Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

Without bacteriophages (see e.g. on Wiki) the situation with Ganga would be much worse.

Rupa Goswami, Nectar of Instruction, verse 6

drishtaih svabhuc0u257 va-janitair vapushau347 ca doshair na pru257 kritatvam iha bhakta janasya pau347 yet
gau324 gu257 mbhasu257 m na khalu budbuda-phena-pau324 kair brahma-dravatvam apagacchati nu299 ra-dharmaih

Being situated in his original Krishna conscious position, a pure devotee does not identify with the body. Such a devotee should not be seen from a materialistic point of view. Indeed, one should overlook a devotees having a body born in a low family, a body with a bad complexion, a deformed body, or a diseased or infirm body. According to ordinary vision, such imperfections may seem prominent in the body of a pure devotee, but despite such seeming defects, the body of a pure devotee cannot be polluted. It is exactly like the waters of the Ganges, which sometimes during the rainy season are full of bubbles, foam and mud. The Ganges waters do not become polluted. Those who are advanced in spiritual understanding will bathe in the Ganges without considering the condition of the water.

In the days of Rupa Goswami,there were not heavy industries that produces heavy metal poisons that were sent into the rivers.There were no leather industries that washes cows skins;the industrialists are happy to use such statements to continue their deadly business,that are killing the inhabitants of India by severe pollution,and getting deadly diseases and death.Many beautiful regions,with ancient temples and unpolluted waters are now planned to be industrial plants,as Europe and USA have severe laws reagrding environment;they prefer to come to India,as well as other corrupted countries and do their business.

The Dirt on Mother Ganges:

http://www.iskcon.net.au/kurma/2007/11/05#a4104

I wonder why people are dying and getting serious diseases from drinking and bathing in the Ganga!

It is said that further you go from the source of ganga, less it purifies.

Balaramdas, I think you missed the point. If we want to bathe in the Ganges FOR SPIRITUAL BENEFIT, we will get the benefit by bathing there. Our material body might die, or contract a disease, or whatever. But the Ganges is pure because we still get the spiritual benefit
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If you take a cup of Ganges water and pour it into a gallon container and fill the rest up with gasoline and tell someone to drink it to prove the Ganges water is pure you seem to be missing the point.

If we dont want to bathe in a sacred river because of the apparent pollution then we dont have to, we are not advanced enough to see the river non materially. The local people dont seem to mind I have been told.

My wife just told me a sad story today. A devotee that I know took the remnants of his guru. But his guru had hepatitus C. Now the devotee has it too.

Lord Caitanya embraced Sanatana Goswami when he had boils on his body but didnt see the body as material, being absorbed in ecstacy. It is an offense to see the body of a pure devotee like Sanatana Goswami as material, but if we are not on the platform of seeing beyond the body it seems artificial to try to embrace devotees with boils, or lepers, eat remnants of devotees with hepatitus, or other contagious things. We have to use our common sense.

Devotees in India dont care so much about the water because they are raised there. One time I drank Ganges water at Gangotri and still got very sick from it. It was either that or because I had to eat at a smoky black charred restaurant there. But I know I didnt see the water of the Ganges transcendentally as I should have.

I dont know how but somehow I have seen this same leper woman every time I go to Puri by the Jagannatha temple. The last time I saw her my godbrother chastised me for being so attached to her. I like her because she smiles at me every time she sees me and recognises me. I think I threw a rupee note on her the first time I saw her because someone said she was dying and needed some help. I would never touch this devotee, but I do respect her. The last time I saw her she was standing far away from my godbrother and me. Im going to try to enter the temple if I go there again sometime.

Is it not very convenient for these industrial polluters,backed by corrupt politicians,to hear that sacred rivers never get polluted,and so,carry on pouring poisons in them?
Just like ksatriyas have to defend brahmanas,territory[rivers],their role,if they are krishna conscious,is to protect such pure places from asuras whose only aim is to become filthy rich by desacrating such pure places...
In the Bible also,Jesus is supposed to have changed water into wine....and so,most christians get drunk happily...as the Prophet himself supposedly encouraged wine drinking!
Lord Krishna,when the serpent kaliya was killing and polluting the yamuna river,did get rid of the monster,so as to purify the sacred water where people were dying and scared to bathe!

Similarly,the modern ksatriyas are supposed to protect rivers and land from pollution caused by heavy industries,banned in Europe and USA.To fight on a political level agaist such asuras is pure devotional service to Lord krsna and devotees,who require such pure places for daily rituals. Intoxicated by sensual pleasures and drugs,we cannot expect demonic politicians to do anything about such pollutions,as their only aim is "enjoy now",although they are also poisoning their own drinking water,they have no intelligence to see this,so a new class of politicians is necessary to combat these asuras.

I forgot Kaliya poisoned the Jamuna. Yes it can be poisoned then. And yes, to purposely dump wastes into any river is demonic, especially if the waste is so toxic it causes living things to die.

The ksatriya class should take advice from the brahmanas and end this pollution. But in kaliyuga, it might not be that easy.