university

[mahak]

Haribol. Personally, I think all of us can always have nice discussions in the true open and frank manner which symbolizes istagosthi. If we want to say what we want, and not get brow-beaten for saying such, this topic thread may be the place. University is a combination of the phrase "unity in diversity".

 

Why do we get so disturbed when others dont surrender to our ideas? are we trying for members? There are easier ways to get members. I had members once, lots of them. But it never satisfied, something was missing. We had a nice (IMHO) discussion about rtvik stuff, there were pros and cons, but not the usual negative stuff. There shouldnt be, because most who do discuss this issue are neither members of associations of rtvikism nor members of the GBCs version of ISKCON. Im not a supporter of rtvik ideology, but since Im not the guru of the rtviks who dont care for my views, I take no offense, and I have no disciples reaching in their beadbags for their sig sauers. Im not a supporter of ISKCON as it is presently displayed, but I sure dont mind hearing from all members of this society whose main function is to chant and distribute prasadam.

 

So, at the university, we dont fight. We speak our realizations without fear, and we try to soothe the disturbing concerns of our peers, but cmon, really, do we have the time to waste in disliking vaisnavas of a different flavor.

 

Anyway, beggar asked the moderator to lock the other one, and I also support beggar. But that wasnt a bad discussion, a bit of passion here and there, but were all grown ups here. The unity outweighs any diversity we may come up with. The war is over.

 

Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[mahak]

 

Sri Jatayu, the vulture king

[mahak]

For more, go see this site:

 

http://www.glimpseofkrishna.com/

[Shakti-Fan]

One disciple of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami met Srila Narayana Maharaja in 1997 in Badger, California. Although this devotee had given up his devotional practices he was still very fond of the Mahabharata and fancied himself a kind of Ksatriya. When he came into Srila Narayana Maharaja's room he was actually carrying his personal copy of the Mahabharata. When he asked Srila Narayana Maharaja for some personal instruction, Maharaja told him, "first you must stop reading Mahabharata and then stop your fighting mood, that mood is the wrong mood, it is not our mood." Now just because you posted the picture of Sri Jayatu I am not assuming that you have this fighting mood and I also read your thread starting post. So I am not repeating this as an attack on you Mahaksha Prabhu. Yet I do believe it is relevant to those us, including myself who seem to like a good fight.

[bija]

Mahak, for the last few days I was just sitting back and reading bits and pieces of the recent discussion about rtvik. On a personal level I am not so concerned about which point of view is correct (I just practice quietly at home, try to serve Gurudeva, and chant). But I did find the conversation really refreshing. Rather than the typical heated debates about this issue that can end up in personal attacks, there was alot of speaking from the heart. This is what was most touching. To hear people express their faith, even if it is different philosophically than mine, is a real treasure. This is what I honored from the conversation, both participants were expressing their heart. Offering pearls, with trust and openess. All blessings.

 

Thanks for posting the artwork. I like this devotees work alot. Especially this piece.

 

Krishna Is the Lover of all Animals

 

 

[mahak]

not just any fight, read on:

 

THE STORY OF SRI JATAYU, THE VULTURE KING

 

 

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DELIVERED TO THE ARMS OF LORD RAMACHANDRA

 

 

<!--LINE1-->

<!--BODY-->The demon king, Ravana, took Srimati Sitadevi like a jackal takes a fawn, and victoriously flew off to Lanka of the Waves while the Brothers, Rama and Laksmana, searched for the illusive, golden deer. Sitadevi's cries were not unheard, though. While hovering over Ravana's passing chariot, Sri Jatayu dove down to overtake him, saying, "I am Jatayu, the Vulture King, evil cannot be done in my presence, for I know the True. King Dasaratha is my friend, we were born on the same day , and are undefeated in battle."

Ravana arrogantly said, "Go back to sleep." Sri Jatayu replied, "I am the king of the air, do not harm Srimati Sitadevi, free her or die, for you cannot safely remove Her from my land as if She had no husband. I am 60,000 years old and much to tired to do any more talking." One talon, the size of an elephant tusk and as hard as iron, sent the demon king's chariot reeling, tearing away the railing. He gently took Sita from Ravana's arms and placed Her on the throne of his soft gray feathers, and delivered Her to the safety of the forest below, unharmed.

