Sunday, March 05, 2017

A.I. Only Functions to Accept & Reject





Telsla's ECO Elon Musk has said "Over time I think we will probably see a closer merger of biological intelligence and digital intelligence," while speaking to an attendance at the World Government Summit in Dubai.

Through computer technology and input-out-put programing computer scientists have come up with Artificial Intelligence. Our real intelligence is yet a natural ability of the mind. The mind's only function is to either accept or reject whatever the living being is focusing on. Both the Human and animal share this accepting or rejecting act and the act in it self is actually the sole function of the computer. This is how the computer operates. The computer is programed to respond to an input (some mathematical formula) and it gives an output (or response) of "0" or "1" (A YES OR NO).  Of coarse it is very fascinating to observe how quickly the computer can respond using mathematical equations but with a closer look we can observe that the basic mechanisms behind all computer technology is very simple: INPUT EQUATION AND THEN THE RESPONSE (ACCEPT OR REJECT).

Humans and animals alike have been doing this basic act of accepting and rejecting since time immemorial. With this new computer technology and a fancy new name; Artificial Intelligence has sprung wild imaginations of robots out learning humans and possible future robot-against-human wars. It sounds scary, maybe terrifying, overwhelming, maybe exciting at the same time. But the root of everything must be examined to get the better and clearer picture. Robots are nothing more than computers. A robotic or Artificial Intelligence can not occur on its own. A.I. must have been programed at one point in time by human intelligence first and then the Artificial Intelligence can learn with mathematical equations. Robots do not just appear out of no where, humans have created them over time. A tracing to the origin is the key to understanding the workings of everything. Robots and computers are simply chemical compounds intricately placed in working parts to perform the operation of the human mind TO ACCEPT AND REJECT.

So the problem with Artificial Intelligence is that the highest ranking scientists with whom the computer programmers are so enamored have not grasped the simple basic workings of all life, both human and animal. The highest ranking scientists are baffled by how all life has been created. They have made so many theories and yet they are still perplexed. Life or "consciousness" is not simply a combination of chemicals that appeared out of nowhere as they have been trying to prove. Life can only come from life. A computer or robot or Artificial Intelligence can only come from "life" or "consciousness". At no time did the computer just appear. At no time did the human just manifest. At no time did the animal just appear out of thin air.

We can find all this information in the ancient texts. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita,

"na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ,
na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ ,
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ ,
sarve vayam ataḥ param"
"Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor any of these Kings and never will there be a time when we cease to be"(Bhagavad-Gita As It Is 2.12)

Just as a small boy maybe so enamored with the automatic sliding doors at the store, the current society is enamored by computer technology and Artificial Intelligence. The more experienced adult knows that there was some human intelligence that created the automatic doors that open when you walk up to them and so it is not very fascinating. But the child does not know and is therefore enamored and may even think that there was a huge BANG that created the automatic doors.

Computers can be programed to learn only what is known by humans. So first we must study the human's basic actions and the human's basic needs. What are the basic needs of humans?

What are the basic needs of all living beings?

Society is interested in four things. Every being in the universe is interested in sleeping comfortably, in mating excuisitly, in feasting on the most delicious food, and defending their point of view (physically or verbally). These are the four basic needs of all beings. In the animal life the Tiger, the dog, the sheep, the mouse; they all sleep, eat, mate, and defend. These four basic demands of the body are both found in the animals and in the human beings.

These for basic needs have been programed into the computers and so the byproduct is that the Artificial Intelligence will produce acceptance and rejection of all things geared to; better eating, better sleeping, better sex life, and better fighting. These are four basic needs of ALL LIVING BEINGS. So what separates the human "living beings" from the animal "living beings"?

The human beings have a unique attribute that is not found in animal life. The human being can question "WHAT AM I"? The dog will not ponder this, the Tiger will not, the mouse will not. The reason is that the animals are doers. They are engrossed in living their natural inclinations to the fullest degree. They are the epitome of their desires. Human life, on the other hand, is meant to understand his higher purpose and his position.

A being in a human form of life should use the intelligence to ask these three essential questions: "WHO AM I? HOW DID I GET HERE? AND WHERE AM I GOING?"

According to the Vedic literature there are 8,400,000 species of life and of those 8,400,000 species there are 400,000 different human species. That is a mere 5% of all life. Assuming a human form of life is a very precious thing and it should be taken seriously. Man only lives at most 100 years and this time can not be taken back. It can not be stopped. It is precious. A human who is only interested in the needs of eating sleeping, mating and fighting is no better than an animal. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ
"In whatever condition one quits his present body,
in his next life he will attain to that state of being without fail." (Bhagavad-Gita As It Is. CH8.TXT 6) . 

Should a human being be acting in the same manner as a particular animal, than that is what he will become at death. The body of the particular being suits the particular desires and activities of the being. Evidence of this "reincarnation" process can be found by observing the life of a human being (or even an animal being) through pictures. Observing pictures of the human being at a early stage of 5 years old and comparing that stage with a picture of the same human being at the age of 20 years, one can see clearly that the human being has reincarnated into a different body.

