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ContentsMessage from the President ofISKCON, KwaZulu NatalHearing and Action 3Past Spiritual TeachersA 16th Century Saint 4Shrila PrabhupadaLast Twelve Years 5God and DemigodsSurya, the Sun God 6FeaturesBoy Meets God 8Food Gardens and Hail Haris 10Shining the “Heart-gem” 11Child is the Father of Man 12Universal Laws 14Vedic ObserverPostcards from the Edge 13Devotee FocusHow They Lived 14Vaishnav KitchenNo Yeast Cinnamon Rolls 15Notice Board 15Vaishnav Calendar 15Young Vaishnavs’ ColumnThe Talavan Adventure 16Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna HareHare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare HareOn the Cover2012 Festival of Chariots highlights.The festival was a great success withover 150 000 visitors. We thank youfor being a part of it.Photos by Sita J. SinghQuoted verse translations and excerpts from purportsto Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Shrimad Bhagavatam,Chaitanya Charitamrita, Brihad Bhagavatamrita,Gita Mahatmiya, and Shri Brahma-samhita by HisDivine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupadaand his disciples, and photographs on pages 2, 5, 6,7, 10, 13, and 14 are Copyright © The BhaktivedantaBook Trust International, Inc. www.krishna.com.Used with permission.2What’s in StoreEditor’s Note“A Blog (a portmanteau of the term web log) isa personal journal published on the World WideWeb consisting of discrete entries (‘posts’) typicallydisplayed in reverse chronological order,” saysWikipedia. For some of us, who grew up in theprevious era, a “blog” was a hand written privatejournal entry, locked with a key, hidden in a cornerof your room, with hope and prayer that your littlebrother would not find it and share your deep, darksecrets with the rest of the world. In order to dissectthe effects of the “age of technology” on society, ourVedic Observer, being technologically challenged,sets out on a journey of discovery to expose thehidden glories of fancy communication tools likeFacebook and Twitter. Although, I must admit, oneof my greatest frustrations is that my computer is tooslow and in desperate need of more than one Gig ofRAM.The God and Demigods series takes an in-depth lookat Surya, the sun god and explores his vital role in therunning of our planetary systems. We also featurethe beautiful pastime of Lord Nrsimhadev, the halfman,half-lion incarnation of the Lord.Sir Isaac Newton, the greatest physicist of our time,discovered three universal laws that changed ourphysical understanding of the way everything works.The third law states, “For every action there is anequal and opposite reaction.” The Gita-Mahatmyasays, “Everyone must engage in some sort of activityin this material world. But actions can either bindone to this world or liberate one from it. By acting forthe pleasure of the Supreme, without selfish motives,one can be liberated from the law of karma (actionand reaction) and attain transcendental knowledgeof the self and the Supreme.” Have you ever beenasked the proverbial question, “Why do bad thingshappen to good people?” In light of this, we introducea new series of articles on understanding karma andhow it works.New additions include an article on raising Krishnaconscious kids, performing devotional service inthe right mood, as exemplified by Lord ChaitanyaHimself, when He cleaned the Gundicha Temple,and we introduce an easy to follow health tip in everyissue.Until next time, happy reading!Letters to the EditorShare your temple experience, spiritual, servicerelated realisations or ask questions by writing toHaripriya Devi Dasi: haripriya@nitai.co.za orRasa-sthali Dasi: rasasthali@nitai.co.za.Design and Layout by Lashika Ravjee - 082 309 2396

Hearing and ActionMessage from the President of ISKCON KwaZulu NatalThe goal of Krishna consciousness is to developlove of Krishna or krishna-prem. When the stageof loving Krishna is attained, then one is consumedwith constantly pleasing Krishna by glorification,honouring, and performing various servicesprescribed in the scriptures. Thus love of Krishna isnot just a declaration; it is an active exchange. Whatis that exchange? The living entity pleases the Lord,and in turn the Lord who is known as Rama, thereservoir and source of all pleasure, blesses the livingentity with eternal satisfaction.Krishna-prem is eternally situatedin the heart of every living entity,but due to innumerable lifetimesof trying to enjoy separately fromKrishna in the material creation,one’s natural tendency to love and serve Krishna isdeeply covered by material desires. Ultimately weforget our innate loving connection to Lord Krishna.Fortunately Krishna is merciful; He allows andarranges the activation of our forgotten connectionwith Him through the process of bhakti, or devotionalservice.The process of bhakti starts with hearing aboutKrishna. Srila Prabhupada frequently described thatthe purpose of all ISKCON centres and activities is tosimply give people a chance to hear about Krishna. Itis from this sravanam or hearing about Lord Krishnathat everything else in spiritual life develops; hearingabout God ultimately sustains God consciousness....feel free to speak withme about how to comecloser to Krishna...to, but