Author Archives: Dandavats.com

Inaugurating Caitanya Subodhini Madhya Lila Part-1.
Out this Kartik, Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha is back with yet another publication in the Subodhini series – CAITANYA SUBODHINI MADHYA LILA – I (Chapters 1–13).
Readers will move further from the Adi-lila, having studied the tattvas of the Lord as well as a glimpse of the childhood pastimes of Lord Caitanya, to His latter pastimes. In this edition, Caitanya Subodhini will take the readers through the overview of the post-sannyasa pastimes of Lord Caitanya – from His travels towards Jagannatha Puri, to His yatra across southern India. This first volume concludes with the Lord’s return to Jagannatha Puri in time to celebrate Jagannatha Ratha Yatra in great jubilation.

As usual, this systematic study guide includes:

Verse by verse overview of the chapters along with summary tables and overview charts.

Special Map of Lord Caitanya’s South India Tour

Spectacular Darshans of Sri Gauranga and Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Behari

Thematic Compilations such as Lord Caitanya’s Prasada Pastimes, Lord’s affectionate dealings and mercy.

…and many more

Caitanya Subodhini attempts to simplify the study of Sri Caitanya Caritamrita by integrating the explanations of Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraj Goswami and Srila Prabhupada thus catering for the taste and needs of avid readers, scholars and even new comers.

Get a birds eye view of Caitanya Caritamrita chapters

Drift in the flow of verses and sections

Savour the special thematic compilations

Zoom into the beauty of Holy name and analogies.

Studying the post graduate scripture of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas, the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, is now more relishable and accessible to all who would like to dive deeper into the instructive and nectarean ocean like pastimes of Lord Caitanya.

In Your service
Bhaktivedanta Vidyapitha: http://www.vidyapitha.in/

An Invitation to the 40th Anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance, Iskcon Vrindavan October 22nd through October 24th 2017

Srimad Bhagavatam 08.07.46 by H.G Pancharatna Das on 18th September 2017 in Mumbai, Iskcon Juhu Temple (video)
Read More…

Parijata IC: Wishing a happy 10th Liver Transplant Anniversary to Shyamasundara and Gopinath Prabhus (Sam Speerstra & Amol Kulkarni). So grateful that both are in good health, happy, & blissfully engaged in service of Srila Prabhupada & Krishna. Praying both of you have many more such years of extraordinary service & good health.
Giriraj Swami: Gopinath Prabhu (Amol Kulkarni), you deserve a share of the credit for all the wonderful service Shyamasundar Prabhu (Sam Speerstra) had done since the transplant.
Yasoda-dulal Das: It took a lot of courage and surrender to have Gopinath volunteer to give part of his liver to Shyamsundar prabhu. And for you, Parijata IC, as his wife to have willingly gone along with it, with a then very young son in your lives! All glories to you both.
I am happy and proud to have you both in our life as dear friends.

“YOU HAVE MADE MY DAY!”
This is what a freshman at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis said after he accepted Bhagavad-gītā & a few smaller pieces of literature from us last week. He was so nice that after expressing his interest in reading this philosophy, he spent a few minutes thanking us for coming to his campus. He said he understood it must be a great sacrifice for us to travel & preach, & he offered his respects repeatedly.
A girl who received BG from us a year ago at IUPUI happily received a few other books this time.
While I was showing the BG to one student, another student enthusiastically interrupted & asked, “Is that the original BG w/ Sanskrit? I’ve been wanting to find that book in its entirety!” Both students accepted a copy.
An older-looking student walked by, stopped, & asked what I was doing. He ended up taking a BG & admitted, “I have no idea why I was walking down this path. I never come this way, for I have no reason to.” I told him nothing happens by chance. 😃
Next we visited the Univ. of IL. One of the first persons to accept a BG from me was an articulate young man. He explained that he grew up in the Muslim tradition but felt dissatisfied w/ its theology. He also felt dissatisfied w/ modern science’s claim that consciousness is a product of matter. Thus in addition to the BG, he eagerly took a copy of the magazine “Origins–Higher Dimensions in Science,” which has an interesting article entitled “The Mystery of Consciousness.”
More than other campuses we visit, we also find staff & faculty members at the U of I taking home some of our literature. This trip was no exception, as three professors accepted a copy of BG.
The first was in the department of Earth Sciences. She expressed her interest in meditation & Eastern thought & gave a generous donation. The second was in the department of Geology. She said, “Oh, BG. I’ve always wanted to read that book.”
The third professor was from Africa & teaches Linguistics. He speaks a half dozen languages & has high regard for Sanskrit. He graciously accepted the BG.
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

