2009

Wishing you all a Happy Krishna Conscious New Year 2009!

Hare Krishna

Evidence Krishna

ARCHAEOLOGISTS CONVINCED NEW FINDS DEPICT KRISHNA

Bhama Devi Ravi/TNN

Chennai: The Conch and the Sudarsana Chakra are unmistakable. Although the figures doesn't match popular images of Krishna, archaegologists are convinced that the coins depict Krishna, revered as an avatar of Vishnu.

"These square coins, dating back to 180-BC, with Krishna on one side and Balram on the other, were unearthed recently in Al Khanoun in Afghanistan and are the earliest proof that Krishna was venerated as a god, and that the worship had spread beyond the Mathura region," says T K V Rajan, archaeologist and founder-director, Indian Science Monitor, who is holding a five day exhibition, 'In search of Lord Krishna,' in the city from Saturday.

Having done extensive research in Brindavan, Rajan is convinced that a lot of the spiritual history of ancient India lies buried. "Close to 10,000 Greeks, who came in the wake of Alexander the Great, were Krishna's devotees. There is an inscription by Helidorus, the Greek ambassador at Takshila, which reads 'Deva, deva, Vasudeva. Krishna is my god and I have installed this Garuda Pillar at Bes Nagar (now in Bihar),' says Rajan.

According to him, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has unearthed many sites that throw fresh light on the era of Krishna. "ASI is expected to release the full findings next year: The findings may show that Krishna's life was the dividing line between India's spiritual history and the society's gradual shift towards a materialistic one," says Rajan.

Interestingly, a lot of what has been uncovered closely resemble the narration in the texts of Mahabharatha and the Bhagavatham, " he adds.

The advent of thermoluminous study (TL) has helped dating of artifacts. Tholavira near Dwaraka, from were many artifact were unearthed, is mentioned as the capital city in the opening chapters of Bhagavatham. Rajan points to an image of a plough, made of wood, which is mentioned in the Bhagavatham.

The findings could lay a trail to understanding Krishna's life (said to be 5,000 years ago) and times, a a historical fact, says Rajan. The exhibition will be open till Dec 31 at Sri Parvathy Gallery, Eldams Road.

-Times of India (Chennai Edition), on Saturday the 27th December 2008

Forbidden Archaeology

Essence of the four Vaisnava philosophies

[Gauracandra to Nimbarka:]“`Later, when I begin the sankirtana movement, I Myself will preach the essence of the four Vaisnava philosophies.

From Madhva I will receive two essential items: his complete defeat of the Mayavada philosophy [kevale-advaita-nirasana], and his service to the Deity of Krsna, accepting the Deity as an eternal spiritual being [krsna-murti-sevana].

From Ramanuja I will accept two great teachings: the concept of bhakti unpolluted by karma and jnana [ananya-bhakti], and service to the devotees [bhakta-jana-seva].

From Visnusvami's teachings I will accept two main elements: the sentiment of exclusive dependence on Krsna [tadiya-sarvasva-bhava], and the path of raga-bhakti [raga-marga].

And from you [Nimbarka] I will receive two excellent principles: the necessity of taking shelter of Radha [ekanta-radhikasraya], and the high esteem for the gopis' love of Krsna [gopi-bhava].

-'”Sri Bhaktivinod Thakur "Navadvipa-dhama Mahatmya", Chapter Sixteen

soup and bread

My wife made kale (purple) & vegetable soup and eggplant side and I made naan. The naan came out a little flaky than I expected neverthless very tasty. The soup and the side came out perfect per our like.

The eggplant dish is a simple gravy dish. It has sauted eggplant, cauliflower, green pepper and tomotaes with cream added at the end. It was finally garnished with finely chopped cilantro leaves.

The soup is a simple mixture of kale, cooked white bean, carrot, cauliflower and green beans. In order to give the soup some chunkiness, we added cooked vegetable pasta at the end.

I googled searched the naan recipe...it is pretty straight forward.

We offered it to Lord Jagannath and relished the prasada.

Hare Krishna

Hyper- reality

People like to fantasize but even that fantasizing has some reality attached to it. The fantasy can be about human beings ability to fly in space and experience a world beyond or the fantasy can be about man dealing with mysterious phenomenon or super-human acts etc etc. Some how our fantasy is tied with a human experience in some form or other. These fantasies become very close to our minds when we can realize them through our eyes and ears. Based on this, fantasy story lines are created in motion pictures and draw a large audience. Movies such as Jurassic Park, ET, Star Wars, Matrix, The Lord of the Rings etc etc are fantasy pictures that relate to human feelings and is realized through the eyes and ears. The human experience is enhanced all the more to the degree the fantasy is depicted in a “real” way. The gaming industry is also trying to achieve that perfection of reality in virtual space so man can be controllers in a “real” way within a virtual environment. Hence fantasy is based on reality.

The Vedic literatures, however, state that reality is based on fantasy. The reality that we are caught up in this cycle of birth and death is based on the fantasy that we are this body. Because we eat, interact, evacuate, sleep, and perform myriad of functions thinking we are this material body, we are conditioned to the point that we cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality. Our memories, feelings and emotions are shaped to fit this fantasy. Imagine…we watch Jurassic Park movie so many times to the point where we think we are actually living with dinosaurs. What will happen if we mold our lives thinking we are living with dinosaurs? What will happen if everyone thinks the same? How will our “reality” be transformed based on imaginary dinosaurs? We will be living in a constant fear of being attacked by dinosaurs and naturally create an environment to suit this imaginary fear. Our personal, cultural, social and political environment will change to suit this “realized fantasy” or “hyper-reality” and when the same fantasy is stretched for generations…people will have adapted themselves to the fantasy of living with “imaginary dinosaurs” as reality.

This inability to distinguish between what is reality and fantasy has created so many problems and sub-problems. Sustainable living cannot be achieved based on a “hyper-reality”. It will eventually fail. Our complex system of education and intelligent thinking is based simply on the manipulation of knowledge rooted in this fantasy. Because our reality (all aspects of our practical lives) is based on a fantasy, we are not able to experience the happiness we are desperately searching after. At the end of the day, our quality of life is dependent simply on one thing – our ability to be continuously happy. When we snap out of this fantasy that we are living with imaginary dinosaurs and reshape our lives, we will no longer have fear of dinosaurs attacking us. Similarly, when we snap out of this bodily concept of life and reshape our lives to the fact that we are spirit souls who are part and parcel of the supreme Spirit Krishna, then we no longer have to fear the dinosaurs of material life attacking us in the form of birth, old age, disease and death. We will for ever live in reality of eternal (sat), knowledge (chit) and bliss (ananda) with Krishna.

Hare Krishna

an eternal Brijbasi

On November 29, 1971, the Chairman of the Vrindavan Municipality, itsmembers and secretaries, and the citizens of Vrindavan Dhama offered thefollowing words of praise to Srila Prabhupada:"O great soul! Today we, the inhabitants of Vrindavan, known as Brijbasis,all combined offer our humble welcome to Your Holiness in this holy place ofVrindavan and in doing so feel very proud. For many years you stayed at theRadha-Damodara Temple and worshiped Her Majesty Srimati Radharani in ameditative mood, and thus you now have the transcendental vision to deliverthe entire world. As proof of your perfection, we can see these foreigndisciples before us, and we feel very proud to see how you have transformedthem. We take it for granted that you are one of us in Vrindavan. We aresure that wherever you travel, you must carry with you the impression of SriVrindavan Dhama. The culture, religion, philosophy, and transcendentalexistence of Sri Vrindavan Dhama travel with you.

"Through the great message Your Holiness carries, all the people of theworld are now becoming very intimately related with Vrindavan Dhama. We arecertainly sure that through your preaching alone the transcendental messageof Vrindavan will spread all over the world."

Medium of sound

It is 11.45am here and the sun is shining bright in the sky brightening up the already existing snow on the ground. What’s wrong with this picture? Well…not so fast we are predicted to get an ice storm in 4 hours.

The weather media in the past couple of days has already created such a frenzy that schools are already closing, and people already leaving home early even before the storm is here. People and the institutions are already in hyper-mode in expectance of the storm. So, whether the storm actually creates a problem or not is a moot point but we are already mentally conditioned to believe the storm will create havoc…thanks to the weather media for creating a hyper-situation. It is not wrong to be well prepared before a potential dangerous storm but people already believe that the storm will cause havoc. In other words, our mind has already been coded with the idea that the storm will actually be bad and hence even if the storm outcome is mediocre…still we will speak from habituated memory versus the facts.

