750516ta.per Conversations
Prabhupada: What is the wrong if I say, “Please chant Hare Krsna.”? If you don’t
chant, that is your choice. There is no difficulty. If you agree that
“Swamiji asking me. We’ll chant,” you can chant. But if you don’t do
it, that is your business. The task it not difficult. Task is very
easy. Even a child can do it. But if you are stubborn, “No, no, I will
not do it,” then what can be done? (?) Enechi ausadhi maya nasibaro…
You know this song, huh? Caitanya Mahaprabhu says… You have got this
cassette? Jiv jago, jiv jago, gauracanda bole.
Devotee (1): I may have it in my briefcase. Yes.
Prabhupada: So He is canvassing, “Now get up. How you are remaining in
ignorance still? You have got this human form of body; still, you
remain as cats and dogs. Why is that? This is spell of maya. You get
up.” “No, I am very much… I cannot break out of this. Too much I am
afflicted.” Then he says, “I have got medicine.” Enechi ausadhi. “I
have got the medicine. You take it.” Enechi ausadhi maya nasibaro
lagi’, hari-nama maha-mantra lao tumi magi’. “You take it from Me,
hari-nama maha-mantra.” Continue reading →

By Yasoda nandana dasa and the Prabhupada anugas

Deśa-kāla-pātra. Deśa means situation, and kāla, time, and pātra, means the subject, the individual.
Deśa-kāla-pātra: according to time, according to circumstances, according to the subject, everything is scrutinizingly judged, not whimsically. We must understand everything by taking these three elements into consideration. (Lectures : Bhagavad-gita 7.1 — Fiji, May 24, 1975 : 750524BG.FIJ)

EXPLANATION These three elements have to be taken into consideration determining what is right and what is wrong action. What is true at one time may not necessarily be true at another time. Similarly, what is true in a place or situation may turn out to be wrong at another place or another state.
For an example: Singing for entertainment is true, but when singing next to those who are sick then it becomes transformed into a wrong action or bad behavior.
Serving ice cold drink at night in a cold place might be received by a person with a reluctant heart, but when the ice was served during the hot hours of sunny day it would be gladly welcomed.
From the examples above it is obvious that what is called the wrong action, when people do not know how to adjust to the place, time and circumstances of their behavior. So, the appropriate way is to adjust our actions to Deśa-kāla-pātra.

Srila Prabhupada: “It may be that the Hindus may be following the same principle in a different way or the Christian may be following the same principle in different way. That is called deśa-kāla-pātra. According to time, atmosphere, and the performer, there may be little difference. … But we are keeping our principles as it is, but making arrangement according to the circumstances. That is required.” (Lecture SB Class sb/1/2/10/delhi/november/16/1973) Continue reading →

Krishna Book Changes NOT “closer to Prabhupada”!

by Ajit Krishna Dasa

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Madhudvisa Prabhu has gifted us with a complete list of the changes made to Srila Prabhupada’s Krishna Book:

The following links, one for each of the chapters in Srila Prabhupada’s “Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead“, will take you to a computer generated analysis of the changes which have been made by BBT to the book.

The comparison is made between Prabhupada’s Original 1970 Krsna Book as it appeared in the Bhaktivedanta Archives Vedabase 2003 in the “Early Editions of BBT / ISKCON Press Books” section and the Krsna Book that appears in the current 2013 version of the Vedabase.

In the case of Krsna Book we have the actual dictation tapes from Srila Prabhupada for most of the chapters. You can find Srila Prabhupada’s Krsna Book dictation tapes at:

https://krishna.tv/index.php?jz_path=New+Krsna+Book+Dictation+Tapes&ext.html

Find the complete list here.

