IS THERE AN AFTERLIFE?

DOES DEATH EXIST? 
NEW THEORY SAYS ‘NO’

www.independent.co.uk - It’s a question pondered by philosophers, scientists and the devout since the dawn of time: is there an afterlife? While the religious would argue that life on earth is a mere warm up for an eternity spent in heaven or hell, and many scientists would dismiss the concept for lack of proof - one expert claims he has definitive evidence to confirm once and for all that there is indeed life after death. The answer, Professor Robert Lanza says, lies in quantum physics – specifically the theory of biocentrism. 
The evidence lies in the idea that the concept of death is a mere figment of our consciousness. Biocentrism explains that the universe only exists because of an individual’s consciousness of it - essentially life and biology are central to reality, which in turn creates the universe; the universe itself does not create life.

The same applies to the concepts of space and time, which Professor Lanza, from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina, describes as “simply tools of the mind”. He explains that with this theory in mind, the concept of death as we know it is “cannot exist in any real sense” as there are no true boundaries by which to define it. Essentially, the idea of dying is something we have long been taught to accept, but in reality it just exists in our minds. 
Professor Lanza says biocentrism is similar to the idea of parallel universes - a concept hypothesised by theoretical physicists. In much the same way as everything that could possibly happen is speculated to be occurring all at once across multiple universes, he says that once we begin to question our preconceived concepts of time and consciousness, the alternatives are huge and could alter the way we think about the world in a way not seen since the 15th century’s “flat earth” debate. 

We believe in death because we have been told we will die. As we associate ourselves with the body, and we know that bodies die, almost all of us fear death. But a new scientific theory suggests that death is not the terminal event we think. Scientists are beginning to realize that an infinite number of realities may exist outside our old classical way of thinking. Professor Robert Lanza claims the theory of biocentrism teaches that death as we know it is an illusion created by our consciousness. “Life is an adventure that transcends our ordinary linear way of thinking. ... when we die, our life becomes a “perennial flower that returns to bloom in the multiverse (meta-universe),” said Professor Lanza. Immortality has always concerned both men and demigods and demons. In the past, the demigods and the demons churned the Ocean of Milk using Mandara Mountain as a churning rod to obtain the nectar of immortality. However, this material brahmana of fourteen worlds, including heaven, is non-eternal. At the time of universal dissolution, all the material universes are destroyed, along with the demigods. The Vedic scriptures give knowledge by which we may become immortal: No more birth, no more death, no more old age, no more disease. The famous stanza of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says: “Lead me from the unreal to the real / Lead me from darkness to light / Lead me from death to immortality”. But only the Vaisnavas know about the positive and progressive immortality. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

A barren conception of mere “deathlessness” cannot afford us any knowledge of a positive thing, but only freedom from the negative side. ... How can one become immortal? One must search out his intrinsic location in the universal order. It will not do to attempt to solve only the negative side of life which is full of suffering-birth, death, infirmity, and disease. We should know that there exists a conception of life worth living for. This positive side has been almost totally neglected in most general religious views. For instance, the Buddhist theory is that after liberation, nothing remains. And the Shankarite monist theory of liberation is to lose one's individuality by “becoming one” with the non-differentiated aspect of the Absolute. But in Vaishnavism, immortality is a positive, dynamic existence. Above the non-differentiated Brahman aspect of the absolute, the transcendental variegated experience begins. Situated there in the spiritual plane is the positive Kingdom of God.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
“Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamrtam”
“Life-Nectar of the Surrendered Souls
Positive and Progressive Immortality”
http://bvml.org/SBRSM/SSPJ/index.htm
Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library

Published by dasavatara das - “Vedic Views on World News”
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

MIDDLE-AGED SUICIDE RATE UP SHARPLY IN US

US SUICIDE RATE ROSE
SHARPLY AMONG MIDDLE-AGED

http://abcnews.go.com - The suicide rate among middle-aged Americans climbed a startling 28 % in a decade, a period that included the recession and the mortgage crisis, the government reported. The trend was most pronounced among white men and women in that age group. Their suicide rate jumped 40 % between 1999 and 2010. But the rates in younger and older people held steady. And there was little change among blacks, Hispanics and other ethnic groups.
Why did so many middle-aged whites - that is, those who are 35 to 64 years old - take their own lives? One theory suggests the recession caused more emotional trauma in whites, who tend not to have the same kind of church support and extended families that blacks and Hispanics do. Another theory notes that white have always had higher rates of depression and suicide, when they come to middle age.

