muniraja

Ajatuksia

2012-02-08T08:34:00.001-08:00

Jaya Nitai

Luin pitkästä aikaa liikkeemme kansainvälistä julkaisua Back To Godhead. Lehti on hyvin taitettu ja asiallinen, jutut kohtuullisen monipuolisia, sävy ei erityisen hihuloiva, mutta...
Hmm...jos Bhaktin filosofiaa opetetaan ja puhutaan, pitää tietysti aloittaa perusteista, kuten missä tahansa tiedossa tai henkisessä koulukunnassa.

Oma mielenlaatuni on vaan ehkä jotenkin...monimutkainen, tai ehkä pohjimmiltaan ylpeyttä, mutta kaipaan aina uusia tuoreita näkökulmia, jotain stereotyyppisestä poikkeavaa.

Esitystavan ei tarvitse olla välttämättä monimutkainen, oikeastaan sanotaan, että jos joku puhuu korkean oivalluksen pohjalta, hän voi esittää korkealentoisetkin asiat hyvin simppelillä tavalla. A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami on tästä hieno esimerkki.

Mutta yritän nyt vain pukea sanoiksi sellaista hieman pullanmurut suunpielessä olevaa simppeliä ulkoista innokkuutta, tyyliin bhaktojen paidat: "Mikä on elämän tarkoitus? Kysy Minulta!" jne.

Kaikki innokkuus on varmaan pohjimmiltaan positiivistä, ja jos seuraamme substantiaalisia henkilöitä, meilläkin on aina jotain substanssia, mutta kun onnekseen voi joskus tavata henkilöitä jotka todella pystyvät puhumaan vaisnava-siddhantaa mielenkiintoisella, loogisella, värikkäällä tavalla, pohjautuen omaan oivallukseen, simppeli, ulkoiselta tuntuva presentaatio ei anna niin positiivistä kokemusta.

Annetaan näiden hautua, ehkä jonkun päivän päästä osaan selostaa pointtini vielä selkeämmin.

t muniraja

Oivallus

2011-12-06T23:00:00.001-08:00

suoritin maanantaina yhden intialaisen tenavan (vedalaisen)hiustenleikkuu-seremonian. Lapsi itki ja parkui hyvin korvia raastavalla tavalla. Mutta...KIITOS tästä muistutuksesta ja oivalluksesta ;-)

-muniraja d

Srimad-Bhagavatam Quote

2011-11-30T06:03:00.001-08:00

"As the blazing fire of death, I cause great fear to whoever makes the least discrimination between living entities because of a differential outlook. Therefore, through charitable gifts and attention, as well as through friendly behaviour and by viewing all to be alike, one should propitiate Me, who abides in all creatures as their very Self."

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.29.26-27

Pori

2011-11-22T02:47:00.000-08:00

Torstaihin asti Porissa.

Nityananda on erittäin allerginen koirille ja majoitumme hänen kanssa Porin Hyvinvointi-centerillä, muun porukan ollessa Nakkilassa Samin äidillä.
Otimme aamulla 40min suolahuone-hoidon centerillä.

Luin eilen Raghunatha dasa Gosvamin Vilupa-kusumanjalin, johdannossa oli mielenkiintoinen lainaus Srila Prabhupadalta, jossa hän mainitsee dandavats-parikraman, eli pyhien paikkojen kiertämisen heittäytymällä maahan(osoittamaan kunnioitusta.)
Esteet bhaktin tieltä poistuvat suurten persoonallisuuksien armosta, heidän siunauksensa saadaan mm. kumartamalla tai uhraamalla heille rukouksia. Dhanurdhara Swamin japa-kirjassa Nityananda dasa(Latvialainen)mainitsee tekevänsä päivittäin 15min ajan kumarruksia ennen japa-mietiskelyä. Hän mainitsee, että välillä on hyvä vain kiittää, eikä aina pyytää jotain erityistä siunausta.

-muniraja d

-muniraja d

2011-11-22T02:46:00.001-08:00

On Thursday 24. November at 6 p.m. H.G. Tattvavada Prabhu will lecture about
'Comparison between Indian Vedanta and Western Philosophies' in Helsinki University/Porthania, Yliopistonkatu 3, 7. floor, room 724.
Free entrance, welcome!