This is the power of sound. Sound when repeatedly said can either spoil or enlighten the mind. Hence in the Vedic scriptures, the power of sound has been stressed in more places than one. Mantra chanting, listening from a bonafide guru and reading aloud are recommendations given so the mind is filled with transcendental subject matter and this medium of sound will facilitate our transition to the spiritual world.

Therefore the secret to always remembering Krishna and never forgeting Him is by always attentively listening to sound waves filled with Krishna and his pastimes from the lips of a pure devotee!

Hare Krishna

Rare photo = $150,000

Rare Marilyn Monroe photo sells for nearly $150,000- yahoo news (not the one shown)

Only if my photo can sell for so much…oh well I am not Monroe!

But when we come along and talk about the fact that we are not the body then we will be seen as crazy because people like Monroe’s body and by spending so much they can pretend to possess something valuable.

Therefore, the problem is not that the body-soul philosophy is less convincing but it is just that modern man is blindly attached to the body though intuitively we know we are not just merely made of blood, flesh and bones.Why then this obsession?

Perhaps…just this one time for Monroe??

Hare Krishna

never forget wicked mind!

On His disappearance day, I wanted to post something on Maharaj but I forgot. This is a nice quote to meditate on and strive for with all enthsuiasm as this I think is the essence of being a Vaishnav

"This wicked mind, which is never to be trusted, should be broom-sticked every morning with such warning as, "Be not anxious to find fault with others, or to proclaim thyself as a true, sincere, bonafide devotee, which certainly thou art not" - from a lecture in Calcutta -(Year - 1914)

Hare Krishna

Is Hedonism real happiness?

Ann Ryand one of the biggest proponents of egoism theory states

“whatever makes one happy" as a guide to action means: to be guided by nothing but one's emotional whims. Emotions are not tools of cognition. . . . This is the fallacy inherent in hedonism--in any variant of ethical hedonism, personal or social, individual or collective….”

Ann Ryand equates happiness to hedonism. Oxford dictionary defines hedonism as “the pursuit of pleasure or sensual self-indulgence as the highest good and proper aim of human life”. By this definition, pretty much the entire culture of modern man is based on hedonistic philosophy. Modern scholars, therefore, equate sense-pleasure to happiness and propound that the purpose of human life is the pursuit of maximum sense-pleasure thinking it will give us happiness. As a result, from religion to politics to environmental exploitation, this philosophy is man’s underlying motivating principle – hedonism! Anyways…this is a topic for a different post.

Is hedonism, therefore, the same as happiness? I think so…NOT! In other words, by fulfilling our sensual demands, are we happy? If we look around the world and make an objecting analysis, we have to only conclude that happiness actually cannot be derived from sensual pleasure. I come to this conclusion by seeing man’s state of living of constant oscillation between happiness and distress like a swinging pendulum. One day we are happy only to become sad or distressed the next day. Why then do we relentlessly pursue a life of sensual pleasure as our sole purpose and thinking it will make us happy always? For example, when I buy a nice car per my desire, I am fulfilling one of my sensual pleasures and this indeed gives me happiness. Then why do I not feel happy always at least to the point till I possess my car? Therefore, happiness I derive from possessing a car is temporary even if I still continue to own it. Then our logical conclusion should be that the car actually does not give me real and continued happiness. If the car is a proxy for a hedonistic principle then happiness is not hedonism. Indeed happiness cannot be derived by simply fulfilling our sensual and mental needs…it is deeper!

If not, how then can we explain celebrity people claim to live lonely lives or divorce a beautiful spouse or for that matter even attempt suicide. Material opulence leads to a hedonistic lifestyle…then should not all materially opulent people be continuously happy? On the other hand, we also see people who are materially less opulent live happy lives. We can only conclude that hedonistic pursuits and happiness are independent of each other. To put it in statistical jargon...their relationship is insignificant.

If hedonism is not real happiness then pursuing a sensual self-indulgence as the highest good and proper aim of human life is counter productive to our efforts. Our purpose, then, should be to seek happiness not in hedonistic ways…but How? The answer to this question can be found in the profound knowledge that is contained within the Vedas.

The Vedas declare that living entities by nature are anandamayo 'byasat – that is by nature living entities seek ananda or happiness. Vedas gives us a clear pathway to a state of existence where happiness does not dwindle with time but explodes exponentially with time without ceasing. This exponential ananda or happiness, the Vedas declare, can be achieved by seeking that object which is the reservoir of such endless happiness. That, the Vedas say, to be Lord Sri Krishna.

Therefore, when we repose our efforts in pursuit towards Krishna and not in pursuit towards self indulgence…we can be eternally be happy even without trying…something like becoming warm when we approach fire.

One such practical method in pursuance of Krishna, per the Vedas, is to practice yoga in bhakti (devotion) towards Krishna. The yoga of chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare will solve our problem of temporary happiness and give us eternal happiness in Krishna Consciousness.

Please chant and be Happy!

Hare Krishna

Srila Prabhupada glories!

Theory of Change

A human being is a part of the whole called by us 'the universe,' a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest--a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection of a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of understanding and compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty - Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein touches on certain aspects of achintya bheda abheda tattva; the fact that this material world and mind is a prison house, and that we are delusioned (in illusion) by it.

The only way to fulfill Enistein's task is by taking shelter of the Supreme Object of attraction Sri Krishna. As Krishna Himself says BG 7.14

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāḿ taranti te

This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

Hare Krishna

Dear Srila Prabhupada

Dear Srila Prabhupada....I offer my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet! All glories unto you!

Hare Krishna

How Lord Jesus prevailed?

Let us Preach to Please Krishna and for that we have to become purified, our senses should be purified, our mind should be free from false ego, our active organs should be free from lust, and desire for recognition. When our consciousness is fixed on Krishna, mind fixed on Krishna, and free from false-prestige when we speak about Krishna even if unsophisticated from a philosophical or practical standpoint, Krishna will be pleased. Ultimately this type of preaching will please Krishna. If this is our purpose, then purification is our primary purpose and true preaching is simply a natural byproduct of our purification. Therefore, on the juncture of a new year, to my fellow bloggers and all the Krishna aspirants out there, we should take a vow, an austerity, to take this process of internal purification sincerely for the pleasure of the Lord. This is our true calling, an opporunity the Lord has granted us, to show Him we are not messing around here but are actually serious in our journey back to Godhead by simply reqlinquishing our desire for recognition and fasle prestige. Then, we will actually open the lid and taste the honey of Krishna Con.

Please read below Srila Prabhupada's quote.

Eternal Inspiration for those who give the message of pure bhakti to others

Pradyumna: "What if people don't want to hear our message?"

Srila Prabhupada: People might not understand our message, but Krsna will be pleased, and that is our mission. They thought Jesus Christ's mission was stopped. They killed him. But his mission was attained. He preached three years only, but so many followers. He pleased Krsna. We must not be disappointed that no one is hearing Krsna consciousness. We will say it to the moon and stars and all directions. We will cry in the wilderness,"Serve Krsna, worship Krsna!" Because Krsna is everywhere, He will hear us.We want to get a certificate from Krsna that "This man has done something for Me." Not popularity. If a pack of asses says you are good, what is that? We have to please Krsna's senses with purified senses."

Hare Krishna

Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines (from 200 BC to about 600 AD) are giant sketches drawn in the desert of western Peru by ancient peoples. The drawings were created on such a large scale is such that the shapes can be readily discerned only from the air, leading to a variety of theories about their purpose.

If you are interested...you can google the word "nazca lines" and you will find many returns.

How is this connected to Krishna Consciousness...well...Krishna Con is mysterious and so is Nazca lines...there I made the connection!!

Hare Krishna

Absurd is the word!

"To suppose that the eye with all its inimitable contrivances for adjustingthe focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light,and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could havebeen formed by natural selection, seems, I confess, absurd in the highestdegree" CHARLES DARWIN (1809-82) - The Origin of Species (1859)

a thought!!

Wave 3 survey requires input from local sites. We need IRB requirements to be done locally versus have a centralized process. What is the…and then suddenly from the phone conference a flash of thought...

It is not difficult…it is not easy…it is what it is…JUST DO IT- Chant Hare Krishna.

Ok…I think I am really running out of ideas for the blog!

Hare Krishna

mumbai massacre or eternal truth?

India is mourning for the bloodshed that happened in the past week. Personally, I was upset as well…not sure why but this is reality. Death…whether it comes in the form of raging hate bullets or in the form of time…either way we have to face it. Along with the proposition of death is the thought of fear of death. So, more than the actual death…it is the fear that causes immense anxiety. The fear of losing everything that we hold as sacred. The fear of the unknown after death. Our cultural conditioning of attachment to family, friends and material life. All this combined causes an upset in our tummy and manifests as fear.