On his website (www.bookchanges.com) he also has an article examining many of the changes made to the Krishna Book:

BBT Krsna Book Changes Analysis

The conclusion of the analysis dispels one of the most widespread myths propagated very actively by Jayadvaita Swami and the BBT International, namely that their new editions are “closer to Prabhupada”. This is not true:

“We can see that in the revision way more text has been modified NOT according to the tape recording than according to the tape recording. The system of revision is not at all understandable and seem to depend rather on the weather than on any definable principles. Every sane man would consider the revision a step back.” (Read the complete analysis here)

By Nityananda das

After Srila Prabhupada’s April 1969 visit to our university in Buffalo, NY, my friend Loren became much more involved with the Hare Krishna temple. It was all he would talk about, and he drew people into constant philosophical discussions, repeating what he had heard at the temple, inserting his own doubts and views, and trying to get others to help him sort it all out. But not many of the students were very philosophical, myself included; still somehow Loren would gradually dispense with his uncertainties and he became more and more convinced of the transcendental knowledge of Bhagavad Gita. He relished the exercise of these deliberations, and this went on for many months. Meanwhile I was rather uninterested in his ongoing “should I, shouldn’t I” join the Hare Krishnas dilemma. He tried to get me to join him on the campus lawn where the devotees would be engaged in kirtan, sitting and swaying with closed eyes in a circle. I watched from a distance but was too shy; the strangely exotic sound of the drum and hand cymbals was attractive but I could not overcome my social awkwardness. Then the devotees would chant in the Student Union hallway, and Loren was again there with them, enjoying the publicity and the meditational singing of the Hare Krishna mantra. I struggled to walk by without making eye contact. Whenever there was a chance, I would distract Loren with other agendas.

A total of sixteen students from SUNY at Buffalo eventually became devotees, drawn from the sixty enrolled students and some auditing students who also attended Rupanuga’s Transcendental Meditation class, plus others who watched through the glass windows from the hallway. Trivikram, Bhurijan, Prahladananda, Jagadish, Bhagavan, Krishna Bhamini, Janmanjaya, Taradasi, Satchitananda, Laxmimoni, Satyanarayan, Gunagrahi, Narottamananda (Loren), myself, and a few others. Rupanuga’s confidence, seriousness, and academic demeanor was very effective in holding the students attention and attracting them to the process of chanting (kirtan), which began and ended each class session. Finally, Rupanuga would cut up an apple or two into small pieces, mix it with raisins, and pass it around as a sort of ritual sacrament, but I did not like unpeeled apples. Continue reading →

VEDIC VILLAGE REVIEW # 32

January 20, 2014. Adventures in New Jaipur, Prabhupadanuga Farm in Fiji

MACHINE CIVILIZATION

A lot of the challenge involved in becoming basically self-sufficient within our own locality has to do with becoming free of dependency on machines. Machines have become deeply entrenched in modern civilization. Ordinary tasks such as cutting nose hairs, doing an enema, house painting, cooking lunch, drying wet laundry, growing food, polishing shoes, or just about anything- all have a machine to make it better and easier. Supposedly. This kind of culture (advanced civilization?) has come about only in the last century, and the trend is accelerating towards total automation and mechanization. Next will be household robots… I took an inventory of what we have here in New Jaipur, and it is a long list:

Kobelco excavator (7 ton), two track dumpers (2 ton), 46 hp farm tractor, 60 hp Yamaha 4 stroke outboard boat motor, Toyota pickup, 18 kva diesel generator, 5 kva diesel generator, solar power system with invertors/lights/photovoltaic panels/ batteries; bench planer, bench saw, variety of hand tools like circular saws and drills, washing machine, computers, gas stove, electric fans, DVD player and monitor, refrigerators (2), spice grinder, blender, juicer, cellphones, concrete mixer, pressure washer, air compressor, welder, five chainsaws, CD and DVD players, vacuum cleaner, three “zipper” grasscutters, etc. Fuesl required: diesel, gasoline, oil, natural gas, or electricity.

Hmmmm. We are definitely “machined-in.” No need for any machinations or debate on that. Let’s see what Srila Prabhupada said about machines on his visit to the New Talavan farm in Mississippi, USA:

Satsvarupa: Is it alright to use modern machines on our farms? Continue reading →

Dear Rupanuga prabhu

Obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Thank you for putting up this website about Prabhaupda’s position and his books.

https://www.rupanugadas.com/

I had a few comments below I wanted to make…if I may

Hare Krsna

Damaghosa das… my reply is in italic, for   clarity sake…

you write…

“In the article, this last sentence was paraphrased from memory, but the   meaning is still the same as Srila Prabhupada’s statement, which now becomes   enhanced when taken in the context of his speech. He is obviously referring to   his present disciples as the next in the disciplic succession he has just   named and numbered, all of whom are directly initiating their own   disciples.

