April/May/June 2008 Welcome Dear Readers, Inside… In this issue, we focus on mind, mantra and gunas.

Mind is our constant companion. And, whether we like it or not, it gives us The trouble and drains our energy!

Gunas Mantra meditation (Japa and kirtana forms) is an increasingly popular ho- & Human listic therapy for mental illness and spiritual upliftment. Does it matter Behaviour what mantra one chants? In “Prescription for This Age of Dis- tress”, Srila Prabhupada explains the unique spiritual potency of the Hare 05 Maha-mantra and how to re- ceive it for best efficacy.

Today, there is a growing concern about individual and collective psy- chological well-being. In “The Gunas and Human Behavior”, Vasudev das lucidly explains how the three gunas, sattva, rajas and tamas influence our consciousness and in pro- found ways, providing insights into 07 subtle origins of human behavior and 09 how we may cultivate our own.

Depression on Mental well-being is on the decline. In Tirupati “Depression on College Cam- College Campuses puses”, Swetha Ganeshan highlights a very disturbing trend: rapid increase in depression and other varieties of mental illness in today’s10 youth, and what can we do about it. 03 Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out There is no better way to nourish our body, mind and spirit than to create 04 Inquiries into the Absolute and be in an environment of pure, spiritual consciousness. Join us on a 03 tour to the sacred abode of Tirupati, located in the beautiful hills of South 04 Editor’s Jottings , and experience upliftment!

Hare Krishna. 06 Pearls of Wisdom - Aravind, Editor 04 04 Team 11 Lessons from the Gita Advisor : His Holiness 12 Veggie Corner (www.romapadaswami.com) 06 11 Editor-in-chief : 13 Newsmakers Aravind Mohanram Editorial Assistant : Cover Page: Chanting and meditation on the transcendental sound of Krishna's Names liberates one from the miseries of the mind Jayant Palkar (and its gunas), and awakens pure, spiritual consciousness.

12 Artwork courtesy of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. www.krishna.com. Design & Layout : 13 Used with permission. Smitha Murthy & Priya Aravind www.quintmag.com Contact Us : [email protected] Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out Prescription for This Age of Distress

Excerpts from a conversation with the Beatles (John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison) that took place on Sept 14, 1969 in London

Yoko Ono: If Hare Kåñëa is such a strong, for real or not? powerful mantra, is there any reason to chant anything else? For instance, you talked about Srila Prabhupada: It is not that you can go to songs and different mantras. Is there any point just any spiritual master. He must be a member in the chanting of another song or mantra? of a recognized sampradaya, a particular line of disciplic succession. Srila Prabhupada: There are other mantras, but the Hare Kåñëa mantra is especially recom- John Lennon: But what if one of these masters mended for this age. But other Vedic mantras who's not in the line says exactly the same are also chanted. But the chanting of the Hare thing as one who is? What if he says his mantra Kåñëa mantra is especially recommended for is coming from the and he seems to speak with as much authority as you? He could this age. This is stated in many Vedic litera- probably be right. It's confusing like having too tures…And, apart from the statements of the many fruits on a plate. Vedic literature, Lord Himself, in the form Kåñëa of Lord Caitanya, preached that everyone Srila Prabhupada: If the mantra is actually should chant the Hare Kåñëa mantra. coming through a bona fide disciplic succession, then it will have potency. “And, apart from the John Lennon: If all mantras are just the name statements of the Vedic literature, of God, then whether it's a secret mantra or an John Lennon: But the Hare Kåñëa mantra is open mantra it's all the name of God. So it the best one? Lord Kåñëa Himself, doesn't really make much difference, does it, in the form of Lord which one you sing? Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Caitanya, preached that everyone Srila Prabhupada: It does make a difference. Yoko Ono: Well, if Hare Kåñëa is the best one, should chant the For instance, in a drug shop they sell all types why should we bother to say anything else Hare Kåñëa mantra.” of medicines for curing different diseases. But still you have to get a doctor's prescription in other than Hare Kåñëa? order to get a particular type of medicine. Srila Prabhupada: It's true. You don't have to Similarly, in this age of Kali the Hare Kåñëa bother with anything else. We say that the Hare Kåñëa mantra is sufficient for one's perfection, mantra is prescribed in the çästras, or scrip- for liberation. tures…So, our consciousness philosophi- Kåñëa cal method is to follow the great personalities, George Harrison: Isn't it like flowers? Some- such as Lord Kåñëa, Lord Caitanya, and the body may prefer roses, and somebody may like great spiritual masters in disciplic succession… carnations better. Isn't it really a matter for the The Vedic injunction is sampradäya-vihinä ye individual devotee to decide? Isn't it just a mat- manträs te niñphalä matäù. If your mantra ter of taste, like choosing a flower? does not come through the disciplic succession, it will not be effective. A mantra cannot be Srila Prabhupada: But still there is a distinc- manufactured. tion. A fragrant rose is considered better than a flower without any scent…You may be attracted by one flower, and I may be attracted by an- Yoko Ono: If the mantra itself has such power, “You don't have to other flower. But among the flowers a distinc- does it matter where you receive it, where you bother with anything tion can be made. There are many flowers that take it? else. We say that the have no fragrance and many that have fra- Hare Kåñëa mantra is Srila Prabhupada: Yes, it does matter. For grance. sufficient for one's instance, milk is nutritious. That's a fact; every- perfection, for one knows. But if milk is touched by the lips of Yoko Ono: Is that flower that has fragrance liberation.” a serpent, it is no longer nutritious. It becomes better? poisonous. Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Therefore, your attrac- John Lennon: How would you know, anyway? tion for a particular flower is not the solution to How are you able to tell? I mean, for any of the question of which is actually better. In the your disciples or us or anybody else who goes same way, personal attraction is not the solu- to any spiritual master how are we to tell if he's tion to choosing the best spiritual process. Quintessence 3 Inquiries into the Absolute

