Planet ISKCON

“Prabhupada: When you become dvija, twice-born. Twice-born means you come to the point of understanding Krsna consciousness. When you take your birth from your parents, your consciousness is different. Just like the child. His consciousness is different, but when he’s grown-up, if he takes to knowledge, if he tries to understand Krsna, his consciousness is different. So when one takes to Krsna consciousness, that is the beginning of his second birth, dvija.”

Bhagavad-gita 2.46-62 — Los Angeles, December 16, 1968

“Time should not be wasted in frivolous or materialistic activities, of which there are now literally millions in modern society. One can cultivate birth in the mode of goodness by accepting the second birth of initiation from a bona fide spiritual master and learning to chant the Hare Krsna mantra.”

SB 11.13.6

“[We] in modern technological society [have] begun to be callous and disillusioned. [We have] learned to suspect what claims to be new, to doubt all the “latest” in everything. [We are] drawn instinctively to the new, and yet [we see] in it nothing but the same old sham. The specious glitter of newness, the pretended creativity of a society in which youthfulness is commercialized and the young are old before they are twenty, fills some hearts with utter despair. There seems to be no way to find any real change. “The more things change,” says a French proverb, “the more they are the same.”

“Yet in the deepest ground of our being we still hear the insistent voice which tells us: “You must be born again.”

“There is in us an instinct for newness, for renewal, for a liberation of creative power. We seek to awaken in ourselves a force which really changes our lives from within. And yet the same instinct tells us that this change is a recovery of that which is deepest, most original, most personal in ourselves. To be born again is not to become somebody else, but to become ourselves.”

Thomas Merton. Love and Living. Naomi Burton Stone and Brother Patrick Hart, editors. New York, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1979: 176.

While Durga puja is celebrated in pomp and splendor all over Bengal and other parts of the world, read through HG Jananivasa Prabhu’s wonderful class on the real meaning of Durga puja. Class was on the Bhagavad Gita verse 17.14, where Lord explains about the austerity of the body. In the purport, Prabhupada writes one should not do anything which is not sanctioned by the scriptural injunctions. Following is the transcription of the class on Durga puja.

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Dear Visitors,

All of the lectures before 24 August 2008 are offline. We are currently phasing out an old server, so we switched to another faster server of Hamlesh Prabhu. All of the lectures from that date on are located on the new server.

We will upload any lecture upon request, please write to me at

Role models are an important part of our lives and forms part of who we are, if we have a good role model then by their association we make great gains, however if our role model is a thief then we rapidly head for trouble.

I have been pondering this and also thinking of the need for good role models in the Krishna Consciousness movement who by their example inspires us to follow in a path that will protect us in many ways from harm that modern society artificially forces onto us.

As a child I had a very good role model by the name of Alex Berino who you could say followed three of the four regulative principles (meat eating is seen as ok in many Christian religions although I am sure many would exclude the Jehovah’s Witnesses), in many ways I wanted so badly to follow in his footsteps seeing the example set and how we can practically live it despite the thrust of society thinking it wired and repressive.

So sex outside of marriage, alcohol in moderation (or best no alcohol) and refraining from gambling protected me from many heartaches my piers went through even during my time in a shared house I remained firm to the beliefs set by my role model and in some ways childhood idle Alex.

Yes many did think me strange after all the fun I was missing out on especially getting drunk and having lots of sex; HUM!

Now I think about my short few years in the Krishna Consciousness movement and the importance of good role models and their influence, you could say that Alex provided the cornerstone for which others could build on.

As I talked about this when asking the question why someone with very little devotee contact can remain focused on devotional life what hit me was simply this, the time taken by a few devotees who rather than giving rules lead by example, their good association and example still inspires me today even though we are separated by many nautical miles.

The example shown remained pivotal even to this day and at low points I simply think of these few devotee’s in the same way as I remember my early childhood friend, hero and role model.

It is not simply that we say you must because I say!

