Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Sadhu Sanga Retreat, the 3rd and final day (8 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: The last day of the Sadhu Sanga Retreat was pure nectar because of endless kirtan and the association of so many wonderful devotees of the Lord. We can only pray that we’ll have the same opportunities again next year, as well as birth after birth.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/MM0ECS
Vraja Kathamrita in Detroit, Michigan (Album with photos)
Many devotees take part in nectarean Krishna katha with Deena Bandhu prabhu in the beautiful temple of Iskcon, Detroit.
See them here: https://goo.gl/1Z0CfO Read more ›
Hare Krishna! Hope: The Bedrock of Spiritual Progress
Rupa Goswami describes this type of hope as asha-bandha (“bound by hope”): One thinks, “Because I’m trying my best to follow the routine principles of devotional service, some way or other I will be able to approach the Lord and will certainly receive His favor. Surely I will go back to Godhead, back home.” In the mood of asha-bandha a devotee feels, “I wasn’t born in a good family, I haven’t done good works, I have no knowledge of the Lord or love for Him, and no attraction for the processes of hearing about, chanting about, and remembering Him, which will develop that love. Yet still, I want to approach Him. And that very want upsets me because I am completely unfit to do so. In terms of justice, my case is hopeless; all I have are demerits. So, I seek my fortune in the Lord’s mercy.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17569
Harinama in Austria (Album with photos)
The chanting of the holy name of Krishna expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.
See them here: https://goo.gl/… Read more ›
Hare Krishna! Manchester (UK) Ratha Yatra Festival
Following the return of the Chariot to Cathedral Gardens a wonderful stage show commenced where the attendees had the opportunity to experience a live Kirtan and stage show full of sound and dance. There were stalls providing face painting and henna. Stalls selling books and all forms of spiritual paraphernalia. Unique hot food stalls offering tasty samosa’s and other traditional delicacies and of course a wonderful free Prasadam feast for all.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17566
Hare Krishna! WSN April 2015 – World Sankirtan Newsletter
Practically every month, we see Los Angeles in the No. 1 position in the USA. But April was a special month. The LA devotees did 18,404 book points and were the No. 1 temple in the world. And Santiago (Chile) also did huge, with 15,312 book points — a 345% increase — and Santiago is a small temple. I don’t know what came over the devotees, maybe some type of book distribution ecstasy. When Krsna was in Mathura, he met with Sudama, a garland maker. Krsna was looking for him, though usually it is described the other way around: a devotee looks for Krsna
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17563
Hare Krishna! Seven stages of purification and transcendental elevation
Radhanath Swami: Sometimes impersonalists chant the holy name of Krishna. Sometimes people who are too much aspiring for material enjoyment approach the holy name. But Krishna doesn’t properly reveal himself to people who don’t have the proper devotion. So we must be very sincere. It is so simple. Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu have induced us in this way … Chant the holy name of Krishna … Worship Krishna … Hear about Krishna and give this message to others. Krishna is your mother, Krishna is your father. Krishna is your true wealth and your very life and soul.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=1872
Hare Krishna! The President of India meets the GCL Competition 2015 winner
Gita Champions League (GCL) is a Bhagavad Gita contest organized by ISKCON Chowpatty for the last four years. This year 2015, the winner of the contest was Ms. Maryam Asif Siddiqui, aged 12 from Mira Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra. Included are the pictures of The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee’s meeting with Ms. Maryam Asif Siddiqui along with her parents at Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 22, 2015
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17558
Building a successful marriage
Last year, the percentage of marriages ending in divorce was over 40%. Many are shocked by this statistic, and indeed, the reality can be ugly. But it is definitely avoidable, often with the help of some simple advice and… Read more ›
Hare Krishna! The Road Ahead
I think of Lord Krishna’s answer to Brahma prayers: “O Brahma, whatever appears to be of any value, if it is without relation to Me, has no reality. Know it as My illusory energy, that reflection which appears to be in darkness.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.34) What is the relationship of all these things to the Lord, I wonder? Do these people at all believe in His omnipotence? Everything I see is the illusory energy of the Lord.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17555
Hare Krishna! Radhanath Swami Addresses the MIT India Conference
On May 2, 2015 the graduate students of MIT University in Cambridge, Massachusetts hosted one of the largest India conferences in the US. The MIT India conference, in its 11th year, has e… Read more ›
The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Far East • Middle East Division
The FAR EAST • MIDDLE EAST division of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust publishes Srila Prabhupada’s books and other BBT titles in fourteen languages of the Pacific Rim and Middle East for distribution in those regions of the world.
