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Srila Prabhupada[Posted January 22, 2010]

Getting away from it all?



A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Squeezing enjoyment out of misery

Caribbean holiday Sphere Jan 18, 2010 - DAVE THIER

Vacationing in Hell: Cruise Ships Land in Haiti



It would seem that nothing, not even a devastating earthquake that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, can deter the American vacationer's drive to unwind. To prove the point, one cruise ship from Florida-based Royal Caribbean International landed in Haiti on Friday, the Guardian reports, and three more are due in this week.

Royal Caribbean cruise passengers visit Labadee Beach, a walled resort only 60 miles from the epicenter of the quake. On its Web site, the company advertises "pristine beaches," "breathtaking scenery" and "native charm." Armed guards patrol the perimeter, even under normal conditions.

Caribbean vacations have always provided a stark contrast between decadent resorts and the impoverished countries that house them, but not even the magic of the cruise ship could hide the horror at this uncommon port of call.
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One God, millions of names
The Premise is the Problem Hansadutta das

The premise that the material world is a place of enjoyment for the living entity is the problem. Actually, the material world is a place of perpetual suffering, and material activities are a perpetual struggle to avoid or counteract these sufferings. Material miseries are three: adyatmik, adidaivik, and adibhaudik— (1) miseries inherent in the body (birth, old age, disease and death); (2) miseries inflicted by other living entities; and (3) miseries of supernatural origin—earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, etc.

Although these are irrefutable facts, the living entities overwhelmed by material desires are always bewildered on account of lust, anger, greed, lamentation, illusion and madness, just as a man with malaria fever hallucinates and cannot understand whether he’s asleep or awake. more

Under the spell of maya


excerpt from lecture on Bhagavad-gita 10.1, New York, Dec 27, 1966
sarva-yonishu kaunteya
murtayah sambhavanti yah
tasam brahma mahad yonir
aham bija-pradah pita
[Bg. 14.4]

Lord Krishna says that, "My dear Arjuna, we find so many species of life, eight, eight thousand, no, eight millions four hundred thousand, eight million four hundred thousands of species of life. All of them, they are My sons. I am the seed-giving father." He accepts that every living being, either man or beast or ant or bird, everyone, anywhere, they're all sons of God.

And they are suffering here. Manah shashthanindriyani prakriti-sthani karshati [Bg. 15.7]. They have, somehow or other, they have come in contact with this material nature, and each and every one of these living entities, they are making, having a hard struggle for existence. But under the spell of the illusory energy, they are thinking we are happy. Although whole day and night, they are unhappy. Their desires are not fulfilled. They want something, but they are forced to accept something else. This is going on. This is called hard struggle for existence. Nobody's satisfied. There is always disruption. In this moment, I am your friend. Next moment, I am your enemy. This moment, I am your husband or wife. Next moment, no. Don't see my face. I'll not see your face. Divorce. So these things are going on. So this is called struggle. I am wanting something, but I am accept, I am forcefully being bound to accept something else. This is called struggle. So this is going on.

So therefore Krishna gives you message that these living entities, they are very unhappy in this material world under the spell of material energy, under the spell of illusory energy, they are thinking that they are happy. In ignorance... Just like the animals, they cannot know, they do not know, what is unhappiness. When there is a slaughterhouse, they'll be slaughtered next moment. They are standing and eating grass because, due to ignorance. They do not know. Similarly, when human society becomes thrown into ignorance, they do not know what is unhappiness. Their struggle for existence and therefore, therefore they are in unhappiness. They are never satisfied, full of anxiety. In spite of having all these things, the foolish man says, "Yes, we are advancing in civilization." This is their ignorance and foolishness.

So Krishna conscious person, if they want to serve Krishna, if they want to render some service to Krishna, their first business is to dispel this ignorance of the humans. That is the best service. That is the best service. People have manufactured so many philanthropic associations, charitable associations, and hospitals, so many things. But, if somebody or if some association can enlighten people to the Krishna consciousness, that is the best service to the human society. That is the best service to the human society.



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