Author Archives: Admin108

TKG Academy Newsletter for Spring 2015!
TKG in TKG Academy stands for His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami. He was a dynamic, influential and powerful guru, winning the hearts and minds of all he met. It was his personal instructions and guidance that ha… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! Meet Narayana & Laura Meyer, TKG Academy’s regular supporters
Let me introduce Narayana and Laura Meyer. We wish to recognize them as the Donor Spotlight for this month and express our gratitude for their support over the past year. In addition to their regular monthly donation, they gave $1,500 to TKG Academy over the New Year holiday. Narayana is the son of Kalachandji Dham’s Mathuranatha Prabhu and Mother Lila. He grew up in the Dallas Hare Krishna community. Along with his brother Janardan, he attended TKG Academy throughout his entire education – from preschool to high school. Narayana and Laura have recently moved back to Dallas.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16063

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GBC Leadership College, Questions and Answers, Govardhan Eco-Village, Wada, Maharashtra
Radhanath Swami: “Getting things done is important. But the spirit and the unity of the community is what will give substance to what you get done. We can build a temple, but people are not going to be Krishna conscious beyond a certain level just due to the temple. They are going to be Krishna conscious by the quality of the association they get when they come to the temple. In one purport Srila Prabhupada writes that the purpose of developing all these temples is to give people the opportunity to associate with devotees. And the quality of their association with devotees is what is going to be important. In Mayapur, with the Temple of Vedic Planetarium, there are going to be millions of people coming from all over the world to see the temple and experience the atmosphere of Mayapur. But what is really going to open their hearts to receive the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the quality of the association of devotees they get when they come.”
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Hare Krishna! Two Muslim Classmates Meet as Krsna Devotees
“Dissipating Lord Caitanya’s message in Kazakhstan is challenging. The devotees faced hurdles as in 2007, when envy and anger overcame the local governors who destroyed houses at the farm where the devotees lived and wanted to destroy the temple as well. Under the Lord’s protection, diplomacy and wisdom of Srila Gurudeva and other leaders and the support of devotees worldwide, Krsna consciousness is thriving in Kazakhstan. There is a big summer tent for festivals, goshala (cow farm), a wonderful lake revered as the local Radha-kund and a beautiful garden with apple trees and flowers.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16060

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Sannyas initiation of HH Krishna Kshetra Swami (45 min full HD video)
We have been there with two professional cameras and we shoot everything in all details.
The editing is been done with great care and I guess it could be used as a documentary to rep… Read more ›

Srimad-Bhagavatam has been reprinted in Spanish after being out of stock for four years!
ISKCON Founder Srila Prabhupada’s masterwork the Srimad-Bhagavatam has been reprinted in Spanish after being out of stock for four years, to the delight of the Spanish-speaking world. Why has it taken so long? Well, for one, the once-struggling Spanish and Portuguese branch of Prabhupada’s publishers the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust has been on a decade-long climb back to success and sustainability, during which it had to focus on smaller books for mass distribution.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/9sAvN4

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Gaura Purnima 2015 at ISKCON Chicago (Album 142 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In the Adi Purana Krishna tells Arjuna: “Anyone who is engaged in chanting My transcendental name must be considered to be always associating with Me. And I may tell you frankly that for such a devotee I become easily purchased.” (Nectar of Devotion, 12)
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Hare Krishna! Vanipedia to Translate Prabhupada’s Gita Introduction into 108 Languages
Vanipedia manager Visnumurti Das explains that the print edition of the Gita, in which Prabhupada’s spoken introduction appears, has only been translated into 59 languages so far. “Compared to the Bible’s 520 languages,” he says, “We see that there is still a lot of scope for expansion.” Twenty-four 8-minute audio clips of Srila Prabhupada’s 3 hour-and-12-minute spoken introduction have been matched with endearing slides of Srila Prabhupada to create videos and are already posted to Vanipedia’s Youtube channel with English subtitles.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16055

