Is this the best way to Upgrade Your Life: To Systematically Study Sastra in Mayapur?

[krsna]

By Janmastami dasa

 

When I joined the movement in 1977, "Chant, dance and be happy" was the motto on all the devotees’ lips. It was like the implicit contract we signed when we joined: if we chanted and danced, we would be happy. As the years rolled by I found out about the fine print in the contract: to "chant, dance and be happy", we had to go through a lot of hardships. So it wasn’t always easy to remain enthusiastic and determined in my service. The upheavals and changes in our movement sometimes bewildered me, but in 1989 I discovered something that makes chanting, dancing, and being happy a lot easier. I discovered the Vrindavana Institute of Higher Education (VIHE).

After that, I would work hard at my service all year and then go to Vrndavana to take the VIHE courses on Srila Prabhupada’s books, offered by senior Vaisnavas. Taking these seminars gave me such deep realizations and inspirations that I would return to my service of preaching and book distribution with greatly renewed enthusiasm and determination. After relishing the nectar in Srila Prabhupada’s books, I had no choice but to distribute it. I attended VIHE seminars seven times, and they really helped me keep going in my service year after year.

Now we have developed the Mayapur Institute for Higher Education and Training (MIHET) in cooperation with the VIHE, under the direction of the Ministry of Educational Development. We hope the MIHET addresses current needs, similar to those I experienced in the 1980s, and fulfills a desire Srila Prabhupada expressed in a 1971 letter:

"…throughout the whole world there is no institution to impart education in the matter of spiritual understanding. So we are going to open a big center in Mayapur where this education will be internationally imparted. Students from all parts of the world will go there to take education in this important subject."

————————————————————

I actually sent all of the above 7 1/2 years ago as part of an invitation to devotees all over the world to participate in the first MIHET courses that began in February, 2000.

Since those early days, the MIHET has made progress by the mercy of the Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the parampara and Vaisnavas from all over the world, as demonstrated by the statistics and testimonials that I have pasted at the end of this message.

We hope you may have benefited by taking MIHET courses in the past and we hope you will seriously consider participating in one of these upcoming courses and and in these parikramas:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VTE Bhakti-sastri Course

November 21, 2007 - March 4, 2008

Separate Sections for Men and Women

 

 

<TABLE class=MsoNormalTable style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt outset; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt outset; BACKGROUND: white; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt outset; WIDTH: 337.5pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt outset; mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-border-alt: outset #3333FF .75pt" cellPadding=0 width=450 border=1><TBODY><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Bhagavad-gita

 

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Jayadvaita Swami

BVV Narasimha Maharaja

Laxmimoni devi dasi

Rasa Manjari devi dasi

 

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 1"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Nectar of Devotion

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Kadamba Kanana Swami

Nanda devi dasi

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 2"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Nectar of Instruction

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Devamrita Swami

Srimati devi dasi

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Sri Isopanisad

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">BVV Narasimha Maharaja

Laxmimoni devi dasi

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[krsna]

VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course, Module 1

November 21, 2007 - March 4, 2008

Srîmad-Bhagavatam, Cantos 1–3

(Before entering this Bhaktivaibhava Course Module, students will complete

a 13-week Preliminary Home Self-study Unit available on our website.)

 

 

<TABLE class=MsoNormalTable style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt outset; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt outset; BACKGROUND: white; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt outset; WIDTH: 337.5pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt outset; mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-border-alt: outset #3333FF .75pt" cellPadding=0 width=450 border=1><TBODY><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Atul Krishna dasa

 

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">BVV Narasimha Maharaja

 

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 1"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Hari Sauri dasa

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Kadamba Kanana Swami

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 2"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Laxmimoni devi dasi

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Lokanath Swami

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 3"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Madhavananda dasa

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Praneswhar dasa

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 4; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Tara dasa

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">

 

 

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

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2007 - 2008 MIHET Parikrama Schedule

 

 

<TABLE class=MsoNormalTable style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt outset; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt outset; BACKGROUND: white; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt outset; WIDTH: 436.5pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt outset; mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-border-alt: outset #3333FF .75pt" cellPadding=0 width=582 border=1><TBODY><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; WIDTH: 85.5pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt" width=114>

 

 

Date

 

 

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; WIDTH: 158.25pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt" width=211>

 

 

Venue

 

 

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; WIDTH: 176.25pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt" width=235>

 

 

Parikrama Leaders

 

 

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 1"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">November 24

 

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Dhameshwar Mahaprabhu

 

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Kadamba Kanana Swami

Jayadvaita Swami

 

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 2"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">December 8

 

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Mamgachi

 

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Kadamba Kanana Swami

Jayadvaita Swami

 

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 3"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">December 15

 

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Jagganatha Temple

 

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Jananivasa dasa

Panjakanghri dasa

 

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 4"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">January 12 - 15

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Gangar Sagar Mela

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Bhakti Purusottama Swami

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 5"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">January 26

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Yoga Pitha / Caitanya Math

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Jananivasa dasa

Panjakanghri dasa

BVV Narasimha Maharaja

</TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 6; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">February 2

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Godruma Dwip:

Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s House

</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #3333ff 1pt inset; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #3333ff 1pt inset; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; mso-border-alt: inset #3333FF .75pt">Jananivasa dasa

Panjakanghri dasa

BVV Narasimha Maharaja

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

 

Please visit

http://www.mihet.org for details and to register online.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We are looking forward to serving you when you come to Mayapur to receive the mercy of Navadvipa Dham and the blessings of the Vaisnavas.

 

 

 

STATISTICS

 

* 361 students have received Bhakti-sastri degrees,

* 182 students have attended the professionally designed VTE Teachers Training Courses,

* Over 250 students are curently studying in Bhakti-sastri courses arranged by MIHET-trained devotees in different temples throughout the world

* Over 6000 students have enjoyed yearly seminars and workshops ranging from leadership and management training, deity worship, Bhagavad-gita, to fund-raising, and Ayurvedic health, and

* The MIHET currently serves over 2500 students every year with courses ranging from 4-day seminars to 13-week intensive sastric degree-oriented courses.

 

 

 

 

[suchandra]

 

VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course, Module 1

November 21, 2007 - March 4, 2008

Srîmad-Bhagavatam, Cantos 1–3

(Before entering this Bhaktivaibhava Course Module, students will complete

a 13-week Preliminary Home Self-study Unit available on our website.)