This is a very contentious point, as you well know. Many of our   Godbrothers ARE initiating disciples, but where is the actual order for   them to do that?

To my knowledge, there is no order. The only order he gave just prior   to leaving his body was for the GBC (and others in the future) to become   officiating acaryas. To initiate on his behalf. That’s all.This order   was never amended or stopped. This lecture given in 1972 could also mean he   wanted us, his disciples to continue as siksa gurus and not diksa gurus,   especially after seeing what happened in his Gaudiya matha. And you were   the receipient of that famous letter in 1974..

74-04-28.Rup                 Letter:   Rupanuga                 His idea was acarya was not to be nominated amongst the governing body.    He said openly you make a GBC and conduct the mission. So his idea   was amongst the members of GBC who would come out successful and self   effulgent acarya would be automatically selected. So Sridhara Maharaja and   his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acarya and   later it proved a failure. The result is now everyone is claiming to   be acarya even though they may be kanistha adhikari with no ability   to preach. In some of the camps the acarya is being changed three times   a year. Therefore we may not commit the same mistake in our ISKCON   camp. Actually amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified to become   acarya. So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately   because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may   sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them,   especially Madhava Maharaja and Tirtha Maharaja and Bon Maharaja but   somehow or other I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be   very careful about them and not mix with them. This is my instruction   to you all. They cannot help us in our movement, but they are   very competent to harm our natural progress. So we must be very   careful about them. Continue reading →

by Ajit Krishna Dasa

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Excerpt from a letter called “Please Explain, Jayadvaita Swami, Dravida Prabhu & Company” originally posted on the Sampradaya Sun.

“BY: A GROUP OF SRILA PRABHUPADA DISCIPLES & FOLLOWERS

Dear Jayadvaita Swami, Dravida Prabhu & Company, please explain why you have done the following:

(1) Why is it in the revised edition of the Bhagavad-gita, you and company have completely removed the foreword by Professor Edward Dimock that was printed in the original Macmillan version of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is which Srila Prabhupada regularly read from?

Readers, please visit the website and see the video on YouTube of Srila Prabhupada lecturing on the Bhagavad-gita.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhPSzfs15i8

There, in the very immediate beginning (very first few minutes) of this video, you will find Srila Prabhupada praising the foreword by Professor Edward Dimock. This particular video clip is taken from one of the 19 Double layer DVD’s produced by Nrsimhananda Prabhu and his associates at ITV. It is the particular DVD named Bhagavad Gita as It Is, with Krishna and Arjuna on the chariot, and sky background, and is in the very first part, called “Introduction”.

Srila Prabhupada is reading the foreword himself, praising it, mentioning Edward Dimock’s name, and praising Edward Dimock for a particular comment that he had made, as follows:

“Swami Bhaktivedanta comments upon the Gita from this point of view, and that is legitimate. More than that, in this translation the Western reader has the unique opportunity of seeing how a Krsna devotee interprets his own texts”

Srila Prabhupada in the video explains this particular statement by Edward Dimock, on how a Krsna devotee interprets his own texts, by explaining that just as a family member only is qualified to give the best knowledge to others about his own family, similarly, only a Krsna devotee can properly explain to others about Krsna. Srila Prabhupada appreciates this particular point made by Edward Dimock in the video. Continue reading →

Prabhupada: Our book distribution techniques must be honest

by Ajit Krishna Dasa

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Prabhupada:

“Regarding the controversy about book distribution techniques, you are right. Our occupation must be honest. Everyone should adore our members as honest. . . These dishonest methods must be stopped. It is hampering our reputation all over the world.” (Letter to Rupanuga, 1-9-75)

The way in which Prabhupada’s books are presented to the public is also part of the book distribution process. To hide the fact that the 1983 edition has hidden co-authors that have made extensive additions, subtractions and changes to the book is not honesty, and it will hamper ISKCON’s reputation.

