Author Archives: Dandavats.com

Ambarish Prabhu Invitation to the Chakra Installation, 2018 (4…
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Ambarish Prabhu Invitation to the Chakra Installation, 2018 (4 min video)
Ambarisa prabhu officially invites one and all to the historic and momentous installation ceremony of the Chakras onto Sri Sri Radha Madhava’s and Lord Nrsimhadeva’s domes on February 7th, 2018.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/ScnRL7

New year’s eve at ISKCON Zagreb, Croatia (Album with…
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New year’s eve at ISKCON Zagreb, Croatia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna, one can be freed from all undesirable habits. This is the means of awakening all good fortune and initiating the flow of waves of love for Krishna. (Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 20.11)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/HxdkxY

Sacramento Bhakti Yoga: TYM’s Book distribution report for…
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Sacramento Bhakti Yoga: TYM’s Book distribution report for the entire 2017. Thanks to all the devotees, well-wishers and sponsors. We beat last years record!
BBT CUMULATIVE REMITTANCE TOTALS
January—November 2017
TYM (Sacramento Bhakti Yoga) gave more than $13.252
to Srila Prabhupada’s Book Trust (USA) for 2017.
$3600 more than 2016. More than a 36% increase this year.
More than 28 Srimad Bhagavatam sets went out and more than 2500 books got distributed.
Thanks to all devotees, sponsors, and well-wishers!
Donations were about $11,000 in total.
Prabhupada: That is the most successful. Wherever book distribution is going on nicely, that is successful.
Because people are in gross ignorance. They are taking this temporary life as everything. Very horrible condition. We are trying to explain what is the actual life.[Moring Walk – 1975 Denver]

Almviks Gard (Jarna, Sweden): Every Monday all the children and…
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Almviks Gard (Jarna, Sweden): Every Monday all the children and some adults come together and do seva for the cows. We brush them, milk them, feed them and clean the barn. Afterwards, we take prasadam together at different devotees homes. Everyone becomes happy and enlivened by serving Krishna’s cows! (Album with photos)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Bo33ZH

HG Dharmadhyaksha Prabhu ACBSP left his body. Rasangi Devi Dasi:…
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HG Dharmadhyaksha Prabhu ACBSP left his body.
Rasangi Devi Dasi: My dear Godbrothers and Godsisters, I am sad to report that Dharmadhyaksha das left his body today at around 6:15 PM. As you may know he has had mini-strokes, high blood pressure and other issues and was in a skilled nursing facility receiving round the clock care. I saw him this week and read scripture to him while listening to chanting. His son Maitreya has been visiting him regularly which made him so very happy. Dharma has dome some amazing service for our Srila Prabhupada by preaching in the universities all over California during the mid 70’s. He was a brilliant man who used his intelligence to serve a higher cause and always wanted to help this planet heal from hypocrisy and violence.

2017 – In Appreciation. Ananda Vrindavaneshwari Devi Dasi: As…
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2017 – In Appreciation.
Ananda Vrindavaneshwari Devi Dasi: As the new year just started I am appreciating many things gained in 2017, especially all the different devotees who brought joy and inspiration to my life.
I was therefore delighted when I came across a verse from the Caitanya Caritamrita (a biography on Lord Caitanya, the great revolutionary teacher of Bhakti in the 15th Century).
“Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “Out of all auspicious and beneficial activities, which is best for the living entity?” Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “The only auspicious activity is association with the devotees of Kṛṣṇa.” Madhya 8.251.
Auspicious and beneficial – words that are not used a lot these days. Friendship with devotees, opportunities to sing and dance together, to study together, and to serve together brings good fortune and great benefit to our lives. It’s considered the best of activities for us, and the only auspicious one!

So thank you, dear devotees, for creating many opportunities for sanga (association) all around the DC metro area. Thank you for gathering at the Temple on Sundays and Festivals, and weekdays for service, for meeting in Silver Spring and Georgetown for Harinam (outdoor kirtan), for the sweet Saturday program at the Institute, for Bhakti Yoga DC in the heart of the capital, for Bhakti Clubs and Krishna House at UMD and George Mason, for satsang in yoga studios, for seminars and japa retreats, for the Baltimore Temple and Radha Madhava, for Jiva Daya and their love of books, for Nama Hatta’s (small home groups) that meet weekly, for home programs that happen here and there, for Sunday School and Krishna Kids, summer camps and kirtan trips, for the Bhakti Lounge on Sundays, for Gita and Bhagavatam study groups, for Soundcloud and Sages, for Instagram darshan, for growing FFL, for celebrations and pujas – in times of joy and sadness, for Sunday Serve, for book tables and bakeries where we gather and talk and laugh, for our two cows, Gita and Vani, who love us all and for our neighbors in Richmond and the wonderful ahimsa milk farm at Gita Nagari.