Radhanath Swami Video

2011-11-11T01:32:00.000-08:00

http://www.dandavats.com/?p=10046

Diary

2011-11-11T00:52:00.001-08:00

Kartika ended yesterday. We tried to take full benefit of the last day and chanted japa and some special prayers. One large school class visited and they took 10 books, I gave small english books free for those who wanted to take.
Today I woke up very early and had 16 rounds of japa done before waking up our Deities and doing mangala-arati. I gave Srimad-Bhagavatam class, where this one special pastimes of Markendeya Rishi asking to see the illusory potency of Krsna was mentioned. You can read it from vedabase.net:

SB 12.9.22-25: The infant's dark-blue complexion was the color of a flawless emerald, His lotus face shone with a wealth of beauty, and His throat bore marks like the lines on a conchshell. He had a broad chest, a finely shaped nose, beautiful eyebrows, and lovely ears that resembled pomegranate flowers and that had inner folds like a conchshell's spirals. The corners of His eyes were reddish like the whorl of a lotus, and the effulgence of His coral-like lips slightly reddened the nectarean, enchanting smile on His face. As He breathed, His splendid hair trembled and His deep navel became distorted by the moving folds of skin on His abdomen, which resembled a banyan leaf. The exalted brāhmaṇa watched with amazement as the infant took hold of one of His lotus feet with His graceful fingers, placed a toe within His mouth and began to suck.

Your servant Muniraja d

Go to the Forest and Chant Om

2011-11-09T21:14:00.000-08:00

In the afternoon, Srila Prabhupada met with Syamananda's parents in his
room. He told them that he was pleased with their son's new altar
construction. Syamananda's father, Harvey Buttonshaw, was a late middle-aged
man with longish grey-black hair and a substantial moustache. He had been a
mercenary for many years and had even served with the French Foreign Legion.
Prabhupada spoke kindly to Harvey, and, to the surprise of some, gave him
specific instructions that he should go to the forest and chant "Om". After
his fifteen-minute talk, Harvey left feeling grateful for having met Srila
Prabhupada. For the rest of Srila Prabhupada's stay, Harvey regularly
brought gifts of flowers and could be seen dancing and chanting
enthusiastically in kirtana and taking prasadam with the devotees.

From The Great Transcendental Adventure by Kurma Dasa

Best Sword-Fight Ever

2011-11-08T00:29:00.000-08:00

Looking forward for my first saber-class this week, warming up with this insanely good scene from legendary movie "Hidden Dragon, Crouching Tiger."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OxQ-2gR1DU

Last Days of Kartika

2011-11-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Last few days of auspicious kartika-month, it´s ending on Wednesday. Sadhana has been somewhat nice lately, 9pm to sleep, waking up usually around 2am. I have helped our Kalpapadapa prabhu with morning puja, waking up our Gaura-Nitai and doing the mangala-arati, sometimes abhiseka also.

Been meditating this long retreat what Buddhists do, 3years, 3 months and 3 days. Lecturing is of course important for us, not planning to do 3 years complete silence, but it would be nice to do some kind of long-term vrata, or at least plan, how to focus more to internal things. Avoiding computer, using phone only limited way, and avoiding speaking nonsense. 3years, 3 months and 3 days means 1188 days, it would be very uplifting to chant and hear more for 1188 days....let´s see

Your servant Muniraja d

Link

2011-11-07T23:59:00.000-08:00

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/offbeat/9979541/tunnels-were-freeways-of-stone-age-world/

Uusia tuulia

2011-11-05T12:12:00.001-07:00

Nitai-Gauranga Jayatah

Tapahtumia viime päiviltä:

Jäädytin tänään facebook-profiilini toistaiseksi, aloitetaan ainakin kuukaudesta, katsotaan sitten tilanne.

Siivosimme tänään ja onnistuin karsimaan kaappini sisältöä tuntuvasti, mieli tuntuu kevyemmältä.

Bhisma-pancaka vrata alkaa huomenna Srila-Gaura-Kishora dasa babajin katoamispäivänä. Vratan seuraajat aterioivat vain kerran päivässä auringonlaskun jälkeen ja toistavat mahdollisimman paljon maha-mantraa.

Puhuimme tai-ji opettaja tuttavani kanssa joitakin viikkoja sitten jos hän opettaisi minulle sapelli-sarjaa. Kirjoitin Pekingissä asuvalle lukio-aikaiselle tuttavalle, Santerille, jos hän voisi katsoa sapellia, viuhkaa ja kung-fu tossuja. En kerinnyt antamaan tarkempia ohjeita, kun Santeri yllättäen kirjoitti tulevansa Helsinkiin ja oli jo hankkinut sapellin ja muuta toivotut tavarat!
Tapasimme tänään, vaihdoimme kuulumisia, emme olleet nähneet livenä ehkä 13-vuoteen. Olen nyt peräti 3-sapellin onnellinen omistaja! =) Vein vastalahjaksi muutamia kirjoja, mm The Journey Home:n

t muniraja dasa

Helsinki

2011-10-19T20:49:00.001-07:00

woke up 2.30, little yoga and chanting, morning puja for Gaura-Nitai while listening Mahanidhi Swami´s lectures. Back to japa, good start for the day.

