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In each issue of the Matchless Gift magazine, the BLISS devotees write articles on world news. Please support us by purchasing the latest edition of the magazine, or become our Patreon. She's a Barbie Girl in a Barbie world by Nityananda Dasa Everybody, at least in the West, knows the famous Barbie Doll. Gaining immense popularity with the children, the cute and always pretty doll called Barbie is a go-to toy for many young girls all around the world. Young girls and boys like to play with the dolls, dressing them with all kinds of clothing, decorating them with makeup, brushing their hair, washing them and creating imaginary scenarios that can keep a child entertained for hours on end. Over the six decades of being on the global market, the Barbie doll has sold over one billion times and just recently the "Barbie Movie" has come to the theaters, instantly becoming a hit success all around the world. How is it possible that such a simple thing as a doll can be so popular with so many millions of children all around the world? What is the secret behind everyone's obsession with Barbie? Srila Prabhupada says that the propensity to worship dolls is also shared in greatly elevated souls, nitya siddhas. He writes: "From his very birth, Uddhava was a natural devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, or a nitya-siddha, a liberated soul. From natural instinct he used to serve Lord Krsna, even in his childhood. He used to play with dolls in the form of Krsna, he would serve the dolls by dressing, feeding and worshiping them, and thus he was constantly absorbed in the play of transcendental realization. These are the signs of an eternally liberated soul. An eternally liberated soul is a devotee of the Lord who never forgets Him. Human life is meant for reviving one’s eternal relation with the Lord, and all religious injunctions are meant for awakening this dormant instinct of the living entity. The sooner this awakening is brought about, the quicker the mission of human life is fulfilled." (SB 3.2.2. Purport) Of course, the deity of Krsna is not a normal doll, but the child can awaken his dormant Krsna consciousness by simply playing with such a doll, since he is meditating on the transcendental form of Krsna. In this way, the fortunate child will awaken his natural love of God from within the heart. In the same purport, Srila Prabhupada continues: "In India the children in good families are still given dolls of the Lord like Rama and Krsna, or sometimes the demigods, so that they may develop the aptitude of service to the Lord. By the grace of the Lord we were given the same opportunity by our parents, and the beginning of our life was based on this principle." Everything material and spiritual is emanating from Krsna! According to this purport we can understand the real, pure activity of playing with "dolls." The children in India would be given a replica of deities and they would be tasked to take nice care of them. That includes bathing, dressing, worshiping etc. With this activity, even a child can engage in Krsna consciousness, although he may not have any philosophical knowledge at all. Since Krsna consciousness is the natural consciousness within everyone's soul, there is no previous material requirement, such as age, for example, to start the process of worshiping Krsna and awakening our dormant Krsna consciousness; the pure state of every living being. Unfortunately, because the general public is blind to self realization, aka Krsna consciousness, they are now very much attracted to short-term sense gratificatory pleasures such as watching cinema. In the past, the general public would wake up very early and visit the temple every morning simply to see the beautiful transcendental forms of the Supreme Lord Krsna and His divine consort, Srimati Radharani. Today however, the same people will instead visit the cinema in order to see the material, temporary form of Barbie and her consort Ken, being broadcast on a big screen. This is, however, just a perverted reflection of our true desire, to see and worship the beautiful transcendental form of Lord Krsna. In the Srimad Bhagavatam it is stated: “Only attention engaged in the service of the Lord, especially in dressing and decorating the temple, accompanied by musical kirtana and spiritual instructions from scriptures, can save the common man from the hellish cinema attractions and rubbish sex-songs broadcast everywhere by radios. If one is unable to maintain a temple at home, he should go to another’s temple where all the above performances are regularly executed. Visiting the temple of a devotee and looking at the profusely decorated forms of the Lord well dressed in a well-decorated, sanctified temple naturally infuse the mundane mind with spiritual inspiration.” (SB 2.3.22 Purport) Instead of looking at the profusely decorated forms of God, people are engaged in looking at the decorated material forms of men and women. We are always attracted to some opulence, be it either wealth, fame, power, knowledge, renunciation or beauty. In this case, one is attracted by the opulence of beauty. One is attracted either by beauty of the spiritual transcendental form, which is eternally fresh and always increasing in beauty, or he must be attracted by the temporary beauty of the material body, which is destined to fade with the influence of time and end up as a pile of dirt buried six feet deep underground. One who is attracted to the spiritual beauty of the Lord will experience purification of the senses and the mind. Since Krsna is supremely pure, those who associate with Him will also become supremely pure. The unfortunate person who is not at all attracted to the infinite spiritual beauty of the Lord however is bound to be attracted to the limited beauty of the material body, and as the body eventually degrades into stool, blood and bones, similarly the consciousness of such an unfortunate person will degrade into only disgusting things such as lust, anger, greed, envy etc. Since meditation on temporary subject matters is not at all purifying but actually degrading to one's consciousness, it is a very dangerous engagement. This is especially lamentable in spiritual practice. When devotional service is not performed under the expert guidance of a bone fide spiritual master, it can only nourish our materialistic desires, which are the perverted form of our real, spiritual desires. In this case, as the materialist goes to the cinema to see the beautiful form of Barbie for his sense enjoyment and exploitation, similarly, the so-called spiritualist will see the beautiful spiritual form of Krsna and Radharani for his own enjoyment and exploitation. Such a class of degraded persons is called sahajiya. They take devotional service very cheaply and foolishly disregard the injunctions of the scriptures and the spiritual master. Generally, such people are engaged in fake displays of emotion towards God and may bewilder an innocent and foolish person. It is especially common for the sahajiya class to foolishly attempt to enjoy the spiritual energy of Krsna, Srimati Radharani. But to their great misfortune, when one tries to enjoy Krsna's spiritual energy for himself, she immediately transforms into material energy, and with this, the pretender devotee is tricked by Krsna, therefore his consciousness degrades to the material level and because of his offenses to Krsna, he forges his path to the hellish planets, becoming next door neighbors to the materialistic person who was engaged in "hellish cinema attractions." Buy the Matchless Gift magazine for more Krishna conscious content

This Summer, some of the BLISS devotees travelled to Germany to attend a festival celebrating His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Prabhus Purujit and Maitreya stayed with devotees in Germany, where His Grace Purujit prabhu gave multiple classes and inspired two devotees to come and visit us here in London. Check out some photos from the trip: Plus a harinama video... Discover more pictures and videos from the Germany trip on our Facebook page - make sure to like the page and invite your friends!

