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Arts & Culture » Performing Arts Sidebar
Naked Rage
by Justin Hayford
A Certain Level of Denial
Karen Finley
at Steppenwolf Theatre,
through April 23
Naked except for a flower-festooned hat and black slip-on shoes, Karen Finley lies motionless onstage in a tightly framed box of light roughly the size of a grave. One moment she speaks as a dispassionate psychiatrist barely able to conceal his sexist biases, asserting that because she's naked she must desire him, and the next she becomes his long-suffering patient, doing her best not to scream when she tells him, "Women are tired of having their bodies viewed as a loaded gun." During this ten-minute scene Finley hardly moves a muscle and never once raises her voice, delivering a carefully crafted comedy routine we only wish we didn't find so funny.
This is a brand-new Karen Finley: calm, self-contained, unfailingly precise. The blistering, trancelike frenzy that once characterized her performances has been replaced for the most part by more measured, methodical tones. While she continues to explore the festering underbelly of American culture--its sexism, racism, homophobia, and general eagerness to destroy whatever it fears or misunderstands--she does so without embroiling herself quite so bodily in the fray.
If A Certain Level of Denial, commissioned by New York's Lincoln Center in 1992, marks a distinct transition in Finley's work, it should come as no surprise that the piece feels somewhat disjointed and uneven. She's always assembled her solo performances out of disparate parts--personal anecdotes, historical atrocities, lyric digressions--and A Certain Level of Denial is part of this lineage. But in The Constant State of Desire and We Keep Our Victims Ready, her most recent pieces in Chicago, Finley seemed a sort of medium, possessed by the spirits of society's dispossessed, most prominently abused women and battered gay men. Their voices ripped out of her with a stunning intensity. This consistent (if terrifying) persona helped unify those pieces. Here Finley experiments with several much more subdued voices--the seductive but impersonal authority figure, the tremulous religious testifier, the sobby melodramatic damsel--but she hasn't quite found a way to integrate them, to give the piece a unified sensibility.
But then Finley may not be concerned about formal unity. As she states in her press materials, she is "interested in the subject matter first and the form second." And in many ways her disregard for conventional theatricality is one of her greatest strengths. She never acts, never pretends, rarely conceals anything, including her own body. She doesn't even conceal the bodily functions many of us might like to have concealed: when she appears onstage to begin the piece, part of a tampon clearly protrudes from between her legs. She stops when she needs a drink of water, takes all the time she needs to change a costume piece, and generally refuses to make her work entertaining. The message is clear: the piece is not necessarily to be enjoyed but to be witnessed, even endured.
And what we witness--or endure, for those who don't have much tolerance for such nonpackaged performance--is a passionate, intelligent woman relentlessly speaking her mind (if nothing else, her piece painfully demonstrates how few others do). She begins by calling out to an uncaring America in the midst of a plague--"Hello, mother, your son is dying!...Hello, trendy East Village artist!" No matter where she calls, she gets "no answer." Her opening monologue, an intricately woven tapestry of horror stories, is absolutely breathtaking: an ambulance driver doesn't know the way to the hospital, no one attends the dying AIDS patient in the hospital, young men return to their boyhood homes to die. "These are mean times," she succinctly concludes. By jumbling so many disasters together while at the same time adopting a bitterly ironic tone--"Yeah, I'd like to see Bono on welfare"--she creates an exquisite but excruciating portrait of contemporary America, grotesquely parodying the most heinous of social ills.
Finley's true genius lies in her ability to burrow deep into the recesses of catastrophe. We may think things are bad, but she shows us just how bad they are. Even artists--those we turn to for help in understanding--are complicit in America's moral bankruptcy. After lamenting the suicide of friend and fellow performance artist Ethyl Eichenberger, for example, Finley imagines someone pressing Ethyl's slit wrists against a canvas to create a painting, an appalling metaphor for artists' tendency to distance themselves from real tragedy, objectifying it rather than experiencing it. "Let me tell you about performance art!" she howls, in that horrifying possessed voice so familiar from her past work.
Finley digs this deep for a good portion of the evening. But for perhaps a quarter of the piece her images seem a bit thin, and she aims at targets too easily hit. In one long section, for example, she imagines herself as a young girl trapped in a car with her father as he mercilessly shoots and then runs over a doe and her fawn. "It must have been a female deer," the father sneers, "because it was so slow." It seems a bit Disney-esque to use deer as symbols of victimized innocence, and to further stretch the metaphor to cover misogyny is overkill. When she confronts misogyny head on, by contrast, she makes much more powerful statements; one of her paintings (projected behind her) shows the head of a forlorn young woman beneath which is scrawled, "I was never expected to be talented."
By adopting a more subdued tone Finley creates a real dilemma for herself. The fervor of her previous performances ingeniously made empathy impossible. Empathy would only be smug and self-congratulatory, she seemed to say; we could watch the piece and go home imagining that we had done enough by feeling so deeply about those less fortunate. The underlying message of her work seemed to be: you shouldn't empathize--you should be horrified. But many of the later sections in A Certain Level of Denial seem to demand an empathic response (her lengthy eulogy of Eichenberger, for example), yet they're so intentionally overwrought that they become almost melodramatic. In these sections Finley seems so self-absorbed, in essence performing for her hand-held microphone rather than the audience, that the scope of the work shrinks dramatically.
In some ways, Finley speaks most poignantly when she speaks for others, channeling those voices our society typically chooses not to hear. Laurie Winer, writing in the Los Angeles Times, is exactly wrong when she suggests that Finley's pain is her art; to the contrary, everyone else's pain is her art. With this new piece, however, Finley experiments with a much more personal voice, one that holds the promise of greater intimacy but occasionally brings the piece to the edge of self-indulgence. Striking the perfect balance on this precipice is Finley's next great challenge.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): Photo/Michael Overn.
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Library » Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta » Antya-līlā
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Accepts Prasādam from His Devotees
The following summary of chapter ten is given by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya. Before the Ratha-yātrā ceremony, all the devotees from Bengal started for Jagannātha Purī as usual. Rāghava Paṇḍita brought with him various kinds of food for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The food had been cooked by his sister, Damayantī, who then packed it in bags (jhāli). Thus the stock of food was generally known as rāghavera jhāli, "the bags of Rāghava." Makaradhvaja Kara, an inhabitant of Pānihāṭi who accompanied Rāghava Paṇḍita, was the secretary in charge of accounting for the rāghavera jhāli.
