View allAll Photos Tagged hareramaharekrishna
Date - 11th March 2009
Location - Bake Bihari Temple, Vrindavan
More than anyone else - its a kids who have a blast during holi ;-)
The relationship between Radha and Krishna is the example of the highest and purest love, an indissoluble union of the highest intermingling and completion; it is also a love expressed through music. Music underlines the illicit relationship; this love,shadowed by secrecy, adultery and scorn, finds its outlet in Krisna's charming and passionate musical talents.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization.[1] It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.[2] Its core beliefs are based on traditional Hindu scriptures such as the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and the Bhagavad-gītā,[3] both of which, according to the traditional Hindu view, date back more than 5,000 years. The distinctive appearance of the movement and its culture come from the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, which has had adherents in India since the late 15th century and Western converts since the early 1930s.[4]
Krishna and Radha with Gopis, image at ISKCON Mayapur temple
ISKCON's Bhajan during Navratri Golu at Coimbatore, India
ISKCON was formed to spread the practice of bhakti yoga, in which aspirant devotees (bhaktas) dedicate their thoughts and actions towards pleasing the Supreme Lord, Krishna.[5][6] ISKCON today is a worldwide confederation of more than 400 centers, including 60 farm communities, some aiming for self-sufficiency, 50 schools and 90 restaurants.[7] In recent decades the movement's most rapid expansions in terms of numbers of membership have been within Eastern Europe (especially since the collapse of the Soviet Union) and India.[8]
ISKCON devotees follow a disciplic line of Gaudiya Bhagavata Vaishnavas and are the largest branch of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.[9] Vaishnavism means 'worship of Vishnu', and Gauḍa refers to the area where this particular branch of Vaishnavism originated, in the Gauda region of West Bengal. Gaudiya Vaishnavism has had a following in India, especially West Bengal and Orissa, for the past five hundred years. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada disseminated Gaudiya Vaishnava Theology in the Western world through extensive writings and translations,[10] including the Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana), Chaitanya Charitamrita and other scriptures. These works are now available in more than seventy languages and serve as the canon of ISKCON. Many are available online from a number of websites.[11][12]
Early western conversions to monotheistic Krishna Vaisnavism or the Bhagavata Vaishnava line which forms the basis of the ISKCON philosophy were recorded by the Greeks and are reflected in the archaeological record.[13][14]
Krishna is described as the source of all the avatars.[15] Thus ISKCON devotees worship Krishna as the highest form of God, svayam bhagavan, and often refer to Him as "the Supreme Personality of Godhead" in writing, which was a phrase coined by Prabhupada in his books on the subject. To devotees, Radha represents Krishna's divine female counterpart, the original spiritual potency, and the embodiment of divine love. The individual soul is an eternal personal identity which does not ultimately merge into any formless light or void as suggested by the monistic (Advaita) schools of Hinduism; Prabhupada never declared ISKCON to be a Hindu organisation, because he considered it to be a 'material designation', not an appropriate name. Prabhupada most frequently offers Sanatana-dharma and Varnashrama dharma as more accurate names for the religious system which accepts Vedic authority.[16] It is a monotheistic tradition which has its roots in the theistic Vedanta traditions.[17]
Hare Krishna mantra
Main article: Hare Krishna (mantra)
The popular nickname of "Hare Krishnas" for devotees of this movement comes from the mantra that devotees sing aloud (kirtan) or chant quietly (japa) on tulsi mala. This mantra, known also as the Maha Mantra, contains the names of God Krishna and Rama.
The Maha Mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Seven purposes of ISKCON
Public street festivals are a significant part of ISKCONs outreach programmes. Seen here is a Ratha Yatra festival in central London.
When Srila Prabhupada first incorporated ISKCON in 1966, he gave it seven purposes:[18]
To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all people in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.
To propagate a consciousness of Krishna, as it is revealed in the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, thus to develop the idea within the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna).
To teach and encourage the sankirtana movement, congregational chanting of the holy names of God as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
To erect for the members, and for society at large, a holy place of transcendental pastimes, dedicated to the personality of Krishna.
To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler and more natural way of life.
With a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.
