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Sriman Nitai Das, a disciple of His Divine Grace Bhaktivedanta…
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Sriman Nitai Das, a disciple of His Divine Grace Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada left this world while in Vrindavana.
He had a massive cerebral hemorrhage to the right side of the brain. The devotees there got him into the hospice facility. Soon after left his body.
Swarup Das: I remembered that Nitai Das and I had some very wonderful personal exchanges using the message facility here on facebook – he wrote me the following in 2012:
“Swarup Prabhu, you said you were with ISKCON Press in Boston in those early days. It reminded me of one of my early Krsna conscious memories. I had met the devotees in LA in ‘69 with my hippie wife at the time. We were coming out of a Beatles movie in Hollywood and Visnujana Maharaja and the devotees were doing their 24 hour Harinama (it was about 2AM). We immediately began dancing with the devotees as if drawn into a world we had lost somewhere. A devotee gave us a mantra card and we began singing along with the Kirtana. Then this Mataji came up to me and showed me a copy of Krsna, The Reservoir of Pleasure and pointed to the picture on it and, with the purest look I have ever seen, she said, “This is God! His Name is Krsna, He’s blue and He plays a flute!!!” From that moment on I have never lost faith that Krsna is God. (I would love to find out who that Mother was…I have asked a lot of devotees…since you are in CA. maybe you have heard of someone like her…Then again, she may be long gone but she was my first siksa-guru and it would be nice to know who she is).
But that’s not the story I was talking about. After the kirtana settled down and we were talking to the devotees and then every time I met more devotees, that word “nice” was used over and over so I thought it was part of the devotee lingo. At any rate, i was and still am a songwriter/poet/musician and I wrote a poem about the devotees with the theme being “Nice”. I sent a copy of it to ISKCON Press in Boston hoping it would get published in BTG. I got a very nice rejection letter back from Satsvarupa Maharaja (who as you said was a householder at that time). So when you told me your story, I was thinking, Swarup was probably there when that poem came in the mail and I was wondering what the reaction was…laughter, “another hippie” or “How ‘nice!’” I know you don’t recall the exact poem but what would the mood of the devotees at that time have been? When I get back to America, I am going to look thru all my old poems and songs and see if I can find that one and even the rejection letter that I probably saved. I’m just curious what the mood would have been like tho.
I often wonder if all of us who took seriously to this mission are not bonded together from previous lives. it was just so easy for some to take to it and others no interest at all.
Hope this finds you well and blissful in Krsna consciousness…
Your servant…
Nitai das”