Thank you Srila Prabhupada for starting all of this. You have given us the gift of friends, mentors, teachers and gurus on this kevala ananda kanda, this path of spiritual joy. May we always appreciate that – and them.

Money and an Illusory Sense of Security. Dhirasanta Das Goswami:…
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Money and an Illusory Sense of Security.
Dhirasanta Das Goswami: Money gives us a sense of freedom and ownership. We feel that with money, we can own anything or put a price tag on anybody’s services.
Ownership of something means total control of its existence from beginning to end. When we pay for a piece of land, we feel that we own it, although the land continues to exist even after the owner is long gone. How can you own something that outlives you?
Money also gives the idea that you are powerful and independent, blinding you to the fact that we live in a world of interdependence. We depend on farmers, cooks, drivers and the services of so many other people around us. Even an expert surgeon cannot operate on himself; he depends on others.
Why are most rich people arrogant? Because of the feeling of independence that money brings. The awareness of dependence, on the other hand, makes one humble. The basic human tenet of humility is taken away by this false feeling of independence.
Today, we have gone to the extent of measuring people in terms of their net worth on the money scale — “so-and-so is worth five hundred million” etc. Can money reflect the worth of a person? Calling someone a millionaire or a billionaire is not a compliment. You cannot assign a monetary value to human life.
When people lack faith in divinity, in their own abilities and in the goodness of society, they suffer from a deep sense of insecurity. Then, all that appears to provide security is money. Some among the wealthy feel insecure in relationships — they don’t know whether their friends are truly their friends or are just interested in their fortune. Money can only provide a temporary, illusory sense of security.
Wealth is attained through one’s skills and abilities, inheritance or through corrupt means. Each means of attaining wealth brings with it its own consequences. The very motive for corruption is peace and happiness. Yet peace and happiness remain elusive when the means are corrupt.
Due to the illusory notions of independence, ownership and security that it brings, money is considered a part of maya: ‘miyate anaya iti maya’ means ‘that which can be measured is maya’. Hence everything in the world that can be measured is considered maya, money being one such thing. Human values are eroded when you try to put a price tag on all that cannot be measured, like love, truth, wisdom and life itself.
On the other hand, there are those who criticize money and blame it for all the ills of society. There are some others who even consider it as evil. Not only does possessing money bring arrogance, rejecting it does too. Some people who renounce money take pride in their poverty, just to draw attention and sympathy.
However, the ancient sages never denigrated money nor maya. In fact, they honored it as a part of the divine and thereby transcended the grip of its illusion. They knew the secret that when you reject or hate something, you can never transcend it.
They honoured wealth as Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Narayana. She is born out of Yoga (yogaje yoga sambhute). It is Yoga that transforms bad karma and brings out latent skills and talents. It also brings up ashtasiddhis — the eight perfections, and nava nidhis — the nine wealth’s.
It is this wisdom of Yoga that transforms one from arrogance to self-confidence, from meekness to humility, from the burden of dependence to the realization of interdependence, from craving for freedom to the recognition of unbounded-ness, from a limited ownership to a transcendental relationship with the whole who is Krishna.

Transcendental invitation! Indradyumna Swami: Recently Pundrik…
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Transcendental invitation!
Indradyumna Swami: Recently Pundrik Goswami of the Radha Raman temple in Vrindavan contacted Ananta Vrindavan das, one of ISKCON’s most well-known photographers and videographers and requested him to film a documentary on the worship of the famous Radha Raman deity. Pundrik Goswami will have the service of worshipping Radha Raman from January 2 – 9. Ananta Vrindavan will accompany him everywhere except the altar and the kitchen. Pundrik Goswami is also inviting myself and many other ISKCON devotees to be present for morning and evening programs. In fact, he has asked me to speak and lead kirtan in the temple on the evening of January 5. This is all an unprecedented opportunity to observe the high standard of deity worship in the temple.
Radha Raman is one of the most beloved forms of Lord Krsna. Radha Raman means ‘one who gives pleasure to Radha.’ The distinctive feature of Radha Raman is that He is a self-manifested form of the Lord who revealed Himself in His threefold-bending form to Gopala Bhatta Goswami, one of the famous Six Goswamis of Vrindavan.
While living in Vrindavan before coming to the west, Srila Prabhupada would often visit the Radha Raman temple. For many years he was a close friend of Vishwambar Goswami, an acharya in the line of Gopala Bhatta Goswami. On a number of occasions, Srila Prabhupada requested his disciples to learn the high standard of deity worship and vaishnava etiquette from the Radha Raman temple. We will be sharing photos of all the festivities.