During the 1999-2010 period, suicide went from the eighth leading cause of death among middle-aged Americans to the fourth, behind cancer, heart disease and accidents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the report, which was based on death certificates. People ages 35 to 64 account for about 57 % of suicides. For the entire U.S. population, there were 38,350 suicides in 2010, making it the nation's 10th leading cause of death, the CDC said. The overall national suicide rate has increased by 15 %. 
Suicide prevention efforts have tended to concentrate on teenagers and the elderly, but research over the past several years has begun to focus on the middle-aged. The new CDC report is being called the first to show how the trend is playing out nationally and to look in depth at the racial and geographic breakdown. The suicide rate registered a statistically significant increase in 39 out of 50 states. The West and the South had the highest suicide rates.

Suicide rates among middle-age Americans have risen sharply in the past decade, prompting concern that a generation who have faced years of economic worry and easy access to prescription painkillers may be particularly vulnerable to self-inflicted harm. Mike Stobbe, medical writer from AP, explains that this report contained information about how middle-aged people kill themselves: During the period studied, hangings overtook drug overdoses in that age group, becoming the No. 2 manner of suicide, whereas guns remained as the first instrument of death in nearly half of all suicides among the middle-aged in 2010. We should not commit suicide because we can use this human body to escape from this material entanglement and attain the highest goal of life divine.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

This human life is so valuable that with it we can take the path of the highest divine conception. ... If we can use this human life in a valuable way, we can acquire the key by which to become free from the whole chain of life in this troublesome world. We can get rid of the bondage of all sorts of physical and mental troubles. The key is here, in this human form of life. Jiva Goswami says that lower life-forms have insufficient understanding to realize the highest truth. And in the higher life-forms, such as demigods, because previously acquired energy or karma has accumulated on all sides, the chief enjoying elements are surrounding the living being. It is difficult to escape the charm of those influences and begin the prospect of a fresh life in a higher plane of consciousness.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
“The Golden Volcano of Divine Love”
Part 3 “Conclusion - A Drop of Divine Love”
Section: “Let us Take Poison ...”
http://bvml.org/SBRSM/index.htm
Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
DON’T FORGET TO CELEBRATE!

http://edition.cnn.com - The calendar is overflowing with occasions to mark. It seems like there's a special day for almost everything. For example, September 19 is celebrated by some as International Talk Like a Pirate Day. But the surplus of observances shouldn't detract from the really important ones, like Friday, March 8, International Women's Day. The first International Women's Day was held in 1911, but it was international only in the technical sense that women in four European nations marched. 
These activists were ahead of their time in thinking about women's economic and political equality; they may not have been so far ahead of their time that they envisioned what it has come to mean for many of us today. Now, International Women's Day represents a movement that is for every woman and girl, no matter where they live.

This year, Malala Yousafzai became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize nominee in history by risking her life for the cause of universal girls' education. Her courage has inspired women across the world. Some of the bravest, most revolutionary voices about empowerment are coming from women and girls like Malala who are calling the world's attention to social norms that prevent women from realizing their full potential. Here is the reality we must confront on International Women's Day: The decisions women make about their families are the key to improving life for many of the poorest communities in the world. 
The evidence shows that in the developing world, women play a different role than men and are more likely to take care of their family's health care and nutrition, things that children need to become productive adults and contribute to the economic and social development of societies. In fact, research has shown that a child's chances of survival increase by 20% when the mother controls the household budget.

