Newsletter Number #173  ( Gaura Purnima issue 2006 A.D. Gaurabda 520 )
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

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All Glories To Srila Prabhupad.

\o/
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/ \    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 still 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 

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From time to time articles and shlokas (verses) included in this newsletter may require the Balaram font in order to view them nicely. If you don't have the Balaram font installed on your system you can download it for free from our fonts page.

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
... Other Topical links - etc
... Vedik revival - Vedik World Heritage

Advertisements - what's on where: check them out...
... Cyber Community Notice Board
...lastest important news items !!!!
Mayapur Gaura Purnima 2006 Offerings Now Online

... 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 2006
... Have a Happy Year - Gaurabda 520

Prasadam Recipes: To slake the thirst of body, mind & soul
...World Vegetarian Day & World Vegetarian Awareness Month of October links
... Religious Stands on Vegetarianism (Vaishnava - Hindu, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism)
... 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
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2005-2006.html
The coming year's Vaishnava Calendar for 2006-2007
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2006-2007.html

Fasting on Suddha Ekadasi for Amalaki vrata Ekadasi - (Fasting from Beans and Grains - 10th March 2006  in NZ)

Sripad Madhavendra Puri - Disappearance - Tirubhav

15th March 2006 (Wednesday)  Holika Purnima        (Holi)
Sri Krishna Chaitanya (Gauranga) Mahaprabhu - Appearance - Avirbhav
*** Gaura Purnima *** (Fasting Ekadasi style untill moonrise)  (Moonrise in Auckland NZ is 7:51pm including Daylight Savings time)

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse (do not cook, eat, etc. Only Chant Hare Krishna) see eclipses-page

Mina Sankranti (Sun enters Pisces)

16th Mar 2006 Festival of Srila Jagannatha Misra

Sri Srivas Pandit - Appearance - Avirbhav

Fasting on Suddha Ekadasi for Papamocani Ekadasi - (Fasting from Beans and Grains - 26th March 2006  in NZ)

Sri Govinda Ghosa - Disappearance - Tirubhav

29 Mar 2006 Wednesday daytime =  Amavasya
Total Solar Eclipse (do not cook, eat, etc. Only Chant Hare Krishna) see eclipses-page

Sripad Ramanujacarya - Appearance

Sri Rama Navami: Appearance of  Lord Ramacandra (Fasting till sunset)

Fasting on Suddha Ekadasi for Kamada Ekadasi - (Fasting from Beans and Grains - 9th April 2006  in NZ)
 (Damanaka-ropana dvadasi )

Sri Balarama Rasayatra - Purnima
Sri Krsna Vasanta Rasa
Sri Vamsivadana Thakur - Appearance - Avirbhav
Sri Syamananda Prabhu - Appearance - Avirbhav

Mesa Sankranti (Sun enters Aries)
Beginning of Shalagram and Tulsi Jala Dan

Sri Abhiram Thakur - Disappearance - Tirubhav

Srila Vrindavana Das Thakur - Disappearance - Tirubhav

Fasting on Suddha Ekadasi for Varuthini Ekadasi - (Fasting from Beans and Grains - 24th April 2006  in NZ)

Sri Gadadhara Pandit - Appearance - Avirbhav

Aksaya Tritiya, Candana Yatra starts, continues for 21 days

Jahnu Saptami

Srimati Sita Devi (consort of Lord Rama) - Appearance - Avirbhav
Sri Madhu Pandit - Disappearance - Tirubhav

Srimati Jahnava Devi - Appearance - Avirbhav

Mother's Day (NZ, Aus, USA, UK)

Fasting on Suddha Ekadasi for Mohini Ekadasi - (Fasting from Beans and Grains - 9th May 2006  in NZ)

Srimati Rukmini Dvadasi

Sriman Jayananda Prabhu - Disappearance - Tirubhav

Sri Nrsimha Caturdasi -  Appearance of Lord Nrsimhadeva (Fasting till dusk) (Friday 12 May in NZ)

Krsna Phula Dola, Salila Vihara - Purnima
Sri Paramesvari Das Thakur - Disappearance - Tirubhav
Sri Sri Radha Ramana Devji - Appearance - Avirbhav
Sri Madhavendra Puri - Appearance - Avirbhav
Sri  Srinivasa Acarya - Appearance - Avirbhav

Buddhadev Purnima - Buddha Jayanti - Lord Buddha's Appearance day

This year's full panjikam also now available for viewing:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2005-2006.html
The coming year's Vaishnava Calendar for 2006-2007
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2006-2007.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)

A New Face Lift for the old VCAL program - info page

Vaishnava Calendar Reminder Services
http://www.vaisnavacalendar.info/programs.htm

GBC Vaishnava Calendar Committee - Vaisnava Calendar Calculation
http://vcal.iskcongbc.org/

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

Now available:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/Calendar2006-2007.html

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/
Free Downloadable Vaishnava Reminder for your Desktop
This Vaishnava Calendar Reminder is so simple, so nice and so practical
It has a huge data base of Towns to choose from, and facility to add towns too.
This can be used in conjunction with all other software and URLs mentioned above.

"This software aimed to be a personal information manager of anyone in Krishna's devotee community. Did you ever miss Ekadasi? With Vaishnava Reminder it will not be so easy - it alerts you about fasting days. Also it has built-in vaishnava calendar generator, to-do tasks, custom events, diary and panchang. And it is 100% free - just visit http://www.vreminder.tk and download it. It quietly sits in the system tray and alerts you when needed."

Vaisnava Reminder v.0.501a setup - 520 kb
http://vreminder.gauranga.in/setup-vr0501a.zip

Once you've downloaded it and installed it, you'll never want to be without it.

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

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 14 - 15th March 2006

                  Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon

                      AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
                            o  '    o  '
                         E174 46, S36 52

                   Zone: 13h East of Greenwich

           * Eclipse not visible from this location * http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/LunarEclipse.html

The best information about the eclipse is on the NASA web-site http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/image1/LE2006Mar14-Fig1.GIF

Some clear graphics are also there.

UT time means at Greenwich in the UK (UT = Universal Time), so for us down here in the Southern Hemisphere, for NZ we are 13 hours behind that time (including Day light saving time), as the Moon moves West to East unlike the Sun which moves East to West. Only Western Australia may see part of it.

In the Northern Hemisphere the Eclipse begins at 21:21 (09:21pm) on 14th March and goes through until 02:13am on the 15th March.

Here in the Southern Hemisphere we will not be able to see the eclipse of the Moon as it will be daytime here 10:21am through until 15:13 (3:13pm) all on the 15th which is Gaura Purnima day here.

For other Eclipse information see our page
http://www.hknet.org.nz/eclipses-page.htm

Moonrise tool Free Download

Check the time of the Moon Rise locally in your area

Moonrise version 3.5 is a very simple to use, yet very accurate program. If you put it in your Startup folder, it will greet you everyday with the day's sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, and twilight times. You can easily see the next series of moon phases, and see a graphic of the current phase. You can find the same information for tomorrow, next week, forty years from now, or the day you were born with a few clicks of the mouse.

Moonrise is available in either 32 or 16 bit versions. You may download a free trial version from the download page.

http://htdconnect.com/~bsidell/download.htm

You will need to enter the latitude, longitude and time zone for your location. If you don't know yours

 

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

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

Other Journals, Newsletters, & KC WeBlogs:
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad's Blogspot - All letters:
http://sangalog.blogspot.com/

Aisvarya prabhu's 'blog:
http://www.livejournal.com/~icemonger/

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.

CafeKrishna.com run by devotees from Pandava sena in the UK
http://cafekrishna.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/

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 (old)
http://www.iskconnz.com (The Auckland temple new site)
The Conch Newsletter is a subscription newsletter that is sent out in PDF 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/

ISKCON News.Net - FeedBlitz Blog Updates a compendium of news, with notices sent out by e-mail
http://www.iskconnews.net/

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

Kurma prabhu'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://www.gauranga.org/files/etav_02.PDF

You may need to install the latest version of Adobe's Acrobat Reader:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

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/

Srimad Bhagavad Gita AS IT IS

Bhagavad Gita:  Chapter 5 -  Karma-yoga : Action in Krsna Consciousness

TEXT 20

                       na prahrsyet priyam prapya
                        nodvijet prapya capriyam
                        sthira-buddhir asammudho
                       brahma-vid brahmani sthitah

   WORD FOR WORD
   na--never; prahrsyet--rejoices; priyam--the pleasant;
   prapya--achieving; na--does not; udvijet--become agitated;
   prapya--obtaining; ca--also; apriyam--the unpleasant;
   sthira-buddhih--self-intelligent; asammudhah--unbewildered;
   brahma-vit--one who knows the Supreme perfectly; brahmani--in the
   transcendence; sthitah--situated.

  TRANSLATION
   A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor
   laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is
   self-intelligent, who is unbewildered, and who knows the science of
   God, is already situated in transcendence.

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

   The symptoms of the self-realized person are given herein. The
   first symptom is that he is not illusioned by the false
   identification of the body with his true self. He knows perfectly
   well that he is not this body, but is the fragmental portion of the
   Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is therefore not joyful in
   achieving something, nor does he lament in losing anything which is
   related to his body. This steadiness of mind is called
   sthira-buddhi, or self-intelligence. He is therefore never
   bewildered by mistaking the gross body for the soul, nor does he
   accept the body as permanent and disregard the existence of the
   soul. This knowledge elevates him to the station of knowing the
   complete science of the Absolute Truth, namely Brahman, Paramatma
   and Bhagavan. He thus knows his constitutional position perfectly
   well, without falsely trying to become one with the Supreme in all
   respects. This is called Brahman realization, or self-realization.
   Such steady consciousness is called Krsna consciousness.

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/

Bhaktivedanta Vedabase - Bhagavad Gita on-line http://bhagavadgitaasitis.com/

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Bhagavad-gita As It Is  http://vedabase.net/bg/en

Bhagavad Gita Multi Media Web-version http://chantandbehappy.com/gita/

Listen to Bhagavad Gita on line - http://www.Gitamrta.org

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
mailto:bhagavad_gita-owner@egroups.com

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...)

Remain in your place but be Krsna conscious

The evening program began late but was well attended. From 8:00-9:30 p.m. thousands of people poured into the grounds and enjoyed bhajanas until Prabhupada began his lecture on Bhagavad-gita 16.7: "Those who are demonic do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done. Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor truth is found in them."

Once more he spoke in English, his strong, clear voice amplified above the clamor, and Jasomatinandana translated into Gujarati. He explained that one's birth or upbringing are inconsequential -- Krsna consciousness is for anyone who wants to take it. "According to varnasrama-dharma, the brahmanas are called suci, means 'pure.' But this suci -- the opposite word is muci. So there is a Bengali Vaisnava poet. He says that suci haya muci haya yadi krsna tyaje/ muci haya suci haya yadi krsna-bhaje.' The purport is that if somebody takes to Krsna consciousness, even he is born in the family of muci, then he becomes suci. And if a person is born in the brahmana family or ksatriya family but he does not take to Krsna consciousness, then he becomes a muci. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, mam hi partha vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah. Papa-yoni means muci, less than the sudras. If he takes to Krsna consciousness, te 'pi yanti param gatim, he is also eligible to go back to home, back to Godhead. So even a muci or a papa-yoni born in the low-grade family, if he takes to Krsna consciousness, he becomes a devata. This is also confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam [2.4.18] by Sukadeva Gosvami,

kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa
abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah
ye 'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah
sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah.

"So it doesn't matter where we are born. If we take to Krsna consciousness, then he becomes a suci, purified, and he is eligible to go back to home, to back to Godhead."

Later in the lecture Prabhupada again displayed his determination to challenge the atheistic scientists, whom he described as asuric. "Their main proposal is that there is no creator, God. The modern scientists, philosophers, Western people, they don't accept that God is the creator of everything. And their theory of creation is the chemical composition. They think that chemical combination is the cause of life. So the asuras' theory of creation is a chance theory, but we don't accept. We are preaching against them, writing books against them. We are challenging this atheistic theory of creation. The Krsna consciousness movement is against the asuras. Krsna also comes down to kill the asuras. Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam. Asuras cannot flourish by their atheistic theory. Unless one comes to Krsna consciousness, he has to be put into the different types of asuric yoni [lower species] to suffer in this material world."

Srila Prabhupada summarized by explaining how easy it is to become Krsna conscious, urging everyone to adopt the universal panacea given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. "To take to this Krsna consciousness is made very easy during this Kali-yuga. Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. Kalau, in this age, if you take to Krsna consciousness, simply chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna mantra, then you become devata. This is our program. So our only request is to you, that in whatever position you are -- it doesn't require to be changed -- simply take to Krsna consciousness. Chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra, and gradually you'll become devata. That is the recommendation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir. 'Remain in your place but be Krsna conscious.' It is not difficult at all. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna."

The crowd was clearly impressed. I doubt anyone had ever spoken so directly and forcefully to them, yet they appreciated it. Even though it was very late, most of the audience stayed after Prabhupada left to see a film depicting Krsna consciousness around the world.

- From the "A Transcendental Diary Vol 1" by HG Hari Sauri dasa

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
....a different lecture, morning walk, conversation or class daily.

"Unlimitedly Merciful Lord"

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne

Listen to the entire lecture on-line:
http://prabhupadavani.org/Morning_Walks/m3u/MW051.m3u

Prabhupada: ...in the beautiful tomb. Then how do you go? Either hell or heaven, that doesn't matter. So how do you go there?

Madhudvisa: They say that the material body and the soul join back together again at the end.

Prabhupada: That is dehantara-prapti, another body.

Madhudvisa: No, they say same body.

Prabhupada: Same body means same material body. The form may be different. The form is actually different, because this form is lying in your tomb. It is not going. Where that... If it has gone, then why the body is here? That is dehantara, another body. How you can say the same body? The same body is lying here. After death, if the same body is going, then why the same body is not going? Why it is lying here? They must be reasonable, not dogmatic. How it is same body?

Satsvarupa: I don't understand their philosophy.

Prabhupada: Pure nonsense. Same body, how can you? The body is here.

Madhudvisa: The body is rotting in the tomb, and then they say that the body at the end of the creation is reconstructed and reunited with the soul.

Prabhupada: That's all right, but not this body. Reconstruct.

Madhudvisa: That they say, this body.

Prabhupada: That is their foolishness. This body, you can say, this is material body; that is also material body. But not this body. Just like you change your cloth. The other cloth also made of cotton, and this is also made of cotton. In the same way, you can say, "the same body," cotton body or dress. But you cannot say that this cloth or this dhoti is going with you. How they can say? This body is lying here. This body means this material body.

Madhudvisa: They will say, "Some things you cannot understand. You must simply accept on faith."

Prabhupada: "You cannot understand" -- that is also good. Suppose a child cannot understand. But there must be some explanation. Otherwise, how in advanced stages one can accept. They will say, "dogmatic." This body means this material body, and this material body has got so many shapes, 8,400,000. So hell means... This is also hellish. A tree is standing for five thousand years or five hundred years. Is it not hellish? If I ask you, "Stand here for five days," you will die. (laughing) If there is such order from the government, "You stand here for so many days..."

Satsvarupa: Naked. Naked too.

Prabhupada: Naked. This is hellish. (dog barking) Now this, another hellish life. His only business is to bark. The master may like to keep a dog, but if he is said that "You also become a dog," he will not agree. Will he agree?

Madhudvisa: But whether he agrees or not, he will become one, if he is too much attached. [break] ...the chief engineer of building the chariots, and all of these people are his assistants.

