hair must be short

The words bhadra karana are significant in this verse. Due to his long hair, moustache and beard, Sanatana Gosvami looked like a daravesa, or hippie. Since Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not like Sanatana Gosvami's hippie features, he immediately asked Candrasekhara to get him shaved clean. If anyone with long hair or a beard wants to join this Krsna consciousness movement and live with us, he must similarly shave himself clean. The followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu consider long hair objectionable. Sanatana Gosvami was saved from a hellish condition (Maharaurava) by the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Maharaurava is a hell wherein animal killers are placed. In this regard, refer to Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.26.10-12). (More...)

Unless absolutely necessary, one should keep head shaven and not allow the hair to grow long. If absolutely necessary, one can dress like an American gentleman, with short hair, but long hair is prohibited. The reason that one with long hair is not my disciple is because he is against the principle. Unless absolutely necessary one should keep hair short, and if necessary one can dress like an American gentleman with short hair. It is not expected that everyone will join. For that reason we can't compromise. The tendency is there to be hippy. When the acaryas are seen with beard, that is during Caturmasya, July-September. If observed strictly there is not simply a beard. There are so many rules and regulations. One can't eat a variety of foods. Only kitri prepared and poured on the floor, and then licked up. There are so many other rules also. That is not always that they kept beard. (More...)

Tamala Krsna: They think I'm an Indian. " 'If anyone comes around to our prasadam distribution program, that means he is hungry. If he is hungry, that means he cannot listen to our philosophy. If his hunger is not satisfied, he'll never become Krsna conscious. That is the point. If we just went around with a program of speaking and kirtana, they would come once or twice but they wouldn't see its practical value. But if you give them prasadam daily with kirtana and speaking, eventually you can convince them, "Look, this is our most practical way of life. Why don't you come and live with us completely and work with us?" ' " That's a quote from an article in Back to Godhead. "Though food is far more plentiful in the United States than in India, prasadam appeal seems to work its magic here just as well. The entire movement began only ten years ago in a storefront temple in Manhattan's Lower East Side. Today it owns the largest publishing house of Hindu classics, many in demand for leading university courses. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in Los Angeles, the world's largest, last year's gross of one million dollars; incense-producing Spiritual Sky Scented Products Company; and Krsna Fashions Incorporated, a wholesale clothing manufacturer. An important portion of the movement's income comes from the contributions of lay devotees, who are successful businessmen. More comes from street-corner solicitation of alms by devotees during kirtana. How significant the last is was shown recently by the closing down of elevator service in the New York center. 'A lot of us are going on pilgrimage to India,' said Alaṅkara dasa. 'There won't be many around to beg. These elevators cost us $2,200 a month to run. So we're cutting down except for essential services.' " We don't do that anymore. That was the previous mismanagement. Someone had the idea that if you turn off the elevator, that's very good. But I told him if you're not going to run the elevator, then why did you move here? They had people walking up eleven stories, and it was crazy, just to save... Anyway, "These include moving foodstuffs and milk into the building. Much of the food comes from a 350-acre ISKCON-owned dairy farm in Academia, Pennsylvania, one of the six similar facilities in this country and Canada." They show pictures of devotees in the temple, devotees taking prasadam and two lady devotees. "The yoga," it says under the captions, "monks take breakfast by hand in rows on the dining area floor." Here it says, "Saried women devotees dwell in cloister atmosphere of the center." Then "The yoga of devotion: Tilaka of clay paste marks the devotee as a member of ISKCON sect. Central shrine in the temple is the focal point of twice a day services." A picture of Radha-Govinda. " 'Our life is our meditation' said a sikha-ed, saffron-clad monk in the Hare Krsna center. 'Everything we do is offered to Sri Krsna, but in addition to that there is the personal chanting, most...' " [break] "...slung from the devotee's neck. He often counts the beads without taking his hand from the pouch. In the early hours the Hare Krsna center buzzes with a droning sound, difficult to identify by the stranger who does not know that it comes from the monks, who are beginning their required sixteen rounds." They have given everything very detailed. "The personal chanting sometimes occurs in unusual situations-while escorting a visitor to the center, while waiting to complete a phone call, or even during pauses in a conversation." [laughter] Devotees are always chanting. " 'The mahamantra is the only mantra needed' the devotee says. Besides the sixteen rounds, devotees are expected to observe four rules. They must abstain from meat-eating, intoxication, gambling and illicit sex. Illicit sex is defined as any sexual act other than that intended for procreation. Sex outside of marriage is forbidden. Married, full-time devotees may have sexual relationship once a month at a time propitious for procreation. All the devotee's activities are regarded as bhakti-yoga, the yoga of devotion. He regards everything he does as service to God. The name he is given at initiation is followed by the word dasa, 'a servant.' Full-time ISKCON devotees adopt Vedic dress, one objective being to keep others aware of Krsna. Women wear saris, the men dhotis; both may wear shawls. The men shave their heads except for a single lock of hair at the back. [See the article 'The Krsna Cut.'] The lock, called a sikha, identifies the followers of Krsna." Actually, no one can imitate us because no one wants to give up their hair, so no one will try to make believe they are devotees. "Shaving the head announces renunciation of material pleasures. The tilaka is a mark made with clay-two narrow vertical stripes on the forehead meeting in a triangular swatch on the bridge of the nose. It identifies the body as a temple to be used only in the service of God. Full-time students follow a rigorously monastic life. They arise at four a.m. in the morning, begin four hours of prayer and chanting. At nine o'clock they have breakfast, seated cross-legged on mats on the floor. The men eat apart from the women. During the day devotees work at various preaching programs or at regular jobs. At seven p.m. devotional services are held in the center's temple. In Manhattan this features an ornate shrine including representations of Krsna and His consort, Radhe. Both are costumed sumptuously with elaborate care; both wear festoons of flowers. Visitors are cautioned, 'When you go in the temple remember that these statues you see are not representations of the Deities, they are the Deities. Krsna is in everything. Krsna is everywhere.' Temple kirtana." There's a picture. "Eleven-story New York sect's center is former Carmelite Baird home." Picture of the temple. "Services in the temple are attended by about five hundred every Sunday. Many of these are from New York's Hindu population. Frequently husbands bring their pregnant wives, dedicating their unborn child to Krsna. The kirtana begins with the chanting of the maha-mantra, slowly at first and melodiously. Later the chant will speed up as the spirit of the devotion spreads. Often the most rapid and intense chanting is done by a hard-core knot of dhoti-ed men before the curtains of the shrine." The devotees get in one group and start... [laughter] Hard-core devotees. "The rhythm approaches that of an express train, and the atmosphere is apt to remind a lay visitor of an old-fashioned football rally. Some of the onlookers try to keep up with the central group, clapping their hands, swaying their bodies, throwing arms upwards and, among the younger, adapting modern dance steps to the rhythm. When the shrine curtains are drawn back, devotees kneel and press their foreheads..." (More...)

