“The Lord is coming! The Lord is coming! Haribol! Haribol!”

Download the audio for this lecture here:

http://www.mayapurtvarchives.com/p/downloads-2015.html

From Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir
Date: March 5, 2015 Speaker: HH Jayapataka Swami
Subject: Gaura Purnima

Beginning of recording missing.

HH Jayapataka Swami

But they would not lead to Vishnu. They lead to the different deities. They would install some temporary deities, some dolls. And then after some days of puja, they would through them in the river. So they did not worship the eternal Lord. They were into this temporary worship. Their goal was to earn money, have a good house, have nice children, be agitated, and all material sense gratification. They did not think anything beyond this.

The name of Vishnu is very pure, so nobody can chant this. The only time you are allowed to chant is when you are in the Ganges because they thought that the Ganges is pure. It purifies you so that you can chant the holy name of Vishnu. Otherwise, not.

Advaita Gosai and Srivasa Thakura. They were so against them. But Advaita Gosai was the senior of the brahmanas. So generally they wouldn’t talk to him face to face. But behind his back they criticized. But Srivas Thakura did not have that protection. At some point people said, “Throw him out! Throw him out! He will bring us misfortune. The mogul emperor will come down and burn our houses because of this persons offenses. He’s chanting the names of Vishnu. Throw him out! Throw him out!

This was the situation then. The devotees were going to Advaita saying, “What to do?” “My name is Advaita. It means non different. So if there is any meaning to my name, I will bring down the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna. He is the only one who can save the infidels. If I cannot bring Him down, I will manifest four arms and I’ll chop these people down. I will chop them down! Finished!”

He began to fast and worship the Salagram Sila with Ganges water and Tulasi manjaris. He would loudly cry out, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” It would go on, his tapasya, his chanting, his worship. His loud chanting was cracking the universal shell. It was vibrating, even in the spiritual world.

Lord Krishna Caitanya agreed. “I’ll come down.” Somehow Advaita got the message. He told everyone that the Lord is coming. “The Lord is coming! The Lord is coming! Haribol! Haribol!” But no one knew when. No one knew where. But they knew that He was coming.

At that time, Sacimata and Jagannath Mishra were non different from Devaki and Vasudeva, were non different from Yasoda and Nanda Maharaj. He had eight daughters. Each one died soon after birth. Jagannath Mishra and his wife did a special puja for Lord Vishnu to get a male child who would survive.

Vishvarupa, the expansion of Sankarsana came. In the month of Magha, Jagannath Mishra had a dream that there was a white light that came into his mind, went into his heart and transferred to the heart of Sacimata. In this way she was expecting. They did not have any physical connection as such. It was all done transcendentally. The Supreme Personality of Godhead was situated in her womb.

While she was expecting, the devas came from the celestial planets. They began to offer their prayers. “We are your devotees from the celestial planets. But we do not need any material blessings. We have enough material sense gratification. We only have two problems. One is that sometimes we are attacked by demons. We have to fight them off. They try to take over the celestial planets by force. The other problem is that we have so much sense gratification that we forget to worship you. When we heard that you are coming in this avatara to give your blessings of pure Krishna bhakti freely, we pray to you please do not forget your devotees from the celestial planets. Please give us your blessings.”

Then Lord Caitanya played games on these devotees from the heavenly planets. Although they were invisible to the human beings, he would make their shadows visible to Sacimata. She started seeing shadows going around in her room. She started chanting Narasimha mantras.

ugram viram maha visnum jvalantam sarvatomukham
nrisimham bhisanam bhadram mrtyu mrtyum namamy aham

The devas went and hid. They said, “How could she see us?” Then they figured out that it was the Supreme Personality of Godhead

So the Gaura Purnima 529 years ago. At that time there was a lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse is normally considered inauspicious. It was the system in an eclipse that all of the people would go waist deep into the Ganges, and being in the Ganges, they would chant

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Govinda! Govinda! Govinda!

hari haraye namaḥ kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ 
yādavāya mādhavāya keśavāya namaḥ
gopāla govinda rāma śrī-madhusūdana
 
Haribol! Haribol! Haribol!

Srivasa Thakura was thinking, “What an auspicious day. Everybody is chanting the holy name. Everybody!” Even the Muslims were listening. Then they made paan. See how the Hindus are chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna? But somehow or the other, everybody was chanting the holy name.

When Lord Caitanya came into this world, he did not need the moon. He is the source of millions of moons. The whole city was chanting the holy names. That was the situation when Lord Caitanya appeared.

When Mother Saci was in her little hut to give childbirth, as that time all of the neighboring brahmana ladies came dressed up to see the newborn baby. Taking that opportunity, some of the ladies from the heavenly planets came dressed up as brahmana ladies. They also came to see the Lord.

Jagannath Mishra was so happy. He had a big feast and gave out whatever was possible to the brahmanas and to the people. While his wife was pregnant, she started to become very effulgent, brilliant. People would just come up to him and hand him money. Although he was a poor brahmana, somehow Laxmi was coming to his house because of the coming of Lord Caitanya. Laxmi also wanted to serve Lord Caitanya.

Like this, the whole world was chanting. Spontaneously, Advaita Acharya and Haridas Thakura started dancing.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

I tell these details every year. We are doing the Lord Caitanya book, Sri Krishna Caitanya, like the Krsna Book. So we take from six or seven or eight books, which ever has a particular lila, and combine that and give the entire lila. On this appearance day, every book gives more or less something. But each writer doesn’t want to offend any other writer. They don’t write anything that is in the other book. They just give a very slight mention. You do not get the whole past time unless you read all of the books. That’s not very practical for most people. We are trying to combine all of those books to make a comprehensive Caitanya Lila book in simple, less lengthy purports, just like Krsna book, more or less.

A few weeks ago we did the disappearance of Jagannath Mishra. It may not be completely keeping, but it shows how everything that the Lord did was transcendental, how his pastimes were like live dramas, and how he connects the different things that go on.

He was only nine years old. He had taken his brahmana thread, his upanayanam. His brother left home as a sannyasi. He was allowed to go to school. One day, his father came home after studying in his own guru’s ashram. He came home, and he suddenly got a very high fever. In those days, there was not so much medical recourse.

His fever was so high that Sacimata became apprehensive. She started to cry. Lord Caitanya said, “Why are you crying for him? My dear mother, everyone in this world has to die. The Himalayan Mountains, the oceans, Indra, Varuna, Agnideva, everyone leaves at some point. There is no reason to lament, even if he leaves. But you should call his friends and relatives to sit around him and chant the Hare Krishna mantra. What else are friends for but at times like this, to chant.”

She went out and quickly got the friends and relatives. They went around Jagannath Mishra and they were chanting. A couple of the elders and some of the wives, they could see that he was very serious and decided to take him by the side of the Ganges.

Mother Saci grabbed on to his lotus feet and she was crying, “You should take us with you. I have always been serving at your side in your eating and your household, in your resting, at every time I’ve always been serving you. If you go now, take me with you. I want to also go. Look at your son. He is the glory of the whole world. How can you leave Him?”

Then Visvambara grabbed his father’s feet, also. He said, “If you go, who will I call Daddy in my house? Who will take me affectionately with his hand to study and to take prasadam?” Jagannath Mishra told his son, “I have to tell you this. Without telling you, it’s not right. I prayed to Lord Ramacandra to take care of you. You’ll be under His protection.”

He did not have any idea who his son is. He was absorbed in the parental relationship. “So I prayed,” he said, “to Raghupati Rama to protect you. So you will have no problem. You will be under His protection.”

They picked His father up and they put him waist deep in the Ganges. Around him, all of the men began chanting.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

And Jagannath Mishra was also chanting. Now, if he wanted, he could go directly back to the spiritual world. But he went through this death lila just to teach others. He chanted the holy names and left his body. A celestial airplane came down, took him, and brought him up to the spiritual world to Goloka Vrindavan.

They took his lifeless body. At that time, Visvambara was crying. From His lotus eyes, tears came out like pearls, like gajamanis, special big sized black and white pearls. They formed a necklace around His chest. Everyone was chanting the holy names. They put his body on the funeral pyre and performed the last rites.

Nimai told His mother, “There is nothing to worry about. I will be with you.” He did the fire yajna for the father and gave out prasadam to everyone.

It is said that anyone who hears this pastime, their heart becomes freed from all suffering and they become awakened to the wonderful nature of Lord Caitanya. Of all the different pastimes of Lord Caitanya, the ones which are apparently heavy, or the ones in which they are rejoicing that He came into this world, are all filled with transcendental bliss. We realize how wonderful it is to be in Lord Caitanya’s movement.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Lord Caitanya has predicted that He would send His devotee after five hundred years to preach the message of the holy names in those countries to which he did not go. Because of that, we have the great mercy to be under the shelter of Srila Prabhupada.