 

 

<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="border: 1pt outset rgb(51, 51, 255); background: white none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; width: 337.5pt;" border="1" cellpadding="0" width="450"><tbody><tr><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Atul Krishna dasa

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">BVV Narasimha Maharaja

 

 

 

 

</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Hari Sauri dasa

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Kadamba Kanana Swami

 

 

 

</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Laxmimoni devi dasi

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Lokanath Swami

 

 

 

</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Madhavananda dasa

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Praneswhar dasa

 

 

 

</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Tara dasa

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">

 

 

 

 

 

</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

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2007 - 2008 MIHET Parikrama Schedule

 

 

 

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Date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; width: 158.25pt; background-color: transparent;" width="211">

 

 

Venue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; width: 176.25pt; background-color: transparent;" width="235">

 

 

Parikrama Leaders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">November 24

 

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Dhameshwar Mahaprabhu

 

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Kadamba Kanana Swami

Jayadvaita Swami

 

 

 

 

</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">December 8

 

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Mamgachi

 

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Kadamba Kanana Swami

Jayadvaita Swami

 

 

 

 

</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">December 15

 

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Jagganatha Temple

 

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Jananivasa dasa

Panjakanghri dasa

 

 

 

 

</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">January 12 - 15

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Gangar Sagar Mela

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Bhakti Purusottama Swami

 

 

 

</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">January 26

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Yoga Pitha / Caitanya Math

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Jananivasa dasa

Panjakanghri dasa

BVV Narasimha Maharaja

 

 

 

</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">February 2

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Godruma Dwip:

Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s House

 

 

 

</td><td style="border: 1pt inset rgb(51, 51, 255); padding: 0.75pt; background-color: transparent;">Jananivasa dasa

Panjakanghri dasa

BVV Narasimha Maharaja

 

 

 

</td></tr></tbody></table>

Please visit http://www.mihet.org for details and to register online.

 

 

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We are looking forward to serving you when you come to Mayapur to receive the mercy of Navadvipa Dham and the blessings of the Vaisnavas.

 

 

 

STATISTICS

 

 

 

* 361 students have received Bhakti-sastri degrees,

* 182 students have attended the professionally designed VTE Teachers Training Courses,

* Over 250 students are curently studying in Bhakti-sastri courses arranged by MIHET-trained devotees in different temples throughout the world

* Over 6000 students have enjoyed yearly seminars and workshops ranging from leadership and management training, deity worship, Bhagavad-gita, to fund-raising, and Ayurvedic health, and

* The MIHET currently serves over 2500 students every year with courses ranging from 4-day seminars to 13-week intensive sastric degree-oriented courses.

 

Well so far we had all over Europe since 20 years, ISKCON leaders who

all fell down and left with our money, leaving behind huge signs of destruction.

In many European countries ISKCON closed all its temples or sold its farms. Looks like nobody here feels addressed to join 13 week seminars in Mayapur and afterwards coming back to a spiritually ruined and abandoned region.

If they realy would mean it seriously they would have taken proper care about Prabhupada's movement in Europe and not let it fall apart like a piece of junk. Can you imagine, no more Sankirtan vans in Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Norway?

This move to invite devotees in large scale to come to Mayapur and attend seminars has to be investigated more thorougly.

[Guruvani]

If we have love and respect, then there is no need for title and position.

Title and position is for those who are trying to make ISKCON a career.

We use title and position to get what we can't get through natural love and respect.

I have no use for any corperate position holders or any false title that I can use for my prestige. Krishna consciousness shouldn't be a career. It's about personal spiritual growth. It's not something we can make a career off of.

If we try to make Krishna consciousness a career, then we are simply cheating ourselves and cheating others as well.

 

ISKCON gurus aren't the only ones that are trying to make a career out of Krishna consciousness. There are many ISKCON devotees that use ISKCON as a livelyhood.

 

When I retire it will be with a small circle of devotees that I love and trust, not with a crowd of devotees who have made a career out of ISKCON.

 

I am sure Srila Prabhupada is disgusted with the eccesiastical bureacuracy that ISKCON has become.

He wanted representatives, not bureaucracy.

 

He said if ISKCON becomes a bureaucracy that everything will be spoiled.

Everything has been spoiled.

 

There are two different ISKCONs.

There is the ISKCON of Srila Prabhupada and the ISKCON of the GBC.

 

The GBC ISKCON is not the real ISKCON.

There is a big difference between spiritual ISKCON and corperate ISKCON.

 

Spiritual ISKCON has just about been strangled to death by corperate ISKCON.

 

We need to recreate the real ISKCON somewhere outside the corperate ISKCON, because the two are just mutually exclusive by nature.

You can't have both anymore. The corperate ISKCON is like a cancer that has killed the spiritual ISKCON.

[krsna]

 

If we have love and respect, then there is no need for title and position.

Title and position is for those who are trying to make ISKCON a career.

We use title and position to get what we can't get through natural love and respect.

I have no use for any corperate position holders or any false title that I can use for my prestige. Krishna consciousness shouldn't be a career. It's about personal spiritual growth. It's not something we can make a career off of.

If we try to make Krishna consciousness a career, then we are simply cheating ourselves and cheating others as well.

 

ISKCON gurus aren't the only ones that are trying to make a career out of Krishna consciousness. There are many ISKCON devotees that use ISKCON as a livelyhood.

 

When I retire it will be with a small circle of devotees that I love and trust, not with a crowd of devotees who have made a career out of ISKCON.

 

I am sure Srila Prabhupada is disgusted with the eccesiastical bureacuracy that ISKCON has become.

He wanted representatives, not bureaucracy.

 

He said if ISKCON becomes a bureaucracy that everything will be spoiled.

Everything has been spoiled.

 

There are two different ISKCONs.

There is the ISKCON of Srila Prabhupada and the ISKCON of the GBC.

 

The GBC ISKCON is not the real ISKCON.

There is a big difference between spiritual ISKCON and corperate ISKCON.

 

Spiritual ISKCON has just about been strangled to death by corperate ISKCON.

 

We need to recreate the real ISKCON somewhere outside the corperate ISKCON, because the two are just mutually exclusive by nature.

You can't have both anymore. The corperate ISKCON is like a cancer that has killed the spiritual ISKCON.

