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Quintessence
Tou chston e for th e Inqu isitiv e
rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyam pavitraḿ idam uttamam
pratyaksyāvagamaḿ dharmyaḿ su-sukhaḿ kartum avyayam
Nov/Dec ’06
SERVANT OF THE SENSES
Inside this issue:
The following conversation between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out 2 Prabhupada and Dr. Chaturbhai P. Patel took place in Bombay on March 23, 1974.
Inquiries into The Absolute 3
Dr. Patel: The other morning, when a young fore I'm not giving service to my wife—I'm giv-
Peace 3 lady told you, "I am practicing medicine and ing service to my senses. So ultimately, we are
Instructions of Bhishmadev 4
serving people," you said, in effect, "You are a servants of our own senses. We are nobody's
tool." servants. This is our material position. Yes, ulti-
Rasa-The Taste of Devotion 5 Srila Prabhupada: Yes. She is not serving. Of mately, we are servants of our senses.
course, as they say, "Everyone is serving"— Constitutionally, I am a servant, but at the pre-
Crossword Corner 6 serving money. Everyone is serving, but unless sent moment, being conditioned by the material
he gets paid, no service. That is not service. Eve- nature, I am giving service to my senses. But my
Holy Places of India-Udupi 7 ryone in the material world is serving somebody. senses are not independent. They are totally
Because by nature he is a servant. dependent. For instance, I am now moving my
Veggie Corner 8 Dr. Patel: He's serving everyone. hands, but if the true master of my hand,
Pearls of Wisdom 9 Srila Prabhupada: No, no. As the English Krishna, paralyzes it—no more moving. Nor can
proverb says, "Everyone's servant is no one's I revive the moving capacity of my hand. So
Lessons from the Gita 10 servant." Anyway, service is required. You can- although I am claiming I am master of my hand,
not live without serving. That is not possible. master of my leg, and so on, actually I am not.
Editor’s Jottings 10
Every one of us is serving somebody. But the The master is different.
Children’s Corner: Paint Dhruva 11 result of this material service is disagreeable. I One of Krishna's other names is HåñikeSa, "the
Maharaj and Lord Vishnu have given before the example that Mahatma creator and master of all senses." Therefore we
Gandhi gave so much service. But the result was should transfer our service to Lord Krishna.
What’s New in Universities 12 he was killed. He was killed. That person who Håñikena håñikeSa-sevanaà bhaktir ucyate: we
killed him did not think, "Oh, this old gentleman have tried in so many ways to serve our senses,
has given so much service to us. Even if I do not but when we engage our senses in serving the
agree with him, how can I kill him?" But people master of the senses, we get the spiritual satis-
are so very ungrateful—you see?—that whatever faction of bhakti, devotion. Devotional service to
service you may render, they'll never be satis- Krishna is also service, but it is not service to the
fied. inert senses—it is service to the living master of
Dr. Patel: Gandhi's service—he was doing his the senses. This is real satisfaction. So constitu-
prescribed duty. tionally I am a servant. I cannot become the
Srila Prabhupada: No, actually. But first of all, master. My position is that I have to serve. And
let us define service. What is service? Service if I don't serve the master of the senses, then I
means there is a servant and a master. And ser- will have to serve the senses and go unsatisfied.
vice is the transaction between the servant and Dr. Patel: Now, the fact remains that each man
his master. But we have created so many unpre- does have prescribed duties to wife, family,
scribed masters. The wife master, the family country, and government.
master, the country master, the legislative mas- Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
ter, this master, that master—you see? And we Dr. Patel: We have different kinds of bodies and
are giving service. "Oh, it is my duty. I am giv- senses, also, and that gives us different duties.
ing service." But ask any of these masters, "Are One man has to act as a priest or teacher, another
you satisfied?" He'll say, "What have you done?" as an administrator or military man, another as a
Dr. Patel: The master won't be satisfied. farmer or merchant, and still another as a laborer
Srila Prabhupada: No. These self-created mas- or craftsman. And when a man does his duty
"This is our material posi- ters will never be satisfied. And really, by serv-
tion. Yes, ultimately, we without expectation of any fruits, this is as good
ing them we are trying to serve and satisfy our as devotion to the Lord.
are servants of our senses” own senses. I am giving service to my wife be-
cause I think she will satisfy my senses. There- Contd on Pg 9
Page 3 Quintessence
HH Romapada Swami is a disciple of His Divine Grace AC
INQUIRIES INTO THE ABSOLUTE Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He travels frequently dis-
seminating the science and philosophy of the Vedic scriptures to
Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami
students and other educated audiences around the world.
Vegetarianism without harming anyone including himself.
1) In our religion it is stated that we should not eat meat. However
what is the difference between eating plants and eating animals? 2) Does a man err by consuming non-vegetarian food? What could
Either way we are killing a living entity. The only difference I see is be its physiological and spiritual implications?
that animals can voice their agony while plants cannot.
Human beings are not meant for consuming animal flesh. Physiologi-
One living entity is food for another - that's the law of material nature. cally, the human body is not adapted to eat and digest flesh - this has
One's mere existence in the material world involves some unavoidable been proven in scientific circles also. There are many back and forth
'himsa' or violence. This does not entitle us to reckless killing, however. arguments among scientists about the effect of meat eating, but it is easy
As human beings with higher intelligence, we are meant to follow higher to see that there are many unwanted diseases caused by such a diet and
religious principles and avoid unnecessary violence. many experiments have also proved that one can lead a normal, healthy
By nature's arrangement, human beings can lead a healthy life by taking life, in fact healthier life by vegetarian diet than otherwise.
fruits, vegetables, grains and milk. Also, by nature's way plants are in a
dull state of consciousness although they have life and do not experience On a deeper level, eating of animal flesh, fish etc., has adverse effects on
much agony. Besides, for most part we do not kill a plant or unduly cut the consciousness and character of the people also. We learn from the
short the lifespan of a plant but only use the products of a plant. Consid- Bhagavad-gita that eating of such foods plunge one in the mode of igno-
ering all this, animal killing is a needless violence just for the satisfac- rance, in which one cannot understand right from wrong, especially with
tion of the tongue. respect to religious principles and spiritual truths.