This article is from volume 2 of the Krishna conscious magazine, Matchless Gift: a beautiful, original e-magazine designed, written and created by Expand the Bliss devotees. To purchase a copy, click here. How I Came to Krishna Consciousness by Bhaktin Love In this thought piece, Love explores why it is so hard for humans to change for the better, and how Krishna consciousness is offering a simple and sustainable way out of deeply ingrained habitual behaviours. Ask anyone – humans find it hard to change. To ask someone to give up an ingrained habit is like asking them to jump in front of a train. Especially when it comes to addictions to sense gratification. We like our vices, it seems, and we attach to them so that when someone utters a mere suggestion of our being without said vice, we go into attack mode. 'I like my vices,' some freely admit. No amount of documentaries about the dangers of meat eating for humans and the planet, nor graphic images on cigarette packs, nor warnings about gambling are strong enough deterrents to make one change for the better. The cognitive dissonance is too strong. An intelligent part of us can know this all to be true, that what we are doing is wrong, that we are under the spell of an addictive tendency; one may, at best, be able to admit that one is struggling to change; and yet, the practical agreement to conclusively stop for the better can rarely be found. Even so, admitting, as they say, is the first step. What happens afterwards? The innocent addict is then bombarded with numerous 'hacks' for instant addiction cures. A whole lot of noise in the form of self-help books, articles and millions of 30-second videos claiming success (success that is relative to them, I might add) that someone struggling has to sift through in the hopes of finding their next quick fix in the form of a miracle, instantaneous cure, without any healing work whatsoever, no acknowledgement of the core wound from which addiction stems. There's a storm of information out there. What we all need, is an absolute Truth. A one-size-fits all approach to curing addiction, to being unresistant to positive personal change. If the struggle for change is a collective issue, surely we can agree upon a collective cure? Enter, Krishna consciousness. The root cause What is the first teaching of Krishna consciousness? Say it with me now: I AM NOT MY BODY. Let that settle for a moment. Consider it, speak it out loud if you will: 'I am not this body.' Huh. What's that you feel? A certain spaciousness? If you are not this body, then what are you? The one observing the movements of the body, mind, ego, intelligence? The quietly smiling internal observer? As Purujit Prabhu puts it, “you are a part of the whole, of something beautiful and Divine.” Yes indeed, you are a spark of the eternal life force energy source that powers all. You are a child of God, a part and parcel of Krishna, the Supreme Creator, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that we at BLISS are loving getting to know through our spiritual study. This understanding elevates you, the real, eternal you, above the temporary you that is addicted to something. With this understanding, suddenly there is a gap – a space between the eternally fulfilled part of you (the Soul) that requires no such temporary vices to fill a void - and the temporary you (the material body, mind, ego etc). With this understanding, can't you see that the root cause of all addiction is the craving to be fulfilled? And can you let it relieve you for just this moment, that there is a part of you, the real, eternal you, that is eternally fulfilled when in connection with God? So in fact, all these material addictions are giving you minute experiences of what fulfillment looks like. But in the end, nothing material can fulfill, because our true selves are not material, not even a little bit. We are spirit souls. This is the real identity. The real identity is like the root of the tree, and the temporary dresses that we wear (man, woman, black, white, fat, thin, european, asian etc) are like leaves. When the leaf is ready to fall away, it will, and a new one will grow. Such is the lifecycle. The answer to fulfillment then, clearly lies in the watering of the root, the choice to satisfy the feeling of separation from source. How do we do this? By connecting directly to the source using the directions given by the representative of God. That is His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He teaches us how to connect with Krishna directly, thus all feeble attempts to fill the void of disconnect from our source drop away. Being conscious in this way, being Krishna conscious (God conscious, conscious of Truth and not being entangled in the illusion that you are this body and everything that goes with it) is a beeline to fulfillment, and no such temporary highs, so-called pleasures, will even come close to being satisfactory, after you experience the exquisite, long lasting high of being conscious of what we are all here to learn – being conscious of our true identity and Universal purpose in life – being conscious of (and thus being in service to) God, who is Krishna. Make it simple: we are eternal spirit souls moving around in physical bodies. The purpose of human life is to realise this fact, and to work towards reconnecting with our source. That source is God. The Supreme Personality of God, God Himself, and all His aspects (including Brahman (impersonal) and Paramatma (Supersoul/intuition within the heart)), is Krishna. Krishna is not a sectarian God. Krishna means all-attractive (read Bhagavad Gita for more on the identity of God). Let go and let God Why is it so hard to change? Ask anyone who has faced addictive behaviours, who has struggled to leave a toxic relationship, be that friend, family or lover, to change jobs even though they were unhappy, or even give up clothes that have many tears and rips in, and they will most likely shrug in contempt of this seemingly demonic aspect of human nature, the one which makes it so hard for us to change. What’s even harder is sustainable change. On our recent BLISS retreat in Portugal (check out the Matchless Gift 3 for the whole story), I heard of Kambo, a plant medicine made of the poison of a certain frog which, when injected via burn through human skin, 'eradicates addictions completely.' As someone who spends two hours every day chanting the Holy names as their medicine, I felt an immediate contraction, a wave of cynical disbelief wash over me at the idea of such a simple quick fix. As someone who has worked very hard to remove layers of the onion that is my ego, my false self, to try and understand why I have addictive tendencies, why I must be subjected to this imperfection even though I have long known deep down that I am a pure and perfect part and parcel of God, hearing of this froggy method was quite agitating. I then relaxed when I realised that my version of frog poison is a simple three word mantra which is completely free and is available to everyone. So I don't have to burn myself and be injected with frog poison? Phew! The inability to change against our own will to good is something common to all humans. Granted, there are some 'lucky' ones who do not have addictive personalities, but they have their own demons to conquer. For those of us who have taken our sweet time to give up an addiction that feels good in the moment but not good afterwards, who have lusted to hold onto that particular vice for fear of boredom and even greater fear of what might lie in wait underneath the suppression of Self, there are many books to read, hypnosis to meditate on, patches to stick, diets to follow, therapies to be had and enquiries to explore with oneself. Though each self-help vice has its quality, none can identify the root of the problem, nor can they explain it in clear, non-speculative ways. None can answer with pure authority the deeply philosophical questions an intelligent human may pose, all are passing on incomplete knowledge, evading the seeker (and they themselves are evaded) from the source of absolute and universal knowledge. I got a lot of doors in the face in the form of the disappointing, “you have to find the answer for yourself, I can't tell you the answer.” It was only until I started chanting Hare Krishna that I found a sustainable, by which I mean long-term, deeply excavating solution to the part of myself that would take over and exhibit the addictive behaviours against my own well-wishes, against what the more pure or innocent part of myself would want. "I need not agree with myself that on this day I’m not going to smoke, I’m not going to drink, I’m not going to cheat, etc. The change simply happens. Ask any of the devotees. The chanting, paired with reading and hearing from the spiritual master, adds up to spontaneous change." To crisp, or not to crisp Two weeks after chanting 16 rounds of the maha mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, addictions that I had struggled to loosen myself from the tentacle-like grip of for over a decade, simply left. It continues to amaze me how this works, even to this day. Just the other day, I experienced very invasive thoughts of a need to consume crisps. In that moment, I was able to identify a part of me that was having these thoughts that I would like a bag of crisps. As soon as I had this thought, other parts of me came in to assess the situation. One part said, okay, if the bus is more than five minutes away, I can get some crisps. Another part said, that’s fine, I can still offer them to Prabhupada. They’re just potatoes. And, (this train of thought smugly continued), I remember that one time he was on an airplane and drunk Sprite, the karmi-made drink. So clearly he is not a fanatic. Other parts, other thought processes more logical and less passionate, noted then that it’s past nine at night, and there is no need for food. That actually, these crisps have been prepared without love for Krishna, and therefore I cannot. It’s plastic, it’s wasted Lakshmi, it’s not right. All this was going on. When I arrived at the bus stop and saw that my ride was just two minutes away, I experienced, one of many times, the magic of the mantra in practical day-to-day issues; how it can facilitate the total removal of personality defects without much more effort required than a simple sincere intention to chant attentively. Even if I had wanted to go to get the crisps, I found that my feet were planted firmly on the ground. Filled with