Today we celebrate International Women's Day by highlighting favorite quotes from famous women and recognizing their rights in many countries, however, in several places sexual violence is still used as a weapon of war, forcing tens of thousands of women to flee the war-torn countries. Zillah Eisenstein, a feminist theory writer, says "Although many women have more choices today than their mothers did, there are also greater economic inequalities and therefore greater burdens to bear." Despite all the supposed "equality among sexes", the world needs to recognize that the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against women is still an outstanding debt. The body of man or woman is external, temporary and it doesn’t touch the real self. We must understand that we are all spiritual sparks, parts and parcels of God. 

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Who is a woman here may not be a woman there in that higher realm; who is a man here may not be a man there. The body is only a dress. The soul has its mental dress, and according to that, we wear this physical dress, the flesh dress. Sexual identity means the flesh and the mind. In the soul, who will represent which type of sexual identity there, is uncertain at present here in this plane. But women there in the higher realm have a higher prospect, a brighter prospect in the spiritual world. 
In the spiritual realm, those souls that are female - who have attained that formation of the soul's realization - hold a better and higher position than men. Here in the plane of exploitation, men hold the better position. But there, in the plane of submission and surrender, the female form of mind is more rewarding than the male's form of mind. 

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja : 

“Subjective Evolution of Consciousness”

Chapter Nine: ‘Spiritual Evolution’

http://bvml.org/SBRSM/books/index.html

Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

CHANTING THE GAYATRI MANTRA

SIGNIFICANCE OF RECITING
THE POWERFUL GAYATRI MANTRA

www.boldsky.com - Gayatri Mantra is considered to be one of the powerful mantras in Hindu religion. The Gayatri Mantra has been reported in the Rig Veda about 2500 to 3500 years ago, and the mantra may have been chanted for many centuries before that. The significance of Gayatri Mantra is beyond the human reach and whoever chants can feel the power of Gayatri mantra. Gayatri mantra is said to be so powerful that if it is repeated thrice a day, it will confer all the blessings on you in the form of good health, wealth, vitality and beauty. 
Gayatri Mantra in Sanskrit: Aum bhur bhuvah suvaha, tat savitur varenyam. Bhargo devasya dhimahi. Dhiyo yo nah pracodha yat. The interpretation of Gayatri Mantra: Aum, Dear God, Thou are the giver of life, the bestower of happiness and the remover of pain and sorrow. O Lord, Creator of the universe, may we receive your sin-destroying light. May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction.

Here are few benefits of reciting Gayatri Mantra: Makes you strong from within: Reciting Gayatri Mantra brings strength in oneself. Brings positive energy: When one is reciting the powerful Gayatri Mantra, it illuminates the surrounding atmosphere and creates positive vibrations. Successful marriage: If anyone is worried about the delay in marriage, then there is a solution found in Gayatri Mantra. Brings prosperity: Interestingly, Goddess Gayatri is also known as Annapoorani, the Hindu Goddess of food. It is said that any family who worships Goddess Gayatri and recite the Gayatri Mantra find prosperity in their life. 
Gives us health and a sense of protection: Reciting Gayatri Mantra is known to be a particular type of Pranayama. It regulates and channelizes the entire breathing system which in turn makes us healthy. It is also a magnificent hymn or prayer that connects the human mind with the Supreme Being.

The words for the Gayatri mantra are arranged in such a manner that it creates a powerful force. Anyone who chants this Mantra tends to feel relaxed, thus increasing concentration power. Vijayalakshmi, the author of the article, explains that the power of Gayatri Mantra enhances the intellectual level and washes away the sins, purifies the mind, body and soul. "There are few techniques that should be followed while chanting the Gayatri mantra. It is recommended that a person chanting Gayatri Mantra should always close their eyes and try to concentrate on each and every word that are recited," she says. The meaning of the Brahma Gayatri must bring us to the conclusion of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Gayatri mantra and the Srimad-Bhagavatam are one and the same.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