So whether we are mourning for the horrific incident or whether we are mourning about the harsh reality of death is hard to tell. As devotees we should be prepared always…at least this is the teachings of our previous acharyas. Our sadhana (devotional practice) will be surely tested at the time of death. Our unalloyed love for Krishna or our love to our own ego and mind will be surely tested. If by practicing Krishna Consciousness we do not cultivate true knowledge of detachment and renunciation of ego and mind and practice attachment towards Krishna…then we will have fear in our hearts while approaching death. In other words, the fact that we have fear is an indication that our sadhana is poor.

Therefore, Krishna is eternally teaching us through world incidents such as the one last week and through personal life incidents that what our purpose on this planet is? If we diligently submit to the teachings of Guru and Krishna we can cross over this miserable condition called material life…if not we are on our own!

We have to practice to die before dying!

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
aśocyān anvaśocas tvaḿ
prajñā-vādāḿś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūḿś ca
nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead- BG 2.11

Hare Krishna

Plastic...beware!!!

I got this in the mail....thought I should share this. It is crazy!

Did you ever drink from a plastic bottle and see a triangle symbol on the bottom with a number inside?

Do you know what the number stands for?

Did you guess that it's just for recycling?

Then you are WRONG !!!!!!

THE NUMBER TELLS YOU THE CHEMICAL MAKE UP OF THE PLASTIC.....

1) Polyethylene terephalate (PET)

2) High density polyethylene (HDPE)

3) Unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) or Plasticised polyvinyl chloride (PPVC)

4) Low density polyethylene LDPE

5) Polypropylene (PP)

6) Polystyrene (PS) or Expandable polystyrene (EPS)

7) Other, including nylon and acrylic

What you aren't told is that many of the plastics used are toxic and the chemicals used to create a plastic can leach out of the plastic and into the food / drink.

Think about it, how many times have you or a friend said "I don't like this, it taste like the plastic bottle ..... "

THAT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE TASTING THE PLASTIC

Did you know chemical released by plastic water bottles can cause cancer

(It is not the water that affecting you but the chemical releasing from the bottle)

The WORST ONES are Nos: 3, 6, and 7 !!!

DO NOT USE THESE NUMBERS if stated at the bottom of the bottle) !!!

And animals have no soul...hmm!!??

shopping madness!

This is the power of maya. People running mad behind money and material objects. When this madness is manifested in physical energy, it can even kill a person. So this physical energy is directly proportional to the amount of lust that is contained in one's heart. The three modes of materialnature (especially passion and ignorance) just rules the planet. Our only hope to get out of this deep bondage is by taking shelter unto Govinda- the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

"For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murāri, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf's hoof-print. Their goal is paraḿ padam, Vaikuṇṭha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step" - SB 10.14.58

Please read the Yahoo news article below.

NEW YORK – A worker died after being trampled by a throng of unruly shoppers when a suburban Wal-Mart opened for the holiday sales rush Friday, authorities said.

At least three other people were injured.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., in Bentonville, Ark., would not confirm the reports of a stampede but said a "medical emergency" had caused the company to close the store, which is in Valley Stream on Long Island.

Nassau County police said the 34-year-old worker was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at about 6 a.m., an hour after the store opened. The cause of death was not immediately known.

A police statement said shortly after 5 a.m., a throng of shoppers "physically broke down the doors, knocking (the worker) to the ground." Police also said a 28-year-old pregnant woman was taken to a hospital for observation and three other shoppers suffered minor injuries and were also taken to hospitals.

The dead worker's name was not released.

"Local authorities are looking into the situation," said Wal-Mart representative Dan Fogleman. But he said it would be "inappropriate for me to share any additional information" until authorities investigate further.

Shoppers around the country lined up early outside stores in the annual bargain hunting ritual known as Black Friday. Many stores open early and stay open late. The Valley Stream Wal-Mart usually opens at 9 a.m.

Raspberry Blackout Cake

My wife made this deliciously wonderful cake. I think the cake came out super excellent moist and all that...i loved it! I think the frosting and the topping made all the difference in my opinion.

We used carob instead of cocoa and regular dairy products for soy products. Enjoy the recipe!

Hare Krishna

Raspberry Blackout Cake with Ganache-y Frosting
courtesy Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (2005), p 217-218

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups plain rice or soy milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 (10 oz) jar raspberry preserves (reserve 1/2 cup for the batter)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar
Fresh raspberries for decorating and yumminess

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8-inch round springform cake pans with cooking spray. If you don’t have springform then use parchment paper rounds on the bottom of two ordinary 8-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine the rice milk, oil, 1/2 cup of the preserves, the vanilla, and the sugar in a large bowl and mix with a hand mixer or strong fork. The jam should be mostly dissolved with the rest of the ingredients; some small clumps are okay. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in batches and mix until everything is incorporated . Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pans.

When the cakes have cooled fully, spread one layer of cake with a thin layer of the preserved raspberry preserves (give the preserves a quick mix with a strong fork to get a spreadable consistency); spread a layer of chocolate frosting on top of the preserves. Place the other layer of cake on top and spread its top with preserves. Carefully spread the chocolate frosting over the top, then ice the sides. I like to put a circle of fresh raspberries around the circumference of the top. If you happen to have a decorating bag and tips around, you can alternate a rosebud or star flourish with a raspberry, and a few raspberries in the center will finish it off. Makes 12 servings.

Chocolate Ganache-y Frosting
3/4 cup soy creamer (I use Silk Soy Creamer but if it’s not available plain soy milk will do)
6 tbsp nonhydrogenated margarine
10 oz semisweet chocolate chips

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the soy creamer to a low boil. Add the margarine and melt, turn off the heat, and stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Let sit for at least 1 hour. It should still have a pourable consistency at this point. If you want a spreadable consistency then refrigerate for an hour (If you refrigerate it for more than a few hours, it sets too much to spread easily, so you will need to reheat it, then let it sit at room temperature before using.)

[Note: the frosting recipe makes about double what you'd need if you plan to just ice and not decorate much]

sati rite

Sati as a practice is outlawed today in India. This is because women were forced to step into the funeral pyre once their husbands died. This practice was stigmatized by Raja Ramohan Roy during the British rule and completely abolished (although in some Indian villages reports of forced sati is documented)

The practice of sati in the true sense was an act of chastity from the side of the wife. Srimad Bhagavatam, a classic Vaishnava literature documents such chastity in the form of Gandhari, the wife of Drthrashtra. Srila Prabhupada comments on this particular verse describing sati practice.

dahyamāne 'gnibhir dehe
patyuḥ patnī sahoṭaje
bahiḥ sthitā patiḿ sādhvī
tam agnim anu vekṣyati
SB 1.13.58

Translation

While outside observing her husband, who will burn in the fire of mystic power along with his thatched cottage, his chaste wife will enter the fire with rapt attention.

Purport

Gāndhārī was an ideal chaste lady, a life companion of her husband, and therefore when she saw her husband burning in the fire of mystic yoga along with his cottage of leaves, she despaired. She left home after losing her one hundred sons, and in the forest she saw that her most beloved husband was also burning. Now she actually felt alone, and therefore she entered the fire of her husband and followed her husband to death. This entering of a chaste lady into the fire of her dead husband is called the satī rite, and the action is considered to be most perfect for a woman. In a later age, this satī rite became an obnoxious criminal affair because the ceremony was forced upon even an unwilling woman. In this fallen age it is not possible for any lady to follow the satī rite as chastely as it was done by Gāndhārī and others in past ages. A chaste wife like Gāndhārī would feel the separation of her husband to be more burning than actual fire. Such a lady can observe the satī rite voluntarily, and there is no criminal force by anyone. When the rite became a formality only and force was applied upon a lady to follow the principle, actually it became criminal, and therefore the ceremony was to be stopped by state law. This prophecy of Nārada Muni to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira forbade him to go to his widowed aunt.

Hare Krishna

social (mis) fit

It’s a gorgeous day…we should be out today!

Do you have any big plans for the weekend?

How was your weekend?

Have a nice weekend!

Where are you going for vacation?

Oh…boy…it is snowing?

Do you know what the weather is outside…it is cold!

It is a perfect day out…I am planning to take the rest of the day off!

It is going to get cold and may rain!

Happy Holidays!

Well…this is all the socializing I do with the people here…oh yes all with a big grin on my face…oh….trust me this is not fun!

Not that I am a wierd Hare Krishna that I refuse to have a decent conversation but trust me people here...all they talk about is their consumer lifestyle, Obama, and the weather and of course they love their office gossip...oh well!

