Welcome to Issue 8 of Gaudiya Touchstone. This issue is devoted to Krishna Janmastami, the appearance of Lord Sri Krishna, which falls on August 18th this year.
Our first article, Who is Krishna? is a lecture by Srila Prabhupada explaining the position of Lord Krishna according to the Vedic literatures. Ma Muncha Pancha Dashakam is a Sanskrit prayer of fifteen verses composed by Swami B.R.Sridhara Maharaja begging for the Lord’s mercy. Swami B.P. Puri Maharaja explains the esoteric origins of Devaki’s first six sons in The Secret of the Destruction of Devaki’s Six Unborn Sons. We continue with Part 2 of Saraswati Thakura’s discourse in Sri Sri Saraswati Samlapa. Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Bengali poem Vrindavana tells us something of the nature of the spiritual world and how the living beings attains it. This issue’s excerpt from Bhagavad-gita deals with the eternality of Krishna’s abode and the origin of the individual atma.
Sri Krishna Janmastami is a lecture given in Govindaji Gardens in 2011 wherein a synopsis of Krishna’s appearance is given. This is followed by a photo spread of pictures from last year’s Janmastami festival in Govindaji Gardens. The article, Real Religion is Not Man-Made explores the philosophy of religion and contrasts Vaishnavism with the Abrahamic religions of the west. Gaura Gopala gives a similar in-depth look into the various philosophical differences in religious thought in Vaishnavism and Religious Equality.
Rasikananda takes us to the ancient temple of Bhu-Varaha in Temples of Karnataka and Swami Giri uncovers the truth behind The Myth of the Aryan Invasion. Dr. N.S. Rajaram goes on The Search for the Historical Krishna. On the scientific front, Dr.Robert Lanza asks Does the Soul Exist? and in our Culinary Magic section, Advaita Acharya teaches us how to make rasagullas.
Our next issue of Gaudiya Touchstone will be released on March 1st 2015. In the meantime, we wish all our readers a happy and auspicious Janmastami celebration.
OM TAT SAT
Swami Narasingha
