Websites from the ISKCON Universe
Saubhari Muni’s Asrama (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: The other day our parikrama party visited the ancient asrama of Saubhari Muni in a small village on the banks of the Yamuna River. Bada Haridas prabhu gave an enlightening talk and Madhava prabhu melted our hearts with his bhajan. Once again, Ananta Vrindavan das captured the special day in photos.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/wRwKST
Devotees bring a Jaladuta boat model with them in a Saturday evening Harinama in London (slide show with musical background)
The London Saturday Night Harinama Sankirtan Party’s ranks also were boosted this weekend as many Srila Prabhupada disciples came along to celebrate Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day, which had fallen earlier in the week.
Govardhana Puja celebration in Iskcon New Govardhana, Australia (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Don’t try to see Krsna. You cannot see Krsna with your material eyes. Neither you can hear about Him with your material ears. Neither you can touch. But if you engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, then He’ll reveal Himself to you: “Here I am.” That is wanted. So feel separation of Krsna just like Radharani, as Lord Caitanya teaches us, and engage your tongue in the service of the Lord; then, one day, when you are mature, you’ll see Krsna eye to eye. Srila Prabhupada, speaking on Radhastami, Srimati Radharani’s Appearance Day – London, August 29, 1971
Find them here: https://goo.gl/PG7XcE
Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day observed in Vrindavana’s Iskcon Krishna Balaram Mandir.
Many disciples of His Divine Grace attended and each one of them offered his homage and realizations for the glorification of Srila Prabhupada. Many concluded that although Srila Prabhupada was no longer physically present on the earth he is still very much present in this world in the form of his books and his instructions given to his followers.
Many programs were held at the Krishna Balaram temple in his honor like an Abhisek, performed to his deity, arati and pushpanjali at his Samadhi.
A huge cake weighing 150 kg was cut on this occasion by Iskcon’s GBC member and senior Vaishnava HH Gopal Krishna Goswami.
The beautiful Iskcon Farm Simhacalam in Germany (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: …article on the subject of “Krsna, the supreme scientist,” and let us publish it. That article is very nice. If he writes such articles, the conclusion, if Krsna, the supreme scientist, Krsna, the supreme economist, Krsna, the supreme philosopher, Krsna, the supreme chemist, Krsna -everything, the conclusion is Supreme, Krsna – then his activity is fulfilled. He becomes successful. The conclusion should be Krsna. That’s it. Whatever he may be. He may be a musician, he may be artist, he may be physicist, he may be chemist, he may be scientist – whatever he may be, if he writes article on the subject matter and concludes that Krsna is the Supreme, then preach, then he is successful. That’s all. Just like you are theologian. You write theology and prove, “Krsna is the Supreme Lord.” Then your attempt is successful. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk – December 15, 1973, Los Angeles
Find them here: https://goo.gl/AgA8Ix
The Purifying Waters of Door-To-Door Book Distribution.
After our taking a swim in the river along the gorge between Otaki and Napier in NZ, Ameyatma bathed me in the purifying waters of his door-to-door book distribution mission just before the sun went down. We knocked on about twenty doors and took turns doing the presentation of Srila Prabhupada’s books.
It is a bit inconceivable how sweet and gracious the people of Napier were. One lady, whose name is Storm, raced to beat us to the door and had it open before we got there. She was eager to chat with us and told us she already has all of the books we had in our hands. We then remembered Devamrita Swami’s new book, Hiding in Unnatural Happiness, and “returned fire” with “You don’t have this one! It was just published.”
She and her husband very happily gave a donation and took another book to add to her collection. They’re the couple in the attached picture. She even gave us a bag for “your ladies” that came from India, she said. Robert (in the photo with the copy of Beyond Birth and Death) was disconnected and unwilling to take a book, but Ameyatma and I just kept standing there trying to come up with new things to say.
We watched his heart completely soften while we stood there chatting with him, until he found a few coins and happily took the “Beyond Birth and Death”. Jeff, holding the Chant and Be Happy, at first said he wasn’t interested but we threw out our last chance: “You like music though?” and handed him a “Chant and Be Happy”. We told him about the Beatles and George Harrison. He immediately went through a soft-heart metamorphosis before our eyes and clutched the book, exclaiming, “I will read this.” Then he gave a generous donation.
