Author Archives: Dandavats.com

Distributing SP’s books in IRAN! (Album with photos)
Satyanarayana das: Whether it’s happening within the bustling souks (marketplaces), on the streets or in storefronts, nothing stops blissful Shakatari Prabhu from distributing hundreds of Farsi “Perfection of Yoga” books throughout the cities of Tehran and Shiraz, Iran. And they simply love the books…!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/8V75xo

Hare Krishna Auckland – Gaura Purnima 2017 (Album with photos)
Hrdayananda: [translating] He’s saying that he thinks the way we dress, our whole way of life, will make our movement only available to a few people, because it requires someone who is prepared to completely change his way of life.
Srila Prabhupada: Well, when there is question of knowledge, only you will find a few people to get the knowledge. When you put this question, “Find out some learned scholar,” generally they will be very…, their number will be very little. But one thing is that if there is one man in real knowledge, he can give the…, distribute the knowledge to many. The example is just like kas candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasah: if you get one moon at night, that is sufficient to dissipate the darkness. And there are millions of stars–it is useless. So it is necessarily not required that everyone should be in perfect knowledge. But if one man is in perfect knowledge, hundreds and thousands can hear from him and they can perfect. So it does not depend on the quantity; it depends on the quality.
From a conversation with professors – February 19, 1975, Caracas
Find them here: https://goo.gl/r4asu0

Sacred Waters (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday we had the good fortune to visit Radha Kunda and Syama Kunda. A…Read More…

View of TOVP from the Navadvip Bridge (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: For many years we were meditating how the Temple would look like from few kilometers away.
Here we can see photos from the other side of Navadvip, where the main bridge is, where it crosses the Ganga.
You can see the visibility of Navadvip and the big Temple. Also you can see the contrast of the landscape and the surrounding buildings around the Temple.
Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi is very large building, but compared to the height of the Main Temple it looks so small!
The Temple height is not completed yet. The Main Kalash is 65 feet height (around 20 meters).
And this Main Kalash is not even placed on top as yet, which will make the Temple look even higher.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/oQLB2q

The Sankirtan movement in South Africa (Album with photos)
Bhakti Caitanya Swami: Photos from the last two days of the Verula…Read More…

Short but amazing aerial glimpse of the Gaura Purnima Abhishek 2017 in Mayapur (1 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: If a living entity is developed in Krsna consciousness and is merciful to others, and if his spiritual knowledge of self-realization is perfect, he will immediately attain liberation from the bondage of material existence. PURPORT In this verse the words daya jivesu, meaning “mercy to other living entities,” indicate that a living entity must be merciful to other living entities if he wishes to make progress in self-realization. This means he must preach this knowledge after perfecting himself and understanding his own position as an eternal servant of Krsna. Preaching this is showing real mercy to living entities. Other types of humanitarian work may be temporarily beneficial for the body, but because a living entity is spirit soul, ultimately one can show him real mercy only by revealing knowledge of his spiritual existence. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, jivera ‘svarupa’ haya-krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’: [Cc. Madhya 20.108] “Every living entity is constitutionally a servant of Krsna.” One should know this fact perfectly and should preach it to the mass of people. If one realizes that he is an eternal servant of Krsna but does not preach it, his realization is imperfect. >>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 4.29.1b
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/9hJV1m

Akrura Ghat @ Vrindavan 10/03/2017 (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: Akrur Ghat is a little distance from Vrindavan in the fields and forest. Because of it’s peace and quiet, Mahaprabhu stayed here on His Vrindavan visit. This is where Akrura saw Krishna and Balaram within the waters of Yamuna. Later Krishna gave the Brijbasis darshan of Vaikuntha and Goloka at this place. Used to be broken down place, but now it is very nice remodeled and maintained. Just down the road in a very peaceful forest, some Babas are maintaining a beautiful gaushala! Vittalrukmini Das checked it out with his friends!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/RMJh32