The Very First Temple (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Madan Mohan temple was the first temple established in Vrindavan …Read More…

A Special festival of Gratitude in Memory of Srinathji Prabhu At Iskcon Chowpatty by HH Radhanath Swami On 08 Oct 2017 (video)
…Read More…

Plug-Stoppers on the Path of Perfection
Dhirasanta Das Goswami: The practitioners of bhakti or devotional service to Krsna, especially those that are initiated, vow to follow four regulative principles. These are no intoxication, no illicit sex, no meat eating and no gambling. However, watching TV and movies always includes seeing others engaged in intoxication, graphic sex life, violence, and gambling. Therefore in a sense watching it means we are breaking our regulative principles of freedom.
What reason do we have that we should go out of our way to observe and watch these activities of Kali-yuga. Already it’s difficult enough to stay away from them, being bombarded and having our consciousness challenged by them when simply going about our daily activities? And why would I want to bring these things into my own home, to give ideas to my children?
The effect of breaking the regulative principles is that we commit sin. By committing sin, we complicate our spiritual lives, entangle ourselves in material existence, and suffer from the results of that sin. Anything that you see makes an impression in the heart. So the rampant violence, sex, intoxication, bad language, immoral behavior, and fairytale worlds like Spiderman jumping off buildings and flying through the air, these make an impression in the heart. When they do, they become a source of meditation, not only as a reflection of the mind, but something that creates seeds of material desires in the heart and which will also water existing seeds of desire in the heart.
By committing sin there’s an effect in the mind, these sinful thoughts linger in the heart. They come up like bubbles from the mud and become the source of other sinful desires, which then become the result of further sinful acts. Ultimately what devotees see on TV and in movies, they’ll end up doing. If they see infidelity, they’ll end up doing it. If they see violence or other activities, they’ll do that. When they become bewildered into thinking materialism, egoism and pride in the material body are the ultimate goal, they become more body conscious and egotistical. All these things strangle the creeper of devotional service and make one’s devotional life more or less null and void.
The solution is the plug-stoppers of acquiring a taste for reading Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam and chanting Hare Krishna. By regularly doing these one will naturally develop a taste for doing more. This in turn will give the spiritual strength needed to resist the social pressures from those that have no taste and wish to be sinful. A devotee will then be able to continue their spiritual journey with a clear conscience.

GBC meetings in Ujain, India (Album with photos)
Bhakti Caitanya Swami: The GBC meetings have just started in Ujjain. Here are …Read More…

Vaishnava marriages in Kyiv, Ukraine (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The names of the Lord and the Lord are non-different. So Lord Krishna’s instructions to Arjuna to “remember Me” and Lord Caitanya’s injunction to “always chant the names of Lord Krishna” are the same instruction. (Bhagavad-gita, Introduction)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/JtVAZf

Harinama in the public square Plaza Lva Tolstoho of Kyiv, Ukraine (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)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/pHn3iw

Beautiful Iskcon Temple Ujjain (Album with photos)
Giridhari Swami: Bhakti Charu Maharaja has developed an amazing project here, as you will see from the photos. When I tried to praise him this morning for this extraordinary accomplishment, he smiled and said, “All glories to Srila Prabhupada.”
Find them here: https://goo.gl/EGc13y

