The Jaladuta Diary - August 31

The transcendental journey of Srila Prabhupada on the Jaladuta.

Tuesday, August 31, 1965

“Passed over a great crisis on the struggle for life and death. A separate statement has to be written on this crisis area.”

More Scientists Doubting Darwin’s Theory

BY DISCOVERY INSTITUTE

Aug 29, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON (WED) — By February of this year, another 100 scientists had joined the ranks of scientists from around the world publicly stating their doubts about the adequacy of Darwin’s theory of evolution.

“Darwinism is a trivial idea that has been elevated to the status of the scientific theory that governs modern biology,” says dissent list signer Dr. Michael Egnor. Egnor is a professor of neurosurgery and pediatrics at State University of New York, Stony Brook and an award-winning brain surgeon named one of New York’s best doctors by New York Magazine.

Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture today announced that over 700 scientists from around the world have now signed a statement expressing their skepticism about the contemporary theory of Darwinian evolution. The statement reads: “We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged.”

Krishna’s Boyhood Friends

Krsna and the Cowherd Boys Praise Balarama

“Among the groups of different friends of Krsna, some are well known from various scriptures, and some are well known by popular tradition. There are three divisions among Krishna’s friends: some are eternally in friendship with Krishna, some are elevated demigods, and some are perfected devotees.

In all of these groups there are some who by nature are fixed in Krishna’s service and are always engaged in giving counsel; some of them are very fond of joking and naturally cause Krsna to smile by their words; some of them are by nature very simple, and by their simplicity they please Lord Krishna; some of them create wonderful situations by their activities, apparently against Krishna; some of them are very talkative, always arguing with Krishna and creating a debating atmosphere; and some of them are very gentle and give pleasure to Krishna by their sweet words. All of these friends are very intimate with Krishna, and they show expertise in their different activities, their aim always being to please Krishna.”

Transcendental Associates in Madhurya-rasa

Rasa-lila - Krsna’s Most Confidential Pastimes

Five moods of transcendental relationship with the Lord.

Conjugal Love

Madhura-rati, or attachment in conjugal love, is described as follows: The conjugal relationship is experienced between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the young damsels of Vrajabhumi, and due to their conjugal love they continuously exist in eight kinds of remembrances called madhura-rati. This intimate relationship brought about by conjugal love produces movements of the eyebrows, glancing, sweet words and exchanges of joking words.

The gopis, the young girls, serve Krsna in conjugal love. Above all of these are Srimati Radharani and Her assistants, the gopis Lalita, Visakha and others, who embody conjugal love. In this way all five mellows - santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya - exist eternally in Vrajabhumi. They are compared respectively to copper, bell metal, silver, gold and touchstone, the basis of all metals. Srila Kaviraja Gosvami therefore refers to a mine eternally existing in Vrndavana, Vrajabhumi.

In the madhurya-rasa, one can become like Srimati Radharani or Her lady friends such as Lalita, and Her serving maids (manjaris) like Rupa and Rati. In conjugal love there are the damsels of Vraja, Vrndavana, and the queens and goddesses of fortune in Dwarka. No one can count the vast number of devotees in this rasa.

Transcendental Associates in Vatsalya-rasa

Krsna, Balarama and Friends Playing with Nanda

Five moods of transcendental relationship with the Lord.

Parental Affection

Vatsalya-rati is described as follows in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (2.5.33): When a living entity is situated on the platform of vatsalya-rati, he thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His childhood feature. In this feature, the Lord has to be protected by the devotee, and at this time the devotee takes the position of being worshiped by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The feelings of paternal love are called vatsalya-rati. When the devotee is situated on this platform, he wants to maintain the Lord like a son, and he desires all good fortune for the Lord. He offers blessings to the Lord by touching His feet and head. As a parent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotee sometimes chastises the Lord and considers himself to be the Lord’s maintainer. This transcendental sense of being the maintainer of the supreme maintainer is very pleasing both to the devotee and to the Supreme Lord.

