Farewell 2012. From Yamuna Kunja 12/30/12

Dear devotees
Receive my affection from Yamuna Kunja.

We are almost at the closing  of the year 2012. Today I want to tell you that I feel very close to you, to say that you  are my life. This is thanks to my spiritual master. You are my saviors, because you all make me feel at every moment that my spiritual master is looking after me fondly. Thanks to him and thanks to all of you, I do not feel so alone in this world. Not only do I feel accompanied, but I feel accompanied by the most amazing people that I  could of never have imagined.

All of you who are present now in Yamuna Kunja, are people with whom we are sharing sacrifices. You have strongly collected for a ticket and to be here today trying to do a service to the Dhama. You came here to pick up trash as a service. And we're not talking about just any trash, but the trash that is polluting the Dhama (although the Dhama is pure by nature). So, we are trying to follow the footsteps of the six Goswamis of Vrindavan and my Gurudeva, of course. So we've also had the mercy to arrange nicely some gardens in important temples such as Radha Gopinath Mandir or Vamsivat.

Today in our journey, in the afternoon, we could see all these wonders and feel that Vrindavan is an amazing site, and we have received beautiful temples like Vrinda Kunja, which is practically an oasis, a real privilege. And these privileges come to us so we can serve with courage and fight so Sri Vrindavan is respected and appreciated in the world as it should be. Because Vrindavan sent us to his pure devotee, Srila Prabhupada, to save us. He was in Radha Damodara and could have stayed there doing bhajan ending his life, but driven by his infinite love and the will of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu he came to spread the love around the world and invite everyone to Vrindavan.

When one comes to Vrindavan you are amazed by all that can be found here. The "problem" is that Srila Prabhupada made Vrindavan too famous ... as a brajavasi told us today, many people come here just to "see" with material eyes and eat a few pakoras in the streets and not truly hear the prayers of the devotees nor come to be purified. So, he complained of modernization and suggested that those who did not come to pray and serve, better that they were sent back to their homes.

Next year is our big chance to correct any error that has existed in the relationships we have with Vaishnavas. For this reason the World Vaishnava Association exists. When we speak of technical and philosophical understanding, we can find many differences. But when we consider the real need of the planet, we realize that we must address the problems in a united forum ... and it seems that the same miseries of the material world will unite us. Because, for example, when water runs out in the world, everyone will be affected: Christians, Muslims, rich or poor. So, there are many examples that can be given in this connection.

This is a time of purification, without out a doubt ... and problems are all elements to help us purify. I pray to Krishna so that you always have enthusiasm and good health, that Krishna satisfies all your desires that do not cause hindrances to your spiritual progress, for he knows better than us what we should do.

With these little words I want to finish the Chat. Tomorrow we will bid farewell to the year. Where everyone is going to do a self-assessment of their year. I leave my love and affection
Jay Srila Prabhupada.

Your always well wisher,

Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti

Krsna Consciousness is a Matter of Love From India 12/23/12

From Vrinda Kunj, 

Dear devotees,

The love of the devotees is so great and so special that it shows one that Sri Krsna is pure love. He has created everything from love. Everything devotees do is based on love.

If one is not centered in love then it means that he or she is just distracted. That's the message I want to share with you today: that everything in Krishna consciousness is a matter of love.

One only has to control the senses. Because love does not mean you have to stop controlling the mind. For this reason, Srila Prabhupada, being a grand saint, could attract us so young, even at times of slight rebelliousness and lack of authority. Thus, many sannyasis, acaryas, have endeavored to continue the mission of Srila Prabhupada; and there is a rare thing, and very terrible ... that even while one gets older, one is still interested in the opposite sex, in the fame, and in the money . We know this; those are dangers that trap us life after life after life after life.

How many lives have we already been born to? I had this impression in my personal life and in a past life I was a monk, but to be born again I surely made a mistake ... or good, mercy of Srila Prabhupada. One does not know. I remember as a child, I saw a picture of a monk who walked the mountains and when I looked, I thought that I was walking down the same mountains. And I always thought of the mountains. I was born in a place where everything was plain, no mountain, but I always thought of mountains.

Now I think of the Andes, where we preached so hard from the peaks of Bolivar up to the highlands of Cuzco, Puno, and Juliaca. Thus, the Andes have given us much service. We are very fortunate to preach the glories of Sri Caitanya there and we are always trying to produce more materials to increase the preaching.

