As the Sun puts forth light, so it brings forth life. This Planet(also known as a luminary and a star) represents the self, one’s personality and ego, the spirit and what it is that makes the individual unique. It is our identity and our face to the world. The Sun also speaks to creative ability and the power of the individual to meet the challenges of everyday life. One’s natural father, husbands and other male influences are ruled by the Sun, as are children. The Sun’s energy is a forceful one, and in its wake comes authority, the ability to lead and an individual’s essence, their core being. Through the will of this Planet, we learn to manifest ourselves in the world. The Sun is majestic, and in keeping with its regal air, it rules royalty and higher office. This orb also lords over our health and well-being. The Sun’s golden glow is a vital life force which imbues us with strength, energy and a will to succeed. It is the Sun which gives strength to the other Planets, which is why this Planet occupies a key role in Astrology. The Sun spends about a month visiting each Sign and takes a year to journey through the twelve Signs of the Zodiac. It is masculine energy and rules Leo and the Fifth House.

Who is Sri Rama? He is Krsna Himself, and Sita is Radhika Herself. In order to establish the principles of maryada, regulative etiquette, Krsna appeared in the form of Sri Rama. His associates also appeared in Rama-lila. Gopisvara Mahadeva manifested as Hanuman and Baladeva appeared as Laksmana. Satrugna and Bharata are also manifestations of Krsna because they are His weapons. They are respectively Sanka and Cakra. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself read and glorified the pastimes of Sri Rama.

Valmiki has described the pastimes of Rama in great detail. He was a siddha mahatma, a realized soul. Popular Indian stories say that in his previous life he was a dacoit, and he used to kill people for his living. One time he met Narada Rsi and, by that meeting, his heart was transformed and he became a sadhu. According to the scriptures, Valmiki was actually the son of a great rsi. He performed austerities for a long time and by that he became perfect. One of his disciples, a very famous rsi, was named Bharadraja. Once they both went to bathe in the river. After Valmiki took his bath, he saw a male and female kraunch-bird sitting in a tree. A hunter struck the male bird with his bow, killed him, and the bird fell out of the tree. Valmiki became angry and spontaneously cursed this hunter, “How cruel you are! How could you do this? May all your happiness go away, and may you never be happy again in your life.”

When Valmiki returned to his asrama, he thought, “Why did I become so angry? I am supposed to be a rsi and have control over my senses. Life and death are very temporary, so why did I get disturbed seeing this? And how did these particular words come out of my mouth?” His words were very special. They had four gerands – four lines with the same meter as the slokas in Ramanyana. He therefore wondered why these particular words and this particular meter came out from his mouth.

Lord Brahma then appeared and said, “You should write the pastimes of Lord Rama, using verses which are in this meter.” Valmiki replied, “How can I do that?” At that time Narada Muni appeared and initiated Valmiki. He said, “You should meditate upon the pastimes of Lord Rama in samadhi, and by bhakti all those pastimes will manifest in your heart. Valmiki followed those orders and, as the pastimes manifested in his heart, he began writing the Ramayana.

Valmiki was on the planet at the same time as Lord Rama. But before Rama enacted most of His pastimes Valmiki had already written about them, except for one – when Sita entered the earth. Why did he not write about this? Because he taught Rama’s pastimes to Luv and Kush. If he would have told them in advance what happened to Sita, they would have been very disturbed. Just as Vyasadeva never preached Srimad Bhagavatam, but Sukadeva Gosvami later preached it all over the world, similarly, Valmiki Rsi taught Rama-lila to Luv and Kush.

Maharaja Dasaratha is the actual father of the Lord, birth after birth, and Kauslaya is His mother. They are eternally the mother and father of Krsna in His different manifestations. Yasoda and Nanda are non-different from Dasaratha and Kausalya.

Maharaja Dasaratha was getting quite old and he was disturbed that he had not begotten a son. He therefore asked his spiritual master, Vasistha Rsi, to perform a parestha yajna – a sacrifice with the goal to get a son. Half of the kheer, (sweet rice), offered in the yajna, was given to Kausalya, one quarter was given to Kaikeyi, and one quarter to Sumitra.

In due course of time all of the queens gave birth to sons – Kausalya to Rama, Kaikeyi to Bharata, and Sumitra to Laksmana and Satrughna. They were loved, they did childhood pranks, and they went to the asrama of Valmiki. Along with Visvamitra Rsi they went to siddha asrama and there they killed two demons who came to disturb the rsis’ sacrifices. He also delivered Ahalya, who by the curse of her husband, had been transformed into stone. Suppose you have a fruit of amla in your hands. You can see it very clearly. Similarly Valmiki, by the blessings of Narada, saw all these pastimes as clearly as if they were happening in front of his eyes.

