hare krishna

yeah, great Let's love Krishna and He will take care of everything. Thanks gdkumar hope u feeling better ( do u?)

 

ChiefCowPie and gdkumar...


Glad you liked the jokes


Kumar, I know what you mean...I did that the other day. I just was bored and felt like it...its amazing how long this thread has been going.

Hare Krishna!

 

Dear Freinds - Sleeping Jiva, Chief Cowpie, GD Kumar, Svg Gdn Beauty, Ganja Prince & others - Glad to see how this thread has grown while I've been away!

In answer to questions about Earth Spirit - it's a small festival, at which I've been working for a few days setting up a marquee and sound system (the Floating Lotus). This year, not so well organized as on previous occaisions - but still ok, although I'm glad to be back.
Going there has once again highlighted my concern over some members of the young generation - many seem lost in materialism, negative drugs (ecstacy, cocaine, alchohol and worse) and have little interest in any spiritual topic. Trying to spread any kind of spiritual message is not easy, but there is a very great need for this. To this end, I have decided to try to get together a small group in readiness for next summer to attend such events and perform Kirtan and Bhajan, and perhaps distribute some Prasada and books. Anyone in the UK interested? PM me.
Anyway - I'm very tired at present, so I'll leave it there for now.

Hare Krishna! Shanti! Om!

 

Hare Krishna!

Dear BlackBillBlake,


Thank you so much for your post. I am so happy to hear from you again.

I can feel your genuine pain from your post. I also so much think like you about the present young generation. I can not recognize them at all. Suppose, it is our-the parents'- faults that we failed to bring them up properly. Our never ending material hankering and consequent frustration has so clearly got transmitted into them. I also think that today's girls can only change the situation for betterment. We always to a large extent kept the girls away from spiritual practices and developments. If and only if the girls get to know about their true selves then the picture may change. They must somehow realize that they are the mothers of all creations and then they will certainly realize the pain of seeing anybody on the wrong path. Anyway, it is all part of the Divine Lila and we must understand that. Everybody and everything is some way or other serving His purposes only.


Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.


With love,

Kumar.

 

​

Kunda
jasmin - jasminum multiflorum​

"One night when the moon was fully bloomed in the sky, Ramacandra suddenly burst into laughter. Draupadi Ishwari was astonished by his outburst and asked her husband what had caused the outburst. Acarya explained that Sri Radhika and Krishna along with their confidantes had been plucking flowers in the garden. Sri Radha was plucking white kunda flowers which were as white as moonlight, whereas Krsna was trying to pluck the moonlight which He had mistaken for kunda flowers. Observing Krishna's mistake, the confidantes of Radha began to laugh, which also caused Ramacandra to laugh along with them. Sri Ishwari was so bewildered by this explanation that she was unable to speak."

(Bhakti Ratnakara - chapter 14)

 

​

Chakravaka
ruddy goose/brahmani duck - anas casarca​

"Your eyes are like two charming fishes swimming in the ocean of nectar. Your breasts are like two cakravaka birds in the lake of nectar. Your face is like a golden lotus blossoming in the celestial Ganga. O Radha, may the many glories of the waves of Your mercy splash against me."

(Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi, 91)

 

​

kadamba
anthocephalus indicus​

"Radharani to Lalita: why has the kadamba flower in Hari's hair become cupid's weapon and attacked Me? Why has Sri Krishna's peacock-feather crown become cupid himself and wounded My heart?"

(Ujjvala-nilamani, ch. 10)

"O Lord whose complexion mocks the splendour of blue lotus flowers, O Lord whose eyes are like two restless khanjana birds, O Lord who kisses the young gopis, O Lord who wears a kadamba flower in Your moving locks of hair, O Lord who, surrounded in the auspicious place of flowering vines by beautiful gopis restless wit love as they play love songs on vinas, jokingly plays the notes of mullara raga on Your flute, please make my eyes blossom wide open with the charming lightning flash of Your pastimes."

(Govinda-viduravali, 31)

 

lalita lavaGga latA parizIlana komala malaya samIre
madhukara nikara karambita kokila kUjita kuJja kuTIre ..
viharati harir iha sarasa vasante
nRtyati yuvati janena samaM sakhi virahijanasya durante

- Spring Song of Gita Govindam

The southern breeze
is softened by the enchanting
clove-scented vines
and the woodland hut is tuned
by the blended song of the humming honey-bees
and the cooing of the Kokilas^.

