Sunday, April 13, 2014

Harsha Swaroop Photography: Bramhotsava Celebration in Iskcon Bangalore Day1(C...

Harsha Swaroop Photography: Bramhotsava Celebration in Iskcon Bangalore Day1(C...: The agamas or the Vedic literatures which describe the process of Deity worship in a temple recommend performance of Brahmotsava - a festi...

Harsha Swaroop Photography: Joy and spirit

Harsha Swaroop Photography: Joy and spirit: The Vedic version says, Vedänta, that "A spirit soul is by nature joyful." Therefore—we are spirit soul—we are hankering after j...

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Are today's leader's trustworthy?


Leaders means government men. That is described. They are all thieves and rogues, anywhere. Dasyu-dharmabhih. Dasyu. Dasyu means plunderers, rogues. Unless you become a rogue you cannot go to the government. You cannot... Any honest man cannot stay with these government men. That is not possible at the present age. Any government. Unless... Just like first-class rogue, your Nixon, he became the president. Because he was a first-class rogue, he became the president. So unless you are first-class rogue, you cannot stay within the circle of government men. Rajanya dasyu-dharmabhih. And their business will be to eat up the vital force of the people. Bhaksayisyanti praja sarve rajanya dasyu-dharmabhih. This is the statement. And people will be harassed. On account of their godlessness, they will be harassed by three things: famine, no rain, and taxation. Taxation by the government, and there will be no rain, there will be famine, no food, and they will be so much embarrassed that they will give up their family and go away, gacchanti giri-kananam, will go, enter into the hills and forest, giving up their hearth and home. This is Kali-yuga. And this is due to their godlessness. On account of this, then the democracy, means anyone, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, anyone who becomes powerful, he will capture the government post. So the sudras, they are now powerful. Sudras. Industry means sudra. So they will capture the governmental power. Just like Communist.

-Srila Prabhupada

Monday, April 7, 2014

Indian Loksaba Election Contestants stay fit with yoga, healthy food


RANCHI: With elections inching closer every day, candidates cutting across political parties have intensified their poll campaigns. However, things are not rosy for them as the blazing summer sun and the soaring mercury levels continue to pose a constant challenge to their well-being. However, the netas are finding ways to make every minute count before the polls.

AAP aspirant Amanalluah believes in the power of meditation and does yoga to stay fit. The 44-year-old chemical engineer from IIT Kharagpur picked up yoga from the Art of Living (AOL) school during his MBA days at the Oxford University. "I am an ardent follower of Sri Sri Ravishankar and worked as a coordinator of the AOL events at Oxford," Amanullah said. "I do pranayam every evening to unwind myself," he added.

BJP aspirant Bidyut Baran Mahto is not a yoga practitioner. The 51-year-old candidate from Jamshedpur feels long hours of padayatra will help him stay in shape. "For me, walking kilometres at a stretch is the right exercise." he said. Sources close to Mahto also speak of his religious inclination. "He is a devout Sai Baba follower and does his puja everyday to stay upbeat," a Mahto confidante added.

While JVM (P) candidate Amitabh Choudhary plays tennis to stay healthy, Dayamani Balra, the AAP contestant from Khunti, unwinds herself sharing the day's experiences with fellow workers. "We discuss about our day's experiences on the dining table. That apart, we sing folk songs and crack jokes to relax ourselves," she added.

Veteran Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay is a foodie and eats anything that is served to him. Unlike Aman, who survives on low carbohydrate diets and "plenty of juice", 60-year-old Sahay carries biscuits during tours and generally eats anything the villagers offer him," said a Sahay aide. While Mahto prefers poita-bhaat (consumable fermented rice), Balra consumes sattu to keep herself cool.

However, given their hectic schedules before the polls, the candidate manages just four hours of sleep at night. But they are not going to let their health come in way of last-minute campaigns. "How can we sleep ahead of the biggest exam in our lives?" said Amanullah, echoing his comrades and rivals in unison.

Ranchi: With elections inching closer every day, candidates cutting across political parties have intensified their poll campaigns. However, things are not rosy for them as the blazing summer sun and the soaring mercury levels continue to pose a constant challenge to their well-being. However, the netas are finding ways to make every minute count before the polls.