The day when all the devotees arrived at Jagannātha Purī, Lord Govinda was enjoying sporting pastimes in the waters of the lake known as Narendra-sarovara. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also enjoyed the ceremony in the water with His devotees. As previously, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed the cleansing ceremony at Guṇḍicā and chanted the famous verse jagamohana-pari-muṇḍā yāu. After kīrtana ended, He distributed prasādam to all the devotees and also took some Himself. Then He lay down at the door of the Gambhīrā to take rest. Somehow or other Govinda, the personal servant of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, crossed over the Lord's body and massaged His feet. Govinda could not go out that day, however, and therefore he was unable to accept prasādam. From the character of Govinda it is to be learned that we may sometimes commit offenses for the service of the Lord, but not for sense gratification.
Govinda induced the Lord to eat all the food delivered by the devotees of Bengal for His service. All the Vaiṣṇavas used to invite Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to their homes. The Lord accepted the invitation of Caitanya dāsa, the son of Śivānanda Sena, and ate rice and yogurt there.
Text 1:
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is always pleased to accept anything given with faith and love by His devotees and is always ready to bestow mercy upon them.
All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaitacandra! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya!
The next year, all the devotees were very pleased to go to Jagannātha Purī [Nīlācala] to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Advaita Ācārya Gosāñi led the party from Bengal. He was followed by Ācāryaratna, Ācāryanidhi, Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and other glorious devotees.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had ordered Lord Nityānanda to stay in Bengal, but nevertheless, because of ecstatic love, Lord Nityānanda also went to see Him.
Indeed, it is a symptom of real affection that one breaks the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not caring for the regulative principles, to associate with Him.
During the rāsa dance, Kṛṣṇa asked all the gopīs to return home, but they neglected His order and stayed there for His association.
If one carries out Kṛṣṇa's order, Kṛṣṇa is certainly pleased, but if one sometimes breaks His order due to ecstatic love, that gives Him millions of times greater happiness.
Texts 9-11:
Vāsudeva Datta, Murāri Gupta, Gaṅgādāsa, Śrīmān Sena, Śrīmān Paṇḍita, Akiñcana Kṛṣṇadāsa, Murāri, Garuḍa Paṇḍita, Buddhimanta Khān, Sañjaya Puruṣottama, Bhagavān Paṇḍita, Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī, Nṛsiṁhānanda Brahmacārī and many others joined together to go to Jagannātha Purī. It would be impossible to mention the names of them all.
Text 12:
The inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma and Khaṇḍa also came and joined. Śivānanda Sena took the leadership and thus started taking care of them all.
Rāghava Paṇḍita came with bags full of food prepared very nicely by his sister, Damayantī.
Damayantī made varieties of unparalleled food just suitable for Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to eat. The Lord ate it continually for one year.
Texts 15-16:
These are the names of some of the pickles and condiments in the bags of Rāghava Paṇḍita: āmra-kāśandi, ādā-kāśandi, jhāla-kāśandi, nembu-ādā, āmra-koli, āmsi, āma-khaṇḍa, tailāmra and āma-sattā. With great attention, Damayantī also made dried bitter vegetables into a powder.
Do not neglect sukutā because it is a bitter preparation. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu derived more happiness from eating this sukutā than from drinking pañcāmṛta [a preparation of milk, sugar, ghee, honey and yogurt].
Since Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He extracts the purpose from everything. He accepted Damayantī's affection for Him, and therefore He derived great pleasure even from the dried bitter leaves of sukutā and from kāśandi [a sour condiment].
Because of her natural love for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Damayantī considered the Lord an ordinary human being. Therefore she thought that He would become sick by overeating and there would be mucus within His abdomen.
Because of sincere affection, she thought that eating this sukutā would cure the Lord's disease. Considering these affectionate thoughts of Damayantī, the Lord was very pleased.
"A dear lover strung a garland and placed it on the shoulder of his beloved in the presence of her co-wives. She had raised breasts and was very beautiful, yet although the garland was tainted with mud, she did not reject it, for its value lay not in material things but in love."
Damayantī powdered coriander and anise seeds, cooked them with sugar and made them into sweetmeats in the shape of small balls.
She made sweetmeat balls with dried ginger to remove mucus caused by too much bile. She put all these preparations separately into small cloth bags.
She made a hundred varieties of condiments and pickles. She also made koli-śuṇṭhi, koli-cūrṇa, koli-khaṇḍa and many other preparations. How many should I name?
She made many sweetmeats in the shape of balls. Some were made with powdered coconut, and others looked as white as the water of the Ganges. In this way she made many varieties of long-lasting sugar confections.
She made long-lasting cheese, many varieties of sweetmeats with milk and cream, and many other varied preparations, such as amṛta-karpūra.
She made flat rice from fine, unboiled, śāli paddy and filled a large bag made of new cloth.
She made some of the flat rice into puffed rice, fried it in ghee, cooked it in sugar juice, mixed in some camphor and rolled it into balls.
She powdered fried grains of fine rice, moistened the powder with ghee and cooked it in a solution of sugar. Then she added camphor, black pepper, cloves, cardamom and other spices and rolled the mixture into balls that were very palatable and aromatic.
She took parched rice from fine paddy, fried it in ghee, cooked it in a sugar solution, mixed in some camphor and thus made a preparation called ukhḍā or muḍki.
Another variety of sweet was made with fused peas that were powdered, fried in ghee and then cooked in sugar juice. Camphor was added, and then the mixture was rolled into balls.
I could not mention the names of all these wonderful eatables, even in a lifetime. Damayantī made hundreds and thousands of varieties.
Damayantī made all these preparations following the order of her brother, Rāghava Paṇḍita. Both of them had unlimited affection for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and were advanced in devotional service.
Damayantī took earth from the Ganges, dried it, powdered it, strained it through a fine cloth, mixed in aromatic ingredients and rolled it into small balls.
The condiments and similar items were put into thin earthen pots, and everything else was put into small cloth bags.
From small bags Damayantī made bags that were twice as large. Then with great attention she filled all the large ones with the small ones.
She then wrapped and sealed each and every bag with great attention. The bags were carried by three bearers, one after another.
Thus I have briefly described the bags that have become famous as rāghavera jhāli.
The superintendent for all those bags was Makaradhvaja Kara, who kept them with great attention like his very life.
Thus all the Vaiṣṇavas from Bengal went to Jagannātha Purī. By chance, they arrived on the day when Lord Jagannātha performs pastimes in the water.
Boarding a boat in the water of Narendra-sarovara, Lord Govinda performed His water pastimes with all the devotees.
Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived with His personal associates to see the jubilant pastimes of Lord Jagannātha in Narendra-sarovara.
At the same time, all the devotees from Bengal arrived at the lake and had a great meeting with the Lord.
All the devotees immediately fell at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the Lord lifted and embraced every one of them.
The Gauḍīya-sampradāya, consisting of all the devotees from Bengal, began congregational chanting. When they met the Lord, they began to cry loudly in ecstatic love.
Because of the pastimes in the water, there was great jubilation on the shore, with music, singing, chanting and dancing creating a tumultuous sound.
Indeed, the chanting and crying of the Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇavas mixed and created a tumultuous sound vibration that filled the entire universe.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu entered the water with His devotees and began His pastimes with them in great jubilation.