Lappi

2011-07-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

2 viikon kiertue pohjoisessa lähenee loppuaan. Vietimme viikon Rovaniemellä tuttavan luona Korkalovaarassa, puolet porukastamme lähti viime lauantaina Helsinkiin ja suuntasimme Avadhutacandra prabhun ja bhakta Fredrikin kanssa vielä 3 yöksi Muonioon. Sunnuntai iltana menimme Fredrikin kanssa kävelylle Pallakselle. Kiipesimme sankassa sumussa yhden keron huipulle omia reittejä, eksyimme ja lähtöpisteeseen palaamiseen meni 6h 45min...no hyvää kuntoilua ja kauniit maisemat.

Levitimme kirjoja ja Govindan keksejä mm. Sodankylässä, Kemijärvellä, Muoniossa, Levillä, Kittilässä, Enontekiöllä, Äkäslompolossa, Kolarissa ja nyt paluumatkalla Ylitorniossa. Huomenna Tornio, Haaparanta ja lauantaina joko Oulu tai Jyväskylä.

Kaikinpuolin hyvä reissu, kylpyjä joissa, yksinkertaista ateriointia ja monia uusia tuttavuuksi kirjanlevityksen kautta.

t muniraja d

Budabest

2011-05-31T02:23:00.000-07:00

We are visiting ISKCON Budabest for 3 days.

Tomorrow is the opening of Bhaktivedanta College's new building. Temple and College are very impressive, good facilities and everything very neat and clean. Sivarama Swami is the man behind all this.

Today I will visit Gauranga prabhu's yoga center and particiate to hot-astanga class.

-muniraja dasa

Facebook Holiday

2011-05-26T22:37:00.003-07:00

For the time being staying out from facebook and writing here little more often

ys mrd

Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out

2011-05-26T22:37:00.001-07:00

Study of Vedanta is not a question of hobby. It is a question of
realization. Shri Swarup Damodar was the secretary of Caitanya Mahaprabhu
and many scholars of that day used to come and see Caitanya Mahaprabhu with
their writings. One brahmana also came. This is mentioned in the
Caitanya-caritamrta. Shri Swarup Damodar advised that brahmana that your
Bhagavata study was imperfect. So the best thing would be that we have a
Board of learned scholars for higher studies, the Bhaktivedanta Institute. I
wish that you completely join this movement along with the other learned
scholars and become a Bhagavata. Then everything that you speak and write
will be perfect.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Dr. S.B. Chatterjee, 3 April, 1977

Michael Cremo

2011-05-25T02:07:00.001-07:00

http://www.thedailybell.com/2366/Michael-Cremo-on-Forbidden-Archeology-Our-Billion-Year-Old-Human-History-and-the-Spiritual-Satisfaction-of-the-Vedas.ht

Kirtan Samadhi

2011-03-15T23:33:00.000-07:00

"One’s level of absorption in the object of one’s mediation is the status of one’s meditation. The more consummate the immersion the higher the attainment. The ultimate level of meditation is thus samadhi, an absorption where there is no cognizance outside one’s object of focus. For a Bhakta that object is the Divine in the form of mantra, especially when chanted in kirtan."

-Dhanurdhara Swami

The Mercy of Mayapur

2011-01-25T02:36:00.000-08:00

In the holy dhama all spiritual activites have 1000x power. I have chanted some extra of hare krishna maha-mantra japa and prayed for purification. Everything feels very auspicious. Every visit to here has been very nice, but I feel I'm now getting even more than previously. There is no real need to travel and adventure around the India, since this is the most powerful place, being non different from Vrndavana.

-muniraja dasa

Sri Dhama Mayapur

2011-01-20T05:41:00.000-08:00

Gauranga!

We arrived to the most auspicious Mayapur last Friday. My main mission is to participate Bhakti Vidya Purna swami's Bhagavad-gita lectures.

H.H.Dhanurdhara Maharaja is also here, and he has given very nice lectures from the 23th chapter of the 10th canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

The month of magha started today, there is certain vrata for this month, and one gets extra special blessings from bathing in holy places. I will follow the vrata to some degree and bathed in the Ganga today 6am. It was a bit cold, temperature was around 11-13c, but with the every step one takes while going to the bathing place, unmanifested sins are destroyed, so I don't mind the small austerity.

I have tried to increase the quality and quantity of my chanting also.

-muniraja dasa

Analysis of Bliss

2011-01-20T05:40:00.000-08:00

Taittiriya Upanisad Part Two is called Brahmavalli. The eighth chapter of Brahmavalli offers an analysis of ananda, bliss.