Daily Announcements for Iskcon Vrindavan. Tuesday 20th….
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Daily Announcements for Iskcon Vrindavan.
Tuesday 20th. September 2016
Today’s Special Activities are:
For all the Western devotees, we would request you for filling up the legal papers in case you meet some unfortunate event or fortunate event getting sick in Vrindavan and want to leave your body. We have very great legal obligations and very great legal problems, so it would be nice if the devotees come and fill the living will, medical power of attorney and particularly very important next of kin information papers. You can give your information to the Community Service Center after one week, as now it is under renovation.
In our Welcome Center we have a Western Union outlet so you can receive money from anywhere in the world right at the Welcome Center from 10:00 AM to 01:00 PM and 04:00 to 08:30 PM seven days of the week. For any information please contact the Welcome Center.
For the pleasure of Their Lordships, the Guru Param Para and the assembled Vaisnavas the Book Scores are as follows:
Matchless Gift Shop distributed 151 Transcendental Books
Krishna Balaram Book Stall distributed 65 Transcendental Books
Gaur Nitai Book Stall distributed 84 Transcendental Books
Mataji’s Book Distribution Party distributed 213 Transcendental Books
Total of 513 Transcendental Books
272 Devoted souls chanted a round of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra in Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi Mandir
Krishna Balaram Mandir Welcomes Everyone to Sri Vrindavan Dham and our Iskcon Mangal Arotik Program. Today we especially welcome: His Grace Sankarshan Prabhu and his wife Her Grace Vishnu Priya Mataji. Also we would like to welcome back His Grace Pancha Gauda Prabhu from Badrinath trip.
Today’s Class Schedule is:
English Srimad Bhagawatam Class Given by: His Grace Bhir Krishna Prabhu
Hindi Srimad Bhagawatam Class Given by: His Grace Sarvabhauma Prabhu
Bhagavad Gita Class given in Srila Prabhupada’s Library at 5:30 p.m. by: His Grace Manunath Prabhu
​ Today’s Kirtan Schedule is:
Tulasi Puja sung by His Grace Deena Bandhu Prabhu
Guru Puja sung by His Grace Dahi Baksha Prabhu
Sandhya Arotik sung by His Grace Ananda Krishna Prabhu
Tomorrow’s Mangal Arotik sung by His Grace Pancha Gauda Prabhu
Srila Prabhupada Daily Quote
“Any devotee who has developed genuine love for Krishna can also explain the truth about Krishna because Krishna helps such sincere devotee seated in his heart.” (Delhi – September 20, 1967)
Special Concerns for Pilgrims:
Forex Foreign Money Exchange at our Welcome Center is the only authorized place to exchange Laxmi inside the temple. Call Her Grace Laxmi Priya Mataji at: +91 81266-98702
Come visit Krishna Balaram’s cows at Their Goshala. Feed the cows special ladhus and give them your love. To sponsor Go Seva contact His Grace Sanak Sanatan Prabhu at +91 9897878111 or His Grace Subh Krishna Prabhu at +91 9760014118 and His Grace Saci Gaurasundara Prabhu at +91 8859658080.
If you would like to sponsor our wonderful Daily Kitchree Distribution Program or Your Day in Vrindavan Project contact His Grace Ramakant Prabhu +91 9897070632 at the Life Patron Department in the backside of the temple.
The Community Service Center is available across from the Balaram Hall from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Contact Her Grace Kusa Devi Dasi +91 9997011158 or Kamala devi dasi +91 9557604293
This Daily Announcement forum is not a perfected service and subject to change. Errors are inevitable and regretted. Thank you for your patience!
Tune into classes on FM Radio at 99.0 for Srimad Bhagavatam class and 98.0 for Bhagavad-gita class ( may be subject to change) or on the internet at www.Vrindavan.tv

Take Conscious Control of your life (video)
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Take Conscious Control of your life (video)
Srila Prabhupada: On the mirror if there is dust, you cannot see your face very nicely. If you wipe the mirror very nicely… So this Hare Krishna chanting is the process of wiping out the dust accumulated on the mirror of my mind. Montreal, October 25, 1968.

“Vedic”: The Vedas and More. SCHOLARS OFTEN restrict the meaning…
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“Vedic”: The Vedas and More.
SCHOLARS OFTEN restrict the meaning of the term “Vedic” to that which relates only to four original Vedas Rg, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva and the period in which they assume they appeared. Authorities within the tradition itself, however, usually expand the meaning to include not only the Vedas but their corollaries as well. They give the corollaries at least equal status to the Vedas and refer to them as Vedic literature. Following are some references to support that view:
“One should expand and accept the meaning of the Vedas with the help of the Itihasas and Puranas. The Vedas are afraid of being mistreated by one who is ignorant of the Itihasas and Puranas.” (Mahabharata, Adi 1.267)
“I consider the message of the Puranas to be more important than that of the Vedas. All that is in the Vedas is in the Puranas without a doubt.” (Naradiya Purana)
“I consider the Puranas equal to the Vedas. … The Vedas feared that their purport would be distorted by inattentive listening, but their purport was established long ago by the Itihasas and Puranas. What is not found in the Vedas is found in the smrtis.And what is not found in either is described in the Puranas. A person who knows the four Vedas along with the Upanisads but who does not know the Puranas is not very learned.” (Skanda Purana, Prabhasa-khanda)
Finally, the Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad (4.5.11) states: “The Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, Itihasas, Puranas, Upanisads, verses and mantras chanted by brahmanas, sutras [compilations of Vedic statements], as well as transcendental knowledge and the explanations of the sutras and mantras all emanate from the breathing of the great Personality of Godhead.”

