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In This Issue... Srila Prabhupada Editor’S Note Basic Teaching 3 July Was a Busy Month with Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Past Spiritual Teacher Temple Hosting Two Retreats

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In This Issue... Srila Prabhupada Editor’S Note Basic Teaching 3 July Was a Busy Month with Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Past Spiritual Teacher Temple Hosting Two Retreats Contents In this issue... Srila Prabhupada Editor’s Note Basic Teaching 3 July was a busy month with Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Past Spiritual Teacher Temple hosting two retreats. Our Bhakti Yoga Society The Destroyer of Anarthas 4 welcomed over fifty students from around the country to experience Krishna consciousness first hand. One Vaishnava Kitchen of the happy participants shares his experience in our Varuni 4 Youth Column. Festival Focus Over twenty children gathered for the three-day The Lord Descent 5 “Krishna Kid's Winter Retreat.” They were treated to a variety of activities from arts and crafts, to baking, Youth Column dance, drama, yoga, and poetry. The exciting part Conquered by Love 6 of the retreat was that all activities were spiritually centred. The focus was on how to offer their unique Once Upon A Time abilities, talents and skills to serve Krishna. On the Desire Tree of Love 8 final day of the retreat, the children went home with a host of goodies, big smiles, and wonderful memories. News After having a wonderful spiritual experience, the 5th Vedic Ecology Convention 9 children shared their eagerness for the next one. Welbedatch Nama-hatta 10 Vedic Observer Strike a Woman, Strike a Rock 11 God Conscious Parenting The Language of Love 12 International News Ananta Shanti Reshaped Russia 13 The Holy Name The Love Language of Service 13 From festivals to women’s lib, this issue of Hare Krishna News covers it all. The Holy Name series Young Vaishnavas Column 14 and God Conscious Parenting column touch on the non-spoken love languages, which is vital to healthy Vaishnava Calendar 14 relationships. Notice Board 14 Some members in our community have opened their homes and their hearts to assist Srila Prabhupada On the Cover in his preaching mission and we focus on one such Vasudev carries Krishna through the Yamuna River extraordinary devotee. Lord Balaram is accepted as to Vrindavan. the original spiritual master and in our Past Spiritual Teacher column we highlight some essential aspects Letters to the Editor of Lord Balaram that can help us on our path to If you would like to share your temple experience, bhakti. spiritual or service related realisations then write to Haripriya Devi Dasi: [email protected] or Rasa- With Sri Krishna Janmastami just around the corner, sthali Dasi: [email protected] our dedicated festival organisers have put together an exciting festival for both young and old. Look out for Quoted verse translations and excerpts from purports the highlights, hall programmes in KZN, Bhagavad- to Srimad Bhagavatam, Chaitanya-charitamrita, gita discourses, etc. on pages 15 and 16. Bhagavad-gita As It Is and conversations by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Until next time, happy reading. Prabhupada, and photographs and art on pages 1, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 15, and 16 are Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. www. Krishna.com. Used with permission. PRINTERS ATLAS by Printed Design and Layout by Lashika Ravjee - 082 309 2396 2 Basic Teachings arranging for that soul to be placed Srila Prabhupada in the temporary material world. By Nashvin Gangaram Therefore, everyone here is under the illusion that they are the Lord Why should you care about the of all they survey, and they identify teachings of Srila Prabhupada? themselves with the material body, The reason is simple: By causing them to suffer. understanding these teachings and following his instructions, So, what is the purpose of life? millions of people around the Since identification with the world have enriched their lives material body is the cause of our with an incomparable joy. One suffering, the purpose of life is to reason why he has been so realize our true identities as spirit influential is that he presented souls, and reawaken our dormant the teachings of God as they love of God, re-establishing our are, without adulteration. Srila original consciousness. The Prabhupada was also the living prescribed method for doing this in embodiment of his teachings, this age is to chant the holy names practically demonstrating the of God with love. God is one, but perfect example for people to He is known by many different follow. By studying the philosophy he gave, you names. Chanting any valid name of God is beneficial, can receive the answers for life's most important but one mantra is especially recommended, the questions: “Who am I?”, “Why am I suffering?”, and Hare Krishna maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare “What is the purpose of life?” Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Who are you? If you don't know who you are, how can you do anything properly? The first step in According to Srila Prabhupada, human life begins self-realization is to realize that you are not this with these inquiries into the Absolute Truth. Without material body, you are a spirit soul. This can be this endeavour, one's life consists merely of eating, easily perceived at the time of death. Clearly, there is sleeping, mating and defending, which is the life of a significant difference between a living body and a an animal. By only seeking temporary pleasures, dead body. After someone dies, their body remains, we miss out on the real eternal enjoyment. To raise but the person that you love is now gone. You can ourselves to the human platform and then to the also observe that your body changes during your life. spiritual platform, we need to know who we are and The body that you had as a child is different from the be who we are. one you have now. Although you are the same person, and you remember your activities from the past, your body has changed. Why are you suffering? If you think that you are not suffering, please consider that nobody can avoid birth, old age, disease and death. In addition, everyone is subjected to the miseries of nature: those caused by one's own body and mind, those caused by other living entities, and natural disasters. How did this situation arise? According to the Vedic literature, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the source of everything that exists, and He eternally emanates all the living entities, in order to have loving relationships with them. Being emanations from God, they are of the same quality as God, and are composed of eternity, knowledge and bliss. However, quantitatively, they are different. God always remains supreme, and the other souls are always subordinate to Him. Because love is voluntary, Krishna does not force the living entities to love Him. Sometimes, a soul misuses this independence, and becomes envious of God, instead of trying to serve Him. Krishna then mercifully fulfils that desire, 3 The Destroyer of Anarthas particularly significant. Past Spiritual Teacher Dhenukasura, the donkey demon, represents the Lord Balaram is Sri Krishna’s older brother. mode of ignorance or He appeared at noon on a full moon day to ignorance concerning Rohini and Vasudev. Bala means strength. our relationship with Therefore, His name is significant of His Krishna. Pralambasura, immense strength. who disguised himself as a cowherd boy, represents Since Balaram is the first expansion of the mode of passion and Krishna, He is the original authority the desire for personal gain on Krishna. Krishna and Balaram are and worship. Obstacles on eternally non-different, except for their the path of our spiritual bodily colour. For the purpose of the progress can hold us back Lord’s pleasure, Balaram takes the role many lifetimes. We have of Krishna’s servant. He exemplifies the to become aware of what service attitude by making His only mission they are, understand their to please Krishna. Balaram organises and power to destroy our seed inspires others in the Lord’s devotional service. of devotion, and finally become knowledgeable Therefore, He is the original spiritual master. The as to how to overcome them. Since the spiritual true duty of a spiritual master is to engage people in master is a representative of Lord Balaram, when we the service of Lord Krishna and to serve by example. take shelter of him and perform devotional service In Vrindavan, Krishna killed many demons while under his guidance we can overcome anarthas. Srila Balaram killed only two. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur Prabhupada said that Krishna gives us the word of explained in Sri Caitanya Siksamrita that the knowledge and Balaram gives us the strength to different demons represent different anarthas. uphold the knowledge. Artha means something useful and anartha means We celebrate Lord Balaram’s appearance anniversary something unwanted or something detrimental on 21 August and we can pray to Him to remove all to spiritual progress. The two demons killed by obstacles and give us the strength to succeed on the Balaram, Dhenukasura and Pralambasura, are path of bhakti. Varuni Vaishnava Kitchen By Jaisacinandana Das This drink is especially for Lord Balaram’s pleasure. When Lord Balaram was enjoying the rasa dance with His gopis, He became thirsty. The Demigod of Water, wanting to serve the Lord, instructed his daughter, Varuni, to manifest in liquid form to quench Balaram’s thirst. You can prepare this drink as a special offering to Lord Balaram on His appearance anniversary. This is an adapted recipe and the base ingredient is honey. Once offered it can be honoured like caranamrita-just a spoon full. Blend: A handful of ginger-crushed 1 pineapple-juiced 340ml ginger beer 1 orange-juiced 350ml honey 4 The Lord’s Descent predominant rise of irreligion, at that time I descend By Yamuna Devi Dasi Myself.” (Bg.4.7) I recall clenching my fists in anticipation of the Here Lord Sri Krishna explicitly explains the reason for moment when Harry finally defeats Voldemort and His descent.
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