The latest news from the Hare Krishna Festival of India Tour.
Sankirtan Yajna Prabhu distributed Srila Prabhupada’s books directly to students at the Festival of India at George Mason University. This is one of the Universities where Festival of India has been sponsored to set-up our exhibits, tents, and distribute Krishna Prasadam and Srila Prabhupada’s books. Please contact us for details how to bring the Festival to a University near you. This is a sure way to get Srila Prabhupada’s and Lord Krishna’s mercy.
As Lord Krishna says in the 68th and 69 verses of the 18th chapter of the Gita: For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.
There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.
So let us continue, at every festival introducing students, and everyone else we meet to this sublime science of Krishna Consciousness, as it will guarantee your devotional service and in the end you’ll go Back to Godhead. Hare Krishna.
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/mo3rFb

Mayapuris’ New Album To Have Intriguing Concept.
It’s been seven long years since kirtan band The Mayapuris released their debut album “Mridanga,” hitting the top five in the iTunes World Music chart.
The Mayapuris were one of the original second generation ISKCON groups to bring Gaudiya Vaishnava kirtan to the forefront of the burgeoning mainstream kirtan scene.
Since their debut, others have continued to forge the path, with Madi Das and his Bhakti Without Borders charity album winning a Grammy nomination.

A new sannyasi for Iskcon.
Markendaya Rsi Prabhu took his sannyasa initiation from Jayapataka Swami. His new name is Bhakti Mu…Read More…

Gaura Purnima 2017 ISKCON Nepal
(126 Photos)
Gaura Purnima – An Appearance Day of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Celebr…Read More…

Gaura Purnima in Bali – Vigraha Pratistha 2017 (Album with photos)
Celebrating the auspicious appearance day of Lord Caitanya, the devotees of the Sri Sri Jagannatha Gauranga Temple in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali, held an elaborate installation ceremony of large Gaura-Nitai and Jagannatha-Baladeva-Subhadra Deities. The festivities started on Friday, the 10th of March, with an “Adhivas” or opening ceremony. On Saturday, the ceremonial procedures were conducted by the Gurukula students from the Bhaktivedanta Academy in Mayapur, West Bengal, India. The “Sodhita Pancagavya Snanam”, “Netra Unmilanam”, and the “Vandapanam” ceremonies were conducted. These ceremonies include bathing the deity forms in healing and spiritually-charged substances such as milk, ghee, etc, and also physically waking Their Lordships from a bed of grains, and unveiling Their eyes for the very first time. H.H. Ramai Swami and H.H. Kavicandra Swami, GBCs for Indonesia, were present and attended the entire procession. On the full moon day of Gaura Purnima on Sunday, fire sacrifices were conducted, and a “Maha Abhishek” or a grand public bathing ceremony of the Deities enthused the hundreds of devotees. Kirtan led by the renowned H.G. Madhava prabhu and H.G. Radhika accompanied the ceremonies. His Grace Vishvambhara Dasa (Prof Drs I Ketut Widnya, MA.), the director of the Hindu Department of Indonesia’s Ministry of Religion took part in the festivities. The devotees staged performances such as a Balinese rendition of the pastime of Lord Caitanya with Chand Kazi. That same evening, a grand Gaura Arati brought the festivities to a close. We pray that the devotees of the Sri Sri Jagannatha Gauranga Temple will always be enthusiastic in their service to Their Lordships. Pictures taken by Aryo Agung.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/ueIbCc

Recently, I had the good fortune of staying in Mayapur Dham for a few weeks. It was the first time I had visited since I had served there as a Gurukula teacher at the Boys International Gurukula (1997-1999). Both of my sons, now adults with families of their own attended there between the 1980’s and 1990’s. It was wonderful to see the way Mayapur Dham has developed since that time into the incredible pilgrimage place it now is. I know Srila Prabhupada is pleased that so many thousands of pilgrims line up daily to take darshan of the beautiful Radha Madhava, Nrsinghadev and Pancha Tattva Deities, learn to chant the Holy Name, buy Srila Prabhupada’s books and share in Prabhupada’s dream of establishing Mayapur as an international headquarters of the Hare Krishna movement.

