Eternity Has No Beginning

Mar 18, CALIFORNIA (SUN) — An issue as yet not addressed in the jiva tattva debate.

If something isn't eternal now, it is argued below that it won't ever be. If something ever ‘becomes' eternal, it's because it always was, in some form. Analogously, Srila Prabhupada often wrote, "God doesn't ever become God (referring to Mayavadis), He is always God" (giving the example of baby Krishna). According to sastra (below), the same can be said for what is eternal.

This means that it has no beginning. This applies in a surprising way to whatever we choose to believe about death, whether we are atheists, Christians, Muslims or even ‘big bang' theorists. It may even apply to Vaisnavas who believe that we can start an eternal relationship with Krishna for the first time when we die.

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Is the Desire to Hear All Srila Prabhupada's Audio a "Misleading Campaign"?

Mar 18, USA (SUN) — In the Bhaktivedanta Archives' most recent post they have criticized one of my personal emails that I sent to many devotees announcing the petition, but they have not addressed the desire of the now more than 2,000 devotees to hear all the audio of Srila Prabhupada.

In my personal email there was a discrepancy in the wording that I overlooked before I sent it out. I originally wrote: "These recordings are not transcribed in the Vedabase or published in any other way." Instead, I should have said: "Many of these recordings are not..." Later, on my own accord, I corrected this mistake once I noticed it and then I sent it out to others. The new letter read: "Many of these recordings are not..."

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Thanks to the Devotees

Mar 18, CALIFORNIA, USA (SUN) — I wish to thank the devotees Kurma dasa (not the chef), Bhakta Howard, Gadadhara dasa and Rocana prabhu for their appreciation of my recent article, "Hridayananda and His Dogs". "Brilliant" is not an adjective that I would ascribe to my articles or to myself, but rather to your own selves, for you are the servants of Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet, the devotees of Lord Krsna and not I. You are the followers of the way, the truth and the light, while I have only glimpsed that light. Who can say what it is that draws the darkness to the flame?

One time, one time only I caught a glimpse of his brilliance. It was in the temple room of Lord Jagannatha on Capital Hill in Seattle and someone was playing one of Srila Prabhupada's lecture tapes, simply his recorded voice, so powerful. Difficult to put in words, but if all the oceans in all of the worlds were poured into one vast sea, they would still not equal the depth of Srila Prabhupada's devotion to Lord Krsna or match the expanse of the mercy he offers us, pure love of Godhead he pours down like rain onto everyone with no consideration of qualification and with only one request: "please take."

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Open Letter to Bhagavan das

Mar 18, CANARY ISLANDS (SUN) —

March 14, 2010
Dear Bhagavan das,

You are a special devotee and you will be asking yourself what in the world makes me persecute you in this way. I know I am being a bit too picky. But the reason could be that I am fed up with "pakka" devotees talking down to me, a recurrent happening in our movement. Looking at the frequency they smash themselves against maya, I simply find not proper this new model you present of mega-guru-super galactic coming back demanding insistently we should forget everything and eat from your hand again. Of course this new model is super mega chic cause now you do not have to follow any rules besides balancing your heart chakra and controlling the anger that this letter can cause you.

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Dear Isvara das

Mar 18, UK (SUN) —

Dear Isvara prabhu, thank you for your most recent posting. All glories to your service.
You say, "we accept Srila Prabhupada's books as the final authority" and in your own words or thereabouts, "because He placed the emphasis on distributing His books".
Please clarify why we should not consider Srila Prabhupada's lectures, conversations, or letters to carry the same authority.
After all... Srila Prabhupada is the exact same person throughout.
Your argument of time, place and circumstance could also be used with reference to Srila Prabhupada's books.
"Srila Prabhupada's books are only for the next 10,000 years, so in 10,001 years they have no authority."
So…
what exactly are you saying?
Are we to infer that His Divine Grace is less of an authority when he lectures?

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Mar 18, CANADA (SUN) — New items in the Sun's Classified ads section.

