text:
Left to right: Larry Mullin, Jr.; Adam Clayton; The Edge; and Bono Vox.
When I was researching what happened in music 30 years ago, one musical event caught my eye, and I am just sorry I missed it this past spring. In February of 1983, a young band from Dublin, Northern Ireland, released an album that changed the musical landscape. Bona Vox, 'War' was released by The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullin, Jr., better known collectively as U2. It was not their first, but the third album from the band, who had established themselves as a musical force with their debut album, 'Boy', and the follow-up, 'October', both of which certified Platinum in sales in the United States, quite the accomplishment for the Irish boys. And then came 'War'.
The band soared to new heights when the album was released, with sales certified as quadruple Platinum. This established U2 as one of the premiere bands of the decade. And this was just the beginning for them. Part of the reason for the success of the album was the remarkable quality of the music. This can be shown with the three singles released from the album, setting the bar for the album. Hitting the shelves on January 1, 1983, "New Years Day" started off as a song about love, but morphed into a song that was inspired by the Polish Solidarity movement, where the Labor Unions came together to fight the bureaucratic Polish government in 1980. The strength of the unions, with leader Lech Wałęsa providing a shining beacon for much of the world. Soon the song became a rallying cry for many across the globe, the message of unity ringing clear. This is the music video for "New Year's Day".
The second single off the album was "Two Hearts Beat As One". Like the previous single, "Two Hearts Beat As One" scored well in the rock market, with heavy airplay on Rock and College radio. The the distinctive playing of Adam Clayton's bass and The Edge's guitar, the sound of U2 was firmly in place on the song. And, of course, there is Bono's spectacular vocals, always delivered with a full-throated exuberance that could not be denied. Released on March 11th, this is the music video for "Two Hearts Beat As One".
Finally, we have another track released in March of 1983, another single that scored well with the Rock and College crowds, garnering plenty of time on the airwaves. The song, another rallying cry for many people, asks the audience how long will they sit by doing nothing when so much is going on in the world that can't be considered right. Whether it is the shooting of Irish Catholics protesting the arrests and jailing of many in Northern Ireland, with no trials or evidence of wrongdoing, or other incidents where injustice is served with weapons, this song calls out for people to unite and stand against oppressive regimes. With a sound that sounds more like a military band going to battle, this is U2 with their final single off 'War', "Sunday Bloody Sunday".
For many, this was a seminal moment for bands in the 1980s. U2 went on to be the Superband of the Decade, as no album released by the band in that 10-year period sold less than triple Platinum. The sound was pure Rock, a driving and engaging sound that is distinctly their own. I remember going to see them play at Giants Stadium in September of 1987, with tickets so far away I couldn't see anything were it not for huge video screens showing us the band playing live. It was an incredible show! You can purchase 'War' from iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about U2, you can visit their official website.


text:
Business Schools in UK Face International Enrollment Drop
According to a recently released report, international business students in the UK are beginning to drop off in number, postponing their studies at universities in the country as a result of stricter visa policies.
The Chartered Association of Business Schools notes that currently, one-third of international students in the UK study in business schools, contributing around $3.3 billion every year to the universities in the country as well as the UK economy. However, last year the number of international students in the country dropped by 8.6%.
As a result, £133.5 million less went to universities and the UK economy, according to CABS. In addition, the report states that the loss could further affect universities because the money raised through business schools is often used to subsidize other subjects and faculties, writes John Elmes for Times Higher Education.
The report, "UK Business Schools and International Student Recruitment: Trends, Challenges and the Case for Change," says that the decline could be a result of UK visa policy reforms, saying the changes made it more difficult for international students to obtain a post-study work visa.
"Allowable visa application refusal rates falling to a maximum of 10% have also made the recruitment process more difficult, with fears that a further tightening may be considered," the report states. "At the same time a more open and relaxed approach to international study visas in other countries, especially Australia, Canada and New Zealand, are putting the UK at a competitive disadvantage."
The government announced the stricter visa reforms for international students looking to work in the country after graduation in May of 2011. The new policy included a number of measures, such as requiring international graduates to have found an employer within four months of graduation that will offer them a position with a salary of at least $28,000, in addition to sponsoring them.
Those looking to start their own business in the UK would need to apply for a "Graduate Entrepreneur" visa and would need university sponsorship.
Rules concerning English language competence have also tightened, requiring students to now have an upper intermediate level of English. According to the report, it is this policy that is perceived negatively by international students and causing a decrease in the number of students who attend UK schools from abroad.
The issue is the largest for postgraduate programs, such as the MBA, which are typically made up of up to 52% international students. University courses in business and administration are popular throughout the country, with business schools enrolling one in five of all university students. In all, 15 of the business schools in the UK have made it onto the world's top 100 by the FT Global MBA rankings, reports Brendan O'Malley for University World News.
A number of key university and business bodies have supported the reports' findings, including the Confederation of British Industry or CBI; Universities UK, which is the vice-chancellors' body; and the UK India Business Council.
Neil Carberry, director of employment, skills and public services at CBI, said that the UK must take it upon themselves to educate the top talent throughout the world, and that encouraging the growth of international students would benefit not only local economies but also the building of global links.
03 15, 2016 Kristin Decarr

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This is a little essay I wrote a few years ago in regard to the scientific aspect of time, consciousness, and the how the universe may have come into being.
The study of Religion, Evolution, The Big Bang, God, Intelligence and Aliens has raised countless fundamental questions about what happened at the beginning of time, and ultimately, what will happen when time ceases to exist in its present form.
Nevertheless, through all investigations and scrutiny have we learned or gained a concrete view on our existence and what ultimately created us?
Consciousness or intelligence, is an energy-life-force that resides in all of us. Where it comes from, or where it goes to after our demise is still frustratingly elusive.
So, unless a way can be found to capture Consciousness or intelligence, or isolate Consciousness or intelligence from our biological bodies – and begin a study into what kind of energy it is structured from, we will never actually know how it could have been formed, and how it could have been created by some 'Third force'.
As a case in point, the spectre of modern day physics should not be used like a crutch by the scientific community for generalizations and assertions on all manner of theories and climaxes about Creation. Their explanations, however well meaning, are by no way a substitute for the facts; and the only facts that would resonate with me – would only be realized if they were actually documented from the eyes and the ears of a 'human witness' giving specific testament at the definite moment of our Universe's creation.
There is no way that anyone could have possibly witnessed the creation of our own planet Earth, because nobody existed at the moment of its conception, except for God that is, but that's only on condition that HE exists.
It all leaves me with such frustrations, as we seem to be still grappling at straws. The situation is not helped when on our television screens most nights we are subjected to numerous intellectual characters, all wheeled out like decaying exhibits with qualifications and credentials squeezed against their names – all making entertainment out of the Creation process and the fabric of our Universe. To me, some of these characters' remonstrations, answers and theories are inconclusive and banal. And they are on a par, with say a World Leader, attempting to defend the use of Nuclear weapons in warfare: nobody can win!
Also, I do wish a few of these scientists would stick to being scientists and not take on the persona of outlandish celebrities.
Nevertheless, if we can't find conclusive facts about Creation, maybe the human brain is our 'knight in shining amour'. It is undoubtedly the clue on how intelligence and Consciousness is formed.
The human brain is awash with billions of neurons and atoms sparking with energy and power. And these atoms are the 'cosmological make up' of our universe. Now, as well as atoms being biological, they are in everything around us that we can possibly see – and cannot possibly see. Atoms are electrical; they have energy inside, breaking down and reforming countless times, similar to how 'Mother Nature' breaks down and reforms matter on our Planet Earth.
Now, if only a way could be found to harness all of these astonishing building blocks of life and actually create our own world of Consciousness, or intelligence, without the aid of a God or a Third force.
A doctor could remove tissue samples from a human brain. Transfer it to a laboratory, and under intense manipulation we could attempt to facilitate the neuron cells: that sparking nervous activity of the brain – and help IT to multiply and grow and ultimately combine together, creating a thinking process. This could be then stored in one of our own kinds of manufactured brains, be it on a computer or inside an organic substance.
Could IT then become self-aware, and next what is to say, that after a period of study an artificial intelligence may well make the leap into a thinking-type-Consciousness.
It is a prospect to be deeply considered. And I'm sure some gifted person will be able to crack this code one day in the future. This then could finally unlock the secrets of our Universe and our Being. And would lead on to the final answer on 'why' or 'how' the Human Race formed – and why our remarkable Universe exploded from out of space and from out of matter.
Text (c) Nathan Toulane 2017
Text (c) Nathan Toulane 2017


text:
|Elliott Sound Products
|Project 88
The original preamp (Project 02) shown on these project pages is basically a good design, but in the interests of improved quality and reduced 'frills' this new version will fill or exceed most expectations. The quality comes largely from the use of good quality opamps, such as the Signetics NE5534 or Texas Instruments/ Burr Brown OPA2134. You can also use the LM4562 or other high quality opamp if preferred. If you use the NE5532, you may find that the small DC offset voltage at the outputs causes some potentiometer noise. If this occurs, use 10µF electros in series with the connections to the balance and volume pots. The polarity is not important, because there will less than 20mV DC across the caps, and polarised electros will last (almost) forever with such a low voltage.
Although a conventional voltage feedback device, these opamps have few peers for sound quality, and I decided that it was time to make a PCB available. Capacitors in the audio path have been reduced to the minimum, and for those who want to, polypropylene caps can be used instead of the polyester types specified. Because of the very small PCB, these must mount off-board, but this will present few difficulties. I must point out that you will not hear any audible difference between polyester and polypropylene in a properly conducted double-blind test, despite what you may read elsewhere.