In his Caitanya-maṅgala [now known as Caitanya-bhāgavata], Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has given a detailed description of the activities the Lord performed in the water.
There is no use in again describing here the activities of the Lord. It would simply be repetitious and would increase the size of this book.
After concluding His pastimes in the water, Lord Govinda returned to His residence. Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the temple, taking all His devotees with Him.
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to His residence after visiting the temple of Jagannātha, He asked for a large quantity of Lord Jagannātha's prasādam, which He then distributed among His devotees so that they could eat sumptuously.
After talking with all the devotees for some time, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked them to occupy the individual residences in which they had lived the previous year.
Rāghava Paṇḍita delivered the bags of eatables to Govinda, who kept them in a corner of the dining room.
Govinda thoroughly emptied the bags from the previous year and kept them in another room to fill them with other goods.
The next day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went with His personal devotees to see Lord Jagannātha when Lord Jagannātha arose early in the morning.
After seeing Lord Jagannātha, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began His all-encompassing saṅkīrtana. He formed seven groups, which then began to chant.
In each of the seven groups was a principal dancer, such as Advaita Ācārya or Lord Nityānanda.
The dancers in the other groups were Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, Acyutānanda, Paṇḍita Śrīvāsa, Satyarāja Khān and Narahari dāsa.
As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu walked from one group to another inspecting them, the men in each group thought, "The Lord is within our group."
The congregational chanting made a tumultuous roar that filled the sky. All the inhabitants of Jagannātha Purī came to see the kīrtana.
Accompanied by his personal staff, the King also came there and watched from a distance, and all the queens watched from the elevated parts of the palace.
Due to the forceful vibration of kīrtana, the entire world began trembling. When everyone chanted the holy name, they made a tumultuous sound.
In this way the Lord had congregational chanting performed for some time, and then He Himself desired to dance.
The seven groups began chanting and beating their drums in seven directions, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began dancing in the center in great ecstatic love.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu remembered a line in the Orissan language and ordered Svarūpa Dāmodara to sing it.
"Let my head fall at the feet of Jagannātha in the kīrtana hall known as Jagamohana."
Simply because of this line, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was dancing in greatly ecstatic love. People all around Him floated in the water of His tears.
Raising His two arms, the Lord said, "Chant! Chant!" Floating in transcendental bliss, the people responded by chanting the holy name of Hari.
The Lord fell to the ground unconscious, not even breathing. Then suddenly He stood up, making a loud sound.
The hairs on His body constantly stood up like the thorns on a śimula tree. Sometimes His body was swollen and sometimes lean and thin.
He bled and perspired from every pore of His body. His voice faltered. Unable to say the line properly, He uttered only "jaja gaga pari mumu."
All His teeth shook, as if each was separate from the others. Indeed, they seemed about to fall to the ground.
His transcendental bliss increased at every moment. Therefore even by midafternoon the dancing had not ended.
The ocean of transcendental bliss overflowed, and everyone present forgot his body, mind and home.
Then Lord Nityānanda found a way to end the kīrtana. He gradually stopped all the chanters.
Thus only one group continued chanting with Svarūpa Dāmodara, and they chanted very softly.
When there was no longer a tumultuous sound, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to external consciousness. Then Nityānanda Prabhu informed Him of the fatigue of the chanters and dancers.
Understanding the fatigue of the devotees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stopped the congregational chanting. Then He bathed in the sea, accompanied by them all.
Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took prasādam with all of them and then asked them to return to their dwellings and take rest.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu lay down at the door of the Gambhīrā, and Govinda came there to massage His legs.
It was a steady, long-standing rule that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would lie down to rest after lunch and Govinda would come to massage His legs. Then Govinda would honor the remnants of food left by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
This time when the Lord lay down, He occupied the entire doorway. Govinda could not enter the room, and therefore he made the following request.
Govinda said, "Kindly turn on one side. Let me pass to enter the room."
Govinda made his request again and again, but the Lord replied, "I cannot move My body."
Govinda repeatedly requested, "I want to massage Your legs."
Then Govinda spread the Lord's wrapper His body and in this way entered the room by crossing over the Lord.
Govinda massaged the Lord's legs as usual. He pressed the Lord's waist and back very softly, and thus all the Lord's fatigue went away.
As Govinda stroked His body, the Lord slept very nicely for about forty-five minutes, and then His sleep broke.
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw Govinda sitting by His side, He was somewhat angry. "Why have you been sitting here for so long today?" the Lord asked.
"Why didn't you go to take your meal after I fell asleep?" the Lord asked.
The Lord asked, "How did you enter the room? Why didn't you go out to take your lunch in the same way?"
Govinda mentally replied, "My duty is to serve, even if I have to commit offenses or go to hell.
"I would not mind committing hundreds and thousands of offenses for the service of the Lord, but I greatly fear committing even a glimpse of an offense for my own self."
Thinking in this way, Govinda kept silent. He did not reply to the Lord's inquiry.
It was Govinda's practice to go take lunch when the Lord was asleep. On that day, however, seeing the Lord's weariness, Govinda continued massaging His body.
There was no way to go. How could he leave? When he thought of crossing over the Lord's body, he considered it a great offense.
Text 100:
These are some of the finer points of etiquette in devotional service. Only one who has received the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu can understand these principles.
The Lord is very interested in manifesting the exalted qualities of His devotees, and that is why He engineered this incident.
Thus I have briefly described Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's dancing in the hall of the Jagannātha temple. The servants of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sing about this dancing even now.
Accompanied by His personal associates, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu washed and swept the Guṇḍicā temple, cleansing it as usual.
The Lord danced and chanted and then enjoyed a picnic in the garden as He had done before.
As previously, He danced in front of the Jagannātha car and observed the festival of Herā-pañcamī.
All the devotees from Bengal stayed in Jagannātha Purī for the four months of the rainy season and observed many other ceremonies, such as the anniversary of Lord Kṛṣṇa's birth.
Formerly, when all the devotees had arrived from Bengal, they all desired to give Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu something to eat.
Each devotee would bring a certain type of prasādam. He would entrust it to Govinda and request him, "Please arrange that the Lord will surely eat this prasādam."
Some brought paiḍa [a coconut preparation], some brought sweetballs, and some brought cakes and sweet rice. The prasādam was of different varieties, all very costly.
Govinda would present the prasādam and say to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "This has been given by such-and-such devotee." The Lord, however, would not actually eat it. He would simply say, "Keep it in storage."