uncertainty about why my usual addictive nature was not automatically taking over my body and already buying the crisps, I simply started to chant. All uncertainty then went away. What then came in was a deep appreciation for the long-awaited internal changes that Krishna consciousness has allowed me. Suffice to say, I did not get the crisps, and I went to bed feeling completely grateful and excited to continue chanting my rounds the next day, as well as I could. Saying goodbye to my favourite high A similar realisation came to me in a similar situation, months before, when usually, I would have gone straight to the kitchen having arrived back home late, to make something nice to eat. Even I might have offered it to Prabhupada. But for some reason, unknown to me and completely unplanned and uncontrolled, I just went up to bed. Reading in disbelief? I was too. What you have to understand about the maha mantra is that, when you're chanting the prescribed 16 rounds, you are praying, chanting, affirming: 'Dear Lord, dear energy of the Lord, please kindly engage me in your service'. Prabhupada called this movement the 'Science of Self-Realization' for a reason. Science means tried and tested with a Universal outcome. Make it simple. If you say, thousands of times a day, 'I am thirsty,' you will manifest that affirmation. Similarly, if someone tells you as a young child that you are unworthy, a neural pathway will be formed and that negative belief will manifest into being your own belief, and you will perceive that belief, manifesting, unbeknown to you, situations that affirm the reality of that thought, to match the initial thought that is etched into the brain. This is a Universal law. What we think, we believe, therefore we perceive it, it becomes our reality. So, this chanting works. Without my deciding to change, I have changed. This is the answer to all addictions! No mental exertion is required. I need not agree with myself that on this day I’m not going to smoke, I’m not going to drink, I’m not going to cheat, etc. The change simply happens. Ask any of the devotees. The chanting, paired with reading and hearing from the spiritual master, adds up to spontaneous change. For a long time I was smoking marijuana. It allowed me to feel, for an hour or so, how my soul feels in the spiritual world: sac-cid-ananda-vigraha: eternal, full of knowledge, full of bliss. When the question of how long it had been since I had last smoked came up in conversation the other day, I could not give a clear answer. I realised that I didn’t know. Because, I never made the decision to stop smoking. It simply happened. The urge, modestly and straightforwardly, just went away. The appetite to put myself in situations where there would be temptation, weaned. All this chanting, for Krishna to kindly engage me in His service, rather than in the service of my imperfect senses, imperfect self and fragile ego, is working. I am being engaged in a different way of life, and though there remain parts of me that rebel against this, the eternal part, which is substantially stronger in its foundation rooted in God's superior (personal, transcendental) energy, seems to be very pleased. "The chanting, the devotee association, the kirtan, the books, the prasadam, the whole way of life that is Krishna consciousness, is uprooting those parts of me that find it hard to change, without me even asking it to. All I do is chant, and it works. " Long term change The body keeps the score, the body holds the memories. When I first came to the BLISS temple, there was a particular kirtan that I very much did not enjoy, which now happens to be my favourite. But I have noticed that even though I now agree that it is my favourite prayer, I still observe some resistance. Because the first few times I felt so out of place during this purifying kirtan, my body experienced that trauma of feeling scared and alone, etc, and held onto that. Like a line etched into rock, the negative association stuck. Even now at the time of writing, when I finish my japa in the morning, I sometimes experience mental dread towards this kirtan. However, when I enter the temple room and it starts, I’m completely excited. Such a curious phenomenon to notice and regard. So it is clear to me that every action we do creates some sort of imprint on our psyches, on our consciousness. Action enacted many times ends up making very deep imprints, very strong habitual thoughts and behaviours, hard to undo or override. But there is a way to smooth over these harsh imprints – sticking to the path of Krishna consciousness. Perseverance and patience is needed. Srila Prabhupada says in a class on the Srimad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.44, “Just like in jaundice disease, if you... Because the doctors, the medical practitioners, they give sugar candy. The physician gives sugar candy. The sugar candy, to the person suffering from jaundice, tastes bitter = "Oh, it is bitter." But actually sugar candy is not bitter. Similarly, to the sinful man the krsna-katha, discussion about Krsna, does not appear to be very palatable. They do not like to hear. They think it is waste of time. But that, as the sugar candy is the only medicine for jaundice disease, similarly, the hari-katha, or krsna-katha, is the only medicine for our material disease. If we take it... Just like the jaundiced patient = if he takes sugar candy, then gradually he becomes free from the diseased condition, and at that time, the same sugar candy which he tasted in the beginning as bitter, it appears to be very, very sweet. Then he cannot live without. This is the process.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.44) When I first came to the temple and stayed overnight, the next day I told the monks, “thank you, but temple life is not for me!” Now, I find myself again and again, despite the voice that says not to, making my way to the temple any time I’m away from it. It is no longer a conscious choice. The chanting, the devotee association, the kirtan, the books, the prasadam, the whole way of life that is Krishna consciousness, is uprooting those parts of me that find it hard to change, without me even asking it to. All I do is chant, and it works. Sometimes, when I’m doing something healthy, selfless and good, like being extra mindful when mopping the temple or taking less milk for myself so other devotees can have, I observe a sensation of watching myself do it. Whenever I check in with these parts of me, these voices, these mind patterns that err on the negative side, all are, generally and genuinely, really happy to surrender. All parts of the self want to heal, to become whole, to reunite with Krishna. No single aspect of self is truly resisting it. Because this reunion is natural. It is the goal of life for all humans. Of all the things I tried before meeting the devotees, none offered such a sustainable, natural change of incentive, change of habit, I say again, without me even trying, than engaging in Krishna consciousness has. This Hare Krishna mantra is the mantra that contains all mantras, it is the affirmation that contains all affirmations, it is the multivitamin to cure all diseases and re-write all personality defects. I invite those reading who have suffered or do suffer from addictive tendencies to take up this very simple method of chanting this very simple mantra, whenever you’re waiting for a bus, whenever you find yourself lusting after some sense object, whenever you’re unsure about whether you should eat that fast food or smoke that dope, just try chanting and see what happens. Please, engage in your spiritual life: all problems melt away in the presence of perfection. Matchless Gift Magazine volume 3 OUT NOW!

This article is from volume 2 of the Krishna conscious magazine, Matchless Gift: a beautiful, original e-magazine designed, written and created by Expand the Bliss devotees. To purchase a copy, click here. Mass Psychosis: The Global Epidemic of The Mind By Nityananda Dasa For Matchless Gift volume 2 "The masses have never thirsted after truth. They turn aside from evidence that is not to their taste, preferring to deify error if error seduces them. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master. Whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim." - Gustave Le Bon, a French social psychologist. A French philosopher, author and man of knowledge named Gustave Le Bon in his most popular work titled "The Crowd”, argued that the conscious personality of the individual in a crowd is submerged into the group mentality, and that the collective crowd mind dominates; crowd behavior is more unanimous, emotional, and intellectually weaker. Le Bon argues that when people come together as a crowd, their individual intelligence and character are compromised. Instead, they form a collective mind that influences thought and action. Crowd members can acquire a feeling of invincibility that allows them to do things they otherwise would not do. He believes that the collective crowd mind has a difficult time discriminating right from wrong and is easily influenced by extreme ideas due to its emotional and intellectually weak nature. While analyzing how the beliefs of the collective crowd manifest and spread, Le Bon provides the following three key points by which group consciousness is influenced. 1. Affirmation: pure and simple messages that are free of reasoning and proof. 