 

Ravanasura, shocked and raksasa angry, shouted, "I care nothing for you," and drove his chariot into Jatayu with an ivory bow aiming a kill-shot arrow. Sri Jatayu snapped the bow with one bite, he clawed the armor from Ravana's back, and with his beak, tore the hair form the demon king's heads. With the hurricane force of his wings, he drove Ravana to the ground. In utter fury, Sri Jatayu tore the asses that drew the chariot to shreds, shattered the car with one wing stroke and the golden wheels flew through the air like two new suns, the axle disappeared into the forest, as the sky rained shattered gold, crushed wood, and torn flesh.

 

Sri Jatayu screeched in triumph, but Ravana, injured and bewildered, seemed to notice that the Vulture King was blind. Taking advantage, Ravana again rose to attack. Sri Jatayu struck by sound. He snared Ravana and began wrenching off his left arms, one by one, and spitting them to the earth below. Ravana's faces trembled in pain, his bones shook in agony, yet new arms immediately began to grow back. Blind Sri Jatayu had thought they were gone for good.

 

Ravanasura, to be killed only by Lord Ramachandra, finally defeated the Vulture King by dishonesty and threw the dying Jatayu at the feet of Srimati Sitadevi, who embraced him and wept profusely, whispering final instructions. Ravana grabbed Her with bloody hands and flew quickly to Lanka of the Waves, sneering at the golden and white hued monkeys below near the ocean, not noticing all the jewels and silk artifacts Srimati Sitadevi was dropping to them as a signal.

 

As Lord Rama and His Brother, Laksmana, began the quest to free Sitadevi, the Dandaka Forest held no clues to Her whereabouts until They came upon a small white flower with a drop of blood in it's whorl, and a fine silk thread used for garlands. They then found Themselves in a used battlefield of torn armor, spent weaponry, and gross carnage. They saw ten huge arms, still wearing the rings of Lanka authority, bloody on the ground. They saw huge grey vulture wings next to the dying Sri Jatayu, and They immediately knelt in tribute to the great fallen Hero. Lord Ramachandra held His devotee in His arms, crying, "Alas, all is lost. Not only have I lost My Sita, now I see you uselessly killed trying to serve Me, dying in vain." Sri Jatayu sadly proclaimed, "My dear Son, Rama, it was my age. Had I been a moment younger, I would have killed Ravana and saved your wife." Sri Jatayu was given the benediction by Srimati Sitadevi to die in the arms of his Lord Ramachandra, and did so in service, victoriously gasping his last words, "Do not lament, my dear Lord Rama, for Sita lives! Sita lives! Ravana has been fatally injured by his foolish decision to ........."

 

Sri Rama and Sri Laksmana performed the funeral on that spot for Sri Jatayu, and the consuming fire burned cool in the soft breezes. Lord Rama declared, "Sri Jatayu is the eternal embodiment of bravery demonstrated by My unalloyed servants."

 

All glories to the wonderful stories presented by Sri Valmiki to the world, the gifts of life, the stories of Sri Sri Sita Rama Lila. Sri Jatayu not only shows the Vaisnava the quality of bravery, but also the essence of sanatana dharma, bhakti yoga, that is, by the grace of the manifestation of the Lord's internal potency, Srimati Sitadevi, one gets the fortune of association with the Supreme Lord, face to face. All glories to the great hero of Srimad Ramayana, Sri Jatayu.

Jaya Jaya Rama Jaya Sita Rama. 9-16- 1998 mahaksadasa

[mahak]

JOURNEY TO BENEATH THE STRAW IN THE STREET

 

 

<!--HEAD2-->PART 1 - SRI JATAYU'S EXAMPLE

 

 

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<!--BODY-->Haribol. I offer humble respects to the TWO who care about me enough to bestow matchless gifts, if I would only accept them. Some who have viewed this site, those who have no knowledge of Vedic scripture or tradition, have asked why I have depicted Sri Jatayu as the hero, the role model to try to follow in his footsteps. This article will try to show the author's motives.

