A Store Front for Srila Prabhupada!

A Store Front for Srila Prabhupada! Witness how history is written, and be part of it!

Srila Prabhupada s Quote of the month Permanent Effect Excerpt from a Letter to: Tirtha Maharaja New York 23 November, 1965 The Tagore Society of New York Inc. Cordially Invites You to a lecture GOD CONSCIOUSNESS by A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI Date: Sunday, November 28,1965. Time: Lecture, 3:30 P.M. Tea, 4:30 P.M. Place: New India House, 3, East 64th Street. B.L.I.S.S Newsletter

A widely respected Scholar and religious leader in India Swami Bhaktivedanta is briefly visiting New York. He has been engaged in the monumental endeavour of translating the sixty volume Srimad-Bhagavatam from Sanskrit into English. etc. So my lecturing or appointing one selling agent here for my books is already finished and if I remain such many lectures can be arranged in different parts of the country. One Dr. Choudhry is prepared to arrange for my lectures in San Francisco, Los Angeles etc but in my opinion such casual lectures may be a good personal advertisement but factually they do not make any permanent effects. But if there is a centre of activity for attracting people as you are doing in the Research Institute, the people can be trained up in the cult by regular association and hearing the transcendental sound of Srimad- Bhagavatam. Now we have got our English Srimad-Bhagavatam and there will be no difficulty to impress the audience with our Siddhantas and any intelligent man impressed with our Siddhantas will certainly change his life s mode of action. I think you may take up this suggestion very seriously and immediately start the centre and other things will automatically follow. And above all this is to satisfy the transcendental desire of Srila Prabhupada who desired very enthusiastically to start centres like that in the foreign countries. B.L.I.S.S Newsletter

A word from the temple President Spiritual life means a constant affair of spiritual emancipation. Not just a one-off pilgrimage journey to prefrom ritualistic ceremonies once a year, once a month or even once a week. For that reason the Temple which is the facility were the spiritual practice is constantly going on, is the center of the community. Because without a temple there is no bliss. In Vrindavan this is understood very clearly, and to exemplify this fact we can mention that in that small remote village with not more then 70,000 people occupying it s land, there are more then 5000 temples. So why not to have at list one bona fide blissful temple in Montreal, where more then 3,000,000 are residing? Visiting or living in the temple compound will leave in us an ever lasting imprint of bliss for the rest of the day or our entire life. Actually the great learned personality known as Canakya Pandita says (quote from Srila Prabhupada s lecture) that : Don t go to a town Ramachandra Dasa, temple president of B.L.I.S.S Montrael and city where there is no river and where there is no friend and there is no temple. Don t go to that city. If there is no river, no friend and no temple, then that is... A great city is a great forest. So that is forbidden. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.40 -- October 20, 1974, Mayapur Here in Montreal we are blessed to have all the three, and we invite everyone in all seasons at all times of the year to come and associate with the devotees, render some menial service and experience real spiritual BLISS. This center has been operating under the guidance of the officiating acarya of BLISS(Bhaktivedanta Lives In Sound Society) His Grace Purujit Prabhu for the last 7 years and is spiritually flourishing every season like a blooming lotus flower. At the moment the center congregation desires to expand and rent a nice storefront which will hold daily Sankirtan activities such as morning & evening classes, our Saturday love feast and many other colorful festivals. If you wish to participate in this important step in establishing Srila Prabhupada s non-eclipsed presence in the western world more firmly and specifically in Montreal, please check the NEWS section at the end of the newsletter and see how you can participate and help out. Let s keep this preaching mission growing so everyone can come and get free from the bondage of materiel life. Hare Krsna Your servant Ramachandra Dasa

A quote from our Officiating Acarya From Lecture on Brahminical Initiation by His Grace Purujit Prabhu YOU HAVE TO BECOME A SENIOR BY QUALIFICATION There is so much opposition because of this and why there is opposition? Because people claim to be senior, brahminical or even gurus not on the basis of qualification, but on the basis of some hierarchical or ecclesiastical considerations, or on the basis of age: I am older than you, therefore I have the right to instruct you. Just consider, Sukadeva Goswami was 16 years old, he is the speaker of the Bhagavatam, yet great sages like Narada Muni and Srila Vyasadeva were hearing from him. This is a Vaisnava. Vaisnava does not make such discrimination on the bodily plane: Oh you are from this family, you are from this country, or you His Grace Purujit Prabhu, The Officiating Acarya of B.L.I.S.S are too young to instruct. No. A Vaisnava is accepted by hearing not by seeing. Lord Caitanya says that anyone can be a guru. What is the qualification for a guru? That he knows the Krsna tattva, that he knows the science of Krsna -that is the qualification, that is what we should be looking at while searching for some guidance, some devotee association, we should be looking at what this person is saying and not whether he s young or old, from a brahminical family, Westerner, Indian, etc, or whether he is brahminically initiated or not. That has no value spiritually. Srila Prabhupada explains that this brahminical initiation was started by His Divine Grace Bhaktisidhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaja and Prabhupada explains how his guru maharaja introduced this system, that he started giving the brahmana initiation to the non-brahmanas, but also to those who were born in a brahmana family, which was a great revolution in India that he dared to give another initiation. In other words he showed that the initiation that person received from his family is not bona fide, that is why he re-initiated those who were coming from brãhmana family and who wanted to become his disciples. So Prabhupada speaks about this in the following lecture: In the other, other feature of this sacred ceremony, is that one may not commit offense at the feet of a Vaisnava by thinking him, Oh, he s a mleccha, he s a yavana, or he s lower class, he s higher class, like that. Therefore this is offered. No, he s brahmana. He s brahmana. Otherwise, still in India, a person born in a brahmana family, the most wretched condition and most abominable habits, and he claims to be a brahmana. And a person who is highly elevated in Krsna consciousness, he s not accepted. So in order to save one from the injustice, this ceremony is required that it is bona B.L.I.S.S Newsletter