Now, since we are distributing and preaching with the OKIs and OMIS in order to share vegetarianism, let's start with another material called "heart to heart messages" which are purely devotional. These messages are arrows at hearts, to try to lead people to the temple, to live in the association of devotees. I become very happy when someone tells me they want to come and stay in India, but the truth, the opportunity is in South America and also the preaching opportunity.

For devotees there is no situation so bad that they cannot endure, because whatever happens, a devotee will continue preaching. He will still print books for distribution, because the devotees do not need anything. There is always some way to be of service. Devotees are extremely flexible for everything.

To all the devotees who are struggling in the December marathon and who are giving many divine gifts to people, to all of them, I send my regards and hugs, my joy. And I tell them that we are fighting here and trying to do something to please the devotees with intent of the best possible service.

Love each other a lot, because from here, we love you all very much :). 

Jay Srila Prabhupada, Marathon in December, Ki Jay! Sri Vrindavan Dhama, ki Jay!, Goura Haribol!

Your always well wisher,

Swami B. A. Paramadvaiti.

Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta. from India 12/16/12

 From Vrinda Kunja

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada is not even mentioned in the books of Bengal schools, his homeland, mainly because Bengal's communist government did not want to encourage anyone in spirituality. They have only given recognition to social workers and scientists...

But the work of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada was purely transcendental, which is just what the world needs in this situation of materialism. Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta is a purifier, who insists that truth is most important, who teaches and obeys divine law and gives spiritual love to all.

You can imagine that within politicians and materialistic merchants his contribution is not very popular. In fact, when Subhal Candra Bose, the revolutionary of Bengal, spoke with Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada , he suggested that he send his brahmacaris to war against the British. Srila Prabhupada’s response was that his disciples were all "very weak and would not be able to do anything", so better to leave them in the monastery.

However, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada did send these "skinny bramacaris" to preach throughout the entire planet and open 64 Gaudiya Maths in India. He promoted the idea that independence was not part of a political system, but rather, it means to stop serving Maya.

This was also expressed when Srila Bhaktivedanta  "argued" , to his Guru,  about who was going to hear the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu while India remained a colonized nation. To this statement Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada replied that at the time of a fire nobody pays attention to who brings the water to extinguish the fire. Thus, Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada accepted the words of His Guru and changed his mind.

So, this great personality is allowing us, ordinary souls, to serve with the reminder of the importance of this great pure devotee of Sri Krishna. Sure, a study of his life is very auspicious, because it leads us to go through the sweetness of His pastimes. His message was very intense, because that was his life and personality.

In 1898 Srila Prabhupada had the first darshan of Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji in Svananda Sukadha Kunja in Godrum. Immediately he was ecstatic to hear a song from Babaji, which had been composed by him with intense feelings of love. Later, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada wrote this song and distributed it to others. This song was addressed to Srimati Radharani and dedicated to Srila Raghunath Das Goswami.

During his visit to Sri Vrindavan Dham, in 1935, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada went to Radha Kunda. At that time, to properly serve Sri Braja Mandal where a gathering began to preach the glories of Sri Braja Dham, Sri Braja Dham called Pracarini Sabha...

Inspired by this association and considering the dire state of the Dham (especially the Yamuna River), we have participated in the founding of the Braj Vrindavan Heritage Alliance, with the attempt to involve many people.

Srila Prabhupada was very affectionate to his disciples and if he knew any of them was afflicted by Maya, he would shed copious amounts of tears ...and to confront  those who had a demonic mentality he was as strong as lightning ... but in his loving personal relationships, his heart was softer than a flower.

If in any of His maths, one of his servants had to face some difficulties due to lack of money, Srila Bhaktisddhanta Prabhupada cared to fix this problem. His affection could not be compared to millions of fathers or mothers.  If he ever saw his disciples felt sad or miserable, as soon as he sat near them all their sadness disappeared due to the rain of His boundless affection. How could one describe properly a personality like him? Well seeing His pure devotees and their behavior ... we understand that he was truly a "Ray of Vishnu", who can save us from repeated birth and death.

So, we feel very fortunate to work in this magazine and this museum and we pray to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada to find the right words to make people fall in love with him and can support this campaign to achieve something for him with full recognition: A park or any part of a public space for recognition of his contribution to this world.

As we are in the month of marathon, we send hugs to all the servants of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur that are scattered around the planet. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada would become extremely satisfied when a brahmacari distributed one or two magazines of what was produced in printing.