[edit] Four regulative principles
Srila Prabhupada prescribed four regulative principles, in relation to the four legs of dharma,[19] as the basis of the spiritual life:
No eating of meat, fish or eggs (lacto-vegetarianism)
No illicit sex
No gambling
No intoxication (including alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and other recreational drugs).
The four legs of Dharma are:[19]
Daya: Mercy
Tapas: Self-Control or Austerity
Satyam: Truthfulness
Śaucam: Cleanliness of body and mind
[edit] Preaching activities
ISKCON is known for their energetic active preaching. Members try to spread Krishna consciousness, primarily by singing the Hare Krishna mantra in public places and by selling books written by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.[20] Both of these activities are known within the movement as Sankirtan. A study conducted by E. Burke Rochford Jr. at the University of California found that there are four types of contact between those in ISKCON and prospective members. Those include: individually motivated contact, contact made with members in public arenas, contact made through personal connections, and contact with sympathizers of the movement who strongly sway people to join.[21] According to the doctrine of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, one does not need to be born in a Hindu family to take up the practice of Vaishnavism. There are ISKCON communities around the world with schools, restaurants and farms. In general, funds collected by ISKCON are treated as communal property and used to support the community as a whole and to promote the preaching mission.[22] Many temples also have programs (like Food for Life) to provide meals for the needy. Also, ISKCON has recently brought the academic study of Krishna into western academia as Krishnology.
[edit] Food for Life
Main article: Hare Krishna Food for Life
ISKCON has inspired, and sometimes sponsored, a project called Food for Life. The goal of the project is to "liberally distribute pure vegetarian meals (prasadam) throughout the world", as inspired by Prabhupada's instruction, given to his disciples in 1973, "No one within ten miles of a temple should go hungry . . . I want you to immediately begin serving food".[23] A global charity, directed by Paul Turner and Mukunda Goswami,[24] coordinates the project. Food for Life is currently active in over sixty countries and serves over 700,000 meals every day.[24] Its welfare achievements have been noted by The New York Times and other media worldwide.[25][26][27][28]
[edit] Management structure
Srila Prabhupada spent much of the last decade of his life setting up the institution of ISKCON. As a charismatic leader, Srila Prabhupada's personality and management had been responsible for much of the growth of ISKCON and the reach of his mission.[29][30]
The Governing Body Commission (or GBC) was created by Prabhupada in 1970.[31] In a document Direction of Management written on 28 July 1970 Prabhupada appointed the following members to the commission, all of them non sannyasi:[29]
Sriman Rupanuga Das Adhikary
Sriman Bhagavan Das Adhikary
Sriman Syamsundar Das Adhikary
Sriman Satsvarupa Das Adhikary
Sriman Karandhar Das Adhikary
Sriman Hansadutta Das Adhikary
Sriman Tamala Krsna Das Adhikary
Sriman Sudama Das Adhikary
Sriman Bali Mardan Das Brahmacary
Sriman Jagadisa Das Adhikary
Sriman Hayagriva Das Adhikary
Sriman Kṛṣṇadas Adhikary
The letter outlined the following purposes of the commission: 1) improving the standard of temple management, 2) the spread of Krishna consciousness, 3) the distribution of books and literature, 4) the opening of new centers, 5) the education of the devotees. GBC has since grown in size to include 48 senior members from the movement who make decisions based on consensus of opinion rather than any one person having ultimate authority.[29][32] It has continued to manage affairs since Prabhupada's passing in 1977 although it is currently a self-elected organization and does not follow the provision where Srila Prabhupada instructs that members be elected by temple presidents.
