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Showing posts from August, 2017

Discussing Paul Elam and MGTOW

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The essential of our practice: male and female differences are only eliminated when we realize that union is the supreme goal for both. I want to sit here and give my FULL attention to you. That is what we actually want, all of us. The problem comes from desire. I don't know whether men or women have more desire or different qualities of desire. The quality of their desire may differ due to their sexuality, but being free of desire is the key to union, i.e., the key to being free of the thought that union in prema is not the highest achievement. That all the things -- house, money, riches, fame, achievements, success, conquest -- any of those things can be a substitute for prema. A woman might think that she can achieve those things  <i>through <i> a man. A man is more often just thinking about the sexual payoff. And this it the matrix on which the sexes play their game. Purification of the mind through bhakti and yoga is the necessary prerequisite for even underst...

Kāntā-bhāva Bhajana by Gadādhara Prāṇa Dās (Part II)

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Gadai Gauranga Kunj, Ishodyana, Mayapur Now let's return to the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi story about Mani Manjari. But this time we will put a sakhi named Surangini in Mani Manjari's place. In other words, Radha has just sent a sakhi to arrange Surangini's first private meeting with Krishna. [First private meeting: Although Surangini is Krishna's eternal consort, Yogamaya has arranged that she forget all of her past affairs so that today's adventure appears like her first milana with Krishna. This is to heighten the rasa's pleasure.] Let's enter the scene and see what happens next: The sakhi exclaims, "Hey Surangini! Just hear the message that Radha has sent for you. She is saying that since the pleasure of Krishna's rati-saṅga is incomparable, why don't you try it once? You may consider that just as the sakhis share both friendship with Me and loving pastimes with Krishna, you may also take up this mood. Why should you remain behind th...

Kāntā-bhāva Bhajana by Gadādhara Prāṇa Dās (Part I)

Gadadhar Pran has written this essay in two parts, the second being more confidential than the first. For the sake of this blog, I have split the first part into two, and will post the other part tomorrow. Please be sure to read the Praveshika . Kāntā-bhāva Bhajana by Gadādhara Prāṇa Dās (Part I) yuvatīnāṁ yathā yūni yūnāṁ ca yuvatau yathā | mano'bhiramate tadvan mano'bhiramatāṁ tvayi || Hey Bhagavān! I pray that as pretty girls and handsome boys are naturally attracted to each other, may I always be attracted to You. (Sri Rupa Goswami, ( Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.153, Padma Purāṇa 6.128.258) Who isn't romantically inclined? After all, during youth, when one's body becomes developed and glamorous -- wouldn't it be natural for him or her to desire to fall in love? For this basic instinct is found in every human being. But what often happens then? Let's briefly analyze the matter. When a boy and a girl first fall in love, don't so many eu...

Praveśikā to Kāntā-bhāva bhajana

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A praveśikā is an introduction, in this case an introduction to an article that I will publish tomorrow by Gadadhar Pran Das called Kāntā-bhāva bhajana . As many of you may know, my Godbrother Gadadhar Pran Das is a longtime sādhaka of the rāgānugā mārga , who has written numerous books on various aspects of this rāgānugā bhajana . He has lived for over 35 years continuously in Gadai Gauranga Kunj, serving his Gaura-Gadadhar deities and practicing svārasikī līlā-smaraṇa . In this essay, he will discuss in a forthright manner the sambhogecchātmikā branch of kāmānugā bhakti practice. Although most Gaudiya rāgānugā sādhakas today emphasize mañjarī-bhāva to almost absolute exclusivity, even going so far as to blaspheme the kāntā mood, anyone who studies the principal descriptions of madhura-rasa as found in texts like Caitanya-caritāmṛta and Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi will immediately recognize that they deal primarily with the kāntā. In fact, it was not until the 20th century that Kunj...

A big beautiful wall!

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This gives a partial view of the property that was occupied. The area was cleared of underbrush and two tin shacks put up, which were dismantled. Being next to the pukkur, it will perhaps make a nice spot for a bhajan kutir or two. Good news! Those who are interested in the situation at the Bhaktivinoda Thakur Janma Sthan in Birnagar will be happy to know that on Janmashtami, the boundary wall around the Dwadash Mandir property was completed and the encroachers evicted from the disputed section. Sri Hari Gopal Das Babaji Maharaj. Last week, Harigopal Dasji and a group of about twenty important members of the Birnagar community approached the new municipal vice-chairman, Govinda Poddar, about the situation. He gave a favorable response and a decision was taken to repossess the disputed portion of the land and to build the wall, despite the fact that the court has yet to make a decision. The next day, the Member of the Legislative Assembly and Superintendent of Police sat d...