Govinda kept accumulating the food, and soon it filled a corner of the room. There was quite enough to feed at least a hundred people.
All the devotees asked Govinda with great eagerness, "Have you given Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu the prasādam brought by me?"
When the devotees questioned Govinda, he had to tell them lies. Therefore one day he spoke to the Lord in disappointment.
"Many respectable devotees, headed by Advaita Ācārya, make a great endeavor to entrust me with varieties of food for You.
"You do not eat it, but they ask me again and again. How long shall I go on cheating them? How shall I be freed from this responsibility?"
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, "Why are you so foolishly unhappy? Bring here to Me whatever they have given you."
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down to eat. Then Govinda offered Him the preparations one after another, and as he did so he spoke the name of the person who had given each one.
"These preparations — paiḍa, sweet rice, cakes made with cream, and also amṛta-guṭikā, maṇḍā and a pot of camphor — have been given by Advaita Ācārya.
"Next there are varieties of food — cakes, cream, amṛta-maṇḍā and padmacini — given by Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita.
"All these are gifts of Ācāryaratna, and these varieties of gifts are from Ācāryanidhi.
"And all these varieties of food have been given by Vāsudeva Datta, Murāri Gupta and Buddhimanta Khān.
"These are gifts given by Śrīmān Sena, Śrīmān Paṇḍita and Nandana Ācārya. Please eat them all.
"Here are the preparations made by the inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma, and these have been made by the inhabitants of Khaṇḍa."
In this way, Govinda gave everyone's name as he put the food before the Lord. Being very satisfied, the Lord began to eat it all.
Texts 125-126:
The hard sweets made of coconut (mukutā nārikela), the sweetballs, the many kinds of sweet drinks and all the other preparations were at least a month old, but although they were old, they had not become tasteless or stale. Indeed, they had all stayed fresh. That is the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Within a very short time, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ate enough for a hundred people. Then He asked Govinda, "Is there anything more left?"
Govinda replied, "Now there are only the bags of Rāghava."
The next day, while taking His lunch in a secluded place, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu opened the bags of Rāghava and inspected their contents one after another.
He tasted a little of everything they contained and praised it all for its flavor and aroma.
All the varieties of the remaining prasādam were kept to eat throughout the year. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ate His lunch, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī would serve it little by little.
Sometimes Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would take some of it at night. The Lord certainly enjoys preparations made with faith and love by His devotees.
Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu spent the entire period of Cāturmāsya [the four months of the rainy season] in the happiness of discussing topics of Kṛṣṇa with His devotees.
From time to time, Advaita Ācārya and others would invite Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for home-cooked rice and varieties of vegetables.
They offered pungent preparations made with black pepper, sweet-and-sour preparations, ginger, salty preparations, limes, milk, yogurt, sugar candy, two or four kinds of spinach, soup made with bitter melon, eggplant mixed with nimba leaves, and fried paṭola.
They also offered phula-baḍī, liquid mung dhal and many vegetables, all cooked according to the Lord's taste.
They would mix these preparations with the remnants of food from Lord Jagannātha. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the invitations, He went sometimes alone and sometimes with His associates.
Devotees like Ācāryaratna, Ācāryanidhi, Nandana Ācārya, Rāghava Paṇḍita and Śrīvāsa were all of the brāhmaṇa caste.
They would extend invitations to the Lord. Vāsudeva Datta, Gadādhara dāsa, Murāri Gupta, the inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma and Khaṇḍa and many other devotees who were not brāhmaṇas by caste would purchase food offered to Lord Jagannātha and then extend invitations to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Now hear about the invitation Śivānanda Sena extended to the Lord. His eldest son was named Caitanya dāsa.
When Śivānanda brought his son, Caitanya dāsa, to be introduced to the Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired about his name.
When the Lord heard that his name was Caitanya dāsa, He said, "What kind of name have you given him? It is very difficult to understand."
Śivānanda Sena replied, "He has kept the name that appeared to me from within." Then he invited Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for lunch.
Śivānanda Sena had bought very costly remnants of Lord Jagannātha's food. He brought it in and offered it to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who sat down to accept the prasādam with His associates.
Because of Śivānanda Sena's glories, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ate all kinds of prasādam to honor his request. However, the Lord ate more than necessary, and therefore His mind was dissatisfied.
The next day, Caitanya dāsa, the son of Śivānanda Sena, extended an invitation to the Lord. He could understand the Lord's mind, however, and therefore he arranged for a different kind of food.
He offered yogurt, limes, ginger, soft baḍā and salt. Seeing all these arrangements, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "This boy knows My mind. Therefore I am very satisfied to accept his invitation."
After saying this, the Lord ate the rice mixed with yogurt and offered Caitanya dāsa the remnants of His food.
The four months of Cāturmāsya passed in this manner, with the Lord accepting invitations from His devotees. Because of a heavy schedule of invitations, however, some of the Vaiṣṇavas could not get an open day on which to invite the Lord.
Every month Gadādhara Paṇḍita and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya had fixed dates on which Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would accept their invitations.
Gopīnātha Ācārya, Jagadānanda, Kāśīśvara, Bhagavān, Rāmabhadra Ācārya, Śaṅkara and Vakreśvara, who were all brāhmaṇas, extended invitations to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and offered Him food cooked at home, whereas other devotees would pay two paṇas of small conchshells to purchase Jagannātha's prasādam and then invite the Lord.
At first the cost of Jagannātha prasādam for an invitation was four paṇas of conchshells, but when Rāmacandra Purī was there, the price was cut in half.
The devotees who came from Bengal stayed with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for four consecutive months, and then the Lord bade them farewell. After the Bengali devotees departed, the devotees who were the Lord's constant companions at Jagannātha Purī stayed with the Lord.
Thus I have described how Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted invitations and how He accepted and tasted the prasādam offered by His devotees.
In the midst of that narration are descriptions of Rāghava Paṇḍita's bags of food and the dancing in the temple of Jagannātha.
One who hears about the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with faith and love will certainly attain ecstatic love for the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu without fail.
Narrations of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's activities are just like nectar to hear. Indeed, they satisfy both the ears and mind. One who tastes the nectar of these activities is certainly very fortunate.
Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A Chinese national responsible for running a huge ivory smuggling ring is sentenced to 15 years behind bars in Tanzania. We tell you more about the "Ivory Queen". Also, Burkina Faso faces an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with around 100,000 people who have been displaced in the country. And in South Africa, a tiny seafood restaurant has been named the best in the world.


