Dear Friends: Please honor us with your presence at today's kirtan, lecture, and feast at 105 S 3rd Street in Fairfield, Iowa, beginning at noon today, Saturday, May 11th. If you can not come in body, then come in mind in spirit in your heart, simply by reading the adventure below.
I have promised to deliver a lecture of flying in the Vaishnava (those who believe in Vishnu as supreme) tradition. Here is one such example among many. The lecture will begin at 12:30, after Hare Krishna kirtan, which will begin at 12 pm. At 1:00 we shall all enjoy a six course feast of food prepared for the pleasure of Krishna and offered to Him with loving devotion. Once Krishna has enjoyed our offerings by His merciful glance, it is transformed into Bhagavat Prasadam, which bestows love of Krishna upon all who experience it. Even those who hear with faith about such a feast are elevated in Krishna Bhakti Yoga, or pure love for God, Who is know in countless traditions by countless names. Recently, Krishna's Kindom of Dvaraka, has been discovered, off the west coast of India. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KkDMBhrAD4 ) Once, in truth, in Dvarak, Krishnas city which recently has been discovered off beneath the sea . India, there lived a holy brahmana who desired to have sons. He had eight sons, but as soon as each was born, the infant died In those times, the king was considered responsible for the safety of all of his citizens, and so the the brahmana took each of his dead infant sons and placed them before Maharaja Ugrasena, who did all within his power to rectify conditions within his kingdom so that such things would not occur again; just as in the modern day saintly kings engage their citizens in auspicious activities such as meditation upon the Supreme, yajna to the devatas, and other pure practices which promote the welfare of the individual and society at large. But try as he may, Maharaja Ugrasenda was unable to protect the sons of the brahmana, who therefore concluded that the king was lax in his duties to the Lord and the devatas but instead was enjoying his royal position only to gratify his senses and for the pleasure of his court. Arjuna, who Krishna had instructed in the Bhagavad Gita, as we all well know, could not bear to hear these criticisms of the king, and he promised the aggrieved brahmana that he would protect the next child. But the brahmana was so upset that he accused Arjuna of empty boasting, just as many leaders make promises to us which they are unable or unwilling to fulfill. But Arjuna had good reason to believe that he could protect the child, for he had direct association with the devatas, such as Indra, the King of Heaven, who had given Arjuna his powerful and spiritually empowered bow, Gandiva. Since Arjuna was a great warrior, and the son of Indra himself, he vowed that he would enter into fire if he could not protect the child. But the child died, and Arjuna, true to his word, prepared to sacrifice himself. However, Shri Krishna, the friend of Arjuna, personally came and persuaded Arjuna not to give up his life. “We shall go and find the child.” he assured him. There are many yogis in this world who can travel into outer space, but Krishna, who always enjoys the company of His devotees, summoned His horses and chariot, and He and Arjuna traversed the universe in search of the child, who could not be found, even in the court of Yamaraja, the superintendent of death. Krishna therefore decided to search beyond this universe, so he directed His chariot across the dense darkness which covers all the living beings in this world. Due to this darkness, we are thinking that this is just another story, whose truth is simply allegorical. But Krishna evoked His Sudarshan Chakra by whose glowing effulgence the darkness was dissipated. This disk of light is also a personality, and its name, Sudarshan, indicates that it provides good (su) audience or vision (darshan). A power, big wheel indeed! Following Sudarshan, Krishna and Arjuna approached Lord Narayana, whose name indicates that he is the source of all naras, or personalities. Now, I shall quote directly from Shrimad Bhagavatam, available online at www.Vedabase.net. SB 10.89.58: [Lord Mahā-Viṣṇusaid:] I brought the brāhmaṇa's sons here because I wanted to see the two of you, My expansions, who have descended to the earth to save the principles of religion. As soon as you finish killing the demons who burden the earth, quickly come back here to Me. SB 10.89.59: Although all your desires are completely fulfilled, O best of exalted personalities, for the benefit of the people in general you should continue to exemplify religious behavior as the sages Naraand Nārāyaṇa. SB 10.89.60-61: Thus instructed by the Supreme Lord of the topmost planet, Kṛṣṇaand Arjunaassented by chanting oḿ, and then they bowed down to almighty Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu. Taking the brāhmaṇa's sons with them, they returned with great delight to Dvārakāby the same path along which they had come. There they presented the brāhmaṇawith his sons, who were in the same infant bodies in which they had been lost. SB 10.89.62: Having seen the domain of Lord Viṣṇu, Arjunawas totally amazed. He concluded that whatever extraordinary power a person exhibits can only be a manifestation of ŚrīKṛṣṇa's mercy. Please come to our kirtan and festival, and fly with us beyond the confines of this material world. The more, the merrier, so bring your friends. Or visit us simply by giving us your prayers and blessings. Jai Gurudeva. Hare Krishna. OM TAT SAT. Fairfield, 4/11/13 Free Online Accredited College Courses! Fairfield Center for Autonomy and Self Learning www.FCASL.com (985) 768-7060 CEO: Martin A Rosenthal, M.Ed. The English Teacher And The Golden Avatar TeacherAndAvatar.com Short Stories From Renaissance High RenHigh.com HealthMartin.OrGanoGold.com w.www,AhimsaCOWramels.com