The modern human is bewildered, perplexed and fooled because of the false idea that they ARE their body. The animals do not have the intelligence to comprehend this question: WHAT AM I? The living being is not the body but is actually the soul that runs the body. In the Vedas this is called the "Jiva" (the soul). The Jiva takes different forms according to his different desires and activities ; sometimes as an ant, some times as a Human, sometimes as a Godly creature, sometimes as a Black man, a Chinese man, a Russian woman, a Russian man, a Hindu man, a Jew, a Christian, a Muslim and so on. These designations of the Jiva are according to his activities (Karma). But in whatever a state of being the Jiva is in, the constant fact remains the same: the body changes but the Jiva remains the same. The dead body is just like a lifeless robot machine that has not been charged by electricity or plugged into the powerhouse; it is useless. 


As stated previously, Artificial Intelligence is nothing more than a reflection of the human mind that accepts and rejects. There are two types intelligent men. One man is intelligent in material activities for the use of sense gratification and the other is introspective to cultivate self-realization. Simply by gratifying the senses, one can not be happy. The senses are only tools for the body to function and the mind can easily become dragged away by these senses.  Just like a boy flying a kite; the boy may become very intrigued by watching the kite in the sky and not pay attention to where he is walking. Therefore he may walk into a ditch and hurt himself.   In the Bhagavad-Gita it is stated: 


yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ 
tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī 
yasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni 
sā niśā paśyato muneḥ

"What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage." (Bhagavad-Gita 2.69)

The introspective sage is the man who uses his intelligence to accept the things that will advance his eternal life and reject the things that are temporary in this life. That introspective man knows that when the body is dead that soul does not die but accepts another body according to his activities. 


It is said that the materialistic man that is busy making a comfortable life is "asleep" due to the fact that all of his hard work will come to an end when death comes to his material body. Everything that he worked for will be forgotten and again he will start over in the womb of a mother. Should this materialistic man be engaged in simply eating, sleeping, mating, and defending; then he may become an animal in his next life and not have the chance to understand his real eternal life. The hog may think that it is very nice to roll around in the mud and eat stool, but the intelligent man knows that this kind of life is not good for a living being. The man who introspects and uses his intelligence to advance his activities in order that he may not again come to a state of "sleep" where he can be dragged away by his senses into a life of an animal; this is a man of real freedom and a man of REAL INTELLIGENCE.

Thursday, July 04, 2013

The God Principle




What does it mean to believe in something? How can you prove your belief? Every day and practically every minute of our existence we take someones word for something. We read the newspaper and we believe that the writers are telling us factual information, we go to the doctor and we believe that his advice is going to make us better, we learn from our mother who our father is. But were we there when our parents conceived us? Do we know that the writer of the article checked all his facts. Are we certain that the Doctor's prescription is going to make us more healthy? We don't know, but we are forced to take someones word for it. 

We are always forced to submit to some authority for our information. And in every case there is always some kind of authority and in every case there is some person that we are forced to submit to. This is called "The God Principle"; everyone MUST submit to some person. 

If a criminal is caught by a police officer, at that moment in time the Police officer is "GOD" to the criminal. The criminal MUST submit either by force or by voluntary submission. If a citizen breaks the law, he can not say "I don't believe in this country so you can not take me to jail". No, he must submit to the law enforcement person. He must submit to his God. And of coarse the law enforcement man must submit to his God, the Chief of police. The Chief of police must submit to his God: the Mayor. The Mayor submits to  the people who elected him. The military submit to the President and the President submits to his wife or his kids. When a man's wife wants more jewelry, at that moment she is "GOD" to her man as he submits to getting the money together to pay for her jewelry. When we go to school, the teacher is "GOD" to the students. This principle of God can not be avoided. 

It is an undeniable fact, there is a God in every case, in every circumstance. We are spiritual entities in a material world. We manipulate matter and rearrange it. We are Gods in every sense. But the intelligent person will try to find out who is the Supreme Person? Who is the Supreme God? 

It is stated in the Vedic literature that the one who possesses 6 qualities in full: 1) Fame, 2) wealth, 3) knowledge, 4) beauty, 5) renunciation, and 6) all strength, that person is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If we look for that person and find him, he is God. 

As material manipulators, we find that there are laws that we are governed by: Natures Laws. Everyone must be subjected to the natural law of birth, every person is born. Everyone must be subjected to getting diseased, every person has some sort of disease through out their life. Everyone must be subjected to old age, every person must get old. And lastly, every person must meet death. These laws of Nature are being run by the Supreme Person, just like the American Government is being run by one man: the Supreme American. Do we see the Supreme American in person? 

Ninety-nine percent of the American citizens have never seen their president except in moving pictures on TV.  Does he really exist? We believe he does because someone told us that he really is the President and they experienced him in person.  Everything is created by some person, there is not one example in the Universe where one can say that this was not created by some person. From the automobile, the phone, the airplane, the factory, the government; all these were created and thought up by one person. But in most cases we never actually saw the person who created it or even watched them create it, we just took someone's word for it.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Sankirtana: A Cleansing For The Soul



What does the word “Sankirtana” mean?

Sankirtana is a Sanskrit word. “San” comes from the word “samyak” which means “complete” and Kirtanmeans “glorifying” or “describing.” Generally when one is “glorified”, there is good reason. For instance, if a man becomes wealthy, most likely he will become famous and naturally he will be glorified, praised, and adored for his wealth and fame. But, who can say that they posses all wealth or all fame?
It is stated in the ancient Vedic text called the Srimad-Bhagavatam that God posses all these six opulence’s in full:  He is complete in wealth, renunciation, fame, knowledge, strength and beauty.