 

Prabhupada again singles out this element in his letter to Karandhara Prabhu on December 22, 1972, by saying “one shall dominate and distribute benefits to the others and they do nothing but beg from you and you provide”:

 

Accounts must be kept, things must be in order and lawfully done, but that should be each temple's concern, not yours.

Krishna Consciousness Movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments of knowledge and action, not for making bureaucracy. Once there is bureaucracy the whole thing will be spoiled.

There must be always individual striving and work and responsibility, competitive spirit, not that one shall dominate and distribute benefits to the others and they do nothing but beg from you and you provide. No. Never mind there may be botheration to register each centre, take tax certificate each, become separate corporations in each state. That will train men how to do these things, and they shall develop reliability and responsibility, that is the point.

 

 

This matter came up again, at the end of 1972, because Karandhara Prabhu, after consulting with some lawyers, was proposing a single “umbrella corporation” for the United States temples. Prabhupada saw this as a reprise of the attempt earlier that year:

 

Regarding your points about taxation, corporate status, etc., I have heard from Jayatirtha you want to make big plan for centralization of management, taxes, monies, corporate status, bookkeeping, credit, like that. I do not at all approve of such plan. Do not centralize anything. Each temple must remain independent and self-sufficient. That was my plan from the very beginning, why you are thinking otherwise? Once before you wanted to do something centralizing with your GBC meeting, and if I did not interfere the whole thing would have been killed. Do not think in this way of big corporation, big credits, centralization—these are all nonsense proposals.

 

 

[Guruvani]

 

Prabhupada again singles out this element in his letter to Karandhara Prabhu on December 22, 1972, by saying “one shall dominate and distribute benefits to the others and they do nothing but beg from you and you provide”:

Accounts must be kept, things must be in order and lawfully done, but that should be each temple's concern, not yours.

Krishna Consciousness Movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments of knowledge and action, not for making bureaucracy. Once there is bureaucracy the whole thing will be spoiled.

There must be always individual striving and work and responsibility, competitive spirit, not that one shall dominate and distribute benefits to the others and they do nothing but beg from you and you provide. No. Never mind there may be botheration to register each centre, take tax certificate each, become separate corporations in each state. That will train men how to do these things, and they shall develop reliability and responsibility, that is the point.

 

This matter came up again, at the end of 1972, because Karandhara Prabhu, after consulting with some lawyers, was proposing a single “umbrella corporation” for the United States temples. Prabhupada saw this as a reprise of the attempt earlier that year:

Regarding your points about taxation, corporate status, etc., I have heard from Jayatirtha you want to make big plan for centralization of management, taxes, monies, corporate status, bookkeeping, credit, like that. I do not at all approve of such plan. Do not centralize anything. Each temple must remain independent and self-sufficient. That was my plan from the very beginning, why you are thinking otherwise? Once before you wanted to do something centralizing with your GBC meeting, and if I did not interfere the whole thing would have been killed. Do not think in this way of big corporation, big credits, centralization—these are all nonsense proposals.

 

 

These instructions here completly expose the fraud and the fallacy that the GBC still claims to represent Srila Prabhupada.

 

These words are so important for understanding what Srila Prabhupada actually wanted ISKCON to be.

[Laulyam]

"Dissolve Your Mind" - Buddha

 

Then another class of philosophy is that of Buddha: "Only the combination of different things has created your mental system. With the dissolution of the mental system, nothing remains. So, somehow, we must dissolve the mental system. Practice ahimsa, nonviolence, satya, truthfulness, and so on."

It is seen that all these philosophers are talking either of renunciation or of exploitation (bhukti, mukti). And by setting different types of enchanting traps, they arrange to capture the jiva soul. Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, "But I have come to realize that these fellows are all cheaters. And they all have this common stand: they have no touch of Your devotion, Your service. There, they are one. They cannot deliver any real good. They are common to oppose Your devotional service and supremacy. And ultimately they leave us in chaos.

"But from the ultimate standpoint, I see that they are agents engaged by You to segregate the seriously diseased persons to another ward, for the good of the less seriously diseased patients. It is Your arrangement to segregate the hopeless persons to another side for the benefit of the good side. That is Your design, and they are playing at Your hand like so many dolls. They are Your agents and they are also serving You in some way, because nothing is outside You." Bhaktivinoda Thakura concludes saying, "I bid good-bye to them all. I feel in my heart that I shall show respect to all these so-called good agents from a distance, however my only real capital is the dust of the holy feet of Your devotees. I rely on that dust as the source of all my prospects. I seek to put all my energy into taking the dust of their holy lotus feet upon my head. This is everything for me."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Laulyam]

Vijaya: What is the result of namabhasa, and what will it not give?

Babaji: Namabhasa will give all kinds of enjoyment, happiness, liberation and the eight kinds of perfections (siddhis), but it will not give krsna-prema, which is the highest goal of human life. However, by giving up bad association, and by associating constantly with suddha-bhaktas and following their instructions regularly, one may quickly become a madhyama Vaisnava. Then even within a few days he can obtain suddha-bhakti and krsna-prema.

Vijaya: Prabhu, many who are vaisnava-abhasa bear the outward signs of a Vaisnava, and constantly perform namabhasa. Even so, despite engaging in this way for a long time, they still do not receive prema. What is the reason for this?

Babaji: There is one secret here. The vaisnava-abhasa-sadhaka is qualified to receive pure devotion, but he does not have pure, one pointed bhakti. It may be that he is associating with a person whom he thinks to be a sadhu, but who is actually a Mayavadi and not a suddha-bhakta. Due to this undesirable association, the sadhaka will follow the Mayavadi’s apasiddhantika instructions, and as a result, whatever bhakty-abhasa he had will vanish, and he will gradually fall down into the category of vaisnava-aparadhi. In that condition, it is quite difficult – indeed practically impossible –for him to succeed in his practice. Yet, if his previous sukrti is strong, it will remove him from that bad association and place him in the association of saintly persons; and from that sat-sanga he can obtain pure Vaisnavism again.

[Guest guest]

I want to join Bhakti sastri at November. Were I must submit application?