On the platform of parental love, the qualities of santa-rasa and dasya-rasa are fully developed in another form-the sense of maintaining the Lord. Therefore on the platform of parental love there exists a combination of four transcendental qualities-santa, dasya, sakhya, and the qualities of paternity, which put the devotee in the position of a maintainer. Thus on the platform of parental love the four qualities of transcendental love are present.

Transcendental Associates in Dasya-rasa, Part 2

Sri Sri Radha-Krsna and Their Personal Servants

Five moods of transcendental relationship with the Lord.

Followers of the Lord

“Those who are constantly engaged in the personal service of the Lord are called anugas, or followers. Examples of such followers are Sucandra, Mandana, Stamba and Sutamba. They are all inhabitants of the city of Dwarka, and they are dressed and ornamented like the other associates. The specific services entrusted to the anugas are varied. Mandana always bears the umbrella over the head of Lord Krsna. Sucandra is engaged in fanning with the white camara bunch of hair, and Sutamba is engaged in supplying betel nuts. All of them are great devotees, and they are always busy in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

As there are anugas in Dwarka, so there are many anugas in Vrindaban also. The names of the anugas in Vrindaban are as follows: Raktaka, Patraka, Patre, Madhukantha, Madhuvrata, Rasala, Suvilasa, Premakanda, Marandaka, Ananda, Candrahasa, Payoda, Bakula, Rasada and Sarada.

The Jaladuta Diary - August 25

Aug 25, USA - Between Wednesday, August 25 and Monday, August 30, 1965, Srila Prabhupada’s Jaladuta Journal falls silent for six days. On the seventh day, August 31, the silence is broken with these simple words, “Passed over a great crisis on the struggle for life and death.”

 

 

 

 

“Passed over a great crisis on the struggle for life and death. A separate statement has to be written on this crisis area.”

An excerpt from a room conversation recorded June 8, 1976 in Los Angeles offers us some insight into this period of Srila Prabhupada’s historic journey on the Jaladuta.

Prabhupada: Hmm. So it is a great history. (laughs) There was two days I was attacked in heart on the ship. So hardship.

Guest: Then you had a dream?

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Guest: What was that, Srila Prabhupada?

Transcendental Associates in Dasya-rasa

Worshipping Sri Sri Radha-Krsna

Five moods of transcendental relationship with the Lord.

Dasya-rasa is the basic relationship between Krsna and His devotees, and is considered the first stage of transcendental devotional service. In dasya-rasa, the Lord is accepted with awe and veneration. While in the santa-rasa there is no active service, in the dasya-rasa active service is prominent. Thus in the dasya-rasa, the qualities of santa-rasa and service are predominantly visible. On the platform of dasya-rasa, the greatest quantity of awe and veneration of the Supreme Lord is exhibited. That is, in the dasya-rasa, the greatness of the Supreme Lord is appreciated. On the platform of santa-rasa there is no spiritual activity, but on the platform of dasya-rasa, service begins. Thus in the dasya-rasa the quality of the santa-rasa is exhibited, and, in addition, there is consciousness of the transcendental taste of service.

Examples of devotees in the second stage, the dasya stage of servitorship, are Raktaka, Citraka and Patraka in the Gokula rasa, who all function as servants of Krsna. In Dwarka there is Daruka, and in the Vaikuntha planets there are Hanuman and others.

“Dasya-rati is explained in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (2.5.27) thus: When the Supreme Lord in His localized aspect is appreciated and a great devotee understands his subordinate position, not only does he surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but, due to his subordinate position, he wishes to render some service and thus become favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A devotee in the santa-rati is not very much willing to render service to the Lord, but a devotee in the dasya-rati voluntarily wants to render service. Due to this attitude, the devotee in the dasya-rati realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead more fully than a devotee in the santa-rati. He considers the Lord to be a worshipable object, and this means that his attachment for the Lord increases. On the dasya-rati platform a devotee is attached to rendering service to the Lord, and he is detached from material activities. The santa-rati is neither material nor spiritual, but the dasya-rati is actually on the spiritual platform. There is no attachment for material things on the spiritual platform. A devotee in dasya-rati has no attachment for anything but Krsna’s service.”

