Surprise video :)

The original version by backstreet boys (warning, its maya!)

Message from the walking treasure house / Nyheter från den vandrande skattgömman. #12

(From the left: Srila Purusottama Maharaj and Srila Gurumaharaj Paramadvaiti)

English: Every week (sundays) we get a message from our Guru, Srila Bhakty Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami. Since january this year I have posted brief summaries of them here on the blog.

Sunday, March 28

Vrindavan, India

Gurumaharaj has become friends with the acharya of the Sri Sampradaya, the lineage of Sri Ramanuja. His name is Jagad-guru Swami Purushottama (to the left on the picture above) and he is very young, only 26 years old. The two made plans of starting a Vaishnava University called Univeda where the four sampradayas will work together. Gurumaharaj says that Purushottama Maharaj seems to be the missing link to unite all the Vaishnava lineages.

Gurumaharaj was also in a meeting in the Radha Govinda temple were many citizens of Vrindavan and others made a vow before the deities to work for Vrindavans safety. The goals are (1) to get Vrindavan acknowledged by the government as a holy place, (2) to bring the Yamuna river back to the original ghats, (3) that those in the meeting work together with the government to work out a master plan for solving the problems of sewage, traffic etc. (4) that meetings of the Braj Vrindavan Heritage Alliance continue.

Gurumaharaj has only a few days left in India, as I wrote yesterday. Now he will travel the whole world again for some time to come. Sweden, Gothenburg/Uddevalla: 14-18 april.

Svenska: Varje vecka (söndagar) får vi ett meddelande från vår Guru, Srila Bhakty Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami. Från och med januari i år postar jag korta sammanfattningar av dessa här på bloggen.

Söndag 28 mars

Vrindavan, Indien

Gurumaharaj har blivit vän med acharyan för Sri Sampradaya, Sri Ramanujas skola. Hans namn är Jagad-guru Swami Purushottama (till vänster på bilden ovan) och han är väldigt ung, bara 26 år gammal. De två gjorde upp planer på att bilda ett Vaishnava-universitet kallat Univeda där de fyra Vaishnava-sampradayorna kommer att samarbeta. Gurumaharaj säger att Purushottama Maharaj verkar vara den saknade länken till alla Vaishnava-linjers förening.

Gurumaharaj var ocksp på ett möte i Radha Govinda-templet där många av Vrindavans invånare och andra lovade inför gudsgestalterna att arbeta för Vrindavans säkerhet. Målen är: (1) att få Vrindavan erkänt av regeringen som en helig plats, (2) att föra Yamuna-floden tillbaka till sina ursprungliga ghats, (3) att deltagare i mötet samarbetar med regeringen för att arbeta ut en plan för att lösa problemen med trafik, avlopp etc. och (4) att Braj Vrindavan Heritage Alliance fortsätter ha möten.

Som jag skrev igår har Gurumaharaj bara några dagar kvar i Indien nu. Snart kommer han resa runt jorden igen. Sverige: Göteborg/Uddevalla: 14-18 april.
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Gentlemen on visit / Gentlemän på besök

English: Sudarshan and Hari are here visiting and have worked together on translating Srila Gurumaharajas and Gurudeva Atulanandas commentary on Bhagavad-gita from spanish to english. On tuesday we will go to Berlin together with two other dear friends to see Gurumaharaj who is coming to Europe after six months in India. And don't miss his visit to Sweden from the 14 to the 18 april!

Svenska: Sudarshan och Hari är på besök och har samarbetat med att översätta Srila Gurumaharajas och Gurudeva Atulanandas Bhagavad-gita-kommentar från spanska till engelska. På tisdag åker vi till Berlin tillsammans med två andra kära vänner för att träffa Gurumaharaj som kommer till Europa efter sex månader i Indien. Och missa inte hans Sverigebesök från 14 till 18 april!
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Message from the walking treasure house / Nyheter från den vandrande skattgömman. #11

English: Every week (sundays) we get a message from our Guru, Srila Bhakty Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami. Since january this year I have posted brief summaries of them here on the blog.

