Please chant the Maha-Mantra HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE, dance, honor prasadam and your life will be sublime in all respects and at the end we go Back Home Back to Godhead! This is called BHAKTI YOGA, the topmost yoga system!
ONE: We have the Original Transcript (OT). If it weren’t for Madhudvisa Prabhu, who publishes OT on the website “bookchanges.com,” this basic and essential document would have probably never been made public. If that were the case and considering that both available Bhagavad-gita As It Is version one and version two have not only censored Srila Prabhupada heavily but also unnecessarily and extensively plagiarised Him it would amount to a global criminal conspiracy on the part of the trustees of Srila Prabhupada’s literary heritage.
TWO: We have BGAII version one also called the 1972 MacMillan edition, also called Bhagavad-gita As It Is NOT by Hayagriva, also called the mistake infested Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
THREE: WE have BGAII version two, the current official version of ISKCON, even though some ISKCON centres like ISKCON Bangalore, India, seem to brake away from that officialdom. This version is also called Bhavad-gita As It Is NOT by Jayadvaita, or the Jugglery-of-Words-Abacadabra Version.
“Misinterpretation of Bhagavad-gita is chala-dharma. When Krsna directly says something and some rascal interprets it to mean something different, this is chala-dharma — a religious system of cheating — or sabda-bhit, a jugglery of words. One should be extremely careful to avoid these various types of cheating systems of religion. SB 7.15.13
What we need:
Now we need THE PARAMPARA RENDITION OF BHAGAVAD-GITA AS IT IS strictly based on and strictly following OT.
prana — incoming breath; apanau — outgoing breath; sannirundhyat — should stop; pura-kumbhaka-recakaih — by inhaling, exhaling and holding, which are technically known as puraka, kumbhaka and recaka; yavat — so long; manah — the mind; tyajet — should give up; kaman — all material desires; sva — one’s own; nasa-agra — the tip of the nose; niriksanah — looking at; yatah yatah — from whatever and wherever; nihsarati — withdraws; manah — the mind; kama-hatam — being defeated by lusty desires; bhramat — wandering; tatah tatah — from here and there; upahrtya — after bringing it back; hrdi — within the core of the heart; rundhyat — should arrest (the mind); sanaih — gradually, by practice; budhah — a learned yogi.
TRANSLATION
While continuously staring at the tip of the nose, a learned yogi practices the breathing exercises through the technical means known as puraka, kumbhaka and recaka — controlling inhalation and exhalation and then stopping them both. In this way the yogi restricts his mind from material attachments and gives up all mental desires. As soon as the mind, being defeated by lusty desires, drifts toward feelings of sense gratification, the yogi should immediately bring it back and arrest it within the core of his heart. SB 7.15.32–33
PURPORT
The practice of yoga is concisely explained herein. When this practice of yoga is perfect, one sees the Supersoul, the Paramatma feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, within the core of one’s heart. However, in Bhagavad-gita (6.47) the Supreme Lord says:
yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana sraddhavan bhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo matah
“Of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.” A devotee can immediately become a perfect yogi because he practices keeping Krsna constantly within the core of his heart. This is another way to practice yoga easily. The Lord says:
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru
“Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me.” (Bg. 18.65) If one practices devotional service by always keeping Krsna within the core of his heart (man-manah), he immediately becomes a first-class yogi. Furthermore, keeping Krsna within the mind is not a difficult task for the devotee. For an ordinary man in the bodily concept of life, the practice of yoga may be helpful, but one who immediately takes to devotional service can immediately become a perfect yogi without difficulty.
“Why should one approach a person who is blind with wealth? Rather, one should depend on Krsna, and He will give everything. All the members of our Krsna consciousness movement, whether they be grhasthas or sannyasis, should try to spread the Krsna consciousness movement with determination, and Krsna will supply all necessities. The process of ajagara-vrtti, the means of livelihood of a python, is very much appreciated in this regard. Even though one may be very poor, he should simply try to advance in Krsna consciousness and not endeavor to earn his livelihood. / One who is content and satisfied and who links his activities with the Supreme Personality of Godhead residing in everyone’s heart enjoys transcendental happiness without endeavoring for his livelihood. Where is such happiness for a materialistic man who is impelled by lust and greed and who therefore wanders in all directions with a desire to accumulate wealth?” SB 7.15.15, last lines of purport plus SB 7.15.16.