The key to this design is flexibility and simplicity, and the PCB has been designed with these primary considerations in mind. There is almost no configuration that is not possible, including adding tone controls if you wanted to use them. For even greater flexibility, you could even use two PCBs, although this will rarely be needed in practice.
There is much to recommend using pots on the inputs for CD and Tuner in particular, so their levels can be matched to the other signal sources you have. Although this option is not shown here, it is described in Project 02, and the pots would be used in exactly the same way as shown in the original hi-fi preamp schematics.
A photo of a completed PCB is shown below, as well as some specifications from my prototype.
The circuit is simplicity itself. Use of the PCB naturally makes it extremely easy to assemble, and this project may be combined with the RIAA (phono) preamp shown in Project 06 and the preamp power supply (Project 05) for a complete high fidelity preamplifier.
As shown, the maximum gain through the unit is 9dB (2.8 times), and this is in keeping with many of the latest offerings. More or less gain is readily available, simply by changing a 4-pole DIP switch. Use a 2 pole 6 position selector switch for your inputs, and you will have a preamp with enough inputs for everything.
Figure 1 shows the input selector, and the optional tape outputs. I recommend that the selector switch be located at the back of the preamp, close to the inputs. This minimises the chance of crosstalk or high frequency loss due to cable capacitance, and also limits the amount of shielded cable needed - not that it is expensive, but it is a pain to have to run 12 or 14 shielded wires from the rear of a preamp to the front panel where the switch is normally mounted. ESP can supply suitable extension shafts to extend the rather miserly 50mm or so that is usually provided with rotary selector switches.
Figure 1 - Input Selector, and Optional Phono Preamp and Tape Outputs
The 4.7k resistors (R1 L+R and R2 L+R) in each channel are used to bring the tape signal level back where it belongs, since there is 6dB of gain in the first stage. These resistors buffer the signal you are listening to from any possible degradation caused by the loading of the tape machine, and also ensure that the level to tape is exactly the same as the original. These resistors are not mounted on the board, but are easily accommodated on the tape out connectors. Naturally, there is no requirement to use them, and if you don't use tape, they may be omitted altogether.
Note: If first stage gain is set to 0dB as described below, then R1 (L+R) should be replaced with a link, and R2 (L+R) omitted (the tape in and out connections are straight through).
The first amplifier stage uses one half of an OPA2134 opamp, with a gain of 6dB. With the values shown, response is -3dB at 3.4Hz, and is less than 0.5dB down at 10Hz. Input impedance is 100k - a little higher than the 'industry standard' 47k. The output of this stage then goes to the balance and volume controls. Again, these are not mounted on the PCB, since that would restrict you to the same type of pot and the same spacings as I used - this is too much of a limitation (IMO).
Figure 2 - First Gain Stage
Earlier boards included RF interference suppression by adding a small capacitor between the two inputs of U1 (the space for this cap can be seen in the PCB photo, which is of an early board). This has now been removed, as it caused more problems than it solved - in particular, opamp oscillation with some devices.
Although shown with 10k resistors for gain, you can reduce these for lower noise if you prefer. With the suggested OPA2134 (or NE5532) opamps, these resistors can be as low as 1k. The opamp input resistor (R2 L+R) can also be reduced in value, but at the possible expense of lower RF interference immunity. I wouldn't recommend less than 220 ohms.
The points marked AL and BL are the same as in Figures 1 and 3, and refer to the Left channel only. The Right channel is identical, and uses the second half of the opamp (the Right channel uses connection points AR and BR - not shown in the drawings). Figure 3 shows the balance and volume controls. I strongly suggest that the balance control be retained, as I know from personal experience that it is a pain not to have the ability to centre the acoustic image properly. Moving speakers and furniture about is not always practical, and has an extremely low SAF (spousal acceptance factor). If you don't want to use the balance pot, it may be left out of the circuit entirely.
The volume and balance controls as shown use linear pots. These generally have better tracking than log pots, and the law of the pots is changed to be logarithmic by virtue of the added resistors. The balance pot will have virtually no effect on sound quality, since it is not in the signal path (it just forms part of a simple divider network). The relative impedances of the two networks are separated by a factor of 10, so interaction is extremely low.
Figure 3 - Balance and Volume Controls
There is a loss of 3dB in the balance control, which means that if the balance is set to full Left (or Right), the system power will remain about the same, since the selected channel is boosted in power. In reality, there will always be an audible difference (apart from the missing channel), but maximum L-R balance settings will normally only ever be used for testing. The balance control has a wide central region, and this makes accurate setting of the system balance very easy - it is not at all 'touchy', where a small change in pot position causes a large change in relative levels, but is deliberately quite the reverse.
Figure 4 - Second Gain Stage
The second gain stage is similar to the first, with the main differences being the switched gain and output capacitors. The paralleled caps at the output are designed to ensure that the preamp can drive a power amp impedance as low as 22k with an overall response that is about 1dB down at 10Hz. If the preamp is being used to drive an electronic crossover or power amps that already have an input cap, then the output caps may be omitted and replaced with a wire link.
If you need more gain than this circuit provides as shown, you can use the table below to select a value for R7 (which is selectable using the DIP switch), leaving R8 as 10k in each case. I suggest that only the second stage gain be modified, to prevent the possibility of overload (distortion) of the first stage. As designed, there is no likelihood of any normal line signal distorting the first stage, and it can safely accept an input signal at just under 5V RMS without clipping. This gives the best signal to noise ratio - noise can be expected to be a little higher if the first stage has no gain. Even so, it is doubtful that noise will be audible with any system, provided low noise opamps are used.
|Stage 1 (dB)
|Controls (dB)
|Stage 2 (dB)
|R7 (k ohms)
|Tot. Gain (dB)
|Sens (Ref 1V)
|706 mV
|636 mV
|572 mV
|507 mV
|452 mV
|354 mV
|319 mV
|287 mV
|254 mV
|226 mV
Stage 1 can have a gain of 0 or 6dB (voltage gain of 1 or 2, respectively). As shown, gain is 6dB, and to reduce it to 0dB replace R3 with a link, and leave out R4 in each channel. The table shows the different gains available from the entire preamp (with volume at maximum) for various values of R7 in each channel, and with Stage 1 having 0 and 6dB of gain. Generally, it will be quite rare that you need more than 10dB of gain in a preamp. The sensitivity referred to 1V means that this is the input voltage needed for 1V RMS output, with the volume at maximum. With all switches closed, the second stage has a gain of 5.36 (14.6dB), far more than anyone is likely to need.
Operating the second stage with no gain is not recommended. It may oscillate due to the extraordinarily wide bandwidth of the opamps used, and the comparatively high capacitance at the inverting input. Having said that, it's only a few pF, and when operated with any gain there's little chance of instability. 0dB gain for the second stage is unlikely to be a requirement in practice.
For example, with a power amplifier having a typical sensitivity of 1.0V RMS for full power, a preamp gain of 10dB means that 320mV input will produce maximum output power with the volume at maximum. Higher level signals will require that the volume is reduced to prevent power amplifier clipping.
Because the preamplifier stages have gain to DC (there is no DC blocking capacitor in the feedback path), it is very important that any DC offsets do not get to the power amplifier - this is the reason for the 2µF of capacitance at the output of the preamp.
The PCB version is slightly different from that shown above, and uses either DIP switches or 0.1" jumpers to configure the gain. Full details are available when you purchase the board for this project.
The layout in Figure 5 is one possible way to build the preamp. Because it is powered from a wall transformer, the power switch needs only to be a low voltage type. This method of construction is very safe, and also keeps potentially noisy transformers well away from the preamp, thus ensuring that the noise level is as low as possible.
Figure 5 - Suggested Internal Layout
As shown, the preamp has a power supply board, one phono preamp and the P88 preamp PCB. The details of construction are left to the builder, since cases (etc.) will dictate to some degree the final arrangement of the various sections. The general layout shown keeps wiring to an acceptable minimum, and should ensure a very quiet preamp with absolutely top-notch specifications. The wiring has not been shown, but would follow the schematics shown above. I included a second output in parallel with the main output for convenience. If you don't need it, just leave it out.
For maximum shielding, the case should be all metal, but if a timber case is desired, aluminium foil lining will give very good results. The foil can be stuck down with spray adhesive. Make sure that a good earth connection is made to the foil, and any joins must have a screw to make sure that electrical continuity is maintained.
The quality of the parts used in this project is entirely up to the constructor. If you use high quality parts throughout, performance will rival many of the best preamps available. 1% metal film resistors should be used for all resistor locations, and the opamps must be bypassed using 100nF ceramic caps. Capacitors in the signal path are all polyester, and should be rated at 63V or better. Electrolytic supply caps are all 35V minimum rating.
The rest is up to you. Enjoy
Having build a prototype of the board, I am able to give you some measured specifications, as well as the photograph of a completed PCB.
Figure 6 - Completed Project 88 PCB
Measurements on this preamp were difficult - mainly because noise and distortion are too low to measure accurately. I haven't even tried to measure the distortion, but the figures I do have are as follows ...
|Frequency Response
|10 Hz to 250 kHz -0.4 dB
|< 0.5 mV RMS at full gain (input open)
|Better than -58 dB at 100 kHz
These figures were taken with the unit sitting on my workbench, in close proximity to fluorescent lights and with no shielding. Once mounted in a case with proper wiring (instead of clip leads!) noise and crosstalk in particular will be better than indicated. Crosstalk was measured at 100kHz, because I could not get an accurate reading at lower frequencies. Most was the direct result of input coupling - shorting the unused input gave a reading too low to measure.