[edit] Influential leaders since 1977
See also: Principle disciples of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
Before his death, Prabhupada "deputed"[33] or appointed the following eleven of his disciples to serve as gurus[34][35] or to continue to direct the organization:[36] Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami,[37][38] Jayapataka Swami,[39] Hridayananda Dasa Goswami, Tamal Krishna Goswami,[40] Bhavananda Goswami, Hansadutta Swami, Ramesvara Swami, Harikesa Swami, Bhagavan Dasa, Kirtanananda Swami, and Jayatirtha Dasa. These eleven "Western Gurus were selected as spiritual heads" of the ISKCON after 1977, however "many problems followed from their appointment and the movement had since veered away from investing absolute authority in a few, fallible, human teachers",[41] however of these eleven, the first three have remained prominent leaders within the movement, as was Tamal Krishna Goswami until his death in a car accident in March 2002. Bhavananda no longer holds the post of an initiating guru. Ramesvara, Bhagavan and Harikesa resigned as spiritual leaders in 1985, 1987 and 1999 respectively and the remaining three were all expelled from the movement by the Governing Body Commission during the 1980s.[42][not in citation given] Of Prabhupada's disciples, who number 4,734 in total,[43] approximately 70 are now acting as diksha gurus within ISKCON. As of April 2011, ISKCON had a total of 100 sannyasis, most of whom were acting as gurus (see List of International Society for Krishna Consciousness sannyasis).
[edit] Internal problems and controversy
In the years following Prabhupada's death in November 1977, a number of theological controversies arose:[44]
[edit] Origin of the soul
Srila Prabhupada explains that the soul falls from the spiritual world to this material world and that the supreme objective of the human life is to become Krishna conscious to be able to return "Back to Godhead" (also the title of the official ISKCON magazine). However when translations of important Vaishnava texts began to appear that seemed at variance with these teachings[clarification needed], controversy arose.[44][45]
[edit] Rasika-bhakti
The elder sannyasi Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami was a disciple of Prabhupada's sannyasa guru and was long a well-wisher of ISKCON. A small group of prominent ISKCON leaders were closer to his association and Bhaktivedanta Narayana made no effort to conceal his relationship with them, which as time went on became increasingly intimate. His emphasis on gopi-bhava, the mood of Krishna's cowherd lovers, particularly disturbed his ISKCON audiences since Prabhupada had stressed that the path of spontaneous devotion was only for liberated souls. At the annual GBC meeting in 1993, members questioned their affiliation with Bhaktivedanta Narayana. Those involved minimised the seriousness of the relationship, though for some it had been going on for as long as five years. By the next annual meeting, the GBC forced the involved members to promise to greatly restrict further association with their new teacher. Though adhering externally, their sympathies for Bhaktivedanta Narayana's teachings were unabated. In 1995 GBC position was firm and the controversy was first on the 1995 annual meeting's agenda. A week of thorough investigation brought the implicated members in line. Asked to suggest what they might do to make amends, the leaders involved with the controversy tendered their resignations, which the GBC promptly refused. They further volunteered to refrain from initiating new disciples or visiting Vrindavana until their case could be reassessed the following year and at the March 1996 meeting GBC insisted on maintaining most of the restrictions.[44]
While the capitulation of the GBC members previously following Bhaktivedanta Narayana has certainly demonstrated GBC solidarity it was insufficient to prevent a continued exodus of devotees who feel unable to repose full faith in the ISKCON Governing Body Commission authority.[44]
[edit] The Guru and the Parampara
ISKCON adheres to the traditional system of paramparā, or disciplic succession, in which teachings upheld by scriptures are handed down from master to disciple, generation after generation.[46] A minority of people who express faith in Srila Prabhupada's teachings say that Srila Prabhupada, in contrast to the tradition, intended that after his physical demise he would continue to initiate disciples through ceremonial priests, called ritviks. One version of this idea is espoused by a group calling itself the ISKCON Revival Movement.[47] ISKCON's Governing Body Commission has rejected all such ideas. [48]
[edit] Issues within the society
ISKCON also experienced a number of significant internal problems, the majority of which occurred from the late seventies onwards, and especially within the decade following Prabhupada's death.[49]
In 1976 a case involving allegations of "brainwashing" involving a minor named Robin George and her parents went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. In 1983, a California jury awarded the family more than $32 million in damages for false imprisonment and other charges, which was reduced to $485,000 in 1993.[50][51]
Also ISKCON has been subject matter of discussion in some anti-cult movements.[52][53][54] The ISKCON was described by academics[vague] as "the most genuinely Hindu of all the many Indian movements in the West",[55] and as to its fortieth anniversary in America, as "having being successful on the basis of longevity", having "undergone changes to its goals and identity".[56]
Stories of child abuse at the society's boarding schools in India and America began to emerge in the 1980s, with cases dating back from the mid-1970s onwards.[57] Some of these cases later appeared in print, such as in John Hubner and Lindsay Gruson's 1988 book Monkey on a Stick. In 1998 an official publication produced by ISKCON detailed the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse of children at the society's boarding schools in both India and the U.S. during the 1970s and 1980s.[58] Later ISKCON was sued by 95 people who had attended the schools. Facing the fiscal drain likely to ensue from this legal action, the ISKCON centers involved declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This allowed them to work out a settlement of US$9.5 million, meant to compensate not only the former students who had brought the suit but also any others who had undergone abuse but had not sued.[59]
To guard against further abuses, ISKCON has established a child protection office with teams worldwide, meant to screen out actual or potential abusers, educate children and adults on child abuse, and encourage due vigilance.[60] A petition circulating (as of July 2006) among ISKCON members calls for "zero tolerance" for past offenders.