Religious principles that obstruct one from following his own religion are called vidharma.
To create a new type of dharma has become fashionable in this age. So-called svamis and yogis support that one may follow any type of religious system, according to one’s own choice, because all systems are ultimately the same. In Srimad-Bhagavatam, however, such fashionable ideas are called vidharma because they go against one’s own religious system. SB 7.15.13
2)Religious principles for which one is unfitor para dharma.
Religious principles introduced by others are called para-dharma.Wfw: Imitating religious systems for which one is unfit.
3) Pretentious religion or abhasa
A pretentious religious system manufactured by one who willfully neglects the prescribed duties of his order of life is called abhasa [a dim reflection or false similarity]. SB 7.15.14
4) Analogical religion or upadharma.
A new type of religion crated by one who is falsely proud and who opposes the principles of the Vedas is called upadharma. Wfw: concocted religious principles.
and 5) Cheating religion or chala-dharma
Interpretation by one’s jugglery of words is called chala-dharma.
Misinterpretation of Bhagavad-gita is chala-dharma. When Krsna directly says something and some rascal interprets it to mean something different, this is chala-dharma — a religious system of cheating — or sabda-bhit, a jugglery of words. One should be extremely careful to avoid these various types of cheating systems of religion. SB 7.15.13
The real religious system is described by the Supreme Personality of Godhead: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. The real religious system is that of surrender to the lotus feet of the Lord. Therefore, anything opposed to this religious system of progressive Krsna consciousness is called vidharma, para-dharma, upadharma or chala-dharma. SB 7.15.13.
Strelitzia/strɛˈlɪtsiə/[1] is a genus of five species of perennial plants, native to South Africa. It belongs to the plant family Strelitziaceae.[2] The genus is named after Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom. A common name of the genus is bird of paradise flower/plant, because of a resemblance of its flowers to birds-of-paradise. In South Africa, it is commonly known as a crane flower and is featured on the reverse of the 50-cent coin. It is the floral emblem of the City of Los Angeles; two of the species, S. nicolai and S. reginae, are frequently grown as houseplants.[3] VikipediaStrelitzia reginae is a species of evergreen tropical herbaceous plant, native to South Africa. Given its own family Strelitziaceae by taxonomists, it is still closely related to bananas (Musaceae). …These regal plants (for which they are named, reginae) are named for the beautiful, orange crane-like flowers that they produce, like birds of paradise.
In the first picture, we see Srila Prabhupada contemplating the beauty of a flower, as an infinitesimal expression of Krishna’s own beauty, opulence and expertise. The second and third pictures show Strelizia Reginae, also called bird of paradise due to its resemblance with the bird of the same name. Many town councils use this attractive plant to beautify parks and streets. When such beauty is displayed in the material world, we may by inference conclude what type of extraordinary beauty is available in the spiritual world, a good reason to make it the target of our life.
“The latest desire man has developed is the desire to travel to other planets. This is also quite natural, because he has the constitutional right to go to any part of the material or spiritual skies. Such travel is very tempting and exciting because these skies are full of unlimited globes of varying qualities, and they are occupied by all types of living entities. The desire to travel there can be fulfilled by the process of yoga, which serves as a means by which one can transfer himself to whatever planet he likes — possibly to planets where life is not only eternal and blissful, but where there are multiple varieties of enjoyable energies. Anyone who can attain the freedom of the spiritual planets need never return to this miserable land of birth, old age, disease and death. One can attain this stage of perfection very easily by his individual effort. He can simply follow, in his own home, the prescribed method of bhakti-yoga. This method, under proper guidance, is simple and enjoyable. An attempt is made herein to give information to the people in general, and to philosophers and religionists in particular, as to how one can transfer oneself to other planets by this process of bhakti-yoga — the highest of all yogic processes.” EASY JOURNEY TO OTHER PLANETS. Preface.