I used 680nF (0.68µF) input and output caps, because I had run out of 1µF 63V units - 1µF/100V MKT caps are too big to fit in the space allowed. Even so, low frequency response is perfectly acceptable as indicated above. A -3dB frequency of 2.3Hz is adequate for all normal listening pursuits . If preferred, you can use a 10µF electrolytic, which can be polarised or bipolar. There's no DC voltage to speak of, and even polarised electros will have a long and happy life.
|Copyright Notice. This article, including but not limited to all text and diagrams, is the intellectual property of Rod Elliott, and is Copyright © 2002. Reproduction or re-publication by any means whatsoever, whether electronic, mechanical or electro- mechanical, is strictly prohibited under International Copyright laws. The author (Rod Elliott) grants the reader the right to use this information for personal use only, and further allows that one (1) copy may be made for reference while constructing the project. Commercial use is prohibited without express written authorisation from Rod Elliott.


text:
It's no secret that ultra-high and sharp cheek bones are trending in the beauty world. Those who were born with the bone structure are what we like to call naturally gifted. As for the rest of us, we just have to work a tad bit harder to create the illusion of higher cheekbones. Luckily, we've chatted with a few pros who gave us the low-down on how to be a boss with your bronzer and flaunt the appearance if higher looking cheekbones in just minutes. Check it out!
First thing first, you'll want to start with a freshly cleaned, toned and moisturized face. Once you've allowed the moisturizer to absorb, apply an even layer of high quality, long lasting primer, if you have time, let it be for a few moments so that it can set.
Now, using the pads of your middle and ring finger, you'll want to dab a crème or liquid foundation down the center of your forehead, brim of your nose, and on your cheek bones. The key is to use a foundation that is just a shade lighter than your natural skin tone. Next, you'll need a base foundation that's about two shades darker than your natural skin tone. This time, you'll use your fingers to apply the product just below the cheekbones, along the sides of the nose, along the jawline, and at the temples. Now – as silly as this may seem – go wash your hands with warm water for a few minutes. Once your hands are warm to the touch, pat them dry, then use your fingers to blend the foundation together. Having warm hands is essential for the seamless blending of the product. Once all is blended, set the foundation with a lightweight setting powder. Apply a matte blush to the apples of your cheeks. Then, just above your cheekbones, apply a bright highlighter. Finally, set with a setting spray and you're good to go.
Of course, some people prefer to contour with powder based cosmetics rather than liquid shades. Don't worry, we've got it all figure out for those of you as well. Just as with the first set of instructions, you should begin with a freshly cleaned, toned and moisturized face. Go ahead and allow the moisturizer to absorb before applying an even layer of primer
Once you've given the primer just a few moments to set, you'll want to apply any amount of coverage that you want. This means applying canceler to any imperfections that you might be bothered by, applying your foundation, and setting the coverage with a setting powder. Now you can take your bronzer, and apply it – using a bronzer brush – with light strokes under your cheekbones, on the bridge of your nose, and on your temples. Next, apply highlighter at the highest points of your cheekbones and under your brows. Then, dust a light layer of blush on the apples of your cheeks. Finally, use an all-over face brush to blend everything together for a seamless finish and spritz with a setting spray!


text: Shabbat (aka shabbos) is the Jewish sabbath. It is celebrated every week from Friday at sundown to Saturday at sundown. It is a day of rest, reflection, renewal and prayer. A portion of the Torah is read in the synagogue every Saturday in a yearly cycle. Jews may not do any work on Shabbat. Rabbi Schorsch tells host Larry Josephson that observance of Shabbat helps conserve the earth's resources. Shabbat is one of the most important Jewish holidays since it is observed every week of the year.


text:
Does My Spiritual Master Care For Me?
By Kesava Krsna Dasa
Within such a huge organisation like Iskcon, it is not surprising to sometimes experience less of the affection we expected. There are several reasons for this. But if a disciple feels this way about his or her guru in good standing, does it indicate a neglect of some sort?
The worldwide preaching mission of Iskcon is still a novelty in historical vaisnava terms. This is the first successful attempt, and still very much work in progress. Often we hear that other religious organisations have old-age homes, hospices, hospitals, schools and the rest, and they have been around for many centuries. We have a few of these amenities already, after just 40 odd years, so we're not doing too badly so far. For a preaching mission that supposedly has little regard for "Home comforts," it is doing even better.
We again often hear the comparison that our worldwide expanse fares poorly with the traditional localised system of guru/disciple relationships. Is this true? The majority of traditional gurus were grhasthas, who for family reasons stayed local. The renounced sannyasa gurus usually wandered like mendicants and so their disciples would expect long periods of separation.
It so happens that the majority of our initiating gurus are sannyasis who travel the world preaching. Even the relatively few grhastha gurus also travel and are not always localised. This difference in comparison is not a poor one. Why did Srila Prabhupada set this standard himself? There were times when communities of his disciples waited for long periods before his return from preaching duties elsewhere in the world.
The traditional sannyasis travelled on foot, and our modern-day sannyasis travel by plane, but the principle remains the same. What isn't the same though are the sheer numbers of disciples located in different parts of the world, many of whom also wait for long phases of time before meeting their gurus again. Is this something to worry about?
In his mind's eye, Srila Prabhupada visualised many temples around the world. This inner vision materialised in harmony with Sri Chaitanaya Mahaprabhu's vision. This meant that the preaching he did to achieve this, served a higher purpose than we normally think. There is something about preaching that enables one to feel a sense of unison with the higher order of things.
"The dust of the lotus feet of pure devotees, enthusiastic devotional service, and service to the pure devotees of the highest order, are the roots of the creeper of devotion." (Suddha-Bhakata)
Whether we consider any potential new devotee to be as if introducing a new gopi to Sri Krishna, or whether we preach simply to please the spiritual master, both have a unifying effect that's binds our mutual interest in serving the mission of Srila Prabhupada. That mutual interest is shared by all of our previous acaryas who are oceans of mercy. This quality of mercy is not always fully appreciated. The same applies for spiritual affection.
If a disciple expects to be treated with affection by the guru in the same way as love-lost materialists do, he or she will be disappointed for much of the time. In situations where the divorce rate is unacceptably high, and the adventure for extra-marital affairs ever booming, lovers and married couples have to continually test their bonds of affection with, "Do you love me? Do you really, really love me, and no one else?"
This love-lost test cannot apply to a relationship where the guru is already merciful. The merciful and affectionate spiritual master may be heavy and stern with some disciples, and gentle and forbearing with others. From an internal viewpoint there is no different in the affection displayed by the guru. If we choose to judge externally, thinking that the guru favours some disciples and not others, then our whole conception requires renovation.
If someone raises the question, "Can the spiritual master withdraw his mercy?" then again it is not applicable to a bona-fide guru full of mercy. The prerogative to give or not to give Krishna's mercy is there, but for an initiated devotee the rope of mercy has already been handed out. Rather, any apparent withdrawal of mercy is subject to the disciple's resolve. If a disciple fails to grasp the rope it is not the fault of the guru.
"Krishna is yours; you have the power to give Him to me. I am simply running behind you shouting, Krishna! Krishna!" (Ohe Vaisnava Thakur)
When and if a disciple develops worldly mindedness due to falling short of required standards, it can create relative vision. With this vision one can conclude that perhaps the guru has withdrawn his mercy and affection, and does not really care. This can extend towards fellow devotees too. With this type of consciousness many small incidents will be a cause of disappointment. Relative vision equals relative misery.
"O my dear Lord Nityananda! Since You are always very joyful in spiritual bliss, please cast Your merciful glance over me, because I am very unhappy." (Savarna-Sri-Gaura-Pada-Padma)
For instance, suppose there is a group of 100 disciples and well-wishers converged in one place. The spiritual master appears on the scene. He knows that everyone present would be happy to speak with him, or to receive a greeting and a few words from him. With time constraints or other commitments it is not possible to meet everyone, yet he may speak to some individuals. If this causes great disappointment for those who did not get spoken to or to be acknowledged, the guru can hardly be blamed for appearing to "snub" or "ignore" certain others in the crowd.
"Your heart is the resting place of Lord Govinda, and Lord Govinda says, "The vaisnavas are in My heart." (Vaisnava Vijnapati)
These feelings of disappointment will persist so long as one values the external feature of the guru more than the internal one. Just like on Janmastami at midnight, some pujaris may hand out several prasada items to many eager outstretched hands. Are those who squeezed to the front to receive such prasada more fortunate than the others further back? Yet, standing right at the back could be one sincere soul quietly shedding tears in admiration for the Lord's mercy in handing out the prasada through the pujaris.
"Slay me or protect me as You wish, for You are the eternal master of Your eternal servant." (Manasa-deha-geha)
In this case, the Lord's mercy was distributed differently, but the grateful and appreciative soul had a broad internal vision. With maturity of vision a disciple will realize that the guru cannot be everywhere at once, but he has already accessed the heart of the disciple by planting the holy name – Sri Nama Prabhu.
Another important matter to consider is that providence makes these events happen. To conclude that one's guru is indifferent is to say that Sri Krishna Himself is not merciful or affectionate, which is a philosophical non-starter.
"O Gopinatha, is this Your judgement, that seeing Me averse to You, You abandon Your servant and don't bestow even a particle of mercy upon him?" (Gopinatha, part 2, verse 6)
Yet another problem can slow our Iskcon projects down. We are all dependent on the mercy of the spiritual master. But sometimes we may allow this dependence to make us fairly inactive service-wise, until the guru is around. This is why it is essential that as many of our senior devotees as possible be available, to reflect or mirror the affection of the guru. This is Siksha in action.
This Siksha action of our senior devotees will lend balance to our community structures. They can be the driving force in implementing plans of action. They can also become the emotional support of disciples, or in many cases, junior God brothers and God sisters. They can bridge the sometimes distant openings between the disciples, the gurus and GBC's.