Hare Krishna.

Krishna, Lord of Paradox

By Satyaraja Dasa

A brief analysis of Bhagavad-gita 9.4, 9.5, and 9.6.

The Bhagavad-gita is one of the world’s perennial wisdom texts. Because it offers knowledge of the Absolute Truth, some of its texts can be difficult to understand. Few are as difficult as verses four and five of Chapter Nine: “By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them. And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities and although I am everywhere, I am not a part of this cosmic manifestation, for My Self is the very source of creation.”

What is Krishna saying here? First of all, He says that in His unmanifested form (avyakta murti, or Brahman) He pervades the universe. Clear enough: God is all-pervading. Then Krishna says that all beings are in Him. Okay, if He’s everywhere, then all beings exist in Him. No problem. But then it gets somewhat perplexing: He says He is not in them.

This is the beginning of the difficult part. Anyone who has even casually studied the Gita—particularly Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is—knows that God is in everything as the Supersoul, known in Sanskrit as the Paramatma. So what does Krishna mean by saying “I am not in them,” when His presence in everything is confirmed throughout the Vedic literature?

After He disavows his presence in all beings, He says that everything does not rest in Him. This is in stark contradiction to His statement in the previous verse, wherein He boldly declares the opposite. Even Baladeva Vidyabhushana, the renowned eighteenth-century Gaudiya Vaishnava commentator, asserts that this is a contradiction and that a serious student of the Gita must ask, “How might one resolve it?”

Indeed, Baladeva suggests that when Krishna says “Behold My mystic opulence” (pashya me yogam aishvaram), He is attempting to resolve the contradiction. Baladeva admits, however, that this is not resolution in any true sense but rather a proclamation that human words cannot actually explain the Lord: God has inconceivable potency (acintya-shakti).

Clearly, God is not bound by our mundane sense of logic. He is the creator of logic and, as such, transcends it. Thus, He is the Lord of paradox. According to the dictionary, a paradox is a seeming contradiction that is nonetheless true; it is something that exhibits inexplicable or contradictory aspects. Here’s an example from the poetess Mary Shelley: “The silence of midnight, to speak truly, though apparently a paradox, rung in my ears.”

We encounter a particularly glaring example of Krishna’s paradoxical nature in the Sri Ishopanishad(Mantra 5): “The Supreme Lord walks and does not walk. He is far away, but He is very near as well. He is within everything, and yet He is outside of everything.” Srila Prabhupada explains in his commentary:

The contradictions given here prove the inconceivable potencies of the Lord. “He walks, and He does not walk.” Ordinarily, if someone can walk, it is illogical to say he cannot walk. But in reference to God, such a contradiction simply serves to indicate His inconceivable power. With our limited fund of knowledge we cannot accommodate such contradictions, and therefore we conceive of the Lord in terms of our limited powers of understanding. For example, the impersonalist philosophers of the Mayavada school accept only the Lord’s impersonal activities and reject His personal feature. But the members of the Bhagavata [Vaishnava] school, adopting the perfect conception of the Lord, accept His inconceivable potencies and thus understand that He is both personal and impersonal. The Bhagavatas know that without inconceivable potencies there can be no meaning to the words “Supreme Lord.”

But the two Gita verses in question are more than mere proclamations of God’s inconceivable potency. Let us look at these verses more closely.

Beyond Our Senses

By the term “unmanifested form” (avyakta-murti), Krishna explains that although He is ever present, we cannot see Him with our gross senses. Srila Prabhupada’s commentary illuminates this idea by way of a verse from the Padma Purana, averring that because Krishna’s form, qualities, and pastimes are all of a spiritual nature, material senses cannot perceive them. But Prabhupada quickly adds that when a soul in the grip of the material energy is awakened to Krishna consciousness, full understanding and perception of Krishna gradually come to the fore.

In this initial verse, Krishna tells us of His simultaneous transcendence and immanence: He is removed from matter and at the same time exists as its very basis. He referred to this complex relationship earlier in the Gita (7.4–5). He is removed from material world, although it rests on His energy. He is the source of the material world, and He maintains it, but He is not dependent on it, nor does it affect His essential nature. He is free from material nature, but material nature is not free from Him.

This squares well with the commentary of the great tenth-century teacher Ramanuja, who writes that 9.4 can also read as follows: “All beings are supported by Me, though I am not supported by them.” No contradiction there.

In this way the commentaries of the great acharyas explain 9.4. But then we have 9.5: “And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me.” A clear contradiction, as Baladeva Vidyabhushana has noted.

There is an easy way to understand this. Krishna is reminding us here of His transcendence. Although everything rests in Him, at least in the sense that everything is dependent upon Him, He is fundamentally aloof, existing in His own abode, beyond the material world. In his purport, Prabhupada evokes the image of Atlas, who, lifting the world on his shoulders, seems tired, as if he can accomplish his task only with great struggle. Krishna is not like that, Prabhupada tells us. Rather, Krishna’s involvement in the material world does not strain His energies one iota. In fact, He engages with matter through His manifestations as Brahman and Paramatma, leaving His original form free to enjoy transcendental activity in the spiritual world.

To help us understand His inconceivable and mystical relationship with the material world, the Lord offers an analogy in the next verse (9.6), and here we might find at least partial resolution to the dilemma: “Understand that as the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, rests always in the sky, all created beings rest in Me.” In other words, Krishna is the backdrop that gives meaning to reality. He is like the thread that gives cloth its form and substance.

Change cannot be perceived without the background of changelessness. A mirage has no meaning if there’s no desert backdrop. A movie cannot be seen without a movie screen. And without sky, the wind would have nowhere to blow. In the same way, though Krishna is totally aloof—He is not in all beings and all beings are not in Him—He is very much here as well, fundamentally connected to everyone and everything as their very basis.

Dilemma Resolved?

Baladeva Vidyabhushana’s spiritual master, Srila Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, raises a question that might serve as an addendum to the question of Krishna’s inconceivability as expressed in these verses: Since Krishna has explained, both by analogy and by describing His acintya-shakti, or inconceivable potency, how these Bhagavad-gita verses might be understood, has He not already resolved the dilemma? Hasn’t His explanation made the inconceivable conceivable? “If so,” Vishvanatha writes, “then how is the Lord’s mystic power inconceivable, which He Himself claims it is by saying ‘Just see My mystic opulence’? After all, we now have a conceivable way of understanding His mystic power.”

Vishvanatha Cakravarti then answers his own query: “The example of the sky is offered to give ordinary people an opportunity to begin to understand this subject.” The operative word here is “begin.” Without doubt, the subject of God and His inconceivable potencies is just that—inconceivable. All we can hope for is a hint, a taste, of that inconceivable truth. Indeed, Krishna says that one can know Him as He is only by unmotivated devotional service (11.54). And even then, we can know Him only to the degree that He chooses to reveal Himself.

In conclusion, let us say that, without doubt, the verses in question can be understood in a simple and straightforward manner. After all, Krishna is clearly making a distinction between His manifestation as Brahman, or as an all-pervading force, and His underlying form as Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By His impersonal manifestation and His expansive energy He pervades the cosmic creation. This is what He’s saying toward the beginning of these verses. But He still remains aloof—this is His way of pointing out that His all-pervasiveness does not co-opt His transcendent personality, the very source of creation.

Prabhupada alludes to this in his purport, when he says, “The planetary systems are floating in space, and this space is the energy of the Supreme Lord. But He is different from space. He is differently situated.” So everything is in God’s energy, which is an aspect of His self-existent nature, but everything is not in Him as Bhagavan, the Personality of Godhead, who is totally “other.”

Though these verses can be understood in this way, in an ultimate sense they allude to the greater mysteries of God’s nature, and therefore Baladeva Vidyabhushana acknowledges their contradictory status. If one contemplates such mysteries under the guidance of a teacher in Krishna consciousness, great truths will gradually unfold, and Krishna will be revealed in His fullness.

A 5,000-year-old Underground City Discovered in Turkey

Photo Credits: Wikipedia

A reconstruction of what the Derinkuyu underground city is believed to have looked like.

Bhakti Yoga Retreat

May 13 — 17, 2015 with Radhanath Swami and Gaura Vani

 YOGA VACATION PROGRAM

Sadhu Sanga Retreat Books Up Two Months in Advance; Offsite Registration Still Open

Chanting the Holy Names joyfully

ISKCON South Africa Releases Annual Report

By Nanda Kishor das

Hare Krishna

It is a great pleasure to present to you the ISKCON South Africa Annual report for 2014. The theme for the report is #ISKCONinAction. We pray it reflects the love, dedication, inspiration and compassion that the many members of ISKCON represent in their every day actions along with ISKCON’s many great friends and well-wishers.

