Newsletter Number #160  ( Janmastami issue 2005 A.D. Gaurabda 519)
http://www.hknet.org.nz/index.htm
http://welcome.to/hknetworks

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ki jaya

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Please Accept My Respectful Obeisances (cyber pranams) & Best Wishes To All

_0____,

All Glories To Srila Prabhupad.

\o/
(_)
/ \ All Glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

Welcome to the latest edition of the on-line HKSRNewsletter, and our humble attempt to render some service to the devotee community. The format of this newsletter is that of a continuous scroll, please see the table of contents where everything is hyper-linked on-line, we hope it's now easier for you all. This newsletter now goes out to way over 2508 receivers. We trust that all is well with everyone by the Mercy of the Lord. However, if anyone would like to be removed please just send us a message requesting me to do so, and we will do it promptly. If you are receiving this from a friend, and would like to be added directly to the mailout please also let us know and we will do the needful there too. Removal and Subscription details at the very end of this newsletter.

Hare Krishna. =>B-) JTCd

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"May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all envious persons be pacified. May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga, for by accepting devotional service they will think of each other’s welfare. Therefore let us all engage in the service of the supreme transcendence, Lord Sri Krishna, and always remain absorbed in thought of Him."(Srimad Bhagavatam 5:18:9.)

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The Nectar in this Issue 

See the events on Interactive Calendar site for details:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2002-2003.html
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2003-2004.html
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2004-2005.html

The present year's Vaishnava Calendar for 2005-2006
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2005-2006.html
(some selected locations are available already below)

...Download the Vaishnava Calendar software VCAL 4.01
...Ekadasi Information - fasting - breakfast times

Local temples
...Newsletters & Blogs

Words of Wisdom - Shastra & Shastrakaras speak:
... (Srila Prabhupad & the previous Acharyas)
... Coming Festivals
... Local temples
... Verses from Shastra
... Hare Krishna Maha Mantra
... Hare Krishna as ancient religion - NOT a cult
... Vaishnava Songs
... Samskaras and Agama Tantra
... Articles
... Topical links - etc
... Vedik revival - Vedik World Heritage

...Condolences to the family and friends of former New Zelanad Prime Minister David Lange

Advertisements - what's on where: check them out...
... Cyber Community Notice Board
...lastest important news items !!!!

... Hare Krishna School in Auckland
... Ayurvedic health - and seminars - Radiance Ayurved has new site
... Fire Safety - Water Safety - Internet Safety
... Singles - Hare Krishna Singles - Vegetarian Singles - Marriage Compatibility checking
... FREE CD Rom
... Sri Shalagram Tirtha Pradarshini web-site and new newsletter
... Vegetarianism and Beyond site gets re-vamped
... Gaura Yoga - Wellington
... The Loft Auckland
... The new Auckland Temple now open

... and much more

At Grass Roots: Topical stuff
... Seasonal Greetings...Happy 2005
... Have a Happy Year - Gaurabda 519

Prasadam Recipes: To slake the thirst of body, mind & soul
... some really useful Vege links and support
... inspiring Vegetarian articles
... Eggless cooking - baking - cakes
... Vegetarian Cheeses - new page (try the Tuxford range...)(updated August 2004)
... Vegetarian clubs
... Hare Krishna Food For Life - local and international food relief
... check out the new Ekadasi recipes link
... 101 reasons to be a vegetarian
... Meat substitutes - Tofu - Soy - TVP - tempe recipes
... White Sugar free from bone char in NZ
... FREE Meet your Meat CDRoms
... How to offer your food to God
... You mean that's in the Bible?
... visit our Vegetarianism and Beyond Award winning web-site
... Kurma's new web-site
... The Meatrix
... Holiday Season & Xmas survival recipes

Krishna conscious - Vedikly acceptable jokes:
... cut loose have a laugh
... serious therapy in humour !!!
... did U ever wonder -  Ways of the world - Strange but true

Thanx 2 our sponsors and supporters:
... sponsorship and support
... add or remove - sub or unsub
... HELP !!!
... donations welcome

Now you can view the FULL years 1999-2000 & 2000-2001 & 2001-2002 & 2002-2003 & 2003-2004 & 2004-2005, and 2005-2006.
All Calendar entries are explained - Appearance or Disappearance days, festivals, fasts, feasts, etc.

View previous years festival dates on the Calendar:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2001-2002.htm
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2002-2003.html
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2003-2004.html
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2004-2005.html
The present year's Vaishnava Calendar for 2005-2006
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2005-2006.html
(some selected locations are available already below)

(Chaturmasya is not observed during Purusottama Adhika Masa.)

Second month of Chaturmasya begins. (Fast from yogurt for one month.)

Srila Prabhupada's departure for the USA 1965 AD. - 20 Aug 2005 in NZ

Sri Krsna Janmastami: Appearance of Lord Sri Krsna - Saturday 27th Aug 2005 in NZ
(Fasting till midnight - breakfast with Ekadasi style prasadam)

Sri Nandotsava - Festival of Nananda maharaj for birth of Krishna - Jata karman

Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada - Appearance -  (Fasting till noon) Sunday 28th August 2005

Fasting on Suddha Ekadasi for Paksa vardhini Mahadvadasi for Annada Ekadasi- (Fasting from Beans and Grains - 31st August 2005  in NZ)

Father's Day -  1st Sunday in September in Aus & NZ - 3rd Sunday in June in US & UK (4th Sept in NZ)

Ganesh Chaturthi  - Wednesday 7th Sept 2005 in NZ - DO NOT LOOK @ the MOON

Srimati Sita Thakurani (Advaita's consort) - Appearance - Avirbhav

Sri Lalita sasti

Sri Radhastami : Srimati Radharani's - Appearance Day  (Fasting till noon) (Monday 12th September in NZ)

Fasting on Suddha Ekadasi for Parsva Ekadasi.- (Fasting from Beans and Grains - 15th September 2005  in NZ)

Sri Vamana Dvadasi - Appearance of Lord Vamandeva
(The fast is observed till noon on the Ekadasi.) (Feasting is done tomorrow.)

Srila Jiva Goswami - Appearance - Avirbhav

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur - Appearance - Avirbhav Utsava
(The fast is observed till noon on the Ekadasi.)(Feasting is done today.)

Sri Ananta Caturdasi Vrata
Srila Hari Das Thakur - Disappearance - Tirubhav

Kanya Sankranti (Sun enters Virgo)

Sri Visvarupa Mahotsava
Acceptance of sannyasa by Srila Prabhupada 1959 AD.
Srimad Bhagavatam Day

Third month of Caturmasya begins.(Fast from milk for one month.)

This year's also now available for viewing:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2005-2006.html

All Calender information HERE
http://www.hknet.org.nz/CalendarWhosWho-page.htm

http://panjika.pagehere.com/

Check out the Ekadasi pages with links to every Ekadasi:
(also find out from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada what is, and what constitutes a mahadwadasi)
Find out about Dwadasi and Mahadwadasi here:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/dvadasi.htm

NEW EKADASI RECIPES:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/ekadasi-page.htm

kasmad ekadasi jata tasyah ko va vidhir dvija
kada va kriyate kim va phalam kim va vadasva me

ka va pujyatama tatra devata sad-gunarnava
akurvatah syat ko dosa etan me vaktum arhasi

"Oh Gurudeva! When did Ekadasi take birth and from whom did she appear? What are the rules of fasting on the Ekadasi? Please describe the benefits of following this vow and when it should be followed. Who is the utmost worshippable presiding deity of Sri Ekadasi? What are the faults in not following Ekadasi properly? Please bestow your mercy upon me and tell about these subjects, as you are the only personality able to do so."

Find out what was said HERE:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/ekadasi-page.htm
 

Download yourVaishnava Calendar and make a hard copy for this
All Vaishnava Calendar Information HERE (Downloads, Glossary, Calendars, Eclipses etc)
The present year's Vaishnava Calendar for 2005-2006
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2005-2006.html
(some selected locations are available already below)

or if you can't do that and you'd like a Calendar for your longitude, latitude and time zone ANYWHERE in the world I can do that for you and e-mail it to you - FREE    Vaishnava Calendar Software 4.01

Vaishnava Calendar Program Vcal 4.01 FREE Download, and make your own Calendar:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/vcal401.zip

MAKE YOUR OWN CALENDAR FOR YOUR LOCATION,
no more dodgy calendars/panchangas/panjikas from India

...some already made for you http://www.hknet.org.nz/Cals2005-2006-World.html

Vaishnava Calendar maker for your region - on-line:
http://www.iskcondc.org/cgi-bin/vcalndx.pl

Astrologically/Astronomically Accurate and FREE

Please download the software from:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/vcal401.zip

How to use the VCAL calendar program:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/VcalHow2use.html

mailto:jtcd@xtra.co.nz

Vaishnava Calendar maker for your region - on-line:
http://www.iskcondc.org/cgi-bin/vcalndx.pl

Free Vaisnava Calendar Email Reminder Service
Website URL:  http://www.vaisnavacalendar.info

New service just launched - a Free Vaisnava Calendar Email Reminder Service (BETA) where devotees can sign up and receive automated location sensitive reminders of ekadasi's, festivals, appearance and disappearance days via email.

Festivals on the Vrindavan Calendar
http://www.naturalnirvana.com/Braja-Mandala/Braja-Mandal-Files/Braja-Vrindavan-Festivals.htm

Time Zones and Countries World-wide:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/

Here's a few Vaishnava Calendar locations around the World friends asked for us to post !!

Newsletters:
Do you get the Hare Krishna Newsletter from Auckland?
If not send a message to Mother Madri to add yourself to their list:
mailto:madri@pamho.net
mailto:harekrishnanews_auck-owner@yahoogroups.com

See Auckland's latest newsletter HERE:

Christchurch Temple Times:
mailto:nitail@zfree.co.nz

Wellington Temple Newsletter:
mailto:jagjeevandas.mvgm@paradise.net.nz

Gaura Yoga Centre (Wellington) newsletter:
mailto:gaurayoga-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

...and across the ditch in Aus': 
Brisbane temple newsletter
to subscribe - mailto:brisbane@pamho.net

Melbourne Temple F.O.L.K. News Daily Newsletter/diatrobe:
http://anitest.manilasites.com/

Melbourne - Hare Krishna movement:
http://www.iskcon.net.au/

Sydney Temple Newsletter:
http://www.iskcon.com.au/Mailing_list.html

Other Journals, Newsletters, & KC Blogs:
Aisvarya prabhu's blog:
http://www.livejournal.com/~icemonger/

Aniruddha's blog:
http://www.iskcon.net.au/aniruddha/

Aniruddha's blog: There's more comes out of the beadbag than just the finger...
http://www.iskcon.net.au/aniruddha/

Bala Gopala's Mrdanga (formerly Ekendra's Mrdanga)
http://www.gopala.org/
This is my new journal where I hope to contribute something worth reading to the world. The inspiration for this comes from Nectar of Devotion wherein it is stated that to reveal one's mind in confidence is one of the loving exchanges between Vaisnavas. Ekendra dasa.

Candidasa dasa' Deltaflow Blog
http://www.deltaflow.com/index.php

The Conch newsletter - Radha Giridhari temple Auckland
http://www.hknet.org.nz/TheConch-newsletter.html
The Conch Newsletter is a subscription newsletter that is sent out in Word format either as a printable attached file through e-mail, or hard-copy by snail mail. The newsletter is monthly, and compiled by Amrita-pani devi dasi in conjunction with the editorial advisor HH Mukunda Goswami.

Gauranga Sundara prabhu in Leicester (UK) Newsletter can be found at:
Current issue http://www.gauranga.org/files/newsletter_06.PDF
Back issues and all future issues can be found at: http://www.gauranga.org/newsletter_backissues.htm

Gopala Guru prabhu's blog on MSN - Religious Worship; Ever wonder what's it like to live the life of a Hare Krishna monk?
Visit this Space to find out.:
http://whatsyourstory.msn.com/
http://spaces.msn.com/members/gopalaguru/PersonalSpace.aspx

Indradyumna Swami's "Diary of a Travelling Preacher" blog:
http://blog.worldsankirtan.net/IDS/

Kavichandra Swami's Blog
http://www.kavicandraswami.info/

Kurma's Travel Diary Blog:
Hello there ! I have a new Blog (weblog) Travel Diary. Follow my very latest culinary travels: http://www.kurma.net and click on the blog link right side of page.
Hope all is well with you. Happy cooking, Kurma

Prahladananda Swami's Health blog: On the road, Journal, Audio, Health, Photos etc
http://prahladanandaswami.net/blogs/index.php

Rati Manjari mataji - Every Town & Village - newsletter, which consists of a collective contribution from preachers throughout the UK. To view or download it click the link below:
http://members.lycos.co.uk/etav/files/etav_01.PDF

Sit Properly dot com - go to extras 4 the blog - lots of useful info especially for new devotees throughout site
http://www.sitproperly.com/index2.html

From the virtual pen of Sita-pati dasa http://blog.worldsankirtan.net/sitapati/
News and views from Sita-pati dasa in Brisbane Australia.

Hare Krishna Cultural Journal - Krishna-Kirti dasa in USA - A commentary on the culture, views and progress of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
http://siddhanta.com/weblogs/culture/

The International Society for Education in Krsna Consciousness http://www.isekc.com/ has a Blog called Vaishnava Sanga which one can access from the ISEKC home page.

News stories, articles, comment, insights, features, and Vaisnava perspectives available on-line from http://www.iskcon.com/new/

Vraj journal
http://www.vrajajournal.com/

    The year beginning on Prabhupada's Vyasa Puja September 6th, 2004, and ending with his Vyasa Puja on August 28, 2005 marks the 108th anniversary of his birth. While everyone honors 100th anniversaries, Vaisnavas place great significance on the 108th anniversary, because 108 is a special number. Krsna enjoys with 108 principal gopis (cowherd girls), there are 108 Upanishads, and a round of japa on beads is 108 Hare Krsna mantras. ISKCON has created a special opportunity to glorify Srila Prabhupada on his 108th birthday and throughout the year afterwards. ISKCON's governing body commissioners in their annual meeting this year passed the following resolution.

Whereas: The 108th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada's appearance can bring special inspiration to the devotee community by glorifying Srila Prabhupada.
Whereas: H.H. Lokanath Swami was successful in performing the service of Srila Prabhupada's Centennial Global Minister.

Resolved: ISKCON will make the celebration of Srila Prabhupada's 108th appearance anniversary year a highlight of its activities until Vyasa Puja 2005. H.H. Lokanath Swami will take up the service of global coordinator for this project.

    In 1996 ISKCON celebrated Srila Prabhupada's Centennial.  Participation in events far exceeded expectations.  Throughout the Centennial year, followers of Srila Prabhupada made extraordinary efforts to spread his glories world wide by inundating their countries, states, and cities with the holy name of Krsna, Krsna prasadam, and Prabhupada's books.  Temples world wide joined in celebrating many spectacular special events.  Streets were named in Prabhupada's honor, and several biographies about him were published.  There were also many wonderful special achievements and offerings by individuals and groups.  but why was the Centennial so successful?  We could only conclude that it was because Krsna wanted to glorify Srila Prabhupada.  Krsna wanted to show the world that He is know as bhaktanama mana vardhanah, "He who enhances the reputation of His devotees."
    Srila Prabhupada's teachings, which continue to be felt throughout all parts of ISKCON, are the universal inspiration for the 108 celebration.  All initiated devotees and all followers of Srila Prabhupada have a high level of awareness, appreciation, and remembrance of him.  They feel connected with him as their siksa guru, accepting as essential the teaching he gave in his books.  Inspired by his powerful presence, they follow his instructions in their own lives and are able to bring others to follow them too.
     The celebration of Srila Prabhupada's 108th anniversary will focus on a series of public events.  most of the international events that were so successful in 1996 will be held again.  The events will bring about a heightened appreciation for Srila Prabhupada and his movement in the public and increase ISKCON's member's awareness of being part of a united worldwide movement.
    The 108th Celebration is not limited to events.  The spirit of the Celebration is to encourage each ISKCON devotee, member and follower to make at least one personal offering to Srila Prabhupada during the year in one or more of the following areas:
1. Help spread Srila Prabhupada's mission by expanding the congregation, distributing books and chanting the holy name, especially at 108 events.
2. Dedicate oneself to glorifying Srila Prabhupada by personally meaningful special achievement during the 108th year.
3. Build personal internal strength by commitment to improving both personal spiritual standards and practices and those of your community.
    The 108th Celebration is a great time to introduce the whole world to Srila Prabhupada and his mission.  Let us all take seriously this very special opportunity, and wholeheartedly glorify Srila Prabhupada.

See you local temple to find out what's going on in your area and how to be part of it......


Visit Your Local Hare Krishna Temple
See a full NZ list of contacts HERE under Communities:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/index.htm

See the Kiwi yatra HERE:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/NZKiwi-yatra.html

Australian yatra here:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/aussie-yatra.htm

International here:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/index-int.htm

Iskcon World-wide @ a centre near you:
http://www.iskcon.com/worldwide/centres/index.html

Words of Wisdom - Shastra & Shastrakaras speak

For Books and shastra downloads see Main Index, under Books:
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

The Complete Works of Srila Prabhupada
All the books, the letters and conversations at your fingertips

All Srila Prabhupada's books and more on one disk
http://www.vedabase.com

Srila Prabhupada's Audio lectures to listen to on-line:
http://www.hare-krishna.org/srila-prabhupada-lectures.htm

Listen to Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on-line - all 900 of his lectures are available HERE:
http://www.prabhupadavani.org/

Srimad Bhagavatam - the entire lecture series listen and read along on-line - Narrated by Amala Bhakta dasa:
http://www.prabhupadavani.org/SB_index.html

The new enhanced Prabhupada MP3 series
http://www.prabhupada.com/store/store.php?page=product.php&id=MP3AUDIOLIB

Visit "Prabhupada Connect" for all manner of Prabhupad Nectar:
http://www.prabhupadaconnect.com/Index.html

Srila Prabhupada's Final Lesson Video - Downloadable and viewing on-line
http://users.iskconludhiana.com/images/thumbnails.php?album=21


All Srila Prabhupada's original books
available for sale here.

Download all the Hare Krsna teachings which includes all Vaisnava and
Vedic concepts by visiting one of the sites listed at the following address.
http://www.geocities.com/suci123/bookdownloadsites1.html

The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Srila Prabhupad Memorial Library
http://www.krishna.com/main.php?id=33


33 Books Online Including Srimad Bhagavatam!
http://www.geocities.com/freeprabhupadabooks

 The compressed "self extracting" file mentioned is now currently available for download
http://www.krsnaconsciousness.org/Gauranga/Folio/BhaktivedantaVedabase_DOS.exe
Download or Listen to Prabhupad Bhajans HERE:
http://www.prabhupadavani.org/web/text/Bhajans.html

On-line 1972 McMillan edition - Bhagavad Gita As It Is:
http://www.asitis.com/

Bhagavad Gita AS IT IS on-line through the Tirupathi Balaji site:
http://www.bhagavad-gita.us/

Bhagavad Gita Study guide on-line book:
http://chantandbehappy.com/gita/studyguide/StudyGuide-main.htm

Bhagavad Gita Study guides by numerous Iskcon devotees - FREE downloads:
http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/library/#3

All the Scriptures you'd ever need 4 FREE
http://www.hknet.org.nz/index-books.htm
http://www.hknet.org.nz/DDB.htm
http://www.hknet.org.nz/DDB2.html

last updated 4th August 2003

Srimad Bhagavad Gita AS IT IS

Bhagavad Gita:  Chapter 3 - Karma-yoga

                                 TEXT 3

   sri-bhagavan uvaca
   loke 'smin dvi-vidha nistha
   pura prokta mayanagha
   jnana-yogena sankhyanam
   karma-yogena yoginam

   WORD FOR WORD

   sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; loke--in the world; asmin--this; dvi-vidha--two kinds of; nistha--faith; pura--formerly; prokta--were said; maya--by Me; anagha--O sinless one; jnana-yogena--by the linking process of knowledge; sankhyanam--of the empiric philosophers; karma-yogena--by the linking process of devotion; yoginam--of the devotees.