Along with Visvamitra and Laksmana, Rama went to Janakapuri for the svayambara of Sita devi. There He broke the bow of Lord Siva which had been given by Parasurama to Maharaja Janaka. At that time Parasurama appeared and manifested all the anger that was in his heart. When Rama strung the bow without any effort, Parasurama then understood that Lord Rama was the amsi, the actual source from whom he himself had manifested. Lord Rama told him, “Now that this bow is in my hands, I have to kill something – either you or that anger that is in your heart. Previously he had to be angry in order to kill all the demoniac kings who had been ruling the earth. Now that work was over and therefore Rama said, “I should kill that anger within you.” Parasurama prayed, “Please take out that anger which is in my heart.” After Lord Rama took it away, he was transformed into a rishi and after that he performed many austerities. Lord Rama and Sita Devi were then married and went back to Ayodhya.

There is a secret meaning behind the pastime of Queen Kaikeyi asking her two boons from Maharaja Dasaratha. Kaikeyi was not cruel. She loved Sri Rama more than she loved Bharata. When Rama was a young boy, He sat in the lap of Mother Kaikeyi and requested, “I want to ask you something. When I grow up and return home after My marriage, My father will think of giving this kingdom to Me. I want you to ask him to give the kingdom to Bharata, and to send Me to the forest for fourteen years.” Hearing this, Kaikeyi fainted. When she regained consciousness she said, “I cannot do such a cruel thing.” But then Lord Rama said, “For the benefit of the whole world, you will have to do this.” So Kaikeyi agreed.

There is another important point in this connection. When King Dasaratha married Kausalya, he did not beget any sons from her. He further married 360 queens, but still there was no son. One day, when he was out in the forest hunting animals, he traveled all the way to the border of Afghanistan. He was very tired and therefore went to visit his friend Maharaja Kaikeya, the king of that entire area. Maharaja Kaikeya ordered his daughter to take care of the king. The next day, very pleased by her service, Maharaja Dasaratha asked him if he could marry his daughter, Kaikeyi. The king said, “Yes, you can marry her, but with one condition. If she begets a son, that son will become the king of your entire kingdom.” Maharaja Dasaratha replied, “There is nothing that will please me more. I have no son, so if she begets a son I will be very happy to give my entire kingdom to him.” This was another reason why Bharata became the king instead of Rama.

There is still another reason. One day Bharata’s maternal uncle came and requested Bharata and Satrugna to accompany him for a few days. In the meantime, Rama Navami came – the Appearance Day of Sri Rama. On this day the celebration of His appearance took place, and His marriage also took place. On the day before, Maharaja Dasaratha had told Vasistha that he would like to give his kingdom to Rama and make him Yuvaraja. Rama would conduct all the duties of Maharaja Dasaratha in his absence and after he would leave the world, Rama would become the king. Everyone was very happy to hear this. Vasistha said, “Tomorrow, Rama Navami, all the planetary positions will be very auspicious. You should give him the sacred initiation tomorrow.” There was no time to talk with Bharata and Satrugna. Also, Maharaja Dasaratha thought, “I have already promised that I will give my kingdom to Bharata. So how, in front of him, can I give it to Sri Rama?”

When Kaikeyi heard the news about Rama’s coronation she was very pleased, and she gave her garland to her maidservant, Mantara. By the influence of the demigods and because Rama had to perform His pastimes, Mantara’s mind became evil. She told Kaikeyi, “How can you be so foolish? If Rama becomes the king, Bharata will become a servant, and you will become a maidservant. For the rest of your life you will have to serve Kausalya and Sri Rama.” Initially Kaikeyi resisted and was not influenced by Mantara’s words. But then she remembered Sri Rama’s request to her in His youth – that she should ask Maharaja Dasaratha to send Him to the forest. Remembering this, she made her heart very hard. Then she went to Maharaja Dasaratha and asked him for her two boons. Maharaja Dasaratha fainted. When Lord Rama heard what happened He was very pleased that Mother Kaikeyi had done what He had requested. He came to Maharaja Dasaratha and Queen Kaikeyi and she ordered Him to go to the forest, saying that this was also the desire of Maharaja Dasaratha.

When Rama was exiled and was living in Chitrakuta, Bharata, accompanied by many citizens, went there to request him to return to Ayodhya. On his way to see Rama, they also passed by Baradvaja Rsi’s asrama. Bharadvaja requested Bharata, “Please, be our guests for a day here. You should rest and take prasada.” But Bharata replied that he had come with lakhs of people. Almost the entire population of Ayodhya has come with me. How could they all fit in your asrama?” But Bharadraj said, “Please give me a chance to serve you.” By his mystic power Bharadraj manifested an entire city, which was greater and more opulent than Ayodhya. For each of the queens there was a raj-bhavan. There were so many kinds of foods and preparations – just like anakuta. Mountains of prasada were created and everyone was served.

Kaikeyi also went to Rama and said, “I was the one who asked for the boon that you be banished to the forest. Since I was the one who asked you to go, now I take it back. Now I am asking you to come back.” Lord Rama replied, “No, the command was not only from you. You and father both asked it together. Father is here no more, and you are only half, fifty percent. I don’t know if it is his desire or not. So I cannot go back.”