Hari-sauri: We can get very good wigs. (More...)

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. The following is an extract from a morning class on S.B. 5/6/3, delivered on 25/11/76. Srila Prabhupada has requested that it be sent to all temples and G.B.C.

"If you pat your subordinates it will increase their faulty habits and if you chastise them, they will improve. Therefore it is advised that either your son or disciple, you should always chastise them, never give them leniency. So a little leniency, immediately so many faults will grow. Now for our practical life we are known all over the world as shaven headed, is it not? Now we are becoming hair-headed, we are forgetting shaving. Because there is a little leniency, immediately faulty things are creeping in. So we should be known as shaven-headed, not hair-headed. This is discrepancy. At least once in a month you must be clearly shaven-headed. On the bright fortnight, on the day of purnima, four days after ekadasi. Once in a month, in the bright fortnight we must be shaven-headed. It is not desirable that in grown up age also, you be chastised. that is not desirable-that is also difficult because when the disciple or son is grown up, if he is chastised, then he breaks. So before being chastised we should be conscious that this is our rules and regulations, we must observe. Therefore it is advised by Canakya Pandit [Sanskrit] After the 16th year of the disciple or son, he should be treated as friend because if you chastise when he is grown up then he will break up- that is also another risk. So our request is that instead of chastising, with folded hands I request you, don't you become hippies again by growing hair. Keep your head cleansed at least once in a month. That is my request. Neither I can chastise you, I am an old man and you are young men." (More...)

Dev.: "Actually we usually shave more than once a month-every two weeks because even after two weeks it looks a little dirty. (More...)

S.P.: "No. There is no need. That is also mental concoction. Nowadays you can go with coat, pant and shaven head, no one will criticize. It has become fashion. Russians, they use, Krushchev, I have seen, shaven head. (More...)

Prabhupada: Make just this garland... [break] ...keep hair. Look very beautiful by keeping hair. What is that explanation? (More...)

Bhagavata: I was advised that because I was going to the European countries for preaching for some time, that... (More...)

Prabhupada: ...owned victory with the court by keeping shaven hair. (More...)