Prabhupada: Jagannatha will be very much pleased upon you. Yes. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. Little service to God is taken as great service. Krsna is so kind. So we should try always to give the best service, best energy, and you become liberated. Actually we cannot give any service to Krsna. He is unlimited. What is the value of our service? But He takes it seriously: "Oh, he is trying to give me some service." Otherwise what service He needs from us? Suppose He has created these big universes, what service we can give? By His will, He can create millions of universes. What service we can give? We... No. These are the chances of service, this Ratha-yatra. God is so great, so big, how we can pack up in the ratha. But this is a chance, that you get Him sit on the ratha and prepare it, manufacture it. Because your energy is engaged for His service, that is accepted. So this example... Just like a small child eating lozenges, and out of that, if he offers father, "Father, take it," and father takes it very serious..., "Ah, very nice." And what is that lozenges to the father? It is nothing. But because the child offers to the father in love, father takes it very seriously: "Oh, you are so nice. Yes, yes, give me." That is stated in Bhagavad-gita. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati: [Bg. 9.26] "A leaf, a fruit, a little water." What is the value of these? But yo me bhaktya prayacchati: "Because he is giving Me in faith and devotion, I accept it." And what is this one piece of leaf and a fruit for God? It is nothing. He is being served by many thousands of goddess of fortune. Laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambrahma-sevyamanam. Then what is the value of this leaf and flower and fruit? But still, He says, tad aham asnami: "Yes, I eat them." And once God eats from your hand, then your life is successful.

Madhudvisa: Sometimes a question is arisen that devotees are working hard to serve Krsna, but sometimes they don't feel that they are working in love and devotion. They are doing the work, but sometimes...

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

"Lord Caitanya has instructed us that in the holy name of the Lord, as sound representation of the Lord, all the potencies of the Lord are invested. Thus one can immediately enjoy the association of the Lord by the pure vibration of the sound representation of His holy name, and the concept of the Lord is immediately manifested before the pure devotee. A pure devotee, therefore, is not aloof from the Lord even for a moment."

MEN of culture are often found to devote themselves in acquiring knowledge of various subjects which could prove efficacious to them in their needs; so we may not confuse to accept all readers in the same line of thought. The best scrutinisers of knowledge in their cultural extension should possess all skill and dexterity to get their most covetable end having had a care for Eternity and uninterrupted Blissful unalloyed Knowledge. This incarnate of the acme of knowledge-seekers will be the best reader of this book when they can have the privilege of comparing the merits of different views of pure theists. Mental speculationists have diverse objects of investigation and their diversity of seeking Knowledge would simply disturb the peaceful mentality having been tempted by the duping features of external manifestations, quite suitable and dove-tailing the present purposes of enjoyment by their imperfect senses.

The writer has got the prime object of furnishing a comparative study in which the position of a reader has the highest place. This is his only ambition, of healing the depraved mentality of the so-called culturists of True Knowledge. But the readers have different motives of utilising the product of their enterprise of perusing the book. One class of readers are found to criticise the merits and demerits of the writer in order to establish their superiority, with a view to puff up their vanity. Another class is observed to muse over the subject by spending their time for the gratification of their senses. The third section of readers mean to profit by reading the book in order to regulate their Fife for a better purpose. The under-estimation of a desirable element for some utilisation through temporal gratification of senses, would not equipoise the third position of the reader who will surely mark the distinctive situation by comparing other things and agree with the author in spending his valuable time for true amelioration.

The body of the book will appear before readers as a historical account of the Journey of life of a Hero. But the Hero is not an ordinary mundane hero for a hallucinative ambition with a spiritual tinge. The account will no doubt show that the targeted Object of the manifestive spiritual world is Eternal and identical with the Hero of the speaker. Hasty conclusions will be pouring forth to oppose this by welcoming anthropomorphic and apotheotic thoughts. The delineations will prove that the Object pointed to is beyond the comprehension of crippled senses. And the Absolute Eternity made up of Pure Knowledge and Incessant bliss is never to be had within the compass of our senses. All objects of the phenomena which are comprehended by senses have temporal situation and deformed entity void of different 'qualities' that are always submissive to senses.

Sree Krishna-Chaitanya's inculcations of the Personality of Godhead cannot be restricted to or accused as Idolatry. Idols are constructed of mundane materials and are subject to the inspection of senses. The Eternal Absolute does not exactly submit to these senses, as He does not put Himself as a shareholder of phenomenal things. Whichever comes under senses has equal value with one of Nature's products and forms to be a subject of the jurisdiction of senses. The Eternal Absolute is inconceivable by limited senses. The partially eclipsed views of the Absolute are shaky, non-absolute, liable to transformation and under the clutch of the span of Time. The physical limitations are all accommodated in Space, Time and particular entities. The naming of the Transcendental Absolute through the lips of a mundane agent will surely seek after a size, a colour, etc., and must undergo the ocular examination. The Transcendental Absolute should in no case submit to our dermal perceptions, neither to our nasal or lingual activities as well.

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Chaitanya, who is the most merciful incarnation. He has appeared in a golden color for the purpose of freely distributing pure love of Krishna."

In the Atharva Veda (Purusha-bodini Upanishad) it is said:

saptame gaura-varna-vishnor ity anena sva-shaktya caikyam etya prante pratar avatirya saha svaih sva-manum shikshayati

"In the seventh manvantara, the Supreme Lord will, accompanied by His own associates, descend in a golden form. He will teach the chanting of His own holy names."

It is further stated in the Atharva Veda:

ito 'ham krita-sannyaso 'vatarishyami sa-guno nirvedo nishkamo bhu-girbanas tira-stho 'lakanandayah kalau catuh-sahasrabdhopari panca-sahasrabhyantare gaura-varno dirghangah sarva-lakshana-yukta ishvara-prarthito nija-rasasvado bhakta-rupo mishrakhyo vidita-yogah syam

"The Supreme Lord Himself says: When between four thousand and five thousand years of Kali-yuga have passed, I will descend to the earth in a place by the Ganges' shore. I will be a tall, saintly brahmana devotee of the Lord, and have a golden complexion. I will be renounced and free from all desire. I will accept the order of renunciation (sannyasa). I will be a devotee advanced in bhakti-yoga. I will chant the holy names of the Lord. I will taste the sweet mellows of My own devotional service. Only the great devotees will understand Me."

In the Sama Veda the Lord states:

tathaham krita-sannyaso bhu-girbano 'vatarisye tire 'lakanandayah punah punar ishvara-prarthitah sa-parivaro niralambo nirdhuteh kali-kalmasha-kavalita-janavalambanaya

"To deliver the people devoured by the sins of Kali-yuga, I will, accompanied by My associates, descend to the earth in a place by the Ganges shore. I will be a brahmana avadhuta sannyasi. Again and again I will chant the holy names of the Lord."

In the Krishna Upanishad it is stated:

sa eva bhagavan yuge turiye 'pi brahma-kule jayamanah sarva upanishadah uddidirshuh sarvani dharma-shastrani vistarayishnuh sarvan api janan santarayishnuh sarvan api vaishnavan dharman vijrimbhayan sarvan api pashandan nicakhana

"In the Kali-yuga, Lord Krishna will appear in a brahmana's family. He will teach the message of the Upanishads and the dharma-shastras. He will defeat the atheists and offenders and He will establish the truth of Vaishnava dharma."

In the eleventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam the following verse is found:

"In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead, who constantly sings the name of Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons, and confidential companions."

In the seventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam is the following verse describing the Lord's incarnations:

channah kalau yad abhava tri-yugo 'tha sa tvam

"Because in Kali-yuga You appear in a covered incarnation, you are therefore known as Tri-yuga (one who appears in only three yugas)."

The incarnation of Sri Chaitanya is a hidden incarnation because He appears in the guise of His devotee. This covered incarnation is confirmed in both the Adi Purana and the Narada Purana in the following verse:

"My true identity always concealed, I will assume the form of a brahmana devotee of the Lord. In this form I will deliver the worlds."

In the Kurma Purana the following statement is found:

"To deliver the conditioned souls burning in the troubles of Kali-yuga, in the first sandhya of that age the Lord will take birth in a brahmana's home."

In the Garuda Purana the Lord Himself states:

"To deliver the conditioned souls burning in the troubles of Kali-yuga, in the first sandhya of that age I will take birth among the brahmanas."

"In My original spiritual form, perfect and complete, I will become the son of Shachi-devi in Navadvipa Mayapura at the begining of Kali-yuga.

Sri Chaitanya was born in Mayapura, a subsection of the holy town of Navadvipa, to Shachi-devi in 1486 AD, aproximately 4,500 years after the beginning of the Kali-yuga.

Elsewhere in the Garuda Purana it is said:

"In the first sandhya of Kali-yuga, the Lord will assume a golden form. First He will be the husband of Lakshmi, and then He will be a sannyasi who stays near Lord Jagannatha at Puri."

Sri Chaitanya first married His eternal consort Sri Lakshmi-priya Devi before taking sannyasa at the age of twenty-four. After taking sannyasa He left Navadvipa in Bengal, and resided in the holy city of Puri in Orissa. Lord Jagannatha, the presiding deity of Puri is known in the Puranas by the name daru-brahma or "the Lord who is wood". This is because the Jagannatha deities in Puri are made from Neem wood.

Also in the Garuda Purana:

"The Supreme Lord who enjoyed pastimes with the gopis, who day and night filled the people of Vrindavana with happiness, who killed kamsa, and who in the war between the Kauravas made friendship with the Pandavas, will come again to the earth. Of this there is no doubt. His arm will be decorated with a bamboo danda (stick), He will be a sannyasi and His name will be Chaitanya."

The custom is that one begins carrying a bamboo rod (danda) after one takes sannyasa. Sri Chaitanya was an eka-danda sannyasi, thus He carried a single bamboo rod.

In the Devi Purana we find the following statement:

"The Lord will again appear in this world. His name will be Sri Krishna Chaitanya and He will spread the chanting of the Lord's holy names.

Sri Chaitanya perfectly illuminated the glories of the nama-siddhanta as predicted in this verse.

In the Nrisimha Purana it is mentioned:

"The Supreme Lord, who in the Satya-yuga appeared as a half-man half-lion to cure a terrible disease that had ravaged the daityas, and who in Treta-yuga appeared as Rama, a person who defeated the ten-headed Ravana , and who in Dvapara-yuga removed the earth's burden and protected the gopa people of Vraja-pura, will appear again in the Kali-yuga. His form will be golden, He will delight in chanting the Lord's holy names, and His name will be Chaitanya."

In the Padma Purana we find the following statement from the Lord:

"In the first sandhya of Kali-yuga I will appear on the earth in a beautiful place by the Gange's shore. I will be the son of Shachi-devi and My complexion will be golden."

In the Narada Purana the Lord says:

"O brahmana, in the age of Kali I will appear disguised as a devotee of the Lord and I will deliver all the worlds."

"O demigods, in the Kali-yuga take birth as devotees on the earth. I will appear as the son of Shachi in Kali-yuga to start the sankirtana movement."

Nama-sankirtana, or the chanting of the Lord's names is the yuga dharma for the age of Kali. Establishing this was Sri Chaitanya's primary purpose for incarnating.

In the Bhavishya Purana we find:

"O sage whose wealth is austerity, in the Kali-yuga everyone will see My form as a sannyasi, a form filled with tears of bliss and bodily hairs standing erect in ecstacy."

Sri Chaitanya would always display such symptoms of pure love of Krishna. When chanting the names of the Lord tears would flow from His eyes, and the hair on His body would stand erect. In his life Sri Chaitanya personally only composed eight verses known as Shikshashtakam. In the sixth verse He states:

"O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?"

Then in the seventh verse He says:

"O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like many years. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in your absence."

These emotional symptoms of devotion were constantly being displayed by Sri Chaitanya.

In the Matsya Purana the following statement is made by the Lord:

"In the Kali-yuga I will take birth in a place where three rivers meet. I will be golden color and tall. I will have a shaven head. I will be very merciful, and I will eagerly chant the holy names."

The place where three rivers meet is Navadvipa. It is the custom that eka-danda sannyasis completely shave their head when they take sannyasa, and Sri Chaitanya followed this principle.

This same verse is also found in the Vayu Purana with just two words appearing differently. The Vayu Purana verse mentions the Ganges river instead of 'three rivers'.

In the Vamana Purana the Lord says:

"O Narada, taking birth in Shachi-devi's womb, I will deliver the sinful people from the terrible darkness of Kali-yuga."

In the Vayu Purana the Lord states:

"In the month of Phalguna, when the star phalguni is conjoined with the full moon, I will appear in a golden form begotten by Purandara in Shachi-devi's womb."

Sri Chaitanya's father was known by the names Purandara Mishra and Jagannatha Mishra. Sri Chaitanya was born on the full moon day of the month of Phalguna.

"I will take birth in a brahmana family in the city of Navadvipa, by the Ganges shore."

"In order to show mercy to the people and engage them in devotional service, I will accept sannyasa. Then My name will be Sri Krishna Chaitanya."

In the Ananta Samhita we find:

"To show mercy to the people and give them devotional service, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear in a brahmana's home in Navadvipa by the Gange's shore."

Then the Lord states:

"In Kali-yuga I will descend to the earth with My associates. In Navadvipa, which is surrounded by the Ganges, I will take birth in Shachi-devi's womb."

In the Urdhvamnaya Tantra it is mentioned:

"In kali-yuga I will appear in a golden form as the son of Purandara and Shachi-devi."

In the Krishna-yamala it is stated:

"During the first sandhya of Kali-yuga I will descend, with all My powers and glories, to Mayapura in Navadvipa and become the son of Shachi-devi."

In the Brahma-yamala:

"I will appear on the earth in the garb of My devotee. In the Kali-yuga I will appear in Mayapura to start the sankirtana movement."

"In the first sandhya of kali-yuga, Lord Krishna will appear in Navadvipa, in Shachi-devi's womb. In that incarnation He will teach the chanting of Lord Hari's holy names."

In the Ananta Samhita we find:

"The golden Goddess Radha is known by the name Gauri and the dark Lord Krishna is known by the name Hari. Aware that both of them have combined, the wise call Him as Gaurahari."

"O beloved, assuming the forms of devotees the gopis will also take birth in Navadvipa. With great happiness they will again and again serve Lord Gaurahari, who is Radha and krishna combined in a single form."

In the Krishna-yamala we further find:

"Thinking in this way, Lord Krishna, who is an ocean of mercy, mercifully decided to appear as a devotee in Kali-yuga."

"His limbs will be golden and His voice deep. He will be very merciful. He will yearn to taste the nectar of His own holy name. He will be attached to chanting His own holy name. He will be the son of Shachi-devi."

In the Jaimini-bharata it is said:

"Lord Krishna descends to the world in many different forms. However in Kali-yuga, His incarnation is hidden. At that time He appears disguised as a sannyasi."

In the Yoga-vashishtha we find:

"In the first sandhya of Kali-yuga, on the earth, by the beautiful shore of the Ganges, the Lord will appear in His eternal golden form."

In the Skanda Purana:

"Outwardly of golden complexion, but inwardly Krishna, I will take My birth in the womb of Shachi-devi. Accompanied by My associates, servants, weapons, and confidential companions, I will assume the role of a human being."

In the Kapila Tantra we find the following statements:

"Then Sri Radha said to Lord Krishna: O beloved, please hear My words. I yearn to become one with you. Please show a form where You and I embrace and Our two bodies become one, a form filled with the love I bear for You, a form filled with auspicious and blissful pastimes, a form that brings bliss to the heart, a form that unites Our two natures.'

"Hearing His beloved's words, which were filled with joy and love, Lord krishna passionately embraced Her. Then by the touch of His inconceivable potency Their two forms joined and became one, a single form endowed with Sri Radha's divine love and glorious splendour. In a dream Lord Krishna showed all this to Sri Radha."

Other direct references are found in the Vishvasara Tantra, Kularnava Tantra, Brahma-rahasya, and Vishnu-yamala. Besides these there are complete chapters about Sri Chaitanya's incarnation in the Vayu Purana and Bhavishya Purana, which are too long to quote here. Also there is a text by the name Chaitanya Upanishad within the Atharva Veda, which explains the Lord's incarnation in Kali-yuga. I have not cited it here, as it was rediscovered in recent times, so most people will reject it's authenticity, or at least its value as evidence.

