RISING RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGION: WORLD STUDY

32% GLOBAL POPULATION EXPERIENCES
INCREASE OF RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGIOUS

Washington (AFP / CNN) - A third of the world - about 2.2 billion people - live in nations where restrictions on religion have substantially increased, according to a study just released by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life.  The study also shows increasing polarization: intolerant countries are growing more hostile to religious freedom, while tolerant countries are growing more accommodating. Brian Grim, the primary researcher, explains, “When you have one set of restrictions in place, then it’s easier to add on.”  The report culled data from 198 countries and territories from 2006 through 2009. Egypt, France, Algeria, Uganda and Malaysia were among the countries with the greatest increases in governmental religious restrictions; among those with the greatest easing of restrictions were Greece, Togo, Nicaragua, Republic of Macedonia and Guinea-Bissau. North Korea, one of the most repressive regimes, could not be included in the report for lack of reliable data.

The report also measured social hostility toward religious groups. Although religious freedom is scarcest in the Middle East and North Africa, Europe was found to have the largest proportion of countries with increased social hostilities related to religion. Muslims and Christians were reported to have suffered the most harassment based on their religion. Jews, representing less than one percent of the world’s people, were harassed in 75 countries.  Overall, about 70 percent of the world lives in nations with significant religious repression - a figure that matched that of a similar study Pew undertook two years ago. But the nations in which religious repression is increasing tend to be populous, the study’s authors noted.

Religious tolerance is in retreat and religious violence and abuse are growing globally.  More than 2.2 billion people of the world’s total population of 6.9 billion, live in countries where either government restrictions on religion or social hostilities involving religion rose substantially.  In general, these countries already had high or very high levels of restrictions or hostilities towards religions, according to a new study.   Krishna and Srimad-Bhagavatam teach us that tolerance is necessary not only to know that we are different from the body and mind, but also to see others as our sisters and brothers.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Q:- What are the favourable situations for chanting the name of the Lord ?
A:- At first we shall be freed from enviousness to the Vaishnavas because it causes misfortune in this material world as well as in the transcendental world. This material world is the testing place. We find here only sorrow. Tolerance, feeling insignificant and praising others are helpful for chanting the Lord’s name.
 
Q:-What quality should we possess to serve the Lord ?
A:- The things that are favourable in the line of serving the Lord are tolerance, feeling insignificant and praising others. Unless one has tolerance, one can not have strong faith in the Lord. Tolerance is the ornament of a Vaishnava. One can not praise another person unless one feels oneself to be inferior. So these are the attributes helpful in the line of serving the Lord.

Śrīla Bhakti Vaibhava Purī Mahārāj:
“A Brief History of Sri Srimad B.V. Puri Goswami Maharaj”
“Questions and Answers”
Śrī Krishna Chaitanya Mission - http://www.purimaharaj.com/

UN: 600 KILLED IN SOUTH SUDAN UNREST

DEATH TOLL PASSES 600 FROM RAID
IN SOUTH SUDAN, U.N. CALLS FOR TALKS

(CNN) - The U.N. on Monday called for reconciliation in the newly-established Republic of South Sudan after fighting reportedly left at least 600 dead and at least 26,000 cattle stolen.  The Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary General, Hilde F. Johnson urged restraint Monday after fighting between the Murle and Lou Nuer communities in Jonglei State, killed at least 600 and left more than 750 wounded.  Clashes broke out early Thursday morning and lasted through the day, South Sudan authorities reported.  The U.N. on Friday dispatched an assessment and verification team to two of the conflict areas.  The team found 28 casualties at one site and 30 at another along with a number of huts burned to the ground, said Aleem Siddique, spokesman for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. 

The violence occurred when members of the Murle tribe attacked villages of the Lou Nuer, Siddique said.  Though the violence had largely stopped, reconciliation efforts were needed to maintain the peace, he said.  “Peaceful dialogue is the primary means for reconciliation, and the tribal leaders need to sit down and work out their differences.”  Between January and the end of June 2011, nearly 2,400 people had died in 330 clashes across South Sudan, according to a July U.N. report.  Most of these casualties resulted from cattle rustling incidents in Jonglei State's Pibor County.  Cattle rustling is a main source of insecurity in South Sudan as cows represent wealth and social status, and are used as “blood money” or compensation and payment of dowries.  Sticks and spears have historically been used to carry out rustling and the violent disputes it often causes.  However, the proliferation of small arms changed the nature of this practice, making raiding far more deadly.