Answer by His Holiness Romapada Swami

His Holiness Romapada Swami is a disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. A Vaishnava monk for 35 years, His Holiness is a leader, scholar and an initiating spiritual master in the International society for Krishna consciousness. (www.romapadaswami.com)

Part 1: What is the correlation between desires and Part 2: Also, do we have control over our desires thoughts? How are one's desires manifest into and thoughts? thoughts? We can have control over desires and thoughts, however it Thinking, feeling, and then willing are the sequential steps is also possible that our desires control us! Krishna ex- that lead connect thoughts to desires, and these are mani- plains that intelligence is superior to the mind, intelligence fested as activities of the mind. In its pure state, thinking, is superior to the mind, and the soul is even higher. One feeling and willing are all centered on Krishna and His ser- can thus steady the mind's functions with the help of spiri- vice. In the conditioned state, the mind is almost always tually strengthened intelligence. (See BG 3.42-43) The thinking about objects of the senses. The conditioned mind whole process - whether it is bhakti-yoga, dhyana- is described as having a binary function - accepting and yoga or jnana-yoga - is aimed at controlling the mind. rejecting. Based on our likes and dislikes, we are always Throughout the Gita, Krishna often addresses this: Bg accepting some thoughts related to corresponding sense 2.58-64, 70, 6.5-6, 6.24-26, 8.6-8, 17.16 to name a few. objects which we consider desirable and rejecting others as undesirable. With practice, the mind can be trained to think only of beneficial thoughts and even better, Krishna-centered Bhagavad-Gita (2.62-63) describes that by contemplating thoughts. The sublime and most effective process recom- sense objects, attachment and desires develop; when the mended in this age for training the mind is chanting of the willful attempts to fulfill those desires are hampered, it fur- maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna ther leads to anger, bewilderment of memory, loss of intel- Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Hare Rama Rama ligence etc. In turn, our thoughts reflect a composite of our Rama Hare Hare. Similarly by developing, in good asso- most prominent desires and activities. The mind is the root ciation, attachment for Krishna and things related to Him cause of all of these phenomena. effects detachment from lower desires. You are welcome to send in your questions to HH Romapada Swami at iskcondc @gmail.com with the word "Question" included in the subject line. Its Your Choice ! By Priya Aravind

“You are limiting yourself to one choice, missing out on the variety and fun out there,” a friend of mine responded, when I encouraged her to consider spiritual life. As someone practicing Krishna con- sciousness, I recognized a huge difference between my approach to life and her’s. For her, the world of choices, from toothpaste to tourist spots is a blessing - it’s her passion, it’s her life.

Reflecting on her words, I realized how easy it is to become enamored by the variety of living and non-living entities in this material world, generated by the permutations of the gunas. While it seems attractive, this variety is temporary and it is accompanied by a variety of sufferings, a fact that my friend is oblivious of.

Let’s analyze my friend’s argument. Is it true that a spiritualist’s life is devoid of choice and variety? In one sense, it is. In spiritual life, from moment to moment, you have only one choice to make – take shelter of Krishna’s spiritual energy. However, the beauty of this one choice is that it opens a whole new world of unlimited variety and choices. And, this world, unlike the material world, is not plagued by suffering, it is not temporary, and in fact, it is our original home. Srila Prabhupada notes,

“How have the varieties come about?" The Vedic conclusion is that variety is eternal, although the changing varieties the scientists study in the material world are temporary. These varieties are shadow varieties. Real variety exists eter- nally in the spiritual world.”

The next time when I met my friend, I asked her – “Do you want a life in this material world with its bewildering array of choices and temporary variety and happiness, or do you want a spiritual life with one choice and real variety and bliss? It’s your choice.” Quintessence 4