We have to bear in mind, however, that just being vegetarian is not tran-
scendental in itself. The Vedic standard is that killing or hurting the As stated earlier, in the human species of life, we are endowed with
plants for one's own satisfaction also involves sin, although much less higher intelligence, and therefore we have a higher responsibility to
compared to unnecessary killing of animals. The only solution, as rec- show mercy to our fellow living beings. Such acts of mercilessness, as
ommended in Bhagavad-gita, is to therefore first offer everything in are part of the act of animal slaughter, implicate one in the endless laws
sacrifice to the Supreme Lord before consuming it. The Supreme Lord is of karma, and therefore, as a reaction to the injustice done to the inno-
the actual creator and rightful proprietor and enjoyer of everything; so cent animals, human society has to face so many consequences today by
taking some fruits or vegetables to offer them to the Supreme Godhead - way of natural calamities, war, terrorism and the increasing unrest in the
that is not violence to the plant, rather the plant derives spiritual benefit minds of individuals as well as within society in general.
and so does the person who makes the offering and then partakes of the
remnants of the Supreme Lord! Such a God-conscious life based on the You are welcome to send in your questions to HH Romapada Swami at isk-
directions of the scriptures is the only way by which man can survive condc@gmail.com with the word "Question" included in the subject line.
Radhikesh Das is a disciple of HH Jayapataka
PEACE- HOW EVERYONE WANTS IT BUT FEW KNOW HOW TO ACHIEVE IT Swami and has been practicing Krishna consciousness
for the past 20 years. He assists in 'Livehelp' at
By Radhikesh Das
Krishna.com and lives in Iowa.
What is the most sought after commodity in intelligence of the person, just as unfavorable
the world? What do people, from the politi- wind takes a boat off course which is being
cians in the world to the participants in steered somewhere on the water. Unless all of
beauty pageants would like to have? Peace. the senses are engaged in the service of the
We all want peace, which seems to be so Lord, even one of them engaged in sense grati-
elusive. We want to have peace with other fication can deviate the devotee from the path
countries, or at least with neighboring na- of transcendental advancement.
tions, with our relatives, friends, with our
neighbors, with our spouses and with our If one is not in Krishna consciousness, there cannot be a final goal for
own selves. We strive for it and ironically the mind. Disturbance is due to want of an ultimate goal, and when one
fight for it. And finally we think we got it. But the peace we get does not is certain that Krishna is the enjoyer, proprietor and friend of everyone
last long. It simply goes to pieces. Let us see what Krishna says about and everything, then one can, with a steady mind, bring about peace. If
peace in Bhagavad Gita. the mind and intelligence deviate from meditation on Krishna, there can
be no question of happiness. Thus for one with an uncontrolled mind,
Early in the Bhagavad Gita (2.66), Krishna says that one who is not there is no intelligence fixed on the soul. And without fixed intelligence
connected with the Supreme cannot have transcendental intelligence, there is no meditation on the Super Soul. Not performing meditation, he
which is intelligence fixed on the soul, nor a steady mind, which is does not have peace and thus cannot have bliss.
needed to meditate on the Paramatma. Without meditation, one cannot
have peace, and without peace he cannot have bliss. When the intelli- Thus we need to start within us to work towards peace. We need to have
gence is not fixed on the soul, there is no destruction of thirst for mate- a controlled mind and a fixed intelligence. But we should know how to
rial objects. Thus he cannot have any happiness, which is available only control the mind and fix our intelligence in this ever changing world.
by realization of ätmä with its self manifesting bliss. The person with an These are explained above – one should control the mind by meditating
uncontrolled mind cannot have fixed intelligence because the mind on the ever stable but fully variegated Supreme Lord, Krishna. This
which focuses on even one of the roaming senses steals away the intelli- would help us fix our intelligence on our souls, which would in turn lead
gence concentrated on the ätmä. Among all the senses moving towards to bliss and peace.
their respective sense objects, the mind follows after one sense. In this
way a person follows each of the senses. Such a mind takes away the ….More tips on peace in the next issue
Page 4
INSTRUCTIONS OF BHISHMADEV Bhayahari Dasa is a disciple of His Holiness Romapada Swami. He works in
By Bhayahari Dasa the IT industry and lives in Gaithersburg, MD with his wife Indulekha Devi
Dasi and his twelve year old son Dhruv.
The Shanti-parva of Mahabharata, the section that Bhishma said, “One’s greatest enemy is idleness. On the other hand one
immediately follows the great war of Kuruksetra, is should not act feverishly or blindly. Everything should be done with the
replete with many instructions by Bhishmadeva on proper means. Since success depends on using one’s good intelligence,
morality and religiosity. The war in which practi- tasks accompanied by the mind are considered to be the best. Those
cally the entire armies of both the Pandavas and the done by the hands are mediocre and those by the feet inferior. The low-
Kauravas were annihilated, bought forth great grief est is the task of carrying heavy loads.”
and remorse from the compassionate Yudhisthira.
Considering his selfish desire to regain his kingdom Importance of self-control
as the root cause of the deaths of so many people, ***********************
he becomes bitterly remorseful and confused about Yudhisthira inquired, “How should one react to people who insult you
his duty. At this time Lord Krishna advises him to seek instructions from by their rudeness and arrogance?”
the Bhishmadeva who has been lying on a bed of arrows, waiting for an Bhishma replied, “If one does not become angry when insulted by an-
auspicious time to give up his life. other, then he takes away all the pious merit that person may have accu-
Bhishmadeva occupies the exalted position of being one of the twelve mulated by good deeds. In addition he transfers to the abuser his own
Mahajans, persons with perfect understanding of the Vedic scriptures. sinful reactions. After all what is the value of praise or blame when ut-
The inquirer, Maharaja Yudhisthira, is the son of Dharmaraja (the per- tered by a vulgar fool? A person who praises some one in his presence
sonification of religiosity) and himself a very learned and religious per- but criticizes him behind his back is no better than a dog.”
son. The conversation between these two greatly exalted personalities Yudhisthira, “How should one debate with an unscrupulous person?”
provides priceless gems of wisdom for us to savor and absorb. Bhishma replied, “In a debate the tactics of a truthful person are lim-
Bhishmadeva supports and illustrates most of his instructions with pas- ited, but a deceitful person can utilize any abominable method. How-
times from the Puranas and Vedic injunctions, which have not been ever, if the truthful person were to use the same tactics as his opponent,
presented for the sake of brevity. Although Yudhisthira’s questions are he will find himself at a greater disadvantage, for he is acting contrary to
personal, pertaining to himself in the role of a king, it is understood that his nature. Therefore a truthful and honest person should always avoid
they are universally applicable and ultimately for our benefit. an argument with an unscrupulous person.”