as one advances in bhakti, then just like thegopis of Vrindavan, one is happy to do absolutelyanything for Krishna’s pleasure. It is the importantactivity of hearing that consolidates our attraction forKrishna.At the Radha Radhanath Temple we want to focuson giving everyone the opportunity to hear aboutKrishna, which Srila Prabhupada defined the purposeof our existence. And when one’s eternal relationshipwith Krishna is re-awakened by hearing, we wantto make available the variety ofways to please Lord Krishna. Atthe temple, or co-ordinated fromthe temple are many initiativesthat are solely meant to pleaseKrishna. Please feel free to speakwith me about how to come closer to Krishna throughservice according to your current capacity. There issomething that everyone can do to please Krishna.Kindly engage us to help you secure a way.Engaging everyone in service to Krishna is an integralpart of my responsibility as President at the RadhaRadhanath Temple. After considering various waysI could expand and enhance our ability to guideeveryone in service, we have decided to appoint ourcurrent vice-President, Vibhu Caitanya Das to serveas a co-President with me. I am confident that thiswill enable me to better help the community. VibhuCaitanya will focus on the operational aspects of thetemple, as well as preaching.When one’s hearing is steady and sincere, thennaturally one will be inclined to render all types ofservice for the pleasure of Lord Krishna. Initially itmay be just limited to activities that one is attractedI humbly request that you support us in this importantadjustment aimed for the benefit of our society.Swarup Damodar DasDear Devotees,Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories toSrila Prabhupada.This letter is to inform you of the formation of theKwazulu Natal Divisional Council.The Divisional Council is a replacement for theKwazulu Natal Management Board, which has beenfunctioning in KZN for many years. It is in keepingwith GBC Resolutions regarding managerial entitiesfor overseeing the functions of ISKCON in areascomposed of a number of temples and Krishnaconscious projects.The members of the Divisional Council are as follows:Balaram Das (PSDG), Hari Priya Dasi (BCaiS),Isvara Puri Das, Krishna Caran Das , Prabhanu Das(Chairman for this year), and Swarup DamodarDas. With the exception of Krishna Caran Das, theywere all members of the previous KZN ManagementBoard.The function of the Divisional Council will be tooversee the different projects going on in KZN, andgive assistance and inspiration to them and thedevotees in them. In this way we hope to see a greaterfocus on our practical activities and more energybeing given to developing the preaching in KZN.We ask all the devotees to please co-operate with theDivisional Council.Hoping this meets you well.Your servant,Bhakti Caitanya Swami3

4Past Spiritual TeachersA 16th Century SaintGopal Bhatta GoswamiCompiled by Haripriya Devi DasiShri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu began His walkingjourney through South India in 1510 and in 1511He stayed at Vyenkatta Bhatta’s home. VyenkattaBhatta had a little son, Gopal Bhatta. When the boyoffered his respects at the feet of Shri Chaitanya, theLord picked him up and held him on His lap andaffectionately embraced him. Lord Chaitanya oftengave Gopal Bhatta the remnants of His prasad,and in this way, was blessing him to become a greatacharya in the future.Once, during the four monthstay at Vyenkatta Bhatta’s house,Lord Chaitanya instructedyoung Gopal Bhatta ina dream, “You willmeet two jewel-likepersons, Rupaand Sanatan. Ihave given themMy mentality inorder to publishMy teachings. Butby your disciplesespecially, theseteachings willspread toevery townandvillage.”Uponawakening,Gopal Bhattawent directlyto LordChaitanya tojoin Him,but the Lordinstructedhim to stayand servehis parents,counselling thatafter they departfrom this world,he may go toVrindavan.When GopalBhattaeventuallyarrived inVrindavan,he wasgreeted with great love by Rupa and SanatanGoswamis. Lord Chaitanya, who was in JagannathPuri at the time, sent him a letter: “Do not becomedependent upon security or adopt a permanentresidence. Spend much time assisting Rupa andSanatan in compiling transcendental literature, andthoroughly study this literature as well.” He took theseinstructions to heart and wrote Sat-kriya-sara-dipika,a classic on the tenets of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Thetitle translates as “The Lamp That Lights the Essenceof Spiritual Rituals”. It delineates the ten samskars(holy rites of passage) from marriage onwards. GopalBhatta Goswami wanted to help the people by givingthem valuable guidance on marriage and the gradualpursuance of spiritual life. He also edited ShrilaSanatan Goswami’sThe sacred stonesspontaneouslyjumped back intohis hands.Hari-bhaktivilas,a guide todevotional practice.Living his life asan embodimentof the scriptures,his fame spread through all of India and he becameknown as the younger brother of Rupa and SanatanGoswamis. Once after an arduous trip to the GandakiRiver in Nepal, Gopal Bhatta Goswami procuredtwelve Salagram shilas (stones that are consideredsacred incarnations of Krishna.) However, once hewas back in