Feel a mother's heartache, find the freedom in surrender of a warrior princess, hear absolute wisdom from the Supreme Lord, enter the blood swept plains of the Kurukshetra battlefield, become awestruck at the Universal Form and pay your respects to a fallen warrior breathing his last... Bhakti Beat album review: This upcoming CD from Ananda Monet and Radha Krishna Records promises to be as epic as the Hindu scripture that inspired it, the Mahabharata. The tracks we've heard cut straight to the soul, the artwork by Mukesh Singh is magnificent (this photo is the cover art), and the talent on this disc is outsize. Bhakti Beat Draupadi- Born of Fire Review: MustListen‬! Do you know the story of Draupadi, a warrior princess whose enemies tried to shame her by unwinding her sari to strip her naked in public? This is a soul-stirring interpretation of the story featuring Ananda Monet with thundering vocals and virtuoso Vaishnava violinist Jahnavi Harrison, from the upcoming album "Inevitable Time" from Radha Krishna-Records. ISKCON News: The album is in a grand film score style, with music arranged by Pete Booker, who has worked with New Age artist Pia (Gaurangi Dasi) as well as the BBC and Channel 4. The music -- which rises from gentle valleys to bombastic peaks but always stirs the emotions – accompanies the powerful, soaring voice of Ananda Monet. Listener review: C.M. I'm listening to my copy of "Inevitable Time" by Ananda Monet. Classic Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam verses meet The Fifth Element soundtrack in this dramatic and moody rendition. "na tv evaham jatu nasam..." Listener review: S.P. So much love for this, Ananda. As I was listening I imagined a Mahabharata film and this to be the soundtrack. You can literally feel the emotion and energy behind the vocals. Very refreshing. I love Tears of Destiny. :) Listener review: P.G. Love love love it! I felt totally immersed like I was in the Mahabharata. I love the emotion, feeling very somber, dramatic. I can just imagine a live performance with it will be amazing!! My favorite was Draupadi;) I cried listening to that one!!! ETERNAL SOUL The great warrior Arjuna looks out at the field of battle and the assembled multitude of warriors and kinsmen, ready to fight and to perish. He questions his friend Shri Krishna, the Supreme Person, on the meaning of life and duty. Lord Krishna describes the glory and eternal nature of the soul. Translation (Bhagavad-gita As It Is, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: 2.12: Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. 2.20: For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain. 2.13: As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change. 2.17: That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul. 2.23: The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind. INEVITABLE TIME The handful of warriors that manage to survive the great battle of Kurukshetra gather before the greatest warrior of all, Grandsire Bhishma. He lies on a bed of arrows, holding his life energy inside his battle-destroyed body until an auspicious time to depart. He speaks with wisdom on the ultimate transcendental religious principle: surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him with every breath, movement, word and thought. The inevitable time for his soul to leave his body has now come… Translation (Shrimad-Bhagavatam, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) 1.9.14: This is all due to inevitable time, under whose control everyone in every planet is carried, just as the clouds are carried by the wind. 1.9.1: Being afraid for having killed so many subjects on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, Maharaja Yudhishthira went to the scene of the massacre. There, Bhishma was lying on a bed of arrows, about to pass away. 1.9.10: Lord Shri Krishna is situated in everyone’s heart, yet He manifests His transcendental form by His internal potency. This very Lord was sitting before Bhishma, and since Bhishma knew of His glories, he worshiped Him duly. Chorus: This is all due to inevitable time, I believe. 1.9.24: May my Lord, who is four-handed and whose beautifully decorated lotus face, with eyes as red as the rising sun, is smiling, kindly await me at that moment when I quit this material body. 1.9.39: At the moment of death, let my ultimate attraction be to Shri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead. I concentrate my mind upon the chariot driver of Arjuna who stood with a whip in His right hand and a bridle rope in His left, who was very careful to give protection to Arjuna’s chariot by all means. Those who saw Him on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra attained their original forms after death. 1.9.43: Thus Bhishma merged himself in the Supersoul, Lord Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with his mind, speech, sight and actions and thus he became silent and his breathing stopped. DRAUPADI – BORN OF FIRE Draupadi, a great warrior princess born from fire, is dragged before the assembly of warriors where her husband, the rightful emperor, has been cheated out of everything, including their freedom. Angry, confused, afraid and ashamed, she desperately appeals to the assembled kings for protection. She is offered none but is simply told ‘morality is subtle’. When her husband’s enemies command for her to be stripped naked in front of everyone, she at first tries to cling to her clothing, but then lets go and reaches out in prayer to her eternal friend Lord Krishna, who mystically intervenes and gives her a limitless robe. In surrendering to Him, Draupadi gains ultimate protection. Translation (Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Book 2: Sabha Parva, translation by K.M. Ganguli) Section LXVII: O Govinda, O thou who dwellest in Dwaraka, O Krishna, O thou who art fond of cow-herdesses (of Vrindavana). O Kesava, seest thou not that the Kauravas are humiliating