One of God’s many names is Asamaurdhva, which means that no one is equal to or greater than Him. In this connection the word Sankirtana has its complete meaning because only He can be glorified “completely.” A common man may be glorified, but his glorification can only go so far. There is always another who out does him. Another who possesses more of the thing he is being glorified for, therefore the common man’s glorification falls short. But God possesses everything  therefore only He can be completely glorified.

Sankirtana is universal to all religions: 

King David preached, “From the rising of the sun unto its setting, the Lord’s name is to be praised.” (Psalms 113:3)  

Lord Buddha said, “All who sincerely call upon My name will come to Me after death, and I will take them to Paradise.” (Vows of Amida Buddha 18) 

Muhammad declared, “Glorify the name of your Lord, the most high.” (Koran 87.2) “Allah, who does not fit into heavens or worlds, fits into the hearts of men. The process used to clean the heart is dhikrullah (chanting the names of Allah). Dhikr is a key to the secrets of life.” (Ninety-Nine Names of Allah

It is written in the Bible, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21) 

And in the ancient Sanskrit Vedic scriptures it says, “Chant the holy name, chant the holy name, chant the holy name. In this age of quarrel there is no other way, no other way, no other way to attain spiritual enlightenment.” (Brihan-Naradiya Purana)
The performance of Sankirtana is a spiritual cleansing for the mirror of the mind, just as soap is a material cleansing for the body.  According to the Vedic scriptures, there are three stages for spiritual cleansing, the first is to cleanse the mirror of the mind by Sankirtana. It is stated in theBhagavad-gita, “For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be the greatest enemy.” (Bhagavad-gita Ch.6, text 6)

Due to long term association with matter, the mind becomes polluted, or dirty and this Sankirtanaprocess purifies the mind. The second stage is to become free from material existence. Material existence means to be always hankering and lamenting. “I must have a new car, I need more money, I need a good partner, I need this, I must have that. Then when I have these things; I lament, I have lost my partner, I have lost my money, I have lost my car. I am simply in a lamenting state.” So the second stage is to become free from this lamenting. The third stage is called “Brahma-bhutah prasannatma”. This is described in the Bhagavad-gita, “One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.”
Sankirtana is generally performed in a congregation but anyone can sing or chant alone or with anyone. 

The Maha Mantra, or “Great Chant” is recommended by all great authorities:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

“All Glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada for bringing Lord Caitanya’s Sankirtana Movement All Around the Globe!”

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Scientific Research In Sound


Although the Vedas have very detailed explanations and descriptions of how sound is correlated with material objects, western scientists have only just begun to research this subject with in the past 550 years or so. The first accounts of Western thinkers pondering about sound and matter date back to Leonardo Da Vinci (1452 - 1519).


Da Vinchi writes, "I say then that when a table is struck in different places the dust that is upon it is reduced to various shapes of mounds and tiny hillocks. The dust descends from the hypotenuse of these hillocks, enters beneath their base and raises itself again around the axis of the point of the hillock."


Forward a little over a hundred and twenty years and Galileo Galilei wrote about it in his book, "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems" in 1632. In this book he talks about how he noticed that the vibration of a brass plate with a chisel caused some fillings to be straight and equidistant to each other. About fifty years later in the 1680s notable scientist Robert Hook did experiments with a glass plate and a violin bow, noting the various shapes that took place.



With access to Hooks work, Ernst Chladni (1756-1827) a famous musician and scientist, some times known as "the father of acoustics", noted the shapes that were produced with sand when the brass plates were vibrated with the violin bow. He made sketches of each shape which are known as the "Chladni Figures".



Notable scientist such as Michael Faraday and Lord Rayleigh also experimented with this subject, but perhaps that most extensive research has been done by a Swiss medical doctor named Hans Jenny  (1904 - 1972). It was Jenny who invented a machine called a "Tonoscope" and used it to do many experiments with sand and vibrations.




Jenny also had a fascination with Vedic mantras and yantras and included these in his research.

A little background on Mantras and Yantras: a Mantra is a sound that is uttered and is meant to fix the mind on a particular thing. In a sense, Mantras can be a correlation between sound and matter depending on what the mantra is used for. In Sanskrit "Mana" means mind and "tra" means to deliver. The word yantra means "machine". The human body (as well as animals bodies) are also an example of a yantra. Because we are not the body but the consciousness that runs the body called the "soul" or "jiva" in Sanskrit, the body is considered a physical machine and it will become useless if the jiva is not operating it. Just like a dead body, no soul is inside to operate the machine so it is useless and will rot away eventually with out the soul. Yantra's are two or three diminutional machines and they function as a tool for the jiva to use for various things. The body is one example, but they are used also in correlation with mantras to focus the mind. In Vedic ages, mantras and yantras were used to comunicate with personalities who are in charge of particular elements. For instance, the personality in charge of fire is Agni. By reciting a certain mantra to Agni, expert yogis are able to invoke fire.



Back to Hans Jenny: Jenny did experiments with mantras and particularly with the mantra "OM". By producing this sound Jenny was able to manifest the Sri-Yantra, which is a circular shape with triangular sapes inside the circle. 


When Dr. Jenny experimented with sounds of other languages, no results were produced.

In the Vedic ages mantras were practiced by practically everyone due to the advanced consciousness of the people. In the Dwarpa Yuga (a span of 800,000 years) the types of mantras were used to create and detonate atomic weapons. About 5,000 years ago at the end of Dwarpa Yuga and begining of Kali Yuga (our current Yuga) there is evidence that atomic weapons were detonated.