The parted ache, dear friend,
while in this delicious Spring
Krishna* dances with the youthful girls-
sporting, loving.

-------------

Kokila,the Indian Cuckoo. Its cry is said to represent the
perfect fifth of the Indian octave. the bird is associated with
Spring-time and love.

* In the original poem, Krishna is addressed here by his name
Hari, the remover of pain.

 

​

Ashoka
saraca indica​

"Searching for Radharani in the forest, Krishna considers: I think moon-faced Radha may have entered this grove of asoka trees with a desire to enjoy transcendental pastimes here. If this were not so, then how, when it is not the proper season, could the bumble bees proclaim the glories of the fragrant asoka flower, if Radha has not touched them with Her feet."

(Ujjvala-nilamani, ch 16)

 

​

Champaka
magnolia - michelia champaka​

"Please worship this girl (Radha), who is the goddess of the nectar of sweet transcendental love. She has enchanted the entire world, and Her complexion, as golden as a campaka flower, has given a golden hue to this forest of Vrndavana."

(Sri Sangita-madhava, ch 1)

 

Hope everyone is enjoying the plants and animals of Brindaban that are intimately woven into the Radha and Krishna lila. This series was researched and compiled by a Malatilata and is from a Gaudiya Vaisnava site I visit.

Enjoy...its pretty hard not to...they are so beautiful

 

Dear Kumar,

It would be nice to hope that too.

Girls, to the Western world, and possibly elsewhere, are the biggest target of persuasion. I would love to say that I know most girls around me that are tuned to spirituality, but unfortunetely for every one know there are at least ten who fall victim to the evil hand of advertising. Worldly goods seem to always be directed towards females; it seams that we are thought to have low self worth and we can be easily swayed this way and that. Unfortunetely, most of us are controlled by this more than anything else. I live with my mom and my two sisters and I can see how they are affected by it. I used to be too, and I sometimes still am, but I think that being included in spiritual practices, just as you were talking about, I am able to understand and have a thin (and building) layer of control between myself and those outer demons (some that are targeted primarily at females)....

So, if that didn't make any sense...in short, I agree with you.

 

Thanks to Chief Cowpie for the very beautiful posts, to Kumar for empathy and for reminding me that all follow His path! And to Svg Gdn Beauty for being a ray of hope!


Hare Krishna!

 

gdkumarsaid, "However, I would like to frankly and sincerely tell you that I am bit depressed with your new name. I am afraid it does not suit you at all. I am sorry, please do not misunderstand me."

Yeah, I realized that some people would probably be upset by the name I choose. It is meant to show that I do not take my image seriously, I don't consider ganja my sole spiritual method, although I do use it with my bhakti practice in praise of shiva, here and there, and honor it as a sacred plant, as you will see when I explain my current practices... I consider my primary method universal love and compassion for all beings, nonviolence, love and awareness of the moment, and worship of Krishna also known as shiva also known as brahma aka god aka jesus aka buddha realm...

Anyway to better flesh out, what the ganjaprince does, here is the practices, in which I move to stay true to my mystical experiences, and live with the faith in my own experiences, and the awareness of god in all!

The practices of the ganjaprince:

I do one hour daily raja yoga techniques of meditation, also known as kriya yoga taught by yogananda's line of gurus, prem rawat's knowledge techniques, and it has other names, but basically the techniques orginate from the yoga sutras. Raja yoga means royal yoga.

I also smoke the sacred ganja in praise of Shiva, chanting the mantra; OM SHIVA SHANKARA HARE HARE GANGA, a mantra for smoking dope as approved in blessing by Neem Karoli Baba, most likely aimed at westerners. I often listen to krishna das's album, in which is included a beautiful chant that shiva lovers do while smoking hash in thier chillums do on the banks of the river ganges until the early morning light, I feel very connected to the same spirit, even though I do not follow thier rules, such a celibacy and what not.

I have a altar where I meditate, to which I practice bhakti yoga to the universal guru and/or god, i have various pictures of realized beings, gods teachers and plants to represent this guru... in no particular order after all they are all one; Amma, Ananda Mayee Ma, Neem Karoli Baba, Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Shiva, Durga, Divine Mother, Kali, Babaji, Yogananda, Ramakrishna, and many more. There i say prayers, usually do my meditation, do pranams, chants, just chat with god about my issues, and I have various holy books; Remember; Be Here Now, Autobiography of a Yogi, Miracle of love, and others... which i page through for wisdom and study. I even made love in front of my alter once.

