My wish

New Year is few hours away and i would like to remember my 2007 and learn going forward. I have so many things in my mind right now...even a super-computer would not be enough to download what is going on my head right now. Anyways, i will spare the readers of all the details.

I like how H.H.Bhanu Maharaj explains love...i wish i had that desire to love!

“Krs” means “the cause of existence” and “na” means “cause of bliss.” Because of this, he is the supreme form of God. “Cause of existence” sounds good for philosophers, but what does it mean for the devotees of Krsna? For the devotee, everything is in terms of love for Krsna. Their very lives depend on him.

O lotus-eyed Lord, whenever You go away to Mathura, Vrindavana or Hastinapura to meet Your friends and relatives, every moment of Your absence seems like a million years. O infallible one, at that time our eyes become useless, as if bereft of sun. SB 1.11.9

-H.H.Bhanu Swami Maharaj

Service to Cows

Cows are considered sacred according to the Vedic scriptures. Cows are considered as one of our mothers and hence should be treated with veneration.

adau mata guru-patni brahmani raja-patnika,
Dhenu dhatri tatha prthvi
(Chanakya Pandit)

Ones real mother, the wife of a teacher, the wife of a Brahmana, the queen, the cow, the nurse and the Earth are considered as one mothers.

Lord Krishna is a cowherd boy in His pastimes with the Gopas and Gopis. There are innumerable stories on the pastimes of Krishna as a cowherd boy. Cow is very very dear to Lord Krishna. Devotees of Lord Krishna should take all efforts to protect cows in this day and age. By doing so will please Krishna immensely. Krishna Consciousness is all about pleasing Krishna and cow protection is one such divine service that will please Krishna and expedite our devotional attitude.

“Worship of the cow is accomplished by gently scratching her limbs, by offering a mouthful of green grass, and by circumambulating her. By pleasing the cow, Lord Gopala is also pleased” (Gautamiya Tantra)

“My dear Lord Krishna, You are the well-wisher of the cows and the brahmans, and You are the well-wisher of the entire human society and the world”
(Vishnu Purana 1.19.65 )

May cows be in front of me; may cows be behind me; may cows be in my heart i; and may I dwell in the midst of cows – Garuda Purana

May she who is the Goddess of Prosperity for all creatures, who is the mainstay of the shining ones; it’s the form of a cow remove my sins

We can learn that by serving cows all our sins get vanquished and puts us in an appropriate position to do devotional service unto Krishna. Pleasing Lord Krishna is the goal of human life and we can achieve that by serving cows directly or indirectly. Srila Prabhupada has stressed the importance of cows in our society and the dire need to protect them.

Srila Prabhupada Quotes:
There are so many facilities afforded by cow protection, but people have forgotten these arts. The importance of protecting cows is therefore stressed by Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhavajam [Bg. 18.44]). Even now in the Indian villages surrounding Vrndavana, the villagers live happily simply by giving protection to the cow. They keep cow dung very carefully and dry it to use as fuel. They keep a sufficient stock of grains, and because of giving protection to the cows, they have sufficient milk and milk products to solve all economic problems. Simply by giving protection to the cow, the villagers live so peacefully. Even the urine and stool of cows have medicinal value. [Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.6.19 Purport]

"According to Vedic civilization the cow is to be given special protection. Why it is recommended for the cow? It does not say of other animal. When animal killing is required according to Vedic civilization, those who are meat-eaters, they are allowed to kill some insignificant animal like deer, goat, pigs. It is for the animal eaters, not for all. But if one is bent upon... And there are persons, they want meat-eating. So for them these unimportant animals are recommended. But cow is very important animal. You get from its milk so many nutritious food. So apart from religious sentiment, from economic point of view, cow-killing is not good. And from moral point of view it is not good because you drink cow's milk, so cow is your mother."
(Garden Conversation with Professors, Chairman of the Religion Dept. of U.S.C., and Dr. Stillson Judah, and others -- June 24, 1975, Los Angeles)

"We have to keep some cows. Never mind we are to take payment from others. That is not cow protection. Cow protection means just like Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is tending the cows. He is going, taking the cows personally from His royal palace going to the forest whole day, working there. Is it not, cowherd boy? And taken some little fruit, mother, whatever mother has given. They are playing that. So this is cow protection, not that "Somebody will give money and we shall keep some third class cows and feed there and become cow protector." We must tend the cows very nicely so that they give us sufficient milk. And with that milk we shall live. (Srimad-Bhagavatam Class 2.9.3 -- Melbourne, April 5, 1972)

....So in this movement, our one program is to respect the cows. We chant this mantra, namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca. The brahminical culture and the cows... Why they have selected the cows? There are so many animals. Why cow protection is so important in Krsna consciousness? Why Krsna personally Himself became a cowherd boy and was taking the care of the cows and the calves? Oh, that is very essential.