This digital publication can be accessed at www.iskconza.com with tablet and phone versions also supported or directly at 2014 Annual Report.

In this report you will hear from His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami, the Co-Governing Body Commissioner for South Africa who along with the National Secretaries reflects on the great strides ISKCON continues to make and the build-up too much awaited significant events in 2015 and 2016.

We are excited to present to you special features on some of the lesser known gems in ISKCON South Africa, like the grass-roots activities in ISKCON Stellenbosch as well as the success, growth and meaningful impact in the surrounding communities that ISKCON Midrand and ISKCON Sandton continue to experience. We showcase Cape Town Govinda’s to bring you a flavor of how Krishna cuisine is making its mark in the Mother City.

We put the spotlight on ISKCON Durban’s plans for the 30th anniversary of the flagship Sri Sri Radha Radhanath temple and share some of the exciting developments that will see ISKCON Durban leading the go-to green charge in ISKCON South Africa.

Food for Life, almost unnoticed has reached staggering new heights with over three million meals of sanctified food which is prepared, offered and distributed with love as an offering to Lord Krishna address the needs of so many across our country.

We report on ISKCON’s dynamic youth who are taking Krishna Consciousness so seriously and really making Kirtan part of their core. The success in university outreach is reflected by another award winning year for the Bhakti Yoga Society.

Book Distribution, an activity so close to the heart of our beloved Founder-Acarya, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada has had a bumper year with a 20% increase in books distributed in December 2014 alone.

We conclude with a snapshot of some images and stories from ISKCON globally.

We hope you find as much inspiration in these pages as we did in compiling this for you.

In 2016, for ISKCON’s 50th anniversary we will bring you a special edition themed #JoyofDevotion where we will focus on the heart of ISKCON – the devotees and friends who make what you read in this report possible.

Revelations about the Book of Revelation

Revelation.pdf

Keep it up Hema! You have set an example!

By Jaganmohini Devi Dasi

My response to ‘Second Generation Devotee Conferred with a National Legal Award in Kuala Lumpur‘

Few days back as I took a short break to quickly browse through the titles of recent articles in this forum, there was one article that caught our attention. 

Dear Hema, the brief extract narrating your award story intrigued me to read the full article. Being inspired by your story, I felt, I must respond to you and so today I set some time for it.

I was indeed moved by your life story not because of award, but it had much more to offer to several who have embraced Krishna Consciousness in their life. For many it could be a moment of joy or just an appreciation because of award, but I see this award as an instrument for recognition of a wonderful example of application of KC in work place. But for this award, many would not have known your astute approach adopted in your work place that was as a result of several years of effort of real time practice of Krishna Consciousness.

You spent your childhood in ISKCON atmosphere, but adopted a natural and simplistic approach to bhakti yoga. Without trying to be anything artificial or anybody other than yourself, you were influenced by the positive aspects of the culture. As you mentioned,

‘The concept of ‘I, me, and myself’ is non-existing in my team as we vouch for each other and ensure that we swim and steadily keep each other afloat together, as a team. I learnt this concept through my wonderful up-bringing in ISKCON.’

To put into practice even a small aspect of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam, it needs persistent sacrifice through self-less approach.

You represent an individual representing the majority population living in this world and dealing with work culture that is moving very fast to keep up with competitive globalization challenges. You represent women community who normally grab attention of people in general only for wrong reasons while their finest contributions are rarely appreciated and encouraged. Most importantly you represent women in Krishna Consciousness who are seen more from a perspective of theoretical varnashrama dharma and accordingly guided but with no practical concrete direction given to them with regard to excellence in service especially in a noble working atmosphere like yours.

You have set a practical example of substance for all the above categories.

Your excellent upbringing which you credit to your single parent mother (great lady!) and other guardians are Lord Krishna’s special grace upon you which you received it through your spiritual master H.H. Jayapataka Swami.

It was only through the above pillars of your life as you have gracefully and rightly acknowledged, you became positively ambitious about your career and pursued higher studies and reached a position that you are today.

How many women practicing KC receive such encouragement?

Your life appears so naturally unfolding to serve your guru as your life and soul all for the right cause, that is to help push forward the teachings of Lord Caitanya to people at large. Your gurumaharaj might be very pleased with your service.

If my spiritual master was physically present, even he would have been very proud of his spiritual niece as I recall in this regard one of his room conversations with devotees in 1999. He gave a practical perception of Krishna Consciousness and having received this direct counselling for the first time, it changed our thinking of Krishna Consciousness and they were indeed different from what I had gathered before from other sources.

I share excerpt here for your pleasure.

He said, ‘Being spiritual is not just going to temple, church or mosque for few hours during the week and the rest of the time you forget about it. It is not like that. It is not a one-hour job. It has to be applied every day, every moment and in every face of our life, even in office…..you have dedicated that work in order to serve the Lord; In this way, there is meaning and purpose and hence you will want to do it very nicely. Suppose you want to cook, something for offering to the Lord, then your consciousness is already oriented in such a way that you have to put the right amount of salt. You cannot do it just haphazardly……Because generally when things are done with attention, the result is good. Similarly, when you go to office, you go in time, not necessarily to please the boss, but because you are doing this to please the Lord. Thus in this way, one becomes very responsible in one’s activity and one will not indulge in anything unwanted. These are the applications of devotional principles.”

So your award as a direct outcome of applying devotional principles is significant today.

At present, religious issues are predominantly a disturbing factor in several nations, leading to violence, bans and protests. At such a time a journey to human excellence based on Krishna Conscious  practice can stand apart and nothing can come on its way. So from futuristic perspective at individual level it makes sense to focus on this scientific practice with a broad mindset. This can also validate the meaning of ‘Krishna Consciousness is a way of life’. As such every religion claims this, but their practices don’t help them evolve beyond the three of the four religion goals, and hence it is not easy to proclaim superficially, that religion is a way of life. But the uniqueness of Krishna Consciousness is its prime focus on the fifth dimension goal that is love of God, so this is the motivation that can help to evolve beyond the lower goals. Of course an appropriate grooming during childhood and youth can contribute significantly later towards the scientific practice of Krishna Consciousness for human excellence.

Dear Hema, we are sure you will continue in your journey of excellence and render service as a counsellor (practicing!) for future generation.

Kindly hold on to your pillars tightly and don’t give up.

Who knows, there could be another Tulasi Gabbard in the wait at Malaysia!!

It is grand disciples like you living outside a monastery, who can practically demonstrate to the society that Krishna Consciousness is a way of life or it is applied spiritual technology and that it is a journey towards human excellence and through this example carry the flag of our guru parampara and Lord Chaitanya with pride.

All the best to you Hema, and we pray to Lord Krishna that He continue to inspire you within to climb higher in the path of practical bhakti yoga.

Hope someday in the near future by His desire we shall meet.

All glories to Sri guru and Sri Gauranga!

Hare Krishna!

Your servant

Jaganmohini devi dasi (Disciple of H.H. Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami Srila Sripada)

Book distribution to Ijtema teacher

By Harikatha Das

It was a Sunday evening and I alongwith another devotee Smita Krishna Das decided to distribute Sri Prabhupada’s books in the new bus stand of Dharwad, Karnataka. So, we packed ourselves with Big as well as small books of Srila Prabhupada. We had apprehensions and shyness as we have not much experience in it. In fact, for Smita Krishna prabhu, it was the first day he went out for book distribution by getting motivated by the daily thoughts from the www.ultimateselfrealization.com website broadcasted by H.G. Sriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari. So, we kept our heavy bags full of books on a cemented bench in a dark corner of the bus stand and looked at the crowd eagerly waiting for their buses. Smita Krishna prabhu asked me, Prabhuji, how to start, whom should we approach first? The same question was looming around in my mind. Then I pointed towards a man and he reluctantly saw towards me as he had no prior experience. He forced me to approach him first so that he can learn from me. But deep inside, I knew I too have no confidence but I did not want to express it as he would get discouraged. So, we together moved towards that man. But, before I start the story, I would like to present the linguistic demography of Karnataka. Here, the majority of the population speak Kannada and then Marathi and Tulu. The muslim population speak hindi mix Urdu among themselves. So, anyone speaking Urdu/Hindi is considered to be a muslim first (Pattegars/Kshatriyas also speak a similar language) as the north Indian population is too low in North Karnataka. As I am from North India and still not learnt Kannada properly so I approached that man and started in my manageable Kannada and then shifted to Hindi. To my delight, that man also spoke in Hindi and I explained him about Bhagavad Geeta and requested him to purchase one copy of it. But He blatantly refused. I wanted to request him again but wait, I got a doubt in my mind, “How does he speak nice Hindi”? I did not want to force that reluctant person so, to create a friendly atmosphere I asked his name to know whether he is Marathi, Pattegar or luckily some North Indian? He replied in Hindi, “Mera naam Farooq Hai (My name is Farooq)”. So, I changed my way of preaching by citing similar verses present in Koran and Vedic scriptures. Resultantly, he showed interest and started turning the pages of Srimad Bhagavad Geeta and asking few spiritual questions.

