/krsna/ Gaudiya-Vaishnava General

Germany was harder, and if anyone can find an official statement I would be very grateful. I was able to find this article from 2014, which has an interesting quote:

http://iskconnews.org/iskcon-participates-in-hindu-forum-of-europe-general-assembly,4546/

>“We’re trying to make sure that Hinduism is considered an official religion in EU countries, not an obscure sect,” says HFE President Radj Bhondoe. “So far it’s only officially recognized in three EU countries: the Netherlands, the UK and recently Italy. So there’s a lot of work to do.”

If true (then and still), then what talk can there be of whether ISKCON is a true sect of Hinduism or not, when all of Hinduism isn't even recognized by most of Europe?

I'm going to go back over the old thread now - there seemed to be an excellent talk going on after I left, and hopefully the prabhus from Gaudiya Math return. I would love their association.

File: Lord Damodar.jpg (65KB, 610x432px) Image search: [Google]

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In my search, I was able to find an article on the Hungary Society for Krishna consciousness first losing then regaining official status in the nation.

http://iskconnews.org/iskcon-retains-its-religious-status-in-hungary,3148/

And this site holds so many links and articles, it's kind of too much, a glut. However, part 4 under "ISKCON is authorized" cites a number of US court cases establishing and reaffirming ISKCON's position as an official US religion.

http://www.hknet.org.nz/not-a-cult.html#Authorized

>>17163290
>Devotion to Ishvara is prescribed for jivas because using the limitations with which the jiva identifies itself to continually remember that which is free from limited identification will purify the limitations with which the jiva associates itself to a point where they will be receptive to the identification with Brahman. The purification is possible because the jiva has Brahman as its sole support even in the state of ignorance, and sattva is present (though often in a latent state) in all limitations. By remembering the Lord, we assert an intention (iccha-shakti) of pure sattva (remembrance of Ishvara) toward that which is of a mixed-/polluted-sattva nature, and effectively “will” said transformation in the matter. This last part about the mechanism is not super worked out either, but it’s a decent working theory.

Whoever wrote this, I regret not being there to talk with you. In regards to the mechanism, I would posit these verses as a starting point.

>Bg 10.10 — To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
>Bg 10.11 — To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.

These are the latter two verses of four that Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur called the "core" of the Gita.

File: Sri Yasoda and Damodar.jpg (149KB, 602x800px) Image search: [Google]

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And since I'm personal blogging over here and will probably be deleted soon, I'm putting up some actual praise of Krishna influenced by my choice of picture: the Damodarastakam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p021vu4V0Ss

namāmīśvaram sac-cid-ānanda-rūpam
lasat-kuṇḍalam gokule bhrājamanam
yaśodā-bhiyolūkhalād dhāvamānam
parāmṛṣṭam atyantato drutya gopyā

rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mṛjantam
karāmbhoja-yugmena sātańka-netram
muhuḥ śvāsa-kampa-trirekhāńka-kaṇṭha-
sthita-graivam dāmodaram bhakti-baddham

itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe
sva-ghoṣam nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam
tadīyeṣita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvam
punaḥ prematas tam śatāvṛtti vande

varam deva mokṣam na mokṣāvadhim vā
na canyam vṛṇe ‘ham vareṣād apīha
idam te vapur nātha gopāla-bālam
sadā me manasy āvirāstām kim anyaiḥ

idam te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair
vṛtam kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā
muhuś cumbitam bimba-raktādharam me
manasy āvirāstām alam lakṣa-lābhaiḥ

namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo
prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam
kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnam batānu
gṛhāṇeṣa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ

kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yadvat
tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca
tathā prema-bhaktim svakām me prayaccha
na mokṣe graho me ‘sti dāmodareha

namas te 'stu dāmne sphurad-dīpti-dhāmne
tvadīyodarāyātha viśvasya dhāmne
namo rādhikāyai tvadīya-priyāyai
namo 'nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam

>>17165678
To the supreme controller, who possesses an eternal form of blissful knowledge, whose glistening earrings swing to and fro, who manifested Himself in Gokula, who stole the butter that the gopis kept hanging from the rafters of their storerooms and who then quickly jumped up and ran in retreat in fear of Mother Yasoda but was ultimately caught - to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

Upon seeing His mother's whipping stick, He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yasoda bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

Those superexcellent pastimes of Lord Krishna's babyhood drowned the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. To the devotees who are attracted only to His majestic aspect of Narayana in Vaikuntha, the Lord herein reveals: “I am conquered and overwhelmed by pure loving devotion.” To the Supreme Lord, Damodara, my obeisances hundreds and hundreds of times.