2. Repetition: incessant repetition of the affirmation makes the inconceivable eventually facts in the crowd's mind. 3. Contagion: once an affirmation message establishes its ground, the message will spread like a virus among the public. These three key points shed light on the mechanisms through which collective consciousness is influenced within a crowd. Affirmation, repetition, and contagion play crucial roles in shaping the beliefs and actions of individuals, even when such beliefs have no reasonable grounds, leading to what can be described as mass psychosis. Affirmation is a powerful tool that reinforces our desire for certainty and simplicity. Because of this, when presented with simple messages without reasoning, it becomes easier for people to accept them without critical evaluation. Repetition further solidifies these affirmations within the group. The constant reinforcement of a particular message, even if it lacks factual basis, gradually transforms it into an accepted truth in the minds of the crowd. Repetition exploits the psychological phenomenon known as the illusory truth effect, which suggests that people tend to perceive repeated information as more valid or accurate, regardless of whether it makes sense or not. Once the affirmation has been reinforced through repetition, it spreads like a virus among the public. The contagious nature of ideas within a crowd setting is fueled by the human tendency to conform to prevailing opinions. With more individuals adopting the repeated message, it gains momentum and popularity, often reaching a tipping point where the message becomes a part of everyday life and is accepted as a fundamental belief for everyone, despite the lack of evidence or logic. By distancing oneself from society through the use of intelligence, an individual can observe a multitude of these preconceived ideas that are widely accepted without any questioning. The main idea currently infecting the global crowd is the false notion to believe that we are just the combination of chemicals, forming the body and mind. Even though there are no factual grounds for one to believe this nor is there any clear proof to confirm this idea, yet it is still accepted as a fact from one’s very birth. One may wonder why this is so? Affirmation, Repetition, Contagion. The affirmation of this false idea starts with a simple proposition; “What we are is simply a combination of chemicals that form our body and mind, and the way these chemicals then choose to interact with the environment shapes our individual character.” This false, illusory idea is engrained in one’s mind by repetition at every step in one’s life, starting from the moment of birth, as stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam (3.31.20 purport) by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: "As long as the child is within the womb of its mother, it is in a very precarious and horrible condition of life. But the benefit is that it revives pure consciousness of its relationship with the Supreme Lord and prays for deliverance. However, once it is outside the abdomen, when a child is born, maya, or the illusory energy, is so strong that it immediately overpowers it into considering its body to be itself. Maya means 'illusion' or that which is actually not. In the material world, everyone is identifying with their body. This false egoistic consciousness of 'I am this body' develops after the child comes out of the womb. The mother and other relatives are awaiting the child, and as soon as it is born, the mother feeds it, and everyone takes care of it. The living entity soon forgets its position and becomes entangled in bodily relationships. The entire material existence is entanglement in this bodily conception of life. Real knowledge means to develop the consciousness of 'I am not this body. I am a spirit soul, an eternal part and parcel of the Supreme Lord.' Real knowledge entails renunciation or non-acceptance of this body as the self." Once ensnared with the ropes of maya or illusion, taking the body as the self, the last part of the infectious disease, is easily spread due to its contagious nature. It runs rampant, infecting the entire population not only on planet Earth but all planets in all material existence. Whether individuals or grouped in a big crowd, no one is safe from the tight grip of maya. Society is plagued with this infectious disease today more than ever, aimlessly satisfying the senses and the temporary body by chasing the fleeting pleasures, making this the end goal of life while forgetting to satisfy the eternal soul. Sometimes, however, an individual may, with sufficient use of intelligence, theoretically understand the fault in chasing ever-fading temporary sense pleasure. Such a person may understand the dangers of the widespread, globally accepted epidemic of the mind, where everyone around him accepts the body as the self and works aimlessly for it’s satisfaction. He may question the very essence of these activities and their necessity, but the material illusory energy of Krsna, also called Maya, is so strong that this individual will nonetheless continue in his nonsensical activities, not wanting to upset the collective group mentality of the crowd, therefore conforming to the crowd and eventually accepting illusion as his master. Such a person is tightly bound by ropes, and for them, there is no escape, either by logic, understanding, or intelligence. There is only one way out for such a conditioned soul. “It is to be understood that the conditioned soul is tightly tied by the ropes of illusion. A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself – he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Kṛṣṇa or His bona fide representative, the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature. Devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, can help one gain such release. Kṛṣṇa, being the Lord of the illusory energy, can order this insurmountable energy to release the conditioned soul. He orders this release out of His causeless mercy on the surrendered soul and out of His paternal affection for the living entity, who is originally a beloved son of the Lord. Therefore, surrendering unto the lotus feet of the Lord is the only means to get free from the clutches of the stringent material nature.” (Bg 7.14 Purport) Matchless Gift Magazine volume 3 OUT NOW!

On the appearance day of our spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, we celebrate and glorify his wonders. Join us live on Facebook and participate in the festivities! Honour the day yourself by writing an offering to Prabhupada, glorifying him, and sharing your love for him, from your heart. Read it to him, and use this auspicious opportunity to give thanks. vyasa puja Click here to hear a lecture by His Divine Grace on the occasion. Jaya Srila Prabhupada!

Today is Janmashtami, Lord Krishna's appearance day! We at the BLISS temple are celebrating by reading of Krishna's pastimes, decorating the temple room, preparing a huge prasadam feast and inviting guests to join us in glorifying our sweet Lord, Sri Krishna. In the spirit of the occasion, here's a nice lecture by His Divine Grace on Janmashtami...

This article is from volume 2 of the Krishna conscious magazine, Matchless Gift: a beautiful, original e-magazine designed, written and created by Expand the Bliss devotees. To purchase a copy, click here. Equality or Injustice? By Red Willow Mataji A deeper dive into the pop culture of equality In our modern world, 'equality' is of growing importance to the masses. Through various media forms it is strongly suggested that we should expect to be viewed by others without any form of discrimination based on bodily designations, whether it be gender, race, nationality, sexual preference, or lifestyle choices. This altruistic approach seems to be attempting to solve the tensions between various sects of society and it may appear to be of the highest benefit for all people. But, if we take a closer look at this popular movement, we can observe that it is not actually equality that is being propagated, and instead of the acceptance of individuality, it is in fact, the negation of not only individuals, but also of variety itself. We are eternally individuals, which is why this equal rights propaganda has been so largely successful; because we inherently value our individuality and we want to protect that. If you do not accept everyone as deserving of all the same rights and treatment, then you are an offender, punishable by heinous acts of violence and shaming. The kind of aggression and severe sectarianism that has followed this sort of imposed movement of the pop culture is a sure sign that something is awry here. The total amalgamation of varieties, in the guise of embracing variety, has created an increasingly more dangerous and degraded situation. Along with the final annihilation of the family unit, there are many other inscrutable consequences that come along with this pervasive mindset. Instead of being supported and protected by the father, sons, brothers, or husband, the modern woman is subjected to an underlying expectation to perform, provide, and nurture. She must be the man and the woman (and she must look good while doing it). Neutralizing naturally occurring variety stems from a severe level of impersonalism, which has festered for many, many years in places which value productivity over persons. This neutralization is extremely favorable for economic productivity, and the best part is that the people are willing and enthusiastic participants. This subtle system of slavery has become more and more cunning with the gradual introduction of powerful technologies, such as the 'smart' phone. In everyone's pocket, in front of everyone's face, 24/7, this medium of technology has the influence of billions and billions of billboards, commercials, and advertisements tailored specifically to each individual's likes and dislikes, injected directly into the minds of just about every person in this day and age–instantaneously. This message of so-called equality has gone global overnight and we are seeing the dangerous symptoms of such an unscientific, illogical, and baseless philosophy. What is being pushed on us as 'equality', is actually a huge over-generalization which robs individuals of their unique roles within society, and which allows for a diverse interaction of many moving parts, all properly situated for their particular natures. This generalization of individuals is Mayavada philosophy–impersonalism, in disguise as personalism. A wolf in sheep's clothing; equality for all–or the most subtle injustice of our time? This pure sentimentalism is leading the masses in a direction that may prove quite difficult to come back from. We know from Srila Prabhupada just how dangerous exposure to Mayavada philosophy can be for our spiritual life, "Once one is associated with impersonalists, he can never understand the personal feature of the Lord and His transcendental pastimes." (SB 3.19.33 Purport). A massive part of Srila Prabhupada's mission is to destroy the Mayavadi philosophers with real science and logic. Thankfully, we are armed with the perfect philosophy that is given to us by Srila Prabhupada, himself knowing very well that the movement of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the only real welfare work to be done in an age of increasing degradation. Because we have been given this torchlight of knowledge, we are most fortunate even to be able to see this shift in our society for what it really is. Just another tactic for misleading the people away from Krishna, and