[Shakti-Fan]

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.9.43

naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās

tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ

śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-

māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān

SYNONYMS

na — not; eva — certainly; udvije — I am disturbed or afraid; para — O Supreme; duratyaya — insurmountable or very difficult to cross; vaitaraṇyāḥ — of the Vaitaraṇī, the river of the material world; tvat-vīrya — of Your Lordship's glories and activities; gāyana — from chanting or distributing; mahā-amṛta — in the great ocean of nectarean spiritual bliss; magna-cittaḥ — whose consciousness is absorbed; śoce — I am simply lamenting; tataḥ — from that; vimukha-cetasaḥ — the fools and rascals who are bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness; indriya-artha — in sense gratification; māyā-sukhāya — for temporary, illusory happiness; bharam — the false burden or responsibility (of maintaining one's family, society and nation and elaborate arrangements for that purpose); udvahataḥ — who are lifting (by making grand plans for this arrangement); vimūḍhān — although all of them are nothing but fools and rascals (I am thinking of them also).

TRANSLATION

O best of the great personalities, I am not at all afraid of material existence, for wherever I stay I am fully absorbed in thoughts of Your glories and activities. My concern is only for the fools and rascals who are making elaborate plans for material happiness and maintaining their families, societies and countries. I am simply concerned with love for them.

PURPORT

Throughout the entire world, everyone is making big, big plans to adjust the miseries of the material world, and this is true at present, in the past and in the future. Nonetheless, although they make elaborate political, social and cultural plans, they have all been described herein as vimūḍha — fools. The material world has been described in Bhagavad-gītā as duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam [Bg. 8.15] — temporary and miserable — but these fools are trying to turn the material world into sukhālayam, a place of happiness, not knowing how everything acts by the arrangement of material nature, which works in her own way.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahańkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

"The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by nature." (Bg. 3.27)

There is a plan for material nature, personally known as Durgā, to punish the demons. Although the asuras, the godless demons, struggle for existence, they are directly attacked by the goddess Durgā, who is well equipped with ten hands with different types of weapons to punish them. She is carried by her lion carrier, or the modes of passion and ignorance. Everyone struggles very hard to fight through the modes of passion and ignorance and conquer material nature, but at the end everyone is vanquished by nature's laws.

There is a river known as Vaitaraṇī between the material and spiritual worlds, and one must cross this river to reach the other side, or the spiritual world. This is an extremely difficult task. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14), daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā: "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome." The same word duratyaya, meaning "very difficult," is used here. Therefore one cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature except by the mercy of the Supreme Lord. Nonetheless, although all materialists are baffled in their plans, they try again and again to become happy in this material world. Therefore they have been described as vimūḍha — first-class fools. As for Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was not at all unhappy, for although he was in the material world, he was full of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, trying to serve the Lord, are not unhappy, whereas one who has no assets in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is struggling for existence is not only foolish but extremely unhappy also. Prahlāda Mahārāja was happy and unhappy simultaneously. He felt happiness and transcendental bliss because of his being Kṛṣṇa conscious, yet he felt great unhappiness for the fools and rascals who make elaborate plans to be happy in this material world.

[krsna]

 

As for Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was not at all unhappy, for although he was in the material world, he was full of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, trying to serve the Lord, are not unhappy, whereas one who has no assets in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is struggling for existence is not only foolish but extremely unhappy also. Prahlāda Mahārāja was happy and unhappy simultaneously. He felt happiness and transcendental bliss because of his being Kṛṣṇa conscious, yet he felt great unhappiness for the fools and rascals who make elaborate plans to be happy in this material world.

[Guest guest]

Thank you Krsna Das prabhu for this nectar!

 

I'm very happy to see this great society work so hard to train people in the age of kai yuga in the concepts of Krishna Consciousness!

 

All glories to ISKCON, VIHE & MIHE!!!

[krsna]

 

Thank you Krsna Das prabhu for this nectar!

 

I'm very happy to see this great society work so hard to train people in the age of kai yuga in the concepts of Krishna Consciousness!

 

All glories to ISKCON, VIHE & MIHE!!!

 

<DIV id=rap>

 

 

 

<!-- the top of the post, the background graphic gets applied here, and we truncate the title itself so it fits, in case of long post titles - title will still show the full title though --> Bhaktivedanta College Awards First Bachelor's Degrees

 

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By Tattvavit Dasa

 

On Wednesday and Thursday, June 21 and 22, 2007, students of Bhaktivedanta College, at Radhadesh, Belgium, celebrated the end of the academic year. The first six students to complete the three-year Ministerial Programme were going to receive Bachelor of Theology degrees from the college, in partnership with the University of Wales Lampeter. This is a milestone in ISKCON history: Srila Prabhupada had recommended this sort of relationship between ISKCON and a university.

 

On Wednesday afternoon, the students and staff took a guided tour of the Hotton Caves, an outstanding natural heritage site, to associate with one another after the final days of exams and essays. Joining them was Bhakti Vijnana Goswami, a sannyasi from Russia and the guest of honor for the graduation ceremony. He’d flown in from California the day before to encourage the college project because his strong interests include leadership training. Also on hand were Janmastami Dasa, the director of the Mayapur Institute for Higher Education and Training, and his wife, Samkalpa Dasi (from Germany), and their two teenage sons.

At the Hotten Caves, descending many wet staircases (concrete or grated steel) and going seventy meters below ground, the devotees saw deep chasms and entered a gigantic gallery. This experience resembled going to hell. The depths maintain a constant temperature of twelve degrees Celsius. You see limestone-deposits (created at the rate of one centimeter per century) that resemble heads of broccoli and asparagus or even types of pasta.

One college tourist brought along “cave katha”: citations about caves from the Srimad-Bhagavatam. In one pastime of Krishna’s, Brahma laid the Vrindavan cows and cowherd boys down in a cave for a year. The students got a feeling of what that must have been like. Later, back on the ground, the temporary cave dwellers enjoyed a picnic of prasadam sandwiches, fruits, yogurt, drinks, and sweets.

Thursday was the Graduation Day. The college received a donation from a devotee-florist of eight hundred red, white, and yellow carnations, and ten devotees stayed up Wednesday night making flower outfits for Sri Sri Radha-Gopinatha, Lalita, Visakha, and little Radha-Krishna. (The pujaris said that this was the first time in years the Deities had been offered flower outfits.) Seeing the wonderful outfits, the devotees felt elevated in Krishna consciousness, and this led to a wonderful kirtan during Srila Prabhupada’s guru-puja and afterward, led by Yadunandana Dasa, the College Principal. Bhakti Vijnana Maharaja gave a Bhagavatam class about Narada Muni, Dhruva Maharaja, and bhakti-yoga.

