By Padmapani das
Chrissie Hynde, lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist of the legendary rock group The Pretenders, has just published her memoir entitled “Reckless: My Life as a Pretender.” In her book, Ms. Hynde writes candidly about her “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll” lifestyle. Despite so much excess in her youth, Chrissie Hynde has gone from reckless to Krishna conscious. While describing her rebellious teenage years growing up in suburban Akron, Ohio, she states the following:
“Even
This essay was originally an answer of Suhotra Prabhu to a question about the “fairness” of our falldown to the material world.
========= First of all we strongly suggest those who have a specific interest in the falldown of the spirit soul from the spiritual world to acquire the book entitled Our Original Position, which is available from the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. It is a very elaborate treatment with much quotations from sastra.
I find a refrain in the “condemned,” “pretty unfair,” “felix
Both of these statements are from Hridayananda Goswami: “It’s like a rite of passage, a test of your faith and love, that you don’t care what the public thinks,” Resnick said. “If we go out in the street, it’s like Vedic Cirque du Soleil. People love it. They take pictures. But how many Americans want to join the circus?”[1]
“Then of course there's the argument about uniforms. And what I say is the general advantage of a uniform does not necessarily justify a specific uniform. It's like what
Chanting spread around the world. If the name of Hari will repeat the materialist, the Lord gives him the sense gratification. Repeated with faith, however, refuses to every kind of sensual pleasure and submit to the Lord his pure love. In Kali-yuga, chanting the names and qualities of the Lord - the highest religion.
Harinama-sankirtana is like a big ax that can cut the strong knot sinful activities. Age of Kali is so unusual that people of other South wish to be born in this age. Why is that?
Srila Prabhupada on benefits of Cow Protection
There are so many facilities afforded by cow protection, but people have forgotten these arts. The importance of protecting cows is therefore stressed by Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhavajam [Bg. 18.44]). Even now in the Indian villages surrounding Vrndavana, the villagers live happily simply by giving protection to the cow. They keep cow dung very carefully and dry it to use as fuel. They keep a sufficient sto
(this blog is recorded on the full blog page: quick time player is needed; works best with Firefox or Explorer; if you are using Google Chrome it will automatically play, so if you don't want to listen, mute your speakers.)
(picture from http://lotuseyesphotography.com/)
As an introduction to the Seven Marital tips, I would like to suggest the essential concept of the “trinad api marriage” (which my wife and I are teaching in the 3rd Annual Couple’s Retreat in Octob
Submitted by Karnamrita.das on Fri, 2015-08-28 04:51
(this blog is recorded on the full blog page: quick time player is needed; works best with Firefox or Explorer; if you are using Google Chrome it will automatically play, so if you don't want to listen, mute your speakers.)
Part I
Many devotees struggle with chanting on their beads (japa). Some devotees make a big endeavor to come to the standard of chanting 16 rounds with the goal of initiation
Submitted by Karnamrita.das on Sun, 2015-09-06 07:02
[republished from 08-15-2009]
When the student is ready
the guru is sent to help--
by the grace of Shri Krishna
our spiritual life revived.
Wandering by karma
throughout the vast Universe
sometimes as a great demigod
down to a lowly bug.
Out of thousands and millions
of lost souls transversing bodies
one is especially blessed
to receive the seed of Bhakti.
Then life after life
spiritual progress is made
until one loves Krishna comple
Submitted by Karnamrita.das on Fri, 2015-09-11 18:16
Amidst serene and scenic beauty
an island house getaway
observing vistas three stories high
visible water on two sides
crashing waves and calm waters
salt scented wind forever blows
the all-powerful sun runs the show
floating unimaginable tons of water
as easily as we breathe and sigh
artistically decorating the vast sky
by billowy, multi-colored, cotton balls
shapeshifting by the mind's desires
tha
Submitted by Karnamrita.das on Mon, 2015-09-14 07:52
For spiritual practice, the early morning
quietness, calm, lack of fruitive action
more than quantity, time’s has a quality
like fragrant gold and pure magic
morning facilitates hearing, contemplation.
