Unthinking words reflect an uncaring heart

Posted by dinesh

Our words are like a mirror that give others peeks into our hearts. If the mirror is unclean, it distorts whatever it reflects. Similarly, if our words are thoughtless, they can give others a distorted picture of our heart. We may deeply care for others, but if we are careless in the words we use with them, they will misunderstand us. And the responsibility for that misunderstanding will fall on us, not them.
When we are stressed, we may vent ourselves by speaking harshly to anyone who just happens to come our way. Or when we are annoyed with someone, we may burst out by speaking cutting words that are way out of proportion with their mistake, even if we are correct in assuming that the mistake is theirs. Our inconsiderate words may make them feel that we are inimical to them, thereby scarring or shattering their hearts and disrupting, even destroying, our relationship.
No matter how busy we are, if we want to see our reflection, we take the few moments necessary to clean the mirror. Similarly, no matter how pressured we may be, we need to take the time necessary to clear our mind of the dust of impulsive emotions and think carefully about the words we use to express ourselves. The Bhagavad-gita (17.15) urges us to discipline our speech by choosing words that are non-agitating. The same verse urges us to speak truthfully, meaning that we don't have to pamper others with counterfactual flattery. But we do need to temper our emotions by using words that reflect our care. Such words increase the probability that they will hear us out objectively, not defensively or aggressively, thereby facilitating resolution and reconciliation.
When we learn to use words thoughtfully, our words won't unintentionally drive others away, but will draw them closer to us.

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Solar Eclipses are not Caused by the Moon

Posted by dinesh

Solar Eclipses are not Caused by the Moon

According to Vedic Astronomy, the most ancient and accurate system of astronomy on the planet, solar eclipses are not caused by the Moon coming in front of the Sun as astronomers believe. Rather the Moon is described as being further away than the Sun and what happens at the time of a solar eclipse is the Moon goes behind the Sun and a dark planet call Rahu comes between the Sun and the Earth.

Of course, because we have been conditioned to believe as fact the structure of the universe as it has been taught to us since childhood we find it very difficult to accept such a thing. But it only requires a little thought to see that actually the 'modern' scientific idea is incompatible with our observations and the timeless Vedic knowledge is compatible with our observations.

Look at the moon on a full-moon night. It is shining so brightly that it lights up the whole surface of the Earth. On a full moon night you can very clearly see everything. Of course it is not as bright as the sunshine, but everything is very clearly visible. And if you were to view the earth from space on a full moon night it would not be dark. It would be illuminated by the moonshine and all the features of the earth would be clearly visible.

As there is 'moonshine' there must also be 'earthshine'. Much of the earth is covered by water which is a good reflector of sunlight. In fact the scientists say 'earthshine' is much brighter than 'moonshine'. And according to our understanding the earth is enormous in comparison to the size of the moon. So if the moonshine can completely illuminate this earth on a full moon night then the earthshine can completely illuminate the moon.

The 'earthshine' bombarding the moon at the time of a total solar eclipse would be at almost fifty times brighter than the moonshine on the earth on a full moon night.

earth and moon

The Earth and Moon, to scale, in terms of both size and albedo/reflectivity. Note how much fainter the Moon appears, as it absorbs light much better than Earth does.

If Western astronomers are correct the solar eclipse would be the prefect time to see the moon illuminated by earthshine. The shadow created which causes the solar eclipse on earth is, according to NASA, at most 167 miles wide. So if you were sitting on the moon during a solar eclipse you would see an extremely bright earth planet with a dark circle of only 167 miles wide. This is not enough to diminish the earthshine in any significant way. So even though the sun is behind the moon, the full force of the sunshine is hitting the earth and reflecting off those shiny blue oceans and reflecting off the land also. So the moon is completely illuminated by earthshine, even though the sun is directly behind it.

Now if Western astronomers were correct, if you were in that 167 mile wide path of the total eclipse of the sun when the sun was completely covered you would of course see the sky become black and then you could see the stars. But if the sun was covered by the moon you would be able to see the moon quite clearly, in front of the sun, illuminated by the 'earthshine'. Of course it would not be as bright as the full moon, but the earthshine would certainly illuminate the surface of the moon so we could clearly see it and clearly make out the features on the moon's surface.

But this does not happen… During a solar eclipse the sun goes completely black and even though the sunlight is blocked out and the sky goes black one can not detect the moon at all. It is just black. No moon. Of course we should be able to see the features on the moon as it is being bathed in brilliant earthshine… The sun should disappear and we should see the stars and in the place of the sun we should see the moon, illuminated by the earthshine. But we don't see this.