Suddenly, a loud strong feminine voice screeched our conversation, “Who is Muslim among you”? All three of us (including Smita Krishna Prabhu) turned towards that voice and found a fat middle aged lady, veiled from head to toe by burqa with only eyes uncovered sitting little far on a bench with a big purse on her shoulder.

I tried to ignore her question and started preaching that man again but the lady did not stop and shouted again boldly, “I am asking who is muslim among you?” The man turned towards her and said,”I am”. The lady immediately asked me, “Then, what is your business with him, what are you talking to him?”

I asked her politely, “Mohtarama (Madam), why do you want to know this?”

The woman replied,” Since you people are talking in Hindi, so at least one amongst you must be a Muslim” and gazed towards our dhoti Kurta and made us understand her dissatisfaction.

Without going for any argument, I turned towards that man and requested him to take BG but by this time, his facial expressions were changed and he started slipping from us, intermittently looking towards that unknown woman fearfully.

The woman again shouted from that far attracting the attention of others standing nearby, “Why are you forcing him to take all those things?” “Who is Muslim here?”

Seeing the situation already gone worst and that man slipped from us, I turned towards her, went near her and replied very politely, “I am a Muslim or better say Musalman or better say Musallam iman”. She shocked and looked towards my Vaishnava attire again and asked my name. I replied , “ Is the name enough to make someone Muslim or Hindu.”

I continued politely saying, “What does Musalman means actually? It is actually Musallam iman. So, anyone who is walking on the path of goodness and piety, cent percent, is a Musallam iman, Musalman, So, I am a Musalman.”

The woman interrupted, “Oh,that is the definition you are talking about.”

I interrupted, “Is the definition only for the books or we have to practice it, follow it in our day to day life?”

She shook her head indicating positive response. It was becoming difficult for me to talk to her concentrating on her two eyes as this was the first time since my birth I was talking to any burqa clad woman.

I asked her, “How can you say someone Muslim or Hindu, just upon birth? Or just upon their family background? Many people are orphans. Many leave religion and convert afterwards. So, what is your parameter, madam. Our Guru in ISKCON teaches us that one have to practice the principles, then he can claim to be of that religion otherwise we all become Dharmadhvajis (Flag-holders), And then I explain the meaning of dharmadhvajis and the damage meted by such people to humanity and the religion itself.

The woman got pacified and spoke in a mild voice, “Actually I also organize classes for people and speak about Koran and other religions.” After hearing this, I understood she loves reading books so I put the SSR book on her hand and I exclaimed, “Wonderful. Do you conduct ijtema classes on Fridays for women.”

She looked surprisingly at me and continued, “Do you know about our classes? “I know all these things present in your books. I have read everything. I speak about all religion.”

The conversation continued and I requested her to take Science of Self-realization but she refused saying that she can not accept our books since it is of different religion. I replied with a concern, “I know, you can not take hindu books to your house. Even though we have Bhagavad Geeta, we are not requesting you to take that book because you can not read that book freely anywhere so please accept SSR.

She repeated, “I know everything, I have read all these things. That’s why I am able to conduct classes.”

I enquired, “Have you read Bhagavad Geeta or any book from ISKCON?”

She answered, “Although I have never read Bhagavad Geeta or whatever books of hindus, but I know everything. And overall, I do not know Kannada and English so I can not take your books.

I continued,” Its always better to read Bhagavad Geeta or koran ourselves rather than listening from here and there. Generally, people are biased and forgetful so you might have missed many points. If you pay us advance and provide your address and contact no, then we can arrange the Urdu version of SSR within one week. If you don’t know Kannada then you can request some kannada knowing person to read for you because after all its not Bhagavad Geeta which you would hesitate to take out in front of others. And moreover, after reading this book, you can preach your ladies with this extra knowledge and you would certainly become a better preacher than now.

She enquired, “What is the cost of this kannada version(of SSR)?”

We told her the rate and handed her the book and happily she take out money from her purse and paid the amount to us. She immediately kept the book inside her purse. We proceeded towards a next soul waiting for Srila Prabhupada’s books.

This was the first ever book distribution experience for Smita Krishna prabhu and after that he, with his continuously evolving skills, has been distributing books more efficiently and enthusiastically than me.

Your humble servant,

Harikatha Das.

Dharwad,Karnataka.

By Bhakti devi dasi, Iskcon Communications Officer, Melbourne, Australia.

As part of our ongoing efforts to establish good relations with the wider Hindu Community,
ISKCON’s Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir Temple was honoured to welcome Swami Baba
Ramdev, the famous yoga teacher from India, on Friday 10th April. It was just a short visit
(part of an official welcome to Melbourne) as Swami Ramdev gave his yoga programs
elsewhere.

Swami took darshan of the Melbourne deities Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Ballabha and
Sri Jagannatha Baladeva Subhadra, and very much enjoyed his tour of the temple, especially
Srila Prabhupada’s rooms

ISKCON Communications director for Australia, Bhakta dasa, comments: “My impression of
Swami Ramdev is that he is a very humble and sincere personality. During the time of his
visit with us we developed a respectful friendship. I discussed some of our Melbourne
development projects with him including the new kitchen and our interests to establish a
Vedic School in the Western Suburbs in the near future. Swami Ramdev showed interest in
supporting such a school that teaches the various aspects of yoga to its students.”

ISKCON Studies Institute Conference 2015

ISKCON Studies Institute Conference 2015 – Registration Information

By ISKCON Studies Institute

The ISKCON Studies Institute cordially invites you to attend its upcoming conference to be held at Radhadesh (Belgium) from May 22-24, 2015. This year’s conference theme is Devotional Ethics, Community, and Practice in Caitanya Vaisnavism.

The ISKCON Studies Institute Conference 2015 features an outstanding array of academic scholars from around the world. The conference schedule is now finalized and a list of speakers and presentation topics is included below. Presentation abstracts are also available at the following link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3eq_hjmlPuLRUlMbjhYWU1IeU0/view?usp=sharing

For conference e-registration, please fill in and submit the following online form:

http://goo.gl/forms/UvztGWZW6E

The deadline for registration is April 30, 2015. Because space is limited, kindly register as soon as possible. Please note that a 40€ registration fee will be collected from all participants at the beginning of the conference.

The ISKCON Studies Institute is committed to cultivating scholarly discussions in conference forums that cherish a devotionally respectful and academically rigorous ethos meant to foster critical thinking in relation to concerns of ISKCON and its broader cultural, religious, and intellectual environments.

We look forward to seeing you at the conference. For further questions and inquiries, please write to: iskconstudiesconference@gmail.com.

ISI Conference 2015 Speakers & Presentation Topics

Dr. Kiyokazu Okita (Kyoto University, Japan)

When a Royal Pandit is Refuted: Court, Conflict, and Controversy in Eighteenth Century Bengal

Lucian Wong (University of Oxford, UK)

Bhadraloka and Brahmanical Polemics Against Vaisnava Deviance

Dr. Ricardo Sousa Silvestre (Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Brazil)

Some Philosophical Reflections on the Ethical Aspects of the Theory of Karma in the Teachings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Dr. Kenneth Valpey (Oxford Center for Hindu Studies, UK) /

Javier Pera López (University of Wales, UK)

Ethical Reflections in ISKCON Autobiographical Writing: The cases of Tamal Krishna Goswami and Satsvarupa Das Goswami

Claire Robison (UC Santa Barbara, USA)

The Negotiation of Caste Identities in Pursuing Caitanya Vaisnava Ethics of Service

John Fahy (University of Cambridge, UK)

An Ideal Vedic City of Ideal Vaisnava Selves

Dr. S. Kreitzer (University of Florida, USA)

ISKCON’s Views on Science and Vaisnavism: Comparing the 1979 Life Comes from Life project with the archival transcripts of the recorded conversations

Cyril Wohrer (University of California Riverside, USA)

Demons in Dhotis, Vaisnavas in Pants: The issue of dress-code in ISKCON

Dr. Rembert Lutjeharms (University of Oxford, UK)

How Worms Become Wasps: An exploration of hatred for the divine

Dr. Ravi Gupta (Utah State University, USA)

Dialogue or Debate? Lessons from Sri Caitanya’s Encounter with the Qazi of Navadvipa

Huber Robinson (Ricardo Palma University, Peru)

Bridging West and East: Carl Jung and the Bhagavata

Dragana Jagusic (University of Leuven, Belgium)

The Ethics of Desire, Unity of Love: Transplanting the seeds of bhakti into the Greek-Roman soil

Christopher Fici (Union Theological Seminary, USA)

Caitanya Vaisnavism as Liberation Theology: The Matrix of Material and Spiritual Liberation

Benjamin McClintic (University of Virginia, USA)

Visions of the Eternal by Way of Temporal Motifs

Dr. Sthita Dhi Muni (University of Florida, USA)

The Richard L. Thompson Archives: A memorial archival-library project dedicated to a pioneering ISKCON scholar

Bhaktivedanta Academy Hiring Pre-Kindergarten Teacher’s Assistant

Bhaktivedanta Academy Hiring Middle School Subject Area Teacher

The Bhaktivedanta Academy, a spiritually-centered pre-k thru 10th grade school, located in Alachua, Florida, is seeking applicants for the position of Middle School Subject Area Teacher for our International Baccalaureate 7th through 10th grade Middle Years Programme*.