The three gunas refers to the three modes or quali- activity, the inability of the perceiving senses to disentangle ties of the material world. And they are sattva or goodness, themselves from mundane objects, an unhealthy condition rajas or passion, and tamas or ignorance. Guna also means of the working physical organs, and the unsteady perplexity rope. Every embodied soul is inherently imbued with these of the mind. qualities in different permutations; and at any given time Tamas or the mode of we are being acted upon by these gunas. These gunas are darkness is born of ignorance, and always vying for supremacy. By the influence of the gunas, it is the delusion of all embodied even an apparently peaceful person sometimes acts pas- entities. The results of this mode sionately. are madness, indolence and sleep, Sattva or the material mode of goodness is charac- which bind the conditioned soul. terized by illumination and free from Intolerant anger, stingi- sinful reactions. Persons under the ness, speaking without scriptural influence of sattva or goodness are authority, violent hatred, living as attracted to piety and are condi- a parasite, hypocrisy, chronic fa- tioned by a sense of happiness and tigue, quarrel, lamentation, delu- knowledge. Control of the sensory sion, unhappiness, depression, sleeping too much, false ex- modalities including the mind, toler- pectations, fear and laziness constitute the major qualities ance, discrimination, sticking to one's of the mode of ignorance. prescribed duty, truthfulness, mercy, The definition of ignorance is given in the Vedic lit- careful study of the past and future, erature, Vastu-yäthätmya jïänävarakaà viparyaya-jïäna- satisfaction in any condition, gener- janakaà tamaù: under the spell of ignorance, one cannot osity, renunciation of sense gratifica- understand a thing as it is. For example, everyone can see tion, faith in the spiritual master, be- that death is inevitable still people are seriously committed ing embarrassed at improper action, charity, simplicity, to ugrakarmic or horrible works or wicked acts in a superla- humbleness and satisfaction within oneself are qualities of tive degree in a bid to accumulating money more and more the mode of goodness. Learned persons dedicated to Vedic without preparing themselves to meet death. They do not culture are elevated by the mode of goodness to higher and care to figure out the objective criterion of human exis- higher positions. tence, which is to attain Krishna prema or pure love of the Lord Krishna in instructing Uddhava posits, “When Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. This is the consciousness becomes clear and the senses are detached inherent nature of tamas or mode of ignorance. The mode from matter, one experiences fearlessness within the mate- of ignorance degrades the conditioned soul in as much as it rial body and detachment from the material mind. You forces one to fall headfirst into lower and lower births. should understand this situation to be the predominance of When the living entity’s higher awareness fails and the mode of goodness, in which one has the opportunity to finally disappears and he/she is thus unable to concentrate realize Me.” his attention, his mind is ruined and manifests ignorance Rajas or the material mode of pas- and depression. It should be understood that this is a situa- sion is born of unlimited desires and tion where the predominance of the mode of ignorance longings or hankering and as a re- reigns. sult persons under the auspices of Each of the three material modes (goodness, pas- rajas are bound to material actions. sion and ignorance), acting separately, causes a conditioned Material desire, great endeavor, soul to manifest a particular type of existence. In our pris- audacity, dissatisfaction even in tine pure state we are transcendental to the gunas or gain, false pride, praying for mate- modes of material nature, being part and parcel of Lord rial advancement, considering one- Krishna; nevertheless, in conditioned life we manifest mate- self different and better than oth- rial qualities as we are under the influence of the three ers, sense gratification, rash eagerness to fight, a fondness gunas. In our pristine identity as pure spirit souls we have for hearing oneself praised, the tendency to ridicule others, unalloyed love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri advertising one's own prowess and justifying one's actions Krishna. However, as we enter the cosmic manifestation or by one's strength are qualities of the mode of passion. By material creation, our original love for the Supreme Person- the influence of the mode of passion one continues transmi- ality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, becomes transmuted into lust grating through human bodies. for matter, in association with the material mode of passion, The mode of passion is discernible by its symp- just like milk in contact with sour tamarind is transformed toms—the distortion of the intelligence because of too much into yoghurt.

Quintessence 5 Contd on Page 6 Mine I It could be asseverated therefore, that the material objects of perception, the mode of passion is our primary behavior modification agent. sensory modalities and What a powerful change agent! And keep in mind that lust the vital airs of the physi- is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world which impels cal body, are also based the living entity to act even against his/her better judg- on the combination of the ment. The interaction of the modes of material nature - modes. goodness, passion and ignorance - facilitates our constant Applied Vedic science asserts that the state of con- flux without them having to undergo any change. sciousness of parents at the time of conceiving a child de- Çüdras, persons in the mode of ignorance, are generally in termines very much the type of mode the child would be deep illusion about the purpose of life, accepting the gross born with. If the consciousness of the parents is over- material body as the self. Those in passion and ignorance whelmed by the modes of passion and ignorance, it is very are called vaiçyas and hanker intensely for wealth, whereas likely that this will lead to a child with a bizarre mentality, kñatriyas, who are in the mode of passion, are eager for irrespective of the socio economic and political strata of the prestige and power. Those in the mode of goodness, how- parents. ever, hanker after perfect knowledge; they are therefore Obviously behavioral patterns or activities in the called brähmaëas. Such a person is promoted up to the su- mundane realm are governed by the three modes of mate- rial nature. Lord Krishna advocates that His devotee must preme material position of Brahmaloka, the planet of Lord rise above the modes to be able to perform unalloyed devo- Brahmä. One who is in the mode of ignorance gradually falls tional service unto Him unmotivatedly and uninterruptedly to the level of unmoving species, such as trees and stones, so as to ultimately have ingress into spiritual world charac- while one in the mode of passion, filled with material desire terized by bliss, knowledge and eternity. but satisfying it within Vedic culture, is allowed to remain in human society. (Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Srimad Bha- For full text with references, please click here… gavatam 11.25.22) The admixture of all three modes is present in the Author : Vasudev das is a disciple of His Holiness and a fac- aham mameti or "I" and "mine" mindset. The ordinary ulty at the Institute for Applied Spiritual Technology, . He is the author of transactions of this world, be it economic, social, or political, numerous academic publications focusing on Krishna conscious perspectives of socio- which are carried out through the agency of the mind, the political issues.