Caitanya-caritamrta, Madyam lila 19:183-184

Parishad: Srila Rupa Goswami

Aug 24, KUALA LUMPUR (FRI) — Disappearance Day of Srila Rupa Goswami.

  shri-rupa-maïjari khyata yasid vrindavane pura
sadya rupakhya-gosvami bhutva prakatatam iyat

She who was known in Vrindavan as Rupa Manjari has now appeared as Rupa Goswami. (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 180)

Lalita is chief amongst the sakhis who make up Radharani’s entourage, and Rupa Manjari is the foremost amongst those sakhis who follow Lalita. It is for this reason that in the Gaura-lila, Rupa Goswami is the chief amongst the six Goswamis.

Rupa Goswami’s family tree

In the new Bengali dictionary edited by Ashutosh Deb, Rupa Goswami’s dates are given as 1489 to 1558 AD, or 1410-1479 of the Shaka era. In his earthly pastimes, Rupa was born in a Brahmin family of the Bharadvaja gotra which hailed from Karnataka, where they had been rajas. His father’s name was Kumara Deva. His mother’s name is not known. Narahari Chakravarti Thakur has given the names of seven generations of his family in Bhakti-ratnakara (1.540-568).

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur has summarized this family history in his Anubhashya: “Jagad-guru Sarvajïa was a great soul who was born in a Brahmin raja family of the Bharadvaja gotra in the 12th century of the Shaka era. His son Aniruddha had two sons named Rupeshvara and Harihara, neither of whom inherited the land holdings. The older brother Rupeshvara went to live in the mountains and his son Padmanabha moved to Bengal, taking up residence in the village of Naihati on the banks of the Ganges. Padmanabha had five sons, the youngest of which was named Mukunda who fathered the pious Kumaradeva. Kumaradeva had several sons, amongst whom were Sanatan, Rupa and Anupama. Kumaradeva’s house was in the village of Bakla in Candradvipa. His house was in the village of Fateyabad in the Jessore district of that time. Three of his sons became Vaishnavas. These three brothers left the Fateyabad home to live in Ramakeli for their work. Jiva Goswami was born there. As a result of their service to the Nawab, all three of them were awarded the Mallik title. Mahaprabhu met Anupama for the first time when he came to Ramakeli. When Rupa Goswami abandoned his government duties to go to Vrindavan, he was accompanied by Anupama, who was also known as Vallabha.”
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.10.84 Anubhashya)

The Jaladuta Diary - August 24

The transcendental journey of Srila Prabhupada on the Jaladuta.

Tuesday, August 24, 1965
“Today at about 1/30 p.m. I enquired from wheel-room that we have come only 400 miles off the Indian coast. My sea-sickness is still continuing. I take my meals once only but today I could not take my full meals also although I was fasting yesterday. I am feeling uncomfortable.”

Transcendental Associates in Santa-rasa, Part 2

Krsna and Balarama Milking the Cows

Five moods of transcendental relationship with the Lord.

 

“Mother Yasoda would then address Nanda Maharaja, “See my dear son, whose eyes are white, who has a turban on His head, a wrapper on His body and leg bells which tinkle very sweetly on His feet. He is coming near, along with His surabhi calves, and just see how He is wandering upon the sacred land of Vrndavana!”

Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 43

The Jaladuta Diary - August 23

The transcendental journey of Srila Prabhupada on the Jaladuta.

Monday, August 23, 1965
Today Annanda Ekadashi We started towards Red sea on the western front at about 12/30 noon. The sky was almost clear and there was sunshine since the starting of the trip from Cochin port. We are floating now on the Arabian sea. My sea sickness again began. Headache vomiting tendency no hunger dizziness and no energy to work. It is continuing. There are sometimes showers of rain but for a short time. There was a fellow passenger in my cabin. He is also attacked with sea sickness. The whole night passed.”