It is said that a full measure of human bliss is experienced by a young, strong, learned man who owns all the wealth of the world. But greater than such a man is a Gandharva of the earthly realm. The happiness of the earthly Gandharva is a hundred times the full measure of human happiness. Such happiness is also attained by the man who knows all the Vedas and is free from desire. Superior to the Gandharva of this earthly region is the Gandharva of the world above Earth. He enjoys happiness a hundred times greater than the earthly Gandharva. His bliss is known by a man who knows all the Vedas and is free from desire. Higher than the Gandharvas of the upper world are the forefathers; their bliss is a hundred times greater. Such bliss is tasted by the man who knows the Vedas and is free from desire. Above the forefathers are the demigods who acheived their status by good birth. Their bliss is a hundred times greater than that of the forefathers. A man who knows all the Vedas and is free from desire attains this bliss also. Above those born into demigod families are those who acheived demigod status by performance of sacrifice. A hundred times greater is the bliss they enjoy. A man who knows all the Vedas and is free of desire is established in that bliss. Higher yet are the natural demigods whose happiness is a hundred times more; it too is tasted by the man who knows all the Vedas and is free of desire. The bliss of Indra is a hundred times more than that, but still a man who knows all the Vedas and is free of desire enjoys the same bliss. A hundred times increased is the bliss of Brhaspati. A man who knows all the Vedas and is free of desire tastes Brhaspati's bliss as well. Prajapati's bliss--and the bliss of a man who knows all the Vedas and is free of desire--is greater by a hundred times. The bliss that Brahman enjoys is a hundred times more than that of Prajapati. This bliss is relished by the man who knows all the Vedas and is free of desire.

One who knows the bliss of Brahman is never afraid, Chapter Nine of Brahmavalli declares. He does not agonize by thinking, "Why did I not do the right thing? Why did I do the wrong thing?" His acheivement of the liberated state is understood by his freedom from these two thoughts. This is the hidden teaching of the Upanisad.

But:

tvat-saksatkaranahlada-
visuddhabdhi-sthitasya me
sukhani gospadayante
brahmany api jagad-guro

My dear Lord, O master of the universe, since I have directly seen You, my transcendental bliss has taken the shape of a great ocean. Being situated in that ocean, I now realize all other so-called happiness to be like the water contained in the hoofprint of a calf. (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 14. 36)

krsna-name ye ananda-sindhu-asvadana
brahmananda tara age khatodaka-sama

Compared to the ocean of transcendental bliss which is tasted by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, the pleasure derived from impersonal Brahman realization [brahmananda] is like the shallow water in a canal. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 7. 97)

Helsinki

2011-01-02T09:15:00.000-08:00

7.15pm and going to sleep soon. Determined to wake up steadily around 2am this year, it´s possible, but one needs to be very determined during night, go to take rest early, no matter what. Chanting 16 rounds of maha-mantra japa is the best start for the day, it´s not possible if one doesn´t wake up early.

-muniraja dasa

magha-masa-vrata-20th-jan-18-feb-2011

2010-12-26T08:30:00.001-08:00

http://www.mnsbooks.com/content/magha-masa-vrata-20th-jan-18-feb-2011

Yksi toive/unelma

2010-12-26T06:39:00.000-08:00

Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

Kuulin kerran tarinan kristitystä papista joka piti sunnuntaisaarnan aiheesta:"Mitä tekisin jos saisin 1000 000$." Pappi puhui mitä kaikkea hyvää ja epäitsekästä hän laittaisi aluilleen. Viikkoa myöhemmin varakas seurakuntalainen tuli hänen luokseen ja antoi mainitun rahasumman.

En tarvitse välttämättä temppelille suuria summia rahaa, mutta mainitsen yhden pitkäaikaisen unelman:

Toivon, että saisin/saisimme käyttöön huoneiston jostain well-to-do alueelta Helsinkiä, tai Helsingin läheltä. Huoneisto voisi olla joko omamme, tai riittäisi jos joku antaisi meidän käyttää sitä. Huoneisto olisi sisustettu vastu-satran opit huomioiden, siellä voisi olla myös kohtuullisessa määrin opulenssia,maalauksia, ensiluokkainen kirjasto, hyvä akustiikka, jne. Huoneistoa voitaisiin käyttää mm. ns. VIP-väelle saarnaamiseen, paikka joka olisi todella edustava ja mielenkiintoinen, asunto joka tarjoaisi älykkäille henkilöille todellisen kokemuksen. Temppelimme on hyvä, mutta pieni ja intensiivinen, tarvitsemme myös toisenlaisen tukikohdan.

Voisimme järjestää viikottaisia tilaisuuksia jossa keskustelisimme filosofiastamme valikoidun yleisön kanssa, välillä kenties myös muiden filosofioiden edustajien kanssa voisi olla keskustelu/väittelytilaisuuksia.
Vierailevat sannyasit ja sadhut voisivat yöpyä asunnossa ja halutessaan uppoutua kirjoittamiseen ja sadhanan seuraamiseen.

