Archive for September, 2008

“He was previously Vaisnava…”
30 September 2008

September 30 2008

Narayan and Madhusudan

These two bright young men are Narayan and his brother Madhusudan. They are two of the 500+ students who attend our Bhaktivedanta National School (BNS) here in Mayapur.

Their father Advaita prabhu came to see me early this year asking if I could find someone to help sponsor them to attend the school. He was struggling to find the necessary fees for them. Life for a lot of our local devotees is not easy and even a few rupees a month can make a huge difference.

Their combined schools fees are only Rs. 500 a month so I decided to sponsor them myself. Its a very satisfying feeling to be able to help these young devotees get a good education while growing up in the holy dhama. The school has a regular curriculum but is run by our ISKCON devotees and they have a  solid spiritual component. Whenever we have festivals the kids from the BNS put on devotional dramas and music.

In France in 1976 Srila Prabhupada took special delight in seeing the gurukula children. Each morning they would eagerly line up to see him and on one occasion they had a special darsana in his rooms. He told us how easy it is to make advancement in Krsna consciousness:

[TD3] August 2, 1976 – New Mayapur [room conversation]

Lamenting the horrible condition of modern society, Prabhupada said, “This meat-eating, chicken juice, tea — these things are unknown to India. No, why India? By nature, you say that you refused meat, although you were born of a father and mother meat-eaters, still. What a horrible civilization they have made. He’s human being born, making him animal by culture. Instead of making him more cultured toward the spiritual life, making him redirected again to animal life. This is the Western civilization.”

He told us how fortunate our children are, and in doing so revealed his own innocent nature. “Yesterday I was astonished how these children were receiving just like friend, laughing and something saying. You have seen it? As an old friend. Their mother pushes, they would not come. But they were very glad to see me.”

My remark that everyone was glad to see him did not infringe on Prabhupada’s humble mood. “I was astonished, that how these children take me as friend.”

“I don’t think that’s too difficult. You’re the best friend for everyone,” I said.
blessings for the kids 

 “No, but after all, they are children. How they can take it as it is? So they are fortunate children, and their parents and everyone should take care of them. A very difficult age [Kali].”

I said, “You always said they’re our asset for the future.”

* * * 

 About twenty-five or thirty gurukula children and some of their parents had a special half hour darsana with Prabhupada in his room this afternoon. One by one the children filed in to offer their dandavats in front of his desk. They then settled in a semicircle, facing him, on the opposite side of the room.

  New Mayapur gurukula darshan

   He had them chant the maha-mantra loudly for about fifteen minutes. It wasn’t singing and it wasn’t japa, but a rythmic chant in unison that grew in pace and volume. They began to clap in time, getting caught up in a swell of enthusiasm for Krsna’s holy name and His pure devotee. The bright faced children were eager to reciprocate Prabhupada’s smiles of encouragement, and Prabhupada’s pleasure at seeing their innocence and purity being nurtured by the lifestyle he has given them was clear to all.
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Sweet success and the sadhu and the tiger
29 September 2008

September 29 2008

tiger

Here’s a bit of nectar from the forthcoming Volume 6 of Transcendental Diary:

January 7, 1977 – Bombay

 As Prabhupada took his massage, Kuladri prabhu, the president of the Buffalo temple, arrived. He is on a shopping and business trip for New Vrindaban. Prabhupada was very happy to see him and when Kuladri gave him a large batch of milk sweets from the New Vrindaban kitchens, he was delighted. “These sweets mean that our mission is successful,” he declared with alacrity.

 sweet success 
He immediately began to glorify the pleasantries of farm life and as Kuladri sat down to relish the opportunity to be once more in his spiritual master’s presence, Srila Prabhupada spoke for some time how even all the animals become happy and peaceful if treated well.

He told us that even tigers and lions in the jungle become the pets of great saintly persons. He said he personally knew a sadhu who was living in the jungle. Everyday the saint would put some milk at a distance and call a she-tiger to come and eat. He would ask her, “Please take this milk and kindly do not eat any men.” The tigress would sometimes come and leave her cubs with him while she went off hunting into the jungle for the day.
tiger-and-cub1.jpg

On her return in the evening she would bring some fruit, deposit it there and take her cubs back again. To our smiles of amazement Prabhupada said the farms are our future hope for living. [end quote]

It reminded me of the story in the Caitanya Caritamrta describing the great devotee Murari Caitanya:

CC Adi 11.20

“There were many extraordinary activities performed by Murari, a great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sometimes in his ecstasy he would slap the cheek of a tiger, and sometimes he would play with a venomous snake.”

PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, “Murari Caitanya dasa was born in the village of Sar-vrndavana-pura, which is situated about two miles from the Galasi station on the Burdwan line. When Murari Caitanya dasa came to Navadvipa, he settled in the village of Modadruma, or Mamagachi-grama. At that time he became known as Sarnga or Saranga Murari Caitanya dasa. The descendants of his family still reside in Sarer Pada. In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-khanda, Chapter Five, there is the following statement: ‘Murari Caitanya dasa had no material bodily features, for he was completely spiritual. Thus he would sometimes chase after tigers in the jungle and treat them just like cats and dogs. He would slap the cheek of a tiger and take a venomous snake on his lap. He had no fear for his external body, of which he was completely forgetful. He could spend all twenty-four hours of the day chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra or speaking about Lord Caitanya and Nityananda. Sometimes he would remain submerged in water for two or three days, but he would feel no bodily inconvenience. Thus he behaved almost like stone or wood, but he always used his energy in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. No one can describe his specific characteristics, but it is understood that wherever Murari Caitanya dasa passed, whoever was present would be enlightened in Krsna consciousness simply by the atmosphere he created.'”
 