And here also, we see that the Dharmaraja is inquiring about the comforts of the cow. Amba, kaccid bhadre, what is, anamayam atmanas te. Amayam means disease. So "Whether you are quite comfortable by your health?" This is very essential to keep cows very comfortably. If they feel comfortable, then you get the most nourishing food, milk. We are practically seeing in our New Vrindaban center, because the cow are feeling secure in our custody, they're delivering milk up to the eighty pounds daily. You'll be surprised. So if you get milk products, milk, then you can prepare so many preparations full of vitamins, which will nourish your brain. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974 )- End quote

COWS ARE SACRED
Bhishma said: No sacrifice can be performed without the aid of curds and ghee (clarified butter).The very character which sacrifices have depends upon ghee. Hence ghee (or, the cow from which it is produced) is regarded as the very root of sacrifice. Cows are guileless in their behavior. Cows are auspicious and sacred, the grantor of every wish and givers of life. They who make gifts of cows, and who subsist upon the remnants of things offered as libations on the sacred fire, are regarded, as always performing sacrifices of every kind.

Of all kinds of gifts, the gift of cows is applauded as the highest. Cows are the foremost of all things. Themselves sacred, they are the best of cleansers and sanctifiers. People should cherish cows for obtaining prosperity and even peace. Cows are said to represent the highest energy both in this world and the world that is above. There is nothing that is more sacred or sanctifying than cows. [From the Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Sections LXXXIII - LXXVII - LXXVI]

Brihat-parashara-smriti says:

"One who gives some water and grass to the cows for eating attains the result of performing a horse sacrifice, of this there is no doubt."

Offering some service to cows is auspicious to oneself and family. One gains immense piety and devotion and above all pleases Lord Krishna. Of this there is no doubt. The quotes above help establish that point. Hence as devotees of the Lord it behooves us to serve our mother- the cow.

There is one such opportunity (of the many) that I know is available to serve the cows of Vrindavan, the land of Krishna. Cows in Vrindavan of all places on earth require our help. It is sad that Vrindavan where Krishna sported as a cowherd boy mistreats its cows. The age of Kali is indeed present. Not sure how many people read this blog, but for those of you who read, please spend some time reading the link and the website. It talks about various services available for us. Please help as the cows need our help and an opportunity to please the Supreme Lord Krishna!

Link - http://www.careforcows.org/how_can_i_help/contribute_to_our

http://www.careforcows.org/residents/ (gives information on the residents living there)

While there are many services we have in our lives, please do not think this is not important, this is as good as (if not more) than all our direct duties we have towards our loved ones, and towards Vaishnavas, Guru and Lord Krishna.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krishna

highway of life

As this is a holiday season in the US, I and my wife decided to get some devotee association. Hence we traveled to Bloomington, IL to attend a program there for 3 days. It was fun and spiritually enriching. Normally it takes about 4 hours and 30 mins to reach Bloomington, however due to bad driving conditions; it took me 6 hours and 30 mins. The drive was grueling and stressful due to dangerous driving conditions. At some points, I had zero visibility while driving. I was praying I reach my destination safely. Another thing that was apparent was the innumerable vehicles that got stranded on the side of the highways due to bad weather. This reminded me of something.
Our life is a like a journey on the highway where we travel towards a destination. Many people have many versions of their destination. For some people, destination can be buying a land, or becoming a successful businessman or engineer or father/mother so on and so forth. But I think the destination is the same for every single person in this mundane platform. But we just do not want to accept it and hence substitute it with various versions. The destination I am talking about is “death”. We all have to die in this world and after that we start again in a new life somewhere. So for this current life, our final destination is death. No matter what we are in this life, we have to relinquish this dying body. In other words, no matter what type of car (BMW, Benz or a Chevy) we drive on the highway of life, we eventually have to come to a stop in the name of death. The broken and stranded cars on sides reminded me of that inevitable death. While I was trying to drive fast, past many such stranded cars, to avoid such a situation, I had to accept the harsh reality that one day my car will also be stranded on the highway of life. The sooner I accept this reality the better. Therefore, the only way to save ourselves from this repeated break down on the highway is to just stop driving a broken car. We should take a car that never breaks down for eternity. In other words, to stop this cycle of birth and death, we have to go back home back to Krishna to attain our original spiritual bodies.

There is only one way to do that in this age of kali – that is by chanting the Holy Names of Lord Hari harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha

"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." - (Brhan-naradiya Purana)

christmas

It is Christmas in the US and where I live people joyously celebrate the holiday season by sharing gifts and love. It is nice and warming to see people celebrating the holiday season which is Christmas. Unfortunately, we do not meditate much on the life and sacrifice of Lord Jesus Christ. It has become an event of receiving and giving gifts.

I would like to share my thoughts on Christ and His greatness. While growing up, I had two very special and close friends who were serious and good Christians. I lived next door to them and hence I always played and had fun with them. They were from Kerala, India. Their parents showered immense love and affection towards the children and also on me and my brother. They were brilliant in their education and had good values towards life. They respected their parents and lived a Christ centered life. They were my first introduction to Christ, the Bible and His life. When I saw that they not only studied the Bible but also lived by it impressed me very much.

Jesus Christ lived a life of compassion and love towards all living entities. Much like Srila Prabhupada, Jesus Christ spread the love of God to all living entities. He taught by His own example, a life of tolerance and love. H.H.Radhanath Swami once shared the greatness of Jesus Christ by reciting one of His earthly pastimes. This story gives us the mood of Jesus Christ and to anyone who wishes to follow in His footsteps.

