A Distant View of 9/11 part 2

The people called “demons”

Now before we plunge ahead, for a moment let’s look again at that idea of asuras, or “demons.” The term here refers not to fiendish devils with horns, tails, and cloven hooves but to human beings who’ll do anything monstrous to serve their own ends:

• The men who’ll cut the thumbs of village weavers so that cloth mills far away can turn a better profit.
• The heads of state who’ll shoot and starve three million of their own people.
• The cigarette men who’ll pay psychologists and ad agencies to sell tuberculosis and cancer to children.

In the Bhagavad-gita, apart from all that’s said about spirituality, most of Chapter Sixteen tells of men demonic in nature, men proud, arrogant, conceited, harsh, and blind, men who’ll do the vilest things for wealth and power—liars, cheaters, and murderers, often quite sophisticated and refined, who’ll promote vicious enterprises that bring suffering and destruction to the world.

We know of such men: We recognize them easily among the leaders of countries other than our own.

Send our brave young men

Coming back to what I saw from my distant vantage point in the Middle East: The drama of the twin towers, the hijacked planes, and the burning Pentagon was so emotionally gripping, the outrage of the American people so strong, their resolve to protect their homeland and their way of life so determined that who could doubt the rightness of their cause?

Yet from far away in the Middle East, unplugged from the television, getting most news only in summary, I saw not details but broader patterns, patterns that seemed familiar, and unsettling. The sequences were too smooth, too natural, too inevitable, too much like a script.

An unexpected horror, an unprecedented threat, had pulled all America together. An evil villain from Arabia—his next strike could be anywhere!—commands a shadowy network of fanatics sworn to destroy us. Our President vows to drive this evil from the world. Congress rises as one to stand behind him. Allies from around the globe join hands in a coalition. Men and planes and ships, tanks and guns and the latest high-tech gear move off in strength to Afghanistan to crush that evil force, wherever it may be.

In outline: A tragic disaster and a terrifying threat, and to protect all we hold dear and sacred we send our brave young men to — — what by coincidence is the most strategically and economically crucial part of the world. Southeast of Europe … northeast of Africa … south of Russia and the former Soviet Union … west of India and China … and right in the middle of the world’s largest known reserves of oil.

Orwell and the Arabs

As a teenager, I’d been sobered by George Orwell and his negative utopian vision of 1984. Do you remember Emmanuel Goldstein, enemy of the people, the plotting, scheming, deadly mastermind (nonexistent, to be sure) of whom the doublethinking followers of Big Brother were whipped up into constant hatred and fear? How curiously familiar.

Goldstein was Jewish, of course. Yesterday the Jews, today the Muslims.

Now we have our Bin Laden, that deadly mastermind, always plotting and scheming the overthrow of the United States. He’s real. We’ve seen his picture. He hates us. He wants to destroy our democracy. We need to send our troops to go get him—corner him, surround him, smoke him out. Yet the wily Arab escapes us.

What else might be escaping us here?

Global war against terrorism!

Before 9/11, if our President had told the American people we need to rush soldiers to Afghanistan and Iraq, would we have acquiesced? Yet after 9/11, to defend our homeland, our democracy, our American way of life—suddenly now all terribly at risk—we stood ready to send men, send planes, send weapons, spend any amount of money. Global war against terrorism!

And note, if you will, that’s it’s a war that has no definable end. It’s not that the emperor can surrender his sword and the war will be over. Even if we kill or capture Bin Laden, now we know it’s no longer enough, for his evil network will live on, threatening our homeland, our democracy, our American way of life. And even if we were to crush Al Qaeda. . . .

In other words: Now that the Cold War is over, the Global War on Terror has begun, and it will require our courage, our fortitude, our patriotism, our sacrifice—for years, for decades, perhaps for a generation or more.

Now we have our soldiers and weapons planted in the Middle East. And we’ll have to keep them there for who knows how long. Because the war on terror will be a long one. And we’ll need to be there “to keep peace in the region.”

But that passage from the Bhagavatam haunts me: The state executive heads “try to equip themselves with all kinds of deadly weapons to bring about a war in a peaceful society. They have no ambition other than personal aggrandizement…”

Could it be true?

 

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A Distant View Of 9/11 Part 1

A Distant View of 9/11

by Gupta Nama Dasa

“The policy of wise rulers has always been to disguise strong acts under popular forms.”

Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800–1859)
History of England, Volume 1.

When it all happened on 9/11, I was away from the United States—in the Middle East, to be more precise. I didn’t watch the catastrophe on television; I didn’t have one. (I almost never watch tv, and rarely read newspapers.) And I can tell you that from my detached and distant vantage point the events looked very different than to my friends in America.

So different, in fact, that I ought to begin by telling you that what I write here does not represent the official views of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, nor even the unofficial views of more than perhaps a scattered handful of its members. And with that disclaimer I can now say whatever I want, however strange and radical it might appear.

This then is an account of how 9/11—and events that followed—can be seen from one Krishna conscious point of view.

What we know for sure

The towers fell, and within weeks American troops were in Afghanistan, soldiers of a “global war on terrorism.” But to me—how should I say this?—it didn’t look real. That is to say, I felt a growing sense I was witnessing a colossal, and demonic, fraud.

Here is a note I wrote to myself to help piece together my thoughts, a few days after America went to war in Afghanistan.

What we know for sure about the war

• Political leaders cannot be relied upon to give a true picture of what they are doing and why.
• The news media cannot be relied upon to give a true picture of what is happening and why.
• America opposes terrorism of which America itself is the object.
• When America is not the object, America often shows itself indifferent to terrorism, or actively initiates or supports it.
• America, therefore, is not globally opposed to terrorism.
• That America’s goal is to rid the world of the evil of terrorism is therefore a falsehood.
• We can presume, therefore, that America has other objectives.
• America has substantial economic and military interests in the Middle East.
• Regardless of what else is going on, America is unlikely to put those interests aside.

• Political leaders cannot be relied upon to give a true picture of what they are doing and why.

I take this as axiomatic. The history of politics is largely a history of lying. And my mind turned back to something written by my spiritual teacher, His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in his commentary on the Vedic scripture Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Writing in 1964 or ’65, he had depicted demonic, morally rotten ultra-materialists—in Sanskrit called asuras—in a way that now seemed helpful in sorting things out:

“The asuras want to enjoy a life of sense gratification, even at the cost of others’ happiness. In order to fulfill this ambition, the asuras,especially atheistic kings or state executive heads, try to equip themselves with all kinds of deadly weapons to bring about a war in a peaceful society. They have no ambition other than personal aggrandizement, and thus mother earth feels overburdened by such undue increases of military strength.”

Note that phrase: “They have no ambition other than personal aggrandizement.” We’ll come back to it later.

• The news media cannot be relied upon to give a true picture of what is happening and why.

Another axiom. In the words of no less an American than Thomas Jefferson: “The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them, inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.”

• America opposes terrorism of which America itself is the object.

Well, obviously.

• When America is not the object, America often shows itself indifferent to terrorism, or actively initiates or supports it.

Examples abound. America supports Pakistan, notorious for its ongoing terrorism in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

And America elsewhere? Shall we pick up another example?

Writing in the Sunday Times (London), here’s a British Army officer who in the 1980’s helped train backward Afghanis into effective modern guerrillas:


“The Americans had been keen we teach them urban terrorism tactics too—car bombing and so on—so that they could strike at Russians in major towns. Personally, I wasn’t prepared to do that, although I realised that eventually they would find someone who was.” ¹

• America, therefore, is not globally opposed to terrorism.

Simple logic compels this.

And the rest of the story is simple logic too.

 

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Jagannath's Origin Part 3

Overcoming the restraints of priests and advisors, the King opened the doors to discover an unusual sight: a form of the Deity never before seen. The Lord’s form was apparently unfinished having no hands or feet, and the emperor feared he had made a great mistake in opening the doors too early. The aged sculptor had vanished.

As Indradyumna cursed his foolishness, newfound friends tried to console him. The descendant of the Sabaras said, “Whatever happens is by the Lord’s will. You acted out of love so there can be no mistake.” And the chief priest said that the Deity of Jagannatha, along with His brother, Baladeva, and sister, Subhadra, should be painted and dressed and prepared for the installation ceremony by Lord Brahma.

Indradyumna felt ashamed until Narada Muni finally revealed God’s plan. A passage in the Vedas mentions that the Lord has no hands or feet, which impersonality and atheists interpret to deny the Lord’s personal existence. So Jagannatha’s appearance proves that he is a person,unlike any other and he can still bestow blessings and accept offerings of love, even without hands and feet.