The United Nations says tribal fighting in South Sudan's Jonglei state has killed at least 600 people since Thursday.  The U.N. mission said there are reports that at least 750 others have been injured.  The fighting stems from a cattle and land dispute between the Murle tribe and the Lou-Nuer tribe and this new retaliatory attack has raised fears of ethnic instability on the deeply impoverished country.  The U.N. said that the cycle of violence must stop, and called for reconciliation efforts.  Unless people understand that we are inseparably connected, whether they are poor or rich, there will be always fight for land, riches and women.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

To determine the root-cause of unrest we ought first to determine the meaning of the self. I strongly believe, that ignorance of our real-self is the cause of unrest, discord and anxiety. ... It has already been stated that differences in the individuals are unavoidable as they are conscious units.  Now the problem is to find a common ground and interest for the solution of these differences. A sense of common interest can be fostered among individuals, if they know that they are inter-connected, are parts of one Organic System and are the sons and daughters of one Father. ... Unless and until the eternal relationship of the people is known to them and they realize that they cannot exist and be happy without the Godhead, Who is All-Bliss, the natural inclination of the people towards the Godhead and diversion of their attention from the material aspects of life cannot be effected.

Śrīla Bhakti Dayita Madhava Mahārāja :
“Realistic Solution for Diverse Humanity”
Speech at a ‘Spiritual Summit Conference’ - 1968 Calcutta.
http://www.sreecgmath.org/scgmtimes/scgmsbdm.php
Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math - www.sreecgmath.org

HINDUS CELEBRATE KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI

JANMASHTAMI: A DAY SOAKED IN
DEVOTION, RITUALS AND CELEBRATIONS

http://www.hindustantimes.com - While hundreds of Govinda groups will build pyramids and break dahi handis on Monday, families celebrated Janmashtami, the occasion of Lord Krishna’s birth, with their own festive rituals at homes and in temples at midnight on Sunday.  Sri Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Sri Krishna Jayanti, Gokulashtami and Krishnashtami, marks the birthday of Lord Krishna.  Krishna’s arrival in the world is celebrated as with enthusiasm and fervour by his devotees.  In Ghatkopar, the six-member Shah family had hidden an idol of Baal Gopal (baby Krishna), which they brought out at midnight, bathed in milk and honey, and dressed in new clothes.  “In keeping with tradition, each of us rocked the cradle in which baby Krishna was kept,” said Khushali Shah, 24, a freelance interior designer. “My nephews also enacted the scene of the Lord’s childhood attempts to steal butter and curd from earthen pots.”

Nita Kotak, 40, prepared for Janmashtami for a week. “We made prasad from coriander seeds, sugar and dry coconut, to give to our neighbours and friends at the temple at midnight,” said Kotak who recited hymns on Krishna at her local Panvel temple on Sunday night, and will observe a fast on Monday. “The fast is traditionally observed to mark the Lord’s birth.”  

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the festival celebrates teachings of Lord Krishna - discipline, knowledge and selfless action - which are timeless.  “May the festival inspire us towards a work ethic based on right conduct and bring success and prosperity to all,” he said.  
Vice President Hamid Ansari greeted the people on Janmashtami and hoped that the auspicious occasion brought amity, harmony, prosperity and happiness in the people’s lives.  “I extend my heartiest greetings and good wishes to the people of our country on the auspicious occasion of Janmashtami”, he said in a message.

With elaborately decorated cradles to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, Janmashtami celebrations began in all India with much gaiety.  The birth of Krishna is celebrated with gusto in many Hindu households.  But temples have their own special rituals for the day.  There is joy and celebrations amongst the devotees of Lord Krishna, for whom no effort seems enough when it comes to serving the Lord.  The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, Hari in His original form, appeared as Visnu so that His father and mother could understand that their son was the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Thereafter, at the auspicious time for the appearance of the Lord, the entire universe was surcharged with all the qualities of goodness, beauty and peace. The constellation Rohinī appeared, as did stars like Aśvinī. The sun, the moon and the other stars and planets were very peaceful. All directions appeared extremely pleasing, and the beautiful stars twinkled in the cloudless sky. Decorated with towns, villages, mines and pasturing grounds, the earth seemed all-auspicious. ... Vasudeva then saw the newborn child, who had very wonderful lotuslike eyes and who bore in His four hands the four weapons śańkha, cakra, gadā and padma. On His chest was the mark of Śrīvatsa and on His neck the brilliant Kaustubha gem. Dressed in yellow, His body blackish like a dense cloud, His scattered hair fully grown, and His helmet and earrings sparkling uncommonly with the valuable gem Vaidūrya, the child, decorated with a brilliant belt, armlets, bangles and other ornaments, appeared very wonderful.