Many have laid down rules I find hard to follow simply because they themselves don’t follow them, you cannot say “No association with Women” when you spend most of your time with a women whose not your wife even though you give a good reason why this is, or in your mind it seems like a good one although it contradicts the words coming out of your mouth. Can an individual follow your wise advice? SIMPLY NO! they will simply see you as a hypocrite.

We see that the youth have many individuals they look up to and see as role models, but what we see then are pictures of them getting drunk, the succession of partners and at times fights. And as they try to emulate these individuals we see problems arising.

The problem is the lack of first class role models within society to whom we can look up to and follow; this is something that devotees should remain aware of giving an example that the whole world wishes to follow.

Srila Prabhupada inspired so many simply because he lived a simple life that many could see and be inspired to follow what greater example could we try to emulate thus simple individual like me can remain focused by simply following the example of those more intelligent.

What is the basic 'flaw' in education. Teaching directly or indirectly that
we are these bodies. Real education begins by teaching "I am not this body."

I culled this post from Krishna Consciousness & Ecological Awareness. I added the blog feed to Planet ISKCON, but this post is worth pulling out of the history, given the recent discussion on this issue.

The following is an excerpt from a lecture given by HH Hrdayananda das Goswami in Gainesville, Florida on August 30, 2008. To listen to the entire lecture, please click here.

Bhaktin Kelly: Does Krsna willing accept milk from cows that were raised inhumanely and will eventually be slaughted?

HH Hridayananda das Goswami: A sincere devotee could have two positions. You could just say, I am going to set a proper example and not patronize that cruel industry and not buy milk products- which is one position, which is obviously valid. And then another position, someone could say, is that by offering the milk, the cows benefit by the offering to the deity and you are actually saving cows. You could say that in practical terms, not ideological, the amount of milk that is being purchased and offered to the deities has absolutely zero impact on the dairy industry and, therefore, it does not change the economic dynamics of it. So it doesn’t save cows but it saves souls by engaging them in Krishna’s service.

What I see in the Bhagavatam is that within Vedic culture there was a diversity of views. People have different opinions on these things and a certain frame of consciousness. Some are inspired to save cows by offering their milk to the deity.

Now let’s say the devotee is not making a serious offering, not really connecting with the deity, just “I like milk.” Then I think to participate in this horrifically cruel industry just because you like milk is something which is much harder to justify. It is just one of those- “I’m hungry, I really want to eat, I have to offer it.” But if someone is seriously deity-conscious, their nature is really to worship Krsna, and their consciousness is to save the soul in the cow’s body, then I think, whether or not I would do that, is a position that should be respected.

Although, I do not think that devotees are required to do that. If I was managing a temple with deities, I would not say you have to offer milk. I think it is a matter of consciousness of the individual.

Check this out!

Rising like a colossal finger of concrete, steel and glass out of the desert city of Dubai, this thing is truly MASSIVE! It already clocks in as the tallest building in the world, and it is not even finished. When it's complete it will be 800m high.

All glories to the victorious march of the human enterprise! 

Dear Devotees and Friends,

His Grace Krishna-Kripa Prabhu will be visiting on Wednesday October 8, 2008 and will be delivering the Wednesday evening lecture @ Radha Govinda Mandir, starting at 7:30pm.   He will be speaking on the invaluable contributions of the recently departed scientist disciple of Srila Prabhupada - Sriman Sadaputa Das.   Please make sure to attend this program. Krishna-Kripa prabhu had the good fortune to work with Sadaputa prabhu for many many years and has many realizations to share with us.  It is our honor to hear from him this coming Wednesday.

Your servants,

NY ISKCON

Dear devotees and friends,

our dear friend Mark Israel prabhu was mentioned in the NY Times Magazine this weekend.

He runs the famed Doughnut Plant in NYC, which is just a few subway stops away from Radha Govinda Temple!  He started his business in a small basement and now he has a full fledged operation and his confections are sold, not just at his plant, but also in many high-class eateries all over New  York City.

If you’re ever in town, be sure to visit his establishment.  Everything he makes is not only vegetarian (many items are also vegan) but is ALSO PRASADAM!!

visit him online for more info: www.doughnutplant.com

How to play darbuka in kirtan from Sitapati das on Vimeo.

