Author Archives: Admin108

The Journey of Nara, Naryana and Anasuya (7 min video)
Nara and Narayana (two oxen) and Anasuya (a young cow) journeyed from West Virginia to Florida. They are all rescued cows. They are once again starting a new life by moving to Florida. See what cow… Read more ›

Anuttama Das speaks during Srila Prabhupada’s Arrival in US 50th Anniversary celebrated in Boston (8 min video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/8Df3dI

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Srimati Dasi’s meditation on Srila Prabhupada
What follows will be a meditational exploration—so please relax and keep your mind and heart—and ears!—wide open…but no problem if you close your eyes!
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/EJ9nnL

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Hare Krishna! 3 Pillars of ISKCON Durban
I have just returned home after a festival at the temple and still feel the positive energy, warmth, and love shared among many friends who have now become more like family. As I entered the temple this evening, the sound of the conch shell resonated and an emphatic melody of devotional song permeated the air as the altar opened for the arati. The temple was packed, and the many friends around me clapped their hands, danced, and sang in glorification of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Under the dim temple lights, all focus was on the magnificent deities of Sri Sri Radha-Radhanatha. A mood of devotion and a spirit of togetherness pervaded the atmosphere. I was fortunate to be raised in Krishna consciousness. My parents were Hare Krishna devotees from before the opening of the Sri Sri Radha-Radhanatha temple, and I have never missed a Rathayatra festival or a major festival at the temple. I therefore feel a close connection to the congregation, the driving force behind the temple’s operations. Although ISKCON Durban has over thirty departments, I feel a special connection to three pillars of the temple: congregational development, the Rathayatra festival, and the Food For Life initiative. It’s easy to identify a connection between the three: the temple’s emphasis on growing and nurturing the congregation has produced an inspired congregation whose spirit of service spearheads outreach programs like Rathayatra and Food For Life.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20391

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Hare Krishna! How the Essence of Religions Came From Vedic Culture
As we look over the various cultures and religions of the world, we may ask if all religious systems are divine. Though they seem to conflict with each other on various points, still th… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! Diary of a Traveling Sadhaka – Travel Adventures from Boston, New York City, Albany
Krishna-kripa Das: Realizations from the senior devotees attending the festival for the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in Boston. These include Bhaktimarga Swami, Candramauli Swami, Giriraja Swami, Navayogena Swami, Niranjana Swami, Romapada Swami, and Malati Devi Dasi. I share wisdom from senior devotees at the Harinama Ashram in New York City, namely Abhirama and Rama Raya Prabhus and their guest sannyasi speakers, Jayadvaita Swami and Candrasekhara Swami. In particular I have notes on Radhastami lectures by Candramauli, Giriraja, Navayogendra, and Radhanath Swamis.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20381

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Celebrating 50th Anniversary of Srila Prabhupad’s visit to Kochi (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/gmq5Ko

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Hare Krishna! Ladies Chanting Party at Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi
The elderly ladies from Bengal from tradition want to touch our feet, young people want to take selfies with us and thus try to sit as close as possible. Somebody wants to be a part of the kirtan and demands instruments to be given to him, others gladly join the kirtan but start to sing something else. There are some who come and fall into trance showing different ecstatic emotions like rolling on the flour and losing consciousness. Sometimes some mystic sadhus come to look at the kirtan party. Sometimes VIP persons, distrustful officials and big businessmen come and scan us trying to see our motives. Sometimes thieves come. Professional kirtaniyas skeptically pass by. Brajabasi matajis are ready to dance at any time and can surprise everyone by their specific motions of the body which are specifically used in their own village. Representatives of different sampradayas, apasampradayas, sects, religious groups etc. regularly come and look point-blank at us.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20372