Sunday, March 21

Haridwar, India

This time Gurumaharaj was writing directly from the Kumbha Mela festival. Excerpt:

It is the most important moment of life when we realize this eternal love, we can not stay in the mundane plane. We need this love that can make us happy. At no time should we expect other things. Love is the supreme goal, love is our only support, love is our longing , love is our medicine, love is our price to pay, love is what makes us hope that we are walking in the right direction. Love is the thermometer to know whether something is not as it should. For the love of a relationship I decide whether it is worth continuing or not. It is very inspiring to see that many people are looking for something, and here we can understand that many people are yearning for self-realization, but are weak, because man is bombarded by an impressive amount of publicity. Advertising has bound people. Knowingly or unknowingly one is bound to this material world. As many material desires you have, as many reasons you have to return the material world. To get rid of desires is difficult, but to transform these desires into spiritual desires is easier, because one changes or fills the mind with something worth to fill it with. Important: we must not ignore that our mind needs some sort of occupation. Today one devotee asked me what is more important, to chant or to serve. I told him I can not separate these, because if I'm chanting I'm asking for service and if I am serving, I'm thinking of the holy name and the reason why I am serving. It is very important that you feel unity in the heart between all that is beautiful and important in life. The Holy Name is the most important, but even more important is to serve, because you ask for service when you chant.

Svenska: Varje vecka (söndagar) får vi ett meddelande från vår Guru, Srila Bhakty Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami. Från och med januari i år postar jag korta sammanfattningar av dessa här på bloggen.

Söndag 21 mars

Haridwar, Indien

Denna gång skrev Gurumaharaj direkt från Kumbha Mela-festivalen. Ovan kan du läsa ett utdrag på engelska.
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Caring for what you love / Att bry sig om det man älskar

Sve: Srila Gurumaharaj (Swami BA Paramadvaiti) är på väg till Sverige och vi är i förberedelsestadiet inför denna "encounter with divinity"*. Gurumaharaj har jobbat konstant med att organisera en storstädning av Indien och framför allt i Vrindavan och Mayapur som är alla Gaudiya Vaishnavas främsta pilgrimsorter. Han har ordnat stora möten med olika ledare i samhället, protesterat och själv för hand varje morgon tillsammans med sina lärljungar städat upp skräpet som numera sprider sig som ett virus i Indien, en produkt av industrialiseringen.

Industrier tillåts med mutor att begå grova miljöbrott mot natur djur människor och vatten. De heliga floderna i Indien har blivit livsfarliga och pilgrimer (det finns några miljoner troende i indien!) blir sjuka. En vaishnavas hjärta bultar ju såklart för hela moder jord, inte bara i Indien, men ställen som vrindavan och Mayapur är extra speciella för en vaishnavas hjärta eftersom de talar till hans specifika tro och erbjuder en helt unik upplevelse av frid och är direkt kopplade till Sri Krishna och Sri Chaitanya.

* "Encounters with Divinity" är en bok av Srila Sridhar Maharaj


Eng: Srila Gurumaharaj (Swami BA Paramadvaiti) is on his way to Sweden and we are now here preparing for this "encounter with divinity"*. Gurumaharaj has constantly for 6 months been engaged in organizing the cleaning up of India and Indias holy places like Vrindavan and Mayapur. He arranged big meetings with the different leaders of society and of spiritual traditions, he has been protesting and himself every morning with his diciples by hand been picking up the garbage from the land that otherwise is spreading like a virus in india due to industrialization.

Industries are allowed by bribing to commit terrible environmental crimes that affects nature, animals, the rivers and the humans that daily bathe in the waters (a few millions only). The heart of a vaishnava is ofcourse beating for the whole mother earth, not jsut India, but these places, Vrindavan and Mayapur are directly connected to the special, specific faith of a vaishnava and therefor it hurts a Vaishanvas heart to see the rivers dissappear and the land being spoiled.

*"Encounter with Divinity" is a book by Srila Sridhar Maharaj


Our sister Gopi distributing the information of how to become an activist for the environment. / Vår syster Gopi distribuerar information om hur man kan bli en aktivist för miljön.


Srila Gurumaharaj cleaning up garbage / städar efter några som skräpat ner


Hälsar på de infödda miljökämparna / Greets the inhabitants of the holy place


Gurumaharaj trying to inspire other great spiritual leaders to care for the environment / Gurumaharaj träffar och försöker få med sig flera andra andliga ledare att bry sig mer om miljön...




Morning meditation cleaning / Morgon meditationsstädning


Stora sångfester där man samlades från alla olika traditioner och sjöng för Yamuna floden
/big singingevents where different traditions gathered to sing for the Yamuna river




Love manifests in many ways. Caring for the holy dham is basic, common sense. But the least common of the senses in this age of Kali. //Kärlek manifesterar sig på många sätt men det mest grundläggande och mest förnuftiga är att ta hand om det man älskar.