By popular demand, a video demonstrating darbuka beats to accompany the Bengali mrdanga beats used in ISKCON kirtans.

ISKCON – 89 Warden Road; Akash-Ganga; Bombay-26; India

March 20, 1971

My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your two letters dated 17th February and 10th March, 1971, respectively and noted the contents with satisfaction. I have been travelling on our usual touring program of India and the mails have been piled up here in Bombay for some time. Now I am replying so many letters and some of them are a little late.

It is very good news from Hayagriva that the land which you mention as being across the ridge and on both sides of the road. I remember it well. Now our New Vrndavana Scheme will be furthered by Krsna’s grace. I was very glad to learn that you have installed the new Jagannatha Murties in our Pittsburgh Temple and at the same time you have invited many guests for preaching and offering memberships. It appears that you have got a full program there and the people are appreciating your efforts to spread Krsna consciousness. That is a very good sign.

Certainly when I return from India it is my intention to visit New Vrndavana. I am very eager to see New Vndavana developed more. So you construct the Temple there nicely and when I come there I shall install the big Deities, perhaps on the Janmastami Day. It seems that the prospects for New Vrndavana are expanding more and more, you can invite citizens from Pittsburgh to spend the weekend in New Vrndavana. In your country the gentlemen who live in the city like to go to the country, so why not to New Vrndavana? Now you can construct a very nice broad staircase descending from the road to the creek and rising again to the Western hill of Vrndavana. That will be very nice. Many people can come for the weekend and holidays and that will make improvement there. The fees from membership are divided 50% to my Book Fund and 50% to the Building Fund, so if this program is vigorously pushed, we get enough money for the New Vrndavana scheme. I want seven temples there. That scheme was submitted long ago. That will be beautiful and pleasing, Many people will go and it will become an important place for holiday excursion.

I am very happy to know that the Pittsburgh Temple is so large and beautifully decorated for Krsna. Your lectures at the universities are very important as well as your appearance on the radio and t.v.

Regarding the marriage of Halodhar and Joan, you may offer them full blessings upon their Krsna conscious combination. So far initiations are concerned, there will be better opportunity when I return to states.

Now we are in final preparation for a very big program in Bombay. I shall be lecturing daily on the Srimad Bhagavatam and it is expected that the audience will be about 20,000. They tell me the program is the largest ever to be held in Bombav, so I am hopeful of good response.

Hope this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher.

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

I'm going to NZ in 10 days. My research tells me that it is theoretically possible to gain 1 kg of muscle mass per week, at peak tuning. That's my goal for the next week. I'm working with the mantra: "Strength, Flexibility, Balance". I want to increase my overall system strength, but also increase my flexibility at the same time, in a balanced fashion.

My current program is the combination of my research into cancer and nutrition last year, my ongoing research into nutrition and yoga, and some new research on performance tuning of the human body.

I'll give you a run down of the program I'm using. The competitive advantage is not in secret knowledge, but in application. I welcome any advice that readers might be able to offer to help me tune the program more precisely

This a shot I took this morning of my daily load of supplements, with a tray of wheatgrass for juicing in the background. Liquids and loose powders are not included.

What we have in this shot are the following:

• 6 x Yoga Body Natural "Flexamine" (www.yogabodynaturals.com). This contains MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), Triple Green Blend (organic spirulina, organic chlorella & barley grass juice extract), Ultra-Sorb Vitamin C (ascorbic acid buffered with calcium ascorbate), Trace Mineral Uptake Enhancers. 3 vege caps twice a day on an empty stomach with 500 ml water to alkalize, detox, and promote flexibility.
• 4 x pH-Corrected Creatine (Kre-Alkalyn). 2 caps twice a day with lots of water to promote enhanced muscle recharging. [wikipedia article]
• 3 x Body Quick "Cognamine" (www.getbodyquick.com). One of the primary active ingredients in this is Acetylcholine [wikipedia article]. A neurotransmitter, it opens ligand gated sodium channels in the cell membrane of skeletal muscle fibers. 3 caps (non-veg, so I remove the content) with 250 ml of water 30 minutes before a yoga class to get my game on!
• 2 x Multi B Vitamins - B1 - B12 to relieve stress, increase energy, and promote system recharging. I use this even when I'm not in training. Just for the high level of activity and engagement of my lifestyle, these B vitamins are invaluable. They really work. When I take them I can handle a lot more mental and emotional load. Blackmore's Executive Stress Complex is a good one.
• 1 x Kelp tablet - this is to replace iodine lost in Bikram and hot yoga classes.