So what does that mean? It means it is not the moon causing the solar eclipses. We know from the Vedas that what causes solar eclipses is a dark planet, currently unknown in the Western world, which hides in the shadow of the moon. Rahu is relatively close to us, around about the same distance as we think the moon is, but it is completely black, it does not reflect light at all. So even though there is plenty of earthshine falling on Rahu, because it is a black planet none of that light will be reflected back so we will see the sun simply blacked out in the sky on a full eclipse. Which is what we do see.

So this is absolute proof that the assumption of Western astronomers that solar eclipses are caused by the moon coming between the earth and the sun is wrong. Because if that was the case we would be able to see the moon during the full eclipse of the sun as it would be bathed in bright earthshine….

Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!

Madhudvisa dasa

Earth Viewed from Moon During Eclipse

Thanks,

Dinesh

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KKSBlog Weekly News - week 26 - 2017

Posted by dinesh

Nectar drops: 25 June 2017

By KKSBlog on Jun 25, 2017 02:13 pm

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The rarity of a brahmana

By KKSBlog on Jun 24, 2017 03:10 pm

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 16 February 2010, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 7.4.12)

Austerity is the wealth of the brahmanas. Great sages like Bhrgu had attained higher planetary systems above the heavenly planets. They were very powerful by dint of their austerity and everyone within the universe was under the control of these great sages. So also a vaisnava, by his austerity in devotional service, is gaining in transcendental strength. Spiritual strength depends on many factors but austerity is an essential element of it. In this age, it is difficult to perform austerity because we are weak and not inclined to austerity. But we see that great personalities in the past were famous because of the austerities they had performed in their spiritual practices.

When Nanda Maharaja was celebrating the appearance of his new born son, at that time Gargamuni appeared. He was sent by Vasudev to perform the birth ceremony. It is said that Nanda Maharaja was highly pleased to receive that brahmana. He worshiped that brahmana because even at such a time, 5000 years ago, such a brahmana was very rare!

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Spiritual life is about the spiritual world

By KKSBlog on Jun 22, 2017 11:32 am

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 13 May 2012, Sydney, Australia, Srimad Bhagavatam 5.11.14)

I remember when the Australian devotees used to come to Vrindavan. I used to be in charge of allocating rooms in the ashram. For the Australian brahmacaris, I used to give them a whole room for themselves which was pretty good and they had somewhere to sleep. In India, basically you have a room with a cement floor and they said to me, "Is this our room? Where is the carpet? It's just a bare floor! But okay, let's go and get some maha! Where are the pizzas?"

In Australia, you know, you have… but that really is a waste of time because spiritual life is about the spiritual world. If you have to choose between a pizza and a chapatti, then most people would choose the pizza, even in India they would go for the pizza. Hridayananda Maharaj told us this happens because a pizza is a self-realised chapatti!

That goes deep if you think about it but still, you know, even pizza at one point just does not do it. Spiritual life is about the spiritual world so let us remember that because in the spiritual world there is no birth, death, old age and disease.

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The self-realised soul

By KKSBlog on Jun 21, 2017 10:13 am

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 June 2012, Cape Town, South Africa, Bhagavad-gita Lecture)

The 5th Chapter of Bhagavad-gita gives us a metaphor of the lotus flower that sits on water but yet is not affected by the water. The water just runs off and the lotus is blossoming in that condition.

In this analogy of the lotus in water, the water represents the struggle for existence that everyone is facing and the lotus is a symbol of one who is not affected by that struggle for existence. A lot of people are under the weather, a lot of people have a story to tell about how tough it is.

But here, we see a lotus – a symbol of beauty and a symbol of being the best while the conditions are difficult. The lotus is representing a self-realised soul, a person who is in this world but at the same time not in this world – who may be physically here but who internally lives in another reality, in another dimension.

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Glorious devotees

By KKSBlog on Jun 20, 2017 07:46 am

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 March 2013, Cape Town, South Africa, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.12.6)

When the disciples of Prabhupada saw him lying on his bed, in his final days, they said, 'How can such a terrible condition happen now? How can this happen?'

Prabhupada said, 'Don't think it will not happen to you because it will.' So, this is the situation. Pure devotees also go through the processes of the material energy. Pure devotees are also embodied. Pure devotees also face hardships – heat and cold, hunger and thirst, disease and old age – they face it all! But they are not taking it seriously because they know that is just the body, it is happening to the body. So this understanding of, 'I'm not the body,' really means that whatever happens is not serious, 'I'm not the body,' and therefore the whole material world which is related to the body, is not important!

The material world, we can just write it off but something which we can use for the service of Krsna, those things we will take but for the rest of the material world, write it off.

Pure devotees dedicate their lives to service. We may not recognize them at first but then they emerge very clearly for all to see. Those extraordinary persons who give their lives, who begin faithfully, who carry on faithfully and then still go on faithfully until the end – those persons become glorious!

