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Audio Text Synchronization

  The following is a list of ATS (Audio Text Synchronized) classes, lectures and conversations with Srila Prabhupada. It works with all major browsers such as Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer 9 etc. Please make sure your speakers are connected and the volume is turned up, then click on the links below to play the … Read more

Bhagavad Gita, Gauranga.org Articles, General News

Prerogative of Human Body

 
The Bhagavad-gita says that, out of many thousands of people, someone may develop this reasoning power: “Why am I suffering?” We do not want to suffer, but suffering is forced upon us. We do not want too much heat or cold, but too much cold and too much heat are forced upon us. We do not want thirst, hunger, old age, disease and death. The real problems of life are birth, old age, disease and death. But nobody is free from all these sufferings in this world.
Everyone is full of anxiety despite increasing material comforts, economic development and scientific advancement. The Western countries have reached the summit of material civilization, but people are still dissatisfied. The government has difficulty controlling crime, drug addiction, adultery etc. When the civilization becomes godless and human beings are geared towards a rat race for money and sex, life becomes hellish.

Bhagavad Gita, Gauranga.org Articles, General News

Mission Statement

  Below are Srila Prabhupada’s 10 purposes of ISKCON. We have adapted them as our mission statement for the Hare Krishna Centre.   To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to … Read more

Gauranga.org Articles, General News

ISKCON and the KAID Syndrome

 
KANISTHA ISKCON – CURE
 
Contents
 
A) Intro – Good News! ”KAIDS” is curable!
 
B) Story so Far …
 
1) Review – MVS a bring-down (now influenced by his African disciples)
2) Prabhupada’s time
3) KAI is a Syndrome?
4) Syndrome closeup
5) Aim of ISKCON
6) Healthy ISKCON is MA ISKCON
7) Symptoms of a Madhyam-adhikari
8) MA/KA criticism natural and healthy
9) MAs take the side of the locals and fight KAIDS in ISKCON!
 
C) Cure for KAIDS
 
1) GBC doctor to ISKCON’s rescue
2) Madhyam candidates needed urgently!
3) TOR – Terms of Reference
 
D) Conclusion
 
1) But where are such MAs?
2) GBC reaction – KA mood
3) GBC reaction – MA Mood
 

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Darwins Black Box

 
In 1996 Michael J Behe, a professor of biology at Lehigh University in America, shocked the scientific world with his international best seller “Darwin’s Black Box.” Voted one of the 100 most influential books of the twentieth century, it describes the amazing biological world found within the cell. 150 years ago when Darwin published his “Origin of Species” it was thought the cell was a simple blob of protoplasm, an array of elements brought together by natural forces. 150 years later, through electron microscopes and x-ray crystallography, the “box” has been opened and scientists are now investigating a whole lilliputnian world of nanotechnology.
 

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Simple Living High Thinking

  Throughout the world there is production of large-scale industrial and agricultural products. However despite such productive capacities there is scarcity because the world population is full of thieves. The Vedas explain- men are transformed into thieves when they plan economic development for sense gratification.   At the root of so-called scarcity and need is … Read more

Gauranga.org Articles, General News

Non-Sectarian Vaishnava Dharma

 
(from the Introduction to Sri Krishna-samhita)
 
The people of India and other countries may be divided into two categories- the asslike and the swanlike. Of these two, the asslike are in the majority. The swanlike are in the minority. Swanlike people abstract the purport of the scriptures for their own advancement and thus benefit themselves.
 
Everyone has the right to discuss spiritual topics. Yet people are divided into three categories according to their qualifications. Those who do not posses independent power of discrimination are in the first category and are called neophytes, or those with soft faith. They have no alternative to faith. If they do not accept whatever the compilers of the scriptures write as the order of the Lord, then they fall down. They are qualified only for understanding the gross meanings of the science of Krsna; they have no qualification for understanding the subtle meanings. Until they gradually advance by good association and instruction, they should try to advance under the shelter of faith. Those who have not yet succeeded in connecting faith with argument are second grade persons, or madhyama-adhikaris. And those who are expert in connecting these two are perfect in all respects. They are able to attain perfection by utilizing material resources in their independent endeavors. They are called topmost persons, or uttama-adhikaris.
 

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Animal Killing and War

 
Karma means action, or any action that brings a reaction that binds us to the material world. Although the idea of karma is generally associated with Eastern philosophy, many people in the West are also coming to understand that karma is a natural principle, like time or gravity, and no less inescapable. For every action there is a reaction. If we cause pain and suffering to other living beings, we must endure pain and suffering in return, both individually and collectively.
 
We reap what we saw, in this life and the next, for nature has her own justice. No one can escape the law of karma, except those who understand how it works.
 
To understand how karma can cause war, for example, let’s take an illustration from the Vedas. Sometimes a fire is started in a bamboo forest when the trees rub together. The real cause of the fire, is not the trees but the wind that moves them. The trees are only the instruments. In the same way two nations are not the real causes of the friction that may exist between them, The real cause is the karma generated by the world’s supposedly innocent citizens.
 

Bhagavad Gita, Gauranga.org Articles, General News

Know Krishna

 
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.2by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupadaHonolulu, May 6, 1976 (760506SB.HON)
 

The following class by Srila Prabhupada can be viewed in real time ATS (Audio-Text-Synchronisation) mode, i.e. one can listen to it and simultaneously read along. Click the link next to the icon below to activate the ATS feature. It works with all major browsers but especially well in Firefox. To pause/resume the class press the full stop (.) key on your keyboard or press ‘H’ for further Help options.
 
Click here to activate the ATS feature!
 
Prabhupada: Second verse. (devotees repeat)
 
pravrtti-laksanas caivatraigunya-visayo muneyo ‘sav alina-prakrterguna-sargah punah punah[SB 6.1.2]

So Pariksit Maharaja is trying to understand pravrtti and nivrtti. Pravrtti means here in this material world, anyone who has come, beginning from Lord Brahma down to the small ant, they have come on account of pravrtti, means for enjoying sex. This is material world. So long one will be engaged in sense enjoyment in different varieties, he will have to remain within this material world. Krsna is so kind. We wanted to enjoy this material world; therefore He has given us full chance: “Yes, you enjoy.” Krsna does not want that you should enjoy this material world. That is not He… Sometimes the foolish men, they say that “Krsna has given us this facility for sense enjoyment. Why we shall not take it?” Sometimes the so-called rsis and yogis, they also say, “Yes, when you have got the senses, it is meant for enjoyment. Why it should be stopped?” Yes. Because… Really it has to be stopped. If you want real life of eternal enjoyment, then you have to stop. If you don’t stop, then you remain here.
 

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