What is the meaning of Gayatri ? The word gayatri is a combination of two Sanskrit words: ganat (what is sung) and trayate (gives deliverance). This means, "A kind of song by which we can get our salvation, relief, emancipation. Gayatri is known as veda-mata, the mother of the Veda. If we examine the Vedic conclusion from it's most condensed aphorism to its most extensive expression, we shall find that it begins with omkara : the Vedic symbol OM. That truth is expressed as the gayatri mantra, then it appears in the form of the Vedas, and then as the Vedanta-sutra. Finally, the Vedic conclusion is given its fullest expression in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Since the meaning, the purpose of Vedic knowledge progresses in this line, the gayatri mantra must contain within it the meaning of Srimad-Bhagavatam - that is, that the Krsna conception of Godhead is the highest.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
"Brahma Gayatri Bhasya - Sri Gayatri Nigudhartha"
http://www.bvml.org/SBRSM/
http://gosai.com/writings/brahma-gayatri-bhasya-sri-gayatri-nigudhartha

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

DOG TURNS UP TO DEAD OWNER'S CHURCH EVERY DAY

LOYAL DOG ATTENDS CHURCH MASS

DAILY AS HE MOURNS LATE OWNER

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk - A dog whose owner died two months ago visits the church where her funeral was held every day in the hope she will return. Ciccio, a 12-year-old German Shepherd, attends Mass at the church of Santa Maria Assunta in San Donaci, in the southern region of Puglia, every day. Ciccio heads to the church as soon as the bells begin to ring each afternoon, just as he did for years when his owner was alive. The woman, who was known in local dialect as "Maria tu lu campu" - "Maria of the fields" - died suddenly in November. Ciccio attended the funeral, following his mistress's coffin as it was carried into the church. 
The dog's devotion has so impressed villagers that they have adopted him as their own, giving him food and water and letting him sleep in a covered area outside the church. The local priest, Donato Panna, allows him to sit in front of the altar during Masses, baptisms and other services.

According to Sud Italia News, the grieving hound mourns daily for his former owner who was known in the area for her love of animals. The paper says: "As a sign of gratitude, Ciccio goes to church every morning, sitting beneath the altar, near the priest. "His hope to see his beloved Maria, the person he accompanied everywhere, even in church, moves the faithful." It adds the parish priest "does not dare" to chase him away.
Father Donato Panna told the Daily Mail: ''He's there every time I celebrate Mass and is very well behaved - he doesn't make a sound, I've not heard one bark from him in all the time he has been coming in. 'He used to come to Mass with Maria and he was obviously devoted to her - I let him stay inside as he was always so well behaved and none of the other parishoners ever complained to me." A Facebook page for The Church in Malta features pictures of Ciccio and his story - and has been shared more than 3,500 times.

Call him "Ciccio" the Faithful. This 12-year-old German shepherd, who has attended church every day since his owner died in November, used to escort her to church every afternoon when she was alive. Now he heads to Santa Maria Assunta church in San Donaci, Italy, the moment the bells start chiming. Ciccio last accompanied his owner when bearers carried her coffin into the church. The priest doesn't have the heart to shoo him away, letting him sit by the altar during services. Compassionate villagers feed and water him, but the priest hopes he'll find a real home soon. Ciccio's history has already become famous and there is no other topic of conversation in the village, showing that the bond created between a dog and his master is so strong that it does not break even after death. He would be a great friend of Captain, the Argentine dog who sleeps on his owner's grave, and of Hachiko, the Japanese dog who for years waited in the train station for his dead owner.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Affection, attraction, sympathy - these things are all the outcome of having a heart.  The scientists feel that animals have no real brain, no intelligence. Yet we see that even without much of a brain, an animal can live, but without a heart, none can live. As the brain is a representation of a computer, the animals have no real computer to calculate. Animals may follow intuitive knowledge, and so they can work unconsciously. And we can see that intuition can go above brain calculation. So many birds and beasts can understand that an earthquake is coming, but so far, no human calculation can understand precisely when an earthquake will come. There are many things that our brain cannot feel, cannot catch, whereas even the animals can get some clue about them beforehand.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
“The Loving Search for the Lost Servant”
Seventh Chapter: “Knowledge-Free Devotion”
http://www.scsmath.com/docs/books.html
http://www.scsmath.com/docs/loving_search_excerpt.html