As a new Western preaching initiative, BBT FEME is also developing titles specifically for distribution in the Western world to foreign language speakers living within large ethnic communities, as well as to the many foreign students studying in Western colleges and universities.
Read more: http://goo.gl/wvL8cC
Hare Krishna! Kanai Natashala: Where Sri Chaitanya’s Ecstasy Awakened
Sacinandana Swami: This little-known holy place played a major role in the inauguration of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s sankirtana movement.
The devotees suggested to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that He lead them in kirtana, and this is what He did. He started the sankirtana movement, which gave expression to His motto: “Where is Krishna? Where is Krishna?” In Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita (Antya-lila 17.60–61), this mood of Sri Chaitanya is revealed: “Alas! Where is Krishna, the treasure of My life? Where is the lotus-eyed one? Alas! Where is the divine ocean of all transcendental qualities? Alas! Where is the beautiful blackish youth dressed in yellow garments? Alas! Where is the hero of the rasa dance with the milkmaids? Where shall I go? Where can I find You? Please tell me. I shall go there.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17545
The second day of the Sadhu Sanga Retreat in North Carolina (7 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: On the second day of the Sadhu Sanga Retreat in North Carolina an amazing lineup of kirtaneers took us all to new heights of bliss while chanting the holy names. Radhanath Swami’s morning class touched the hearts of everyone and prasadam throughout the day was simply the best.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/iu6yix
Prabhupada Festival in New Dwatka, Iskcon Los Angeles (Album with photos)
See them here: https://goo.gl/FKkgHE Read more ›
Harinam in Tel Aviv – Friday 05/2015 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: We have seen many philosophical speculators. They simply talk in the meetings and that’s all. And if we examine their private character it is less than ordinary. A person may be a nice speaker but will that help you in your spiritual realization? On the other hand, if you chant Hare Krishna, it will give you immediate results. (Lecture 1968, Los Angeles)
See them here: https://goo.gl/zonbf3
A nice 19 min. video of the Maha Harinama at Venice Beach, Los Angeles, on Saturday. Biggest Harinama of the year, part of the annual Srila Prabhupada Festival!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/Ohqyqx Read more ›
New Vrindaban – Festival of Inspiration (2015) (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities o… Read more ›
Padmapani, Anuttama, Hunkara and Prema Rasa at the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Sphinx outside of Cairo, Egypt, 1978
Anuttama Prabhu accomplished a lot in helping to establish our flegling center in Cairo, Egypt. A small group of us had arrived there in the fall of 1978 and were initially holed up together in a small room at the Minerva Hotel in downtown Cairo. I was rather young and green at the time, so I was admittedly having some difficulty finding a place for us to live despite going out and searching regularly. Enter Anuttama Prabhu, who magically located a nice flat in the Zamalek district (on Schagaret El Dor Street) which was the best area in town chosen by ex-patriots and foreign embassies alike. Not only that, but Anuttama arranged a wonderful “India Day” program at the American University in Cairo. The student newspaper proclaimed that “The students were so excited about the food that they were sticking their hands into the pots!” It was a huge success. Anuttama Prabhu was also interviewed by the paper and he made a good impression to one and all. This devotee was obviously intelligent and professional without even trying (unlike me). It was a sad day for us when he decided to return to the West, although I certainly didn’t blame him. He had more important service to do for Srila Prabhupada, I’m sure. Wherever he is now, I hope he knows and remembers that he made a wonderful contribution to Srila Prabhupada’s preaching program in the Middle East. All glories to his service!