The graduation ceremony took place from five to eight p.m. in the temple room, and then everyone was invited to eat pizza and ice-cream prasadam in honor of this extraordinary event.

Bhakta Re’em was the M.C. for the ceremony. The small Radha-Krishna Deities stood on a throne in the temple room, and about sixty devotees offered Sri Sri Radha-Krishna flower petals while Bhaktin Kai, and then Kalindi Dasi, led congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. These two singers had opened the program by playing a harmonium and guitar and chanting in harmony several times “om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.”

Next, leaders gave talks. Yadunandana pointed out that this was the first time that students were receiving a Bachelor of Theology degree for studies in Vaisnava theology; till now, this sort of degree has been reserved for studies of Christian theology. He and Bhakti Vijnana Goswami both gave credit to some of the devotees who were instrumental in the project, including Visnu Murti Dasa, one of the first patrons.

Hrdaya Caitanya Dasa, the temple president of Radhadesh, mentioned the professional educator Sefton Davies, to whose memory this ceremony was dedicated (since he had recently passed away). He’d offered leadership and management training to devotees, including the GBC, and transfered his know-how in curriculum development and teacher training to ISKCON’s office of Vaisnava Training and Education. He was the father-in-law of Saunaka Rsi Dasa, who both established the Oxford Center for Hindu Studies and envisioned Bhaktivedanta College twenty years ago.

Mahaprabhu Dasa, the main donor to the library of Bhaktivedanta College, said that the students had come a long way in a short time despite various obstacles and that ISKCON needs young talented dedicated devotees.

Janmastami said that graduations in America are called commencement exercises because they are the beginning of the students’ life in the world. He recalled Srila Prabhupada saying that modern societies have no head or brain because they lack spiritually advanced leaders.

Three students, one from each class, then spoke briefly: Siddha Rupa Dasi

(Mexico) from Year One, Bhaktavasa Govinda Dasa (Poland) from Year Two, and Anupama Dasi (Croatia) from Year Three. Anupama recalled the first dreary, rainy day she’d arrived at the college, after a long, tiring trip from her country, and she’d wondered whether it would all be worth it. Indeed, it was, she said, as the students now felt competent to serve Srila Prabhupada in his mission, thanks to the good wishes of all the devotees and teachers. Srila Prabhupada, she noted, had written that Krishna consciousness will be spread by education, culture, and devotion.

Yadunandana then invited the students of the three classes to receive their certificates, diplomas, and degrees from Bhakti Vijnana Goswami. Yadunandana mentioned several traits or qualities of each student as he called them up. In describing the Year Three students, he told about some of their plans: Yugala Kisora Dasa, has been accepted into the master’s program in religious studies at the University of Cardiff; Anupama will help establish a new ISKCON office of the Ministry of Education at Radhadesh and teach at Bhaktivedanta College. The other four students receiving Bachelor’s degrees were Visvatamadeva Dasa, Sudevi Dasi, Bhakta Rabin, and Bhakta Re’em.

Finally, the students gave gifts to the various leaders, including Jaya Krsna Dasa, the Administrator Director of Bhaktivedanta College, Alakananda Dasi, the Secretary, and Mahendra Dasa, the Assistant Course Director. On behalf of the staff, Jaya Krsna gave Yadunandana a gift in the name of all the staff members and said that they look forward to working with him for many years.

 

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[muralidhar_das]

What is the value of giving college degrees if people are learning wrong ideas.

 

The official Iskcon teachings about Jiva Tattva, Guru Tattva and Nama-Tattva are different from what the Predecessor Acharyyas taught.

 

Iskcon preachers tell people "you should desire to go back to Godhead". But the desire to attain the liberation of entering the abode of the Lord (salokya mukti) is a kind of anartha. Telling people to desire liberation is wrong. Iskcon says the desire for impersonal liberation is an anartha, but the Srimad Bhagavatam says that even the desire for salokya mukti is an anartha.

 

 

sālokya-sārṣṭi-sāmīpya-

sārūpyaikatvam apy uta

dīyamānaḿ na gṛhṇanti

vinā mat-sevanaḿ janāḥ

A pure devotee does not accept any kind of liberation — sālokya, sārṣṭi, sāmīpya, sārūpya or ekatva — even though they are offered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

 

 

Real devotees do not desire to go "Back to Godhead". If Krishna brings someone to Goloka where they can practice uninterrupted service free from the disturbances of this Mayik world the devotee will usually accept that. But the real devotees do not desire liberation of any type (saloka, sarupya, sayujya, etc).

 

Bhaktivinode Thakura:

 

Manasa Deho Geha

(from Saranagati)

1 manasa, deho, geho, jo kichu mor

arpilu tuwa pade, nanda-kisor!

2 sampade vipade, jivane-marane

day mama gela, tuwa o-pada barane

3 marobirakhobi - jo iccha tohara

nitya-dasa prati tuwa adhikara

4 janmaobi moe iccha jadi tor

bhakta-grhe jani janma hau mor

5 kita-janma hau jatha tuwa das

bahir-mukha brahma-janme nahi as

6 bhukti-mukti-sprha vihina je bhakta

labhaite tako sanga anurakta

7 janaka, janani, dayita, tanay

prabhu, guru, pati–tuhu sarva-moy

8 bhakatvinoda kohe, suno kana!

radha-natha! tuhu hamara parana

1. Mind, body, and family, whatever may be mine, I have surrendered at Your lotus feet, O youthful son of Nanda!

2. In good fortune or in bad, in life or at death, all my difficulties have disappeared by choosing those feet of Yours as my only shelter.

3. Slay me or protect me as You wish, for You are the master of Your eternal servant.

4. If it is Your will that I be born again, then may it be in the home of Your devotee.

5. May I be born again even as a worm, so long as I may remain Your devotee. I have no desire to be born as a Brahma averse to You.

6. I yearn for the company of that devotee who is completely devoid of all desire for worldly enjoyment or liberation.

7. Father, mother, lover, son, Lord, preceptor, and husband; You are everything to me.

8. Thakura Bhaktivinoda says, “O Kana, please hear me! O Lord of Radha, You are my life and soul!”

 

Iskcon people think that if you chant sixteen rounds of Hare Krishna mantras every day you will go "back to godhead" when you die. I've heard the big swamis saying this. They say that if you chant japa by loudly repeating the name while marching up and down in the temple room, then by doing this you will be chanting purely and you will not be committing nama-aparadha.