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Hare Krishna! Visit of Chief Minister of UP to ISKCON Vrindavan
Honorable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri AkhileshYadavji came for darshan to the Krishna Balaram temple, ISKCON Vrindavan on 11th February, 2015. He was scheduled to come to Govardh… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! BBT Only Day
How can we Celebrate BBT ONLY DAY? BBT is requesting all GBCs, ISKCON centers and BBT directors to bring to the attention of all of ISKCON this very important letter that Srila Prabhupada wrote. Therefore it is important to emphasize and commemorate “BBT ONLY” DAY on March 14. We humbly request that ISKCON Temples promote BBT Only Day according to the availability of resources and manpower.
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Hare Krishna! Failing to Succeed
The Brahma-vaivarta Purana describes a beautiful story of a brahmana in South India who wanted to offer sweet rice (khir) to his Deities but couldn’t afford the ingredients. So he decided to offer the sweet mentally. In deep meditation, he collected all the ingredients and cooked it. After the preparation was ready, he wanted to cool it down before he offered it to Krishna. After a while he touched his finger to see if the sweet rice had cooled down. It was still hot, and to his surprise his finger was burnt by the sweet rice! Because of his devotion in preparing and testing the khir, even though only in his mind, the Lord happily accepted the offering and soon brought him to Vaikuntha, His eternal abode.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16043

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Hare Krishna! Labeling Body Parts
People have assumed that intelligence is linked to the ability to suffer and that because animals have smaller brains they suffer less than humans. That is a pathetic piece of logic, sentient animals have the capacity to experience pleasure and are motivated to seek it, you only have to watch how cows and lambs both seek and enjoy pleasure when they lie with their heads raised to the sun on a perfect English summer’s day. Just like humans.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16039

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Parikrama in Varsana 11.03.2015 (Album 175 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Pure devotees chant the Hare Krishna mantra, and simply by hearing this chanting from a purified transcendental person, one is purified of all sinful activities, no matter how lowborn… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! Congregational Preachers Awarded
Every year ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry awards those devotees around the world who have done an outstanding service in the area of congregational preaching. This is done during the Gaura Purnima festival in Mayapur, where several of ISKCON leaders and preachers are gathered at that time of the year. During this 2015 Annual Award Ceremony, devotees who have pioneered, maintained and supported congregational preaching programs were formally recognized and offered appreciation for their efforts in pleasing Srila Prabhupada’s preaching mission.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16035

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Wonderful Kirtan by Vraja Krishna in Mayapur dedicated to Bhakti Tirtha Swami (10 min video)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/sbkbMn Read more ›

TKG Academy Dallas Gurukula students Gaura Purnima bhajan (2 videos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/kf4dWS Read more ›

Hare Krishna! Graduates!
On 5 March 2015, His Holiness Bhakti Charu Maharaja awarded sannyasa to His Grace Ganga Narayan Prabhu. His sannyasa name is His Holiness Bhakti Prema Swami. On 21 February 2015, His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja awarded sa… Read more ›

Harinama 2015.03.07. Budapest (Album 109 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “Haraye namah krsna yadavaya namah, gopala govinda rama sri-mudhusudana. This is another way of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The meaning is as follows: “I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. He is the descendant of the Yadu family. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Gopala, Govinda, Rama and Sri Madhusudana.”
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 25.64 Purport)
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Hare Krishna! UK Prime Minister announces new Avanti school
Two new Croydon free schools, including the borough’s first Hindu faith school, were announced by Prime Minister David Cameron this week. A primary school run by Hindu charity the Avanti Schools Trust and a secondary school offshoot from a top Sutton grammar were among 49 new Department for Education approvals revealed on Monday. Both are expected to open in the next three years. Avanti Schools Trust, which already runs exisiting schools, had its initial application turned down by the DfE last year.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16024

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Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar’s Boat Festival – 2015 (Album 80 photos)
See them here: http://goo.gl/Y5cJAj