Yudhisthira then inquired, “How should one behave towards a more
Dealing with distress powerful enemy?”
****************** Bhishma replied, “Even though the
Yudhisthira inquired, “Please tell me swift current of the river can uproot and
what should be done when one falls into carry huge trees, the canes survive since
so much distress that he is attacked not they bend with the current. Similarly, in
only by his enemies but also his order to survive an enemy more power-
friends?” ful, one must yield while staying firmly
Bhishma replied, “A person who has anchored to the roots.”
great presence of mind and foresight Yudhisthira inquired, “What should a
earns happiness whereas the procrasti- weak person do if out of foolishness and
nator meets with destruction. It is only pride he provokes a powerful enemy?”
due to time and circumstance and noth- Bhishma replied, “O King, the weaker
ing else that one becomes a friend or person must repent and thus appease the
enemy. So a person, who can intelli- stronger enemy.”
gently act accordingly, by sometimes Yudhisthira inquired, “What is the
rejecting so-called friends and some- origin of all sin?”
times befriending so-called enemies, is Bhishma replied, “Greed, the hankering
far superior to one who simply has presence of mind or foresight.” to posses more than one’s naturally ordained quota is the origin of all
Bhishma then instructed Yudhisthira on the matter of trust. “A father sin. The desire to posses that which belongs to another is insatiable and
and mother can be trusted naturally, but friends and companions need to gives rise to anger, lust, loss of judgment, arrogance, miserliness, lack of
be constantly rewarded to secure their trust. Animosity arises out of five compassion, enviousness, mistrust and many other evils. Ignorance is
causes: women, wealth, harsh words, natural incompatibility and injury. made up of the same material as greed, though if analyzed it can be seen
Feelings of animosity, once created, always lie dormant in the heart, just that ignorance also comes from greed. As one’s greed increases, his
as fire is in wood. Once ignited they can not be extinguished unless one ignorance also becomes denser.”
of the parties is destroyed. Therefore one must never trust a person he Yudhisthira inquired, “What produces the highest merit?”
has animosity with, despite assurances to the contradictory, for such Bhishma replied, “Self-restraint surpasses all other activities in this
animosity lingers for a very long time.” regard and is therefore considered to be the highest virtue. Because self-
Yudhisthira inquired, “What should one do after having lost all pros- restraint purifies and controls every aspect of one’s life it is more impor-
perity?” tant than giving in charity and the study of the Vedas. By self-restraint
Bhishma replied, “One who has fallen into a very distressed condition alone one can achieve liberation from the material world. Self-restraint
of life, bereft of friends, families, wealth and reputation, should practice comprises sense-control, freedom from anger, non-enviousness, imparti-
fortitude and not give way to grief in any circumstance. Indulgence in ality, truthfulness, steadiness and contentment. However, the essential
grief destroys one’s beauty, duration of life, prosperity and virtue. One quality of self-restraint is austerity. No good can be achieved without
who constantly dwells on his misfortune looses all enthusiasm, mental austerity.”
equilibrium and bodily strength, and thus meets total defeat. On the Yudhisthira then inquired, “O Bhishma is there any rule that should
other hand, if a distressed person remains fixed and undisturbed, he can never be violated under any condition?”
easily regain his position when the next opportunity arises.” Bhishma replied. “The worship of true Brahmins and giving them all
Yudhisthira inquired, “My dear Bhishma, what are the various kinds kinds of respect must never be given up under any circumstance”
of activities?” Contd on Pg 9
Page 5 Quintessence
Navin Jani is pursuing a doctoral degree at the Uni-
RASA-THE TASTE OF DEVOTION versity of California, Irvine, studying Vastu Vidya and
By Navin Jani spiritual aspects of design. He lives in Irvine with his
parents and his wife, Krishna Priya Devi Dasi.
The concept of rasa is pivotal to understanding the Gaudiya We living beings are dependent and incomplete expansions of
Vaishnava philosophy, but it is elusive and often misunderstood1. Krishna, the perfectly independent and eternally complete origin of
Srila Prabhupada followed the example of his guru, Srila Bhak- everything. As such, we too can share in his completeness, but only
tisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and translated this Sanskrit term as by reviving our dormant connection with him. Indeed, the purpose
“mellow.” Although contemporary speakers of American English of our existence is simply to exchange love with him, i.e. to experi-
usually use this word in the sense of “laid back” or “relaxed,” both ence spiritual rasa. Just as he is the ultimate and primary enjoyer, so
acharyas refer to an alternate meaning connected with fruit. A mel- we too are tiny secondary enjoyers who naturally seek pleasure.
low piece of fruit is one that is perfectly soft, ripe and full of flavor. Truly satisfying pleasure, however, can only be attained by adopting
Used as a noun, mellow refers to the sweet juice of such a fruit. a loving service attitude towards him and performing devotional
With this understanding, a more functional (albeit less poetic) trans- activities for him. By so doing, we elicit the sweet rasa of love
lation of rasa might be “taste.” Although the overtones of sweetness which slakes our thirst for happiness.
and liquidity are thus lost, in the interest of clarity I will use the term
taste rather than mellow throughout most of this article. Of course, there are many flavors of this rasa, and no two living
entities enjoy quite the same blend. According to one’s eternal rela-
By taste, we do not indicate merely the flavor of food, but taste in tionship with Krishna in the spiritual world one enjoys a particular
the broadest sense of the word. Rasa is what we get out of an ex- mellow, just as one might lick a rainbow popsicle at different places
perience or relationship. Quite simply, it is the impetus for every- to enjoy a different taste. One may be a neutral meditator, a servant,
thing we do; in all our endeavors, we act out of the desire to relish a a friend, a parent or a lover. Within each of these designations, fur-
particular rasa. In the mundane world, rasa is experienced both ther variety is introduced through the kinds of interactions one may
physically and psychically. Our five senses elicit rasa by coming in have with the Lord. As a result, one can experience laughter, aston-
contact with desirable objects. I can experience a certain taste by ishment, chivalry, lamentation, anger, fear, dread, or some combina-
eating a juicy peach, but I also experience a certain “taste” by look- tion of these. The flavors of rasa are thus infinite in number. It is
ing at the full moon rise over Niagara Falls or scratching the warm important to note the inclusion of supposedly negative emotions in
body of a baby calf. Each of these activities produces a distinctive the above list. In the absolute world, even these give pleasure rather
feeling and provides a unique type of pleasure. These feelings ex- than pain.
emplify rasa on the physical level.