Masters in CS, have great experience in solving big problems. A person to turn to when nobody else can solve a problem or organize the code. Much better developer than it might be seen through portfolio.
React Native application for managing prospects and sending templates.
Application for fetching and managing contacts of prospects and potential business partners.


FOIA: There's an app for that!
With the proliferation of smartphones and tablets has come the development of mobile apps for everything, it seems; now you can add FOIA to that list. This week the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the release of its new eFOIA mobile app. The app, the result of a partnership between the DHS Privacy Office … Continue reading FOIA: There's an app for that!
October 21 FOIA Advisory Committee to be live streamed!
The National Archives will host—and live stream—its second Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday, October 21, 2014. The Committee will discuss the FOIA issues on which it has agreed to focus: FOIA oversight and accountability, proactive disclosures, and FOIA fees. Due to space limitations and access procedures, advance registration is required. … Continue reading October 21 FOIA Advisory Committee to be live streamed!
OGIS's Website – And We're Back!
We resolved our issues with the OGIS website. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you and we appreciate your understanding. If you're still experiencing issues with our website, please let us know.


Not too long ago I paid a visit to The Future Perfect, a store showcasing many local designers' "exceptional decorative arts and design." The showroom was originally born in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, however now resides in both NoHo (Manhattan) and San Fransisco. Although I am no where close to being able to afford it's stellar interior decor, meandering around inside left me inspired (and drooling). Check out the website and see for yourself. I will most definitely be channeling this aesthetic when it comes time to transforming my own apartment.


