last updated 14th January 2008

Kazakhstani online petition

Kazakhstani online petition

By Radha Mohan Dasa

Please visit http://www.krishnatemple.com NOW and click the link to the new petition, or go straight to the petition webpage:

http://harekrishna.epetitions.net

Please sign it soon as you can, and please tell as many people as you can about it.

Background: Workers and police arrived on 15th June at the village near Almaty, Kazakhstan, where the embattled Hare Krishna commune is based to demolish twelve more Hare Krishna-owned homes. “The houses were literally crushed into dust. By ten o’clock it was all over,” said ISKCON spokesperson Maksim Varfolomeyev.

The temple, which the devotees have been ordered to destroy, has not been touched but the devotees fear it could be the next target. Human rights activist Yevgeny Zhovtis is outraged at the continuing destruction. “The authorities are showing that they will do what they want, despite the international outrage at the earlier demolitions of Hare Krishna-owned homes.” He believes the local administration chief “doesn’t care about the political damage to Kazakhstan’s reputation – or to its desire to chair the OSCE.”

ys Radha Mohan das

November 11, 2007

On November 8, 2007, the Supervisory Panel of the Almaty Provincial Court cancelled its previous decision on the transfer of 116-acre Krishna Society farm to Mr. E. Abdykalykov. The court ruled that the land be again returned to the Kazakhstan Government.

This is the second time the court has returned the property to the government of Kazakhstan.

In April 2007, by decision of the provincial court, the property which was legally owned by the Krishna Society was transferred to the state land reserve. This decision was enacted without compensation to the Society.

On October 23, 2007 Abdykalykov presented an appeal to the provincial court to regain ownership of the property.

The panel of judges satisfied his appeal despite his right of appeal having expired twenty-two months earlier. When the land was returned to his ownership he appeared at the Krishna farm demanding the society vacate the territory within one week.

But, during the November 8th hearing, a joint protest of the decision was presented by the prosecutor of Almaty Province and supervisory appeal of the Hakimat (Governor) of  the Karasai District.

The protest was based on new evidence which stated that the disputed 116-acre property was offered, on a lease of five years, to an orphanage for a summer camp.

Abdykalykov was not present on the court hearing. The panel of judges ruled in favor of the government and transferred the land back to the land reserve of the Karasai district.

On November 10, 2007 Abdykalykov became aware of the decision. He explained that he had not been informed of the hearing and still considered himself to be the rightful owner of the property. Karasai District was represented by the Hakimat's hired advocate and Ryskul Zhunisbayeva, the Hakimat's expert on religious issues.

Ms. Zhunisbayeva was last seen leading a migration police raid at the Krishna farm in September. She has also presented inflammatory statements regarding the Krishna Society on the national television.

Her xenophobic attitude to the Krishna followers, and her presence at the hearing, only gave further evidence that the Krishna issue is not an economic dispute, as the government continues to advocate, but is motivated by bigotry against a religious minority.

The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Mr. Karim Masimov, has issued a directive to dismiss Karasai District Hakim BS Kutpanov on charges of corruption related to property deals. Kutpanov is the government official who illegally acted as the plaintiff in every case against the Krishna community.

"The Prime Minister ordered the dismissal of the official responsible for this tragedy, now the government must acknowledge that things have gone terribly wrong in the handling of the Krishna issue, and resolve it fairly with our community," said Shyama Gopal, Krishna spokesperson.  "For three years the government has procrastinated in fairly resolving the issue, now it is time to address it.

The land in question was properly purchased, privatized, and cultivated by the Krishna Society for eight years, and today provides food for the members, and also 30 dairy cows owned by the community.

On that property, forty Kazakh citizens still worship in their small temple, still cultivate the land, and still care for their cows. They do this despite the fact that the government has destroyed twenty-six of their homes and more than 500 members of the Krishna faith from Almaty city and province have been deprived of their place of worship.

"The Kazakh government's new claim that it plans to give children a summer camp for five years is just a smoke screen. After five years, who will camp on it next?" asked Shyama Gopal.

Read HERE how the original issue began in Kazakstan

Read HERE what the previous articles from November 2006 were

Iskcon Kazakstan
http://www.palaceofthesoul.com/news/index.php

PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE
http://kazakhkrishna.com/en-main/

Kazakh
http://vedabase.net/kazakhstan/

Dear devotees of the Lord,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The reason of this letter is to encourage you to help in any capacity the Moscow Temple in Russia. In September of 2007 the Moscow City Government donated five acres of land for devotees to build a temple for Lord Krishna. The catch is that they only have a certain amount of time to get started with the construction; otherwise, the government will take the land back.

See our APPEAL

I am very excited and happy to help the Moscow devotees with a humble donation to get this most valuable service to Srila Prabhupada done. I want to encourage you to do the same and spread the word to as many friends and family members as possible. I am sure that we will all benefit tremendously by helping make this happen for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya.

Please visit their website at http://www.MoscowTemple.org  and there, you will find more detailed information about this fantastic project. At the website you will find the donation page for you to help financially.

Thank you very much in advance for your enthusiasm and participation and spread the word!

Your humble servant,
Ekabhokta das
Alachua Krishna Community Member

Indo Asia News Service on 4 Dec 2007

MOSCOW: The Russian capital will soon have a second Krishna temple.

Sergei Zuyev, vice-president of the Centre of the Krishna Consciousness Societies in Russia, told a gathering of Russian Indologists on Thursday that the construction of the temple will start next year.

They were participating in a conference: "The Spiritual Problems of India: Antiquity and Modernity."

Once completed, the temple complex will have a spiritual centre, an Indian history museum, an Indo-Russian centre, art centre, a library and a vegetarian restaurant.

"We want to give as many Russians as possible access to the treasures of Indian culture, spirituality and philosophy," Zuyev said.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) represents the Gaudiya Vaishnav trend in Russia, which took roots more than 20 years ago. It currently has 15,000 members, including Indian nationals living in the city.

The Vaishnav community has distributed 12 million books and 5 million free meals since its inception. It takes care of 7,500 Moscow pensioners and disabled people. The community intends to establish model farms in southern Russia that employ non-violent practices.

"We are already tilling land in five regions to show how to survive in the harsh Russian climate on a diet without meat and other products," Zuyev explained.

The Present Reality of Brahmins in India

http://feedblitz.com/r.asp?l=26205746&f=330642&u=267625

CHENNAI, INDIA, December 29, 2007: Historically, brahmin caste Indians as priests and scholars led privileged lives in India. However the life of privilege, especially in India's larger cities, has been replaced with a much different existence. The article explains, "Brahmins have been advisers to Maharajas, Mughals and military rulers. Under British rule, they served as administrators, a position they kept after Indian independence in 1947. But in today's India, high-caste privileges are dwindling, and with the government giving extensive preferences to the lower-caste majority, many brahmins are feeling left out of the economy's rapid expansion. The reverse discrimination is rooted in Indian history and politics. For decades, brahmins were resented for their dominance of the government, economy and culture." R. Parameswaran, a 29-year-old school teacher in Chennai is suffering the repercussions of the situation. "In Tamil Nadu, nearly 70% of government jobs and public-college slots are reserved for people from lower castes and other historically disadvantaged groups. Although he says he graduated near the top of his high-school class and had strong test scores, Mr. Parameswaran couldn't get into any of the state engineering colleges. His family had to borrow from friends to send him to a second-rate private college. He now teaches English at a small vocational school. On a salary of $100 a month, Mr. Parameswaran can't afford an apartment, so he sleeps in the classroom at night," the news release says. Elaborating further the news piece goes on to say that on average members of the brahmin caste, who make up about 5% of India's population of 1.1 billion, are better educated and better paid than the rest of Indian people yet close to half of brahmin households earn less than $100 a month, according to the Center for a Study of Developing Societies, a New Delhi think tank. In a perverse twist, the efforts to ward off discrimination seem to have created a new form of it. Mr. Parameswaran continues to apply for government positions but on every application he has to declare his caste and right away he knows that he is at a disadvantage.

courtesy of Hinduism Today  http://www.hinduismtoday.com

Bad Karma For The England Coach: On January 30 this year (1999), Britain woke up to an unusual headline in the news. "Hoddle says disabled are paying for sins of previous life," announced the more serious press, while the tabloids went for variations of "Hoddle goes mad."

The story had made headlines for two reasons: Firstly, the man in question was Glenn Hoddle, coach of the England football team, and secondly, his views were held by just about all observers to be utterly outrageous. Who did he think he was to pass such harsh judgement of a disadvantaged class of people? Did he have no sensitivity? The sports minister for Britain, Tony Banks, said Hoddle was 'from another world.' "I have listened carefully to Glen Hoddle's views," said Banks. "They are totally unacceptable. If his theory is correct, he is in for real problems in the next life. He will probably be doomed to come back as Glenn Hoddle."

It had been a fairly innocent statement by the unfortunate Hoddle , made in the course of a sports interview. Most of the interview had been about England's footballing prospects. But the interviewer, obviously with an eye to a hot story, knew about Hoddle's beliefs and questioned him accordingly. When asked about his belief in karma, Hoddle replied, "You and I have been physically given two hands and two legs and half-decent brains. Some people have not been born like that for a reason. The karma is working from another lifetime. I have nothing to hide about that. It is not only people with disabilities. What you sow, you have to reap."

The interviewer had struck gold . That short section of his interview, cleverly headlined by him, made the headlines in every other newspaper. For days afterward a debate raged. Calls for Hoddle's sacking came from all quarters. Eventually his authorities bowed to the pressure and he was forced to resign.

As a believer in karma and reincarnation myself I was angered to see the reaction to Hoddle in the media. I felt personally insulted. Amongst a host of other pejorative descriptions, Hoddle's beliefs were labelled 'potty', 'crackpot' and 'barmy'. I was astonished at the blatant hypocrisy; on the one hand tearing Hoddle to pieces for his 'slur on the disabled', while at the same time dismissing someone's religious beliefs as nonsense.

But what about those beliefs? Are they nonsense? Did Hoddle get it right? Does the concept of karma include the idea that those suffering disability are receiving the results of former sins? Surely that is a hard pill to swallow for those so afflicted. Especially, of course, if one has no belief that there ever was a former life. And even if there was, what terrible sins did I commit? Looking around me, I don't see that disabled folk are any more 'sinful' than others. Some seem a whole lot more pious.

Who defines sin? Who decides what reaction should follow our actions? Can it be changed, or is everything pre-determined? Unless you can answer all these questions then your belief in karma and reincarnation will be rather hollow.

Of course, even if he could answer those questions, Hoddle was given little chance . After his declaration of faith he was carried by the wave of indignation to his sure fate. But if he had been given a fair trial then he could perhaps have called upon the evidence of the Bhagavad-gita. It is in this ancient Vedic scripture that the teaching of karma is clearly described, and answers to all the above questions are offered.

Followed by hundreds of millions, the Gita is the basis of Hinduism , and specifically Vaishnavism, which of course accepts karma and reincarnation as its central tenet. So too does Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism and a host of other Vedic belief systems coming out of the central strand of Hinduism. We're talking about almost half the world's population here. Surely then there must be some kind of logic to the belief.

So what does the Gita say? Well, the basic principle that every living being is an eternal soul, moving from life to life until it achieves ultimate liberation, is perhaps well-known. The Gita helps us to recognise our eternality with a simple exercise. "As the soul travels from childhood to youth to old age, it similarly travels to another body after death." In other words, reincarnation is taking place at every moment, not just at death-the body is constantly changing.

In adulthood we can see that our childhood body has changed completely, but we are still the same person . We all know the joke, 'you must have been a beautiful baby-but baby what went wrong?' It should thus be obvious that we, the person, are different from the body we inhabit. Perhaps also this is where the disabled can take some comfort-they know that despite their physical disability they are no less a person than anyone else. If a man loses an arm or a leg, he does not feel that he has become only three-quarters whole. He is still the same person within. It should thus be obvious that the body is not the self.

But now we come to the tricky bit. Why is it that some souls get a body like, say, supermodel Pamela Anderson, while others are consigned to a mortal frame wracked by disease, or even that of a dog, or a worm, or a cockroach? "As you sow, so shall you reap", quoted Hoddle , and the Gita does not demur. It agrees that all our actions will produce a reaction, good or bad.

But it points out that this is a complex equation. That the "intricacies of karma are hard to understand even for the highly learned". In other words, while in principle it may be true that our suffering in this life has at its root some mistakes in this or a former life, it is more or less impossible to know what those mistakes were or when we made them - and it is not very important to know anyway.

In fact the Gita is concerned more with permanently ending all reactions , whether so-called good or bad. As we are eternal souls we do not belong in this world, which is ultimately only a place of suffering for everyone, whether able-bodied or otherwise.

The Gita teaches us to get out of the material world . To enter the eternal spiritual atmosphere where we really belong, and where suffering does not exist. And it makes it clear that this can be achieved by anyone, regardless of their bodily condition. All souls are equal, the body is nothing more than the soul's temporary covering.

Perhaps Hoddle understands this well enough, I don't know. But his brief mention of karma has certainly given the concept a bad name. That is a shame. For me at least, the alternative belief of things just happening by chance, with all its apparent unfairness and injustices, is unacceptable. It is a belief in helplessness which can only lead to despair. The poor souls suffering in this life are just losers in the great cosmic lottery.