Vrindavan he felt unqualified to worshipthem and went back to the river. While chanting theappropriate mantras, he placed the shilas back intothe river. The sacred stones spontaneously jumpedback into his hands. After three or four attempts, thesame miraculous phenomenon occurred. Gopal Bhattathen took this as a sign from Krishna to continue hisworship of the shilas.In 1542, Gopal Bhatta felt the need to worship adeity form of the Lord. This need became especiallypoignant when a wealthy merchant gave him jewellery,ornaments and fine cloth for worshipping the Lord.These items could not be used in the worship of theshilas because they did not have human-like forms, sohe placed the items in front of the shilas and prayedfor proper direction. The next morning, he found thathis Damodar shila had transformed into a beautifulhuman-like form of Lord Krishna—just as he desired.Overcome with happiness, Gopal Bhatta fell to theground in complete humility offering prayers. Theself-manifested form of the Lord was named ShriRadha-Raman, because the deity appeared nearthe area of the rasa dance. This original deity is stillworshipped today in the same place, just outside thewalls of the Nidhuvan forest. Gopal Bhatta Goswami isaccepted as one of the great authorities on ChaitanyaVaishnavism.Resource and text: The Six Goswamis of Vrindavan,by Steven J. Rosen. Used with permission.

Shrila PrabhupadaA Hidden Glory of IndiaCompiled by Rasa-sthali DasiHow would you spend the last twelve years ofyour life? On the golf course? At an old age home(most likely, not out of choice)? Babysitting yourgrandchildren? Trying to remember where you putyour glasses, when in fact, you are wearing them?Dreams and goals that were once cherished in youthbecome faded ideas of glory. Many say that spirituallife is for retirement, but inevitably, when the timecomes, the golf course looks greener and you didpromise to take your grandchildren to the latest Pixaroffering...but, it does not have to be that way.Shrila Prabhupada was a well educated, aristocraticgentleman who, after meeting his spiritual master,Shrila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakur, dedicatedhis heart and his life, to fulfilling the order of hisspiritual master. Steven J. Rosen aptly relates:1977 in Vrindavan (the holy land most dear to LordKrishna), having circled the globe fourteen times—writing books, translating scriptures, giving lectures,and personally guiding his disciples all the while.”Acharya means one who teaches by example. ShrilaPrabhupada is the founder of ISKCON and acharyato the world. Following in Shrila Prabhupada’s steadhow will you make a difference?We celebrate the anniversary of the incorporationof ISKCON in New York on 12 July 2012.Steven J. Rosen is an initiated disciple of His DivineGrace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.Shrila Prabhupada gave Rosen the name SatyarajaDas, which means “Servant of the King of Truth.” Theexcerpt is from his book The Hidden Glory of India,which we will review inour next issue.“Both pure and learned, he [Shrila BhaktisiddhantaSarasvati Thakur] had a deep effect on Prabhupada...[He] gave him his life’s mission: to explain theuniversal message of Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu inthe English language and to help the world with thisknowledge.At the age sixty-nine,alone and with only fortyrupees...“Shrila Prabhupada began by publishing articles, andin 1944 started a magazine, Back to Godhead...In1965, at the age sixty-nine, alone and with onlyforty rupees in his possession, His Divine Graceset sail from Calcutta. His destination:America. He carried within himselfan intense desire to bring the balm ofGod consciousness to the materialisticworld. It is with that hope and intentthat he founded ISKCON. In the decadethat followed, Prabhupada established108 temples in major cities aroundthe world and initiated thousands ofspiritual seekers of all races and ages...Many revere Shrila Prabhupada asIndia’s greatest scholar, philosopher,prophet, and cultural ambassador.According to the 1976 Britannica Bookof the Year, he ‘astonished academicand literary communities worldwide bywriting and publishing fifty-two bookson the ancient Vedic culture...in theperiod from October 1968 to November1975.’“What Prabhupada achieved in twelveyears is legendary. He left this world in5

8Boy Meets GodBy Venu Gopal DasBeing raised in a ‘near traditional’ South AfricanHindustani environment, it wasn’t long after justbeing able to understand, did I become highlyconfused about God. Nobody around me tried togo deeper into philosophy or practice, so I was notinspired either. All this changed when I came acrossthe epic of Lord Nrsimhadev and Prahlad Maharaj.Never before have I encountered such an accurateaccount, given to create solid foundations and toreach astounding conclusions in spirituality.Although this description of the Lord is not common,it has been mentioned in various Puranas with theearliest records found in the Mahabharath (3.272.56-60). Shri Rupa Goswami also states in his LaghuBhagavatamrita (5.16), that Nrshimadev is one ofthe paravastha avatars or ‘most important formsof the Lord’. Prahlad Maharaj is one of the twelvemahajans, a devotee of the