Narada Muni then described how he had seen this form before, while visiting Dwarka. At that time, the Lord’s Vrindavan pastimes were being discussed, and the Lord overheard the conversation and felt loving separation for his devotees. He went into a trance and his eyes opened wide, his feet and hands retracted into his body. Sharing in this transcendental exchange, Krishna’s sister and brother were similarly transformed.

Then, Narada Muni announced that his father, Lord Brahma, would soon arrive to install the Jagannatha Deity. Before the celebration began, Brahma gave Indradyumna divine vision to see that his new friends were, in fact, the embodied souls of his old companions Vidyapati and Vishvavasu. Thus the story of Jagannatha’s appearance ended happily, with the reunion of loving devotees to honor and serve the Lord.

After thousands of years, the Jagannatha Deity remains a source of unlimited joy to his friends and servants. And the Rathayatra procession is a time to celebrate the loving exchange between the personality of Godhead and his devotees. All those who take part in this festival and chant the Maha Mantra with Joy will receive his special blessings and help on their journey back home, back to Godhead.

 

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Jagannatha's Origin Part 2

 

The traveler described how, on the remote mountaintop of Niladri, he had seen the demigods worshipping the Lord. The King immediately requested his chief Brahmin priest, Vidyapati, to find this Deity, so that all ofAvantipura could be presented at the lotus feet of the Lord as an offering of love.

After a month’s journey without rest, Vidyapati found Mountain Niladri, where he discovered Sabaras, lowborn pig herders, camped near the holy ground. Looking beyond class distinctions married the daughter (Lalita) of the tribal chief, Vishvavasu, who had been worshipping the Lord in great secrecy. Due to his daughter’s request, Vishvavasu finally agreed to show Lord Nila Madhava to Vidyapati with a precondition that he had to reach the site blindfolded. But the Brahmin tricked his father-in-law by following the idea of his wife Lalita. He sprinkled mustard seeds along the path, which would eventually sprout and lead the emperor back to claim the Lord’s attention.

For many years Vishvavasu had served Lord Nila Madhava with simple fruits like Kanda Mula (Sweet Potatoes) and flowers. Knowing the prayers of Indradyumna, Nila Madhava spoke to Vishvavasu and revealed his intention of accepting more opulent worship according the desires of Indradyumna. Vishvavasu was devastated.

No one can predict the plan of the Lord. Sometimes he bestows special mercy on his devotees by being present before them, and sometimes that mercy is also shown through separation, which increases the longing and attachment of the devotee towards the Lord.Vishvavasu blamed Vidyapati for persuading Nila Madhava to accept Indradyumna’s worship. Accusing the Brahmin of cheating him, Vishvavasu bound Vidyapati with ropes. Vishvavasu’s daughter heard her husband’s cries for help and freed him to return to Avantipura.

Upon Vidyapati’s return, Indradyumna climbed upon his chariot and led an army to the mountain, where they located the trail of tiny mustard plants. The two struggled with the temple door and discovered that Nila Madhava had vanished.

Only Vishvavasu could be suspected of removing the Deity. In his desperation to keep the Lord he might have done anything. However, when they found the chief of the Sabaras, he was still mourning Nila Madhava’s departure. Not believing his lament they arrested Vishvavasu. Suddenly Narada Muni, a great sage, appeared and revealed what had really happened to Nila Madhava.

The Lord had withdrawn due to His own choosing, but he would reappear again in the form of Lord Jagannath to bestow benedictions upon the entire world. Whereas Nila Madhava had enjoyed the simple and intimate service of Vishvavasu, his appearance as Jagannatha would be for the benefit of everyone. First, however, Narada Muni announced that a great temple mustbe constructed. Then Lord Brahma, chief of the demigods, would receive Indradyumna on his own planet and plan for the sacred installation of Jagannatha Swami, the Lord of the Universe.

When the temple was finally completed, Narada Muni escorted Indradyumna to his father’s abode on Satya-loka. The home of Lord Brahma is inaccessible to ordinary human beings, but so great was Indradyumna’s devotion to God that even Lord Brahma was eager to meet him. LordBrahma further described how Lord Jagannatha would appear in a wooden form from a great kalpa-briksa tree, transported from the spiritual planet of Svetadvipa.