Please see the following page for a few pictures of the students enjoying prasadam at the “India Day” program arranged by Anuttama Prabhu: http://goo.gl/clKG3x
Euro RGB meeting, New Vraja Dhama, Hungary, May 23-25 2015 Read more ›
Hare Krishna! My Muslim Brother
Indradyumna Swami: “It was there at the hospital that I met Dr. Nakas,” she continued. “Somehow or other, he had acquired a Bhagavad-gita and would read it to his colleagues before the surgeries. He said it helped him realize the immortality of the soul and gave him strength as he watched people die before his eyes. “I was amazed that a staunch Muslim, who visited his mosque daily, was not only reading Bhagavad-gita but sharing it with others. Most of the Muslim doctors I approached at that time bought Bhagavad-gita because they knew that Dr. Nakas was reading it.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17539
Prabhupada Festival L.A. (Album with photos)
Day 1 of Prabhupada Festival went very well. A lot of devotees showed up as hoped for, and a lot of prasadam was thus distributed. If you couldn’t make it for Saturday, please don’t miss Sunday! For breakfast there will be Kichari, samosas, fruit, tropical drink and more, followed by Srila Prabhupada memories in the temple room, and then so much more throughout the day.
See them here: https://goo.gl/h8sHRA
Sadhu Sanga Retreat in the USA (7 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: The first day of our Sadhu Sanga Retreat in the USA was beyond everyone’s expectations. Over 1,600 devotees chanted and danced in great ecstasy, grateful for each other’s association.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/iV89FT
Hare Krishna! Sankirtana: Welfare for All Beings
Alex said that he didn’t want to offend me, but he had noticed that many people who see the Hare Krishna chanting groups don’t understand what we’re doing. He asked, “How is that welfare, if they don’t understand?” I explained that the effect of the chanting doesn’t depend on our understanding. I used the example of a medicine we take to cure a disease. We swallow the pills, but we don’t need to know how they act. After some time, the medicine takes effect, and the disease goes away. Similarly, the chanting acts to cure the soul of its disease, which is bondage to maya.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17536
Hare Krishna! Jayapataka Swami – Cares for others while being cared for at the ICU
We want to thank the devotees from around the world for their care through prayers, yagnas, kirtans, chanting, and all around devotional services rendered. Please maintain and increase your intense prayers for Jayapataka Swami. All glories to Srila Prabhupada who has given us many commanders, one of whom is Jayapataka Swami, who are inspiring ISKCON and devotees worldwide. Thank you again for all your prayers and for your genuine care.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17530
Hare Krishna! Mystic Understanding
The dialogue of Bhagavad-Gita was transmitted as a live commentary from the heart of Sanjaya to Dhrtarastra. Such mystical ability did not require communication masts or radio waves, but the grace of Guru, in this case Srila Vyasadeva. Srila Prabhupada writes: “….one has to understand Krsna not directly but through the medium of the spiritual master. The spiritual master is the transcendental via medium, although it is true that the experience is still direct. This is the mystery of the disciplic succession. Therefore by the grace of Vyasa, Sanjaya’s senses were purified, and he could see and hear Krsna directly.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=1528
Hare Krishna! The Official ISKCON Identity System
A Manual Concerning Graphic Standards and Proper Implementation as developed and established by the COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT of the INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS. Protecting the appearance and application of ISKCON’s graphic identity is essential to promoting global recognition of the organization. Implementing and maintaining a consistent visual standard also leads to clearer and more effective communication.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17523
Russian Tour 2015 – Exceptionally Well (4 min HD video)
Indradyumna Swami: A public program in Kaliningrad. The formula is always the same; chanting, dancing and feasting. But somehow it works exceptionally well in Russia
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/… Read more ›
Hare Krishna! Time, the Winkless God
Time does not have characteristics the way earth and the other elements do and is not interdependent as the other elements are. Many commentators hold forth on this point of properties, or propertylessness. Gosvami Giridhara-lala writes that time “is not characterized by any peculiarity, and hence it is beginningless and endless.” How being without peculiarity leads to endlessness is not explained, but another commentator echoes the same idea, saying that time “is not dependent on another cause; he exists of his own accord. Hence, he is endless.” The Bhagavatam itself says that time “is endless but puts and end to all. ”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17520
Initiation ceremony in Israel (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If you get one thousand of rupees, ten rupees is already there. If you get Krishna, you get all perfection. Hrishikesh, May 15, 1977.