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ISKCON Canadian Leaders Meetings (Tweets with photos)
Members of the ISKCON Toronto Temple Council are currently in beautiful Edmonton, Alberta attending the annual Canadian Leaders Meeting. These meetings are a chance for the leaders of our Hare Kris… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! ISKCON’s Bhakti Yoga Society at the Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg wins again!
The SRC Presidency Award for Most Outstanding CSO (Club, Society and Organisation), goes to ISKCON’s Bhakit Yoga Society Nature of the award: Recognition of the best CSO at the University for 2015 Criteria for award: – Made a meaningful contribution to the student experience – Must have promoted the vision of the University – Increased its membership from previous year – Improved networking with other societies – Participated in community based activities
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20369

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Krishna Lunch: Volunteer and You can eat for Free!
Looking for the best place to volunteer? Want to eat Krishna Lunch for free? Come serve Krishna Lunch with us at the Plaza of the Americas! Volunteering at Krishna Lunch is a great way to meet new people and earn a few community service hours. Krishna Lunch has been providing healthy vegetarian meals to students on campus for over 40 years, and owes a lot of it’s success to so many amazing people that come out and volunteer. It does not matter whether you have 3 hours or 30 minutes between classes, we have a service for you. In exchange for your time, we promise to give you all the Krishna Lunch you can eat for FREE! For more information about volunteering click the link: http://goo.gl/3BHQ1A

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Prabhupada said, “Oh! You have tricked me.”
Dhananjaya: After we left George Harrison’s estate, we went to Mr. Prajapati’s house. Prabhupada was supposed to take some milk and maybe some halava and puri there and then go back to Bury Place. When we got to Mr. Prajapati’s house, many devotees were already there. Mr. Prajapati and his wife were very expert in serving prasadam. He asked Srila Prabhupada, “What would you like?” Prabhupada said, “A little milk.” Mr. Prajapati said, “Would you like something with the milk?” Prabhupada said, “Have you prepared something?” He said, “Yes, subji, puri, and halava.” Prabhupada said, “All right.” Prabhupada liked to take halava and puris with his milk in the U.K. As Prabhupada was being served, they brought in other preparations as well. Prabhupada said, “What is this? This looks nice.” He took a little bit and then someone else came with something else. Then someone else came with something else. All of a sudden there were fifteen or twenty different preparations in front of Prabhupada. Prabhupada said, “Oh! You have tricked me.” Mr. Prajapati said, “Yes! What could we do? We felt so honored that you were coming to our house that we cooked a huge feast.” Prabhupada said, “But, what about everyone else here?” Mr. Prajapati said, “We have cooked enough for everybody.” Prabhupada said: “All right. Everybody else should eat too.” At 11:00 at night we had a massive feast. The next morning we had to be up at 4:00 a.m. because Prabhupada wanted to have darshan of Radha-London Ishvara. After staying up late and eating so much it was difficult for us to get up.

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Hare Krishna! Srila Prabhupada’s Arrival in America 50th Anniversary Celebration in Butler, PA
Fifty years of steady dedication, fifty years of non-stop commitment, fifty years of building memories and accomplishment. A 50th anniversary is known as a golden anniversary and throughout this year and the next, ISKCON devotees all over the world are celebrating a golden milestone of achievement of our glorious spiritual master and Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The celebrations began in Calcutta, India where Srila Prabhupada left behind the land of his birth on his mission of mercy, and continued in Boston, Massachusetts where His Divine Grace’s lotus feet first touched American soil. On October 24th, devotees from all over North American will gather to glorify Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental pastimes in Butler, PA.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20365

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West Bengal International School GoFundMe page
In August 2015, my family and I spent some time there. My wife had applied to do humanitarian work at Sri Mayapur International School in West Bengal and the plan was to also have our 3 kids go to school t… Read more ›