I occassionaly use psychedelics which is like medicine for my practice. I usually go out in nature (I tend to see this as sort of a native american kind of ritual, connection with nature, like the peyote cults of certain tribes) or sit by my altar... listen to music, and stare at neem karoli baba, he keeps my trip going really really great! I consider psychedelics as my teachers, like one would go visit a teacher, get satsang, or whatever... psychedelics are like that, they help me in my practice... my last trip on mescaline last week, I was out in the woods, laying around with a shiva blanket blessed by the hugging saint amma, and I was feeling lonely, I called out to mother earth... she sent many sparrows which surrounded me and sung me into a sweet comfort, I felt so loved. (I have had many of these type experiences over the years. The wild animals, the forms of the mother earth, can dance with you if you open your mind, and open your heart... they listen to your energy! Love them and play with them.)

Note: Psychedelics are not for everyone, they did introduce me to the spiritual path, transforming me several years ago from athiest to spiritual seeker... For many people they can open one up, and become a catalyst for a wide variety of mystical experiences... Neem Karoli Baba called it yogi medicine.

I have gotten into singing to god, kirtan, which falls under Bhakti Yoga, in which I sing, various songs, from rock n roll, to hindu mantras like Krishna Das's stuff! Krishna Das's stuff is the more formal, but I love rock, and love to sing it, the beatle's wrote love songs to god, didn't ya know?

Probably the most misunderstood and controversial of what i do, i practice tantra, with myself, worshipping beautiful porn stars as forms of the divine mother and other beings... Currently I also have a friend, a beautiful form of the divine mother, her earthly name is Aimiee, we like to play and merge and have a great time with our tantric practice... our practice has provided healing in both our lives, even though it isn't always earth shattering and cosmic, most of the time it is though. It helps me move the sexual energy into higher chakras, and tranform it in order to come closer to god... Once eating out her sacred yoni, while she bathed me in the enegy of her orgasms, I had a visions of Ananda Mayee Ma, she smiled at me, as a tumbled into this void of light. Sex to me, is an expression of my love for the divine mother, and a way to heal myself.


Karma Yoga, when I go out into the world, I do what I do, work, school, relationships, chores, and so on, but my acts are dedicated to krishna, to god, to christ and so on! As krishna said, do what you do but dedicate it to me!

"when you know how to listen, everyone is the guru" - Baba Ram Dass


Here is how i view sadhana, from a page in Remember Be Here Now...

"Sadhana is a full time thing that you do because there is nothing else to do. You do it whether you're teaching, or sitting in a monastery, whether you're lying in bed, going to the toilet, making love, eating, EVERYTHING is a part of waking up!" - Baba Ram Dass


so in a sense it is a way to show that I am not here to preach a great wisdom, for I know nothing that you don't know, and what I have to say is really not in words like 'ganjaprince' it is in the vibration of love from me to you. I am just another being dancing in love with god, I am nothing special. although who we ARE, is very special, and that encompasses all of the universe.

the name is in a way honoring my past for ganja played a part in getting me into spirit and realizing the cosmic joke, so it's kind of a goof name, meant to reflect my understanding of god's playful nature, and my rejection of political correct spirituality.

So I guess you can say, I am a politically incorrect mystic and the name reflects that. the politically correct name might be "godlover" or "energyripple' who knows, I like the name. It's not a prince of anything special, like prince rama, just a prince of a plant, only in a cosmic joking sense though, because we are all equal, a bum on the street is just as much christ as jesus himself. hehehe

And it is to help inspire pot smokers out there, that toke up and play video games to find a spiritual way to use it. Because they will obviously connect my words with my name... you see, subtle and not so subtle.

and ganja plant is so put down by so many people, that in a way it is my cross to carry to honor the plant as a medicine rather then what others make it out to be, kind of a political statement, in jest of course...

because after all, we don't need plants or any external thing, all we need is to realize what we have right in our hearts of heart.

I hope that explains things.

 

“A'in it harm no one, do what thou wilt” (i.e., do whatever you want to, as long as it harms nobody, including yourself).