We are seeking qualified candidates who possess an enthusiasm for working with teens in a highly collaborative teaching environment. If you are a self-starter who wants to be part of a mission-driven school that provides an opportunity to grow personally and professionally, we encourage you to apply.

Bhaktivedanta Academy follows a 175 day school year with time off during summer and holidays. This is a salaried full-time position that will begin in August 2015.

Click to download the full job description and employment application.

Interested applicants should download the employment application and may either scan and email the completed application along with current resume to office@bhaktischool.org, fax to 866-944-8834, or mail to 17414 NW 112th Blvd, Alachua, FL 32615. Send all correspondence to the attention of Visvambhara Das, Head of School.

Applications will be accepted through April 20th, 2015.

*Bhaktivedanta Academy is a candidate school for the Middle Years Programme. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. IB World Schools share a common philosophy — a commitment to high-quality, challenging, international education — that we believe is important for our students. *Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its three academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP) or the Diploma Programme (and in addition the IB Career-related Certificate). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted.

———————————————————————

Bhaktivedanta Academy Hiring Pre-Kindergarten Teacher’s Assistant

The Bhaktivedanta Academy, a spiritually-centered pre-k thru 10th grade school, located in Alachua, Florida, is seeking applicants for the position of Teacher’s Assistant for our pre-kindergarten/kindergarten Montessori class.

We are seeking qualified candidates who possess an enthusiasm for working with young children in a highly collaborative teaching environment. If you are a self-starter who wants to be part of a mission-driven school that provides an opportunity to grow personally and professionally, we encourage you to apply.

Bhaktivedanta Academy follows a 175 day school year with time off during summer and holidays. This is a part-time position that will begin in August 2015.

Click to download the full job description and employment application.

Interested applicants should download the employment application and may either scan and email the completed application along with current resume to office@bhaktischool.org, fax to 866-944-8834, or mail to 17414 NW 112th Blvd, Alachua, FL 32615. Send all correspondence to the attention of Visvambhara Das, Head of School.

Applications will be accepted through April 20th, 2015.

Srila Prabhupada’s Jaladuta Diary entries – APRIL 1965

261626493-Prabhupada-Jaladuta-Diary.pdf

Japa: An Outline

By Ravindra Svarupa dasa

1. We all have a relationship with Krishna.

A. We are fully and eternally related with Krishna on the spiritual platform.
B. The relationship is there whether we are theists or atheists, practitioners or non-practitioners.
C. We may be conscious of the relationship or not, and our consciousness may also be in various manners strong, weak or distorted.

2. If we are not pure devotees, that relationship is to some degree or another broken.

A. The full relationship is prema.
B. Brokenness in various ways characterizes all else.

3. Maha-mantra japa is, in the beginning, a preliminary demonstration of interest in restoring the relationship.

A. The use of the vocative case in three names Hare, Krishna, and Rama voices our request for a relationship, for a re-union.
B. We call to Krishna, and he responds.
C. The next question to confront us is: “Are we interested in pursuing this relationship-building further—and how far?”

4. At each step we must decide to go forward, to hesitate, to back out somewhat or altogether.

5. Since there is a broken relationship, it must be concluded that we have reasons for having broken it.

A. As we come closer to Krishna through chanting, his utter perfection and kindness become revealed to us.
B. We then must acknowledge the fact that we alone are wholly responsible for the breach, and the standard finding of “fault on both sides” by counselors and mediators does not apply in this case.
C. Another name for a broken relationship with Krishna is “sin.”

6. The reasons will become revealed to each of us, so that we can confront them.

A. We are not fully aware of them.
B. It will become clear that we harbor deep feelings of animosity, resentment, anger, and so on toward Krishna.
C. We become repentent and humble.

7. We become grateful to Krishna because we realize that although we turned away from him he did not turn away from us.

A. In spite of everything, we are able to chant the holy names.
B. Krishna has sent his agents to bring us back, and they have labored tirelessly.

8. Frankness and humility are foundations of progress.

A. Concealment, or being in a state of self-concealment (“in denial”) must be vanquished.
B. Pride is the symptom of a broken relationship and of concealment also.

9. Signs of advancement are increasing honesty or frankness and humility.

A. The false ego is being dissolved.
B. We experience its dissolution as self-destruction and hence as painful to the degree that we still identify with the body and mind.
C. Gradually what is painful becomes delightful.

10. To the degree that we become frank and humble to that same extent our appreciation and love for Krishna increases.

11. In this way we become fixed in our practice and attain a natural, ever-increasing appetite for devotional activities.

By Sunanda das

On the morning of Saturday, April 4th after a short stop to the home of Devakinandana prabhu and his family for breakfast prasadam, we made our way to attend a celebration of Jayapataka Maharaja’s Vyas Puja at the home of Sukhada das and his family in Feastieville, Pennsylvania.

Many devotees came including Sikhi Mahiti and Visnu Gada prabhus from the Philadelphia temple. Srila Prabhupada’s disciples spoke in glorification of Maharaja and his achievements in Srila Prabhupada’s service, and Maharaja also personally spoke to the devotees via a live phone call. Kirtan and guru puja took place and finally a wonderful feast was served.

In the evening we returned to Plainfield, New Jersey for our main TOVP presentation at the temple, a recently acquired large church complex. After kirtan and abhisheka of the Padukas, a few local leaders, including Madhupati prabhu, Temple President of both New Jersey temples, and Devakinandana prabhu, spoke and began the program. Radha Jivan then introduced Ambarisa prabhu who had come for both the New Jersey programs, and together with Jananivas prabhu they urged the 150+ devotees to make a sacrifice for the TOVP despite the large financial burden of the new facilities. Devotees responded enthusiastically and the pledges amounted to over $325,000 by the end of the program. Prasadam was served to all the Vaishnavas.

Click below to see the complete gallery

Was Alexander the Great a

Contempory of Canakya Pandit? – the Puranic Version

This was originally a public email exchange between myself and His Grace Ganesha Prabhu on Jan 16, 2008, while I was in Delhi recoperating from the injuries sustained in acar accident. I have edited and enlarged on it for the sake of completion.

Canakya Pandit

Dear Maharajas, Prabhus and Matajis,

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Bhakti-vighna-vinasa Narasimhadeva Bhagavan ki jaya!

I wrote:

However the depiction of Canakya as a contemporary of Alexander the Great is a common misconception first propagated by the British but not supported by Sastra. Canakya was from 16th century BC not 4th century BC.

Ganesha Prabhu responded:

This statement is not according to Srila Prabhupada's words.

Srila Prabhupada:
"That is a fact-the brahmanas were accepted. They formed the advisory committee of the king. For example, Candragupta, the Hindu king, was in the age of Alexander the Great. Just before Candragupta, Alexander the Great went from Greece into India and conquered a portion. When Candragupta became emperor, he had Canakya as his prime minister. Perhaps you have heard this name Canakya?" Science of Self Realization

ys ganesadasa

Alexander versus Maharaja Paurava (King Porus)

Click to see larger version.

My response:

"James Ussher, the Anglican Archbishop of Armagh deduced that the first day of Creation began at nightfall preceding Sunday October 23, 4004 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar, near the autumnal equinox." wikipedia

This was widely believed to be true by most Christians in pre-Darwinian Europe including Sir William Jones. Jones who was a member of the Supreme Court of Calcutta, and founder of the Asiatic Society lived in India from 1783 till his death in 1794. He was studying various sastras and Sanskrit literature with Bengali Pandits in Kolkata. It was Jones who famously noticed the similarity between Sanskrit, Latin, Greek and Persian; and you may say that he was the father of both Indology and linguistics.