Uniten Preaching update

BY RASIKA MURARI DASA

August 22, KUALA LUMPUR (WED) - After meeting at the resident of Dr. Srivas pr in Balakong, we car pooled to Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten). By the time we arrived, there were some 70 students very eagerly aiting for the show to begin. The boys (Prajindra and Prabhu) were still very busy with their final arrangement. They were constantly moving about letting up the sound system, projector, screen, lighting and etc.

After about half an hour, Hemalan, took the microphone and started the announcement, introducing the speaker, HG Vishnu Caitanya pr. and the evening’s itineraries. By this time there were about 120 students, lecturers and guests in the auditorium.

Then the show began with very sweet bhajan and chanting of Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. Since, this is their fourth session and many of our boys are kind of active in the Indian Society of Uniten, they have been entrusted and given a free hand in managing the entire show. Factually, everyone enjoyed the short but sweet kirtan, including the chief guest Ms. Vathana (Secretary) and Mr. Siva (lecturer).

At about, 8.45pm, HG Vishnu Caitanya pr. took the center stage and made everyone bolted down to their seat with his mesmerizing presentation on the topic of Bhagavad Gita the jewel of the scriptures. Giving many practical analogies, cracking jokes, tactfully relating songs lyrics with life’s impediments and seriously pointing out the flaws in modern education and civilization, he captured the trust of the audience and promptly directed them to the supreme instruction for the age of the Kali, “Kalau tad Hari Kirtanat.”He then led the chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra with great response from the students and ended his an hour and half lively presentation. The organizers are planning for a six session Bhagavad Gita classes as a continuity measures and many have agreed to participate. We have also extended our invitation to them to attend the Sri Krishna Janmasthami Celebration in SJMKL.

Transcendental Associates in Santa-rasa

Five moods of transcendental relationship with the Lord.

Our unique, individual relationship with the Lord is evoked by the perfection of devotional service. Unfortunately, in the present status of our conditioned life we have not only forgotten the Lord, we have forgotten our eternal relationship with the Lord. By engagine in the process of devotional service, called svarupa, we can revive that eternal relationship.

The Lord has a wide variety of different relationships with his devotees. These transcendental associates may be in relationships with Krsna in one of five different ways: in a passive state (neutrality), in an active state (servitorship), as a friend (friendship), as a parent (parental affection), or as a conjugal lover (amorous). As noted in the last few Feature articles in this series, the Cowherd Boys and the Gopis are among those in the sakhya-rasa category, enjoying friendships with the Lord. Today, we begin a look at the most fundamental relationships, those in the mood of santa-rasa, or neutrality in a passive state. Included in this category are the land and sacred places; trees, grass and flowers; animals and birds; and paraphernalia and ornaments.

“By the grace of the Lord, …the spiritual consciousness of every species of life can occupy its proper place, and these species can express their spiritual affection for the Lord in the santa-rasa, as displayed by the land, water, hills, trees, fruits, and flowers of Vrndavana during the presence of Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. The Lord reciprocated the feelings of the inhabitants of the forest of Vrndavana. When there was rainfall, the Lord took shelter at the feet of the trees or in the caves and enjoyed the taste of different fruits with his eternal associates the cowherd boys.”

India’s Muslims adopt Hindu Names

BY SHAIKH AZIZUR RAHMAN

Aug 22, CALCUTTA, INDIA (WA POST) (WED) — Members of India’s large Muslim minority are often adopting Hindu names and dress styles in an attempt to avoid widespread prejudice that keeps them from housing and jobs. Shaikh Salim, a Muslim who runs a food stall in the central office district of Calcutta, uses the common Hindu name Shankar Maity and calls his stall “Shankar’s Fast Food.”