Puri Parikrama: Very good news. This year the Puri Parikrama organization team is giving more attention and facility for an Enlgish speaking party.
Anasuya devi dasi: Jaya Jagannath! Puri Parikrama organization is pleased to announce the most auspicious 2015 Sri Ksetra Puri Parikrama! A much loved annual event, this year’s Puri parikrama will be from the 27th to the 30th November.
Every year our International group attends the parikrama, along with many Hindi speaking devotees. The parikrama usually consists of a majority of Hindi and Bengali speaking devotees, so this year the organizers have decided to have an even bigger international group specifically for English speaking devotees.
So if you really want to experience all aspects of Sri Jagannath Puri Dhama and immerse yourself in hearing the wonderful pastimes of Lord Jagannath, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Their associates, then you should definitely sign up for this year’s ISKCON Puri parikrama.
None other than His Holiness Bhakti Purushottama Maharaja, a Puri dhamavasi himself, will be expertly guiding us on parikrama. Maharaja, who is a wealth of Krsna conscious knowledge and katha, has been organizing this parikrama for 10 years, so we are sure to be in for a treat in his fine association.
For the first time the well-known HG Madhavananda prabhu will give us his rare association in ISKCON Puri Parikrama. He is one of the most learned devotees in Jagannath katha!
Every year, approximately 10,000 devotees attend this event, which makes it an enormous festival of maha prasadam, kirtana and of course, lots of Sri Jagannath and Gauranga katha.
JAGANNATH PURI FROM MAHAPRABHU’S PERSPECTIVE:
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu lived in Puri for eighteen years, so He had many confidential pastimes there. For example, He had pastimes in Gambira, Siddha Bakul, Tota Gopinath, Simha Dvara (the gate of Jagannath’s temple where Mahaprabhu visited each day), Narendra Sarovara and Jagannath Vallabha’s garden. All these places are described in Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, so nothing is more auspicious than to visit them in the association of learned devotees such as Maharaja, who can give us a deeper understanding of the life of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Puri.
WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO GO ON PARIKRAMA?
The word parikrama means circumambulation, and to go on parikrama means to circumambulate the holy places. The best days for going on parikrama are described in sastra. It is very important to schedule a parikrama during the specified times, so that one can gain maximum benefit. Therefore, in adhering to this, our parikrama schedule is as follows:
Devotees will arrive in Puri on the 27th of November and will have a full schedule until the 30 th of November.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON PARIKRAMA?
21 KILOMETRES DAY PARIKRAMA:
On the 30th of November, we will do the full circumambulation (parikrama) of Puri, which is 21 kilometres. We will start walking at around 6:00 AM and will finish at 2 PM.
We will be a monumental parikrama party of almost 10,000 devotees walking the path of great saints and the Lord Himself…an experience to remember for a lifetime.
* PLEASE NOTE: that these dates are subject to change and that the international devotees will have their own kirtana party.
KIRTAN, KIRTAN, SPECIAL CLASSES AND…MORE KIRTAN
While on parikrama in the daytime and during evening programs, there will be no shortage of kirtana and special classes.
In fact, this year is a particularly special year for Jagannath temple: it is Navakalevara’s year, when the bodies of the Dieties are changed. There will be a special class and slideshow explaining the meaning of this ceremony, and also the hard work the Puri devotees put into caring for their beloved Lord Jagannath. Hearing such lilas of Lord Jagannath and appreciating His devotees’ service to Him will bring us much closer to Him.
MAHAPRASADAM:
To honour mahaprasadam in Puri in the association of Lord Jagannath’s devotees is the perfection of life. For confirmation, we can remember Mahaprabhu’s life:
Q) What were the devotees doing in Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s association?
A) Every day they were having monumental kirtanas, ocean baths and…Honoring huge amounts of mahaprasadam!
Therefore, at least once in our life (or ever year, why not?!), we should experience this…kirtana, ocean baths, Krsna katha and, of course, maha prasadam.
WHAT DOES THE PARIKRAMA COST?
The Puri Parikrama fees are very low. To register for the international group costs only 500 (five hundred rupees). This amount covers the whole parikrama and includes prasadam every day (3 meals, included Jagannath Maha prasadam!). The only thing it doesn’t include is accommodation.
HOW MUCH IS ACCOMMODATION?