Jesus Christ was betrayed by one of His followers in the last supper and Christ knew about it. He was shown to the Roman soldiers to persecute Him. In spite of the impending life threatening danger that was to follow the next day, Christ did not run away or hide, rather He went into deep prayer that night and begged the Supreme Father to bestow His blessings and make Him the instrument of His will. A similar situation was when Srila Prabhupada reached the shores of Boston; He prayed the same prayer, to be the puppet in the hands of the Supreme Lord. Both of them created history in their own right. Jesus Christ as we all know was crucified and persecuted for his faith but yet He seeked forgiveness to the people who persecuted Him. This is just a glimpse into His glorious life and pastimes. If we intend to be true “Christians”, then we should follow the life of Christ – a life of love and compassion to all living entities including the plants and animals. It would be foolish to think Christ who sacrificed His entire life to spread love would condone animals being treated in a cruel manner and being slaughtered to satisfy one’s tongue (for food). This is hypocrisy in the name of religion. Of course this is the age of Kali!

To take a leaf from the book of Jesus Christ, we should endeavor to live a life of tolerance, love, compassion and sacrifice, doing this we spread the mission of love of God. This will please Krishna. I pray Christ that He shows mercy on me to serve my Guru Maharaj and his mission.

All glories to Jesus Christ!
All glories to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna!

Lemon gem cup cakes

For those of you who are interested in a dessert that is light and refreshing, here is one. The recipe was taken from a book called "Vegan with a Vengeance". My wife prepared this recipe in 40 mins and baked it in 20 mins. She said it is pretty easy to prepare and doesn't take much of one's time. It came out great!!

before sending to bake


after baking

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup canola oil
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup rice milk (we used whole milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Preheat over to 350 deg F. Line a twelve muffin tin with paper liners (we skipped this one). Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl combine the oil, sugar, milk, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pour the dry ingredients in the wet and mix until smooth. Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full; bake for 17-20mins. Remove the cupcakes from muffin tin and place on a cooling rack. Frost when cooled fully.

cooling

lemon Frosting

¼ cup nonhydrogenated soft margarine, softened
¼ cup soy milk (we used whole milk)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar

Whisk the margarine with a fork until fluffy. Stir in the milk and lemon juice; add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth (it may take 5 minutes or so to get it to be the right consistency unless you employ an electric handheld mixer). Refrigerate until ready to use.

final product

what pleases you the most...

For those of you who want to please H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj, here is the answer given by him

Q. What pleases you the most, What you want your disciples to do to please you?

A. Make Srila Prabhupada’s mission your life and soul and to do that;
· Take shelter of the Holy names sincerely,
· Be humble,
· Tolerant,
· Respectful,
· Develop wonderful relationships with each other and
· Have tremendous enthusiasm to serve Prabhupada’s mission to help to create unity and happiness within Prabhupada’s society through this process.

Question and Answer session with H.H.Radhanath Swami on 25th february 2007

Bhagavat Gita and its glory

Today is the day Lord Krishna spoke the famous Gita to His friend and disciple Arjuna approximately 5000 years ago in Kurukshetra, India. Arjuna the master archer and warrior assembled in front of the grand armies to fight the greatest battle in the history of the planet, the battle between the Kauravas and the Pandavas.

Arjuna became weak in heart and abandoned his bow Gandiva relinquishing his will to fight. At this juncture, Arjuna requested the advice and instruction of Krishna. Krishna with a beautiful smile on His Lotus face spoke the great song known as the Bhagavad Gita or the song sung by the Supreme Lord Krishna.

This song was recorded by Sage Vedavyas through his mystic potencies and passed down through generations. Over the past years, in the rampant age of hypocrisy and quarrel, the Gita lost its original intent and value. Hence, some 35 years ago, Srila Prabhupada took it upon himself to translate the original Gita into English “as it is” without interpretation.

For anyone who is sincere and honest to understand the science of the spirit, matter, the Supreme Spirit and this universe and its inter-relationships should study the Bhagavad Gita.

Personally, i owe a lot to the Gita, because this was my first of anything Krishna Conscious in this life and the beginning of something fabulous. What started as a casual page turner (to kill time) turned into an experience that will be with me for the rest of eternity. At this juncture, i have to thank my father as he bought Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita as it is centennial edition.

The Bhagavad-Gita is not separate from the Vaishnava philosophy and the Srimad Bhagavatam fully reveals the true import of this doctrine which is transmigration of the soul. On perusal of the first chapter of Bhagavad-Gita one may think that they are advised to engage in warfare. When the second chapter has been read it can be clearly understood that knowledge and the soul is the ultimate goal to be attained. On studying the third chapter it is apparent that acts of righteousness are also of high priority. If we continue and patiently take the time to complete the Bhagavad-Gita and try to ascertain the truth of its closing chapter we can see that the ultimate conclusion is to relinquish all the conceptualized ideas of religion which we possess and fully surrender directly unto the Supreme Lord. – His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada