Author Archives: Dandavats.com

ISKCON-Delhi, Inauguration of New Sankirtan Office: 03-12-2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In this Age of Kali, the p…Read More…

10,000 fluent speakers of Sanskrit in the United States!
New York: With a long red “tilak” on his forehead, lighter skin and rare name, Bhima-Karma Saragrahi was a cynosure of many eyes at a recent Sanskrit residential camp-cum-convention held in Parsippany, New Jersey. Though it was his first time at such an event, the 40-year-old felt at ease because of his familiarity with the ancient language.
After studying up to the 10th grade and undergoing a course on the Bhagavad-Gita, he left the US for India at age 21. Saragrahi believes that the “esoteric and deep culture” of Hinduism required the study of Sanskrit. He spent several years in India learning Hindi and further improving his Sanskrit.
Based in Boston, he makes a living working in real estate. He is good with Indian musical instruments, including “mridangam” which he played at the convention last month. During his spare time, he offers music lessons.
His parents converted to Hinduism through ISKCON founder Swami Prabhupada when they were teenagers. “I am the second-generation follower of the Sanatana Dharma,” Saragrahi says
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/Q4gs1e

Dear devotees, friends, and well-wishers,
Here is the latest update on Agnideva Prabhu:
Several days ago he was moved from…Read More…

Another gift to humanity by Srila Prabhupada’s arrival.
The story was told by one Russian devotee, whose uncle was a Soviet Army officer. In 1965 there was a cold war between the USA and the Soviet Union. At some point it was going to become a r…

UK marathon news (Album with photos)
Our new MEDITATE Bookstand proving to be a Huge Success! Sutapa prabhu distributed 81 Maha…Read More…

Ratha Yatra festival in Santiago de Chile (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Lord Krishna stresses the importance of remembering Him. One‘s memory of Krishna is revived by chanting the maha-mantra, Hare Krishna. By this practice of chanting and hearing the sound vibration of the Supreme Lord, one’s ear, tongue and mind are engaged. This mystic meditation is very easy to practice, and it helps one attain the Supreme Lord. (Bhagavad-Gita 8.8 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/sn19ut

Srimad Bhagavatam class by H.H. Krishna Kshetra Swami on 5th Nov 2017 at ISKCON Juhu (video)
Read More…

ISKCON Auckland NZ: 2017 (Album with photos)
Kalasamvara Das: Today we celebrated Rathyatra and Gita Jayanti!!
By giving out the mercy on this beautiful summers day by being part of the Xmas parades which are full of transcendental fun and are so easy to arrange.
One just has to turn up and take part the people are already there, (that’s hundreds and thousands) who turn up for there annual Xmas parade.
But the difference is that by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada who wanted this Rathyatra festival in all the cities around the world they get the opportunity to see the wonderful devotees dancing in ecstasy hear the holy names receive transcendental literature take prasadam and become liberated just by seeing the beautiful forms of Lord Jagannath, lady Subhudra and Baladev riding through the streets on there beautiful Rath cart.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/dga59W

The Secret Of Chanting With Bhakti.
Sacinandana Swami: It’s almost a paradox – only when you stop wanting to enjoy chanting for yourself will the chanting produce unlimited nectar. To understand this mystery we must ask: “What is bhakti? What is devotional chanting?”
It means you chant, not for yourself, but for Krishna. “In what way?” Anukulyena! You do it with a favorable mood – that of wanting to give pleasure to Krishna. In this way a kirtana leader can think: “I want the devotees to chant nicely and for Krishna to relish their call.” Thus, activity for Krishna is not done mindlessly.
Krishna has many expansions; you can chant for Nrsimhadeva’s pleasure or for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Syamasundara, etc.
In general, devotional service means that you must learn to absorb your consciousness in three things so that your activity becomes bhakti (bhakti yoga or devotional service in Krishna consciousness).
What are the secrets of bhakti?
anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ�
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam�
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-�
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
(Brs. 1.1.11)
Devotional service or bhakti means:
i. Activity
ii. For Krishna
iii. In a favorable mood
This you have to learn.
This is called bhakti. Such activities are not jnana (to gain knowledge), nor for our liberation, and they are also not karma (for our sense enjoyment). They are for Krishna.
When you do this, then your practice becomes very sweet, full of taste and you will be able to give up material sense enjoyment even though you may be surrounded by cars, mobile phones and computers.
It is important to perform our devotional practice in this way, for as Srila Prabhupada said:
“Only by drinking the nectar of chanting and hearing the pastimes of the Lord can one forget the intoxication of material existence.” (SB 3.21.17 pp):

Aligarh Mandir Opening (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: On Gita Jayanti day for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada, my dear…Read More…

All India Padayatra (Album with photos)
Acharya Dasa: On 25 and 26 All India Padayatra was at Udupi. There were 3 days Religious Convention. Padayatris were invited by the organizers for the convention.
So three days All India Padayatris attended the program. Lakhs of people attended the program. When we entered the pandal we were welcomed by the chief of Pejawar Matha. Each one of us was offered a garland. He also performed Arti of our Lordships. Every day we performed Mangal Arti in the pandal and each day we got the chance to be on stage and perform kirtan. It was a wonderful gathering. Many of them also bought books from us. We had arranged a wonderful bookstall there.
For the pleasure of Sri Sri Nitai Guarsundar, Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev we would like to announce the book distribution score of All India Padayatra on 25 and 26 Nov 2017.
Mahabig Books – 1380
Big Books – 27
Small Books – 143
Total Books – 1550
Sri Sri Nitai Gaursundar ki jai…
Srila Prabhupada ki Jai…
Find them here: https://goo.gl/EPVfjz

Kirtan In A Shanty Town (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday we went on samkirtan in a Shanty Town just outside of Durban, South Africa. People there live well below the poverty line and were extremely happy to receive prasadam. As our kirtan party wove its way through the small lanes of the township people spontaneously joined in and chanted and danced with us in great happiness. Such is the great mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
“The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on this principle: chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra at every moment, as much as possible, both inside and outside of the temples, and, as far as possible, distribute prasāda. …. Simply by liberal distribution of prasāda and saṅkīrtana, the whole world can become peaceful and prosperous.”
[ SB 4.12.10 purport ]
Find them here: https://goo.gl/2WMEfX

Hema Malini ji visits Sri Krishna Arjuna Iskcon Temple (Album with photos)
Known artist & Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Mathura, U.P. Smt. Hema Malini ji visits Sri Krishna Arjuna Temple on 1st December 2017.
After her performance at International Gita Mahotsava, Kurukshetra she decided to take darshans of upcoming Grand Sri Krishna Arjuna Temple, Jyotisar, Kurukshetra for the second time as she visited in 2016 also.
She was very happy with the rapid progress of the ongoing construction & spoke very pleasant words for Srila Prabhupada & ISKCON.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/sQSMrX

HH Radhanath Swami relays the essential message of Bhagavad GitaGita Jayanti marks the divine day when Lord Sri Krishna spoke the sacred Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. This day reminds us of the timeless wisdom that transfor…

Master, when will I see God?
Master: When you are as desperate with longing as a man who craves for water after he has been lying for ten days and nights in the desert near the pyramids.
Pine for Him in the same way, feeling that you can’t live…

How To Cooperate When You Can’t
Mahatma Das: Learning to cooperate and develop good working relationships is a vital skill for the health and continued expansion of Iskcon.
We perform many austerities in Krsna consciousness: we rise early, we live simply, and we often serve despite difficult physical or external challenges. We may go out on Harinam in freezing weather, get harassed by unfavorable people when we preach or spend nights without sufficient rest in order to organize programs or festivals or travel to a new preaching venue. And we often end up with more service than we can handle or are given services that seem to be beyond our abilities – or both!
But I think the greatest austerity is to work well with devotees.
If the day comes when robots are used to perform tasks that only humans can do now, I believe people will prefer dealing with robots over humans. After all, people get upset; people get moody; people misunderstand you. Sometimes people can’t even carry out simple instructions, or they do stupid things. And some people just can’t seem to get along with anyone.
Then there are those who will gossip about you, talk behind your back and even try to pull you down. Others will make up stories about you. (I can’t wait to hire a robot!).

Our austerity is to come together with all different kinds of devotees – the ones we like and the ones we don’t – and work harmoniously and synergistically in Prabhupada’s service.

If we don’t cooperate well, thousands of innocent people who want and need Krsna consciousness won’t get it. When Prabhupada implored us to work well together he was really telling us to, “Work together even if you can’t.”

This is can be a huge challenge. But it is a simple truth that qualified people who can’t get along well only accomplish a fraction of what is possible for them. When we don’t work well together it is common to lose inspiration, become frustrated and or feel like giving up. The expansion of the movement thus suffers because of our inability to work well with others.

Prabhupada said, “The movement can only be stopped from within.” That is a scary thought. But even if we don’t stop it completely, we can certainly slow it down dramatically by our negative attitudes and unwillingness to work well together.

We all have a responsibility to become a supportive and encouraging force in Iskcon. But how can we do this when we are confronted with the mistakes and faults of others?

There is only one person who can help make Iskcon better, and that is each one of us. It is not about others changing and becoming better, it is about each and every one of us becoming better.

I believe improving yourself should be a top priority and a life-long process. And unless you live in a cave, you relate with people every day. Having good relationship and communication skills based on spiritual understanding is one of the most valuable assets you can have, both for your spiritual progress and for the success of Iskcon.

Krishna conscious presentation in Deere & Company (Album with photos)
On 11th November 2017, Gaur Gopal das addressed the marketing team of John Deere on the topic of leader’s role in change management, cross-functional team alignment for a bigger purpose, and talent development.
John Deere is the brand name of Deere & Company, an American corporation. Over the years John Deere has made significant progress in India by introducing various products and programme needed by the Indian farmers in various segment of the Ag value chain including, seeding, harvesting, and post-harvesting equipment.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/F6yrJR

Sankirtan Festival – Prabhupada Marathon.
Beautiful and inspiring sankirtan messages from devotees around the world (brief audi…Read More…

Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar receives Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is by H.G. Govind Krsna Das on the behalf of ISKCON at the same Land where Lord Krishna Spoke the Bhagavad Gita (Kurukshetra, India) & on the same day when it was spoken (Gita Jayanti – The Advent of Bhagavad Gita)!
She had nice exchanges with the devotees and chanted the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

An altar that looks like the ToVP (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: One of our ToVP artist named Samir shared these photos with…Read More…

H.G.Srutakirti Prabhu’s recent talk in Vrindavana, about merciful Srila Prabhupada (video)
Srutakirti Prabhu joined in the early days of the Hare Krishna explosion. Soon he was secretary to Srila Prabhupada. He would travel with Srila Prabhupada to various countries. He noted the details of his travels and thus he is one of the greatest speakers on Srila Prabhupada’s pastimes. He has been widely preaching everywhere in the world fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s mission.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/Xu7wuz

ISKCON Auckland NZ: Friday night Harinam (Album with photos)
This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at…Read More…

Hindu-Catholic Dialogue Discusses Love of God and One’s Neighbor.
Around 125 people from both traditions attended the third annual Hindu-Catholic Dialogue, held at the Shiva Vishnu temple in suburban Washington D.C. on Saturday November 11th.
Participants included Catholic bishops, priests and several dozen Catholic laypeople. From the Hindu community, there were leaders from local Hindu temples, along with a number of congregational members. These included about a dozen from the ISKCON temple in Potomac, Maryland; among them ISKCON Communications Director Anuttama Das, one of the founding organizers of the Dialogue.
This year’s discussions shed light on the topic “Love of Neighbor in the Catholic and Hindu Traditions: Reflections on Nationalism, War and Poverty.”
Beginning the Dialogue via a pre-recorded video speech was Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii, who describes herself as a “Vaishnava Hindu.”
“If we truly want to “love our neighbor” and solve the problems of nationalism, war, and poverty, it’s going to take each of us cultivating our love for God and others,” she said.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/eNmNoY

Harinama in a cold Moscow (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Although a Vaishnava is the most exalted person, he is prideless and gives all respect to everyone, knowing everyone to be the resting place of Krishna. If one chants the holy name of Lord Krishna in this manner, he will certainly awaken his dormant love for Krishna’s lotus feet. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, 20.25.26)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ZJb92V

Deena Bandhu Das: Today we celebrated the 10th Disappearance anniversary of my very dear Godbrother Vibhu Chaitanya Prabhu. (Album with photos)
A real Vaishnava, but unknown to most devotees. He worked tirelessly from 2 am to 10pm in Krishna Balarama’s kitchen for many years singing all the while. In fact, Srila Prabhupada told him that he didn’t have to chant his rounds, just sing and cook. His kachoris were out of this world!! When he couldn’t cook anymore due to old age, he distributed caranamrita with incredible devotion! He would grab your hand and a surge of devotion would enter your body!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/RC9Y7f

One of the best ways to celebrate the advent of Bhagavad Gita is to share it with others.
One devotee asked Jayananda Prabhu how can one go back to Godhead? Jayananda Prabhu replied “ I don’t know, I’m too busy serving Srila Prabhupada “

Gita Jayanti celebration in MOSCOW TEMPLE (Album with photos)
Round table “Bhagavad-gita: in the pursuit of harmony in the modern multipolar world” The round table is held in the framework of celebrating the 70th anniversary of Russian-Indian diplomatic relations, celebrated throughout the year 2017 in Russia and India, and timed to the popular Indian holiday “Gita-jayanti ”. Representatives of state authorities, academics and the capital city administration, Indian diaspora, Hindu organizations, experts in the field of Russian-Indian relations, interreligious and interethnic dialogue, journalists, students take part. The aim of the Roundtable is to consolidate the efforts of the society and the state in the development of interethnic and interdenominational dialogues, to promote the exchange of experience and the dissemination of programs and projects aimed at constructive interethnic dialogue and preservation of cultural diversity as the basis for cooperation. In the program: presentation on the actual topics of spiritual and cultural interaction and dialogue, musical and dance numbers, exchange of opinions, reception. The round table is organized jointly by the Moscow House of Nationalities, the Moscow Center for Indian Culture and the Council of Hindu Communities of Russia. Gita Jayanti (the appearance of “Bhagavad-gita” ) is one of the oldest sacred holy days on earth. According to the legend, “Bhagavad-gita” (“The Song of God”) sounded more than 50 centuries ago before the start of the grand battle between the families of the Pandavas and the Kauravas as a call to fulfill a man’s duty to God and people. “Bhagavad-gita” is not just a sacred text of Ancient India and the main part of the epic “Mahabharata”, which has survived to the present day from the depths of millennia, but also a unique message to the whole world, regardless of nationality and religion. “Bhagavad-gita” is rightfully considered the quintessence of the thousand-year wisdom of the Vedas and one of the greatest works of philosophical classics in the world. Sincerely, Sanjit Kumar Jha (Director of the Center for Indian Culture)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/vEEMrN

Kirtan London (3 min video)
“6 Hours of Happy” Highlights – Oct 2017
Filmed and edited by Jonathan Caicedo-Galindo
Music – “Govinda Jaya Jaya” by The Hanumen.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/dY3KDQ

Gita Jayanti Address (8 min video)
by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami.
Gita Jayanti actually means the birth of Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita appeared was conceived when Krishna spoke it to Arjuna. Bhagavad Gita is actually the essence of the enti…

ISKCON-London 48th Anniversary 26/11/17 (3 videos)
1. Srila Prabhupada arrival
2. MC Opening
3. Jai Nitai dasa Welcome
4. Mantra Lounge (Part 1)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/PKiM51
1. Interview Mr Goyal & Jai Nitai dasa
2. Mantra Lounge (Part 2)
3. Mother Mandakini devi dasi
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/7cBU22
1. Drama
2. Guru Puja with kids and final kirtan with Srila Prabhupada disciples
3. Event Close
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/vqQte7

Radhanath Swami Debates at the Cambridge Union (Album with photos)
In November 2017, Radhanath Swami was invited to debate at the worlds oldest, and arguably most prestigious debating society, the Cambridge Union. The topic was “Have we lost faith in faith? Does it have meaning in the modern world? Can we justify faith in line with the rest of the world’s atrocities?”
The Cambridge Union was founded as a small debating society in 1815, but today is the largest student society in Cambridge and has over 70,000 life members worldwide. It established a forum in which the art of public debate was defended and the free exchange of ideas was encouraged. The Union hosts many of the most famous speakers in the world including politicians, olympians, businesspeople and journalists, so that its members can meet them, question them, and challenge their views. In the past the Society has hosted important world figures such as Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt and the current Dalai Lama. Recent guests have included Germaine Greer, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Robert Downey Jr, Vivienne Westwood, Buzz Aldrin, Russell Brand and Julian Assange, to name but a few.

The Union also serves to encourage younger generations in public speaking, providing free debating workshops to local schools, and thrice-weekly workshops for all student members in Cambridge, at every level of ability, to train themselves in public speaking and learn how to competitively debate. It is this training that produced the top two debaters at the World University Debating Championships in 2015.

Over 200 people gathered in the chamber of the Union for the debate on faith. On the side proposing the motion, was Ken Follet, a Welsh Author who has sold more than 150 million copies of his works, and is a staunch atheist. Ajhan Brahm, a British Theravada Buddhist monk and the Abbot of Bodhinyana in Serpentine, Western Australia and Sadia Hameed, spokesperson for the Council of ex-Muslims of Britain, also joined him.

Opposing the motion was His Holiness Radhanath Swami, alongside Virginia Moffat, religious editor for Peace News and Asad Dhunna, board member of Imaan, Europe’s biggest charity supporting LGBTQI Muslims.

Before the debate started, the Cambridge Union created a poll on their Facebook page to ask attendees to vote whether the motion stands firm. That is, have we lost faith in faith? Fifty-eight percent voted that we had, leave 42% defending that we had not. This meant the debate was on the side of the Ken Follet and his peers.

The debate started with Ken Follet defining the word faith and sharing his thought on why faith had no place in our society. Radhanath Swami spoke in opposition first, arguing that giving up artificial faith makes us eligible to find genuine faith. As the debate proceeded, it swung to become a debate on religion versus science, but a member of the audience, Jonathan, who studied Philosophy and Religion at Cambridge University brought it back. He mentioned that we must have faith in something. We can have faith in empirical science, but that is still faith. Therefore, we can never lose our inherent faith by definition. The debate was closed by Ajhan Brahma for the motion and Asad Dhunna who was against the motion.

The evening came to an end with a book signing of both Mr Follet’s and Radhanath Swami’s books, with students intrigued to know the outcome. The Swami presented his memoir The Journey Home and New York Times Bestseller The Journey Within to all speakers and the President of the Cambridge Union, Page Nyame-Satterthwaite who mentioned, “It was a pleasure to speak to the Swami. It’s rare to have a speaker with such gravitas at the Union. We were very grateful he could attend.” Jonathan, the student who criticised both sides earlier, also met Radhanath Swami at the end. He said, “It was an honour to meet him and I enjoyed listening to his point of view.”

The result of the debate was confirmed at the end of the evening and the opposition claimed victory by receiving 54% of the vote to the propositions 27% of the vote. The rest of the audience abstained. This meant that arguments that Radhanath Swami and his peers put forward had swung the Cambridge audience to vote against the motion that we had lost faith in faith.

UK: 1st day of the Marathon kicks of to a great start! (1 min video)
Sutapa Das: The mercy month is just beginning! Last night we visited the Queens Sankirtan team who were distributing Bhagavad-Gita’s in Morrisons Superstore! They managed to distribute a total of 95 books!
They explained how they started the day off by reciting the whole Bhagavad-Gita together which took 3 hours! Then they were spiritually surcharged and ready to distribute the fruits!
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/x1zMS1

The Threat of World War III.
Sivarama Swami: In 1914 at the outbreak of World War I, H.G. Wells wrote a series of articles that appeared as a book called ‘The War to end War’. Meanwhile, the retort of Prime Minister David Lloyd George was: “This war, like the next war, is a war to end war.”
And so it was: World War 2, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and it continues to this day. At a rough count, 240 million people died during World War I. H.G. Wells didn’t get it right. My mother, who lived through the Holocaust had also told me that at the end of World War II, everyone had thought, “Now we have learned our lesson … no more war.” They didn’t get it right either. Can man stop war? And will next one possibly be a nuclear war? Is World War III, inevitable?

If humanity continues living as it is doing now then the answer is: no you cannot stop war. And World War III may be one of them.

Are there any solutions at all? And what lifestyle do we need to live to bring about an end to this conflict? First let me say what are not solutions—peace treaties, international committees or the United Nations (UN). Since the UN was formed in 1945, there have been over 140 wars. They don’t have it right either.

To solve a problem, you need to know the cause. What are the causes of war? There are two: 1) man’s misuse of his free will 2) the reaction from the misuse of our free will (Karma). Karma means nature’s response to man’s actions. You have to really dig deep into history to find a more sinful and degraded time than we live in today. The scale of it is staggering:

90 billion animals slaughtered for food yearly. 1.5 billion abortions since 1980
Rampant drug abuse, alcoholism, and sexuality Ethnic cleansing
Race discrimination
Pedophelia
Senseless destruction of forests, our waterways and the environment I could go on. The bottom line is this: for every action there is a reaction. For every action not in harmony with God’s and nature’s laws, man will get a reaction— that’s karma. That karma stores up, and when it hits a critical point, a tipping point, then something happens. Plagues, tsunamis, earthquakes and yes, also war. S

So we need to change our lifestyle in order to reduce our accumulation of Karma. Our lifestyle needs to be in harmony with God’s laws. And yes, we need to know what those laws are and abide by them. In this we will live in Peace, not pieces.

Ratha Yatra, Blockhouse Bay, New Zealand, 25th Nov 2017 (5 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: To say nothing of the spiritual advanc…Read More…

Life’s lessons from Bharat Maharaj by HG Vaisesika Dasa (video)
Recorded on 11-22-2017, ISKCON of Silicon Valley.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/13yYi4

The guru is responsible for taking all of his disciples back to Godhead.
Room Conversation – December 12, 1971, Delhi:
Devotee (5): Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Devotee (5): The spiritual master, his duty is to take all of his disciples back to home, back to Godhead, and I’ve heard it said that he doesn’t leave until he has taken all his disciples back. What is the position of Lord Jesus when so many people are following but not doing, not in a position to go back to home, back to Godhead? Is he responsible for all of these people, who are attempting to serve him?
Prabhupāda: That is nice question. What is that? Repeat it again.
Devotee (5): Because the guru is responsible for taking all of his disciples back to home, back to Godhead, I was wondering what was the position of Lord Jesus Christ because so many people for so many years have been attempting to follow his teachings, many of them sincere but not getting proper instructions. I was wondering if he is responsible for all of these people who are attempting to serve him.
Prabhupāda: But one thing is we sing daily, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. You have to please your spiritual master. But yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi, if you displease your spiritual master then you are nowhere. How do you adjust these things? It does not mean that because you have made somebody spiritual master, you displease him, at the same time he takes responsibility. Is it very nice?
Devotee (5): Many times…
Prabhupāda: If you please him, then he is responsible. Yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi. If you displease him then you are nowhere. So, if you take it in this way, that my spiritual master has taken responsibility so whatever nonsense I do, it doesn’t matter. The Christians are thinking like that.
Jesus Christ has taken contract for all our sinful activities, so we can do anything, whatever we like. But that is not the fact. If one takes responsibility for you, you must abide by his order. Otherwise how is that, that he simply takes responsibility and you don’t abide by his order? It is reciprocal.
But the Christians are thinking, “Because we have taken to Christian religion, now we are safe. We can do anything we like and Lord Jesus Christ will compensate. He’ll be every time crucified and we can go on doing all nonsense.” Is it not? Then? That’s not a very good idea.
This is, as Viśvanātha Cakravartī said, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. If you please your spiritual master, then God will be pleased. If you don’t please him, then you are nowhere. So first of all you please Jesus Christ, that is reasonable, then he takes the responsibility. If you disobey Jesus Christ in every step, what is his responsibility? That is a misconception.
Devotee (5): There are some Christians who are actually sincere and they feel as though they are doing the proper thing, but they are just misled by the fact that there is no paramparā system coming from Lord Jesus. The churches are teaching the wrong thing, but they are sincere. (indistinct) Kṛṣṇa will direct them (indistinct) the proper authority?
Prabhupāda: Yes. If they are actually following strictly the principles of Jesus Christ, then sometimes when he meets some pure devotee, he will accept. The groundwork will be nice for accepting farther advancement. Just like Jesus Christ says, “Thou shall not kill.” So if anyone follows this principle, “No, I shall not kill,” then he becomes purified. But who is that Christian who is not killing? So where is follow?
Amongst the Christians the more killing process is going on very strongly. So who is a Christian? In that, if you disobey the first principle of Christianity, then where is your Christianity? Why you falsely claim that you are a Christian? “Thou shalt not covet.” What is that next?
Devotee: “Thou shalt not kill.”
Devotee: Honor thy mother and father?
Devotee: There is one about no adulteration.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So adulteration is going on, killing is going on. So many disobedience to Christian principles. So where is the possibility of becoming a Christian?
Devotee: “Honor thy mother and father” is not being respected.
Prabhupāda: Not… So many things. So, if you do not follow the principles of Christianity, simply by stamping yourself as Christian, will that do? So why Jesus Christ will be responsible for you? Simply by stamping yourself that “I am Christian.” Is that very reasonable proposal?
Nara-Nārāyaṇa: Lord Jesus himself never claimed that he would be responsible. As a matter of fact, he would heal certain persons who by their karma were blind, or lame deaf, or some disease, even dead, he would bring them back to life, so many things. And then when he healed them, he invariably said after, he said, “Now go thou and sin no more lest the worst thing befall you.” And he has been saved by Jesus personally, yet Jesus is saying, “lest the worst thing befall you.” How can the worst thing befall you if everything he does then is all right? So that means Jesus does not take that responsibility.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Why he should be responsible? If you are not a Christian, why he should be responsible? Now, here he says that “Now you have sinned, full reaction I have washed, don’t do it again.”
Nara-Nārāyaṇa: Yeah.
Prabhupāda: But they are going to church, confessing every week, and doing the same thing. Who is a Christian, first of all find out, then Jesus Christ will take responsibility.
Devotee: They are gambling and eating flesh right in the churches, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: That’s all right, I mean to say, if you don’t follow the Christian principles, how you can claim yourself to become a Christian and how you can ask Jesus Christ to take responsibility for you? These are misleading, therefore people are coming disgusted. Otherwise Christian religion is all right. It teaches love of Godhead, teaches to become moral, it teaches to love people, that’s nice. These are good principles.