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam - Canto 10: “The Summum Bonum”
Chapter 3: “The Birth of Lord Krishna”
Verses 1-2, 9-10 - Bhaktivedanta VedaBase

AL QAEDA VOWS ‘100 ATTACKS’ FOR BIN LADEN’S DEATH

AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ VOWS 100-ATTACK
CAMPAIGN FOR BIN LADEN DEATH

Baghdad (AP) - Al Qaeda in Iraq has vowed to carry out “100 attacks” across the country, starting in the middle of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, to exact revenge for the death of Osama bin Laden.  The terror group’s statement was released on militant websites late Friday. It said the attacks will avenge bin Laden, who was killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan in May, and other slain senior al Qaeda leaders.  “By God’s will, the campaign starts in the middle of the fasting month (of Ramadan) and ends by God’s will after 100 attacks exactly,” it said. The statement said the campaign would include “varied attacks, including raids, martyrdom operations (suicide attacks), roadside bombs, silenced guns and snipers, in all cities, rural areas and provinces” across Iraq.  Monday marked the middle of Ramadan.

On that day, a wave of crushing attacks swept across Iraq - from the northern city of Mosul to the southern Shiite heartland. At least 70 people died in suicide bombings, roadside bombs and shootings in what was Iraq’s deadliest day this year.  Al Qaeda did not explicitly claim responsibility for those attacks in Friday’s statement, but the chaos is widely believed to be the work of al Qaeda in Iraq.  A little over a year ago, U.S. and Iraqi officials said the deaths of al Qaeda in Iraq’s two top leaders in a raid had dealt a severe blow to the organization. The group has suffered from a drop in funding and just two weeks ago was calling on former members to come back to the fold, a sign of its diminished status.  But Monday’s violence suggests that al Qaeda in Iraq has the ability to resurrect itself and still carry out vicious attacks.

The al-Qaida militant group in Iraq announced a campaign of 100 attacks across the country, starting from the middle of holy Muslim month of Ramadan to take revenge for the death of its former leader Osama bin Laden.  “The campaign started in the middle of the fasting month of Ramadan (middle of August) and, if God wills, will end after exactly 100 attacks,” they said in a statement posted on an Islamic website.  Self-defense and fighting for the just cause forms an important part of the righteous duty, but revenge is not sanctioned in Hindu religion.  Desire for vengeance only lead to the destruction of the worlds.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

We are all for establishing peace in the world, for that is a state of Dharma, but some violence may be necessary to preserve Dharma from violent forces, to bring about peace, as we have seen from the past. This does not mean we use violence that is based on ego, or a political agenda, or for revenge. But it is for the defense and protection of Dharma. This was the reason for the Kurukshetra War, which lead to the speaking of the Bhagavad-gita by Lord Krishna to His friend and warrior Arjuna.  In this way, Arjuna understood that the purpose of acting as a warrior was to preserve the moral and religious principles as held and presented in Sanatana-dharma. But part of that included the destruction of the asuric or demoniac elements that were determined to ruin society by neglecting or even demolishing and annihilating the great spiritual lifestyle as found in Sanatana-dharma, the great Vedic culture.

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
“Crimes Against India And the Need to
Protect its Ancient Vedic Traditions”
“The Purpose of Defending Dharma”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com  -  http://www.stephenknapp.info/
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/purpose_of_defending_dharma.htm

FRENCH OLYMPIC HERO COMMITS SUICIDE

PIERRE QUINON, VETERAN POLE VAULTER
 CHAMPION FROM FRANCE COMMITS SUICIDE

Paris (AFP) - Former Olympic pole-vault champion Pierre Quinon has committed suicide at the age of 49, the French Athletics Federation announced on Thursday.  The news was confirmed by family members.  Quinon’s hour of golden glory came at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, a year after he broke the world record with a leap of 5.82m.  He retired in 1992 and entered the restaurant business in the south of France, and had also been involved in preparations for the 2015 World Masters Athletics in Lyon.  Quinon was part of a golden generation of French pole-vaulters coached by Jean-Claude Perrin that included Thierry Vigneron and he reached the summit when he smashed the world record with 5.82 metres at Cologne in 1982.  That mark lasted just four days before Vigneron went one centimetre higher, but it was Quinon who took gold at the Los Angeles Games ahead of Mike Tully of the United States with Vigneron settling for the bronze.