A new sannyasi for Iskcon.
Rupa Raghunath das (Argentina) became H.H. Rupa Raghunath Swami Maharaja on Gaura Purnima @ ISKCON-Noida. Congratulations Maharaja!
“Gaura Premanande Hari Haribol”

Jubilant Celebrations at Rasamrita Kunja, Mayapur.
Geetavali Devi Dasi: On the most auspicious occasion of the holy appearance of the chhana avatar Sri Sri Sacigaurasundar there was held a simple but sweet celebration at rasamrita kunja, mayapur on12 march 2017.
At the first there held a drama which was performed by small kids on lord Caitanya’s pastimes which was followed by an ecstatic kirtan by ananta pandit prabhu from bali.
After the ecstatic kirtan there was a short talk given by H.H.Subhaga Swami Maharaja in which firstly Maharaja melodiously chanted the following verse
sabe mile krpa kari
karaha karuna
adhama patita jane
na kariha ghrna
Emphasising the sweetness of the syllable ‘Krishna’ maharaja mentioned that Srila Rupa goswami states that it tastes so much that you should have millions of mouths for tasting it ,when it enters into your ears you feel like nectar and that you should have millions of ears, when it enters into the mind it becomes unconscious and when it goes to the heart it becomes the place of the lord.
Still pointing that even if we chant the holy names of Krishna because of offensive tendency we can’t achieve love of godhead. So the only way is to take shelter of the holyname of māhāvadanyay Sacigaurasundar .
ki sayāne kiba jāgarane
whatever you are doing every moment discuss about Krishna’s and gauranga’s name, form, beauty, pastimes.
Maharaja also explained that how Srila Prabhupada told that every six to seven years there’s a flood in mayapur which indicates that this waves of love of godhead will spread all over the world every town every village.
mayapur sama dham
tribhūvane nay. Anybody living in dhām is most fortunate.
Maharaja further explained that being most compassionate lord Nityananda pr begs the fallen condition souls to meditate, chant, and preach the holy names of lord gauranga and thus assures by doing so they will become His very life and soul.They are the essence of all incarnations, most munificent.
saba avatāra sāra siromani
kevala ānanda kanda
And thus maharaja ended by performing a short kirtan of
bhaja gaurānga kaha gaurānga
leha gaurāngera nāma re ,thus conforming ,“ If you follow this process you will find everything joyful ”.

After the enthusiastic talk there was a drama and abhishek performed to their lordships nitai gaurasundar firstly by Srila Prabhupada desciples like H.H.Subhaga Swami, H.G. Prabha Vishnu pr followed by others and concluded by nice prasad.
All glories to the most merciful lords nitai gaurasundar!

Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat 2017
Over the past several years, New Govardhana farming community in Northern Australia, has hosted several Holy Name Retreats, featuring great souls such as His Holiness Sacinandana Swami, HG Bhurijana dasa & HG Jagattarini Devi Dasi and renowned kirtaneer Madhava. These retreats brought the community and Australian ISKCON centres together in the chanting of the Holy Names.
In 2016, His Holiness Indradyumna Swami developed the Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat in collaboration with the New Govardhana community. The event was their combined offering to kirtana lovers around the globe. It included devotees such as Indradyumna Swami, Bada Hari dasa, Sri Prahlada dasa, Madhava and many other international musicians in a weekend of kirtana, sanga and festivities.

Due to the outstanding success of this first Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat, Indradyumna Swami suggested we make it an annual event at New Govardhana. The second Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat was born.

This brings us to the present, where a team of dedicated devotees are working hard to create another spiritually charged festival, this time to be held adjacent to Manasi Ganga lake, where a brand-new venue is currently being built. The event will bring together bhakti-yogis and kirtaneers from across the nation and around the world.

Again, His Holiness Indradyumna Swami, along with Bada Hari dasa, Sri Prahlada dasa, and Madhava will make the journey “Down Under” to lead us in tasting the nectar of the Holy Name. We are pleased to announce that well-known kirtaneer Jahnavi will also be joining them this year.

This year there will be market stalls featuring international cuisine, as well as special facilities for the children whom we suspect will never want to go home after they have experienced the many fun-filled activities planned for them.