Lord who is accepted asan authority in the science of worship. Thus there istremendous benefit in thisnarration, as it not onlyglorifies the Lord, but alsoreveals teachings of a truemahatma, to improve ourpractices.The brothers, Hiranyakshaand Hiranyakashipu werevicious demoniac leaderswho lived in the Satya Yuga. Due to his immensemystic power, Hiranyaksha tried to excavate allthe gold from planet Earth. This began to cause anecological imbalance that would eventually destroythe planet. Lord Vishnu took the form of Varahadev,and vanquished Hiranyaksha. Hearing that LordVishnu was responsible for the death of his belovedbrother, Hiranyakashipu swore vengeance. Heimmediately instructed his followers to destroyeverything beneficial for spiritual practice. Theyslaughtered cows and demolished temples. Tobecome stronger, Hiranyakashipu performed severeausterities.At the foothills of Mount Mandara, he stood on thetips of his toes, arms outstretched, whilst looking upto the skies. He remained in this position for eons. Thepotency of his meditation attracted various forms ofenergy, causing the formation of an intense fire. Thisfire produced heat that disrupted the entire universe.The demigods approached Lord Brahma for help. Heagreed to meet with Hiranyakashipu to request himto stop performing this austerity. Hiranyakashipuasked Lord Brahma for the boon of immortality. LordBrahma however, could not grant him immortality,as he himself will have to die too. So, Hiranyakashipuused his tactful intelligence to formulate a requestthat was “equal” to immortality. He asked to not bekilled by any man or animal, by any weapon, on landHearing that Lord Vishnuwas responsible for thedeath of his belovedbrother, Hiranyakashipuswore vengeance.or in the air and other such regulations. Lord Brahmathus met the demands of Hiranyakashipu.Whilst Hiranyakashipu was in deep meditation,the demigods attacked the demons and managedto reclaim their lost territories. In the process theyencountered Hiranyakashipu’s wife, Kayadhu, whowas pregnant. The demigods immediately consideredthe unborn offspring as a threat. They decided to holdKayadhu captive and kill the child upon birth. Whilsttransporting her, the demigods met the great sageNarada Muni, who said that the child was innocentand should not be harmed. He then agreed to letKayadhu reside in his ashram where he would revealto her the teachings of Lord Vishnu. While instructingher, the sincerity of Narada’s teachings touched theunborn child. This is the potency of pure unmotivatedservice to the Lord. Because Narada Muni’s onlyinterest was to glorify the Lord, the unborn child hadreceived full benefit from his mother’s participation.This is an example of a phenomenon called ahaitukyapratihata, implying that reception of spiritualknowledge is never checkedby any material condition.One should never think thatdue to physical, mental orfinancial position, one cannotbe spiritual.Once Hiranyakashipucompleted his meditation, itwas business as usual; he exploited his powers andtormented others. Kayadhu gave birth to a son,Prahlad. Hiranyakashipu wanted his heir to dislikeLord Vishnu as much as he did. But due to theteachings of his guru, Narada Muni, Prahlad alwaysremembered Lord Vishnu. At the age of five, hestarted spreading his love of God to his classmates,who studied materialism, politics and deception. Hisfirst instruction was that one should start engagingin spiritual activities at a young age, as human birthis very rare and one should take full advantage of itbecause in other species one cannot rapidly makespiritual advancement or attain liberation (SB 7.6.1).Prahlad’s father heard of this behaviour and at onceinterrogated him. After realizing that his son’s faithcould not be influenced, Hiranyakashipu decided toexecute him. Even after numerous attempts he failedto kill him.Hiranyakashipu could not understand how his sonwas protected. He eventually asked Prahlad whatwas shielding him. Prahlad answered, “Vishnu...”Hiranyakashipu furiously asked where Vishnu was.Prahlad explained that the Lord is present everywhere,in every atom, to which the demon mockingly replied,“Is Vishnu in this pillar?” and pointed towards one ofthe pillars in his courtyard. Unflinchingly, Prahladsaid, “Yes!” In fiery rage Hiranyakashipu smashedthe pillar to pieces. And to his bewilderment, LordVishnu appeared in the form that was part lion and

part man, Nrsimhadev. Lord Nrsimha was something that Hiranyakashipu’s restricted intelligence could notfathom. The Lord was neither man nor animal, He attacked Hiranyakashipu with His fingernails, which were notphysical weapons, and killed the demon on his lap, which was neither air nor ground…This clearly depicts the nature of materialistically minded people who perform sacrifices or yajnas solely fortemporary benefit to themselves. These people try to bargain with the Lord, thinking that because they offersomething to the Lord, the Lord is now indebted to them. Our thinking is limited, but the Lord is unlimited. TheLord cannot be hoodwinked by anybody. Nothing occurs without the sanction of the Supreme Lord, regardlessof how benefiting or hindering it may appear. Even the demigods who give blessings and benedictions get theirability