Monthly Archives: July 2015

Ray Cappo was on the east coast getting Shelter ready for the hordes of Youth of Today fans. I was on the west coast doing Inside Out and Enquirer zine. Between the two of us, and a few others like Kalki of Razor’s Edge, Krishna was pushing into the hardcore scene in a huge way. […]

Hare Krishna! My Experiences And Associations With Srila Prabhupada
Bhakti Caru Swami: They asked Srila Prabhupada, ‘Why are you converting the Christians into Hindus?’ Prabhupada’s response was, ‘No, I am not converting Christians into Hindus or Muslims into Jews. I am simply making better Christians out of Christians, better Jews out of Jews and better Muslims out of Muslims, better Hindus out of Hindus. Prabhupada is situating them in their perfect identity. Jesus came and spoke. Who is a Christian? A true follower of Jesus Christ is a Christian. And what did Jesus preach? Jesus simply spoke about God, the Father. Who is God the Father? Are there many Fathers? Are there many God, the Fathers? There is only one God, the Father. So that God, the Father is Krsna. Who is Allah? Is there any difference between God, Allah, Krishna, Jehovah? So we have to understand that essential truth. If that essential truth is properly understood, then there cannot be any conflict between different religions.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18571

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The post Daily Darshan – July 22nd, 2015 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Hare Krishna! Celebration of Lord Jagannatha Rathayatra Festival in Canberra, Australia
By the mercy of Their Lordships Sri Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra and His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada we had wonderful Lord Jagannatha Rathayatra in Canberra, Australia on 18 July 2015. The Hare Krishna (ISKCON) Canberra devotees along with local community members celebrated Rathayatra Festival seeking the blessings of Their Lordships. Fortunately 18 July 2015 coincided with this year’s actual date of Lord Jagannatha Rathayatra at Sri Ksetra Jagannatha Puri Dhama; especially this year marking the first Rath Yatra with Nabakalebara Deities at Jagannatha Puri. Please find below Rathayatra photos and videos.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18563

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6 Hours Kirtan by HG Agnidev Das on 12th July 2015 Part 1

I set out to do a second issue of Enquirer – this time without all the dot-matrix stuff that was all over the first issue. My dad now had an actual laser printer for the text, and I used a photocopier more than a prehistoric photo-editor to make the graphics. Using a typewriter I wrote […]

Indian thought is sometimes deemed fatalistic, as holding that everything is destined by past karma, thereby leaving little room for human initiative. While Indian literature is filled with diverse thoughts – some of which may be fatalistic – the bhakti literature, which is among the most influential Indian literature, offers a far more nuanced and empowering outlook to life.

Ancient echoes of modern concerns

The Ramayana features an emotionally and intellectually riveting conversation about the interplay of destiny and human initiative. This conversation occurred at one of the epic’s defining moments: the moment when Rama, who was about to be crowned as prince regent, was instead sentenced to forest exile for fourteen years.

While Rama gracefully accepted the exile as the will of destiny, his faithful younger brother Lakshmana was outraged by the injustice and called for rebellion. Rama calmly responded that he considered his exile the will of destiny and so intended to accept it. He said that nothing else could explain how his stepmother Kaikeyi who had loved him like her own son and whom he had served like his own mother had suddenly become so malevolent towards him. Rama hadn’t done anything to offend Kaikeyi and certainly didn’t deserve to be exiled. Yet his exile was the boon that Kaikeyi had extorted from her husband, the monarch Dasharatha. Rama deemed obedience to his father his duty – a duty that he intended to follow unflinchingly.

If some of us find Rama’s deference to destiny too docile, we may be intrigued to know that so did Lakshmana. Rather than ascribe Rama’s exile to destiny, he sought to lay the blame on the human actors involved: Kaikeyi’s scheming and, more importantly, the king’s complicity. He alleged that the king had become infatuated with his beautiful wife and so had abandoned his duty to protect his own son. To Rama’s deference to destiny, the incensed Lakshmana countered that only the impotent accepted injustice passively as the will of destiny; the strong fought injustice to protect their rights – and the kingdom was Rama’s right. Lakshmana’s arguments may make us feel that his is an intriguingly modern voice railing against the fatalism prevailing in those times.

Seeing through the stereotype of fatalism

Significantly, Rama was not fatalistic, as was evident from his dynamic response to other adversities such as the abduction of his wife Sita. He didn’t passively accept her abduction as an act of destiny. When she was abducted, he had no guards, servants or royal resources for finding her. He could well have seen his destitute condition as the arrangement of destiny and passively accepted Sita’s abduction. But the thought of such passivity didn’t even cross his mind.