Like a blanket, darkness accentuates sound
we better hear the holy name, Hare Krishna
mind is less active, the newness of the day
at any age the morning is our excited youth
full of potential, promise,
I believe Srila Prabhupada really knew what he was talking about and had a close personal relationship with Krishna. I choose the bliss he has offered to anyone willing to serve and worship Lord Krishna and His devotees’ lotus feet.
I feel very low and unfit to approach Krishna on my own strength so I will make the attempt through service to His devotees. “The servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord.”
My faith in Prabhupada and Krishna is set in stone and all the devotees I have had th
Submitted by Karnamrita.das on Fri, 2015-10-09 21:16
[Reposted and revised from March 3rd 2009]
What can I contribute to the family of the Earth, divided by gender, mentality, nationality, religion, or ethnic tradition?
By spiritual constitution we are all one--individuals of the same nature and family of God. By living in the material world we accept a false ego that tells us we are the material body, mind, intelligence and emotions, and that we shoul
Submitted by NityānandaChandra on Sun, 2015-10-11 15:47
Dallas Morning News,Each two weeks we will post a question to a panel of about two dozen clergy, laity and theologians, all of whom are based in Texas or are from Texas. They will chime in with their responses to the question of the week. And you, readers, will be able to respond to their answers through the comment box.
So many people are running for president this year that it’s hard to get your voice heard unless you do
[Republished from 09-09-09]
I thought of this blog while offering mangal arotik (early morning public worship ceremony) at the Temple this morning which I do twice a week. During the years I lived in Temples I was mainly a pujari (priest who looks after the Temple Deities or forms of God) and cook. After so many years, I am quite comfortable in this arena and love the beauty of the altar, the Deities and their opulent paraphernalia, and of course the many services like bathing and dressing the
October 20. ISKCON 50 – Srila Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Robert Nelson (one of Prabhupada’s first young sympathizers in New York): I went to one of Dr. Mishra’s services and Dr. Mishra talked. Swamiji was sitting on a bench and then all of a sudden Dr. Mishra stopped the service and he gets a big smile and says, ‘Swamiji will sing us a song.’ I think Dr. Mishra wouldn’t let him speak. Somebody told me Dr. Mishra didn’t want him to preach. Years later Srila Prabhupada remembered the situati
By Padmapani das
Chrissie Hynde, lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist of the legendary rock group The Pretenders, has just published her memoir entitled “Reckless: My Life as a Pretender.” In her book, Ms. Hynde writes candidly about her “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll” lifestyle. Despite so much excess in her youth, Chrissie Hynde has gone from reckless to Krishna conscious. While describing her rebellious teenage years growing up in suburban Akron, Ohio, she states the following:
“Even
On the 26th of July we welcomed 40 ladies in Kharkov/Ukraine, who had traveled all the way from Moscow, Minsk, Moldova, Crimea and various corners of Ukraine to participate in the two-week course for ladies entitled “Exploring the Roots of Spiritual Culture”. As every year we had arranged for their accomodation in a nearby hostel of a ladies’ college. Our youngest participant was ten years of age and the oldest mid fifty, and everyone was excited to embark on this transformational journey. Eac
There are three basic views of the world we live in. One is the very materialistic view wherein people see this world as the only real reality. Another is that world is an entirely an illusion, and the third is the best of view, that the world is the scared property of God. It is real but it is temporary in its manifestations.
Now the conception that the world is the only true reality leaves one with the consciousness that it really doesn’t matter what we do as long as we get
One of the qualities of a devotee is kṣamā which means forgiveness. In this world, every relationship must begin with that because, after all, nobody is pure. If we were all perfectly pure then we would have no faults but because we do, there must be a spirit of forgiveness in relationships.
So we say, “Okay, you have to some faults and I will simply accept it. We should simply try to work them out together a