to do so from the Supreme Lord.From this depiction, we notice that Prahlad was fearless, not on the bodily platform or through Brahmanphilosophy (I’m not this body, I am eternal), but because he had completely surrendered himself to the Lord.Although he had never seen the Lord, during his moments of despair he had full faith in the teachings of hisguru. All of the demigods, who are exalted devotees and had seen the Lord before, were too afraid to approachNrsimhadev, but Prahlad was not. We must remember thatregardless of how insignificant we are, Krishna notices everylittle action, partial thought, and modest word we performthat pleases Him.Prahlad also debunks the misconception that peopleshould only take to spirituality towards the end oftheir lives. Civilization today is not geared to suit thistheory. People are becoming more susceptibleto disease, and rising medical expensespartnered with zero economic safety, aredeadly combinations. Let us not forgetmortality rates which have increasedexponentially across all sectors.Always remember: in relationto death, it’s not a matter ofIF, but rather WHEN andHOW. The odds are against usand no material mechanismsor elaborate benedictions canstop this. The only protection istaking shelter of the Lord.The Shri Nrsimha-kavacha stotra,which destroys obstacles andoffer full protectionin one’s spiritualpractice, is acollection ofprayers recited byPrahlad Maharajto Nrsimhadev. Anaudio mp3 version,with full Sanskritand Englishtranslation,is freelydownloadableon the Shri ShriRadha Radhanathwebsite: www.iskcondurban.net. Look underDownloads.9

Food Gardens and Hail HarisBy Bhaktin Saras NaidooA child in a supermarket is lost, John is busy with hisshopping list, James offers a safe place and pacifieshim, and Jonas directs the child to the parent. Johnrepresents one who is engrossed in his own activitiesand is unaware of the distress of others, Jamesrepresents the philanthropist, who according to hiscapacity helps, and Jonas represents one on the pathof devotion. Such a person understands that the rootcause of distress is the separation of the soulfrom the Supersoul. To this end, two specialprojects (the Umlazi Centre and Pravina’soutreach programme) are underway in creatingmeaning in the lives of many people.In Umlazi we have a centre in Section L, 800Mandlendlovu Road, spearheaded by AkandaKirtan Das. Since its opening two years ago, ithas become a hub of activity. The programmesheld every Tuesday, Thursday and Fridayare vibrant and well attended by everyoneinterested in philosophy and chanting. Thereare regular school programmes, sanctifiedfood and book distribution. At the MangosuthuCampus there is sound meditation and souldiscussions every Tuesday and it is gaininginterest from serious students. The FoodGarden is a subsistence farming initiative. Landnear streams is cleared where mielies, spinach andpumpkins are grown, providing work and food. Itis also a way of re-establishing the conservationalattitude of the people towards the environment.Every Saturday morning the streets are festive withthe chanting of the holy names and children dancingwith fervour. Akanda Kirtan and his team have asense of urgency that is encouraged by the Umlazicommunity. There are plans to purchase land andbuild, complete with a Food for Life kitchen. AFestival of Chariots is also forecasted. Sri ChaitanyaMahaprabhu predicted that the maha-mantra willbe heard in every town and village and this has inpart come to fruition in Umlazi. Everyone is invitedto the centre where you will be warmly welcomed bythe signature hands in the air, “Hare Krishna”.Pravina Raghubar, a mother of three, is determinedto make a difference in the lives of needy andmarginalized people in society. She takes a cab tovisit mentally and physically challenged people,old age homes, orphanages and homeless shelters.Inspired by Bhakti Chaitanya Swami, she offerswords of comfort, special treats and a whole lot oflove. Stranraer House, a largely Christian-basedold age home, is where she has discussions on allscriptures and the essential common message thatthe holy names of God is the ultimate shelter.At a safe-house in Durban, children receive her withopen arms, bear hugs, some hang on to her sarientangling themselves in it. A few stand at the farcorners of the room, still afraid and wary. Buildingtrust takes time and patience. She plays a gameshe calls “Hari Ball” with them; the children throwthe ball in the air and when they catch it everyonescreams “Hari Bol”. The nature of the holy nameis such that even if unknowingly chanted, onederives immense benefit. Not all is fun and gamesthough; most of her work is done under austereand challenging conditions. In drug related cases,she consults with psychologists and organizers tobetter prepare her for serious issues. Last yearPravina was invited to speak at a Mayville policestation hosting a memorial service for policeofficers who had lost their lives in the line ofduty. She spoke about the eternal soul and Godand everyone appreciated it. Pravina hopes togather a team of helpers to reach as many peopleas possible.Contrary to popular belief, service to Godis uniting man to God. This kind of servicereawakens the original connection with God.