New year’s eve harinam in New York – welcoming 2018!…
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New year’s eve harinam in New York – welcoming 2018! (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “What to speak of others, even Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, personally descends to taste the nectar of love of Godhead in the form of the chanting of Hare Krishna.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 3.265 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ERb2cL

New Year’s Eve Maha Harinama – West End, London (Album of…
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New Year’s Eve Maha Harinama – West End, London (Album of 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 or fallen one may be. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 3.126 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/EgZa5s

The brahmachari and the grihastha. Kadamba Kanana Swami: There…
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The brahmachari and the grihastha.
Kadamba Kanana Swami: There is the story of a wrestler in South India who was very much impressed by a beautiful girl and he served her so nicely. He was opening doors and holding parasols and was doing whatever he could to please her! So, one day, Ramanuja Acharya saw that wrestler and said to him, “Why are you serving her in this way?” The boy then said, “She… is… so… beautiful!”
Then Ramanuja Acharya said, “You call that beautiful?” Now, if it had been anyone else, they would have been in serious trouble but since it was a sadhu, the wrestler held himself back even though he felt the urge. Then Ramanuja Acharya said, “If you want to see what beautiful is all about, I will show you.”
So the next day, Ramanuja took that wrestler through many different corners, left, right and then suddenly, they stood in front of the deities. And because of the presence of the pure devotee, the wrestler had a special experience; something that you cannot just get without mercy. But because of the mercy of a vaisnava, suddenly for a moment, he saw the deity in all its transcendental beauty and for a moment, he realized that Ramanuja was right and that actually, the beauty of Krsna was greater…

So the wrestler saw the beauty of Krsna and that day he changed completely. From that day on, he became a devotee and he also made that lady a devotee. Then the roles reversed, instead of him always serving her, she was always serving him after that and they became initiated disciples of Ramanuja Acharya.

Then time went on and one day, the brahmacharis in the ashram were criticising those fallen householders who were so attached, so attached – just collecting all kinds of material things, “Just see how she is decked out with gold – gold everywhere like a Christmas tree!” Okay, maybe they didn’t say Christmas tree in South India at that time (laughter!) but anyway, something like that.

So then, that night when everyone was deeply asleep, Ramanuja Acharya went to the brahmachari ashram. All the dhotis of the brahmacharis were hanging over the washing line and drying, and Ramanuja went up to every dhoti and ripped a strip off every dhoti and he took the cloth and he left!
Then, he went to the house of his grihastha disciples and when he was inside, he sneaked up to the sleeping householders and started to take the earring out of the ear of the lady and he even slid-off her golden bangle. Then she woke up and realized, “It is Guru Maharaj! He is taking my earring. Oh, I should give him my other one as well but he can’t reach it because I am sleeping on it.” So she decided to turn over and then Ramanuja immediately left. She then he woke up her husband, and told him the whole story, who chastised her, “You nonsense! Why did you turn over and disturb him like that. Give me that earring!”

So, it was morning and just around mangal artik time and the grihasthas were just on their way to the temple. The brahmacharis were just waking up and there was a major riot; they were accusing each other of ripping pieces of their cloth, “Who took a piece of my cloth? Was it you, was it you…” It was a big fight! Then Ramanuja Acharya asked, “What’s going on here?”

“He took a piece of my dhoti,” all were saying.

Ramanuja said, “Who took a piece of your dhoti…” and he pulled from behind his back, all the pieces of cloth and held up all the pieces of cloth! Just then, those householders arrived and said, “Guru Maharaj, you were taking the earrings but you forgot something, here take these also…” then Ramanuja Acharya said, “See, who is attached!”

So, ultimately it is about dedicating ourselves to Krsna. It doesn’t matter where we are; it doesn’t matter what our position is; it doesn’t matter if we are married and we have thirteen children; it is okay!

Astrological compatibility. Kadamba Kanana Swami: If you do…
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Astrological compatibility.
Kadamba Kanana Swami: If you do marry, then be careful that whoever you marry is a devotee. Whatever you do, do not marry a non-devotee. That would be the worst thing to do because then it will be goodbye to yourself! You can say goodbye to the self you were because that is surely a way to go down!
People spend hours and hours matching astrological charts and sometimes you get a ninety percent match! Anyway, that gives you ten percent opportunity to give each other hell; that is also there. But beyond that ninety percent match, are you both chanting Hare Krsna? That is more important than all the astrology and all the karma. Even if the charts do not match, if you are both serious about being devotees, about vaisnava etiquette and if you are willing to offer obeisances and approach each other like devotees, then you might just transcend those bad charts, even if there is Rahu! Prabhupada said that Krsna can kick out millions of Rahus. So, the real criteria for compatibility is how serious are we about devotional service.