H.G.Srutakirti Prabhu in a recent SB class, in Vrindavana, narrates pastimes with Srila Prabhupada (video)
Once some of his disciples were talking lightly about the faults of their godbrothers in a room next to that of his Divine Grace without being aware that he was listening. After a while, Srila Prabhupada appeared and told them: “This kind of gossip destroys your Krishna consciousness!”
Srila Prabhupada was never pleased to hear criticisms and negative talk.
During a morning walk, some other disciples were complaining about similar issues, Srila Prabhupada stopped, turn towards them and said: “You have come only to discourage and I have come to encourage!”
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/XnrffU

New York Supreme Court Declares Historic Decision in favor of Hare Krishna Movement.
New York Supreme Court Justice Randi Sue M…Read More…

Srila Prabhupada and Lord Venkateshwara.
Yadubara das: Srila Prabhupada stayed in Tirupati for three days, and the highlight of…Read More…

Preaching program in Tirana, Albania’s capital city (Album with photos)
Ananda Tirtha: We had a really, really wonderful six days in Tirana, Albania. The city is pleasant. People are super pleasant. We managed to sell 500 books. Bhakti-grantha and Nayananda Prabhus distributed almost all of them. I managed to meet up with the Indian consul in Tirana, a man in his 60s with moist and lively eyes, a successful businessman of a warm and unassuming nature. He helped us with our mission. I gifted him a copy of the Sri Isopanisad in Albanian, a copy of the Bhagavad-gita in English, and a copy of the Atma magazine in Albanian. We also met a vibrant woman, a yoga teacher, who without thinking twice invited us to give a lecture at her studio. That proved to be a great gathering. One of the men in attendance even offered his help to initiate an Iskcon center in Tirana and translate the Bhagavad-gita into Albanian. We look forward to our next visit to Tirana.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/y1PvWC

Every Picture Tells A Story In Beautiful Vrindavan During Kartik (Album with photos)
The Evening Programme in Iskcon’s Krishna Balaram Mandir On The 5Th Of October.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/PW8dE5

Dauji, The Older Brother! (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Dauji is a name for Lord Balarama meaning ‘older brother.’ It is also the name of a village in greater Vrindavan, where a very ancient deity of Lord Balarama is worshiped with great love and devotion by the citizens. It’s one of my favorite places in all of Vrindavan. Yesterday we took our parikrama party of 350 devotees to Dauji to see Dauji!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/evTxb9

Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple Damodar AartI Darshan 5th October 2017 Live from ISKCON Chowpatty (14 min video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/xosMMq
After He had snuggled into Yasoda’s embrace, Krsna had become both the victim of neglect and the beneficiary of bliss. It was an extraordinary experience, one that He continued to enjoy until His rebellious mind thought,
“She has left Me for some milk.”
Following the experience of separation came thoughts of being neglected, and from those thoughts emerged corresponding feelings that stoked the anger of love. Burned thus by the fire of indignation, Krsna boiled like a baby-volcano.
Mother Yasoda was also a beneficiary of a similar but even more intense sweetness.
Upon feeding Krsna she had tasted the heavenly nectar of His touch, and when she put Him down she drank the abysmal poison of His absence. But as she rushed to save the boiling milk, her ecstasy amazingly increased step by step. Like Krsna, she too was intoxicated by the love of separation. However, because He was the object of love and she the subject because He was unlimited and she limited, her pleasures, both nectarean and poisonous, were a hundred times greater than His. So when divine love forced Yasoda to rush to the stove, she was so disoriented that in an invisible way Yogamaya had to guide her.
Knowing that His mother’s bliss exceeded His own, Krsna felt further deprived.
“Another injustice!”
Pierced thus from multiple directions, His mounting anger finally erupted.
Although a little boy of three, Krsna was the origin of anger, material and spiritual. The forms of Virabhadra and Nrsimha may have appeared ferocious by comparison to baby Krsna, but the fierceness of the anger that He felt was no less than theirs.
In this way, frustration at being neglected, jealousy of the boiling milk, and the injustice of being spiritually short-changed caused a host of bodily symptoms.
His hands clenched and unclenched, His little chest heaved with rapid breathing, and His black complexion became tinged with red. Eyes reddish, eyebrows flitting, and lips trembling, Krsna glared in the direction of the kitchen, bit His lower lip, and vowed,
“I will get revenge.”
Sri Damodara-janani
(HH Sivarama Swami)