The energy and excitement involved in preparing for this inspiring event is hard to describe. However, we need your involvement to make the festival as wonderful as we anticipate it will be. Please bless us with your presence at the Sacred Sound Kirtan Retreat 2017, Easter Long Weekend 14-17 April and register as soon as possible. There will also be numerous service opportunities, so please contact us beforehand to reserve your seva contribution.

Head to the website (www.sacredsoundkirtanretreat.com.au) for full information about registration and other details. If you cannot find answers to your questions on the website, please email (info@sacredsoundkirtanretreat.com.au).

So, don’t miss out, as we will be closing registration as soon as we reach full capacity. This is an experience you will relish for years to come!

Gaurpurnima at ISKCON Gaya (Album with photos)
Gaurpurnima festival (Appearance of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) was celebrated amongst hundreds of devotees at ISKCON Gaya. Kirtan and lecture on Lord Chaitanya was given by Jagdish Shyam Das (Manager, ISKCON Gaya). He said Lord Chaitanya is the most merciful incarnation who profusely distributed love of godhead. Congregation devotees performed a dance show on musical kirtan. Dr Prem Kumar (Leader of opposition Bihar) was the chief guest. He highlighted about ISKCON achievement. Aarti and abhishek was performed. People enjoyed flower holi and prasadam also. So many Srila Prabhupad books are distributed…….
Find them here: https://goo.gl/lFWGSb

Krishna’s gifts.
Mahatma Das: Today’s quote is entitled Krishna’s gifts. Krishna’s gifts may come through suffering. They can reform us in a way that we further advance in devotional service.
It is just sometimes that Krishna’s gift wrapping can fool us.
So the idea is that if everything in the world was perfect because we have such strong desire to enjoy we may never come to the spiritual life.
But is the suffering that pushes us. And we all know this, this is why we have become devotees or those of you who are becoming devotees have looked at the world and asked the question: why the world is imperfect. Why am I not always happy? Why is there suffering in the world?
And we also know that through suffering we often learn our greater lessons, through suffering we become stronger and suffering reminds us of Krishna’s teachings.

For example, we know, in Bhagavad-gita, Krishna has described this world as a temporary place, where pleasures begin and end. Where life begins and ends. And that we should be aware of birth, old age, disease, and death. So sometimes we forget, so what Krishna do? When we forget He reminds us. How does He remind us? He creates a situation where there is some pain either physical or emotional, or a pain in a relationship, or pain due to attachment to something that we can not give up. Or pain due to not having something or hankering for. And when we are experiencing the pain then we are actually receiving Krishna’s instructions but in a real life experience.

So sometimes we read Bhagavad-gita and Krishna will say: From the highest planet down to the lowest is a place of suffering where repeated birth and death take place. So we read that, we understand it and say yes, this is my impetus to go back to Godhead, or one of them by understanding the temporary nature of the world and the nature of suffering that exists in this world. But then when the actual suffering comes to us we don’t like it. Specially sometimes someone brings it to us and we don’t like that person.

But let’s look at it this way, that person is bringing the same teaching of Krishna that you appreciate. They are just bringing it as a lesson of life not as an instruction, not as a written text on paper but the text in paper becoming alive. You could call it a life-lesson as opposed to a word lesson.

So they ar bringing the same word lesson that Krishna is given but they are giving it now in a form of life. And so when that person brings that lesson sometimes we have very nasty things to say about them. So we bow down to Krishna, we bow down to Bhagavad-gita and then when somebody brings us the same lesson we don’t bow down to them we call them some nasty names. That’s actually hypocrisy. And if we understand that everything is a karmic reaction and all karmic reactions are ultimately meant to edify us, to enliven us, to instruct us and bring us closer to Krishna then there can be no enemy, there can be no one to hate because all that’s happening and everyone is just bringing us closer to Krishna because whenever we go through difficulty, whenever we suffer it brings us closer to Krishna, we think of Krishna: why am I suffering why is this happening and it is nullifying that tendency to enjoy. So every time we suffer we are chipping away a little bit more of that tendency to enjoy this world.