Hotel Category 1
Hotel category 2
Price: 500 rupees daily for one person ( two people sharing)
Price: 600 rupees daily for one person (two people sharing)
Bathroom attached, clean, nice place
Bathroom attached, clean, nice place, garden, hall+ amenities

WHAT IS THE TOTAL COST (ACCOMMODATION INCLUDED)?
Fees+ Hotel Category 1: 2500 (two thousand five hundred rupees)
Fees + Hotel Category 2: 2900 (two thousand nine hundred rupees)
Hotel Category Number 1: www.rajgroupofhotels.com (Hotel SUV Palace)
Hotel Category Number 2: www.gajapatihotel.com

We look forward to your association on this year’s Sri Ksetra Puri Parikrama.
For registration, please contact: puriparikrama@gmail.com
For any more information about accommodation or if you have any doubts, please do not hesitate to contact us:
puriparikrama@gmail.com or
bpssecretary@gmail.com
We are here to serve you to the best of our capacity.

Your servants at
International Group,
Sri Ksetra Puri Parikrama organization

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Hare Krishna! The Many Faces of Halva
Kurma Dasa: Anyone who has ever visited a Hare Krishna Temple feast or a Hare Krishna restaurant will have undoubtedly tasted halva. The memory of its sweet, warm, moist, spiritually-infused ‘comfort food-iness’ will no doubt have lingered long after all traces of the buttery ecstasy have left the lips. You may not know just how widespread the halva story actually is, and how much world history there is to it. Halva is one of those dishes found from the Balkans to India and claimed as its own by practically every culture and country in between. There are many versions. Basic halva, as it is found throughout the Balkans and Turkey is a simple dessert. The most common version is made by cooking semolina and then shaping it into balls which are then sweetened with either honey or “pekmez” – grape must syrup.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20355

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Hare Krishna! ISKCON UK – October newsletter
Devotees gathered at Temples across the UK to offer deep thanks and gratitude to the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, marking 50 years since he arrived in the USA. Fifty years ago on 17th September 1965, Srila Prabhupada arrived at Boston Harbour with his message of devotion to Krishna. He was alone and unannounced, and from very simple beginnings he established an international movement of tens of thousands of devotees and palatial temples all over the world. His message was simple, chant and be happy.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20351

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Devotees started working in the new farm “Goloka” that they purchased near Morkovice-Slížany, a town in the Czech Republic (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/A6pGfT

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Hare Krishna! ISKCON 50: ISKCON is now 50 – What next? (Videos)
Bhakti Caru Swami, Romapada Swami, Gunagrahi Swami, Bhaktimarga Swami, Vaisesika Dasa, Rambhoru Devi Dasi, Radha Devi Dasi and other devotees discuss about the meaning of the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon and what should be the priorities for the future. Better relations among the devotees, less big temples and more devotee care, unity in diversity, less bureaucracy and more preaching, book distribution and Harinamas were some of the subjects proposed in a recent meeting for the beginning of ISKCON50 events at Iskcon Houston
Watch them here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20348

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Preaching at the Mahendradatta University, Bali (Album with photos)
His Holiness Ramai Swami gives a Bhagavad-Gita class at the University of Mahendradatta, Depasar, Bali on the 9th of October 2015.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/PShl5w Read more ›

Hare Krishna! The Sun Behind the Rainbow
Durban’s Sri Sri Radha-Radhanatha Temple of Understanding has shed its light for thirty years as if untouched by time. I perceive it as a gigantic golden lotus opening its petals on a dazzling pond, or a celestial aircraft that has descended and landed on an ordinary spot. The temple’s architectural perfection intrigues me with its fusion of traditional and modern design. Towering above the shimmering octagonal roof, gold-leaf-edged domes display tilaka-shaped windows that delight the eye and the soul. Austrian architect Rajarama Dasa conceived the design, which follows principles of the Vedic shilpa-shastra. The building’s very layout is meant to teach spiritual truths – and to suggest stories of courage, determination, and hope.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20343

