Monthly Archives: May 2016

Lord Nrsimha is the incarnation of Lord Krsna that appeared to protect his young devotee Prahlada. He appeared as half-man half-lion and killed the envious, atheistic demon, Hiranyakashipu who was materialism personified (hiran-gold, kasipu-soft bed). Devotees pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva … Continue reading →

Written by Nimai After leaving Vrindavan, Kadamba Kanana Swami flew from Delhi to Coimbatore in South India (06 May), where he was warmly received by a group of devotees who had all come to the airport to meet him for the first time. We didn’t drive to the temple though, but made our way straight […]

Today is the most auspicious appearance of Lord Narasimha Bhagavan who mercifully came just to protect His five year old devotee Prahalada. On this day, I fervently pray at His divine Lotus feet of the Lord to remove all obstacles that is in my heart causing me to be distant from the Lord. Haribol!

oṁ namo bhagavate narasiṁhāya
namas tejas-tejase āvir-āvirbhava
vajra-nakha vajra-daṁṣṭra karmāśayān randhaya randhaya tamo grasa grasa om svāhā;
abhayam abhayam ātmani bhūyiṣṭhā oṁ kṣraum.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the source of all power. O my Lord who possess nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demon like desires for fruitive (selfish) activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world. – SB 5.18.8

Hare Krishna

Lord Nrisimhadeva’s divine appearance day celebration is certainly one of my favorite occasions, and I am sure I am not alone in this. Our Christian friends are fond of quoting the Bible that “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” [John 3.16] and we could also say that God so loved his pure devotee in the world that he personally descended to give him all protection.

To this day devotees feel protected by this form of Krishna and pray to him to slay their “anarthas” or unwanted habits of thinking and acting, just as the Lord slayed Hiryanakashipu, the tormentor of his devotee, Shri Prahlad. While Gaudiya Vaishnavas can agree to having great faith in one’s particular agent of Divinity or conception of God—even thinking their path and face of God is the best—Vedic scriptures point to a more inclusive God that reciprocates according to one’s faith, and doesn’t condone fanaticism or war in the name of faith. There is only one God, though like a gem with many facets, the one God has unlimited expansions. “As they surrender to me, I proportionally reciprocate with them.” [Bhagavad Gita 4.11]

The “one path” to be celebrated would be pure devotion and not merely the externals of worship or which name of God one favors which, unfortunately, religionists fight over. How God reciprocates with those who worship him is expressed in many different forms in the religious world and to different degrees of purity. This is to be celebrated as the mercy of the Lord and the types of devotion that exist.

read more

Naperville is Celebrating the 50 Years of Founder’s Journey.
Fifty years ago, on August 13, 1965, a lone elderly pilgrim and teacher, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami boarded the cargo ship in Calcutta, India for the one month sea voyage to New York City. While it was not unusual for immigrants from India to head to the US, what separated Swamji was the mission that urged him onward.
More than forty years before, during their first meeting, Swamjs guru had instructed him to spread the message of Lord Krishna to the English speaking world. Thus, after a lifetime of preparation, at the age of 69, Bhaktivedanta Swami, later to be known as Srila Prabhupada, left for the New World not seeking riches, but to teach and distribute the greatest wealth of India and the East—knowledge of God, or “Krishna Consciousness”.
Today, fifty years later members of the society, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), and other admirers and followers around the world will be honoring this unique spiritual teacher and his achievements on August 13th, 2016.
Several community leaders, Academicians, Businesses professionals, and Naperville community in general will be joining us to celebrate the festivities. The celebration will include a brief presentation about ISKCON’s 50 year journey, cultural programs, and free delicious vegetarian feast for everyone in the Matea valley high school auditorium, Aurora IL. The invitation is open to all supporters, well-wishers and general public. Please visit www.iskconnaperville.org for more information and rsvp.