                               TRANSLATION

   The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who try to realize the self. Some are inclined to understand it by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others by devotional service.

PURPORT by HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:

   In the Second Chapter, verse 39, the Lord explained two kinds of procedures--namely sankhya-yoga and karma-yoga, or buddhi-yoga. In this verse, the Lord explains the same more clearly. Sankhya-yoga, or the analytical study of the nature of spirit and matter, is the subject matter for persons who are inclined to speculate and understand things by experimental knowledge and philosophy. The other class of men work in Krsna consciousness, as it is explain in the 61st verse of the Second Chapter. The Lord has explained, also in the 39th verse, that by working by the principles of buddhi-yoga, or Krsna consciousness, one can be relieved from the bonds of action; and, furthermore, there is no flaw in the process. The same principle is more clearly explained in the 6th verse--that this buddhi-yoga is to depend entirely on the Supreme (or more specifically, on Krsna), and in this way all the senses can be brought under control very easily. Therefore, both the yogas are interdependent, as religion and philosophy. Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation. The ultimate goal is Krsna, because the philosophers who are also sincerely searching after the Absolute Truth come in the end to Krsna consciousness. This is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. The whole process is to understand the real position of the self in relation to the Superself. The indirect process is philosophical speculation, by which, gradually, one may come to the point of Krsna consciousness; and the other process is directly connecting with everything in Krsna consciousness. Of these two, the path of Krsna consciousness is better because it does not depend on purifying the senses by a philosophical process. Krsna consciousness is itself the purifying process, and by the direct method of devotional service it is simultaneously easy and sublime.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - http://www.asitis.com/

View our Bhagavad Gita Overview:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/BG.html

Archive: http://www.cs.rice.edu/~vivek/btg/archive/
Home Page: http://www.cs.rice.edu/~vivek/btg/

Join Bhagavad Gita eGroups HERE
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Prabhupada Uvacha:
(here's some nectar, sometimes it comes in the form of Srutakirti prabhu's diary, other times from Govinda dasi's diary, Hari Sauri prabhu's Transcendental Diary, or sometimes from a letter, or other related source, but still nectar...)

More Little Drops of Nectar

Srila Prabhupada displayed his tolerance and lenience in accepting the sometimes inexpert offerings of his disciples. He demonstrated this amply at the San Francisco Ratha-yatra in 1970 by accepting some unusual clothing which the devotees had sewn for him. Bhavananda had purchased imported silk, Nara-Narayana had purchased pearl buttons and set them in gold, and Dinadayadri and Citralekha had worked very meticulously on sewing Prabhupada a western-style cowboy shirt. The shirt had sewn pockets with pearl buttons on them. The dhoti was supposed to complete a matching set, along with a "Prabhupada hat" made for the occasion. When Prabhupada put on the dhoti, the cloth was so wide that the dhoti dragged on the ground. (This can be seen in a series of photos of Prabhupada at the 1970 Ratha-yatra.) The cowboy shirt had its own unusual appearance, and as for the hat, it was too small and stuck up on the top of his head. Prabhupada tolerantly accepted and wore the clothes offered by his American boys and girls.
 

While Srila Prabhupada was speaking in his room, his disciple, Rukmini devi dasi, who is left-handed, was busily writing notes on Prabhupada's talk. The left-handed phenomenon seemed strange to Prabhupada and he finally commented on it.

"You write like Gargamuni," said Prabhupada, "backwards and topsy-turvy." Prabhupada then said that he had once seen a man in Calcutta who played harmonium with his elbows, karatalas with his knees, and mrdanga with his feet. Prabhupada seemed to think that the "backwards and topsy-turvy" writing was in a similar category.

Citralekha-devi dasi, interview; Rukmini-devi dasi, interview. It is easy for the devotees to understand and relish how Prabhupada accepted ill-fitting or even unsuitable gifts from his disciples and yet utilized them just so the disciples' devotional service could be accepted by Krsna. Sometimes nondevotees, on seeing a photo of Srila Prabhupada, or seeing him with nondevotional eyes, thought that Srila Prabhupada was enjoying material opulence obtained from his disciples. Specifically, nondevotees have criticized Prabhupada's wearing of several rings, or his "gold" watches. At one point, when Srila Prabhupada wore two or three rings, one of them was an inexpensive high school ring a devotee had given to Prabhupada, which he simply wore for a while in recognition of the gift. When mass market technology first produced digital watches, Syamasundara dasa gave Prabhupada one, and it was considered a fancy item. Actually the watch never worked. Prabhupada carried it for a while in one of his cases and finally left it somewhere. His general system was to accept a gift, use it or at least carry it for some time, and then give it as a gift to one of his disciples. Even today, some fortunate disciples have in their possession various pieces of Srila Prabhupada's jewelry or possessions. Sometimes Prabhupada would give away the gifts so quickly that the donor became a little disappointed.
 

- From the Prabhupada Nectar by HH Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

To receive little snippets of nectar like this on a daily basis subscribe HERE: or If you want to introduce anyone else in reading Srila Prabhupada Nectars, please send their eMail addresses to mailto:krpamaya_gauranga@hotmail.com

Please Chant:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Listen to Srila Prabhupad on-line
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"Don't Make Krishna Unhappy"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.1
Mayapur, February 8, 1976

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.1 -- Mayapur, February 8, 1976
 

Listen to the entire lecture on-line:
http://prabhupadavani.org/Bhagavatam/RAMfiles2/SB567.ram

Prabhupada:

evam suradayah sarve
brahma-rudra-purah sarah
nopaitum asakan manyu-
samrambham sudurasadam
 [SB 7.9.1]

Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, if He is pleased upon somebody, nobody can annihilate him. Similarly, if He is angry upon somebody, nobody can protect him. There is a Bengali (saying) payara(?), rakhe krsna mare ke, mare krsna rakhe ke. If Krsna wants to kill somebody... Krsna does not kill, neither the living entity is ever killed. Just like father. If he chastises his son, it is not chastisement; it is favor. The devotees can understand that even sometimes we meet very reverse condition of life, it is also favor. Tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamanah [SB 10.14.8]. Anyone who can see that this unfavorable condition of life is also another favor of Krsna... Tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamanah. "Even there is some suffering, it is not given by Krsna. I am suffering on account of my past misdeeds, and Krsna is so kind that I would have suffered many hundred thousand times more than the present suffering, but Krsna is adjusting the whole thing by little suffering." This is the vision of devotee. Tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamano bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam. Atma-krtam vipakam. A devotee never accuses Krsna that "Krsna, I am serving You so nicely, and You are giving me so much suffering?" No. This is not devotee's view. Devotee will take that "This so-called suffering is also Krsna's favor." Tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamanah. So those who are going forward with Krsna consciousness, they should not be, I mean, a debtor to any condition of life.

So suradayah. Suradayah means demigods headed by Lord Brahma, Lord Siva. Yam brahma-varunendra-rudra stunvanti divyaih stavaih. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped even by Brahma. Yam brahma-varunendra: Indra, Varuna and Indra... There are big, big stalwart demigods. They also offer their respect. They think themselves as subordinate, humble servants of Krsna. Siva-virinci-nutam [SB 11.5.33]. Krsna is offered obeisances even by demigods like Lord Siva, Lord Brahma. Siva-virinci-nutam.

yam brahma-varunendra-rudra(-marutah) stunvanti divyaih stavair
vedaih sanga-pada-kramopanisadair gayanti yam sama-gah
dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yogino
yasyantam na viduh surasura-gana devaya tasmai namah

So the anger is there, Krsna, but His anger is worshiped. And our anger is different. That is the distinction between spirit and matter. So here suradayah sarve brahma-rudra-purah sarah na upaitum asakan manyu. There is anger. Krsna, to kill Hiranyakasipu, He became so angry that even big, big stalwart demigods, brahmadaya... Because demigods... The list of demigods begins from Lord Brahma. He is the original father of the demigods and all other living entities. He's therefore known as praja-pati or called pita-maha, grandfather, praja-pati. He is the origin of everything. The Darwin's theory, a rascal theory, that there was no life, but according to Vedic knowledge there were the best life, Brahma. From there begins life, and gradually they become degraded, material contamination. Not that there was no life. From low type of living condition one is elevated higher and higher. That is a wrong theory. The real theory is that life begins from the most exalted person, Lord Brahma, praja-pati. So in any auspicious matter they are forward, because you cannot approach God in your lower condition of life. You see? Lower condition of life means sinful reaction. In that condition you cannot approach God. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. (aside:) Who is talking? Pavitram paramam bhavan. Krsna is the supreme pure, pavitram paramam. Paramam means extreme. So nobody can approach Krsna while He is impure. That is not possible. Just like some rascals, they say, "It doesn't matter what you are eating, what you are doing. There is no hindrance for your spiritual advancement." These rascals, these fools, misleading the whole world that in the matter of understanding the Supreme Person one can behave like the low-grade persons. No. That is not possible. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12].

So if you have to approach the supreme pure, you have to become pure. Otherwise there is no possibility. Without being fire, you cannot enter into the fire. Then you'll be burned. Similarly, although you are also Brahman... Part of Parabrahman is also Brahman. Aham brahmasmi. This is our identification. But what kind of Brahman? But minute particle of Brahman, small particle. Just like spark and the whole fire. Both of them are fire, but spark is spark, and the big fire is big fire. So the spark cannot become big fire. If he wants to become so, then he falls down. Then whatever little light was there, fire, it becomes extinguished. If the spark out of impudency wants to try to become the big fire, then he falls down. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah [SB 10.2.32]. Aruhya krcchrena, by severe austerities and penances you can rise up to the impersonal Brahman, but you'll fall down again. That is the fact. So many persons, they are trying to become merged into the existence of the Supreme Brahman, but the result is they are falling down. They must fall down. It is not possible. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32]. Without taking care to worship the lotus feet of Krsna, they are falling down. So we should be very, very careful not to try to become equal or greater than Krsna. There are some rascals, they say that "Such and such rascal is greater than Krsna." I do not wish to mention their name. That rascals, they say that "Aurobindo is greater than Krsna." They say like that. Do you know that? So this, the world, is full of rascals and fools. We have to... Very cautiously and intelligently we have to make progress in spiritual life. Don't take it very insignificantly. We should be very much careful. Otherwise there is falldown, and once falldown means a gap of millions of years. You have got this human form of life to complete Krsna consciousness, but if you are not serious, then again the gap will be millions of years.

Therefore our duty is tandera carana sevi, bhakta-sane vas. We should live with the devotees and be engaged in the service of the acaryas. Acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit [SB 11.17.27]. One should understand acarya as Krsna Himself. Don't disregard him. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau [SU 6.23]. These are the statement. So we must be very cautious. Just like here also. The brahmadaya, big, big demigods, they could not pacify, appease the Lord. He was angry. Evam suradayah sarve brahma-rudra-purah sarah. Big, big personalities, rudra, na upaitum. Na upaitum asakan manyu. They could not pacify Hmm, and samrambham sudurasadam. Sudurasadam, very, very difficult. Once we are condemned by Krsna, it is very, very difficult to rise up again. Mudha janmani janmani [Bg. 16.20]. Life after life we shall be condemned. That is our punishment. So don't do anything which will make Krsna unhappy. Simply engage yourself in the service of the Lord. Very simple thing. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Simply always think of Him. Do not think anyone, anything else. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Just try to maintain your service for Krsna. There is twenty-four hours' engagement, and try to follow it. Do not neglect it. That will make your life successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

...............continued

Sri Krishna Janmastami - Appearance of Lord Sri Krishna (Fasting 'till Midnight)
http://www.hknet.org.nz/calendar-janmastami.htm
Ekadasi style breakfast for Janmastami at midnight
http://www.hknet.org.nz/E-prasad.htm

Nandotsav - Jata karman of Sri Krishna by Nanda maharaj
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Nandotsav.htm

Krishna is God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This fact is stated and corroborated in the Vedic scriptures and by various authorities. Lord Brahma in Brahma Samhita says, "Krishna who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes" (BS 5.1). In the Bhagavata Purana Krishna becomes the chief object of devotion. After describing various incarnations of the Lord such as Rama, Balarama, Vamana, Nrsimha, and Vishnu, Srila Sukadeva Goswami states, "All of the above mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead" (SB 1.3.28).

Lord Shiva in Gita Mahatmya, states that "only one God - Krishna, the son of Devaki" (Verse 7). In the Padma Purana it is stated, "By scrutinizingly reviewing all the revealed scriptures and judging them again and again, it is now concluded that Lord Narayana is the Supreme Absolute Truth, and thus He alone should be worshipped". Similarly it is said in the Skanda Purana, "In the material world, which is full of darkness and dangers, combined with birth and death and full of different anxieties, the only way to get out of the great entanglement is to accept loving transcendental devotional service to Lord Vasudeva. This is accepted by all classes of philosophers".

The position of Krishna as God is confirmed by great personalities like Narada, Asita, Devala, Vyasa, Parasara, Brahma and Shiva. Finally Krishna Himself confirms this fact in the Bhagavad-gita to His friend and devotee, Arjuna. He clearly says that He is "the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods" (BG 5.29), that "there is no truth superior to Me" (BG 7.7) and - "I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me" (BG 10.8).

What is the position of Krishna?
As God, there is no one equal to or greater than Krishna. He is the original, unborn, eternal person, the most ancient, completely independent, and the cause of all causes. Parasara Muni, the father of Srila Vyasadeva and a great scholar who had himself held the position of Vyasa in a previous kalpa, very nicely defines the position of Bhagavan (God) as one Who is complete in six kinds of opulence namely - wisdom, beauty, fame, power, wealth and renunciation. While there are many great personalities who are very famous or very wealthy, only Krishna as God is replete in all six opulence.

The scriptures not only give us the unique position of Krishna but also give us a detailed description of all His aspects. They tell us that above this temporary material universe is an eternal spiritual world called Vaikuntha, and Krishna lives in the topmost planet of this universe called Goloka Vrindavana which is full of palaces made of touch-stone (cintamani), with trees that are capable of fulfilling all desires (kalpa-vraksha) and cows that are called Surabhi.

Here Krishna eternally resides, served by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune. He sports with His most confidential and intimate devotees, headed by Srimati Radharani. He has a form just like us but His body is spiritual and thus eternal. His complexion is dark-blue, like that of a rain-filled cloud and His eyes are like lotus petals. He is ever youthful, full of bliss and His beauty excels that of thousands of cupids. He likes to play the flute, He sports a crown with a peacock feather and He is adorned by the exquisite kastuba jewel.

What is Krishna avatar?
In Chaitanya-charitamrita (2.20.263-264) it is stated that the "avatar, or incarnation of Godhead, descends from the kingdom of God for creating and maintaining the material manifestation. And the particular form of the Personality of Godhead who so descends is called an incarnation, or avatar. Such incarnations are situated in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. When They descend to the material creation, They assume the name avatar."

The Srimad Bhagavatam states that there are countless incarnations just like the waves of the oceans. They fall in various categories like lila (pastime), yuga (period of yuga), manavantara (period of Manu), purusa (Vishnu expansions) and shaktivesa (empowered). These avatars perform various pastimes based on the time, place and circumstances, but their purpose is always the same - "to attract the conditioned souls back to their eternal spiritual abode".

The incarnations emanate from Vishnu. Maha-Vishnu is the original cause of all material creation and from Him Garbhodakashai-Vishnu expands and then Ksirodakasayi-Vishnu. Generally all incarnations appearing within the material world are plenary portions of Ksirodakasayi-Vishnu (also known as Hari).

However only once in a day of Lord Brahma (which lasts for 4.32 billion of our years), does Krishna descend in His original form, as the avataree, the cause of all avatars. When Krishna appears all the incarnations join with Him. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the complete whole and all the plenary portions and incarnations always live with Him. So when Krishna appeared, Lord Vishnu was always with Him, and while Krishna enjoyed His pastimes in Vrindavan, the killing of the demons was actually carried out by the His Vishnu portion. Since Krishna eternally resides in Vrindavan, when He left Vrindavan at the age of ten, it was His Vasudeva expansion that actually left.

Appearance of Krishna
In the era of the Svayambhuva Manu, prajapati Sutapa and his wife Prsni were instructed by Lord Brahma to have progeny. They performed severe austerities for twelve thousand years of the demigods to have the Lord as their child. Pleased by their austerities the Lord appeared and granted them this benediction. Since He gave them this benediction three times, in Satya-yuga He first appeared as the son of Prsni and Sutapa and was called Prsnigarba. In Treta-yuga they were Aditi and Kasyapa Muni and the Lord appeared as Vamanadeva. Finally in the Dvapara yuga, Krishna in His original form, appeared as the child of Devaki and Vasudeva.

Krishna appeared specifically on the request of Bhudevi, the presiding deity of the Earth planet. Distressed by the burden of many demons who had appeared as powerful Kshatriyas and were ruling the planet impiously, she assumed the form of a cow and pleaded to Lord Brahma for help. Lord Brahma with all the demigods prayed to Lord Vishnu in Svetadvipa by chanting the Purusa-sukta prayers. At this time the Lord informed Brahma that in order to establish religiosity and destroy evil, He would soon appear as His original Self. In the meantime the various demigods were instructed to take birth in various families in the Yadu dynasty and prepare for the appearance of the Lord.

Lifeline of Sri Krishna
Historically, Lord Krishna appeared in the Dvapara yuga, on the midnight of the 8th day of the dark half of the month of Sravan. This corresponds to July 19th in the year 3228 BC. ( important NOTE) He exhibited His pastimes for a little over 125 years and disappeared on February 18th 3102 BC on the new moon night of Phalgun. His departure marks the beginning of the current age of corruption known as Kali.

The great scholar Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti neatly outlines Lord Krishna's activities in this way. He was born in Mathura in the prison cell of Kamsa and carried to Gokul. The first three years and four months were spent in Gokula, then equal lengths of time in Vrindavan and Nandagram. At the age of eleven He left Vrindavan for Mathura where He lived for eighteen years and four months, and finally ninety-six years and eight months in Dvaraka totaling about 126 years of manifest pastimes. At the time of Mahabharata, when Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita, He was about ninety years of age.

Pastimes of Krishna
The tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam describes the activities and transcendental pastimes of Sri Krishna. They are also described in the epic Mahabharata, specially in the Bhishma parva which also contains the Bhagavad-gita. The pastimes of Krishna appeal to the liberated souls, those that are trying to get liberated and also to the gross materialists.