So that person who brought us the suffering is actually pushing us closer to Krishna and Krishna is using that person to push us closer to Him. So in that way, everything is working to bring us closer to Krishna. If we can just see it that way then everything can be a positive experience. So it’s very important point and very necessary point to understand otherwise when difficulties come will start to blame Krishna, we won’t understand why a loving God can allow this to happen. But really we should hear Krishna saying whatever I’m doing everything I’m doing is just to help you come closer to Me. Hare Krishna!

Sri Lanka on fire of Harinam Sankirtan (Album with photos)
“As a fire burns dry grass to ashes, so chanting the holy name of the Lord, whether chanted knowingly or unknowingly, burns to ashes, without fail, all the reactions of one’s sinful actions.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/uqP7hV

Gaura Purnima Abhishek at klang Iskcon ( 12 Feb 17) (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: For one who wants liberation from the fruitive reactions of material activities, the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, or glorification of the name, fame and pastimes of the Lord, is recommended as the most perfect process of atonement because such chanting eradicates the dirt from one’s heart completely. (From Srila Prabhupada’s translation of SB 6.2.12)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/nQyRyz

Iskcon Vrindavana – Gaura Purnima 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Everyone should be dedicated, I or you. That is the success of life. Dedicate your life for Krsna. That is the perfection. Even there are some faults, dedicated life is noble life. Maybe, due to our past habits, we may commit some faulty action, but that dedicated life is sublime. – March 4, 1974, Mayapur
Find them here: https://goo.gl/sKPhGb

Bhaktivedanta Players (Album with photos)
Last night’s Gaura Purnima performance. Great live show!!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/LrzB8l

Gaura Purnima Festival in Sri Vrindavan Dham – Russian House, 12.03.2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: You cannot surpass the nature’s law. That is not possible. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Nature’s law will go on. Best thing is, let the hand… The hand can typewrite, but if you say, “No, the leg will typewrite,” that is not possible. Take hand’s business, take leg’s business, and combine them cooperatively. Then the body will be nice. If the leg says, “Why hand will type? I shall type,” that’s not possible. “Legs, all right, you walk, and hands that you type.” Then combine together. Then it will be nice. You cannot change the different capacities. There is God’s law, nature’s law. Let the man and woman combine together, live peacefully. The woman takes charge of the household affairs, the man may take charge of bringing money, and they meet together, have Deity at home, together chant Hare Krsna. Where is the difficulty? That is unity. Combine together, working differently but for the same purpose, for pleasing Krsna, then you will become happy. That is equality. Unity in variety. July 31, 1975, New Orleans
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Borsmg

ISKCON Salem Gaura Purnima Celebration (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Everyone should be dedicated, I or you. That is t…Read More…

Sri Gaura Purnima 2017 – ISKCON Seshadripuram Bangalore (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Real strength will remain from Krsna-Balarama’s strength. Balarama. Balarama means strength. Nayam atma bala hina na labhyah. If you are not supported by Balarama, then it is not possible. So we have got our Balarama, Krsna-Balarama temple. (Srila Prabhupada – August 20, 1976, Hyderabad)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Dj8xtt

A 450 Year-Old Deity of Lord Caitanya (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in his Anubhasya, “Virabhadra Gosani was the direct son of Srila Nityananda Prabhu and a disciple of Jahnava-devi. His r…

Iskcon Brisbane: Gaura Purnima 2017 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The best policy to control the mind is to desire how to spread Krsna consciousness. This is the best. Kamah krsna-karmarpane. Narottama dasa Thakura has said that you cannot be free from desire. That is not possible. This is useless attempt. They say that “You become desireless.” No, that is not possible. How can I…? If I become desireless, I become dead. So long I am living entity, I must desire. I cannot check it. Therefore kama means desire. So at the present moment, we are desiring how to become happy in this material world, how to acquire so much money, how to acquire this, how to acquire this, how to get this, how to get that. This is kama. So this brain taxation, if you engage in Krsna’s service – how to spread Krsna consciousness, how to convince people about Krsna, how to take them to the Krsna’s desire, sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66] – and in this way, if you go on making plan for spreading Krsna consciousness, then your mind is controlled. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.27 – January 4, 1975, Bombay
Find them here: https://goo.gl/6D31Gj