Among other major achievements during the professional career of the French athlete, we have a silver medal at the 1984 European Indoor Championships, where again, he finished just behind traditional rival, Vigneron. On his sad demise, the world athletics body, the French athletics federation and spectators of the vaulter world around mourned the loss. He was indeed a great champion and a greater player.  It was the first time that a Frenchman had won Olympic gold in the pole vault and represented the peak of his career with injuries spoiling his form in later years before he finally retired in 1992 and entered the restaurant business in the south of France, and had also been involved in preparations for the 2015 World Masters Athletics in Lyon. A police inquiry has been opened into the circumstances of his death.

Former Olympic pole-vault champion Pierre Quinon has committed suicide at the age of 49, the French Athletics Federation announced.  Quinon’s hour of golden glory came at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, a year after he broke the world record with a leap of 5.82m.  Sources of Athletics Federation said Quiñones "suffered from depression" and was on medication.  A confused, frustrated man cannot get relief by committing suicide because suicide will simply lead him to take birth in the lower species of life or to remain a ghost, unable to attain a gross material body.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

The reason for depression may be different for each person, and there are a variety of causes. ... And what is worse, if the depression is not remedied, then it can escalate to feelings of suicide.  When a person in despair feels that all of their basic defenses are broken and there is no one to turn to, nor can they find a comforting voice to console or support them, then they may conclude that there is no way out but through death.  If their cry for help is not heard or seems to be ignored, or if they do not know where to find help, then suicide may be considered as a last resort.  But it must be understood that suicide is never the end.  And suicide, and the state of mind that one has to compel one to commit suicide, is never a way for progressing into the next realm.  Death is never the final act.  It only opens the door to additional challenges that must be met or endured, depending on how one leaves their body.

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
“Curing Depression with Spirituality”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com  -  http://www.stephenknapp.info/
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/curing_depression_with_spirituality.htm

POPE LAMENTS ‘AMNESIA’ ABOUT GOD DURING SPAIN TRIP

POPE LAMENTED “AMNESIA” ABOUT GOD,
A DENIAL OF THE TREASURE OF OUR FAITH

Madrid (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI lamented Friday what he called modern society’s “amnesia” about God as he traveled to a famed Spanish monastery on the second day of his four-day visit for the church’s world youth festival.  Several hundred young nuns cheered, waved flags and performed the “wave” at El Escorial monastery as they waited for Benedict inside a courtyard of the 16th-century complex, a UNESCO world heritage site.  Benedict told them their decisions to dedicate their lives to their faith was a potent message in today’s increasingly secular world.  “This is all the more important today when we see a certain eclipse of God taking place, a kind of amnesia which albeit not an outright rejection of Christianity is nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our faith, a denial that could lead to the loss of our deepest identity,” he said.

As he arrived Thursday, Benedict offered words of encouragement to young people facing precarious futures because of the economic crisis, calling for policy makers to take ethical considerations that look out for the common good into account when formulating economic policy.  Benedict’s main priority as pope has been to try to reawaken Christianity in places like Spain, a once staunchly Catholic country that has drifted far from its pious roots.  He has traveled here three times as pope, an indication that he views it as the key battleground as he tries to remind Europe of its Christian heritage and the place he believes God should still have in everyday life.  Later Friday, he will have lunch with a dozen young volunteers of World Youth Day.

Pope Benedict XVI has said modern society is suffering “amnesia” about God on the second day of his four-day visit to Madrid for World Youth Day events.  Benedict denounced the profit-at-all-cost mentality that he says is behind Europe’s current economic crisis and said morals and ethics must play a greater role in formulating economic policy in the future.  Addressing the nuns, Benedict said “In a world of relativism and mediocrity, we need that radicalism to which your consecration, as a way of belonging to the God who is loved above all things, bears witness.”  Unless one practices celibacy, advancement in spiritual life is very difficult.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Celibacy is such an important part of Vedic education that the Sanskrit word for student is brahmacari (“celibate”).  The pressure to give up celibacy begins, of course, in adolescence, the most dangerous age and often the turning point of one’s life.  Young adults need guidance before and during the teenage years to recognize and follow the right path.  Celibacy trains adolescents for self-restraint, whether they stay single or get married.  It develops their inner strength, self-control, and good character.  It also fosters good health and a fine memory.  Without celibacy we can never realize that we are spirit soul, distinct from the body.  Sex reinforces the illusion that we are these bodies.  Sexual attraction and its extensions in family and society are the main knots that bind us to material identification. Vedic education aims to free the child from these knots so the adolescent can act on the spiritual plane.