 

They fail to realize that until your heart is cleansed of all anarthas you cannot chant the Name even once, even if you mutter the shadow of the mantra for hundreds of lifetimes.

 

Until you have a pure heart you cannot chant sixteen rounds. You cannot chant even one Nama.

 

 

CC Ādi 8.16: If one is infested with the ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, despite his endeavor to chant the holy name for many births, he will not get the love of Godhead that is the ultimate goal of this chanting.

 

 

What happens when you chant the Nama one time with a pure heart?

 

 

When, oh when, will that day come when I shout "Ha Gauranga!" at this holy place Sri Visrama Sthala? I will roll upon the ground and cry in solitude. Overwhelmed with the emotions of ecstatic love, I will see beautiful Sri Gauranga-sundara drinking water from Sridhara's iron pot.

This is what Thakura Bhaktivinode taught. You need to be purified of all anarthas before you can enter the land of pure Bhakti.

 

 

bhukti mukti sprha yavat pisaci hrdi vartate

tavad bhakti sukhasyatra katham abhyudhayo bhavet

 

How can the happiness of bhakti arise in the heart when the witches of desire for enjoyment (bhukti) and liberation (mukti) remains there?

 

- Rupa Goswami, Bhaktirasamrtasindhu

 

If you have the witches of bhukti and mukti in your heart then Bhakti-Devi will not come and sit on the throne of your heart. That is what the Goswamis taught.

 

There are many other issues that come to my mind as well, but these will suffice.

 

What is the use of getting a Bhaktibaibhava degree from some institution that doesn't know what real Bhakti is?

[Guruvani]

But, I have to admit those devotees in the pics sure look like nice devotees and I am sure they are all very sincere.

 

I don't like to include all the nice rank and file devotees in the same group as the rotten bureaucrats who have spoiled ISKCON with their pathetic ecclesiastical committee politics.

 

Those devotee in the pics sure like nice.

[Murali_Mohan_das]

What a trenchant analysis, Murali Prabhu!

 

This all rings true from my experience.

 

Having been in ISKCON New Dwaraka over the weekend, I witnessed once again, good-hearted Vaishnavas marching back and forth in the temple room chanting loudly. At this point in my evolution, it certainly *does* strike me as rather strange.

 

Having recently written in defense of ISKCON, sitting through a morning Srimad Bhagavatam class on that trip was a sobering experience.

 

The good-hearted and sincere servitor of Srila Prabhupada giving the class did the usual (which is actually pretty nice) repeating the verse, word, for word, having members of the congregation read the verse, reading the purport, etc. Now, the purport mentioned something about going to the moon, so, the lecturer, rather than address the actual contents of the verse (which were fascinating to me in terms of the end of the verse:

 

 

SB 4.22.54: After begetting five sons, named Vijitāśva, Dhūmrakeśa, Haryakṣa, Draviṇa and Vṛka, Pṛthu Mahārāja continued to rule the planet. He accepted all the qualities of the deities who governed all other planets.

), spent 20 minutes talking in detail about how the US and the Soviets never went to the moon. Regardless of the facts of the matter, do I really need to hear about such things in what is supposed to be a spiritual setting.

 

After laughing politely at the jokes about the moon, the speaker went on to talk about Krishna and Arjuna at Kurukshetra. He asked why Krishna is telling Arjuna all these things. Is Krishna intoxicated (he said LSD "hadn't been invented yet") and rambling?

 

While the speaker may have been joking and getting to a wonderful point of exposition, I failed to see the humor and began to feel a bit of nausea.

 

Genuinely being short of time (trying to help Dad move (still)), I offered my obeisances and left quietly.

 

To be fair--almost any devotee in ISKCON is doing better than I am in terms of sadhana and seva. What am I doing? Nothing!

 

Encouraging our Godbrothers and Godsisters is the best thing we can do. No doubt, Srila Prabhupada is still caring for his spiritual family and will continue to do so.

 

Still, these things can be perplexing...

 

 

What is the value of giving college degrees if people are learning wrong ideas.

 

The official Iskcon teachings about Jiva Tattva, Guru Tattva and Nama-Tattva are different from what the Predecessor Acharyyas taught.

 

Iskcon preachers tell people "you should desire to go back to Godhead". But the desire to attain the liberation of entering the abode of the Lord (salokya mukti) is a kind of anartha. Telling people to desire liberation is wrong. Iskcon says the desire for impersonal liberation is an anartha, but the Srimad Bhagavatam says that even the desire for salokya mukti is an anartha.

 

 

 

Real devotees do not desire to go "Back to Godhead". If Krishna brings someone to Goloka where they can practice uninterrupted service free from the disturbances of this Mayik world the devotee will usually accept that. But the real devotees do not desire liberation of any type (saloka, sarupya, sayujya, etc).

 

Bhaktivinode Thakura:

 

Iskcon people think that if you chant sixteen rounds of Hare Krishna mantras every day you will go "back to godhead" when you die. I've heard the big swamis saying this. They say that if you chant japa by loudly repeating the name while marching up and down in the temple room, then by doing this you will be chanting purely and you will not be committing nama-aparadha.

 

They fail to realize that until your heart is cleansed of all anarthas you cannot chant the Name even once, even if you mutter the shadow of the mantra for hundreds of lifetimes.

 

Until you have a pure heart you cannot chant sixteen rounds. You cannot chant even one Nama.

 

 

 

What happens when you chant the Nama one time with a pure heart?

 

This is what Thakura Bhaktivinode taught. You need to be purified of all anarthas before you can enter the land of pure Bhakti.

 

 

If you have the witches of bhukti and mukti in your heart then Bhakti-Devi will not come and sit on the throne of your heart. That is what the Goswamis taught.

 

There are many other issues that come to my mind as well, but these will suffice.

 

What is the use of getting a Bhaktibaibhava degree from some institution that doesn't know what real Bhakti is?

[Murali_Mohan_das]

Regarding the topic at hand:

 

Perhaps the best way to study philosophy is not to go to University and learn from books, lectures and exams, but, rather, to sit under a tree in Athens at the feet of Socrates and discuss things with him.

 

Perhaps the best way to study Krishna Consciousness is to sit at the feet of a Maha-Bhagavata and inquire sincerely.