There was an assembly meeting held wherein Maharaja Janaka spoke with Bharata. Janaka Maharaja described the meaning of prema. He said that real love is to understand what pleases the beloved. Janaka said, “If it is Lord Rama’s desire to stay here, then it is better to follow what He wants, and not try to force your desire on Him.”

Rama, Laksmana, and Sita devi then traveled to Chitrakuta. There Rama performed jalanjali, offering water the ancestors. Actually Maharaja Dasaratha had never died, so ultimately there was no point of His doing this. However, since He was performing narvata-lila, human like pastimes, he offered the water.

Sita and Rama went to the asrama of Anasuya, who gave Sita a special ‘anga vastra’ that even if she didn’t eat, her body would never dwindle. That is why, when she was at Ravana’s place, although she never ate any food given by Ravana for a whole year, her body never dwindled. Anasuya was the wife of Atri Muni who had performed great austerities. By these austerities Brahma, Visnu and Mahesh had all appeared. She made them become her little children, and all their wives came requesting her to please let them go.

Agastya Rsi gave Rama the bow with which He killed Ravana. Then Surpanaka came and Laksmana cut off her nose. Then Rama killed Kara and Dusha. Kara means donkey. He next killed a demon named Trisura. Ravana then came to revenge Surpanaka’s dishonor. He stole Sita, Rama killed Maricha, they met Sabari, and then at Kishkinda they met Hanuman. Hanuman first appeared to Them in the form of a brahmana, to test if they were really Rama and Laksmana. Later, at Rsimukha Parvat Hill Sugriva met Lord Rama and they made a treaty of friendship there. After Sugriva explained what Bali had done to him, Lord Rama killed Bali.

(Tridandi Swami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja)

I want to give you a general idea of Srimad Bhagavatam. It has been told by Srila Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa, who is one of the incarnations of Krsna, that this world was created by the Supreme Lord. He is very powerful, and that is why He is called God; G stands for generator or creator, O for operator or manager, and D stands for destroyer. Our Vedic rsis, like Vyasadeva, Narada, and Brahma have told us that the Supreme Lord has a very beautiful form and many millions of transcendental qualities. If a father has a form, then only his son may have a form. If the father has no form or qualities, then the son will neither have form nor qualities, nor can He even exist. It is stated in our scriptures:

aho bhagyam aho bhagyam
nanda-gopa-vrajaukasam
yan-mitram paramanandam
purnam brahma sanatanam

["How greatly fortunate are Nanda Maharaja, the cowherd men and all the other inhabitants of Vrajabhumi! There is no limit to their good fortune, because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman, has become their friend."(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.32).]

The son of Nanda Baba in Vraja is very beautiful, sweet, and merciful. He sports with His cowherd boys and millions of gopis – dancing, singing, making merry, and playing on His flute. He is not an ordinary person, He is the Lord of lords. He is purna-brahma sanatana. He is unlimited and unparalleled. No one is equal to Him and no one can be greater than Him; all are subordinate to Him. He does not directly create these worlds. The servants of the servants of His servants create them all, where as He Himself is always engaged in playing and giving pleasure to all His associates.

A shadow of this truth has been explained in the Bible, wherein it is said, “God created man after his own image” – this is the same thing. The Supreme God had created man. He is beautiful and He also made man like that. In the Bible it has been written that the Supreme Lord has a form. It has also been written in the Koran of the Muslims and in other religious scriptures that Ghoda, or Allah, created man in His own image. No one can deny these statements of the Bible and the Koran.

Jesus went to India when he was about sixteen years old, and he visited many places of pilgrimage, like Vrndavana, Ayodhya, South India, and Jagannatha Puri. In Puri he saw Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra, and he heard Jagannatha addressed as Krsna. From this name came Krista, then Kroosta, then Kroosna, and then Christ – Krsna, Kroosna, Krista, and then Christ – they are the same. There are no separate Gods.

In this entire universe there is only one Supreme God. There are many gods, but the Supreme God is not Russian, British, German, or Australian. He knows all the languages perfectly, and ultimately there is no need of knowing these languages. There is only one real language in the entire world, and that language is called love.

Our eyes can speak the language of love, our ears and our hands can speak and understand the language of love, and a smiling a face can tell everything. Our Supreme Lord Krsna knows all languages with no difficulty. God is one and He is Krsna. All other names, like Brahma, Paramatma, Buddha, Allah, and God are included within Him.

Krsna is love, and His love is Radhika. Without love – without Radhika – He cannot exist for even a second. If you want to take darsana of Krsna, in a moment you can have darsana of Krsna if you will follow Radhika and call out to Her, “O Radhike!” Krsna will then come at once.

