In2-MeC

ISKCON Chowpatti, Mumbai, Maharastra, India
24 April 2004

In2-MeC Mission Statement:
Use the Internet
to Overturn the Philosophy Behind the Internet

And what is the philosophy behind the Internet?

Mayavadi philosophy!

When the yearning for human flesh has come to an end [BTW, this refers to the desire to be within a human body, not the desire to be a cannibal], what will remain? Mind may continue, uploaded into the Net, suspended in an ecology of voltage as ambitiously capable of self-sustenance as was that of its carbon-based forebears.

--John Perry Barlow, lyrics writer for the Grateful
 Dead and "computer cowboy", in a letter to
 Harper's Magazine August 1994

Nothing could be more disembodied than cyberspace. It's like having your everything amputated.

--John Perry Barlow, quoted by Kevin Kelly in Out
 of Control: The Rise of Neo-Biological Civilization
 (Addison-Wesley, 1994)

The only thing wrong with the universe is that it is currently running somebody else's program.

--Ken Karakotosios, Apple Computer employee,
 quoted by Kelly in Out of Control

The apparent individuals that life has dispersed itself into are illusions.

--Kevin Kelly, Out of Control

We are as Gods, and we might as well get good at it.

--Stewart Brand, editor of the Whole Earth
 Catalogue and virtual reality visionary

Stripped of all secondary motives, all addictions are one: to make a world of our own. I can't think of anything more addictive than being a god.

--Kevin Kelly, Out of Control

About the need for Krsna consciousness in cyberspace, my Godbrother Radhakunda Prabhu writes on his website radhikamadhavabindu@yahoogroups.com:

We need to speak especially about that Blackish-blue Boy who has nine signs on the bottom of His feet. He wears beautiful ankle bells, a gorgeous effulgent bright yellow dhoti, a green sash, a jewelled waist belt with tinkling bells. He has three folds in is broad waist and a deep navel. He has soft baby-like hairs so fine on His belly. He has a broad chest with a golden hair on the left side and a silver Srivats on he right. He wears a pearl necklace hanging to His waist, a kaustubha gem, a jewelled locket with a picture of Radharani. He has strong arms that beautify His ornate intricately jewelled armlets and bracelets. He has 10 full bright-moon fingernails and moon-like toenails. He wears five rings on His left hand and 2 on His right. He has three lines around His conch shell-like neck, a dimple in His chin, small round jasmine bud-like teeth bimba-red lips, shark-like earrings that reflect brilliant light from His sapphire-like cheeks. His high, turned-up nose has a gold and jewel inlayed pearl at the tip. His lotus eyes extend to His ears and constantly move here and there, they�re reddish like copper and are hooded by His snake-like eyebrows. A precisely made half-moon sandalwood paste tilak sits between His eyebrows and decorates His broad forehead. His beautiful moon-like lotus face is sweetly framed by curly locks of cobalt blue hair falling in unlimited waves. His turban is laced with gunja berries and strands of jewels and has a peacock feather leaning gently to the left. Now just meditate ever so deeply with mind fully absorbed in concentrated attention on His beautiful sweet smile!

From the same website, this about Srimati Radharani:

1. Srimati Radharani is always to be found with Sri Krsna, and Madhava is always to be seen with Radhika. One is never without the other's company.

2. From the Gopalottara-tapani:

"She is the embodiment of maha-bhava, or the highest transcendental ecstasy, and none of the other gopis, or cowherd damsels of Vrndavana, possesses Her excellent qualities. Radharani is therefore known as the most famous Gandharva."

3. In the Padma Purana Narada Muni describes Srimati Radharani:

"As much as Srimati Radhika is dear to Lord Krsna, Her pond Radha-kunda is as beloved to Him. Among all the gopis Srimati Radharani is most dear to Krsna.