Imlitala, our refuge in the countryside, now at sleep / Imlitala, vår lantliga tillflykt, sover nu

Photos: Mataji Citra Leka devi dasi








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Volunteering in Ecuador! / Volontära i Ecuador!

Let the holy name carry everyone back home :)

Message from the walking treasure house / Nyheter från den vandrande skattgömman. #10

English: Every week (sundays) we get a message from our Guru, Srila Bhakty Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami. Since january this year I have posted brief summaries of them here on the blog.

Sunday, March 14

Vrindavan, India

These days Gurumaharaj and a team of disciples and friends are visiting the maha Kumbha Mela festival in Haridwar to distribute the message of the Dharma & Science campaign. This is to promote holistic, healthy, ethical values in India as well as abroad. Hundreds of different flyers has been designed and printed!

Svenska: Varje vecka (söndagar) får vi ett meddelande från vår Guru, Srila Bhakty Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami. Från och med januari i år postar jag korta sammanfattningar av dessa här på bloggen.

Söndag 14 mars

Vrindavan, Indien

Gurumaharaj och ett team av lärjungar besoker i dagarna maha Kumbha Mela-festivalen i Haridwar for att sprida Dharma & Science-kampanjen. Detta för att förespråka helhetshälsosamma etiska ideal i Indien saväl som i hela världen. Hundratals olika flyers har designats och tryckts!

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Take a walk here...online! / Ta en promenad hit...online!

English: Now you can take a walk here online with the swedish yellow pages online map service. They have now developed street level vision, by taking photos everywhere in every direction. They passed by our place while we had Tulasi devi in the window above the door. Thus everyone can get to see (get darshan of) bhakti devi, the godess of devotion.

Click here!

Svenska: Nu kan du promenera hit online med eniros online kart-tjänst. De har nu utvecklat gatuvy, genom att ta kort överallt i alla riktningar. När de var förbi vårt ställe hade vi Tulasi devi i fönstret ovanför dörren. Så nu kan alla få se (få darshan av) bhakti devi, hängivenhetens gudinna.

Klicka här!
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Message from the walking treasure house / Nyheter från den vandrande skattgömman. #9

English: Every week (sundays) we get a message from our Guru, Srila Bhakty Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami. Since january this year I have posted brief summaries of them here on the blog.

Sunday, March 7

Mayapur, India

This time we got to hear about the cooperation between Gurumaharaj and his disciples who stay with him there, in finishing many projects. One of them was to go around to all the temples in Mayapur from our Bhaktisiddhanta family (Bhaktisiddhanta is our Guru's grand-guru), to collect photos of all the Gurus and make a genealogical tree design. You can look at it here: http://vrinda.vaisnava.hu/officebap/genealogical%20tree.jpg

We also got further encouragement to not forget the situation of Yamuna, and other holy rivers and places threated by pollution.

Svenska: Varje vecka (söndagar) får vi ett meddelande från vår Guru, Srila Bhakty Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami. Från och med januari i år postar jag korta sammanfattningar av dessa här på bloggen.

Söndag 7 mars

Mayapur, Indien

Denna vecka fick vi höra om Gurumaharajas och närvarande lärjungars samarbete med att slutföra en hel del projekt. Ett av dem var att gå runt till alla tempel i Mayapur från vår Bhaktisiddhanta-familj (Bhaktisiddhanta är vår Gurus Gurus Guru), för att få fotografier på alla Gurus och göra en släktträds-design. Du kan se den här: http://vrinda.vaisnava.hu/officebap/genealogical%20tree.jpg

Vi fick också påminnelser om att inte glömma Yamunas situation, och andra heliga floder och platser som hotas av förorening.

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Sudarshan is uploading videoclips again! / Sudarshan laddar upp videoklipp igen!

English: This man has again uploaded a lot of clips on YouTube. This time it comes from the easter mela in Berlin and Neu-Sammit, Germany last year.

Click here to see the list: "Mela 2009 in Germany"

Svenska: Denne man har igen laddat upp en massa klipp på YouTube. Denna gång kommer det ifrån melan i Berlin och Neu-Sammit, Tyskland förra året.

Klicka här för att se listan: "Mela 2009 in Germany"
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Holy Samosa! // Helig Samosa!

