Tattva-viveka
Thread for Bhakti Humor...
Devyah-pati Das SERBIA - February 4, 2010 12:18 pm
Haribol to all!
It would be nice (according to my humble estimation 
)
that we have some Thread for Bhakti Humor here on Tattva-Viveka.
I was never into some dry monk spirituality, and I personaly like to joke
and laugh a lot (who doesn't). In some class I always most easily remember
the part where there was some joke.
When I open Harmonist, first thing is to see if there is some new comic of
Gurunishta Prabhu.
All in all, instead of, when we are interested to hear or see something
funny (like for example Jim Carrey movie - although everybody has to
admit that he is great comedian), so instead of doing so, let us make here
some funny stuff to keep us jolly.
You do not have to invent jokes. Just describe some funny situation connected
to your devotional service or in general after you started to practice bhakti yoga,
and that's all. I have few of those, and I can remember some that some other
devotees went through as well.
Any positive comments on that my proposal, or I will be banished forever
from TV? :Just Kidding:
Ys,
Devyah-pati das
Citta Hari Dasa - February 5, 2010 1:27 am
Prabhu,
Perhaps you have heard that spiritual life is SERIOUS BUSINESS and there is NO ROOM for FUN and GAMES.
Therefore I vote for BANISHED FOREVER.
:Just Kidding:
Haribol to all!
Any positive comments on that my proposal, or I will be banished forever
from TV?
Ys,
Devyah-pati das
Guru-nistha Das - February 5, 2010 4:09 am
Since you mentioned my drawings, I wanted to tell something that has been bothering me. Some people have said that they think that my comic is the best part of the Harmonist but to be honest, I'm not happy at all to hear that. THere is so much stuff there that is much more important for us spiritually than my comics and I'd really like to see devotees take advantage of that.
THe way I see it is that we have to be balanced about amusement as well, in other words I think we should have a kind of a yogic approach to it, just like to any other thing in life. Moderation is the key, I guess. If we become "humor-hunters" and try to turn everything into a joke, in my eyes that becomes just another form of distraction and an obstacle. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to advocate some artificial seriousness that doesn't amount to much more than suppression. But at the same time I think we have to be careful not to lose our focus.
Was that serious enough?
Devyah-pati Das SERBIA - February 5, 2010 8:28 am
Since you mentioned my drawings, I wanted to tell something that has been bothering me. Some people have said that they think that my comic is the best part of the Harmonist but to be honest, I'm not happy at all to hear that. THere is so much stuff there that is much more important for us spiritually than my comics and I'd really like to see devotees take advantage of that.
THe way I see it is that we have to be balanced about amusement as well, in other words I think we should have a kind of a yogic approach to it, just like to any other thing in life. Moderation is the key, I guess. If we become "humor-hunters" and try to turn everything into a joke, in my eyes that becomes just another form of distraction and an obstacle. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to advocate some artificial seriousness that doesn't amount to much more than suppression. But at the same time I think we have to be careful not to lose our focus.
Was that serious enough?
Yes Prabhu. It was super-serious.
I do not think that your commics are the best thing, but that they are definitively refreshing.
I am sorry for people who cannot find nice and deep articles on Harmonist, since there are
many such things there (and this is the whole idea of it's existence - to read, to comment,
and to be in this way in the association of like minded spiritualy oriented people). Anyway,
I think that on such praising of your commics, you become a little embarrassed and want to
defend the essential value of the Harmonist, and it is good.
I said clearly in my original posting, what is my idea when I say Bhakti Humor thread.
I do not think that we are to become "humor-hunters". After all why are you making these
commics in the first place if not to make devotees laugh a little bit. (just a little bit ).
I definitely agree with you that moderation is the key, like Krsna says in the Gita, Chapter 6.
Sankhya-yoga TEXT 17: "He who is temperate in his habits of eating, sleeping, working and
recreation can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system." In that recreation is
included humor as well.
Whatever. If you all think that it is not necessary to have something like I said, then all right.
Sorry for taking some of your valuable time on such frivolous proposal...
Shyamananda Das - February 5, 2010 9:51 pm
The ashram where I live is quite drenched in joking spirit. Several times we've had to have meetings discussing how we can become more serious. It has been bothering us, because Srila Sridhara Maharaja has said something like "Too much joking spirit robs us of our treasure". Maybe that's not an exact quote and I don't know when he said it, but it feels true.
The best form of humor is when it comes naturally and brings joy, rather than forced tickling.
I have a good one here; some years ago my Gurumaharaj put an april fools joke on the Vina newspage: http://www.vina.cc/stories/GENERAL/2006/4/...n.the.move.html
=D
Guru-nistha Das - February 5, 2010 11:10 pm
Devyah-pati, don't get me wrong, it's great that you feel the comics are bringing something fresh to the Gaudiya world.
There has definitely been an over-emphasis on graveness and heaviness in the past but I've seen it go to the other extreme too in the name of open-mindedness. Anyways, it's all about balance and we all agree on that, so enough said.