We give the word "shallow" a whole new meaning...Hare Krishna!

Singularity

One of the greatest problems faced by the big bang theorists is that although they are attempting to explain the "origin of the universe", the origin they propose is mathematically in describable. According to the standard big bang theories, the initial condition of the universe was a point of infinitesimal circumference and infinite density and temperature. An initial condition such as this is beyond mathematical description. Technically such a phenomeonon is called a "singularity".

Sir Bernard Lovell, professor of radio astronomy at the University of Manchester, wrote of singularities "In the approach to a physical description of the beginning of time, we reach a barrier at this point. The problem as to whether or not this really is a fundamental barrier to scientific description of the initial state the universe, and the associated conceptual difficulties in the consideration of a single entity at the beginning of time, are questions of outstanding importance in modern thought"

As of yet, the barrier has not been surmounted by even the greatest exponents of the big bang theory. Nobel Laureate Steve Weinberg laments, "unfortunately, I can not start the film at zero time and infinite temperature".

Quite literally the big bang theory is in trouble right from the very start. Stephen Hawking, Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, and G.F.R Ellis, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cape Town, in their authoritative book "The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time" point out, "It seems to be a good principle that the predictions of a singularity by a physical theory indicates that the theory has broken down". They add "The results we have obtained support the idea that the universe began a finite time ago. However, the actual point of creation, the singularity, is outside the scope of presently known laws of physics".

- Excerpted from the book Vedic Paradigm

Hare Krishnas in Kazakhstan

Food (Add)itives or should it be (subtract)itives?

The beef industry has contributed to more American deaths than all the wars of this century, all natural disasters, and all automobile accidents combined. If beef is your idea of 'real food for real people,' you'd better live real close to a real good hospital. - Neal D. Barnard, M.D., President, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Washington, D.C

A dead cow or sheep lying in the pasture is recognized as carrion. The same sort of carcass dressed and hung up in a butchers stall passes as food. - J. H. Kellogg

Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace. - Albert Schweitzer, French philosopher, physician, and musician (Nobel 1952)

The way I shop for Krishna is if I find an ingredient which I do not know or if the list of ingredients is more than 4 or 5…I simply do not buy the product. Unless the ingredients seem obvious without chemical names…it is safe to not buy them. This is my motto of shopping. Perhaps I may spend an average 10 or 20 dollars more than normal but trust me it is worth it.

Some ingredients to look for while shopping (there can be more that is not in this list)


Adrenaline.
Hormone from the adrenal glands of hogs, cattle, and sheep. Most often synthetically produced for medicine. Also called epinephrine.

Alanine.
(See Amino Acids.)

Albumen.
In eggs, milk, muscles, blood, and many vegetable tissues and fluids. In cosmetics, albumen is usually derived from egg whites and used as a coagulating agent. May cause allergic reaction. In cakes, cookies, candies, etc. Egg whites are sometimes used in “clearing” or “fining” wines.

Albumin.
(See Albumen.)

Alcloxa.
(See Allantoin.)

Aldioxa.
(See Allantoin.)

Aliphatic Alcohol.
(See Lanolin and Vitamin A.)

Allantoin.
Uric acid from mammals and plants. In cosmetics (especially creams and lotions) and used in the treatment of wounds and ulcers. Derivatives: alcloxa and aldioxa. Alternatives: extract of comfrey root and synthetics.

Alligator Skin.
(See Leather.)

Alpha-Hydroxy Acids.
Any one of several acids used as an exfoliant and in anti-wrinkle products. They can also be found in shampoos and cuticle softeners. Lactic acid may be animal-derived. Alternatives: plant- or fruit-derived acids such as glycolic or citric.

Ambergris.
From sperm whale intestines. Used as a fixative in making perfumes and as a flavoring in foods and beverages. Alternatives: synthetic or vegetable fixatives.

Amino Acids.
The building blocks of protein in all animals and plants. In cosmetics, vitamins, supplements, shampoos, etc. Alternatives: synthetics and plant sources.

Angora.
Hair from the Angora rabbit or goat. Used in clothing. Alternatives: synthetic fibers.
Please see our factsheet on the wool industry.

Animal Fats and Oils.
In foods, cosmetics, etc. Highly allergenic. Alternatives: olive oil, wheat germ oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, almond oil, safflower oil, etc.

Animal Hair.
In some blankets, mattresses, brushes, furniture, etc. Alternatives: vegetable and synthetic fibers. Please see our factsheet on the fur industry. .
Arachidonic Acid.
A liquid unsaturated fatty acid that is found in the livers, brains, glands, and fat of animals and humans. Generally isolated from animal liver. Used for nutrition and in skin creams and lotions to soothe eczema and rashes. Alternatives: synthetics, aloe vera, tea tree oil, and calendula ointment.

Arachidyl Proprionate.
A wax that can be from animal fat. Used in lipsticks and skin care products. Alternatives: peanut or vegetable oil.

Aspartic Acid. Aminosuccinate Acid.
A nonessential amino acid that can be from animal or plant sources (e.g., molasses). Sometimes synthesized for commercial purposes.

Bee Pollen.
Microsporic grains in seed plants gathered by bees and then collected from the legs of bees. Causes allergic reactions in some people. Found in nutritional supplements, shampoos, toothpastes, and deodorants. Alternatives: synthetics, plant amino acids, and pollen collected from plants. Please see our factsheet on bees to learn about other products derived from the factory-farming of these insects.

Beeswax. Honeycomb.
Wax obtained from melting a honeycomb with boiling water, straining it, and cooling it. From virgin bees. In lipsticks and many other cosmetics (especially face creams, lotions, mascara, eye creams and shadows, face makeups, nail whiteners, lip balms, etc.). Derivative: cera flava. Alternatives: paraffin and vegetable oils and fats. Ceresin, aka ceresine, aka earth wax (made from the mineral ozokerite; replaces beeswax in cosmetics; also used to wax paper, to make polishing cloths, in dentistry for taking wax impressions, and in candle-making). Also, carnauba wax (from the Brazilian palm tree; used in many cosmetics, including lipstick; rarely causes allergic reactions). Candelilla wax (from candelilla plants; used in many cosmetics, including lipstick; also used in the manufacture of rubber and phonograph records, in waterproofing, and in writing inks; no known toxicity). Japan wax (vegetable wax; Japan tallow; fat from the fruit of a tree grown in Japan and China).

Benzoic Acid.
In almost all vertebrates and in berries. Most commercial use comes from plant sources. Used as a preservative in mouthwashes, deodorants, creams, aftershave lotions, etc. Alternatives: cranberries and gum benzoin (tincture) from the aromatic balsamic resin of trees grown in China, Sumatra, Thailand, and Cambodia.

Beta Carotene.
(See Carotene.)

Biotin. Vitamin H. Vitamin B Factor.
In every living cell and in larger amounts in milk and yeast. Used as a texturizer in cosmetics, shampoos, and creams. Alternatives: plant sources.

Blood.
From any slaughtered animal. Used as adhesive in plywood, also found in cheese-making, foam rubber, intravenous feedings, and medicines. Possibly in foods such as lecithin. Alternatives: synthetics and plant sources.

Boar Bristles.
Hair from wild or captive hogs. In “natural” toothbrushes and bath and shaving brushes. Alternatives: vegetable fibers, nylon, and the peelu branch or peelu gum.

Bone Char.
Animal bone ash. Used in bone china and often to make sugar white. Serves as the charcoal used in aquarium filters. Alternative: synthetic tribasic calcium phosphate.

Bone Meal.
Crushed or ground animal bones. In some fertilizers. In some vitamins and supplements as a source of calcium. In some toothpastes. Alternatives: plant mulch, vegetable compost, dolomite, clay, and vegetarian vitamins.

Calciferol.
(See Vitamin D.)

Calfskin.
(See Leather.)

Caprylamine.
(See Caprylic Acid.)

Capryl Betaine.
(See Caprylic Acid.)

Caprylic Acid.
A liquid fatty acid from cow’s or goat’s milk. Also from palm and coconut oil and other plant oils. In perfumes and soaps. Derivatives: caprylic triglyceride, caprylamine oxide, and capryl betaine. Alternatives: plant sources.

Caprylic Triglyceride.
(See Caprylic Acid.)

Carbamide.
(See Urea.)

