Six Ingredients

Six ingredients in worshipping the Deity

1. Water
2. Aasana
3. Cloth
4. Lamp
5. Food grains
6. Betel nuts

Six ingredients for invoking auspiciousness

1. Cow dung
2. Cow urine
3. Yogurt
4. Milk
5. Ghee
6. Gorocana

Six ingredients in devotional path or bhajana marga

1. Offering obeisances
2. Offering prayers
3. Offering the fruits of all activities
4. Offering services
5. Remembering the Lotus Feet of the Lord
6. Hearing topics of the Lord

source: Sri Chaitanya Bhagavata Madhya Kanda Part One, Ch six Text 33 Purport

Hare Krishna

Society of cheaters and cheated

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaj is quoted as saying this human society (referring to modern society) is a combination of the cheaters and the cheated. Maharaj also is famous for saying that this material world is not a fit place for a gentleman.

Therefore, the only way a man can live "happily" in this world is if he is blind, ignorant and selfish or if he is a cheat himself. If a man is blind to other people's suffering, ignorant to the real problems of this world and selfish always worrying about his own needs and wants, then such a man can successfully and happily live in this world. Otherwise, the only other option is to cheat himself.

Any sane gentleman man with an ounce of self-respect and gentlemanliness cannot and will not tolerate the modern day society of living- so much quarrel- so much hypocrisy. Therefore, the only recourse for such a gentleman is to become Krishna conscious. Krishna conscious means God conscious!

Hare Krishna

Entomophagy

In the Isopanishad, it is said that God the Supreme Being is complete and perfect and all His creations are complete and perfect. It implies that there should be no food shortage or food poverty in His creation. People should not go hungry for want of food. Nature is so perfect and unlimited that man can use Nature's bounty to sustain and grow himself. Why then is there food poverty? It is not because nature is inadequate or incomplete, it is because man who has the freedom to control, misuses his control out of greed and takes more than he needs thus creating a an artificial gap between resources, and people. Such unscrupulous leaders and guides of society who have the power to control the resources are the main culprits behind food poverty.

Despite the mismanagement of natural resources, the UN has taken a bizarre step to reduce food poverty. It is recommending human beings to eat insects. Gradually, the so called leaders of society are leading the way for people to degrade into animalistic lifestyle (mode of ignorance or tamo guna) . Human beings are meant to eat grains, fruits, roots, nuts, and milk products (mode of goodness or satva guna) and not animal flesh or insects. It is the grossest form of food habit. However, by planting the seed to eat insects, down the road, perhaps in two or three generations this sort of cuisine will be a normal practice.

Below is the article where insect eating is recommended.

The 200-page report, released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, on May 13 at the organisation's Rome headquarters, called for restaurants, chefs and food writers to promote the eating of insects, in a bid to fight world hunger and global warming.

"Insects are everywhere and they reproduce quickly," the FAO said, adding they leave a "low environmental footprint."

They provide high-quality protein and nutrients when compared with meat and fish and are "particularly important as a food supplement for undernourished children".

Insects are "extremely efficient" in turning feed into edible meat, converting feed mass into meat four times more effectively than cows. The report suggests this would allow food to be produced more cheaply, with fewer emissions. Insects are high in protein, and can also be rich in copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.

Entomophagy, or the practice of eating insects, has a long history, and is currently practiced by two billion people world wide. The report counts around a thousand edible insect species, from the small grasshoppers served "toasted in a little oil with garlic, lemon and salt" on the streets of Oaxaca, to the fly eggs, gathered from stagnant water, that Montezuma enjoyed for breakfast, which the report optimistically terms "Mexican caviar".

The FAO admits that consumer disgust will remain a barrier to their adoption into the Western diet.
However, squeamish westerners may already be practicing entomophagy unawares. Some degree of insect contamination is considered inevitable in large scale agriculture. The United States Food and Drug Administration considers wheat flour with an average of 75 or fewer insect fragments per 50 grams, and tomato juice with no more than one maggot per 100 grams, appropriate for human consumption.

Source: The Telegraph

Hare Krishna

An inner still voice

I have a belief - a belief based on personal experience and introspection. Although this belief stems from my experience in life, hence very much subjective to myself, still, I also believe this could be true to every single being in this creation - A generalization that breaks all norms of modern scientific rigor.

Although I still find it hard to accept certain things that happened to me in my life still somewhere I know it was and is the perfect arrangement of destiny. Over the many years, I have had my share of misgivings which has led me to intense burst of anger and anguish followed by remorse and inner contemplation. In my phase of contemplation, I most often than not agree to how things pan out, even though painful. I invariably agree to the perfect arrangement simply because of the realization I get at the end. The final realization I always get benefits me in my spiritual realization of God. Such realizations are perfect thus making the incidents perfect because to realize God is the ultimate purpose of human life.