A few Gitas also went out before I started to take photos, including one to a nice couple with a brand new baby crying the whole time we presented the Gita. –ys, Nitai-cand Dasa
Interrupt Anxiety with Gratitude.
As we were driving through West Bengal, I spotted a newly built house, with two words painted in large black letters across the entry portico – God Gift (written as spelled :). I imagined how every day the family would get this message as they arrived home and could not help but smile.
Lord Jagannath Ratha Yatra, 05-11-2016 ISKCON-Delhi (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
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Govardhan Puja celebration in Kiev, Ukraine (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: So Krsna understanding is also very difficult. Krsna is personally explaining Himself, His devotees are presenting Krsna consciousness movement, and right manner. But people are unfortunate. It will take some… But it is our duty to canvass. That is our business. Either they may accept or not accept, it is our duty. Bg Lecture, June 13, 1968 Montreal.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/cjHs6o
Govardhan Puja, New Varshana in Auckland, New Zealand, 2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Whereas an impersonalist tries to avoid good eatables, a devotee knows that Krsna is the supreme enjoyer and that He eats all that is offered to Him in devotion. So, after offering good eatables to the Lord, the devotee takes the remnants, called prasadam. Thus everything becomes spiritualized, and there is no danger of a downfall. The devotee takes prasadam in Krsna consciousness, whereas the nondevotee rejects it as material. The impersonalist, therefore, cannot enjoy life, due to his artificial renunciation; and for this reason, a slight agitation of the mind pulls him down again into the pool of material existence. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 2.63
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Qofa64
Harinama in Titicaca Lake (in the border between Peru and Bolivia) (Album with photos)
Harikesa: Syamasundara told me that he wanted to make millions of dollars for you so that he could…
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. [chuckles] And I am thinking when making millions of dollars, he may not be lost. …millions of dollars, what shall I do with? I have got money. I want one soul saved. That is more than millions of dollars. Morning Walk – December 14, 1975, New Delhi
Find them here: https://goo.gl/K6VJVh
Bhaktimarga Swami wants to …brainwash you 🙂 (3 min video)
So especially you must encourage the students to read our books throughout the day as much as possible, and give them all good advice how to understand the books, and inspire them to study the things from every point of view. Better to boil the milk very vigorously and make it thick and sweet–that is the best progress. So let us concentrate on training our devotees very thoroughly in the knowledge of Krsna consciousness from our books, from tapes, by discussing always, and in so many ways instruct them in the right propositions. (From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Hamsaduta, June 22, 1972)
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/jsZRea
Two Drunks and a Book Distributor…..
One evening a drunk came to our stall and picked up a Gita and told me that it is an incomplete Bhagavat-gita. He said that by reading the first page, he understood that it is not complete.
Instead of arguing, I was trying to avoid him & looking for an interested person. But the drunk stayed at our stall arguing with me.
Suddenly another drunkard showed up and told the first drunk, ”You cannot take the Bhagavad-gita, because you are not a Hindu.“
The first drunk said, “No, I am Hindu.”
The second drunk then challenged him: “If you’re a Hindu, then take a copy.”
So the first drunk took a copy. Then I showed him the Krishna book, and the second drunk said to the first, “If you are Hindu, take this book also.”
To my surprise, he immediately bought that book, too.
Then the first drunk told the second drunkard, “What about you? You also buy a copy.”
Then the second drunk also bought a Gita. They shook hands and put their arms over each other’s shoulders and proceeded to another destination.
Bhakta Chetan
Prabhupada Disappearance Tribute (38 min video)
Oral histories from those disciples who were with Srila Prabhupada during his …Read More…
Devotion is …
There is no easy translation into English of the Sanskrit word, bhakti. It’s a bit of an anomaly. Bhakti is love, specifically divine love, but even the word love itself is a poor attempt to describe this most cherished of all emotions.
Govindaji (5 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Govindaji is the beloved deity of Srila Rupa Goswami, who discovered the Lord 500 ye…Read More…
HG Hari-sauri Prabhu’s health update.
Dear Maharaja’s and Prabhu’s,
Pamho, agtsp.
Many of you have been kind enough to enquire about my current health status so I provide here a brief summery of my one month trip to Denver, Colorado in Sep-Oct 2016.
Before Denver my condition was as follows.