Such is the power of a spiritually advanced person.  Of course we see animals in zoos that become domesticated due to their complete reliance on their human wardens

tiger woods with mate and cub

whoops! Sorry, wrong tiger… 

but to hear about wild tigers behaving in such a way was quite surprising. 

If you are interested to see a modern example of a lion that was brought up as a pet and later released into the wild but remained friendly to its human mentors go to this link:

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=btuxO-C2IzE&feature=related



Q&A – wars of this world
28 September 2008

September 28 2008

war

This history of this world, and especially in Kali-yuga is war. There is always some war going on somewhere. If we are fortunate we may escape its withering shadow–or not. Even if we do, are we any better off?

How do devotees view war and how do they deal with it?

 Here’s a fairly frequently asked question from Samatma Gour das in the CIS:

“Did Shrila Prabhupada ever speak of possible global military conflicts and cataclysms etc. What were his recommendations to the devotees, if any, in relation to this? Thank you in advance and special thanks for your Transcendental Diary!”

Answer:

Among the many smaller wars-civil wars, cold wars, hot wars, holy wars-that are always going on, the last century saw two ‘world wars’.

ww1      ww2

With the development of atomic and nuclear capabilites, its easy to think in apocalyptic terms

 atom omb    end of the world

With the A-bomb it seemed that for the first time in history man had the capability of destroying the whole planet.

Srila Prabhupada did speak about a possible third world war and there are several conversations from 1974 on this, as well as some letters. You can read the conversation from May 27, 1974 in Rome.

The talk of a possible war sparked some speculation among the devotees and some wrote to Srila Prabhupada because they were concerned about the future. Here are some replies Srila Prabhupada made:

Letter to: Makhanlal — 22 June, 1973

“You have asked about whether nuclear devastation on this planet would effect the Sankirtana Movement. No, there is nothing that can stop the Sankirtana Movement because it is the will of God Himself, Lord Caitanya, that His Holy Name be heard in every town and village. Neither can the demons devastate this planet independent of the will of Krsna. Nothing happens without His sanction. If Krsna wants to kill someone no one can save Him, and if Krsna wants to save someone no one can kill him. For our parts we should just be determined to carry out our mission against all opposition, demons, nuclear war, whatever. The whole universe is finally subject to certain annihilation by the will of Krsna, but devotional service is eternal and is the only certain way one can save himself from devastation. We can preach all over the world that the only way to be saved from collective and individual devastation is to take to the chanting of Hare Krsna. In short, this material world is a very precarious place therefore we should always chant Hare Krsna and seek Krsna’s protection.”

Letter to Sukadeva das 24 November 1974:

“I am glad to learn that you are having nice college programs. Regarding there going to be depression and atomic war, who said that? This is all false propaganda. I never said this.

Letter to: Radhavallabha: — 21 August, 1975

“Do not worry, in spite of war, Srimad-Bhagavatam will be distributed. We don’t care for war. Our preaching business will go on.”

In one conversation a devotee asked Srila Prabhupada “If there is war, will devotees also die?” Srila Prabhupada replied that of course they will. And someone also asked what should the devotees do if there is a war. Srila Prabhupada said he should look up at the bomb coming down and say

 bomb drop

 “This is Krsna!”

On another occasion Srila Prabhupada reminded us that Krsna is always favorably disposed to His devotees: MW conversation, June 16, 1975 Hawaii:

Prabhupada: That will take place. Otherwise, how they will be killed?
Ambarisa: They’re calling it a limited nuclear war.
Prabhupada: They are accumulated so much sinful load that must be killed. That is sure. [break] …the massacre. That will take place.
Harikesa: The sinless people will survive?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Devotee (3): Who is that?
Prabhupada: We. [break] There was an artificial famine in India and I particularly inquired from all devotees whether they have got any problem in this famine. They said, “No, we haven’t got.” I have taken the statistics. In 1942 the artificial famine created by government… So there were big earthquake in Bihar. At that time one of my godbrother, he was government auditor. So I inquired. In that earthquake only his house was saved. I have seen it many times. Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati [Bg. 9.31]. That is the only….
samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam
mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh
bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam
padam padam yad vipadam na tesam
 [SB 10.14.58]
Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam. It is not meant for them, all these dangerous condition.”
 

Whatever happens, Krsna is behind it. Sometimes it seems that some powerful man or men are in control and with their inventions they may kill us all. But this is not the case. I remember an amusing but striking story Srila Prabhupada told us about Churchill, Hitler and World War 2: 

Churchill giving the V sign to Hitler    Hitler

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Visnupriya, Mayapur’s 2nd new elephant
25 September 2008

September 25 2008

I just got a call from Hrmati dasi. She’s a German disciple of Srila Prabhupada who has lived in Mayapur now for the last decade or so. She’s quite a character. Apart from raising a multitude of kids by herself, living in a grass hut with her own bullocks and cows, she is also the person who was responsible for bringing our new elephant, Laxmipriya from Assam in March.

Laxmipriya in Mayapur

Laxmipriya is doing well. She’s growing nicely and is being trained for her future service of carrying the Deities of Chota Radha Madhava on Their Saturday night processions during the winter months.