Like a Rolling Stone

Mar 17, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (SUN) — I was reading Rocana Prabhu's recent article "Praghosa's Masquerade", and was immediately struck by how similar I feel I might be to Praghosa dasa of New York, at least in his apparent madness and illusion. For such a long time I believed myself to be a pretty important writer as well as investigative reporter into the goings on of ISKCON's many fumbles and failings. Time finally caught up with me though. I was only able to hide my lack of education for so long.

I neglected my spiritual life for many decades, putting in only the most minimal of effort, and way below Srila Prabhupada's minimum standards for an initiated disciple. I hadn't even kept up with my studies of his books. I never received an education beyond high school. My spiritual studies are really only limited to Srila Prabhupada's books themselves.

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Cooperate, Keeping the Acharya in the Center

Mar 17, DALLAS, TEXAS, USA (SUN) — Srila Prabhupada describes below his vision as to how he wants to structure and operate (Materially and Spiritually) ISKCON. This letter is dated February 1967. Thus we have to understand that HDG Srila Prabhupada was very clear in the beginning days of ISKCON about the model he wanted to use for the future development and operation of ISKCON.

Srila Prabhupada: "I wish that each and every branch shall keep their separate identity and cooperate keeping the acharya in the center. On this principle we can open any number of branches all over the world. The Rama Krishna mission works on this principle and thus as an organization they have done wonderfully."
(Letter, February 11, 1967)

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Clear as Mud

Mar 17, WEST VIRGINIA, USA (SUN) — Having read Bhakta Suria's recent speculations as to the meaning of the July 9th Letter, we again find ourselves faced with the lose-lose situation of trying to defend the English language enough to explain it to others who may not be as familiar with it as those mellechas who were born speaking that tongue. Not that the English language bears defending, it does not, but that the disqualification that one cannot be a brahmin if one has even heard the English language certainly should not apply to the followers of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Still, words have their assigned definitions and functions, and, like it or not, the current word juggling that passes for "understanding English" is not true "understanding".

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More Editing

Mar 17, UK (SUN) —

May I comment on Bhakta das's latest offering, "No Falls from Vaikuntha".
How much of HDG AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's teachings do we wish to edit out?
After all... at present, I am reading Teachings of Lord Kapila by His Divine Grace.
That particular book is a collection of lectures given by Srila Prabhupada.
Should I not be reading it?
What about other books by Srila Prabhupada?
The bottom line is… do we or do we not accept everything Srila Prabhupada is telling us?
Or do we become selective?

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More Sentiment

Mar 17, USA (SUN) — Following is a posting to the Chakra website. My comments follow:

Posted March 17, 2010 on Chakra:

"We're going to build a puspa samadhi for Jayananda prabhu, in Mayapura soon. Krsna Mangala prabhu is the main organizer of this project. We need some personal article of Jayananda, like a bead bag, or some item like clothing, or some personal effect, to use for the puspa samadhi, and we will purchase, or accept donation of such item. If any devotee would know where we might procure such item, we would be extremely grateful, and Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna will be very pleased as well.

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We are Incompetent to Proceed Without a
Bona Fide Guru

Mar 17, UK (SUN) —

Excerpts from a lecture delivered by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur in the Sarasvata Assembly Hall, Sri Caitanya Matha, Mayapura on Saturday, 9.00 pm, on the 28th day of the month of Magha (January) 1931

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Before Rushing to a Conclusion

Mar 17, INDIA (SUN) — Dear Mahavidya Prabhu, thanks for your comments on my posting on the fall or no-fall issue. One thing, I did not say we should not listen to Srila Prabhupada's lectures. I think you misunderstood my point. I was simply hinting to people's using Srila Prabhupada's various lectures, letters, conversations etc., to justify whatever ideas they may have. I personally listen to Srila Prabhupada's audios every day, not to talk of the fact that I am also one of the main Bhaktivedanta Archives' producer and distributor's of Srila Prabhupada's medias.

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No Falls from Vaikuntha

Mar 16, THAILAND (SUN) — I am much pleased to read H.G. Isvara das's comments in his recent article, " On the Falling/no-falling of the Jiva". Maya vadis also say this is all MAYA and only BRAHMA is real. When we say this is a dream only and we are really in Goloka with KRSNA leela, is this not basic Mayavadi concepts, "Brahma satya jagat mithya"?