me. O Lord, O husband of Lakshmi, O Lord of Vraja (Vrindavana), O destroyer of all afflictions, O Janardana, rescue me who am sinking in the Kaurava Ocean. O Krishna, O Krishna, O thou great yogin, thou soul of the universe, Thou creator of all things, O Govinda, save me who am distressed, - who am losing my senses in the midst of the Kurus. Chorus: I devote myself completely to you, Krishna. TEARS OF DESTINY Princess Pritha, as a young mother, feels compelled by circumstance and destiny to abandon her newborn child. She is filled with fear for his future life. With a heavy heart she appeals to the gods for his safety and tearfully blesses him as she sets him afloat down the river in a basket. Translation (Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Book 3: Vana Parva, translation by K.M. Ganguli) Section CCCVI: Do thou listen to the words Kunti weepingly uttered, while consigning the box to the waters of the river Aswa. O child, may good betide thee at the hands of all that inhabit the land, the water, the sky and the celestial regions. May all thy paths be auspicious! May no one obstruct thy way! And, O son, may all that come across thee have their hearts divested of hostility towards thee. And may, O son, that best of those that impart heat, viz., Surya, thy father, and from whom I have obtained thee as ordained by Destiny, protect thee everywhere! UNIVERSAL FORM On the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna asks Shri Krishna to give him the ability to perceive beyond the material realm. Thus, Lord Krishna reveals His mystic opulence – the unlimited, all pervading, all encompassing Universal Form. Overwhelmed at the blazing majesty of this wondrous and terrible sight, Arjuna prays to once again see Shri Krishna in the beautiful form of his friend. Translation (Shrimad-Bhagavatam, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) 1.1.1: O my Lord, Sri Krishna, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. (Bhagavad-gita As It Is, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) 11.8: But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give you divine eyes. Behold My mystic opulence! 11.16: O Lord of the universe, O universal form, I see in Your body many, many arms, bellies, mouths and eyes, expanded everywhere, without limit. I see in You no end, no middle and no beginning. 11.17: Your form is difficult to see because of its glaring effulgence, spreading on all sides, like blazing fire or the immeasurable radiance of the sun. Yet I see this glowing form everywhere, adorned with various crowns, clubs and discs. Interlude – 11.46: O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with helmeted head and with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form. 11.18: You are the supreme primal objective. You are the ultimate resting place of all this universe. You are inexhaustible and You are the oldest. You are the maintainer of the eternal religion, the Personality of Godhead. This is my opinion. 11.19: You are without origin, middle or end. Your glory is unlimited. You have numberless arms, and the sun and moon are Your eyes. I see You with blazing fire coming forth from Your mouth, burning this entire universe by Your own radiance. WEAPONS The greatest of the ancient weapons described in the Mahabharata is known as the ‘brahmastra.’ Harnessing sound vibration alone, it has the power of thousands of nuclear weapons. After the battle has ended, it is used for evil intent. The world is under threat of total destruction until Arjuna invokes another brahmastra, revoking both and saving the world from obliteration. Translation (Shrimad-Bhagavatam, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) 1.7.28: O Arjuna, only another brahmastra can counteract this weapon. Since you are expert in the military science, subdue this weapon’s glare with the power of your own weapon. 1.7.30: When the rays of the two brahmastras combined, a great circle of fire, like the disc of the sun, covered all outer space and the whole firmament of planets. 1.7.31: All the population of the three worlds was scorched by the combined heat of the weapons. Everyone was reminded of the samvartaka fire, which takes place at the time of annihilation. INFINITE MOMENT Lord Krishna, the all attractive form of the Supreme, sits peacefully beneath a tree just before He concludes His activities on Earth. Every detail of His enchanting, radiant beauty is described in elegant poetry. Translation (Shrimad-Bhagavatam, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) 11.30.28-32: The Lord was exhibiting His brilliantly effulgent four-armed form, the radiance of which, just like a smokeless fire, dissipated the darkness in all directions. His complexion was the colour of a dark blue cloud and His effulgence the colour of molten gold, and His all-auspicious form bore the mark of Shrivatsa. A beautiful smile graced His lotus face, locks of dark blue hair adorned His head, His lotus eyes were very attractive, and His shark-shaped earrings glittered. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare He wore a pair of silken garments, an ornamental belt, the sacred thread, bracelets and arm ornaments, along with a helmet, the Kaustubha jewel, necklaces, anklets and other royal emblems. Encircling His body were flower garlands and His personal weapons in their embodied forms. As He sat He held His left foot, with its lotus-red sole, upon His right thigh. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare THE AXIOM The Bhagavad-Gita, or song of God, has illuminated the lives of countless people over thousands of years, offering insight, spiritual guidance and solace. The closing verse describes the powerful nature of the friendship between Arjuna and Shri Krishna. Translation (Bhagavad-gita As It Is, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) 18.78: Wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power and morality. That is my opinion.