Laxmipriya with the devotees

[see article:

  http://news.iskcon.com/node/1060/2008-06 14/new_elephant_packs_her_trunk_iskcon_mayapur ]

Now Hrmati is back up in Assam arranging to give a home here in Mayapur to another one. Why two? Because nowadays Indian laws are quite strict about elephant ownership. One of the rules is that you cannot have just one elephant, you have to have at least two. Otherwise they get very lonely and it reduces their life span considerably.

Every elephant in India is also supposed to be implanted with a microchip so that proper records can be kept. Failure to comply is supposed to result in confiscation.

In practice there are many elephants in the jungles of Assam that have not been implanted and due to various factors remain with their owners. According to the local officials its almost impossible to enforce this law.

The elephants are not wild, they are either forcibly retired animals thrown into inactivity due to the forcible shut down of the logging industry, or decendents thereof.

According to a report in 2006 by the Wildlife Health Unit (WHU) EcoSystems India:

The states of Northeast India, especially Assam, have a long history and tradition of domesticating elephants for timber logging operations. Of the total captive elephants (about 3,500) in the country, the Northeast accounts for over half the population (about 55%). Following a central government ban on uncontrolled tree-felling activities in the region in 1996, about 1,800 working elephants became burden upon their owners, as there were no alternative means of using the animals. Since then the condition of many of these creatures has deteriorated. Apart from the medical attention given to the animals by the owners in emergency situations, no attempt has been made by either government or non-government agencies to provide services for the elephant healthcare in Assam.

Their owners, poor tribals for the most part, are having a tough time. Whereas a working animal would earn them around Rs. 50,000 per month, an unemployed one is a Rs. 10,000 per month liability. Many owners allow the mahouts to take their charges out on the streets and its a common sight in Assam to see them blocking the traffic in order to solicit donations. These magnificent beasts have now been reduced to begging.

Its also not possible to sell them to new owners because elephants are a schedule 1 protected species. They cannot be bought, sold or even given away. On top of this well-meaning but misguided NGOs sometimes object to their being taken to homes outside the state even if the conditions are better. Thus the laws that stopped the logging in order to protect the forests have created a situation of gross neglect for the inhabitants, and the once proud pachyderms have become skinny, runted beasts that noone has any use for.

By good fortune our intended calf Visnupriya, who is about 3 years old, may well end up spending her days happily here in Mayapur. The process of transferring her to Mayapur to serve the Deities is going on and Hrmati had to go up there this week to make sure she is properly microchipped and the papers submitted.

Good job she did. The owner died since the last time she was there and his brother was attempting to file the papers under his own name. A friendly officer who has been assisting Hrmati to get through all the redtape realized the irregularity and they were able to catch it in time. Had they not, it would have caused big complications later on and lengthy delays. They sent for the deceased man’s son, the true owner, and the papers are now being correctly drawn up.

Another delay came when everyone started running for cover. Not due to a mad elephant but due to a report that some operatives of the notorious United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) terrorist group were in the near vicinity. Hrmati had to jump in a car and be taken out of the area for a couple of hours until things settled down again. Nothing is straight forward in India.

The microchip is implanted in the ear through a syringe. Its about the size of a grain of rice.

 elephant-microchip.jpg     syringe

That was done this afternoon and now the rest of the procedure can go ahead. Hrmati says Visnupriya is quite friendly. The officers remarked that out of all the elephants in the vicinity (there’s a batch headed out to Bihar soon) Visnupriya is notably calm and even tempered. At her age they can be a bit boisterous and difficult to handle. Even though she has grown up in the jungle Hrmati was able to approach her and feed her a few biscuits.

It will take some weeks to settle all the paperwork and Hrmati is hoping that by mid-December we should be able to bring Visnupriya to Mayapur for her new life in service to Sri Sri Radha Madhava.



Another transit – Bhaktirasa prabhu claims his inheritance
24 September 2008

September 24 2008

08:25 AM

I was just informed by my wife Sitala that Sriman Bhaktirasa prabhu from Christchurch New Zealand, left his body a short while ago. He was diagnosed with cancer of the kidney about two years ago. Bhaktirasa was a well liked devotee who joined (I think) in the late 1970s or early 80s. He was a disciple of HH Tamal Krishna Goswami.

Tamal Krishna Goswami with Srila Prabhupada 

He was being cared for by Srikari dasi, his first wife. She said that for the last couple of months he was in a good deal of pain and was having a difficult time. However, just shortly before he left, his countenance changed and his face became clear and bright. He looked just like a small innocent child. His eyes opened and he was looking at something others could not see. He was smiling beautifully. He said, “Krsna. Krsna. Krsna!” and then he left.

I had heard yesterday he was about to leave and I sent him the following letter. I don’t think that he will have received this in time, so I want to post it here as a short tribute.

September 23, 2008 – 23.37 Dear Bhaktirasa prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Last year I wrote to you because I heard you were coming to the end of your earthly stay and you were about to move on. Somehow that was not the time and you have remained for more than a year and half.

Now today I have learnt that you are on the verge of leaving us. I am sorry I have not written earlier to keep up with your condition. I am sorry I cannot be there to wish you well and assist you in your journey.