This is the philosophy of love, and it is imperative that we know this philosophy. Srimad Bhagavatam is the philosophy of love, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta is the essence of love, and the books of Srila Rupa Gosvami, such as Ujjvala Nilamani and others, are all about transcendental love and nothing else. For example, in the first verse of the Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Vyasadeva and Srila Sukadeva Gosvami offer obeisances to the Supreme Lord:

Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya
janmady asya yato ’nvayad itaratas carthesu abhijnahsvarat
tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye muhyanti yat surayah
tejo-vari-mrdam yatha vinimayo yatra tri-sargo ’mrsa
dhamna svena sada nirasta-kuhakam satyam param dhimahi

["O my Lord, Sri Krsna, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Sri Krsna 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 Brahmaji, 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 Sri Krsna, 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."]

Although Srila Vyasadeva is addressing Krsna in this way: “You are creating this world; You are the supreme cause of this creation”, he knows that this is a secondary consideration. It is not primary. Krsna can at once create millions and millions of universes simply by His eyes or by His wish.

Krsna is fully independent. No one can control Him and there are none equal to Him. Even Brahma, the creator of this universe, can understand something about Krsna in his meditation, but he does not understand Him fully. He does not know who He is and how He performs all of His wonderous feats. Krsna has a very powerful energy; and this energy is called Radhika and sometimes Yogamaya. He also has His shadow, the illusory maya, and by the work of this shadow energy we sometimes imagine we are seeing water in earth and fire in water.

The meaning here is that this body is mortal. It is made of stool, urine, blood and many other foul substances. Although this is a fact, still we think, “I am this body, this world is true, and it is mine.” This is the influence of Krsna’s deluding potency called maya-sakti. I have come only to point this out and to encourage you to be careful in this regard.

In this world there is no pure love and affection. The appearance of love and affection here is also due to Krsna’s deluding potency called maya. In this world we have great affection for our wives and our children, but that blind love is not pure. If your wife is very beautiful, energetic, and always serving you, you keep her; but if she becomes invalid in any way and not so beautiful, you will change your wife. You will divorce her and get a new wife. In the same way, a lady also gives up her husband if he is not doing well and is not serving her. Thus, there is only blind love and affection in this world; it is not real. We cannot love anyone by these bodies. The only pure love is experienced by the soul to the Supersoul. It is for this reason – to give you this pure love – that we have come to you.

Due to the deluding maya we misunderstand this world to be true and our affection to be true, but it is actually extremely painful. Becoming old and dying is very painful. You cannot take with you what you are collecting day and night in this world. Moreover, you cannot take your body and present mental conceptions with you. Therefore, what is the use of laboring like the donkeys? There is no need to do so. We are offering our prostrated obeisances, Srila Vyasadeva is offering his prostrated obeisances, and Srila Sukadeva Gosvami is offering his prostrated obeisances, to He whose deluding potency maya makes us blind and ignorant.

In the first sloka, Srila Vyasadeva has stated, “Satyam parama dhimahi.” I meditate on parama-satyam (the transcendental truth), Srimati Radhika with Krsna. Offering respectful obeisances and meditating on satyam parama; this is the essence of the first sloka. In the second sloka of the Srimad Bhagavatam, Sri Vyasadeva again offers His respectful obeisances:

dharmah projjhita-kaitavo ’tra paramo nirmatsaranam satam
vedyam vastavam atra vastu sivadam tapa-trayonmulanam
srimad-bhagavate maha-muni-krte kim va parair isvarah
sadyo hrdy avarudhyate ’tra krtibhih susrusubhis tat-ksanat

["Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhagavata Purana propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhagavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyasadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhagavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart”.]

In this world there are many kinds of new religions, although they are actually not religions. They are not permanent and eternal religions. These religions (dharmas), can only give us information about how to maintain our worldly lives. The adherents of Buddha-dharma, for example, do not discuss any relation with the Supreme Lord; they only consider their relationship with mortal bodies, and it his therefore not eternal. Nowadays, Buddha-dharma is everywhere, but its followers do not believe in the Vedas. Actually, it is not religion. Its followers do not believe in God and in fact they do not believe in anything. They do not even believe in their own existence, and they accept nothing more than false logic. If someone will follow them, he may lose his existence – in the sense that he will merge with the impersonal brahma, where there is no activity, no form, and no qualities. This is likened to losing ones existence or becoming zero. Buddha-dharma is pervading everywhere, like the air, so beware of it.

If the world is false, if God is false, if we are false, then love is also false. Without love, however, we cannot maintain our lives for even a second, and therefore their theory is totally false. Whereas they advocate no love at all, our God is supreme, eternal, and He is the embodiment of love and affection. Do you know what religion was in this world earlier than 2002 years ago. Christianity is only 2002 years old, and younger than that is the Muslim faith, which is only 1400 years old. But love existed even at the beginning of the universe. Love is really our religion, and this love is called Sanatana (eternal) dharma, or Vedic dharma.