O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for liberation, nor eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon. My only prayer is that Your childhood pastimes may constantly appear in my mind. O Lord, I do not even want to know your feature of Paramatma. I simply wish that Your childhood pastimes may ever be enacted in my heart.

O Lord, the cheeks of Your blackish lotus face, which is encircled by locks of curling hair, have become reddened like bimba fruits due to Mother Yasoda's kisses. What more can I describe than this? Millions of opulences are of no use to me, but may this vision constantly remain in my mind.

>>17165451
Thanks man, I know people try and discredit ISKCON and have been for a while now.

Also, the fact that God steals butter when He is little makes me feel peaceful and very happy.

File: mother_yasoda_feeding_butter_to_kanhaiya.jpg (164KB, 593x800px) Image search: [Google]

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>>17165697
O unlimited Vishnu! O master! O Lord! Be pleased upon me! I am drowning in an ocean of sorrow and am almost like a dead man. Please shower the rain of mercy on me; uplift me and protect me with Your nectarean vision.

O Lord Damodara, in Your form as a baby Mother Yasoda bound You to a grinding stone with a rope for tying cows. You then freed the sons of Kuvera, Manigriva and Nalakuvara, who were cursed to stand as trees and You gave them the chance to become Your devotees. Please bless me in this same way. I have no desire for liberation into Your effulgence.

O Lord, the entire universe was created by Lord Brahma, who was born from Your abdomen, which was bound with a rope by Mother Yasoda. To this rope I offer my humble obeisances. I offer my obeisances to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani and to Your unlimited pastimes.

Mother Yasoda has such an interesting position. In the paternal relationship with God, one's love is developed in such a way that they feel responsible for God's wellbeing. Krishna will reciprocate with this love by actually putting Himself under the control and authority of such a pure devotee. Here we see the Omnipotent Lord being chased with a stick, bound by a rope, and in general - being scolded by His mother. Those with a paternal bend to their bhakti (which is not sahajiya, this is not roleplaying and sentimental wishing), often take up deity worship, which gives a sense of guardianship and responsibility over the well-being of God.

It's a position rarely seen in other traditions. For how can you present an All-Powerful Being that has parents, and can be chastened by another? In Gaudiya-Vaishnavism it's explained by yoga-maya: illusion that brings one CLOSER to God. Mother Yasoda is in yoga-maya, and understands that others call her child the Supreme, yet sees only her darling little boy who's very naughty. In this way she can approach as a mother and give maternal affection, including chastisement when "needed."

>>17165727
ISKCON has much to atone for, but the authenticity of the sampradaya is not one of them.

And I am also particularly attracted to the pastimes of Krishna and His incarnations when they play the mischievous trickster.

> SB 10.8.24 — Within the house of Nanda Mahārāja, the cowherd ladies would enjoy seeing the pastimes of the babies Rāma and Kṛṣṇa. The babies would catch the ends of the calves’ tails, and the calves would drag Them here and there. When the ladies saw these pastimes, they certainly stopped their household activities and laughed and enjoyed the incidents.

Krishna is a very naughty boy as a child.

> SB 10.8.29 — “Our dear friend Yaśodā, your son sometimes comes to our houses before the milking of the cows and releases the calves, and when the master of the house becomes angry, your son merely smiles. Sometimes He devises some process by which He steals palatable curd, butter and milk, which He then eats and drinks. When the monkeys assemble, He divides it with them, and when the monkeys have their bellies so full that they won’t take more, He breaks the pots. Sometimes, if He gets no opportunity to steal butter or milk from a house, He will be angry at the householders, and for His revenge He will agitate the small children by pinching them. Then, when the children begin crying, Kṛṣṇa will go away.

File: krsna-shows-yasoda-vishvarupa.jpg (502KB, 1166x1579px) Image search: [Google]

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Bump with a time when Krishna dropped the veil of yoga-maya, and astounded Yasoda by showing the universe existing inside of Him.