“Prahlad Maharaja prayed to Lord Nrsimhadeva that he forgive his father all his horrible activities and liberate him. This shows the saintly nature of a pure devotee—he is a friend to everyone. He doesn’t become the enemy of his enemy but he is a friend even to his enemy. Lord Nrsimhadeva replied. ‘Because of your taking […]

By radhanathswami.com

On Saturday, May 7, Radhanath Swami spoke before a capacity crowd at The Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. The Rubin Museum is dedicated to the preservation of the art and cultures of the Himalayas, India and neighboring regions. On the eve of the release of his upcoming book The Journey Within, Radhanath Swami was interviewed by yoga teacher and social activist, Dana Flynn on the topic of how to live spiritually through yoga in an increasingly materialistic and impersonal world. Following the discussion Radhanath Swami took questions from the audience and then the speakers were joined onstage by Ananta Govinda Das, Acyuta Gopi and Govinda Jones, engaging the audience in an uplifting kirtan to conclude the event. One pleasant surprise was that an early shipment of copies of The Journey Within arrived and quickly sold out at the museum’s gift shop. After the talk Radhanath Swami met guests and signed books. Below are excerpts from the evening’s talk.

US-based alt-pop/trip-hop collective, AOA (Astronauts Of Antiquity) debut their single, ‘Paradise’, due for official release May 21st, 2016. This date coincides with the March Against Monsanto phenomenon taking place in major c…

Newly Appointed Professor Talks Scholarship’s Role in Vaishnavism.
Professor Ravi M. Gupta (Radhika Ramana Das) is the newly appointed Charles Redd Chair of Religious Studies, and Director of the Religious Studies Program at Utah State University.
It’s a prestigious position that brings to mind a gruff, silver-bearded elder. But Radhika Ramana flips that idea on its head. At a youthful 34, he’s got a beaming smile of pearly whites and a full head of black hair. He’s also disarmingly unpretentious despite his astonishing academic journey.
Homeschooled by his mother Aruddha Dasi at his home in Boise, Idaho, Radhika followed a highly unconventional curriculum based mostly on Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam, from which he learned reading, writing, comprehension, grammar, and critical thinking skills.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/mUA437

A Special Welcome!
Indradyumna Swami: Last week In St. Petersburg, Russia we held an initiation ceremony welcoming devotees into our Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya, under the auspice of our beloved Srila Prabhupada. It was a joyous occasion which we celebrated with ecstatic chanting and dancing to the Lord’s holy names. All glories to the samkirtan movement of Lord Caitanya, presently flooding the great country of Russia with causeless mercy!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/FjluhR

ISKCON-Delhi – Sri Narasimha Chaturdashi Maha Abhishek: 20-05-2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s transcendental mission is to distribute love of Godhead to everyone. Anyone who accepts God as the Supreme can take to the process of chanting Hare Krishna and become a lover of God. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 4.41 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/lyrbcp

By Vraj Vihari das

Our Founder, Srila Prabhupada, said that the love a mother has for her child is the closest thing to pure love in this world. We will examine that love as it manifested in famous mothers in the Vedic tradition as well as how it still manifests today.

Professor Ravi M. Gupta (Radhika Ramana Das) is the newly appointed Charles Redd Chair of Religious Studies, and Director of the Religious Studies Program at Utah State University. It’s a prestigious position that brings to mind a gruff…