4. From the Ujjvala-nilamani of Srila Rupa Goswami:

"The principal characteristics of Srimati Radharani, the Queen of Vrndavan, are that She is charming, ever-youthful, has roving eyes, and ever-sparkling smile, a body marked with all auspicious lines, Her fragrance drives Krsna mad with desire. She is an exponent of fine music, has sharp intelligence, is dextrous, shy, respectable, patient, grave, playful, eager to display the highest ecstasy of maha-bhava, that She is the primary source of supreme spiritual love, the most famous, the object of attraction for Her elders, that She is controlled by the love of Her girlfriends, the principal of Krsna's many loves, and She has Him always under Her control."

5. C.C. Adi 4.238-272:

Once Lord Krishna considered with His heart: "Everyone says that I am complete bliss, full of all rasas. All the world derives pleasure from Me. Is there anyone who can give Me pleasure? One who has a hundred times more qualities than Me could give pleasure to My mind. One more qualified than Me is impossible to find in the world. But in Radha alone I feel the presence of one who can give Me pleasure. Although My beauty defeats the beauty of ten million cupids, although it is unequalled and unsurpassed and although it gives pleasure to the three worlds, seeing Radharani gives pleasure to My eyes. The vibration of My transcendental flute attracts the three worlds, but My ears are enchanted by the worlds of Srimati Radharani. Although My body lends fragrance to the entire creation, the scent of Radharani's limbs captivates My mind and heart. Although the entire creation is full of different tastes because of Me, I am charmed by the nectarean taste of the lips of Srimati Radharani. And although My touch is cooler than ten million moons, I am refreshed by the touch of Srimati Radhika. Thus although I am the source of happiness for the entire world, the beauty and attributes of Sri Radhika are My life and soul.

Hare Krishna Mantra Hits Hollywood
by Bhakta Jim Seymour
[http://preaching.krishna.org/Articles/2004/04/007.html]
Posted April 17, 2004

On Thursday March 11th and Friday March 12th in Oakland CA, about 40 Krishna devotees from the Bay Area were invited to take part in a new feature film starring Richard Gere, Juliette Binoche, Max Minghella and Kate Bosworth. The group of devotees were featured in a scene involving a rousing kirtan held at a Krishna Temple, with a few select devotees also being used in other scenes for the movie. The production will be in theatres by next winter.

Story Background

The film, entitled "Bee Season", is based on the popular novel of the same name, written by Myla Goldberg. In the story, Richard Gere plays the father Saul, who absorbs himself in the study of Jewish Mysticism. His daughter Eliza (played by young newcomer Flora Cross), becomes a national spelling bee champion. This event starts to dramatically alter the family's comfortable existence. Saul soon begins to lavish time and affection on the blossoming Eliza, leaving his son Aaron desperately searching to find a replacement for the connections to his father and his Jewish faith. First-time actor Max Minghella, son of "Cold Mountain" director Anthony Minghella, plays the part of Aaron. Now Aaron embarks on a type of spiritual vision quest, which leads him to meet Kate Bosworth's character Chali, who is a Hare Krishna devotee in the film. He becomes curious about her chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra on japa beads, and begins to ask her questions about the philosophy. I overheard Kate rehearsing some of her dialogue off-set, and I heard, "There are many names of God. We call Him Krishna". She later takes Aaron to the temple, where they join the devotees for an ecstatic kirtan!

How it all came about

The film crew initially contacted Grantharaja dasa from the Bhaktivedanta Institute at the Berkeley Krishna Temple. He in turn put them in touch with Gadadhara dasa, a recent graduate of San Francisco State's Cinema department. Gadadhara dasa then busily set out to coordinate an incredible mountain of legal and logistical details! Everything from casting to costume design to choreography was amazingly pulled together by this hard-working devotee. He even drove all the way to up to Redwood Valley in Mendocino County to bring a beautiful Murti of Srila Prabhupada down to the film set.

On Thursday before the film shoot, he and I prepared an enormous amount of prasadam to be distributed to the film crew the next day. We brought lots of Krishna books to distribute as well.