 

For story of Sri Jatayu, click here

 

As described all too briefly, Sri Jatayu's story is one of causeless devotion, without much concern with the success or failure or other attachments to the result of his works. He simply performed service to the servant, Srimati Sitadevi, of the Supreme Lord Ramachandra. He noticed that such a Pure Lover of the Supreme Lord was placed in a difficult position by one, Ravanasura, who was thinking of himself as divine. Ravana could never conceive that something or someone was beyond his control, therefore, he laid waste the entire universe before him. Sri Jatayu, knower of the TRUE, that is, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the summum bonum Absolute Truth and One without competitor, acted immediately upon sensing false dogma before his blind eyes. Srimati Sitadevi's cries of "Rama, Rama, Rama" were all the instructions he needed.

 

Although he was retired, resting after thousands of years keeping lies away from his Kingdom of Sound Vibration, he, nevertheless, was commissioned to again go to war. As described in the story, he gave Ravana the fourth most formidible enemy, following Sita, Rama, and Sri Hanuman, in that order.The Demon King Ravana had no respect for the ancient Vulture King, and, even though until that time he had never even felt pain due to battle, still, though insane from shock and severely injured, paid Sri Jatayu no tribute. As he flew on, still thinking that Sita would someday give up Rama and become his, the vanquished Sri Jatayu became the beloved of Ravana"s captive prisoner, Srimati Sitadevi, the embodiment of the Internal Potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

Sri Jatayu did not die a horrible warrior's death, Sri Ramachandra held him in His arms. Some may think that his mission was misadventure and that he should have known that he couldn't take on such a powerful foe, should have known that his imperfections, his age, his blindness, etc., would lead to his defeat. For all intents and purposes, from a materialistic point of view, Sri Jatayu was a failure.Those who possess only materialistic viewpoints, however, are also like Ravana (minus any power), that is, they think that their own wills will be done. They have no conception of the VICTORY ultimately awaiting humble servants of the loving associates of the Supreme Lord. The Ravanas of the world seek perfection by amassing their own power, their own fame, their own wealth, their own knowledge, their own beauty, and their own liberation. Yet, because Sri Yamaraja of green hue, riding on buffalo and dangling diamond noose to naturally drag us all to the realm of death, cares nothing of the opulences we amass, the Ravanas are left without even a memory of past accomplishments, some even thrown into the light of non-existance, the ultimate spiritual death.

Sri Yamaraja came to Sri Jatayu, too, but because he was being cared for by Yama's worshipable Lord Sri Ramachandra, he placed his noose back in it's pouch and congratulated the Vulture King, singing "Rama, Rama, Rama". The TRUE, known by Sri Jatayu, is not only that the absolute truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but that the path to His Realm is the journey to beneath the straw in the street, to humbly act always, despite disqualification, in His loving service.

 

mahaksadasa, 1998

[mahak]

this artist is very sublime, one of my faves:

 

 

haribol, ys, mahak

[HerServant]

Thank you for this beautiful image of the Divine Mother and Divine Fetus!

 

Mary's rapt ecstatic joyful loving exchange with Jesus is revealed in the mystery of the Annunciation!

 

"Regarding the Christian's Trinity, I believe it is called God, the Holy

Ghost, and the son. Person in Krishna Consciousness accepts this by the

name Visnu, Paramatma, and Jiva. God is a Person, the holy spirit or the

supersoul is a person, and the living entity is also a person. Also,

Mary is the representation of the energy of God. Either as internal

energy Radharani or as external energy Durga, the energy of Godhead can

be considered the mother of the living entities. But there is no clash

between the Bible and the Vedas, simply some people formulate their

personal ideas and cause quarrelings."

 

============ REF. Letter to: Sivananda -- New York 19 April, 1968

 

"So, at the university, we dont fight. We speak our realizations without fear, and we try to soothe the disturbing concerns of our peers, but cmon, really, do we have the time to waste in disliking vaisnavas of a different flavor." - Mahak maharaja, circa 2007

[brajeshwara das]

 

Thank you for this beautiful image of the Divine Mother and Divine Fetus!

 

Mary's rapt ecstatic joyful loving exchange with Jesus is revealed in the mystery of the Annunciation!

 

"Regarding the Christian's Trinity, I believe it is called God, the Holy

Ghost, and the son. Person in Krishna Consciousness accepts this by the

name Visnu, Paramatma, and Jiva. God is a Person, the holy spirit or the

supersoul is a person, and the living entity is also a person. Also,

Mary is the representation of the energy of God. Either as internal

energy Radharani or as external energy Durga, the energy of Godhead can

be considered the mother of the living entities. But there is no clash

between the Bible and the Vedas, simply some people formulate their

personal ideas and cause quarrelings."