Evidence can be found today in a city near Kurukestra where a 3 square mile location has been sectioned off due to radioactivity from the atomic weaponry. This famous battle is where Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-Gita to Arjuna.

In the Bṛhan-Nāradīya Purāṇa, part of the Vedic literatures, it is stated, "In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy [Kali Yuga] the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." Chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna / Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama / Rama Rama Hare Hare" is the most effective way to focus the mind in this Age of Kali. 

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Mars Exploration: Is It Really A New Idea?


On January 8th 2013 Mars One, a Netherlands based non-profit, announced that it would be seeking volunteers to help colonize Mars and hopes to land there by 2023. While the world is anticipating and marveling at the idea of travel to other planets like the Moon or Mars, devotees of the Krishna Consciousness Movement are peacefully chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra through out the world. They are hardly amazed at such endeavors, as interplanetary travel has been going on for billions of years. In the Bhagavad-gita (8.16) it is stated, 

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ
punar āvartino 'rjuna
mām upetya tu kaunteya
punar janma na vidyate

"My dear Arjuna, even if you go to the highest planetary system, which is called Brahmaloka, you will have to come back." 

The Bhagavad-Gita is the most famous of the Vedic texts and dates back over 5,000 years. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, a Vcdic text that documents the entire History of the universe, (4.21.13) it is stated,

ekadāsīn mahā-satra-
dīkṣā tatra divaukasām
samājo brahmarṣīṇāṁ ca
rājarṣīṇāṁ ca sattama

“Once upon a time King Pṛthu initiated the performance of a very great sacrifice in which great saintly sages, brāhmaṇas, demigods from higher planetary systems and great saintly kings known as rājarṣis all assembled together.”

The Vedas state that the universe is divided into fourteen planetary systems, seven different systems going upwards from earth and seven going downwards from earth. The earth resides in the middle and is situated in the planetary system called Bhurloka. In the 14th Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is (14.18) it is stated, 

ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti 
sattva-sthā madhye 
tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ 
jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā
adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ 

“Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.” 

So we can see from the above quoted verses that interplanetary travel as well as air travel has always been possible, but the method of travel was different. The Ancient flying machines were called Vimana's and they worked on mantras (spiritual hyms that enabled the flying machine to function) where as modern flying machines rely on material functions such as propellers, engines, wings, and wheels. Due to the Age of Kali (Age of Quarrel and Hypocrisy) which lasts 432,000 years, man's spiritual potency has been diminished. In previous ages yogis could  achieve “siddhis” or “spiritual competence” through meditation and penance, and with this spiritual competence they were able to move objects with their mind, operate Vimanas, or even travel using beams of light. That age was called, “Dwarpa Yuga” and lasted roughly 800,000 years. But as foretold in the Vedas, the Kali Yuga age has brought shorter life span for the human being, less intelligence, and a mind that is always disturbed.

The modern governments are claiming that they have gone to the Moon planet and the next mission is to set foot on Mars. Today many governments are going bankrupt and are worried about spending money and collecting taxes, yet they spend billions of dollars on plans to send men to other planets. Even if they could walk on the Mars planet, what would be the benefit? Humans are subjected to the same laws of nature whether on earth or on another planet. No one can avoid birth, disease, old age, and death.

Therefore devotees of the Krishna Consciousness movement are not interested in traveling aimlessly through out space, going to the Moon, or Mars. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita (9.25): 

yānti deva-vratā devān
pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām

“Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me.” 

If one has the desire to go to any planetary system even in this day and age of Kali it is still possible. In the darśa-paurṇamāsī, the part of the Veda's prescribed for material benefit, there are prescriptions for worshiping different demigods who live in different planetary systems through out the universe and by worshiping them one can go live there. There are also prescriptions to go to the lower planets by “black magic” practitioners. But all these demigods and rulers of the different planets must ultimately be subjected to the four miseries of Material life namely; birth, disease, old age, and death. Therefore the devotees of Krishna are interested in worshiping Krishna because it is the Vedic conclusion that He is the the maintainer of all the planetary systems. The very first verse of the Srimad-Bhagavatam states:

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ
tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ
tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'mṛṣā
dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi

“O my Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmājī, the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth.”

This Krishna Consciousness Movement is now distributing this most important information for the benefit of all human society. In any walk of life, one can learn that they are not the body but the soul that runs the body. The body is temporary and last but only 75 to 100 years at most. At the time of death the soul will enter a new body depending on the consciousness of the soul. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, 

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.”

By chanting the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra one can immediately connect to Krishna because Krishna and His name are non-different. In Kali Yuga chanting His names are the most effective way to worship. It is stated in the Padma-Purana,

nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś
caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto
'bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ

'The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Kṛṣṇa's name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Kṛṣṇa Himself. Since Kṛṣṇa's name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no questionof its being involved with māyā. Kṛṣṇa's name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa Himself are identical.'

By chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa Maha Mantra:
 
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa 
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare 
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma 
Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

one can become perfect and go back home Back to Godhead.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

A Highly Intelligent Design



Recently there has been a debate over whether God is the creator of the universe or that the creation is formed by combination of chemicals, a chance occurrence if you will.
The scientific group who supports a “theory” called Intelligent Design says that there is an intelligence behind the creation. There must be intelligence behind something so complex and intricate which works so perfectly.
The anti-Intelligent Design scientific group argues that the Intelligent Design group is pushing the old Creationist theology and that there is no science in something that requires faith.
They say there is no place in science for religion. “Creationism, intelligent design and other claims of supernatural intervention in the origin of life or of species are not science because they are not testable by the methods of science,” The National Academy of Sciences said in an assessment in 1999.
At a news conference, former president Bush commented on whether or not Intelligent Design should be taught in schools, “I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought,” Bush said. “You’re asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas. The answer is yes.”
In a 2008 interview President Obama commented:“Intelligent design is not science,” he said at a town hall event in Illinois. “I think it’s a mistake to try to cloud the teaching of science with theories that frankly don’t hold up to scientific inquiry,” he told the York Daily Record.

THE ORIGIN OF A THOUGHT?

Back in the 1920s Einstein came up with this theory called “The Theory of Relativity” and it started out like any scientific theory does. It was an idea, a thought. Then he did the research and then he did experiments and math equations and came to a conclusion. “The Theory of Relativity” would not have been a theory at all if it wasn’t for Einstein. The idea, the thought, originated from him. We won’t look at the details of the theory, just that this theory has an origin and that origin is Einstein.
This can be said of anything. Everything has an origin. Just like a automobile, someone wanted to create a certain type of automobile, so he thought about it, and then began to get people together to design it and after a while it was manufactured.
The origin of anything and everything is always traced to “someone.” But who is that “Someone.”?
It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita
aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah
TRANSLATION
I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.
What Einstein used for his “Theory of Relativity” is generally called “modern science”. There are many different kinds of sciences: the science of cooking, the science of painting, the science of astrology, the science of music. The purpose of these sciences is to know the subject better, to master the subject matter. The purpose of modern science, in this case, is to understand the universe and its workings.
The problem with “modern” science today is that the scientist has imperfect senses. How can they really prove anything? In the day time you can not see the stars in the sky, but at night you can see them. A small child who has never seen stars in the sky may argue in the day time, “there are no stars in the sky”, but an older person with experience and knowledge will tell the child that you can only see them at night. Human eyes have imperfect vision.
In a room conversation with Srila Prabhupada in New Delhi, 12-11-71, he explains this nicely.
Prabhupada:
(bhakti-yogena manasi)
samyak pranihite ’male
apasyat purusam purnam
mayam ca tad-apasrayam
The materialistic person, they have only one experience: this cosmic manifestation. Beyond this they have no other vision. Their senses are imperfect. Just like the astronomers, they have got big, big telescope, many other instruments. They want to see through the eyes how many stars are there, how the planets are moving, and whatever imperfect knowledge they receive, by that little knowledge they advertise themselves as great scientists. But they do not calculate that “We are trying to see the stars and planets with powerful binoculars. That means our eyes are imperfect.’’
And what is the guarantee that the instruments which they’re using, they are also perfect? Because that machine, that binocular, is also made by a person who is imperfect. So what is the guarantee that by seeing through binocular or microscope, the conclusion arrived, it is perfect? What is your answer? Your eyes are imperfect, that’s a fact. Otherwise, why you are using binocular, microscope? Eyes are imperfect. Originally your eyes are imperfect. Now, eyes or other senses, it does not matter. Sense is sense. So you are manufacturing a machine, some instrument, by the same imperfect senses, then what is the guarantee that this machine, this binocular, if you see through the binocular, the knowledge is perfect? What is your answer?
Devotee: Can’t be perfect.
Prabhupada: Answer? Any one other?
Devotee (2): Perfect knowledge cannot be received with imperfect senses. Only through perfect senses can perfect knowledge be received.
Prabhupada: Therefore it should be concluded that the so-called scientists, astronomers, they are all imperfect, and they are passing off the scientists as learned. So you can challenge them, “What is the guarantee that your knowledge is perfect?’’
Actually it is not. They do not know how the stars are moving. They are always imperfect. Simply putting some theories. They say all this, Darwin’s theory and this theory, that theory. They are simply speculating on imperfect senses, and therefore they’re cheating, because the conditioned soul has got a tendency to cheat others. If one can cheat others, he thinks himself as very intelligent.
The conditioned souls, they commit mistake, they are illusioned, they cheat, and their senses are imperfect. This is the, the four condition. Therefore, if we receive knowledge from the conditioned soul, there is no possibility of getting perfect knowledge. If by nature you are cheater, then how I can expect fair dealings? It is to be understood that we cannot have any fair dealings with this conditioned soul. And he’ll protest.
The whole world is full of conditioned living entities. They’re conditioned. Conditioned means under the control of the material nature. Gunaih karmani. There are different types of conditioned souls. Some of them are good conditioned soul, some of them are passionate conditioned soul, some of them are rascal conditioned soul. So good conditioned soul means that, er, “(indistinct) that I have become very much learned, I have studied so many books, so now I am perfect.’’ There is little goodness, because he has studied, he, he has labored, but still he’s conditioned soul, because he has no perfect vision. Vimukta-maninah.