TOVP: Vishwakarma Puja in the Service of Sri Sri Radha Madhava…
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TOVP: Vishwakarma Puja in the Service of Sri Sri Radha Madhava (Album with photos)
Sadbhuja Das: Vishwakarma is the demigod of architecture. He is accredited for designing Dwarka. The Mahabharata describes him as “The lord of the arts, executor of a thousand handicrafts, the carpenter of the gods, the most eminent of artisans, the fashioner of all ornaments … and a great and immortal god.” He has four hands, wears a crown, loads of gold jewelry, and holds a water-pot, a book, a noose and craftsman’s tools in his hands”.

The modes! (Kadamba Kanana Swami, 11 September 2016, Durban,…
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The modes!
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 11 September 2016, Durban, South Africa, Sunday Feast Lecture)
Spiritual life can be received in any state of mind. If the seed of bhakti is received when we are in ignorance, when there are unwanted activities, actions, etc. then these other “creepers” choke the “devotional creeper”. Even in the mode of passion, there are disturbances. We will become insensitive because of our selfishness; we exploit the world, other living beings and so on…
That is what is going on in the world today!
Madness is a result of uncontrolled senses and we get entangled in things that do not bring us happiness because we look at short-term happiness. Sometimes famous people destroy their whole life because of one foolish act which only gave short-term happiness. We have to be careful of what we desire – maybe it is best to not go after too much wealth; what we require for living is actually enough. So often we thoughtlessly do things and then regret… regret… regret…
Bhagavad-gita is the book that organizes our life. Chapter 17 of Bhagavad-gita speaks about the three modes of material nature. These modes manifest in so many things. The mode of goodness makes it easier to maintain our spiritual life. Most of us here are not hearing this for the first time and most of us can make the change but MAINTAINING it is the difficult part.

Shiksha from Shikshashtakam (Audio-visual…
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Shiksha from Shikshashtakam (Audio-visual presentation)
Chaitanya Charan Das: When I came to Alachua, Florida, USA, last year, I felt embarrassed to speak about Krishna to an audience primarily of senior devotees, many of whom are Prabhupada disciples. Still, they have been very kind to encourage me and appreciate my classes.
This year, Janmashtami Prabhu, who had started the Mayapur Institute (MI) in Mayapur and has started a Krishna Institute here for similarly revitalizing an educational ethos in our movement, asked me to speak on a workshop entitled “Relishing Shikshashtakam” at the Alachua Learning Center.
Fifty-seven devotees participated in the three-day workshop from 3rd to 5th Sep, 2016, with around forty-five of them being non-Indians and over a dozen being Srila Prabhupada disciples.
I spoke on the Shikshashtakam in twelve talks each of about one hour and fifteen minutes. The first text took three talks and the third took two talks, with all the other texts covered in one talk each. All the talks are available here: https://goo.gl/z8niHK
The Shikshashtakam talks about exalted levels of consciousness and, also in its later verses, about esoteric states of devotion. I tried to take those lofty topics as starting points for descending to the practical challenges in our life as seekers.

Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir Kartika Parikrama Schedule. Deena…
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Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir Kartika Parikrama Schedule.
Deena Bandhu Das: Kartika is glorified in the Puranas as very special for making spiritual advancement and the best place to be in Kartika is Sri Braja Dham. In fact this month is known as Damodar, since in the middle of this month, the Lord performed His very enchanting Damodar Lila. Kartika month also represents Radharani, and devotees perform special austerities to gain Her favor.
With great happiness in our hearts, we invite everyone to join in the auspicious Kartika Festival in Vrindavan. We have organized a wonderful variety of parikramas to the Holy Places of Krishna’s pastimes in Braja for all of you. Almost daily, we will be going by bus leaving in the morning and returning in time for lunch around 3 PM, unless otherwise noted. Sometimes we will also join up with Lokanatha Swami’s Braja Mandala Parikrama and enjoy the association of the many devotees who will be wandering around Braja on foot. Tickets will be available from the Welcome Center next to the temple, and all of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples and accompanied family members are free!
The 4th of November is the Holy Disappearance Day Festival of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and we extend a warm invitation to all to come and commemorate this sacred occassion with us in Sri Vrindavan, where His Divine Grace is sitting in Samadhi. Leading up to this day, every evening, senior disciples will be relating their memories of Srila Prabhupada. One day before, we will take Srila Prabhupada in the very same palanquin from 1977 for a grand Sankirtan Procession past all the Goswami temples in Vrindavan.
Parikrama Schedule
16 Oct Moonlit Giriraja Parikrama
18 Vrindavan Temples
19 Madhuvan Talavan
20 Braja Mohan Mandir Narottama Disap
21 Radha Kunda – Kusum Sarovar
23 Javat – Ter Kadamba – Lunch at Vrinda Kunda
24 Barsana
26 Badrinatha
28 Nandagram lunch at Vrinda Kunda
29 Kamyavan
30 Diwali Raval Gokul
31 Giriraja Parikrama
1 Nov Govardhana Puja
3 Srila Prabhupada’s Procession to Goswami Temples
4 Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day
6 Mansarovar, Bandhirvan, Baelvan Return by Boat
7 Ram Ghat – Chir Ghat
9 Javat – Ter Kadamba (Lunch at Vrinda Kunda)
10 Dauji and Lohavan
11 All night Kirtan in Vrinda Kunda
12 Tulasi Shaligram Vivah Vrinda Kunda
In service of Srimati Vrinda Devi,
Deena Bandhu dasa

Saturday Night Harinam London, September 2016 (2 min…
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Saturday Night Harinam London, September 2016 (2 min video)
Bhajahari das: Steak house waitress makes spiritual profit!
This is why we must go out on harinam!
Please watch the following amazing video:
https://youtu.be/r3R-1_V0J80
In this wonderful short clip you will see a young lady whose job it is to stand at the door of the Angus Steak House in Leicester Square, greet customers and then show them to their seats. As soon as the Harinam Party reached outside the Steak House she deserted her post immediately asked me for the garland I was wearing – then just jumped into the Kirtan Party and while holding hands with one of our lady devotees – wholeheartedly danced and chanted for about 5 minutes. You can see she is holding an Angus Steak House menu in her hand all the while. When she finally decides to return to her post outside the restaurant you can see her respectfully bow her head to me while I film her.
Srila Prabhupada states in the Teachings of Queen Kunti:
“It is our duty to make all such unfortunate creatures fortunate. That is our mission. Therefore we go into the street and chant….. And if somehow or other we place some literature in someone’s hand, he becomes fortunate….. Our business is to bring everyone to this Krishna consciousness movement so that everyone may spiritually profit” Over 1,000 small booklets distributed along with 600 pieces of Krsna Prasadam.

HH Jayapataka Swami is in the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai…
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HH Jayapataka Swami is in the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai for routine exams. This didn’t impede him to give a class live, through skype, to a Malaysian convention in Penang where more than 1400 devotees were gathered.
Find more photos here: https://goo.gl/LvzyZm

The “Conch”, New Govardhana community’s…
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The “Conch”, New Govardhana community’s newsletter, in Australia, with all the local news, is now online.
Excerpt: Did You Know? By Vrindavani Briant. You may have noticed the two new buildings at ISKCON New Govardhana. These buildings mark the spot for the new and improved brahmacharini ashrama. Each building contains rooms with upgraded facilities for the brahmacharinis, including air conditioning and individual bathrooms. A third building will be erected to provide a common area that includes a kitchen and laundry facility, and verandahs will be added to all three buildings. Plans also include raised garden beds for flowers and vegetables and additional landscaping of the whole area. As soon as the Council has approved the building plans, work on this new project will be underway!
Find it here: https://goo.gl/Ha0kPq (pdf document)

In every city and village! (Album with photos) Kalasamvara Das:…
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In every city and village! (Album with photos)
Kalasamvara Das: A RAY OF LIGHT FROM THE TAKHUR’S VISION
From a sweet village, in the sacred groves of Godrum dvipa in Mayapur, on his appearance day…our party received extraordinary mercy.
The transcendental sky opened and our great grandfather Bhaktivinod Thakur poured his blessings on a pristine village nestled on one of Fijis beautiful emerald Isles.Garlanded in living coral and surrounded in Turquoise seas of the South Pacific ; the unique village of Yaloubi received the blessings of parampara
Our gift to them, they met and matched with open hearted interfaith. It seemed this occasion was a well deserved award for these beautiful people, who didn’t speak so much but showed by perfect example…“Simple living and high thinking”
A direct transcendental link from village to village; an empowered connection…on this unforgettable day… we made leaps and bounds , on our Padayatra to celebrate 50 years of Prabhupada’s ISKCON.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/HHK3qj