fide. He s a bona fide brahmana. As it is prescribed and ordered in the Narada-pancaratra or Vaisnava smrti. So my Guru Maharaja, His Holiness Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, he introduced this, and we are following. Gayatri Mantra Initiation -- Boston, May 9, 1968 Next quote is a sloka from the Caitanya Caritamrta: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then finally advised, One who is chanting the Hare Krsna mantra is understood to be a Vaisnava; therefore you should offer all respects to him. PURPORT In his Upadesamrta, Srila Rupa Gosvami states: krsneti yasya giri tam manasadriyeta diksasti cet. An advanced devotee should respect a person who has been initiated by a bona fide spiritual master and who is situated on the transcendental platform, chanting the holy name with faith and obeisances and following the instructions of the spiritual master. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura comments that serving Vaisnavas is most important for householders. Whether a Vaisnava is properly initiated or not is not a subject for consideration. One may be initiated and yet contaminated by the Mayavada philosophy, but a person who chants the holy name of the Lord offenselessly will not be so contaminated. A properly initiated Vaisnava may be imperfect, but one who chants the holy name of the Lord offenselessly is all-perfect. Although he may apparently be a neophyte, he still has to be considered a pure unalloyed Vaisnava. It is the duty of the householder to offer respects to such an unalloyed Vaisnava. This is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu s instruction. Madhya 15.111 [...] DON T NEGLECT WHEN A SINCERE DISCIPLE OF SRILA PRABHUPADA IS OFFENDED. There are many people who are envious of Srila Prabhupada. They say: Why should you accept the shelter of Srila Prabhupada? Why he should be the spiritual master? That means he s envious. But even Srila Prabhupada s disciples they are also being envied and we should not neglect this. If I respect the spiritual master, then why am I disrespectful to his disciples? The spiritual master is not alone. If I disrespect, if I offend his disciples, or if I deny that they are actually disciples of Srila Prabhupada, although they are qualified, that means I am a Vaisnava apharadi, an offender to Krsna, an offender to the holy name, so in order to safeguard the general populace, who are very much external (Although we explain that one should hear from a Vaisnava, they want to see, what he is doing. They want to faultfind. He is not doing this properly or that properly etc.), we give this brahmana initiation. You please kindly relax, he is authorized. Don t judge him, be respectful. These formalities are helpful in this regard, otherwise if one is qualified he is already initiated, but this formality is here for this purpose also and we are not going to stop it just because some envious persons are barking. Srila Prabhupada says: The sacred thread inaugurated by my Guru Maharaja according to pancaratrika system and Haribhakti-vilasa by Srila Sanatana Goswami must continue. It does not matter whether the priestly class accepts it or not. When my Guru Maharaja Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Prabhupada introduced this system, it was protested even by His inner circle of Godbrothers or friends. Of course He had actually no Godbrothers, but there were many disciples of Bhaktivinode Thakura who were considered as Godbrothers who protested against this action of my Guru Maharaja, but He didn t care for it. Letter to: Acyutananda Bombay 14 November, 1970 B.L.I.S.S Newsletter

From The Value of Prasadam distribution If you love someone you will fill enthused to give him something back for his gifts so what to speak then about God. But what can be offer to Krishna? Krishna Has everything. How a worship in our church, masque or temple can be compared to the worship which rendered to Him in the Spiritual World? Or what to speak about our conditional execution of devotional service while asking for different material benediction (wealth, fame beauty and etc...) He wants us to distribute His mercy-prasada. In this connection I would like to mention a very important passage from the Srimad Bhagavatam 3rd canto chapter 29 text 24: My dear Mother, even if he worships with proper rituals and paraphernalia, a person who is ignorant of My presence in all living entities never pleases Me by the worship of My Deities in the temple. PURPORT Why Prasadam? By Ramachandra Dasa There are sixty-four different prescriptions for worship of the Deity in the temple. There are many items offered to the Deity, some valuable and some less valuable. It is prescribed in Bhagavadgita: If a devotee offers Me a small flower, a leaf, some water or a little fruit, I will accept it. The real purpose is to exhibit one s loving devotion to the Lord; the offerings themselves are secondary. If one has not developed loving devotion to the Lord and simply offers many kinds of foodstuffs, fruits and flowers without real devotion, the offering will not be accepted by the Lord. We cannot bribe the Personality of Godhead. He is so great that our bribery has no value. Nor has He any scarcity; since He is full in Himself, what can we offer Him? Everything is produced by Him. We simply offer to show our love and gratitude to the Lord. This gratitude and love for God is exhibited by a pure devotee, who knows that the Lord lives in every living entity. As such, temple worship necessarily includes distribution of prasadam. It is not that one should create a temple in his private apartment or private room, offer something to the Lord, and then eat. Of course, that is better than simply cooking foodstuffs and eating without understanding one s relationship with the Supreme Lord; people who act in this manner are just like animals. But the devotee who wants to elevate himself to the higher level of understanding must know that the Lord is present in every living entity, and, as stated in the previous verse, one should be compassionate to other living entities. A devotee should worship the Supreme Lord, be friendly to persons who are on the same level and be compassionate to the ignorant. One should exhibit his compassion for ignorant living entities by distributing prasada. Distribution of prasada

to the ignorant masses of people is essential for persons who make offerings to the Personality of Godhead. Real love and devotion is accepted by the Lord. Many valuable foodstuffs may be presented to a person, but if the person is not hungry, all such offerings are useless for him. Similarly, we may offer many valuable items to the Deity, but if we have no real sense of devotion and no real sense of the Lord s presence everywhere, then we are lacking in devotional service; in such a state of ignorance, we cannot offer anything acceptable to the Lord. Picture description: In BLISS Montreal the devotees attend the weekly Tam Tam s festivity on Mount- Royal Park, and of course they never come empty handed nor empty hearted. B.L.I.S.S Newsletter

The Root Cause of Conflicts a lecture for the visiting devotees from the International Society for Krsna consciousness in the BLISS Vinodol, Slovakia by Purujit dasa. a lecture for the visiting devotees from the International Society for Krsna consciousness in the BLISS Vinodol, Slovakia by Purujit dasa. vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana bahu-sakha hy anantas ca buddhayo vyavasayinam Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched. (Bg 2.41) Purujit: om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah I was born in the darkness of ignorance and my spiritual master His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has opened my eyes with the torchlight of knowledge. I offer my humble obeisances unto his lotus feet. So, this is the sloka from the Bhagavad-gita. It s actually a very deep sloka. Every sloka is very deep, but this one specifically relates to the divisions among the different followers of the Vedic culture. Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many- branched. So Krsna says a few slokas before to Arjuna that he should fight, but he should not expect results. In other words, Krsna consciousness does not mean to stop activity. We can go on, but the enjoyer of the results of our work is Krsna. If we simply stop action, it will not bring us happiness. And similarly if we simply work for the result, we will be constantly disturbed. Just like thieves, we are enjoying the property of the Lord. A thief cannot be happy. He is always in anxiety. Krsna says that one who does not have peace of mind, cannot be happy. Everyone feels deep inside that : Oh I m doing something bad. But because he does not have the alternative, sometimes he gives up action altogether. No more pleasure, no more food, no more this, no more that. Just like the impersonalists. Therefore Krsna consciousness means work, but work with the right consciousness -Krsna consciousness. Devotional service is not something artificial. You probably know that passage, where Prabhupada explains the sanatana- B.L.I.S.S Newsletter