In response to the need to establish transparency and accountability among its members, ISKCON encouraged the establishment of an ombudsman organization, ISKCON Resolve.[61]
There have been also allegations in relation to murders and fraud linked to the ISKCON movement, with ex-member and guru Kirtanananda Swami convicted.[62]
[edit] Rath Yatra controversy
An ISKCON Rath Yatra festival in New York City, USA
ISKCON organises Rath Yatra festivals in different countries around the world, including India. Although held once annually in each location, these festivals occur on different dates throughout the summertime, which is marked difference from the Rath Yatra as held at the Jagannatha temple in Puri (where the festival originates). At this temple, the Rath Yatra festival is held once each year on a specific date in July, and complaints have recently been made regarding ISKCON's having their international festivals at significantly different times to this.[63]
On December 20, 2007 the Puri priests held a demonstration alleging "a number of non-Hindus foreigners under the cover of ISKCON were trying to enter the temple", which is not allowed by that temple's tradition (only Hindus, whether Indian or foreigners are traditionally allowed in that temple).[64] In two incidents, the priests drove out nine Indonesian men who were allegedly tourists with no link to Hindu beliefs. The validity of this temple policy has been questioned in the media on a number of occasions,[65] especially since this ban was imposed by a British collector in 1805.[66]
[edit] In popular culture
Main article: Hare Krishna in popular culture
The Hare Krishna mantra appears in a number of famous songs, notably those sung by The Beatles (and solo works of John Lennon, George Harrison, notably on his hit "My Sweet Lord", and Ringo Starr). There is a reference to singing kirtan of Hare Krishna mantra in The Beatles' "I Am The Walrus" (the line "Elementary penguins singing Hare Krishna"). Ringo Starr's song "It Don't Come Easy" contains the words "Hare Krishna!" and was written with the help of George Harrison. Later Paul McCartney produced a single with a picture of Krishna riding on a swan on the cover, although there was not any chanting of Krishna's names inside. Of the four Beatles members, only Harrison was actually a member of ISKCON, and after he posthumously received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2009, his son Dhani Harrison uttered the phrase "Hare Krishna" during the ceremony.[67]
In one of Aerosmith's songs off of their 1997 album, Nine Lives, whose original cover caused some controversy with Hindus, a line in the song, 'The Farm', says, "I wanna be a Hare Krishna, tattoo a dot right on my head, and the prozac is my fixer, I am the living dead". The mantra also appears in The Pretenders' Boots of Chinese Plastic.[68] One song from 1969 by the Radha Krsna Temple, simply entitled Hare Krsna Mantra reached no. 12 in the UK music chart and appeared on the music show Top of the Pops. It also made the no.1 slot in both German and Czechoslovakian music charts. Less well-known but equally relevant to fans of pop music culture are recordings of the Hare Krishna mantra by The Fugs on their 1968 album Tenderness Junction (featuring poet Allen Ginsberg) and by Nina Hagen.[69]
The 1980 film Airplane! features several Hare Krishnas, led by the infamous actor David Leisure (Joe Isuzu). In the 1978 movie Dawn of the Dead, a Hare Krishna zombie can be seen. In the 1981 movie Stripes, the character of Russell Ziskey played by Harold Ramis is seen dancing around and chanting 'Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna!' after having his head shaved upon entering basic training for the U.S. Army. Also, in the 2001 television series Scrubs, the character JD is seen dancing, chanting and playing the tambourine with a group of Hare Krishnas after having his head shaved to support a patient with Leukaemia.