A MORNING WALK WITH SRILA PRABHUPADA ON 12-03-73

Dr. Singh: The scientists argue that before Darwin’s biophysical type of evolution could take place, there had to be what they call prebiotic chemistry, or chemical evolution.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. And the term “chemical evolution” means that chemicals have an origin, and that origin is spirit, or life. A lemon produces citric acid, and our bodies produce many chemicals in urine, blood, and bodily secretions. This is proof that life produces chemicals, not that chemicals produce life.
Dr. Singh: Scientists say that once the seed of life is present in the cells, then the living entity automatically develops and functions.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, but who gives the seed? In the Bhagavad-gita (7.10) Krsna answers this question. Bijam mam sarva-bhutanam viddhi partha sanatanam: “O son of Prtha, know that I am the original seed of all existences.” And later (14.4):
sarva-yonisu kaunteya
murtayah sambhavanti yah
tasam brahma mahad yonir
aham bija-pradah pita
“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.”

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Subterfuge & The Bowdlerization of The Bhagavad-Gita As It Is


Govinda dasi is a devotee of the early days of ISKCON and was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in February of 1967, but was coming to Srila Prabhupada's gatherings before that time.

On January 19th 2003 she met with Jayadvaita swami, the "editor" of the bowdlerized editions of Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita As It Is (the 1980s and current editions). It should be noted that the current edition of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is is now 77 percent changed from the 1972 author approved edition.

This article is meant to highlight some important issues that Govinda dasi has brought up and shed light on Jayadwaita's distortion and fabrication of the history in creating the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is.

Govinda dasi: …in 1966, ’67 and ’68, Hayagriva spent many, many hours alone with Srila Prabhupada, discussing the different aspects of the editing work. They went over each verse extensively, and Srila Prabhupada was actually quite clear in expressing what he wanted. He, even in the case of legal matters, or something else that he might not know how things worked, he knew what he wanted. So he had an uncanny ability to see through any situation. That’s an understatement, and I’m putting that way so that people can appreciate it.



Jayadvaita swami claims that he was the "production manager" at the very time the 1972 Bhagavad-Gita manuscript was being worked on (1969-1972)" Jayadvaita says, "…he [Rayarama] was the final editor [for the 1972 edition]. [inaudible] The unabridged edition, uh, the unabridged edition, um, I was the production manager at the time…[inaudible] and, for that edition, Hayagriva had some manuscripts already with him. And, he called for whatever other manuscripts we had available at that time at ISKCON Press"

Jayadvaita also claims that Srila Prabhupada was "not involved" in the 1972 edition except that there were "some meetings". Then he admits that he doesn't really know if Srila Prabhupada worked on the manuscript with Hayagriva, "He [Hayagriva] may have, for some brief time, spent some time with Prabhupada. It’s possible." Then he repudiates that statement by saying, "he just didn’t have, couldn’t possibly".

Above Jayadvaita has said that Hayagriva was not the final editor of the Bhagavad-gita 1972 edition and that Rayarama was the "final editor".

Jayadvaita then leads us to believe that he edited the manuscript himself before Hayagriva edited it, yet he still refers to the manuscript as "Haygriva's manuscripts".

Jayadvaita: "I worked with Hayagriva’s manuscripts; I worked with manuscripts that Hayagriva had not yet edited; I worked with manuscripts that Rayarama had worked on; I retyped the entire Bhagavad-gita As It Is from, from beginning to end"

So out of Jayadvaita's own account of the production of the 1972 edition of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, we can gather the following points that he makes:

1) Hayagriva with Srila Prabhupada created the manuscript to the Bhagavad-Gita 1972 edition. (but he is not really sure)

2) Jayadvaita retyped the entire manuscript(s)

3) Rayarama was the "final editor" (we are not really sure what he means, but maybe he means Rayarama was the last person to work on it?)

Jayadvaita: ". . .he [Srila Prabhupada] really didn’t see in its preparation for its, um, pre-publication stages, except perhaps there were some meetings at some point, you were there to…

Govinda dasi: He signed it in ’71…

Jayadvaita: I mean to say, in terms of actually going over the text, seeing what was being done, approving or disapproving the particular ways that things were edited, Prabhupada wasn’t involved. With the possible exception, you know, that there were some meetings, on some…occasional meetings. Like when the manuscript came to me, it was clear, that this was not something that Prabhupada had, um, gone over in the same kind of painstaking detail that you described for the abridged edition. Um…

The first thing to note here is that Jayadvaita is trying to make us believe that the manuscript for the 1968 edition of the Bhagavad-Gita is different than the manuscript of the1972 edition of the Bhagavad-Gita. Srila Prabhupada writes in the preface to the 1972 edition of the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is the following:

"Originally I wrote Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in the form in which it is presented now. When this book was first published, the original manuscript was, unfortunately, cut short to less than 400 pages, without illustrations and without explanations for most of the original verses of the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. In all of my other books-Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Śrī Īśopaniṣad, etc.-the system is that I give the original verse, its English transliteration, word-for-word Sanskrit-English equivalents, translations and purports. This makes the book very authentic and scholarly and makes the meaning self-evident. I was not very happy, therefore, when I had to minimize my original manuscript. But later on, when the demand for Bhagavad-gītā As It Is considerably increased, I was requested by many scholars and devotees to present the book in its original form, and Messrs. Macmillan and Co. agreed to publish the complete edition. Thus the present attempt is to offer the original manuscript of this great book of knowledge with full paramparā explanation in order to establish the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement more soundly and progressively."