1. Restlessness – I was unable to sit still for more than a few minutes, was constantly pacing up and down, couldn’t lie down or relax.
2. Interrupted sleep – due to the restlessness I could only sleep one to two hours at a time and my sleep was constantly interrupted with only a few hours of rest in the night.
3. Shaking and Tremors – this is getting progressively worse, with shaking on the whole right side and recently the left arm; some mild cramping in the muscles and loss of utility of the right hand by about 60%.
There are other symptoms but these are the prominent ones.
TREATMENT IN DENVER:
The treatment consisted of trying in small doses different strains of canabis oil. This was done under supervision with Mitravinda Mataji and in the first two weeks we tried 7 or 8 different strains.
After two weeks Pranaballabha Prabhu found a local company that makes their oil from hemp rather than canabis. We switched to this company and tried several strains.
RESULTS AFTER DENVER:
I’m very happy to report some significant improvement in reducing the restlessness by about 90%, and consequently relieving me of the sleeplessness. We found one or two strains that were effective and which enable me to lie down and relax and sleep at least 4 to 6 hours at a stretch. We got this result from the canabis oil and fortunately were able to sustain it when we moved to the hemp products.
Unfortunately as of writing we have not found anything to reduce the tremors and shaking, so this we have to work on.
The advantage of using the hemp products is that they are all legal and can be exported from Denver to India or other parts of the world.
SUMMERY:
The one month visit was well worth the effort and expense and yielded significant result. We also got a much better insight into the production and application of the CBD/THC oils.
I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the many devotees who stepped forward with financial assistance, without which, the trip would not have been possible.
I particularly want to thank Mitravinda and Pranaballabha Prabhu’s for their selfless assistance. I also want to thank Tusta Krsna Prabhu, the Denver temple president, for providing one months accommodation and many other small facilities for an anxiety free visit.
My sincere thanks to all the other devotees who have helped.
I will keep this brief, if anybody has any further questions I’ll be happy to provide whatever information I can.
Always in your debt, I remain,
Your humble servant
Hari-sauri das
ISKCON-Delhi – HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Disappearance: 04-11-2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Krishna’s plan becomes very easy for us when we follow Krishna’s orders, otherwise, we are following Maya’s plan and become frustrated at every step. Following Krishna’s orders means chanting daily 16 rounds, following the four rules and regulations, rising early, associating with devotees, like that. Unless these principles are followed, we cannot expect Krishna’s protection. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Jayadeva — Paris 23 July, 1972
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Z4Wf3V
Iskcon San Diego’s Govardhana Puja 2016 Festival (Album with 68 photos)
Indian lady: How does one contact the spiritual master? Through a book can you contact the spiritual master?
Prabhupada: No, you have to associate.
Syamasundara: “Can you associate through a book?” she asked. Prabhupada: Yes, through books, and also personal. Because when you make a spiritual master you have got personal touch. Not that in air you make a spiritual master. You make a spiritual master concrete.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Appearance Day, Lecture – London, September 3, 1971
Find them here: https://goo.gl/EyDjDM
Photos from the Manor’s Annakuta, Go Puja and Govardhan Puja 2016 (Album with photos)
Please find below photos from Annakuta, Go Puja and Govardhan Puja 2016 at Bhaktivedanta Manor.
Slideshow (please turn on sound): http://davidc.zenfolio.com/govardhan_annakuta_gopuja_2016/slideshow
Gallery:
http://davidc.zenfolio.com/govardhan_annakuta_gopuja_2016
With best wishes, Hare Krishna, David.
Go Puja & Govardhana Puja in Brasil (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The duty of a brahmana is to culture the quality of forgiveness, which is illuminating like the sun. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is pleased with those who are forgiving.
PURPORT: Different personalities become beautiful by possessing different qualities. Canakya Pandita says that the cuckoo bird, although very black, is beautiful because of its sweet voice. Similarly, a woman becomes beautiful by her chastity and faithfulness to her husband, and an ugly person becomes beautiful when he becomes a learned scholar. In the same way, brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras become beautiful by their qualities. Brahmanas are beautiful when they are forgiving, ksatriyas when they are heroic and never retreat from fighting, vaisyas when they enrich cultural activities and protect cows, and sudras when they are faithful in the discharge of duties pleasing to their masters. Thus everyone becomes beautiful by his special qualities. And the special quality of the brahmana, as described here, is forgiveness. SB 9.15.40
Find them here: https://goo.gl/gi1Cg7
Photos from Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day 2016 at the Manor.