Shining the “Heart- gem”By Yamuna Devi DasiIn the beautiful city of Puri, in the state of Orissa,stands the majestic temple of Lord Jagannath. Builtcenturies ago, the temple has magnificent domesand is surrounded by tall swaying palms. Annually,the city is inundated with millions of pilgrimscelebrating the Ratha-yatra. Thisfestival involves Lord Jagannath,His Brother, Balaram, andTheir sister, Subhadra,riding their chariots fromthe main temple to theGundicha temple, nearby,which is named after thefamous King Indradyumna’sdevoted wife, Gundicha. TheLord stays in the Gundichatemple for one week beforereturning to the main temple. Fivehundred years ago, before the Rathayatrafestival, Lord Chaitanya, who is ShriKrishna Himself, demonstrated the cleansingof Gundicha, in preparation of the Lord’s arrival (atradition that is still followed today). Taking hundredsof devotees, water pots and brooms, He washed andswept the floors and ceiling. The Lord cleaned thetemple three times and removed more dirt than allthe devotees combined. In the end it became pure,cool and spotless, ready for Lord Jagannath.What message does this pastime convey and how dowe apply it in our daily lives? In Shri Shikshastakam(eight spiritually instructive prayers), Lord Chaitanyasaid cheto darpanam marjanam... (Verse 1). Thisverse explains that we must clean the heart, which iscompared to a mirror covered with dust, of unwanteddesires such as greed, anger, envy and lust. By theprocess of chanting the holy names and engaging themind and body in service to the Supreme, the heartwill be gradually cleansed enabling us to feel andhear the Lord within.He further states trnad api sunicena, taroh ivasahisnuna... (Verse 3). We should be humble, tolerantand respectful. In this way our cleansing becomeseasier and steadier. Shrimad Bhagavatam citesmany great personalities who displayed meekness.Narada Muni, although the son of a maidservant;Liquid HealthBy Yamuna Devi Dasiattained great devotion through his service to thebrahmanas. By serving and washing their utensilshe became an ardent devotee of Lord Narayana. Inportraying such qualities he received the blessingsof both the devotees and the Supreme Personality ofGodhead.Such devotion requires greedand determination. ShrilaPrabhupada explains thatattaining prem (pure lovefor God) is not easy andrequires hard work. Just likewe endeavour in our livesto achieve goals, we have tobe persistent and regular inour service; otherwise we willbecome stagnant and apathetic.In rendering devotion the tangibletaste for service will increase more andmore. Therefore our mood is essentialfor the cleansing process.Many years ago, while living in Mumbai, I wasassigned to the cleaning of Shrila Prabhupada’squarters at the ISKCON Juhu temple. Initially thetask was difficult and I struggled. However, after afew months the sweeping, washing and polishingof hundreds of brassware became easier and moreenjoyable. As I performed my service, time seemedto stand still and my heart began to yearn for more.Gradually, I realized that there was no big prize at theend; rather the desire to serve had increased withinmy heart. The result: service leads to more service.While polishing, I had, in fact, polished away a fewlayers of dirt in my heart allowing me to feel love forthe Lord. This was proof that simple cleaning doesbring one closer to God.It was one of the happiest times in my life and Irealized then, that as long as I continued on the pathof devotion with perseverance and humility, my lifewould be sublime. In the end, my polished heart willbecome like a shining gemstone that can someday beoffered to the Lord. Imagine that.We celebrate Gundicha Marjana, the cleansing ofthe Gundica Temple, on 20th June 2012.Are you having enough water in your diet? Water is known as the most essential component of the body. Our dailymaintenance dose is approximately 8 glasses per day and if you are guilty of missing a glass or two, this can easilyresult in disease. Water essentially regulates body temperature, eliminates waste, and assists in metabolism,to name a few advantages. If you are not drinking the recommended dose, the cells within the body becomedehydrated increasing the risk of diseases. Remember: your health is your wealth. Drink at least 4 -6 glasses onan empty stomach early in the morning at 5 min intervals.It is interesting to note that Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita that He is the taste of water.11

