New York, 1966

Prabhupada looked squarely into my eyes and spoke calmly, “This is not a concocted process, or something that you, or we, have made up. This process is very old, simple, and sublime.”

Srila Prabhupada cooking for Krishna

/ Sevananda das

Hare Krishna Top 10 (8)

8.
George Harrison:

“My Sweet Lord” (1970)

Ex-Beatle and “closet devotee” George Harrison's classic mega-hit, ending with a gospel choir singing the Maha Mantra (from 2:54).

Auspicious Nectar (Nimaihuset News Bulletin): New Treasurer

"I like numbers" says new treasurer

Yesterday, sensationally, Arci Devi Dasi, present wife of ex-president Vasudeva Das and by many considered a very influential power-factor during his reign, in an official meeting was elected the new bookkeeper and treasurer of the pan-Swedish umbrella organization Föreningen Vrinda. Our reporter Media Das managed to get a first statement from her before she disappeared into a black limousine headed for the residence at Imlitala Manor.

"How do you feel?"

"I like numbers, this will be fun."

It is well known that she is very strict with the numbers, although claiming to like them, and many in Nimaihuset now fear a more severe climate regarding receipts etc.

/ Sevananda das

End of tent season

During the summer, Nimaihuset has covered the tent-rental market in Great Gothenburg to support the Temple with laxmi (vaishnava-slang for money). Fastest, cheapest and happiest tent-rental team around.

At first we charged 900 SEK (100 Euro) – for the tent, going there by car (twice), putting it up and taking it down (3 persons each occasion), gas included. The first renters were really unhappy about the low price and couldn't stop thinking and wondering about why we did it. Maybe we just wanted to get together and have some fun, was the last proposition we heard from the distressed renters.

So we had to raise the price, quickly, not to hurt people. Vasudeva das hit the Internet and changed the ad. From then on it was 1300 plus car and gas, and that seemed to be all right with most people, although most of them added up to that too, some with a couple of hundred (which was a good arrangement, because that way they got the chance to donate to the Temple and make a slow start out of material existence, back to Krishna – Sevananda das used to say "say goodbye to the material world" behind their backs whenever that happened).

Absolute Harmony (H.D.G. Srila Sridhar Maharaj)

Transcription (with minor edits) of an informal talk given by

Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj

Srila Sridhar Maharaj on the veranda, talking about Absolute Harmony

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Harmony, how the things of opposite types can be harmonized by higher principles.

To harmonize things of a particular plane, energy of the higher plane is necessary. Thesis, antithesis — synthesis! Anything — and there must be something anti that. This cannot but be. Some opposition, some opposite conception. Any statement, some opposition, and to harmonize that. Hegel says that this is the process of progress. Progress means this. Whatever there would be — some opposite conception, some opposition, possibility. The possibility of opposition. And then, to do away with the opposition, some greater harmony is necessary. The highest type of harmony is so. The diversity ultimately helps it.

Hare Krishna Top 10 (9)

9.
Goldblade feat. Poly Styrene:

“City of Christmas Ghosts” (2008)

Punk legend Poly Styrene guest vocals on a Christmas song by Goldblade, beautifully ending with Poly singing “Hare Krishna / Hare Rama” (from 2:31).

Cover of debut single 1977

Poly Styrene, or Marianne Elliot-Said, or later Maharani Devi Dasi, was the front person and singer of pioneering punkband X-Ray Spex (1976-79). Known as the only person that Johnny Rotten (Sex Pistols) had only nice things to say about. The archetype for modern-day feminist punk. 

1983 she was initiated a Krishna-devotee, and while living in the temple at the Bhaktivedanta Manor (a donation by The Beatles' George Harrison) she recorded at the temple's recording studios.

Poly was active 1976-2011. Her last album “Generation Indigo” was released in march 2011, a month before she left the body.

This song is a remix of Goldblade's “City of Ghosts”. Band leader John Robb: 

“She was a joy to work with in the studio. We asked her to sing like she used to, and at first she said it would be difficult, then she walked into the vocal booth and did it in one take, adding an improvised Hare Krishna chant at the end that brought the song an unimagined power and beauty.”

See you later sister.

Maharani Devi Dasi

*

Follow the countdown of the Hare Krishna Top10 

10. Ruth Copeland feat. George Clinton & Parliament: “Hare Krishna”

Whole list HERE

Next up, nr 8, is coming soon

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Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use

/ Sevananda das

Gupta Vrindavan Nimaihuset

Does it look like a projection from Godhead? Well it is. Gupta Vrindavan – secret Vrindavan (Krishna's own abode, the innermost place and state of consciousness). Inside – and outside. The Deities in the temple-room are Avatars, and they bring Vrindavan with them, hidden, veiled.

And it is a fact. In a range of 300-400 meters from Nimaihuset, it's all there.

The Yamuna is there.

Radha Kunda and Shyama Kunda are there.

And yes, Giri Govardhana is there too...

I can not tell you more, but when you walk to Nimaihuset you do pass them all. 
The appearance of them tells us how far out in maya/forgetfulness we are, in Gothenburg, Sweden, 2012.