Here's how my daily program stacks up at the moment:

3.30 am - 3 x Yoga Body Naturals Flexamine and 500 ml of water
4.00 am - 2 x Kre-Alkalyn Creatine + Blackstrap molasses (high GI carb to promote Creatine uptake + sodium, magnesium, and iron to replace electrolytes lost in hot yoga)
4.30 am - Mangal-arati - play mrdanga and dance until I'm sweating
5.10 am - 500ml cale and broccoli juice, 3 x Body Quick Cognamine
5.30 am - 2 hours hot yoga (www.bikramyogabrisbane.com.au)
8.00 am - Breakfast - balanced carbs and protein - muesli + whey protein isolate / maca [wikipedia article] (I found out about maca when we lived in Peru), B Vitamin complex, Kelp tablet, 2 tablespoons Flaxseed Oil with Quark (Omega-3 for regenerating myelin sheathing in the brain, quark to promote omega-3 uptake - this is part of the Budwig cancer protocol)
8.30 am - Ride bicycle to work
11.00 am - Percy's Powder (anti-cancer and electrolyte replacement)
1.00 pm Lunch (Param cooks it and brings it when she teaches the lunchtime class at Atma) - rice and dhal, B Vitamin
6.00 pm - 3 x Yoga Body Naturals Flexamine and 500 ml of water
6.30 pm - Fusion hot yoga class (www.fusionhotyoga.com.au) - these guys recently opened in Norman Park

I chant my rounds before Mangal-arati, and in periodic breaks during my working day.

I can do things like this for fixed periods with specific goals, like a 30 or 60 day challenge, or a ramp up to a showdown. I've given up feeling guilty about not being in the mode of goodness - play to your strengths.

At the moment my body is tuned more like a carnivore's body than a vegetarian one. Raja guna in the house! I can understand now more intimately how Pariksit Maharaja was implicated in the circumstances that lead up to his death. When your body is tuned like this and you don't get sufficient water or fuel for the digestive fire, yes, people die. I carry a couple of protein bars during the day, to avoid ripping limbs or heads from bodies.

In the latest fall out from the ISO (International Standards Organization) ratification of Microsoft's controversial OOXML (Open Office eXtensible Markup Language) standard, Norway's local standard body has imploded.

- Norwegian standards body implodes over OOXML controversy

The International ISO organisation is made up of national member organisations, as well as corporate members. IBM, a major corporate member, has threatened to withdraw from ISO over this issue, and several other nations are tottering on the edge.

- OOXML revolt brewing? Three countries appeal ISO approval, May 31

Why is this such a big deal? As more and more of mankind's communication and commerce takes place digitally, whoever controls the medium controls everything. This is why open standards and open source software are so important.

Of course it's always possible that the apocalypse will occur and we'll go back to the Bronze Age, in which case we don't have to worry about any of this, do we?

On the other hand, if history continues to develop as it has for the past two thousand years, digital freedom is as useful as political and religious freedom have been, and things like universal literacy and labour-protection laws. It may not be the ultimate reality or the most important thing in life, but it's certainly nice to have.

The other thing I note from this is that procedural irregularities lead to organisational distintegration. Managers of all types take note.

When your neighbor's house in fire, it is not none of your business. In this case, the neighbor is the Episcopal Church of the USA, and, more broadly, the Anglican communion, in their schism over gay marriage. This news item is relevant to us:

MONROEVILLE, Pa. — A wide majority of clergy and lay members of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh voted Saturday to leave the national church and align with a more conservative South American branch, adding to the fallout from the 2003 election and consecration of an openly gay bishop.

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