In2-MeC

Auckland, New Zealand
30 November 2003

ORANGE CITY, Fla. - A mob of shoppers rushing for a sale on DVD players trampled the first woman in line and knocked her unconscious as they scrambled for the shelves at a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Patricia VanLester had her eye on a $29 DVD player, but when the siren blared at 6 a.m. Friday announcing the start to the post-Thanksgiving sale, the 41-year-old was knocked to the ground by the frenzy of shoppers behind her.

"She got pushed down, and they walked over her like a herd of elephants," said VanLester's sister, Linda Ellzey. "I told them, `Stop stepping on my sister! She's on the ground!'"

Ellzey said some shoppers tried to help VanLester, and one employee helped Ellzey reach her sister, but most people just continued their rush for deals.

"All they cared about was a stupid DVD player," she said Saturday.

Paramedics called to the store found VanLester unconscious on top of a DVD player, surrounded by shoppers seemingly oblivious to her, said Mark O'Keefe, a spokesman for EVAC Ambulance.

She was flown to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where doctors told the family VanLester had a seizure after she was knocked down and would likely remain hospitalized through the weekend, Ellzey said. Hospital officials said Saturday they did not have any information on her condition.

"She's all black and blue," Ellzey said. "Patty doesn't remember anything. She still can't believe it all happened."

Ellzey said Wal-Mart officials called later Friday to ask about her sister, and the store apologized and offered to put a DVD player on hold for her.

Wal-Mart Stores spokeswoman Karen Burk said she had never heard of a such a melee during a sale.

"We are very disappointed this happened," Burk said. "We want her to come back as a shopper."

Bhagavad-Gita in Essence
(continued from yesterday)

The Fifth Essence:

The Essence of Spiritual Endeavor
(Bg 11.55)

Focus on the Purport of Bg 11.55

Anyone who wants to approach the supreme of Personalities of Godhead, on the Krsnaloka planet in the spiritual sky, and be intimately connected with the Supreme Personality, Krsna, must take this formula, as stated by the Supreme Himself. Therefore, this verse is considered to be the essence of Bhagavad-gita. The Bhagavad-gita is meant to show how one can understand his spiritual existence and his eternal relationship with the supreme spiritual personality and to teach one how to go back home, back to Godhead. Now here is the verse which clearly explains the process by which one can attain success in his spiritual activity: devotional service.

Notes:

1. Sambandha, abhideya and prayojana are indicated by the phrases "how one can understand his spiritual existence", "his eternal relationship with the supreme spiritual personality" and "how to go back home, back to Godhead."

CC Madhya 20.143

In Vedic scriptures, Krsna is the central point of attraction, and His service is our activity. To attain the platform of love of Krsna is life's ultimate goal. Therefore Krsna [sambandha], Krsna's service [abhideya] and love of Krsna [prayojana] are the three great riches of life.

No work should be done by any man except in relationship to Krsna. This is called krsna-karma. For example, one may be engaged in business, but to transform that activity into Krsna consciousness, one has to do business for Krsna. If Krsna is the proprietor of the business, then Krsna should enjoy the profit of the business.

If one constructs a very big building for Krsna and installs the Deity of Krsna, one is not prohibited from living there, but it is understood that the proprietor of the building is Krsna. This is called Krsna consciousness. If, however, one is not able to construct a temple for Krsna, one can engage himself in cleansing the temple of Krsna; that is also krsna-karma. One can cultivate a garden. Anyone who has land--in India, at least, any poor man has a certain amount of land--can utilize that for Krsna by growing flowers to offer Him. One can sow tulasi plants, because tulasi leaves are very important and Krsna has recommended this in Bhagavad-gita. Patram puspam phalam toyam. Krsna desires that one offer Him either a leaf, or a flower, or fruit, or a little water--and by such an offering He is satisfied. This leaf especially refers to the tulasi. So one can sow tulasi and pour water on the plant. Thus, even the poorest man can engage in the service of Krsna. These are some of the examples of how one can engage in working for Krsna.

Notes:

1. The word sambandha means "connection." One who connects his work to Krsna (mat-karma-krn) is established in his spiritual position.

