Author Archives: Dandavats.com

The Hare Krishna devotees preach to thousands in the famous Polish Festival (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: Woodstock: the kirtans, the Ratha Yatra’s, the prasadam distribution, the association, the people – everything – was simply out of this world. O Lord Caitanya! Will we ever see such a flood of mercy again?
Find them here: https://goo.gl/V79han

Just Chant!
A short compilation of devotional Kirtan, Sanskrit chants of the Bhakti tradition, to uplift the spirit and create a blissful atmosphere.
Details:
Lead Vocals & Harmonium: Niranjana Swami (Purification & Ocean Of Bliss), Ananta Govinda (Awakening)
Background Vocals: Acyuta Gopi, Ananta Govinda, Akincana Krishna Dasa, Rati Manjari, Krishna Kishora (Kish)
Bass: Purusartha Dasa
Percussion: Ananta Govinda
Flute: Krishna Kishora (Kish)
Kartals: Acyuta Gopi
Recorded at: Butler Recording, Brooklyn, NY
Recording Engineer: Chris Butler
Mix Engineers: Chris Butler & Devananda Sadkin
Produced by: Niranjana Swami & Hrsikesa dasa (Harish Vaswani)
A very special thanks to Bada Haridas for his expert guidance.
Previews and details: https://goo.gl/Gbb810

Book distribution is life!
Krishna consciousness is not possible without reaching out to the conditioned souls by distributing Srila Prabhupada books. That is the fastest way to spiritually advance. As Srila Prabhupada famously said, “If you want to please me, then distribute my books.” Also, my guru, His Grace Vaisesika Prabhu, always preaches the importance of book distribution. So it is my heart and soul.
Just before my trip to Vrindavan this year, I heard my guru say in a class that when he goes to India on pilgrimage with His disciples, they go in the mood of service, not enjoyment. So I went to Vrindavan in the mood of service.
I had no idea I would be able to distribute so many books in Vrindavan! When I arrived, I of course had some money with me for shopping, but instead I bought some books and started distributing. So many Indians were interested to take books and give donations–almost every person! For four days I distributed right next to Prabhupada’s samadhi and at the entrance gate. I could feel how pleased Prabhupada was with this service. I felt that he was watching me from His samadhi and blessing me. It was as if he was speaking to me from within: “Don’t mind quarreling and misdoings by others. Just continue distributing my books.”
Before my trip to Vrindavan I was feeling a little down and confused, but Prabhupada clearly showed me how important it is to serve him by distributing his books–no matter where I am–and to never stop no matter what others are doing or not doing. Book distribution is not something we do just once a month or once a week. It should always be in the forefront of our consciousness. No matter where we go, we should always have Srila Prabhupada’s precious books in our bag and be ready to save the fallen, suffering souls by distributing them.
Maya can swallow anyone, and very fast, but if we follow in the footsteps of the previous acaryas, we will be protected. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, Srila Prabhupada, and all of Srila Prabhupada’s sincere disciples emphasize the importance of book distribution. There is not much time left in any of our lives. So we should not waste a moment. We should distribute the mercy wherever we go and whenever we can, so that we can progress from neophytes to advanced devotees who love Lord Krishna and therefore every living entity. And the best way to do this is to always have books with us and distribute wherever we go.
Your servant,
Gopi Gita dd

Hare Krishna Temple Going Strong In East Hartford, Connecticut, United States, As U.S. Movement Turns 50.
EAST HARTFORD — The modest house at 1683 Main St. would draw little attention during the week, but on Sundays, the unassuming yellow building attracts dozens of Hare Krishna devotees singing mantras, dancing, chanting and, finally, partaking in a vegetarian feast.
To many in the U.S., the words Hare Krishna conjure images of the 1960s and ‘70s, long-robed devotees handing out flowers in airports, and musician George Harrison, but the movement has survived to celebrate 50 years since Swami Bhaktivedanta founded the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in the United States in 1966.
Temple President Pyari Mohan Prabhu, 68, said the East Hartford congregation has been steadily growing since he became president in 1981 and the temple was officially incorporated.
Established in 1978, the temple is the only one in Connecticut. Originally, the movement rented a house on Silver Lane but after a few years bought the 1909 house on Main Street.
“When we first started the building was also very rundown … and we were getting probably about 10 people coming, maybe 15, and now we’re getting at least 70 people on Sundays,” Pyari said. “If we had a bigger place, we’d get more people.”
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/G43AGn