- muniraja dasa

Helsinki

2010-12-21T22:43:00.000-08:00

Continuing book distribution in Helsinki. I was supposed to go out very early, but our cook didn´t appear on time and went to do some simple prasadam. It was very good, since without going to the kitchen I would not have heard wonderful lecture by Sacinandana Swami. He told story about Lord Narasimhadeva saving one young devotee girl. It was very good reminder, that Krishna´s pastimes go on all the time, not just 5000y ago.

-muniraja dasa

Aindra Prabhu Speaking about Chanting Hare Krishna

2010-12-21T22:42:00.000-08:00

http://www.travelingmonk.com/3714/aindra-dasa-on-chanting-hare-krsna

Läsnäolosta

2010-12-13T02:55:00.000-08:00

...kun yritämme tallentaa jotain kokemusta tai tapahtumaa saatamme menettää läsnäolon.

Suuri joukko bhaktoja on tullut laulamaan maha-mantraa, mutta jos suurin osa osallistujista yrittää valokuvia tai filmiä, tallentaakseen ilon ja extaattiset tuntemukset, he menettävät läsnäolon ja eivät välttämättä tule kokemaan mitään erityistä.

Kuvalliset ja kirjalliset tallennukset erilaisista henkisistä tapahtumista eivät ole väärin, mutta liika laskelmointi vie meidät sivuun itse asiasta. Tallennuksetkin voi tietysti tehdä erilaisilla tyyleillä ja motivaatioilla.

-muniraja d

Importance of Reading

2010-12-10T23:20:00.000-08:00

Nitai-Gauranga Jayatah

Have been reading Srila Prabhupada´s books and other spiritual literature almost every day 1-3 hours during last month. It´s very powerful, mind is more steady and it´s easier to remember Krishna.

-muniraja d

Priti Vardhana in Finland 22.3-2.4

2010-12-10T23:19:00.000-08:00

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=113861532016474#!/event.php?eid=113861532016474

Marathon alkaa

2010-11-28T04:56:00.000-08:00

Joulukuu tulee ja Srila Prabhupadan kirjanlevitys-marathon alkaa. Tulevat 3-4 viikkoa voivat olla joskus haasteellisia, mutta jaossa on myös paljon oivalluksia ja henkistä nektaria. Bhaktivedanta-kirjallisuuden levittäminen ei ulkoisesti eroa aineellisesta kirjakaupustelusta, mutta oikeassa mielentilassa suoritettuna on voimallinen tapa harjoittaa bhaktia.

Kirjanlevitys tarkoittaa ennenkaikkea toiveen ja uskon kultivoimista ja ylläpitoa. Jos olemme vakuuttuneita siitä, että Krishna lähettää kohdallemme 30 Bhagavad-gitasta kiinnostunutta henkilö Suomalaisessa tuppukylässä keskellä talvea, se tulee tapahtumaan. Innokkuuden ylläpitäminen ei ole kuitenkaan itsestäänselvyys jos ensimmäisen 2h ajan jokainen vastaantulija kävelee ylitsemme....

- muniraja

2010-10-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

Helsinki

2010-10-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

Menestyksekäs osallistuminen Hengen ja Tiedon messuille.

Vale-egoa puhdistavia keskusteluja bhaktojen kanssa.

Automme havaittiin läpimädäksi, ei toivoa saada läpi katsastuksesta, kuukausi aikaa hankkia uusi.

-mrd

Helsinki

2010-09-30T10:15:00.001-07:00

Tänään oli temppelin suursiivous, eli maha-siivous. Olin tosin itse kokkaamassa. Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami suositteli, että siivouspäivistä tulee tehdä hauskoja, ja hieman juhlavampi ateria on osa positiivistä kokonaisuutta.

-muniraja

Helsinki Diary: Good Advices

2010-08-31T09:25:00.000-07:00

Jaya Radhe!

Lectures from Vedic astrology and Vedic maths, very interesting.

Subheksana prabhu was also looking my astro chard and I got very nice instructions for self improvement. In a sense there was not that much what I didn´t know from before, but the points came very clearly and it was very inspiring.

Different avataras of Lord Krishna rule different planets and one can meditate and worship certain forms which are ruling certain planets.

-muniraja dasa

From Rainbow to JKL and Hell-sinki

2010-07-30T02:07:00.000-07:00

Jaya Radhe!

I will write more about our visit to Rainbow cathering later on, just shortly mentioning, that we packet our tents and stuff from Paukarlahti on Tuesday. Yesterday we distributed books in Kuopio. It was the hottest day ever in Finland, in Kuopio 36´c, in Joensuu 37`c. We met some of our Rainbow brothers and sisters there also and invited them to visit our temple in Helsinki.