Sometimes, a few planets collide, create a little fireworks and almost the destruction of the universe; that can happen… But, what if your planets match really well and you are so happily together, in maya! It can be a great match and you have never had an argument at all, okay great, but how Krsna conscious was it? “Well, we are trying!” When anyone says they are trying, it means that they are not doing. Trying means that we are not doing it!

So, we should make a realistic choice and we fill in the grhasta ashram with Krsna. Our house is a holy place. Our house is a place that reminds us of Krsna and in the house, there is so much prasadam and in the house, there are always guests and in the house, we have many things but they are all Krsna conscious things so whenever we come home, we get so much nourishment. In that way, the grihasta ashram is very nice because one can very nicely make spiritual advancement.

Listen to the full lecture by clicking here: https://goo.gl/AVJxRQ

New Updates from the Bhaktivedanta Archives. Published on the…
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New Updates from the Bhaktivedanta Archives.
Published on the Auspicious Appearance Day of Jagadīśa Paṇḍita, December 30th, 2017.
The Bhaktivedanta Archives is pleased to offer two new releases:
1. The VedaBase™ 2017.2 update.
2. Original unedited audio for the year 1968.
The 2017.2 VedaBase™ Update Includes:
Prabhupāda Memories Chapter 61 – Siddhānta Dāsa
1968 Reverified Transcriptions Against Original Audio.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/R3Rbgz

Prayers for Venugopal Dasa. Kurma Dasa: I received this…
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Prayers for Venugopal Dasa.
Kurma Dasa: I received this Facebook Message from my dear Godbrother Venugopal Das this morning:
“I feel the time is nearing. To all my friends and loved ones, please do not lament. Be happy under Prabhupada’s shelter. Take the Holy Name with full faith and attention. Care for each other and try to serve the Vaisnavas in any way you can. Oh….and I have no intention of stopping off in heaven. My Home is elsewhere.”
Alarmed, I wrote to his devoted wife Nikunja Seva devi.
She confirmed the worst.
“Yes prabhu.. he has a few weeks at the most.
He has an aggressive type of Cancer.
Had Colon surgery on 2nd Nov but cancer was already in his Liver & Lymph nodes. Chemo was not an option as it was not going to solve the problem. Since then, the tumours have grown rapidly. He is pretty yellow. There was talk of seeing if there was a blocked duct in the liver and perhaps putting a stent which would have alleviated his jaundice but the scans last night showed that it was pretty futile to try anything.
He is in great consciousness – cutting jokes and counselling grief stricken devotees. He is pretty weak. He has lost at least 15 kgs recently but his focus and attention on what he needs to do is steadfast and strong.
We have been overwhelmed with the love and support from our devotee family all over the world.
Prayers are his main medicine so your heartfelt prayers would be most appreciated.
With respect and thanks
Nikunja Seva dd ”
SO please dear readers, send your prayers for Sriman Venugopal dasa ACBSP🏽

Harmonious Coexistence: Religions and Philosophies (Album with…
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Harmonious Coexistence: Religions and Philosophies (Album with photos)
Gaur Gopal das spoke alongside His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 28th Dec 2017, at the Ideas of Harmonious Coexistence: Religions and Philosophies of India Conference at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Dehli today to an audience of 400 people.
It was an interfaith conference to highlight the diverse religious backgrounds that exist in India and what can be done to increase appreciation, acceptance, and tolerance of them.
“My gratitude to His Holiness Syedna Taher Fakhruddin Saheb, one of the prominent leaders of the Bohra Muslim community for organizing the event.”
Find them here: https://goo.gl/mc9sdh

Our beloved Srila Prabhupada conforms to the sastric description…
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Our beloved Srila Prabhupada conforms to the sastric description of who exactly is a perfect devotee. His behavior is flawless, as his every word and deed is meant to glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna. He never deviates from that full attention to the Absolute Truth and he cannot be seen at any moment engaged in any frivolous talk or momentary material idleness. Each and every moment in a fully surrendered devotee’s life, even up to his last breath, is connected in some way to Krsna’s Name, Form, Instructions, or Pastimes.
Also, since he is no longer affected in any way by the three modes of nature, he is never forced to act, even for a moment. Everything is being directed personally by Krsna by His Internal Potency. Therefore, no one can ever find any fault because he is as good as Krsna Himself, and is completely under His care and protection at every moment. Krsna has all strength, all power, all everything. And He is never for a moment separate from such a perfect devotee but is eternally united with him through love and devotion.

So as we understand through hearing what transcendental characteristics describe a cent percent pure devotee, and as we see how he is spreading Krsna’s message all over the world, we gradually develop faith in such a rare soul. And if we are sufficiently blessed by Srila Prabhupada and by Krsna from within our hearts, we can develop unshakable faith in both Krsna and our spiritual master, at which time all the imports of the scriptures will be revealed to us. with all respect to the devotees, Mahananda dasa