And if we believe that, then why should we display any compassion or concern? What use is it anyway? One man wins and another loses-that's it. It's out of our control and happening purely by chance.

Even if we say no, God is there and in control, still our compassion seems pointless if we do not accept karma. If God is simply acting whimsically, dishing out misery without any rhyme or reason, then what can we do about it? Our attempts to ameliorate the situation can be dashed in a moment by this capricious and malevolent God. If he wants us to suffer, for whatever unfathomable reason, how will we ever prevent it?

If we deny karma we are left with frightening alternatives to explain our misery . It may be hard to accept, but seeing suffering as the consequences of our own acts is the only sensible explanation. And this, after all, is the way we run our lives. We want to hold people responsible for their acts. Would we release a criminal who pleaded, "But your honour, the knife in my hand stabbed him purely by chance"? Do we not as parents constantly tell our children that they must accept the consequences of their acts? Does it not therefore make sense that the supreme authority, God, should work by the same principle? It seems natural to me that we should be responsible for what we do.

I was thus surprised to see the hue and cry over Hoddle's statements . When I first discovered karma I felt a sense of empowerment. Accepting that my misery was a consequence of my own acts made me realise an important fact: I can change those consequences. My fate lies entirely in my own hands. I don't need to blame events outside my control, or my environment, or other people.

This is the only basis for real compassion . We can only do something to help a suffering person when we understand the cause of that suffering. Otherwise, without negating the root cause, our attempts to help will at best be makeshift. Whilst it is fine to do whatever we can to make life more tolerable for the afflicted, surely the most important assistance we can render is to remove the affliction-forever.

For those who are disabled or afflicted in some other way this is a philosophy of liberation . My actual identity is different from my external, painful body. Whatever mistakes I may have made in the past, which have resulted in my present condition, I can now act in ways that will lead to my permanent happiness. No more pain. That goes for all of us, disabled or otherwise. Each one of us is suffering one way or another. Disease, old age and death will eventually visit us all-followed by another birth in who knows what kind of body. But the Gita describes how we can end that cycle for once and for all.

I hope that poor Mr Hoddle's abrupt removal from office will at least have stimulated some deeper thinking about what are, after all, some pretty deep concepts. Karma and reincarnation deserve a better press than they have had of late.
 

 The Jagannatha Family festival was held from 26 – 31January 2007 at Whangamata about 180Kms south east of Auckland. Aimed at providing an opportunity for the New Zealand yatra to serve and associate together, this was a huge success with over 60 families coming together to pitch their tents and sleeping bags around the marquee (mobile temple) of Lord Jagannatha. Set in the scenic Parakiwai valley adjacent a rivulet, it was reminiscent of the village life in Vedic India.
 Organised by a team of senior devotees led by Trivikram Prabhu and Yashoda Dulal Prabhu, this festival saw the coming together of devotees all over New Zealand in a wide range of activities from Harinaam, Cooking, Cleaning, Prasadam distribution, Games & cultural activities.
Everyone expressed their good fortune to have H.H. Ramai Swami amongst them during this period. He not only gave the morning and evening class and led the Harinaam but also was a source of constant encouragement.

Most of the campers arrived on 26 and set up their tents and helped in the cooking. Gaura Aarati was at 7pm. Mangal Aarati was at 7am with devotees rolling the bliss balls for the Harinaam (about 5000 blissball prasadam were distributed during the Harinaams) and hearing the morning class. The The Jagannatha Family festival Vedic marriage conducted on 27 December was the highlight of the first day. Akhyananda Prabhu and Parthasarathi Mataji tied the knot with Prana Prabhu officiating the ceremony amongst not only the campers but also other devotees who drove down from Auckland and elsewhere for the occasion. After an opulent prasadam, the cultural programmes started with a special kirtan by Trivikram Prabhu followed by the first part of Jagannath Priya Natakam – an adaptation of the drama by H.H. Tamal Krishna Goswami presented in a 3 part series for 3 consecutive nights by the Auckland devotees.

Lord Jagannatha went for a boat ride the next day with all his devotees following him on the beach. He then rested in an adjacent park and accepted the breakfast offerings there followed by a palanquin ride on the beach. All the devotees had prasadam in the park and took turns to carry the palanquin. The cultural programme in the evening had bhajans, second part of the drama followed by a campfire and hot milk.

After the morning Harinaam the next day, there was a team building game where devotees of all age groups engaged in wheelbarrow runs, 4-legged race and other interesting activities. The fourth evening had quite a few dance and recitation activities by the children and the final part of the drama with the band concluding the evening and the audience dancing in ecstacy.

There was a morning Harinaam in Whangamata town and a public programme with chanting, dancing and feasting in the evening well attended by about 40 guests on 30 December.

The camp concluded on 31 December with devotees converging in Auckland for the Maha Harinaam on Queens street to usher in the New Year, which is now a popular event. Apart from the devotees there were about 50- 60 guests who joined in the dancing and many more who knowingly or unknowingly chanted the Holy Name. This was followed by attending the first Mangal Aarati of the new year at 4.30am with Sri Sri Radha Giridhari, making it another memorable experience.

We hope to continue this festival with your support and encouragement. Those who have not attended this festival please do not miss it next year.

Shubhendu Banerjee

Jagannatha Family Festival Ki Jai

Environmental concerns - Hindu responses
http://www.religioustolerance.org/tomek21.htm

Hindus have a similar attitude to nature to that of the Buddhists. None of their traditions (Vedic, Upanishadic, orthodox, etc.) give Hindus the sort of authority over nature and creation that the Judeo-Christian God grants. In Hinduism, there is a sympathetic identification of humanity with nature. Hinduism speaks of harmony with nature and with the whole creation.

There are exceptions: The Advaita Vedanta tradition dismisses the significance of the material world by referring to it as illusion or Maya. 1 The Hindu religious goal of moksha (detachment from the material world) arguably rejects (at least in essence) the natural world as having value.

The real meaning of nature worship in the Vedas is the prosperity of agriculture and the protection of the environment. 2 There are several mantras devoted to agriculture and methods of farming, irrigation systems, and plantations. The Vedas refer to animal domesticity and cattle rearing. Domestic animals were considered faithful friends of human beings. The cow was revered as a pastoral deity. Note that the Hindus are expected to regard deer, camels, monkeys, donkeys, rats, reptiles, birds, and flies as though they were their own children. 3

The Rig-Veda encourages Hindus to form friendship with animals and even with inanimate objects. 4
In the Upanishads there is a clear understanding of the interrelationship of everything in nature. Human beings are encouraged to be compassionate and to practice self-restraint. 4

"Ahimsa," forbidding the taking of life and/or causing injury to any sentient being (except in the context of a Vedic sacrifice where it is prescribed and sanctioned), is a basic religious principle to Hindus as it is to the Jains. It is the first of the virtues to be practiced by a Hindu. The term was interpreted by Mahatma Gandhi as ‘non-violence’ in a universal sense, and elevated to the foremost human quality. In Hinduism, it was not much discussed in early texts, perhaps because it was recognized that it might be in conflict with Dharma, as mentioned below.

Among the fundamental Hindu concepts are R’ta and Dharma: 5 R’ta is the sense of fundamental order and balance in the universe. It must be observed and sustained; it is deeper and more fundamental than the Hindu gods. Man’s duty is to preserve R’ta, by observing the ancient laws.
 Dharma emphasizes the need to act for the sake of good in the world, 1 and to behave so as to maintain the order and custom that make life and the universe possible. However, it is also taken to mean ‘the duty of the warrior.’ It was observant Hindus, attentive to Dharma, who assassinated Gandhi.

The Hindu concept of Dharma was adopted by Buddhists. They brought it to China where Dharma was identified with Tao. 5

Rivers have been and continue to be an integral part of Hindu religious practice. The reverence for trees has been another component. 1 In 1973-March, villagers in Gopeshwar formed a human chain and hugged trees marked to be cut down for the development of a sports equipment factory. Since then, the Chipko Andolan movement to hug trees has grown as a Hindu ecological movement. 6

Most of the Hindu population lives within self-sustaining villages. As the population increases, and as the modern lifestyle leads to a demand for consumer goods, the balance of sustainability may shatter. So may traditional views and beliefs. 1

A search of the Amazon.com data base shows the following books on Hindu responses to the environment:

At least, it should. Sometimes Amazon returns the strangest selections.
If you see a generic Amazon ad below, please click on your browser's refresh key.

References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
 Christopher Key Chapple, "Hinduism, Jainism, and Ecology," at: http://environment.harvard.edu/
José Kalapura, "Science-Religion Dialogue & Ecology: An Asian perspective."
John Bowker, Ed., "The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions." Oxford University Press, (1997).
Sean McDonagh, "To Care for the Earth," Geoffrey Chapman, (1989).
Edward Goldsmith, "The Way," Themis Books, (1996)
"Hinduism and Ecology," at: http://hollys7.tripod.com/

READ MORE on Environmental Issues HERE

Srila Prabhupada said, "when one becomes fully serious to know who he is, who is God, why am I suffering in so many ways, what is the meaning of this life, why do I exist, I must see God if He exist, I must hear Him speak, I must know what He wants of me, that is all I want to Know, then Lord Krishna sends him a bonafide Spiritual Master to whom the inquirer becomes fully inspired by, to surrender to hear submissively, inquire from submissively, to obey everything he hears for the rest of his life.

Prabhupada said only those who are following my instructions are connected to me as my disciples, simply devotional dress and pretending, can give us no connection, regardless if weather, we were formerly initiated in the temple or not or have a spiritual name.

However we should know what ever bonafide spiritual endeavour we make, that can be confirmed by the scripture and Guru, never goes in vain or are permanent assets which guarantee us by the Grace of Krishna further endeavours on the spiritual path even after we leave the present body.

So, we have to be most serious and sincere to get a spiritual name and Spiritual master and remain always like that to maintain and feel our connection, which is really what constitutes spiritual life in it's essence.

Prabhupada said nobody has to tell you, that you are Krishna conscious, if you are really Krishna conscious. It is the most powerful ecstatic awakening of all our spiritual senses in touch with the reservoir of all pleasure Sri Govinda. So just fully understand Prabhupada's instructions by studying his books and follow them enthusiastically with your heart and your soul, it is really only in this way, all knowledge can be revealed to us.
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"Krishna's things must be used in the service of Krishna. That is our vision."

One should not give up anything which can be utilized in the service of the Lord. That is a secret of devotional service. Anything that can be utilized in advancing Krishna consciousness and devotional service should be accepted. For instance, we are using many machines for the advancement of our present Krishna consciousness movement, machines like typewriters, dictating machines, tape recorders, microphones and airplanes.

Sometimes people ask us, "Why are you utilizing material products if you condemn the advancement of material civilization?" But actually we do not condemn. We simply ask people to do whatever they are doing in Krishna consciousness. This is the same principle on which, in Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna advised Arjuna to utilize his fighting abilities in devotional service.

Similarly, we are utilizing these machines for Krishna's service. With such sentiment for Krishna, or Krishna consciousness, we can accept everything. If the typewriter can be utilized for advancing our Krishna consciousness movement, we must accept it. Similarly, the dictating machine or any other machine must be used. Our vision is that Krishna is everything. Krishna is the cause and effect, and nothing belongs to us. Krishna's things must be used in the service of Krishna. That is our vision."
(His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 14)
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"Discussion of Krishna is very potent"

The Lord understands the mentality and sincerity of a particular living entity who is engaged in Krishna consciousness and gives him the intelligence to understand the science of Krishna in the association of devotees. Discussion of Krishna is very potent, and if a fortunate person has such association and tries to assimilate the knowledge, then he will surely make advancement toward spiritual realization…
- Srila Prabhupada
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"There should be some better place for the soul. Why should happiness be so elusive..." HH Jayadvaita Swami

By Urmila Devi dasi
From Back to Godhead December 1993.
Submitted by Manoj

In the last week of the last year of school, students sweat at the thought of the final exam. When they've passed their exams and earned their degrees, they'll be entitled to call themselves educated.

But the Vedic culture has a different standard. The sage Canakya, whose proverbs Srila Prabhupda would often quote, tested a person's education by three questions - questions of character and ethics.

Women as Mother:

Test one: matrvat para-daresu. In the ideal system of education, a properly trained young man should be able to look upon any woman other than his wife as if she were his mother. In other words, his mind and heart should be free from desire for sex outside of marriage. Similarly, a girl should see men other than her husband as her father.

In Vedic society, boys were trained to address women as "Mother." Members of the Krsna consciousness movement teach this same etiquette today. Lord Jesus taught a similar principle when he said that a man who lusts after a woman other than his wife has already committed adultery in his heart.

Garbage in the Street:

The second test of real education is how the graduate views the property of others. Canakya says, para-dravesu lostravat: a learned person looks upon others' property as he would stones or garbage in the street.

A child should be trained to be averse to touching another's things without permission. If I see one of our students touch something on another child's desk, I ask him, "Is that yours? Do you have the owner's permission to touch that? If not, put it down." I'm careful to show the same respect for the students' property that I expect them to show for each other's and for mine. I don't look through their desks or touch their things without their permission.