The pastimes of Sri Krishna, known as Krishna-katha fall into two categories. Words spoken by Krishna, as the Bhagavad-gita, and words spoken about Krishna, as in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Souls in the liberated stage derive great pleasure in relishing anything and everything related to Krishna. For those that are trying to be liberated, Krishna-katha makes their path of liberation very clear. By studying the Gita one becomes fully conscious of the position of Sri Krishna; and when one is situated at the lotus feet of the Lord, he understands the narration's of Krishna as described in the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Even the gross materialists are attracted by the pleasure pastimes of Krishna with the Gopis and His wives. Even though the loving affairs of Krishna have nothing to do with the gross, mundane sex affairs, they attract the people engrossed in sense-gratification and gradually elevate them to higher levels of spirituality.

Causeless mercy of Krishna
Even though Krishna is completely self sufficient and self satisfied, He descends for the benefit of all the conditioned souls. His most endearing quality is that of "bhakta vatsala". His pure devotees are always trying to please Him, and He is always trying to please His devotees. Just as He lives in the heart of His devotees, His devotees constantly reside in Him.

Krishna is so merciful that He not only helps His devotees, but also those who are envious of Him. Krishna destroys evil by providing them with an opportunity to take up devotion.

On the greatly auspicious day of Krishna-Janamashtami, let us all pray to Sri Krishna for a drop of His causeless mercy, for only that alone is sufficient to take us out from this material word, back home, back to Godhead.

All glories to the appearance day of Lord Krishna ! All glories to Sri Krishna and His devotees !!

Courtesy of http://www.acbspn.com/festivals/janmastami.htm (2002)

See more on our Janmastami pages http://www.hknet.org.nz/calendar-janmastami.htm

Sweetest Description of Janmastami-lila
from Ananda Vrindavan Champu by Srila Kavi Karnapura
Translated by Bhanu Swami & Subhaga Swami
Published by Mahanidhi Swami

Now we will discuss the truth about the transcendental birthplace of Bhagavan and the appearance of Lord Sri Krishna. Once upon a time, Bhumi, the predominating deity of the earth, felt overburdened by different demons posing as members of the royal order. Feeling aggrieved upon seeing her miserable condition, the lotus-born Brahma appealed to Ksirodakasayi Visnu, the maintainer of the universe, saying, "Please deliver Goddess Bhumi who is feeling greatly distressed by these demoniac kings. Only You can remove this terrible influence from the earth."

The time for an appearance of the Lord coincided with two internal desires of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. First the Lord desired to descend on earth to increase the fortune of Yasoda and Nanda. Also at that time Krishna wanted to relish the sweet mellow of smgara rasa (paramour love) while enacting His worldly pastimes. For these two reasons the Lord appeared within the material creation on Bhuloka, (earth planet), along with His parents, friends, and other eternal associates.

Another distinction of Lord Krishna's earthly pastimes is that when the eternally liberated gopis such as Srimati Radharani, Candravali, and others appeared, the Srutis personified also appeared in the homes of other gopis, because they had previously cultivated the desire to serve Sri Krishna as Vraja gopis. The Dandakaranya sages, upon seeing the svakiya bhava (the sweet conjugal relationship) of Lord Ramacandra and Sitadevi, desired to have the same relationship with their Lord Madana Gopala. Upon attaining perfection in their sadhana they achieved the fortunate position of appearing as gopis in Vrindavan. Yogamaya, Lord Krishna's pastime potency who possesses unlimited abilities, appeared invisibly in Gokula to arrange this, and perform other difficult tasks on behalf of the Lord.

Sri Nanda, Yasoda, and others appeared in Brhadvana (Mahavana) before the Lord. The gopas, gopis, and other eternally liberated associates appeared after the Lord. Then those who had attained perfection by sadhana, namely the sruti-caris and muni-caris, took birth in Vrindavan.

Learning of Krishna's imminent appearance, the earth personified, feeling like a wife happily greeting her husband after a long separation, immersed in unlimited joy. At the time of Krishna's birth the general mass of people tasted the inner bliss that devotees forever relish. Auspicious signs abounded everywhere. As Visnu's conchshell Pancajanya opens in a clockwise fashion, similarly, auspicious sacrificial fires glowed in all directions. Pure gentle breezes brought a refreshing coolness like devotees who satisfy and sanctify everyone with their calm, sweet, and affectionate behavior.

The whole atmosphere became as completely purified as the heart of a devotee. The devotees once again found peace and prosperity in worshiping the lotus feet of Lord Hari. Fruits filled the jubilant trees. But the envious demons exhibited various inauspicious signs of degradation such as rapidly aging bodies and symptoms of imminent death. The desire vines of the celestial denizens seemed to be hanging in the air as if eager to produce fruits. At that time all the directions became felt as pure and joyful as the mind of a devotee who has received the mercy of Lord Hari. Just as gems, mantras, or medicines can a remove a poisonous disease from the body of a man, the advent of the Lord relieved the world from the contamination of material existence and the sinful effect of the demons. Happiness gradually replaced the distress in everyone's hearts.

The bodies of all creatures manifested extraordinary beauty and youthful vitality. Men felt extremely joyful and displayed virtuous qualities. Throughout the world people behaved cordially and interacted amicably. Happiness twinkled in everyone's eye. At the end of Dvapara-yuga, which completely destroys faults and doubts, an auspicious, favorable, obstacle-free time appeared on the eighth day of the waning moon in Bhadra month. Just at that sweet moment the Rohini Naksatra, along with the good qualities of the moon and an auspicious conjunction of stars called Ayusman, appeared in the sky to give shelter to gentle persons.

As the living entity comes out from the womb of his mother and the moon appears on the lap of the eastern direction, Yogesvara Sri Krishna, the personification of complete bliss, appeared amidst great festivities. As the moon appears in the lap of the eastern direction, which is like a beautiful bride, Krishna manifested the wonderful pastime of His appearance out of His love and compassion for the conditioned souls.

Due to austerities performed in previous lives, Vasudeva and Devaki received the opportunity to momentarily relish parental affection for Lord Sri Krishna when He appeared before them in His form as Vasudeva. Thereafter in fear of Kamsa, Vasudeva brought Vasudeva Krishna to Gokula. There the Supreme Lord appeared as Govinda before Nanda and Yasoda, His eternal parents who have been smothering Him with the sweetest form of parental love since time immemorial. The four symbols of Visnu (sankha, cakra, gada, padmd) adorned His hands and feet. The flute, flower garland, and kaustubha mani, although present within Him, had not yet manifested.

In fear of cruel Kamsa, Vasudeva decided to transfer all his wives except Devaki to Gokula. He sent Rohini to the house of Vrajaraja Nanda. By the sweet will of the Lord, Yogamaya arranged for the seventh child of  Devaki (Balarama) to enter the womb of Rohini. As a result, Balarama appeared in the home of Vrajaraja Nanda before the birth of Krishna.

Lord Hari, who is bliss personified, appeared in the home of Nanda Maharaja, the king of Vrindavan for three reasons: to engage the self satisfied sages in devotional service, to please the devotees by performing sweet transcendental pastimes, and to relieve the earth's burden caused by the demons. At the time of His majestic birth Krishna employed His inconceivable powers to appear in a body of eternity, bliss and knowledge. Everyone in the maternity room swelled with joy upon seeing the Lord's exquisite transcendental form that looked like a creeper of beauty.

Mother Yasoda resembled a lake of spiritual ecstasy in which a brilliant blue lotus of personified bliss had appeared. Neither the wind nor the bees relished the fragrance of that blue lotus. That unborn lotus was never touched by the waves of the modes of nature. Even Lord Brahma could not see it, what to speak of ordinary men.

After Yasoda and her family members fell asleep in the maternity room, Hari cried beautifully like a newborn baby. His crying sounded like the maha-vakya omkara announcing the auspicious arrival of His pastimes. Omkara is a transcendental vibration that had previously emanated from the mouth of Lord Brahma. When the ladies of Vrindavan heard the sweet sound of Krishna's crying, they woke up and ran to see the Lord. With the mellow of their matchless overflowing affection they anointed His body.

The natural fragrance of Krishna's body smelled just like musk. After the ladies bathed Krishna hi sweet ambrosia, He looked cleansed and beautiful. Then they smeared His body with fragrant sandalwood pulp. The presiding deity of the house sent a campaka flower resembling the flame of a lamp into the maternity room to worship that ornament of the three worlds. With the strength of His little arms, delicate as the tender leaves of a tree, Krishna made all the lamps in the maternity room look like a garland of lotus flower buds.

The ladies of Vrindavan saw baby Krishna like a blossoming flower made of the best of blue sapphires, or like a newly unfurled leaf of a tamala tree. Krishna looked like a fresh rain cloud decorated with the musk tilaka of the goddess of fortune of the three worlds. The ointment of the greatest auspiciousness lined His eyes. His presence filled the maternity room with good fortune. Although a mere baby, Krishna had a head full of curly hair. To hide the unique signs on His hands (goad, fish, conch etc.) the Lord folded His delicate petal-like fingers into His lotus palm. At that time Krishna laid on His back with His eyes closed.

Mother Yasoda awoke amidst the joyous chattering of the elderly gopis. Leaning over the bed she admired her gorgeous son. But upon noticing her own reflection on Krishna's body, she imagined it another woman. Thinking that a witch had assumed her form to kidnap Krishna, Yasoda became bewildered and yelled, "Get out of here! You go away!" Spontaneously she cried out to Nrsimhadeva to protect her precious son. Beholding Krishna's tender face, Yasoda showered tears of affection that looked like an offering of a pearl necklace.

Yasoda saw Krishna's body as a mound of dark blue musk, softer than the butter churned from the milk ocean. Overflowing with nectar, His charming body appeared like the foam of milk, but being dark blue in color it seemed the foam was full of musk juice. Admiring the supremely delicate form of her son, Yasoda worried about His safety and feared the touch of her body might hurt his tender body.

As she leaned over the bed Yasoda bathed Krishna with the milk dripping from her breasts. The elderly gopis instructed Yasoda how to caress the baby in her lap, and affectionately push the nipple of her breast into Krishna's mouth to feed Him. Due to Yasoda's intense love, personified bliss flowed from her breasts as steady streams of milk. When milk sometimes spilled out of Krishna's bimba fruit red lips onto His cheeks, Mother Yasoda would wipe His face with the edge of her cloth. After feeding her son, Yasoda gazed affectionately at Him in wonder.

She saw her child's body as made of dazzling blue sapphires. His mouth resembled a red bimba fruit and His hands and feet looked like exquisite rubies. Krishna's nails shone like precious gems. In this way, Yasoda thought her child was completely made of jewels. Then she perceived that His naturally reddish lips looked like bandhuka flowers, His hands and feet resembled Java flowers, His nails looked like maJlika flowers. Yasoda then thought, "Krishna's whole body seems to be made of blue lotus flowers. He does not appear to be mine." After thus deliberating within herself Yasoda became stunned in amazement.

The beautiful, soft curly hairs on the right side of Krishna's chest resembled the tender stems of a lotus. Seeing the mark of Srivatsa on His chest, Yasoda thought it was breast milk that had previously spilled out of His mouth. She tried unsuccessfully to remove these 'milk stains' with the edge of her cloth. Struck with wonder, Yasoda thought this must be the sign of a great personality. Observing the sign of Laksmi (a small golden line) on the left side of Krishna's chest, Yasoda thought a small yellow bird had made a nest amidst the leaves of a tamala tree. Could this be a streak of lightning resting on a rain cloud, or could it be the golden streaks marking a black gold-testing stone? Krishna's delicate, leaf-like hands and feet, glowing pink like the rising sun, looked like clusters of lotus flowers floating in the Yamuna.

Sometimes Yasoda saw the curly, dark blue locks of baby Krishna as a swarm of bumblebees surrounding His face. Intoxicated from drinking too much honey nectar, the bees just hovered in the sky. His thick, beautiful blue hair appeared like the dark night. The two lotus eyes of Krishna looked like a pair of blue lotus buds. His cheeks resembled two huge bubbles floating in a lake of liquefied blue sapphires. Krishna's attractive ears looked like a pair of fresh unfurled leaves growing on a blue creeper.

The tip of Krishna's dark nose appeared like the sprout of a tree, and His nostrils looked like bubbles in the Yamuna River, the daughter of the sun god. His lips resembled a pair of red Java flower buds. Krishna's chin rivaled a pair of ripe, redjambu fruits. Seeing the extraordinary beauty of her son fulfilled the purpose of her eyes and submerged Yasoda in an ocean of bliss. The elderly Vrajavasi ladies addressed Vrajaraja Nanda, "O most fortunate one, you fathered a son!" Previously Nanda Maharaja had felt deeply aggrieved over his long-standing inability to obtain a son. His heart was like a small lake that had completely dried up during a long hot summer. But when Nanda Maharaja heard of his son's birth he felt as if the dry lake of his heart had been blessed with a sudden downpour of nectar. The gentle sound of Krishna's voice removed all his grief and lamentation. Now he bathed in the rains of bliss, swam in the ocean of nectar, and felt embraced by the joyful stream of the celestial Ganges.

Eager to see his son, Nanda's body thrilled with astonishment and waves of ecstasy as he stood outside the maternity room. Because he had accumulated heaps of pious activities, it appeared that the King of Vrindavan was now shaking hands with the personification of pious deeds. Anxiously standing in the background, Yogamaya induced Nanda Maharaja to enter the maternity room. He rushed in to see his son, the personified seed of condensed bliss. It seemed that all the auspiciousness of the three worlds now resided within Krishna, the original cause of everything. Nanda saw his son as a perfectly charming person. The kajala around Krishna's eyes looked like lines on a black creeper of beauty. As the very embodiment of Nanda's good fortune, Sri Krishna bloomed like a beautiful flower in a garden of desire trees.

The aparajita flower is compared to the body of the Queen of Vrindavan. Her son is like the representative of the Upanisads that are compared to the fruit of the desire creepers. By seeing his glorious son Nanda felt that he had attained happiness, perfection, and the fulfillment of all his desires. Meeting that embodiment of bliss overwhelmed Nanda with immeasurable satisfaction. He stood motionless, stunned; his hair stood erect and tears flowed from his eyes. He appeared like a person carved in stone or a figure drawn in a painting. For some time Nanda Maharaja remained in this semi-conscious state like a sleeping man about to awaken.

Upananda, Sunanda, and other relatives felt extremely joyful while observing the best ofbrahmanas perform the rites of purification for Krishna's birth. To insure his son's welfare Nanda Maharaja donated newborn calves to each and every brahmana, thus turning their homes into abodes of surabhi cows. These cows had gold and silver plated horns and hooves, and jeweled necklaces adorning their necks. In addition, Vrajapati Nanda filled the courtyards of their homes with hills of gold, jewels, and sesame seeds. While Nanda distributed charity, the kamadhenus, touch- stones, and desire-trees lost their power to produce valuable items. Even the jewel-producing oceans lost their stock of jewels, and the goddess of fortune, the abode of lotuses, had but one lotus in her hand. The auspicious news of Krishna's wonderful appearance spread in all directions by word of mouth. Delight danced in the hearts of Nanda, his brothers Upananda and Sunanda, and all the other gopas. The gopas brought many varieties of delicious dairy products such as milk, yogurt, butter, wet cheese, and hard cheese in jewel-studded pots. The pots were tied to the ends of bamboo poles with jute straps and carried on their shoulders. Bedecked with many precious jeweled ornaments, the gopas appeared very handsome. They dressed in beautiful yellow cloth defeating the brilliance of lightning, and held staffs topped with gold and jewels in their lotus hands. As a great ocean spreads its waves in all directions, the birth of Krishna filled the Vrajavasis with unbounded bliss. The gopas and gopis enjoyed a grand festival by happily eating and by splashing each other's bodies with a mixture of yogurt, butter, milk, and condensed milk. The society girls visiting Nanda Maharaja's house experienced more happiness than they had ever felt since their birth. Their minds saturated with joy and satisfaction. Hearing the delightful description of Krishna's birth carried away the chariots of their minds and made them abandon all other duties. They became possessed with the desire to see Krishna.

Sparkling rubies hung from the necklaces adorning the society girls. Their diamond-studded armlets shown more beautifully than drops of crystal clear water. Their jewel inlaid golden bangles boasted unparalleled elegance. For this unique festival they took out some highly ornamental waist-belts from their jewel boxes and tied them around their hips. The sweet jingling of the waist-bells resting on their broad hips enhanced the beauty of these society girls. They attracted the minds of everyone with their bulky golden anklets, loosened hair braids, and graceful gait, which resembled the smooth gliding of swans. Their minds entered a state of enchantment as they gazed upon the captivating beauty of Krishna's transcendental body. To worship Krishna they brought golden trays full of auspicious articles such as fruits, flowers, yogurt, durva grass, uncooked rice, and jewel bedecked lamps. They covered the offering plates with splendid yellow silk cloth and held them in their soft lotus hands. Their jeweled ankle-bells vibrated pleasantly as they walked.

Beholding the astounding beauty of the delicate baby, the society girls considered the purpose of their eyes fulfilled. They perceived Krishna's perfect birth to be like the appearance of the leaves of an important herbal medicine. Krishna resembled a blue lotus floating hi the lake of His parent's affection. After bestowing their blessings for Krishna's prosperity, they worshiped Krishna with fresh flowers and a constant shower of loving glances. With great enthusiasm the society girls glorified Vrajesvari Yasoda since she had attained the essence of all good fortune by having Krishna as her son. Leaving the maternity room, the society girls entered the assembly hall of Nanda Maharaja's palace. Their faces looked exceedingly beautiful as they sung melodious songs, which resembled the soft sweet humming of bees moving amidst a cluster of lotus flowers. All the guests bathed in a nectar shower produced by these soothing sounds. Overwhelmed with love, they filled then- lotus palms with fragrant oil, turmeric paste, and fresh butter and started smearing each other's faces and bodies. They looked very attractive with then* smiling faces and glittering white teeth.

Then: red lips seemed more beautiful than red bandhuka flowers. This incredible display of elegance smashed the pride of the goddess of fortune of the three worlds. Carried away with joy over Krishna's birth, they fearlessly threw cheese balls, butter, and yogurt at each other. One could mistake the white balls of cheese for hailstones, solidified moonlight, or white mud from the floor of the milk ocean. Then they showered each other with buttermilk, aromatic oils, and water mixed with turmeric.

Cymbals, damru drums, bherries, and big drums vibrated auspicious sounds hi specific melodies. A celestial concert of precise poetical meters, proper rhythms, and metrical compositions suddenly manifested there. The musical ensemble inspired the society girls to sing and dance in mirth and merriment. Though not good singers, by the will of the Lord they sang with great virtuoso. Then" wonderful songs filled Nanda Maharaja's heart with joy. The combined vibrations of brahmanas' chanting Vedic hymns, the recitation of Purank lore, and the panegyrists' prayers transformed the ethers into sabda brahman,

The joy of Krishna's birth celebration taxed the drains of Nanda's capital city as they swelled to the brim with milk, yogurt, and other auspicious liquids. Soon rivers of this nectar flooded the streets of the town and permeated the entire atmosphere with a sweet fragrance. Disguising themselves as birds, the demigods descended to Vrajapura to happily drink the flood of nectar. The Vrajavasis decorated their cows with gold and jeweled ornaments. Then in great excitement they smeared them with oil, fresh butter, and turmeric paste. Beholding Krishna in their hearts, these fortunate cows looked like the essence of the earth's auspicious-ness. The whole world resounded with their jubilant bellowing. Absorbed in the ecstasy of Krishna's birth, they forgot about eating and drinking.