Sri Chaitanya's incarnation was a hidden incarnation, thus He burried references to His appearance deep within the ocean of vedic texts. His desire was that His disguise would not be betrayed, so He made sure these references would remain hidden until after His incarnation was complete. These text's were always present, but by the inconceivable yoga-maya of the Lord, He covered His true identity even from the Vedic scholars and panditas. Only the pure devotees understood His actual identity.

In the Ananta Samhita we find this very relevant statement regarding Sri Chaitanya's incarnation:

"Those who are bewildered by My illusory potency will not understand the great secret of My appearance in this world in My personal form, in My form as the incarnation of a devotee, in My form bearing the name of a devotee, in My form as a devotee, and in My form as the giver of devotional service. This secret is not to be revealed to them. Only the saintly, pure, renounced devotees, diligently engaged in My devotional service, will be able to understand Me in these forms."

Ekadasi Style Prasadam for Janmasthami and Gaura Purnima:

So we can understand from this there there are two separate instructions (i) for ekadasi (ii) for Gaura Purnima and Janmastami.

"you can offer ekadasi to Lord Caitanya who acts as a devotee, but not to Krsna."(Bhanu Swami. 5th March 1999. [Text 2136851 from COM] )

"So far the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya is concerned, I have written a full suggestion to Montreal, in which the main points are that we should all observe strict fasting up till moonrise, and at that time, an offering is made to Lord Caitanya of Ekadasi foods, fruits, peanuts, milk, and so forth. Then, on the next day, Friday the 15th, a full-scale feast is held to celebrate His Advent Day. On the 14th, chanting, reading of Srila Bhaktivinode's book, Life and Precepts and Caitanya Caritamrta, Introduction to Bhagavatam, may be held all the day in the Temple." (San Francisco, written 12th March 1968 letter to Balai)

"The injunction to fast on Ekädasi is especially meant for devotees; on Ekädasi there are no restrictions regarding food that may be offered to the Lord. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu took the food of Lord Vishnu in His ecstasy as vishnu-tattva".(CC Adi-lila 10:71 purport.)

"Lord Caitanya's Appearance day falls on March 22 (1970), that is on a Sunday. The devotees should fast until evening, when there is a ceremony and offering of a small amount of Ekadasi preparations. The next day, the devotees should celebrate amongst themselves with a small scale feast. You may hold the celebration open to the public on the following Sunday. The preparation to be offered specially on this occasion is bhuni kichri: Fry equal parts dal and rice in ghee and massala. Add two times water as dal and rice, and add vegetables (if you use more ghee, use less water). Cook it until it is dried and the rice is soft."(Letter to Krishna dasa. 18th February 1970. Los Angeles.)

"P.S. No feasting in the evening of Caitanya's birthday. Fasting all day till evening moon rise. Then take Prasadam like Ekadasi. Next day you can have full swing feasting. On the birthday if can take a procession of Kirtana on the street it is very nice." (Post Script to Letter to Rayarama dasa. September. Unknown place unknown date Ref:91-05-14.)

There is an amusing discription of the first ISKCON janmastami "feast" as described by Hayagriva Prabhu in his biography "Hare Krishna Explosion pg 62"  He writes:"as midnight approaches, we hungrily envision the great birthday feast of Lord Krishna, mountains of succulent prasadam: cake and kachoris, halava and puris, sabji, sweet rice, samosas and gulabjamuns. Just a few minutes before midnight, Swamiji finally descends from his kitchen with the Prasadam. But our faces drop. There is only a platter of cut fruit."

There is a discription of Gaura Purnima in Mayapur India 1976 from the biography "A Transcendental Diary" Vol1 Mar.16. by Hari Sauri Prabhu: pg.461. "GAURA PURNIMA. The Appearance day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Everyone fasted until moon rise and then took an Ekadasi feast, although Prabhupada said this was not compulsory.

Pg.466: "Many Devotees sold copies of the Gitar-gana, and mass distribution of Halava prasadam went on throughout the day."

Pg.469 "At one point Prabhupada sent me out to see how many visitors had come , and he was very happy to hear of the large crowds. Typically, he wanted assurance that prasadam was being distributed to all."

"The Caitanya-bhägavata, Ädi-lilä, Chapter Six, fully describes the Lord’s accepting vishnu-prasäda on the Ekädasi day at the house of Jagadisha and Hiranya. Regular prasäda is offered to Lord Vishnu on Ekädasi because, while fasting is recommended for devotees on Ekädasi, it is not recommended for Lord Vishnu. Once on Ekädasi in the house of Jagadisha and Hiranya Pandita there were arrangements for preparing special prasäda for Lord Vishnu, and Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu asked His father to go there to ask for the vishnu-prasäda because He was feeling sick. The house of Jagadisha and Hiranya Pandita was situated about two miles from the house of Jagannätha Mishra. Therefore when Jagannätha Mishra, on the request of Shri Caitanya Mahäprabhu, came to ask Jagadisha and Hiranya for the prasäda, they were a little astonished. How could the boy understand that special prasäda was being prepared for Lord Vishnu? They immediately concluded that the boy Nimäi must have supernatural mystic power. Otherwise how could He understand that they were preparing special prasäda? Therefore they immediately sent the food to Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu through His father, Jagannätha Mishra. Nimäi was feeling sick, but immediately after eating the vishnu-prasäda He was cured, and He also distributed the prasäda among His playmates." (CC Adi-lila 14:39. purport)

The special Lila-vichitra pastimes of the Lord which are EXTRAORDINARY and not to be imitated.

If I may pose a question "If the Supreme Personality of Godhead came to you on ekadasi and gave you grains to eat what would you do???"

I for one would eat them right there on the spot, directly from the Lord's hand. Despite everything else, knowing who we are to take shelter of, just like His playmates did. (unfortunately it appears I will have to wait some time to test this case)

Adjusting the program for preaching (feasting):
"You can take quotations from the above mentioned books, and have discussions.
Fasting should be continued up to evening, then you may have food like on Ekadasi, fruits, milk, etc. On the next day you may observe festival. Janardana consulted me and said he thinks Sunday feasting would be best, so you may do that if you like. Or you may do both days, as you feel best."(Letter to Mahapurush. 7th March 1968. Regarding Gaura Purnima)

"We performed Lord Caitanya's Birthday ceremony, not very gorgeously, but amongst ourselves, and Govinda dasi cooked very nice Ekadasi foodstuffs. The next day I expected some big ceremony but it couldn't be performed. (Letter to Purusottam. 6th March 1969. Hawaii)

Fasting FOR EKADASI:
"From the very beginning of His childhood life Shri Caitanya Mahäprabhu introduced the system of observing a fast on the Ekädasi day. In the Bhakti-sandarbha, by Shrila Jiva Gosvämi, there is a quotation from the Skanda Puräna admonishing that a person who eats grains on Ekädasi becomes a murderer of his mother, father, brother and spiritual master, and even if he is elevated to a Vaikuntha planet, he falls down. On Ekädasi, everything is cooked for Vishnu, including regular grains and dahi, but it is enjoined that a Vaishnava should not even take vishnu-prasäda on Ekädasi. It is said that a Vaishnava does not accept anything eatable that is not offered to Lord Vishnu, but on Ekädasi a Vaishnava should not touch even mahä-prasäda offered to Vishnu, although such prasäda may be kept for being eaten the next day. It is strictly forbidden for one to accept any kind of grain on Ekädasi, even if it is offered to Lord Vishnu." ( CC Adi-lia 15:19. purport.)

"Mother Saci said, “You have spoken very nicely. I shall not eat grains on Ekädasi.” From that day, she began to observe fasting on Ekädasi."(CC Adi-lila 15:10 text.)
PURPORT
"It is a prejudice amongst smärta-brähmanas that a widow must observe fasting on Ekädasi but a woman who has her husband should not. It appears that before the request of Lord Caitanya Sacimätä was not observing Ekädasi because of her being sa-dhava, which means that her husband was living. Shri Caitanya Mahäprabhu, however, introduced the system that a woman, even if not a widow, must observe the Ekädasi day and must not touch any kind of grains, even those offered to the Deity of Vishnu".(CC Adi-lia 15:10 purport.)

"Shri Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s pastime of fainting after eating betel nuts is a solid instruction to all of us that one should not touch betel nuts, even those offered to Vishnu, just as one should not touch grains on the Ekädasi day. Of course, Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s fainting had a particular purpose. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He can do whatever He likes and eat whatever He wants, but we should not imitate His pastimes." (CC Adi-lia 15:16 purport.)

"Devotee: On ekädasi, we can offer the Deity grains?
Prabhupäda: Oh yes. But not guru. Ekädasi observed by jiva-tattva, not by Vishnu-tattva. We are fasting for clearing our material disease, but Rädhä-Krishna, Caitanya Mahäprabhu... Caitanya Mahäprabhu also may not be offered grains because He is playing the part of a devotee. Only Rädhä-Krishna, Jagannätha can be offered grains. Otherwise, Guru-Gauränga, no. And the prasädam should not be taken by anyone. It should be kept for next day." (Room Conversation. 22nd April 1972. Japan)

Prabhupäda: They are strictly following Vaishnava principles. They... Whenever one comes to become my disciple, the first condition is that no illicit sex; no meat-eating, eggs, fish, nothing of the sort; no intoxication up to smoking cigarette, drinking tea and coffee; and no gambling. So they strictly follow these things. In our society, there is no tea-drinking even. We don’t drink tea. So... Intoxication, päna, chäi päna, päna... Päna is intoxication.
Guest: Tämbüla...
Prabhupäda: Tämbüla. Yatra päpas catur-vidhä.
Guest: (Sanskrit or Hindi: Krshna is offered tämbüla in the temple.)
Prabhupäda: No, Krishna can take.
Guest: Yes. And that prasäda of Bhagavän Shri Krishna...
Prabhupäda: Yes.
Guest: ...the devotees can take also...
Prabhupäda: No, prasädam, according to our principle... Just like on Ekädasi day, we do not accept even prasädam. Anna. We keep it. So prasädam... Just like on Ekädasi anna is prohibited, but not the Deity. Deity’s offered anna, but we cannot take the prasädam even. So following strictly the principle, even tämbüla is offered to Krishna, it is not for us. Yes. Strictly following the principle. The same example... Just like on Ekädasi day, anna is offered to Krishna, but we don’t take.
Guest: The devotees are not allowed.
Prabhupäda: Not allowed, yes.
Guest: Äcchä.
Prabhupäda: Äcchä.
Guest: I’m very grateful to have your darshana. Om namo näräyanäya.
Prabhupäda: Jaya. Hare Krishna. (end) (Room Conversation. 11th July 1973. London).

HIS DIVINE, EVER REVEALING, EVER LOVING GRACE SRILA PRABHUPAD KI JAYA!!!

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed His disciples to write books on the science of Krsna, a task which His followers have continued to carry out down to the present day. The elaborations and expositions on the philosophy taught by Lord Caitanya are, in fact, the most voluminous, exacting, and consistent, due to the system of disciplic succession. Although Lord Caitanya was widely renowned as a scholar in His youth, He left only eight verses, called Siksastaka. These eight verses clearly reveal His mission and precepts. These supremely valuable prayers are translated herein.

1.
Glory to the Sri Krsna sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana 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 enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.

2.
O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names, like Krsna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.

3.
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.

4.
O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service, birth after birth.

5.
O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krsna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.

6.
O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?

7.
O Govinda! Feeling Your separations I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.

8.
I know no one but Krsna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.
.
(Teachings of Lord Caitanya)

"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

40+ 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

New to Krishna Consciousness - these topics 4 you
http://harekrishnaworldnews.blogspot.com/2005/08/new-to-krishna-consciousness.html

For those who are new to the Krishna Conscious philosophy,
here are a series of FLASH presentations introducing the philosophy to beginners.

What is Krishna Consciousness? (172k)
How can we become Krishna Conscious? (144k)
What is the Soul? (412k)
What is Yoga? (396k)
What is the Maha mantra? (216k)
What is Sanskrit? (64k)
What is the syllable Om? (312k)
Who is the girl with Krishna? (200k)
What are the Incarnations of the Lord (1.2mb)

http://www.iskcon.com.au/New_to_Krishna.html

Are You Tired Of Suffering?

Unlimited Bliss Is Your
Constitutional Birthright.

Now You Can Regain It With
The Ultimate
Self-Realization Course

Enroll Today
For Your Free E-Course!

http://www.backtohome.com/

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

Vrindavan Art
http://www.vrindavanart.com/index.php?gallery=gal14

Mayapur Darshans

http://www.mayapur.com
http://www.photo.net/photos/Vrindavan Lila
http://www.maphoto.tk
http://www.mayapur-katha.tk
http://www.dipika.org/mainpages/contributors/vrindavan.lila.dd.htm
http://www.geocities.com/mayapurkatha1

Radhastami photo-gallery:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=528023

Nrisimha Deva's photo-gallery:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=500789

Also we are sending out mailing lists with regular postings of video clips,
photos and PDF jornals.

to SUBSCRIBE to our FREE MAILING LISTs:

- MAYAPUR KATHA for web-magazines (PDF) send request to
  "Mayapur Katha Magazine" <Mayapur.Katha.Magazine@pamho.net>

- MAYAPUR DARSAN, video clips of Mayapur, send reqest to
  "Mayapur Darshan" <Mayapur.Darshan@pamho.net>

- Second SUNDAY MAILING LIST - photos of Mayapur, send request to
  Padmalochan.ACBSP@pamho.net / vrindavanlila@photo.net

Iskcon Mayapur are looking at starting a new WWW web-site, and are looking for a sponsor
if you are interested is assisting this great project please contact
Padmalochan.ACBSP@pamho.net or his wife vrindavanlila@photo.net
 

 

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/

Iskcon Podcast live classes
http://www.podcast.net/tag/iskcon

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

Kayastha Matrimonial
http://www.Kayasthatokayastha.org

We Have the largest Collection of well educated Kayastha
brides and grooms from all over India and other
countries including US, UK, Canada, Australia etc. The
data base includes bio-data of Kayasthaboys and girls
from various fields of life i.e. Medicos, Engineers,
IT Professionals, Software Engineers, Professors,
Teachers, Entrepreneurs, Industrialist, Businessmen,
Self Employed, Employees in private

contact Rani Srivastav
kayastha_marriage1@yahoo.com

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.mail15.com .................15 mb
http://macnews.de .........................20 mb
http://xms.ms ..................................20 mb
http://balls.com ............................100 mb
http://ukonline.net .......................200 mb

Get a FREE Gmail account today
HERE  or HERE
Gmail give you 2000+ Mb of free space

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

Click on this link to see how really short life is.

http://www.sastradana.com/video/lifeisshort.wmv

thanx again Shyam'

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.......

Devotional bhajanas, kirtans and mantras:
http://www.sudarshana.org/

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

Govindam prayers in Winter Olympics
http://www.prabhupada.org/rama/?p=1511

The following link will allow you to see a quicktime clip from the Olympic skaters Anastasia Grebenkina and Vazgen Azroyan, who skated for Armenia to the tune of “Govindam”.

Click here

While it may be a slow download for some, it is certainly worth the wait. The Govindam prayers are heard at both the beginning and end of the dance sequence.

George Harrison's KC Govinda song featured on the Winter Olympics!
http://thekcblogger.blogspot.com/

Saturday, February 25, 2006
The Winter Olympics 2006 in Toronto is broadcast all over the world by many famous channels including the BBC, CBC, and NBC.

One of the most anticipated events is free dance ice-skating and two skaters from Armenia, Anastasia Grebenkina and Vazgen Azroyan, danced to George Harrison's famous tune Govinda (see picture below). This song is played in every ISKCON temple worldwide during 7 a.m. aarti.

I'm so stunned that that many people were able to not only hear the song but watch this very Krishna Consciously inspired dance!