We also experience rasa through relation-
ships. By conversing with an old friend, or
helping teach my young child to walk, I also
“taste” something. Notice, though, that the
type of experience varies from one relation-
ship to another. I might describe myself as
happy in both cases, but it’s not exactly the
same kind of happiness. Such rasa can be
considered to be on the psychic level, be-
cause interactions with others primarily in-
volve the mind and intelligence, rather than
merely the senses. Of course, the physical pleasures described in the
last paragraph may also involve the mind (the moon might remind
me of camping as a child) and psychic pleasures may also involve
the senses (I might be holding the hand of my child while he walks),
but one dimension or the other usually characterizes our experience
more strongly than the other.
Such is rasa on the mundane level. What then of spiritual rasa?
Here we come to the heart of the matter. Vaishnava philosophy 1
Two other concepts in particular are often confused with rasa. One is rati.
holds that the physical and psychic rasa of this world are merely The five direct and seven indirect relationships with Krishna (described later in
reflections of the original rasa of the transcendental realm. The this article) are usually described as rasas, e.g. madhurya rasa. However, the
relationships themselves are more accurately termed ratis. Rasa is not the rela-
latter can only be experienced through the soul. And what is the tionship itself, but rather the taste or experience of acting in that relationship.
object from which (or whom) we may elicit this sublimely pleasur- Thus, one who has madhurya rati, a conjugal feeling of love towards Krishna,
able taste? It is Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead can taste madhurya rasa. (Incidentally, such rati occurs in the devotional stage
and the akhila rasamrita murti (the personification or embodiment immediately preceeding prema, and therefore represents an extremely advanced
stage of devotion).
of all wonderful nectarean rasas.) By taking a closer look at the The other object of confusion is the term raasa. As Srila Prabhupada explains
process of relishing spiritual rasa centered on Krishna, we will be in the Krsna book, “From the Vedic literature it appears that when a theatrical
able to more clearly understand how mundane rasa operates and actor dances among many dancing girls, the group dance is called a raasa
how it falls short of its perfect original counterpart. dance.” Therefore, Krishna’s pastime of dancing in a circle with his gopi girl-
friends is described as his raasa lila. Of course, one would expect all of the par-
ticipants in this raasa dance (long “a”) to be relishing madhurya rasa (short “a”).
Page 6
RASA-THE TASTE OF DEVOTION Contd from Page 5
So much for our natural situation in the kingdom of God. Down here, As might be expected (given our actual identities as spiritual expansions
our innate propensity to seek pleasure through tasting rasa is misdi- of the Lord), the rasa which we taste in such indirect ways is nowhere
rected. Without Krishna in the picture, we turn to material objects and near as satisfying as that which is available through connection with
mundane relationships. The process, however, remains the same. Srila Krishna. Indeed, that is the lesson to be learned in this world. Any
Bhaktivinode Thakura gives the example of eating a rasagulla. The pleasure which we derive from objects and relationships here is only the
rasagulla itself takes the place of Krishna as the object we are depend- insubstantial shadow of what Krishna can offer us. We simply have to
ing on to find pleasure. Through our different senses we elicit a particu- let him back into the picture and re-awaken our dormant loving relation-
lar property of the rasagulla, just as living beings in the spiritual world ship with him. Then we’ll be able to enjoy an unending cascade of fla-
elicit different tastes from Krishna by serving him in different relation- vorful mellows of every variety and we’ll be truly happy. As the Vedic
ships and moods. With our eyes we enjoy its white roundness, with aphorism states, “Raso vai sah rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati.”
our nose we enjoy the scent of rose water, and with our fingers we enjoy “He himself is rasa, the taste or mellow of a particular relationship. And
its soft squishiness. And with our tongue we enjoy the scrumptious taste certainly one who achieves this rasa becomes anandi, filled with
of the rasagulla. We are, in effect, serving the rasagulla. How’s that bliss” (Taittiriya Upanisad 2.7.1).
for disconcerting!
The same applies for psychic rasa. When we find pleasure through
interactions with friends and family members, we are actually serving
them in place of serving Krishna. Such service subsequently generates
its own unique pleasure. At this point, one may wonder how it is possi-
ble for us to get any kind of rasa from matter or other tiny living enti-
ties. It is one thing to derive pleasure from Krishna, the complete whole
and original embodiment of all rasa, but what can these substitutes of-
fer? Nothing, on their own. Nevertheless, out of his kindness Krishna
empowers them with tiny portions of his energy so that we fallen souls
can find (in some small degree) what we abandoned the spiritual world
in search of: pleasure without Krishna. The rasagulla is infused with
some potency such that we may derive a particular sensual experience
from it, and our child is similarly empowered with potency such that we
can derive the satisfaction of parental emotions from interacting with
him.
Balaji Soundararajan is pursuing his doctoral
CROSSWORD CORNER For Beginners
(Answers are Sanskrit words:
studies in Material Science and Engineering at
The Penn State University, PA.
Compiled by Balaji Soundararajan Use English letters)
Across:
2 Very old - Bhagavatam is an example
5 Knowledge
7 Spiritual teacher
8 Master of all senses
11 Disciplic succession
13 Renounced order of life
16 Process of chanting the holy names
17 Abode of Lord Krishna
18 Faith
19 In pure form, this is unmixed with jnana and karma
Down:
1 Reservoir of pleasure
3 Philosophical portion of the vedas
4 He is related to Bhagavan
6 Form of the Lord
9 Remembering the Lord
10 Impersonal effulgence of the Lord
12 This delivers ones mind
13 Eternal
14 Liberation
15 Queen Madri's husband
Answers on Page 11
Page 7 Quintessence
HOLY PLACES OF INDIA Sushma Mangalpady works in Bangalore, India
where she lives with her husband Ashwin Haldipur.
The Krishna temple at udupi Priya Rajagopal lives with her husband Aravind
Compiled by Sushma Mangalpady and Priya Rajagopal Mohanram in Shrewsbury, MA.