In fact, this has already hampered ISKCON BBT International’s reputation as a trustworthy publishing company, as the scholarly community has begun to voice their opinions on the deceptive practices used in the post-humous publications. Factors such as using scholarly reviews from the original 1972 edition (when those scholars never saw, nor reviewed, the vastly edited later edition) have clouded the authenticity of Srila Prabhupada’s sacred books. Respectable scholars would never do such a thing. Continue reading →

Myths of the BBT and ISKCON GBC

by Ajit Krishna Dasa

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Interesting article by JAYA MADHAVA DAS (ACBSP) on the book changes at Sampradaya Sun. Here is an excerpt:

“Simple Truths: Bhagavad-gita As It Is got edited too much and we see the real results of changes to Srila Prabhupada’s Instructions (books) and Programs in ISKCON:

Many USA/UK -EU Temples are EMPTY, the Bhakta Program is dead

BBT is in financial trouble… books sales have plummeted worldwide

Big Gurus and Temples are running unauthorized programs and preaching methods are very questionable (off)

Deities have been dressed like Ken and Barbie dolls, in Santa Claus outfits (this is very offensive)

Tons of devotees have exited ISKCON over the years, and the GBC keep silent

The BBT lost millions of dollars in the court case with Hansadutta das

The ISKCON Movement is no longer united, it’s split up”

Read the complete article here:

https://harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/01-14/editorials11227.htm

In a message dated 12/24/2013 5:26:52 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, davidbwolf@satvatove.com writes:

“Guru”     in the Singular and Clarity about “Fall Down”

by Dhira Govinda     dasa

We need a guru in whom we have absolute faith and     whom we are willing to follow unconditionally in order to spiritually     progress to the realm of pure devotion to Sri Krsna. This statement is made     with reference to the point that each of us has many gurus, with “gurus”     used in the sense of “teacher”, or “person who inspires and guides us”. We     have many gurus, and it is understood that we generally don’t consider these     many gurus to be on the absolute platform. That is fine, realistic, to be     expected. That said, we need one guru, or at least one guru, who is on that     absolute platform and in whom our trust is implicit and absolute. Sincere     followers of Srila Prabhupada agree that Srila Prabhupada exists on that     absolute platform and is fully qualified as a shelter for the unconditional     surrender of conditioned souls. As we assert in Srila Prabhupada: The     Prominent Link, when a person contacts Srila Prabhupada’s movement, that     person has found a guru, in the sense of finding a Vaisnava who is     completely worthy of their absolute faith. In that sense, the person no     longer needs to seek a guru, because s/he has found one. Of course, that     person will naturally have so many other devotees guide, instruct and mentor     him/her during their spiritual lives. Although the person may consider one     or more of these other devotees to be on the absolute platform, it is not     necessary that s/he considers as such, or that those guides and mentors be     on that platform, because Srila Prabhupada is perfectly serving in that     capacity for the aspiring devotee. Thus, to reiterate, Srila Prabhupada     flawlessly fills the role of guru, in the singular sense of the term, for     all who contact his movement. Continue reading →

Hare Krishna Society

Making oneself – Fortunate

Desa, kala, patra – Time, place, and circumstance.

Krishna Book Changes NOT “closer to Prabhupada”!

Krishna Book Changes NOT “closer to Prabhupada”!

BBT Krsna Book Changes Analysis

JOINING THE HARE KRISHNAS

VEDIC VILLAGE REVIEW # 32:

Reply to Rupanuga’s article – An Addendum to “The World Acarya”

BBT(I) has deleted the complete foreword of Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is‏

Srila Prabhupada: Our book distribution techniques must be honest‏

Prabhupada: Our book distribution techniques must be honest

Myths of the BBT and ISKCON GBC‏

Myths of the BBT and ISKCON GBC

Guru in the singularr and clarify about falldowns‏