“Ocean of Mercy” – Book launch by Bhakti Charu Swami
“Ocean of Mercy” is a book by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Maharaj about his time with Srila Prabhupada.
In his book, ‘Ocean of Mercy’, HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaj takes us by the hand and brings us into Srila Prabhupada’s private quarters and at times to his bedside during the final year of his physical presence. (Excerpt from Foreword by HH Radhanath Swami)
This work describes how the author developed a humble love and dedication to Srila Prabhupada who gave him a life of Krishna-bhakti, and thus revealed himself to be truly an “ocean of mercy”. (Except from Preface by Graham H. Schweig, Ph.D. (HG Garuda Das)
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OceanofMercyBCS/
Book launch at Los Angeles on 27th July 2016: https://www.facebook.com/events/1764582283821315/

Paradox! A recent lecture by Brahma Tirtha Das at ISKCON of DC.
Studying and seeking to understand sastra (spiritual literature) can sometimes be a challenge – especially for the science minded. We may come across things that are hard to grasp or full of paradox. Join us as we explore this topic in search of spiritual truths.
Listen to it here: https://goo.gl/0rg9Ni

Rathayatra in Nairobi, Kenya (2 min video)
Srila Prabhupada: This Krishna consciousness movement insists that everyone take to …Read More…

Huge, highly successful London Rathayatra 2016 (Album with photos)
Lively, multiple, kirtans during the parade, large participa…Read More…

Ratha Yatra in Barcelona, Spain (Album with photos)
It was an amazing experience to participate in the Ratha Yatra of Barcelon…Read More…

Polish tour Brhat mrdanga is heard in Los Angeles!
While distributing books at the Los Angeles airport I approached a man who said he was from Poland. When I showed him the Bhagavad Gita he said, “I know that book, when I was in Poland last year at a concert called,”Woodstock” I saw it at the Hare Krsna site. I wanted it because it seemed very interesting, but I didn’t have any money. But now I do, so can I give you a donation for it?“
I said, “Alright, if you insist” 🙂
your servant, Vijaya das
P.S. All we have to do is get some books, go out with some sincerity and we’ll find people that want Prabhupada’s books.

Rathayatras in Bali (Album with photos)
Ramai Swami: The celebration of Rathayatra in ISKCON is popular all over the world. In…Read More…

Preaching program in Vienna, Austria (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: We take a newspaper and read what the politician say…Read More…

Initiation ceremonies at Pandharpur (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: In this Age of Kali, the process of worshiping Krishn…Read More…

The Strange Story of Usika Das.
Swarup das (ACBSP): This story is from my memoirs (that I’ve been trying to consolidate into a book for the past few years).
I met Usika at the Henry Street, Brooklyn temple in ‘71. At the time his name was…

ISKCON 50 celebrations in Coventry.
Anuragi Devi Dasi: On Wednesday 13th July, devotees at ISKCON Coventry devotees came toget…Read More…