The purpose of visiting a holy became completely covered within a large mass of gopi-candana clay
place is to increase our re- (the yellowish clay that Vaishnavas use daily in marking their forehead
membrance of the Lord and and parts of the freshly bathed body). Some sailors loaded the clay onto
to get the chance to glorify their merchant ship as ballast and went on its southward journey. Upon
Him. In such a holy place, seeing the ship in danger, Srila Madhvacarya who was then meditating
pure devotees constantly on the bank guided the vessel to safety. Eager to show his appreciation,
chant the glories of the Lord the captain offered Madhvacharya a gift from the ship's cargo and
inviting His auspicious pres- Madhvacharya agreed to take some gopi-candana clay. As the clay was
ence. Udupi is one of the being brought to him, it broke apart and revealed a large Deity of Lord
most revered pilgrimage sites in India. It is said to have attained the Krishna. In great transcendental ecstasy, Madhvacharya composed a
status of Vaikuntha, the kingdom of God, because the Supreme Person- prayer and carried the Lord to Udupi. Back in Udupi, Madhvacharya
ality of Godhead came and stayed there in response to the desire of His bathed the Lord in a lake now known as Madhva-sarovara and enshrined
pure devotee Srila Madhvacarya, a great thirteenth-century Vaishnava Him in the Lord Krishna temple.
spiritual master, who preached the theistic philosophy of pure dualism
(Absolute difference between Lord and the living entities). Worship
Srila Madhvacarya instituted rigorous
Significance of the temple and place standards for worshipping Lord Krishna,
The holy town of Udupi lies on the Arabian Sea in and whenever he was in Udupi he would
the South Indian state of Karnataka. The town is personally perform the daily worship
famous as a place of pilgrimage because of the tem-
ple of Lord Krishna founded by Srila Madhvacharya
ceremonies for the Lord. Before his de-
in A.D. 1238–1317. The presiding Deity here is parture from this world, Srila Madhva-
Lord Bala-Krishna, the Supreme Personality of God- carya appointed eight of his sannyasi dis-
head as a young child. Srila Madhvacharya made the ciples to take charge of the worship at
temple the headquarters of a new devotional move- Lord Krishna temple and to continue
ment, which eventually spread all over the country. Thousands of devo- propagating the cult of devotion to
tees throng the Udupi temple all round the year to catch a glimpse of Krishna in the region. The unique feature
Lord Krishna. The town is named after Lord Shiva, the most powerful of this temple is that the Bala-Krishna Deity is viewed through a
demigod and the greatest devotee of Lord Vishnu, "Udupi" being de- grating referred to as the Navagraha kindi, which has nine square
rived from "Udupa" another name of Lord Shiva meaning "he who car-
ries the moon on his head."
holes. The Navagraha window is covered with silver sheets em-
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu during His travels to the Holy places in bossed with 24 different images of Lord Krishna.
South India visited this famous temple. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
received great pleasure in seeing this beautiful form of Gopala and Festivals
danced and chanted in transcendental ecstasy. One of the main festivals celebrated
in Udupi is the Car Festival or Ratha
Madhvacharya: Srila Madhvacharya yatra. Replete with a decorated ele-
appeared in the 13th century in Udupi. He phant and a musical band, the color-
wrote a number of works, which refuted ful parade is an almost nightly event
the philosophy of Sri Shankaracarya, who in Udupi. Residents and pilgrims
preached impersonalism or advaita alike turn out en masse to see the
(Absolute oneness). Madhvacharya took Lord riding high upon His cart. The
sannyasa at the age of twelve and traveled procession stops at intervals along
all over India. He had the personal asso- the route, and the Lord is entertained
ciation of Srila Vyasadeva, the compiler of by firework displays and worshiped by many offerings. The other im-
all Vedic literatures in the Himalayan portant festivals celebrated are Matsya Jayanti (Appearance day of Lord
abode of Badarikasrama. There, Madhava- Krishna’s incarnation as fish), Rama navami (Appearance day of the
charya presented his commentary on Bha- Lord’s incarnation as Lord Rama), Janmashtami (Appearance day of
gavad-gita before that venerable sage. Srila Madhavacharya was known Lord Krishna in His original form), Narasimha Chaturdasi (Appearance
for his physical and intellectual prowess and was considered to be an day of Lord Narshimha, the half-man half-lion incarnation of Lord
incarnation of Vayu, the wind god. Krishna) and Madhva Navami (Appearance day of Srila Madhvacharya).
How Lord Krishna came to Udupi? How to reach Udupi
The amazing story of how the Bala-Krishna Deity crossed the ocean Udupi is located at a distance of 36 km (22 miles) from Mangalore.
from faraway Dvaraka in Northwest India to Udupi in the south is told Regular Bus service is available from Mangalore to Udupi. The nearest
in Madhva-vijaya, the biography of Srila Madhvacarya. In Dvaraka, one airports and railway stations are Mangalore (60 km) and Bangalore (381
of the main places of Krishna’s pastimes on earth five thousand years km).
ago, Queen Rukminidevi, Lord Krishna’s consort, had a Deity made of
child Krishna holding a churning rod and rope. Later, after the Lord Acknowledgements: ‘How Lord Krishna came to Udupi’ by Kundali
returned to His spiritual abode with His retinue, Arjuna deposited the Dasa in Back to Godhead magazine, Volume 20, number 6, 1985.
Deity in a place called Rukminivana. In the course of centuries the Deity
Page 8
VEGGIE CORNER
PURAN POLI Rangavati Devi Dasi, a disciple of 7. Remove from the heat now.
Sweet Indian Stuffed bread HH Radhanath Swami, lives with her hus- 8. Allow it to cool and remove all the lumps.
band Vrajalila Das in College Park, MD.
By Rangavati Devi Dasi 9. Add cardamom powder, saffron and freshly grated nutmeg
powder and mix well.
Puran Poli is one of the traditional 10. Form 10 balls of equal size (about 2 inch) and reserve.
dishes prepared mainly for festive
time in Maharashtra, North India. It Make Poli/Bread
is bread stuffed with lentils, molasses 1. Sieve wheat flour. (This is important as sieving helps in re-
and spices. Puran stands for the moving unwanted particles present in flour and makes the dough
sweet filling part of the bread and soft).
poli, the bread made of refined flour. 2. Mix refined flour, ghee, water and turmeric powder.
Ingredients 3. Make very soft and pliable dough by kneading it very well
For Puran/Filling (Use oil/ghee to knead).
∗ 1 cup chana dhal (yellow split peas), soaked in water 4. Keep it under a wet cloth for an hour.
for 4 hours 5. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions.