The festival drowned the gopis in an ocean of joy. After offering oil, vermilion, garlands, and utensils in charity to all the assembled gopis, Rohini, the wife of Vasudeva, asked them to bless Krishna, Upon completion of the sacrifice, Upananda and the other relatives felt constant happiness while taking their baths. Keeping the King of Vrindavan in the front, Nanda's relatives offered opulent cloth, jeweled ornaments, tambula, garlands, and sandalwood pulp to the guests. Then they humbly requested all in attendance to bless that wonderfully auspicious boy who had just appeared in Vrindavan.

Hare Krishna!

"O Lord, You are the personification of all religion. Therefore You manifest Yourself in three millenniums, and thus You protect this universe, which consists of animate and inanimate beings. By Your grace, which is of pure goodness and is the bestower of all blessings, kindly drive away the elements of rajas and tamas for the sake of the demigods and twice-born."

"'The transcendental form of Krsna is shown to the world by Lord Krsna's internal, spiritual energy, which is a transformation of pure goodness. This jewellike form is the most confidential treasure of the devotees. This form is manifested from Krsna's eternal pastimes.'"

"`When devotional service is executed on the transcendental platform of pure goodness, it is like a sun-ray of love for Krsna. At such a time, devotional service causes the heart to be softened by various tastes, and one is then situated in bhava [emotion].'"
Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 23.5

"Simply by appreciating the Vaisnavas you can go back home back to Godhead."- Srila Prabhupada

If you study what Srila Prabhupada has given us then it's nothing but appreciation. Right from Mangala Arotik, Narsingha Prayers, Tulsi Arati upto Prema Dhvani prayers it's nothing but appreciation. One should always appreciate his spiritual master, whenever he meets him.

How does appreciation help us in our Spiritual life?

We can strengthen our relationships with devotees by appreciation. Appreciation is an art, which should be practiced privately and exhibited publicly. We find in the Caitanya Caritamrta that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is always appreciating the devotees and the others relish hearing this appreciation.  We can judge how much we have advanced in spiritual life based on how much we relish other devotees being appreciated.

We are working so hard to please Krishna and the best and easiest way to please Krishna is by appreciating His devotees. Krishna's love for His devotees is beyond compare. Which master agrees to become a chariot driver of his servant? Which master does not reject his servant, inspite of being abused and rejected again and again? Krishna has been accompanying us for millions of lifetimes in the form of the Paramatma, though we have not only been neglecting Him but also abusing Him, envious of Him and trying to usurp His Supreme Position.

A couple of incidents display Srila Prabhupada's compassion and his art of appreciating even the minutest of details. Once a sanyasi sent back his danda along with a letter mentioning that he could no longer continue in the sanyasa ashram. Srila Prabhupada appreciated the fallen sanyasi for his sincerity in sending the danda back.

On another occasion, there was this lady who would always visit the temple in the weird of dresses and the weirdest of hairdo. The brahmacaris tried to explain to her about her style of dressing but to no avail. When she was severely reprimanded by the temple leader, she decided never to sit the temple again. One day she heard that Srila Prabhupada was visiting the temple. She decided to visit the temple for the last time, because she always had a desire to meet Srila Prabhupada. When she reached the temple Srila Prabhupada was about to start the class. When she entered with her weird dress and hairdo, Srila Prabhupada glanced at her and to the surprise of the local devotees, said `You look very beautiful today.' She was dumbfounded and amazed at Srila Prabhupada's compassion. She understood that Srila Prabhupada was not looking at her body, but at her soul. At that instant she decided that henceforth she would dress up in proper vaisnava attire.

Devotees appreciate because they see that quality in the devotee and when a devotee is appreciated, he understands that the devotees expect him to become like that.

His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur would regularly carry out this exercise with his disciples whenever they quarreled. He would seat the quarreling devotees in his presence and ask them to appreciate each other. He would ask them to appreciate genuinely and not to flatter. The quality should actually be present in the devotee. Thus when the devotee would probe into the other devotee's character, he would find that there are so many good things in that devotee and that there was no need to quarrel.

We also have the classic case of H.G.Jayananda Prabhu, who would always treat everybody equally. He never saw their background or their negative qualities. He had the knack of engaging all kinds of people in devotional service.

As one spiritual master said `it's an act of cruelty if a devotee does not appreciate another devotee.'

One devotee has shown us how to act when another devotee is criticized in our presence. Whenever anybody comes to him criticizing a particular devotee, he will immediately start glorifying that particular devotee's good qualities. This would not only silence the criticizing devotee but even he would end up appreciating that devotee. Only one in a superior position can criticize another devotee. Like a spiritual master criticizing his disciple. This is for the disciple's benefit. A relationship develops by starting with appreciation.

Like they say in the school of Psychology, ` In a positive environment, a marginal performer's output goes up. In a negative environment, a good performer's output goes down.' So let's create a positive environment by appreciating the devotees around us, so that we can please the Supreme Positive - Krishna.

Usually we get to hear the good qualities of a devotee only after he has departed from this material world, especially during the sraddhanjali ceremony. At that stage we lament for not having associated properly with that devotee. Let's not wait till the sraddhanjali ceremony - LET'S START APPRECIATING FROM TODAY ITSELF.

[Based on the discussions held in the councilor's meeting in Pune 2003]
http://newpanihati.tripod.com/NewsGroup/KCNectar/KCNectar103001.htm
---------------------------------------------------------------
Appreciating Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:

Excerpt from Srila  A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's disciples Vyaasa-puja homage 1986

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svaminn iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

Dear Srila Prabhupada,
Another year has passed, and it is again time for the anniversary of your most auspicious appearance day. This year is especially significant because all year the devotees have been celebrating your Centennial. By your mercy, this year we are all trying to stay more focused on spreading your glories to every country, town, and village. Your International Society for Krishna Consciousness is known practically everywhere, but you were such a humble servant of the Lord that, unlike so many other so-called gurus, you never promoted yourself for name, fame, wealth, and following. Others put themselves up on high pedestals, but you never took any credit for yourself; instead, you would say it was all the mercy of your spiritual master and Krsna. You were bold and forceful for guru and Krsna, not for your own aggrandizement; this is what distinguishes you from so many others. You are the true Jagat-guru, the spiritually empowered world acarya.

 It is said that Krsna is more pleased when His pure devotee is glorified, and we can see that He is making all arrangements to establish you in a pre-eminent position. Your disciples and grand-disciples have been working very hard over the last few years assisting the Lord in this endeavor. Many prominent people, even in Western countries, where they are very averse to praising anyone other than themselves, have come forward in appreciation, some very spontaneously. Recently one very well known critic in Australia, who for years had been making fun of the Hare Krsna movement, announced to his radio audience that A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami was the only one he considered a genuine guru out of so many. We saw a film that showed the chief minister of India’s Maharashtra state calling out "Prabhupada ki jaya! Prabhupada ki jaya! Prabhupada ki jaya!" after a speech he gave to thirty thousand people. Mayors in New Zealand have planted trees and put up plaques in your honor. We have made dioramas, arranged photo exhibits, shown films, and given lectures and speeches describing your great spiritual leadership and qualities. Western and Eastern academics are appreciating more than ever your unparalleled literary contribution. Still we should never be satisfied until A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada has become a household name all over the world. This may happen overnight, or it may take many lifetimes; it is all up to the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the desire of your disciples, granddisciples, and future generations of disciples.

Everyone in this world is after some sort of fame, although it is temporary and fickle. But because you are such a surrendered servant of the Lord, fame will follow you for unlimited thousands of years. Even the demigods in the higher planetary systems must be astounded at what you have accomplished in a comparatively short time. Your achievements have brought together devotees and will ultimately unify the universe! This is not an exaggeration: what can a great acarya not accomplish? If one simply has faith in guru and Krsna, then not only can Kali-yuga be controlled, but everyone can cross over the ocean of Kali and his agents very easily and go back home, back to Godhead.

 You are the compassion representative of the most compassionate Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and all the Panca-tattva. We can see that they are manifesting their mercy through you and your followers all over the world. Who else has given so much without wanting anything in return? Generally everyone wants to take and take without much consideration for giving, but you gave us more than we could ever offer you in return. One special quality in you that I always noticed was your ability to engage practically anyone in devotional service, even those who some of your disciples thought were completely "out of it." You are so kind, Srila Prabhupada, that you are still engaging multitudes of living entities even after your disappearance from our vision. Let there be no doubt that it is through your movement that this is going on. You once said that there is no difference between yourself and your movement. If all of us can just remain strong, sincere, and fixed in our determination to always serve you and your mission, then the desire of Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda, and all Their associates will surely be fulfilled. You once said in Australia that sincerity was not enough: one had to be strong in one’s spiritual principles as well. We have to pray to you, Srila Prabhupada, to give us that strength, and we have to try very hard to please you. If we think "Is Prabhupada pleased by this activity?" or "How would Prabhupada have done this?", then this is the proper consciousness for a disciple.

 As far as I am concerned—well, what can I say? I am not much of a disciple. I think the only thing for me is to follow your real disciples. It is only through your mercy manifested through them and their kindness that I am still hanging around somehow or other. There are not enough letters in the alphabet or words in the dictionary to properly glorify you, Srila Prabhupada. This year we see a strong spirit to rally, combine together, and try our best to push this Krsna consciousness movement even to the remotest regions of the world. By your mercy, it will happen.

Your fallen servant,
Ramai Swami
http://home.earthlink.net/~jagadish/vyasa/RamaiS.html
 
 

About 500 years back there was a king Raghvendra Ray in Bengal. His son was Chand Ray who became a defamed murderer & robber. His entertainment was to torture & murder people. He had very big army of more than 5000 horses & men involved in attacks, violence, rapes & all abominable acts. People even avoided to hear about him & he even surpassed Jagai/Madhai in the sinful activities. He was a devotee of Goddess Durga & used to offer her thousands of animals in sacrifice.

But later on he was possessed by a brahmin ghost who tortured him from within & without. He used to just keep rolling on the ground suffering miserably & no one could help him. The father out of compassion for the son tried all the possible options to relieve him from that condition & finally an astrologer suggested that he can be relieved only with the help of a great devotee named Narottamdas Thakur. So this king sent message to Narottamdas Thakur, but it never reached him.

Finally when the son was on the verge of death he cried for Goddess Durga & she appeared "I have never accepted any offerings from you & I am consort of Lord Shiva (the topmost Vaishnava). So the only hope for u is to take shelter of Lord Krishna. Only thru His devotee Narottamdas Thakur can you approach Him".

Narottamdas Thakur received the message & began to pray to Lord Chaitanya for His mercy & guidance. Lord appeared, "there is no problem for me to deliver anyone thru you, so kindly initiate him with the name Krishnadas".

So Narottamdas Thakur traveled there & reached near the body of Chand Ray. Seeing Narottamdas Thakur the ghost began to speak, "please deliver me from this most abominable body & let me take a birth in the village of Kheturi". So he was delivered & Chand Ray surrendered himself at the lotus feet of Narottamdas Thakur.

Narottamdas Thakur instructed him in the science of Krishna consciousness & initiated him to chant the Holy Names. So Chand Ray went with Narottamdas Thakur along with all his associates. Later Chand Ray came back with saintly qualities back to his kingdom & seeing this opportunity an envious king attacked him & arrested him to collect taxes from him. He even beat him up & imprisoned him underground till death. Seeing this helpless condition of the son father offered rewards to anyone who can rescue him from the prison. One mystic accepted the offer & thru his mystical tricks he reached the prison cell underground to Chand Ray. He told Chand Ray to go out from the mystical way chanting one particular mantra of Kali, Chand Ray replied in anger, "get out of here. My spiritual master has rescued me from this miserable world & you want to entangle me again. I deserve much more that what I am suffering now. just go & tell my father that my only anxiety is the separation from my spiritual master - Narottamdas Thakur."

Then Chand Ray was to be trampled under an elephant, but somehow he just opened his hands & pulled out the trunk of the elephant making the elephant dead. Seeing this the surprised king asked from where did he get this power & Chand Ray replied, "my spiritual master has saved me & it is only his powers to protect me in all these days without any food or water". Hearing this even that envious king also surrendered himself to Narottamdas Thakur.

(From a lecture by H H Radhanath Swami Maharaj)

from Sridama prabhu CHCH

Take a mini-pilgrimage to Mathura and Vrindavan on-line - you will not be disappointed:
http://www.vrindavan-dham.com/general.php

The wonders of Vraja Mandala Parikrama
http://www.touruniversal.com/

Take a Transcendental Pilgrimage here to many sacred places
http://www.vaisnava.cz/index_en.php3

Sacred places in India
http://www.vaisnava.cz/ind_en.html

Where to stay in Sri Vrindavan Dham?

(MVT) Mayapur  - Vrindavan Trust Guest House
http://www.mvtindia.com/mvt.htm
MVT - Bhaktivedanta Ashram, Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg,
Raman Reti, Vrindavana - 281 124 (U.P.) INDIA
Tel: (0091)-565-2540050, 2540078, 2540079
Fax: (0091)-565-2540073

Dhananjaya dasa ACBSP
email: mvt@pamho.net

Sadhana Kunj Guest House (beside MVT)
Raman Reti, Vrindavan Dham 281 124

ph: 0091 - 565 2540670

Madhu Kanta dasa
e-mail: Sadhana.kunj.Mkd@pamho.net
e-mail: onkarnathdas@sancharnet.in

Pictures of Prabhupad in Australia and Indonesia:
http://www.iskcon.net/gauranga/ppad.htm

taken by Amogha prabhu ACBSP

Prabhupad photo gallery - US:
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/srila_prabhupada_photo_gallery.htm
compiled by Srinandanandana prabhu ACBSP

Prabhupad in Vrindavan picture Gallery
http://www.vrindavan-dham.com/prabhupada-vrindavan.php

Krishna Balaram temple and huge amount of links to all Vrindavan sites
http://www.vrindavan-dham.com/iskcon/

Krishna Balaram mandir Festival Photo galleries
http://www.vrindavan.com/darshan/albums.php

Mayapur Vrindavan Trust - Vrindavan
http://www.mvtindia.com/

Mayapur Chandradoya mandir - Festival etc 2005
http://www.mayapur.info/

http://64.28.101.188/iskcon_mayapur/iskcon_mayapur.html

European Krishna conscious festivals - photo galleries:
http://www.bharatavarsa.net/Gallery/albums.php

Foto galleries of Latino America with Rasananda Swami
http://www.rasanandaswami.com.br/fotos.htm

Picture galleries from India - totally wonderful
http://www.touruniversal.com/album/india.htm

Krishna conscious instructive dramas - plays:
http://www.cedarpost.com/krsnaconsciousplays/TableOfContents.htm

"Glory to the Sri Krishna Samkirtan which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years together. Thus the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death, is extinguished. The Samkirtan Movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction Moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge, it increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it helps us to have a taste of the full nectar for which we are always anxious."

(Every Town & Village, album cover)

On-line Virtual Arati to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai - check it out
http://www.in2-mec.com/GNpuja.html

http://www.hknet.org.nz/harernam-page.htm
http://Harinam/rulestheweb.com

What's So Special About Chanting Hare Krishna?
By Stephen Knapp (Sri Nandanandan dasa ACBSP):
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/chanting_hare_krishna.htm

Hare Krishna is NOT "a Cult":
Is ISKCON a Cult or part of the "Hindu Culture" or Something Else?
http://www.hknet.org.nz/not-a-cult.html

Hare Krishna is NOT a Cult letter by Kunti dd editor of Hare Krishna World:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/HK-no-cult.html

38 Years of Krishna Consciousness through Iskcon.........
http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa081201a.htm

Very nice articles and numerous links on the About Hinduism web-site.

What is ISKCON ???
http://www.iskcon.org/main/twohk/iskcon/what.htm

Is Iskcon a Cult?
http://www.hknet.org.nz/not-a-cult.html

Iskcon and Hinduism
http://www.hknet.org.nz/IskconHinduism.html

SONGS AND MANTRAS by Vaishnava spiritual masters:
http://web.tiscali.it/no-redirect-tiscali/gopala/Vaishnava-Songs/index.html

Vaishnava Song Book:
http://www.iskcon.org/sastra/f_vs.html
http://www.iskcon.org/sastra/vs_other.html

Vedic Art Publications
http://www.vedicarts.net/catalogmain.html

Listen to or download Prabhupad lectures and bhajans
http://chantandbehappy.com/prabhupada/index.html

Devotional Bhajans and kirtans
http://chantandbehappy.com/bhajans/index.html

Hundreds of devotional songs by various artists - singers - performers - and many more coming soon:
http://www.radiokrishna.com/modules.php?name=NukeView&file=index&query=http://www.radiokrishna.com/rkc_archive_new/index2.php

Download songs
http://www.harekrsna.cz/mp3/folk/

Krishna Vision of Krishna Prema dasa ACBSP Sound Track Vol. 4 samples:
http://www.krisnavision.narod.ru/

Sydney temple Audio page
http://www.iskcon.com.au/Audio.html

Leicester Temple UK Audio page - many bhajans and kirtans
http://www.gauranga.org/audio_page.htm

Listen to Krishna Radio on various subjects on-line:
http://www.krishna.com/newsite/main.php?id=260

Hare Krishna Media Library
http://www.harekrishna.org.au/

Agama Tantra and the Vaishnava Samskaras as a way of life:

Recently I was asked, "Don't you find it an inconvenience to always be checking to see when is the right time to do this or the best time for that?"

In simple terms my answer was and still is; if you go to the bus or railway station or airport it is probably an intelligent venture to enquire about the times and routes of vehicles than to just hope that one will be along soon, or one is going in your direction.

There are subtle influences in the Universe that, for thousands of years gone by, advanced cultures have honoured, respected and utilised. Before the corruption of the Vedik literatures by the Christian and Moslem invaders to India all these things were used; Ayurvedik Medicine; Vedik Astrology; etc. Today there's a rennaisance among many to revive these arts.