How to See Others:

Third, atmavat sarva-bhutesu: an educated person sees other living creatures as he sees himself. Following the golden rule, he treats others as he wants to be treated. "Others" does not mean just one's own family, one's fellow citizens, or even just other human beings. As Srila Prabhupada would point out, even cruel, fierce animals such as tigers love their own cubs. It is when a person applies the golden rule even to an enemy or a defenseless animal that Canakya would award him a passing grade.

A person educated to see others as though himself will naturally be a vegetarian. He'll think, "I don't like pain, so why should I give pain to an animal just so I can eat?" He'll be honest: "I don't like to be cheated, so why should I cheat others?" And he'll always speak beneficially: "I like to hear the truth, I don't like to be insulted, and I want to hear what is useful to me. Let me speak to others that way." A truly educated person, therefore, will try not to hurt anyone, even by his words.

A student who knows the law of karma knows that what I do to others will be done to me. Even out of self interest, therefore, he will follow the principle of treating others as though himself. And by understanding the law of karma, the student will gain respect for the power, justice, mercy, and love of the Supreme Lord. Then the student can go beyond ethics to become transcendentally educated.

Krsna Defines "Learned":

Krsna defines a learned person as one who sees all living beings spiritually as part of Him. And Krsna says that ultimately a wise person surrenders to Him, seeing Him as all there is.

Unfortunately, in this dark Age of Kali thousands of schools award diplomas without considering the ethical and spiritual character of their students. Do students at a typical university have a heart free from desire for sex outside marriage? Have they learned to respect the property and feelings of others? We read of date rape and rampant theft on campus, and we see people with advanced degrees who are also advanced in meat-eating and cruelty.

But we need not be resigned to letting our children be falsely assured of knowledge from a system that by Vedic standards teaches ignorance. Rather, let us raise a generation of students protected by ethical and spiritual wisdom.

Question:

I have a doubt relating to Kurukshetra battle field. It is regarding the size of the battle field and the number of men, horses, elephants and chariots it could accommodate. Since you are amongst the highly read
swamijis in ISKCON, I humbly forward this doubt for clarification.

The total number of warriors alone numbers to 65 crores, and probably another 10 crores, 5 crores and 1 crores of horses, elephants and chariots respectively.

How could the battlefield accommodate all these men, animals and carriages? The warriors definitely needed their support staff for cooking and sanitation. Animals would require food and shelter. They would have picketed at least a week before the commencement of the battle.

I am comparing the above mentioned numbers with the current population of India at 100 crores, spread over the entire country and yet struggling for accommodation and daily food and infrastructure. How was it possible for the Kurukshetra Bhumi to accommodate such a vast number of men, animals and equipment?

Answer by HH.Bhakti Vikas Swami:

I can't "explain" this because it's not explainable in terms consistent with observable reality. But it makes sense to accept that there is more to reality than the observable. Some things are inconceivable (acintya).
The nature of Krsna's acintya-sakti is nicely illustrated by the following story of a visit by Lord Brahma to Krsna in Dvaraka. In the story, Krsna first responds to Brahma's request to see Him by having His secretary ask, "Which Brahma wishes to see Me?" Brahma later begins his conversation with Krsna by asking why Krsna made this inquiry:

"Why did you inquire which Brahma had come see You? What is the purpose of such an inquiry? Is there any other Brahma besides me within this universe?"

Upon hearing this, Sri Krsna smiled and immediately meditated. Unlimited Brahmas arrived instantly. These Brahmas had different numbers of heads. Some had ten heads, some twenty, some a hundred, some a thousand, some ten thousand, some a hundred thousand, some ten million, and others a hundred million. No one can count the number of faces they had.

There also arrived many Lord Sivas with various heads numbering one hundred thousand and ten million.

Many Indras also arrived, and they had hundreds of thousands of eyes all over their bodies.

When the four-headed Brahma of this universe saw all these opulences of Krsna, he became very bewildered and considered himself a rabbit among many elephants.

All the Brahmas who came to see Krsna offered their respects at His lotus feet, and when they did this, their helmets touched His lotus feet. No one can estimate the inconceivable potency of Krsna. All the Brahmas who were there were resting in the one body of Krsna. When all the helmets struck together at Krsna's lotus feet, there was a tumultuous sound. It appeared that the helmets themselves were offering prayers unto Krsna's lotus feet.

With folded hands, all the Brahmas and Sivas began to offer prayers unto Lord Krsna, saying, "O Lord, You have shown me a great favor. I have been able to see Your lotus feet."

Each of them then said, "It is my great fortune, Lord, that You have called me, thinking of me as Your servant. Now let me know what Your order is so that I may carry it on my heads."

Lord Krsna replied, "Since I wanted to see all of you together, I have called all of you here. All of you should be happy. Is there any fear of the demons?"

They replied, "By Your mercy, we are victorious everywhere. Whatever burden there was upon the earth You have taken away by descending on that planet."

This is the proof of Dvaraka's opulence: all the Brahmas thought, "Krsna is now staying in my jurisdiction." Thus the opulence of Dvaraka was perceived by each and every one of them. Although they were all assembled together, no one could see anyone but himself.

Lord Krsna then bade farewell to all the Brahmas there, and after offering their obeisances, they all returned to their respective homes [CC ML 21.65-80].

In this story it is significant that each of the Brahmas remained within his own universe. This means that Krsna was simultaneously manifesting His Dvaraka pastimes in all of those universes. Each Brahma except ours thought that he was alone with Krsna in Dvaraka within his own universe, but by Krsna's grace our Brahma could simultaneously see all the others. This illustrates that Krsna has access to all locations at once, and it also shows that, by Krsna's grace, different living beings can be given different degrees of spatial access, either permanently or temporarily.
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"With your experimental logic you cannot understand. It is inconceivable. Just accept the sastra. True understanding only comes by the mercy of the spiritual master. You cannot adjust the description of the Bhagavatam within the limits of your knowledge. Our Narada Muni went to Vaikuntha. After coming back, he told a cobbler about an elephant passing through the eye of a needle. The cobbler said, 'Oh, Narayana is so great!' But a brahmana said, 'It is simply stories!' Narada then asked the cobbler, 'How can you believe that Narayana was passing an elephant through the head of a needle?' The cobbler explained, 'Why not? We are sitting under a banyan tree. There are so many fruits; and each fruit contains so many seeds, which each will grow into a huge banyan tree.' Everything is inconceivable, and these rascals want to bring it as conceivable. Don't be puffed up by your so-called education. It has no value." Srila Prabhupada gave us the spiritual solution to a mundane question.

Srila Jiva Gosvami says that unless we accept this principle that Krsna or God has got inconceivable power, acintya-sakti, we cannot understand.

Srila Prabhupada lecture, London, August 27, 1973

By Stephen Knapp

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare
 

We've all heard the Hare Krishna mantra at some time, but what the heck is so special about this mantra? Why are we supposed to spend time chanting it? What can it do for us?

First of all, let me explain a little about mantra-yoga. Mantra-yoga is actually a mystical tradition found in almost every spiritual path in the world. It may involve the softly spoken repetition of a prayer or mantra for one's own meditation, or it may be the congregational singing of spiritually uplifting songs, prayers, or the sacred names of the Supreme Being. It all involves the same process, but in the Eastern tradition it is called mantra-yoga because it is the easy process of focusing our minds on the Supreme, which helps spiritualize our consciousness. Man means the mind, tra means deliverance. Therefore, a spiritual mantra is the pure sound vibration for delivering the mind from material to spiritual consciousness. This is the goal of any spiritual path. Although all spiritual traditions have their own prayers or mantras, the Vedic mantras are especially powerful and effective in uniting us with the spiritual realm. However, a complete yoga process is generally a blend of a few yoga systems, such as bhakti-yoga with mantra-yoga. Therefore, bhakti-yoga, as described in the previous chapters, also includes mantra-yoga, or the process of concentrating on the sound vibration within a mantra. This is especially important in this age of Kali.

Many years ago the brahmana priests could accomplish many kinds of wondrous deeds simply by correctly chanting particular mantras. Many of these mantras still exist, but it is very difficult to find those who can chant them accurately. This is actually a safety measure because if the wish-fulfilling mantras were easily chanted, there would no doubt be many people who would misuse them. But other mantras that are available can easily help purify one's consciousness, give spiritual enlightenment, and put one in touch with the Supreme.

In Bhagavad-gita (10.25) Sri Krishna explains that He is the transcendental om mantra and that the chanting of japa (chanting a mantra quietly for one's own meditation) is the purest of His representations and sacrifices. It is understood that by chanting japa and hearing the holy sounds of the mantra, one can come to the platform of spiritual realization. This is the process of mantra-yoga. Even though the mantra is powerful in itself, when the mantra is chanted by a great devotee, it becomes more powerful. This is the effect when a disciple is fortunate enough to take initiation from a spiritually powerful master who gives him a mantra for spiritual purposes. Then the disciple can make rapid progress by utilizing the mantra.

In this age of Kali-yuga the process of chanting japa or mantra meditation is much more effective than practicing other spiritual paths that include meditating on the void or Brahman effulgence, or trying to control the life air within the body as in raja-yoga. Only a very few can become perfect at moving the life air up to the top of the head or raising the kundalini force up through the various chakras. And meditating on the void becomes useless as soon as there is the slightest external distraction, which in this age of Kali is a continuous thing. Therefore, the most effective means of focusing the consciousness is to concentrate on the sound vibration of a mantra.

There are two mantras that are especially recommended in the Vedic literature. One is omkara or the om mantra, and the other is Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, which is known as the maha or great mantra. It is explained that these two mantras can deliver one to the realm beyond material existence.

Omkara (pranava) is considered to be the sound incarnation of the Supreme Personality of God and is identical with the Supreme Lord. It is beginningless, changeless, supreme and free from any external contamination. The Narada-pancharatra states: "When the transcendental sound vibration is practiced by a conditioned soul, the Supreme Lord is present on his tongue." The Atharva-veda and the Mandukya Upanishad both mention the importance of omkara. Omkara is said to be the beginning, middle, and end, and is eternal, beyond all material restrictions or contaminations.

Actually, the chanting of omkara is generally practiced by those engaged in the mystic yoga process. However, anyone who chants Vedic verses will also be chanting om, because om is often included as the bija or seed mantra at the beginning of many such verses or other mantras. By chanting om and controlling the breathing perfectly, which is mostly a mechanical way of steadying the mind, one is eventually able to go into trance or samadhi. Through this system, one gradually changes the tendencies of the materially absorbed mind and makes it spiritualized. But this takes many years to perfect and such a slow process is hardly practical in this age. If one is not initiated into the brahminical way of knowledge, he will find it difficult to understand the depths of omkara and will not likely be able to get the desired results from chanting it. Therefore, it is not advised that people in general chant omkara in this age of Kali-yuga and with the expectation of reaching full spiritual perfection because they are often not qualified or unable to chant it properly to attain the inner depths of spiritual completion. [Much more information about om, its significance and how to chant it is in our ebook on "Meditation".]

The mantra that is meant to be chanted in this age is easy and is actually more directly connected with the Supreme than the sound vibration of omkara because it contains the direct holy names of the Lord. So the mantra for Kali-yuga is the maha-mantra, or great mantra for deliverance, which is Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

CHANTING THE MAHA-MANTRA

There are many Vedic references which specifically recommend the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra as the most effective and advantageous means of reaching spiritual realization and counteracting all the problems of this age. Some of these verses are the following:

These sixteen words--Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare--are especially meant for counteracting the ill effects of the present age of quarrel and anxiety. (Kali-santarana Upanishad)

All mantras and all processes for self-realization are compressed into the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. (Narada-pancaratra)

Chant the holy names, chant the holy names, chant the holy names. In this age of Kali [the age of quarrel and confusion] without a doubt there is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way. (Brihan-naradiya Purana 38.126)

In this age there is no use in meditation, sacrifice and temple worship. Simply by chanting the holy name of Krishna--Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare--one can achieve perfect self-realization. (Vishnu Purana 6.2.17)

The self-realization which was achieved in the Satya millennium by meditation, in the Treta millennium by the performance of different sacrifices, and in the Dvapara millennium by worship of Lord Krishna [as the Deity in the temple], can be achieved in the age of Kali simply by chanting the holy names, Hare Krishna. (Bhag.12.3.52) (Verses similar to this are also found in the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda 72.25, and the Brihan-naradiya Purana 38.97)

Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of birth and death can be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the holy name of Krishna, which is feared by fear personified. (Bhag.1.1.14)

When instructing King Pariksit, the great sage Sri Shukadeva Gosvami said, "O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge. What is the value of a prolonged life which is wasted, inexperienced by years in this world? Better a moment of full consciousness, because that gives one a start in searching after his supreme interest." (Bhag.2.1.11-13)

The reason that chanting the Lord's names is such an effective process is because the Lord and His names are identical: they are the same spiritual energy. By chanting Hare Krishna we are in immediate contact with God. If we chant someone else's name, we cannot enjoy their association because the name and the person are different. For example, by chanting "water, water, water," we do not quench our thirst because water and the name are two different things. But in the spiritual world everything is absolute. Krishna is nondifferent from His names and, therefore, we can feel His presence simply by chanting His names. This is further elaborated in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya-lila, 17.131-133), which explains that there is no difference between the Lord's name, form, or personality, and they are all transcendentally sweet. Krishna's name is the same as Krishna Himself, and is not material in any way. It gives spiritual benedictions and is full of pleasure. But in the material world everything is different. Furthermore, in Caitanya-cartamrta (Adi-lila, 17.22, and the Padma Purana), the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is said to be the sound incarnation of Krishna, and anyone who chants this mantra is in direct association with Krishna and is delivered from the clutches of the material energy.