As Indradyumna returned to the earth in a space ship from Brahma’s planet, he noticed that things had changed. Though he was away for what seemed a short time, the earth had aged many years. No one recognized him in his own kingdom, and his trusted priest Vidyapati had been replaced by another.

The King remained bewildered until a mystical crow revealed how all Indradyumna’s associates had died in his absence. For the sake of worshipping the Supreme he had lost everything; family, friends, and kingdom. King Indardyumna put up the tallest monument of the world for Jagannath. It was 1,000 cubits high. Seeing the temple Brahma was immensely pleased with him. He asked him as to in what way can he (Brahma) fulfill his (Indradyumna’s) desire, since he was very much pleased with him for his spirited effort to construct the most beautiful temple for Lord Vishnu. With folded hands, Indradyumna said, “My Lord if you are really pleased with me, kindly bless me with one thing, and it is that I should be issueless and that I should be the last member of my family”. As Indradyumna was thinking that in case anybody left alive after him, he would only take pride as the owner of the temple and would not work for the society… Narayan Narayan. This teaches the world that how much high state of mind a devotee can achieve by his/her unselfish bhakti bhaba towards the Supreme Lord.

Indradyumna was searching the Lord’s form, which had to be installed in the temple, but he had not got even a single hint how to find Lord’s form. Despite this hardship, Indradyumna remained steadfast in his courage. He knew that God sometimes tests the love of his devotees by removing all other objects of affection. King Indradyumna was determined to hasten the Lord’s arrival by fasting, if necessary until death. Then Jagannath did appear, but only in a dream and the emperor was guided to a great log floating in the ocean. No ordinary tree, this giant had come uprooted from the spiritual sky, part of the same transcendental energy as the Lord’s own body. Even the might of the army could not budge it.A lowly Sabara stepped from the crowd and handled the huge trunk with ease. This amazing fellow turned out to be a descendant of Vishvavasu, and he carried the sacred log to Gundicha Temple for preparation.

The greatest craftsmen in the entire world assembled to carve the Lord’s Deity form, according to scriptural injunctions. But all their tools simply shattered to pieces. Then a mysterious old Brahmin appeared, Ananta Maharana, and he agreed to carve the Deity of the Lord. But it had to be done on his own terms: complete isolation for three weeks. Gates were locked and the beat of the chisel resounded for days. After only two weeks however, it stopped and Indradyumna worried. He thought that as the Brahmin was old so he might be struggling for the life inside.

 

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Jagannatha's Origin Part 1

Some of you may have wondered where Cafe Atma's logo comes from....... well as we are having our Festival of Chariots (Ratha Yatra) soon, the story of how the original Jagannatha deity from Puri appeared may shed a little light on the logo's origin.

recognise the one on the right??

Lord Jagannatha truly embodies an irresistible force, because he is none other than Krishna, the all-attractive Lord of the Universe. The annual procession of the Deity of Krishna in the form of Jagannatha carried on the Ratha and is one of the world’s oldest and largest festivals. Rathayatra is a celebration dating back thousands of years in India, which has spread to cities throughout the world since the late 1960′s.

The history of Lord Jagannatha is a story of devotion, the eternal love between human being and God. It tells how the prayers of a devotee caused the Lord to make his appearance in a wondrous way. Also it shows how Krishna came as the Deity Jagannath, so that he could accept loving service from all classes of human beings.

The ancient Vedic literature describes the world ruled by king Indradyumna as a tranquil place. From his capital in Avantipura, the emperor surveyed a land filled with peace and prosperity unknown in modern times. Abundance was everywhere during the enlightened age of Satya-yuga, except in the heart of the King. Indradyumna felt all vacant in the world he ruled, because he hankered for a pleasure beyond material bounds. He has a desire to see the Lord face to face.

This is a difficult feat, even for the greatest monarch in the world. The Gita states that mystics who devote their entire lives to God realization rarely achieve such a boon. Usually, the more one is involved in material pursuits, the less likely one is to make spiritual advancement. So how is it possible for a king absorbed in worldly affairs to obtain the Lord’s special mercy?

Krishna is not partial to displays of material wealth or power. They are insignificant compared to his glories. What is significant though is the love each soul may direct to the Lord. Sometimes Krishna can be conquered by a very pure love. The search begins.

One day as Indradyumna lamented that he was not able to serve God directly, a pilgrim suddenly appeared. This man revealed how he had actually seen the Lord accepting direct loving service in his deity form of Nila Madhava. God incarnates in many ways throughout the ages, and sometimes He manifests in the form of stone or wood just to please his devotees and accept their loving services.