Śrīmati Urmila devi dasi :
“Teens and Celibacy”
http://urmila.me.uk/
http://www.brahmacarya.info/2010/03/teens-and-celibacy/

RED MEAT BOOSTS DIABETES RISK: US STUDY

RED MEAT CONSUMPTION MAY
INCREASE RISK OF TYPE 2 DIABETES

AFP - Two slices of bacon, a hot dog or a serving of deli meat daily has been found to significantly boost the risk of getting type 2 diabetes, said a major US study published on Wednesday. The research by experts at the Harvard School of Public Health represents the largest study of its kind to date and appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  Eating 50 grams of processed red meat every day increased a person’s diabetes risk by 51 percent, while eating 100 grams of unprocessed red meat each day, about the size of a deck of cards, boosted the risk by 19 percent. However, those risks went down if the red meat was substituted with nuts, white meat, low-fat dairy or whole grain proteins. “Clearly, the results from this study have huge public health implications given the rising type 2 diabetes epidemic and increasing consumption of red meats worldwide,” said senior author Frank Hu. “The good news is that such troubling risk factors can be offset by swapping red meat for a healthier protein.”
 
The data for the study came from questionnaire responses from more than 204,000 people in US nurses and health professionals’ studies. The subjects were tracked for between 14 and 28 years. Researchers also updated a meta-analysis that included their data with other studies covering more than 442,000 participants. Diabetes affects nearly 350 million adults worldwide, and more than 11 percent of adults over age 20 - or 25.6 million people - in the United States have the disease, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease that involves high levels of blood sugar, is often caused by obesity, lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits.
 

Recently, a major study of the US conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health has found that routine consumption of meat could trigger Type 2 diabetes.  It is believed that the high iron content of red meat can increase inflammatory chemicals, which can destroy insulin- producing beta cells - could be the main reason of triggering Type 2 diabetes.  Due to their unnatural diet meat-eating human beings are far more susceptible to diseases and disorders as compared to their vegetarian counterparts.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Every day, several times a day, every living being, in whichever part of the world he may be, enjoys a universal ritual - eating.  Most people decide what they eat based mainly on taste, cost, habit, nutrition and convenience.  But for those who are a little more thoughtful, here are some other points worth considering. ... The Bhagavad Gita states that foods such as milk products, grains, fruits, and vegetables increase the duration of life and give strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction. Conversely, foods such as, meat, fish and fowl are putrid, decomposed and unclean. They cause numerous hazards to physical health. ... Apart from bringing severe sinful reactions, meat-eating also dulls the human intellect thus rendering it incapable of understanding the higher dimensions of life. Therefore real spiritual life, nay real human life, can not begin unless a human being stops killing his younger brothers, innocent animals, just for the satisfaction of his tongue.

Śrīpad Caitanya Caran das (BE E&TC) :
“Think Before You Eat”
“The Spiritual Scientist” - Vol. 1 Issue 8.
Bhaktivedanta Academy for Culture and Education (BACE), Pune
http://thespiritualscientist.com/

ADOPTING A BABY FROM INDIA

ADOPTIONS BABIES FROM INDIA
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW

India (http://www.lassiwithlavina.com) - One of the ironies of life is that there are millions of children without homes, and without families, while there are millions of adults who wish to be parents but cannot. Adoption is the process which can unite them, and yet it is still a loaded word for many Indian families. For years there was a stigma attached to adoption, especially in Indian society. In a country like India where so much value is placed on marriage, family values and fertility, it can be particularly difficult for a couple to be ‘barren’. In India it can be feast or famine, where children are concerned. The orphanages are full of abandoned children waiting to be adopted. And on the other side you have thousands of couples, both in India and the Diaspora, who can’t conceive and yearn to have a child to nurture and love. Add to that thousands more who, in spite of having their own biological children, want to adopt children and have the time and resources to do so.

So shouldn’t this be the simplest thing in the world - placing abandoned children and prospective parents together to create new loving homes and giving children a future? Most people who have been through the adoption process talk as if they’ve been through the wringer - emotionally and financially - for adopting a child from India is like running a marathon through hoops and mazes. How can one make sense of the procedures and bring about a quick happy ending? The US State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs statistics shows that between 1999 -2010, 224,615 children were adopted from several countries. The total amount of children from India in this time frame was 4753, and of this the number of girls was 3383 and boys were 1370. To know more about it, go to India‘s Adoption Authority,  Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) http://www.adoptionindia.nic.in/

Until recently, adopting a child in India was reserved only for couples who could not conceive a child of their own, often a secret undertaking and managed with a great deal of family resistance, and certainly little support.  In the glorious Vedic times many personalities were adopted by another family, among the most important are undoubtedly the Queen Kuntī, Baladeva and Lord Krishna himself.  Nanda Mahārāja was the foster father of Lord Krishna and Lord Baladeva, whereas Yaśodā Mātā was Krishna's foster mother and Rohini Mātā was Baladeva's foster mother. 