Wiccan Rede

 

That one's a big hippie belief

 

and there are lots of hippies around here... i thought of it in relation to ganjaprince's post as in so many ways he is living such an exemplary and loving and godly life... so he smokes some pot... he's not hurting anyone or at least if he is, its himself

and i feel with his being the tuned in soul that he is, if comes the time for him to give up his pot, he will

but i personally don't thinks its either necessary or even harmful

but for some it may be...to each his own but harm no one

 

by Indranilla from another website



"Recently I read a little book called "Simple for the Simple" by Bhakti Ballabh Puri Goswami from Scotland. He describes the story of his wife, Ratnaranjini, who died after a long battle with cancer. She was bedridden for about two years and during that time was deeply absorbed in reading, hearing and chanting. Sivarama Swami writes in the foreword about her last months:

One evening, as a few devotees at the temple were talking about Krishna Consciousness and eternal service in the spiritual world, all of a sudden Ratnaranjini said that she was liberated and had an eternal service. She said that she was a young girl, 7-8 years old, and her service was to help Yashoda Ma pack Krishna's lunch. Everybody was quite astonished. Later in her room, she broke down in tears and said, "I don't want to be a sahajiya. It just happened. I did not try to think of anything, it just all happened, and I'm not sure about it." The following days she revealed some more details about her service and her identity, e.g. that her name was Rati, but left many questions unanswered. Often she was deeply absorbed in meditation, and in the last few weeks before her death she would only respond to the name Rati, not Ratnaranjini. Her departure from this world very auspicious.

Prior to her illness she was a simple, humble and ordinary devotee who served in the background and cared for the temple devotees like a mother. Her main service was the bookkeeping for the temple. She would often say, "Troubles only come when we are not busy enough. When we are fully engaged, then where is the time for all the little so-called problems that the mind likes to try to disturb us with?.... Just work hard, busy all the time, then there is no time to listen to the mind."

I find her story very touching and inspiring. But I kept wondering, did she really attain her svarupa "automatically, as a consequence of her service"? I don't see it so much as a consequence of her hard work in the temple but of the intense hearing and chanting during the last two years of her life. Her realization came when she was constantly absorbed in krishna-katha, and not when she was doing the bookkeeping, cleaning or preaching in the temple. I would appreciate any insights about achieving spiritual perfections "automatically." A quote from ACBSP I wrote down many years ago:

"The devotee should patiently follow the rules and regulations of devotional service so that the day will come when he will achieve, all of a sudden all the perfection of devotional service. This patience (dhairya) is the fifth positive item for advancing in devotional service." (Narada-bhakti-sutra, 5)

 

Hare Krishna!

Dear GanjaPrince,

I do not now feel sorry for commenting on your new name rather feel happy that this led to having such a wonderful post from you. Thank you.

You have always been very close to me and I thought 'LookingSomewhereDistant' was a very nice name....... hence, just spoke about it.

However, we will definitely talk about your beautiful post sometime later. In near future, I am likely to be in the US, I would love to meet you if opportunity and you permit.



Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

With love,

Kumar.

 

'Do what you will' is ok, but hardly in line with any kind of regulative principle of yoga, certainly as taught by such as Srila Prabhupada, Sri Ramakrishna and nearly all the mainstream gurus of modern times.
I have to say its not the dope that worries me so much as this 'tantric' approach to sexuality. The trouble is that its not easy to see how this is different from just sensuality. There is a great danger of mistaking lower forces, what Sri Aurobindo called the vital, for the Divine. There may be an opening not to God, but to just sensual pleasure, or worse, asuric forces.who like to masquerade as Divine beings.
Some think that the pastimes of Krishna and the Gopis are sexual in nature, but Prabhupada says this is not so - these are purely spiritual exchanges of Rasa.
From another perspective, one can say that the Vedic idea of Svadharma could seem the same as the 'wiccan rune' (or Aliester Crowley's 'do what thou wilt'), but the similarity is superficial. One who attains to Svarupa has no longer any interest in sex, or in other sensual pleasure, as that person has discovered the real Ananda of the Divine, which is not a passing thing, subject to change, but something eternal.
LSD etc can be useful as an introduction to spiritual realities, but again, its not a permanant state - one comes down, and in many cases (I've met lots over the years) there is a falling away from any insight gained. And there is a danger that because one has this or that experience, one will think oneself more advanced on the path than is the case.
In this yoga, we are not seeking the enhancement of the ego, or its apotheosis, but to serve God, to overcome false ego and realize our true spiritual identity. The Atman or Jiva being spititual is quite free from sensual desires, or the need for 'magical' practices.
To summarize - the 'will'of the lower being is not the same as the 'will' of the higher spiritual self. If it were, then there would be no need for Sadhana or Yoga.

Hare Krishna!