Bhagavata: I asked their advice, whether I should shave or keep the hair. (More...)

Prabhupada: Who is that nonsense advice? Who is that rascal? "Advice." By keeping hair you become beautiful and become victimized. "Advice." This is... Without advice, this mentality is going on outside, to keep hair. We are known as shaven hair, whole society. (More...)

Hari-sauri: I've been shaving mine about every..., once a month. It's just about three weeks since I've... (More...)

Prabhupada: At least. Before going to Europe, six years ago, you were keeping hair again: "I have to go to Europe." That I have seen. Everywhere. Those who... You like to keep hair. That hippie mentality is going on. That's right. That is good, very intelligent reasoning, actual, long hair by keeping...[?] Everyone is giving some advice. Gurudasa is giving. "He's keeping. He's..." Gargamuni. Everyone has some explanation. I do not know how you can give up this hippie mentality. Hippie. Lavanyam kesa-dharanam [SB 12.2.6]. Kali-yuga. Victim of Kali-yuga. It is... It is not your fault, but weakness, victimized by Kali-yuga... There are so many things to victimize over the living entities in Kali-yuga, and one of the item is that he will take it that "I have become very, very beautiful, attractive, by keeping long hair." Kesa. That is already stated there. You are victimized by that Kali-yuga. That's all. No explaining. Our trademark is clean-shaven. We are known as shaven hair. Why you should be victimized? You are known as shaven hair. Are you not? Hmm? They say that "Hare Krsna people, shaven hair"? (More...)

Hari-sauri: Shaven-headed. (More...)

Prabhupada: Shaven hair. So why you should be victimized by keeping hair? What victory you will gain? Conquer over the whole world, Roman Empire, by keeping hair? Hippie mentality, that's all. That is within the core of the heart. As soon as you get some opportunity... Just like during summer season the field appears to be dried up. And as soon as there is some rain, oh, it is green, immediately green. So things are already there. Hmm? Is it not? (More...)

Prabhupada: Now you see to the field. They're all dry. But as soon as there will be rain in the village, all green. So the seeds are there, hippie seeds. As soon as there is some opportunity, come out, green: "Yes, I am beautiful. Come on." But in the courtroom they never addressed. Judge never asked that "Why you are shaven-headed?" Was there any question like that? (More...)

Hari-sauri: Actually, when he first went to court, they were wondering why he had hair. (More...)

Hari-sauri: When Adi-kesava went to court the first time... (More...)

Hari-sauri: ...he had suit and hair, and they wondered why he was dressed like that. (More...)

Hari-sauri: Yeah, they accused... (More...)

Prabhupada: That means, of course, indirectly hinted that "Now you are cheating. You are known as shaven-headed. Now you have kept hair. What is the purpose except cheating?" (More...)

Hari-sauri: On saṅkirtana all the distributors wear wigs and like that to..., because it's much easier to distribute, to distribute books. (More...)

Prabhupada: I do not know all this. Formerly, shaven-headed, they used to distribute. Now it is not possible. (More...)

Hari-sauri: It's increased since they did plainclothes distribution. (More...)

Hari-sauri: Yeah. The distribution has increased. (More...)

Prabhupada: Then why don't you dress like European? Half foreign dress and half hair? Who is that foreign and European and gentleman? What is the use of the wig? Keep regular gentleman's hair. There is no need of saffron dress. If by ordinary dress you can sell more book, there is no need of saffron dress. So what is the time now? (More...)

Gargamuni: ...from one very important Hindi scholar, and he is Dr. V. P. Singh, M.A. Hindi, M.A. Sanskrit, Ph.D. literature, and he's the senior professor and head of the department of Hindi, and Dean of Faculty of Arts of Benares Hindi University at Varanasi. So he writes about your Hindi Bhagavatam, which has just come out: "It gives me great pleasure to review these publications of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Especially I am appreciating this Hindi edition of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, complete with original Sanskrit text, word-for-word synonyms and a marvelously lucid Hindi translation. In addition, having read thorough portions of the purports, which in my opinion reflect the vast erudition of the genius of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, I am discovering an unequaled body of literature in terms of scholastic quality and devotional impact both. The real meaning of such bhakti literature can only be disclosed by one who is a truly devotee and a saint. The evidence of these qualities in Swami Bhaktivedanta are highly apparent because of his great dedication and success in spreading the message of the Bhagavata all over the world, and creating thousands of foreign bhaktas who aptly deserve the title of Vaisnava brahmana, due to their strict practice, devotion and learning." (More...)