Jagat

Facebook memories from June 25:  A fairly heavy day with lots of comments: Many of the items are on the  blog.  The headline  article  is from Longfellow's poem that inspired Bhaktivinoda.  Another post from 2011 about a revised and educated faith that comes after a life of engaging with doubt.

This photo is from 2005 when I came back to India for the first time in 20 years. After a short break I was in India again for nearly 15 years and now I am back, not sure for how long. Anyway, my debt to Markus is very great as it is to the other people on Gaudiya Discussions who helped make that a possibility.  I am grateful beyond words. Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe ! Feb 4 2011 Lament your misfortune if you can't live in Vrindavan vṛndāraṇyam ananya-bhāva-madhurākārehito rādhikā- kṛṣṇa-krīḍita-rañjita-pravilasat-kuñjāvalī-mañjulam| yo’nyatrāpi kṛta-sthitir vidhi-vaśāc chocan sadā cintayen nityaṁ tan-milanaṁ vicinta yad ahaṁ tad-dhāma-yugmaṁ bhaje || He whose only desire takes the form of sweetness in exclusive love in Vrindavan, but by destiny is forced to live elsewhere, should lament his misfortune and always remember Vrindavan as a beautiful place with splendid groves where Radhika and Krishna enjoy their pastimes, and always meditating on their union, should think, "I...

Killing for Krishna: The Danger of Deranged Devotion by Henry Doktorski III. 660 pages, soft cover, 9 x 6 x 1.5 inches, 2.5 lbs . PO Box 893343, Temecula CA 92589. (Facebook) Kirtanananda Swami's as yet unfinished samadhi on the Parikrama Marg in Panigaon (Vrindavan, 2018) In November 1973, I was living in Dallas while Dayananda Das Adhikary was temple president. During that time, the Bal Yogi “Guru Maharaj Ji,” was the current rage, attracting disciples at a rate that made ISKCON’s growth look tepid. A big convocation had been arranged at the Houston Astrodome for his followers, and the ISKCON temples from Texas and beyond sent numerous book distributors to the location in the hope of selling Prabhupada literature. One of our Dallas Gurukul teachers had heard a statement of Srila Prabhupada about Guru Maharajji, in all likelihood “The so-called, pseudo guru, false guru, he should be killed.” ( London, August 5, 1973 ) He made the big mistake of getting into an argument wi...

Subal  Das-Steve Bohlert Steve Bohlert , otherwise known as Subal Das Goswami, is a friend and a senior Godbrother, having taking initiation from Lalita Prasad Thakur several years before I did. Since his life trajectory and mine have some interesting parallels, I feel a great affinity and friendship for him. Some time ago he sent me a book that he has written,  Universalist Radha Krishnaism: A Spirituality of Liberty, Truth and Love , published by Sky River Press . My intention was to review the book then, but for whatever reason, I have been amiss in so doing, which is more than just a minor oversight. This book is sufficiently important that its wide dissemination amongst devotees is a desideratum. Indeed, with the book Subal sent an ebullient review written by former ISKCON public relations officer and author, Nori Muster , which shows that it can answer at least some of the doubts and fulfill the desires of erstwhile devotees who are seeking to use their religi...