 

Perhaps the best way to eat is to pick fruits and vegetables directly, offer them to the Lord in one's mind, and eat them fresh.

 

Under less-than-ideal conditions, having a structured, quality-controlled, curriculum of study certainly must be seen as a healthy alternative to the ideal situation.

 

If we have formalized the study of so many realms of knowledge and endeavor, why not do so with highest subject matter?

 

Of course, for someone to say that it is *required* to undertake formal study of these things would be preposterous.

[Guruvani]

just remember folks that Srila Prabhupada didn't invent the theory that the Moon is further than than the Sun.

All the acharyas and Vaishnavas of bygone ages accepted the Bhagavatam version that the Moon is further than the Sun.

That includes Vishvanatha Cakratvarti, Madhvacharya etc. etc.

 

So, there is definitly something strange that we have yet to grasp.

 

But, you people need to quit dumping on Srila Prabhupada for sticking to his guns and giving the Bhagavat version as it is.

 

If some other guru are acharya disagree with that idea, then he is disagreeing with Madhvacarya and many great Vaishnava acharyas.

 

So, give Prabhpada a break for being a chaste servant of the Bhagavat.

[Murali_Mohan_das]

I certainly don't see myself as finding fault with Srila Prabhupada (not that you were explicitly accusing me of doing so).

 

Nor do I wish to criticize those servants of His Divine Grace who are trying to cultivate (or imitate as the case might be) his Divine Mood (as tragically comic as some of the results might be).

 

For me it's a question of emphasis. Whether a human has set foot on the moon is a purely intellectual exercise to me and not relevant to my sadhana (such as it is).

 

When I contrast the lecture I heard last Sunday (or was it Monday) morning with the last lecture I heard from Sripad Srutasrava Prabhu (ACBSP), which had me burying my face in my arms to hide my tears, so sweetly and heart-wrenchingly was he speaking of the mercy of Sri Guru, it's clear to my puppy brain (and small, cold heart) where the current of nectar is flowing.

 

 

just remember folks that Srila Prabhupada didn't invent the theory that the Moon is further than than the Sun.

All the acharyas and Vaishnavas of bygone ages accepted the Bhagavatam version that the Moon is further than the Sun.

That includes Vishvanatha Cakratvarti, Madhvacharya etc. etc.

 

So, there is definitly something strange that we have yet to grasp.

 

But, you people need to quit dumping on Srila Prabhupada for sticking to his guns and giving the Bhagavat version as it is.

 

If some other guru are acharya disagree with that idea, then he is disagreeing with Madhvacarya and many great Vaishnava acharyas.

 

So, give Prabhpada a break for being a chaste servant of the Bhagavat.

[Murali_Mohan_das]

By the way, I too very much relished seeing the pictures in this thread. All the devotees pictured look very sweet, sincere, and happy.

[Guest guest]

 

By the way, I too very much relished seeing the pictures in this thread. All the devotees pictured look very sweet, sincere, and happy.

 

Dear Prabhu, I have seen so many "sweet, sincere, and happy" pictures of "devotees" for more than 35 years. 99% of them are gone. Many have proven to be criminals, pedophiles, thieves, rapists, molesters, and rogues.

 

I don't wish to discourage you, but pictures, "results," fame, charisma, shiny faces, teethy smiles, big kirtans, big "results," complicated "shastric" lectures, knowledge of scripture (inside and out), and numerous other fronts mean absolutely nothing - zero.

 

ISKCON is a revolving door. The problem is that devotees are trained to be actors. I was told this by the most respected devotee in the movement - here since 1966. He told me that he simply "acts" like a devotee, period.

 

So don't be so easily fooled by externals, for your own good.

 

Real devotion is hidden deep within the heart and is rarely observed by smiley faces, temporary (youthful) effulgence, big big results, blah-blah-blah lectures, silk dhotis, money, traveling here and there on big "preaching" missions, prestige, adoration, rubber stamp appoval, big titles, false humility, credit cards, living secretly on mom and dad's inheritance or money transfers, popularity, fancy writing skills, "the big walk,' snout in the air, over attachment to reciting slokas for everything - including tying one's shoes laces, servants, sycophants. separate quarters (where they feast in opulence on gold plates), first-class travel, bank accounts, and most of all --a noticable lack of mentioning one's eternal debt to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Think about it. This is not a challenge. Think what it really means to love Srila Prabhupada, not one's self and one's puny achievements in comparison (of which there is NO comparison whatsoever).

 

P.S. THIS IS NOT A CHALLENGE TO YOU, DEAR PRABHU, NOR TO YOUR DEVOTIONAL ATTITUDE. YOU'RE VERY SINCERE, NO DOUBT. MY ONLY REQUEST IS TOO THINK BACK TO THE DAYS OF RAMESWAR, BHAGAVAN, HARIKESA, BALI MARDAN, SUBAL, JAYATIRTHA, JAGADISA, etc. -- all "SMILEY" devotees, some of who now HATE (cringe) Srila Prabhupada and have said so on public television for millions to see.

 

So, smiles are a dime a dozen, don't you think?

[Murali_Mohan_das]

You are right, of course. I tend to be naive. In fact, I try to protect, defend and cultivate my naivete.

 

I don't want to see the struggling, aspiring side of the devotees, I wish to see their *inspired* side.

 

We are all being battered by the modes of material nature--only the uttama-adhikari swan-like devotees can be unaffected by the tempest.

 

Whatever you say about Jayatirtha Prabhu, the biggest "high" of my life (to that point) happened as a young boy in San Francisco riding to the airport with Jayatirtha and Atreya Risi Prabhus. They were discussing things related to Krishna and I felt like I was floating in an ocean of nectar (no jokes about contact highs, please).

 

Before I condemn anybody for being "criminals, pedophiles, thieves, rapists, molesters, and rogues", I have to ask myself: just how many lifetimes have I spent engaged in these same activities? In my current life, am I immune to fall-down (more likely I am unable to be purified)?

 

No doubt, there are many good actors in this world, but I *do* believe that the face is the "mirror of the mind" as the saying goes.

 

When I see the face of JFK and compare it to the face of LBJ, it's obvious that Kennedy, despite his pecadillos, was not a man who had trouble sleeping at night (figuratively--perhaps he *did* have insomnia, I don't know), wheras Johnson looks like a man constantly haunted by the demons of his past.

 

Even the most drugged-out hippies were able to see in the face of Srila Prabhupada that he was not just another tripper like them--he had something substantial to offer.