We have been trained and studied to be able to provide these services. See some of my sites:

http://www.hknet.org.nz/jtcd-samskaras.html
http://www.iskcon.net/nz-namahatta/jtcd/1-homepage.html

or contact me directly: mailto:jtcd@xtra.co.nz

aham kratur aham yajnah
svadhaham aham ausadham
mantro 'ham aham evajyam
aham agnir aham hutam

"But it is I who am the ritual, I the sacrifice, the offering to the ancestors, the healing herb,
the transcendental chant. I am the butter and the fire and the offering."(Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita 9.16)

Krishna conscious affirmations:

 Always remember Krishna and never forget Him

Join and receive Krishna conscious affirmations:
mailto:Sravana.SPGTSI@pamho.net

By popular demand - Looking for a devotee husband or wife?
&
Marriage Synastry

Devotee Meeting-Place Web site - FREE Service:
http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/devoteesmeet/home.html 

or HERE

BHAKTI YOGA SINGLES:
This list is for Bhakti Yoga singles. Those who practice Bhakti Yoga are known as Vaisnavas.
This list is therefore called Vaisnava Singles.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vaisnavasingles

Post a Message: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vaisnavasingles/post

Vegetarian Singles:
This list is for vegetarian singles. I know it can be difficult to get to know someone. There may not be anyone who can help us to get to know that special someone. We've got the computer now. So signup and start letting people know you're lonely.
Don't keep it a secret any longer.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vegetariansingles

Post a Message:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vegetariansingles/post

Post your singles ads here.
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/devoteesingles

.....think you've found someone special......
Marriage Compatibility Checking - Synastry

For marriage compatibility analysis bookings
http://www.hknet.org.nz/3-synastry.html

For more information about the system of analysis - the Vedik Kuta system
http://www.hknet.org.nz/synastry9page.htm

For more information about Vedik Marriage Compatibility
http://www.hknet.org.nz/MarriageSynastry4U.html

......and the process of Vaishnava Vivaha - sacred marriage

Gurukuli.com
A positive, safe environment to meet and chat
http://youth.rupa.com

BRITish CREW - Gurukuli forum
http://britcrew.com

Young F.O.L.K.
Young Friends Of Lord Krishna
 http://www.hknet.org.nz/YoungFOLK.htm

ete cäàça-kaläù puàsaù
kåñëas tu bhagavän svayam
indräri-vyäkulaà lokaà
måòayanti yuge yuge

“All the lists of the incarnations of Godhead submitted herewith are either plenary expansions or parts of the plenary expansions of the Supreme Godhead, but Kåñëa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.28)

rämädi-mürtiñu kalä-niyamena tiñöhan
nänävatäram akarod bhuvaneñu kintu
kåñëaù svayaà samabhavat paramaù pumän yo
govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi

“I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda [Kåñëa], who is always situated in various incarnations such as Räma, Nåsiàha and many subincarnations as well, but who is the original Personality of Godhead known as Kåñëa, and who incarnates personally also.” (Brahma samhita 5:39.)

Hindu Gods, Goddesses & Devas Wallpaper - 22 different ones, and screensavers too.
http://coolbuddy.com/wallpapers/Religious/hindu_god_home.htm

The Devotee List - Iskcon and Gaudiya math(s):
(It's still being developed, and a lot of devotees are not here......)
http://devotee.s5.com/index.html

Mail box full - over quota - newsletters bouncing.......

Still waiting for an internet company to come forward
and give you a massive mailbox for FREE like it's been rumoured for months.

HELP IS HERE AT LAST.

Tired of that wimpy 2mb mailboxs?  rejecting important emails cause
its always overflowing but still too cheap to spring for a "real" ISP..
No computer but need an email address? Need a stealth email address? Got
a friend who fits that description?... Well here are some other free
options for you. Note that a couple of these offer HUGE 100-200mb mail boxes...

http://www.hotmail.com   ..................2 mb
http://www.yahoo.com ....................4 mb
http://www.freeserve.com ..............5 mb
http://www.myownemail.com ........5 mb
http://www.lycos.com ......................5 mb
 http://www.softhome.net ................6 mb
http://www.bigmailbox.com ...........7 mb
http://mail.uk2.net ...........................10 mb
 http://www.gmx.net
http://www.graffiti.net
http://www.hotpop.com
http://www.mail2world
http://www.mail.com
http://www.mailandnews.com
http://www.mail15.com .................15 mb
http://macnews.de .........................20 mb
http://xms.ms ..................................20 mb
http://balls.com ............................100 mb
http://ukonline.net .......................200 mb

Vedik World Heritage pages

Read enlivening articles
See pictures of exhumed relics
Understand conspirital deceptions...
Join the renaissance to rebuild the Golden Age in the Kali-yuga
Find out about Vedik heritage items all around the world.....

Send in your articles and news:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/VWH.html

See more similar pages and links http://www.hknet.org.nz/VWH.html and http://www.hknet.org.nz/index-Vedik.htm

Vedik Culture list
 mailto:vediculture-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

A selection of interesting Krishna conscious articles from New Panihati - Atlanta temple USA:
http://newpanihati.tripod.com/NewsGroup/KCNectar/KCNectarMain.htm

Paradigms - where things are not all they seem

Krishna conscious Dramas and plays:
A collection of 88 transcendental dramas assembled and presented for the pleasure of
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
http://www.cedarpost.com/krsnaconsciousplays/default.htm

Wonderful modern Krishna conscious plays:
http://www.cedarpost.com/krsnaconsciousplays/TableOfContents.htm

These are great for Sunday feasts, or school programs or street presentations, or just for our own understanding.

Read here what Prabhupad says about such plays and dramas:
http://www.cedarpost.com/krsnaconsciousplays/PlaysP2SPquotes.htm

Hare Krsna!

In the download section of my website  http://tinyurl.com/9er95 you will find a copy of Ganguly's complete English translation of the Mahabharata (originally in 13 hardback volumes) in HTML format. It is in a 7.5 MB zipped file.

The Mahabharata explains by example how Lord Krsna's Vedic culture and Varnashrama Dharma are meant to work. Where the Manu Smriti is a concise book of laws for Mankind the Mahabharata shows how those laws are applied. The Mahabharata along with the Ramayana have been the main foundation for the continuation of Vedic culture because they are easily accessible to the masses. The Mahabharata was actually written for the unfortunate people of the Kali Yuga to help uplift them. A close study of the Mahabharata and Ramayana in conjunction with the Manu Samhita would serve as a good guide on how to implement Varnashrama Dharma. And, in conjunction with the Srimad Bhagavatam, insight into Daivi Varnashrama Dharma. The Mahabharata is thus an essential text for anyone interested in implementing VAD.

The Mahabharata is a vast treasure house of Brahminical knowledge and as the Mahabharat itself says: "What is found in the Mahabharata may be found in other texts; whatever is not found in the Mahabharata is not found anywhere."

You will also find a PDF copy  of a canto of Agnivesa's Caraka Samhita (an Ayurvedic text) entitled Sarirasthana, a fascinating account of how the body is formed starting with philosophical details, conception, karmic details, embryology etc. I once gave this text to an obstetrician to read while she was waiting to see me and she was astounded at how much knowledge was contained in such an ancient text. Size 14 MB

Yours faithfully,

Shyamasundara Dasa

http://www.ShyamasundaraDasa.com
"krsnas tu bhagavan svayam"

The Formidable Audio page - Bhajans, Kirtans, Lectures many Iskcon devotees:
http://www.iskcon.com.au/Audio.html

and

Bhajans and Kirtans
http://chantandbehappy.com/bhajans/index.html

and

Download latest Real Player for Free:
http://software-dl.real.com/22e4968a89f121132020/windows/mrkt/AUN03D/RealOnePlayerV2GOLD.exe

Listen to audio and view videos on-line here:
http://www.prabhupada.org/prabhupadadesh/a_deposito_oggetti/Archivio_Audio-Video/index.php?q=t&t=EN
http://www.prabhupada.org/prabhupadadesh/a_deposito_oggetti/Archivio_Audio-Video/index.php?q=f&f=%2FAudio
There's literally hundreds of bhajans, kirtans and videos segments to check out.............try all the folders too.......

Nectar for kids and adults alike:
http://www.rasa-music.com/Bodies/body-shop.html

...........more Audio sites linked HERE

Topical Articles:
Abortion - http://www.hknet.org.nz/index-abortion.htm
Genetic Engineering ( GE or GM ) - http://www.hknet.org.nz/GE.html
Environment - http://www.hknet.org.nz/Environment.htm
Encroachment - http://www.hknet.org.nz/WE-Day2004.html
Cloning - http://www.hknet.org.nz/cloning.htm
Science - http://www.hknet.org.nz/science2KC.html
Cow Protection - http://www.hknet.org.nz/Cow-protection.htm
The Four Regulative Principles of Freedom - http://www.hknet.org.nz/Regs-4page.htm
seX-files - http://www.hknet.org.nz/seX-files.htm
Mundane Knowledge - http://www.hknet.org.nz/mundaneknowledge.html
Death (Yamaduttas - Terminal Restlessness etc)- http://www.hknet.org.nz/death.html
Near Death Experience - http://www.hknet.org.nz/NDE.htm
Ghosts - http://www.hknet.org.nz/ghosts.htm
Reincarnation again here - http://www.hknet.org.nz/Reincarnation-page.htm
Gain some insights in the TV culture  - http://www.hknet.org.nz/television.html
The aweful Truth about softdrinks - http://www.hknet.org.nz/theREALthing.html
Changing the face of the Earth - http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1390/index.html
UFOs - http://www.hknet.org.nz/UFOs.html
Vegetarianism & Beyond - http://turn.to/Vegetarianism
Articles for newcomers to Krishna consciousness - http://www.krishna.com/newsite/main.php?id=87
Self Help and Motivational pages - Deals and Affiliate programs: - http://www.hknet.org.nz/index-selfhelp.html
Myth of the Aryan invasion by Dr. David Frawley: - http://www.hknet.org.nz/Aryan-invasion-mythDF.html

The Peace Formula - (By HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) http://www.hknet.org.nz/PeaceFormula.html

.........many other articles - http://www.hknet.org.nz/index-articles.htm

and from there go to the Main Index http://www.hknet.org.nz/index.htm

Iskcon News Articles now available - many topical insights
http://www.iskcon.com/new/index.html

Divyajnana news: Earth welfare organization receives assurances: intervention expected
http://www.deltaflow.com/?p=53

(by Jayadvaita Swami)

New York. The delegation of demigods that sought out Lord Visnu earlier this week to plead the case of Bhumi, the earth welfare organization, has received assurances of his help, sources close to the delegation said today. Precisely what sort of help he has offered is not yet known. The assurances seem to have been given personally to Lord Brahma, the head of the delegation, in a highly confidential message. Brahma then informed the other demigods.

“It was sort of mystical”, a returning delegate told a reporter for DNS. From publicly available documents, Lord Visnu is known to live on an island in the milk ocean. “… and we were all just standing there on the shore”, the delegate said. “No ferry, no helicopter, nothing. So, we just stood there on the shore and, what else could we do, we prayed.”

“Brahma meditated for a while, time passed, nothing happened. And then, all of a sudden Brahma said he got a message. Beats me how he got it. With Visnu you never know. You stand there with nothing, and the next thing you know, you’ve got the whole package.”

Highly confidential information in the message, the delegate said, convinced him that the message was authentic. No specifics of the message have been made available to the press. A spokesman for the delegated said only that Lord Visnu had promised: “some sort of intervention”. In response to a plea by Bhumi, the earth welfare organization, the delegation had gone to seek help in countering an alleged pattern of political oppression and military build-ups the delegates say have become a global crisis. Spokesmen for the major world powers say no such pattern exists.

Political analysts say they don’t expect changes overnight. “Most likely”, they said “Visnu will come up with a long term plan”. “But when he finally acts”, one analyst said “the action will be dramatic. Visnu doesn’t do things small!”

Iskcon's Official Statement on bomb blasts:
http://www.iskcon.com/new/050706_bomb_ic.htm

London Bombings:
http://www.iskcon.com/new/050706_bomb.htm

God & Terrorism - by Mukunda Goswami:
http://www.iskcon.com/new/050709_bomb.htm

Media Release

21 August 2005

75,000 to gather in Watford for largest Hindu gathering outside India

Music, dance, costumes, games and food to add colour and spice

Over 75,000 Hindus and other visitors will gather at the sleepy town of Aldenham, just north of London on Friday 26th and Sunday 28th August to celebrate the 5000 year-old Hindu festival of Janmashtami at the famous Bhaktivedanta Manor Hare Krishna temple.  The festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor, which is a Manor house donated by former Beatle George Harrison, includes lively plays, traditional Indian dances, melodious singing, food stalls, multi-media shows, elaborate worship, meditation and chanting, youth tents, games, children’s areas, bullock-wagon rides and much more.

Pilgrims and visitors queue up for two hours to finally be able to offer worship at the main altar. All 75,000 visitors will be given a free vegetarian meal specially sanctified by a sacred offering to Lord Krishna.

The entire festival is managed and run by volunteers from the community who gather every evening after work for a month prior to the event and put in countless hours of hard work for the occasion.

Prime Minister Tony Blair in a special message to the organisers said, “I am delighted to send my best wishes to everyone attending the Janmashtami festival at the ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor Temple. Janmashtami, the celebration during which there is a focus on the values of family, the importance of community, and the significance of faith. I understand that the celebration of Janmashtami at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Temple is the largest such gathering outside India. As such it is a tribute to the hard work of the organisers and the strength of the Hindu community in this country.”

“The festival is a special occasion to encourage the core values of devotion to God, commitment to family values and inspiration to serve others,” explained Gauri Dasa, President of Bhaktivedanta Manor. “It is a chance for everyone to give something back to the community, but do it in a way that is fun and very productive.”

Tulasi Harrison, a 16 year old student from Watford, has been coming to volunteer every year since she was 9 years old. This year, she is involved in co-coordinating the gift shop tent. “I love what I am doing,” she says. “Every year I meet so many new people and learn a lot of new things. It makes me feel like a real part of this important festival, and helps me connect on a deeper level with God. With all the distractions in society for people of my age, I feel privileged to be able to come to a safe place and do something which is benefiting so many others.”

The festival is expected to draw pilgrims from all over UK and attracts many Ministers, MPs, diplomats, business leaders, faith representatives and other dignitaries, as well as messages of support from the leaders of the three main political parties.

- Ends-

source Sridama dasa CHCH

Hindu Groups Meet to Shape the Future of Dharma in North America

ved.chaudhary@gmail.com

NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, USA, August 15, 2005: (Press Release from Dharma Summit 2005, prepared by Beth Kulkarni.) For the first time in North America, 400 participants representing more than 80 Hindu temples and religious organizations came together for a Dharma Summit on August 13-15, 2005. The most respected heads of various religious groups who addressed the summit held at Rutgers University over the weekend included Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, PA, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami of the Hindu Monastery in Kauai, and Gurudev Chitrabhanu ji of Jain Meditation Center, NY. Also, two of the most respected heads of religious orders in India - Swami Chidananda Saraswati ("Muniji") of Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh and Dr. Pranav Pandya of Gayatri Pariwar, Haridwar - came to attend and address the summit. Sri Sri Ravishankar sent his personal message that was displayed with a video clip.

The theme of the su mmit was: "The Future of Dharmic Traditions in North America." The concern that many young generation Hindus in USA are not learning and maintaining Hindu traditions was clearly evident throughout the conference that brought together presidents and boards of trustees of many temples, Devalayas, spiritual institutions, and organizations together with many intellectuals and committed volunteer leaders from throughout the USA. The rich mix of swamis, intellectuals, temple trustees and youth leaders provided a unique opportunity to exchange different viewpoints, thoughts and ideas and share experiences on how to impart spiritual and cultural education to future generations. They also discussed the serious problem of distortion and misinformation about Hinduism and India prevalent in schools, colleges, and in the media. The overall coordinator of the conference Dr. Ved Chaudhary was successful in bringing under one roof persons of various ages and backgrounds to discuss items of common interest.

A workshop was organized by the Hindu University of America which is starting a program to train Hindu priests to meet the expressed needs of temples in the USA for priests who can communicate with the younger generation and with the interfaith community. Legal aspects, media and interfaith relations, successful temple management practices, and financial resource development were key issues discussed with much sharing of ideas.

One of the significant aspects of the Summit was the inclusion of the younger generation on various panels and in all aspects of the program. Dr. Ved Chaudhary referred to HSC as his right hand and his left hand. HSC General Secretary Nikunj Trivedi spoke about the ways in which local temples and religious organizations and HSC can work together to meet the needs of college students. The souvenir issue of the Dharma Summit, edited by Swami Jyotirmayananda Puri, was packed with messages from spiritual and religi ous leaders, insightful articles from intellectuals, and information of interest from sponsors.

Dr. Preeti Soni performed the inaugural prayer dance in classical Kathak style for Devi Saraswati. Heads of Sampradayas recited prayers for world peace before the tasty, all vegetarian food was served by the BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Edison. Talks and discussions among spiritual leaders, board members, youth and intellectuals and networking time made this a very activity-packed weekend. Perhaps most important aspect was the panel discussion on "The Path Forward: Actionable Recommendations for Follow-up Activities" moderated by Dr. Sudhir Prabhu. A plan of action was proposed to follow up on the insights and recommendations generated in the earlier sessions.

The positive experience of this conference resulted in overwhelming demand for a collective initiative that will allow all Hindu religious organizations to work together to shape the future of Hinduis m in North America, raise awareness of issues, and provide a platform for a united Hindu voice. Together they will address issues such as promoting changes to enhance the participation of the new generation, correcting biased and distorted views of Hindu traditions in educational institutions and the media, improving temple management, developing resources, enhancing the role of the temple, and helping the temples and religious organizations to reach out to the larger community with voluntary services (seva) and education.

The various Hindu temples and religious groups that participated in the conference included: Arsha Vidya-Vedanta Gurukul, PA; Arya Pratinidhi Sabha America, BAPS-Swaminarayan Temple, Barsana Dham, TX; World Gayatri Pariwar; Greater Baltimore Temple; Hindu Monastery, Hawaii; Hindu University of America; ISKCON; Sadhu Vaswani Center; Sringeru Vidya Bharati Foundation; Sri Venkateshwara Temples in Bridgewater, NJ and Pittsburg, PA; Sri Meenakshi T emple, TX; Sri Ganesh temple in NY; and Vraj Dham, PA. Other Hindu groups included: Educators Society for the Heritage of India, Gayatri Pariwar, Hindu American Foundation, Hindu Intl Council against Defamation, Hindu Society of NE Florida, Hindu Students Council, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Hindu University of America, Jain Associations in North America, Swadhyay Pariwar, US Hindu Alliance; VHP America., American Institute of Vedic Studies, The Vedic Foundation, Vedic Friends Association; and others.

Courtesy of Hinduism Today http://www.HinduismToday.com/

London, July 10: People must stop eating meat and turn vegetarian to reduce global warming, says a British scientist.

Giving up pork chops, lamb cutlets and chicken burgers would do more for the environment than burning less oil and gas, believes Allan Calverd.

In a research paper, Calverd says the animals we eat emit 21 percent of all the carbon dioxide that can be attributed to human activity.

We could, therefore, slash man-made emissions of carbon dioxide simply by abolishing all livestock, reported science portal EurekAlert.

"Worldwide reduction of meat production in the pursuit of the targets set in the Kyoto treaty seems to carry fewer political unknowns than cutting our consumption of fossil fuels," he said.