What to say about how happy he would of become knowing of the vast quantities of books that have been distributed over the years throughout the planet. This is a process that is not over yet and will not end, because his books are spectacular in awakening the sleeping souls.

So, I send you this affectionate blessing from part of your grandfather, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada, to continue studying philosophy and preaching practices ... and please do not stop ever in life, except to find something more important ... and if this happens, do not be stingy and advise please :)

Today we were in a meeting of the BVHA discussing the subject of cleaning and we could see that the tasks of Vrindavan are nice and complicated at the same time. We hope you can read this book of Srila Prabhupada and then the magazine and that you fall in love enough with your great grandfather and your grandfather, Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada. I personally listen to my Gurudeva every night and when I wake up he's there to preach, I am the luckiest person on Earth.

May Sri Krishna be with you forever and lets me see you very soon to give you everything we have received at this time. In connection with this, I want to offer my love and gratitude to prabhu Vaishnava and Prabhu Vidya Tirtha who produced the "Sounds that heal", a small attempt to give advice to people relief in distress, interspersed with music of different mystical traditions that lifts the spirit.

All this material is available to the House of Wisdom, the sick, Oida Therapy, prisoners ... or anyone who likes to listen. They are six hour productions that can be maintained on a single CD which is also a good gift.

You can also put it in a memory stick so that people can listen directly. Mother Vraja Bhumi, mother Caitanya of Mexico, heard these meditations nonstop within the last days of their lives. Now it's time to try it in many cases and collect testimonies from people about what happened to them with it.

In addition, I want to report to you the beautiful experience of the first native encounter of many different tribes in Colombia and other countries, held in Varsana Dham, along with what they built a KIVA, a circle 13 meters in diameter near the temple of Their Lordships Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Vrajesvara. This circle of 13 meters is next to our circle of Trulys .. The Vaishnava Sanctuary next to the cosmic Mother Earth Sanctuary.

This group of natives named Krishna devotees as one of the original native tribes because of its contribution to the Ancestral Consciousness. That was an unexpected honor, to receive so much love and respect from the native communities in South America; we give a big welcome to the community and work for the protection of more than 100 ethnic groups in Colombia and South America.

So far we have preached mainly to the "settlers", the white men, who do not look very friendly to native (since they are the descendants of their oppressors and have they marginalized)

Thus, their acceptance is a historical fact and I hope we can accept it in a very good way, in the same way they did this event, where they all received the mercy of prasadam. Many of them admitted that their ancestors were practically vegetarian. Thus, prasadam conquers everyone equally.

Something that Prabhu Jayati told me today is that all the Natives circumambulated Their Lordships Radha Varsana Vrajesvara and declared Varsana as a sanctuary of the earth ... and not only that, the KIVA is enabled for ceremonies for four years.

So I wish you a nice and healthy marathon so that people get enough love from the Vaishnavas.

With these words I say goodbye to you today from the Office of Vrinda Kunja, where we are very excited preparing for the preaching that starts as soon as our seamstresses finish the costumes of the "largest Drama History": A conscious revolutionary, Kumbha Mela Verde.

Jay Srila Prabhupada.

Your always well wisher,

Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti

Whatever you really want to have, you will really have but with much sacrifice. 12/9/12

Dear devotees.

Today we are in the Chat from the office of Sri Vrinda Kunja.

This office brings back many memories. The first room where you could live after the room of the Pujari. This room received his Divine Grace Srila B. P. Puri Maharaj and Srila Nayananada Babaji Maharaj, two presidents of the WVA, two pure devotees near to my sannyasa Guru Srila Sridhar Maharaja. They gave their mercy to Vrinda Kunja and stayed for about 4-5 days here.

At that time Vrinda Kunja became a pilgrimage site for having the presence of these two pure devotees in this office. I still preserve his bed here, although I have not been on the mattress he used. The years are surprising because Srila Puri Maharaj was 96 then and now it has been 20 years that he left this world at the age of 101 years. So we are already veterans. We have already been here a good amount of time around these sacred lands and each year we brought different souls fortunate to know the holy Dham and hopefully lose their heart in Vrindavan.

Reaching Vrindavan eternally is undoubtedly the goal because we do not want to stay in Colombia forever, nor Frankfurt, nor Buenos Aires or in the jungles of Ecuador although in this material world there are some very nice places. You can imagine then the beauty of Goloka Vrindavan. You can imagine how nice it must be a place without perversion.