You can watch the high quality link here:

http://www.grebenkina-azroyan.com/video/Torino_2006_hi.mov

But for those with lower internet speeds, there is a lower quality version here:
http://www.grebenkina-azroyan.com/video/Torino_2006_lite_5mb.mov

Svarupa-jnana--or intrinsic knowledge concerning the sadhaka, the sadhana, and sadhya--is non different from the svarupa of suddha bhakti. When such svarupa-jnana has not yet arisen in a sadhaka--but the desire to cross over the ocean of material existence has arisen within him--then the symptoms of bhakti visible in him at that time are merely bhaktyabhasa. This bhaktyabhasa transforms into suddha-bhakti when one obtains svarupa-jnana. Even for Vaisnavas duly initiated into a genuine sampradaya, the vastu-prabha--the illumination of one's identity arising from the mantra received upon initiation by his diksa guru--does not appear until he receives the enlightenment of his svarupa-jnana by the mercy of siksa guru. Due to ignorance of svarupa-jnana, svarupa-suddha-bhakti remains covered. Hence, only bhaktyabhasa is visible.

Unfortunately, in present day society, in the name of suddha-bhakti, various types of mixed devotion--such as karma-misra, jnana-misra, and yoga-misra, as well as various polluted and imaginary conceptions--are spreading like germs of plague. People in general consider these polluted and mixed conceptions to be bhakti. They respect them as such and thus are deprived of suddha-bhakti. These polluted and mixed conceptions are our greatest enemies. Some people say that there is no value in bhakti: that God is only imaginary sentiment, that man has merely created the image of God through imagination, and that bhakti is a diseased state, unable to benefit us in any way.

These types of opponents cannot harm us much, because we easily recognize them and avoid them. However, those who propagate bhagavad-bhakti as the highest dharma--yet behave against the principles of suddha-bhakti--can be especially harmful to us. In the name of bhakti, they instruct us against the actual principles of bhakti. This ultimately lead us to a path that is diametrically opposed to bhagavad-bhakti. Therefore, with great endeavor, our previous acaryas have defined the svarupa or intrinsic nature of bhakti, repeatedly cautioning us to keep away from polluted and mixed concepts.

Bhakti Viveka Tattva

By Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura Prabhupada

The Value of Continence
By Dr. R. W. Bernard, A.B., M.A., Ph.D.
Health Research, Mokelumne Hill, CA 95245
All Rights reserved (1957)

Introduction
Physical symptoms and implications
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Cultural sense and background
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Biochemical theory of neurosis and psychosis
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Chemistry of semen, spermatozoa and brain
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Neurasthenia and lecithin deficiency
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Introduction

An opinion has gained ground in modern times, not only among the general public, but also among physicians, that the belief in the physiological value of continence belongs to the dark ages of religious superstitions and scientific ignorance, and is incompatible with physiological knowledge. Certain pseudo sexologists, have exploited this idea to their commercial advantage and have created in the public mind a phobia in regards to continence, which is regarded as a cause of nervous and mental diseases and a positive health danger. On the basis of this belief, physicians and psychoanalysts have looked on continence for the cause of the nervous ailments of youth and have advised young men to visit prostitutes and risk venereal infection as a lesser evil than the assumed hazards of abstinence.

A careful reading should, however, convince any open-minded reader that the above view is false, and that continence per se can never do harm, but is always beneficial; and that when trouble occurs in an individual not practising normal sex relations, the fault is not continence but some vicarious means of sex expression, excessive nocturnal emissions, etc. In view of the richness of the semen in lecithin, cholesterol, phosphorus and other constituents of nervous and brain tissue it is clear that it is incontinence, or loss of these valuable nerve-nourishing substances which, by promoting undernutrition, is responsible for disturbed functioning of the nervous system and brain, and never true continence, contrary to the unscientific views of the psychoanalysts.

We have seen that the internal secretions of the sex glands stand at the basis of the individual's physical and mental vitality and that sex hormones are present in the external as well as in the internal secretions of the gonads. Many of the effects attributed to such hormones, as we have seen, are due to the physiological effect of resorbed semen. Conservation of semen means conservation of sex hormones and increased vigor, while loss of semen means loss of hormones and diminished vitality; also chronic deficiency of such hormones leads to the symptoms of senility, which Voronoff and Steinach strove to overcome by increasing the amount of sex hormones in the blood.

The semen is a viscid albuminous fluid, alkaline in reaction, which is very rich in calcium and phosphorus, also in lecithin, cholesterol, albumen, nucleoproteins, iron, vitamin E, etc. In the ejaculation of the normal man, about 226 million spermatozoa are given off; these are rich in phosphorized fats (lecithin), cholesterol (the parent-source of sex hormones), nucleoproteins and iron. An ounce of semen is considered to be equal in value to sixty ounces of blood, of which it constitutes an extract of some of its most valuable of constituents, as far as its vitalizing power is concerned. Dr. Frederick McCann remarks on this point, "From what has been stated it must be admitted that the spermatic fluid does possess potentialities justifying the belief of ancient writers concerning its vital properties."

The semen contains substances of high physiological value, especially in relation to the nutrition of the brain and nervous system. If resorption of semen through the wall of the female genital tract has a vitalizing effect on the female organism, the same should be the case in the body of the male in which it is formed and conserved. And conversely, loss of semen must deprive the organism of vitality and valuable substances necessary for the nutrition of nervous tissue, such as lecithin, which has been used therapeutically with great success for the cure of neurasthenia resulting from sexual excess.

The following are among the many physiological evidences which demonstrate the value of continence:
There is a remarkable similarity of chemical composition between the semen and the central nervous system, both being especially rich in lecithin, cholesterin and phosphorus compounds, which would indicate that seminal emissions withdraw from the body substances necessary for the nutrition of nervous tissues.

Excessive voluntary seminal losses (through masturbation, coitus, coitus interruptus, and contraceptive practices) are debilitating and harmful to the body and brain.

Excessive involuntary seminal losses (through nocturnal emissions, diurnal emissions, spermatorrhea, etc.) are debilitating to the nervous system and may cause neurasthenia.

Observations of the immediate effects of the sexual organism indicate that it temporarily exhausts the nervous system, and when repeated too frequently leads to chronic nerve-weakness (sexual neurasthenia).

Continence is beneficial to the brain (for conserved lecithin from retained semen is a true brain food.) Hence some of the greatest intellectual geniuses in ancient and modern times led continent lives. These include Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, Leonardo da Vinci, Spinoza, Newton, Kant, Beethoven, Herbert Spencer, etc.

Recent physiological evidence, pointing to the fact that the seminal fluid contains substances of great physiological value (such as Poehl's Spermine, which is a nerve-stimulant, lecithin, cholesterin, vitamin E, male sex hormones, etc.) supports the idea that continence is beneficial to health, as do the experiments of Prof. Brown-Sequard on the vitalizing effects of testicular extracts and those of Prof. Steinach on the rejuvenation that follows the enforced conservation of semen through ligature of the efferent testicular duct.

Leading physiologists, urologists, genito-urinary specialists, neurologists, psychiatrists, sexologists, gynecologists and endocrinologists endorse the physiological value of continence. Among such authorities are Moll, Kraepelin, Marshall, Lydston, Talmey and others.
Dr. Jacobson sent two hundred letters to professors of physiology, hygiene, venereal diseases, nervous diseases, neurology and psychiatry, inquiring as to their opinions concerning continence. All answers with few exceptions declared continence to be conductive to health. The following were among the answers received.

Kraepelin says that continence is not injurious, and that its advantages in avoiding venereal infection are apparent. Gaertner also does not think that continence is injurious to young men. Gramer writes, "Sexual continence before marriage is not injurious." Finkler answered that sexual continence is not injurious to young men, but, on the contrary, is beneficial to body and mind. Lassar also thinks that sexual continence is not injurious to young men. Seiferts says that his experience teaches him that continence is not injurious. Gruber says "There is no reason why continence should be injurious." Jurgensen thinks that sexual continence per se is not injurious. Strumpell thinks that continence is indirectly useful in preventing venereal infection, and is not injurious. Hoffman considers sexual continence useful. Strumpell thinks that continence is indirectly useful in preventing venereal infection, and is surely not injurious. Tuczek is of the opinion that continence is beneficial. Prof. von Leyden says that, in his experience, he has never seen injurious consequences from continence. Hein says that in most men sexual continence is not injurious. Prof. von Grutzner writes that in his opinion sexual continence is almost never injurious. Prof. Meschede, during 47 years of psychiatric practice, has never seen a case of insanity caused by sexual continence. Weber writes that that continence is not injurious to young men, but, on the contrary, is useful. Hoche is of the opinion that sexual continence is not injurious to young men and does not lead to masturbation. Neisser writes, "Most of our young men could remain continent much longer than in the case nowadays." Aschffenberg writes, "Even those who are predisposed to nervousness do not suffer any harm from sexual continence if the impression is awakened in them that abstinence can never be injurious." Moll says, "At the present time, most medical men agree that sexual abstinence, in a general way, is not harmful." Hutchinson says, "The belief that the exercise of the sex function is necessary to the health of the male at any age is a pure delusion while before full maturity it is highly injurious."

Among eminent authorities on sex who believe that sexual continence is without harm and beneficial to health are the following: Forel, Moll, Professor Montegazza, Professor Alfred Fournier, Prof. Dubois; professor of neuropathology at Berne; Prof. Furbringer, Loewenfeld, Krafft-Ebing, Prof. Lydston, Ruggles, Prof. Oesterling of Tubingen University, Chassaignac, Professor Beale of the Royal College of London, the eminent gynecologist, Ribbing, the great authority, Acton, the gynecologist, Hegar, the eminent English authority on the physiology of sex, Marshall, Dr. L. Robinowitch, neurologist and psychiatrist, formerly president of the New York Neurological Society, the eminent psychiatrist, Dr. Spitzka, also once president of the New York Neurological Society, the New York gynecologist and sexologist, Dr. B.S. Talmey, Professor Sajous, dean of American endocrinologists; Dr. Bruce of the University of Oklahoma, Professor Brown-Sequard, world-famous physiologist and father of the science of endocrinology, and others.

Professor von Gruber of Munich, an eminent European authority on sex, writing on "The Hygienic Significance of Marriage", says that it is absurd to regard the semen as an injurious secretion like the urine, which requires periodic evacuation, but as vital fluid which is not only reabsorbed during sexual abstention, but this reabsorption appears to have a beneficial effect on the physiological economy, as shown by the large number of intellectual geniuses who have led continent lives. Dr. Bernard S. Talmey, an eminent American gynecologist and authority on sex, expresses a similar opinion, and states that in the absence of sexually exciting stimuli, the semen and spermatozoa are produced in smaller amounts and are completely resorbed through the seminal vesicles, so that continence becomes easy and natural; the conservation of this vital fluid, he claims, is necessary for the attainment of the greatest vigor of body and brain, while its loss is harmful, and a man may live through a lifetime in a state of complete continence, without injury, but only with benefit, as proven in the case of such men as Leonardo da Vinci, Kant, Beethoven, Spencer, etc. Dr. Dubois, the neuropathologist, says that sexual indulgence, not continence, is the cause of neurasthenia, contrary to the erroneous conclusions of the Freudian school. Professor Alfred Fournier, a physiologist of note, ridicules the idea of "the dangers of continence for the young man," and that during his years of medical practice, he has never come across one such case. Professor Montegazza, on the other hand, praises the benefits of chastity, both upon the body and upon the brain.

Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, points to the fact that many of the famous Greek athletes of antiquity (as Astylos, Dopompos and others mentioned by Plato) practised total continence during their training, which contributed to their extraordinary vigor. Professor Furbringer, a prominent German authority on sex, writes, "Sexual continence is in the unanimous opinion of the medical profession not injurious to health as is generally believed." Writing on "Sexual Hygiene in Married Life", he states that when neurasthenia occurs in an unmarried person it is generally due to masturbation or some other form of lasciviousness. Krafft-Ebing, the great authority on sexual questions, considers the "diseases of abstinence" a myth. The gynecologist, Loewenfeld, considers it possible for a sexually normal individual to live in permanent continence without any ill-effects whatsoever. According to the noted sex physiologist and endocrinologist, Prof. F.G. Lydston of the University of Illinois, "Continence per se, probably never is harmful. The non-elimination of the seminal secretion from the testes often is productive of great bodily and mental vigor." In his opinion, "one may be perfectly healthy and physically vigorous while leading a life of absolute continence." Ruggles writes, "Sexual abstinence is compatible with perfect health and tends to increase vitality through resorption of the semen."

Forel, the eminent Swiss authority on sex, says, "Abstinence, or sexual continence, is by no means impractical for a normal young man of average constitution, assiduous in intellectual and physical work and abstaining from artificial excitants", adding, "The idea is current among young people that abstinence is something abnormal and impossible, and yet the many who observe it prove that chastity can be practised without prejudice to health". Dr. Perier points out the falsity of the notion of the imaginary dangers of sexual continence, and considers it a "physical, moral and mental safeguard to young men". Rohleder considers as unscrupulous the advice of physicians who recommend sexual intercourse to young men. Chassaignac claims that the healthier the individual, the easier to practice complete abstinence; it is only the diseased and neurotic person who finds it difficult to do so. Professor Oesterling of Tubingen says, "one cannot repeat too often that abstinence and the most absolute purity are perfectly compatible with the laws of physiology and morality, and that sexual indulgence is not more justified by physiology and psychology than by morality and religion. Professor Beale of the Royal College of London says that "sexual abstinence has never yet hurt any man when it has been observed."

The gynecologist, Ribbing, says that he has known many young men who have lived in total continence without difficulty or injury. Clarke says that continence increases health and energy, while incontinence does the reverse. According to Surbled, "the evils of incontinence are well known and undisputed; those produced by continence are imaginary." The great authority, Acton, says that the popular idea that abstinence causes the genital organs to atrophy and produces impotence is a grave error. "Chastity no more injures the body than the soul," he says. The gynecologist Hegar, considers the "sexual necessity" myth an illusion, while Ribbing, another eminent gynecologist, points out the needs for sexual control and continence. The noted physiologist, Marshall, in his "Introduction to Sex Physiology", points out the need for such restraint over the reproductive function and the sublimation of sex energy into higher cerebral forms of expression, as was the case with many intellectual geniuses of the past, who led continent lives. Dr. L. Robinowitch, a prominent American neurologist, says that "sexual continence is not only harmless but beneficial".

American Medicine, in its editorial of July 1, 1905, remarks, "It should be an easy matter to convince any developed man that continence can be a normal state of civilized man." In 1906, the American Medical Association passed a resolution that "continence is not incompatible with health." The International Brussels Congress also declared that a chaste life for a man is not prejudicial to health, but, on the contrary, can be recommended from a purely hygienic standpoint. The congress stated, "It is the consensus of most of the great medical thinkers that it is not prejudicial to the health of a man to keep his body clean." The medical faculty of Christiania University issued the following statement, "The assertion that a chaste life will be prejudicial to health rests, according to our unanimous experience, on no foundation. We have no knowledge of any harm resulting from a pure an moral life."

Convincing evidence of the benefits of continence and that the assumed "sexual necessity" is an illusion is afforded by the study of the debilitating effects of sexual orgasm, which are immediate and striking. Though these have been attributed to purely nervous origin, there can be no doubt that they are chiefly due to the harmful effects of the seminal discharge, which involves a sudden withdrawal from the body of calcium, lecithin and other substances necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Havelock Ellis, in his "Studies in the Psychology of Sex", quotes the observations of Dr. F.B. Robinson on this subject, as recorded in the New York State Medical Journal. He notes that when a stallion cohabits with a mare for the first time, after a short, vigorous coition, he is apt to fall down in a dead faint, which Robinson traces to brain anemia thus produced. He mentions one case of a mare falling dead immediately after. Young bulls frequently faint away after the first connection with a cow, and it is very common to observe a young bull so exhausted that he sneaks off to a quiet corner and lies down for a couple of hours. Fainting, however, does not occur in dogs, for the dog's connection is prolonged and thus shock is avoided; also the dog has no seminal vesicles. In the case of the boar, the orgasm rises to such a pitch that the animal seems on the verge of pain, and is usually exhausted for several hours.