Pilgrims Disappointed As Amarnath's Ice Icon Melts

http://www.newindpress.com

JAMMU, INDIA, August 15, 2005: Disappointment was writ large on Nirmal Sharma's face when he returned after prayers at the cave shrine of Amarnath in Jammu and Kashmir - the Siva Lingam or ice formation symbolizing Lord Siva had disappeared. "It was just a wet spot," Sharma said of the place where the Siva Lingam - a stalagmite formation formed by dripping water in the freezing cave - stood before it melted due to an intense heat wave sweeping the region. Thousands of pilgrims like him had the same regret. They visited the shrine after trekking through daunting mountainous passes at heights of 14,000 feet to reach the shrine with just one dream - to have a glimpse of the natural snow structure at the Amarnath cave. An unprecedented 390,000 people have visited the shrine this year since the pilgrimage began on June 21. The previous highest figure stood at 155,000 in 2004. When the pilgrimage started last month, the Siva Lingam stood at a height of over nine feet and it touched the rocky ceiling of the cave. "It was a great feeling. I thought I was standing before Lord Siva," said Rohit Bansal, a pilgrim who had then visited the shrine. But the Siva Lingam - which is seen as an icon of Lord Siva - began melting because of temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius, unusually high for this time of the year when the mercury hovers between 25 and 30 degrees. The heat was just one factor. The heavy rush of pilgrims and the extra heat generated by helicopters that ferried pilgrims accelerated the melting process. Pleas that the melting should be halted by stopping the helicopter services and by keeping pilgrims some distance away from the ice formation were not heeded by anyone.

The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, which maintains the shrine, had wanted to install a cooling device to keep temperatures at zero degree and allow the Siva Lingam to survive the heat. But the state government said this would interfere with religious sentime nts and cause an ecological imbalance. The device was not installed. In some previous years, the Siva Lingam was as small as four feet and melted much before the pilgrimage was over. This trend was first noticed in 1994 when the formation melted in the first week of the pilgrimage in July that year. There was a proposal to build a glass safety wall around the Siva Lingam but this was dropped for reasons of religious sentiments of the devotees. While pilgrims are disappointed with the melting of the Siva Lingam, this has also caused a great deal of frustration among businessmen in Jammu, where almost all the pilgrims halt on their way to or from the shrine. "We had anticipated we would get at least half a million pilgrims this year but the numbers did not reach that level. With less than a week left for the pilgrimage (it ends Aug 19), the number of pilgrims going to the shrine has come down to less than 150 a day," bemoaned Ram Shai, president of the Jammu Chamber of Commerc e and Industry.

Courtesy of Hinduism Today http://www.HinduismToday.com/

The Economic Times

INDIA, June 8, 2005: The government is building a database of 1,500 yoga postures to prevent patenting in the U.S. India's more than 4,000-year-old yoga tradition may witness some trade disputes in the future. The Union government is building its muscles to bust the market monopolies on yoga that Western practitioners have been securing through copyrights, trademarks and patents. Yoga is a flourishing $27 billion-a-year business in the U.S. To start with, the government is making a digital database of 1,500 yoga postures and their therapeutic properties that can be used to challenge some of the 134 patents on yoga accessories, 150 yoga-related copyrights and 2,315 yoga trademarks the U.S. Patent Office has granted so far, sources said.

This database, comprising body cleansing practices, breathing exercises, yoga symbols called mudras, postures and special practices such as floating in water, will be digitally documented in five major internationa l languages so that it can be shared with prominent patent offices around the world. This is to prevent the grant of trademarks, copyrights and patents on yoga in the future. The database could also help avoid costly litigation to reverse the rights already granted. The National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCIR) is developing the database for the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Sidha and Homeopathy (Ayush) under the health ministry.

Courtesy of Hinduism Today http://www.HinduismToday.com/

WASHINGTON, D.C., April, 2005: For the past twenty years, Dr. Neal Barnard has been passionately pursuing his work as founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). The news release explains, "The PCRM has successfully waged and won campaigns to eliminate the use of live animal labs in the majority of the nation's medical schools, challenged federal dietary guidelines, developed the first cruelty-free insulin assay and established the humane seal of approval for charities. In addition to showing that alternatives to the use of animals in medical research and training can be as or more effective than traditional methods, Dr. Barnard also believes it's important for scientists and doctors to change their perceptions about animals."

When interviewed by Sagamithra Iyer, Dr. Barnard had the following comments: "It seemed to me that the medical practice did a pretty good job of diagnosing illnesses, sometimes a good job of treat ing illness, but an abysmal job of preventing them. We did nothing about heart attacks until they came into the emergency room. We didn't do anything about cancer until you saw it on a mammogram. I thought that was wrong. We needed to bring nutrition into medicine. In 1991 a group of scientists and I held a press conference in Washington, DC, and we announced that a healthy diet consisted of four new food groups: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. We completed a randomized clinical trial several years ago as a pilot study. Just a small group of individuals, half of whom went on a typical American Diabetes Association (ADA) diet -- a standard 'healthy' diet used in most hospitals today that includes chicken and fish -- and half on a low-fat vegan diet. We found that the vegan diet was hands down better. It caused blood sugars and weight to drop. These individuals lost an average of 16 pounds in 12 weeks.

"We started the Cancer Project to help people un derstand about how foods affect cancer progression. We also need to get the word out about prevention. So we have a series of television advertisements to promote a healthier diet and that means a vegetarian one.

"One of the biggest problems is that animal tests sometimes work for manufacturers in inappropriate ways. Because animals behave differently from humans in testing and their results can easily be manipulated by researchers, animal tests have worked well for industry and very badly for consumers. We also need to help the scientific community think of animals in a different way -- not just as test tubes with whiskers, throw-away lives.

"I hope that anyone who wants to give to charities will look for the humane charity seal of approval (humane charities that don't fund animal research) and give only to those charities that have it. Regardless of what cause you are interested in, whether it be cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or Alzheimer's, ther e are good charities out there."

For the full text of the interview conducted by Sagamithra Iyer on Dr. Neal Barnard, including his slightly gruesome account of how he himself became a vegetarian, click source above.

Courtesy of Hinduism Today http://www.HinduismToday.com/

http://www.hindu.com

NEW DELHI, INDIA, June 16, 2005: Schoolchildren in Delhi seem to be finally learning to eat right and their latest mantra reads: "Think brown.'' And if the first detailed adherence report submitted by Delhi schools is anything to go by, educational institutions here have finally shifted to the menu chart prescribed by the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), replacing calorie-packed, zero-nutritious food high on sodium, fat and nitrites with a wholesome "brown meal." While this latest stock taking has brought much cheer to health watchers and parents, sale of aerated drinks continues to remain a worry with some schools expressing their inability to do away with the drink completely. "Three years after the ban on sale of junk food and aerated drinks in school canteens it is only now that schools are finally showing signs of adhering to the prescribed menu,'' says AIIMS dietician Rekha Sharma, who had outlined the menu for Delhi schools. Junk food , according to physicians, does more harm than good to the body. They have little or no nutrition value and are potentially harmful to health. Physicians have been for long wanting this category of food out of school canteens. An alarm was sounded after research on the health status of school students showed a worrying trend. According to the research data from AIIMS and the Nutrition Foundation of India (NFI), bad eating habit formed at the school canteen were seen to be the breeding ground for lifestyle diseases later in life. Worse, children in Delhi showed signs of obesity, hypertension and even heart diseases, notes the research.

Courtesy of Hinduism Today http://www.HinduismToday.com/

"Brown meal'' replaces junk food in schools
http://www.hindu.com/lf/2005/06/16/stories/2005061611900200.htm

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

It has brought cheer to health watchers and parents

NEW DELHI: Schoolchildren in Delhi seem to be finally learning to eat right and their latest mantra reads: "Think brown.''

And if the first detailed adherence report submitted by Delhi schools is anything to go by, educational institutions here have finally shifted to the menu chart prescribed by the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), replacing calorie-packed, zero-nutritious food high on sodium, fat and nitrites with a wholesome "brown meal".

While this latest stock taking has brought much cheer to health watchers and parents, sale of aerated drinks continues to remain a worry with some schools expressing their inability to do away with the drink completely.

"Three years after the ban on sale of junk food and aerated drinks in school canteens it is only now that schools are finally showing signs of adhering to the prescribed menu,'' says AIIMS dietician Rekha Sharma, who had outlined the menu for Delhi schools.

Junk food, according to physicians, does more harm than good to the body. They have little or no nutrition value and are potentially harmful to health. Physicians have been for long wanting this category of food out of school canteens.

An alarm was sounded after research on the health status of school students showed a worrying trend. According to the research data from AIIMS and the Nutrition Foundation of India (NFI), bad eating habit formed at the school canteen were seen to be the breeding ground for lifestyle diseases later in life. Worse, children in Delhi showed signs of obesity, hypertension and even heart diseases, notes the research.

School canteens

"From the very beginning we have been asking schools to cut down on processed `white food' and opt for `brown food' for school canteens.

We aren't, however, being too tough about the menu plan allowing some `goodies' for the students to be given only in limited quantity. Also, we have raised some questions about the aerated drinks which is still freely available to schoolchildren,'' explains Dr. Sharma.

And while the new menu of `missi roti', `missi puri', `dhokla', `whole dal', `vada with sambar' and `chilla' at school canteens is being welcomed, health watchers are now asking for appointment of a monitoring committee to periodically inspect the adherence to the healthy `brown menu'.

The pressure has to be kept up on the schools for them to continue on health diet that they have shifted to.

See similar articles at Vegetarianism & beyond:
http://turn.to/Vegetarianism

ATLANTA, GA, (NAMC) -  Although reincarnation is popularly considered "pseudo-science" and a topic for ridicule by many people, a documentary which takes a serious look at how Americans are discovering reincarnation has been accepted for distribution by Films Media Group, the oldest and largest distributor marketing to academia.

Produced by independent filmmaker Stephen Sakellarios through his company, Gold Thread Video Productions, "In Another Life" begins with the assumption that reincarnation is a phenomenon, establishing this premise by presenting the work of Dr. Ian Stevenson of the University of Virginia. It then explores the primary ways that Americans are encountering reincarnation: children speaking to their parents about a past life; spontaneous adult memories, including "flashback" experiences; therapy and workshops; and the influence of Eastern spiritual teachers.

Mr. Sakellarios, who has studied reincarnation for over 30 years, strove for the highest possible degree of accuracy and authenticity when researching and presenting his material on this intangible, controversial subject. The supporting website can be seen at http://www.ial.goldthread.com. Copies of the program will be available to colleges and libraries through Films Media Group, http://www.films.com.

Contact:
Stephen Sakellarios
GOLD THREAD VIDEO PRODUCTIONS

Courtesy of Hinduism Today http://www.HinduismToday.com/

   Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 17:10:10 -0000
   From: "vrnparker" <vrnparker@yahoo.com>

The Star highlights an exciting discovery of a civilisation that dates back even further than Malacca, with some claims of it being older than the Angkor Wat, one of the seven wonders of the ancient World.

While a little out of topic in this blog, I must admit to a fascination in Sanskrit texts and have studied them as a hobby for a better part of a decade, since coming across an ancient Sufi manuscript in Indonesia that described a portion of a Sanskrit 'Sastara' as an embodiment of how God whispers in many languages.

This discovery has much significance in it's historical comstruct of this region and the distinct influences to early Sanskrit literature, which recorded the rise and fall of kingdoms in this region not through essays as we are often used to, but rather as spiritual hymns, that draw upon the occasion as an example to the tantric teachings and woven as a moral lore.

Some things that crossed my mind as I read the articles were that this 'lost' city was probably the kingdom of Lo-Yue, was also the first centre of trade for Sri Vijaya.

Image from The Star

The region has a long history, dating back to more than 2500 years bc. the earliest recorded ruler being Marayo, who ruled from 2666-2604 bc. (Link: Reference and list of Rulers).

This would bring it within the timeline of the mysterious Indus Valley civilisation;

Indus Valley Civilization: 2500(app.)-1700(app.)b.c Also known as the 'Harrapa' named after the site of the first discovered city, archaeologists are still struggling to understand them. We do not know anything of it's religion and no murals or story-art has been found. What we do know is that they were great builders and city planners centered around an agricultural community that existed between the Mohenjo-daro river and the Indus river. Tablets and pottery found depict animals, ornately coiffed women, jewelry and generally hint at a sophisticated artisan society.[Source]

The find brings into context many matters, among those the origins of the Melayu, deeply rooted in the Kesutanan ideology, which resulted from the Islamisation of the Rulers of this region, who previously carried the Raja or Sri title, influenced by the Hindu Empire, which had numerous Raja's ruling across many provinces. They were united then under the Chola Empire, of which the ruler, upon conquest of the provinces assumed the title Rajaraja I (presumable Raja of all the Raja's) circa 985AD.

It is his son, Raja Rajendra Cholavarman I, that is believed to have, in 1017AD, waged war against the Srivijaya Empire (Foshi, to the Chinese Merchants of the time), destroying the city of Gangga Negara in Perak in 1025AD, and subsequently this city of Kota Gelanggi, which might be the lost city of Lo-yue, as described by Raimy.

Although some manuscripts describe it to be a colony of Srvijaya, the Chinese explorer Kie-Tan explicitly mentioned Lo-yue and Foshi as separate countries, perhaps independant as an entity of governance yet paying tribute to the Srivijaya empire, a common occurence in the feudal nature of the region at that time.

"From Kuang-chou (Canton) towards the southeast, travelling by sea for 200 li, one reaches Mount T'un-mon. Then, with a favourable wind going westward for two days, one reaches the Kiu-chou rocks (Hainan). Then southward, and after two days one reaches the Siang-shi, or Elephant Rock. Then southward after three days, one comes to Mount Chan-pu-lan, this mountain is in the sea at 200 li east of the country of Huan-wang (Tongking). Then southward, after two days journey, one reaches Mount Ling. Then, after a day's journey one comes to the country of Montu. Then after a day's journey one comes to the counry of Ku-tan; then after a day's journey one reaches the territory of Pon-to'o-lang. Then after two days journey one comes to Mount Kun-t'u-nung. Then after five days journey one comes to the strait the Barbarians call Chi. From the south to the north it is 100 li.. On the northern shore is the country of Lo-yue, on the southern coast is the country of Foshi."[Source: Kie-Tan's Journal of his travel] Foshi is also mentioned in Leornard Andaya's The Search for the Origins of Melayu, in which he writes;

The name `Melayu' appears for the first time in literary sources as a settlement in southeast Sumatra that sent a mission to China in 644. The earliest detailed account is by the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Yijing,who spent time in Palembang and Jambi on two separate occasions in 671, and was there again from 689-95. He spent six months learning Sanskrit grammar in a place whose name for both the country and the capital was transcribed as (Shili)foshi.He was then sent by the ruler to the country ofMelayu,where he stayed for another two months. On his second visit Yijing again went to `Melayu', which he says had now become [Shili] Foshi [Srivijaya], meaning either that it had supplanted Srivijaya, or more likely that it had become a part of Srivijaya.He noted that there were many `states' under this kingdom, and that in the fortified city there were more than a thousand Buddhist priests who had come to study religion. (Fochi means success in Chinese and early scriptures refer to the Srivijaya Empire as San Fo Che meaning three success. This would be a direct translation from Sanskrit in which Srivijaya means Three Great Success, refering to the three kingdoms that formed Srivijaya) An Adobe Acrobat PDF version of this article can be found at Water Cooler Crowd Wiki, Origins of Melayu page

This could also mean that Lo-yue could be a Srivijaya state or perhaps a trading outpost that linked Srivijaya with the Gangga Negara colony and further onwards to the Cambodian rulers of Angkor Wat, the Jayavarman Dynasty.

It is interesting to note that the Jayavarman Dynasty, builders of Angkor Wat, had a ruler, Jayavarman Paramesvara who ruled circa 1325 and was thought to have been on of the last of the Angkor kings, the Empire itself destroyed by the Siamese at about this period. (List of Angkor Kings)

Then again, the Parameswara that founded Malacca was said to be the descendant of Sang Nila Utama, who was credited with naming Singapore. This connection is a display of the strong links that the Khmer kings shared with the region here, or did the dates got bungled as they often do, and the Parameswara we know was similar to that of the defeated Khmer King?

FYI, Parameswara in sanskrit means divine super soul, in essence, one who never dies, referenced in Bhagavad Gita text 28,

samam sarvesu bhutesu tisthantam paramesvaram vinasyatsv avinasyantam yah pasyati sa pasyati This Parameswara's journey did not document the lost city of Kota Gelanggi, meaning that it no longer was in existence by that time.

The relevance of Kota Gelanggi is further heightened by the fact that the Srivijaya Empire extended itself until the Chaiya Province in Surat Thani, Thailand and may have served as the entry outpost for travellers from the Javanese islands, who would than traverse by land, visiting various colonies (to also collect taxes/tributes perhaps) as they headed north.

If one was to look deep into the historical events surrounding Srivijaya and Kota Gelanggi, one may be privy to the historical origins of the Malays, from their Khmer and Funan lineage right up to the current Melayu in Malaysia and see that we have been interlocked with Chinese and Indian culture for thousands of centuries, as they help document and build this civilisation and as we traded, warred and became allies again in an intiguing feudal history, worthy of many tales and truths.

If one were to explore it, I can see no reason for anyone to be racialistic or call another person a racist, for truth be told, we are all rather intertwined by history.I myself have all three blood in my veins.

It is the ignorance of our historical links and the naive stupidity of fear and insecurity that drives us not towards racism, but polarity. Both inter and intra race.

I am at least glad that Datuk Seri Rais Yatim, a man whom I personally respect as extra-ordinary both in thought and idealogy, is putting a lot of importance in this project.

A sterling decision, Datuk Seri, and one that further enhances our racial links, in the hopes that by understanding our ancestors, we understand each other a little more.
http://www.brandmalaysia.com/movabletype/archives/2005/02/kota_gelanggi_a.html

Vedic World Heritage links:

See our pages supporting these views HERE:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/VWH.html (Vedik World Heritage)
Western Indologists been exposed page:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/WesternIndologists-page.htm
How British Misguided the World on Vedic History
http://www.hknet.org.nz/MotiveBritishRajMissionaries.html

World Smoke Free Day
31st May Every Year 

http://www.be-free.org/b-media/market-bfree03/cinema.php

yeah kick the butt
...and remember from 10th December 2004 no more smoking in public places in New Zealand by law

LALU AND KALU

Lalu and Kalu refused to learn anything. They were just scamps. All they wanted to do was fritter away their lives. So they refused to learn anything. Their father was trying by so many ways to get them educated, and by so many ways they were driving the teachers away by their rascal behaviour. So because the father was wealthy, he proclaimed, "I will give half the wealth of my business to any teacher who can simply educate my two boys in simple arithmetic, because if they can learn how to add up sums, then they can at least later in life do some business. I can give them some part of my business, and they can carry on. But they must at least learn how to add up sums. If they can't do that, then they'll be totally useless to me."
So he proclaimed this, and then one old brahmana came. The brahmana was very old. He had seen a lot of life, and he'd seen many different kinds of bad students, so he was quite experienced. So he said, "Let me give it a try." Unlike all the other teachers, he wasn't acting like a teacher. He decided, "I'll act like I'm the friend of these boys." So then he said, "Boys, let's forget about these lessons and go for a walk." So he took Lalu and Kalu for a walk, and took them out to the field, and there were some cows grazing there.
So then he turned to Lalu and said, "Lalu, I wonder if you could tell me how many legs that cow has." So then Lalu very eagerly said, "Yes. One, two..." he began to count and the teacher was thinking, "Ah, he's learning, very good." But then Kalu put his hand over Lalu's mouth. "Don't say any more! He's trying to trick you! He wants to teach you how to count. Therefore he's asking you how many legs that cow has. Don't say another word." This is the crafty cunningness of the materialist. This Kalu thought he was being so clever in outwitting the teacher, but this cleverness is simply the symptom of his own foolishness, his own rascaldom.
The teacher was trying in so many ways to trick the boys, but they were so clever, so over intelligent, that they avoided any lesson that the teacher tried to get them to take up. So finally, the old brahmana became tired. He said, "Well boys, it's been a hard day. I'm going to take a nap." So they retired in some room. "Let's lay down here and take rest." So the boys pretended to go to sleep. But they waited and when they saw that the teacher was snoring peacefully, they got up and started smoking, because they were rascals. And then the teacher woke up suddenly. The boys very quickly threw the cigarettes out the window and jumped back into bed and pretended that they were sleeping. The teacher looked around and saw smoke in the air, he smelt it. He woke up the boys. "What have you been doing? You've been smoking!" The boys pretended like they were being woken up. "Hm? What are you saying? Smoking? We've been sleeping."
The teacher said, "No no, look. The room is filled with smoke. Obviously you've been smoking." So the boys began to argue with the teacher. "No no. Obviously what has happened is that why we were all sleeping, some person came in here and was smoking. Someone else."
The teacher grabbed their hands and smelt them. "No! I can smell on your fingers cigarette smoke!" Then they boys just persisted, "No no, obviously what has happened is that the man who came in here to smoke placed the cigarettes between our fingers and was holding our hands to his mouth and smoking like that."
So then the old brahmana was finally driven to distraction. He went to the boy's father, and said, "I'm sorry. I can do nothing with them. They're such rascals. They continually persist in their rascaldom."