I remember when we were cleaning Prabhupada waterfalls in Mexico, the most beautiful I've ever seen near a temple, the waterfall that is close to the Vedas in Santa Marta is far superior. But remember that in Mexico we are dedicated to clean these waterfalls and we take out a lot of garbage. That reminded me that this world is not the soul's eternal place under any circumstances. You could say that the curse of modernization has put us in a life so artificial and that despite the facilities that are offer such as: the Internet, this chat, we cannot ignore taking precautions and counter many of the horrific elements of our supposed civilization. The theme of the Chat is a conference that I give these days in which I wanted to explain now, is that for good experiences and understandings where you need to go when our spiritual authority is absent in the world...

Just today I went to see Sriji Maharaj, a venerable saint, Nimbarka Sampradaya Acarya of which was surrounded by a large crowd of devotees and his face reflected the giant number of years he lived in this world already. I gave him the shawl of environmental awareness in Vrindavan. I began to think that he would neither remain forever in this world and that his disciples will have to live at some point in his physical absence. Our life is like lightning. And if we can accumulate a little something to fulfill in serving our Guru that would be wonderful because just celebrating years since birth it is not fulfill anything.

I hope that this document will serve you in many ways, because in a way you cannot be too close to the spiritual master for many times in life and how we are producing at this time a magazine in honor of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada and we are also producing a virtual and physical museum to better present our grandfather to the world. We realize that the presence of a Vaishnava, more than having the desire to have their company, as many disciples as there are, that even despite being initiated, do not take the time to read the weekly update of his spiritual master nor dependent of performing a service. Rather they are not very anxious to be with one, even if one is on the planet at that time. Those who accepted the guru at some point because they thought it was a fad or enthusiasm for the prasadam and not for the four regulative principles. Nor for the ideal of serving with personal sacrifice. Sure, we are already very happy when a soul becomes vegetarian or accepts responsibility or accept liability for their activities or to say how ecstatic it is when a disciple is dedicated to spreading the message of Lord Caitanya and His holy names.

As I said, it all depends on personal nostalgia one feels individually, but I do hope to carry all of you to Vrindavan, so that your souls take refuge in eternal love and not have to go wandering around the world sick, but if our Lord wants us here to preach, all he wants is always auspicious. In essence, the message of this chat is that: whatever you really want to have, you will really have but with much sacrifice.

A big hug to all the sankirtaneers special this December. From Vrindavan with love for those warriors who go to preach every day. One important note, do not forget the 21 day event. They have to have a big party with many drums. It’s a day of kirtan, and report the kirtan. This part is very important, as much as the kirtan and reports can go on the page with a video of the kirtan. Arrange with your kirtan devotees to film and report it to the page.

Srila Prabhupada ki jay

Your always well wisher,

Swami BA Paramadvaiti

Being grateful and accepting 12/2/12 Vrindavana

Dear devotees

Please receive my affection from Vrindavan.

The time has come, to think of what to do with our life, because this life is passing quickly, like water through a turbulent river that does not rest anywhere, runs and runs until it reaches the sea, the water flowing from our Life is a water of our emotions and relationships. We had so many relationships in this life, and so many relationships we will also have, but in an instance you cannot take your best friend, the most wonderful mother, the most beautiful wife, or your children, they will all stay. You are separated by the forces of great Mother Nature, like waves in the sea come together and separate to never meet again with the each other. The souls in the turbulent ocean of actions and reactions meet, become attach, they split and fall away.

There is a relationship that transcends this duality. Is there something that allows us to tie ourselves to an eternal reality and pleasantry? That question everyone asks themselves more than once in life. What is certain is what you do not have; however there is no certainty in what you have. Although you have a secure existence because you are realizing your existence both day and night, the great sage, pure devotee of Krishna, Srila Prabhupada, my beloved, respected teacher and Gurudeva explained with all his love, we are all children of the same Eternal Father. This eternal loving father is the one who can give the soul within His will and in His abode. He made it clear from the beginning, that not even the best friend you have, you can have it when you leave.

We are very tied by blood relationships that make us feel that here there is some permanent relationship but in fact your blood father is not even blood because in the sperm there is no blood. Our existence and our lineage is a lineage of consciousness interspersed with each other by karma, not by blood or sperm; they are only vehicles, like your diet. By eating a potato or cauliflower you don’t become potato or cauliflower.