English
This weekend we went off to a fair about lifestyle and health. We been there before but this time it were a little bit different. In the picture you see Tulasi M.D.D. making samosas and very late in the night after a day of hard work at the fair.

Svenska
Den här helgen gav vi oss iväg för att delta på Livstilsmässan igen. Vi har ju varit där förut men den här gången blev det lite annorlunda. I bild ser ni Tulasi M.D.D. som sent på natten står och tillverkar samosas.

Holy samosas. Some people put there hands over there food before they eat, we dedicate it to Krishna.
Helig samosa. Vissa människor lägger sina händer över maten innan de äter, vi däremot dedikerar den till Krishna.

Vasudeva das, day 2. Pakoras instead of koftas (that we served during day one at the fair).

Vasudeva das, dag 2. Pakoras istället för koftas (som vi serverade under första dagen på mässan).

Tulasi M.D.D. making raw food cake with gojiberries and Srimati D.D. cutting the salad in the last minute.

Tulasi M.D.D. gör rå mat/raw food kaka med gojibär och Srimati D.D. skär sallad i sista minuten.

English

At the fair. Srimati serving the customers. We got the ldressing room on the second floor waaay off all the other stands. And there were also two others serving food up here, one served (buhu) chicken (that's really bad style!). But we had a very nice decorated stand with moutains of prasadam to offer and some regulars from previous came by.

Svenska

På mässan. Srimati serverar kunderna. Vi fick en plats i omklädningsrummet på övervåningen låååångt bort från de andra borden. Och vi hamnade bland två andra utställare som också serverade mat, en serverade till och med (buuu) kyckling (det var riktigt dålig stil!).

Men vi hade i alla fall ett fint dekorerat bord och berg med prasadam. Några stammisar från förra året tittade förbi.

Maryams very very nice and wonderful cookies!

Maryams mycket mycket fina och underbara kakaor!

Happy customers.

Nöjda kunder.

Spoonrevolution!

Soon he will be here with us / Snart kommer han att vara här med oss

English: The dates for Gurumaharaj's stay in Sweden this year are now set. Usually he comes in the summer, but this time he will come already in april. From wednesday the 14th until sunday the 18th you will have the opportunity to come and listen to lectures, participate in other activities and recharge your spiritual batteries.

The program for these days is still being discussed, and will soon be published both here and on the homepage.

Welcome!

Svenska: Datumen för Gurumaharajas vistelse i Sverige detta år är nu fastställda. Vanligtvis kommer han om somrarna men detta år kommer han redan i april. Från onsdagen den 14de till söndagen den 18de har du möjlighet att komma hit och lyssna till föredrag, delta i andra aktiviteter och återladda dina andliga batterier.

Programmet för dessa dagar är fortfarande under diskussion, och kommer snart att publiceras både här och på hemsidan.

Välkomna!
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Message from the walking treasure house / Nyheter från den vandrande skattgömman. #8

English: Every week (sundays) we get a message from our Guru, Srila Bhaktyaloka Paramadvaiti Swami. In January this year I started posting brief summaries of them here on the blog.

Sunday, February 28

Mayapur, India

This time I post the full message:

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

Upon request I have developed today a meditation about the sacred space. We need this, it is essential for our life. I will speak in brief about these elements, each and everyone of them deserves a full lecture but this is not possible in this moment. It would be to extensive. Once you understand the substance, you can continue this reflection on your own. It is essential that each and everyone of us considers carefully what is your sacred space. Your sacred health depend on the care given to this.

The first and foremost is mother earth. The one who is giving us sustenance, giving us life. Giving us the surrounding beauty and every atom ingredient of our body. Thus very obviously mother earth deserves the great respect. Even though we can go further and ask from where mother earth earned this capacity to be who she is. In order to have sacred space on mother earth we are facing certain security issues. You may have heard a lot about the homeland security. Really there are security issues in our sacred space of mother earth. Number 1 is the seed security, what is the condition of the seeds. That takes us to number 2, soil security. What is the condition of the soil? That takes us to number 3, water security. What is the quality of the water? That again takes us to the food security. This takes us to air security. Air pollution has a great impact. So, when we are talking about the sacred space of mother earth, we understand that there is a lot to be protected from those who are polluting just to make profit. So sacred space is a great responsibility and has to do so much with the life style.

The next one we have to take care of here it is the clean space. We have to protect our clean space. This means a certain appearance which usually women keep in the home. It can be found also outside, for example in the garden. But also your clothes, everything. That is your sacred space. If you let your environment be disordered and polluted, then consciousness will be polluted. If a person has never been trained, he will always live in chaos.