SB 10.8.32 — One day while Kṛṣṇa was playing with His small playmates, including Balarāma and other sons of the gopas, all His friends came together and lodged a complaint to mother Yaśodā. “Mother,” they submitted, “Kṛṣṇa has eaten earth.”
SB 10.8.33 — Upon hearing this from Kṛṣṇa’s playmates, mother Yaśodā, who was always full of anxiety over Kṛṣṇa’s welfare, picked Kṛṣṇa up with her hands to look into His mouth and chastise Him. Her eyes fearful, she spoke to her son as follows.
SB 10.8.34 — Dear Kṛṣṇa, why are You so restless that You have eaten dirt in a solitary place? This complaint has been lodged against You by all Your playmates, including Your elder brother, Balarāma. How is this?
SB 10.8.35 — Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa replied: My dear mother, I have never eaten dirt. All My friends complaining against Me are liars. If you think they are being truthful, you can directly look into My mouth and examine it.
SB 10.8.36 — Mother Yaśodā challenged Kṛṣṇa, “If You have not eaten earth, then open Your mouth wide.” When challenged by His mother in this way, Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā, to exhibit pastimes like a human child, opened His mouth. Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is full of all opulences, did not disturb His mother’s parental affection, His opulence was automatically displayed, for Kṛṣṇa’s opulence is never lost at any stage, but is manifest at the proper time.

>>17166177
SB 10.8.37-39 — When Kṛṣṇa opened His mouth wide by the order of mother Yaśodā, she saw within His mouth all moving and nonmoving entities, outer space, and all directions, along with mountains, islands, oceans, the surface of the earth, the blowing wind, fire, the moon and the stars. She saw the planetary systems, water, light, air, sky, and creation by transformation of ahaṅkāra. She also saw the senses, the mind, sense perception, and the three qualities, goodness, passion and ignorance. She saw the time allotted for the living entities, she saw natural instinct and the reactions of karma, and she saw desires and different varieties of bodies, moving and nonmoving. Seeing all these aspects of the cosmic manifestation, along with herself and Vṛndāvana-dhāma, she became doubtful and fearful of her son’s nature.
SB 10.8.40 — [Mother Yaśodā began to argue within herself:] Is this a dream, or is it an illusory creation by the external energy? Has this been manifested by my own intelligence, or is it some mystic power of my child?
SB 10.8.41 — Therefore let me surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead and offer my obeisances unto Him, who is beyond the conception of human speculation, the mind, activities, words and arguments, who is the original cause of this cosmic manifestation, by whom the entire cosmos is maintained, and by whom we can conceive of its existence. Let me simply offer my obeisances, for He is beyond my contemplation, speculation and meditation. He is beyond all of my material activities.
SB 10.8.42 — It is by the influence of the Supreme Lord’s māyā that I am wrongly thinking that Nanda Mahārāja is my husband, that Kṛṣṇa is my son, and that because I am the queen of Nanda Mahārāja, all the wealth of cows and calves are my possessions and all the cowherd men and their wives are my subjects. Actually, I also am eternally subordinate to the Supreme Lord. He is my ultimate shelter.

File: Lord-Krishna-the-butter-thief.jpg (151KB, 1195x1527px) Image search: [Google]

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>>17166180
SB 10.8.43 — Mother Yaśodā, by the grace of the Lord, could understand the real truth. But then again, the supreme master, by the influence of the internal potency, Yoga-māyā, inspired her to become absorbed in intense maternal affection for her son.
SB 10.8.44 — Immediately forgetting Yoga-māyā’s illusion that Kṛṣṇa had shown the universal form within His mouth, mother Yaśodā took her son on her lap as before, feeling increased affection in her heart for her transcendental child.
SB 10.8.45 — The glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are studied through the three Vedas, the Upaniṣads, the literature of Sāṅkhya-yoga, and other Vaiṣṇava literature, yet mother Yaśodā considered that Supreme Person her ordinary child.

>>17165824
>>17166177
>>17166180
Does she almost forget after it happens? Like when we have witness to God's opulence we see it and then when we come back into a normal consciousness we just long to see it again.

>>17166203
Heh, character limits. I don't think "forget" is the right word for it. Here Prabupada's disciple (The 10th Canto was translated by Prabhupada as the Krishna Book, but the verse-by-verse translation was done after his death by disciples. There is contention in ISKCON whether these translations are authoritative.) uses the word "absorbed." The sanskrit is putra-sneha-mayīm: son-affection-composed of/because. Prabhupada wrote this:

>While Mother Yaśodā was thinking in this high philosophical way, Lord Kṛṣṇa again expanded His internal energy just to bewilder her with maternal affection. Immediately Mother Yaśodā forgot all philosophical speculation and accepted Kṛṣṇa as her own child. She took Him on her lap and became overwhelmed with maternal affection.

So "forgot" is applicable, but I always understood it to mean that her love became so overwhelming, there just wasn't "room" in her awareness for any philosophical musings.