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

SICKENING FINDING IN HONG KONG

THOUSANDS OF SHARK FINS
DRYING ON HONG KONG ROOFTOP

www.grindtv.com - The number of shark fins set out to dry like the morning laundry on a Hong Kong factory building rooftop is staggering. To look at the accompanying images and video, revealing perhaps 10,000 fins, and to grasp that sharks are being slaughtered at a furious pace so their fins can be used to make soup, one cannot help but wonder how many years will pass before at least some shark species are banished to extinction. Shark conservation movements are growing, especially regarding the cruel practice of finning, but the striking imagery supplied by photojournalist Alex Hofford illustrates that conservation efforts, while they have made progress, have a long away to go toward stemming the killing of sharks for their fins. Though it's not illegal to posses and sell fins in China, most traders keep their operations at least somewhat private to avoid bad publicity.

Asked how he was able to obtain his vantage point Hofford responded, via email: "Evading security guards, running up and down dusty stair cases, climbing up rusty ladders, and general low-level paranoia!" The photojournalist blogged: "The front line in the war against the shark fin trade has shifted from the sidewalks to the roof tops. The theory goes that after being exposed at street level, they have now sought to move their activities out of the public eye to avoid further backlash." Shark finning, which involves the removal of fins from captured sharks and the tossing of shark carcasses overboard, is increasingly under fire. The practice is illegal in some areas, including the U.S., and many U.S. states have banned the sale and possession of shark fins. But scientists estimate that up to 70 million sharks are killed each year, solely for their fins. Most of them end up in China, where shark-fin soup is a delicacy enjoyed mostly by the affluent. It's not clear whether the fins in Hofford's images were from sharks killed only for their fins, but it's easy to draw that conclusion.

Environmentalists are outraged after approximately 18,000 shark fins were discovered drying out on a rooftop in Hong Kong, hidden from public view. The images represent a fraction of the expected 75 million sharks killed each year to keep up with the demand for the fins. Hong Kong is one of the world’s biggest markets for shark fins, which are used to make soup that is an expensive staple at Chinese banquets. The delicacy, often used in soup, and consumed mostly by rich people, is very popular in China. But the practice of fisherman removing the animal's fin and throwing it back into the sea to die, and the over-harvesting of sharks, has begun to change public opinion. We should reject anything that cause pain to other creatures or is harmful to our health and general health of the planet.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Life is also present within the nonhuman species, and it is no less qualified than the human position, but in the course of the evolutionary movement of the soul, it is thrown into such a condition as the result of karma. Wherever life is present, the soul is there within. ...  Jesus told them, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." That is also good. But not only is the soul present there; God is also there, and everywhere. The lower species are also feeling pain and pleasure. In animals it is quite clear that when they are killed, they feel pain. So, there is life. The vibration of pain is there, consciousness is there, and the soul is a unit of pure consciousness. But the persons to whom Jesus preached were not so qualified as to extend their knowledge that far. They are not prepared for such a great amount of sacrifice in their practices.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
"The Search For Sri Krsna - Reality The Beautiful"
Chapter 7 : "Do Unto Others" Includes Animals"
1989 - Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math
http://www.scsmath.com/books/Search_Sri_Krishna.pdf

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

COPTIC CHRISTIAN POPE TAWADROS II ENTHRONED

NEW COPTIC POPE TAWADROS II
ENTHRONED IN CAIRO CEREMONY

www.bbc.co.uk - The new pope of Egypt's Coptic Christian church has been formally enthroned in Cairo. Pope Tawadros II was confirmed as the new leader of Egypt's Christian minority at a ceremony at St Mark's cathedral in the Egyptian capital. The 60-year-old succeeds Pope Shenouda III, who died in March after four decades on the patriarchal throne. The enthronement comes at an uncertain time for Egypt's Christians, following the fall of Hosni Mubarak last year. Sectarian attacks against Coptic Christians and churches in Egypt have increased since his fall, and many Christians are concerned about the rise of Islamist political forces. 
Christians make up 5-10% of Egypt's majority Sunni Muslim population and form the largest Christian minority in the Middle East. Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Mursi did not attend Sunday's enthronement, though Prime Minister Hisham Qandil was there. 