If you throw a piece of stone, earth, wood, or other solid or liquid object in the sky, it will go upward and then return down. Why? This is due to the earth’s law of gravitation. Anything made of earth, wood, and so on will fall down if there is nothing to hold it up. On the other hand, flames of a fire also go up, but they do not turn again towards the earth. If you send a balloon into the sky, it will go up and it may be that it will never return. The example of this balloon is given because a balloon refers to the air; and air and fire are not part of the earth. When any part of a whole meets with its whole, the two will exist together and be happy. Otherwise, if they do not have this relationship, they will not. Similarly, we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, so unless we meet Him with love and affection, we cannot be happy. This is the philosophy of love.

Even dangerous lions, tigers, bears, and very poisonous snakes, and even dacoits have some kind of love. Despite our repeated change of body, only love will remain with us. We all want ananda, happiness, and real happiness is nothing but love.

Does anyone present here want suffering? You can raise your hands if you want to suffer and I will give it to you at once. Nobody likes suffering. All want happiness, and this happiness is pure love. But love does not mean body-to-body. Inside the body is the soul and the Supersoul, Krsna. The Supreme Lord is also there. He is everywhere, and if we attain pure love and affection for Him, then we can serve Him eternally – and He can be controlled. This is the philosophy of the Srimad Bhagavatam.

The Supreme Lord is very kind; He is causelessly merciful. He has donated a very valuable asset to us, and that asset is love. We have love, but we will have to purify it by loving Krsna. Only in this way will He be controlled. The only way to be happy, and the only way to control the Supreme Lord, is by this love and affection that He has personally donated to us.

The philosophy of love has been given in the Srimad Bhagavatam, and Srimad Bhagavatam not only gives philosophy, but also examples of real love and affection. It explains how the gopis and other Vrajavasis love Krsna fully, with their lives and souls. If one hears Srimad Bhagavatam and thinks about even one line or even half of a line, or even one word – Krsna or Radha – he will attain that pure love and be able to control the Supreme Lord.

Sri Vyasadeva realized the full love felt between Krsna and all His associates in his trance of meditation. He also saw how a conditioned soul forgets Krsna and falls down to this material world, and how one who remembers His names attains that love and affection very quickly. We should try to hear very carefully and attentively whatever Srimad Bhagavatam is telling us.

The transcendental religion explained in Srimad Bhagavatam is not periodical, or partial. It is not like worldly intoxication in the name of religion. Rather, it is permanent, transcendental love and affection. If anyone will hear it, he will be happy in this life and, giving up his body, his pure soul will go to Goloka Vrndavana and he will be happy there.

It is true that we are not seeing Krsna, but He sees us, and He may hear what we say to Him. We do not hear what He is telling us, and we do not hear His calling us by playing His flute, but our call is heard by Krsna who is very kind and causelessly merciful. He has sent all our guru-parampara acaryas, He has also sent Jesus, and sometimes He Himself descends with all His associates – only because He loves us. He is calling us saying, “Come, come My sons and daughters. Chant this mantra: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Chant even one time. I will take you to Goloka Vrndavana and you will be transcendentally happy forever.” Do not be hopeless; never be hopeless. You can always have hope, because He is weeping for us. He is lamenting for us. We cannot lament or weep for Him, but He is lamenting and weeping for us. Go on chanting, remembering and offering obeisances, and you will be able to very quickly attain all the invaluable gifts I have described.

Gaura Premanande

Editorial advisors: Pujapad Madhava Maharaja and Sriman Brajanath dasa
Editor: Syamarani dasi
Assistant editor, transcriber and typist: Vasanti dasi

What Makes South Sea Pearls So Unique
South Sea pearls have several distinct characteristics that are unique to this gem. The nacre is unusually thick, ranging from 2 – 6 mm, compared to the 0.35 – 0.7 mm of an akoya pearl. South Sea pearls have a unique, satiny luster that comes from the rapidly deposited nacre and warm waters of the South Seas. South Sea pearls also have a subtle array of colors; typically white, silver, and golden, that are rare in other pearl types.

Why South Sea Pearls Grow So Large
There are four reasons South Sea pearls can grow to such large sizes, dwarfing many of their other saltwater pearl counterparts. These reasons are: the large size of the Pinctada maxima, the size of the implanted bead, the length of time the pearl is left to grow in the oyster, and the oyster’s environment. Due to the size of the oyster, it is able to accept a large bead. The gonad of the Pinctada maxima is several times larger than that of the akoya. Because of this larger gonad, the South Sea oyster deposits nacre around the nucleus at a much quicker rate, especially in warm water, which speeds the oyster’s metabolism.

South Sea Pearls – Among The Largest In The World
South Sea pearls are among the largest commercially harvested cultured pearls in the world. The average size of a South Sea pearl is 13 mm, with most harvests producing a range of sizes from 9 mm to 20 mm. The South Seas lie between the northern coast of Australia and the southern coast of China. These waters are the native habitat of a large oyster known as Pinctada maxima. This oyster grows up to 12 inches in diameter, and can be nucleated with a much larger bead than other saltwater oysters such as the akoya.