The most auspicious day Gaura Purnima, appearance day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In the age of Kali, Krishna appears in a golden form, chanting the two syllables krs-na. He descends along with His weapons, limbs, saktis, and eternal confidential ass…

2017 Gaura Purnima Message By Bhakti Charu Swami (3 min video)
Dear Devotees,
Please accept my best wishes. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I wish you all a very happy Gaura Purnima. It is a very special occasion for us, the Gaudiya Vaishnavas, the followers of Srila Prabhupada, because on this day the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared in His most munificent feature as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore, we celebrate this day as our New Year and resolve to commit ourselves to the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with all our heart and soul.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu predicted that His Krishna consciousness movement would spread all over the world in every town and village, and He very mercifully sent Srila Prabhupada to fulfill that prediction. Srila Prabhupada not only spread this movement all over the world but in order to continue his mission, even after his disappearance, he created the wonderful institution — ISKCON. We are experiencing how with the progress of time Krishna consciousness movement is expanding so wonderfully all over the world due to this divine arrangement of His Divine Grace. Now, we, the members of ISKCON have the solemn responsibility to continue his legacy and inundate the whole world with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s divine love (Krishna-prema).

In order to continue this glorious mission let us work together in a spirit of genuine love and trust. The more we develop this spirit of unity the more effective our endeavors will become. Therefore, with Srila Prabhupada in the center, let us all become truly united as brothers and sisters to fulfill the prediction of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

I hope this most glorious day brings you the greatest joy and spiritual fulfillment.

Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada,

Bhakti Charu Swami.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/bxaszx

Gaura Purnima 2017 festival in Radhadesh, Belgium (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Everything is in harmony. That is God’s law. Everything is in harmony. Material or spiritual, everything is in harmony. From Srila Prabhupada’s discussion of the philosophy of Henri Bergson
Find them here: https://goo.gl/34Qn4a

Gaura Purnima Celebration at Iskcon New Govardhana (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: It is said that it is the nature of a…Read More…

Harinam – 11th March 2017 – Reading, UK (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: So this process of hari-kirtana is very simple: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Actually there are only three words: Hare, Krsna, and Rama. But they are very nicely arranged for chanting so that everyone can take the mantra and chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Since we have started this movement in the Western countries, Europeans, Americans, Africans, Egyptians, and Japanese are all chanting. There is no difficulty. They are chanting very gladly, and they are getting the results. What is the difficulty? We are distributing this chanting free of charge, and it is very simple. Simply by chanting, one can have self-realization, God realization, and when there is God realization, then nature realization is included also. For example, if one learns one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and zero, then he has studied the entirety of mathematics, because mathematics means simply changing the places of these ten figures. That’s all. Similarly, if one simply studies Krsna, then all his knowledge is perfect. And Krsna is easily understood simply by chanting this mantra, Hare Krsna. So why not take this opportunity? >>> Ref. VedaBase => SSR 5b: The Appearance of Lord Caitanya
Find them here: https://goo.gl/boV3p1

ISKCON-Delhi: Sri Gaur Purnima Shobha Yatra : 11-03-2017 (Album with photos)
Lord Caitanya’s Mission (From the book Teachings of Lord Caitanya by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)
Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed His disciples to write books on the Science of Krishna, a task which those who follow Him have continued to carry out down to the present day. The elaborations and expositions on the philosophy taught by Lord Caitanya are in fact most voluminous, exacting and consistent due to the system of disciplic succession. Although Lord Caitanya was widely renowned as a scholar in His youth, He left only eight verses, called Śikṣāṣṭaka. These eight verses clearly reveal His mission and precepts. These supremely valuable prayers are translated herein.
1.
Glory to the Sri Krishna sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.
2.
O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krishna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.
3.
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.
4.
O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service birth after birth.
5.
O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krishna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.
6.
O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?
7.
O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.
8.
I know no one but Krishna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord unconditionally.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/jsuLRo