So my friend, Ben and I drove to Los Angeles this last weekend. My friend Tom is moving out to Kona as well and is shipping his car. Its alot cheaper to ship from LA than KC. So we drove his car out to the port there. We had lots of fun!
We drove about 12-13 hours both days. Stayed with some good friends in Albuquerque on the way.


Bio-Tec Environmental, LLC is seeking to expand our worldwide distribution network by finding partners who are interested in promoting our organic additive, EcoPure®.
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If you are interested in distributing our EcoPure® product in your area of the world, please contact us today. We can discuss the opportunities we have available to you.


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by THAC | Nov 28, 2022 | Current Season, Featured News, Reviews
OnStage Colorado gives high praise for Townhall Arts Center's 40th anniversary season production of Disney's Newsies the Musical. The show runs through December 30, and we invite you read all about it and buy tickets here. Just a few highlights from Eric...
by THAC | Nov 28, 2022 | Auditions
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES Book by Harvey FiersteinMusic and Lyrics by Jerry HermanBased on the play by Jean Poiret Directed and Choreographed by Nathan HalvorsonMusic Direction by Phil FormanAssistant Director – Rebekah OrtizAssistant Choreographer – Tracy...
by THAC | Nov 7, 2022 | Educational Programs, Featured News
THAC's Winter 2022-23 classes are open for registration — and we have a stellar lineup! Register soon because these are popular courses, and space is limited. STAGECRAFT: THE VIDEO GAME When: 4 – 6 p.m., Mondays, Jan. 9 – March 13Final...
by THAC Admin | Nov 1, 2022 | Things We Like
The annual Colorado Thespian Conference reaches hundreds of theatre educators and thousands of theatre students across Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. Town Hall Arts Center long has been a supporter of this yearly event, also known as "Thescon." It is...
by THAC | Nov 1, 2022 | Job Openings
THAC seeks a Patron Experience Associate. Part Time $17-19 per hour DOE Typical Hours:Performances (Thursday, Friday, Saturday 5:30-10p.m.; Sunday 12:30-4:30 p.m.; Occasional Monday/Wednesday performancesDaytime (Lobby open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturdays 11...
On Colorado Gives Day, THAC needs your support
by THAC Admin | Nov 1, 2022 | Featured News, Fundraising
On the first Tuesday of December since 2010, Coloradans have come together to support the nonprofits that make a difference in our lives. Colorado Gives Day has grown to be Colorado's largest 24-hour giving event, raising more than $362 million for nonprofits...
Letter from the Board of Directors
by THAC | Oct 21, 2022 | Featured News, From the Board of Directors
"Town Hall Premier will offer Something for Everyone" was the headline just before the theatre opened its doors for the very first time. That was true in 1983 — and it is still true today.
Job Opening: Holiday Bartender
by THAC | Oct 20, 2022 | Job Openings
Are you looking for seasonal employment in the arts? Join us mid-November through December as parts of our Patron Services and Concessions Team for Disney's "Newsies the Musical!" Hours fluctuate between 5-20 per week. Interested? Please reach out to our Manager of...
Town Hall Arts Center 2020-21 Annual Report
by THAC | Jan 28, 2022 | Annual Reports, From the Board of Directors
THAC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation founded to benefit the public good. We offer regular reports on our activities and finances. Our fiscal year is July 1-June 30. We invite you to review our annual reports in PDF file format. Please do not hesitate to...
Online Streaming: SHOUT! The Mod Musical
by THAC Admin | Apr 26, 2021 | 2020-21 Season
SHOUT! The Mod Musical Created by Phillip George, David Lowenstein, Peter Charles Morris Originally Produced Off-Broadway in New York City By Victoria Lange & P.P. Piccoli and Mark Schwartz Developed in association with Amas Musical Theatre, Donna Trinkoff,...


text:
Q: Error on transfering data from file.txt to a table in a database I want to transfer data from a text file: file.txt to a table in a database.
Code:
<?php
$host="mysq44.000webhost.com"; // Host name
$user="a203563_user"; // Mysql username
$pass="123omr"; // Mysql password
$db_name="a2031563_global"; // Database name
$tbl_name="table"; // Table name
$file = "file.txt";

$sql=mysql_connect("$host", "$user", "$pass");
if (!$sql) {
    die("Could not connect: " . mysql_error());
}else{
mysql_select_db("$db_name");
$re="LOAD DATA INFILE '$file' INTO TABLE $tbl_name FIELDS TERMINATED BY ',')";
$result = mysql_query("$re");
if (!$result) {
    die("Could not load. " . mysql_error());
}

}
?>

but this is message appears:
Could not load. You have an error in your SQL syntax;
check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server
version for the right syntax to use near 'table FIELDS
TERMINATED BY ',')' at line 1

Can anyone give me some solution or some ideas?