It is explained that because chanting the names of God brings us in direct contact with God in proportion to the chanter's purity, this process of self-realization is the way of success for everyone. The Bhagavatam (2.1.11) discloses that the chanting of God's names in the manner of the great authorities is the doubtless way to spiritual success for everyone, no matter whether they are full of material desires or free of all desires or self-satisfied because of their spiritual knowledge.

Simply by relying on the chanting of the holy names of God, one need not depend upon other processes, rituals, paraphernalia, or persons. One does not even have to be initiated by a spiritual master to chant the maha-mantra. As the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya-lila, 15.108) says, one does not have to take initiation, but only has to chant the holy names. Thus, deliverance is available to even the lowest of people. Furthermore, Rupa Gosvami writes about the potency of the holy name in his Padyavali:

The holy name of Lord Krishna is an attractive feature for many saintly, liberal people. It is the annihilator of all sinful reactions and is so powerful that save for the dumb who cannot chant it, it is readily available to everyone, including the lowest type of man, the chandala. The holy name of Krishna is the controller of the opulence of liberation, and it is identical with Krishna. Simply by touching the holy name with one's tongue, immediate effects are produced. Chanting the holy name does not depend on initiation, pious activities or the purascarya regulative principles generally observed before initiation. The holy name does not wait for all these activities. It is self-sufficient. (Padyavali 29)

Herein is evidence that the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is so powerful that one who sincerely takes shelter of it will attain all the desired results of connection with the Supreme. The Skanda Purana gives further evidence of how powerful is the maha-mantra:

The name of the Lord need not be chanted with regard to place, time, circumstantial conditions, preliminary self-purification or any other factors. Rather, it is completely independent of all other processes and rewards all the desires of those who eagerly chant it. (Skanda Purana)

Therefore, without a doubt, the Hare Krishna mantra is the most potent mantra one can utilize for spiritual upliftment. The Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya-lila, 15.107) also points out that one is freed of all sinful reactions simply by chanting Krishna's names. And all the nine types of devotional service are completed by this process. Thus, in Kali-yuga only the chanting of the holy names is necessary for worshiping the Lord. However, if one is not able to chant purely or follow the regulations for chanting, it is recommended that one get further guidance from a bona fide spiritual master.

In Kali-yuga the chanting of the holy names is certainly the most practical and effective process for the conditioned souls. It is also the easiest process whether one finds himself in Kali-yuga, Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, or Dvapara-yuga. Regardless of what age one may be living in, the process of chanting the holy names is always recommended for everyone. "The names of the Supreme Lord who has the disc as His weapon should be glorified always and everywhere." (Vaisakha-mahatmya section of the Padma Purana) But since the age of Kali is the most difficult, where men have short durations of life, it is also the most fortunate age. This is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.36-37 and 12.3.51) which states that those who are wise know the value of this age of Kali because, in spite of the fallen nature of this age, the spiritual perfection of life can be attained by the easy process of sankirtana, the congregational chanting of Krishna's holy names. No better position can be found to attain freedom from material existence and entrance into the spiritual kingdom than joining the Lord's sankirtana movement.

Even those living in other ages desire to take birth in Kali-yuga to take advantage of this special concession of a speedy delivery from the cycle of birth and death through the process of sankirtana. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.38) where we find it said that those who live during Satya-yuga and other ages wish to be born in Kali-yuga just to take advantage of associating with the devotees of Lord Narayana, who are especially found in South India.

The Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.32) explains that intelligent persons perform congregational singing of Krishna's names to worship the incarnation of Krishna who sings His own names, and who is accompanied by His associates and confidential companions. Therefore, as the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila, 7.74) specifically says, the essence of all scriptural teachings is that the only religious principle in the age of Kali is to chant the Lord's holy names, which are the basis of all Vedic hymns. "In this way the most perfect penance to be executed in this world is the chanting of the name of Lord Sri Hari. Especially in the age of Kali, one can satisfy the Supreme Lord Vishnu by performing sankirtana." (Caturmasya-mahatmya section of the Skanda Purana)

The fact of the matter, as explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.33.6-7), is that regardless of what one's present situation is, if a person once speaks about the activities and chants the holy names of the Supreme, or hears about and remembers Him, he becomes eligible to engage in the Vedic rituals. And how much more glorious are those who regularly chant the holy names. Such people are indeed worshipable, for they must have performed all kinds of austerities, achieved the characteristics of the Aryans, studied the Vedas, bathed at all the holy places of pilgrimage, and done whatever else is required.

When the great sage Narada Muni was explaining to Srila Vyasadeva the means by which he became enlightened, he said, "It is personally experienced by me that those who are always full of cares and anxieties due to desiring contact of the senses with their objects can cross the ocean of nescience [illusory darkness] on a most suitable boat--the constant chanting of the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead. It is true that by practicing restraint of the senses by the yoga system one can get relief from the disturbances of desire and lust, but this is not sufficient to give satisfaction to the soul, for this [satisfaction] is derived from devotional service to the Supreme Personality. " (Bhag.1.6.34-35)

Lord Krishna goes on to explain to Uddhava that in the association of saintly devotees, there is always the discussion about Him, and those who partake in such hearing and chanting about the Lord's glories are certainly purified of all sins. In this way, whoever hears, chants and respectfully opens his heart to these topics about the Lord becomes faithfully dedicated to Him. Thus, he achieves devotional service to Lord Krishna. Then, as Lord Krishna Himself asks, "What more remains to be accomplished for the perfect devotee after achieving devotional service unto Me, the Supreme Absolute Truth, whose qualities are innumerable and who am the embodiment of all ecstatic experience?" (Bhag.11.26.28-30)

As further related by Sukadeva Gosvami, "A person who with faith engages in chanting the glories of these various pastimes and incarnations of Vishnu, the Lord of lords, will gain liberation from all sins. The all-auspicious exploits of the all attractive incarnations of Lord Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and also the pastimes He performed as a child, are described in this Srimad-Bhagavatam and in other scriptures. Anyone who clearly chants these descriptions of His pastimes will attain transcendental loving service unto Lord Krishna, who is the goal of all perfected sages." (Bhag.11.31.27-28)

Sri Suta Gosvami relates that in a conversation between Narada Muni and Sanatkumara, Sanatkumara explained the way to attain freedom from this world, even for the most wayward sinners. Even all those mean men who are destitute of all good ways of behavior, who are of a wicked mind, who are outcaste, who deceive the world, who are intent upon religious hypocrisy, pride, drinking liquor, and wickedness, who are sinful and cruel, who are interested in another man's wealth, wife and sons, become pure if they resort to the lotus-like feet of Vishnu. The name of Vishnu, sure to succeed here, protects those sinful men who transgress even Him who causes divinity, who give salvation to the immobile beings and the mobile beings. A man who has done all kinds of sins is freed if he resorts to Vishnu. If a contemptible, wicked biped would commit sin against Vishnu, and by chance resorts to His name, he is emancipated due to the (power of the) name (of Vishnu). However, a man falls down due to his sin against (Vishnu's) name, which is the friend of all. (Padma Purana 4.25.8-13)

The sage Kavi instructed King Nimi that the holy names of the Supreme Lord are all-auspicious because they describe His transcendental birth and pastimes, which He performs for the upliftment and salvation of all conditioned souls. For this reason the Lord's holy names are sung throughout the world. By chanting these holy names of the Supreme, one reaches the level of love of God, in which one becomes fixed as an eternal servant of the Lord. Then such a devotee becomes very attached to a particular name and form of the Lord in his service. As his heart melts in ecstatic love, he may laugh loudly or cry or shout. Sometimes he may even sing or dance like a madman in such ecstasy because he becomes indifferent to the opinion of others. (Bhag.11.2.39-40)

In this way, we can begin to understand how elevated the writer of the Vedic scripture considers those who have adopted the process of chanting Krishna's holy names. However, for those who do not like the chanting of the holy names and blaspheme the process and criticize or try to restrain those who do chant, we can understand that their sentiment is due to their sinful and offensive activities. Such people are said to have no intelligence and work for no useful purpose and simply contribute to the chaos and confusion within society. The Bhagavatam (3.9.7) confirms that those who do not engage in the blessed chanting and hearing about the activities of the Supreme are bereft of intelligence and good fortune. They perform sinful activities to enjoy sensual pleasure which lasts only for a short time.

LORD VISHNU'S NAMES ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE GREATEST HOLY PLACES

The power of the Lord's holy names is also related in the following story. It is described in the Padma Purana that many years ago when asked by the sages at the forest of Naimisharanya which one single act will bring the fruit of visiting the many holy places, Suta Gosvami answered in this way: Out of so many rituals and rites that are prescribed, only one is superior. There is no doubt that one who has devotion to Lord Vishnu has undoubtedly conquered everything. Hari, [Vishnu, Krishna], the Lord of all gods, should alone be propitiated. The goblin of sin will perish by means of the great sacred hymns in the form of the names of Vishnu. There is no doubt that those with pure hearts, going around Vishnu even once, get (the fruit of) having bathed at all the holy places. A man would obtain the fruit of (having visited) all holy places by seeing Vishnu's image. Chanting the excellent name of Vishnu, a man would obtain (the result) of having chanted all the sacred hymns. A man having once smelt the tulasi plant, the grace of Vishnu, does not see the huge and terrible face of Yama [Yamaraja, the lord of death]. A man having (but) once saluted Krishna does not drink the mother's milk [does not need to be reborn again]. I always repeatedly salute them whose mind is (fixed) on the feet of Vishnu. Even [those of lower tribes, such as] pulkasas, chandalas, or other mleccha tribes, who serve the feet of Vishnu alone are fit to be saluted. Then what about the meritorious and devoted brahmanas and royal sages? Having placed one's devotion in Vishnu, a person does not experience confinement in the womb (is not reborn). A man who with high sounds chants the name of Vishnu purifies the world as does the Ganga [Ganges River]. There is no doubt that a man is freed from sins like murder of a brahmana by seeing (the image of), touching (the feet of), reciting (the name of), and devoting oneself (to Vishnu). Circumambulating (the image of) Hari [Vishnu, Krishna], and loudly chanting His names in a sweet and melodious voice, accompanied with clapping of the hands, a man has struck the sin of murdering a brahmana from his hands. A man becomes pure by just seeing Him, who having narrated His story, would listen to a narrative about Him. Then, O best of sages, how can there be the slightest doubt about such a person's sins. (Padma Purana, 3.50.1-17)

"O great sages, Vishnu's name is the best holy place of all holy places. Those who have uttered the name of Krishna make the world a holy place. Therefore, O best of sages, they consider nothing more meritorious than this. A man using and holding on his head the remains of offered flowers to Vishnu, would beckon Vishnu, who is the destroyer of grief due to fear of Yamaraja. Undoubtedly, Vishnu (alone) is to be worshiped and saluted. Therefore, see and worship Vishnu only who has no beginning or end, who is the soul (of everything), and who is unmanifest. Those who look upon Vishnu and another deity as equal, go to terrible hells. Vishnu would not care for them. Vishnu, the Lord Himself, liberates a fool or a chandala to whom Vishnu is dear. There is none greater than Vishnu, who is like a wild fire for (burning) heaps of sins. A man, even after having committed a terrible sin, is freed by the name of Vishnu. Lord Vishnu, the Father of the worlds, has put greater strength than Himself into His name. Therefore a man looking highly upon Vishnu's name should be devoted to Hari. The name of Vishnu is a great destructive weapon like the thunderbolt in rending the mountain of sins. His feet are fruitful and move for that (only). The hands that worship Him are alone said to be blessed. That head which bends before Hari (Vishnu) is the best part of the body. That is (really) the tongue that extols Vishnu. That is the mind which follows His feet. That is the hair that bristles [stands up in ecstasy] at the utterance of His name. Those are the tears that are shed due to devotion to Lord Vishnu. Oh, people are very much duped by their faults if they do not resort to (Him) by merely chanting His names. Those who though having got a tongue do not utter the name of Vishnu, easily fall [back into the cycles of birth and death] even after having secured the stairway to liberation. Therefore, a man should carefully (please) Lord Vishnu by means of worldly and religious rites [devotional service]. Lord Vishnu is pleased with worldly and religious rites, not otherwise. The worship of Vishnu is said to be a holier place than a holy place. A man obtains that fruit by serving Vishnu which he obtains by bathing at and drinking (the water from) all the holy places. Only blessed men worship Vishnu by means of worldly and religious rites [devotional service]. Therefore, O sages, worship Krishna (Vishnu), who is the most auspicious. (Padma Purana 3.50.17-39)

THE POWER OF THE MAHA-MANTRA: HOW IT WORKS

It may be somewhat surprising for the average Westerner to hear about the power within the vibrations of words or mantras, but the potency is real. For example, any numerologist will tell you that each letter has a particular value and a group of letters pronounced as a word invokes the power of those letters. Therefore, someone's name contains the subtle formula for signifying to varying degrees one's characteristics, qualities and future. By associating with particular sound vibrations one becomes influenced by them.