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Hare Krishna! Step-by-Step: How to Start a Vaishnavas Care Team in Your Community
A Vaishnavas Care Team (V-Care Team) is a group of devotee volunteers within your temple or community who assist members of your congregation when they are acutely or chronically sick or even terminally ill with an end-of-life illness. Even when a devotee is sick with a “flu” or has had an accident, is hospitalized for any reason, or needs surgery, help is often required from the community. Visits from our volunteers, bringing prasadam meals or maha-prasadam from the Deities, flowers, or photos of the Deities are acts of kindness and very appreciated.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16020

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Beautiful Boat Festival 2015 in Sri Vrindavana’s Krishna Balaram Mandir (50 min video)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/BsE0C2

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Radhanath Swami Joins International Yoga Festival, Rishikesh.
Radhanath Swami was twice featured in the Spiritual Discourses Series and spoke on the topics ‘Equanimity Amidst Turbulence’ and ‘Yoga of Love’. He gave a third talk on ‘Qualities of a True Yogi’ on one of the evenings. At the end of the discourse he led the participants in the kirtan of the holy names, as everyone danced in ecstasy.
Read the entire article here: http://goo.gl/jmxQdL

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Hare Krishna! GBC College for Leadership Development, Day 2
Another session that was thoroughly appreciated was the afternoon presentation by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Maharaja. Within the topic of “Being a Srila Prabhupadanuga,” Maharaja launched into a comprehensive historical, philosophically and esoteric description of who really is Srila Prabhupada, of how his appearance and accomplishments fit into the context of Lord Caitanya’s descent and mission. Maharaja explained Srila Prabhupada fulfilled the desire of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura to have a collective management of the institution, and how the vaidhi and raganuga approaches naturally harmonize within Gaudiya Vaisnavism.
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From the last artistic album of Indradyumna Swami.
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Hare Krishna! Taking care of Krishna’s devotees
It is about the implementation of the Counselor System as introduced by His Holiness Radhanath Maharaja at Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir in Chowpatti, Mumbai. Using quotes from Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, Srila Prabhupada, and parts of lectures and presentations, including letters and istha-gosthis with devotees in and around Russia, it highlights the importance of the Counselor System to developing vibrant and caring communities.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=16012

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Food For Life in Poland – 09.03.2015 (Album 22 photos)
Prasadam distribution and Harinama.
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Hare Krishna! Gaura punima celebrations in Nanda gram temple, Nigeria
This year gaura punima was celebrated in grand style as devotees gathered early in the morning, chanting, fasting and singing devotional lyrics. it was later followed by fire sacrifi… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! All The Way from Galway
Here are two short video clips. The first is only 9 seconds long and overflows with genuine enthusiasm for Harinam Samkirtan, expressed by Mother Maharani. Maharani Dasi was in London with her husband for a brief v… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! “I do not have to pay?”
Kadamba Kanana Swami: Even when I joined, at that time, the Sunday feast was still fifteen incredible preparations. I mean absolutely incredible. Every single one of them was like, “Whew!” You know, I mean the rice was loaded up with cashews and paneer balls and what not. Oh! What to speak of the other preparations. Everything was ecstasy. There was abundance and nobody paid. It was all for free. The guests would just come and would eat to the max.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15995

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Seberang Jaya, PENANG, Malaysia – Temple Construction Update 9/3/2015
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca.
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Harinama in Venice, Italy (2 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: By chanting the Hare Krishna mantra one immediately concentrates on the sound vibration and thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord, and very quickly one is elevated to the position of samadhi, or … Read more ›

Taking Care of Krishna’s Devotees (video)
Mentor Preaching by Niranjana Swami at Gopal’s garden school on 21 Feb 2015
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/bjzH4T

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St.Kilda Beach Harinam Party, Melbourne,Australia (Album 31 photos)
Srila Prabhupada: One should invite people, chant Hare Krishna, and then distribute prasada. This yajna will satisfy all the demigods, and thus where will be peace and prosperity in th… Read more ›