AAP aspirant Amanalluah believes in the power of meditation and does yoga to stay fit. The 44-year-old chemical engineer from IIT Kharagpur picked up yoga from the Art of Living (AOL) school during his MBA days at the Oxford University. "I am an ardent follower of Sri Sri Ravishankar and worked as a coordinator of the AOL events at Oxford," Amanullah said. "I do pranayam every evening to unwind myself," he added.

BJP aspirant Bidyut Baran Mahto is not a yoga practitioner. The 51-year-old candidate from Jamshedpur feels long hours of padayatra will help him stay in shape. "For me, walking kilometres at a stretch is the right exercise." he said. Sources close to Mahto also speak of his religious inclination. "He is a devout Sai Baba follower and does his puja everyday to stay upbeat," a Mahto confidante added.

While JVM (P) candidate Amitabh Choudhary plays tennis to stay healthy, Dayamani Balra, the AAP contestant from Khunti, unwinds herself sharing the day's experiences with fellow workers. "We discuss about our day's experiences on the dining table. That apart, we sing folk songs and crack jokes to relax ourselves," she added.

Veteran Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay is a foodie and eats anything that is served to him. Unlike Aman, who survives on low carbohydrate diets and "plenty of juice", 60-year-old Sahay carries biscuits during tours and generally eats anything the villagers offer him," said a Sahay aide. While Mahto prefers poita-bhaat (consumable fermented rice), Balra consumes sattu to keep herself cool.

However, given their hectic schedules before the polls, the candidate manages just four hours of sleep at night. But they are not going to let their health come in way of last-minute campaigns. "How can we sleep ahead of the biggest exam in our lives?" said Amanullah, echoing his comrades and rivals in unison.

Courtesy: TOI

Friday, April 4, 2014

Yogi & his mind

A self-realized yogi can control the mind. The successful yogi's mind does not control him. A true yogi experiences real happiness. In transcendental happiness, the senses are engaged in the service Krishna. That is the way to bringing the senses under full control. This is the highest perfection of yoga practice.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Sound Representation of the Supreme Lord



Our present senses are all made of material elements, and therefore they are imperfect in realizing the transcendental form of The Lord. He is therefore worshiped by sound representation via the transcendental method of chanting. Anything which is beyond the scope of experience by our imperfect senses can be realized fully by the sound representation. A person transmitting sound from a far distant place can be factually experienced. If this is materially possible, why not spiritually? This experience is not a vague impersonal experience. It is actually an experience of the transcendental Personality of Godhead, who possesses the pure form of eternity, bliss and knowledge.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Trapped by the senses


 
This is Maya. "Come on, come on, enjoy me." As soon as you enjoy, you become entrapped. Just like they throw the tackle and invite the fish. As soon as — it eats! Finished.

 The fish is losing his life by eating, by tongue. The deer by hearing; the hunter plays very nice flute and all of them assemble to hear. Hunter keeps the trap and it loses life. The elephant is caught by sexual attraction. A she-elephant is trained, goes to the male elephant, and it follows. The male elephant falls into a big pit. Then he's shackled and taken away. Bumble bee is entrapped by smelling lotus flower; it gets trapped within the flower, and loses its life. 

These examples are for animal kingdom whose one sense is only active. But incase of human beings, all our senses are active. Then what is our position? A man has got six wives, and he has entered the house, and all the wives have captured him, "You come to my room." You see? So one has taken his one hand, another has taken another hand, one has taken his one leg, so he's like this: "Where shall I go?" So this is our position. This body means the senses. My eyes want, "Oh, there is a beautiful girl. Let us see." Ear. "Oh, there is very nice music. Let us have it." "Oh, there is a very good restaurant, palatable dishes. Let’s go." Tongue dictates. Eyes dragging to some place, ear dragging, tongue dragging. So our position is like different wives and dragging to different rooms. Thus, we are perplexed. Instead of controlling the senses, we are becoming servant of senses and losing this great opportunity of human life. The only way to get out of it is to be fully Krishna conscious.

Ref: Bhagavad-gita 2.20-25 Seattle, October 14, 1968 authored by Srila Prabhupada (Founder - Acharya, ISKCON)