The pope is the “first among equals” of the Holy Synod (the church body made mostly of bishops) and responsible for determining the Coptic Church’s stance on matters concerning faith. Pope Tawadros II has been vocal about the withdrawn political role he hopes to play during his papacy. On Saturday, the Coptic Church, along with other Christian denominations, announced its withdrawal from the Constituent Assembly, claiming that the current draft does not reflect the identity of the Egyptian people. 
The church’s new patriarch was formerly the General Bishop of Beheira and has a close working relationship with Metropolitan Pachomious, the Coptic Church’s interim leader since March. The Coptic Orthodox Church is the largest Christian community in the Arab world, making up roughly ten percent of Egypt’s population. Over recent decades, millions of Copts have established communities overseas in places such as North America, Europe, and Australia.

The new pope of Egypt’s Orthodox Coptic church was enthroned on Sunday. According to Coptic tradition, the first head of the Egyptian Church was Saint Mark the Evangelist, one of the 70 apostles of Jesus. After the enthronement, it was read a statement written by the new pope, in which Tawadros II stressed unity and his mission to represent all Egyptians. “We open our hearts to all religions,” he said, “because religion is for God and the nation is for man.” Tawadros II also pledged to work for the good of Egypt, with its Muslims and Christians alike. The new Pope is saying right: religion is for all and comes from God. As Sri Krishna states, to protect the saintly and punish the wicked, and perfectly reestablish the principles of religion, He appears millennium after millennium.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Herein, collected from the Holy Scriptures headed by Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, are words of nectar directly from the lotus mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the nectar to vanquish all sorrow and darkness for the souls surrendered to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna, and also for those aspiring for exclusive love for Krishna. It nourishes the lives of the devotees, pleasing their hearts by fulfilling all their cherished desires for devotional service. (9.1-2) ... “I appear in every age to deliver the saintly devotees, to vanquish the sinful miscreants, and to firmly establish true religion.” ... The teaching of eternal religion, nondifferent from Sri Krishna, is received from Sri Krishna by Lord Brahma - “The message of the Vedas is eternal religion, nondifferent from Me. When in the course of time those eternal teachings disappeared from view with the universal cataclysm, I imparted them to Lord Brahma at the dawning of a new creation.” (9.34).

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
“Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamrtam”
Chapter 9 “Sri Sri Bhagavad-vacanamrtam”
“Words of Nectar from the Supreme Lord”
http://bvml.org/SBRSM/SSPJ/index.htm
Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

FAKE HEINZ KETCHUP FACTORY DISCOVERED

HUNDREDS OF EXPLODING FAKE
HEINZ KETCHUP BOTTLES DISCOVERED

http://abcnews.go.com - A warehouse in Dover, N.J. (USA) was discovered to have hundreds of crates purported to be Heinz ketchup, which officials said may have been repackaged to sell for a profit. Other tenants who rent the space in a 7,000-square-foot warehouse noticed that bottles of ketchup were exploding. Heinz said fake ketchup bottles were labeled as Heinz's “Simply Heinz,” its premium brand that uses sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, which is found in its traditional version. 
A 32 oz. bottle of “Simply Heinz Ketchup” and a 36 oz. bottle of Heinz Ketchup each have a suggested retail price of $2.99. Dover Public Safety Director Richard Rosell told the Star-Ledger newspaper in New Jersey that the ketchup's sugars, mixed with acid from tomatoes and vinegar, had fermented in the heat and exploded. Tenants noticed the mess and city officials and Heinz were eventually contacted. 