∗ 1 cup molasses/jaggery (adjust for sweetness)
∗ ½ teaspoon (2 ml) cardamom powder Make Puran Poli
∗ ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) nutmeg powder 1. With greased palms, take one ball of
∗ A generous pinch of saffron dough and flatten it into a disc of the
For Poli/Bread size of the palm. (Knead the dough gen-
∗ 1 cup wheat flour –(refined) tly before rolling).
2. Place a ball of puran paste/filling
∗ 2 tablespoons (40 ml) ghee/clarified butter
(made above), in the center.
∗ ½ teaspoon (2 ml) turmeric powder
3. Fold the disc from all sides to cover/
∗ 1/3 cup water seal the paste completely.
Method 4. On a well-floured board, preferably over a sheet of clean trans-
Make Puran/Filling parent plastic wrap, gently roll out each poli to a 6 inches disc.
1. Cook chana dhal (If the paste tries to slide out, use a little rice flour for smooth
with plenty of water rolling).
till soft. 5. Preheat a griddle or non-stick heavy frying pan over moder-
2. Drain out excess ately low heat for 3 - 4 minutes.
water when it is still 6. Carefully pick up the puran poli and slap it between your
hot, till dhal is abso- hands to remove the excess flour.
lutely dry using a 7. Roast each poli on a hot, dry griddle with no oil or ghee.
colander. Roast both sides till golden brown and aromatic. (Do not flip the
3. Take a pan and over medium heat, add this dry cooked dhal. sides over and over)
4. Add jaggery to this hot boiled dhal and cook. 9. Smear with ghee on both sides when done.
5. Keep stirring constantly so that it will not burn or stick to the 10. Offer to Krishna with clarified butter or a bowl of milk
vessel. Serve warm.
6. Cook till blended and mash into a soft paste. (The exact con-
sistency is reached when it leaves sides of the vessel and gets If you have any questions or comments, please contact
thicker) Rangavati Devi Dasi at rangavati_rns@rediffmail.com
IMPORTANCE OF JAPA
From the Japa Reform Notebook by His Holiness Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami
Most difficult is controlling the mind. But the chanting itself is intended to control the mind. So you must practice until you become
expert, until you are perfectly pronouncing the holy names and controlling the mind. The mind always wanders. The senses always
tend to drowse in the early morning hours. Therefore, good japa is a matter of successfully combating these things. Like the example
of steering a car: keeping control means keeping from going out of control-it is natural that the care heads off the road.
Srila Prabhupada is constantly repeating it, “Chant sixteen rounds and avoid the offenses in chanting”. It is a practice. It takes prac-
tice. Whatever you practice, the body can learn to do. Chant, chant, chant!
Page 9 Quintessence
Servant of the senses Contd from Page 1
Srila Prabhupada: No, no. Not expecting any fruits give me some money; I will go to the cinema." They
is not enough. You must do more than that. You must are serving, and they have given everything. This is
give the fruits unto Krishna. Give the result of your service. They are not poor. They're earning, but eve-
prescribed duties to Krishna. You can earn a million rything for Krishna.
dollars, but don't simply take it all yourself or lavish it If you divide your income partially—"Some percent-
on your family. Give this fruit to Krishna. That is real age for Krishna, some percentage for my sense grati-
service. fication"—then Krishna says, ye yatha maà prapadyante
Just like you are working as a medical practitioner. So taàs tathaiva bhajamy aham: "As all surrender unto Me,
give your earnings to Krishna. Then you become I reward them accordingly, proportionately." If you
perfect. We simply have to see that by our work have spent cent percent of your energy for Krishna,
Krishna is satisfied. Krishna says yat karoñi: "Never Krishna is cent percent for you. And if you have spent
mind what you are doing." Tat kuruñva mad-arpaëam: one percent for Krishna. He is one percent for you.
"Give Me it." [Srila Prabhupada laughs.] And people Responsive cooperation.
say, "No, no, no, sir. I am serving You, but the money This movement has advanced so much all over the
“Not expecting any is in my pocket." world because we have these boys and girls who have
fruits is not enough. Dr. Patel: Everything is Krishna's. How can you give dedicated everything for Krishna. Therefore it has so
You must give the anything? Even a leaf? quickly advanced. They do not think of anything per-
fruits unto Srila Prabhupada: Oh, yes, yes. Just like these boys sonal. Only how to serve Krishna. Saàsiddhir hari-
Krishna.” and girls are giving. They are giving their whole life. toñaëam: the highest perfection is to please the Su-
They do not ask me for money: "My dear sir, please preme Personality of Godhead.
INSTRUCTIONS OF BHISHMADEV Contd from Page 4
Supreme duty of life bondage.”
***************** Yudhisthira inquired, “How can the grief of the loss of a loved one be
Yudhisthira inquired, “Since time seems to destroy everything, what mitigated?”
should be sought after?” Bhishma replied, “By realizing that you yourself are as much an object
Bhishma replied, “One should seek to determine the supreme duty of of pity as the person who has departed, for soon others will also lament
life. One should not live in ignorance throughout the life, thinking that your death. The material body of a person changes and that is never a
only in old-age real this knowledge may be cultivated. Death can snatch cause of lamentation, just as the growth from infancy to youth and old-
us at any time and one’s life may be finished before one’s mission is age is not lamented upon. The understanding that the real person, the
fulfilled. Thus from the earliest time, one should endeavor to embark on cause of the consciousness in the inert, changeable material body never
the supreme duty of life.” dies will mitigate all pains.”
Yudhisthira inquired, “My dear Bhishma, please describe to me the Yudhisthira inquired, “My dear Bhishma, you have described the path
supreme duty of life, and the results which are obtained by its perform- of self-realization by liberation from material engagements. Is there
ance?” anything superior to this?”
