Openmind

It would not be logical that someone being a gopi for example suddenly decides to come down for a little enjoyment of meat, sex, cigarettes, dope etc. That makes no sense. That would mean that there is something missing in the spiritual world, that the inhabitants there are in lack of bliss. I cannot believe that an associate of Lord Krishna would decide to make a journey in the world of suffering. The inhabitants of the spiritual abode, Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrndavan are pure souls who never fall down. Even the two gatekeepers, Jay and Vijaya fell down only because the Lord send them to assist Him in His pastimes. There is no mention in the whole Vedic literature of any jiva leaving the spiritual kingdom and falling down. There is no example for this apart from the story of Jay and Vijaya. The jiva originates in the Brahman effulgence, so it has a choice to decide between the two worlds, material and spiritual. The inhabitants of the spiritual world only come down with the purpose of preaching, never by the power of karma as we can see our Acharyas, who were not fallen conditioned souls but pure inhabitants of the spiritual world who decided to appear here for the sake of helping others. Jndas mentioned the example of a child who, after burning his hand once never touches fire again. Just let us look around: people burn their hands day by day in the fire of sense gratification, but they never learn, next day they do the same, carvita carvananam, chewing the chewed. We can see people dying in hospitals going out for a cigarette even though they perfectly know it destroys them. So fallen souls never learn unless they surrender and receive diyva-jnana by the grace of a bona fide guru.

Is there no other accomodation facility in Vrndavan then the MVT? Hard to believe...

The pictures are very nice, yes, but I wrote an email to them and that was the answer I received.

My friends will stay in Vrndavan from March 11-25. There is no room in MVT, could you please recommend some other hotel or ashram near the Krsna-Balaram Temple, please? Thanks.

Yes, this is a very important point. Whenever I am seriously sick or troubled, I always wonder "How can Krishna let all this misery fall on me?". But then I realize it is my misdeeds that cause all the suffering. The difficulty about karma for me is that we never know why exactly we receive "punishment". It would be much easier to accept karma if we could find out what we did to get this reaction, dont you think?

I am looking for the above mentioned text in file. If anyone has it, please let me know.

Joined. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

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If you let me know your email address, I can send the book to you in a word file, with Balaram fonts.

That sounds great. And does your devotee friend happen to have an email address?

Yeah, I did that. They informed me that all they have is Jagannath Deities to be repaired, repainted etc. I would have never imagined that it is nearly impossible to get Deities unless one goes to India. I have written to several Iskcon centers all around the world, 99% of them did not even bother to answer.

Can anyone help me find a source for a set of new Jagannath Deities, preferrably 8" high, in perfect condition? Thanks.

If Lord Ramachandra did not eat meat, then why did he go hunting while living in the forest with Sitadevi and Laksmana? For the sake of fun? He just killed the animals and then let them rot there? What do you think?

I am looking for sites with many photos of the Holy Dhamas. Thanks.

Eight Prayers Glorifying Sri Vrinda Devi (Tulasi Devi) ] Text One gangeya-campeya-tadid-vinindi- rocih-pravaha-snapitatma-vrinde bandhuka-bandhu-dyuti-divya-vaso vrinde namas te caranaravindam You are bathed by streams of splendour that rebuke gold, lightning, and the campaka flower. Your splendid garments are friend to the bandhuka flower. O Vrinda, I bow to your lotus feet. Text Two bimbadharoditvara-manda-hasya- nasagra-mukta-dyuti-dipitasye vicitra-ratnabharana-sriyadhye vrinde namas te caranaravindam Your face is splendid with a pearl decorating the tip of Your nose and a wonderful gentle smile on your bimba-fruit lips. You are decorated with wonderful jewel ornaments. O Vrinda, I bow to your lotus feet. Text Three samasta-vaikuntha-siromanau sri- krishnasya vrindavana-dhanya-dhamni dattadhikare vrsabhanu-putrya vrinde namas te caranaravindam Vrishabhanu's daughter Radha made you guardian of Krishna's opulent and auspicious abode of Vrindavana, the crest jewel of all Vaikuntha planets. O Vrinda, I bow to your lotus feet. Text Four tvad-ajnaya pallava-puspa-bhrnga- mrgadibhir madhava-keli-kunjah madhv-adibhir bhanti vibhusyamana vrinde namas te caranaravindam By Your order the groves where Madhava enjoys pastimes are splendidly decorated with blossoming flowers, bumble-bees, deer, honey and other things. O Vrinda, I bow to your lotus feet. Text Five tvadiya-dutyena nikunja-yunor atyutkayoh keli-vilasa-siddhih tvat-saubhagam kena nirucyatam tad vrinde namas te caranaravindam Because you became their messenger the eager and youthful divine couple enjoyed the perfection of transcendental pastimes in the forest. O Vrinda, I bow to your lotus feet. Text Six rasabhilaso vasatis ca vrinda- vane tvad-isanghra-saroja-seva labhya ca pumsam krpaya tavaiva vrinde namas te caranaravindam By your mercy the people attain residence in Vrindavana, the desire to serve your masters' lotus feet, and the desire to assist in the rasa dance. O Vrinda, I bow to your lotus feet. Text Seven tvam kirtyase satvata-tantra-vidbhir lilabhidhana kila krishna-saktih tavaiva murtis tulasi nri-loke vrinde namas te caranaravindam They who are learned in the Satvata-tantra glorify you. You are Krishna's pastime-potency. The tulasi plant is your form in the world of men. O Vrinda, I bow to your lotus feet. Text Eight bhaktya vihina aparadha-laksaih ksiptas ca kamadi-taranga-madhye krpamayi tvam saranam prapanna vrinde namas te caranaravindam O merciful one, they who have no devotion and they whom millions of offenses have thrown into the waves of lust and other vices take shelter of you. O Vrinda, I bow to your lotus feet. Text Nine vrindastakam yah srnuyat pathed va vrindavanadhisa-padabja-bhrngah sa prapya vrindavana-nitya-vasam tat-prema-sevam labhate krtarthah A person who is like a bumble bee at the lotus feet of Vrindavana's king and queen, and who reads or hears this Vrindastaka, will eternally reside in Vrindavana and attain loving service to the divine couple. ---------------------------I have found this prayer on the web. I have two questions: does anybody know where it is from? Does anybody knows some melody for singing it? Thanks.