When we accept the ideal of God realization as the ultimate purpose of human life, then, whatever good or bad happens to us, we will gradually learn the art of not finding fault with our immediate causes of our problems. In the same vein, we will also not be passionate about seeking solutions to our problems, Rather we will cultivate the tolerance to accept our situation as it is and in that peaceful state of mind introspect our inner self. During this time of introspection or contemplation, we will hear an inner voice reverberating -a voice solacing us, guiding us, and ultimately teaching us the real principle of human life. This inner voice cannot be the mind or intelligence because in a bad situation, the mind and intelligence is disturbed, and beyond this disturbance, we will hear an undisturbed still voice.

Personally, I believe this inner still voice to be the voice of God Krishna. I believe every living being gets this inner voice especially during the time of despair. This still voice of God has a purpose - a deeper purpose beyond all the temporary duties of this world. God loves us so much He guides us in many ways. He will send a messenger, speak through the scriptures, come Himself and/or ultimately guide us from within. We only have to be ready to listen and take guidance in a humble manner without our own dictation, and when we do, our life incidences' will be signposts guiding us towards one purpose - that is - back home to the loving arms of God Krishna.

All our problems pale in front of God's oceanic love for us.

teṣām evānukampārtham
aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ
nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho
jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā

To show them special mercy, I (Krishna), dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.- BG 10.11

Hare Krishna

Societies based on unique birth-print

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" - Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence, 1776 ACE

“According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me” - Lord Sri Krishna, Bhagavad Gita (4.13), 3100 BCE

Krishna’s statement is categorically opposite to what Jefferson has stated above. In fact, it is self-evident from society that men are not treated equally implying they are not created equally. Existence of slavery was one example. Another one is the issue where men and women and different races get different incomes despite having the same qualifications. Broadly, one can say there is discrimination based on skin color, external beauty, IQ levels, job skills, religion etc. One’s social and economic status is dependent upon these criteria and one is discriminated based on it.

Not everyone is interested to become a doctor, or accountant, or lawyer or entertainer etc. Human beings have a natural inclination towards certain fields of knowledge and consequently engage in that field. That natural inclination begins right from birth. So if these inner qualities are from birth, then all men actually are not created equally rather they are born with innate qualities which are unique and individualistic to the person right from birth. Every individual creates a unique birth-print on this world.

Krishna’s model of this world of divisions of society based on nature acknowledges that unique birth-print and hence is a more accurate portrayal (self-evident) of reality versus the Utopian idea of equality. Life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness are possible only if beings are treated fitting their inner nature. Therefore discrimination and differentiation is an inevitable truth. Modern society woefully falls short of creating conditions or environments that suit the differences among men.

In the Vedic society, however, there were eight broad divisions which were clearly demarcated. The four social orders were the intellectuals, the administrators/soldiers, the businessmen/farmers, and the laborers/technicians who served the above three. Then there were the four spiritual orders which were the celibate students, married householders, intern-renunciates and full renunciate monks. These broad eight divisions were clearly demarcated based on one’s desire to work and spiritual values. When the demarcations are clearly established, there is respect for one another and happiness is automatic.

The fact that today’s society is ridden with so many social mores is enough evidence to conclude that artificial equality among human beings creates friction and hence not working. It is therefore scientific to create a society where all types of people are respected for who they are and treated appropriately for who they are. Only such societies can actually yield liberty and happiness.

Hare Krishna

Consciousness does not annihilate after death

We can run but we can't hide is a popular saying from a rock band in the US. In one sense, it is true, we can run from the truth but eventually the truth will catch up with us, we cannot hide from it.

More and more, there is growing evidence from mainstream science - consciousness as separate from the brain and body. Dr. Sam Parnia, a leading scientist and doctor has been conducting studies over the years on patients who were resuscitated from death. Some of them have stories to tell that cannot be denied. Dr Parnia says "The evidence we have so far is that human consciousness does not become annihilated".

If you are interested to know more on this, please read the entire article in this link.

From a Krishna Conscious perspective and Bhagavad Gita, we have no doubts that consciousness is indeed separate from the physical body and mind. We existed in the past, exist in the present and will exist in the future, of this there is no doubt!