He’s a Trip Monk!
From the News Tribune an article appeared, authored by Ben Hohenstatt in the city of La Salle, Illinois.
He’s a Trip Monk
If you saw a man with a shaved head in orange robes in the Illinois Valley Thursday that wasn’t an oddly dressed flagger.
A walking journey from New York to San Francisco took Bhaktimarga Swami “The Walking Monk”, a Hare Krishna monk originally from Canada, through Ottawa, Peru and La Salle Friday.
“I’ve been to Chicago, but I’ve never been here,” he said. “We’ve met a lot of nice people…There’s a lot of sweet people…People in the Midwest carry some good values”
In the past, he has crossed Canada four times and walked across Guyana, Ireland, Israel, the Fiji islands and Trinidad and featured in documentaries.
Swami said this walk was to promote physical and spiritual health as well as to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada incorporating the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
“The walk is to encourage people to have a workout and a work-in,” the 63-year-old monk said.
Around 11 a.m. Thursday, he stopped to eat mangoes and cherries in Pulaski Park in La Salle. Swami said his day’s walk began in Ottawa around 5 a.m.
Despite covering dozens of miles a day in weather that is “almost never perfect”, encountering bears and schlepping through the Appalachians and downtown Gary, Ind., Swami said sometimes it can be tough to pause his journey.
“It gets to the point sometimes where it’s hard to stop,” he said.
Swami said he would follow U.S. 6 toward Peru before continuing west toward Davenport, Iowa, and he will be excited to continue westward and cross the Mississippi River.
“I might swim it,” he said. “We’ll see if I can swim it.”
He said he thinks he will be able to make it to the middle of Nebraska before other commitments will cause him to put his walk on hold before being resumed next year.
“Next year, I’m hoping to finish walking to San Francisco
Swami said during his cross-country trek he expects to wear out about four pairs of shoes and several robes, which become faded from sunlight.
While marathon walking, he said he encounters people, wildlife and all manner of weather and tries to engage with his surroundings.
However, the rhythm and repetition of walking also makes it easy to get lost in thought.
“It’s an everyday experience,” he said. “You are very much present, but you’re also someplace else; it’s a great time to dream. Your feet are on the ground, and you’re head definitely isn’t in the clouds.”
Thanks Ben!
May the Source be with you!

#1 book distributor in North America hits a record!
Jaya Chaitanya Das distributes over 9,000 pieces of literature last month (June 2016) with a 72% increase! Here are the final scores and figures:
book points: 6399.00* +72%
maha-big:1258*
big:1976*
medium: 1440*
small: 4664*
magazines: 210
All glories to Srila Prabhupada’s mission to distribute these books to the masses and awaken Spiritual consciousness throughout the world! All glories to the Sankirtan army!

Their Lordships too wear designer clothing!
VRINDAVAN: If you thought designer dresses and clothes are for mortals only, you are mistaken, as there are designers who toil throughout the year to make our revered deities look their very best.
In the holy city of Vrindavan, at the Chandrodaya Temple, a group of six people, led by 35-year-old Sangini Indulekha, a management graduate who did a course in fashion designing only to pursue her passion to “serve the lord”, design clothes for the murtis of Kirshna and Radha. These clothes and dresses are sent to temples under the Hare Krishna movement, which are part of Iskcon, across the world and sometimes a single dress can cost as much Rs one lakh.
Attires of the deities have also undergone a sea change over the years – from usage of simple colours and attractive beads to stylish cuts with applique work (needlework technique in which patterns are created by the attaching smaller pieces of fabric to a larger piece of contrasting colour or texture) with Zardosi Aari embroidery. The clothes are now designed to make Their “Lordships” stand out and look more appealing to the devotees at first sight.
Talking to us, Sangini said many decades ago, the styles were very simple and in “braj shaili” (style) where only simple silk with some pearls, thread work and flowery embroidery were used. She said later the Mughal concept took over where the use of velvet fabric, with thread work depicting domes and monuments became common.
In the 70s, the styles took a slight western turn, and the traditional braj shaili was experimented with the use of Kora and dapka embroidery. Sangini said the present day trend is to use of large varieties of bright coloured fabrics – pure silk, satin, tissue and shimmer- with applique work and stylish cuts.
Sangini said presently two styles of embroidery, Zardosi and Aari, are in vogue and various styles of stitches, including chall zamki, zigzag, fashavuda and pipalgray, are used to make the clothes attractive.
She said while the deities have a set of 50 dresses, which are changed every day, five special occasion dresses are designed every year for festivals. She said a normal dress for a three and a half feet deity idol takes about three weeks and special occasion ones, which have heavy work, can take over a month to design and stitch.
She said these dresses cost anything between Rs 45,000-75,000 and are sold to other temples, after including costs of material, design and labour.
To read the entire article click here: http://goo.gl/En3an8

Indonesia Adds Local Flavor to ISKCON 50 Festivities.
During its ISKCON 50 festivities this month, Indonesia added some rich l…Read More…