There is another sacred space, this is called beautiful space. Beauty is produced by plants. You just see what is going on with our plants, what people are doing. Monoculture is not beautiful. It is against the nature. You just see these huge crops and you can imagine what they are using to maintain this. All the poison. Sacred space has to be protected and defended. It is the space of health, wealth and spiritual development. It is the space of reflection.

Therefore we need in our personal life a reflection. We have to have the chance to decide what we want to do. Thus reflection is an important development. Therefore we should always try to maintain this sacred space.

The sound environment is further important. To high dB is contaminating as well. Therefore I have just sent Vishnu to stop the neighbor here who is speaking through his microphone.

So the next space is the space for meditation and prayer. If we have no time for meditation and prayer, then our life will be weak. We cannot connect to the higher spaces.

If we are all the time disturbed by the media, then we will have a case of impact insecurity. There are so many violations and invasions on our sacred space. Therefore we should be properly educated to maintain our life in the sacred space.

In the sacred space there must be space for God. God is very important, even though he may be looked upon as divine energy or as the original person, who ignites all the other individuals. Or you may consider him as the origin of this world. In any case, the space for the connection with the divinity is very important. We need such a space, because without it, our spiritual development is very difficult. Therefore accepting and rejecting space is essential.

The next space we have to protect is the space to feel satisfied with what we are and where we are. This is important. We are being trained in a competition. There are so many competitions here in this world. Who is richer, more beautiful, powerful and all this. But the point is, that who ever we are by our karma, we have to learn to accept this.

Next space is the right to know-space. Obviously we cannot know everything, but if we are curious, then we have to get the chance to know. Universities and schools have the duty to provide knowledge. But they are not doing it well.

We have the save the space for all, including the animals. All the living beings have rights. There is a habitat. We should not destroy this. The habitat is being threatened by so many people. We have to protect it.

Next sacred space is the space of your belief. If you believe in something which does not hurt others, no one should interfere with this. Believe is all in all and according to this we are making advancement. Therefore the belief should be given such a freedom, that he may act upon this. Like we have done so many ceremonies. You have seen it. Many people cannot understand it. They may ask why you are spoiling so much milk, yoghurt and other ingredients. But it has a meaning for us, so it should be accepted. No one should attack it.

Next is simple living and space for old age. We need a space to still feel important in the environment. The space where we can be sick and leave the body in peace. We need sacred space for growing ld and preparing for death. This is very valuable. More than the hospital environment. Sacred space requires very much decision making the space to die it also mean the space to live, as long as I want to live I should be allowed to live and love. Loving is essential. That love is what makes it possible for me to sacrifice myself for something. Loving is the substantial ingredient of our life.

There has to be the sacred space for enjoying pleasure and maintaining the family. There must be a space for living independently but also a space for monastic life. There must space for the invalids also; like they are doing it now in America and Europe, considering the sick, the invalids, the blind and so on.

We must have space for self esteem. This comes when you understand the meaning of your life. And you know that you can reach it by good association.

We have to have sacred space for knowledge. Knowledge has to be protected, literature has to be protected. Man has to make sure for the future generations that these things will survive. Human always wants to improve the things. But it should be of use. Everyone wants to make something.

We need space for our purification. We spoke about it today in our yajna.

We need the sacred space for our doubts. Do not accept everything. If you have a doubt, then learn to express it.

Then there is sacred space for transparency. Certain thing have to be transparent.
Like when you get married, you give a promise. So, transparency is necessary to maintain the relation. Trust is necessary there.

Then we need sacred space for our ideals. We need space to fulfill our ideals.

Everything is included. We hope that you will have sacred space well protected within you and in your environment. All of us have to resolve the different questions and it this way our life goes on and on.

That we can come together here on this day of Gaura purnima, that we can discuss the sacred space, this is fantastic. This is what I wanted to tell this night to you and I hope that you can have some use of it.

Gaura Purnima ki jay!

Srila Prabhupada ki jay!

Svenska: Varje vecka (söndagar) får vi ett meddelande från vår Guru, Srila Bhaktyaloka Paramadvaiti Swami. Från och med januari i år postar jag korta sammanfattningar av dessa här på bloggen.

Söndag 28 Februari

Mayapur, Indien

(Veckans meddelande finns på engelska ovan, någon frivillig får gärna översätta.)
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