Shaokat Ali, a Muslim student who came to the city to do his master’s degree in English, tutors Hindu students using the name Saikat Das and keeps a large picture of the popular Hindu goddess Kali hanging on a wall in his room. Jahanara Begum takes off a silver talisman embossed with ‘Allah’ in Arabic each morning, replacing it with a spot of vermilion powder on her forehead and red-and-white conch bangles of a married Hindu woman before heading to work in a fish market, where she is known as Parvati - the name of a Hindu goddess.

The Jaladuta Diary - August 22

The transcendental journey of Srila Prabhupada on the Jaladuta.
Sunday, August 22, 1965

“At about 10 a.m. we are now in the dockyard of Cochin. The dock is peculiar because it is by nature full of small islands. Some of the islands are full with nice hutments formerly known as British Island. I saw my books from Bombay arrived in five cases and the agents loaded them on the ship at 4 p.m. on 22/8/65. The agent m/s Jairam & Sons kindly sent their car for my driving in the city.

Statement of Mr Macaulay

BY MADHAVANANDA DAS

The Baron Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800 -1859), is infamous as one of the leaders of a British endeavor to minimize Vedic culture and promote Western Christian culture as being superior. Amongst other things, he is accredited as being one of the founders of English education in India, which replaced Sanskrit as the current medium of instruction in higher education.

For several years a statement from Mr McCauley has been widely quoted on Hindu websites. Some ISKCON devotees have also picked it up and have been citing it in their preaching. On the 2nd of February 1835 in a speech before the British Parliament, Mr McCauley is quoted as saying:
“I have traveled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native self-culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation”. A very nice statement glorifying India and revealing the ulterior motives of early 19th century British colonialism!

Only one problem: It seems it was never spoken by Mr McCauley.

Muslim Clerics Boycott ISKCON’s Mid-day Meals

BY SUCHANANDA GUPTA

Aug 17, BHOPAL, INDIA (TNN) (FRI) — Madrassas in Ujjain have boycotted the Madhya Pradesh government’s mid-day meal scheme for students on the ground that the food is being prepared by ISKCON, the Hindu religious organisation spreading Krishna consciousness throughout the world.

The madrassas in Ujjain, 200 km from Bhopal, have demanded that raw materials for food, and funds be given directly to them so that they can prepare mid-day meals for students. Muslim clerics argued that food prepared by Iskcon is first offered to Lord Jagannath as ‘bhog’ (offering) before being distributed among the students.

“We can’t accept this as it hurts our religious sentiments,” Ujjain Qazi Khaleeq-ur-Rahman told TOI .

The Jaladuta Diary - August 17

The transcendental journey of Srila Prabhupada on the Jaladuta.

Tuesday, August 17, 1965
“Tuesday morning the sky is scattered with cloud. The ship is going toward western side. I feel a little bit well after passing my stool. The ship is running against wind current. The sea is little rougher. At 10/30 we saw the south coast of Ceylon with a white light house. Two ships passed from the opposite side. Some daring fishermen were fishing in small boats. From distance they appeared to be almost drowning in the water but next moment they appear to be safely working.”

The Jaladuta Diary - August 16

The transcendental journey of Srila Prabhupada on the Jaladuta.

Monday, August 16, 1965

“Today early in the morning I saw that the ship is plying on the surface of the sea almost on 0 degree of waves. Yesterday night was comfortable and although I did not take my lunch, I took a little chara-murki [puffed rice/chidwa] with milk. The ship ran all the night yesterday smoothly and the sky although not very clear there was moon light in the night. In the morning there was sunshine but after 11 the sea became a little more rough showing foamy waves from distance. After passing the latitude of Trichinopoli we experienced a dark cloud subsequently raining all over the sea.

The siren sounded on account of hazy vision to warn other ships coming from opposite direction. At about 12 noon it is raining heavily and the ship is stopped moving occasionally sounding the siren. There is constant sounds of thunderbolt. This is the first time I am experiencing heavy rains in the midst of deep ocean. From 12 noon we are passing through cyclonic weather. The ship is tilting too much. I felt sea sickness all day and night. At 3 p.m. the ship turned towards Ceylon coast and we are now in the Ceylon water.”