The first thing we learn from His Divine Grace's Bhagavad-gita introduction is that there are five subjects in the Gita -- time, nature, God, the living being and karma -- and how all of these are eternal except KARMA which can be stopped, but is anadi, without beginning.

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Open Letter to Bhagavan:
These are my feelings

Mar 16, SPAIN (SUN) — Occasionally I defended Bhagavan's name based on fatuous and unreal splendor during his time in ISKCON. But now I realize that his "return" is wrapped in the same false and glittering cellophane paper. How is it that after so many mistakes, he is able to organize "such a set-up" to attract a mount of naive insects, that can only see the shining of his artificial light? What has progressed in all these years? He is still the same, involved in his bubble of power and predominance. In short, he continues to be arrogant and spiteful.

Bhagavan, you just reigned based on disloyal rivalry and waste. Your glory was based on simply stimulating the lowest characteristics of the living entity. You used the noble ideals of a big group of youth that had unbreakable faith in the Truth that Srila Prabhupada came to teach in the West, but we had no spiritual or material maturity. We surrendered to the experience of the captivating moment, but it was not profound. We even fought between us, just to get one of your "pleased glances".

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Mar 18, CANADA (SUN) — A serial exploration of the holy sites visited by Lord Caitanya.

Daksina-mathura

Today we travel to Daksina-mathura, or Southern Mathura, one of the tirtha's visited by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu during His South India preaching tour. In the case of most segments in this series on Sri Caitanya's tirtha-yatra, there has been a temple or deity associated with each of the Lord's visits. In some cases, the tirtha was instead associated with a philosophical exchange or preaching pastime. In a few cases, most notably the Lord's discovery of the Brahma-samhita manuscript, the tirtha pastime centered around some sastric document. And that is the case in today's segment on Daksina-mathura.

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In Praise of Older Devotees

BY: HASTI GOPALA DASA

Mar 18, TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (SUN) —

The old youth of the Hare Krsna Lord came back to dance and sway,

Easing along the promenade with pomp, colour and time,

The Holy Name danced forth from their hearts, as it did on their very first day.

They kept in step as best they should, old yes but eternally prime.

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Sri Garga Samhita

BY: SUN STAFF

Mar 18, CANADA (SUN) —

Canto Five, Volume One
Chapter Four

Sri Mathura-prayana
The Journey to Sri Mathura

Text 1

sri-narada uvaca

rajann evam vadantinam
gopinam viraham param
vijnaya bhagavan devah
sighram tasam grihan yayau

Sri Narada said: Aware of the anguish felt by the gopis that spoke these words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead quickly went to their homes.

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BY: SUN STAFF

Mar 18, CANADA (SUN) — Karna Parva Book 8, Section 80.

Sanjaya said, 'Then, O king, Dhananjaya, desirous of rescuing Kunti's son Bhima who, assailed by many, foremost of warriors of the Kuru army, seemed to sink (under that attack), avoided, O Bharata, the troops of the Suta's son and began, with his shafts, to despatch those hostile heroes (that were opposed to Bhima) to the regions of death.

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Prabhupada Padma-vakya

BY: SUN STAFF

Mar 18,
CANADA (SUN)

Audio files with transcripts recorded on this day.

Please visit PrabhupadaVani.org for audio files and transcripts.

March 18, 1976, Mayapur
Morning Walk
"And the sun is also rising from the east. But sun is fixed up, and the moon is moving. So why they are coming from the same side?"

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Tirtha-yatra, Part 49

BY: SUN STAFF

Mar 17, CANADA (SUN) — A serial exploration of the holy sites visited by Lord Caitanya.

Siva-kanci

After Lord Caitanya visited the southern abodes of Lord Nrsimhadeva at Ahovilam and Pana-nrsimha in Andhra Pradesh, He traveled further south to Kancipuram, in Tamil Nadu. In an earlier segment we covered Visnu-kanci, one of the distinct temple districts of Kancipuram. Today we visit Siva-kanci, where the Lord took darshan of Shiva.