Since the present civilization is not very congenial to the living entities, Kåñëa conscious-

ness is recommended. Through Kåñëa consciousness, society will develop the mode of goodness. When the mode of goodness is developed, people will see things as they are. In the mode of ignorance, people are just like animals and cannot see things clearly. In the mode of ignorance, for example, they do not see that by killing one animal they are taking the chance of being killed by the same animal in the next life. Because people have no education in actual knowledge, they become irresponsible. To stop this irresponsibility, education for developing the mode of goodness of the people in general must be there. When they are actually educated in the mode of goodness, they will become sober, in full knowledge of things as they are. Then people will be happy and prosperous. Even if the majority of the people aren't happy and prosperous, if a certain percentage of the popula- tion develops Kåñëa consciousness and becomes situated in the mode of goodness, then there is the possibility for peace and prosperity all over the world. Otherwise, if the world is devoted to the modes of passion and ignorance, there can be no peace or prosperity. In the mode of passion, people become greedy, and their hankering for sense enjoyment has no limit. One can see that even if one has enough money and adequate arrangements for sense gratification, there is neither happiness nor peace of mind. That is not possible, be- cause one is situated in the mode of passion. If one wants happiness at all, his money will not help him; he has to elevate himself to the mode of goodness by practic- ing Kåñëa consciousness. When one is engaged in the mode of passion, not only is he mentally unhappy, but his profes- sion and occupation are also very troublesome. He has to devise so many plans and schemes to acquire enough money to maintain his status quo. This is all miserable. In the mode of ignorance, people become mad. Being distressed by their circumstances, they take shelter of intoxication, and thus they sink further into ignorance. Their future in life is very dark. – Srila Prabhupada, Purport to Bhagavad-Gita 14.17 Quintessence 6 “Dream Big, Think Big, Live a life to the fullest!”

These are phrases that the youth are taught today. So, what’s the effect?

Today’s youth who are “supposedly” tomorrow’s future leaders seem to be spending more time at the psychiatrists’ rather than in school. Prominent amongst them are university stu- dents who work hard day and night and chase after their big dreams (which, by the way, are not what they really want!), but end up ruining their lives.

Inspiration

Inspired by a recent talk given by His Holiness Romapada Swami, a spiritual leader in the International Society of Krishna Consciousness, at Penn State on Spiritual Economics, I was eager to find out if so-called successful students were in fact plagued by ‘depression’, ‘anxiety’ and ‘emotional imbalances’.

So, I logged on to the internet and Googled “Students and depression”. And, lo and behold! I was startled when I saw ~ 3 million hits (!) on the subject. The search results convinced me that what I had heard in the talk was 100% true. Through this article, I would like to achieve two things:

♦ Highlight the alarming statistics about mental illness on college campuses, and ♦ Suggest a course of action to alleviate the problem.

Alarming statistics According to a 2005 National College Health Assessment (NCHA), a survey of nearly 17,000 college students conducted by the American College Health Association, 25% reported that they “felt so depressed it was difficult to function” three to eight times during the past year and 21% reported they “seriously considered suicide” one or more times during the past year.

It is documented that there are 1,100 suicides on college campuses each year. Such incidents include the much-publicized case of a girl who killed herself a few years ago in a fire in her dorm room at the Massachusetts In- stitute of Technology.

"There's been a dramatic increase in the amount of serious mental health problems on campuses across the country," notes Dr. Richard Kadison, Chief of the Mental Health Service at Harvard University and author of Col- Source: American College Health Association. lege of the overwhelmed: The campus mental health crisis and what to do about it. "Mental illness is absolutely going off the charts on college campuses," con- firms Hara Marano, an editor for Psychology Today. "College counseling centers used to be the backwaters of the mental health care system. Now they are the front line,” she says.

“Depression has always been the No. 1 problem here,” says Tom Morson, a counselor at the University of Michigan.

Quintessence 7 Contd on Page 8 In response to several suicides in recent years, many of the nation's top schools are now among the most pro- active regarding the mental well-being of their students. Harvard, M.I.T. and Dartmouth alone have spent hun- dreds of thousands of dollars to become more adept at handling students with mental illnesses. However, “mental health services are often underfinanced, understaffed, and generally unequipped to handle the number of students who desperately need help,” notes Kadison.

What could possibly be the cause?

“I think this emphasis on self-perfection that our society has really contributes to depression in college students,” says Morson. “Many students have an ‘all-or- nothing’ mentality, not only about academics but also physical attractiveness and wealth,” he adds. Such perfectionist thinking, coupled with high expectations from parents, adds to the stress of college life.”