See them here: https://goo.gl/QDbGuB Read more ›
Hare Krishna! Remember God? Coming Back to My Eternal Friend
I felt disillusioned by the whole show of this world. Nothing seemed attractive. I didn’t care much for anything anymore. I started reading some semi-spiritual books that served to tantalize me but were not nearly potent enough to satisfy my inner hunger for the Absolute Truth. I felt myself waiting for something to happen. One fine afternoon Marc stumbled upon an old friend of his he had been searching for ever since we had met. As it turned out, this friend had become a Hare Krishna devotee the year before. Marc stayed at the temple for two days and came back to tell me all about it.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=17517
A Short Statement of the Philosophy of Krishna Consciousness
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
1) By sincerely cultivating a bona fide spiritual science, we can be free from anxiety and come to a state of pure, unending, blissful consciousness in this lifetime.
2) We are not our bodies but eternal spirit souls, parts and parcels of God (Krishna). As such, we are all brothers, and Krishna is ultimately our common father.
3) Krishna is the eternal, all-knowing, omnipresent, all-powerful, and all-attractive Personality of Godhead. He is the seed-giving father of all living beings, and He is the sustaining energy of the entire cosmic creation.
4) The Absolute Truth is contained in all the great scriptures of the world. However, the oldest known revealed scriptures in existence are the Vedic literatures, most notably the Bhagavad-gita, which is the literal record of God’s actual words.
5) We should learn the Vedic knowledge from a genuine spiritual master – one who has no selfish motives and whose mind is firmly fixed on Krishna.
6) Before we eat, we should offer to the Lord the food that sustains us. Then Krishna becomes the offering and purifies us.
7) We should perform all our actions as offerings to Krishna and do nothing for our own sense gratification.
8) The recommended means for achieving the mature stage of love of God in this age of Kali, or quarrel, is to chant the holy names of the Lord. The easiest method for most people is to chant the Hare Krishna mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
A Day of Kartik month In ISKCON Vrindavana (4 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: Krishna’s Lila in Vrndavana is prakata or manifest Lila, and the same is going on eternally in the spiritual realm, which is known as aprakata or nonmanifest. Krishna’s planet and Krishna’s pastimes are going on eternally, and the same is manifested before the conditioned souls at certain intervals, once in one day of Brahma, exactly as the sun is visible for 12 hours once a 24 hour cycle of and night. When the sun is visible it is called prakata, and when the sun is not visible that is called aprakata or unmanifested. Nonmanifested therefore does not mean there is no existence, but the terms are used in relation to the visibility or nonvisibility to the limited conditioned souls. Letter to Shyamasundara, May 14, 1970.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/HTehtT
Hare Krishna! A Lesson from an Old Cleaning Man
Indradyumna Swami: Then I visited the public restroom near the festival grounds, and I complimented the old cleaning woman. “This is the cleanest public toilet I have ever seen in Poland,” I said. “Thank you very much.” She was struck. “I’ve been working here 10 years,” she said, “and you’re the first person to ever thank me. But I’m not surprised. You’re good people. I’ve watched your festival from a distance for years now. Everyone leaves your program smiling.” “Can you come also?” I said. She looked surprised. “You’re inviting me?” she asked. “Yes,” I said, “to dinner. I’ll come get you at 6 p.m. and we’ll have dinner together in our vegetarian restaurant.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=1466
Harinama in Prague, Czech Rebuplic (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Even if one is sinful and cannot give up sinful life immediately, if he chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra with devotion and faith he will certainly be freed from all sinful acti… Read more ›
Harinama in Byron Bay Australia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “Although Kali-yuga is full of faults, there is still one good quality about this age. It is that simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 12.3.51 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/M19On4
Harinama and preaching program in Vienna, Austria (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Don’t be after these motorcars, television, and all nonsense things, sporting, wine, women. Don’t be after these. Simply eat sufficiently, keep your health nicely, chant Hare Krishna, realize Krishna, and go back to home. This is our philosophy. Rome, May 25, 1974.
See them here: https://goo.gl/Aiyxvr
Festival of Inspiration 2015 @ New vrindaban (Album with photos)
Filled with inspiring lectures, seminars, workshops, entertainment, and dramas, the Festival of Inspiration was the most spiritually inspirational and motivational event. A uniquely wonde… Read more ›
Harinama in Slovakia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: If one chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra without offences, all of one’s sinful actions are surely atoned for immediately, but one should not commit such deeds again, for that is an offence. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.16.14 Purport)
See them here: https://goo.gl/QKmiYY