Carmine. Cochineal. Carminic Acid.
Red pigment from the crushed female cochineal insect. It takes a million corpses to make a kilogram of carminic acid, the more purified form of cochineal extract. Used in cosmetics, shampoos, red apple sauce, and other foods (including red lollipops and food coloring). May cause allergic reaction. Alternatives: beet juice (used in powders, rouges, and shampoos; no known toxicity) and alkanet root (from the root of this herb-like tree; used as a red dye for inks, wines, lip balms, etc.; no known toxicity; can also be combined to make a copper or blue coloring). (See Colors.)

Carminic Acid.
(See Carmine.)

Carotene. Provitamin A. Beta Carotene.
A pigment found in many animal tissues and in all plants. Used as a coloring in cosmetics and in the manufacture of Vitamin A.

Casein. Caseinate. Sodium Caseinate.
Milk protein. In “nondairy” creamers, soy cheese, many cosmetics, hair preparations, and beauty masks. Alternatives: soy protein, soy milk, and other vegetable milks.

Caseinate.
(See Casein.)

Cashmere.
Wool from the Kashmir or “Cashmere” goat. Used in clothing. Alternatives: synthetic fibers. For more information, please see our factsheet on the wool industry.

Castor. Castoreum.
Creamy substance with strong odor from muskrat and beaver genitals. Commercial uses are derived from the castor bean. Used as a fixative in perfume and incense.

Castoreum.
(See Castor.)

Catgut.
Tough string from the intestines of sheep, horses, etc. Used for surgical sutures. Also used for stringing tennis rackets and musical instruments, etc. Alternatives: nylon and other synthetic fibers.

Cera Flava.
(See Beeswax.)

Cerebrosides.
Fatty acids and sugars found in the covering of nerves. Those used in cosmetics are derived from cattle or plant sources.

Cetyl Alcohol.
Wax found in spermaceti from sperm whales. Alternatives: vegetable cetyl alcohol (e.g., coconut) and synthetic spermaceti.

Cetyl Palmitate.
(See Spermaceti.)

Chitin.
A fiber derived from crustacean shells. Used in tanning products and wound-healing emulsions.

Cholesterin.
(See Cholesterol.)

Cholesterol.
A steroid alcohol in all animal fats and oils, nervous tissue, egg yolk, and blood. Can be derived from lanolin. In cosmetics, eye creams, shampoos, etc. Alternatives: solid complex alcohols (sterols) from plant sources.

Choline Bitartrate.
Dietary supplement. (See Lecithin.)

Civet.
Unctuous secretion painfully scraped from a gland very near the genital organs of civet cats. Used as a fixative in perfumes and as flavoring in some beverages, ice creams, and candy. Alternatives: see alternatives to Musk.

Cochineal.
(See Carmine.)

Cod Liver Oil.
(See Marine Oil.)

Collagen.
Fibrous protein in vertebrates. Usually derived from animal tissue. Found in skin creams. Can’t affect the skin’s own collagen. An allergen. Alternatives: soy protein, almond oil, amla oil (see alternatives to Keratin), etc.

Colors. Dyes.
Pigments from animal, plant, and synthetic sources used to color foods, cosmetics, and other products. Cochineal is from insects. Widely used FD&C and D&C colors are coal-tar (bituminous coal) derivatives that are continuously tested on animals because of their carcinogenic properties. Alternatives: grapes, beets, turmeric, saffron, carrots, chlorophyll, annatto, and alkanet.

Corticosteroid.
(See Cortisone.)

Cortisone. Corticosteroid.
Hormone from adrenal glands. That used in medicine is obtained from hogs. Alternatives: synthetics.

Cysteine, L-Form.
An amino acid from hair, often obtained from animals. Used in hair care products and creams, in some bakery products, and in wound-healing formulations. Alternatives: plant sources.

Cystine.
An amino acid found in urine and horsehair. Used as a nutritional supplement and in emollients. Alternatives: plant sources.

Dexpanthenol.
(See Panthenol.)

Diglycerides.
(See Monoglycerides and Glycerin.)

Dimethyl Stearamine.
(See Stearic Acid.)

Down.
Goose or duck insulating feathers. From slaughtered or cruelly exploited geese. Used as an insulator in quilts, parkas, sleeping bags, pillows, etc. Alternatives: polyester and synthetic substitutes, kapok (silky fibers from the seeds of some tropical trees), and milkweed seed pod fibers. Please see our factsheet on the down industry.

Dyes.
(See Colors.)

Egg Protein.
In shampoos, skin preparations, etc. Alternatives: plant proteins.

Elastin.
Protein found in the tendons of cows. Similar to collagen. Used in hair and skin products. Can’t affect the skin’s own elasticity. Alternatives: synthetics and protein from plant tissues.

Emu Oil.
From slaughtered, flightless ratite birds native to Australia. Used in cosmetics and creams. Alternatives: vegetable and plant oils.

Ergocalciferol.
(See Vitamin D.)

Ergosterol.
(See Vitamin D.)

Estradiol.
(See Estrogen.)

Estrogen. Estradiol.
Female hormones from pregnant mares’ urine. Considered a drug. Can have harmful systemic effects if used by children. Used for reproductive problems and in birth control pills and Premarin, a menopause drug. In creams, perfumes, and lotions. Has a negligible effect in the creams as a skin restorative; simple vegetable-source emollients are considered better. Alternatives: oral contraceptives and menopause drugs based on synthetic steroids or phytoestrogens (from plants, especially palm-kernel oil). Menopausal symptoms can also be treated with diet and herbs. Please see our factsheet on Premarin.

Fats.
(See Animal Fats.)

Fatty Acids.
Can be one or any mixture of liquid and solid acids such as caprylic, lauric, myristic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic. Used in bubble baths, lipsticks, soaps, detergents, cosmetics, and food. Alternatives: vegetable-derived acids, soy lecithin, safflower oil, bitter almond oil, sunflower oil, etc.

FD&C Colors.
(See Colors.)

Feathers.
From exploited and slaughtered birds. Used whole as ornaments or ground up in shampoos. (See Down and Keratin.) Please read our factsheet on feathers.

Fish Liver Oil.
Used in vitamins and supplements. In milk fortified with Vitamin D. Alternatives: yeast extract, ergosterol, and exposure of the skin to sunshine.

Fish Oil.
(See Marine Oil.) Fish oil can also be from marine mammals. Used in soap-making.

Fish Scales.
Used in shimmery makeups. Alternatives: mica, rayon, and synthetic pearl.

Fur.
Obtained from animals (usually minks, foxes, or rabbits) cruelly trapped in steel-jaw leghold traps or raised in intensive confinement on fur farms. Alternatives: synthetics. (See Sable Brushes.) Please read our factsheet on the fur farming industry.

Gel.
(See Gelatin.)

Gelatin. Gel.
Protein obtained by boiling animal skins, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones with water. Used in shampoos, face masks, and other cosmetics. Used as a thickener for fruit gelatins and puddings (e.g., “Jello”). In candies, marshmallows, cakes, ice cream, and yogurts. On photographic film and in vitamins as a coating and as capsules. Sometimes used to assist in “clearing” wines. Alternatives: carrageen (carrageenan, Irish moss), seaweeds (algin, agar-agar, kelp—used in jellies, plastics, and medicine), pectin from fruits, dextrins, locust bean gum, cotton gum, and silica gel. Marshmallows were originally made from the root of the marsh mallow plant. Vegetarian capsules are now available from several companies. Digital cameras don’t use film.

Glycerides.
(See Glycerin.)

Glycerin. Glycerol.
A byproduct of soap manufacture (normally uses animal fat). In cosmetics, foods, mouthwashes, chewing gum, toothpastes, soaps, ointments, medicines, lubricants, transmission and brake fluid, and plastics. Derivatives: glycerides, glyceryls, glycreth-26, and polyglycerol. Alternatives: vegetable glycerin—a byproduct of vegetable oil soap—and derivatives of seaweed and petroleum.

Glycerol.
(See Glycerin.)

Glyceryls.
(See Glycerin.)

Glycreth-26.
(See Glycerin.)

Guanine. Pearl Essence.
Constituent of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid and found in all animal and plant tissues. For commercial use, it may be obtained from the scales of fish, but synthetic pearl or aluminum and bronze particles are more common. In shampoo, nail polish, and other cosmetics.

Hide Glue.
Same as gelatin but of a cruder, impure form. Alternatives: dextrins and synthetic petrochemical-based adhesives. (See Gelatin.)

Honey.
Food for bees, made by bees. Can cause allergic reactions. Used as a coloring and an emollient in cosmetics and as a flavoring in foods. Alternatives: in foods—maple syrup; date sugar; syrups made from grains such as barley malt, turbinado sugar, and molasses; in cosmetics—vegetable colors and oils. Please see our bee factsheet for more information.

Honeycomb.
(See Beeswax.)