BGAII V3 10.41
English synonyms
yat yat — whatever; vibhuti– opulences; mat — having; sattvam — existence; srimad — beautiful; urjitam — glorious; eva — certainly; va — or; tat tat — all those; eva — certainly; avagaccha — he must know; tvam — you; mama — my; tejah — splendor; amsha — partly; sambhavam — born of.
Translation 10.41
Everything opulent, beautiful and glorious that may exist within the universe, which simultaneously stirs up strong positive feelings within one’s heart , all such manifestations should be understood as only a part-fragment manifestation of Krishna ‘s splendor. Actually they are born of Krishna’s opulence.
Purport
Either in the spiritual or in the material world, any glorious and beautiful existence should be understood as a fragmental manifestation of Krishna’s opulence only. Anything extraordinarily opulent should be considered as a representation of Krishna’s opulence.
After 37 years of service all around this great country of Australia, in systematically distributing the books of Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta, the founder of ISKCON or Hare Krishna movement, such as Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Srimad Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrita, and others, along with some of his disciples’ not-to-be-neglected vegetarian cookbooks, such as Kurma Dasa’, with the purpose of lifting the spiritual standards of our Australian public-readers, this extended traveling, door to door, book distribution is now coming to an end. We shall instead distribute books locally and continue to distribute books online. Currently, we offer to anyone in the world a free Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, version one, also called the 1972 Macmillan edition, softbound, here: https://krishnaculture.org/special-offers/. Our best years of traveling netted 5000 pieces of literature distributed door to door. For the record, this Hare Krishna books distribution mission has actually started in Paris, France, in June 1973. So all together 48 years of international service with some interruptions, through Switzerland, Germany and India, the spiritual hub of the world. Srila Prabhupada always stressed book distribution very much. Please see https://krishnaculture.org/book-distribution/ So we are changing with the times and the coronavirus pandemic is a contributing factor among others. We practice and promote, both privately and in the streets the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, or great, designated chant of deliverance for this age of quarrel and hypocrisy:” HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE / HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE and various other Sanskrit mantras. With accordion and all, chanting Hare Krishna can actually be quite fun. Just watch the dancy wancy kirtan by Madhava’s rock band here: https://krishnaculture.org/2021/09/01/3803/, recorded in Vrindavan, Krishna’s birthplace, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is also the Hare Krishna charitable tradition that, as far as is possible, anyone who is destitute and hungry is welcome to have a free meal at one’s home, or at the ISKCON Hare Krishna free or low-cost meals distribution centers. Our website remains https://krishnaculture.org.
CHANGE OF PLAN: Traveling book distribution along with Hari Nam Sankirtan has resumed again.
and calling all others to do so as well. Thank you very much! The combined sound vibration will be both powerful and pleasing as well. It will also be healing, healing to the heart especially. In her haste to chant the Holy Name of the Lord she neglected her tilak. Tilak is important. When Srila Prabhupada stripped down Vaishnava attire to the bear minimum, He insisted that Tilak must be worn (and perhaps kanti-mala), even though otherwise we may wear “karmi” dress.
“Householders may wear dhotis in the Temple, or as they like, but not of the saffron color. They may wear white, yellow, or whatever. Outside the Temple they may wear American gentleman’s dress, with Tilaka, flag,(sika) and beads. It is not required to wear dhotis, as this society does not understand, so outside the Temple dress suit is more socially acceptable. If they so desire, for ceremony, they can dress in dhotis for Kirtana.” 680312let.Balai
The strength of a woman lies in her feminine appeal or as Srila Prabhupada puts it below “the captivating potency of woman.”