dharma. Sanatana-dharma is the characteristic of every living entity. That s why Krsna consciousness is not a relgion, or a sect. It is the natural propensity of every living entity, everyone wants to serve, but they re serving in the wrong way. That s why the role of the spiritual master is to direct that service propensity in the right direction. This is why we need knowledge. Ultimately, Krsna consciousness, bhakti yoga has nothing to do with knowledge. It is the question of heart, but in the conditional platform our love is adulterated. We serve in a wrong way. That s why we need knowledge. Otherwise we will mistake that which is material for that which is spiritual and that which is spiritual for that which is material. This is the reason why we approach a bona fide spiritual master. Spiritual master means that he is the master in converting material into spiritual. Of course, the Krsna consciousness process does not require that we change our position. Just like Srila Prabhupada says, you can change your religion from Christian to Muslim, from Muslim to Buddhist etc, but if you are a nonsense person, then you will be a nonsense everywhere, whether you are a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, etc. So we have to change our consciousness. That is important. And it is very simple. Instead of doing things for myself, I do it for Krsna s pleasure. When I cook, I don t cook for myself, I cook for Krsna s pleasure. I like to sing, I like to play musical instruments, that s ok, but do it for Krsna, chant for Krsna. And if you want to do it for Krsna, then you should know that because Krsna is a person, He has his particular taste. And we should understand what that taste is. What He wants, what He doesn t want. Like that. If we strike the right point and serve Krsna in the right way, we will feel ecstatic. And if we serve in a way that is not very pleasing to Krsna, then the bliss will not be there. This is explained in the Srimad Bhagavatam, First canto: sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati The most perfect occupation for all human kind is what is conductive to the attainment of devotional service of transcendence Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and undeterred so that the same shall completely satisfy the self. (SB 1.2.6) That sort of service will satisfy the atma. We are speaking of pure devotional service. We are not speaking of a mixed devotional service. There is devotional service mixed with jnana and I explained this before. It manifests as giving up activities and as a denial. This is jnana -analytical. For example a man decides: I want to find out why there is life in this person. So he operates him and he gets his heart and he takes his heart in his hand. Oh, so this is life. But then the life of that person is finished. It is not practical to simply study the knowledge. That it called jnana-misra bhakti, bhakti-yoga mixed with jnana. And then you have another extreme karma-misra bhakti, devotional service

mixed with fruitive mentality: I become a famous kirtan singer and I will get many likes on Facebook, or I will be a famous pujari. We can become illusioned that we are practising Krsna consciousness, but we are not serving Krsna, we are utilizing Krsna. So the nature of pure devotional service is that it is ahaituky apratihata. It cannot be checked by any material circumstance. This sloka is very important especially for us, the followers of Srila Prabhupada, because it is the sloka which inspired Srila Prabhupada to come to the West. Those are his transcendental pastimes. And especially either Bhaktivinode Thakura or Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, they comment on this sloka that a disciple should be ready to lay down his life to fulfill the instruction of his spiritual master. That is Krsna consciousness. It cannot be checked even by a material body. That sort of determination we have to develop in order to go back home, back to Godhead. If our determination is 99% it is not enough. We cannot go back to Godhead with 99% determination. We have to have 100%. If the determination is not 100%, resolute, firm, then our intelligence becomes many branched. And this is how you explain the different religions, sects, different divisions, not just in the Krsna consciousness movement, but in all of mankind. People bring their material motives and then there are divisions. Just like the example is given, if you water the root of a tree, automatically all the branches are nourished, but if you try to water the branches separately, first of all you will never come to the end of it and second of all even if you do it, the whole tree will dry out anyway. So in this karma misra bhakti and jnana misra bhakti, because we have a propensity to serve, which is our sanatana dharma, we always serve some person. We are trying to unite on the basis of family, nationality, religious denomination, and so on and so on but this all have to be kicked out. This is the theme of the Bhagavadgita. Arjuna is facing his own family members and he wants to give up the fight. Why should I fight? Let us be together one family. But Krsna says no. So Prabhupada gives a comment on this point he says: Sometimes that which is considered as very admirable, very noble by the general mass of people might not be very pleasing to Krsna. It is not stereotyped like that. Krsna says: manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye yatatam api siddhanam kascin mam vetti tattvatah Bg 7.3 Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.

It is not so easy. Yes (laughter) Krsna says: Go and kill your family. And so many soldiers were killed. 64 hundred million soldiers were killed. Prabhupada says: What is the use of millions of stars? Get one moon and he will give light to all the different stars. Another example he gives is that if you have one, it is better than million of zeros. So this is what we should become, we should become that one moon, a pure devotee, a quality devotee. It is not that Srila Prabhupada is the only guru. The word acarya means one who shows the example. It is not that we simply worship Prabhupada Prabhupada Prabhupada. We must emulate his example. Prabhupada manifests all the different activities, for example his struggles. We meditate on Prabhupada as the successful Prabhupada. People are bowing down. Jaya Prabhupada! But before Prabhupada came to the West, there was seventy years of struggle in India. And nobody was respecting Prabhupada. They thought: This is just some swami. Just like that mataji Morarji said: I thought he was crazy to go to America. Nobody knew who Prabhupada was. Even when Prabhupada came to NY and set up his own storefront, nobody could have imagined what is going to happen. So this lila we should emulate also. This sort of determination that: I will go against the whole world. is needed. If Krsna wants then Yes I will do it. and if the whole world is praising me: Oh you are wonderful, but Krsna is thinking: I don t know about this guy. then i will give up the whole world, give up the praise, give up the fame, give up everything. That is the conclusion of the Bhagavadgita: give up everything and surrender unto Me. So if we have faith, then Krsna says: I will deliver you from all errors, all mistakes you do. I will take charge. Don t worry. Do not fear. Do not worry. Do not be afraid. The word ma sucah has these three meanings. So we should be determined like that and then Krsna will take charge of everything and that s what we want. We want that Krsna will take charge of our necessities, so we have all the time to think of Him and serve Him with love. Then we won t be distracted by any of these material motivations. I will no longer think: What is in it for me? Complete surrender. Krsna may kill me. Krsna may save me. I don t care. That is not the purpose. The purpose is to please Krsna. So Prabhupada has given all these books, where he explains to us how we can develop this mentality. Not artificially or by sentiment, but by proper discrimination and intelligence. Bhakti yoga is also called buddhi yoga yoga of intelligence. At the same time we have to have that determination. I want to surrender. I might not be surrendered. I might be fallen or so much contaminated, but this decision I should make: Yes I want to surrender fully fully fully. then Krsna will give me the proper intelligence, but if I don t have this determination and I didn t make this decision, then Krsna will supply a different type of intelligence. You want to enjoy in this world? Go ahead. Krsna does not interfere with your independence. Quite the opposite, he gives you full opportunity to exercise your minute independence. Prabhupada makes this point. If Krsna did not give us maya, illusion, then there would be no meaning to our independence. So sometimes people say, you have probably heard this before, if there s God, why there is suffering? Suffering is there, but enjoyment is also there. They both bind us to the material world. And why? Because you want.