In any case Mr. Jones while studying puranas found it difficult to fit the puranic timeline which spanned over 311 trillion years with that of the Bible, which stated that the world had been created about 5,794 years before. He wanted to make Indian history fit in with Noah and Moses. To do so he had to find the “linch pin” of ancient Indian history, that point in time where ancient European history intersected with India's. That point could only be 326 BC when Alexander the Great invaded India. Ancient Latin and Greek authors -- Diodorus of Sicily, Curtius Rufus, Arrian of Nicomedia and Plutarchof Chaeronea wrote on the life of Alexander and mentioned the names of various Indian kings who were contemporary of Alexander. These were not in Sanskrit but in Greek forms, names such as Xandrames, Sandracottus, and Taxiles, etc.

Jones tried to find names of Indian kings similar to the Greek versions and deduced that it was Candragupta. The only problem was that there were two Candraguptas who founded dynasties -- "Candragupta Maurya" and "Candragupta" of the Imperial Gupta dynasty who were 1200 years apart. In order to fit Indian history into his procrustean bed and make it agree with the Biblical version Jones purposely chose Candragupta Maurya as the contemporary of Alexander and thus neatly cut off 1200 years of Indian history. However, it was Candragupta and Samudragupta of the Imperial Guptas not Candragupta Maurya who were contemporaries of Alexander.

Puranic Version

Kaliyuga began in 3101 BC, after 36 years of rule by Maharaja Yudhisthira. According to the regnal dynsties recorded in the Vayu, Visnu, Matsya and Srimad Bhagavat Puranas it states that the Brhadratha Dynasty lasted for 1000 years, see Srimad Bhagavatam (SB)9.22.46-48 and 9.22.49. (The count started at 3137 BC during Battle of Kurukshetra with the death of Sahadeva son of Jarasandha - not the Pandava.)

Then came Pradyota Dynasty which lasted for 138 years, see SB 12.1.3. ¹ Then Sishunaga Dynasty for 362 years (Bhagavatam says 360), see SB 12.1.6-8. Then Nanda Dynasty which lasts for 100 years, SB 12.1.10.

1000+138+362+100=1600 therefore the Nanadas lasted till 1537 BC (3137 - 1600 = 1537).

The Nandas were destroyed by Canakya Pandita who then enthroned Candragupta Maurya (SB 12.1.11). Hence, Candragupta Maurya flourished circa 1537 BC, not 326 BC as Sir William Jones wanted to believe.

However, it was the British who were in control of the educational system, and especially with Macaulay they sought to destroy traditional Sanskrit education in India. Thus, the British enshrined their distorted history of India in all of the world's history books and schools. And, in the 225 years since Jones a lot of “scholarship” has added many thick encrusted layers to support this mistake. And, this is what we were all taught. However, since the independence of India there has been some effort to undo the damage done by the British, but a lot more is needed.

The mischief of the British was not only in relation to Candragupta Maurya, so much of Indian history was distorted it is hard to imagine the extent of the damage. For exampleLord Buddha is not from the 6th BC but from 18th BC. Why? Ashokavardhana the grandson of Candragupta Maurya became a Buddhist and converted India to Buddhism. Buddha lived about 3 centuries before him. Hence 18th century BC.

This of course flies in the face of current  academic historical dates for everything in early Indian history and mainstream scholars think it is madness and cries of “radical saffron revisionism” are heard.

However, there is one thing that you have to remember and that is when an artifact is found it doesn’t say on the back “made in 215 BC” or something similar. Dates if mentioned at all will be in regard to various epochs most often in the form of “year X in the reign of king Y” and all these pieces of the puzzle have to be sorted out and aligned with a known date. That is why who was contemporary to Alexander is so important and the "linch pin" because once that is known then you count backwards and forwards from that time. But since Jones purposely chose one that fit in with the Biblical timeline then all dating by scholars for last the 200 years has been in relation to the wrong date and the error magnified a million times over. And, considering that a lot of political pressure, academic prestige and reputations have been invested into this mistake it will take a lot of effort from courageous scholars to reverse it.

Cross cultural similarities

Other civilizations also had long histories. Berossus (fl. 280 BC), in his Bablyoniaca ² , recounts the vast ages that preceded the Babylonian civilization and especially uses the number 432,000 years as a significant one in their history (the exact same length as Kali-yuga). He claimed that civilization was not the product of human action over time, contrary to the conventional Greek view of the early Hellenistic period, but was given intact by the gods to men at that early date. In the recorded fragments of his writings he tells how men had no civilization and behaved liked animals. Until a god, whose name he translates into Greek as Oannes, who had a body like a fish but with human appendages, came on the land and revealed all types of useful knowledge, both mundane and spiritual, to King Alorus and the people. This knowledge became the basis for human civilization. This occurred 432,000 years before the flood. According to various fragments of Berossus, the flood took place from 33,000 - 36,000 years before Alexander the Great. This incident with Oannes is remarkably similar to that of Matsya-avatara recounted in the Srimad Bhagavatam (SB 8.24), in which the fish incarnation of the Lord saves the Vedic knowledge and then redispenses it.

A Babylonian bas-relief of Oannes

Click to see larger version.

According to Porphyry (c. 300 AD), Callisthenes, the companion of Alexander the Great in the Persian wars, dispatched to his uncle, Aristotle, Babylonian records of eclipses that spanned 31,000 years. Iamblichus (4th century AD) claimed on the authority of the ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus that the Assyrians had made observations for 270,000 years and had kept records for the return of all seven planets to the same position. ³ “Epigenes of Byzantium insisted that the Babylonians had tablets for 730,000 years of observation. . . Simplicius . . . . stated that Chaldean observations had extended over more than 1,440,000 years.” ⁴

The Egyptians, as recorded by Manetho (fl 300 BC), also had very vast histories dating back tens of thousands of years before the Hellenistic period in which he wrote. According to Eusebius ⁵ (fl 300 AD) , Manetho gives six dynasties of Kings that lasted for 24,925 years before the flood. And the Roman, Simplicius, stated that the Egyptians had records stretching back 630,000 years.⁶

Destruction of Ancient Historical Traditions
by Early Christians

Clearly the peoples of classical antiquity didn't flinch when it came to long spans of time except for the Jews and especially the Christians. These vast time cycles all became mythologized, ridiculed and finally cut down by them to fit the Biblical timeline. We see from the Manetho fragments that the first known Christian scholar to alter beyond recognition the Egyptian historical time-line was Eusebius. This Christian scholar, historian, and friend of Emperor Constantine, in an attempt to align the history of Egypt with that of the Bible, felt no compunction in changing everything to suit himself. "In the introduction [of his Chronicles], Eusebius gives as one of his aims to ‘reprove the boasting of vainglorious chronographers.’"⁷ His problem was that the Bible contained very little history prior to about 1,500 BC. Everything was very murky and then there was the creation by Jehovah in seven days. Thus it was thought that the world was just newly created and hardly more than 4,000 years old. According to the Jewish calendar the date of creation was 3761 BC ⁸ This hardly allowed for Egyptian dynasties of 24,925 years. As a solution Eusebius changed all the years to months and thus was able to neatly compress the untidy sum of 24,925 years by a factor of twelve to 2206 [sic] solar years so that they fit into his Biblical notion of history. ⁹ However recent research by Egyptologist, John Anthony West, (and geologist Dr. Robert M. Schoch) strongly suggests that Manetho was correct and Eusebius wrong. West's many investigations point to an Egyptian civilization very much older than anyone previously thought possible. He along with Dr Schoch have redated the Sphinx to 10,000-5000 BC. Their work was presented in an award winning documentary.¹⁰

Egyptian Deities: Hathor on far left, and Horus 2nd from right with attendants ; both are holding ankhs the symbol of eternal life.

Click to see larger version.

Berossus suffered a similar fate:

"This synchronism, however, was purely the product of Panodoros’ creative calculations. In order to bring the Babylonian and Egyptian antediluvian chronologies within the bounds of Biblical time, he adopted the principle that units of time had once been confused. In those primordial days before the flood, a year could mean a day, or a month, or a season. … In the case of Berossos, this was fairly straightforward. The massive Babylonian time period of the sar was, according to Panodoros, not 3,600 years but only 3,600 days, so the 120 sars of the 10 antediluvian kings in Berossos equaled 432,000 days not years. In other words (dividing those days into ‘real’ years): 1,183 years and 6 5/ 6 months. The Babylonian record of history, therefore, began in Anno Mundi 1059, a date that fits nicely within the antediluvian chronology of the Bible - and, moreover, allows Babylonian chronology to be subordinated to Biblical."¹¹

Thus, the ancient history of several world civilizations have been put on the Christian chopping block and made to fit their procrustean bed. None have suffered worse than the Vedic culture. It is not that we automatically believe everything that an ancient culture may say about itself but we don’t disbelieve it either. The whole endeavor of modern secular historians, in continuation of their Christian inheritance, has been to cast out, as mythology and wild imagination, anything that doesn’t fit within their worldview of linear history.