There is nothing much to be said. I am sure you have heard it all before over the last couple of years. I am sure you have prepared for this moment and that therefore you will have fixed your mind at the lotus feet of our transcendent Lord. Still I want to offer you my heartfelt best wishes one final time. Just this week we have heard about the departure of Sriman Sadaputa prabhu and Sriman Sundararupa prabhu. Now your time has also come. One day it will be my turn. All of us have made this transition many times before. This time, by the grace of Srila Prabhupada we have a chance to make this one the last. By chanting and hearing about the glories of Lord Krsna He tells us that we no longer have to take birth again in this material world.I sincerely pray to Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri Gaura Nitai that you will meet with no impediment on your journey home back to Godhead. I am sure you have detached yourself from all material identifications and as such you have qualified yourself to become an eternal associate of the Lord.Chant Hare Krsna, glorify Krsna, serve Him with your heart and soul. He is waiting to welcome you into his eternal pastimes. Please accept his invitation and go to Him.

Please accept my humble well wishes and be successful in all respects. And please, when you meet the Lord, request Him to not forget this lowly soul but to bring me back also to his Holy dhama.

All glories to your lotus feet, all glories to your glorious departure, all glories, all glories, all glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga!

I remain your humble servant, Hari-sauri dasa

So today, September 24 2008, Bhaktirasa prabhu has reached his denouement. A very successful one, and one that Srila Prabhupada often told us is our rightful inheritance if we remain faithfully serving:

 [TD 3] Bury Place London, July 25 1976: 

 “Describing the material world as a very dangerous place, he advised the devotees to remain sober. They should stick to the spiritual principles, read his books and avoid being discouraged. If the karmis were successful in having them evicted, he said that Lord Krsna would certainly provide another suitable place.


“But go on executing your routine work,” he said. “I am very glad to see that you are taking care of the Deities very nicely. Whenever I come I see. This is very encouraging…. So God consciousness means you have to face difficulty, but you should not be discouraged. You must go on with your business, then success is sure. When there is difficulty, a devotee thinks, ‘It is my good fortune that Krsna has given some difficulty to counteract my previous bad action.’ So in this way, if we live, then
mukti-pade sa daya-bhak. If one is not opposed by all these difficulties and with determination he goes forward, then for him going back to home, back to Godhead is guaranteed. Daya-bhak means it is inherited. Just like the son gets the father’s property, there is no law to check it. Similarly, those who are humbly, tolerantly, going on with Krsna consciousness with full determination, for them going back to home, back to Godhead, is fully guaranteed.”

Early last year when I first learned of Bhaktirasa’s condition, I had a very affectionate exchange with him. Its a little long but I think it is worth the read because it shows how devotees prepare for death.

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audio link for glorification of Sadaputa prabhu
22 September 2008

September 22 2008

I gave a class here in Mayapur on Saturday September 20 in praise of Sadaputa prabhu. This has now been placed on the Mayapur website. If anyone would like to hear it please click on the following link:



Sriman Sundararupa prabhu
22 September 2008

September 22 2008

Sundaraupa prabhu with godbrothers

Keshava Bharati Goswami, Sundararupa Prabhu, Tamal Krishna Goswami

It is with great regret that we have to acknowledge the passing of another senior member of ISKCON, Sriman Sundararupa prabhu. Husband of Sudharma dasi he had lived in Alachua FL for many years. He had a history of heart problems and about ten years ago had a heart valve replacement. Then again this year he had to undergo a repeat of the same operation. Unfortunately his health problems continued and he was hospitalized a few days ago and put on life support. At around 8.00 PM on Saturday September 20 he departed.

I am glad I had one last opportunity to see him. On June 7 2008 I was visiting Alachua and I sent the following email to my wife Sitala:

 “Yaduabara and I drove up from Alachua yesterday to Atlanta. It was pretty smooth going and took five hours. Before we left we went to see Sundararupa, who had just gotten out of hospital after an open-heart surgery to replace a major heart valve. He was happy to see us even though we couldn’t spend more than 15 mins. because we were running late. He showed us his scar which ran from his throat down to his gut. The doctors literally take a power saw and cut right through the rib cage, pull it apart and pin it back and then do the replacement. Its pretty traumatic for the body but as Sundararupa told us, its like going to sleep and waking up with a new body. You go in with intense chest pains, breathlessness and thinking you could die at any moment, and you wake up with normal functions, albeit with some operational trauma to get over, but the heart works normally and you feel like you have been given a new body. ”

Sundararupa told us at that meeting that his previous heart valve was artificial and only had a limited life span. This new one was real and would “last the rest of this life.” An ironic observation to say the least.

Sitala had replied my email:

“Glad to hear you took the time to visit Sundararupa. What a heavy operation to go through. I  remember years ago, he was told by an astrologer that he would die fairly young (can’t remember the
prediction) due to heart failure. Maybe his karma was minimized by Krsna.”

Through a competent astrologer it is possible to know how long we can expect our lifespan will be, but our actual life span is in the hands of Krsna:

Bg 18.61

 “The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.”

In the general scheme of things according to the Lord’s sweet will and in response to our own desires and activities, we move from one situation to the next. But for a devotee, there is nothing inauspicious nor is the movement of a devotee dictated by karma. It is directly arranged by Krsna Himself.

There is no doubt therefore that Sundararupa prabhu has moved to a most auspicious destination. When he left his body he was surrounded by devotees chanting the holy names. Krsna was therefore personally present and there is no doubt that He has rewarded his servant for his many years of dedicated service. 

