What actually is non-violence?

    Srila Prabhupada explains herein, the importance of being harmless and non-violent. Of course Prabhupada explains that we have to have not a sentimental but a philosophical understanding of what it means to be non-violent. It means to actually protect and have respect. But at the same time to protect others sometimes; taking physical action is non-violence. Prabhupada gives that example often times about the newspaper reporter who approached one of the greatest proponents of non-violence in India ‘since you are preaching this ahimsa, I ask you a question. If I come to violate your daughter's chastity and the only way to stop me is through physical force, will you take to physical force?’ He said ‘absolutely not, under no circumstance will I ever break my vow of resorting to physical force’. And then this reporter who happened to have some common sense said, ‘that is violence’. To do nothing when somebody is exploiting another, that is violence and to take physical action to stop that; that is non-violence. That is principle of Bhagavad Gita.

Seeing Seeing the beautiful plan of God

    Gary and Richard (now Radhanath Swami) were at France and wondered where to go now. Richard replied they surrender to God’s will. Hitch hiking, they reached Geneva and befriended Jim. Richard revealed how he had been accidently left out by the draft board. Later Jim’s belongings got stolen and Gary wondered if the both of them were bad luck as others are troubled because of their association; first Frank and now Jim got robbed. Richard assures that everything in life- the draft board making a mistake in keeping out Richard and the bad luck of Frank and Jim, and even their unexpected destinations- are God’s will. Richard exclaimed that God had a beautiful plan behind it all.

The ability to see God’s plan behind everything that happens in our life is very difficult; especially when things don’t work according to our plans. Radhanath Swami says it requires humility to accept that we are not the doers and God is all good. To have faith in God’s goodness in trying circumstances opens the door of unlimited grace. Radhanath Swami repeatedly tells us, “God is our dearest friend and well-wisher, and everything He does is for our highest good.” This reminds me that a favourite saying in many God-centered self-help groups is “Let go and let God.” This is a high ideal for any practitioner of a spiritual path.

Radhanath Swami urges a spiritual seeker to accept the fact that we cannot know what God has in mind for us, and God’s plans are always beyond our comprehension. God’s plans are bigger and broader and more far reaching than our tiny little minds can possibly conceive of.

Radhanath Swami reveals on the basis of scriptures that God resides in the heart of every living entity and He knows our hearts, our desires, our attachments, or needs. He is there guiding us, and directing our lives in such a way as to lead us to Him as surely and truly and quickly as we are willing to accept and come to Him. However Radhanath Swami says we are engrossed in relative matters and hence unable to see God’s beautiful plan unfolding in our lives.

I remembered a famous story about a Taoist farmer that goes like this:

This farmer had only one horse, and one day the horse ran away. The neighbours came to console him over his terrible loss. The farmer said, “What makes you think it is so terrible?”

A month later, the horse came home–this time bringing with her two beautiful wild horses. The neighbours became excited at the farmer’s good fortune. Such lovely strong horses! The farmer said, “What makes you think this is good fortune?”

The farmer’s son was thrown from one of the wild horses and broke his leg. All the neighbours were very distressed. Such bad luck! The farmer said, “What makes you think it is bad?”

A war came, and every able-bodied man was conscripted and sent into battle. Only the farmer’s son, because he had a broken leg, remained. The neighbours congratulated the farmer. “What makes you think this is good?” said the farmer.

The story reveals that instead of being swayed back and forth by the various appearances of so called good and bad fortune in this life, we can become more balanced and realize that everything is relative and we don’t ever really know what is good fortune, and what is bad fortune. Radhanath Swami explains that the only good fortune is to allow God’s plans for us to unfold, and become an instrument for His will, and the only bad fortune is in not doing that.

Source: http://www.radhanath-swami.net/

Radha Madhava, Mayapur, India

To discriminate what is wrong and to be determined to do what is right is called determination.