How I Met the Cowherd Lord, Krishna. Suraiya Ali
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How I Met the Cowherd Lord, Krishna.
Suraiya Ali: I grew up going to many types of religious houses, but I had never been to a temple sanctioned by ISKCON. I had met the cowherd Lord in books and in my relationships, but now I was going to His house, for the very first time. So we dressed up, as my best friend said that evening, “there is no such thing as being overdressed to the temple, as you’re dressing for the pleasure of Krishna.”

New Raman Reti’s (Alachua, Florida) recent festival (Album…
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New Raman Reti’s (Alachua, Florida) recent festival (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: At every step there is danger. Therefore, because the Krishna consciousness movement provides the opportunity for the human being to get out of this material world simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, this movement is the greatest benediction in human society. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 9.7.7 Purport).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/aIK7Xo

Niranjana Swami – Lecture at the Sadhu-sanga festival, Russia –…
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Niranjana Swami – Lecture at the Sadhu-sanga festival, Russia – 14-Sep-2016 (video)
Srila Prabhupada: The Hare Krishna chant is called the maha-mantra, the great, exalted mantra above all other Vedic mantras, because simply chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra brings so many beneficial effects. (Srimad Bhagavatam, 9.1.17 Purport).
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/JszxTP

Tulsi Gabbard’s Speech at ISKCON 50th Anniversary Gala…
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Tulsi Gabbard’s Speech at ISKCON 50th Anniversary Gala Event in Washington D.C. (12 min video)
Many international religious and political leaders honored ISKCON Founder Srila Prabhupada’s achievements and contributions at a special ISKCON 50th Anniversary Gala Event in Washington D.C. on Tuesday September 13th, 2016. The keynote speaker was U.S. Congresswoman from Hawaii Tulsi Gabbard.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/tL1WIp

Promo video of our Govinda’s restaurant in Eger, Hungary…
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Promo video of our Govinda’s restaurant in Eger, Hungary (1 min video)
Avadhuta Raya das: We get many foreign tourists in Eger throughout the year and the town is also only a 1,5 hrs drive from Budapest so many people visiting the capital also venture to Eger.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/DEXuHm

Kirtan Fest – 24 hours of kirtan in the City of Leicester,…
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Kirtan Fest – 24 hours of kirtan in the City of Leicester, UK.
ISKCON Leicester will host Kirtan Fest, 24 hours of Kirtan on 17-18 September, 2016…continuing the 50 year celebrations of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Hundreds of devotees from around the UK and further afield will participate in the two-day festival at the Centre at 31 Granby Street, Leicester, 9am-11pm on Saturday, and 9am-7pm on Sunday, which coincides with the 51st anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival in the US.
The cream of kirtan leaders from around the world will be attending this year’s Kirtan Fest, including Amala Harinama Dasa, Ajamila Dasa, Nadiya Bihari Devi Dasi, Madhava Anderson, Nitai Kirtan Dasa, Nimai Gadhvi, Jay Krishna, Ravi Pattni, and many others. On Saturday night, the chanting and dancing will continue onto the streets of Leicester in a maha street harinama.
This will be the first Kirtan Fest in the presence of Sri Sri Radha Madhava Who arrived in Leicester on August 15. The grade II listed building has been newly refurbished, with a first floor temple, kitchen, classrooms, with an ashram on the top floor, making it a fully functioning temple.
Prashadam will be served over the weekend.
Kirtan Fest, Saturday 17h and Sunday 18th September, 31 Granby Street, Leicester. For accommodation advice, sponsorship information, or volunteering opportunities, please contact the team on:
ISKCON
07597 786676
www.iskconleicester.org
info@iskconleicester.org
Twitter: #KirtanFest16
facebook.com/KirtanFest/