Prabhupada said, “If you don’t want to help, I will help.”
Mahakratu: I cooked every day, but early one morning Shakti Mati, a fierce Punjabi lady and a renowned cook, invaded the kitchen and decided that she was cooking Prabhupada’s breakfast.
I said, “Okay, you can do it,” and I went to the morning program and class. Shakti Mati had a group of brahmacharinis with her, and together they cooked a huge feast.
Later, Niragadeva and I came to the kitchen with two big silver platters and loaded them with the different preparations.
We went into Srila Prabhupada’s room, and Prabhupada’s eyes got really big. I put one plate down in front of him, and he said, “You have cooked all this?”
I said, “Oh, no, Srila Prabhupada, not me.” He looked at Brahmananda and said, “Who has cooked this? Shakti Mati?” and they both started laughing.
Then Prabhupada gave everyone—Chayavana, Brahmananda, Niragadeva, and me—a handful of prasadam.
He said, “You take this, distribute the rest, and then come back, and I’ll tell you what I want for breakfast.” He actually wanted local fruits.
He said, “The fruits in Kenya are excellent,” and that’s what he wanted everyday. He also specifically said that he wanted me to make his breakfast. He said, “I want you to do it.”
Prabhupada got angry when he found out that I was doing all the cooking without any help.
Everybody else wanted to be in his classes and go on his morning walks, so I was alone in the kitchen cooking for the Deities, the devotees, and Srila Prabhupada as well. It was quite a strain.
One day we ran out of gas, and Prabhupada’s offering wasn’t getting cooked. Nothing was getting cooked. By that time I was completely stressed. It was too much for me.
Prabhupada told Harikesh to find out what I was doing. Harikesh told Prabhupada, “The kitchen has run out of gas,” and this and that.
Prabhupada said, “Why? Who is helping Mahakratu?” Harikesh explained that I was doing it all by myself. I had to arrange everything and cook as well.
Srila Prabhupada said to Harikesh, “You help cook. I didn’t realize that Mahakratu was under so much burden.”
Harikesh helped for a while but walked out when some matajis came into the kitchen.
When he went back to Prabhupada’s room, Prabhupada asked him, “Why aren’t you helping in the kitchen?”
Harikesh said, “There’s matajis in there. Mahakratu can manage.” Srila Prabhupada got up and said, “I’ll go and help him then. If you don’t want to help, I will help.” In this way Prabhupada was very merciful.
Some Gaudiya Math brahmacharis were cooking a big feast outside, and I was watching them.
Then, all of a sudden, Prabhupada walked up holding his cane, stood a little behind me, and looked also.
I didn’t realize he was there. I turned around, and there was Prabhupada. I offered my obeisances, and Prabhupada said,
“If you can learn to cook like this, you can win the whole world. These Gaudiya Math cooks are very expert.”
Then he walked off. He was strolling around by himself looking at the different preparations.
—Mahakratu

Mayapur Daily Darshan Narasimha Caturdasi 20 May 2016 (Album with photos)
Narasimha-vesa. In the forest Apsaravana at the foot of Narasimha-tila lie two lakes, Puncari-kunda and the glorious Apsara-kunda. Here, by affectionately stroking young Prahlada Maharaja’s head, Narasimhadeva reassured him that he was now free from any further torment from his demoniac father Hiranyakashipu.
The Lord said to his devotee, “Dear child, stay in this forest, and with a purified heart, worship the pastimes of Radha and Krsna by chanting the Holy Name. Soon you will see them.”
(Nava-vraja-mahima, volume 3)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/EvKxNC

On May 9, 2009 abhisheka ceremony of Radha-Ramana took place in His temple. It was His appearance day. The Abhisheka lasted for three hours and started from bringing water from the Yamuna. According to the tradition, young pujaris, who are…

Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2016%20QA/05-16%20QA/Is%20the%20inner%20voice%20God’s%20voice.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​Is the inner voice God’s voice? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Answer Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2016%20QA/05-16%20QA/Should%20we%20pursue%20our%20career%20as%20per%20our%20education%20or%20as%20per%20our%20inspiration.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Should we pursue our career as per our education or as per our inspiration? appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

The post Kirtana of evening of May 19th appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post Discussion following today’s class appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

The post Daily Darshan: May 20th, 2016 appeared first on Mayapur.com.

Atlanta Annual Ratha Yatra festival.
2016 being the 50th year for ISKCON, we have organized our Annual Ratha Yatra as “MARCH FOR UNITY” inviting 50 organizations to participate in the event.

Narasimha Chaturdashi meditation on Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.26

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2016%20classes/05-16%20classes/Prahlad%20Prayers%205%20Those%20who%20cherish%20the%20spiritual%20can%20channel%20the%20material%20Bhagavatam%207.9.26.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​Prahlad Prayers 5 Those who cherish the spiritual can channel the material appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Narasimha Chaturdashi meditation on Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.23

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2016%20classes/05-16%20classes/Prahlad%20Prayers%204%20Upward%20mobility%20can’t%20save%20us%20from%20mortality%20Bhagavatam%207.9.23.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Prahlad Prayers 4 Upward mobility can’t save us from mortality appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Narasimha Chaturdashi meditation on Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.12

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2016%20classes/05-16%20classes/Prahlad%20Prayers%203%20%20Linking%20manisha%20with%20Hrshikesha%20makes%20us%20manisha%20Bhagavatam%207.9.12.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Prahlad Prayers 3 Linking manisha with Hrshikesha makes us manisha appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Narasimha Chaturdashi meditation on Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.12