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Hare Krishna from Mongolia! (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: We are indebted to Ananta Vrindavan dasa for his amazing photography and excellent videos covering our travels here in Mongolia this past month. As our adventure winds down and we start… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! TOVP: GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) Molds Approved
The TOVP management team went on site and gave approval for the production of GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) molds to begin. At the moment we are focusing on 4 different areas where the GRC molds will be used; the 24 Kalash brackets, the Chatri ribs, the 7 meters utility floor columns, and main base cornice of the Kalash brackets. The management, art team and Sadbhuja prabhu have given full consent, and are very satisfied with the mold making and its progress. Once finished, GRC will be poured into the molds to create the desired pieces. The high quality GRC we are using isn’t available in any commercial market; it can only be produced in-house. In the photos, Savya Sachi prabhu and his team are making the polyurethane molds to produce the Kalash bracket molds. Polyurethane combines the best properties of rubber and plastic, without the weaknesses inherent in plasticized vinyl films.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20338

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ISKCON Auckland New Zealand distributes Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/SLJqqt

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Chanting with Harinama Ruci and the Harinama Ashram on the ‘L’ Train in Brooklyn (3 min video)
Krishna-kripa Das: Here’s a video from one of the best New York subway harinamas I have ever participated in. It was inspiring to see so many commuters willing to take part. Thanks to the Harinama Ruci world harinama sankirtana party for coming to New York City and inspiring us at the Harinama Ashram and blessing the City.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/tbmlVV

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Hare Krishna! Sankirtana Musings Or Praise Among Friends
Satyaraja Dasa: And, so, I am back to revering Sankirtana, as I did in my youth. Today, I think of Sankirtana as an extension of Krishna’s pastime of “taxing the Gopis.” First expressed in Chandidasa’s Sri Krishna-kirtana and then in Rupa Gosvami’s Dana-keli-kaumudi, this story tells of when Srimati Radharani and Her girlfriends were carrying dairy products along a country path. Suddenly, Krishna appears out of nowhere and, pretending to be a revenue official, demands a “tax” for allowing the girls to pass. First He merely wants to tax them for their dairy goods, but then He decides to tax them for their beauty as well. This scenario will conjure up a line that is familiar to the Sankirtana devotee—“the citation line”—wherein the devotee acts like he is giving a person a citation ticket for any number of reasons, not least for looking “too beautiful.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=330

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Hare Krishna! Choosing To Forgive
Mahatma Das: The sastras are full of stories of forgiveness: Ambarisa forgiving Durvasa, Parikshit forgiving Sringi, Narada Muni forgiving Daksa, Prahlada forgiving Hiranyakasipu, Haridas Thakura forgiving the guards who beat him, Nityananada forgiving Jagai and Madhai, Parasarama forgiving those who stole his family’s kamadhenu cow. Srila Prabhupada forgave anyone who came to him to serve Krsna. And of course Krsna forgives all of us no matter how sinful or blasphemous we were. Sastra implores us to forgive. The Srimad Bhagavatam lists forgiveness as one of the qualities of civilized human beings. And Srila Prabhupada asks us to be forgiving so we can cooperate to spread the movement. Yet despite the examples of devotees demonstrating incredible acts of forgiveness, despite the sastra telling us to accept suffering as a token reaction of our karma, despite Prabhupada’s plea for us to forgive, and despite the cleansing it can do to our hearts, forgiving is difficult for many of us. Devotees often say, “I was so deeply hurt that I just don’t know how I can forgive.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=314

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Vrindavan Temples Parikrama (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Relish these pics of our parikrama of some of Vrindavan Temples yesterday evening. We had a final sweet Braja Kirtan in Sri Sri Radha Vamsi Gopal Mandir where Srila Prabhupada stayed bef… Read more ›