Jessica Jackson, a spokeswoman for Heinz North America, said the company “has not discovered any information that leads us to believe that the illegally repackaged product is on the market.” “Based on our preliminary investigation, it appears that the unauthorized operation purchased traditional Heinz ketchup and then repackaged the product illegally,” Jackson said in a statement. 
“As a company dedicated to food safety and quality, Heinz will not tolerate illegal repackaging of our products and we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law anyone who engages in such illicit behavior,” Jackson said. “As the world's leading manufacturer of ketchup, Heinz has stringent manufacturing and packaging practices in place to ensure the safety of consumers. Our quality assurance systems also ensure traceability to the factories where Heinz ketchup is manufactured and packaged.”

Officials discovered the fake ketchup factory after tenants complained about flies and rotten odors coming from a warehouse in Dover, New Jersey (USA). They found thousands of plastic bottles labeled Heinz Ketchup, many of which had exploded after being abandoned in the hot building. It is said someone bought large containers of regular Heinz Ketchup and poured it into bottles labeled "Simply Heinz," a higher-priced product. Needless to say, the warehouse was not the most sanitary of places, and there's no way to know if anything else was added to the ketchup. This ketchup counterfeiting operation should make consumers think twice about what they're putting on their food. In their effort to profit by deception, counterfeiters threaten all population's health.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

We are labouring under a deception, we are deceivers who are not just deceiving ourselves but the world as well. Everyone - all the baddha-jivas are more or less cheaters.   That is our position and we must be relieved of such misunderstanding, self-deception and environmental cheating if we are to be placed in our proper position.  ... A proper understanding of one’s own self as well as the environment is proper education. That education must be Vedic. The standard must be drawn from outside this area of maya - this area of misunderstanding; the standard must be drawn from the perfect realm through Veda - revealed Truth.  We must accept revealed Truth and bid farewell to so-called scientific knowledge and other kinds of perceptions that are all erroneous - based on false experience and false information. ... And what’s more, we must not only get relief from this misconception, from misunderstanding the external waves, but we must attain a positive position - to learn to understand the wave, the vibration of Goloka.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
“The Standard Comes From Outside”
http://bvml.org/SBRSM/tscfo.html
Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

RADHASTAMI CELEBRATIONS

APPEARANCE DAY OF SRIMATI
RADHARANI AROUND THE WORLD

Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) - Yesterday millions gather yesterday in India and around the world, to offer prayers, worship, and devotional songs glorifying the appearance of the Divine mother, Radha (Radharani). Chants of ‘Radhey Radhey’ echoed in the air early Monday as pilgrims and locals here celebrated Radhastami, the birth of Lord Krishna’s consort Radha. The Krishna-Radha lore has inspired poets and musicians for centuries. The early morning celebrations began at Barsana, the birthplace of Radha, with thousands of devotees lining up at the Sri Ji temple. Speaking to IANS, Ram Babu Sharma, a priest, said: “The festivities started Sunday with an evening of song and dance. This year, the weather being pleasant, we saw a large turnout, but the police arrangements were poor and pilgrims who had come from outside had a tough time.” On Sunday evening, women from Barsana and nearby areas flocked the Ladli ji ka Mandir and sang songs in the local Braj dialect to the beats of drums and strains of harmonium.

A procession with Radha’s jhanki went around the town as foreign and local pilgrims showered rose petals.Radha descended from the spiritual realm shortly after Krishna, approximately 5,000 years ago. She took birth in the small village known as Barsana, which is about 28 miles from Mathura, the birth place of Krishna. The word Radha comes from the Sanskrit verbal root radh, which means to worship, and the word rani, which means queen. Radharani can be literally translated to mean “the queen of worship.” In some texts, she is described as “the supreme goddess who is worshipable by everyone.  She is the protector of all, and she is the mother of the entire universe.” It was a wonderful day to meditate and reflect on the beautiful selfless qualities of Radharani and pray that we can to some degree follow in her footsteps.