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2016%20classes/05-16%20classes/Prahlad%20Prayers%202%20The%20damsel%20in%20distress%20redefines%20distress%20%20Bhagavatam%207.9.12.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Prahlad Prayers 2 The damsel in distress redefines distress appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Narasimha Chaturdashi meditation on Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.12

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2016%20classes/05-16%20classes/Prahlad%20Prayers%201%20Krishna’s%20glorification%20is%20for%20our%20purification,%20not%20our%20glorification%20Bhagavatam%207.9.12%20.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”

The post Prahlad Prayers 1 Krishna’s glorification is for our purification, not our glorification appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/desiretree/2016%20classes/05-16%20classes/The%20dual%20dimensions%20of%20artha.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”

The post The dual dimensions of artha appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

Podcast

http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/ccd%20classes/Lecture%20series/Bhagavatam%20study/Bhagavatam%20study%2038%2001.8.23-25%20Material%20adversity%20makes%20spiritual%20opportunity%20a%20necessity.mp3
Download by “right-click and save content”

The post ​Bhagavatam study 38 1.8.23-25 Material adversity makes spiritual opportunity a necessity appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.

May 20. ISKCON 50 – S.Prabhupada Daily Meditations.
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: Swamiji Gave Us Confidence.
There were many potentially awkward moments for Srila Prabhupada as he began conducting his movement in America in 1966. We rejoice now in recalling how he was so tolerant. While Prabhupada had some control over events within the storefront, it was more uncontrolled when we went to chant outside in Tompkins Square Park. When someone joined your kirtana by blowing loudly on a saxophone, it was not easy to tell him to go away. But Prabhupada always seemed to know best how to get through such situations.
Prabhupada’s chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra was a particularly effective way to smooth over awkward gaps between himself and the younger generation. He just recommended that people chant Hare Krishna “wherever you go, and whatever you do.”
Although Prabhupada was worlds apart from the young people in America, the younger generation accepted him as “cool”; he was hip in his own way. He was not a middle-class conformist, and he had not come to give us Boy Scout lessons. He was not a church minister giving sermons with a piety that we could not relate to.
To read the entire article click here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20490&page=8

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-srngam
dalita-hiranyakasipu-tanu-bhrngam
keshava dhrta-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisa hare

“O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of half-man, half-lion! All glories to You! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one’s fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasp like demon Hiranyakashipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful pointed nails on Your beautiful lotus hands.” – 

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 02 May 2015, Simhachalam, Germany, Srimad Bhagavatam 5.18.8) Lord Nrsimhadev is vigna vinasa – the destroyer of all the obstacles on the devotional path. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written these two books – the Navadvipa-Dhama-Mahatmya, which describes to us the parikrama of Sri Dham Mayapur and then he wrote the Navadvipa-Bhava-Taranga which […]

Monday, May 16th, 2016Burton, OhioHorses and MoreThe sights of the morning were horses and buggies– of course horse-drawn in some cases.  Indeed, this is Amish country and I’m loving it.  The men were repairing a barn roof.  The wo…

Sunday, May 15th, 2016Southington, OhioAll’s WellBrian was saying that he was keeping up with the Krishna’s at all the DEAD concerts (the Grateful Dead rock band).  “We would be there singing and dancing with the Krishnas.  But then Garcia pa…

Saturday, May 14th, 2016Warren, OhioFull of Rain, Full of FunGene was like a cross between the sunshine and the actor Burl Ives.  Warm, euphoric, giving, and fairly large-framed.  He read the article that came out in ‘The Vindicator’ entitled…

Friday, May 13th, 2016Youngstown, OhioAlong the Mahoning RiverI had put in several hours on foot on a great trail.  Naturally I became thirsty and made my way to a convenience store for juice, on the outskirts of Youngstown.  The place was da…

Thursday, May 12th, 2016New Castle, Pennsylvania  After the Article  The elderly man drove oh-so-slow on the country road and with pleasant weather he had his window down.  He went even slower as he approached me.  He turn…

Wednesday, May 11th, 2016Butler, PennsylvaniaBack At It”Where yah goin’?” asked the worker from his van, which was parked next to the road as I passed by.”I’m going west, to San Francisco, on foot.””Is it for a religious purpose?””Actually I’m encourag…

Tuesday, May 10 th , 2016

Moundsville, West Virginia