Classes and discussions on Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī
This is definitely the most ecstatic Sunday Satsang program ever! We performed a Deity Installation ceremony for Sri-Sri Gaura-Nitai, including an abhishek (bathing ceremony), the first offering of bhoga (sanctified food), first arati and a Vedic homa or agnihotra (fire sacrifice). It was so ecstatic, we could hardly keep it together for the kirtan. You’ve got to see this one!
love,
Baba
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This short home video of the total lunar eclipse of 20 February 2008, taken from the roof of our house in Mexico City. It is set to some original music that I recorded some time ago in Dallas. It was kind of hard guiding the camera because we don’t have an equatorial mount. But anyway the video came out kind of arty and cool, I hope you like it.
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This week’s Satsang fell on Varaha Maha-dvadasi, so we told the story of the Varaha incarnation of the Lord. We also introduced a new song, Jaya Radha-Madhava, and talked about our Wilderness Retreat Master Course. Enjoy!
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Tilak and Acamana are essential devotional practices given in the Vedic scriptures to purify the body and protect our consciousness from material influences. They utilize the power of sanctified water to absorb information to impart sacred vibrations to the most important energy centers of the body, the nadis. Tilak is clay from a sacred river in India where Krsna’s most intimate devotees, the gopis, used to bathe. It is applied with mantras of Lord Visnu’s Holy Names to twelve important nadis of the body. Acamana is the use of mantra-charged water to purify all the senses of the body prior to ceremonial performances. Both practices are shown in detail in this video, and the complete texts of the mantras are given in an associated document, Tilak_and_Acamana.pdf
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This is a short video on how to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Most Westerners do not pronounce the Sanskrit properly, either the intonation or the rhythm. I call this “square chanting” because they just follow the text and not the real flow and rhythm of the mantra. I present the proper chanting rhythm, based on the grammatical rules of Sanskrit and the chanting of expert devotees like Srila Prabhupada.
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Tulasi-puja is a simple but ecstatic form of transcendental devotional service. Tulasi-devi is a pure devotee of Visnu or Krsna in the form of a plant. She can give pure devotion to the aspiring devotees. There is a nice prayer to Tulasi-devi:
“O Tulasī, beloved of Kṛṣṇa, I bow before you again and again. My desire is to obtain the service of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Whoever takes shelter of you has his wishes fulfilled. Bestowing your mercy on him, you make him a resident of Vṛndāvana. My desire is that you will also give me a residence in the pleasure groves of Śrī Vṛndāvana-dhāma. Thus within my vision I will always behold the beautiful pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. I beg you to make me a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Please give me the privilege of devotional service and make me your own maidservant. This very fallen and lowly servant of Kṛṣṇa prays, “May I always swim in the love of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Govinda.” When a person circumambulates Śrīmatī Tulasī-devī, all the sins he may have committed are destroyed at every step, even the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa.”
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In this Satsang we introduce a new song, “Arunodaya Kirtan I” by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur.
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Dear Students and Friends,
Well, the first part of the new year has been pretty quiet. Don’t worry, it won’t last! We are planning a major expedition to several pristine ecological areas of Mexico, to select a site for our upcoming Master Course Wilderness Retreat. This is a program for serious students of the Esoteric teaching to live in a pure natural environment, associate with Babaji and his closest disciples, and perform serious, uninterrupted devotional service under his guidance and supervision.
A typical day’s program will look as follows:
Locations we are evaluating include Catemaco Lake in Veracruz, the Lacanja Ecological Reserve in Chiapas, Lake Miramar, Las Nubes and other deliciously beautiful ecologically pristine locations. Rental cabins will be available for those with little wilderness camping experience, but the main site will be a jungle camp near a pure lake or river. We will be getting beautiful Gaura-Nitai Deities from India and worshiping Them daily. There is a lot of opportunity for deep chanting and sadhana based on the Esoteric Teaching, without the materialistic distractions and pollution of urban environments.
You will be expected to make a commitment for at least one month, bring your own camping gear and other necessities, and cover the expenses for your food and transportation. If you require a cabin, you will have to pay the rent. However, all the charges will be very reasonable, probably around US$500 per month or less. We are not running a profit-making tourist operation, but a serious esoteric spiritual school. This is not a place for your personal dramas, but a rare opportunity to make significant spiritual advancement in the association of a self-realized soul. Participants must pass a selection process including astrological evaluation and phone or online interview. To reserve your place on this year’s retreat, just reply to this email.
Don’t forget to visit us at Esoteric Teaching Seminars, your online spiritual education resource. It’s a living esoteric school that you can access right from your computer. Take advantage of this great resource and join us online for some very enlivening spiritual discussions. Oh and don’t forget, we are always available to answer your spiritual questions!
All the best in spiritual life,Permalink Comments off
In this Satsang we introduce a new song, Ohe! Vaisnava Thakur. We also discuss Sri Visnusahasranama sloka 18, and answer questions from students.
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