Yesterday Hinduist devotees around the world celebrated the appearance of Srimati Radharani, called “Radhastami”, which is the most auspicious holiday of the year Vaisnava.  When people see a picture of Radha and Krishna, they often ask, “Who is that girl with Krishna?” The answer is: She is Radharani, Krishna’s pleasure potency. By Her mercy you can advance wonderfully in Krishna consciousness.  Radhastami is said is far more important that “Janmastami” as Radhastami is the principal feast for Krishna Himself, during which He is in total ecstasy, thinking of the appearance of his most beloved, Srimati Radhika.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

aham sarvasya prabhavo, mattah sarvam pravartate // iti matva bhajante mam, budha bhava-samanvitahthe (BG 10.8). ... Lord’s finest potency is Srimati Radharani. Of course, there are many other eternal associates, but the highest order of devotional service is represented in Srimati Radharani. The Lord is therefore saying, “My worship is shown by Me.  I, as My finest potency, worship Myself.  Iti matva bhajante mam  - understanding this conception the devotee will come to worship Me, always under the direction of My best worshiper - My finest potency and representation - Radharani, or gurudeva. Crossing Her, the highest and most desirable form of service to Me is not possible.”  Radha-dasyam, the servitorship of Srimati Radharani, is indicated here. Only those who are blessed with divine intelligence will be able to appreciate this, and not persons with self-acquired intelligence from this mayika quarter, the world of misconception.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
“The Hidden Treasure of the Sweet Absolute”
Srimad Bhagavad-gita  10.8:  Commentary
http://www.scsmath.com/ 
http://bvml.org/SBRSM/thtotsa.html

MEDITATION CAN REDUCE HEART ATTACKS BY 50 %

MEDITATION CAN REDUCE STRESS
AND LOWER RISK OF HEART DISEASE

http://www.thirdage.com - Meditation, specifically transcendental meditation (TM), has reportedly been shown to reduce heart attack-related deaths by up to 50 percent, a new study claims.  Researchers tracked 201 people as they underwent either Transcendental Meditation or health education classes as part of a stress-reduction approach, the New Zealand Herald reports.  They found that those who meditated had lower blood pressure and a 47% reduction in strokes, deaths and heart attacks, which they calculated together as one result.  
Between 1998 and 2007, study participants either engaged in meditation techniques for 20 minutes twice per day.  Alternatively, they spent the same amount of time practicing other heart-healthy lifestyle behaviors that they were taught in a cardiovascular health education program.

The results found that TM appears to reduce the risk of death, heart attack and stroke, while also lowering blood pressure and stress levels.  TM in those subjects was found to be far more effective than the actions of the control group, which practiced heart-healthy behavior.  
According to the researchers, African Americans have higher rates of Coronary Heart Disease-related illness and death, and that psychosocial stress might be a contributing factor.  The researchers theorized that the effects of a stress reduction intervention would help reduce CHD risk factors and perhaps prevent CHD-related morbidity and mortality.

Transcendental meditation (TM) is rooted in Indian culture, founded in the 1950s. It found widespread acceptance in the 1960s and 1970s, and has since become a technique of relaxation and spirituality. As a form of mantra meditation, TM technique helps the individual calm the mind and body.  This study shows that TM reduce the risk of death, heart attack and stroke, while also lowering blood pressure and stress levels far better than the control group which practiced traditional heart-healthy behavior.  We usually see that mantra meditation is use it to cope with health problems, but its deep meaning is not clearly understood.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?  

In the Gayatri Mantra, we are requested, bhargo devasya dhimahi: “come meditate.”  What sort of meditation is possible in that plane of dedication? Not abstract meditation, but service cultivation, krsnanusilanam.  Dhimahi means “to participate in the spontaneous flow, the current of devotion in Vrndavana.”  And what will be the result (dhiyo yo nah pracodayat)?  The capacity of our cultivation will be increased.  As we serve, a greater capacity and willingness to serve will be given to us in remuneration - just as interest is added to capital in the bank.  In this way, our dedicating principle will be increased again and again. Dhimahi means aradhana, worship. It cannot but be explained in terms of aradhana, puja, seva - worship, adoration, loving service.  So “dhimahi” does not mean abstract meditation, but devotional service. This is the underlying meaning of the Gayatri Mantra.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
“Gayatri Mantram Revealed From the Flute Song
of Krishna to Srimad Bhagavatam to Radha Dasyam”
Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library - http://bvml.org/SBRSM/gmr.html