Havelock Ellis writes:

"When we have realized how profound is the organic convulsion involved in [the] process of detumescence, and how great the motor excitement involved, we can understand how it is that very serious effects may follow coitus. Even in animals this is sometimes the case. Young bulls and stallions have fallen into a faint after first congress; boars may be seriously affected in a similar way; mares have been known even to fall dead. In the human species, and especially men, probably, as Bryan Robinson remarks, because women are protected by the greater slowness with which detumescence occurs in them - not only death itself, but innumerable disorders and accident have been known to follow immediately after coitus, these results being mainly due to the vascular and muscular excitement involved in the process of detumescence. Fainting, vomiting, urination, defecation have been noted as occurring in young men after the first coitus. Epilepsy has been not frequently recorded. Lesions of various organs, even rupture of the spleen, have sometimes taken place. In men of mature age, the arteries have at times been unable to resist the high blood-pressure and cerebral hemorrhage with paralysis has occurred. In elderly men the excitement of intercourse with strange woman has sometimes caused death, and various cases are known of eminent persons who have thus died in the arms of young wives or prostitutes."

The celebrated Russian general, Skobeloff, died while cohabiting with a girl of ill-fame. Robinson refers to the case of a judge who died shortly after connection with a girl in a brothel, and to the case of a man of seventy who died after intercourse with a prostitute. He also mentions the case of a man of 48 years of age who was found dying in a Chicago hotel after cohabiting with an accommodating widow. Also the case of a young man who fainted away at the first coitus, and that of a man sixty years old who had connection with a strange woman and fell dead as he walked to the door immediately after the act. Such deaths usually occur in elder men, and usually as the result of intercourse with strange women, which is more violent and intensive than with their wives. Atilla king of the Huns, died while cohabiting with his young wife.

Acton, the great medical authority, points out that in some persons the termination of the orgasm is accompanied by an epileptiform convulsion of more or less severity. This is succeeded by a great amount of prostration. This is seen in a very exaggerated form in the buck rabbit, which, after each copulation, may be noticed to fall on his side in a sort of epileptic fit, the whites of the eyes being turned up. The animal then gives several spasmodic twitches with its hind legs, and lies panting for several moments until the nervous system recovers itself. Acton mentions cases of deaths occurring in houses of prostitution as well as in the marriage bed as arising from the adverse influence of the sexual orgasm on the nervous system and on the body as a whole, especially in susceptible individuals. Entomological works abound with cases in which death follows copulation. Geddes and Thomson, in their book, "The Evolution of Sex", refer to the fact that some spiders normally die after fertilizing the female, and such sacrifice of the male occurs also in other species. The association of reproduction and death is well known in the case of flying insects, as the common mayflies. Emergence into winged liberty, the love-dance and the process of fertilization, the deposition of eggs and the death of the parents, are often the crowded events of a few hours. "In higher animals", say these authors, "the fatality of the reproductive sacrifice has been greatly lessened, yet death may tragically persist, even in human life, as the direct nemesis of love..... The temporarily exhausting effect of even moderate sexual indulgence is well known, as well as the increased liability to all forms of disease while the individual energies are thus lowered..... Reproduction is the beginning of death."

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Multi Media Violence  - What every parent needs to know
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How the Media Influences Learning and Social Skills

Dr. Alvin Poussaint, a clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Media Center of the Judge Baker Children's Center, says that one long-term effect of watching too much television is that children can become very passive.
"It's not interactive, and that's not a good way to promote learning," says Dr. Poussaint. Kids get the message that they can just sit and be entertained.
Children will think activities other than media experiences, particularly school, are boring if there's not a high level of stimulation and entertainment-focus.
He says media may also interfere with creativity. Children are not engaging in their own skills, imagination or fantasy, because they're getting their entertainment passively from a TV screen.
If children are watching TV instead of talking to others, they may not develop social skills. Dr. Poussaint says they might not be learning language the way they should: to speak it, not just to hear it.
The Media's Influence on Violence and Aggression
There have been several reports of kids getting hurt and even killed from emulating the violent behavior that they see on television shows, movies and in video games. James Steyer says violent content is widely used, because it is one of the cheapest ways to make programming more profitable.
The media is teaching children that violence can be safe, fun and harmless, which we know it isn't.
The media is teaching kids that it's okay to resolve conflicts with aggression. It also teaches them that after being violent, somehow everybody gets up at the end of the day.
Marjorie Hitz's 12-year-old son was seriously injured while copying TV stunts. This was a wake-up call for her, and hopefully will be for other parents. She shares what she learned about the media's influence from her son's unfortunate accident.
Even though her son is a responsible A-student, he thought it was okay to emulate television violence, because it was seen as just a just a bunch of silly pranks and ridiculous stunts.
Children think that they are impervious to actual harm or damage; they simply aren't dealing with the same mentality and rationale that parents have.
Violence and harm are glorified on TV. When children see this on television, they think no harm can come to them.
The media is irresponsible in airing violent programming during time slots when they know younger children will be watching.
Even though many shows post warnings of violent content, the warnings are often mocked by graphic design or downplayed.
The Media's Influence on Sexual Behavior
"My friends and I get ideas like video taping your friends having one-night stands or just having sex with all your friends, and it's not okay. I think TV portrays it like it is okay." --Teen girl

James Steyer believes the media is teaching children about what is acceptable when it comes to sex. In a society where sex sells, children cannot escape the media's influence. It is a dangerous time to be a kid or a parent, because the media is a now a "taboo-free zone." Kids are not equipped with the same capacity for judgment about sexually inappropriate behavior so they are particularly susceptible.
Sexually explicit media may have an extraordinary impact on the attitudes and behaviors of children. They may try to emulate the characters they see on TV at a time when they are really not prepared to deal with those types of behaviors and values.
One study shows that 13- to 15-year-olds rate TV and movies as one of their top sources for information about sex.
Jim says that 84 percent of sitcoms now contain sexual content. Less than 10 percent of these shows talk about the consequences and risks of having sex.
The Media's Influence on Racial Perceptions
Dr. Alvin Poussiant, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Media Center of the Judge Baker Children's Center, believes that the media helps define a racial hierarchy in our society. Parents have to be on alert and ready to talk to their kids about inappropriate stereotypes.
Children pick up on the media's portrayal of negative or stereotypical images and generalizations about black people and many other minority groups.
When surveyed, young children of all races said their impression from watching television is that whites and Asians are on 'the top' and that African Americans and Latinos are on 'the bottom' of society's hierarchy.
There is an abundance of images of black athletes and entertainers from hip hop to rap, but there are not many images of black lawyers, doctors and other professionals that black children, white children and children of all ethnicities see on television. There is no balance.
A Teenager's Point of View: "Both my parents are lawyers, and I don't see that type of image being portrayed on television or in the movies. When I see that my reality is not represented in the media, it makes my reality seem like a minority... I question what I should be because of what I see in the movies and on television." ù Brian, 17-year-old African American

How The Media Influences Your Child's Health
Dr. Alvin Poussaint, a clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Media Center of the Judge Baker Children's Center, says that today's children are more overweight than they've ever been in the United States... and he blames that on television.
"One of the ways that the media is affecting the whole epidemic of obesity is the very heavy advertisingàparticularly on children's shows with fast foods, high sugar, high caloric, high fat foods, bombarding them with the message that this is the kind of food that they should be eating."
"Young children don't know anything about advertising -- they think that this is the truth." If children think that this type of food is good for you, or it makes you happy, then they want it. Advertising aimed at children is very sophisticated, particularly with the toy tie-ins to fast foodùchildren don't realize they're being marketed to."
Because children are watching TV, they are also inactive. "They're not getting exercise when they sit in front of the TV set, so they're not burning off these calories."
What Parents Can Do
A recent study found that parents spend 40 percent less time with their children than their parents did. On average, parents spend about 17 hours a week with their children, while their children spend as many as 40 hours a week using all forms of media. Take proactive steps to make sure that youùand not the televisionùare influencing your child.

Top Ten Steps for Parents from The Other Parent by James P. Steyer
Establish good media habits and values at an early age with your childùset limits on usage and help them choose the content you find appropriate.
Location, location, location: No TV or computer in your child's room.
Set a media diet and stick to it.
Teach your child to ask permission to use the media.
Watch and listen with your kids -- then tell them what you like, don't like and why.
Set clear rules regarding your child's media use in other homes.
Have pediatricians review your kids' media use as part of their annual checkup.
In schools and homes, teach media literacy -- the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and process media.
Read to your children and share positive media experiences.
Switch the dial to "off."
More Advice for Parents:
Be a role model for your children with your television habits.
Parents have to set limits to watching TV, playing video games, etc.
Make television less passive by interacting with your kids about what they're watching on TV, what their impressions were and what they learned from it.
Get your children involved in activities like reading, playing sports, doing artwork, etc.
Praise and encourage your children when they participate in other activities.
Instead of watching TV with your children, spend time checking out books from the library, playing board games or playing outside.
Violence on TV and in Movies
(CBS) Watching violence on television can encourage a child to act more aggressively even 15 years later, according to one of the few TV violence studies to follow children into adulthood. The effect appeared in both sexes and regardless of how aggressive a person was as a child, University of Michigan researchers found.

The study linked violent TV viewing at ages 6 to 9 to such outcomes as spouse abuse and criminal convictions in a person's early 20s. The findings cut across all income and family groups. "It didn't matter on income group, it didn't matter on ethnicity, it didn't matter on single parent versus dual parent families," said Jeff McIntyre of the American Psychological Association. Nor was type of violence important. "It was actually when they identified with the perpetrator of the violence, if the perpetrator was rewarded for that violence," he said.

Experts said the results are no surprise, but added that the study is important because it used a wide range of measures, included many participants and showed the effect in females as well as males. The work is presented in the March issue of the journal Developmental Psychology by psychologists L. Rowell Huesmann and colleagues at the University's Institute for Social Research. Huesmann said televised violence suggests to young children that aggression is appropriate in some situations, especially when it's used by charismatic heroes. It also erodes a natural aversion to violence, he said. He recommended that parents restrict viewing of violent TV and movies by toddlers through pre-teens as much as possible.

The study involved 329 adults who were initially surveyed as children in the late 1970s. To check on adult aggressive behavior, researchers interviewed them and their spouses or friends, and checked crime records. As children, the participants were rated for exposure to televised violence after they chose eight favorite shows from 80 popular programs for their age group and indicated how much they watched them. The programs were assessed by researchers for amount of physical violence. Such programs as "Starsky and Hutch," "The Six Million Dollar Man" and Roadrunner cartoons were deemed very violent.

As young adults, researchers found, men who had scored in the top 20 percent on childhood exposure were about twice as likely as other men to have pushed, grabbed or shoved their wives during an argument in the year preceding the interview. Women in the top 20 percent were about twice as likely as other women to have thrown something at their husbands.

"They report having punched, beaten or choked another adult at over four times the rate of women who were not exposed to media violence," said McIntyre, whose American Psychological Association calls this the first study to chart the viewing habits of boys and girls and then to track their lives 20 years later.

For one or both sexes, these "high TV-violence viewers" were also more likely than other study participants in the previous 12 months to have shoved somebody in anger; punched, beaten or choked an adult, or committed a crime or a moving traffic violation. Besides childhood exposure to violent TV, the participants had been asked as children about two other traits: how much they identified with violent TV characters and how realistic they judged various violent TV shows to be. Researchers found that high ratings on any of the three childhood measures predicted higher ratings on a measure of overall aggression in adulthood.

Dennis Wharton, spokesman for the National Association of Broadcasters, said not all studies find a relationship between TV viewing and violent behavior, and "I think the jury is still out about whether there is a link."

The American Psychological Association, however, has concluded that viewing violence on TV or other mass media does promote aggressive behavior, particularly in children. "They act out as adults based on things they've learned and habits they had as children," McIntyre told CBS News Correspondent Barry Bagnato. Other mental-health and medical groups have taken similar stands.

Joanne Cantor, professor emerita of communications at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, called the new study "a very strong addition to what I consider a large amount of data that points in the same direction."

Craig A. Anderson, a violence researcher at Iowa State University, called the work "elegant in its design and execution."

Violence in Music
The Washington, D.C.-based American Psychological Association (APA) released the study, resulting from five experiments involving over 500 college students, in the May issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The violent songs increased feelings of hostility without provocation or threat, according to the study. It said the effect was not the result of differences in musical style, specific performing artist or arousal properties of the songs.

Even the humorous violent songs increased aggressive thoughts, the study said. The group said the study contradicts a popular notion that listening to angry, violent music actually serves as a positive catharsis for people. The music industry came under criticism from lawmakers in October for failing to use more descriptive parental advisory labels that specify whether the music contains sex, violence or strong language.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has said that current CD labels give parents enough information without violating the right to free expression. The RIAA is the trade group for the world's five big labels, including AOL Time Warner Inc., EMI Group Plc, Bertelsmann AG, Vivendi Universal's Universal Music and Sony Corp.

In response to pressure from Tipper Gore, the wife of former Vice President Al Gore, the industry agreed in 1985 to put labels on records that contain explicit sex or violence. At the time, artists said the labels were government-sponsored censorship.

During the APA's five experiments, conducted by researchers from Iowa State University and the Texas Department of Human Services examined the effects of seven violent songs by seven artists and eight nonviolent songs by seven artists. After listening, students were given various psychological tasks to measure aggressive thoughts and feelings, including asking the participants to classify words that have both aggressive and nonaggressive meanings, like rock and stick.

Results of the experiments showed that violent songs led to more aggressive interpretations of ambiguously aggressive words and increased the relative speed with which people read aggressive versus nonaggressive words. "Such aggression-biased interpretations can, in turn, instigate a more aggressive response, verbal or physical, than would have been emitted in a nonbiased state, thus provoking an aggressive escalatory spiral of antisocial exchanges," said researcher Craig Anderson, in a statement. While researchers said repeated exposure to violent lyrics could indirectly create a more hostile social environment, they said it was possible the effects of violent songs may last only a fairly short time.

Other experiments with sound have shown how it can positively or negatively influence living beings, ranging from uplifting to detrimental.

Violence in Video Games
Video games have remained popular since their introduction in the United States in the 1970s. A trend toward increased violence and realism in electronic games in the 1980s and 1990s has prompted concern from parents and educators. This Digest reviews research on the demographics and effects of video game playing, discusses game rating systems, and offers recommendations for parents. For the purpose of this Digest, video games, or electronic games, include computer games, games on console systems, games in arcades, "edutainment" games, and virtual reality games.

Buchman and Funk (1996) investigated the video game-playing habits of 900 children in grades 4 through 8. According to children's reports, their game playing at home steadily decreased from grades 4 through 8. For example, about 90% of fourth-graders reported playing 1 or more hours weekly compared to 75% of eighth-graders. For arcades, the trend was reversed. Some weekly arcade playing was reported by 50% of fourth-graders and 75% of eighth-graders. Consistent with earlier research, boys reported playing more video games per week than girls.

Two studies sought to determine 11- to 16-year-olds' game-playing habits. In a study by Fisher (1995), 25% of adolescents said they visited arcades at least once a week, and 18% at least three times per week. In a similar study by Phillips et al. (1995), 77% of children reported sometimes playing video games at home, and 24% reported playing every day. More than 60% of children reported that they played longer than they intended to play.

Girls' and boys' game-playing habits have been addressed by many studies, which have consistently found that boys play video games more than girls (Buchman & Funk, 1996).