A week or so before the film shoot, Gadadhara dasa even arranged for Max Minghella, Kate Bosworth and others to meet with Hansadutta dasa, and hear from him all about Krishna Consciousness. They listened with rapt attention for over an hour and a half, being mesmerized by his expert preaching. Later they took Krishna prasadam. It was clear that they were very profoundly affected by his explanations of the chanting, the philosophy and the science of self-realization. On the day of the film shoot, I spoke with Cristina Solletti a legal clearance/Krishna devotee liaison on the crew, who commented, "Until we all got to meet with Hansadutta, no one had ever been able to so clearly articulate to us what Krishna Consciousness actually is. He made it so easy for us to understand the philosophy. It was just amazing".

Devotees on the Set, "Lights, camera...action!"

The actual filming of the kirtan scene was a fascinating experience for the devotees, and a very powerful experience for the film crew. Before the cameras rolled, we were summoned onto the set for a rehearsal kirtan. Locannath dasa from Berkeley did a wonderful job leading our kirtans for the filming, and as soon as we started chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, we noticed a change in the atmosphere on the set, and in the attitudes of the film crew.

After about two or three minutes of kirtan, the dual-directing team of Scott McGhee and David Seigel (who previously directed "The Deep End") stopped everyone, looked at each other and commented, "Wow, that's really powerful. This is going to be a great shoot!" They later commented, "Your spiritual practice of chanting Hare Krishna is the most beautiful thing we have ever witnessed. Outside of some very basic choreography that we need from you, whatever you naturally do, just go for it. We want you to really let go!" And, that's just what we did. It was completely ecstatic. We actually saw a lot of the crew members chanting and dancing along with us from behind all the props and equipment!

One really interesting thing that happened for the crew was their observation of the natural tendency for the men in the kirtan party to gravitate to the center, and for the women to remain around the outside.

They stopped us a couple of times, and tried to get us to evenly mix and mingle the men and the women. One devotee commented, "You can't change nature". I spoke with Kate Bosworth several times on the film set, and she told me, "Wow, I never realized how fun the chanting and dancing could be. No wonder the devotees are always so happy when I see them out chanting in the streets!"

For those of you who don't recognize Kate's name as an actress, she played the blonde surfer in the film, "Blue Crush". I later gave Max and her some japa beads, a book on Kirtan, and then I let her choose which style and color of bead bag she wanted from an assortment I brought from Vrindavan India. Upon this, she commented, "Now I want to go to India!" I encouraged her to definitely go if she finds the time between her many movie projects.

As mentioned earlier, some devotees got to be on the film set for two whole days, because they were cast in some other scenes for the movie besides the kirtan scene. Kuvalesaya dasa, who came all the way up from Los Angeles, was cast in a scene where he meets Richard Gere, who asks him directions to the temple. Other devotees who were cast in small scenes included Laxshmi devi dasi, Krishna Priya devi dasi, Abhaya dasa, and bhaktas Chad, Paul and Ian, who played background pedestrians and car drivers.

"Cut. That's a wrap!"

At the end of day two's filming, several members of the film crew unanimously commented to the devotees that, "Your presence here and your chanting scene has not only been the most fun for all of us, but it has been the most incredible part of the entire movie!" It was truly a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to meet, talk with and preach to this very nice film crew. I saw many of them on several occasions reading Srila Prabhupada's books. They were all very respectful, pious people, and they clearly appreciated the chance to intimately spend time with so many devotees.

We were all grateful for the chance to spread the Holy Names of Krishna through the medium of a motion picture. We can only hope that the editors don't cut out too much of our all-too-brief scenes for this film! In conclusion, I'd like to mention that it was clear to all of the devotees that this event was the direct arrangement of Krishna. We agreed that "we were not the doers" of anything.

As Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita, "I am the ability in man". Ki Jaya!

Hare Krishna, and All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Your eternal servant,
Bhakta Jim Seymour

ISKCON Chowpatti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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