South Sea Pearls Come From Two Varieties Of Pearl-Producing Mollusks
There are two varieties of Pinctada maxima, the silver-lipped and the gold-lipped. The two are distinguished by their distinct coloration of the outer edge of the interior. This type of shell is also known as mother-of-pearl, and is responsible for the coloration of the cultured pearls produced, therefore the name. Unlike the akoya oyster, the South Sea oyster will only accept one nucleation at a time. The oyster is nucleated when it is only about half developed, from 4.7 inches to 6.7 inches in size, or about 24 months old. Although the South Sea oyster will only handle one nucleus at a time, this oyster (like the Tahitian pearl producing Pinctada margaritifera) can be nucleated up to three times over the course of many years.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Do you want to ask any questions?

[Elderly lady:] I don’t know what to ask. What organization is this?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Bhudhara prabhu can answer.

[Bhudhara dasa:] There is very little organization actually. This is all happening by God’s grace. This is Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja. He is a teacher and a guru, and he lives in Mathura, India. He is a scholar and a writer, and he gives lectures. Many people come and listen to him talk about God, as well as high topics about God. He talks about how one can develop love and affection for God, and love and affection for our fellow man. He talks about how to live in peace and harmony, and eventually, at the end of this life, go back to God.

He has come to America, and we have been taking him from city to city. We have been in Washington, New York, Houston, and now Los Angeles; and after this we are going to San Francisco. We are inviting people to come and have some exchange with him, to ask him questions, and to learn about this science called Krsna consciousness. Have you heard about Hare Krsna?

[Elder lady:] Yes, I think I was in a place like this some years back. His picture was on the wall.

[Devotee:] You’ve seen pictures of Krsna?

[Elder lady:] There were flowers, fruits, and a handkerchief on the alter. Do you know the symbolic meaning of this?

[Bhudhara dasa:] These are simple offerings of love. In the Bhagavad-gita, Krsna says, “If you offer Me something with love and devotion, like a flower, some vegetable, or some fruit or water, I will accept it.”

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] We see that there is no difference between God and Krsna. It’s the same idea. Krsna is very merciful. If you pray to Him and glorify Him by any song, or by any word, He will hear and He will be pleased. You can pray, “Oh God, You are so merciful.”

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja sings, and the devotees join in:] Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] This means, “O Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are so merciful. You have given me this human body, intelligence, a heart so soft and full of love and affection. I want to serve You eternally, so please be merciful to me.”

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja sings again, and the devotees join in:] “Govinda Damodara Madhaveti, Govinda Damodara Madhaveti, Govinda Damodara Madhaveti, Govinda Damodara Madhaveti.”

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] When we are dying, when we are on our death-bed, there is no one to help us. We are not even able to take a breath. We are full of mucus and we want to take a breath, but we cannot. We want to move our hands from here to there, but we cannot do so. We cannot do anything. At that time we pray, “Oh God, You are so merciful. Be pleased with me; sprinkle Your mercy upon me. Take me to Your eternal abode, where I will serve You.”

We want to be free from becoming old and again taking birth in this miserable world. There is so much pain at the time of birth, and there is so much pain at the time of death; so we must pray to God. He is everywhere. He is in everyone and in all atoms of the world. He hears whatever you utter. When you weep and sing and glorify Him, He will at once hear you and come to you and liberate you forever.

We never pray to Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: “God, give me bread and butter.” Rather, we want to serve Him with bread and butter. We want that this chain of birth and death and suffering will be stopped forever.

This body is not my self. It is something like a garment. The body is covered with a garment, and it is also like a garment. One day, when we become old, we will have to give up this garment. Surely, we will have to do so.

What is God? What is the soul? You can realize this only in this human body; otherwise it is not possible. If you are an animal, a tree, a creeper, or an insect, you cannot realize this; you cannot understand all these truths. You can understand something only in this human body. You have some intelligence given by the Lord, so try to use it.

Also, don’t kill animals and eat their flesh and eggs. If you do, your mind and heart will become like them. If you eat the flesh of hogs and pigs, your mentality and heart will become like them. Your nature will be changed to be like them. What is the meaning of meat? ME-EAT. If you eat meat, that animal will come as a human and eat you. So don’t take meat, eggs, and other bad things. God has given fruits, milk, butter, curd, and so many other nice foodstuffs. Personally, I have never taken meat, eggs, or wine in my entire life.

If you want to be pure to serve God, then you must follow this. There is only one religion. That religion is natural, and that natural religion is love and affection to God and everyone. Even a dog, a lion, a bear, and a tiger have love for their wife and children. Although they may eat the flesh of others, they have love for their families. To love is natural for all. Trees also love; they want to love each other. How? Little creepers love trees and embrace them.

If you touch a tree’s leaf as though caressing it, the tree will be very happy. If you take a knife to cut the branches, the tree will be scared. It will tremble. If you tell a dog, “Come on, come on,” he will come. And if you are mean, then the dog will attack you. So, our nature – the nature of the soul – is love.