TOVP: The “goodies” are coming home!
Sadbhuja Das: The second container from Moscow has arrived! Carrying the titanium nitride Chatris and Kalashes.
The kalashes were so well packed that they were the exact size of the inner container. It took not only the labours, but also all the managers to try to get it out and over an hour to get one of the boxes.
The 3rd container will be loaded this coming week, the Russian engineers will come to Mayapur at the end of the month to start assembling and installing them.
This is very exciting!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/RWWxUH

Srila Jiva Goswami’s mercy (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Yesterday I arrived back home in Sri Vrindavan Dhama. After bathing I went to Nityananda Vat, where Lord Nityananda sat under a Banyan tree when he first arrived in Vrindavan 500 years ago. There I prayed for His mercy to take shelter of Lord Caitanya, whose appearance day it is tomorrow. Afterwards I met my good friend, Anup Goswami, who invited me to his room to chant on the original japa beads of Srila Jiva Goswami. I had chanted on them before, but this time took on special meaning because of the difficulties I underwent recently. I tried my best the chant from my heart, begging for continued service to the samkirtan movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I am so grateful to be back in Vrindavan, where mercy seems to flow like a river to the sea.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/81YgdG

On the occasion of Sri Madhavendra Puri’s disappearance day, we share two verses and purports from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta which, by Sri Madhavendra Puri and Srila Prabhupada’s causeless mercy, may help us progress in Krishna consciousness….

The Bishop of Leicester to discuss love of God at Hare Krishna Festival
When: Sunday 12 March 2017
Where: ISKCON Leicester, 31 Granby Street, Leicester
Time: 14.00-16.00
The Right Rev’d Martyn Snow, the Bishop of Leicester will be visiting the City’s Hare Krishna Centre for the first time this Sunday.
The Bishop will discuss “Love of God” with Shaunaka Rishi Das, Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. The talk, which takes place from 2-4pm will be moderated by Dr Tom Wilson, Director of the St Philips Centre.

The Bishop has timed his visit to coincide with the Hindu festival of Holi, and the birth anniversary of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who taught love of God in 15th Century India. Festivities will continue throughout the day at ISKCON Leicester, with chanting of Krishna’s names, dance and drama.
For further information: http://www.iskconleicester.org/

Take Life Seriously.
This morning I took a short, one-hour flight from San Francisco to Orange County in Southern California, where I am staying near the Laguna Beach temple at the home of Rupanuga Dasa and his wife Premanjana Dasi.
Premanjana Dasi i…

All India Padayatra Visits A Village In Tamil Nadu (Album with photos)
Acarya Dasa: After travelling to Tenkasi we headed for Trevelli, but somewhere along the way we lost track and ended up in a different village. The residents here were happy to see us, and welcomed Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar by paying obeisances. They seemed to know very well who Their Lordships were and how They were travelling all over India distributing mercy.
Ramanuja Dasa: We were quite astonished by how they knew all of this. One resident approached us and asked where we were going to stay the night. We had not made any arrangements yet, so he offered to help. I asked him how they knew about us and to my surprise he said,

“This is the village of Ramanuja Dasa, a devotee of the Sri Sampradaya. He came to our village and preached about Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundar.”

He went on to say that Ramanuja Dasa explained to them about padayatra and said one day padayatra may even come to their village. Ramanuja Dasa had served Nitai Gaurasundar doing pujari seva on padayatra for seven years. He currently stays in Vrindavan and is a very great devotee who does a lot of austerity. During catur masa he eats only once a day, he doesn’t wear shoes, and he completed the ‘Char Dham’ yatra by himself.

The Lord’s arrangements

We realized that we actually had not lost track at all by coming here; this was part of Their Lordships’ plan. This was how the Lord reciprocated with them, personally coming to give darsana to those who were serving Them and had been waiting for Them.

We performed sankirtana and were joined by many of the locals who danced to the holy names.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/WNKvuQ

Veda course in Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK.
A Three Month Residential Course for Men.
The residential Veda Course is designed …Read More…