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Contemplate first …

By KKSBlog on Jun 19, 2017 10:34 am

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 25 April 2017, Radhadesh, Belgium, Srimad Bhagavatam 7.15.68)

The teachings of Srila Prabhupada, his books and his lectures, are like our anchor. We also get more information from the previous acaryas. In this way, we get a general idea of what to do in our lives. In the Eleventh Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam it is said that one must apply knowledge with one's own intelligence.

Sometimes we judge circumstances, we have our own opinions and we have some doubts about that opinion. We may not immediately buy into some things so we put them on the shelf because we are not against it also. We just put it on the shelf because we are not sure about it. And then in the course of being with other vaisnavas, we get more information on that point or topic and more angles on it, and then we get some vision on how to deal with it.

This is why you should not just deal with things in the mode of passion and as soon you hear something you think is awful, you say, "This is awful. I mean, this is ridiculous! Forget it! I am not going to do that!" This is not the best way to proceed. Best to put it on the shelf, hear from the vaisnavas, absorb more and then proceed carefully and thoughtfully. Every one flies his own plane so you got to figure it out. Good luck and happy flying!

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That man is glowing

Posted by dinesh

That man is glowing

Then Prabhupada came to New York. And there was a reception at the airport and then Prabhupada arrived at the temple, as I remember, a couple of hours late may be even more than a couple of hours. And of course everyone wasn't inside, but then Prabhupada arrived. And Prabhupada spoke on Prahalad Maharaj, that whole time actually Srila Prabhupada was speaking on Prahalad Maharaj extraction from Srimad Bhagavatam. And I remember that on this occasion Srila Prabhupada quoted maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan. maya-sukham means false happiness or illusory happiness and Prabhupada was saying that the civilization is advancing but for that advancement and happiness if we get a little convenience, you get ten times the inconvenience. Then your, whatever you get as happiness, maya takes back and gives back unhappiness equal or more. And Prabhupada gave the example that it took us 2 hours or 3 hours or whatever it was to fly from Los Angeles to New York and then 2 hours to come from the airport to the temple. Because the car is so nice, now we are all stuck in traffic. So, this is maya sukha.

Of course this was the first time I was seeing Srila Prabhupada, and, what can I say ? Srila Prabhupada was a little shorter than I expected. I expected that Srila Prabhupada would be you know kind of large but I was taller than he was, I was lot, I thinner than he was, I was less substantial than just about everybody. And, but Prabhupada was a little shorter, and very effulgent, conspicuously effulgent. As if practically he could light up a room , he was just, I remember, of course may be because of whatever else I was doing, but it would seemed like the area behind Srila Prabhupada would be illuminated .
..Srila Prabhupada ki Jai.
Srila Prabhupada was conspicuously effulgent, that is a characteristic of Krishna, and certainly a characteristic of Srila Prabhupada. So effulgent, in fact Satsvarupa tells a story that someone told him in the interview that Srila Prabhupada was crossing the street and someone, I think some child said to his mother that 'that man is glowing'

Devotee: Maharaj - can I say something? Prabhupada was travelling once in a car, and there was a police car chasing him, that car, the car in the front. And that car stopped Srila Prabhupada's car, the officer came out of the car and he said to the person driving 'this person at the back has a glow in the back?. He could see it from his car that glow and he had come.
Srila Prabhupada ki - Jai.

So Srila Prabhupada was very effulgent, and very, he was very, completely different kind of person from anything, any of us have seen before. Of course his clothing was different, his, his way of moving, his way of speaking, his everything was wonderful actually. Very different and very wonderful.

- From "Lecture on pastimes of Srila Prabhupada" By HH Jayadvaita Swami

Thanks,
Dina Pavana Shyam Das

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What really counts

Posted by dinesh

What really counts
11 Nov 2016 1 Comment - 
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 20 July 2013, Cape Town, South Africa, Spirit Matters Program)


Even when we are so transcendental ourselves, we still have to take people's feelings very serious, even if they are partially motivated by false ego – it doesn't matter, just like a child. But when you are an adult, you see it different although a father leaving home is not a small thing; that is real suffering but what can be done!?
When I was a kid, I lost my favourite toy car in a sand-pit; I never got over it. It was a big thing. I dug up the whole sand-pit and sifted through the whole thing but never found my little golden Jaguar, as it was called. What a drama it was!
Now, of course, I look at it a little bit different but my little golden Jaguar stands there to remind me that for me, that was a very important thing. So, what really counts is what is really important to people. I don't think that we should go around and put labels on people and say, "False ego!"
I think that we should take serious what is serious to others otherwise how will they take us serious. If I am so transcendental that I don't take anybody serious, that doesn't make sense at all. Then I become cold and disinterested from people.
Like Prabhupada, he was very transcendental yet he could be very human with human beings. He was able to come down to what moved people although it didn't move him in the same way.