Monthly Archives: April 2014

Ramayana: Past in Present By Krpamaya das A staged reading of a new musical is a very interesting way to be part of this production. The production team wants your feedback about the musical. <<>> When: Saturday, April 26th, 5:30-6:45PM After the reading, please stay to give feedback and enjoy refreshments. Where: The Palace of […]

Rudyard Kipling wrote, “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Perhaps he was exposed to the rich tradition of story-telling in Gaudiya Vaishnavism during his time in India. Indeed, stories are an honored means to understand the pastimes and philosophy of this spiritual practice. What of ISKCON’s history?

Part of the concert with Aditi-Dukha ha Prabhu and Symphony orchestra. Arranged by Shri Harinam Mandir, ISKCON, Tallinn, Estonia. Read more ›

H G Harigaura Prabhu president of ISKCON Mentakab organised Harinam at Mentakab on 19 April 2014. Mentakab is a town which is around 120km away from Kuala Lumpur. This was the first ever harinam organised at mentakab. Deities of Sita Ram Lakshman Hanuman were taken on a palanquin procession in and around the housing areas of Mentakab. 40 residents did offering for Their Lordships and 50 devotees attended the harinam. The Harinam which continued for 3 hours started and ended at Sriman Arumugam’s house who is an active member of Mentakab centre. H G Siva Caitanya prabhu gave a class on chanting and Bhagavad Gita at the end of the harinam and enlightened each and every one who were present.

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Deity Greeting and Guru Puja – 19.04.2014 Iskcon London

Some relationships are chronological, others are ontological. An example of a chronological relationship is “Flavor comes (mainly) from chewing.” The …

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Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world…simply send me an introduction message and I will be happy to make you a member:rasa108 ::_::{.at.}::_:: gmail dot comysRasa Rasika dasa

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We continue exploring what could be called the “glory of humility” in this blog with an emphasis that pride precedes a fall. I find much to celebrate about someone who is modest in their attitude, yet competent, and—or—hardworking and sincere. Such a person shines in whatever they do, whether as a great leader, or street sweeper. Even though you won’t find humility or modesty listed on the qualities desired for a job applicant, this quality has always been appreciated, and even more so today since modesty seems extremely rare—even quaint, or archaic to some.

Part of humility is also being authentic and honest in our life—or in our conditioned identity, work, and family, etc., neither vainly proud, nor full of self-loathing. Being authentic means being a balanced human being with a good understanding of one’s nature and a feeling of dependence on God. Unfortunately with the decline of good families and spiritual values many children are raised with glaring deficiencies and poor attitudes that as adults they try to over compensate for. I speak from experience.

With television, magazines, and frenzied social media all hungry for sensational stories, coupled with a busy population awash in (mis)information and infinite entertainment distractions, a “sound bite culture” has been created without much depth, but with much money invested in promoting it. Fame, though still rare, may be easily conferred on someone for insignificant reasons, and is often pursued for its own sake, rather than given, unsought, as an acknowledgement for special skills or good qualities.

On the other hand, persons who do have the advantages of beauty, wealth, social position, or acting or athletic ability, can be full of pride, conceit, boasting, or unwarranted audaciousness. Those in the limelight have special responsibilities because, as the Gita teaches us

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Part of the concert with Aditi-Dukha ha Das and a symphonic orchestra. Arranged by Shri Harinam Mandir, ISKCON, Tallinn, Estonia.

The fifth annual Vaishnava-Muslim Interfaith Dialogue was held on Saturday April 19th this year in the Washington D.C. area. After covering topics such as the name of God and “What do we Love When We Love Our God?” during pre…

New youth organization The Sanga Initiative just launched in October of last year, but it’s already inspiring North American youth to pursue big ideals – building relationships, offering service to ISKCON, and setting the foundati…

With this desire and missionary spirit in place, at the age of 65, UK-born Adikarta Das and his wife Rucira Dasi decided to start life anew; they packed up lock, stock and barrel, and after scouting through several properties, decided to sett…

Dubai, UAE

Clothes Vs. None

I’m not the only one in free flowing loose attire.  At the international airport at Dubai, you see plenty of Orthodox wear that isn’t necessarily square.  There’s the Islamic clothes, for men it’s head gear in white, with long gown to match.  Some men sport the lungi, a draped from the waist down comfortable cloth, and then a white chaddar wrapped around the upper torso, folded over on the left shoulder.  Some women wear the traditional black, some with the burqa over the entire head.

As a Hare Krishna monk, I don’t stand out as unique any more, unless I’m walking in the prairie country or the mountains which I’m quite excited about for the coming May.   Common place in these areas are coveralls and denims, and where you hardly see a lady’s dress, that seems to be something of the past. 