A good example of this is when one country tries to take over another in war, or one political party tries to defeat another. The first thing they try to do is take over the lines of communication and the media, such as radio, television, and newspapers. By sending out its propaganda through sound, a government can influence people's minds and stay in power, or a political party can remove the leaders of the opposition. In the latter case, a new government may become established.

According to the predominant types of sound vibration people associate with through T.V. and radio, or in reading articles in magazines and newspapers, they become attracted to certain things or drawn towards certain viewpoints. When television shows, songs on the radio, stories in magazines, and advertising everywhere propagates the concern for temporary sense gratification, then people lose their interest in the real goal of life. They simply become absorbed in the thoughts of whatever type of sound vibration enters their consciousness. When nonsensical sound vibrations enter and contaminate the ether, the air, water, and the very molecular structure of each and every person, place and thing, then we cannot expect anything else but continued and worsening turmoil and perplexities in the world.

Let us try to understand how this happens. First of all, energy pervades the atmosphere of this creation in the form of vibrations, as in sound waves, light waves, radio waves, and so on. The mind can especially be affected by the kind of energy or vibration it picks up or tunes into. The function of the mind is twofold: it joins thoughts and concepts into theories and goals or desires, and it simplifies or interprets experiences that are gathered through the senses. This is controlled by sound vibration or thought waves. For example, when you hear the following words, an image will form in your mind: dog, cat, insect, man, woman, politician, automobile, and sunset. We can take the experiment a little further when we say, snarling dog, sleeping cat, biting insect, ugly old man, beautiful voluptuous woman, conniving politician, sleek automobile, and tranquil red sunset.

The second set of words may have brought images to your mind that were completely different than the first set. This is all due to sound which triggers the mind to react and form thoughts or images related to the words by interpreting past experiences. Such thoughts and images may also form into goals or desires of what we want to attain or wish to avoid. When throughout our life we are bombarded by different kinds of sound waves, whether from schoolbooks in our early years, or to present day radio, television, and movies, our consciousness is led through particular changes and different levels of development. This might be controlled by others so that we act in a certain way according to someone else's design, whether we know it or not. If you start listening to the radio all the time and all they play are songs about making love under the apple tree, you will not have to tell anyone what you will be thinking about. It is not difficult to figure out. This is how we are controlled by sound.

Another example is that sometime we may be feeling peaceful and decide to spend a nice, quiet evening watching television. After several hours of being exposed to all kinds of sound vibration in the form of game shows, cop shows, comedy, soap opera, news, and a multitude of advertising, we may wake up the next morning unrested, agitated, and disturbed without knowing why. In this way, the kind of sound vibration we associate with can make a big difference on our consciousness.

There are, however, many kinds of beneficial sound vibrations that we can utilize. A friend of mine once cut his finger down to the bone while he was in India. It was a serious cut and he was not able to do much to stop the bleeding. He told one of the Indian men nearby who took him into his house. The man put some mustard seed oil on the cut and stroked it with his finger while chanting a certain mantra. At that point the bleeding stopped. He did it again and the cut closed. The man did it a third time and, to my friend's amazement, the cut on his finger was healed. Some farmers also use mantras to produce better crops. Plants are very sensitive to vibrations and different sounds can assist plants in their growth.

In the Vedic literature there are, of course, many stories which describe the use of mantras. The brahmana priests produced many kinds of magical results by using them. They could even curse others or, if necessary, kill someone with the use of mantras. The warriors or kings could also attach a brahmastra weapon to the arrows they shot. A brahmastra is a weapon equivalent to the atomic bombs of today, but were produced by perfectly chanting particular mantras. However, the brahmastra could also be called back by using a different mantra and the extent of damage could also be controlled. They were not like the bombs of today that, when released, are completely uncontrollable and kill and hurt everyone and anyone in its range.

There are many other kinds of sound vibrations, mantras, or prayers that can be used for gaining money, maintaining health, defeating enemies, getting good luck, subduing evil spirits, counteracting snake bite, and so on. There are countless mantras or prayers for temporary results, not only in the Vedic culture but in other cultures as well. The most powerful mantras are those that can completely free one from this material world and the cycle of birth and death and allow one to enter the spiritual realm. As already established, there is no mantra more powerful for this purpose than the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

The way the maha-mantra works is a science. One thing we must first understand is that there are channels by which the Infinite descends into this world. One channel is through transcendental sound. The maha-mantra is a purely spiritual vibration. It cannot be chanted with a material tongue nor heard with a material ear. In this way, the holy name reserves the right of not being exposed to organic senses or understood by someone in materialistic consciousness. However, the Infinite has the power of making Himself known to the finite mind. When He reveals Himself to His devotee, the devotee experiences the perception of God. This is called self-realization and transcendental revelation. This can be attained through the process of purely chanting the maha-mantra.

The holy names are not revealed simply through Vedic writings, but they are revealed to the world through the spiritual tongues of the pure devotees. Such pure devotees are the real spiritual masters of everyone in the universe. But if the guru is not genuine, then the sound or mantra, though seeming to sound the same, will not produce the real effect.

The audience of the pure devotee hears the name of Krishna but may not fully recognize or comprehend it. Yet the name enters the ear and vibrates the eardrum which touches our mind. There is still not genuine spiritual realization at this point because the soul remains untouched. Yet the name begins to affect our mind by cleansing the dust within. This dust is the materialistic consciousness which causes forgetfulness of our real spiritual identity. This forgetfulness manifests in forms of bodily attachment, lust, greed, envy, anger, etc. Therefore, by chanting the maha-mantra we wash our mind and enable it to get free of the contaminating dust. Then the mind and intelligence become very clear and sharp. Plus when the Supersoul hears our sincere attempt to chant the holy names, He will also assist us in clearing away any obstacles in our path. Thus, our ability increases to delve more deeply into spiritual understanding and to acquire a taste for the holy names.

The mind is the connecting link between the body and the spirit soul within. The soul, which does not actively engage in any material activities, remains in a state of suspended animation while covered by illusion, as in the case of a materially conditioned person who engages in material activities. Through the vehicle of the mind, the senses act and we perceive things around us and form theories. If the mind is unclear or dusty due to the influence of the material energy, we then become confused about the goal of life and may engage in so many material pursuits. When the mind is cleansed or purified by associating with the Infinite in the form of the maha-mantra, all our material concoctions are forced out. By inundating our mind with the transcendental sound of the holy names, all of our misconceptions, which is the cause of our material suffering, are completely conquered, leaving no more enemies within the mind. Then the mind reflects the quality and nature of the soul.

The holy sound of Hare Krishna, as uttered by the pure devotee, moves our intellect and we begin to consider the Vedic philosophy. When the intelligence is thus energized by spiritual knowledge, the transcendental sound vibration, after cutting through the senses, mind, and intelligence, makes contact with the soul. Thus, we are able to hear the holy name with our real spiritual ear, and actual spiritual revelation and self-realization is open to us. Then the soul, having made contact with the Supreme in the form of transcendental sound, recapitulates, sending the vibration back through our intelligence, mind and senses. At that time, when we chant Hare Krishna, the Supreme Infinite Lord is there in the vibration and our whole being experiences a deluge of unlimited spiritual ecstasy.

From this level of spiritual realization, we can enter into the understanding of the very cause of everything that exists. The mind, body, and soul, and even material nature itself can be changed into transcendental energy by one pure exclamation of Hare Krishna. This is very important to understand because when everything becomes saturated with this transcendental sound, the result is total transformation of energy. Thus, what is material can be changed into something spiritual. If this can be done on a grand scale, then the material world can be transformed into the spiritual world.

Another example of how the holy names of Krishna work, and how powerful they are, can be cited from the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sixth Canto, in the story of Ajamila. Ajamila was born of good parents who trained him in knowledge of the Vedas to become a perfect brahmana. Yet one time, while walking along the road, he happened to see a man and a prostitute in a state of intoxication, frolicking in the grass. The woman was not covered properly and was uninhibitedly engaging in amorous pastimes with the man. Upon seeing this, Ajamila became very agitated and later sought the company of the prostitute. He left his young beautiful wife and lived with the prostitute, giving up all regulative principles. He begot ten sons in the womb of the prostitute and named the youngest son Narayana, a name of one of the expansions of Krishna.

To maintain himself and his family, Ajamila cheated others in gambling or by robbing them. While he spent his time in abominable, sinful activities, eighty-eight years of his life passed by. Since his youngest son was born while Ajamila was very old, Narayana was very dear to him. Because of the child's awkward manners and speech, Ajamila delighted in the child's activities. When Ajamila ate or drank, he always did so with his son, Narayana. Ajamila, however, could not understand that the length of his life was decreasing and death was approaching. When the time of death arrived for Ajamila, he began to think only of his son.

At the moment of death, Ajamila became extremely frightened when he saw three persons with deformed bodies, fierce, twisted faces, and their hair standing erect. With a noose in their hands, they had come to take him to Yamaraja, the lord of death. Because of attachment to his son, Ajamila fearfully began to call him loudly by his name, Narayana.

Just then the Vishnudutas, soldiers of Lord Vishnu, arrived when they heard the holy name of their master from the mouth of the dying Ajamila. Ajamila had certainly chanted the name of Narayana without offense because he had chanted in complete anxiety. The Yamadutas, soldiers of Yamaraja, were snatching the soul from the heart of Ajamila, but the messengers of Lord Vishnu forcefully stopped them from doing so. The Yamadutas inquired why they were being stopped from taking Ajamila. The Vishnudutas then asked the Yamadutas that if they were really servants of Lord Yamaraja, then explain the meaning of religious and irreligious principles.

The Yamadutas replied that from their master, Yamaraja, they had heard that which is prescribed in the Vedas constitutes religious principles, and the opposite is irreligion. They continued to explain that Lord Narayana is situated in His own abode in the spiritual world, but controls the entire cosmic creation.

The sun, fire, sky, air, demigods, moon, evening, day, night, directions, water, land, and Supersoul Himself all witness the activities of the living entities. Those that deserve punishment are those who are confirmed by these witnesses as having engaged in unrighteous activities. Everyone engaged in fruitive activities deserves punishment in proportion to their sinful acts. In this way, they must enjoy or suffer the corresponding reactions of their karma in the next life.

The Yamadutas continued to explain the laws of karma and the position of the living entity, pointing out that in considering the sinful life of Ajamila, they had the right to take him to hell in order to rectify his sinful behavior.

The Vishnudutas, however, stated that Ajamila had already atoned for all of his sinful actions, not only for this one life but for those performed in millions of lives, simply by chanting the holy name of Narayana in a helpless condition. Even though he had not chanted purely, he chanted without offense, and, therefore, was now pure and eligible for liberation. Throughout Ajamila's life, he called the name Narayana. Although calling his son, by chanting the name Narayana, he sufficiently atoned for the sinful actions of millions of lives. At the time of death, Ajamila had helplessly and very loudly chanted the holy name of the Lord. That chanting alone had already freed him from the reactions of all sinful life. Therefore, the soldiers of Lord Vishnu forbade the servants of Yamaraja to take Ajamila for punishment in hell. Anyone who takes shelter of the Supreme through His holy names can similarly be saved from the dark future of sinful reactions after death.

Although Srimad-Bhagavatam relates the full story of Ajamila and how he witnessed the discussion between the Yamadutas and Vishnudutas and then went on to achieve ultimate spiritual perfection by taking to the process of bhakti-yoga, our short summary here is to show the potency of the holy names. Ajamila is not much different than most people in this age of Kali who are attracted to sinful activities. Therefore, we should seriously try to understand and take advantage of the chanting of the holy names, for by doing so even the greatest sins we may have committed can be atoned, as the following verses explain:

Simply by chanting one holy name of Hari, a sinful man can counteract the reactions to more sins than he is able to commit. (Brihad-vishnu Purana)

As when all small animals flee in fear when a lion roars, similarly all one's sinful reactions leave when a person chants the Lord's holy names while in a helpless condition or even if he has no desire to do so. (Garuda Purana)

The path to liberation is guaranteed when a person once chants the holy name of Lord Hari. (Skanda Purana)

The Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.3.31) explains that chanting the holy names can negate the reactions of the most serious of sins, and, therefore, everyone should take this seriously and join the sankirtana movement, which is the most auspicious activity in the universe. And the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya-lila, 15.109) discloses that beyond dissolving one's entanglement in material existence, by chanting Krishna's names one develops attraction and awakens his love for Krishna.

From these verses we can understand that there is no impediment for everyone to readily utilize the holy names to purify themselves of even the worst sins, providing they are sincere and chant purely. Even those who cannot speak properly can repeat the maha-mantra within their minds. From those who are the most saintly to those who are in the most abominable position, all have the opportunity of chanting the holy names to begin the escape from karmic reactions and to free themselves from material entanglement.