Dev Anand in 1971 directed movie "Hare Rama Hare Krishna". Although the movie talked about the hippie culture, the movie has a famous song based on the words "Hare Rama Hare Krishna".
[edit] Notes
On 1May 2008 there was a procession at Bandra Reclamation by the Hare Rama Hare Krishna devotees , I was on my way to work, but I shot some pictures , that I share with all of you a very delirious moment for the devotees, distribution of prasadam on the route, and this calvacade moved onto SV Road , turning into Hill Road and from there via Mehboob Studios back to Bandra Reclamation.
The devotees in all humility were caught in a happy moment, some were distributing prasadam to the crowds, some selling ISKCON literaure , men women children all pulling the Rath.. and adding eternity to their worldly lives.
About ISKCON
About ISKCON
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) was established in 1966 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Srila Prabhupada). ISKCON has since developed into a worldwide confederation of 10,000 temple devotees and 250,000 congregational devotees.
Better known as the Hare Krishna movement, ISKCON is comprised of more than 350 centres, 60 rural communities, 50 schools and 60 restaurants worldwide.
The mission of this nonsectarian, monotheistic movement is to promote the well being of society by teaching the science of Krishna consciousness according to Bhagavad-gita and other ancient scriptures.
Read on and find out about the seven aims that Srila Prabhupada set out for ISKCON.
Hare Rama Hare Krishna
The Hare Krishna mantra, also referred to reverentially as the Maha Mantra ("Great Mantra"), is a sixteen-word Vaishnava mantra made well known outside of India by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (commonly known as 'the Hare Krishnas').[1] It appears within many traditions of Hinduism and is believed by practitioners to bring about a higher state of consciousness when heard, spoken, meditated upon, or sung out loud.[2] According to Gaudiya Vaishnava theology, this higher consciousness ultimately takes the form of pure love of God (Krishna).[3]
The Hare Krishna mantra is composed of Sanskrit names in the vocative case: Hare, Krishna, and Rama (in Anglicized spelling, the IAST of the three vocatives is hare, kṛṣṇa and rāma; roughly pronounced IPA: ['hɐre:], ['kɹ̩ʂɳɐ], ['ra:mɐ], see Sanskrit for pronunciation details):Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Rama and Krishna both appear as names of Vishnu in the Vishnu sahasranama and refer primarily to the 7th and 8th Maha Avataras of Vishnu[4]. "Hare" can be interpreted as either the vocative of Hari, another name of Vishnu meaning "he who removes illusion", or as the vocative of Harā[5], a name of Rādhā, Krishna's eternal consort or Shakti.[6] According to A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Harā refers to "the energy of God" while Krishna and Rama refer to God himself, meaning "He who is All-Attractive" and "He who is the Source of All Pleasure".[7] Rama can also refer to Radha-Raman, another name of Krishna meaning beloved of Radha[8], or as a shortened form of Balarama, Krishna's first expansion.[9]
The mantra is repeated, either out loud (kirtan), softly to oneself (japa), or internally within the mind. Srila Prabhupada describes the process of chanting the Maha Mantra as follows:
"Krishna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind; this consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived ...[]... This chanting of 'Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare' is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration surpasses all lower strata of consciousness - namely sensual, mental, and intellectual ...[]... As such anyone can take part in the chanting without any previous qualification." [10]
[edit]
History
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534)
The Hare Krishna Tree in Tompkins Square Park under which Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada began the first recorded public chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra outside of India.[11]
The mantra is first attested in the kalisaṇṭāraṇopaniṣad (Kali Santarana Upanishad), a Vaishnava Upanishad associated with the Krishna Yajurveda. In this Upanishad, Narada is instructed by Brahma (in the translation of K. N. Aiyar):
"Hearken to that which all Shrutis (the Vedas) keep secret and hidden, through which one may cross the Samsara (mundane existence) of Kali. He shakes off (the evil effects of) Kali through the mere uttering of the name of Lord Narayana, who is the primeval Purusha".