Vedic Sociology Seminar at ISKCON Juhu.
‘Varnasrama Dharma is the society of Vaisnavas in their conditional stage.’ (Bhaktivinod Thakur in Sajjan Toshani)
A 3-day seminar on Vedic Sociology was held at ISKCON Juhu under the aegis of IDVM-India on 1st – 3rd of October 2017. The seminar was given by His Holiness Bhakti Raghava Swami Maharaj. Posters of the event were displayed in the temple premises. Information about the same was also circulated on social media. There was a lot of excitement amongst devotees for the seminar.
The first day of the seminar was an introduction to Vedic Sociology. His Holiness explained that the Vedic Society is primarily an agrarian society and encouraged devotees to lead a more natural life based on land, cows and Krishna. His Holiness also mentioned that cities are supposed to be our preaching bases and villages our living bases. The presentation had many direct statements from past acharyas emphasizing the importance of Varnasrama Dharma. His Holiness explained about the ISKCON’s four movements. His Holiness explained that Srila Prabhupada wanted Krishna Consciousness movement to be not only Religious movement, Cultural movement, Educational movement, but also a social movement.
The presentation was based on Kautilya’s Arthasastra.
The second day of the seminar dealt with another very important topic of Varnasrama Education. His Holiness first explained about the three types of vidyas and then about the five pillars of education. He also explained about the qualities which student and teachers should possess. Maharaja gave the seven pillars of success under the science of politics wherein His Holiness compared the Vedic perspective and their counterpart in a modern organization. Then, Maharaj explained about the char vidyas namely Vedic Philosophy, Vedic Education, Vedic Politics and Vedic Economics. There was an interesting topic about how to determine one’s varna. At the last phase of the seminar on day 2, Maharaja showed an interesting video by Srila Prabhupada on education and politics.
The third day was on Varnasrama Economics. Due to bad health, His Holiness could not present the seminar. His Grace Vishnunam Prabhu, Vice President ISKCON Ahmedabad presented the seminar. Prabhu started with many direct quotes from Srila Prabhupada on cow protection. In his presentation, he shared his own experience with ISKCON Ahmedabad goshala and his experience with the cows. It was interesting to know that milk production could be increased by allowing calves to stay with their mother cow for 12 hours every day. He explained about the animal impact on the land through planned grazing of cows. He also gave few quotes from Vedas regarding taking care of Gomata. He explained how cows help in increasing organic matter of land and thus enables the soil to hold more water. Another interesting point he made was if we eat grains, vegetables etc made out of cow dung and urine, we do not need medicines made out of cow dung and urine.
Devotees attended the seminar in large number. They were very happy to gain holistic vision of Vedic sociology with the seminar and wanted more such kind of seminars to broaden their horizon of thinking. The audience also asked many interesting questions on the topic.
The seminar will be soon uploaded on the youtube channel ‘Varnasrama Media service’. Interested devotees may subscribe the youtube channel to watch full seminar.
Shubhananda Hari Das
To read the entire article click here: https://archive.org/download/VedicSociology/Vedic%20Sociology.docx

Book distribution in Vrindavana.
Kavicandra Swami: This is my God Sister, Radha Kunda dasi. She was Book Distributor par excellence in the 70’s. She inspired me in my early days of book distribution.
She moved to India and helped to establish ISKCON in Gujarat.
She started the Mataji book distribution party in front of Krsna Balaram Mandira. They distribute hundreds of book daily. Note the name tag, made in USA. That is to save time since everyone asks about that.