All Krishna temples are Gupta Vrindavan – the Deities bring It with them. But also, Nimaihuset lies in the area Gårda, which phonetically is Gauda. And Gauda is the district where lies Navadvip, the place where Nimai (Sri Krishna Chaitanya, "the hidden Avatar", the Owner of Nimaihuset) played out his pastimes while on this plane of existence 500 years ago. And Navadvip is, emphatically stated, non-different from Vrindavan.

We quote reggae-legend and Krishna-devotee Lee Perry: "The world is a mystical thing."

Photo by Makhan Chor das

(The art-work by the sides of the entrance door is tree-branches, denoting that you are entering Vrindavan – the forest of Vrinda. Made by Vasudeva das after design by Tulasi devi dasi. Radha Giridhari devi dasi planted the forest flowers – Tagetes – at the entrance.)

/ Sevananda das

Hare Krishna Top 10 (10)

10.

Ruth Copeland feat. George Clinton & Parliament: “Hare Krishna” (1971)

Conscious flower child Ruth Copeland in a nice gospelish track summing it all up with “Love” and “Hare Krishna”. Featuring singer, songwriter, bandleader, music producer and funk innovator George Clinton and his legendary band Parliament.

Ruth Copeland – “the first lady of P-Funk” – was active late 60's till mid 70's, both together with George Clinton/Parliament and solo. As solo artist she released three albums and three singles, of which “Hare Krishna” was one.

George Clinton has continued with his own career as well as working with other artists, such as genius Prince, hailed hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan, and Primal Scream, arguably the greatest band on earth of all time.

George Clinton

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Other aspirants for the nr 10 position were:

 
Tony Scott, “Hare Krishna (King Britt Funke remix)” (2005) 
A trip-hop remix of a cool-jazz classic. (From 2:23)

 

Nina Hagen, “I love Paul” (1983)

“Punk queen” Nina Hagen singing the Hare Krishna mantra

in the refrains (1:15 and 3:04).

 

 

Boy George, “Bow Down Mister” (1991)

Sweet pop song by former Culture Club and Jesus Loves You-singer, 
gay icon, and Krishna-devotee Boy George.

*

Follow the countdown of the Hare Krishna Top10 

List HERE

Next up, nr 9, is coming soon

*

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use

/ Sevananda das

The Absolute Truth (Stephen Knapp)

The Absolute Truth: What or Who is It?

By Stephen Knapp

Scientists agree that all time, all history, and all creation start from a single point. And that point would have to be the Ultimate or Absolute Truth. So what exactly is the Absolute Truth? How do we go back through time and space to find the original source of everything? Even if we research the Bible, the Koran, the Jewish writings, or even the Sikh, Zoroastrian, or Buddhist texts, we will find limited information on what is the Absolute Truth. And forget about depending on modern science, they are still searching and have many varying theories to offer. 

Don't bless me like this!

From "The Methodology of Sadhu-sanga" by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:

"If the sadhu were to bless such a person by saying,
'May your desire for sense gratification be extinguished,
your opulence destroyed and your relatives taken away',
the materialist would at once cry,“O sadhu-maharaja,
be kind! Don’t bless me like this."

Lol! / Sevananda das

Sunday Chat: What kind of food can we offer to Krishna? (Swami B. A. Pramadvaiti Maharaj)

(Excerpt from a lecture given in Miami, 5th August 2012)

Dear devotees,

Today we will recall a bit about Srila Rupa Goswami's Upadesamrita, more specifically the second verse explanation, that talks about the six activities that take us away from devotional service.

Atyaharah prayasas ca prajalpo niyamagrahahjana-sangas ca laulyam ca sadbhir bhakti vinasyati'

Let's recall the topics mentioned in this verse, explained by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur in a book called Sri Bhaktialoka. One of the topics touches us deeply at our sensual addictions, almost in a shameful way. Atyahara.

Begin by engaging the tounge (Srila Prabhupada)

In this lecture, given in Hamburg on Janmastami 1969, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada stresses how important it is to use our senses to serve Krishna/The Absolute Person in order to be able to understand anything about Him.

This touches the essence of Krishna Consciousness: Nothing is to be renounced. It's not yours to renounce — everything belongs to Krishna. Instead, everything is to be used, but in the service of Krishna. Everything. The senses too, all of them: the senses of perception and the working senses. Here Srila Prabhupada talks about the tounge, the most difficult one to control.

He starts the lecture with a quote from the Vishnu Purana, describing the situation of the living entities in the material world.

Janmastami 2012

Sri Krishna Chaitanya (Nimai) and Laddu Gopal (baby Krishna) dressed up on the Janmastami-celebration in Gupta Vrindavan Nimaihuset.

/ Sevananda das

Individual Consciousness and "Becoming one with God" (Srila B.A. Paramadvaiti Maharaj in Nimaihuset)

"If you wish to be one with Him, He may allow you. But if you wish to be an eternal servant of Him, there's no way He's gonna do away with you."