While academic demands seem to be a major factor of depression in students, lack of genuine love and security in relationships is another one. Identity crisis, interper- sonal conflicts, competition, parental pressures and cultural expectations, economic and social anxieties in the post-9/11 culture of fear are some others that contribute to student illness, argues Kadison.

What can we do?

Students who are expected to bring about a revolutionary change in the society today are indeed doing so, but not the beneficial one that was expected. Clearly, there is a pressing problem and something needs to be done urgently. Kadison writes,

“No one will argue that the problems facing today’s college students are not enormous. The statis- tics, the news headlines, counseling center directors, and the students themselves all make it very clear that there is a crisis on our campuses. Depression, sleep disorders, substance abuse, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, impulsive behaviors (including sexual promiscuity and self-mutilation), and even suicide are no longer rare anomalies. They are part of college life…What should be done?”

It is imperative that we, as students, take serious steps in order to prevent the world from becom- ing a habitat for depressed souls. We can’t bank on someone else to do the job for us.

While there is increasing awareness about this crisis, many proposed solutions, at best, offer only temporary relief, because they fail to address the spiritual needs of the individual. Understanding the spiritual identity and needs of an individual is the key to addressing the crisis on the campuses.

One way, and a very effective one, is to create an environment in our Universities, which encourages students to explore spiritual dimensions of life, in the company of like-minded souls. I can speak about one such student group in my university Penn State, the Penn State Vedic Society. Through a combination of yoga, philosophical discussions, healthy vegetarian food and cultural events, and most importantly, spiritual relationships, Vedic So- ciety has brought a new meaning and purpose to my life and that of many others. Groups like Vedic Society pro- vide an opportunity for students to take a break from their stressful life and contemplate on what brings real happiness to them. Similar organizations in many other Universities (look in the Newsmakers section, for exam- ples) are actively laying the foundation for creating cultures of complete well-being – physical, emotional, intel- lectual and spiritual - in places and for people that seem to be in most desperate need.

Author : Swetha Ganeshan is pursuing her Ph.D in Materials Science and Engg. at Penn State University.

Quintessence 8 Spiritual Places of India

Abode of

Pure Goodness

Holy means sacred, that which is dedicated to the service of God. Holy places are abodes that mark the appearance or performance of unique pastimes of God or a saintly person(s) who is a representative of God. There are numerous holy places in the world, each delivering the message of God in its own significant way. It is indeed unfortunate that, despite the presence of such places and attractive descriptions about their glories, people, in general are attracted to the tem- porary variegatedness of the modes of material nature.

One such holy place up in the mountains of South India, is the temple of Lord Venkateshwara (Name of Lord ) that attracts pilgrims from all over the world.

About Tirupati Tirupati means ‘Lord of ’. It is also known as Tirumala or the ‘Lord of the sacred hill’. Amidst several ancient temples, the main temple of Sri Venkateshwara lies in the seven hills of Tirumala.

The temple and the Deity are so attractive that, one does not care for the long line that goes winding around the tem- ple, from the front entrance and up into the sprawling Queue Complex, a covered stadium-like building that holds as many as ten thousand devotees at a time, sheltering them during the long wait to enter the temple. Fortunately, be- cause of the high altitude, the air in Tirumala is fresh, light, and cool. Even in the fierce South Indian summer the devo- tees are fairly comfortable while waiting to get darshana, the audience of the Lord.

The magnificent architecture of the temple adds to the opulence of the place. From outside of the main temple, one can see the dome over the main entrance, teeming with depictions of demigods and various incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu. The dome over Lord Venkateshwara’s altar is thickly coated with pure gold, the dome glitters like the self-resplendent spiritual gem cintamani, of which all the buildings in the transcendental kingdom of God are made.

The Main Deity Lord Krishna has millions of names. Each name denotes one of His unlimited attributes. In this temple, He is called Venkateshwara, the “Lord of Venkatacala,” a chain of hills about one hundred fifty miles northwest of Madras, in South India. Of course Krishna, being God, is the Lord of all hills. “Venkatacala” refers to the hills where He appeared in a self-manifested Deity form of Lord Vishnu some five millennia ago. The same Deity, also known as Balaji, now resides in a temple in the town of Tirumala, nestled half a mile up in the Venkatacala Hills, known today as the Eastern Ghats. He is seen standing on a lo- tus with his conch and discus in his hands, and images of the goddesses Lakshmi & Pad- mavati upon his chest. The description of this Deity is found in many scriptures like Padma Purana and Skanda Purana.

That the Deity in Tirumala is a plenary form of Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was not always known. Traditionally, a Deity of Lord Vishnu will bear in His hands certain distinguishing symbols: a lotus, a conch-shell, a discus, and a club.

During the time of Ramanujacharya, a saint of great renown(1017-1137), Lord Venkateshwara’s two upper hands were empty. It was impossible to verify the true identity of the Deity. In the midst of this confusion, Ramanujacharya, came to Tirumala on pilgrimage and was requested to settle the dispute between warring factions. Sri Ramanujacharya locked a gold discus and conch, symbols of Lord Vishnu, in the Deity’s room overnight. Next morning, all were astonished to find the conch and discus in the Deity’s hands, and since that day Lord Venkateshwara’s identity as Lord Krishna has never been questioned.