Back in the airport you see the signs for the passengers’ washrooms where you see the symbols of the human figurines, one with a dress and one with pants.  The male’s room shows the form with the pants, but that doesn’t necessarily apply to an airport like Dubai’s where the genders seem to cross borders when it comes to dress style. 

Look!  There’s another guy in robes, a solid dark brown material worn by a Southeast Asian who happens to be a Buddhist monk. 

Whatever the duds, it’s mostly needed to cover up embarrassing figures and conceal bad body odour from being stuck on a plane for hours.  Thank God for clothes, whether it be a dress or pants.  Thank God that Adam and Eve came up with something practical after realizing the naked truth.  Thank Providence that the naga babas (naked sages) of the Himalayas have their caves to wear as their clothes.  We might, however, learn something from their being beyond the bodily concept.  I am not this body, I have a body, and I will shed it like I do my clothes. 

I am spirit. 

May the Source be with you!

0 KM

It is wrong, however, to think that simply by becoming a vegetarian one can avoid transgressing the laws of nature. Vegetables also have life, and while it is nature’s law that one living being is meant to feed on another, for human beings the point is to recognize the Supreme Lord. Thus one should not […]

Have you visited WpRecipes today?

24-09-2013 Japa Tips, ISKCON Cape Town, South Africa.mp3

1970 April 24: “If you think that George Harrison’s foreword will help the selling of the books, then it may be published as it was originally sent, but in no case can the quotation from Swami Vivekananda be placed in my book.”Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1970 April 24: “You have asked me to disclose my dream about John Lennon. I dreamt that John took me in a place at Calcutta, a big palatial building, which formerly belonged to a very rich man, and he was a famous musician also.”Prabhupada Letters :: 1970

1971 April 24: “In the Sankirtana festival pandal if a very big kitchen arrangement can be made, then we shall distribute prasadam daily. Try to make this arrangement. Puri, halava, kitri – whatever can be arranged as much as possible.”Prabhupada Lette…

1972 April 24: “The more one renders service, the more he becomes enthusiastic. This is the secret of spiritual life, when one can work all day long and not be tired. That is real spiritual life.”Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1972 April 24: “To make each and every center spiritually strong should be the duty of the GBC. So far financing, let them do in their own way. We have to increase our preaching propensity. That is our main business.”Prabhupada Letters :: 1972

1974 April 24: “You ask me how to recruit strong devotees to come there. You have to prepare strong devotees, not import them. You yourself become strong devotees and teach others by your example. Importation is not a good plan; everyone should be stro…

1974 April 24: “Sometimes he hesitates to accept prasadam from us. If he desires to cook that means he keeps aloof. If he keeps aloof from us that is not very much desirable. I wish that he should mix with us with open mind, without reservation.”Prabh…

1974 April 24: “We cannot pay for these dresses. Why go to a tailor? They charge extraordinarily. We don’t want to go to them. Whatever our devotees can make, that is all right.”Prabhupada Letters :: 1974

The post Should we really pray to Krsna for protection from bad planets, meteors, serpents, scorpions, tigers, ghosts and lightening? appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post April 24th, 2014 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Nice and easy tutorial! Read more ›

Experience the vibrant, colorful culture and festivities at Kalachandji’s Hare Krishna Temple in Dallas’s annual Festival of Chariots through these photos. Children’s Carnival, Henna & Face-painting, Free Asana Yoga, Live Entertainment, Delicious Vegetarian Food & much much more .. Read more ›

Chandan Yatra is coming on May 2nd! Read more ›

“Sankirtan will always be appreciated because it is the special blessings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu on the people of this fallen age of Kali”

Letter to Achyutananda 1975

The general public of London are appreciating more and more the devotee’s Kirtan on the streets. There was a time when we would get arrested for chanting and book distribution, now the police just walk by and nod to us with a smile. We started the Maha Harinam at 1pm and continued till 6pm took prasad and went out again till about 10pm. 350 books were distributed, 280 medium and 70 maha big. This was organised by Sutapa Prabhu of the Manor brahmacaris and the Soho temple devotees. The first part of the video show the “Hari Haris” Kirtan band chanting on Soho street, then Guru Das brahmacari leads Kirtan and then HG Parividha Prabhu.