“There are many instances in the history of the world of a great conqueror’s being captivated by the charms of a Cleopatra. One has to study the captivating potency of woman, and man’s attraction for that potency. From what source was this generated? According to Vedanta-sutra, we can understand that everything is generated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is enunciated there, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. This means that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or the Supreme Person, Brahman, the Absolute Truth, is the source from whom everything emanates. The captivating power of woman, and man’s susceptibility to such attraction, must also exist in the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the spiritual world and must be represented in the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. The Lord is the Supreme Person, the supreme male. As a common male wants to be attracted by a female, that propensity similarly exists in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He also wants to be attracted by the beautiful features of a woman. Now the question is, if He wants to be captivated by such womanly attraction, would He be attracted by any material woman? It is not possible. Even persons who are in this material existence can give up womanly attraction if they are attracted by the Supreme Brahman. Such was the case with Haridasa Thakura. A beautiful prostitute tried to attract him in the dead of night, but since he was situated in devotional service, in transcendental love of Godhead, Haridasa Thakura was not captivated. Rather, he turned the prostitute into a great devotee by his transcendental association. This material attraction, therefore, certainly cannot attract the Supreme Lord. When He wants to be attracted by a woman, He has to create such a woman from His own energy. That woman is Radharani. It is explained by the Gosvamis that Radharani is the manifestation of the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When the Supreme Lord wants to derive transcendental pleasure, He has to create a woman from His internal potency. Thus the tendency to be attracted by womanly beauty is natural because it exists in the spiritual world. In the material world it is reflected pervertedly, and therefore there are so many inebrieties. SB 3.31.38
The strength of a male lies in his brahmacarya.
“The vow of brahmacarya is meant to help one become completely abstinent from sex indulgence in work, words, and mind– at all times, under all circumstances, and in all places.” No one can perform any kind of yoga practice through sex infulgence. Brahmacarya is taught, therefore, from childhood when one has no knowledge of sex life. Children at the age of five are sent to Gurukula, or the place of the spiritual master, who trains the young boys in the strict discipline of becoming a brahmacari. Without such practice of brahmacarya, nobody can make any advancement in any kind of yoga, whether it be dhyana, jnana or bhakti. One who, however, follows the rules and regulations of married life, having no sexual relationship with any woman except his wife ( and that also under regulations) is also called brahmacari. Such a restrained householder brahmacari may be accepted in the bhakti school, but the jnana and dhyana schools do not allow for even a householder brahmacari. They require complete abstinence without any compromise. In the bhakti school, a householder brahmacari is allowed because the cult of bhakti-yoga is so powerful that one automatically loses any sexual attraction, being engaged in the superior service of the Lord. BGAII V 3 6.13–14
“The yogi must also be “completely free from sex life.” If one indulges in sex, he cannot concentrate; therefore brahmacarya, complete celibacy, is recommended to make the mind steady. By practicing celibacy, one cultivates determination. One modern example of such determination is that of Mahatma Gandhi, who was determined to resist the powerful British empire by means of nonviolence. At this time, India was dependent on the British, and the people had no weapons. The Britishers, being more powerful, easily cut down whatever violent revolutions the people attempted. Therefore Gandhi resorted to nonviolence, noncooperation. “I shall not fight with the Britishers,” he declared, “and even if they react with violence, I shall remain nonviolent. In this way the world will sympathize with us.” Such a policy required a great amount of determination, and Gandhi’s determination was very strong because he was a brahmacari. Although he had children and a wife, he renounced sex at the age of thirty-six. It was this sexual renunciation that enabled him to be so determined that he was able to lead his country and drive the British from India.” Path of Perfection 4: Moderation in Yoga
Moreover Srila Prabhupada makes this intriguing remark in Srimad-Bhagavatam:
“Every living entity, being classified as energy, is supposed to be originally a woman, or one who is enjoyed. “SB 3.31.41 P.
1. historical a person who copies out documents, especially one employed to do this before printing was invented. • informal, often humorous a writer, especially a journalist.