Quintessence 9 Contd on Page 10 Spiritual Abode of Pure Places of India Goodness

Festivals The Lord gives various opportunities to conditioned souls for engaging in His service. Festivals in temples are such events where a mass of devotees will be engaged in organization, arrangements, priestly activities etc. Each year, dur- ing the month of September/October millions of devotees from all around the world gather at the temple to celebrate the nine-day festival called ‘Brahmotsavam’. The festival has its origin in connection with worshipping of Lord Venkateshwara at Tirupati by Lord Brahma (the creator of the universe).

Other Places of Interest After seeing the Deity one can tour the rest of the temple and the other buildings within the temple compound. One will find numerous statues (like, one in the picture of , the divine vehicle of Lord Vishnu) and reliefs depicting the Lord’s incarnations and pastimes. The Deity’s gold and silver palanquins and other sacred paraphernalia are also on dis- play. After seeing Tirumala, the devotees usually spend another day seeing the sacred sites in Tirupati. The principal temples there are the temple of Govindaraja Swami - a Vishnu Deity, Sri Varahaswami – the boar incarnation of Lord Krishna, and the temple of Padmavati, the eternal consort of Lord Venkateshwara.

ISKCON at Tirupati An added attraction is the newly constructed Sri Sri Govinda Ashta Sakhi and Giriraj lotus temple. In 1974 when His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada was invited by the state government of Andhra Pradhesh, he envisioned a new ISKCON center in Tirupati. Having thus laid a foundation, Srila Prabhupada inspired his disciples to “get set and go”! The first Sri Sri Radha Govinda deities were installed in 1984 and the ground-blessing ceremony of the magnificent new temple was carried out in 1999.

The temple domes display sculptures of Krishna, Rama, Vishnu, and Nrsimha. The temple has one svagata-gopuram (welcome tower, representing the Lord’s feet), one raja-gopuram (grand tower, representing the Lord’s navel), one vimana- gopuram (tower above the deities’ chamber, representing the Lord’s head), and four corner domes representing the four yugas, or Vedic ages. Enamored by the forty-foot long gold plated altar presided by the most merciful Sri Radha-Govinda, Ashta Sakhi (the eight principal gopis), Lord Chaitanya, and Giriraja (Lord Krishna in the form of a stone from Govardhana Hill), devotees from all over the world visit the temple to worship the lord and experience transcendental bliss.

Bringing Goloka to Vaikuntha Tirupati is one of the holiest places of pilgrimage for the Sri Vaishnavas, who worship the Lord in a mood of awe and reverence, which is the predominant mood in the spiritual realm of Vaikuntha. Now by building this temple of Radha- Krishna, the Ashta Sakhis, and Lord Chaitanya, ISKCON has brought the intimate loving mood of Vrindavana to Tirupati. Thus not only has Srila Prabhupada’s cherished desire been fulfilled, but the doors of Goloka Vrindavana have been opened for the residents of Vaikuntha. How to get there? Tirupati is 170km northwest of Chennai (Madras), in Andhra Pradesh near the Tamil Nadu border. The nearest town to reach by air is Renigunta or Gudur. From Renigunta/Gudur, you can reach Tirupati by train or bus. To get to Tirumala, you must go into the Venkatacala Hills from Tirupati. The primary function of Tirupati is to accommodate the tens of thousands of pilgrims traveling daily to and from Tirumala. Day and night a constant roar emanates from these hillsides, as bus after bus wends its way along the steep and winding mountain road.

Beyond this world Devotees travel hundreds, even thousands of miles to see Lord Venkateshwara and make their offerings of prayers and gifts; they are elated, but patient. Waiting to see the Deity, they read scripture, offer prayers to the Lord, or chant on their beads. Thus, even though the town appears crowded and hectic, because everyone’s mind is on Lord Venkateshwara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the atmosphere is always spiritual.

Tirumala and the kingdom of God are identical in many ways. For example, the scriptures and great devotees teach that the chief distinction between the spiritual world and the material world is that in the material world everyone is forgetful of Krishna, whereas in the spiritual world everyone is fully conscious of Krishna. In Tirumala, everyone is absorbed in remembering Krishna in His four-handed form of Balaji. Certainly, such a place is not of this material world, but an abode of unalloyed goodness (suddha-sattva).

Source: articles by Kundali dasa & Murari Gupta Dasa Quintessence 10 LESSONS FROM THE GITA 6.34 From Bhagavad-Gita As it is By His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

caïcalam ́ hi manah ̣ krṣ ṇ ạ pramāthi bal avad drḍ haṃ

tasyāham ́ nigraham ́ manye vāyor iva su-duskaraṃ

SYNONYMS caïcalam ́ — flickering; hi — certainly; manaḥ — mind; krṣ ṇ ạ — O Kṛṣṇa; pramāthi — agitating; bala-vat — strong; drḍ haṃ — obstinate; tasya — its; aham — I; nigraham — subduing; manye — think; vāyoh — of the wind; iva —like; su-duskaraṃ — difficult.

TRANSLATION

For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.