So we can see the history of the manuscript right there in the 1972 edition. The manuscript to the 1972 and 1968 editions were the same. The main reason the two books came out differently is that Macmillan and Co. edited the book themselves by cutting "short to less than 400 pages, without illustrations and without explanations for most of the original verses". The other reason is that the manuscript was worked on more intensely by Hayagriva as we will show later on in this article where he says that he will double check everything and prepare for the 1972 edition.

Govinda dasi's personal account of Srila Prabhupada working on the 1972 edition of the Bhagavad-gita manuscript:

Govinda dasi: Hayagriva was living with Srila Prabhupada in ’68, and they were going over things, and that was after this book [the abridged edition] was printed. So that must have been for the ’72 one [Bhagavad-Gita].

In Hayagriva's book "The Hare Krishna Explosion", we find further proof that he worked for 3 months straight extensively with Srila Prabhupada on this manuscript to the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is in San Francisco:

January 17, 1967:

“Swamiji continues translating Bhagavad-gita. He is so eager to print it that we begin negotiations with a local printer. Prices are very high. In New York, Brahmananda continues his pursuit of publishers.”

“The days of February are beautiful with perfect temperatures in the seventies, fog rolling off early, skies very blue and clear, sun falling bright and sharp on the lush foliage of Golden Gate Park. The park encloses the largest variety of plant and tree life to be found in any one spot on earth. We are at a loss to identify plants for Swamiji.”

“I rent an electric typewriter, set it up in the back temple room, and continue typing up stencils for Back To Godhead, writing and editing [Bhagavad-gita] while Harsharani sends people after food, and cooks noon prasadam.”

“Apart from kirtans, I find myself spending many sunny hours in the park, walking past the tennis courts to large, quiet bowers surrounded with hybiscus and eucalyptus. And at times I sit in the shade beneath the white and pink rhododendrons and edit Bhagavad-gita. After editing, I sometimes visit the museum and stroll through the replica eighteenth century gardens, chanting my daily rounds while perusing the curlicues of rococo art.”

“Although I write on the Lord Chaitanya play through the spring days, my primary service is helping Swamiji with Bhagavad-gita. He continues translating, hurrying to complete the manuscript but still annotating each verse thoroughly in his purports. Daily, I consult him to make certain that the translation of each verse precisely coincides with the meaning he wants to relate. “Edit for force and clarity,” he tells me. “By Krishna’s grace, you are a qualified English professor. You know how grammatical mistakes will discredit us with scholars. I want them to appreciate this Bhagavad-gita as the definitive edition. All the others try to take credit away from Krishna.”

“I am swamped with editing. Since much of the text is equivocal due to grammar, I find myself consulting Swamiji on nearly every verse. It seems that in Sanskrit, Hindi, and Bengali, phrase is tacked onto phrase until the original subject is lost.”

April 9, 1967:

“Swamiji leaves for the airport. Before entering the car, he stops, cane in hand, and gives a long look at the little storefront temple. It is a look that says a great deal. Gurudas snaps a photo at that very instant. ‘That’s a farewell look,’ I think to myself.”

Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva worked together on editing the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is manuscript daily, almost three months, while Hayagriva Prabhu was living with him in the San Francisco, from Janurary 17, 1967 until April 9, 1967.

So what was it that Jayadvaita actually did on the 1972 edition? Well Govinda dasi tries to pin him down on this and he replies;

Jayadvaita: ". . .Some of the very few verses that we had issues with, there’s no question in my mind that Prabhupada didn’t see them.

Govinda dasi: You mean there were errors?

Jayadvaita: Um, I mean there were, um, yes.

Govinda dasi: Typos?

Jayadvaita: No, I don’t mean typos. I mean, um, no, I’m reluctant to talk about it, Govinda dasi. I’ve always had the policy that as a matter of professional courtesy and personal courtesy, um, I talk about all positive things, um, in the editing of the first edition. And as far as possible I’d like to keep that policy.

Jayadvaita does not give us enough information to go on what exactly he did on the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is 1972 edition, he admits that the BBT staff had issues with "very few verses" so we guess that he fixed them, after all he was in discussion with Srila Prabhupada about it through letters, of coarse after claiming that Srila Prabhupada was "not involved".

Not only do we have evidence from Govinda Dasi's personal statement about Hayagriva and Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva's own personal account "The Hare Krishna Explosion" that they were working closely on the revision of the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is 1972 manuscript, but we have evidence from Srila Prabhupada's personal letters as well.

Srila Prabhupada Letter to: Hayagriva: San Francisco 17 March, 1968:

"Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated March 9, 1968. I have come back to San Francisco on the 8th March, and while I was in Los Angeles for two months, I received the balance portion of Bhagavad-gita edited by you. I am expecting the foreword also, but I can understand that it was not yet dispatched. So, when it is prepared you can send it to me here in S.F.

Srila Prabhupada letter to Satsvarupa -- London 5 November, 1969: "So far as my books are concerned, I think there are materials for at least ten books which are ready for printing. Now all the manuscripts are with you. So now the editorial department is under you and Hayagriva, and you combinedly please get my books printed, one after another."

Srila Prabhupada Letter to: Brahmananda -- London 7 November, 1969 : "I am writing a letter to Hayagriva that he should take care of composition of our books."


Srila Prabhupada Letter to: Pradyumna -- London 27 November, 1969:

"I am also going there, so we shall sit down together and call also Hayagriva and Syama Dasi to hold a nice meeting of all the editors, printers, etc. We will chalk out a nice program so that our work may go on very smoothly without any impediments, and surely Krishna will help us."