2. historical a Jewish recordkeeper or, later, a professional theologian and jurist.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.1
We need only four things: We need a smooth writing pen, a piece of paper, a Prabhupada book, and a strong desire to know Srila Prabhupada. Ultimately all these modern contraptions are nonsense and the digital world encourages the cheating propensity on a vast scale. That does not mean however that we shall not use these modern, nonsense contraptions in Krishna’s service. Srila Prabhupada’s own slogan is: Utility is the principle.” We shall use anything that is of value, that is useful in Krishna’s service, including ICBM with MIRVs, if Krishna puts us in such a position. I am saying “nonsense” because most of these contraptions are produced by demoniac brains and the ICBM are ultimately meant to destroy the world. Most of these things, like the internet itself, originate from military research. So let us get back to basics and I repeat again we need a pen, a piece of paper, a Prabhupada book-any Prabhupada book- and you may start anywhere in the book and a sustained desire to become acquainted with Srila Prabhupada’s thinking and formulation. Anywhere you start in the book just make sure you finish, just to make it complete.
Both Srila Prabhupada’s trail of thought and the formulation of His thoughts are important. And by repeating in writing the sentences issued from Srila Prabhupada’s lotus mouth we get the closest we can to Srila Prabhupada, the preacher. The way to nail down one’s powerful and flickering mind to the task, is to repeat a sentence over an over again until the mind gets the full import and implication of the sentence. The mind is powerful no doubt, and needs discipline. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja encouraged that much force on the mind as to encourage beating it one hundred times with a shoe in the morning and again in the evening one hundred times with broom stick.
“You say that your mind unfortunately runs away now and then. That is the business of the mind, but if you simply fix up your mind on the Lotus Feet of Krishna, the rascal mind cannot disturb you anymore. My Guru Maharaja used to say that just rise early in the morning and then kick the mind with a shoe one hundred times. Then while going to sleep, one should take a broomstick and strike the mind another hundred times. The mind is so restless, that it can be brought to tameness only by the process suggested by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. So you should try this process and stop the mind from running away now and then. If you follow the process of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, naturally He will help you in controlling the mind and bestow all His blessings upon you.”
Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Rayarama — Los Angeles 29 June, 1969
This is the best way I know to imbibe Srila Prabhupada’s literary and philosophical personality. The more we do that the more we become one with Srila Prabhupada in purpose. That is a good thing because the original message comes directly from Krishna and Sri Krishna wants this to happen, therefore it will happen, just ike the victory of the Pandavas happened on the battlefield of Kuruksetra. It is amazing how the message of Lord Caitanya is transcendental to time and sometimes pre-printing time methods can be used to our greatest advantage. By writing Srila Prabhupada’s text we are feeding Prabhupada’s Vani through our own brains and if done repetitively this process will leave an undeniable and indelible mark on our personality. We will start thinking like Srila Prabhupada and we will start talking like Srila Prabhupada. We shall even learn some Sanskrit words in the procedure. It will again fade progressively as soon as we start neglecting the procedure. But the more we repeat the procedure the more we shall become proficient in Prabhupada Vani and that is really the goal of our lives: Become a direct instrument of both Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.
tasmat — therefore; tvam — you; uttistha — get up; yasah — fame; labhasva — gain; jitva — conquering; satrun — enemies; bhunksva — enjoy; rajyam — kingdom; samrddham — flourishing; maya — by Me; eva — certainly; ete — all these; nihatah — killed; purvam eva — by previous arrangement; nimitta-matram — just the cause; bhava — become; savya-sacin — O Savyasaci.
TRANSLATION
Therefore get up. Prepare to fight and win glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you, O Savyasaci, can be but an instrument in the fight.
Ref. VedaBase => Bg 11.33
One note of caution: once you have created your multiple pages of Prabhupada Vani, or even if just a few words, you have created Shastra or scripture and it behoves to treat it as such. Please don’t bin it. It can be destroyed by fire or just leave it to desintegrate in a designated place.
--The Australian Society for Krishna Culture. AUSKCULTURE, operation start 1984 -- ABN 65 231 425 870. 