Preaching program in New Mayapur, Ukraine (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: “Just work in such a way that God may see you.” This is the Krishna consciousness movement. Everyone is busy to see God. Of course, it is not so easy to see God. But a devotee is not busy to see God, but he wants God to see him. Bombay, May 12, 197
Find them here: https://goo.gl/U05RkR

The dream of a book distributor realized!
Recently while distributing in the Wicker Park district of Chicago I had some very nice interactions. The first encounter exhibited timing. I parked my jeep that had some for sale signs on it and seeing some p…

Woodstock Full On (7 min video)
As attendance at Woodstock Poland swells to over 700,000 people devotees go into action with Ra…Read More…

ISKCON Auckland NZ: 50 years on! (Album with photos)
Kalasamvara Das: Main Street of Auckland New Zealand was closed down tonight for a maha Harinam and Rathayatra. celebrating the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON movement .With over 200 hundred devotees!
Find them here: https://goo.gl/sh7CSK

ISKCON-Delhi: Celebrating ISKCON’s 50th Anniversary (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: The tapasya of chanting and glorifying the name, fame and attributes of the Lord is a very easy purifying process by which everyone can be happy. Therefore everyone who desires the ultimate cleansing of his heart must adopt this process. Other processes, such as karma, jnana and yoga, cannot cleanse the heart absolutely. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.12 Purport).
Find them here: https://goo.gl/LORLIC

Bhaktivedanta Players: New rendition of Mahabharata, 2016 (64 min video)
The Bhaktivedanta Players perform a very brief version…Read More…

Happiness, an Inside Job at EY London (video)
Mankind’s pursuit for happiness is never ending. Although we live in a finite world, our desires are infinite. What is our understanding of happiness?
An evening of exploring happiness from a Vedic perspective with His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami, a renounced monk and travelling teacher for over 40 years, renowned all over the world for his depth of spiritual knowledge and practice.
This was an interactive seminar with an opportunity to ask questions and consider how we can better understand our role in creating our own happiness in our personal and professional lives.
Watch it here: http://goo.gl/N45UXQ

My Greek “odyssey”
An introduction: “Because the Mayavadis are great offenders and atheistic philosophers, the holy name of Krsna does not come from their mouths. I have come here to sell My emotional ecstatic sentiments in this city of Kasi, but I cannot find any customers. If they are not sold, I must take them back home. I have brought a heavy load to sell in this city. To take it back again is a very difficult job; therefore if I get but a fraction of the price, I shall sell it here in this city of Kasi.”
CC Madhya Lila Chapter 17 Texts 143-145

Preaching in UK.
In a span of 7 days, HH Jayapataka Swami took part in several festivals and gatherings in England; the Birmingham Snana Yatra and Panihati festivals, the Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Panihati festival, the Fundraising of Sri Krishna Haveli Project with HH Sivarama Swami Maharaja, the Maha Bhakti Vriksha convention in East London, amongst others
To read the entire article click here: https://goo.gl/GlMXsX

The Speaking Tree, a weekly spiritual supplement published by the Times of India with a coverage of 10 lakh copies, covered the 50th Anniversary of ISKCON in a near full-page story.
The story documents the movement’s history as well as the ongoing celebrations.

The miracle of Srila Prabhupada!
“Yes, from the very beginning I went to New York because I thought that Krishna Consciousness is the most important idea in the world, so let me go to that place, New York, which is the most important city in the…

Scenes from our great Sunday program in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia. (Album with photos)
A wonderful program with hundreds of great de…Read More…