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Vasudeva: Son of King Śūrasena, husband of Devakī and father of Lord Śrī Krishna. He is the brother of Kuntī and father of Subhadrā. ... When Krishna appeared within the bars of Kamsa’s prison house, He was transferred by Vasudeva to the house of Nanda Mahārāja, the foster father of Krishna, at Gokula. ... Baladeva: He is the divine son of Vasudeva by his wife Rohinī. He is also known as Rohinī-nandana, the beloved son of Rohinī. He was also entrusted to Nanda Mahārāja along with His mother, Rohinī, when Vasudeva embraced imprisonment by mutual agreement with Kamsa. So Nanda Mahārāja is also the foster father of Baladeva along with Lord Krishna.  ... Originally named Prithā, Kuntī was the daughter of Śūrasena, the chief of the glorious Yadu dynasty.  When she was a child, her father Śūrasena had given her in adoption to his childless cousin and close friend Kuntibhoja (hence the name “Kuntī”).

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam - Canto 1: “Creation”
Chapter 11: “Lord Krishna’s Entrance into Dvārakā” Verses 16-17
“Teachings of Queen Kuntī, Introduction” - Bhaktivedanta VedaBase

TIBETAN MONK BURNS HIMSELF TO DEATH IN CHINA

IN CHINA TIBETAN MONK DIES
IN SELF-IMMOLATION PROTEST

Beijin (Reuters) - A Tibetan Buddhist monk burned himself to death on Monday in southwest China calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader condemned by Beijing as a separatist.  The Tibetan Buddhist monk protesting Chinese policies immolated himself publicly in a Tibetan area of Sichuan Province in southwest China on Monday, an outside advocacy group reported. It was the second such act in the area in the past five months and appeared to reflect resistance to increased Chinese repression of loyalty to Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.  The monk’s self-immolation could spark fresh tensions in heavily ethnic Tibetan parts of Sichuan, which neighbors the official Tibet region, following protests in March when a Tibetan monk there also burned himself to death.  The London-based Free Tibet organization said the latest immolation-protest was carried out by a 29-year-old monk, Tsewang Norbu, who was from a monastery in Tawu, about 150 km (93 miles) from where the last immolation happened. 

“Tsewang Norbu drank petrol, sprayed petrol on himself and then set himself on fire,” Free Tibet said in an emailed statement, citing an unnamed witness.  “He was heard calling out: ‘We Tibetan people want freedom’, ‘Long live the Dalai Lama’ and ‘Let the Dalai Lama Return to Tibet’. He is believed to have died at the scene,” the group said.  “I saw a monk lying on the ground and burning, he died right in front of the county government building. Before setting himself on fire, he was distributing leaflets,” a hotel receptionist near the scene told AFP over the phone.  Tensions over the fate of the exiled Dalai Lama and his calls for Tibetan self-determination have continued to dog the region, sometimes flaring into protests.

A 29-year-old Tibetan monk set himself on fire and died of his injuries on Monday in southwest China, months after another self-immolation in the restive area sparked a crackdown by authorities.  Before setting himself on fire he was distributing leaflets right in front of the county government building. He was heard calling out “We Tibetan people want freedom”, “Long live the Dalai Lama”, and “Let the Dalai Lama return to Tibet” before he died.  In the epic Ramayana, we read the story of Bharata who vowed to Rama that if he did not return immediately when the fourteen years had elapsed, he would give up his life by self-immolation.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Lakshmana spoke this to Rama:  “Ushered by anguish Bharata must be practising ascesis in city with adoration to you.  On forsaking kingdom and pride of becoming the king of Ayodhya as well and varied and various pleasures too, he is in self-denial, and with his food regulated he sleeps on chilly surface of earth.  That lotus-petal eyed one with blue-black complexion, being the noblest he is knower of dharma thus an advocate of truth, and thus intolerant of ignominy, and as a self-restrained one he talks dearly and sweetly, and he is dextrous and an enemy-destroyer, such as he is, that Bharata on forgoing all of his various pleasures he is devoted to you, as you alone are his adorable brother.”  Whith these broodings Lakshmana is quickening Rama’s thinking to take some action to complete his mission in eradicating the demonic atrocities and quickly return to Ayodhya, lest time slips by and Bharata may self-immolate.