As described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.2.9-10), the chanting of the names of the Supreme is the best atonement for one who is a thief, a drunkard, a killer of brahmanas, or one who kills women or kings or cows or his own parents, or for any other kind of sins. Simply by chanting the holy names one attracts the attention of the Supreme who gives that person special protection.

Herein we can discern that attracting the attention of the Supreme by chanting His holy names is the best means of protecting ourselves from our past impurities. When the Supreme is pleased with someone, what can they not accomplish? Anything can be done by one who becomes spiritually powerful. Therefore, out of all the various processes of atonement that are prescribed by different scripture, engaging in the chanting of the holy names is best because it actually uproots the material desires in the heart. As the Bhagavatam (6.2.12) confirms, the various processes of atonement are not complete if one's mind still runs back to unwanted material habits. Therefore, those who want freedom from their karmic reactions, chanting of the names and pastimes of the Supreme is the best because it completely purifies the mind. Furthermore, the Bhagavatam (6.2.15) relates that chanting the holy names of the Lord before dying by some misfortune is enough to deliver a person from having to enter hell to suffer for his bad karmic reactions.

Not only is the name of the Lord so powerfully effective on one who seriously chants it, despite the fact that he may have been sinful in his past, the name also acts on one who chants it in a very casual manner. The Bhagavatam (6.2.14, 19) points out that even if one chants the holy names neglectfully, jokingly, or simply for entertainment, the holy names are nonetheless effective enough to free the person from unlimited sins, just as a powerful medicine is effective whether a patient who takes it understands it or not.

Even making an offense to God Himself or to the holy names, such offenses can be mitigated by taking shelter of chanting the Lord's holy names. This is related in the Padma Purana (4.25.22-27) as follows: When somehow a sin or blemish is committed against the name of Vishnu, the man should always recite the name and sincerely seek its refuge only. Lord Vishnu's names alone remove the sin of those who have committed a sin or offence against the names since they alone, continuously recited, bring wealth. It is the name alone, when recited without interruption, when remembered or heard, either in a pure form or with incorrect syllables, would protect a man. This alone is the truth. Of course, if it is resorted to hypocritically or for greed born of love for body or wealth, it would not quickly produce the desired result. O Narada, this great secret, which removes all inauspiciousness, and keeps off all sins, was formerly heard (by me) from Shiva. O Narada, even those who are intent on committing sins [but refrain from such], but who know the names of Vishnu, would be liberated merely by reciting them.

Pondering all these points, Lord Yamaraja, in Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.3.26), concludes that all intelligent men take to devotional service by chanting the holy names of the Supreme because even if they accidentally perform some sinful act, they are protected since the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra obliterates all sinful reactions.

ATTAINING LIBERATION THROUGH CHANTING

In the previous segment it is mentioned that there are certain channels through which the Infinite descends. Similarly, there are certain channels that the living beings can use to escape material existence and return to the spiritual realm. Of course, the final goal of any religious process or yoga system is to get free from material entanglement and enter directly into spiritual existence. This happens easily for one who learns how to purely chant the holy names, as verified in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila, 8.26, 28) which states that the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra vanquishes all sins and makes way for the performance of devotional service to begin. The chanting of this maha-mantra gives so much spiritual advancement that one easily ends his material existence and attains love of God.

From everything that has been described so far about the glories of the holy name, such as its potency to purify the mind, to relieve us of material activities and the reactions to sinful acts, as well as to put us in direct contact with the Supreme and reawaken our attraction for Him, it is obvious, especially for this age of Kali-yuga, that the most worshipable object is the Lord's holy names, especially as found in the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The Bhagavatam (6.3.22) also confirms this by stating that the topmost religious principle for the entire human race is to engage in devotional service beginning with the chanting of the Lord's holy names. Therefore, those who chant the holy names have reached the ultimate position in civilized life and, if they continue on the path, will attain further realizations in spiritual life up to reaching the platform of pure, unadulterated devotional service. All such transcendental opulences, as stated in the above verses, are attained simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra without offenses. In this way, one attains the supreme spiritual bliss. The Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya-lila, 20.14) explains that by chanting the spiritual names of Krishna one tastes spiritual ecstasy when his love for Krishna awakens. Then one attains Krishna's direct association and feels like he is in an ocean of love.

The name "Krishna" literally means "the greatest pleasure," or "He who is all-attractive." All living entities are looking for pleasure and happiness. God is the storehouse of all pleasure and whatever happiness we feel in this material world is simply due to contact with His energy. However, by chanting His holy names, we can transcend whatever temporary pleasure is found on the material platform and experience actual spiritual happiness by coming in direct contact with the Supreme, the source of all pleasure. The Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila, 7.73) verifies that simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra a person is freed from material life and will be able to see the Lord.

The mystery behind these names of God is further explained in the Sri Caitanya Upanishad, texts 12-14. It explains that the names of the Supreme that are used in the Hare Krishna mantra have specific meanings. Hari refers to "He who unties the knot of a person's material desires." Krishna is divided into Krish, which means "He who is attractive to everyone," and Na, which means "the greatest spiritual pleasure." And Rama means "He who is full of spiritual bliss and attracts all others." The Hare Krishna mantra consists of the repetition of these names of the Supreme (Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare) and is the best of all mantras and most confidential of secrets. Those who are serious about making spiritual progress continually chant these holy names and cross over material existence.

For one who takes shelter of the maha-mantra, he is sure to reach the Supreme because such mystic meditation engages the mind and intelligence in Krishna. By such continued remembrance of Krishna, even though one may seem to be engaged in so many duties, one regains his spiritual consciousness which is the prerequisite for entering back into the spiritual world. As Sri Krishna explains in Bhagavad-gita (8.7-8), a person should think of Him as Krishna and carry out one's duty with the mind and intelligence fixed on Him. Thinking and meditating on Krishna in this undeviated way, one can be sure to reach the divine Supreme Spirit.

From this information we can understand that if we can continue setting some time aside everyday for chanting the maha-mantra and spiritualizing our consciousness, we will be prepared for entering the spiritual realm after death. This is the most important aspect of any yoga or religious system--being free from material consciousness and remembering the Supreme at the time we give up our body. This requirement is easily fulfilled simply by remembering the Lord through chanting His holy names. This is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.9.15) which declares that one who takes shelter of Krishna by invoking His spiritual names at the time of leaving the body is cleansed of many lifetimes of sin and attains Krishna without fail.

The most practical example of this is Ajamila, as previously discussed. The Bhagavatam (6.2.49) describes that at the time of death Ajamila chanted the Lord's name and returned to the spiritual world, although he was calling for his son, Narayana, and spent a lifetime in sinful activity. So where is the doubt that if one seriously chants the Lord's holy name he will return to the spiritual world? Therefore, as the Bhagavatam (6.2.46) elaborates, for one who is serious about attaining freedom from material existence, there is nothing more effective than chanting the holy names of the Supreme and discussing His pastimes and qualities. Other processes are not as complete and leave one's mind tainted with passion and ignorance. Furthermore (Bhag.6.3.24), all of one's sinful karmic reactions are wiped out simply by chanting the Lord's names and glorifying His qualities and activities. Even if one cannot properly pronounce the holy name, a person will achieve liberation if he chants without offense.

GOD INAUGURATES CHANTING THE HOLY NAMES

We should not think that sankirtana, the chanting of the Lord's holy names, is simply part of the system of mantra-yoga, or is merely a formula that has been passed down through the ages like other yoga systems. Nor is it a ritual, ceremony, or activity meant for producing good karma or positive fruitive results. Neither is it merely a way to focus the mind and achieve peace and tranquility. It is more than any of these.

As previously explained, there is a system of self-realization especially recommended for each age. In the age of Kali, people are not attracted to spiritual pursuits and are often rebellious against anything that seems to restrict or stifle their freedom to do anything they want. Since in this age we are so easily distracted by so many things and our mind is always in a whirl, we need an easy path. Therefore, the Vedic shastra explains that God has given us an easy way to return to Him in this age. It is almost as if He has said, "Since you are My worst son, I give you the easiest process." The Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila, 3.40) confirms this and says that the Supreme Being descends as Sri Caitanya, with a golden complexion, to simply spread the glories of chanting the holy names, which is the only religious principle in this age of Kali. In this way, God Himself has given the method of chanting His holy names as the most effective means to reach His spiritual abode.

The Lord always descends to establish the codes of religion. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (4.6-8) where Lord Krishna explains that although He is unborn and the Lord of all living beings, He still descends in His spiritual form in order to re-establish the proper religious principles and annihilate the miscreants whenever there is a decline of religion and a rise in irreligious activity.

Though there are many incarnations of God, all incarnations are known and predicted in the Vedic literature. Each incarnation performs many wonderful pastimes. But in Kali-yuga the Lord descends as His own devotee in the form of Sri Caitanya in order to show the perfect example of how devotional service should be performed, and to stress the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra for this age by inaugurating the process of the sankirtana movement.

Predictions of the appearance of Lord Caitanya can be found in many Vedic texts. One of them is from the Svetasvatara Upanishad (3.12): "The Supreme Personality of God [Purusha] is Mahaprabhu [great master], the propagator of transcendental enlightenment." Another is from the Vayu Purana: "In the age of Kali I shall descend as the son of Sacidevi to inaugurate the sankirtana movement." The Bhagavatam (11.5.32) also describes how intelligent men sing the holy names to worship the incarnation of God who is accompanied by His associates and always sings the names of Krishna. And in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila, 3.19-20) the Supreme Lord Himself describes how He will appear as His own devotee to perform and teach devotional service by inaugurating the sankirtana movement, which is the religion for this age.

The Sri Caitanya Upanishad (texts 5-11) of the Atharva-veda contains the most detailed prediction of Lord Caitanya's appearance and activities. When Pippalada asked his father, Lord Brahma, how the sinful living entities will be delivered in Kali-yuga and who should be the object of their worship and what mantra should they chant to be delivered, Brahma told him to listen carefully and he would describe what will take place in the age of Kali. Brahma said that the Supreme Lord Govinda, Krishna, will appear again in Kali-yuga as His own devotee in a two-armed form with a golden complexion in the area of Navadvipa along the Ganges. He will spread the system of devotional service and the chanting of the names of Krishna, especially in the form of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra; Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

These and other predictions confirm the fact that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would appear to specifically propagate the chanting of the holy names. Of course, now, five hundred years after Lord Caitanya's appearance, we have complete descriptions and elaborations on His life, activities, and philosophy, as had been written by His close associates. This verifies the fact that the chanting of the maha-mantra is the rare and special opportunity given by God for all to be relieved from the problems of the age of Kali and of material life in general. As confirmed in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila, 3.77-78), it is Sri Krishna Caitanya who inaugurates the congregational chanting of the holy names, which is the most sublime of all spiritual sacrifices. Intelligent people will worship Him through this means, while other foolish people will continue in the cycle of repeated birth and death in this material world.

In another place in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya-lila, 20.8-9), Sri Caitanya specifically tells Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya that chanting the holy names is the most practical way to attain salvation from material existence in this age, and anyone who is intelligent and takes up this process of worshiping Krishna will attain the direct shelter of Krishna.

HOW TO CHANT THE MAHA-MANTRA

There are no hard and fast rules for chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. One can chant anywhere, anytime, in any situation. In fact, the Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya-lila, 20.18) describes that chanting the holy name at any time or place, even during sleep or while eating, brings one all perfection. However, there are different stages of chanting. The first stage of chanting is the offensive stage, the second stage is offenseless chanting, and then is the third or pure stage of chanting, which is when the chanting becomes extremely powerful.

The proper way to chant is to give up all of our internal thoughts. As mentioned before, it is almost impossible to meditate on the void and empty our mind of all thinking. Our mind is always being pulled here and there by something. But the chanting process is easy because we simply concentrate on the mantra. However, our meditation on the mantra will be most effective if we can avoid the internal dialogue we always have within our mind. We should not be chanting while we make plans for the day, or while focusing our attention on other things. The maha-mantra is the Supreme in the incarnation of sound. Therefore, we must chant with complete respect and veneration. We must give the mantra our full attention, otherwise it is offensive. The process is to simply chant and hear. That is all. If we can do that, then we will make rapid progress and quickly attain the second stage of chanting, which is the offenseless stage.

As one progresses through the second stage, a person begins to get a taste for the chanting, and begins to feel the nectar of joy and bliss within the names. As a person enters the third or pure stage of chanting, the layers of ignorance that keeps one from realizing their spiritual identity are peeled away. At the fullest point, one gains direct perception of their spiritual identity and relationship with God, and is immediately liberated while still in the material body. The Lord reveals Himself to such a sincere devotee and the devotee relishes the taste of transcendental life. As Srila Rupa Gosvami states in his Sri Upadesamrita (text 7), everything about Krishna is spiritually sweet, such as His names, qualities, and activities. But one who suffers from the disease of ignorance cannot taste this sweetness. Yet by chanting the names everyday, a person can destroy this disease and relish the natural sweetness of Krishna's names.