It is not unnatural for any disciple to want to be with the guru. "When will such mercy fall to this one who is weak and devoid of intelligence? Allow me to be with you." (Gurudeva)
But when the number of disciples is large, and missionary duties limit desired guru/disciple interactions, the middle ground of the senior devotees can help make up the difference. Otherwise, some forlorn disciple might end up wondering whether he or she must either do something extraordinary, or the opposite of this, to attract the attention of the guru.
"If you are not merciful unto me, I can only weep." (Gurudeva, from Saranagati)
These sort of things happened when Srila Prabhupada was around too. One incident occurred when Brahmananda Dasa and Bali-Mardana Dasa, who were both influential devotees, decided to greet Srila Prabhupada at one airport, after requesting all the other devotees to remain back at the temple to receive him. These two God brothers greeted their master and received a warm embrace. Were they more fortunate than the other devotees back at the temple?
In light of all the many nuances of the guru/disciple relationship within a progressive preaching mission as Iskcon, the higher purpose that Srila Prabhupada taught us is to rely on the internal, or the instruction side of the guru. Like the sincere devotee at the back of the temple quietly shedding tears in admiration of Krishna's mercy, this fits in neatly with our goal to act in such a way so that Krishna will be pleased to reveal Himself to us. If we replicate this mood towards the guru, eventually the real purposes and treasured goals in life shall be revealed. "We must always keep within our hearts the instructions of Sadhu, Sastra and Guru. This is the process." (Prema-Bhakti-Candrika)
Your servant, Kesava Krsna Dasa – GRS.
22 Responses to "Does My Spiritual Master Care For Me?"
bbd says :
All this mention of "guru", but you didn't specify/define "guru". Which guru? There are many types/forms of guru. However, I would assume most readers will automatically assume you're referencing the diksha guru. Why is there so much importance placed on the diksha guru? I see this as a BIG problem in our modern day spiritual movement.
Over-emphasizing the role & importance of the diksha guru (the one that officiates the Harinam initiation formalities & name giving) at the expense of valuing the equal importance of the other necessary guru forms. Guru is one. Krsna is the original guru & the source of all knowledge. He disseminates knowledge through His unlimited potencies.
I'm willing to walk on a razor's edge and say that this extreme diksha fan club mentality, that seems to be rather widespread, breeds sectarianism and a lack of understanding Sri Guru.
(Disclaimer: I am NOT a ritvik)
pustakrishna says :
In addition, there is Chaitya-guru, Sri Krishna, within our heart. He is our dearmost Friend, and will give us the proper intuition of things according to our dependence upon Him. In the loneliest of situations, Krishna never leaves us…so we must try never to leave Him. Also, Krishna is present in through His representatives, both the Acharya(s) and the associate vaishnavas, and through shastra, like Bhagavadgita and Srimad Bhagavatam. We must realize that we cannot become our own guru. That warning is there from Srila Prabhupad. That will be unsuccessful. So by realizing our dependence upon Gurudeva, we will begin to see His affection everywhere, literally. It depends upon our "attenae" or receptiveness. Pusta Krishna das
Puskaraksa das says :
Thank you Kesava Krishna Prabhu for your enlightened and erudite presentation…
Besides, isn't love enhanced by separation…?
and isn't union in separation achieved, while pleasing the spiritual master by following his instructions, both general and personal…?
Deep subject matter !
However, there is another point which you have left aside, in relation to the level of advancement of the spiritual master… whether he is a kanistha, a madhyama or an uttama adhikari.
As it is, one may reciprocate with the affection and the hankerings of one's disciples, according to how much of a mahatma one is… and as you pointed out, sa mahatma sudurlabha, rare is one who knows Krishna in truth, who sees Krishna, who is a genuine tattva darshi…
Srila Prabhupada, as a bonafide spiritual master uttama adhikari, is saksad Hari…
Sri Guru is the external manifestation of the Supersoul… and knows whatever everyone of his disciples does, says or even thinks at any time !
So, whether he may be externally physically present or not, doesn't make so much difference, in the sense that for his sat shishya he is always present, in the same way that he himself always felt the presence of his own spirtual master by his side…
On the other hand, in the realm of conditioned souls, sincerity is the clue !
If guru and disciple being still on a relative platform, stick to the instructions of the sat Guru and keep associating with sastras and saddhus, while performing seva, they will become eligible to relish on the spiritual platform, in due course of time, the constant association of the Sat Guru and by his mercy, will be able to see Krishna and become tattva darshi themselves…
tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
[Bg. 4.34]
brahmanda brahmite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija
[C.c. Madhya 19.151]
Hare Krishna
Your servant
Puskaraksa das
niscala says :
thank you for writing this article, prabhu, which is an expansion of the topic of your last one, which was about receiving mercy from seniors. You are certainly right that the actual mercy of the guru is his siksa- and you also mentioned that the guru may not have time to talk with everyone when he visits. Then the only siksa the disciple may get is in the form of a public lecture, which is usually tailored for newcomers, or a lecture at the temple, which may or may not allow him time to do his business as a disciple- enquire. It is also expected that the disciple will enquire on matters related to the lecture- whereas his doubts may be elsewhere. He may also feel inhibited due to shyness, to raise his hand in public, particularly to expose a doubt he has! So in 3 aspects, enquiring publicly has its drawbacks- lack of opportunity, related subject matter, and shyness. Therefore, the guru must be available for private and personal enquiries from each and every disciple, in order to ensure that the disciple is gaining ground in understanding all nuances of bhakti, and the practical implications of such- eradicating his personal anarthas- which are unique transmutations of the material modes that need specific instruction on.
It is curious that you interpret the liberating siksa as an onus on the disciple, rather than the guru- as in the carrying out of the instruction. That is only half of the siksa process- the process mentioned in the gita is not just sevaya- serving the instruction, but enquiry. If there is no opportunity to enquire, because the guru has initiated a thousand other disciples, or because he is more focussed on making disciples, rather than keeping them, or on travelling the world, rather than freeing a mind, then it will be a failure. One may object that this is exactly what S. Prabhupada did, but he did not. His personal instruction was there in the form of his books, and additional siksa could be had by mail or in person, if needed. We cannot imitate him, in initiating the numbers he did, without following in his footsteps, spending 6 hours a day, after sleeping 4 at most, writing vital instructions for his disciples and followers, now, and for generations to come.
Generally the warning is against accepting too many disciples. Thus, not following such orders can create difficulties, not least the disciples suffering from lack of guidance.
Visakha Priya dasi says :
In a letter to Sri Galim (see Vedabase) Srila Prabhupada writes:
"To answer your last point, one who teaches can be treated as Spiritual Master. It is not that after we become initiated we become perfect. No. It requires teaching. So if we take instruction from them, all senior godbrothers may be treated as guru, there is no harm. Actually, you have only one Spiritual Master, who initiates you, just as you have only one father. But every Vaisnava should be treated as prabhu, master, higher than me, and in this sense, if I learn from him, he may be regarded as guru. It is not that I disobey my real Spiritual Master and call someone else as Spiritual Master. That is wrong. It is only that I can call Spiritual Master someone who is teaching me purely what my initiating Spiritual Master has taught. Do you get the sense?" (italics mine)
If I don't like the way my spiritual master treats me or if I think he doesn't understand me or if this and this and that, then I can go to another devotee who will pander to my desires. This attitude is the other extreme of the diksa-fan club and perhaps as widespread.
Disclaimer: I am NOT a member of the diksa-fan club.
One thing that we have going for us compared to guru-disciple relationships in olden times is, modern communications systems such as email and Skype which makes it easy to stay in touch over long distances. (I supposed experts like Sanjaya and Vyasa had no need of such contrivances, but for the beginners who are not perfect in yogic telepathy, there is now internet telephony).
Regarding Disha-Siksha, I recently read Sivarama Swami's book "The Siksa-guru, Implementing Tradition Within ISKCON", published in 1999 by Bhaktivedanta Intezet. I found it interesting, and it challenged some of my assumptions on the subject. In fact, Sivarama Swami disclosed that in doing the research before writing the book some of his own, similar assumptions were dispelled. Sivarama Swami writes:
"At the beginning, we had a different conception of siksa-guru. Our idea was that the diksa-gurus and siksa-gurus were autonomous representatives of Lord Krishna, who, in the course of a devotee's spiritual life, exercised their influence according to their unfettered will. Perhaps it was his spiritual need or the arrangement of Lord Krishna that would direct the flow of a devotee's spiritual fortunes, sometimes to the initiator, sometimes to the instructors. If one found a very exalted instructor, then by all means one should soak up the nectar, at all cost, for who has the right to regulate the flow of transcendental knowledge and the right to be Krishna conscious?
"In retrospect, this scenario sounds horrendously selfish and anarchistic. But there it is; that is what we understood. … But once we set out to study Srila Prabhupada's instructions, read other relevant texts, and discussed with senior devotees, the picture changed. At first we rejected the apparent conclusion. In time, for lack of other authorized alternatives, we struggled with it and, once convinced it was Srila Prabhupada's will, we embraced it…."
"…A devotee may receive ongoing instructions from sadhus or be directed to an advanced Vaisnava for siksa. Still, he considers his diksa-guru as his main connection to the Lord. All others act like assistants to the initiator, although from the absolute point of view they are equal and non-different…
"The spiritual masters must be aware of their grave responsibility and work cooperatively, free from personal ambition … They should encourage their disciples to respect those who give siksa, whoever and wherever they may be."
pustakrishna says :
The formality that Akruranath Prabhu has brought out must be re-examined. Really, Siksha or instruction is the life of association. Diksha is a formality, but an important one, since one should learn the offenses against chanting of the Holy Names purely. The Diksha is thus a beginning of the formal commitment to place Krishna consciousness as central in one's life. But, Siksha, association and inspiration, is vitally important.