Bhishma replied, “My dear Yudhisthira, religious duties are numerous Bhishma replied, “Krishna is the Supreme Lord of all demigods and the
and diverse and the correct performance of any one of them will never eternal divine Purusha. He is the soul of all souls and the origin of eve-
be futile. But, dedication to the path of self-realization is the supremely rything. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is achieved by means of
religious duty that stands above all others. The realization that all things unmotivated devotional service and no other means. Those who serve
in the material world are temporary and thus of no inherent value auto- Him out of supreme love achieve residence in His abode. That is the
matically results in a gradual detachment from desires for material en- highest path of self-realization.”
joyment. Such self-realization will result in liberation from material
PEARLS OF WISDOM
Who is Expert? By His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Expert means whatever he is doing, he must do it You take up what you can do very nicely and do it
very nicely That's all. Suppose you are sweeping nicely. We have so many works. Krishna is not that
this room. You can do it very nicely, to your best He is static. He is dynamic force. Just like Arjuna,
knowledge. That is an expert. The people will say, he was not a Vedantist, he was not a brahmana, he
"Oh, you have very nicely done." Any work you do, was not a sannyasi. He was householder. He was
do it very nicely. That is expert. Don't do it haphaz- military man. But he knew his business, how to do
ardly. To your best talent, to your best capacity, try it nicely. So you do your business nicely. That is
to finish it very nicely, whatever it may be. You are expert.
entrusted with some work. Do it nicely. That is
expert. If you think that you are unable to do that Expertness is you just try to do which is easily per-
work, then whatever work you can do, you take. formed by you. You don't accept anything heavy
“Suppose you are sweeping But do it nicely. That is expert. task because Krishna does not want that you have to
this room. You can do it very do this heavy task. Whatever you know, you just
nicely, to your best Don't imitate. "Oh, I have no capacity to work in apply it. You dovetail it in Krishna consciousness.
that way, but I want to imitate. Oh, he is doing that. Krishna does not say that you have to become like
knowledge. That is expert.”
I shall do that." Don't do that. That is not expert. this, like that, like that, then you can serve Him.
LESSONS FROM THE GITA– VERSE 3.42 Page 10
From Bhagavad Gita As it is– By His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur
indriyebhyaḥ paraḿ manaḥ
manasas tu parā buddhir
yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ
SYNONYMS
indriyāṇi — senses; parāṇi — superior; āhuḥ — are said; indriyebhyaḥ — more than the senses; param — superior; manaḥ — the mind; manasaḥ
— more than the mind; tu — also; parā — superior; buddhiḥ — intelligence; yaḥ — who; buddheḥ — more than the intelligence; parataḥ — supe-
rior; tu — but; saḥ — he.
TRANSLATION
The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even
higher than the intelligence.
PURPORT
The senses are different outlets for the activities of lust. Lust is reserved within the body, but it is given vent through the senses. Therefore, the
senses are superior to the body as a whole. These outlets are not in use when there is superior consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In Kṛṣṇa
consciousness the soul makes direct connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore the hierarchy of bodily functions, as described
here, ultimately ends in the Supreme Soul. Bodily action means the functions of the senses, and stopping the senses means stopping all bodily ac-
tions. But since the mind is active, then even though the body may be silent and at rest, the mind will act — as it does during dreaming. But above
the mind is the determination of the intelligence, and above the intelligence is the soul proper. If, therefore, the soul is directly engaged with the
Supreme, naturally all other subordinates, namely, the intelligence, mind and senses, will be automatically engaged. In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad there is
a similar passage, in which it is said that the objects of sense gratification are superior to the senses, and mind is superior to the sense objects. If,
therefore, the mind is directly engaged in the service of the Lord constantly, then there is no chance that the senses will become engaged in other
ways. This mental attitude has already been explained. paraḿ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. If the mind is engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord,
there is no chance of its being engaged in the lower propensities. In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad the soul has been described as mahān, the great. Therefore
the soul is above all — namely, the sense objects, the senses, the mind and the intelligence. Therefore, directly understanding the constitutional
position of the soul is the solution of the whole problem.
With intelligence one has to seek out the constitutional position of the soul and then engage the mind always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That solves
the whole problem. A neophyte spiritualist is generally advised to keep aloof from the objects of the senses. But aside from that, one has to
strengthen the mind by use of intelligence. If by intelligence one engages one's mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by complete surrender unto the Su-
preme Personality of Godhead, then, automatically, the mind becomes stronger, and even though the senses are very strong, like serpents, they will
be no more effective than serpents with broken fangs. But even though the soul is the master of intelligence and mind, and the senses also, still,
unless it is strengthened by association with Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is every chance of falling down due to the agitated mind.
EDITOR’S JOTTINGS– A Moment of Silence or A Moment of Vibration
It was the annual 'health and safety' day in my thankfully, I found a definitive answer in one of Srila Prabhupada's
company. In a sober mood, the safety director purports to Srimad Bhagavatam (7.9.46),
shared with us the number of fatal accidents that "Mauna (silence), for example, does not mean that one
had occurred due to the neglect of safety proce- should just stop speaking. The tongue is meant for speaking,
dures at various locations of my company around although sometimes, to make a big show, a person remains
the globe. As a gesture of respect for the de- silent. There are many who observe silence some day in a
parted, he requested us to observe a moment of week. Vaishnavas, however, do not observe such silence.
silence. Silence means not speaking foolishly...This method of si-
lence, therefore, is recommended for persons very attached to
I began to contemplate - for whom were we say- speaking nonsense. One who is not a devotee must speak
ing our prayers and what would actually benefit them. Every living nonsensically because he does not have the power to speak
entity is spiritual by constitution and thus eternal, the Bhagavad-Gita about the glories of Krishna. Thus whatever he says is influ-
declares. What we call 'death' simply refers to the body. The soul never enced by the illusory energy and is compared to the croaking
dies. The so-called dead continue to live on - only their bodies perish. of a frog. One who speaks about the glories of the Lord,
Based on their karma and consciousness at the time of death, one takes however, has no need to be silent. Caitanya Mahaprabhu
up birth again in some species, human, animal or others. The greatest recommends...one should go on chanting the glories of the
welfare that one can do to those facing death or the dead is giving them Lord twenty-four hours a day. There is no question of be-
spiritual benefit - praying to God for their eternal welfare by humbly coming mauna, or silent."
requesting Him to save them from the cycle of birth and death. So, the next time when you are asked to observe a moment of silence,
don't give up the opportunity to vibrate Krishna's Names!
While most of my colleagues fell silent, I thought better than silence is
the chanting of the all auspicious Names of God: Hare Krishna Hare “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,
Rama Hare Hare. Encouraged by this realization, I began softly chant-
Hare Rama Hare Rama
ing the Maha-mantra for the next 2 mins. A colleague near me who
heard my voice gave a puzzled look - but, I did not stop - I had full Rama Rama Hare Hare”
confidence that the spiritual vibrations traveling through the medium of
consciousness could directly benefit those that gave up their bodies and
also those living in that room, whose death is inevitable.
As I thought about this more, a question arose in my mind, why do
people observe this moment of silence and did I do the right thing?
Page 11 Quintessence
Order your copy now!