Bhaktimarga Swami Completes 3,550-Mile Walk Across U.S. for ISKCON 50.
On Friday September 15th, Bhaktimarga Swami, “The Walking Monk,” crossed the finish-line for his 3,550-mile walk across the USA in San Francisco, beneath shining blue skies and rolling white clouds.
It had been two years since he set off.
This wasn’t the Swami’s first adventure on foot. He has walked across Canada from coast to coast four times; and he has trekked across Ireland, the Fiji Islands, Mauritius, Trinidad, Guyana, and Israel, to promote a more simple, healthy and spiritual lifestyle.
But this latest walk, in honor of his guru A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and the 50th anniversary of Prabhupada’s International Society for Krishna Consciousness, has been the most personally meaningful to him.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/a2cfb1

Vrindavana full of pilgrims for Kartika (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “The essence of all Vedic knowledge—comprehending the three kinds of Vedic activity, the Vedic hymns, and the processes for satisfying the demigods—is included in the eight syllables Hare Krishna Hare Krishna. This is the reality of all Vedanta. The chanting of the holy name is the only means to cross the ocean of nescience.” (Narada-pancharatra)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ZhJby4

Presenting Krishna consciousness (Album with photos)
On 23rd September 2017, Gaur Gopal das was invited to speak at SBI – SBICAPs Conclave.
SBI Capital Markets Ltd, a subsidiary of State Bank of India, organized a Conclave, which was attended by senior officials of State Bank of India, SBI Capital Markets limited, RBI and other corporates.
Gaur Gopal das spoke on the topic “Secrets to renew Energy and Enthusiasm.”
Find them here: https://goo.gl/aToDNG

In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as Damodarashtakam along with offering a Lamp twice a day. Damodar Ashtakam has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata which attracts Lord Damodara. Very naughty ye…

Kartika Begins! (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Today on the first day of Kartika we visited Ram Tal, an ancient holy p…Read More…

Commemoration of Krishna Lunch and the renewal of the University of Florida plaza. Founded by Srila Prabhupada and serving students …Read More…

Request for blessings…
Rajesvari Seva Devi Dasi: Today I’m deeply grateful for my Spiritual Master Indradyumna Swami. He is my hero, my savior, my inspiration, my hope and my leader. Many years ago he gave me a wonderful gift of initiation and The Holy Name. Today I feel very ashamed and humiliated by the fact that I wasn’t able to stay truthful to my promise to chant 16 rounds of Maha Mantra every day. Since my son Vraj was born most of the time I was alone taking care of him. At that point, I started loosing it and today I stand with no sadhana whatsoever. I chant but not regularly and my spiritual life is based on sentiment and kindness of devotees. Today on this first day of Kartik I would like to take a vow to chant 8 rounds every day for the whole month. It will be my step towards creating a habit and proper time management allowing me to get back to my 16 rounds. I truly want that out of respect for my Gurudeva, for the sake of being a person of my word, for the sake of not wasting my life. There is nothing more valuable and sure in this world than God. Please, dear Devotees and friends, give me your blessings so I can develop deep love and attachment to the Holy Name and to be bound to It as Little Damodar was to a grinding mortar.

Beautiful Iskcon temple in Ujjain (Album with photos)
Bhakti Caitanya Swami: We are now at the ISKCON temple in Ujjain, in Indi…Read More…

Journey From Anxiety To Happiness (video)
HH Devamrita Swami’s lecture in the Hare Krishna temple of Melbourne.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/B5PWKb

Raval and Varsana, the two places associated with Srimati Radharani’s appearance and pastimes. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, the revealer of the holy dhama! (16 min video)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/Ssnq9m