Srila Prabhupada Letter to: Mandali Bhadra -- Los Angeles 3 February 1970: "I am asking Hayagriva to send you the MS [manuscript] for Bhagavad-gita, and you can also write him directly to send a copy."

Srila Prabhupada Letter to: Syama -- Los Angeles 23 February, 1970:

"Please ask Hayagriva Prabhu to finish the Bhagavad-gita As It Is with full explanation and text, and as soon as it is finished I shall send you some new tapes which you shall work husband and wife conjointly and you will be very pleased"

According to a conversation found in the Vedabase and correspondence, Rayarama also worked on the manuscript, for a short time in 1969 from April to June, this much is true.

But it is here (below) that we find that Jayadvaita is caught in a fabrication of the facts. Rayarama was not the "final editor" as Jayadvaita claims he was. Not only was he "NOT" the final editor, but he had left the movement entirely by November 1969! This would be three years before the 1972 edition came out.

Srila Prabhupada letter to Brahmananda on 11-25-1969.:

“The idea is that BTG is our backbone of Krishna Consciousness propaganda, and since you have taken charge from Rayarama’s hand, certainly it has improved in so many ways. Recently I have received one letter from Rayarama which he has signed his name to as “Raymond”. That means he has drifted from our society completely and his letter is very discouraging. He has accused everyone save himself. So I do not know what can be done with him.”

And then a month later on December 24, 1969, Boston. The following conversation takes place where we learn that Hayagriva is again working on the manuscript. He even says, "I'll have to go over it chapter by chapter."

Conversation: December 24, 1969, Boston:

Jayadvaita: There's another manuscript of Bhagavad-gītā also in New York, the original.

Prabhupāda: Oh. You have got?

Jayadvaita: Yes. It's in New York except for the first two chapters. Everything else is there.

Prabhupāda: So first two chapters might be with Janārdana. But you have got the whole thing, Hayagrīva.

Hayagrīva: Yes. That has been... I have gone over that, the one I have. The one that is in New York, no one has gone over that.

Jayadvaita: Some of it has been edited by Rāyarāma, but you can see around it and go to the original behind it.

Prabhupāda: So whatever is lacking, you ask me. I will supply you.

Hayagrīva: Well, I have nothing lacking. But I would like to see that version.

Jayadvaita: That's with a dictaphone. So it's...

Hayagrīva: I would like to see that in going over mine. I'll have to go over it chapter by chapter. But I will compare the version I have with that version, and... I know the translations themselves, they were somewhat changed in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is as it came out in Macmillan. Did you like those translations?

Prabhupāda: Whichever is better, you think. That's all. You can follow this Macmillan.

Hayagrīva: That was the second... They're good. I think they're very good.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You can follow that translation. Simply synonyms he can add, transliterations.

Hayagrīva: And we have all the purports. We can include everything. Nothing will be deleted. Everything will be in there.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Again Jayadvaita is caught in yet another fabrication, he claims that Srila Prabhupada never saw the "Galley Proofs" of the 1972 edition. Below is a testimony from a devotee who personally gave them to Srila Prabhupada in the summer of 1968.

Dear Srimati Govinda dasi,

Please accept my humble obeiscances. Srila Prabhupada jayatah.

I just came upon this in Folio – SPL Ch 4, “A Summer in Montreal” and I am
sending it to you just in case this point is not in your awareness.

Brahmananada had just come from Boston:

“I came up to show Prabhupada the galley proofs for both Teachings of Lord Caitanya and Bhagavad-gita As It Is. I just happened to have both galley
proofs that had arrived. So it was a wonderful thing to bring these galley
proofs to Prabhupada for checking. I was there only for a few days, maybe a
weekend or so. Prabhupada personally read through the entire galleys and
made notations in his own hand. He did the proof reading of the galleys.
Everything was done by Srila Prabhupada. It was a very personal kind of thing. Of course, that gave Prabhupada great pleasure because he wanted his books published, and we had started to do it. So Prabhupada took great pleasure in proof reading those galleys. And he handed them to me, and it was very wonderful.”



Now everybody knows that Srila Prabhupada never intended his Gita to be abridged. MacMillan did (abridged it) it for their own reasons. So the Gita here being referred to is the complete work.

With one exception I am not in touch with any ISKCON or BBT leaders or I
would be copying this to them. But I _have_ copied it to the BBT personnel
on PAMHO’s address list who I am at all familiar with.

Your servant

Rasananda das


Just to recap how Jayadvaita has been caught being dishonest and fabricating history:

1) Jayadvaita resorts to subterfuge in his public talks with Govinda dasi regarding the changes to the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is.

2) Jayadvaita has created a fictional history of the creation of the Bhagavd-Gita As It Is manuscript.

3) Jayadvaita claims that Srila Prabhupada was "not involved" with the manuscript, the exact opposite of the real history.

4) Jayadvaita again fabricates another fiction by saying the Srila Prabhupada never saw the Galley Proofs for the 1972 edition

In this article we have proved that:

1) Jayadvaita resorts to subterfuge in his public talks with Govinda dasi regarding the changes to the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is.

2) Srila Prabhupada was very involved in the creation of the manuscript to the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, both the 1968 edition and the 1972 edition.

3) Srila Prabhupada wanted and approved Hayagriva to be the editor of the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, as well as other books.