How to know (be sure) that/if Krishna and Rama want me to "kill" demons in ISKCON?

2 months, 2 weeks ago by Namacarya das in Hot Topics

Dear Guru Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances. 

All glories to AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada!


In connection with what you wrote here (and in many other places you mention the same point)

https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/15208/ 

"If people are dressing themselves falsely as leaders of the institution but at heart are self seeking demons then we shall chant Hare Krsna, Hare Rama, praying for Rama and Krsna to save all the honest members of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON, and if They want us to kill demons it will be obvious that we are just Their instruments."



How could I be sure that Krishna and Rama want me to "kill" demons in ISKCON? Of course, I do not want to kill anyone, literally. However, there may be particular ISKCON laws and attitudes that I do not want to sign to or follow, and I may be embarrassed to be in such an organization. 


I know that first I should look into my own heart and all the garbage there, and deal with that. Still, sometimes, some actions/words/expressions of others I do not approve. I am not sure if I should go into a clashing of thoughts with ISKCON authorities, because my experience is that it causes a lot of emotionally surcharged words and dealings and, in the end, it may not give (my) desired result. 


I am mindful that all the answers could be given from Krishna in the heart if I am sufficiently clean and the sattva guna (visuddha sattva?) predominates in my consciousness. But then..., as I was doing until now, better I keep my mouth shut. 


Another point is that I believe that many things can be told, but there is a way how to say it (internally (the mood) and externally (the tone and expression)). Like not judging the person(s), not attacking their personality, not calling them bad words, etc.


And..., I remember your story with a TP from San Francisco, when you talked with him openly (in private) and he talked back to you openly, explaining why is he acting in the way he is.  


If it is possible, would you like to comment on this topic, apart from chanting better japa, getting up always at 4 AM for mangala arati, praying to Krishna, reading SP's books deeply, talking with other devotees, minding my own business, etc? To be clear, I do not have anything against these activities. I am asking if there is more elaboration, help, advice, and experiences in connection to this subject. 



If you would like to answer by audio or video, that is very fine with me. If that is the case, I will need to know where is the file/recording.



Thank you, again, and again!


Your servant Namacarya Das


HpS - Hare Krsna. I remember our travels to Lucknow. 🙂

One example of this was also in the Berkeley Temple.

After Mangala arati we were chanting Japa in the temple room. is big. holds 200+ people.

and i walked into the lobby.

there was one street guy, maybe 26 years old from Telegraph Ave who used to visit the Temple a lot, but he was on some kind of drugs, and was saying very offensive things about Prabhupada.

he knew enough KC to really irritate the devotees.

there were about six b'cari's there just about to tear him into little pieces. he was physically threatening everyone.

quite spontaneously as i walked past him i dropped, got him right in the solar plexus with my right shoulder and bounced him off the wall behind him.

he fell to the ground stunned.

the b'caris picked him up and tossed him out the front door,

and at breakfast he came back really miserable.

begggggging for forgiveness.

apologizing for everything

and devotees accepted it.

i just kept on walking.


i think it was KRSNA using my Karate conditioning.

i didn't plan it.

afterwards everyone felt good about it.

i felt,'hey, i'm really cool', but realized that it was KRSNA.

b'caris were glad that they didn't fight with a basically good guy.

o.k?


another one is yuddhisthira. he was guided by God, the Brahmanas and vedic literature, so bhisma said that even though he caused the death of 640,000 people it was cool!

chant hare krsna [god], talk with six nice devotees [brahmanas] and find justification in prabhupada's books [vedic literature], then you can take big recourses.


is some help?

Are they really all birds of the same feather?

2 months, 2 weeks ago by Namacarya das in Hot Topics

Bg. 1.23

Translation

Let me see those who have come here to fight, wishing to please the evil-minded son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.


Purport

It was an open secret that Duryodhana wanted to usurp the kingdom of the Pāṇḍavas by evil plans, in collaboration with his father, Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Therefore, all persons who had joined the side of Duryodhana must have been birds of the same feather. Arjuna wanted to see them on the battlefield before the fight was begun, just to learn who they were, but he had no intention of proposing peace negotiations with them. It was also a fact that he wanted to see them to make an estimate of the strength which he had to face, although he was quite confident of victory because Kṛṣṇa was sitting by his side.

—-


Dear Guru Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to A. C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada!


Question about everyone on the side of Duryodhana - were they all really birds of the same feather? Duryodhana was evil. I suppose most of people will agree with that. Was Bhisma evil? Or Dronacarya? 