A: The word 'table' is a reserved word in MySQL, you can't call a table, 'table', you'll need to change the name of your table or use backticks ( ` ) around the table name. You also seem to have closing brackets, but no opening ones - you'll want to fix that up to make this work.
Just in case you need it, here is the full syntax for the LOAD INFILE command:
LOAD DATA LOCAL INFILE 'somefile.txt' INTO TABLE abc
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','
ENCLOSED BY '"'
LINES TERMINATED BY '\r\n'
IGNORE 1 LINES
(col1, col2, col3);

A: Your load infile statement have 3 issues:

*

*table: is reserved word in MySQL, you need to change table name or inclose inside (``)

*remove the extra bracket at end of statement

*The CSV file where you are using to load the data from MUST by owned by MySQL, use command line below:
 chown mysql.mysql file.txt

So in general you need to make your load infile statement like
 $re = "LOAD DATA INFILE '$file' INTO TABLE `$tbl_name` FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','";

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Arrow Hart has a long history of success. Their product line includes NEMA type contactors, magnetic motor starters, general-purpose relays, and auxiliary switches. A wide range of pole and amp options is also available.Cooper Wiring Devices is a division of Cooper Industries and provides a range of residential, institutional and industrial grade electrical devices and wiring for consumers and building contractors. The company is the successor to both Arrow-Hart & Hegeman and Eagle Electric, both of which Cooper Industries had acquired. The Arrow-Hart brand is still used by Cooper Wiring Devices for some of their commercial products.


We are pleased to welcome Zoe Bayley as our Area Manager for the South-West as we enhance our operations and services to customers.
Zoe, who has a degree in fashion and fabric consultancy and has previously worked with the London Curtain Company, says that her experience will enable her to forge strong relationships with our customers who will appreciate her knowledge of the interior design sector.
Living near Cardiff, Zoe will cover a large area, from Plymouth to Wales to Birmingham. She will be visiting our existing customer base of independent retailers and interior designers, while helping to develop Jones Interiors' presence in the South-West.
Recruiting Zoe to our sales team is a positive step and we feel she is ideally suited to the role. Almost without exception, sales with Jones can be done remotely – by phone or via our on-line and printed catalogue, but we believe that face-to-face communication can't be beaten in terms of giving excellent service and truly understanding our customers' businesses.


after two years, the other being Giacomo Agostini, whose all-time victory record Rossi surpassed at the last race in Indianapolis.
This is Rossi's third title with Yamaha, his sixth in the premier class and eighth in total in a career spanning 12 years.
His team-mate Jorge Lorenzo finished a fighting fourth and today's results also secured the triple crown of Rider, Manufacturer and Team titles for Yamaha and the Fiat Yamaha Team.
Rossi slipped some places at the start and was in fifth first time around. He soon found his rhythm however as his Bridgestone tyres warmed up and he passed Lorenzo and Nicky Hayden on the next lap before settling in behind Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa, the three contesting the next four laps within a few tenths of a second of one another. On lap six both Rossi and Stoner got by Pedrosa and from then on the Italian was on his championship rival's tail, determined to find a way to pass him and win the race despite the title being his with a podium finish.
With ten laps to go Rossi did just that and it was then a straight run to the finish as he pulled away from Stoner, crossing the line 1.943 seconds and 92 championship points ahead to seal a very special title after two barren years.
Rossi has won eight races this season and, with three remaining, he is still in with a chance of matching the 11 he won in his second season with Yamaha in 2005.
Today's win was his 70th in the premier class, his 96th in total and his 148th career podium.
Valentino Rossi : "It's a great victory and a great achievement; I think it's at the same level as the first title in 2004 with Yamaha, maybe even better! This championship has been very long and hard and all of the team and all of Yamaha have worked very well, never giving up for one moment. We have been able to put a great bike onto the track in all conditions and at all circuits, and this has allowed me to ride like this and to win so many races. I am very happy! The race was a great battle and I had to ride at 100%, like I have through all through the season! Pedrosa and Stoner today were very strong and it was fun to fight with them like this, I am happy that it was a good race for the fans.
It was a fantastic feeling to take the title with a win, like I did in 2001 and 2004. I think this is the hardest I have ever had to work to win a world championship and I have to say a huge thank you to Yamaha, my mechanics, the team and everyone involved for working this hard alongside me. Of course I also have to say a special thank you to Bridgestone, they have done a great job with the tyres all season and the decision to be with them has been a big part of our success this season.
We have lost for two years and I don't think I was the favourite this season, but we have shown that we are a great team and that we never give up. I am so happy that I have now won three titles with Yamaha because this is how many I won with my last team and I want Yamaha to have the same merit - I am a Yamaha rider and I feel different with Yamaha than with anyone else before - I hope we will have more together! Now I have to get used to being World Champion again!"
Davide Brivio - Team Manager : "Simply amazing! Every time he surprises us. We've already been working together for five years and what he can deliver on the track is always unbelievable. This year is another demonstration of how strong Valentino is, especially to come back to this level of performance after two very hard years. We knew we had to improve the bike and make it faster after last year and Yamaha have done this, but Valentino worked very hard in the winter too and, together with Bridgestone, we were able to start very strongly and get better as the season progressed.
2006 and 2007 made everyone stronger, including the relationship between Valentino and Yamaha; we knew that we didn't want to be in this situation again and so this has been a great motivation for this victory. Congratulations to Valentino, to all the team and Yamaha engineers, and thank you to Bridgestone, Fiat and all of our sponsors and partners. Congratulations also to Jorge's team and to Tech 3, they have all played a big part in winning the Triple Crown."