So if you change your desire: I don t want this anymore. I want to utilise happiness for Krsna and I want to utilise distress for Krsna. Both. Then we will be equipoised in mind and we will be able to develop that determination. It is not very easy to think of Krsna at the time of death. You can test yourself. When you do your japa how much you think of the holy name and how much you think of other things, but that is a small sample of how we will think at the time of death. This sloka is very important if we want to understand how to develop pure offenseless chanting. Otherwise we will be diverted despite the fact that we are chanting Hare Krishna. Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur says that if the chanting is not done properly, the holy name does not manifest. Although it appears as the holy name, these are only mundane letters of the alphabet. We say chant Hare Krsna, we try to encourage everyone never mind he is smoking ganja or this or that chanting Hare Krsna we encourage. Very good. But this is not the standard of perfection. We are giving a future chance. When people come under the shelter of the bona fide spiritual master, they should hear how to purify the chanting. Not that I simply take initiation and my job is done. Initiation means beginning. Beginning of hearing. So it is a great science and we should not miss the opportunity by making sentimental conclusions: Oh this is jnana prabhu, don t talk about this. Let s just have a good time. This is not resolute determination. In this attitude we hide many doubts. We should avoid that kind of attitude and association also. Just like we say, if you associate with nondevotees, you become a nondevotee. If you associate with a drunkard, you become a drunkard. And if you associate with pure devotees, you become a pure devotee. So there is no controversy. The pure devotee is there: Srila Prabhupada. Who can doubt this? Only a nonsense person can say otherwise. It does not matter this guru and that guru, we should hear from a pure devotee and there is also association of devotees. We can help each other. There is no problem to accept someone as a guide to understand Srila Prabhupada, but Prabhupada is a pure devotee and he gave us these books. The ISKCON institution is meant to distribute the knowledge in these books. That means that Prabhupada is the spiritual master. Arguing about whether to do the initiation like this or that is superficial. Just like you can do japa in a big bead bag, or a blue bead bag, or a pink one. If you don t chant, how does it matter whether you have a pink bead bag or a blue bead bag? It doesn t make any difference. It has no value. Similarly, if we don t read Prabhupada s books and if we do not scientifically understand what he is actually trying to explain to us and we don t apply the process, then you can call yourself a rtvik or ISKCON this or that, it s not going to help you. Prabhupada says in a letter that arguments are for slackers. Amongst the real workers there are no arguments. Because the real workers are not interested in the formalities, they don t latch on to the externals. They are interested in the essence. And the essence is one- to please Krsna. Those who are serious, wherever they are, heaven or hell, Prabhupada says, they are my disciples and those who are not doing their work, they can be in this camp or that camp they will just create disturbance. So the

institution Prabhupada made and the rtvik system of initiation he made are here to check the nonsense people to join in and create disturbance, but you yourself can practise in any circumstance. Do we need a permission to chant 16 rounds? Someone finds a mala on the internet and buys from an online shop and starts chanting 16 rounds, does he need a permission? No, he doesn t a permission. Would Prabhupada be very angry? He is chanting 16 rounds and he did not ask my permission. Is this wrong? Of course not. And if this person tells other friends to also chant Hare Krishna then he is a guru. Very simple he is a guru. Guru is a person who teaches others about Krsna. And these people he preaches to are his disciples. They chant. They are going to do what Ricky tells them: Oh very nice. I like this chanting. So they come to Ricky and ask him some more questions. Prabhupada also defines a guru as someone you go to ask some questions. If you ask someone a question, you are already accepting him as your guru, otherwise why are you asking? You have the faith that this person has the right answer. So this gentleman who chants 16 rounds and who tells others to chant 16 rounds and whose friends are chanting because he told them to, he is a natural guru. Does he need a permission? He doesn t need a permission. The permission is there if you want to take advantage of the institution and of the assets, of the facilities. Srila Prabhupada made all these wonderful temples. Just like when you go to school, the school has some facilities, a classroom, books, teachers. You need to pay a fee or get signed up, some qualification. You have to fulfill some conditions, but that doesn t mean you can t learn the subject matter on your own. It is not a general principle, but that exception is there. Some people for example receive honorary titles. He becomes a professor, but he never went to school. So it is possible and on the other hand, out of those who are in school sometimes there are a few who cheat and they get a diploma by cheating. Especially, when this happens in a medical field it is a great catastrophe. You don t want to be operated upon by such a surgeon. So it comes back to the same point. Canakya Pandit says you can t see a fool until he speaks. So Prabhupada says yes we should associate, but we should use our discrimination. Not everyone who puts on a tilak, kanti and shaves up is a devotee. There are many demons who enter this Krsna consciousness movement. Prabhupada says this. There are many jealous persons in this Krsna consciousness movement. Neither should we go by titles: I m a rtvik, or I m ISKCON. I m this and that. I have first initiation, second initiation, third initiation, the fourth initiation. This may be good, very good, but still this is not the criteria. You have to tell me how you understand the Krsna consciousness science, then we will see who you are. Just like a person who is studying law or medicine in school, he can show us so many diplomas, but when there s actually a sick person, a practical problem, then we will really see who has got the talent, who has got the proper qualification to cure him. So Krsna consciousness is practical. And Prabhupada himself said when Gurukrpa asked him: Your Godbrothers, they are also initiating their own disciples, what is their position? Is that bona fide or what is going on there? So Prabhupada said: Yes, the formality is going on but the preaching spirit is missing. That is the criteria. Bona fide spiritual

master, or a preacher can preach in any circumstance. Just like you see the example in Srila Prabhupadahe started his own institution from scratch. And his Gobrothers were fighting over the properties and no preaching. Simply envious. I don t know if you know the history, but if you read the Caitanya Caritamrta, Prabhupada is simply transcendentally complaining. The whole world is praising this ISKCON movement, the Western people are becoming devotees of Krsna, Vaishnavas and giving up illict sex, meat eating gambling, amazing miracle, but these Godbrothers are so envious that when Prabhupada would come back to India, his Godbrothers would not even respect him. They started criticizing: Why are you calling yourself Prabhupada? Do you have a permission? Nonsense. So this is the essence of Krsna consciousness. We should have firm determination, we should be very sincere, very surrendered. It does not mean that I have some material desires, so I m not surrendered. No. You have a material desire? Ok, that s fine, but don t make a show that I have no material desire. If you have a material desire and you know about it, that s the beginning of purification. That is very good, but if I make a show: Oh I m a pure devotee, you re not going to be happy and people around you are also not going to be happy. They will not be very enthused to take up Krsna consciousness. People can feel it. They might be covered, they might be eating meat, but ultimately the soul feels. So like that. Any questions or comments? ISKCON Devotee 1: Prabhu, you said that we have free will. I was listening to a lecture by Prabhupada yesterday. He was saying that if Krsna sees a little sincerity in our heart, he will catch us and he will arrange everything in our life and future life in such a way that we can go back to Him. My question is that by developing the desire to love God, do we loose our free will? Purujit: No, no, no. It is a revival of the free will. Actually, in the material world everything is by force. Even if you take such a wonderful pleasure as sex life, we do not have sex life out of freedom, we have sex life by force. It s a push. It s an urge. The material nature commands: Now! and you cannot resist. It is difficult. So you take anything else like eating or any sort of enjoyment in this world, it is by force, there is no freedom. So when i actually practise austerity by saying: No, no I will refrain for a higher purpose. That is the beginning of my freedom. That s where my freedom starts. I don t have unlimited freedom. That is illusion: I am God and I can do anything I want. Krsna says: prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate

The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature. (Bg 3.27) Such a mentality is the cause of our bondage. If I think I m unlimitedly free, immediately I become checked by the material nature. Just like a government, if you do something illegal, then whatever little freedom you have as a citizen is taken and you are taken to prison. So, we are never free. We are either serving maya, or Krsna, but when we serve Krsna, we serve Krsna out of freedom. When we serve maya, we don t serve maya out of freedom. You can see, if you again want to become Krsna conscious, how difficult it is. Maya is so stringent. So that is the difference. Does it answer your question? ISKCON Devotee: Yeah Purujit: Fully? ISKCON Devotee: Fully yeah. And I also wanted to ask: who said that the slackers create disturbance? Purujit: Prabhupada. In a letter he says: There is no argument amongst the real workers. We don t have to fight, there is plenty of service for everyone. The whole world is in Krsna unconsciousness. So we don t have to fight for service.

Krsna, The Summum Bonum By Bhakta Filip Creation of the universe is very complex. In the Bible, there is also explanation of creation but such explanation is inferior to the Veda s one, because it is not so profoundly and deeply explained. So Veda s explanation is superior. We must all the time look for the the most revealed knowledge. Bible or Koran are dealing with The Absolute Truth, therefore there is no harm in any of them but still there is difference in level of revelation of the knowledge, different extend of explanation about the The Absolute Truth. So, can anybody say that Bible and Koran are not inferior to Veda s? This is not blasphemy to the other scriptures, it is rather a simple logic. How is 2+2 =4 example explained in elementary school and university is different. Principle is exactly the same but is explained in different levels. In the Vedic literature here are more deeper explanations of God s form, name, pastimes, spiritual world etc. Therefore the Vedas are superior. From one of Krsna s form, Garbhodakasayi, Brahma is born. And from him, Brahma, different demigods. So demigods are subordinated to Krsna, Visnu. He is known as Mukunda also: giver of liberation. Who can be worthy of the name of the Supreme Lord but the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna? Brahmaji collected the water emanating from the nails of His feet in order to award it to Lord Siva as a worshipful welcome. This very water [the Ganges] is purifying the whole universe, including Lord Siva. (SB 1.18) So even Lord Siva is worshiping Krsna and he is also not giver of liberation. No living entity, including Brahma, Lord Siva, or Narayana, can possess opulence as fully as Krsna. Therefore it is concluded in the Brahma-samhita by Lord Brahma himself that Lord Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one is equal to or above Him. He is the primeval Lord, or Bhagavan, known as Govinda, and He is the supreme cause of all causes. isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam (BG 2.2) Even very suffix demi means half, so they are half a God. They are rather godly as we, jivas, are also. So it is very clearly stated who is supreme and there are also many other statements about supremacy of Krsna, so there is no doubt about it or any question. Somebody may argue that there are more incarnations of Krsna, so it doesn t matter which one you worship. It is true, they are all fully potent but, still, Krsna is the first. All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead. All of them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists. (SB 1.3.28) Learned scholars in transcendental subjects have carefully analyzed the summum bonum Krsna to have sixty-four principal attributes. All the expansions or categories of the Lord possess only some percentages of these attributes. But Sri Krsna is the possessor of the attributes

cent percent. And His personal expansions such as svayam-prakasa, tad-ekatma up to the categories of the avataras who are all visnu-tattva, possess up to ninety-three percent of these transcendental attributes. (SB 1.3.28, purport) So it is very clear that Krsna is Supreme. By worshiping Narayan or Lord Caitanya we come to Krsna back home but they are also personalities and have their certain features. Worshiping of Lord Caitanya is the easiest way how to worship Radha-Krsna, namely Supreme Krsna. For this reason Prabhupada came to spread His message to Western countries especially. But Narayan etc. is not Supreme, he has 93% of attributes of Krsna, who possess 100% of such attributes. Therefore Krsna is Supreme and the easiest way how to reach Him is to worship Lord Caitanya. We can worship Narayan or even Radha-Krsna directly but the question is if we are qualified to do that? Standard is very high, so it is better to avoid of offending them and rather worship Lord Caitanya who is the most merciful out of any Krsna s incarnations. And this is especially for God proclaimers. If any of them just says, I am God, then he should give us any reference to support it. If there is no reference, how can I trust that person. Doctor has certificate, so If he shows me it, I trust him: Yes, he is qualified. Such a dry proclamation is pointless. And even he says like that it is very clearly stated in this verse of SB 1.3.5: So all the incarnations of the Lord are mentioned in the revealed scriptures. There is no scope for an imposter to become an incarnation, for an incarnation must be mentioned in the sastras. An incarnation does not declare Himself to be an incarnation of the Lord, but great sages agree by the symptoms mentioned in the revealed scriptures. The features of the incarnation and the particular type of mission which He has to execute are mentioned in the revealed scriptures. Real incarnation of God DOES NOT declare Himself to be an incarnation of the Lord. Sages must confirm it as well as scriptures. So if you meet such a person saying he is God, he is 100% cheater and kick on his face. Krsna has many incarnations and such an incarnations are as good as Krsna Himself. To every incarnation is described his purpose. Not that I am incarnation and you should accept me, but it must be mentioned also in Vedas and any incarnation never claim to be incarnation. Then kick such a rascal out. In SB 1.3.6 is mentioned incarnation of Kumaras and here is very clearly stated that to realize Brahman means to undergo austerities. That means it is not according to birthright but according to qualification acquired by one s endeavor. If doctor didn t undergo any tapasya on university by hard studying and practice, then he cannot be qualified as doctor. He must learn it from higher authorities. In this way it is bona fide. Not that I was born in doctor s family so I am automatically doctor also. There is no qualification, skills, knowledge... nothing. How then can he proclaim to be a doctor? This is not proper. Krsna is absolute, he doesn t need to do anything but we are doing also so many things. Why Krsna cannot? Then He is less than we are, inferior. Krsna is active, as everything is a naturally active. Nobody and nothing is static. Lying person on bed is also active, because he is doing ACTIVITY - sleeping. And moreover he is living, breathing etc. How can he be inactive? Saying there is not activity is activity itself because that person is saying by ACTION there

