Monthly Archives: March 2014

Ecstatic Navadwip Mandala Parikrama 2014! (Album 99 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

The Navadwipa Mandala Parikrama is held every year in the Pahalguna month (middle of March). People from all over the world take part in the week long festival held at Navadvipa in West Bengal. Navadvipa Parikrama means visiting the holy places of Navadvipa in groups.

Navadvipa is where the Supreme Lord incarnated as Lord Gauranga (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) in kali-yuga to teach the people the best way to attain Him. Navadvipa is one of the holiest places on earth and anyone visiting it will become His perfect devotee as Shrila Narottama Dasa Thakura states, shri-gauda mandala-bhumi yeba jane chintamani tara haya vraja-bhume vasa “One who knows the Gauda-mandala-bhumi, the abode of Lord Gauranga, is transcendental and qualified to live in Vraja-bhumi.” Read more ›

Middle Park School “Spiritual Carnivale”, Melbourne, Australia (Album 17 photos)
→ Dandavats.com

We have been serving delicious vegetarian karma-free meals in Melbourne since the 1971. Over three decades we have grown to cater to the various needs of Melbournites and visitors. We have two restaurants down-town, we serve meals three times a day from our temple premises in Albert Park, and we have an outreach program for the homeless and needy. We also cater for private functions and for festivals and events in and around Victoria. Read more ›

Saturday, March 1st, 2014
→ The Walking Monk

Mayapur, India
You Can Get Bitten
I do anticipate that anything can happen at any time.  Down any trail, danger can lurk.  What if along the trail of dust, a cobra confronts me and he strikes?  I might have an hour to live.
The last few evenings, just to get away from the crowds, I’ve taken to the path.  I premeditate as to what to do should a fateful event like a snake injecting his venom ever occur.
As I embarked on what’s now a brick-lain trail before it turns to raw soil, I perceived a towering figure who stepped into my shadow.  I turned around to see who it was.  A stranger to me, but in traditional attire, dhoti and kurta – was this tall blonde-haired stocky Russian.
I beckoned him to join.  His English is poor.  My Russian is awful.  We decided to penetrate through the dark together and not talk but chant japa.  I had the trail chalked out. He trusted my turns when they came.
We walked on and on in the quiet of the night.  Only in the distance could we hear a little pop music from across the Jalanghi river.  We weren’t bitten by a cobra, only by that sound which is not congruous to the local spiritual atmosphere.  “Never mind!”  I thought.  Change what you can, not what you can’t.  Focus on the sound that falls off your tongue and your lips.  “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”.
The Russian-walking comrade goes by the name of Vedaguhya.  It turns out he’s an expert massage therapist.  He offered to massage my legs, feeling an obligation I suppose.  In returning the favour, I offered a newly-acquired lota (a container for water).
In the dham (spiritual abode) everyone tries to resign to exchanges of giving.  It heals.
May the Source be with you!
4 KM

Srutakirti prabhu gets huge mercy from Sri Srivas and feels blessed!
→ Dandavats.com

So, on March 3rd about one hour before the Maha abhisekha of the Panca tattva I made my way to the temple and pushed through thousands of devotees making my way to the front where there was a spot for Srila Prabhupada disciples. As time went past I spoke to Nrsingha kavacha who was ‘in charge’ of the Abhisekha and asked him what was the chance of making getting on the altar to bathe the Deities. He said, ‘None!’ We had a conversation for about 10 minutes and despite me using all of my strategies he didn’t budge. I told him that if I got the dhoti from Lord Caitanya or Lord Nityananda I would be somewhat pacified. Read more ›

Mahabharata & Our Generational Challenge – #2
→ NY Times & Bhagavad Gita Sanga/ Sankirtana Das

Dharma has various nuanced meanings. It could mean one’s religion, or occupation, or moral responsibilities to family and society. It could mean ‘the Path.’ On a deeper level, it means who we are and our purpose in life and our eternal relationship with the Divine.  All these are addressed in the Mahabharata.

To maintain the Dharma in society requires good leadership. The pillars of Dharma are honesty, compassion, cleanliness and self-sacrifice. In all fields, especially in spirituality, politics and business, leaders need  to understand and practice these qualities. 

To whom much is given, much is expected. The people who have the most to lose have to make the biggest sacrifices  – not just the regular person on the street. The spiritual, political and business leaders have to lead the way. But where is such leadership? This is one of the important generational concerns before us today: to understand what is real leadership and to train leaders who can tackle the formidable challenges of the 21stcentury.  Justice. The environment. The economy. Moral inspiration.  We’re mired in some serious problems that are not going to go away soon. 