It could be said that because they were on the wrong side, they are the same. However, birds of the same feather mean (according to my understanding) people who have similar characters or interests, especially ones of which you disapprove, and who often spend time with each other. 

Based on this meaning, we can see that Duryodhana, Bhishma, and Drona have distinct personalities and differing interests. Additionally, it is unclear how much time they spent together.


Sure, I may be wrong.


Now, saying that, I would like to introduce another perspective or background.


One perspective to my inquiry is that Srila Prabhupada and sastra (often) use absolute words like all, nobody, everything, nothing, always, never, only. Still…, it looks that life and existence itself have nuances. Somehow, I reckon, these are overlooked in some of the devotee gatherings, lectures, talks, etc. By doing that ISKCON (in part) tends to be fanatical, overly orthodox, and unduly stern, which can provoke unduly harshness towards others and devotees themselves.


Please, if you deem it appropriate to answer, I am all ears (eyes).

Thank you!

Your servant Namacarya Das


hps - thank you. hare krsna.

i think you're right.

can we say that bhisma and drona did not 'join' duryodhana?

they felt they had to fight pandavas because it was their duty.

they even wished arjuna victory, no?

prabhupada said that one reason they were in the opposite side was to show that no matter how materially, morally, powerful the opposition is, it cannot defeat KRSNA, The SPOG.


Nicely complex.


Dramatically complex! 👍


Second thing, yes also, that is hyperbole, no? Say, 'he is the greatest', but meaning that as a category rather than a unique post.

i think it is more common in ksatriya speak. they like to see things in black and white so that it is a simple fight!

need women preaching to women.

girls preaching to girls.

puppies preaching to puppies.

then we can catch the neophytes and then they will understand the superficial differences and appreciate how we have ksatriyas in iskcon, emotional women.

it is a big army. we need all kinds of people, no?

Consolidation of HPS work-2

5 months, 1 week ago by harsh_horse in Hot Topics

previous letter https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/14969/


Hare Krsna Merciful Gurudev,

agtSP, pAmho,


Please find the link of which we were mentioining (node 14969)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rFPPt7SJLlaZeFux24MHZGLSV_2LBZN-/view?usp=drive_link please look at 34:35


Here is the link of sankhya folder based on your lecture about (oriental and occidental science)

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1R2GWqPqcmy3eSkFhyhgwKoAPT_taFWOd?usp=drive_link


It contains

  1. Sankhya MP3 file recording of your lecture
  2. Sankhya PPT you showed during the lecture
  3. Sankhya TXT file having the transcription of lecture from MP3 file.
  4. HPS_fb- the lecture given above
  5. The transcript of HPS_fb

I think we/others should compile this work and give appropriate end to it.


trying to develop desire to serve as you want us to serve.


Das of Hayagriva Avatar.. Das of Time


HpS - Wow!!! Maybe it could be sorted a little bit and then distributed for reaction from other scholars, devotees.

🐵/🐷 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rneHqyGi6Us

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Is_the_Simplest_Thing - We read this when about 12-years old. Science Fiction Shelf in the local library was our temple.

Clifford Simak was great help.


Consolidation of HPS work

5 months, 3 weeks ago by harsh_horse in Hot Topics

AgtSP. Pamho.

Hare Krsna, Gurudeva.


As you are in, as you are, in the phase of consolidating the work or teaching you have done. I was thinking that maybe you can also consolidate on the work or view of time, you have gathered.


It will help for the generations to come for that reason I have put the Facebook which you gave one time https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ccEdRnCF6rqcuv3G/?mibextid=w8EBqM

34:35

I am ready to work with you on this front to whatever extent.


HpS/ASA - AgtSP. The link opens up and we go to the time place but it does not run when we click the right-arrow.

😦


Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.

Henry Van Dyke


Trying to be useful

Das of Hayagriva


HpS - You are useful.

More!


Disappearance of HG Rajashekhar Das Brahmachari ACBSP

5 months, 3 weeks ago by pranjal in Hot Topics

Hare Krishna Maharaj

Please accept my humble obeisances


Srila Prabhupada's disciple Rajasekhar Das Bramhachari passes away – 12:16pm – Monday 13th May 2024

Below is the reflection of HG Milan Radha Madhav prabhu who was present in hospital-


Another disciple of Srila Prabhupada passes away. Rajasekhar Prabhu left his body just now in Sri Dham Mayapur.