THE PURPORT

The mind is so strong and obstinate that it sometimes overcomes the intelligence, although the mind is supposed to be subservient to the intelligence. For a man in the practical world who has to fight so many opposing elements, it is certainly very difficult to control the mind. Artificially, one may establish a mental equilibrium toward both friend and enemy, but ultimately no worldly man can do so, for this is more difficult than controlling the raging wind. In the Vedic literature (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.3-4) it is said:

ātmānam ́ rathinam ́ viddhi śarīram ́ ratham eva ca buddhim ́ tu sārathim ́ viddhi manah ̣ pragraham eva ca indriyānị hayān āhur visaỵ āmś tesụ gocarān ātmendriya-mano-yuktaḿ bhoktety āhur manīsiṇ aḥ ̣

"The individual is the passenger in the car of the material body, and intelligence is the driver. Mind is the driving instrument, and the senses are the horses. The self is thus the enjoyer or sufferer in the association of the mind and senses. So it is un- derstood by great thinkers." Intelligence is supposed to direct the mind, but the mind is so strong and obstinate that it often overcomes even one's own intelli- gence, as an acute infection may surpass the efficacy of medicine. Such a strong mind is supposed to be controlled by the practice of yoga, but such practice is never practical for a worldly person like Arjuna. And what can we say of modern man? The simile used here is appropriate: one cannot capture the blowing wind. And it is even more difficult to capture the turbulent mind. The easiest way to con- trol the mind, as suggested by Lord Chaitanya, is chanting "Hare Kṛṣṇa," the great mantra for deliverance, in all humility. The method prescribed is sa vai manah ̣ krṣ ṇ a-p̣ ādāravindayoh: one must engage one's mind fully in Kṛṣṇa. Only then will there remain no other engagements to agitate the mind.

Quintessence 11 Mango Ice Cream *

Mangoes called the "King Of Fruits" have been one of the very favorite fruits in the Indian sub-continent .This delicious ice cream recipe uses a condensed milk and cream combination. It is best to make this ice cream when mangoes are in the peak of season, soft, ripe, and fragrant.

Ingredients PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes Mango tins can be found in many Indian Grocery FREEZING TIME: 10 to 12 hours Stores. You may also use fresh ripe mangoes. YIELD: enough for 6 persons Make sure that they are ripe and smell sweet. Remove the skin and scoop the fruit out. Make a Method pulp by putting it in a blender. Adjust the sweet- ♦ Pour the cream into a bowl and beat it until ness as desired. Make sure the mixture is a little semi-whipped. on the sweeter side as the mixture will taste less ♦ Beat the milk and condensed milk together in sweet when cold. another bowl until well combined. ♦ Pour the milk and condensed milk mixture 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy cream into the semi-whipped cream and fold in the 1 cup (250 ml) cold milk mango pulp. Mix well. 1 cup (250 ml) sweetened condensed milk ♦ Pour into a metal freezer tray and freeze for 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) fresh mango pulp about 10 to 12 hours or until solid. About an hour before serving, place the ice cream in the refrigerator to soften slightly. * Courtesy for recipe : Great Vegetarian Dishes by das. Fresh Mango Smoothie

Mango smoothie recipes are better with real fruit. Powder mango flavor does not match the real taste of the fruit well. These recipes add other light flavors to mix well with the flavor of mangos.

Ingredients Method 1 large mango diced and chilled Blend the orange juice, yogurt and banana till well mixed. 1 banana Next add the ice cubes and mango and continue blending till 1/2 cup of yogurt mango is mixed in. Enjoy or chill if desired. 1 cup of orange juice 6 ice cubes Offer these wonderful Mango Ice Cream & Smoothie to Krishna and relish the delicious prasadam.

Food in three modes

BG 17.8: Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one's existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart.

BG 17.9: Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distress, misery and disease.

BG 17.10: Food prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is tasteless, decomposed and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and untouchable things is dear to those in the mode of darkness. Quintessence 12 NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS

In May, Penn State Vedic Society was fortunate to have the association of two advanced spiritu- alists, His Holiness Romapada Swami and His Holiness .

HH Romapada Swami delivered a talk on Spiritual Economics, which was very well received. His Holiness expertly presented a complex topic and captivated the audience by attractive visuals and pro- found messages. Challenging the foundational principles of materialistic economics, His Holiness called for a re-thinking of human progress with spiritual well-being as the basis.

The festival of the appearance of Lord Rama (Ram Navami), funded by Penn State University, was celebrated in a grand manner. The celebrations attracted an audience of almost 250 students (!) from various cultures. HH Indradyumna Swami, the chief guest, enticed the audience through his soul- stirring kirtans and powerful speech. A fantastic Q&A session followed, which drew student attention and appreciation. The book table saw swift sales of and Srila Prabhupada's books.

On June 21st, the students celebrated the Pani Hatti festival in a grand style by preparing a 56 item feast ('chappan bhog') for Their Lordships Gaurasundara (Manifestations of Lord Krishna) and having an awesome evening of kirtans (devotional chants). His Grace Achary- adas from Gita Nagari farm community explained the his- toric significance of Pani Hatti festival. It was a magnifi- cent spiritual experience and the students look forward to Visit another such celebration. Our Website

In the month of April, the Tufts Club hosted three special events in a series: free lunch prasadam (sanctified food) distribution, kirtan night and a special talk on "Spiritual Eco- nomics" by His Holiness Romapada Swami.

