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Re: Vedanta Discussions (Re:Superstitions)
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Subject: Re: Vedanta Discussions (Re:Superstitions)
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From: intercom@netcom.com (InterCom)
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Date: Tue, 22 Nov 1994 22:44:45 GMT
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Apparently-To: alt-hindu@uunet.uu.net
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From intercom@netcom.com Tue Nov 22 17: 40:58 1994
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Newsgroups: alt.hindu
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Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
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References: <3aed3c$7b9@ucunix.san.uc.edu>
Hare Krsna.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Daniel Herschlag. I have recently
subscribed to this newsgroups, and would like to join the discussion at
hand. My own perspective is that of an American born and ISKCON bred
aspiring devotee of Krsna. I owe my spiritual life to that greatest of
Vaisnavas, Srila Prabhupada, who crossed the Atlantic ocean penniless at
78 years of age, sat down in Thompkins Square Park in the capital of
Maya's empire during the sexual revolution, and chanted Hare Krsna. That
the society he founded there, ISKCON, became global in just a few years is
as miraculous as it must have been to see the Swami sitting and chanting
in the park in 1966.
I know that people are envious of Krsna, and like to criticize ISKCON
without understanding its significance. Do not blame me for introducing
myself in this way if some of you would prefer logical, objective and
scientific discussion as requested in hte last post. We must use logic
and reason, but my bias is mentioned herein because of the brilliant
knowledge that I have had the good fortune of receiving by hearing from
Srila Prabhupada and his desciples.
How can one unglue himself from the illusions of material existence
without engaging in bhakti-yoga? I will try to speak from my own personal
experience. I have not achieved prema, but do not criticize the process of
sadhana bhakti thereby. Rather I see my own insincerity as my biggest
stumbling block. I tried for some time to be released from maya wihtout
knowing about yukta-vairagya. When I encountered devotees and learned
about Krsna consciousness, I understood that the hankering and grasping
for phantasmagorical forms of material energy are merely misplaced (they
need not nor cannot be eliminated). One may try for millions of years
to be released from such false egoiosms, but cannot retain any success
without replacing the hankering for the perverted variety of the material
realm with hte original pure consciousness of the soul which hankers for
teh variety of pastimes in the spiritual realm.
If that is not logical I do not know what is. While I have not attained
perfection by any means, I have my own experience to go by, and it is
more than just logic to me. I see that our world is tumbling toward
greater and greater hankering for the real unbroken teachings that
sincerely reveal Godhead while looking in all the wrong places.
This is all I have time for right now. I realize I haven't made much of a
contribution, and may be in vain, since it is so rare that anyone is
actually seeking truth. But this is my first step here, and an invitation
to all Vaisnavas to give this aspiring devotee some blessings and a warm
welcome.
Nitai Gaura Haribol
Bhakta Daniel
reply to daniel@intercom.com