–His Holiness Radhanath Swami

Gopastami in Mayapur- Lotus Feet Darshan of Srimati Radharani

By Shyamagopika dd on Mon, 2010-11-15 17:28.

"Oh, Supreme Goddess of the Vrndavana forest. Your lotus feet are brimming full of flowing rasa extract, the essential honey of full-blown love nectars. Holding such feet to His chest, Madhupati (Krsna), the Lord of all sweetness, extinguishes the burning fever of Cupid. So supremely cooling, I now take shelter of them. That which is present deep within the heart of all the Upanisads in the most well hidden secret; this pair of Sri Radha’s divine lotus feet is my refuge - simply full of Her own feminine dancing playfulness."

On the auspicious day of Gopastami, we were blessed with the lotus feet darshan of Srimati Radharani and Astasakhis in Mayapur. The Darshan was late at 8 a.m. as extensive altar decorations has to be made. HH Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami gave a class on the pastime of Gopastami before the Darshan Artik. Altar was decorated like the forest groves of Vrindavan with cows, butter pots and gopis herding the calves.

Devotees were lining up again and again to have closer darshan of the merciful lotus feet of Srimati Radharani- ‘the abode of compassion’.

Our cows and bulls from Goshala were led on a Sankirtan procession around the campus to Goshala. Everyone got the opportunity to serve the cows on this auspicious day by bathing , feeding and circumambulating her. A go yajna and go puja was performed and everyone honored kitchuri and halwa prasadam.

Deity Darshan - Diwali

How to deal with people who have power -- Srila Prabhupada

One lion was residing in the jungle. One day he killed a young deer. He ate it and still he was not satisfied. So, the lion thought for a plan. He went and sat leisurely beside a huge tree. Meanwhile, a sheep was passing by. The Lion asked the sheep, "O sheep, tell me the truth. Does my mouth have bad breadth? Lion opened his mouth, and sheep replied "Yes, O king, your mouth has a bad breadth." 

Lion was angry and said "what did you say? Does anyone say that to king of the jungle. Do you have etiquettes or not?" 

Saying so, the lion slapped the sheep with his paws and the sheep lost her life. 

After a while, a jackal was passing by. The lion asked him, "O jackal, tell me the truth. Does my mouth have bad breadth?" Saying so, the lion opened his mouth. Jackal thought, "If I say that your mouth smells, then angrily the lion will tear me apart." At that moment, the jackal saw the dead sheep. Seeing this, the jackal said "O king, can your mouth ever have bad breadth? Your mouth does not stink of flesh even a bit." The lion furiously said "I just now ate a young deer and I have not even drank water. How is it possible that my mouth does not stink? You have lied and there is no place for a liar in my kingdom." 

Saying this, the lion slapped the jackal with his paws and sent him to the abode of Yamaraj. 

After a while, a fox was passing by. The lion called him and asked. "O fox tell me the truth. Does my mouth has bad breadth. The fox saw that the sheep and the jackal were lying dead near the lion. Fox went near the lion and smelled his mouth. Then he kept his hand on his head and raising the nose he said, "O king please forgive me. I have such bad cold that I cannot even understand whether your mouth has bad breadth or not?" Hearing this, the lion was bewildered. He did not know what to do. Meantime, the fox bowed down and quickly walked off. 

Moral: One has to deal intelligently with people who have power 

The story was told by Srila Prabhupada.

Never was there a time when we did not exist

Here's what our reader Aline Vargas had to share with all of us. Her short realization about life after reading Bhagavad Gita.

by Aline Vargas

"I was looking to some pictures of myself during my lifetime. First I was a cute baby, then a skinny girl, after a fat young woman, now I'm a thin lady. Where are all those different bodies? If we think that our body is changing everyday it is not difficult to understand that our immortal soul passes from body to body to live in the material world. Maybe the difference is that during one existence we can remember the bodies we abandoned, but from one existence to another we immerse ourselves in forgetfullness."

Refer Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 12.