, and let it go. I have written somewhere about my, in contemporary terms, gestalt type conversation with him. Whatever it may be called, to me it was a very real talk before the Prabhupada murti in Berkeley almost 30 years ago. Before him, I shared and examined my anger and doubts, and I received a simple though compellingly powerful answer to my angst with his physical disappearance.

I felt he had abandoned me and left me to fend for myself without proper guidance. He said to me that what I did with my life was up to me, but the important aspect was to remember and love Krishna. For guidance, he left his books and especially his disciples who could act as shiksha gurus for me. To use Shrutakirti’s book title, “What is the difficulty?”

Even with all the work I have done in the past, as part of my current endeavor to face my death, and understand that I must “die before dying” to actually live fully and realize my full potential and contribution to the world, I have had to reexamine my life for any residues of anger and resentment. I wanted to make sure such negative emotions were not still hanging around like smoke, obscuring my clarity of purpose, and belief in my ability to go forward in my personal mission.

I have found that in personal growth work or in uncovering anarthas (unwanted habits of thinking and acting unfavorable for spiritual progress) awareness comes in layers. We go as far as we can and we may even think we are done, but in time, we find another layer is peeled that requires further self-examination, revealing more work to do. This means that we can’t do our spiritual work all at one time because that would be too overwhelming. We need to be aware of how deep we are required to go to be cleared of what are actually karmic weights keeping us materially bound.

By our spiritual urgency and prayer we can be open to areas of our psyche we don’t want to admit we have, or those undesirable attitudes and feelings that may be unbecoming and even gross and ugly. Yet, to progress in spiritual life and get unstuck, we must move beyond them; we have to first own and accept them, seeing their natural purpose from our human conditioning, and then with love, release and let them go by our desire to do so, strengthened by prayer and grace.

THE MIRACLE OF A SMILE AND HAPPINESS:

I have shared before that each day as I rise, I remember what I am grateful for, and in gratitude put a smile on my face. As I dedicate my day Krishna, or my Gurus and Gauranga, I decide that whatever the days brings, I will practice happiness.

I am going to share a blog after this introduction with the title "Decide to be Happy,” from my Krishna.com blog because it expresses something of what I am feeling today: that to be happy or sad is a choice we make based on what we give our power or energy to through our focus. What we focus on we tend to attract more of so we can spiral up or down emotionally simply by our mind’s absorption. Unless we are in the middle of some trauma or have an undiagnosed clinic depression, we can make a decision to be happy as part of our spiritual practice, and more, show that with a smiling attitude.

As I go about my day I am amazed at the power of a sincere smile with no agenda other than expressing joy and sharing it. As I sit to write a blog in a health food store, I observe people in a hurry to begin and finish whatever shopping they must do, and it seems they are not completely present and have forgotten that they can do whatever they must in happiness - at least for the most part a smile is absent on their faces. Yet, I find that smiles are contagious and when people encounter my smile their face lights up.

For those of us who want to look younger smiling is a good way to do this, as our smile covers up our wrinkles or overpowers them. Sometimes my smile can be unnerving for people as they think I am crazy or that I must know them to be smiling at them.

Regardless, I would like to challenge you to practice remembering what you are grateful for in your life and decide to be happy as part of your spiritual practice, while have a smiling attitude as you go about your day. Look in the mirror at how better you look with a sincere smile than a sad expression.

Focus on the positive and believe in your natural happy nature. As you interact with others note how people reciprocate with your happy demeanor and smiles. If nothing else, you will feel much better throughout your day. Here is the link: http://www.krishna.com/blog/2011/10/4/decide-be-happy

Source : http://www.krishna.com/blog/2016/09/7/miracle-forgiveness-and-miracle-smile-and-happiness

Dear devotees,

Year after year many soldiers of Srila Prabhupada are leaving us bereft of their association. These are great Prabhupadanugas who has dedicated their lives for the mission of Srila Prabhupada. There is so much to learn from their lives.

As an attempt to glorified one such soldier, Kaulini Devi Dasi we have set up a blog in her glorification. This blog is an initiative by HG Sudevi dasi (SDG) to record homages to HG Kaulini Devi Dasi. Her life was an inspiration to many and we hope this blog will continue to inspire many others. Please email your offerings to motherkaulini@gmail.com. Let us celebrate Mother Kaulini’s glorious life! Click here to view the blog: http://motherkaulini.blogspot.com/

Her Grace Kaulini Devi Dasi was born on August 30,1946 in Sacremento, California. She grew up there and joined ISKCON in 1972 in San Francisco with her then husband, Keshava Bharati Prabhu (now Keshava Bharati Swami).

While in San Francisco, she was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in May 1973. During that time, her family lived in the same home as Jayananda Prabhu. In fact, her first service was going on Harinam with Jayananda Prabhu’s sankirtan party. Over the next three years, she continued to serve in San Francisco, Saint Louis and Florida.

After her husband took sanyasa, Kaulini devi put on white cloth and as Satsvarupa Maharaj noted, “flourishes in chaste renunciation”. In 1976, she moved to Gita Nagari, where she lived and served for over 30 years.

Kaulini devi exhibited many exemplary qualities. She was genuinely humble and preferred to do her service in the background and sunned the spotlight. She was also very simple, and did not require lavish arrangements. She acted as temple president, head cook, pujari, caretaker of the cows, guest services, caregiver and wore numerous other hats. She was the model of steadiness and remained fixed in Krishna Consciousness in spite of institutional changes, meager finances, political upheaval and other challenges. She famously asked Satsvarupa Maharaj if it was okay if a devotee didn’t have any problems, as she was completely content in her devotional life. She made Krishna Consciousness look easy.

On September 3rd, surrounded by well-wishers and friends chanting the holy name, Kaulini devi left her body.

Source : http://www.dandavats.com/?p=31135