The Walking Monk Retraces Prabhupada’s Journey
Bhaktimarga Swami has become famous as “The Walking Monk” from his treks on foot four times across his native Canada, as well as across Ireland, Israel, Fiji, Mauritius, Guyana and Trinidad. On each walk, he shares his message of reconnecting to a simple, natural, and God-conscious life with the media and locals along the way. The Swami’s current walk, however, may mean the most to him on a personal level. Dubbed “Walking for our Teachers,” its theme is to honor all teachers in a broad sense—but in a more specific sense, Bhaktimarga’s own guru. “Personally, we’re walking to honor ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya Srila Prabhupada, who was at the cutting edge of animal rights, vegetarianism, going back to the land, and of course spiritual enlightenment,” he says. “People know the Hare Krishnas, but they don’t know about the person behind it all. So I feel it’s our mandate now to let people know who Prabhupada was.”
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/vtfBjR

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Hare Krishna! The Best Birthday Present!
Vijaya dasa: This is about how the biggest book distributor in the USA, Bhakta Jaya Khush, came to Krsna consciousness. At his tenth birthday party, someone gave him as a present: Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita As It Is. At the time he thought, “Who has the nerve to give me a book for my birthday?” Ten years later, he’s a music producer traveling around with a famous musician. This musician is quoting the Bhagavad Gita to Jay Khush, who’s shocked that a famous African-American is quoting the book of his religion to him (he was born a Hindu) and knows it better than him. That made him curious, so when he went home after a tour he decided to read it, and he found out that the present he received was the best present he ever received. He started visiting the Radha-Raman Temple, an hour away from the Los Angeles temple. Every morning he would go to mangal-arati for six months.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20329

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Iskcon Of New Jersey Bhumi Puja And Groundbreaking Video (7 min video)
The new temple building will be modern and functional and will be accented with elements of classical Vedic architecture. The following are the key components of the planned temple: • Vedic Temple Architecture • Spacious Darshan Hall (3,500 sqft) • Educational Facilities • Community Hall and Auditorium • Commercial Kitchen • Library • Vedic Books and Gifts Boutique • Ashram • Parking for 140+ vehicles • Beautiful Landscaping • Organic Garden
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/yW0ISe

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Ratha-yatra Jogjakarta 2015 (Album with photos)
Some snaps taken from the Ratha-yatra held on the 7th of October 2015 at Jogjakarta, Central Java, Indonesia.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/c6asl4 Read more ›

How To Keep The Mind Steady
Question: I wanted to know how to keep the mind steady; usually we have contradictory ideas and thoughts going on in the mind.
Radhanath Swami: The nature of the mind is like that of a monkey, it jumps from branch to branch. It goes to one branch, then to the next branch, then to the branch next to that, then again to the first branch – 2nd, 4th, 10th, 1st, 9th, 3rd. It’s the way the mind works. But when you give the monkey a nice ripe banana, it’s happy. Similarly, Bhakti is about giving the mind a deep and fulfilling experience. Though we may not get that higher taste immediately, but since we know it’s there waiting for us, that helps us keep the mind steady. Coming back to the analogy of the monkey, if the monkey has the banana, it will stop jumping from branch to branch even before it has tasted the banana. It stops jumping in order to go through the process of pealing the banana. Our spiritual practice, our sadhana, is like pealing the banana. We know that the higher taste is there – inside – just as the monkey knows that the banana is there inside the peal. And just knowing that it is there, and keeping our mind focussed on the process, our mind can be kept steady. So when we are chanting the holy names the mind will go here and there; do not worry about it – just bring it back. Bring it back to the divine sound vibration, to that object of our meditation. Try to keep it there, and if it runs away – and it will surely run away – then bring it back as soon as we realize it has run away. While we do seva, if we realize our mind is wandering, we just bring it back. ‘I am doing this for Krishna; let me do it in the best possible way.’ The more we take responsibility to do something wonderful for God – sweeping the floor, cooking a meal or doing our business – if we are really doing it for Krishna, for God, we are going to be attentive to whatever details we can, and that keeps our mind focussed.