We should practice this at home. We should love our mother and father, for they have done so many things for us. We should love our wife and children; not divorcing each other twenty or thirty times.

If you have love, it may be gradually transferred to God. If you have no love and you are always quarrelling, you cannot have the mercy of God. We should try to discover this love in our heart, and try to practice chanting the holy names: “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.”

All the names of Krsna are the embodiment of love. ‘Hare’ is the embodiment of love. ‘Krsna’ is very charming and beautiful, and He is the embodiment of love. ‘Rama’ is the embodiment of love. If you are in touch with this love, your life will be happy; otherwise it is not possible. If a man is always cruel to others, he cannot be happy.

[Elderly lady:] Do you believe in reincarnation?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] We see that two children take birth at exactly the same time, but one has no backbone, no intelligence, and eyes that cannot see. The other child is born as the son of President Clinton or a very rich person. Why are there such differences? In India, and also in Western countries, some people remember their past life. There are many examples of this.

So, we believe in reincarnation. If you don’t believe in this, all your ideas will be illogical. Why is one person very intelligent, and why is one so unintelligent that he is like a donkey? Why is one person very beautiful and one is not beautiful at all? The philosophy of reincarnation answers these questions. There are so many reasons to believe this.

[Devotee:] Couldn’t you say that because the father or mother are beautiful, the child will be beautiful?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] We see many fathers and mothers who are very beautiful, but their sons or daughters have crooked teeth, or ugly faces, or no bones; or eyes that cannot see. The soul is immortal, but he has adopted this material position by forgetting God and by the subsequent touch of maya, illusion.

Why is a person in jail. He has done something wrong. Similarly, we are now in jail – the jail of the deluding energy called maya. We are being crushed by maya.

If you realize this fact, you will at once pray to God, “Save me. Save me.” Have you heard of the Vedas? They are very old scriptures. These facts are written in the Vedic scriptures, and we realize this.

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Is my mother hearing all these things? You are like my mother.

[Elderly lady:] I am like your mother? Yes, I hear you. I had a surgery some years ago. Do you know medical terms?

[Bhudhara dasa:] No, he is a doctor of the soul, not the body.

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] I had surgery too, so you are like me. You are my mother – the son and mother both had surgery.

[Elderly lady:] Do you have a living mother?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] That mother has left this world, but there are so many mothers. I think that this young lady is also my mother, and you are too. All ladies are my mother. We think like this in India.

[Elderly lady:] I am glad to have such a gracious son.

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Our relation should be eternal.

[Elderly lady:] So we never die?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] No, I do not have to die, and I will teach you a trick so that you will also not die.

[Elderly lady:] What happens to those who die? What happens to their soul?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] According to their activities, they will have to taste the fruits in their future birth. They will take birth again.

[Elderly lady:] So we should go to the cemetery and pray to God to take their soul in His possession?

[Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja:] Yes, we want this. We are trying to help everyone, and that is why we perform kirtana, congregational chanting of the holy name and fame of Krsna. We chant “Hare Krsna” so that even trees, animals, dogs, and even any person who doesn’t want to hear, can receive spiritual benefit. We chant, “Hare Krsna” very loudly, so that the transcendental sound vibration will go everywhere. And we give some prasadam, remnants of food offered to God. This will help them.

Vastu Tips :

* Plant small shrubs in North/East side to allow beneficial morning sunlight
* The over head tank should be contructed in Southwest of the property
* The size of the deity in the worship place should not be more than 10″
* Put a pendulum wall clock near the study table for better concentration
* The mirror should not be placed in front of the bed
* Pregnant females should avoid Southeast rooms
* One must buy only square/rectangle property
* Furniture pattern of all the rooms should be changed regularly
* Avoid blue colour in the kitchen
* Worship space should not be made in bedroom
* Never have a undressed stone wall in the house/office area
* Keep a glass full of water on the table for better concentration
* There should not be any mirror in front of the bed
* The main door should not be directly in front of the bathroom door
* One should never sleep on wrought iron/metal bed
* One should not plant thorny trees like cactus in the house
* The houses facing the T-point should be avoided
* The maximum no. of windows should be made on East/North wall
* The main door should never make creaky voice
* In the kitchen, the cooking gas & the washing sink should be maximum apart
* Evaporate camphor crystals regularly in the bedrooms
* One must face North/East while worshipping for better devotion
* There should not be any broken glass or mirror in the house
* Never sleep with your head towards NORTH
* There should not be three doors in a line
* Never sit or sleep under the beam
* Stairs should be clock wise with odd no of steps

Do’s & Don’ts
Vastu is an inherent energy concept of science. We cannot see energy with our naked eyes but we can realize and see its application in different forms and fashions. Universe is one of the beautiful creations of nature and everything stands alive only in the limelight of truth. Just like every subject of human aspect is governed with rules, regulations & acts, similarly the nature has also got certain key factor principles for smooth governing of its residents, in which “Vastu stands for nature law” and ignorance of law is not an excuse anywhere. Here are some of the basic rules that everyone should follow