The free lunch event attracted many students, who openly ex- pressed their gratitude for the unusual stroke of Krishna’s mercy. About 60 plates of sumptuous prasadam were distributed!

Mother Chatamayi, a member of the Boston Hare Krishna Saranagati musical group, who is known for her dexterity in playing diverse mu- sical instruments, attracted the attention and praise of the students, Tufts by her melodious, heart-stirring kirtans.

These events helped generate interest for the special talk. Talk at- tendees were captivated by His Holiness Romapada Swami’s eye- opening and impactful presentation, which inspired them to recon- sider their current style of living and strive for a purer outlook in life. Bhakti Yoga Club Yoga Bhakti

Quintessence 13 NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS

On March 24th, Bhakti Yoga Club organized a talk on "Spiritual Economics - A Radical Approach to a Modern Crisis" by His Holiness Romapada Swami.

His Holiness presented various astounding facts of the current rate of consumption and how mother earth is being exploited by modern man’s insatiable needs. Within a decade or two, it is pro- jected that TWO earth planets will be required to sustain our con- sumption patterns!

Using modern terminology such as maximizers and satisfiers, coined by psychologists and economists, His Holiness pointed out how having more choices in consumption simply increases the degree of regret (and thus unhappiness) that the right choice was not made. Modern materialistic economics, with its emphasis on infinite choice is driving people to become maximizers, thus caus- ing irreversible psychological harm.

Bhakti Yoga Club Bhakti Yoga After clearly pointing out the insufficiency of current environmental-based approaches (such as Green economy) to deal with the economic crisis, he elevated the discussion to drive home the punch line of his presentation: a spiritual solution is required - a fundamental change in Washington University @ St. Louis Louis @ St. University Washington human consciousness! The audience was absolutely awed by his astute and deep responses to some challenging questions on renunciation and the means to change one's consciousness.

VedaAnt, the congregational branch of ISKCON Laguna’s stu- dent outreach, sponsored a booth for the second year in a row at the UC Irvine Wayzgoose Festival.

VedaAnt was lucky to have enough space to set up 3 different tables. One served halava samples and sold mango lassi; an- at UCI at other featured Indian crafts and boutique items; the third in- vited folks to throw a dart and win a book.

Passersby were also engaged by a set of original posters de- scribing how vegetarianism, mantra meditation and bhakti yoga can make one’s life more peaceful, as well as some hanging copies of the BBT “Cycle of Life” poster. Together, all these elements blended to manifest a transcendentally attrac- tive and provoking set-up. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, all the participating devotees enjoyed some of Pushpanjali’s veg- gie chili, served piping hot from a rice cooker. VedAnt One highlight was when a female student and her mother played the dart game. Having scored in the middle ring, the girl was entitled to her choice of a small or medium paper- back. As she was about to grab The Higher Taste, she noticed The Science of Self Realization. “Look, mom!” she said, “Self- realization!” As both their eyes grew wide, the girl explained

Celebrating Vedic Culture and that she had opened a fortune cookie that morning and re- ceived the instruction to “Search for self-realization.” She eagerly took Srila Prabhupada’s book, and both mother and daughter began laughing heartily.

Quintessence 14 NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS NEWSMAKERS

In late Spring, the MIT Bhakti Yoga Club organized two spe- cial talks on the theme of natural living. The twin talks attracted many, not only from MIT, but nearby institutions.

The first talk was on Spiritual Economics by His Holiness Romapada Swami. With the aid of an attractive audio-visual presentation, supported by compelling scientific evidence, His Holi- ness drew the attention of the audience to the irreversible damage caused by modern materialistic economics. He presented an alter- native vision for the society, based on the Vedic wisdom, and spe- cifically the philosophy of Srimad Bhagavatam—the crème le da crème of all books of wisdom, but hardly known to modern man.

His Holiness Candramauli Swami spoke on A Spiritual Guide to Natural Living. Highlighting the detrimental effects of today’s artificial lifestyles, His Holiness encouraged the audience to consider a God-centered lifestyle. The following are some key messages: 1) Natural living means living according to God’s inten- tions. 2) Mankind’s lifestyle determines how nature reacts (according to subtle laws of karma) 3) Problems of the world are not due to mismanagement of material things, but lack of under- standing of spirit, 4) Polluted environment is a symptom of pol- luted consciousness, and 5) We have disconnected ourselves from God, from nature, and from happiness and the result is we have so many problems.

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By HIS Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Five hundred years ago, gave the gift of love Hardbound, of God to everyone He met. Lord Chaitanya spearheaded a spiritual 440 Pages ORDER renaissance in sixteenth-century India that had as its foundation the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. 8 Color Plates, Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, is a summary study of Sri Chaitanya- 5.50" x 8.50" NOW !! charitamrita, documents Chaitanya's conversations with the great scholars, kings, saints and mystics of His day. Available at www.krishna.com

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