To the contrary, he always discharged his duty of protecting her actively, even proactively. Throughout their stay in the forest, he always ensured that either he or his brother were at hand to protect Sita. And the moment he discovered that she was missing and found signs of a scuffle that pointed to her abduction, he immediately […]

The post Fatalism or pragmatism? (Ramayana reflections 3) appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast:

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/07-15%20classes/Bhagavatam-daily%20275%20–%2011.13.8%20–%20Illusion%20makes%20us%20to%20stick%20to%20the%20source%20of%20suffering.mp3 Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Bhagavatam-daily 275 – 11.13.8 – Illusion makes us to stick to the source of suffering appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The monistic Theory of Division states: “Brahman is like the sky. Parts of the sky can be divided by being contained within pots. When the pot is made of ignorance, the Brahman within is an individual (jīva). When the pot is made of knowledge, the Brahman within is the master of illusion (Īśvara), God.” This […]

So the Lord has further glorified the Holy Name namnam akari bahudha nija sarva-saktis.How potent is the Holy Name. How potent is the Holy Name? The Lord has invested “all” His energies – nija! Take note of these two little words but important ones. He…

Ever since I heard a recording of someone singing it at Rādhā-Ramaṇa mandīr in Vṛndāvan, I’ve been charmed by the opening verse of Krishnadās Kavirāja’s Govinda-līlāmṛta. श्री गोविन्दं व्रजानन्दं सन्दोहानन्दमन्दिरम् । वन्दे वृन्दावनानन्दं श्री राधासऩ्गनन्दितम् ।। śrī go vin daṁ vra jā nan daṁ | san do hā nan da man di ram van de […]

Tulsi Gabbard (U.S. Politician and devotee of Shri Krishna) met leading members of ISKCON Radhanath Swami and Vaisesika Prabhu! Read more ›

Hare Krishna! The Krishna-Approaching Body
Ravindra Svarupa dasa: As soon as I am desiring something, immediately my body is formed. Immediately a particular type of body begins to form, and as soon as I am mature to change, my next body I get accordin… Read more ›

Wednesday, July 8th, 2015Toronto, OntarioWhere is Raganuga?A group of doctors from Iran came to see me today.  No, I’m not sick.  The group leader happens to be a personal friend and he introduced his friends to the temple food, and me.&nbs…

Lecture Podcast:

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/07-15%20classes/Gita%2006.26%20-%20Overcome%20discouragement%20with%20the%20inner%20light%20and%20the%20inner%20map.mp3 Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Gita 06.26 – Overcome discouragement with the inner light and the inner map appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Latest album of beautiful photos from the Hare Krishna Festival Tour in Poland
Indradyumna Swami: If public opinion were to gage the popularity of our festivals I’d like to think we’d get, “ten out ten.” Both on the streets when we do harinama and at the festivals, people show their appreciation with great enthusiasm. What more could a devotee ask for?
“Incessantly they discuss the narrations of Sri Krsna ’s pastimes which bestow pure devotion. Overwhelmed with ecstasy they preach the Maha-mantra throughout the earth when Gaura descends to destroy the sins of the age of Kali.” [ Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Susloka Sarakam, verse 77 ]
See them here: https://goo.gl/SsDYTy

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Written by Bhakta Matthew From the very start, Villa Vrindavan, in the region of Tuscany, on the outskirts of Florence was a wonderful backdrop for a weekend of glorifying the Lord through the chanting of His holy names (11-12 July). With peacocks roaming the grounds and not a cloud in the sky, we eagerly awaited the […]

2nd day – New Zealand Kirtan Festival 2015 (19.7.15) (Album with photos)
Devotees immersed in joyful singing and dancing in front of the beautiful Sri Sri Radha Giridhari @ ISKCON Hare Krishna Auckland Temple during the 2nd Day of the 3rd New Zealand K… Read more ›

Varnasrama series.
The post Since we have been practicing Varnasrama in ISKCON the last 50 year, why not now appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

Professional, HR photos from the Rathayatra festival in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic.
See them here: http://goo.gl/eipBkU Read more ›

Hare Krishna! Surfing or Suffering?
Sometimes when sitting on the beach blanket in New Jersey, Srila Prabhupada would look out at the waves while chanting japa. He was very beautiful and serene, always absorbed in Krishna, yet also carefully scrutinizing the world around him. On some days there were big waves and surfer boys would be out, swimming and surfing in the waves. Srila Prabhupada watched with great interest as they mounted their boards and slid down the faces of the waves. He asked us: “What is this?” Gaurasundara and I replied that this is a sport called “surfing” … Srila Prabhupada watched intently for some time, then began to chuckle. He said: “You call it surfing; I call it suffering. They are simply wasting their valuable human form of life by jumping in the ocean waves. They have no idea what will happen next. If they become so much fond of remaining on the ocean, then Krishna is very kind: he will satisfy their desire and give them bodies of fishes so that they can enjoy jumping in the ocean more and more, but that will be greater suffering . So I call them sufferers, not surfers.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18555

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Hare Krishna! Tears of Sorrow, Tears of Gratitude: Seeing Krishna’s Hand in the Tragic Deaths of Devotees
The name of this all-consuming disaster is the relentless approach of death: A hundred percent of the people reading this article will be wiped out a hundred years from today. Despite this hundred-percent casualty rate, most of us don’t feel that life is like a disaster movie. One reason is that the movie of life unfolds in slow motion, allowing us to forget the direction of its motion if we want to. And we fervently want to. Why? Because the reality of death is inconvenient and unpleasant for us. It ruins our hopes for success and glory in the material realm. So we want to forget it. And forget we do.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18551