 

Recently, on these forums, somebody commented that, though they had never been physically in his presence, they can see how sweet and wonderful Gurudev is just by looking at his picture. Am I to consider this person a naive fool, or somebody with the sincerity to see what is plainly evident?

 

Conversely, the sincere seeker is not fooled for a moment by the fancy of show of the pretender. To the degree we wish to be deceived, we will be deceived.

 

Thank you for your feedback, Prabhu! I hope I am not disrespectful in my dismissal of your well-made points.

Ananta-koti-vaishnava-vrnda ki jay!

 

 

Dear Prabhu, I have seen so many "sweet, sincere, and happy" pictures of "devotees" for more than 35 years. 99% of them are gone. Many have proven to be criminals, pedophiles, thieves, rapists, molesters, and rogues.

 

I don't wish to discourage you, but pictures, "results," fame, charisma, shiny faces, teethy smiles, big kirtans, big "results," complicated "shastric" lectures, knowledge of scripture (inside and out), and numerous other fronts mean absolutely nothing - zero.

 

ISKCON is a revolving door. The problem is that devotees are trained to be actors. I was told this by the most respected devotee in the movement - here since 1966. He told me that he simply "acts" like a devotee, period.

 

So don't be so easily fooled by externals, for your own good.

 

Real devotion is hidden deep within the heart and is rarely observed by smiley faces, temporary (youthful) effulgence, big big results, blah-blah-blah lectures, silk dhotis, money, traveling here and there on big "preaching" missions, prestige, adoration, rubber stamp appoval, big titles, false humility, credit cards, living secretly on mom and dad's inheritance or money transfers, popularity, fancy writing skills, "the big walk,' snout in the air, over attachment to reciting slokas for everything - including tying one's shoes laces, servants, sycophants. separate quarters (where they feast in opulence on gold plates), first-class travel, bank accounts, and most of all --a noticable lack of mentioning one's eternal debt to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Think about it. This is not a challenge. Think what it really means to love Srila Prabhupada, not one's self and one's puny achievements in comparison (of which there is NO comparison whatsoever).

 

P.S. THIS IS NOT A CHALLENGE TO YOU, DEAR PRABHU, NOR TO YOUR DEVOTIONAL ATTITUDE. YOU'RE VERY SINCERE, NO DOUBT. MY ONLY REQUEST IS TOO THINK BACK TO THE DAYS OF RAMESWAR, BHAGAVAN, HARIKESA, BALI MARDAN, SUBAL, JAYATIRTHA, JAGADISA, etc. -- all "SMILEY" devotees, some of who now HATE (cringe) Srila Prabhupada and have said so on public television for millions to see.

 

So, smiles are a dime a dozen, don't you think?

[Guest guest]

Murali Mohan prabhu ... I take my hat off to you. You are a saint in the making, with true Vaisnava vision.

 

A Vaisnava is aware of the faults of others but he sees past those faults in appreciation of the good things they have done.

 

All glories to your own Spiritual Master for having given you this vision and all glories to you for submitting to him in humble surrender to develop these exalted qualities that you possess now. My obeisances unto you!

 

 

You are right, of course. I tend to be naive. In fact, I try to protect, defend and cultivate my naivete.

 

I don't want to see the struggling, aspiring side of the devotees, I wish to see their *inspired* side.

 

We are all being battered by the modes of material nature--only the uttama-adhikari swan-like devotees can be unaffected by the tempest.

 

Whatever you say about Jayatirtha Prabhu, the biggest "high" of my life (to that point) happened as a young boy in San Francisco riding to the airport with Jayatirtha and Atreya Risi Prabhus. They were discussing things related to Krishna and I felt like I was floating in an ocean of nectar (no jokes about contact highs, please).

 

Before I condemn anybody for being "criminals, pedophiles, thieves, rapists, molesters, and rogues", I have to ask myself: just how many lifetimes have I spent engaged in these same activities? In my current life, am I immune to fall-down (more likely I am unable to be purified)?

 

No doubt, there are many good actors in this world, but I *do* believe that the face is the "mirror of the mind" as the saying goes.

 

When I see the face of JFK and compare it to the face of LBJ, it's obvious that Kennedy, despite his pecadillos, was not a man who had trouble sleeping at night (figuratively--perhaps he *did* have insomnia, I don't know), wheras Johnson looks like a man constantly haunted by the demons of his past.

 

Even the most drugged-out hippies were able to see in the face of Srila Prabhupada that he was not just another tripper like them--he had something substantial to offer.

 

Recently, on these forums, somebody commented that, though they had never been physically in his presence, they can see how sweet and wonderful Gurudev is just by looking at his picture. Am I to consider this person a naive fool, or somebody with the sincerity to see what is plainly evident?

 

Conversely, the sincere seeker is not fooled for a moment by the fancy of show of the pretender. To the degree we wish to be deceived, we will be deceived.

 

Thank you for your feedback, Prabhu! I hope I am not disrespectful in my dismissal of your well-made points.

Ananta-koti-vaishnava-vrnda ki jay!

[Murali_Mohan_das]

You're too kind, Prabhu, but you're not doing me any favors here

 

I've gotten into more trouble from being giddily joyful than from being morose (highlighting the importance of remaining equipoised in *happiness* as well as distress)!!

 

Still, let me try to humbly accept your blessing!! By your grace, I won't-- by avoiding making (further) offenses--fall off my high horse

 

Gauranga!

 

 

Murali Mohan prabhu ... I take my hat off to you. You are a saint in the making, with true Vaisnava vision.

 

A Vaisnava is aware of the faults of others but he sees past those faults in appreciation of the good things they have done.

 

All glories to your own Spiritual Master for having given you this vision and all glories to you for submitting to him in humble surrender to develop these exalted qualities that you possess now. My obeisances unto you!

[Murali_Mohan_das]

Nah!! Who am I kidding?

 

I'm a dog (and not a very faithful one at that). Perhaps, sometimes, my Master makes me dance.

 

 

You're too kind, Prabhu, but you're not doing me any favors here

 

I've gotten into more trouble from being giddily joyful than from being morose (highlighting the importance of remaining equipoised in *happiness* as well as distress)!!

 

Still, let me try to humbly accept your blessing!! By your grace, I won't-- by avoiding making (further) offenses--fall off my high horse

 

Gauranga!