MORAL: This is what's going on today also. The so called intelligence and expertise shown by today's materialists is just like that. It is actually a demonstration of their own incapacity to understand the simple truth of life.

See similar inspirational snippets HERE:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/parables.htm

Devotees of Iskcon New Zealand would like to offer our condolences to the family and friends of former New Zealand Prime Minister Rt Hon David Lange who passed away recently (14th August 2005).

He was a good friend of the Hare Krishna devotees, dearly loved prasadam, he was guest of honour at the ground breaking ceremony of the new Auckland temple which was started in 1987.

He had a great affiliation with all cultures but especially had a love for India which he visited several times, and considered himself a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. He was well known and loved for his sharp wit and an honest and out spoken politician.

Devotees went to see David Lange in his last days, and Auckland's Hare Krishna school children sent their well wishes to him in Middlemore hospital through many cards.

He had suffered throughout his life from ill-health, but the last few years more so with diabetes and kidney problems, yet even up to the last minute after having his leg removed he joked asking if they'd got the right one. In fact he was still renowned for his jovial disposition, booming voice and legendary irreverence.

More can be read about him here http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/08/14/1123353547721.html?from=rss&oneclick=true

This is very important for all the Indians Deepavali is an important Indian festival, and the US Post Office Department is thinking about issuing stamps for this occasion. And why not, USPA has stamps for other festivals too like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Eid, and Chinese New Year.

To do this, USPS needs 5,00,000 signatures to have a stamp release, and so far they have 205013. people who have signed the petition.

Please go to the site below and support the release of the Diwali stamp. Also, please forward widely to others who would support this  (do not have to be Indian to sign the petition! )

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/diwali03/

Please sign the petition

Dear Prabhus,

  Please accept our respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 With thankfulness to our Founder Acharya Srila Prabhupada, Sri Gaura-Nitai, and the inspiration of all of you, we announce the Grand Opening of "NECTARBOOKS.COM". This website contains rare, wonderful Krishna Literature by our Vaisnava Acharyas, beautifully and carefully translated by Dasaratha Suta Prabhu, a scholarly disciple of Srila Prabhupada, long known for his translation work.

It was a desire of Srila Prabhupada to give all of us, his children and grandchildren, the entire Vaisnava Library of devotional writings, and we are  blessed by His Divine Grace to recieve some of this literature with which to further water our creepers of devotion.

Please consider forwarding this email to your address list in the mood of going for the mercy of Lord Chaitanya by assisting His missionary desires.

http://www.nectarbooks.com

Your aspiring servants at NectarBooks.Com

Dasaratha-suta Dasa and Dina Sharana Dasa

********
Letter to: Hayagriva
Tokyo April 27, 1972

.. It is my serious desire to devote the fag end of my life to translating Srimad Bhagavatam and so many other Vaisnava literatures so by assisting me in this regards you will be performing the highest service to Krsna....

UNITED STATES, October 20, 2004: Are you fascinated by the many things in life that cannot be scientifically explained? Do you seem to have a "sixth sense" that sometimes allows you to know what is going to happen? Do you sometimes feel so connected to nature that everything seems to be part of one living organism? To find out how spiritual you are, click on "source" above. The short test is adapted from a personality inventory devised by Washington University psychiatrist Robert Cloninger, author of "Feeling Good: The Science of Well-Being."

Indymedia is a collective of independent media organizations and hundreds of journalists offering grassroots, non-corporate coverage. Indymedia is a democratic media outlet for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate tellings of truth.

Free computer and Net tutorials
http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/freeskil.html

Finest Incense and Oils
Pure Incense, the worlds finest incense now on-line!
http://www.pure-incense.com/

Incense from the comfort of home, choose from 14 pure incense flavours. This incense is
like no other, made according to ancient principles rather than commercial constraints.
Incense made in one family for hundreds of years. Incense developed for worship of local
temple Deities and discovered by western travellers and incense hunters during the late
sixties. Pure-incense.com now offers exclusive availability real incense.

Wrapped in 50 gram bundles, it will be posted to your home and soon be taking place of
all your aromatherapy needs. On this site you will find all the ingredients that make up
these ancient recipes, plus a fascinating insight into the making and consciousness behind
a product that is made in a devotional spirit - where purity is the most important element
but.....it has to smell GREAT!

Pure-incense.com's natural sticks are steeped in over 200 years of family history using
timeless recipes passed down from father to son.

Made with focused consciousness within a family atmosphere, free from exploitation, we
are happy to be able to offer you the finest range on the planet.

The end result? A clean, natural burning, temple grade stick that is completely different
from the harsh, synthetic-perfume that has become a hallmark of cheap imports.

Again mention that you came through this site for preferential treatment.

comment by JTCd: Adi-guru prabhu in the UK sent me some samples for my Deities.
This incense is 108% Divine...and no, I'm not on a commission

Problems with Ghosts, Evil Eye, Curses, Black Magic etc etc
http://www.pagalbaba.com/

Continuous illness - All medical treatments fail.

Constant worries, Suicidal tendencies, or Desire to move away from home and family.

Continuous illness of any member of the family.

Tiredness and weakness like M.E.

Eating disorders associated with obesity and anorexia.

Being short tempered. Sterility, without any physical

deficiency or without any medical reason.

Repeated miscarriages or death of children.

Sudden unnatural deaths in the family.

Problems in the construction of new houses, new factory or any other building.

Shortness of money, in spite of hard labour.

No desire to live. Feels suffocated. Life seems useless.

Apathy, no desire to rise In Life.

Achievement of objectives seems impossible.

Sudden quarrels between brothers or the members of the family, without any reason.

Unexpected loss in the business of property.

Ill health and under development of children.

Loss of peace due to the fear of enemies and their evil designs.

Discord between spouses or the family.

Greatest efforts always resulting in failure.

Lack of Govt, favours, promotions and the desired raises or transfers.

Poverty, in spite of hard work.

Mental disorders - Insanity - Craziness.

These are some effects which prove that one is under the spell of the supernatural or black magic.

Even though Intelligent, one still fails to find solutions to such problems.

It is only due to "Black Works" that all your wisdom, all your strategies and all your intelligence fails.for relief
http://www.pagalbaba.com/

To see the Online 2004 Vyasa Puja Book visit:
http://www.krishna.com/vyasapuja

http://www.dipika.org/2004/05/20/13_online_vyasa_puja_book/

Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa pujan in Mayapur 2003 pictures:
http://64.28.101.188/2003/08-26-03/

Go to Links to Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa Pujan

HH Bir-Krishna Goswami's site
http://www.bkgoswami.com/

HH Devamrita Swami
http://www.devaswami.com/main.php
http://www.devaswami.com/main.php?&displayPage=home

HH Gopal Krishna Goswami:
http://www.geocities.com/gopalkrsna/

HH Indradyumna Swami
http://www.traveling-preacher.com/
http://www.harekrishna.asn.au/speakers/indradyumna_swami/indradyumna_swami.htm

HH Jayapataka Swami
http://www.hearjps.com/
http://www.jpsoffice.com/
http://www.harekrishna.asn.au/speakers/jayapataka_swami/jayapataka_swami.htm
http://www.victoryflag.com/
Many lectures by HH Jayapataka Swami and HH Radhanath Swami
http://www.radiokrishna.com/rkc_archive_new/

HH Kadamba Kanana Swami
http://www.geocities.com/kksaudioministry/

HH Prabhavishnu Swami
http://home.iprimus.com.au/naractl/Biographys/ISKCON_Gurus/Srila_Prabhavisnu_Swami_Biography.html#Prabhu

HH Prahladananda Swami
http://home.iprimus.com.au/naractl/Biographys/ISKCON_Gurus/Prahladananda_Swami_Maharaja.html#mod

HH Romapada Swami
http://www.prastha.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/renderphilo.pl?ndx=2

HH Sacinandan Swami
http://www.saranagati.net/

HH Sivaram Swami:
http://www.sivaramaswami.com/

HH Sridhar Swami (the late Sridhar swami formerly in Bombay)
http://www.jollyswami.net/home.php

HH Suhotra dasa Tapa Vanacharin
http://www.suhotraprabhu.com/

HH Trivikram Swami
http://www.tvswami.sotiko.pl/

HG Vaiyasaki dasa Adhikari
http://www.kirtan.org/index.html

If you know of any other senior Iskcon devotee web-sites please send their URL to us to share with others through this media mailto:jtcd@xtra.co.nz

See the Blogs above also for some interesting reads:

Here's a short list with some links - sadhu sanga ki jaya
http://krisna-volgy.hu/sadhu/

What's Going On Where &Adds

FESTIVAL EVENTS AND VENUES:

Body, Mind & Spirit Festival

24-25th September 2005

10am – 6pm both days

To be held at

Nga Hau E Wha National Marae

250 Pages Road Christchurch
 

This is a great opportunity to be part of our next exciting Festival featuring complementary healing, healing products, metaphysical goods, spiritual experiences and everything to do with the Body, Mind & Spirit. It is a fabulous chance to showcase what you do, to a wide audience.

The Festival will be held on a beautiful spring weekend, indoors and undercover at the Nga Hau E Wha National Marae (Marae of the Four Winds) in Christchurch. The Marae is in an absolutely wonderful setting with a really spiritual atmosphere. It is set well back from a busy road ensuring plenty of passing traffic. The venue has a large separate car-park and plenty of space to accomodate all that is on offer. We expect good numbers on both days, as was indeed the case with our seven previous festivals.

Our philosophy is to keep the cost as low as we possibly can to enable a wide range of people to participate. We are one of the lowest cost shows in Christchurch. Prices are detailed on the enclosed Booking Form.

Stallholders are also invited to give a 50 minute talk or workshop if desired, to help promote themselves or their business. Please indicate on the reply form if this is an option you would like to take and what subject(s) you would like to cover.

Setup is from 12noon until 5pm on Friday 23rd or on Saturday 24th between 8am and 9.30am.

Specific sites can only be reserved on receipt of full payment (some have already been filled). We are filling up fast so please enable us to meet your needs and send in your booking form along with your deposit ($100) as soon as you possibly can. Stalls can only be reserved when this is received. Please make cheques payable to ‘Body, Mind & Spirit Festival’ and ensure you send in your completed booking form with your deposit. Full payment is due by August 1st 2005.

Our last Festival was booked out so reserve your place now.

Look forward to seeing you there.

For any further information contact Anna on (03) 386 3294 or to book your site, complete the booking form, enclose your deposit and post to:
    Body, Mind & Spirit Festivals,
    PO Box 26-030,
    North Avon,
    Christchurch.
Email MATooolan@xtra.co.nz

With Love,
Anna

Booking Form - (also available as a printable pdf file if requested)

Contact & Company Names:

Body, Mind & Spirit Festivals, PO Box 26-030, North Avon, Christchurch.
Phone (03) 386 3294 - Email MATooolan@xtra.co.nz
http://www.bodymindspirit.co.nz

The New Iskcon Auckland temple

.....now open one year.

for more information and some wonderfrul pictures of the event see our page:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/HKAuckland-page.htm

photos updated 12th March 2004

Hare KrishnaSchool & Playgroup

Krishna Conscious education for children
http://www.harekrishna.school.nz
http://hkschool.orcon.net.nz/

Hare Krishna School in Riverhead, Auckland is a government funded school that runs from 9am – 3pm five days a week. We cover all core subjects in the New Zealand Curriculum and in addition teach Sanskrit, Sastra and Vedic arts. Children who come to this school get everything that children at state schools get plus Vedic culture and values in a serene rural environment.

We also run a preschool program for children 3 and up.

A school bus service provides transport from Auckland suburbs.

For enrolment information please contact:- HKSchool@xtra.co.nz

admin@harekrishna.school.nz

Ph: 09-412-6325
Mob: 021-265-7587
Fax: 09-412-6325

Find out what the NZ Government Education Review Office thinks of the Hare Krishna School. Click the link below.
http://www.ero.govt.nz/publish/reppub.ns4/Institution/98CA326F2C53BF0CCC256B7500174198/$File/4204.htm?OpenElement

Balgopal Krishna Conscious Preschool in Henderson Auckland prepares children for school with a nurturing academic and character development program founded on Krishna consciousness.

 For details please contact-

Vishnupadi dasi Ph.836-1214

Gaura Yoga Centre
First floor
175, Vivian Street,
Wellington

Phone:  (04) 801-5500

Learn about the Krishna conscious life-style
Learn Yoga
Learn about Vegetarianism
...all in a non-threatening friendly atmosphere.

http://www.gaurayoga.co.nz

Contact us: mailto:info@gaurayoga.co.nz

Subscribe to newsletter: mailto:gaurayoga-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Sunday Love Feasts - contact your local temple, or community for details
http://www.hknet.org.nz/index-int.htm

http://www.hknet.org.nz/NZKiwi-yatra.htm

http://www.hknet.org.nz/aussie-yatra.htm

Harinaam Kirtan and Bhajans in Tauranga BOP.
Every Saturday in the Red Square by the Strand (or Mt. Maunganui)

Come and join the throng 11:00 am - 12:30 pm

...for more details contact Trivikrama dasa

mailto:touchstone@clear.net.nz (for Trivikram prabhu)

Vegetarian Clubs
Waikato University - Hamilton campus

2 days per week serving about 100 plates each day.

for more information contact Mangala Vaishnava dasa
mailto:bhaktamark@hotmail.com

Auckland Veda club.
Auckland University - Wellesley St. campus

Its a simple weekly program thats been running for a few years, at Clubspace,
where we have a vegetarian prasadam lunch and sometimes show a video.
Srila Prabhupada's books are available to browse or buy.

For more information contact Auckland temple:
mailto:radhik@e3.net.nz

Otago University - Dunedin - Vege Club
Room 2., Clubs & Societies Building
Albany St.,

contact Jambavati dasi (03) 477 8277
mailto:jambavati85@hotmail.com

http://www.hknet.org.nz/HKDunedin-page.htm


Auckland
http://www.hknet.org.nz/AuckFFL-page.htm

Christchurch
http://www.hknet.org.nz/CHCH-FFL-page.htm

See more about Food For Life and how you can help HERE:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/HKFood4Life-page.htm

 268., Karangahape Road., Auckland

Delicious hot inexpensive Vegetarian Meals !

Pure Vegetarian Restaurant

$5 Combo Meal

Open Mon-Fri 11am-7.30pm

Sat 11am-2.30pm

Phone (09) 300 7585

SPIRITUAL MASTER INSPIRES FOOD DISTRIBUTION

Seven hundred plates of free prasadam (food offered to the Lord) were distributed to an appreciative public and to 50 devotees who took part in a central city Harinam (chanting in the streets).

By the mercy of Guru, Gauranga and Radha Krishna, (after our first bhajan album Bhajanamrtam) we have managed to produce a new CD entitled "Bhaktivinoda", a collection of bhajans of Saccidananda Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur and other Vaisnava acaryas in Orissi classical ragas.

The CD includes 8 bhajans and a 12-page booklet with all lyrics and a translation of the songs:
Gurudeva! Kabe Mora Sei Din Habe
Hari Hari, Kabe More Hoibe Sudina
Kabe Sri Caitanya More
Radha-Kunda-Tata
Narada Muni
Janama Saphala Ta'ra
Brajendranadana, Bhaje Jei Jana
Kabe Ha'be Bolo

Price, inclusive of shipping, is 15 Euros per CD. If you want to order this CD, please transfer the amount to the following account (and send us your shipping address by mail or email):

Account number 3125628, Ashok Jagram, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Bank details: Postbank, Foreign operations, P.O. Box 1800, 1000 BV Amsterdam [Swiftcode: PSTB NL2]

- HEALTHY ISSUES - Ayurveda:-
Visit Vaidya Yolande Manson's Ayurvedic practice - in Hamilton:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/YM-Ayurved.html

dhanvantaris cha bhagavan svayam eva kirtir
namna nrnam pururujam ruja asu hanti
yajne cha bhagam amrtayur avavarundha
ayusya vedam anusasty avatirya loke

"The Lord in His incarnation of Dhanvantari very quickly cures the diseases of the ever diseased living entities simply by His fame personified and only because of Him do the demigods achieve long lives. Thus the Personality of Godhead becomes ever glorified. He also exacted a share from the sacrifices, and it is He only who inaugurated the medical science or the knowledge of medicine in the universe." (Srimad Bhagavata Purana 2.7.22 )

Sacred Vegetarian Recipes - Prasadam

World Vegetarian Day 1st October each year

World Vegetarian Awareness Month - October

http://www.hknet.org.nz/VegeWVD.html

see what's already happening this year http://www.hknet.org.nz/VegeWVD2004.html

See our World Vegetarian Day issue of the newsletter for a wide range of Vegetarian issues

The Animal Spirit Newsletter - Issue #2 -  4/21/03-4/27/03

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:
9 Lasagne pieces, uncooked
1 medium eggplant, about 3/4 pound
Olive oil flavored cooking spray
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tbsp. grated low-sodium Parmesan cheese
1 26-oz. jar low fat-marinara sauce (see our recipe)
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 15-oz. container light ricotta cheese
8 oz. low-sodium shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley (optional)

Italian Seasoning Blend
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container.