Gita Jayanti Mayapur
“Anyway, print books, distribute profusely, and that will be the best preaching work. What will your three minutes’ preaching do?—but if they buy one book, it may turn their life. So make this your important task, to print our books…and distribute widely, and that will please my Guru Maharaja. Never mind it takes little time to make progress, our process is slow but sure, and we are confident that if we continue in this way we shall go one day back to home, back to Godhead.”
– Srila Prabhupada in a letter to Bhagavan das, Vrindaban, 5 November, 1972

Over five thousand years ago, Lord Sri Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, a warrior prince, on the battlefield of Kuruksetra. Every year on the anniversary of that day, devotees of Lord Krishna gather and recite the Bhagavad Gita.

In Sri Dham Mayapur, seven hundred students from the Bhaktivendanta Gita Academy organize a huge Gita Jayanti festival. They go for mangala arati, then bathe in the Ganga before going to the festival pandal. A beautifully decorated yajna kunda is set up, and oblations are offered into the fire during the recitation of the Sanskrit verses of the Bhagavad Gita. On average, over four thousand devotees gather in one place to recite the Bhagavad Gita in unison. The atmosphere is surcharged. After the recitation of the Gita, a delicious feast is served.

During this time, many copies of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita As It Is are distributed to the visiting pilgrims. This distribution is a combined effort of many of the Mayapur community devotees, as well as some visiting devotees from around the world. Everyone helps in the distribution of the Bhagavad Gita As It Is. Even little children take part in the distribution of Gitas.

In the Sri Mayapur International School, there is also a Gita Jayanti festival, where all the students and teachers gather and recite the Bhagavad Gita.

In this way, this most auspicious Gita Jayanti festival is wonderfully observed in Sri Dham Mayapur by all the devotees of Sri Krishna.

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The Eye of the Owl.
Sivarama Swami: Let me tell a story from the ancient India Mahabharata. India’s princes were being tested in archery by their martial arts teacher Drona. He had put a wooden owl in the top of a high tree. And then he called the princes to attention. Their target was the eye of the owl. First he called on the prince regent and said, “Set the arrow to your bow, take aim and tell me what you see?”
The regent did as he was told and being polite said, “I see you. I see the tree. I see the branch. And I see the owl.”
The teacher said, “Ease your bow and move out of the way.” The next prince was called.
Again, “Set your arrow, aim and tell me what you see.”
The second prince replied, “I see the tree and the owl.”
The teacher said, “Ease your bow and move out of the way.” The teacher called for the next prince. “Aim your arrow and tell me what you see.”
The third prince replied, “I see the owl sitting on the branch. And I see the eye of the owl.”

Once again the teacher said, “Ease your bow and move out of the way.” By this time there was silent anxiety amongst the princes.

The teacher next called for Arjuna, Krishna’s friend, and the person to whom the Bhagavad-gita would be spoken to in the future.

The teacher said, “Arjuna! Set the arrow to your bow, take aim and tell me what you see.”

Arjuna replied, “I see the eye of the owl.”

The teacher asked, “What else do you see?”

Arjuna said, “I see only the eye of the owl.”

“Don’t you see me?”

“No!”

“Don’t you see the tree?”

“No!”

“Don’t you see the branch its on.”

“No!”

“Don’t you see the owl.”

“No!”

“You don’t see the owl? Then what do you see?”

“I see only the eye of the owl.”

The teacher nodded and said, “Then shoot your arrow.”

Arjuna shot and hit his target.

The lesson is clear. When you have a goal in life. Especially the goal of self-realization. Never take your eyes off it. Don’t get distracted from it by anything or anyone. Then you will be able to reach it.

Keep your aim on the eye of the owl

– HH Sivarama Swami