Narada asks to be told this name of Narayana, and Brahma replies
"Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare; These sixteen names are destructive of the evil effects of Kali. No better means than this is to be seen in all the Vedas."
The mantra was popularized by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu roughly around 1500 CE when he began his mission to spread this mantra publicly to 'every town and village' in the world, travelling throughout India, and especially within the areas of Bengal and Orissa[12]. Some versions of the Kali Santarana Upanishad give the mantra with Hare Rama preceding Hare Krishna, and others with Hare Krishna preceding Hare Rama (as quoted above). The latter format is by far the more common within the Vaishnava traditions, within which it is a common belief that the mantra is equally potent when spoken in either order.[13]
In the 1960's an elderly monk known as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, on the order of his guru, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, brought the teachings of Sri Chaitanya from India and single-handedly took the responsibility of spreading them around the Western world. Beginning in New York, he encircled the globe fourteen times in the final eleven years of his life, thus making 'Hare Krishna' a well-known phrase in many parts of the world.[14]
[edit]
The "Hare Krishna" movement
Hare Krishna devotees perform a parade in Florida, USA in 2008
A Gaudiya Vaishnava (Hare Krishna) temple at Tirupathi
Devotees singing the Hare Krishna mantra
Main articles: ISKCON and Gaudiya Math
"Hare Krishna" brings to mind, for many, the conspicuous Hare Krishna devotees, who first appeared on the streets of Western cities in the 1960s and 1970s, dancing and chanting with drums and cymbals, wearing saffron dhotis or colourful saris, and selling Bhagavad Gita As It Is and similar literatures. These devotees were members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), founded by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ISKCON was the first organized Vaishnava group to make a large impression outside of India. Now a number of such Vaishnava groups are preaching in the Western world, such as the Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission and other lineages of the Gaudiya Math.[15]
From a theological perspective Hare Krishna devotees are classified as practitioners of Bhakti Yoga. They are also referred to as Gaudiya Vaishnavas because they follow a line of gurus descending from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who appeared in Bengal (Gauda is an old name of Bengal). Vaishnavism comes under the general banner of being a Hindu religion.[16]
Most serious 'Hare Krishna' practitioners live according to strict rules. For example, initiates take vows to abstain from all forms of recreational drugs and intoxicants (including caffeine), from eating meat, fish and eggs, from gambling, and from all sexual relations except for purposes of procreation within marriage. For beginners and non-initiates, how many of these rules are to be followed is left to one's own discretion,[17] but these four 'regulative principles' remain as a standard.[18]
In terms of general diet among Gaudiya Vaishnavas, onions, garlic, and mushrooms are also generally avoided due to their purportedly adverse effects on the consciousness of the eater.[19]
[edit]
Hippie culture
In the 1970s, Hare Krishnas became confused with the hippie subculture. The 1971 Hindi film Hare Rama, Hare Krishna, written and directed by Dev Anand, was shot with many real-life hippie extras. But in fact the genuine Hare Krishna followers were a far cry from hippies. Although Prabhupada was open to anyone, members had to follow the four regulative principles, one of which is "no intoxicants"[20]. Elevation and joy were to be derived from chanting God's holy names.
[edit]
Hare Krishna in popular culture
The Hare Krishna mantra appears in a number of famous songs, notably those of The Beatles and George Harrison, and has been at the number-one spot in the UK singles charts on more than one occasion within songs such as My Sweet Lord. One song from 1969 by the Radha Krsna Temple, simply entitled Hare Krsna Mantra reached no. 17 in the UK music chart and appeared on the music show Top of the Pops. It also made the no.1 slot in both German and Czechoslovakian music charts.[21]
Further information: Hare Krishna in popular culture
Piercing starts after Ganesh does puja to Goddess Marriammen at Juhu Beach.. video posted at my YouTube channel
This entire series of the MarriamennFeast is dedicated to the departed soul of my friend Bhima Davendar s mother who passed away recently.
It was Bhima Davendar who introduced me to this feast over 15 years back he connected me to Goddess Marriamenn.
I have shot this feast diligently passionately all these years thanks to the the love of the Tamils of NehruNagar Juhu.
It is Velu the head priest of Marriamenn Temple NehruNagar who personally invited me each year to shoot the events.
I have not been to well so could not shoot the morning Pongal event.