text:
Ed Sheeran Hits The Brakspear Henley Ale Trail
Rock star Ed Sheeran has added another prestigious award to his collection of gold discs, Grammys and BRITs, after completing the Brakspear Henley Ale Trail.
The acclaimed songwriter and a group of friends stopped off for a pint at the Saracen's Head pub on Greys Road as part of the trail, which involves a visit to 10 Brakspear pubs in the town.
Co-licensee Mel Roberson, who run the Saracen's Head with husband Colin, said: "Collin came to me and said "I think Ed Sheeran's in the bar". We Googled a picture him to make sure it was, and he was so friendly. He stayed for a game of pool and said what a great idea he thinks the Ale Trail is - apparently he only has one local pub where he lives."
By getting their card stamped in each pub, Ale Trailers qualify for rewards including exclusive Ale Trail t-shirts.
Marketing manager for Brakspear, Emma Sweet, said: "We're delighted that Ed has completed the Ale Trail and had a chance to enjoy our pubs, which are so much a part of the social life of the town.
"We hope to see him sporting his Henley Ale Trail t-shirt on stage, and also hope that he'll join us at our annual Ale Trail party in January. We always book a live music act for the party, so if Ed would like the gig, we'd be very happy to consider him!"
Details of the Brakspear Henley Ale Trail are www.henleyaletrail.co.uk/
Participants have a full year from starting the trail to visit all 10 pubs and claim their rewards.


text:
Ian McDonald Reflects on His New Band and King Crimson at 50
Multi-instrumentalist looks back at his old band, talks about his new one and reflects on career in interview.
King Crimson Announce 50th-Anniversary 'Crimson King' Set
Collection includes three CDs and a Blu-Ray featuring 5.1 surround sound and new stereo mixes.
Michael Gallucci
Robert Fripp Explains Why King Crimson Keep Breaking Up
Leader reflects on band's "way of doing things" on 50th anniversary year.
King Crimson to Play 50 Concerts for 50th Anniversary
Listen to first retrospective audio track as current lineup prepares to celebrate milestone with documentary, archive releases and rarities.
When King Crimson's Frontman Joined Spinal Tap
Adrian Belew was told he could play "Break Like the Wind" – if he knew an E chord.
King Crimson's Jakko Jakszyk on Chances of New Album
Singer, guitarist and flautist says there's enough material but no decision over studio project.
King Crimson Could Spend More Time in the U.S. Because of Brexit
Robert Fripp abandons plans for 50th anniversary tour of Europe and turns his attention to "other places in the world."
King Crimson Announce 'Live in Vienna 2016' Album
King Crimson have announced the release of a three-disc concert album, 'Live in Vienna 2016.'
King Crimson's Jakko Jakszyk: No Lineup Compares to This One
King Crimson have never not been interesting.
Dave Swanson
King Crimson to Release 27-Disc Box Focusing on Early '70s Era
'Sailors' Tales' expands on the period between King Crimson's genre-defining 1969 debut and their John Wetton-era reinvention.


Memo to President Obama: It's a tax.
Mr. Obama insisted this weekend on national television that requiring people to carry health insurance - and fining them if they don't - isn't the same thing as a tax increase. But the language of Democratic bills to revamp the nation's health care system doesn't quibble. The House bill and the Senate Finance Committee proposal clearly state that the fines would be a tax.
And the reason the fines are in the legislation is to enforce the coverage requirement.
Democrats aren't the first to propose that individuals be required to carry health insurance and fined if they refuse.
The conservative Heritage Foundation called for such a mandate in the 1990s health care debate, although its proposal differed from the ones pending in Congress. The think tank has since dropped the idea and now favors using tax credits to encourage people to buy coverage - carrots and not sticks.
During the 2008 political campaign, Mr. Obama opposed making coverage mandatory because of the costs. His position has shifted now that it is becoming clear such a requirement will be part of any legislation that Congress sends him. Conservative activists are calling it a violation of his pledge not to raise taxes on the middle class.
Some liberals acknowledge that Mr. Obama might be vulnerable on the insurance requirement. But they say most people will understand as long as the legislation provides enough of a subsidy to make the coverage affordable. That's a central issue this week as the Senate Finance Committee starts voting on legislation.
In an interview that aired Sunday on ABC's "This Week," Mr. Obama insisted that the insurance requirement is not a tax.
"For us to say that you've got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase," the president said. "What it's saying is … that we're not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you anymore.
But a Democratic staff description of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus' bill calls the proposed fines an "excise tax." Penalties of up to $950 for individuals and $3,800 for families would be imposed on those who don't get coverage.
It wouldn't be the first asterisk added to Mr. Obama's campaign pledge not to impose higher taxes on the middle class. Earlier this year, he signed a tobacco-tax increase to pay for children's health insurance. Even that can be read as a violation of his expansive campaign promise.