“Who’s the Girl with Krishna?”
Yesterday Parama Karuna, Mathuradhis and I were at a mall in San Jose reading about Radharani in the Nectar of Devotion. Srila Prabhupada (and Srila Rupa Goswami) was talking about how devotional service is greater than Krsna because it attracts Him and that the symbol of devotional service in the highest degree is Radharani.
So when we were about to distribute books again Parama turned to me and said, “Isn’t it amazing that no one here has heard of Srimati Radharani?!” Around us was the mayhem and madness of last minute shoppers bustling and jostling for last minute Christmas presents in their last minute nightmare before the clock struck twelve and the gifts they forgot to get turn them into pumpkins. It was obvious that the Hladini Shakti was not foremost on their minds.
But then Mathuradhis met a couple who were more thoughtful. They bought a book from him and went on their way. I saw them walk past me with the book in their hands and mused that I had wanted to stop them a few minutes before they met Mathura. Somehow I had missed the opportunity but Krsna hadn’t.
I guess this couple wanted to know more because moments later they were standing next to me discussing between themselves the pictures in that book. So I poked my head into their conversation and asked if they understood those pictures. A conversation ensued.
We covered the usual topics of karma and reincarnation and what Christmas means to a monk but then the girl asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks. The book they had only had pictures like changing bodies, karma and such. There were no pictures of the Spiritual World but our conversation had led me past the demigods to the real Boss, the real CEO in the sky, Krsna and His eternal abode of Goloka Vrndavana. And this lady, Sally, suddenly asked me out of the blue, “Who’s the Girl [with Krsna]?”
It seems like the secret is out. Is it really that no one knows about the real CEO in Vrndavana, Radharani? Where did Sally find out?
We may think that our efforts to give some knowledge in this world are in vein that no one really reads the books let alone understands them. We may pacify ourselves by reading the Nectar of Devotion and learning that the devotional service we are performing is attracting Krsna and therefore any other result is irrelevant. But it seems that there is some tangible result as one person yesterday inquired into Someone that even we the ones who have the most faith in trying to preach to a forgetful society may not have realized was out there preaching with us.

Sravanam Kirtanam Festival Italy 2016 (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Many people come and inquire whether they have to …Read More…

KK Bindu #379: How the spiritual world is manifested in the material world in the holy Dham.
The latest issue of Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu e-magazine was just released.
This edition includes:
* TEN CONCLUSIONS OF BHAGAVAD-GITA – His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada presents a summary of Krishna’s words to Arjuna.
* UTILIZE YOUR GREED – Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja speaks of the importance of spiritual greed.
* THE DIVINITY OF KRISHNA?S ABODE – This fresh translation done especially for Bindu, presents Srila Jiva Goswami’s explanation of how the spiritual world is manifest in this material world in the holy Dham.
* MAKE YOUR BHAJAN KUTIR – Another fresh translation from Srila Prabodhananda Saraswati’s Vrindavan-mahimamrtam (2.67). It can be downloaded here: https://archive.org/details/bindu379

ISKCON Auckland New Zealand: Preparations are starting for a great weekend, celebrating Srila Prabhupada’s 50th anniversary of ISKCON.
Friday night: Maha Harinam plus Rathyatra
Saturday: Abhishek of SriSri Radhagiridhari
Sunday: VIP guests, Abhishek of Srila Prabhupada and lots more!

Woodstock Ratha Yatra in Poland (Album with photos)
Indradyumna Swami: The day before Woodstock we did our first of 4 Ratha Yatras through the crowds. Like us, the people who joined sang Lord Krishna’s holy names and danced in ecstasy. Such is the mercy Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/Nkbq0X

Celebrating Iskcon’s 50th in Colorado -Denver, USA (3 min video)
Yesterday evening we were very fortunate to be visited by the Kishori Yatra, a Krishna youth ladies’ Summer bus tour. They sang this song, “The Atlantic,” about Srila Prabhupada’s coming to America.
Watch it here: https://goo.gl/bdAx7M

The Mayor of London receives his cupcakes and congratulates ISKCON on turning 50.
Live on BBC coverage of ISKCON 50 celebration…Read More…

Harinam in Prague, Czech Republic (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: By chanting the Hare Krishna mantra without offenses, one increases his love for Krishna. As stated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, preme pum-artho mahan: one’s main concern should be to increase one’s attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and to increase one’s love for Him. (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.3.24 Purport)
Find them here: https://goo.gl/91m3YZ

Bhaktivedanta Manor: Today’s gratitude offering to Srila Prabhupada (Album with photos)
Srila Prabhupada: Our centers are like the oasis in a vast desert. In the desert there is no water, but occasionally if one is fortunate he may come in contact with an oasis and he is saved. Similarly in this material world we are drying up due to a lack of spiritual knowledge. Our ISKCON centers are meant to give relief to the dried up conditioned souls who are searching after the nectar of joyful life. Letter to Bhagavan, December 18, 1970.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/pkz8eC