Also, I didn't say anything about the validity of your idea about the humor thread. As a matter of fact I can share one of my stories:
Once I accompanied Guru Maharaj to Madan Gopal's sociology class in his college in North Carolina. Guru Maharaj was supposed to give a talk to the students. I entered the classroom first, pulling a book case, while Guru Maharaj was still outside the room. In front of the whole class the very flamboyant middle-aged teacher lady goes, "Swami, Welcome!" I was still in white those days but my whole face was closer to saffron when I mumbled something like "He's a little bit older than me", while the whole class burst out laughing as Guru Maharaj entered the room at the same time.
Devyah-pati Das SERBIA - February 6, 2010 6:52 am
Jay, Prabhus!
Thank you for nice funny stories. So, this was my idea. No separate
effort of tickling. When somebody feels to write something funny
let him do it in a space ment for humor, and that is all. In this way
other devotees can also read it (or see it if it is some photo).
Some my friends have some place on the net and they are placing
all the time so many funny things, so once in 15 days, when I have
time, I visit the adress to see few jokes, it all lasts 15 minutes, and
that's all. So, I was thinking why to look materialistic stuff, and to
always have to distance ourselves from it. Better to have our funny
stuff, and that's all. (Basic idea is to have it organized in one place).
Spiritual message can be presented in a standard way, angry mood,
humorous temper, but inteligent listener catches the point. In any
funny devotional situation that somebody describes, you can also
see how devotees think, and how far are they ready to go to please
their guru and Krsna.
So, here is one of my funny stories:
This happened when I was young devotee (it was in 1989 in Padova in Italy).
It was Sunday, so all devotees were preaching to the guests for the
Sunday-feast. It was late, so evening programe was supposed to start.
There were no older devotees to start programe, so pujari called me
and one other bhakta who just came to live to the temple. The other
bhakta didn't know any songs so far, so obviously I was supposed to
sing. "All right, I am thinking to myself, once you have to start singing
to Krsna as a leading vocal in the temple room." I was quite insecure...
So, the pujari oppened the curtain and there were beautiful Gaur-Nitay
deities (that Srila Prabhupad personaly installed). I had karatals and
juse opened my mouth to start to sing, and in that very moment the
crown of Lord Chaitanya fell a little bit, and covered his eyes 
.
Huuu... I was devastated. I thought - Lord doesn't want me to sing for him,
and even doesn't want to see me, at all! So the pujari
closed the curtain, put back the crown, and oppened the curtain.
Fortunately, second start was all right, and the whole programe went
on nicely... :Just Kidding:
Syamasundara - February 7, 2010 2:24 am
There is quite a bit of natural humor here on TV. To make a thread about it means to me to see that thread be very slow and eventually die.
I can't think of any thread that doesn't have any humorous expression, from Swami all the way down the list of members.
Also, one thing is some humor in the context of a thread or another, where someone may not find the joke interesting or funny, but they are still interested in the theme, but to make a humor thread, unless it's really just a collection of our funny memories in the course of our spiritual life, could be a little touchy, as humor is quite subjective.
To give you an example, I can't stand Jim Carrey and all those stupid faces and voices.
Atmananda Dasa - February 8, 2010 4:14 am
I think there is a joke by Krishna in the Nectar of Devotion.
Syamasundara - February 8, 2010 12:20 pm
beautiful Gaur-Nitaydeities (that Srila Prabhupad personaly installed)
Where were they installed?
Devyah-pati Das SERBIA - February 8, 2010 12:41 pm
There is quite a bit of natural humor here on TV. To make a thread about it means to me to see that thread be very slow and eventually die.I can't think of any thread that doesn't have any humorous expression, from Swami all the way down the list of members.
Also, one thing is some humor in the context of a thread or another, where someone may not find the joke interesting or funny, but they are still interested in the theme, but to make a humor thread, unless it's really just a collection of our funny memories in the course of our spiritual life, could be a little touchy, as humor is quite subjective.
To give you an example, I can't stand Jim Carrey and all those stupid faces and voices.
Well, Prabhu, I do not know what to say. Maybe you are perfectly right. Who knows...
Still, please, take in consideration what Guru-nishta Prabhu said:
"Some people have said that they think that my comic is the best part of the Harmonist..."
It seems that some people need some more humor then the others.
With this question of mine in the first place, I had no intention to start philosophical
discussion on should we laugh, how much should we laugh, and so on. (Otherwise I
would post it in "Philosophical Discussions" thread)
There are some threads that I do not even visit on TV, while other ones I regularly open.
What can I say, I am still in the plane of laughing, crying, being angry, sad,... I'm still like that.
Devyah-pati Das SERBIA - February 8, 2010 12:48 pm
Where were they installed?
I joined movement in 1989. in Padova in Italy as I have said and the
devotees said that those Gaur-Nitai deities Srila Prabhupad installed
personaly.
Maby it is that he installed them on some other location and that they are
later brought to Padova, that I do not know, but regarding installation this
is what devotees told me.