We have hardly done justice to the subject but have at least adumbrated the types of arguments than can be made. The evidence strongly suggests that the British conquerors of India, all avowed Christians, starting with Sir William Jones et al., have totally distorted Indian history so that it practically has no resemblance with reality. Yet it is still taught in all schools in India and abroad.

Regarding the following quote by Srila Prabhupada:

"That is a fact-the brahmanas were accepted. They formed the advisory committee of the king. For example, Candragupta, the Hindu king, was in the age of Alexander the Great. Just before Candragupta, Alexander the Great went from Greece into India and conquered a portion. When Candragupta became emperor, he had Canakya as his prime minister. Perhaps you have heard this name Canakya?" Science of Self Realization

Srila Prabhupada was just repeating what is found in every textbook on ancient Indian history in the world, texts that were authored by the British and other Europeans or Indian collaborators.

I asked Hari Sauri Prabhu a similar question regarding a discussion about Ceylon versus Sri Lanka here was the critical part:

"So on some mundane topics, geography, historical claims, Srila Prabhupada was not necessarily fixed. I think the key thing though is that in the SB 4.22.36 purport mentioned above, he says " from historical references in the Puranas". Whenever there was some controversy or question of authenticity, Srila Prabhupada would always refer to sastra. He would often ask, "Is it in sastra. What do the Purana's say?"" 

So I have shown what the puranas say on the topic.

dasa dasa anu dasa
Shyamasundara Dasa
krsne matirastu
www.ShyamasundaraDasa.com

Footnotes

1 "Ripuñjaya" named in Srimad Bhagavatam 9.22.49 is the "Purañjaya" in Srimad Bhagavatam 12.1.1-2, the first two syllables in the names have been transposed.
2 Berossus, pp. 7, 13–24.
3 Cramer, p. 18.
4 Ibid.
5 Manetho, pp. 3–7.
6 Cramer, p. 10.
7 The World of Berossus, pp. 259, 267
8 AHD, p. 189. 
9 Manetho, pp. 3–7. Footnotes in the book deserve special attention.
10 Mystery of the Sphinx and Magical Egypt
11 The World of Berossus, p. 220

References

AHD - American Heritage Dictionary Of The English Language, The, 1969, New York: American Heritage Publishing House.

Berossus, 1980, translated from the Greek by Stanley Mayer Burstein with introduction,The Babyloniaca of Berossus, Malibu, CA: Undena Publications.

Cramer, Frederick, 1954, Astrology in Roman Law and Politics, Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society Volume 37, Philadelphia: The American Philosophical Society.

Manetho, 1964, translated from the Greek, Latin and Armenian, by W.G. Waddell,Manetho, History of Egypt and Other Works, The Loeb Classical Library Series, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

World of Berossos,The; Proceedings of the 4th International Colloquium on --The Ancient Near East between Classical and Ancient Oriental Traditions--, Hatfield College, Durham 7th-9th July 2010, 2013, edited by Haubold, Lanfanchi, Rollinger and Steele; Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag

Further reading

Bishop Ussher

Did William Jones have ulterior political motivations?

Organized efforts of the British to destroy Indian culture 

First effort of Jones (1784) and the secret planning 

Two more attempts of Jones to mutilate Indian history

Double voice amplification kirtans and the missing silence

By Chandrashekhara acharya dasa (Cyril Wohrer)

This paper is about what I call “double voice amplification kirtans.” These are
kirtans in which the lead-singer sings into the microphone, after which, on the
response, another devotee also sings into a microphone. The result is an
uninterrupted amplification of two lead-voices throughout the entire kirtan. I think
this type of kirtan is problematic for several reasons, which I explain as follows.
No evidence of such kirtans in Srila Prabhupada’s own teachings nor in his
personal example:

All evidence seems to show that Srila Prabhupada did not approve of double voice
amplification kirtans, and that he himself never performed them. The
Bhaktivedanta Archives reveal only audio recordings of Srila Prabhupada leading
kirtans in which he is singing exclusively alone into the microphone, with no one
singing after him into any microphone on the response. To my knowledge, there is
not a single audio recording (nor video footage) of Srila Prabhupada leading a
kirtan followed by someone else responding in the microphone on the response.
This is significant because the (Founder) acharya teaches by example.
We also have the incident described in Hari Sauri prabhu’s Transcendental Diary.
According to Hari Sauri prabhu, one day in Iskcon Vrindavan during the noon
aroti, there was nobody in the temple except one devotee. This devotee sang into
the microphone on the lead, and then he - again - sang into the microphone on the
response. He was in effect doing a double voice amplification kirtan, by himself.
According to the account, when Srila Prabhupada - who was staying nearby in his
house - heard this devotee singing like this, he told Hari Sauri prabhu to go to the
temple and tell him to stop singing into the microphone during the response. We
thus have evidence that not only did Srila Prabhupada never perform double voice
amplification kirtans, but he did not approve of such kirtans. They never happened
during his time. And when they did - as the example above shows - Srila
Prabhupada disapproved of them.

Double voice amplification kirtans destroy the delicate harmony of proper
śravanam kirtanam.

My understanding of the proper dynamic of kirtan is this: it is responsive kirtan.
When the lead-singer sings during the lead, everyone else present in the kirtan is
supposed to listen carefully to his (or her) voice. At that point in time, the leadsinger is performing attentive kirtanam, and everyone else is performing attentive śravanam. Then, after the lead-singer finishes singing the mantra, there is supposed to be a respite in which everyone is supposed, in turn, to carefully chant and listen to their own voice (as well as to the combined voices of all the other devotees present - I’ll speak about this later). At that point in time, the lead-singer is performing attentive śravanam (by listening to the combined voices of all the
devotees) and everyone else is performing attentive kirtanam by listening to their
own voices and the combined voices of everyone. However, in order for this to
happen - in order for everyone to listen to their own voices and the voices of others
during the response, there cannot be a second amplified voice overpowering their
voices. Indeed, it is very difficult (read impossible) to do attentive kirtanam if
someone else is singing into the microphone at the same time. We end up being
forced to listen to that amplified voice instead of ours. We are thus forced to hear
the lead-singer on the call (that is okay), and then forced, again, to listen to
someone else on the response (that is not okay). What ends up happening, in such
cases, is that instead of performing śravanam/kirtanam, we end up performing
śravanam/śravanam. Two devotees sing alternatively into the microphone, and
everyone else passively hears both of them only, as a concert audience passively
listens to a duo concert of two professional singers doing a performance. There is
no respite, no non-amplified “silence” which enables us to hear our own voices and
the collective voice of the entire group.

Hearing our own voice attentively on the response solidifies the mahamantra which
we just heard from the voice of the lead-singer. Aside from this act of hearing our
own individual voice, there is also something very powerful about hearing the
collective voices of many devotees together. This makes for a very moving,
transcendental experience. In a kirtan where there are several hundreds or
thousands of devotees present, one feels spiritual peace, confidence and enthusiasm when hearing all their voices harmoniously responding to the lead-singer.

However, such an experience is impossible when there is one amplified voice
prevailing over our own voice and the voices of everyone else. In such a situation,
one cannot help but listen to that one amplified voice that is imposing itself on
everyone. In short: śravanam/śravanam is simply not the proper way to perform
kirtan.

As I mentioned in a similar article several years ago, these double voice
amplification kirtans have spread throughout the world of ISKCON. One may add
that this is especially the trend in India (this tendency may have been imported
from various Gaudiya Vaishnava mathas and from the general practice of public
amplified performance of religious functions in that country). However, it has now
spread globally. Very often, at different 6, 12, or 24-hour kirtan festivals around the world, I witness two or more microphones as part of the set-up, amplifying the
lead-singer and - to a lesser or most often equal degree - one or more responders,
in effect creating a non-stop amplification of at least two voices that constantly
drown out all other voices on the response, without respite. Nobody in the kirtan is
able to attentively listen to their own voice on the response. The simple point is
that should be zero amplification on the response. Two devotees can take turns on
the lead. Two or more devotees can even sing together simultaneously in harmony
on the lead. In all cases, however, the lead singer/singers must be fully aware to
always leave room - un-amplified, silent room - for the rest of the devotees to
clearly hear themselves singing on the response, without any amplification over
their head and ears.