In the evening I shot the piercings at the beach along with my American friend Narrotamdas.
We two shoot this event every year and have been friends since 1983 .
After the piercings on the beach we paid homage to Mother Marriamen Temple but in keeping respect for the soul of Bhima Davendar mother we decided not to shoot the removal of the rods hooks etc.
We met Bhima offered our condolences and moved out towards our respective homes. He lives in Juhu I live in Bandra.
I have mostly shot videos...
Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel that promotes Hindu Muslim amity and living in peace.
Jai Shree Ram
Om Namo Narayan
Joie Ma Marriamenn.
Jai Shiv Shakti.
Presswala is those guys that churn out news pages and pages hidden like little ants under a mound of unsavoury advertisements..
Presswalas are invariably allergic to photo bloggers , heap invectives and write a bloggers obituary back to back from one Sunday to the next..
Agreed the blogger is a failed writer,perhaps a failed poet too but not a failed photographer mind you, , but the photoblogger that the photographer has crystalized his soul on the cybernet is real, his pictures are more real..
The Presswala Photographer shoots a picture the photo blogger shoots till the camera drops dead if it is Nikon DSLR D70.
The photoblogger shoots frames that become an emotional story board , real stories of human pain, human endurance God and man man and God including androgynous God and amorphous Man.
Well now this Presswala in my picture is Chachaji or Press Chacha , he irons your clothes before you rush to office or for a date with your girlfriend at Naushad Ali Road- now dont look flabbergasted this is the new name for Bandra Carter Road..
Late Naushadji was a music maestro and a respected name who was a low profile man staying at a waterfront bunglow of Carter Road ..
This is the change that politicians bring forth.. lovers still drown on the rocks at Carter Road, no change, guys emptying out their bowels on the rocks no change, boozing binge at the promenade no change, no toilets at the promenade no change..
I have nothing more to say.. I shall write about Naushad Ali Road in my next post..
Back to my Presswala Chacha,he was watching the ISKCON Shree Jaganath Yatra
bemused , his smile says it all, he has no issue with Hinduism , or any other religion as long as you dont impose your religiosity on his Islam..
He is not called a Bhaiyya though he is from Uttar Pradesh , because Miyas or Muslims are not included as Bhaiyyas , the Bhaiyyas are the lower caste maybe Dhobis, ricksha guys, other professional vendors ..mostly believers of Hinduism..
I am not an expert on this , I see poetry when I see pictures and let me tell you once and for all street photographers are not made they are born...
The Street photographer shoots a religious Hindu rath yatra but sees poetry of equanimity , religious compatabilty on a Muslim face that makes a living ironing clothes ...
The other genre of photographers are great photographers too, but the steet photographer is closest to man as Man is closest to God..
The street photographer shoots filth, deformities , sordid life, leper skins , eyeless shadows and burnt out highlights..eunuchs, transgender souls, body mutilations, naked naga sadhus,
The street photographer sees life as a metaphor.
In most cases he is a hobbyist insists on being called an amateur photographer , if he is a professional his pictures hardly selll, nobody buys misfortune even free.
The Blog has given respectability to a street photographer ...without the Blog the street photographer would be nourishing his fetid soul on a more fetid street of despair.
Blog Stats evaluate the traffic on a street photo bloggers pictures...
I give you a sample of my homesite where none of my new pictures are posted.
My new pictures originate at Flickr and move to Word Press and my poetry home site .
8278 files in 58 albums and 1 categories with 0 comments viewed 809020 times
since Dec2005
So this is written, also as a tribute to my American mentor Dr Glenn Losack MD ..
We met on the net, and he took a step forward to visit me in India Mumbai ... the rest is history.
This American Jew and a Shia Pandit a strange combination , but thats life without blinkers , I may not like Israeli politics or American politics but people of a country are above the criminalization of politics..
Sometimes I think Glenn and I are two sides of a coin..
He shoots better pictures than me , he sees more clearly than me and he is an old hand at photography over 25 years or more.
I am just about 6 years old with my camera.
He sends me his pictures I rediscover text as poetry that I bring out through the medium of my poeticaally pedestrian soul..
So through one picture I have told you inumerable stories..