We may consider that Krishna brings us what we need and maintains what we have…according to His instruction in the Bhagavad Gita…and that this instruction relates to the spiritual needs of the bhakta. Bhakta literally means 'one who is maintained'. The bhakta must feel oneself dependent upon Krishna. Krishna is fully independent, and does not have to conform to any preconceived idea we may have. Krishna is our Maintainer, not our order supplier.
There seems to be much concern with the question of affectionate dealings between devotees, and especially between the disciple and his or her gurudeva. Please know that there is an ocean of affection awaiting each and every one of us. Krishna is espertly taking us there through His help and through the assistance of His external representatives. But, we must never consider that the 'affection' we are counting on is something like the affection of the mundane world, lust. Lust is based on exploitation for sense/mind enjoyment. Love is revealed spiritually according to the Will of Krishna. Brahma bhuta prasannatma….mad bhaktim labhate param. Bhakti is obtained as the fruit of spiritual determination and quest. One already feels self-satisfied in decision and determination to make the spiritual life the goal of one's existence. But love will flood the bhakta gradually or immediately as willed by the Supreme Lord.
One word of caution, I believe, is necessary: People are trying to compare current disciples of Srila Prabhupad who have taken on the responsibility of giving diksha with great acharyas like Srila Prabhupad. It is not necessary that one have the charisma, the wealth of knowledge, or the wealth of spiritual experience, to become an initiating teacher. Certainly, you do not want your teachers to fall away from the determination of Krishna consciousness….but if one can teach according to realization, in a manner consistent with the Guru Parampara, then they may be qualified to initiate bhaktas into the chanting of the Holy Names. Pusta Krishna das
niscala says :
thats interesting, Akruranath and Visakha Priya, that the siksa guru must only be secondary to the diksa guru- that the disciple must consider the diksa guru as his main connection to the Lord. It seems that throughout the guru parampara, the opposite happened many times- many links being siksa not diksa links. How can that be right?
Considering that Bhaktivonode Thakura considered his siksa guru, Jaganatha Dasa Babaji's instructions most importantly, and rejected at least some, if not many, of the instructions of his diksa guru, particularly when the latter started claiming he was superior to Raghuinatha Dasa Goswami- due to his birth-I think that Srila P rabhupada's instructions need to be taken in context- that he was preaching to his disciples according to time, place and circumstance. He knew that he was not deviating in any way from the conclusions of sastra and parampara, and he wanted that the other gurus in his disciples lives, siksa gurus, exactly follow his preaching, not be at variance with it: "my only qualification is that I do not change the message"
If a diksa guru is in any way deviating from Srila Prabhupada's instructions and orders, and one finds a siksa guru who isn't, then does it not make sense to follow the example of Bhaktivinode Thakura and consider the siksa guru's instructions the vital ones? The main thing is that the guru is bonafide- whether he is siksa or diksa guru is secondary. Bonafide means that he is exactly following the orders and precepts of the predecessor acaryas, all the way back to Krsna.
I think that the essential point in understanding Srila Prabhupada's instructions, is that when he speaks of siksa and diksa gurus, he is speaking of bonafide ones, who do not deviate in any way, personally or philosophically. Assuming both are bonafide, the siksa guru should certainly give directions in accordance with the diksa guru. In the present context, the pre-eminent siksa guru (Srila Prabhupada) is the one to allign oneself with, and diksa gurus are bonafide inasmuch as they do not deviate an inch from the instructions of the Srila Prabhupada.
Times have changed, and far more stress was placed by Srila Prabhupada on the guru being bonafide, on the guru "not deviating an inch" on "the message being passed down unchanged" than on diksa gurus versus siksa gurus. The clue is in his last words in the quote "all on the absolute platform"…
KKDasa says :
Dear BBD?
I hope you will appreciate that all broadminded members of Iskcon are fans of the Guru Principle, or the Principle Of Guru with all of its varieties, and yes, including the emphasis on Siksha as our predecessor acaryas taught.
It is true there may be some elements of sentimental guru worship, but as Puskaraksa Prabhu mentioned in his comment (3), that with the right guidance and willingness to progress in Krishna consciousness, the internal mood will blossom eventually.
One does not have to be a deviant to highlight these things, but then, there should be an effort made to highlight certain issues amongst ourselves in the spirit of cooperation, as Srila Prabhupada desired. Unfortunately, there are those who cannot withstand this cooperation and will try to suggest, or exaggerate matters from the comfort of non-involvement, or motivated righteousness.
And guess what? It seems to be easier to opt out of the rigours of cooperation, and easier still, to pass judgement. It should again be appreciated how the members of Iskcon are serving in cooperation, and sometimes in difficult circumstances. That is where the mercy of our Siksha Guru, Srila Prabhupada, flows abundantly for those who try, even try, with their body, mind and souls to do the needful. Yet this conception cannot be grasped by all.
Pusta Krishna Prabhu,
It seemed your comment was a part two, or a continuation of something previously written. It would be presumptuous to ascertain your whole message otherwise.
Vishaka-priya Mataji,
It is nice to see you getting more involved here. We met a few weeks ago in Johannesburg and you indicated about this. And your contributions are valuable too.
You correctly wrote of the other extreme of Guru worship. We in Iskcon are striving for the correct balance in terms of "institutional" challenges and other trial and error developments. You and I have witnessed and experienced the downside of unqualified gurus. This experience certainly does not produce membership of guru "fan" clubs. We are "fans" of the guru principle, and the oneness of guru in all of its varieties, if we want to put it that way.
Ys, Kesava Krsna Dasa.
KKDasa says :
Puskaraksa Prabhu,
Yes, you made some valid points, as you did with my previous article. The problem is, that when trying to focus on a particular aspect of, as in this case, Guru worship, it would lengthen the article greatly to add other considerations. To evaluate the level of advancement of the guru or prospective guru is an extremely important part of Guru Tattva. It would require at least a lengthy paper to cover this.
You may not be aware, but I wrote a previous article for Dandavats called, "When Guru Worship Gets Sentimental." I briefly mentioned the downside of over-estimating the advancement of certain gurus. But this topic needs to be understood in perspective with our present early days of Iskcon and so on. It is worth writing about, but has to be done carefully due to the sensitivity of it.
One can imagine that for God brothers and God sisters, who were raised in Krishna consciousness along with someone who eventually becomes guru, will probably have a different perspective on that guru than his disciples would have. Yet, in the context of the problems we experienced with certain gurus not living up to very high standards previously, there has to be some awareness, or even preparedness in case something undesirable happens.
Niscala Mataji,
In regards to the curiosity raised about the emphasis on diciples working on the guru/disciple relationship, we have to ask; does the guru need disciples, or do the disciples need a guru?
When the necessity is there for one to search out for a bona-fide guru, then the need is greater for the disciple. Of course, as you say, the guru must teach the disciples. And if there isn't much time for this? This can be a problem. This is why we need the siksa principle brought to life with our senior devotees being there. Again, prospective disciples are warned, or should be warned, about the likelihood of personal contact, or lack of it, especially with gurus who have many disciples.
Akruranatha Prabhu,
Amazing how technology can enable instant contact, as if going back to the walking pace of the sannyasis of olden times. But not all gurus are up to scratch with skype and so on.
With so many senior devotees around within Iskcon, they should be taking the siksa role. This can help lessen the external dependence on the guru, as well as tone down possibilities of sentimental guru worship as happens sometimes. This can bring siksa to life, as it were.
Ys, Kesava Krsna Dasa.
Gangamantri dasa says :
Puskaraksa das prabhu has commented in #3 :
"Sri Guru is the external manifestation of the Supersoul… and knows whatever everyone of his disciples does, says or even thinks at any time ! "
In this conversation with His Holiness Jayadvaita Swami(bramacari at the time), Srila Prabhupada clarifies the perfection of the Acarya. He is not considerered omniscient as God. How Krsna dictates His instructions through the medium of the spiritual master is indeed mystical and as the Supersoul He knows the heart of all. By the grace of Krsna the spiritual master can know the heart of the disciple. It is not a given that the guru knows whatever everyone of his disciples does, says or even thinks at any time. On countless occasions Prabhupada would inquire about the well being of his disciples and was sometimes surprised to hear about their behavior. Other times devotees experienced how Prabhupada seemed to "read their minds" when he would address their unique circumstance with an unsolicited gesture, glance or statement. In a lecture published in the Harmonist(1936), Prabhupada further clarifies the universal application of Sri Guru by stating,"There does not arise any question of discriminating my guru from your's or anyone else's. There is only one guru, who appears in an infinity of forms to teach you, me and all others." Thus Sri Guru is the external manifestation of the Supersoul.
Jayadvaita: Because we see… For instance, sometimes the acarya may seem to forget something or not to know something, so from our point of view, if someone has forgotten, that is…
Prabhupada: No, no, no. Then…
Jayadvaita: …an imperfection.
Prabhupada: That is not the… Then you do not understand. Acarya is not God, omniscient. He is servant of God. His business is to preach bhakti cult. That is acarya.
Jayadvaita: And that is the perfection.
Prabhupada: That is the perfection. Hare Krsna.
Jayadvaita: So we have a misunderstanding about what perfection is?
Prabhupada: Yes. Perfection is here, how he is preaching bhakti cult. That's all.