As proof that devotees are always in the direct care of the Lord, I recall an interesting story Sundararupa told me many years ago. In the early 80s, Sundararupa was in charge of our operations in Italy. He would also go to Israel to preach. On December 27 1985 he and several other devotees (maybe as many as seven) were standing in line at the Israeli airline EL AL ticket counter at Rome airport waiting to check in. The line was moving slowly and somehow or other, for different reasons, every single one of the devotees wandered off, leaving their luggage in the line. While they were away, disaster struck:

(from BBC ‘On this day’ news service) 

December 27 1985: Gunmen kill 16 at two European airports

At least 16 people have been killed and more than 100 injured during simultaneous twin terrorist attacks at Rome and Vienna airports. Gunmen opened fire on passengers queuing to check-in luggage at departure desks for Israel’s national airline, El Al. The attacks were indiscriminate and started within minutes of each other at about 0815 GMT today. No group has yet admitted carrying out the attacks.At least 13 people were killed, three of them gunmen, after six men, described by witnesses as being of Arab origin, fired bullets at travellers waiting in the main departure hall at Rome’s international airport.Chaos broke out during what is reported to have been a five minute attack as passengers fell to the floor for cover.Italian police returned fire as bullets rang out across the concourse leaving a trail of blood and broken glass.

Some unconfirmed witness reports describe having heard two “bombs” explode before the gun fire.

Warnings

Two gunmen, in their twenties and of Arab origin, were captured alive.One of them was taken to a military hospital for surgery and a third attacker is said to have escaped.

In similar scenes in neighbouring Austria, three gun men threw four hand grenades into crowds of passengers queuing to check-in for a flight to Tel Aviv.

It is understood they then pulled out Kalashnikov submachine guns as Austrian police returned fire.

They escaped by car but were pursued by police who opened fire.

One of the men is reported dead, the other two were severely wounded and eventually surrendered to police.

It comes amid reports airport authorities received warnings Arab militant groups were planning a pre-Christmas terrorist campaign at terminals across the world.

El Al counter after the attack

El Al counter after the attack

 In all, the attacks, which were carried out by notorious terrorist group Abu Nidal, killed 18, including a child, and wounded around 140. Yet none of our devotees were harmed. I remember Sundararupa telling me that he had to dive for cover as bullets flew around and explosions rocked the air.

The moral: Rakhe krsna mare ke mare krsna rakhe ke. If Krsna desires to kill somebody, nobody can save him. If Krsna wants to save somebody, nobody can kill him.

Sundararupa prabhu has now been taken by Krsna to a new destination. We sincerly wish this dedicated servant of Srila Prabhupada an all-auspicious life in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord and His pure devotees and offer our heartfelt condolences to his wife and children.

A recent photo:

(lft. to rt.) Matsya Avatara prabhu, Narada Muni prabhu and Sundararupa prabhu

Sundararupa prabhu with Matsya Avatar and Narada Muni prabhus



In memoriam: Sriman Sadaputa prabhu
21 September 2008

September 20 2008

                           Sriman Sadaputa prabhu – A Personal Tribute

                    BI with Srila Prabhupada

July 9 1976 : members of the Bhaktivedanta Institute seated with Srila Prabhupada in Washington DC (lt. to rt): Svarupa Damodar das, Sadaputa das, Rupanuga das, Madhava das

Vedic culture dictates from the very beginning of our lives that we understand one central point: that life in this material world is temporary and precarious and our real business lies elsewhere. We should understand from the moment we can walk and talk that our tenure in these bodies is like ‘a drop of water on a shaking lotus leaf’ that there is ‘danger at every step’ and that as soon as we are born we are already ‘one day towards death’.

drops on a lotus leaf

It should come then as neither surprise nor shock when we hear of the departure of yet another soul from one body to the next. It is expected and can come during any movement of time.

Yet despite this knowledge we do expect that all of us average human beings will live the normal course–a full life of ‘three score and ten’. And beyond that there are some whom, because of their personal qualification and abilities, because of their contribution to our own lives and because of their importance to human society at large, we earnestly hope and pray will live to a ripe old age. Sadaputa prabhu falls very squarely into this latter category.

It is with great dismay, shock and lamentation then that we have face the loss of his association at the relatively young age of 61.

The work of a great man will touch the life of more people than he himself can know. It will edify, uplift and improve; it will set a foundation on which future generations can live a better quality of life; it will provide sustenance and positive direction to a multitude of souls. In Sanskrit such a person is called ‘mahatma’.

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His Grace Sadaputa prabhu
19 September 2008

September 18 2008

HG Sadaputa prabhu

I just heard the terrible news that Sriman Sadaputa prabhu, one of the foremost thinkers in our society, has just departed this world. I have no detailed information at this moment other than that his body was found in the bottom of his swimming pool at his home in Alachua FL, USA. He was a personal friend and like many other devotees around the world who knew him, this news has come as body blow.

I am including here a brief biography from the Bhaktivedanta Institute website:

Sadaputa Dasa (Richard L. Thompson) was born in Binghamton, New York, in 1947. In 1974, he received his Ph.D. in mathematics from Cornell University, where he specialized in probability theory and statistical mechanics. He went on to do research in quantum physics and mathematical biology at the State University of New York at Binghamton, Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, and the La Jolla Institute in San Diego. He is the author of seven books and the producer of six videos on science and philosophy, and he has written many articles for scientific journals and for Back To Godhead, the magazine of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. His most recent book, Mysteries of the Sacred Universe, discusses evidence of advanced astronomical knowledge in India’s ancient texts known as the Puranas. He has designed exhibits using computer animation and multimedia techniques to present the Vedic cosmology and the Vedic world view to the general populace, and he is presently writing a book discussing the laws of physics and the nature and origin of life.