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The post Daily Darshan – July 21st, 2015 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Badrinarayana Dasa Goswami’s presentation about ISKCON Worldwide – 7-20-15, Los Angeles (31 min video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/pPMLrT

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Lecture on Gopkumar from BrihatBhagvatAmrita – Sydney – 28Jan2015

A new beautiful animated view of the TOVP (2 min video)
The TOVP will undoubtedly become one of the wonders of the world in beauty, architecture, design, and sheer size. This beautiful animated view of the TOVP provides a window into that reality.
Watc… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! Receiving Lord Jagannatha’s mercy in Kuala Lumpur
Every year Sri Jagannatha Mandir celebrates its Ratha Yatra on the same day as that of Jagannatha Puri. The Presiding deities Sri Sri Jagannatha Baladeva Subhadra Devi and Sudarshana go on a chariot ride giving mercy to all the residents near the temple and ends the procession in MCA hall which is located in a Chinese predominant area.This year, ratha yatra was attended by more than 1000 devotees and well-wishers who joined forces in making the festival a huge success. Devotees were fortunate to have the association of HH Bhakti Vrajendranandana Swami who graced the festival.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=18546

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Initiation ceremony in Iskcon San Diego (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: A pure devotee cannot forget the Supreme Lord for a moment, and similarly the Supreme Lord cannot forget His pure devotee for a moment. This is the great blessing of the Kris… Read more ›

Class Podcast:

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/07-15%20classes/Gita%2017.03%20-%20Gitas%20categorization%20goes%20deeper%20than%20just%20believers%20and%20nonbelievers.mp3 Download by “right-click and save content”

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Talk Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/07-15%20classes/Gita%2014.18%20-%20The%20modes%20present%20choices%20and%20propel%20us%20to%20choose.mp3 Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Gita 14.18 – The modes present choices and propel us to choose appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Class Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/07-15%20classes/Gita%2014.02%20-%20Take%20shelter%20of%20the%20knowledge%20that%20inspires%20us%20to%20take%20shelter%20of%20Krishna.mp3 Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Gita 14.02 – Take shelter of the knowledge that inspires us to take shelter of Krishna appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

CC daily Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/07-15%20classes/CC%20daily%20171%20-%206.255%20-%20Sarvabhaumas%20devotion%20manifests%20as%20aspiraton%20for%20total%20absorption.mp3 Download by “right-click and save content”

The post CC daily 171 – 6.255 – Sarvabhaumas devotion manifests as aspiraton for total absorption appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

CC daily Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/07-15%20classes/CC%20daily%20170%20-%206.254%20-%20Sarvabhaumas%20prayer%20expresses%20his%20philosophical%20insight%20and%20personal%20realization.mp3 Download by “right-click and save content”

The post CC daily 170 – 6.254 – Sarvabhauma’s prayer expresses his philosophical insight and personal realization appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/07-15%20classes/Bhagavatam-daily%20274%20–%2011.13.7%20–%20Guided%20destruction%20facilitates%20regeneration.mp3 Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Bhagavatam-daily 274 – 11.13.7 – Guided destruction facilitates regeneration appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Bhagavatam-daily Podcast:
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2015%20classes/07-15%20classes/Bhagavatam-daily%20273%20–%2011.13.6%20–%20Cultivate%20goodness%20as%20a%20foundation%20for%20spiritual%20takeoff.mp3 Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Bhagavatam-daily 273 – 11.13.6 – Cultivate goodness as a foundation for spiritual takeoff appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

I used to go to LA’s FOLK (“Friends of Lord Krishna”) dinners on Wednesdays in the building right next to the temple. One night, a black devotee walked up the stairs to give the lecture while we ate, seated on the floor in front of our low tables. He looked incredibly cool with imposing muscles under his […]

When we are sick and not getting better we may imagine going to some kind of medical professional who is knowledgeable, compassionate, and knows something about our medical history—even about us personally. Today this seems more of a fantasy we cling to, or hope to encounter if we have a lot of money to spend for the best care available.

Some months ago I visited a clinic in the next county, as this was recently given to me by my new medical insurance. During and after this experience, I had firsthand experience of is wrong with the American medical system. Let me recount:

Walking through the door to the desk, a sign informs me that I need to sign in. After doing so, I look up at the busy workers behind the counter, hoping someone will notice me. The minutes tic off and I wonder if I am invisible. Closest to me are two ladies busily engaged, one on the phone, and another on the computer. Behind them are 3 other women busy with conversation, and behind them are 2 other ladies with their back toward me, busy with data entry. No one notices me. After about 8 minutes I am checked in and told to take my seat and wait for my name to be called.

In the building directory two doctors and nine nurses are listed with various titles. In the front office I counted nine office staff and there must be more inside. I wonder what the payroll is for all these employees.

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“The Supreme Lord has infused His transcendental name with all of His potencies and offered it to humanity. One who has sufficient faith in Lord Krsna’s name is eligible to chant, and only one who chants the name is properly executing the prescribed du…