Valmiki Ramayana
“Aranya Kanda (in Prose) - Sarga 16”
http://www.giirvaani.net/giirvaani/vr/aranya/sarga16/aranya_16_prose.htm

INDIA RAMPS UP SECURITY FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY

TERROR ALERT PROMPTS ALL-ROUND
SECURITY FOR I-DAY CELEBRATIONS IN INDIA

New Delhi (AFP) - India's prime minister says his government will take the strictest possible action against wrongdoers in a series of corruption scandals facing his government.  Manmohan Singh made the comments Monday from the ramparts of a 17th century fort during a speech marking the 64th anniversary of India's independence from British rule.  Police and soldiers were out in force across India on Monday as security was ramped up for Independence Day celebrations held in the shadow of blasts last month in Mumbai which killed 26 people.  A senior home ministry official said security measures were being increased in New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata, as well as Mumbai, where police are probing the July 13 bombs.  The three coordinated explosions killed 26 and injured 130, but no group claimed responsibility and detectives have struggled to unearth who was behind the attack.  Indian President Pratibha Patil in her customary address on the eve of Independence Day called for heightened vigilance against militant attacks. 

“The attack in Mumbai last month is yet another grim reminder of the destruction that can be caused by terrorism,” she said in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday evening.  “We need to be ever-vigilant, to fight this menace which is a global phenomenon,” the president added.  The Press Trust of India (PTI) said thousands of police personnel were deployed in the national capital ahead of the celebrations, which mark India’s independence from British rule on August 15, 1947.  Heavily-armed commandos backed by snipers and rapid-action squads will guard the 16th-century Red Fort in the crowded centre of Delhi where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will make his annual speech.  PTI reported “an impregnable ground-to-air security apparatus” was in place around the event.  Security was also raised in insurgency-hit Kashmir and India’s seven restive northeastern states including Manipur, where several separatist groups have asked people to boycott Monday’s celebrations.

Police have made elaborate security arrangements for the Independence Day celebrations today in India, with around 80,000 cops and over 20 companies of paramilitary forces being deployed in the capital.  Officials said they were keeping an eye on the markets as terrorist groups like the Indian Mujahideen had targeted these areas in the past.  After 64 years of independence, due to the prevalence of materialistic way of thinking which exists in most of the countries, Indian society are facing dominance of the western culture.  Day by day the influence of foreign culture is increasing in India.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

In the long and difficult struggle to gain independence for India, Mahatma Gandhi encountered many set-backs. ... Gandhi had always said that real independence for India was not just to become free from British rule. It was also to become free of British culture and industrial way of life and to re-establish the traditional Indian village-based culture which he had always struggled for. He saw India’s destiny as different from that of the West:  “I feel that India’s mission is different from that of others. India is fitted for religious supremacy of the world. There is no parallel in the world for the process of purification that this country has voluntarily undergone. India is the land of duty, not the land of enjoyment.”  Consequently he foresaw disaster if India were to try in her new-found independence to imitate or compete with the West.  “European civilization is no doubt suited for the Europeans but it will mean ruin for India, if we endeavour to copy it.”

Ranchor Prime (Śripad Ranchor Dasa) :
“Hinduism & Ecology” Chapter Eight: “Village Economics”
Friends of Vrindavan (FOV) -  Published by Cassell and WWF UK
http://www.fov.org.uk/hinduism/hinduism.html
http://www.fov.org.uk/aims/aims.html

VEGETARIAN DIET GOOD FOR KIDNEYS

STICKING TO A VEGETARIAN DIET IS   
GOOD FOR KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS

http://www.thehealthage.com - A novel study reveals that taking a vegetarian diet regularly helps patients suffering from kidney disease by avoiding the accretion of toxic levels of phosphorus in the body. The higher level of phosphorus mineral can escort to heart disease and prove lethal for patients suffering CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease).  To investigate the effects of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet on the levels of phosphorus in the body, research team led by Sharon Moe, MD from Indiana University School of Medicine and Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Centre, examined phosphorus levels of body in nine patients suffering CKD.  All the patients were told to pursue vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet for the period of one week and then switch to opposite diet two to four week later. At the end of every week, the blood and urine samples of all the patients were collected by the research team.