 

============ REF. Letter to: Sivananda -- New York 19 April, 1968

 

"So, at the university, we dont fight. We speak our realizations without fear, and we try to soothe the disturbing concerns of our peers, but cmon, really, do we have the time to waste in disliking vaisnavas of a different flavor." - Mahak maharaja, circa 2007

 

Thanks for the quote

[bija]

Mahak...this is a beautiful picture:pray:.

 

"So, at the university, we dont fight. We speak our realizations without fear, and we try to soothe the disturbing concerns of our peers, but cmon, really, do we have the time to waste in disliking vaisnavas of a different flavor." - Mahak maharaja, circa 2007 requoting Her Servant

[Bhakta Devarsi]

Speaking of universities.

 

I am up for helping to establish the Varnasrama College as Srila Prabhupada requested.

 

Therefore those who have a fighting mood can be encouraged, (in case they aren't prepared to endeavor upon pure brahminical training at the age of 35 years old and counting).

 

They can be encouraged to use their fighting spirit and mundane anger in the Service of the Lord, via serving to help with organization and protection of the Krsna Conscious Sankirtana movement.

 

The more they read and associate with Srila Prabhupada's vani, and staunch disciples of his, the more they will NATURALLY TEND to use their anger to defend Srila Prabhupada's Vani, and the well being of his disciples, fighting on their behalf in many ways.

 

Srila Prabhupada says that it is ok to be on the material platform and we should be fully Krsna Conscious while doing it.

 

Varnasrama College. Not just for Brahmanas anymore.

 

Varnasrama University. Why not?, it means the same thing approximately, no need to be so fanatic that we have to sweat the little things.

 

No fighting?

 

Only the Uttama adhikari knows if someone with a Ksyatria spirit can change their guna in this lifetime. For me, someone wants to fight, let their be a program to test their resolve, see if that is really a mood they can maintain. If they start going soft are more attracted to arotik and reading, perhaps it is time to bump em up.

[bija]

a true defender of the faith.

[bija]

 

 

 

 

Then Devaki became pregnant with Krishna. It is clearly explained that this conception was pure and spiritual and not by the normal means of conception of a child between a man and a woman. She was radiant, and even Kamsa noticed. His fear increased, while Devaki’s joy increased.

When Krishna was born, He at first appeared with four arms like Vishnu, and with fully grown hair, silken clothes, and crown and jewels. This was so that Vasudeva and Devaki would know without doubt that the Supreme Personality of Godhead had been born to them. They had prayed and performed many austerities in previous lifetimes for this blessing, and always they had prayed to the Vishnu form of the Lord. Now they could see that their prayers had been answered. They offered their Lord prayers in a worshipful attitude.

Then He turned Himself into an ordinary newborn child, that is, one with two arms and not formally dressed or decorated. As Krishna, He could let His parents love Him as their little child.

But not for long. Their parental affection caused them to feel fear for His safety, since Kamsa had killed so many other babies. In the night, before Kamsa could learn of the child’s birth, the prison doors mysteriously opened. The guards were asleep.

Vasudeva carried baby Krishna out into the night, where the flooding Yamuna River gave him safe passage, and he took the baby to the village of Vrindavan. There he left Krishna in the bed of Yashoda, who was sleeping deeply in exhaustion after just giving birth to a baby girl. Vasudeva took the girl baby back with him, and in the morning he presented Kamsa with a girl baby instead of the feared son.

Kamsa was so evil, however, that he tried to kill this girl baby as well, but she slipped out from his arms and rose up into the sky, where she revealed herself as the goddess Durga, with ten arms holding ten weapons. She scolded Kamsa, and, to make him leave Devaki alone after this, she told him that the child who would kill him was already born somewhere in the world.

Meanwhile, Krishna and Balarama began Their lives as children of Nanda and Yashoda in the village of Vrindavan. There are many stories to tell of Their adventures there. Then, as youths, They went into the city and Krishna did indeed kill Kamsa. There are many stories to tell of Their pastimes after that as well…