Dear Niscala Prabhvi,
In answer to the point you raised, I think the statements made by Sivarama Swami which I quoted refer to the ordinary situation in which neither the diksa-guru nor the siksa-guru have deviated from the parampara. Under this normal situation, there are considerations of etiquette that apply, and the bona-fide diksa-guru remains the disciple's main link to the Lord, even where siksa-gurus are of greater stature and devotional power. Neither the bona-fide diksa-guru nor bona-fide siksa-guru deviate from these rules of etiquette, and the disciple takes back the realizations he has learned from the siksa-guru to be confirmed by the diksa-guru.
The situation you raise, of a diksa-guru who has deviated from the bona-fide Vaisnava path, falls outside what Sivarama Swami calls the "Traditional Protocol."
I recommend Sivarama Swami's book. He mentions that it is an introduction to a big subject. I do not know if he has further developed these themes in some of his subsequent books (but I look forward to reading them).
Regarding the above point, Sivarama Swami gives a lot of evidence. I only have time and space to quote a little here:
"Siksa-guru does not mean he is speaking something against the teachings of the diksa-guru. He is not a siksa-guru. He is a rascal, because that is offense. Gurur avajna… " (SP lecture, Honolulu, July 4, 1974)
"If K. Maharaja speaks what I speak, then he can be taken as siksa guru. Guru sastra sadhu. The spiritual master is one, that is a fact. K. Swami may be taken as sadhu, not spiritual master, or as instructor guru." (SP Letter, July 20, 1974)
"If one's initiating spiritual master and instructing spiritual masters are of small spiritual potency, or in other words, if they do not possess a special power to give spiritual instruction on worship for devotional service, then one may listen from the mouth of other great advanced Vaisnavas and understand the special instructions. However, thereafter the disciple must go to his spiritual master for his confirmation or instructions." ["Sri Krishna-bhajanamrta" by Narahari Sarakara Thakur, verse 46]
I should make clear that a main theme of Sivarama Swami's book is that the importance of siksa-gurus and the fact that our sampradaya is based on siksa has been under-emphasized in ISKCON, and this needs to be corrected.
However, the proper etiquette for dealings among siksa and diksa gurus (and their disciples) should also be known and observed.
Visakha Priya dasi says :
Vaisnava etiquette is one thing. When Ramacandra Puri criticized Sri Caitanya Mahapra bhu, Mahaprabhu responded by following his instructions, but only until Ramacandra Puri left Jagannath Puri. Thereafter, the Lord resumed His former activities. In the same way, although we need to follow a certain external etiquette, we cannot entrust our spiritual lives to anyone and everyone without discrimination. At least I cannot. It seems to me that only a complete neophyte trying to imitate a mahabhagavata can do so.
One last thing: Even though our line is bhagavat-parampara, not diksa-parampara, we need a diksa-guru. Although Bhaktivinoda Thakura is said to have rejected Bipin Bihari Gosvami, the reason given by Niscala Prabhu seems to indicate that Bipin Bihari Gosvami was a smarta brahmana, not a Vaisnava. Because no Vaisnava, especially a Gaudiya Vaisnava, could possibly think himself or herself greater than Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. And therefore he was fit to be rejected. But we are not talking about this, are we? We could if the need arises. As Kesava Krsna Prabhu mentioned, he and I have plenty experience about that paticular subject. But right now we seem to be discussing bona fide situations, so I will stop here.
Puskaraksa das says :
Dear Krishna Kesava Prabhu
Yes, I had assumed that you had voluntarily left aside the evaluation of a specific person playing the role of guru aside, in your benevolent and merciful attempt to encourage juniors if they felt neglegted by so and so…
In that respect, taking shelter in vani is definitely a life long valid instruction !
However, as with Krishna, love is the only clue for everlasting remembrance and ultimate union in separation…
Nevertheless, I had felt duty bound to say a word so that one may not misinterpret your presentation and cheaply transpose what was true with Srila Prabhupada as an uttama adhikari, nitya siddha, premi bhakta, on any person who would still be a conditioned soul, acting on the conditioned platform… who would definitely have a way of relating with his entourage still influenced by the modes of material nature…
Dear Gangamantri Prabhu
What can I say… Everyone speaks according to one's degree of understanding and realization, as you may judge by yourself with the mood underlying the question you have quoted…
Symptomatically, Srila Prabhupada tries to protect his disciple from making the aparadha of trying to find some fault or so called imperfection with Sri Guru, by interrupting… as (if – for those who have doubts) he knew what was in the mind of this, at the time relatively new in Krishna Consciousness, devotee…
Guru means Guru and the title of Sri Guru refers to he who is endowed Sri, with Krishna prema, by the mercy of both Gaurangi and Gauranga…
Sri Guru is one in essence…
But lessons taught by Caitya Guru can be many, displayed via the medium of various external manifestations, as in the example of the avadhuta brahmana who accepted twenty four gurus…
Srila Prabhupada certainly knew – and if you kindly allows me, I would rather say – knows past, present and future… He is tri kala jna and this would certainly not be possible if he was/is not the external manifestation of the supersoul, a title deserved only by saksad Hari, the liberated soul, the premi bhakta whom we refer to everyday while singing the samsara prayer to the spiritual master, the sat guru…
As such, Srila Prabhupada has proven in numerous examples that he knew what someone did, said or thought, without having to be told !
Now, only when the training intensifies, may one experience such close attention from Sri Guru and intimacy, what to speak of when love solidifies…
niscala says :
Akruranatha:"Siksa-guru does not mean he is speaking something against the teachings of the diksa-guru. He is not a siksa-guru. He is a rascal, because that is offense. Gurur avajna…
It is clear from this statement that the essential qualification of guru is that he does not change the message. In our case, that message is not from the diksa guru, as in Prabhupada's time, but the siksa guru of all of ISKCON, who is Srila Prabhupada. To the extent that our diksa gurus don't change in any way the message of that siksa guru, they are to that extent, bonafide. And if they are in this way, bonafide, then other siksa gurus should not speak something against their teachings- as that would be a deviation. It is not because the diksa guru is above the authority of the siksa guru, but because he is bonafide- that he does not change the message- that is the criterion of his authority, not that he performed a fire sacrifice and gave a name. And if he is bonafide, the siksa gurus should not contradict his teachings, as that would certainly be deviation.
"If one's initiating spiritual master and instructing spiritual masters are of small spiritual potency, or in other words, if they do not possess a special power to give spiritual instruction on worship for devotional service, then one may listen from the mouth of other great advanced Vaisnavas and understand the special instructions. However, thereafter the disciple must go to his spiritual master for his confirmation or instructions."
It is not clear here which spiritual master he needs to go to for confirmation- the siksa or the diksa guru, so this quote is irrelevant. Is there a quote in Sivarama Swami's book that even if the siksa guru is more spiritually advanced or more pure than the diksa guru, one still needs to confirm the siksa guru's instructions with the diksa guru? Lacking such evidence, it is to be understood that when Srila Prabhupada speaks of the diksa guru to his disciples, he is referring to himself, and when he says that the siksa gurus should not deviate from the diksa guru, he is referring to his disciple's not deviating!
This is indicated in the quote you give: If K. Maharaja speaks what I speak, then he can be taken as siksa guru.
And if K. Maharaja has these days become a diksa guru, and Srila Prabhupada is regarded as the siksa guru for his disciples- then their diksa guru must not deviate. Lacking such clarity, opens the doors to minimize the instructions of S. Prabhupada..
KKDasa says :
There is one important consideration to be made which is often overlooked, and which would render the main diksa argument as inadequate.
Experience tells us that our present diksa gurus are not just diksa gurus in name only. Most if not all, are active siksa gurus as well, through the methods of preaching to one and all. This active dual role suits the importance of siksa over diksa.
Because our diksa gurus are actively preaching as siksa gurus, there should not be a great deal of concern if it appears that disciples are overly attached to the diksa feature. This apparent attachment is given more to the siksa aspect of the diksa guru.
So long as disciples treasure the instructing side of the guru, and render service to the diksa/siksa guru as is necessary, then the balance of service and respect to the principle of guru in various manifestations is upheld.
Ys, Kesava Krsna Dasa.
Puskaraksa das says :
Dear Krishna Kesava Prabhu
I had assumed that you had voluntarily left aside some aspects of Guru tattva as your main intention was to mercifully comfort devotees and highlight the importance of service in separation, based on the unity in between vani (instructions) and vapu (physical presence).
Of course, there is the absolute platform where Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and where Guru refers to Sri Guru, he who is endowed with Sri, with Krishna prema. The ways, such a liberated soul interact with other jivas in general and his disciples in particular is also perfect and transcendental.
However, on the relative platform, when the spiritual teacher is still influenced by the modes of material nature, there is some scope for imperfection and some shortage may be felt…
Nevertheless, one should persevere on the spiritual path and search for the association of Guru, Sastras and Saddhus…and try to be as sincere as possible, for the mercy of Guru & Krishna is available to the sincere souls even if they are fallen, but not to the crooked and duplicitous…
Dear Gangamantri Prabhu
Thank you for your comment and for initiating a discussion on the topic of the potency of Sri Guru, he who is worthy of the title of saksad Hari, whom we chant the glories everyday in the samsara prayer…
In that regard, on the morning walk in Los Angeles on 8 June 1976, Bharadvaja prabhu asked something directly applicable to Prabhupada himself.
"I understand, Srila Prabhupada, that the pure devotee can be as pervasive as Supersoul? By the mercy of Supersoul, he can be present in many places at once?"
"Yes. By the grace of Krsna," Prabhupada told him, "a devotee can become anything."
"So in other words," Duryodhana-guru asked, "that means the pure devotee can be omniscient?"
"Everything," Prabhupada confirmed. "God is omniscient, so a pure devotee can be omniscient by the grace of God."