Bhakta David: Please find below a few phone snaps of the Vyasana and bhoga offerings from Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day 2016 at Bhaktivedanta Manor.
A small murti of Srila Prabhupada was given abhishek earlier in the day, pushpanjali was performed after the 12:30 arati, and many devotees read out heart-felt offerings.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/obkvXD
If you are in the UK and can come to London please join our maha harinama sankirtan party THIS SATURDAY EVENING (5th November). It will leave the ISKCON-London Soho Street temple after Gaura Arati please also come for that and offer a candle to Sri Damodara for Kartik.
750+ Ahmedabad youngsters participated in youth fest ‘UMANG’ – ISKCON Youth Forum Ahmedabad.
Umang, festival of Joy, was an enlivening experience for all the 750+ participants whose level of enthusiasm soared as the festival changed gears, bringing new twists and turns for the young blood.
Blissful Harinam Sankirtan in Arequipa, Peru, during Halloween Party and Govardhan Puja Festival (Album with photos)
Srila Pra…Read More…
The Conch Newsletter – issue November 2016.
The Conch is New Govardhana communitys monthly newsletter. Whether you live locally or further afield, The Conch is a great way for you to keep inspired and remain connected to the New Govardhana community. …
Barsana Karttika 2016 (Album with photos)
Deena Bandhu Das: On 27th Oct, we visited the beautiful village of Barsana! Come along with us on the Parikrama Path of Barsana with Vittalrukmini’s pics!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/r5FiD7
Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day.
“So at the time of death… Of course, those who are devotees, their position is different. People may say, “The devotee is also dying, and the nondevotee, sinful man, is also dying. What is…
Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day (video-class).
Srila Prabhupada departed from this world in Vrindavan dham, India, on the 14th of November 1977. One would not usually celebrate the disappearance day of a person, especially one so loved and revered as Srila Prabhupada. However, the departure of a pure Vaishnava gives cause for jubilation because he returns to his eternal service at Krishna’s lotus feet in Goloka Vrindavan, the spiritual world.
TOVP: Rainwater Pipes (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: A few years back we began the installation of HDPE (High-density polye…Read More…
Ratha Yatra in the Carribean (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Let us remain in our position, but at the same time, simultaneously, side by side, let us have spiritual culture. Just like we are holding this class. This is also spiritual culture, sravanam kirtanam [SB 7.5.23]. With your multifarious duties you come here thrice in a week and try to understand. This is also spiritual culture. This will not go in vain. This will give you impression. Even you stop coming here, that impression will never go. I tell you the that impression will never go. It is such a thing. But if we take it up very seriously and go on molding our life in that way, then it becomes quickly successful. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.49-51 – New York, April 5, 1966
Find them here: https://goo.gl/oMgVCm
Sacred Abodes (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Yavat is where Radharani lived with her husband Abhimanyu and her in-laws…Read More…
Honorable Lt Governer of NCT Delhi meets the devotees.
Vrajendranandan Das: Recently we met Shri Najeeb Jung, Honorable Lt Governer of NCT Delhi. H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja presented Bhagavad Gita As it Is in English language and briefed him …
His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami speaks on Vedic Knowledge and his book – “Ocean of Mercy” at the House of Lords on the occasion of 50 years of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
New Talavana’s Cow Festival.
New Talavans tenth annual Cow Fest on Oct. 1 was definitely its most successful and exciting yet!!! Why? Because for once we werent preaching to the choir! All agreed that for the first time in years there were more festival new comers then devotees! Over 100 guests were greeted with the beauty of New Talavanits well-manicured grounds, lovely ponds, soaring hardwoods, varieties of flowers, and dozens of fruit bearing trees. Several guests, fantasizing aloud, were even inspired to ask, How can I live here too? One first time guest, a well-traveled missionary, proclaimed, In all my journeys, I have never witnessed a place quite as beautiful and peaceful! Here are a few more highlights of our visitors impressions:
Arab Man Coming Back for Books Again and Again.
Vijaya Dasa: While distributing books at the West LA College in Los Angeles, I was speaking to a man from Saudi Arabia. He is upset that there is so much fighting in the Arab countries. I showed him the picture in the Gita of how a wise person sees within everyone both a soul and God and therefore respects all living entities.