There are many vehicles in this world: vehicles to receive images, vehicles to perceive touch, to look from one person to another, vehicles sensitized by vibrations. There grosser vehicles and others not so much, but in all cases they are material vehicles, but what really connects us to the cause of all causes is that we are part of the cause. And we are united with this consciousness by consciousness of this consciousness. We could say that we are born by the grace of our parents because they decided to have a child and so we were born as recipients of that will, and then they sacrificed so that we have diapers, socks, shoes, clothing, food, and much physical things but what linked me with my parents was their desire to have a child, which made the image and likeness to them...

So when we say that we are made in the image and likeness of God it is very reasonable.

One cannot beget lions or giraffes, but the Creator to produce elephants, lions and giraffes, is not difficult, he can do what he wants, and he felt like children should be born in the image of their parents. Our relationship with God and our parents is that we are individual units of consciousness, and these are very busily joining. Joining with the Lord who will never leave you abandoned because the experience of abandonment and separation hurts very much. It hurts and it hurts a lot, but being conditioned souls we have something big that gives us no relief in separation: we are very picky, we ask more of others than what we want to give. When we have a relationship we always exploit the other in one way or another, take advantage of the other person so when there is a forced separation people say one was equally treated this way, lazy, liar, and they left because they had to go. One conforms rather quickly with the departure of someone. Although at times there are crocodile tears or sorrow for the dead.

The former closes the eyes with envy and greed, and which makes us forget of who’s not there, and that he would not want us to fight. We are bad companions because we do not give Krishna what he deserves. As the husband doesn’t give his wife what she deserves, and the wife does not give him what he deserves, maybe they make a trade, or they agree on bartering. But what your husband or wife deserves is a great devotee,  someone dedicated, compassionate, and doesn’t ask what for something they do not deserve.

As the Isopanisad states, that the Supreme Lord is giving us and we should not take what we do not need, but it’s not that we ask for more than we need, but often we take it without asking. When we divide 100 by 200 it is difficult that only half that each person gets, and a half does not work, you have to accept. You have to accept that each functional unit is blessed unity. As is said, there is enough in this world for everyone's need, but not for their greed. Then you see that the rich do not get tired of wealth, and always want to increase and worst, when they have the most, they are more afraid of losing. Whoever does not have is not like that. He who has saved for 100 days of food, when they reach 40 days and have to work to replenish then his anxiety will start. Therefore, the more one has, accumulates, then the more anxious one becomes.

There is a very wise saying that I always remember when I think of Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Deva Goswami: "Take care of your own business, and surrender" My surrender is to surrender to your company, dear Vaishnava, that your bhajan keeps me safe, to be maintained by prasada and hari khata and that we always remain attached to the pleasant company of devotees ... Especially here in the Yamuna Kunja, where my heart is shaken by the beauty of being in front of Yamuna Devi. This is where many beggars were inspired by the entire planet without any attraction to the opulence of this world and the illusory pleasures.

One of them sang: I am a sinner, luxuriously full and nothing good in me ... Gopinath, that the presence of Your lotus feet descend to this soul. Maybe you play a trick or scold me if you see something in me that I do, that you don’t like, so this will be my last birth. I do not want to put conditions to My Lord ... what he decides then I will accept it.

The material world is very strong. I would love to meet His lotus feet to please Him entirely in an eternal relationship because I feel that in the material world there is too much fraudulent levels, not at all levels because there are very faithful souls, but fraud is exaggerated so I decide I do not want anything else around here, and it's something that I present to my Lord so that He may utilize as He wishes. All these years in Krishna Consciousness have been very merciful even the moments of suffering. All were moments were learning experiences and beautiful. And from now on I ask you, dear Vaishnavas, that you allow me to keep singing and reading the Srimad Bhagavatam in his campaign, pushing the sankirtan movement, as well as you do, as these great acharyas have done service for the world's salvation. Who knows how many times these saints passed through this door, at least Sripad Damodar Maharaja and  Srimati Mataji passed through here. So they did their Pushpa Samadhis here, because I knew them and knew they were very dear to Srimati Radharani. All this is but a mercy for us to learn to be grateful...

Thank you very much, dear sankirtaneers, for joining us on this beautiful journey. In the coming days we will be doing the farewell ceremonies for those who have left this world during the year. Those wishing that your loved one participate in this ceremony, send the photo to Vrinda Kunja mail with the name and details of relationship with you. (Vrindakunja@gmail.com). With much love from here,  to all of you in marathon work, to participate in this marathon in December from India. 

Jay Srila Prabhupada!

Your always well wisher,
Swami BA Paramadvaiti