Hare Krishna! Victory in ISKCON Finland Campaign to Obtain the Malmi Manor!
ISKCON has been active in Finland for more than 30 years but there has never been a fixed location to serve as a temple. In 2012 the devotees had to vacate the previous temple due to the termination of the lease. Devotees have been working since then to find a temple for Srila Prabhupada and a suitable base for the Vaishnava community in Finland. The devotees had been promised one property at reduced rate by the Helsinki City Council. Unfortunately, a business group managed to talk the council in selling them the property. When this became known to the public, there was a flood of protests. In what could only described as Krishna’s miracle in Finland, the City offered ISKCON the Malmi Manor for €260,000.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15989

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Hare Krishna! GBC College for Leadership Development, Day One
The GBC College for Leadership Development started its first day of its first year of operations today, 8 March 2015, at the Govardhana Ecovillag on the outskirts of Mumbai. The College has been formally established by GBC resolution last month, February 2015, with the following words: Whereas Srila Prabhupada repeatedly indicated the need for training qualified leaders: “There is need for intelligent young men to train them up as future leaders and preachers to go all over the world for spreading the message of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” (Letter, 9 January 1973) “If we simply go on expanding and there are no qualified men to lead, then everything will be spoiled eventually.” (Letter, 5 January 1973) Whereas the GBC wishes to promote high standards of spiritual leadership and management throughout the Society Resolved, That: The GBC College for Leadership Development is hereby established. The College’s primary focus shall be on contributing to prepare devotees to serve in crucial leadership roles within ISKCON.
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15985

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Festivities during Gaura Purnima in Mayapur.
In this post, we are sharing selected images of festivals that took place in Mayapur Temple during Gaur Purnima 2015.
Right after Nabadvip mandal parikrama, there was the boat and swing festival on 28th Feb. Small deities of Sri Sri Radha Madhav were brought in a procession amidst kirtana to the lake at Srila Prabhupada’s Pushpa Samadhi Mandir. There, the Deities had a boat ride. After the ride, the Deities were placed on a swing. Devotees sang bhajans and swung Their Lordships.
On 1st March, Small deities of Sri Sri Radha Madhav went around the Temple campus in an Elephant procession accompanied by kirtana. On 2nd March, there was Shantipur festival in the house of Sri Advaita Acarya. Like last year, many devotees had khicri prasad in Shantipur . This festival is based on the scriptural injunction that anyone who has khicri prasad in Shantipur on that day attains Krsna prema. Next, devotees had the fortune to witness Ratha yatra and Ganga puja on 3rd and 4th March respectively.
Most of Morning lectures in Temple from 2nd March were also dedicated in preparation of this grand festival. There was kirtan purnima on 4th March as a final preparation to Gaura Purnima day. There was a huge turnout of devotees and visitors to the Temple on Gaur Purnima day. A Maha abhishek of Lord Gauranga took place in the evening and attracted a large number of devotees.
Apart from above festival programs, there were also many pandal programs and movies displayed in Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi auditorium. Selected images of these can be viewed above.
Gaur Purnima festival 2015 ki jay. All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga. Hare Krishna!!
See them here: http://goo.gl/SXEuUK

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Hare Krishna! A Texas-sized Temple with Room to Grow
Texas is a big state, but Srila Prabhupada’s disciple Dina Bandhu Dasa recalls how the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in Houston, Texas, began in a small way. “When my wife [Akuti Devi Dasi] and I arrived in Houston in 1971,” he says, “Prahladananda Dasa was the temple president at 406 Gray St. It was a dilapidated two-story wooden building just outside downtown, in a very bad neighborhood. The plaster was no longer on the walls; only the lathe was there, and the wind used to blow right through the wood siding into the temple room. We felt the place was haunted.”
Read the entire article here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=15980

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Hare Krishna! Global Sustainability Award to HH Radhanath Swami for Govardhan Eco Village
HH Radhanath Swami was conferred Global Sustainability Award for his Govardhan Eco Village (GEV) on World CSR Day at the 4th Enhanced Edition of the Global CSR Ex… Read more ›

Yesterday’s SB Class by H.H. Badrinarayan Swami in Vrindavana (50 min video)
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/k48PbG

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