My sincere and heartfelt condolences go out to his wife and children.

I will be writing a memoriam soon to this brilliant devotee, who Srila Prabhupada once praised as a ‘real mahatma.’



Q&A – Anger in devotional service
18 September 2008

September 18 2008

People in general often have the impression that a spiritual person should never become angry. Anger of course, is seen as a sign of contaminated consciousness

I’m an angry, angry man… 

Whoops! How did he get back in here….

When we become purified, there is no more anger. Indeed, Srila Rupa Goswami states in the opening verse of the Upadeshamrta that one of the six forces that have to be subdued in order to qualify oneself as a spiritual master is anger. Yet we see that devotees–great devotees–sometimes become angry. Is it a fault or not?

In Krsna consciousness, we see that all the emotions are employed in the Lord’s service. He is sentient, and as His eternal parts and parcels, we are also sentient. The interplay of emotion (rasa) is the highest form of spirituality and in transcendental consciousness, anger has its part to play.

Here’s a couple of examples cited in Nectar of Devotion:

“When Krsna was trying to capture the demon Sankha, Radharani began trembling out of fearfulness. Similar trembling of the body was exhibited in Sahadeva, the younger brother of Nakula. When Sisupala was vehemently blaspheming the Lord, Sahadeva began to tremble out of anger.”

Sisupala insults Krsna

“Perspiration due to anger was exhibited by Garuda, the eagle who is the carrier of Visnu. Once the heavenly king, Indra, was sending torrents of rain over Vrndavana. Garuda was observing the incident from above the clouds, and because of his anger, he began perspiring.”

balinese Garuda

“An example of shedding tears because of anger was exhibited by Bhima when he saw that Sisupala was insulting Krsna in the Rajasuya arena of sacrifice. Bhima wanted to kill Sisupala immediately, but because Krsna did not order him to do so, he became morose with anger. It is described that there were hot tears covering his eyes, as a thin cloud sometimes covers the evening moon. In the evening, when the moon is slightly covered by a thin cloud, it looks very nice, and when Bhima was shedding tears on account of his anger, he also looked very nice.”

In the Mahabharata it is described that Bhima was so angry with the Kurus at their treatment of the Pandavas that he couldn’t sleep for 12 years. Finally when the Kurushetra war was declared, Bhima exulted at the thought of finishing the Kurus. His anger culminated with his fulfilling his vows to kill Dushasana and drinking his blood.

bhima-kills-dusasana.jpg

In service to the Lord of their hearts, great devotees exhibit their attachment to Krsna whenever a protagonist appears. This intensifies their love and increases their ecstasy.

These examples are of extraordinary devotees who are eternal associates of the Lord. What about within our own Kaliyuga context, here and now on this planet? When, if at all, is it alright for a devotee to become angry. Dravida das from Russia asked this question last April:

Question:

I thank you for the interesting instructing stories from Transcendental Diary. I have another request: Can you please give examples of correct usage of anger by Shrila Prabhupada, a use of anger to defend devotees? I thank you in advance.

Answer:

There is the story about the early days in India (before I went there) when Srila Prabhupada and the devotees attended a program hosted by some mayavadis at Chowpatty, Bombay.

  Read the rest of this entry »



Who wants to be a billionaire?
16 September 2008

September 16 2008 

Every country likes to brag about their economy and how many millionaires and, nowadays, how many billionaires they have.

Well, now there’s a country where every single person is a billionaire.    

billions 

This is not a spoof. The note is real, or rather it is legal currency. If you are wondering what the three eggs are for, that’s how many you can buy with this one hundred billion dollar bill.  

Yes folks, if you want to be paper rich beyond your  dreams, just move to Zimbabwe where inflation is running at several billion percent.    

Srila Prabhupada writes about the prostitution of  gold in SB 1.17.39

Although Maharaja Pariksit gave Kali permission to live in four places, it was very difficult for him to find the places because during the reign of Maharaja Pariksit there were no such places. Therefore Kali asked the King to give him something practical which could be utilized for his nefarious purposes. Maharaja Pariksit thus gave him permission to live in a place where there is gold, because wherever there is gold there are all the above-mentioned four things, and over and above them there is enmity also. So the personality of Kali became gold-standardized. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam, gold encourages falsity, intoxication, prostitution, envy and enmity. Even a gold-standard exchange and currency is bad. Gold-standard currency is based on falsehood because the currency is not on a par with the reserved gold. The basic principle is falsity because currency notes are issued in value beyond that of the actual reserved gold. This artificial inflation of currency by the authorities encourages prostitution of the state economy. The price of commodities becomes artificially inflated because of bad money, or artificial currency notes. Bad money drives away good money. Instead of paper currency, actual gold coins should be used for exchange, and this will stop prostitution of gold. Gold ornaments for women may be allowed by control, not by quality, but by quantity. This will discourage lust, envy and enmity. When there is actual gold currency in the form of coins, the influence of gold in producing falsity, prostitution, etc., will automatically cease. There will be no need of an anticorruption ministry for another term of prostitution and falsity of purpose. 

Maybe its time to go back to the land and the real wealth of grains, milk, fruits, minerals and other natural resources.  