Hare Krishna

Letter to Pope Paul

The letter by Srila Prabhupada to The Pope is as much relevant today as it was in 1968 in fact in my opinion it has gotten worse. Please read carefully the type of culture we are actively promoting for ourselves and our children. As Mahatma Gandhi said "be the change you want to see in the world" and so in that spirit, let us vow to make that change within our heart from materialism to God-centric and in time spread that consciousness to others. The change begins with us. Please read the letter - Hare Krishna.

AN OPEN LETTER TO POPE PAUL VI From A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


ISKCON Radha-Krishna Temple
3720 Avenue Du Parc
Montreal 18
Quebec, Canada
August 3, 1968

His Holiness Pope Paul VI
Vicar of Jesus Christ
State of Vatican
Rome, Italy

Your Holiness:

Please accept my respectful humble obeisances at your Lotus Feet. I beg to introduce myself as an Indian monk, following the Vedic principles of religious life. At the present, I am in the renounced order of Sannyas, aged 72 years, and am preaching God consciousness all over the world. I came to America in 1965, and since then I have many followers belonging to both Christian and Jewish faiths. And I have established a number of Krishna Consciousness temples in the USA and Canada. In the coming months, I am scheduled to go to London on this mission, and maybe I can visit other cities of European countries.

My mission is in the line of Lord Chaitanya, Who is personified Love of Godhead, and Who advented Himself 482 years ago in India, and preached God consciousness all over the world, on the basis of Srimad Bhagwatam (The Science of God). The principle of Srimad Bhagwatam is that any religious faith which helps a man to develop love of God, without any motives, and without being hampered by any material condition, is transcendental religion. And the best process or the easiest process, in this age especially, is to chant the Holy Name of God. From this definition of religion as we find it in the Srimad Bhagwatam, the criterion of religion is how it helps people to develop their dormant love of God. This is not artificially invoked, but it is aroused from within, due to bona fide association with devotees, and by hearing about God.

The human form of life is especially meant for this purpose, namely, to invoke the dormant love of God, because a higher development of consciousness is found in both man and animals. But the special significance of human life is to achieve love of God as the prime perfection of life. Unfortunately, at the present moment people are more concerned about the principle of sense gratification, or the animal part of human life, and they are gradually declining in God consciousness. This tendency is very much increasing, and because Your Holiness is the head of a great religious sect, I think we should meet together and chalk out a program for cooperation.

Human society cannot any longer be allowed to continue a Godless civilization at the risk of decreasing truthfulness, hygienic principles and mercifulness. Because, on account of the decline of these principles at the present moment, the duration of life, strength and memory of the human being is decreasing. Human society is gradually devolving in the matter of religiousness and justice; and "might is right" is gradually taking the place of morality and justice. There is practically no more family life, and the union of man and woman is gradually coming to the standard of sexuality. I understand it from reliable sources that people are trying to get Your Holiness' sanction for the contraceptive method, which is certainly against any religion of the world. In the Hindu religion, such contraceptive method and abortion are considered equivalent to murder.

Therefore, in the matter of sex, the human society is gradually becoming even less than animals. As a result of unrestricted sense gratification, even in ordinary dealing a man cannot trust another man, because the cheating propensity of man has increased beyond imagination. The attraction of young boys for young girls is no longer even a matter of love, but exists only on the basis of sexual potency. And as soon as there is a slackening of sex life, there is immediately a divorce petition.

In India, which was once the land of religion and Brahminical culture, things have deteriorated to such an extent that a man in a higher caste is recognized simply by putting a piece of thread on his body as a sign of sanctity. The so-called Swamis are cheating the public because the public wants to be cheated by some cheap method of self-realization. And today, if someone has no sufficient money, it is very hard for him to get justice from the court. And if anyone can simply bluff by so-called advancement of knowledge, he is offered the doctorate degree. If a man is falsely proud, he is accepted as civilized.

By frustration, people are gradually becoming communists and hippies, and the guardians of society must now take up the situation very seriously, without further delay.

The Krishna Consciousness movement is meant for overhauling the whole situation. We are creating men of character, and we are training our disciples to becoming lovers of God, or Krishna. From the very beginning, they are trained to refrain from the following four principles of degradation: 1) sex life outside of marriage, 2) meat-eating, or the eating of any animal food, 3) all forms of intoxication, and 4) gambling and idle sports. Our teachings are based on the authorized movement of Lord Chaitanya, on the principles of Bhagavad Gita, as the beginning, and Srimad Bhagwatam as the graduation.

I do not wish to prolong the body of this letter further, but if you think that my meeting with you will be beneficial for human society at large, I shall be very much pleased if Your Holiness will grant me an interview. Thanking you in anticipation of an early reply, I am

Yours in the service of the Lord,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami


- From "Prabhupada-lila" by HH Satsvarupa dasa Goswami