* Never keep drinking water near telephone/electrical equipments as the vibrations emitted by gadgets contaminate the water.
* Total number of doors should be in even numbers i.e. 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 etc.
* Pregnant females should avoid Southeast rooms
* A plot with all corners 90 degrees having two sides road front and back is a good plot.
* The open space left in North and east should be more than South and West.
* The maximum construction should be done in South, West and southwest portion of the plot.
* A pond or a water body should be placed in Northeast corner of the house.
* A house should be designed in such a way so that there is maximum entry of sunlight and proper cross ventilation.
* The entire opening should be made on the North and East Side of the house.
* Trees of any kind should not be grown in eastern or northern, northeast directions.
* Only small plant can be grown in North, east, Northeast.
* The hearth or oven must be arranged in eastern southeast direction of the entire house, in such a way that the person cooking faces east.
* The shadow of any tree should not fall on the house.
* Pictures of any war scenes, demons, one in anger should not be placed in the house.
* The slope of the property should be from West to east or South to north.

Lal-Kitab was originally from Persia, published in urdu language without the element of punctuation and sounds. Lal-Kitab has announced unique remedial measures to solve chronic and critical human problems in day-to-day life. The measures suggested in Lal Kitab are electrically effective in solving all kinds of human troubles and tensions, without inflicting harm on anybody i.e. these remedies are completely self defensive against the evils created by the planets without causing injury in anyway to anyone concerned.

Lal-Kitab remedies are cheap and within the reach of the common man and are infallible. Lal-Kitab has also explained the science of palmistry in such comportment that each of the 42 divisions of the human brain have been related to the different houses of a man’s birth chart in such a scientific manner that the sketch of the human brain reflects accurately on the lines of the palm.

After analysing the horoscope in accordance with Lal-Kitab, of an individual, suggest unique remedial measures , to solve chronic and critical human problems in day to day life. It tries to suggest instant effective remedies in solving all kinds of human troubles and tensions, without inflicting harm on anybody i.e. these remedies to be completely self defensive against the evils created by the planets without causing injury in anyway to anyone concerned.

Handwriting reveals hundreds of elements of the person’s “personality and character” which includes glimpses into the subconscious mind, emotional responsiveness, intellect, energy, fears and defenses, motivations, imagination, integrity, aptitudes, and even sex drives . There are over 100 individual traits revealed and an unlimited number of combinations.

Handwriting is often referred to as “brain writing”. Research scientists in the fields of neuro-science have categorized neuro-muscular movement tendencies as they are correlated with specific observable personality traits. Each personality trait is represented by a neurological brain pattern. Each neurological brain pattern produces  unique neuro-muscular movements that is the same for every person who has that personality trait. When writing, these tiny movements occur unconsciously. Each written movement or stroke reveals a specific personality trait.

Handwriting analysts identify these strokes as they appear in handwriting and describe the corresponding personality trait. Handwriting is like body language, but is more specific and is frozen for a more detailed analysis of our unconscious movements.

Feng Shui is the art of placing buildings and objects in relation to energy flows, to heighten positive energies and minimise the negative ones. Feng Shui literally means ‘wind and water’. It is based on the interaction of Yin and Yang, the female and male forces along with Chinese astrology and the five elements. The purpose of Feng Shui is to enable you to organise your home so that the Ch’i energy, the all-pervading life force, is accentuated by the precise positioning of your house, rniture, decorations and other objects.

Everything, including humans is classified into five elements: wood, fire, metal, water and earth. The Five Elements are…

Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water

Wood:

Wood people have a strong personality. But they are easily influenced by others. They are helpful but fear being obstructed by others The element Wood is represented by green, particularly emerald green. Wood shapes are long, tall or L-shaped. A wood house is rectangular and offers stability and security to its occupants.

Fire:

Fire people are generous in friendship and always ready to help, but don’t seem to be able to look after themselves.The element Fire is represented by red, purple and orange. Fire shapes are triangular. These houses have triangular shapes, especially the houses with pointed eaves. As the flame of a fire leaps up and down, so will the fortunes of the occupants of such houses

Earth:

Earth people are kind-hearted and always keep their word. But they dislike advice and are likely to change their minds frequently. The element Earth is represented by brown and yellow. Earth shapes are square or rectangular. They are similar to wood houses and are square in shape and afford its occupants stability.

Metal:

Metal people are big spenders. They are generous, brave and helpful. But they can’t form long-term perspectives or accept defeat gracefully. The element Metal is represented by white or gold. Metal shapes are circular or crescent shaped. Metal houses are crescent shaped and are associated with money and are ideal for traders and business-minded people

Water:

Water people are never petty. They are clever and plan well ahead. But they often tend to be timid.The element Water is represented by blue or black. Water shapes include gentle undulations like waves in a river. A water house has numerous bays, and like the ebb and flow of water, experiences regular change in fortunes.