deeper into body-consciousness and the illusion of I, me, and mine. "The activities of Mayavada philosophy are very dangerous to the public, and therefore Lord Caitanya warned us never to hear from any Mayavadi about any scripture. They will spoil the entire process, and the person hearing them will never be able to come to the path of devotional service to attain the highest perfection, or will be able to do so only after a very long time." (SB 3.25.34 Purport). What is revealed in the sastra about equality? What does real equality mean? Equality can only be defined through reference to something which it is to be measured against. There must be some objective reference for understanding our equality or inequality with everything and everyone else. What equalizes us is the fact that we are constitutionally spirit souls, and we are all a part of Krishna. In this sense, we can know that we all have the same function–service to Krishna. What makes us equal is not that we are all the same, it's that we are all different. We each have a unique service relationship with Krishna, so, although we are united as parts and parcels of Krishna, we are diverse by our unique relationship with Him. We fill specific roles in the spiritual world, all for Krishna's pleasure. The situation here in the material world is a perverted reflection of this reality. Krishna is the objective factor which all of our value is measured against because He is the sum total of all value, of all quality, which we are small qualitative parts. If we do not measure our value or our quality in reference to Krishna, then the default standard is sense gratification. This earthly equal rights movement is aimed at sense-gratification only and this is exactly why it will never address the root of the problem of inequality. How can we preserve equal rights if we are all only concerned with our own sense gratification? It is not possible. Our sense gratification comes at the cost of the suffering of others. Our value does not come from our skin tone, gender, nationality, race, creed, etc. The only value is the eternal spirit soul, and on this basis, we all have an equal right to revive our relationship with Krishna and to lead others towards Him. This is the philosophy propounded by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, called acintya-bheda-bheda-tattva–simultaneous oneness and difference. We are only united in our diversity, this diversity is there to increase the pleasure of Krishna. This is the proper lens from which to understand the actual meaning of equality. Only while we are here in the world of duality are we duty bound to stand in these roles designated by our previous karma. Once we take up our natural constitution of loving devotional service, then these designated roles do not have so much influence over us. We come to the realization that we have a spiritual body which is completely unique in its respective service relationship with Krishna. Even one who transcends duality, and yet remains acting in this world, still does not disregard his designated role within the material universe because he becomes totally unaffected by these designations and instead of being subjugated by their limiting boundaries, he dovetails his position in the service of the Lord very expertly. Because he is above these concepts such as woman, man, American, Indian, Russian, he/him, they/them, etc... he uses his given position to glorify Krishna, in order to lead others on the right path and the right way to make the best use of a bad bargain. He knows that, "Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues." (Bg. 3.21) One should not be attached to any materialistic activities, but a devotee may perform such activities as an example to show the common man that one should not deviate from the Vedic injunctions." (SB 7.10.24 Purport). The Vedic injunctions are given by Krishna Himself, and He is the only objective from which we can ascertain our value, or equality, otherwise it has no meaning. Krishna provides us with the road map to help us navigate this strange world of dualities, so that we may know how to live right and perform our prescribed work without a doubt. "It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another’s duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one’s own duty is better than engaging in another’s duties, for to follow another’s path is dangerous." (BG 3.35) It was no mistake that we were given the body we were given, or that we took birth in the family we did. Unlike us conditioned souls, Krishna does not make mistakes, He is full of Knowledge, He knows what we need although we may only have limited knowledge. While the Bhagavad Gita is being spoken, or rather, sung, Krishna is telling Arjuna exactly this point... Arjuna is a ksatriya by birth, but he becomes sentimental upon seeing his relatives on the battlefield about to be slaughtered and decides that he would rather take up the work of a wandering renunciate rather than do his duty, which is to fight. Krishna tells him that he is being foolish, and that he should perform his duty, but all the while he should meditate upon Him, upon Krishna. He teaches him the process of devotional service–this is the answer for his major crisis of duty. This is also the answer for all of our crises that come along with the bodies we have been given, and the duties that are required of us within these bodies. Krishna says that we should not falsely try to engage in another's duty, because this is much more dangerous than performing our own duty, even if we do so rather ungracefully and imperfectly, even if it is painful or uncomfortable. "Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment." (BG 3.5) It is actually a huge sacrifice for the common man to accept his position as given by material nature. But, to accept another's position and everything that comes along with it is not real sacrifice–it is a major gamble. Human life is meant for sacrifice, not for gambling. "My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of sin. Living only for the satisfaction of the senses, such a person lives in vain." (BG 3.16) The greatest injustice of our time is to take advantage of man’s natural propensity for discovering their unique identity and use it to induce them to gamble away the opportunity given by the Lord in their natural position for their upliftment from a life of duality into the realm of the Absolute. Matchless Gift Magazine volume 3 OUT NOW!

MATCHLESS GIFT #3 is out now! Get yourself the latest issue and read articles by the BLISS devotees, check out last month's sankirtan scores and stories, and stay up to date with world news from a Krishna conscious point of view. Highlights include: 1. Q&A with His Grace Purujit Prabhu 2. Barbie, analysed by Nityananda Prabhu 3. A prasadam recipe from Maitreya Prabhu 4. New devotee coming to BLISS! 5. Essay by one of our loyal congregation members, Edgar James and many more! Thank you for buying the new issue and supporting BLISS. Hare Krishna!

Let's come together to experience the joy and devotion of Janmashtami, as we celebrate with BLISS! Thursday, September 7 · 5 - 8pm BST Celebrate Janmashtami with BLISS! Join us for a joyous and vibrant celebration of Janmashtami at the Expand the Bliss South East London Temple! Immerse yourself in the divine atmosphere and experience the blissful festivities. Janmashtami is the auspicious occasion that marks the appearance day of Lord Krishna, the embodiment of love and joy. This event is a perfect opportunity to connect with His spiritual energy and revel in His divine presence. During this event, you can participate in various devotional activities including chanting, singing bhajans, and dancing to the rhythmic beats of traditional music. Hear the transcendental pastimes of Lord Krishna, and enjoy a huge vegetarian feast! The Expand the Bliss South East London Temple is a serene and welcoming space where you can find solace and spiritual rejuvenation. The full address will be provided upon booking. Come and celebrate Janmashtami with us, and let Krishna's divine energy fill your heart with BLISS! Click here to reserve a spot

Every month in the Matchless Gift magazine, the devotees take world news and explore it from a Krisna conscious point of view. It is one of our many regular features, including Sankirtan stories, an editor's letter by His Grace Purujit Dasa, and articles written by all the devotees. Please support us and engage yourself in spiritual life by purchasing the magazines here! The Line, Saudia Arabia: They Are Going to Build What...? saudi arabia the line There have always been people who tried to construct the kingdom of God on earth. Sometimes they drop God along the way. The latest such attempt is called The Line. The Line is a linear smart city under construction in Saudi Arabia in Neom, Tabuk Province, which is designed to have no cars, streets or carbon emissions. The linear city is an urban plan for an elongated urban formation, which is basically a city built in the shape of a long line as opposed to a regular blob formed city we are used to. The Line promises to solve the problem of overpopulation in Saudi Arabia by building the whole city as two long skyscrapers and stuffing all people on top of each other and not letting them overpopulate into the width of the landscape. The concept is not new, but has been proposed already in 1882 by a guy called Arturo Soria y Mata. It replaced the traditional idea of the city as a centre and a periphery with the idea of constructing linear sections of infrastructure - roads, railways, gas, water, etc.