While driving from Suonenjoki to Jyväskylä this morning we noticed many many fallen down trees. There had been huge storm last night, but we didn´t notice anything, we just like logs!
There was some problems with the car on the way, but now we are in Jyväskylä, we distribute books here, spend one night here, one friend arranged free accomodation, and tomorrow back to Hell-sinki, (or heaven-sinki?) =)

-muniraja dasa

Rainbow-kokoontuminen

2010-07-27T04:47:00.000-07:00

Jaya Radhe!

Viimeisen viikon ajan olemme olleet Savossa. Asumme Suonenjoelle kaupungin asunnossa. Olemme levittäneet kirjallisuutta ja vierailleet Paukarlahden Rainbow-kokoontumisessa.

Rainbow on kansainvälinen hippi/new-age/vaihtoehto kokoontuminen. Paukarlahden tapahtuma kestää kaikkiaan kuukauden, täydenkuunjuhlassa oli arviolta 1200 henkilöä.

Krishna-liike osallistui pitämällä usean tunnin mittaisia kirtanoita ja bhajansseja, eli lauloimme maha-mantraa. Valmistimme myös useamman kerran prasadam-halavaa ja kokkasimme kerran "aamupalan", 14.00 jälkeen nautitun ensimmäisen food circle aterian. Kitriä ja papadameja meni noin 500 henkilölle.

Vaikka Veda-filosofia ja hippimeiningit eroavat paljon toisistaan, leirillä oli monia positiivisiä aspekteja ja toimivia yksityiskohtia joita voimme hyödyntää itsekkin.

Kävin leirillä Suonenjoen majoituksestamme käsin, mutta täydenkuunjuhlana yövyimme Samin kanssa paikanpäällä. Lauloimme bhajanssia 20.30 asti, valmistimme halavaa toiseen food circleen (halava joka loppupeleissä jaettiin vasta aamuyöstä). Kävimme aterian aikana, 23.00 jälkeen saunassa, päättelin oikein, että tilaisuus on vuorokaudebn ehkä ainoa käydä brahmacari-standardin mukaisesti saunassa, eli välttää sekasaunaa. Puolenyön jälkeen seurasin ehkä 1,5h ajan kohtalaisen näyttävää täydenkuun seremoniaa ja tanssia. Vielä 2h ajaksi leirin bhajan-telttaan jossa akustisen kitaran säestyksellä laulettiin erilaisia vedalaisia mantroja. Tämän jälkeen kello olikin jo lähes 04.00 ja rupesin toistamaan japakierroksiani. 06.30 projektoimaan aamupalan kokkaamista, joka meni kohtuullisen sujuvasti.

-muniraja d

Srila Satsvarupa Dasa Gosvami´s Offering to Aindra Prabhu

2010-07-19T11:16:00.001-07:00

I wish to add my feelings of loss at the shocking news of the sudden
disappearance of Aindra Prabhu in the Krishna Balarama Mandira in Vrndavana.
He was truly the "emperor of kirtana," and had hundreds of devotees around
the world who looked up to him as their siksa-guru. By establishing the
24-hour kirtana in Krishna-Balarama Mandira, Aindra Prabhu fulfilled an
expressed desire of Srila Prabhupada. It was not easy to assemble a team of
devotees who filled a 24-hour schedule of continuous kirtana, but by
Aindra's leadership, inspiration and personal participation, he managed to
get the 24-hour kirtana going, and it has continued without interruption for
many years. This is a testimony to Aindra Prabhu's loyalty to Prabhupada's
instruction, for which Prabhupada is very pleased with him. We pray that
his team members will continue the legacy Aindra Prabhu has set and continue
the 24-hour kirtana as before.

Aindra Prabhu's personal singing is a beautiful, strong, operatic voice
filled with bhava. We are fortunate to have many recordings to continue to
listen to this great kirtaneer and sing along with him. It is a great
testimony to his popularity and belovedness that thousands of devotees and
Brijbasis accompanied the procession to the Yamuna and stayed for hours
chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. Aindra Prabhu was a purist and a very
advanced devotee in love of Radha and Krishna. In his kirtanas he did not
sing many bhajanas but only the Hare Krishna mantra again and again in many
wonderful, melodic tunes. No one can replace him, but we can try to follow
his example and constantly chant the Hare Krishna mantra in feelings of
separation from our dear Prabhu.