We were just there in the hospital, for some minor procedure when we were told that another disciple of Srila Prabhupada was admitted there.

Jananivasa Prabhu went to meet him. Rajasekhar Prabhu was very happy to meet his godbrother there. Prabhu was telling him about the Chandan Yatra and the boat festival going on in the temple. Rajasekhar Prabhu was smiling and nodding, as he was on oxygen support. He spoke a few words occasionally through his mask.

How much happiness they feel in the company of their godbrothers. Smiling and talking about Krishna and Prabhupada. Jananivasa Prabhu was telling him "Radha Madhava's boat festival is there tonight, They are waiting for you..". To that he smiled and said Hare Krishna.


Riddha Prabhu, also came in and also joined the conversation. He was taking care of Rajasekhar Prabhu while in this hospital. Just while they were talking, Rajasekhar Prabhu who was sitting there looking at us and breathing.


They were discussing about relocating him to a better hospital in Burdwan district. There was raising funds to cover the medical expenses. They were requesting Jananivasa Prabhu if he could help, Prabhu immediately agreed to give whatever is required. He told me to make arrangements.


While this conversation was going on, and we were ready to move. Rajasekhar Prabhu suddenly fell unconscious.


The doctor present there immediately went and did his best to revive him, but the machines indicated that he was leaving. How auspicious! In Sri Mayapur Dham in the divine association of his godbrother, Rajasekhar Prabhu left the world.


Seeing this right in front of my eyes was quite a shock for me. We all were chanting loudly the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Understanding that he was leaving the doctor, who was a devotee — Sukhi Achyuta Prabhu, brought some Ganga-water and put in the mouth of Rajasekhar Prabhu.


It doesn't get better than that, such an auspicious departure of a sadhu. Another great disciple of Srila Prabhupada left the world. A decade of tears, as Kadamba Kanana Maharaj said, where most of our senior devotees will leave. May we take their association more strongly and learn from them the art of dedicating one's life to Krishna.


Here is the link of Memorial festival in mayapur https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGL4ZFRjsg2EtE-ibb8xTtlhHC6WY_vJv&si=KeNE9aBqw6NNC0q5


Rajashekhar Prabhu has compiled many books on Vrindavan, Govardhan parikrama, Srila Prabhupada in South India and Calcutta- City of Divine Grace . I was fortunate to get his association in last months

Hyour aspiring servant

Pranjal


HpS/ASA - Thank you very much. This is essential news for us. I think I remember very, very much appreciating one of his parikrama books. Even several.

Thank you.

Hare Krsna

Hare Krsna

Child Custody

ALL GLORIES TO SRI SRI GURU AND GAURANGA!

PAMHO AGTSP!


Hare Krishna Maharaj! How r u?


HpS/ASA - We, agtSP, are eternal, but our body is struggling with strong allergy. 😃


I’ve been a kind of busy and couldn’t do the X (Twitter) sign up in order to follow u. So I’m going to catch up with your news.


ASA - Very nice!


So I stopped smoking like a month or so, and been following again the 4 principles. I prayed to Krishna and took shelter in Srimad Bhagavatam, and my sorrows were gone. So that harsh trip left me with some new add-ons to my sadhana, now, whenever I feel kind of down, I read the Bhagavatam, or play some devotional music (that last one in particular has been my shelter lately) and always feel that my energies are renewed.


ASA - 💪💪💪🐒



So I keep doing Kirtan every morning, and chanting the 16 rounds, trying to chant boldly, like to suggested me. My life has been better overall.


I’m feeling more confident regarding my child’s custody trial, I have an audience with the judge, my child and her mother this coming week, so I would like to please ask for your mercy and blessings so I can be Krishna’s instrument in court.


Yesterday I visited ISKCON Buenos Aires and was missing your classes in that temple, do you have any plans to visit us?


I’ll try to attend some of your online classes again, the other day I watch one of them in which you were showing your drawings, which I really liked!


Well hope Maharaj you are always well!!!

thanks again for encouraging me in this path!

Please accept my obeisances!

HK!


Federico Molnar



HpS - You can see our travel plans etc at www.JayaRama.US/news.htm and in the [X] posts!! 🙂

your news is really super. we expect you to be traveling and preaching like Narada Muni if you continue with this Bhagavata road!!!

Hope your Sankirtan with your daughter is and the whole family is increasing.

You integrated with BsAs temple much?