- along an optimal line and then attaching the other components of the city along the length of this line. As compared to the concentric cities, the linear city creates the infrastructure for a controlled process of expansion that joins one growing city to the next in a rational way, instead of letting them both sprawl. I hope you get the idea by now. Arturo Soria y Mata never actually realized his vision as the idea was too radical for his time. Another vision of a linear city came in the 1960s, when the Italian avant-garde group Superstudio presented another radical artistic project: the continuous monument, "an architectural model for total urbanization," which was supposed to cover the entire Earth, but again without any feasibility or real utility. ‘Perhaps today is the time to do it,’ thought the Saudis… and here we go. If built, the Line will consist of closely connected communities which are called modules. One module will be 800 metres in length and 500 metres tall and the total structure will consist of 135 modules. The total length of the Line will therefore come to an astounding 170 km (110 miles). It aims to preserve 95% of the nature within Neom, the city where the Line intends to spread its glories. It will stretch from the Red Sea approximately to the city of Tabuk. It is intended that it will have a crazy nine million residents, resulting in an average population density of 260,000 people per square kilometre. By comparison, Manila, the world's most densely populated city in 2020, had a density of 44,000/km2. The Line's plan consists of two mirrored buildings with an outdoor space in between, having a total width of 200 metres (660 ft) and a total height of 500 metres (1,600 ft). The estimated building cost is US$100–200 billion (400–700 billion SAR), with some estimates as high as $1 trillion. It is claimed by the Saudi government that it will create 460,000 jobs, spur economic diversification, and contribute 180 billion SAR (US$48 billion) to domestic GDP by 2030.The first residents are expected to move in during 2024 and the first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in 2030. If you think this is a turbo phantasmagoria, think twice. The excavation work had already started along the entire length of the project by October 2022 as documented by drone footage released by Ot Sky! The same has been documented by satellite images by Australian company, Soar, according to a report by Gizmodo. The images, which were taken by a satellite from Chang Guang Satellite Technology Corporation on October 22 last year, showed updates of the megacity from the main base camp. By March 2023, more than 4,500 piles had been driven in module 43, reaching a peak of 60 piles a day. From this point on, piling work is shifting towards module 45, 46 and 47 which are located at the Marina. Excavation of about 1 million cubic metres of earth is taking place each week at the marina. Who is running the project? Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. He released a short film in January outlining his plans for the Line. M.B.S., as the crown prince is known, plans to pour $500 billion into the Line and related projects, which is a lot of money even by Saudi standards. He calls the Line a “civilizational revolution” to be inhabited by one million people “from all over the world." The film begins with a fast-moving montage of the 20th-century’s so-called greatest scientific and technical breakthroughs. Dates flash on the screen in a vintage font as we see images of the first commercial radio broadcast (1920), the first color TVs (1953), the first successful kidney transplant (1954), the first man on the moon (1969), the birth of the internet. After flicking past the glories of YouTube and virtual reality, the screen goes blank and the words appear, white on a black background: “What’s next?” You guessed it. The Line. According to the video, the Line will save humanity from the nightmare of commutes and pollution and preserve 95 percent of nature within its confines. In this way the Line will show how a man can live in harmony with nature by using cutting edge technology and harvesting the fruits of renewable energy that it provides. What the film doesn’t say is that there are already thousands of people living in harmony with nature in the same area: a tribal community that has been there for centuries and is now being replaced by the project. One of these tribesmen made videos protesting the evictions — videos of a different sort, you might imagine, than the one M.B.S. has produced. He was shot dead last year in a confrontation with Saudi security forces in April 2020 in his home in Al-Khariba. The man, who identified himself as Abdul Rahim Ahmad Mahmoud al-Hwaiti, said in a video posted online he was from the town of al-Khraybah in the northwest Red Sea region. He and other residents were being pressured by the government to give up their properties and accept financial compensation, he said. Al-Hwaiti said in one video uploaded on YouTube that “anyone who refuses to leave the area would be arrested by government agents”. He called the government’s move “forced displacement”. “This is my home,” he said, adding he would not move elsewhere in Saudi Arabia because he considers his tribal area his “own homeland.” Later in October 2022, Shadli, Ibrahim, and Ataullah al-Huwaiti, of the Howeitat tribe, were sentenced to death when they refused to vacate their village to make way for the NEOM megaproject. Shadli al-Huwaiti was the brother of Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, who was shot dead by security forces early that year. German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung found out that two well known architects terminated their participation in the project due to human rights and ecological concerns — Norman Foster and Francine Houben from Mecanoo. The paper also reported that several high-ranking architects are still on board: David Adjaye, Ben van Berkel (UN Studios), Massimiliano Fuksas, the London office of the late Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, the Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA) as well as Delugan Meissl and Wolf D. Prix from Coop Himmelb(l)au. The Süddeutsche criticized the lack of sustainability and the prevailing double standards of the architects in moral issues. The project has also faced criticism over its impact on the environment and the current population of the area, as well as doubts about its technological and economic viability. The Line is supposed to use artificial intelligence to monitor the city and use predictive and data models to find ways to improve daily life for its citizens, with residents being paid for submitting data to The Line. However, digital rights researchers such as Vincent Mosco suggested that the city's data collection scheme could make it a "surveillance city," because of arrangements that would distort consent to sharing data, and because Saudi Arabia's poor human rights record might imply potential misuse of data. Neom CEO Joseph Bradley said that the Neom coordinators were resolving privacy issues and that Saudi Arabia had a personal data protection law. In an interview with Dezeen, associate professor Marshall Brown at Princeton University said he believed that in such large-scale urban planning, it would be difficult to achieve the slick, futuristic aesthetic seen in the concept art because of the large number of factors involved. Hélène Chartier of C40 Cities compared The Line to other, unrealised, linear city projects, such as the 1882 design by Soria and a 1965 proposal for a linear settlement in New Jersey. Philip Oldfield of the University of New South Wales said that the quality of life would probably come down to whether the city was well-managed, rather than to its visual flair. Oldfield said the project would have a carbon footprint of about 1.8 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent in the glass, steel, and concrete, because "you cannot build a 500-meter-tall building out of low-carbon materials." He said the 170-km profile would create a large-scale barrier to adjacent ecosystems and migratory species similar to that created by highways, and the mirrored exterior facade would be dangerous for birds. Notably, there will be a region facing the irradiation from 2 suns in one of the already hottest places in the world. According to the architect and urban planner Etienne Bou-Abdo, "the 3D images presented are not classical 3D architecture images," and the designers of the project "have rather called upon video game designers." More worryingly, among the various ideas presented as the basis of the project, there would be, according to him, "a lot of technology that we don't have today." Many of the project's other key announcements, particularly in the areas of energy and transportation, are based on technologies that do not even exist in prototype form. So this seems to be a project a little bit blown out of proportion. What is the actual problem here? The prince is looking for a solution to an ever-increasing population of Saudi Arabia. He finds there is not enough space to shelter all the citizens of the country and decides to build this giant structure that defies imagination of the most creative mind. The problem of overpopulation has been propagated for a long time by the world leaders, but in reality there is nothing extraneous in the creation of the Lord. The concept stems from the atheistic assumption that nature is arranged by random chance without any purpose or a goal behind it. This is not so. Sri Isopanisad informs us that just as the Lord is complete and perfect, all emanations from Him are as complete and perfect as He is and the only incompleteness is our incomplete understanding of this completeness. There cannot be anything "over'' in the fine-tuned project of the Lord's creation. The root of the problem lies somewhere else–namely, in the mismanagement of the leaders. Although the world is the property of God, the crooked leaders have divided it into different countries and are consequently fighting over its resources. In the Krishna conscious vision of the world, there is no nationality. Everything belongs to God and all his children have a right to enjoy their allotted quota as per the verdict of the Sri Isopanisad. If this vision is not realized, the division of the world naturally creates imbalance. For example, there might be lots of oil in the Arabian countries, and yet Arabian soil is all desert so the Arabians cannot grow anything and must build a gigantic Line. Therefore, the world should be declared as one whole with Krishna, the Supreme Lord as the supreme proprietor. Srila Prabhupada says: "If you think that the Arabian oil is Krsna's property, God's property, "We shall take it by force," then why the Arabians should not be allowed to come from the desert and live in America? But they foolish, they will not come. They have got United Nation. But United Nation means simply committing mistake, mistake, mistake, mistake. That's all. That is their business. Why don't you unite? Yes, this Arabian oil is Krsna's property. Similarly the Australian land, or the African land, or this American land, so vast tract of land. But "No. You can not come here. Yow-yow." They say, the immigration department. You see. Yow-yow department. So this nonsense, these rascals, all these politician, they're spoiling the situation, but they are so big rascal, they'll not accept the solution. Take Krsna consciousness and everything will be solved. That's a fact.