Hidden Glory of India: By Steven J Rosen
ISBN:0-89213-351-1
Softbound, 192 pages,
Publisher: The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
Available for sale at: www.krishna.com
Here's the most concise, colorful overview of philosophy and culture of Vaishnavism, or bhakti-yoga--
the hidden glory of India.
After thirty years of research, Steven J. Rosen (Satyaraja Dasa) breaks open the vault of Gaudiya
Vaishnavism, revealing everything from the basics of the spiritual path to advanced techniques for
chanting the maha-mantra.
The Hidden Glory of India is the world's first full-color overview of Krishna consciousness, with easy-to-
read sections on such subjects as Krishna and His incarnations, Radha and the gopis, the significance of
om, the meaning of mantras, the nature of the demigods, Krishna conscious perspectives on women, dance,
music and art, and how all this relates to contemporary Hinduism. A perfect gift for family members and
friends, The Hidden Glory of India is as beautiful to look at as it is rich in philosophy and wisdom.
CHILDREN’S CORNER PAINT DHRUVA MAHARAJ AND LORD VISHNU
This history is from the Fourth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam.
Dhruva Maharaja was the son of a great king Uttanapada.
Banished from his royal father's lap by his stepmother, young
Dhruva Maharaja decides to seek a kingdom that would rival
that of his father. To obtain this power and position, he went
to the forest and performed severe austerities, and ultimately
the Supreme Personality of Godhead-Lord Vishnu appeared
before him! He offered obeisances to the Supreme Lord and
prayed in a repentant spirit, for he was sorry that he had
sought the Lord for such insignificant things as land and
power.
Dhruva Maharaja prayed, “Please, Lord, bless me with the
association of great devotees who engage in Your transcen-
dental loving service. I am becoming mad to hear about Your
transcendental qualities and pastimes, which are eternally
existent.” The Lord awarded Dhruva with the planet of Pole-
star which continues to exist even after dissolution of others.
Thus, the best way to begin spiritual life is to chant the Hare
Krishna mantra, associate with devotees and hear topics
about Krishna, such as this history of Dhruva Maharaja, who
was Krishna’s devotee.
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
NEWS FROM MIT Page 12
During the month of September, the bhakti-yoga club at MIT invited His Holiness Candramauli Swami and His Holiness Romapada Swami,
senior disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, as part of its special lecture series.
His Holiness Candramauli Swami gave a thought-provoking talk
on “Karma and Re-incarnation”. He explained the complex laws
of karma in very simple and concise language clearing common
misconceptions and presenting their true purpose.
On September 26th, His Holiness Romapada Maharaj, spoke on “Resetting
Our Directional Compass: The Paradox of Progress”. With highly informa-
tive and attractive powerpoint slides, His Holiness discussed the challenges
that we face within the modern world. Aided by the wisdom from over 5000-
year-old Vedic scriptures, he explored the time-tested process of improving
the quality of our lives.
For more information on the Bhakti Yoga Club
Contact Aravind at psuaravind@yahoo.com
NEWS FROM PSU
Matter does not matter, Spirit does!!
An open discussion on 'Religion and Spirituality' was
conducted on the Sep 14th coordinated by HH Jayadvaita
Maharaj. The talk was well attended with over 40 people
from various streams of education. Questions asked
ranged from the most common queries like 'What is the
difference between Buddhism and Hinduism', 'Caste in
Vedic system' to 'Goal of one's life' to 'How Maharaj
joined the movement'. Maharaj also gave a Bhagavatam
class on Sep 15th on how Parikshit Maharaj gave up his
kingdom voluntarily.
As part of the funded lecture series, we had
'Perfection of Yoga – Pure love' by HG Garuda Das
(Dr. Graham Schweig) on Oct 19th. The lecture/
discussion was well attended, but most importantly
the participants of the discussion were enthusiastic!
Garuda Das said that like 'Poetry uses words to go
beyond words', 'Yoga uses body to go beyond body'.
He also gave Bhagavatam class the following
day and spoke from SB 1.1.7 and gave a sketch
of the organization of Vedic texts.
HG Yugal Kishore Das from New Vrindavan gave us his wonderful asso- Upcoming Events:
ciation on Sep 25th. He spoke about 'How to progress in spiritual life?' He Lecture and home program by HH Romapada
gave the example of Mother Ganga and said that she is determined to Swami on Nov 8th-10th.
reach the ocean no matter how difficult her path is. Three key qualities he
said, needed for progressing in spiritual life are being sincere, determined
and focused. www.thevedicsociety.org
NEWS FROM OSU
Yoga Circle
at
The Ohio State University
The Yoga Circle at OSU organized a musical trib-
ute to George Harrison at the newly refurbished
recreation center on campus - Featuring the best-
selling author Joshua Greene, the wonderful musi-
cian Godfrey Townsend, and a theme that pays
tribute to the music and spiritual inspiration of
George Harrison, one of the world-famous Beatles,
known also for his commitment to spirituality.
In this 90-minute program, the performers take one
through the cultural and spiritual influences that
shaped George Harrison’s beliefs and post-Beatles
music in order to better understand the nature and
variety of mystic experience.
The event was organized in partnership with the
Student Wellness Center that is trying to promote
opportunities for non-alcoholic entertainment for
students on Friday nights. Importantly, spirituality
is one of their agenda items for health and wellness
on campus. This package, conceived and put to-
gether by Joshua Greene, offers a great way of
http://krishna.org.ohio-state.edu/Moonlight.htm encapsulating a beautiful message in an entertain-
ment package that everyone can enjoy.
NEWS FROM TUFTS
Starting from Aug 2006, the Tufts Bhakti Yoga Club meets every week to discuss the
Bhagavad Gita.
On Sep 25, 2006, the club had its first special presenta-
tion by H.H. Romapada Swami. His Holiness spoke on
'Karma and Reincarnation' and the presentation was
well-received.
Aided by a 50 minute fascinating audio-visual presen-
tation, His Holiness explained the science of transmi-
gration of the soul, and its natural connection with the
law of karma. He also explored how various world
religions and great personalities in world history have
viewed these tenets or convictions.
For more information Contact:
Partha at partha.biswas@gmail.com
Quintessence Team: Advisor: H H Romapada Swami Editor-in-chief: Aravind Mohanram Design and Layout: Padmaja Vittal
[psuaravind@yahoo.com] Cover Page Design: Priya Rajagopal
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