Universal Laws–An IntroductionBy Ramvijay DasMost of us, regardless of our background, arefamiliar with karma and have heard ofthe law of karma. Even intelligentpeople observing the world becomebewildered and ask questions like:“Why is this happening to me?”“Why is there so much sufferingin the world?”“Why are good people sufferingand bad people enjoying?”To address these questions weneed a deeper understanding ofthe law of karma. Karma and reincarnation(or transmigration of thesoul) are intimately linked. One cannotclearly understand one without the other. It is alsoimportant to note that both these laws are not Hinduideas. They are laws of nature. Just like the law ofgravity acts uniformly on everyone and everything,irrespective of nationality, religious affiliation, raceor gender; these laws will act, whether we are awareof them or not.Bhagavad-gita explains that we are not the materialbody, but eternal spiritual souls that transmigratefrom one body to another. Bhagavad-gita 2:13states: “As the embodied soul continuously passes,in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, thesoul similarly passes into another body at death. Asober person is not bewildered by such a change.”How They LivedDevotee FocusBy Prema-priya DasiThe community at SriSri Radha RadhanathTemple experiencedgreat loss due tothe tragic passingaway of Garuda Das,Divya Rupa Dasi andfamily. However,it is important torealize that it’s nothow they passedaway, but how theylived, not what theyhad gained but whatthey had given. Garuda and Divya Rupa were loveddearly by all who knew them. They befriended thoseconfronting material afflictions, with an eagernessto provide a word of good, to bring back a smile andbanish a tear. Having imbibed the mood of love fordevotees, serving and satisfying them, and giving upsense objects unfavourable to serving Krishna, theyOur life-time of a few decades, which we consider soimportant, is only one in millions of lives in variousbodies.Bhagavad-gita further explains that oneday we will die and our next body isdetermined by the different actionswe performed in this and previouslifetimes. The soul becomeseligible for a certain kind of bodydepending on our activities.That body is exactly appropriate,based on the desires andactivities of the soul. Our karmanot only determines the type ofbody we are eligible for, but also thecircumstances, background and allour life experiences.Simply put, the law of karma is such that forevery action there is an appropriate reaction. Everycause has an effect and every effect must have acause. Therefore, whatever we do now has an effectin future. It also means that whatever effects weexperience now, has a cause in our past. Consideringthis, we must be careful about our activities, knowingthe various results they bring. The modern dayconcept of “eat, drink and be merry; who knows whattomorrow holds” is definitely not supported by thelaw of karma. A good citizen, knowing the laws of hiscountry, avoids activities against the laws. Similarly,as a human being of this world, we need to considerwhat are the laws of God and act accordingly.In the next issue we will discuss Types of Action.exhibited genuine concern and appreciation.Rendering devotion to Krishna and His devotees,they renounced their material designations to serveat the temple. These devotees with whom we hadonce laughed and shared, revealed our minds to,served together with, are now not present withus. It is a definite loss; it is a widened gap in ourhearts. But how can we lament for those who havewhole-heartedly surrendered their bodies and soulsunto the instructions of their spiritual master andKrishna? Thus, we glorify Garuda and Divya Rupa forsuccessfully journeying on the path of devotion.

No Yeast Cinnamon RollsVaishnava KitchenFILLING(prepare first)1½ tablespoons melted butter2/3 cup packed brown sugar1½ teaspoons cinnamon powder½ teaspoon allspice¼ teaspoon ground cloves1 cup chopped pecansCombine all ingredients,mix well and set aside.DOUGH¾ cup cottage cheese1/3 cup buttermilk¼ cup white sugar4 tablespoons melted butter1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 cups all purpose flour1 tablespoon baking powder¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of sodaPreheat the oven to 200°C and grease a 22cmspring-form pan. In a food processor, combinethe cottage cheese, buttermilk, sugar, meltedbutter and vanilla; process until smooth for about10 seconds. Add the flour, baking powder andbicarbonate of soda and pulse in short burstsjust until the dough clumps together in a ball. Becareful not to over-process. The dough will be softand moist. Lay the dough onto a lightly flouredcounter and knead it 2-3 minutes with flouredhands. Roll dough out to a 30cm x 40cm rectangle.Brush with a very light coating of melted butter andleave a half inch border unbuttered around theedges. Sprinkle the filling over the buttered areaand pat