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Hare Krishna! Preparing for ISKCON 50 @ Bhaktivedanta Manor
Hundreds of devotees gathered at Bhaktivedanta Manor to hear an insightful presentation by HH Radhanath Maharaj about preparing for ISKCON’s 50 anniversary. In describing Srila Prabhupada’s treacherous journey from India to America, Maharaj spoke of his experience at the recent ISKCON commemoration events in Kolkata and Boston. He spoke of visiting the King George Dock in Kolkata from which Prabhupada had departed. The audience were enthralled hearing about Prabhupada’s challenges and humility. In summing up Maharaj said: ‘In preparing for ISKCON 50 we must feel gratitude, true gratitude and not theoretical. With such gratitude we can embrace within our hearts our great fortune and reciprocate that with others as Srila Prabhupada did. Prabhupada was so grateful for what his guru gave to him, that he gave his heart and life to serve him. We must do the same. Live Srila Prabhupada’s message and share it”.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20326

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Hare Krishna! TOVP Campaign Making Wonderful Progress
Results are coming in from the TOVP tour that carried His Grace Jananivas Prabhu & Lord Nityananda’s holy paduka all over North America for four months earlier this year. In His manifest presence, Lord Nityananda walked over the Indian subcontinent, spreading the glories of Lord Caitanya, so in the form of His shoes. Thus he has continued His ‘walk’ to many cities and towns of the Western world, furthering the stated prediction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu that ‘My name will be sung in every town and village.’ Devotees and well-wishers were enlivened to hear of the rising of the Temple of Vedic Planetarium on the Ganges plain. Everyone could feel that this project is destined to attract the people of the world to Sridham Mayapur and the teachings of Lord Caitanya. Hundreds of devotees from dozens of centers in the US and Canada came forward to greet the travelling party. They opened their homes and hearts to our illustrious guests.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20321

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Meet the devotees of Prabhupad Bhavan’s, Slovakia (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/tJ3E26

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Hare Krishna! Sacred Stones and Plants
The ancient story of the wedding of a sacred plant called Tulsi to Krishna in the form of a sacred stone. Please join us for a short lecture on the spiritual principles behind this story and how we can relate to them. “The word ‘vana’ means forest. Vrindavana is the name given to the forest where Srimati Vrinda-devi (Tulasi-devi), grows profusely.” (CC Madhya 17.l93p.) Another name of Tulasi is Vrinda-devi (one who awards residence in Vrindavana). Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says: krpa kori koro tare vrindavana vasi, “Dear Tulasi, please bestow your mercy upon me, so that I may forever reside in Vrindavana.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20318

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Harinama in Russia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If one somehow or other chants the Hare Krishna mantra, he will immediately be purified, just as one who takes a potent medicine will feel its effects, regardless of whether he takes it knowingly… Read more ›

Ethan Hawke Film Shot at Bhakti Center Released on Blu-Ray
The independent film 10,000 Saints, which includes scenes shot in the Manhattan Hare Krishna Temple “The Bhakti Center” and features ISKCON devotees, was released on Blu-Ray, DVD and streaming services on October 6th. Based on the novel by Eleanor Henderson, it is directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini of the Oscar-nominated American Splendor. It stars Ethan Hawke (Boyhood, Training Day), Asa Butterfield and Hailee Steinfeld (co-stars of Ender’s Game), and Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild, Lone Survivor).
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/8tHs8T

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Vlogging for Krishna.
“Those Two Hare Krishnas” channel was developed, to try and create a series of regular videos positively presenting the Hare Krishna lifestyle and philosophy.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=20266

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