Quotation from Message of Godhead:

When ordinary work aims at such a transcendental objective, this work is called karma-yoga. By this process of karma-yoga, one gradually attains self-purification, then transcendental knowledge, next perfect meditation, and ultimately transcendental service to the Personality of Godhead.

Quotation from Perfection of Yoga:

In the preliminary stage one is advised to always work for Krsna. One must be always searching out some duty or some engagement, for it is a bad policy to remain idle even for a second. When one actually becomes advanced through such engage ments, then he may not work physically, but he is always engaged within by constantly thinking of Krsna. In the preliminary stage, however, one is always advised to engage one's senses in the service of Krsna. There are a variety of activities one can perform in serving Krsna. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is intended to help direct aspirant devotees in these activities. For those working in Krsna consciousness, there are simply not enough hours in the day to serve Krsna. There are always activities, engagements both day and night, which the student of Krsna consciousness performs joyfully. That is the stage of real happiness--constant engagement for Krsna and spreading Krsna consciousness around the world.

The word mat-paramah refers to one who considers the association of Krsna in His supreme abode to be the highest perfection of life.

Notes:

1. The words mat-paramah indicates the prayojana (necessity), which is the essence of Lord Caitanya's mission.

Quotation from Srila Prabhupada:

Lord Caitanya says, abhidheya bhakti, prema----prayojana. Prayojana means it is necessary. Purusartha-siromani prema maha-dhana. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's preaching was based on this principle: prema pumartho mahan. What is the objective of human life? He said that "Objective of human life is to attain love of God."

Quotation from Srila Prabhupada:

Prayojana, it is necessary, it is not optional, compulsory. If you don't take to Krsna consciousness, then you continue to suffer, therefore it is necessity. It is not that if you like, you can take it, if you don't like, you reject it. If you reject it, then you will suffer. And if you take it then actually you will enjoy life.

2. In Bhagavad-gita 18.68, Krsna promises parama-bhakti (pure devotional service in the spiritual world) to those who preach the message of Bhagavad-gita. Note the similarity of terminology between the two verses (11.55 and 18.68).

ya idam paramam guhyam
mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati
bhaktim mayi param krtva
mam evaisyaty asamsayah

For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me. (Bg 18.68)

As indicated by the word mad-bhaktah, he fully engages in devotional service, specifically in the nine processes of devotional engagement: hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering prayers, carrying out the orders of the Lord, making friends with Him, and surrendering everything to Him. One can engage in all nine devotional processes, or eight, or seven, or at least in one, and that will surely make one perfect.

Notes:

1. Abidheya refers to the nine-fold process of devotional service. According to Mahajana Prahlada Maharaja, one who engages in these processes is already established in transcendental knowledge.

SB 7.5.24-25:

Prahlada Maharaja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Visnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)--these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krsna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.

2. According to Bg 4.35, when one is situated in transcendental knowledge, he sees that all living beings are within Krsna, and are His. Naturally, therefore, in his abidheya activities he is eager to engage other living entities in Krsna's service. Indeed, this is his duty and the test of his advancement in real Krsna consciousness.

Quotation from Srila Prabhupada:

So what is his duty? Janma sarthaka kari. First of all awaken your own Krsna consciousness, you understand Krsna, and then go out, kara para upakara, because people are in darkness. People are in darkness. They have forgotten Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness meant, not that "I have understood Krsna. Now pack it up in the box and see sometimes: 'Oh, I have become Krsna conscious.'" My guru maharaja condemned this. He said, man tumi kisera vaisnava: "My dear mind, you are thinking that you have become a very good Vaisnava and chanting Hare Krsna, immitating Haridasa Thakura, and smoking bidi." This imitation has no value. My guru maharaja condemned it. He said, man tumi kisera vaisnava: "What a rascal you are. You are thinking that you are Vaisnava." Nirjanera ghare... What is that. I forget now. Tava hari nama kevala kaitava. Pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari nama kevala kaitava: "My dear mind, you are very much proud of becoming Vaisnava. In a solitary place you are imitating Haridasa Thakura." Nirjanera ghare, pratisthara tare: "Your this solitary chanting of Hare Krsna means that you want cheap popularity--'Oh, he is chanting Hare Krsna.'" That is not possible. You cannot imitate Haridasa Thakura. So by imitating Haridasa Thakura, keeping connection with woman and doing all nonsense, you cannot imitate Haridasa Thakura. You must work. You must go out for chanting, for preaching. This is the real chanting. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa. This is wanted, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has never said that "You may imitate Haridasa Thakura, and in a solitary place, 'Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna...Bidi, bidi, bidi.'" Not like that. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Go out." Yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa, amara ajnaya guru haya taro ei desa. So our request is, you all foreigners... So you have learned something about Krsna consciousness. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's order. Although He expected that every Indian should go out for parupakara, but anyway, some of the Indians, at least one... But you take this mission and go everywhere, in every corner. I am thankful to you. You are already doing that, in Europe and America, deep (?) asleep, because people are sleeping under misguidance, and they are becoming candidate for being carried away by the Yamaduta. This is the position of the whole world, Yamaduta. Palaye bara katha naya yo mache piche.(?) Yamaduta will not excuse you, however you may be very proud of becoming independent. This is not possible. To save the human civilization, the rascal civilization that "There is no life after death, and you go on enjoying as much as you like." This wrong civilization is killing civilization. So you save them. You save them. Otherwise the Yamaduta is there.

The term sanga-varjitah is very significant. One should disassociate himself from persons who are against Krsna. Not only are the atheistic persons against Krsna, but so also are those who are attracted to fruitive activities and mental speculation.

Notes:

1. Therefore, Sri Krsna says sarva-dharma parityajya..., give up fruitive activities and mental speculation and just surrender to and associate with Me.

2. In Bg 18.69 Sri Krsna says that no can be more dear to Him than the preacher. Therefore the preacher always has His association. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu made the same promise to the Kurma brahmana. If one has the constant association of Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya, one is protected from all kinds of contaminated association.

Quotation from CC Adi 7.27 Purport:

Thus the more the Krsna consciousness movement spreads, the more the desire for material enjoyment decreases. The seed of material enjoyment automatically becomes impotent with the increase of the Krsna consciousness movement.

The remaining sections of the Purport to Bg 11.55 affirm points made before:

The pure devotee does not even want salvation. He does not want to be transferred even to the highest planet, Goloka Vrndavana. His only objective is to serve Krsna wherever he may be.

A devotee situated in Krsna consciousness knows that only devotional service to Krsna can relieve a person from all the problems of life. He has personal experience of this, and therefore he wants to introduce this system, Krsna consciousness, into human society. There are many examples in history of devotees of the Lord who risked their lives for the spreading of God consciousness. The favorite example is Lord Jesus Christ. He was crucified by the nondevotees, but he sacrificed his life for spreading God consciousness. Of course, it would be superficial to understand that he was killed. Similarly, in India also there are many examples, such as Thakura Haridasa and Prahlada Maharaja. Why such risk? Because they wanted to spread Krsna consciousness, and it is difficult. A Krsna conscious person knows that if a man is suffering it is due to his forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with Krsna. Therefore, the highest benefit one can render to human society is relieving one's neighbor from all material problems. In such a way, a pure devotee is engaged in the service of the Lord. Now, we can imagine how merciful Krsna is to those engaged in His service, risking everything for Him. Therefore it is certain that such persons must reach the supreme planet after leaving the body.

In summary, the universal form of Krsna, which is a temporary manifestation, and the form of time which devours everything, and even the form of Visnu, four-handed, have all been exhibited by Krsna. Thus Krsna is the origin of all these manifestations. It is not that Krsna is a manifestation of the original visva-rupa, or Visnu. Krsna is the origin of all forms. There are hundreds and thousands of Visnus, but for a devotee no form of Krsna is important but the original form, two-handed Syamasundara. In the Brahma-samhita it is stated that those who are attached to the Syamasundara form of Krsna in love and devotion can see Him always within the heart and cannot see anything else. One should understand, therefore, that the purport of this Eleventh Chapter is that the form of Krsna is essential and supreme.

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