In many ISKCON temples in India and in some temples in the West, during the
various arotis of the day, it has become a custom to have two separate microphones
stands, next to each other. Two devotees, standing side by side, take turns singing
into their own microphone. We cannot even ascertain who is leading the kirtan. In
ISKCON Mayapur, devotees have begun performing double voice amplification
kirtans as early as the end-part of the morning Tulasi aroti, not to speak of all
throughout the day, including the evening Gaura aroti. I wonder if they will start
performing double voice amplification kirtans during mangala aroti. At this rate, it
is probable. Indeed, if it is okay to perform such kirtans during the evening aroti,
why, theoretically, is it be wrong to perform them during mangala aroti? Why not
set up two microphone stands, with two microphones, in every ISKCON temple, as
early as 4:30am, and perform only double-voice amplification kirtans throughout
the day, every day? At least we would be consistent.
For as long as I can remember (at least a decade or a decade and a half), during
what one could say is the most important kirtan of the year in ISKCON Mayapur
namely the kirtan during the Abhisekha at sunset on the lawn of the lotus building
on Gaura Purnima day, there are always two devotees singing, one after another,
non-stop, into two (blaring) microphones, throughout the entire kirtan.
Incidentally, these two kirtaniyas alternate every year. Yet they invariably are
always Bengalis. This racial favoritism, however, is another issue for perhaps
another article. Thus, the most significant kirtan of the year literally becomes a
concert of two amplified voices, while all the thousands of devotees present are
forced to submit to a constant amplification of two voices, leaving them incapable
to hear their own voices - nor the collective voices of everyone - on the response.
Again: there should be zero amplification on the response.
One may argue that Lord Chaitanya said that there are “no hard and fast rules.”
Granted. However, we cannot ignore the over-arching theological framework of
kirtan. Proper śravanam/kirtanam is a foundational, sacred, and non-negotiable
principle of kirtan. Moreover, we are duty-bound to abide by Srila Prabhupada’s
specific directives on kirtan. For example, Srila Prabhupada placed maximum
emphasis on the mahamantra over all other names of Krishna. He also stressed the
chanting of sixteen rounds per day for initiated devotees. We cannot ignore his
example nor his commands.

Bhakti Bhringa Govinda Swami, one of my favorite kirtan leaders in ISKCON,
rightly says that when he is leading a kirtan, he puts all efforts into carefully
hearing the mahamantra coming from his own voice. He adds that when the other
devotees are singing on the response, he puts all efforts into carefully hearing the
mahamantra coming out of their mouths. This, I think, is the ideal meditation that
illustrates the proper mood of proper śravanam/kirtanam. All devotees have the
right to hear the lead singer with attention and devotion. Of equal importance, all
devotees also have the right to hear their own voice on the response, free from the
competition of one devotee’s overbearing amplified voice over theirs.
I humbly appeal to devotees world-wide to make sure that kirtans in their areas do
not become double voice amplification kirtans but, rather, that they continue to be
the responsive, graceful, balanced conduits of proper śravanam/kirtanam, so that
everyone in the kirtan - not only the “fortunate” devotees behind the microphones can dive deep into the nectar of the Holy Name.

Celebrating the Glories of Our Mothers

By Devaki Devi Dasi

On Sunday, 22 February 2015 the Institute for Spiritual Culture in Mayapur conducted a unique symposium entitled ‘Celebrating the Glories of Our Mothers’.
For the event we had arranged a large pandal in the open area of the Mayapur Goshala. The warmth of the pandal colours and the beautiful flower decorations created a welcoming and festive atmosphere. Guests were received with flower garlands while devotees were chanting in kirtana.

HH Candramauli Swami had introduced the theme already with his Srimad Bhagavatam class that morning, connecting it to the importance of giving the highest respect to our mothers. Several times in the class he referred to the afternoon symposium to be held at the Goshala, which encouraged many in the audience to attend.

Although it was the first day of the Navadvip Mandala Parikrama, nevertheless around 300 devotees eagerly participated. HH Candramauli Maharaja, HH Bhakti Purusottama Maharaja, HH Smita Krsna Maharaja, and HH Sivarama Maharaja were enlightening us by giving deep insights into the important role mothers are playing.
We were focusing on the five human mothers, leaving mother earth and mother cow aside for the time being. This was because unless we learn to cultivate respect towards our human mothers, it will remain difficult for us to more deeply respect mother cow and mother earth.

In material life and its culture, where sense gratification is the goal of life, mothers don’t have a very respected and valued position at all. Indeed, it is a down-trodden and pitiful one – the mother is the slave at home! She can’t go out and enjoy life by having a career, developing her talents, and earning money. To be ‘just a mother and housewife’ is not given any importance and value as a rule.

However, in spiritual life and its culture where self-realization is the goal of life, it is understood that mothers are the most important, most valued and honored members of human society. In fact, Krsna even gives us five human mothers – one is not enough! These are:

– The physical mother, who is the very first guru for the living entity
– The wife of a brahmana
– The wife of the guru, which also includes our siksa gurus
– The wife of a king, and we could broaden this to managerial leaders
– The nurse, meaning a physical care giver

All these five mothers play a critical role – they are the balancing force within human society, and the selfless care givers on all levels. Unfortunately, in modernity this knowledge of their important role is almost lost and forgotten.

HH Candramauli Maharaja reminded us of Prabhupada’s instruction, that our children are not ordinary children, but ‘Vaikuntha children’. And in a letter to Arundhati Mataji, Prabhupada clarified the priorities of service: “For you child worship is more important than Deity worship.” Mothers are serving as the backbone to society, giving emotional and spiritual strength, nourishment and care to everyone.

HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami highlighted the special and unique position of mothers, who serve in such selfless mood and thus control all family members with their affection. The young daughter is considered the jewel of the family, and once she grows up and is married she becomes the Laxmidevi of the house. The mood and flavor of father’s love and mother’s love a very different: the father represents the aspect of awe and reverence, but the mother’s energy is surcharged with care, warmth, emotional security and intimacy. Obviously both moods have to be there, but according to Manu Samhita mothers do occupy a superior position, being a thousand times more important than fathers.

HH Smita Krsna Maharaja gave insights into the interdependence of father and mother, and HH Sivarama Maharaja gave the final words of wisdom, elaborating on Krsna’s perfect social structure: the varnashrama system, which gives certain obligations and rights to all sections of society, including our mothers.

We also invited three senior ladies from the Mayapur Community to share personal realizations on the merits of being a (physical) mother and serving in the mood of a mother: Karuna Mataji, Rasesvari Mataji, and Krsnalaulyam Mataji.
We heard a heart-moving story which took place in Prabhupada’s days: One young boy one day exclaimed: “I hate Krsna!” When questioned about the reason, he gave a striking answer: “Because Krsna is taking my mother away from me!” When Prabhupada heard about this incident he was very upset, and for several mornings he spoke on the important role of mothers, and on raising children within Krsna consciousness.

Finally several ladies who had taken the January course ‘Exploring the Roots of Spiritual Culture’ performed a little skit illustrating in a humorous way the different world views and attitudes of two young mothers influenced by the two opposing cultures.
A group of male students who had taken the course ‘Men in Spiritual Culture’ had also prepared a role play, showing the importance of the spiritual mother in devotees’ lives. It ended on a powerful note: “Mother means ‘the harmonizing and balancing force’! Mother means ‘the selfless care giver’! Mother means ‘no showing off, no sexual vibes’! Mother means ‘I am last – everybody else comes first!’ When, oh when will the day come, when ISKCON will have thousands of caring mothers?”

Krsnarupa Mataji (ACBSP) from Australia shared with me how she had never heard any sannyasis in all her 43 years of devotional life speak so respectfully and appreciatively about the role of women and mothers. She said this day was truly “revolutionary” for her. She humbly requested that wherever the Maharajas would travel to, to please give such classes! Then there could be some chance for ISKCON to gradually transform – until we will have thousands of caring mothers and their place in the society universally understood. The successful event concluded with kirtana and prasadam.

To view the entire program and announcements on upcoming courses, please visit: www.therootsofspiritualculture.net

Lecture on Don't just see the Provision see the Provider by HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu

(HG Chaitanya Charan Prabhu is a celibate spiritual teacher (brahmachari) at ISKCON, Pune. He has done his Electronics & Telecommunications Engineering from the Govt College of Engg, Pune. He is a member of ISKCON's topmost intellectual body)

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Lecture on Spiritual Perfection in Household Life Session by Sankarsana Das Adhikari Prabhu on 20 Dec 2014 at Australia

(Since that time he has been regularly traveling and lecturing extensively all over the world for reviving the dormant Krishna consciousness in the hearts of all living beings.)

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