The Hare Krishna mantra is said to contain everything for both material and spiritual well-being. So if one chants Hare Krishna with material desires, he will attain these. And if one wants mukti, or liberation from the material world, he can also get that. Then again if one chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra understanding that Radha and Krishna are personally present there enjoying intimate pastimes in Vrindavana, then one can attain Their eternal loving service. Ultimately, the content of the mantra cannot be separated from the sadhaka's or practitioner's mentality. Both have a part to play at what will be attained through the use of it.

The essential state of mind that one should have while chanting the maha-mantra is described by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself in the third verse of His Siksastaka prayers:

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

The names of God come directly from the spiritual world, Vaikuntha, which means the place of no anxiety. Therefore, the more we are absorbed in kuntha, or anxiety caused by material pursuits, the longer it will take for us to reach the Vaikuntha platform. But the more we associate with the Vaikuntha vibration of the maha-mantra, the sooner we will progress to the stage of experiencing the ecstasy that comes from awakening our transcendental love for the Supreme. The Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila, 8.27) confirms that bodily transformations of spiritual ecstasy, such as trembling, perspiration, a faltering voice, and tears, may manifest when one's spiritual love for the Lord is actually awakened.

* * *

To begin progressing on the path of chanting the maha-mantra, it is prescribed that the practitioner chant on beads called japa-mala, similar to a rosary, that consists of 108 beads with one extra head bead, which is larger than the others. This represents the 108 Upanishads, or, as described elsewhere, Krishna in the form of the head bead surrounded by 108 of His most advanced devotees.

You may be able to purchase a set of japa beads at certain import shops or temples. If you cannot find them anywhere, you can also make them. Simply go to a crafts shop and purchase 108 beads of the same size and one larger bead of your choice for the Krishna bead. Also get a length of durable nylon cord. String the 108 beads with a knot in between each one and bring the two ends of the cord through one hole of the Krishna bead and out the other side where you tie the two ends of the cord together in a firm knot. Then cut the remaining lengths of the cord so you have a small tassle. Now you have got your own set of beads for japa meditation.

One chants the Hare Krishna mantra once on each bead from the head bead all the way around the 108 beads. This is one round, or one mala. Then without chanting on the Krishna bead, turn the beads around in your hand and go in the opposite direction and chant another round. One should try to set a certain amount of time aside each day, preferably in the morning, to peacefully sit down or walk and chant the particular number of rounds you have set for yourself. One may chant two rounds, four rounds, or whatever one can do.

For those who are serious, it is prescribed that they chant a total of at least sixteen rounds everyday. With a little practice, this normally takes about two hours. Two rounds will take about fifteen minutes. But one should set a fixed number of rounds to chant everyday. Then one can also spend some time reading Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam to enhance his or her spiritual development. A daily program of chanting and reading will produce definite results very quickly.

When you are ready to use the mantra, it does not hurt to calm the mind through the basic steps of preparation that have already been described, such as a little pranayama breathing techniques and so on. This is, after all, steps for preparing to attain deeper levels of awareness and consciousness, although this is not necessary. Then take your japa beads and begin intently chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. When the mind is calm and focused, it will especially be able to concentrate on the vibrations of the mantra. As you chant it with your voice, it is received through the ear and considered by the intelligence. From there it goes deeper into the consciousness. Let no other thoughts enter the mind so that the mantra is all there is. Dive deep into the sound of your chanting and feel the vibration of the holy names and the energy they emit.

As you become regulated at this, doing it everyday, changes will begin to manifest in your consciousness that may be imperceptible at first, while other changes begin that will be noticeable from the start. You will often notice an internal energy within you that was not there before. Amongst other things, you may also feel more sure of your own position and purpose in life, and a closer affinity with God and all beings. Of course, this is just the beginning, so if you do this regularly, deeper insights and realizations will occur as your consciousness acquires more clarity and purification.

This short description does not include that you could also get a real taste for the nectar within the Lord's holy names themselves as you can begin to perceive a reciprocation between yourself and the Lord in His names every time you begin to chant. This takes on a whole different side of spiritual growth which more closely links one to God, which, after all, is the whole purpose of any sort of yoga or religion.

As with any form of meditation, it is best to do your chanting in the early morning when it is quiet and peaceful, and before your mind starts with the activities of the day. However, you can do it anytime or even at a few different times, such as in the morning and again in the evening to put things back into perspective, especially if you have had a busy or difficult day.

CONCLUSION

This chapter contains descriptions of the glories and effectiveness of chanting the maha-mantra. Those who are intelligent will certainly add this spiritual practice to their lives. By taking it seriously, they will soon notice a change in their disposition. They may feel more peaceful, content, happy, etc. One trait that is always noticeable in a person who seriously takes to bhakti-yoga and the chanting of the maha-mantra is a decrease in such feelings as anxiety and distress, up to the point of complete fearlessness. Once someone is no longer afraid of death, then what is there to be afraid of in this material world? One loses such fear when he or she is spiritually self-realized and knows he or she is not this body and, therefore, not actually subject to death, but merely undergoes a transformation of giving up the body. And by taking shelter of the protection of the holy names of Krishna, one will remain spiritually safe in any condition of life.

It is unfortunate that many people in the world are either not aware of this transcendental knowledge or have no taste for it. For such people, extensive material engagements and plan-making are their primary occupation. But this kind of activity is like working hard for nothing because in the end one is awarded only with death, in which all material assets are lost. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.9.10), nondevotees engage in very troublesome work and cannot sleep well at night because they are absorbed in worldly plans. By providence their ambitions are frustrated and they continue in the cycle of repeated birth and death in material existence.

The only way, therefore, to get release from such material problems and be free from the contamination of the age of Kali is to take up the practice of bhakti-yoga and regularly chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra while observing the regulations as best as one can. By chanting the maha-mantra with faith, a person will eventually purify his or her consciousness and reach success. As more people begin to chant the holy names, the troubles and upheavals found everywhere will diminish, and this age of Kali-yuga can become like the peaceful and bountiful Satya-yuga--the golden age. This is actually the prediction made by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who said (in Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 7.26) that love of God will one day inundate the world and drown everyone, regardless of who or what they are. Then many beneficial changes in this world will be seen. Therefore, the best thing any of us can do is to take it seriously.

"Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krishna, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Krishna expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step." (Siksastaka 1, written by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu)

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

Read more on Chanting Hare Krishna HERE:

Key Points
At death the soul passes into another body.
It is carried within the subtle body.
The next body is determined by the state of mind at death, and by the soul's desires and deserts.
The nature of the soul is the same, regardless of which body it resides in.
Samsara ­ passing through the six categories of lifeforms ­ is considered painful for the eternal soul.

As the real self (atman) remains unchanged throughout life, it likewise continues after death. This soul is carried within the subtle (astral) body to its next destination. The precise nature of the new body is determined by the state of mind at death and is specifically influenced by (1) the person's desires, and (2) his karma.

Samsara refers to the process of passing from one body to another throughout all species of life. Hindus believe that consciousness is present in all life forms, even fish and plants. However, though the soul is present in all species, its potential is exhibited to different degrees. In aquatics and plants it is most "covered", practically asleep, whereas in humans it is most alert. This progression of consciousness is manifest throughout six broad "classes of life, "namely (1) aquatics, (2) plants, (3) reptiles and insects, (4) birds, (5) animals and (6) humans, including the residents of heaven. Most Hindus consider samsara essentially painful, a cycle of four recurring problems: birth, disease, old-age, and death.
Glossary Terms

Samsara: the perpetual cycle of repeated birth and death.
A Useful Analogy
Replacing old clothes with new

As the body wears clothes, the soul "wears" the body.
We discard clothes when they become old and useless, and buy and put on new ones.
We buy clothes on the basis of (1) what we want, and (2) what we can afford. Similarly, we get our next body according to (1) our desires and (2) our karma.
Just as a person wears layers of clothing, the soul wears a number of material coverings. They are primarily two:
the subtle body, also called the astral or ghost body It consists largely of the mind and usually remains with the soul as it quits the gross body.
the gross or external body, which the soul (with the subtle body) discards at death
Related Stories
Story of Maharaja Bharata (STO-103)

A story about reincarnation.
The Life and Death ofAjamila (STO-104)

The time of death.
Related Practices

The Hindu rites of passage at death, during and after the funeral ceremony, are to ensure the peaceful passage of the soul. They aim to prevent the person being "held up" in his or her spiritual evolution, and particularly to avoid the possibility of remaining in subtle form as a ghost (as yet without a new body).

In fact, many Hindus consider all rites of passage as preparation for inevitable death.
Scriptural Passages

"As the embodied soul continually passes in this body from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into a new body at death."

"Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, 0 son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail."

"The living entity, thus taking another gross body, obtains a certain type of ear, eye, tongue, nose and sense of touch, which are grouped about the mind. He thus enjoys a particular set of sense objects."

Bhagavad-gita 2.13, 8.06, 15.9

See also: Bhagavad-gita 2.22, 8.06, 15.8­10
Meaning and Purpose

Why are we not born with equal opportunity despite attempts to accomplish this through social reform?
Related Values and Issues

The notion of a soul within all bodies is particularly relevant to the following issues:
abortion
animal welfare/rights
negative discrimination of all kinds (racism, ageism, sexism, nationalism, religious sectarianism, etc.)
empathy for others
non-violence (ahimsa)
questions of identity
Personal Reflection
We could explore our feelings towards animals. What similar features do they share with humans? What are the differences?
Could reincarnation relate to the phenomenon of those about to die seeing their entire lives passing before their eyes?
How can we explain out-of-body or near-death experiences, and spontaneous "past-life memories."
Common Misunderstandings
Hindus believe that in the next life the soul becomes a different person or even an animal.

No, the soul retains its identity, and the same "real-self" passes into a new body. Any differences between the body we now have and that which we receive in the next life reflect the subtle (psychological) changes undergone in this chapter of life.

Read more on Reincarnation HERE:

Orlando, Florida – More than one hundred delegates, representing several Hindu temples and organizations in North America, gathered for the “Dharma Summit” held on December 14 – 16. The three-day meeting called together leaders from various sampradayas to address issues of common concern and share best practices. Vyenkata Bhatta Dasa, the Hare Krishna Movement’s North American Director of Communications, attended as a representative of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Vyenkata is also a part of the ISKCON News editorial team.

Vyenkata facilitated a discussion about the persecution of ISKCON devotees in Kazakhstan, and gave a presentation on how to respond to positive and negative portrayals of Hinduism in the popular media. He also served as a panelist on a workshop addressing the sensitive issue of interfaith marriage and conversion. Other presenters covered a wide range of additional issues, including Anuja Prashar’s informative research on the efforts of Evangelical Christian missionaries to target Hindus, Jnanesvari Devi sharing media tips drawn from her experience leading the Barsana Dhama community in Austin, and a comparison of the challenges and opportunities facing the Jewish and Hindu communities by Professor Nathan Katz (from the University of Florida).

“I was very happy to be part of the Dharma Summit,” Vyenkata said. “It is not so easy to take a balanced, pragmatic approach to collectively addressing shared concerns, while still celebrating the diversity that makes up the Vedic traditions. This is exactly the type of mood that the organizers of the Summit tried very sincerely to foster.”

ISKCON devotees from nearby Gainesville also participated in the event by catering Friday evening’s meal and performing kirtana. In light of the Summit’s theme of thinking outside of the box and encouraging outreach to the broader community, the organizers worked closely with the Gainesville devotees to create a “theme dinner” designed to illustrate their successful Krishna Lunch program. The devotee cooks substituted traditional Indian vegetarian fare like dahl, rice, and subji with the Krishna Lunch meal voted most popular by the University of Florida community: spaghetti with vegetarian protein, salad and dynamite dressing, halavah, and lemonade—all sanctified by first being offered to the Lord with love and devotion.

After the dinner, a group of devotees took to the stage for a performace of mellow, meditative kirtan chanting. The performance featured the Hare Krishna mahamantra being sung in several different melodies and accompanied by harmonium, mridanga drum, hand cymbals, and acoustic guitar. A large projection screen cycled through a collection of Krishna art images to compliment the singing, and several of the audience members clapped and sang along with the chorus. Between songs, a few devotees shared insights about Krishna consciousness and the importance of sharing Vedic knowledge with others.

Bhaktin Kelly, an active participant at the Gainesville center and an anthropology major in her senior year at UF, particularly won over the audience with the heartfelt story of how she first became involved with Krishna consciousness through the Krishna Lunch program. Kelly, a bright-faced All-American girl dressed in a simple but elegant sari, had audience members speechless as she described her journey from the nominal Christianity of her childhood, to the atheism of her youth, and finally to her adopted practice of the Vaisnava (Hare Krishna) faith.

“After Kelly’s talk, several delegates approached me to express how much they appreciated the miracle that Srila Prabhupada performed in spreading Sanatana Dharma around the world,” Vyenkata recalled.

ISKCON belongs to the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, a monotheistic tradition within Vedic or Hindu culture. ISKCON devotees recognize that Hindu culture is vast, and the term encompasses numerous theologies, philosophies, religious traditions and spiritual cultures. In participating in events such as the Dharma Summit, Krishna devotees seek to represent the Vaisnava tradition while building bridges to others who also base their faith on the Vedic scriptures.

