Disagreement is alright but...

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna talks much about duty and freedom from attachment to fruits of labor. Perhaps one such place where we can implement this idea is in the department of disagreement. In this day of social media, practically everyone has access to an audience and practically everyone has an opinion. Nothing wrong with that! Srila Prabhupada says where there are two people, there can be disagreement. In other words, as meager as two people can disagree what to then speak of a bigger group or an institution or community etc. 

There is disagreement in the Bhagavatam. Divine and exalted souls, we read, disagree and put forth opposing views in the presence of the Supreme Being. Certainly, therefore we can conclude,agreeing or disagreeing is within our domain. The problem with kali yuga disagreement is it comes with a selfish agenda of some sort. In other words, we disagree when our agenda is under threat or when we feel my thoughts or I will not be given importance. Such disagreement invariably will lead to discord and fight. However, if we disagree with someone or some principle according to the conclusion/essence of the shastra/guru vakya (not selfish) and satisfied with what Krishna provides, such disagreement will not create bitterness in our heart. 

If we do have bitterness, it is a sign that we are doing this for something selfish and that it is time for introspection!

Hare Krishna

ISKCON has to be a friendly movement

I am copying Maharaj words.

(HH.Kadamba Kanana Swami, 18 October 2017, Melbourne, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.3.17)

ISKCON has to be a very friendly movement. A very accommodating movement that is ready to give everyone a chance; ready to not find fault in others. To not find fault in others is hard. We may catch someone lying and say, “He is a liar! Shame! This person needs to be rejected!” Well, have we ever lied? Never, ever? That is a lie! So yes, even if we catch someone lying, it does not mean that that person has some weakness. It does not mean that we can say, “This person is a write-off! I do not want to deal with such people!” Because then, we cannot deal with ourselves either. We are all fallen. We are all simply here by the mercy of great devotees and by the mercy of Lord Krsna.

But then, “How do you correct someone?”

Chanakya Pandit has mentioned that you cannot correct anyone unless you are in a senior position to that person. And even when you are in a senior position to that person, you cannot correct them unless you have a heartfelt friendship with them. If you are not senior and do not have a heartfelt relationship, then you do not correct them. Instead, you go to someone who has that relationship and say, “Well, these things are going on. I do not know what to do, but if you think something should be done…  I just want you to know.” That is all!

It is not that we go around, “That is not really right, Prabhuji. That is not our standard… That is very offensive!” Through this, we just create a movement that nobody wants to be a part of it for a long time. If it is fine to tell everyone off then we cannot live in such a movement for a long time.

We need a movement which is based on deep friendship and deep appreciation. We do not need a boarding school. If we create a movement which is like a boarding school where everyone is looking at everyone else like, “Prabhuji, are you doing this correctly? That should go over there!” Then, in one’s mind, one may start to think, “I want to break loose. I want to run free. I want to go.”  

We become split personalities in such an environment. We have a façade and the façade is all external rules, regulations and standards. And behind the closed curtains, the real self comes out. No, we do not want that. We want a very mature movement. A movement with deep friendships amongst everyone. And then, we help each other and we realise, “Today I help you and tomorrow you help me.”

Hare Krishna

The Human Connectome Project

Who am I? - this is an eternal question asked by many.

According to science, "I" is a combination and connection of neurons and neural activity in the brain. Brain has approximately 80 billion neurons and each human being is unique because these neurons snap and interact differently. The flow of information is different for different individuals hence the individuality and hence the difference in reaction and memory. Our taste, love, desire etc all stem from these connections, essentially transfer of electrical and chemical impulses between neurons. In other words, "I' and the feeling of "I", implied here, is reduced to chemical and electrical properties.

Besides, not sure what science tells about the reason behind a particular type of synapses or connection? Why is it connecting differently for different people? To me, it just explains the mechanism (the how and what) but not the why? For that again, we have to look elsewhere for the answer.






Hare Krishna

Who is awarded the title Mahā-Bhāgavata

alabdhe vā vinaṣṭe vā
bhakṣyācchādana-sādhane
aviklava-matir bhūtvā
harim eva dhiyā smaret

Even if a devotee is frustrated in his attempt to eat properly or clothe himself properly, he should not allow this material failure to disturb his mind; rather, he should use his intelligence to remember his master, Lord Kṛṣṇa, and thus remain undisturbed. - Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.114). As one becomes mature in this process of remembering Kṛṣṇa in all circumstances, he is awarded the title Mahā-Bhāgavata. - SB 11.2.49 Purport

Certainly not easy in this day and age!

Hare Krishna