Horsehair.
(See Animal Hair.)

Hyaluronic Acid.
A protein found in umbilical cords and in the fluids around the joints. Used in cosmetics. Alternatives: plant oils. An anti-wrinkle cream made with a non-animal form of hyaluronic acid has been approved for use in Canada, Europe, and Australia.

Hydrocortisone.
(See Cortisone.)

Imidazolidinyl Urea.
(See Urea.)

Insulin.
From the pancreas of hogs and cattle. Used by millions of diabetics daily. Alternatives: synthetics, vegetarian diet and nutritional supplements, and human insulin grown in a lab.

Isinglass.
A form of gelatin prepared from the internal membranes of fish bladders. Sometimes used in “clearing” wines and in foods. Alternatives: bentonite clay;“Japanese isinglass”; agar-agar (see alternatives to Gelatin); and mica, a mineral used in cosmetics.

Isopropyl Lanolate.
(See Lanolin.)

Isopropyl Myristate.
(See Myristic Acid.) Used in skin creams.

Isopropyl Palmitate.
Complex mixtures of isomers of stearic acid and palmitic acid. Used as a lubricant and in makeup, hair and nail products, and cologne. (See Stearic Acid.)

Keratin.
Protein from the ground-up horns, hooves, feathers, quills, and hair of various animals. In hair rinses, shampoos, and permanent wave solutions. Alternatives: almond oil, soy protein, amla oil (from the fruit of an Indian tree), and human hair from salons. Rosemary and nettle give body and strand strength to hair.

Lactic Acid.
Found in blood and muscle tissue. Most commercial uses are derived from the fermentation of whey, cornstarch, potatoes, and molasses.

Lactose.
Milk sugar from the milk of mammals. In eye lotions, foods, tablets, cosmetics, baked goods, and medicines. Alternatives: plant milk sugars.

Laneth.
(See Lanolin.)

Lanogene™.
(See Lanolin.)

Lanolin. Lanolin Acids. Wool Fat. Wool Wax.
A product of the oil glands of sheep, extracted from their wool. Used as an emollient in many skin care products and cosmetics and in medicines. An allergen with no proven effectiveness. (See Wool for information about cruelty to sheep.) Derivatives: aliphatic alcohols, cholesterin, isopropyl lanolate, laneth, Lanogene™, lanolin alcohols, lanosterols, sterols, and triterpene alcohols. Alternatives: plant and vegetable oils. Please read our factsheet on the wool industry.

Lanolin Alcohol.
(See Lanolin.)

Lanosterols.
(See Lanolin.)

Lard.
Fat from hog abdomens. In shaving creams, soaps, and cosmetics. In baked goods, French fries, refried beans, and many other foods. Alternatives: pure vegetable fats or oils.

Leather. Suede. Calfskin. Sheepskin. Alligator Skin. Other Types of Skin.
Subsidizes the meat industry. Used to make wallets, handbags, furniture and car upholstery, shoes, etc. Alternatives: cotton, canvas, nylon, vinyl, ultrasuede, pleather, and other synthetics. Please see our factsheet on the leather industry.

Lecithin. Choline Bitartrate.
Waxy substance in nervous tissue of all living organisms but frequently obtained for commercial purposes from eggs and soybeans. Also from nerve tissue, blood, milk, and corn. Choline bitartrate, the basic component of lecithin, is in many animal and plant tissues and prepared synthetically. Lecithin can be found in eye creams, lipsticks, liquid powders, hand creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, other cosmetics, and some medicines. Alternatives: soybean lecithin and synthetics.

Linoleic Acid.
An essential fatty acid. Used in cosmetics and vitamins. Alternatives: see alternatives to Fatty Acids.

Lipase.
Enzyme from the stomachs and tongue glands of calves, kids, and lambs. Used in cheese-making and in digestive aids. Alternatives: vegetable enzymes and castor beans.

Lipids.
(See Lipoids.)

Lipoids. Lipids.
Fat and fat-like substances that are found in animals and plants. Alternatives: vegetable oils.

Marine Oil.
From fish or marine mammals (including porpoises). Used in soap-making. Used as a shortening (especially in some margarines), as a lubricant, and in paint. Alternatives: vegetable oils.

Methionine.
Essential amino acid found in various proteins (usually from egg albumen and casein). Used as a texturizer in cosmetic creams and for freshness in potato chips. Alternatives: synthetics.

Milk Protein.
Hydrolyzed milk protein. From the milk of cows. In cosmetics, shampoos, moisturizers, conditioners, etc. Alternatives: soy protein and other plant proteins.

Mink Oil.
From mink. In cosmetics, creams, etc. Alternatives: vegetable oils and emollients such as avocado oil, almond oil, and jojoba oil.

Monoglycerides. Glycerides. (See Glycerin.)
From animal fat. In margarines, cake mixes, candies, other foods, etc. In cosmetics. Alternatives: vegetable glycerides.

Musk (Oil).
Dried secretion painfully obtained from musk deer. In perfumes and in food flavorings. Alternatives: labdanum oil (which comes from various rockrose shrubs) and other plants with a musky scent. Labdanum oil has no known toxicity.

Myristal Ether Sulfate.
(See Myristic Acid.)

Myristic Acid.
Organic acid found in most animal and vegetable fats and in butter acids. Used in shampoos, creams, cosmetics, and food flavorings. Derivatives: isopropyl myristate, myristal ether sulfate, myristyls, and oleyl myristate. Alternatives: nut butters, oil of lovage, coconut oil, extract from seed kernels of nutmeg, etc.

‘Natural Sources.’
Can mean animal or vegetable sources. Most often used in the health food industry, especially in cosmetics, where it means animal sources such as animal elastin, glands, fat, protein, and oil. Alternatives: plant sources.

Nucleic Acids.
In the nucleus of all living cells. Used in cosmetics, shampoos, conditioners, etc. Also in vitamins and supplements. Alternatives: plant sources.

Octyl Dodecanol.
Primarily from stearyl alcohol. Used in hair products. (See Stearyl Alcohol.)

Oils.
(See alternatives to Animal Fats and Oils.)

Oleic Acid.
Usually obtained commercially from tallow. (See Tallow.) In foods, soft soaps, bar soaps, permanent wave solutions, creams, nail polish, lipsticks, and many other skin preparations. Derivatives: oleyl oleate and oleyl stearate. Alternatives: coconut oil (see alternatives to Animal Fats and Oils).

Oleths.
(See Oleyl Alcohol.)

Oleyl Alcohol. Ocenol.
Found in fish oils. Used in the manufacture of detergents, as a plasticizer for softening fabrics, and as a carrier for medications. Derivatives: oleths, oleyl arachidate, and oleyl imidazoline.

Oleyl Arachidate.
(See Oleyl Alcohol.)

Oleyl Imidazoline.
(See Oleyl Alcohol.)

Oleyl Myristate.
(See Myristic Acid.)

Oleyl Oleate.
(See Oleic Acid.)

Oleyl Stearate.
(See Oleic Acid.)

Palmitamide.
(See Palmitic Acid.)

Palmitamine.
(See Palmitic Acid.)

Palmitate.
(See Palmitic Acid.)

Palmitic Acid.
From fats and oils (see Fatty Acids). Mixed with stearic acid. Found in many animal fats and plant oils. In shampoos, shaving soaps, and creams. Derivatives: palmitate, palmitamine, and palmitamide. Alternatives: palm oil and vegetable sources.

Panthenol. Dexpanthenol. Vitamin B-Complex Factor. Provitamin B-5.
Can come from animal or plant sources or synthetics. In shampoos, supplements, emollients, etc. In foods. Derivative: panthenyl. Alternatives: synthetics and plants.

Panthenyl.
(See Panthenol.)

Pepsin.
In hogs’ stomachs. A clotting agent. In some cheeses and vitamins. Same uses and alternatives as Rennet.

Placenta. Placenta Polypeptides Protein. Afterbirth.
Contains waste matter eliminated by the fetus. Derived from the uterus of slaughtered animals. Animal placenta is widely used in skin creams, shampoos, masks, etc. Alternatives: kelp (see alternatives to Animal Fats and Oils).

Polyglycerol.
(See Glycerin.) Derived from lard and tallow. Also from soybean oil, corn, cottonseed, and other plants. Used as a cosmetics emulsifier.

Polypeptides.
From animal protein. Used in cosmetics. Alternatives: plant proteins and enzymes.

Polysorbates.
Derivatives of fatty acids. In cosmetics and foods.

Pristane.
Obtained from the liver oil of sharks and from whale ambergris. (See Squalene and Ambergris.) Used as a lubricant and anti-corrosive agent. In cosmetics. Alternatives: plant oils and synthetics.