Cook lasagne pieces according to package directions. Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Trim ends and peel eggplant; cut crosswise into 12 1/4-inch slices. Place on foil-lined baking sheet; coat well with cooking spray. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat source 5 minutes or until browned. Turn; coat well with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes. Remove from broiler; sprinkle with basil and Parmesan cheese. Return to broiler; broil 1 minute or until cheese is golden brown. Remove pan from broiler; let stand 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Spread 1/3 cup sauce each in bottom of two disposable foil 8 x 8 2-inch baking pans. Drain lasagne; rinse with cold water. Cut lasagne pieces crosswise, forming 18 pieces. Layer 3 pieces in each pan; top with half of ricotta cheese. Place eggplant slices over cheese; top with 1/4 cup sauce. Repeat layering in each pan with 3 more lasagne pieces, 1/4 cup sauce, remaining ricotta cheese, last 3 lasagne pieces and remaining sauce. Serve hot.

Some hints taken from the pasta recipe site - not that devotees would do this but it's what it said here.
Cover pans with aluminum foil; place one pan in a large resealable freezer bag. Freeze up to 2 months for another meal. Bake remaining lasagne 40 minutes or until hot. Remove foil; sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes; cut in squares. Sprinkle with fresh basil, if desired.

To reheat frozen lasagne, thaw in refrigerator over night or at least 8 hours. Bake as directed above.

JTCd's Spinach lasagna
Ingredients:
(I usually double or treble these measurements)
1 x 250grms lasagna pasta
2 large bunches spinach, washed and coarsely chopped
5 tablespoons (100 ml) butter
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (5 ml) yellow asafoetida powder
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) nutmeg
2 tablespoons (40 ml) plain flour
3/4 cup (185 ml) milk
250 g (9 ounces) chopped feta cheese (or ricotta or curd cheese)
1 and 1/2 cups (375 ml) tasty cheddar cheese grated
1 and 1/2 cups (375 ml) mozarella cheese grated
1 and 1/2 cups (375 ml) parmesan cheese grated
1 and 1/2 cups (375 ml) mild or edam cheese grated - for topping
2 tablespoons (40 ml) bread crumbs (optional)
1 cup (250 ml) melted butter (for brushing on the pastry layers)
olive oil
salt

1. Place the spinach in a large, heavy saucepan over moderately high heat with 3 tablespoons (60 ml) of butter, salt, and pepper. Bring the spinach to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook uncovered until the spinach is tender and the liquid has evaporated.
2. Melt another 2 tablespoons (40 ml) butter in a separate pan, add asafoetida, and saute for a few moments. Add the nutmeg and flour and saute for about 1 minute. Add the milk and stir carefully until the sauce boils and thickens. Remove from the heat. Combine the spinach, cheese, and sauce. Place the mixture in a bowl. If the mixture is too moist, add the optional bread crumbs.
3. In a separate pot cook the wavey lasagna in a pot of water with salt and olive oil until el-dante
4. Drain lasagna
5. Put lasagna into large baking dish and pour over it the spinach mixture.
6. Add the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese, and mix all together until evenly mixed
7. Sprinkle  mild and or edam over the top of the lasagna in the dish. I added some crumbled Wensleydale once too, amazingly wonderful combination with added paprika and black pepper sprinkled over the top.

Put into the oven and bake on medium heat for about one hour, or two if you like - it improves by the hour. Offer hot witha drizzle of olive oil.

Fettuccine Alfredo
(some say it) Serves 4
Ingredients:
8 oz. Fettuccine pasta
1 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Prepare pasta according to package directions, drain. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Blend in cream and cheese and cook over low heat to reduce mixture slightly and melt cheese. Sauce should not boil. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, toss with pasta and serve immediately.

Pesto  (Italiano Sauce)
Ingredients:
Equal amounts of  (one good bunch):
        Fresh Basil leaves
        Fresh Mint leaves
        Fresh Parsley leaves
200 grams + of Parmasen Grated Cheese
200 grams Almonds
4 table spoons Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 tsp sweet basil
2 tsp paprika
1 cup water
squirt lemon juice (half lemon)

Put it all into a blender and blend until thick and creamy

Serve with pasta and pasta sauce above

Vegetarian Peppers and Polenta Kebabs:
Ingredients:
For the kebabs:
2 green capsicums  - cut into squares - 1/2 inch in size
2 red capsicums  - cut into squares - 1/2 inch in size
2 yellow capsicums  - cut into squares - 1/2 inch in size
2 orange capsicums  - cut into squares - 1/2 inch in size
one large jar of Kalamata black olives pitted
one large jar of stuffed green olives
one can of Pineapple rings - or if available fresh pineapple and cut to small segments
225 grms (8oz) cherry tomatoes
100 grams Red Leicester cheese - cut into squares - 1/2 inch in size
100 grams Tasty cheese  - cut into squares - 1/2 inch in size
100 grams Parmesan cheese
bamboo kebab sticks - 8 inches long

For the polenta skewers:
1 litre (1 and 1/4 pints) vegetable stock or water
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
200 grms (70z) course polenta
50 grms (2oz) butter
75 grms (3oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese - plus extra for sprinkling
1 tea spoon hing
2 tablespoons Olive oil
2 springs Rosemary

For the polenta - method:
1 . In a large saucepan, bring the stock/water and 1tsp salt to the boil. Gradually add the polenta, stirring constantly. Simmer for 30 - 40 mins until the mixture comes away from the pan, stirring frequently. Add the butter, Parmesan cheese, hing, rosemary and pepper.
2. Spread out the hot mixture on to a dampened baking sheet to a 5mm (1/4 inch) thickness. Leave for about 1 hour to set.
3 Cut the polenta into squares or diamonds shapes about one inch in size and lightly grill in the oven until golden brown and a slight puffy.

For the Kebabs:
1. collect all ingredients in small bowls
2. assemble each item onto the bamboo stick
3. Black olive, red capsicum, pineapple, red Leicester cheese, green capsicum, cherry tomato, orange capsicum, polenta, yellow capsicum, tasty cheese, red capsicum, stuffed green olive.

Serve with Satay sauce or Pesto sauce. Serve at room temperature.

Satay Sauce
From Kurma's Great Vegetarian Dishes cookbook.
Satay sauce is delicious served with a variety of fried savouries. This recipe yields a fairly hot sauce. Adjust chilies as desired.
PREPARATION TIME: a few minutes
COOKING TIME: 15 minutes
YIELD: just under 2 cups (500 ml)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon (20 ml) olive oil
1 teaspoon (5 ml) minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon (20 ml) hot green chilies, minced
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) yellow asafoetida powder
11/2 cups (375 ml) tomato puree.
11/2 teaspoons (7 ml) ground cumin
3 tablespoons (60 ml) peanut butter
4 tablespoons (80 ml) coconut milk
11/2 teaspoons (7 ml) brown sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
1 tablespoon (20 ml) minced parsley
1 tablespoon (20 ml) lemon juice

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan until almost smoking. Saute the ginger and chilies until they start to brown; then add the asafoetida. Saute for just a few seconds; then add the tomato puree. Stirring often, bring the puree to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Add the ground cumin and peanut butter, stirring the sauce until the peanut butter melts. Blend the coconut milk, sugar, salt, parsley, and lemon juice with the peanut butter and remove the sauce from the heat. Whisk until smooth. This sauce is best served hot.

Vrindavanesvari's Krishna Balaram cake:
Ingredients:
250 grms butter
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
2 table spoons yogurt
2 table spoons golden syrup
4 cups white flour
4 table spoons baking powder
2 and 1/2 cups liquid (half milk half water)

Works fine doubled or tripled also

method:
1. Melt butter and cream it with the sugar in a pot. When bubbling add yogurt and golden syrup.
2. Disolve baking powder in the half and half milk and water bowl. Be prepared for it to nearly double in size. Add to the creamed mixture (it also works if you add the creamed mixture to this bowl which is easier for mixing in larger quantities)
3. Double the mixture and divide in half or in three for layer cakes. Cook on a meduim 150 C heat until golden brown - usually about 35-40 mins.

For Orange cake add grated orange rind to the butter mixture and 1/2 cup orange juice instead of as much water.
For Carob or Decaf Coffee cake cream the powder with the butter mixture.
It is nice also if you keep a carob or coffee mix seperate from a plain mix and then marble the two together.

The consistency should be semi-liquid not dry and doughy.
if unsure you can always cook for longer on a lower heat.

You can put jams in the layers and icing and cream on top.
Offer and serve.

Cakes in Strawberry Yogurt (Malpoora)
This luscious version of the well known Indian sweet Malpoora is not traditional but rather something that has been developed over 2 decades in the Sunday Feast kitchens of Hare Krishna Temples around the world. Spoonfuls of thick batter are deep-fried in ghee to produce doughnut-like soft cakes, which are suspended in sweetened, fruit flavoured yogurt. You can substitute any fresh ripe berry for the strawberries, or try banana, passion fruit, papaya, mango, or kiwifruit. (BTW during chaturmasya's second month some may refrain from eating yogurt preparations, even though the vrata is from yogurt only)
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
BATTER RESTING TIME: 15 minutes
COOKING TIME: 20 minutes
YIELD: about 2 dozen
Ingredients:
2 and 1/4 cups (560 ml) self-raising flour
1 cup (250 ml) icing sugar
1 and 1/4 cups (310 ml) cold water
ghee for deep-frying
5 cups (11/4 litres) plain yogurt, chilled
3/4 cup (185 ml) caster sugar
1 and 1/2 cups (375 ml) strawberries, washed and quartered

Method:
1. Sift together the flour and icing sugar in a bowl. Add the water gradually, while stirring with a wire whisk, until the mixture reaches a consistency somewhere between batter and dough. Spoon in one tablespoon (20 ml) of yogurt and whisk again. The finished batter should cling to a spoon. Allow to set for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the ghee to a depth of 6.5 - 7.5 cm (21/2 - 3 inches) in a wok or deep-frying pan over moderately low heat 160°C/320°F.
3. Spoon out a tablespoon of batter from the bowl. With the aid of a second spoon, deftly slide the batter into the hot ghee. Quickly repeat the procedure for about 8 spoonfuls of batter. Allow the cakes to inflate in the ghee. Then turn them over with a slotted spoon and fry them, turning occasionally, for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are light golden brown all over. Remove and drain. Repeat until all the batter is used up.
4. Combine the yogurt and caster sugar in a large bowl. Crush a few berries through your fingers into the yogurt. Add the rest of the berries and combine well.
5. Carefully fold the fried cakes into the fruit yogurt and refrigerate, allowing the cakes to soak for about 30 minutes before serving. Serve the malpoora in individual dessert bowls with strawberry yogurt spooned on top.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble
From Kurma's Great Vegetarian Dishes cook book. This version of the famous English dessert has delighted customers at Gopal's Restaurant in Melbourne for many years. Succulent stewed apples, folded with fresh blackberries, are baked with a buttery, crunchy topping and served with cream or hot custard.
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME: 15 minutes
BAKING TIME: 20 minutes
YIELD: enough for 6 to 8 persons
Ingredients:
6 medium green apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 and 1/2 cups (375 ml) fresh blackberries (or try raspberries, loganberries, or boysenberries)
1 tablespoon (20 ml) sugar
1 tablespoon (20 ml) fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup (185 ml) raw oats
1/2 cup (125 ml) unbleached plain flour
1/2 cup (125 ml) wholemeal flour
1/2 cup (125 ml) raw sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) melted butter

Method:
1. Place the sliced apples along with a sprinkle of water in a heavy 4-litre/quart saucepan. Cook covered over moderate heat until the apples soften. Fold in the fresh berries, one tablespoon (20 ml) sugar, and lemon juice. Remove from the heat.
2. In a bowl, combine the raw oats, unbleached plain flour, wholemeal flour, raw sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter, rubbing in the butter until a coarse meal-like consistency is achieved.
3. Spread the cooked apples and berries in the bottom of a 20 cm (8-inch) ovenproof baking dish. Without pressing down, spoon on all the topping.
4. Place the dish in the top one-third of a preheated 180°C/355°F oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Serve hot.

The Animal Spirit Newsletter - Issue #2 -  4/21/03-4/27/03

The book "Living a Good Life" normally selling at $21.95 is now going at the $14.95 price, .http://vegsoc.wellington.net.nz/livingGd.htm

 Krishna Conscious - Vedikly acceptable Jokes

Healing with humour: Taking better care of ourselves  =>;-))
http://www.hknet.org.nz/healthNhumour.html
Visit our Hasya Rasa pages

Laughter Therapy - its no joke:
http://www.healthlibrary.com/reading/yod/march98/news.htm

TEACHER: Tommy do you see the Tree Outside?
TOMMY:Yes.

TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the Grass Outside?
TOMMY: Yes.

TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the Sky.
TOMMY:   Okay. (He returned a few minutes later)  Yes, I saw the Sky.

TEACHER: Did You See GOD?
TOMMY:No.

TEACHER:That's My Point.  We Can't See GOD Because HE Isn't There.  HE Just Doesn't Exist.

A Little Girl Spoke Up Wanting To Ask The Boy Some Questions. The Teacher Agreed.

LITTLE GIRL:    Tommy, do you see the Tree Outside?
TOMMY: Yes.

LITTLE GIRL:    Tommy do you! see the Grass Outside?
TOMMY: Yessssss!!!

LITTLE GIRL:    Did you see the Sky?
TOMMY:     Yessssss!!!

LITTLE GIRL;    Tommy, Do You See The Teacher?
TOMMY: Yes

LITTLE GIRL:    Do You See Her Brain?
TOMMY: No

LITTLE  GIRL:   Then According To What We Were Taught Today,  She Doesn't Have One...

II CORINTHIANS 5:7  "FOR WE WALK BY FAITH,  NOT BY SIGHT "
 
 

According to mayavada philosophy everything is one. Everything is Brahman. I am non different from you Brahman, you Brahman and me Brahman both, are non different from God Brahman, or from the material elements Brahman. Because everything is Brahman. 'Problem is due to their neglect of the finer details of how Brahman functions according to quality, attribute and its manifestations and proportionate limitations they tend to think that the gold in the gold mine is equal to the gold of a tiny nose stud, or toe ring. But we know don't we, that qualitatively it is true that they are both gold, but in quantity they are different. Gold in the mine is vast and gold in the ring is limited. The mayavadis are very good at fooling many ignorant persons into thinking that there is total equality in everything. And that, tat twam asi, that I am! I am that Brahman, Absolute, God.

Going along with this philosophy they say that simply by saying the red is running infers according to them that red runs. But according to our Vaisnava philosophy we understand that there is an unknown missing factor. Not that anything red runs, or that as soon as you write the word red it runs of the page. Could it be that there is a horse, and that is what is red, or that there is a dog, and the name of the dog that is running is Red. Nice boy Red !

Another example that we can give is that of the town on the South coast of England called Brighton on Sea, does this mean that Brighton is actually on the sea. No, not at all, but Brighton is on the shore of the sea. The mayavadis other famous example of non difference is that of white and a pot. Pour the water into the white pot. So are white and pot the same? If so pour the water into the white.............! Or is everything that is white a pot? Not likely, don't you pour that water on my white dhoti.

So being careful, and bearing all this nonsense undifferentiated one philosophy in mind, what happens if a red hat falls into the black sea?

Once a mayavadi who was diligently searching along the edge of the pavement and gutter was approached by a police officer who asked,
"What are you looking for?"
"I just lost my ten rupee note."
"Where did you lose it?"
"About half a block down the street."
"Well, why are you looking for it here?" asked the rather intolerant policeman.
"Oh, it was much better light over here."

Did you ever wonder?

Did you hear about the old watchmaker he died leaving 100 clocks.
His son is winding up the estate.

From the newspapers

Lettuce won't turn brown if you put your head in a plastic bag before placing it in the refrigerator.

John Masten, the celebrated singer, was in an automobile accident last week.
We are happy to state that he was able to appear the following evening in four pieces.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
If you are one of hundreds of parachute enthusiasts who bought our "Easy Sky Diving" book, please make the following correction: on page 8, line 7, the words "state zip code" should read "pull rip cord."

Question: What do you get when you mix Holy water with milk of magnesia
Answer: A Religious movement

I couldn't help overhearing a man at a nearby pay phone.

"I know it's something you want," he said earnestly, "but I don't think tattoos are a good idea.
And the same goes for body piercing.  As long as you're living in my house, I think you should respect my wishes."

I was secretly cheering him on for his fatherly firmness.

Then came the 'coup de grace': "Besides, Mum, you're 75 years old!  You don't NEED a tattoo!"

We were all siting taking prasadam, when one devotee who had just come back from India started telling of some of his encounters.

 You know the East is so mysterious, and did you know there are still so many practicing mystics. Once when we went down to Kerala we found this old temple, must have been at least ten thousand years old by the smoothness of the stone. Anyway there was this really old baba there. He seemed to be maintaining the temple, because there was incense bellowing out from near the altar, and no-one else was around.

 It appeared that the old man couldn't walk because he was supported by two crutches. He was very unsteady and his legs looked all knarled. He stood there praying, and chanting sacred mantras in what must have been Malalaylam. After an hour or so, he suddenly threw away one of his crutches. Then he stood there for another half an hour praying, after which he got really excited and threw away the other one of the crutches.

"Then what, .......Then what,......", all the devotees asked in anticipation.

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den, and I'm thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the names Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my names Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with windows?
COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look in the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What have you got?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend office with windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office a nd it has windows! OK, lets just say, I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W."
COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "w" if you don't start with some straight answers. OK, forget that. Can I watch movies on the Internet?
ABBOTT: Yes, you want Real One.
COSTELLO: Maybe a real one, maybe a cartoon. What I watch is none of your business. Just tell me what I need!
ABBOTT: Real One.
COSTELLO: If its a long movie I also want to see reel 2, 3 and 4. Can I watch them?
ABBOTT: Of course.
COSTELLO: Great, with what?
ABBOTT: Real One.
COSTELLO; OK, I'm at my computer and I want to watch a movie. What do I do?
ABBOTT: You click the blue "1."
COSTELLO: I click the blue one what?
ABBOTT: The blue "1."
COSTELLO: Is that different from the blue "W"?
ABBOTT: The blue 1 is Real One and the blue W is Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: But there's three words in "office for windows"!
ABBOTT: No, just one. But its the most popular Word in the world.
COSTELLO: It is?
ABBOTT: Yes, but to be fair, there aren't many other Words left. It Pretty much wiped out all the other Words.
COSTELLO: And that word is real one?
ABBOTT: Real One has nothing to do with Word. Real One isn't even Part of Office.
COSTELLO: Stop! Don't start that again. What about financial bookkeeping you have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What's bundled to my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(LATER)

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off??
ABBOTT: Click on "START" ....................................

.......and always remember (don't forget...)

You might like to check out Krishna-conscious jokes - http://vedaveda.com/anglais/joke/deux.html
Also check out the Humour section of the Main Index: http://www.hknet.org.nz/index.htm

A Grateful Word to our Supporters

to all the readers who have one way or another subscribed to N.Z.H.K.S.R.Network.
Your interest and support makes this work possible.

Thank you to The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International (BBTI) for allowing the kind use of their pictures found in this newsletter; Copyright ©2005 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, on the web at http://www.krishna.com. Used with permission.

A special thanx for the devotees who are sponsoring the site over 2004-2005, and to Yagnesh Rajani prabhu for taking it up to 2007

Also a more than special thanks to those devotees who helped us on the India yatra, you know who you are. Thanx

Those wishing to contribute to this Net-work, send articles, and or information please do so by contacting me here ...

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