is no activity. Krsna is showing His full potency in 100% perfect way. Absolute means that everything is there included (SB. 1.1.1.). We are active, so he is also active as anything else in any corner of universe and spiritual world. Bhagavad-gita also confirms that when the Lord appears He appears as He is by His internal potency. He is not contaminated by the material energy because He is the Lord of material energy. In the Vedic literature we find that His whole embodiment is spiritual. He has His eternal form called sac-cidananda-vigraha. He is full of all opulence. He is the proprietor of all wealth and the owner of all energy. He is the most intelligent and is full of knowledge. These are some of the symptoms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (BG 13.15) So He is not contaminated by material, as king entering to prison house is not affected by laws at prison, for he is lawmaker of that rules. He appears to be a part of prison but he is actually not. So for such a Lord there is nothing impossible. Somebody may say that to lift Govardan hill or taking Earth from inferior planetary systems out is not that much difficult because Brahma can create whole universe and control it whole. These activities are for our vision, because when Lord shows you His full potency you will go crazy. You cannot even see God, what to speak of understanding His activities. First of all you must see God, and then speak of His performances. If it is so difficult or not, is mental speculation. Can anybody emanates all universes from his pores of skin and annihilate them or control every single atom independently which are billions only in 1cm3, what to speak of one universe having area of millions and millions of square km and what to say of billions and trillions of such universes and all planets and living beings to whom Lord is fulfilling their desires considering ALL circumstances and desires of all other living beings without any conflict to other s desires? First of all such a person must show this potency. If he cannot, then he is not God. He must be cause of all causes but we cannot understand even position of Maha-Visnu from all such mentioned universes are coming out of his pores. Then how can we understand what does ultimate absolute truth means, cause of all causes? He must show his potency and not simply speaking I am God and then point it out in some sastra and by all big authorities and sadhus that yes, he is God. Otherwise kick him out, such a person is for sure cheater.

SADHANA SERIES: CLEANLINESS Compiled from the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada by Purujit Dasa So the devotee must be clean, inside and outside, both. Outside cleaning by taking bath, washing the body with oil or soap or soda, and inside, inside, materially, there will be no unclean things, stool, unnecessary stool. That means one must evacuate every morning and evening. If we eat more, then we have to evacuate twice. But if we eat less, then once evacuation is sufficient. It is said, yogi, bhogi, and rogi. Yogi means spiritually advanced, and bhogi means materialist, and rogi means diseased. It is a common saying. A yogi evacuates only once. That is yogi. And bhogi, because he eats more, so he evacuates twice. And one who evacuates more than twice, he s rogi, diseased. Yogi, bhogi, rogi. So everything has got routine work. saucam. So you ll feel healthy. If you have evacuated nicely, you have washed inside and outside, taken your bath, then you ll feel always refreshed. And unless you feel refreshed, you cannot very nicely chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra or serve Krsna. Therefore cleanliness is required. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974 Cleanliness, simply soap and water cleanliness, is not cleanliness. Inside cleanliness also required. Inside cleanliness, daily clearing the bowels. In the yoga system this is very necessary. They have got a system if the bowel is not clear, then dhokhi;it is called dhokhi. The intestines should be cleared. So they have a process. Some of the yogis, they are so expert that they can take out the intestine from the abdomen and clear it and put it again. Yes. This is These are the perfection of yoga system.

So inside cleanliness is very important thing. If the bowel is not clear, if the stools are congested The appendicitis disease, it means that those who are constipated, gradually inside their stool becomes dry, and it becomes a block to the intestine. So if it becomes too much blocked, if it is not possible to be cleared, then the modern medical science, they cut the abdomen and cut the part and clear it, and again stitch it. That is appendicitis, so far I know I am not medical man. There are so many diseases that is due to this non-clearance of the intestines. You see? Therefore we have to eat in such proportion and such kind of food that inside intestines may remain always clear. In a Bengali proverb there is a saying that bhuri and muri. If your this two things are very clear, then there is no question of disease. Bhuri means this abdomen, and muri means this head. If you keep your head and the belly very clear, then you are free from all disease. 142+ Transcripts [Fidelity check pending] Simply teach them nicely English and Sanskrit. And our books are there. And regular habits: going to the Yamuna in procession, timely get up early in the morning, attending class, clean dress, clean bedding, clean room. Sikha-sutra. The Vamanadeva gave this description. Where is that book? Jagadisa: I don t know. Pradyumna may have taken it. Prabhupada: There were two books. Woman... Girls should be taught how to become faithful wife, how to learn nice cooking, cleansing, dressing. Simple method. There is no objection of their becoming scholar, but that is not necessary. They have got natural inclination to give service by cooking, cleansing, dressing. Cleanliness is the first necessity. That is hygienic, spiritual, and calm, quiet. India has got special facility to remain clean. Only in this country you can take thrice bathing. In other countries... Easy there. In your country there is hot water. There is no difficulty if one practices. I think our men have such practice. But this

cleanness is this taking bathing at least twice. That keeps a man very clean. Jagadisa: Yes. Since I ve been taking two baths a day, unless I have two baths I don t feel clean. Sometimes I am very busy and don t get to bathe twice, and then I feel very dirty. Prabhupada: Yes. Hari-sauri: I don t feel clean if I don t have three. Prabhupada: Also, he also. He also takes. So if it is practiced, it keeps health very nice. I was taking all along. Since I was attacked, heart, they said you should be kept from catching cold. Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay Prabhupada: But they do not know how to keep clean. So in India there is no question how to keep clean. They do not know. They ll not take bath for days together. And he likes stop bathing(?), so many germs carrying. And he s a first-class person, saheb, on account of the wealth (?). Last maybe. First-class. (?) Don t take bath, neither wash their mouth or hand. And that is... Hari-sauri: That habit is spreading. I ve seen in India. Even the Indian businessmen that come to see you... Prabhupada: They are imitating. Hari-sauri: Yes. It s laziness. Prabhupada: But you see. I take little medicine and wash hand. But you don t learn it. You remain the same. You have to... (microphone moving) I show example, but you don t do it. What can I do? Hari-sauri: We re learning. Prabhupada: I do not know how long you ll learn. Hari-sauri: (laughs) It s like you said in Mayapura. It s a little artificial for us. It s very... It s not... Prabhupada: Cleanliness unknown to the Western people. Hari-sauri: That s a fact. Prabhupada: Saucam. Satya-saucabhyam. Saucam means cleanliness. The Western people, they do not know what is cleanliness. And therefore brahmana s another name is suci, always clean. Three times bathing, three times changing cloth. It doesn t matter, loin cloth, but cloth must be changed. Pusta Krsna: Outer cloth? Prabhupada: Yes. Pusta Krsna: Dhoti, like that? Prabhupada: No, you take bath. You have to change your cloth. It becomes wet. This is cleanliness. Satyasaucabhyam. Samena damena ca brahmacarya, tapasa brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13]. Tapasya, the first beginning of tapasya, is brahmacari. Yamena niyamena va tyagena satya-saucabhyam yamena niyamena va. This is human life, tapasa, brahmacaryena, samena, damena va [SB 6.1.13], then truthfulness, cleanliness, controlling the senses. So these things are required. Otherwise what is the difference between dog s life? Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne

Just like if your room is dirty, there..., there is possibility... Therefore I ask you, keep cleansed, your bathing, your clothes, your room. Otherwise you ll suffer hepatitis or jaundice, this, that. You ll suffer, because you are not clean. If you clear, you remain cleansed, then there will be no disease. If you remain cleansed, you eat properly-don t eat more, don t eat less there will be no disease, no doctor. That s a fact. But you do not know cleanliness, although you are..., that is because your, your cleanliness is with machine. And without machine, you cannot keep clean. Why not this broomstick is sufficient? If in India machine is not available, you cannot be clean? Keep everything cleansed-utensils, plates, teeth, hands, feet. Use sufficient water. There will be no (indistinct). Room Conversation -- December 11, 1971, New Delhi Guest: What is the proper spiritual attitude toward rodents, reptiles, and disease-bearing insects? What should be the proper spiritual attitude toward those? Jayatirtha: Insects. Tamala Krsna: What is the spiritual attitude towards reptiles, rodents... Madhudvisa: Disease-bearing in animals, something that is diseased and can give you a disease, what is your, what is the Vedic attitude towards protection from these animals? Prabhupada: Protection? Cleanliness. Just like if you keep your apartment very cleansed, if you keep your clothes and body very cleansed, you won t find this insect disturbing you. Just like the flies, they go in a nasty place. So you should be cleansed. You should take protection in that way. You cannot kill them. The cockroaches, the modern method of bathroom attached in 600th floor... So (laughs) this is unclean. Therefore the cockroaches are born there, you see? So if you keep yourself clean, there will be no more disturbances. The incense will keep off all insects. You make fresh food, there will be no germs. You take warm, immediately prepared, that is germicide foodstuff. But if you keep for months together in the refrigerator, that will contaminate with germ, disease. Therefore the brahminical culture means cleanliness is next to godliness. You have to keep your body clean, you have to keep your apartment clean, everything clean, and there will be no more disturbance. Bahyabhyantarah sucih. The Vedic literature says that you should keep yourself externally and internally cleansed. Externally, you can keep yourself clean by soap, water, and change of dress, washed dress, externally. And internally, by thinking of Krsna. Then there will be no more disturbance. apavitrah pavitro va sarvavastham gato pi va yah smaret pundarikaksam sa bahyabhyantarah sucih Sucih means cleansed. Therefore we prescribe so many things just to keep you cleansed cleansed within, cleansed outside. Then there is no affection of maya. Otherwise, you will be harassed by three kinds of

miserable condition: adhyatmika, adhibhautika... I have seen many persons in India, within two or three days, by perspiration, within their coat, they germinate so many germs. Do not take bath, unclean. You see? So cleanliness is the protection from infection. And water is very disinfectant, natural disinfectant. This is the medical opinion, water. Therefore God has supplied unlimited quantity of water. You can spend it as much as you like. Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968 Prabhupada: (chuckles) [break] And see how their lota is cleansed. Tamala Krsna: Shiny. Is that a special point, Prabhupada? Prabhupada: Yes. That means that how cleansed they are. That is the point. [break]...is if their lota is so cleansed how they are personally clean. Morning Walk -- January 12, 1976, Bombay And now there are so many devotees there in Philadelphia. Please take care of them. Teach them how to remain neat and clean. They should be engaged always in cleansing the temple. Cleansing is urgently required. As far as possible, non-initiated devotees may not enter the kitchen or Deity area. They can help from outside. Just take care of them so that they may become pure devotees. That is your duty. We are respected everywhere on our purity platform. This should be maintained. Letter to: Nayanabhirama Bombay 4 April, 1971 Vrindaban temple. The kitchen department should be very clean and things should not be wasted. This is the first consideration. Yesterday we have visited a very old and famous Ranganatha Temple here in Nellore. Everything is being managed very nicely and there are very nice arrangements for those who come for darsana. So similarly our temple in Vrindaban must be managed expertly that everyone who comes is given caranamrta and prasadam of the Deity. Letter to: Aksayananda Nellore 6 January, 1976 Regarding Miami temple, you say it is a paradise. So that must be because it must be better than the former place. But they must keep the whole temple site very neat and clean. This is very important and please instruct them on this. Abhirama, he is an intelligent boy. He can do and he can manage. Simply you have to encourage him and see that he shows good example to all the devotees and they will all work very enthusiastically under his leadership.

Letter to: Satsvarupa Bombay 20 November, 1975 So this temple, do not think that it is Hyderabad place. No. It is Goloka Vrndavana. You should be very careful. Aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa, tanaya tad-dhamam vrndavanam. As Krsna is worshipable, similarly His place is also worshipable. Not that His place is different from Him. No. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nanasrngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau **. As the worship of the Deity is important, similarly, sri-vigraharadhananitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marj anadau **. To keep the temple very cleansed, very attractive, that is also Deity worship. Those who are here working, they should keep this temple as clean as possible. Then Krsna will be satisfied. Krsna s body this temple. Do not think it otherwise. Temple should be worshiped in that way. Therefore I ask you not to come with shoes. Even the temple is not opened, it is still Krsna s temple. It is not different from Krsna. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara **. You should always remember that. The temple management very nicely means to render service to Krsna. So we are going to open this temple. Those who are in charge, they must take care of the temple. Cleanliness. Tan-mandira-marjanadau. The more we have got men, engage them. And do not think that temple cleaning and Deity worshiping are different. Do not be envious, that This person has been given the in charge of decorating the Deity, and I have (been) given to wash the temple where there are not Deity. No. It is the same thing. There is no difference. It is spiritual. In spiritual... Just like either you worship Krsna s lotus feet or you offer a garland to Krsna on His head, it is the same thing. It is no such thing as This is head, this is tail. No. This is absolute conception of... Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.395 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976 I am glad to hear that your Sunday program is successful. One thing is that you should keep everything very clean. That is the first business. Every room should be as clean as a mirror. The prasadam room should be immediately cleaned after taking prasadam, otherwise you are inviting rats. Be careful. Letter to: Mukunda: Bombay 20 October, 1973 In India the cow dung is accepted as pure, although the Vedic injunction is that if you touch stool of an animal, you have to take bath to purify yourself, cleanse yourself. Of course, we see in New York City that the stool of dog is thrown all over the street, and we are touching, but we have no opportunity to take bath. But it is according to Vedic injunction, if you touch stool of an animal, then you have to take bath immediately. Therefore this is a system. When you go to the Deity room, you should change your cloth, because I do not know what things I have touched in the street, so better to change the cloth. And better still to cleanse, to take bath. That is the system. Anyway, to touch the stool of an animal makes one unclean; therefore one has to take bath or purify himself. That is the system. Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.10