‘Allo Tosh, gotta Toshiba?’
14 September 2008

September 14 2008

I remember that advert from the mid-80’s in England–‘Allo Tosh, gotta Toshiba?‘–the line was repeated again and again while you were visually entertained with a technical drawing of a man showing off a flat screen TV manufactured by Toshiba. Clever, sticks in the mind. Hope I forget it before I die.

Well, yes, I gotta Toshiba. And its not working properly. The so-called HD-DVD (High Definition DVD) doesn’t work and hasn’t worked properly since I bought the computer in February. So finally I have decided to take it in while its still on warranty and get it fixed.  Fortunately they have a Toshiba repair place in Kolkata.

By rights they should give me a Blu-ray drive as a replacement because only two weeks after I bought it, Toshiba announced that they were dropping the HD-DVD standard, having been beaten out of the market by their competitor’s high definition Blu-ray DVD burner. So here I am left high and dry with a DVD drive that is not only faulty but defunct as well.

Why am I telling you this? I  might not be on-line for a few days while they (hopefully) sort out the problem. So

Watch This Space…



in-snuff-lated….
14 September 2008

September 14 2008 — On Snuffing it

I just got this question from Yadunandan prabhu of the Bhaktivedanta College in Belgium:

“While visiting some devotees in the UK, one of them asked me a question about Srila Prabhupada’s snuff box. This devotee was somewhat puzzled thinking that Srila Prabhupada’s snuff was made of tobacco. I did a little research on the folio and looked into the dictionary to answer accurately.

 “There are two options I see from my little research:

1. Srila Prabhupada was using some type of medicine as snuff.

2. Srila Prabhupada was using tobacco snuff as medicine for his blood pressure and to keep him able to perform his translation work at night.

As you were and are so close to Srila Prabhupada, can you please give some light on this matter so that my answer can be more accurate?”

Answer : Snuff is a tobacco derivative in fine powder form. This is the type that Srila Prabhupada was using.

snuff  Here’s a general definition and history that I got from the internet:

Read the rest of this entry »



Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Appearance day & World Hari-nama week
13 September 2008

September 13, 2008

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura  bhaktivinoda-thakur2.jpg

Saturday is my usual day for giving the Bhagavatam class here in Mayapur. So it was my fortunate lot to get to speak about Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. It is also the first day of our ISKCON World Hari-nama week and the devotees here have planned a whole week of activities centered around the chanting of the holy names in the local area.

The two events are natural companions. The Krsna consciousness movement as we know really stems from the efforts of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. His highly organized Nama-hatta groups had over 500 branches and he traveled extensively to chant and speak about the glories of the Nama. He also wrote an amazing amount of stuff about the Nama and Krsna consciousness-over 100 books. He provided the proto-type for the Gaudiya Matha, and later, ISKCON.

For my class I consulted with ‘The Seventh Goswami’ by my godbrother Rupa Vilasa prabhu.

seventh-goswami.jpg 

A wonderful book describing the life of Srila Bhaktivinoda.

After giving a brief overview of the birth and early days of the Thakura’s life. I picked out two chapters which I read to the devotees: “Preaching the Holy Name” and “A Mighty Pen” because both of these focus on the description of the glories of the holy name and the Thakura’s attempts to spread it.

These describe his activities from 1889-1893, a period immediately following his discovery of the true birth place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in 1888. It was one of intensive spiritual endeavor when he would travel from village to village and chant and speak to crowds of thousands. He went to Vrindavana and he also wrote ten books, including the Jaiva Dharma. I won’t repeat it all here but here’s Bhaktivinoda’s own description of his preaching programs [from Seventh Goswami]:

Read the rest of this entry »



Vamana-dvadasi 2008
12 September 2008

Here’s a few pictures from today’s celebration of Lord Vamanadeva’s appearance.

The curtains were opened to reveal ‘Vamanadeva’ (sorry I don’t know the boy’s name):

Lord Vamana appears

The ‘Lord’ is invited to take his seat:

resize-of-img_2754.JPG

Then offered arati by Umapati Swami:

arati to Lord Vamanadeva

then offered a drink

offering a drink

and fed sumptuously

and prasadam



Lord Vamanadeva’s Appearance
12 September 2008

September 12 2008

Here in Mayapur Lord Vamanadeva’s appearance is celebrated in a fashion unique in ISKCON.  Every year a young boy is selected from the community to play the part of Lord Vamana. He is brought before the devotees and feted as if he is the Lord Himself. Arati is offered and the boy is fed sumptuous prasadam.

Here’s a couple of photos from last year’s celebration with Radha Raman dasa brahmacari from Australia playing the part:

Radha Raman das brahmacari as Vamanadeva

Vamanadeva2

distributing prasadam



September 11 2008 – LHC – writing Gopal Bhan’s Mahabharata
11 September 2008

September 11 2008

Part of the LHC

Higgs boson

The Higgs is named after British physicist Peter Higgs

He postulated its existence more than 30 years ago to explain how matter has mass

Theory suggests the Higgs gives rise to a field through which all other subatomic particles, such as quarks, gluons, photons and electrons, must pass

As they interact with the field, the particles experience a drag; the more drag, the more massive the particle

September 10 2008 — On a day that the media dubbed ‘Big Bang day’ scientists kicked off their experiments with the LHC, Large Hadron Collider, in Switzerland.