Progesterone.
A steroid hormone used in anti-wrinkle face creams. Can have adverse systemic effects. Alternatives: synthetics.

Propolis.
Tree sap gathered by bees and used as a sealant in beehives. In toothpastes, shampoos, deodorants, supplements, etc. Alternatives: tree sap and synthetics. Please read our factsheet on bees.

Provitamin A.
(See Carotene.)

Provitamin B-5.
(See Panthenol.)

Provitamin D-2.
(See Vitamin D.)

Rennet. Rennin.
Enzyme from calves’ stomachs. Used in cheese-making, rennet custard (junket), and in many coagulated dairy products. Alternatives: microbial coagulating agents, bacteria culture, lemon juice, or vegetable rennet.

Rennin.
(See Rennet.)

Resinous Glaze.
(See Shellac.)

Ribonucleic Acid.
(See RNA.)

RNA. Ribonucleic Acid.
RNA is in all living cells. Used as a skin conditioner in cosmetics. Alternatives: plant cells.

Royal Jelly.
Secretion from the throat glands of honeybee workers that is fed to the larvae in a colony and to all queen larvae. No proven value in cosmetics preparations. Alternatives: aloe vera, comfrey, and other plant derivatives.

Sable Brushes.
From the fur of sables (weasel-like mammals). Used to make eye makeup, lipstick, and artists’ brushes. Alternatives: synthetic fibers.

Sea Turtle Oil.
(See Turtle Oil.)

Shark Liver Oil.
Taken from the livers of sharks. Used in lubricating creams and lotions. Derivatives: squalane and squalene. Alternatives: vegetable oils.

Sheepskin.
(See Leather.)

Shellac. Resinous Glaze.
Resinous excretion of an insect called the lac bug. Used as a candy glaze, in hair lacquer, and on jewelry. Alternatives: plant waxes.

Silk. Silk Powder.
Silk is the shiny fiber made by silkworms to form their cocoons. Worms are boiled in their cocoons to get the silk. Used in cloth. Used in silk-screening (other fine cloth can be and is used instead). Taffeta can be made from silk or nylon. Silk powder is obtained from the secretion of the silkworm. It is used as a coloring agent in face powders, soaps, etc. Can cause severe allergic skin reactions and systemic reactions (if inhaled or ingested). Alternatives: milkweed seed pod fibers, nylon, silk-cotton tree and ceiba tree filaments (kapok), rayon, and synthetic silks. Please see our factsheet on the silk industry.

Snails.
In some cosmetics (crushed).

Sodium Caseinate.
(See Casein.)

Sodium Steroyl Lactylate.
(See Lactic Acid.)

Sodium Tallowate.
(See Tallow.)

Spermaceti. Cetyl Palmitate. Sperm Oil.
Waxy oil derived from sperm whales’ heads or from dolphins. In many margarines. In skin creams, ointments, shampoos, candles, etc. Used in the leather industry. May become rancid and cause irritations. Alternatives: synthetic spermaceti, jojoba oil, and other vegetable emollients.

Sponge (Luna and Sea).
A plant-like, sea-dwelling animal. A favorite food of some sea turtles. Becoming scarce. Alternatives: synthetic sponges and loofahs (plants used as sponges).

Squalane.
(See Shark Liver Oil.)

Squalene.
Oil from shark livers, etc. In cosmetics, moisturizers, hair dyes, and surface-active agents. Alternatives: vegetable emollients such as olive oil, wheat germ oil, rice bran oil, etc.

Stearamide.
(See Stearic Acid.)

Stearamine.
(See Stearic Acid.)

Stearamine Oxide.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)

Stearates.
(See Stearic Acid.)

Stearic Acid.
Derived from tallow. Can also come from palm kernel oil. Used in cosmetics, soaps, lubricants, candles, hairspray, conditioners, deodorants, creams, chewing gum, and food flavoring. Derivatives: stearamide, stearamine, stearates, stearic hydrazide, stearone, stearoxytrimethylsilane, stearoyl lactylic acid, stearyl betaine, and stearyl imidazoline.

Stearic Hydrazide.
(See Stearic Acid.)

Stearone.
(See Stearic Acid.)

Stearoxytrimethylsilane.
(See Stearic Acid.)

Stearoyl Lactylic Acid.
(See Stearic Acid.)

Stearyl Acetate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)

Stearyl Alcohol. Sterols.
A mixture of solid alcohols. Can be prepared from sperm whale oil. In medicines, creams, rinses, shampoos, etc. Derivatives: stearamine oxide, stearyl acetate, stearyl caprylate, stearyl citrate, stearyldimethyl amine, stearyl glycyrrhetinate, stearyl heptanoate, stearyl octanoate, and stearyl stearate. Alternatives: plant sources and vegetable stearic acid.

Stearyl Betaine.
(See Stearic Acid.)

Stearyl Caprylate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)

Stearyl Citrate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)

Stearyldimethyl Amine.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)

Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)

Stearyl Heptanoate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)

Stearyl Imidazoline.
(See Stearic Acid.)

Stearyl Octanoate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)

Stearyl Stearate.
(See Stearyl Alcohol.)

Steroids. Sterols.
From various animal glands or from plant tissues. Steroids include sterols. Sterols are alcohol from animals or plants (e.g., cholesterol). Used in hormone preparation. In creams, lotions, hair conditioners, fragrances, etc. Alternatives: plant tissues and synthetics.

Sterols.
(See Stearyl Alcohol and Steroids.)

Suede.
(See Leather.)

Tallow. Tallow Fatty Alcohol. Stearic Acid.
Rendered beef or sheep fat. In wax paper, crayons, margarines, paints, rubber, lubricants, etc. In candles, soaps, lipsticks, shaving creams, and other cosmetics. Chemicals (e.g., PCB) can be in animal tallow. Derivatives: sodium tallowate, tallow acid, tallow amide, tallow amine, talloweth-6, tallow glycerides, and tallow imidazoline. Alternatives: vegetable tallow, Japan tallow, and paraffin and/or ceresin (see alternatives to Beeswax for all three). Paraffin is usually from petroleum, wood, coal, or shale oil.

Tallow Acid.
(See Tallow.)

Tallow Amide.
(See Tallow.)

Tallow Amine.
(See Tallow.)

Talloweth-6.
(See Tallow.)

Tallow Glycerides.
(See Tallow.)

Tallow Imidazoline.
(See Tallow.)

Triterpene Alcohols.
(See Lanolin.)

Turtle Oil. Sea Turtle Oil.
Primarily from the muscles and genitals of green sea turtles. In soaps, skin creams, nail creams, and other cosmetics. Alternatives: vegetable emollients (see alternatives to Animal Fats and Oils).

Tyrosine.
An amino acid used in creams and dietary supplements.

Urea. Carbamide.
Excreted from urine and other bodily fluids. Commercial uses are derived from synthetics. Derivatives: imidazolidinyl urea and uric acid.

Uric Acid.
(See Urea.)

Vitamin A.
Can come from fish liver oil (e.g., shark liver oil), egg yolk, butter, lemongrass, wheat germ oil, carotene in carrots, and synthetics. It is an aliphatic alcohol. In cosmetics, creams, perfumes, hair dyes, etc. In vitamins and supplements. Alternatives: carrots, other vegetables, and synthetics.

Vitamin B-Complex Factor.
(See Panthenol.)

Vitamin B Factor.
(See Biotin.)

Vitamin B-12.
Usually comes from an animal source. Some “vegetarian” B-12 vitamins are in a stomach base. Alternatives: some vegetarian B-12-fortified yeasts and analogs are available. Also, plant algae containing B-12 is now in supplement form (spirulina). Some nutritionists caution that fortified foods or supplements are essential.

Vitamin D. Ergocalciferol. Vitamin D-2. Ergosterol. Provitamin D-2. Calciferol. Vitamin D-3.
Vitamin D can come from fish liver oil, milk, egg yolks, etc. Vitamin D-2 can come from animal fats or plant sterols. Vitamin D-3 is always from an animal source. All the D vitamins can be in creams, lotions, other cosmetics, vitamin tablets, etc. Alternatives: plant and mineral sources, synthetics, completely vegetarian vitamins, and exposure of the skin to sunshine. Many other vitamins can come from animal sources. Examples: choline, biotin, inositol, riboflavin, etc.

Vitamin H.
(See Biotin.)

Wax.
Glossy, hard substance that is soft when hot. From animals, plants, and insects. Used on fruits and vegetables and in lipsticks, depilatories, and hair straighteners. Alternatives: vegetable waxes.