So, the answer to the question "Can Sri Guru, by the grace of Krishna, as the external manifestation of the Supersoul, know whatever everyone of his disciples does, says or even thinks, at any time?" is yes.
However, that doesn't mean that he will be aware of everything, everywhere, at any time. Not only, as you rightly say, because he is not God and doesn't have all the powers of God, but because he is only endowed by God with the powers and knowledge useful for the fulfillment of his mission.
Puskaraksa das says :
Srila Bhaktisiddantha nicely explains the range of action of Sri Guru:
« It is not for us or anyone to fully know the ways of God. We are only aware of that much of the divine activity as is helpful to us for His service. The least particle of such knowledge is more than sufficient for all the purposes of our pure souls. The person who knows God does not understand His ways in the sense in which Godhead understands them. He understands them in the measure that is necessary for having his conscious share in those activities as a subservient of His subservients. Admission to the plane of service is equivalent to the cessation of spiritual ignorance. Spiritual enlightenment does not mean that the person so enlightened understands all things as God Himself understands them, either of this or of any other world. What such a person actually understands is his own relationship to and location in the uncovered plane of the Absolute Reality. Instead of being an insignificant ignorant actor in this mundane cosmos, he finds himself to be the most insignificant conscious entity in the plane of the supermundane sphere of all-existence, all-knowledge and all-joy. He consciously shares in the life of that realm in the tiny measure of his eligibility for the service of God. »
Of course, a conditioned soul may not even conceive of what is the "eligibility for the service of God" of he who is worthy of the title of "Jagat Guru"!
Another reason for a liberated soul, mercifully coming down from the spiritual world to liberate the jives, to appear both as an empowered Acarya and as a meek and humble human being can be witnessed in the example of Jesus, of our Srila Prabhupada and of Sri Guru in general, as Sri Guru (the bonafide spiritual master) is one in essence.
For instance, Jesus could perform miracles and foresee the course of events, including the betrayal of Judas leading to his crucifixion, but he also seemingly acted as a meek and humble jiva, addressing God on the cross "Father, do not abandon me…", while still praying, in the mood of Prahlada Maharaja, for the forgiveness of those who had tortured him "Father, please forgive them, as they don't realize what there are doing…".
Therefore, Srila Jiva Gosvami explains that Krsna empowers His pure devotee with His own qualities. Krsna has so many qualities, and one of His best qualities is that He empowers His pure devotees with sarvajnata and mugdata: omniscience and bewilderment or lack of knowledge.
Puskaraksa das says :
These two qualities are simultaneously present, sarvajnata and mugdata. As a matter of fact, these two qualities are also simultaneously in the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna Himself. On one hand He is all-knowing and on the other hand He is like a cowherd boy, sometimes bewildered and as though knowing nothing.
In this way, in one of the Vedanta sutras, it is stated that when Sri Guru, comes to this world as an empowered acarya, he performs what is called naravata-lila. This means that he acts like a human being, otherwise the general mass would not be able to follow him. Although a perfect soul, he behaves like a human being. In this way anyone can follow him and benefit from his example.
However, rather than try to understand Sri Guru according to our relative level of spiritual advancement at a given time (as illustrated in the example you quoted) and try to see the glories of Sri Guru, which are unfathomable, the best attitude is to try and act, speak and think in such a way that Sri Guru will see us – that is to say will wish to look at us – the same way that Srila Bhaktisiddantha Sarasvati Thakur Maharaja Prabhupada and our Srila Prabhupada have explained that rather than try to see Krishna, who is the seer (Purusha), we should try to act, speak and think (alike a genuine tridandi sannayasi) in such a way that Krishna will see us, i.e. will take pleasure in looking at us.
"Krsna appears in two ways. He appears as antaryami, the Supersoul within himself, within oneself, and He appears as the spiritual master, externally. Caitya-guru and diksa-guru. Caitya-guru… As caitya-guru, as the supreme spiritual master, He is in everyone's heart. And His representative… In order to help externally the sincere person, He sends the spiritual master. Therefore the spiritual master from outside and the caitya-guru from inside, they are helping. The Supreme Personality is helping a devotee, a real, serious devotee two ways: from within, from without. The Caitanya-caritamrta therefore says that krsnera prakasa, manifestation of Krsna, a spiritual master. And Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasya aprasadad na gatih kuto 'pi: "If I can satisfy my spiritual master, then I understand that Krsna is satisfied. And if I cannot satisfy my spiritual master, then I have no other way to approach Krsna." These songs we sing every day …/…
Puskaraksa das says :
So my Guru Maharaja used to say that "Instead of seeing Krsna, you serve so faithfully that Krsna will see you." That should be the process. Krsna is omnipresent. He can see you. He can understand you, what are doing. So we have to execute devotional service in such a faithful way that Krsna will see us. Then you will be successful. "Don't try to see Krsna. Try to become seen by Krsna." That was my Guru Maharaja's instruction."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam, 02-10-71, Gorakhpur
As one makes progress along the path, one may feel the glance of Sri Guru and one may experience more and more the presence of both Krishna as Caitya Guru within one's heart and Sri Guru by one's side in the course of one's service, which made Srila Prabhupada say, that he only accompanied his spiritual master in the US…
So, let us pray that we act, speak and even think is such a way that both Krishna, seated on the lotus of our heart, and Sri Guru who knows the hearts, may be pleased by our devotional service and may grant us the boon of becoming their eternal servants…
Hare Krishna
All glories to your service
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
All glories to Sri Guru & Sri Gauranga
Your servant
Puskaraksa das
Visakha Priya dasi says :
Regarding Niscala Prabhu's question about whether we need to confirm with one's diksa-guru even though the siksa-guru is more advanced than the diksa-guru, we have the fascinating example of Syamananda Prabhu (formerly known as Dukhi Krsnadasa). He was a disciple of Hrdaya Caitanya, who was in sakhya rasa. Dukhi Krsnadasa was sent by his guru to study under Srila Jiva Gosvami in Vrindavan. Jiva Gosvami was in madhurya-rasa and it so happened that Dukhi Krsnadasa was also in madhurya-rasa. It's a long story, which Satyaraja Prabhu has recorded in a book portraying the lives of Narottama Dasa Thakura, Srinivasa Acarya, and Syamananda Pandit. The way it is portrayed is controversial in Gaudiya circles, but in any case it would appear that the diksa-guru is to be seen as the ultimate authority and that if he happens to be wrong the needful will be done through divine intervention. Hare Krsna! (All we need is faith. A tall order at times.)
I hope I have not accidentally misrepresented Sivarama Swami's very good book. I mentioned it because it addresses these topics. I also pointed out that its conclusions challenged some of my own assumptions and that even the author admitted that the research he did in preparing to write the book made him reject earlier assumptions.
However, I want to make clear that these issues (about the diksa guru normally being the most prominent in a disciple's life, and the siksa gurus acting as assistants to the diksa guru, even if they have greater stature and are more advanced Vaisnavas) are not the central focus of the book.
[Aside from pointing out that normal state of affairs, he also describes situations in which that normal arrangement may not apply, and where a disciple initiated by one guru may form a more prominent relationship with one of the siksa gurus. It is nice to learn there are traditions about all these things to guide us, going back many generations, and that we are not reinventing the wheel, so to speak.]
Sivarama Swami does deal extensively with Srila Prabhupada's preeminent position as Founder-Acarya and as that great devotee who, it had been predicted, would spread Krishna consciousness all over the world. No one who reads this book can say that Mahartaja is minimizing the position of Srila Prabhupada.
However, Maharaja is also describing a system where devotees who are initiated disciples of one spiritual master may also have guru-disciple relationships with other devotees, like their GBC, their TP, sankirtan leader, head pujari or temple commander, as their siksa gurus.
Mainly, he is out to describe the traditional etiquette and practices within the authentic Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition and examine how they can be implemented in ISKCON, and why they should be. In doing so, he is careful to try to understand the tradition thoroughly and scientifically, based on authoritative evidence and his mature understanding of the science of Krishna consciousness, rather than be motivated by "current events" within ISKCON social relations to arrive at different conclusions.
He seeks to emphasize that siksa, or spiritual instruction, is the real basis for all guru-disciple relationships. It is not normally the case that a diksa guru just gives a mantra and a name and you never hear from him again. Normally the Vaisnava who gives extensive instruction becomes one's diksa guru later on, and accepts a deep commitment to train the disciple.


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CUIMC Parking
Commuter Parking
If you are a full-time, permanent Columbia University Irving Medical Center employee who resides outside of Manhattan, you are eligible to apply for CUIMC commuter parking.
If you live in campus housing or in the surrounding neighborhood, you are not eligible for parking.
Apply for Parking
To apply for commuter parking, complete and submit a parking request form. You will need the address of your Columbia workplace; your job title, department, and job grade; and information about the vehicle you'd like to park. Once submitted, your parking application will be sent to the Parking Committee for review.
Questions about your application? Email firstname.lastname@example.com. Please remember to include the best way to reach you as well.
Monthly Parking Fees
Parking fees are billed monthly and are due by the close of the following billing cycle. We only accept payment via payroll deduction (pre-tax, in most cases). We don't accept payment by University ARC ChartString. If your account is 90 days past due, you will automatically lose your parking privileges.
Fees are subject to change and to the 18.375% Manhattan parking tax. If you live in Manhattan and have a New York City Department of Finance parking tax exemption form on file with our office, you will be taxed at a lower rate.
Full-Time Monthly Parking Fees
|Parking Facility
|Total Fee
|Open Hours
|Irving Cancer Research Center
Saint Nicholas Ave. between 166th and 167th Sts.