“I know that I learned a lot from the other delegates,” Vyenkata said, “and I hope that I was able to be of some benefit by sharing some of our [ISKCON] experiences, as well.”

An amazing publication that elucidates — A Concise Encyclopedia of Authentic Hinduism
http://www.thetruehistoryandthereligionofindia.org/

The True History and the Religion of India is a concise encyclopedia of authentic Hinduism that reveals the true theme of our scriptures and describes the history of India and the religion of India (Bharatvarsh) of 155.521972 trillion years along with a review of the growth and the development of western civilizations that includes their language, literature, history and religion. It gives a new light to the seekers of the Divine truth and the sincere research scholars of the world.

It reveals the authentic form of Sanatan Dharm (the eternal Divine religion) and tells the original philosophy of our Vedas, Puranas, Gita, Bhagwatam, Darshan Shastras and the writings of our acharyas and Jagadgurus.

It also reveals the hidden evidences of the workings of the British regime of how they mutilated and abused our Divine Hindu history and religion.

After removing all the confusions related to Hinduism, The True History and the Religion of India gives a crystal clear view of Bharatvarsh's  general history of trillions of years with precise calculations, and details the authentic chronology with definite evidences from 3228 BC to 1947 AD.

It explains the eternally existing forms of Divine worship and gives complete information about Hindu (Bhartiya) religion, scriptures, history, and their Divinity.

By Stephen Knapp

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vedic World Heritage links:

See our pages supporting these views HERE:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/VWH.html (Vedik World Heritage)
Western Indologists been exposed page:
http://www.hknet.org.nz/WesternIndologists-page.htm
How British Misguided the World on Vedic History
http://www.hknet.org.nz/MotiveBritishRajMissionaries.html

 Would we be healthier? Would the planet? The risks and benefits of a meat-free life.

By RICHARD CORLISS

Posted Sunday, July 7, 2002; 10:31 a.m. EST

FIVE REASONS TO EAT MEAT:
1) It tastes good
2) It makes you feel good
3) It's a great American tradition
4) It supports the nation's farmers
5) Your parents did it

Oh, sorry ... those are five reasons to smoke cigarettes. Meat is more complicated. It's a food most Americans eat virtually every day: at the dinner table; in the cafeteria; on the barbecue patio; with mustard at a ballpark; or, a billion times a year, with special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame-seed bun. Beef is, the TV commercials say, "America's food"—the Stars and Stripes served up medium rare—and as entwined with the nation's notion of its robust frontier heritage as, well, the Marlboro Man.

But these days America's cowboys seem a bit small in the saddle. Those cattle they round up have become politically incorrect: for many, meat is an obscene cuisine. It's not just the additives and ailments connected with the consumption of beef, though a dish of hormones, E. coli bacteria or the scary specter of mad-cow disease might be effective enough as an appetite suppressant. It's that more and more Americans, particularly young Americans, have started engaging in a practice that would once have shocked their parents. They are eating their vegetables. Also their grains and sprouts. Some 10 million Americans today consider themselves to be practicing vegetarians, according to a Time poll of 10,000 adults; an additional 20 million have flirted with vegetarianism sometime in their past.

To get a taste of the cowboy's ancient pride, and current defensiveness, just click on South Dakota cattleman Jody Brown's website, www.ranchers.net, and read the new meat mantras: "Vegetarians don't live longer, they just look older"; and "If animals weren't meant to be eaten, then why are they made out of meat?" (One might ask the same of humans.) For Brown and his generation of unquestioning meat eaters, dinner is something the parents put on the table and the kids put in their bodies. Of his own kids, he says, "We expect them to eat a little of everything." So beef is served nearly every night at the Brown homestead, with nary a squawk from Jeff, 17, Luke, 13, and Hannah, 11. But Jody admits to at least one liberal sympathy. "If a vegetarian got a flat tire in my community," he says, "I'd come out and help him."

For the rancher who makes his living with meat or the vegetarian whose diet could someday drive all those breeder-slaughterers to bankruptcy, nothing is simple any more. Gone is the age of American innocence, or naiveté when such items as haircuts and handshakes, family names and school uniforms, farms and zoos, cowboys and ranchers, had no particular political meaning. Now everything is up for rancorous debate. And no aspect of our daily lives—our lives as food consumers—gets more heat than meat.

For millions of vegetarians, beef is a four-letter word; veal summons charnel visions of infanticide. Many children, raised on hit films like Babe and Chicken Run, recoil from eating their movie heroes and switch to what the meat defeaters like to call a "nonviolent diet." Vegetarianism resolves a conscientious person's inner turf war by providing an edible complex of good-deed-doing: to go veggie is to be more humane. Give up meat, and save lives!

Of course, one of the lives you could save or at least prolong is your own. For vegetarianism should be about more than not eating; it's also about smart eating. You needn't be a born-again foodist to think this. The American Dietetic Association, a pretty centrist group, has proclaimed that "appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, are nutritionally adequate and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases."

So, how about it? Should we all become vegetarians? Not just teens but also infants, oldsters, athletes—everyone? Will it help us live longer, healthier lives? Does it work for people of every age and level of work activity? Can we find the right vegetarian diet and stick to it? And if we can do it, will we?

With links to further pages.......HERE

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

See similar articles at Vegetarianism & beyond:
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Sometimes great authorities will teach asat sastra, a teaching which is not actually bona fide, but is just something to beat the heads of the atheists and kick them out.  There is one story of Gopala Bhar.  He was employed by king Krsnacandra, who lived about 300 years ago in Bengal, and Gopala was the joker.  He was also very intelligent, and very bold.  There was a digvijaya pandita, who came to Bengal.  At that time, the main king or emperor of Bengal was a Muslim, but in different provinces there were also Hindu kings, and Maharaja Krsnacandra was one such Hindu king, he was king in that area of Navadvipa.  So this digvijaya pandita had been going all over India defeating all the panditas, and getting it written down, "I have defeated this one, I have defeated that one."  So he came to the muslim emperor, saying, "I am the great digvijaya pandita, I have come now to Bengal and I'm making a challenge.  You bring your best pandita.  I will defeat him."  What he expected was that whoever he defeated had to become his disciple.  So he made a very strong challenge.  The muslim emperor turned to his adviser and said, "What should we do?"  The minister replied, "Well, you know all our best panditas are down in Navadvipa."  That was the centre of learning.  So a message was sent to Maharaja Krsnacandra that a big pandita has come to the muslim emperor and given challenge.  "Send your best panditas, and if I defeat them they must become my disciples."  So it was very heavy for Maharaja Krsnacandra, because he knew, "The muslim emperor is expecting that I send some panditas that can defeat him.  It is all now on my shoulders."  So then, together with his advisers, he decided to bring in the big panditas.  They  explained to the panditas what was going on, but all the panditas in Navadvipa said, "No.  We're not getting involved in this."  They didn't want their prestige to be diminished, they were thinking, "If we go there and he defeats us then it means we have to become his disciples, and then our prestige will be diminished.  So we'll just stay out of this."  The king was very much worried, because he was a kshatriya, he cannot force Brahmins to do his will.  He can only ask, and if they say no then he's in a helpless situation.  So he was very worried.  Then Gopala Bhar came in, and saw the king sitting there very morose.  "Hey king!  What's wrong?"  "Oh Gopala, look don't bother me now."  Gopala said, "Oh, come on, What's the matter."  The king was very sober, "Look Gopala, we don't want to laugh now.  We don't want to hear jokes.  Please come back another day."  "No no," Gopala said, "Why don't you just tell me?"  "All right," the king said, and then he explained everything.  Then Gopala said, "All right, then I will go."  "You?" the king asked.  "Yes, I will go, and I will defeat this pandita.  No problem."  So then Gopala went home, and he dressed himself up like a big Brahmin.  Cut his hair with a big sikha, huge tilaka and a harinam chadar, looking very bonafide.  And Brahmins used to carry their sastra in a roll, a scroll wrapped in silk cloth, under their arm.  So he was looking for something to wrap up, and he had in his house one old broken bed.  So in Bengal these beds are strips of cloth which are woven together, like a deck chair, and in Bengali they call such a bed a kata.  Because the English settled India, many English words come from the Indian language.  In English such a bed is called a cot.  So he took a leg from that old broken bed, and he wrapped in cloth.  He went back to the king, and showed himself.  Everyone was astonished.  "Wow, he looks like a real heavy Brahmin."  He was really getting into the role.  "What is this sastra?" the king asked, and Gopala replied, "This is my Khatvanga Purana."  "But we never heard of this sastra," everyone was saying.  "When I come back I will tell you," Gopala said, and then he left.  Actually what it was, was that khata means "bed", anga means "part of" or in this case the leg, and purana means "old."  So it was "an old leg of a bed," or "Khatvanga Purana."  So this was his sastra.  Then he went to the emperors palace, and he came walking in.  "Oh, what great pandita is this?"  "My name is Gopala Bhar Das Pandit Maharaja.  I have been sent by the king Maharaja Krsnacandra to defeat this so-called digvijaya.  I am master of the four Vedas, and especially my field of expertise is the Jyotir-Veda (which includes astrology."  He was speaking so confidently, and he was looking fearless.  Everyone was very impressed, and even this digvijaya pandita was thinking, "He's not at all afraid of me.  He must be a heavy one."  So the digvijaya pandita saw this scripture that Gopala was carrying, and he asked, "What is this scripture, may I ask?"  "This," Gopala replied, "Is my Khatvanga Purana, of which I am a master."  The pandita was saying, "Wait a minute, I've heard of Visnu Purana, Skanda Purana.  I've never heard of Katvanga Purana.  May I see this?"  Then Gopal Bhar exclaimed, "Ohh!"  He was looking into the sky and going, "Ohhh!  I have just noticed the angle of the sun, and I am remembering now the date today.  We have just now entered a most auspicious moment, according to the Jyotir-Veda.  Anybody who takes a hair from the head of this pandita," pointing to the digvijaya, "will immediately be granted with long life, and wealth in this lifetime, and liberation in the next.  All auspicious result will come in this life and the next, simply by taking a hair from such a great digvijaya pandita as this."  So then immediately everyone in the court ran and was taking hairs from the pandita.  The pandita was being driven, and they were taking from his beard and everything.  He went running and they were all chasing him.  He was gone.  Gopala Bhar returned to Navadvipa with his head in the air.  "Don't worry King, he is gone.  That pandita has run off.  He's completely defeated, completely finished."  "Oh!" the king said.  "How did you do this?"  "As you were saying, I have this Katvanga Purana.   I am a master of the learning of this."  And when he opened it he showed a leg of a bed, and everyone was astonished.  Then he explained the story, and they could all understand that he had just played a big joke, that's all.  Then they asked him, "How is it that you could go so confidently, so boldly into that courtyard of the muslim emperor, simply dressed up like a brahmin and carrying an old bed leg under your arm.  How were you so sure that you could defeat him just by a trick?"  Gopala replied, "As soon as I heard that this pandita was going to the muslim king and declaring that he is a great learned scholar, and that he would defeat any other scholar, then I knew that he must have been a fool.  He must have actually been a kind of rascal because what do muslims know about Vedic learning.  Why did he go to the muslim, why didn't he come down here or go to another Hindu king.  He was going to the muslim king, so I knew that he must just be a rascal, trying to make a big show, so I did not think I had anything to fear when I went there."

MORAL: The digvijaya pandita was just actually a rascal, which means not really one who's situated on the platform of knowledge, just someone who's trying to gain some name and fame.  That's a rascal.  Rascals can be defeated by rascal means.

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

The phaomnneil pweor of the hmuan mnid: Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig!
Mybae the I can sotp slpel ckchenig?

http://www.gaura-gambhira.com/

Written by HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami

Dear Maharaj/ Prabujis/ Matajis,

It is my great pleasure to inform all the devotees of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that a great service opportunity has been offered by the temple authorities of Gambhira, in Puri dham, where Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spent the final years of His manifested pastimes on this earthly planet. Kasi Mishra's house, also known as Gambhira, and the Radha Kanta math, were both under the care of the Orissa government due to 20 years of litigation. Finally, this litigation problem has been resolved and the management of the institution has been returned to the temple mahanta.

The temple has sustained much damage over the years due to lack of proper maintenance. The whole place is very dirty and the roofs and walls are falling down. The temple roof is also cracking. Additionally, the temple has a lack of proper income for the maintenance of the devotees and for deity puja—and, of course, the more the Gambhira is allowed to deteriorate, the fewer visitors it will have.

At this crucial point, the mahanta of Gambhira has requested ISKCON to extend kind assistence to him in order to protect and maintain this most holy place. Devotees from all over the world come to offer their prayers and obeisances at Gambhira. This is one of the most important places for the followers of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and must be maintained nicely.

Thus, this is a golden opportunity for devotees to render service to this most sacred cause. I request all devotees to kindly donate towards this purpose. There are many things to be fixed at the place. For the time being we have prepared a rough budget, for whatever the most urgent needs are, just to bring the situation up to  survival position. Later on, we will let you know about further opportunities for service in the development of the Gambhira.

For further information contact

Bhakti Purusottama Swami

Phone: ++ 91 9434506434

E mail: bps@pamho.net

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