The results of the study showed that both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet had equal concentration of protein and phosphorus, however, patients who consumed vegetarian diet reported lower levels of phosphorus in their body. A whole grain based diet has a low phosphate-to-protein ratio and much of the phosphate is in the form of phytate.  Due to that it is not eagerly engrossed. The findings of the study show that the source of protein in diet has chief effect on the levels of phosphorus in patients of kidney disease, explained Dr. Sharon Moe. If these results confirmed in loner studies, give underlying principle for proposing a preponderance of grain-based vegetarian sources of protein to patients with CKD.  This diet would allow augmented intake of protein without unfavorably affecting levels of phosphorus in the body, wrote Dr.Moe in a press release.

A new study has suggested that sticking to a vegetarian diet can help kidney disease patients avoid accumulating toxic levels of phosphorous in their bodies.  Kidney disease patients must limit their phosphorous intake, as high levels of the mineral can lead to heart disease and death.  The study found that patients had lower blood phosphorus levels and decreased phosphorus excretion in the urine when they follow a vegetarian diet compared with a meat-based diet.  Undoubtedly, for humans, eating meat is unnatural.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

A piece of meat is just part of a corpse, and its putrefaction creates poisonous wastes within the body.  Therefore meat must be quickly eliminated.  For this purpose, carnivores possess alimentary canals only three times the length of their bodies.  Since human beings, like other non-flesh-eating animals, have alimentary canals twelve times their body length, rapidly decaying flesh is retained for a much longer time, producing a number of undesirable toxic effects.  One body organ adversely affected by these toxins is the kidney.  This vital organ, which extracts waste from the blood, is strained by the overload of poisons introduced by meat consumption.  Even moderate meat-eaters demand three times more work from their kidneys than do vegetarians.  The kidneys of a young person may be able to cope with this stress, but as one grows older the risk of kidney disease and failure greatly increases.

“The Higher Taste”
“A Guide to Gourmet Vegetarian Cooking and a Karma-Free Diet”
Chapter 1: “Health and Meatless Diet” - “Digesting Meat”
ISKCON - International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust - International (1983, 1997)

UNPLANNED CHILDREN DEVELOP MORE SLOWLY

CHILDREN BORN AFTER UNPLANNED
PREGNANCY ARE SLOWER TO DEVELOP

www.foxnews.com - Children that are the result of unplanned pregnancies tend to experience developmental delays, according to a new study published by the British Medical Journal.  The study found that other factors, like disadvantaged socioeconomic situations, also limit the child’s vocabulary and spatial abilities.  Those pregnancies that are unplanned are also less likely to make it to childbirth.  In the UK, where the study was conducted, nearly 30 to 40 percent of pregnancies that continue through childbirth are not planned.  It is already known that children born after a prolonged time to conception or assisted reproduction are at greater risk of poor health outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and congenital anomalies, and some researchers have reported lower cognitive (mental) scores in such children.  So a team of UK researchers set out to investigate in 12,000 children how pregnancy planning, time to conception, and infertility treatment influence a child's cognitive development at three and five years old. 

The study looked at how pregnancy planning, time to conception and infertility treatment affect cognitive development.  Researchers looked at whether the pregnancy was planned, the mother’s feelings at the beginning of her pregnancy, the time to conceive and infertility drug use.  Children were tested for verbal, non-verbal and spatial ability.  Results originally showed that kids born from unplanned pregnancies were four to five months behind planned children in verbal abilities, while those kids born after assisted reproduction were three to four months ahead. 
Though, these findings were later attributed to the children’s disadvantaged home situations.  The study also said that there are no adverse effects of infertility treatment on the children.

Young children born after unplanned pregnancies tend to have a smaller vocabulary and poorer non-verbal and spatial abilities than other children; however, these problems are actually due to socioeconomic factors, a new study suggests.  The differences in verbal abilities - between children born after an unplanned pregnancy and planned children - disappeared when the researchers took into account the socioeconomic circumstances of each child.  Beyond the results of this study we should understand that respecting the link between sex and reproduction is part of a foundation upon which one can exhibit real love.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

If we ask, “Why are so many children today not raised with love in a stable home?” and “Why do people use birth control?” the answers will be practically the same: the parents think sex is for pleasure only, not for reproduction. ... Those who try to prevent pregnancy - through surgery, devices, chemicals, or unnatural sexual practices - develop a mentality of seeing their body as meant for their own purposes, rather than seeing both their body and the bodies of their children as gifts from God to be engaged in His service. The contraceptive users so much despise Krishna’s plan for the human body that they alter its natural function. They come to hate the responsibilities integral to their own bodies. When those responsibilities take the form of children, they may resent the children as well.

Śrīmati Urmila devi dasi :
“Birth Control Myths”
“All Children Raised With Stability and Love?”
http://www.vaisnavafamilyresources.org/content/birth-control-myths
http://urmila.me.uk/