lightly. Starting with the long side, rollup the dough and pinch the long seam to seal,leaving the ends open. Cut into twelve equalpieces with a sharp serrated knife. Set the rolls inthe prepared pan. The rolls should touch slightly,but it is okay if there are small gaps. Bake for 20 to28 minutes or until golden brown. Watch closelyat the 20 minute mark to ensure perfectly bakedcinnamon rolls. Set the pan on a cooling rack forfive minutes. Make the glaze. Remove the springformring and drizzle glaze over the rolls. Offerwith love and devotion to Krishna.GLAZE2/3 cup icing sugar2 to 3 tablespoons of cold milk1 teaspoon vanilla extract½ teaspoon of maple extract (optional)Whisk all ingredients together. If it is too thick topour, add a bit more milk.Notice Board• Ombudsman Balaram Das PSDG can be contacted on0828770753 or balaram@absamail.co.za• Congratulations to the recently initiated disciples ofHis Holiness Bhakti Chaitanya Swami, His HolinessIndradyumna Swami and His Holiness Kadamba KananaSwami.• Congratulations to Krishangi Radhe Dasi and MuralidharDas on the arrival of their new daughter, Varshanarani.• Bhakta Johnny passed away on Thursday, 3rd May2012. The Vaishnava community miss him and offerour deepest condolences to his family.• If you would like to receive SMS or e-mailnotifications about various happenings andupdates, e-mail us at: kzn@pamho.net• Winter Sunday Feast timings: 3pm from 13thMay-2nd September.• For general queries call the temple at 031-4033328between 9.30am-5pm.• Asherville Nama-hatta is now held at Clayton PrimarySchool on Thursdays at 7pm.Vaishnava Calendar1 June 2012 Pandava Nirjal Ekadasi2 June 2012 Break fast time: 06:43-10:104 June 2012 Snana Yatra13 June 2012 Disappearance of Shrivas Pundit15 June 2012 Yogini Ekadasi16 June 2012 Break fast time: 06:49-10:1419 June 2012 Disappearance of:Shri Gadadhar PunditShrila Bhaktivinoda Thakur(Fast till noon)20 June 2012 Gundicha Marjana21 June 2012 Ratha-yatra25 June 2012 Hera Panchami29 June 2012 Return Ratha-yatra30 June 2012 Sayana Ekadasi1 July 2012 Break fast time: 06:52-10:173 July 2012 Guru PurnimDisappearance ofShrila Sanatan GoswamiFirst month of Caturmasya begins(Fast from green leafy vegetablesfor one month)8 July 2012 Disappearance ofShrila Gopal Bhatta Goswami12 July 2012 Incorporation of ISKCON inNew York14 July 2012 Kamika Ekadasi15 July 2012 Break fast time: 06:50-10:1729 July 2012 Pavitropana EkadasiRadha Govinda Jhulan Yatra begins30 July 2012 Break fast time: 06:42-10:15Disappearance ofShrila Rupa GoswamiNote: Fast from all grain, beans and legumes on Ekadasis.15

The Talavan AdventureYoung Vaishnavs’ ColumnAdapted by Rasa-sthali DasiKrishna loved going into the forest with his brother, Balaram and his many friends to herd the cows. Likeboys of that age, they played all sorts of fun games. Some boys would growl like tigers, “GRRRR!!” Whileother boys jumped and galloped away like smaller animals being hunted. When Balaram became tired hesaid, “Let me rest my head on you Subal. Krishna, you can massage my feet and Sridam fan me with a palmleaf.”One day Sridam said to Krishna and Balaram, “I can smell the sweet fruits in the Talavan forest fromhere. The cowherd boys and I would love to eat those fruit but we are afraid to go there because thefearful donkey demon, Dhenukasura, lives there. He does not let anyone come into the forest and pickthe fruit even though some fall to the ground and are not eaten by anyone, not even the animals.” Balaramsmiling said, “Hmm, I can get the sweet smell too. Let us all go.” So the cowherd boys along with Krishnaand Balaram went to the Talavan forest where Balaram began to shake the trees with his strong arms andthe ripe fruit fell. THUD! THUD! THUD! Dhenukasura, that stupid donkey, heard the sound of the fruitsfalling and came running, making the ground shake. Of course, demons never share their food…or anythingelse for that matter. Then, Dhenukasura made a huge mistake.He kicked Balaram straight in the chest with his hind legs. WHACK! At first, Balaram did not say or doanything. The proud donkey kicked Him again, this time even harder. Balaram, like a flash of lightning,caught the donkey’s legs with one hand. He wheeled him around and around like a tornado and “SWOOSH”threw him high into a tree-top where he lay dead. Hearing the commotion, all of Dhenukasura’s donkeyfriends came running. Krishna and Balaram caught each donkey by their hind legs, wheeled them aroundand around and killed them by throwing them into the palm trees, just like Dhenukasura. A few days later,people began coming to the Talavan forest to collect fruit and the birds and animals began to live thereagain without being afraid.