This is Photo Blogging...
So fuck dont ask me what is not Photo blogging..
It is Presswalas cheek in mouth
women are enchanting the famous hindu mantra "hare rama hare krishna" during "Rath-yatra", a huge hindu festival associated with Lord Jagonnatha, another form of Lord Krishna..
"Park-circus", kolkata
Shankham" comes from the two Sanskrit words "Shum" which means something good and the "Kham" meaning water. Hence the meaning of "Shankam" is "The conch holding the sacred water.
In India, a Shankha is regarded as one of the five classical musical instruments known as the pancha-vadyas. The use of the Shankha to announce the commencement of an encounter on the battlefield has been mentioned in the great epic Mahabharata......
WHY Orange??
In Hinduism, Orange is connected to fire symbolism, notably in the colour of robes worn by Hindu swamis(Saints). The ochre of renunciates' robes symbolizes their inner transformation, the burning away of their egos and wants.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUMR6z0zQk0
A quick candid shot of this young lady as she walked by me on the street corner in Toronto while I was waiting to meet my family.
The quintessential Mumbai cop, he is there at all processions, his khaki presence keeps discipline , law and order in check.
He is the need of the hour in trying times, where vested interests try to play the communal card.
But Mumbai and the Mumbai police are unbreakable..
The police are human like us, with human emotions and endurance working long hours , handling festivals back to back, sometimes two or three at the same time.
Bandra Police incharge of this area has a smiling presence , they know people by first name and interact admirably.They are respected for their drive and their zeal.
Their boss Senior Inspector Mr Prakah George leads from the front.. always giving a helping hand to the citizens of Bandra..West
.
"Hare Rama Hare Krishna"
Contact Us:
Email: contact@samadhiyogaashram.com
#hareramaharekrishna #relaxing #standingpose #yogalife #meditation #treepose #flyingpose #prayer #flowers #dancepose #visiting #temple #congratulations #200houryttc #yogalife
#7chakrasfestival #yoga #yogapractice #meditation #chakraaffirmations #backbend #yogaeverydamnday #yogainspiration #instaquotes #usa #bhfyp #yogagirl #yogachallenge
These are Bhaiyyas or migrants from either Uttar Pradesh or Bihar, a very hardworking , self employed community, who have come here to try their luck and make it big in Mumbai.
They ply their trade at the corner of Bandra Reclamation, and the poor class or migrant workers like them utilise their services.
They are cheaper than the salon, open air, you watch the traffic passby sitting here on a limping stool.. getting a clean shave.
The Bhaiyyas , it means brothers , but is used abusively by those who dont like North Indians here in the city of Peace and Commerce.
There is a cat and mouse game at play, the white starched mice all wanting to bell the cat, but is caught in a dilemma ,and a sense of suspense prevails...
Survival of the legally fittest..
Politics is an opportunistic game played by the politicians of all hues , hurt people but without making them bleed too much.
And than another group adds the healing touch...
I read so much between the lines like most of you, but there is no social will to implement , the law should be equal for everyone..
Terrorising humans on the basis of their region or their language is not the Indian way at all.
Building grand statues , parks to commemorate the grandeur of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar is not what the great Doctor would ever want, specially if the people of the state are driven by economic failure of ther region to work in other states where they are treated like second class citizens is not the Indian way at all.
I have been to the city of my birth Lucknow and seen it with my own eyes , the disillusionment and sorrow of the common man.
Every government that comes has done nothing to halt the influx, every train from the North brings in dreamers , to Mumbai, and I agree with Shri Balasahb Thackeray , something has to be done to control this mindless pressure on the infrastructure of the city.
This the Central and the State government should work out amicably keeping in mind the right of an India to work and settle wherever he wants.
Mumbai belongs to India first and to Maharashtra second.
The Mumbaikar whether he is a son of the soil or a Marathi Manoos or a migrant or an old settler, should be given equal opportunity , equally respected
Beating people from any other region or State of India is not the Indian way at all.
I write this not for any reason but the hurt this new mantra of division is causing the milleu and the city of equal opportunity Mumbai.
Let us for once work out a working solution , with love brotherhood through a path of Ahinsa and Harmony..
Time for unfilmy Gandhigiri..