My rendition of Mahabharata addresses these issues. If we don’t know what real leadership is, then it’s a case of the blind leading the blind. Examples of good leadership are very rare in these times. Without it, the philosophy of ‘greed is good’ runs rampant.  If the leaders can’t be examples of self-sacrifice, then it becomes OK to give way to our desires, to secure material wealth and pleasure by any means.  When we lose sight of the Dharma, greed becomes dominant and society begins to unravel. Understanding the dharma is pivotal to what Mahabharata: The Eternal Quest is all about.

For reviews and more info see: www.Mahabharata-Project.com

TEXAS FAITH 125: What’s the balance between religious freedom and freedom from discrimination?
→ Nityananda Chandra Das' Blog, ISKCON Dallas

Dallas Morning News,

Each week we will post a question to a panel of about two dozen clergy, laity and theologians, all of whom are based in Texas or are from Texas. They will chime in with their responses to the question of the week. And you, readers, will be able to respond to their answers through the comment box.

When Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer announced she was vetoing a “religious freedom” bill that targeted gay men and lesbians, she said religious liberty remains a “core value” in Arizona. But, she added, “So is non-discrimination.”

The debate over the Arizona bill – and similar proposals under consideration elsewhere – highlights the tension between two competing and deeply held American values: the right of people to practice their religion vs. the right to be free from discrimination. It’s a balancing act, and not an easy one.

It is at the heart of the debate over the Obama administration policy requiring businesses to provide health insurance for their employees that includes forms of contraception. It’s central to the argument by supporters of the Arizona bill that a baker who opposes same-sex marriage shouldn’t be required to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple. Both sides make a claim on liberty.

Clearly, nobody’s advocating that the government sanction, say, the right to deny service to black people at a lunch counter – regardless of whether the owner says it violates his religious beliefs. At the same time, nobody’s saying a Jewish caterer must work the Nazi rally, even if the Nazis claim they’re being discriminated against.

The question is, as a matter of public policy, how to reconcile competing rights? How do we protect both the religious rights of one person (which may involve discriminating against some people) and the deeply held right to be free from discrimination? What’s the balance and how best do we achieve it?

As expected, our Texas Faith panel of experts on faith and public policy – theologians, activists, clergy, scholars – don’t agree. And in so doing, they offer provocative, thoughtful reasons. If you think you know what side you’re on, read our Texas Faith panel and think again.

NITYANANDA CHANDRA DAS, minister of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Dallas 

To be merited rights is a metaphysical concept.  There is no scientific or secular logic that procures rights upon an individual.  Therefore this subject must be approached metaphysically with logic and reason.

The first question is: what is it that is being granted rights?  If there is no logical understanding of the self or individual, then we cannot progress further.

In an American history we had slavery because it was said that dark-skinned people did not have souls. But where is the logic in that?  By simple analysis one can see that the symptom of the soul or self is consciousness.  As soon as the soul leaves the body, that body no longer carries its beauty and luster. That same symptom of consciousness is equal whether one is a man or a woman, dark-skinned or light, or human or animal.   All feel pain and pleasure.   However, because our society’s understanding of the self and consciousness is lacking depth, a large foolish section of society makes claims that animals are without souls and therefore without inherent rights.

Another large and equally foolish section of society will make claims that the unborn individual is also without rights.  This is all because there is no clear understanding of the self which is the foundation of the discussions of rights.  But there are books, such as the Bhagavad Gītā As It Is, that deal with this subject with such clarity that it can shock most people.  Such clarity is necessary to govern social structures in a progressive way.

To see all responses of the TEXAS Faith panel click here.

New Vrindaban Daily darsan @ March 4, 2014.
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

O friend, by great good-fortune you have attained this body where you have heard Vrndavana’s wonderful glories and learned that everything in this world is like a dream. Don’t, don’t, don’t put any faith in the mind and body. Run to Vrndavana. [Source : Nectarean Glories of Sri Vrindavana-dhama by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura, 1-80 […]

Satisfy God and You will automatically be Satisfied
→ The Spiritual Scientist

Materially, everyone wants to satisfy his senses, and he wants God to be the order supplier for such satisfaction. The Lord will satisfy the senses of the living entities as much as they deserve, but not to the extent that they may covet. But when one takes the opposite way – namely, when one tries […]

Have you visited WpRecipes today?

14th Annual Festival Of Inspiration
→ New Vrindaban

We still have some accommodation available, please call 304-843-1600 ext. 129 or ext. 113 

May 9 – 11, 2014 (Mother’s day weekend)

Filled with inspiring lectures, seminars, workshops, entertainment, and dramas, the Festival of Inspiration has become the most spiritually inspirational and motivational event of the year. A uniquely wonderful opportunity to share chanting of the holy names in the association of vibrant and fascinating souls from all over the three worlds

Join in for three consecutive days of tumultuous world-class kirtans, bhajans, dancing and feasting in the Appalachian foothills during the delightful mid-spring season in West Virginia!