Pujyapada Lokanath Swami´s Offering to Sriman Aindra Prabhu

2010-07-19T02:54:00.000-07:00

My dear devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada! All glories to HG Aindra
Prabhu!
My assistant called me from India, when I was on the way to the airport
in Burma, and asked whether I heard about Aindra Prabhu. With the
kind of tone in which he enquired, I thought of the worst, and it was
true. Aindra had left us behind. I was shaken, shattered and shocked. I
thought of flying to Vrndavan, but the arrangements could not be made
in time. Unfortunately I couldn’t be there today also with you all who
have assembled in front of Krsna Balaram to remember and glorify HG
Aindra Prabhu. So, yesterday I appealed to HG Panca Gauda Prabhu to
share my offering with you.
After hearing the news of Aindra Prabhu’s untimely departure, I just took
shelter of his kirtans – I immediately put on my ipod, and throughout
the flight I listened to his kirtans and talks, and while doing so, I felt
his
presence. I was with him more than ever before as I was hearing his
voice – his body language, lip movements etc were there – although
audio, it was visual as well for me.
One talk I heard was in Vrndavan, on the appearance day of Srimati
Lalitha Sakhi. It was a long talk, and he ended the talk by 10.15 that
morning. He was really relishing talking, and I would like to share short
excerpts from that talk about 2 traits of his personality – one is the
Kirtan
and the other one is his internal private bhajan. He shared how both of
these came to him as instructions from Srila Prabhupada through the
medium of dreams. He was sharing that in the beginning he had been
a Srila Prabhupada book distributor for 8 yrs in New York and then he
had a desire to organise Harinaam Festival there. He had come to India
to get instruments and other paraphernalia. While he was residing at
one life members’ home in New Delhi, he dreamt of Srila Prabhupada
and shared it with the devotees present during the appearance day
celebrations. The dream prepared him for the Harinaam Festival in
New York for a while and subsequently for nearly a quarter of a century
of service doing the 24 hour kirtan in the Krsna Balaram temple.
“The reason why I’m bringing this up is because that night I slept outside
in the courtyard and I had a dream where Prabhupada comes to me in a
dream and he says, “Aindra, what are you doing?” Because it’s the first
time that I ever slept off of the legitimate ISKCON controlled property -
even in America we would pay rent to the motels or whatever so in that
sense because we were paying rent and establishing a temple as such
in a motel room and doing our morning program etc in a motel room – so
it is legitimate. But this time I was like, the first time in 8-9 or 10
years or
so that I had slept off of Prabhupada’s legitimate, you know, properties.
So Prabhupada came to me in a dream and he said, “What are you
doing?” And then I began to enthusiastically describe to him how I was
making a Harinaam Sankirtan festival program, and as I was saying that,
suddenly it dawned on me that I had given up my book distribution. In
the presence of Prabhupada, when he was saying like that and then I
started enthusiastically explaining about my project – it just kind of like
overwhelmingly dawned on me that I had given up, you know, my most
important number one priority service to Srila Prabhupada - kind off
assisting him in the doubling and redoubling of his book distribution as
we had done in previous years. So I immediately broke down and started
crying and crying. And Srila Prabhupada, he took my head on his
shoulder – because this is just a dream, right? (Ha ha ha) – but it was
real for me (ha ha ha). Lots of you had such dreams; but he took my
head on his shoulders and he was patting me on the head and was
telling me – it’s ok, you do it very nicely – so he was encouraging me to
do my Harinaam festival program and that I should do it very nicely
because he knew my intentions – my intentions were to at least make
some kind of small humble attempt to rebuild, revitalise Harinaam
Sankirtan which had been so terribly neglected in our society for so
many years. You, know, so still I’m trying to do something in that regard
in a humble way – I don’t know how effective it is.
Srila Prabhupada also told me in another dream, “Our real business –
this will also blow some people away – our real business is to become
bhajananandi” I’m sitting in front of Srila Prabhupada and in front of
the Deities so I’m not making it up and its not something which is just
a figment of my imagination, you know, manifesting like, u know, sky
flowers or banana hairs or horse eggs or something like that”
“Reading and distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books facilitates one
to become bhajananandi. Jiva Gosvami defines ghostianandi as a
bhajananandi who likes to share the realisations amongst the family
members. Goshti means family, one who experiences ananda, on the
anandamoy platform, relishes the spiritual substance, association with
the spiritual substance. When we say goshtianandi ¬ Bhakti Siddhanta
Saraswati Thakur says the best gosthianandi is the bhajananandi who
preaches”
So, Aindra Prabhu was bhajananandi and goshtianandi. I would say
also Naamanandi. The kirtans which he performed and relished in front
of Krsna Balaram are resounding all over the planet. His sound travels
all over. His kirtans are everywhere, and in many places they play his
kirtans during Aartis also, as I have personally witnessed during my
travels all over the world. When there is no one to lead kirtan, they put
on his tapes. So many try to learn by imitating his unique style of kirtan.
His fans and followers are everywhere, so in sound, a Vaishnava
never dies, and he remains in his sound resounding – Bhakti Vinode
Thakur states that he reasons ill who thinks that a Vaishnava dies,
as he is always present in his sound vibrations. That certainly applies
to Aindra prabhu, whose sound vibrations would perpetuate for all
time to come. Aindra and his kirtans have become household words.
He has disappeared from our vision but he has not left Vrndavan, and
he will continue to stay in Vrndavan singing the glories of Radha Shyam.
Another special dimension to his personality that we all remember him
for is his love for dressing Radha Shyamsundar, in which he would put
all his heart and in which he would express all his love and strength and
artistic talents.
I am going to dearly miss him. We shared platform together as we were
team members, during kirtans during Kartick in Vrndavan and in front
of Pancatattva in Mayapur during Gaura Purnima festival. He used to
always be next to me inspiring me and backing me up. He was also one
of my spiritual heroes.
My dear Aindra, the best tribute we could pay to you is to pray for
spiritual strength to carry on your high octane kirtan spirit with all the
missionary spirit you exhibited.
I offer my obeisances at your spiritual lotus feet and beg for forgiveness
for any offences committed. I hope to imbibe your spirit for at least a
little while till I’m here in this body, and hopefully we will meet again
somewhere, and hopefully I will join you wherever you are and we will do
kirtan together.
Your servant,
Lokanath Swami.