Enjoy the movie (put together by Achinta Rupa Prabhu) Read more ›

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.1.2 Bhakti Caru Swami

New Vrindaban’s Transcendental Throwback Thursday – 04/24/14. Each week we highlight an earlier era of ISKCON New Vrindaban. This week’s challenge: In this photo, there are twenty five devotees and pretty much all of their faces are recognizable. How many can you identify? Extra Credit: What year was this photo taken and where? Post your guesses on […]

Durban, South Africa

Something About Family
 
After four days of intense devotional output at this 26^th annual Festival of Chariots in Durban, there was happy fatigue.  The attendance at the temple’s morning program was skimpy for that reason, and more.  Some of the visiting monks from Europe, the US and India, had already departed for other destinations.  You can say things are back to normal.  The party’s over.  Members of the spiritual family have gone to their respective areas of what they call home. 

The few of us lingering folks sat down for listening to a recording of our guru, Srila Prabhupada, speaking about the concept of family from the Vedic perspective.  Imagine stretching out to beyond extended family.  “It is not just a man with wife and children, it is generations,” Srila Prabhupada explained from a pravachan (talk) he delivered on October 5^th, 1976, Vrindavan, India.  He went on to say that the family consideration was so important in Vedic culture.  If there was some misbehaviour on the part of a member of the family, it would leave a great scar on the dynasty. 

This is a major issue raised at the inception of the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna in the “Bhagavad Gita”.  Arjuna was concerned about improper action impacting the family.  From his standpoint, the proper action was no action, in the case of the Kurukshetra war.  From Krishna’s point of view, failure to perform meant cowardliness and irresponsibility.  Krishna’s constant reminder to Arjuna, being of a dignified clan, was saying that there was an obligation to act in their defense, making it honourable. 

While some Krishna followers I know have little or sometimes no tie with biological family, there is, however, a strong allegiance to their spiritual family.  Another case, family in the broad sense, needs protection from ill repute.  You want to try to avoid doing that which is embarrassing to yourself, and above all, your allegiances. 

May the Source be with you!

 3 KM

Durban, South Africa

Trail Break

I had been pining for an African trail to come my way, and so it came to pass that Tamohara dispelled the dream, and had in most practical terms, arranged for a drive by his dad, Thayalan, to take Kala, Jambavan and I to a gorgeous gorge at Krantz Kloof.  We arrived there at the hour of dawn when trees drop dew and the aromas of plants perk the nostrils.  The rubber tree was there to greet us, perfectly circular mushrooms of a rustic tone were also there.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, no big game crossed our paths.  In fact, the largest form of wildlife that we sighted came in the form of a microphone length (you can tell I’ve been on the stage lately) centipede of sorts.  It was perfectly coiled as it clung on to the side of a tree.  A creek appeared and disappeared, snaking its way to its own natural whim, and making its own descension to manifest as waterfalls. 

Being in this green zone was a great break from the asphalt at the festival site.  And, as always, when you trek the softened and uneven path under nature’s canopies, it is such a far cry from moving over the hardened, flat surfaces of city constructs.  I felt certain leg muscles stretch – muscles that become lazy from plying over the terrain of manmade evenness. 

‘Twas a treat. 

Back to a baking sun at the old Durban Drive-In Theatre grounds, and this day, at the Bhakti Cloud tent, we danced out the eight stanza “Chaitanya’s Verses”.  Verse three especially resonated with volunteers as I rapped out,

It is best to chant with humility
To be as humble as you can possibly be
It’s like a blade of grass you see
And be more tolerant than a tree…

From executing the dance I could appreciate the dynamics of flatness. 

May the Source be with you!

5 KM

May Lord Syama’s beloved Radha, who from each of Her limbs floods Vrindavana forest with charming, effulgent, wonderful golden nectar oceans glistening with drops of intense sweetness flowing from the original source of the nectar of all love and filled with the happiness of wild amorous pastimes, play within my heart.[Source : Nectarean Glories of […]

“The Gosvamis, especially Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, strictly followed all the regulative principles. The first regulative principle is that one must chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra loudly enough so that he can hear himself, and one must vow to chant a …

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 01 April 2014, Cape Town, South Africa, Evening Lecture) We may think, “What about my security? I need some security; like a little money in the bank, a credit card maybe. You know, just in case, something happens. Need to be prepared. What about my security?” But a vaisnava’s security is his goodwill; his goodwill with the […]

Renowned activist and author Michael Pollan argues that cooking is one of the simplest and most important steps people can take to improve their family’s health, build communities, fix our broken food system, and break our growing dependen…

Constant change has become the underlying theme of the age – update your fashion, contrast your scenery, evolve your goals and upgrade your gadgets. After all, variety is the mother of enjoyment.

The Vaishnava tradition is famous for its festivals. And within ISKCON, the New Vrindaban community in West Virginia has become one of the most renowned places to celebrate. As New Vrindaban finds a fresh start and rebuilds itself, festivals …