To assess girls' and boys' game preferences, Funk and Buchman classified games into six content categories: (1) General Entertainment, (2) Educational, (3) Fantasy Violence, (4) Human Violence, (5) Nonviolent Sports, and (6) Sports Violence. Funk and Buchman (1994) found that sixth-grade girls and boys did not differ in the proportion of violent games they chose as favorites, but that boys were more likely than girls to choose sports violence games as favorites, and girls were more likely than boys to chose fantasy violence games as favorites. Buchman and Funk (1996) found that girls were more likely than boys to list educational games as favorites, but that for both boys and girls, there was a decreasing preference for educational games from fourth through eighth grade. Violent games remained consistently popular across grades for both boys and girls.

Funk and Buchman (1996a) studied fourth- and fifth-graders' responses to gender-related statements about video games. Most children agreed that "it's OK" for boys and girls to play video games. Among fifth-graders, boys were more likely than girls to agree that "it's OK" for boys to play video games "a lot," and that popular boys play video games. More girls than boys thought it possible for a girl to be popular and play a lot of video games. The researchers believe that girls perceived themselves to have peer approval for moderate amounts of game playing, suggesting that the socialization of boys and girls is becoming more similar.

Calvert and Tan (1994) compared the effects of playing versus observing violent video games on young adults' arousal levels, hostile feelings, and aggressive thoughts. Results indicated that college students who had played a violent virtual reality game had a higher heart rate, reported more dizziness and nausea, and exhibited more aggressive thoughts in a posttest than those who had played a nonviolent game.

A study by Irwin and Gross (1995) sought to identify effects of playing an "aggressive" versus "nonaggressive" video game on second-grade boys identified as impulsive or reflective. Boys who had played the aggressive game, compared to those who had played the nonaggressive game, displayed more verbal and physical aggression to inanimate objects and playmates during a subsequent free play session. Moreover, these differences were not related to the boys' impulsive or reflective traits.

Kirsh (1997) also investigated the effects of playing a violent versus a nonviolent video game. After playing these games, third- and fourth-graders were asked questions about a hypothetical story. On three of six questions, the children who had played the violent game responded more negatively about the harmful actions of a story character whose intent was ambiguous than did the other children. These results suggest that playing violent video games may make children more likely to attribute hostile intentions to others.

Based on a review of video game research in the 1980s and 1990s, Funk, Germann, and Buchman (1997) state that there is insufficient laboratory research to support strong causal statements about the effects of playing violent video games on children's aggression. They note, however, that in studies that use behavioral observation to measure aggression, trends suggest some increases in aggression after children play or watch violent games. However, these trends are not so clear in studies that use other measures of aggression (e.g., measuring children's willingness to help or hurt another child).

Funk and Buchman (1994) administered to sixth-graders a perceived self-competence profile and a questionnaire about their game-playing habits and preferences. Results indicated that for boys, but not for girls, a stronger preference for each of three types of violent games was associated with lower self-competence scores in one or more developmentally important areas, including academic, interpersonal, and behavioral skills. In another study, Funk and Buchman (1996b) examined the effect of playing violent video games on adolescents' self-concepts. Again, a questionnaire identified seventh- and eighth-graders' game-playing habits, and a self-confidence profile was administered. Results indicated that for girls, but not for boys, more time spent playing video games was associated with lower self-concept scores.

Funk, Germann, and Buchman (1997) identify other positive and negative effects and some additional uses of video games. Video game related seizures (VGRS) and musculoskeletal injuries are rare occurrences that typically disappear with abstention from further game playing. Increased cardiovascular activity associated with game playing may occur and can be detrimental for individuals with undiagnosed cardiovascular problems or beneficial for individuals who are otherwise sedentary. Playing video games may also facilitate language development in autistic children and can be used in play therapy for inhibited children.

The Video Game Rating Act of 1994 established a commission to promulgate a video game rating system unless the video game industry itself established a voluntary system within 1 year. At least two ratings systems were established in response to this legislation. The Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC), a nonprofit organization, developed a content-based system. Ratings are derived from manufacturers' responses to a complex questionnaire. For each product, a score of 0 (lowest) to 4 (highest) is provided for categories of violence, nudity/sex, and language.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) produced a rating system in which game products are rated by independent raters. The ratings include five age-based categories (Everyone, Early Childhood, Teen, Mature, Adults Only) plus content descriptors.

Of course, rating systems are valuable only if they are used. Fallas (1996) surveyed parents who had purchased at least one console video game over the past year for their children ages 6 through 20. Only 34% of parents were familiar with the ESRB rating system, although 80% said a rating system was needed. Those parents with the youngest children were most aware of and most often used the ESRB rating system.

Many parents attempt to manage their children's television-viewing habits. Parents can similarly manage their children's electronic game-playing experiences (Funk & Buchman, 1994) when they:
know the content and procedures of their children's games;
read the literature that accompanies video game products;
discuss game content with their children;
pay attention to video game rating systems;
observe their children playing the games and periodically play their children's games;
establish explicit game-playing guidelines, including limiting their children's game-playing time;
educate their children about the differences between media and real-life violence; and
for arcade game playing, assure that there is adult supervision.
Because research on the effects of playing electronic games is not definitive, further studies are necessary. Meanwhile, professionals can work to educate the public about rating systems, about issues related to violence and children's development, and about the importance of parental supervision of their children's media experiences.

See more insights into the nature of the television culture here:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/television.html

Calcutta, Feb. 19: Shristi Urban Infrastructure Development Limited, a 60:40 joint venture between Shristi Infrastructure Development Corporation and the Housing & Urban Development Corporation (Hudco), is mulling over a pan-India hotel chain under the brand name Vedic Hotels.

During the next 15 years, the company plans to come up with 75 properties that will have a strong focus on traditional Indian lifestyle.

The construction of the first property will commence in 2008, said Sujit Kanoria, managing director, Shristi Urban Infrastructure Development Ltd. He pointed out that this would be the first time that Shristi would build up a management team to take charge of the Vedic Hotels project without roping in an operating partner.

The chain would be a combination of two, three, four and five star properties depending upon the location and requirement and would be named as Vedic Motels, Inns or Hotels.

The properties will be built in metros, cities and towns.

"We are right now in the stage of finalising the locations for the first phase development," Kanoria mentioned.

The project cost will be met through internal accruals depending on phase-wise investment. The company may also consider raising money from the capital market.

For Shristi Infrastructure, this is the first step in developing a hospitality division in joint venture with Hudco.

"Hudco is open to joint ventures in real estate and infrastructure but the shape of the subsequent projects would depend on the market demand. Hudco officials on the board will monitor the progress of these projects on a regular basis," said P.S. Rana, chairman and
managing director, Hudco.
 http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060220/asp/business/story_5870068.asp

Britney Spears Has Baby Son Blessed At California Hindu Temple

http://www.hinduvoice.co.uk/Issues/2/Britney.htm

MALIBU, CALIFORNIA, January 31, 2006: HPI note: While this item is a bit old, the Hindu Voice report is the first to contain any details at all. The entertainment press has commented scathingly on the pop singer's visit to the temple. Some reports even have the temple priest mentioned below, Samundrala, identified as her "guru," even though he was meeting her for the first time and had no idea who she was.

According to various media reports and sightings pop star Britney Spears seems to have joined a long list of Western stars seeking enlightenment in ancient Hindu mysticism. Her forehead blessed with red kum kum, Spears and her four-month-old son, Sean Preston, were photographed leaving the Hindu temple in Malibu after taking part in religious ceremonies. Spears is also said to be visiting Hindu mystics for a study into the past and future. Spears was welcomed at the Malibu temple by its president, Nadadur Varadhan, who explained to the pop star the tenets of Hinduism as also the significance of the rituals. A visitor [temple priest, actually], Samundrala Krishna Ma Charyulu recounted the encounter as follows: "To be honest I didn't even know who she was until another visitor told me and all these photographers started getting out of their cars .. . At first she and her baby joined us in prayer inside our Ganesh Temple. I wrapped some Hindu cloth around them both and gave them some flowers to wear as part of the ceremony ... Britney started to cry a little afterwards and then she was smiling. The whole time she was very humble and respectful."

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

http://www.hinduvoice.co.uk/Issues/2/Underground.htm

CULTURE, SPIRITUALITY & LIFESTYLE

Hinduism on the London Underground

Author: Ritesh Jigani

Standing on a packed train on the way home from university, I was feeling terrible. It had been a hard week, I was annoyed with several colleagues, the train had been delayed and everybody nearby seemed to be coughing and sneezing on me! In the rush to get onto the train people were barging each other and getting into heated arguments. I was feeling erratic, as if I would hit someone at the slightest provocation.

As all this frustration and anger was swirling around in my head, I started thinking about what advise Hinduism could give me in a situation like this. I started contemplating advice that I had heard during lectures, or read from books. Recalling some helpful anecdotes from a talk I'd attended in the past, I felt better. It quickly occurred to me that it wasn't justifiable for me to be so angry and frustrated. People die of starvation or lose their loved ones to terrorism, on an almost daily basis. By comparison, I had little to complain about.

Then I thought about the concept of indwelling God, the idea that every person has a portion of the divine residing within him or her. Up until then I'd been growing increasingly annoyed at the people standing around me. But now I tried to think of God's presence in all of these people. Slowly my anger began to subside. Already I had come a long way towards restored sanity, the result of a few minutes of positive thinking.

But the journey home still had a long way to go. People were cramming onto the train in larger and larger numbers (even though any onlooker would have thought it was already packed to capacity). And my headache was not improving. Then I had an idea. I would chant God's name to help pass the time. Since ancient times, Hinduism has placed great value in "Japa" (repeating God's name with concentration and devotion). Many references from Hindu scriptures confirm this (e.g. Bhagavad Gita 10:25). Up until recently, I had thought that to keep repeating "Hari Om" or "Rama Rama" (or whatever else) is a generally pointless exercise. But some of my peers who actually practiced Japa had spoken of its great benefits, and I'd wanted to see this for myself for quite some time. "No better time than the present," I said to myself, and began repeating a mantra in my mind.

Within a few minutes I felt so much better. My mind was composed, my headache appeared to be subsiding, and my outlook towards everybody around me changed. I became filled with positive energy, and wanted nothing more than to do good to everybody around me. It was as if I could feel God's presence filling the whole area. Before, my mind was full of lust and the desire to possess more. Now I just felt happy like I already had everything I needed. By the time I reached home I felt great, and even helped out around the house a bit (my dad thought there was something wrong with me).

Reflecting on this episode, I realised that I'd experienced first hand the dire need of spirituality in modern life.

Red meat consumption doubles risk of colon cancer, says study; is it time to go vegetarian yet?

http://www.newstarget.com/007237.html

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows a doubling of the risk of colon cancer for people who are heavy consumers of red meat. More specifically, it shows that the risk doubles compared to those who consume smaller quantities of red meat. But how does this compare to people who consume no red meat at all?

This is conjecture, but I'm willing to bet that heavy consumers of red meat probably have quadruple the risk (or more) of colon cancer compared to vegetarians or people who consume no red meat. By the way, you don't have to be a vegetarian to boycott red meat. You can still be a consumer of other sources of animal protein (fish, seafood, etc.) while avoiding red meat.

There are plenty of health reasons to avoid eating red meat, and a higher risk of colon cancer is just one of them. The saturated animal fat found in red meat products contributes to heart disease and atherosclerosis. In addition, red meat can contain contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides and undesirable environmental pollutants that tend to collect in the fat tissues of cows, which are absorbed into your body when you eat cow fat. And you can't eat red meat without getting some animal fat.

Then, of course, there's what I call the vibration of red meat, which concerns the homeopathy of the meat, or the environment in which the cow was raised. Was it a natural environment? Did the cow have access to open fields, sunlight and clean water? Or was this a cow raised as part of a slaughterhouse operation, produced for the sole purpose of generating profits? If you eat cows' meat that has undergone that kind of experience, you are consuming a product that is tainted with the negative experience of the animal from which it came.

There are a lot of negative effects associated with the consumption of red meat, and this is why more and more people are now giving up red meat and moving to healthier foods like fish, free-range chicken, or better yet, plant-based proteins like spirulina or soy products like soy milk and tofu. This is where you'll get your best protective effect and disease prevention, and you will be helping protect the environment at the same time. After all, it's far less stressful on the environment to produce food as plants than as animals.

It takes 10 acres to produce the same amount of red meat protein as it does to produce one acre of soy beans. And producing spirulina yields a tenfold increase over the production of soybeans. So think about it: one acre of farmland used to produce spirulina can produce 100 times as much protein as beef and red meat. That will be very important to realize as our world population grows and it becomes increasingly difficult to produce the protein required by the population.

How to make the transition away from red meat
These are all reasons to avoid an animal-based diet and pursue a plant-based diet. Many people reading this are already following a plant-based diet, but some of you who might be considering making the change probably aren't sure exactly how to do it.

Perhaps you want to merely reduce your consumption of red meat but not give it up completely yet, which is fine, since that's the way all of us ex-meat-eaters got into plant-based diets to begin with. Few people ate more meat than I did because I grew up in an environment where we had all the red meat we wanted at no charge (my grandfather was a cattle rancher). We had a freezer full of red meat at all times, and we could have as much hamburger, steak or other cuts of meat as we wanted. I consumed large quantities of red meat for nearly 30 years.

I found the transition away from red meat to be difficult at first. I started consuming less of it and eating other meat alternatives, and pretty soon I began to view red meat in a different way, because if you eat less of it, you eventually start to lose your appetite for it. And within less than a year, any time I would see red meat at the grocery store, it would gross me out. I look at it and I realize what it is: a chunk of flesh sliced off the carcass of a living creature that has been ground up and stuffed into a box. Usually there's some blood running around in the container as well. Every time I would look at that I would get grossed out and think to myself, "Gee, is this really what I want to eat for the rest of my life? This sliced up chunk of a dead cow?" And the answer was, "No." So it didn't take very long before I didn't want any red meat, and now I can't imagine eating it.

Read full article here
http://www.newstarget.com/007237.html

See our World Vegetarian Day Newsletters 2004 - 2005 - World Vege Day

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

Vedic Culture is the Parent of Humanity
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/vedic_culture_is_the_parent_of_humanity.htm

By Stephen Knapp

The title of this page may seem like a bold statement, but there is some very interesting evidence to consider. As we established in the chapter on the creation of the material world, when the Supreme Being created the universe He also provided the Vedic knowledge and terminology by which humanity could live peacefully as well as advance spiritually. Even the Bible (Genesis 11:1) describes how originally during pre-Christian times, "the whole earth was of one language and one speech." And, as we can see from the evidence in the previous chapters, that language was Sanskrit.

Theologians in general agree that despite diverse scriptures and tales of various people experiencing or hearing the voice of God, the immanent Divinity is One. Even physicists agree that the ultimate source of all elements has to be one. History too began from a single point. This means that the origination of the universe as well as the beginning of mankind was a purposeful and arranged event. It was not a chance encounter, a random, freakish, or spontaneous beginning, but an expansion from the Absolute Truth.

Since there is but one ultimate source of everything, all human activity started from that divine beginning. And activity means thought and speech. As the Vedic texts explains, the original language was Sanskrit, as taught by the Supreme Himself. We find that even the 1951 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica (P. 70, Vol 13) describes that some scholars gave up attempts to explain the origin of language and have fallen back to the religious explanation that the first language was given by God to man.

Some people, however, feel that ancient man was able to only slowly develop a language of his own. This is thought to have started from grunts and noises like animals until it somehow shaped into the different languages we find today. So does that mean that babies will also develop some kind of language of their own if they are given enough time and not taught one? As described in P. N. Oak's book, World Vedic Heritage (p. 130), the 16th century Moghul emperor, Akbar, had also questioned this. Being in such a position of authority, he was able to indulge in a heartless experiment. He ordered several infant children to be taken away from their mothers and be confined to a house. No one was permitted to speak anything to the children, even when clothed and fed. The result was that they all grew to be dumb adults. They could speak no language at all. Neither did they develop any form of communication between themselves. Therefore, the idea that man will eventually educate himself or even develop a language on his own is mistaken. All knowledge must be given by a superior, which is exactly what the Vedic literature says happened at the beginning of time. The Vedic references explain that human civilization began by the arrangement of the Supreme. Man was given an original consciousness by which he had knowledge of the Sanskrit language and was guided by Vedic information, as taught by Lord Brahma and the numerous sages that followed. Thus, the ancient Vedic culture is the primordial culture of the whole world and not exclusive to India, Arabia, or Sumeria. It is universal.

