| Wednesday, July 14th - Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 |
This week: Wednesday, July 24th: H.H. Prahladananda Swami Srimad Bhagavatam class 7:30 am Upcoming: Wednesday, July 21st: Sayana Ekadasi (fast from grains and beans)   |
| | | | | | | | | From Srila Prabhupada: Similarly Krsna, by His causeless mercy if He comes... Some rascals say that God cannot come. Why? Why God cannot come? If He is all-powerful, why He cannot come? Does it mean that God is subject to your dictation that He cannot come? This is foolishness. Yes, God can come; therefore He is all-powerful. He can exhibit Himself to the audience of common man. But only the fortunate man can understand, "Here is God." That is the difference. Krsna, when appeared, a few men upon this planet could understand that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," especially the Pandavas. -- "Catching the Tail of a Dog," Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.33, San Francisco, July 18, 1975 |
| | | | | HH Prahladananda Swami - 2009 Vyasa Puja offering to Srila Prabhupada -"Faith"
Faith is the most important factor in the development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is said that the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is essentially about developing faith. In the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad it is said that all the imports of the Vedic knowledge are revealed to one who has equal faith in both the spiritual master and Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. But what is faith? What are we to be faithful to? And how is faith developed? What Is Faith? In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.41, purport), Śrīla Prabhupāda defines faith as an "unflinching trust in something sublime." But faith can be flickering or firm. Those who perform devotional service with material desires and motivations have flickering faith. Thus, beginners in devotional service may not be familiar with devotional techniques and may become distracted by materialistic pursuits and conceptions. However, such flickering faith in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can become firm by following an authorized process under the guidance of experienced devotees. Lord Kṛṣṇa tells us that if we sincerely, patiently, enthusiastically, and with full conviction try to follow the regulated spiritual practices (sādhana) given by the ācāryas, He will give us the intelligence and purity necessary to advance in devotional service (Bhagavad-gītā 10.10-11). If one is fortunate enough to get the association of devotees connected with Lord Kṛṣṇa, one may become inspired to hear from them. This inspiration will create the enthusiasm to follow the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to achieve a higher state of consciousness and happiness. By applying the techniques of devotional activities and attitudes, one learns to prayerfully chant the holy names of the Lord with attention and devotional feelings. This brings one to the stage of spontaneous remembrance of the Lord's forms. Eventually, as a qualified devotee progresses from the stages of taste to attachment to the awakening of intense devotional feeling appropriate to a particular eternal spiritual identity, he or she achieves the ability to experience the spiritual atmosphere. Then, through increased purification, development of spiritual desire, and mercy received, one comes in direct contact with the Supreme Lord. At that stage, one understands the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness perfectly, and any doubts one might previously have had will be seen as bewilderment only, ignorance caused by the Lord's illusionary energy.
In this way, progressive faith in Kṛṣṇa consciousness depends on our interest in reawakening our consciousness of Lord Kṛṣṇa and on our sincerity in following an authorized process that helps us achieve that goal. What to Be Faithful To? In Bhagavad-gītā 4.10 Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that a soul under the spell of and conditioned by the illusionary energy develops three misconceptions. The first misconception is that there is nothing beyond the material energy and that therefore the soul is also a product of the material energy. Consequently, existence is limited to the experience of the material energy and sense gratification. The second misconception is that through whatever form personality expresses itself, it will always be contaminated by material qualities. Therefore, even if there is a soul that survives the annihilation of the material body, its existence remains miserable. The third misconception is that there is no higher experience beyond sense gratification. And since sense gratification is meaningless and frustrating, existence itself must ultimately be meaningless, too. However, one who develops transcendental knowledge and awareness through following the process of devotional service first comes to understand the difference between the material body and the self-first theoretically, but later through direct perception. After that, one develops faith in a dynamic spiritual existence of perpetual knowledge and bliss as opposed to the miragelike reflection of material experience. Finally, by surrender, purified consciousness, and service with devotion, one becomes a personal associate of the Supreme Lord. How Is Faith Developed? Faith is created by associating with devotees. In the Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa suggests that we approach realized or experienced persons and that we submissively enquire from them to learn the science of devotional service. If we sincerely try to assimilate and clearly understand their instructions and follow them with determination, not becoming deviated by material conceptions or impulses, the Supreme Lord will be pleased with us and will gradually reveal Himself. Thus, by the gradual process of pure devotional service, performed under able guidance, our dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness awakens, and all our doubts-the causes of neglect of spiritual life, fear of having a spiritual identity, and frustration arising from having no positive, fully satisfying goals in life-will gradually diminish and ultimately be vanquished.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's aspiring servant,
Prahlādānanda Swami
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Appreciating Kalachandji's Community: Sweta Manjari devi dasi Her Grace Mother Sweta, mother of Madhuri, Gaura & Nitai, has been lovingly serving at Kalachandji's Restaurant for over a decade. She joined ISKCON at the Lautoka temple in the Fiji Islands. Her friends brought her to the temple in 1988 and she really enjoyed it. After six months of visiting she decided to move into the ashram to take very seriously to spiritual life. Her spiritual master, His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami, helped arranged her wedding with Daruka Prabhu, a wonderful devotee, and our very own Nityananda Prabhu presided over the wedding as the priest. She went to say in India for a short while in 1993 and in 1998 she came to Dallas with her family to serve here. Her favorite service is cooking for Krishna. Mother Sweta is one of the reasons for the popularity of Kalachandji's Restaurant. She cooks all her food with devotion and thus it all comes out delicious. We appreciate all her loving service to the restaurant and the temple.
Your humble servants,
Congregation Department
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Recipe Corner This will be the first in a series of three: Mayonnaise I PREPARATION TIME: a few minutes
SETTING TIME: 10 minutes
YIELD: about 11/2 cups 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mustard powder
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper Combine all the ingredients except the lemon juice in a bowl. Gradually add the lemon juice while stirring with a whisk until the dressing thickens. Allow the mayonnaise to set for a further 10 minutes in the refrigerator. | Contact Information | Main Temple phone: 214-827-6330, Congregation Services: 214-827-6330 x 216
Email for general questions and information
To schedule a tour, home or school program: Nityananda Chandra 214-669-3369, or email him
To place an item in next week's bulletin, please send it by Monday each week |
| | July 4th Pravin Chhatbar Nita Patel July 11th Paankhuri Gupta Deepak Parikh July 18th Divyes/Ankita Rana Ram Reddy July 25th 2 Sponsorships Available Kindly come forward and sponsor a feast |
Sincere thanks to all our Monthly Sponsors |
Sri Krishna Janmastami September 1st, 2010 Sponsor a KALASH ABHISHEKA Mother Yashoda and Nanda Maharaja bathed Krishna on His appearance. We would like to invite you to also participate in this pastime and get Their blessings Sponsorpships for Kalash $2,501 $1,001 214 454 5267 |
call 214 454 5267 214 827 6330 x 216 |
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