2010 Fireworks

Srila Prabhupada

Trying To Connect With You

This is a slideshow of pictures of Srila Prabhupada, the music is by a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Mangalananda dasa (aka Michael Cassidy) from the album "Trying To Connect With You" which is available at the above link.

Ayurvedic Medecine Safety Issues

Major safety concerns include adulteration of herbal medicines with toxic metals, and intrinsic toxicity of herbal medications. Some traditional Ayurvedic treatments use toxic metals, herbs, and minerals as part of their remedies. Rasa Shastra, the practice of adding metals, minerals or gems to herbs, increases the likelihood of toxic metals such as lead, mercury, or arsenic in the remedy.

A 2004 study found toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic in 20% of Ayurvedic preparations that were made in South Asia for sale around Boston and extrapolated the data to America. It concluded that excess consumption of these products could cause health risks. A 2008 study found that approximately 20% of remedies (and 40% of rasa shastra medicines) purchased over the internet from both US and Indian suppliers were contaminated with toxic metals.

Traditionally the toxicity of these materials are believed to be reduced through processes such as samskaras or shodhanas (for metals), which is similar to the Chinese pao zhi, although the Ayurvedic technique is more complex and may involve prayers as well as physical pharmacy techniques. Rigorous evidence that the metals may be rendered nontoxic is not available, and case reports describe adverse effects to these metals.

There is evidence that using some Ayurvedic medicines, especially those involving herbs, metals, minerals, or other materials involves potentially serious risks, including toxicity. Adverse reactions to herbs due their pharmacology are described in traditional Ayurveda texts, but Ayurvedic practitioners are reluctant to admit that herbs could be toxic and the reliable information on herbal toxicity is not easily available.

Ayurvedic Medecine Safety Issues

Damodarastakam

Damodarastakam

गो तो थे moon

Kancan Kund / Kankan Kund - Radharani's golden pool where she began digging with her bracelet

I have been looking for more information about Kancan Kund /Kankan Kund /Kankana Kund I am not sure what the correct spelling is. Both are kind of appropriate.

Kancan is the Sanskrit word for Gold,
(http://nitaaiveda.com/All_Scriptures_By_Acharyas/Sanskrit/Sanskrit-English_Dictionary/K.htm)

And Radharani is always said to be so golden, so that seems appropriate.
She has a golden complexion (kancanabha), Her limbs are golden (hema-gatri), and She wears golden armlets (kancanangada-dharini). [From the Narada Pancharata translated by Bhaktivinoda Thakura]

Also a kankan is a love bracelet, kankana are bangles. So as Kancan/Kankan kund is said to be the original place where Radharani began to dig Radha Kund with one of her bracelets, that could also be the correct spelling. I am not sure.

Also Raghunatha Dasa Goswami speaks of Kancanlata Sakhi in Mukta Charita, so maybe it is named after her.
http://nitaaiveda.com/All_Scriptures_By_Acharyas/Raghunatha_dasa_Goswami/Mukta_Charita.htm

I would be interested to know.




This is Kancan Kund / Kankan Kund in 1940s's

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This is a picture of Kancan Kund / Kankan Kund / Kancanakunda in 1986 when Radha Kund was emptied, as it is every twenty years or so...

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And this is Kancan Kund / Kankan Kund / Kancanakunda in 2009. The steps constructed by Raghunatha dasa Goswami are visible as well when the water is emptied.

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Raghunatha Dasa Goswami's Steps

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ( Gauranga) rediscovered Radha Kund and Syama Kund as they had remained hidden for many years. When he found them they were quite small, in paddy fields. Then Raghunatha Dasa Goswami enlarged Radha Kund and added steps in the year 1545 as he envisaged many pilgrims coming to visit.

It was during Raghunatha's excavation work that Kancana kunda was found, as well as the Deities of Radha and Krishna that were found in the mud and installed at the temple known as the Purana Radha Krishna Mandira.

In 1591, the king of Jaipur, Raja Mansingh came to Radha-kunda and constructed more steps above the one’s built by Raghunatha dasa. In 1817 Lal Babu constructed even more stone steps around the kundas.

So in the pictures above you can also see the steps that were originally constructed by Raghunatha dasa Goswami that usually are below the water level.

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Kankan Kund / Kancan Kund manifests as a well that is known to be 50ft deep

Wounded

Today I am wounded, I have stiches in my face and think I am going to look like Action Man with his scar when it heals up.