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Sri Garga Samhita

BY: SUN STAFF

Mar 17, CANADA (SUN) —

Canto Five, Volume One
Chapter Three

Akruragamana
Akrura's Arrival

Text 1

sri-narada uvaca

akruro ratham aruhya
kartum karyam nripasya vai
praharshito maithilendra
prayayau nanda-gokulam

Sri Narada said: O king of Mithila, happy to execute King Kamsa's mission, Akrura climbed on a chariot and went to Nanda's Gokula.

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The Mahabharata

BY: SUN STAFF

Mar 17, CANADA (SUN) — Karna Parva Book 8, Section 79.

Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile Arjuna, O monarch, having slain the four kinds of forces (of the enemy), and having obtained a sight of the angry son of the Suta in that dreadful battle, caused a river of blood to flow there that was tawny with flesh and marrow and bones. Human heads constituted its rocks and stones. Elephants and steeds formed its banks.

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Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Tirtha-yatra, Part 48

BY: SUN STAFF

Mar 16, CANADA (SUN) — A serial exploration of the holy sites visited by Lord Caitanya.

Jiyada-nrsimha

In today's segment, we go to the famous tirtha of Lord Nrsimhadeva in Andhra Pradesh, known as Jiyada-nrsimha. Lord Caitanya visited this temple during His South India pilgrimage, as described in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya Lila 1:

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Sri Garga Samhita

BY: SUN STAFF

Mar 16, CANADA (SUN) —

Canto Five, Volume One
Chapter Two

Kesi-vadha
The Killing of Kesi

Text 1

sri-narada uvaca

atah kesi maha-daityo
haya-rupi madotkatah
etya vrindavanam ramyam
jagarja ghanavad bali

Sri Narada said: Then the powerful and ferocious demon Kesi assumed the form of a wild horse. Neighing like thunder, he entered beautiful Vrindavana.

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The Mahabharata

BY: SUN STAFF

Mar 16, CANADA (SUN) — Karna Parva Book 8, Section 78.

Dhritarashtra said, 'When our troops were broken in battle by Bhimasena, what, O Sanjaya, did Duryodhana and Subala's son say? Or, what did Karna, that foremost of victors, or the warriors of my army in that battle, or Kripa, or Kritavarma, or Drona's son Duhshasana, say?

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Vrindavan as a State
of Mind

BY: KURMA DASA (NOT THE CHEF)

Mar 16, AUSTRALIA (SUN) — I am not that philosophically capable to comprehend the intricacies of the fall/no fall debate, however yesterday I was thinking about something Srila Prabhupada said regarding ISKCON's Melbourne Temple when he was here in Australia. He said:

"If you want to remain in the spiritual world, this temple IS the spiritual world. WE ARE NOT LIVING IN MELBOURNE. This temple is not Melbourne. IT IS VRINDAVANA..."
(Srila Prabhupada)

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The Fall/no fall of
Isvara das

BY: MAHAVIDYA DAS (ACBSP)

Mar 16, UK (SUN) —

With regards to Isvara das's contribution to the fall/no fall debate, may I comment.
Apparently…
we should now stop listening to the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON, HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and take instruction from Isvara das.
Once again, it is time to ignore the words emanating from the lotus mouth of Srila Prabhupada, be they "conversations", or "letters", or "lectures".
You see... they are only lectures, conversations and letters.
Srila Prabhupada's instructions and explanations are once again to be minimised.

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How Does a Real
Devotee Think?

BY: VRINDAVAN DAS

Mar 16, UK (SUN) —

The Highest Vaisnava Sees Himself as the Lowest of All

Originally published in The Gaudiya, Volume 24, Issue 7

Those who are fit possess an abundant power of devotion. They are strong. I should not apply myself to finding out the shortcomings of the Vaishnavas, condemning service to Lord Visnu or seeking to establish my own point of view by neglecting the method that may enable me to serve the Lord and His devotees.

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