They are in pursuit of Higgs Boson, the so-called “God particle“, an assumed fundamental aspect of material nature present at the very beginning of the universe.

According to  an article written in December 2001 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1695390.stm] the most sought after object in particle physics, the Higgs boson, may not even exist:

This is the astonishing conclusion of researchers at the Cern nuclear physics lab near Geneva who have just reviewed five years’ worth of data from experiments they thought would confirm the legendary particle’s role in the construction of the Universe. The Higgs, according to the Standard Model of particle physics, is the particle that explains why all others have mass. Its importance is so central to current thinking that some have even dubbed it the “God particle”. But the Cern researchers have told New Scientist magazine that studies in its giant accelerator which should have shown up the presence of the Higgs found absolutely nothing – and this could mean particle physics having to revisit some of its most cherished ideas.

Higgs ‘shadows’

If there is no Higgs, science will be left totally unable to explain mass.

Physicists at Cern used what was then the largest atom smasher in the world, the Large Electron Positron (Lep) collider, to search for the Higgs boson. The theory was that if atoms were hurtled into each other at high enough energies, the Higgs would eventually reveal itself in the sub-atomic rubble.Just before the Lep was due to be closed down and scrapped, one team declared last year that it was within a hair’s-breadth of identifying the Higgs – it had seen tantalizing “shadows” of something which could be the sought after particle.” 

It seems that despite this admittance the clever scientists managed to convince the governments of Europe to fork over the cash to build an even bigger collider than the LEP so that they could chase these shadows.

Thus, yesterday news reports featured leader of the project Dr. Lyn Evans launching the project with a click of his mouse button. Evan called the LHC “a discovery machine, the most sophisticated scientific instrument of our time,” that will “smash two beams of particles head-on at super-fast speeds, recreating the conditions in the Universe moments after the Big Bang.” 

According to the BBC:

“Scientists hope to see new particles in the debris of these collisions, revealing fundamental new insights into the nature of the cosmos.

Dr. Evans said while it was hoped it would give clues to the origins of the universe, they did not know exactly what results the £4.4bn experiment would provide.”

Note that: $10 billion and they don’t know what they will get.  Its not a bad job, chasing shadows…

Srila Prabhupada of course, was expert in exposing these masters of illusion.

In New Vrindaban in 1976 he told us a humorous story to illustrate the cheating of the scientists:

They are writing Gopal Bhan’s Mahabharata!

Read the rest of this entry »



September 11 2008 – Q&A – observing Ekadasi
11 September 2008

September 11 2008 – Ekadasi and half day fast for Lord Vamanadeva’s Appearance

                                                Lord Vamanadeva                        fasting

My godbrother Vaisesika prabhu, stalwart book distributor from California, sent me this inquiry about ekadasi fasting a few days ago:

“Seems there is some confusion amongst our newer devotees here caused by a visiting devotee preaching that one must avoid cabbage on Ekadasi, otherwise one has not followed correctly.

“As I want to respond correctly to the body of devotees here, I’m checking with you first about Srila Prabhupada’s mood and instructions for following Ekadasi.

“I have always taken it that he wanted us to avoid grains, beans, dhal. I never heard him get into the long list of veggies that some gaudiyas avoid: tomatoes, cabbage, etc.

“My impression is that he considered fasting all day from even water to be a first class fast. However, he preferred that we take something simple (non grain, bean) and continue our preaching service.

“Can you help me with the mood, nuance of this topic according to SP so that I can respond with full authority and potency?”

Answer:

I will do what I can prabhu.

Here’s a few ekadasi tales:

Read the rest of this entry »



September 9 2008 – Q&A – fool for love
9 September 2008

September 9 2008 

fool for love

Here’s a question from Asrama dasa, Russia, about that perennial topic, men and women:

“How is it possible to avoid being befuddled in relationships with the fair sex, even based on KC. I noticed that if a man is in relationships with a woman, the man is dependant on a woman even if he thinks that he controls the situation.”

befooled in love

Answer: In an age when there is a great deal of reluctance to admit the differences between men and women, there is a reverse trend in medicine and especially psychological studies which is increasingly showing the obvious: men and women are different. Their bodies work differently, their minds work differently. Srila Prabhupada has always stuck with this despite heavy criticism from the politically correct crowd.

Befuddled is a good word when it comes to describing the effects a women has on the mind of an admiring male. Here’s a study that was done some years back providing scientific backing for what everyone has always known:

Pretty Women Make Men Stupid!

Women have known this since the beginning of time. Now psychologists at
McMaster University in Canada have figured it out, too. A beautiful woman
can make a guy stupid.

Read the rest of this entry »



September 8 2008 Radhastami at home
8 September 2008

September 8 2008

resize-of-rotation-of-img_2739.JPG 

We don’t do much at home on festivals. We have our own Deities, Radha Madhava, Gaura Nitai, Srila Prabhupada, Bal Krsna and Balarama but we observe the festivities in the temple.

On days like Radhastami though, Rasarani-priya bathes her Deities and today she was able to offer Them beautiful new dresses which Sitala brought back from her trip to Vrndavan.

Sitala has worked with Ashok the jariwala for over 30 years, he’s like family. Ashok makes deity clothes for many temples in ISKCON as well as the Birlas etc. His men are expert and one of the side-benefits is that Sitala can occasionally get outfits made for our Deities.

Here’s the Radhastami outfit for Radha Madhava:

 Radha Madhava’s new outfit

new outfit



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