ISKCON Gaya represented sanatan religion. On 10th september a…
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ISKCON Gaya represented sanatan religion.
On 10th september a workshop on “Building a humane and peaceful society” was organized at Gaya college campus. The organizer of the program had invited a leader from each religion to present the teachings of their religion about peace. They invited ISKCON Gaya to represent sanatan religion though there are numerous hindu organizations and leaders in Gaya. ISKCON Gaya’s presentation was appreciated by all the leaders of different religions as it was the only PPT presentation with so much interaction with the students. The presentation concluded with the powerful quote of Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur about how to respect other religions. The commissioner of Magadh division was the chief guest. The principal of Gaya College congratulated ISKCON Gaya and invited to organize programs for the youth in college campus. More than 500 students participated in the workshop.

Vamanadeva’s appearance day celebrations in Mayapur (Album…
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Vamanadeva’s appearance day celebrations in Mayapur (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Our Krishna consciousness movement is how to become one of the gopi-jana. Then Krishna will save us from any danger, even by lifting a hill or mountain. New York, July 20, 1971.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/XSKhNp

Namacharya Haridasa Thakur’s disappearance day
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Haridasa Thakura said, “I have had one desire for a very long time. I think that quite soon, my Lord, You will bring to a close Your pastimes within this material world. I wish that You not show me this closing chapter of Your pastimes. Before …

1st Anniversary -Brahmotsava Festival @ ISKCON Miraroad (Album…
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1st Anniversary -Brahmotsava Festival @ ISKCON Miraroad (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” If one practices chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, he is naturally expected to chant Hare Krishna when he meets with some accident. Even without such practice, however, if one somehow or other chants the holy name of the Lord (Hare Krishna) when he meets with an accident and dies, he will be saved from hellish life after death. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.15 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/XD0JXs

Isn’t fasting self-torture? Question: Spiritual people often…
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Isn’t fasting self-torture?
Question: Spiritual people often fast on certain occasions, thus depriving themselves of natural bodily needs. Isn’t such fasting an unnecessary self-torture?
Answer by Chaitanya Charan das: Not at all. To the contrary, for many people, their daily gorging of food is an unnecessary self-torture. WHO statistics show that over 1 billion suffer due to obesity, whereas 800 million people suffer due to undernourishment. More health disorders result due to overeating than due to fasting. We eat more often to fulfill the greed of the mind than the need of the body. Due to eating too often and too much, our digestive system becomes like a perpetually overworked machine in desperate need of rest. That’s why many alternative cure doctors recommend periodic – fortnightly or monthly – fasting with intake only of fluids so as to rest and flush the digestive system. Though abstaining from food may seem like an infliction of torture for our minds, it may well be a relief from torture for our bodies. Fasting, when done according to scriptural guidance, can also purify the mind and awaken the soul. By analyzing how life and consciousness cannot emerge from dead, unconscious matter, we can intellectually understand that the soul – and not the body – is the real source of life and consciousness. This implies that all of us are actually souls, temporarily occupying material bodies. But how can we transform this intellectual understanding into an experiential realization? Fasting is one important way. During our normal lives, we pander to the demands of the flesh, thus perpetuating our misidentification with flesh. Consequently, the desires and plans to fulfill our bodily demands preoccupy and fill our minds, leaving little mental room for spiritual contemplation. When we resolve to fast on certain days, we soon realize that if we keep thinking of food while fasting, we will simply be torturing ourselves. This realization gives us the impetus to evict thoughts of food from our minds. Then with the mental room thus created we become free to contemplate on the deeper spiritual dimension of our existence. Of course, such contemplation is possible without fasting too, but starving the flesh sharpens the spirit, thus making spiritual contemplation more intense. During the fasting period, if we lovingly call out to God by chanting his names like the Hare Krishna mahamantra, then we can experience a nonmaterial nourishment far more fulfilling than the most delicious food. This strengthens our realization of our spiritual identity, reinforces our commitment to the path of progressive spiritual advancement that ultimately elevates us to the realm of everlasting devotional delight. Thus, temporary bodily fasting eventually becomes a doorway to eternal spiritual feasting