(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.1 – November 29, 1973, New York) The "yow-yow" department Srila Prabhupada is referring to is the border control. In each country, there are the custom control officers who bark like dogs, demand passports and visas. They search people and not even a gentleman is spared suspicion of smuggling. Dogs who guard one's house also do that. They bark on everyone without discrimination. Prabhupada elaborates on a different occasion on the same topic: "Actually everything is God's property, but people are claiming this property to be theirs or their country's. Now they are talking about the problem of overpopulation, but the fact is that God has supplied enough. Actually there is enough land and enough food if it is properly used. People are artificially creating problems, and the scientists are helping them by giving them so many destructive devices." (SSR 6g: The Tiny World of Modern Science) This is the nature of material advancement. By solving one problem, the materialistic scientists create more problems. For example, in the case of The Line, on one hand there is a massive financial support from the prince and lots of innovation and place for experiment, on the other hand there are others who doubt his integrity, especially in the light of his past treatment of people holding opposing views. Actually, there was no treatment. They were simply killed. Srila Prabhupada writes: "Sometimes great demons and atheists like Ravana and Hiranyakasipu and many others become very famous due to advancing material civilization by the help of material science and other activities, with a spirit of challenging the established order of the Lord. For example, the attempt to fly to other planets by material means is a challenge to the established order. The conditions of each and every planet are different, and different classes of human beings are accommodated there for particular purposes mentioned in the codes of the Lord. But, puffed up by tiny success in material advancement, sometimes the godless materialists challenge the existence of God. Ravana was one of them, and he wanted to transport ordinary men to the planet of Indra (heaven) by material means without consideration of the necessary qualifications. He wanted a staircase to be built up directly reaching the heavenly planet so that people might not be required to undergo the routine of pious work necessary to enter that planet." (SB 1.3.22 purport) By the law of karma, different living entities are born in different areas of the universe to burn off their individual sinful reactions from previous lives. Anyone who artificially tries to change the course of such karmic destiny, whether by reaching the heavenly planets by the help of a modern spaceship, or by building the giant Line in a desert-like area, becomes immediately a popular figure since the living entities are seeking nothing but improved material conditions of life for more and more sense gratification. What they do not realize is that no material adjustment can stop the real problems of life: birth, death, old age and disease. In the light of these unpleasant realities, all such blind attempts to defy the order of the Lord are meaningless. Krishna, the Supreme creator of this material universe declares in the Bhagavad-gita that this world is purposefully created for suffering: “From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place.” (Bg 8.16) There is no question of any improvement. Ultimately, everything ends in death. For this reason the ancient Vedic culture never encourages building giant skyscrapers or mansions for ordinary citizens. Srila Prabhupada explains: "...this Vedic civilization was based on plain living and high thinking. Big, big persons, just like Vyasadeva there is no comparison of his authority -- Vyasadeva. Eh? Nobody can imagine how one man can write so many books and so perfectly. This Srimad-Bhagavatam was written by Vyasadeva, so nice verses, each verse is so full of thought -- philosophy. It is unimaginable that how a man can write like this. Hm, but it is possible for him because he is incarnation, that is another thing. But if you take from humanitarian point of view it is not possible but such a great personality. Veda-vyasa, the guru of all sections of the sampradaya -- vyasa-guru. Therefore guru-puja, the spiritual master's birthday is observed as vyasa-puja because the spiritual master is taken as the representative of Vyasadeva. The asana from which the spiritual master instructs, is called vyasasana. Vyasasana means: "That chair that it belongs to Vyasadeva, that position is for Vyasadeva." Because, because the spiritual master is representative of Vyasadeva he is allowed -- not anyone. So such an exalted personality, he was living in Badrikasrama in a cottage. Just see how Vedic civilization, he was living in Badrikasrama, Badarayana -- in a cottage. That was all. Only the royal class the king class they had big, big buildings because they had to maintain that. Rulers, they must have some exalted position otherwise the people will not respect. But ordinary men, they never struggled for these nonsense things, big motor cars, big house and big. No, they were satisfied with agriculture whatever produce is there, that's alright, that is sufficient. Anyone can live anywhere simply by keeping cows and tilling the ground, that's all. Economic question immediately solved. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.2.32 class) People at that time understood that the aim is not to build outside, but to build inside in the form of one's own cultivation of the spirit soul. The materialistic civilization makes us blind to the self-evident fact: we are not here forever. What is the use of building big structures? Although the prince Mohammed might be very expert in killing his enemies, he cannot save himself against the cruel hands of death himself. The Line might one day be standing with pride with all its amenities and modern technological solutions at full display, but the prince might not be able to see its shine. Maybe he will take birth as a rat in that Line and might become exterminated by the sophisticated AI system he himself helped to design. Actually, the real necessity in any society, whether on land or in a desert, is food. Food is the truly renewable energy: we plant it into the ground, the seed grows, produces a plant, the plant gives fruit, the fruit gives a seed and a seed again goes into the ground and produces more food. What is the use of producing a big, big Line skyscraper if people starve to death in it? What is the prince's plan for growing food in the desert? Srila Prabhupada explains that the real reason why land turns into desert is that people are sinful. "Because deserts are manifestations of the earth's diseased condition, no auspicious ritualistic ceremony can be performed in a desert. Persons destined to live in deserts are understood to be sharing the reactions for the sin of brahma-hatya, the killing of a brahmana." (SB 6.9.7 purport) Seeing the killing appetite of prince Mohammed, it would not be a surprise to see that he has carried this mentality from his previous life, in which he might have killed some brahmanas. He is now suffering the reaction by being bound to a piece of land that is almost impossible to live on. But everything can be adjusted. The desert can be revitalised by the process of sankirtana yajna. The sankirtana yajna, congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord, brings forth the rain and if the chanting is performed sincerely for the satisfaction of the Lord, it can even counteract the sin of killing a brahmana. The prince Mohammed should therefore encourage this mass sankirtan movement in Saudi Arabia and this will bring good fortune because the sankirtana yajna automatically removes whatever sinful reaction is there. In this way he will be memorized eternally for his transcendental achievement. Srila Prabhupada writes: "In this fallen age of quarrel and dissension, if only the leading and wealthy persons of society agree to spend fifty percent of their income in the service of the Lord, as it is taught by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, there is absolute certainty of converting this hell of pandemonium to the transcendental abode of the Lord. No one will disagree to partake in a function where good singing, dancing and refreshment are administered. Everyone will attend such a function, and everyone is sure to feel individually the transcendental presence of the Lord. This alone will help the attendants associate with the Lord and thereby purify themselves in spiritual realization. The only condition for successfully executing such spiritual activities is that they must be conducted under the guidance of a pure devotee who is completely free from all mundane desires, fruitive activities and dry speculations about the nature of the Lord." (SB 1.5.36 purport) Since the budget of the prince for the construction of the Line is 500 billion, only if 250 billion was used to organize a mass sankirtana in the desert of Saudi Arabia by millions of its citizens both from Arabia and abroad with the careful supervision and management of the prince, the whole desert would be turned into a massive field for growing food. There would be no need to build the Line. Rather, citizens could become self-sufficient and productive. There would be enough land to accommodate all and even invite others to take prasadam. Srila Prabhupada writes: "The modern civilization is a condemned civilization. The innocent people are being dragged from the villages and exploited in the cities. But in the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krishna recommends them to remain where they are and produce grains: annad bhavanta bhutani. Grow your food, eat sumptuously, and chant Hare Krishna. This is real life. If we establish such projects all over India, we shall be the proprietor of India. Similarly in the USA. And if USA and India join together in such Krishna consciousness projects, then the whole world will be paradise." (Letter to: Mahavirya: -- Vrindaban 7 September, 1975) We are, however, doubtful whether the leaders of the world have such godly intentions for their citizens. They are attached to their power structures and do not see self-sufficiency of citizens and their living on the gifts