Departure of His Grace Aindra Prabhu

2010-07-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

It was very sad news to hear about the unexpected departure of H.G.Aindra dasa.
Pujyapada Niranajana Maharaja writes:

A Great Loss

Just minutes ago I read the shocking news that my godbrother, Aindra dasa, unexpectedly left this world last night in Sri Vrndavana Dhama. I’m too devastated to write anything long in this connection. The constant tears flowing from my eyes make it too hard to write and even as I write these few words, my thoughts of him only increase their flow. The world will suffer this tremendous loss of a great soul whose heart and soul was to expand the full glories of Sri Nama.

My only solace at this moment is the memory I have of him last year when he came to see me while I was staying in Giriraja Maharaja’s house in Vrndavana. Aindra Prabhu heard that I had injured my back but came anyway to request me to try and come to Krsna Balarama Mandir to chant during the boat festival on Gaura Purnima. Due to the intensity of his appeal, I did not want to disappoint him by telling him that it was impossible for me to attend. Rather than immediately telling him this, I simply looked at him right in the eyes and said to him, “Aindra Prabhu, from the core of my heart I wish to thank you for your complete dedication to the Holy Name. Not only myself, but I can see that the whole world is influenced by your dedication to Sri Nama.” Aindra Prabhu was completely taken aback by my interuption to his appeal. He looked back at me, also right into my eyes, but stumbled in his attempt to accept my appreciation. He thanked me for my kind words, but he looked so humble and child-like at that moment, that I sensed he was momentarily displaying another identity—possibly the one for which he constantly hankered for in the core of his heart. I have no doubt in my heart that he is now serving Radha and Krsna in this fully manifested form.

Devotees throughout the world should celebrate the life of this great soul by gathering together to chant Hare Krsna and by appreciating what Aindra Prabhu has done for anyone and everyone who has ever come in contact with him.

Hare Krsna

Niranjana Swami

Helsinki

2010-07-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

Jaya Radhe!

Aamulla vein Mersedeksen korjaukseen Myllypuroon ja intouduin juoksemaan takaisin, tai no ainakin Kulosaaren sillalle asti, siinäkin tunti vierähti, reitti ei ollut ehkä suorin mahdollinen.

Illalla olimme veneajelulla siskon, hänen miehensä ja tai-ji/kung-fu opettajani Paulin kanssa. Eiranranta-Kauppatori-Suomenlinna-Malkasaari ja takaisin Kulosaareen.

Bhakti Vidya Purna Swamin nektarinkaltainen vierailu lähenee loppuaan. Huomenna vielä kysymyksiä ja vastauksia sessio aamulla ja illalla luento Tampereen yliopistolla. Keskiviikkona kysymme vielä tarkempaan opastusta asioiden kehittämiseen Suomi-ISKCONissa.

8-päivän ajan kestänyt Vedic Leadership and Management seminaari oli todella vakuuttava. Seminaarin tärkeyttä on mahdotonta hehkuttaa tarpeeksi. Liikkeemme ja temppeliemme johtaminen on viimeisen 20 vuoden aikana saanut enemmän ja enemmän vaikutteita länsimaisista business arvoihin pohjautuvista malleista ja Srila Prabhupadan ohjeet sekä sastroihin pohjautuva johtaminen on joko sivuutettu tai ei ole edes tiedostettu näiden olemassaoloa. Tuloksena on, että henkistä viisautta on ollut vaikeampi levittää eteenpäin ja monet johtajat ovat joutuneet vaikeuksiin ja aiheuttaneet vaikeuksia koska eivät ole ymmärtäneet vedalaisia johtamisenperiaatteita, eivätkä ole tunteneet filosofiaamme ja kulttuuriamme kunnolla.
Nyt täydellistä tietoa on kuitenkin saatavilla ja asiat voidaan kääntää positiiviseen suuntaan.

-muniraja d