Whey.
A serum from milk. Usually in cakes, cookies, candies, and breads. In cheese-making. Alternative: soybean whey.

Wool.
From sheep. Used in clothing. Ram lambs and old “wool” sheep are slaughtered for their meat. Sheep are transported without food or water in extreme heat and cold. Their legs are broken, their eyes are injured, etc. Sheep are bred to be unnaturally woolly and wrinkly, which causes them to get insect infestations around their tail areas. Farmers’ solution to this is the painful cutting away of the flesh and skin around the tail (called mulesing). When being sheared, the sheep are pinned down violently and sheared roughly. Please read our factsheet for more information about the wool industry. Derivatives: lanolin, wool wax, and wool fat. Alternatives: cotton, cotton flannel, synthetic fibers, ramie, etc.

Wool Fat.
(See Lanolin.)

Wool Wax.
(See Lanolin.)

Information in this factsheet was derived from the following sources:

American Meat Institute, “Fact Sheet: Products Derived From Animals.”

Verlyn Klinkenborg, “Cow Parts,” Discover Aug. 2001.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, “Cosmetic Products and Ingredients,” 9 May 2006.

U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, MedLinePlus, 4 Feb. 2003.

Ruth Winter, A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2004).

Ruth Winter, A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2005).

Taken from http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=72

Maharaj's "Burning" comments

H.H. Radhanath Swami Burning Man Interview for Krishna Camp

Yogi on fire!

what can i say...age of kali!!

Sex -- a sacred connection between you, your partner and God? Reclaiming sex as a holy part of marriage and religion seems to be all the rage among evangelicals and other Christians across the country. The reason? To combat the evils sex has become associated with in the mainstream media -- among them: the high divorce rate, promiscuity and homosexuality. The question: Is bringing the oft-taboo topic of sex to light in a church also causing a bit of controversy in the process?

Most recently, the head of Fellowship Church, a Texas-based congregation with 20,000 members, is challenging his married, heterosexual churchgoers to have sex (with their spouses) every day for seven days straight, according to AP reports. Fellowship Church founder and senior Reverend Ed Young will deliver the sermon "Seven Days of Sex," on Sunday November 16, while sitting in bed in front of the Dallas-based chapter of his church. This is the second segment in a series entitled "Leaving Lust Vegas," which the church's Web site says is an answer to a sex-crazed society filled with "romance novels and chic-flicks [sic]" and adult Web sites and late-night TV, where "lust is lurking around every corner."

Church Leaders Call to Bring God Back into Bed

In an interview with CBS, Young describes people's reaction to his proposed week of sex: "We've had a few people go, 'Man, I wonder why you're doing this,' or, 'That's kind of odd, talking about making love in church.' But, again, I think the church has allowed the culture to hijack sex from the church, and it's time that we moved the bed back in church and put God back in the bed, and I think we are the real sex-perts because, after all, we're made in God's image and he's the one who wants us to do it his way."

In the video clip where he announces the upcoming challenge, Young, 47, says he and his wife, Lisa, will also be doing it for seven days straight, which he jokes is "normal" for them. And he promises the congregation there will be a reward at the end of the week of sex: belonging to the "happiest church on planet earth." The church's site has promises as well, including that those who follow Young's "Vegas" series will "discover real satisfaction in the life God has in store for you as you learn how to leave Lust Vegas for good."

Young is not alone in bringing sex "back" to religion. Earlier in 2008, Paul Wirth, head pastor of Relevant Church, a Florida-based group, issued a "30-Day Sex Challenge" to tackle the nation's 50-percent divorce rate. The church's Web site explained, "We believe you can have a great sex life; in fact, we believe God wants you to have a great sex life."

And during Lent of 2007, Epic Church pastor Tim Kade delivered a sermon called "The Greatest Sex You’ll Ever Have," with a companion Web site, which caused some controversy among community members who found the content too racy for religion, according to Fox News.

Religious Sex Scandals

While the last few decades have seen a spate of religious-themed sex scandals, one religious leader who seems to have plunged further than most from his once-spotless pinnacle is Ted Haggard. The former evangelical pastor and former president of the National Evangelical Association was once an outspoken opponent of homosexuality -- until 2006, when a sex scandal involving a homosexual prostitute and a cash-for-sex relationship swirled about him. He was fired from his position as the head of 14,000-member New Life Church, according to the AP. Haggard never fully acknowledged nor denied the claims, but he said there was enough truthfulness to them to merit his firing. In November 2008, he announced that he was sexually abused as a child, and when the sex scandal leaked, that memory "started to rage in my mind and in my heart," reports the AP.

In Alexandra Pelosi's documentary "Friends of God," Haggard says, "You know all the surveys say that evangelicals have the best sex life of any other group," according to ABC News. But given Haggard's own personal track record, the question is whether any kind of sex life, whether condoned or promoted by religion, or paraded around by celebrities, can possibly be wholly lust-free and pure in mind, and whether it should be at all. –

Mary Kearl (http://www.aolhealth.com/healthy-living/relationships/pastor-sex-challenge)

Who is a Good Leader?

Krishna Consciousness can solve all problems of life ranging from political to sociological issues to life and death issues. Therefore we should at least try it out sincerely.

A good leader is one who should be in the mode of goodness without attachment to power, money, prestige, fame and self glory. I doubt if any leader fits this bill. Although Obama has stirred the emotions of people, I doubt he can create any significant change simply because he is not in the mode of goodness. He cannot deliver justice to everyone equally including the animals, plants and aquatics. In this current day and age, it is practically impossible to find such a leader and even if we do, he probably will not get elected!

So without further adieu, please read Srila Prabhupada’s purport on the qualification of a good and able leader. These principles are eternal truth and not bound by time and space. Therefore, if we want change, there is no option but to adopt Srila Prabhupada’s description of a leader.

"There is a need for the science of Kṛṣṇa in human society for all the suffering humanity of the world, and we simply request the leading personalities of all nations to take to the science of Kṛṣṇa for their own good, for the good of society, and for the good of all the people of the world." So it is confirmed herein by the example of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the personality of goodness. In India the people hanker after Rāma-rājya because the Personality of Godhead was the ideal king and all other kings or emperors in India controlled the destiny of the world for the prosperity of every living being who took birth on the earth. Herein the word prajāḥ is significant. The etymological import of the word is "that which is born." On the earth there are many species of life, from the aquatics up to the perfect human beings, and all are known as prajās. Lord Brahmā, the creator of this particular universe, is known as the prajāpati because he is the grandfather of all who have taken birth. Thus prajā is used in a broader sense than it is now used. The king represents all living beings, the aquatics, plants, trees, reptiles, birds, animals and man. Every one of them is a part and parcel of the Supreme Lord (Bg. 14.4), and the king, being the representative of the Supreme Lord, is duty-bound to give proper protection to every one of them. This is not the case with the presidents and dictators of this demoralized system of administration, where the lower animals are given no protection while the higher animals are given so-called protection. But this is a great science which can be learned only by one who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa. By knowing the science of Kṛṣṇa, one can become the most perfect man in the world, and unless one has knowledge in this science, all qualifications and doctorate diplomas acquired by academic education are spoiled and useless. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira knew this science of Kṛṣṇa very well, for it is stated here that by continuous cultivation of this science, or by continuous devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, he acquired the qualification of administering the state. The father is sometimes seemingly cruel to the son, but that does not mean that the father has lost the qualification to be a father. A father is always a father because he always has the good of the son at heart. The father wants every one of his sons to become a better man than himself. Therefore, a king like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, who was the personality of goodness, wanted everyone under his administration, especially human beings who have better developed consciousness, to become devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa so that everyone can become free from the trifles of material existence. His motto of administration was all good for the citizens, for as personified goodness he knew perfectly well what is actually good for them. He conducted the administration on that principle, and not on the rākṣasi, demonic, principle of sense gratification. As an ideal king, he had no personal ambition, and there was no place for sense gratification because all his senses at all times were engaged in the loving service of the Supreme Lord, which includes the partial service to the living beings, who form the parts and parcels of the complete whole. Those who are busy rendering service to the parts and parcels, leaving aside the whole, only spoil time and energy, as one does when watering the leaves of a tree without watering the root. If water is poured on the root, the leaves are enlivened perfectly and automatically, but if water is poured on the leaves only, the whole energy is spoiled. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, therefore, was constantly engaged in the service of the Lord, and thus the parts and parcels of the Lord, the living beings under his careful administration, were perfectly attended with all comforts in this life and all progress in the next. That is the way of perfect management of state administration" - SB 1.12.4

Hare Krishna