More in a few days :)

 

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Ratha Yatra Festival ?

 

Rathayatra, the most extraordinary chariot festival that originates

in Jagannatha Puri on the east coast of India and dates back over 2,000 years.

 

The original inner meaning of Rathayatra is very beautiful.

In His time on this Earth, Krishna grew up in Vrindavana, and had

great loving friendships there with all the residents, including the

cowherd boys and girls. When Krishna grew up, He became a King and

moved away from His childhood friends.

After many years the residents of Vrindavana came to see Him. But

He seemed so different to the mischievous cowherd boy they all knew

and loved. So they kidnapped Him and tried to bring Him back to

Vrindavana on a cart. Being with Krishna like this they felt simultaneous

loving emotions of closeness and separation.

 

The Rathayatra festival is a modern expression of this pastime.

 

Ratha yatra is now celebrated in cities all over the world and has been a regular event in Cardiff for over 8 years, growing into a truly multicultural event enjoyed by people from all walks of life and faith.

This years street carnival will start outside City Hall at 12 midday where the cart and Jagannatha Deities will then proceed, accompanied by singing and dancing, along the Hayes and conclude in Bute Park (behind the castle).

Once in Bute park you can enjoy a Hare Krishna cultural festival which will include dances, plays, talks, chanting and a feast. Also in the park you can choose from an array of workshops, displays and stalls.

Ratha yatra is a truly unique family experience not to be missed.

 

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Pakora's

Because they're new to the menu and we like sharing secrets

North Indians frequently serve this luscious pakora selection at wedding feasts. It adds a festive touch to almost any occasion, from brunch to late-night supper. Unless the cauliflower flowerets are cut very small,parboil or half-steam them before deep-frying. Make certain that the pieces are thoroughly patted dry and room temperature before batter-dipping. If you are making the batter by hand, rather than in a food processor or blender, use ground coriander or fenugreek instead of the whole seeds.

Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Sifted chick pea flour (sifted before measuring) - 1 ½ cups (135 g)

• Salt - 1 ½ teaspoons (7 ml)

• Melted ghee or vegetable oil - 2 teaspoons (10 ml)

• Hot green chilies, seeded and minced - 2-4

• Piece of scraped, finely shredded or minced fresh ginger root - 1 inch (2.5 cm)

• Dry-roasted fenugreek seeds or 1 table spoon (15 ml) coriander chopped - 1 teaspoon (5 ml)

• Coarsely chopped - 2 table spoons (30 ml)

• Fresh fenugreek or coriander

• Cold water, or enough to make a medium-consistency batter - About 9 table spoons (135 ml)

• Baking powder - ¼ – ½ teaspoon (1-2 ml)

• Ghee or vegetable oil for deep-frying

• Cauliflower flowerets, 1 ½ inches (4 cm) long and ½ inch (1.5 cm) thick, parboiled or half-steamed - 25-35

 

Prearation

1. Combine the flour, salt, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) ghee or vegetable oil, chilies, ginger, fenugreek or coriander seeds, fresh herbs and 7 table spoons (105 ml) of cold water in a blender or a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Cover and process until smooth. (if you mix the batter by hand, substitute ground spices for the seeds and work with a balloon whisk until smooth). Gradually add the remaining water, or enough to make a batter the consistency of heavy cream. Cover and set aside for 10-15 minutes.

2. Again beat with an electric beater, wire whisk or your hand for 2-3 minutes to further lighten the batter. (Check the batter consistency: if it is too thin, moist foods will spatter as they fry; if it is too thick, they will not cook properly. Add flour or water as necessary). Stir in the baking powder.

3. Heat 2 ½ -3 inches (6.5-7.5 cm) of fresh ghee or vegetable oil in a karai, wok or deep-frying vessel until the temperature reaches 355 F (180 C). Dip 5 or 6 flowerets in the batter and, one at a time, carefully slip them into the hot oil. The temperature will fall but should then be maintained at between 345-355 F (173-180 C) throughout the frying. Fry until the pakoras are golden brown, turning to brown evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately, or keep warm, uncovered, in a preheated 250 F (120 C) oven until all of the pakoras are fried, for up to ½ hour

Makes: 25 -35 pieces

 

By Yamuna Devi Dasi

 

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