of God as meaningful. Their world is based on denial of God and on falsely created dependency. Instead of creating open fields and freedom, they are planning big structures to trap people into modern jail-like lifestyles, which might not be at all healthy or conducive to well-being. Srila Prabhupada says: "Actually, when there are so many skyscraper buildings, it is hell. The natural air is obstructed. In Bombay you'll see. If you are in the top floor you have got little facility; in the lower floor it is hell. If there are several skyscraper building, in the first floor, second floor, it is simply hell. No air. Simply you have to run on this electric fan. You cannot see the sky. Therefore it is meant skyscraper?...So you have touched the sky in such a way I cannot see even. (laughs) This is the result. You demon, you have captured the sky, so I have no opportunity to see even. Always electric light. Now we see the sky, the sun, how nice it is. This is life. Green, down and up, clear sky, sun, this is life. We get rejuvenation in this atmosphere. What is this nonsense, all skyscraper building, no air, no light? Jagato 'hitah. The mind becomes crippled, the health becomes deteriorated, children cannot see even the sky, everything is spoiled." (Bhagavad-gita 16.1–16 Garden Discussion – June 26, 1976, New Vrindavan) What Srila Prabhupada says here is reaffirmed by the contemporary architects. When asked about the Line, Dutch architect Winy Maas said that while he would "love to live in such an environment, its profile as seen in the concept art was monotonous" and he believed "it would facilitate unfavorable wind flow through the interior." We admire the ambitious zeal of Prince Mohammed, but unless guided by the genuine Krishna consciousness movement, the Line will be yet another futile attempt to change the course of destiny carefully planned out by God. Nothing can succeed if God is not involved, therefore we humbly propose: Align the Line with the line of disciplic succession. Read the full magazine here

Every month in the Matchless Gift magazine, the devotees recount tales from the road; funny, scary, interesting stories of experiences while on book distribution. The Matchless Gift magazine is a monthly compilation of Krishna conscious content by the BLISS devotees. Please support us and engage yourself in spiritual life by purchasing the magazines here! Russell Brand loves the Hare Krishnas! Read about how we met him in this Sankirtan story... It all began when His Grace Purujit Prabhu was looking at the talk-show of this personality, Russell Brand. He became interested because Russell Brand appeared to be a very open minded and well spoken, intelligent gentleman. He also noticed that Russell Brand was associated with the devotees. There's a video of him where he's coming out of a temple and the paparazzi go after him, and he just starts chanting, "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna!". He has a picture of Krishna in his office, and a tattoo of Krishna on his arm. So of course, Prabhu became interested. And he's also, you know, a very famous personality. Like George Harrison - he did so much service for Srila Prabhupada, he utilised that position of fame to propagate Krishna consciousness. Prabhupada wanted us to preach to big men of society, famous people, intelligent people, educated people, who could assimilate the philosophy and use their influence to push the teachings further, to propagate the movement more. russell brand Hare Krishna Purujit Prabhu noticed that Russell Brand happened to be having a comedy tour in the UK. He was going to be in South London at the Brixton o2 Academy, just a couple of weeks from that date. So he immediately ordered us to start getting tickets. We were looking online, and we almost got scammed, because it was very exclusive to get them. Eventually we decided that we weren't going to get tickets, we were just going to crash the whole party and go there with a mrdanga, some sandwiches, wait outside and try to attract Russell. So that's what we did. We made like 100 falafel wraps, which were really delicious, I have to say. We only ate like 25% of them. And then we went to the gig! We arrived at about 4pm. Russell was meant to get out at 8pm. The idea was that we would distribute prasadam and chant, and just wait there for any opportunity to see him. It just so happened that Russell did actually come out at the interval. At that time, we were talking to some of his fans that had come to see him. We were distributing prasad, books, and we were talking to them. There was a big commotion; Russell was coming out and people were surrounding him. So, we spontaneously burst into kirtan. It was very, very nice because his fans joined in with us. It was quite a big chanting party. And although I didn't see Russell at that time, he was just a stone's throw away from us, inside the theatre, while we were outside in the waiting line area. It came to my knowledge later that actually Russell had heard us, he knew the Krishna's were there. He became alerted but he didn't come out and see us, so we had to wait till he was finished with his gig. But that took a really long time. It was soon eight, then nine o'clock. He was answering questions, it was really going on, and at one point we started to wonder, how are we going to get in touch with this guy? Our whole mission was what Prabhu had told us: go and give him the Bhagavad Gita and preach to him. "Wake up, Russell, come on". Because, Russell Brand, he's like a friend of Krishna. He likes Prabhupada. We wanted to get in touch with him and see what his understanding was. To try to inspire him and get him to come to the BLISS temple and talk with us, because he seems like such a nice man. It was about nine o'clock, and we were almost losing hope. But then, by Krishna's arrangement, really magically, the head of security just happen to be walking by. And it's amazing because this person is meant to be protecting Russell Brand from potential threats, terrorists and assassins. He runs the whole show, he knows everything about Russell's whereabouts. That's quite confidential information! But Krishna is so tricky that he used his Yoga Maya potency to cover this head of security's intelligence. We were asking him different questions like how much the venue costs and so on. Then, Nityananda Prabhu just dropped the bomb: "Where is Russell Brand, how can we talk to him?". And the head of security told us, "It's easy, he comes out this secret door, at the back of the theatre. This is his car", he pointed to Russell Brand's Mercedes. "You know it's his car because he has special seats for his dog." He revealed to us all these confidential secrets about Russell Brand. He even went so far as to click his walkie talkie on his chest and say, "where is Mr. Brand now in the building?", and he got a reply where his live location was. I was so amazed. The head of security is helping us to get Russel Brand. This was Krishna's arrangement. We got very inspired. We went to that secret door where Russell Brand was meant to come out. And again, the night went on, and we were going over how to approach Russell. It came to 11:30 at night, and almost everyone had left. There was an entourage of people outside the secret door who were ready to receive Russell. Before long, the door swung open. Finally, Rreussell Brand came out. And I have to say, I haven't met so many very famous people in my life. One time I met the Queen of the UK, but I didn't have very much interaction with her. And also, she was very small. So it wasn't so intimidating. I hope that's not a blasphemy for any English people who are reading this. But Russell Brand is not small. He's actually very, very tall. And he has a powerful energy, quite a lot of charisma. He came over and I said, hi, Hare Krishna. And he was like, Oh, hi, Hare Krishna. Nice to see you. He asked if we wanted a picture with him. And I lost this idea of like, grabbing Russell Brand and trying to preach to him, because I was almost like, shocked, that we were actually meeting Russell Brand. So he took a picture with us. But then I got this urge, just as he was walking away. I mean, he was very friendly and all, but it wasn't what I had in mind. So as he was walking away, I said, "Russell, there's been corruption in the institution. And we're trying to start the movement again here in London, we're the underground Hare Krishna's". He looked somewhat surprised. He said, "Oh, I guess there are layers in divinity." I handed him the Bhagavad Gita. He took it in his hand, and he kissed it right on Prabhupada. More than a kiss, it was like a smooch. And he held it up triumphantly. He said, "This is not the last time we will meet." Oh, it was very nice, very nice words. Feeling inspired, I tried to give him our card, but he was already walking away at that point. He said thank you, and he went to greet his other friends. But his wife, Laura I think her name is, she took the business card. We had almost forgotten the sandwiches. It was Dhananjaya's duty to give the sandwich, but he was as shocked as I was. He spaced out and he was holding the sandwich. Then Nityananda remembered that Russell Brand must get this sandwich. So he grabbed it, and Russell Brand was getting into his car. His personal bodyguard was there by the car, holding open the door, and Nityananda, not caring for this big guard, ran up and shoved the sandwich into Russell Brand's hand. "This is for you, Russell" he said. "It's vegan." He thanked Nityananda. Hopefully he took that sandwich right there. Maybe he saved it for later. But anyway, Russell Brand, he got knowledge about BLISS. He got a card, he got Bhagavad Gita, he got a sandwich. It was very inspiring. And that's the story of how we met Russell Brand. So hopefully this will not be the last time we see him. This article is from the Matchless Gift magazine, issue 2. Buy it here!

Since receiving multiple Tulasi plants, the BLISS devotees have been preparing to worship her during the morning programme. Willow Mataji has been helping her grow comfortably, Nityananda Prabhu has crafted a grow room for her to rest and thrive, and Love Mataji made her a nice dress to wear during worship. On August 8th we had our first Tulasi worship with a physical Tulasi in the temple! It felt very auspicious and is a wonderful addition to our programme. Guests are welcome to join us for our daily morning programme, where you can offer respects to Tulasi yourself. Contact us here to request a visit.