Montreal, July 9, 1968 I have received also the photograph of Radha- Kalachandji and they are looking transcendentally beautiful. Always keep to this high standard of Deity worship, never become neglectful. Everything must be done very timely, and the temple must be immaculately cleansed daily. These things, cleanliness and promptness, are the most important points for Deity worship, so be very vigilant in this way. Letter to: Dinatarini Los Angeles April 25, 1973 You can call your farm, Talavana. Concerning constructing a temple at the farm, it is feasible only if you have sufficient brahmanas to take nice care otherwise no. You have seen our Vrndavana temple, also the temple in Melbourne and Los Angeles. So things must be at this standard in order to have a temple. The standard must be very high. Neatness and cleanliness are the first business of temple worship. I shall see later on whether or not that Krishna Balarama can be installed there. You cannot paint the Deity with paint to make bluish. Don t manufacture ideas. What is standard you must follow. Don t make it a farce. Letter to: Nityananda Honolulu 4 May, 1976 The more you keep the Deity room and paraphernalia clean, the more you heart becomes cleansed from dirty things. Letter to: Hamsaduta Los Angeles 22 June, 1970 Deity worship means to be very, very clean. You should try to bathe twice daily. The Deities should never be approached without having bathed first and changed to clean cloths after passing stool, etc. Keep teeth brushed after each meal, fingernails clean and trim. Be sure that your hands are clean before touching anything on the altar or the Deities. And cleanse the Deity room, altar and floor daily thoroughly. Shine the various Aratrik paraphernalia after Aratrik. This is described in the booklet for pujaris written by Silavati Dasi. The idea is summit cleanliness that will satisfy Krsna. Letter to: Rukmini Los Angeles 20 March, 1970 Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau **. Sri-vigraharadhana, this arcana

process, beginning from mangala-aratrika up to the sayam-aratrika, everything should be done very nicely. And the temple should be made very clean. Tan-mandira-marjanadau. To dress the Deity is as much important as to cleanse the temple also, not that temple will remain dirty, simply you are dressing the Deity. No. Everything within the temple should be kept very, very neat and clean. And the more you keep the temple neat and clean, you will be neat and clean within your heart. And then your understanding will be very easy. We cannot understand Krsna because our heart is piled up with many garbages. That we have to cleanse. Then it will be easy to understand Krsna. So I am very much pleased that we have secured this nice building. Keep it very neat and clean and go on chanting. Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne So everywhere, you take politically or socially or spiritually, for human beings, if you want to make your life successful, then you must keep the tradition of brahmana-vaisnava. So our, we are Vaisnava. Our only tradition is how to satisfy Visnu. That is the tradition of everyone, but, especially Vaisnavas. They must be very alert, very careful, how to keep Lord Visnu or Krsna satisfied. That is our only business. So you should not neglect it. Then utsanna-kula-dharmanam,... then you will spoil everything. When you have invited Visnu, Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to accept your service, you must be very, very careful how to render service. How cleansely, how nicely you have to serve. Otherwise everything will be spoiled. Bhagavad-gita 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973

B.L.I.S.S. Montreal News Store Front For Srila Prabhupada! Blisfull devotees during summer 2016 visint the Montreal Ashram. Desiring to expand the preaching mission of The Bhaktivedanta Lives In Sound Society in the western world, Ramachandra Prabhu and Bhakta Cyril Morel are running a promotion campaign to raise funds and gather a solid congregation of members who would regularly contribute for the first store front center established since 1968 here in Montreal. A storefront is an excellent platform for preaching. It means more regular guests, more books going out, more devotees trained and more prasadam distributed! Ramachandra Prabhu found an excellent opportunity to rent such a facility situated right next to the living quarters of the full time temple members. The store front is very similar to the original 26 2nd Avenue storefront in New York, where Srila Prabhupada began his mission some 50 years ago. It is long and narrow, newly renovated as though it was for Krsna s pleasure. It can hold between 20-30 people who can be served sumptuously Krsna prasadam. Additionally, it comes with a gigantic storage space underneath where we can stock enough books for the next 10 years. We invite all the sincerely devoted disciples and followers of Srila Prabhupada to witness how history is being made and to become a part of it! Sign for a monthly contribution and help us to reach the goal of raising 1000CAD every month. That s right! That s all that is needed for such a wonderful place and the benefits of having a first Prabhupada-based storefront center is beyond all limitations. Please do not hesitate and become a monthly donor. Donate regularly a sum of your choice to make this happen! This all can be done very easily thru PAYPAL : cmorel32@gmail.com H A R I B O L!!! B.L.I.S.S Newsletter

News From the Tam Tam s Though alone Ramachandra is still keeping up his duty which he inherited with great pleasure from Purujit Prabhu. This is the 11th year of the Tam Tam s Ingredients are costly, one session of prasadam such as Ladus will cost the temple around 50 CAD, again do not hesitate to support (PAYPAL)

Supporter of the month Recently our wonderful neighbors, the Chopra family who run the Indian Curry Restaurant signed for a monthly contribution! Although you might not run a restaurant you can do it too! Rajesh and Rohit Chopra holding up the Love Feast poster in support of the center s activities Together with the help of Mr. Rajinder Chandel from Les Troubailles Chandel(Music Instrument store on Saint Denis) Chopra family helped us in exchanging our old old Harmonium for a new and a louder one which will suite the temple activities better. Thank you for showing an example to our Indian community members here in Montreal in supporting this wonderful culture of Krsna Consciousness, this helps us a lot and due to that the Holy Names of Krsna will continue to be heard and spread in every town and village. From left to right: Rajesh Chopra, Rajinder Chandel & Ramachandra Dasa

Other local stores and businesses who support our love feast, if not by regular donation then at least by advertising the event on their front window! Haribol! At the famous Ram Sweet Shop Pay attention to Srimati Tulasi under Srila Prabhupada poster! Jay! THANK YOU!

Upcoming Festivals Check Out The Ecstatic Videos! Videos from the festivals, classes and more can be seen on our youtube channels : HareKrishnaCenterMontreal Makhancora108

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Mr. Cyril (Canada) Chopra Family (Canada) T h a n k Y o u : Get Involved With B.L.I.S.S Our Montreal Center & Vinodol, Slovakia is always in need of enthusiastic members and supporters.at the moment we are searching for contributors to sponsor the following: MOVE IN AND PRACTISE WITH US We are also looking for persons who are willing to join us on full time basis. Are you looking for a life-changing experience? Are you willing to undergo a little austerity in exchange for deep spiritual realizations? Do you feel inspired by reading Srila Prabhupada s books and want to give something back? Let us know and we ll get back to you to see if we can work it out. IF YOU ARE INSPIRED FOR ANY OR ALL OF THESE SERVICES PLEASE CONTACT US: Ramachandra.Dasa108@Gmail.com Telephone: 438 937 1080 B.L.I.S.S Newsletter