Monday-Friday: 6 a.m-midnight
Saturday and Sunday: 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
|100 Haven Ave. Garage
100 Haven Ave. between 170th and 171 Sts.
7 days a week, 24 hours
|100 Haven Ave. Garage
Second- and Third-Shift Parkers:
(4 p.m.-12:30 a.m., midnight-8 a.m. access only)
7 days a week, 3 p.m. -8 a.m.
|School of Nursing/Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion
560 West 168th St., entrance on 167th St.
Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.–11 p.m.
NewYork-Presbyterian Parking
NewYork-Presbyterian's parking garage is located at 115 Fort Washington Ave., between 164th and 165th streets, and is managed by the NYP Parking Office. The garage is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Payments accepted at the hospital's parking garage include cash and debit/credit card. For more information on parking at the hospital, please visit their parking page or contact the NYP Parking Office at 212-305-4903.
NYP employees looking for parking information should contact the NYP Parking Office at 212-305-4903.


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So you've done the hard bit, you've got someone to visit your site, but how do you stop him or her from leaving and then, encourage them to keep coming back? Well, here are some ways to engage your visitor…
We have read a lot of online advice about how to design yourself a sparkly brand new website and some of the advice is better than others.
Other than taking advice from us (often provided for free because we're nice like that), the next best bet is to consider reading the following articles.
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I have heard a lot about this private dining place in Bangsar (relocated from Jalan Gasing). My sis love western food so I have arranged a little surprise birthday celebration for her at Huck's café! Early reservation and deposit are required.
Let me document down the planning stage of this dinner since both my sis's bf and myself have spent some time on it. I have started planning it one month ago on the enquiry of the availability, menu and corkage charge (btw RM25 per bottle).
I am quite confident that my sis will not be aware of this whole arrangement because
(1) her actual day is wed (she will not expect I will take leave to go back home just to celebrate her birthday)
(2) I have not celebrated with her for at least 4 years
(3) We don't feel birthday is an important day to celebrate as we grow older
It will only be a dinner so actually I don't know what is so surprise for her ? Lol !!! So I decided to create a little surprise for her. Not birthday gift! Not flower! No you guess it wrongly! Instead of us singing the birthday song, I get my sister-in-law to record the singing of my niece and nephew (in overseas), and then I can play it out during the cake cutting session. Hope this will create a little feeling of 'surprise' for her!
Ok my job is done I will leave it to her bf to give her the rest of the surprises!
Here's a feel of the place…quite cozy!
Penfolds Koonunga Hill (Shiraz Cabernet) @ SGD39
Bought this at Changi Airport. Quite a nice and smooth wine =) I am in love in Penfolding wine now! lol
Some kind of refresher drinks…duno what they are called….
Starter – acar-acar on keropok ?
Wild mushroom soup
Pumpkin soup
Main course – Grilled Salmon with Asparagus with Lime Rice
Main course – Twin Tender Steak, with Australian sirloin cut
Main course – Lemon Roast Chicken
Main course – Guinness Steak Pie
Vanilla cream brulee
Durian mud pie
Choco mud pie
Brownie with ice cream
Btw, it comes with set menu @ $88 per person. Generally, we felt that the food are too sour (heavy usage of lemon and tomato). Altough we knew that it will cook with lemon but we didn't expect to be that sour. However, my dad was quite satisfied with the steak.
We really love the dessert =) I love my durian mud pie and especially, the atmosphere of a quiet dining place =)
Hong Kong Ginger Clash Milk (direct translation)
Nice dessert by a famous chef – ME. Lol!!! Simple dessert that can be made by 3 simple ingredients – Ginger (of cos), milk and sugar. Very awesome and amazing…texture like pudding one!
Rating corner
22 Jalan Abdullah Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2282-2126


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Lisa HypeR: POWER/ROLL DEEP MEDLEY
Monday, February 27, 2012
A Jam2 production, the video was produced by Simon "Snow" Thompson with cameos by Bad boy Trevor, Skii and Lady Carline. Both songs will be featured on Lisa HypeR upcoming album "The Rebirth"
When asked what the video was about Lisa stated "Powa/Roll Deep is about di ladies dat have di good good and dem noe cuz dem man give them stuff in return"
Lisa Hyper also had a special message on her facebook fan page"Big Up 2 All Ma Real Fans Who Clued 2 Dem TV Waiting 2 See Di Premier Of Ma New Video "Power" Tonight On Stage On CVM & Big Up 2 All Ma Haters 2 Cuz Me Kno Unu Waah See Weh Di Hyper A Cum Wid...lol! Give Unu more Tings Fi Talk, Expect Di Unexpected...It Sticky Pon Dem!"


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Eyes Wide Open A Benefit for the Trevor Project Nov 10
Masquerade Gala: Eyes Wide Open
The San Francisco Ambassadors of The Trevor Project, in a partnership with Reason to Party, invite you to Eyes Wide Open, a masquerade benefit for the LGBTQ youth crisis intervention and suicide prevention organization. In the dazzling ambiance of this boutique hotel, the event will feature: live music and performances, an open bar, fabulous costumes and many spectacular surprises to be announced. All proceeds will benefit The Trevor Project.
When: November 10 9:00pm - 2:00am
Where: The W Hotel 181 3rd St. San Francisco


text: Cars aren't something I know a lot about. I couldn't tell you the difference between a Chevy Bel Air and and a Pontiac Chief without Google, but I do admire the design and creative thought put into every vehicle that rolls of the line. Car shows are a great place to find inspiration; to admire the creative work of other; and… to capture some amazing fine-art shots! Below are a few shots I took at a car show downtown:


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Item # QRQ0016Item # QRQ0016
Assuage with power.
Few brands in the power meter game combine function with price as well as Quarq, but—since the brand is part of the SRAM family—every new generation of Quarq tech means Shimano riders may be in danger of being left with less effective or more expensive options. The DFour Power Meter Crank Arms for GXP bottom brackets assuage those worries by bringing the latest Quarq power meter model to those of us who insist on Japanese drivetrains. The crank arms themselves are all SRAM; they're built with the same Exogram construction process used in the brand's top groupsets, so it saves around 200 claimed grams over the aluminum model.
The DFour is, essentially, the DZero model but with one fewer chainring bolts and a bolt circle diameter (BCD) that fits Shimano's latest generation of 11-speed road chainrings, specifically Dura-Ace 9000 (sorry, no 9100 compatibility yet), Ultegra 6800, and 105 5800. Except for that compatibility difference, the DFour incorporates every piece of technology Quarq crams into the DZero. Chief among these is the power meter itself, which saw a healthy amount of retooling. Overall, Quarq claims that "150 documented improvements" inform the evolution from the previous models to DFour, but the most important is to the heart of the meter itself: the strain gauges and measurement circuitry.
It still incorporates five strain gauges strategically placed throughout the spider in order to measure the Newton meters you're throwing into the pedals. It's also still got the same claimed accuracy of +/- 1.5%, so its numbers are 0.5% more accurate than most meters, but the new design requires less correction in order to maintain accuracy in drastic temperature changes. Fewer corrections mean the DFour also better rations battery life than Quarq's previous power meter models, though when the battery does go out, you can still change it without tools or having to ship the whole thing to the manufacturer.
As with the DZero model it's based on, the DFour system's accuracy is further boosted by the return of Quarq's 10k dynamic temperature compensation technology, which alleviates the need for constant, mid-race zeroings in variable conditions. Even if it's just coasting for a few seconds or toggling through your head unit to the proper option, it can still be the difference between winning and losing. It's also obnoxious as hell. The DFour is equipped with an auto-adjust schedule based on a constellation of around 10,000 data points that chart how the unit responds to temperatures ranging from zero to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. This lets the power meter figure out the atmospheric details for you with minimal drift, so you can focus on turning the crank, not babysitting it.
Power Balance and Omnical are two additional returning features that record total output and output for either leg individually (Power Balance) and let you swap rings without recalibrating or negatively impacting accuracy (Omnical). As with previous Quarq models, the DFour communicates to your head unit via ANT+ wireless, but Quarq also adds Bluetooth to this generation. Up till now, we've always tempered the obligatory head unit-compatibility statement by writing that your current computer is likely already compatible with the power meter; now, we can just state outright that it is compatible.
We recognize that there is value in cycling components that can stand up to the elements we often encounter throughout the course of a year of training, but Quarq demonstrates its penchant for being overly thorough by ensuring that the unit's internals can handle comically extreme conditions. The system is waterproof for 30 minutes while submerged under one meter of water, a feature that will come in handy on days you take your bike on the swim leg, too.
Since the DFour is effectively a catch-all for almost every bit of tech Quarq has thrown at the power meter problem over the past decade, it includes the AxCad accelerometer, which provides cadence information without any additional sensors or magnets. The DFour is also compatible with training software suites including Training Peaks WKO+, Training Peaks, Golden Cheetah, and Strava. Unlike previous versions, the DFour's Bluetooth compatibility lets it sync with the Qalvin BLE app to easily tune, tweak, and set zero offsets.
- Quarq's latest power meter tailored for Shimano 11-speed
- Redesigned strain gauge system is even more precise
- Provides power for each leg individually
- Exogram carbon fiber crank arms mean no loss in stiffness
- Broadcasts via ANT+ and Bluetooth protocols
- Requires less correction for better data and longer battery life
- Easily swaps between frames and chainrings
- Battery can be changed by home mechanics without tools
View more Powermeter Cranksets - Road
Reviews & Community
For the crank lengths listed - there is only a 162.5 and then it skips up to 170, but in the listed arm lengths in the tech specs section the lengths are (165 mm, 170 mm, 172.5 mm, 175 mm). Is the 162.5mm in the options mis-listed and it should be 165mm?
What's the actual weight? Thanks