Italians - Bliss, Rest of World - Abyss

Shed snakeskin in abandoned temple room at Vrindavan at "Bhaktipada's house" Which is a misnomer because it was a large building where he had a small 2 room apartment. There was also a temple room, brahmacari ashram, kitchen, and one apartment for householders.

So the World Cup is over. One country feels great and, in typical material world fashion, the rest of the world feels like losers. Zidane loses millions because his header in overtime was stopped by the Italian goalie. If it goes in, France wins, and he is the greatest soccer player in the world. Instead, he is frustrated, head butts an opposing player, and is red carded out of the match, in an inglorious end to his career. Probably cost him millions of dollars in endorsements.



I watched the finals with Rupa, Balaji, and Tulasi, three college age kids who were born and raised in New Vrindavan but never went to any gurukula because it was already closed. They had all played on youth teams I coached. Earlier in the day, they had been out bicycling and gone up to old Vrindavan, the original farm NV started in. These pictures were taken by Balaji. He has more at Balaji's website.


People may or may not change from the material perspective, but somehow the potential of a soul remains about the vagaries of the material world, just like this lotus flower still growing in the pond at Bhaktipada’s. Even the most fallen has the chance to change.

Anyway, let’s finish up all this World Cup katha. Here are some interesting links related to it:

What happens when religious dogmatists miss the essence and become fanatics? Read about one example Somali World Cup viewers killed :

“Two people are reported dead after Islamist gunmen in central Somalia opened fire in a cinema where people were watching a banned World Cup match...”

On the other extreme, here is someone taking things too far. At least now we know why all those angels Christian theologians used to argue about were trying to fit on the tip of a hair – futbol! Scientist makes tiniest soccer pitch:

“A German scientist has created the world's smallest soccer pitch -- so minute that 20,000 of them could fit onto the tip of a human hair...”

On the middle path between the two extremes, you would think everything would balance, but even there, difficulties abide. Thai monks too tired to take alms

“Buddhist monks in Thailand are too tired to receive early morning alms because they are staying up late to watch the World Cup, a Thai newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The Nation quoted a woman in the northern city of Chiang Mai who said her birthday celebrations were ruined because monks at a city temple were not awake to receive her morning offering, a mandatory religious ritual in the predominately Buddhist country...”