The philosopher and researcher Edward Pococke also wrote about this conclusion in his book India in Greece (page 251). He states: "Sir William Jones concluded that the Hindus had an immemorial antiquity with the old Persians, Ethiopians and Egyptians, the Phoenicians, Greeks and Tuscans, the Scythians or Goths, and the Celts, the Chinese, Japanese and Peruvians." The observance of this global connection between India and the rest of the world is actually an indication that the whole world was once under the influence of the Vedic culture. Thus, it was India who nurtured the rest of the world with her wisdom and Vedic knowledge.

Pococke continues in this vein in his observation: "Now the whole of the society of Greece, civil and military, must strike one as being eminently Asiatic, much of it specially Indian. . . I shall demonstrate that these evidences were but the attendant tokens of Indian colonization with its corresponding religion and language. I shall exhibit dynasties disappearing from India, western India, to appear again in Greece, clans who fought upon the plains of Troy." Therefore, since Greece is supposed to be the origins of European culture, and since Greece displays much of the same culture as India, we can say that the pre-Christian culture of Europe was Vedic.

In fact, it may be the case that without the connection with India, Greece may not have been a major contributor to the advancement of Europe. Godfrey Higgins writes in his book The Celtic Druids (p. 112), "In science the Greeks were pygmies. What would they have known of science if their Platos and Pythagorases had not traveled into the East! In science and real learning they were inferior to the Orientals [Indians], and were the greatest liars upon earth. They wilfully mis-stated everything or they foolishly confounded everything."

William Durant, author of the 10-volume Story of Civilization, wrote, "India was the motherland of our race, and Sanskrit the mother of European languages. She was the mother of our philosophy. . . of our mathematics. . . of the ideals embodied in Christianity. . . of self-government and democracy. . . Mother India is in many ways the mother of us all."

Interestingly, Sir Isaac Tailor, the author of The Origins of the Aryans, wrote in a similar way (page 1), "Adelung, the father of comparative philosophy. . . placed the cradle of mankind in the valley of Kashmir, which he identified with paradise. To Adelung we owe the opinion, which has prevailed so widely, that since the human race originated in the East, most westerly nations, the Iberians and Celts, must have been the first to leave the parent."

As explained in World Vedic Heritage (p. 115), this is also the conclusion of Mr. B. C. Chhabra, who is the ex-Assistant Director General of Archeology under the British administration in India. He writes, "I do not want to go deep into the larger question of the theory of evolution which is today at the base of archeological interpretations, but I must need say that the history of Indian civilization begins with knowledge and not barbarism. The kind of knowledge that has been preserved therein has stood the test of time and is still unsurpassed in certain respects. It believes in an evolution of limited extent only and that for a definite period of time in the history of man's life as also in that of a nation. To base the entire history of mankind, down to the present-day, on the ape-man and the archeological ages of Paleolithic, Neolithic, Bronze and Iron is a travesty of facts. Even in the present age of great scientific achievements the ape-man cannot produce the homosapiens, obviously because they are two different species. Recent archeologists have proved abundantly that these ages have no meaning because different cultural ages are found in different regions, and that sometimes they co-existed in the same region which cannot be explained on the basis of the theory of evolution." Thus, regardless of the classifications made by archeologists about the ancient history of mankind, as confirmed by the prehistoric records of the Vedic literature, India was the center from where spread the intellectually superior Vedic culture, and is, therefore, the source of humanity's spiritual heritage.

The Preface of Vol. VI of Indian Antiquities (pp 11-13) also points one in this same direction: "The Hindu religion probably spread over the whole earth; there are signs of it in every system of worship. . . the arithmetic, astronomy, astrology, the holidays, games, names of the stars, and figures of constellations, the language of the different nations bear the strongest marks of the same origin."

The discerning and honest Christian author Godfrey Higgins wrote in his book, The Celtic Druids (p. 61), about the basis of all human civilization originating from India and the Vedic culture. "The peninsula of India would be one of the first peopled countries, and its inhabitants would have all the habits of progenitors of man before the flood in as much perfection or more than any other nation. . . In short, whatever learning man possessed before his dispersion. . . may be expected to be found here; and of this Hindustan affords innumerable traces. . . notwithstanding all. . . the fruitless efforts of our priests to disguise it."

The above quotes would indicate that the Vedic culture was a global faith, a world influence. This may be given further credence in the remarks of Ctesias, the Greek writer (as found in Historical Researches, Vol. II, p.220), "The Hindus were as numerous as all the other nations put together."

This is further corroborated in P. N. Oak's World Vedic Heritage (p. 506) in which he presents evidence that, "In pre-Christian times the temples of Vedic Deities such as Vishnu, Shiva, the Mother goddess, Rama, Hanuman, and Krishna used to abound in all regions of the world. Evidence of this is found in the works of ancient authors such as Megasthenes, Strabo, and Herodotus. All those names are of Vedic origin, too. The term Megasthenes is Megh-Sthan-eesh, i.e. the Lord of the Region of the clouds. The name Herodotus is Hari-dootus, i.e. Messenger of [Hari] God."

In Some Missing Chapters of World History (p. 134), P. N. Oak also explains that Shiva was worshiped all over the world, even in the Vatican. The word vatican comes from the Sanskrit word vatica, which means a bower or sylvan hermitage. He explains that even the premises of the Vatican have many Shiva emblems buried in their walls and cellars. Many such emblems have been dug up in other parts of Italy as well. And some of those found in the Vatican are still preserved in the Vatican's Etruscan museum.

Another point is that the original worship of the Mother Goddess can be traced back to India. Whether this Goddess is called Ma, Uma, Mata, Amba, Shakti, Durga, Bhagavati, Parameshvari, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Astarte, Venus, Ceres, Mother Mary, Mariamma, Madonna, Notre Dame, etc., it can be traced to the Vedic culture where such worship originated.

Albert J. Edmonds, in his book Buddhist and Christian Gospels, also explains that, "Strabo considered all Asia as far as India to be consecrated to Bacchus where Hercules and Bacchus are called Kings of the East. The last religions of Babylon and Egypt were born there. Even the Greeks and the Romans were debtors thereto for the cult of Bacchus and Mithras."

Bacchus refers to Bakesh or Tryambakesh, Shiva. Hercules refers to Hari-culeesh, Lord Krishna. They were known as Kings or supreme deities of the East. Since the religions of Babylon and Egypt were born in Asia, and Greeks and Romans observed a similar version of the Bacchus cult and one of Mithras, the sun, it is obvious the whole world followed, or was influenced by, Vedic culture. The reason is that all of these deities can be traced back to India, or are directly Vedic deities. From this information we can begin to understand that Vedic culture was a cause of worldwide unity, or the parent culture of all humanity.

(This article is from: http://www.stephen-knapp.com)

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

THE MOUSE AND THE GITA

There is a story about a guru who had a brahmacari disciple.  He ordered the brahmacari that he should perform Bhakti by reading Gita every day.  So he sat in a cave, reading the Bhagavad-gita.  But there was a small mouse who came to nibble at the Gita, when it was not being read.  He became tired of scaring the mouse away, so he thought, "I need to get a cat to take care of the mouse."  So he got a cat.  The cat kept away the mouse, but it started making sounds because it was hungry.  So he had to feed the cat.  Then he thought, "I need a cow in order to feed the cat milk."  He had to take care of the cow.  Gradually he started giving less and less time for his Gita reading.  Since he had to give the cow so much attention, he thought, "I need someone to take care of the cow," and he hired a man.  The man took care of the cow, but he found that he had to have someone to watch the man, otherwise he was not doing his work properly.  He thought, "This is becoming a little complicated.  I have to get married, then the wife will watch over the man who is taking care of the cow, who is feeding the milk to the cat, to keep away the mouse."  He got married, but his wife wanted certain things.  So there were children, and he had to get some money.  He started some business enterprise and brought some land.  One day, the guru came back to see his disciple.  He said, "What happened?  I ordered you to read Gita, but I see you have got wife, children, family, business, workers and so many things.  You have forgotten the Gita?  Tell me what happened."  He replied, "Gurudeva, I am simply doing all this in the service of the Gita.  In order to read the Gita, I h ad to do all this.  This is all Gita-samsara."

MORAL: We have to be careful not to perform bhakti for some other objective, that is not pure bhakti.

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

  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....

HG Amal Bhakta dasa ACBSP
http://www.amalbhakta.com/

(the late) HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami
http://www.btswami.com/ (UK)
http://www.ifast.net/  (Institute for Applied Spiritual Technology)
http://home.iprimus.com.au/naractl/Biographys/ISKCON_Gurus/Bhakti_Tirtha_Swami.html#mod (Perth Aus)

HH Bhakti Vikas Swami
http://www.bvks.com/

HH Bir-Krishna Goswami
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:

Mayapur Gaura Purnima Offerings Now Online

Devotees around the world can now make offerings to Sri Gauranga in Mayapur on Gaura Purnima by visiting http://www.Gaurapurnima.com and joining the Gaura Purnima Offering of Service.

This facility has been especially set up for those who are unable to come for the festival itself. Devotees everywhere can participate as a sponsor at the level of their choice and enjoy the benefit of having a variety of sevas performed on their behalf.

Donations start at just $21 for offering a Silver Lamp and include a variety of Kalash abhishek sponsorships for donations of $51 and more. In addition to the opportunity of offering personal service to Sri Gauranga donors receive a packet of special gifts including their offered item, photographs, and other benefits according to the level of contribution.

Proceeds from these offerings are used to fund the Mayapur Gaura Purnima festival, providing the prasadam, seminars, entertainment and festivities for nearly 4000 devotees from all over the world as well as hundreds of thousands of visiting pilgrims.

Any surplus funds will go to the Sri Mayapur Project Annual Fund to provide much-needed resources for a variety of programs and services like teacher training, expanded curriculum resources for the schools, development of various sites along the parikrama path, developing new programs for cow protection, beautifying and enhancing the Mayapur Gardens, and many more important projects.

One special project that is expected to be funded through this appeal is the installation of a webcam in the temple to provide constant darshan of the deities worldwide.

The web site also provides facilities for sponsoring prasadam meals for the devotees and pilgrims as well as other festivities.

In addition, devotees who would like to assist in this appeal can register as a volunteer sevak. Volunteers are provided with their own personal web site and many special tools to reach out to their friends, family and associates to invite them to join in this offering.

For nearly 10 years now the festival has been funded exclusively by the donations from visiting devotees and supporters from around the world.  This year through www.Gaurapurnima.com the opportunity for offering this service is extended to all devotees, friends and well-wishers of ISKCON around the world.

This online facility has made it extraordinarily easy for everyone to take part in this campaign with just a few clicks of the mouse. Visitors to http://www.Gaurapurnima.com have a choice of making their own personal offering, sponsoring the devotees prasadam and other events, and registering as a volunteer sevak to help expand the reach of this appeal.

Visit this site to take advantage of the opportunity to simultaneously offer your personal seva to Sri Chaitanya on His most auspicious appearance day and in His holy dham, and to see the power of your gift extend to the service of His devotees and His mission both during the festival and throughout the year.

For more information contact visit http://www.Gaurapurnima.com or write to Mayapur Donor Services at donorservices@mayapurfoundation.org

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 happened last year http://www.hknet.org.nz/VegeWVD2004.html

see what we hear is to be happening this year

See our previous World Vegetarian Day issue of the newsletter for a wide range of Vegetarian issues
2005 World Vegetarian Day newsletter
Shaligram Tirtha Pradarshini newsletter October 2005 - Theme Prasadam

Vege update:
Social scientists and law enforcement officials have identified animal abuse as a symptom of emotional illness and a precursor to violent crimes against human beings. To allow individuals guilty of perpetrating such cruel acts to go unpunished or not sufficiently punished would be to sanction these horrific crimes and would permit them to go on to possibly commit violent crimes against humans.

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

This list is about vegetarian kitchen crafts. This list is created for postings regarding back to basics vegetarian kitchen crafts. When we say vegetarian we mean no meat, fish or eggs. When we say back to basics, we mean tips on making yeast, bread, gluten, tofu, sprouts and so forth. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vkcrafts   Post a Message: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vkcrafts/post
 
 

Korela Bhaja (Fried Bitter Melon)
Ingredients:
5-6 bitter melon (korela)

1. Slice the bittermelon (like you would a cucumber) and coat the slices with turmeric powder and salt. Leave to sit for 5 minutes, and then dab the korela dry.
2. Meanwhile heat oil or ghee for deepfrying in a karai or wok. Deep fry the slices; some people prefer thicker slices fried until they are just cooked but still green and soft - while others prefer wafer thin slices fried 'til they are crisp and crunchy and become dark bitter melon chips. In my opinion crispy is best.
3. Again you may remove the seeds if you like before eating. Many of us don't.
    Serve as a starter. Invokes digestion - Very delicious - is served first to simulate the digestive juices

Spinach - Saak (A great favourite of Lord Chaitanya)
Ingredients:
For a serving size of 4-5
2 packets frozen spinach, thawed
1" cube of ginger, finely diced
3 Shukhno lonka (dry red chilli)
Dash of Hing (Asafoetida)
Potatoes - about 4 medium-large ones
Kasoori Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)
Mouri/Saunf (Fennel seeds)
Salt to taste

Method:
Cut the potatoes into small pieces, and then either lightly boil them or microwave them for about 8 min. Heat oil, preferably in a wok or kAdAi. To the hot oil, add ginger, hing, and fennel seeds. Add the spinach, and fry on a high flame. After about 5 min of frying, add salt, the dried chillies, and the potatoes. Mix evenly, and add the kasoori methi - then fry for a few minutes. At this point, you might add a little water if you so desire. Serve hot.

SHUKTO: (bitter subji)
Ingredients:
Cut all the veggies in big chunks
2 potatoes
1 radish
1 raw green banana
1 bitter gourd
1 egg plant (medium)

grind to paste:
4tsp poppy seed
4tsp cumin seed
4tsp mustard seed
1 tsp flour
2 tsp mustard seed
salt
sugar
little oil

Method:
Heat oil, season with mustard seeds, after it starts spluttering, add the veggies,
cook till tender, after its soft add the ground paste, salt, sugar, water. Bring to
boil and this bitter dish is ready.

ALURDAM
Ingredients:
500 gms small sized potatoes
1/2 tbl spoon mustard seeds
2 twigs kurry leaves
50 gms tamarind
4-5 green chillies
salt according to taste
1 tbl spoon ginger paste
1 tbl spoon sugar
3-4 tbl spoon refined oil
Boil potatoes and peel them.

Method:
Soak tamarind in a cup of water for 10 mins.and strain the juice.
 - Heat oil in pan and fry ginger, mustard, kurry leaves till brown.
 - Then add the boiled potatoes & fry for a minute or two.
 - Then add chillies, sugar & salt & add tamarind juice.
 - Stir & serve hot with luchi.

ALU POSTO (POTATOES AND POPPY SEEDS)
A dry accompaniment to a meal of rice and curries/sabjis.
Ingredients:
Potatoes - 500 gm.
Nigella seeds - a pinch.
Green chilies - 6 gm.
Sugar - 4 gm.
Poppy seeds - 20 gm. (heaped)
Oil - 30 ml.
Ghee - 25 gm.
Red chili powder - 5 gm.
Salt to taste.

METHOD :
Heat oil and add nigela seeds. Add diced potatoes and fry lightly for 10 mins. Grind poppy seeds with a little water and add to the potatoes. Cover with lid, stirring occasionally and adding 2 tbspn. of water. When water dries and potatoes are done, add green chilies, sugar, salt and red chilly powder. Top with ghee and allow to cook for one minute. Serve hot with rice.