Then I said, “If everyone saw like this, there’d no longer be wars around the world and there’d be no room for racism.”
He was so pleased to hear this that he gave a donation for a Gita, and I also gave him “Beyond Birth and Death” in Arabic. He was shocked that I had a book in Arabic, and that increased his happiness. Ten minutes later he came back and said that he had read some of the book and found it very interesting. He asked whether I had more books in Arabic. I said, “No, sorry.”
Then he said, “Do you have any more copies of the same book?”
I said, “Yes, I do.”
I gave him two more, and he made another nice donation.
Ten minutes later he came back again and asked whether he could give a donation for another Gita. This was turning into too much ecstasy.
I gave him my contact information, and he said that he’ll visit the temple this Sunday.
I was waiting for him to come back again, since it had become a regular thing, but he didn’t. I hope to see him again this Sunday.
Your servant,
Vijaya Dasa
Four Sets, One Person.
I had a late start on Friday, July 1, 2016 (because of other services at the temple), but it was an excellent start. The first person I met took a Gita even though he could not even speak much English. This made me think it’s going to be a fantastic day. It proved to be so after meeting George. This was at Chinatown in Sydney,Australia.
George was born and brought up in Australia. He had not visited the temple, but was aware of it and appreciated the work done by the Hare Krsnas. He likes reading books and is reading one on the Upanisads. Hearing this, I showed him a Srimad Bhagavatam.
Seeing his interest, I read to him the text 1.1.3 and told him that this book is the ripened fruit of all the Vedic knowledge. He liked it. I had listened to a lecture on this verse earlier in the day, and I heard that it will satisfy all of the heart’s desires.
I showed him a BBT brochure and said that the Bhagavatam is a set of twelve volumes. He expressed interest to get a set the next day. Straight away, I connected to the verse even more, as I also pray to meet people who’d like a full set of Srila Prabupada’s books.
The next day happened to be Ekadasi, so I had some hope for George. In the morning he called, and to my surprise he also requested a Sri Caitanya-caritamrita set, which he could not even pronounce properly.
On meeting him. I offered him a full plate of Sri Sri Sri Radha-Gopinatha maha-prasada, and he relished it.
On receiving the two sets, he said, “I have heard there are three sets.”
I told him not three; there are four, including the Prabupada-lilamrita and Brhad Bhagavatamrita. I invited him to a program at the temple. Devamrita Swami was in Sydney to give a class on Sunday. George did not make it for that class, but we got copies of the Lilamrita and Brhad Bhagavatamrita signed by Maharaja for him.
He is so appreciative of the devotees that it’s no wonder he has the inspiration to receive these transcendental books. I am writing this to express my gratitude to all the devotees he saw or met before, who helped him develop the desire to accept all these books.
Lord Caitanya’s causeless mercy is available for all. I feel grateful to be an instrument in some service to please Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and his beloved devotees. I pray to all the Vaisnavas for mercy to increase set distribution. I also beg that you all bless George to study these books now and perfect his life.
His picture is attached.
Your servant,
Dhira-Lalita Dasa
Visiting Ter Kadamba in Vrindavana (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Krsna consciousness means “I am Krsna’s – that’s all.”
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 16.1-3 – Hawaii, January 29, 1975
Find them here: https://goo.gl/QXa3DX
Beautiful Vrinda Kunda (6 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: Vrinda Devi helps Purnamasi plan and orchestrate Radha and Krsna’s daily pastimes in Vrindavan. Our parikrama party had the good fortune to visit her kunda ( pond ) and discuss her glories and chant her holy names in that beautiful and sanctified abode.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/cpeMdb
Govardhan parikrama from the air (11 min video)
Amazing footage of this holy place, recorded from above, through a camera on a …Read More…
A special ceremony to celebrate Diwali celebration at Sri Lanka’s President’s House.
ISKCON Sri Lanka Temple President Sriman Mahakarta Das along with Srimathi Nandarani Devi the Principal of Gokulam Bhaktivedanta Children’s Home, participated in the Diwali Celebrations held on the Diwali day at the President’s House. Pictures show Miss. Krishna Priya presenting a copy of ‘Bhagavad Gita As it is’ to the President of Sri Lanka on behalf of the Devotees of the Temple.