 Time taken -- 20 mins. Serves -- 4.

LUCHI - pooris (Bengali puris - pooris)
Ingredients:
500gms Flour
2 tbl spoon refined oil
salt according to taste
warm water to knead the flour oil to fry the pooris in.

Method:
- knead 500gms of flour, 4 tbl spoon of oil & salt according to taste with warm water.
 - make small balls (like a 10 cent coin NZ cents).
 - flatten them into round chappatis - pooris - about 3-4 inches in diametre.
 - deep fry them in ghee so they are cooked but still white to light brown
 serve hot

Bengal Royal Rice
Preparation and cooking time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 persons (or two Bengalis)
Ingredients:
1 ½ Cups Basmati rice, white or brown
1/2 tsp Saffron threads
3 Cups Purified water
2 tsp Sea salt
3 tsp Nutmeg
1/3 Cup Ghee (clarified butter)
1/4 Cup Cashew bits, or halves
1/4 Cup Almonds, slivered
3 Tbsp Raisins
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1 Cinnamon stick
1 tsp Cumin seeds
6 Pods, Cardamom, bruised
6 Whole Cloves
1 tsp. Black pepper
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. Asafetida, (a spice similar in flavour to onions and garlic), can be found in most natural food stores.
2 Tbsp Coconut, shredded
1/3 Cup Green peas, frozen
1/4 Cup Raw sugar

Method:
 1.Wash, drain, and dry the rice.
 2.Boil the water, salt, saffron and nutmeg in a 2-quart saucepan over a moderate heat. Keep it covered to avoid evaporation.
 3.Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a 4-quart saucepan over moderate heat. Add the cashews and almonds and toast. Remove with a slotted spoon and add the raisins for a couple of seconds until they swell. Remove and place them in a bowl with the cashews and almonds.
 4.Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in same pan. Sauté the rice for 2 to 3 minutes over moderate heat; then add the boiling water. Stir, raise the heat, and bring the water to a full boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight fitting lid, and gently simmer, without stirring, for 15 to 20 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender and flaky.
  5.Remove the rice from the heat, leaving the lid on for another 5 minutes to allow the rice to become firm.
 6.Place the remaining ghee in a heavy pan over moderate heat. Stir-fry the fennel seeds, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, cardamon pods and whole cloves for 1 minute. Add the black pepper, cayenne, asafetida, and dried or fresh coconut. Sauté for 1 minute and then add the peas, sugar, nuts and raisins. Remove from the heat.
 7.Carefully combine the cooked rice with all the other ingredients.
          Serve in a beautiful bowl befitting this beautiful rice.

Fake Fried Fish (Bangla = peak pish)
Ingredients:
regular soft or firm tofu
soy sauce
nori sheets (seaweed)
Tempura batter mix
oil for deep frying

Directions: (disclaimer - this is how I was sent this recipe okay)
In Wisconsin Friday fish frys are big, and as a vegetarian I don't want to miss out. So I came up with this recipe. It is based on the memory of an appetizer served me once at a wonderful macrobiotic restaurant, called the Cauldron, that once existed on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Cut up the tofu into rectangular chunks of any size desired. I like to use soft tofu because it's never as soft as they advertise and anyway it's slightly gelatinous quality makes a perfect, delicate fish substitute. But you can use firm if you prefer. Blot dry and dab one side with soy sauce.

With a scissors cut the toasted nori into appropriate sizes to match the chunks and have ready (but don't place on the tofu yet or the nori gets too soggy and will threaten to slip off while frying).

Heat the cooking oil to deep frying temp.

Mix tempura batter with cold water as directed on package (or to your liking - thinner is lighter). Adhere the nori pieces, like postage stamps, on to the lightly marinated sides of the tofu chunks (I usually do about 3 or 4 at a time, depending on their size) and dip in tempura batter.

Fry until you think they're done (they should puff a little and rise; if they're golden brown, they're overdone).

I like to make a simple dipping sauce to accompany the "fried fish". Just blend a little soy sauce with lemon juice and water (you can also add a bit of toasted sesame oil for some extra flavor).

This is a great snack or main dish and fairly easy. I love the combination of textures, soft and crispy. And the seaweed not only mimics the fish flavor, but the look of fried fish as well.

They are best piping hot fresh, of course, but they can be reheated in an oven.

.....a dish one could just as easy find down by the Ganges among the Bengali community - Ganga phal - fruit of the Ganges......lol

Vegetarian Fish (pish)(Vegetarian Ganga phal)
Ingredients:
2 pieces of bean curd pockets
3 oz of water chestnuts
3 oz of ground broad beans
1 sheet of purple seaweed
1 sheet of bean curd skin
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg substitute

Directions:
Mix flour and water into a smooth batter. Mince bean curd pockets and water chestnuts, add the minced ground broad beans.  Mix the minced ingredients with cornstarch, salt, pepper, and egg substitute until well blended. This is the filling. (any sort of bean curd can be subst.)

Place the purple seaweed on top of bean curd skin, then place the filling on top of the purple seaweed. Roll into a 10X6 cm rectangular block. Seal tightly with batter.

Steam 10 minutes over high heat.

Delicious Tofu Cheesecake
Submitted by Allison
Ingredients:
1 pre-baked vegan pie crust For Cake: (or see our recipe below)
3/4 of a 15-ounce package of firm tofu, crumbled
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
1/4 cup soy, rice, or nut milk
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sucanat (Sucanat is sugar in its most natural form from sugar cane, the juice)
2-3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Topping:
1 bag of frozen berries of your choice (I've used blueberries, raspberries and cherries)
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
enough organic apple juice to just cover berries

Directions:
For Cake:
Preheat oven to 375º F.
In a blender, combine the tofu, cream cheese, milk substitute, and lemon juice. Blend until very thick and smooth.
Add sucanat, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla, and blend until incorporated.
Pour into pre-baked pie shell.
Bake 35-45 minutes until golden and firm, and cracks begin to form on top.
Remove from oven and cool until totally set, preferably overnight.

For Topping:
Mix arrowroot powder in apple juice.

Place frozen berries in saucepan and cover with the apple juice mixture.
Simmer until thickened like pie filling. It will reach maximum thickness before boiling.
Spread topping over pie, offer and enjoy!

Vegan Pie Crust
Submitted by VegFamily Staff
Ingredients:
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup margarine
5 to 6 tablespoons cold water

Directions:
In a medium bowl with fork, lightly stir together flour and salt.
With pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion, cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle in cold water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with a fork after each addition until pastry just holds together.
With hands, shape pastry into ball (if it's a hot day you may have to refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or so).
For a two crust pie, divide pastry into 2 pieces, one slightly larger, and then gently shape each piece into a ball.
On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll larger ball into a 1/8 inch thick circle, 2 inches larger all around than pie plate.
Roll half of circle onto rolling pin; transfer pastry to pie plate and unroll, easing into bottom and side of plate. Fill as recipe directs.
For top crust, roll smaller ball as for bottom crust; with sharp knife, cut a few slashes or a design in center of circle; center over filling in the bottom crust.
With scissors or sharp knife, trim the pastry edges, leaving 1 inch overhang all around the pie plate rim.
Fold overhang under; pinch a high edge. Bake pie as recipe directs.

Creamy Decaf-Cappuccino Pie
Ingredients:
1 9-inch chocolate graham cracker pie crust
4 cups frozen vanilla yogurt, softened slightly
2 Tbsp. confectioner's sugar
2 Tbsp. espresso granules
1 Tbsp. warm water

Method:
Combine frozen yogurt, sugar, water and Decaf-espresso granules in a food processor and process for several seconds until mixed well. Spread into piecrust and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving. The espresso granules are what you use to make instant espresso, just like instant coffee granules.

Misti Doi (sweet yogurt)
Ingredients:
1 litre long life (UHT) full cream milk
1 litre long life (UHT) single cream
1 cup natural yogurt
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup sugar

Method:
That's it, mix them together ( no need to boil and cool the milk ) and put the mix in the oven at very low temperature for 6 hours. by trial and error you will find the correct temperature setting for your oven for the perfect DOI ! If it's not setting up the temperature a bit.

Let me break the myth about GAMCHA BANDHA DOI. Any DOI, if it does not set firm, put it on a gamcha like cloth and hang over a sink to drain for 6 hours. There you go, enjoy your Gamcha Bandha Doi - nice
 
 

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

To read more about Hasya visit our pages

FOR YOUR INTEREST: This one is not a joke but I thought you might like to know. These are the names of Lord Caitanya taken from the book "Sri Caitanya Sahasra Nama Stotra", i.e. "A Thousand Names of Lord Caitanya" by Srila Kavi Karnapura (as translated by HG Kusakratha Prabhu from the Krsna Institute)...

The young Marine took a seat in the front row and sat silent. The class fell silent...waiting.
Eventually, the professor came to, shaken. He looked at the young Marine in the front row.  When he regained his senses and could speak he asked:  "What's the matter with you?  Why did you do that?"
The Marine quietly replied, "God was busy.  He sent me."

A young lady came home from a date looking rather sad. She told her mother, "Aravinda proposed to me an hour ago."

"Then why are you so sad?" her mother asked.

"Because he also told me he was an atheist. Mom, he doesn't even believe there's a hell."

Her mother replied, "Marry him anyway. Between the two of us, we'll show him how wrong he is."

Tongue twister

Mr. See owned a saw.
And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw.
Now See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw
Before Soar saw See,
Which made Soar sore.
Had Soar seen See's saw
Before See sawed Soar's seesaw,
See's saw would not have sawed
Soar's seesaw.
So See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw.
But it was sad to see Soar so sore
Just because See's saw sawed
Soar's seesaw!

author unknown

Awesome !!!!!

A tourist is traveling with a guide through one of the thickest
jungles in South India, when he comes across an ancient temple.
The tourist is entranced by the temple, and asks the guide for details.
To this, the guide states that archaeologists are carrying out
excavations, and still finding great treasures.  The tourist then
queries how old the temple is.

"This temple is 1503 years old", replies the guide.

Impressed at this accurate dating, he inquires as to how he gave
this precise figure.

"Easy", replies the guide, "the archaeologists said the temple was
1500 years old, and that was three years ago"

A man was selling his horse, and an interested buyer came to investigate.

The seller said,
"There's something you should know about the horse. He stops running when you say, 'Amen,' and he starts running when you say, 'Praise the Lord.'"

"No problem," the other man said, "I'll take it."

The man began to ride away on the horse. He decided to test the horse. "Amen," he said, and the horse stopped on the road just as the other man had said.

"Praise the Lord!" The horse took off running like mad. The rider held on as tight as he could. As he noticed they were racing towards a cliff, he begin screaming, "Stop!!! Stop, you stupid horse!! Whoah!!" Nothing worked. So he began praying, "Dear God, PLEASE let the horse stop! PLEASE!!! AMEN!"

The horse stopped right at the edge of the cliff. With great enthusiasm and joy the man screamed, "PRAISE THE LORD!!"

A Polish immigrant goes to the DMV to apply for a driver's license, and is asked to take the eyesight test.
The examiner shows him a card with the letters C Z J W I X N O S T A C Z

"Can you read this?" the examiner asks.
"Read it?" he replies, "I know the guy."

From http://www.iskconnews.net/ Feb 27th 2006

Did you ever wonder?

BTW it appears that atheists have humour too, but interestingly a lot of their humour seems to depend on the existence of God.
Otherwise, it would be quite a sad group of people...

LORE, n. Learning -- particularly that sort which is not derived from a regular course of instruction but comes of the reading of occult books, or by nature. This latter is commonly designated as folk-lore and embraces popularly myths and superstitions. In Baring-Gould's Curious Myths of the Middle Ages the reader will find many of these traced backward, through various people son converging lines, toward a common origin in remote antiquity. Among these are the fables of "Teddy the Giant Killer," "The Sleeping John Sharp Williams," "Little Red Riding Hood and the Sugar Trust," "Beauty and the Brisbane," "The Seven Aldermen of Ephesus," "Rip Van Fairbanks," and so forth. The fable with Goethe so affectingly relates under the title of "The Erl- King" was known two thousand years ago in Greece as "The Demos and the Infant Industry." One of the most general and ancient of these myths is that Arabian tale of "Ali Baba and the Forty Rockefellers."

Devil's Dictionary, Ambrose Bierce
http://www.online-literature.com/bierce/devilsdictionary/

An older gentleman had an appointment to see the urologist who shared an office with several other doctors. The waiting room was filled with patients.

As he approached the receptionist desk he noticed that the receptionist was a large unfriendly woman who looked like a Sumo wrestler. He gave her his name.

In a very loud and uncaring voice, the receptionist said,
"YES, I HAVE YOUR NAME HERE; YOU WANT TO SEE THE DOCTOR ABOUT IMPOTENCE, RIGHT?"

All the patients in the waiting room snapped their heads around to look at the very embarrassed man. He recovered quickly, and in an equally loud voice replied, "NO, I'VE COME TO INQUIRE ABOUT A SEX CHANGE OPERATION, BUT I DON'T WANT THE SAME DOCTOR THAT DID YOURS."

The ways of this material world - strange but true
Three monkeys sat in a coconut tree
   Discussing things as they're said to be.

   Said one to the others, "Now listen you two,
   There's a certain rumor that can't be true.

   That man descended from our noble race.
   The very idea!  It's a dire disgrace.

   No monkey ever deserted his wife,
   Starved his baby and ruined her life.

   And you've never known a mother monk,
   To leave her baby with others to bunk,

   Or pass them on from one to the other,
   Till they hardly know who is their mother.

   And another thing you'll never see
   A monk build a fence around a coconut tree,
   And let the coconuts go to waste,
   Forbidding all other monks a taste.
   Why, if I put a fence around this tree,
   Starvation would force you to steal from me.

   Here's another thing a monk won't do,
   Go out at night and get on a stew.
   Or use a gun or club or knife,
   To take some other Monkey's life.

   Yes!  Man descended, the ornery cuss,
   But, brother, he didn't descend from US!

LOVE, n. A temporary insanity curable by marriage or by removal of the patient from the influences under which he incurred the disorder. This disease, like caries and many other ailments, is prevalent only among civilized races living under artificial conditions; barbarous nations breathing pure air and eating simple food enjoy immunity from its ravages. It is sometimes fatal, but more frequently to the physician than to the patient.

Devil's Dictionary, Ambrose Bierce
http://www.online-literature.com/bierce/devilsdictionary/

.......more optical illusions and paradigm twists here:

I have a hunch that university costs are going to increase yet again.

Call it in-tuition.

If only people came with pull-down menus and on-line help.
added by Patricia:
(bet we're all thinking the same thing - if only some ALSO came with a "delete" key)

* Senior personal ads

Some "Senior" personal ads seen in Florida newspapers:
(Who says seniors don't have a sense of humor?)

FOXY LADY: Sexy, fashion-conscious blue-haired beauty, 80's, slim, 5'4"
(use to be 5'6"), searching for sharp-looking, sharp-dressing companion.
Matching white shoes and belt a plus.

LONG-TERM COMMITMENT: Recent widow who has just buried fourth husband, and am looking for someone to round out a six-unit plot.  Dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath not a problem.

SERENITY NOW: I am into solitude, long walks, sunrises, the ocean, yoga and meditation.  If you are the silent type, let's get together, take our hearing aids out and enjoy quiet times.

WINNING SMILE: Active grandmother with original teeth seeking a dedicated flosser to share rare steaks, corn on the cob and caramel candy.

BEATLES OR STONES?  I still like to rock, still like to cruise in my Camaro on Saturday nights and still like to play the guitar.  If you were a groovy chick, or are now a groovy hen, let's get together and listen to my eight-track tapes.

MEMORIES: I can usually remember Monday through Thursday.  If you can remember Friday, Saturday and Sunday, let's put our two heads together and make a week of it.

MINT CONDITION: Male, 1932, high mileage, good condition, some hair, many new parts including hip, knee, cornea, valves.  Isn't in running condition, but walks well.

.......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

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